hosts are Boyd Pierce and Bob Roop

Bob Roop vs. Buddy Landell

This is a replay from a previous match. Landell is essentially a jobber here if I remember correctly. Long feeling out process until Roop gets a cheap shot when the ref tries to break them up. Roop hits a swinging neckbreaker and follows it up with a vertical suplex. Roop decides against a pin attempt and hits a running knee. He passes ip a pin chance again and hits the shoulder breaker and gets the 3 count for the win. It was what it was.

WINNER: Bob Roop

Paul Orndorff vs. Tony Charles

A lot of mat work gets you started here. Orndorff has enough of that and puts the boots to Charles. They go to the mat and Charles gets the better of the exchange. Orndorff gives up on wrestling and goes to brawling. Orndorff misses a corner charge and Charles gets a wristlock. Orndorff tosses Charles out of the ring but Charles catches him with a jumping kick over the ropes. Charles comes off the ropes but Orndorff drops to the mat and he grabs a quick one count. Orndorff gets a kick and a bodyslam but misses an elbow. Orndorff dodges a charge and Charles falls to the outside. Charles tries to get back into the ring but Orndorff pounds on him. Orndorff suplexes him back into the ring for the three count and the win. Decent for a squash match. This was typical of Mid-South as Watts liked the jobbers to get in some offense.

WINNER: Paul Orndorff

Non-Title Match:
Ted Dibiase © vs. Ed Wiscowski

Dibiase is the North American Champion here. Orndorff is the former champion and if you've seen the ESPN shows you know that Orndorff has put a bounty on his head. Roop is doing commentary to basically get across that he also wants a piece of Dibiase. Ah, nice simple Mid-South storylines. Stalemate starts us out like the other matches. Ed gets a headlock takedown for one. Dibiase escapes but gets caught a shoulder block and then a kick. Ed gets a headlock takedown for one and then works the headlock. Roop is running him down really good on commentary might I add. Dibiase escapes with a punch and grabs a headlock. Into the ropes as Dibiase hits a shoulder block. Back slide gets two. Ed quickly catches Dibiase with a punch and grabs a headlock takedown. Dibiase escapes with a wristlock and drops several knees on the arm. Dibiase grabs an armlock. Dibiase comes off the ropes and gets a shoulderblock. Dibiase ducks a clothesline and hits a bodyslam. Dibiase gets an arm drag and works over the arm again. Ed gets him in the corner and hits a knee. Ed rams Dibiase into the corner and then punishes him with forearms. Small package gets two. Dibiase fights back with fists and forearms. Dibiase hits an elbow and follows it up with an elbow drop. He sends Ed into the ropes and hits a powerslam. He goes for the figure-four leglock but Ed kicks him off and he crashes into the corner. Ed goes for a cross body block off the second rope but Dibiase rolls through for the three count and the win. I'd give that about **. Fun little match and a great babyface comeback from Dibiase. Roop was also fun on commentary as he just hammered Dibiase the whole time.

WINNER: Ted Dibiase

Mississippi Heavyweight Title Match:
Bob Orton Jr. © vs. Jim Garvin

Garvin gets the best of an exchange of punches. Orton gets an arm drag and works the arm over with some ringers. Garvin kicks Orton off a wristlock. Garvin escapes an armlock but gets hit with a shoulderblock. Garvin hits an armdrag and then catches Orton with a headlock takedown. Garvin grabs a headlock and does a float over takedown off the ropes. Nice move there. Orton powers out but misses a dropkick. Garvin grabs the headlock and does another float over takedown. Orton gets into the ropes to break the hold. Orton hits a knee and follows it up with a dropkick. Orton hits a couple of fists to the face and then drops a fist to the throat. Garvin reverses a whip into the corner and abuses Orton with fists. Garvin hits a backdrop for one. Garvin goes for the float over takedown again but this time Orton's ready and turns it into a belly to back suplex. Orton drops a fist off the second rope and hits the piledriver for the three and the win. Nice match here. I really like how Garvin went to the same move one time too many and it ended up costing him the match.

WINNER AND STILL CHAMPION: Bob Orton Jr.

Junkyard Dog vs. Terry Orndorff

If Orndorff loses he will leave Mid-South Wrestling. Orndorff puts on a mask and says although he hates the mask he feels it's lucky. JYD comes out to "Another Bites the Dust" which I've always liked for his entrance music. JYD makes the ref check the mask to make sure it isn't loaded. The ref says it's clean. Orndorff bails to the outside to start. Lock up and Orndorff gets a cheap shot in when the ref breaks it up. JYD overpowers Orndorff and goes for an irish whip but it's reversed. Orndorff takes advantage and pummels JYD on the mat. Orndorff gets a bodyslam but misses an elbow. JYD quickly hits a falling headbutt. JYD hits a few more headbutts and ties Orndorff in the ropes and pounds on him. Paul Orndorff comes out and attacks the JYD after giving his brother something. JYD hits the Slam on Paul while Dibiase runs out and gets nailed by the now loaded mask of Terry. JYD goes for another headbutt and they're both out. The ref falls to the outside. Someone puts the mask on and comes into the ring. He goes for the piledriver but JYD powers out. JYD throws him over the top rope and the ref sees it and calls for the DQ. Fun little overbooked mess here.

WINNER: Terry Orndorff

the Iron Sheik vs. King Cobra

The Sheik attacks before the introductions before the match even starts. Sheik hits a backdrop and then stomps Cobra. The Sheik just pounds on Cobra without mercy. Cobra gets a leapfrog and hits a bodyslam. Headbutt gets Sheik into the corner. Cobra botches a head scissors and Sheik pounds on him some more. Cobra catches Sheik with a kick and then hits a dropkick. Cobra hits a headbutt and the Sheik bails to the outside. Cobra tries to slam Sheik back into the ring but the Sheik's boots save him. Cobra just drops him to the mat and drops a knee for one. Cobra hits a headbutt but Sheik fights back. Cobra gets a sunset flip for two. Sheik catches him with that spiked boot and hits a belly to back suplex and then drops an elbow for the three. Very high energy squash like everything else on this show has been.

Jerrk Novak and the Monk vs. Brian Blair and Frank Monte

Monte gets the Monk to the mat and tags Blair in so he can drop a knee. Blair works over the arm and then tags Monte in. Monte hits a monkey flip. Novak tags in and walks into an arm drag from Monte. Blair tags in and Novak fights out of a headlock. Back and forth until Blair hits a flying tackle and follows it up with an elbow off the ropes. Blair covers for two. Blair gets a front face lock. Monte tags in and gets a face lock on. The Monk tags in and pounds on Monte with forearms. Monte gets a single leg takedown. He rams the Monk into a forearm from Blair. Blair tags in and gets a bodyslam and then a knee drop for two. Monte tags in and hits an elbow. He throws the Monk into the ropes and hits an elbow. Novak comes in and gets rammed into the corner. Novak avoids the elbow but gets rammed into a forearm from Blair. Novak shrugs off a monkey flip. A two handed choke from Novak. Time runs out as the Monk and Novak start to fight their way back into the match. I really hate when shows end like that.

Final Thoughts:

Nothing really blow away on this show but there was a lot of energy in the matches. One thing I do enjoy about Mid-South is that all of the matches are competitive even when it's a main eventer vs. a jobber. Bob Roop was also excellent on color commentary this week as he just destroyed the faces in all of their matches. He was also claiming that he and Orndorff have come up with a counter to Dibiase's Figure-Four Leglock. So it should be interesting to see how that unfolds over the coming weeks. Yes, I do have the next few episodes and they'll be getting reviews as well. Join me next week as Ted Dibiase takes on Paul Orndorff.

Allright. Keep 'em coming. I've been curious about this era of Mid-South, ever since I saw "that ESPN show" about 5 years ago.

Well I just bought some stuff from site the former Ms. Watts owned. It's pricey for the DVDs but I'm willing to drop the cash on master quality that you get there. They have some holes here and there though. This episode is actually the earliest legal footage you can get of Mid-South. So anyways I'm going to do one a week so here are what you'll get over the course of the next few months. Note I'll be buying more so if I keep up there should be a never ending stream of Mid-South reviews.

Produced December 10, 1981
Announcers: Boyd Pearce & Ernie "The Big Cat" Ladd

Bryan Blair vs. The Monk
King Cobra vs. Tom Deresto Jr.
Jim Garvin vs. Ed Wiscowski
"Highlights" JYD & Mike George vs. Jerry Novak & Aaron Holt
Buddy Ryan vs. The Iron Shiek
Barbie Doll & Tony Charles vs. Diamond Lil & Rick Ferria
Ted Dibiase vs. Paul Orndorff

Produced December 17, 1981
Announcers: Boyd Pearce & Ted Dibiase

Tom Renesto Jr. vs. Brian Blair
"Precious" Paul Ellering vs. Don Serrano
Junk Yard Dog vs. Mike Boyer
Paul Orndorff & Bob Orton Jr. vs. Carlos Zapata & The Monk
Bob Roop vs. Mike George
Ed Wiscowski vs. Mike Bond
The Iron Shiek vs. Paul Ellering $1000.00 Persian Club Challenge
The Iron Shiek vs. Frank Monte

Produced December 23, 1981

Jerry Novak & Ricky Ferrara vs. Mike George & Carlos Zapata
Paul Ellering & The Iron Shiek $1000.00 Persian Club Challenge
Brian Blair vs. Paul Orndorff
Ted Dibiase vs. Mike Bowyer
Mike Bond & Frank Monte vs. Bob Roop & Bob Orton Jr.
Tommy Renesto Jr. vs. Ed Wiskowski
Don Serrano vs. The Iron Sheik

Produced: December 30, 1981 Best of
Announcer: “Cowboy” Bill Watts

Junk Yard Dog & Mike George vs. Afa & Sika "The Samoans
Junk Yard Dog & Mike George vs. Paul & Terry Orndorff
Junk Yard Dog & Mike George vs. Paul & Terry Orndorff
Dusty Rhodes vs. Kabuki
Ted Dibiase vs. Paul Orndorff
Ted Dibiase vs. Ed Wiskowski
Jim Garvin vs. Ed Wiskowski
Ted Dibiase vs. Paul Orndorff

Produced January 14, 1982
Announcers: Boyd Pearce & “Cowboy” Bill Watts

The Monk vs. Brian Blair
"Dream Match" Ernie Ladd, Samoans vs. Andre, Dusty Rhodes & JYD
Mr. Olympia vs. Frank Zapata
Tommy Wright vs. Ed Wiskowski
Bob Roop vs. Dick Murdock
Afa & Sika "The Samoans" vs. Frank Monte & Jesse Barr
Mike George vs. Bob Orton Jr.
Dusty Rhodes Interview

Produced January 21, 1982
Announcers: Boyd Pearce and “Cowboy” Bill Watts

Brian Blair vs. Tom Renesto
"Highlights" The Iron Shiek vs. Frank Zapata
Akbars Challenge
"Highlights" The Iron Shiek vs. Junk Yard Dog
Afa & Sika "The Samoans" vs. Jessie Barr & Tommy Wright
Mike George vs. Frank Zapata
Mr. Olympia vs. Bob Orton Jr.
Ted Dibiase & Dick Murdock vs. Paul Orndorff & Bob Roop
Terry Daniels vs. Ed Wiskowski
Frank Monte vs. Billy Ash

Produced January 28, 1982
Announcer: Boyd Pearce

Dick Murdock vs. Tom Renesto
"Highlights" Akbar Manager/ "The Samoans" vs. Frank Monte & Terry Daniels
Brian Blair vs. Frank Zapata
The Junk Yard Dog & Mike George vs. Paul Orndorff & Bob Orton Jr.
Mr. Olympia vs. Ed Wiskowski
"Highlights" Ted Dibiase vs. Paul Orndorff
Ted Dibiase vs. Bob Roop
Rick Ferrera vs. Billy Ash