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Post by Cap on Dec 8, 2017 8:43:57 GMT -5
Buzz Sawyer vs Tommy Rich (Cage - GCW - 10/23/1983)
People have mixed feelings about this. I feel like the hype was so so so high that it was never going to live up to it when it first hit the public. I kind of felt that way the firs time I watched it. Then I watched it again.... and again. Every time I watched it I appreciated it more. I think this holds up with many of the great and commonly canonized (at least in certain circles) 80s brawls. There will likely be a lot of discussion about viewing matches in context vs in a vaccuum during this project. This match benefits greatly from some understanding of the context.
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Post by elliott on Dec 8, 2017 18:33:25 GMT -5
Seconded. I do not get the mixed feelings surrounding this at all. It is spectacular. But I'm wondering if I'm influenced by the awesome Ole/Ellering post-match which I kind of consider to be part of this whole thing even if it probably shouldn't be. Regardless, this ruled. Fantastic brawl and something that will probably make my list.
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Post by Grimmas on Jan 5, 2018 21:43:46 GMT -5
I thought this was brilliant too and had the same feel as the first War Games. It's hate enclosed in a cage! It's a beautiful blow off too. Will have to rewatch it to see if I was just on a high due to it's release or to see if it's as brilliant as I remember.
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Post by superstarsleeze on Jul 22, 2018 20:42:32 GMT -5
The Holy Grail has been found! Let us rejoice & be glad! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Tommy "Wildfire" Rich vs "Mad Dog Buzz Sawyer - Last Battle of Atlanta
"It's gotta be. It's going to be." - "Mad Dog" Buzz Sawyer waxing philosophic in the face of The Last Battle.
Wildfire vs Mad Dog. Precious Paul above it all. A Flood Of Blood To End It All. In a match so concerned about finality, the beginning is neglected. It felt like we joined the match in progress in my opinion. They just jumped right into the heat segment and everyone selling a war of attrition. It was an incredible heat segment and one helluva finish, but it was missing that spark. I think it was because they cut out a red hot babyface shine or even if was just a red hot slugfest to start it out. I liked the cautious beginning with each man afraid of punching the cage or going into the cage. Instead of it breaking loose, Rich's arm gets smashed into the cage and Buzz goes to work.
I like to tuck my complaints in the back end of a review, but because my sole complaint was about the beginning I thought I stick it there. What follows is incredible, violent, bloody war of attrition. Mad Dog was nominally in control of the majority of the match attacking the arm at first, but then switching to smashing Rich's head into the cage followed by biting and working the cut. Rich was great with the desperate hope spots like going for the balls and then just all out slugging Sawyer. I loved the one where he just grabbed Sawyer and piledrove him. At every turn Buzz because he established a lead early on that he was able to cutoff Rich in some fashion with an eye poke, going to the arm or the cut. Rich eventually busts Sawyer wide open on a cage shot. These just are totally bleeding buckets. The rules were a bit unclear at first. There is no ref in the ring. Over the PA, an official is counting at first I thought it was Last Man Standing, but pinfalls were permissible. There was an all-time great slugfest from their knees. The ultimate Oh Shit Highspot was Buzz hurling his own body into the cage as Wildfired ducked out of the way. Rich repeatedly slammed Sawyer's head into the cage. I liked how Rich collapsed and the official was counting both men down and then Rich kinda just flopped his body on Buzz Sawyer for the win.
Impressive heat segment and finish. Absolute war of attrition with great selling, lots of struggle (loved Rich's desperate hope spots and Buzz's dickish cutoffs) and a very final finish. Still felt like it lacked energy. Absolutely great match and worth the 33 year wait. ****1/2
Ole Anderson vs Paul Ellering - Last Battle of Atlanta
In a bonus match that is almost as great as the Last Battle of Atlanta, Ole and Precious Paul tear the house down! Love how Ellering cupped the back of Buzz's head when he got into the cage. Crimson Mask is an understatement here. You can barely make out Mad Dog's face. Ole comes in street clothes and just hands Ellering's ass to him. He even tears his jeans hardway!!! Incredible babyface shine this is what the above match needed. Just so much energy with Ellering playing pinball and Ole killing him at every turn. So that when Ellering finally manages an inverted atomic drop crowd, the crowd is molten for Ole. Ellering works a great heat segment on Ole busting him open and choking him. Ole's comeback is so awesome. He is such a great Walking Tall babayface. He just keeps moving forward with some great body punches and then firing them off into the face. I loved the headbutt finish completely with Ole walking through it and covering. Jake The Snake and Ellering whip Ole like a dog to set up the next show. Awesome bloodbath match with more energy, but didn't have the same hatred as the previous. Still a total classic in my opinion. ****1/2
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Post by thepumalives on Nov 27, 2018 11:53:54 GMT -5
I really like the feeling of no commentary and no ref in the ring, it makes it feel like the hate filled war that it should be. This isn’t a wrestling match in the traditional sense and it lacks some of the tropes we’ve come to expect, like mentioned above there’s no shine or ultra hot finish, but dang if it doesn’t work. I’m not too well versed on the back story but I know the basics, and they lived up to it with the psychology.
I like Rich following Sawyer out onto the apron at the beginning and giving him no room to breathe, although it did back fire. Rich’s lowblow and pile driver worked as hope spots and both men were bleeding buckets. Sawyer was just as vicious with him pounding Rich and biting him to speed up the blood. The finish was almost anticlimactic, but the more I think about it the more it makes sense; it was just two guys in a war of attrition and one barely outlasted the other.
It will make my ballot, but final placement will depend on a rewatch.
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Post by mvz on Mar 26, 2021 3:29:49 GMT -5
I watched this alongside some other 80s brawls and it fell a little bit short to me just because the start of the match feels a little odd. After all you had heard about this feud, they felt a little tentative; I guess that makes sense in these circumstances but it still felt off to me. But it’s a small blip because they do go to war here, laying a beating on each other and selling the roll this has taken. I remember the first time I saw the finish I thought “that’s it?” But I bought it here, logical and violent.
That Ole-Ellering addition is great, what a pleasant surprise that was.
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