Ron Garvin

[Grimmas]

Discuss here.

[Timbo Slice]

The Valentine feud is an all-timer and I liked his stuff in the late 80's in the NWA. Thought he brought a lot to the Starrcade '87 cage match against Flair, even if the ending wasn't in doubt and the crowd wasn't a big fan. Not sure he has enough high-end stuff, though, as the Valentine feud would have to heavily weigh on his candidacy.

[JerryvonKramer]

I find it a little strange that you think the Valentine feud is central to any Garvin vote, because I think it's much more of an after thought. His series of matches with Flair is up there with anyone's -- look beyond the Starrcade match to the studio match from 85 and his title win in 87.

 

Garvin has other great performances too against people like Tully and tagging with Windham vs. the Midnights.

 

I think Garvin has a shot at my list, but I need to dig a bit deeper. What was he doing in Poffo's ICW before his JCP run? What did he do in Georgia that made tape? Is that Larry Z match any good?

 

Depending on the answers to those questions, I can see Garvin finishing in the 80-100 range for me, based on the strength of his work in Crockett.

[Lee Casebolt]

The ICW cage match with Savage is must-see. I don't know that he'll make my list, but he is a guy I need to go back and take another look at.

[GSR]

That ICW cage match with Savage is one that I need to take a look at through fresh eyes. Saw it a long time ago on a poor quality VHS and it did nothing for me then.

 

I do like 87 JCP Garvin, especially the stuff opposing the Midnights. Whilst it's not really integral for this, I'd get a kick from watching him drop jobbers with one punch then just sitting on them for the pin. Heck, I also kinda dug Ms Atlanta Lively!

[PeteF3]

I know a good editing job can make any wrestler or match look like a classic, but the clips of Garvin in Knoxville show an absolute fucking whirlwind. I have no doubt that he was a Best in the World candidate as early as the mid-'70s if not earlier.

[Dylan Waco]

Garvin checks all the boxes for me.

 

1. Good tag worker? Yep.

2. Good heel? Yep.

3 Good face? Yep.

4. Strong resume of great memorable matches and feuds? Yep.

5. Good in a variety of settings against a variety of opponents? Yep.

6. Strong mechanics? Yep.

7. Versatility of mechanics? Yep.

 

He's not an absolute upper tier guy or anything, but Garvin is someone who would have play his way off of my list, not play his way on

[KrisZ]

Dylan hit everything on Garvin with his post.

 

Regarding what Parv asked about....Garvin's series with Jake for the National TV Title produced some extremely good matches plus he had nominated matches with Zbyszko, Les Thornton, Iron Sheik, & Buzz Sawyer.

 

Garvin was so huge in Knoxville in the late 70's that he was one of the very few that got to slam Andre

[goodhelmet]

I have him one slot below Valentine on my final list.

[Dylan Waco]

Just want to note that everyone here should watch the Garvins v. Rougeaus matches if you are on the fence on Garvin. That will take you right off the fence and put you in the "he's on my ballot" category. One of the most underrated feuds of the 80s

[Shining Wiz]

Just want to note that everyone here should watch the Garvins v. Rougeaus matches if you are on the fence on Garvin. That will take you right off the fence and put you in the "he's on my ballot" category. One of the most underrated feuds of the 80s

Nice recommendation. Garvin isn't someone who would have immediately come to mind for me, but between this and a fun back and forth with Ron Starr I watched earlier today, he seems likely to end up there.

 

Might be the only guy from that era actually tainted by a title win.

[BillThompson]

Based on what everyone has said around these parts, since I joined, Garvin is a guy who I really need to see more footage of. He never impressed me much all those years ago, but now I feel I really owe him another shot

[shoe]

Garvin will be on my list I just don't know where. He had this physicality to him in the ring. He made people believe in him. Great matches include many with Flair,Valentine, MX, Tully, Jake Roberts, Savage, Black Bart Arn Anderson and many others.

[Childs]

Just watched the Garvin/Flair cage match from 3/30/86. One of the best mixes of tough Flair and chickenshit Flair I've seen. Ronnie really pushed Ric to places few others did with his sheer physicality. I need to find a place for him on my list.

[Childs]

Just want to note that everyone here should watch the Garvins v. Rougeaus matches if you are on the fence on Garvin. That will take you right off the fence and put you in the "he's on my ballot" category. One of the most underrated feuds of the 80s

 

Just wanted to ditto this. I watched the feud tonight and it was phenomenal, especially the middle match, which was an all-out war with Ronnie bleeding like a stuck pig. It made me wish he'd had a run in Memphis or worked against Finlay and/or Regal.

[goodhelmet]

Thoughts from the 80s project so far...

 

Ronnie Garvin vs. Lanny Poffo

WILL: Garvin is so awesome. He is just abusing Poffo here. Poffo bridges up so Garvin just clubs him in the stomach. garvin gets a chinlock but puts his whole body on the rop for leverage. Just acting like a complete dick. You gotta love Lanny on commentary, "He introduces me to the concrete." When Garvin isn't control, he completely Larry Z's it and stalls and acts like a chickenshit. Nice spot when Poffo escapes a piledriver attempt with a backdrop but Garvin holds on and sunset flips him. After Lanny hit the moonsault, I thought the match was close to over but they wrestled for another 5 minutes. I thought garvin would have had an easier time but he was the one busted up and who barely escaped after using the chain to knock Poffo out and grab the countout win. Another fun Garvin match but the crowd hurt this one as it is kind of embarassing to lose a heat battle to an Italian Stallion match.

Steel Cage Match for the ICW Heavyweight Title

Randy Savage © vs. Ronnie Garvin (sometime in 1982 or early 1983)

KRIS Z: This starts out slow but Garvin would soon start working on Savage and would be the first to use the cage by ramming Savage’s head into it a few times causing him to juice. Garvin continues to pound on Savage using his offensive repetoire to weaken Savage. Savage would start his comeback by throwing Garvin into the cage numerous times causing him to juice as well before starting to unload punches on him. Garvin would come back though and they would start beating the crap out of each other but Savage would miss with his elbow drop off the top rope giving Garvin the chance to capitalize which is what he did as he started back working Savage over and would climb up himself to the top rope where he would land a diving kneedrop but Savage would kick out of the pin. Throughout the match both men would try for the piledriver especially Garvin but each man would fight of it. Garvin would throw Savage into referee George Weingroff then took off his belt where he would use it to punch Savage in the face with then tied him to the top rope by the neck but Savage would get out. Savage then made his comeback but would end up getting backdropped into the cage in a cool spot at that time. Garvin then climbed back up top where he would get crotched and slumped forward so Savage could lock him up in a piledriver for the win in a very cool spot. King Pez Whatley would then attack Savage after the match but brother Lanny Poffo made the save.

 

Buzz Sawyer vs. Ronnie Garvin (7/16/83)

KRIS Z: This is a rematch from last month where Sawyer walked out. Sawyer takes a nuclear bump off a Garvin backdrop where he almost was out of camera view before they went to the mat. Garvin really works on Buzz’s left arm early on but Buzz would chunk him to the floor leading to him taking control. Buzz would roughhouse Garvin using a beautiful salto then a suplex that looked like it took a lot out of Buzz. Garvin would come back here using punches and headbutts but would miss his kneedrop from the ropes leading to Sawyer trying for a spinning toehold. Garvin would kick him off but ate a vicious forearm in response although Garvin would lock in an inside cradle that Buzz would reverse for a win. This goes on the block as it was hard hitting and fun as shit.

National TV Title: Jake Roberts © vs. Ronnie Garvin (11/26/83)

KRIS Z: Garvin is great early on here with his armwork using a standing fireman’s slam which was great along with a wicked looking side arm scissors. Jake would go to the floor to regroup getting some feeling back in his arm then tries to sucker Garvin but he would go right back to work on the arm including some pin attempts while working the arm like a modified crucifix. This is some really good stuff here as Garvin is all over the mat using scissors holds and the like. We get a fucking clip and come back with both men on their back after a double collision. Jake would go for a DDT but Garvin holds the ropes and Jake goes down but Jake keeps on trying as Garvin has a death grip on the ropes. Garvin would let go and would catch Jake flush with a right hand and a splash for a nearfall. Garvin tries for a piledriver but Jake reverses into a Garvin reversal with a sunset flip before the time limit would run out. Garvin still punches Jake and they have to be pulled apart after the bell. Like I said this had some really solid stuff from Garvin and I’m throwing it on the block.

Jake Roberts © vs. Ronnie Garvin (12/3/83)

KRIS Z: These two went to a draw in the previous week so here is the rematch. This was such a great feud as both men worked very well together. Jake keeping his hands up as defense for any punch that Garvin might throw was great. Garvin would use a front chancery to keep Jake grounded early but would mix a great forearm smash in to force Jake to the mat. There would be a cut in the action for a commercial and we come back with Jake now controlling Garvin on the mat. Both men were very tight in their offense here with the strikes looking really crisp. Garvin would smash Jake’s head on the ringpost and hit a cross body block off the top rope for a nearfall with Jake rolling to the floor to regroup and kill time. Garvin throws some awesome punches of course leading up to a schoolboy for a nearfall and the fans at Techwood are getting into this. Garvin would then get an inside cradle for another nearfall and you could tell that Garvin was getting a sense of urgency after the last week. The time limit would run out as Garvin was stomping on Jake. This was another good match in their series and goes on the block.

National TV Title: Jake Roberts © vs.Ronnie Garvin (12/17/83)

KRIS Z: This is a 60:00 match as Garvin had asked for since he was part of 2 draws in the last 3 weeks. Garvin really works on Jake’s left arm to start the match but Jake would counter by working on Garvin’s left leg. This was good body part action here but Garvin would try to pick up the pace until Jake went back to work on his left leg. Jake was relentless working on the knee here but Garvin would reverse Jake’s leg bar into a toehold of his own before both men got to their feet with Garvin peppering him with punches. Garvin would hit his grounded crucifix for a nearfall and kept up the pressure until Ellering would distract Garvin enough so Jake could attack. Jake would get a couple of nearfalls but Garvin would go for a sunset flip before Jake would punch him in the mouth to break that up and went back to work on Garvin’s ribs. Garvin would start fighting back with punches in bunches until Ellering would pull Garvin’s leg from under him letting Jake get back control. The finished was botched bad here as Jake bodyslammed Garvin and Ellering was supposed to hold his foot but didn’t so they repeated the spot again and this time Ellering held it down but not for long and Scrappy McGowan made a 5 count. Weird finish but this was their best match of the series so far and with the others being on the nomination block, this also goes on.

National TV Title: Jake Roberts © vs. Ronnie Garvin (2/25/84)

KRIS Z: The fans voted his as their dream match and Garvin comes out at the bell for the win as he gets a quick inside cradle for a nearfall. Jake really controls the early part of the match using a rope to choke Garvin on the mat and kept Garvin grounded for a long while. Garvin would punch Jake in the side to break up the attack and started firing punches to the body in bunches. Jake takes a real pounding here and Ellering tries to get him to leave the ring but he won’t so Jake takes another way out as he punches Scrappy McGowan for the DQ. Garvin doesn’t care though as he continues to beat the hell out of Jake befor a big pull apart with all the jobbers coming out. This was a really good match before the screwy finish and I'm throwing it on the block.

Ronnie Garvin vs. Ric Flair (1985)

SHOE: High end nomination. I thought this was phenomenal. It was intense right at the lock up. This was just a hard hitting affair. Both guys just brought the intesity. Those Garvin jumping head butts were wicked. The slaps to Flair jaw were nasty and knocked the taste out of them. We get a Flair Flop in fast forward and that was awesome. This might be the most represented match on the set, and this might be might #3 on Flair's best opponents for matches.

Ron Garvin vs. Black Bart (Loser Leaves Town Match) (6/8/85)

WILL: I really like Bart's bumping. Garvin's hand is injured so Garvin uses headbutts to knock Bart down. He is also laying in the stiff kicks made better by Bart's bumping. Bart doesn’t do much but attack Garvin's hand but he doesn’t have to do much else. Garvin starts doing his twisty carny shit later on and it looks painful. I love this idea of Garvin having to find different ways to take Bart out because his hand is injured. Then, to make this match a stone-cold lock in my eyes, Bart does a senton (probably going for a leg drop) on the injured hand. Late in the match, Garvin knocks Bart out, sacrificing his hand but Bart has his leg on the ropes. As Ron argues with the ref, Baby Doll hands Bart a loaded elbow pad and knocks Garvin out in a shock ending. Great ending to a sweet match. Strong nomination.

Arn Anderson vs. Ronnie Garvin 3/1/86

SHOE: This is a no frills match. Just a nice match with structure and story telling. We see Garvin do his best Ole impersonation and hit Arn with stiff strikes. He'd grab and twist and contort Arn's arm. He'd even headbutt it. This is real good arm work that Arn sells it big. Arn nails Garvin with a back drop.This allows Arn to focus his attack on Garvin's back. Ric Flair is out. Garvin has Arn in an adominal stretch as time expires. Post match Flair distracts Garvin and this allows Arn to lay him out with a Gordbuster.

Ric Flair vs. Ron Garvin 3/30/86

SHOE: This is a cage match and a handheld. The physicality gets lost with a handheld, but man their is a lot of great stuff going on.1st off Flair does a bit of storytelling before he enters the cage. We start off with both men brutalizing each other. Eventually Garvin takes control and beats on Flair, back rakes, and head butts. Flair gets the heat and he works over Garvin with the cage . Man Garvin is a bloody mess. So Flair mixes up with the cage and just some brutal punches. Flair locks on the Figure 4 and just tears up the leg. Garvin does a great job selling it. Even when Garvin has Flair locked it a sleeper he keeps lifting his leg to relieve the pressure. Garvin is all over Flair towards the finish. Garvin picks Flair up for a slam but his leg gives up and Flair picks up the win with his legs on the rope. The work on the leg paid off at the finish which I'm a mark of.

Arn Anderson vs. Ron Garvin (TV Title) (4/86)

WILL: 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.

Tully Blanchard vs. Ronnie Garvin 5/3/86

SHOE: This match was awesome. They worked at a great pace, and told a compelling story. Garvin had an injured hand thanks to the 4 Horsemen. Every time Garvin would be making momentum he would hurt the hand and the tides would turn. Tully was his usual dick self, but had a real mean streak here. Finally Garvin begins working over the leg. This was awesome. The work on Tully's leg was great. We get some more battles down the stretch. The finish is pretty great. JJ gives Tully a load of quarters, while Dusty tapes up Ronnie's hand. Ronnie strikes 1st and gets the win. Man this was some choice stuff.

Ron Garvin vs. Ric Flair (Cage match) (Detroit)

WILL: This match SMOKES the Starrcade match. It has all of your Garvin-Flair goodness. Hard chops, stiff punches, and it really helps that the crowd is hot. When Flair gains contorl, he goes to work on Garvin's arm instead of his leg. although he does slap on the Figure 4 later on in the match . I guess it makes sense if Flair's goal is to neutralize Garvin's hands of stone. Later on, Garvin counters a knee drop, slaps Flair down and applies his own Figure-4. I think that is a spot that never gets old in Flair matches... the opponent putting Flair in his own hold. Unless it is Russo or something. Awesome spot as Flair tries for a pin in the corner with his leg on the ropes only to have Garvin breaking the pin by grabbing Flair's nose. the one negative is that they didn't really utilize the cage for most of the amtch., However, when Garvin is scraping Flair against the cage late in the game, the crowd goes batshit. The end stetch is super hot as Garvin hits all the big moves in a desparate attempt to pin Flair. We have seen it all before so you reall ythink Flair wins in the end. He escaped the Garvin stomp, a body press, the Garvin punch. When Garvin hits the flying sunset flip at the end, it was a great fucking moment. Too bad they fucked up his World Title run. Slam dunk nomination.

Ric Flair vs. Ron Garvin (Cage Match) (Starrcade 1987)

WILL: Even though Garvin was booked like a chump in the lead-up to this match, the Garvin feud is one of my favorite Flair matchups. I always felt bad for Garvin as the fans turned on him but I blame that on the booking more than anything he did. I think the cage match that saw Garvin win the world title was much better but this still holds up esp. seeing it complete and not clipped like on the commercial tape. I also enjoy this much more than the Race-Flair match form the first Starrcade. I am throwing this one on the block

[JerryvonKramer]

Pretty excited to see those pre-Crockett Garvin matches. I've also not seen the 86 Flair cage match.

 

Garvin might end up top 40 or even higher for me when all is said and done.

[Tim Cooke]

Garvin vs. Tully from 5/3/86 Worldwide is a match so good that even if Garvin didn't have much other stuff, I would still consider him for a top 100 spot. Luckily, it doesn't matter because he does have the other matches and will probably fall in the lower 4th of my ballot.

[goodhelmet]

I currently have him in the top 50 and not likely to drop out of it

[Childs]

I've been watching a ton of Garvin matches for no particular reason, and man does his work hold up well. You might not think of him as a mat guy, and he certainly didn't do anything intricate in that realm. But the working holds portions of his matches were effective because he always, always conveyed aggression. He was probably an underappreciated athlete as well--strong despite a modest physique, able to go hard throughout long matches and coordinated enough to nail difficult timing spots.

 

It's really a shame he was defined as a failed NWA champ for a lot of people, because he was one of Flair's absolute best opponents, and the heat for their matches was tremendous. You can see how much Garvin and Flair pushed each other, and you know Flair loved that.

 

I'd also reiterate that everyone should check out those Montreal matches with him and Jimmy vs. the Rougeaus, which showcase Ronnie as a flat-out great brawler. Wish we had more of him from the '70s and early '80s.

 

The competition for top 50 is thick, but he's got a real shot for me. I'd put him even higher on a list of most rewatchable wrestlers.

[Wade Garrett]

Ronnie Garvin would fall somewhere between 30-50 for me. Hell on some re-watch maybe even higher. I saw him live and he never disappointed and that is number one for me. Ya gotta go hard live on houseshows whether it's a 8 - 12 - 16 - 20,000 seater or a 1200 seater. He did it.

[Parties]

A guy who came up as a shoo-in for Will and Dylan on Grimmas’ podcast, and who I need to see more of to know where he ranks. Valentine matches are among the best in WWF history. Liked him a lot against Savage in ICW. I’ve seen way too little of his NWA stuff, save the Tully match with insane chops.

[JerryvonKramer]

Anything vs Flair is must watch.

[peachchaos]

 

Thoughts from the 80s project so far...

 

Buzz Sawyer vs. Ronnie Garvin (7/16/83)

KRIS Z: This is a rematch from last month where Sawyer walked out. Sawyer takes a nuclear bump off a Garvin backdrop where he almost was out of camera view before they went to the mat. Garvin really works on Buzz’s left arm early on but Buzz would chunk him to the floor leading to him taking control. Buzz would roughhouse Garvin using a beautiful salto then a suplex that looked like it took a lot out of Buzz. Garvin would come back here using punches and headbutts but would miss his kneedrop from the ropes leading to Sawyer trying for a spinning toehold. Garvin would kick him off but ate a vicious forearm in response although Garvin would lock in an inside cradle that Buzz would reverse for a win. This goes on the block as it was hard hitting and fun as shit.

 

Are these notes for matches recommended for 80's Yearbook sets or are they notes for a Georgia 80's comp?

[goodhelmet]

Recommended from the 80s DVDVR project.