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[1983-01-01-MACW] Ric Flair vs Roddy Piper


Superstar Sleeze

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NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Roddy Piper - MACW, Charlotte 1/1/83

 

Based on the result of a pinfall victory by Flair and the fact that Piper was full on babyface, I believe this to be the New Years Day 1983 matchup between the two because according to Hisa all other defenses by Flair against Piper in the Mid-Atlantic area were decided by DQ. This was a revenge match for Piper because Flair/Valentine teamed up to rub Piper's face into the mat. This is the proto-Flair/Morton, which I think is the greatest match in pro wrestling history. So I liked this one, but needed more Flair heat. Flair was in total let me get my ass kicked, which is fun, but puts a cap on the match. Piper was totally focused on the face of Flair, punching him, gouging him, rubbing his face in the mat. Flair was exasperated trying to escape and use his knee to midsection, but Piper was a man possessed. Piper is utilizing all the same gritty offense, but by changing his demeanor (instead of doing it out of self-preservation, but to take charge) and Flair being such a great heel this works in compelling fashion. The only meaningful Flair offense is a kneecrusher, but that gets turned on him into a Piper figure-4. Flair rakes the eyes, but then is sent into the post and Piper uses a chair. Flair is busted open and Piper biting Flair's face. This is a great revenge match for Piper because he is getting all his heat, but we all know what the finish has to be, which is Flair retaining. He reverses a cross body and with his feet on the ropes, he wins the match. In a match that Flair had to win, they did everything they could to make sure Piper got his revenge short of winning the match. It is satisfying, but without a stronger offensive presence from Flair it falls short of being a great match. ***

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  • 4 weeks later...

This isn’t complete, but we still get well over 10 minutes of action, definitely enough to make a critique of the match. You watch them in comparison to their WWF feud in 1991 and it’s not so much that they lost a step as they got older as it is that seeing them do the same act doesn’t carry the same excitement when it’s two dudes in their 40s. Piper is a house afire on Flair to start until Flair hits a desperate knee to the balls to turn the tide, although even that doesn’t work in Ric’s favor very long. It’s easy to say “Oh, Flair is too giving”, but I think that’s a blanket critique that doesn’t allow for much variation. Considering how hyped the crowd was to see Piper take it to the champ, it was the right match for this crowd. There was the low blow mentioned before and even the shinbreaker that Flair used in an attempt to set up the figure four, but Piper just overwhelmed him and came back quickly in both cases. This is worth seeing for a crowd really into Piper, and they do work hard, but it’s more a fun match than it is a good one.

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  • GSR changed the title to [1983-01-01-MACW] Ric Flair vs Roddy Piper

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