Match #26 Nov. 24, 1983, Starrcade, Harley Race vs. Ric Flair, NWA World Heavyweight Championship (Steel Cage)

I'm probably going to ruffle some feathers here, but even though this is a historical match, in terms of history, I just cannot get into this match. I mean, it's not a bad match, but every time I watch it, I just can't find a way to really enjoy it. I really do not even know why.

You've probably seen numerous highlights of this match, but in case you have not, here is the low down. Race takes the title in controversial fashion, Race then puts a $25,000 bounty on Flair so he will not have to face him again. None of that works and we get this rematch inside a steel cage at Starrcade '83, with Gene Kininski as the special referee.

The match is more of a fight than a wrestling match. They just lay into one another, with both wrestlers getting bloodied. Of course if you've seen this before, you know the finish comes with a crossbody off the top rope by Flair to get the pinfall.

My Grade: C
Just something about this match is off for me.

Match #21 Aug. 31, 1983, Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling, Harley Race vs. Ric Flair, NWA World Heavyweight Championship

A year after Ric Flair's controversial title win over Kerry Von Erich, Harley Race has won the title also in controversial fashion, and this is the rematch for the ten pounds of gold. This match is more of angle progression due to the finish of the match, but it's a good match here put on by the two, but nothing real special.

Flair had by this time become a babyface after losing the title in shady circumstances, and had the crowd behind him to win back the NWA title. Race had the bounty on Flair as well so he would not have to defend the title against Flair again. These two go back and forth with both men trying to get that slight advantage to get the victory. Flair would almost have the win, having Race in the figure-four, but Bob Orton Jr. and Dick Slater would come out and break it up and try to break Flair's neck. They give him a spiked piledriver as Race looks on in delight. Roddy Piper and Wahoo McDaniel would come out to chase them off and check on Flair.

My Grade: B
A good match, but more used to advance the Flair/Race rivalry.

Match #18 Aug. 24, 1982, World Class Championship Wrestling, Kerry Von Erich vs. Ric Flair, NWA World Heavyweight Championship (2/3 Falls)

As Jim Ross once said, 'you want to talk about controversy', I would say is an appropriate way to describe this encounter. Ric Flair defends the NWA Title against Kerry Von Erich in WCCW. Von Erich is pretty much the 'man' in Texas at this time and these two go to war for the ten pounds of gold.

A pretty back and forth match here as it take about twenty-five minutes to decide the first fall. A ref bump would occur as Von Erich accidentally strikes the referee. A WCCW ref would come down to fill in while the ref was down and Von Erich would get a sleeper hold on Flair. Flair was pretty much out as the ref went to check on him and the bell rings. The original referee had disqualified Von Erich for striking him and crowd goes nuts. They believed that Von Erich should have won the first fall and be up 1-0, but it is Flair who is wins the first fall.


The second fall sees Ric Flair work over Kerry Von Erich's knee. Flair would use every trick he had to try and destroy the knee of Von Erich to snap in the figure-four and try to win this fall. Flair would get the hold, but Von Erich had the where with all to reverse it. Von Erich would gain the advantage by applying the Iron Claw to Flair. Flair would get busted open as a result of the hold and be pinned as well giving fall two to Von Erich.

The third fall would get underway and see both men just laying into each other. Von Erich would get the advantage and just start pummeling Flair. The ref would try to get Von Erich off of Flair but was unable to. As a result, the referee would disqualify both men and making Flair retain the title. Once again the crowd is livid feeling as though Von Erich was screwed out of two falls here. Fritz Von Erich would come down to ringside, Kerry's father, and get into the face of the referee. This would be after Flair and Von Erich would continue brawling after the match was over. Fritz even tried to choke out the ref and fight him as he felt his son had been screwed out of the title as well. A controversial end to a great title match you could definitely say.

My Grade: A+
Great drama and great action here by two of the best.

Match #12 Aug. 21, 1979 Championship Wrestling from Florida, Harley Race vs. Dusty Rhodes, NWA World Heavyweight Title

We go back to the NWA for the world heavyweight championship on the line as Harley Race defends against 'The American Dream' Dusty Rhodes. Another clipped match unfortunately, as it is highlights with Dusty talking about how this match went and what it meant to him. From the looks of things, it looked to be a hard hitting, back and forth match, with both men bloodied after the match was over. Rhodes would hit and elbow drop on Race to win, what I do believe was his first NWA World Heavyweight Championship. Afterward, the fans and other wrestlers got into the ring to celebrate with Rhodes.

My Grade: N/A
Clipped match.

Match #6 Dec. 10, 1975, Championship Wrestling from Florida, Jack Brisco vs. Terry Funk, NWA World Heavyweight Title

We have another very clipped match here, as this one only has about 3:25 of wrestling. This was a match I was actually looking forward to seeing, so I am very disappointed that the match was cut short. The big thing about this match is Funk's win making him and Dory Funk Jr. the only brother tandem to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. Funk wins after reversing the figure-four leg lock into a school boy roll up.

My Grade: N/A
Unfortunately another clipped match.

Match #2 Feb. 11, 1969 Championship Wrestling from Florida, Gene Kininski vs Dory Funk Jr., NWA World Heavyweight Championship

This was disappointing. Not the match, but the fact that the match was clipped very badly, which I was unaware of. The total match time is 3:57. And feature about three moves, body slam, sunset flip, and the Funk spinning toe hold. Kininski would submit to the Funk spinning toe hold to lose the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. On the documentary of the dvd, Kininski blamed a mental lapse, thinking that the match was two out of three falls. I really wish this was a whole match, but I guess they could only do with the footage they had.

My Grade: N/A
Not enough footage to give an effective grade here.

Match #1 June 1961, Pat O'Connor vs. 'Nature Boy' Buddy Rogers, NWA World Heavyweight Title (2/3 Falls)

The first match on this list takes us back nearly fifty years! Reigning champion, Pat O'Connor takes on the brash, NWA US Heavyweight Champion Buddy Rogers. Lets take a side step and think back to 1961.

No current WWE champion was even born yet. Vince McMahon was only 15, Hulk Hogan was only 7, and Ric Flair was only 11. So three of the biggest names in wrestling had yet to even scratch the surface of the business yet.

Other things in '61, JFK had just started his presidency, Roger Marris hit his 61st home run setting the home run record at the time. West Side Story was released, as well as Fantastic Four #1 and Catch-22. The Vietnam War also begins.

Getting back to some pro wrestling, two out of three falls here for the NWA title. There is definitely a different style used here than you would see now. The wrestling is more slow and methodical, and body slams are big moves. Though one move, done by O'Connor was one I do not believe i have seen used since. A spinning grounded arm bar. For it's time it seemed rather dangerous, but Rogers didn't submit to it.

Very back and forth match with Rogers winning the first fall with a knee to the head. The second fall begins with Rogers maintaining the advantage before getting caught with a victory roll to give O'Connor the second fall. In the third fall you see Rogers start being more of the "Nature Boy" by strutting around the ring and acting more heelish. The finish was something you probably would not see in this day and age, unless it was an actual injury. O'Connor looked to finish off Rogers after he'd tried to pin him three times before. O'Connor goes for a big running dropkick but gets tangled up in the ropes, which Rogers capitalizes on and gets the pin fall. Rogers receives the belt and gives a small promo afterward.

If you own the 'History of the World Heavyweight Championship' DVD, definitely check this out to see how wrestling has evolved. If you don't own this, find a way to watch this match though.

My Grade: B
Different pacing and the slowness may make this match hard to get into, but it's actually a fun match and a good one for nostalgia.