Superstar Sleeze

I am going to edit in analysis later for both World Class & Mid-South later. Here is the best of Mid-South, 53 matches were watched. If AWA was my favorite, Mid-South has been with a whopping 31 matches at ****1/4+, which is almost a 60% batting average. 1. Ted DiBiase vs Hacksaw Duggan (No DQ, Loser Leaves Town, Coal Miner's Glove on a Poll, Steel Cage Tuxedo Match) 2. NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Terry Taylor - Superdome 6/1/85 3. Hacksaw Duggan vs Buzz Sawyer - 11/11/85 4. Mid-South North American Champion Dick Murdoch vs Butch Reed - 10/14/85 5. NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Kerry Von Erich - Tulsa 4/28/85 6. Mid-South North American Champion Dick Murdoch vs Butch Reed - 9/22/85 7. NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Terry Taylor - Houston 5/3/85 8. NWA Western States Heritage Champion Barry Windham vs Dick Murdoch - 7/11/87 9. Mid-South North American Champion Magnum TA vs Ted DiBiase - Tulsa 5/27/84 No DQ 10. NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Ted DiBiase - 11/6/85

Ric Flair & Andersons vs Dusty Rhodes & Rock N Roll Express - JCP 12/9/86 Just a really fun, chaotic cage match felt like a precursor to Wargames with plenty of blood and mayhem. Ole bumps around for Morton then Arn for Dusty in some really fun spots. Dusty has a huge cast on his arm. Then Flair gets beat up by everyone. It is fun for everyone. Flair is able to isolate Gibson and bully him. Gibson and Flair do an amateur riding sequence and just when Flair thinks he wrangles him Gibson rolls away to Morton. I love Flair getting right up in Morton's face before he has even crossed the ropes and Morton kicking Flair away. The Andersons had done a number on Morton at Starrcade '86 and they said in numerous promos in December of 86 they are the reason Ragin n Ravishin were able to win the titles. Morton starts selling and the crowd really comes alive. Morton DDT and leaps to the outstretched hand of American Dream, Of course, it is Dusty who gets the Super Duper hot tag. Dusty gets a sweet belly to belly on Arn and it is super duper chaos. FInish is kinda lame, Dusty cradles Arn to win off camera. Very good match, but nothing too spectacular, just good down home fun. ***1/2

PRO WRESTLING >>> MMA! PRO WRESTLING FOREVER!!!

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Nikita Koloff - NWA Starrcade 1986 Before match there is this weird music video of Magnum TA running to the beach to what appears to be his mother, but there is this horrible post-grunge song with the chorus of "her life is like a box that is always empty". I just couldn't believe that a song that sound like it was from the mid-90s would be used in the original segment. I knew I had seen this before. I took to google found my post from here. (Hey remember Comments That Warrant A Thread!). I am still apparently the only one who cares about this. Zellner informed me that Wind Beneath My Wings was originally the music set to the video, which makes way more sense for a son running to his mother on the beach. Which begs the question who the fuck thought it was a good idea to dub over that with this trash. Not only does the song suck but has absolutely zero to do with the video. Anybody who listens to Tag Teams Back Again (Whoomp There's The Cheap Plug) knows I am just stalling because I don't want to talk about the match. It is not a bad match so much as it is a sad match. Up until this point Ric Flair made his opponent earn their shine and earn their keep in a match. We finally see Flair's bad tendencies and instincts rear their ugly head that would plague him more and more in the future. Flair pretty much just wrestled himself in this match. Nikita just happened to be standing there. I wonder if it is just because Flair really felt like he could only trust himself at this point and he just did not have the patience to teach his opponents. Usually Flair would be a perpetual ball of motion constantly trying to attack his opponent and his opponent would overcome the onslaught. Here Flair acted like Nikita's ragdoll. He bumped around for him and then would beg off or go running to the hills. It is entertaining, but it is in a cheap and superficial way. I was surprised at how much offense Flair did get. This was not a squash by any means and given that Nikita was not going over I expected him to wreck Flair en route to the cheap finish. Koloff missed the Russian Sickle went tumbling outside. Flair worked the leg pretty well and then when Koloff starts to power up. Flair transitions to a different heat segment with him busting Koloff open on the outside. I think the one thing Koloff did add was that he is very good at no selling. No selling is an art. It can be very effective for a pop. He is quite good at it and he gets you excited to watch Flair get his ass kicked. Koloff makes his comeback, the ref gets bumped. Russian Sickle! No ref, brawling and the ref gets tossed around by both and it is a Double DQ. Predictable given its the World & US Champ. What's annoying is that they have this kickass brawl for like 5 minutes. Flair is not scared of Nikita at all. He is constantly jumping on him and there is a ton of heat. The post-match brawl is the match they should have had. This felt very WWF and cartoony. Big power man throws around sneaky coward. Coward gets his cheapshots in and then powerman makes comeback. The difference between this and WWF is that Flair is a better bumper, verbal seller and works a better heat segment than most WWF heels. However, this did not have that NWA feel of a true athletic exhibition with lots of struggle and urgency. You see Flair slip and slip more and more to this. Still entertaining, but at the same time kinda sad. ***

NWA World TV Champion Dusty Rhodes vs Tully Blanchard - NWA Starrcade 1986 First Blood Dusty playing Red Light, Green Light with Tully using bionic elbow will always be one of my favorite spots in wrestling history. To me it epitomizes the fun that pro wrestling can be. I always have the biggest smile on my face watching this match. It is a total master class in psychology, an anti-workrate classic and a testament to the intoxicating, infectious charisma of the American Dream and the brilliant cowardice of Tully Blanchard. The beginning with Dillon trying to put headgear on Tully and the Vaseline is so much fun. Dillon tries to give Dusty a piece of his mind and Dusty gives him the bionic elbow, which busts him open. All these pre-match shenanigans establish Tully as a coward and the Bionic Elbow as a death knell. The way they struggle over punches and sell the tension of being punched just one time is amazing. The Red Light, Green Light is amazing. Tully went for a fist drop and then saw the big hand of Dusty to meet him and his selling was great. The headbutt by Dusty was great because you didn't know who may be busted open. The way they sold the anticipation of the Bionic Elbow was so dramatic. It hit him on the top of the head and just didn't bust him open. The finish is classic Dusty with the ref bump where Dusty is able to bust him open. In a move of ultimate heel chicanery, JJ covers up Tully with Vaseline hands him a roll of coins and busts Dusty open. The referee comes to to see Dusty bleeding calls for the bell. In entertainment value this is *****. It is fun and dramatic at the same time. You want that little coward Tully to get his face caved in by the Bionic Elbow of the American Dream, but at the same time you are amused by Dusty's cocky swagger and Tully & JJ's shenanigans. Call me crazy, ****1/2

Ronnie Garvin vs Big Bubba Rogers - NWA Starrcade 1986 Louisville Streetfight Simple, but elegant. Only in pro wrestling can you describe a man being busted open with a roll of nickels as simple, but elegant. The only convoluted section was when Garvin brought out some rope. It was clear that Ronnie Garvin had spent time in the navy as he had no idea how to hogtie Bubba. Before and after the match was exactly what it should have been. Garvin using his speed to hit and run early tagging Bubba with some big shots. Bubba was such a good bumper. He takes a great big spill on the floor off a Garvin punch. Bubba throws Garvin out but he keeps landing on his feet. Bubba uses his mass to back Garvin in the corner and that when he clobbers him with the roll of nickels by Cornette. He was so cheap, he did not use quarters. C'mon where is good commentary when you need it. The rope bullshit happens at this point. We go back to the good stuff with Bubba going for a bearhug, but Garvin dazes him with headbutts and another series of punches sends him careening to the outside. Bubba fires up, but Garvin press slams him off the top. For a greenhorn, Bubba is making Garvin look like a million bucks. Garvin has trouble getting Bubba up for the piledriver and rips off his belt in the process. The ref has been bumped and Corny hits him with the loaded racket. He spared no expense on that. Tommy Young counts both men out, but in a Louisville Street Fight there must be a winner! It is first man to his feet. They should adopt this in Last Man Standing matches it is quite dramatic. Garvin gets up first, but Young is distracted and Corny whacks Garvin in the back of the leg with the racket. Perfect! Bubba wins! Very fun match. Bubba was perfect a mountain of man that could bump. He straddled the line of imposing and vulnerable was perfect. Garvin is so great at intensity. Corny was great at all the cheating. Just one of those great 80s midcard matches. They don't make them like they used to. ***3/4

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Midnight Express vs Rock N Roll Express - JCP Philly 8/16/86 2 Out of 3 Falls I could watch these two teams forever. The Midnight Express try as they might just cant get one over on the RNRs. They try quick tags and end up running into each other. They try hair pulling and Condrey ends up taking three atomic drops. They try double teaming in their own corner and Gibson fights his way out. I am missing some other examples, but my point is RNRs have to earn their shine. MX is the tag team version of Flair. They are always trying something, but the babyfaces are just better. Until that one moment and BAM! In this case, Morton sets his head low and Eaton pounces with an elbow. Nice heat segment on Morton lots of action. Divorce Court sets up some arm work. Eaton throws Morton hard into the turnbuckles like harder than Morton was expecting because he does not really have time to protect himself and he eats it hard. Morton comes outta the corner with a back elbow and Gibson grabs a quick small package to go up 1-0. Smart wrestling by Gibson, they were severe trouble and he quickly scores a point and swings all the momentum in their favor. RNRs 1-0. If was not going to be a sweep, you knew this one would be quick. Gibson crashes and burns on a reverse crossbody, but goes for the small package. I like that move in desperate times. He runs the ropes, but holds the top rope down. Two big time backbreakers by Condrey evens the score. I wont hold it against them, but I was really hoping for the Rocket Launcher or something cool to get them the fall. Tied 1-1. MX rips off the bandages on Gibson's back. Didn't even notice that before! Makes the backbreakers make way more sense. MX goes to town on his back. The best parts are the Rocket Launcher and Elbow drop to the back! WOW! Gibson knee lift, goes to the wrong corner, but finds Morton. Morton gets the hot tag and hits a MISSILE DROPKICK! Eaton comes off the top on him. Gibson stops the ref because Eaton is not legal. Condrey hits a monster high knee to Morton that sends him flying out of the ring. Condrey tries to bring him in with a bodyslam, but Morton rolls through. Incredible match! Offense was spectacular, great heat on Gibson and the finish run was one of the most exciting you will ever find. Definitely should be considered one of the best matches in JCP history. ****1/2

NWA World Tag Team Champions Rock N Roll Express vs Midnight Express - Superstars on the Superstation 2/2/86 Wicked fun! I am a total mark for a big, fun shine and this is just chicken soup for my soul. I loved that MX jumped them and threw them out. You really thought you were going to be robbed of a shine sequence only to have Morton use the ropes to throw them over the top. Then they had a ton of fun spots against the MX running them into each other in a bunch of ways. Once things settle down, the fun does not end. Eaton throws a wicked right and Gibson immediately responds with a punch of his own (Eaton is selling quickly) and a headscissors. Eaton throws Morton out and again you think the heels may take over and Eaton ends up taking a back body drop over the top. I am liking all the heel hope spots. The leg work on Condrey was so much fun. The RNRs were doubling up and Crockett yells "Teamwork, yes!". Currently, my company is all about teamwork. I really want to isolate that soundbite and play it at work. There is a great moment where Condrey finally gets offense, but it is a kneelift! Great selling by him off this. Again it is little spots like this that keep things interesting. RNRs were so energetic in this loved it. They lose control of Condrey and crawls over to tag Eaton. Eaton RIFLES Morton in the corner! WOW! Eaton eats a suplex and the MX just cant get anything going. Eaton traps Gibson going for the dropkick and catapults him into Condrey. Eaton & Condrey immediately pounce on Gibson. It gets a little chinlocky, but there is enough hope spots that keep it interesting. My favorite one is Gibson tries to sunset flip both and Morton comes in and dropkicks one out so Gibson can get the other over. Very cool. I love when the other tag partner gets involved. Eaton crashes and burns on the Rocket Launcher. Hot tag to Morton! Morton tees off on everyone. Morton crossbody! Double dropkicks (DOUBLE DROPKICK per David Crockett) for everyone, but that bumps the ref. The RNRs want to beat the shit outta Corny and David Crockett approves Whip him like a dog!, but Condrey wallops Morton. Corny pulls Eaton on top for the win! Awesome Southern Tag match! I loved this! So energetic, great selling from both teams. RNRs overcoming the MX at every turn early to only get caught in the catapult. The only thing that keeps it down was that it was a little chinlocky. Loved the finish super hot stuff from the RNRs before heel cheating to win. I think the key to the RNRs is you gotta keep them between 15-25 minutes. Those long matches just were not for me. This is so much breezier. Below Wrestlewar '90, but second best MX/RNRs match I have seen. ****1/2

UWF Western States Heritage Champion Barry Windham vs Dick Murdoch - UWF 7/11/87 (Aired on UWF TV 8/1/87) Crockett has already purchased the UWF at this point and this was during brief run where they tried to keep it as a separate entity sending over Windham to anchor the babyface side. I think they missed a big opportunity of having Windham in the Garvin slot. I love the Flair/Garvin series especially 87 and am a Garvin fan, but they could have really built to the future with a Windham victory there. I have seen this match a bunch of times and loved it. I saved it for last because I thought it had a legitimate shot as the best Mid-South match. To my surprise, I don't even have this in my top 5. There has been that much great shit in Mid-South. That's not indictment on this match, which is still fantastic just goes to show you how stacked Mid-South was. If you like punching, this match is for you. I think that's strength of this match and why it finished so high in the original poll. Flair matches can be polarizing. A good punch is a great unifier of all wrestling fans. These two are the best punchers in the business and so this match had that in spades. The first fifteen minutes are characterized by dueling arm work. Murdoch is the God King of arm work even moreso than the Andersons. He just tortures his opponent and he has so many holds at his disposal. On the flip side, he is so good at selling arm work with his face and his body. My complaint is that it was a little too easy for them to get in and out of arm holds here. I liked how Murdoch set up his arm holds with elbows to the face and yanking the arm against the apron and other nasty ways. Whereas Windham used speed and movement to set up his like a dropkick or a crossbody. The match picks up half way through when Murdoch backs him into the corner and pops him one. Watch Windham sell this. Perfect. Just simple perfection. Really gets this over as a big turning point in the match. Windham hits a spinning neckbreaker to even the playing field. Murdoch sells this a bit over the top, but I love over the top. I really enjoyed it and you all need to watch it. Windham has such a beautiful punch and he is looking to get his receipt. Murdoch ends up on the outside and Windham hits the atomic drop that sends him into the post. Murdoch rakes the eyes, but on the suplex back into the ring Windham falls on top. I love from his knees Murdoch pops Windhams in the face with a punch. Great shit! The slugfests that ensue should be legendary. They are just going blow for blow with incredible selling on each punch. They are holding each other up and punching each other. Murdoch's missed windmill punches is the classic spot I always remember (that and Terry Taylor dubbing himself Vero's Hero on commentary) with Windham cleaning his clock after that bit of fun . Murdoch tries to get up on the top rope, but he looks like a beached whale, lol. Windham press slams him off and figure-4 time. You can say Flair forced him to do that spot now! The finish stretch is Hot Stuff (Murdoch's manager) distracting the ref and Murdoch busting Windham open with the mic whilst in the figure-4. Murdoch tries to put Windham away, but Windham keeps attacking the leg all the while the time limit is about to expire. Belt shot by Murdoch! Kneecrusher by Windham! Spinning Toehold and Figure-4! He makes it to the ropes. BRAINBUSTAH~! But Gilbert has the ref distracted as the time limit expires. Well that is just poor managing right there. The middle portion of this is simply awesome. Great punches and selling. Exactly what you want from these two. Thought the beginning (too easy to get in and out of arm holds) and finish (shoehorning the leg stuff and manager stuff. It felt like a detour from something that was awesome to something I have seen before) just weren't there with the rest of the match. I wish we had every Dick Murdoch match ever. He is fucking incredible. ****1/2

Mid-South North American Champion Dick Murdoch vs Mid-South TV Champion Butch Reed - Mid-South 10/14/85 I watched this way back when with the September match, but never got around to writing a review for this. I remember liking this as much as the September match and I liked that a whole lot. First 15 minutes: Reed's TV title is only on the line for the first 15 minutes. I don't know why Watts insisted or who insisted Reed work holds. He is not as good as everyone else at it. He would be great as a power wrestler. They trade side headlocks early with good struggle. A battle over a top wristlock leads to Reed grabbing an armbar. This would be the hold du jour. Reed's arm work is good, but not great like Murdoch's in the previous encounter. I did like this way better than the headlock Flair match. Murdoch's facial expressions and struggle make this a lot better. He is looking for the ropes and really sells the pain once it is released. He is trying to combat Reed with big elbows to the top of the head. Everytime they lock up, Reed punches the bad arm and Capn Redneck is getting pissed! 5 minute time call and Murdoch avoids the punch and grabs a small package. I love that spot. Reed grabs the arm and this all makes sense. Reed is trying to wait out the 15 minute time period while setting himself up to win the North American Title later. Really smart strategy. Murdoch finally makes in roads with elbows to the top of the head, but Reed sits out of the front facelock to grab a hammerlock. Murdoch backs Reed into the corner and reigns down heavy blows while selling the bad arm. Reed is discombobulated. Atomic drop. Only one minute remains! Murdoch cant get the pin, big punch in the side headlock. He is whacking Reed in the back of the head. Feigns brainbuster for another small package. They standoff and Murdoch resigns himself to not winning the TV Title. If the match ended here as a draw, I would say this was easily great. Reed dominated with arm work, Murdoch sold and fought back and they worked to a strong finish. The match does not end here. Murdoch has a bad wing and it is not just his title on the line. Last 15 Minutes: Holy Shit! This was what I am talking about! World-Class Selling throughout. For limb psychology marks like myself, it does not get better than Murdoch working the leg in response to Reed working the arm. It is an absolute war of attrition. Before the dueling limb psychology there is a really fun tit for tat piece of psychology I got to point out. Murdoch had been really clobbering Reed and up until that point Reed had restrained himself. On a criss cross, Reed popped him one good. Murdoch's selling is I don't know I don't have words to describe it. Perfect. That what it is. It is perfect. Watch this match for that one moment. Mrudoch gets his receipt on the next criss cross and Reed sells great like a babyface should. Murdoch uses the bottom rope to stomp Reed before finally zeroing in on his target, Reed's leg to take away his power. Reed is incredible selling this. He is trying to fight back in the corner, but he looks helpless. Love this. Murdoch grabs a toehold and Reed starts to kick at the bad arm. Oh Fuck Yes! Reed starts yanking at the bad arm and Murdoch collapses in pain. Reed collapses with a knee on Murdoch's bad arm and then sells his own knee. Another time, he kneelifts Murdoch and Murdoch sells his face so well while Reed has to sell his knee. This is why I love pro wrestling! Reed attacking the arm and Murdoch is attacking the leg each trying their best to gain the advantage. Murdoch applies the figure-4 and I actually feel like this could be the finish because of the selling! Reed breaks it with raw power and uses the ropes to hold himself up to kick Murdoch away. Murdoch hits a knecrusher for two. Reed hoists him up for a powerslam, but bumps the ref. Murdoch gets an O'Connor Roll, but no ref, now Reed gets his own and wins the CHAMPIONSHIP! The crowd goes insane for this!!! Murdoch shows his respect for the new champ. The last 15 minutes were wrestled at a ***** level. I thought finish was just slightly weak and the first 15 minutes while they set up last 15 minutes well just weren't there. Easy top 5 Mid-South match and Top 50 US Match of the 80s. A definite must watch. Every aspiring wrestler NEEDS to watch the last 15 minutes of this. ****3/4

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Mike Graham - Championship Wrestling from Florida 2/20/82 Ric Flair looks like a giant compared to Mike Graham. This open up a great opportunity for Flair to bully his opponent. It is glorious. Wicked fun! Something different. Flair and Graham have some really good slugfests early and Flair takes a big bump off a Graham right. He comes back in and just picks up the little man and drops him throat first. You don't see Flair manhandle someone, but he manhandled Graham here. He misses an elbow drop giving Graham an opportunity to grab a sleeper. Flair gets his foot on the ropes so Graham slams down on it. Graham works the leg until Flair kicks him in the face. They slug it out again. Flair goes crashing over the top rope. He gets back in and they go blow for blow and the video ends! WTF! Great Japanese video quality. Really good. Someone hook me up with the full version. This has the potential of being ****+.

My least favorite 80s Flair is definitely still Starrcade 83. That match almost soured me on the 1980s completely! Good thing like John Cena, I never give up.

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Ricky Steamboat - MACW Night of Champions 5/29/84 Flair had just regained the World's Heavyweight Championship from Kerry Von Erich in Japan a week ago, but there is no rest for the wicked. He was in Meadowlands here defending against his arch-nemesis, Ricky Steamboat. I understand why people may hold up Garvin or a Windham as Flair's greatest opponent, but when it comes down to it, it has gotta be Steamboat. He may be the best all-around performer in wrestling history. In The First Twenty Minutes: You see power in the form of the press slam. Speed in the form of dropkicks. Physicality in the form of chops. Ability to work the mat & holds in the form amateur rides and side headlocks. Finally you get the most important piece his selling. In no other wrestler did Flair have the chance to exploit all these different attributes. The beginning is very similar to the Terry Taylor matches, but a bit more truncated. Flair gets shown up on the mat. LIGHTS OUT IN THE IMPACT ZONE! LOOK! IT IS STING UP IN THE RAFTERS! Sorry when they lost lights at the Meadowlands, I was having flashbacks. Steamboat hits a nice pair of dropkicks. Steamboat works a strong side headlock and front chancery. Flair tries all his usual tricks. When he tries to crowd in the corner, Steamboat shows he will not be bullied and unloads the heavy artillery. When Flair tries to create movement, he eats a press slam. Steamboat is on that head. Until Flair finally gets what he wants Steamboat on a criss cross overshoots and Flair hotshots him. Flair goes to school. Big Boy Suplex! Ab Stretch. It does not last long as Steamboat grabs a sleeper. Definitely interested to see if Flair can get some more offense. This does not feel as heated as the Taylor match or as fleshed out at the Boogie Jam match. Lets see what happens. Last Ten Minutes Or So: What separates Flair/Steamboat from any other Flair match is the pacing. It is absolutely electric without ever devolving into a spotfest. It is because they are constantly selling the exhaustion of keeping up with one any another, but they are pushing one another to be even better and go faster. Steamboat was on fire in this portion of the match with 8 million nearfalls coming from all angles small packages, sleepers, crossbody, figure-4s. There is no better at selling the discombobulation of all this than the Nature Boy. On top of that, what connected this all together was how they deliver heavy blows to one another and each man would have to overcome those blows to deliver their move. With five minutes, left Steamboat has Flair trapped in a figure-4 after he caught Flair in the knee drop. Steamboat wants to stay on the leg, but there is an incredible moment. Flair really yanks the hair and Steamboat is pissed and gets on top of him and reigns down blows. Steamer lets him up and Flair throws a wild chop and Steamer keeps kicking ass. It was just a fight! That's what I love about these two. Flair takes a shortcut low and in the criss cross Steamboat misses a dropkick. It is so fast-paced, but it all makes sense and never feels like my turn, your turn. Flair gets a backbreaker for two. He thinks this is a good time to go to the top, but he ends up going flying. Steamboat hits a big chop to the head and then another press slam. Flying bodypress, but Flair gets foot on the ropes and Steamboat is pissed! He takes it out on Flair's chest with stinging chops. O'Connor Roll, but Flair reverses and yanks the tights for the win. The first twenty minutes is pretty standard shine for a Flair opponent, but it is the last ten minutes that sets this match a part. The pace is insane and it is just so exciting. I love the fire when Steamboat was getting his hair pulled or when Flair gets his foot on the ropes on the bodypress. Steamoat put him through hell. You really believe in that finish. Steamboat lights up Flair. Flair cheating to win is always a classic. I think I would have Boogie Jam slightly ahead of this. This match just did not feel as fleshed out as the great Flair matches, more of a Greatest Hits, Summer Blockbuster. ****1/2

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Harley Race - Central States 7/19/84 It is really cool to see Harley wrestle in front of his home territory in Kansas City. This has to be the best match from Central States we have. What else do we have? Some Sheikh has a bounty on Race's head and Missing Link is out to do a number on Race, who is bleeding before the match. The first about 9 minutes are clipped. We get the last eight minutes or so. It is clipped to Flair bleeding on the outside. Harley is kicking ass with uppercuts and grabs a sleeper just as Flair is about to go out his trick knee acts up and it is a ballshot. Nice little firefight breaks out. I like Harley the brawler way better than Harley the spot artist. Piledriver and is actually a pretty convincing nearfall. They crack heads and Harley takes a tumble over the top. I really like the spot with Flair charging hard at Harley on the apron, Harley blocks and clobbers Flair. They should do that more. Flair with the Ode to Harley bump off the kneelift makes me laugh. There is some miscommunication on the press slam from the top that makes them repeat the spot. Harley hits a suplex, but here is the Missing Link. Entertaining match. Didn't see enough to rank, but I don't see this getting over ****, but I would like to see it in full. The brawling was top notch. The finish was weak with press slam miscommunication and then a suplex draws out the Missing Link put the piledriver in that spot. You want people to feel robbed. Still it was an enjoyable 15 minutes with the Missing Link beatdown in the beginning.

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Terry Taylor - Mid-South 6/1/85 My recollection is that this a contender for one of the best matches of the 1980s and is one of my all-time favorite Flair matches lets see how it holds up. First Twenty Minutes: Fuck yeah, this holds up. Incredible opening twenty minutes. I love how Flair always starts off clean against Taylor before working himself up into a lather. I think he underestimates Taylor and thinks he can take him by conventional means only to realize he is in for one helluva fight. I love Taylor's body language in this. He is confident and you believe in him to become the world champion. Taylor grabs a couple headscissors early out of a Flair headlock. Flair is bit annoyed, but he goes back to his strategy of taking it to the mat. Taylor rides a hammerlock. There a ton of little details to watch for in this match. Flair is selling the arm and pulls the ropes to try to loosen it up. Watch closely you will watch Taylor try to pick up that arm, but cant quite find an opening until Flair forces his hand by coming in with a collar elbow tie up trying a suplex attempt, but Taylor blocks twice before Flair gives up. Flair takes him down twice with drop toeholds, but both times cant hold Taylor. Taylor/Flair now work a side headlock sequence that blows the Reed one outta the water. Tons of interesting stuff. Taylor cranking to stop Flair from getting a knee crusher. Flair tries movement to gain an advantage, but on the second attempt Taylor does not even humor him and drops down into a headlock when Flair drops down. Smart, conservative wrestling. Taylor wrenches the front facelock and I love how Flair goes for a suplex and Taylor wrenches hard and the way Flair hollers and then falls it is just so perfect. These are the things that make him better than everyone else. Flair drives Taylor into the corner three times and finally forces a break. Now tempers flare and a fire fight breaks out. Taylor to his credit does not back down. He goes blow for blow with the heavy-handed Flair in just a great sequence. I love Flair feigning with the left only drop low into the midsection with the right. Just a great spot. He throws Taylor out and he rushes back in the ring. Vero's Hero is here to fight, muthafucka! They fire off into the corner, love how Flair bullies him in the crowd only for Taylor to rifle back. The ref interferes and hooks Taylor's arm and Flair nails that short knee to the family jewels of Vero's Hero. With that the twenty minute mark is reached and the Nature Boy is finally in control. I loved, loved how they built into this fight. You see Flair goads him into this. He knows that in the chaos there will be opportunities to sneak in a cheapshot. He got Taylor off his smart, conservative gameplan and he is reaping the benefits. I am so excited for the next twenty minutes! Final Twenty Minutes: They don't relent for one second in this match. Flair punches Taylor right in the face and I love Taylor grabs his face and sells it. Flair is incensed and is choking Taylor. He grabs an arm and they work a good armabr sequence. Flair uses the ropes and hair to control Taylor. Flair goes for chops in the corner, but loses control and is sent flying into the opposite the turnbuckle. Flair tries to get a suplex quickly, but Taylor drops down the back and it is a sleeper. Taylor actually gets a suplex in before eating knees. Taylor don't quit. He is up and rocking Flair with rights until the Flair Flop. This portion feels like an up and down the court basketball game as they start throwing out nearfalls until Flair thumbs him in the eye to finally stymie Taylor. Flair, who clearly realizes he is starting to get in over his head, applies the Figure-4 hoping to end the match. Taylor reverses the pressure. Flair is still nominally in control as Taylor is selling the leg, but misses the kneedrop and he ends up in the figure-4. Flair pushes Taylor off on the second attempt. He thinks now is the time, it is the time to fly. RUH ROH! He sure does go flying. Taylor is on fire with the punches and general intensity. Taylor rattles off nearfalls again, crossbody, backslide. Flair grabs a sleeper on a criss cross, but cant hold Taylor who drops down and kicks him off into the ref. So when Taylor gets another backslide there is no ref. Flair rakes the eyes and throws Taylor over the ropes. He needs to get the ref to count him out! Doesn't work out. Flair suplexes him back in and a big elbow to Taylor he is trying to get up only gets two. Taylor slugs it out with Flair just throwing bomb after bomb. Flair flops on his face. Taylor just needs that one big move. O'Connor Roll will this be it...Flair reverses he has the tights...1, 2, 3! Incredible match. I think what I like the most about is the intensity of both combatants. You really believed that this match was the most important thing in the world. The sense of urgency was very high throughout the match and never relented. Taylor was really awesome in this. He was firing off some great shots. The back half once Taylor made his initial comeback was Flair cheating like a muthafucka to win the match. Eye thumb sets up the first figure-4, but Taylor persevered through that. Then the rake of the eyes and throwing him over the top rope. Taylor survived and overcame. However, you could tell he just did not have much left in the tank and Flair yanked the tights to win. It was a war of attrition and they fought like hell. It is matches like this that are the reasons I love pro wrestling. *****

NWA World TV Champion Ronnie Garvin vs Ric Flair - Georgia Championship Wrestling 6/17/84 Ric Flair makes sure that we all know this for the TV Championship and asks Gordon to come up with a superlative to describe someone who holds the World Championship and TV Championship. Studio match, TV title time limit of ten minute, which means a barnburner sprint. Not as good as their incredible 12/85 World Championship Wrestling Studio match, but this is a good one. Technical wrestling to start Garvin escapes amateur takedowns and works a nice headscissors. This is Garvin vs Flair! You know what is going to happen. Hard-hitting brutal chops are exchanged neither man backs down. Flair is at his sadistic best here. I love the spot where he throws Garvin out and Garvin come right back in. It is on, muthafuckas! Just absolute war. Flair actually is able to take over on the outside and really kick some ass with hard shots, suplex back in and a butterfly suplex. As the time limit expires Garvin is just starting to kick some ass. When these two get together just go along for the ride because it is going to be kickass. Garvin sends Flair flying over the turnbuckles to end the segment. Great TV match! ***3/4

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Harley Race - Georgia Championship Wrestling 2/28/82 Over the course of watching all this 80s footage, Harley Race has become my second least favorite wrestler (don't worry pretty little head, Don Muraco, you always be my number one). He is all bumps (they usually look atrocious) and highspots. People levy nonstop no-psychology at the feet of Flair when that is a boldface lie while Harley Race is screaming look at me, I am that wrestler! Shockingly, I actually wish we had this in full. I really dug it. I have seen '83 MACW match, Starrcade '83 and the Central States '84 match, gotta say this looked like the best Flair/Race match, but we only have 10 minutes of it. The beginning is the usual Race BS, but since he is face it is all offense, which is great because he is way better at that and it climaxes with a piledriver. Flair proves why he is the better world champion because watch how he sets everything he will fire off shots and then take the bump. He is not just some ragdoll, you have to overcome Flair. After the cut, the match gets really good. Flair is on the outside ramming Harley's head into very hard object that he cane find. Then he driving the point of his elbow into Harley's face and nice punches. Flair is way more sadistic than Harley ever was. Clip to a SICK Harley flying headbutt to a standing Ric Flair. Really cool move! Harley punches Flair in the nose and then selling is so damn good from Flair! Diving headbutt and Flair blades off that for double juice. Both men are bleeding like madmen. The match breaks down into a wild brawl that is super heated. The ref takes punches from both men. Harley smashes the ref into the post. The ref has to throw the whole thing out. What we saw was really good stuff. The finish stretch was good, Flair looked like he was on fire and Harley's offense was great. Looked like it would be at least **** if not higher. At ten minutes, just did not good enough flavor of the action. Still worth watching.

Non Title Match --- Ric Flair (c) vs Butch Reed - MId-South 11/8/85 Ric Flair is slated to face Al Perez on TV. But Butch Reed is pissed because Flair has put a bounty on his head using DIcky Slater as his hitman. Reed gives Flair his back and Flair charges. Reed punches him in the head. Great TV sprint ensues. Impromptu match means non-title. Flair seems way more energized in this. It feels like a real fight. Flair traps him in a test of strength where he kick in the midsection and then double stomp. Flair throws him to the outside and Reed comes back with O'Connor Roll and then the sleeper. Watts is great on commentary and makes the match feel more urgent. Flair suplexes out of the sleeper. Suplex struggle and Reed hits the suplex! I love a good contested suplex. Nice mini-battle. BIG SHOULDERTACKLE! 1-2-3! Huge Pop! Reed wins! Slater comes out and they do a number on Reed. Spike piledriver! Flair stands tall. Great TV Angle. Very fun match. Was there a rematch? ***1/2

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Butch Reed - Mid-South 10/11/85 Better than their 60 minute extended squash, but I just this was a very good routine Ric Flair match. I don't think these two have much in the way of chemistry at all. The beginning told a much more interesting story with Flair facing Reed's power in the form of headlock and bearhug, he was trying to get other Reed's skin using the chop. We see Reed get frustrated and wanting to haul off and punch him. The ref reminds him it is illegal. So when he finally gets sick of these stinging chops and punches him in the face it means something. I thought this was a good use of the bearhug. Reed showed a lot more frustration at not being able to put Flair away. Flair was being more of a nuisance in this match like he normally is. Flair hits a kneecrusher and gets the figure-4 so he already feels more competitive in this match. Reed reverses the pressure and leaves Flair hobbling. I thought the finish stretch was a hodgepodge of Flair spots that did not make all that much sense. We get the sunset flip, bridge into the backslide and the sleeper. Yeah they are all hot nearfalls, but they feel forced. Ref gets bumped. Flair gets hit with Reed's shouldertackle, which is his big bomb and Flair just kinda shrugs it off so that he can get press slammed. Reed applies the figure-4 so that when the ref calls off the match you don't know if it for the ref bump or for Flair giving up, which is a neat finish. This was entertaining and the body of the match was much more competitive and interesting, but the finish was all over the place. ***1/2

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Butch Reed - Mid-South 8/10/85 Long match, you know the drill. First twenty minutes: This is all Butch Reed! Ric Flair try as he might cant overcome the power & might of the awesome Hacksaw Butch Reed. Flair tries everything short of outright cheating in the first twenty minutes. There was crowding the in the corner. Vertical suplex. There was turning it into a track meet with rope running. Side headlock. The first 15 minutes was dominated by the cranking of the headlock by Reed and Flair's inability to counter it. Lots of escapes, movement and back into the headlock. It kept things fresh. Flair tried to turn into a battle of fisticuffs and that did not turn out well for him with the big meaty rights of Butch Reed led to the Flair Flop. Flair tried to break rhythm by going to the outside and having Reed chase and ended up in a backslide. Flair even is willing to try a test of strength. The holler he lets out is awesome. Flair actually does well after a kick until Reed fires back. We end this segment with a Flair Flop and back into the side headlock that defines this match. The big negatives of the first twenty is the headlock stuff was a little long. I know certain people like this and it was well-worked, just 15 minutes was a bit much and we are going to back to it. The other was the overreliance on begging off. I like the begging off, but he did like 5 times inside of twenty minutes. Way too much! Solid babyface shine, it looks like Reed is too much man for Flair to handle, but we shall see. Middle Thirty Minutes: Yeah lets clip out Flair's offense. This has reached extended squash territory. To the point where the match just is no longer credible. Flair got destroyed for 45 minutes and you want me to believe he has not lost yet. In fact, you wanted to make Reed long strong well now you have made him looks like a choke. Reed has done everything work the leg (figure-4), fists, choking in frustration and bombs (suplexes and piledriver). Flair keeps squirming out, but this is getting ridiculous. Flair is not even presenting that much of a mountain to climb like he would with the Von Erichs which would turn into fire fights. In the last two minutes, Flair drops Reed balls first on the top rope and surprisingly, Reed does not have balls of steel and Flair actually takes over in the corner. It would have been a great transition twenty minutes earlier. Butterfly suplex and as we hear the 50 minute time call Flair has begun work on the leg. Now, I am just going to finish out the match because there is only ten minutes left. Final Ten Minutes: The finish stretch is fine. It is about as good as the most Flair sixty minute draws. Flair figure-4->reverse the pressure. Slam Flair's head into the post to draw blood. HEY, FLAIR ACTUALLY WAKES UP! Flair shows some fire, but that is extinguished by a sleeper with three minutes to go. The Reed shoulder tackle from the top that should have been the finish as time expired. Press slams finish the match as it goes to a draw. Overhyped. Underdelivers. The match layout sucked, but even more surprising I thought Flair sucked in this match. His verbal selling was off the charts great, but that's about it. This was a Harley Race level performance in terms of just letting himself be ragdolled. Butch Reed was great on offense, but that's not enough. Give me Reed/Murdoch or Flair/Taylor over this any day. ***

Thanks! No commentary on either Flair/Kerry matches from Mid-South. Anyone got locations for these matches?

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Kerry Von Erich - Mid-South 5/4/85 Another great thing about Flair matches is that they are all different. It is not like the WWF where they ran carbon copies of the same match for a month. Even though Flair/Kerry had wrestled in the same territory a week prior this match has a totally different feel. I don't think it is close to the greatness of the 4/28 match, but like all Flair/Kerry matches it is entertaining and great. Pretty standard Flair/Kerry shine with Kerry getting the best of Flair on the mat. Flair is great at the heel hope spots. Short knee and he immediately jumps onto get a suplex, but Kerry blocks twice and then does the Flair strut. It is little things like that that make Flair the best of all time. Flair goes for the short knee off a ref block, which was the transition in the 4/28 match and he throws him just like that match, but this time Kerry pops right back in for a big pop. It is actually Kerry ramming his shoulder into the post that it is the transition. Flair does work the arm well, wrenching it in, Kerry sells well, if you pay close attention you see Kerry forming the Claw, but is in too much pain to execute. We get some good Kerry hope spots fighting out of the corner, slamming Flair's head into turnbuckle to break free of the sleeper, sunset flip from the apron. Flair hits the kneecrusher. Figure-4 by Flair! WOOOOOOOOO! Kerry slides down the back from a vertical suplex attempt and gets the sleeper. Though he eats knees on the splash, that feels like a spot Flair created with Steamboat. Flair misses the kneedrop, Kerry does a great job being patient and waiting for the last second. Of course, this leads to a Kerry Figure-4. The finish run is the press slam, Flair Flip, catch him in the Iron Claw as he comes off the top, which is just fantastic. The actual finish is a lot weaker as Flair shoulder tackles Kerry, but I think it was supposed to be a head crack finish like St. Louis, but just looked like a routine shoulder tackle and he won the match, Kerry does get his foot on the ropes for protection. Weak finish, but other than that the usual very entertaining Flair/Kerry match. ****

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Kerry Von Erich - St. Louis 1/25/85 Pretty standard Flair/Kerry, which a standard most wrestlers dream that could reach and it is pretty damn great. It is just in the Pantheon of Flair/Kerry this is their Greatest Hits. It is a ton of fun. Good Kerry shine with some fun headscissors takedowns and dropkicks. I liked the fake outs into Flair heat like the short knee and the thumb in the eye before we get the real one. We get the Claw, but Flair makes to the outside and Kerry maintains it only for Flair to smash him into the post. Standard Flair heat segment with cheating and working midsection. We get Kerry sleeper as the hope spot before the splash on the injured midsection and a missed dropkick. They play off the Texas Stadium finish then Flair says stop fucking around and hits a kneecrusher. Kerry kicks him off a couple times, but Flair stays on the leg. Some really good Flair leg work. Flair goes for the Figure-4 and its the CLAW~! I love the Claw as a counter to the Figure-4. Flair makes it to the ropes and attacks the leg, but he is press slammed off the top. Kerry Figure-4. Kerry is pouring it on, but takes a bad bump when they crack heads and Flair flops on top of Kerry for the lucky win. It was really fun and really well-worked, but there were no new wrinkles really. It is Flair/Kerry, I fucking love it and never ceases to entertain. ****

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Kerry Von Erich - Mid-South 4/28/85 This match is just lean and mean. Flair is at his best when he goes long so he can flesh out his narrative. There are plenty of times even at 20-25 minutes where he feels rushed. However, that is not the case here. Here his spot calling was pitch perfect. This is stripped down Ric Flair at its finest. How stripped down are talking? At the five minute mark, Flair is already getting heat and there was barely any shine (Flair Flop off a Discus Punch, glorious). It is on! Ref hooks Kerry's arm and Flair hits his short knee. He throws Kerry to the outside. Kerry is such a great Flair opponent, combining the power of Luger, likeability of Sting and selling of Steamboat (on this night he was that damn good). If he had Windham's offense, Good Lord that just would have not been fair. Flair rips into him on the floor, Kerry's selling is Godly and then plays a little King of the Mountain. Love Kerry trying to pull himself up on ropes, missing the desperation dropkick and then selling the ribs. The Flair sleeper complete with arm drop is the climax of this segment before Kerry falls into turnbuckles ramming Flair's head. Love Flair grabbing his jaw after this. I love how lean Kerry's comeback is at this point. Discus punch->Comeback started. Press Slam->Highspot. Stomach claw->False finish. You just ride such a high during that segment. Kerry has Flair down, but cant get cover. He gives up to hit a splash, but eats knees to injured midsection. AWESOME! Flair tosses him out to get a breather. Now we get the sunset flip and backslide fun, which is a rush. Flair Flip to the outside. Flair looks discombobulated, but he grabs Kerry's ankle and wrenches it across the apron. He goes up top and I thought this would be the best set up ever for the press slam, but he actually hits a axehandle!!! Flair misses knee drop and it is into the figure-4! Great setup. They have done a great job generating excitement with neither man really in control, but everything feeling organic. Kerry is clearly coming from underneath, but is getting big time false finishes. Flair makes the ropes and Kerry stays on the leg. Kerry goes to elbow the leg, but Flair moves and he hurts his mid-section. WOW! Flair punches to midsection. BIG BOY CHOPS! Flair selling the leg, before an elbow drop for two. Butterfly suplex, love that move for two. Two great Flair heat segments, love it. Flair hits rapid fire punches in the corner and Kerry collapses in the corner. Knee to the injured midsection. It is the press slam off the top that is the transition to the comeback (Flair did take a long time). Flair Flip runs across apron off the top into IRON CLAW~! FUCKING AWESOME! I POPPED LIKE A MADMAN FOR THAT! Flair hiptosses Kerry outside the ring and that's a pretty big bump as Flair brings him in the hardway with a vertical suplex. Flair is in full desperation, don't fuck around mode and applies the figure-4. Kerry sells like a million bucks. Kerry powers out because he is ALL MAN! Flair big chop and it is a slugfest! Lots of movement leads to a Kerry sleeper. They stick with the sleeper and it is a pretty convincing finish with the armdrops, but Flair gets his foot on ropes. Kerry is incensed punching Flair on the ropes throwing the ref away. Flair using the ropes to hold him up throws a big chop. Flair sends Kerry into the ref, here we go. Kerry gets a cross body and sleeper, but no ref and Flair drops him balls first on the top rope. Kerry get his foot on the rope to protect him (very Mid-South Flair finish), but a very strong 80s finish. Call me a Flair mark. Call me a Kerry mark. I don't care the fact this was only #49 on Mid-South Set means Im calling YOU CRAZY!!! This was FANTASTIC! Ric Flair at his absolute best. Flair is pretty restrained in this by his standards. He works more on top than usual. Kerry killed it in the selling department. The spot calling was incredible. Just everything flowed perfectly. Flair ripped into Kerry when necessary. Kerry worked so well from underneath. When he was making his comeback, everything felt tenuous, but at the same time credible. Those claw attempts/figure-4 were home runs shots, but he didn't have enough to really chip into Flair's lead, he needed to a big bomb to close this out because his midsection was giving out on him. You see Flair really feel in control here when he usually does not. It is only a brief part in the middle does he feel frantic and the end when it does look like Kerry has him beat. I really liked that finish. Just did not feel like ***** when I was watching it, cant put my finger on it, but this is a classic right up there with Hawaii & Texas 8/82 matches. ****3/4.

WWF Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund vs Don Muraco - WWF Philly 10/17/81 I have been both dreading this match and am intrigued by it. Doing it this the same way as the Valentine draw in twenty minute intervals. "They are really playing to the crowd" - Dick Graham as Backlund sits in his third hammerlock of the night "You cant doubt Don Muraco is a great athlete." - Dick Graham as Muraco sits in his third stomach claw "This feels like it has been going on for hours and hours." - Dick Graham finally getting it right " This is too much for even a masochist to handle" - Kal Rudman with the great line of the night First Twenty Minutes: It picked up in the last 3 minutes, but the first 17 were pretty damn boring. The lone highspot was a Bob Backlund monkey flip. Muraco headlock was transitioned into a Backlund hammerlock. There was some movement in and out of the hammerlock, but yeah they are clearly going long. Last three minutes Muraco picks it up with some great midsection work. Double stomp. Standing on him. Bob is great at selling this. Bearhug and as Backlund balls up the fist the ref admonishes him allowing Muraco knee him in the gut. Bob's look at the ref was hilarious. Muraco digs the Asiatic Spike in the midsection as twenty minutes in this contest goes by. Will Backlund make a comeback? Will Muraco break a sweat? Will I be able to stay awake? Second Twenty Minutes: Muraco is so fucking lazy he invents a new resthold. He literally hugs Backlund's leg for like two minutes. Christ. There was some decent movement in and out of the stomach claw with Backlund not able to capitalize until finally he punches out and boot rake and nice elbow. Then Backlund headscissors. This was brutally boring. Muraco gets out by prying the legs open and making a wish. Decent leg work until the hugging the leg bs. Backlund escapes but Muraco comes down with all his weight on the leg. Escape again, but Backlund cant hold him up and Muraco gets two. They tie each other up. Muraco had a leg hold and Backlund his arm. Can this match be any more boring? Will Muraco come up with any more new restholds? Will Dick Graham fall asleep before me? Last Fifteen Minutes: You know what this match needed? A fucking Indian Deathlock! Backlund escapes a toehold by smashing Muraco face with the heel of his boot. Muraco lunges for the leg and Backlund hammers Muraco's leg for revenge. Backlund sells leg well and at first the leg work looks good until the Indian Fucking Deathlock. Backlund leans too far back and Muraco rakes the face and gets some nice punches in. There is about ten minutes left, maybe this will heat up. Muraco is up favoring his left leg. Muraco drops him throat first on the top rope setting him up for the Asiatic Spike. He kisses the protected thumb. He nails up, but Backlund is unphased. He Hulks Up! Muraco hits the Asiatic Spike in the corner and Backlund is gasping for breath. So Muraco sticks the thumb in his throat. Yep we needed another hold! Backlund powers up and shoulder tackle. Backlund walks into a phantom Spike and he rolls to outside. Muraco gets him back in and nails a Tombstone to set up the Superfly, but eats knees! It is a draw as Backlud hammers away. NOW THEY BRAWL! This match sucks! The way they worked was grab a hold, two escapes each ending up back in the original hold and then third time is a charm the other takes over with a new hold. The times in each hold was way too long. Not enough movement. No real story. Just hold->escape->hold->escape->hold->successful escape. Worst Backlund match I have ever seen. Silver lining: it was just a 55 minute draw.