OK, this is a match that could end up being divisive. There are at least two spots based on Iceman having an invincible head because he's black. If you've been desensitized to racism in wrestling as much as I have, him popping up from a Harley Race falling headbutt while Race stays down probably won't bug you too much. Him no-selling the post shot could start some trouble. It's a well-executed comedy spot - Race posts him, turns around to jawjack with David Von Erich (who's accompanied Parsons to ringside), David points behind him, Race turns around and eats a nasty headbutt from Parsons. But it's still Parsons no-selling a posting. It's especially baffling in the context of the rest of Parsons' work, where he really has never been shown to have an invincible head, and his big feud with Roberts showed him getting hit in the head with Roberts' loaded headgear to be an instant knockout. So Roberts was loading his headgear with something harder than the ringpost? But those are just the two spots where it's clearly supposed to be Parsons having an invincible head. Later in the match, we revisit the Great Harley Race Controversy of 2008 ™, with a spot where Race brainbusts Iceman on the concrete. Iceman staggers to his feet pretty quickly, and makes it back to the ring much sooner than Race did on his two teased countouts in this match, which came off of much tamer moves. Is this Race making his opponent undersell a devastating move ala his piledriver on the concrete to Koko? Or does the combination of Parsons' invincible head and his post-brainbuster grogginess mean he's selling accumulated damage? Or does none of this matter because Parsons never had an invincible head before this match, his most prominent feud hinged to a large degree on his lack of an invincible head, and thus all of this is ridiculous?

 

Or, do you choose to look at this as I do, decide the match was more fun than all but a handful of matches I've watched so far, and let the inconsistencies slide? Yeah, some of those inconsistencies are pretty big when put into context, and I wouldn't blame anyone for not being able to get into the match because of them Problem is, they hooked me from the word go. The pre-match stuff where "We Are Family" starts playing and Race starts bitching that he "came here to wrestle, not to dance", and then he sees that David has come to the ring with Parsons and almost gets into a fight with him before the match starts. Race is pissed about the whole thing. He chews out David Manning because David shouldn't be allowed out here, then complains that Manning shouldn't be out there because he "intentionally" hit him in a previous match. I can't put my finger on why, but David Manning is quickly becoming one of my favorite referees ever. He clearly does not want to deal with Race's bullshit, but is determined to call the match right down the middle. When Parsons kisses the NWA Title, Race has had enough and jumps him, and shit's on. I know a thing or two about wrestling history. I know Iceman King Parsons was never NWA champion. The fact that I'm pulling for him to win the title in a match that happened before I was born suggests that these guys were doing something right. Even Bill Mercer delivers on commentary. He keeps track of how many nearfalls Parsons gets on Race, which really hammers home how close he is to becoming the first black NWA champion. And the crowd is right behind him, too. The aforementioned teased countouts of Race were some of the loudest "crowd counts along with the action" segments I've ever heard. The finish was about as good as a Dusty finish gets. A down-and-out Race smacks David, goading him into hitting him back, which sends him careening backwards, and Iceman hits him with the Butt Butt like he was shot out of a cannon to get the pin, but Bronko Lubich was working on the outside, saw what happened, and Race wins by DQ. So much fun. Not everyone will like it as much as I did, but I'd be lying to myself if I didn't nominate it.

WCCW Digest: 10/83 - 12/83

 

 

Harley Race vs King Parsons - 10/??/1983 (NWA title)

 

I thought this was excellent with Race in his role as World champion was spot on.I dug how Race kept the belt hidden beneath his robe until he was introduced as champ is a neat touch that we don't see in the wrestling scene today.Race was awesome in making Parsons look like a million bucks with all the near falls and such. Parsons worked hard here so it wasn't all Race. The inconsistancies with Parson's having a hard head didn't bother me because I thought him and Race worked the spots well and I believed that Parsons had a cement head. The crowd was super hot for all those near falls and it fealt good that the crowd got so much behind Parsons in his shot at the title.Overall this was great, and a nomination.

NWA World Heavyweight Title: Harley Race © vs. Iceman King Parsons (10/7/83)

 

Fun seeing a non Von Erich get a title shot especially Iceman although David was in his corner. Harley was great before the match being a grumpy old fuck due to Iceman having entrance music then David Manning being the referee and DVE being at ringside. This was a textbook touring NWA champion Race vs. territory babyface style match as it made you feel like Iceman could get the win on any nearfall. The stuff with the headbutts was fine as Harley loved to use his head and when he wrestled a black guy it would always backfire. Both men were great in their roles here and the fans were smoking hot for Iceman as they thought he could win the title. Harley broke out the brainbuster on the floor that Iceman would get up from pretty quickly trying to put him away but Iceman's head was hard you know and it didn't phase him as much. Harley would soon try a piledriver on the floor but Iceman would counter that with a backdrop. Of course David would get baited to hit Race which Bronko Lubich saw on the floor that led to Race eating the Butt Butt by Iceman with David Manning counting the pinfall. Lubich then tells Manning of this and Iceman loses by DQ as DVE protests. This was a blast and this is a easy nomination.