NWA July-August 1989 #2

"Nature Boy" Ric Flair vs. Cuban Assassin (8/14/89)

 

Flair is back wrestling on TV and this era of Flair is so fucking awesome because he was working on TV against really good guys he wouldn't normally work with. Flair gets off to a good start but Sierra takes Flair to the floor where he posts him a couple of times and begins working over Flair's forehead trying to get blood. Flair is now pissed off and comes back hitting some of his signature spots while blood trickles down his face and puts Sierra away with the figure-four. Very fun little match.

 

Next we get another Funk's Grill with Norman and these were always great as Funk wants to make Norman look like a Road Warrior but decides that he wants to cut Brian Pillman's hair instead.

 

US Heavyweight Title: "Total Package" Lex Luger © vs. Tommy "Wildfire" Rich (8/14/89)

 

Luger loved rocking the wet hair look during this time and it added to his douchey aura. The early run of the match is really fun as Luger is a complete jerk and Rich makes him pay punching him in the face numerous times and works over his left arm. Rich really has Luger frustrated as he can't seem to shake him off. Luger would drop to the floor allowing Rich to chase him and that is where the momentum switched as Luger beat him back in the ring and kneed him in the ribs when Rich got on the apron. Luger then works over Rich while taunting the fans but Tommy fights back as much as he can before Luger would neutralize him. Rich would make a comeback and he gave it all he had trying to put Luger away even hitting the Thesz Press for a 2 3/4 count. Luger would catch Rich with a headbutt to the ribs from the apron and then jumped on top of him with his feet on the ropes to get the win. I thought this was a blast and I think this moves forward as a fairly easy nomination.

 

Then we get clips of the Doc/Rotundo amateur challenges.

 

Next we get clips of Flair/Funk at the Bash with promos from Flair/Funk about the 8/27 show in New Haven.

 

Terry Funk vs. Tommy "Wildfire" Rich (7/31/89)

 

Now this is a fun looking matchup. This is yet another Funk match from the New Orleans taping where the fans chanted Funk Ain't Shit once and they do it again here. Rich gets on the mic before the match talking shit on Luger who comes out and Rich challenges him to a shot at his US Title. Luger gets the mic and the fans chant Luger Ain't Shit before Luger says that he wants to teach Rich a lesson. Funk slaps Rich in the face and Luger attacks Rich working him over but Rich makes a comeback hitting a Thesz Press before Funk runs back in with the branding iron and they beat Rich down before leaving. Fun stuff and extra material.

 

NWA World Tag Titles: The Fabulous Freebirds (Jimmy "Jam" Garvin & Michael "PS" Hayes) © vs. Rick & Scott Steiner (7/31/89)

 

Hayes says that they ain't putting the belts up so Rick gets on the mic and gets the fans to chant sissy at him. We get some schtick early on with Hayes and the Steiners before the Birds would take control on Scott working him over in and out of the ring. Gordy shows up at ringside as this is going on with Rick getting the hot tag soon thereafter. Rick hits some Steinerlines and powerslams before it turns into a 4-way brawl with Scott hitting two moonsault bodyslams. The Steiners have them on the ropes before Gordy runs in for the DQ and he kills Rick with a clothesline. Fun for what it was.

 

Rick & Scott Steiner vs. Iron Sheik & Ron SImmons (7/19/89)

 

Sheiky is taking on a mentor role to Simmons here and again another spotlight match for the Steiners.

 

NWA World Tag Titles: The Fabulous Freebirds (Jimmy "Jam" Garvin & Michael "PS" Hayes) © vs. The Midnight Express ("Beautiful" Bobby Eaton & "Sweet" Stan Lane) (8/14/89)

 

Lane has some broken fingers on his left hand from the War Games match at the Omni a week earlier and they are heavily taped. Lots of schtick early on highlighted by Corny bashing Hayes in the back with the tennis racket as the crowd goes wild for everything. The MX dominates early but the Birds would catch Eaton and they would take turns pounding on him and this was good stuff as Eaton did a good job working FIP. Lane gets the tag and he throws some kicks before Hayes takes a cheapshot on Lane's bad hand and the Birds are back in control working over the hand. Lane fighting to get to Eaton was good stuff using his right hand to punch his way there but Nick Patrick didn't see the tag although Eaton didn't care and worked over the Birds. Lane would accidentally clothesline Garvin with his bad hand and Garvin would get up and catch Lane in an inside cradle to get the win. Fun match with some really good psychology and this is a low-end nomination to me.

 

Next we get Funk's Grill with Norman as the co-host with Brian Pillman who calls Funk, Norman, & Teddy an "Entourage of Idiots" and Norman holds Pillman so Teddy can slap him and the Funk punches him in the face. This was hilarious.

 

US Heavyweight Title: "Total Package" Lex Luger © vs. Brad Armstrong (8/15/89)

 

Luger defending against former National Heavyweight Title holders is great and him getting pissed at fans for touching him is even greater. Brad looks sharp early on using his quickness and agility to frustrate Luger who drops to the floor to yell at a fat woman. Luger would use Nick Patrick getting in the way to get a cheapshot on Brad to get some offense in but Brad comes firing back with punches and a quick armdrag where he works over Luger's left arm. Luger just can't shake Brad who gets a nearfall from a schoolboy before going back to Luger's left arm. Brad would then hit a big missile dropkick off the top rope for a 2 3/4 count and Brad kept going at him before Luger nailed him with a running clothesline. Luger now is in full control working over Brad's neck and tries to pin Brad but he always kicks out and Luger complains about a slow count so Brad gets a quick cradle for another nearfall that ends up with Brad eating another big clothesline. Brad though just keeps on fighting getting another nearfall with a sunset flip from the apron before Luger would lock in a reverse chinlock. Luger would go up top with Brad though slamming off to the mat and Brad makes his comeback trying to hit a reverse cross body block off the middle rope where Luger botched a powerslam then Luger would come back with another powerslam where Luger got the pin after knocking Brad's foot off the bottom rope. The last minute had some awkward moments but the match was really damn good and I think this is a solid nomination.

 

The Midnight Express ("Beautiful" Bobby Eaton & "Sweet" Stan Lane) vs. Ron Simmons & Tony Suber (8/15/89)

 

Sheiky comes down to ringside and asks Simmons to leave Suber to get destroyed by the MX and he does.

 

Rick & Scott Steiner vs. The Fabulous Freebirds (Jimmy "Jam" Garvin & Michael "PS" Hayes) (8/15/89)

 

Gordy has been barred from ringside here but he is gone anyway. Scott looks great early on hitting his Frankensteiner on Hayes but Garvin would pull down the top rope as Scott was running and he tumbled to the floor. Rick would get the tag though and he ran wild on the Birds until they dropped him with a double sidewalk slam. This quickly ends up in a 4-way brawl with the Steiners in full control until Rick hit a belly-to-belly on Garvin who hit Tommy Young in transit. Hayes then goes after Missy Hyatt on the floor but Rick would attack him from behind before missing a Steinerline on the post. Scott would get Garvin in an O'Connor Roll but Hayes would lay him out with a DDT as Tommy Young calls for a DQ. Yet another match between these two teams that is all over the place.

 

The Great Muta vs. Scott Hall (8/15/89)

 

Muta starts out strong but Hall comes back although it doesn't last long as Muta is a beast and finishes him with a German Suplex hold. Hart & Muta then cut a promo with Ross afterwards and are joined by Terry Funk talking shit on Flair & Sting.

 

Then we get a promo from Corny about Lane's hand injury.

 

"Beautiful" Bobby Eaton vs. Jimmy "Jam" Garvin (8/15/89)

 

Lane & Hayes would be at ringside to offset each other. Eaton looks strong early on catching Garvin flush with his great right hand which leads to some work on the left arm as Hayes goes nuts outside the ring. Eaton then takes the battle to the floor where Corny gets a racket shot in on Garvin's back before Eaton jacks Hayes' jaw for good measure. Garvin though would catch Eaton on the apron with a knee to the gut and Eaton went flying into the railing. The picture would then go out before the end of the disc.