Mid Atlantic Wrestling 31 October 1981

On this week's episode the World Tag Team Champions the Andersons are back and find out why Jake Roberts is unhappy about that.  Also on the show we see a very young Buddy Landell and Sgt Slaughter introduces his newest marine.

If you want to follow along you can watch on the WWE Network

https://watch.wwe.com/episode/Mid-Atlantic-Championship-Wrestling-3263

Or on Peacock 
https://www.peacocktv.com/watch/playback/vod/GMO_00000000387211_01/2640e4b4-bcc4-3008-bb1a-4b23a5f81204

You can contact Gus at retroreviews@hotmail.com

Twitter http://www.twitter.com/retrowrestling4

Transcript

Hello and welcome to the Retro Wrestling Reviews podcast, I’m Gus Edwards and on today’s episode we will be looking at Mid Atlantic Wrestling from 31 October 1981.  Before we get on with the review, I want again to give a big thanks to everyone who has been listening to the podcast, there are more and more people listening every week.  If you are new to the show, we are currently reviewing Mid Atlantic Wrestling but will also be reviewing Mid South Wrestling and World Class Wrestling when the timeline on the WWE Network matches up.  Also on Tuesdays we release a bonus episode, reviewing an individual show, recently we have done Summerslam 1991 and the Big Event from 1986.  This Tuesday coming will be the Great American Bash from 1990 featuring Sting and Ric Flair.  Remember to subscribe through your favourite podcast directory so you get an alert when a new show is released.  If you want to get in touch you can do so via Twitter @retrowrestling4 or by email retroreviews@hotmail.com.  Lets get on with the show.

Mid Atlantic Wrestling 31 October 1981

We are skipping ahead by two shows again, due to these not being available on the WWE Network.  Its tough to keep some continuity with the storylines here but we will try our best.

Normally we start the show at the desk with David Crockett and Bob Caudle previewing what we will be seeing on the show, but this week we go straight to the ring and its Charlie Fulton v Buddy Landell, already in progress.  This is pre Nature Boy gimmick for Buddy Landall, no bleached hair either.  Landell looks a bit like Gino Hernandez at this point.  Landell is apparently only 20 years old.  This isn’t really a showcase match for Landell, as Fulton has been used as a jobber on the shows we have watched and Fulton is taking most of the match but the crowd are getting behind Landell.  I think Fulton is just loving being able to get some offence in for once.  Landall gets the win with a gut wrench suplex and actually gets a big pop from the crowd.

Jake Roberts and Wahoo McDaniel are being interviewed about a recent tag team match with the Andersons and Roberts and Paul Jones.  Wahoo says he is going to be Jake’s partner next time against the Andersons.  They go to clips of the match and its Ole and the Super Destroyer in there with Roberts and Jones.  After the hot tag, Destroyer heads to the back and then comes back out again, he goes into his tights, buts an object into his mask and headbutts Jones for the win.  It was quite obvious that wasn’t Super Destroyer under the mask when he came back out.  A nice simple bit of storytelling to set up future matches.

Next out are Gene and Ole Anderson the world tag team champions.  Ole says they used the Destroyer gimmick because if Jones and Roberts knew that Gene was back they wouldn’t agree to the match.  Gene doesn’t look well, I believe he has actually had a stroke by this point and this was the reason for his absence from the ring.  

Back to the ring and Jimmy Valiant, who just the weekend at the age of 79 had his final match, is there wearing a pink robe ready to take on Ricky Harris.  Valiant makes quick work of Harris and pins him after an elbow drop

Bob is interviewing Ninja who is Mr Pogo who ended up a hardcore legend in the 1990s.  His manager is Mr Holiday, who is Gentleman Jim Holiday who is doing a Gary Hart gimmick here.  Don’t know much about Holiday and haven’t been able to find anything about him.  Ninja is in I’m assuming to replace Kabuki who we saw last time.  Mike Davis is the opponent here.  Very weird as during the interview Holiday says not to refer to Ninja as Kabuki, but he is in the ring wearing white tights with Kabuki in red writing on them.  Ninja wins with a flying headbutt off the second rope.  

Ricky Steamboat, the Mid Atlantic champion is being interviewed by Caudle and is asked about Ninja.  Steamboat is as bad of an interview as he is as great as a wrestler.  Bad Bad Leroy Brown is out challenging Sgt Slaughter.  

To the ring and its Chris Markoff of the Russians, the Mid Atlantic tag team champions against Ron Bass for the TV title.  Lord Alfred Hayes is out there with Markoff.  This starts out a lot quicker than most Bass matches, so already that’s a big plus.  The crowd are into a Bass match for once, but its easy to get cheered in 1981 if you are against a Russian.  Markoff has the body shape, without the hair, of George the Animal Steele.  Hayes interferes for the DQ, Bass gets the win.  

Back to the ring and its Sgt Slaughter v Don Kernodle.  The battle of future tag team partners.  Kernodle gets some offence in and that brings out Jim Nelson in the background which is noticed by the commentators.  Kernodle puts in a good effort against Sarge but gets caught in the Cobra Clutch for the win.  

Roddy Piper is out for an interview.  Piper is annoyed that everyone is calling out each other but nobody is willing to face him.  Slaughter then comes across and introduces Jim Nelson as his new marine.  

Ivan Koloff comes out to say he is going to take the TV title away from Ron Bass and that ends the show.

This was an ok show.  We got to see a very young Buddy Landell starting out, a future hardcore legend in Ninja and the beginning of the Sgt Slaughter and Jim Nelson alliance.

Next week we will return with another episode of Mid Atlantic, unfortunately, there are more gaps on the Network, so the show we will be watching is the 21 November show.  I also want to let you know that on Tuesday we will be reviewing the Great American Bash 1990, headlined by Ric Flair and Sting for the World Title, this show was requested by one of our listeners and if you would like a specific show reviewed on our Tuesday episodes then get in touch with me through either Twitter @retrowrestling4 or email retroreviews@hotmail.com.

I want to thank you all for listening today, if you have enjoyed the show then please subscribe, leave a review and tell a friend.  Until next week, take care of yourself and I will speak to you soon.