Pro Wrestling Love vol. 40: Best of US Wrestling 1977-1982 (Ric Flair, Jerry Lawler, Nick Bockwinkel)

Hey Yo Stud Muffins & Foxy Ladies,

Pro Wrestling Love vol. 40:

The Best of US Wrestling 1977-1982

(Note: Excludes WWF & Portland)

Objective:  Break up the Greatest Match Ever Project (hosted at http://gweproject.freeforums.net/) into more manageable chunks to help me build my Top 100 List for the project.

Motivation: Contribute to the discussion around these matches to enrich my own understanding of pro wrestling and give a fresh perspective for old matches and even hopefully discover great pro wrestling matches that have been hidden by the sands of time.

Subject: This fortieth volume of Pro Wrestling Love is the beginning of the Top 12 countdown of the best matches to take place in the United States between 1977-1982 (excluding World Wrestling Federation and Portland). The WWF during the Bob Backlund Era has already been covered and I will do a separate series on “Playboy” Buddy Rose and Portland at a later time. Footage from this era is very hit or miss. There is almost nothing from Mid-Atlantic, World Class or Mid-South, things do get better in 1982. The AWA is heavily clipped in this era. From Memphis there is a good amount of stuff from 1981 and 1982 and much of the list is comprised of Jerry Lawler and his work during these years. The bulk of the findings are thanks to Bruce Tharpe and the NWA Classics On Demand streaming service that uncovered a treasure trove of wrestling matches from Houston. By 1983, there is plenty of footage to treat each major territory separately and before 1977 there is a real dearth of footage so that is how the time period was selected.  You can revisit past Pro Wrestling Love Volumes at ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com. You can check out the full version of these reviews in ProWrestlingOnly.com by going to the forums and finding the folders associated with the date of the match.

Contact Info: @superstarsleeze on Twitter, Instagram & ProWrestlingOnly.com.

Greatest TV Angle of All Time! RIP Lance Russell, the GOAT

Honorable Mentions

NWA Mid-Atlantic Champion Wahoo McDaniel vs Greg Valentine - JCP/MACW 9/7/77

NWA United States Champion Ric Flair vs Blackjack Mulligan – MACW 10/23/78 Texas Death 

NWA United States Champion Ric Flair vs Ricky Steamboat – MACW 11/78

The last two are from Jim Cornette’s Garbage Tapes. They are too clipped to give a fair rating, but do not let that stop you from watching. We get twenty minutes of Flair vs Steamboat in 1978. In 1989, Flair was forty. You get to watch Flair when he was thirty. It is interesting. He is actually less bump ‘n’ run and more about being ruthless on top. The Blackjack match is pure babyface vs heel awesomeness in a brawl setting. My takeaway is the greatest match of all time happened somewhere in the Carolinas in the late 70s and we just never saw it. The Wahoo vs Valentine match is a classic blood feud match than needs to be seen.

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Jerry Lawler - Memphis Wrestling 8/14/82

Southern Heavyweight Champion Dutch Mantell vs Jerry Lawler - Memphis 3/27/82

These two matches are two of the best TV angles ever to take place in wrestling. They are up there with Flair vs DiBiase from Mid-South and Lawler vs Dundee from October 1985. I cant do either justice. Both are just totally gripping, compelling standalone episodes of TV. If you watch nothing else list from this list, watch these match, but you have to watch the promos too!

Jerry "The King" Lawler vs Dory Funk Jr. - Memphis 3/30/81

Jerry Lawler vs Crusher Blackwell – Memphis 5/4/81

AWA Southern Heavyweight Champion Nick Bockwinkel vs Jerry Lawler - Memphis 10/18/82 

With a dearth of Ric Flair & Nick Bockwinkel footage in this time period, Jerry Lawler was truly the King of US Wrestling. The Lawler vs Dory match is so damn good and would totally make a Top 15 for this time period. It is very different than Lawler’s classics with Dory’s brother Terry, but just as entertaining. Lawler vs Blackwell is a dream match for 80s wrestling fans. The ultimate underdog babyface against the best big man of the 80s. I implore you to watch the October Bockwinkel vs Lawler match because it is a great lead in to the better November ’82 rematch.

AWA World Heavyweight Champion Nick Bockwinkel vs Ricky Morton - Houston 7/2/82

Jack Brisco vs The Spoiler - Houston 7/27/79

Houston uncovered a lot of great classics, but two of my favorites are these. Bockwinkel vs Morton is the dream match you didn’t know you were dreaming of until you see it on paper. As soon as you do, you are just salivating. It is great, but I will say if this was Morton in 1985 or 1986, this would have been gangbusters because he would have just had that much more credibility here he is the wet behind the ears, white meat babyface rookie. To me The Spoiler was the big revelation of the Houston footage. An imposing big man heel that is very athletic and agile, years ahead of his time, check out this match with Jack Brisco to see what I mean.

NWA Int'l Jr. Heavyweight Champion Gino Hernandez vs Chavo Guerrero - Houston 5/22/81

Gino is a red-hot heat-seeking heel in this. He literally has to fight his way to the ring. I love the babyface vs heel dynamics in this. Chavo throwing all that heel shit back in Gino’s face is glorious and all the bombs at the end feel like a big All Japan match. Check this one out!

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Harley Race vs Wahoo McDaniel - Houston 2/10/78

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Harley Race vs Andre The Giant - Houston 1/7/79

Houston footage explosion allowed us to finally see Harley Race as the NWA touring champion against a host of opponents. I am not the biggest Harley fan as I think he is pretty uncharismatic in the ring and his match tend to lack struggle and focus too much on bump ‘n’ run. However, these two matches stand out as Wahoo is willing chop the hell out of him and Andre just has amazing psychology. The Harley/Andre match is the most famous to come out of the NWA Classics and I recommend checking it out.

Harley Race vs Kerry Von Erich - WCCW 6/4/82

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs David Von Erich - WCCW 10/11/82

In 1982, World Class was setting the table for their banner year in 1983. The Harley vs Kerry match is a great babyface coming of age match as Kerry gets his big win over the former champion to set up his very famous clash with the current world champion, Ric Flair in August of ’82. It felt like Kerry had arrived. Even though reports keep telling me that David was being groomed to be the star of the family, I just don’t believe. Not only did Kerry have the better look, he was the better all around wrestler too. Still, if you want to see David’s best match, it is this one here against the Nature Boy.

Southern Heavyweight Champion Jerry Lawler vs Bill Dundee - Memphis 8/15/77 Hair Match
A worthy addition to the 1980s Loser Leaves Town Trilogy between these two perennial rivals. There is an interesting wrinkle in this match. Dundee is the babyface and Lawler is the heel. I think that dynamic suits them even better. The undersized Dundee being so scrappy is a naturally likeable character though Lawler is such a great seller, but Lawler did manage a way to fit that in the beginning of the match. Typically awesome War of Attrition style match from these two and as you would expect excellent punches are thrown. After a restart, you need to see Lawler's furious flurry of punches they are simply awesome. The last match cut and it was a tough one. 

Top Twelve Matches of US Wrestling 1977-1982

#12. (Tie) AWA World Heavyweight Champion Nick Bockwinkel vs Jumbo Tsuruta 

Hawaii 2/14/79

I watched this years ago and have totally forgotten it. My only memory is that I liked it a whole lot. I loved the ceremony before the match complete with laying. It makes it feel Big Time!
 

First Fall: We lose about 5 minutes due to a clip. Bock and Jumbo are jostling for position and Bock pops him with an elbow in the ropes. Bock makes a big show that is legal because it was an elbow, but that's not the point. It was not a clean break so Jumbo is pissed and his fist ball. Bock is backpedalling and asking the ref to make Jumbo open up the fist. The next time in the ropes, Bock pops him again, but he lingers and Jumbo fires back to a huge pop. Yeah this match is pretty badass.   Jumbo works the arm for the majority of the match using holds such as armbar, hammerlock and double wristlock. Bock is the one creating the movement in the match but Jumbo is being tenacious. Solid work. In the double wristlock, Bock starts working over the midsection with punches and eventually he makes in-roads and Jumbo goes down. From there, it is just a textbook clinic from both men. Bock is using big kneelifts and stomps to keep the challenger at bay while Jumbo writhes in pain. He drives his face hard into the top buckle. Jumbo bounces back with a big punch. Here comes Jumbo, no more holds, it is all about blows to the face and European Uppercuts. He wants the Buttefly Suplex to end it, but he hoists the champion up twice but cannot get him all the way over. That must have been painful for Bock. Bock rakes the eyes. Lots of good heel offense by Bock here throwing him into the buckles and the ropes and choking. He throws him out. You are going to get some classic King of the Mountain. Jumbo comes roaring back! The crowd goes crazy for Jumbo as he kicks ass. He goes for the Big High Knee in the corner, but crashes and burns, knee-first into the buckles. Bockwinkel is brimming with confidence now. He works over the knee to set up the figure-4. I love how they go back and forth on the reversals. It is not just one reversal and done. It is a struggle. A struggle that Jumbo ends up losing. Excellent first fall. Bock 1-0!

Second Fall: Rocks just as hard as the first fall. I love that Jumbo is selling the leg the whole time even if Bock has abandoned the strategy mid-way through this fall. Bock picks right up where her left trying to apply the figure-4. This would have spelled the end for Jumbo but he chops his way out of trouble from his back. Bock settles for an Indian Deathlock, but Jumbo flips to his back and chops to break the toehold. Jumbo starts to mount his comeback. I like that the control segment begins with the Boston Crab (a Jumbo favorite) and that leads to more attacks to the back rather than the Boston Crab being the final hold. This is when the selling gets really good. You have Jumbo collapsing after every move and Bock staggered. I loved the Atomic Drop and then the abdominal stretch and they collapse into the ropes. Bock has been a great heel in this match. He really sells Jumbo's offense well but like a heel. It is a way that does not elicit sympathy but rather makes you want to see more. Bock abandons the knee, but Jumbo keeps selling. Bock decides to go to his favorite spot: King of the Mountain and it is a good one. Bockwinkel really knows how to ratchet up the heat and be a nasty heel. Not a lot of spots/moves in this match, he is out to inflict pain to the head. Eventually, Jumbo turns the tables from the low ground and drapes Bock over the apron and starts dishing out some punishment. The crowd is pumped. Irish Whip! Is he going to go for the High Knee again? Nope, he has learned and is too injured. He settles for smashing Bock's head into the buckles so much that he comes up bleeding! Jumbo is pouring it on. Butterfly Suplex! 1-2-NO! C'mon ref that was three! Slow count and you were out of position! Abdominal stretch and Bock passes out from the pain! Wow I think that is the first time I have seen the ab stretch get a fall in anything. They built on the strong foundation of the first fall and delivered a second fall. Bockwinkel is giving such a great fundamental heel performance. Flair is a speedball, but here Bock is relying on selling and character work rather than bumping to convey that Jumbo is kicking ass.  Bock is not trying to show he is a great wrestler in this match. The majority of his offense is driving Jumbo's head into the turnbuckle. He is not trying to be the hero or the cool wrestler. He is a heel's heel. Jumbo got everything you want from a babyface fire and selling. Really strong stuff! Tied 1-1

Third Fall: This reminds me so much of Flair vs Kerry. Bock is beaten, battered and bloody slumped by the ropes. The difference is Flair is so loud and Bock is understated, but the point is the same the heel champion is in serious trouble. I like Bockwinkel's strategy of staying by the ropes at all costs. Any time he is free to move, he is moving towards the sanctuary of the ropes. Jumbo wants his Butterfly Suplex, but settles for a piledriver! His knee gives out and he struggles to cover. 1-2-NO! Huge nearfall and the Hawaii crowd bites on it hard! I dont know why Jumbo convulses right there bit over the top. Atomic drop, but on the bad knee. Abdominal Stretch! This is how he won the second fall. Bock clubs the ref! BOOOOOOOOOOO!

It is 1979 so the shitty finish was expected, but regardless this is tremendous. Great understated performance by Bock where he was not trying to be cool just trying to survive. Heel selling is a lost art and more heels should watch this match and Bock in general to see how you can sell in such a way that you invite the fans to want to see more. It is a classic championship style match that takes you on a great roller coaster ride.

#12. (Tie) Southern Heavyweight Champion Dutch Mantell vs Jerry Lawler

Memphis 3/29/82 Barbed Wired

Interesting reaction at the beginning as there are clearly Mantell fans in the audience and they are vocal. I had been reading that Mantell was not treated as a true heel and many fans agreed with his stance even though he did employ nefarious tactics. Heels fans in 1982??? Shades of gray booking??? Just more proof that Memphis was way ahead of its time.

The barbed wire is not around he ropes ala Funk/Sabu, but rather around the outside the ring in order to keep Dutch in the ring and prevent him from getting chairs or taking it to the outside. The idea at the beginning is to really put over how he barbed wire has changed the complexion of the match. Both men are trying their damnest to avoid the barbed wire and there are a lot of barbed wire teases. This has led to a match that has a more cautious beginning with even some wrestling. Adding a stipulation they forced them to layout a new match. This what so many bookers/wrestlers don’t understand about stipulations they should exist for a reason and then be treated differently. Also, Lance Russell articulates these statements so well for the home viewer facilitating their understanding. They do a nice even-stevens should block sequence, which Dutch surprisingly wins with a Thesz press, which gets two, but gives Mantell control. On this go around, I did find this section a bit dull at time even if it was logical.

Of course, Mantell is able to use the barbed wire to slice Lawler wide open on the forehead in particularly gruesome fashion. Russell informs me that he is wearing the crimson mask. Lawler misses on a desperation, wild right due to his vision being blurred by the blood, good spot. A desperation right boot finds it mark in the corner and Lawler IS UP! He immediately exacts retribution by slicing Mantell open on the barbed wire and then attacks the cuts with a series of right leaving Dutch to beg off. Crowd is going wild for Lawler until Dutch clips him south of the border and the Dutch fans start cheering. Lawler blocks a suplex attempt only to hit one of his own. They trade missed elbow drops. LAWLER SCORES WITH A PILEDRIVER!!! However, the tape clips after the pinfall to Mantell back in control. BOOOOOOO! We miss about five minutes at the beginning and I think overall we miss somewhere between 8-10 minutes of action.

Lawler comes charging out of the corner and spears Dutch. It sounds like a simple spot, but you have to see the power and velocity that Lawler got this late into the match that really made that spot look so cool. Lawler misses a fist drop and Dutch takes over with lefts and rights. Wait, what is this, Russell notes that Mantell is losing steam on his punches. Has Dutch punched himself out? Lawler pulls the strap down. O, it is one like Donkey Kong. Slugfest erupts and Lawler has a little more behind his punches than Dutch and wins that battle. This fuckin feels like the 12th round of a heavyweight boxing match, some real good shit right now. Dutch does a less comical Flair Flop. Mantell cant even stand, but still kicks out. Lawler punches Mantell while he is on the ground, but he loses steam and yes Lawler has now punched himself out. They run off the ropes and collide both ending up worst for wear. THIS IS A FIGHT!!! Both punch each other simultaneously sending Dutch down and Lawler on Jell-O legs finally collapses. Both men are selling exhaustion like champs. Dutch tries to bodyslam Lawler, but he is too fatigued to execute it and his legs give way with Lawler on top giving Lawler a 2 count. That was an excellent false finish as I thought it would have been a great ending to this slobberknocker. They tussle over an Irish Whip and they both collide off the ropes. Lawler falls on top of Mantell for the pinfall and the three count.

This is the definition of slobberknocker. If you are looking for thousands of wrestling moves, this match aint going to scratch that itch. If you are looking for a heated, intense, dramatic fight between two wrestlers then it will be hard to top this. The finish run with them both falling all over themselves and then simultaneous punches definitely gave this more of a face vs face vibe. Mantell was going down in a blaze of glory and it was a very respectable effort. So I get the finish the finish, but cant say I was in love with it. It was definitely a way to end the feud and then keep Mantell babyface. But even without it, holy fuck, this was such a BITCHIN match with an excellent story. The clipping keeps this one from getting the full monty, but it is among the best Lawler classics.

#11. American Heavyweight Champion The Spoiler vs Wahoo McDaniel – Houston 4/21/79

Wahoo informs us in the pre-match promo that "Indians like shiny things" and that this is a stepping stone to the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. I was really impressed by The Spoiler in his match with Jack Brisco and had to check this out. He is a big dude and very agile. 

First Fall: No shine, we go right to heat. Apparently Wahoo comes from the Jerry Lawler school of slow starting. Spoiler is back into a corner, but he walks up the buckles and comes crashing down on Wahoo. It is just rope assisted knees galore and throwing Wahoo out. If you watch very closely, you will see him monkey with the mask. I thought he was loading and I was confirmed as correct because when he headbutted Wahoo it split him wide open. Gary Hart calls for THE CLAW~! and Spoiler applies it the to bleeding Wahoo. This is when Wahoo comes storming back. Big time chops and blows that has The Spoiler reeling. Spoiler yanks him hard out of the ring and Wahoo hits the concrete hard. He rams Wahoo's head into the steel post. Wahoo then yanks him out of the ring. Wahoo hits a wicked chop, make sure to check the out girl's reaction in the front row for that. Wahoo returns the favor and slams Spoiler's head into the post and the table. Then he grabs a chair and slams Spoiler with that. This is a WAR! Wahoo hits a vertical suplex, but only gets two. Wahoo misses a kneedrop and Spoiler races up the turnbuckles to hit a double axehandle to win the first fall. Blood, foreign objects, hard chops and brawling. What more do you want? Spoiler 1-0

Second Fall: Spoiler tries to cautiously zero in on the groggy Wahoo who is coming to his feet. Wahoo lashes out with a series of chops, but the Spoiler comes back with some rope-assisted strikes on his own. He goes to his bread & butter the CLAW~! Wahoo is able to make to his feet and send Spoiler into the turnbuckle. Spoiler out of control charges hard into the post. Spoiler is so explosive and a big bumper. I like this dude. He takes a crazy bump off Wahoo's chop and it is all knotted up! Tied 1-1. I am excited for the 3rd fall. 

Third Fall: I love the selling by The Spoiler at the beginning of this feels so realistic. This is basically Wahoo's Chop vs Spoiler's Claw. They are just going hammer and tong with each other. Great, realistic brawling, neither man giving an inch. I love how Wahoo keeps going after the mask. Another great moment is Spoiler tries to do his trademark of using the ropes for extra force on his blows and Wahoo catches him with a chop. Spoiler finally gets the Claw cinched in. Wahoo is chopping and chopping, but fading. Then in a very memorable awesome finish, Wahoo turns the mask sideways so he cant see anymore! The loosening of the mask mattered. Spoiler puts the Claw on Gary Hart who was trying to help! I love it! Then he puts the Claw on the ref! This is great! Bronco comes out and calls the match for a DQ, but that was a cool finish. Spoiler ends up smashing Wahoo with the mic and the belt. 

Awesome war of attrition brawling and great selling. Spoiler has looked great in both matches. He was 39 here so the 1960s-1970s were his decades too bad we dont have more. Loved the finish! 

#10. AWA World Tag Team Champions High Flyers vs Rick Martel & Tito Santana 

AWA 8/29/82

These four guys go balls to wall for 15 minutes struggling to score a victory. It is two babyface vs babyface teams where neither team plays a subtle heel that you would often see in face vs face matches. It actually feels like puro in that way, it is a pure competition to see who is the best. The beginning of the match is very focused on Strike Force working over the High Flyers with headlock. I would say Martel is the better of the two in working the headlock. These are some really fast-paced headlock sequences. Martel/Gagne go through a wild headlock/headscissors exchange that would challenge anyone's cardio. You really get the feeling right out the gate that both teams are focused on picking up the victory. Santana, unlike Martel, is a little more content to sit in his headlock. Gagne tries working a crossface on Santana to break it up and feels really heated. Once Martel gets back in, he will run up the ropes and in order to do side headlock takeovers. Martel rules! They work some sequences in between these headlocks, but everything is very focused on the headlocks by Strike Force, which I like the concentration. At this point, we get a clip and now the High Flyers change the focus from headlocks to some really wicked leg work that is bitchin'. Gagne drops a knee on Tito Santana's knee and does his inverted deathlock (Gagnelock?), which looks pretty wicked given how he is applying it. Brunzell follows up with a figure-4 and then a spinning toe hold. Eventually, Santana kicks out and finally Martel gets in, but we find that Martel is selling his knee, which we must have missed in the clip. One last time for the Strike Force Fans, "IT'S RICKY MARTEL TIME, MUTHAFUCKAS!" but he is cut short because he hits a backbreaker, which hurts his own knee! Killer.

Martel tags Tito and Gagne dodges this dropkick. This may sound weird. But I marked the fuck out for that. The force that Tito threw that dropkick and how quick Greg moved out of the way was incredible. (Past self, that is not weird because I totally forgot about that spot and I again popped huge for it. Told myself, if there one thing I need to add to my review was how bitchin' that spot was. But my past self beat me to it! Damn past self for being so on point!  )

Gagne hits a shinbreaker on the ailing knee of Santana and then applies Spinning Toe Hold. Martel gets the tag and runs through some more offense punctuating with a backbreaker. Tito back in with a wicked cross-body and he rattles off a ton of moves, but Gagne grabs the GAGNE CHOKE (filthy cheater  )! Santana snapmares out and hoists Gagne up, but unbeknowst to Tito, Gagne tags Brunzell. Then Brunzell hits the most HOLY SHIT dropkick on Tito. He dropkicks him right in the head for the win. That was the best damn dropkick.

I think any match that can make you mark out for a missed dropkick and a dropkick is a pretty damn incredible match. The story of this best match to prove you were best tag team in the AWA. It was wrestled clean, but that does not mean they wrestled like nancy boys and were polite. They were out for the victory. The tenacity shown on the headlocks and leg works was enthralling. The home stretch was one of the best with Martel's knee going out, Flyers going back to the legs, Tito rattling off moves, before the Mother of All Dropkicks. I don't want to say this blows all WWF tag team matches out of the water, but it does makes most of them look second-rate. This is an excellent showcase on how to work a heated face vs face match without any subtle heel tactics.

#9. NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Kerry Von Erich 

WCCW 12/25/82 Cage Match

They had two different gimmicks to establish in this match plus they needed to get Kerry's revenge in, needed to have a championship style match and run the one of the biggest angles in the history of pro wrestling. I think that was the biggest hindrance to this match was they were trying to accomplish so much in one match. With three lesser men, this would have been a clusterfuck. In the hands of Flair, Kerry and Hayes, they still manage to present an excellent match even if it is not at the level of the first Kerry vs Flair bout.

Unlike David, Kerry does not have to worry about disqualifications and he goes after Flair's leg immediately in retribution. Flair establishes he has nowhere to run due to the cage. Something I have noticed in watching five Flair vs Von Erich matches already is that he does not take many walks to break rhythm. He does beg off or back into a corner, but is not powdering as much as I remember from him. He definitely fight back more at this point with more hair pulls, tight-pulling and eye-raking to set up his chops and short knees. The other gimmick gets established early and often that is even if there is no disqualifications, Michael Hayes will not let one wrestler beat the other senseless in the match to the point where they can defend himself. So Hayes is very forceful in pulling the men off. This is a more logical and better approach than the fucking Kinski performance a year later. Hayes was introduced to the territory in mid-October as a friend of the Von Erich, but he has been even in actions.

Kerry Von Erich grabs the sleeper and a huge pop happens because they remember that was the move that should have won him the first fall. Flair becomes incensed at getting his ass kicked, but Kerry is looking CLAW. They did a good job establishing the cage as nowhere for Flair to hide, they did not tease going into the cage. Regardless, when Kerry sends Flair head first into the cage and grates his forehead it gets a huge pop. This is Flair in his element bleeding and hollering. The verbal selling here is just top notch. Hayes throws Kerry off, but he still signals for The Claw and the crowd is pumped! Flair goes to his best weapon kicking Kerry in his bad leg and he takes Kerry to school. Kerry is pushing Flair off as a last ditch effort and throws him into the cage. It is around this time that it feels haphazard. They want to get Kerry's revenge in on Flair because he is not going to win the title tonight, but at least he will get his licks in. Yet, Flair is still trying to work in a championship style and perpetual motion. Again, trying to accomplish too much.

Flair finally applies the figure-4 and when it is reversed we get some really classic Flair selling. He is so great at selling the struggle and then upon reversing it, just wow! Kerry Von Erich is just beating Flair senseless now and it does not look like the champ has a chance to survive. Hayes is trying to keep thing somewhat safe by pulling Kerry off. CLAW! Flair drapes his leg over the rope and Hayes pulls him off to big BOOOS! That was lame. One thing to keep Flair safe another to force a rope break. While Hayes and Kerry get into it, Flair hits a high knee sending Kerry into Hayes. Flair and Hayes go at it and Hayes decks Flair. Kerry won't take the pin and Hayes pulls him by the hair on top of Flair, but Kerry won't take it. Again Flair gets a high knee that makes it seem like Kerry shoved Hayes out of the cage. So the "Guardian of the Gate" (TM HHH), Freebird Terry Gordy has had enough of Kerry's shit and blasts him with the steel cage door! With that shot the Freebirds vs Von Erichs begins! Flair covers Kerry and Hayes comes back in counts a quick three even though Kerry had kicked out.

The match actually continues, which I think is all for the better because we get some amazing staggering Kerry selling. You really get a sense of how much Kerry is hurt. I am not sure you would get the same feeling if it was Kerry knocked out, Flair pin and then Von Erich brothers swear revenge. Here you get to see Kerry's injury plus how sadistic Flair is in this situation. I love Kerry flailing around in the cage trying to get away from Flair and try to mount a comeback, but he is just too injured. Kerry is able to get a last resort Discus Punch, but he collapses and David Manning has not choice, but to call it. The announcer is worried about a concussion and the Von Erich brothers are worried and pissed. It was a great finish to keep Kerry looking strong and really show how much the Freebirds cost him the match. The world famous angle and the finish stretch ensures this match's place in history. There is never a boring moment in this match, but early on there is just too many things going on for this to be considered on the level of the first Flair vs Kerry match. I still think it was an excellent heated championship match. I have just slightly below the Flair/David match. 

#8. AWA World Tag Team Champions High Flyers vs 

Crusher Blackwell & Sheik Adnan al-Kaissey - AWA 4/18/82 Steel Cage

This was shot from a handheld below the ring really close to the cage and gave a really cool, unique view. Within a minute, you think all 400 lbs of Crusher Blackwell is coming through your video screen only to meet a hard stop at the hands of the steel cage. All the work is really tight. They were not working stiff, but everything was landing. I love hearing a woman from the crowd scream "You pussy, Sheik!" Brunzell was great fighting during his shine and then taking a beating at the hands of the Sheik and Blackwell, the top two heels besides Bockwinkel in the AWA. The camera cuts and we don't see how Greg gets tag. Greg is ramming Blackwell hard into the cage repeatedly and I have no clue he did not knock the wall. Blackwell was throwing himself into that hard. Sheik is exasperated and at the last second moves and Greg runs into the turnbuckles. I am really digging the camera angle. The presentation is so gritty. Blackwell fucking throws Greg into that cage and the camera is right underneath to catch it. This is blowing the East-West Connection cage match outta the water. Greg is taking some crazy bumps. This is some great violence. Brunzell is a great house of fire. You can see it etched on his face how incensed he is. He rakes Sheik's face across the cage and drives Blackwell's head back into the cage repeatedly. Sheik escapes some leg work and Blackwell immediately tries to put the match away with a HUGE splash off the top rope. He then takes a MASSIVE bump over the top turnbuckle. Excellent double dropkick for the win!

After the matches, the heels try to railroad the Greg Gagne in the cage while Brunzell had left early, but Daddy Verne makes the save and kicks some Sheiks ass to a huge ovation. Verne was rocking it. Verne & Old Timers vs the Sheiks was a huge feud at this time. The Sheik & Blackwell felt like a huge, hot act. This was a molten match. It had a big cage match feel with each time look to dish out some serious punishment. The Sheiks took advantages of some High Flyers' mistakes and kicked their ass, but could not hold them down. When the babyfaces were on top, they were firing on all cylinders with a ton of energy and always looking to drive the Sheiks into the cage. The Sheiks were not shy about bumping. One of the best tag team cage matches ever! 

#7. AWA Southern Heavyweight Champion Nick Bockwinkel vs Jerry Lawler 

 Memphis 11/8/82

Nick Bockwinkel is at his sadistic best in this No Disqualification bout where Lawler has put his hair on the line against Nick Bockwinkel's Southern Heavyweight Championship. Lance Russell always lets us know that Lawler is a slow starter, but he picked one helluva night to have an ultra slow start. Bockwinkel absolutely creamed him in the first five minutes. It all began with Bock using the hair to maneuver Lawler into the and hitting him with a huge forearm sledge. After that, he just teed off at will and was getting in some great shots. One palm strike really messed up Lawler's vision and had him rolling to the outside. Bockwinkel was so relentless the ref had to pull him off. It is No DQ, but within reason and the ref needs to ensure the safety of both men. Just when you think, Lawler is going to lose his hair, he comes back with a headbutt that may have been a bit south of the border. Lawler does what he does best punch himself out of trouble. When he goes for some more testicular violence, the ref won't allow it. Lawler has to settle for the piledriver, but Bock puts his foot on the rope. Bockwinkel retaliates with his own punch to the netheregions. Bockwinkel works one helluva heat segment. He busts Lawler open underneath the eye according to Lance and his punches look great. He throws Lawler to the outside and bounces his head off the table and punches him so hard it sends him back into the third row. Everybody deserves a front row seat. Bock is the man! He tosses Lawler over the top rope on the other side. He sends Lawler face first into the metal post, which draws an audible gasp. It has to be mentioned Lawler is giving one of helluva selling performance. Bock wants the piledriver now that would be something. Lawler reverses and sends Bock into the ref. That weasel, Jimmy Hart, blasts Lawler with a foreign object, but no ref. Lawler kicks out at two. Lawler is absorbing Bock's punches and Lawler pulls the strap down. The crowd goes wild as Lawler starts rocking. Bock takes some huge bumps and Lawler looks great. It takes three flying fist drops for Lawler to get his first pinfall victory over the World Champion in five attempts! A little abrupt on the finish, but this an awesome fight. Bockwinkel checks the holds at the door and matches Lawler blow for blow. Lawler is a great seller and when it comes time to make that comeback, I am thinking there may be few better.