[1989-11-18-NWA-World Championship Wrestling] Ric Flair vs Great Muta

[Superstar Sleeze]

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs The Great Muta - NWA World Championship Wrestling 11/18/89

Up until the disqualification finish, I was wondering to myself how the hell was this not discussed more. It is two major stars in a TV match that is actually great and yet it is pretty under the radar besides a review on Where The Big Boys Play (shoutout to Parv & Chad). The DQ finish means it is does not feel definitive, but this is amazing Ric Flair performance. I dont know how you can come away not thinking Flair is one of the best of all time from watching this. All the same-y Flair bullshit goes out the window when he wrestles as a babyface. How can that lame criticism stand up when anytime you watch a babyface Flair match it is totally different than a heel Flair performance. My two favorite spots were when he got up hopping on one leg with his fists clenched and then later on when he just leaped on Muta with two knees. It is felt so organic and so passionate. It is so engrossing. Before the bell was great, Muta sprays the Mist and Flair Woos and throat slashes. Flair can do some great NWA style chain wrestling and really dominated on the mat. Muta hits some chops and a reverse spin kick to set up the knee work. Half-Crab, Deathlock and toeholds. Kevin Sullivan does a great job explaining that Gary Hart has become obsessed with making Flair submit after the I Quit debacle. Good explanation. Flair is his usual great verbal selling stuff. This is when the one foot hop with his dukes up happens. It turns into a great firefight on the outside. Back in the ring, Flair builds momentum and thats when he pounces on Muta. Flair was amazing on offense. All that energy can go into offense. Great chops and punches. Muta was kinda sandbagging him here. I know it is not Muta's thing to see because he is a Demon from Hell, but at least he could have fed Flair. He does nothing. Flair is making up for it by being a whirlwind. Flair sets up for the figure-4 and when he goes for it here comes The Dragonmaster. DQ, but Flair gets the Figure-4 on Nagaski on the outside. Muta sprays the mist on the vulnerable Nature Boy. Then Buzz Sawyer comes out for the beatdown. I really liked the the part where Muta hits the Moonsault and Buzz counts 1-2-3. Flair vs Muta should have main evented Starrcade. You get one PPV main event with Muta before he returns to Japan and one more PPV main event out of babyface Flair before he turns heel. A really energetic Flair performance coupled with good work from Muta on offense makes this an easy thumbs up. ***3/4