NWA World Heavyweight Title - SR: Michael Hayes: "Nature Boy" Ric Flair © vs. "The Modern Day Warrior" Kerry Von Erich (12/25/82)

 

This is a grand slam nomination and of the greatest matches of the 80's, just that simple.

Yeah, this is a real easy pick. Kerry looked great here, just the consummate fiery babyface and ate the steel door like a champ. Flair threw some of the hardest chops of his career, bounced around the ring like a pinball, and bled like a stuck pig. Hayes was great as the special guest second ref. All the more reason to include the six-man from earlier in the night that I nominated, because it really gives you an idea of the gravity of the turn to see Hayes deliver this great babyface performance as a Von Erich friend in the prior match, and then spend most of this match as the tough but impartial referee who gradually loses his cool before the big heel turn. This is kinda like the DiBiase/Duggan multi-stip match in that with all the overbboking in this match, it seems kinda easy to dismiss to the untrained eye, but every aspect of the match actually fits perfectly.

 

(WCCW X-Mas Star Wars 82)

Also, the disc I watched this on (WCCW X-Mas Star Wars 82) follows the main show with clips from a later show featuring Bill Mercer interviewing Kerry Von Erich and David Manning about the match that I think have to be included as extras. They really go a long way in painting the portrait of one of the biggest angles of the 80's.

Hey Steven, make sure to put up a disc summary of the show in the show section

Hey Steven, make sure to put up a disc summary of the show in the show section

Will do, although as fate would have it, I nominated three of the four matches on this disc, and touched on the fourth in one of those nominations.

It just helps to have a summary of what is on each disc in two places. You can just C+P your thoughts

It's a classic.