----Here is the Memphis TV report by Larry Goodman. I will have my Ratings and Random Thoughts posted later this week!
Recap of Jerry Lawler’s Memphis Wrestling for July 17.
Brandon Baxter and Lauren Jenkins opened standing at the desk. Lauren said Su Yung vs. Ga Ga Girl would happen as promised tonight (and then remembered it was morning in TV land).
Baxter said Jokester laid Lawler out last week, and this week’s main would be a rematch.
The bumper featured Silky Sullivan down on Beale Street.
Again this week, ads aired for Wayne Mashburn, Corey Maclin’s opponent in the race for Clerk of Shelby County.
Brian Christopher and Josephus approached the desk. Baxter said he didn’t want any trouble. Being as obnoxious as humanly possible, Christopher said he didn’t know who at Memphis Wrestling had it in for him, but they sure loved Matt Boyce. Christopher said Boyce got pinned last week and was still in the tournament because the ref reversed the decision, while he got cheated out of his spot, so they were going to send Boyce the hospital to end his tournament hopes.
(1) Matt Boyce & Wolfie D beat Brian Christopher & Josephus via DQ in 4:39. Bert Prentice was on commentary. He informed “Brandy” that Boyce better keep his hands off him because he had friends in very low places. Prentice said he had known Baxter since he was a kid and claimed responsibility for getting him his push in the business with Global Wrestling. “I always thought you were a clever kid, but you have totally demolished all of that and become a Memphis suck up.” Josephus fought off a monkey flip to start heat on Boyce. Wolfie led the crowd in getting behind Boyce. Christopher and Boyce both down on a double clothesline. Wolfie cleaned house, and that was Bert’s cue to call for help. Tommy Mercer hit the ring for the DQ, and it was 3 on 2 until 53 year old Koko B. Ware evened the odds. Ware threw exactly one punch. Josephus took a flat back bump and bailed. So much for the Bruiser Brody comparison.
The bumper was done by Brian Elder from KIX 106 in Memphis.
Lauren introduced the Tax Solutions Superstar Hotline with Sheamus heeling on Lawler and the city of Memphis. “How is this mook still on the air? Huh? I’ve seen more talent in a paper bag.” Sheamus said he was coming down to clean the place up.
The Money in the Bank preview match from the June 28 RAW with Randy Orton & R Truth & John Morrison & Matt Borne vs. Edge & Chris Jericho & Miz & Ted Dibiase aired. It was a 15 minute segment.
White and Ga Ga Girl were ringside with Baxter and Jenkins. White said this was his chance to prove how great the Ga Ga Girl was and make Yung realize she was nothing without him.
(2) Ga Ga Girl (with Kevin White) beat Su Yung in 3:15. Yung’s intro got a strong pop. She turned her back on Ga Ga and got jumped at the bell. Yung came back and repeatedly decked Ga Ga. Every time she went down, it was a major production for Ga Ga to make it back to her feet. Yung did the worst looking headscissors takeover in Memphis wrestling history. Not her fault though. White tripped Yung. Baxter was horrified that a grown man would do such a thing. Finish saw Yung go for a sunset flip. Ga Ga sat down on her and White grabbed Yung’s legs. White taunted Yung. This match was horrible beyond belief.
Commissioner Guy Coffey was at ringside with our peerless announce team. Baxter said Lauren was excited to catch up on the glory days of Memphis wrestling. She asked Coffey who some his favorites were. Coffey said his all-time favorite was “Fabulous” Jackie Fargo.
Cut to old school action featuring The Fabulous Ones (Stan Lane & Steve Keirn) vs. The Inferno & Pat Hutchinson from April 2, 1983. This was a textbook babyface squash match. The Fabs were in their prime. They outsmarted and outwrestled the jobbers every step of the way. Dave Brown handled the play-by-play, and he focused exclusively on calling the action in the ring.
They ran an excerpt of the Tom Savini video from last week where he accused Lawler of killing Andy Kaufman and promised payback.
Baxter and Jenkins stood up for Lawler’s entrance. “Hollywood” Jimmy Blaylock was offended by this. Baxter said he hoped to do an interview, but Lawler didn’t feel he was up to it after Blaylock jabbed his cane into The King’s throat last week.
(3) Jerry Lawler beat The Jokester (with Jimmy Blaylock) via count out in 2:52 . Match was all Jokester pounding and choking Lawler, while Blaylock babbled on about his hatred for The King. Out of nowhere, Lawler threw a fireball in Jokester’s face. That looked great. Jokester rolled out of the ring covering his face. Jokester and Blaylock beat a retreat, as Bruno counted Jokester out.
Baxter and Jenkins closed. Baxter said next week’s show would feature Ware, Christopher and mixed tag action: Lawler & Yung vs. White & Ga Ga Girl.
Afterthoughts: Things appeared to be headed in the right direction with the first episode shot at this taping, but the last two weeks have been disappointing. More ring time was devoted to the WWE match than all three of the Memphis matches combined, and the quality of the Fabs wrestling beat anything the current matches had to offer. There’s no point in pretending that Memphis isn’t the minor leagues, but is it really necessary to shout it from the highest mountain top? On the positive side, the major pushes that Boyce and Yung are getting both seem to be taking. Yung’s match with Ga Ga was one of the worst ever, and there was little Yung could do about it, because Ga Ga can’t work at all. The tag match was good stuff. Josesphus is incredibly green. Thank heavens Wolfie and Chistopher were in there to guide him through. It’s a storyline that leaves me cold, but the Savini/Jokester stuff last week was the highest rated quarter hour since the return of Memphis Wrestling (a 1.3). Not only is it built on something that took place over 25 years ago, but we’re being asked to buy into the idea that the feared bad ass villain is a 60 year old Hollywood make up artist. The best thing about the show was Prentice in the role of heel color commentator. His health was in severely bad shape not long ago, but you would never know it from his work here.
