It was so funny how irate Cornette was and demanding Jim Crockett to come out and demand that he stop the match because of misrepresentation. I like the remark he made about how Ray Charles could see that it was America's Team behind the masks. What great stuff in the old and dearly missed NWA!
This match is 25 years old today!!! i remember this clearly gave me chills i had not seen it since it aired Thank you for posting LONG LIVE THE SPRIT OF THE NWA!!!!!!
I saw this live on WCW the night it happened! This was absolutely hilarious,especially when Babydoll charged out after Cornette with the bullrope after the match! What fabulous and nostalgic memories here! Thanks a million for uploading it here!
I tell you what, there is something to be said for wrestling in such a close setting. Nothing but the crowd and the performers in the ring. No pyro, no video screens...you'd better be able to put on a show, or you wouldn't survive.
@marshalljimduncan This was in a studio of what was then WTBS on Techwood Drive in Atlanta. The were there until mid-1989. Just the "way it was done" back then. Pretty much every promotion I can think of used buildings this size. You could say Mid-South and Portland were larger but they only used HS gym sized buildings. I guess the biggest was the Sportatorium in World Class.
@ltrott3 Thanks for the info, very much appreciated. I remember the sportatorium , with the Von Erichs, freebirds, Gino, and the gentlemen Chris Adams. What great memories.
It is a shame we will never know who those James Boys really are. I heard a rumor that Frank James was the Midnight Rider, because they were never seen in the same place at the same time, but following that logic Mil Mascaris is Greg Gagne.
I THINK it was mostly used to give an excuse to prevent title changes at smaller houses shows or on build-up shows so they could come back for No DQ. As things changed, the smaller towns and houses went away. Programs got so accelerated that I think it just fell by the wayside. Just my opinion.
Sort of like the rule about tags being illegal if the person in the corner wasn't holding onto to the "tag rope". May have seen the rope but can't remember the last time that rule was enforced
This match also features what may be the last ever reference to the One Save rule in tag matches in professional wrestling. This rule caused DQs and kept titles from changing all over the world before this.
Has anyone seen the footage where the same thing gets pulled on the Midnight Express by the Rock & Roll Express (about 3 years later) to set up their scaffold match at Starrcade?
Actually it happened at least 3 other times to the MX. I assume you are refering to the MX vs "The Cosmic Cowboys". A few years prior in Mid-South, R-n-R "stole" the masks of Mr Wrestling II & III and took their place in a match with the MX. And in 1989, the MX had a match with "from Gotham City, Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson". That was Shane Douglas and Johnny Ace. MX lost all of these.
It may happened more than that (maybe with the Fantastics) but that is what immediately came to mind
I See yes it does sound like Hank Williams Jr. I'm listening to it now and, yep it does sound like him. I wonder did they have to get the licenses to use these songs back then? What was the line that Dennis Condery uttered to Cornette?
Incredible memory, man-when you describe it, it comes flooding back. Shouldn't have taken all those shrooms in college. That best of 7...Didn't Nikita win the first 3, then Magnum the next 3? With Nikita winning match 7...
I consider myself, as do others, pretty knowledgable about pro wrestling...but you are unreal!! Is that era your specialty? 23 years later and I'm still a big Horseman fan..but they never did have that perfect 4th. Ric, Tully and Arn were amazing-they defined heel heat. But Ole was a little over the hill, I was never a Lugar fan, I guess Windham was the best of the bunch. U agree?
True, he had a heel disposition...And he was a great wrestler, actually underrated...The only thing holding him back from superstardom was his lack of mike ability
Barry was the perfect 4th and Ric has stated that many of times check out his High Spots shoot interview and also the 4 horseman DVD Barry was a great wrestler and great on the mic. and Ric considered Barry an equal to Arn & Tully. Now Lugar was good when they had the Wargames cause if you watch the first War Games him in Hawk went at it
I agree that Barry was the most talented 4th man, certainly more than Lugar,. I never thought a whole lot of Barry's mike skills personally, but by that point people had stopped treating him like a pretty boy and started admitting this was one of the bigger, stronger guys on the circuit. You'll never find Flair, Tully or Arn giving props to Ole-Ole hates all of them, the feeling has become vice versa over the years.
Think of it like this we the WWE did Ric's big retirement they brought out Barry, not Lex or Ole. And on the high spots video I'm watching Ole didn't even hang out with them. Do you remember the PWI cover with Barry, Ric, Arn & Tully holding all the major title with JJ on one knee
That's funny, I do remember that cover. No doubt, that's the incarnation to remember. Too bad it didn't last longer; Barry was just a member for what, about a year before Arn and Tully bolted to become the Brainbusters. By the way, though I didn' t like the WWF much because of the cartoonishness, not to mention Warrior and Hogan dominating, I was overjoyed when they won the tag belts.
I with you on that one and if Vince was smart back then he would have put them together in the WWF cause Arn & Tully came first, then Ric and then Barry came as the Widow Maker and JJ was working in the office at the time
That might have forced him to acknowledge their previous existence, a strict no-no at that time. Even Dusty Rhodes was treated like a break-in. The seal was broken first with Flair's debut; not that his NWA bio was given, but he had to treat Ric with respect. The floodgates opened with the blessed appearance of Jim Ross who, Vince be damned, informed viewers of guys backgrounds and accomplishments-even thier names. I nearly dropped a load when he referred to IRS as Mike Rotundo once.
@miamiderek1 I would say the perfect 4th Horseman would have been Ted DiBiase if he stayed with the NWA. Dave Meltzer and I talked about this and the NWA dropped the ball on him.
donrio35, No question. There are very few situations Dibiase wouldn't have fit into, he's no doubt one of the most versatile and talented workers of all time. I know Meltzer was always a big fan, I recently read some of the first Observers and Ted is one of the few that Dave praises on several occasions. Teddy as a Horseman! The only conceivable glitch would have been that he was too strong of a personality and talent to play second fiddle to anyone, even Flair. Remember, he was the NWA's 2nd pk
I believe Dusty was banned for some reason, so to get revenge on the express, he and Magnum put on masks. That bit's been done many times before and after this.
The storyline was that Baby Doll had been attacked by MX and Cornette put the racket in her side so "Dolly's Boys" wanted revenge. Cornette wouldn't agree to the match with Dusty/Magnum but was willing to do a "tune-up" match as a present to the fans on TV with this unknown team who needed a brush with greatness hence the match you see here.
Interestingly, this was done concurrently with Dusty working various members of the Horsemen and Magnum being stripped of the US title in a program with Nikita Koloff. This way it could be implied that Magnum and Dusty couldn't be the James Boys because they were too busy with other things. Dusty and Magnum did an interview later in this same show where they only mentioned this match as a brief aside at the end.
The angle was abandoned going into that year's GAB. I think all of the city's had MX going against Babydoll teaming with Magnum Dusty or the RnR Express in cage matches. But those were also the Bashes that Magnum had the best of seven series with Nikita and Dusty beat Flair for the world belt. The end of the James Boys was also the reason that Babydoll brought in her new man, Warlord but he wasn't given any rub off of Dusty.
All of this was less than six months before Magnum's wreck.
Elsewhere on youtube you can find a post of a match with the Midnight Rider (Dusty) and Terry Allen (Magnum) winning the Global Tag titles in Florida from 1983. Notice the midnight rider theme plays when the James boys are walking in the ring.
"Even Ray Charles can see it," great line by Cornett! too funny.
@wewin03 According to Jim Cornette's Midnight Express book, Dennis no-showed a bunch of dates in March 1987, thus forcing them to replace him with Stan Lane, the storyline being that Dennis was fired for being "the weak link".
Dennis turned up in AWA with Randy Rose as the Original Midnight Express (with Paul Heyman as their manager). They got brought in for a "Midnights vs. Midnights" feud, but Dennis once again pulled a no-show at a PPV in 1989.
the midnight express had this happen to them again in 89 when they were doing an open challenge and the dynamic dudes came out under a different name. I can't remember if they wore masks as well even though I don't think they did but just took the ME by surprise.
They did first in Mid-South Wresling.Jim banned almost every tag-team to fight the Midnights.Except Mr wresling 2 and 3.So the midnights and Jim was in the ring.Here come mr wreslings.Except they had long hair coming out of their masks and was wearing spandex.Of course it was the Rock=N=Roll Express!!!One of the best pop ever!!
This was a classic. Dusty in his Midnight Rider outfit. He would do this 2 years later when he was stripped of the U.S. Title and suspended from action. In the tournament, Barry Windham took on the Rider and unmasked him, revealing it to be...The Italian Stallion, Gary Sabaugh.
This match shows the unparalleled talent and geinus of Jim Cornette, adlibing these hilarious rants. Corny continued this rant for the next couple of matches on TV until Jim Crockett finally came out and said "I only saw the James Boys beat your Midnight Express". Of course, it was Dusty and Magnum under the hoods.
One was Tony Zane. The other was never unmasked but I personally think that it was Sam Houston. Dusty and Magnum entered the ring after the match, befuddling Cornette even more.
leave it to Jim crockett promotions to come up with something like this. Always original, always entertaining. Cornette was hilarious. Thanks for posting.
The NWA & Jim Crockett Promotions was the singal Greatest promotion with the top talent in the buisness at that time. No 37 chair shots to the head,15 power bombs on lightbulbs, run over with a Bulldozer,shot 365 times, blown up, stab ,zapped with a stungun, and you still kickout
Even with the masks you couldn't tell? Hmm, I thought Dusty's build was pretty obvious. Even if not, the second he talked it was clearly him. I miss classic stuff like this, when it was more about wrestling and wins & losses and less about who could cut the best promo. Sure, catchphrases and cutdowns are important, but it seems like they have eclipsed winning and wrestling skill nowadays.
"Ray Charles could see that!" LOL Cornett and Midnight Express were awesome! My favorite line ever from Cornett was when they were wrestling Rocky King and he said, "Where is this guy from, Ethiopia?" CLASSIC
I remember when Rocky King joined up with The Freebirds as Little Richard Marley. That was some of Jim Herd's nonsense. Not to mention The Ding Dongs and The Hunchbacks.
Jim Herd was an idiot huh? Mr Pizza Hut had no business being near a ring, let alone the head of WCW. Lest we forget, he wanted Matt Borne to be the "Lumberjack", and some how he convinced Flair to cut his hair.
Borne was Big Josh. Flair was angry that Josh's ex-partner & fellow Horseman, Arn Anderson, had to lose to him. In 1983, Borne was let go in Atlanta for some outside-the-ring issues. Arn was seen in the same light. As for Flair, he had to become The Black Scorpion when Al Perez backed out. What sort of past did he and Sting have, Mr. Herd? By the way, the Scorpion's voice was Ole Anderson distorted.
lol Thats who i meant..Big Josh sorry. Yeah I read that in Flair's book AL Perez backed out at the last minute. That whole black scorpion idea was terrible but Jim Herd thought it was great. I just loved(note the sarcasm)how they treated Arn, Flairs best friend, like a piece of garbage. Total disrespect to a legend
That was 1983 when Arn was let go. He & Flair got together when Arn was injured in Alabama on a card that Flair was on. Flair convinced him to come to Charlotte. In 1988, Arn & Tully Blanchard left to go to WWE because Jim Crockett wasn't paying them well. Paul Ellering was making more than them. Arn was also let go in 1993 by Bill Watts because he looked to old. Thankfully, Eric Bischoff re-hired him.
Bill Watts lol He tried to push his son Erik but Erik wanted to be given everything and not earn it. Tully and Arn had to make guys like Luger and Nikita look good in the rin, while only getting paid a third of what they were making. When Bischoff rehired Arn, at one point he told Ric that "you could roll him in shit and he couldnt draw a fly" That hurt Ric personally
Erik and Rick Rude had a confrontation in the dressing room in New Orleans. Rude walked into Bill's office and told him that he was not going to be a GD babysitter anymore. He had a pistol in his shoe, because he knew Bill kept one in his drawer. Bill wanted to destroy WCW to save it, but it wasn't his to destroy. Hank Aaron got a hold of an old interview of Bill's and some of the comments were considered racist. Needless to say, Watts was soon gone.
Oh yeahhhh, I read that in Flairs book about Watts' interview with some fanzine that Watts was being rasict, and Watts was canned. Rick Rude was totally justified in his behavior, Erik thought he could ride his dad's coatails
It was in Pro Wrestling Torch. Watts told Bill Shaw that he wasn't racist & anybody that said otherwise was a GD LIAR! When he realized that he was not going to get any closer to Ted Turner, he told Shaw that he was through with this. It was then turned over to Eric Bishoff. I have heard that Watts told Shaw that WCW would die without him.
I heard that too about Bill Shaw. Turner basically at that point had to do something about Watts. Bischoff at first had some great ideas but then Hulk hogan arrived and things went to hell
Well, WCW didn't die because Bill Watts left. He wanted it to be like the old Mid-South/UWF from the '80's. Fast-paced and bloody. And yes, he wanted Erik to lead the way.
Yeah but Eric was so intent on burying Vince that he let his ego get in the way. I wish I was old enough to remember the Mid-south/UWF days. I've seen a ton of matches from that era..The Fantastics vs Sheepherders...JYD..Hacksaw Duggan..Butch Reed..and hearing Jim Ross's commentary was awesome
This is where Jim Cornette first rose to prominence with the Midnight Express. Magnum, T.A. became famous there, too as the North American Heavyweight Champion. On TBS, they showed Junkyard Dog's match vs. Carl Fergie. Fergie is Jerry Lawler's cousin, as is Wayne Ferris, aka The Honky Tonk Man.
Awesome, do you have the one where the Midnight express jumped the James boys while they were coming to the ring and took their masks off and it wasn't Magnum and Dusty, it was two no names - the camera pans over in the crowd and Magnum and Dusty are laughing. It was great also.
Awesome! I remember seeing the end of this match when I turned the TV on after a rare saturday work day. Always dreaded not being able to see this in its entirety. Thanks alot!!
This is awesome! I too remember this one like yesterday. I was at my grandma's house half playing with my toys and half watching the show, but I always payed attention when Cornette or Bobby and Dennis were on. I remember being real excited that the M-Xpress was feuding with Magnum and Dusty, the top dogs. Thanks alot for this.
You are taking us all back to the day, when wrestling meant something. I was watching this on Channel 12 in Crowley, La. "Beautiful" Bobby and "Loverboy" Dennis vs Frank and Jesse James LOL, I remember this match lol. I feel like a kid again
Here here I must say I remember the Original airing..of this match .. & foryou dzmatty&TheMidnightEdros... I applaud both of yuou withyour respective collections...
It was so funny how irate Cornette was and demanding Jim Crockett to come out and demand that he stop the match because of misrepresentation. I like the remark he made about how Ray Charles could see that it was America's Team behind the masks. What great stuff in the old and dearly missed NWA!
kenpalmer1965 2 weeks ago
This is so funny. This is Dusty Rhodes and Magnum T.A. in masks.
pdaddymike 1 month ago
Comment removed
BigHippiePat 1 week ago
Jim Cornette was in the zone throughout this show. Incredible! Tony S. was laughing throughout at Cornette's antics.
ajb0215 6 months ago
I was watching "The Mothership" when this happened. NWA in 1986 was on fire. Midnight Express is probably my fav. tag team.
bluesky8921 7 months ago
I loved Dennis' "Do you know who this is?!" LOL
CadillacL 7 months ago 2
Nothing like Cornette flipping out and going ape shit!
donaldc5166 8 months ago 2
@donaldc5166 You said it! Cornette was classic.
CadillacL 7 months ago
the james gang cheated!
66jtm45 9 months ago
i remember watching this match on Championship Wrestling!!! One of the all time greatest moments!!
dogfacedgremlin4 9 months ago
This match is 25 years old today!!! i remember this clearly gave me chills i had not seen it since it aired Thank you for posting LONG LIVE THE SPRIT OF THE NWA!!!!!!
mashfan0678 10 months ago
I saw this live on WCW the night it happened! This was absolutely hilarious,especially when Babydoll charged out after Cornette with the bullrope after the match! What fabulous and nostalgic memories here! Thanks a million for uploading it here!
kenpalmer1965 10 months ago
cornette does more crying then charlie brown
winfir0 11 months ago
beautiful Bobby?Yeah okay!
49ers545 11 months ago
I tell you what, there is something to be said for wrestling in such a close setting. Nothing but the crowd and the performers in the ring. No pyro, no video screens...you'd better be able to put on a show, or you wouldn't survive.
JonesMediaMan 11 months ago 3
LOVE THIS!! Best formula of all, Keep It Simple, Stupid. You'll never see great gimmicks like this again.
Lasertrain 1 year ago 2
boring
winfir0 1 year ago
LMAO. Cornette screaming at the top of his lungs!
CMack28 1 year ago
Is that the allman bros music
PEDROCLASSIC 1 year ago
@PEDROCLASSIC I think it was actually Gregg Allman's solo version.
TheJohnnyCotts 1 year ago
@TheJohnnyCotts This version is actually recorded by Hank Williams, Jr.
JonesMediaMan 11 months ago
Jim Cornette is the man ! lol@ " Ray Charles can see that"
IcedFoxx 1 year ago
They are faggots.
panhead1219 1 year ago
magnun ta and dusty rhodes the james gang
dentalun 1 year ago
This match never gets old. How good are Cornette, Tony Schaviane and David Crocket?
jm14043 1 year ago
NOOOOO THE JAMES GANG LOST WHY MAN WHY NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
jamesdang101 1 year ago
Where was this arena at? I remember watching the nwa as a kid, and they always wrestled at this place. It just seems so small.
marshalljimduncan 1 year ago
@marshalljimduncan This was in a studio of what was then WTBS on Techwood Drive in Atlanta. The were there until mid-1989. Just the "way it was done" back then. Pretty much every promotion I can think of used buildings this size. You could say Mid-South and Portland were larger but they only used HS gym sized buildings. I guess the biggest was the Sportatorium in World Class.
ltrott3 1 year ago
@ltrott3 Thanks for the info, very much appreciated. I remember the sportatorium , with the Von Erichs, freebirds, Gino, and the gentlemen Chris Adams. What great memories.
marshalljimduncan 1 year ago
It is a shame we will never know who those James Boys really are. I heard a rumor that Frank James was the Midnight Rider, because they were never seen in the same place at the same time, but following that logic Mil Mascaris is Greg Gagne.
daredevilpre 1 year ago
This is why I loved wrestling!
CadillacL 1 year ago
This is Jim Cornette at his absolute best
wolfhawkfield08 1 year ago
I remember watching this when I was a teenager. This was when wrestling was the greatest..
M7Starr 1 year ago
I guess the next one to go might be over the top rope DQs if they haven't disappeared already.
ltrott3 2 years ago
I THINK it was mostly used to give an excuse to prevent title changes at smaller houses shows or on build-up shows so they could come back for No DQ. As things changed, the smaller towns and houses went away. Programs got so accelerated that I think it just fell by the wayside. Just my opinion.
Sort of like the rule about tags being illegal if the person in the corner wasn't holding onto to the "tag rope". May have seen the rope but can't remember the last time that rule was enforced
ltrott3 2 years ago
HAHA CORNETTE SAID HORNSWOGGLED
jassonbender 2 years ago
great stuff!!!!
okrabay 2 years ago
This match also features what may be the last ever reference to the One Save rule in tag matches in professional wrestling. This rule caused DQs and kept titles from changing all over the world before this.
ltrott3 2 years ago
@ltrott3
Good point about the rule, but really, I saw very few DQs on the one-save rule in all the years I watched NWA wrestling.
ccie12933 2 years ago
Has anyone seen the footage where the same thing gets pulled on the Midnight Express by the Rock & Roll Express (about 3 years later) to set up their scaffold match at Starrcade?
Boojkill 2 years ago
Actually it happened at least 3 other times to the MX. I assume you are refering to the MX vs "The Cosmic Cowboys". A few years prior in Mid-South, R-n-R "stole" the masks of Mr Wrestling II & III and took their place in a match with the MX. And in 1989, the MX had a match with "from Gotham City, Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson". That was Shane Douglas and Johnny Ace. MX lost all of these.
It may happened more than that (maybe with the Fantastics) but that is what immediately came to mind
ltrott3 2 years ago
Classic moment. One of about 1000 reasons to love 1980's wrestling!
ECOOL76 2 years ago 7
What version of Midnight Rider is played in this video? This is a classic!
mkadragtonslayer 2 years ago
I think it was Hank Williams Jr. singing
RayNDeere 2 years ago
I See yes it does sound like Hank Williams Jr. I'm listening to it now and, yep it does sound like him. I wonder did they have to get the licenses to use these songs back then? What was the line that Dennis Condery uttered to Cornette?
mkadragtonslayer 2 years ago
BTW-the James Boys used the Midnight Rider theme by Hank Jr.
the Midnight Rider used the Midnight Rider theme by Willie Nelson
Now the question is does anybody have any video of Uvalde Slim?
ltrott3 2 years ago
Incredible memory, man-when you describe it, it comes flooding back. Shouldn't have taken all those shrooms in college. That best of 7...Didn't Nikita win the first 3, then Magnum the next 3? With Nikita winning match 7...
miamiderek1 2 years ago 2
Yes the first five were GAB matches and six and seven were done for World Wide
ltrott3 2 years ago
I consider myself, as do others, pretty knowledgable about pro wrestling...but you are unreal!! Is that era your specialty? 23 years later and I'm still a big Horseman fan..but they never did have that perfect 4th. Ric, Tully and Arn were amazing-they defined heel heat. But Ole was a little over the hill, I was never a Lugar fan, I guess Windham was the best of the bunch. U agree?
miamiderek1 2 years ago
Windham definately
Nuthinbuthate 2 years ago
Windham was an awesome 4th horseman
ukaking 2 years ago
True, he had a heel disposition...And he was a great wrestler, actually underrated...The only thing holding him back from superstardom was his lack of mike ability
miamiderek1 2 years ago
Barry was the perfect 4th and Ric has stated that many of times check out his High Spots shoot interview and also the 4 horseman DVD Barry was a great wrestler and great on the mic. and Ric considered Barry an equal to Arn & Tully. Now Lugar was good when they had the Wargames cause if you watch the first War Games him in Hawk went at it
mr2damngood73 2 years ago
I agree that Barry was the most talented 4th man, certainly more than Lugar,. I never thought a whole lot of Barry's mike skills personally, but by that point people had stopped treating him like a pretty boy and started admitting this was one of the bigger, stronger guys on the circuit. You'll never find Flair, Tully or Arn giving props to Ole-Ole hates all of them, the feeling has become vice versa over the years.
miamiderek1 2 years ago 2
Think of it like this we the WWE did Ric's big retirement they brought out Barry, not Lex or Ole. And on the high spots video I'm watching Ole didn't even hang out with them. Do you remember the PWI cover with Barry, Ric, Arn & Tully holding all the major title with JJ on one knee
mr2damngood73 2 years ago 2
That's funny, I do remember that cover. No doubt, that's the incarnation to remember. Too bad it didn't last longer; Barry was just a member for what, about a year before Arn and Tully bolted to become the Brainbusters. By the way, though I didn' t like the WWF much because of the cartoonishness, not to mention Warrior and Hogan dominating, I was overjoyed when they won the tag belts.
miamiderek1 2 years ago
I with you on that one and if Vince was smart back then he would have put them together in the WWF cause Arn & Tully came first, then Ric and then Barry came as the Widow Maker and JJ was working in the office at the time
mr2damngood73 2 years ago
That might have forced him to acknowledge their previous existence, a strict no-no at that time. Even Dusty Rhodes was treated like a break-in. The seal was broken first with Flair's debut; not that his NWA bio was given, but he had to treat Ric with respect. The floodgates opened with the blessed appearance of Jim Ross who, Vince be damned, informed viewers of guys backgrounds and accomplishments-even thier names. I nearly dropped a load when he referred to IRS as Mike Rotundo once.
miamiderek1 2 years ago
@miamiderek1 I would say the perfect 4th Horseman would have been Ted DiBiase if he stayed with the NWA. Dave Meltzer and I talked about this and the NWA dropped the ball on him.
donrio35 2 years ago
donrio35, No question. There are very few situations Dibiase wouldn't have fit into, he's no doubt one of the most versatile and talented workers of all time. I know Meltzer was always a big fan, I recently read some of the first Observers and Ted is one of the few that Dave praises on several occasions. Teddy as a Horseman! The only conceivable glitch would have been that he was too strong of a personality and talent to play second fiddle to anyone, even Flair. Remember, he was the NWA's 2nd pk
miamiderek1 2 years ago
@miamiderek1 Out of the 3, Barry was my fav wrestler. But I must admit that Ole was more "hateable", and a much better heel than the rest.
mickdundee1973 1 year ago
I believe Dusty was banned for some reason, so to get revenge on the express, he and Magnum put on masks. That bit's been done many times before and after this.
miamiderek1 2 years ago
No, you are confusing two different angles
ltrott3 2 years ago
The storyline was that Baby Doll had been attacked by MX and Cornette put the racket in her side so "Dolly's Boys" wanted revenge. Cornette wouldn't agree to the match with Dusty/Magnum but was willing to do a "tune-up" match as a present to the fans on TV with this unknown team who needed a brush with greatness hence the match you see here.
ltrott3 2 years ago
Interestingly, this was done concurrently with Dusty working various members of the Horsemen and Magnum being stripped of the US title in a program with Nikita Koloff. This way it could be implied that Magnum and Dusty couldn't be the James Boys because they were too busy with other things. Dusty and Magnum did an interview later in this same show where they only mentioned this match as a brief aside at the end.
ltrott3 2 years ago
The angle was abandoned going into that year's GAB. I think all of the city's had MX going against Babydoll teaming with Magnum Dusty or the RnR Express in cage matches. But those were also the Bashes that Magnum had the best of seven series with Nikita and Dusty beat Flair for the world belt. The end of the James Boys was also the reason that Babydoll brought in her new man, Warlord but he wasn't given any rub off of Dusty.
All of this was less than six months before Magnum's wreck.
ltrott3 2 years ago
Comment removed
ltrott3 2 years ago
remember seeing this when i was like 12 or 13, can not remember the whole story behind it. anyone remember know
cbtoy4x4 2 years ago
Are you blind, Ray Charles could SEE!!!
cmlaurin1 2 years ago
Elsewhere on youtube you can find a post of a match with the Midnight Rider (Dusty) and Terry Allen (Magnum) winning the Global Tag titles in Florida from 1983. Notice the midnight rider theme plays when the James boys are walking in the ring.
"Even Ray Charles can see it," great line by Cornett! too funny.
TheMarcusMarcs 2 years ago 2
What ever happened to Condrey?
wewin03 2 years ago
@wewin03 According to Jim Cornette's Midnight Express book, Dennis no-showed a bunch of dates in March 1987, thus forcing them to replace him with Stan Lane, the storyline being that Dennis was fired for being "the weak link".
Dennis turned up in AWA with Randy Rose as the Original Midnight Express (with Paul Heyman as their manager). They got brought in for a "Midnights vs. Midnights" feud, but Dennis once again pulled a no-show at a PPV in 1989.
TheJohnnyCotts 1 year ago
One of the greatest, most classic moments in wrestling history!!!!! "Ray Charles could see that!"
pwhoop1970 3 years ago
3:44 is my favorite part. lol
phillynutz 3 years ago
It's nice to see this footage without the WWE logo...it makes me sick whenever I see that crap stamped all over classic footage.
JonesMediaMan 3 years ago 2
agreed!
satchelmcqueen1 3 years ago
Definately agree 100%
SEMst500Blk 3 years ago
I liked it when Loverboy Dennis asked Jim Cornette, do you know who this is? And Cornette said, Yeah, I know who it is, that was SO FUNNY.
Kjr0se 3 years ago 2
Todays wwe tag teams have nothing on these guys.
DGENERATE07 3 years ago
I really wish Vince would put out a DVD set of these TBS shows, I remember watching this with friends on Saturday afternoons...CLASSIC!
CC007 3 years ago
Proof, Dusty is the Midnight Rider!
jamminjohn 3 years ago
"Ray Charles could see that!!" NWA wrestling on TBS Saturday nights ruled. This is one of the most memorable moments in wrestling history.
pwhoop1970 3 years ago
the midnight express had this happen to them again in 89 when they were doing an open challenge and the dynamic dudes came out under a different name. I can't remember if they wore masks as well even though I don't think they did but just took the ME by surprise.
mrp0518 3 years ago
They did first in Mid-South Wresling.Jim banned almost every tag-team to fight the Midnights.Except Mr wresling 2 and 3.So the midnights and Jim was in the ring.Here come mr wreslings.Except they had long hair coming out of their masks and was wearing spandex.Of course it was the Rock=N=Roll Express!!!One of the best pop ever!!
manzi71 3 years ago
Click on my site. There will be a link to that match in a couple of hours.
irishmcneils4ever 3 years ago
This was a great day in wrestling history.
rdwjr1962 3 years ago
This was a classic. Dusty in his Midnight Rider outfit. He would do this 2 years later when he was stripped of the U.S. Title and suspended from action. In the tournament, Barry Windham took on the Rider and unmasked him, revealing it to be...The Italian Stallion, Gary Sabaugh.
mkl62 3 years ago
This match shows the unparalleled talent and geinus of Jim Cornette, adlibing these hilarious rants. Corny continued this rant for the next couple of matches on TV until Jim Crockett finally came out and said "I only saw the James Boys beat your Midnight Express". Of course, it was Dusty and Magnum under the hoods.
ajb0215 3 years ago 2
Yeah I don't know who they unmasked later on, but this is undoubtedly Dusty and Magnum in those masks.
hurikayne 3 years ago
One was Tony Zane. The other was never unmasked but I personally think that it was Sam Houston. Dusty and Magnum entered the ring after the match, befuddling Cornette even more.
mkl62 3 years ago
leave it to Jim crockett promotions to come up with something like this. Always original, always entertaining. Cornette was hilarious. Thanks for posting.
bull864 3 years ago
Midnight Rider by Hank Williams Jr. is that song
mrbadexample83 4 years ago
Dude, if you liked that theme music, go buy some Allman Brothers albums---southern rock baby.
jer114 4 years ago
The NWA & Jim Crockett Promotions was the singal Greatest promotion with the top talent in the buisness at that time. No 37 chair shots to the head,15 power bombs on lightbulbs, run over with a Bulldozer,shot 365 times, blown up, stab ,zapped with a stungun, and you still kickout
TattooMick72 4 years ago 6
Whoa, whats that music the cowboys come out to, anyone know?
JoeBroseley 4 years ago
"Midnight Rider" by unknown. It's originally by the Allman Brothers, though
driflyer13 4 years ago
It sounds like Hank Williams, Jr. on this version.
RayNDeere 4 years ago
It was Hank Williams Jr singing Midnight Rider on the entrance music.
larrystarstruck 3 years ago
A little history on the James Gang - when the Midnight Express unmasked the James Gang, it turned out to be Tony Zale and Sam Houston.
To see Cornette blowing his stack over what he thought was Dusty and Magnum was nothing short of hilarious.
Even with the masks, I could not tell if it was Dusty and Magnum or another preliminary tag team.
I have to admit that as a fan of the Rock n Roll Express, I have always hated the Midnight Express and I also hated Jim Cornette with a passion..
hawkeyemd38 4 years ago
I remember watching this on Saturday night. It was great...
RayNDeere 4 years ago
Even with the masks you couldn't tell? Hmm, I thought Dusty's build was pretty obvious. Even if not, the second he talked it was clearly him. I miss classic stuff like this, when it was more about wrestling and wins & losses and less about who could cut the best promo. Sure, catchphrases and cutdowns are important, but it seems like they have eclipsed winning and wrestling skill nowadays.
MikeyMikeisMe 3 years ago 5
@MikeyMikeisMe well you can watch 1980s wrestling on WWE Classics on Demand.
kimv020887 8 months ago
@MikeyMikeisMe well you can watch 1980s wrestling on WWE Classics on Demand. REPLY BACK, MikeyMikeisMe
kimv020887 8 months ago
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ggq 4 years ago
there is no wrestling better than tbs in the 80's.thank you so much.
karamibryant 4 years ago 10
I'll never forget this match as long as I live and I thought I'd never see it again! Thanks much for posting it!
wmdboxer 4 years ago
Bobby Eaton did a lot of high-flying stuff like the
Rocket Launcher, flying dropkick, and the flying legdrop (Alabama Jam).
van76 4 years ago
Fantastic.
David Crockett is a legend!!
Wow wow wow wow Tony TONY TONY!!!
ElHijoDelSydney 4 years ago
I loved the old days when wrestlers had actual gimicks.
lastwolflord 4 years ago
OMG, I remember seeing this on TV when I was a kid! Classic! XD
Dusty and Magnum were pure win in this match, IMO. XD
onsenmark 5 years ago
"Ray Charles could see that!" LOL Cornett and Midnight Express were awesome! My favorite line ever from Cornett was when they were wrestling Rocky King and he said, "Where is this guy from, Ethiopia?" CLASSIC
kirkoa 5 years ago
Hahaha! I also remember Cornette saying about Rocky King "You know he's really improved here lately...he used to be horrible, now he's just pitiful".
xrocinante1 5 years ago
LMAO I miss these old days
kirkoa 5 years ago
I remember when Rocky King joined up with The Freebirds as Little Richard Marley. That was some of Jim Herd's nonsense. Not to mention The Ding Dongs and The Hunchbacks.
mkl62 2 years ago
Jim Herd was an idiot huh? Mr Pizza Hut had no business being near a ring, let alone the head of WCW. Lest we forget, he wanted Matt Borne to be the "Lumberjack", and some how he convinced Flair to cut his hair.
ashleybound 2 years ago
Borne was Big Josh. Flair was angry that Josh's ex-partner & fellow Horseman, Arn Anderson, had to lose to him. In 1983, Borne was let go in Atlanta for some outside-the-ring issues. Arn was seen in the same light. As for Flair, he had to become The Black Scorpion when Al Perez backed out. What sort of past did he and Sting have, Mr. Herd? By the way, the Scorpion's voice was Ole Anderson distorted.
mkl62 2 years ago
lol Thats who i meant..Big Josh sorry. Yeah I read that in Flair's book AL Perez backed out at the last minute. That whole black scorpion idea was terrible but Jim Herd thought it was great. I just loved(note the sarcasm)how they treated Arn, Flairs best friend, like a piece of garbage. Total disrespect to a legend
ashleybound 2 years ago
That was 1983 when Arn was let go. He & Flair got together when Arn was injured in Alabama on a card that Flair was on. Flair convinced him to come to Charlotte. In 1988, Arn & Tully Blanchard left to go to WWE because Jim Crockett wasn't paying them well. Paul Ellering was making more than them. Arn was also let go in 1993 by Bill Watts because he looked to old. Thankfully, Eric Bischoff re-hired him.
mkl62 2 years ago
Bill Watts lol He tried to push his son Erik but Erik wanted to be given everything and not earn it. Tully and Arn had to make guys like Luger and Nikita look good in the rin, while only getting paid a third of what they were making. When Bischoff rehired Arn, at one point he told Ric that "you could roll him in shit and he couldnt draw a fly" That hurt Ric personally
ashleybound 2 years ago
Erik and Rick Rude had a confrontation in the dressing room in New Orleans. Rude walked into Bill's office and told him that he was not going to be a GD babysitter anymore. He had a pistol in his shoe, because he knew Bill kept one in his drawer. Bill wanted to destroy WCW to save it, but it wasn't his to destroy. Hank Aaron got a hold of an old interview of Bill's and some of the comments were considered racist. Needless to say, Watts was soon gone.
mkl62 2 years ago
Oh yeahhhh, I read that in Flairs book about Watts' interview with some fanzine that Watts was being rasict, and Watts was canned. Rick Rude was totally justified in his behavior, Erik thought he could ride his dad's coatails
ashleybound 2 years ago
It was in Pro Wrestling Torch. Watts told Bill Shaw that he wasn't racist & anybody that said otherwise was a GD LIAR! When he realized that he was not going to get any closer to Ted Turner, he told Shaw that he was through with this. It was then turned over to Eric Bishoff. I have heard that Watts told Shaw that WCW would die without him.
mkl62 2 years ago
I heard that too about Bill Shaw. Turner basically at that point had to do something about Watts. Bischoff at first had some great ideas but then Hulk hogan arrived and things went to hell
ashleybound 2 years ago
Well, WCW didn't die because Bill Watts left. He wanted it to be like the old Mid-South/UWF from the '80's. Fast-paced and bloody. And yes, he wanted Erik to lead the way.
mkl62 2 years ago
Yeah but Eric was so intent on burying Vince that he let his ego get in the way. I wish I was old enough to remember the Mid-south/UWF days. I've seen a ton of matches from that era..The Fantastics vs Sheepherders...JYD..Hacksaw Duggan..Butch Reed..and hearing Jim Ross's commentary was awesome
ashleybound 2 years ago
This is where Jim Cornette first rose to prominence with the Midnight Express. Magnum, T.A. became famous there, too as the North American Heavyweight Champion. On TBS, they showed Junkyard Dog's match vs. Carl Fergie. Fergie is Jerry Lawler's cousin, as is Wayne Ferris, aka The Honky Tonk Man.
mkl62 2 years ago
"they thought they were gonna hornswaggle us.."
xrocinante1 5 years ago
Cornette: "you're just a goof."
xrocinante1 5 years ago
Its David Crockett who was the douche not Schiavone.
hairbandfan 5 years ago
midnight express the best tag team ever
chucky1x 5 years ago
i remember watching this when i was like 8, its funny when the crowd starts chanting, go magnum go.
jfm2020 5 years ago
Awesome, do you have the one where the Midnight express jumped the James boys while they were coming to the ring and took their masks off and it wasn't Magnum and Dusty, it was two no names - the camera pans over in the crowd and Magnum and Dusty are laughing. It was great also.
mankind2112 5 years ago
YEs, that match from World Wide wrestling was posted.
larrystarstruck 3 years ago
Cornette had so much heat back then it was great.
hairbandfan 5 years ago
Wow! I forgot about this. Would you happen to have the footage where the James Boys tried to drag Cornette behind a truck?
hahnbird 5 years ago
I'd totally forgotten about that!! I wish I did have it. I'd have put that up by now.
dzmatty 5 years ago
This was true wrestling! I miss it!
DawnYz 5 years ago
6:46 - 6:52 - Schiavone says, "they got a save, that is legal, 1 save.." awesome rule...
also, he does call them the James Gang multiple times from 7:45 on
bigfooticus 5 years ago
Cornette called Schiavone a "goof," not a "douche."
JudgeJesse 5 years ago
Did you people not listen? They said the James Brothers, not the James Gang. Listening would help!
Cornette called Schivani a douche.
Cornette: You're just a douche!
Listen at the 2:50 mark and you will hear it.
canucktheclown 5 years ago
he said 'goof'.
badstreetusa 5 years ago
Awesome! I remember seeing the end of this match when I turned the TV on after a rare saturday work day. Always dreaded not being able to see this in its entirety. Thanks alot!!
hawkeystud 5 years ago
The Original James Gang!!!
I'd like to see some "Original Midnight Express" posts with Paul E. Dangerously!!
funk24 5 years ago
i love the old nwa
truro15 5 years ago
Even then,Tony Baloney was an irratating idiot.
nocanregister 5 years ago
Cornettes lines had me in tears of laughter! Easily The most glib talker in the 'sport' today.
thegreatmuta 5 years ago
CLASSIC
chaldodon 5 years ago
When did this match take place, 85 or 86?
wcau 5 years ago
When did this match 85 or 86?
wcau 5 years ago
This is awesome! I too remember this one like yesterday. I was at my grandma's house half playing with my toys and half watching the show, but I always payed attention when Cornette or Bobby and Dennis were on. I remember being real excited that the M-Xpress was feuding with Magnum and Dusty, the top dogs. Thanks alot for this.
BoogieKnight75 5 years ago
great performers great promotion great posting
gside38 5 years ago
ah,the good ol days.
badstreetusa 5 years ago
NWA was the best in the 80's
thedude19766 5 years ago
Man great post,thanks.
ed2kou1 5 years ago
NWA World Championship Wrestling was a great show.
wcau 5 years ago
This match took place on 5/3/86
wcau 5 years ago
You are taking us all back to the day, when wrestling meant something. I was watching this on Channel 12 in Crowley, La. "Beautiful" Bobby and "Loverboy" Dennis vs Frank and Jesse James LOL, I remember this match lol. I feel like a kid again
gr8tung 5 years ago
Cornette sounds like he,s about to have a stroke
lambert581 5 years ago
Trust me. Top to bottom you've got one of if not the best collection going.
dzmatty 5 years ago
This was a good feud!
rudedog4 5 years ago
this match was done right after the express attacked dusty and babydoll and the beginning of the classic cornette babydoll feud.
oldschoolnwa68 5 years ago
Man that brings back memories.
ngmm 5 years ago
Here here I must say I remember the Original airing..of this match .. & foryou dzmatty&TheMidnightEdros... I applaud both of yuou withyour respective collections...
RavenNyte 5 years ago