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[1989-11-15-NWA-Clash of Champions IX] Ric Flair vs Terry Funk ('I Quit')


DMJ

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A much-heralded classic, I watched this for the first time ever recently (and watched it again 2 weeks later) and I sheepishly admit I'm not sure I agree with some of the 5-star talk. I understand there's a sense of "You Had To Be There..." involved, but I've been watching all the major shows (and some of the minor) leading up to the event via the Network and I feel like I have a fairly firm understanding of just how big this match and rivalry was. There is no doubt that this is an all-time great feud and, even before a punch is thrown, this match kinda starts off with at least a star or two based on aura and build alone. I get it.

 

I also totally understand the praise for the story and execution of the match. The brawling is top notch for the first third and Funk going after the neck to control his opponent is not only great logical storytelling but effective in putting Flair in peril - the story and execution is pretty much flawless. Then, once that table is introduced and Flair goes on offense, the match goes to that "next level" for me.

 

So why am I hesitant to call it a 5-star match? What imperfection is there? I think this is where my personal taste comes into play. There's nothing necessarily "wrong" with this match objectively, but it wasn't a transcendent viewing experience to me. After seeing it, I'm not rushing for my phone to talk about it. I'm not sure re-watching it a third or fourth time is going to reveal nuances I didn't catch. Maybe I was ruined by not seeing this match in its time and seeing too many other more gory I Quit matches over the years.

 

I came here to see what others feel about the match, but only because I'm curious if there are others like me who might believe it a tad overrated. My feelings on this match are not dissimilar to how I feel about Flair/Vader from Starrcade 93' - I like the match plenty, but when I read that its someone's favorite match of all time, I'm kind of puzzled. Am I alone or are there others who almost think they had a better I Quit match in them that could've happened at Starrcade 89' and really capped off their rivalry in more brutal fashion?

 

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  • GSR changed the title to [1989-11-15 NWA-Clash of Champions IX] Ric Flair vs Terry Funk ('I Quit')
  • 2 months later...

I dont think you had to be there for this. The first I watched it I was 14 in 2003 and it was probably my favorite match for years. I think certain matches just clicked with certain people. For me, I love the energy and the intensity. There is no blood, but brutha, when Flair jumps on Funk's back if that does not get your motor running, you might wanna get your motor checked is all Im saying. 

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Terry Funk - Clash of the Champions IX I Quit

I am so glad I watched this at 14. The Ric Flair DVD collection came out in 2003 and never had I wanted something for Christmas so bad. Honest to God, I had a great childhood, but I dont remember one Christmas gift I got before 2003. Thats not an indictment on my childhood that's an indictment on the fact I just dont really care for material things. To me this represented everything I wanted: a chance to finally see everything I had read about. For me, this was my absolute favorite match on the set. I have probably not watched this match in 8 years, but you wouldnt have known because I was calling every spot before it happened and lapping it up with a spoon. Flair jumping on Funk's back by the guardrail gets me everytime. Pumping my fist in the air. Slamming Funk's head into the table and then of course the iconic spot when Funk slides across the table headfirst into the chair. It was a great brawl. Was it missing blood? Sure, but I thought they more than made for it with the intensity and stiffness of their shots. After the first heat segment when Flair goozled Funk, Goddamn! It was on like Donkey Kong! The way he rifled him with chops. Then Funk fell out of the ring before Flair was done with him. Flair gave chase. The look in Flair's eyes, boy, he looked like a Man possessed. Funk was selling like a million bucks for him. Funk was great on offense. Using the thumb in the eye early during one of their scraps on the mat gave him the advantage early. My all-time favorite pro wrestling insult has been and always will be "egg-sucking dog". I have no fucking clue what it means but I pop everytime I hear Funk say it. I love that is a thumb to an eye or a Gary Hart distraction that always get Funk the advantage. The microphone berating from Funk is awesome. Remember the wreck, remember your neck. A chance to say I Quit before the Piledriver and then bang! Piledriver. Flair is such an amazing verbal selling, the greatest of all time. I will say you know what didnt feel as big this go-around was the piledriver on the floor. I think there should have been more pause to add weight to it. Maybe even some Funk mic time. Flair comeback is glorious and just a showcase of what makes him great with all the vim and vigor you expect out of the Nature Boy. I love how when Flair grabs the foot of Funk and begins to drag it to the ropes the entire arena COMES ALIVE! You know you are fucking over when you can just drag a man by his foot and the crowd goes nuts. Funk delays the inevitable but Flair applies the Figure-4 and wins the match! 

Fun fact because I have only seen this on my DVD set, I had never seen the post-match! Great post-match. I knew Gary Hart berates Funk, but I never saw him kick Funk in the knee and then Flair jumps Hart. Here comes Muta & Nagaski only for Sting to save. Then Luger comes out tussles with a fan for the chair and waylays the faces. Excellent set up for the ill-fated Ironman tournament at Starrcade 1989. They really screwed the pooch with the double turn. They should have built to Luger as the number heel for at least all of 1990 if not 1991 too and then built to Luger vs Sting in either 1991 and 1992 as Sting's ascent. Luger should have been a money heel champion.

In 2003, this was the greatest match I have ever seen. I dont I hold it in as high regard anymore, but still a mortal lock for the Top 100. I prefer this to the GAB match, which is excellent because this has the more decisive finish. The brawling in the GAB is more physical and bloody, this is more chaotic and with the bigger spots. Five Letters, Two Words, I Quit. *****

 

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  • GSR changed the title to [1989-11-15-NWA-Clash of Champions IX] Ric Flair vs Terry Funk ('I Quit')
  • 3 years later...

Flair is known for his chops, but he showed here that he knows how to throw an excellent right hand. He could more than hold his own when it came to brawling with Funk. Funk was obviously excellent here. The guy just knows how to bump and sell like no other. After failing to hit the move during their last match, Funk is finally able to piledrive Flair's skull right onto the floor. This match was far from perfect though. There's never a moment here that I felt that Funk was winning this and the finish did come out of nowhere. One of my main gripes about I Quit matches is that I can never buy into the babyface being in danger of losing. A good babyface should never give up and that's why I find it hard to get emotionally invested in these kinds of matches. This match was no different, but it was still a fun brawl between two of the greatest wrestlers ever. Flair's series with Steamboat is miles better than his series with Funk in my opinion, but these fights with Funk showcased what a dynamic performer Naitch was. ★★★★

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