[1983-08-31-MACW-Greenwood, SC] Harley Race vs Ric Flair

[Superstar Sleeze]

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Harley Race vs Ric Flair - MACW 8/31/83

I have told this story before I think, but I think it is humorous that after years and years of wanting to see 1980s wrestling specifically Ric Flair how underwhelmed I was as a teenager finally seeing Starrcade 1983 main event (as my first 80s match), which I still think is a pretty disappointing affair and I dont even think you can blame it all on Kiniski. Fortunately, I stuck with 80s wrestling.

 

I have seen this match multiple times before since it is on a Ric Flair WWE DVD Set and I think this is definitely a lot better than Starrcade 83, but I have heard there are still better Flair/Race matches. i can believe that as while this one is enjoyable I believe these two could have a better one. I thought this one was a little herky jerky. They were not really letting the drama build through long heat segments, but nor were they all out brawling. It just felt like they were constantly transitioning. Not in an annoying video game way, but in not a compelling way as they could. I feel like I am not doing a great job explaining it. I really enjoyed the match so I don't want to get too hung up on it.

 

Flair is a great babyface and wished he believed he was. Wrestling in the early 90s would have been better for it. He knows how to time his Wooos, strut and mannerisms to get that big pop. It always bring a smile to my face when he is pulling these shenanigans. Plus it is refreshing to see the Nature Boy being proactive rather than reactive. He is actually pretty damn good at bringing the offense to an opponent. You know you are over when all you have to do is pick up someone's foot and it gets a pop. Of course for Flair that is the signal for the figure-4 and the fans were rabid for his victory. As great as Flair was, I thought this was probably the best Race performance I have ever seen maybe except against Baba in 79. I loved him him throwing a stray punch at the ref in the sleeper. I loved his selling and stooging off the ropes. He took a couple really nasty bumps on the concrete. What I loved the most was his constant reliance on the headbutt and underhand tactics. Anytime, you really felt like Flair had it in hand like with his sleeper (Harley raked the eyes), figure-4 (yanks tights and big headbutt to midsection), Harley got desperate and would do anything to save his title. Race was using the headbutt as his great equalizer. Sure, we were not getting Harley's big bombs, but instead we were getting a nasty, gritty performance. Everything was a kill shot. He was kneeing Flair right in the side of the head or hitting him with a nasty short headbutt. When Harley did go for a bomb, he was intending to ensure Flair would never challenge him again like the piledriver on the outside or the diving headbutt on the outside, both of which he missed and led to nasty bumps. After the piledriver bump, Flair unleashes the best offensive stretch of the match. He cant get the figure-4, but he delivers bomb after bomb (I really liked when Harley rolled away, Flair hesitated then dropped the elbow). Hell Flair even busted out the Boston Crab.

Out on the apron, in the ropes, Harley delivered some really nasty headbutts. I love Harley taking advantage of a transient like that. When Harley misses the diving headbutt on the concrete, you can totally buy the countout, but instead we get some real fun strutting and Woooooing as Flair takes it to the World Champion. Again, the headbutt to midsection looks to be the equalizer, but Flair avoids the diving headbutt again and finally Flair applies the figure-4. Only to have Dicky Slater run in and then Bob Orton turn on Flair and attack Flair. Then they shoot the big angle for Starrcade with the spike piledriver and neck crank. This is such a fucking awesome angle. Race pointing laughing is tremendous.

I loved the diving headtbutt vs figure-4 battle. Neither man could not hit/apply their big move and they kept trying. It was Race missing on his third occasion that set up the Flair figure-4. I thought Race wrestled as an excellent heel and really loved his use of the headbutt. This is going to sound crazy, but I think Flair could have brought more energy. He wrestled a solid match, but it seemed kinda tame from him. The angle at the end really takes this up a level. The fact that this match is so good and the angle is even better makes Starrcade 83 all the more disappointing. ****

[tcg91]

Good TV match, but I had memories of this being great and it just wasn't the case. I liked the fact that this was nothing like a Flair formula match, the Naitch had to get his hands dirty and fight against an aggressive race, that was continuously aiming at the challenger's face. Race's headbutts were persistent and he always seemed to have the last word. Good piece of storytelling, as Flair couldn't get the figure four locked no matter what during the match, so Race had his lackeys interfering when Flair actually managed to apply his finisher. This made sense and led to Starrcade, so well done
***1/2