[1984-07-01-Mid South-Tulsa, OK] Magnum T.A. vs Ted DiBiase

[Superstar Sleeze]

North American Heavyweight Champion Magnum TA vs Ted DiBiase - Mid-South Tulsa 5/27/84

 

I have to say I was a bit skeptical that on the exact same day albeit different arena they would be able to even match the awesomeness of the earlier OKC match, but boy was I wrong. Not only did they match it, they topped it with an even better blood-soaked brawl. The first match was a great bloody sprint, but this was a dramatic spectacle. They played to Magnum's greatest strength, his selling and it just ensnared you and never let you go. I got to say, I loved the beginning of this, where DiBiase went to pearl harbor Mags, but Magnum was wise to his games and beat him to the punch. Since they were working a different arena, I did not expect them to actually learn from match to match. So I was very impressed. Did they show these matches on TV and thus they needed to show inter-match progression?

 

The early portion of the match is all Magnum, but DiBiase is making him earn it. The match really busts open (pun fully intended) when DiBiase sends Magnum crashing to the floor reopening the cut. DiBiase working the cut on the floor with Magnum's screams of agony and the fans enraged was a perfect confluence of pro wrestling. DiBiase clawing at the cut and Magnum just making you believe this is most painful thing is the difference between the last match being great and this being a classic. In the ring, Ted is on point it is all fist and elbow drops to the head. Magnum is peppering in hope spots, but can string anything together as Ted stymies him immediately. DiBiase applies the sleeper and just when it looks like we will have a new champion, Magnum in a last ditch effort sends DiBiase flying over the ropes. DiBiase tries to rebound with a piledriver, but Mags back drops out of it. He pulls himself by the ropes. I love it, Ted is modulating the strength of his punches with them getting progressively weaker as he is more exhausted! Magnum is coming alive! He sees the blood. Run Ted Run! The collide in the center of the ring. I have this to be a way more common spot in the 80s than in anytime since and it was definitely a clue the finish is coming. DiBiase wants to get this over with and loads the glove. Wild swing and Mags hits the atomic drop and Ted bounces off the ropes into a Belly 2 Belly! I loved that setup for the Belly 2 Belly. Best Mid-South match yet and just everything you want from bloody brawl. Ted was vicious during the heat segment and backpedaling on Magnum's offense. Magnum is a really, really good seller and knows how to connect with audience during a comeback. ****1/2

[JKWebb]

I've been a HUGE fan of the OKC match since I first saw it a few years ago. I actually have that one at ****3/4 and think it's probably my favorite under 10 minute match ever (off the top of my head). I've been really excited to check this match out for a long time. I have never been able to find this one online, but I now have it on DVD. It's actually hard for me to pick a favorite between the two, and it's pretty amazing they had these matches on the same day. The way DiBiase works the sleeper so violently is awesome. I'm glad Jim Ross didn't interfere with this one, so you do get the crowd noise throughout. The crowd is on fire. I give them both ****3/4. For me, it just can't get much more entertained than the two matches these guys had on the same day on 05/27/1984. Like Sleeze said, the cool thing is they are actually different. You have the sprint vs. the drama. Both of them are bloody and intense. Both of them are classics. I'm glad I finally saw this.

[paul sosnowski]

I am almost 100% certain that the two matches in one day actually took place on July 1, 1984 and not 5/27.   Dibiase fought Brad Armstrong and Magnum faced Killer Khan on 5/27/84 in OKC.