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Post by nintendologic on May 12, 2020 17:24:26 GMT -5
I recently had the chance to revisit this. I thought it was really good but not quite an all-time classic. The match can be divided into thirds (Morton shine, Flair heat, Morton comeback/finish) of close to equal length. The second third was virtually flawless, but the first and final thirds were underwhelming. The main problem was the lack of credible offense from Morton. That's not as much of an issue when you have a partner you can tag out to and perform double-team maneuvers with, but it gets exposed in a singles match of any decent length. I'm a bit mystified when I see people praise Morton's punches. I mean, they were fine, but they pretty clearly paled in comparison to Flair's, let alone Lawler's. Flair showed too much ass in the opening minutes (literally at one point), and the heel trying to climb out of the cage is a spot I never want to see in non-escape rule cage matches. Once Flair snapped and went to work on Morton's face, though, this really took off. Flair rarely faced opponents who were significantly smaller during this period, and he clearly relished the opportunity to play the bully. And it goes without saying that Morton's selling for this part of the match was impeccable. Unfortunately, that all largely went out the window after Morton made a no-selling comeback. It was like he was working a Rock & Roll Express match and made a hot tag to himself. Flair playing possum to cover his tracks after crotching Morton on the top rope was a nice touch at the end. Overall, I'd say this was a GOAT-level performance from Flair and half of a great performance from Morton.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 10, 2020 0:34:17 GMT -5
I have seen the July 11th cage match but not this one. Does anyone have a link?
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Post by Deleted on Jul 16, 2020 10:40:36 GMT -5
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Post by Kadaveri on Aug 17, 2020 20:26:14 GMT -5
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Post by mvz on Nov 13, 2021 21:48:33 GMT -5
Not much to add to the excellent thread here. This would be a contender for number 1 but Morton's comeback is just a tad underwhelming in my estimation. Even so, everything in the first 18 minutes or so is off the charts, just excellent commitment by both guys, so it is a lock for the list and will still rank high on it in all likelihood.
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Post by [Darren] on Nov 14, 2021 0:35:30 GMT -5
This feels like the greatest match I’ve ever seen. It’s been penciled in as my #1 since I started a list. It has no chance of dropping below #2
Nothing more needs to be said after Sleeze’s review. This is everything I want in professional wrestling.
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Post by elliott on Nov 14, 2021 0:38:21 GMT -5
Hell yeah!
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Post by silverwidow on Apr 9, 2022 14:29:30 GMT -5
This lived up to the hype! Just an incredible showing from both men. Blood, drama, heat, character work, selling - it's all here. Morton put on a babyface performance for the ages. Also really enjoyed the spot where Flair mocked Morton by putting on his nose guard mask. Anyway, this is a total must-see. ****3/4
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Post by puropotsy on Jun 1, 2023 13:20:32 GMT -5
Next level babyface performance here from Morton, with something as simple as selling his nose. Flair worked him over savagely and it went a long time but really just the right amount. Morton fought back with brawling and grit rather than high-flying and came off like he could win the title. Flair winning with foul tactics enhanced it that much more. This also had some of the best use of a cage I have seen.
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Post by [Darren] on Jun 1, 2023 15:10:09 GMT -5
This match is everything I want out of professional wrestling. I voted it #1 last time and will fall from that spot but I don’t love it any less.
Flair is a sadistic bully and it may be his best performance going up against one of the most perfect babyface performances ever in Ricky Morton. Marty Sleeze said everything that needs to be said about this match though b
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Post by mrjmml on Jun 1, 2023 17:12:23 GMT -5
One of the greatest cage matches ever.
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Post by KB8 on Jun 29, 2023 16:37:18 GMT -5
So this is the very best Flair match, right? Even better than the Funk matches, better than the Steamboat matches, better than the Garvin matches. Better than all of them. This one is the best. As a feud it's always been my favourite, partly for the absurdity of it, partly for what it brought out in Flair. I mean Flair as Evil Queen Grimhilde who can't stomach the fact there might be a younger, better looking blond fella running around the Carolinas is perfect. Envy is an emotion I'm sure we can all relate to and Flair wears it on his sleeve like nobody else, so a feud with that as its crux really offers a role that's made for him.
The initial run of Morton on top is basically one extended revenge segment. It rules. Flair wants no part of it because he knows Morton wants more than the title - he wants to make Flair UGLY and he'll do it by splattering his nose across his face. The first thing Morton does is drag Flair to the ropes and rake his face across it, then he'll grab Flair by the nose, measure his shot and punch him straight in the hooter. We've seen Flair beg off a million times but this was some of his best, a little more frenzied than usual, where he'll almost turn and make a run for it only to realise he's stuck in there. He doesn't get much in the way of offence, but when they tease him taking over it's Morton's face he goes for. At one point he actually rips Morton's mask off and it goes flying across the ring, but his mistake was going to pick it up because it just allowed Morton to get back at him. It was a nice bit of foreshadowing. There was a great bit where Morton had him in a headlock and was ripping at the nose, throwing little rabbit punches to the face, and you could see Flair working to set up the shinbreaker. The first time he grabbed it Morton shut him down with a punch, then the second time Flair kept hold, hoisted Morton up, and just as he dropped him across the knee Morton hit him with another punch. What I thought was cool from both guys was how they each sold what had happened. The camera was all the way in there so you could see Morton grimacing, then he dropped to his butt to relieve some pressure on the leg, while keeping hold of the headlock. Flair verbally sold the punch like he sold every other time Morton punched him in the face, but he also only hit the shinbreaker partially, kind of side on, that punch throwing off his execution. Ultimately it was an inconsequential moment in the match, but when you're talking about the greatest matches of all time it's the little touches like those that make them pop.
Then Flair does what we all knew he'd do. If I've said it once I've said it a thousand times, but vicious animal Flair is the best Flair and this was a fucking unbelievable bastard Flair performance. Honestly I think it's my favourite stretch of work I've ever seen from him in a match. As soon as he flung Morton into the cage that first time you knew the switch was flicked, and for about 10 minutes he was everything he ever told you he was. He looked like a man who took real pleasure in trying to disfigure someone, the way he'd rake Morton's face across the cage while shit-talking those teeny boppers whose attention he wanted everyone to believe he didn't actually care about. When he yanks the mask off Morton he even puts it on himself, adding a little insult to the very obvious injury. He took his time and savoured the moment and even the way he interacted with Tommy Young was different. Earlier on he got into his favourite shoving match with Tommy and Flair wound up on his keister. After Flair took over Tommy was just about pleading with him to take it easy on Morton. Flair's only acknowledgment was to raise a hand to him and as soon as he did Tommy got the fuck out his road. Not a chance was he going to retaliate to Flair when he was in that mood and he didn't even protest whenever Flair would shove him out the way with one hand. Flair was a man on a grizzly million, cold and callous, and the way he blended the cruelty with that champion's arrogance was truly sublime, drying himself off with Morton's headband before raining down punches to the forehead, almost admiring the blood coating his knuckles before giving the most condescending thumbs up to someone in the crowd. We often compare him to guys like Bockwinkel and Rose, and the comparison makes sense for plenty of reasons and I'm absolutely in the camp of those other two guys being better than Flair. But I don't know if I've ever seen Bockwinkel or Rose work a segment quite like this. Not *like this*. Just perfect stuff.
I could quibble and say I'd have liked for them to work one or two more teased comebacks before the actual comeback, but either way when that comeback arrives it leads to the awesome final stretch. They almost role-reverse as Morton turns into a maniac, while all of Flair's confidence is shattered and he reverts to type, shocked back into the real world. Morton bloodies him back, hurls him face-first into the cage, rips the forehead open, and if Flair was a LITTLE more frenzied before he was absolutely hysterical now. There was one point where he tried to crawl away shrieking as he looked at the blood covering his hands, knowing it was his own, knowing what he and the Horsemen had done to Morton, knowing that those chickens were coming home to roost, knowing that Morton wasn't just there to take his belt. Morton was trying to mutilate him and how much kiss-stealin' wheelin'-dealin' could he do then? Flair backing into the corner after Morton had yet again rammed him into the cage and Morton stalking him down shouting "I told you not to FUCK with me" was biblical. Then we get a Flair Flop off the top rope after he tries to jump out the cage, and I really do not remember seeing a top rope Flair Flop in however many thousand Ric Flair matches I've seen.
I really wanted this to hold up and I'm so glad it did. Could easily see it as someone's #1.
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Post by elliott on Jun 29, 2023 16:47:05 GMT -5
So this is the very best Flair match, right? Even better than the Funk matches, better than the Steamboat matches, better than the Garvin matches. Better than all of them. This one is the best. YUP
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Post by [Darren] on Jun 29, 2023 21:08:03 GMT -5
This was my #1 in 2021.
It dropped but it’s still the best Flair match. What a treat this match it.
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