JIP at about 3 minutes. It may have been silly but Crusher blocking a snapmare by punching Buddy in the gut and then grinning while slamming the Birds head together does give you a pretty good glimpse at the appeal of Crusher. Baron works a headlock on both Birds which is not bad as they both sell it really theatrically. Hayes bumps around for some punches from both faces, then sprints on his knees to tag in Roberts who slowly creeps into the ring. Buddy ends up back in the headlock but gives Hayes a blindside tag and Hayes takes over with a diving double axe to Baron's head. Hayes running over and dancing a jig in Crusher's face was really awesome and set up the heel double team/cheating portion of the match well. Baron puts together a nice hope spot that ends in a clothesline from Hayes and an awkward looking spot off the top from Buddy. Baron fights back and locks on the claw but Buddy hits another blindside tag and Hayes gets in a cheapshot before going for a comically cocky cover. Hayes cuts off another Baron comeback and goes for a suplex but Baron reverses it. I thought for sure the hot tag would come here but Buddy makes it in in time to break it up. Kind of a poorly executed hot tag with Hayes pushing Baron to Crusher after a somewhat flubbed missed neckbreaker from Buddy. Naturally things break down from here and Baron gets the claw on Buddy but Hayes sneaks in and decks Baron with a foreign object for the finish. The build to the hot tag was really good even though the last spot to set it up was weak. Still this was a really good match. Far above expectations and the dynamic of cocky rock n roller kids v. cranky old men made the somewhat goofy mannerisms less schlocky then they might have otherwise been.

Freebirds vs. Crusher & Baron Von Rashke

- The Birds were so good in this bumping and selling huge for these two slow, old farts. I think the High Flyers match may have been better but this was more fun to watch. Baron makes an unlikely Face in Peril but it worked, especially knowing that the Birds were going to put Crusher over big on the hot tag. Speaking of Crusher, my God, he should have been stuck doing autograph siginings at this point. So, so bad. If the Flyers match goes on then this definitely goes on. It will be interesting to see how people compare the two.

The Fabulous Freebirds (Michael Hayes & Buddy Roberts) vs. Da Crusher & Baron Von Raschke (6/13/85)

 

This is what you would expect here as the Birds sell and bump all over for the heels especially Crusher, Baron works FIP and does a good job, Crusher comes in from the hot tag and runs wild before Baron would get clocked by Hayes using a foreign object for the win. With those expectations it was a really good match considering Crusher was in here as the Birds were on point here being great foils. This moves forward.