You just knew with them having Lawlers keychain he was gnna show up. Then the brutal beatdown on Rich u knew something was gnna happen so we stayed glued to the TV just to c what happens. Then the kickass Lawler promo at the end and u think I gtta b at the Gardens Tues night to c what happens. Now thats wrestling old school baby!!!!!! Watch and learn WWE/TNA!!!!!
Can anyone imagine ANY of those boring, body beautiful, primadonnas in the WWE or TNA doing anything like this? Cena, The Miz, John Morrison, etc. No wonder wrestling is so pathetic now! They spend more time on their tans than developing a believable character with any fan appeal.
I noticed some comments talking about how the angle seems bush league and so on. Look at Lawlers face as he is hitting Rhodes near the end of the clip, watch how he is swinging the chair with pretty much reckless abandon. Thats what made us all question, growing up, is this real? THIS part seems real. Lot of these guys in the indies today could learn a lot about psychology and heat by watching this segment. Awesome stuff, thanks for posting it.
well people this is the way it was back in the day. now you have wrestlers parading around in bikini tights,looking like sissys. there is no way the wrestlers today could make it back then. lawler,rich gilberts,dundee,mantell,jimmy hart,tojo,etc.. these cats would bleed in front of 100 or 10,000 fans.
Dirty Rhodes was Roger Smith, who had been a journeyman on Georgia. He later became one of the Assasins with Joe Hamilton. He then became Dirty, claiming to be a long lost relative of Dusty. One time, Bobby Jaggers went around impersonating Dusty, cursing at fans while saying he was Dusty.
What a heck of a bloody brawl! This is definitely the kind of action in pro wrestling that I miss. We will probably never see this kind of action again. Marvelous video!
So, Rich gets the crap kicked outta him and can barely make it to the dressing room in one segment, then comes back and makes a heroic comeback with Lawler? Makes sense.
I used to love the flyers in the 80's at the Huntsville, AL fairgrounds that would pit "D. Rhodes" vs. "R. Flair" and "Jerry the King" in a grudge match against "The Idol". Classic Nick Gulas tactics.
Only in the south could you have adults thinking that foreheads gushing blood would be appropriate entertainment for an audience consisting of mostly 7 year old kids.
@mabood1212 what is wrong with that? Have you not seen any of the violence (Rated TVPG mind u) thats shown on primetime and daytime TV? I dont see many 7 yr olds in this clip either. If you look in the audience its mostly adults. Thats who wrestling should be targeted too. Not a bunch of kids like WWE does nowadays. They turned wrestling into a silly action adventure SuperCena cartoon series. Wrestling is MEANT to be violent. Thats like complaining that soap operas have too much crying.
I think Studio Wrestling like this was more intimate(for lack of a better word) Being so close to a small crowd the wrestlers had to be so convincing as not to give it all away. Now it's all a damn soap opera. Thanks Vince.
ha ha...Dirty Rhodes and Don Bass!!! I remember a group of us were fooled into buying tickets to watch this fat ass on a card. "Dirty" was printed in tiny letters above "Rhodes" and we thought it was Dusty. And Don Bass is supposely the twin brother of Cowboy Ron Bass....snicker!!! Must be fraternal twins because beside the eyes and the moustache, Don looks nothing like the Pampa Texan!!!
How is it that 3 out of shape fat asses are a million times more convincing as heels than anyone in WWE/TNA's roster over the past 10 years?? Wrestling was so good back then!!
@DeepSouthWrestling1 It's the lsot art of working a crowd, everyone in Memphis from Lawler, to Rich, to Dundee, to the enhancement guys were taught how to work a crowd,
If memory serves me correctly, Rhodes and Bass came out the whole show displaying Lawler's Cleaveland Brown keychain, indicating that they "had taken care of Lawler...you won't be seeing him today." Lance Russell played this to a tee. At the time I wished I was related to Lawler...if picked on, all I had to do was call him up.
I never comment on videos but I remember this like it was yesterday.
This was all the rage for weeks. A very disturbing and graphic theatre of the macabre that spun Tennessee/Lawler wrestling fans into a new era of surealistic TV. Great for family discussions on violence. NOTHING can top this.
Always love it when Internet smart marks talk about "The Muta Scale" when it comes to blood. This clip proves they know nothing of wrestling history. No one, NO ONE bled more than Tommy Rich.
@ChannelExtreme I'd have to say Flair seems to have bled the most. His wrestling gear consisted of boots, tights, fancy robes and a concealed blading device.
I'm surprised they could show that much blood. The WWF (E) and others always went to the giant "x" on the screen or cut away from the footage.
Another great brawl in Memphis. You know the brawl was going to be out-of control becuase the set would be partiallly or completely destroyed, Did this lead to the hair vs. hair match with Bass, leading Lawler saying (post-match) he wanted to hear the next song from "the singing onionhead?"
I know who Bass and Rhodes were, but who was Wright?
This jobber is a better worker than a lot of stars today. Love that he got in a couple of kicks on Rich before bailing.
jawline316 1 day ago
I like the duct tape on the turn buckles
MrJCraig66 2 days ago
i would have loved to see lawler wrestle in his prime this was amazing :)
guardianking07 4 weeks ago
It's a shame that Lawler allowed WWF/WWE to make him into such a joke.
Chawman 1 month ago
You just knew with them having Lawlers keychain he was gnna show up. Then the brutal beatdown on Rich u knew something was gnna happen so we stayed glued to the TV just to c what happens. Then the kickass Lawler promo at the end and u think I gtta b at the Gardens Tues night to c what happens. Now thats wrestling old school baby!!!!!! Watch and learn WWE/TNA!!!!!
marathonriverrat 1 month ago
back when that was the most violent thing we could watch
hadielhadi 1 month ago
LMAO...that's BULLDOZER (Larry Wright). The one that's gonna squish Richie Rouge like an apple BOY! (Boy Count 1)
cbaldwinjr 1 month ago
Can anyone imagine ANY of those boring, body beautiful, primadonnas in the WWE or TNA doing anything like this? Cena, The Miz, John Morrison, etc. No wonder wrestling is so pathetic now! They spend more time on their tans than developing a believable character with any fan appeal.
don62snodgrass 1 month ago
This was so good noone knew at the time how good it actually was. Memphis was the best for the slow motion replay going to break.
lizardman77 2 months ago
I always hated Bulk Hogan and Dick Flair.
pajmf 2 months ago
Just think, this originally aired on Saturday mornings right along side Bugs Bunny and The Flintstones- the good 'ole days!
freestaterevolution 5 months ago 6
@freestaterevolution - If lovin' this is wrong, I don't wanna be right. :)
ChannelExtreme 5 months ago 3
who the hell was Dirty Rhodes ? Dusty's evil brother ? He musta had a short career......The only name on that team I recognize is Don Bass...
mdhotstuff 5 months ago
@mdhotstuff this supposed to a parody of Dusty Rhodes & Ron Bass, i suppose
anthony1468 3 months ago
Jimmy Hart: "Nothing was scripted back then. What you saw is what you got."
velvetgoldmine30 7 months ago
Oh no! They knocked over that big cardboard backdrop!
themightycelestial 8 months ago
Tommy did a Nice work on the arm followed by a Snap Suplex into a near fall.
StanKingston420 10 months ago
I noticed some comments talking about how the angle seems bush league and so on. Look at Lawlers face as he is hitting Rhodes near the end of the clip, watch how he is swinging the chair with pretty much reckless abandon. Thats what made us all question, growing up, is this real? THIS part seems real. Lot of these guys in the indies today could learn a lot about psychology and heat by watching this segment. Awesome stuff, thanks for posting it.
mutarulz 11 months ago
@mutarulz Amen!
apwrock 5 months ago
What the hell ever became of Tommy Rich??
MadisonCutlass44057 11 months ago
@MadisonCutlass44057
he ran out of blood lol
jerryleebrock 11 months ago
This was classic and the King pulled it off well, the bottle was a great idea.
lizardman77 11 months ago
Yeah he was The Man but now Hes just a has been
hotd420 1 year ago
CENSORED by the NWA
32rodrick 1 year ago
NWA Championship Wrestling Live from Baton Rouge, LA
32rodrick 1 year ago
i bet jerry can still kick ass
lovesheidi 1 year ago 2
well people this is the way it was back in the day. now you have wrestlers parading around in bikini tights,looking like sissys. there is no way the wrestlers today could make it back then. lawler,rich gilberts,dundee,mantell,jimmy hart,tojo,etc.. these cats would bleed in front of 100 or 10,000 fans.
brozap45z 1 year ago
this is awesome stuff
thx for posting
12coach12 1 year ago
Dirty Rhodes blades right on camera, Lawler falls off the stage. Nicely done angle, but I think it's quite bush league.
TapOut2ndRound 1 year ago
Dirty Rhodes was Roger Smith, who had been a journeyman on Georgia. He later became one of the Assasins with Joe Hamilton. He then became Dirty, claiming to be a long lost relative of Dusty. One time, Bobby Jaggers went around impersonating Dusty, cursing at fans while saying he was Dusty.
mkl62 1 year ago
What a heck of a bloody brawl! This is definitely the kind of action in pro wrestling that I miss. We will probably never see this kind of action again. Marvelous video!
kenpalmer1965 1 year ago
7:14 right hand.
7:18 and here is the self cut.
spyguybuy 1 year ago
studio events were the best!!
whycantihavemyownuse 1 year ago
So, Rich gets the crap kicked outta him and can barely make it to the dressing room in one segment, then comes back and makes a heroic comeback with Lawler? Makes sense.
Rayla840 1 year ago
I used to love the flyers in the 80's at the Huntsville, AL fairgrounds that would pit "D. Rhodes" vs. "R. Flair" and "Jerry the King" in a grudge match against "The Idol". Classic Nick Gulas tactics.
WillHear432 1 year ago
Wrestling was great back in those days. I don't even watch the clown stuff they are showing now.
Baysox39 1 year ago
7:45-7:50 Man Jerry looked like a man possessed as he was punching Rhodes in the face
K1ngCobra09 1 year ago
Only in the south could you have adults thinking that foreheads gushing blood would be appropriate entertainment for an audience consisting of mostly 7 year old kids.
mabood1212 1 year ago
@mabood1212 what is wrong with that? Have you not seen any of the violence (Rated TVPG mind u) thats shown on primetime and daytime TV? I dont see many 7 yr olds in this clip either. If you look in the audience its mostly adults. Thats who wrestling should be targeted too. Not a bunch of kids like WWE does nowadays. They turned wrestling into a silly action adventure SuperCena cartoon series. Wrestling is MEANT to be violent. Thats like complaining that soap operas have too much crying.
halleberrybabydaddy 1 year ago
@mabood1212 That's why I love Southern rasslin".
yardlet6 8 months ago
Know this is what i call wrestling! Thanks for posting this classic old school wrestling!
styx4ever1963 1 year ago
Nobody kicked ass like Lawler, NOBODY !!!!!!
86lenny 1 year ago
Dirty Rhodes..lol..he was obviously a bad imitation of the american dream.
sammys70 1 year ago
@sammys70 horrible... only in memphis would they try something like that (though memphis had great wrestling action)
dare2727 1 year ago
I think Studio Wrestling like this was more intimate(for lack of a better word) Being so close to a small crowd the wrestlers had to be so convincing as not to give it all away. Now it's all a damn soap opera. Thanks Vince.
Hardeen31 1 year ago
ha ha...Dirty Rhodes and Don Bass!!! I remember a group of us were fooled into buying tickets to watch this fat ass on a card. "Dirty" was printed in tiny letters above "Rhodes" and we thought it was Dusty. And Don Bass is supposely the twin brother of Cowboy Ron Bass....snicker!!! Must be fraternal twins because beside the eyes and the moustache, Don looks nothing like the Pampa Texan!!!
suliyimanmagnus 1 year ago
tommy rich looks like the red rooster...god i miss these days
imdagr8st 1 year ago
Okay, did Tommy Rich have to blade that damn bad?
mrhollister09 1 year ago
LOL Dusty, I mean, Dirty Rhodes & Don Bass....
mrhollister09 1 year ago
How is it that 3 out of shape fat asses are a million times more convincing as heels than anyone in WWE/TNA's roster over the past 10 years?? Wrestling was so good back then!!
DeepSouthWrestling1 1 year ago 24
@DeepSouthWrestling1 - It's the shades, man. Gotta be the shades. ;)
ChannelExtreme 1 year ago 2
@DeepSouthWrestling1 It's the lsot art of working a crowd, everyone in Memphis from Lawler, to Rich, to Dundee, to the enhancement guys were taught how to work a crowd,
jsnlee777 1 year ago
If memory serves me correctly, Rhodes and Bass came out the whole show displaying Lawler's Cleaveland Brown keychain, indicating that they "had taken care of Lawler...you won't be seeing him today." Lance Russell played this to a tee. At the time I wished I was related to Lawler...if picked on, all I had to do was call him up.
Alvin1W 1 year ago
I never comment on videos but I remember this like it was yesterday.
This was all the rage for weeks. A very disturbing and graphic theatre of the macabre that spun Tennessee/Lawler wrestling fans into a new era of surealistic TV. Great for family discussions on violence. NOTHING can top this.
Alvin1W 1 year ago
Good old fashioned hillbilly brawl!!! Gawd, I love this stuff!!!
joethecabdriver 1 year ago
Nobody bled like tommy wildfire rich.simply the best at it ever
deptofcorrections1 1 year ago
classic
MrKooldaddykool 1 year ago
Rich bled like a car wreck.
daredevilpre 1 year ago 2
good ole memphis wrestling
blacklexo8 1 year ago 2
A good ol' fashion brawl. Wrestling at its best!
CadillacL 1 year ago 2
Always love it when Internet smart marks talk about "The Muta Scale" when it comes to blood. This clip proves they know nothing of wrestling history. No one, NO ONE bled more than Tommy Rich.
DavidFullam 1 year ago 13
@DavidFullam honorable mention...dusty rhodes.
GDCTT 1 year ago
@DavidFullam - Rich knows how to sell it too. Notice he takes a knee twice on the way out to milk more camera time.
ChannelExtreme 1 year ago
@ChannelExtreme Another good point. Rich always made it appear that he'd just been literally destroyed.
DavidFullam 1 year ago
@ChannelExtreme He knew how to work it, that's for sure.
DavidFullam 1 year ago
@ChannelExtreme I'd have to say Flair seems to have bled the most. His wrestling gear consisted of boots, tights, fancy robes and a concealed blading device.
SeanMBryans 1 month ago
@DavidFullam That's because Rich was drunk all the time. Alcohol thins your blood.
Stereobrainagain 1 year ago
@DavidFullam Well i'd say that Abdullah the Butcher came pretty close!!!
bullzi420 1 year ago
Somebody say somethin' 'bout FARRRRED UP?
(Yes, simply putting Tommy Rich's name in the title can be a bit of a spoiler.)
ChannelExtreme 1 year ago 2
but were is the loser leave town vs the mask match. would love to see. great footage as always
ztjam01 1 year ago
Those Memphis angles were great & Lawlor made them so real. "... I'll kill ya!"
RocnessMonstar 1 year ago
I'm surprised they could show that much blood. The WWF (E) and others always went to the giant "x" on the screen or cut away from the footage.
Another great brawl in Memphis. You know the brawl was going to be out-of control becuase the set would be partiallly or completely destroyed, Did this lead to the hair vs. hair match with Bass, leading Lawler saying (post-match) he wanted to hear the next song from "the singing onionhead?"
I know who Bass and Rhodes were, but who was Wright?
salanh 1 year ago
@salanh - This lead to a Hospital Elimination match.
Wright was a jabroni. I doubt you'll find much on him except during his short time with Fire and Flame.
ChannelExtreme 1 year ago
when wasn't Tommy Rich involved in a bloody brawl? lol love all this memphis footage
mentokthemilfspunker 1 year ago
@mentokthemilfspunker You're right, of course.
salanh 1 year ago