Pro Wrestling Chronicle

Match # 92: Buzz Sawyer vs. Jim Duggan (Dog Collar Match) (12/27/85)

This is a blood feud that surprised me not only for its intensity and also my own interest in it. Dog collar matches are big risk-big reward in terms of quality, so let’s hope they continue to impress. I’m usually not gung ho about either of them, but I’m coming in with an open mind.

It just dawned on me that the ring announcer is Brother Love, so as Bruce Pritchard does the announcements I laugh at his voice. Buzz looks ready, and he gets heat. Both are good things for atmosphere. Pritchard announces if Buzz Sawyer loses, he leaves town. Hacksaw comes stomping in.
Odd to see the heel in mid-ring with the collar already on, with the face taking his time. Usually they play it with the heel afraid to commit. An interesting choice. Sawyer not afraid might be a cool depiction.

Early Duggan dominates. He beats “Mad Dog from the mount, with the chain, and even when Sawyer tries to run and ask for a time out (short lived). Considering their mutual styles, the dog collar match actually works in their favor. They’re ungraceful stiff brawlers.

Duggan takes him outside and send him to the rails. He beats Sawyer boxing, picking him apart. First pin is a two count for Duggan.

Once we get our reversal Duggan blades soon after from chain and barricade shots. Sawyer isn’t as intense as I’d like him (or maintained it I should say), but Duggan’s blade job does bring a sense of drama. Crowd gets behind Duggan as he sells. It’s just a bit slow with Sawyer on offense.

5 minutes in Duggan hulks up on Sawyer, who sells a barrage of shots poorly but one perfectly. Go figure. Now Sawyer is bleeding with Duggan the bloody-faced aggressor. Sawyer bails again but he’s dragged back in and held up for heavy fists. Cool choke spot with Duggan pulling Sawyer against the rope.

Sawyers first attempt to get a chair is fruitless, but the second time he’s thrown outside he grabs it. He’s pulled up to the apron and smashes Duggan with the chair. That’s it. One shot by the heel. No DQ. That’s actually a good finish if you watch the match more than once, which I did. The chair is deadly. It’s only legal here. The babyface beat Sawyer to death, he kept trying to quit, and only with chair use did he escape. Puts a lot of heat into a return match.

I didn’t think this was as inspired as I’d hoped, but it wasn’t horrible. I might be in the minority of thinking the one or two dog collar matches I’ve seen this decade were better, but I think it’s true. Anyways, this was a strong effort around the last match they had in terms of cumulative score. 3 ¼ and 6.4/10.
Match Discussion Here