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Post by elliott on Jan 7, 2018 19:25:30 GMT -5
Giant Baba vs Fritz Von Erich (JWA - 12/3/66)
Really awesome match that just adds to Giant Baba's enormous resume' of great matches. I usually think of "prime" Baba matches being stuff like the Destroyer match or the Billy Robinson match, so this is an interesting match to look at because it is a hard hitting brawl with Fritz really laying in the punches. Baba is terrific selling underneath and is of course one of the great babyfaces ever. This is something that really opened my eyes to Fritz. I hadn't seen anything outside of his old man stuff with his kids, so this was an awesome introduction. I would watch the shit out of some prime Fritz Von Erich.
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Post by stunninggrover on Jan 9, 2018 1:02:49 GMT -5
Giant Baba was still in his 20s when this match happened. Fritz Von Erich was a vicious madman who kept attempting to execute his claw hold. Baba’s selling for Fritz was tremendous. The psychology of this match was great. It was basically all about Fritz’ claw hold and Baba trying to either block or escape the claw hold. Baba has enough and grabs a chair to attack Fritz’ hand. This enrages Fritz even more and brings the chair inside the ring and hits Baba with it. A whole bunch of people try to stop Fritz, but Fritz just keeps attacking everyone in sight. Baba is declared the winner of the third and final fall. Great match. My pick for 1966 Match of the Year.
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Post by Cap on Jun 19, 2019 18:11:10 GMT -5
Third
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Post by mvz on Mar 15, 2021 5:03:16 GMT -5
Yeah this opened my eyes to Fritz. He is much more convincing in this amoral bully role than he ever was as a Texas hero. He laid in some serious kicks throughout the match and I loved the way they went after each other while they were on their knees or even their backs. As noted the psychology around the claw set this match apart. Plus some wild stuff around the finish.
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Post by violentbydesign on Nov 2, 2021 18:27:14 GMT -5
This was more stiff and wild than what I was expecting. Found this match more exciting and convincing than their 70s Texas Deathmatch.
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Post by Cap on Nov 3, 2021 5:48:19 GMT -5
I was actually just talking about this match on twitter. I really love both their well circulated matches, but this is probably my favorite of the two.
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Post by mvz on Nov 3, 2021 10:37:51 GMT -5
Agree with others that this is the best Baba-Fritz match. They work around the claw to add drama and violence, great stuff.
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Post by elliott on May 11, 2022 22:37:22 GMT -5
Revisted this for the first time in several years and it is an incredibly great match. belongs in the top 100
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Post by yojianjodefence on Jul 19, 2022 3:36:56 GMT -5
Quite simply one of the best matches of the decade. Just a stiff as all hell brawl for the ages that makes Fritz look incomprehensibly terrifying and Baba come off as insanely heroic. Top 50 lock for me at this stage.
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Post by puropotsy on Feb 28, 2023 17:25:34 GMT -5
Really fun big man match. Both are physically impressive and it’s cool to see them so young. Their size still impresses at times that they are prone on the mat working each other over. A slugfest for the most part, this match sees Von Erich play both a vicious killer and a chickenshit. The claw is put over huge. Both take a fall and the last one ends with Von Erich disqualified for using a chair.
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Post by elliott on Jun 1, 2023 14:27:11 GMT -5
Every time I watch this I'm blown the fuck away by it. It's never made the top 100 but it should be a slam dunk. If you don't like this you're lying.
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