[1990-01-13-USWA-Memphis TV] Jerry Lawler, Dutch Mantell, Chris Champion, Steve Austin and King Cobra

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Loss]

Chris Champion, Dutch Mantell and Steve Austin - one of the weirdest six-man teams I've ever seen - are out. Welcome everyone, to the greatness of Chris Champion's hair. It gets better. Lawler, who's hosting the show with Dave Brown at this point, is behind the booth and bickers with the three of them during their promo.

 

Lawler's phone rings and King Cobra comes out at the same time, which makes Lawler ask if someone said free cheese. Cobra offers this Steve Austin nobody $1000 to step aside in the six-man tag, so he can team with Dutch and Chris Champion. Fans erupt at the idea, since no one really cares about Steve Austin as much as they do King Cobra.

 

They run down the upcoming MSC card while random guys run out to cut promos.

[PeteF3]

Dear Lord, Champion looks disturbingly like a girl I knew in the 4th grade, only his hair is even bigger.

 

The other jarring thing is how different Steve Austin sounds. Cobra's comments are much stronger and more focused now that he's a challenger again instead of the champion, and that he has the upper hand on Lawler.

[Kevin Ridge]

Champion's hair is ghastly. He should do his promos with a laser background like those awful yearbook photos. Austin is hard up for cash and bails on the match when getting bought off by King Cobra for his spot. Cobra is awkward on the mic. Lawler goes all "ax you" on him. Lawler takes a shot at Dundee size at the end.

[soup23]

Austin really sounded different and it can't be stated how glorious Champion's hair is. We get some more racist comments from Lawler and he iinsuiates that Cobra had never had $1000 in his life except maybe when he was champion. I also enjoyed Dutch saying that he hoped Lawler would bring that phone to ringside to call 911 when he gets done with him.

[Cox]

Chris Champion's hair. Nothing I say can possibly do this justice. Then again, Steve Austin is wearing cougar-print tights. King Cobra offers him $1,000 for his spot in the six man tag, which Austin immediately accepts because that's like 6 weeks of Memphis payoffs. Good segment.

[JerryvonKramer]

Look at the state of Chris Champion here. Not just his hair, look his FACE. Ha ha ha.

 

"[King Cobra] hasn't seen a $1000 in his life" says Lawler.

 

Y'know, when Cobra came out as champ I wasn't buying it, and now with him a contender I'm not buying it. Why was King Cobra in the USWA main event picture? Might as well be SD Jones for how he comes across here.

 

Lawler starts with his sly racist digs again.He is a fantastic heel. My feeling is that Cobra is so awful though that it's hard to root for him.

 

A whole DOLLAR off the advance tickets.

[Johnny Sorrow]

This ruled. "Did someone say Free Cheese?" made everyone stop to stifle laughing, especially Cobra.

[Laney]

Another awesome promo from the USWA. You have Lawler's awesome put-downs, Chris Champion's hair, and Steve Austin pulling out of the match to make room for the superstar that is King Cobra.

[Bix]

The best thing about Lawler's racist jokes is the cognitive dissonance of the predominantly black studio audience who cracks up at all of them.

[bradhindsight]

How about Lawler and Dutch totally adlibbing when Lawler says scentless instead of senseless? Those guys are great.

 

Chris Champion's hair was just amazing.

 

I actually enjoyed Dave running down the local Arkansas stops ($3 tickets!) as well as announcing all the random sponsors.

[cheapshot]

Austin agreeing to take the $1000 because "I need the money". Never a truer word has been spoken by someone working in Memphis.

[garretta]

Austin didn't sound as different as I thought he would. Cobra was a little better here than the last time we heard from him, although still not in Lawler or Dutch's class by a damn sight. Interesting how (at least in the storyline) they're trying to take away the King's clout. Thankfully for the fans in Memphis, that doesn't last too long.

[El-P]

Austin agreeing to take the $1000 because "I need the money". Never a truer word has been spoken by someone working in Memphis.

 

Yep, when you know how much Austin (and pretty much everyone not named Lawler or Dundee) was making in Memphis, this is pretty hilarious.

 

God, Chris Champion's hair. And face. Yoshi Kwan can't happen too soon.

[Johnny Guitar]

Steve Austin. Starts the decade as the expendable member of a 6 man tag match in Memphis. Finishes off the decade as the biggest star in the business.

[GSR]

There's an awful lot of hair out there with Dutch, Champion and Austin! Lawler (who is co-host at the moment) and Mantel have a great little back and forth after the King says 'scentless' instead of 'senseless'. It's not long before King Cobra is out to join them and he's again got Eddie Marlin with him (presumably to walk him through the segment like last time!). Cobra offers Austin $1,000 to step aside from this match and to let him take his place, although Lawler says that Cobra has never seen $1,000 and doubts he has it! Austin says that he could do with the money and Cobra takes his place in the six man tag match. Lawler isn't happy that Eddie Marlin is allowing this to happen and thinks It's a stitch up.

 

Whilst still not the best, Cobra does a much better job on the mic here with his promo than the previous interview where The King was trying to get him to accept the 'no DQ' match.

[dawho5]

I liked Lawler missing the bit where Cobra bought into the match because he was on the phone also. Played off of the earlier segment so damn perfectly. Not sure of the racism from Lawler is funny or a little disturbing, but it makes him a great heel. Also, count me among the impressed on the "scentless" exchange. Wrestling needs way, way more on-the-fly promos.

[Stiva]

"Did someone say Free Cheese" is legit one of my biggest wrestling laughs ever. Cobra puts out a better promo this time than last and shows enough babyface fire to hype the show. As said, it's a nice bit of symmetry with Austin bowing out here and then finishing the year in the biggest superstar run of all time.