THE MID-SOUTH COLISEUM
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE
2/28/1985: WTBS
“Hello again everybody. Welcome to USWA Wrestling and MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE. We are coming to you live on WTBS from the world famous Mid-South Coliseum. I am Jim Ross along with Ernie Ladd. Welcome to the first major prime time event of the year! We have a jammed packed schedule so let’s get right to the ring for our first bout.
MEMPHIS STREET FIGHT:
The Memphis Bruise Brothers (Porkchop Cash & Dream Machine)
VS
The Tennessee Stud Stable (Tommy “Wildfire” Rich & “Hotstuff” Eddie Gilbert)
A nice 10 minute brawl here that has a lot of back and forth action. Eddie Gilbert was trapped in the wrong corner here for a few minutes but after making the tag, Wildfire came in like a house afire and went wild on both Cash and Dream Machine. Gilbert recovered enough to make this a chaotic scene with all four men in the ring. Gilbert and Cash spilled out on to the floor as Rich took off his cowboy boot and beat Dream pretty good. Rich followed this up with a Lou Thesz Press for the three count.
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USWA WORLD TV TITLE MATCH:
BILLY JACK HAYNES VS SHEIK HERCULES HERNANDEZ w SKANDAR AKBAR
(If Haynes wins, he gets 5 minutes alone with Akbar)
A typical power vs power match here as both men connected with some huge moves. It looked like it was over after Akbar got involved and tripped up Billy Jack. This gave the momentum back to Hercules who lifted Jack up into a backbreaker rack. Billy Jack almost submitted but was somehow able to wiggle out. As the war waged on, Jack got Hercules in his signature finisher, The Oregonian Full Nelson, and that was it as Hercules was forced to submit.
Jim Ross announced that there will be a three minute break before Akbar must get in the ring alone with Billy Jack. All of a sudden two huge men with Arab headdresses rushed to the ring. Jim Ross was in shock.
Jim Ross: Bah Gawd…. Its Ken Patera and Crusher Jerry Blackwell. What are they doing here?
Blackwell and Patera really beat down Billy Jack two on one for the next three minutes before they are forced out of the ring. Akbar enters the ring for his 5 minutes alone with Billy Jack. Akbar just kicks and punches Haynes for the entire 5 minutes as he is completely out of it.
After 5 minutes, Billy Jack is a mess and Akbar and his collection of Sheiks leave all giddy!
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BOOTCAMP MATCH:
Jimmy Snuka with Gary Hart vs Sgt. Slaughter
A good old fashion brawl here with both men having their turns with the momentum. Sarge stomped a Mud Hole in Snuka with his combat boots and Snuka used his athleticism to connect with some leaping headbutts and cross body blocks. The action spilled outside the ring on a few occasions where nothing was safe including the ring bell. After Snuka rammed Sarge into the steel barricade, he did the unthinkable and climbed to top ropes and came leaping off with a Snuka Death Leap ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. Snuka lifted Sarge up by the hair and rolled him into the ring for the three count.
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USWA World Tag Team Title Match
The Perfect Alliance (Arn Anderson & Bobby Eaton) with Baby Doll
VS
The Fabulous Ones in a Loser Leave Town Title Match
A bit a chain match in the beginning here with lots of quick moves and tags on both sides. A few momentum changes and then we get the typical match where Stan Lane becomes trapped in the corner until making a daring escape. Keirn comes in like a house afire. A bit of Bonzo Gonzo follows with all 4 men in the ring. In the end, Anderson made a sneaky little tag to Eaton just before Keirn connected with a swinging neckbreaker. As Keirn covers Anderson, he thinks he is about to regain the World Title. Instead we get an Alabama Jam from Eaton onto the back of the head of Keirn. A quick drop kick by Eaton to Lane knocks Lane to the floor and Eaton scampers to cover Keirn.
1…
2…
3.
Jim Ross: I can’t believe it. The Perfect Alliance has survived and are still the World Tag Team Champions. I don’t know what else to say but that the USWA will not be the same without the Fabulous Ones.
Baby Doll gloats with the titles in here hands as the Fab Ones spend a few minutes thanking the fans of the USWA as they will now be forced to leave the USWA.
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KERRY VON ERICH VS STAN HANSEN
#1 CONTENDERS MATCH
Unsure if this match could have been any better. Von Erich used his combination of speed and power to try and keep Hansen at bay but there is no way to keep Hansen off his game for an entire match. He is like a Bull in a china closet and just has moments when he is unstoppable. In the end, Kerry ducked under a Big Lariat from Hansen and came off the ropes and caught Hansen with a tornado punch for the surprisingly quick three count.
Ernie Ladd is ranting about how that was the fastest count he has ever seen and Ross is all hyped up about how Kerry will now get the title shot he so deserves.
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USWA WORLD 6 MAN TITLE Match:
The Miracle Violence Committee (Gordy, Williams and Fernandez)
VS
The Monsters of the Midway (Yamamoto, Kamata and Mr. Pogo)
A Barbed Wire Massacre Match
Just a bloody brawl from beginning to end. As if the barbed wire wasn’t enough, there were weapons tangled inside the barbed wire for the wrestlers to use. In fact, Mr. Pogo nearly won the title as he clobbered Manny Fernandez with a bat that was wrapped it its own steel mesh covering. This match was so bloody that WTBS cut away for numerous commercial breaks and the end was actually shown by replay. With all 6 man engaged in what appeared to be Mortal Combat, Steve “Dr. Death” Williams took out Tojo Yamamoto with the Oklahoma Stampede and the Miracle Violence Committee retained their titles.
This match was so violent and the Monsters of the Midway were so ruthless that even Ernie Ladd was glad it was over and hoped that this team returns to their native Japan.
Just before we break away to commercial, Terry Gordy’s mouth drops and it appears that he has seen a ghost. The camera pans to the back were we see the back of the head of a blonde haired man heading behind the curtain.
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USWA North American Title Match
Sheik Hacksaw Butch Reed with Skandar Akbar
VS
Hacksaw Duggan
Steel Cage Football Helmet Match
This is an innovative match by Cowboy Watts in which it is a cage match but there is also a football helmet attached to a ten foot pole in one of the corners. Whoever gets that helmet first can use it as a weapon.
Now these are two big guys just beating the Hell out of each. Both men used the cage to their advantage numerous times. Reed raked the face of Duggan across the mesh of the cage and Duggan vaulted Reed head first into it. Even with the violence, neither man is able to keep the other down long enough to climb up the pole to capture the football helmet.
Reed finally connects with a big football tackle on Duggan and he now sees his chance to get to the football helmet. As Reed starts to climb the pole, Duggan is slowly getting up. Just as Reed gets the helmet, Duggan rises to his feet. He motions to the gate keeper to unlock the door. Reed rushes at Duggan and takes a mighty swing with the helmet.
CRACK!
Reed hits Duggan right across the temple and Hacksaw is busted wide open and he is out on his feet.
As Duggan falls backwards towards the ropes, he crashes right through the open door of the cage and out onto the floor.
Jim Ross: Bah Gawd, I can’t believe what I have just seen. Reed knocked Duggan out cold but right through the cage door. Hacksaw Duggan is the winner and NEW North American Title Holder!
Reed is beside himself and goes out to the floor and cracks Duggan over and over again before spiking the football helmet and storming off. Akbar is beside himself but there is nothing he can do.
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USWA World Title Match:
TED DIBIASE VS THE AMERICAN DREAM DUSTY RHODES
(If Dibiase wins, the American Dream will not receive another title shot this YEAR!
Just as you would expect, Dibiase plays the frightened heel in the beginning and Rhodes gets off to a good start until Dibiase rakes the eyes.
A nice 50/50 match ensues until Rhodes simply goes off and takes complete control. Rhodes connects with 3 or 4 Bionic Elbows but Dibiase kicks out at 2 ½ each time. As Rhodes picks up Dibiase, the champ shoves the American Dream into ref Pee Wee Anderson and Anderson goes through the ropes and hits the floor really hard.
Rhodes just continues with the beating of Dibiase and it culminates in a nasty piledriver. Rhodes is on top of Dibiase which is obviously for more than a three count but with no ref, nothing happens.
The crowd explodes as all of a sudden, the King of Memphis, Jerry Lawler rushes to the ring in a referee shirt and slides into the ring. Rhodes again covers Dibiase and Lawler begins the count.
1…
2…
WHAM…
Lawler has dropped an elbow across the head of the American Dream. Quickly, he scampers up to the middle rope and comes off with a fist drop. He picks up Rhodes and delivers his own Royal Piledriver. He then drags Dibiase on top of Rhodes and Lawler slips out the other side just as Pee Wee Anderson is back.
1…
2…
3.
Jim Ross: Oh my God! What has Jerry Lawler done? I can’t believe what I have just seen. Ted Dibiase, with the help of Jerry Lawler, is still the USWA World Champion and the American Dream can’t receive another USWA World Heavyweight Title Match until 1986!
So long from Memphis!
