June 13, 1981 Southeastern Championship Wrestling Television Show Review
By: Karl Stern (@dragonkingkarl, @wiwcool, karl@whenitwascool.com)
We continue our look at the NWA Southeastern Championship Wrestling promotion and television program from 1981. This week we only have a partial episode so let's join it in progress. If you missed last week click here.
We have a several week run of shows on YouTube so we are getting some continuity going now. Ray Candy has just come into the area and the top heels remain Dennis Condrey, Randy Rose, Ron Bass, Mr. Saito, and Jimmy Golden. The top babyfaces are Bob Armstrong, Ron Fuller, Ken Lucas, and Mr. Olympia. Announcer Les Thatcher has left the area and has been replaced by Al Roberts whom I have no memory of.
Jimmy Golden is out at the desk and is now putting a $10,000 bounty on Ron Fuller. He had previously put a bounty on Robert Fuller and Mr. Saito collected it by putting Robert out with the Japanese sleeper causing Robert "brain damage" (their term). Now it's Ron's turn to be hunted and Golden is waving around a hand full of cash.
The first match is in the ring: Mr. Saito verses Ron Maxwell. Maxwell is a new enhancement worker not previously seen in the area. Fresh meat for Saito. Maxwell has a hard time getting in flow with Saito and Saito isn't having any of it and pretty much leg screws him to death until he can finally get it together. Saito finally suplexes him half to death for the win.
Ron Fuller comes out to the desk where we learn he has won the NWA Southeastern title from Mr. Saito this past week and dedicates the win to his injured brother Robert Fuller.
We then watch the video from one of the arenas of Ron winning the title. Charlie Platt always vaguely referred to the videos as "from the arenas" without specifying which arena they were talking about. That served a couple of purposes, one of which was, they sometimes did multiple title changes in multiple cities without acknowledging it so "your town" thought it got an important title change when, in truth, they had did the same title change around the circuit. Another reason is to give you more incentive to go out to the arena because a title could change hands anywhere and you never knew where it might happen.
The match had interference from both Ray Candy and Jimmy Golden. Somebody in the crowd is acting a fool yelling over the video tape for some reason. Ron Fuller blows off Jimmy Golden's bounty saying nobody is going to put him in the hospital.
We get dueling interviews with Jimmy Golden & Mr. Saito and Ray Candy & Ron Fuller. Gist of it is Golden calling Candy fat repeatedly. Ray Candy plays a simpleton friend of the children type character giving out candy to kids.
Interview with Dennis Condrey & Randy Rose interview at the desk with Charlie Platt. Condrey & Rose remain the NWA Southeastern tag team champions. Apparently there is some sort of revenge that Condrey & Rose got on Mr. Olympia & Ken Lucas but Platt won't show the video because it is too violent and Condrey & Rose (still not yet called the Midnight Express) say they are going to get their lawyers involved.
Stan Lane is now at the desk to review a match against Bill Dundee from the Mid-South Coliseum in Memphis, TN. It is somewhat unusual for them to show out of the territory matches on the show but every once in a while we get to see something from Mid-South or Memphis. Apparently, Lane has lost the NWA U.S. Junior title to Bill Dundee in a rare out of the territory title change. Bill Dundee wins with a cross body block off the middle rope. Stan Lane was actually quite a great heel singles wrestler and promo. You wouldn't know that from his later Midnight Express run but Lane could have been a pretty big singles heel.
We get a remote interview with the legendary Lance Russell talking to Bill Dundee about winning the NWA U.S. Junior title. Bill Dundee is apparently coming in for a short stint as the champion. I don't think Dundee was in for very long.
We now go to Personality Profile as Charlie Platt interviews Jimmy Golden, Ron Bass, and Mr. Saito. Platt is pressing Golden about putting a bounty on people. Platt says that International Sports, Inc. ain't really happy with it. Golden name drops Ernie Ladd and The Funk Brothers during the promo.
Charlie Platt then says that International Sports, Inc. is considering banning Ron Bass' heart punch and Bass pretty much calls them out on their hypocrisy.
Title for our next match: Ray Candy verses The Raider. The Raider is another generic jobber gimmick like El Diablo and The Superstar. Ray Candy squashes him in less than a couple minutes with a middle rope splash.
Bob Armstrong comes out to the desk in a gigantic, oversize foam cowboy hat. He says basically if all it takes to be a cowboy like Bass is a cowboy hat then he is now a cowboy. We then watch video from the arenas between Bob Armstrong and Ron Bass. Bass is now having to wear a brace on his hand after "Bullet" Bob stomped his hand on the mat last week.
They left the TV commercials in on this video and early 1980's commercials were something else.
Bob Armstrong is on a heck of a promo tear this week. "You can call me Ron Bass, you can call me Big Mouth Bass, you can call me Jackass..." Bullet Bob would turn heel in a couple years and it would be amazing. Also, Ron Bass is mad about this promo.
Our TV Main Event is up now: 6 Man Tag Team Match: Brad Armstrong & Ken Lucas & Mr. Olympia (Jerry Stubbs) verses Jimmy Golden & Ron Bass & Stan Lane. This should be a great and wild match and I can't imagine it going to a clean finish. It's a hot match so far mostly with the babyfaces doing hot tags. The crowd is very much into all three of the babyfaces.
We find out during the commentary that Brad Armstrong has won the fictional NWA Rookie of the Year award... in June.
The heels have taken over now with quick tags and working over Brad Armstrong. Brad finally hot tags Mr. Olympia and it's on and turns into a wild brawl. Dennis Condrey & Randy Rose hit the ring which brings out Bob Armstrong and it's all over but the brawlin'.
Rose & Condrey hold Bob Armstrong while Ron Bass hits the heart punch. Suddenly, Bullet Bob ain't so funny as he lays on the floor with slobber running out of his mouth in distress.
Interviews with Jimmy Golden & Ron Bass and Mr. Olympia & Ken Lucas. Brad Armstrong interrupts the interview to vow revenge for his father.
Charlie and Al wrap up the show.
June 13, 1981 (Television Show): Charlie Platt & Al Roberts host...Mr. Saito defeated Ron Maxwell...Ron Fuller interview and video of him winning the NWA Southeastern title from Mr. Saito... Interviews with Jimmy Golden & Mr. Saito and Ray Candy & Ron Fuller... Dennis Condrey & Randy Rose interview... Video of Bill Dundee defeating Stan Lane for the NWA U.S. Junior title... Interview with Bill Dundee by Lance Russell... Interview with Jimmy Golden & Ron Bass & Mr. Saito... Ray Candy defeated The Raider... Bob Armstrong interview and video verses Ron Bass... Bob Armstrong and Ron Bass promos... Jimmy Golden & Ron Bass & Stan Lane battle Mr. Olympia & Ken Lucas & Brad Armstrong to a no contest... Bob Armstrong gets injured by the Ron Bass heart punch... (Referee: Bruce Soronson)
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