[1985-07-06-NWA-Great American Bash '85] Ric Flair vs Nikita Koloff

[paul sosnowski]

Don't watch the 11 minute edited version!!!  The complete 23 minute match is available in on the WWE DVD "United We Slam, The Best of the Great American Bash".   The whole segment from start to finish is over 34 minutes!!!

....Hold on, there is also a 31 1/2 minute version on the Network.    Go to Collections, "Ric Flair Stylin and Profilin", An American Champion, July 6, 1985

[G. Badger]

Full show available below in its most complete form per WWE Vault

 

[Superstar Sleeze]

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Nikita Koloff - JCP GAB 7/6/85

Ahhhhh it is refreshing to see Flair work a match as a babyface. Even though Flsir was a heel everywhere else in the country including on TBS, the Magnum angle was only a few weeks before this, he is a babyface in the Carolina’s. David Crockett is the red but that doesn’t factor in a whole lot. I believe Flair Helicopter entrance makes its debut here. A packed open air Charlotte stadium gives this a big fight feel. 
 

Unfortunately this is not a good match and the worst of the Flair/Nikita matches I have seen. I enjoyed Flair doing the Riverboat Strut and punctuating it with clenched fists after he got some early offense on Nikita but outside of that it went from being a bore fest to a cluster fuck. Nikita worked the match like a 70s WWWF main event lots of bear hugs and back breakers which I don’t mind I like plenty of 70s Bruno matches but it is not Flair’s forte. Flair was trying to respect Nikita’s size but he needed to push the tempo and turn it into a brawl. When Flair did take over on offense it was a bit too easy. Nikita just rag dolled for him. I think Nikita going to the front chancery after Flair worked through his main offense rolling knee, back Suplex, Figure-4 was a mistake. Nikita needed to throw some bombs. Big pop for the Flair sleeper. Flair Flip and a post shot we get our blade job. While the opening was boring they could have salvaged it with a hot finish. 
 

The finish was bizarre. Koloff hit the Russian Sickle to zero heat. There was no fanfare or build up. Flair just kicked out. Then the camera totally misses Uncle Ivan tripping Flair. A fan bum rushes the Ring. Uncle Ivan does some weird spot with Nikita and Crockett. Flair goes for top rope crossbody which Nikita was supposed to be table topped by Uncle Ivan but that got blown they lose control of each other so Flair has to re-pin Nikita. Then Nikita who has been portrayed as this superhuman musculehead all of sudden  Cant pick up Flair falls back with Flair and Flair pins him. 
 

Everything after the blade job was so bizarre. It felt like low rent Indy wrestling. I couldn’t believe my eyes because Flair is usually so on point. One thing you can say is this was NOT the Flair Formula. It was also pretty bad. A contender for the worst Flair of the 80s Id say. Whats funny is I think they have a very good match at the Omni a month later. Something was off.