November 1983

Awesome match. Loved Fujinami's look of disdain, him trying to use different strategies to overcome the bigger guy/better brawler and his exceptional selling. Khan had awesome offense and ruled at being the heel. A lot of intensity, hate, violence and aggression. Had everything that makes pro wrestling great. **** 1/4

Seeing young Jannetty should be fun. Their shine is really basic tagging in an out, controlling with armbars. The heat by the heels was really basic too. I liked Vine's theatrics.Marty comes across pretty green. Like even his arm twists look terrible . Marty was FIP and was ok in the role, then again the heels heat section was pretty mediocre. 1 3/4*

This a dog collar match. I love this feud. I really enjoyed Reed's stalling early. When JYD wrapped his fist with the chain and nailed Reed right in the rib cage. That looked pretty hurty. JYD transitions into choking Reed. I'm loving how personal this fight feels. In a great spot JYD goes for the headbutt, but Reed blocks it with the chain. This sets up the heat. Reed starts whipping JYD. They've paced the match in such a way that everything got over and meant something. We get more of that. JYD on his comeback is using big chain assisted soup bones. The tide is turning so the Anvil tries to help him out. Duggan comes out to stop him. Reed misses his top rope shoulder bl…

Poffo with big time arm drags to start. Higgins with a boot. He starts using his size. Poffo escapes and starts cranking on the arm. Poffo's arm work is pretty hurty looking. Higgins with an eye rake to set up the heat only momentarily. Loved Higgins over sell of Poffo's dropkick. It felt long. 1st ever Moonsault here? I liked Higgins as an underneath heel with size. 1 3/4*

I like the early hoss fight spots. Seeing who's the stronger . I was digging Link's forearms early on. The feeling out process is done well. The submission work was really basic. I liked Link beginning to soften up the back. With the forearms, and the Camel Clutch. Loved the flying headbutt to thr back. Darsow hooks on the Full-Nelson for a near submission. Back breaker gets it for Darsow. 2*

Available on the Network, Hidden Gems, "GCW At the Omni, After the Last Battle of Atlanta". Talk about it here

Available on the Network, Hidden Gems, "GCW At the Omni, After the Last Battle of Atlanta". Two weeks ago, Sawyer was the main event heel against Tommy Rich. Then he saved his brother, Brett Wayne, and is on the verge of a major face turn. Officially the match is less than 5 minutes, but the brawl continues for another 8 minutes afterwards!!! Lots of blood!!! Talk about it here

Available on the Network, Hidden Gems, "GCW At the Omni, After the Last Battle of Atlanta". Ronnie Garvin defends the NWA World Television Title, which is only on the line for the first ten minutes of this match. Talk about it here

Available on the Network, Hidden Gems, "GCW At the Omni, After the Last Battle of Atlanta". Kabuki accompanied by Gary Hart. Talk about it here

Available on the Network, Hidden Gems, "GCW At the Omni, After the Last Battle of Atlanta". The Road Warriors defend the National Tag Team Titles. Talk about it here

Available on the Network, Hidden Gems, "GCW At the Omni, After the Last Battle of Atlanta". Talk about it here

Bill Dundee vs Tommy Rogers - Memphis 11/7/83 A very good, action packed 1980s junior style workrate match with Dundee providing the character work. Dundee was in full retreat in the first three minutes of the match whenever Rogers would take control. Roger was brining the fight right to Dundee and was not intimidated by the moment. Dundee takes over by not giving Rogers a clean break and then leveling him with a right. Dundee hits a great snap powerslam on Rogers. Rogers mounts his comeback with a sleeper. Rogers is selling pretty well, but this does feel a bit rushed. They could have taken their time to flesh things out. Rogers misses a fist drop and this looks like…

Fabulous Freebirds vs Von Erichs - WCCW 11/14/83 Elimination Match This match is a few days before the big Kerry Von Erich vs Michael Hayes Cage Loser Leaves Town match so this serves as the tag team blowoff to the 1983 war between Georgia vs. Texas. JIP. We see Gordy and Kerry in the midst of an awesome stand up slugfest. I am really looking forward to their Championship match. Gordy wins the battle and here becomes Buddy Jack. Kevin and David have enough and attack. Assholes! Kevin is incensed tries to pull Kerry to his corner, but loses battle. Hayes in and Kerry no sells perfectly. He bashes Hayes head into turnbuckles and Hayes is busted and …

This was interesting. JYD is over huge here. I was shocked to see him mat wrestle. Actually all 4 were over and because of that they could keep the crowd with them. Anvil and Studd did a lot of face locks and bear hugs here. I thought Duggan brought fire here. Even with the un interesting heat sgment, the crowd exploded at the hot tag. I thought at the finish everyone worked hard and executed it. Post match Studd and the Anvil have a fight. 2 1/4*

I thought this was a really fun battle royal . It was also really well booked to set up the major show in 2 nights. I like the 2 ring battle royal premise. I liked the story of how no one liked the russian Nikolai Volkoff. I loved Reed using a crutch on JYD to set up the paint the loser yellow stip.Big John Studd gets over by stalling. The Dusty/Nikolai interactions set up their match the next night. I loved that Nikolai won the 1st ring. Mary Oates a great wrestler, but and underneath talent wins the 2nd one. Marty Oates is the future Marty Jannetty. Volkoff just destroys Oates in the final to cement him as a monster heel. We get some really good promos afterward. 3*

AWA World Tag Champions The Sheiks (Patera & Blackwell) vs High Flyers - AWA 11/24/83 Ray Stevens Special Guest Ref This is the co-main event of the AWA Thanksgiving show for 1983 with Bockwinkel defending the World Championship on the top of the card against Mad Dog Vachon. Sheik Adnan Al-Kassie has been moved into a more of a managerial role instead of Sheik Ayatollah Blackwell's partner with a cast gimmick. I believe the Sheik with all his oil money bought the contract of Strongman Ken Patera from Bobby Heenan to form The Sheiks. I am a total mark for white men embracing the Sheik the gimmick. There is something very amusing about a fat man from Georgia pretend…

While Starrcade 83 was going on in Greensboro, Georgia Championship Wrestling was running a big Thanksgiving Day Tag Team Tournament at the Omni In Atlanta. This is a first round match. Available on the Network, Vault, Hidden Gems, 1983. "A Savage Alliance"

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NWA US Champion Greg "The Hammer" Valentine vs "Rowdy" Roddy Piper - NWA Starrcade 1983 Dog Collar Match The 1980s were just a decade of absolute awesome, violent brawls. It is a total lost art. I love how Valentine and Piper put over the danger the match early with the tug of war with the chain and just how cautious they are. I love a barnburner brawl, but there is something about this slow build that adds to the danger element. You add in Gordon & Caudle stressing the injury to Piper's ear. You know at any point Valentine could lash that heavy steel chain against the Hot Rod's vulnerable ear. Piper was in command early and used the chain more effectively. We go…

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NWA World Tag Team Champions Jack & Jerry Brisco vs Ricky Steamboat & Jay Youngblood - Starrcade 1983 I just watched for the first time a TV studio bout between these two teams that I thought was tremendous. It explained how these teams were once pals, but an accidental or perhaps not so accidental injury to Steamboat's knee had ruffled some feathers. So in the TV match, Steamboat and Youngblood target one of the Brisco's knees only for them to get hot about it and when they get on offense really go after Steamboat's knee. The finish was a Brisco jumping on the knees of Steamboat when he was in a figure-4 triggering a DQ and a lot of pain. Then in the …

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Kerry Von Erich vs Michael Hayes - 11/24/83 Loser Leaves Town Steel Cage Match Off the top of my head, I can't think of a better sub-ten minute match! Absolutely electric match that pays off the entire angle in one incredibly climax! They met in the very structure that caused this blood feud a steel cage and after a year it is time for the ultimate blowoff, a Loser Leaves Town match. Kerry and Michael play their roles to perfection and cut a terrific pace. Michael never once backs down from Kerry and this makes for one helluva fight, Those fists were flying early and love the early attempt at the Claw. Hayes throwing Kerry into cage and choking him with the bandage wa…

Santito was still a rookie at this point and this is a showcase for him, which worked very well. He got plenty of time from the beginning, indulging on the mat against los rudos, but also stealing the show later on when things became flashy and quick. Atlantis was just a great partner here, selling big time and also assisting Santo in their high flying attacks. Guerrera and Rubio shined when isolating Atlantis, but also in their frustrations against the quickness of the tecnicos. Good heat, solid action and good spots, including the finish, but this felt a bit too long at 25+ minutes and dragged in a few parts ***1/2