[1984-04-07-GCW-Baltimore, MD] Jake Roberts vs Ron Garvin

[shoe]

This is a feud that has generated some good matches.   This may be one of Jake's last matches before heading to WCCW. Love the reaction when Jake face plants on a tie up. Totally dig Ronnie using the leg scissors as a weapon. I love how Garvin takes the mount from Jake. These guys are making everything a struggle. Jake is good at selling the ribs. Jake looks to be focusing on the arm. Jake with some nasty punches and elbow's to the back. Jake's size is causing problems for Garvin. Jake ,back to the arm some more. Controlling the arm, more so than working it. I loved the tape spot with Jake. He's positioned it so the ref can't see. A great idea to get heat and to get the crowd to rally behind Garvin. They brawl a bit on the outside. Garvin nails Jake with a chair right in front of the ref. Garvin works the cut, and does the Garvin stomp. No clue why he wasn't Dq'd. Garvin hits him with his finish and the crowd erupts for the new champ. This had some interesting things in it, but had it share of flaws. 2 1/4*

[EnviousStupid]

Awesome match. Been loving a lot of Jake's pre-WWF run in the sleazy sweatpants. Never physically imposing like his opponent and others around the time, yet deceptively tall. Bit like Randy Orton in that you don't notice how much he towers over certain guys. This is a Lights Out match, hence why there's never a DQ called. Loved the opening stretch battling over a knucklelock transitioned into a bodyscissor from Garvin, and how the crowd were still so loud through all of the rolling around the mat. Jake leaves the ring once Garvin lands some punches, a nice thread continued on from the feud. The arm work from Jake not being sold afterward by Garvin bugged me at first, but looking back on it, it's more a way of keeping him grounded than being focused on damaging the arm, ended when Garvin tosses the Snake off. Immediately it's followed with the quickest tape spot I can recall watching, teasing at a submission win multiple times. Jake gets frustrated with failed attempts of putting Garvin away and takes it out on him outside the ring. That ends up coming back to bite with, as Garvin kicks off his fiery comeback with a chair in hand and dishes out one hell of an ass-kicking. Garvin stomps all over the body to a raucious crowd. Ellering tries to distract for Jake to steal the victory but ends up getting knocked out. Felt like a wholly satisfying conclusion to the feud. Garvin is predictably great, but man has Jake does wonders for me watching footage from this part of his career.