In the Quentin Tarantino universe of films, Gary Lockwood did not play the role of Jim Fugg. Instead, this was another role for Rick Dalton in the wake of his career resurgence after he violently dispersed a home invasion from several hippies. But in our world, this is the episode of Night Gallery that we got.

“The Ring With the Red Velvet Ropes” is the story of Figg (Lockwood), who has finally won the championship from “Big” Dan Anger (Ji-Tu Cumbuka) even if that victory seems not altogether a shoot, in the parlance of pro wrestling. That is to say, it looks like the fix was in.

But when Figg’s manager returns from answering the press, he tells him that that would be impossible because Anger is in the hospital.

After a shower, Figg wakes up in a classy hotel, confused by how time passes. He soon meets the gorgeous Sandra Blanco (Joan Van Ark), who informs him that he’s due to box her husband, Roderick (Chuck Conners), a fighter who has never been defeated and who will fight him in a ring of fire—or at least red ropes.

Before the fight, Sandra begs Figg to lose to her husband. She thinks he’s the first man who can defeat him and claims that it would be much better if he just did the job here. Figg responds that he’s never thrown a fight.

After a war in the ring, Figg wins. As he looks down on his defeated foe, the man disintegrates into dust and bones. The referee says, “The champion is dead. Long live the champion.” That’s when we learn that Roderick had been the champ since 1861, and now Figg must take on the role. Does he get Joan Van Ark? That would make this all worth it.

Directed by season three workhorse Jeannot Szwarc and written by Robert Malcolm Young, who also wrote “The Girl With the Hungry Eyes” and “Fright Night,” this was based on the story by Edward D. Hoch. It’s almost identical to the Twilight Zone story “A Game of Pool.” But it never really explains how we’ve entered the world of the fantastic or the stakes. It’s yet another just there episode in the lame duck feeling season three.