Ric Flair vs Ricky Morton (JCP - 7/5/1986)

Second

I feel like this one has been talked to death as people made cases for both these men in GWE, but the long and short of it is that it is awesome. Nose work!? So good. This one has such urgency and emotion to it. Morton is one of the best and most sympathetic sellers ever. I really wanna watch this match again as part of this and think carefully about where it should land on my list.

Gun to my head right now, this is my pick for the Greatest Match of All Time. There is a lot to revisit, but this is my pick as of today.

Still my pick for the Greatest Match Ever

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Ricky Morton - GAB 7/11/86



I watched the build for this match and WOW! Does it take this to the next level! Ric Flair came off as the most psychotic bully of all time. Having to wrestle bigger men for most of his career, Flair got a few chance to push someone else around and my God did he milk this chance for everything it is worth. Seeing Flair in this role is something you actually want to see more because it is when he is at his most heelish. There is nothing likeable about a man who goes out of his way to disfigure a man just because he can. It reminds me of Beiber first came out and there was just this violent reaction against him by the "macho" man community especially in the heavy metal community. I could not wrap around my head around this irrational hatred for a teen idol. There is an inherent dislike some men have for pretty boys that can command attention of women especially young women. In every promo, Flair channels that psychotic hatred for Ricky Morton. He went out of his way to disrespect Morton it seemed out of insecurity and because he felt like he could. You really get the sense that he think if he can show up Morton he can prove to all these young girls what a real man is and in turn make them real women, which Flair cites as loving him. Morton stands up for himself on Worldwide and slaps the Champion and the tries to tear his clothes off. They go on to have an absolute barnburner of a TV match on 4/12/86, which is nonstop action. The ref gets bumps and Gibson comes in to count three for Morton to end the show as Flair escapes with his title, but his pride has been significantly wounded. Then on an episode of Worldwide, he snaps when Morton actually pins him by ref's count in a tag match. You can see Flair's world crashing around him. How did this little punk that is not even a real man just beat me? He lashes out in a terrible fashion and executes what at the same time seemed like hot air in that promo a couple weeks ago that he would disfigure Morton's face rendering him ugly for his adoring fans. The Horsemen barge into RnR locker room and Flair rubs Morton face in the concrete floor and you see blood streaking across the floor. I think this is the greatest angle I have ever seen. Morton comes back for a promo wrapped in bandages explaining you can take my face, but that is not where the source of my power comes from, it comes from his heart and his fans and he is coming for the Nature Boy and he is going to take the title.

Ric Flair does lend some key insight into why this feud happened in a seemingly throw away line when he said "Ricky Morton is the most popular wrestler on Earth." If you listen to Ric Flair's podcast, he LOVED wrestling babyfaces that were over. Once he saw how over Morton got against the Russians, you know he pushed hard for this singles feud.

Without watching the build, this is a ***** classic and now having watched the build can you say GOAT match candidate because I sure can! Ricky Morton is wrestling in a protective mask as Flair enters the stadium via helicopter. He is psyching out his opponent right up until the bell. The entire beginning of the match is Morton working awesome payback spots against Ric Flair huge honker of a nose. Morton stalks Flair at the beginning measuring him for the immense pain he is about to administer to this bully. Morton punches, wrenches and rakes Flair's nose. This is Flair in his element screaming in pain as Morton unleashing sweet revenge on his banana nose. Morton rubs Flair's face in the mat, it may not be concrete, but it will have to do. Flair looks unsure of himself. He needs to find a way to slow down the pace because Morton is a runaway freight train of anger. So he goes to Flair 101, draw into the corner, knee to the midsection and chops stymie Morton. Morton goes back to the face and Flair is pissed! He is making mistakes because he is frustrated. Morton headbutt Flair with the mask! Flair rips the mask away in anger. Morton punches him in the face and gets his mask, which was a nice little tease for the heat segment. Flair finally throws him off of a headlock into the cage, which is enough rattle him. NOW WE GO TO SCHOOL! It is just a tease again as Morton gets a cross body. Flair and Morton start tearing in each other hitting each other whereever they can and Flair rips the mask off, hurls him into the cage and the pretty face of Morton is a crimson mask. Let beating begin!

Flair dons the mask to mock Morton as he tortures him. He throws Morton into the cage and twists the nose. He then throws the mask over the cage. There will be no refuge for Morton. Big WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Morton is selling his nose and face so well. He is in pain, but the sympathetic kind and you really want to leap out there and help him against this maniac. "You want some of this!" He throws Morton hard into the cage. "Tell em your name" as he rakes Morton's face in the cage. I wish he added "Because they wont be able to recognize you." Pelvis thrust for the ladies. That is what this feud is all about. Flair's deeply-rooted notion in what a real man is and what a real woman should want out of a man. Ricky Morton stands as an defiant affront to the ideology, which defines who the Nature Boy is. Flair starts going for pinfalls, but the teeny bopper idol wont stay down. Flair freaks out and calls Tommy Young, a son of a bitch. Figure-4 and now Tommy Young is pleading with Morton to just quit and fight another day. Morton inside cradle! He is firing back and he sends Flair into the cage. There is a terrific squeal of joy from all the girls in attendance.

Flair begs off as any bully does when you punch him in the mouth. Morton rakes Flair's head into the cage and Flair is bleeding. Morton is punching and clawing at his face. Morton sleeper! Flair makes it to the ropes. Top rope crossbody for two! Rock N Roll! Rock N Roll! Rock N Roll! Go Ricky Go! Flair tries to escape the cage, this ain't the WWF, pal! Morton missile dropkick, he pinned Flair with this on TV albeit Gibson counted the pinfall. Flair presses Morton on the kick out on Tommy Young. Flair is able to drive Morton's manhood into the ropes to win with his feet on the ropes.

In a feud that was centered around what a real man is and how that relates to what women find attractive, I cant think of a better ending then a fucking ballshot by the man posturing as a tough, macho man, but is really a vindictive, arrogant and small man. They both focused on the face with laser precision. There was only one way to end this and that was an attack on the anatomical representation of manhood. It worked on two levels it exposed Flair as the total opposite of what a real man is by stooping so low to win the match and also to psychically assault Morton's manhood after disfiguring his face. I think I just convinced myself this is the greatest pro wrestling match of all time. *****

Disappointed this didn't make the Top 100 but I'm glad more people are checking it out. 

While I agree with NL, it is still one of the best rivalries of the 80s and all of the stuff leading up to and including the match fucking rocks so definitely watch all of it!

Yeah, as someone who is sort of whatever on Flair at this point and would still have voted that match high/higher than any other Flair match, while you obviously don’t need to see everything there to “get” it, it sure is a whole bunch of great stuff that enhances the match itself.

I had sort of completely forgot that I had seen this. I rewatched after the submission. This probably should have been on my list. It is pretty increadible in every way. I don't really have much to add to Sleeze's discussion.