NWA World Heavyweight Title: “Nature Boy” Ric Flair © vs. Jake “The Snake” Roberts (11/24/85)

 

This is from the Myriad in OKC. What a great start to this match with Flair berating Jake on his ring attire and Jake just grabs him and plants him with a DDT with the crowd going apeshit. Flair sells it like he died and they treat it like he is unable to continue as Carl Fergie keeps Jake off him while Flair rolls to the floor. Flair gathers himself and tells Fergie that he is out of here and walks away. Fergie gets on the mic and tells Flair that he must come back and wrestle or he will be stripped of his title. Jake then rallies the crowd with a DDT chant and the bell is rung with the fans counting but Flair walks back to the ring whining at Fergie then climbs back in. The crowd is completely bonkers as Jake starts firing punches at Flair but Flair keeps the pace at his level no matter what. Jake works on Flair’s neck during the early part of the match as it was already weakened with the DDT earlier. Flair would soon turn the tide though with a punch to the balls and started his offensive attack with a fucking double foot stomp, which he hardly ever used. Flair then used the sleeper to weaken Jake down but Jake would soon regroup and would put Flair in his own figure-four leglock that Flair would use the ropes to get out of. Jake would soon hit his high kneelift for a nearfall and started going to work on Flair’s right leg with Flair begging off but Flair would cradle Jake with help from the ropes for a couple of nearfalls with Jake getting his shoulder up. Jake then started pounding on Flair but Flair picked him up and dropped him on his left knee. Flair then tried to drop on Jake’s leg while draped on the bottom rope but Jake moved and Flair hit ass first on the mat, which he sold like death. Flair regrouped and started chopping Jake but Jake was getting his shit together and started firing his quick left jabs before locking in his own sleeper that Flair would get out of using a backdrop suplex. Flair climbed up top but of course Jake would press slam him off and followed with another high kneelift but missed with the second one. Jake then reversed a Flair figure-four attempt into an inside cradle but Flair rolled over into one of his one for the 3 count. Butch Reed comes down protesting after the match saying that Flair used Jake’s apants and pounds on Flair before he ducks out. Tremendous match with Flair once again getting a clean win and a definite nomination.

I really wished we had this match in better VQ. Could it be on the SF Raw Footage? Both guys have this wierd acid trip pink hue to them.

 

Man, after watching the Jake-Slater series and Gordy-Doc, I don't know how I feel about this match. I kind of see where Phil is coming from when he says a Flair match seems too slow. there are some bright spots including Jake's selling, his figure-four and Flair's signature spots all worked logically within the context of the match. This feels like it belongs but it isn't one of my favorites. I almost feel like I have to put it on because it is the one Flair-Jake singles match I know of available. I am completely on the fence.

 

EDIT: The Reed aftermath felt more exciting than the actual match. I also feel this pales when compared to Flair-Reed, Flair-Taylor and Flair-Kerry.

I'm on the fence on this match too. Their are some neat stuff in it; but it lacks something.

This was totally spectacular. I loved the start with Jake getting the DDT before the bell and all of the Flair stalling. Then you get totally vicious Flair when he takes over, nasty punches, Garvin match level stiff chops, a fucking double stomp. Then all the really great counter wrestling, Flair taking insane bumps on the knee lifts, Jakes crazy missed knee lift bump. This will be the second highest Flair match on my ballot behind Flair v. Reed no DQ. Slam dunk, Will you are nuts.

I'll be more than willing to watch it again but after watching all the NWA, I also have a renewed appreciation for Flair.

Yeah I've got a big buzz going off this. Both guys realy showing off a lot of what they do well but with sequences your not going to see against anyone else.

 

Flair in particular was super great. I especially liked how after they established the DDT, Flair spent the match coming up with all kind of reversals to escape the finisher. Favorite was the single leg takeown as escape. Phil mentions that Flair is really stiff in this match but he also bumps around ring and not your standard Flair fly around bumps but stuff like taking the missed stomp off the second rope right on his tailbone. Also a really satisfying role up rope assist with tights finish. I mean lots of ties a finish like that will feel abrupt or like it wasn't built to. But this kind of felt like the right finish right when it happened.