Tape Reviews
Today in Wrestling History (November 24)
By Jared "JHawk" Hawkins
Nov 24, 2002, 16:35

Today in Wrestling History (November 24)
by Jared "JHawk" Hawkins

A little current wrestling before we get to historic wrestling. One of you asked how I'm not excited about seeing a dream match like Shawn Michaels vs. Rob Van Dam tomorrow night. Truth be told, I'm probably more excited than anybody as far as wanting to see the match. But I've had this nagging feeling that Triple H will just happen to make his comeback just as RVD hits the Five Star and costs RVD the title yet again. Or that Triple H will cost HBK the title and people won't buy RVD as champion because he didn't go over clean. If they keep Triple H out of it and just let the match go, this match could be one for this very column in a couple of years. If they do what I think they'll do, it'll be nothing but WWE once again pissing off the fans that stuck with them through the last drought.

It was very cool to see Danny Doring, whom I interviewed on August 25, on Velocity last night, but couldn't he have gotten in at least one offensive move against a guy who hasn't wrestled on TV in six months? Still, congratulations Danny, and here's hoping it's the start of something bigger.

Also, muchos props to our own Damian Gonzalez, who got his ass kissed by Jeremy Borash in his From the Inside column on nwatna.com. The Dames, for those who don't know, chimes in every week with his NWATNA Diatribe (the most recent one of which can be found here), and he's got fans within the company. Unlike some of us on this site who don't have much to be positive about (Vinnie Mac, I'm looking in your direction).

Onto the point of this column. Although most wrestling fans mark and smark alike have always viewed WrestleMania as being the biggest show of the year, there was a show that started a year and a half prior to it. It was under the NWA banner, promoted by Jim Crockett Promotions, and until WCW was finally put out of its misery in 2001, it was actually the longest running supercard in wrestling history. That event was Starrcade, and it made its debut at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina 19 years ago today.

Due to the historical nature of this event, I'm going to try a little change of pace and cover the complete card. Now, this card runs over three hours long, and it's very hard to find a good quality copy of it (the best I've seen is with John McAdam, and it's fair at best), but I will make that sacrifice for the spread of knowledge of professional wrestling history. (That and there's actually some above average stuff here). Besides, I don't think anybody on a major site has ever touched this event, so yay me!

I'd like to thank everybody who helped me out with the background info. However, it's the tape, my limited knowledge of Mid-Atlantic Wrestling at the time, and the PWI Almanac helping me out, as the only person who offered me any help with the background information misunderstood that the request was for match background and told me what the main event was. *sigh* Well, he tried, anyway.

Without any further ado... We go to Starrcade 83: A Flare for the Gold! From the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Open to a laser light show that was probably quite good for 1983 but is quite lame today.

Opening Tag Team Match: The Assassins (w/Number 1 Paul Jones) vs. Bugsy McGraw and Rufus R. "Freight Train" Jones (Mid-Atlantic Champion)

Assassin #1 is Jody Hamilton, who had a managerial run in WCW in 1993 and 1994 and is also the father of Nick Patrick. I believe this Assassin #2 would be unmasked as Ray "Hercules" Hernandez in 1984. Paul Jones was a pretty big name in the Mid-Atlantic region in the 1970s as a wrestler before injuries forced him into managing. Bugsy McGraw was one of the first "crazy" wrestlers to do it with a comedic flair. Jones was big in the Mid-Atlantic region in the 70s.

#1 and McGraw start. Lockup, and a side headlock by #1. Off the ropes, shoulderblock, and here comes McGraw with some clotheslines and bodyslams, and he immediately goes for the mask because that's what faces do against masked heels. Always unsuccessfully, I might add. Another tieup, and #1 gets in a knee, but McGraw is off with an elbow and again goes for the mask. McGraw with a series of punches to knock #1 down, and he dances in a circle as #2 is tagged in. Tieup, headlock by #2. Off the ropes, shoulderblock, but Bugsy again with some bodyslams, a hiptoss, and the tag to Jones. Jones gets in the usual punches and headbutts that black babyfaces usually get in before going to a wristlock. That's not meant as a racist comment, that's just how it used to be -- lots of punches, headbutts, and dancing. A series of headbutts to the arm. Bugsy in, and he continues to work over the left arm. Bugsy gets trapped in the corner as #1 tags in, but Bugsy elbows his way out of the corner. Standing wristlock by #1. Bugsy wants to punch out of it, but referee Tommy Young unclenches it. So Bugsy elbows out of it and tags in Rufus, who immediately gets the standing wristlock to #1. Series of double punches by Rufus sends #1 to the corner, and Rufus keeps the onslaught and whips him into the opposite corner to force the beg off. Assassin #1 gets in an eyerake, and now the Assassins use quick tags but focus their offense to the eyes. Rufus breaks free and tags Bugsy quickly, who comes in and punches away at each man. All four men are in the ring, and eventually it's down to Bugsy and #2. However, #2 tags #1 behind Bugsy's back, and #1 rolls up Bugsy (and grabs the tights) for the cheap win at 8:06. This was supposed to be the opener to wake the crowd up? DUD

Your hosts are The Best Damn Wrestling Announcer Ever Gordon Solie and Bob Caudle, who go over the key matches for this evening.

Tony Skee-a-vone makes his debut as a locker room interviewer, but all he does here is say he'll be interviewing people.

Tag Team match scheduled for one fall with a 45 minute time limit: Johnny Weaver and Scott McGhee vs. Kevin Sullivan and Maniac Mark Lewin (w/Playboy Gary Hart)

Weaver was huge in the Mid-Atlantic region in his prime, which is long passed by this point. Scott McGhee was an up-and-comer from Florida who had a ton of potential but became lost in the mid-80s WWF shuffle and was rarely heard from again. Those of you who don't remember Sullivan can read Brandon Truitt's review of his shoot interview. Lewin had a famous tag team in the 60s with Don Curtis (and a shout out to Don and Dot Curtis, if they're reading this), as well as a legendary feud with The Sheik in Detroit in the 70s. Gary Hart was a wrestler-turned manager who might be best remembered by casual fans as the manager of The Great Muta and Terry Funk in 1989.

Sullivan and McGhee start. A wrestling sequence to start, which ends with two great dropkicks by McGhee. This broadcast cannot be reproduced, retransmitted, or...uh oh. McGhee with a headlock, and he tags Weaver, who goes back to the headlock. Off the ropes, and Weaver cocks the right hand, which sends Sullivan scurrying backwards. Lewin tagged in, and Weaver goes for some elbows to the left shoulder. Tag to McGhee, and Lewin reverses an arm wringer, so McGhee hops over Lewin's shoulder to break. I haven't seen a counter quite like that in a while. Lewin grabs hold of McGhee's arm and works over the shoulder, and he and Sullivan make quick tags and continue to work over the arm. Lewin with a form of the surfboard, and it gets loosened. McGhee works over for the tag, but referee Sonny Fargo doesn't see it because Sullivan distracts him. Lewin and Sullivan continue to use quick tags, and Lewin slows it down with a nervehold. Lewin uses the hair to keep McGhee from tagging, throws him into the turnbuckle, and tags Sullivan. Sullivan sends McGhee into the corner and charges, but McGhee moves and makes the hot tag. Weaver with a bulldog headlock, and Lewin makes the save. Another one attempted, but it's countered, and Sullivan tags in Lewin. More quick tags as it's Weaver's left arm being targetted. Spinning armlock by Lewin, and in comes Sullivan. He holds the arm, and Lewin jumps off the top rope with a knee to the extended arm and covers for the pin in 6:38. Postmatch, McGhee runs in to saves his partner, but is soon overpowered. Sullivan and Lewin continue to work over their opponents, lacerating McGhee with a spike, and out runs Angelo "King Kong" Mosca, whose son was a recent victim of the spike, to make the save. He gets a partial beatdown, including getting his arm cut by the spike. Lewin and Sullivan finally clear the ring, and Mosca eventually helps McGhee to the locker room. Formulaic, and unlike the opener, this one didn't even really have the crowd behind it. DUD

Your hosts analyze what just happened.

Barbara Clarey is your in-arena interviewer, and she polls some fans who think Ric Flair will win the main event. I don't know who she is, so don't bother asking.

Tony is in the locker room area with Handsome Harley Race, and he'd rather be anywhere on Thanksgiving Day than in Greensboro, but he vows to defeat Ric Flair in the main event tonight.

Replay of Lewin spiking Scott McGhee in the forehead.

One fall with a 60 minute time limit: Carlos Colon vs. Abdullah the Butcher

There is no possible way to go through everything that's ever happened in this feud (they still feud off and on even today), but the short version for our purposes: This war had become so violent in Puerto Rico that it was "banned", so the only place to settle it is in the United States. Far-fetched, yes, but if it brings in paying customers to the closed circuit locations (particularly in San Juan, where Gordon claims is being shown this event), then what the hell. Colon's children are all getting pretty solid pushes in Puerto Rico right now (when papa co-runs the company, you get some help), and Abby is semi-retired and running a restaurant in Atlanta. But in 1983, Abby's fork was used just as much for slicing foreheads as it was for eating ribs and pancakes.

Lockup to start, and Abby immediately uses thumbs to the throat and headbutts. Colon's offense consists of mostly forearm smashes. Abby goes for his trusty fork about 30 seconds in and gouges Colon's face, trying to hide it from referee Steve Schwartz. Colon makes a comeback with a lot of right hands. Then he bites him, using some of Abby's main offense against him. More punches and biting. Abby is busted open, which is no shock if you've ever seen him, and Carlos uses Abby's own fork against him. A kneelift sends him into the corner, and Colon goes back to the right hands. A legdrop and an elbowdrop get 2, but Abby tosses Colon onto the referee, and he's down. Carlos immediately goes to work on the leg, and there's the figure-four leglock, but here comes Hugo Savinovich of WWE Spanish broadcast table fame to break up the hold. Abby covers just as the referee wakes up, and Abby gets the pin at 4:27. Yeah, a run-in was just what this one needed, huh? DUD

Tony is with King Kong Mosca, whose arm is bandaged after the attack from Lewin and Sullivan. Mosca vows to referee the match later on, and vows to gain revenge on Lewin somewhere down the line. Tony decides to ask Mosca about the main event because he's an insensitive bastard, and Mosca picks Flair.

Clarey is in the crowd with more fans, who both pick Ric Flair for the main event.

One fall with a 45 minute time limit: Chief Wahoo McDaniel and Mark Youngblood vs. Dirty Dick Slater and Bob Orton Jr.

Good, people my readers may recognize. But in case you don't: McDaniel is a legit Indian who also played NFL football and passed away earlier this year. Youngblood is probably best known as one of the Renegade Warriors in the early 1990s. Slater was a veteran even at this point, but most recently was a WCW World Tag Team Champion with Bunkhouse Buck in 1995. Orton is best known for his 1984-1987 WWF run as Roddy Piper's bodyguard and tag team partner, but you might know him as Randy Orton's father.

Just before the bell, ring announcer Tom Miller announces that Dusty Rhodes is in attendance. Jeez, not even on the card and getting airtime. There's the official bell, and Slater and Wahoo start. A lockup into the corner, and Tommy Young gets in between them and can't separate them. Wahoo whips Slater into the corner, but Slater avoid further contact by heading to his corner. Lockup, and Wahoo grabs a wristlock, then tags in Youngblood, who starts working over the arm with armbars and legdrops. A double-leg takedown into a roll up by Slater gets 2. A wrestling sequence leads to a Youngblood hammerlock. Slater eventually gets in a single-leg, but Youngblood kicks him off, the momentum of which sends Slater over the top rope to the ring apron. Orton asks for a DQ to no avail. (Throwing an opponent over the top rope used to be a disqualification.) Slater in, and he immediately gets a Russian legsweep for 2. Tag to Orton, who gets a knee to the back and a backbreaker. Snap mare, but Youngblood avoids an elbowdrop. Orton tries to leave, but Youngblood gives chase and hits a hiptoss when they return to the ring. Orton is immediately to the corner to tag Slater. Orton back in, and a criss cross ends with an Orton backbreaker, which is held for Slater to drop an elbow. Now Slater is officially in, and he punches away at Youngblood. Backbreaker and a cover for 2. Slater tosses Youngblood to the floor, and he distracts the ref so Orton can work him over on the outside. Orton drops Youngblood back-first onto the guardrail. Ouch ouch ouch ouch ouch. Youngblood crawls in, and Slater is waiting with crawling headbutts and a kick to the ribs. Orton in, and he locks in a reverse chinlock. Youngblood out with elbows and a shoulderblock, but a clothesline and a kneedrop by Orton stops the momentum. Back to the reverse chinlock. Tag to Slater, and Youngblood hiptosses Orton, but Orton blocks the tag by going on all fours in front of Youngblood as Slater gets a forearm to the back. Vertical suplex by Slater gets 2. Slater goes for a piledriver, but Youngblood with a backdrop. Tag to Orton, HOT TAG to Wahoo, who is working on both opponents with punches and chops. Inverted atomic drop to Orton. More chops and a bodyslam, followed by an elbowdrop for 2. Orton tags Slater and takes down Wahoo. Slater begins to stomp away, but Wahoo is right back with more chops. That doesn't last any longer than Slater's backdrop suplex, which is good for a series of two counts. Tag to Orton, and a double elbowsmash. Elbowdrop as only Orton can do it, and a kneedrop for 2. Tag to Slater, and he's up top, but Wahoo moves and Orton gets the elbow instead. Slater into the wrong corner as Youngblood pounds away. There's the tag to Youngblood, and he goes to work, but eventually he gets caught. Youngblood comes back with dropkicks and whips Orton to the whips, but Slater trips Orton so Youngblood can miss a dropkick. Double team, and they set up Youngblood on the turnbuckle. Superplex by Orton, and that's the pin at 13:50. Postmatch, Wahoo is in for the save, but gets a small beatdown. Then Orton holds Wahoo's arm over the apron. Slater teases dropping onto it from the top rope, but thinks better of it and just jumps onto it from the apron. Caudle speculates Wahoo has a broken arm as the heels leave. Quite formulaic, but hey, I enjoyed it. **1/2

Tony is in the babyface dressing room with The Man WHOO!, and Ricky Steamboat and Jay Youngblood are in earshot. Flair says he's prepared for Race tonight, and he wishes Steamboat and Youngblood good luck against the Briscos tonight. Youngblood and Steamboat get to cut their own promo on the Briscos, and they say they're prepared to take the Tag Team Titles later.

Barbara Clarey is with Duthty Rhodeth, but audio difficulties prevent us from hearing all that much of it. Oh damn. And I was SOOOOOOOOOOO looking forward to it too.

Replay of Hugo Savinovich costing Carlos Colon his match with Abdullah the Butcher earlier tonight.

One fall with a 60 minute time limit (the first 15 minutes of this match are the NWA Television Championship vs. the mask): Charlie Brown (w/mask but no security blanket or whiny chicks) vs. The Great Kabuki (champion--w/Gary Hart)

This is one of those storylines that doesn't even fool the pure marks. Kabuki had defeated Jimmy Valiant for this version of the TV title in a loser leaves town match. Suddenly, who should show up but Charlie Brown from "out of town". Now, it's one thing to bring the same worker in under a mask to work this type of angle. It's another thing entirely for Jimmy Valiant, with the ZZ Top-esque beard, to keep the freaking beard when he wears the mask. So basically, everybody but their dog (and apparently Jim Crockett) knew that Valiant was under the mask, but without "proof", there was nothing that could be done. If Valiant drops the mask here, he'll be banned from the Mid-Atlantic area for life. For the record, due to the absurdity of this angle, I refuse to refer to Valiant as "Charlie Brown" for the remainder of this recap unless absolutely necessary. This would also be more accurately called the "Mid-Atlantic TV Title", as the "World TV Title" was based out of Georgia until 1985.

The bell rings. Valiant is immediately punching away. Kabuki to the floor, and Valiant is right after him and slams him into the ringpost. Now he uses a chair, and there's no DQ for it depsite it being used in clear view. This is like Raw booking. Back in the ring, and Gary Hart is livid, so his distraction allows Valiant to stomp the groin. Headlock/uppercut combo. And right into the Sleeper, which Valiant nearly always used as a finisher. Kabuki finally breaks the hold by going to the eyes. Kabuki misses a chop, and Valiant goes back to the sleeper. Hart puts Kabuki's foot on the ropes to break the hold. Kabuki goes back to the eyes. Jumping side kick, chop, spinning back kick, and Kabuki into a clawhold. No word as to whether it hurts less with a mask on or not a la Ronnie Garvin's shinguard. Valiant fights out of with it, gets in a shoulderblock, and then a backdrop, but Kabuki gets in a karate kick to the midsection. Up to the second rope, and down with a clawhold. Valiant tries to break with a hair pull, but nothing doing. Why he doesn't reach for the ropes, I'll never know. Valiant works to his feet and punches out of it. A whip to the corner, but Kabuki catches him coming in with a standing side kick. Up top goes Kabuki, and he comes off with...another fucking clawhold. I never saw the Von Erichs rely on this hold this much. The shoulders are down for 2. A check of the arm, and Valiant again lets the shoulders fall for a 2 count. Hart tries to help the referee with his cadence. That's quite nice of him to attempt to put us all out of our misery like that. Again a check of the arm. A thumb to the eye breaks it. Kabuki takes a tumble to the outside. Valiant suplexes him back in. A delayed cover, but Kabuki gets a clawhold before Valiant can get on top of him. OK, I kinda liked that spot. Again the shoulders hit the mat for 2. And again. One more time. And another. Yet another. The referee actually moves his hand under the shoulder to see if it's down. That's something you don't see anymore. Kabuki releases the hold and goes to the top turnbuckle, and a flying chop gets 2. A frustrated Kabuki begins to unlace the mask. It doesn't work for heels either. Spinning back kick by Kabuki. Back fist. Series of punches, but Valiant does his dancing hulk up. Kabuki whips him into the corner and charges with a high knee, but Valiant moves. Kabuki hits the mat, and Valiant gets an elbowdrop for the pin and the title at 13:32. That's the freaking finish? Kabuki locks in a clawhold for ten minutes and loses to a freaking elbowdrop? Thank God this scale doesn't get any lower than this. DUD

Caudle and Solie talk to some guy whose name I couldn't make out, who picks Ric Flair to win the main event. Gordon becomes the first guy to give Race a snowball's chance in hell to win the main event.

Tony is in the locker room with Orton and Slater, who are amazed that Ric Flair is here after the number they did to Flair a few months prior. (More on that later.) Slater implies that the NWA intentionally stacked the deck against Race, but it won't matter because Race is better. At least I think that's what he said, the audio isn't exactly great. Race gets more airtime at this point, essentially saying he's targetting Flair's neck for a piledriver.

This time Barbara Clarey's interview with Dusty is audible. Damn. Dusty has already challenged the winner of this match (despite not being on the card at all), and after a long-winded interview that I can barely understand, Dusty predicts victory for Harley Race...and then a victory for himself over Harley Race.

Dog Collar Match to a finish: Rowdy Roddy Piper vs. Greg "The Hammer" Valentine (US Champion)

Roddy Piper had first won the U.S. Title from Valentine in this very Greensboro Coliseum on April 16. But things became tragic on April 30. Valentine regained the title when he opened a huge gash over Piper's ear and Piper was deemed unable to continue. Piper allegedly lost a large portion of his hearing in that left ear and missed several months of action. This match is non-title, but designed to blow the feud off and keep Valentine from running away. If you're not familiar with a dog collar match, these men are wearing dog collars, and they are literally attached to each other by a 15-foot chain that is hooked to each collar.

Piper pulls on the chain to start, which turns into a neck tug-of-war. They pull each other in, and Piper grabs a little bit of the chain like a whip...and whips Valentine in the arm. Another tug-of-war, and Valentine misses several whip attempts. Another tug of war. Series of punches by each man in center ring, and another tug of war. Each man moving in, and Piper starts whipping Valentine's leg, then wraps the chain around his fist and punches Valentine. Low blow by Piper, and Valentine does a header to the canvas. Valentine finally gets the advantage with a low blow, then uses the chain to punch away at Piper's left ear. Valentine wraps the chain around Piper's head, eyes, and ears. A couple of elbows to the head. Piper pokes Valentine in the eyes, then hits a kneelift. And he wraps the chain around Valentine's head. Such simple psychology. Piper wraps the chain around the ringpost, so whenever Valentine tries to move, he has no slack and nearly strangles to death. And Piper with a series of punches to the head. He finally pulls Valentine to the center of the ring and punches, but Valentine grabs a chokehold and refuses to let go. The fight goes to the floor, and Piper gains the advantage. Piper grabs Valentine by the collar to pull him to the apron and punches away, but Valentine goes right for the left ear. And he continues to pound away on the previously injured ear. Piper bleeds heavily from the ear as we finally return to the ring. Valentine continues to work over the ear as Gordon acknowledges Piper's lack of balance. Valentine actually bites the ear. Valentine sets up a suplex, but Piper wraps the chain around his fist and punches him in the ribs. He can't keep his balance though, so Valentine keeps the advantage. An elbowdrop gets 2. Another elbowdrop and another 2 count. Valentine goes to run into the ropes for another elbow, but Piper pulls the chain to knock him down and starts pounding away at Valentine. Another header by Valentine, and Piper uses the chain like a whip and busts Valentine open. A couple of chain fistdrops. Valentine regains his footing and punches the ear, but Piper uses his boxing background to regain the advantage. Valentine wraps the chain around Piper's throat. Valentine with a kneedrop and a cover for 2. Valentine tries to force Piper's shoulders to the mat, but he gives up and hits a chain fistdrop for another count of 2. Each man goes for a suplex, which Piper finally hits. Piper with more chain punching. Valentine reverses a whip into the corner and gets Piper into a sleeperhold coming back. Now THIS sleeper I can buy. The arm only drops twice, and Piper uses the chain to get out of it. Piper checks his ear, sees the blood...but Valentine gets an elbow off the second turnbuckle. And an elbowdrop. To the second turnbuckle again, but Piper pulls him off with the chain, whips Valentine like a dog with the chain, then covers while hooking the legs with the chain to get the pin at 16:08. Gordon makes a rare mistake by saying Piper won the title. Piper is being carried on someone's shoulders, but Valentine cheap shots Piper from behind and locks in a sleeperhold. Valentine then uses the chain to hang Piper over the top rope. Valentine begins using the collar itself as a weapon until the referee can finally get Valentine off of Piper. Excellent bloody brawl. ***1/2 The postmatch antics imply that this wasn't going to be the blowoff, but Piper was in the WWF six weeks later, and Valentine only about two months behind him. In fact, Valentine lost the U.S. Title about three weeks later...to Dick Slater, and I can't tell you if there was an actual face turn somewhere to set that up or not.

Gordon and Bob discuss the previous match. They then turn it over to Clarey, but instead we go to Tony with Flair. Are we really in this much need of killing time that we have to interview the same people every segment? He talks about how the heels are pretty happy right now after what they did to Wahoo's arm, but after he takes the belt from Race, they're not going to be so happy. He offers Wahoo his help anytime Wahoo might need it. Wahoo just happens to be sitting there, so he talks about how he can't wait to see Flair win the title tonight.

NOW we go to Clarey, who is with Don Kernodle for his thoughts on the last two matches. Kernodle isn't wll-known today's fans, but he had a run as NWA World Tag Team Champion with Sgt. Slaughter in 1982-83, and they lost it to Ricky Steamboat and Jay Youngblood about 8 months prior to this. Kernodle then went to the WWF for about three TV tapings and a cup of coffee (where they pronounced his name as "Kernoodle" for no apparent reason) before returning to the Mid-Atlantic area. Kernodle just wants a good match out of the tag title match, but he thinks Flair takes it tonight.

One fall with no time limit for the NWA World Tag Team Championship, which CAN change hands on a disqualification (special referee Angelo "King Kong" Mosca): Jay Youngblood and Ricky Steamboat vs. The Brisco Brothers (champions)

The brief history. These teams have exchanged the titles on a couple of occasions already: June 18, 1983 (won by the Briscos in Greenville, South Carolina), October 3, 1983 (won by Steamboat and Youngblood in Greenville), and October 21, 1983 (won by the Briscos in Richmond, Virginia). The Briscos have been disqualified in subsequent rematches to save their title. The Briscos then decided to book a title defense for Kansas City instead, but NWA President Jim Crockett bought out their contract and forced them into this title defense.

Jack and Steamboat to start. Lockup, Steamboat pushes him to the corner, clean break. Lockup, headlock by Brisco, Steamboat tosses him off, series of leapfrogs, and Jack bails when Steamboat sets up a chop. Jack grabs the left arm and tags Jerry. Quick tags as they try to trap Steamer in their corner, but Steamboat moves to midring. Jack into a hammerlock, and Steamboat backflips over him and takes him down with the Best...Armdrag...Ever. Jerry in now, and he traps Steamboat in the corner and gets in some forearms. Jerry tries to take Steamboat out of the corner, but Steamboat continually hooks the top rope to keep from going over. Lockup, and Jerry pushes Steamboat into the corner...and hits a cheap left hand. Whip into the corner, and another, but Steamboat blocks the turnbuckle smash, hits a few of his own, then hooks a headlock and tags in Youngblood. Youngblood with a chop, and a headlock takedown. And he hangs on to the headlock. Into a corner, and Youngblood with a series of shoulderblocks. Youngblood with an arm wrnger into a keylock armbar. Brisco with a bodyslam, but Youngblood hangs on to the arm and takes him over. Youngblood rolls Jerry onto his shoulders for a series of two counts. Tag to Steamboat, and he comes off the top with a Tomahawk chop to the arm. Quick tags, and each man gets their shots in on the left arm before Youngblood covers for two. Jerry moves Youngblood to the corner, but Jack misses a cheap shot and hits Jerry instead. That allows Youngblood to tag out to Steamboat. Jerry gets in a thumb to the eye, rams Steamboat into Jack's knee, and there's the tag. Some double teaming, and then Jack carries Steamboat across the ring and drops him throat first on the top rope. Snap mare, followed by a kneedrop, and Jack slows it down with a reverse chinlock. Steamboat gets to his feet and elbows out of it. Off the ropes...shoulderblock. Off again, but Jack catches him with a backdrop this time. Double underhook suplex, and a cover for a very long two count. Jerry is in, and he locks him in with a waistlock, occassionally rolling Steamboat onto his shoulders for 2 counts. Steamboat works to his feet, but Jerry hiptosses him over and locks in a short arm scissors, getting the near fall every so often. Steamboat rolls over, picks the man up with one arm (!), and drops back with him. Tag to Jack, and tag to Youngblood! Youngblood works over Jack with chops and goes for a suplex, but they exchange suplex blocks before Jack finally takes Jay over. Tag to Jerry, and a double football tackle. Jerry with a splash while Youngblood is in a seated position (that doesn't look pleasant) and a cover for 2. Vertical suplex (pronounced correctly by Gordon as "suplay") for 2. Lateral guillotine for 2, and Jerry complains about the count...so Mosca tosses him to the mat. Steamboat tags himself in during the confusion, and it's chops aplenty. Tag to Youngblood, Irish whip, double chop. Another tag, another whip, and a double boot to the face. Another tag, Steamboat bodyslams Jerry, then Gorilla presses Youngblood onto Jerry for the pin and the title at 12:49. However, the Briscos get a cheap shot on Mosca's injured arm, and Jerry puts Steamboat into a figure-four. Jack attempts to jump onto him, but Mosca runs in for the save, and the faces wind up clearing the ring. They hold the belts up to a near standing ovation. The finish came pretty much out of nowhere, but plenty of subtleties helped make this one. Things like the faces getting one double team move, tagging, another double team, another tag to avoid the five count disqualification (how's that for things you don't see anymore?) give this one match of the night honors IMO. **** The title reign was short-lived, as Steamboat retired on Christmas Day and the belts were vacated. He was back in action about three months later. Sadly, Jay Youngblood passed away not too long after this (I think in 1985, possibly sooner) at the age of 30. The Briscos would sell their stock in the Atlanta region to Vince McMahon the next summer and get one last run at a main event, notably a very good 30-minute draw at MSG with Adrian Adonis and Dick Murdoch.

We have time to kill while they set up the cage, so here are the credits for this show. How often do you see this on today's wrestling programming?

Back to the dressing room, and Ric Flair is already wearing his robe and ready to go. But right now, the faces have been winning titles all night long, particularly Charlie Brown winning the NWA TV Title. He says he did it "for Jimmy Valiant". Well, no shit, Sherlock. At least he didn't say "This one's for Snoopy." In comes Roddy Piper, who tells Valentine that he still has one good ear left and he wants the U.S. Title. And in come the new World Tag Team Champions, who have now won it for their fifth time as a team. Steamboat talks about how you have to adapt to the different styles of wrestling to succeed as a tag team, and he feels they've done it. They promise to defend the titles against anybody anywhere.

Caudle and Gordon discuss the previous matches and hype our main event.

Dusty Rhodes gets more airtime, as Barbara Clarey gets to speak with him and some fans. The entire point of this (besides stroking Dusty's ego and hyping his challenge) is to show that the fans think Ric Flair is your winner tonight.

Highlights of the TV Title Match and the dog collar match. Then we do more hype for the main event. Lulls like this are why they just lower the cage now. Highlights of the tag team title match are shown now.

Schiavone is in the locker room with a ready Harley Race. Race blows him off. So we bring in Greg Valentine, who's bruised and cut up, but he vows the war isn't over because he still has the title and now he knows how brutal a dog collar match is.

More hype for the main event. It's taking forever to set the cage up, so they'll talk about pretty much anything that pops into their mind to fill the time.

And now, our national anthem, as sung by...some guy. I couldn't make out the name.

No Disqualification Steel Cage Match--scheduled for one fall with a 60 minute time limit and for the NWA World Heavyweight Title (with special referee "Big Thunder" Gene Kiniski): The Man WHOO! vs. Handsome Harley Race (champion)

The story so far: Race had won the title from Flair on June 10 in St. Louis. Race immediately put out a $25,000 bounty on Flair's head to attempt to keep him out of the picture. One night at a TV taping, Bob Orton Jr. and Dick Slater attacked Flair. Flair taped a promo announcing his retirement, after which Race paid off the bounty to Orton and Slater. However, Flair made a surprise return a few weeks later, attacking Orton and Slater with a baseball bat. This rematch was eventually signed, and it was put in the cage to keep outside interference from happening. The difference between 1983 and now is that it actually worked in 1983.

We finally get a bell after about 30 minutes of non-wrestling time, and they lock up. An early headlock for Flair, and Race quickly rolls Flair over. Flair gets to his feet and teases a right hand. Another headlock by Flair. Race eventually gets to the ropes and gets a knee to the midsection. Lockup, into the ropes, and Flair returns the knee. Snap mare by Flair into a reverse chinlock. It's turned into a headlock, and Race sends Flair into the ropes and catches him with a high knee. A diving headbutt misses though, and Flair gets a chop and immediately covers, but Race is out before Kiniski can count. Back into the side headlock. A one count every so often, but Race in no danger of being pinned. The headlock is turned into a front chancery. Gordon mentions that the average body contact in football is about 14 1/2 minutes, so a time limit draw is equivalent to four pro football games. Wow! Name one broadcaster who knows his shit this well. I dare you. Race finally breaks the headlock with a back suplex, but Flair rolls away from an elbowdrop. Flair goes for a slam, but Race shifts his weight and falls on top of Flair for a two count. Race with a shot to the head, and he has the advantage. Turnbuckle smashes, and the strategy for Race becomes clear -- set Flair up for the piledriver. Kneedrop across the face, and Race turns it into a choke. Race with the piledriver, and Flair immediately rolls toward the ropes. Race is slow to follow up but soon drops the elbow, and Flair is out at 2. That was probably the least dramatic count I've seen from a referee this side of Bronco Lubich. A swinging neckbreaker gets 2. Race with a series of knees to the head. Race sends Flair into the cage. Shoulderbreaker by Race gets 2. Flair starts punching away, but a Race headbutt slows Flair down. Diving headbutt connects, but Flair is quickly to his knees. Race goes back to using the cage as a weapon (or a tag team partner, sayeth Gordon). Choke against the ropes, and Kiniski physically pulls Race off despite it being no disqualification, and Flair comes back with punches and kicks. Punches in the corner, and this time Kiniski pulls Flair back, and that sets up a Race headbutt. Flair is bleeding and on his way to his usualy blood in the hair bladejob, but he still reverses the cross corner whip. Into the cage goes Race, and he appears to be bleeding as well. Flair with a snap mare and a kneedrop. Boot to the head. And Flair with a piledriver of his own! Cover...only two, as Race gets a foot on the ropes. Double underhook suplex by Flair for a count of 2. The cage is now Flair's tag team partner, proving it's an equal opportunity ass kicker. And this time Race goes into the steel support, and Kiniski is pushing Flair in an attempt to prevent the cage shots. Race regains the advantage and rakes Flair's face across the cage. And Kiniski is shoving Race now. Did someone forget to tell Kiniski about the no DQ stip? Race with some headbutts, and Flair tries to punch out of it, but Kiniski grabs the clenched fist, which allows Race to get one of his own. Flair with a kick and a chop (after shoving Kiniski aside) for 2. An elbowdrop, but instead of a cover, it's a series of punches to the but on Race's head. Backdrop suplex, and Flair goes into a figure-four. Normally it'd be on the wrong leg, but Flair hasn't actually worked on the legs at all, so that would be a stupid comment to make. Race turns it over to reverse it, but Flair re-reverses it. And they're in the ropes, so Kiniski forces the break. Race with a headbutt as Flair charges in. Suplex, but Flair counters it and falls on Race for 2. Both men to their feet, and Race with another headbutt, then up to the second rope...diving headbutt, but Race hurts himself with it. Cover, but too much time has elapsed and it only gets 2. Gordon calls the counts "deliberate and steady". I call them "consistent but shitty", but hey, I'm not the Dean of Wrestling Broadcasting. Vertical suplex (which looked like was assisted by Kiniski for 2. Race with a series of punches. And a kneedrop. More punches. Race sends Flair into the cage again, and again Kiniski tries to get Race back. What part of "no DQ" don't you understand? Kiniski actually pulls the hair to back Race off of Flair. Suplex attempted, but Flair blocks and hits one of his own. But Flair misses an elbowdrop. Side headlock, and Flair tries to break it and Race "accidentally" headbutts Kiniski. Flair gets an advantage, and he comes off the top with a flying bodypress. Race "trips" over Kiniski on the way down, and there's your pin for the title change at 24:00 to a solid pop. The only problem...Kiniski was so far out of position that the finish to the main event was the most botched move of the night. Out come most of the faces into the cage to lift Flair on their shoulders and celebrate. The match was good, but the use of Kiniski as the special referee really detracted from the match. His counts were slow and barely off the mat, he didn't allow them to take advantage of the no DQ stip, and he blew the finish. Despite all that, a solid *** rating. These two exchanged the title in Singapore and New Zealand in March, but their feud pretty much lasted until 1994...when Race was managing Vader in a feud with Flair in WCW.

Postmatch celebration: Ric Flair's wife comes out and actually kisses a bloody Ric inside the cage. They're still applauding Flair. Say what you will about the South, but their wrestling crowds are hot more often than not. Flair holds up the belt (the same one Jarrett currently wears). Flair calls for a microphone, and he thanks the fans for their support, saying he couldn't have done it without them. Flair heads to the back, the spotlight following him the entire way.

Bob Caudle and Gordon Solie put over the work of everybody on the card.

Tony is with a bloody Flair in the locker room, who puts over anybody who supported him when he was injured by Orton and Slater and believed he could come back and take the belt. Steamboat is in to shake hands, and the champagne celebration begins. In comes Dusty Rhodes to congratulate the new champ, but he reminds Flair that he's already issued the challenge.

More with Bob and Gordon, who put over Race and Flair and discuss future challengers for Flair. Kerry Von Erich is not mentioned.

Barbara Clarey has caught up with Race, and opens the interview with "Harley, I'm sorry." Don't play favorites, Barbara. Race says he's done it all, and soon he will be an eight-time champion and will hound Flair if necessary to get the shot. He would get that eighth title, but almost nobody knew about it until a few years ago.

Gordon suggests Starrcade will be an annual event.

Tony is with a trio of champions, Flair, Jay Youngblood, and Steamboat, who don't really say anything new. Dear God, this is like watching a six hour Triple H promo tape on continuous loop.

Gordon compares Starrcade to the World Series or the Super Bowl, and we finally wrap things up with a highlight package of the card.

Aftermath: I covered most of the matches individually, but this did become an annual, and one that was looked forward to every year until Crockett was bought out, and the higher ups couldn't figure out if they wanted this to be their version of WrestleMania or just another gimmicky pay-per-view event.

Consumer recommendation: The top three matches are all available elsewhere in better quality, so if you don't want to sit through the first hour and a half of mostly garbage, find the four hour, two tape Best of Starrcade 1983-1987 that was released by Turner Home Entertainment in 1988. If, however, you're one of those "whole show or nothing" people like I tend to be, it's available, but finding a clear copy is very very tough. But if you've never heard Gordon Solie on commentary, get a copy NOW! Gordon is the man, and for good reason, because he finds a way to get everybody over whether they deserve it or not.

I'm back with Raw tomorrow night. But until then, you know where to find me.

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