Pro Wrestling Chronicle

Match #106: Terry Taylor vs. Jake Roberts (2/11/86)

Is Jake a heel here or is this face vs face? It’s a TV taping, so we should get commentary background. It’s being pushed as a # 1 contender’s match for the North American Title. That seems fair given the participants. Taylor gets a mix of cheers and boos. Roberts gets more cheers. Jim Ross and Joel Watts on commentary.

The story on commentary is a year ago Jake (I believe as a heel) DDTed Taylor on a steel chair. Early on Taylor gives some nice arm drags and Jake does his best to put the exclamation point on them with his looks from his knees.

It is face vs face, but it’s being worked in the ring like Taylor is the face. Fans disagree.

Jake goes for the DDT and Taylor scoots away. Crowd starts a DDT chant. We’ve got a minor HHH-Cena circa ’06-’08 situation on our hands. Makes for a cool atmosphere. Taylor seems like he’s really trying, and Jake always looks like he’s very skilled but it’s a walk through.

Taylor with the offense. Works on the left arm. solid though uninspired so far, which is funny because the crowd has a genuine emotional battle on their hands. Flair can go at this pace and make it flow. Several others too. This just seems like it’s a bit sleepy first gear stuff from to great wrestlers.
Jake with a short arm clothesline. He grabs his left elbow to sell the damage done. Points to you, sir.

JR tries to put the heat on N.A. Champ Dick Slater and valet Dark Journey for the match. Joel Watts says Jake is getting cheered, “but he’s also a scoundrel”. Did people in Louisiana actually say scoundrel in 1986?

Jake chose to go with a grounded rest hold. Not the best time. Taylors comeback out of it – a vicious back breaker – was the perfect answer a minute later. He misses the elbow and they both sell.
They go back and forth, and so it not only picks up, but the fans get more emotionally involved with the reversals. Good stuff ending with a powerful DDT on Taylor. He sells it dead. Jake rolls him over and pins, but at 2 Tommy Gilbert realizes Taylor’s foot has been under the ropes and out of the ring. Ross shines here on commentary pointing out Jake rolled him the wrong way. Jake thinks he’s won though. Crowd not happy. Match continues.

Now we’re in third gear, moving well. Jake goes for the knee lift and misses. Jake grabs him and gets cradled for the three count. Taylor wins.

Match could have benefited from some false finishes towards the end or more of a beating from a frustrated Jake, but at the same time they went to the finish at a peak, and it made sense. It got heat, so maybe booking wise it’s not what they wanted, but it wasn’t go-away heat on Taylor.

Everything worked well, but wasn’t overwhelming, and it wasn’t booked to be a classic. Just a neat solid match. 3 stars and 6.4/10.

Match Discussion Here