Superstar Sleeze

AWA Southern Heavyweight Champion Jerry Lawler vs NWA Mid-American Champion Randy Savage - Lexington, KY 4/9/84 Lawler ventures to Savage's home turf, but crowd seems split as Jimmy Hart is in Savage's corner and Savage is in total heel mode. I loved the beginning with Savage using the hair only to have Lawler really whip him down by the hair and Savage throws a hissy fit. Savage is really into taking walks to break the rhythm of the King. Savage is such a great character. If this was 1997, he would have decked a camera man or ring announcer that was all that was missing. Definitely one of all time favorite stallers. I wish wrestling had more bullshit stalling in it today. There is a great moment where if you pay close attention to Savage's face you see how terrified he is of Lawler's closed fist so he quickly yanks him down by the hair. Fear is a powerful driver and I love how that pushes him to cheat to avoid the dangerous Lawler right. Lawler does some real nice technical mat wrestling with a back heel trip into a headscissors into a sort of mini-piledriver. Very cool. Savage crawls out of the ring while in the headscissors and he is takes advantage to cheapshot Lawler and sends him into the post. Everything is focused on the head of Lawler and Savage is just relentless hitting him in the head whenever. He would run himself ragged to set up different ways to stomp or punch him in the head. The double axehandle to the floor is such a perfect move of the character Savage had cultivated. There was literally no place you were safe from this wildman. Lawler has to resort to throwing a drink into Savage's eyes and blasts him with a right one after another. They trade misses, first Lawler misses a fist drop then Savage misses elbow drop and then Lawler misses his top rope fist drop. I really like that sequence. This time Lawler is ready for Savage as he is coming off the top rope and nails him in the midsection with a fist. The King looks for the countout victory, but Savage has too much pride in his hometown to go down like that. This time it is Lawler with the low bridge to stop the Savage piledriver. STRAP DOWN~! Levels the Macho Man! Fist drop, but no ref thanks to Angelo & Jimmy Hart, Savage nails a piledriver. Still no referee and Savage gets frustrated leading to a Lawler roll up for the win. That was a very modern WWE finish. Again, I just did not feel like Savage vs Lawler reached that next level. I have seen their loser leaves town match a couple years ago and really liked that. Early on, I liked this better than the cage match because it was Savage and Lawler just ripping it up as their characters, but they have not put together that next level finish stretch. Both of them are coming back at will and trading spots with out that level of struggle and consequence that makes a match a classic. Still, again there is enough action that this is a quick watch and super entertaining. Still waiting for Lawler vs Savage the classic, but next up they actually tag up against Rick Rude & King Kong Bundy. 1984 Memphis was stacked! ****

Ric Flair, I want to write a piece on his offensive strategy. It is super underrated. Stan Hansen, have not watched anything in far too long, need to refresh Jumbo Tsuruta - Master of the bodyslam, so much to watch. Bomb throwing master Genichiro Tenryu - If you don't get him, watch 2000s. I get it and love it Mitsuharu Misawa - The Man Toshiaki Kawada - Like Hansen, been too long since I watched him in his prime. Great comeback in 2000, but rest of decade too inconsistent Kenta Kobashi - I love his story, strong number one candidate for me. Akira Taue - NODOWA~! Best apron worker ever. He gets it. Jushin Liger - God King of the Juniors Rey Misterio Jr. - Probably the strongest candidate from the 2000s, but his 90s was revolutionary. Nick Bockwinkel - He is committed to the struggle Jerry Lawler - Watching a lot of his stuff for first time and by the time this is finished, he will be a contender Shinya Hashimoto & Riki Choshu - So much to watch, but these rockstars need to be represented Greg The Hammer Valentine - Probably the best WWF worker of the 80s and just made every WWF match feel unique Tito Santana - Great blood feud worker Ricky Martel - Probably not enough on the home stretch, but I love his AWA run. Ricky Steamboat - I have my misgivings about Steamboat, but some recent matches have him surging back up the lists. Ricky Morton, Bobby Eaton, Shawn Michaels - Tag Teams Back Again (Whoomp There It Is!) Vader - He just makes sense, but where the dollas at? Bob Backlund - Probably will benefit from the fact that I am cherry picking the good shit. Sorry guys, life is too short. Arn Anderson - Rare talent of being able to have a match unto himself. Randy Savage - Total commitment to the character. Ronnie Garvin cage match rejuvenated my interest in him. Brock Lesnar - He is a tough one. What a spectacle! Some of the highest Wrestling IQ I have ever seen. AJ Styles - I honestly think he is the best of 2000s workers and that predates the 2014 surge. I really want to see how he compares against Danielson. Besides Flair, Tenryu, Misawa, Kobashi and Kawada, this shit is wide fucking open for me. I am excited to watch a shit ton of great wrestling.

AWA Southern Heavyweight Champion Jerry Lawler vs Randy Savage - Memphis, Mid-South Coliesum 12/12/83 "EVERYONE DIES!" Randy Savage's verbal ravings during the match. I have seen this before, but never in full and honestly I have been underwhelmed by this match. Mostly because I was expecting OMG LAWLER VS SAVAGE~! and instead it was just a great match. I will say this match definitely features the two of the best working punches in history. I love Savage's windup right hand almost like how a pitcher in baseball wind ups before delivering a fastball. Savage is in full Memphis heel mode running away and stooging for Lawler's punches. Lawler starts the match off unusually red hot with furious punches. Savage spits on Lawler to get him so riled up that he makes a mistake and Savage applies a chinlock to quell his momentum. Lawler throws him into cage, which is set up to go to the floor and Savage is staggered and falls ass first to the outside in a great bump. Savage starts to fiddle with his tights so here comes the foreign object playing that is a hallmark of the Mempho territory. Savage rakes eyes maybe with the foreign object it is hard to see and now he just suffocates Lawler. Awesome working punches, the double axehandle to the floor and ramming him into the cage. Lawler is coming back with punches and wrestles the foreign object away from Savage and he drives into Savage's eye, naaaasty. Now, we get the problem with the match, if there was ever a Memphi/Lawler spotfest this is it. That sounds weird because Memphis is almost as anti-spotfest as you get, but here they are start just throwing out spots against each other. Savage misses an Elbow from the top of the Cage and that is just another spot in the middle of the match! Lawler thinks better of going to the top of the cage instead hits a flying bodypress for two. Savage is just up flying into the middle rope and then he is doing a tremendous airplane spin. The airplane spin would be so over in today's hipster culture, but I guess the Giant Swing is that, but more athletically impressive. They are both come out staggered and Lawler tags with a right! Like most Memphis matches, it is all about piledriver teases which I love, Savage headbutts him in the balls to stop one. Savage throws him into the cage, but STRAP DOWN~! Lawler with furious punches only to Jos LeDuc trigger the DQ in the cage match. That was a super lame finish, but it is tough to start the first match of a series off with a cage match. They really had to though because this feud was already so hot from Savage's promos on ICW TV and the interpromotional feud. So you had to do the cage match, but you wanted to get more out of the feud so you needed the shitty ending. It is all action, but it is just all over the place. Savage missing the top of the cage elbow was crazy, but treated like just another spot. Still a great match that should be seen, but it was no Savage vs Garvin. ****

ICW Heavyweight Champion Randy Savage vs Ronnie Garvin - ICW Steel Cage 1982/1983 Best babyface Savage performance of his career besides the Savage/Flair GAB '95 match. Savage is an all-time great as a heel by being a totally despicable human and someone who always makes the babyface look like a million bucks. As a babyface, he relies a lot on his selling (he is world-class), but there is not much in the way of offense. The selling keeps it from feeling like an exhibition, but still I wish there would be more struggle in his babyface matches. I think that this cage match with Garvin really shows babyface Savage in a violent war over the ICW Championship. This should go down as one of the all-time great cage matches and reminder how great the stipulation can be. From the outset, they let us know that this is going to be a street fight with the way they were tussling over a front facelock and how they were clawing and choking each other. There was nothing pretty about it, but it was incredibly compelling. Unlike so many cage matches, it never felt claustrophobic, they were still able to brawl and use the cage as a weapon. We get double juice as these two just hate each other. Of course, this match features Savage's amazing trademark selling as he is staggered and collapsing after each hope spot. I love how the piledriver is treated like such a kill shot and each is doing all they can to avoid the other's. So much talk about Savage, but Garvin was awesome on top using the cage at will and choking Savage. He was a true heel. The best part of the match is in the middle of the match, a boxing match breaks out and two of the best working punches going at it. Down goes Garvin! Savage scampers on his knees to pin, but only two. I love the urgency! They are looking to end it in a most violent way, piledriver, but neither can get it. Savage misses his top rope elbow. Ruh roh! Garvin throws him into the ref and gets the belt and blasts Savage. He is hanging Savage and this match just ventured into classic territory. Savage kicks him off as a survival tactic. Savage throws the belt at Garvin to stop the top rope knee drop. HE PILEDRIVES HIM OFF THE TOP ROPE! THAT IS HOW YOU PAY OFF TEASES, BITCHES! Savage vs Lawler, here we come! ****3/4

AWA World Heavyweight Champion Rick Martel vs Nick Bockwinkel - AWA Winnipeg 3/28/84 This series of matches really speaks to the praise given to Bock about having a different match everytime he goes out. In the first match of this Winnipeg series, it felt like Martel really kicked some ass and established him as champion, which was critical in his nascent going up against The Man. In the second match, you get the classic. Martel starts on fire, but Bock works himself out of a jam and both men are left gasping for the finish line. Now in the third match, which must feel like Bockwinkel's last shot, Bock is fired up and extra no-nonsense. He starts the match on fire, there is really no shine and he immediately goes into King of the Mountain, which is an interesting tact. It establishes the tone of the match that Bock feels like his back is up against the wall and he is here to win. At this point, Martel is going on a year as champion so everyone buys into him so he does not need to start off red hot. In fact that change of pace really differentiates the match from the standard shine->heat->comeback->finish. Of course, Martel eventually does gets his licks in once he backdrops out of the piledriver and we get what looks like a shine with Bock falling prey to armdrags and Martel's quickness. Bock shows why he is a wrestling god by picking the ankle and turning it into this awesome 1/2 deathlock, 1/2 chinlock submission. When Martel powers out, Bock immediately finds a way to apply the figure-4. Again, it all plays into Bockwinkel will not denied tonight and Martel needs to elevate his game. He does in the form of wicked punches to fight off the figure-4 and a piledriver to level the playing field. Bock just keeps coming now with back drops and knee lifts, but he can't keep Martel down. The finish is actually pretty anticlimatic as it is just a Martel back body drop, but Bock was in the ropes, but ref still counted. Bock blasts Martel and sends him over the top rope, weird finish and oddly protective of Bock. I liked this because we got to see Bockwinkel on offense for the majority of the match, which is different from the other Martel matches. However, I don't think it was as good as the others in the series. There was just no real strong hook that kept me invested throughout the match and then finish really did nothing for me. Most people would dream of having a match this good, but for two legends like Bock and Martel this just another day in the office. ***3/4

Red Sox fandom transcends win-loss records. The next time I am on Titans and the show gets derailed for one reason or another, remind me to explain why I hate the Sox and the story of how became a Tigers fan. It is an epic. That being said, while I hate the Sox, I respect their ability to draw across the country. Plus I am still proud to be from Titletown, USA, which includes John Cena, Sasha Banks and the First Ever Winner of the First Ever Pro Wrestling Trivia Internet Podcast, BRAINBUSTER, ME!

Randy Savage & Lanny Poffo vs Rock N Roll Express - Mid-South Coliseum 7/4/84 Savage vs Morton needed to happen! Just another one of those on paper classics that never happened. Plus instead of these shitty finishes, they could have put RnRs over in a tag setting, but with Savage going over clean one on one. Oh well, another great match from these two teams, but not quite on the level as the last match. The babyface shine featured what you expected with the RnRs getting the best of the Poffos, but there was not as many fun spots as the previous match and a lot of was just fun stalling. They gave more time for the heat segment in this go around and Randy Savage just looked huge here. Randy Savage looked like a colossal star in this match. 1984 had to be when Memphis was the most loaded with talent. The mid-80s definitely feels like the highwater mark for pro wrestling in terms of starpower in every territory. Today feels downright shallow compared to the depth of the 80s. Savage was all over the place as Lance Russell said in this match. Off a blind tag, Savage was able to sneak a quick jab to Morton's ribs and then threw him out only to come crashing down with the double axehandle. I loved Savage sneaking around the ring and coming up from behind to blast Morton. The entire heat segment was just potshot after potshot on Morton from the entire Poffo family including Angelo. Morton would do his best to use his movement to create opportunities to tag, but the Poffos always grabbed him at the last second. The highwater mark of this heat segment was Savage going for the piledriver on the table only to be back body dropped onto the table! He's hardcore! He's hardcore! He's hardcore! Finally Gibson comes in and is a house of fire climaxing with a nice superplex, which I actually thought would be the finish, but Savage/Morton brawl on the outside distracted the ref meaning Angelo came in and hit with the boot. The ref called for the bell. Morton came in and wrestled the boot out of his hands. Then there was a quick Savage/Morton brawl before the video cut out that looked fantastic. Oh! To have lived in Mempho in 1984! I preferred the June match, but this was still tons of fun. I just wish we got the classic that was clearly present with these two teams. Frustrating, but still happy we got what we got. Looking forward to more Savage and more Morton throughout the 80s! ***1/2

Randy Savage & Lanny Poffo vs Rock N Roll Express - Mid-South Coliseum 6/25/84 SAVAGE PILEDRIVES MORTON THROUGH THE TABLE! When I was a kid, we rented some video or found some TV show that had this angle on the tape. I literally remember nothing else on the video just Savage piledriving Ricky Morton through the table at ringside. Eat it, ECW! Talk about a hot and I mean double hot angle! Absolutely tremendous! For what we got, this was on pace to be one of my favorite Memphis Wrestling matches of the 80s and on pace to be better than both Savage vs Lawler matches I have watched so far, but a premature DQ ending makes for a fun match rather than a classic. Wow, were these two teams made for each other! Savage and Poffo were perfect heel stooges for the Rock n Rolls and of course RnRs excel at giving the early crowd pleasing spots. I am such a mark for high-octane movement in the ring that ends with the heel either on his ass or falling on his face. There are plenty of those with Poffo and Savage trying to get one up on RnRs and failing spectacularly. My favorite spot was RnR did their normal spot of rolling through a banana split and decked Savage on the apron. They go to do it again, but Savage has learned his lesson so he jumps off the apron. He gets back on the apron and showboats only to be decked again. Popped huge for that! The transition to the heat segment was awesome with Gibson running into the top turnbuckle, but it was a fake out. In the ensuing fracas, Morton gets rammed into the post by Angelo and the short heat segment is worked perfectly. Savage and Poffo's control feels tenuous at best, which gives a really exciting feeling of when Gibson will make a tag, but Morton is out of it that it is hard for him to make a tag even when he gets a hope spot in. I know this is stating the obvious, but Morton sold perfectly in this match just enough to get sympathy, but was still active in trying to tag out. Great stuff! Savage is great at working a nasty heat segment with his wicked punches and full court press offense. Gibson finally gets in, but before he can do any really damage, Angelo pulls down the top rope and he goes tumbling out for the premature DQ. At a scant nine minutes of awesomeness, I am definitely left wanting more to the point where the finish is frustrating. I am of the opinion that I rather get twenty minutes with this finish than just ten with this finish leaving the match feel underdeveloped. A brawl develops at ringside and this is where Savage piledrives Ricky Morton through the table. These two teams absolutely rocked it and I look forward to the rematch. ***3/4

I live in Boston so you piqued my interest when you threw out NESN, but doing some digging it is on NESN National, which is NESN for the rest out of the country outside of New England (since Red Sox Nation is a national phenomenon and New England transplants live everywhere). I checked NESN listings here and there was nothing at the mentioned times of midnight on any day. Oh well, I still have Destination America.

I love the gimmick and enjoyed all the little nuances. My favorite Milano match and performance was a tag match with Nakamura against the NOAH boys in 2009. Check it out.

We don't have a Sinclair distributor here in Boston, but we do get Destination America so this is awesome, awesome news with everyone so amped on ROH that I can finally join in! CAN'T WAIT! BULLET CLUB! TOOOOOOO SWWWWEEEEEEEEET! YOUNG BUCKS! YOUNG BUCKS! YOUNG BUCKS!

My WWF pick would be Greg the Hammer Valentine starting the year just tearing it up with Tito, where he surpasses Tito is by having the badass Dream Team run in the last half of 1985, which includes a great, great tag title match with the US Express. Honestly, don't remember what Tito did in the last half of 85 so if that was bitchin too then I think he could be included. I think any WWF wrestler winning WOTY post-1983 would be a dark horse, but if there was any wrestler in any year it would be Greg Valentine in 1985. His only problem is that 1985 is fucking stacked.

Becky's finish is a Fujiwara arm bar. In the buildup, she tried to tear Sasha's arm off and got her tap in non match situation. Her first move in the match was a hammerlock. The entire story of the first segment was Sasha avoiding Becky attacking her arm and until she found her own opening which happened to target the arm. Once Becky was able to consolidate an offensive advantage she attacked the arm and executed her gameplan climaxing with the Fujiwara armbar but Sasha was too close to the ropes. Becky deviated from her gameplan going for a high risk move to win the match but Sasha countered by attacking the arm leaving Becky prone to Sasha submission finish. How did it lack direction? How did Becky's arm work not fit? There was enough stuff to keep this from being perfect, it did feel choreographed at times and there was no great sense that Sasha would lose. Sasha sold the threat of arm work great early but late I would liked to see her sell how close she came to losing title. These are nit picks. I don't mean to come off as confrontational nor do I think everybody has to think it is OMG MOTY. It is just I wrote this on my phone and I am not going to go back and edit for tone. So I would just like the detractors to elaborate.

I can think of 10 better Young Bucks matches this year. Surely you jest.

I thought the first half of the show was unexpectedly mediocre. I only knew two matches on the card going into the show, but usually NXT delivers fun matches up and down the card. I liked the women's tag, but the fitness model chick sucked. I really like Emma and actually thought she could have gone more over the top with her heel mannerisms early on, but the character work started to seep in late. I like the Cactus/Dreamer-esque story between Emma and Bayley. I think Bayley is an awesome face worker and should get a crack at Banks before they do Banks/Lynch II. I really have enjoyed Enzo/Cass and now they have a wicked hAwT chick with them I am all aboard on Certified G/Bonafide Stud Express. I thought the shine was well done, but Blake & Murphy just have nothing on offense like most 1980s WWF heel tag teams, man they would have fit right in. Cass is fun on offense. Adding another hot blonde is definitely the way to make this feud more entertaining. Four matches in and this was my favorite match, we have a problem. Then Sasha Banks vs. Becky Lynch happened and all was right with the world. Sasha is a bad bitch and I love it. There was a point during Sasha's phenomenal heat segment where I though to myself this match really needs a short arm scissors and the next move was just that. Straight cash money. Becky forgot to sell the arm initially, but by the end, she was selling it just fine. From a pure offensive perspective, I love, love Becky Lynch. She needs to define who she is more, but in the ring she was awesome. I am a wicked mark for rolling submissions and Becky had at least three that just blew my mind. This match is a statement on what women's wrestling should be by accentuating what women naturally have in spades over men and that's flexibility. There were at least two spots that men just can't do because they don't have the flexibility. Women sticking to the mat with great selling and strategy can not only compete, but excel over the men. Incredible match and I will do a full write-up before year's end. This is my choice for the best women's match in WWE history (slam dunk, in my opinion) and the best match of the year so far in WWE. ****1/2 I enjoyed the booking of Zayn/Owens. Zayn starts off hot and will not be denied. Owens puts enough of a defense to make Zayn earn it, but this is Zayn's redemption and he is going to kick ass. Then it is just turns on a dime with the powerbomb on the apron. It shows how fragile Zayn was that one powerbomb fucked him up and it told a good story. SAMOA JOE~! I don't think we got an AJ vs Joe 2015 match, which makes me sad, but hey Joe in the WWE is some cool shit.

I agree with 100% with Dylan that Brock bladed and could not believe Austin was hyping it as hardway. I could go either way with Dolph. The amount of blood seems like it was a bladejob, but I am with Dylan don't know when he could have bladed. Dolph/Sheamus was great. I would have liked to see Sheamus work the leg more and think that is more to do with WWE-style and it helped Zigs on the comeback so that it was not too unrealistic. I actually thought Zigs outworked Sheamus here and I am a HUGE Sheamus fan. Ziggler was on point with his offense, suffocating Sheamus early and just so frantic. Really good stuff from Zigs. The finish was killer and worked perfectly. The one from RAW was because Big E was scared shitless that Cesaro was not going to get him over for the Northern Lights Suplex and he really barely got him over. Again, with the Neutralizer, I think we have a trust issue where Big E does not believe that Cesaro can do it. Loved, loved that tag match and think it was match of the night edging out the I Quit match.

AWA World Heavyweight Champion Nick Bockwinkel vs Jumbo Tsuruta - AJPW Budokan 2/23/84 Special Guest Referee Terry Funk It had been almost four years since Giant Baba had won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship from Harley Race. While Jumbo had been challenging for the NWA World Title since the mid-70s, the pressure must have been mounting for him to follow in Baba's foot steps and finally win the big one. All Japan, NWA and AWA were booked in a tough position where the American promotions did not want to a Japanese wrestler representing them, but All Japan needed to prove to their fan base their ace was a legitimate world class pro wrestler. In 1984, it was high time for Jumbo Tsuruta to avoid the choker label and he did just that by pinning Nick Bockwinkel to win the AWA World Heavyweight Championship. He did Baba one better by actually finishing the tour with his reign intact and actually defending the championship in America. You see Baba spent a ton of money to cement Jumbo's status as the man by buying him this reign. In return, Verne got actually what he needed a gaijin transitional champion to go from ace heel Nick Bockwinkel to his prospective new hot babyface act, Rick Martel. Baba would use a similar model of gaijin (Hansen, Doc and Gordy) to transition titles among the natives. It was a win-win for everyone involved and of course the big winners were the Japanese faithful that were able to see their hero win the World Heavyweight Championship from Bockwinkel after being thwarted repeatedly by cheap finishes. The match starts with Bockwinkel trying to end the match early with a surprise cross body, but only gets two. Bockwinkel works an extensive arm work segment that is just awesome. Bockwinkel is wrenching Jumbo's arm in all directions, applying pressure with his head and knees (THAT IS A LEGAL KNEE TO THE HEAD, Terry Funk yells, which makes me chuckle). Jumbo is always struggling, teasing escapes, but Bock uses a multitude of nefarious tactics to keep him down. One of my favorite spots of the match was Bock's super slick double wristlock takedown into a rolling short arm scissors just really strong work there. Another fun spot was Jumbo trying to show Funk that he keeps getting pulled down by the hair only to be pulled down by the hair again. Jumbo finally is able to string some offense together in the form of an enziguiri into a high knee, but only gets one. Bock retreats and tries to go back to the arm, but Jumbo is rolling now with two piledrivers and a Thesz Press. The action is so hot and heavy that it spills to the outside. Bock unloads with heavy blows on the outside. Hey there is the 80s spot the head to head collision, but really does not lead anywhere in this match. I can't say I am a fan of that spot. Jumbo is throwing closed fists and ignoring Funk's admonishments. Jumbo will not be denied tonight and the crowd is pumped. Bockwinkel goes back to a top wristlock to get a nearfall, but Jumbo counters with a Russian Legsweep. Nice! It is bombs away from Jumbo with a variety of suplexes and he has the champion on the ropes literally as he has to use the ropes to break Jumbo's Boston Crab. The Japanese fans have seen this story before and usually it does not end well for their boy. Bockwinkel shoves Jumbo into Funk and if I was a fan I would be smelling screwjob and Bockwinkel hits two piledrivers and a bodyslam, but nothing doing. As usual, Bockwinkel chucks his opponent to the outside to buy himself some time. When it comes time to bring him in the hardway, Jumbo floats over and BACK DROP DRIVER! 1-2-3! Jumbo wins the World Title! This was an interesting story as you get the sense that Bockwinkel clearly sees Jumbo as a massive threat to his title reign. He tries to win quickly with a cross body from there he dictates the pace and tries to take Jumbo out via arm work. He is keeping Jumbo grounded and we find out why later in the match. Bockwinkel does not have a prayer in a bomb throwing match. Once Jumbo is able to break free of the arm work and establish himself, he just starts throwing everything at Bockwinkel to finally win the championship. The tease all the usual screwjob finishes (double countout, ref bump), but this time the fans get to home happy with Jumbo Tsuruta winning the AWA World Title. Jumbo's long term selling could have been better. Bockwinkel was awesome in this, cocky in control and desperate on defense. The feel good ending elevates the great work in this to a classic match in my eyes. ****1/2

Flair was 32 when he won it in '81 and Bock was 30 in 64. Bock was a nine year pro at that time and and Flair was a nine year pro. If your point was we are missing a TON of Bock I agree, but if it was he was challenging early in his career, it is really no different for Flair. I really, really, REALLY want to see Thesz vs Bock now.

AWA World Heavyweight Champion Rick Martel vs Nick Bockwinkel - AWA Winnipeg 9/20/84 WOW! Until the finish, I think this was the best match I have seen so far as part of my 80s watching and is definitely neck and neck with Flair vs Kerry from August of 1982. It featured some of the best selling I have ever witnessed in pro wrestling. It was not just from Martel. It was from both Martel and Bockwinkel. It felt like a war of attrition between the two best wrestlers in the world. It was a game of inches and they were both so good that it was just going to be the details the decided the winner. The small detail was Bockwinkel's nasty little short jab to the ribs. It was his great equalizer. Martel was so focused on his kneework that he would leave himself exposed to these quick punches and that eventually took their toll on Martel physically. The story really became who could overcome their injuries Bockwinkel with his knee and Martel with his midsection. Bockwinkel wrestled most of the match on his knees and he proves why he is one of the all-time best by selling his pain and desperation throughout the match. In this match, Bockwinkel tries to start the match hot and heavy, but he gets overzealous and hits a high knee to the turnbuckle. Martel just pounces on this mistake like in the Lawler match with toeholds and strikes relentlessly. Bockwinkel sells the agony of the holds in such an engaging way that you never lose interest. Bock and Martel trade blows within the toehold and when that does not go well for Bock; he hits a quick jab to Martel's midsection, which forces him off his body. Bock with JYD heabutts to Martel's midsection. Oh shit, this is my kinda match! He pounds Martel's side as best he can with his good knee. This is just dripping with struggle and urgency. Bockwinkel collapses in the middle of the ring while Martel writhes in pain in the corner. Holy shit! Bock uses the wrong knee on a knee lift and can't capitalize soon enough. Martel hits a kneecrusher! Martel is back to work with seatdrops so Bockwinkel just grabs him by his hair and punches him in the head. He forces Martel out of the ring and is basically working a King of the Mountain from his ass and it is awesome! Martel picks the leg and wraps it around the post. Have I gone to Heaven? Bock saves his knee by trying to claw Martel's eyes out. This was no normal eye gouge, he was getting in there. He puts Martel in a stretch where he can constantly maneuver him to expose the ribs to his rabbit punches without the ref seeing. Martel punches to the knee to get out of it and kicks the leg out from under him. Yep, I died and have gone to Heaven. Martel rides high and Bock applies a body scissors, but his leg is so fucked up he can't hold him. They knock heads in the middle of the ring and it is time to hit the finish. Martel goes for the kill first, but misses the reverse cross body from the middle rope. Martel fires through Bock's offense and it looks like he has more gas in his tank. Slingshot splash EATS KNEES! THOSE RIBS! OW! The selling is tres magnifique. They work through a barrage of nearfalls with neither having enough to put the other way. However, the ref gets bumped, Mr. Saito is able to throw salt in the eyes of Martel who has Bockwinkel dead to rites in the Boston Crab. 1-2-3!?!?!?!?!? Bock wins??? After much deliberation, the belt is returned to Martel. I fucking hate that finish. I don't care if it is babyface or heel, it is just stupid bullshit. It is definitely worse when a babyface wins, you get the pop and then rob people. Still even letting the people see Martel get pinned and not lose only hurts the moment when he will actually loses the title. The finish is the only thing that keeps this from *****, but fuck if this is the tenth best match of the AWA in the 80s, I am in for quite treat! This was fucking tremendous. Small critique would be that they just had one or two more highspots down the stretch to take the drama level to the next level. I am thinking a Bockwinkel sleeper and maybe a piledriver or two. It does not have to be an AWA Jumbo match with a ton of highspots, but a couple more would have been enough to overcome my least favorite finish ever. Enough negativity because this is my favorite match so far. It is a master's class in selling and should be absolutely mandatory to be watched by all wrestlers young and old in the industry today. ****3/4

I wanted to wrap up my impromptu WCW late 90s project with a big Best Of List, which has been complete for weeks, but I am suffering from writer's fatigue to write a decent introduction for it that will put a nice bow on the whole thing, hopefully this Tuesday. In the interim, I have headed back to the greatest decade this world has ever seen, the 80s! I began in World Class looking at Flair vs the Von Erichs and in Memphis specifically at Jerry Lawler's quest to become World Champion and fighting off the outsiders from the AWA. Ric Flair vs The Von Erichs: NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Kerry Von Erich 8/15/82 ****3/4 NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs David Von Erich 10/11/82 ****1/2 NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Kerry Von Erich Christmas Star Wars 12/25/82 Steel Cage match, Michael Hayes Special Guest Referee ****1/2 NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Kevin Von Erich - WCCW 4/1/83 ****1/4 NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Kerry Von Erich - Parade of Champions 5/6/84 **** NWA World Heavyweight Champion Kerry Von Erich vs Ric Flair - WCCW 5/11/84 **** NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Kevin Von Erich - Parade of Champions 5/5/85 ****1/2 http://ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com/2015/05/ric-flair-vs-von-erichs-wccw-1982-1985.html --------------------------------------------------- When the AWA Comes to Memphis: Jerry Lawler vs Crusher Blackwell - Mid-South Coliseum 5/4/81 ***1/2 NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Jerry Lawler - Memphis Wrestling 8/14/82 *** (Wicked fun angle and some of the best promos ever, watch this segment!) AWA Southern Heavyweight Champion Nick Bockwinkel vs Jerry Lawler Mid-South Coliseum 10/18/82 **** AWA Southern Heavyweight Champion Nick Bockwinkel vs Jerry Lawler Mid-South Coliseum 11/8/82 Title vs Hair No DQ match ****1/2 AWA World Heavyweight Champion Nick Bockwinkel vs Jerry Lawler Mid-South Coliseum 1/1/84 ***1/2 (One of the best comebacks ever!) AWA World Heavyweight Champion Rick Martel vs Jerry Lawler - Nashville 10/12/85 ****1/2 AWA World Heavyweight Champion Nick Bockwinkel vs Jeff Jarrett Mid-South Coliseum 5/4/87 ***3/4 http://ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com/2015/05/when-awa-comes-to-mempho-jerry-lawler.html ---------------------------------------------------

What I am really loving about Reigns right now is how he is constantly fighting back from underneath. He is fighting through the pain and taking it to the heel opponent. It is really different than all the other babyfaces on the roster right now, which either just do MOVEZ~! or sell throughout the heat segment and do not do much (Cena, Ziggler etc) I don't have a problem with the latter and I think Cena still is one of the best workers in the company. I like idea of a babyface that is not just going to get his ass kicked, but will be fighting back. It reminds me a lot of peak popularity Daniel Bryan, who was constant motion of fighting and struggling against the bigger opponents. I have loved his matches against Big Show both on TV and at Extreme Rules. The only person that can compete with Reigns this year so far has been Cena. At the PPVs this year, I have at two apiece. Cena wins the first two with the triple threat and the first Rusev match (I think Bryan/Reigns match is overrated and Cena/Rusev I is still a WWE MOTYC for me), but Reigns wins Wrestlemania and Extreme Rules. On TV, I have loved the Cena US Open Challenge especially Zayn and Neville, but Ambrose and Stardust matches sucked. Reigns had a couple good Big Show matches, but not watching Smackdown I might be missing a bit. I think it is too close to call right now.

North American Heavyweight Champion Magnum TA vs Ted DiBiase - Mid-South 7/6/84 You know you are over when the crowd is doing the sound effects for your punches. Magnum TA, you are over, brutha. Magnum had 80s babyface down pat. He had all the mannerisms with him shaking his fists, hands over head, raring to go. He is a way better seller than I was expecting. You hear he was going to Hulk Hogan of the NWA and I see where that comes from in terms of look and cool factor. While Hogan sold a lot especially in the late 80s, it was the over the top, comic book style selling as opposed to Magnum's gritty, bloody screams and his anguished countenance. This is much tamer version of their bloody brawls in late May (even though it did get bloody). It almost seemed like the matches were booked backwards chronologically. Though they seem to be in a different town so maybe they were starting the story fresh here. The beginning of the match was pretty common 80s beginning with Magnum besting DiBiase at every turn and DiBiase powdering to break his rhythm while Mags was energized. It was a fun beginning. Really hated the transition to the heel heat segment with DiBiase just hitting some shoulder tackles in the corner and then he just throws TA's back into the apron and post. I would have liked something more devious or a Magnum mistake to transition to the heat segment. It was just way too routine and not a real hook for the match. While the transition sucked, the heat segment proper was awesome because Mags' forte was selling and DiBiase seems like a strong offensive presence. It could have used more Magnum hope spots, but his selling was very good. TA bucked him off to the floor and then DiBiase takes his somersault bump in the follow-up. The crowd is red hot for the Magnum comeback until a collision (80s really liked that spot). DiBiase, out of desperation, sends Magnum head first into the post and busts him open. I liked DiBiase going from the back to the head because he was feeling the match slipped away from him. Mags feels blood on his face and just loses it. He whips DiBiase so hard into the ropes the turnbuckle breaks! I don't think it was a work, but maybe it was. Ted grabs hold of the turnbuckle and cracks him him, but it is only two. Mags bounces off the bottom two ropes with a ref drop down (hmmmmmmm maybe this was planned) and it is a hot shot by Teddy. DiBiase loads the glove, but misses the fist drop into the Belly to Belly! The finish stretch took this from a good match to a great match, but I didn't think it was as good as the bloody brawls from late May. These two are definitely made for each with DiBiase's offense and Mags' selling. The finish was memorable with the turnbuckle breaking and it was a feel good finish. ****

Macho Mandow might be the most amateur hour, bush league, Indy gimmick WWE has ever run. The fact Jay Lethal and TNA did this gimmick like 7 years ago and 100x better is all that needs to be said.

AWA World Tag Team Champions High Flyers vs Rick Martel & Tito Santana - AWA 8/29/82 The following review is from a couple years ago (WOW! How times flies) and the match was every bit as good. I stand by every world. These four guys go balls to wall for 15 minutes struggling to score a victory. It is two babyface vs babyface teams where neither team plays a subtle heel that you would often see in face vs face matches. It actually feels like puro in that way, it is a pure competition to see who is the best. The beginning of the match is very focused on Strike Force working over the High Flyers with headlock. I would say Martel is the better of the two in working the headlock. These are some really fast-paced headlock sequences. Martel/Gagne go through a wild headlock/headscissors exchange that would challenge anyone's cardio. You really get the feeling right out the gate that both teams are focused on picking up the victory. Santana, unlike Martel, is a little more content to sit in his headlock. Gagne tries working a crossface on Santana to break it up and feels really heated. Once Martel gets back in, he will run up the ropes and in order to do side headlock takeovers. Martel rules! They work some sequences in between these headlocks, but everything is very focused on the headlocks by Strike Force, which I like the concentration. At this point, we get a clip and now the High Flyers change the focus from headlocks to some really wicked leg work that is bitchin'. Gagne drops a knee on Tito Santana's knee and does his inverted deathlock (Gagnelock?), which looks pretty wicked given how he is applying it. Brunzell follows up with a figure-4 and then a spinning toe hold. Eventually, Santana kicks out and finally Martel gets in, but we find that Martel is selling his knee, which we must have missed in the clip. One last time for the Strike Force Fans, "IT'S RICKY MARTEL TIME, MUTHAFUCKAS!" but he is cut short because he hits a backbreaker, which hurts his own knee! Killer. Martel tags Tito and Gagne dodges this dropkick. This may sound weird. But I marked the fuck out for that. The force that Tito threw that dropkick and how quick Greg moved out of the way was incredible. (Past self, that is not weird because I totally forgot about that spot and I again popped huge for it. Told myself, if there one thing I need to add to my review was how bitchin' that spot was. But my past self beat me to it! Damn past self for being so on point! ) Gagne hits a shinbreaker on the ailing knee of Santana and then applies Spinning Toe Hold. Martel gets the tag and runs through some more offense punctuating with a backbreaker. Tito back in with a wicked cross-body and he rattles off a ton of moves, but Gagne grabs the GAGNE CHOKE (filthy cheater )! Santana snapmares out and hoists Gagne up, but unbeknowst to Tito, Gagne tags Brunzell. Then Brunzell hits the most HOLY SHIT dropkick on Tito. He dropkicks him right in the head for the win. That was the best damn dropkick. I think any match that can make you mark out for a missed dropkick and a dropkick is a pretty damn incredible match. The story of this best match to prove you were best tag team in the AWA. It was wrestled clean, but that does not mean they wrestled like nancy boys and were polite. They were out for the victory. The tenacity shown on the headlocks and leg works was enthralling. The home stretch was one of the best with Martel's knee going out, Flyers going back to the legs, Tito rattling off moves, before the Mother of All Dropkicks. I don't want to say this blows all WWF tag team matches out of the water, but it does makes most of them look second-rate. This is an excellent showcase on how to work a heated face vs face match without any subtle heel tactics. ****1/2

North American Heavyweight Champion Magnum TA vs Ted DiBiase - Mid-South Tulsa 5/27/84 I have to say I was a bit skeptical that on the exact same day albeit different arena they would be able to even match the awesomeness of the earlier OKC match, but boy was I wrong. Not only did they match it, they topped it with an even better blood-soaked brawl. The first match was a great bloody sprint, but this was a dramatic spectacle. They played to Magnum's greatest strength, his selling and it just ensnared you and never let you go. I got to say, I loved the beginning of this, where DiBiase went to pearl harbor Mags, but Magnum was wise to his games and beat him to the punch. Since they were working a different arena, I did not expect them to actually learn from match to match. So I was very impressed. Did they show these matches on TV and thus they needed to show inter-match progression? The early portion of the match is all Magnum, but DiBiase is making him earn it. The match really busts open (pun fully intended) when DiBiase sends Magnum crashing to the floor reopening the cut. DiBiase working the cut on the floor with Magnum's screams of agony and the fans enraged was a perfect confluence of pro wrestling. DiBiase clawing at the cut and Magnum just making you believe this is most painful thing is the difference between the last match being great and this being a classic. In the ring, Ted is on point it is all fist and elbow drops to the head. Magnum is peppering in hope spots, but can string anything together as Ted stymies him immediately. DiBiase applies the sleeper and just when it looks like we will have a new champion, Magnum in a last ditch effort sends DiBiase flying over the ropes. DiBiase tries to rebound with a piledriver, but Mags back drops out of it. He pulls himself by the ropes. I love it, Ted is modulating the strength of his punches with them getting progressively weaker as he is more exhausted! Magnum is coming alive! He sees the blood. Run Ted Run! The collide in the center of the ring. I have this to be a way more common spot in the 80s than in anytime since and it was definitely a clue the finish is coming. DiBiase wants to get this over with and loads the glove. Wild swing and Mags hits the atomic drop and Ted bounces off the ropes into a Belly 2 Belly! I loved that setup for the Belly 2 Belly. Best Mid-South match yet and just everything you want from bloody brawl. Ted was vicious during the heat segment and backpedaling on Magnum's offense. Magnum is a really, really good seller and knows how to connect with audience during a comeback. ****1/2