Starrcade '85

Legacy Review

Starrcade '85: The Gathering

November 28, 1985 from the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, NC and The Omni in Atlanta, GA

 

Commentary: Bob Caudle and Tony Schiavone

 

Heading into the third year of Starrcade, the national expansion of Jim Crockett Promotions has well and truly begun. If you'll indulge me for a bit, to properly put this show and period in context we have to talk first about an event known as Black Saturday. In the summer of '84, three of the four owners of Georgia Championship Wrestling, the Brisco brothers and Jim Barnett, sold their stake in the company to Vince McMahon and WWF. Vince's purchase was all about one thing, getting the promotion's timeslot on WTBS as part of WWF's early attempts at national expansion. Viewers were shocked on July 14 when WWF programming came on the air instead of GCW, and WWF's product went over in the deep south, as they'd say down there, like a fart in church. WTBS also accused WWF of not fulfilling their agreed obligations, as they were airing matches taped from northeast arenas rather than ones from a dedicated studio for the WTBS show. Seeing the plan wasn't working, in early '85 Vince decided to sell his stake in Georgia and the timeslot. In swooped JCP, eager to start their own expansion. They had already bought the attempt at an alternate Georgia territory put together by the fourth GCW owner that didn't sell, Ole Anderson (who in true Ole fashion swore eternal vengeance on the Briscos and Barnett for selling out), and now they made a deal with WWF, facilitated by Barnett, to pick up the rest of the pieces. Little did they know they'd end up being the two main companies left standing when all the nationalization dust had settled in a few years. Incidentally, the name of the show that aired on WTBS that would now carry the JCP product? World Championship Wrestling. Strange how these things work out. It would quickly become JCP's primary weekly show.

 

Because they now owned the Georgia territory, JCP decided to try something with this Starrcade that had never been done before- air live from two different arenas simultaneously. One half from JCP's traditional home arena of the Greensboro Coliseum, home of the first two Starrcades, and the other half from GCW's top venue, the Omni in Atlanta. And to make the technical side even more complicated, instead of holding the first half in one arena and the second half in another, they would switch back and forth between roughly each match. Caudle and Tony are based in Atlanta but also commentate the Greensboro matches remotely. Former wrestler turned commentator Johnny Weaver is stationed backstage in Greensboro for interviews, and all I can say is if you think Lord Alfred Hayes always sounded lost, Weaver almost makes him look composed. For the first time we actually have the National Anthem at the start of the show instead of some weird point later.

 

Vacant NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship: Krusher Kruschev def Sam Houston in 9:30 (Greensboro)- The traditional top title within JCP's Mid-Atlantic territory had laid vacant since July, when Buzz Tyler was stripped after he left the company. Kruschev is Barry Darsow, future Demolition Smash among other gimmicks, and was the third member of the Soviet stable alongside the Koloffs. Houston is best known from his run in WWF later in the decade, even if he was barely more than a jobber there. Houston is announced at 215 lbs. Yeah, he weighs 215 about as much as King Kong Bundy is 400+. Dude might be 150 with his boots on if he had a big lunch that day. Longtime NWA ref Sonny Fargo is working the early Greensboro matches in an eye popping full bright mustard suit. I've seen NFL color rush uniforms less of an eyesore than this. Lockup and Kruschev TOSSES puny capitalist pig dog right across the ring. Another lockup that Houston stays with better, then he momentum tosses Kruschev to the floor! Kruschev hops right back in and we get a short slugfest before things calm down again. Kruschev again easily powers Houston up and down but Houston dodges an elbow drop. Backdrop attempt that Houston flips out of and they trade some punches again. Speed run and Houston does a fancy block and flip out of a hiptoss into a flying headscissors. He holds the headscissors on the mat. Kruschev easily lifts Houston up and deposits him in the corner. More dodge mode from Houston as he gets a dropkick and armdrag into an ARMBAR. HUGE backdrop from Kruschev as he drops Houston right on his face. Gorilla press that again drops Houston on his face. Houston tries to slide under but Kruschev was ready for him and pops him right back down. Bear hug. In Soviet Russia bear wrestle you. Setup slam and Kruschev goes up top. Houston dropkicks Kruschev down into the ropes! Mounted punches from Houston. Bulldog! Kruschev gets a foot on the rope to just break up the pin. Houston is oblivious and thinks he's won. More fool him, giving us Texans a bad name. Kruschev murders him with a Russian Sickle and gets the pin to win the vacant title. Pretty solid power vs speed stuff. With Mid-Atlantic and GCW merging into a single territory this was now a completely redundant title, and would be quietly euthanized toward the end of '86. **1/4

 

Mexican Death Match: "Ragin' Bull" Manny Fernandez def Abdullah the Butcher (w/Paul Jones) in 9:07 (Atlanta)- Abby's coming in with a giant red welt on his forehead. Hope that thing's been tested. Looks sore as hell, I have to admit that. Like he scraped the top of his head against concrete. So what exactly is a Mexican variation of a death match? There's no pins, no submissions, no stopping for "any reason". The only way to win is to get Fernandez's sombrero down. So, it's a sombrero on a pole match with a fancy name. Abby, as usual, attacks before the bell. The spike is already out and Fernandez takes a shot with it, busting him open early. Abby takes the timekeeper's hammer for the bell and rings Fernandez's bell with it! Points for creativity. Fernandez is already gushing blood. Going to be a trend for the whole night. Fernandez fires back with kicks and somehow manages to monkey flip Abby! He gets on the second rope, takes his boot off, and nails Abby with it right on his open welt. More boot shots. Now Abby is, not surprisingly, bleeding. Abby fires back, gets the boot, and hits Fernandez with it. Jones directs Abby to go for the sombrero. Fernandez hits him from behind and Abby does a RIDICULOUS delayed flop down from the ropes. Fantastic. More boot shots from Fernandez. I think it's the other boot now, he's completely down to his sock feet. He climbs and Abby hits him in the back with the boot to cut him off. Abby climbs again. Now Fernandez has his belt off and hits Abby with it! Both boots, his belt. I'm scared to think how declothed Fernandez will get if this match goes much longer. More belt shots just piss Abby off. He spits blood out like it's mist. Fernandez, get the hell out of the way of that. We know how bad that blood is now. Fernandez dodges an elbow drop. Running clothesline with the belt! Plus buckle. FERNANDEZ SUPLEXES ABBY! Insane. Fernandez climbs. Abby gets his spike out and drives it right into Fernandez's ghoulies! Freaking ouch. Fernandez comes back off the ropes with a flying forearm. Clothesline off the second rope that puts Abby down! Fernandez climbs up to the top rope. Reminder, still in his sock feet. Abby dodges a big splash. Fernandez dodges in the corner and Abby crashes and burns. Fernandez climbs over Abby and gets the sombrero to win! Shockingly good stuff. That has to be the best Abby match I've ever seen. Fernandez carried him like a champ. There's a reason he was one of JCP's top midcarders for years. It's a shame he left right as WCW was formed and didn't really get a chance to show it nationally. Also, bonus points for Fernandez wrestling over half the match in his sock feet. ***

 

Weaver is in the back with Kruschev. I continue to be disturbed by Kruschev's complete lack of any kind of Russian accent. I guess he's just integrated himself that well. Something the Party would likely be concerned about. 

 

Texas Bullrope Match: "Cowboy" Ron Bass def Black Bart (w/JJ Dillon) in 8:34 (Greensboro)- These two were teammates as the Long Riders but had recently broken up with Bass turning back face. In fact they were the last team to hold the Mid-Atlantic tag titles, which are kind of in limbo right now. They aren't even mentioned in this match. More on them later. If Bass wins he gets 5 minutes with Dillon, which will also be a bullrope match. Dillon's tux t-shirt with jeans is fantastic. So this is like a strap match, except the strap is a rope with a cowbell in the middle that can be used as a weapon. It's also pinfall to win, not touch the corners. The cowbell is the center of the whole match, as pretty much the entire thing is both guys trading shots with it. It's all Bass early and Bart gets busted open. A gut shot puts Bass down and Bart busts him open with the bell. It's little more than an ugly back and forth brawl after that. At one point Bass ducks a charge and Bart flies over the top rope to the floor. Midring collision and both guys are down. Bass gives Bart a crotch shot with the rope. Bass goes up to the second rope, gets one last super shot with the bell, and it's over. OK for what it was, two guys hitting each other in the head with a bell for eight and a half minutes. *3/4

 

Texas Bullrope Match: JJ Dillon (w/Black Bart) def "Cowboy" Ron Bass in 3:29 (Greensboro)- As soon as the last match is over Dillon is in the ring tux shirt off and stomping on Bass. Fargo puts the rope around Dillon's wrist. Bell shots and cover from Dillon for 2. More bell shots and he chokes Bass. Bass hulks up and Dillon tries to run. The rope won't allow that so he begs instead. No dice. Bass works him over with the bell and Dillon's bleeding. Bass knocks Fargo down in his zeal to continue beating on Dillon. Bart comes in, hits Bass from behind, and gives him a piledriver. Dillon covers, Fargo recovers, and Dillon gets the upset pin to keep his heat. Nothing to see here. NR

 

Barely gotten started and already the ring mats in both arenas are covered in blood. Welcome to mid '80s JCP.

 

Back to the Omni, where a table and two chairs have been set up in the ring. Before having their regular match, the Barbarian and Superstar Billy Graham will have an arm wrestling contest with $10K on the line. It's arm wrestling, nothing special. Graham comes from behind to win, and the second he does Jones nails him with his cane to start the match proper. 

 

Superstar Billy Graham def The Barbarian (w/Paul Jones) by DQ in 3:02 (Atlanta)- Hey guess what, the cane shot busted Graham open. Barbarian bites at the cut. Throat thrust from Barbarian and more biting. Big boot. Graham dodges a legdrop and fires back punches. A running thrust from Barbarian puts him down again. Barbarian goes up top. Grasham dodges the headbutt. Bear hug! After a minute in that Jones runs in with another cane shot for the cheap DQ. Barbarian continues beating on Graham on the floor after the bell. 1/4*

 

NWA National Heavyweight Championship: "Nature Boy" Buddy Landell (w/JJ Dillon) def Terry Taylor (c) in 10:30 (Greensboro)- The National singles and tag titles, not to be confused with the NWA US title, were the top titles in the Georgia territory. Taylor, one of my consistent favorites of the era, is National champ and making his Starrcade debut despite the fact he was primarily working in Mid-South at the time. Dillon is not out with Landell at first to sell the damage from earlier. Landell, whose whole shtick is he's a heel Ric Flair ripoff (which will quickly become pointless as Flair leans more into his burgeoning home territory heel turn), gives Taylor some Slick Ric off the opening lockup. Landell tries to antagonize Taylor on the initial lockup breaks. It works, as Taylor slaps Landell and Landell quickly bails into the corner to hide. Landell goes into some arm work that Taylor armdrags out of. Landell gets a headlock takedown and works that for a bit. Taylor wins a top wristlock fight to get out with Landell complaining about a non-existent hair pull all the way down. Landell gets Taylor in the corner and lays in shots on hip. Taylor boot up on the other side and big flop sell from Landell. Backdrop from Taylor. Kneedrop. While exchanging arm wringers Landell plants Taylor with a hard right hand. Snap mare into a chinlock from Landell. Dillon is back out ringside, head bandaged and with a full proper tux on now. Taylor back suplexes out of the chinlock. Backbreaker from Taylor. Legdrop for 2. He lays into Landell in the corner with chops. Landell reverses a whip and hits a clothesline for 2. Taylor counters a suplex into a small package for 2. Landell literally sits on him with a double chinlock. Taylor literally lifts Landell's feet up to walk step by step toward the ropes, then pushes him into the corner. Another snap mare and Taylor literally stands on the side of Landell's face while looking at Dillon, then hits a suplex for 2. Buckle shots for Landell. Fargo tries to get Taylor out of the corner, giving Landell an opening to hit a punch that puts both Taylor and Fargo down. Dillon gets on the apron with his shoe, Dillon's deadly weapon of choice. Landell pushes Taylor into Fargo to make sure he's down. Taylor reverses and sends Landell into Dillon. Taylor hits a not quite fivearm yet and sets Landell up for his current finisher, a superplex. As he hits it Dillon hits the back of Taylor's leg with the shoe to trip him! Landell falls on top of Taylor to get the pin to win the title! Great finish. Rock solid match. Like the Mid-Atlantic titles these Georgia titles were now completely redundant. This one would be merged with the US title in the fall of '86. **3/4

 

NWA National Tag Team Championship: The Minnesota Wrecking Crew (c) def NWA United States Tag Team Champions (Florida version) Billy Jack Haynes & Wahoo McDaniel in 9:28 (Atlanta)- Wahoo and Hayes hold the Florida version of the NWA US tag titles, but that lineage isn't part of the future NWA/WCW US tag title lineage that JCP would start in '86. Sorting through all these different territory titles is nearly a full time job. This match marks the Starrcade debut of the man, the myth, the legend Arn Anderson. So young he still has some tufts of hair on the top of his head. He and his (kayfabe) uncle Ole Anderson are actually the second version of the MN Wrecking Crew. The original combination of Ole and Lars Anderson (also kayfabe only brothers) were the dominant team in the NWA in the '70s. Arn and Haynes start. Much larger Haynes easily shoves Arn out of the initial lockups. Shoulderblock from Haynes. Off the ropes again Arn actually does a leapfrog, celebrates that a bit, then turns right around into a press slam. Fantastic. Arn quickly backs up and tags out. Much larger Ole can match power better with Haynes. They get into a full on slugfest that Haynes wins. Wahoo tags in and hits a chop. Snap mare/elbow drop combo. Ole tags Arn back in to see how he'll do with Wahoo. Arn tries a cheap shot against the ropes but veteran Wahoo is ready for him. Wahoo works a headlock on Arn. Arn counters it into a headscissors. The champs get Wahoo in their corner and give him some shots. Ole goes into his classic arm ripping off armbars. Wahoo hits some big chops to get free, but Ole falls into his corner and tags out. Now Arn works on the arm. Slam/elbow drop combo from Ole for 2. Everything breaks down into a full on DONNYBROOK. The ref, of course, gets Haynes out allowing the Andersons to double team more. Huge chops from Wahoo wobbleleg Arn while he's holding an arm wringer. Finally he goes down, but again into his corner to tag out. Wahoo is finally able to roll free and outmaneuver the Andersons to make a tag! Hot tag run from Haynes. Double noggin knocker. Great delayed flop from Arn. The Andersons are able to double team Haynes down again, but he tags out to Wahoo. He hits the big chop on Arn but Ole saves the pin. Ole trips Wahoo from the floor and Arn covers for 2. Arn gets Wahoo in his corner. Ole again trips him, and this time holds his foot down as Arn gets the pin to retain! Typical Anderson tag team psychology masterclass, even if they didn't have much to work with on this particular night. ***1/4

 

Going back to the "proper" US tag titles. In the fall of '86 JCP would merge the Mid-Atlantic and National tag titles to create the JCP version of the NWA US tag championship, the version that would continue into the early years of WCW. I've always had a soft spot for the US tag titles, no matter how redundant or an afterthought they often were.

 

I Quit Steel Cage Match for the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship: Magnum TA def Tully Blanchard (c) (w/Baby Doll) in 14:43 (Greensboro)- Two guys that the NWA wanted to strap rocket ships to, but things moved much slower in the '80s. JCP brought Magnum into the company in late '84 and instantly pegged him for huge things. They saw him as the future #1 babyface. He took the US title from then heel Wahoo McDaniel in early '85. Blanchard had a long run with the TV title last year to start setting him up, then he defeated Magnum for this title in July and they've been feuding ever since. This match is set up to be THE end of it, an I Quit match inside a steel cage. There is a mic in the ring to record the loser's "I quit". Earl Hebner checks in to ref the final Greensboro matches. Magnum gets the first shot in off the initial lockup. Blanchard ducks down for a leg takedown. Magnum tries to fight him off but they end up fighting for leverage on the mat. After an eye poke Blanchard starts laying some uppercuts in. He tries some gut shots but Magnum fires back and wobbles Blanchard, who falls back into the cage. Already doing a great job of making this look like a fight born of pure hatred, not a wrestling match. Blanchard blocks a cage shot, then does something to get Magnum down again but the camera was on the supposed "Perfect 10" Baby Doll. Blanchard walks up the ropes and comes down with an elbow. Magnum takes the first cage shot. You can see him scrape his forehead as he rolls on the mat and yup, he's bleeding. Just a little, for now. Magnum pure powers out of a double chinlock, but Blanchard puts him back down with a knee to the gut. Whip reversal and Magnum drops Blanchard on the top rope. More comeback shots from Magnum are cut off again by Blanchard tights pulling him into the cage. Blanchard gets the mic and I think scrapes Magnum over the head with it. Hebner takes it away then blows into it to see if it's still working. Yup. Blanchard takes his first cage shot. Magnum actually puts on a wrestling hold in this match, a hammerlock, then runs Blanchard into the cage again. Blanchard's cut on his arm and Magnum scrapes away on it. I think he's cut on the forehead too. Magnum gets the mic and sticks it in Blanchard's face. Blanchard shouts "NO!" and gives him a headbutt to the gut. Magnum gets back on Blanchard's arm and that thing is BLEEDING. Another eye rake gives Blanchard some space and he shouts "Ah shit!" that's bleeped out on the official WWE copy. More back and forth shots as both guys are clearly wearing down already. Blanchard gets the mic, gets a "No!" from Magnum, then pummels Magnum in the head with the mic! "SAY IT!" AHHHNOOOOOOO!". Blanchard pounds Magnum on the mat while his own arm is now almost completely covered in blood. Blanchard tries a cover but no pins here. He lifts Magnum up into the cage again. Blanchard goes up top and drops an ax handle. He gets the mic and again Magnum refuses. Another mic shot. Magnum dodges an elbow drop. Backhand shot from Magnum to Tully's throat. Magnum gets the mic and gets a "NOOOOOOOOOOOOO AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" from Blanchard. I think Magnum is grinding the mic into Blanchard's head. The whole thing devolves into a tights pulling eye gouging roll on the mat as both guys are about worn down but still completely determined to finish each other. Big open hand slap from Blanchard that leads to some on knees strikes. While Magnum has the mic in his face Blanchard kicks it away. Magnum hits mounted punches. Inverted atomic drop counter from Blanchard. He gets the mic and hits Magnum in the head with it again. That gets another "NOOOO!'. Elbow drops from Blanchard. He tosses Hebner away into the cage. Someone throws a wooden chair into the ring and Blanchard catches it! Was that Baby Doll? Damn, she's got way more of an arm on her than you'd think. Blanchard smashes the chair into bits in the ring. I don't like where this is going. He takes a small piece, bends it over his knee to make it a spike, and goes for Magnum's head! Magnum blocks it! They fight on the mat with Magnum slowly winning. Knees to the midsection put Blanchard down and he drops the spike. Magnum picks it up and DRIVES THE SPIKE RIGHT INTO BLANCHARD'S FOREHEAD! HE DIGS IT IN WITH BLANCHARD GUSHING BLOOD! BLANCHARD QUITS! Magnum picks up another piece of wood, threatens to do more damage, then thinks better of it, takes the belt and walks off. Mission accomplished. Amazing match. The pinnacle of '80s NWA brawl style matches with an iconic finish, and as perfect a final blowoff match as you'll ever see. This was called the Match of the Decade for a long time, and at the time it happened it was, but it will be surpassed before the decade is out. Not that's anything to be ashamed about, especially considering what surpasses it. *****

 

Unfortunately this would be Magnum's one and only Starrcade appearance as an active wrestler. He was scheduled to defeat Flair for the World title at Starrcade '86 and be, JCP hoped at least, their answer to Hulk Hogan (a long stretch in my mind but he could have hit it big in the south at least). Sadly, in October '86 Magnum had a car accident, wrapping his car around a light pole and suffering injuries that ended his wrestling career. Though it could have been much worse. 

 

Atlanta Street Fight: Jimmy Valiant & Miss Atlanta Lively (w/Big Mama) def The Midnight Express (w/Jim Cornette) in 6:36 (Atlanta)- Valiant is taking time out from his war with Paul Jones' Army to be involved in this...whatever it is. Miss Atlanta Lively is Ron Garvin in drag. I have no idea why. Maybe he's a lumberjack and he's OK. I can't even blame Russo for this one. The Midnights, in their classic Bobby Eaton and Dennis Condrey incarnation, and Cornette are all making their Starrcade debut tonight after already becoming near legends in other southern promotions. Since it's a "come as you are" street fight all the Midnights are wearing tuxes. Phenomenal. The Midnights try to jump but the faces are ready for them. Garvin sprays Eaton in the face with a ton of powder that I assume was in his purse. I can't believe I'm typing that. Garvin chokes Eaton with his necklace. On the floor, Valiant gives Condrey a chairshot with a non-folding plastic chair. Eaton manages to put Garvin down but Valiant gets in and attacks him. Oh, and pretty much everyone is already bleeding. Of course. Bit overkill on that, this match doesn't need it. Valiant flips and slams Eaton out on the floor. He's got some knucks or a chain that he works Condrey over with. Sleeper from Valiant on Condrey. Apparently Big Mama and Cornette are getting into it too, thankfully off camera. The Midnights finally get control by throwing some powder in Valiant's face. Condrey whips Valiant with his belt. Then he decides to strip Garvin's drag off. That opens the door for the faces to take back control. They tear the Midnights' tuxes off. The Midnights get Garvin isolated in the ring and Cornette gives him a tennis racket shot. The wig didn't soften the blow apparently. Forearm off the top rope from Eaton. The Midnights keep tossing Valiant out to keep Garvin isolated. Double clothesline from the Midnights on Valiant. Eaton tries coming off the top but Garvin catches him with a Hand of Stone punch, covers and gets the pin. After the bell Cornette gets stripped just because. Right down to his hearts boxers. Total freak show mess of a match and a very inauspicious debut for the Midnights at Starrcade. DUD

 

Steel Cage Match for the NWA World Tag Team Championship: The Rock 'N' Roll Express (w/Don Kernodle) def The Russian Team (c) (w/Krusher Kruschev) in 12:22 (Greensboro)- Like their forever rivals the Midnight Express, the RNR Express are making their Starrcade debut. They debuted in JCP in July and on their first night in the company defeated the Russian Team for the tag titles, becoming an instant sensation. Over the next couple of years they'll arguably be the top stars in the entire company, even more than the two guys in tonight's main event. The feud continued and the Koloffs got the titles back in October. Like the US title match, they're going inside the cage to finish it once and for all. The heels come out in all red light to the Soviet national anthem (non Nikolai Volkoff version). Nice touch. Kernodle is in his wrestling gear as the RNR's corner man, not street clothes. I guess he's ready. Nikita starts with Morton. I don't like poor Ricky's chances. As expected Nikita tosses Morton out of the first lockup easily. Morton tries a shoulderblock and that doesn't go well for him. He manages to dodge around Nikita and hit a shotgun dropkick, which only seems to piss Nikita off even more than he already was. Both Russians start working Morton over. Morton does a nice job of using his foot to stop from running into the cage, then hits a crossbody on Ivan for 2. Ivan lifts Morton up and drops him crotch first on the top rope. Cover for 2. Both guys block cage shots at the same time and Morton manages to get over to tag Gibson. Dropkick from Gibson. Slam/kneedrop combo for 2. The RNR press their advantage on Ivan with quick tags and try for a couple of flash pins. Gibson hits an elbow off the second rope for 2. He gets around Ivan and runs him into one of the cage bars! Full cage shot for Ivan. Morton hits a fistdrop off the top rope. A second for 2 as we see Ivan is now bleeding. Ivan goes to the desperation eye rake on Gibson and finally tags out. Gibson drop toe holds Nikita, but runs into a bear hug that Nikita uses to almost hot shot him into the cage. Another HARD cage shot for Gibson. Gibson joins tonight's list of bleeders. Ivan kills Gibson with shoulderblocks in the corner and gives him another cage shot. Elbow drop for 2. Nikita tags in, bites Gibson's cut, slams him and soaks in the hatred of the crowd. The Russians continue to work Morton to run in so they can double team Gibson. Snap mare/legdrop combo from Ivan for 2. Gibson dodges another legdrop, but still can't tag. The Russians stay in complete control. Bit of an inversion in this match as it's normally Morton taking these beatings, not Gibson. Another hard cage shot from Nikita. Gibson slides under Ivan and hits a dropkick. Somehow Hebner goes down in that exchange too. He got himself in position at the very last second. Gibson covers but there's no one to count. Morton comes in but Nikita kills him with a Russian Sickle, then hits Gibson with a Sickle and puts Ivan on top. Again Hebner is too out of it to count even though he's right there. Gibson reaches out and barely tags Morton behind Ivan's back. That one Hebner saw. Morton sneaks in, pushes Ivan into the cage and rolls him up, and gets the pin to win the titles back! Another great finish tonight. Very good match, though nowhere near peak RNR. They didn't get as much time as they usually do, and you're only going to carry the Koloffs so far. ***3/4

 

After the bell the Russians jump back all over Gibson. Nikita lifts Morton up and dumps him over the cage to the floor! The deck is clear for them to absolutely murder Gibson. Kruschev is also in so it's three on one, plus the chain that they absolutely use. The face locker room finally gets in to stop the carnage. The RNR Express win the titles, the Russians keep their heat. That's how you do it. 

 

Tonight's main event is a rematch of the very disappointing Starrcade '84 main event. Thankfully they learned from last year and this time around there's no million dollar purse or celebrity guest stars adding unnecessary layers to it all. Just Flair and Dusty, which is all you never need. To set this match up Flair saved Dusty from a beating by the Koloffs, only to turn on Dusty and attack him, which turned Flair heel in his home territory for the first time since he became World champion. In that attack Flair was aided by the Andersons in a foreshadowing of the future formation of the Four Horsemen, and they broke Dusty's ankle. The injury forced Dusty to relinquish the NWA TV title, which he had taken from Blanchard at the first ever Great American Bash. That title was still vacant, but would be won by Arn Anderson for the first of his many runs with it in January. During his recuperation time Dusty cut the legendary "hard times" promo, the most famous of his whole career.

 

NWA World Heavyweight Championship: "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes def "Nature Boy" Ric Flair (c) in 22:06 (Atlanta)- No split crowd tonight, they are all for Dusty. Tommy Young rings the bell and we're off. Dusty does a bit of strutting to get in Flair's head. Both guys are very cautious at the start. Lockup into the corner and both guys start throwing shots immediately. Dusty's jabs win that battle and Flair goes down. An uppercut puts Flair down again and he goes out of the ring, over the barricade and all the way across the floor to have a think. It's crazy how far back the seats are from ringside in the Omni. It's like foul territory in Oakland Coliseum for the A's, it just goes on forever. Back in Flair hits some chops. Dusty fires back with elbows. Speed run and another elbow puts Flair down. He begs off and slides out again. Another staredown after Flair gets back in. He goes for a hammerlock but Dusty easily reverses it. That works Flair down to the mat. I don't know what's louder, Flair's usual selling to the cheap seats or the guy shouting at the top of his lungs "DUSTY RHOOOOOOOODES! WHOOP WHOOP WHOOP!" non freaking stop. They work toward the ropes and Flair takes his first shot at Dusty's previously injured ankle. Dusty quickly backs off after that. More Flair chops and he gets Dusty down in the corner. Snap mare/kneedrop combo. "WOOOOOOO!" Flair uses an arm wringer as cover to hit a kick to Dusty's bad ankle! Dusty shouts in pain and gets the hell out of the ring all the way to the floor to shake it off. Clearly it's still not 100%. Dusty's even wearing a slightly different boot over it. Coming back in Dusty drapes Flair over the top rope and hits elbows to the back of his neck. He stomps Flair's ankle on the apron! Hardest Part of the Ring TM. Back in Dusty stays on the leg. He takes forever to milk the moment before dropping another shot, and Flair gives him an eye rake when he lands. Flair tries a suplex but his leg gives out. That's a lot to lift up too. Dusty reverses and hits the suplex, then gets back on the leg. Again Flair grinds on Dusty's eyes to slowly break it. Flair gets a sleeper on! Dusty runs him into the corner to get free. And of course being Flair he went in full speed. Dusty posts Flair's leg! Flair barely manages to drag himself up and hits some more chops that barely faze Dusty. He hits is own chop, then snap mares Flair over but really weakly. I guess Flair was selling the leg? Flair dodges an elbow drop. He limps over to the corner and up to the the top rope. Dusty, of course, slams him back down. Dusty tries for a figure four but Flair gets another shot on Dusty's bad ankle to stop it. Flair leg scoop and he goes for a figure four. Dusty fights it off. Another go, same result. Flair stomps Dusty right in the forehead. Dusty fights out of the corner and hits a headbutt. Flair Flip! All the way out to the floor! Dusty follow and gives Flair a post shot! And a guardrail shot. Flair's finally bleeding, which honestly feels overdue the way the rest of the night's gone in that regard. Dusty hits shots to the cut as Flair comes back in. Flair gets a kick and throws Dusty over the top rope, but he lands on his feet. Dusty goes up to the top rope and comes down with about the ugliest crossbody you've ever seen! Less a crossbody and more a belly flop. Damn, get a spatula and scrape Flair off the mat after that one. But after taking a shot in the earlier exchange Young's slow to get over to count and Flair kicks out! Full ground and pound from Dusty on the mat. Elbows to the cut. Mounted punches from Dusty. Flair Flop! One of the best ever. Dusty starts going nuts with jabs, really feeling it. Flair begs off into the corner. Another Flair Flip! This time he lands on the apron, runs over, hops up top and gets off, but Dusty catches him with a shot in the gut. Dusty goes for a big punt kick, but Flair dodges and Dusty kicks the turnbuckle with his bad foot! Flair's still selling his own hurt leg by the way, limping around. But get your jackets and hustle to the bus stop kids, it's time to go to school. Flair is all over the bad ankle now. Kneedrop right onto it. Figure four! Flair gets a couple of near falls. Dusty throws up a middle finger! What is this, the Attitude Era? He gets just enough push to reverse the hold. Flair takes a rope break. He fires off more chops but Dusty starts to hulk up. Elbows to Flair! Dusty hits a clothesline for 2. Flair's kickout sent Dusty right on top of Young and he's wobbled. Dusty pulls Flair by the tights, who goes right into Young and knocks him out to the floor! You can 100% argue Dusty did that on purpose to get the ref down. Flair fights off Dusty's figure four attempt. Another elbow and Dusty gets it on! With no ref though. Arn Anderson runs in to try to save Flair! Dusty fights him off. Ole Anderson then runs in and hits Dusty from behind. Flair covers and Young is back in. Dusty kicks out! Dusty wraps Flair up in a Paul Smackage and gets the pin! Huge pop and the face locker room immediately empties to run in and celebrate with Dusty. I know I rate this match higher than most people. I don't care. Yes, Flair didn't have the effortless chemistry in the ring with Dusty like he did so many other guys, but they still both make it work well enough and peak years Flair means the floor is very high. ****1/4

 

We cut to the back where Tony is waiting for Dusty. The champagne flowing celebration is on. BUT WAIT! The mother of all Dusty Finishes was looming (yes, Dusty was booking the territory now). The next week on TV, JCP officials would say that, as it sure looked, Dusty pulled Flair into Young on purpose. They reversed the decision, erased the title change from the record books, and handed the belt back to Flair. Dusty's real third World title reign would have to wait a bit longer.

 

OVERALL SHOW THOUGHTS- This is easily the best Starrcade of the JCP years, and probably the best there ever was. They needed it too, as some kind of answer to WWF's rapid growth after the success of the first Wrestlemania. In some ways it's the peak of JCP's red hot mid '80s run, though there was plenty of good still to come. Yes, the blood was absolutely overdone and could have been toned down a lot to only where it was needed most, but that was the style in the south at the time. From a technical standpoint holding the show in two arenas simultaneously worked just fine with no hiccups or faults. There were long stretches with no commentary on the Greensboro side since they were doing it remotely, but even that doesn't really detract. Sometimes less is more, something a lot of future commentary teams could be better off learning.

OVERALL SHOW GRADE: A

 

v2.0 published 5/12/26