Superstar Sleeze

WWC Universal Heavyweight Champion Carlos Colon vs Stan Hansen - WWC 10/12/86 Finally making time for a feud that I have wanted to dig into…Hansen vs Colon in Puerto Rico. Shout out to @El Boricuaon PWO providing excellent context on this feud. I need to go back and watch the September 86 Universal Title Tournament that Colon won but with a newborn you gotta take your quick hits when you can. Chicky Starr has brought in Stan Hansen to take the Universal Title off Colon I am a sucker for this angle. Hansen bumrushes Colon to start and wallops him and the ref. I am a sucker for red violence. At first I thought this was just going to be an angle and the match was never going to start. He lasso’s Colon’s neck and drives him into the post and then smashes him into a table. He smashes the table and jabs Colon with the stakes. Awesome red-hot opening. The match settles down in the Ring with Colon getting some hope spots from some missed Hansen spots. I loved Hansen head butting Colon low. He is such a down & dirty bastard. LARIAT IN THE CORNER! Only two. My one gripe and I know it is of a different time and place but Colon transition to offense is too easy. He basically just takes over. He has been battered and bruised taken The Lariat and now he just dropkicks Hansen and he is on top. Didnt feel earned. The comeback in and of itself was excellent. Great punches and he gets his receipt bloodying Hansen. Working the cut. I love the Round Off to put the exclamation point on the comeback. Colon looks like he has But the ref is out. Al Perez, thanks @elboriqua comes and hands something to Hansen who loads the elbow pad BANG~! LARIAOTO! 1-2-3! NEW CHAMP?!? According to wiki and Cagematch, NO! I guess we will have to keep watching. Awesome first match great dirtbag finish and the violence of Hanse was great. Great fire from Colon. But they definitely left enough on the table for future matches. The art of the First Match In A Series is a Lost Art. *** 3/4

NWA World Tag Team Champions The Russians (Nikita & Ivan Koloff) vs Rock N Roll Express - NWA Starrcade 1985 Steel Cage Wait when did the Russians win the titles back? Was that on TV? RNR Express won the Tag Team Titles in their very famous debut match against the Russians back in July. This is the blowoff in the Steel Cage Nikita shows his power to start and Morton his speed with the dropkicks. A tag to Uncle Ivan who crotches Morton on the top rope. A timely tag to Gibson and the Rock N Roll are well starting to Rock N Roll. Fast paced double teams against Uncle Ivan. They start throwing Uncle Ivan into the cage drawing first blood! Ivan gets the eye rake. Nikita catches Gibson in a Bearhug and falls back and Gibson busted open against the Cage. Now playing the role of Ricky Morton, Robert Gibson! Solid heat segment on Gibson. Working the cut. Ivan missing a couple key moves to give you hope. Nikita comes in blasts muthafuckas with Russian Sickles but the ref is collateral damage. Gibson tags Morton who O’Connor Rolls Uncle Ivan for the flash win! A bit anti-climatic. The Russians put a hurting on Gibson as Morton thinks it is every man for himself and gets the hell out of Dodge. Tony Schiavone gives us a generous interpretation that Morton was pushed over the top by the Russians. Russian lay a good beating on Gibson with the Russian chain and double Doomsday Device. Similar to the Andersons match in that feels incomplete and anti-climatic but the Andersons match is way better worked and more compelling. This is above average Bur doesnt reach the highs of the July match. *** 1/2

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Dusty Rhodes - NWA Starrcade 1985 AND THE CROWD GOES WILD BECAUSE Dusty Rhodes stomps the ankle of the Nature Boy. Thats Pro Wrestling Magic, Daddy. Two of the biggest lies ever sold to us were Hulk Hogan and Dusty Rhodes were not good at that wrestling business. That was the purview of the Macho Man and the Nature Boy. Big Dust and Hulkster fire on the mic, but once the bell rang they were no go so that story goes. I am here to tell you that is a huge can of BULLSHIT! The American Dream and Hulkamania FOREVER! This is match coming off the big Horsemen break Dusty’s ankle in the Cage at the Omni. The ankle will be a target. The genius of this match is that they tease it three times before they deliver it in full. It creates that tension and that anticipation. It is extended shine for the Dream but in the back of you mind the Ankle, the Ankle is always looming. That’s great pro wrestling daddy. Big Dust opens up a can of whoop ass early. Punches and elbows. I love how he walked through that first right. Naitch feed, bump and run. He has a hungry babyface and he knows he needs to eat. Flair starts to make some in-roads in the corner and goes for the armpit punch NO he kicks the bad wheel! AMAZING SELLING BY DUSTY! Dusty powders and really milks it for all it’s worth. DUSTY STOMPS THE ANKLE OF FLAIR! Atlanta Comes Unglued! The leg work by Dusty is so damn good and so cathartic. Flair throws in some great hope spots for himself like the sleeper and getting press slammed off the top. OMG I would be remiss to mention the suplex battle early in this segment. Flair’s leg gives out on a vertical suplex and instead the Dream musters up the might to get him off. Incredible. This segment climaxes with Dusty trying to get the Figure-4 on Flair but Flair kicks him off. Dusty sells the ankle again. Two strikes! However Dusty roars back and is able to whip Flair into Flair Flip and bust him open on the outside. So we switch from the leg to attacking the cut. Love this changing of levels. Dusty gets a great near fall on a top rope crossbody but Tommy Young was out of position. Flair Flip Bleeding Running Across the Apron Up Top and Down into a Big Dust Fist! Dusty follows into the corner Bur punts the turnbuckle with the bad foot! Three strikes and youre out Daddy. Now we get the full throttle Nature Boy attack on the leg climaxing with the Figure-4. One of the most magical and moving Figure-4 reversals as Dusty calls upon the Omni and all of America to reverse the Figure-4. Flair chops and punches But they are having no effect. HULK-UP! Punches and elbows, clothesline! Flair presses Big Dust off of him onto the ref. Dusty finally gets the Figure-4. Here come the Andersons. He dispatches Arn but Ole sneak attacks him. New ref! Flair 1-2-NO! Dusty Inside Cradle 1-2-3!!! NEW WORLD CHAMPION! Wait? What? I thought the blow was at the July 86 Great American Bash. Fuck a Dusty Finish that is lame. Dusty Finish knocks this down a peg but man this was electric. I did think Dusty took a little too much of the match. Dont get me wrong it was entertaining But I would have liked to see Flair really get a chance to work that ankle. If it wasn’t for the Dusty Finish I would go 4 But cant do that. *** 3/4

WWF Intercontinental Champion Randy Savage vs Tito Santana - WWF MLG 5/4/86 NO DQ I haven’t watched the MSG match in over 6 years. So I thought be fun to watch this one because I forgot the finer points of the MSG match and thus if they are the same I wouldn’t notice. Great use of Elizabeth right at the bell. Dragging her in front. Stymying Tito and popping him. Such a low down reprehensible thing to do. It comes back to bite him immediately as Tito catches him with a right to the breadbasket as he leapt off the top rope. It has been so long since I have since Tito works singles match. Give him Hell, Tito! Tito does just unloading with haymakers. Tito has such a great punch. He wallops Savage to the outside. He kicks his ass over the railing. Good outside the Ring brawling. Back in the Ring, Savage is clinging for dear life to the ropes to stop this onslaught. He digs his fingers into Tito’s eyes. That makes some headway. He throws Tito over the top rope. Again good use of the floor the Bombs Away Double Axehandle. Savage swarms attacking from all angles like usual. He misses a knee drop. Starts selling the leg and nobody sells the leg as good as the Macho Man but that doesn’t last long. I like how the rest of the heat segment. Savage’s control of the match seems tenuous. It feels like Tito is going to break out and open a can of whoop ass But Macho Man keeps cutting him off until the Holy Shit Bump of the Match Tito uses a steel chair to hit the Macho Man as he comes down with a Double Axehandle to the floor. The rout is on. Tito unloads as the Macho Man heads for the hills. He brings him back the hardway. They brawl more on the outside as Savage is busted open on the post. Absolutely amazing punch exchange! I watch so many bad ones in modern wrestling study these two punching the shit out of each other. Savage clocks the ref on the back swing. MEXICAN HAMMER! Love it! No ref! Awesome! Tito tries to wake the ref. Savage high Knee! O’Connor Roll w reverses and has the tights for the win. A very popular Savage finish. I’ll have to go back and read my MSG review to see how similar matches. I felt like they were similar quality. Really strong 80s brawl but not quite upper echelon. ****1/4

WWF World Heavyweight Champion Hulk Hogan vs Kamala - WWF Boston 12/6/86 Love their MSG series and this did not disappoint! Kamala is someone who I always love to watch but don’t seek out enough. I love Kamala tripping on the leapfrog whether a work or shoot either way to gets over the raw, untrained aspect of the gimmick. They really put over Kamala’s strength early winning those shouldertackle battles. Hogan Cant slam the Ugandan Giant yet. Kamala lots of his basic but effective offense the chops and thrust kicks and the like. He misses. Hogan starts throwing bombs But he can’t get the Ugandan Giant off his feet. He really throws a lot of heavy artillery at him and can’t get him down which I loved. Friday distracts. Wizard passes the Horn to Kamala who stabs Hogan in the forehead with it. Wicked Blade Job. Kamala just goes to work on the cut, chops and gnawing it. He even manhandles Hogan in a way you never rally see with the Double Gozzle. KAMALA SPLASH! 1-2-NO! I think I know Whats next! HULK-UP! It is a beauty too with the Hulkster covered in blood throwing those haymakers! BODYSLAM! DROPS THE LEG! Awesome! I like the No DQ match in MSG more but this is right up there with the first MSG match ****

Review from 2013: The British Bulldogs vs The Hart Foundation - 7/85 MSG One of my favorite Bret spots is his leverage spot which results in someone taking a dive out to the floor. What I like about it most is that either Bret or his opponent could take it, which makes it one of the versatile spots in wrestling. Bret is definitely a big fan of the kneelift to set up his heat segments during this time period. Everything does even back in 1985 just looks so crisp. I know Bret prides himself on this, but I still cant help but compliment him on his ability to execute moves without being stiff. I like stiff wrestling as much as the next wrestling fan, but I think it is pretty nifty that Bret can make everything he do look so good without being stiff. Bret gives Davey a backbreaker so Anvil can deliver Demolition Decapitation. Wait, I thought this was the Bulldogs thread. Just on cue, here come Dynamite to bring the offense to this match with his nasty hooking clothesline and Davey Boy comes back in with a running powerslam. Now he takes the leverage move to the outside. After trading a couple Boston Crabs, they are just killing time to the curfew finish. This was an ok first match from these two "vaunted" teams of the golden era of the tag division. It was definitely action-packed, but it felt oddly directionless and unheated for a match involving Bret Hart. I always feel like Bret is more likely to have a boring match than a directionless match. At the same time, the Bulldogs seemed to keep things moving, but didn't bust out their big guns for the match. Recommended only if you are a completist, but arent all we. *** 1/4

OMG LOL I have already watched this. Guess I have always been a big Studd & Bundy guy. I echo all my comments. I liked Bundy teetering on the Hogan shoulder tackles But then cutting him off with a. Back elbow. Nothing else to add, keep the rating the same.

Hulk Hogan & Andre The Giant vs King Kong Bundy & Big John Studd - WWF SNME 11/1/85 I watched this about 5 years ago when I watched all the 85 & 86 SNMEs which I really enjoyed. I didn’t do a full review at the time and I wanted to do one now. Outside of somehow including Roddy Piper, this was the biggest match WWF could offer in 1985. Quite literally the biggest. When Hulk Hogan is the smallest of the four guys, those are some big fellas. Hogan repeat their awesome routine from 9/7/85 Boston. Hogan nothing doing on the shoulder tackle so he goes High Knee but can’t get the Bodyslam. Unlike Boston he keeps slugging away. This is all about the babyface shining. Andre chokes Bundy. Studd comes in and doesn’t take the Atomic Drop well. Andre wipes out a ref on a back swing this sends us to break. Hogan and Andre are running away with this. Except Andre ends up getting caught in the ropes, Studd trips Hogan and BUNDY SPLASHES HOGAN! Heenan Family attack Hogan & Andre and the ref calls for the bell. Hogan clears the Ring and Andre says he didnt get enough. It is fun but feels incomplete like it was just getting cooking. There’s a Hogan/Andre Vs Heenan Family from Philly that I have my eye on.

WWF World Heavyweight Champion Hulk Hogan vs King Kong Bundy - WWF Boston 10/12/85 Now this is the good stuff not as good as WrestleMania II Bur a fun house show main event. Heenan is now Bundy’s manager. Hot start. Bundy comes out firing. Hogan tries to mount a comeback But gets Bodyslam on a charge. A taste of his own medicine .Hogan and the crowd was fired up for this one. Hogan has a mini-shine throwing haymakers and dropping bows. He goes for the Bodyslam too early. Even though he was calling for and really put in some extra moves. Bundy is still too big. We get the chinkock again too bad. Loved the Avalanche -> Splash as a near fall. HULK-UP! SECOND AVALANCHE! NO-SELL! INJECT IT IN MY VEINS! BODYSLAM! 1-2-3! HELL YEAH! *** 1/2

LOL! Of course I have watched this match before. Yes it is very chinlock-y and a bearhug BUT I loved the opening Hogan goes for shoulder tackle gets knocked down. He gets smart and takes Bundy down with a High Knee! I popped for that quietly of course theres a baby sleeping. I liked that Bundy’s offense started because Hogan went for the Bodyslam after that. Loved the Bundy finish stretch Knee Drop, Splash, Elbow Drop and TWO AVALANCHES! (it is funny I came to post that I wish Big John Studd that something like that and I already posted it in 2017 lol) Great Hulk-Up! I love the Running Bionic Elbow! Wish he kept that. Bundy feels the loss coming so he uses the Megaphone to draw blood and force a rematch the next month. Nice to see Hogan clock Jimmy Hart. I was a bit harsh on this. I am going *** 1/4 the WrestleMania II match ruled but a good first match in the series.

[1985-11-25-WWF-MSG] Andre The Giant, Hillbilly Jim & Capt Lou Albany vs Big John Studd, King Kong Bundy & Bobby The Brain Heenan @Ricky Jackson was besides himself when I told him like 10 years ago I had never seen a Hillbilly Jim match and I know I’d seen one maybe two when I did an SNME rewatch but I think is my first review of a match he is in. Couldn’t find the October MSG tag where it is Andre & Jim versus Bundy & Studd. So skipping to the November MSG match with the managers. Unfortunately my daughter woke up for feeding & diaper change between the match ending and this review and I have already forgotten most of the match. There was a lot of jostling early you may describe it as Colossal. Andre did most of the heavy lifting. Jim tried to slam Studd but Heenan saved. Besides a Jim punch I don’t think I saw him do anything. Andre didnt really feel cooperative in this match. Studd and Bundy clearly wanted to move to taking over in the corner but Andre wanted to work a double noggin knocker. But anyways this is all immaterial the whole point of this match was to see Heenan take his licks. Andre rocks him and Albano makes him take a Ray Steven’s Flip. Ref forces The Brain to make contact with The Giant even though he tagged which was lame. Fun battering ram spot on the heels. They whip Studd and Bundy into each other. Big boot by Andre to the Brain wish he did the SITDOWN splash. I like all these guys well jury is still out on Jim but no need to watch this one.

Andre The Giant vs King Kong Bundy - WWF MSG 9/23/85 The Colossal Jostle! What a great name for a match! It is very befitting of this match. Based on commentary, Andre has a cracked sternum ala Bundy and I presume his running buddy Big John Studd although Bundy is still managed by Jimmy Hart here. I wonder if Hart was bummed he wasn’t getting the main event of WrestleMania II. You really understand how huge Andre is standing next to Bundy as he makes the 400 pounder look normal size. Awesome super heavyweight wrestling. Everything is heavy, in the corner, up against the ropes, body on body claustrophobic wrestling. Andre is out for blood. Bundy is targeting the sternum. Bundy is more spry of the two so he is the one bumping. Great choke and Headbutt by Andre. Bundy really sells well. Loved Bundy going for the sternum. They pad time with an Andre armbar - head scissors. Bundy takes a Colossal Jostle Tumble to the floor that is the highlight of the match he looked a bit pissed about that. Bundy gets his heat working the sternum. He goes for the Avalanche ANDRE BOOT UP! SITDOWN SPLASH! It is all over but Big John Studd comes out to break it up. Andre staves off both behemoths with a steel chair. If only Andre had a big yoked strapping lad to team with against these giants…fun super heavyweight clash or should I say a Fun Colossal Jostle! ***

Hulk Hogan & Junkyard Dog vs Hoss & Terry Funk - WWF Boston 3/8/86 I have seen the SNME match but I didn’t do an in depth review but my recollection was it was pretty good. I thought this was even better. Dory Funk Jr and Hulk Hogan locking up and trading blows is still so surreal to me. This is a total Gaga match so your mileage may vary I don’t think every spot hit but there were more hits than Misses. Terry Funk and I don’t always share the same sense of humor but I thought the being so woozy after head butting JYD that he tried to tag Hogan only for Hogan to tag him with a punch was good craic. I loved the opening with Hogan ramming Terry’s head into the buckle while JYD had the chain around Hoss’ throat. Hogan doing the JYD bark/growl always gets me. Hogan gets the craic. It is Terrible Terry running the ropes at weird times, saving Hogan when he means to save his brother, getting caught in electrical cords. If you love Terry Funk, it is the Terry Funk show through and through. It is hard to overshadow Hogan but he does. I wish the Funks got more heat on the Hulkster and JYD. There were times like Funk grabbing two conjoined chairs and ramming into Hogans injured back (King Kong Bundy angle) and the branding iron. JYD missing his own Headbutt leading to some classic Hoss European Uppercuts. Each time the babyfaces would get right back on offense and never let the Funks get sustained heat. The finish is pretty sick the Funks have JYD lasso’s choking him and Hogan smokes Terry the clothesline for the win. It was a fun match and it has been a while since I watched something so heavy on the Gaga. If you’re a Terry Funk fan uou gotta watch this. *** 1/2

WWF World Heavyweight Champion Hulk Hogan vs Randy Savage - WWF MSG 2/17/86 Lumberjack I thought this was still very good but a comedown from January. There were more wrinkles in January and no Elizabeth felt weird when she was so essential to the first two matches. Hogan was really hamming it up in this match which was fun. He beats Savage pillar to post early back suplex. The babyface lumberjacks let him beat up Savage on the outside. Double Gozzle a Savage staple and a Bearhug. Hogan’s WrestleMania II opponent is a lumberjack and Bundy trips Hogan. Hogan Cant help but get a lick in only for Macho Man to go for the eyes. He comes crashing down on Hogan’s injured back they must have run the Bundy SNME angle as Hogan’s back is bandaged. Macho Man does the smart thing and throws Hogan to the wolves. Muraco holds Hogan for not one but two Avalanches against the Ring post. Solid heat segment with Savage hurling his body against Hogan’s back. Unfortunately Savage hits the Reviving Elbow on Hogan and the Hulk Up that ensues does him in. One of the Lumberjacks trip Savage and the Leg Drop is All She Wrote for the Macho Man! A very fun easy breezy trilogy that I highly recommend. Top notch character work from both men in all three matches. *** 1/2

WWF World Heavyweight Champion Hulk Hogan vs Randy Savage- WWF MSG 1/27/86 Like I said before I have seen this trilogy before and my recollection was the all hovered around very good but never got to great. Not sure if I am just in good mood because after an hour of battling I finally got my daughter to sleep but I thought this was a great balls to the wall match. I hazard to say maybe even their best ever. Elizabeth gets some flowers from an adoring fan and this pisses Savage off. He accuses Fink of giving them to her and that pops me. Hogan charges the Ring but Mach Man still in his robe pounces. Classic frenetic Tasmanian Devil energy. I love the choking him with his own shirt and beating with his own Championship belt. Elizabeth begs for him to have pity. This is what put the match over the top for me Elizabeth played a role in 3 out of the 4 momentum swings. Macho Man takes his eye off the ball because of Liz and this allows The Hulkster to recuperate. This is Hogan at his very best. Wearing Macho Man’s sunglasses while mocking bsseball windup style punch. Just having total fun out there by being a total ham. He busts Savage open on the post. Now Elizabeth is pleading for Hogan to stop and this allows Savage to turn the tide. Classic Bombs Away Doubke Axehandles from every which way, great floor work. He hits the Macho Man Elbow but it is accidentally the Reviving Elbow! HULK-UP~! Great high octane Hulk Up just running through Savage at every turn. Hulkster goes to smash Savage into the post one more time but yet again Elizabeth pleads with the Champion and Savage is able to shove Hogan into the post get back into the Ring. For the second straight month at MSG, The Macho Man beats the Champion by Countout. If only there was a match type that would prevent Countout, maybe one where the Ring is surrounded by other wrestlers whose job it is to throw you back in. Perhaps we will see a lumberjack match next month. This match ruled! All killer no filler. Frenetic pace awesome character work and great use of Elizabeth double thumbs up! ****

Thanks Brutha appreciate it!

WWF World Heavyweight Champion Hulk Hogan vs Randy Savage - WWF MSG 12/30/85 A pretty famous MSG trilogy that I have seen before but not reviewed. Savage was on a meteoric rise from debuting in the Summer to his first challenge in September. Now he gets Hogans first trilogy at MSG since Muraco in the Spring. None of the Hogan/Savage matches I have seen ever quite get to great But they are always good fun. The through thread in this is Savage is a yellow belly who keeps hiding behind his woman, Elizabeth. He showboats to start. Hogan throws him off forcefully on the lock up. Hits his poses and then blows a kiss at Elizabeth this gets Macho Man all fired up. He is off his game as Hogan steamrolls him. First powder and hid behind Elizabeth. Macho Man starts cheating to get opportunities But missed the rope straddle and also gets caught on the Crossbody. Hogan sends him to the outside with an Atomic Drop and a Backbreaker for #2 and 3 hide behind Elizabeth. Savage gets caught jawing with the fans so Hogan slugs him. Savage attacks Hogan as he gets into the ring. Double axe handles abound including the patented one to the floor. Hulk Up! Big boot sends Macho Man to the floor BUT this time Hogan moves Elizabeth always a great spot. Savage hits the Big Elbow but only gets two. As he argues with the ref, Hogan charges But wipes out the ref. Macho Knee to the back and then he cracks the Champ with his own Championship Belt to the get the tainted Countout victory to set up the rematch. They packed a lot into 10 minutes this was go go but while staying true to their characters and telling a story based on who they are. Good stuff. *** 1/2

WWF World Heavyweight Champion Hulk Hogan vs King Kong Bundy - WWF WrestleMania II Steel Cage Holy shit how has this match been slept on for all these years. This rules. I came in thinking I should watch this because it is one of the few WrestleMania main events I never watched. Who am I to doubt the Hulkster; he crushed it in this match! I have honestly not see much of Bundy and just never felt like watching it. I have always been a Big John Studd guy but this better than any Hogan/Studd match I have seen. I have seen the SNME angle to set this up and Hogan has his ribs bandaged. Red hot start Hulk Hogan just going for broke with his trademark punches and I love that he choked him with his own straps. Hogan goes for the cage ram but gets caught in the ribs. For once I am ok with Hogan going over board with the selling. Bundy great rib work and power moves. He struggles to get out the cage because he is so damn fat. He rips off the bandage and chokes him with it. Then ties him up. Hogan gets yanking him back. We get a cool mini comeback where Hogan rams Bundy into the cage busts him open and works the cut. However his back gives out under sheer weight of Bundy in the big Bodyslam attempt. The big Bundy splash in the corner that injured the ribs! Bundy splash! Is this the End of Hulkamania? Bundy charges splash but HOGAN EATS IT AND SAYS MUTHAFUCKA ILL TAKE SOME MORE! HULK UP! INJECT THIS SHIT IN MY VEINS! HELL FUCKING YEAH! BUNDY CHARGES AGAIN…THE HULKSTER SLAMS KING KONG BUNDY! LEG DROP! The Brain is impeding The Hulkster! Bundy up top but Hogan sends him falling TIMMMMBBBBAAAAHHH! Hogan wins and to the winner goes the spoils ramming the Weasel into the cage. HULKAMANIA LIVES FOREVER! **** 1/4

WWF World Heavyweight Champion Hulk Hogan vs Rowdy Roddy Piper - WWF MSG 2/18/85 I could find all these obscure Flsir matches on YouTube but couldn’t find Flair vs Dusty from Starrcade 85. Decided to watch this match instead. I have seen it many times before as made at least not one but maybe two WWE DVD Sets. It was the precursor to WrestleMania on MTV to set up the biggest franchise in the history of pro wrestling. Hogan vs Piper. It is better than I remembered and I am not a huge Piper guy. The opening brawl was red hot and exactly what you needed. These two looked like they wanted to kill each other. Hogan throwing those big haymakers looked great. Wished the transition to heat was a bit more impactful as usual Hogan oversold. He acted like Piper like shot him. I don’t know where the narrative Hogan doesn’t sell comes from dude sold way too much. Loved the Hogan finger wag on the Sleeper. Even though I knew it was coming. I popped for it But quietly my daughter is sleeping on my lap. Priorities people. Hogan bashing Orton cast into the post was fun. Ref bump. Wonderful/Piper double team. They see Cyndi Lauper they stalk her but Mr. T saves. Thus the main event of WrestleMania is set. ***** angle not much of a match But as a piece of business this was pretty choice. ***

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Nikita Koloff - JCP GAB 7/6/85 Ahhhhh it is refreshing to see Flair work a match as a babyface. Even though Flsir was a heel everywhere else in the country including on TBS, the Magnum angle was only a few weeks before this, he is a babyface in the Carolina’s. David Crockett is the red but that doesn’t factor in a whole lot. I believe Flair Helicopter entrance makes its debut here. A packed open air Charlotte stadium gives this a big fight feel. Unfortunately this is not a good match and the worst of the Flair/Nikita matches I have seen. I enjoyed Flair doing the Riverboat Strut and punctuating it with clenched fists after he got some early offense on Nikita but outside of that it went from being a bore fest to a cluster fuck. Nikita worked the match like a 70s WWWF main event lots of bear hugs and back breakers which I don’t mind I like plenty of 70s Bruno matches but it is not Flair’s forte. Flair was trying to respect Nikita’s size but he needed to push the tempo and turn it into a brawl. When Flair did take over on offense it was a bit too easy. Nikita just rag dolled for him. I think Nikita going to the front chancery after Flair worked through his main offense rolling knee, back Suplex, Figure-4 was a mistake. Nikita needed to throw some bombs. Big pop for the Flair sleeper. Flair Flip and a post shot we get our blade job. While the opening was boring they could have salvaged it with a hot finish. The finish was bizarre. Koloff hit the Russian Sickle to zero heat. There was no fanfare or build up. Flair just kicked out. Then the camera totally misses Uncle Ivan tripping Flair. A fan bum rushes the Ring. Uncle Ivan does some weird spot with Nikita and Crockett. Flair goes for top rope crossbody which Nikita was supposed to be table topped by Uncle Ivan but that got blown they lose control of each other so Flair has to re-pin Nikita. Then Nikita who has been portrayed as this superhuman musculehead all of sudden Cant pick up Flair falls back with Flair and Flair pins him. Everything after the blade job was so bizarre. It felt like low rent Indy wrestling. I couldn’t believe my eyes because Flair is usually so on point. One thing you can say is this was NOT the Flair Formula. It was also pretty bad. A contender for the worst Flair of the 80s Id say. Whats funny is I think they have a very good match at the Omni a month later. Something was off.

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Terry Gordy WCCW 1/11/85 I am surprised this not more well-liked as Terry Gordy is a bit of a darling and this is a fun romp. Being a TV match, youre not going to get a long slow burn Championship match but rather they keep it easy breezy and fun. I enjoyed the Flair/Sunshine angle at the outset. Billy Jack Haynes wants winner but Flair blows him off and says theres only one thing that eluded him all his time in Texas and Thats Sunshine. He plants one on her and she slaps him. Great stuff. Flair is fired up coming off the angle so Gordy uses it against him. Back body drop. Press slam. Sleeper. We are off to the races. Flair eye rake, love the arm pit punches. Gordy fires up but misses the Oriental Spike. We get some great Flair short knee and Headbutt to the stomach. Gordy back drops out of the piledriver. Flair is able to use shoulder tackles in the ropes and a big elbow to get the piledriver. Good slam bang action. Misses the Knee we all know Whats next Gordy Figure-4. Gordy pours it on including getting the Oriental Spike but it is not enough. We have a double pin situation But Flair uses the ropes to kick out and Gordy is counted down. They try to pass it off like Gordy won but Gordy should have known that his shoulders were down. Lame finish wise I thought this was a ton of fun. It was not the deepest wrestling but everything was tight and snug. Good stuff. *** 3/4

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Butch Reed - Mid-South 6/24/85 Butch Reed is one of my least favorite Flair opponents. I’d chuck it up to him being ill-suited for championship style wrestling but we had two of the best championship style wrestling matches against Dicky Murdoch later in the year. Just guess these two didnt have much chemistry. This is their first match and they use this to set up the 50 minute borefest at the Superdome. They have a good TV match/angle in November. This is better than Superdome match but worse than Houston and TV match. Was a bit worried at the start as we get a lot of headlocks, Arm bars and headlocks but things pick up around the 10 minute mark. We only get one Press Slam to start. Flair is able to use the ref as a screen for the short knee to the abdomen. Solid heat segment from Flair. Good intensity. A little king of the mountain. Flair Misses the knee we all know Whats next the Reed Figure-4. Flair makes Reed earn his comeback he throws a bunch at him but Reed keeps fighting through it. I like how Flair keeps being bailed out by the ropes of the backslide and the sleeper. Flair is able to get a Back Suplex and work the leg. Real good job here for the Figure-4. Flair press slammed off the top. Flair takes it outside. The ref gets bumped trying to get back in. Reed gets the visual pin. He throws Flair over the top rope. The ref clocks it. Reed vertical suplex for the win But it is a Dusty Finish as Reed had thrown Flair over the top rope. I hate a Dusty Finish. These two just don’t have much in the way of chemistry. I have seen all four of their matches together now and I don’t think I ever need to see them again. *** 1/4

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Harley Race - PWUSA 2/24/85 I have never dug deep into these PWUSA cards before a neat concept to counteract Vince & WWF expansion but was never going to work because they couldn’t agree. Not a huge Harley guy definitely up there as one of my least favorite Flair opponents. This is still a very good match but nothing like a typical Flsir match. This is a very Race-driven match. My theory is because Race was the veteran elder statesman Flair deferred to Race on the spot calling. This led to Flair being more of a rag doll than a sporting champion. There was less of Flair trying to figure out his opponent and trying different strategies and being thwarted and more just being slam banged around. Flair still threw a couple chops and knees to keep Race honest and make him earn it but the match was completely run through Race and his penchant for working a lot of high spots. I love that opening high spot was a press slam by old man Race and then his trademark Headbutt. Race throws the most cartoony old man Popeye punches. If it was Da Crusher doing it I’d find it endearing but here Race just looks old. Flair goes out of his way to bump and feed for Old Man Harley to make him look like a million bucks. It is a Race match so lots of bombs and suplexes. Flair get a back suplex and throws Flair out which seems like a transition to heat. Flair back drops Race on the outside. Enjoyed the brawling on the floor. Flair doesn’t get much inside. Race Headbutts. We get a piledriver and it’s Bombs Away again. Missed top rope Headbutt leads to Kneecrusher- >Figure-4. Love a missed move leading to a big momentum shift. Race reverses the pressure. Flair tries to get Harley up But his knee buckles nice. Race press slams Flair off the top. Brawl on the outside. They do the old Harley Race crossbody off the top But Flsir rolls through for the pin and win. Better than Starrcade 1983 But not as good the August 1983 match. This was entertaining and breezy But like most Harley matches lacked soul. Flair made it fun as best he could. *** 1/2

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Wahoo McDaniel - Houston 7/12/85 After much deliberation this is the on where Flair wears green and the rematch he wears red. Wahoo is one of my favorite Flair opponents because like Garvin he brings out the rugged brawling side of Flair. The fire fights between these are glorious. The best one is right as Flair was losing control of the heat segment. They are trading leather, Flair tackles him Wahoo fired back, FLAIR GRABS WAHOO BY THE THROAT AND WAHOO ROARS BACK! Primal visceral love it. I love Wahoo punctuates this with a ball shot. Perfect fight fire with fire. Wahoo opening salvo chop and the way Flair sells it…pain, fear and anger all rolled into one is why he is the GOAT. Flair tries bowing up to Wahoo. Nope. Powder to break the rhythm. Nope. Corner crowding. Nope. Rope running. Wahoo even has an answer for that with a drop toe hold. This is why I love Flair. He is constantly trying to figure out his opponent and problem solve But he gets thwarts all along the way. My favorite he is finally cheats with an eye rake and then throws him to the outside. Only for Wahoo to pop back in. Flair sells of oh fuck was great. Finally a back elbow gets him the advantage but not for long. Then comes the Epic sequence I mentioned above. Wahoo goes on the Warpath quite literally doing the Indian Wardance and just chopping the shit out of Flair. Just some amazing flesh on flesh asskicking exchanges. Wahoo sleeper. Ref bump. Flsir throws him over the top rope and cracks his skull against post but Wahoo keeps coming. Wahoo pours it on in the corner and dumps the ref over the top. One final chop but the red calls for the DQ to set up the badass rematch that I like even more but this is a worthy first match in the series. Love these two together. *** 3/4

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Magnum TA - Houston 6/28/85 Magnum is not really my guy. I have nothing against him. He is solid and dependable but he doesn’t grab me by the balls or leap off the page, I have seen others do the Everyman blue collar guy better. This is his big run as he gets to go tour with Flair with multiple title defenses outside the Carolina’s. I have seen the AWA match thought this was below, We are JIP minutes in. Magnum is working a headlock. Flair uses Magnum’s momentum to throw him to the outside. Magnum sells it like death so heat segment here we come. Would have liked more out of the transition. Flair hits a pair of rolling knee drops and works the arm. Two things I miss that Flair stopped doing in the 90s were the Short Knee and Punch to the Armpit. Flair misses a rolling knee. Mags gets the Figure 4 as is customary in a Flair match. I like how it begins to unravel for Flair after this. He gets increasingly desperate as Mags thwarts him at every turn finally succumbing to cheating using Short Knee low and an eye rake to get out of a sleeper. Then begins Can Mags actually pull this off with a series of near falls. Magnum throws a great punch but outside of that they just work standard Flair spots. I liked the finish a lot. Ref gets wiped. Flair throws him over the top rope, crotches him on the top rope and then swipes the foot off the rope during the count for three. About as broomsticky as it gets. Magnum did not really add any wrinkle to this match. Theres no point where I was like Thats the spot Magnum is contributing or that’s what Magnum brings to the table others dont. Even green as grass Luger brought an interesting power dynamic at BOTB III. I think Magnum was made blood feuds and bloody brawls not Championship wrestling. Flair was on cruise control match was still very good but the AWA one is the one to watch. *** 1/2