Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Dick Murdoch (2/23/80) They started methodically with a lot of back-and-forth armwork. Some will find it slow, but they kept it active enough for me. Murdoch eventually moved to working over Jumbo's back and that led to him taking the first fall with a brainbuster. I liked how aggressive he was in pressing his advantage to start the second fall. The whole fall was a quick burst of action compared to the first with Jumbo eventually overpowering Murdoch and trying it with a suplex. Jumbo had it all going his way in the third until he sold a tweaked knee after hitting his driving knee from the top. In a very cool finish, Murdoch pounced on the knee and used a spinning toe-hold as a pinning maneuver (don't know if I've ever seen that before.) They did a good job of building the match over three falls. The slower opening might keep it down on a lot of ballots, but if I was ordering a set, this is a match I'd want to see.

 

Dick Murdoch vs. Tiger Toguchi (2/27/80) - This was a draw, clipped to hell. What made tape was quite. Murdoch dominated the first fall with a combo of armwork and brawling only for Toguchi to find a small opening and submit him with an abdominal stretch. Toguchi followed with a really focused attack on Murdoch's back int he second fall. But this time, Dick managed to survive the onslaught and counter with a bunch of nifty uppercuts and elbows. In the third fall, they both came off as fighting through fatigue and trying every roll-up they could think of to win the damn thing. I liked all the desperate punches and kicks from the ground to break up pin attempts. I can't nominate it because less than half made tape, but I enjoyed it.

 

Dick Murdoch vs. Jumbo Tsuruta (3/5/80) - There's a sizable clip in the first fall, but overall, this was probably more exciting than their first match. The first fall was like a mini-match in itself. They started with nifty, high-energy matwork. Dick tried to take over the fall with his brawling but Jumbo wore him down by going after his back and neck. His offense looked great as he finished Murdoch off. Again, they went for a quick burst of action in the second fall. These guys did a nice job of flowing from one fall to the next instead of essentially re-starting with every break. Murdoch got to hit his big offense (knee driving Jumbo's skull into canvas, brainbuster) to even it up. Actually, the whole thing was a mirror image of the first match. Murdoch was dominating Jumbo in the third fall, but Jumbo countered out of a piledriver and seized Murdoch into a quick roll-up to regain his title. Despite the clip, this featured a lot of action and a smart build that played off the first match. Another yes for this pairing.

 

Dick Murdoch vs. Tor Kamata (3/2/80) - Kamata was a smaller, less charismatic version of Abby so of course, Murdoch was happy to start a seedy, nasty brawl with him. They had some sweet exchanges of throat thrusts and straight rights. They bit each other, they swung chairs, they bled. Murdoch hit some sweet dropkicks and did the redneck Ali shuffle. Of course, it had to end with them mauling the ref, but it's hard to watch a good Murdoch brawl and say there's no place for it. So I'll move this forward for now.

 

Dos Caras vs. Dr. Wagner (3/2/80 Mexico light heavyweight division) - Badly clipped, but I think we should include it as an extra to show how advanced the lucha guys were with their flying and intricate mat shit.

 

Champion carnival ceremony (55/3)

 

Jumbo Tsuruta vs. curl phage (???) (3/28/80) - Jumbo dominated an uninteresting match.

 

Mysterious Assassin vs. Baba (3/28/80) - Baba dominated an uninteresting match.

 

Terry Funk vs. Ray Candy (3/28/80) - Terry turned in a typically fun performance, bounding around to put over Candy's heavy shots and getting the crowd into it with his fiery rally. It needed a little more time or a signature moment to make me think harder about a nomination. Besides, we'll have plenty of Terry doing his thing.

2 out of 3 falls for the NWA United National Heavyweight Title: Jumbo Tsuruta © vs. "Capt. Redneck" Dick Murdoch (2/23/80)

 

This starts out with some good back and forth matwork but it would pick up with Murdoch working over Jumbo's back before Murdoch takes the first fall with a brainbuster. Murdoch started the next fall being way more aggressive than the last fall as he was going for the kill as he used a piledriver for a nearfall and kept working over the neck. Jumbo would get out of a brainbuster attempt and tried for a German Suplex but couldn't get him up due to his back so he hit a swinging neckbreaker to even the falls up. Jumbo starts the third fall like Murdoch did the last trying to put Murdoch away even using a piledriver himself for a nearfall. Jumbo started feeling better and got a backdrop suplex for a nearfall before a high knee off the top rope but that would hurt Jumbo as much as Murdoch. Murdoch then went to work on the knee and got a spinning toehold which he turned into a pinfall to win the title. There was zero crowd heat here but this was a really good match and it says something for Murdoch that he won the title from Jumbo who had held it for almost 3 years at this point. This moves forward.

 

2 out of 3 falls for the NWA United National Heavyweight Title: "Capt. Redneck" Dick Murdoch © vs. Tiger Toguchi (2/27/80)

 

This is clipped.

 

2 out of 3 falls for the NWA United National Heavyweight Title: "Capt. Redneck" Dick Murdoch © vs. Jumbo Tsuruta (3/5/80)

 

This starts out with good matwork like their previous match but at a faster pace and with more impact moves sprinkled in as well. Murdoch tried to maul Jumbo but Jumbo fired back working over Murdoch's neck and back setting up him taking the first fall with a gutwrench suplex to a good pop. The second fall continues with much of the same action from the first with a hyped up Jumbo working over Murdoch but it wasn't long before Murdoch would take back the advantage with the calf branding being the catalyst followed up by a brainbuster to even up the falls. Murdoch was aggressive starting the third fall as he wanted to finish off Jumbo hitting a big diving elbow drop off the top rope and an Oklahoma Stampede but Jumbo would counter a piledriver with Murdoch hitting the turnbuckle face first then caught him with an inside cradle to regain the title. This was a blast and this is a definite nomination.

 

"Capt. Redneck" Dick Murdoch vs. Tor Kamata (3/2/80)

 

Funny seeing Onita led Murdoch to the ring. This of course is a brawl at the bell with Kamata on the attack with Murdoch fighting back before it goes to the floor where Kamata posts Murdoch bringing out the juice which Kamata goes after. Kamata tries to put Murdoch away with his big splash off the top rope but Murdoch moved out of the way and Korakuen is hot for him so he takes it to the floor where he works over Kamata who is now juicing himself. Murdoch would hit a dropkick on Kamata after he got back in the ring before breaking out the Ali shuffle of all things but Kamata wasn't affected and he went back to biting on Murdoch then back to the floor where Murdoch would throw Kamata through a row of chairs. Kamata came back in the ring wanting more though so Murdoch obliged and they brawled for a while before Joe Higuchi tried to stop them and he got hit so he called for the bell. This was a fun brawl mostly thanks to Murdoch but Kamata was okay and I think it should move forward for discussion.

 

2 out of 3 falls: Dos Caras vs. Dr. Wagner (3/2/80)

 

Yeah this is really good stuff although it was clipped.

 

Next is the Champion Carnival 1980 opening ceremony.

 

Champion Carnival: Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Carl Fergie (3/28/80)

 

Nothing match.

 

Champion Carnival: Giant Baba vs. The Mysterious Assassin (Bobby Jaggers) (3/28/80)

 

Nothing match.

 

Champion Carnival: Terry Funk vs. Ray Candy (3/28/80)

 

The fans love Terry here and he is great as usual here selling like crazy then making a fiery comeback. Candy was okay here but this wasn't enough for a nomination.