[1977-08-22-CWA-Mid-South Coliseum] Jerry Lawler vs Bill Dundee (Hair vs Car)

[paul sosnowski]

Jerry Lawler defends the AWA Southern Title in a Car vs Lawler's Manager's Hair match.   The footage below is labelled incorrectly.   This is the August 22 match, not the 15th.     Talk about it here

[KB8]

What a fucking match. I'm positive I'd seen a clipped version in the past, but this is the full version that became available a while back, possibly as part of the 70-TV.com footage released a few years ago. I'd already watched the build up on those 70-TV discs and it really is wonderful. They went back to this feud countless times over their careers and the way they managed to find new ways of keeping it fresh is pretty amazing.

The opening here is more cagey than usual for them, but the stakes are as high as they've been in their eternal feud to this point. So it's understandable. Dundee's hair is on the line, but more than that if he loses he'll have to listen to all of Lawler's grandstanding on TV about how he told everyone he'd beat the little runt. Lawler's title and car are both at stake and what's a king without his crown? And in Memphis, a king without his Cadillac? So is his dopey manager's hair but I expect Jerry cares substantially less about that (I don't even remember the manager's name now and I don't think he was around very long. He was no Jimmy Hart, obviously). So it's real tentative and Lawler spends most of the first five minutes skirting the peripheries of the ring, always arm's length from the ropes. I love how Dundee played it cool, though. He never got riled, never got drawn in, just kept patient and waited for his chance. He eventually gets it by kicking Lawler in the knee - which was apparently damaged in another of their recent matches - and going to work on the leg for the next few minutes. Lawler does this great sell of it where he keeps the bad leg turned away from Dundee, still staying close to the ropes in case he needs to grab them or outright escape the ring. Dundee is dogged in going after the figure-four, gets closer to applying it with each attempt, but Lawler manages to fight him off every time. The one time he just about managed it Lawler turned onto his side and yanked Bill off his feet by the tights, so Dundee improvised and applied a sort of side of  side on figure-four using his hands for pressure instead.

Lawler takes over with a short bit of revenge leg work, but it doesn't last long before we get to the fists. He brings out the chain, opens Dundee up, chokes him with it, grinds it in his cut, bites him, the full playlist. Then before the ref' can catch him in the act he drops it back out to his manager and goes about the rest of his business with bare knuckles. You know what you're getting with the punches. Both are GOAT-level punchers and several dozen GOAT-level punches are thrown. There was one awesome Dundee flurry where he was peppering Lawler with shots, circling around him as he went before dropping him with an absolute jaw-jacker. But Dundee is losing blood and before long he's on his last legs. This was some truly incredible last legs selling. At one point Lawler had him in the corner just lacing into him and you bought Dundee only being upright because Lawler's presence in front of him kept him from falling on his face. It gets so bad the NWA representative in attendance calls a halt to the match, but of course Dundee is having none of it. Lawler is naturally pissed at the restart, immediately jumps for the mount and unloads with this unreal barrage of shots. Just a total "will you fucking die already?" response, the kind of thing you see in a big dramatic murder scene when a character's pushed beyond the brink and they're left staring at their hands, all their fury spent, wondering how they were capable of doing that to someone. Except Lawler knew from the start he was capable of it and he still had fury to burn. The finish might've been a wee bit anticlimactic, but you soon forget about it with the post-match, which was very Memphis in its execution (thus, awesome). I'm not sure where this sits among the very best of Lawler v Dundee, but it's an absolute corker and probably somewhere around their top 3 singles matches.

[Superstar Sleeze]

 Thanks to the good brother, PeachChaos!

Southern Heavyweight Champion Jerry Lawler vs Bill Dundee - Memphis 8/22/77 Title vs Hair

Great Dundee promo before this match about taking all of Lawler's money and buying himself a Caddie. Lawler tries to interfere in a Dundee match and gets a knuckle sandwich right over the top rope. Great bump!  

So I am a novice when it comes to Memphis Wrestling History. Having watched a lot of 80s footage, I came in with the natural presumption that Lawler was the face and Dundee was the heel. What I love about this is that from the first punch exchange I could tell I was wrong. Lawler tags Dundee good after a lengthy cautious feeling out process. Dundee comes right back and knocks him off his feet. Immediately, I knew I was wrong. Could you say the same thing about today's wrestling? Could you tell the characters so readily? I dont think so and I think that is a shame. Wrestling is a dance. It is important to know the roles. There is another great punch exchange that Dundee gets the better of. Lawler sells it as a HEEL so well! I go back to this talking point so often. Selling as a babyface and heel is very different and people are only being taught how to sell as babyfaces. The way Lawler sells this punch, you dont feel sympathy for him rather you want him to get punched in the face again. Dundee goes after the leg because Lawler has incurred a previous injury at the hands of Dundee. I loved this work. Both men are so cautious. It really sells the importance of this. Dundee gradually is able to make in-roads on the leg. Going for Figure-4s but Lawler keeps avoiding them. I love the time Lawler comes charging in after one attempt and just gets knocked off his feet for his trouble. Dundee works a single leg crab and a modified Figure-4 because Lawler is defensing so well. I love that because it protects the Figure-4 if Dundee could get it on you believe he would win, but Lawler is just playing defense so well. Lawler makes the ropes, powders and then slams Dundee's knee against the apron. Now it is classic heel Lawler. His manager chokes Dundee with the towel and then it becomes all about the chain. He busts Dundee open and then the footage ends, but thanks to a good brutha I have the finish now! 

I love when Dundee shows life, Lance exclaims "DUN-DEEEEEEE" it makes me smile. This is pretty much all Lawler with a smattering of Dundee throwing a punch here and there. Lawler is just kicking ass. Lawler overwhelms him in the corner. Lance declares that Dundee is out on his feet in the corner as Lawler pours it on. The NWA rep agrees with Lance's assessment and calls for the bell. Dundee pleads with him to restart the match otherwise he loses his hair. The NWA rep recants and calls for the bell to restart the match to a big pop! Lawler is pissed. Lawler unleashes a furious flurry of punches that needs to be seen to be believed! It was incredible. Dundee survives and lunges at Lawler. There was a blown spot where Lawler misses an elbow drop and the ref counts two, but Lawler forgets to kick out and the ref just stops the count. These two just beat on each other. Lawler misses a second rope elbow drop and Dundee covers him for three to win the title. Lawler's lanky manager, Mickey Poole, who I have never heard of also lost his hair and looked quite ridiculous bald I will say. There needs to be more hair matches in wrestling!

I love that even as a heel Lawler found a way to work the majority of the match underneath. It does not drag like most heel in peril segments because Lawler is so good at selling and because you they stakes so well. You are not worried about being entertained. You are worried about the outcome. You really want to see the hero prevail. Lawler was great pouring it on in the corner causing the stoppage and then right after the stoppage was an amazing barrage of punches. I will admit I thought the finish was anti-climatic. I know it is 1977 but an elbow drop from the middle rope c'mon. Also, even if Lawler missed a bigger move, it is more impactful to have the miss and then have the hero hit a move to win. Anyways that aside, this is a great war of attrition match and I have at #3 of the four Lawler vs Dundee matches I have seen. ****1/2

[peachchaos]

 

@Superstar Sleeze

[Superstar Sleeze]

Thank you!