Posted March 31, 201114 yr comment_5468672 Liz Chase v. Debbie Combs JIP. Basically just the finish. Ricky Vaughn v. Moondog Moretti This is a lot of armwork. It's not particularly good, but it's not bad either and perfectly watchable. Moretti eventually takes over with bites and tosses Vaughn to the floor before posting him. This was actually getting sort of interesting when Moretti took a wild over the top bump for a dropkick that didn't even come close to connecting. Oh well. The Russians v. Bobby Jaggers/Steve Pardee Uncle Ivan is in peril early with his arm getting worked over and they give a really unique camera angle on post charge spot. Heels and faces take turns doing the non-tag switch behind the refs back spot to decent effect. They continue to work the arm as a base and I enjoyed Jaggers teased elbow from the apron to a rope running Krushev leading to Krusher getting taken back down to the mat by Pardee. Weird moment with Jaggers winning a punch exchange but getting lured into the heel corner in the process. Heels did some cool stuff cutting off the ring, but Krusher also looked lost at times. Jaggers gets chucked over the top and while he is a better FIP than you might think, I can't help but feel that Pardee might have been better in that role. Ivan takes a nice big bump for a really good teased hot tag and then gets crotched again leading to the hot tag. The slow count on the blindside cheap shot finish hurt it but it really did look like a brutal shot to the back of Pardee's head. I'm a bit torn because this was a pretty good tag match, had really good heat, and really got better as it went along but I also think it would be a near cellar dweller on a set. Mike Miller/Carl Steiner v. S&S Express Savoldi and Simpson almost seem like a nightmare team but in the early going the speed v. size motif worked pretty well and they looked good. Steiner has a nice collection of theatrical bumps, they actually do a series of headlock cranks that seem oddly energized, and Miller can really move around well to get in place for the low level "flash" the babyfaces are bringing. Miller's cheapshot to the head cranky heavy back of Simpson was really sly and actually brought a smile to my face. Simpson gets tossed to the floor where he gets battered around, slammed, et and then back in the ring takes a guilliotine backbreaker/knee drop combo. Steiner does a really cool looking delayed hot shot on Simpson which was milked for everything it was worth. Awesome spot with Savoldi being suckered over by Mike Miller who is fucking with him on the apron which leaves Simpson empty handed when he finally gets in a position to make a hot tag. Nice rope running spot into a double knockdown with Simpson getting nastily cut off by Miller. I literally cannot believe how compelling this FIP run has been. I was not in love with the set up for the hot tag but when I saw that this was a nearly 20 minute match with these two teams I had assumed this would suck horribly and this turned out to be a really pleasant surprise, with a cool double team babyface finish that got a massive pop. Magnum T.A. v. Ric Flair The opening feeling out stuff is really good stuff. I really liked the arm wringer exchange a lot, the spot where both guys blocked the suplexes and pretty much everything else that set up the eventual "Flair gets frustrated that he can't win fair" stuff with Flair taking Magnum down by the hair off of wristlocks. They finally come up for the "big spots" and of course Flair goes to the floor after being overwhelmed. This is all textbook Flair stuff but it is really well done. Flair is reeling and on the ropes but comes back with a low blow and then does a double stomp which is a move that I absolutely love in any context. There is a real gear shift here as Flair slows the match down and works really deliberately which makes a lot of sense as every time the pace picks up Magnum gets the upper hand. Flair is also really awesome jawing with fans here a few of whom start throwing shit toward the ring. Flair takes Magnum to the floor and drives his shoulder into the post. Flair goes to the work on the arm and Magnum tries to comeback but Flair yanks him down by the hair. Magnum gets a great nearfall when Flair is distracted by a fan and they go into the shoving ref schtick which leads to Flair getting locked by Magnum in the figure-four. Magnum ends up going for another figure-four after the first one is broken but Flair escapes. Awesome moment as Magnum takes the Dustin Rhodes style missed crossbody bump to the floor allowing Flair to take back over. Flair misses a leg smash and Magnum comes back and Flair reels off his staple bumps. Flair is reeling and Magnum rattles off the nearfalls you would expect at this point in a Flair match. Magnum gets caught coming off the ropes with the double knees on a splash attempt and the crowd lets out a collective gasp. Magnum ends up chucked to the floor and they do a really awesome slow motion sunset flip spot which Flair always excels at. Flair locks on the figure-four dead center. They end up on the floor again and Flair goes to post Magnum but Magnum reverses. Back and fourth, ref bump, belly to belly, no ref, nearfall! Time runs out right on a backslide near fall from Magnum. Very much a touring Flair match, but a really good one. Road Warriors v. Sgt. Slaughter/Billy Jack Haynes Slaughter was the FIP in this thank god. He took a sick bump on a shoulder breaker, a lunatic bump to the floor and sold well. Warriors were not interesting at all on offense here, but Sarge still made this fairly enjoyable. Warriors end up going for a spike piledriver on Billy Jack which Sarge breaks up with a chair.
