Bruiser Brody & Jimmy Snuka vs. Dory and Terry Funk (12/13/81)

- This is famous for the introduction of Stan Hansen to All Japan. Snuka’s over-sell on a mediocre double forearm shot was embarrassing. The match is built around Dory being punished and the heels cutting off the ring with headlocks but Terry distracts Brody so Dory can recover and make the tag. When Terry gets in, he is also getting controlled by Brody and Snuka but his selling is so much better than anyone else in the match. Man, Terry is making this match. If anyone else is in the ring, I would have already rejected this tag match. His selling, the punching contest with Brody, the dive from the top rope all brought elements to the match that would have been lacking without him. Then, of course there is the lariat that puts him out of commission and allows Snuka and Brody to double team Dory into oblivion. This gets a nomination in part because of its historical significance but also because of Terry’s great performance.

 

(AJC 66)

Famous match, of course, but it was an iffy pick at best before the Hansen lariat on Funk. Will's right that Terry was the star, and he hit the high points, including that great throwdown with Brody and the dive to the floor. I also liked Dory's focus on Snuka's leg, which began with a nifty counter of a leapfrog into the spinning toehold. The match was pretty great after Hansen took out Terry. The lariat was a perfect way to establish Hansen as the new big player in town, but it also created a clear dramatic thrust for the rest of this match. As boring as I often find Dory, he was damn good at playing outgunned babyface fighting valiantly against all odds. The postmatch was fun as well with Jumbo and Baba coming in to slug it out with Hansen. This should go on for sure.

Real World Tag League - Finals: Bruiser Brody & "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka vs. Dory & Terry Funk (12/13/81)

 

Stan Hansen accompanies Brody & Snuka to the ring and everyone goes nuts as he had just worked New Japan earlier that day IIRC and was their lead gaijin other than Andre. This is my favorite Snuka incarnation as the roided up Polynesian killer with the mad hops. Terry was awesome here bumping like pinball and taking some big punishment especially from Brody. Dory was fine here as he was fired up and throwing some great european uppercuts and I liked the spot where he grabbed Snuka's leg as he jumped in the air dragging him down for a spinning toehold. The heels would work over Dory for a while before Terry got in and kicked it up another level taking his own Jerry Bump right to the floor. Just insane. Snuka with his springboard splash for a nearfall was a neat spot for 1981 and I wonder why he didn't use it more. Terry wasn't going to be one upped though so after Dory chunked Snuka to the floor, Terry jumped off the top rope to the floor with a plancha before Brody sent him to the crowd for a bit. I liked the slugfest between Terry & Brody with both of them just laying in the shots and standing tall. The Funks would then start working over Snuka's left leg with Dory cranking in the spinning toehold as Brody sent Terry into a lariat by Hansen on the floor. This pissed off Dory who started firing shots on the heels posting Brody who bladed on camera TWICE. Dory couldn't keep up with the numbers game since Terry was dead on the floor but did kick out of a Snuka diving headbutt and other pin attempts until he caught Snuka in the ribs with his knees on a splash attempt. Dory then got a kneecrusher and went back to the spinning toehold on Snuka but Brody would tag in and he caught Dory with a shot to the back before hitting the King Kong Kneedrop for the pin. The heels celebrated in the ring getting their trophies but Dory still had some fight and it was 3-on1 until Baba & Jumbo hit the ring with Baba & Hansen locking it up then Jumbo joining in with Hansen juicing after taking Baba chops galore in a wild scene. Terry would finally get helped to the back as the heels would then run to the locker room to continue their brawling with Baba & Jumbo before being chased out. Then we got a great promo by Hansen afterwards vowing revenge saying he wasn't going to take Baba's shit. This was fucking awesome and the match was pretty good as well. Definite nomination.