Memphis Wrestling: Jerry Lawler vs. Bill Dundee - 6/6/83

[volstar8]

Not sure they hate each other. Lawler and Dundee are both doing well as actors/entertainers and they appear together-under different names of course.

[velvetgoldmine30]

dundee-lawler, gilberts-lawler, best matches i've ever seen, lawler was right in another promo, a lot of the best matches is when one hates another, and you don't get in this business to make friends....sadly today a lot of "superstars" becomre friends and botch up their matches...i love this stuff!!!!!!

[entp421]

This is the greatest match ever. You should have been around for the entire thing

[phatalbert73]

Does the complete match exist anywhere?

[CombatSportFan]

@phatalbert73 I'm not sure about on YouTube, but there is a DVD release from Memphis Classic Wrestling with nothing but Loser Leaves Town matches on it and it is shown in its entirety. I would suggest going out of your way to get that video because not only does the DVD feature the full match but most of the build up as well.

[Towney007]

@phatalbert73 YES! Of course it does! I'd really recommend the Death Valley Driver Video review's Memphis set. It's like 12 discs for like - $40. There's over 125 matches on there plus a whole ton of music videos, cool promotional spots from the period and lots of angles, etc. This match on their countdown finished #1 with the second one (the one Dundee won) finishing in the top five as well.

[Towney007]

@phatalbert73 Not only that, but it'll dramatically change a lot of your perceptions about certain guys. IE - people knock the Koko Ware HoF stuff, but when you see him in action in Memphis you start to realize how influential he was as a junior heavyweight (no one was doing his kind of act at the time minus maybe Tommy Rogers) and he might have been Bobby Eaton's best tag partner (yes, way better than Condrey even). Steve Keirn, Mantell, Idol - everyone's on that set.

[playboydig12]

@Towney007 Agreed. If you were in Memphis in the early 80s, you know that Koko Ware had the BEST dropkick in the business. Also, he carried Memphis for a LONG time with the Stagger Lee gimmick. And I bet the masses don't know that he was the first Black challenger to Ric Flair's NWA World title. And you're right, he was Bobby Eaton's best partner, bar none. I grew up watching Stan Lane and Dennis Condrey, but Koko CLEARLY was the best. That's a Hall of Fame resume if I ever saw one.

[Unbreakable1978]

Now THIS is wrestling! Forget the pyro, the stupid catchphrases, the soap-opera hoopla, Memphis is where wrestling lives!

[Towney007]

This is probably the best match of the 1980s. I'd easily put the Dundee-Lawler series up against any of your 'great series' from that time period including Flair-Steamboat, Iron Sheik-Sgt Slaughter, Fujinami-Choshu, Flair-the rest of the world.... It's amazing, Each match is its own uniquely awesome match while keep the same prevailing taste... so great...

And Man... When Dundee comes back to save Lawler from Tommy Rich and Austin Idol years later, you get goosebumps. Not fake ones. Real ones.

[7Boogiewoogie]

@Towney007 A very profound statement my friend - " You get goosebumps. Not fake ones. Real ones." That's what wrestling was all about back in the day. It took you on an emotional ride. Well said.

[Towney007]

@7Boogiewoogie People bitch about booking nowadays, but the real problem with wrestling today is that most babyface outside of a handful of guys (Cena, Christian, Rey Mysterio, Daniel Bryan, Chris Masters) completely stink. No crowd engagement, horrible punches, lousy timing on comebacks. Everyone wants to be a badass heel and whine about not being booked like Vader. Here there's a clear dynamic, simple feud and an entire roster working overtime to get the match over.

[gldtng0867]

Matches like this are what made wrestling great at one time. I along with all other old school wrestling fans know that mcmahon's version of "wrestling" is pure crap. Since when do "wrestlers" i'm sorry "in ring preformers" need to rely on movie contracts? The wwe is a joke and it ruined pro wrestling. The wwe needs to be on the cartoon network.

[Lillian2167]

This was Epic!

[pingtung]

They actually are friends. Jarrett had a rule in EVERY contract: you cannot be seen with the bad guys/ good guys. They had to be seperated. If you were ever seen with the other crowd, you were fired!

[Rescueme0909]

@pingtung Not true. They didn't like each other but they did respect each other. Everything they said in their promos was from the heart. Nobody knows the true reasoning behind their beef, but one thing it could be was when Dundee use to book Memphis Wrestling for 6 months, he'd have help with Jerry Jarrett. Lawler, on the other hand, didn't have any help when booking and had to wrestle full-time. All their real life heat elasticated out in the ring, but they were still professional about it.

[pingtung]

@Rescueme0909 I lived in the Memphis area and watched every Saturday. The beef that was personal had to do with Bill's sister, i believe. They did in fact patch things up between them and by the time Bill was the booker, again, in the late 80s- early 90s, things were ok. In fact, it was Lawler that got Bill into the WWE with Steven regal. Most people don't know that bit of trivia.

[oldschool6804]

@pingtung bill never worked wwe you're full of shit that was wcw and lawler had nothing to do with it.

[rbky04]

I've heard so many stories about Jerry and Bill. Does anybody know if they really hate each other or is it all just an act?

[oldschool6804]

@rbky04 i spoke to jerry jarett and he swears they hate each other

[blackjackjohnson1976]

Do have the video from  Lawler vs Dundee loser leave town match around the end of 85 or the start of 86 then when Bill and Buddy ran the show along with Dutch before he jumped ship

[CombatSportFan]

If you book wrestling like a sport you get matches like this and the entertainment comes naturally. God bless Lawler and Dundee

[ztjam01]

man this is a great vid.

[salanh]

yardlet..

I think he went to book Mid-South, too...

[okrabay]

sold out. in 1983 memphis grossed more than the wwf.

[pingtung]

Still sends a chill down my spine.  This is what wrestling was all about. I would love to see the whole match. GSea, thank you for these. I am reliving my childhood through these videos.

[obff]

I grew up in Memphis, and actually asked Jerry's wife (at the time) Paula what the REAL story was between Jerry and Bill. She laughed and shook her head and said (and I quote), "Don't let those two fool you. They're just like brothers. They may disagree with each other on a certain angle or storyline, but if you jump on either one of them, you'll have to fight them both. They really love each other."

[oldschool6804]

@obff shes a liar jerry jarett told me they hate each other

[dalegrow]

I know there are a lot of great matches, but this was the best ever in my opinion. Stiff, tough and believeable

[pingtung]

I remember being glued to my TV set the Saturday morning after this match. The hype for this match was unreal. I was fortunate to live near Memhis, so, I got to see all these matches. There is no doubt that the WWE could learn a lot from Memphis Wrestling. BTW, Lance should be in the Hall of Fame.

[ChrisJerichoIsHot]

i always loved memphis wrestling<3

[Mp25DIII]

AWESOME

[buffalosbm]

I agree with DDROCK. They don't make matches like this anymore because they can't! WWE is feeding us crap. I long for these days of wrestling

[Newbobdole]

by God...what a match.

[blazerr]

These guys were nothing but heart and guts -- not the steroid-monster cartoons that the WWE employs nowadays, just two hard workers who knew how to sell a match.

[gmo2007]

All Star Wrestling from Memphis to Evansville was the GREATEST! Glad to see these clips!

[ddrock23]

This was an unbelievable great match! This is a plea to today's fans: Dont fall for the junk that WWE feeds you. Vince wants you to think that Batista, HHH, John Cena, etc. can entertain you..WRONG!! Watch youtube clips of NWA, Memphis, Georgia, and World Class wrestling. Listen to the interviews, watch the matches, and listen to the crowd reactions. You'll notice a big difference I promise.

[buffalosbm]

Very true!!

[CombatSportFan]

@ddrock23 Let's throw in Florida, San Francisco, Portland, Mid-South, ECW, Smoky Mountain, and WCW pre-1997 just for fun.

[ptonio3000]

Oh man, I've been waiting for highlights of this match for YEARS. I agree with KRIHOM44, this has got to be the best match I ever watched-PERIOD! Lawler is my all-time favorite wrestler and Dundee's moves during this time were SICK! This gives me goosebumps and reminds me of being a 6 year old kid at the time in Memphis with a dream of becoming the next King of Memphis wrestling. Undoubtedly, that title will always belong to my man, Jerry "The King" Lawler and this video proves my point!

[KIRKHOM44]

I saw this match over and over as a kid. WBBJ showed this match in its entireity a few times. And 25 years later, this is still the greatest match i ever saw. The match itself gives me goosebumps without the music, and Lance's commentary was golden during this match.

[mcfrs]

They showed this video on Georgia Championship wrestling because Georgia was good about showing different promotions. And at the time the feud between Lawler/Dundee was hot. This match was the ending. Good post.

[yardlet6]

I think also that Dundee was leaving to book other promotions probably Georgia. Don't know how it would sit with Ole though.

[shyvoodoo]

Its matches like this that made you hooked on wrestling. Wrestlers had ONE job, to entertain  the fans. Old school guys like Lawler, Dundee, Idol, didnt have to worry about selling toys, posing for Playboy/Girl, becoming movie stars, ect. Vince thinks storylines like this is no longer needed because we are in an age where fans want "fast food entertainment". Lots of action in less time possible.

[ptonio3000]

Couldn't have said it bettter, Shyvoodoo. These guys did for wrestling the unimaginable. The passion that flows from a match like this with Lance's commentary made this as True to Life as I've ever seen in wrestling! The only thing that maybe can rival this one would be the Austin Idol and Tommy Rich feud that got Lawler posted-ouchh. Still hurts to think about that one. You know your stuff, bud. Great comment!

[mcfrs]

Lawler and Dundee made a lot of money with their feud. Dundee said on a radio show that they really didn't like each other. Even when they were a tag team, didn't get along.

[samsdaddy0525]

That was great!

[JAYLON2001]

do u have any dutch mantell vs jerry lawler

[salanh]

I remember this video when they were hyping Lawler on TBS. It was one of the best wrestling music videos then and holds up to the excellent quality today - great pacing and excellent storytelling without a word spoken (and who doesn't get goosebumps when the music Rocky plays.) Thank you very much for posting this.

I agree with Volstar on the uppercut, btw.

[volstar88]

Salanh, I got them as well, and that is rare for me. The music gives the match an "epic" feel. I keep thinking you don't see a match like this very often. You could watch a lot of wrestling trying to find a better show than what Lawler and Dundee created that night.

[volstar88]

One of my favorite moments was when Dundee went to shoot Lawler's legs a 3rd time and was met by a stout uppercut from the King. That was classic.

[ptonio3000]

YES SIRRRRRRRR!!!!!!! That's the kinda move and dramatic ending that make matches like this epic and legendary. Lawler's timing and extension on the uppercut was perfect and Dundee selling it with a billion dollar reaction can't be rivaled by any other ending.

[volstar88]

Excellent. Lawler and Dundee made for a great match. Both could sell the other's punches so well. I think the promotion would would put one of those "loser leaves" matches together when Bill or Jerry were going to another area for awhile. It was a guaranteed sellout and let the wrestlers leave on good terms with the fans.

[oldschool6804]

@volstar88 didn't have a problem selling because alot of the punches were real!