Ric Flair v. Bruiser Brody 2/11/83

 

I actually didn't hate this. Don't get me wrong. I don't ever want to watch this again. But there was a real electric feel in the crowd and it helped the match in spots that would normally have either annoyed me or put me straight to sleep. Psychologically the match was really lacking, but I did think Flair added a few touches here and there to make it at least less of a "standard" Flair carry job. I don't know that I would call it good, but the first fall was actually fairly enjoyable all things considered. Of course Matisyk's talking points on this are laughable, but if I were pointing to a match to illustrate why I hate Brody this wouldn't be it. It's got to go on no matter what so this post is really moot.

 

Harley Race v. Jerry Blackwell 11/16/84

 

On paper this has a dream match quality to it, but it doesn't quite hit that level. This does feature some amusing Blackwell posturing, one of the better weeble/wobble Blackwell sell jobs I've seen and a Blackwell dropkick. Blackwell's selling when on the defensive is good and Harley doesn't look bad per se, but the energy in this feels off until Harley hits his suplex and comes up selling his back which results in a near fall that the crowd really buys into. Race does take a big flopping bump of his own when Blackwell makes his comeback and we get the great image of Blackwell laying slouched in he corner after the charge like a morbidly obese guy at sizzler going into diabetic shock. Blackwell his a one armed suplex and sets up for his splash but Race moves out of the way. Race ends up hitting a huge deep slam that looks absolutely awesome and gets a massive pop. Seriously this is one of the better slams I've ever seen in a wrestling match in terms of impact and the near fall off of it is incredible. Harley ends up going for a press, but Blackwell catches him and hits a sick falling powerslam before getting his legs all the way up on the top rope to steal the fall. This was slow evolving but the milking of the big moves was excellent and what they were able to do with so little in terms of time/spots in the ring was really impressive. This is better than some of the Blackwell matches on the AWA Set, though by no means would it be in his top tier.

 

Ric Flair v. Bruiser Brody 11/16/84

 

I'm not a Brody fan, but I will say that the quickish stuff he does with Ric, works pretty well. It's not outstanding, but Flair busting out leapfrog/hip toss combos and Brody coming back with the fists and dropkicks leading to wild Flair bumps is about as good as you could hope for. I also thought the stuff on the floor made sense from a storyline perspective as that is where Brody got a real advantage. Honestly I was really liking this up until this turned into the Flair bump show. It's not even that it was bad, but it felt like a retreat to by the numbers stuff at a point where it wasn't needed. Anyway the crowd stayed really hot for this throughout and there was some good stuff after the Flair show started, but I kind of lost my interest in the match. I'll pass it through because it seems like something that there might be public outcry for and I do think it was better than the draw over all. Also Blackwell running in on the finish was actually surprising and it's interesting to see that feud with Blackwell as the heel and Brody as the face.

 

Ric Flair v. Bruiser Brody 1/4/85

 

Fuck this is not a match I wanted to watch three times in one night. I haven't watch anything for any of these projects in a long time and I skipped over to St. Louis thinking it would be something different and might yield something I could put into the service of my Patera fetishism. Instead I get three Brody matches. Anyway this goes right into the Flair on the ropes stuff and the crowd again really helps this one. I will say that given how the draw went the first big Brody near fall was good stuff. After that it looks like there is an edit though. Either that or Flair just senselessly takes over on offense - which Brody quickly steamrolls through. I was started to fade out of this when Flair hit a gusher and Brody sold a missed knee drop by spinning around on his back like a turtle trapped on his shell. The figure-four spot was well timed, but it felt long and I just don't buy Brody selling anything. Another bullshit heavy finish to protect Brody. I don't really like any of these matches but I feel obligated to pass them onto the next level. Someone else should have to suffer with me.

 

Ric Flair v. Kerry Von Erich 1/25/85

 

The opening few minutes of this felt really all over the place to me. There are parts where Kerry looks really sharp and parts where he looks completely and totally lost. I really started to like this Kerry's claw attempts and Flair's desperate scrambles to escape. The posting was kind of cheesy looking, but it works within the context of pro wrestling and was a good transition. From that point I thought this had good structure with Flair working on top and Kerry rattling off mini-hope spots and exchanges to try and even the score. The work was simple, but well the crowd stayed super hot throughout it and they did a good job setting the table for Kerry's big comeback. The spots with Flair getting his knees up and holding onto the ropes on the Kerry dropkick attempt were particularly good. There is a 30 minute call in this that tells me the match is either heavily clipped somewhere or the time calls were heavily worked. Possibly both. Closing run of this with the claw coming back into play, while Flair tried to stay on the leg worked well. Pretty awful looking finish though. This should be given real consideration if it's not too clipped up.

NWA World Heavyweight Title: "Nature Boy" Ric Flair © vs. Bruiser Brody (2/11/83)

 

This is the famous 60:00 draw and I think this is one of those matches that must be on the set whether you hate Brody or not. Brody working for 60 minutes is a chore for the watcher but this is a good match with a hot crowd and like I said for historical significance must be on the set.

 

Missouri Heavyweight Title: Harley Race © vs. Crusher Blackwell (11/16/84)

 

This is a very fun match with both men throwing some great strikes on each other as well as some great stalled selling which both men are masters at that craft. Race was impressive at getting Blackwell up for a suplex and slam which popped the crowd big. I also liked the pacing here as both men worked this as a total war of attrition with the selling being just as key as the striking. The finishing sequence was well done with Blackwell resorting to using the ropes to put away the tough bastard Race and I think this is a solid nomination.

 

NWA World Heavyweight Title "Nature Boy" Ric Flair © vs. Bruiser Brody (11/16/84)

This is worked at a fast pace early on as Flair pinballs for Brody a bit before going on offense but of course Brody doesn't sell really for anything and then he would send Flair to the floor where he would begin to dominate the match and Flair would take a lot of punishment here. Flair though would get back in the game using a sleeper hold which was mainly so Brody could rest up between beating the hell out of Flair. Flair starts juicing and Brody works over the cut viciously before we get a ref bump which this isn't the same St. Louis that you knew and loved. Blackwell then runs out to attack Brody but it backfired and Brody would hit Flair with a cross body block which Blackwell would break up forcing the DQ. Flair & Blackwell then beat Brody down until of course he made his own save. This wasn't as good as the draw but still this was fine for what it was and should move forward but as a low-end nomination.

 

NWA World Heavyweight Title: "Nature Boy" Ric Flair © vs. Bruiser Brody (1/4/85)

 

Now for the 3rd match of the series on this disc and Brody worked the early part of this match as a beast with Flair getting very little offense and Brody no-selling like crazy. Brody then bashes Flair in the head with a steel chair on the floor which brings out the juice but as Brody goes for the kill on his King Kong Kneedrop, Flair would move out of the way and gave him the opening to work the figure-four leglock. Brody sells for this about as good as you would hope for for his gimmick and the crowd is very hot for this as he seemed actually in trouble. We get yet another ref bump and Brody would throw Flair over the top rope to the floor where he would bash his head on the ringside table. Flair would get a nearfall though after coming back to the ring then brought a chair into the ring where the referee would get back up and DQed Brody for using the chair on Flair. This match had more action you could say than the other matches but I think this had the worst finish. I'm going to say no on a nomination.

 

NWA World Heavyweight Title: "Nature Boy" Ric Flair © vs. "Modern Day Warrior" Kerry Von Erich (1/21/85)

 

This is clipped up a little too much I think to be a nomination which sucks because this was pretty good from what we got. The fans were again very hot here especially when KVE was using the iron claw. I noticed the 30:00 minute call like Dylan did and it was about 16:00 into the film so that means we were already missing half the match which like I said is too much clipping for a nomination.