Talk about it here.

Really nice match between these two. They go 15+ minutes and work "big", which is pretty cool. Eaton didn't seem as sharp in this as he has been in some other matches during the year, but he was still really good. I think these two have worked better with each other in other matches on the set, but this was another worthy addition to the MX/Rock & Rolls cannon.

Ross mentions for the first time a 5-minute overtime period in Gauntlet matches. Foreshadowing! This is slower-paced than you might expect from Morton or Eaton but it's a quality little match, with some solid arm work from Eaton and a few nice spots down the stretch and into the inevitable overtime. Stan Lane and Jim Cornette interfere liberally at the very end and that sets up EATON VS. SID for Saturday Night. In some weird way I'm intensely happy that such a match-up actually happened at that point in WCW.

Good match that had a lot of time to develop. I will say that Eaton did not work at the pace and precision you are used to and that detracted some. The gauntlet gimmick continues to be real enjoyable.

I was more excited with this as a listing than with the reality of it. Good match but very much roll-out-of-bed stuff for these two.

That seemed to be a really fast 15 minutes for the time limit draw. Eaton took a big bump on the floor outside the ring. So there’s Terry Taylor. Match goes to a five minute sudden death overtime. Not as good as I would have expected.

Wait, I don't get it. How is the sudden death period different from the normal match? Why not just have a 20 minute time limit? Not an amazing match, but would still kill for matches like this on weekly TV these days.

You knew that when these two started out slowly and JR mentioned the time limit, this was going the distance. There are a few nice exchanges in this, but nothing earth-shattering. In overtime, Stan comes out and distracts Ricky, allowing Bobby to knee him from behind and score the pin.

 

You mean to tell me that Gibson (who was presumably in the building and watching) saw Lane come out and didn't come out himself? Once again, the top babyfaces in WCW are made to look like total nitwits by the booking. I get that having Gibson out there would make the booked finish ridiculous, since he would have been expected to go after Lane, but surely that's not the only way Bobby could have gone over. Then again, this promotion can't even book its main moneymaking angle (the Scorpion) believably, so why should we expect it to be smart when it comes to what's basically a gimmick match/series that features midcarders and tag wrestlers?

 

Nice to see Terry Taylor after his one-shot in Texas a month or so back. It sounds like he was going to be a babyface-leaning commentator before the York Foundation came along.

 

They really need to stop hyping one possible matchup over the other when it comes to the gauntlet. JR and Bob spend so much time discussing Eaton/Sid that it's obvious who's going over. They never once mention even the possibility of Morton/Sid, even though that would be the traditional face/heel matchup.

 

 

They really need to stop hyping one possible matchup over the other when it comes to the gauntlet. JR and Bob spend so much time discussing Eaton/Sid that it's obvious who's going over. They never once mention even the possibility of Morton/Sid, even though that would be the traditional face/heel matchup.

 

Morton/Sid couldn't happen under the gauntlet rules - if Morton wins, the blockers get the money and there's no third match.

 

I liked this, but agreed that these two don't quite hit high gear here at any point.

That was a slip on my part, Migs. Thanks for the catch!

I'm interested why this wasn't quite as good as maybe it should have been. Both knew how to work singles matches and were very good at them. Didn't quite live up to my expectations but it was still good. More methodical than I was expecting but a good match and I'm glad it got the time it got. Really interested to see Eaton vs Sid now.

Bobby Eaton vs Ricky Morton - NWA Saturday Night 9/29/90

 

Classic Southern TV wrestling. Is this their biggest singles match on TV? Eaton is running the gauntlet if he can win three matches in a row he will win $15k, but if anyone opponent beats him then the three wrestlers each get $5k. Really cool concept for the midcard that should be lifted. Shine was a little ho-hum. Morton controlling with speed and wrestling. Once Eaton hotshots him into the turnbuckle, the match picked up. Eaton is so good at offense just the snap on his suplexes is great. Cornette uses the racket and Morton is so great at selling all this. Love Eaton using the eyepoke to stymie Morton's comeback. There is a 15 minute time limit and as it is running down Eaton charges into the turnbuckles, but Morton cant get the pin. They go into a 5 minute overtime. Morton is about to win, but Cornette distracts the ref and here is Sweet Stan. Eaton blindsides Morton with a knee to pick up the win. Just really classic Southern-fried wrestling. That heat segment was pitch perfect and loved the screwjob ending with the Midnights getting one over on Morton who has no one to watch his back. Surprised the shine was so subdued why only complaint. ***1/2

Here's the thing about Bobby Eaton's 1990. There are a lot of wrestlers who would kill to have a singles match this good with only their prior history as a build. Because it is a very, very good match. That it compares so unfavorably with even his recent singles work says a Hell of a lot.