-Big changes are coming. More about that at the end of the show.
-Today Project 45 finds us in the year 1985 as we look at the August 24,1985 episode of Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling.
-1985: I was just starting the Second grade.
-Presented in the most complete form possible due to original production technical difficulties.
-MACW was shown on August 24, 1985. It was recorded from the Greenville Memorial Auditorium in Greenville, South Carolina.
-Bob Caudle and Johnny Weaver are the announcers for the event.
-The episode opens on someone injured and being removed from ringside and helped to the back by other wrestlers and you see that it is Sam Houston.
-Intro.
-Ron Bass vs. The Golden Terror: The bell rings. They lock up and Terror drives Bass back to the corner. Terror with some shots and tries for a corner whip, but Bass holds on. Terror tries a clothesline and Bass ducks it and does an atomic drop on Terror that drives him into a turnbuckle. There was something wrong with Johnny Weaver's mic, but they got it fixed. Bass working on the arm of the Golden Terror. Terror tries to scoop slam Bass, but can't get him up. Bass then scoop slams Terror. Weaver and Caudle say that it was Sam Houston that had to be taken out of the ring at the opening after being attacked by Tully Blanchard and The Andersons. They say his arm is in a cast as Bass has an arm bar on Terror. Terror drives Bass back to the ropes and hits him with a forearm. Bass comes back with a shot to knock the Terror down. Bass with a side headlock takeover. He gets a one count. Terror up and pushes off and Bass comes back with another side headlock takeover. He gets a one count. Terror gets back to his feet. Back to the corner. Terror rushes Bass, who moves. Bass arm drags Terror over and goes back to the arm bar. They trade wrist locks. Terror kicks Bass off and hits him with several forearms in the corner. Terror runs Bass into a turnbuckle. Bass reverses a corner whip and gets the claw hold on Terror. Terror goes out and Bass wins.
-Bob Caudle interviews Dusty Rhodes, Magnum TA, and Sam Houston. Houston has his arm in a sling. Houston says broken bones and getting busted up is something you come to expect in professional wrestling. He just wants the chance to wrestle these men again. It happened after the match and was uncalled for. He's been taught to stand on his own two feet and fight his own battles. Rhodes says you don't have to worry about fighting your own battles. This was directed at Dusty Rhodes and Magnum TA. They then show highlights of what happened to Houston. Rhodes then says let's go way back, Ole Anderson, to 1976. The parking lot in Atlanta, GA and when he got out of his car. Ole and Gene Anderson decided to take a tire tool to his head. That's how far it goes back. So now by doing this, it made Dusty Rhodes know what it's all about. So now you have to prepare yourself for the battle of your life because Magnum TA, Dusty Rhodes, and Sam Houston are going to take care of business and that's going to be some broken bones on your body.
-Abdullah the Butcher and The Barbarian with Paul Jones vs. Jim Jeffers and David Deaton: Deaton and Jeffers get a Weasel chant going against Jones. Jones gets Abdullah onto the apron. Barbarian and Jeffers start. Barbarian with a kick to the midsection. A shot knocks Jeffers down. A forearm knocks Jeffers down as they talk about Paul Jones putting this team together to go against Jimmy Valiant because that's what Jones did between 1983-1987. Barbarian with a big stomp on Jeffers. Barbarian with an Irish whip and a chop to knock Jeffers down. Abdullah tagged in. He hits Jeffers with a shot. He then puts Jeffers on the second rope and puts all of his weight on Jeffers. Jones comes over and slaps Jeffers. Abdullah rips and claws at Jeffer's face before tagging Barbarian back in. A double headbutt to Jeffers. Barbarian with a leg drop to Jeffers and somewhere Hulk Hogan is watching and keeping his opinions to himself because he doesn't want to mess with the Barbarian. Barbarian with a headbutt. Barbarian with an Irish whip and a thrust kick to knock Jeffers down. Abdullah tagged back in. Barbarian holds Jeffers up for Abdullah to deliver an elbow drop. He then delivers another one. He then pins Jeffers. Abdullah won't get off of Jeffers. Deaton comes in to complain, but Jones shoves referee Tommy Young away and Barbarian kicks Jeffers over and over.
-Jim Cornette is in the ring when they come back from commercial break and tells the crowd they are getting their first look at the greatest tag team of today. He introduces The Midnight Express Dennis Condrey and Bobby Eaton. They are taking on Denny Brown and Gerald Finley: Johnny Weaver and Bob Caudle are putting over Cornette and the MX hard on commentary as this is the first time that they have appeared on MACW. Eaton and Brown start. They lock up and drive back to the corner. They get tied up in the ropes and Brown reverses a hold. Eaton complains to Tommy Young. Brown comes over and yells at Cornette. They tie up again and go to a corner. Brown with an arm drag. Eaton complains that Brown pulled his hair. They lock up again and Eaton with a side headlock. Condrey tagged in. He hits Brown with kicks and forearms. Condrey with a snap mare and a headlock. Brown with a reversal into a hammerlock. He drops a knee on Condrey and gets a front face lock on. Finley tagged in. Finley and Brown have Condrey trapped in their corner and Eaton comes from behind and hits Finley with a high knee. Condrey with a scoop slam to Finley. Condrey with an Irish whip and a back elbow to Finley. He runs Finley into Eaton's knee and Eaton tagged in. He hits Finley with an elbow off the top rope. Eaton then chokes Finley on the second rope right in front of Cornette, who berates Finley. Referee Tommy Young gets on Eaton, allowing Condrey to choke Finley with his knee. Eaton drapes a knee on Finley. Eaton with a forearm and a corner whip. Eaton with a scoop slam. He hits a knee drop off of the top turnbuckle. Condrey tagged in. Eaton Irish whips Finley into a clothesline from Condrey and Condrey pins Finley.
-Bob Caudle interviews Tully Blanchard and Baby Doll. Blanchard says he heard poor Sam Houston out here talking about wanting to fight his own battles. This is funny to me considering Baby Doll and Houston were either in a relationship at this point or about to be in a relationship. Blanchard says remember the 25 stitches? That was a message to Dusty Rhodes. The arm, with a little help from the Minnesota Wrecking Crew, was a message to America's Team. He says Magnum TA is a former United States Champion and he kind of likes that word former. Blanchard says Dusty Rhodes saved him some money when Baby Doll took off on the horse and Dusty Rhodes didn't know where she went. She took Rhodes' credit card and went to Hawaii. Blanchard says he's going to send Dusty Rhodes some money because he saved Blanchard $10,000 because Baby Doll is an expensive woman. He says he told Dusty Rhodes when the whole thing started that he couldn't handle it. He says Rhodes tried to seduce Baby Doll, but she got down on her hands and knees and swore she was faithful. He says Rhodes tried to harm her and he and Magnum TA will pay. The screen goes black. Then another Bob Caudle interview with Tully Blanchard and Baby Doll. Very weird but must have been inserted into different markets that way. It's a variation on the last interview though talking about Houston and Rhodes and Magnum TA.
-Manny Fernandez with Jimmy Valiant vs. Joel Deaton: They start out hot. Fernandez with an arm drag and a dropkick. Deaton rolls outside, but right into Valiant who sends him back inside. Deaton with some forearms. Fernandez comes back with kicks and chops. Deaton with an eye gouge and Fernandez comes back with a chop up against the ropes and does an Irish whip and a back elbow. Fernandez with a snap mare. Fernandez with a rear chin lock. Deaton tries to get out of the move, so Fernandez attacks him with punches. Fernandez with another snap mare and a knee drop. More punches and another snap mare by Fernandez. Back to the rear chin lock. Into a headlock. The crowd is really behind Fernandez and Valiant. Deaton drives Fernandez back to the corner. He pushes off. Fernandez comes back with a shoulder block and a thrust kick. Back and forth in the middle of the ring. Fernandez with another snap mare and back to the chin lock. Fernandez with a chop and Deaton reverses an Irish whip. Deaton with a leapfrog, but Fernandez comes back with the flying forearm to get the pin.
-Bob Caudle interviews Jim Cornette. Caudle admits that the Midnight Express are pretty impressive. Cornette says they are the greatest thing to ever step into a wrestling ring and that there is no competition. He says the other teams are no match for the Midnight Express. He told the Rock 'N Roll Express that for one year they have been getting ready. They are going to get rid of every team until they are recognized as the best.
-NWA World Tag Team Championship Match. The Rock 'N Roll Express Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson vs. The Rising Sun 1 and 2: Gibson and Sun 1 start. The bell rings and they lock up. Gibson with a side headlock. Sun 1 pushes off. Gibson comes back with a shoulder block. Criss cross and Sun 1 with a hip toss. Gibson pushes Sun 1 off with his legs. Gibson with an arm drag. Morton tagged in. He gets a side headlock on. Sun 2 comes in and Morton does his patented headlock/head scissors takedown move. Then both R'n'R dropkick both Rising Suns. Gibson in and has a side headlock on Sun 1. Morton tagged back in. He picks up the side headlock. Sun 2 tagged in. They lock up. Back to a corner. Morton back to the side headlock. Morton hip tosses Sun 2 out of the corner. Morton with a backbreaker as Bob Caudle says the Minnesota Wrecking Crew has come out onto the stage to watch the Rock N' Roll Express. Morton goes for a tag, but Sun 2 kicks out. Morton with a side headlock, but Sun 2 picks him up. Morton with a takeover. Sun 2 back up and pushes off. Morton comes back with a shoulder block. Morton ducks a clothesline attempt and comes back with a sunset flip for a two count. Gibson tagged in. Double team on Gibson in the corner. Gibson tumbles out of the corner and tags Morton in. Morton with an Irish whip and a rib shot. The Rising Suns get Morton back in the corner and double team him. Then Sun 1 with a shot to the back of the head of Morton. Sun 1 with a corner whip and Morton comes back with a reverse crossbody. Sun 2 breaks up the pin attempt. Morton tags, backdrops Sun 1 and Gibson gets the Gibson leg lock on to get the pin. The crowd goes crazy.
-Bob Caudle talks to the Minnesota Wrecking Crew, Ole and Arn Anderson. Arn says he wasn't impressed with the Rock N' Roll Express. He says he and Ole won't have any problem smacking a couple of David Bowie look alike’s around. He says concerning Sam Houston. You throw anybody in the ring and they are subject to getting hurt. He says Magnum TA and Dusty Rhodes both take that as a personal insult and he agrees with them that's how it was meant. He said they should take the advice as a little warning. He says they are after them and will get to them any way they have to. Bob Caudle asks Ole why he attacked Sam Houston like that. Ole says it was during a wrestling match. He didn't sneak anywhere. He didn't jump anybody in an alley. He didn't have 43 people with him. It was a 6-Man tag. Tully Blanchard and Arn and Ole Anderson against three men. Three against Three. Nothing illegal about it. The contract was signed, sealed, and delivered. He, Arn, and Tully were just too good for their opponents. Any time you get in the ring against them, you're going to be in trouble. They don't stop at winning, they stop when they hurt somebody. You want to find out how good they are? Ask Sam Houston. Look at his arm. Then another interview with the Andersons. Variation on the previous interview.
-Superstar Billy Graham with Paul Jones vs. George South: Graham runs South into the corner and then to another turnbuckle. Graham with several knees to South. He puts his knee on South's neck for a three count. Graham puts South in the tree of woe. He runs several knees into South's midsection. Jones distracts Tommy Young so Graham can choke South with his knee again. Graham with an Irish whip and a back elbow on South. He then kicks and chops South. Graham with a chin lock on South. Jimmy Valiant and Manny Fernandez come over to the announce desk and Jones becomes distracted by them. Graham hits South in the chest with several forearms. He then starts choking South, but breaks on the four counts. He then hits South with some karate thrusts. He then goes back to choking for four counts. South makes it to his knees and hits Graham with a shot to the stomach. Graham with forearms to South. Graham throws South to the outside. Graham distracts referee Tommy Young so Jones can come over and slap South. South gets up on the apron and Graham hits him with some forearms. South collapses to the mat. South slaps Graham, who runs him into another turnbuckle. He runs a knee into South's back. He drops a series of knees on South. Another karate thrust knocks South to the mat. Graham drives South into the mat again. Graham with an Irish whip and a throat thrust to knock South down. Graham with a corner whip and gets the full nelson on. Young calls for the bell.
-Bob Caudle interviews Jimmy Valiant and Manny Fernandez. Fernandez says you talk about all the teams that come to this area. He says when the Boogie Man and the Bull come together, they ain't frightened of no evil hiding in the closet. Fernandez says he was born scared of nothing. He tells Paul Jones to get anyone he wants because no one pulls the load better than the Bull and the Boogie Man. Valiant calls himself and Fernandez Cheech and Chong. Where you see one, you see the other. He says Paul Jones has the biggest people, but they don't have them.
-Bob Caudle then signs off.
-End credits.
-Final Thoughts: This was a nice relaxing show to watch. Good to be able to see Jim Cornette and the MX first match on MACW. Highly recommend.