Review: Rock-N-Roll Never Dies
Posted: Jul 27th 2014 By: Alan Wojcik
Pop quiz wrestling fans: name for me the best heel tag team of the 1980?s? Who did you answer with? The Hart Foundation? Powers of Pain? Demolition? Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard? The Midnight Express? Ivan & Nikita Koloff? Now name for me the hottest babyface tag team and all of you better answer THE ROCK N ROLL EXPRESS AKA RICKY MORTON & ROBERT GIBSON. The Road Warriors might have been 1B to the RNR being 1A but no one was over more than Ricky & Robert in the territories that still existed. The creators of ellbowproductions.weebly.com have gotten together and created a brilliant documentary on the duo called ROCK N ROLL NEVER DIES: THE TRUE STORY OF THE ROCK N ROLL EXPRESS.
Here is the list of people interviewed for this feature besides Ricky & Robert includes: Jim Cornette, Bobby Eaton, Dennis Condrey, Bill Dundee, Ivan Koloff, Magnum TA, Baby Doll, Jimmy Valiant, George South, Tommy Young, Tom Pritchard, Beau James & Les Thatcher.
There were many great tag teams in the territories like Mid South, Jim Crockett Promotions and the AWA plus WWF but until Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson met in the Memphis (thanks to Jerry Jarrett/Jerry Lawler & Jimmy Hart) no one had taken the American wrestling fans on an emotional roller coaster the duo would run. Both Ricky & Robert grew up with family members in the business, so it was second nature to them.
After they formed they started out in Memphis but were placed in the second slot due to the popularity of the Fabulous Ones (Steve Keirn & Stan Lane). But when they were paired with the legendary trio of ?Loverboy? Dennis Condrey, ?Sweet Stan Lane (Stan arrived in 1987 from Florida) & ?Beautiful? Bobby Eaton, it would change tag team wrestling forever. They changed the way you told the babyface/heel story. They would take it across America unbelievably to this day as I type this. They fought in Memphis, Mid South and JCP/NWA drawing record crowds everywhere they worked. When the RNR and Midnights arrived in JCP they were put into a different stratosphere thanks to the TV shows on Superstation WTBS and their World Championship Wrestling (6:05pm every Saturday).
In the Crockett promotion the two teams would run in sold out arenas that would create jealously from Ric Flair & Dusty Rhodes. Ricky would be booked to work and almost win the World Heavyweight championship during the Great American Bash 1986 and the sell outs would continue through a ?Summer Sizzler Tour.?
Their popularity was so huge they their own security 24/7, had fences put up at arenas to keep fans from climbing on their cars and had lines of groupies miles long. Who knew they had a ?fan club? yet got screwed out of money by Jim Crockett?? An argument over that would lead to an exit of the RNR from the promotion and help the NWA/JCP go bankrupt if you believe the RNR. A horrible knee injury to Robert would stop the RNR in its track and lead Ricky to be Richard Morton of the York Foundation.
I?m not going to give away anything else from the near two hour documentary except it?s the definitive history on the duo and could also be a companion piece to any Midnight Express documentary. Director Michael Elliott deserves major props for keeping things in check as Morton tends to ramble off topic a couple of times. When you buy this from ellbowproductions.weebly.com you will get a three disc set that includes deleted interviews and matches. This will surely bring up the debate does the duo deserve induction into the WWE Hall of Fame.
Supplemental Information
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Spotlight in History
- 1941 Maurice Shapiro became the TSW Missouri Junior Heavyweight Champion
- 1958 Jim LaRock became the TSW United States Junior Heavyweight Champion
- 1958 Jim LaRock def. Sandor Kovacs for the TSW Oklahoma Junior Heavyweight Champion
- 1978 Jerry Brown & Bobby Jaggers def. Ray Candy & Steven Little Bear for the TSW United States Tag Team Champion
- 1982 King Kong Bundy def. Kerry Von Erich for the WCCW American Heavyweight Champion
- 1982 Junkyard Dog & Mr. Olympia def. The Wild Samoans (Afa & Sika) for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Champion
- 1986 Rick Rude def. Lance Von Erich for the WCCW Television Champion
- 2002 Red Eagle def. Terry Montana for the OCW Oklahoma Hardcore Champion
- 2002 Terry Montana def. Red Eagle for the OCW Oklahoma Hardcore Champion
- 2007 Compound Varsity (Romero Contreras & Justin Lee) became the FCW Tag Team Champions
- 2012 Kareem Sadat def. David Kyzer for the SWCW Hardcore Champion
- 2017 El Greengo Loco & Karnage def. Team Dean Machine (Christopher Dean & Jerry Dean) for the BPPW Oklahoma Tag Team Champion
Week of Sun 05-05 to Sat: 05-11
- 05-05 1941 Maurice Shapiro became the TSW Missouri Junior Heavyweight Champion
- 05-05 1958 Jim LaRock became the TSW United States Junior Heavyweight Champion
- 05-05 1958 Jim LaRock def. Sandor Kovacs for the TSW Oklahoma Junior Heavyweight Champion
- 05-05 1978 Jerry Brown & Bobby Jaggers def. Ray Candy & Steven Little Bear for the TSW United States Tag Team Champion
- 05-05 1982 King Kong Bundy def. Kerry Von Erich for the WCCW American Heavyweight Champion
- 05-05 1982 Junkyard Dog & Mr. Olympia def. The Wild Samoans (Afa & Sika) for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Champion
- 05-05 1986 Rick Rude def. Lance Von Erich for the WCCW Television Champion
- 05-05 2002 Red Eagle def. Terry Montana for the OCW Oklahoma Hardcore Champion
- 05-05 2002 Terry Montana def. Red Eagle for the OCW Oklahoma Hardcore Champion
- 05-05 2007 Compound Varsity (Romero Contreras & Justin Lee) became the FCW Tag Team Champions
- 05-05 2012 Kareem Sadat def. David Kyzer for the SWCW Hardcore Champion
- 05-05 2017 El Greengo Loco & Karnage def. Team Dean Machine (Christopher Dean & Jerry Dean) for the BPPW Oklahoma Tag Team Champion
- 05-06 1959 Pretty Boy Collins & Duke Scarbo became the TSW Louisiana Tag Team Champion
- 05-06 1969 Ramon Torres & Alberto Torres def. Karl Von Stroheim & Treacherous Phillips for the TSW United States Tag Team Champion
- 05-06 1974 Rip Tyler def. Bob Sweetan for the TSW Brass Knucks Champion
- 05-06 1984 The Rock & Soul Connection (Buck Zumhofe & King Parsons) def. The Super Destroyers (Super Destroyer 1 & Super Destroyer 2) for the WCCW American Tag Team Champion
- 05-06 1984 The Von Erichs (Fritz Von Erich & Kevin Von Erich & Mike Von Erich) def. The Fabulous Freebirds (Terry Gordy, Michael Hayes, & Buddy Roberts) for the WCCW World 6-Man Tag Team Champion
- 05-06 1984 The Von Erichs (Kerry Von Erich & Kevin Von Erich & Mike Von Erich) became the WCCW World 6-Man Tag Team Champion
- 05-06 1985 The Fantastics (Tommy Rogers & Bobby Fulton) became the WCCW American Tag Team Champion
- 05-06 2005 Shane Morbid def. Kenny Campbell for the SRPW X Division Champion
- 05-06 2005 The 918 Boyz (Timmy J & Cade Sydal) became the SRPW Tag Team Champions
- 05-06 2011 Jeff Starchild became the MWA Heavyweight Champion
- 05-06 2017 Lone Star, Inc. (Cody Burns & Trey Cole & The Longhorn Outlaw) def. Simply the Future (J. D. & Alex) for the WFC Tag Team Champions
- 05-06 2017 Team Dean Machine (Christopher Dean & Jerry Dean) def. El Greengo Loco & Karnage for the BPPW Oklahoma Tag Team Champion
- 05-06 2023 Thrash def. Jason Jones for the WFC Prime Champion
- 05-06 2023 MLP def. Red James for the RDW Brass Knucks Champion
- 05-06 2023 Red James def. MLP for the RDW Brass Knucks Champion
- 05-07 1984 Killer Khan became the WCCW Television Champion
- 05-07 2010 Cody Jones became the NWA-OK Texoma Champion
- 05-07 2010 Jack Legacy def. Jeff Starchild for the MWA Heavyweight Champion
- 05-07 2010 Dustin Heritage def. Shane Morbid for the MWA MAX-Division Champion
- 05-07 2010 A. T. F. (Al Farat & Gurkha Singh) became the NWA-OK Oklahoma Tag Team Champion
- 05-07 2010 La Reina de Corazones became the NWA-OK Women's Champion
- 05-07 2011 Rudy Edwards def. Ryan Styles for the SWCW All-American Champion
- 05-07 2011 Bernie D & Max McGuirk def. Nemesis (Rage Logan & Damien Morte) for the IZW Tag Team Champions
- 05-07 2016 Tyson Jaymes def. Brandon Groom for the BCW Heavyweight Champion
- 05-07 2018 Jack Swagger became the WCR Heavyweight Champion
- 05-07 2018 The Von Erichs (Marshall Von Erich & Ross Von Erich) became the WCR Tag Team Champions
- 05-07 2018 Damon Windsor became the WCR Revolutionary Champion
- 05-07 2021 Jerome Daniel Griffey def. Tino Valentino for the ASP Heavyweight Champion
- 05-07 2022 Drake Gallows def. Oxley for the RDW Heavyweight Champion
- 05-07 2022 Derek James became the AWE Lion Heart Champion
- 05-07 2022 Luna Nightshade became the RDW Women's Champion
- 05-07 2022 Brandon Groom def. Derek James for the AWE Lion Heart Champion
- 05-07 2022 Becky def. Luna Nightshade for the RDW Women's Champion
- 05-08 1970 The Hollywood Blondes (Jerry Brown & Buddy Roberts) became the TSW United States Tag Team Champion
- 05-08 1985 The Snowman became the MSW Television Champion
- 05-08 1988 Kerry Von Erich def. King Parsons for the WCCW World Champion
- 05-08 2004 Brandon Groom def. Michael Barry for the NWA-OK Oklahoma Heavyweight Champion
- 05-08 2004 John O'Malley became the IZW Heavyweight Champion
- 05-08 2004 Kenny Campbell became the IZW Impact Division Champion
- 05-08 2004 Luc Lapointe & Se7en became the IZW Tag Team Champions
- 05-08 2010 Excellence Personified (Dustin Heritage & Se7en & Michael Barry & Jack Legacy) became the TAP Tag Team Champions
- 05-08 2010 Wage def. Eric Rose for the IZW Impact Division Champion
- 05-08 2010 John O'Malley def. Kevin Morgan for the IZW Heavyweight Champion
- 05-08 2010 Michael H def. Tex for the 412PE Heavyweight Champion
- 05-08 2010 J. R. Orullian & The Unknown def. The Trenchcoat Mafia (Ryan Reed & Dennis Williams) for the 412PE Tag Team Champions
- 05-09 1967 Gorgeous George, Jr. & Jack Brisco def. The Assassins (Assassin #1 & Assassin #2) for the TSW United States Tag Team Champion
- 05-09 2004 John O'Malley def. Chris Matthews for the ACW Heavyweight Champion
- 05-09 2004 Se7en became the ACW Hardcore Champion
- 05-09 2004 Bernie Donderwitz def. Se7en for the ACW Hardcore Champion
- 05-09 2009 Crazy Beautiful (Brett Taylor & Michael York) def. Team SuperBad (El Super Colibri & Justin Lee) for the ComPro Tag Team Champions
- 05-09 2009 Dane Griffin def. Dustin Heritage for the IZW Impact Division Champion
- 05-09 2009 BLK-OUT (Jermaine Johnson & Montego Seeka) def. Impact, Inc. (Johnny Z & Bernie D) for the IZW Tag Team Champions
- 05-09 2015 The Trenchcoat Mafia (Ryan Reed & Billy Ray [1st]) def. Hurricane Ross & J. R. Orullian for the NAW Tag Team Champions
- 05-09 2021 Erica def. Brandon Barricade for the ASP All Time Champion
- 05-10 1966 The Assassins (Assassin 1 & Assassin 2) became the TSW United States Tag Team Champion
- 05-10 2008 Jerry Bostic became the 3DW Violent Division Champion
- 05-10 2014 Billy Ray [1st] def. Running Wolf for the NAW Heavyweight Champion
- 05-10 2014 American Made def. Tim Rockwell for the UWE United States Champion
- 05-10 2019 Kody Lane def. Latrell Upton for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Champion
- 05-10 2023 Leo Fox def. The Wolf of War for the RDW Iron Man Champion
- 05-11 1976 Karl Kox & Bob Sweetan def. Ted DiBiase & Dick Murdoch for the TSW United States Tag Team Champion
- 05-11 1981 Ernie Ladd def. Kerry Von Erich for the WCCW American Heavyweight Champion
- 05-11 2008 The Midnite Rider def. Outlaw for the MSWA Oklahoma Champion
- 05-11 2008 Limited Edition (Les Mayne & Dane Griffin) def. The South Side Soul Assassins (Tyson Jaymes & 3rd Rail) for the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Champion
- 05-11 2013 Billy Ray [1st] became the NAW Heavyweight Champion
- 05-11 2013 The Trenchcoat Mafia (Ryan Reed & Billy Ray [1st]) def. Pretty In Pink (Mike Rose & Michael Duplanti) for the NAW Tag Team Champions
- 05-11 2019 Drake Gallows became the KCW National Champion
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