Excellent match. They started out with a really aggressive amateur exchange to set the pace. Tito gave some sweet arm drags and did some good arm work. The Hammer caught him with a brutal atomic drop to start the heat segment. Valentine worked over Tito's back and mid-section with some rugged offense. There was one spot where Tito took a violent fall through the ropes to the floor. Tito's comebacks and hope spots were tremendous here. The crowd was totally behind him and MSG was about to explode a few times throughout the match. Tito got in a really great flurry of offense for some near falls including a cross body, top rope ax-handle, and an awesome exchange in the turnbuckle with both guys taking great bumps into it. There was one awkward spot where Tito did a firemen's carry into an arm bar to lead into the next section but it did transition into the next section well so it really isn't much of a complaint. Valentine gave Tito a hot shot on the top rope and worked on his arm for a few minutes. Tito got one last great comeback that was filled with tremendous rage and included some disgusting forearms of which he had traded blows earlier in the match with. The finish is really good too with The Hammer back dropping Tito to the floor in a sort of desperate attempt to escape Tito's chaotic attack. He then gave him a nasty atomic drop on the floor and got back into the ring before the count of ten to win the match. Tito is interviewed after the match and he complains that Valentine is a cheater and what not. This was a tremendous match with tons of hate, great selling, bumping, great structure and an awesome finish.

I was fading when we watched this and this match woke me right back up. This was just a nasty, violent, affair. One thing I really love is a match that really escalates as it goes along and this was a match that started intense and kept climbing to the point where it really seemed like these two were trying to kill each other. Another thing I love in a match is when you see spots that don't quite seem right and yet they actually add to the match because of how they come across. This match had tons of that, including one spot where Valentine almost kills Tito by tackling him blind through the ropes and another where Valentine drops an elbow right to the top of Tito's head, rather than onto his mid-section. Tito throws some brutal looking forearms in this and is really great as a tough babyface who isn't afraid to throw hands with anyone. I could see some hating on the finish, but I thought it actually came across as a logical "out" for Valentine and it didn't hurt Tito at all. Awesome stuff.

I really dug this. Valentine is one of the best ever at taking a body part and ripping it up. I loved the way he would tear and twist Santana's arm. Started out as a wrestling match and escalated into a nasty brawl. Really liked how they improved after that fall to the floor. I will probably rank the brawls ahead of this, but a very good start to the feud and a disc match

I enjoyed this but thought the other two matches were more enjoyable. My favorite part was Greg just killing Tito in the corner with every move in his arsenal. I didn't think it had the really nasty moment to be called an all time great but I have no objection with this moving forward. So far, between this feud and Piper-Orndorff, I don't know which is my favorite feud discovery. Solid Nomination.

This is a high end nomination. This feud is so awesome. This starts out with some fun mat wrestling. I really liked Tito's arm work here. They fall through the ropes and have a nasty exchange on the floor. They get back again and Tito is on the arm. Greg tries to run the ropes, but Tito holds onto the arm. Greg uses the inverted Atomic Drop to get away from Tito. Greg backs Tito in the corner and drops a knee to his fore head. Greg beats on him for a bit. It looks like he is about to start some leg work but it really doesn't go anywhere. Valentine backdrops him to the floor for the count out victory. This was great stuff.

3/17/85 MSG?

 

REVISIT

TITO SANTANA vs GREG VALENTINE (06/16/1984; WWF MSG; New York, NY; 00:21:00)
EASY NOMINATION (Tito works the armbars early and Valentine is awesome working in and out of the hold. Valentine turns the tide briefly but Tito has been in control of most of the fist ten minutes. That is not a complaint. However, when Greg does gain control, its always vicious… ramming Tito chest first into the corner, stun gun. I love that Tito was working the arm so when Greg takes over, he starts working the arm and its awesome. Another countout finish but the end was hot. Easy nomination.)