[1984-12-28-WWF-MSG, NY] Adrian Adonis & Dick Murdoch vs Jack & Jerry Brisco

[Superstar Sleeze]

WWF World Tag Team Champions North-South vs Jack & Jerry Brisco – MSG 12/28/84

 

This is one of the weirdest matches to ever take place in WWF ring for my money. Three of the four of these guys (Murdoch, Briscos) just seem so not WWF wrestlers. It is totally crazy seeing this match in MSG.

 

Finally got around to watching this match as it is probably the 80s WWF tag team match with the most hype that I have never watched. This is the Dick Murdoch show through and through. For the first ten minutes, I was totally lost on why this is considered a classic. It just seemed like one of the all-time funniest performances by an individual wrestler. You had Captain Redneck just falling on his ass all over the place and that sell of Jack’s punch just needs to be seen. Otherwise, it was just kinda meh armwork, but Dicky Murdoch was keep me entertained. Finally the match gets going when Murdoch having taken a funny bump to the outside whacks Jerry with a metal box. Adonis starts throwing the bombs. As a weird aside, Jerry Brisco really likes to kick out at 1. Little Brother Complex? The heat segment does not last long as Adonis tries for a figure-4, but ends up in one. Adonis tags out and Murdoch pounces with big elbows, but alas is sent reeling from Jerry’s punches. Now Jerry has the figure-4 on Murdoch and Adonis saves so Jerry tags out.

 

The Briscos work over Murdoch’s legs and at least there is more movement in this babyface control. There is an incredibly funny bit with Murdoch trying to tag Adonis while Jack holds his foot. Adonis needed to flip over that top rope to make it one of the all-time great comedy spots. When Murdoch falls flat on his face and sells it, I lost it. Eventually he tags out and Adonis falls prey to the drop toe hold and Murdoch is just sitting slumped in the corner selling the beating, awesome!

 

Adonis bullies Jerry into the corner and here comes the Murdoch barrage with Demolition Decapitation, neckbreaker, brainbuster (which of course fucking Gorilla thinks is a botch). Murdoch bodyslam into an Adonis top rope elbow now the place is rocking. Jack saves and Jack comes in with the sleeper. There is a mad scramble from the Briscos to put Murdoch away but Adonis keeps saving. Nice German Suplex from Jack! Adonis has seen enough and turns the match into a donnybrook. Adonis slams Jack’s head into a chair and Murdoch has a telephone slams into Jerry’s head. The Briscos recover and apply a double figure-4, but it is too late the match was thrown out as a no contest.

 

Once it got going, this match rocked. Murdoch absolutely killed it in this match with a ton of really fun comedy spots. Then he also probably the best offensive series too. The Briscos worked fine, but I did not feel like they had much charisma or fire until the very end. Fun finish stretch with the Briscos trying to put away Captain Redneck to win the World Tag Team Titles only to come up short. ****1/4

[JerryvonKramer]

Haven't done my review of this one yet, been saving it.

Fun fact: This is often written up as Jack's last match in professional wrestling. See Wikipedia:

On December 28, 1984, the Briscos challenged The North-South Connection (Adrian Adonis and Dick Murdoch) for the WWF Tag Team Championship in Madison Square Garden. The match ended in a double countout, and was Jack Brisco's final bout.^[29]

But it's not his last match. From what I can see, this is:

WWF @ Landover, MD - Capital Centre - February 9, 1985 (matinee)
Blackjack Mulligan & Jimmy Snuka defeated Brutus Beefcake & Johnny V
Don Muraco & Mr. Fuji defeated SD Jones & George Wells
WWF World Champion Hulk Hogan & Hillbilly Jim defeated the Moondogs
Nikolai Volkoff & the Iron Sheik defeated WWF Tag Team Champions Mike Rotundo & Barry Windham in a non-title match
Roddy Piper & Bob Orton Jr. defeated Jack & Jerry Brisco
WWF World Champion Hulk Hogan & Hillbilly Jim won a $50,000 tag team battle royal

The Briscos had a match on WWF TV in Jan 1985 too (see Championship Wrestling, 1/5/85).

Mid-Atlantic Gateway has this even after that: 02/28 Providence, RI Jack & Jerry Brisco beat Adrian Adonis & Dick Murdoch

 

You see this quite a bit on Wikipedia. Like the idea that Hogan's first match in WWF was the MSG debut vs. DiBiase in 1979. We watched an earlier match vs. Denucci on Titans. I even edited that wiki myself to correct it!!

[BruiserBrody]

The ref really killed the finish with his incredibly slow cadence. The crowd rightfully shit on him for it.

[JKWebb]

This is such a cool matchup. I have to agree that it's mostly the Murdoch show. His selling of the left leg was awesome. At one point, after a kick at the back of the knee from one of the bros, it almost looks broken the way Murdoch angles and rests his leg. I will say the Brisco's were throwing some sweet punches though. I think I'm just a little higher on it than Sleeze, but either way, the point is this is a great match.