Pro Wrestling Chronicle

Match # 95: Jerry Lawler vs. Rick Martel (Nashville 10/12/85)

This is for the AWA World Championship. It’s from an area in Nashville and the video quality is actually excellent. Jerry Calhoun is your referee. Lance Russell helped out doing the arena announcing.
The crowd is up for this. That combined with Lance Russell on commentary has me equally up for this match. Right off the bat I love the intensity of Lawler and Martel. Even better I love the fact that Lawler goes right for the pin on via a small package off the first lock up. He gets a near fall a minute later with a roll up. This is the epic quest for the world title and Lawler knows this. Time is of the essence!

Martel does the Flair (I know it predates him) roll to the floor to think about it after several near falls and one counts. Fans chant “Go Jerry Go” and it pisses Martel off. Now he’s focused. Martel was a babyface at the time but he’s a subtle heel here. He’s true heel in these fans eyes. He comes back hard at Lawler but ends p eating big punches. Martel sees an opening and destroys Lawler’s leg. Awesome match 5 minutes in.

This is one of the better deconstructions of a body part I’ve seen in a while. Definitely on this set, where the Memphis style wasn’t usually based on pick a body part. Its hold based instead of move based, but it has my attention. The fans are rabid. Martel grabs a figure four and Lawler really sells it facially and verbally.

It’s stays on the ground with a step over toe hold and then an ankle lock of some kind. It’s been a bit too long on the ground, but they’ve got a great crowd so that’s probably why they milked it. I did get a bit bored for a minute. Lawler kicks off several times and frees himself from Martel. Martel kicks the leg out the middle he stands and grabs a new leg submission. That was smart stuff.

These goofy fans LOVE them some Lawler. They won’t give up on the guy. He comes back again and gets sent down by his hair this time. More leg locks. I could poo-poo this, but I’m sticking with it. The story is simple and I’m buying in. Lawler makes a comeback with his fists, gets some short term retribution, then gets his leg taken out hard. 15 minutes in.

Whoever is announcing with Russell is actually pretty good. Martel misses an elbow drop to the leg and Lawler pops up. The STRAP is down! Lawler’s gonna kill him. Martel is begging off. Lawler kills him with punches in the corner as the crowd “ohhs” with every shot. Two fist drops from the second rope. Does this mean pile driver is coming? Nope. More big punches. Martel throws Lawler into the ref. He ends up pulling Lawler own boot off and popping him with it. That’s awesome. He covers Lawler but there’s no ref. I swear that happened in two AWA title matches with Bockwinkel too. Lawler nails Martel with the boot right after Martel woke up the ref. Ref saw it and DQs Lawler while he’s got the visual pin on Martel.

Pretty freakin’ intense stuff and well designed. Martel is so pissed he gets up and goes after Lawler. Lawler backdrops him and gives him two boot shots for his trouble. I liked this probably way more then my movement loving self should The intensity and focused leg work was enough for me to overcome the fact they spent so much of the middle in first gear. I usually like and up and down flow with a lot more movement. This match challenged me and I liked it. Extra credit to the crowd for the assist. 3 ¾ and 8/10.

Match Discussion Here