Pro Wrestling Chronicle

Match # 47 Ted Dibiase vs Jim Duggan 3/8/85 (No DQ)

The build up as per the extras disk on our Mid South set:

-we begin with Dibiase’s return, brokered by “Business Associate” Skando Akbar. This same association and stable led to the Butch Reed turn we’d already discussed. Here, Steve Williams is suppose to face Dibiase in a Football helmet match. Instead, Dibiase returns after a year, says Duggan tried to attack him, and he knocked out Duggan with one punch. Later we see a bloody Duggan vow revenge for the savage beating Dibiase’s group of thugs gave him. It’s inferred that Dibiase paid men to beat up Duggan in the parking lot while he watched. I’m blown away with how seriously the audience is taking this angle and a bloody Duggan. Everyone is deathly silent listening to him speak. It would be cool to see something like that pulled off today, but it’s a different world.

-Flashing forward a week or two, Boyd Pearce is out to ring announce a match, but Dibiase scraps the signed “Football helmet match” that never happened the last time. Dibiase challenges Duggan with a great promo. Duggan comes out to start the impromptu match up and he’s Stone Cold Steve Austin level fired up. He destroys Dibiase, who bumps great for him. Dibiase actually looks a bit sluggish in comparison. A minute or two later Steve Williams (Dr. Death, not the aforementioned SCSA) hits the ring in his FULL football uniform (Oklahoma Sooners). This would have been laghed out of the building today, perhaps evolving memories of Norman Smily hardcore matches on late 90s Nitros. Not here. The attack gets over with the crowd. Hercules Hernandez is out too. Steve Williams does the Duggan version of a spear, which is the football three point stance and charge. He kills Duggan with it though, in a very cool way. Jim Ross is going crazy on commentary. A young Shawn Michaels actually runs in and gets speared. Brickhouse Brown, Bill Dundee, and Master Gee make the save.

-Boyd Pearce, Bill Watts, and Duggan at the announcer’s desk. Some NRA message from Duggan (goofy Watts stuff). Duggan announces that Watts has relaxed some of the rules for upcoming Duggan vs Dibiase matches (either taped fist matches or no DQ matches) and so he’ll be able to bring a coal miner’s glove. This is apparently in response to the years of Dibiase having the black glove on his hand that he constantly loads to steal wins. Watts clarifies by saying they’ll be able to equal things out, but he’s not giving “free license”. Good explanation. Apparently they’d had taped fist matches off the fact Dibiase used the glove for years, but Steve Williams would then interject himself. This leads us into a no DQ matchup.

Duggan comes out doing is stomping routine and the place (Houston) is on fire. Real crowd heat for this match because they love Duggan and HATE Dibiase. I see what people saw in Duggan as I get a better picture of his angles/storylines/promos/personality/wrestling in Mid South. They took his borderline goofy qualities in WWF and made that his whole character.

Akbar gets out of the ring, which is for the best. I’ve seen more of his Mid South promo work on the Extras disk and my suspicions were right. Akbar was great at TV angles and promos to get you to the building, but he wasn’t as much a factor in matches. Maybe that is for the best wrestling wise.

This match is No time limit, no DQ, and it IS a taped fist match. It’s also for Dibiase’s North American Heavyweight title. Dibiase grabs the mic and clarifies with the announcer and the ref that anything goes. Once they confirm, as the bell rings, he pulls powder from is trunks and throws it in Duggan’s eyes. Then he throws big punches with the taped fists as Duggan blindly flails in the dark. Awesome start.

The first minute is super intense. You know, like a real fight. Duggan’s selling and the crispness of the Dibiase offense is on display. Duggan over the top rope to the outside. Very Mid South in that he had to go other the top, which would have been a DQ otherwise. He could have gone through the 2nd and 3rd ropes, but it had to be over the top. Good details. Duggan goes forehead first into the steel ring post. Duggan 2 times and gets hit with a chair. All illegal things being done by Dibiase.

Now we’re back in the ring with a slower pace so Duggan can see that he’s busted open. Dibiase is good at being semi-methodical with punches to the head. This is a simple match, but when you add in the overall story with match details, it’s very satisfying. Hope spot punches from a wobbly Duggan, but he’s sent to the mat with a solid punch.

Dibiase starts demanding the ref count a downed Duggan so that he might get a ten count. Dramatic Duggan pulling himself up the ropes. He’s empowered. Fan’s react as he punches Dibiase at that good slower comeback pace so they came make “uhhh” noises along with them. Diabise cuts him off with an eye gouge and gets appropriately more violent. Choking. The kicks. Punches. And a sweet drop kick to take Duggan down.

For a second time a bloody Duggan gets counted as he tries to rise up while Dibiase taunts the crowd. Duggan is very good at getting up and then “losing his legs” as he stumbles again. Now every time he rises Dibiase is waiting for him – taunting him. Duggan can’t even capitalize on a kick to a ducked Dibiase. He does reverse a suplex into one of his own. Still can’t take advantage. Dibiase from the second rope with an ax handle – punch to the gut. This is a Dibiase signature spot where he gets hit, hits the match with a bounce, and does a somersault bump. Its fine, but the one Dibiase sell I hate.
I’m sure everyone reading this has seen the Hogan point and ask the crowd comeback. The slow walk and then stomp building up to chasing the heel . You’ve probably seen the Ric Flair beg off as the heel fears the beating he’ll now receive. Yeah, this textbook what we have here. Dibiase feeds for Duggan’s punches. Place is insane for it. Pin attempt gets a two count. Duggan signals for the spear. He nails it. 1-2- Akbar hits Duggan on the back, so Duggan is up after him. This allows Dibiase to gain the advantage for a moment, but off the ropes Duggan collides with him hard.

Here’s the thing. On the collision Duggan falls back into the ref. The ref was fine being there it didn’t look bad that he was there – but the bump was horribly soft and fake looking. The fans rise to there feet and yell to the ring. What’s gonna happen?

Steve Williams is out. He shakes the hell out of Dibiase and hands him the glove. Dibiase is great at playing dead and then slowly regaining his senses. The glove is on. Dibiase punches Duggan in the face, covers him while hiding the glove, and rolls out of the ring having retained the N.A. Title.

The story was very good, and as I said, simple. I’m trying to fairly compare it to the No DQ match the two had in the summer of ’83. To me the lay out wasn’t as much fun (IE not as wild in some ways), but this had more thought and attention to detail, and I liked the finish a lot more. I’ll say 3 ½ and 7/10. Believe me, when I review the top 25 I’ll put separation between a lot of these and adjust the scores for inflation so to speak.

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