Pro Wrestling Chronicle

It’s guest appearance time in Houston. Two non-Mid South regulars wrestle for a non-Mid South belt in a building/territory which Mid South only shared. What? A rip off?! No, it’s Dusty Rhodes and Nick Bockwinkle showing you their traveling performance art from Houston.

Match # 12: Nick Bockwinkle vs Dusty Rhodes 5/20/83

This is from Boesch’s Houston Wrestling and it has imported Rhodes and an equally foreign at the time Bockwinkle. Match is for the AWA World title, but beforehand Ted Dibiase is out to challenge the winner. Not sure all that was said as the sound isn’t great.

Now this is main event style. Hehe. Seriously though, these men are stars who aren’t in a rush to get stuff in. You can see the presence they command as compared to what Shiek and Reed tried to do at the same venue. The pace and early exchanges rule.

Bock demands a handshake (he doesn’t get it), Bock stares Dusty down on a rope break, Dusty gets the better of the exchanges and dances, and everything has a flow.

It’s been said before, but I’ll echo it: Bockwinkle would have been an awesome touring NWA champ. He might have not been what the 80s wanted like Flair was, but he’d have been fine in the second half of the 70s. Also, Dusty’s act would never get over today. We all often forget how flamboyantly “gay” it is until you see a full match. My dirty secret is I first saw Dusty Rhodes as Polka Dot Dusty in WWF – and loved him. He had Saphire, and I was nine. Okay!?

First six minutes is all heel advantage, face reversal, heel sell, and back to the staredown. Excellent stuff.

Bockwinkle gets the dreaded advantage with heel tactics. Deliberate pace. Nothin g mindblowing, but solid. Dusty fires up for a comeback, and man could he move in small doses. Bockwinkle bumps well and the crowd goes apeshit. It’s Dusty vs Flair, just without Flair’s charisma and a few less moves.

Dusty puts on a Figure Four ten minutes in, but Ted Dibiase comes in and hits Dusty with a cast. Apparently he was injured. The ref, who Bockwinkle bumped, crawls back to count Bockwinkle’s pin. Dusty is busted open, but when wasn’t he? Good ten minute match, better then with JYD – Dusty was a better black southern folk hero. Seriously – but another Bockwinkle match that never got out of first or second gear. That’s one of Bockwinkle’s biggest knocks, and I like him, but can’t defend it. 3 ¼ an 5/10

For several other takes on this match and where it ranks, click here.