#1 Contender Match for the UWF Heavyweight Title: Terry Taylor vs. “Gentleman” Chris Adams (5/3/87)

 

Real good even action to start the match before a commercial break and it continues when we come back. Adams would get the first big spot of the match with a crucifix for a nearfall then got another nearfall when Taylor went for a leapfrog but Adams caught him in the air for a falling powerslam. Taylor would start getting aggressive here using knees and elbows but Adams would once again get the advantage with a grounded headlock before going to another commercial break. Taylor would come back though with a nice backdrop suplex followed up with a diving kneedrop for a nearfall. Adams would get a sunset flip though for another nearfall but Taylor would use his elbows to keep the advantage. They would trade a couple of more nearfalls before Taylor was backdropped out of a corner by Adams but Adams let him up before getting caught with more elbows and knees. Adams though would get a backdrop suplex then hit his Million-Dollar Kneelift sending Taylor to the floor. The action would go back in the ring with Adams going back to his grounded headlock but it would turn into Taylor jacking Adams jaw. Adams would reverse a Taylor suplex into a sleeper hold before going to a 3rd commercial break. Taylor is back to working over on Adams again hitting a bodyslam but missing a diving elbow drop. Adams gets nearfalls with a backslide and an inside cradle but Taylor caught him with a stiff forearm on the way back up. We have a slugfest now with both men using various strikes but Adams would hit a jumping clothesline and a falling headbutt. Taylor would go back to the floor but came back in the ring where he would headbutt Adams hurting himself at the same time. Adams would reverse a bodyslam into a schoolboy for another nearfall before Taylor hit Adams with a clothesline for a nearfall. Taylor climbs up to the top rope and Adams press slams him off before going to work on Taylor. Adams hits a backdrop suplex for another nearfall then goes for a suplex but Taylor gets to the ropes and catches Adams with a double karate thrust sending him to the mat. Adams would hit Carl Fergie on a very contrived looking ref bump running the ropes sending Adams to the floor. Taylor would go to Adams then kicked him and hit a piledriver on the floor turning heel then playing possum laying out in the ring and wins by countout. This was a really solid match and a definite nomination.

 

Taylor does a great interview after the match where he says that he totally accepts his victory with Magnum & Ross being appalled. Gilbert shows up and tells Ross to get off Taylor’s back and tells Taylor that he wants to be a manager. Taylor tells Gilbert that he doesn’t need anybody but Gilbert says that he will be there when he does.

I liked this match a lot. The early portion was really neat. I loved all the move counter move stuff. These guys have had a lot of good matches with one another. I saw a match in World class a few months ago where Adam's worked the match wearing a catchers mask between the 2 and it was excellent as well. Both of these men are very similar in the ring. Because they have a lot of similarities in ring style it helped with the story they were telling. Their was some weird exchanges between the 2 at times; but it didn't take away from the match. This was just a good give and take match. Taylor had some nice looking suplexes in the match. Adam's showed some nice fire. Both guys worked hard and had a good match as a result. The finish really put some heat on this feud. This should make a disk.

Yeah this makes it for sure, Adams has a ton of great looking offense for 1987, at points it is almost too much. No superkick, but pretty much everything else you would want from these two guys. Great shit, the piledriver on the floor is totally sick stuff