Pro Wrestling Chronicle

Match # 98: Dick Slater vs. Jake Roberts (1/1/86)

Dick Slater and Dark Journey are mid-ring with Jim Ross. He’s interviewing the two because it’s the finals of the TV tournament. But more importantly, Slater is the new North American Champion. He beat Butch Reed. Slater says he wants both the N.A. title and the TV title, even if Mid South says he can’t hold both. If that’s true then why did they let you come out for the match, sir? You goose!

Slater starts hot and heavy attacking Jake and chopping him on the outside. Slater moves as gracefully as William Regal. He tries for the cover early but Jake’s foot is on the ropes. Of course subsequent pinfall attempts involve tights-holdng. Beautiful neck breaker by Slater as Jake tries a comeback.

Jake with a back body drop off a Slater back body drop attempt, but Jake is a pro so he sells. He lets Slater cut him off and THEN gets an atomic drop a minute later. Jake looks thinner and in shape here too. Fans want the DDT. All his punches, the knee lift, and kicks out of the corner have A LOT of purpose. Jake goes after the interfering Dark Journey and Slater goes back on offense.

Jake hits a DDT out of nowhere minute later and wins the TV title clean in the middle. God, they still have that silly medal. That was about a five minute sprint, but it did tell a story and everything was well defined. Fun stuff. 2 ½ and 5/10.
Match Discussion Here

Match # 99: Dick Slater vs. Butch Reed (1/1/86)

So the last match Slater had won the title from Butch Reed, but here Reed has the ugly belt. It says it all happened the same day, so perhaps these are air dates. Either way Reed is your champion and all around good guy here. Slater has valet Dark Journey and a gravel voice.

Slater and Reed are both in the ring. Jim Ross is interviewing Slater. Dark Journey, for those who care, actually looks hot here. Nice tight red top and mini skirt. I’m usually not much for her one way or the other. Slater complains he’s always putting up something to get at Reed, and this time its Dark Journey for 30 days. Ross somewhat admonishes him. Apparently the title isn’t on the line now, but Reed agrees to put it up and stupid ol’ Grizzley Smith agrees. So it’s the North American title vs Dark Journey for 30 days. Slater gets booed big time. Reed shows some charisma (he signals Dark Journey will be shining his shoes, so he’s a pretty progressive black man, huh?).

Dick Slater is awesome. He bumps around for hip tosses and big power slams and then yells and holds his back as he runs to the outside. Still taking the old sell approach to punches to the face and the third is a slow fall, but I’ll live. Watts on commentary does mention the Jake match “next week”, so this and Match #98 are out of order.

Butch Reed and Duggan are the same reason # 231: Watts constantly says both are “Walking Tall” because he’s obsessed with his Cowboy nonsense. So says the Northeasterner that I am, living near Philly and NYC.

Slater drops a desperate elbow off the ropes and takes over. He puts together some good stuff, and I like the way it seems he’s working hard to contain a fire in Reed. As if Reed could dominate him even half dead, so he won’t give him that inch even on the ground. Slater goes for the spinning toe hold and Reed kicks him off. Both take their time so the crowd goes nuts. Reed quick to the punch gains control. Two moves later Reed kills Slater with a pile driver. Slater sells it to perfection. Reed continues to go at him, but hams it up a bit for the crowd. Watts puts over that it’s a receipt for Flair and Slater going after Butch Reed’s neck in the fall. This match just pumped a half a star.

Reed does a shoulder block that knocks him back a bit, and then he sells too. That’s what I hate about Reed and some wrestling lay out of the time. Reed’s BIG MOVE is the shoulder block missile, yet a regular one against a smaller man (hence why you do the shoulder block) hurts him too at times. I find it stupid. That said, once they are both down they can milk the count and crowd to a fevered pitch, which I imagine was the goal. Its how they went about it I take issue with.

Slater with the cradle pin and Reed reverses for a two. Atomic drop on Reed and another double ten count. Great timing calls on both. Slater goes for the figure four and it’s on. HOT crowd. Reed reverses the pressure. They sell it brilliant as they both try to stand on weaker knees. Slater tries to run the ropes but his knee is bad, so he misses Reed and Reed rolls him up off the ropes. A roll through and it’s Slater on top. Again, this is why I hate Reed. He’s holding the tights next to the ropes while HE’S pinned! Why are you helping him with leverage and also not grabbing the rope to break the count.
It’s all made worse by the fact Slater is suppose to be the ne grabbing the tights, but that wasn’t my focus as a fan. Slater gets the three.

I’m about to kill someone but the ref says no fall. Slater is already outside with Dark Journey. Thank you. It can’t end like that, not as a fan, but for the sake of my ballot.

Back inside Reed meets Slater with fists. He goes for the “spear” shoulder, but misses Slater and hits the turnbuckle. Slater pins but is pressed off by Reed. Slater lands on the ref with a knee, which Watts says was intentional (it was supposed to be, but Reed pressing him right there was too obvious a co-op.) Slater gets Dark Journey’s shoe and smashes Reed for the pin and a lot of crowd boos.

Up and down match for me that was awesome at times, and very frustrating at others. Overall I liked it and the finish was very skin of your teeth Flair-esque to me, which I liked. 3 ½ and 7.3/10.

Match Discussion Here