Mid-South Wrestling 25/12/1981

Mike George & Carlos Zapata vs Rick Ferrera & Jerry Novak

George is only tagging with Zapata due to an injury to the JYD, and this is basically a handicap match. Like Novak trying a cheapshot by kneeing George as he runs the ropes, even if he’s a touch late. The heels tie George up in the ropes and beat on him, whilst his useless partner does nothing. Zapata does comes in and immediately gets sent to the floor, so George ends up whipping the two heels together and pinning Ferrera with a dropkick, with his partner hilariously passed out on the floor.

Paul Orndorff vs Brian Blair

These two guys have been the highlight of my Mid-South watching so far, so I was looking forward to this. Really enjoyed the opening matwork, which isn’t something I associate with Orndorff. They actually work a fun sequence based around Blair holding Orndorff in a headscissors.  Blair keeps up with Orndorff, until an O’Connor Roll sees Orndorff duck through the ropes and Blair eats the top rope right across his throat. Looked nasty. Blair is kept strong throughout – he blocks a figure four, then counters a suplex with one of his own. He locks in a figure four but Orndorff reverses it. Blair can’t make the ropes but won’t quit, so the ref calls it to give Orndorff the win. Really good match.

Ted DiBiase vs Mike Boyer

This wasn’t very good, pretty scrappy from the start. A powerslam on Boyer looks terrible before DiBiase wins with the figure four. Exceptionally skippable.

Bob Roop & Bob Orton Jr vs Mike Bond & Frank Monte

I anticipated this being a straight squash, but Bond and Monte are made to look pretty good. It takes Roop antagonizing Bond to distract the ref and allow a double-team on Monte. Even this doesn’t last long, as the faces get to control again before the heels take over in a lovely sequence: Bond and Orton work a criss-cross spot, and Roop gets a blind tag. Bond performs an O’Connor Roll on Orton, but Roop hits a knee drop to the back of his head during the pin, and Orton gets the win with a piledriver. Fun match, the heels lost nothing by keeping it competitive, winning due to their smarts.

Ed Wiskowski vs Tom Renesto Jr

Pretty solid squash, with Wiskowski just beating down Renesto piece by piece. Really loved him hitting a squash across Renesto’s shoulders as he was sat down. Backbreaker completes the easy win.

The Iron Sheik vs Don Serrano

Sheik jumps Serrano before the bell, but this lasts barely 30 seconds before Paul Ellering leaps in to beat up Sheik for an earlier sneak attack. Ellering hammers Sheik to end the show.