AWA Southern Tag Team Title Match: Bill Dundee & Jerry Lawler (c) vs. Mr. Fuchi & Mr. Onita - CWA Memphis Championship Wrestling TV 01/08/1981
I’ve never seen Fuchi or Onita’s Memphis matches, so this is all fresh and new for me. Fuchi also kept a lot of his mugging and heelish antics that he learned in Memphis later in his career but this is wide-eyed rookie Fuchi. Onita is spritely and loves to throw kicks. At first they went get their asses beat by Dundee and Lawler but through cheating and solid double team work, they found some success. The match got cut short by mass interference from too many people to count but it was a fun ass TV Studio match. ***
Ricky Morton & Eddie Gilbert vs. Mr Fuchi & Mr Onita - CWA 04/09/1981
So this is the Tupelo Concession Stand Brawl. I definitely see why it's so famous. Blood, broomsticks and mustard - that’s all this needed. The match isn’t much, not that we see it, but the post match brawl in the concession stands was just great. It was chaotic, spontaneous and violent. You don’t get brawls like these anymore. And this was pretty rare for even the 80s.
Best Two Out Of Three Falls Scaffold Match: Sweet Brown Sugar vs. Bill Dundee - CWA 21/06/1982
I really like the idea of this being 2/3 falls. It maximises the danger of the stipulation while not dragging out the inevitable. And the umps aren’t too and either, but I sure wouldn’t want to take them. Dundee, according to Lance Russell, worked construction in Aussie land so he is comfortable in this match. Sugar, aka Koko B.Ware, isn't, however. And it’s quite amusing. Sugar eventually gains confidence after Dundee loses the 1st fall and moes easily. Dundee predictably regains the next two falls to win. There isn’t a lot they could do but they do everything really well to milk the gimmick and make an exciting match. ***1/2
NWA Mid American Championship Match: Bobby Eaton (c) vs Bill Dundee - CWA Memphis Championship Wrestling TV 24/07/1982
A young Eaton! He’s as super good as well. All of his offence looks good as well. Before the match, he and Jimmy Hart are upset by the appearance of Dutch Mantel so they spend the segment complaining before Dundee shuts them up and starts the match. The match is fast pace, simple wrestling. Loads of punches and strikes. The ring even starts to fall apart towards the end due to the velocity of their bumping. Dundee scores the win, popping the studio audience which sparks a melee. Cool match. ***
NWA World Heavyweight Title Match: Ric Flair (c) vs. Jerry Lawler - CWA Memphis Championship Wrestling TV 14/08/1982
One of the most famous matches and angles in Memphis history. If anyone is remotely interested in classic Pro Wrestling, they have watched this exchange between Ric Flair, the NWA Heavyweight Champion and Jerry Lawler, the hometown champion. Jerry Lawler cuts a wonderful promo on Jimmy Hart helping him regain the Southern Heavyweight Title against Kimala before he transitions into coaxing Ric Flair into the title match right there on television. Ric Flair is so cool and calm in this segment. Kevin Nash was likely taking notes somewhere. He initially tries to big league Jerry Lawler by asking who he is, which Lawler handles perfectly and then he goes on about how he is above anyone in Memphis that he may as well face Jerry Lawler rather than his scheduled opponent.
The match was a fun studio match that condenses the usual big NWA Champion v Hometown Hero match. Flair starts out cocky before Lawler gets the advantage and proves himself a worthy challenger. Flair does stay on top, using his usual tricks and even almost beats Lawler with the Figure Four before the time limit expires. Flair is so mad that he couldn't get a decisive win so he asks (and gets) five minutes. This unhinged Flair who goes wild but it turns into his undoing as Lawler takes advantage quickly and this causes Flair to flat out run away. Lawler brings up a great point saying that he should be champion as Flair ran away, essentially forfeiting the title. Being unable to get back in the ring is one thing but running away is something else entirely. Flair comes back out later claiming that it wasn't a title match as there was no contract signed. Fair points already. And it was a good way to close out such a classic segment. ***
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