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Post by elliott on Dec 18, 2017 21:08:58 GMT -5
Ric Flair vs Jumbo Tsuruta (NWA World Heavyweight Title - AJPW - 6/8/1983)
This is their classic 60 minute draw that finished #5 on the DVDVR 80s AJPW set voting. So that alone pretty much merits consideration. Oh and its Flair vs Jumbo. Something I'll consider. But I'm sure lots of people will definitely vote for it.
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Post by Cap on Jan 3, 2018 17:25:44 GMT -5
Second
I love this match. This is just classic 80s wrestling at its finest to me. Its like a fine wine or gourmet meal. It is heightened somewhat by the reputations and careers of the men. It is solid, well executed wrestling. The story is clear and told completely in the ring. Both men are so expressive in their movements, facial expressions, and selling, Jumbo deceptively so here. I am not 100% sure it makes my list, but it has a real real shot.
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Post by childs on Jan 9, 2018 15:00:13 GMT -5
I know some people found this match boring, but I never understood that. They put real effort into the slow-build first fall, which was an expected feature for the NWA title matches of the period. And then they built the intensity throughout, with Flair fighting hard to keep his title and Jumbo showing off his incredible athleticism at a few key moments. Gut says I won't ultimately vote for it, but it should be on the pile.
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Post by puropotsy on Jun 3, 2018 19:33:43 GMT -5
Just a sublime match that has shot to the top of my list. The first time I watched it I didn't realize it was 2/3 falls. When the first fall finished I thought it was a great match (and assumed it wasn't for the title). Then it kept going and I was excited to see the rest of it which more than paid off. Highlights include Flair's early arm-work, Jumbo's desperation missile dropkick and the extended figure four spot near the end. Probably my favorite 60-minute match.
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Post by superstarsleeze on Jul 22, 2018 10:44:02 GMT -5
This is a match that's just going to miss the cut for me. Tremendous sixty minute match with lots of replay value but when you go sixty there is just more chance to drag OR fuck up. No fuck ups but there is a section that drags. Top tier match for sure but I think will be on the outside looking in. Which is saying something because we all know I'm a huge Flair and Jumbo mark, #2 and #3 on my GWE list.
NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Jumbo Tsuruta - AJPW 6/8/83 2 Out of 3 Falls
Exactly six years before I was born. Seen this twice or thrice before, loved it, lets see how it holds up.
First 20 minutes: Jumbo is a wrestler who tries to control his own destiny but so many things end up out of his control. He always takes it to his opponent; it is that challenger mentality. But he always gets hosed by a DDQ or Countout finish, but goddamnit he tries to win it, but somehow things awry. It is all Jumbo in the first ten minutes. I thought this was a good demonstration of Flair's commitment to selling especially verbally. Good work on the arm, liked the Irish whip into buckles great bump and then holler by Flair. The best attribute of Flair is he never stops trying to win so he makes his opponent work for it. Flair tries to create something off a criss cross ends up in an ab stretch. From there we transition to back psychology and Jumbo really never relents for the rest of the twenty minutes except when he is on defense. Flair is not throwing as many short knees or chops, but does land a couple after a bearhug. He misses the elbow and sells his back! Nice! Jumbo pounces. The weakest part of the first twenty minutes was definitely the transition to Flair's first heat segment. Flair takes a stroll to break Jumbo's momentum, but comes back and just takes over like it is his turn. So pretty weak. Great arm work though. Punches to the armpit, tight hammerlocks, short arm scissors using the ropes. Jumbo uses a drop toehold to hold Flair why getting his arm rejuvenated. Then it's right back to the Boston Crab. Never lets go of the ankle, but is able to get back on the back of Flair. Good wrestling. Flair breaks the hold and tries to go for the arm. Stump puller and Jumbo right back to the Boston Crab. Flair makes the ropes. He is grabbing his back and Jumbo is feeling it. Now Jumbo is ready to throw some bombs. Atomic drop. Flair HOLLERS and Flair Flop! BUTTERFLY SUPLEX! Only a two! Flair is feeling the heat, big chop and chucks Jumbo outside.
Besides the transition, very solid opening twenty minutes. The challenger, Jumbo has picked a body part used holds to finally build towards bombs that will yield a pin. Flair is using momentum breaking tactics and focused on arm. Thought Flair's selling and movement were great. Jumbo has had most of the highspots in the match thus far and is wrestling soundly.
Second Twenty Minutes:
Flair is selling inside the ring so well. Huffing and puffing, grabbing his back, not going after Jumbo. The turning point for Flair seems to be a back suplex. It rang Jumbo's bell and Flair was able to put him in a surfboard. "Cmon Jumbo!" yells Flair. I love tests of strength especially in this context. With the first fall on the line about 25 minutes gone by, feels like do or die time. Some weird botches in this match. Like the crossbody and Jumbo ducking a punch ending up in the piledriver position just to reverse it. Flair begs for Jumbo to chop him over the top. Great bump by Flair, feels like a great fist-pumping moment for Jumbo fans. Flair is so good. Flair grabs the leg from the outside! Yanks it across the apron! Desperation Flair! Here we go! Flair big time suplex back in, inside cradle off the figure-4 though. Flair has the foot, ENZIGUIRI! HIGH KNEE!!! MUTHA OF ALL BACK DROPDRIVERS! JUMBO TAKES THE FALL! 1-0!
Pretty incredible first fall. Really sound opening twenty minutes followed by a red hot last five. The in between five was marred by weird botches and awkwardness.
After losing the first fall, Flair clearly needs to come out cooking, but also look Jumbo to press the advantage. Flair has an interesting strategy to start. He comes in firing at Jumbo with heavy hands and at first Jumbo is able to overwhelm him. Flair now down 1-0 just keeps firing. He tries an atomic drop, but it is reversed, he blocks. He gets a suplex and then a piledriver. What's interesting is Flair is trying to win with bombs. Then we see a strategy more up Flair's alley. The front facelock. He locks that in. Saps Jumbo's energy, totally grinds his momentum to a halt, gives time for Flair to recover and the biggest thing of all he basically wastes ten minutes off the clock here. He is still going for pinfalls, but he is killing time. This is boring as hell and the match rating is gonna suffer, but you cant deny it is smart. He throws Jumbo out. Jumbo takes a couple tries and yanks him out. He throws him into the post and busts Flair open.
Jumbo up 1-0 & Flair is bleeding. Can he pull out the championship victory with twenty minutes left.
Last Twenty Minutes: These two are athletic freaks. They wrestle a grueling 40 minutes and now they decide to have a fireworks show. I loved Jumbo pounding on the cut and Flair throwing those wild punches. Flair was killing it in the selling department. Collapsing and hollering as Jumbo was kicking ass. Jumbo feels like an ass kicker. There was some really great fist fights. HIGH KNEE! I was urging to Jumbo to cover and I already know he wont win that's how good that spot was. Flair Flip. Flair headbutts down low! Great spot! Jumbo reverses a suplex attempt into a back drop driver attempt, but Flair blocks by grapevining the leg. Jumbo grabs a sleeper. There is a HUGE nearfall, 1-2-Foot on ropes! I marked out for it. Flair throws him out and Jumbo comes back covered with streamers with a MISSILE DROPKICK off the top! Awesome visual.
I think I figured it out Flair just cant take a Thesz Press. Jumbo GOES FLYING over the ropes in an insane bump when Flair ducks the High knee. NOW We Go To School! Jumbo earns his keep in selling here. Flair is relentless on the leg and Jumbo is great selling in the confines of the figure-4. Flair runs the clock out with really compelling leg work and a figure-4. Jumbo was selling so well and the drama was high. Jumbo does not submit, but the clock runs out on him and winning the NWA Championship.
The first fall is an incredible, basic strategic wrestling match. The last twenty minute is this insanely dramatic action-packed match with blood, bombs, bumps and drama down the stretch. Two things keep this from classic status the beginning ten minutes of second fall are pretty damn boring. Even if it makes sense, it was boring. During the finish run, it felt incomplete. It was missing that big Jumbo run. It would be like a tag match without a hot tag. It just did not feel right. Flair was awesome at selling and really timed the match out well. Jumbo killed it offensively and then in the end came through in the selling of the leg. Just an awesome NWA Championship and one of the best Broadways ever. ****1/2
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