Tonight Down Here in Mid-South I Watch the Cars Rushin' by Home From the Mill. There's a Beautiful Full Moon Rising Above the Mansion on the Hill

Brad Armstrong v Ted DiBiase (1/16/85)

This was super solid stuff; not spectacular, but I can get behind a nifty 10 minute TV match no problem. Armstrong is pretty bland, but he works the headlock well and they do some neat stuff around it. He also takes a nasty bump into the middle turnbuckle where it looked like he smashed his nose off the middle rope (which would've hurt like a bitch). Ending is good with DiBiase wrapping Brad's leg around the ring post and slapping on the figure-four for the submission. I remember really liking their arena match that's coming up soon, but this was a fine "lead-in."


Kevin Von Erich v Chris Adams (1/18/85)

This was a really bossy 5-6 minute brawl. I get the sense I would've liked it even more if I hadn't seen them have longer, better, crazier matches on the Texas set, though. Not necessarily a criticism of the match in front of me, but still, it is what it is. There's a few brutal superkicks here. Someone grabs a chair early and the ref' seems content to just let it fly, so as Kevin is charging Adams with the chair, Adams pulls up and superkicks it back in his face. A little later Kevin is chasing Adams around ringside, Adams slides in, and as Kevin comes in behind him Adams fucking WASTES him with a superkick right under the chin. The third one at the finish is just the meanest bastard of a superkick you'll see, square in the back of the head. I'm surprised it didn't blind him. This basically feels like the starter in Houston for the main course in Dallas, but it's a Hell of a starter.


Buddy Landel, Chavo & Hector Guerrero v Rock 'n' Roll Express & Joe Lothario (1/18/85)

I definitely liked this one less than the elimination match with Dundee and Porkchop in the RnR's place, but it was still a lot of fun. The Guerreros' bumping and stooging wasn't quite as transcendently great here, but Lothario punches them in the face and they still fly around for every shot, so you can't complain too much. After a while it looks like the heels are going to take over on Gibson, but then he just kind of rolls away and tags in Ricky. I was grateful, because Ricky Morton playing Ricky Morton is better than Robert Gibson playing Ricky Morton. Chavo hits an awesome delayed belly-to-belly in this; he just snaps his hips around and really plants Morton. Landel was pretty much a non-factor here other than doing his multiple missed elbow drops spot that he liked to do, but these matches have mostly been about the Guerreros and Jose Lothario, anyway. I'm wondering how many guys could make 98 year old Jose looks as good as the Guerreros do...I'm not coming up with very many names.


Mid-South Project