[1986-08-23-NWA-Pro] Ric Flair vs Dusty Rhodes

[Superstar Sleeze]

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Dusty Rhodes - NWA Pro 8/23/86

Flair had since regained the title from Dusty since dropping it in the Cage back in July. Dusty's reign was only 14 days and served just to serve as a way to pop the crowd and give him a victory over the Horsemen. His real arch-nemesis,  Tully re-injured his leg in Kansas City the night before with a chair attack. This is a rematch for the World Championship. Stream of consciousness baby:

Baby Doll is still with Dream and I dont think for a long. I think this is the heel turn match. Unfortunately, Baby Doll would be shipped to the freshly purchased Central States territory with lover, Sam Houston. I like Baby Doll and am sad to see her go. Bob Caudle on commentary, Oh Hell Yeah! The opening strut-off puts a smile a mile wide on my face! I love it! Big chops by Flair early but Dusty Press Slam, ground and pound, three Bionic Elbows and it is time for Dusty to Dusty. Dusty is not favoring the leg. Flair is so good at selling the straight right to the face. Flair powders as he is completely overwhelmed by this fast break offense. Flair tries to set Big Dust in motion, but he ends up on the losing end of a hiptoss in a criss cross. Strikes or in motion, Dusty has come to play today. Flair exhausting all other options, feigns a lock up and just kicks him right in the bad knee! Dusty has to powder. Baby Doll shows concern. Flair chops, but Dusty is a fist of fury. Bionic Elbow! Dusty had to keep movin' & groovin'. Standing elbow. Ref shove spot and Bionic Elbow. This thing has broken wide open. Flair dramatic powder. He sells the rout so well. Is there anyone who sells being routed so well? Dusty is looking for the ten punches in the corner. Lets see if we get the reverse atomic drop. Nope! Flip Flop Fly double  punch...Flair Flop! Flair goes for the eyes and snapmare out of the corner. Flair rapid piston punches, but Dusty comes furiously back! Wow! Dusty lifts him a foot off the ground with an uppercut sending him over the top. Flair sells rout. He has gone for the eyes and the knee. Nothing doing. Lets see what else Flair has up his sleeve. Dusty playing "Red Light, Green Light" with the Bionic Elbow is the best. Flair sleeper! Dusty dives so Flair goes into turnbuckle. Press slam off the top! This as been a shellacking! Dusty Figure-4! Wow! This is all shine! Flair is getting his ass kicked from pillar to post. Fun match so far. Flair has been selling so well in this match. Dusty has turned up the charisma. We go to commercial break while in the Figure-4. We come back with Flair targeting the knee. As we were going to ads, I noticed Flair was punching Dusty's bad knee while in the Figure-4. Flair is Wooing and stomping the knee. Flair is in his element, Baby! Take him to school, Champ! Dusty kicks him off trying for the Figure-4. Big right uppercut sends Flair to the floor. Flair into the post and it is blade city, brutha. Dusty bites the cut. Ten count punches. Flair Flip. Suplex him in but Flair kicks out. Flair begs off. Clothesline out of the corner. Baby Doll puts Flair's foot on the bottom rope! Flair swipes at the knee while Dusty is incredulous at the actions of Baby Doll. Flair crashed down on the knee. Figure-4 by Flair! The announcers are selling that Flair is also shocked by Baby Doll and that this was not a conspiracy. I know she ends up doing promos with him. Baby Doll stops Dusty from turning over the Figure-4. Dusty is pissed. Chopblock! Ref bump on a Figure-4 kick off. Firefight. Dusty is swinging for the fences. Flair kicks the knee. Flair charges. Dusty clothesline! Cover, no ref! Baby Doll has a chair! Baby Doll swings for Dusty but misses and Baby Doll loses control of the chair. Dusty SNAPS~! He goes bezerk and is jabbing the chair into Flair's leg. An eye for an eye, a knee for a knee, Tully saves Flair and starts attacking Dusty's leg with the chair then the Risky Business Boys clear the ring. Baby Doll leaves with the Horsemen, it was clear they were always in cahoots. They pair Baby Doll almost exclusively with Flair like JJ was with Tully. It is just weird because Baby Doll was Tully's Perfect Ten first.  

Not as good as the Cage match which was an amazing Flair performance coupled with a fun Dusty shine and comeback/finish. Flair was awesome in the shine, selling the rout. Dusty was fun. The finish was a good angle but it didnt really go anywhere. It never drags but it never really gets to the next level. ***1/2