Posted June 25Jun 25 comment_6031786 Rick Martel vs. Brutus Beefcake (Philly 3/14/87) - Beefcake is still a heel but already mad at Adonis for cutting his hair. Beefcake stalls at first. He does get a throat thrust early that makes Martel angry. They exchange brawling energy in the corner and when Martel gets a chance, he gets a headlock and throat thrusts Brutus. Awesome. Beefcake acts like he wants to throw down but when Martel is ready, he steps outside the ropes. This is a ruse to get a foreign object ready. Beefcake controls with a headlock and this ends up with 2 leap frogs and a hip toss and Martel controls the arm. Beefcake charges the turnbuckles with the high knee and misses. Martel drops his knees to thee hamstrings and works over the legs. They are really working this leg including a brief Beefcake monkey flip but Martel latches back on the leg. Beefcake channel his inner William Regal and puts an elbow in the throat and then lays his head on the mat and smashes it with the leg. WOW! He follows it with a pointed elbow. Beefcake is limping but chops the shit out of Martel, whips to the ropes and a stun gun drops Martel. Beefcake chokes Martel with his boot. Beefcake has Martel by the boots and does a “low” head butt as a receipt from earlier with a cool cover where Beefcake gets two but they then go into a bridging pin sequence that ends with Martel’s knees into Beefcake’s groin. Beefcake us able to military press and execute a back breaker. Martel is fighting back but Beefcake rakes the eyes across the rope. A bear hug is broken but Beefcake is still controlling. He goes up top and gets a fist in the stomach. Martel fights back again but the crowd is, at best, polite. They fight outside the ring and the bell rings. Double count out. I really enjoyed this match but the crowd was meh. Strong match with a weak crowd. SOLID NOMINATION.
