[1979-12-10-CWA-Mid-South Coliseum] Nick Bockwinkel vs Jerry Lawler

[paul sosnowski]

This is from the Mid South Coliseum in Memphis, TN. Lance Russell tells us that this is title vs title, AWA vs Jerry Lawler's "CWA world title". Lawler is a heel and has Jimmy Hart in his corner. The last time Bockwinkel and Lawler faced each other in August, it was a 60 minute draw. This match has a 90 minute time limit.

 

We are JIP at around the 20 minute mark. Lawler is reeling, Bockwinkel hits him with two uppercuts to the midsection. Bockwinkel spins around and hits another, he follows Lawler to the corner and slams his head twice into the turnbuckle. He runs him across the ring and slams him again into the opposite corner. Bockwinkel takes a swipe at Jimmy Hart, then pounces on Lawler for the two count. He picks Lawler up by the head and rams him into the mat twice. Bockwinkel drapes Lawler's neck over the middle rope, climbs up and drops a knee on Lawler's back. He climbs to the second rope again and drops a big knee to Lawler's chest, another two count. They swing at each other and connect with a punch at the same time, Lawler runs toward him, they bonk heads and both collapse. Bockwinkel gets up first, starts nailing Lawler with punches to the head and chest, he bodyslams Lawler and backdrops him, Lawler gets his foot on the ropes. He whips Lawler again to the ropes, Lawler meets him with a big kick to the chest, followed by several Lawler punches to the face and chest. Two big elbows to Bockwinkel's jaw. CLIPPED. Lawler continues to work on Bockwinkel's head and he is staggered and bleeding now. Lawler continues with the punches. then misses a fistdrop. Bockwinkel is freaked out by his own blood on his hands, and starts blasting Lawler with punches in the corner. He whips Lawler into the corner and hits him with a high atomic drop. The momentum sends Lawler over the top rope, but the referee rules it is not a DQ. Jimmy Hart reaches in and nails Bockwinkel in the face with something, a chain perhaps? Bockwinkel is down and Lawler covers him for a two.....But wait...Bockwinkel taps Lawler on the back and he thinks it was a three count. Bockwinkel rolls Lawler up for a two count. Jimmy Hart jumps up on the apron, Bockwinkel goes after him. Lawler comes from behind with a chain on his fist, but the referee sees it and grabs Lawler's arm and DQ's him at 26:43 (6:39 shown). What a wild finish!!! Lawler grabs his CWA Title off the table, and the referee hands Bockwinkel his own AWA World Title belt.

 

This was so fun...it was great...I wish it was more than 6 1/2 minutes. I was smiling the whole time. I want more!!! F*ck it, I'm giving this 3 1/2 ***

[peachchaos]

Nice write up. Probably my favorite of the clips you've reviewed so far. The Lawler-Bockwinkel rivalry gets even better as the years go by somehow.

[Loss]

Where does this exist?