[1983-02-11-NWA-St. Louis, MO] Kerry Von Erich vs Greg Valentine

[paul sosnowski]

Kerry Von Erich defends the Missouri State Title

 

[Superstar Sleeze]

NWA Missouri Champion Kerry Von Erich vs Greg Valentine - St. Louis 2/11/83

Dream Match Alert! Surprisingly enough it lives up to my lofty expectations. This is from the same card as Flair vs Brody 2/3 Falls and both were taped for Japanese TV. Basically Greg Valentine vs. an over babyface is always going to be over in my house, but this match had a lot of great transitions, brutality and some world class selling. Kerry won the opening matwork, trademark NWA Championship style stuff. Kerry nails a picture perfect dropkick right in the mush. I love how Valentine sells this covering his mouth and telling Kerry to back off then going to the apron. It really looks like he is hurt. Kerry slaps on a front facelock. Nice inverted atomic drop! Thats new favorite move. It is so sudden and so impactful. Kerry does a great job selling, trying to create space and get away from the Hammer. The Hammer is in his ZONE! I mean big time forearm shivers. Just tons of brutal elbows. Kerry does his best to fight back. Valentine does not drop him down on the top rope throat first...he whips him down onto the top rope throat first. Long sleeper by Valentine as the ref checks in. Kerry tries to Hulk Up but another wicked Hammer elbow and a piledriver quell the rally. Valentine goes after the leg and then it is a figure-4. What I love about this is how they actually stay in the reverse the pressure for a meaningful amount of time. Both of them are on spaghetti legs. They really do a great job selling and THEN Kerry goes after the leg! I was pumped during this part. He was doing a great job making his dives on the leg extra BIG for the crowd. I really wanted him to slap on the figure-4. Valentine made the ropes on a toehold and then shoved off another attempt. We never got the figure-4, but we did get the CLAW~! Fortunately for Valentine, he collapsed into the ropes. Kerry is kicking ass now. Big time dropkick again caught him flush in the mouth. Second one the Hammer avoids and Kerry is selling his midsection. I like how much Valentine went to the eyes late in the match. After the Claw, he is in full desperation mode and is willing to do anything to win. Valentine throws him out and plays King of the Mountain. Big Hammer blows on the apron, big bodyslam back in the ring only gets two and sends him back out. Hammer blows on the apron and back suplex back in the ring only gets two. He drops the Hammer from the middle rope, but misses! Valentine goes for a suplex, but Kerry floats over and schoolboys him for three. 

Put a real finish on this bad boy and you got yourself a Match of the Year Contender. As is, it is one of the best grinding heels against one of the best fight from underneath babyfaces in the perfect match for each other. The figure-4 and Claw spots felt huge. The finish was tepid. Two men who knew themselves and played their roles perfectly. ****

[soup23]

Hammer is such a great heel. Everything he did here looked cunning and targeted. He mixes in the brutality of his strikes with the underhanded shortcuts when feeling extremely well. Kerry for his part was also great here showing fire when needed and selling when needed. Great duality throughout the match. Overall this is an excellent resume builder for each guys year. Kerry has the Freebirds stuff and Hammer has the Piper feud but when I get to the end of the year, I intend to have an eureka moment where I recall this match and it catapults both. ****

[Clayton Jones]

This match rules. Physical, nasty, great build. Both guys compliment each other perfectly. It really makes me wish we had an extended run from Valentine in Texas.