Mid-South Wrestling: Week of 12/31/79-1/6/80

For the week ending January 6th, 1980: JYD and the Freebirds hit main eventer status for the first time here, Watts is gunning for Mike George and his North American title & more!

Here's a look at the talent roster along with SPOT ratings and FEUD scores for the week.

Other wrestlers advertised for shows this week but not listed in the SPOT ratings: Jake Roberts. Jake had been "injured" a couple of months earlier in a TV angle with Junkyard Dog; he made sporadic appearances after that time, then would go to Japan for a tour with IWE in February and March. He would return here as a regular in May.

Charlie Cook and Igor Putski returned to the territory after taking breaks over the holidays. Newcomers to the area were Ox Baker and Sonny Driver. Ox had been working in Georgia (while also making shots for Dick the Bruiser, St. Louis and Southeastern). Sonny had been in the AWA as recently as mid-November.

Pork Chop Cash left the territory. His name shows up on some independent shows in Mississippi later in 1980 (along with Tom Shaft, Arman Hussein and others). He next shows up working for Leroy McGuirk's Tri-State territory in mid-1981.

-----

Known house show lineups for the week:

Wednesday - Jackson, MS
-Lumberjack match, Ernie Ladd barred from building: Gino Hernandez vs Junkyard Dog
-Buck Robley & Charlie Cook vs Michael Hayes & Terry Gordy
-Mike Bowyer vs Ted DiBiase
-Bull Ramos vs Mark Totten
-Mike Blood vs Ricky Fields

Thursday - Lafayette, LA
-Special Challenge match: Ernie Ladd vs Junkyard Dog
-Bob Sweetan vs Iron Mike Sharpe
-Jake Roberts vs Sonny Driver
-Chris Curtis vs Steve Hall

Friday - Greenwood, MS
-North American title: Bill Watts vs Mike George
-Bob Sweetan vs King Cobra
-Charlie Cook vs Mike Bowyer
-Ricky Fields vs Sonny Driver

Friday - Shreveport, LA
-Mid-South Tag Team titles: Buck Robley & Junkyard Dog vs Michael Hayes & Terry Gordy
-Louisiana Heavyweight title: Ernie Ladd vs Iron Mike Sharpe
-Tank Patton vs Ted DiBiase
-Chris Curtis vs Ox Baker
-Bull Ramos vs Steve Hall
-Igor Putski vs Mike Blood

Saturday - Alexandria, LA
-North American title: Bill Watts vs Mike George
-Bob Sweetan vs Iron Mike Sharpe
-Buck Robley & King Cobra vs Michael Hayes & Terry Gordy
-Gino Hernandez vs Junkyard Dog
-Mike Bowyer vs Ted DiBiase
-Chris Curtis vs Ox Baker
-Bull Ramos vs Mark Totten
-plus a battle royal