My World with Jeff Jarrett - Moondogs vs. Jarrett and Lawler [Show Notes] (Patreon)

Today on My World we’re going to be going back 30 years to the PWI and Wrestling Observer feud of the year. The Moondogs vs. Jeff Jarrett & Jerry Lawler!

We touched on it briefly last week in our preview Jeff but the notion of hardcore - ultraviolent - wrestling launches from Memphis. FMW doesn’t form without Atushi Onita being in Memphis which doesn’t lead to ECW. Can you give the background on the original concession stand brawl from Tupelo between Jerry Lawler & Bill Dundee against Larry Latham & Wayne Ferris…the Blonde Bombers? Also Wayne Ferris…known as Honky Tonk Man…

Can you explain to not just me but our listeners…this isn’t going to be like when we discuss Vince McMahon, Bruce Prichard putting creative together…but what is the creative process like in Memphis in late 1991, early 1992. Your dad? Lawler?

The history of the Moondogs date back to 1973! The Moondogs you’re about to feud with though - Rex & King - started in October 1980 with the WWF. Rex was actually the first Smash of Demolition but because it wasn’t a drastic gimmick change people still recognized him so they ended up replacing him with Barry Darsow. How would you explain the Moondog gimmick to our listeners who haven’t seen it?

The Moondogs return to Memphis in late 1991 to be managed by Richard Lee. Who’s Richard Lee Jeff?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxifl5TM0G4 Moondogs return promo

In their return to Memphis they win the USWA World Tag Team Titles on November 30th, 1991 in Memphis from Robert Fuller & Mike Mitchell when in a handicap match due to Mitchell not appearing you, Jeff, interfere and cost Fuller the titles by accident. What do you remember of this?

Horror of the Moondogs: Chapter 2 - Fuller & Jarrett Reunite

Was this the first time you met the Moondogs or had you dealt with them in the past?

From the Observer: “Fuller & Mitchell vs. Moondogs, who they claimed were tag team champions in South America. In reality, Moondogs had been working in Mexico as a tag team called The Cannibals. Anyway, Mitchell, as it turned out, lasted less than one week in the territory even though he had won the tag team title belts the previous Monday in Memphis. Fuller went against both men alone. Fuller juiced and got pinned. After the match, Jeff Jarrett, who had broken up his team with Fuller just a few weeks ago and had teased going heel, came out to make the save and the Moondogs jumped him and bloodied him up as well. Jarrett said that he and Fuller were going to reform their tag team and win the belts from The Moondogs, however Sawyer & Masters said they had earned the title shot for Monday night. So after everyone calmed down, they agreed to put Fuller & Jarrett vs. Masters & Sawyer on television with the winning team getting a title shot, and Jarrett & Fuller won via DQ when Moondogs interfered and they did a four-on-two on Jarrett & Fuller.”

So when I researched this it was they won the tag titles by DQ but Meltzer here has it as a double team. So you tell me Jeff because we couldn’t find any footage of it. Do you remember how it happened?

What happened with Mike Mitchell?

Were you going to turn heel at the time and it was backed off or was this just something fiction writer Dave was told and it didn’t happen?

Horror of the Moondogs: Chapter 3 - The Church Key Incident

Jeff there’s a lot of blood in these angles - and you’re doing TV on a Saturday morning at 10 am - was there any risk to doing this?

Did you know this was going to be a “blood feud” from the start?

Were they safe to work with? I mean they had been around forever so they knew how to work but you never know right?

Is there a plan in mind or goal for you out of this or is this just another program?

Horror of the Moondogs: Chapter 6 - Spike to the Rescue

Teaming with Fuller here again…what was that like?

From the Observer regarding December 9th at the Mid South Coliseum: “Moondogs (Larry "Spot" Booker & Bill "Spike" Smithson) retained the USWA tag team titles beating Jeff Jarrett & Robert Fuller when Spot came off the middle rope with a bone to the throat on Fuller who was "injured" and will be taking a few weeks off.”

Do you remember why Fuller was being written out? Was the plan to replace him with Lawler at this point?

Horror of the Moondogs: Chapter 7 - Taking out the Stud

Awesome Kong saves you during a TV taping from the Moondogs. This isn’t the Awesome Kong we all know from TNA much later on…but Dwayne McCullough. What do you remember of Dwayne? He was only around for a short amount of time.

Horror of the Moondogs: Chapter 8 - Oh no! It's Awesome Kong

Robert Fuller cuts a promo promising revenge and returning and then you get abused for it! Hanging was a thing back in the day for heels but we can’t do that anymore can we Jeff?

Horror of the Moondogs: Chapter 10 - A Promo & A Hangin'

You team with Fuller at the Mid South Coliseum again to take on the Moondogs. Doing these matches over and over again - do they ever get old?

Horror of the Moondogs: Chapter 13 vs Jarrett & Fuller from MSC

Then on TV you team up again with Fuller who returns from his injury to take on Jeff Gaylord & the Sandman. YES THAT SANDMAN. Moondogs attack but this time the babyfaces get the advantage and bloody up the Moondogs. Was it time for the babyfaces to get the comeuppance?

Horror of the Moondogs: Chapter 14 - Enter (and exit) Sandman

Now earlier we talked about how creative in the WWF and bigger promotions were different than Memphis. Not talking about long term planning but were there thoughts or a goal in mind for the finish and end of the program and then filling in from there?

Now also a main difference is how you’re covered. There’s no real office spies or leaks and Meltzer or Wade calling around to get the backstage gossip and rumor and innuendo. If it’s not someone calling Dave or Wade with the results … and as you say all the time they weren’t always correct … it’s not like you’re getting the coverage. Was it nice to not have that inside eye on the company and inner dealings?

When do you think your dad and Wade started communicating? Before, during, after this time?

Kicking off 1992 - are you mapping out the storyline for the year? Week by week? When is it decided to put Lawler in the angle?

In my research I was watching some of the Moondogs squashes from TV and they’re killing people. Did they have a reputation of taking liberties and working stiff with some of the underneath guys?

On January 6th and 7th in Memphis & Louisville the Moondogs beat you & Fuller. Why was the shift made away from Fuller?

Horror of the Moondogs: Chapter 17 - It's not who bleeds the most, it's who bleeds last!

You end up cutting promos next to Fuller for a bunch of weeks. How good was Fuller and how much were you able to learn from him?

Horror of the Moondogs: Chapter 18 - The Concession Stand Brawl in Kennett

From the Observer: “The biggest thing from here is one of those tape collectors must-gets which took place on 1/17 in Kennet, MO and aired Saturday on WMC-TV in Memphis. It started as a tag team match with The Moondogs vs. Jeff Jarrett & Robert Fuller. Fuller ended up being taken out of action when manager Richard Lee busted a garbage can over his head. Jerry Lawler made the save and he and Jarrett brawled with the Moondogs all over the building and into the concession stands with mustard, broken glass (Jarrett's shoulder bled real bad), brooms, broken coke bottles, broken tables, etc. This was reminiscent of the famous concession stand brawl of the late 1970s with Lawler and Bill Dundee against Wayne Farris (Honkytonk Man) and Larry Latham (now one of the Moondogs) and the early 1980s with Atsushi Onita & Masa Fuchi vs. Ricky Morton & Eddie Gilbert.”

Jeff what do you remember of this? How bad was the shoulder cut? When something like this happens do you walk around the building and talk about what you’re going to do or is it all “called on the fly.”

Was the goal to reenact those brawls with a modern twist?

In Memphis on the 13th the Moondogs defeat you & Fuller, then again in Louisville the next day, and then on the 20th in Memphis there’s a blood bath according to Meltzer between the Moondogs and you & Lawler.

Horror of the Moondogs: Chapter 22 - Farewell Fuller

Fuller is taken really out of this storyline now. Do you remember why?

Horror of the Moondogs: Chapter 23 - Hello Lawler

First things first - the matches running the loop. Do you try to switch it up in different towns? Do you try and do the same match? Were Memphis and Louisville different towns that reacted differently?

Now the match on the 20th in Memphis - what goes into putting a “blood bath” together. When it comes to juice - is it a conversation coming from your father that we need blood, does it come from Lawler, or is it just the 4 of you sitting down and saying we’re going to bleed all over the building tonight?

Horror of the Moondogs: Chapter 24 Lawler & Jarrett vs Moondogs 1 of 2

Horror of the Moondogs: Chapter 24 Lawler & Jarrett vs Moondogs 2 of 2

Does red = green in your mind?

When Lawler is involved it seems there’s more likely to be a blood bath compared to when you teamed with Fuller. Did you find that to be the case?

What were the differences about putting a match together with Fuller compared to Lawler?

Horror of the Moondogs: Chapter 26 - Why Lawler Joined the Feud

Horror of the Moondogs: Chapter 28 - The Mummy's Revenge

Here’s where it gets interesting Jeff. From the Observer: “The "Attempted Murder and Attempted Rape Hour" took place on television this past Saturday. It all started rather innocently when The Moondogs destroyed a few jobbers and beat them up after the match with chair shots. They then aired a clip from the previous Saturday night from Memphis with Jerry Lawler & Jeff Jarrett vs. Moondogs for the USWA tag team titles. Richard Lee pulled the old 1983 Andy Kaufman routine of coming to the ring all bandaged, but it wasn't really Lee. Jarrett was pounding on the bandaged up fake Richard Lee when the real Richard Lee came out and interfered leading to Jarrett getting pinned. The next clip from the Coliseum (which on 1/25 drew 1,300 fans and a $7,700 house which is considerably better than usual) saw Eric Embry defend the Southern title against Tony Anthony. Embry brought in handcuffs and somehow Anthony reversed things and Embry got himself handcuffed to the ropes. At this point Anthony pulled down Embry's trunks and Dirty White Girl came out and whipped Embry with a belt. At this point they went back live to television and Embry and valet C.J. came out and were furious and it wound up with Tony Falk handcuffing Anthony to the ropes while Eric went to get revenge on Dirty White Girl. Embry started trying to rip off her clothes, and ripped her top off (revealing the dreaded black bra) and before he could get her pants off, Lawler and Jarrett made the save. I guess they are just trying to be topical since the Tyson trial is the biggest thing in the news in Indiana.

They announced the return of Austin Idol which should have picked the gate up for the 2/2 afternoon card since Idol has always been a good draw in Memphis. Anyway, Idol was supposed to be at television but he hadn't arrived. Lawler did a squash match and The Moondogs jumped him with Jarrett making the save. Richard Lee came in, followed by Robert Fuller, followed by a new heel called The Flaming Star (no idea who). Star threw fire at Fuller. Finally Idol showed up having "just arrived in the building" and cleaned house using his briefcase. During the face comeback, Idol's briefcase opened and Lawler threw shaving cream on the Moondogs.

Then came the attempted murder interview. Idol did one of those all-time classic interviews (Idol is the one who taught Paul E. Dangerously how to do an interview) and said that Richard Lee had sent someone to sabotage his private airplane and called it an attempted murder. Dave Brown, who does the weather on the news for Ch. 5 in Memphis said, "If that's true, those are some serious allegations."”

Horror of the Moondogs: Chapter 30 Four Flat Tires..the 1992 version and a money promo

Alright Jeff there’s so much to unpack there I’m not entirely sure where to start. What do you remember of this era?

Idol ends up teaming with Lawler on the 2nd of February while you beat Lee in a cage match. Can you explain to our listeners Austin Idol and his impact in the Memphis territory before his return?

Working Lee has to be a night off from the bloodbaths right? Was breaking Lee’s arm in the cage match something to build heat or was it time to get one over on the heels?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDXMyx5fYNo

The Big Black Dog debuts in the Moondogs.

Horror of the Moondogs: Chapter 32 The Big Black Dog

Who is the Big Black Dog for our listeners? And holy shit Jeff you couldn’t do this today could you?

Horror of the Moondogs: Chapter 33 Lawler's BVDs

Now we get to an infamous angle with you & Lawler coming out in suits and the Moondogs attack and strip you both of them. Did your dad reimburse you guys for the suits?

Is this all just Memphis booking 101? I mean between ether, fire, broken arms it’s all the same sort of creative right?

You & Lawler come out to build another Monday night at the Mid-South Coliseum match against the Moondogs. How big were the Monday shows and why were they the focus for the terrority?

Horror of the Moondogs: Chapter 35 Things will be equal Monday night

In Memphis on February 10th The Moondogs & the Big Black Dog team up and defeat you, Lawler & Austin Idol when the Black Dog pins Lawler. What was he like to work with?

Horror of the Moondogs: Chapter 36 Six Man Mayhem

From the Observer: “The Moondogs vs. Lawler & Jarrett matches have been the wildest and best brawls on major circuits in the country since the Eddie Gilbert vs. Cactus Jack matches (better than Sting vs. Cactus matches). Since it's so different from what is being done in the other promotions, it's quite refreshing to watch it, although the quadruple juice just seems to be something that should be obsolete for health reasons.”

Here we are 30 years later and all the juice is still in wrestling. Has your perspective on blood changed?

Meltzer credits the revitalization of the terrority on the Moondogs. Would you agree with that?

What was so different about the Moondogs?

With business increasing is your pay increasing? Are you feeling the effects of it in picture money?

JYD ends up coming in and works a 6-man with you and Lawler against the Moondogs & the Black Dog. What was JYD like?

Horror of the Moondogs: Chapter 43 Breaking a Dog's Leg

You end up breaking the Black Dog’s leg and running him off. Why the short time for him?

According to the Observer you actually end up getting hurt with a legit back injury in March that took place in the gym and not in the ring. What do you remember of this injury and how it happened?

Koko B. Ware takes your place while you’re injured. What was Koko like in those days?

All the enhancement talent that the Moondogs have been beating up on are coming back as lumberjacks in your return tag match on March 23rd in Memphis with you teaming with Lawler. That’s an awesome little detail. Do you know who’s idea that was?

They all end up getting beat up by the Moondogs anyway but you guys get the win by DQ. You’re back on the road after that in Louisville and Jonesboro doing cage matches. How did it feel to be back?

In Memphis on April 6th you lose to the Moondogs in a tag title match but then you throw them out to win a tag team battle royal. Is it hard to keep your heat when you’re not really getting any pinfall victories over them?

Eric Embry becomes a player in the feud when the Moondogs beat him up. Your former SuperClash opponent turns babyface but you & Lawler don’t trust him. Embry saves you & Jerry from the Moondogs by throwing powder in their faces, and you & Lawler agree to team with Embry but make him sign a deal that if he turns on you he’d have to leave the USWA for one year. Do you know why Embry was added?

April 13th in Memphis you draw 1,400 for $8000. From the Observer: “Jerry Lawler & Eric Embry & Jeff Jarrett beat Moondogs Spike & Cujo (Bill Smithson & Lanny Kean who worked many years ago in the WWF as Hillbilly Cousin Junior) & Richard Lee. After the match, Moondog Spot (Larry Booker) who is doing an injury gimmick with a patch on his eye I guess from fire, brought in a bubbling deal which was supposedly battery acid to throw at Jarrett (things are getting pretty heavy here, aren't they) but Embry jumped in the way to protect Jarrett and took the acid in the face and eyes and is "injured." They did a great job of grabbing drinks from fans trying to flush his eyes out, etc. and make it look realistic in the building.”

This is such a great angle…and your selling here is fantastic! What do you remember of this?

Why the addition of another Moondog? Were there issues with anyone in particular?

Black Dog returns and turns babyface and saves you. Was the hope to create a new babyface star?

Charlie Trapper comes in and starts teaming with you. What can you tell our listeners about Charlie Trapper?

The Moondogs end up destroying a jobber by the name of Trade Keller…I’m sure that had nothing to do with Wade right?

From the Observer in May: “Lawler & Jarrett vs. Moondogs may be, thus far, the feud of the year, if only because with the exception of Rick Steamboat vs. Rick Rude, can you come up with another feud in wrestling that has had a personal issue and also had consistently top notch matches? The feud seems to be somewhat running its course since how many more weeks can they continue to do the same thing?”

What was it about this feud that you think connected with everyone?

This is the rare feud that not only drives business but “the smart marks” enjoyed. The critical acclaim being slung at you from the Meltzers…does that even land on your radar at the time?

Do you think by June the feud had run its course?

Were you tired of working the Moondogs?

Embry is magically healed from the battery acid and is back to doing 6-mans with you & Lawler. What did Embry add to these matches?

In May on the 18th it’s hinted that if the Moondogs lost to you, Lawler & Embry that they would leave the territory. Were there issues at this time?

You do get the win but the Moondogs do not leave. Would you consider something like this a bait and switch since it was only hinted at?

Global gets involved in the USWA with Bert Prentice leading the charge. Why was Global brought in to do a promotion vs promotion war?

The Moondogs are part of that angle and since their heels they’re used in that way. This is an odd shift to this angle is it not?

Pez Whatley comes in and teams with you in matches against the Moondogs. Tell me about Pistol Pez!

Moondog Spike leaves the USWA in late June but returns in early July. What do you remember of his coming and going?

From the Observer recap on TV for the end of June: “Before a Moondogs squash Marlin said that if the Dogs used a chair, they would be banned from television forever. Of course, the first thing they did was, you got it, used a chair. Announcer Dave Brown came away from the desk and told Richard Lee that the Moondogs were suspended. Lee tried to hit Brown with a chair but color commentator Cory Macklin took the bullet and got hit with a chair. Moondogs and Lee beat up Macklin until Jarrett and Billy Travis came out and in the brawl, Travis juiced. Travis gave Spot one of the hardest guitar shots ever (reminiscent of the shot Jake Roberts took from Honky Tonk Man years ago) and Jarrett ripped Lee's pants off. Spot had a gigantic forehead cut from the guitar shot.”

This guitar shot is BRUTAL. Why get Macklin involved and did he have any issues with it?

What can you tell us about Billy Travis?

“The Moondogs (Spot & Cujo) finally dropped the USWA tag team titles in a cage match on 6/29 to Jerry Lawler & Jeff Jarrett in a match with Jackie Fargo as referee. Fargo's appearance boosted the gate to $9,500 (about 1,800) which may be the largest gate of the year and certainly is the biggest in a while. Finish saw Cujo hold Jarrett and Spot came with the bone, Jarrett moved, Cujo got hit with the bone and Jarrett pinned him.”

The big payoff with the biggest gate! What do you remember of this match and the reaction from the crowd?

The follow up is for Lee to put up his hair for another title match which finally Lee agrees to.

Moondog Spike no-shows that match as he was scheduled to be there for it and supposedly leaves USWA again. When do you find out he won’t be there?

Before we get to that though Jackie Fargo will end up teaming with you & Lawler to take on the Moondogs & Richard Lee. How much of a thrill was it to team with Fargo?

Moondogs get the titles back on July 6th in Memphis when they threw a blue liquid in your eyes and pin you. What are the differences of working with Cujo compared to Spike?

On TV on July 13th this is put together: “Next up was Dave Brown talking about a tag team title match signed for 7/20 with Moondogs once again against Jerry Lawler & Jeff Jarrett. The stipulation is that one of them would have to put up his hair to get the match and neither wanted to so they decided to flip a coin and Jarrett lost, so if they lose, Jarrett gets his head shaved.”

Your hair is a big time stipulation at the time. Were you trying to get everything you could out of this program considering you’re almost 7 months in?

You regain the tag titles by hitting Cujo with a low blow and going for a sunset flip when Cujo grabs the ropes but Frank Morrell kicked his hands off and you get the win.

What was your favorite match during this whole series?

The next week it’s scheduled as a rematch this time for Lee’s hair at stake and Robert Fuller - who’s returned now - to be handcuffed to Lee. Why did Fuller come back do you remember?

The show draws 2,500 paid for a $14,000 house and you keep the titles and get Lee’s hair shaved. Why didn’t see much of Lee anywhere outside of Memphis do you think?

It is around this time your father & Vince McMahon come to an agreement to start working together. That’s a whole topic for a different time but does anything change regarding you during this time?

You trade tag titles with the Moondogs again in a couple shows. Does the constant changing of the titles hurt anybody here?

Moondog Fifi comes into play - which is Diane Von Hoffman - what do you remember of Fifi?

She actually ends up getting her head shaved as well. That…had to be interesting Jeff. Did that take some convincing?

On August 24th in Memphis what is billed as the final match ever between the Moondogs and you & Lawler and you win via DQ. It was time at this point right?

Once they lose to you they’re really gone from the company just weeks later. What happened?

Is this one of your favorite programs in your career?

What did you learn from it?

Are you surprised or shocked when you win Feud of the Year awards?

Was the hope coming out of this feud to finally do you vs. Lawler? How come we never saw that on a bigger scale?

Next week Jeff here on My World we’ll be discussing TNA’s Destination X. Jeff we’ll cover TNA’s Monday Night special without WWE airing Raw, the creation of Elevation X, Andre Rison appearing, Bob Backlund continues to appear in TNA, Raven’s wife creating problems backstage, Mike Awesome passes away, Samoa Joe takes on Christian Cage for the NWA Title, Sting vs. Abyss in a Last Rites match, The Heartbreakers debut, plus the Ghetto brawl between Team 3D and LAX.