In this Mid-South Wrestling 5/15/82 review, One Man Gang faces off with Mr. Olympia, Ted DiBiase aims for revenge, and much more.
Let’s jump in.
- Show: Mid-South Wrestling
- Date: May 15, 1982
RINGSIDE: Boyd Pearce and Bill Watts hype the big matches on the card. Watts weighs in on Ted DiBiase being fined for interfering in the action as a guest commentator. He also reveals that The Junkyard Dog and Mr. Olympia won the Tag Team titles at a recent event.
The Grappler vs. Coco Samoa
Watts does his usual fine work putting over the characteristics of each man. Coco isn’t like Afa and Sika, and Grappler is always up to something with that foot. It’s the little things. Coco with a valiant effort as you would expect, but he misses a splash in the corner and Grappler throws him into the turnbuckle. Grappler takes advantage and picks up the pin for the win.
RINGSIDE: Watts gives the history of Paul Ellering’s knee injury, including when he hurt it again back in January. Then it’s highlights of Ellering motivating kids to do sit-ups in the ring. He does his sit-ups with weights after that. To further illustrate his abs of steel, Jesse Barr and Buddy Landel jump off the top rope onto his midsection. Watts tells us he’ll be doing push-ups next week. The man is an adonis.
One Man Gang (w/Skandor Akbar) vs. Mr. Olympia
Two of my favorites here. It can’t be understated how huge Gang is, and Watts puts that over in the early going. Olympia fights back, but Gang counters with a knee to the midsection. Olympia hits two body checks and then a dropkick to send Gang to the mat. Gang tries for a splash, but Olympia moves and goes up top to hit a dropkick that sends Gang over the top to the outside. Akbar protests to the referee that Olympia can’t come off the top rope, which leads to Olympia hitting him with a dropkick. However, Gang comes from behind and hits an elbow drop on Olympia to score the win.
Kim Duc (w/Skandor Akbar) vs. Dick Murdoch
Watts notes this is a bounty match and that Akbar brought in Duc – just like he did with Hacksaw Duggan – to try to destroy Murdoch. Duc works on the arm, and when Murdoch tries to punch him, Doc brings it back to the mat. Watts tells the story of Murdoch beating up someone in a restaurant who talked bad towards him. Afterward, he sat down and ate the guy’s steak dinner. Incredible. Murdoch eventually gains control, but Akbar hits the ring and tries to hit Murdoch with his trenching tool. The latter ducks, and Akbar hits Duc instead. Murdoch grabs the tool back and uses it on Duc for the win. It’s great when the referees let the babyfaces do what they want after the heels try to screw them.
Billy Starr vs. Iron Mike Sharpe
Sharpe stands out as an absolute brute. Watts once again brings up DiBiase losing his cool and leaving the commentary desk a week ago. Big back body from Sharpe, and then he uses the bearhug on Starr until he fights out of it. However, Sharpe goes to the reverse backbreaker and that’ll do it for the victory.
COMMENTARY: Boyd and Watts show the footage of DiBiase having enough of the nonsense and going after One Man Gang and The Assassin. Back to the desk, Watts talked to DiBiase and he said something has to stop Skandor Akbar and his crew.
The Assassin and Bob Roop vs. Ted DiBiase and Ernie Ladd
What a lineup of talent this is. DiBiase goes for the Figure Four on Assassin but he manages to tag in Roop. DiBiase locks on the Figure Four on Roop, and once again, Watts is terrific on commentary pointing out that Roop is the one who designed the counter to the move. But this time around, DiBiase has a counter for the counter. Chaos ensues with all four men in the ring, and Assassin loads up the mask. Ladd gives the big boot to Assassin, but that knocks him into the referee. DiBiase throws Assassin into the steel post to knock him silly, and here comes Gang. Ladd hits the shoulder block to send Roop out, but another Assassin comes in with a loaded boot and he kicks DiBiase in the face for the win.
The Turk vs. Buddy Landell
Turk is back, and Watts is still pissed off at the shenanigans of the previous match. He also talks up Gang and how even Andre the Giant couldn’t slam the man. A back and forth match between Turk and Landell, but it’s a time limit draw.
BLAKE’S TAKE ON MID-SOUTH WRESTLING 5/15/82
Overall Rating: 5.5/10
Thoughts: Another fine installment of Mid-South Wrestling, with the atmosphere during the DiBiase/Ladd vs. Assassin/Roop match being the highlight. And it can’t be understated how excellent Watts is on commentary and what it does to get people invested in the storylines.
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