Anyway, it's only now I'm discovering NWA to it's fullest. I've stumbled upon stacks of it and now I'm completely hooked. I've heard this event is a classic, so as I write this opening, I have yet to watch CLASH OF THE CHAMPIONS, so my review is going to be immediately after viewing this event. My buddy over at 'Whiskey & Wrestling' said it's the shit though, and that's good enough for me. Plus, Dusty is there.
Match 1 - NWA World Television Championship Match - Mike Rotundo (c) vs Jimmy Garvin (c) - Amatuer Rules Match
I don't know what it is with Mike Rotundo. I don't think he's bad in any way but I just feel nothing for him. By that, I don't mean I don't appreciate his matches because I do, but I just don't root for him but I don't hate him either. Kevin Sullivan on the other hand, I appreciate because he's easy to hate for being an old bastard. For that reason, I kinda admire him. Jimmy Garvin though, I really like Jimmy Garvin. Thew more NWA I watch, the more Jimmy Garvin I'm seeing and I'm somewhat of a fan. He's by far my favorite by any means, but I do like him, especially in this match because he has wild hair and looks like a an out of control wild beast when he shoves the referee. It's like evolution skipped him here and went straight to Kevin Sullivan's thighs.
This match consists of 3 5 minute periods, and within those periods is your limit to win the match. It's amateur wrestling rules so they're taking it back to the basics. The first round doesn't really get going until the last 2 minutes, with both competitors tying up in the grapple until Rotunda breaks up the routine with a punch and a snake eyes on to the ropes. Dirty bastard he is. The first period ends with Rotundo trying to submit Garvin, but Garvin holds on until the end of the round.
The second round starts of as Rotunda's but the momentum shifts when he takes to the turnbuckle and Garvin takes advantage by slamming him to the mat when Rotunda is up top. Rotunda won the match with a 1 count pin early into the 2nd round and the match descended into chaos with interference from Sullivan dressed like an occultist, Rick Steiner and that bitch Phoenix with a 2x4. It's fun, sure, but I'd like to have seen the match go for at least another full round. It was good while it lasted though.
Match 2 - NWA United States Tag Team Championship - Midnight Express (c) vs The Fantastics
One of the great tag team feuds. You know what wrestling lacks just now? Great tag team feuds. And great tag teams (I'm talking mainstream US here). Tag team wrestling is the best kind of wrestling for me, so I really miss it not being prominent. And man, were these teams not just fucking amazing, along with many other great teams of this era. This was a legendary Mid-South tag team feud that drizzled over into NWA - and that's awesome. There's no need to stop a good thing, especially when there's so much great chemistry.
The match starts off great from the entrance, with a front show shot of ladies in awe of the Express. The must have been vaginal magnets back then and Cornette was probably getting the fugly's. Then The Fantastics enter and the match instantly becomes chaos - there's outside all out brawling, high flying, chairs, tables and Cornettes... It's beautiful. The match manages to reach some semblance of a regular tag team match for a couple of minutes - until Rogers is slammed face first into a table by Eaton that Jim Cornette has held up for this exact purpose. It gets even better when Rogers headbutts Lane right in the nuts after taking a leg drop and a big elbow. Rogers then takes a perfect powerslam to fuck him up even more than he already is. Seriously - Rogers has been getting dominated and it doesn't stop because he takes an elbow from the top rope soon after. Lane is then tagged back in and he delivers a powerful gutwrench suplex on Rogers, who sells it like a god then becomes the victim of a series of double team moves by the Midnight Express. Rogers keeps hanging in there though and even manages a sunset flip but the ref is distracted by his partner on the apron and it's quickly broken up with a head stomp. The he's thrown to the outside and body slammed on a piece of broken table. Damn, you start feeling for the poor guy. He's so fucked up he can barely stand and his very own partner needs to feed him to the sharks again just so he doesn't get counted out. Eventually, he manages the tag but ref didn't see it so it didn't count, Fulton sends the ref over the rope, Rogers gets a frog splash and 3 count but the Fantastics get DQ'd. In true celebratory fashion Cornette even hits a ref with a tennis racket for the hell of it. Why not?
Amazing match.
Match 3 -The Road Warriors & Dusty Rhodes vs The Powers of Pain & Ivan Koloff - Barbed Wire Match
Also referred to as the Chicago Street Fight, this match has barbed wire wrapped around the ring ropes. It's safe to assume that this isn't going to be a respectful wrestling match. It's going to be chaos - Animal has a hockey mask. This ain't no World of Sport here. This is Friday the 13th Road Warriors style. It's an unsanctioned brawl and these guys just go for each other from the off. It kicks ass. You know what's great about the Road Warriors? Big fucking slams. Everyone likes a big fucking slam to get their adrenalin going. All I can say about this match is chaos. A perfect mid card brawl to get the fans excited. It's definitely not for everyone, but it certainly is perfect for those who like chaos in the ballroom.
Match 4 - NWA World Tag Team Championship - Arn & Tully (c) vs Barry Windham & Lex Luger
Nothing screams dream match like this. 3 out of the 4 of these guys I could watch wrestle forever. Lex Luger, I like him as well back at this time. On paper, this was definitely one I had high hopes for. And it didn't disappoint me either.
The match begins with a mild decimation of Tully by Luger, but after Arn breaks up the torture rack, Arn and Tully begin to get themselves into the match and focus on Luger's leg. But Luger counters a leglock and tags in Windham and the big man clears house. Windham dominates until Arn Anderson disrupts his abdominal stretch on Tully by punching him on the face and following it up with a DDT. It's not long after this we are privileged to the spinebuster, which Arn Anderson does as good as anyone in the history of pro wrestling. He's arguably even the best. He begins to force pin Windham by using his strength but Windham keeps kicking out, although with the posture and look on Arn then I have no doubts that he'd be a good forceful murderer. You could imagine him suffocating someone when you see him here.
The Horsemen didn't really get fully going here due to the explosiveness of their opponents, but the match was still reasonably back and forth. The pace is constantly nothing short of frantic either and in the end it's the Horsemen's own attempt at treachery that backfires and causes them to lose their belts and crown Lex and Barry the tag team champions.
Match 5 - NWA World Heavyweight Championship - Ric Flair (c) vs Sting
Guest celebrity judges were brought into this one and it really gave it a big match feel. This is a match I've watched many times before. I don't know a lot of wrestling fans who haven't seen this match. When I was 15 years old, and obsessed with high risk matches and hardcore wrestling I watched this and it changed my outlook completely. This was the match that ultimately made me fall in love with technical wrestling. Since then I've seen many more matches I prefer, especially from Flair, but this really is a classic match. It's matches like this that give titles credibility. Love or hate Flair, he had so many matches that brought immense credibility to the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.
This was my favorite Sting as well. I thought he looked better at this time and I preferred him as a wrestler. I've never really cared for his Crow gimmick, but Sting in the 80's and early 90's is pretty cool. This match really is great. I mean, don't watch it if you don't enjoy 4 minute headlocks and such, but if you do like that kinda stuff then check it out.
As expected in a match like this, both have spells of dominance, I mean, it is 40 minutes long. It isn't boring for one second though. The match ended with a time limit draw, with the decisions of the judges ultimately favoring Flair without actually not favoring Sting. Go figure.
Summary Thought: A great PPV and one I'm going to watch over and over. To think that people paid for Mania when this was free.... well, they really missed out. I reckon it would have been amazing to see this one live. Really really great event.
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