[1980-08-23-WWF-Philadelphia, PA] Larry Zbyszko vs Ivan Putski

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Phil Schneider]

Shockingly fun Texas Death Match (which appears to be just a No DQ match in WWF world) , Putski is a guy who I never liked before and is pretty much universally considered a turd. Putski has a weird overly muscled body and these tiny T-Rex arms, and can really barely move. Larry Z however puts on a heel masterclass, he is bumping all over the ring for Putski's stump arm punches, and flying into tables and chairs. He is also super nasty on offense, laying into Putski with lightning fast punches and at one point removing the turnbuckle and smashing the back of Ivan's head directly into the ring bolt. This kept moving, kept violent and I loved the cheap foot on the ropes pin to escape with a win. Zbyszko is a guy I really like, and while the Regal matches may be better matches, this would be on his superworker submission reel.

[shoe]

This is the match we pimped on Titans a couple years ago. It was shockingly good.

[shoe]

My thoughts on it in the DVDVR secret nomination folder.

 

Posted 09 January 2014 - 03:10 AM

This is a No holds barred Teas Death Match. Holy crap was this a kick ass brawl. I've never heard anyone pimp this match and it's a great brawl. Easily Putski's greatest match ever. I'll give Larry credit because he took an ass kicking. This might have been the hottest I've heard the Philly crowd. Putski's brawling was focused and vicious. This reminded me of a Ronnie Garvin/Tully Blanchard fight. The finish was an eye rake by Larry and feet on the ropes for the 3 for the win. The announcers were awesome at the finish where they go it's no DQ so technically he didn't cheat. High end nomination

[SAMS]

1980-08-23
WWF
Ivan Putski vs. Larry Zbyszko
Texas Death Match
Philadelphia Spectrum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Card
★★★★

Larry tried to jump Putski at the bell but Putski was having none of it. From this point on it was a desperate struggle for survival for Larry and he barely made it out alive.
Putski has the perfect Mafia movie face and he carries himself like he could have doubled for Joe Pesci. The way Larry urgently attempted to create space between him and Ivan made it feel like this could have been a mob hit. Putski had the necessary intensity on offense, that was never a weakness of his, but it takes somebody with Larry’s selling prowess to really convey that in a way that elevates him. Here Larry did such a perfect job, you got the sense that he was in real fear that he’d suffer some grievous bodily harm. Then the transition to Larry getting some heat was perfect. Backing away into the corner, a desperate lunge connected with the most beautiful low blow you ever saw, and Putski went down like a ton of bricks. I liked what Larry was throwing at Putski after this, but Putski had some deficiencies himself on the selling front and it wasn’t long at all before a retaliatory kick below the border swung things back in his favour. A bear hug and some more brawling on the apron occurred before the finish - Larry sneaking the pin whilst using the ropes for leverage. I have to say that Dick Woehrle fast counting the three gave me HUGE heel vibes from him, but Putski didn’t bat an eye.
I really loved this for the most part. Ivan knew how to throw down and the crowd was absolutely electric throughout. In fact some of the shots of the fans, maniacally calling for Putski to beat down on Larry, were some of the most engaged fan reactions I’ve seen to date. If Putski had had the ability to show some more vulnerability during the heat stretch, this might well have been a stone cold classic.