Eddie Gilbert vs. Tommy Rich

- The battle of the New Fabs... 5 years later!!! Really nice back and forth match. Neither guy gets a real advantage although Eddie hurt his arm after leaping into the ringpost. One awkward spot where it looked like Eddie and Tommy were supposed to knock heads but Eddie had to sell his nose hitting Tommy's back. This one goes to a time limit draw and is a low level nomination. It would be higher but a lack of sustained heat and a lack of focus hurt it.

"Hot Stuff" Eddie Gilbert vs. "Wildfire" Tommy Rich (7/18/89)

 

This is a scientific match since both are babyfaces and a feud that we never got a long version of. Paul E. is on commentary which is great because of the past issues he has had with them since they worked for Southern Championship Wrestling a year earlier which he alludes to on commentary. Paul is really good here getting over the story of the match especially when Rich worked over Eddie's chronically bad left shoulder. After some good back and forth action tempers start to flare a little leading to a bad looking collision sending Hot Stuff to the floor where Rich allows him to recover then holds the ropes for him to come in which pisses off Paul and some of the fans. They would start trading some hard forearms though sending Eddie back to the floor but when he would come back in he would go back to working a wristlock before Rich picked him up using the wrist and dropped him knee first on his knee. Rich would then work over the left knee with Eddie reversing a knee bar into an inside cradle this time sending Rich to the floor. Eddie then goes after Tommy's left leg and gets the figure-four but Rich would break free although he couldn't stop Eddie from wrapping the knee around the ringpost. With one minute left in the match they pick up the pace as Eddie gets a couple of nearfalls before another double collision would send both to the mat. Tommy would recover though and got the sleeper hold but the bell would ring as time ran out. This was a fun scientific type match and although I would've loved to have seen a grittier match this was fine for what it was. Low-level pick at best.

This didn't do anything for me. It seemed like it would play out much better in a studio. They do a lot of little stuff that an arena audience doesn't pick up. Just way better matches out there so I say no