goodhelmet

Go to toa and look at Mike's Tiger Mask thread. I believe my thoughts on the match are there.

I don't think it was the fact that you addressed those criticisms but the way you chose to address them. These statements really broke the flow of the review. It was a hard paragraph to read. Just picking nits but between Loss giving me details of the book over the phone and your review, I think I am ready to plunge into a topic I have been avoiding for nearly a year now.

1982... Giant Baba vs. Stan Hansen (PWF Title, 2/4/82) - The crowd is HOT for this one. I am guessing this is the first match for Hansen after his debut. Hansen is great selling for Baba in this and the crowd responds to every strike and every move. Bab did his homework though and works over Hansen’s arm. Hansen counters by keeping Baba grounded. The end was pretty great as Baba takes a Hansen lariat and plops to the outside. They brawl for a few minutes but Hansen worked the crowd into a frenzy. I am nominating this one more for the environment than anything although there were some nice sequences. Bruiser Brody vs. Dory Funk Jr. (Int'l Title, 04/21/82) - After about ten minutes of ok work, this really picks up when they brawl out in the crowd and Dory gets busted open. The crowd was really hot and Brody gave more to Dory than I have seen him give to anyone not named Baba. Both guys end up covered in blood and it even had a clean ending as Dory goes for a backdrop suplex but Brody pushes off the top rope and rolls through and pins Dory. This might be my favorite singles Brody match so far. Dory and Terry Funk vs. Bruiser Brody & Jimmy Snuka (4/22/82) - I really love heel Jimmy Snuka. I just think he seemed so much more comfortable being an asshole than lovable savage. In the ring, there was some give and take with neither team really able to capitalize on double teams and advantages. Every once in awhile, the match would spill outside and you get some wild brawling action including a dueling chair fight between Terry and Brody. The most memorable thing about this match was the end where Snuka accidentally splashed Brody instead of Dory. The two of them go at it and Snuka is left a bloody mess thanks to Brody and Robley. I’ll give this a low-level nomination for discussion but I think the post-match is better than the match itself. Giant Baba vs. Stan Hansen (PWF Title, 04/22/82) - This one starts out fast as they don’t even wait for the flyers to clear out before going at each other. Hansen hits a big jumping knee but Baba gives a great Big Boot. With the exception of a quick Hansen chinlock, there were not any real wrestling moves or holds. It was just these guys hitting each other with punches, strikes, and kicks. It also helps that Hansen sells for Baba better than anyone. This ended in a DQ but it was a blast to watch. I think I may like it better than the 2/4 match which I already nominated. Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Harley Race (UN title, 4/22/82) - Nothing really special early on. It reminded me of a Jumbo-Bock match which is disappointing considering Harley Race is in the ring. The match picks up as Race gives Jumbo a few headbutts, making him bleed in the process. At this point, the match picks up as both guys brawl, Race attacks Jumbo’s cut and Jumbo makes the fiery comeback. In the end, Jumbo and Race keep blasting each other with stiff shots, both ending up in a bloody mess. Race ends up getting DQed for shoving the ref (is that Lou Thesz?) but that doesn’t stop these two from going at each other. I’ll consider this a low-level nomination thanks to the exciting 2nd half of the match. Ric Flair vs. Ric Steamboat (NWA Title, 6/4/82) - This is really the prototype Flair-Steamboat match. Lots of Flair stooging and bumping. Lots of Steamboat arm drags and headlocks. Lots of quick pinfalls. When Flair takes control, you get the great Steamboat selling and the Flair legwork. In the end, Flair reverses a Steamboat body press into a pin. Really, there is no way you don’t include this match. I don’t know where it would rank on a final ballot but Flair-Steamboat by the numbers is better than most wrestling from any promotion. Ric Flair vs. Jumbo Tsuruta (NWA Title, 6/8/82) - I love Flair on the Mid Atlantic/NWA set. I love him more in Japan. Two back-to-back kickass Flair matches on one show. Once again, this is all about Jumbo and Flair fighting for every move. There isn’t any real body work (which I love) but these types of matches stand up as a war of attrition where you see each guy throw out his arsenal and seeing if the other guy can withstand it. Some notable spots include Jumbo’s body press) where he gets enough air to hit Flair in the head) and Jumbo’s missile dropkick which isn’t spectacular by itself. It is just something you don’t expect from Jumbo. The match ends with an awkward German suplex where both guys get pinned. So-so ending to a great match and an easy nomination. Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Mil Mascaras (UN Title, 7/30/82) - Shit, I may be losing my mind but I really enjoyed this. Mascaras has a rep for being an uncooperative POS but that might be why this was so fun. Instead of Jumbo hitting his moves, you get a bunch of matwork and twisty submissions and pins that I mark out for. This might be a common spot in a Mil match, but I loved his escapes from the Boston Crab that frustrated Jumbo enough to give up on the move. In the end, both guys get counted out but this was still worth watching. After the bell was great too as Jumbo gets obsessed with tearing off the mask and even gets busted open from the ringpost. Shit, I thought the match was over but it is continuing. I guess it is 2/3 falls. Shit, this is a fucking brawl. I don’t like that after both guys get trapped in a figure-4 and reversal that they jump up and go at each other without selling the legs. The match ends out of nowhere so maybe someone can explain what happened. Still, this was too fun and different not to nominate. Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Harley Race (UN Title, 8/1/82) - I do understand where Phil is coming from since Race does throw out a lot of moves that other people were using as finishers. This doesn’t bother me though because I love his selling and Race doesn’t treat them as finishers. I have seen Terry Funk, Jerry Lawler, and a ton of other guys use the piledriver, only to see people pop up so I won’t hold it against Race. Harley busts Jumbo open again in this match as well and goes to work on the cut…. Headbutts, punches, knee drops. I love how Jumbo’s blood smears over Harley’s head with each headbutt. Jumbo shows his fighting spirit and fights back but that blood is flowing! One spot you have to watch out for is Jumbo’s SICK running clothesline… he just decapitates Race. I think Race is bleeding but there is so much blood I can’t tell. Race ends up winning cleanly and I like this match much more than the April match. Solid nomination. Giant Baba vs. Harley Race (PWF Title, 10/26/82) - Another good match between these two. The crowd isn’t as fired up as they were during the NWA title changes but this had some good moments worth mentioning. Halfway through, Race goes for a headbutt from the apron to the floor and misses giving Baba control. Later on, both guys end up bloody after ramming each other into the ringposts. The end run washot. Baba hits his Hart Attack clothesline that he won the NWA title with but Race kicks out. He attempts a dropkick but Race moves and hits a SWEET diving headbutt to win the match. Another nomination for these two guys. I have watched a shitload of Race the last few days and I don’t know where Phil is coming from at all. Yes, he has had bad matches but so has nearly every other wrestler I have seen. Yes, he hits a ton of big moves but usually in the context of trying to put the match away at the end. I still need to find the piledriver match Tom mentioned but so far I give Harley a nice big fat thumbs up. Dory and Terry Funk v. Ricky Steamboat & Jay Youngblood (12/2/82) - This one starts out JIP early on but it doesn’t look like much was missing. Really nice sequence early on as Rick and Jay control working on Terry’s arm. Well, Jay won’t let go as him and Terry tumble outside. Terry gives him an airplane spin, dumps Jay on the canvas and Jay still has a hold of the arm. Most of the match has the teams working evenly with Jay pairing off with Terry and Rick pairing with Dory. The last 5 minutes of action really picked up with Ricky and Jay desperately trying to put away the Funks but Terry reverses a Jay flying body press for the pin. This was just one solid tag match and stands in strong contrast to the shitty Brody/Hansen tag. The biggest thing that hurt the match was a lack of heat. You get the feeling if it happened in Florida or North Carolina, the heat would have been off the charts. Still, this is a nomination. Harley Race v. Ricky Steamboat (12/7/82) - The early stage of the match is worked in and out of a Ricky Steamboat headlock, with Harley supplying most of the big offense in between. Harley gains control after a big knee and takes over with his big bag of offense. As much as I love Steamboat, most of the positive things that can be said about this match are due almost entirely because of Race. When Ricky seemed content just to grab the headlock, Harley kept things interesting by moving and working the hold. It was Harley who busted out the moves and Harley who seemed more interested in being there. It also doesn't hurt that the match had a clean finish as Steamboat seems content being a jobber to the stars in Japan. I am nominating this match as a low-level nomination almost entirely due to Harley and it hurts me to say that. Terry Funk vs. Bruiser Brody (12/7/82) - The story here has Funk nursing his ear that Brody kicked early in the match so Brody keeps attacking the ear, enough to make it bleed. He rams Terry’s head into the ringpost. When Terry tries to get in the ring, he kicks the ear. He drops knee drops on the head. This is actually a pretty smart match. Even though this is a Brody match, Terry’s selling is great. There is also an awesome Brody piledriver that looked brutal, especially after Terry had tried so hard to prevent it. Eventually, Terry gets a break after a low-blow sends Brody outside. On the outside, Funk busts Brody open after ramming him in the ringpost and slamming a table on him. Now, both guys are flowing and I mark out for the visual. This was pretty damn fun until Hansen interfered, which also brought out Dory for a post-match brawl. I have no problem nominating this match. It had blood, great brawling, focus on a body part and Brody even sold a little. Dory and Terry Funk v. Harley Race & Dick Slater (12/9/82) - Both teams are playing up the mutual respect thing, breaking when they get to the ropes, no cheap shots early on. Terry and Slater work early on and both guys were fun to watch. There were som fun spots including the dueling Terry-Slater headbutt battle. Still, Dory Funk is so, so boring. Seriously, whether it is Race-Terry or Slater-Terry, I was interested in the match but when Dory would come in, I would lose interest. This thing goes 40 minutes and there is plenty of good stuff to nominate it but I don’t know how it would fare in voting. Another subdued crowd hurts the match. Harley Race & Dick Slater vs. Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta (12/13/82) - I really enjoyed Slater in this one. Look at how he bumps for Baba’s big boot. Awesome. For a short while, Baba was actually playing FIP. Race and Slater also are trying hard to be a cohesive tag team. Two standout spots include Slater holding Baba while Race gives him a headbutt to the stomach and a double kneedrop on Baba early on. The crowd is getting louder later on but Baba no-selling a concrete piledriver leaves a bad taste in the mouth. However, all the headbutts and work on the head and Baba is bleeding!!! In the end, Baba gets the pin as he rams Slater into Race’s head and hits the Russian leg sweep for a clean pin. I don’t know how far this match will go but I am nominating it for discussion. Dory and Terry Funk vs. Bruiser Brody & Stan Hansen (Tag Final, 12/13/82) - This was pretty damn fun with Terry and Hansen bringing a lot to the table. This actually makes me want to seek out those Terry-Stan singles matches and check those out ASAP. The one good thing about the Brody-Dory matchup is that it makes sense for Brody to manhandle Dory since he was so damn old at this point. For good measure, both Funks end up bleeding, seemingly for the hell of it. But fuck, every time Terry and Stan were in the ring together, they went at it like dogs. I am nominating this match on that fact alone. The post-match beatdown on Dory, while Terry was down and out in a pile of streamers, was also great.

Terry Funk vs. Dory Funk Jr. (4/30/81) - I guess when I do the Terry Funk comp, I'll have to include this match as a mattter of historical significance. However, damn is this boring to start off. You know they are going long but mix in a highspot here or there. There were some decent sequences and both guys were good on the mat but sequences that would have taken 5 minutes in a regular match were stretched to ten and fifteen minutes here. The first big move happens about 25 minutes in as Terry gets backdropped out of the ring. He injures his leg on the way out so Dory tries to put the spinning toe hold on and Terry has to find ways to block it. I have to compare this to the Jumbo-Kerry match where those guys went 35 minutes and it felt like ten minutes. This went almost an hour and felt like three. I can see someone nominating it but it won't be me.

I get the feeling that the disagreement between Resident Evil and SLL is really just a roundabout way to argue the merits of Memphis vs. Calgary. Keep it up!

Blogs and message boards have made most of the old-design websites meaningless. If you just want to compare old websites to new websites, then you might make a case that the old ones were better. However, I prefer to read wrestling blogs and message boards where interaction is key.

For some reason, this doesn't seem like the right folder to have this thread.

I thought 70s Steamboat was pretty damn good. Maybe I am not reading what you are saying properly.

Let me make it clear that I don't care if people like or dislike Frank or his opinions. That is all fair game. I just want to make sure personal attacks are not the purpose of anyone's posts.

I like Frank. He has been nothing but kind to me and has turned me on to some great stuff. I think it is well-documented how people feel about him on DVDVR, toa, OLC, etc. No need to carry that on here. If the drama is PWO home grown, that is another story. With that said, lets keep the drama from other boards on the other boards. BilJim2, you don't like jdw, we get it. Other folks on this board don't either but have been cordial. This goes for anyone... attack the argument, not the poster. If you can't do that, go to another board.

I am chasing some rare shit for Race but the set will be released this summer by hook or by crook.

I have talked to Dan and we already have a strategy. All Japan won't be several years away but we are getting a head start on other categories to shorten time between sets. I have all of the classics and all of Dan's current TV. I took the classics and have run through a majority of them. Dan is close to gathering all of the TV from the time. New Japan will actually be completed before All Japan but neither one will be light years away.

I don't remember watching the 1978 match. Here ae the 1981 nominations so far... Bruiser Brody vs. Abdullah the Butcher (4/10/81) - THis is almost an exact duplicate of the last match with very little wrestling and mostly arena brawling. However, where the last match had Steamboat chasing Sheik around the arena, this match has Abdullah and Brody with eaach other's hands around their throats the entire time they brawl. I am going to nominate this one with reservations. I want to see if there are any other Brody-Abby matches that are representative if what these two were doing and why they got their reputations. However, if a better one comes along, we can drop this one. Jimmy Snuka vs. Ricky Steamboat (6/3/81) - This one starts off with Snuka abusing Ricky until Steamer can get under control with a headlock. Great sequence as they do their running the ropes criss cross, Steamer rdops as SNuka goes flying out of the ring. Steamboat tries to fling Snuka into the ring using the top rope but Snuka reverses it, Steamboat goes outside but skins the cat and then ends up getting Snuka into the ring. It looked pretty sweet. Later in the match, Snuka would turn it around as Steamboat goes flying out off the ring on a missed attack. I have to deduct some points later on when Snuka and Steamboat collide and do the most melodramatic tumble out of the ring I have ever seen. This match is also notable for Steamboat bleeding and getting himself DQed for viciously attacking Snuka in the corner. I think this is the Steamboat people wanted to see when he got his revenge against Randy Savage. this is also the match I remember liking from this duo. Nomination. Dory and Terry Funk vs. Umanoseke Ueda & Buck Robley (10/6/81) - Whenever Ueda whips Terry, he flies out of the ring instead of running the ropes. Weird. Later on, Ueda actually throws Dory out of the ring so when Dory has the chance, he throws Robley out in retaliation. When the action spills out of the ring, Ueda attacks Terry with a chair and he has a bloody ear so of course Buck goes to the town on the ear, biting, punching and kicking Terry straight to the head. He even throws Terry out of the ring so Ueda can attack him again with the chair. Now it becomes a fight for Terry to make the tag. Of course, Robley gets put in the spinning toe hold and gets rolled up for the pin. I don’t know how good this is but it was fun as hell and worth a nomination. Bruiser Brody vs. Dory Funk Jr. (Int. Title, 10/9/81) - This is the type of brawl that people should point to when they stick up for Brody. The only problem is that this was fun almost entirely due to dory Funk's willingness to play human punching bag. He bleeds, bumps and shows as much emotion as Dory Funk is capable of. Brody sells a little when Dory is ramming him into the ringposts but that is mainly an excuse to let him bleed. Pretty sweet post-match brawl as well with Brody and Dory taking out all of the natives who try to break up the fight. Buck Robley even joins in the fray. I'll throw this one in the discussion pile although I haven't seen a Brody singles match yet that would be considered a strong nomination. Ric Flair vs. Jumbo Tsuruta (2/3 falls) (NWA Title, 10/9/81) - Jumbo-Flair is one of my favorite matchups. I dig this much more than Flair-Taylor or Flair-Kerry yet I can’t see leaving those matches off their respective sets so I don’t see how we can leave any of the great Flair-Jumbo matches off. Hell, the first fall alone in this match was pretty damn great to be a nomination in its own right. Jumbo eventually nails a missile dropkick from the top rope to get the clean pin. However, Flair had been working over the leg which sets up the 2nd fall. In the 2nd fall, Jumbo tries to get the 2nd pin when Flair nails the leg breaker which sets up the Figure 4 in a short fall. Jumbo is still selling the leg in the 3rd fall even though his corner was massaging it, attempting to revive it for the final fall. I love little shit like that thrown in a match, especially in a 2/3 falls match where each fall is like a round in boxing that requires a different strategy after each round. This is probably why I so enthusiastic about the Portland category. The third fall has a little bit of everything. It has some brawling outside that results in Jumbo busted open. It ahs Flair trapped in a tree of woe and Jumbo attacking him while the referee tries to free him. It has Flair working on Jumbo’s cut. It has the hot finish with Jumbo trying desperately to put Flair away but as he goes for the big knee, Flair moves and Jumbo racks himself on the top turnbuckle. Flair gets the clean pin which is so rare for an All Japan match. This is easily my favorite Flair-Jumbo match. I could see this in my Top 5 and most definitely Top 10. Slam dunk nomination. Bruiser Brody & Jimmy Snuka vs. Dory and Terry Funk (12/13/81) - This is famous for the introduction of Stan Hansen to All Japan. Snuka’s over-sell on a mediocre double forearm shot was embarrassing. The match is built around Dory being punished and the heels cutting off the ring with headlocks but Terry distracts Brody so Dory can recover and make the tag. When Terry gets in, he is also getting controlled by Brody and Snuka but his selling is so much better than anyone else in the match. Man, Terry is making this match. If anyone else is in the ring, I would have already rejected this tag match. His selling, the punching contest with Brody, the dive from the top rope all brought elements to the match that would have been lacking without him. Then, of course there is the lariat that puts him out of commission and allows Snuka and Brody to double team Dory into oblivion. This gets a nomination in part because of its historical significance but also because of Terry’s great performance.

1986 Midnight Express vs. Rock N Roll Express (2/2/86) - Man, the 2nd time I have seen the Irish whip butt bump to partner in 2 days. Eaton takes a painful looking backdrop on the floor. The first few minutes saw both teams tagging in and out with neither really gaining an advantage. Gibson plays FIP here but I was a little disappointed that the MX weren't more heelish or using more cheating tactics. Don't get me wrong, the match was ok but it feels like we have been here too many times before. The most memorable thing about this was the MX winning the World Title. I am going to throw this up as a nomination but I am not excited about it. Dusty Rhodes vs. Tully Blanchard (2/2/86) - WTF is Dusty wearing??? This starts off slow wih Dust just casually working a leg hold. The fans try to get themselves interested and start chanting "BREAK IT, BREAK IT". The tide turns and then Tully begins to work on Dusty's leg that the announcers point out was recently broken. He even breaks out the Figure Four on Rhodes who reverses it ending the leg work. Once the leg work is over, Dust breaks out the MOVES with a backbreaker and belly-to-belly. End stretch sees Dusty getting frustrated ith Tully and JJ finding ways to get the foot on the rope during pinfalls. It ends in a draw which was fine with me. The match was pretty good but the corwd has been really subdued tonight. I'll throw this on the block for discussion but it is a low level nomination. Ron Garvin vs. Ric Flair (2/2/86) - Early on, Garvin is just chopping the shit out of Flair and tries to rip out Flair's nose. While Flair is doing his shtick, this really is a Ron Garvin striking showcase match. Chops, slaps, punches, kicks, headbutts. For the first 8 minutes or so, this felt like an extended squash. This also has one of the few cases wheere it made sense for Flair to run the ropes since Garvin was looking the other way. The end run was a case of each man trying to pin each other in various ways with Ric finally getting the win even though garvin's foot was on the ropes. These two just work so well together that this gets a strong nomination for me. Again, the only weak point was the subdued crowd. Ric Flair vs. Barry Windham (Battle of the Belts 2/14/86) - The first 15 minutes or so are controlled by Barry. It may just be me but this match is flying by as Barry is keeping things going at a faster pace than I am accustomed to in Flair matches. Flair takes control after Barry runs into the corner and meets a Flair low-blow and they go outside which ends up with Barry being busted open. Inside, Barry turns the tide and puts Flair in the Figure-4. There are 2 ways you can look at it... either a typical Flair spot for the opponent to use Flair's move on him or a nod to the 1st Battle of the Belts. The last 15 minutes are just great back and forth action where the momentum keeps shifting and there are about 6 or 7 points where you think... this match is over. THe biggest problem might be that people knew there was no chance in hell that Barry was going to win but this was Florida and maybe it was possible he got a KVE run with the belt. This is an easy nomination but the big question now is which Flair-Windham matchup is the best. I think I may enjoy this one more than the 1/20/87 match (which was hurt by commercial breaks) but not as much as the Crockett Cup match. I'll have to revisit these when the sets are made. Arn Anderson vs. Ron Garvin (TV Title) (TV 4/5/86) - TV match based around Arn controlling Garvin with a headlock early on. I love how these guys wok their holds always keeing their hands moving trying to feel out their oponent. When an announcer says it is a human game of chess, I think of matches like this one. This also has the great post-match where Arn and Tully break Garvin's hand. This is great. Arn Anderson vs. Manny Fernandez (TV Title) (TV 4/19/86) - Manny Fernandez is like the Mr. Olympia of this set. There just needs to be more footage of him available. Early on, Arn channels Larry Z. and stalls trying to kill time everytime Manny gets the upper hand in the ring. Manny goes to town on Arn's leg in the middle of the match, maybe in an attempt to ground him and keep him from stalling? Time limit draw ends the match but it was good enough to go on the block. Rock N Roll Express vs. Arn & Ole Anderson (TV 7/19/86) - Classic RNR tag with both guys shining and playing FIP. However, the Andersons work Morton OVER during his FIP section really making this stand out. Awesome spot where Ole is about to come of the top rope and Gibson comes out of nowhere to hit him in the midsection on his way down. This ends in a draw and was not as good as the Starrcade cage but still worthy of a nomination. Magnum TA vs. Nikita Koloff (Match 6) (WWW 8/16/86) - Magnum controls the early portion and he channels Ron Garvin in twisiting Nikita up. He even attempts an Indian Death lock on the arm. He refuses to let go of the arm, hangs onto Nikita onto the outside and rams the arm into the ringpost. Fucking sweet. We miss Nikita regaining control during the commercial break. Still, during the remainder of the match, everytime Nikita has control, Magnum finds a way to end up hurting the arm to stop the punishment. The ref bump and restart was unnecessary but when Magnum pins Nikita, it is one of the biggest pops I have ever heard in the NWA. The crowd is goiong fucking NUTS! I love this match. Magnum TA vs. Nikita Koloff (Match 7 of 7) (WWW 8/23/86) - This is really wierd to watch as the first few minutes are a sped up version of the first ten minutes of match 6 complete with ramming the arm into the ringpost. However, after that spurt, it takes a differnt turn as Nikita focuses on destorying Magnum's back while Magnum thorws everything at Nikita that he can. Holy shit moment for 1986 as Ivan prevents a Magnum tag so Magnum piledrives Uncle Ivan on the concrete floor!!! Khruschev prevents the ref from counting and ends up hitting Magnum with the chain for the win. I loved this one almost as much as Match 6 and it is a definite nomination in my book. Dusty Rhodes vs. Ric Flair (Pro 8/23/86) - Dusty stays on offense for about the first ten minutes of this match allowing Flair to stooge and bump and keeps the amtch interesting as Dusty is playing it up. It also helps that the crowd is fucking HOT for this. The backstory is that Dusty's leg is hurt but as long as he was on offense, he wasn't in trouble but once Flair gains advantage, he attacks the leg. This also has the infamous Baby Doll turn and eventually ends in a DQ as Dusty attacks Flair with a chair. Shit, this has been my favorite Dusty-Flair match so far. The crowd was hot, you have the Baby Doll turn and these guys kept everyting exciting. I am nominating this. Midnight Express vs. Kansas Jayhawks (WWW 9/13/86) - Much better match early on than the Arn/Ole match. Eaton and Condrey just seem much more excited to be in the ring than the Andersons did in the studio match. It also helps that the crowd was pretty hot for this and both teams responded. Solid tag match that ended in an MX DQ when Big Bubba gave Bobby Jaggers two giant splashes. Nomination. Arn Anderson vs. Dusty Rhodes (TV Title) (Pro 9/86) - This was pretty sweet. Early on, Dust hurts Arn's ankle to remind him that he hasn't forgotten what they did to his leg. After Arn gets frustrated, he keeps Dusty grounded oin order to control the match but we go to a commercial break. After the break, I don't know how much we missed but now Arn is working on Dusty's leg. Dust gets some energy and goes for the Figure-4 but his leg is too damaged for him to carry it out. Onc eDusty is on his feet, he buys himself some time by tossing Arn out onto the concrete. Even when it looks like Dust is in control, Arn exploits the leg injury. Of course, we get a ref bump which sets up Arn bringing a chair into the ring. He tries to smash Dusty's leg but Dust moves and hits a BIG DDT onto the chair for the pin and the title. This was pretty much non-stop the entire way. The commercial break hurts it a little but this is still a nomination and one of the better Dusty matches I have watched so far. Ricky Morton vs. Ole Anderson (WWW 10/11/86) - This is pretty cool as both guys work each other over with rib shots. This is the kind of match I think Phil would mark out for as it consists of nothing but punches for most of the way. Hell, Ole even sells and bumps for Ricky. Ole gets Dqed for Arn interference but I was loving this. I don't think it would be the kind of match that would rank high but I was marking out and so was the hot crowd. Gotta include the Horsemen interview after the match. Ivan Koloff & Khrusher Khruschev vs. Brad Armstrong & Tim Horner (WWW 11/1/86) - This was really good early on since nobody plays heel-in-peril better than Ivan Koloff. Seriously, I don't know of anyone else in this set who lets the babyfaces shine more than Ivan. Pretty brutal spot where it looks like Horner was supposed to take a back body drop but ends up in a pancake and falls flat on his face. Horner's FIP section was more interesting than Armstrong's but alot of the credit goes to Ivan in both cases for knowing when to allow the hot tags and to create hope spots. It looked like the Lightning Express were going to win the match in the end but the time limit expires before the three count can be completed. Another nomination and Ivan rules. Manny Fernandez vs. Wahoo McDaniel (11/8/86, Mid Atlantic) -Manny is a bumping machine, making Wahoo’s offense look better than it really is… except for the chops. Those look like they hurt. Really solid match with Manny controlling, playing up his new heel persona. This only lasted ten about ten minutes but it had some blood, sweet Manny offense, and Wahoo’s chops. I’ll give it a lower-level nomination. Bill Dundee vs. Sam Houston (Starrcade 11/27/86) - Man, this might be the best Sam Houston match I have ever seen... but I'll admit I haven't seen many. Still, Dundee was in vintage form and both guys kept the action moving. The ending sucked pretty bad but you get a lot of bad endings in NWA matches. This was much better than several of the Dundee TV matches nominated in Mid South and I have no problem putting it up for discussion. Dusty Rhodes vs. Tully Blanchard (First Blood Match) (Starrcade 11/27/86) - I remember talking to Loss on the phone after watching this match a few months back, and he may think I am nuts, but I enjoyed the hell out of this. This wasn't so much a match as it was a story and this is what I think of when I think of Tully Blanchard prick heel. Dillon bleeding in the first 5 seconds off a bionic elbow was a little over the top but it s one of the reasons I love this so much. I can see you guys knocking this down but fuck it, I am nominating it. Rock N Roll Express vs. Ole and Arn Anderson (Cage Match) (Starrcade 11/27/86) - This is one of my favorite Andersons matches and this is much better than the Russians-RNR cage from Starrcade 85 that I already nominated. Both RNRs take turns getting thier asses beat and the Andersons are complete dicks in this. I wish the Andersons would have dropped some blood but this is sill an easy nomination. Bob & Brad Armstrong vs. Garvin & Dundee (TV 11/29/86) - Impromptu challenge with Bullet Bob wearing jeans. Damn, Dundee has nice punches. I don't know if it is an illusion but Bullet Bob strieks and kicks seem much stiffer when in street clothes. The man is wrestling with dress shoes on. Great spot as Garvin is choking Brad on the top rope form the apron so Dundee lifts his legs and kicks him square in the nuts. Later, Brad would hit a sweet missile dropkick that sends Dudnee to the other side of the ring. This ends in a Double DQ but was enough for a nomination. Rock N Roll Express vs. Ragin' & Ravishin' (TV 12/6/86) - Damn, I would have loved a singles match between Morton and Manny. Early on, Fernandez gets frustrated by the RNR. After an extended RNR shine section, the heels work over Gibson's leg including a nice off the top rope knee from Manny Fernandez. Rude's leg work wasn't really inspired but it was great to see Robert give Rude a backdrop and collapse because of the weakened leg. Next up, after working over Robert's leg, they work over Ricky's arm. After an extended FIP, Gibson comes in and lights up Ragin' Bull. Gibson gets a roll-up but Rude gives him a vicious clotheline that whips Manny on top to give Ragin' & Ravishin' the pin and the titles. You really didn't get too many matches like this on free studio TV back in the day. The weakest point was Rude's offense or lack thereof as you could tell he was still findiing his way but the other three more than made up for it. Nomination. Windham & Garvin vs. Midnight Express (TV 12/86) - Early on, the story is that when Windham is in, he controls the match but when Garvin is in, the MX gain the advantage. It stays this way for about ten minutes until Windham gets a knee from Bobby but even when he gets the tag, GArvin still gets roughed up by the MX. I remember watching this match 20 years ago live and thinking how the MX were such a better team because of how long they controlled the match. I know Tim Cooke will disagree but I really like these studio matches because the intimate setting allows smaller things like headlocks and arm bars and eye rakes to feel a little bit more painful to the viewer because you are right up on the action. The match ends in a time-limit draw but Condrey thought he had Garvin pinned. The MX is upset and Cornette lays Garvin to waste with some racquet shots. This match was the beginning of the Garvin-MX feud that would last through the next year and peak with the fire incident. This is a personal favorite but I think it stands on its own and warrants a nomination. THe fact that Garvin was being abused by the MX the entire match and laid out after only makes it more interesting in my view.

I am currently working on All Japan nominations. Some of my thoughts are just short lines and others are tedious recaps that help me keep the matches in line. I thought you guys might be interested in some of the stuff we have been watching for the 80s project. 1980 Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Dick Slater (Champion Carnival Final, 5/1/80) - Really strong match here. I love how these guys battle over the smallest move. Jumbo tries a double underhook suplex but Slater blocks it by hooking his foot around Jumbo’s leg. He fights and twists to keep Jumbo from getting a Boston Crab. I mark out huge for that shit. Early on, Slater’s main focus was on Jumbo’s leg and he does enough filler to keep it interesting. Slater’s bump to the outside was huge. Loss recently criticized Slater on the Mid South set and that’s cool. However, I don’t think you can criticize him here as it is Slater who makes this match a slam dunk nomination. Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Terry Funk & Dick Slater (5/2/80) Early on, Slater and Funk work on Jumbo, preventing him from tagging into Baba. Once Baba is in, the momentum shifts to the natives. However, Terry and Slater are such a great tag team. They do a little comedy, a little heel work, some big tag team moves. Fun spot as Terry gets tangled in the ropes so Baba gives him the big boot. This knocks Terry back but he springs back into the same spot so Baba does it again and he goes flying to the floor. The natives win after Jumbo and Baba give Slater a double atomic drop. I don't think I would give this a strong nomination. I'll call it a middle of the road nomination where the tag work was good and the gaigin were fun as hell but that there wasn't any real drama or any doubt on who would win in the end. Harley Race vs. Giant Baba (NWA Title, 9/4/80) - You can tell Baba is excited in this one because he is bringing it. It really helps that Race sells and bumps like a madman. What makes this stand out is Race's inability to hit any of his big moves. Instead, it is Baba firing on all cylinders. Race tries to suplex Baba in the ring, Baba falls on top for a pin. In a strike battle, it is Race who goes tumbling out of the ring. Race's piledriver is blocked. Baba's piledriver hits the mark. This battle continues where you could feel Race getting frustrated up until Baba hits his sweet Hart Attack clothesline for the win and a HUGE pop from the crowd. This will be one of the higher ranking Race matches on the set along with the Flair match and deservedly so. Giant Baba vs. Harley Race (NWA Title 9/10/80) - Early on, you can tell Race is pissed, because he hits Baba with the piledriver right off the bat and maintains control. This doesn't last long as Baba snaps out of it and realizes he wants to hold on to the belt a little longer. When Baba is on offense, the match is almost identical to the Baba win but Race ends up hitting more of his high-end offense in this match and that made the difference. The end of this match was much more interesting with Baba busting Race open on the ringpost. When Race gets in, he is a bloody mess and Baba tries to put it away. First he drops the BIG Boot and Race gets a leg on the ropes. He executes the Hart Attack clothesline and a piledriverbut Race escapes. I don't know what he was thinking but Baba tries to go to the top rope, is knocked down and pinned by Race. THis match was nearly just as awesome as the Baba win and is a definite nomination as well. Harley Race vs. Mil Mascaras (NWA Title, 09/12/80) - Early on, Mascaras catches Race off-guard with a flying cross chop and after he kicks out, Race slides all the way back to the other side of the ring while shaking it off. Great visual to start it off. The match kicked off with Mascaras doing his ground game that I love so much and Race bumping big for him. No bump was bigger than Race taking a flying body press while outside the ring. Tired of being shown up in all phases of the game, (holds, brawling, flying), the only way Race can gain control is by throwing a low blow. Mil gets advantage again outside so Race throws a table inside the ring and uses it to regain control. I really enjoyed this all the way through. It seemed like Race was playing Ric Flair and letting Mascaras shine most of the match. I’ll give it a nomination and see where it goes. Dick Slater & Ricky Steamboat vs. Abdullah The Butcher & Tor Kamata (11/28/80) - I'll give this a mild nomination for the Steamboat blood, the wild brawling and Kamata's kicks to Steamboat's face. it doesn't last long before it spills into the crowd but Steamboat swinging a chair for survival and Slater taking Abbys's spike makes for great fun. Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Ricky Steamboat (12/01/80) - This match was so long. There wasn’t anything technically wrong with it but it would have been so much better if they trimmed ten minutes off of it. At this point, I think I would rank the Steamboat-Sheik match higher than this one even though this may be technically better. I think the biggest problem is that this was building to a time limit draw, not to an actual climax to the match. Not one of my favorite matches but this has to be on the set. Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Ricky Steamboat & Dick Slater (12/5/80) - Early on, Jumbo is working against both guys and I am loving it. Slater and Jumbo roll around and try a mat game. Steamboat and Jumbo carry over some of the “technical” pieces from their singles match but it doesn’t feel half-speed because they know they can keep the match moving. When Baba comes in, Steamboat kills my vibe by over-selling the Big Boot to death. This is bad over-selling Ricky. Still, there is too much good stuff not to nominate this one. Steamboat and Slater work really well as a team, always making sure to save the partner when they are in trouble but the natives win by countout. But damn, Steamboat’s goofy-ass selling was annoying. Low level nomination. The Sheik vs. Ricky Steamboat (12/9/80) - At first, this looks like a styles clash but it forces Steamboat to find his inner-Abdullah and both guys are a bloody mess three minutes in. Seriously, you wish Steamboat would cut loose like this more often but when he does, it stands out more. The entire match and post-match lasts about ten minutes but it was a blast seeing Sheik running away from Steamboat who looked like he was possessed. I am probably crazy for nominating this but I can't see leaving it off. Dory and Terry Funk vs. Nick Bockwinkle & Jim Brunzell (12/9/80) - Early on, the Awa guys control the match, preventing Terry Funk from making the tag and cutting off the ring. When Terry finally makes the tag, Dory takes control but makes the mistake of tagging Terry in too soon to do a double suplex but Terry is soon on the losing end. This series has some cool spots such as Bock unloading forearms on Terry in the corner and Terry’s selling after Brunzell and Bock decide to work on the leg to prevent Terry from making his way to Dory by taking turns applying the Figure 4. Eventually, Terry makes the hot tag to Dory who applies a Boston Crab to Brunzell who reverses that, only to have Dory reverse into a three count. This started off a little slow but once the AWA team started working Terry over, my interest level picked up. Nomination. Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Dory Funk Jr. & Terry Funk (Tag Final, 12/11/80) - This is going to be rough as I go from a 6 minute match to a 45 minute match. However, I always like watching Jumbo vs. the Funks since you automatically have the student vs. teacher potential automatically built into the match. After a long feeling out process between both teams, the match gains some focus as the Funks start working over Jumbo’s leg after he got caught in a Dory Spinning Toe Hold. I think the AWA team work on the leg was more fun but it is kind of cool to see the Funks use the same tactic to keep advantage of the match that was used on them just two days prior. Jumbo escapes after back dropping Terry out of the ring and now Funk’s injured back becomes the focus of the match. Some of Funk’s selling in the match is too comical (back flip over the top rope after a Baba chop) but he sells the hell out of the back injury. Keep an eye out for him piggy-backing Terry in order to get the tag to Dory. The 2nd half of the match is a little less focused as both teams try to put away each other with big moves with the occasional nod to the earlier work. The 2nd half also has some pretty cool strike battles… Terry’s punches vs. Baba’s jumping chops and the Jumbo-Dory dueling European uppercut battle. Great finishing run as Terry covers Dory to protect him from a top-rope knee drop and gets put out of commission. This leaves Dory in a handicap match for a duration until Terry gets back to his corner after Dory has absorbed a ton of punishment. When Terry makes the tag, the crowd goes nuts for Terry. He ends up brawling with Jumbo out of the ring but as they make their way back, Baba runs into Terry, knocking him off the apron, giving the natives the win. Sorry for the half-ass play-by-play but it really is the only way I can keep matches separated in my mind. This match is strong enough to easily move forward but there were some parts that bothered me. The crowd’s reaction and the failure of the wrestlers to keep it building is a problem. There were also a couple of points where the wrestlers decided to re-start the match and go a different path in the middle of the match. Still, this one moves forward.

I have been watching some Portland lately and I thought I would post some of my nomination posts. Some are generic recap stuff written with the purpose of reminding me which match I am discussing for final list making. Others are just a couple of lines giving affirmation to the match. 1980 Buddy Rose vs. Rick Martel (2/3 falls) (4/26/80) - Buddy is wearing a mask/wig combo for the match. 1st fall has some nice legwork from Buddy. Awesome spot where MArtle gives Buddy an atomic drop but his leg is damaged from all of the legwork. This allows Buddy to work on the leg some more and get the easy submission. This first fall was pretty good almost all due to Buddy. 2nd fall sees Martel still selling the leg and Buddy trying to destroy it. Buddy gets posted and the tide turns. Martel in turn decides to post Buddy's back and work on his back and eventually win the 2nd fall with the Boston Crab. I love it when wrestlers work the body parts and it means something. 3rd fall and Martel continues too work on the back. I love it when Buddy went to slam Martel but couldn't complete the slam because his back was too injured. Early in the fall, Martel rips off Buddy's wig and Buddy is too embarassed to continue and runs to the back giving Martel the countout win. This match was awesome and is a slam-dunk nomination and a contender for any set you want to put it on. Roddy Piper & Rick Martel vs. Luke Williams & Butch Miller (2/3 Falls) (5/3/80) - Pretty cool tag as Martel and Piper inspire the Andersons and destroy Luke's arm. Miller gets the tag but the ref doesn't see it so Williams is eventually put away in the first fall. 2nd fall has MArtel playing FIP after the Sheeps regaining control and never able to tag Piper so he evntually does the job after a vicious back elbow. 3rd fall starts where the 2nd one left off but this time Piper gets the hot tag and cleans house. After Piper shows some spirit, he eventually plays FIP. THe Sheeps do an assisted backbreaker where Butch drops Piper on Luke's knee. That looked pretty cool. A double pin end s the match in controversy but this was one hell of a tag. Definite nomination. Buddy Rose vs. Rick Martel (2/3 falls) (5/10/80) - Early on, a different match altogether from the first one where the first fall has the guys working spots out of the headlock includoing the earliest case of a hurrucanrana I can remember seeing as Martel takes Rose over. If the first match was all about working the body parts, this was an exchange of cool moves and sequences worked out of the headlock and Buddy countering. When he gets the advantage, he goes to the top rope and drives Martel's head into the canvas with his knee. It looked fucking sweet. Damn, Buddy is such an awesome bumper. Too bad he never found his way down to Mid South. 2nd fall has Buddy working on Martel's back in a role reversal from the first match. However, Martel catches Buddy in the sleeper and takes the 2nd fall to even it up. So far, this is a completely different match form the first one but still just as good. 3rd fall only had a couple of minutes of non-stop action before Martel catches Buddy in another sleeper. THis brings out the Sheeps for the DQ and Piper for the save. Even though the 3rd fall was abrupt, there was enough action to easily move this forward. Roddy Piper & Rick Martel vs. Luke Williams & Butch Miller (2/3 Falls) (5/31/80) - Similar match to the last one that sees Martel and Piper working over the arm since it was so effective in the last match. This time, the Sheeps injure Piper's leg and just go to town until he submits. The 2nd fall has Piper still getting his leg woked over until he makes the hot tag to Martel. Martel takes control and as he whips Williams into the rope, Piper "judo chops" him to the outside and rams his shoulder into the ringpost allowing his team to ge tthe eventual win. The third fall has Martel playing Fip as Piper is unable to really help his team with the injured leg. However, as Piper comes in after a hot tag and applies a sleeper, Buddy Rose comes in for the DQ but hits Luke Williams instead. The post-match is awesome as Rose starts beating Williams into a bloody pulp with the flagpole everytime Miller looks away. Miller and Rose brawl and finally the New Zealanders make thier way to the interview stand where Miller gies an awesome interview while Luke Williams is bleeding and barely able to stand. I take back what I said about the Sheepherders/ New Zealanders. Fucking awesome all the way around. Definite Nomination. Buddy Rose vs. Butch Miller (2/3 Falls) (6/7/80) - Miller is avenging his partner. Rose is fighting the match under protest so he stalls and tries o avoid Miller the first few minutes. When Miller finally gets a hold of him, he goes on the attack and just beats the shit out of him and after three jumping elbows, he gets the easy pin. This is excellent booking as Miller just dismantles Rose. The 2nd fall was back and forth and Rose gets the the pin using the ropes for leverage. 3rd fall is short but wild as it goes to the outside and Rose posts Miller and gets the blood flowing. The match ends in a countout but Rose and Miller keep brawling in and out of the ring. Another nomination. Buddy Rose vs. Butch Miller (Lumberjack Match) (6/21/80) - Another match that starts out with Miller kicking Buddy's ass. At one point, Buddy tries to run away from the match but the lumberjacks chase him and carry him back to the ring. Great way of getting the gimmick over. About 8 minutes in, Rogers throws a chain to Rose who is blocked by Piper when he tries to use it. He knocks Piper out but Miller rams Rose into his own hand and wins the match. THis wasn't nearly as good as the 2/3 Falls matches I have nominated so far but I'll throw this on as a low-level nomination. Buddy Rose, Ed Wiskowski & Fidel Cortez vs. Butch Miller, Luke Williams & Lord Jonathan Boyd (2/3 Falls) (7/19/80) - The first fall finds the Sheeps working over the arms of Cortez and then Wiskowski. The big spot had Ed shoot into the ropes and knock Buddy off the apron. When the heels gain control, Jonathan Boyd takes a great bump off a rope choke. When he regains control, Boyd ends it with a flying knee drop on Wiskowski. The 2nd fall has Miller playing FIP and Rose finally comes into the match when the heels are firmly in control. The hot tag is amde to Boyd who bounces Buddy around in and out of the ring. Luke Williams is tagged in, misses the back elbow and is put down with a sleeper. After the fall, while the referee is distracted, the heels take turns pounding Williams who still isn't awake from the sleeper. One of the things I really like about the Portland 2/3 Falls matches is that the guys who ended the last fall have to be the ones to start the next fall so Williams continues the match as FIP. The 3rd fall ends with a shmoz as Rose rolls Miller up for the pin while holding the tights. I don't think this is the best match i have seen today but it is worth a watch. Boyd was really on fire here and Buddy was great as usual, even when he wasn't the legal man, always keeping things interested on the outside. Nomination. Butch Miller & Luke Williams vs. Buddy Rose & Ed Wiskowski (2/3/ Falls) (7/5/80) - The first fall was back and forth with the typical great Buddy Rose stuff. Miller gets the pin after a couple of elbows. The 2nd fall has the heels making short work of Williams after a Wiskowski diving headbutt. 3rd fall picks up where the 2nd onoe left off. Williams is getting his ass beat until a mis-timed knee from Rose hits Ed instead of Luke. 3rd fall saw Rose nearly beat but Wiskowski gets DQed bringing a chair in kicking the ref. This match wasn't as good as previous tags (Ed relied heavily on the chinlock) but probably still worth a look. The post-match interview with Miller is must-see though. Nomination. Buddy Rose & Ed Wiskowski vs. Roddy Piper & Rick Martel (2/3 Falls) (for vacant tag titles) (8/2/80) - Damn, Buddy Rose does more on the outside of the ring than most people do inside. 1st fall has Piper doing the majority of the work and when the heels are in control, they are working over his injured ribs and back. When Martel comes in, he lights the heels up and disposes of Rose with the huracanrana pin. 2nd fall has Martel in control until a missed dropkick. Ed & Buddy hen proceed to destroy Martel's back. Rose is doing some great moves finding new ways to work on Martel's back including a nice backbreaker to get the 2nd fall. With nearly all Portland tags, the wiiners of the last fall continue to do what worked in the last fall, which is working over Martel's back in this instance. I am only 4 discs into the Portland footage but DAMN if it isn't the most logical and well-worked matches I have seen even if guys who are considered limited like Piper and the Sheepherders. Buddy Rose is also one of the Top 5 heels of the 80s right up there with Tully blanchard and Ted Dibiase. back to the match, Piper gets the hot tag but Buddy and Ed do a cool double team over. Ed slingshots Piper into Rose who proceeds to backdrop him out of the ring. Fucking sweet. This causes the action to spill out of the ring and the match ends in a no-contest but the wrestlers coninue to brawl anyway. In the end, each team claims one of the tag titles and they ontinue to brawl in the post-match interview. Another badass Portland tag!!! Roddy Piper vs. Ed Wiskowski (2/3 falls) (8/23/80) - 1st fall has Piper beating Wiskowski until Ed catches him in the throat. Wiskowski proceeds to attack the throat area and for once, I don't mind the Wiskowski chinlock. Later on, Piper's leg gets caught in the rope so Ed starts attacking the leg. Piper tries to cut Ed down by attacking his leg. I don't know who was responsible for laying out the matches in Portland but I have never seen matches that make more sense than the ones I have watched the last couple of days. Piper catches Wiskowski by surprise with a swinging neckbreaker to get the three. So, when the 2nd fall starts, he works on the neck. I am not crazy about seeing a nerve hold but it makes sense. Wiskowski escapes the nerve hold by tossing Piper outside the ring. ON the way down, Piper sells his back so Wiskowski goes outside to ram Piper's back into the ringpost and then bodyslams him on the concrete. One fan at ringside was so irate he had to be subdued by the cops. Wiskowski gets him back in the ring and puts him away with the headbutt. 3rd fall starts off as a brawl with them fighting outside the ring. Back in the ring, after an Irish whip, Buddy Rose trips Piper and Ed wins in a really short fall. AFter the match, Rose and Wiskowski beat on Piper until he is busted open. Once again, we have a match worth watching. Roddy Piper vs. Buddy Rose (2/3 falls) (9/13/80) - Once again, these guys have a really solid 1st fall with both guys going back and forth trying to get the advantage. Piper ends the 1st fall with a sleeper but not before BUddy tried ramming him in the turnbuckle a few times in an attempt to get him to break it. 2nd fall has Rose busting Piper open on the ring post before he can even get into the ring. Buddy is going to town on the gash. At this point, I thought Piper would show some fighting spirit before Buddy would put him away in the 2nd fall. However, Piper gets a rollup and beats Buddy 2 straight falls. Again, these guys have agreat match with each other and an easy nomination.

Memphis should be just as fun and not quite as long. The set may be the same amount of discs but there will be fewer match discs and more extra discs.