NWA On Demand

[Matt D]

And we appreciate 40 minutes (w/ promos) of Tito and Bock.

 

Oh hey! I think that's the Gold Cup match. Can't wait til I can see it tonight.

[Karl]

As of tomorrow I will have a Roku and as a result, in 2 weeks, I will have a sub to NWA Classics. I hate watching wrestling on a laptop.

[BruceTharpe]

Latest message from Jim Ratcliff:

 

Both matches are live: Dynamic Duo vs Mil Mascaras & Dos Caras: November 20, 1981. 2 out of 3 falls - prematch Tully/Gino promo - 25-minute runtime. Bockwinkel vs Tito also 2 out of 3 - Nov 20, 1981 - prematch Bockwinkel promo - 39-minute runtime. This is probably the hardest-hitting Bockwinkel match I've seen so far. Tito is bleeding and Bockwinkel either has a cut on his leg or is covered with Tito's blood.

[Phil Schneider]

OOOOHHH!!! Sounds like it is well worth the wait ! Very excited to see my paranoia is unfounded

[Matt D]

Ah! Just starting this now. It's not the Gold Cup Final. It's Tito defending instead. But that just means the Gold Cup is still potentially out there too.

 

Also, Bruce, I hope you caught that Hayes vs Williams cage match.

[Matt D]

Some very quick thoughts which I'll try to expand on later. In short, I loved it.

 

 

Another masterpiece. I love seeing Nick in the 2/3 setting because it gives him reason to tweak elements and move them around. The structure of this was pretty fascinating actually, as it started with a headlock-driven heel control, which Tito slowly had to work out of, with cut offs and set ups/pay offs. Then we ended up with arm-based babyface shine, where it was on Bockwinkel to get out, with cheating to lead to heat focused on the head and throat that looked pretty vicious, a comeback and cutoff for the first fall pin. It continued into the second fall, where Tito got a hope spot that he turned into a pin, and then back to heat for the third fall, with brawling, comebacks and cutoffs, and the king of the mountain at the very end, wherein the bleeding happened, a more punishment based one, and finally a hugely hot finish.

 

Where the real beauty of the match lays, however, are in the details, the focus on Tito's neck and head, the way that Bockwinkel contrasted his skill against Tito's, as in how he escaped from moves vs how Tito did, and the way they set up the anticipation of a payoff through repetition. There's a lot to unpack here and I think everyone will enjoy it.

 

 

 

I'll try to give a full write up in the next few days.

[shoe]

Tito vs Bock

 

This is for Tito's Gold Cup. This was a total blast and had so many interesting things. Like in the 1st fall these guys milked a test of strength spot and it turned into an epic moment. I enjoyed Bock and Tito working the headlock spots. Tito's arm work was really gritty. Back to the 1st fall I loved the quick punch spots. All the work seemed snug. The finish of the 1st fall was tremendous. The 2nd fall seeing Bock working the throat and stomach to destroy his breathing. Again this had a stunning finish. The final fall was off the charts. The guys do about the damndest double head knocker spot that I bought as a finish, yet it wasn't. Tito is bleeding and Bock is just going after the cut. The heat here is off the charts. Tito goes over and the crowd explodes. Awesome stuff 4 1/4*

[shoe]

Dynamic Duo vs Mil Mascaras/Dos Caras

 

 

This was a pretty solid tag. The 1st fall was pretty much a baby face shine. The Duo are great at bumping and stooging . I thought Dos Caras brought a ton of energy to the match. The 2nd fall we see Mascaras work some FIP. This was another solid fall. The 3rd fall leads to a double count out. Overall the heels were great in their role. Plus Dos Caras was tremendous. 2 3/4*

 

Prematch we get a super fun Dynamic Duo promo.

[Matt D]

Nick vs Tito

 

Good wrestlers can tell a story in the ring. Great wrestlers can craft great Thrillers, the equivalent of crime or spy novels, ones which repeat the same themes again and again, but make for an exciting ride even given that familiarity. Nick Bockwinkel crafts those Thrillers as well, but he crosses genres more deftly than almost any wrestler I've ever seen. He introduces, through build, payoff, and emotional reactions to everything that happens in the ring, elements of the human condition, of more traditional novels, into his wrestling. That was very much at play here.

There were a few unique elements to the match's setting. For one, Bockwinkel was chasing. We don't have much footage of him chasing, especially not as a heel and especially not chasing someone other than Verne. Here he was chasing Santana's Gold Cup, won during Paul Boesch's 3 night 50th anniversary tournament, where Santana beat Bockwinkel. Houston used the introduction of artificial titles such as this and JYD's King of Wrestling crown in order to rationalize Bockwinkel losing without losing his World Title, often times to set up a title match where he would seem vulnerable, thus a.) making the fans think they might see a title change and be more apt to buy tickets and b.) making the homegrown stars seem all the more impressive for having a win, with real stakes, over the champ. This match, in particular, was a two out of three falls match, which was not something we saw often, if at all, with AWA Bockwinkel. Finally, he came in with something to prove, having already been defeated in a match that he very much wanted to win, and feeling that the honor of the Gold Cup, a true prize in wrestling, was wasted on Santana. He could claim his previous loss was due to the grueling nature of the tournament or due to Satanta's homefield advantage (which came up in Boesch's commentary).

All of these things are important because they played into the layout and execution of the match. They shaped Bockwinkel's motivations and had a hand in almost every single thing he did. He didn't just want to win; he had something to prove. He didn't just want to prove he was better; he wanted to hurt Tito. It meant he would be more aggressive than usual and that he would react to what Tito did more viscerally.

The additional length and two out of three fall stipulation meant that the match didn't have to follow so straightforward a shine/heat/comeback structure. Instead it was a feeling out process, heel control, babyface shine, heel heat with comeback teases and cut offs (this included the first two falls), and a final heel control leading to the comeback. These were bridged together by repetition, build, and payoff in the form of paralleled transitions, focused offense, and that ultimate tool in pro wrestling, selling.

Let's take a look at how character drove the opening feeling out process and how that, and repetition to create an effect, bled into the control and shine. The match started with some deep, gritty lock ups, and subsequent rope breaks. They went back and forth with these, four times, escalating the tease of punches until Bockwinkel, frustrated, finally threw the first opportunistic punch. He paid for it as Tito fired back. That was the framing sequence for the feeling out process. In between, they had oneupmanship driving the frustration, where Tito would do something and then Bockwinkel would manage a less flashy version of it. The best example would be a nice hammerlock-go behind-roll up sequence that I'm not sure I've ever seen Tito use, and Bockwinkel just forcing a go behind and roll up in response. I liked how this was an inversion of the Bockwinkel vs Chavo Guerrero match where Bockwinkel would do the first move and Chavo would then do something similar but flashier. There, Chavo had something to prove. Here it was Bockwinkel. They traded Full Nelsons next, which led to the long, (again, like everything else in this match) gritty test of strength, where Bockwinkel is the aggressor but Tito manages to come back. It's all Bockwinkel can do to get to the ropes and draw the break. That's when he fully snaps, driving forward with a forearm and a headlock takeover, done with trying to wrestle evenly with Tito, done with trying to prove something, actual despair in his face. Now he just wanted to grind him down and hurt him.

That was the start of the heel control, which was architecturally beautiful. It goes without saying that they were deeply working the headlock. There was no resting there. Tito was always trying to get leverage or turn him. That said, it was the use of repetition and evolving spots that really made it sing though. Tito made it up and hit a whip only to get shoulder blocked twice and put back in. He made it up a second time and turned the second shoulder block into an arm drag, but Bockwinkel kicked up into Tito's face (remember this later), and put him back in with amazing snap. The third time, after the first shoulder block, Tito slammed him, but Bockwinkel nailed him with a cheapshot, slammed him back, and locked it back in. Finally, the fourth time they made it up, Bockwinkel, unable to contain him any longer, rammed his head into the turnbuckle. He then ran in for a charge, but went shoulder first into the post (remember THIS later too). And that led right into the start of the babyface shine.

There were parallels in the babyface shine to the heel control, every piece building on what came before while driving things forward. Of course, it was well worked. Tito varied things up, starting with an armbar and moving to a hammerlock, grinding it, pumphandling it. When we get to see Bockwinkel's selling, it's incredibly emotive. And his "hope" spots? Shoulder block by Tito, arm drag by Bockwinkel, and kick up by Tito (which I asked you to remember when Bockwinkel did it). Then right back into the hold. Perfect symmetry. By the way, little thing, but I loved how Tito used the tights to position Bock around while in the hammerlock. It felt more like the use of the gi in judo than any sort of cheating. They went through another round, this time with Bockwinkel trying a bodyslam (much like the ones during the control) only for Tito to hang on. They were too close to the ropes and that allowed for some distance and harsh punching on Tito, surrendering moral ground from a wrestling perspective. The hurt arm would delay him, however, and Tito would grab the hold again. When Bockwinkel finally escaped, it was with a series of nasty headbutts to create distance (once again surrendering the moral higher ground since he wasn't skilled enough to legitimately escape).

This was the start of the real heel heat, Bockwinkel's viciousness and frustration unleashed. He was down to one arm by this point, and that informed how he took the attack to Tito, first escaping with the headbutts, and then using the ring itself as a weapon to make up for his damaged limb. He'd use his feet or his knee to choke Tito on the ropes, would slam him into the turnbuckle. This set the stage for his offense in the rest of the match, all driven by the fact he was selling his arm after minutes of it being worked on. Logic. Meaning. Consequence, but never, ever by losing sight of the heart and soul of the match. Instead, it enhances, provides grounding. The first fall ended here, with Tito, fresher still, fighting back only to miss a flying charge in the corner (mimicking when he took over from Bockwinkel the first time to end the heel control), and Bockwinkel, still hurt, capitalizing with a quick pin.

He'd continue to capitalize on that mistake into the second fall, and he'd continue to use the ring as a weapon. He ran with Tito's head, whipping him neck first into the top rope multiple times. He put his head on the bottom rope and drove a knee into it from the turnbuckles. Both of those are things I've never seen Bockwinkel do before, but they fit the match perfectly and were hugely vicious. He tried to run him neck first one too many times, however, and Tito used the momentum to bounce off the ropes, duck a punch, and score the lightning second fall with a cross body, though he didn't immediately shift momentum back in the grander sense. I love that allowance in two out of three fall matches, when they can enhance a hope spot into a fall but just give that all the more reason for the heel to keep the heat on.

Bock came into the third fall with the advantage, cutting off another hope spot from Tito by going back to the turnbuckle and the ropes. The late match selling here was off the charts, with both wrestlers portraying exhaustion and the damage of the match, all building to the moment where Bockwinkel whipped Tito and their heads collided. This is where the comeback would normally come. Here, instead, Bockwinkel, likely knowing it was coming from a character perspective, went into the King of the Mountain segment, hugely late into the match, and done with more meanness than I've ever seen it. He was at the very end of his rope. He rolled out with Tito and slammed his head into the post, introducing the blood into the match, and then kept on him, brutally preventing him from getting back in the ring with kicks and a huge haymaker. When he did allow him back in, it's only to slam his head into the turnbuckles again before driving him back out, pinballing him in and out of the ring and doing damage.

Eventually, though, after a mare over the top, Tito recovered enough for one last big comeback sequence, firing away with babyface fury that he could channel better than anyone, punching and kicking Bockwinkel in the corner. It ended, however, with the third exclamation point missed charge into the corner of the match and Bockwinkel driving him back out. He beat him on the apron, with the referee, who had enough, playing just a bit of interference, until Tito was able to recover enough to create a tiny bit of distance and capitalize with a slingshot shoulder tackle to take the third fall and win the match.

It's staggering to look back and think about all of the callbacks and payoffs, of the way that one act in the match led to the next, the way that certain themes ran through this, of Bockwinkel's pathos, his desperation and frustration and pride, and Santana's skill and perseverance. Nothing came off as haphazard. Bockwinkel's heat was all about using the ropes and turnbuckles. That began due to the armwork and continued because of its viciousness and effectiveness. They paralleled spots from the control in the shine, set up transitions in the ten minute mark that would be paid off in the twenty and the thirty. None of it felt gimmicky or gratuitous. It all furthered a story and was driven by character and all was sold and reacted to and thus was draped in meaning. This is the storytelling standard that every main event match should be judged against.

[victory]

That might be the best match review ever by Matt D. Great read.

[BruceTharpe]

Pak Song vs. Tony Atlas online NOW!

[shoe]

Song vs Atlas

 

Pak Song is a famous character in the history of wrestling. So I was glad to see him here. Though this was all smokes and mirrors. This was a total building of an angle. Though throughout this Tony Atlas got to highlight his athleticism.

[shoe]

I loved the Eyes of Texas piece on Boesch. Seeing his office was cool. It reminded me of Meltzer talking about his visit there in the 89 WO Yearbook. Meltzer talked also about reading Paul's book.

[BruceTharpe]

Got some amazing footage coming up including: HARLEY RACE vs. WAHOO McDANIEL and JOSE LOTHARIO vs THE GREAT MEPHISTO / FRANKIE CAIN!

[Matt D]

Do we even have a singles Wahoo vs Race match on tape up until now? There's some garbage footage of tags, I know.

[JerryvonKramer]

I haven't seen any.

[Matt D]

Also, I'm wondering when that Mephisto match is from. I don't see anything from 77 on. Most likely feels like 74 as he feuded with Lothario for the Texas title that year. Results are more scattered in the middle of the 70s though. Could be very cool.

[NickH]

April 19 1974

 

 

I dont have results for this card but have all of 1970,71 & 72 and most from 73,74,75,76 & 77.

 

Cant wait for Harley v Wahoo. Bring it on.

[shoe]

Harley vs Wahoo is holy grail stuff.

[NickH]

These are from a list that Bruce posted in another forum 4 years ago about NWA title matches in the library.

 

2-10-78 NWA TITLE - HARLEY RACE VS. WAHOO McDANIEL

6-01-79 NWA TITLE - HARLEY RACE VS. WAHOO McDANIEL

 

2-28-81 NWA TITLE - HARLEY RACE VS. WAHOO McDANIEL

[Matt D]

That list is already incomplete, though, right? It doesn't have some of the other Thornton matches or Harley vs Andre, just to name a couple. It only has one Bock vs Brody too, and none of the Bock vs Dusty (can't remember if the one we had was a title match or not).

[NickH]

That list is already incomplete, though, right? It doesn't have some of the other Thornton matches or Harley vs Andre, just to name a couple. It only has one Bock vs Brody too, and none of the Bock vs Dusty (can't remember if the one we had was a title match or not).

Its not a full list, just what they had catalogued at the time and Bruce has said the library has not been completely catalogued so I would expect a lot more.

 

Ok off to bed. Hopefully another match will be put up when I wake up.

[Matt D]

I hadn't seen that list before, actually. What it says is that it's very likely the two Slater vs Bock and the Rich vs Bock matches are there somewhere, which to me is great news.

[BruceTharpe]

Mephisto - Lothario is from 1974 - it should be online tonight. We don't have the date of the Harley - Wahoo match / need help on that one - posting it tomorrow.

[Phil Schneider]

Jose Lothario v. Great Mephisto NWA Houston 1/18/74

This is a Brass Knuxs title match, which means that Lothario can throw hands. Mephisto has got quite a bag of tricks, he has a muslim prayer run gimmick, burkaed valet, loaded boot, the whole cheap heat casserole. Not much of a wrestler, but a lot of entertaining shtick. Lothario blows him out in the first fall, unloading awesome looking punches, busting open Memphisto, 10-8 round for sure. Mephisto gets a bit of an advantage in the second fall with Lothario taking a monster bump to the floor and Mephisto loading his orthopedic book. Third fall is more back and forth with Lothario selling a broken rib or punctured lung from the loaded kicks. I would have gone higher on this if Mephisto's stuff looked better, this was a great Lothario performance, but relatively one sided.