[1968-02-28-JWA] Giant Baba vs Dick the Bruiser

[paul sosnowski]

 

[Superstar Sleeze]

NWA International Champion Giant Baba vs Dick The Bruiser - JWA 2/28/68 Two Out Of Three Falls

HOLY SHIT! This match fucking rocked! After watching basically 12 discs of Dick The Bruiser from St. Louis Wrestling at the Chase from 1978-1981 I can tell you there is a lot that is endearing about Dick The Bruiser but absolutely none of it is due to his wrestling. I asked Twitter if he was the first rulebreaker to be presented as a babyface, but Twitter came back and said it was most likely "Wild" Bill Longson. He is just this great blue collar everyman who takes no shit. I love his hoarse, gravel-gargled voice, it sounds like he exhales a pound of sawdust when he speaks. I desperately wanted to find that awesome Dick The Bruiser match but it just wasnt possible from the time period I was watching. I got really excited at the prospect of Bruiser vs Baba in 1968 and it delivered in spades.  Baba rules and this has become so clearly evident. His selling in the 1960s is otherworldly on par with Steamboat and Morton. He totally snaps in this match and delivers an asskicking. Also this is the first match I have watched recently that I felt followed a more typical psychological layout. A lot of the JWA matches I was watching felt too workrate-y, noisy, just a lot of shit that was not really connected. This felt more what I was accustomed to while also being a chaotic brawl. 

First Fall: We are JIP about 4 minutes in because we hear the 5 minute time call about a minute later. Oh at the start of the video they show some sort of press conference where The Bruiser in a suit with a huge ass stoggie rips a poster of Baba. I love it! They are working beautiful dueling psychology. Baba is working an absolute clinic on the arm. Great arm wrenches and attacks. Baba's knee is bandaged. Bruiser goes to that whenever he gets into trouble. Bruiser has pitbull tenacity which I love. He hits the Atomic Stomp on the knee and then executes a Single Leg Crab. The ref is asking him to break which confuses me, but it is because Baba has submitted. Baba LOVES working underneath and he is so adept at it. DB Up 1-0!

Second Fall: Bruiser is fucking with the top turnbuckle. It turns out he has the tag rope, but it looks like a steel cord. He plays hide the foreign object before choking Baba in the corner and then punching Baba with it. I am officially residing in MARKOUT CITY! BRUISER BITES THE BAD KNEE! HE GOES FULL MIKE TYSON! ALL THE STARS IN THE SKY ARE NOT ENOUGH FOR THIS MATCH! Baba selling the bad knee is so good needs to be seen to be believed. Baba just starts SMACKING BRUSIER AROUND! Giant smacks to the head. Fuck you KNIFE-EDGE CHOPS RIGHT TO THE FACE! I love how Brusier will not let go of the knee and drags him out. Brusier still has the foreign object and Baba just fucking has pry him off by hitting him really hard in the face! Baba bulldogs Brusier into the ring post. Bruiser blades on camera and loses by countout. Tied 1-1. This match rules. 

Third Fall: Brusier is pissed and grabs a chair! Baba tussles with him and is pissed at all this bullshit that Bruiser has been trying to pull. BABA SNAPS~! He chokes the shit out of Brusier with an electrical cord. RAUCOUS MAYHEM! The ref finally rings the bell for the third fall when they are both in the ring. BABA SEES RED AND JUST CHOKES THE SHIT OUT OF HIM WITH HIS BARE FUCKING HANDS WITH BLOOD STREAMING DOWN BRUISER'S FACE! BRUISER KICKS THE BAD KNEE! Bruiser bites the bad knee again! Baba will not be denied; chops, chops, chops! Brusier tries to go for the Single Leg Crab again, but ends up tumbling to the floor.  They brawl at ringside and Baba throws him in the chairs. BABA SLAMS HIM HEAD FIRST INTO THE POST! GIANT CHOP~! 1-2-3!

Greatly exceeded my expectations! We are missing the first four minutes of a 20 minute match...I dont think  I can go higher than ****1/4 in good conscience, but this rocked so hard. The great Dick The Brusier match has been found! Baba combined an excellent selling performance with a badass, asskicking comeback!