Dark Pegasus Video Review: NWA St. Louis Supercard (02.11.83)

Second Fall: The only things that worked for Flair in the opening fall were cheating like a bastard and grabbing a hold so Brody couldn’t go on offense. Since Flair is no idiot, that exactly the strategy he opens with in the second fall. In this case, he rides Brody down into a hammerlock and works the arm. Brody starts to fight back, but any time he does, Flair either runs or targets the arm again. Brody smashes Flair’s head into the ringpost and takes him back in. Flair tries a piledriver, but Brody backdrops out of it and hits a dropkick. The fans think that’s a three, but Flair gets his foot on the ropes. Brody fires back from the apron, staggering Flair. I don’t believe the Flair Flop had yet been invented, but you can see Flair staggering around as if he knows there’s something that could pop the crowd here. Flair grabs an abdominal stretch to take Brody’s offense out of it once again. Brody powers into one of his own, though. Assuming there were critics of Brody’s wrestling ability, this should silence them. Sure, he’s not busting out an intricate series of exotic holds, but he’s not being outclassed and is certainly wrestling within his realm of expertise. Flair goes into the ropes for a Flair Flip in the corner and winds up caught upside down. Brody knocks him out of it with a double ax-handle. They much around for an uninspired directionless period before Flair avoids Brody’s knee. Brody injures his knee on the miss, and Flair is able to knock him to the floor. Flair works over the knee as they brawl on the outside. In one of the cheapest wins you’ll ever see, Brody backdrops Flair from the apron into the ring at 19, giving Flair a COR victory in the second fall. (37:47)

Third Fall: Flair opens with a sleeper hold. Brody reverses to one of his own. He gets Flair down on his shoulders for two, but Flair gets his foot on the ropes. Brody misses a legdrop, allowing Flair to go back to the leg with a figure-four leglock. Only took him 45 minutes! Brody rolls it over to reverse, though. A piledriver gets two for Brody, but again Flair gets his foot on the ropes. Brody gets a big boot and THERE’S the Flair Flop. I guess it had been invented by this point. Brody gives Flair a backbreaker and catches him going up top. Yes, he even got caught back then. Brody lifts Flair up for a suplex, but the time limit runs out before he can cover him. D’oh! The running time was 49:20 out of an official 60:00. This was the usual great performance from Flair at a time when he was just starting to make a habit out of them. It also marked a high point for Brody, who proved he could put on a decent broadway. Had it picked up steam down the stretch, I probably would have gone the full five stars, but they peaked a little too early. Still, a fantastic match. ****1/2