[1983-06-12-MACW-Savannah, GA] Greg Valentine vs Ric Flair

[paul sosnowski]

This match was exclusively filmed for Japan TV. The whole show appears to be All Japan vs Mid Atlantic, and all the matches are on video. Chavo Guerrero vs Masa Fuchi, Giant Baba & Genichiro Tenryu vs Jake Roberts & Jerry Grey, Terry Funk vs Barry Horowitz (calling himself Brett Hart), Rufus R Jones vs Dory Funk Jr, Jack & Jerry Brisco vs Bob Orton and Jimmy Valiant, and Bruiser Brody vs Jumbo Tsuruta.

 

The ring announcer tells us that Ric Flair does not have his belt is that he was defeated by Harley Race "last week in St Louis". Some woman in the crowd yells "Noooooo!!!!!" It was actually 2 days earlier. Flair also defended his title on June 8th in a 60 minute draw against Jumbo in Nagoya. Tough schedule.

 

You can feel the hate as they lock up. Flair is a total babyface here. Valentine backs Flair into the corner and Flair fires up with chops and a beal throw. Valentine begs off and is sent down to the mat with one more mighty chop. Flair pounces on him and reigns blows down on Greg's head. Ric whooo's and struts. Flair takes Valentine down with a wristlock and trips him up. Greg knocks Flair down with 3 big elbows. He jumps on him and drops a hammering fist. Greg drops Flair's neck on the top rope and drops the big elbow on his chest for a two count. Valentine slows things down with a chinlock, but Flair is back up with a chop to his chest and an uppercut elbow that drops Valentine face first on the mat. Valentine begs off again, but Flair won't have it. He gets Greg in the corner, goes up to the second rope and does 10 head punches. Valentine rolls out to the floor, Flair whooos and struts again. It's great to see him so young and enthusiastic. They are exchanging hard blows, Valentine hooks on a sleeper, Flair escapes by hoisting Greg up and dropping him on his knee. Flair drops an elbow for a 2 count, followed by a crushing knee to the face. Flair gets a big suplex and locks on the figure four! Valentine knows he is in trouble and gets to the ropes to break. Flair is relentless, kicking at Valentine's leg, exchanging hard chops and blows. Valentine gets a side headlock and Flair goes to suplex him, but Valentine accidentally kicks the referee. Flair gets a visible 3 count. The ref is back up rather quickly and Flair bounces off the ropes and hits a bodypress for another 2 count. Valentine posts Flair's leg on the outside and gets back in the ring to apply his own nasty spinning toeholds and the figure four. Flair reverses it and Valentine rolls to the ropes. Valentine goes to the ringside table and grabs his title belt, hammering it down from the outside on Flair's knee. He gets in the ring with it, but Flair grabs the belt away from him and slams him in the head for the DQ at 12:17

 

But it is NOT over. Flair pounds on Greg's head and hits him with the belt again, shoving referee Sonny Fargo away. Flair opens up the cut on Greg's already bandaged head. Flair kicks the ref and throws the belt down. Valentine tries to escape up the aisle. Flair chases after him, back to the ring, Valentine is bleeding badly now. The aftermath reminds me of crazed Flair brawling around the building from Bash 89. Four Stars ****

[WingedEagle]

Is this online?

[peachchaos]

Is this online?

 

Only the Funk-Hart match shows up in the All Japan Archive. Color me intrigued.