Bill Watts' Mid-South Wrestling and UWF
;;Mid-South from 1984
**
**
Average Quality - 6 hours.
Dont let the quality scare you away, as this tape features some of the
hottest television you'll ever see.
Mid-South T.V. from 7/24/85 - 11/20/85 :
* Commercial for 8/10/85 Super Dome card.
* Ric Flair promo about coming to New orleans on 8/10/85 to face Butch Reed.
* Jim Ross interviews Dick Murdoch.
* Hacksaw Duggan & Bill Watts vs The Bounty Hunters; Shreveport, LA.
* Mike Graham vs Dutch Mantell.
General Scandor Akbar comes in before the match starts, and issues a challenge to Bill Watts :
* Bill Watts vs Scandor Akbar.
Before you know it, Graham and Mantell are duking it out, and in comes Kamala and Kareem Muhammad, who hold Watts down; Akbar go's to fireball him, but Graham tries to stop that from taking place, and in the process ends up getting the fireball!
* Dick Murdoch vs Mark Hawk.
Grizzly Smith comes in, and states that Murdoch cant wrestle because he was injured at the hands of The Nightmare earlier in the evening. Sir Oliver Humperdink comes out to protest, which brings in Captain Redneck.
* Clip from last week of Bill Dundee holding Bobby Fulton down so Dutch Mantell can whip him.
(7/24/85 show)
* Jim Ross and Joel Watts, clad in tuxedos, open up the show in the studio.
* Ric Flair promo about meeting Butch Reed.
* Hacksaw Duggan, Bill Watts, Dick Murdoch vs Kamala, Scandor Akbar, Kareem Muhammad; Downtown Municipal Auditorium.
(7/31/85 show)
* Bill Watts does a fantastic promo, recounting his helping Jim Duggan.
Shows clips of Scandor Akbar blinding Hacksaw Duggan with a fireball - from Jackson, Mississippi 5/4/85; Bill Watts promo about this incident - from the "Mid-South Headquarters"; Ted Dibiase and Steve Williams hold Hacksaw Duggan so Akbar can stick a cigar in his eyes - from Shreveport 6/6/85.
* Dick Murdoch vs Carl Styles; Shreveport, LA.
Never takes place, as Sir Oliver Humperdink comes in, and challenges Murdoch to meet his man. Murdoch accepts, thinking it'll be The Nightmare (who's with Humperdink here), but it turns out to be : the debuting, Lord Humongous.
* Lord Humongous vs Dick Murdoch.
A total squah! Humongous wins within 3 minutes, using what would become Dibiase's finisher in the WWF, the "Million Dollar Dream".
* The Nightmare vs Eddie Gilbert; North American title.
(8/7/85 show)
* Bill Watts & Hacksaw Duggan vs Kamala & Kareem Muhammad; No DQ, No Time-limit - New Orleans Super Dome 8/10/85.
Bill Watts gets pinned, and due to the rules, he must leave Mid-South for 90 days. Fabulous booking. A total shock.
* Jim Ross, in the "Power Pro Wrestling" studio, discusses Bill Watts leaving for 90 days.
* Jake Roberts & Nord The Barbarian vs Steve Williams & Ted Dibiase; No DQ, Cage match, for the Mid-South tag titles - New Orleans Super Dome.
Referee Bob Sweetan ends up turning on Jake Roberts using a boot, thus giving Doc and Dibiase the win.
* Jim Ross, in the "Power Pro Wrestling" studio, discusses Bob Sweetan turning heel.
* Jake Roberts - Nord The Barbarian "Lay It Down" video (Ratt).
Smart of this promotion to play what at the time was 'hip' music to get over the faces.
(8/14/85 show)
* El Corsario karate demonstration; Shreveport, LA.
Referees Tommy Gilbert and Carl Fergie hold wooden boards for him to chop.
* Jim Ross and Joel Watts announce Ted Dibiase is going to Japan.
* Ted Dibiase promo with Steve Williams and Bob Sweetan.
Dibiase says if anyone, including Jake Roberts and Nord, gets a title shot while he's gone to Japan, that Bob Sweetan will take his place.
* Midnight Rider promo in front of a fire.
(8/21/85 show)
* Bill Watts introduces a Midnight Rider video.
* Steve Williams & Bob Sweetan vs Wendell Cooley & Al Perez; Mid-South tag titles, from Shreveport, LA.
In a huge upset, Perez and Cooley win the straps, and the fans go bonkers.
* Butch Reed vs The Nightmare; Mid-South T.V. title.
Bill Watts mentions in the commentary that he thinks Butch Reed will become the first black NWA World heavyweight champion. Funny, because Reed's future championship tag partner Ron Simmons would hold that honor (10/92), in what was regarded as Watts trying to create a 90s version of Junkyard Dog. Butch Reed retains the T.V. title here that he won in the same building a month previously from "Dirty" Dutch Mantell.
* Hacksaw Duggan vs One Man Gang.
Who could ever have guessed these guys would have such a legendary feud not even a year later for the UWF ?
(8/28/85 show)
* Wendell Cooley & Al Perez vs One Man Gang & Kareem Muhammad; Mid-South tag titles, from Shreveport, LA.
Man, that's actually a ton plodding in that ring. The faces get another huge upset, retaining the titles. OMG walks out, pissed at Muhammad.
* Jake Roberts vs The Nightmare.
Nightmare has a foreign object in his mask, and bloodies Roberts with a headbutt. Eddie Gilbert comes to the ring to tell the ref about the cheeting ways of The Nightmare, and <bam> out of nowhere, Roberts hits the DDT and then unmasks The Nightmare to a thunderous roar from the fans and the announcers. Lord Humongous then comes running out, which brings in Nord The Barbarian. The two have a staredown as everyone go's nuts, and then they attack Jake Roberts! Tremendous
* El Corsario vs Eddie Gilbert.
Corsario beats Gilbert to a bloody mess. The Fantastics make the save.
* Steve Williams & Bob Sweetan vs The Fantastics.
As Bobby Fulton and Tommy Rogers come out, listen to the chorus of male boos. Great, creative finish involving Bill Dundee.
* Jim Ross closes out the show with Joel Watts.
(9/4/85 show)
* Bill Watts interviews Hacksaw Duggan, Butch Reed, and Dick Murdoch; Shreveport, LA.
Watts claims that Flair is saying when he returns to Mid-South, he'll only defend the NWA World title against the North American champion. Awesome segement
* Al Perez "I'm Winning" video.
Too bad Perez didn't have charisma. He was quite a worker.
* Sir Oliver Humperdink explains Nord The Barbarian's heel turn.
(9/11/85 show)
* Feature on Dick Slater.
* Joel Watts interviews Dick Slater (with Dark Journey) at the Peach Tree Hotel in Atlanta while he signs his first contract with Mid-South Wrestling.
* Tulsa Welding School commercial with Dick Murdoch.
I wonder how many people called this toll free 1-800 number and ordered a catalogue just because they saw local hero Dick Murdoch on this commercial.
* Lord Humongous & Nord The Barbarian vs Steve Constance & Tim Ashley; Shreveport, LA.
This team was probally the most impressive - size wise - at the time. NO, not Constance and Ashley. Anyways, Jake Roberts runs in and begins going at it with Nord until Lord Humongous lays him out. Jim Duggan makes the save with a chair.
* Dick Murdoch vs Steve Williams; North American title.
During ring introductions, Butch Reed comes in and says he wants the winner of the match. In a genius booking idea, the ref gets bumped; Bob Sweetan pops Murdoch in the face while he has Doc up for the brainbuster, which causes Williams to fall on Captain Redneck in a pinning predicament; Butch Reed comes in and gives Sweetan a soup bone (charging headbutt), and as Butch exchanges words with Sweetan, Williams gets to his feet and clobbers him from behind; Reed gets the upperhand, and whips Williams into the ropes, and they end up colliding - Dr. Death crashes to the floor, and Reed falls perfectly on Murdoch, for an easy pin of three; Murdoch then comes to his senses, and turns on Reed; then, Williams and Sweetan begin pounding Murdoch until The Fantastics make the save. This would eventually all play out perfectly.
* Butch Reed - Dick Murdoch pull-appart brawl in mid-ring.
(9/18/85 show)
* Eddie Gilbert, in mid-ring, makes a presentation to Bill Dundee, with Dutch Mantell; Shreveport, LA.
* Jim Ross interviews Ted Dibiase, returning from Japan, Steve Williams, and Bob Sweetan in mid-ring.
Dibiase is hot, saying Sweetan "blew it" for losing the tag titles. Steve Williams grabs Sweetan from behind, and Dibiase lays in some stiff right punches with the black glove.
* Bob Sweetan go's to work on Ted Dibiase, and rips his clothes up.
In a cool angle, Steve Williams throws in a chair for Dibiase, but Sweetan gets ahold of it and beats both of them with it!
* Ted Dibiase promo about facing Bob Sweetan in a taped fist match at the 10/14/85 Downtown Municipal Auditorium card.
* Jim Ross interviews Bob Sweetan at the podium about meeting Ted Dibiase in the taped fist match.
* Ted Dibiase & Steve Williams vs The Fantastics.
(9/25/85 show)
* Jake Roberts vs El Corsario; Shreveport, LA.
* Eddie Gilbert, in mid-ring, shows a painted portrait of himself.
I may be jumping the gun, but I could swear that in certain areas during this hilarious segement, about 40 % of the fans chant "faggot". Hot Stuff announces that he's holding a contest for people to write in, 25 words or less, about why you would want this painting, and the winner will recieve the "beautiful portrait". They cut to Jim Ross, who gives the address for the contest and states : "(Write) 25 words or less - why you would like to have that beautiful portrait in your home, room, or wherever - maybe your garage."
* Bill Dundee & Dutch Mantell vs The Fantastics; Whip On a Pole.
Eddie Gilbert comes in, causing the DQ, and holds Fulton down so Dutch Mantell can whip him.
* Jim Ross and Joel Watts close out the show.
(10/2/85 show)
Jim Ross (nice dress clothes, buddy) interviews Ric Flair backstage.
* Bill Watts interviews Hacksaw Duggan at the podium; Shreveport, LA.
They show clips of Jim Duggan versus Ric Flair - from Alexandria, LA.
* Ted Dibiase vs ???.
Bob Sweetan jumps Steve Williams at ringside.
* Dick Slater vs Tommy Rogers. 3 STARS
Dark Journey, Slater's valet, is wearing this wild-looking wig.
* Ted Dibiase & Steve Williams vs Wendell Cooley & Al Perez; Mid-South tag titles.
(10/9/85 show)
* Butch Reed vs Dick Murdoch; North American title, from the Downtown Municipal Auditorium 10/14/85.
"Hacksaw" Butch Reed wins his third and final North American championship.
* Jim Ross interviews Butch Reed, Jim Duggan, and Jake Roberts in the lockeroom, who're celebrating over the title change.
Great stuff - drink that champagne, guys!
* Starrcade '85 commercial.
(10/16/85 show)
* Bill Watts interviews the -new- North American champion Butch Reed at the podium; Shreveport, LA.
They show a clip of a camera man straying into the heel lockeroom, where it is exposed that Ric Flair and Dick Slater are conversing over a suitcase of $25,000 - for a bounty on Butch Reed.
* Jim Ross interviews Ted Dibiase and Steve Williams - Wendell Cooley and Al Perez in mid-ring.
* Dick Slater & Buzz Sawyer vs The Fantastics.
* Hacksaw Duggan vs El Corsario.
Match never starts. Jim Duggan introduces his girlfriend to everyone. Buzz Sawyer and Dick Slater jump Duggan, and the girlfriend jumps in. Sawyer slams her down, and then gives her an elbow drop!
(10/23/85 show)
* Jim Ross opens up the show from the "Power Pro Wrestling" studio.
Ross mentions he was watching a WWF match recently between Don Muraco and Ricky Steamboat, and implies that the chair that they used in the match was tampered with i.e. gimmicked!
* Joel Watts narrates clips of all the brutal chair blows and stiff moves, including a closeup of Bobby Fulton's exploded head, covered in blood.
This is some of THE MOST SICKENING STUFF I'VE EVER SEEN. Eat your frigging heart out ECW.
* Ted Dibiase, with Doc, gives Ricky Gibson an ear-full.
* Ted Dibiase & Steve Williams vs Wendell Cooley & Al Perez; Mid-South tag titles, from Shreveport, LA.
The losers have to wear some funky boots and leotard tights for 30 days.
* Butch Reed vs Dutch Mantell; North American title.
* Dick Slater vs Steve Doll.
Before the match starts, Butch Reed rushes the ring - grabbing Slater by the throat - asking "You got the $25,000, sucka ?" He runs down Dark journey (racial remarks), and then turns his back, challenging Slater to jump him from behind. Dick Slater declines, and says he gave the bounty money back to Flair, and wants nothing to do with their problems. Butch Reed is THE MAN here!
(10/30/85 show)
* Hacksaw Duggan promo about his girlfriend getting hurt.
* Bill Watts interviews the returning Ric Flair at the podium.
* Remaining minutes of Ric Flair vs Butch Reed; non-title, from Shreveport, LA.
Butch Reed gets the pin, and then Dick Slater runs in. Flair and Slater destroy Reed, and it's revealed the bounty was upped to $50,000.
* Backstage footage of Butch Reed being loaded up on a stretcher.
(11/6/85 show)
* Joel Watts interviews Ric Flair at the podium.
* Jim Ross interviews Jim Duggan at the podium.
They air a promo from Butch Reed, who's wearing a neck brace.
* Ric Flair - Ted Dibiase ring introductions.
Beforehand, Dick Murdoch comes in and tells Dibiase he doesn't deserve the shot. Ted says Murdoch is "yesterday's news", which starts a fight between the two. Dibiase knocks Murdoch out of the ring, and Flair lays a knee into Dibiase's back, sending him to the floor, where Murdoch slams his head into the ringpost. The result : Dibiase is completely drenched in blood. Flair then gets on the mic and says he's going home.
* Oliver Humperdink promo about Lord Humongous facing Jake Roberts at the Thanksgiving '85 Super Dome card.
* Jim Ross interviews Bill Watts and Jake Roberts at the podium about Starrcade '85.
* Hacksaw Duggan vs El Corsario.
* Bill Watts promo from the Shreveport "Irish McNeil's Boy's Club" lockeroom.
He says that Dibiase has arterial damage, but that Dibiase has demanded to have his shot at Flair's NWA World title. He says people with a weak stomach shouldn't watch this match, and that viewer discretion is advised.
* Ric Flair vs Ted Dibiase; NWA World title. 4 1/4 STARS
As the bandaged, blood-soaked Dibiase comes out, there's a slight chorus of "Teddy, Teddy". After some time of hot action, Flair kicks Dibiase, going for a second figure four attempt, off of him, sending Dibiase on a crash course over the top rope, and hitting head-first on the solid gaurdrails (this looked amazing). Dick Murdoch then appears, lays in some punches, and gives Ted the most horrid-looking brainbuster on the floor. In a matter of 30 minutes, Ted Dibiase go's from being the most-hated personality to a sympathetic babyface. Many have called this one of the greatest angles ever, and I'm in no way hard-pressed not to agree. Simply put, this is uncanny.
* Sir Oliver Humperdink and Eddie Gilbert, in mid-ring, talk about the contest for the painting, and read letters.
No, those aren't "Eddie" chants you hear (he was lucky if he got a "faggot" chant, at that), and yes, those are boo's. The fans are chanting "Teddy, Teddy", and want nothing but Ted Dibiase! Anyways, The Bruise Brothers come in to "Soul Man", and try to wreck the portrait, and Eddie jumps on it like he's a dog in heat.
(11/16/85 show)
* Bill Watts, at the podium, discusses the situation from last week speculating whether Ted Dibiase will ever wrestle again.
They show footage of Dibiase (just like Butch Reed) being loaded up on a stretcher in the lockeroom. During this, Dibiase does a sympathetic phone interview.
* Joel Watts narrates another stiff-shot video feature, including Jake Roberts giving a young Shawn Michaels a short-arm clothesline.
* Jim Ross, in the "Power Pro Wrestling" studio, discusses Dibiase's injuries at the hands of Dick Murdoch.
(11/20/85 show)
Very Good Quality - 5 hours.
In my opinion, this is THE best wrestling video tape I
own.
UWF T.V. from Spring '86 :
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**
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Good/Average Quality - 6 hours.
UWF T.V. from Summer '86 :
**
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**
Great Quality - 6 hours.
UWF T.V. from Fall - Winter '86 :
**
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**
Great Quality - 6 hours.
UWF T.V. 10/87 - 12/87 :
* UWF opening, showing J.J. Dillon helping Hiro Matsuda gain advantage over Dusty Rhodes.
* Jim Ross and Jack Gregory open up the show at ringside, interviewing Ric Flair, Lex Luger, and J.J. Dillon.
* Sting vs Tony Stetson.
Stetson became a "Broadstreet Bully" in ECW.
* Jim Ross interviews Sting and Jimmy Garvin, with precious, at ringside.
You wont believe it, but this is one of Garvin's best promos ever.
* Starrcade '87 Control Center, with Tony Shiavone and Magnum T.A.
Tony looks like Hermin Munster. They show clips of Magnum T.A. versus Tully Blanchard - "I Quit, Cage" match, from Starrcade '85.
* The Sheephearders vs Bob Emory & Dexter Wescott.
In a rarity, Johnny Ace and Luke Williams team here.
* Jim Ross interviews NWA World Heavyweight champion, Ron Garvin.
* Larry Zbyszko vs Tony Suber.
* Jim Ross interviews Larry Zbyszko, with Baby Doll.
* Mike Rotunda vs The Phantom; Florida title.
* Eddie Gilbert & Terry Taylor vs Cutis Thompson & Max McGiver.
* Jim Ross interviews Eddie Gilbert and Terry Taylor.
* Jimmy Garvin vs Ivan Koloff.
The Russian Bear gets DQ'd for choking Jimmy Garvin out with a chain. Mighty Wilbur tries to make the save, but he gets lashed.
* Jim Ross interviews Dusty Rhodes.
* Lex Luger vs Joe Lynn.
Match doesn't even last 30 seconds. Dusty Rhodes, Jimmy Garvin, and Ric Flair appear, and Jim Ross go's crazy!
(11/21/87 show)
* UWF opening, showing clip of Bunkhouse Stampede.
* Magnum T.A. and Missy Hyatt open up the show.
* Jim Ross and Jack Gregory interview Michael Hayes at ringside.
* Road Warriors vs jobbers; Tulsa, Oklahoma.
* Dr. Death "We Are The Champions" video (Queen).
* Jim Ross interviews The Road Warriors and Paul Ellering.
* Ron Simmons vs Ron Ellis.
* Jim Ross interviews Ron Simmons.
* Barry Windahm vs Larry Zbyszko; Western State Heritage title.
* Sting vs Mark Calloway.
No, not the Undertaker.
* Jim Ross interviews Sting.
Sting points out a 'Little Stinger' at ringside.
* Midnight Express vs Chuck West & Phil Wylie.
* Jim Ross interviews Jim Cornette and the Midnight Express, with Big Bubba.
(11/28/87 show)
* NWA Pro Wrestling opening, showing clip of Ric Flair and Ron Garvin in the cage, from Starrcade '87.
* Bob Caudle and Jim Ross open up the show.
* Tony Shiavone interviews -new- NWA World Heavyweight champion, Ric Flair.
They show footage of Flair winning the title from Garvin.
* Steve Williams vs Tugboat Taylor; UWF title.
* Michael Hayes "Badstreet U.S.A" video.
* Bob Caudle interviews Dr. Death on the stage.
* Clips of Dusty Rhodes defeating Lex Luger for the U.S. title in the cage, from Starrcade '87.
* Press conference with -new- United States champion, Dusty Rhodes
* Michael Hayes vs Red Devil.
Tully Blanchard and Arn Anderson jump Michael Hayes afterwards.
* Tony Shiavone interviews Tully Blanchard and Arn Anderson.
* Larry Zbyszko vs Ron Ellis.
* Road Warriors vs jobbers.
* Bob Caudle interviews Road Warriors and Paul Ellering on the stage.
* Tony Shiavone interviews Lex Luger; Jim Crocket.
* Rock 'N Roll Express vs jobbers.
* Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard vs The Freebirds; NWA World tag titles.
* Bob Caudle interviews The Freebirds, then closes out the show.
(11/28/87 show)
**
(11/28/87 show)
Perfect/Great Quality - 6 hours.