JerryvonKramer

Manny Fernandez Basic (offense, selling, psychology) 2/3 1/3 1/3 = 4 Intangibles 2 Great matches 1 Length of Peak [never one of the best in the world] = 0 +1 ability to work tags +1 ability to work gimmick matches +3 ability to get over in multple markets (Memphis, JCP, Puerto Rico, Southwest, Central States, Florida) Ability to work different styles / roles = 4 Variety = 4 15 Mr. Fuji Basic (offense, selling, psychology) 1/3 1/3 3/3 = 5 Intangibles 3 Great matches 0 Length of Peak [never one of the best in the world] = 0 +1 ability to work tags +1 ability to work gimmick matches +3 ability to get over in multple markets (Memphis, PNW, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, GCW, WWF, San Francisco) Ability to work different styles / roles = 5 Variety = 5 18 Masa Fuchi Basic (offense, selling, psychology) 2/3 2/3 3/3 = 7 Intangibles 2 Great matches 5 Length of Peak 1980-94 = 14 years = 8 +1 ability to work tags +1 ability to work gimmick matches +1 ability to work brawls Ability to work different styles / roles = 3 Variety = 8 33

Well, I don't like lots of them. See my review of Eddie vs. Rey 97, for example. I do not like Rey. The fact I'm rating him at all is testament to the fact that his case is strong.

One could, and I've made the case myself. However, remember that this isn't designed to be a "fair" system, it's designed to be a system that measures the six things that *I* think the GWE should have. It started with the case I made for Flair, taking into account the arguments put forward by Will for Lawler and by Dylan for Funk, and worked backwards. My argument against Misawa and co is *specifically* that the scope of their careers is narrow, so it is not entirely innocent that they are getting fucked in the A category. (lol "fucked in the A", ha ha). Chad also knows this, of course. And I'd expect him to make the counters he is. But it's also the case that he does not value that A category as much as other people.

Slight re-work on: Jun Akiyama Basic (offense, selling, psychology) 2/3 3/3 3/3 = 8 Intangibles 3 Great matches 8 Length of Peak 1996-2015 = 19 years = 10 +1 ability to work heel +1 ability to work tags Ability to work different styles / roles = 2 Variety = 8 39 AJPW candidates continue to get penalised for not travelling or working any gimmick matches, brawls etc. But it is what it is. You can't on the one hand praise Funk for his versatility while turning a blind eye to the fact that the AJ guys only really mastered one style.

Also, fuck my Lucha rule, I'm only ever going to be doing this once, so might as well make it as representative as I can: Negro Casas Basic (offense, selling, psychology) 3/3 3/3 3/3 = 9 Intangibles 7 Great matches 8 Length of Peak 87-04 [beyond doesn't matter] = 17+ years = 10 +1 ability to work heel +1 ability to work tags +1 ability to carry promotion / work as ace +1 ability to work gimmick matches +1 ability to work brawls +1 ability to get over in multiple markets (Mexico, Japan, indies) Ability to work different styles / roles = 7 Variety = 9 50 Mocha Cota Basic (offense, selling, psychology) 2/3 3/3 3/3 = 8 Intangibles 8 Great matches 5 Length of Peak 83-94 = 11 years = 7 +1 ability to work babyface +1 ability to work tags +1 ability to work gimmick matches +1 ability to work brawls Ability to work different styles / roles = 4 Variety = 6 38 Rey Mysterio Jr Basic (offense, selling, psychology) 1/3 3/3 2/3 = 6 Intangibles 4 Great matches 6 Length of Peak 92-10 = 18 years = 10 +1 ability to work tags +1 ability to work gimmick matches +1 ability to work brawls +1 ability to work as ace / carry promotion +1 ability to get over in multiple markets (Mexico, ECW, WCW, WWF) Ability to work different styles / roles = 5 Variety = 10 41 El Dandy Basic (offense, selling, psychology) 2/3 3/3 3/3 = 8 Intangibles 3 Great matches 7 Length of Peak 88-97 = 9 years = 6 +1 ability to work heel +1 ability to work tags +1 ability to work gimmick matches +1 ability to work brawls +1 ability to work as ace / carry promotion Ability to work different styles / roles = 5 Variety = 7 36 Mil Mascaras Basic (offense, selling, psychology) 2/3 0/3 1/3 = 3 Intangibles 6 Great matches 6 Length of Peak 69-80 = 11 years = 7 +1 ability to work tags +1 ability to work gimmick matches +1 ability to work brawls +1 ability to work as ace / carry promotion +3 ability to get over in multiple markets (every territory, Japan, Mexico) Ability to work different styles / roles = 5 Variety = 8 35

If Breaks doesn't get that point he's a 0 for A, fair? Where would you put the cut offs OJ?

Later on, I'm going to burn through another disc of Regal comp. But what I haven't yet decided on is more British stuff, early 90s WCW or 00s WWE? Regal is definitely ranking but it's a case of how high and how much I turn around on stuff like the Arn match which honestly bored me a few years ago. I'm a different fan now. Regal might well get a 9 on intangibles for having the best facial expressions in the entire world. Not just wrestling, but like period. He's Rowan Atkinson level at facials.

Thanks. This might also affect Garvin whose score is pretty low as things stand, so can't wait. Must go teach for five hours now though, fml.

Are people really high on that Garvin match then? Like where do people go star rating wise? I assume we are talking Rumble 90 right. If not and it's an MSG one or something I don't think I've seen it. Might affect his G rating.

Steiners match from 94? Liger in 91? Benoit match when he's Pegasus Kid? Is this the most late 90s IWC post I've ever made? Ha ha.

On Low Ki, I genuinely think he feels like he's computer generated. He actually reminds me of the the "blank face" in games where you have to make your own character. On Liger, I need to think carefully on adjusting those ratings because I'm pretty sure those changes would put him #3 and maybe even #2. That would put him over Jumbo, Tenryu, Funk, Hansen and all the AJ guys. On the Variety rating, I think fair is fair if someone can get past that 30 opponents mark, as per Bryan, he can get the 10. I couldn't get there just thinking about it in my head, but that of course doesn't mean he doesn't have them. The offense thing basically comes down to my general distaste for the flippy flippy, and -- well -- the style of offense Liger helped to popularise. I don't love his matwork either. The 3/3 offense rating tends to be reserved for people with basically perfect execution like Bobby Eaton or Barry Windham or Hase or guys who just hit their offense so hard that I can overlook the execution, think Misawa or Kawada or Kobashi. Liger's not quite there in either of those cases. Also remember that it's a GWE scale. A truly terrific worker like Tully with his sweet sweet slingshot suplex is only a 1/3 on offense. The +1 Liger has gotten for innovation does reflect his huge arsenal of different moves.

Makes me pretty sad to see an awesome all-time worker like Ted rubbing shoulders with the likes of The Barbarian and Scott Steiner in some people's lists. What the fuck has happened to the world?

Currently these are the bottom 8 of my 100: Davey Boy Smith 4 4 3 0 5 6 22 Bobby Heenan 5 8 0 0 4 3 20 Bobby Fulton 5 2 4 0 5 4 20 John Tenta 4 6 0 0 4 6 20 Dutch Mantell 5 3 2 0 6 3 19 Ernie Ladd 5 5 0 0 5 4 19 Jim Brunzell 6 1 3 0 3 6 19 Jimmy Valiant 3 6 1 0 6 3 19 Every new person I rate above 19 knocks one of these dudes off. The acutal order is: 100. Valiant 99. Ladd 98. Mantell 97. Brunzell 96. Tenta 95. Heenan 94. Fulton 93. Bulldog With a lot of guys still left to put through, it is almost certain that these 8 guys are going to fall off. "Danger zone" after that is these six guys: Lex Luger Butch Reed Jim Duggan The Sheik Kurt Angle Big Show I'd give at least one or two of those guys a shot at making the cut.

Jake Roberts Basic (offense, selling, psychology) 0/3 2/3 3/3 = 5 Intangibles 7 Great matches 2 Length of Peak [never one of the best in the world] = 0 +1 ability to work babyface +1 ability to work tags +1 ability to work gimmick matches +1 ability to work brawls +3 ability to get over in multiple markets (Stampede, GCW, WCCW, Mid-South, WWF, WCW, ECW) Ability to work different styles / roles = 7 Variety = 4 25 Jerry Blackwell Basic (offense, selling, psychology) 1/3 3/3 2/3 (+1 "agile for a big man") = 7 Intangibles 5 Great matches 3 Length of Peak 1977-86 = 8 years = 5 +1 ability to work babyface +1 ability to work tags +1 ability to work gimmick matches +2 ability to get over in multiple markets (WWF, AWA, Memphis, Japan) Ability to work different styles / roles = 6 Variety = 5 31 Jerry Lawler Basic (offense, selling, psychology) 1/3 3/3 3/3 (+1 for punch) = 8 Intangibles 8 Great matches 6 Length of Peak 1977-94 =17 years = 10 +1 ability to work heel +1 ability to work tags +1 ability to work gimmick matches +1 abiltiy to work technically +1 ability to work as ace / carry promotion +1 ability to get over in multiple markets (Memphis, AWA, WWF) Ability to work different styles / roles = 6 Variety = 10 48 Jerry Valiant Basic (offense, selling, psychology) 0/3 3/3 1/3 (+1 for turnbuckle bump) = 5 Intangibles 1 Great matches 1 Length of Peak [never one of the best in the world = 0 +1 ability to work tags +1 ability to get over in multiple markets (WWF, Central States, Australia, Canada) Ability to work different styles / roles = 2 Variety = 2 11 Jim Breaks Basic (offense, selling, psychology) 3/3 3/3 3/3 (+1 for The Jim Breaks Special) = 10 Intangibles 9 Great matches 7 Length of Peak 1972-1984 = 12 years = 7 +1 ability to work tags Ability to work different styles / roles = 1 Variety = 9 43 Jim Brunzell Basic (offense, selling, psychology) 1/3 2/3 2/3 (+1 dropkick) = 6 Intangibles 1 Great matches 3 Length of Peak [never one of best in the world = 0 +1 ability to work singles +1 ability to work gimmick matches +1 ability to get over in multiple markets (AWA, WWF, Canada) Ability to work different styles / roles = 3 Variety = 6 19 Jim Duggan Basic (offense, selling, psychology) 1/3 1/3 1/3 (+1 for "caveman wildness") = 4 Intangibles 6 Great matches 4 Length of Peak [never one of best in the world = 0 +1 ability to work heel +1 ability to work tags +1 ability to work gimmick matches +1 ability to get over in multiple markets (Mid-South, WWF, WCW) Ability to work different styles / roles = 4 Variety = 5 23 Jimmy Garvin Basic (offense, selling, psychology) 1/3 1/3 2/3 = 4 Intangibles 3 Great matches 2 Length of Peak [never one of best in the world = 0 +1 abiltiy to work babyface +1 ability to work singles +1 ability to work gimmick matches +1 ability to get over in multiple markets (AWA, Florida, WWCW, WCW) Ability to work different styles / roles = 4 Variety = 4 17 Jimmy Snuka Basic (offense, selling, psychology) 2/3 2/3 0/3 (+1 for jumping off cages) = 5 Intangibles 5 Great matches 3 Length of Peak [never one of best in the world = 0 +1 ability to work heel +1 ability to work tags +1 ability to work gimmick matches +3 ability to get over in multiple markets (WWF, PNW, WCCW, JCP, GCW, AWA, Memphis, Japan, England) Ability to work different styles / roles = 6 Variety = 5 24 Jimmy Valiant Basic (offense, selling, psychology) 0/3 0/3 3/3 = 3 Intangibles 6 Great matches 1 Length of Peak [never one of best in the world] = 0 +1 ability to work heel +1 ability to work tags +1 ability to work gimmick matches +3 ability to get over in multiple markets (WWF, JCP, Memphis, San Francisco, GCW, Canada, Florida, WWA) Ability to work different styles / roles = 6 Variety = 3 19 John Cena Basic (offense, selling, psychology) 1/3 3/3 2/3 (+1 for "interiority") = 7 Intangibles 5 Great matches 7 Length of Peak 2003-15 = 12 years = 7 +1 ability to work heel +1 ability to work tags +1 ability to work gimmick matches +1 abiltiy to work brawls +1 ability to work as ace / carry promotion Ability to work different styles / roles = 5 Variety = 9 40 John Tenta Basic (offense, selling, psychology) 1/3 1/3 2/3 = 4 Intangibles 6 Great matches 0 Length of Peak [never one of the best in the world] = 0 +1 ability to work babyface +1 ability to work tags +1 ability to work gimmick matches +1 ability to get over in multiple markets (Japan, WWF, WCW) Ability to work different styles / roles = 4 Variety = 6 20 Johnny Ace Basic (offense, selling, psychology) 2/3 1/3 1/3 = 4 Intangibles 2 Great matches 2 Length of Peak [never one of the best in the world] = 0 +1 ability to work babyface +1 ability to work tags Ability to work different styles / roles = 2 Variety = 3 13 Johnny Saint Basic (offense, selling, psychology) 2/3 2/3 2/3 = 6 Intangibles 5 Great matches 4 Length of Peak 1972-1987 = 13 years = 8 +1 ability to work tags Ability to work different styles / roles = 1 Variety = 9 33 Jose Lothario Basic (offense, selling, psychology) 1/3 2/3 3/3 (+1 for punching) = 7 Intangibles 4 Great matches 2 Length of Peak 1969-1979 = 10 years = 6 +1 ability to work tags +1 ability to work gimmick matches +1 ability to work technically +1 ability to get over in multiple markets (Florida, WCCW, Mid-South) Ability to work different styles / roles = 4 Variety = 7 30 Jun Akiyama Basic (offense, selling, psychology) 2/3 3/3 3/3 = 8 Intangibles 3 Great matches 8 Length of Peak 1996-2015 = 19 years = 10 +1 ability to work tags +1 ability to work as ace / carry promotion Ability to work different styles / roles = 2 Variety = 10 41 Jushin Liger Basic (offense, selling, psychology) 2/3 3/3 2/3 (+1 for innovation) = 8 Intangibles 7 Great matches 9 Length of Peak 1989-2004 = 15 years = 9 +1 ability to work heel +1 ability to work tags +1 ability to work gimmick matches +1 ability to work as ace / carry promotion +1 ability to work brawls +3 ability to get over in multiple markets (WCW, Japan, TNA, Mexico, indies) Ability to work different styles / roles = 8 Variety = 8 49 Kamala Basic (offense, selling, psychology) 0/3 1/3 1/3 = 2 Intangibles 4 Great matches 0 Length of Peak [never one of the best in the world] = 0 +1 ability to work tags +1 ability to work gimmick matches +3 ability to get over in multiple markets (WWF, WCCW, Memphis, Mid-South, WCW, AWA, Central States) Ability to work different styles / roles = 4 Variety = 7 17 Keiji Mutoh Basic (offense, selling, psychology) 2/3 2/3 1/3 (+1 for springboard elbow) = 6 Intangibles 7 Great matches 4 Length of Peak 1989-96 = 7 years = 4 +1 ability to work heel +1 ability to work tags +1 ability to work gimmick matches +1 ability to work brawls +2 ability to get over in multiple markets (WCW, NJPW, AJPW, WCCW) Ability to work different styles / roles = 4 Variety = 5 30 Ken Patera Basic (offense, selling, psychology) 1/3 3/3 2/3 = 6 Intangibles 3 Great matches 3 Length of Peak 1976-84 = 8 years = 5 +1 ability to work babyface +1 ability to work tags +1 ability to work gimmick matches +1 ability to work brawls +3 ability to get over in multiple markets (AWA, WWF, Memphis, GCW, JCP, Southwest) Ability to work different styles / roles = 7 Variety = 6 30 Kensuke Sasaki Basic (offense, selling, psychology) 3/3 1/3 1/3 = 5 Intangibles 3 Great matches 6 Length of Peak [never one of the best in the world] = 0 +1 ability to work heel +1 ability to work tags +1 ability to work gimmick matches +1 ability to work brawls Ability to work different styles / roles = 4 Variety = 6 24 Kenta Kobashi Basic (offense, selling, psychology) 3/3 3/3 2/3 (+1 for being a living cartoon) = 9 Intangibles 8 Great matches 10 Length of Peak 1991-2006 = 15 years = 9 +1 ability to work tags +1 ability to work as ace / carry promotion Ability to work different styles / roles = 2 Variety = 10 48 Killer Khan Basic (offense, selling, psychology) 2/3 2/3 2/3 = 6 Intangibles 4 Great matches 3 Length of Peak [never one of the best in the world] = 0 +1 ability to work babyface +1 ability to work tags +1 abiltiy to work gimmick matches +3 ability to get over in multiple markets (Stampede, WCCW, Mid-South, Florida, WWF, Japan) Ability to work different styles / roles = 6 Variety = 6 25 Koko B Ware Basic (offense, selling, psychology) 2/3 2/3 1/3 = 5 Intangibles 2 Great matches 2 Length of Peak [never one of the best in the world] = 0 +1 ability to work heel +1 ability to work tags +1 abiltiy to work gimmick matches +1 ability to get over in multiple markets (Memphis, WWF, Florida) Ability to work different styles / roles = 4 Variety = 5 18 Kuniaki Kobayashi Basic (offense, selling, psychology) 3/3 3/3 2/3 = 8 Intangibles 3 Great matches 5 Length of Peak 1980-85 = 5 years = 3 +1 ability to work heel +1 ability to work tags Ability to work different styles / roles = 2 Variety = 5 26 Larry Zbyszko Basic (offense, selling, psychology) 1/3 2/3 3/3 = 6 Intangibles 5 Great matches 4 Length of Peak 1979-92 = 13 years = 8 +1 ability to work babyface +1 ability to work tags +1 ability work gimmick matches +1 ability to work as ace / carry promotion +2 ability to get over in mutliple markets (WWF, WCW, AWA, GCW, indies) Ability to work different styles / roles = 6 Variety = 6 35 Low Ki Basic (offense, selling, psychology) 3/3 2/3 2/3 = 7 Intangibles 1 Great matches 6 Length of Peak 2001-15 = 14 years = 8 +1 ability to work babyface +1 ability to work tags +1 ability work gimmick matches +1 ability to work brawls +1 ability to work as ace / carry promotion +1 ability to get over in mutliple markets (indies, WWE, TNA, Japan) Ability to work different styles / roles = 5 Variety = 8 35 Magnum TA Basic (offense, selling, psychology) 2/3 2/3 2/3 = 6 Intangibles 5 Great matches 4 Length of Peak 1984-7 = 3 years = 2 +1 ability to work tags +1 ability work gimmick matches +1 ability to work brawls +1 ability to work as ace / carry promotion +1 ability to get over in mutliple markets (Mid-South, JCP, Florida) Ability to work different styles / roles = 5 Variety = 6 28 ------------ No. of workers currently rated: 120 Current threshhold score to make top 100: 19 (18 and lower doesn't make cut)

Well I had no idea about that myth. I honestly thought I remembered seeing him do it on a RAW once. Completely independently of whatever this is. I'm not plugged into the IWC "out there", you know that. But it is quite mental that this is an urban myth. LOL

I'm gonna have to cram on Rudge I think. He hasn't locked up with any of the guys I've been watching, and maybe it's cos he was in a different weight bracket? (Did enjoy him against Regal in 88, just remembered that one)

Let me pull out those two ratings, I think the comparison is interesting: Andre Basic (offense, selling, psychology) 0/3 1/3 3/3 = 4 Intangibles 10 Great matches 3 Length of Peak 74-83 = 9 years = 6 +1 ability to work heel +1 ability to work tags +1 ability to adapt himself to work the style of local promotion +3 ability to get over in multiple markets (every territory, Mexico, Japan) Ability to work different styles / roles = 6 1. Killer Khan, 2. Stan Hansen, 3. Hulk Hogan, 4. Harley Race, 5. Randy Savage, 6. Nick Bockwinkel, 7. Inoki, 8. Baron Scicluna / Jerry Valiant, 9. The Sheik Variety = 9 opponents = 4 33 Big Show Basic (offense, selling, psychology) 1/3 1/3 1/3 (+1 "agile for a big man") = 4 Intangibles 5 Great matches 2 Length of Peak [never one of the best in the world] = 0 +1 ability to work heel +1 ability to work different gimmicks ("The Giant") +1 ability to work gimmick matches +1 ability to work tags Ability to work different styles / roles = 4 Variety = 7 22 If you take off the 6 I've given Andre for peak, it's 27 plays 22. And what are those five points? The intangibles.

I'm thinking of the run, maybe late 90s, early 00s, when he was doing more athletic stuff. This was around the time he did some impressions too. What did he do if it wasn't a moonsault? Came of the top in some shape or fashion. Maybe also a kip-up or something like that. Angle was around so it must have been after 1998. Shane was around too.

I can't point to anything specific but the TV run in GCW around 1983 is good for competitive squash matches. But if you want a fun half hour or so: Vs. Pat Patterson in Nov 1983 Spectrum, on YouTube. Vs. Dusty, 1980 Coffin match, on dailymotion. Vs. Buzz Sawyer, think this is from GCW, dailymotion. Vs. Bob Backlund, this is the one where he has Capt Lou as a manager. On YouTube.

Can't find a microscope thread and I'm not making one. Johnny Saint vs. Fit Finaly Not sure of date, but Saint is older here and it's an All Star ring, so maybe 86 or 87? Finaly has a woman with him in an Indian headdress. Couldn't find an OJ review of this anywhere. This is a bit more US-style, or rather Finlay is, punches, sunset flips, knee drops. These aren't the sorts of moves I'm used to seeing on WoS. Saint is still lightning quick despite being older. His rep as one of the world's best technicians probably comes from his ability to slip into a hammerlock in 0.23 of a second. There was a very sharp face and heel dynamic in this match, which makes it a pretty accessible bout. The finish is pretty anti-climactic, and I didn't think this was a great match. Nothing to go out of your way to see, but perfectly serviceable TV match. *** Johnny Saint vs. Mike "Flash" Gordon LOL Mike Gordon looks like a snooker player. Specifically Willie Thorn. This is in an All Star ring too and looks like it might be from a little before the last bout, Saint looks older. Thorne, I mean, Gordon is the champ. "Flash"! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. Pretty forgettable little match. Saint seems like he was mainly just putting people over during this run, but ensures he gets his signature spots in. **1/2

I swear to god I saw him do one once. And just doing a quick google, the Internet is full of people saying the same thing, although can't find footage. Weird.

Also looks like you missed that Chavo Sr thread links through to Chavo Jr.

For those still exploring Ted, I'd recommend watching the Jake and Butch Reed matches from 85, which I reviewed here: http://prowrestlingonly.com/index.php?/topic/20932-80s-catchup-thread/?p=5730595 In them, Dibiase shows us the meaning of how to work heel in pro wrestling matches.

Mid-South 5.6 Dick Murdoch vs. The Nightmare (7/14/85) The Nightmare is Randy Colley of Moondogs fame. His North American title run in 1985 here is one of the odder booking decisions of Bill Watts. He does work this gimmick really well though and, honestly, you'd never know he was one of the Moondogs. Big performance from Murdoch in this match. This is some cartoon wrestling right here, everything he does is big and he sells huge for Colley to get over the idea of him as a legit threat. I thought Colley was pretty good too, especially with the big wobbly selling of Murdoch's punches in the finish. There's one cool spot where Murdoch winds up his right hand for a punch and the ref catches it, and he clocks Nightmare with with the left instead. Ha. Pretty hot match and a good example of what Murdoch could do with a lesser worker. ***1/2 Mid-South 5.7 Ted Dibiase vs. Jake Roberts (7/22/85) Still no beard on Ted. He had a beard in 83-4 but lost it in 85 for some reason. Jake is in the Kobayashi-style red pants still. Ton of stalling from Ted at the start of this one. Crowd is hot for Jake. And here is a good example of two guys who know how to work a crowd. Ted is a perfect heel, bailing, teasing, stoking the flames of that crowd. Jake is a perfect babyface milking the heat. This is the difference between being over and knowing what to do with that overness. Two of the best in the business at that here, it's one reason why both are big stars still remembered by many fans to this day. The way Ted is all cowardice and tentativeness at the start of this match and then all violence and intensity when he's on top and then all cockiness and arrogance when Jake is down is another reason why so many fans believe he's one of the greatest heels of all time. This is how to work heel. And I can't name more than ten workers who did it better than is on display in this match. His fist drops are awesome too. Just absolutely loved the heat sequence in this match. Jake is underrated at selling a beatdown, and I love that Bill Watts believed in getting heat on the heel as much as he did. The crowd chanting "DDT" gets louder and louder as they build this. And when Jake hits a jawbreaker Ted sells it like a pro. Just an awesome ABC of how to work a pro wrestling match right here. The basics, the fundamentals, just how to work babyface, how to work heel. You can give me a dozen of your 00s indies guys and they don't know how to work like this. You can talk about context or whatever, but I don't care. This is the shit right here. An incredibly over babyface, a heel who is all the things a heel should be (cowardly, sneaky, vicious, arrogant), an awesome heat sequence and a well-timed comeback to send a tamping hot crowd into orbit. Just an awesome display of pro wrestling fundamentals. Anyone who doesn't like their Wrestlemania 6 match should just watch this instead. Smokes any of their WWF encounters, including the 89 MSG one. Ted at the peak of his powers as a heel. ****1/2 Mid-South 5.8 Ted Dibiase vs. Butch Reed (7/25/85) Ted gets on the mic before the match and says he should be the number one contender to Flair's title. Reed is meant to wrestle Tom Pritchard but they throw him out of the ring to have a match between them instead. In the last match we saw DiBiase administer a beatdown on Jake before succumbing to a comeback. Here, we get Ted the pinball bumper and seller. When I talk about him as a super worker, and one of the best workers of the 1980s, it's stuff like this I have in mind. He makes Reed look like a world beater in this match, while also making sure he gets over the idea of himself as a world class wrestler. And considering this was a match to take on Flair, it is the perfect narrative to tell. It's not just that Ted throws himself all over the ring to make Reed look great, it's the feeding. I've talked about this before, but outside of Flair and maybe Tully, there aren't that many guys who are so good at feeding a babyface. Bump. Up again for a clothesline. Bump. Rinse repeat. This is one of those things they truly fucking suck at in the modern WWE. They don't know how to feed and it drives me nuts. Anyway, another good match. Not as great as the Jake match, but for a TV bout designed to prime Reed to take on Flair it was as good as it could have been. ***3/4

If you go all the way back to Where the Big Boys Play #1, you'll find that Chad and I have a similar reaction to his performance in that match, and I've always had a problem with it. It's almost like he's actively bored in it, and maybe it's cos he knew he was dropping the strap, but it is a real off night for him. And I think Jimmy's take is not a bad one. Flair and Race had much better matches with each other, but *that's* the famous one. I would also like to say that Race is far from boring or dull. He's a bomb thrower, an insane bumper, and one of the most exciting all-action performers of his era. If anyone just wants one or two matches to see some evidence of that, I'd point to one of his matches with Rick Martel (4/20/86) or maybe the Hogan match from 87 where he gets injured from the dive onto the table. 2/28/82 with Flair, which has a great juice brawl at the end.