Universal Heavyweight Title Tournament - Semifinals: Terry Funk vs. Rick Martel (9/20/86)

 

Funk is awesome early selling his ass off for Martel's quick jabs and getting his head pounded into the corner. Funk would then go on offense throwing some great punches before going up top where he just crotches himself on the top rope and does this amazing sell job on the turf where the crowd goes nuts and Funk answers back throwing chairs into the crowd. Funk comes back in wanting to shake hands which Martel refuses to do but the ref obliges which was funny. Funk was tremendous here taking a side headlock by Martel as he was moving all over the ring making this seem like it was breaking his neck before locking in one of his own which was just a setup for him to kick Martel right in the balls then begging off which was awesome. The battle went to the turf where Funk would piledrive Martel right on the ground with Martel selling like he was dead. Funk would pound on Martel outside before he could get back to the ring where Funk locked on a sleeper. Martel fought back to free himself so Funk would start choking him with tape to neutralize him this time but Martel would get the tape himself before locking in his own sleeper which took both men over the top rope to the ground. Funk would wear a wooden chair around his neck even as Martel gave him a piledriver before going back to the ring. Martel missed a slingshot plancha from the apron to the ring before Funk threw him back to the floor with Martel trying to get back into the ring with a sunset flip but Funk cuts it back while holding the ropes to win. This was a great one man show by Funk with Martel being good in his role and this is a fairly easy nomination to me.

This is one of my favorite matches of all time. Funk doing that bizarre sell job after he crotches himself by strutting around like a chicken on the ground while holding his crotch, then throwing chairs into the crowd, then almost fighting with paramilitary police is one of the greatest sequences in pro wrestling history.

This is another good bout with some great sequences.

9/20/86 date is correct. Second day of Aniversario 86 in Mayaguez. Second/Semifinal round match in the Universal title tournament.

Here is one of the funnest matches of all time. Funk has a disagreement with the ref and argues with him which is hilarious. He then slaps Martel and Martel slaps him back knocking his hat off. We then get this great spot with Martel setting Funk's cowboy hat in the center of the ring and pandering to the crowd to stomp on it. Funk is going nuts on the floor and Martel goes through with it and stomps the hell out of the cowboy hat and throws it back at Funk. Funk tries nursing the hat and yells at fans which is great then goes back in the ring and sells his ass off for Martel's punches. The corner head smashing spot was great with Funk selling it tremendously and having this dazed look on his face. Funk stumbles to the floor and picks up his branding iron and hides it behind his back. The fans are getting pissed so Funk starts brandishing the branding iron at the fans and the ref sees it. Funk tries to play coy but eventually relents and lets go of the branding iron. Funk takes control with awesome punches and goes up top for something back staggers and crotches himself on the turnbuckle. He then wanders around ringside like a chicken holding his crotch in the greatest overzealous sell job of all time. Then the maniac throws chairs at the crowd and at first you think they are actually hurting the fans but there's a net that we can't see keeping the chairs from taking someone's head off. I can't tell whether is was a promoter or a police officer who starts getting on Funk's case but he argues with them and it's fucking hilarious. Funk finally goes back in the ring and tries to get on offense but instead misses a charge on a rope running exchange and runs into the ropes and takes a wild bump over them. Then, Martel gets him into a side headlock and Funk is unable to break free and we get this hilarious spot where Martel is just wrenching it in and Funk can't escape. Funk finally gets out of it with a low blow and tosses Martel to the floor. He then fucking pile drives Martel on the ball field and throws him into front row chairs. Funk then takes him back in the ring and puts him in the sleeper and Martel does a great job fighting out of it with elbows and Funk sneakily gets a string out of the corner and chokes Martel with it. Martel comes back however and takes the string and chokes Funk with it. He then puts a sleeper of his own in and Funk breaks free of it by taking both of them over the ropes in a wild bump to the floor. Martel keeps on offense though and throws Funk into front row chairs and Funk has a fucking wooden chair over his head and Martel pile drives him with the chair still on his head. That was a terribly dangerous and nutty spot. Funk goes wandering around with the chair still on his head and Martel knocks it off. They go back in the ring and Martel slams Funk and goes for his over the ropes splash but Funk moves out of the way. Funk throws Martel through the second rope and onto the apron on a rope running spot and goes for a charge but Martel does a sunset flip. Funk however sits down on it and holds onto the ropes for the win. Martel and the crowd are pissed afterwards. This a fucking awesome match and one of the most entertaining ones ever. EASY nomination.