Clash I Mike Rotunda vs. Jimmy Garvin (Amateur rules) (TV Title) - The crowd was hot for this but it didn't last long. Both guys get out of Round 1 but thanks to some Sullivan interference, Rotunda gets the one-count and the win.

 

Midnight Express vs. The Fantastics - Hell, this may be the best Fans-MX matchup available from any company. The brawling and out of control action is what the Sheeps series is hyped up to be but this actually delivered. In the ring, great double teaming from both teams, Rogers FIP, Cornette playing the pest, great post-match even with the screwy finish. The only thing this was missing was some blood. Definite nomination.

 

Dusty Rhodes & Road Warriors vs. Ivan Koloff & Powers of Pain (Barbed Wire Chicago Street Fight) - A lot of choking and trying to cut guys with barbed wire. This was a mess and not a nomination. Hell, the best aprts happened after the match. Animal is wearing the hockey mask to protect his eye but the heels take it off and try to re-injure the eye. Ivan whips Hawk with the Russian chain and the shots looked pretty brutal.

 

Lex Luger & Barry Windham vs. Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard - I have seen this match a dozen times and it still rules. Tully gets his ass handed to him and then Arn and Tully work over Windham all working up to the hot tag. Shit, when Tully got Windham in the Slingshot Suplex, I thought it was either over or Luger would save. I can't recall anyone kicking out of it. When Luger got the tag, it actually meant something as the former Horseman gets his revenge. Great ending with Arn getting knocked loopy by the chair. Strong nomination.

 

Sting vs. Ric Flair - This match has been talked about ad nauseum and the weaknesses are still there. Too many repeat spots, too long, etc. If this was a 20 minute match it may have stood as Stong's best match. The only drawback to that scenario would be that Sting was trying to prove he could hang with the World Champ and 20 minutes would not have proven anything. Still, while this is not a favorite of mine, it is one of those matches that has to be on there becasue of the notoriety it has received.

Amateur Rules for the NWA World TV Title: "Captain" Mike Rotundo © vs. "Gorgeous" Jimmy Garvin

 

If you can get your opponent down for a 1 count you win the match with three 5 minute rounds and the rules are kinda convoluted. Rotundo was at the hottest stage of his career here with the Varsity Club gimmick but feuding with 1988 babyface Jimmy Garvin was not a high point. Tom Miller was really good as the ring announcer building the suspense for the round ending and Rotundo was trying his best to get Garvin down for the count but he failed. The one thing you could say was that the crowd was into the action and both men tried to make this work. Sullivan would get on the apron in Round 2 which brought up Precious with Garvin seeing him and he attacked Sullivan. Rotundo then got a schoolboy on Garvin for the 1 count and ate a brainbuster by Garvin in response. Rick Steiner ran in to jump Garvin but Precious nailed him with a board then chocked Sullivan with a coathanger which drove Greensboro crazy. The post-match was pretty damn great but the match itself was nothing much.

 

Bob Caudle interviews Dr. Death next about the Dusty/Magnum situation and this promo is so so so so terrible.

 

US Tag Titles: The Midnight Express ("Beautiful" Bobby Eaton & "Sweet" Stan Lane) © vs. The Fantastics (Bobby Fulton & Tommy Rogers)

 

GOD the Fantastics were a breath of fresh air in this promotion as they were perfect opponents for this edition of the MX. This is an all-out brawl that goes all over the ring with Fulton smacking Eaton with a chair on the floor as Rogers takes care of Lane in the ring. This is like a fucking Memphis brawl as it is total chaos with chairs and tables flying around. Rogers would get taken out by the MX high-low double team move and now the match settles down with the MX in full control. Fulton is great working the apron here keeping the fans going for Tommy as the MX just tear him up. Everything about this was so good like when Rogers got a desperation sunset flip on Lane but Pee Wee Anderson couldn't see it and the fans were just going crazy. Rogers taking bumps in the ring, out of the ring, on tables, on the floor he was just insane here. Rogers would get the hot tag but Pee Wee never saw it and Fulton came in anyway with Cornette also in the ring and the tennis racquet was used but on the MX. Fulton would use the Rocket Launcher with Rogers on Eaton after Pee Wee got thrown over the top rope so Tommy Young ran out to make the count giving the Fants the win. Pee Wee though got back in the ring and called for the DQ which is funny since Young was on the other side of this finish and the MX/Corny just destroyed the Fants afterwards. Fulton got strapped like hell before Rogers ran them off with a chair. Everything about this match was fucking awesome and different than other tag matches you saw in JCP at this time. God damn I loved this and this is a grand slam nomination.

 

Then we get Ken Osmond doing his Eddie Haskell gimmick interviewing Jim Cornette and this is a wild segment. Definite extra.

 

This is followed up by Gary Hart making his return to JCP with Al Perez to talk about their entry into the territory.

 

Frances Crockett (Jimmy's sister) then announced the Top 10 seeds for the Crockett Cup.

 

Barbed Wire Chicago Street Fight: "American Dream" Dusty Rhodes & The Road Warriors (Animal & Hawk) vs. "Russian Bear" Ivan Koloff & The Powers of Pain (The Barbarian & The Warlord)

 

Dusty looking like fucking Nate Hatred is the highlight of this match....could you imagine Dusty & Nick Gage teaming up hot damn. Animal is wearing his cool ass mask while Hawk is just Road Warrior Hawk which is awesome. The match itself is just guys beating each other up and trying to run each other through the barbed wire. Dusty was fucking awesome here and the Roadies did what they did but it wasn't pretty and not nomination material. It didn't matter though as I loved the shit out of this one although I do wish we had more blood. Jim Ross was pretty great on the call here as well.

 

Next we get Bob Caudle with Nikita Koloff who is back and with hair saying that he has changed and evolved and that drugs are bad.

 

NWA World Tag Titles: "The Enforcer" Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard © vs. "The Total Package" Lex Luger & Barry Windham

 

The fans are mega hot for Luger and the Horsemen once again do what they do best in that they make Luger look phenomenal. Luger tries to go for the Rack early on Tully but Arn would take out his left leg, which became an early focal point but Luger would eventually get the tag to Windham. Windham comes in blazing hitting a lariat and powerslam for a nearfall then a sleeper that he would keep locked on even when Tully took him to the floor. Windham would keep the advantage until Arn came in and nailed Windham with a left hand then a DDT followed up by a spinebuster. Tully would come in throwing some great punches to keep the advantage but Windham would get a nearfall out of a cross body block before a double collision. The champs were relentless in keeping Windham in the ring including a great double punch connection between Arn & Windham. Tully would hit the slingshot and Windham kicked out of it, which was different before Windham could get the tag to Luger. Luger came in and it wasn't long before the 4-way brawl broke out and Dillon brought a chair to the apron that Luger would run Arn's head into for the pinfall. This was a great sprint with a finish that you didn't see much in Crockettland. Easy nomination.

 

NWA World Heavyweight Title: "Nature Boy" Ric Flair © vs. Sting

 

The judges for the match if needed were Gary Juster, Sandy Scott, Patty Mullen, Jason Hervey, & Ken Osmond which is quite the eclectic group I tell you. JJ Dillon of course had to be put in the old cage above the ring and the match had a special 45:00 TV time limit. Sting was built up well heading into this match but Flair didn't take him seriously as he was treating him like George South early on but Sting didn't take long though to change Flair's outlook. You watch Sting at this time and the future stardom is just reeking off of him and his athleticism was at a high level. They definitely are working long and the early part of the match tells that story and you don't have judges at ringside for nothing so smart folks should've known this was going the distance. Flair was in complete make a superstar mode and Sting was definitely willing to hold up his end of the bargain. This is one of the earliest Sting/Flair matches so you could see the future formula going but the fact that they were going long and being so early made this one different than normal. Sting worked Flair's back fiercely for a while before missing a splash into the corner and landed right arm first on the top rope then got nailed with an inverted atomic drop which allowed Flair to take Sting to the floor where he threw him into the railing. Flair is now in full control and now he is working over Sting's back among hitting his key offensive spots but he is very aggressive now. Sting though fires it up and with one punch he sends Flair over the top rope but misses a flying clothesline into the ringpost hurting that arm again. Flair now keys on the arm but Sting is like a superhuman right now fighting through it all to dish out the pain on Flair. Sting gets the Scorpion Deathlock the first time at the 25:00 mark but Flair gets to the ropes to save himself but the damage was done. Sting would again go flying to the floor but again came back quick and hit a huge cross body block off the top rope for a nearfall which Flair answered back with his patented kneebreaker. Flair now has new life and he is very aggressive at working the knee before finally getting the figure-four leglock with 30:00 gone. Sting again is superhuman in this match and he pulls Flair completely into the middle of the ring and flips the hold but Flair would get to the ropes though. Both men are now selling this war of attrition and trade big swings in momentum before Sting hits a big press slam and then he crotches Flair into the ringpost. Sting then locks on his own figure-four leglock in the middle of the ring before breaking the hold and yelling to the crowd. Sting continued to work Flair's knee though which pissed Flair off enough to shove Tommy Young who shoves right back. Flair goes flying to the floor now as Jim Ross is going insane and Sting is just taking it to Flair posting him which brings out the juice. We now have 5:00 left in the match and both men are putting it all on the line especially Sting who takes a wild bump on a Stinger Splash miss where he goes head first to the floor. The crowd heat is amazing as the minutes go by and Sting is getting nearfalls with Ross & Schiavone killing it on commentary. Tom Miller calls for the 1:00 mark as it is really turning up huge then Sting hits the Stinger Splash and gets the Scorpion Deathlock with 30 seconds left. Flair is fighting his ass off and finally survives as the bell rings ending this epic encounter. It's all in the hands of the judges now with Patty Mullen scoring for Flair which was hilarious, Gary Juster scores it for Sting, Sandy Scott scores it a draw, but they don't read out Jason Hervey & Ken Osmond's scores which is hilarious as they just stop at those 3. Nevertheless this was amazing TV in 1988 and amazing TV in 2015....and this match was the match that made Sting's career. I've seen this many times and every time it holds up. Terrific stuff and one of the most important matches of the era. Slam Dunk Nomination.