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[1989-07-23-NWA-Great American Bash '89] Ric Flair vs Terry Funk


DMJ

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Just watched this for the first time and, wow, what a great piece of business this is (in the words of Steve Austin).

 

My wife was in the room with me for this and, as she's not much of a fan, I know something is really special when even she gets drawn in by the end and is smiling as widely as I am.

 

Tremendous entrances for both guys to set the stage and just a flat out brawl from the start. Anyone who says Flair wrestled the same match every time should be pointed to this as this is the Nature Boy almost doing an Attitude Era main event with much of the match taking place outside the ring, Funk bumping all over the place in great heel fashion, and the "wrestling" portion really kept a minimum as these two just hate eachother so much they're not even interested in winning at times. Both guys end up blading and one can't help but think about how much a match like this just wouldn't happen in today's WWE - not because there's a ban on blood but because, even in "blood feuds" like Zayn/Owens, guys can't seem to help themselves from delivering convoluted, overly choreographed high spots that Flair and Funk don't waste their time with.

 

Great finish and all-time great post-match. Honestly, Funk wings that chair into the ring towards the end like he doesn't care that it might decapitate someone standing in the wrong place. There are just no fucks given for the last 5 minutes as the two sides just don't stop attacking eachother as JR and Caudle try to wrap up the show. It is unpredictable, wild gold that, again, the WWE seems almost completely incapable of today (though that one time when Reigns destroyed HHH for,like 10 minutes at the end of a PPV in 2015 was somewhat close).

 

I don't know if the entire match/segment is 5 stars because the match itself, while highly entertaining, isn't necessarily a great wrestling match in terms of technicality or athleticism or even story. However, if you can get there based on character work, intensity, and heat, this one gets there. I'm thinking I'll go no lower than 4 stars on my blog.

 

How much do you love this?

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To answer your question... It's one of my favorite matches and moments in all of wrestling history. Without a doubt, if I were asked to put this in terms of stars.. I would easily go the full *****. I know some folks prefer the clash match to this one, and I while I do greatly enjoy that one too, this one is my personal favorite. So, I LOVE it.

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I also just wanted to add that I loved the chemistry between Flair and Funk. Funk brought something different out of Flair, and all the brawling and craziness added a unique element to the Flair formula. That's a big reason why this one stands out from the pack. One of the best, and probably the best, post-match moments ever as well.

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  • 1 month later...
  • GSR changed the title to [1989-07-23-NWA-Great American Bash '89] Ric Flair vs Terry Funk
  • 2 months later...

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Terry Funk - Great American Bash 1989

I have been blessed to have seen the best. Man alive, what the hell do you say about this match that has not already been said through the decades. I mean Goddamn. I love Flair's entrance reminds me a lot of Starrcade 1993. The way he clenches his fists and his face dripping with emotion. You know you were in for a treat. No wrestling, baby, this here is a fight to the death. Love the ringside brawling and love that Flair gets the lion share of this match. He has to earn it. Funk is ripping him with chops and punches, but to steal a phrase from the American Dream, "This is the lickin' you get for the lickin' you gave" and Flair opens a can of whoop ass on Funk. Funk gets a slight reprieve by pulling Flair into the post, but on this night Flair would not be denied.  The vertical suplex from the apron to the floor was a spot you teased but these two deliver. Then there is the famous neck for neck psychology as Flair becomes an evil chiropractor trying to unscrew Terry Funk's head from his body. Everything Flair does directed at Funk's neck. Kneedrops and of course not one, but two piledrivers. Thats the lickin you get for the lickin you gave. Funk has been selling great from jump coming up with new ways to sell all this. We get the faces, the hands cramped and contorted, the spasms, the falling ass first out of the ring just every way Funk can put over that Flair has kicked ass and wrecked his neck. Here we go...after all this punishment doled out it is time for the Figure-4. Thats when Funk blasts Flair with the branding iron drawing blood. Now we kick it into the heat segment and that means going after Flair's injured neck (the famous piledriver on the table angle that set up this match). We get that very piledriver, but Flair is thankfully near the ropes. Funk gets the bright idea to really end Flair's career by piledriving him on exposed concrete. Talk about high drama. Flair backdrops out, phew. There is a great moment where Funk kinda just dives on Flair from the apron and nixes the head and neck. Flair just starts hollering and grabbing his ear. It is just classic awesome Flair selling. Here's a part I had forgotten. Funk refuses to win the match by pinfall. Instead, he repeatedly hits swinging neckbreakers on Flair, but is calling for him to submit. Gary Hart wants him to take the pinfall but he wont. It looks like they already knew they wanted to do the I Quit match. Flair finally breaks Funk's control by busting him open with the branding iron. Thats the lickin you get for the lickin you gave. Flair is rip roaring now. He comes in hot with a big high knee but misses. Up until Flair's branding iron shot, I remembered everything but I totally blanked on the finish. I thought Muta triggered a DQ. It is actually a clean finish. Funk goes for the spinning toehold, but Flair breaks free for the figure-4 and then Funk inside cradle and reversed for Flair to win. You couldnt go with a decisive blood feud finish, but it seems like an odd choice for the finish to be so technical. Still it was nice to Flair as a babyface get a win in his comeback match to a huge pop. So I am not going to decry the finish. Now Muta comes in and sprays Flair with the green mist. I am not going to go blow by blow but this may be the greatest post-match brawl in pro wrestling history Sting makes the save and it is just on like Donkey Kong. Flair looks like Father Christmas with the red blood and green mist as he cuts a killer promo to send us home. Easily a Top 100 match of all time. High energy, amazing selling, hard hitting, big time drama, huge babyface appeal of Flair making his comeback, this match has it all. *****

 

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  • 1 year later...

An utterly brilliant brawl, with molten heat and seamless transitions. Funk's selling and trash talking were a particular highlight for me. This might be Flair's best ever face performance. After Flair sneaks in a win after countering Funk's cradle, Muta rushes the ring and mists Flair, but it's not long for Sting to save the day. Great match with an even greater post match.  

★★★★½

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