Jerry Lawler vs Dutch Mantell (CWA - 3/22/1982)

I actually like this even better than the barbed wire match. I rated it 5 stars the last time I watched it, which seems pretty high. I think I need to rewatch but this is Lawler at his classic best.

I blamed poor video quality for being a bit more lukewarm on the match. I would say my real issue was a lack of familiarity with the style. I find that I need to watch a handful of matches of a particular wrestler or style before I can really sink my teeth into the match. So I tend to underrate the first matches I watch of a wrestler and style. This was definitely the case here as I absolutely loved this match on this go around.


Background: Lawler was entangled in his interminable feud with Jimmy Hart and his First Family. He had recruited the Dirty Dutchman to help him wrestle these men in tag team matches. Then one night, the Mantell walks out on Lawler as he is being battered by the First Family. Next week on TV, Lawler calls Dutch yellow and wants to know why he walked out. Dutch noted that it was Lawler’s mouth that got him in trouble and he was tired of fighting Lawler’s battles. Dutch also feels as though Lawler disrespected him by not acknowledging his prowess in the ring. All in all, it is not most unreasonable thing someone has said. Lawler, is pissed because someone he trusted to have his back left him to the jackals. This is when wrestling is at its best, two men who in their own mind have merit to their grounds, but at the same time it is a very contentious issue. Most of the crowd sides with Lawler as he instigates the first brawl. So after a month or so of matches, Lawler and Mantell were contracted to square off in Memphis, TN for the Southern Heavyweight Title in a No Disqualification Match. This was about as close you would get to face vs face in the early 80s. Lawler was positioned as the babyface, but the Dutchman definitely had his supporters.


Lawler starts off hot with some beautiful punches and has Mantell rocking. Lawler has some of the prettiest, worked punches ever thrown. They even work in a spot where Dutch whiffs on a kick when Lawler telepgraphs the back body drop, which is a neat little spot I have never seen before. Lance Russell, the Voice of Memphis, even notes how peculiar this fast start is for Lawler given that he is normally slow-starter. He reasons out that it must due to the nature of this heated feud that Lawler just wants to beat the ever-lovin piss out of Dutch and there is no time like the present. I paraphrased that, but you get the gist. Lawler even busts out an enziguri much to the delight of the crowd!!! Dutch takes a powder as he attempts to adjust his strategy. Well when in a No DQ, might as well as grab a steel chair. Lawler ends up with the chair and throws outside the ring and hits Dutch in the shoulder. I am a total sucker for chair throws because they always look so damn violent. Then Dutch totally ups him with the Mother of All Chair Throws: hurling the chair across the ring into the King’s knee with pinpoint accuracy and brutality.


Mantell takes over and lays Lawler to waste with punches before applying the Spinning Toehold. Lawler punches Mantell's knee to break free and comes back with his own punches. Mantell dives on the knee and then switches gears to open a cut above the eye of Lawler. He makes up for his lack of creative offense by keeping Lawler on the outside and busting him over the eye. Lawler’s selling is elicits sympathy from the raucous crowd that try to urge him. A great spot is Lawler whiffing on the desperation right and you feel the end is near for our hero. Loved that spot on the second go-around. Dutch gets a two off a vertical suplex and there is all like “Lets quit fuckin around” and pulverizes Lalwer with a chair, BUT Lawler gets his foot on the ropes. Mantell is really hot after Jerry breaks pinfalls off of a knee drop, a PILEDRIVER (Memphis Death Move), and a splash. Great heat segement sequence. Lawler Up and Strap Down and Full Steam Ahead. Rights and lefts leave the Dirty Dutchman reeling and then he sends him into the post for retribution. The crowd is feeling it, but Lawler gets greedy and Dutch catches him with knees on his second splash attempt.


Into the finish, we go as they are trading rights and lefts. Their heads collide off a Irish whip spot sending Mantell out onto the floor. Lawler has Dutch at his mercy as he punches repeatedly with Mantell using the ropes to hold him from crashing off the apron. Lawler gets greedy again, playing to the crowd for one more punch, Dutch capitalizes with a gut shot and then slingshots over for a sunset flip and the victory. Your Winner and New Southern Heavyweight Champion “Dirty” Dutch Mantell. Several fans celebrate Dutch's victory showing that King did not have unanimous support in Memphis.


I liked that they didn’t run the ropes at all sticking to that real-fight feel that these are two guys that just want to fuck each other up. I like that it was Lawler’s desire to inflict more punishment on Dutch that cost him the match, whereas Dutch was more concerned about winning and thus proving he was the better wrestler. Lawler’s selling was really well done, theatrical enough for the live audience to see it, but not so cheesy that it takes you out of the competition (love that header he took on missing that right). The match had memorable spots like the chair throws. The heat segment was one of the best I have seen in Memphis with Dutch really pouring it on. I think what I really gained on this second watch after having watched over two dozen Lawler matches now was how special this finish was. Lawler's comebacks were a death knell for his opponent and only something crazy like interference would save them from imminent doom. So for someone to actually beat Lawler in the midst of THE VAUNTED LAWLER COMEBACK is a HOLY SHIT momment! Like I said it is because Lawler was being cocky playing to the crowd and wanting to get one more lick in when he had the match won. This was a really interesting dynamic. The finish puts this one over the top for me as the best Memphis match so far and the first Lawler match I am giving *****.