Hello folks! Let's keep taking a look at Mid South Wrestling in 1985.

September & October 1985

Dr Death vs Dick Murdoch (09/19 ep.#315) - This was shaping up to be a very good match. Bob Sweetan (who is teaming with Williams while DiBiase is in Japan I think) gets involved. He hits Butch Reed who's also at ring side. Sweetan & Doc start beating up Murdoch. Reed comes into help but no good deed goes unpunished. Murdoch thinks Butch attacked him. And that sets up the next big feud!

Butch Reed vs Dick Murdoch (09/22/85 DVDVR#6)- I'm an old man & this is a long match. And I occasionally will watch a long match if I'm not aware of it going into it. Well I'm aware of it so I watched this in chunks. And I thought this was a classic bout! They were working the whole time. Both guys were fighting while on defense. Everything looked snug. Both Butch & Dick were excellent in selling the pain & exhaustion. It was pretty organic and felt like competition. I don't think it needed to be as long as it was (not an hour draw thankfully fyi). It is over 45 minutes though. I think something around 30 would have been perfect. That's a preference though 🙂 Post match is great & kinda why I think match time around 30 + the post match would have absolutely ideal. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

The Fantastics vs. Dutch Mantell & Bill Dundee (9/22/85 Oklahoma City) - A great match for sure! Dutch and Sir William assault the Fantastics as they're getting hugs & kisses from the women. It's a well structured match. There's a good internal story with the ref being unable to keep up with the action. It's a lil annoying but there's a payoff. And the finish is what catapults this into being a great tag match. All four guys worked their butts off. Awesome post match too!! 

The Fantastics vs Ted DiBiase & Steve Williams (09/26 ep.# 316) - All action tag match with no down time at all. Really fun match. A little rough around the edges but totally acceptable for a 1985 TV match. Dr Death maybe does the first Dangerous Backdrop on Bobby Fulton...its on accident as I think Fulton meant to flip over & land on his feet but landed on his head instead. It works though because Dr. Death was doing a move..Confused? I guess you'll just have to watch this one 🙂

The Fantastics vs. Dutch Mantell & Bill Dundee (10/03 ep.#317) Being old school TV, this probably was taped prior to the above match in OKC. But maybe not? This is a bull whip on a pole match. This is mayhem! Yes! The match and post match are one in the same. This was a trip! Fun, fun stuff!

Butch Reed vs Flair (10/11/85 #51 DVDVR) - Now this is more my speed. You young whippersnappers can watch the time limit matches. I will take this 20 minute match. It's a wonderful "keep it simple/Flair working from underneath" match. We get to see all kinds of work from both guys. I think it avoids most of the Flair tropes/cliches...or at least tackles them in a way that's interesting. I felt this was a classic bout with the last few minutes pushing it up on that "classic match" pedestal. I, along with the fans, would have preferred a different finish but it definitely works. And the match as a whole delivers. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Butch Reed vs Dick Murdoch (10/14/85 DVDVR #11)- Great match! It took awhile to get going though. Reed working the arm didn't set my world on fire. They make it interesting as time goes on and this gets good. Dick works over Butch's knee. In response, Reed goes back to Murdoch's arm. And boy are they hurting! Excellent selling again, excellent sense of competition & intensity. The finish is a bit cheeky but it's absolutely something you'd still see on TV today (I bet) so there's no problem there.

Tommy Rogers vs Dick Slater (10/17 ep.#319) - Lots of great moves here especially from Slater. This one is fun. Also shows that the Fantastics are greater than the sum of their parts.

Fantastics vs Dick Slater & Buzz Sawyer (10/24 ep.#320) - Dark Journey is a great 80's comic book hero name. She's cool & makes Mid South a little hip. She actually reminds you that MTV and a world outside of the Mid South territory exists. It's not all cowboy boots & ZZ Top 😄 Anyhow,  back to wrestling - Vicious back breaker from Buzz! Fun stuff but they're too tough for the Fantastics BUT we're not done...Hacksaw Duggan comes out with his wife/girlfriend for his scheduled match. Then decides to shit talks Dark Journey and Slater. They're in the ring now and they're fighting... Sawyer comes back out to help. In a complete moment of insanity, Duggan's chick tries to help her dude. Sawyer ain't going for it and removes her ass from this plane existence!!! Hacksaw ain't doing too great himself. You gotta see this!

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Jake Roberts vs Dutch Mantell (10/24 ep.#320) - This is actually before the above match/segment but I thought it would flow better to put in in this order. Good promo from Jake talking about facing Lord Humongous and getting him to remove the hockey mask. The Mad Max movies huge at this time and this is probably the most direct copy of the character(s). Thunder Dome came out in the summer of '85 - two men enter! one man leaves! So Jake is feuding with him. But this match with he & Dutch was a lot of fun. Can Jake catch Dutch in the DDT? 

Jake the Snake vs Lord Humongous (Tulsa Convention Center 10/27/85)- The lord is managed by Oliver Humperdink. This is a lot of fun. It's Jake trying to chip away at the monster and avoid his grasp. Meanwhile, Humperdink is causing chaos on the outside. 

Butch Reed vs Dutch Mantell (10/31 ep.#321) - Fun match where Dutch ambushes Butch. Reed can't be stopped. Fun bit of wrestling but it sets up Butch vs Dick Slater. Reed shit talks Dark Journey & she slaps him (rightfully so) but Slater is a shit heel hiding behind his girlfriend. Still, we get to hear some stuff that Reed says that is pretty sketchy regarding race & gender roles etc. 😬 The fans seem to enjoy it and this definitely 1985 Mid South!

This batch of wrestling is phenomenal! Honestly, if you just wanted to jump in here and watch these fall matches, you'll be loving it. Seriously, if you want to dip your toe into the Mid South pool, September and October '85 would be the time to do it. 

Thanks for reading!