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Post by Cap on Dec 4, 2017 20:04:03 GMT -5
Ricky Steamboat and Jay Youngblood vs Sgt Slaughter and Don Kernodle (Cage Match - NWA Tag Team Championships - NWA/MA - 3/12/1983)
There are some mixed feelings about this match out there, but I sort of love it. This is an excellent blend of chaos and control in the cage. They blend everyone in so well. The match is brutal with lots of great work from Kernodle/Slaughter on top. It makes the comeback pretty incredible. Once everyone is bleeding all over and throwing their bodies at one another I am full on invested in this thing. I love it and think there is a probably a strong chance it makes the list with some ease.
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Post by elliott on Dec 4, 2017 22:07:33 GMT -5
I second this nomination. This is something that is near the top of my list of stuff to watch for this project. I have been hoping to rewatch it as part of the long rumored DVDVR 80s Crockett set, but who knows if it will ever be released. I've always absolutely loved this and have long considered it to be the best US tag match ever...by far. Its been probably 5 years since I've watched it, but back then I would have called it a top 10 contender. No idea if I still feel that way. But I have always been all the way in on this. Should be an interesting re-watch.
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Post by problematic on Jan 10, 2018 3:04:44 GMT -5
Thirded. It's a legendary match where you see and feel the legend as you watch it. You can argue that some of the technical wrestling stuff in it is out of character, but I think it's sort of in keeping with who the babyfaces were. It has the drama and intrigue you want out of a match like this. It is a holy grail match that lives up to that standard at leas in some ways.
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Post by microstatistics on May 2, 2018 1:43:57 GMT -5
Excellent match. The slowish beginning actually worked really well because the way the match escalated was superb. Tons of neat little touches, an all time great performance from Slaughter, and a clever finish.
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Post by puropotsy on Jun 3, 2018 15:04:57 GMT -5
Great match. When I first saw it about ten years ago I thought it was just about the greatest thing I'd ever seen. I've seen a lot of great wrestling since then, including historical stuff, so it is not the best thing I've ever seen and is just simply great but not at the top of my list. It was different to have a match start with Kernodle as heel-in-peril. But I like different. All four guys worked their asses off here and used the cage well.
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Post by superstarsleeze on Mar 24, 2019 18:25:19 GMT -5
Years back I didn't like the long heel in peril, but I came around to This. Kernodle sold the heel in peril so hell and the last half was so action packed and a great cage match. Won't make my list but a kickass match.
NWA World Tag Team Champions Sgt. Slaughter & Don Kernodle vs Ricky Steamboat & Jay Youngblood - MACW Final Conflict Steel Cage Match
I was underwhelmed when I first watched this five-six years ago. I have an open mind.
Babyface shine: A 12 minute heel in peril segment that features Kernodle complete and you know what I loved it. Yeah there were a lot of headlocks, but the spots in and out of the headlocks were great. It really established Steamboat & Youngblood as a great babyface team. I loved Steamboat using his foot to avoid being thrown in the cage and then applying a headlock. Or how Steamboat gets in the way of Youngblood to stop him from going into the cage. Steamboat & Youngblood had good babyface offense plenty of dropkicks and flying chops. Kernodle sold more and more as time went on. The best part for me were all the false tags. Usually see it for the babyfaces, but here Kernodle almost makes the tag, fingertips away and another time Slaughter is out of position when Kernodle finally made it back to the corner. This was really great textbook tag wrestling from the babyfaces and the heels were great stooges for it. The tag to Slaughter was a little anti-climatic as Kernodle just gets his fingers jabbed into Youngblood's side. They faked me out the shine continues. Youngblood throws Slaughter into the cage back first and then head first. He is the first into the cage and typical Sarge fashion he really throws himself into the cage. He tries to throw Youngblood into the cage, but Youngblood uses his foot and it is a battle of wills. Youngblood wins and tags out to Steamboat who is immediately on Slaughter. Big time clothesline gets two for the Steamer. Tag out. Youngblood flying chop and then a great standing dropkick gets two. It has been all Steamboat & Youngblood, Daddy! Criss cross, Youngblood is flying and Sarge uses his own momentum against throwing him hard face-first into the cage, this has got to be the break Sarge & the Pride of the Carolinas has been looking for.
Heat/Finish: What the fuck was I smoking way back when? This is a BARNBURNER! Quadruple juice! Slaughter flying off the cage like he is Jimmy Snuka! Steamboat & Youngblood going wild! I thought the heat segment on Youngblood. A couple times I thought he died but he came back to life. Heel offense was perfect, punches working the cut, choking and Sarge looking for the Cobra Clutch. Youngblood sends Slaughter and Sarge does the most blatant bladejob on camera in history. Steamboat was a great hot tag and I LOVE Slaughter pushing Kernodle out of the way as Steamer gets color too. Steamboat is the one who sends the Pride of the Carolinas into the cage to complete the Quadruple Juice! Slaughter coming flying off the cage brings Youngblood into it who is a total house of fire! The ending is absolute mayhem. Double catapult of the heels into the cage! Cobra Clutch and Sleeper simultaneously on the heels! Slaughter bowls over Youngblood into the ref. He loads the Slaughter Canon with a foreign object and takes out Youngblood. Steamboat sends Sarge into the cage and puts Youngblood on top. The footage then cuts to the babyfaces winning, which is a shame.
Way, way, way better than I remember. The last half is an action-packed Crockett match where there's just a ton going on. Steamboat/Youngblood were a great high-energy tag team, tons of offense and some great selling. I thought more than the blood and the big Cage spots, that what really held this all together were the commitment to babyface/heel dynamics. ****1/2
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