Pro Wrestling Chronicle

Match # 78: Butch Reed vs. Ric Flair (10/11/85)

A rematch of a match I did not enjoy – the broadway earlier in the set from the Super Dome. I guess this constitutes an open mind and a second chance. Plus, it’s in Houston with Paul Boesch commentary. Flair gets up for that stuff, and Reed was awesome with Murdoch. What could go wrong?

Ric has one of his better looking robes tonight. Mid South and Memphis ruled for recognizing both the AWA and NWA belts at random. They do the big match face off in the center of the ring. Butch Reed looks very for real. I’ve never been a muscles mark though (well, not since age 12), so my big thing with Reed is my same problem with HHH periodically. Both aren’t the greatest athletes, but they are good. The muscle mass holds them back and makes good exchanges look clumsy or contrived because it slows you down. Been meaning to say that since the last Flair-Reed match.

Is that Tommy Gilbert already interjecting? God Damnit! Reed exerts power over Flair right away. That storyline I like. Flair tries to be quicker then Reed. Smart. Reed tries hard to combine his strength with sheer will in reversing Flair’s craft holds. This could be very good.

I’m enjoying that Flair seems inspired early, trying to direct Reed off him directionally pointing Reed’s knees w/ his hand and then picking up the closer leg for a knee breaker attempt. Reed though is equally on the ball and wrenches the head and neck until flair lets go. Past my perception of desire, or lack there of in the last match-up they had, is the lighting improvement. That helps A LOT with viewing.

Flair tries roll-ups off Reed side headlocks and uses power to keep control. Boesch is improving this like crazy, so if JR had done the Super Dome perhaps that, lighting, and a few layout changes might have inspired ME.

Flair gets away with only one chop in the corner. Don’t piss off the big man Ric. Reed flips out in a way you rarely see in the ring, showing great emotion. Flair seems pleased with himself and how he’s gotten Reed mad.

5 minutes in. Flair plays off this, having hit pay dirt. Lock up, knee to the gut, and a hard chop. Reed is stunned, then angry. Tommy Young breaks them up as Flair had hoped for. On one hand Young is annoying and over playing his role. But as others point out, he’s actually a more realistic version of a ref, and his interactions in Murdoch vs Reed were vital to the story. Seems that might be true here as well.

Flair runs the ropes, but gets hip tossed and press slammed. Flair is hoping to wear him out, but now he’s regrouping. He’s winded and in some pain. Young is still slowing Reed’s pace, storyline wise.

Reed with the power bear hug. I like it as long as it’s kept relatively short, which it is. Reed with strikes and a pin. Flair’s foot is on the ropes. His selling and focus are there tonight.

Flair tries to isolate Reed with hard chops and grabbing a hold quickly after. Reed teases that punch to keep the fans on the hook, but he actually does punch him. He sends Flair to the ropes and grabs a big bear hug. This one is off the ground, a bit longer, but not momentum killing. It leads to a few pin attempts. Great simple stuff so far. Boesch is explaining the psychology and motivations very well. I’m engrossed in this as a TV product for once.

Tommy Gilbert is in the fucking way!! There is no reason for him to be blocking Butch Reed and asking Flair God knows what. Flairs not gonna give up while he’s standing up in the corner. He’s not even badly hurt or cut! Reed finally gets by him, but it serves a diversion to allow Flair to chop and gain the advantage. Too bad Boesch didn’t sell it like a clever Flair heel ploy. Screw Gilbert! Reed absorbs blows and punches back. Flair flop!

Reed is getting winded and slow, and it slows the match slightly. Backslide is a great idea but looks slow. Flair ends up giving Reed a wicked leg breaker. Big sell by Reed and Flair put over as a leg work specialist by Boesch. Flair does the spinning toe hold into the Figure Four. Great drama thanks to commentary. Crowd definitely gets a lot hotter. Reed reverses the hold, but his leg is messed up. 15 minutes in Flair goes for the FF again, blocks a kick, but gets rolled up for a two count. Great stuff.

Flair always does a great job of selling his knee a bit off the FF reversal. He throws Reed out and Reed sells his knee, slowly getting up. Flair also got heat from ladies in the front row, and gave it back to them. Good to see. Reed looks very good doing the Flair formula match version 3b. Gets blocked getting in the ring, chopped. Second go, shoulder to gut and slingshot into sunset flip. Flair won’t go down, punches and hurts his down, and Reed gets the near fall. Off the ropes Reed grabs Flair in a sleeper. Second time he grabbed a submission after throwing Flair off the ropes. I love that because it helped continue the veil of movement and frantic pace without him having to move. Smart stuff.
Flair does what he does best. He makes Reed look like a killer. He almost goes down via arm drops.

Then he’s taken down for near falls, still in the sleeper. Story BTW is that Reed has bad knees from football injuries. Flair gets his knees up and they go knee-to-knee. They move to active hold exchanges and quick strikes. Very good Flair layout that ups the excitement and I’m a fan of these segments farther into the match. Flair chops, Butch hulks up. Flair is desperate, and he reverses Reed into another corner only to hit the ref. Very believable ref bump out of the ring.

20 minutes in. Cradle for a Reed visual fall. Flair tries to buy time sending Reed over the top rope, but Reed does the HBK “skin the cat” back in. Flair’s bump off the first punch IS wrestling! Reed with the shoulder block and Figure Four. Ref Gilbert back in calls for the bell. After some time Reed releases the hold, and in a fit of good thought, he celebrates. You know Gilbert DQed someone, so Reed gets the fans thinking he won the World Championship. Flair, selling he can’t move his legs, gives Flair his belt, but said Reed won via DQ. Reed wants to punch the ref, the fans look like they wanna riot, and his argument shows a lot of charisma.

This is the Butch Reed I was waiting to see. This is Flair back in form. I feel slightly bad having all these Flair matches fall into the top ten since technically he wasn’t a Mid South roster guy. But Flair’s matches hold up, and it would be a total lie to say they aren’t some of the best on the entire set.

Unfortunately for many others, Flair is in the main event which affords him the time to develop his matches, a lot of creative control, and he doesn’t have to protect anything or build towards a main event. He’s not a smaller cog in building a card like the RNR or MNX were many times when they’d steal the show but leave something for the main event. Also, much like Brian Danielson after him, Flair had the ability to do great 45-60 matches, but was best at telling a story in 22-28 minutes. This was about 23 minutes of well done stuff. 4 stars and 8.3/10.

Match Discussion Here