CWA TV 3/29/1986

Written by: Bob Colling

CWA TV
Date: 3/29/1986
From: Memphis, TN

Lance Russell and Dave Brown promote what we’ll see on the program tonight. We will be hearing from Paul Diamond later on.

Opening Contest: Dutch Mantell vs. Keith Eric: Does Keith Eric really have a chance in hell against Dutch? The answer would be absolutely not. Dutch almost wins following a scoop slam. Dutch comes out of the corner with a lariat for the win. (1/2*. A fine squash for Dutch as he continues to get momentum for his face run.)

Second Contest: Memphis Vice (Lou Winston & Jerry Bryant) vs. Benny Traylor & Jerry Garmen: I believe this is the television debut for Memphis Vice in 1986. They get tossed around the ring by Traylor early on. I wasn’t expecting the team to have a hard time getting momentum against an enhancement team. However, it is kind of refreshing for a heel team to have issues. Bryant gets out of a headlock with a back suplex. Winston tosses Traylor to the mat with a scoop slam. Bryant continues his offense with a backdrop on Traylor. Traylor dropkicks Vice and tags in Garmen. Garmen seemingly doesn’t know what to do so he settles for a headlock but s met with a clothesline from Bryant. Winston slams Garmen and comes off the middle rope with an elbow drop for the win. (*. I thought the duo having a tough time with the enhancement team actually helps their presentation. They are kind of sloppy and stiff with their moves, but I wouldn’t mind seeing more of them.)

Lance Russell promotes some local shows. Dundee and Landell will be competing in a Texas death match against Lawler and Mantell. Russell interviews the new AWA Southern Tag Team Champions the Mod Squad with JD Costello. Costello says he told everyone this would happen. They are taking on Paul Diamond and Michael Lee, but Costello doesn’t think they matchup with his men. We hear a pre-tape Bill Dundee interview where he explains the rules to the Texas death match. The only way to win is when someone doesn’t answer the bell. He says he and Landell are best fit and they are going to take over the company. Dundee is going to be the owner of the CWA.

Dirty Rhodes gets a video of him playing the guitar. He explains his passion for music and how it became a hobby. Rhodes talks about being a tough professional wrestler and people not knowing how they are. He mentions that his mother has MS and she hasn’t been able to talk to her for a few years. He uses his music to get her to smile.

Joe LeDuc comes out and is interviewed by Lance Russell. LeDuc wants to talk about people who claim they are a king or a dutch man. LeDuc says he is back and brings Russell back into the scene. LeDuc dares anyone to put their big nose in his affair. They all know what he is capable of doing. LeDuc wants to get Rhodes in the ring and teach him a lesson. He doesn’t want anyone to think he is crazy.

Third Contest: Joe LeDuc vs. Henry Rutledge: LeDuc works over Rutledge with strikes and chops. Henry tries to fight back but doesn’t hurt LeDuc at all. LeDuc drives Rutledge down to the mat with a backbreaker. LeDuc decks Henry with a clothesline and wins the match.

Frank Morrell and Billy Travis share some pre-tape comments. Morrell talks about getting involved in a title match between Travis and Gaddafi. He had to get involved when Travis was attacked and almost had his arm broken. That’s why Morrell had to throw a towel in the ring to prevent Billy’s arm from being broken. Travis assures us that he wasn’t going to give up even if his arm was broken. Travis tells us that his father passed away last summer and now Morrell has taken him under his wing. Travis wants to win the championship and he asks the fans to help him by staying behind him.

Lance Russell promotes some local shows taking place. Mod Squad will be defending their newly won tag team titles against Paul Diamond and Michael Lee. Remember, there’s also that Texas death match between the team of Dundee & Landell taking on Lawler & Mantell.

Fourth Contest: AWA Southern Heavyweight Champion Bill Dundee & Buddy Landell vs. David Haskins & Frank Morrell: Morrell and Dundee start the tag match with Morrell tossing Dundee across the ring a couple of times. Haskins tags in and dropkicks Dundee. Dundee stops Haskins with a right hand and Landell tags into the match to beat on Haskins with more right hands. Dundee clotheslines Haskins and Landell gets tagged back into the match. Haskins continues to be worked over with right hands by Dundee against the ropes. Landell slams Haskins and Dundee comes off the top to deliver a knee drop. That happened when the referee was distracted. Morrell decks Dundee with a right hand, but Landell elbow drops Haskins and wins the match with a figure four leg lock. (1/2*. Tag team wrestling in Memphis is confusing to me. Partners never seem to break up pin attempts or submission and look like fools on the apron. I’ve been enjoying the partnership of Dundee and Landell.)

Bill Dundee and Buddy Landell stick around for an interview, but Lance Russell tells them that he’s not coming over there to talk to them. Dundee says it’s okay and says that discrimination doesn’t happen in Australia. He says that Lance Russell will be getting sued. Dundee talks about how nobody has ever beaten them. They are sixty minute men and you can ask the ladies. Dundee lists the men that they have beaten up and how nobody has beaten them. Lance Russell gets on the microphone and tells them to leave the scene. Dundee says that he can’t tell them to leave. Russell walks over to the area and confronts them. Russell wants them to tell the truth about how they have lost every match against Lawler and Dutch. Dundee doesn’t want them to tell the world they lost when that’s not the case. Russell really gets into them telling them they have lost every match. Dundee insists that Russell not say that they have lost every match. Russell decides to do that anyway. Dundee slaps Russell! Russell staggers but remains on his feet. Jerry Lawler and Dutch Mantell run out to save Russell for anything further.

Fifth Contest: Billy Travis vs. The Invader: Travis backdrops Invader early on followed by a scoop slam and a knee drop. Travis continues with a scoop slam and a top rope knee drop for the win. (1/2*. A better showing for Travis in his showcase match. He might just need to get more comfortable and have better quality matches.)

Lance Russell interviews Tony Falk and he says that he came face to face with Jackie Fargo. Falk issues a challenge to Fargo so that he can beat him up. Falk also talks about Jeff Jarrett and wants to be the first match for Jeff Jarrett. He will show him how tough professional wrestling is. He’s going to get his first win against Jim Jamison tonight.

Sixth Contest: Tony Falk vs. Jim Jamison: Falk delivers a running boot in the corner to get the early advantage. Falk clotheslines Jamison to keep the early momentum in his favor. Falk pulls Jamison up on a cover after a neckbreaker. Falk backdrops Jamison and comes off the ropes to deliver an elbow drop. However, on the pin attempt Falk picks Jamison up. Fall slams Jamison and goes to the top rope but loses his footing and crashes to the mat. Jamison takes advantage of that and pins Falk! (*. That’s just a hilarious thing to do. I thought Jamison did a great job in his role the other week and this week he gets a pin over Falk. I have to think this angle will eventually make Falk a babyface. I enjoyed this.)

Lance Russell promotes the local cards coming up including the tag team Texas death match. Jerry Lawler and Dutch Mantell enter the scene and talk about the match. Lawler knows that everyone wants Dundee and Landell gone from the promotion. They are going to teach them respect. Dutch talks about the match being how you can tell men from boys. They are going to teach them what respect is all about.

Dave Brown introduces a video focusing on Paul Diamond. Diamond was interviewed by Lance Russell for a special sit down segment. Diamond talks about getting better and having chances to make more money. He was away from his family just with the other guys. He was lonely and then there were celebrations after matches. He’d come across friends and being given drugs like pot or speed. Diamond started to lose matches because of his drug abuse. Diamond took that hard and eventually his family turned their back to him. He couldn’t kick the habit on his own. He sought professional help to overcome his issues. Paul reaches out to the children saying not to follow in his footsteps in that regard.

Main Event: AWA Southern Tag Team Champions The Mod Squad vs. Paul Diamond & Michael Lee: Diamond and Spike kick off the match, which I don’t believe is a title match. Spike shoulder blocks Diamond but Diamond comes back with an arm drag. Spike scoop slams Diamond and tags in Basher, who misses an elbow drop. Diamond tags in Lee and he comes off the middle rope with an elbow strike followed by a leg drop. Lee dropkicks Basher and keeps control with an arm bar. Basher fights back with knee lifts in the corner but misses a running shoulder tackle hitting the corner shoulder first. Diamond gets tagged back in and knocks Basher down with a running knee lift for a two count. Diamond misses a dropkick attempt as Basher held onto the ropes. Spike comes back in and gets a two count on Diamond. Spike tags in Basher who chokes Lee on the mat. Basher continues with a powerslam for a two count. Spike comes back in and kicks Lee several times. The champs are delivering several slams and tagging in often. Diamond dropkicks his partner stuck in a powerslam and Lee gets the pin! After the match, Lee gets attacked with several quick elbow drops. Diamond tries to get in the ring but gets knocked off the apron. (*1/4. I’m not sure if having the Mod Squad lose on TV already is a good idea. However, it’s very evident that Diamond is getting or going to get substantial focus on television.)

Final Thoughts:
Another fine episode of television for CWA this week, I’d say. Dundee and Landell are doing very well in their heel role and their involvement with Russell just adds fuel to their hate. I hope we get to see some footage of the Texas death match.

Thanks for reading.