(BUSTER) Battle of the Belts #2

Bahamas Heavyweight Title: Tyree Pride © vs. Ron Slinker (2/14/86)

Pride is wearing a shirt with his picture on it and it's awesome. I dig that they were using the World Class chryon for the show. Slinker is well past his prime here and mainly uses his karate tactics to get over on Tyree. Very short match with Pride getting a cross body block for the win to retain his title. Colt then interviews Pride afterwards who says stuff in French since he is from Haiti.

Florida Heavyweight Title: Kendall Windham © vs. Prince Iaukea (2/14/86)

Iaukea is of course King Curtis Iaukea's son and this isn't the one from WCW. Kendall looks good early on with a highlight being a nice backdrop suplex which Iaukea sells well by folding up soon followed up by a nice lariat. Other than those moves everything else early was basic matwork. Iaukea puts up a fight but all in vain as he eats a bulldog for the pinfall. Colt then interviews Kendall afterwards.

NWA World Jr. Heavyweight Title: Denny Brown © vs. The White Ninja (Keiji Muto) (2/14/86)

This is one of Muto's early matches if not his very first in the United States and he looks so so young. Muto works this Young Lion style no doubt and has the black tights black kneepads combo going but he shows a little of the flair that he would cultivate as his career went on. Basic stuff here and Muto while green looked good while Brown adjusted fairly well but there were boring chants going around at one point which wasn't good. Muto worked over Denny's back with a half crab and a nice backbreaker as the Japanese photogs were snapping like crazy. The crowd popped pretty big for the handspring elbow in the corner then really went nuts for the moonsault press. Solie even popped for that one. The finish was really bad as Denny went for a Thesz Press and Muto fell back into the ropes with Denny going over for the DQ. The fans were pissed off and gave Muto applause which was something for a Japanese guy at this time especially in his 1st match. Fun to see a young Muto here.

Southern Heavyweight Title: Jesse Barr © vs. Lex Luger (2/14/86)

We get clips before the match of Barr winning the title on TV weeks earlier. Lex comes out with his trainer Hiro Matsuda behind him and you could see at this time that he was going to be a future star. Odd seeing Barr as a babyface at this time in his career. Luger works over Barr's left arm so Barr comes back trying to work over Luger's left leg. The crowd was really into Barr here as he fought out of a test of strength but Luger would soon overpower Barr and went to his power game to keep the advantage. Luger was really green here and was very pedestrian in what he did on offense but it was effective. Luger worked over Barr's back viciously with a Boston Crab, bearhug, and the like with the crowd cheering for Barr to make a comeback. Luger went for the Canadian Backbreaker but Barr countered with a backdrop then a desperation flying lariat for a nearfall. Barr is now fighting back strong and hits his shoulderbreaker but Luger gets his foot on the ropes to save himself. Barr then went for an O'Connor Roll but Luger held the ropes then after a botched clothesline he pinned Barr to win. Barr got his foot on the ropes but Luger knocked it off before the 3 count and Alfonso kinda screwed up but it was what it was. Fun for what it was. Luger then cut a promo with Buddy Colt afterwards with Colt really kissing his ass which was odd.

$20,000 Bounty Match: Bruiser Brody vs. Wahoo McDaniel (2/14/86)

These two were feuding in Texas All-Star and brought their feud over for this show even with Gary Hart managing Brody. Wahoo started throwing chops like hell but Brody would fight back though not like you would think as he tried to keep Wahoo on the mat in a headlock. Brody would chunk Wahoo to the floor where Hart would post him. Wahoo who is now juicing then takes it to Brody on the floor beating him from pillar to post before the action came back in the ring where Wahoo no-sells a Brody dropkick before chopping him in the chest. Wahoo then chops Gary Hart as now Brody is juicing and the crowd is going apeshit. They go back to the floor where they start brawling in the crowd and throwing chairs with the match ending in a double countout as Hart tells Brody to leave. Shitty finish but a fun brawl. Colt interviews Paul Ellering before the match with the Roadies showing up holding Sullivan's golden spike which they got from them a couple of months ago.

Blackjack Mulligan & The Road Warriors (Animal & Hawk) vs. Mark Lewin, Maya Singh (Bob Roop), & Kevin Sullivan (2/14/86)

Sullivan's whole freakshow is in effect here and it's glorious. The Orlando fans were nuts for the faces when they came out and this was nothing but wild brawling at the start with chairs being thrown around as much as fists were. There was no assemblance of order here as they were just beating the hell out of each other with Mulligan juicing which is where it finally goes to a normal type of match as Mulligan gets the heat then hot tags Animal which is when the brawling starts again with the referee getting KOed and calls for the bell. This was fun chaos and while not a nomination it was a great watch. Superstar Billy Graham is out next for a promo where he talks about making a big announcement in Lakeland the next night. Flair then is interviewed by Colt talking up his match with Windham.

NWA World Heavyweight Title: "Nature Boy" Ric Flair © vs. Barry Windham (2/14/86)

The crowd loves them some Barry here. HOLY SHIT!!!!!!!!!! Flair comes out to EASY LOVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AMAZING.........I totally have never seen the intro for this match until now and I only thought Flair came out to this once at The Omni. This has rocked my world. The match itself was fantastic as both men worked their asses off and the crowd was into it the whole way. Windham was very solid working over Flair's back with Flair in desperation posting Windham on the floor with Windham's face becoming a crimson mask. This became a total war of attrition and Flair got in more offense in than normal even breaking out a nice short headscissors followed up by a fun Windham counter and they were doing this with 25 minutes gone in the match which is something you normally would see with 5 minutes gone. Flair even broke out a piledriver here which he didn't use a whole lot as both men were doing whatever it took to get an advantage. Windham would hit a big flying lariat for a nearfall and then soon paid Flair back by posting him twice on the floor bringing out the juice. The stretch run was so damn good as Flair got the figure-four and Windham fought out of it and they were pulling out all the stops to get the win before we got a ref bump. Flair then tossed Windham over the top to the floor which pissed Barry off and he came back with a missile dropkick over the top rope but Bill Alfonso was still dazed and couldn't make the count. Windham would come back with a sleeper but Flair wouldn't die then he hit a sweet suplex with a floatover for another nearfall again with Flair not dying. Flair then would hit Windham with a cross body block with both men crashing over the top to the floor hard and then they fought to a double countout which meant the last 3 matches of this show ended in double countouts. This was a phenomenal match and a grand slam nomination.