Corey Maclin is joined by Jerry "The King" Lawler as this week's show was filmed at Minglewood Hall. Jerry gave us a little background history of the building, stating that not only was it the old Strings N Things location, but it was also an old Tasty Bread Bakery, years and years ago. Corey Maclin said they are hoping to put together some live wrestling television shows, again. Corey told Jerry they need to do that by this summer. Coming up on the program, we will take a look at two guys that will be inducted into this year's WWE Hall of Fame, Terry Funk and "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware. Corey and Jerry plan on talking to Koko on the phone, later in the program. Lawler announced that he will be hosting this year's WWE Hall of Fame Ceremony in Houston, Texas, on the night before WrestleMania. They are also going to show some footage from Minglewood Hall involving Su Yung and Renee. Jerry stated that, apparently, now an actual match between these two is going to take place. Woohoo! Also in action, we will take a look at "Wildfire" Tommy Rich. Jerry added that he may be making a return to Memphis Wrestling at Minglewood Hall. There will also be a classic Opening the Vaults featuring "The King" taking on Nick Bockwinkel.
They show a graphic advertising that the next Memphis Classic Wrestling live event at Minglewood Hall will take place on Thursday, April 16th. Minglewood Hall is located at 1555 Madison Ave. Ticket info: Box office open from 10-4 or call, toll free 866-609-1744. You can also check out minglewood.com. They showed this throughout the show.
They recap the time when Corey Maclin brought in Terry Funk to take out Jerry "The King" Lawler and "The Mouth of the South" Jimmy Hart. This video package included: Corey making "The Boogie Woogie Man" Handsome Jimmy Valiant the special guest referee after Lawler and Hart cut off his beard. There was also a classic Terry Funk video of him making some funny faces, Funk popping up in the casket in the studio, and putting Lawler's backside on fire with his branding iron at the Mid-South Coliseum.
Next was some action from the last show that was held at Minglewood Hall, featuring the unscheduled hott catfight between Su Yung and Renee. Rawr! Following the footage, Jerry guaranteed that coming up on Thursday, April 16th, there will be no snow, but there will be a lot of hot action because already booked in a match, it will be Renee against Su Yung. Jerry heard that Su Yung has told Kevin White that she was going to open up a can of Godzilla on Renee.
Corey and Jerry spoke with the newest inductee of the WWE Hall of Fame, "The Birdman" Koko B. Ware. Jerry said he didn't know that Koko and The Honky Tonk Man were so tight, since he was inducting him. Lawler added that he was ashamed to admit it, but Honky Tonk Man is his first cousin. Koko said they started out together with the late Larry Latham, so Wayne has got a little bit of history about him and He's got a little history about The Honky Tonk Man. Koko said he couldn't ask for a better person to induct him, besides "The King". Koko thanked Jerry and Plowboy Frazier, who was so instrumental in getting him started in the business. Koko remembered when Plowboy took him over to Blytheville, Arkansas, and told Jerry that he needed to take a look at this kid because he's a good prospect in our business. Later that night, Koko wrestled "Cowboy" Frankie Laine. Following the match, Jerry came over and asked Koko, "What are you doing tomorrow? I would like for you to come to Memphis tv." Koko said for his first debut on Memphis Wrestling, "The King" put him in there with the biggest, meanest guy that ever walked on this earth, Joe Leduc. Koko described the experience, "Man! Joe Leduc tossed me around like I was yesterday's garbage, but he taught me a whole lot." Koko said he thought he was in the WWE, back then. Corey asked Koko if they could do a special one-on-one interview with him in the next couple weeks. Koko said he would be happy to and thanked all the wrestling fans in Memphis that made it all possible. While the interview was taking place, they were showing clips of Stagger Lee in action.
Following the break, Jerry said he asked Koko what he was doing on April 16th and said it would be great to have WWE's newest Hall of Famer, here at Minglewood Hall.
Corey and Jerry talked about "Wildfire" Tommy Rich. Jerry heard that "Dangerous" Doug Gilbert has gone out and contacted "Wildfire" Tommy Rich, asking him to come in here on April 16th to be his partner. Corey said that Brian Christopher would have to find himself a partner. Jerry was quick to inform Corey that Brian wouldn't have to look far because "The King's" got a lot of unfinished business with "Wildfire" Tommy Rich that dates back to when Rich hid under the ring, during a cage match between Lawler and Austin Idol, when Jerry's hair was at stake. Rich showed up at the most opportune time and that was the first time Jerry got his head shaved. So, Lawler stated, "Anytime "Wildfire" Tommy Rich comes back in here and needs an opponent, all you gotta do is look for "The King."
Clip of "Wildfire" Tommy Rich in action against Randy Rose with Paul E. Dangerously in his corner. When Rose got in trouble, Dangerously started calling someone on his trusty phone. Soon after, Austin Idol ran in and began a vicious attack on his former partner, Rich. Idol, Rose and Dangerously opened Rich up. He was sporting a crimson mask.
Back in the studio, Corey said they put together a collage of matches between Lawler and Nick Bockwinkel. Jerry said that to him, Nick Bockwinkel was the best AWA Champion ever and there's certain guy's that when you wrestle against them, while the match is going on, you're almost just in awe of them. They seem to be so smooth and their moves are so effortless and they know every hold and every counter hold. Lawler continued, "Dory Funk Jr. was like that and Nick Bockwinkel. I mean, he was like a machine in there. The guy had a great personality. He was very articulate. He carried himself like a real world champion. Of course, Bobby Heenan, his manager, was a little different story, but Nick Bockwinkel was first class, all the way. He was so articulate that it was a struggle for him to talk down to the wrestling fans. Yeah, I mean I loved wrestling against him. I just saw Nick in Las Vegas, Nevada. Looks fantastic. I'm telling ya. You're gonna see this video. He looks exactly, today, as he did back then." Corey said maybe we need to get him here soon in Memphis, so maybe we can have another Jerry Lawler/Nick Bockwinkel match. Jerry answered, "You know, I talked to him about that. He said he declined."
Opening the Vaults featuring The Best of Memphis Classic Wrestling with a world title bout between Nick Bockwinkel and Jerry "The King" Lawler. During the match, Jim Cornette came to ringside, but Referee Jerry Calhoun forced him to go to the back. While the ref was distracted, Jimmy Hart appeared, pushing Lawler off the top rope. Bockwinkel covered Lawler. Calhoun counted to two, but then stopped to look under the ring, where he spotted Jimmy Hart. Calhoun called for the bell and declared Lawler the winner, by disqualification.
Corey and Jerry plugged minglewoodhall.com. Corey said that's where you can get tickets for Thursday, April 16th, when wrestling returns to Minglewood Hall or you can pick them up at the box office that's open from 10-4. They said the entire card should be finalized by next week. Jerry also mentioned www.kinglawler.com and asked Corey if he had a website. Corey answered that he don't as of yet, but there's one hanging in the balance, that will be coming up, soon. Then, Jerry asked Corey whether he had a MySpace or Facebook. Corey said he didn't have neither one, but he's got a Blackberry. Lawler confirmed that he doesn't have a MySpace or Facebook account, mentioning how there is an imposter on Facebook that has a lot of friends and has put up photos of him, but it's not the real King. Jerry "The King" Lawler and Corey Maclin ended the show, by saying, they would see everyone, next week.
Credit: D-Rock @ www.wrestlingnewscenter.com
