NWA Battle of the Belts II

Prior to the first match, Solie shills the latest copy of Pro Wrestling Illustrated with the Road Warriors on the cover.

Match 1 for the NWA Bahamas title: Tyree Pride (champion) versus Ron Slinker

Slinker was a martial artist who wrestled barefoot.
Slam by Pride was followed by a dropkick.
Chop by Slinker got 2.
Pride countered a slam with an inside cradle for 2.
He then ducked a chop, hit a cross body block, and got the pin.

Match 2 for the NWA Florida title: Kendall Windham (champion) versus Rocky Iaukea

Rocky also went by the name of Prince Iaukea, not to be confused with the one who competed in WCW in 1997. Unlike that Prince Iaukea, Rocky is actually the son of King Curtis Iaukea.
Clothesline by Iaukea who then tossed Kendall outside the ring.
Sunset flip by Kendall back into the ring got 2.
Kendall countered a side head lock with a belly-to-back suplex.
Upon receiving a cross-corner whip, Kendall delivered a nice clothesline.
After a leapfrog, Kendall gave Iaukea a dropkick.
To escape a leg bar, Iaukea bit Kendall then rammed him face-first to the mat twice.
Vertical suplex by Iaukea did not receive a count.
Back drop by Iaukea, but he missed an elbow drop.
A hip toss and dropkick by Kendall sent Iaukea to the floor to regroup.
After giving Kendall a cross-corner whip, Iaukea whiffed on his follow-through.
Bulldog by Kendall got the pin. This time Kendall completed the pin rather than exiting prematurely. Glad he learned his lesson.

Backstage, Colt interviews Kendall who thanks his father (Blackjack Mulligan) and his brother for his success.

Match 3 for the NWA Junior Heavyweight title: Denny Brown (champion) versus the White Ninja

For those unfamiliar, the White Ninja was none other than the Great Muta (Keiji Mutoh).
Excellent reverse savate kick by the White Ninja stunned Brown.
Pair of slams by the White Ninja maintained his control of the match.
Belly-to-back suplex by White Ninja countered a side head lock.
Following an elbow drop, White Ninja delivered a dropkick for 2.
On the other hand, a flying leg drop by Brown got 2.
After a slam, Brown nailed an elbow drop and got 2.
Single leg crab by the White Ninja, but Brown made the ropes.
Backbreaker by the White Ninja got 2.
Camel clutch by the White Ninja, but Brown escaped.
After giving Brown a cross-corner whip, the White Ninja delivered a handspring back elbow landing on the apron. Wow!
Backbreaker #2 preceded an excellent moonsault by the White Ninja.
However, he only got a 2 count.
Brown countered a slam attempt with an inside cradle for 2.
As Brown attempted a cross body block, the White Ninja used Brown’s momentum and tossed him over the top rope to the concrete floor for the DQ.

Summary: Mutoh was only 23 years old here and just beginning to blossom as a star in pro wrestling.

After the match, the White Ninja is frustrated since it appears the toss was unintentional.

Match 4 for the NWA Southern title: Jesse “Bulldog” Barr (champion) versus Lex Luger (w/ Hiro Matsuda)

Back on 1/15, Barr defeated Luger to win the Southern title.
Autograph’s “Turn Up the Radio” brought Barr to the ring.
Step-over toe hold by Barr kept Luger down on the mat.
Barr countered a side head lock with a knee crusher.
Back elbow by Luger was followed by a standing choke.
A second standing choke by Luger preceded a slam.
He then tossed Barr outside the ring to the concrete floor.
To bring Barr back in, Luger gave him a vertical suplex and got 2.
Hard cross-corner whip by Luger who then rammed Barr back-first into two top turnbuckles.
Next, Luger tied Barr to the Tree of Woe.
Boston Crab by Luger. Graham pointed out that Stan Hansen defeated Rick Martel for the AWA World title with this maneuver. That match took place back on 12/29/1985.
Barr powered out to escape the hold.
A pair of backbreakers by Luger put Barr down on the mat.
Bear hug by Luger, but Barr rang Luger’s bell to escape.
Another bear hug, but Luger rammed him back-first into the turnbuckle.
After a slam, Luger pressed Barr overhead and dropped him.
Barr countered the over-the-shoulder backbreaker with a back drop.
Clothesline by Barr got 2.
Upon giving Luger a back drop, Barr delivered the shoulder breaker.
1-2-NO!
Luger put his foot on the bottom rope.
Clothesline by Luger got the pin.
WE HAVE A NEW CHAMPION!

Summary: Luger was greener than a John Deere lawnmower here, but Barr got a decent match out of him. Having said that, this match could have gone either way. On the replay, Luger pulled Barr’s leg off the ropes before the pinfall completes.

Backstage, Colt interviews the NEW Southern champion with Matsuda. The latter feels that Luger is ready for the World title. That’s putting the cart before the horse in my eyes.

Match 5 ($20,000 bounty): “Chief” Wahoo McDaniel versus Bruiser Brody (w/ Gary Hart)

Graham explained that if Brody put McDaniel out of wrestling, he’d earn $20,000.
Big boot by Brody put McDaniel down on the mat.
He then tossed McDaniel outside the ring adjacent to Hart.
Hart then rammed McDaniel head-first into the ring post.
McDaniel was BUSTED OPEN!
Brody followed him outside, traded blows with McDaniel, but got rammed into the ring post.
Brody was BUSTED OPEN!
Dropkick by Brody, but McDaniel came back immediately with a chop.
Hart got up on the apron, and McDaniel nailed him.
Brody tossed McDaniel outside the ring and followed him.
He then tossed McDaniel over the steel railing into the crowd.
McDaniel grabbed a steel chair and walloped Brody.
After McDaniel stumbled back to ringside, Brody nailed him with a steel chair.
Referee Bruce Owens counted both men out.

Summary: This was a hardcore match before hardcore became cool. Your mileage may vary on the rating.

After the match, both men brawl in the aisle until Owens keeps McDaniel at bay. No bounty will be paid tonight.

Backstage, Colt interviews Ellering. The latter astutely illustrates how tough his team is. Animal has the golden spike that belongs to Sullivan and his group. A graphic mistakenly labels the Road Warriors as NWA tag team champions; however, the Midnight Express are actually the NWA World tag team champions. Mulligan vows that “the devil will get his due.”

Match 6 (six-man): The Road Warriors & Blackjack Mulligan (w/ “Precious” Paul Ellering) versus Kevin Sullivan, the Purple Haze, and Maya Singh (w/ King Curtis, Luna Vachon, & minions)

For those unaware, the Purple Haze and Maya Singh were Mark Lewin and Bob Roop respectively.
Sullivan’s minions carried an extremely long snake into the ring.
Black Sabbath’s “Iron Man” brought the faces to the ring.
While Mulligan rammed Haze head-first into the camera stand, Animal delivered a flying shoulder block to Singh.
In the crowd, Haze gave Mulligan a shot with a steel chair.
Mulligan was BUSTED OPEN!
Animal blocked a chair shot from Sullivan then delivered one to him.
Back in the ring, a big boot from Mulligan put Sullivan down on the mat.
Outside the ring, Mulligan delivered chair shots to both Sullivan and Haze.
Sullivan was BUSTED OPEN!
In the ring, Animal gave Singh a powerslam for 2.
Back outside the ring, Sullivan made Hawk taste the steel railing. It must have tasted like the Pork Havana at Norman’s.
This was chaos!
As Animal had the wooden steps in his hand, Hawk threw the other set of wooden steps into the ring.
Sullivan used them as a weapon by ramming Mulligan head-first into them.
As order was restored, Singh caught Mulligan with a flying clothesline.
Animal tagged in and gave Sullivan a flying shoulder block.
Singh and Haze came in and received slams from Animal.
At the same time, Hawk clotheslined Sullivan out of his cowboy boots.
Mulligan tagged back in and gave Sullivan a bear hug.
All six men were in the ring.
Sullivan knocked down referee Bruce Owens.
Animal had the golden spike and tried to nail Haze with it.
The heels scurried backstage as Animal nailed Sullivan with a chair.
Both teams were counted out.

Summary: Chaotic brawl that had the Orlando faithful on the edge of its seat. My guess is that this feud will continue on the house show circuit since it wasn’t finished here.

After a commercial break, Solie interviews “Superstar” Billy Graham at ringside. He’s ready for a tag match tomorrow night in Lakeland with McDaniel against Sullivan and his “family.”

Colt interviews NWA World champion Flair. The latter is wearing the big gold belt and cuts a great promo. He cements his promo by referring to himself as “the greatest wrestler alive today.”

Match 7 for the NWA World title: “Nature Boy” Ric Flair (champion) versus Barry Windham

Def Leppard’s “Let It Go” brought the challenger to the ring.
Phil Collins’ “Easy Lover” brought the champion to the ring.
Hip toss and slam put Barry in control early in the match.
Flair bounced off the top rope, but it wasn’t very tight and caught him.
Rollup off the ropes got 2 for Barry.
Flair shot the half and attempted to pin Barry with some leverage from the second rope without success.
Boston crab by Barry. Somehow I don’t think Flair will follow Martel’s lead by losing the title with this hold.
As anticipated, Flair made the ropes.
Vertical suplex by Barry got 2 due to Flair’s leg on the bottom rope.
Abdominal stretch by Barry, but Flair escaped with a hip toss.
Cross-corner whip by Barry, but he ate a knee to the nether regions on his follow-through.
Attempted slam by Flair backfired as Windham fell on top for 2.
Flair then tossed Barry outside the ring.
He joined Windham on the floor and made him taste the steel railing. It must have tasted like the Club Elvis at Yellow Dog Eats.
Barry was BUSTED OPEN!
Back in the ring, Flair gave him a knee drop for 2.
However, knee drop #2 missed.
Barry hooked the figure-four.
Do we have a new champion?
Nope, Flair made the ropes.
Head butt by Barry only got 2.
Hip toss by Barry, but he missed a dropkick.
Barry blocked and countered a vertical suplex with an inside cradle for 2.
Piledriver by Flair only got 2.
Barry countered a snap mare with a backslide.
1-2-NO!
Piledriver #2 by Flair countered into a back drop.
Lariat by Barry got 1-2-NO! Flair’s foot was on the ropes.
Ten-punch count-along by Barry was followed by a cross-corner whip resulting in a Flair flip to the concrete floor.
Barry followed him and rammed him head-first into the ring post.
When Flair got to his feet, Barry rammed him into an adjacent ring post.
Flair was BUSTED OPEN!
Back in the ring, Barry tried another ten-punch count-along, but Flair countered with an inverted atomic drop.
Again, Flair tossed Barry outside the ring.
Barry re-entered via sunset flip but ate a knuckle sandwich. Hey! That’s not on the menu! Ahem.
Sleeper by Flair, but Barry sent Flair face-first into the top turnbuckle to break the hold.
Vertical suplex by Flair who then softened up Barry’s left leg.
Figure-four leg lock by Flair who grabbed the ropes for leverage.
Barry reversed the hold so Flair escaped.
Flair mounted the top turnbuckle, but got caught, and came down the hard way.
Barry missed a knee drop putting Flair back in control.
After a snap mare, Flair gave him the double stomp to the midsection.
Knee to the midsection and a chop put Barry down for a pair of 2 counts.
Side head lock by Flair, but Barry shoved him off directly into referee Bill Alfonso.
Immediately, Flair tossed Barry over the top rope while Alfonso was down.
Barry mounted the top turnbuckle and hit a missile dropkick. Wow!
He made the cover, but Alfonso was out of position.
Sleeper by Barry only got a 2 count, yet a splash by Barry hit knees.
Figure-four leg lock #2 was countered into an inside cradle, but both men were in the ropes.
Upon giving Barry a cross-corner whip, Flair got hit by a lariat.
1-2-NO!
Again, Flair’s foot was on the ropes.
Vertical suplex by Barry with a floatover only got 2.
Barry missed an elbow drop, so Flair took him to the corner for some chops.
Barry gave Flair a cross-corner whip that led to Flair flip #2.
Flair caught himself on the apron, mounted the top turnbuckle, but got caught in the midsection on the way down.
Cross body block by Flair sent both combatants over the top rope to the concrete floor.
Barry tried to re-enter the ring, but Flair wouldn’t let him.
Flair tried the same thing but was rebuffed.
Alfonso called for the bell as he counted both men out.
Flair retained the World title.

Summary: Wow! A 45-minute classic between these two is truly a gem. Get all this!

Conclusion: With this show containing a young Muta loss, a young Luger victory, and a 45-minute classic between Barry Windham and Ric Flair, I have to give this show a big thumbs-up.