[1985-06-28-Houston Wrestling] Ric Flair vs Magnum T.A.

[shoe]

We are JIP about 6 minutes in. This is Flair touring champ match. I enjoyed Flair's arm work in this. I liked how Flair used TA's momentum to toss him to the outside to set up his heat. The finish was sloppy in the sense that it was reversed.. I loved the post match with Wahoo kicking ass. 4*

[G. Badger]

Just finished watching Flair vs Magnum from 6/15/85. That was Magnum challenging Flair to beat him in 10 minutes (the remaining TV time) for 1,000 bucks. I would have to imagine this match is comparable to the above match in Houston. I think since they were both fresh, the pacing was much quicker in the challenge match I saw but, they probably built up Flair's arm work in Houston. So, that drama was much more than a simple race-against-timematch. These two work really well together. Very good stuff.

[tcg91]

The first 5 minutes of this match were clipped. A good bout, but I could tell that they were going through motions at times, repeating spots from previous matches even if most were new for Houston. Despite that, it was still a pretty good Flair vs Magnum with some sweet armwork and good selling by Flair. Magnum look good and sharp, but didn't have that extra 'x factor' to completely outshine Flair and lead the match better than the Naitch. Fun finishing stretch, with the usual non-finish to protect Magnum
***1/4

[Superstar Sleeze]

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Magnum TA - Houston 6/28/85

Magnum is not really my guy. I have nothing against him. He is solid and dependable but he doesn’t grab me by the balls or leap off the page, I have seen others do the Everyman blue collar guy better. This is his big run as he gets to go tour with Flair with multiple title defenses outside the Carolina’s. I have seen the AWA match thought this was below,

We are JIP minutes in. Magnum is working a headlock. Flair uses Magnum’s momentum to throw him to the outside. Magnum sells it like death so heat segment here we come. Would have liked more out of the transition. Flair hits a pair of rolling knee drops and works the arm. Two things I miss that Flair stopped doing in the 90s were the Short Knee and Punch to the Armpit. Flair misses a rolling knee. Mags gets the Figure 4 as is customary in a Flair match. I like how it begins to unravel for Flair after this. He gets increasingly desperate as Mags thwarts him at every turn finally succumbing to cheating using Short Knee low and an eye rake to get out of a sleeper. Then begins Can Mags actually pull this off with a series of near falls. Magnum throws a great punch but outside of that they just work standard Flair spots. I liked the finish a lot. Ref gets wiped. Flair throws him over the top rope, crotches him on the top rope and then swipes the foot off the rope during the count for three.

About as broomsticky as it gets. Magnum did not really add any wrinkle to this match. Theres no point where I was like Thats the spot Magnum is contributing or that’s what Magnum brings to the table others dont. Even green as grass Luger brought an interesting power dynamic at BOTB III. I think Magnum was made blood feuds and bloody brawls not Championship wrestling. Flair was on cruise control match was still very good but the AWA one is the one to watch. *** 1/2