REVIEW CORNER: MONEY IN THE BANK 2013 DVD AND BLU-RAY

 

  A – Excellent

  B – Good

  C – Mediocre

  D – Avoid

Release Date: September 23rd 2013

Available From: www.wwedvd.co.uk

Price:

DVD £12.99

Blu-ray £13.99

(Prices from www.wwedvd.co.uk: high street prices will vary)

Format Reviewed: DVD

(Also Available on Blu-ray)

What It’s About:

WWE’s annual Money in the Bank pay-per view event from the Wells Fargo Centre in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on July 14th 2013; including both Money in the Bank Ladder Matches as well as Alberto Del Rio vs Dolph Ziggler for the World Heavyweight Championship and John Cena vs Mark Henry for the WWE Championship, plus much more.

Strengths:

The match of the night, which in my opinion trumps both Money in the Bank Ladder Matches, is the World Heavyweight Championship Match between Alberto Del Rio and Dolph Ziggler – it is a fine piece of work. Dolph gets a thunderous ovation and the audience are behind him from the outset, which Vince should listen to as it tells him who we want to see in the main event picture. The bout is a master class in ring psychology as, like their Payback effort, the action is centred around Ziggler’s head with Del Rio seeks to exploit with a tremendous standing ‘Inzaguri’ and many kicks and moves which target Ziggler’s upper body and head. The back and forth action is nothing short of inspiring and also a lesson in how to make your match make sense – John Cena take note. The sell job by Dolph Ziggler is flawless as he really makes you feel for him and want him to win, whilst his ‘X Factor’ face buster from the top rope is nothing short of awe-inspiring. The match is a slow burner which begins methodical but graduates into a gripping main event calibre match. Reversals are perfectly timed and Alberto Del Rio’s reversal of the ‘Fame-asser’ into a fantastic ‘German Suplex’ is magnificent. The move of the match however comes from Dolph Ziggler when he hits a DDT out of a ‘Gut-wrench Powerbomb’ which is worthy of a standing ovation. A.J’s interference is not necessary save for her role in the finale, though it doesn’t really hinder the match at all. There is a cracking near fall after Del Rio’s reverse suplex from the turnbuckle and the only down point of the match is the lousy DQ ending when A.J blasts Del Rio with the Divas Championship. Ziggler would have left this match with more credit and support had he lost via pinfall. The ‘You screwed Ziggler’ chants are funny and if this hasn’t proven to WWE that Ziggler belongs on top, then I don’t know what will.

Dean Ambrose vs Fandango vs Antonio Cesaro vs Jack Swagger vs Cody Rhodes vs Damien Sandow vs Wade Barrett in the Smackdown Money in the Bank Ladder Match is quite superb. Sadly thanks to time constraints, Dean Ambrose and Fandango don’t get an entrance and are simply already in the ring when the pay-per view begins – an oversight by WWE to treat their United States Champion that way – though Ambrose gets a rousing reception when he’s announced. Zeb Coulter does his usual Anti-Foreigner spiel which is beyond old now and the irony of managing Antonio Cesaro – who hails from Switzerland – whilst preaching about non Americans in the country is seemingly lost on WWE and Coulter. As for the excellent brawl; Antonio Cesaro gets his fair share of the spotlight with a sublime ‘Gut-wrench Powerbomb’ on Cody Rhodes onto the ladder and an exceptional mid-air ‘European Uppercut’ on Wade Barrett as he falls from the ladder. Fandango is barely relevant in this match and apart from a few spots on the ladder where he’s visible reaching for the briefcase and the odd back and forth piece of action with the ladder, his biggest contribution is an accomplished ‘Slingshot Leg Drop’ onto the ladder and Wade Barrett and an excellent sunset flip on Wade Barrett from the top of the ladder. Speaking of the United States Champions, Ambrose is once again one of the stars of the match and is all over like this like a rash – in the best possible sense. The third wheel of The Shield executes an outstanding DDT on Jack Swagger off of the ladder;  is the recipient of an impressive ‘Hangman’ with the ladder which he ably slips out of and gets a round of applause when he takes a death defying fall from the top of the ladder into the waiting wrestler brawl outside. Jack Swagger and Damien Sandow are kept to a minimum in this match which is baffling and Wade Barrett is the recipient of a huge amount of punishment. Including what has already been mentioned, Barrett gets a nasty ladder shot to the head as he’s laying on the outside, though he does display some much needed aggression when he beats Sandow with a broken part of the ladder. WWE do very well to take the attention off those selling moves at ringside for longer than they should and keep the camera focused on those in the moment. Each interception of the briefcase is timed to perfection and the ladder is used well and not excessively. However, the stand out star of this match is Cody Rhodes. His aggression and talent comes to the front line at Money in the Bank and it’s clear that this Cody Rhodes is one who belongs in the main event. I have never been more impressed with him and WWE should push him hard when he returns – as he inevitably will – from his storyline sacking. Just some of his highlights involve breaking up the Swagger / Cesaro human ladder attempt and taking each participant out on his own in a fluid sequence of moves much to the audience’s approval. Rhodes bleeds hardway when he’s caught by a ladder shot to the head which the camera try their best to cover up, and the audience, though they give smatterings of applause for Damien Sandown’s victory are more annoyed than pleased. The truth is, Damien Sandow isn’t ready for this spot and WWE are to blame. His treatment before and since the victory has been appalling. Cody Rhodes was the star of this show and he should have been given that final push.

A.J Lee vs Kaitlyn for the WWE Divas Championship is another admirable effort by both ladies. Their scrap here isn’t as impressive as their outstanding Payback effort but it is enjoyable nonetheless. Featuring some good back and forth action including a killer ‘Gut-buster’ by the beautiful Kaitlyn, the match is a more methodical jigsaw than their all out fight the month previous. A.J is again outstanding in the psycho role, trying to kiss and lick Kaitlyn as the former champion is trapped in a headlock. The reversals are buffed up and the cream of the crop is a sparkling sleeper hold reversal into a backbreaker by Kaitlyn. The match has its share of bragging rights with heated near falls and Big E. Langston makes a great catch of A.J at ringside as she comes tumbling to the floor from the top rope. Unfortunately there are two problems with this. The first is Kaitlyn’s selling which has reverted back to comical and illogically, in the closing moments of the match, A.J applies the ‘Black Widow’ submission to the wrong arm of Kaitlyn totally ignoring the supposed injured one. Apart from that, it’s another enjoyable effort from two women who are a credit to the Divas Division. On a comical note and without wishing to be coarse, in the front row someone hold up a sign which reads ‘I came for Kaitlyn’. I imagine he’s not the only one.

The Raw All Star Money in the Bank Ladder Match, pitting Daniel Bryan vs Randy Orton vs C.M Punk vs Rob Van Dam vs Christian vs Sheamus is RVD’s WWE homecoming after many years away and what a show he puts on. This match is more low key than the Smackdown Money in the Bank Ladder Match but because of the calibre of wrestlers participating, it still holds together well. Rob Van Dam impresses greatly and shows that TNA didn’t ruin him after all with a great showing. Beginning with a heroes homecoming, the ECW crowd in Philadelphia welcome him back like a legend, which he his in these parts. Though the match begins with the group getting rid of the biggest threats one at a time – beginning with Van Dam – making him look like a serious threat, RVD’s first move gets a huge reaction and his ‘Rolling Thunder’ onto a ladder is good to see in WWE again. Van Dam sells for the rest as well with a nasty fall into a stacked group of ladders at ringside. The highlight of Van Dam’s return though is the thoroughly sensational ‘Five Star Frog Splash’ from the top of the ladder onto Christian – welcome home Rob. The beginning exchange between C.M Punk and Daniel Bryan is spirited with some good flowing reversals and whilst Punk doesn’t feature heavily until the end of the match, when Paul Heyman expertly turns heel on Punk and cuts him hardway with a ladder – which turns the ECW audience on Heyman – he does have a comedy moment with a bow after nailing Sheamus with a ladder and takes the brunt of the fall when Randy Orton executes a very good ‘T-Bone Suplex’. Daniel Bryan is a firecracker here and his thrilling dive on Punk outside the ring sends the pair tumbling into the stacked ladder pile. Out of everyone in the match, Sheamus seems to be the only one going stale and needs a revamp when he returns from injury – which begins here – when he takes a very nasty fall through a ladder at ringside and visibly injures himself. Sheamus’ other impactful memory here is when he lands awkwardly on a ladder as it falls from under him – it’s not pleasant to watch. Randy Orton, the eventual winner, is kept mostly a bay through this encounter which is baffling seeing as he would be thrust into the spotlight one month later – though his victory is met with some congratulations and hope that this will be the beginning of something unforgettable – which it was. Orton’s RKO onto RVD in mid-air as Van Dam falls from the ladder is both stunning and expertly timed. This match does have the spectacle of the Smackdown Ladder Match, but we’ve become used to that by now. Though it lacks the regularity of the high risk moves its still a very good outing.

The one and only extra on the DVD release is the Pre-show match featuring Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns defending the WWE Tag Team Championships against The Usos in a cracking tag team affair. The match begins with some polished action by Jimmy Uso as the RVD chants begin to rain down on the foursome. To their credit though, the chants of RVD soon die away as the four men put on the burners and the match hits previously unthinkable heights. Highlights include a lovely ‘Uso Flapjack’ on Reigns, a well timed pull off the apron by Rollins as the Usos go for a tag – this looks excellent – and some very good back and forth action until the stunning four man tower Powerbomb suplex which elicits the well earned ‘This is Awesome’ chants. One of the Usos – I can’t tell you which one – hits a great flying body cross over the top rope onto Reigns and Rollins and for a few moments in time, The Usos eclipse ever Samoan tag team which went before them. The end comes when Reigns hits a fine spear to end the encounter.  The Usos shine here and in a match which sees moves performed which aren’t usually present in pre-show matches,  WWE may have a team to build their doubles division around once The Shield have moved on. This match is so good it would have been perfect for the main show.

Weaknesses:

Curtis Axel vs The Miz for the WWE Intercontinental Championship is a disappointing and unremarkable effort for two men who are capable of much better. WWE’s booking flaws come flooding to the surface when they ludicrously instruct Miz to send Paul Heyman packing in ECW country, with an Eddie Guerrero style ‘Lie, Cheat and Steal’ job when Miz slaps himself and falls to the ground when standing in front of Heyman. Naturally the referee believes Heyman has nailed Miz and sends him to the locker room. This isn’t a popular decision with the crowd and should have been vetoed when it came up – from this moment onwards; Miz is treated as a heel. The action is slow and plods at times making it hard to get involved and what decent moves there are dent the reputation of others. Like the ‘Perfect Plex’ that Miz kicks out of. Miz isn’t the only one to have done this, many have kicked out of Mr. Prefect – Axel’s father – finishing move in the last few months, sadly this is only devaluating the reputation of the move. WWE either need to stop people kicking out of it or stop Axel using it – it’s becoming a running joke. Miz is losing a great deal of muscle mass by the week, something WWE need to address and this is the first time I’ve noticed that Mr. Perfect’s theme tune runs through Axel’s. On the whole, a match which is oddly paced and doesn’t seem to have any structure to it.

Chris Jericho vs Ryback is an utter bore. At the beginning of the match we’re both shown and told that Ryback’s leg is bothering him from an attack on Smackdown and Raw. Yet when Ryback marches to the ring, stomps up the steps with great force and enters the ring – there’s no selling of the leg to be seen. The most we get in way of Ryback selling the leg is a few seconds on the ring apron two thirds of the way in – even then, in a matter on moments, Ryback drops to the outside without a sign of leg trouble. It’s laughable. The stalling from Ryback only slows the match to a complete halt and his submission / rest holds are even more dull than his usual offence. Whilst we’re on the subject of Ryback, his stomps to Jericho look more like he’s wiping a persistent dog turd from the bottom of his boots whilst the commentators sell the stomps like he’s just kicked down a building. From the beginning of the match the whole encounter is a disjointed affair which looks horrible. So much so, that Jericho fails to do anything with Ryback or leave a lasting impression on the audience. Instead Jericho visibly gives up and sticks to the script. It’s a fair assessment to say that Chris Jericho’s 2013 run has been less than satisfactory. Because Ryback kicks out of everything too early, there are no heated near falls and the guy needs a lesson on how to build tension in a match. The only two decent moves of the whole thing are the ‘Codebreaker’ through the middle rope and the ‘Reverse DDT’ from ‘Shell Shocked’. Ryback’s win is made to look like a fluke when he should have been built as a wrecking ball after being ruined by Cena, though the ending to the match is a relief that’s it over.

John Cena vs Mark Henry for the WWE Championship, is business as usual for John Cena after his decent Three Stages of Hell Match with Ryback the previous month. I have to credit Mark Henry here, because his performances in the build up to this match were very good indeed and he was completely believable in his retirement speech – even if the turn was sign posted a mile away when Cena came to the ring. Why else would you have a man you’ve had hardly any dealings with in 16 years as the only person present when you supposedly retire?  To John Cena’s credit as well, he did a very good job of portraying a haunted and scared Champion who believed his Championship run may be over – in the run up to the event. The one idiotic point I would share here though, about the weeks of hype, is that WWE expected us to believe that Cena couldn’t get Henry up for the ‘Attitude Adjustment’, when he’s been doing it with Big Show for years. The match is a mind numbing mess. Mark Henry gets a massive ovation from the audience who at this point are basically shouting to the WWE office ‘Anyone but Cena!’ In the ‘City of Brotherly Love’, there is none for the WWE Champion. Beginning slow with Henry asserting his power, the match never recovers or gets out of first gear. Mark Henry’s submission moves will make you lose the will to live, though his suplex on the steel steps is a good break from tradition. As usual, Cena takes a massive amount of punishment which he neglects to sell the lasting effects of. Instead of feigning exhaustion and injury after the punishment, Cena simply bounces to his feet and looks like someone who has been on a leisurely jog. There’s no tension, no heat and very little interest from the crowd or anyone else except John Cena fans. Ridiculously, when Cena has Henry trapped in the first ‘STF’, Henry is a foot away from the ropes and for what seems like ages, never bothers to simply reach out and grab it. In the end, Henry taps to the weakest ‘STF’ in history. I know John Cena has said that he’s not going to change but an unwillingness to learn or brush up on the basics is painting Cena in a bad light. His refusal to do so is making him look like an egotistical prick who thinks he’s better than going back to wrestling school with the lower classes, even if it’s going to make him more money in the long run. Comically, on commentary, Michael Cole, Cena’s biggest mark, tries over and over again to make us believe that John Cena is the greatest WWE Champion in history and JBL pitches in, saying that no one knew how great John Cena was going to become after defeating him at WrestleMania 21 for the WWE Championship.

Brad Maddox’s few minutes on the mic are a complete waste of time. Adding nothing to the show, Maddox simply brags about being the new Raw GM and then taunts Vickie Guerrero about her dismissal. The segment has ‘Filler’ written all over it and the Vickie Guerrero tribute video may have been touching had it been under any other circumstances. The crowd though do provide Vickie with some support.

The Money in the Bank Pre / Post-Show Panel, which thankfully aren’t on the extras, are as usual, moronically pointless. The worst of the comments come from Kofi Kingston – remember him? He states that Damien Sandow stole the Money in the Bank victory from Cody Rhodes. Can someone please furnish these morons with the rules to matches before they allow them to speak? There is no stealing in a match like that, its every man for himself.

The commentary team have a ripe old time with some utterly dumb and absurd comments. I won’t list them all for you but the worst come during The Miz vs Curtis Axel. After Miz has sent Heyman packing and the crowd, in unison, are chanting ‘We Want Heyman’, Michael Cole states that because of the ECW Paul Heyman is beloved in Philadelphia. JBL then chips in with ‘Are you sure beloved is the right word?’ Yes John, we are. All WWE had to do was listen to the fans before instruction Layfield to say that. Michael Cole then says that 18,000 people are chanting Paul Heyman’s name and Jerry Lawler, the complete idiot punts the stupidity out of the park with ‘It’s more like eighteen hundred’. Does Lawler not listen to those around him? Had only 1,800 people been chanting Heyman’s name it would not have filled the arena. Worse still, most of the audience are visible on camera chanting for Heyman.

DVD and Blu-ray Special Features:

Pre-Show Match

WWE Tag Team Championship Match

Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns vs The Usos

Blu-ray Exclusive Extras:

Monday Night RAW – July 8th 2013

Mark Henry confronts John Cena

Vickie Guerrero’s job evaluation

Kane vs Christian

C.M Punk vs Randy Orton

Smackdown – July 12th 2013

Divas Championship Match contract signing

Sheamus vs Randy Orton

Conclusion:

Money in the Bank 2013 isn’t the classic that 2011’s offering was but it is still a great romp through some hardcore action which has been missing from the company for some time. Whilst it has its weaknesses, when the event is good, it’s untouchable. Both Money in the Bank Ladder Matches are worth the price of the release on DVD and Blu-ray, with the Smackdown effort being the best of the two whilst the World Heavyweight Championship Match between Alberto Del Rio and Dolph Ziggler may be the finest Championship match in 2013.

Whilst the event is worth buying, those unwilling to part with their cash may be more inclined to wait for the upcoming ‘Straight to the Top: Money in the Bank Ladder Match Anthology’ which includes both Money in the Bank Ladder Matches from 2013’s offering and ‘Best PPV Matches 2013’ which will surely feature Alberto Del Rio vs Dolph Ziggler from July 14th. Saying that, Money in the Bank has become a must see event and a highly anticipated one to both witness and have in your collection.

Rating: B

Next Time in Review Corner: Goldberg – The Ultimate Collection DVD and Blu-ray

Onwards and upwards...

POINTS OF VIEW

In the past you will have seen me mention that I welcome comments from all of you who read this blog, on what you like and don’t like about the whole thing. So far I have received some compliments and some not so nice comments but all of them have been constructive until I put up the ‘Legends of Mid-South Wrestling’ review corner blog. Now, I will say this once more because I am tired of saying it to people who don’t listen. I write the blogs to please people who want to know the truth about this business. Not the small minded morons who believe everything in wrestling is find and dandy.

On the ‘Legends of Mid-South Wrestling’ blog, I received a comment, one sole comment out of the thousands of people that read this blog every week, saying “You think you’re a God? I think you’re nothing but a mark who watches every match and segment with a high expectation”. The person in question didn’t even have the guts to leave a name so I could reply – now you all know what kind of person we’re dealing with here. I’d expect this kind of thing from a younger fan who doesn’t know what wrestling should be – or a John Cena fan – not, as I assume this person to be, a full grown adult. I have done nothing to any of you to warrant that kind of treatment and I do not expect it in return. As I’ve said before, I welcome comments from all of you, new and old readers, whether you’ve been reading this from the beginning or you’re new to this blog, but when you start to get personal with nothing constructive to say, that’s when I get defensive. What is it they say? ‘Those who can, do. Those who can’t, criticise!’

The moron in question, who seems to love leaving negative comments for the fun of it, needs to remember a couple of things when reading this blog. The first is that everything here is the truth. I don’t lie; I don’t say things are rosy when they stink of shit. So if the person in question or anyone for that matter doesn’t like what I say then that’s life. I’m not going to say something that’s wrong just to please a very small minority. There are many other people out there writing just to please the small minded, I will not be one of them. So if you don’t like someone written here then feel free to stop reading and go elsewhere. Because you will not bully me or anyone else on this blog, just because you think you know better when it’s obvious you know nothing!

The second thing to remember is that reviewing DVD/Blu-ray’s such as the one in question isn’t the easy job everyone thinks it is. There is good and bad about everything. There isn’t one release WWE have put out ever that’s perfect with nothing wrong. Usually each box set has a running time of 9 hours and whilst I love doing this job even broken up into the three viewings the releases can drag and matches can begin to look similar when the release needs an injection of life. If I believe a match is rubbish then I will say so, what you have to remember is that this is my opinion and may not be the opinion of anyone or everyone reading this. However, I’ve seen enough bum matches in my time to know one when I see one.

The comment about ‘having a too high expectation of every match and segment’ I will answer with the simple fact, that if you’re paying the £29.99 shop price or £19.99 online price for this or any release then you have a right to have high expectations of everything on the release, especially when the company releasing it have an extensive archive in which they could easily replace the plain rubbish with. Once again, I’m here to bring you the truth and I will watch every release with the same high expectation. Ask yourself this. What would you be more annoyed with? Me having high expectations and judging everything on those expectations or me saying that everything on the release is brilliant and then you spending your hard earned money on the release only to find that it’s actually rubbish?

If the person who left the message would like to have an adult discussion about what they said or what they believe I may be doing wrong then I am all ears and open to that. But if they want to continue leaving childish messages then I will simply delete them and close off all routes for you guys to contact me, because of one person. If that person or anyone reading this believes they can do a better job then feel free to create your own blog and then go through the trouble and channels of contacting Freemantle Media to become a reviewer yourselves.

However this blog has been up and running for a year and a half now and everyone reading it seems to be happy with what I am doing. Those are the people I write for. Am I a ‘mark’? Possibly, but I don’t hide that. I’ve openly stated before I’m a ‘mark’ for certain wrestlers who inspired me or hold a place in my heart. We all are, if you don’t think you are then you are a fool. That is what this business is there for. If you want to be a mark then be one – but I do not think I am a ‘mark’ for any release. I state what’s good and bad according to my standards and my opinion. If you don’t like it then find someone who will tell you what you want to hear.

The last point I will make to Mr or Mrs Anonymous is what they said about the name ‘You think you’re a God?’ The answer is no. I’m sure even that person has the brain capacity to realise it’s just a name. I don’t consider myself to be a Godlike figure to anyone or about anything. But I do know what I’m talking about when it comes to the squared circle. Would you go up to Christian Bale and say “You call yourself Batman? You haven’t even got a cave?” No. So my message to the person who sent me that message is simple. The door is open to walk out of at any time, because I don’t like or welcome small minded people here.

As for the rest of you, it’s always been a pleasure to write for you and hear your views. If you think I’m doing a good job then let me know. If you think things could be improved then drop me a line and suggest something. As long as it’s friendly and constructive I will listen and take everything you say into consideration. If you just want to chat shit and look a dick in front of an audience which is quickly approaching 10,000 people then you will get it right back. This is my domain and what I say goes.

Missing Links

Now all that is said, I have to apologise. Not for anything I’ve said above because I mean it all. But to everyone who logged on expecting to see the Night of Champions 2013 Preview before the event. As you will have noticed by now, there wasn’t one. My internet had an off week and refused to allow me to connect to any site let alone this one. After further inspection the sim card inside my dongle had become overheated and begun to melt. It took nearly a whole week for the shop to both notice it and rectify it and therefore, no preview.

Now we’re back online the schedule for September reads like this:

September 23rd: Review Corner – Money in the Bank 2013 DVD and Blu-ray

September 30th: ‘The Unforgettable’ Million Dollar Man Ted Dibiase

I know that Money in the Bank 2013 is released on the day the review comes out but thank to the internet problems everything has been put back a week with us. Because WWE Battleground is on October 6th – your Wrestling God’s birthday – and the preview will be up on October 4th, depending on which matches have been announced, then ‘Goldberg – The Ultimate Collection’ DVD and Blu-ray which is released on October 7th will appear here in review form as usual on its release date of October 7th with ‘Triple H: Thy Kingdom Come’ DVD and Blu-ray, released on October 14th appearing here on October 12th.

Everything after that will return to normal – well as normal as you can get. Just a note on the latest instalment of ‘The Unforgettable’ series; as mention above this months is focussed on the legend that is Ted Dibiase. As I was writing it, the article became longer and longer and longer. Because Dibiase had such a great and long career I felt it would be an injustice not to cover it from beginning to end, so it is going to be a long one and maybe the longest blog I’ve ever written – and that’s including the mammoth WrestleMania 29 blog in April. Because it’s so long there will be only two pictures, one of how he used to be as ‘The Million Dollar Man’ – though the blog begins in the late 1970’s with his first wrestling match, covering his stints in All Japan Pro Wrestling, Mid-South, Georgia Championship Wrestling plus other leading up to his arrival in the WWF – and one as he looks now. His entire WWF and WCW careers are also covered. It is one of the best blogs I have ever written and I am hugely proud of it.

Onwards and upwards...

REVIEW CORNER: WWE - LEGENDS OF MID-SOUTH WRESTLING DVD AND BLU-RAY

 

   A – Excellent

   B – Good

   C – Mediocre

   D – Avoid

Release Date: 16th September 2013

Available From: www.wwedvd.co.uk

Price:

DVD £ 19.99

Blu-ray £ 22.99

(Prices from www.wwedvd.co.uk: high street prices will vary)

Format Reviewed: DVD (3 Discs)

(Also Available on Blu-ray (2 Discs)

What It’s About:

Documenting the legends of the hugely popular Mid-South Wrestling, this release from WWE boasts matches and angles from the early to late 1980’s showcasing some of wrestling’s most unforgettably talents before they became the household names we know and love them for today.

Strengths:

The beginning of the release begins with the talking heads such as Ted Dibiase, Jim Ross and Michael Hayes explaining Mid-South Wrestling’s beginnings in the industry. Whilst the beginning is predictably short and not nearly long enough to cover all of the basis of the company – the talking heads do a good job with what time they are allocated. Thankfully, in the short time, they manage to mention Leroy McGurk and the purchase of the company by Bill Watts, though the clips of Bill Watts talking about Mid-South – which were lazily recorded at the same time they did ‘The Rise and Fall of WCW’ so long ago – mainly feature him doing his ‘pity me’ routine. Along with the story there is some wonderful early footage of well known wrestlers, including Jim Neidhart who I had to look twice at to realise it was him.

Ted Dibiase’s segment is accompanied by video footage of him at a very young stage in his career and testaments of how good he was from his peers and fellow wrestlers. Though the segment barely features and interview with Dibiase himself – he’s present elsewhere on the release – Michael Hayes is spot on when he says that Dibiase was one of the greatest ring technicians. The footage makes Dibiase look so different from his Million Dollar Man days. As mentioned, Dibiase is present right across the whole release and many of his matches feature. Showing how good Dibiase is only begs the question of where is his three disc biography release?

Ted Dibiase vs Paul Orndorff (Mid-South Wrestling, December 1981) starts off at a hell of a pace with some quality back and forth action which then develops into a showcase of some rather impressive submission moves by Dibiase. The match is short but boasts some very fine reversals and moves which Dibiase never pulled out in his WWE tenure, including a fabulous standing dropkick, a brilliant powerslam and a classy figure four leg lock. Pau Orndorff is very good also and looks to be a more sound technician here than he was later on in his career. Had this match been given another ten minutes in 1981 then it would have been nothing but excellent.

In Junkyard Dog’s segment, everyone who speaks about the man is so complimentary. Jim Ross calls JYD ‘the biggest star of Mid-South’ which he may well have been. A blessed relief from the usual talking heads, this release sees the inclusion of Jake Roberts – who looks really well – and Dr. Death Steve Williams – who also looks to be in good health. It truly is wonderful to see them both. Michael Hayes says that JYD popped the arenas like no other wrestler could which is high praise for a man who was a monumental flop in WWE and WCW. It may take until the end of the segment to get to, but Ted Dibiase says what is everyone’s mind but no one wants to mention and that’s that JYD wasn’t a great wrestler.  It’s a nice and honest segment which sheds light on a man who could have maybe done more to get himself over in other companies.

Ted Dibiase and Matt Bourne vs Junkyard Dog and Mr. Olympia (Mid-South Wrestling, October 1982) is a lively tag team match which highlights the feud between Dibiase and Dog which won feud of the year. The pair go at it hell for leather in the beginning of the match in which Dog acts more like a heel than a face. It’s striking and unnerving how much Matt Bourne – the man who go on to find fame as Doink the Clown – looks so much like former WWE wrestler Eugene. Honestly, they look almost similar. On the subject of Bourne, by his in ring actions here its clear Vince McMahon never used him to his full potential. Bourne is a cracking wrestler who pulls off some top notch moves here including ‘The Whoopee Cushion’ his finisher as Doink. There is always something going on in the match and Dibiase carries Dog and Olympia to a fine outing and the decision to have Dog lose is not a popular one – but this was a company who weren’t afraid to take chances. In the post match interview Ted Dibiase has his trademark laugh on display.

Ted Dibiase vs Jim Duggan in a Coal Miner’s Glove, Steel Cage, Tuxedo, Loser Leaves Town Match is as ludicrous as it sounds and may pale in comparison to other matches on this release but is entertaining nonetheless. Though no date is given for the match in the main menu, the laughs begin as the pair rip the tuxedo’s off of each other and resemble two drunk guests at a wedding doing so. Dibiase hits his trademark ‘Dibiase Fist Drop’ and Duggan bleeds heavily which only adds to the entertainment. There’s a cringe worthy moment as Ted lands awkwardly on the back of his head off of back bump from the top rope but its not nearly as bad as seeing the pair almost eclipse the cage in height. Jim Ross dubs commentary once again and isn’t allowed – just like he wasn’t on the previous release – to add any background to the match – a reoccurring theme of this release. In the end it turns out to be a very good match which the crowd go wild for when Dibiase is felled with the coal miners glove.

Magnum T.A and Dusty Rhodes give some idea as to how long and torturous the road trips were between cities back in the day. As talking heads they provide some insight into the goings on between trips and how wrestlers used to wind down. It’s strange seeing Rhodes here as he doesn’t pop up at any other time on the DVD release. Jim Duggan gives us a short story about several wrestlers sneaking into a motel room when they’ve only paid for one bed and it’s a surprise to see Jim Cornette pop up as a talking head considering his fractured relationship with the company. Hearing this makes you wonder why WWE don’t release a ‘Road Trip’ release focussed on the stories from the wrestler’s time on the road. The books of the same nature are a great read.

Ted Dibiase and Matt Bourne vs Andre the Giant and Tony Atlas (Mid-South Wrestling, February 1983) is another superb effort by everyone, including Andre. A series of bodyslams by Andre look accomplished which is a plus considering his limitations in the ring – though his efforts are made miles better by the selling of them by Bourne and Dibiase. Once again, Matt Bourne is technically very good which makes you question why Vince didn’t allow him to perform like this as Doink the Clown. Though the match is more than watchable it ends on yet another farcical all out brawl as a visibly slimmer Kamala runs in and attack Andre, body slamming him with more ease than Hulk Hogan ever managed.

Magnum T.A vs Mr. Wrestling II (Mid-South Wrestling, May 13th 1984) is a decent six minute outing which isn’t shown in its entirety. Instead of the whole effort which would have been preferable we are introduced to the match which is almost halfway old. The footage keeps cutting out which dates it horribly and whilst the bout is far from special thanks to the fact that we can’t get involved half way through, it’s not horrible either. Instead of the usual rest-hold-fest we get a match which is all go with hardly any stalling.

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express vs The Midnight Express (Mid-South Wrestling, May 1984) is the first piece of material which is decent on Disc 2, which doesn’t bode well when you realise it’s close to an hour in. The match itself is a halfway decent representation of one of the greatest tag team feuds in wrestling history, fast paced and boasts some brilliant back and forth action from both teams. Unlike other tag team matches on the release this keeps the action going with minimal rest holds. Bobby Eaton’s powerslam on Ricky Morton is an impressive piece of work and Robert Gibson is like a firecracker when he gets going. The match ends with a solid interview by Jim Cornette who is a marvel on the mic. The problem with this match is that it isn’t their best effort by a mile and there isn’t a move that you’ll remember a week from watching this. It’s not totally forgettable but it’s not the best they could have included either.

The second Rock ‘n’ Roll Express vs The Midnight Express is yet another match without a date to it but another great effort by the two tandems, with Jim Cornette suspended above the ring in a straight jacket. Like the previous bout between them, this isn’t their best effort and WWE would have done better ignoring time constraints and excluding both these matches in favour of one longer and more thrilling effort by the two teams. Two Monkey Flips out of the corner begin the highlights on the match and frequent tags keep the match interesting. Playing the face part, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Express exude sympathy as The Midnight Express dominate most of the match isolating Ricky Morton from his partner. When Robert Gibson finally gets into the action he nails a wonderful sunset flip roll and the bout ends on a low in yet another disqualification finish. With the stipulation of the match that the Rock ‘n’ Roll Express get $25,000 of The Midnight Express’ money if they defeat them, it makes one wonder why The Midnight Express would willingly lose the bout.

‘Shawn Michaels Learns From Ted Dibiase’ is a heartfelt segment in which Shawn Michaels talks about his days as an enhancement talent working with Ted Dibiase across the territory. Michaels can’t praise Dibiase enough for helping him out in the ring and touches on the fact that even though he was merely cannon fodder for the bigger stars, when he was working with Dibiase he would be given stuff to do which made him look good and the crowd believe he may actually score an upset. Michaels’ thanks to Dibiase is maybe something we don’t hear enough these days and its nice to hear someone give Dibiase the credit he deserves for being a master tactician in the ring. Shawn Michaels does more for Ted Dibiase in two minutes than Hulk Hogan did in three years.

Ted Dibiase vs Shawn Michaels (Mid-South Wrestling, December 1984) may be a short outing which pits a known talent against an enhancement talent but it is tense for the few minutes it lasts and puts pay to everything Michaels was saying in the previous segment. Dibiase is giving as he allows Michaels to get in some moves and for a couple of seconds it actually does look like the man who would become one of the greatest wrestlers that ever lived, may pull off a huge upset. Dibiase is a powerhouse when he’s in control and it’s not hard to see why he was one of the company’s shining stars.

Terry Taylor’s anecdote about Ric Flair turning up smelling of alcohol an hour before their match is amusing but begins to sound like sour grapes. Thankfully, it turns into a heart warming testament to Ric Flair’s professionalism and talent in the ring when Taylor tells us that even though Flair looked rough when he entered the arena, he was ‘The Nature Boy’ when he stepped through the curtain. I doubt Taylor could have done more to cement that Ric Flair is the greatest wrestler to ever step foot in a wrestling ring, period. It’s also refreshing to hear about wrestlers backstage exploits.

Ric Flair vs Terry Taylor (Mid-South Wrestling, June 1985) is a long forty minute bout but pays off in the end. Naturally, for a match so long it has its fair share of rest and submission moves in the beginning but it really heats up towards the end as Flair does everything he possibly can to make Taylor – the man who would bomb as The Red Rooster in WWE – look like a star. With each move, Flair is impeccable in the ring and you’ll be hard pushed to find something that doesn’t look good from Flair’s move set. Ric’s selling really makes Taylor look like a force when he never was one and even though the whole encounter is very poorly lit the action is such that it never detracts from the in ring product. You will need patience to sit through this as it can test at times but the pay off comes when Taylor begins to look overwhelmed by what Flair – a man who was lying on a couch backstage with a hangover an hour previous – does for him. Taylor gets in some nice moves including an accomplished standing suplex but nothing he does can hold a candle to Flair’s ring psychology. As the match begins to wind to its conclusion there are some great near falls and tense submission attempts. Has Ric Flair had better or more exciting matches? Of course he has. But he can only work with what he’s given and he does a tremendous job here.

Ric Flair vs Ted Dibiase (Mid-South Wrestling, November 1985) is Ted Dibiase’s face turn in the company. There is a short interview with Dibiase before the match as he reflects in 2013 on his turn in 1985 but the interview contains all the footage the bout does. The match begins with Dick Slater turning on his former tag team partner and he cuts Dibiase well with a violent shot to the ring post. From that one move Dibiase bleeds like he’s just been hit by a truck. When the match begins it is another short effort but it’s still notable. What transpires is an emotional effort from a man who is losing blood at a steady rate and Ric Flair may be the champion here but Ted Dibiase is the undoubted star. The fans are completely on Dibiase’s side as he valiantly refuses to give in and even hits some of his trademark moves with perfection. Every time Dibiase kicks out of a pinfall attempt its a little more inspiring to watch as he battles against unbeatable odds. Flair does his fair share and you get the feeling that had Dibiase been fully fit then maybe history would have been different. From a man who was previously despised in the business, the fans are chanting Dibiase’s name by the end which is wonderful to see.

‘Hacksaw’ Jim Duggan vs Terry Gordy (Universal Wrestling Federation, August 1986) isn’t thrilling but is decent with moments of excitement. Everything Duggan does is greeted with approval by the fans who seem to love Duggan and certainly prove that he was never more relevant in wrestling than when he was in Mid-South / UWF. Unfortunately neither man has enough to make the submission moves tense and the match falls flat on each one. Duggan’s sunset flip and inside cradle may be more than he ever did or moved in WWE. The end of the match is a good back and forth effort with Gordy throwing himself around to make Duggan look like a star – including a HBK inspired upside down flip into the corner. The match ends in yet another DQ and when the camera cuts to the crowd there are one or two women who get too involved.

The late, great Terry Gordy gets a nice segment of his own with testimonials from those who knew him best. Michael Hayes, Steve Williams and Animal can’t praise Gordy enough and it may bring a tear to your eye to hear Michael Hayes refer to Gordy as his best friend and that the highlight of his own career was when Terry Gordy was finally recognised by the wrestling world for his talents and made UWF Champion.

‘Dr. Death’ Steve Williams vs Terry Gordy (UWF, September 1986) is a hard hitting big man fight which features some sumptuous suplex’s by Gordy and thunderous piledrivers by Williams. For two big men, the match contains excellent reversals and the right balance of power and brawling mixed with near falls. Both men were ring generals in their own right and that comes across here. Terry Gordy does a juice job worthy of Ric Flair and flies like a cruiserweight on a fluid cross body block from the middle rope. The match ends in the same confusion as Shawn Michaels vs The British Bulldog at In Your House: Beware of Dog as both men’s shoulders are counted to the mat.

The final interview with Steve Williams covers the end of UWF and his UWF Championship reign. The interview begins on a happy note as Williams relates how WWE poaching the top stars was the best thing that happened to him because it allowed him to become the UWF Champion and ends on a sombre footnote as the company went out of business and Williams’ title was unified with Ric Flair’s NWA World Heavyweight Championship. Williams seems geninually sad that it all came to and end. The segment ends with the last few minutes of William’s UWF Championship victory over Big Bubba Rogers – fitting as Williams sees this as the highlight of his career.

Weaknesses:

Junkyard Dog, Dusty Rhodes and Andre the Giant vs Ernie Ladd, Afa and Sika (Mid-South Wrestling, January 1982) is a spirited but doomed effort. The bout begins promising but falls apart when Andre and Ladd enter the ring. The pair are just too big to do anything with and whilst Andre hits some actual wrestling moves neither can drag it back to something watchable. The action between the pair is horrible and Ladd lacks any determination with his punches looking more like strokes. The match deteriorates into a free for all brawl which hosts a comical moment as Andre tries to climb the turnbuckle. With Ernie Ladd, Andre and Junkyard Dog – who adds nothing to the match – the whole thing never stood a chance.

Talking about ‘The Rat Pack’, the group which consisted of Ted Dibiase, Matt Bourne and Jim Duggan, no talking head ever bothers to explain how the group came about or why they needed to form a stable. Instead the segment begins with the tandem of Bourne and Dibiase already established and explains Duggan’s induction into the group. We really could have done with some more backstory here as it all seems very brief and rushed. Dibiase says that Duggan and Bourne never got on in real life but never says why and whilst Duggan to his credit says that he learnt a lot more being with Dibiase than he would have without him. The segment quickly turns away from the group and to Dibiase and Duggan’s feud which is baffling since the following match is a tag team effort which sees Duggan join the group.

‘Tony Atlas Bench Presses 500 Pounds’ (Mid-South Wrestling, January 1983) is a wholly pointless angle which does nothing for the release. It does what it says on the tin and sees Atlas bench press 500 pounds with the help of Junkyard Dog who the angle is centred around as he has his masked friend Stagger Lee with him – Stagger Lee was actually Junkyard Dog when he competed in the ring, a gimmick Dog assumed when he lost a match to Dibiase and was forced from competing for the company for 90 days. This angle is about as interesting as those involving Mark Henry doing the same thing on Raw or Smackdown and is totally worthless. In preparation to lift the weights Atlas looks like he’s ready to crack the atom.

The segment which sees the talking heads compliment Magnum T.A is again, very nice, but its almost identical to the same one featured on ‘The Rise and Fall of WCW’ release of some years ago. No one says anything new about Magnum which makes the whole segment pointless. You can’t expect to have an almost identical angle on two releases and have people like it. Magnum himself tries to add some history to the upcoming angle with Mr. Wrestling II but can only mention it briefly with any passion.

‘Announcement of Magnum T.A’s Manager’ (Mid-South Wrestling, November 1983) and ‘Mr. Wrestling II Conducts Workouts With Magnum T.A’ (Mid-South Wrestling, December 1983) are both so dull they’ll put you to sleep. The first is a sit down interview from 1983 with Magnum and Mr. Wrestling II which is so drab it boggles the mind why it’s included here and the latter is a series of vignettes of Magnum lifting weights and running up roads with Mr. Wrestling II watching him. They add nothing to the story of the heel turn of Mr. Wrestling II on Magnum, and the whole thing could have been told in less than two minutes verbally.

Magnum T.A and Mr. Wrestling II vs The Midnight Express (Mid-South Wrestling, March 1984) is a 20 minute hit and miss match which really leaves you cold. Beginning with some completely dull submission moves, the four men zap the enthusiasm from the bout before its even got going. Mr. Wrestling II livens up proceedings with a nice knee lift over the top rope but the match slows to almost a complete halt when Magnum gets into the ring. Magnum was such a great talent that the company could have shown highlights of this match – which features a heel turn by Mr. Wrestling II – and featured a better match of Magnum’s. If you can be bothered to sit through the tedious moments of which there are many then you may feel rewarded by the back and forth action at the conclusion. There are many who will like this match certain wrestling magazines included, but when you consider there are many more matches on the release who follow this pattern but more capably then this is one of the weak inclusions.

Butch Reed’s moment under the spotlight is underwhelming as the talking heads, who have presumably been in the studio a number of hours by this point, can’t muster the energy to speak about Reed with as much enthusiasm as they do others. There are compliments here but they’re not delivered with nearly enough passion to make them seem genuine. Dibiase and Jim Ross cancel each other out with their comments as Dibiase states that Reed’s gift was his charisma and Ross states that Reed didn’t have the charisma that Junkyard Dog did. WWE should have edited Dibiase’s comment out here as the following match totally disproves his comment about Reed.

‘A Painted Dog’ (Mid-South Wrestling, 1984) and ‘A Tar and Feathered Dog’ (Mid-South Wrestling, May 1984) are both futile efforts of getting the Butch Reed vs Junkyard Dog feud over with the fans. Neither one of the short angles can stress how important this feud was and with the first featuring Junkyard Dog arguing with Jim Cornette before a beat down and being painted and the latter simply being Junkyard Dog getting tar and feathered, WWE would have been better served having the talking heads explain this with clips rather than including the whole angles.

Junkyard Dog vs Butch Reed in a ‘Ghetto Street Fight’ is just another match without a date put to it. The date will be the least of your worries if you’re watching this snooze fest which is less of a Street Fight and more of a disagreement between two men who actually weren’t that good after all. Slow, messy and utterly banal, this match plods at a snails pace for way too long and features more punching than hardcore action. At moments where one is trying to choke out the other the match stops completely and it looks like the whole thing is on pause they stay dormant for that long. Certainly, this match does not warrant an inclusion here and WWE should have sought out another match between the pair to include.

Covering The Midnight Express vs The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express, not one of the talking heads bothers or is instructed to explain the history between the two teams or how the feud came about. Jim Ross is right when he says its one of the best tag team feuds in wrestling history but apart from that the casual viewer isn’t given enough scope to see why the feud was so good. Would it really have killed someone to say something of note about it? Jim Cornette especially should be ashamed. The manager who was in the middle of this feud, Cornette could have given us a really good insight into the origins of the feud but instead focuses on telling us about his own experiences.

‘Jim Ross Interviews the Rock ‘n’ Roll Express’ (Mid-South Wrestling, October 1984) once again is another pointless angle. WWE have included this just so the following match which sees Jim Cornette suspended above the ring in a straight jacket is explained but would have been more interesting had the feud been verbally explained once again. Also the angle has the potential to confuse some younger or new fans as the match before this on the release, The Midnight Express defeated The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express for the Tag Team Championships, yet in this segment the R&R Express are Champions again. There is no explanation as to how the titles changed hands again.

Jake Roberts vs The Snowman (Mid-South Wrestling, June 1985) begins with a segment on Muhammad Ali, who the angle and match is based around. Ali gets more time and explanation than some actual wrestlers which is a disservice. The match is a poor show and whilst Roberts is a better than this, he’s hindered by The Snowman who was an atrocious wrestler. When it comes to rest holds, it’s more of the same than what’s on the rest of the release and the action only hints at picking up when Roberts is in control, even then Jake cannot save it. Instead of concentrating on the action in the ring, the camera keeps cutting to Ali at ringside who for some reason has to be continuously restrained from getting involved. It’s distracting from the action, which to be honest, isn’t a bad thing here. Do yourself a favour and skip this one – you’ll thank me later.

Maybe one of the most important moment in Mid-South Wrestling History, the moment it changed from Mid-South to Universal Wrestling Federation is too briefly explained. The segment isn’t allocated nearly enough time to explain in full why the change happened or the effect it had on the company and talent. This is the usual WWE rush job, skirting over history and pretending it never happened. Michael Hayes says that ratings were going through the roof which is hard to believe seeing as one year later they went out of business and a segment which was meant to be about the change of name soon turns its attention to the younger stars of the company, trying to cram two subjects into one.

Rob Ricksteiner vs Nick Patrick – without a date – is a match which should be shown to chronic insomniacs. It would cure them in seconds. Nick Patrick, who would go on to become a referee, is utterly abysmal and Rob Ricksteiner, who would go on to find fame as Rick Steiner, is useless on his own. The match turns into a calamity when Steiner hits Patrick with a hip toss and then loses his footing and stumbles backwards. Had the ropes not been there he would have ended up on the floor, on his arse. From beginning to end it had ‘Dark Match’ written all over it and is four minutes of your time you could save.

The Bladerunners vs John O’Reilly and Ken Massey (UWF, March 1986) is altogether insignificant. Reilly and Massey are enhancement talent for the Bladerunners who are Sting and The Ultimate Warrior. The match is a blink and you’ll miss it affair which could be better described as a mauling of the jobbers, but the pair together are a disastrous tandem and their face paint makes them look more like something out of The Walking Dead. Looking at them together, you could never predict that both men would rise to fame. They’re legends of WWE and WCW separately but definitely not legends on Mid-South. Avoid.  

Jim Duggan wastes four whole minutes of talking time when it comes to his career. All Duggan does is mention rubbish and looks like a deer caught in the headlights. To make this more effective, Duggan could have mentioned his legendary feuds with the likes of Dibiase and other but doesn’t bother. It’s unbelievable that he was called ‘the most exciting performer of the year’ back then when he clearly wasn’t. WWE should have explored that Duggan was more popular and relevant in Mid-South than in WWE.

Michael Hayes and Buddy Roberts vs Ted Dibiase and ‘Dr. Death’ Steve Williams (UWF, September 1986) is a lumberjack which is devoid of value. Again, this is a match which will please many but didn’t float your Wrestling God’s boat. There’s no real structure to the match or moves and everyone involved seems to be sticking to a set of previously laid out moves, throwing spontaneity out of the window. In truth, this match comes 46 minutes before the end of the release and by this time the whole thing has begun to wear on you. Predictably, the lumberjacks brawl at ringside and the match has no ending. The interview before yet again fails to shed any light on the creation of The Fabulous Freebirds.

Beginning to wrap up the talking heads segments, Terry Taylor, speaking on the One Man Gang has the cheek to say that Gang was one of the best big men in the business. I can think of ten big men who were much better than One Man Gang and all the sentiments that are given his way are totally disproved when the release cuts to the next match. I don’t know why the company like people to lie like this on their releases. You can sing the praises of someone until you’re blue in the face, but if you’re going to follow it up with a match that shows you’re bullshitting then it defeats the object.

One Man Gang vs Big Bubba Rogers (UWF, June 1987) is a slog of epic proportions. Rogers – who would find fame as Big Boss Man – and Gang are just too large to do anything effectively and whilst the pair complete the odd move here and there this is one of those matches which is just punching and forearms. Neither can pull out a good match to remember, but then could they ever? Rogers bleeds to try and make the match more exciting which doesn’t work and Gang plods around the ring. You will lose the will to live at how many times they hit each other with fists and forearms – even worse the commentators try to make us believe this is an excellent big man war, when in fact it could be one of the worst Championship matches ever held. The match shows how desperate the company were in 1987, that they had their two biggest and worst wrestlers feud over the Championship and put it on both of them. Rogers and One Man Gang would unite in WWE as Big Boss Man and Akeem – the Twin Towers.

In the closing statement of the release, Bill Watts blames everyone and anyone for the closure of Mid-South, without blaming himself. Watts blames the economy and the oil crisis stating people couldn’t afford to come and see his shows. Watts doesn’t realise that people were paying to see Jim Crocket Promotions and World Wrestling Federation at the same time and if the product is good enough people will find the money to see it. Watts could have even blamed McMahon and the national expansion which would have sounded much more plausible, but he doesn’t. The truth is, Watts had lost the talent to WWE and had no one else to replace them. Main events such as One Man Gang vs Big Bubba Rogers helped the demise of the company and Watts seems like he’s trying to blame everyone else but himself – again.

Blu-ray Exclusive Extras:

Mid-South Wrestling – April 1984

Mid-South Tag Team Championship Match

The Rock N’ Roll Express vs The Midnight Express

UFW Championship Contention Match – June 1987

Sting vs Terry Taylor

Ted Dibiase gets his tyres slashed

Mid-South Wrestling – June 1982

North American Heavyweight Championship Match

Junkyard Dog vs Ted Dibiase

Superdome:

Mid-South Wrestling – August 1985

Steel Cage Match

Ted Dibiase and ‘Dr. Death’ Steve Williams vs Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts and The Barbarian

Buzz Sawyer:

Mid-South Wrestling – November 1985

‘Hacksaw’ Jim Duggan vs Buzz Sawyer

Jim Cornette’s favourite moment in Mid-South

Mid-South Wrestling – March 1984

Cornette gets caked

Mid-South Wrestling – March 1984

Bill Watts needs help

Mid-South Wrestling – April 1984

Bill Watts and Stagger Lee vs The Midnight Express

Lessons on elevating talent

Dusty Rhodes travels with Boyd Pierce

Bill Watts tells a story about Ernie Ladd’s father

Conclusion:

‘WWE: Legends of Mid-South Wrestling’ is a thoroughly decent release from WWE which aims to highlight the legends of the company whilst providing its history with matches and angles. The plan doesn’t always come off the way its intended as some of the matches are just horrendous and almost all of the angles could have been cut and told in verbal form by the talking heads, thus freeing up space for more matches. Of the matches that are of value, almost all of Ted Dibiase’s are top class affairs and WWE should have tried to base the release around four of five legends instead of everyone and anyone, because some included here were certainly not legends.

As for the talking heads, once again only a few of them provide any insight into the business or Mid-South, with the majority of them adding nothing to proceedings once again. It’s a waste, because those who are chosen have significant knowledge of Mid-South and could really have added the meat to some paltry bare bones of this release. None of them are given nearly long enough to talk effectively. In future, WWE should be looking to extend these pieces to get the most out of them.

Bizarrely, the front cover of the release depicts Ted Dibiase, Jake Roberts and Junkyard Dog. Whilst Dibiase and Junkyard Dog are featured prominently on the discs, Roberts only has one match across the entire thing. Surely, WWE could have excluded some of the rubbish to give us some more Robert’s matches – he is one of the figures on the front cover for crying out loud.

A good release is maybe let down by its shoddy inclusions and no dates on some of the matches which gives a strange confusing feeling as you’re not sure if some of them took place before or after others. A lot of history is missed out or ignored and there’s no one on one Ted Dibiase vs Junkyard Dog match which won feud of the year. Other small gripes are that the release skips over all of Dibiase’s Mid-South Wrestling North American Heavyweight Championship reigns and by the time the company reached their UWF days it really did begin to feel like an amateur production.

The release wears on you as it gets to the conclusion and you get a sense of déjà vu with some matches and the whole thing could have done with more information and less rubbish. However, with each disc lasting merely two hours, if you watch this in instalments instead of trying to cram it into one or two sittings then you’ll find it more than pleasant and maybe some of the bad will begin to feel just about okay.

Rating: B

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