Matt D

Leon vs Bugsy wasn't so bad. I thought Bugsy had pretty interesting power offense and good mannerisms. Leon had some interesting stuff when it came to counters and shine. Total mismatch though and it died with the holds. I'd like to see Leon against different opponents. Casey vs Gino was very good. It felt like a really solid TV studio match down to the non-finish and set up for future matches. Ivan vs Ramos was brutal. Would Ramos vs Crusher Blackwell have been fun in this era or what? I liked the opening exchanges actually. They were going at it well, but then it died a horrible death with the babyface Putski chinlock. I can't even imagine what the Bockwinkel match from 81 between them will look like. Putski's cardio is astoundingly bad. Nick or anyone else: is the 1/2/81 card the first with the Southwest talent? If you look at the last card in 80, there's not a lot of overlap and Lewin and some other 1980 mainstays are gone moving forward. This was the first time Tully and Casey were there in a few years, etc. If you're going to do a big booking change, it makes sense to do it at the start of a new year and with Andre on the card to get people in the building to see it.

I'm weirdly excited to get the two Koloff vs Mascaras Houston matches at some point.

Yep. Pete's spot on. There are moments in this that were a lot of fun but Savage was such a waste in 95-6. He might have the worst formula in wrestling history that year, while, at the same time, probably feeling like he was very giving. I felt like I wasted fifteen minutes when I was done with it.

I'm almost caught up on BtS. This is from the 1/30/95 Observer: "The match reminded me of a very good opening match in Tijuana where you'd see a lot of great high spots, but the psychology was limited and the brawling looked bad in spots (***). It's a lot better watching guys with weaknesses work their butts off then to see guys stalling and shortcutting through a match." I kind of hate it so much.

Charlotte is winning at the PPV. Sasha is turning on her. MAYBE they break the PPV streak at Mania but I doubt it.

Man I hope Wyatt wins with some crazy gut shot. They've done a great job setting up Styles as vulnerable there at least since the giant Cena cross body. Edit: Or they can have him be delayed on the forearm because he's screwing with his gloves. You know, whatever.

So they put Orton vs Reigns to end the Rumble so that Orton will get a big pop to win. They put Wyatt vs Styles so that he'll get a heel reaction.

Bliss has developed into a pretty good Honky Tonk Man.

I'll comment on Bock vs JYD later. What I'll say quickly is that it's the Bock vs JYD match I'd been waiting for. The ones we have up until now range among the most disappointing of Bockwinkel's matches. This, on the other hand, might be JYD's career match and is really a strong vulnerable heel champ match. I'm biased here, though, so let's wait to hear what Pete has to say. I liked the six man a lot. I thought the beginning was properly chaotic and that it settled into a solid tag with a FIP on Duncum. Manny had a feel like Savage from this era, just more electric than everyone else. Tully and Patton worked well together cutting off the ring and controlling things. I liked it. Brody vs Patera I liked less. I thought it was structured well and that Patera brought a real presence and credibility but Brody, while basically doing the right things, had all of the trappings of lackluster execution (weak weak offense) that we're used to with him in a lot of his matches. Good on paper, less so in reality. I'm glad we have it though because it's such a conceptual mismatch. Gordy vs Williams was great. This is one I think we had but never in full and it shouldn't be clipped. So much of the match is set up by Gordy trying to strongarm Williams early on (like he'd do with everyone else) only to hit a brick wall. He had to change up his strategy throughout the match to get any advantage. It's great to see Williams' progression through the matches we have on the service. He was much more complete by this point. It takes a lot for a match to end in a double countout like this but still feel wholly satisfying.

Cross-posting this one. I'm usually terrible at that: This was an absolute classic. Funk is a mad wrestling genius. He's one of the greatest sellers of all time, someone who could get across damage, both in the moment and cumulative, but also that could sell the drama of any situation. Race is as credible as any wrestler ever, a bumper and a stooger, and I don't think we've ever had a match which shows his ability to do the little things as well as this one. It was an NWA title match so there are certain things you'd expect, first and foremost the early matwork. in that regard, this goes above and beyond. It might be the best I've ever seen from this era. After some early feeling out (which was short but interesting in and of itself on the way that they build to the lock up and use rope breaks and even just the way Funk's hands shake as he's anticipating the lock up with his manic energy), Funk starts on the arm. It's the most compelling stuff you've ever seen. There's constant motion and struggle, constant jockeying, constant shifting of position. Moreover, there's constant imagination. Normally, you might see them move in and out of the hold, interspersing it with spots. That comes eventually, but at first, it's all about cutting off attempts at escape and escalating the amount of damage being done. There's two or three points where Boesch points out that Funk's doing something he hasn't seen before, and in one case, when Funk uses his leg to half-nelson Race so that he can put on some sort of crazy modified grounded octopus, there's one that I've never seen before, even forty years later. When they move out of it, Funk hits a near press slam on Race. When they go back into it, the shots of Funk grinding his foot into Race's face are downright grisly. It's all spirited as hell and it spoils you for almost every other title match you'll see. Then comes the cut. It's frustrating, not because it exists in and of itself, but because it means we miss how Race gets an advantage. When we come back, Race had just hit a trademark headbutt on Funk, to the temple (maybe that's how he took over? We've seen him use it as a transition before), and is in charge with a headlock. Race is not the world's best seller. A lot of Flair's bad habits in dropping limb selling potentially stems from his emulation of Race. I love Boesch covering for it by saying that the best way to recover from armwork is to USE the arm. A lot of this is Race trying to just contain Funk and his energy. The struggle's still there though with Funk constantly trying to get Race over for a pin or work his way up. When he does get up and out, Race turns it into one of the best headscissors sequences you'll ever see, working it big, including slamming the leg down. Amazing hope spots here, with Funk working his way to his feet, Rance dangling behind him, keeping the hold on. Just awesome stuff until Funk can make it to the ropes. They finish this initial matwork gamesmanship with Race (doing one of those little things I mentioned earlier) slipping behind Kozak after the rope break to sneak attack Funk. He tosses him out and that leads to a reset and the closing sequence to the first fall. Funk was amazing at creating memorable moments. I promise you every person in that building would remember Funk and Race going toe to toe with chops and headbutts and punches, them milking every blow. Everyone would remember the explosive lightning go-behind Funk did and how quickly Race kicked him off on the spinning toe-hold attempt. Funk eventually got the better of it, but ultimately missed a second shoulder tackle and went flying out, immediately selling the back like only he could. That led to a big suplex back in from the apron and a downright amazing abdominal stretch, Race reaching around to press in on the shoulder in a way I'm not sure I've ever seen. After lifting the arm a few times, Kozak called for the bell ending the fall. No one could get over toughness through selling like Funk. He gave so much but because he kept coming despite it all, it made him go past the point of weakness into true inner strength like no one else. He started the second fall defiant, coming out strong only, angering Race with a series of blows, drawing him in and catching him with another huge slam, only to run into a kneeling headbutt, selling it like a back body drop. Race followed that up with an awesome bee-lined elbow drop, showing a real economy of motion. Like I said, I've never seen him do little things as well as in this match. Race stays on the back with a deep, knee-assisted chinlock, but Funk, bolstered by the chants of the crowd, makes his way back up. They tease another stretch by Race, but Funk turns it into a backslide, both a near-fall and a transitory moment to set up a huge pile driver and the pin. I love how they used the backslide as part of how Terry earned his way back. It was better that he hit a more definitive exclamation mark to score the fall. The service released the third fall months ago and people went nuts for it. I didn't watch then on the hopes we would get the rest. I'm glad that I waited but at the same time, I'm not sure how I went so long without seeing something so incredible. It was transcendentally good, cinematic in a way that people give credit to things like Undertaker vs Michaels but with gravitas through timing and selling that those big WWE matches reach for ambitiously but never quite manage to reach. Funk comes out on fire, hitting those memorable chops again. They trade punches, huge killer punches. Funk keeps his advantage, hitting a neckbreaker and the world's biggest atomic drop and punting Race in the head repeatedly, Then he starts with the spinning toe-hold. Race grabs the hair and counters with punches above Funk's eye. Funk is unrelenting, putting it on again and again, trying to keep his head from Race. Race is desperate but unrelenting, managing to get the hair each time, managing to pepper Funk with punches repeatedly. Funk bleeds. Race's hand ends up covered in blood. Kozak tries to call off the match and Funk, staggering and bloody, stops him. Race can't make it back to his feet now, but manages to land a headbutt from his knees. Finally, Funk goes for a last toe-hold and Race punches him again. Funk's dangling due to the blood loss, using the positioning of the toehold to just stand. He tries to spin one more time but falls over and Kozak finally calls the match. It's poetic. It protects Funk. It makes Harley look strong. Most of all, it leads to a rematch where the match can't be stopped. Amazing, amazing end to an amazing match. Race brings a lot to the table, including some failings to go along with his projected toughness and credibility, but I don't think there was ever a wrestler who understood the potential of what pro wrestling could be and who had the ability to actually reach that potential like Terry Funk.

This was an absolute classic. Funk is a mad wrestling genius. He's one of the greatest sellers of all time, someone who could get across damage, both in the moment and cumulative, but also that could sell the drama of any situation. Race is as credible as any wrestler ever, a bumper and a stooger, and I don't think we've ever had a match which shows his ability to do the little things as well as this one. It was an NWA title match so there are certain things you'd expect, first and foremost the early matwork. in that regard, this goes above and beyond. It might be the best I've ever seen from this era. After some early feeling out (which was short but interesting in and of itself on the way that they build to the lock up and use rope breaks and even just the way Funk's hands shake as he's anticipating the lock up with his manic energy), Funk starts on the arm. It's the most compelling stuff you've ever seen. There's constant motion and struggle, constant jockeying, constant shifting of position. Moreover, there's constant imagination. Normally, you might see them move in and out of the hold, interspersing it with spots. That comes eventually, but at first, it's all about cutting off attempts at escape and escalating the amount of damage being done. There's two or three points where Boesch points out that Funk's doing something he hasn't seen before, and in one case, when Funk uses his leg to half-nelson Race so that he can put on some sort of crazy modified grounded octopus, there's one that I've never seen before, even forty years later. When they move out of it, Funk hits a near press slam on Race. When they go back into it, the shots of Funk grinding his foot into Race's face are downright grisly. It's all spirited as hell and it spoils you for almost every other title match you'll see. Then comes the cut. It's frustrating, not because it exists in and of itself, but because it means we miss how Race gets an advantage. When we come back, Race had just hit a trademark headbutt on Funk, to the temple (maybe that's how he took over? We've seen him use it as a transition before), and is in charge with a headlock. Race is not the world's best seller. A lot of Flair's bad habits in dropping limb selling potentially stems from his emulation of Race. I love Boesch covering for it by saying that the best way to recover from armwork is to USE the arm. A lot of this is Race trying to just contain Funk and his energy. The struggle's still there though with Funk constantly trying to get Race over for a pin or work his way up. When he does get up and out, Race turns it into one of the best headscissors sequences you'll ever see, working it big, including slamming the leg down. Amazing hope spots here, with Funk working his way to his feet, Rance dangling behind him, keeping the hold on. Just awesome stuff until Funk can make it to the ropes. They finish this initial matwork gamesmanship with Race (doing one of those little things I mentioned earlier) slipping behind Kozak after the rope break to sneak attack Funk. He tosses him out and that leads to a reset and the closing sequence to the first fall. Funk was amazing at creating memorable moments. I promise you every person in that building would remember Funk and Race going toe to toe with chops and headbutts and punches, them milking every blow. Everyone would remember the explosive lightning go-behind Funk did and how quickly Race kicked him off on the spinning toe-hold attempt. Funk eventually got the better of it, but ultimately missed a second shoulder tackle and went flying out, immediately selling the back like only he could. That led to a big suplex back in from the apron and a downright amazing abdominal stretch, Race reaching around to press in on the shoulder in a way I'm not sure I've ever seen. After lifting the arm a few times, Kozak called for the bell ending the fall. No one could get over toughness through selling like Funk. He gave so much but because he kept coming despite it all, it made him go past the point of weakness into true inner strength like no one else. He started the second fall defiant, coming out strong only, angering Race with a series of blows, drawing him in and catching him with another huge slam, only to run into a kneeling headbutt, selling it like a back body drop. Race followed that up with an awesome bee-lined elbow drop, showing a real economy of motion. Like I said, I've never seen him do little things as well as in this match. Race stays on the back with a deep, knee-assisted chinlock, but Funk, bolstered by the chants of the crowd, makes his way back up. They tease another stretch by Race, but Funk turns it into a backslide, both a near-fall and a transitory moment to set up a huge pile driver and the pin. I love how they used the backslide as part of how Terry earned his way back. It was better that he hit a more definitive exclamation mark to score the fall. The service released the third fall months ago and people went nuts for it. I didn't watch then on the hopes we would get the rest. I'm glad that I waited but at the same time, I'm not sure how I went so long without seeing something so incredible. It was transcendentally good, cinematic in a way that people give credit to things like Undertaker vs Michaels but with gravitas through timing and selling that those big WWE matches reach for ambitiously but never quite manage to reach. Funk comes out on fire, hitting those memorable chops again. They trade punches, huge killer punches. Funk keeps his advantage, hitting a neckbreaker and the world's biggest atomic drop and punting Race in the head repeatedly, Then he starts with the spinning toe-hold. Race grabs the hair and counters with punches above Funk's eye. Funk is unrelenting, putting it on again and again, trying to keep his head from Race. Race is desperate but unrelenting, managing to get the hair each time, managing to pepper Funk with punches repeatedly. Funk bleeds. Race's hand ends up covered in blood. Kozak tries to call off the match and Funk, staggering and bloody, stops him. Race can't make it back to his feet now, but manages to land a headbutt from his knees. Finally, Funk goes for a last toe-hold and Race punches him again. Funk's dangling due to the blood loss, using the positioning of the toehold to just stand. He tries to spin one more time but falls over and Kozak finally calls the match. It's poetic. It protects Funk. It makes Harley look strong. Most of all, it leads to a rematch where the match can't be stopped. Amazing, amazing end to an amazing match. Race brings a lot to the table, including some failings to go along with his projected toughness and credibility, but I don't think there was ever a wrestler who understood the potential of what pro wrestling could be and who had the ability to actually reach that potential like Terry Funk.

I've held off on watching that third fall at all so I am excited. EDIT: Man, I am so glad I did was patient. What a match.

This is where I am now. As a teenager (I was ~17 when this happened), I was kind of frustrated that I couldn't talk my dad into taking to me all the way to Worcester for that Raw taping. I've been to 3 or 4 PPVs and a share of other shows in my life but I've never actually seen a title change live and that would be a big one. It probably would have been the most special moment I'd seen live in wrestling, even now, but between Foley's stock as a general human being dropping somewhat in my eyes over the years and listening to this show, I think I've finally exorcised that from my past. There is just so much reprehensible Russo crap on this show and the idea of sitting through it with my dad and trying to rationalize and explain it all to him is mortifying in retrospect. No, I'm ok I didn't go to that Raw. I'm good. Thanks.

He's also the best choice for Rude.

Harris Brothers. The answer is the Harris Brothers. It's literally the only answer.

I do really enjoy the format of this. Two matches. Deep dives. Personal connections or at least personal reactions. A ton of enthusiasm. It's very, very PWO-y. It's as down our alley as any podcast out there and everyone should listen to it. I need to revisit the Trish match at some point. It was always thoroughly strange in an era before Punk or Bryan (even if we had Spanky and London) for someone like James, who had been as indy as could be to be in the spotlight like that. I guess it's a lot weirder she ended up a country singer. What a crazy story when you think about it. It really should be a TV movie. I am a big proponent of clever utilization of time, of utility relative to opportunity. In that regard, I can appreciate them trying to get as much as possible out of every moment of this. In some ways, it sounds more cinematic than what we've gotten over the last few years too. Maybe that's because the Charlotte matches tend to bleed together for me. I loved Elliott's talking point about the French match. We have so little that we just don't know. That's something that always comes into play when it comes to my hesitation to rush to ranking new things. We have other French Catch matches, but it's frustrating that nothing's popped up in the last year or two. I wonder if anyone's done any real research in Spanish TV wrestling in the 60s. Was it just these guys ending up in France or Germany or was there an actual scene there? Anyway, great showing and I'm looking forward to the next one.

Re: the JYD/Tommy Rich HOF candidacies: I'm fascinated why the May 14, 1982 Houston show apparently drew so poorly that Boesch was thinking of going out of business. On top was JYD vs Bock for the AWA title and a big angle cage match between Tommy Rich and Gino Hernandez where Boesch would kiss Gino's foot if Rich won (and presumably the stip would be reversed otherwise). This stemmed from Gino interfering in Rich's AWA title shot back in March. Having seen some (but not all) of the build and just hot a heel Gino and Tully seemed at the time, as well as the fact that Rich wasn't just a national star but was decently positioned as his "aw, shucks" genuine self in Houston/Southwest, I don't get why it didn't work. Apparently it really didn't though. I don't know if it was just that Rich didn't transfer or what. Boesch @ Houston, TX – Sam Houston Coliseum – May 14, 1982 Hacksaw Duggan d. Ricky Morton Scott Casey d. Killer Brooks Superstar Billy Graham d. Jimmy Golden Bob Sweetan d. Ken Lucas Scott Casey, Jimmy Golden, Ken Lucas, & Ricky Morton d. Hacksaw Duggan, Superstar Billy Graham, Killer Brooks, & Bob Sweetan Manny Fernandez battled Mil Mascaras to a DDQ Wahoo McDaniel d. Tully Blanchard Gino Hernandez d. Tommy Rich AWA World Heavyewight Title: Junkyard Dog d. Nick Bockwinkel © by DQ

That made my day.

It's just a few days before Slater would win the belt in Tulsa.

And the finish is functional but still frustrating.

I am not entirely sure what's new on that list. I do not think I have seen Watts vs Funk but I might have just missed it.

1.) I'll believe it when I see it. 2.) I'm not going to go out of my way to watch it if it actually does happen, so I never have to see nor believe it anyway.

Absolutely. If you watch MMA, you can get those sounds with certain strikes so it can be believable when done right. When Marufuji and Omega do it with knees, it doesn't bother me personally cause I think they do it pretty well and you can in a way justifiy it that sound cause of the material of their gear. But I hate it when I see people do it for headbutt spots. Nixon Newell and Kay Lee Ray were doing on the latest Stardom tour and it looked really silly especially when they were tagging with former UFC fighter Shayna Baszler. They're not the only ones that do it cause a lot of male indie wrestlers do it too and it makes my eyes roll. Anybody who has seen a real headbutt or clonked heads with someone know that the sound is a thud instead of a smacking of exposed flesh. I saw the Anthony Henry/Lio Rush match from SCI and I noticed that Henry would have his hands low and clapped when Rush was throwing some strikes at him and I thought that was awful too. It seems like a US/UK wrestler epidemic (that might be too strong of a word) for the most part. I don't even care about the realism of it, so much as the symbolic consistency. But you've got to hide the strings like anything else.

When I first explained PWO to my wife and how it wasn't just a bunch of stereotypical wrestling fans, I laid out the Titans and their podcast as my primary example. Hell of a run, guys. You delved into the darkness of a pro wrestling unknown and gave us light.

I like them when they're well done. It's misdirection, like stage magic. Look at this. Ignore that. That's literally what pro wrestling is all about. When it'd done poorly, it's like a bad card trick. No one wants that.