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Memphis’s Championship Wrestling Association
Promoter: Jerry Jarrett
Matchmaker: Eddie Marlin
Under the Auspices of the American Wrestling Association & President Verne Gagne
Airing LIVE from 11:00 am – 12:30 pm
WMC-TV Studios Channel 5 Memphis.
Announcers: Dave Brown and Lance Russell
Referees: Paul Morton and Jerry Calhoun
**Sprach Zarathrustra plays the Pankrationist Statue rotates 360 degrees while Championship Wrestling is shown over it. The scene fades to Lance Russell & Dave Brown behind the announce desk. **
Russell: Yeeeeelllllloooooowww everyone and we welcome you to another exciting day of Championship Wrestling. Heeeeeeyyy, we hope you all had a great Christmas and we hope Santa brought you all everything you wanted. Weeeeellll, this is the week. The King gets his last chance at AWA World’s Champion, Chief Wahoo McDaniel. Monday Night, Jerry will either will the AWA World’s Title or he will retire. Thhhheeeeeeere aren’t any bigger stakes than those. We have an action packed program for ya today and heeeerrrrrrre’s our old friend Davey to tell you all about it.
Brown: Thanks Lance. Yes, this is a very big day for us here on Championship Wrestling. We have several dignitaries who will be joining us. AWA President, Verne Gagne, will be here. Memphis Mayor, the honorable Richard C. Hackett, has a special proclamation for us today. AWA Representative, Jerry Jarrett, will be joining us as well as our events coordinator, Mr. Guy Coffey. We will have both the AWA World’s Heavyweight Champion and the AWA World’s Tag Team Champions here today. And we will hear from every top wrestler in the area as we prepare for the final Mid-South Coliseum card of 1982. Let’s get things started as Lance is with AWA President, Verne Gagne.
Russell: Mr. Gagne, it is an honor to have you out here with us this week.
Gagne: Thank you Lance. This is a big week for us in the AWA. As you know, Jerry Lawler will receive his final AWA World Title match on Monday Night at the Mid-South Coliseum. Unfortunately, Mr. Lawler has a self-imposed stipulation that if he doesn’t win the AWA World Title, he will retire. Jerry Lawler is a very dynamic wrestler and we here at the AWA would hate to lose him as a competitor, but Chief Wahoo McDaniel has been a fighting Champion and he will be very tough to beat. These two men have had many battles and Mr. Lawler has come very close to winning the AWA World Title many times. Circumstances have prevented him from winning the Title on many occasions. The AWA wants there to be a winner in this very important match on Monday. Therefore, we have decided to add a few stipulations to this match. At this time, I’d like to ask both the Champion and the challenger to join me out here. (Lawler and McDaniel join Gagne)
 
Gagne: Gentlemen. (All three men reluctantly shake hands). Due to the past history of your matches, we have decided to make this match a No disqualification, No time limit, No countout match. There MUST be a winner. (Lawler grins widely while Wahoo grunts in disgust). Plus, due to the fact that the referees for your matches tend to get “accidently” knocked out, I have personally found a man capable of handling any and all rough tactics in any match to officiate this special match. I have issued him a referee’s license and he is here today. I’d like to ask him to come out now. (All eyes turn to the door to the dressing room when out comes…)
ANDRE THE GIANT! (Andre stands between Wahoo and Lawler with a hand on each shoulder. Both the Champion and challenger look up at the extra large referee for their match).
Andre: (In a thick French accent) I will call this match right down the middle.
Gagne: Andre, that’s all we ask that you do. Now gentlemen, I wish you both good luck and regardless of the outcome, the AWA will be represented by a fine Champion. Before you go, there is one other issue I would like to discuss. It has come to my attention that there has been a bounty placed upon the head of Mr. Lawler. Many people are claiming that the bounty has been placed by you Wahoo. How do you respond to these charges?
Wahoo: Verne, we have known each other for many years now. You know me and you know I handle my own business. I have never and will never place a bounty on anyone’s head. If I can’t handle Lawler myself, I will personally hand him my Title and shake his hand. Sure, we have had a lot of fierce battles, but I am not afraid of him and do not fear him. Like I said, I wouldn’t put money on his head and that’s all I can say about that.
Gagne: Wahoo, that is good enough for me. I will look into this bounty situation closer and I will get to the bottom of it. Mr. Lawler, any comments?
Lawler: Mr. Gagne, I want to thank you for making this match. I believe that the best man will win. We are both at the top of our games and I believe this match will be one of the best matches of all time. As far as the bounty goes, I have to admit, I thought Wahoo had placed the bounty as well, but if Mr. Gagne believes you, I do too. I want to offer my hand to Wahoo in a spirit of sportsmanship and I’ll just say may the best man win. (Wahoo, Lawler, Gagne, & Andre all shake hands and begin walking offset).
Russell: Jerry, could you stay out here just a little longer?
Lawler: Sure Lance. What’s going on?
Russell: Weeeeeeeeellll, let’s let our next guest explain. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, the honorable Mayor of Memphis, TN, Richard C. Hackett. (The Mayor walks out)
Hackett: Lance, Jerry, thank you for having me out here today. As Mayor, I have to keep my finger on the pulse of the City of Memphis. In doing that, I have come to realize how important to this City Jerry Lawler is. Everywhere I go I hear people talking about the King and his conquests on Monday Nights. Jerry, you are a true Memphis hero. And, whether you win or lose this Monday, you deserve the honor I bestow upon you now. (Hackett removes a piece of paper from his pocket and begins to read). Fans of Memphis wrestling first heard of Jerry Lawler when, as a teenager, Jerry would draw cartoons picturing the matches that he had seen at the Ellis Auditorium while attending wrestling with his father. Lance Russell was so impressed that he invited young Jerry to the studio to show off his artwork. From those humble beginnings, Jerry followed in the footsteps of his hero, Jackie Fargo, to become the top ranked wrestler in the Memphis area. Jerry has been a role model for the citizens of Memphis and has been involved in many charity events over the course of the past twelve years. It is my great honor to salute one of Memphis’ finest citizens and I present Jerry “The King” Lawler with the key to the City and with the powers vested in me I proclaim Monday, December 31, 1982 Jerry “The King” Lawler day in the City of Memphis (Hackett hands the Key to the City to Lawler as they take publicity photos).
Lawler: Wow, I am speechless and anyone who knows me knows that is rare for me. Mayor Hackett, thank you and all of the citizens of Memphis for this honor. As a squirrelly little manager around here always says, this is the greatest day of my life. I just happen to mean it. The fans give Lawler a round of applause as Lawler and Hackett walk off together.
Russell: There he goes, The Kiiiiiing! And no one deserves the Key to the City more than he does. Let’s go to the ring for our first match.
Match 1
Bill White def. Gary Royal with a bulldog
 
Russell: Joining me now are CWA’s Representative to the AWA, Jerry Jarrett, and events coordinator, Mr. Guy Coffey.
Jarrett: Lance, we aren’t going to take a lot of time. First, I just want to thank all of the fans for making 1982 a terrific year for the CWA and I know that 1983 will be even better for us. I receive telephone calls at my office every day with wrestlers wanting to come to the CWA. After the first of the year, we have a huge tag team coming in, one of the strongest men in the world, and the return of one of the wildest men we have ever seen here in the CWA. We strive to give our fans the absolute best wrestling anywhere because we have the best fans in the world. Now, Mr. Coffey has an announcement to make.
Coffey: Lance, I just want to let everyone know that the Mid-South Coliseum is sold out for Monday Night’s card. However, we have decided to open up the Ellis Auditorium for closed circuit television coverage of the entire card from the Mid-South Coliseum. Get your tickets early because we believe the Auditorium will sell out as well.
Russell: That’s grrrrrrrreat news Mr. Coffey. I’m sure those tickets will go fast. Heeeeey let’s bring in The Wiiiiiiiiiildfire, Tommy Rrrrrrrrich!
Rich: Lance, Monday Night is a big night fer us here in the C Dubya A. We are all behind Jerry and want to see him win the A Dubya A World Title. I wanted a match on the card too and matchmaker, Eddie Marlin, give me what I wanted. Buzz Sawyah loves using that chain of his and has busted me up bad a lot. Well, Monday Night we rassle in a dawg collar match. We will both have dawg collars around our necks attached to a chain. Anything goes and whoever pins the other one wins the match. This will be our last match, because whoever loses has to leave the C Dubya A. This thang has to end before both of our careers are ruined.
Russell: Weeeeelllll Tommy, good luck in that one, it’s going to be brutal. Our next match is in the ring.
Match 2
Non-Title
Adrian Adonis & Jesse Ventura def. The Yellow Jackets when Adonis puts #2 out with Goodnight Irene
Russell: Gentlemen, welcome to the…
Ventura: Shut your trap pipsqueak! Why do the World Champions have to come to a Podunk town like Memphis, TN and have to wrestle two inbreeds like The Gilberts? It’s all conspiracies and politics! Nothing good ever comes out of conspiracies and politics. So, here we are beatin up bumble bees and inbreeds. Me and Adrian can think of a lot of better ways to celebrate New Year’s Eve than to be here in this hick town. I pity the Gilberts for what we are going to do to them. At least it’s going to be a night off for the best tag team in the world today. Ain’t that right Adrian?
Adonis: Jesse, either one of us could beat up those two punks by ourselves. How do they expect to stand a chance with both of us. These father/son teams make me sick. Little Eddie clinging to daddy Tommy’s coattails. Lemme tell ya something. My old man walked out on me when I was seven years old. He left me all alone, cold and hungry, in the streets. And I ain’t talking about a small town like Memphis. I’m talkin about the means streets of New York City! I scrapped and fought for everything I ever got in this world and I became a World Champion! Gilberts, neither of you are men enough take take what I fought for away from me! And that’s a fact, Jack! (Adonis & Ventura walk off)
Russell: Weeeeeeellll, those two are really pleasant (Russell rolls his eyes). Our next match is in the ring.
Match 3
The Dream Machine, Phil Hickerson, Bill Dundee, & Jimmy Valiant def. Mr. X 1 & 2 and The Executioners when Dundee nails X #2 with a bomb’s away kneedrop
   
Russell: Guys, grrrrreat win and I hear ya have a big match Monday Night.
Dundee: That’s right Lancer! We get that goofball Randy Savage, Shamu the beached whale Bundy, and those two masked idiots Fire & Flame. There is one little catch. If we win, I get five minutes with Jimmy Hart all alone. Hart, I ain’t forgot bein tarred and feathered and when I get my hands on you, you will regret ever deciding to embarrass the Superstar.
Valiant: Woah, have mercy! Billy boy, we ain’t gonna let ya down! We want you to get that little worm Jimmy Hart and tear him apart. Then we can all sit back and watch Kingfish try to get that World Title daddy! Handsome Jimmy loves New Year’s and this Monday is gonna be special! I can’t wait to see Billy boy get his hands on that little weasel Hart! Hart you gonna get hurt real good daddy! Alright, alright!
Dream: Hallelujah, hallelujah! Jimmy Hart is gonna pay for his sins. Hart, you don’t mess with a man’s pride like you done to the Superstar. And now, it’s time to pay the piper! Dues payin time Jimmy Hart, dues payin time!
Hickerson: That’s right fellas. We gonna make sure Bill gets revenge on that little geek Hart. We are gonna do whatever it takes to make it happen for ya Bill. We promise you will get your five minutes with Hart!
Russell: Thanks guys, Heeeeyy heeeeere he is, The Dutchman!
Russell: Dutch, how’s the eye doing?
Mantell: (Wearing an eye patch) Lance, thank the Lord I have my full vision back in my left eye and the right one is improving. And guess what? That’s right, Eddie Marlin gave me the match I wanted for Monday night. I get Kendo Nagasaki in the ring one-on-one.
Russell: Dutch, I’m worried about you. What if Nagasaki tries to spewn that green stuff in your eyes again?
Mantell: Lance, I have a secret weapon against that mist. I’ll unveil it Monday Night and that painted face weirdo won’t know what to do. I’m going to settle things with him once and for all! I’ve been waiting to get at him for over a month now and the time is finally here. Monday Night, Kendo finds out why they call me The DIRTY Dutchman.
Russell: Boooooooy, that Nagasaki is in for a world of trouble. Let’s go to the ring for our next match.
Match 4
King Kong Bundy & Randy Savage w/Jimmy Hart def. Charlie Fulton, Bill Howard, & Gene Ligon when Savage delivers flying elbows and Bundy avalanches all three opponents. Bundy demands a five count as he pins all three men.
   
Russell: Weeeeeeeeelll Jiiiiiimmy, it looks like that tar and feathering is coming back to haunt you.
Hart: Lance Russell, this isn’t fair. Why would I get in the ring with Bill Dundee? I’m not a rassler baby. I’m a manager. Randy, Bundy, you can’t let this happen. I just can’t get in the ring with Dundee! I can’t even depend on my Assassins because they are rasslin The Fabulous Ones again. Who are Fire & Flame? Can we trust them? How can Eddie Marlin do this to me baby? Heads are gonna if I get hurt Monday (Looking directly at the Assassins). Family business comes before personal business baby.
Bundy: Calm down Jimmy! Just calm down. Look at me. Do you think any of those guys can handle me? Look at Mach. Nobody can beat the two of us, it doesn’t matter who our partners are. We’re not going to let Dundee get his hands on you.
Savage: OHHHHHHHHH YEAH-YA! NO WORRIES JIMMY HART, NOPE NO WORRIES AT ALL! The Macho Man and Bundy won’t let anything happen to you Jimmy. We will pound Dundee and his friends into the ground and after we win, we will hold down Dundee and let you embarrass him again. DUNDEE GETS EMBARRASSED AGAIN! OH YEAH-YA, DIG IT! (Assassin #1 begins to talk, but is cut off by Hart and the First Family walks offset).
Russell: The Universal Hearthrob is heeeeeere! Austin you have another big match with Flair Monday.
Idol: That’s right Dahlin, the Idol has Flair again. Last Monday, I pinned Flair in that eight man tag team match. I can do it again this Monday, but this time with the Southern Title on the line. Flair is a bow-legged freak, a pencil-neck geek, with a big horse face, and a horrible physique. Just look at this beautiful face. Notice the Hollywood features. Can Flair claim to have a face like the Idol’s? Of course not. Look at the Idol’s body. Does Flair have a body as beautiful as mine? Not a chance, Jackson Brown. He claims that all of the women love him. What he doesn’t understand is that the “ladies” that want him are all my rejects, the just didn’t cut the mustard to be with the Idol. Lance Russell, Idolmania is running wild and there ain’t nothing Flair can do stop it. Dahlin, that Southern Title comes back home to the Idol Monday Night and then I will watch the Kingfish take care of Squaw-who for the AWA World’s Title. New Year’s Eve is gonna be a hot one! Don’t miss it!
Russell: Booooooooy, Austin seems ready to regain that Southern Title. Heeeeeeyyyy our main event is in the ring.
Match 5
Non-Title
Chief Wahoo McDaniel def. Swede Hanson with a butterfly suplex followed by a chop. McDaniel goes for a second suplex, but Lawler charges the ring and stops him. Lawler and Wahoo have a staredown as we go off the air.
Mid-South Coliseum
Memphis, TN
Monday, December 31, 1982
8:15 pm
Ringside announcer: Lance Russell
Referees: Jerry Calhoun and Paul Morton
Match 1
Black Bart def. Gary Royal with a Texas trash compactor
Match 2
Swede Hanson def. The Mad Russian with a bearhug
Match 3
The Fabulous Ones def. The Assassins w/Jimmy Hart when Steve hits #1 with a flying forearm. After the match, Hart berates The Assassins and fires them on the spot.
Match 4
Dutch Mantell def. Kendo Nagasaki with a side Russian legsweep. Mantell wore protective goggles into the ring over his eye patch. Nagasaki attempted to spew the mist, but the goggles protected Dutch. Mantell gave Kendo a good old fashioned butt kicking and Kendo had to be helped back to the dressing room by officials.
Match 5
Bill Dundee, Jimmy Valiant, The Dream Machine, & Phil Hickerson def. Randy Savage, King Kong Bundy, Fire, & Flame w/Jimmy Hart when Dundee pins Fire with a sunset flip. According to match stipulations, Bill Dundee had five minutes alone with Hart. Dundee destroys Hart and leaves him a bloody mess when the five minutes are over.
Match 6
AWA World Tag Team Title Match
Tommy & Eddie Gilbert def. Adrian Adonis & Jessie Ventura© by countout when the Champions take a powder as the Gilberts give them more than they can handle.
Match 7
Mid-America Title Match
Loser leaves town Dog Collar Match
Tommy Rich© def. Buzz Sawyer in a blood bath with crushing blow to the head with the chain.
Match 8
Southern Title Match
Austin Idol def. Ric Flair© by DQ when referee Calhoun catches Flair using a foreign object.
Match 9
AWA World Heavyweight Title Match
No Time Limit, No DQ, No countout, there must be a winner
Special referee: Andre the Giant
Chief Wahoo McDaniel© vs Jerry “The King” Lawler
AWA President, Verne Gagne, and AWA Representative from the CWA, Jerry Jarrett, enter then ring and take numerous pre-match photographs with Champion, challenger, and referee. After all of the pre-match pageantry, Wahoo and Lawler stand center-ring. Both men jaw with each other then begin to circle the ring eying one another. Excitement begins to build as the two warriors finally lock up.
The Champion gains the early advantage with a snug side headlock. Lawler struggles and manages shoot Wahoo into the ropes. Both men collide and Lawler crashes to the mat. McDaniel quickly pounces on him and locks on a rear chinlock. Lawler struggles and refuses to concede when asked by the Giant. Eventually, Lawler manages to grab the bottom rope, forcing a break. Both men return to their feet and lock up collar and elbow. Lawler grabs a top wristlock and forces Wahoo to one knee. The Champion chops The King in the mid-section and Lawler breaks the hold. Lawler grabs a standing side headlock. Wahoo “accidentally” shoots Lawler directly into referee Andre and Lawler bounces off of the Giant. Andre grins big and wags his finger at Wahoo. A look of panic crosses Wahoo’s face as he realizes that his normal tactics against Lawler will not work with Andre as the referee.
From this point, Wahoo gets more aggressive. He lights up The King with chop after chop. He turns around and kicks Lawler low with the heel of his foot. Wahoo throws Jerry outside the ring and posts him before Andre can force them back into the ring. The King is busted open and blood flows into the eyes of our hero. The Champion goes to work on the cut with punches and chops. Lawler is in a bad way. A small chant of “Jerry! Jerry!” begins and grows into a roaring ovation. The fans’ cheers strengthen Lawler and he slowly begins a comeback. One punch to the midsection. Another. Yet another. Wahoo tries to counter, but The King keeps throwing punches. A pier 6 brawl ensues and Jerry starts to get the advantage. Wahoo reaches into his singlet and pulls out a chain. WHAMO! He nails the challenger. Lawler drops like a sack of potatoes. Wahoo makes the cover. Andre counts 1….2….No, Jerry lifts his shoulder! Wahoo looks frustrated and pulls the challenger to his feet.
Wahoo draws back to hit Jerry with the chain again, but The King blocks it! The chain drops to the canvas and both men scramble for it. Jerry retrieves it and Wahoo backs up in expectation of Lawler’s retaliatory act. Instead, Lawler hands the chain to Andre as if to say I don’t want to win the Title like that. The King wipes the blood out of his eyes and throws the Champion into the ropes for a big backdrop. Wahoo is reeling, but as Jerry approaches, he is met with a kick to the cut over his eye. Lawler recoils and McDaniel rises to his feet. Wahoo throws several chops and then takes Lawler down with a snap mare. The Champion uses a surfboard maneuver to further weaken the challenger. The fans again begin to chant for The King. Again, Jerry responds. He rolls backward and kicks Wahoo square in the nose. Trickles of blood flow from the Chief’s proboscis. Tears form in the Champion’s eyes as surely his nose is broken. This gives Lawler an opportunity to rise to his feet.
An angered Champion blasts his challenger with punches and chops. Lawler can only take so much before…THE STRAP COMES DOWN! The fans explode as Lawler starts matching Wahoo punch for chop. Wahoo is in trouble! He is teetering. In desperation, McDaniel pulls Lawler by the tights as he is falling down and Lawler crashes headfirst into the corner post. Both men are nearing exhaustion. The next several minutes have Wahoo getting multiple one and two counts on The King. The fans are abuzz as it looks like their hero will be forced into retirement. Wahoo positions Lawler for the match ending piledriver, but Lawler backdrops the Champion at the last second. Lawler, blood-soaked and pouring sweat, meets Wahoo as he staggers to his feet. Again, these great warriors exchange blows with both men looking as if they could pass out at any moment. Wahoo whips Lawler into the corner and charges his challenger. Lawler moves at the last second. Wahoo crashes hard into the corner. Lawler pulls the Chief up. He places Wahoo’s head between his legs and slowly lifts McDaniel up for a piledriver. The Champion is too weak to fight it and his head crashes onto the canvas. Jerry slowly slides over and covers McDaniel. Andre counts as the assembled throng counts along…..1…..2……..3!!!!!!!! Lance Russell turns on the house mic and announces…”In a time of 38:57, the wiiiiiiiiiinnah and NEEEEEEEEEEEW AWA WORLD’S HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION, JERRRRRRRRRRRY “THE KING” LAWLER!!!!”
The Coliseum shakes at it’s foundation as the fans rejoice at seeing their hometown hero reach his lifelong goal! President Gagne, Jarrett, & Andre congratulate the new Champion. In a show of class, Wahoo extends a hand as well. Tommy Rich, Austin idol, Bill Dundee, Dutch Mantell, Jimmy Valiant, Dream Machine, The Fabulous Ones, & The Gilberts enter the ring and celebrate with Lawler. They hoist The King on their shoulders and walk to the back as Lawler proudly holds his newly won Title over his head.
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