Posted December 13, 200717 yr comment_5425199 Mid-Atlantic #3 '83-'84 Disc 1 Roddy Piper vs. Dick Slater (14:40) (A fan gets in the camera view during the pin) - They brawl early on but Slater brings the tempo down controlling the match with a headlock. The difference form the earlier Brisco match is that they are working from the headlock and keeping it interesting. Later on, they go back and forth trying to get an edge. Piper gives Slater some nice shots and Slater returns the favor. I need to borrow this tape from Jeff to retape as we miss the pin by Piper. Still, this is a definite nomination and I think I enjoyed this as much as the Slater-Duggan series. Jack & Jerry Brisco vs. Ricky Steamboat & Jay Youngblood (10:24) - This match begins as face vs. face and I think I like this one better than the Starrcade match. This is the match that begins the Briscos heel turn as Jerry splashes Ricky’s legs while locked in a Jack Figure-4. This act gets the DQ and a feud is born. I know I have been knocking the Briscos but this was a good match with a classic angle. Nomination. Piper vs. Valentine (9:43) - This is just one big slugfest where both guys just punch, slap and elbow each other the entire match. Seriously, I don’t think one hold or move was used the entire time. These guys went non-stop and this was 8 minutes of ass kicking. Nomination. OMG Body Slam Challenge (x2) Jack & Jerry Brisco Interview (challenged by ???) (EXTRA) OMG Body Slam Challenge Jack & Jerry Brisco vs. Bob Orton Jr. & Johnny Weaver - Briscos win this in a flash. OMG Body Slam Challenge Jack & Jerry Brisco vs. Ricky Steamboat & Jay Youngblood (8:18) - This match actually happened before the above match. The ending saw Jerry accidentally fall on Steamboat’s legs when he was in the Jack Figure-4. However, this match could probably be an EXTRA but not a nomination. Paul Jones, Jake Roberts & Dory Funk Jr Interview Bob Orton Jr. & Jimmy Valiant vs. Kabuki & Magic Dragon - Valiant works the match in goggles. Orton gets sprayed. This match will not go on the set. Greg Valentine vs. Mike Rotundo - Pretty good TV match that ends with Roddy Piper attacking Valentine and then getting jumped. Flair makes the save. I don’t think the match should go on but the post-match should probably be an EXTRA or lead-in to the dog collar match. Ric Flair- Roddy Piper Interview on Valentine (EXTRA) Briscos-Steamboat/Youngblood confrontation (EXTRA) Paul Jones confronts girl & Rufus Jones (EXTRA) Briscos-Steamboat/Youngblood confrontation (EXTRA) Harley Race vs. Ric Flair (23:34)(3:48) (27:22) - Race takes it to Flair early but each time he goes for a big punishing move (falling headbutt, big elbow drop), Flair moves out of the way. Flair briefly gains control but Harley regains it with a sweet clothesline that Flair sells like death. There were also some small touches I really got a kick out of like Flair’s boot to Harley’s head or Flair chopping Harley so hard he bounces off the ropes and falls to his knees or Flair’s elbow drop. The end interference sucked but the Orton piledriver on Flair makes up for it. I like this one so much more than the Starrcade match. I have a feeling the Starrcade match will be voted higher but this might be my favorite American Race match. Maybe someone can refresh my memory on the great American Race matches. Maybe it just happens that I am tired of seeing the Starrcade match on every DVD release. This was just point/counter-point and who could capitalize the most off the other guy’s mistakes. Awesome match and definite nomination. Disc 2 Ric Flair, Roddy Piper & Jay Youngblood vs. Dory Funk Jr, Dick Slater & Mark Lewin - We have too many awesome 6-mans in our viewing to consider this. This mainly serves to further a Dory-Paul Jones angle. Valiant & McGraw vs. The Assassins - As much as I love Valiant, I hate McGraw. Valiant & Wahoo vs. The Assassins - When Wahoo is in, this is pretty good. But Wahoo isn’t always in and this match is not a nomination. Greg Valentine vs. Dick Slater (EXTRA) - Not really a match and more of an angle to further the Valentine-Piper saga… but wait… the match is on but JIP. Pretty great stuff. I don’t know if it is enough to nominate but I’ll let you guys watch and decide. Ivan Koloff vs. Angelo Mosca - I hate Mosca… and his son. Valiant vs. Herbert (Valiant EXTRAS) - Attacked by Jones & Assassins Starrcade 1983 Highlights Ric Flair vs. Dick Slater - Match was really quick with Slater pinning Flair while Orton held onto Flair’s boot but the decision was reversed and Flair gets beaten down. EXTRA Dory Funk Jr & Rufus Jones vs. The Assassins - I don’t really care for this. Angelo Mosca Jr vs. Ivan Koloff - Ivan gets a pretty good match out of Jr. I am not going to nominate it but Ivan rules. Dory Funk Jr & Jimmy Valiant vs. The Assassins - Another match I will pass on Greg Valentine vs. Ernie Ladd - Ladd is DQed in short order. Harley Race vs. Ric Flair (Starrcade Cage Match)
December 13, 200717 yr comment_5425207 Harley Race vs. Ric Flair (23:34)(3:48) (27:22) - Race takes it to Flair early but each time he goes for a big punishing move (falling headbutt, big elbow drop), Flair moves out of the way. Flair briefly gains control but Harley regains it with a sweet clothesline that Flair sells like death. There were also some small touches I really got a kick out of like Flair’s boot to Harley’s head or Flair chopping Harley so hard he bounces off the ropes and falls to his knees or Flair’s elbow drop. The end interference sucked but the Orton piledriver on Flair makes up for it. I like this one so much more than the Starrcade match. I have a feeling the Starrcade match will be voted higher but this might be my favorite American Race match. Maybe someone can refresh my memory on the great American Race matches. Maybe it just happens that I am tired of seeing the Starrcade match on every DVD release. This was just point/counter-point and who could capitalize the most off the other guy’s mistakes. Awesome match and definite nomination. Race has the hour draw with Lawler that is really great, the Florida TV studio match with Barry Windham that is really great, along with some good carryjobs of guys like Hogan and Warrior in the WWF days. But he mostly peaked during a time period where not much footage is available unfortunately, outside of All Japan Classics. Lots of stuff on 8mm that looks like it probably was awesome, but the footage available isn't complete. I think people are kinda over the Starrcade match and will probably like this one better. Also, for this match, the last few minutes are on the Ultimate Ric Flair Collection DVD, so you may want to splice at that point. Date for this match is 8/31/83.
December 14, 200717 yr Author comment_5425213 This match I watched is complete. Are you saying splice it to improve the VQ?
December 14, 200717 yr comment_5425249 Yes. On the WWE DVD, they have the last few minutes of the match.
December 22, 200717 yr comment_5425726 I'm pretty sure the whole thing aired on 24/7 as part of Race as HOFer of the month and I have it on a DVD from KHawk.
December 22, 200717 yr Author comment_5425727 I also have the Race Hall of Fame. When digging through the NWA stuff, I haven't even sniffed the WWF stuff yet.
June 27, 201312 yr comment_5549012 US Heavyweight Title: Rowdy Roddy Piper © vs. "Mr. Unpredictable" Dick Slater (4/24/83) This is from Charlotte Coliseum. The match starts out with both men taking it to each other with Slater getting the edge as he took Piper to the floor and banged his head on the announce table. Slater keeps Piper on the mat with a headlock and this section is good as Piper tries his best to escape but to no avail. Piper eventually breaks free and he makes his comeback firing off on Slater who is in full Terry Funk tribute mode in selling. Slater though doesn't go down easily and this turns into a solid back and forth battle with the ring announcer giving the minute by minute countdown which is because Slater's NWA World TV Title is on the line for the first 15:00 but these guys are going to war on each other inside and outside the ring and Piper is more worried about keeping his title. We get a really good nearfall section before something happened with the video as Piper was going up top and we come back to him getting the 3 count. Damn good match and a nomination but the clipping and missing of the pin will hurt it in voting. Ricky Steamboat & Jay Youngblood vs. Jack & Jerry Brisco (5/11/83) This is the second match between these teams as the Briscos have been being kind of dicks in promos towards the champs wanting a shot at the titles plus they accidentally hurt Steamer in their match the previous week. There is some really solid wrestling to start here as all four men were on point in everything they did. It also helped that the crowd was very into this as well leaning towards the champs of course as sometimes babyface matches can lack heat. Youngblood would work FIP and the Briscos were very effective working him over while Jay was just as effective in his hope spots and working to the tag. Steamer would get the hot tag and he ran wild where he would get payback working over Jerry's left leg but Jerry would break free and got his own figure-four with Jack jumping on Steamer this time on purpose trying to hurt him and got DQed. Jack then goes to Bob Caudle and says he wants them to refer to him as "bald eagle" again. Tremendous TV match and an easy nomination. US Heavyweight Title: Rowdy Roddy Piper © vs. Greg "The Hammer" Valentine (5/1/83) This is very much JIP as both men are pounding on each other before we get a ref bump seeing both men go to the floor where Valentine would nail Piper in his left ear with the US belt. This is the injury angle and Hammer just works over the ear relentlessly but there is no quit in Piper and he comes firing back as much as he could. The blood is flowing down his arm but he never quits and these two men just beat the holy shit out of each other. Sandy Scott enters the ring and wants to look at Piper's ear and he decides to stop the match to save his ear. Piper doesn't want to quit as Jim Crockett gets up there and they agree with Scott thus giving Valentine the title. I'm going to push this forward because it was so great but we missed a good bit of action. Next we get a One Man Gang bodyslam challenge with Ken Timbs. Then we get a promo from the Briscos about injuring Steamer's knee saying they had to do what they had to do before now babyface Jim Nelson shows up calling them cowards and demands Jack get in the ring which he does in his street clothes. Nelson starts getting the best of Jack before missing a kneedrop which allows Jack to get the figure-four and Jerry comes off the top rope dropping down on Nelson's knee. Johnny Weaver argues with them afterwards because Nelson was his partner then Valiant goes to argue with them so they slam him on the floor with Valiant selling like a maniac. This was done to get Nelson out of the territory. Great angle and extra material. (5/18/83) Next we get another One Man Gang bodyslam challenge this time with Mike Davis. Jack & Jerry Brisco vs. Bob Orton Jr. & Johnny Weaver (5/25/83) Weaver is wearing a neck collar thanks to the Briscos. This is a good little TV match with the faces getting some offense in and Orton has Jack in trouble as he has a figure-four leglock on him but Jerry made the save which was the 2nd save they made prompting a DQ because at that time you could only make one save. Crappy finish. Next we get another One Man Gang bodyslam challenge with Mike Rotundo and Mike almost has him but Gang's partner Kelly Kiniski jumps in and they attack him. Jack & Jerry Brisco vs. Ricky Steamboat & Jay Youngblood (5/4/83) This is the first match of their series and this is a total babyface match here as both teams fight for holds and everything is clean. Damn good action which picks up in intensity as the match goes on and the tempers start flaring but both teams stop themselves from cheating. Jerry gets a kneebreaker on Steamer and they tag in and out working the leg over fiercely. Jerry would lock on the figure-four and Jack & Jay would come in with Jay hitting Jack who fell on Steamer's knee forcing the match to be stopped. This wasn't as good as their next match but still damn good nonetheless and is a fairly solid nomination. Then we get the Paul Jones angle where he announces the winner of a photo of himself is a Rhonda Kennedy from Tampa with Paul giving out her actual address which was funny. Extra material. (6/22/83) Bob Orton Jr. & "Boogie Woogie Man" Jimmy Valiant vs. The Great Kabuki & Magic Dragon (6/22/83) Valiant works this match wearing goggles to prevent himself from getting mist sprayed in his eyes. Gary Hart is going nuts on commentary and Valiant gets sprayed but his beard catches it all. Orton gets a sleeper on Gary Hart after the match which allows Kabuki to spray red mist in Orton's face. Mike Rotundo vs. Greg "The Hammer" Valentine (6/22/83) Piper is out with Rotundo and wants to fight Valentine but David Crockett and others get him to leave on his own. Good match that sees Valentine dominate Rotundo early on but the thought of Piper being around distracts him and gives Rotundo the opportunity to get offense in as well. Rotundo would get the Airplane Spin on Hammer and both tumbled to the floor where Valentine would post Rotundo ear first and they he started working it over viciously. Piper then ran out and used a strap to choke Valentine until Dory Jr. & Jake ran out to attack him before Flair runs out to save Piper. Flair & Piper then cut a great promo together afterwards and this is a definite extra. Next we get a confrontation with the Briscos and Steamer/Youngblood with Briscos now champs and Jerry is great here as a dick heel as he puts his hands on Steamer numerous times before Steamer chops him down. Great stuff and extra material. (6/29/83) Then we get the Paul Jones photo giveaway as they bring out Rhonda Manning and of course she is 80's hot. She goes to Jones and kisses him which pisses him off because he doesn't want anyone to touch him then he browbeats her before asking if she would sell it for $5,000 which she admits she would. Rufus R. Jones comes out in a great suit saying that Jones shouldn't talk to women like that then slaps Rufus before using the girl as a shield. Jones turns around though and gets attacked by Rufus before Dory & Jake would jump him and destroyed him until Orton made the save. (6/29/83) Next we get the angle where the Briscos attack Jay Youngblood and steal his headdress. More extra material. (6/8/83) NWA World Heavyweight Title: Harley Race © vs. "Nature Boy" Ric Flair (8/31/83) This is one of the iconic matches and angles of this era of JCP as Flair is trying to get the gold back on TV no less with the bounty on Flair's head as well. The match itself is great as both men are tremendous here but you throw in the angle and you get gold. Grand slam nomination. "Nature Boy" Ric Flair, Rowdy Roddy Piper, & Mark Youngblood vs. Dory Funk Jr., Mark Lewin, & "Mr. Unpredictable" Dick Slater (10/12/83) The fans are apeshit here for whenever Flair & Slater tie up. Piper working babyface mat wrestling style is fun here and his interactions with Lewin are fun. The action here is fun and it looks faster than what it was because there were some jump clips. The crowd in Spartanburg here is insane and loses it completely when Flair cradles Dory for a clean pin. Paul Jones dresses Dory down big time afterwards with Dory cutting a promo with Bob Caudle afterwards saying that he has left the Jones Army. Extra material. The Assassins vs. Charlie Brown & Bugsy McGraw (10/26/83) Assassins here are Jody Hamilton & Hercules Hernandez and Charlie Brown is of course Jimmy Valiant. The action here isn't very good before Dory comes out to help Valiant and ends up fighting the Assassins alone before Valiant & Bugsy Help him out. The Assassins vs. Keith Larsen & Rick McCord (11/2/83) Squash before Wahoo & Charlie Brown show up to take their place. Wahoo gets dominated early but makes the hot tag to Brown and it isn't long before a 4-way brawl breaks out with the faces going for the masks but Paul Jones would get involved with the Assassins breaking free. Next we get clips of an angle with Piper saving Greg Valentine from getting jumped by Dick Slater which brings out Orton and they send Piper to the floor. The heels beat Valentine bloody before we get a promo with Slater holding both the US & Mid-Atlantic titles. Then we get clips of Slater beating Valentine for the US Heavyweight Title on 12/21/83 and this is extra material not a nomination. "King Kong" Angelo Mosca vs. "Russian Bear" Ivan Koloff (12/21/83) Koloff was fun here but Mosca was slow and plodding before Don Kernodle attacked him with a steel chair as he had Ivan in a sleeper hold. Then we get a horrible promo from both Moscas afterwards. Angelo Sr. booked here and the territory went down hard as he pushed himself and his son when no one cared. "Boogie Woogie Man" Jimmy Valiant vs. Don Herbert (12/21/83) Squash before Jones and Assassins attack him and they cut his beard before Dusty makes the save. Definite extra. Next we get a retrospective of Starrcade 83. NWA World Heavyweight Title: "Nature Boy" Ric Flair © vs. "Mr. Unpredictable" Dick Slater (1/4/84) Always great to see matchups like this on TV. Flair dominates early and then we get a clip in the action to where Slater is dominating and Bob Orton Jr. is out cheering him on. Orton would grab Flair's foot and Slater would drop an elbow pinning him but Orton held his foot with Roughhouse Fargo not seeing it. The heels celebrate but Tommy Young comes out and tells him what happened with the decision being reversed. Jay Youngblood on crutches tries to help but they attack him and it takes Wahoo to clean house. Slater said that he is the real world champ and will be recognized. Fun angle and extra material. The Assassins vs. Dory Funk Jr. & Rufus R. Jones (1/18/84) Odd seeing Dory teaming with Rufus. This was okay for what it was but that's it before Valiant runs out to clean house on the Assassins. This is extra material. Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Title: "Russian Bear" Ivan Koloff © vs. Angelo Mosca Jr. (1/25/84) Angelo Sr. is on commentary and this match is decent mainly because of how great Ivan was. He carries the green Mosca Jr. the whole way then loses the title to him which was disgraceful. Dory Funk Jr. & Jimmy Valiant vs. The Assassins (2/8/84) I will say this about these matches..they got a lot of heat which was good for them because the matches themselves weren't that hot. NWA World TV Title Tournament - Quarterfinals: Greg "The Hammer" Valentine vs. "Big Cat" Ernie Ladd (2/8/84) Valentine the babyface is a hoot. Ladd gets DQed fairly quickly for using a foreign object. Next we get Flair/Race from Starrcade.
