All Japan Classics 74

 

Terry Funk vs. Bruiser Brody (12/7/82) (14:11)

- The story here has Funk nursing his ear that Brody kicked early in the match so Brody keeps attacking the ear, enough to make it bleed. He rams Terry’s head into the ringpost. When Terry tries to get in the ring, he kicks the ear. He drops knee drops on the head. This is actually a pretty smart match. Even though this is a Brody match, Terry’s selling is great. There is also an awesome Brody piledriver that looked brutal, especially after Terry had tried so hard to prevent it. Eventually, Terry gets a break after a low-blow sends Brody outside. On the outside, Funk busts Brody open after ramming him in the ringpost and slamming a table on him. Now, both guys are flowing and I mark out for the visual. This was pretty damn fun until Hansen interfered, which also brought out Dory for a post-match brawl. I have no problem nominating this match. It had blood, great brawling, focus on a body part and Brody even sold a little.

 

Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Harley Race (UN Title, 8/1/82) (19:14)

- I do understand where Phil is coming from since Race does throw out a lot of moves that other people were using as finishers. This doesn’t bother me though because I love his selling and Race doesn’t treat them as finishers. I have seen Terry Funk, Jerry Lawler, and a ton of other guys use the piledriver, only to see people pop up so I won’t hold it against Race. Harley busts Jumbo open again in this match as well and goes to work on the cut…. Headbutts, punches, knee drops. I love how Jumbo’s blood smears over Harley’s head with each headbutt. Jumbo shows his fighting spirit and fights back but that blood is flowing! One spot you have to watch out for is Jumbo’s SICK running clothesline… he just decapitates Race. I think Race is bleeding but there is so much blood I can’t tell. Race ends up winning cleanly and I like this match much more than the April match. Solid nomination.

 

Stan Hansen vs. Terry Funk (9/11/82)

- Both guys are awesome brawlers and throw awesome punches so I am expecting a lot. Early on, Hansen punishes Terry and Terry looks like he has no plan to counter Stan. Terry gets control shortly but then both guys go to the mat where the camera really captures some great stuff with Funk’s stiff strikes and Hansen’s selling. This started off great but descended into silliness. We get ref bump, Hansen giving a lariat to the 2nd ref, Ron Bass coming in so Hansen can lariat Terry, Hansen choking Terry with streamers. This would have come off so much better if it was just a DQ ending and the craziness happened post-match.

 

Giant Baba v. Stan Hansen (PWF Title, 09/14/82)

- Hansen runs into the crowd and attacks Baba before he can even make it to the ring. Hansen never lets Baba recover as he acts like a bulldog, attacking Baba as he finally makes his way in the ring. This doesn’t last long and eventually the match is thrown out after Baba’s troops try to prevent Hansen form injuring Baba.

Terry Funk vs. Bruiser Brody (12/7/82)

 

Funk blades the ear again which he loved to do at this time period and Brody goes to work on it forcing some good juice with Terry being awesome selling it as usual. The battle for the piledriver with Terry flopping his legs then just getting drilled by Brody was awesome and the fans were going nuts here wanting Terry to come back which he does while selling the ear after kicking him in the balls. Funk would take it to the floor and posted Brody getting the juice from him and this turns into a war of attrition as both men go back and forth on each other before Terry would get the spinning toehold which brought out Hansen. Hansen stays at ringside as Terry tries to fight back in this wild brawl so Dory comes out to counter him starting another brawl until it goes to the ring where Hansen attacks Terry and Joe Higuchi calls for the bell. This is just insanity as guys are brawling everywhere including Jumbo who cleans house with a chair. This was great stuff and a definite nomination.

 

NWA United National Heavyweight Title: Jumbo Tsuruta © vs. Harley Race (8/1/82)

 

This is your standard fare Harley/Jumbo match to begin until Race just starts destroying Jumbo with headbutts then posting him on the floor forcing the juice and Jumbo tapes a gusher with the blood going down like water. Race is vicious working over the cut but mixes in other moves as he just plants him with a nice backdrop suplex. Jumbo then fires up a comeback then forcing him to juice from as well and we have another juicefest and I tell ya AJPW is giving Southwest a run for it's money in the juice department. This also turns into a war of attrition with both men going all out trying to get the win like Jumbo just destroying Race with a neckbreaker drop then hits a German Suplex hold for a nearfall. Harley then goes for what looks like a kneebreaker but drops down with a backdrop suplex still holding the knee to get the clean pin and to win the title. Cool finishing move that ends a damn good match. Easy nomination.

 

Terry Funk vs. Stan "The Lariat" Hansen (9/11/82)

 

This was nothing but a wild brawl with a hot crowd as both men just teed off on each other with Hansen being more dominant of course. They just kept beating the hell out of each other and this is awesome although the ref bump was pretty shitty as it seemed like Hansen ran right for Higuchi. The backup ref with a Vincent Price style mustache showed up and of course he got his ass kicked eating a serious lariat. Ron Bass then ran out holding Terry by the legs so he could eat another serious lariat. Higuchi then got back in the ring and the match kept going until he called for the bell. This was insanity and definitely moves forward.

 

PWF Heavyweight Title: Giant Baba © vs. Stan "The Lariat" Hansen (9/14/82)

 

Hansen would run through the crowd and attacked Baba before he could get into the ring. Hansen kicked Baba's ass for a while until Baba made a comeback but Hansen was relentless in his beating forcing Joe Higuchi to call for the DQ.