[1992-07-04-USWA-Memphis TV] Eddie Gilbert and Ricky Morton

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Loss]

Gilbert comes out for an interview happy to be wrestling Ricky Morton because for once, he's not wrestling some goody-goody guy. Morton comes out to take exception, saying he's wrestling in some places where the people haven't liked him much and he hasn't liked the people, but that's not and has never been true for Memphis. Gilbert is furious that Morton likes the people. They end up in the ring and Morton gets the best for a minute or so then Gilbert bails. Morton is underrated on the mic. I liked this.

[Tim Evans]

Good to see Morton not being a heel jobber like he was in WCW. Gilbert is a great heel champion.

[shoe]

Morton was really good here, but Gilbert was just phenomenal. Morton doesn't get enough love for his interviews. He wasn't a great talker, but you believed in what he was selling. He was able to get himself and programs over.

[Kevin Ridge]

Eddie reminds Dave Brown that he is to be known as the King of Wrestling. Gilbert getting angry that Morton would stand up for the fans. He was getting fired up there. Good segment from both guys.

[WingedEagle]

Gilbert out talking about his matches since returning and all the fans he's sick of. He then hypes Ricky Morton as his new opponent and how he's similar to Gilbert, which is why he respects him. Morton out supporting the fans, and Gilbert tells him he forgot his roots and they have a hot, quick exchange in the ring before Gilbert runs. Both were pretty good on the mic here.

[PeteF3]

Gilbert is now the Unified World Champion, something that's LONG overdue. So fresh to see the belt on a legitimate top regional heel instead of a freakshow outfit. Embry should have gotten a run with that belt. Gilbert laments all of his title defenses against goody-goody good guys, but his next defense is against a man just like him--Ricky Morton! Gilbert is happy to see Ricky, but Ricky gives him the brush-off and insists he's still on the side of the Memphis fans. Morton goes toe-to-toe with Gilbert on the stick and comes off well, which is impressive. Morton gets the better of a brawl and this is a fun, effective segment that undoes the Richard Morton run without whitewashing it.

[MikeCampbell]

Eddie finally unseats Lawler and has the title! Eddie brings out Ricky Morton, because he thinks they're so much alike. But, Ricky isn't down with what Eddie is saying and tells him as such. Ricky gets the better of him in the ring, and he's ready for a match.

[garretta]

Nice to see Ricky in the role he plays so well. Richard Morton was a needed short-term change of pace, but his bread and butter is as the spirited babyface who takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'. I find it a bit weird that he's thrown right into the title picture, but Lawler-Gilbert's more than a bit played out, plus Eddie needs to have a run of longer than a week or two, and putting him right back in with Lawler would have been the same old hotshotting.

 

I love Eddie talking down the Memphis fans as hicks and rednecks, especially because he grew up as one of them just like Ricky did.

 

The in-ring confrontation was a nice preview of coming attractions. I know that this is just a pit stop for Ricky on the road to SMW and the return of Rock 'n' Roll, but it looks like we're in for some hot matches while he's here.

 

I hate to tell Eddie, but his crown is identical to Lawler's. For all we know, it could be exactly the same crown, especially since Lawler doesn't always wear his on TV.

[dawho5]

Eddie really kills it as the heel champ.  There is not one thing about him that is actually likeable.  Morton does a good job of getting the fans behind him without any work in the ring, which is his strong point.