[1986-09-01-CWF-Battle of the Belts III) Ric Flair vs Lex Luger

[paul sosnowski]

Ric Flair defends the NWA World Heavyweight Title

This is a 2 out of 3 falls match, but each fall has a 20 minute time limit.   Three 20 minute periods.   I believe this is the sixth ever meeting between these two.   Gordon Solie tells us that Luger played 5 years on the Green Bay Packers.   This is a lie.   He spent the entire 1982 season on the injured reserve list and was released in 1983.  Never played a single game....     

Luger has been wrestling less than one year, he started his career on 10/25/85 and then won the Florida Southern Heavyweight Title from Wahoo McDaniel about 3 weeks later.

First Fall--    Bill Alfonso is the referee for this match.   Flair offers a handshake, Luger accepts.  Luger outpowers the champion and immediately shoves him down to the mat.  Luger grabs a headlock, powers Flair down again.   Flair takes control with a knee to the midsection and he chops and punches him in the corner, but Luger does not react to the blows!!!    Flair bails to the outside and takes a walk.  Luger backs Flair into the ropes and politely lets him go.  Luger with a big hiptoss, Flair begs off in the corner.   Luger with a side headlock, Flair nails him with two elbows to the gut and a chop to the throat.   Luger is feeling it now but reverses Flair to the opposite corner, and press slams Flair over his head.   Then he does it again, with a great look of intensity and determination.  Luger whips Flair into the ropes, but Flair nails him with a big blow to the gut.  Luger is down!   Flair kicks him repeatedly in the stomach and once in the head.   Flair took a lot of punishment, but now the tide has turned.   Flair nails Luger with punches and chops in the corner, Luger fires back with punches.   Luger runs toward Flair in the corner, but misses and his knee jams into the turnbuckle.   Flair sees his advantage and attacks Luger's injured knee.   Flair hits a back suplex and continues to work over the knee.   He picks up Luger in an atomic drop maneuver and brings him down hard on the left knee.   Flair locks on the figure four leglock, Luger cannot reverse the hold and concedes the fall.  Alfonso counts his shoulders down to the mat for three!!! 

Second Fall --  Luger is limping hard, Flair does not waste time and goes right back to work on the left knee.   Flair extends Luger on the mat and tries to stomp on the knee, but Luger rolls out of the way.  Flair tries to ram Luger's head into the top turnbuckle, but Luger reverses it.  Luger comes on strong with punches to the midsection and chest.  The crowd is going bananas.   Luger comes out of the corner with a shoulderblock tackle, goes for a pin, but gets a two count.  Flair charges at Luger, but Luger catches him with a beautifully executed powerslam and pin!!!   Luger takes the second fall at 2:53.

Third Fall--   The first two falls are exactly timed, but they are shaving right away here in the third.   The five minute call is announced at 3:18.   Flair immediately starts stalling for time.   Neither man is very steady on his feet.   Flair comes off the top rope, but Luger catches him in a bearhug.  Flair is screaming and writhing in pain as Luger takes him down for a two count...twice!  Flair escapes the hold with a rake to the eyes.  Luger hits a terrible looking lariat to Flair's chest, but still gets another two count.   Flair tosses Luger between the ropes to the outside and slams Luger's head twice into the ringside table.  Flair makes several attempts to pin Luger with his feet on the ropes, but to no avail.   Flair goes for the big kneedrop to Luger's temple, but Luger moves and drags Flair to the outside.  Luger punishes Flair's leg on the apron.  Luger hits a sunset flip and comically tries to bring Flair to the mat, finally with an assist from the referee. Flair locks on a sleeper hold and Alfonso checks to see if Luger has gone limp.   Luger escapes and Flair's head goes into the top turnbuckle.   Luger retaliates with a sleeper of his own, gets a two count, Flair gets his foot on the ropes for the save.   Luger poses and flexes for the crowd and intimidates Flair.   They announce the 15:00 call...but it's really only been about 11.  Flair hits another back suplex, and  throws Luger outside and follows after him.   Luger reverses and slams Flair's head into the post, he comes up bloody.   Luger posts him again and slams his head into the table.   Flair is severely lacerated.   Luger whips Flair, Flair hits the flip and flop onto the apron.   Flair attacks Luger's knee and gets the figure four inside the ring.   This time Luger reverses it.  Flair gets up and hits a big elbow drop to Luger's chest.  Luger powerslams Flair and scoops him up in the center of the ring for a bearhug.   Time expires (really was 16:18, but was announced as a 20 minute draw in the 3rd fall).

This was not nearly as exciting as it sounds...Luger was sloppy and green and...not very good.   I can give it about 2 3/4** but all for Flair's tremendous efforts.   But hey...Lex gets that big money contract with Turner in just four months.   He must have greatly improved.   Lol

 

[tcg91]

Flair managed to get a decent match out of a very green Luger; they even lied a bit on the 30 minutes time limit, making sure not to expose Luger totally. Decent smoke and mirrors and Flair formula, as the Naitch sold big time for the opponent and bled, before working on his leg as predictable. Luger did sell, to his credit, and had enough charisma despite still not being there in terms of psychology or stamina. The non-finish helped with booking a rematch down the line, Luger passed the test here despite an average mark

**3/4

[Superstar Sleeze]

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Lex Luger - CWF Battle of the Belts III 9/1/86

This fucking rules! I haven’t seen a classic Flair Championship Mach in so long. This was chicken soup for my soul.

First Fall: Luger is jacked but not as jacked and shredded as he will get. Flair calls a helluva match here. Reminds me a lot of Clash I. Classic Flair changing tactics and getting thwarted. He gets thwarted on each lockup to show how powerful Luger is. Then we get the chops in the corner. No sold to show how strong Luger is. Send Luger into motion here’s a hiptoss and a pair of Press Slams. Not the best looking Press Slams. Flair trips him on a drop down catches him right in the breadbasket. Love when Flair turns it on in a heat segment. Luger throws better punches than in the mid -90s. Luger misses a charge rams his knee into buckles. Flair smells blood in the water. Awesome work on the knee, Figure-4 with rope assist gives Flair the first fall. Holy shit that fucking ruled. Flair pitched a perfect game. 
 

Second Fall: As is customary in These matches the second fall is short & sweet. Flair presses the advantage chops and knee work. Misses sit down splash on knee Thats Luger’s opening. Great corner work by both I love gritty it was. I love Flair’s Short Knee he throws it at the most chaotic times. Feels like a real fire fight. Powerslam by Luger takes it in a flash pin. Loving this match. 
 

Third Fall: Classic frenetic Flair finish stretch that rocks. I guess each fall had a 20 minute time limit and this goes to a draw which is a good finish. Flair leaps into Luger’s arms for a bear hug. Luger punches are a lot better but his clothesline sucks. Flair misses on the knee drop. We get a really good sleeper trade. I have seen Flair go through the motion on this sequence this looked tight and increased the heat. Lots of classic Flair, Flair Flop, Blade job on the post shot, the Press Sslam off the top. Flair comes back by attacking the leg. What puts the finish over the top is the double call back…Flair gets the Figure-4 the finish to Fall 1 and Luger gets the powerslam the finish to Fall 2 for the near falls. The match ends in a Luger Bearhug as Flair is saved by the bell.

I only ever say this with Flair this match probably would have been better if it was longer like Clash 1, but Flair pitched a shout out. Excellent spot calling and the so well worked. The GOAT doing GOAT things **** 1/4