[1982-04-16-Houston Wrestling] Nick Bockwinkel vs Dick Slater

[shoe]

On paper this looks to be a strong match. It doesn't fail. I thought they did a good job establishing things in the 1st fall that would carry over into the other 2 falls. We get some fun grappling early. Slater transitions into working the arm. Moves into a key lock. Getting personal with a slamming of the head into the mat. Bock starts after the leg. We see him hook on a Figure 4.I love Bock's Indian Death Lock It goes to the outside and Bock wraps the leg on the ring post. Bock stuns Slater with a whiplash on the top rope for the fall.

 

The 2nd fall Slater is looking for revenge. Here in some revenge spots Slater goes after the leg. A big elbow finishes Bock off.

 

The 3rd fall is quick. Early in the fall Slater is after the back. In a finish that is used a lot in world title matches, Bock reverses a a roll up for the win. This was an excellent match. 4*

[dawho5]

I liked that they established Bock as the clear heel early. He's certainly able to grapple with Slater early, but quick to turn to underhanded counters whenever he gets the chance. Slater gets an opportunity to work over an arm after a mistake and takes it, which leads to a nice hammerlock "near-fall". Bock is just as quick to spring on a leg after Slater's mistake, but I really liked the couple of stomps to the head first to daze him long enough to put on the figure four. SEcond fall Bock is back on the leg but Slater turns it around and gets revenge. Top rope pays off for Slater as we even it up. Third fall sees Bock cheat on a roll-up and continue to sell more exhaustion than Slater after the match.

 

I really liked how the first fall was the longest of the match and it wore both guys down enough to make the next falls shorter. It also established themes that we saw developed as the match went on. Slater teasing the piledriver was nice, as was the fact that Slater's head was too hard for Bock. Bock's willingness to run away saving him when the piledriver did hit was a really nice payoff too. I'd agree that this was an excellent wrestling match that kept a strong story going throughout.

[War is Raw]

Yes, there was great continuity through the falls. Psychology was great. Slater and Nick showed some great matwork in the first fall, and the next two had roughhousing. Slater definitely is an adopted Funk brother. However I find him miscast as a technical babyface. As a face, I'd rather him stick to brawling.

I was disappointed- I do not feel this was an epic bout- it could have been much more if Slater was built as a serious challenger. I felt that JYD was the real challenger for Bock and Slater just filled the gap. Nothing wrong with the match I guess- just didn't feel it with the first fall being too technical and knowing Dick and no chance to win.

However I know see the Houston pattern for 2/3 fall matches so I should have expected it to go that way.