So one of the stock putdowns used against guys like us is mocking us for our preference of "smart" matches over "good" matches. I guess "good" matches are actually supposed to be stupid. Whatever. "Smart" matches are "good" matches, and this is an excellent example of why.

 

I think we can all safely agree that Mike Von Erich sucked pretty hard, and were this match not as smartly worked as it was, he would've dragged it down big time. Instead, they do the smart thing with Mike - use him as little as possible without taking him out of the picture entirely, and when he's in the ring, just have him do really basic stuff that he can't screw up that bad. The match is structured as such: Mike controls the 'Birds early on, but does so with drop toe holds into deathlocks, which he does pretty well. Not as well as Kevin or Jimmy Garvin, but well enough that you won't fault him for it. Chris Adams comes in, and the Freebirds take over. Normally, this match shouldn't work, as while Adams can play FIP just fine, eating a beatdown is the one thing that Mike is really actively good at (besides drop toe holds, I guess), and Adams has great-looking offense, so you'd think having Mike as the hot tag guy instead of Chris is setting the match up to fail. Not so. Mike gets the hot tag, and grabs a headscissors takedown that pulls Roberts from the apron into the ring. Not bad-looking, but also not the kind of offense you'd expect for a hot tag. Not to worry, as Hayes goes after Mike, leading to a brief FIP section before Adams gets the hot tag, allowing him to fill both major functions of the tag match without completely marginalizing his partner. Superkicks galore. We get a great finish, as the Freebirds retake control with double teams, but Mike keeps pulling Hayes off of Adams when ever he goes for the pin. David Manning chastises Mike, which allows the Birds to double team Adams again while Manning is distracted, but Mike pulls Hayes off of Adams, which leads to Manning chastising Mike, which distracts him him so the Birds can double team Adams again....and so on and so forth until Adams counters a double team into an inside cradle, and Manning turns back in time to count the three. Alan4L would probably complain that Mike didn't bust out enough high-end offense. I say that Mike is lucky when he can execute low-end offense without looking like shit, and the smart work here makes this an easy nomination.

Mike Von Erich & Chris Adams vs. Michael Hayes & Buddy Roberts Legends of WCCW 9/13, 9/14/88

- Mike and Buddy start off and Mike is not actively bad here. He doesn’t do anything that stands out but he isn’t embarrassing to watch. Adams comes in and he connects an odd looking superkick to Buddy. Didn’t look right. Adams hooks on a sleeper and if he ahs one weakness, it is not working in and out of the sleeper he tends to over rely on. Buddy is pretty great making both of the faces look like world beaters. Hayes ends up beating on Adams and Chris is your FIP. Really good beatdown on Adams but I am not amped to see Mike as the guy waiting for the hot tag. Nice spot as Buddy climbs on the apron and Mike brings him in with a head scissors. Hot finishing stretch with the Birds trying to put away Adams but Mike keeps making the save. When Adams hits the small package, Buddy doesn’t make the save and the faces get the tag. I can see this on the set. Not a strong nomination but a nomination nonetheless.

“Gentleman” Chris Adams & Mike Von Erich vs. The Fabulous Freebirds (Michael Hayes & Buddy Roberts) (7/20/84)

 

There is a great moment before the match where Hayes does his moonwalk so Buddy decides he wants to try his own version and of course he falls on his ass which was tremendous. Hayes was awesome here being Michael Hayes and the Birds are solid as a team here both on offense and defense with Buddy really trying to help make Mike look good. Adams is damn good as the FIP taking a beating and he makes a small comeback but misses a diving body press going into the top rope. As they show a replay though, Buddy tries the same move and has the same fate but he falls to the floor with his letting Adams recover to hit a Superkick on Hayes as he tried to come in and he got the hot tag to Mike. Mike would bring Buddy back in the ring with a flying headscissors which would end up leaving Mike vulnerable in the heel corner with Hayes getting the tag and hitting a big clothesline followed up by his big reverse diving elbow drop off the middle rope for a nearfall. Mike would soon get away though and got the tag back to Adams who cleans house hitting a Superkick on Buddy and setting off a 4-way brawl. Birds would get a couple of nearfalls with Mike breaking them up each time as Buddy gave Adams a couple of bodyslams with Hayes covering but on the third time, Adams would lock Buddy in an inside cradle to get the win. Birds would then jump Adams after the match with Hayes hitting a piledriver after Buddy who was on the top rope was shaken down by Mike. This was very good even with Mike invovled and I think it’s a nomination.