NWA World Heavyweight Title: "Nature Boy" Ric Flair © vs. "The Total Package" Lex Luger

 

Man are the fans hot for Luger and as I said many times before this was the right time to make the switch. Funny seeing Flair with white tights and yellow kneepads while Luger wears yellow tights with white kneepads. Luger works over Flair's back early and often here setting up for the Torture Rack. Flair takes the battle to the floor which is what he has to do as he must roughhouse Luger to get the advantage. Flair takes it back to the ring where he keeps up the pressure but Luger hits a desperation clothesline for a nearfall then Flair goes up top and Luger crotches him. Lex though goes for a dropkick and misses and we have both men struggling but Luger comes back strongly getting some nearfalls until Flair goes after Luger's left knee. Flair then would go for the figure-four which Luger does a good job of selling the move but Luger would break free and would fight his way back to hit a clothesline on Flair over the top rope to the floor. Luger can't capitalize though as he is selling his knee so Flair comes back in and starts firing chops which fires Luger up for his comeback hitting a big gorilla press slam but he is still selling that knee and can't capitalize again. Luger would then miss a kneedrop which wasn't the smartest move to try but he still was able to press slam Flair off the top rope and now Luger is fighting through the pain. Luger is now full force and he no-sells an inverted atomic drop only to nail Flair with a clothesline for a nearfall. Luger is now beating Flair from pillar to post and there is a real awkward spot where they try going over the top rope to the floor with Flair acting like he hurt his leg for real and it didn't look good. Flair then posts Luger as he is limping around then Dillon gets his shot in an this is where Luger starts juicing which was the beginning of the end. Flair takes Luger right to where the commission was placed and the main commissioner is calling for Tommy Young as Luger gets Flair in the Torture Rack. Young calls for the bell and the building explodes thinking Luger won the title and Luger is jumping around like crazy with Sting, Nikita, & Doc running out to congratulate Lex. Young tells Gary Michael Cappetta the finish as the crowd chants LUGER but that stops when Cappetta announced the blood stoppage. Boy was this a kick in the balls and the crowd went nuts in the wrong way. This wasn't their best match and god that finish was horrible but this was still a really good match and I'm throwing it on the block.

I thought this was a solid nomination. The fact it's a real famous match helps its cause too.

Ric Flair vs. Lex Luger (7/10/88) - This is the excessive blood loss match. The ending sucked and when it bombed at Starrcade years before, you would think that they learned thier lesson. Nope. The shitty ending is enough for me to not nominate it.