THE MOSS COVERED THREE HANDLED FAMILY CREDENZA

ARTICLE #57
OCTOBER 29, 2002

Late-80s Old School Classics

Given the limited number of reviews on my website devoted to pre-1990 content, I've decided to review some of the best matches from the late-1980s in this article. Although I didn't put much thought into the selection of matches, besides their quality, two patterns seem to emerge, kind of. One, Jumbo Tsuruta was one of the top workers in Japan if not the best worker there, and two, Ric Flair was definitely the man in America.

7/4/87 War Games: Dusty Rhodes, Nikita Koloff, Road Warriors (Hawk & Animal) & Paul Ellering vs Ric Flair, Lex Luger, Tully Blanchard, Arn Anderson & J.J. Dillon

Rhodes and Anderson started the match. Rhodes landed a bionic elbow and went to the other ring. Rhodes actually dropkicked Anderson from the second rope (he was holding onto the cage too) and threw him into the other ring. Anderson landed some punches but Rhodes responded with his elbows and punches, including a low blow. Anderson kneelifted Rhodes but telegraphed a backdrop and Rhodes DDTd him. Anderson bled as Rhodes grinded his head into the cage. Rhodes rammed Anderson's head twice into the cage. Anderson kicked Rhodes's leg and they moved to the other ring. Rhodes kicked Anderson and rammed him into the cage. Rhodes punched Anderson but Anderson punched and snapmared him. Anderson missed a kneedrop and Rhodes applied a figure 4 leglock for a pop. Rhodes stomped Anderson's leg. The heels won the coin toss and sent Blanchard in. Rhodes elbowed both heels at will. Blanchard kneelifted Rhodes and Anderson landed some punches. Blanchard stomped Rhodes's leg and Anderson applied a figure 4 leglock. Blanchard stomped Rhodes's leg. Animal entered the cage and threw Blanchard clear into the second ring. Animal tackled Anderson and catapulted Blanchard repeatedly into the cage. Animal shoulderblocked Blanchard and Rhodes clotheslined Anderson. Animal grinded Blanchard's face into the cage and both faces punched Blanchard. Anderson jumped off the top rope but right into a clothesline from Animal. Animal elbowsmashed Anderson and Rhodes rammed Blanchard into the cage. Flair entered the cage next and attacked Animal. Flair chopped Animal but Animal fought back. Anderson and Flair rammed Animal into the cage. Flair attacked Rhodes and Blanchard stomped his leg. Flair and Anderson rammed Animal into the cage again and Anderson gave him some punches. Rhodes went after Flair and Anderson and Animal low-blowed Tully. Flair gave a bloody Rhodes a couple chops and Anderson added punches. Flair grinded Rhodes's head into the cage. Blanchard clotheslined Animal. Koloff entered the cage. Flair and Anderson whipped Koloff into the corner but Koloff gave them a double clothesline. Koloff attacked Blanchard and rammed him into the cage, then gave him a Russian sickle. Animal press slammed Flair and Rhodes attacked Anderson's leg. Blanchard kicked Animal but Koloff attacked him with punches. Anderson low-blowed Animal. Koloff went after Flair with a kneelift and rammed him into the cage. Rhodes and Animal gave Flair a double dropkick. Luger came in and attacked Koloff. Luger powerslammed Koloff and stomped him, then hit Animal. Flair gave Koloff a low blow and Liger slammed him. Blanchard and Flair gave Koloff a spike piledriver. Animal attacked Anderson and Luger with elbows. Blanchard and Flair spike piledrove Koloff again. Animal clotheslined Luger. Blanchard and Flair attacked Rhodes. Hawk then entered the cage and clotheslined Luger. Hawk dropped Blanchard head first onto the top turnbuckle and attacked Flair and Anderson. Hawk attacked Luger with punches and kicks with great intensity. Hawk no-sold chops from Flair. Anderson punched Hawk and Flair got the better of Animal. Hawk chopped Anderson and gave him a fistdrop. Dillon entered as Flair had Rhodes in a figure 4 leglock. Hawk attacked Dillon for a pop. Animal tackled Luger and Hawk backed Flair down. Dillon and Anderson choked Rhodes. Hawk grinded Flair's face into the cage. Luger pounded Hawk and Anderson rammed Koloff into the cage. Rhodes punched Dillon. Three heels attacked Koloff and Luger pounded him. Ellering entered the cage as Hawk gave Luger a shoulderbreaker. Ellering attacked Dillon as expected, and atomic dropped him. Luger attacked Ellering but Animal intervened. Rhodes punched Luger as Ellering had Dillon down. Koloff clotheslined Luger. Hawk and Animal clotheslined Dillon and Flair rammed Ellering into the cage. The Warriors rammed Dillon twice into the cage and gave him a doomsday device. Dillon submitted after about 21:22 to end the match. A historical match, partially for its greatness. This was the cage match gimmick given a great new twist, and it could not have worked out better. Not everyone was a great worker, but they didn't have to be. In an old school era, this match was all about intensity and fast-paced, eventful brawling. In that regard, the participants delivered. When this gimmick worked, it truly was a foolproof gimmick. Every two minutes, you were guaranteed a big fan reaction to whoever entered the cage, and the segments were short enough that the action never dragged or got stale. Even someone like Rhodes had something to offer as long as he bled and showed some intensity. This match worked so well because you had a great crew of workers in the 4 Horsemen (well, Luger wasn't good, but didn't stick out like a sore thumb), and the perfect opponents: charismatic and explosive who could pop the crowd with every movement. Within the context of its time, a better match than my favorite War Games match in 1992. This rating might be a bit subjective, so I'll say ****1/2-****3/4.

3/6/88: Jumbo Tsuruta vs Tiger Mask 2 (Mitsuharu Misawa)

Tiger grabbed a waistlock in an early exchange but Jumbo countered. Tiger applied a headlock but Jumbo backed him into a corner. Tiger kicked Jumbo and applied a headlock. Jumbo tried to push off but Tiger maintained the headlock. Jumbo elbowed Tiger and tried to escape with a top wristlock but Tiger maintained the headlock. Jumbo gave Tiger a kneebreaker but Tiger went back to the headlock. Jumbo tried to escape but Tiger maintained the headlock. Jumbo lifted Tiger but Tiger took him down with the headlock again. Jumbo turned Tiger and gained a couple one counts. Jumbo gave Tiger a kneebreaker but Tiger maintained the headlock. Tiger elbowed Jumbo and headlocked him again. Jumbo kneed Tiger in the gut twice and whipped him into the corner but Tiger jumped off the middle rope and gave Jumbo a flying headbutt. Tiger snapmared Jumbo and went back to the headlock. Jumbo elbowed Tiger and kneelifted him. Jumbo elbowed Tiger and gave him a couple European uppercuts. Tiger took down Jumbo by his leg and applied another headlock. Tiger tackled Jumbo and took him down in a headlock again. Jumbo escape and gave Tiger a couple kneelifts. Jumbo tackled Tiger and they had a criss cross. Tiger dropkicked Jumbo and applied a front facelock. Tiger headlocked Jumbo but Jumbo elbowed him. Jumbo caught Tiger and back suplexed him in a nice sudden counter. Jumbo gave Tiger a jumping knee for a near fall and piledrove him for another near fall. Jumbo double arm suplexed Tiger for a near fall. He gave Tiger a European uppercut and rammed him into the corner. Jumbo went for a suplex but Tiger flipped to his feet and gave Jumbo a superkick. Tiger gave Jumbo a rolling savate kick and a baseball slide kick. Tiger then hit a somersault tope on Jumbo. Tiger gave Jumbo a lariat that knocked him back out of the ring and followed with a really good plancha to the floor. Tiger briefly sold his knee and slowly returned to the ring. Tiger landed some roundhouse kicks and a rolling savate kick. Tiger hit a top rope dropkick on Jumbo for a near fall and German suplexed Jumbo for a heated near fall. Tiger slammed Jumbo and went for a tiger splash but crashed onto Jumbo's knees. Jumbo stomped Tiger and gave him a kneelift but limped a bit himself. Jumbo stomped Tiger repeatedly and landed an elbow. Jumbo went for a kneelift but Tiger rolled him up on the rebound for a near fall. Jumbo chopped Tiger repeatedly. Tiger rolled up Jumbo for a near fall and gave him a huracanrana for a near fall. Tiger charged but Jumbo gave him a stun gun for a near fall. Jumbo back suplexed Tiger almost on his head for a heated near fall. Tiger countered a back suplex and rolled up Jumbo for a near fall. Jumbo missed a lariat, Tiger went for a German suplex but Jumbo elbowed him. Jumbo elbowed Tiger and back suplexed him for the pin. 14:50 aired, can't tell if that was the whole match, but what aired was excellent. The first 5 minutes were a bit too simple, with similar psychology to Jumbo-Kawada from 1991, but the 1991 match wasn't as monotonous early. Once Jumbo started to get going, the match picked up. I heard somewhere this match contained the best 6:00 of work in wrestling in 1988, and that isn't far-fetched. If I had only seen the last 6:00, I'd be inclined to think this could have been a ***** match, because it featured great back and forth action and some pretty hot highspots from Tiger that fans wouldn't see once Misawa took off the mask. Jumbo was his usual great self in selling his opponent's work, with just the right mannerisms to put his opponent over quite effectively, yet maintain his aura of dominance. In 1988 Tiger was what Kawada was in 1991. This was by far his biggest singles match yet, and while he wasn't as perfect an opponent for Jumbo in terms of psychology, he was up to the task in his offense, with a hot set of moves by heavyweight standards to counteract the better but more traditional work of Jumbo. A bit overrated because of the slow start, but the final 6:00 really made this match something great. ****1/4

10/28/88: Jumbo Tsuruta vs Genichiro Tenryu

They started slow. Tenryu grabbed a headlock but Jumbo backed him into the ropes. Tenryu applied a headlock and held onto it after Jumbo tried to push him off. Jumbo broke the headlock with a top wristlock but Tenryu overpowered him and reapplied the headlock. Jumbo escaped. Tenryu went back to the headlock. Jumbo countered with a back suplex but didn't get Tenryu up that high. Tenryu kicked Jumbo and threw him out of the ring. Tenryu whipped Jumbo into the barricade. Jumbo kneed Tenryu and threw him out of the ring. Tenryu whipped Jumbo into the barricade but Jumbo came back with an elbow. Jumbo back suplexed Tenryu for a near fall and belly to belly suplexed him for another near fall. Jumbo piledrove Tenryu for a near fall and applied a reverse chinlock for a while. Tenryu went after Jumbo's leg and gave him an enzuguiri. Tenryu hit a running lariat in the corner and an elbowsmash for a near fall. Tenryu German suplexed Jumbo for a near fall. Jumbo blocked a powerbomb attempt and backdropped Tenryu. Tenryu kicked Jumbo and slapped him but Jumbo fought back with a series of punches. Jumbo threw Tenryu out of the ring and whipped him into the barricade. He rammed Tenryu into the apron and gave him some punches. Jumbo elbowed Tenryu and stomped him. Jumbo tried to suplex Tenryu back into the ring but Tenryu countered and hit a kneedrop for a near fall. Tenryu applied a headscissors on Jumbo. Jumbo escaped and applied a Boston crab on Tenryu. Jumbo gave Tenryu an axhandle and stomped him, then kicked his back. Jumbo went for a Boston crab but Tenryu grabbed the ropes. Tenryu kicked Jumbo and Jumbo kicked back. Jumbo stomped Tenryu's leg and applied a toehold. Jumbo applied a leglock for a while before they reached the ropes. Jumbo landed some chops and a jumping knee, then knocked Tenryu out of the ring with a baseball slide kick. Jumbo rammed Tenryu into the announcers' table. Jumbo charged but Tenryu met him with a lariat. Tenryu tackled Jumbo through the ropes and they both fell to the floor. Tenryu hit Jumbo with a chair and hit a flying bodypress but Jumbo rolled through and gained a near fall. Tenryu hit an enzuguiri and a lariat for a near fall. Jumbo fought back with a running knee to Tenryu's gut. Jumbo stomped Tenryu and elbowed him. They collided with each other. Tenryu I think powerbombed Jumbo (my downloaded media file jumped) for a heated near fall. Jumbo countered a German suplex with an elbow and back suplexed Tenryu for a delayed near fall. Jumbo stomped Tenryu. They traded chops and elbows. Jumbo rammed Tenryu into the corner. Tenryu blocked a jumping knee, took down Jumbo by his leg and applied a half crab. Tenryu chopped Jumbo but Jumbo kicked him and rammed him into the corner. Jumbo pounded Tenryu but Tenryu sunset flipped him for a near fall. Jumbo elbowed Tenryu and choked him with his boot in the ropes. Jumbo kicked Tenryu but telegraphed a backdrop and Tenryu rolled him up for a near fall. Jumbo then gained a surprise near fall of his own. Tenryu applied a headlock but Jumbo countered with a back suplex and they both hit the mat hard. Tenryu dropkicked Jumbo and kicked him at ringside. Tenryu applied a figure 4 leglock on Jumbo in the middle of the ring. Jumbo turned the hold over but the hold was then broken. Tenryu stomped Jumbo and punted his back. Tenryu kicked Jumbo's leg repeatedly but Jumbo hit an enzuguiri of his own. Jumbo hit a top rope jumping knee (the move that snapped Sid's leg) for a near fall. Jumbo stomped Tenryu but Tenryu fought back. Tenryu took Jumbo down and applied a legbar. Tenryu gained a couple near falls with the hold. Jumbo escaped and elbowed Tenryu repeatedly. Tenryu hit an enzuguiri and slammed Jumbo. He gave Jumbo a top rope elbowsmash for a heated near fall. Tenryu ran into a kick and Jumbo powerbombed him for a near fall. Jumbo gave Tenryu a Thesz press for a near fall and a neckbreaker hold for another near fall. Jumbo hit a jumping knee and a lariat in the corner, then attacked Tenryu with a ton of elbows. The ref tried to intervene but Jumbo and Tenryu kept fighting. Jumbo attacked Tenryu in the corner again and the ref lost control, calling for the bell at about 34:00 to signify a double DQ. I'm glad All Japan ditched that finish a couple years later, because such a finish to a Misawa-Kawada classic would have really left a bad taste. Still, this was a pretty special match when it took place and one of the best matches of 1988. After a slow start, they suddenly got heated and their grudge element took hold. Fans popped for almost everything in this match, as they often did back in the late 80s. Because of that, this match ages pretty well compared to some of the 90s classics, which were more flawless but had less heat during the build. The structuring wasn't flawless and a bit shifty at times but the work itself was top of the line for 1988. Flair and Steamboat would tear things up the following year, and these two were doing moves and exchanges which were a step or two above anything Flair and Steamboat did. Great long, grueling match that didn't lose any steam down the stretch. ****3/4

3/18/89 NWA World Title: Ricky Steamboat (c) vs Ric Flair (w/Hiro Matsuda)

Steamboat backed Flair into a corner and broke clean early. Steamboat tackled Flair on a criss cross for an early near fall. Steamboat applied a headlock, and Flair countered by grabbing his knee. Flair applied a top wristlock and pulled Steamboat's hair to take him down. Flair applied a headlock and turned into a hammerlock but Steamboat countered and took him down with a headlock. Flair turned Steamboat over and gained a couple near falls with his feet on the ropes. Steamboat maintained the headlock and applied a front facelock but Flair backed him into a corner. Flair chopped Steamboat twice but Steamboat responded with chops of his own. Steamboat whipped Flair into the corner and backdropped him. Steamboat chopped, hiptossed and dropkicked Flair for a near fall. Flair slapped Steamboat but Steamboat responded in kind. Flair kicked Steamboat and chopped him twice. Steamboat responded with chops and a punch that floored Flair. He chopped Flair again and press slammed him. Steamboat chopped Flair again for a near fall and Flair bailed out of the ring. Flair did some stalling and kicked Steamboat. Steamboat won an exchange of chops and hiptossed Flair. Steamboat took Flair down with a headscissors and chopped him for a near fall. Steamboat snapmared Flair and applied a nervehold. Flair punched Steamboat but Steamboat rolled him up for a near fall. Flair bailed out again but Steamboat followed him. Flair kneed Steamboat in the gut and chopped him in the corner. Flair punched Steamboat and landed more chops. Flair landed several punches but Steamboat chopped him. Steamboat won an exchange of blows and hiptossed Flair but missed a dropkick. Flair then quickly applied a figure 4 leglock and grabbed the ropes, or Matsuda's hands, for leverage. Nice sudden spot to create a sense of urgency. Flair gained a couple near falls with the hold before breaking it. The ref confronted Flair for grabbing the ropes and forced him to back off when Steamboat was in the ropes. Matsuda attacked Steamboat when the ref was distracted. Flair dropped Steamboat down by his legs and drove a knee into his thigh. Flair kneedropped Steamboat's left leg. Steamboat landed some chops but Flair kicked his leg. Steamboat floored Flair with a chop but Flair gave him a kneebreaker. Flair went for a figure 4 but Steamboat kicked him away. Flair jumped down on Steamboat's leg. Matsuda also chopped Steamboat's leg. Flair gave Steamboat a kneebreaker and applied a figure 4 leglock. Steamboat reached the ropes but Matsuda attacked his leg again. Flair chopped Steamboat off the apron. Flair punched Steamboat as he hung over the top rope. Steamboat caught Flair and sunset flipped him for a near fall. Flair quickly took Steamboat down again and kicked his leg. Flair grabbed Steamboat's leg but Steamboat gave him an enzuguiri. Steamboat telegraphed a backdrop and Flair kicked him. Flair chopped Steamboat for a near fall and gained subsequent near falls. Flair chopped Steamboat and snapmared him. He kneedropped Steamboat for a near fall. Flair missed a kneedrop and Steamboat applied a figure 4 leglock of his own. Steamboat punched Flair repeatedly while maintaining the hold. Steamboat attacked Flair's leg repeatedly with elbowsmashes and applied a figure 4 leglock on Flair again. Steamboat gained a near fall with the hold but Flair landed punches to his leg to break the hold. Steamboat went for a big splash but crashed onto Flair's knees. Steamboat landed some chops. Flair went for an atomic drop but Steamboat flipped out of it and rolled up Flair for a near fall. Flair chopped Steamboat but collapsed himself. Steamboat chopped Flair. Steamboat charged but ran into a boot in the corner. Flair vertical suplexed Steamboat back into the ring for a near fall. Flair elbowsmashed Steamboat for a near fall. He pushed the ref for supposedly counting slow. Flair back suplexed Steamboat for a near fall and gained more near falls. Steamboat got up but Flair chopped him. Steamboat caught Flair on the top rope and slammed him to the mat. Steamboat gave Flair a backslide for a near fall. He rammed Flair into the corner repeatedly, whipped him into the opposite corner and chopped him. Steamboat gave Flair a flying chop for a near fall. Steamboat chopped Flair and hit a flying bodypress for a near fall. Steamboat chopped Flair over the top rope. Flair caught Steamboat with a shoulder to the gut and gained a near fall with his feet on the ropes. Flair chopped Steamboat and whipped him into the corner but telegraphed a backdrop and Steamboat rolled him up for the pin at 31:18. Fantastic match by 1989 standards, although just a notch below their three classic TV and PPV matches from the series. Nice pacing in that they used signature moves at various points so as to create unpredictability as to the match's longevity. Maybe a bit more stalling than their best matches, and the outside interference from Matsuda was a difference that didn't exactly help this match. Still, this was great and shows just how important house shows once were. ****1/2

7/23/89 NWA World Title: Ric Flair (c) vs Terry Funk (w/Gary Hart)

This was Flair's big return after a two month layoff, and his night of revenge after Funk piledrove him through a table to "injure" him. Flair was as fired up as the crowd, which said something. Flair attacked Funk in the aisle with chops and punches, showing great intensity. Flair choked Funk and returned to the ring. Flair attacked Funk at ringside with punches. Funk bailed out of the ring when Flair went after him and threw a chair into the ring. Funk chopped Flair repeatedly and punched him but Flair responded with chops and punches of his own and knocked Funk out of the ring. Flair jumped off the apron with a chop but Funk rammed him head first into the ringpost. Funk stomped Flair from the apron and punched him. Funk headbutted Flair and slapped him. Funk vertical suplexed Flair back into the ring for a near fall. Flair blocked a suplex but Funk punched him. Funk elbowed Flair and chopped his back but Flair headbutted him. Flair suplexed Funk out of the ring kinda as both men crashed to the floor. They traded chops and punches with Flair winning the exchange. Flair raked Funk's eyes but Funk responded in kind. Funk went for a piledriver but Flair backdropped him over the top rope to the floor. Flair snapmared Funk on the floor and twisted his neck around. Flair continued to attack Funk's neck in the ring and gave him a kneedrop. Flair gave Funk a second kneedrop for a near fall and piledrove him for a pop and Funk sold huge. Flair gave Funk a second piledriver and Funk fell through the ropes to the floor. Funk crawled up the aisle but Flair caught up to him and punched him. Back in the ring Flair slapped Funk and kicked him. Flair punched and chopped Funk. Funk landed some punches but Flair knocked him down with a forearm for a near fall. Flair back suplexed Funk and went for the figure 4 leglock, and applied it amidst great heat. Funk hit Flair with his branding iron as the ref was distracted by Hart. Funk gave Flair some punches as Flair began to bleed. Funk piledrove Flair for a near fall as Flair got his foot on the rope. Funk kneedropped Flair and grinded his knee into Flair's face. Funk removed a segment of the ringside mats. He choked Flair with tape from his wrist on the apron. Funk went for a piledriver on the concrete floor but Flair countered with a backdrop. Funk punched Flair. Back in the ring Funk gave Flair three neckbreakers and taunted Flair. Funk landed more punches and rammed Flair into the corner. Flair kicked Funk low and hit Funk with the branding iron and knocked Funk out of the ring. Flair rammed Funk into the ringpost as both men bled heavily. Flair landed several punches in the corner and Funk collapsed. Flair landed more punches and elbowed Funk. Flair missed a jumping knee in the corner. Funk went for a spinning toehold and applied it but Flair caught his leg. Flair attempted a figure 4 leglock but Funk rolled him up for a near fall. Flair reversed the rollup and pinned Funk at 16:03 to retain the title. Wild post-match brawl involving Great Muta and Sting took place for several minute afterwards. This was a terrific grudge match. Not as memorable as their "I quit" match the following November, but this accomplished what it needed to. Really great intensity from both men, as their exchanges were spirited. The structure wasn't flawless, as the match seemed to end quickly, and many of Flair's trademark spots were left out of the match. But again this match wasn't designed to be a technical masterpiece, but nothing more than a pure grudge match that gave fans what they wanted. In that regard, it succeeded. The 1989 Great American Bash was the first PPV I saw in its entirety on TV as it happened, and a better choice for our household's first PPV could not have been made. ****

Next Article: ECW Memorable Matches III

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