Straight Outta Houston: Dick Murdoch, 1961 & Tag Teams in Cages (NWA Classics 24/7)

Danny McShain

I keep beginning the process of starting one of my other early projects for this blog (WON MOTY winners and nominees & The Complete Mark Henry), but I'm trying to keep up with NWA Classics since I'm starting from so far behind (with new stuff added daily). Expect to see some DIFFERENT things this week, but maybe another post or two from NWA Classics 24/7 as well.

12. "Irish" Danny McShain Vs. "Wild" Bull Curry (Paint match) (Slideshow) (3/17/61)

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This isn't a match, but a slideshow narrated by Paul Boesch about the conclusion of a match he photographed way back in the day. Danny McShain appears to be the heel and winner of the match, and thus is allowed to paint Bul Curry green. Curry is a truly crazy looking person, one of the craziest I've ever seen, so it's a bummer we don't get to see him in all his crazy glory in these photos. Anyway, McShain is apparently a real asshole and takes his time painting Curry with a single paintbrush and goading him and making fun of him (all while Curry is apparently crumbling with injury due to a sprained hand or something). McShain gets into it with referee Pepper Gomez (woof, talk about a name), who is imploring McShain to get. on. with. it. so that Curry can get the medical attention he needs. Boesch calls the paint beautiful a few times, Gomez gets frustrated, dumps the entire can on McShain who then continues falling over and over on the mat that looks like it's probably just a wood floor. It's like a real old timey humour movie here (or like when Vince and Shane get beer sprayed on them). Anyway, no rating - kind of funny. NR

13. Ted DiBiase & "Dr. Death" Steve Williams Vs. Los Guerreros (Cage Match) (7/26/85)

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The NWA Classics website mentions in the caption for this match that this is the first between these two teams that led to their feud. However, the Pro Wrestling Only Boards (who have become the authority on this streaming service) list this match as taking place 13 days after the Bandolero match (which clearly doesn't seem like a feud starter either). That match is my highest rated match that we've watched so far (3 stars), and one that I think even more fondly of in the days since I've reviewed it.

The other time I reviewed a Dr. Death match, he demolished Barry Orton (ugh) back in '84 (and as a babyface). 

This match has former NWA junior champ Al Madril as the special guest referee. Usually having a guest referee in a cage match in an NWA ring means they are going to get involved in some capacity. The first things you notice about this match:

1. Ted DiBiase is huge. You forget how big he is when compared to people he teamed with or feuded against in WWF, but just like Randy Orton or other wrestlers through the ages who look "average" in WWF/E, DiBiase is a truly giant human - and before the match starts, you see him jawing with some guy in the front row, which I would find genuinely terrifying.
2. This is a small cage. When DiBiase puts his arms in the air, they are higher than the cage itself. Alarming at first, but exciting because this isn't a match where the focus is to climb the cage and escape, the purpose is to bash your opponents face into some steel.
3. Hector is suddenly blond.

The match starts with Boesch describing it as Texas Tornado rules (no tags) which would make sense, considering the cage, but after a couple minutes of brawling, it goes into a traditional tag match, which he describes as "the way the match was planned". Love me some Boesch. Just like the previous encounter, the entire arena HATES DiBiase while the Guerreros are super over. Like a lot of these early matches I've watched for this project - this one revolves around a lot of punching. There is an occasional slam or throw, but not many holds here. It's not quite a BRAWL, but it's a fight, for sure. Like a lot of DiBiase matches around this time, the narrative for the match begins to revolve around his "loaded glove" which is a gimmick I LOVE, but don't fully understand how he is allowed to use it. Chavo's selling is killer against Dr. Death's punches - something clearly passed down to the next generation in the Guerrero family, but still nothing too exciting is happening. The cage is barely being used at all, USE THE DAMN CAGE! Hector comes in really HOT and the Guerreros are able to clean house, take the glove off DiBiase, get Chavo to put it on and bust open Ted and Steve. This is where the match picks up the pace, a suplex, some pin attempts, and blood. Eventually Madril gets the loaded glove, uses it on Chavo, fast counts em and the match is over. Damn.

Bad ending to a match that didn't ever quite get to the level of the Bandolero on a Pole match, but still entertaining. 2.5 stars

14. Dick Murdoch Vs. The Nightmare (7/26/85)
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The Nightmare comes into the match as the Mid-South North American Heavyweight Champ, which is a pretty big deal. The Nighmare is also better known as Moondog Rex, one of my favorite ridiculous gimmicks of all time. He's a big dude. He's accompanied by Eddie Gilbert, who is getting massive heat. This is a non-title match, though.

Dick Murdoch rules. Dick Murdoch has always ruled. Dick Murdoch is your drunk, overweight uncle who has a little bit of humour and tells stories about beating up "punks" as a kid. Dick Murdoch's nickname is "Captain Redneck" He's no nonsense without being truly intimidating - the best kind of fighter. According to Wikipedia, Murdoch wins the title from The Nightmare about a month after this match, so whatever happens here, Murdoch comes away a winner soon.

There is a lot of stalling that happens in this match (it's clearly setting up a feud), but one thing that is evident early on is just how agile these two are for big dudes. There's a solid irish whip sequence that features some drop-downs and leapfrogs, two things that I definitely did not expect. Murdoch gains and maintains control and Nightmare's frustration mounts. We get to see some of Murdoch's punches, which if you didn't know, have to be in the top 10 of all time. I love Dick Murdoch, I love Randy Colley, this match could be a whole bunch of nothing and I'd still dig it. There is a lot of stalling and making Nightmare out to just be this huge buffoon, including Murdoch rotating Nightmare's mask, causing him to stumble and punch the air wildly. 

Nightmare brings a chair into the ring, but Murdoch is able to dodge and drop him onto the chair with an atomic drop - which is a pretty great spot. At this point, the crowd is so loud that it is pretty hard to even hear the announcing, which I greatly prefer to the current style of television production. Murdoch is super over and awesome, just smashing Nightmare around. It's pretty hard to fathom that The Nightmare is actually the Mid-South champ in 1985 when you have people like DiBiase, Duggan, Jake Roberts, Devastation Inc, One Man Gang, etc. - but it works. About 12 minutes in, Nightmare finally starts to take control of the match and begins hammering on Murdoch. After a ref bump, Eddie Gilbert gets involved but the use of his cane backfires, Murdoch uses it and gets the win.

Very entertaining match, it's always good to see the scummy heels get their comeuppance, and clearly sets up a future title match for Murdoch. 3 stars.

15. Dick Murdoch Vs. Al Perez (10/11/85)
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Within the first minute of this match, there is already more of "technical" feel to it than the Murdoch/Nightmare match. Al Perez is described as a "mat technician" in the caption for the match, and the head scissors and arm wringers to open up the match showcase that.

Worth noting: Murdoch did beat The Nightmare for the North American Heavyweight title in August of 85, only to lose it to Butch Reed 3 days after this match with Perez, in New Orleans.

I don't know much about Al Perez, and have only seen one other match I know of (some short 1989 match with Mike Awesome), but he seems to be fairly well regarded as a "could have been", and this match definitely shows that. He is incredibly smooth in the ring, among the smoothest and most modern looking of any wrestler I've seen in these first 15 videos, and it's really awesome that Murdoch can adjust his brawling style and work with him.

Boesch compares Murdoch to weight lifters from the 1920's and describes him as "rotund" - awesome. 

Murdoch gets Perez on the mat with some cool looking armbars and a double wrist lock, and while I'm not the biggest fan of people NOT moving, and just locking on arm submissions, I think it definitely has a place and after a million matches of essentially just punching, it's a hugely welcome change. Boesch states that sparks "literally flew" from Murdoch's shoulders after kicking out of a inside cradle, which made me chuckle. Eventually, Murdoch throws a belly to back suplex out of a headlock, which is always a move that rules. Perez comes back, tries to roll Murdoch up for a pin, but Murdoch rolls through and sneaks one in on Perez.

Overall, an enjoyable match, but didn't have a main event feel. I walk away wanting to view more Al Perez matches and able to say with confidence that I can imagine Dick Murdoch being one of my favorites of all time some day, but this isn't really a special match. 2.25 stars

Next Time: Some legends, some tags.