Bill Watts’ Worst Nightmare, Evil Foreigners 

1. General Skandor Akbar
2. El Corsario
3. Kabuki
4. Killer Khan
5. Kamala
6. Krusher Khruschev
7. Kendo Nagasaki
8. Nikolai Volkoff
9. Boris Zurkhoff
10. Gustavo Mendoza

They Just Never Got Over 

1. Master G
2. Paul Ellering
3. El Corsario
4. Wendell Cooley and Al Perez
5. The Nightmare
6. Edcar Thomas

Managerial Masterminds 

1. General Skandor Akbar
2. Gary Hart
3. Ernie Ladd
4. Sir Oliver Humperdink

It Happened In Mid-South 

1. Buddy Roberts joined Michael Hayes and Terry Gordy as a member of The Freebirds for the first time.
2. The Midnight Express rose to prominence.
3. Junkyard Dog went from just another wrestler to one of the biggest superstars in all of pro wrestling.
4. Ted DiBiase turned heel for the first time.
5. Steve Williams made the move from collegiate to professional stardom
6. Crowds of 20,000+ fans repeatedly filled The Superdome for major spectaculars
7. Jim Ross got his start as an announcer

Our Special Guest Stars, Non-Regulars Who Made Shots in Mid-South 

1. Dusty Rhodes
2. Kerry Von Erich
3. Andre The Giant
4. Chris Adams
5. Sgt. Slaughter
6. Mil Mascaras
7. Ric Flair
8. Jerry Lawler

Who Were Those Masked Men? 

1. The Grappler
2. Humongous
3. Masked Superstar
4. The Midnight Rider
5. Mil Mascaras
6. Mr. Olympia
7. Mr. Wrestling II
8. The Nightmare
9. Stagger Lee
10. Super Destroyer

People Who Turned On Friends 

1. Ted DiBiase on JYD in 1982
2. Butch Reed on JYD in 1983
3. Mr. Wrestling II on Magnum TA in 1984
4. Buddy Landel on Butch Reed in 1984
5. The Samoans on Ernie Ladd in 1981

Wrestlers With The Most North American Title Reigns in the Mid-South Era 

1. Ted DiBiase – 5
2. Junkyard Dog – 4
3. Butch Reed – 2
4. Mr. Wrestling II – 2
5. Dick Slater – 2

The Most Tag Team Reigns 

1. The Rock n Roll Express – 3
2. The Wild Samoans – 3
3. Steve Williams and Ted DiBiase – 2
4. Junkyard Dog and Dick Murdoch – 2
5. Ernie Ladd and Leroy Brown – 2

Most TV Title Reigns 

1. Terry Taylor – 2 

Forgotten Titles 

Many people have forgotten that Mid-South Wrestling recognized Louisiana and Mississippi Heavyweight Titles from 1979 to early 1983. Both belts were actually holdovers from the Tri-States era and served as secondary singles titles before the creation of the TV Title. At the time these belts were initially recognized, Mid-South only promoted in those two states. Mr. Olympia held the Mississippi Title 3 times while Mike George, The Grappler and Iron Mike Sharpe were all 2 time champs. Multiple Louisiana Champs were Junkyard Dog with 3 reigns. Ernie Ladd and Iron Mike Sharpe held the title twice each. The Assassin held the title twice during 1978, but that was during the Tri-States era. 

What About Arkansas, Oklahoma and Houston? 

Oklahoma and Arkansas would not be a part of the promotion until Leroy McGuirk closed his group in 1982. Paul Boesch increasingly booked Mid-South talent in Houston, but in the late 1970s and early 1980s used a lot of talent from Southwest along with big stars like Nick Bockwinkel, Dusty Rhodes, and Mil Mascaras.  

The TV Title Medallion 

Rather than a belt, a large gold medallion represented the TV Title. It was not uncommon for trophies or even jackets to represent a title, but as far as I can remember, no other pro wrestling title has used a medal as the symbol of the championship. The medal met an untimely end in early 1986 when Dick Slater threw it into a river. He was forced to pay for the UWF TV Title belt that replaced it, thus ending one pro wrestling’s more interesting quirks. 

A Forgotten Supercard 

On Labor Day 1985, Mid-South held Tulsa Wrestlefest at, I believe, Skelly Stadium. Some clips and matches made TV, but I’ve never seen the full results or attendance. The card has been forgotten by history and is rarely mentioned. Does anyone have the information? 

The Mouth of the South 

In this case The Mouth of the South was not Jimmy Hart, but rather comedian Jerry Clower. In the fall of 1983 Clower brought his rustic brand of humor to Mid-South when he appeared mid ring at the Irish McNeill Boys Club to perform a standup routine for the assembled crowd and the TV audience. 

The Greatest 

On June 1, 1985 Muhammad Ali seconded The Snowman as he retained his Mid-South TV Title against Jake Roberts. When some heels inevitably interfered, Ali dropped them one by one with his punches. Jake was a different matter. Roberts initially no sold Ali’s worked punches and even danced his own version of the Ali Shuffle. This did not exactly endear Jake to Cowboy Bill Watts. 

NEXT MONTH:

In our next edition we’ll have another round up article with a variety of recaps of memorable feuds, matches, and angles.