[1992-11-14-WWA] Eddie Gilbert vs Terry Funk (Texas Death)

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Loss]

Not that it's a fair statement, but wow, this match would have been aided by pro-shot cameras and announcers. I lost track of how many falls there were because there were so many, which isn't a bad thing, but an announcer would have helped greatly. Also, the brawling was really good, but you couldn't really see their facial expressions, so I felt like I was missing out on something. In spite of that, this is the best of the Funk/Gilbert matches from my point of view. The '93 stuff has its moments, but I'd put this above all of that. Crazy action going on around the finish with Gilbert using the branding iron.

[Tim Evans]

So who was the heel and babyface in this match? I thought Funk was the babyface but he went crazy towards the end. Good bloody brawl that like Loss said would have benefited from a pro shot camera. Although, the handheld added to the craziness.

[shoe]

Having a Jim Ross call this would have added a lot. Also didn't dig the 1st man up is the winner finish. Both guys worked hard, and bled buckets. A really strong bout.

[Kevin Ridge]

Death matches must be premier match for ring announcers to be a part of. Getting to be involved on the mic with the so many counts.

[PeteF3]

It's hard for me to get into these early-'90s indy handheld bouts, since the build isn't there and these generally come off more as fantasy-booked dream matches than the culmination of some blood feud. The action is fine but these come off more as a product of their time than just about anything else during the year.

[WingedEagle]

This was kind of tough to follow and really rate given the production and how all over the place they were, but these two can definitely brawl. Great punching, weapon shots and bumping around the gym (especially Gilbert's straight away back bump on a punch). I also liked how they incorporated a bunch of falls here without each successive one feeling like a new match with fresh wrestlers. They sold the hell out of this throughout. I can see why this was such a spectacle for 1992 that I believe Meltzer went a full 5 stars or close to it, and while it doesn't hold up as any kind of classic, its a fun look at what was going on and what these two could do in this setting.

[garretta]

For the record, Funk recorded seven falls, Gilbert five.

 

This was fine once the cameraman decided to follow the action instead of running laps all over the building. I wouldn't call this a classic of any sort, but it's loads better than most matches booked into high school gyms, in 1992 or any other year. These two certainly worked hard for their audience, and the audience (at least some) got really involved with the match; you can hear warnings every once in a while for certain people to get back to their seats.

 

I liked picking up some of the wrestlers' interactions with the ref, like Eddie screaming "He's breaking my leg!" when Terry has him caught in the spinning toehold, or Terry checking to see when the ref can begin counting after a fall. We can also catch the ref vainly trying to enforce at least some rules so the bout doesn't turn into a complete riot. I also loved seeing Eddie tumble all the way down the steps after one pinfall. Talk about a difficult bump (or five)!

 

Who are the two poor souls which Eddie massacres? One jumps on his back in the ring, the other is the one whom he brands with Terry's branding iron. They must be local indy guys, because I don't recognize either of them.

 

The one thing I really wish is that Memphis had followed up on the hype that this match was going to determine Lawler's next number one contender. We're about due for a Memphis run from the Funker, and another chapter in the immortal Funk/Lawler feud beats the hell out of watching Lawler dominate a feud with a couple of hometown nobodies like Mike Samples and Mike Miller, or even someone like Koko B.Ware, much as I like him. (Actually, I think the next time we see Terry, he'll be on the other side of Tennessee, working for Corny as one of his many mercenaries during his feud with Bob Armstrong in SMW.)

[paul sosnowski]

 

[JKWebb]

I absolutely loved this.  You've got Funk throwing some nasty looking punches, and Gilbert bleeding all over a high-school gym (bleachers, gym floor, walls).  It's crazy!  There is no way a match like this would go down in a gymnasium today.  It's the best of their matches I've seen.  It's just a really awesome brawl.  In my opinion, it blew the Gilbert/Lawler match at the football field (earlier in the year) out of the water.