[1985-06-24-Mid-South-New Orleans] Ric Flair vs Butch Reed

[Superstar Sleeze]

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Butch Reed - Mid-South 6/24/85

Butch Reed is one of my least favorite Flair opponents. I’d chuck it up to him being ill-suited for championship style wrestling but we had two of the best championship style wrestling matches against Dicky Murdoch later in the year. Just guess these two didnt have much chemistry. This is their first match and they use this to set up the 50 minute borefest at the Superdome. They have a good TV match/angle in November. This is better than Superdome match but worse than Houston and TV match. 

Was a bit worried at the start as we get a lot of headlocks, Arm bars and headlocks but things pick up around the 10 minute mark. We only get one Press Slam to start. Flair is able to use the ref as a screen for the short knee to the abdomen. Solid heat segment from Flair. Good intensity. A little king of the mountain. Flair Misses the knee we all know Whats next the Reed Figure-4. Flair makes Reed earn his comeback he throws a bunch at him but Reed keeps fighting through it. I like how Flair keeps being bailed out by the ropes of the backslide and the sleeper. Flair is able to get a Back Suplex and work the leg. Real good job here for the Figure-4. Flair press slammed off the top. Flair takes it outside. The ref gets bumped trying to get back in. Reed gets the visual pin. He throws Flair over the top rope. The ref clocks it. Reed vertical suplex for the win But it is a Dusty Finish as Reed had thrown Flair over the top rope. I hate a Dusty Finish. 

These two just don’t have much in the way of chemistry. I have seen all four of their matches together now and I don’t think I ever need to see them again. *** 1/4