The King Shine's Like Ice, and Glares His Eyes

Jerry Lawler v. Tommy Rich SPW 10/2/88 - EPIC

This is an AWA title match in Southern Championship Wrestling in GA. Tommy Rich has turned heel and is accompanied by Mr. Donnie a hollow eyed junky biker, who clearly is Rich's IRL black tar dealer. He is such an amazing scummy second, he sits there at ringside half into a nod, but it still feels like he could pull out a sharpened screwdriver at any minute and shank Lawler in the kidneys. The match is a true hidden Lawler gem, it feels like something which would have finished top 10 in a Memphis set if it was in Mid South Coliseum. Rich is a guy who doesn't have nearly the footage available of his peer, but every big match we have is great. I imagine if more GA arena footage was available, or if more of his big Memphis matches were available he would be considered one of the top workers of the 80's. The match has a cool Lawler title match feel with both guys starting slow and finding ways to sneak in right hands around lock ups and headlocks. Rich gets the advantage choking Lawler with tape and unloading a really pretty suplex, a neckbreaker and a bulldog. Rich is such a great heel, he can cheat and cheap shot with the best, but deliver some really nasty offense if he needs to, all with a totally sleazy smile on his face and a goateed tweaker sitting at ringside ready to snap. Lawler counters a second bulldog by throwing Rich into the cameraman who gets wiped out in an awesome visual. They move into a super hot finish run with some very big near moves including Rich planting Lawler with a piledriver, Rich cracking his hand on the ringpost and Lawler dropping the strap and being The King. Finish is excellent, Lawler missed his second rope fist drop, Rich cracks him with a chain. Lawler gets his foot on the ropes just to have it thrown off by Mr. Donnie. Rich gets awarded the AWA title and the crowd goes batshit. They surround the ring screaming at the ref and Rich. The promoter reverses the decision, and Rich snaps and starts kicking everyones ass, I really expected Mr. Donnie to pull out a straight razor. The crowd is smacking the ring mat and it really feels like a riot. Spectacular discovery, and a hell of a spectacle.

Jerry Lawler v. Mark Henry 9/22/96 - GREAT

This is Herny's debut match and it is fun to watch Lawler work around basically a non-wrestler. We get some classic Lawler shit talking (suggesting Henry go back to the Olympics for javelin catching), we also get to see him pretend to clock Henry with a chain (I love imaginary chain Lawler, even more then actual chain Lawler). Mostly though it's Lawler bumping huge for all of Henry's power spots, including taking an enormous flying bump to the floor after a sidestepped shoulder tackle. Finish is amusing too as Henry squashes the New Rockers and Hunter Hearst Helmsley. Nice demonstration on how to get someone over.

Jerry Lawler v. Michael Cole WWE 4/3/11 - FUN

Hard not to at least enjoy a big time Jerry Lawler match, and Cole's orange outfit with headgear was amazingly douchey. I really enjoyed the beginning of the match with Lawler bumping Cole around the Cole Mine, but the match died with Cole on offense. There was really no reason for this match to go on as long as it did. I was amused at Cole's Swagger bomb, but it felt like there was endless stomping of the ankle. You never saw Jimmy Hart v. Lawler or Kaufman v. Lawler go this long, and there was a reason for that. Lawler unloading on Cole was fine, although the ankle lock finish was kind of dumb. This needed a piledriver and that would have brought the crowd back. Post match Austin stuff, was post match Austin stuff, although I did dig Straight Edge Lawler playing with his beer and not drinking it. He was like a college freshman trying to moderate his first bender. Should have been better, but ultimately fine.

COMPLETE AND ACCURATE KING