All Japan Classics 72

 

Ric Flair vs. Ric Steamboat (NWA Title, 6/4/82) (20:16)

- This is really the prototype Flair-Steamboat match. Lots of Flair stooging and bumping. Lots of Steamboat arm drags and headlocks. Lots of quick pinfalls. When Flair takes control, you get the great Steamboat selling and the Flair legwork. In the end, Flair reverses a Steamboat body press into a pin. Really, there is no way you don’t include this match. I don’t know where it would rank on a final ballot but Flair-Steamboat by the numbers is better than most wrestling from any promotion.

 

Ric Flair vs. Jumbo Tsuruta (NWA Title, 6/8/82)

- I love Flair on the Mid Atlantic/NWA set. I love him more in Japan. Two back-to-back kickass Flair matches on one show. Once again, this is all about Jumbo and Flair fighting for every move. There isn’t any real body work (which I love) but these types of matches stand up as a war of attrition where you see each guy throw out his arsenal and seeing if the other guy can withstand it. Some notable spots include Jumbo’s body press) where he gets enough air to hit Flair in the head) and Jumbo’s missile dropkick which isn’t spectacular by itself. It is just something you don’t expect from Jumbo. The match ends with an awkward German suplex where both guys get pinned. So-so ending to a great match and an easy nomination.

NWA World Heavyweight Title: "Nature Boy" Ric Flair vs. Ricky Steamboat (6/4/82)

 

The legends bring their feud to Japan and the fans are hot for Steamboat. You have to wonder when doing this set, is there going to be a match that these two had that is on tape from the 80's that won't be on this set because I don't think so. These two were made for each other and their matches were always great and this was no different. This could've taken place at Greensboro Coliseum, The Scope in Norfolk, or the Expo Center in Sumter and it looked like what those matches must have looked like that we will never see. Great finish as well and this is an easy nomination.

 

NWA World Heavyweight Title: "Nature Boy" Ric Flair © vs. Jumbo Tsuruta (6/8/82)

 

This may be the debut show of the legendary red/blue AJ mat. Fuyuki as Flair's attendant here was funny. Now this was an awesome match with that epic feel you want in your world title matches as both men were locked in a tough battle not just physically but mentally as they were trying to figure out what it took to beat the other one and how to do it. Jumbo was so great as the fired up babyface as it was like he had watched Flair work in the US against his normal opponents and thought "I want to have matches like this dammit." The fans were great here as well as they were hot the whole match and wanted Jumbo to win in the worst way. The finishing sequence was just awesome with the fans going nuts because they avoided a double countout to the double pinfall. Slam dunk nomination.