The early portion we see Nikita just physically dominate Flair with slams and other assorted power moves. He misses the Sickle and takes a big bump to the outside. Flair posts the leg, and then clips the leg while we are in the ring. Flair mixes it up with chops and leg work till he hooked on the fig four. So far this is good. The heat should've lasted longer. Now the rest of the match kinda falls off the rails a bit. The ref bump was pretty phony looking because of the timing. Still I feel their is enough good stuff to merit a nomination.

NWA World Heavyweight Title: "Nature Boy" Ric Flair © vs. "Russian Nightmare" Nikita Koloff

 

My god the intro video for Nikita Koloff with the WWE Network music is AMAZING as it's tribute to Magnum T.A. running along the beach and it sounds like a Hootie & The Blowfish song....this is unbelievable. Fans are still booing Nikita some as they don't want to cheer for him yet which is funny. The match starts with Flair being tentative and trying to dictate the pace forcing Nikita to work his style but Nikita would use his power advantage to frustrate Flair. Ric would fight back but Nikita would find a way to get Flair down before missing a Russian Sickle going over the top rope to the floor and this gave Flair the opening he needed. Flair then went after Nikita's left leg wrapping it around the ringpost before using the figure-four leglock with help from the ropes as Tommy Young had his back turned. Flair would break the hold and started using strikes on Nikita but Nikita would fire back with strikes of his own before getting thrown back to the floor. Flair would join him this time and bashed Nikita's head against the scaffolding bringing out the juice from Nikita's head. Flair works over Nikita's cut like a madman but it made Nikita even madder so he came firing back with shots of his own and even bashed Flair's head against the scaffolding which brings out the color from Naitch. Nikita now gives Flair a dose of his own medicine by working over the cut and this has turned into a slugfest before a really awkward looking ref bump on Tommy Young. This is the same shit from Starrcade 85 all over again as Nikita hits Flair with the Russian Sickle but there is no referee to make the count. Scrappy McGowan shows up to help Tommy and as this happens Flair knees Nikita in the back then McGowan comes in the ring to make the count but it's a nearfall. Nikita would go for the Russian Sickle again but hit McGowan as Flair ducked and this time Tommy Young comes back in the ring. Nikita throws Young down twice and he calls for the bell so yes a shitty DQ finish for the 2nd straight year at Starrcade. The heels then came out to hold Nikita so Flair could work him over until the babyfaces ran out to make the save. This was a pretty good match but the finish was terrible and there wasn't enough in the match to make up for it's shittiness. So no on a nomination.