NWA World Title In Japan DVD Set DIsk Five
Nov 9, 2016 7:35:41 GMT -5
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Post by Shatter Machine on Nov 9, 2016 7:35:41 GMT -5
We're obviously into the Ric Flair half of this set, as almost all of the matches on the last two discs have Flair involved in them. He dropped the title to Kerry Von Erich on 5/6/84 at Texas Stadium.
1984.05.22 AJPW at Denen Coliseum in Tokyo, Japan, Best Two of Three Falls:
Kerry Von Erich (Champion)
Vs
Jumbo Tsuruta
Kerry had been champ for about two weeks here, and was about 24, still in his physical prime. Jumbo had almost fully morphed into JUMBO here, but hadn’t quite changed his style to the insane head – dropping and madness that he’d do later on. He was also coming off his AWA World Title run, having dropped it to Rick Martel about eight days prior in St. Paul, MN. They’re very cautious at the start, and Kerry nails him with a dropkick. I wonder how well Kerry could have taken care of himself if someone had decided to shoot on him. He was really a great athlete, and Fritz was a tough guy, so I’m sure he knew some stuff. Jumbo takes him over with a headlock (shocker!). They fight over a top wristlock, and Kerry gets an armdrag, going right to an armbar. Jumbo just lifts him right up into a fireman’s carry and sets him on the top rope. Jumbo teases the butterfly suplex, but Kerry won’t allow it. Kerry works a wristlock, but Jumbo hits a cross-body for 2. He goes to an abdominal stretch, then rolls Kerry over for a couple of near-falls. Kerry escapes and teases the Iron Claw, but Jumbo blocks it, so Kerry goes to an Abdominal Claw instead. Jumbo fights out and hits a backbreaker for 2. On the mat, they do some actual wrestling, but Kerry picks Jumbo up and puts HIM on the top rope. Kerry is working a very subtle heel here, kind of channeling Ric Flair and Fritz Von Erich, but he really didn’t have the heart to be a bad guy. Jumbo nails him with a high knee, then another knocks Kerry to the apron. Kerry comes back in, getting a sunset flip for 2, then Jumbo hits an enziguiri and a NASTY backdrop suplex for the pin and the first fall at 13:05. I really can’t believe that Kerry is there without any American backup. Jumbo pounds him, then runs him to the corner, just laying in punches. Kerry is busted open, but he fires back. Kerry gets a sleeper, and Jumbo fades. He comes up and runs Kerry into the corner though. Kerry comes back with a dropkick, but Jumbo is on him, pounding away in the corner. They fight over a suplex, and Jumbo gets it for 2. They butt heads, and both guys are down. Jumbo hits a piledriver for 2, and Kerry’s kick – outs are perfectly dramatic. They start trading shots, and Kerry gets the Discus Punch, then the Claw hold. It gets a near – fall, but Jumbo bridges up to his feet. Kerry muscles him down, and gets the pin for the second fall at 19:42. Kerry goes all the way heel here, and won’t let it go, drawing the ire of the Japanese fans. It’s pretty awesome to see, and I didn’t think that he had it in him. Kerry goes right after him in the third fall, and there’s a great visual of Jumbo blocking the claw as Kerry struggles to apply it. Jumbo slips under the bottom rope and takes a walk. Back in, and Jumbo gets a knee up, then he starts beating on Kerry’s hand, bouncing it off the top turnbuckle several times and stomping it. He stays on it, and Kerry throws a punch, hurting himself. Kerry punches the ringpost, then Jumbo suplexes him in for 2. This hand thing was all to set up Kerry’s rematch with Flair two days later, and it’s so seamless in retrospect, making perfect sense. Jumbo gets a fucking cross arm – breaker, but Kerry won’t give up. Kerry gets a backdrop suplex, then drops an elbow for 2. He plants Jumbo with a piledriver, then misses an elbow from the top. Jumbo nails another high knee, and he turns Kerry over into a Boston Crab. Kerry reverses, and they start getting near – falls, then they tumble to the floor where they both get counted out. After about ten minutes, this got insanely good. (27:38 ****) Kerry keeps the title on the draw, and they shake hands.
1984.05.24 AJPW at City Gymnasium, Yokosuka, Japan, Best Two of Three Falls
Kerry Von Erich (champion)
Vs
Ric Flair
Flair takes him down, but they’re feeling each other out early. Kerry works a hammerlock, then an armbar. They do a criss – cross, and Kerry hits a nice dropkick. It’s so cool to see him in his younger years, before the drugs took hold. Kerry’s hand is taped and bandaged after the match with Jumbo, and that will factor in. Kerry takes him down and goes back to the hammerlock. Flair escapes and shoves him into the corner for some chops. Kerry takes him down, but misses an elbow. Flair with a snap mare and a kneedrop, then into a front face and a cradle for a couple of near -falls. Kerry comes back with punches, then a sleeper. Flair gets a backdrop suplex, and they start punching and chopping. Kerry muscles him up with a press – slam for 2. Shoulderblock by Kerry, and Flair tosses him to the floor. Kerry spends a minute there, and Flair suplexes him back in for 2. He gets Kerry in an abdominal stretch, but Kerry hip tosses him out. Kerry elbows him in the head, and Flair goes down. Discus punch gets 2, but Flair is in the ropes. Flair picks him up and gets an atomic drop, then a piledriver for 2. He misses an elbow, then Kerry misses an elbow, the ref misses an elbow, it’s bedlam. Flair misses a kneedrop, and Kerry just goes for the claw out of nowhere with zero build. (Flair bitched about this in his book, how Kerry had no plan and would just do stuff with no rhyme or reason. Flair does the flip in the corner, but when he comes off the top, Kerry gets the claw for the pin at 15:48. Second fall starts with Kerry getting the claw right away, but Flair gets a low blow and sends him over the top. They exchange shots in the corner, and Kerry gets a powerslam for 2. Flair kicks him and throws him to the floor again, but Kerry sunset flips back in for 2. Flair with a big elbow followed by an elbow drop for 2, then he gets a shinbreaker and goes to work on Kerry’s knee. Ah, Ric. He gets a Figure – Four, and that’s enough for the submission at 19:59. Wow, no wonder this never saw the light of day in the U.S. The Apter mags played up Kerry’s hand injury, but it really hasn’t played any sort of part in the match at all. Flair stays on the knee, and Kerry teases the claw again, but Flair is all about the Figure – Four. Kerry gets the claw hold, but Flair gets to the ropes. Kerry goes for a splash, but Flair gets his knees up. Kerry goes for a backslide in a callback to the title switch, but Flair kicks out at 2. They collide and it’s a double – down. Flair’s up first, and he goes to the top. Kerry slams him off, then drops a knee with his injured knee and actually sells it. I’ll be damned. Kerry gets an abdominal stretch, then adds a stomach claw, but Flair hip tosses him out of it. Flair goes low-ish, and Kerry blocks and reverses a suplex. That gets 2. Dropkick by Kerry for 2. Flair dodges a second one, and Kerry gets a high cross body for 2. Discus punch knocks Flair to the floor, and Kerry tries to dive at Flair, who simply ducks and Kerry goes to the floor. He walks around, and Flair tries to suplex him back in, but Kerry floats over. Kerry goes for the rolling reverse, and that gets 2, but Flair rolls through it and gets the pin and third NWA World title. Good match, but Kerry was kind of all over the place. (*** ½ 26:34) Flair’s wife is shown in the crowd, and Kerry is distraught.
1985.04.24 AJPW Cultural Gymnasium, Yokohama, Japan
Ric Flair (Champion)
Vs
Jumbo Tsuruta
I love the idea of these two in their primes going at it for the world title. They do the normal, starting out with some mat work to feel each other out. It’s fast – paced, though, with Jumbo getting a ¾ - nelson, but Flair gets into the ropes. Jumbo, of course, grabs a headlock. He’s fully become the Jumbo that I recognize, as he’s lost almost all his muscle definition, but was such an excellent worker. He hip tosses Flair and gets the headlock again. Flair rolls him over a couple of times, then hits a chop that only pisses him off, so Flair backs off. This happens a couple of times, then Jumbo starts nailing him with forearms. He hits a high knee, and stomps Flair on the ropes. Flair misses an elbow, and Jumbo teases the butterfly suplex. Flair goes low, then sends him to the floor. There’s about ten tons of streamers and confetti there, and it looks insane. Jumbo sunsets back in, but that only gets 2. Backslide by Jumbo for 2. Jumbo gets a backdrop, and Flair is reeling. Gut – wrench by Jumbo for 2. Jumbo gets an abdominal stretch, but Flair comes out of it quickly. Jumbo gets a backbreaker for 2. They trade chops, and Flair gets a backdrop suplex. Elbow gets 2 for Flair. Backbreaker gets 2. Flair grabs an armbar, and starts yelling at Jumbo and playing to the crowd. He works more on the wrist, and they go to the ropes for the break. Flair stays right on it, punching Jumbo under the arm, then going to a surfboard. Jumbo reverses after a few tries, then he hits a suplex for 2. He works Flair over in the corner then gets a sleeper. Flair struggles for the ropes, eventually getting them with his foot. Jumbo stays on him, but Flair leverages him through the ropes to the floor, where Jumbo again gets covered in confetti. He tries a suplex in, but Jumbo floats over and gets a rolling reverse for 2. Flair gets a sleeper of his own, but Jumbo gets a STIFF AS FUCK backdropper! Flair is in the ropes, so he tries again. Flair gets a Greco – Roman thumb to the eye to take over. Flair goes up, but Jumbo slams him off. LARIATOO! And another! That gets 2. Flair gets the shinbreaker, and it might be Figure – Four time. At least time for school. Apparently, it’s suplex time. Flair gets the Figure – Four, and he’s right by the ropes, so my guess would be he’s going to cheat. Nope. Jumbo tries to turn it over, so Flair breaks it. Disappointing. Flair misses a knee drop, and Jumbo gets a Figure – Four of his own. Flair makes the ropes, and Jumbo just starts stomping him in the corner as Flair begs off. They go toe – to – toe and Jumbo flings him over the top in the corner. They fight on the floor briefly, and Flair cuts him off coming in. Jumbo with a cross – body for 2. He goes for the Backdropper, but Flair grabs the ropes. They fight over a suplex, and Flair dumps him to the floor. Flair follows, and Jumbo sends him to the post. They brawl to an anti – climactic double countout. Bah. Excellent match, shitty ending. (**** 26:01)
1985.10.21 AJPW Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, Japan
Ric Flair (NWA World Champion)
Vs
Rick Martel (AWA World Champion)
Martel was an odd choice as AWA World Champion, as he was technically sound, but almost totally lacking in the charismatic appeal that you need as the top drawing guy in your company. I only ever really saw him in tag teams and as a heel at the end of his career, so I’m not sure how his earlier babyface stuff went. They do some mat stuff to start, and God damn, does Giant Baba sound like a Japanese Lex Luger on commentary. Martel gets a hammerlock, and I’m bored as shit already. He turns it into an arm wringer, then an armbar. Flair backs him into the corner, and I can sense the bullshit finish coming already. They fight over a top wristlock, with Martel taking him down. Flair gets to the ropes, and they shake hands on that one. They go to the mat again, with Flair getting a takedown and a near-fall. Flair gets a chop, but Martel hip tosses him out of the corner and gets a couple of flying headscissors. Wow. Haven’t seen that in a long time. Martel works a headlock, taking Flair over on the mat. They come out of it, and Martel gets a PRESS SLAM! HOLY SHIT! I’ve never seen him do that. Wow. He continues working on the back, but Flair gets an atomic drop out of the corner. Flair dumps Martel to the floor, and sends him shoulder – first to the post. They go back in, and Flair starts working a hammerlock on the mat. He transitions to an armbar, then an overhand wristlock. They fight over that for a while, then Martel reverses and takes him down. They start trading strikes, and Martel gets the better of that. Martel gets an inside cradle for 2. He misses an elbow, then Flair hits a REALLY BAD double underhook suplex. Flair gets an abdominal stretch, but Martel reverses. Martel gets a gut – wrench for 2. Flair tosses him to the floor, then tries a suplex in, but Martel floats over and rolls him up for 2. Martel with mounted punches, then he sends Flair over the top turnbuckle to the floor. They brawl there, but go back in. Martel with a cross – body for 2. Flair drops a knee for 2. He goes for another, but Martel catches it and gets a Figure – Four. He can’t reverse it, and Martel gets several near – falls. Flair makes the ropes, but Martel drags him out and tries again. Flair gets his shinbreaker. Martel stays on offense, but Flair dodges him in the corner, and Martel knees the buckle. Flair takes him to school, but Martel ducks a kneedrop. Flair with a suplex. He gets the Figure – Four, but Martel reverses. Flair goes for the Figure – Four again, but Martel gets an inside cradle for 2. Martel with a suplex for 2. Flair just slugs his leg and goes to the top, but Martel slams him off and splashes him for 2. Back elbow by Flair, but Martel gets a sleeperhold. Flair counters that with a back suplex, then he dumps Martel to the floor. This being All – Japan, I’m expecting a double countout, but it doesn’t happen yet. Martel goes back in, and Flair eventually makes it back in. They start duking it out, and Martel gets mounted punches in the corner. Flair does the flop, and almost gets his piledriver. Martel stops that and hits a powerslam for 2. Flair has bladed, I think the last time they were on the floor. Martel knocks him over the top, then suplexes him back in for 2. Slingshot splash gets 2 for Martel. Backbreaker, and Martel goes to the top, but a splash gets knees. They do the bridge – backslide spot, then tumble over the top on a cross-body for the double countout. Good match that could have been an all – time great with a clean finish. (*** ¾ 36:04)
1984.05.22 AJPW at Denen Coliseum in Tokyo, Japan, Best Two of Three Falls:
Kerry Von Erich (Champion)
Vs
Jumbo Tsuruta
Kerry had been champ for about two weeks here, and was about 24, still in his physical prime. Jumbo had almost fully morphed into JUMBO here, but hadn’t quite changed his style to the insane head – dropping and madness that he’d do later on. He was also coming off his AWA World Title run, having dropped it to Rick Martel about eight days prior in St. Paul, MN. They’re very cautious at the start, and Kerry nails him with a dropkick. I wonder how well Kerry could have taken care of himself if someone had decided to shoot on him. He was really a great athlete, and Fritz was a tough guy, so I’m sure he knew some stuff. Jumbo takes him over with a headlock (shocker!). They fight over a top wristlock, and Kerry gets an armdrag, going right to an armbar. Jumbo just lifts him right up into a fireman’s carry and sets him on the top rope. Jumbo teases the butterfly suplex, but Kerry won’t allow it. Kerry works a wristlock, but Jumbo hits a cross-body for 2. He goes to an abdominal stretch, then rolls Kerry over for a couple of near-falls. Kerry escapes and teases the Iron Claw, but Jumbo blocks it, so Kerry goes to an Abdominal Claw instead. Jumbo fights out and hits a backbreaker for 2. On the mat, they do some actual wrestling, but Kerry picks Jumbo up and puts HIM on the top rope. Kerry is working a very subtle heel here, kind of channeling Ric Flair and Fritz Von Erich, but he really didn’t have the heart to be a bad guy. Jumbo nails him with a high knee, then another knocks Kerry to the apron. Kerry comes back in, getting a sunset flip for 2, then Jumbo hits an enziguiri and a NASTY backdrop suplex for the pin and the first fall at 13:05. I really can’t believe that Kerry is there without any American backup. Jumbo pounds him, then runs him to the corner, just laying in punches. Kerry is busted open, but he fires back. Kerry gets a sleeper, and Jumbo fades. He comes up and runs Kerry into the corner though. Kerry comes back with a dropkick, but Jumbo is on him, pounding away in the corner. They fight over a suplex, and Jumbo gets it for 2. They butt heads, and both guys are down. Jumbo hits a piledriver for 2, and Kerry’s kick – outs are perfectly dramatic. They start trading shots, and Kerry gets the Discus Punch, then the Claw hold. It gets a near – fall, but Jumbo bridges up to his feet. Kerry muscles him down, and gets the pin for the second fall at 19:42. Kerry goes all the way heel here, and won’t let it go, drawing the ire of the Japanese fans. It’s pretty awesome to see, and I didn’t think that he had it in him. Kerry goes right after him in the third fall, and there’s a great visual of Jumbo blocking the claw as Kerry struggles to apply it. Jumbo slips under the bottom rope and takes a walk. Back in, and Jumbo gets a knee up, then he starts beating on Kerry’s hand, bouncing it off the top turnbuckle several times and stomping it. He stays on it, and Kerry throws a punch, hurting himself. Kerry punches the ringpost, then Jumbo suplexes him in for 2. This hand thing was all to set up Kerry’s rematch with Flair two days later, and it’s so seamless in retrospect, making perfect sense. Jumbo gets a fucking cross arm – breaker, but Kerry won’t give up. Kerry gets a backdrop suplex, then drops an elbow for 2. He plants Jumbo with a piledriver, then misses an elbow from the top. Jumbo nails another high knee, and he turns Kerry over into a Boston Crab. Kerry reverses, and they start getting near – falls, then they tumble to the floor where they both get counted out. After about ten minutes, this got insanely good. (27:38 ****) Kerry keeps the title on the draw, and they shake hands.
1984.05.24 AJPW at City Gymnasium, Yokosuka, Japan, Best Two of Three Falls
Kerry Von Erich (champion)
Vs
Ric Flair
Flair takes him down, but they’re feeling each other out early. Kerry works a hammerlock, then an armbar. They do a criss – cross, and Kerry hits a nice dropkick. It’s so cool to see him in his younger years, before the drugs took hold. Kerry’s hand is taped and bandaged after the match with Jumbo, and that will factor in. Kerry takes him down and goes back to the hammerlock. Flair escapes and shoves him into the corner for some chops. Kerry takes him down, but misses an elbow. Flair with a snap mare and a kneedrop, then into a front face and a cradle for a couple of near -falls. Kerry comes back with punches, then a sleeper. Flair gets a backdrop suplex, and they start punching and chopping. Kerry muscles him up with a press – slam for 2. Shoulderblock by Kerry, and Flair tosses him to the floor. Kerry spends a minute there, and Flair suplexes him back in for 2. He gets Kerry in an abdominal stretch, but Kerry hip tosses him out. Kerry elbows him in the head, and Flair goes down. Discus punch gets 2, but Flair is in the ropes. Flair picks him up and gets an atomic drop, then a piledriver for 2. He misses an elbow, then Kerry misses an elbow, the ref misses an elbow, it’s bedlam. Flair misses a kneedrop, and Kerry just goes for the claw out of nowhere with zero build. (Flair bitched about this in his book, how Kerry had no plan and would just do stuff with no rhyme or reason. Flair does the flip in the corner, but when he comes off the top, Kerry gets the claw for the pin at 15:48. Second fall starts with Kerry getting the claw right away, but Flair gets a low blow and sends him over the top. They exchange shots in the corner, and Kerry gets a powerslam for 2. Flair kicks him and throws him to the floor again, but Kerry sunset flips back in for 2. Flair with a big elbow followed by an elbow drop for 2, then he gets a shinbreaker and goes to work on Kerry’s knee. Ah, Ric. He gets a Figure – Four, and that’s enough for the submission at 19:59. Wow, no wonder this never saw the light of day in the U.S. The Apter mags played up Kerry’s hand injury, but it really hasn’t played any sort of part in the match at all. Flair stays on the knee, and Kerry teases the claw again, but Flair is all about the Figure – Four. Kerry gets the claw hold, but Flair gets to the ropes. Kerry goes for a splash, but Flair gets his knees up. Kerry goes for a backslide in a callback to the title switch, but Flair kicks out at 2. They collide and it’s a double – down. Flair’s up first, and he goes to the top. Kerry slams him off, then drops a knee with his injured knee and actually sells it. I’ll be damned. Kerry gets an abdominal stretch, then adds a stomach claw, but Flair hip tosses him out of it. Flair goes low-ish, and Kerry blocks and reverses a suplex. That gets 2. Dropkick by Kerry for 2. Flair dodges a second one, and Kerry gets a high cross body for 2. Discus punch knocks Flair to the floor, and Kerry tries to dive at Flair, who simply ducks and Kerry goes to the floor. He walks around, and Flair tries to suplex him back in, but Kerry floats over. Kerry goes for the rolling reverse, and that gets 2, but Flair rolls through it and gets the pin and third NWA World title. Good match, but Kerry was kind of all over the place. (*** ½ 26:34) Flair’s wife is shown in the crowd, and Kerry is distraught.
1985.04.24 AJPW Cultural Gymnasium, Yokohama, Japan
Ric Flair (Champion)
Vs
Jumbo Tsuruta
I love the idea of these two in their primes going at it for the world title. They do the normal, starting out with some mat work to feel each other out. It’s fast – paced, though, with Jumbo getting a ¾ - nelson, but Flair gets into the ropes. Jumbo, of course, grabs a headlock. He’s fully become the Jumbo that I recognize, as he’s lost almost all his muscle definition, but was such an excellent worker. He hip tosses Flair and gets the headlock again. Flair rolls him over a couple of times, then hits a chop that only pisses him off, so Flair backs off. This happens a couple of times, then Jumbo starts nailing him with forearms. He hits a high knee, and stomps Flair on the ropes. Flair misses an elbow, and Jumbo teases the butterfly suplex. Flair goes low, then sends him to the floor. There’s about ten tons of streamers and confetti there, and it looks insane. Jumbo sunsets back in, but that only gets 2. Backslide by Jumbo for 2. Jumbo gets a backdrop, and Flair is reeling. Gut – wrench by Jumbo for 2. Jumbo gets an abdominal stretch, but Flair comes out of it quickly. Jumbo gets a backbreaker for 2. They trade chops, and Flair gets a backdrop suplex. Elbow gets 2 for Flair. Backbreaker gets 2. Flair grabs an armbar, and starts yelling at Jumbo and playing to the crowd. He works more on the wrist, and they go to the ropes for the break. Flair stays right on it, punching Jumbo under the arm, then going to a surfboard. Jumbo reverses after a few tries, then he hits a suplex for 2. He works Flair over in the corner then gets a sleeper. Flair struggles for the ropes, eventually getting them with his foot. Jumbo stays on him, but Flair leverages him through the ropes to the floor, where Jumbo again gets covered in confetti. He tries a suplex in, but Jumbo floats over and gets a rolling reverse for 2. Flair gets a sleeper of his own, but Jumbo gets a STIFF AS FUCK backdropper! Flair is in the ropes, so he tries again. Flair gets a Greco – Roman thumb to the eye to take over. Flair goes up, but Jumbo slams him off. LARIATOO! And another! That gets 2. Flair gets the shinbreaker, and it might be Figure – Four time. At least time for school. Apparently, it’s suplex time. Flair gets the Figure – Four, and he’s right by the ropes, so my guess would be he’s going to cheat. Nope. Jumbo tries to turn it over, so Flair breaks it. Disappointing. Flair misses a knee drop, and Jumbo gets a Figure – Four of his own. Flair makes the ropes, and Jumbo just starts stomping him in the corner as Flair begs off. They go toe – to – toe and Jumbo flings him over the top in the corner. They fight on the floor briefly, and Flair cuts him off coming in. Jumbo with a cross – body for 2. He goes for the Backdropper, but Flair grabs the ropes. They fight over a suplex, and Flair dumps him to the floor. Flair follows, and Jumbo sends him to the post. They brawl to an anti – climactic double countout. Bah. Excellent match, shitty ending. (**** 26:01)
1985.10.21 AJPW Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, Japan
Ric Flair (NWA World Champion)
Vs
Rick Martel (AWA World Champion)
Martel was an odd choice as AWA World Champion, as he was technically sound, but almost totally lacking in the charismatic appeal that you need as the top drawing guy in your company. I only ever really saw him in tag teams and as a heel at the end of his career, so I’m not sure how his earlier babyface stuff went. They do some mat stuff to start, and God damn, does Giant Baba sound like a Japanese Lex Luger on commentary. Martel gets a hammerlock, and I’m bored as shit already. He turns it into an arm wringer, then an armbar. Flair backs him into the corner, and I can sense the bullshit finish coming already. They fight over a top wristlock, with Martel taking him down. Flair gets to the ropes, and they shake hands on that one. They go to the mat again, with Flair getting a takedown and a near-fall. Flair gets a chop, but Martel hip tosses him out of the corner and gets a couple of flying headscissors. Wow. Haven’t seen that in a long time. Martel works a headlock, taking Flair over on the mat. They come out of it, and Martel gets a PRESS SLAM! HOLY SHIT! I’ve never seen him do that. Wow. He continues working on the back, but Flair gets an atomic drop out of the corner. Flair dumps Martel to the floor, and sends him shoulder – first to the post. They go back in, and Flair starts working a hammerlock on the mat. He transitions to an armbar, then an overhand wristlock. They fight over that for a while, then Martel reverses and takes him down. They start trading strikes, and Martel gets the better of that. Martel gets an inside cradle for 2. He misses an elbow, then Flair hits a REALLY BAD double underhook suplex. Flair gets an abdominal stretch, but Martel reverses. Martel gets a gut – wrench for 2. Flair tosses him to the floor, then tries a suplex in, but Martel floats over and rolls him up for 2. Martel with mounted punches, then he sends Flair over the top turnbuckle to the floor. They brawl there, but go back in. Martel with a cross – body for 2. Flair drops a knee for 2. He goes for another, but Martel catches it and gets a Figure – Four. He can’t reverse it, and Martel gets several near – falls. Flair makes the ropes, but Martel drags him out and tries again. Flair gets his shinbreaker. Martel stays on offense, but Flair dodges him in the corner, and Martel knees the buckle. Flair takes him to school, but Martel ducks a kneedrop. Flair with a suplex. He gets the Figure – Four, but Martel reverses. Flair goes for the Figure – Four again, but Martel gets an inside cradle for 2. Martel with a suplex for 2. Flair just slugs his leg and goes to the top, but Martel slams him off and splashes him for 2. Back elbow by Flair, but Martel gets a sleeperhold. Flair counters that with a back suplex, then he dumps Martel to the floor. This being All – Japan, I’m expecting a double countout, but it doesn’t happen yet. Martel goes back in, and Flair eventually makes it back in. They start duking it out, and Martel gets mounted punches in the corner. Flair does the flop, and almost gets his piledriver. Martel stops that and hits a powerslam for 2. Flair has bladed, I think the last time they were on the floor. Martel knocks him over the top, then suplexes him back in for 2. Slingshot splash gets 2 for Martel. Backbreaker, and Martel goes to the top, but a splash gets knees. They do the bridge – backslide spot, then tumble over the top on a cross-body for the double countout. Good match that could have been an all – time great with a clean finish. (*** ¾ 36:04)