[1985-11-16-Mid South-TV] Ric Flair vs Ted DiBiase

[Superstar Sleeze]

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Ted DiBiase -Mid-South 11/6/85

 

Perhaps my favorite angle of the 1980s and that's saying a lot, but just an awesomely executed angle from every aspect. Bill Watts is just money in putting over the guts of Ted DiBiase, the violence that had just occurred and the importance of a World Heavyweight Championship match. Jim Ross puts in one of his best performance. "I CAN'T BELIVE HE KICKED OUT!" "IF HE HAD HIM IN THE CENTER OF THE RING, I GUARANATEE YOU WE WOULD HAVE A NEW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION"! Ric Flair was without question the perfect champion for this exact angle. He has all the credibility you need, but he is so selfless that he will give to DiBiase everything he needs to go from the most reviled man in Mid-South to their top babyface at a snap of the fingers. Flair can kick ass to make you believe DiBiase is climbing a massive mountain and let himself get his ass kicked that you really believe Ted can pull off the miracle. Dick Murdoch as the crotchy, old redneck that wants DiBiase to step aside and then lashes out in anger was awesome. That first punch!!! HOLY FUCKING SHIT! It sounded like a gun went off. At the end of the match, he looks crazed and calm at the same time before dropping DiBiase head first on the concrete after having done a five alarm blade job at the beginning. This is Ted DiBiase's career performance. Standing up to Murdoch, selling the attack, not backing down to Flair, giving it his all in the match. The powerslam and not being able to cover is such a dramatic moment. Fighting through everyone of Flair's offensive volleys was just pure babyface. The figure-4 attempts were riveting. When he took that tumble out on the floor and smashes his into the railing it looks devastating. It is a ***** angle, but as a match let's go ****1/2. No matter, what you do watch this angle! You owe to yourself as a wrestling fan.

[JKWebb]

It's one of my favorite angles of all-time as well. ***** I really can't word it any better. I'm sure most of the folks around PWO have seen this. But yes, if you haven't, it should be next on your list. It doesn't get any more wrestling than this.

[zep81]

Ric Flair vs Ted DiBiase (Mid-South 11/06/1985)

Seriously, go and watch this shit NOW!!!!

It's an utterly tremendous angle. I just love Flair in this setting and he and DiBiase make for such compelling viewing. Just before the match is due to start, Dick Murdoch confronts Ted and tells him he wants to handle Flair instead.

Ted tells him he's yesterdays' news and out of nowhere Murdoch lands on hell of a punch on DiBiase. Trust me when I say it was like a shot of a gun going off. They both start exchanging punches as Flair just watches with his NWA belt around his waist.

Ted eventually kicks Murdoch out the ring and Flair takes this opportunity to blind kick Ted in the back and also out the ring, giving Murdoch the chance to shove Ted's head straight into the ring post and starts kicking him. DiBiase is busted open heavily now.

Oh Flair is still waiting in the ring with his belt on. He gets on the mic and berates Ted and says he's off home. He walks out the ring as DiBiase is being looked after by the officials.

Back from a break and we get a report of how banged up Ted is, but DiBiase is still determined to have the match with Flair no matter what.

Ted DiBiase gives such a great performance throughout this. Standing up to Murdoch, selling the attack, still wanting to fight Flair, and going out and giving it his all in the match. His head is obviously bandaged up but he keeps fighting through it all. He's still all bloodied up and it's certainly a sight to see. They spill to the outside and Flair is giving no quarter and showing no mercy to Ted and it's made all the better when DiBiase makes a comeback and starts stomping on Flair. Ted is so fucked up here, bleeding like a stuffed pig, but he's still hanging in there. A truly wonderful babyface performance. He wants that title soooooooo bad.

Love it when he kicked out of a pin attempt and JR shouts "HE KICKED OUT, HE KICKED OUT". Ross is also really great putting all this over too.

DiBiase is fucking perfect here with his selling. He can't go for a cover after doing a big move as he's just too fucked and he doesn't know where the fuck he is. He's dead and exhausted but is still trying to take it to Flair for that damn title. The ref tries to stop it but Ted waives him off, he just wants to fight. Love the part when DiBiase gives Flair a big powerslam, but can't cover him because he's so out of it. He manages to kneelift Flair and puts him in the FIGURE FOUR ~~~!!!!!!

Super reaction to this and Ross is fantastic on commentary. Flair gets the ropes tho and he pushes Ted over the too rope and onto the floor. DiBiase is out of it totally now and can't stand up and is counted out. Dick Murdoch comes back out and immediately starts attacking Ted again and gives him a

BRAINBUSTER ON THE CONCRETE ~~~~!!!

We come back from a break to see officials tending to DiBiase, who is flat on the floor and can't move.

One of THE great angles/matches. DiBiase is fantastic in all of this and gives one hell of a performance here. Trust me, he's sublime. The angle before and after is tremendous, but the actual match is also great, it tells the perfect story and DiBiase gives one of the great babyface performances.

Ric is great. Ted is great. JR is great. Murdoch is great.

Seriously, go watch this. Once again, God bless Mid South.

[paul sosnowski]

Available on the WWE DVD  "Legends of Mid-South Wrestling" 

[cactus]

This how you organically turn a heel into a babyface. Dick Murdoch tries to get Dibiase to give up his title shot. Dibiase might be a heel, but he's not an idiot, so he refuses and takes a beating for his troubles. He is bloodied and it looks like the match is going to be called off, but Dibiase knows that he HAS to fight as this isn't an opportunity that he might get again, so he returns to the studio, all bandaged up and with the crowd firmly on his side. 

The match itself isn't anything too special. Flair is Flair, but Dibiase puts in a career performance. His cut is opened up and the blood soaks through his bandages, creating a ghastly visual. Dibiase lands a number of big moves, but he's unable to follow up because of the blood loss. This is all over within seven minutes when Dibiase is counted out when he's unable to answer the countout. Post match sees Dick Murdoch return to drop Dibiase on his head with a nasty brainbuster onto the concrete. 

★★★¾