Adrian Adonis/Dick Murdoch vs The Brisco Brothers (12/28/84 MSG)

This can be found on MSG 12/28/84 Disc 2. Extremely overrated match. If I wanted to show a video tape on how tag team wrestling should be worked I'd never suggest this. Heel in Peril has been a big issue with WWF 80s tags. This is a huge example of that. I want to first say that the work was good and that helps this match. If the work was bad this match would be absolutely terrible. However, I don't watch tag matches just for good work. I also want tag matches to have good structure. This match had very poor structure. The start of the match is solid. Murdoch and Jack lock up and go through a really cool exchange where Jack goes for the figure four with a step over. I liked that a lot. And of course, face shine segments are normal to start off a match. However, Jack and Jerry began to meticulously work on Murdoch's arm. It started to become a Heel in Peril segment. Now at this stage in the match the structure is still fine. It's perfectly acceptable to have a Heel in Peril segment to start a tag match. However, I believe it would need to transition into long FIP segments with brief face shine segments. That didn't happen here. I was really beginning to enjoy the match after Murdoch smashed one of the Brisco's with a tool box (?). There was a very good FIP segment going on. It wasn't quite long enough and then there was a hot tag. This is where the match began to slip. Murdoch has his leg worked on extensively. Now, don't get me wrong. He sells it very well and I loved the expression on his face as he sat in his corner of the ring looking like a disgruntled Texan. I would have much more preferred Murdoch having his leg worked on earlier in the match that was followed by a long heat segment where the Brisco's would make hope spots by attacking his leg. That happened a little later in the match and I enjoyed the spot but by that point the match had become too invested in Heel in Peril psychology. There was other good stuff in this though. They were able to manage another decent FIP segment with one of the Brisco's. I loved Murdoch's brain buster. Unfortunately, it didn't last long enough and the match went straight back to Murdoch kicking out desperately from several neat variations of pin attempts. It was almost like North/South were the faces in this match. At times, it felt like totally backwards tag wrestling psychology. The finishing run I liked a good bit. All four guys brawled on the floor. Murdoch whacked I think Jack over the head with a telephone which was tremendous. It ended in a double count-out while the both teams were still fighting on the floor. The Brisco's put North/South in simultaneous figure four's in the ring after the match. I know some people are going to still really like this match a lot. This will be hard pressed to make my top 100. I'll nominate it though because I should and really have to. Plus, I do think it is worth nomination. I just don't think it's more than a solid nomination at best. That's what I'll give it.

#3 ADRIAN ADONIS & DICK MURDOCH vs JACK BRISCO & JERRY BRISCO (12/28/1984; WWF MSG; New York, NY; 00:29:23)
I watched the entire match and read Devon’s old comments. First, I disagree with the idea this match is overrated. I thought it was amazing and surreal. First off, The Briscoes were new to the territory, had only a handful of jobber matches and had never wrestled MSG in the 80s. Early on, you could hear a pin drop. The North-South were doing their shtick but the crowd was definitely not emotionally invested in the match. Old Devon comments state the match turned for the worst when Gerry got hit with the tool box. I disagree. For me, that is when the match heated up. I think when you look at heel in peril segments, you have to look at the stakes. The tag titles are at stake. The heels should be desperately trying to cling to their treasure and these skinny old guys were so close multiple times of taking the treasure away.  They took a disinterested crowd and had them on fire until the very end. They thought they were witnessing history as the Briscos were so close at grabbing the titles. They took them on an emotional roller coaster where they were so upset at the double count out, they were chanting BULLSHIT at the decision. This was master manipulation. I loved North South 15+ years ago and I really love them now. This match built and built until all hell spilled over and they had the huge brawl at the end. SLAM DUNK NOMINATION.