NWA World Heavyweight Title: Ric Flair © vs. Terry Taylor (6/1/85)

 

Taylor has called this match probably the greatest match of his career and he is probably right as Flair was one of his mentors and he was trying to show him that he could hang with him every move. I really liked Taylor’s neckwork that lasted a good while early in the match as he was really cinching in on his front chancery making it look like he was twisting Flair’s neck especially when Flair gave him a suplex as a counter to get him off, Taylor hung on and rolled over for a pinfall attempt. Great chop exchange where Taylor was looking like current HBK with the chop offense that led to the Flair Flop and the Dome started rocking as Taylor was feeling it. Taylor looked even more like HBK a few minutes later with the chops/punches combo before Carl Fergie blocked a punch and Flair got a cheap shot in which cued up the Flair control section of the match. Flair went with the Anderson arm psychology here and using any cheap trick he could to maintain his dominance meaning feet on the ropes, grabbing tights, and pulling hair to take him down that was really getting the crowd agitated. Taylor gets the advantage back and starts using the babyface formula for Flair (sleeper hold and backslide) before Flair takes his legs out for his cradle with the feet on the ropes that usually works but not this time.

 

Great heat for the figure-four when it finally gets locked in especially for the reversal and it really kicks in from here with nearfalls and Taylor using his own version of the figure-four. More good back and forth action before the predictable ref bump as when Flair had Taylor in his own sleeper, Taylor pushed Flair back into the ref knocking him to the floor. Taylor uses a backslide again while the ref’s on the floor and it’s amazing how over the backslide was in a Flair match since the loss to Kerry because it seemed like every face used that against him for like the next 5 years and it was over to the fans because they knew that’s how Flair lost the title one time showing you that yes non-finishers can mean something in matches. Flair chunks Taylor over the top rope while the ref’s on the floor but surprisingly no screwiness in that unlike when Flair went to World Class when that was used constantly against him. Taylor makes a comeback with more punches and chops with the punches looking really good before the finish that was identical to the win over Kerry in All-Japan as Flair reversed the O’Connor Roll and held the tights for the 3 count. This was a really strong match and both men looked great especially Flair and it just amazed me how much Taylor’s offense in this looked like current HBK. Taylor was right this was the best match I’ve ever seen him in and a definite DVD pick for me.

This was just a great match. The HBK comparison that KrisZ made was pretty spot on, and makes a lot of sense since Taylor was a mentor to HBK. The neck work by Taylor was great in its simplicity, bur effective. Both guys brought the crowd up and down like a roller coaster. The match just built and built. I always like to see Flair work someone his own size. This match should make a disk for sure.

I know Phil doesn't want three Flair-Taylor matches this might be a case where all three are deserving of a spot.

I haven't watched the other two yet, if they are all great and all different I wouldn't mind

I don't know if I liked this one as much as the 5/3 match but this is an easy nomination. It will be interesting to compare the three at one time to see where they stand in the series and in the set.

NWA World Heavyweight Title: Ric Flair © vs. Terry Taylor (6/1/85)

 

this feels like the least of the three Taylor v Flair matches I've seen. For most of Midsouth I've prefered brawling Taylor to technical Taylor. But that has been with Taylor taking huge bumps and brawling back from below. Against Flair I way prefer technical Taylor as Taylor isn't as good brawling from above...

 

Alot of this is worked similar to the Reed v Flair match I watched recently (no Dq). Taylor controling with front chancery into brawling exchange into fatigued near fall exchange..... really mirrors the Reed match but Taylor as brawler just isn't as good as Reed as brawler and this match was really dissapointing.

 

I'm voting yes but could see this falling off.

I think I liked this a little more then Tom did, the other two matches between the two had something special which set them apart. This felt much more like a Flair by the numbers match, which is always good, but less interesting. Taylor having current HBK's offense is not a compliment, but I think this is easily the least of the three. Still a yes vote, but lets see about pruning

Out of the three Flair-Taylor matches, this would be the last one to get pruned form a notoriety standpoint. This is one of those matches that has been pimped for the ages and is one of those... needs to be included even if we don't want it on there category.