Corey Maclin opens up this week's edition of Memphis Wrestling discussing the sad news of Moondog Cujo's death, which occurred earlier this week. Corey said that the death of Cujo really signaled an "end of an era" in Memphis Wrestling history. He reference Moondog Spot's passing from late 2003.
Corey said today's show will be a "look back" at the history of the Moondogs. Moments later he has "Mouth of the South" Jimmy Hart on the phone. Jimmy talks about how tragic it is to start the new year with a wrestling death. He says that the Moondogs were one of his favorite teams to manage and he has wonderful memories of them.
Jimmy said that he just spoke with Cujo late last year during the Jerry "The King" Lawler 35th Anniversary show in Nashville, TN. Corey adds that there will never be anyone like the original Moondogs and that later in the show they will bring the fans the match that Jimmy referenced from Nashville.
After a commercial break, Corey is back. He says that he will have Jerry "The King" Lawler on the phone to discuss Cujo's death later in the show. Corey brings up memories of the Kennett, MO concession stand brawl from 1992 between the Moondogs and Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Lawler and how it was a recreation of the Tupelo concession stand brawl with Lawler and Bill Dundee against Wayne Ferris (Honky Tonk Man)and Larry Latham (Moondog Spot) from years earlier.
Corey sends us to our first match of the show....
Match: Moondog Cujo & Moondog Fifi vs. Rodney Mack & Jazz
This bout was from Memphis Wrestling's "Nightmare in Tunica" on April 13, 2007. Grady Watson managed the Moondog combo. Jazz and Fifi started out. Jazz got the early edge before Fifi turned the tables. She eventually tagged out to Cujo bringing in Rodney Mack for a brawl with all four in the ring. Mack and Cujo exchange blows. Watson gets in and blows the whistle. Mack has Cujo in a sleeperhold and Cujo ends up decking Watson. The bell rings. Not sure on the actual finish as it looked like the bell just rang after Watson got hit.
Corey is back and says to stay tuned for more clips from the career of Moondog Cujo.
After a break, it is back to Corey who brings fans who may have just tuned in up to speed on Cujo's passing and the theme of today's telecast.
He mentions how the Moondogs' feud with Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Lawler in 1992 was voted "Feud of the Year" in Pro Wrestling Illustrated. Jerry Lawler is on the phone and he talks about Cujo's death as being a "hard pill to swallow." He mentions how Cujo had a troubled past and had battled some personal demons. Lawler said he worked Cujo about a month ago in Lexington, TN and they shared a conversaton after the match about how Cujo had cleaned up his life and reconciled with family members. Lawler said Cujo looked good and that he was in a good place in his life. He said their match in Lexington was a "good, entertaining" match and that to hear the news of his passing is "shocking and sad."
Corey said he was also at the Lexington show and had a similar conversation with Cujo. He mentions that Cujo and his wife Sandra had remarried not long ago and that Cujo was "on the right road" in his life.
Lawler brings up the circumstances surrounding Cujo's death. The story has been covered here at RasslinRiotOnline.com. Lawler talks about how Cujo's wife had a migrane headache. Cujo took her to the emergency room and then went back to his vehicle to wait while she received medical attention. When he hadn't shown back up inside for awhile, she went to check on him and found him slumped over on the steering wheel of the vehicle. He passed away of a heart attack.
Corey mentions some of the other gimmicks that Cujo used throughout his career, but Lawler says he will always remember him as a Moondog. He says he'll never forget the fued he and Jarrett had against the Moondogs in the early 1990's and says that the Moondogs will always be one of the most remembered tag teams in the history of Memphis Wrestling. He says with Spot's passing in 2003 and the death of Cujo just days ago, an "era" of Memphis Wrestling has ended.
Corey sends us to another match involving Moondog Cujo in action.
Match: Moondog Cujo vs. The Barbarian
This match was from the Clash of the Legends show main evented by Hulk Hogan and "Big Show" Paul White from the FedEx Forum in Memphis. Cujo was managed this night by RasslinRiotOnline's own "Big Cheese" Sal Corrente. Commentary was handled by Corey Maclin, Jimmy Hart and Lance Russell.
This was your standard "Moondog style" brawl with Barbarian and Cujo beating each other with weapons in the ring and outside of the ring. Barbarian hit a big boot on Cujo and went for the pinfall. Sal jumped on the apron to distract the referee. Barbarian went after him and then Cujo clocked him with a shovel as Barbarian had his back turned. Barbarian tried to choke Cujo in retaliation but the Moondog leveled him with a series of additional shovel shots leading to the 1-2-3.
We're back from a break with Corey mentioning his earlier phone calls with Hart and Lawler. He says that the Moondogs were certainly a "different team." He described their unusual style and ring gear. We then head to the previously promised Nashville, TN match.
Match: The Moondogs vs. Brian Christopher & Doug Gilbert
This was from the 35th Anniversary show for Jerry "The King" Lawler, promoted by Bert Prentice late last year in Nashville, TN. Pre-match, Gilbert talks trash to the people and the Moondogs, this time a combo of Cujo and another "Moondog." Again, your standard "Moondog style" brawl with the guys going all over the Nashville Fairgrounds. Finish sees Brian clock the "other" Moondog with a shovel several times. Doug makes sure he is in place for Brian's "hip-hop drop" legdrop. Cujo had been floored earlier with the shovel. After the legdrop, Brian gets the pin.
Following a break, we're back with Corey who mentions that over the years the Moondogs had a few managers, but that there weren't many people who could control them. He mentions Jimmy Hart and Richard Lee, two of the more notable men to ever manage the Moondogs. Corey said that the Moondogs had their own mindset and did things the "Moondog way."
We were then treated to a series of clips from the 1980's featuring the fued between the Moondogs and the Fabulous Ones (Stan Lane & Steve Keirn). Lots of classic brawling clips from that fued, all from the Mid South Coliseum.
We then see a pair of matches from 2003.
Match: The Moondogs vs. Kevin White & El Poncho
This match was from the September 13, 2003 edition of Memphis Wrestling. The bout actually featured Moondog Spot and Rex, not the original Rex I don't believe. The Moondogs were managed by April Hunter in this way and made short work of Poncho and White.
Match: The Moondogs vs. Flex & Alex Krisis
This bout was from the October 18, 2003 episode of Memphis Wrestling. Just a wild brawl that ended when Rex hit referee William Gibson with a wooden piece of a ceiling fan.
We're back to Corey, who says when the show returns he'll have more details on live wrestling coming back to the Memphis area.
Corey is back and tells everyone that the Moondogs will never be forgotten and that any discussion of tag teams must involve their name. He offers his thoughts and prayers to Moondog Cujo's family.
Corey plugs an upcoming appearance he will have along with King Cobra at Mo Money Taxes. I didn't catch the actual date, but the store is located on Goodman Road in Memphis.
He then mentions live wrestling on February 28 at the West Memphis Convention Complex in West Memphis, AR. Jerry Lawler is back on the phone and he plugs the show. He says that he is constantly asked when "live wrestling" is coming back to the Memphis area. Lawler mentions that there will be additional news in regard to who will be on the card on next week's show.
Corey adds that today's broadcast was a tough one. Lawler concurs and reiterates Corey's well wishes to the family of Cujo. "He was just a fun, funny guy who was great to be around," Lawler said about Cujo.
The show ended with a final look back at the Moondogs with an old 1980's video set to the Moondog theme with Spot and Cujo in swamps and around a camp fire.
RassleNotes: We've all had our opinion of Memphis Wretling, but I can't see how anyone could have a problem with this show paying tribute to Cujo. Kudos to Maclin and crew for remembering both Cujo and Spot, honoring the Moondogs' legacy in Memphis Wrestling history...Although it was a "mark mag," the selection of the Moondogs vs. Jarrett/Lawler as "Feud of the Year" was a big deal. Rarely did anything outside the World Wrestling Federation or World Championship Wrestling get selected for those awards at that time by the editors of PWI...Watching the Fabs against the Moondogs reminded me of the stories I've heard about how crucial the Moondogs were in getting the Fabs over to the masses. It was easy for the girls to love them, but the feud with the Moondogs established Stan and Steve as tough guys too...El Poncho actually wrestled his first ever match for Lethal Attitude Wrestling in Kennett, MO. His opponent was Moondog Spot...While I'll never be on a list of managers with Jimmy Hart and Richard Lee, I did have the privilege of managing Moondog Spot in late 2002 at a series of shows we (LAW) did in Marmaduke, AR. I still have the whistle I used during that stint...Speaking of "Mo Money Taxes," if you live in the Memphis area, you've probably seen some of their commercials. Pretty funny stuff...As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts. E-mail me: bptbookings@yahoo.com.
