Universal Heavyweight Title: Carlos Colon © vs. "Nature Boy" Ric Flair (10/16/82)

 

Yep Flair is going for Colon's title. Colon works over Flair's left arm early with Flair trying to fight back with chops but to no avail. Colon really focused on the arm strong here with Flair getting almost zero offense in for almost 10 minutes. This is Andersonesque armwork going on here before Flair would headbutt Colon in the groin as a desperation measure. Flair then goes on offense but doesn't sell the arm much before Colon just starts throwing punches in bunches sending Flair to the grass. Colon then tries to start working over the leg but Flair squelches that. Flair just can't mount an extended offensive barrage as Colon is pesky here throwing his punches. Flair sends Colon through the ropes to the grass a couple of times which gives Flair the opportunity he needs to go on offense. Flair drops Colon throat first on the top rope a couple of times then hits some suplexes which was the setup for the figure-four. Colon is great at selling the pain here as the crowd goes nuts wanting him to reverse the hold which he does before Flair gets in the ropes. Colon now makes a comeback where he goes to work on Flair's left leg setting up his own figure-four which he gets but Flair would rake him in the eyes to break free. Flair would get nearfalls off a backdrop suplex and a piledriver before posting Colon sending him to the grass. Flair is vicious working over Colon's forehead bringing out the juice but Colon fights back yet again getting a sunset flip after a great struggle by Flair for a nearfall. Colon then catches Flair with a cross body block for another nearfall as Flair gets his foot on the rope before the match goes back to the grass. Colon would post Flair this time which brings out the juice from Flair's head before Flair catches Colon with a reverse kick to the balls to take him down. Flair would get a sleeper hold before yet another Colon comeback where he goes wild until Flair catches him low again then tries to pin him with his feet on the ropes but in sight of the referee. Flair argues with him and gets caught in an O'Connor Roll for a nearfall before falling to a backslide giving Colon the huge win as the crowd is apeshit. Tremendous match and a slam dunk nomination.

I am at a point in my life where watching long Ric Flair title matches is not something I find terribly appealing. Having said that every time I watch a long Ric Flair title match I come away from it thinking it was a good match. This was a good match, maybe even great. In some ways it was a "Flair" match as you had the staples you expect from him, but I thought the big Flair spots where inserted in really sensible and logical ways. Honestly my biggest complaint with this is that the armwork early on was really good for the most part and went nowhere. Seriously Colon was punching the arm, Flair was selling it, they were working holds pretty well and then...nothing. It happens I guess, but it seemed like a missed opportunity, especially since Colon was going over clean anyway. Having said that I loved Flair firing back at Colon with a variety of suplexes and an ab stretch. Flair's punches looked outstanding and his sick elbows targeting Colon's cut were really great. Carlos for his part was selling everything well and I liked a lot of the visual spots. Both guys figure-four spots looked really good and the timing of Colon's big comeback was perfect. Kind of funny to see Flair lose another match to a local favorite with a back slide, was that his go too in that situation? Anyway, if someone is in the mood to watch a long Flair title match, where he's the challenger, but still kinda works as the champion this is a pretty damn good one.

This is 10/16/82.

This has become hilarious now because I originally thought it was 9/4/82.....the DVD had it listed as 1/31/82......I did some research online and it said it was 1/31/83.....I had my own results say 10/16/82 as well.........

 

We will go with 10/16/82