-Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope that you are spending time with loved ones and doing something that makes you happy this holiday.
-I want to talk about a strange encounter I had one Thanksgiving as I was driving to my parents' house for the holiday. It was a couple of days before the incident with the woman who jumped into my car that I told last year.
-Exploding Cooter story.
-We continue our Thanksgiving tradition by looking at Starrcade '85: The Gathering from JCP.
-Starrcade 85 Subtitled The Gathering, was promoted by the National Wrestling Alliance and Jim Crockett Promotions and took place on November 28, 1985 from two locations, the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina and The Omni in Atlanta, Georgia. A combined 30,000 saw the card live with many more watching via closed-circuit.
-Starrcade Intro.
-Bob Caudle and Tony Schiavone are the announcers for the evening and welcome us to Starrcade '85. They are broadcasting from the Omni in Atlanta and Johnny Weaver is in Greensboro and will be interviewing people there. Weaver says the atmosphere in Greensboro is unbelievable. Bob and Tony talk about Dusty Rhodes and when Tony mentions his name, the crowd cheers wildly. Schiavone then talks about the I quit match. Weaver says they are going to go at it hard. Tony then says except for the TV title, all major titles are on the line tonight. They go to Tom Miller in Greensboro. He welcomes us to Starrcade and asks for people to stand for the National Anthem.
-Mid-Atlantic Title Match. Sam Houston vs. Krusher Khruschev: The title is currently vacant. The crowd loves Houston. Sonny Fargo is the referee. The bell rings and they circle each other. They lock up and drive to the ropes. They get off the ropes and battle for position. Back to the ropes and Houston drops down as Khruschev lunges for him and Khruschev falls to the outside. Khruschev gets back in and misses a clothesline attempt as Houston hits him with several shots. Khruschev points at Houston and says he is going to break him in half. They lock up and Khrushchev with a knee to Houston. He then picks him up by the throat with both hands and slams him down to the mat. Khruschev goes to drop an elbow and Houston moves. Another lock up and drive back to the ropes. Khruschev with an Irish whip and a backdrop, but Houston lands on his feet. Khruschev tries for a couple of clotheslines, but misses and Houston hits him with quick shots to the face. Khruschev backs away visibly frustrated. They lock up again and Houston gets a side headlock on and Khrushchev gets to the ropes and pushes off. Drop downs and leapfrogs on each other. Houston reverses a hip lock attempt, but can't get Khruschev over, so he takes him over with a headscissors. He keeps the head scissors on and Khruschev fighting to try to get out of the move. Khruschev grabs the hair, but referee Sonny Fargo stops that immediately. Khruschev lifts up to drive Houston's shoulders into the mat for a two count, even though Khruschev is still in the hold. Another two count and Houston claps Khruschev in the ears and reapplies the hold to get Khruschev down to the mat. Khruschev lifts Houston up and drives him into a turnbuckle. Houston blocks a shot and hits Khruschev in the face to the delight of the crowd. Khruschev rushes the turnbuckle, but Houston leapfrogs him to avoid the charge. Houston then hits Khruschev with a dropkick and an arm drag. Into an arm bar. Khrushchev keeps his arm raised to avoid getting pinned. He works his way back to his feet, even as Houston keeps the hold on. Khruschev makes it to the ropes. Khruschev reverses an Irish whip. He throws Houston up and then just drops him down. The crowd boos Khruschev. Khruschev picks Houston up and hits him with a right hand and Houston falls back to the mat as Fargo warns Khruschev. Khruschev gets a two count as the crows roars its approval when Houston kicks out. Khruschev picks him up and press slams Houston back down. Khrushchev with an Irish whip. Houston avoids a clothesline attempt and goes to hit Khruschev, but Khruschev knocks Houston down with one shot. Khruschev runs Houston into a corner buckle. Khruschev with an Irish whip and a bear hug to Houston. Houston trying to gouge Khruschev's eyes to get out of the hold as a USA chant goes out. Houston with a shot to the face of Khruschev to break the hold. Khrushchev with an Irish whip, but drops his head too early and Houston kicks him in the face. Khrustchev comes back with a scoop slam and then climbs up top, but Houston catches him with a dropkick and Khruschev crotches himself on the top rope. Khruschev laying prone across the top rope. Houston kicks him off the top rope to the apron and then brings him in and hits him with corner mounted punches. He follows that up with a corner whip and a bulldog. Houston covers Khruschev, who gets his foot on the ropes. Houston jumps up and thinks he's won the belt. Khruschev hits him with a Russian Sickle to pin Houston and become the new Mid-Atlantic Champion. The crowd boos the result.
-We switch to Atlanta and a Mexican Death Match. Rodger Kent is the ring announcer and he introduces Manny Fernandez vs. Abdullah the Butcher with Paul Jones: The object here is to get a sombrero off a pole in the corner. Fernandez comes to the ring with the sombrero on. He then takes it off and gives it to the referee. The referee climbs the corner to put the sombrero up there and Abdullah attacks Fernandez right away. I would be mad if I were the referee because they were right by him. I would be like I'm working here! Abdullah hits Fernandez several times to knock him down. Abdullah's head already looks bloody with some sort of bandage on it and the match has just started. He has his fork out and sticks it in Fernandez's forehead before putting it back in his own pants. Ugh. Abdullah then headbutts Fernandez down to the mat. Fernandez gets back up and Abdullah hits him with his fork again to knock him back down. Abdullah throws Fernandez out to the apron and then gets down and starts choking Fernandez. He gets the timekeeper's bell hammer and hits Fernandez with it. Fernandez keeps getting up and Abdullah keeps knocking him back down. Fernandez finally holds on the ropes and hits Abdullah with a kick to the stomach. Abdullah back up and Fernandez kicks him again, but he didn't get all of it and Abdullah starts choking him on the ropes. Fernandez gets away and starts hitting Abdullah with punches and kicks. He then gets Abdullah over in a monkey flip. I am not a fan of either man, but that was an impressive move. Both men down and woozy. Fernandez gets his boot off and jumps three quarters of the way across the ring to hit Abdullah in the head with it in what was also an impressive move. Fernandez hits Abdullah with his boot several more times and both are bleeding freely. He knocks Abdullah down to the mat with some more boot shots. Fernandez runs to hit Abdullah with the boot again, but Abdullah gets a shot in on Fernandez's midsection first. He hits Fernandez a couple of more times, but Jones tells him to go for the sombrero, so Abdullah tries to climb up to get it. He almost has his hands on it when Fernandez attacks him with a shot from behind. Abdullah falls backwards off the turnbuckle and the crowd goes wild. Jones is irate outside the ring and gets up on the apron and the referee is trying to pull him off the apron. Fernandez hits Abdullah in the head with the boot several times. Fernandez then starts climbing the turnbuckle to go after the sombrero. Abdullah grabs the boot and attacks Fernandez from behind to knock him off the turnbuckle. Abdullah then starts climbing up going for the sombrero. Fernandez takes his belt off and comes over and starts whipping Abdullah in the back with it. He then wraps the belt around his fist and punches Abdullah with it. Abdullah blocks a shot and attacks Fernandez with punches and kicks. He grabs Fernandez and headbutts him to the ground. Abdullah then goes to drop an elbow on Fernandez, but Fernandez moves. Fernandez goes and hits a flying forearm with the buckle to Abdullah. Abdullah leaning heavily up against the ropes. Fernandez gets back to his feet and hits Abdullah in the head with the buckle again. Fernandez punching Abdullah in the back with the buckle as Abdullah tries to get back to his feet. Fernandez then suplexes Abdullah in another impressive move. Fernandez then crawls to the corner with the sombrero and drags himself to his feet with the ring ropes. Jones urging Abdullah to attack Fernandez. Both men physically spent as Abdullah on the ropes trying to make his way towards Fernandez in the corner. Abdullah hits Fernandez with the fork between the legs to knock him off the turnbuckle to the mat. The fans are trying to encourage Fernandez. Abdullah picks Fernandez up and headbutts him several times. Abdullah with an Irish whip, misses a clothesline, and Fernandez comes back with a flying forearm. Fernandez then gets up on the second rope and hits a flying clothesline to Abdullah to knock him down. Fernandez goes up top and comes off with a splash, but Abdullah rolls out of the way. Abdullah picks Fernandez up and corner whips him, but Fernandez moves out of the way of the charge and Abdullah hits the corner post shoulder first. Fernandez takes advantage and climbs the turnbuckle and grabs the sombrero as Jones tries to get in the ring to stop him, but he is too late. Fernandez gets out of the ring and holds the sombrero high while Jones is livid inside the ring. They then show highlights of the match.
-Johnny Weaver interviews Krusher Khruschev. Khruschev says he's the happiest man in the world. He says thanks to Ivan and Nikita Koloff, they made him what he is today. A Russian athlete and he knows his motherland Russia is proud of him too. He says he is willing to go anywhere in the world to defend that title. He says he's going to show everyone that Russians are superior athletes and he will keep that belt. Weaver says the Russians have a lot of titles, but two of them are in jeopardy later in a cage match against the Rock & Roll Express. Weaver calls it a fence match though. Khruschev says the Rock & Roll have done a lot of things to the Russians just like the prejudiced American referees. However, out in front of all these people at Starrcade '85, they will take the Rock & Roll Express out. The American fans will look at the Russians and say yes you are superior. He points at the Mid-Atlantic belt and says this is why. Khruschev says he isn't taking anything away from Sam Houston. he was trained by the best, Dusty Rhodes and Magnum TA. But Sam Houston, Johnny Weaver, and everyone knows that he is the Mid-Atlantic Champion now and he is going to remain that way because he is bigger, stronger, and a Russian athlete. He then leaves.
-From Greensboro. Texas Bull rope Match. Ron Bass vs. Black Bart with JJ Dillon: If Bass wins, he gets a 5-minute Bull rope match with JJ. When JJ and Bart come to the ring, JJ has a tuxedo t shirt, jeans, and cowboy boots on. Referee Sonny Fargo attaches the bull rope to both men. The bell rings and they both start pulling on the rope to try to gain access to the cow bell on it and Bass gets it first. Bass kicks Bart and hits him on the head with the cow bell. He knocks Bart down to the mat. He gets Bart back up only to knock him down again. He gets Bart back up and into a corner and pushes the bell into Bart's face. Bass then hitting Bart in the face in the corner. Bart is busted open already and bleeding from the face. He then gets Bart out of the corner and wraps the rope around Bart's throat and pulls the rope, driving Bart to his knees. He then hits Bart on the head as Bob Caudle brings up to Tony Schiavone that the two men used to be partners. Bass then brings Bart over to a corner, holds the cow bell on the top turnbuckle pad, and then runs Bart face first into it. The two men exchange punches in the corner. Bass chokes Bart with the rope. He then Irish whips Bart and hits him with a right hand to knock Bart to the mat. Bass wraps the rope around his fist several times and punches Bart with it over and over. Bass then comes over to where JJ is and holds up 5 fingers and says to JJ 5 minutes. He then goes back to Bart, who hits Bass with a low blow to knock him down. Bart then grabs the cow bell and attacks Bass with it. JJ gets up on the apron to tell Bart how to attack Bass, but Fargo makes him get off the apron. Bass back up, only to get knocked back down again by a shot from Bart and the cow bell. This happens a second time and Bass is busted open at the forehead. Bart hits him several times in the head and JJ yells out that Bass will never get his 5 minute match with JJ. That it is never going to happen. Bass is bleeding profusely and down in a corner as Bart hits him over and over with the cow bell. He then punches Bass down to the mat. Bass gets back to his feet and the two men are exchanging punches in the middle of the ring. Bart gets Bass up against the ropes and hits a couple of elbows to Bass. Bass fights back with chops to get out of the corner. Bass with a big shot to knock Bart off of his feet. Bass then slams Bart's head into the mat. He then runs the bull rope into Bart's forehead. Bart comes back with an uppercut and more shots to Bass in the corner. He grabs the bell and tries to run it into Bass's head, but Bass grabs the bell first to keep it away. Bass keeping the bell away with everything he has until finally he can hit Bart in the stomach with a knee. Back and forth in the ring. Bart gets Bass up against the ropes and hits him. He then runs to clothesline Bass, who drops down and Bart spills over the top rope to the floor. Bass comes out after Bart and hits him with the cow bell from the apron to the floor. They are fighting on the outside the ring again as Bass hits Bart with the cow bell again. Bart rolls back into the ring and Bass follows him in. He hits Bart in the face with the cow bell again and Bart's face is just a bloody mess. Bass then wraps the bull rope around Bart's neck, holds him up, and punches him in the face several times. He keeps Bart from falling to the mat by holding him up. He finally hits Bart again and he lets him fall back to the mat. Bass gets a close two count. Bart gets back up and drives his shoulder into Bass's midsection. Bart with a shot and an Irish whip. Bass comes back with a shoulder block and both men down. JJ pleading with Bart to get up. Bart up and grabs the cow bell to drive it into Bass's head, but Bass moves as he attempts it. Bass then grabs the bell and hits Bart with it to knock him on his back. Bart up, but the bull rope is between his legs, so Bass pulls on it to knock Bart back down. Bart again gets back up, only for Bass to hit him again with the ring bell. Bass gets another two count. Bart back up and has Bass in the corner. Bart goes for a clothesline, but Bass moves out of the way. Bass up on the second rope and comes off with the cow bell to the head of Bart and pins Bart. As soon as he does, JJ enters the ring and attacks Bass to knock him down which is actually a good idea. JJ then takes his shirt off, which is not a good idea. JJ kicking and stomping Bass several times with his boot as Fargo tries to put the Bull rope on JJ.
-Ron Bass vs. JJ Dillon: Special 5-minute bull rope match. As Tom Miller announces Bass as the winner of the previous match, JJ has Bass down on the mat and is grinding his boot into Bass's throat. JJ gets Bass up and hits him in the head with the cowbell to knock Bass back to the mat. JJ gets a two count and can't believe that Bass kicked out. Bass back up, so JJ hits him in the head with the cowbell again to knock him back down. JJ then drives the cowbell into Bass's forehead as he is on the mat. JJ then wraps the bull rope around Bass's neck and is choking him. Bass almost out, but powers back to a sitting position as JJ tightens the rope to try to put Bass out. Bass makes it back to his feet and he turns around. JJ drops the rope and looks around. He then moves around the ring and begs off. JJ then tries to get out of the ring, but is jerked back in by Bass with the bull rope. Bass has the cow bell and JJ is on his knees and pleading with Bass. Bass hits JJ in the head with the cowbell. Bass picks JJ up and hits him with the cowbell again and JJ is woozy and seems to be out on his feet. He finally does his version of the Ric Flair flop. JJ on his knees and Bass hits him in the head with the bell again. Bass then wraps the rope around JJ's neck. Bass then hits JJ several times. Bass gets the bell and swings it around to hit JJ, but as he swings he also takes out Fargo. Bass covers JJ but there isn't a referee to count. Black Bart comes in and attacks Bass. Bart then hits a piledriver on Bass. He puts JJ on top of Bass and Fargo comes to to count the pin.
-Atlanta. Superstar Billy Graham vs. The Barbarian with Paul Jones: $10,000 Arm wrestling match. Graham comes out to a nice ovation. Jones tells Graham and the referee that Barbarian's right hand is broken and he has to use his left hand. Graham says that one's going to be broken too. He is ready. They both sit down and it is taking forever for them to start. The referee sets them and they go. It is an even match. Barbarian then gets an advantage and has Graham about three quarters of the way down. Graham battles back to the even position. Barbarian starts to force his hand down again. Graham fighting the pain and trying to come back. He gets back to the even position again. Barbarian again starts to force the hand down. Graham battles back as the crowd cheers him on. Both competitors kick their chairs away and are on their knees. Graham gets the advantage and the crowd really comes to life encouraging Graham. Graham finally gets Barbarian's hand down and wins the contest and the crowd roars its approval. Jones hits Graham with his cane and Barbarian attacks him with his cast. The referee is getting the table out of the ring and Barbarian gets Graham down on the mat. He kicks and punches Graham down and Graham is already bleeding. Barbarian gets Graham back up and bites him on the forehead as Graham tries to hit Barbarian with some forearms to the back. Barbarian bites Graham several times and then drops him to the ground. He then gets Graham back up and hits him with a throat thrust to knock him back down to the mat. He then gets his knee into Graham's back and tries to tear his mouth open. He breaks on the three count. He then runs Graham into a turnbuckle and bites him again. Caudle says it has been all Barbarian so far and I would have to agree. Barbarian then headbutts Graham. Barbarian with a thrust kick and Graham falls against the ropes. Barbarian follows that up with an Irish whip and a back kick to Graham. Barbarian goes for a leg drop, but Graham moves. Graham with a series of right hands and a corner whip to Barbarian. Barbarian comes out with a thrust to knock Graham down. Barbarian goes up top for the flying headbutt. Graham moves out of the way at the last second. Graham up and stomping Barbarian in the head. Graham with an Irish whip and a bear hug and the way that Barbarian came off, it looked like Graham had trouble getting the bear hug on. Jones on the outside screaming at Barbarian to break the hold. Graham gets the hold on tighter, so Jones comes in and attacks Graham with the cane to draw the disqualification. Graham comes back and gets the cane and the crowd wants him to hit Jones with it. He gets Jones in the corner and goes to hit him, but Barbarian attacks Graham from behind and knocks him out of the ring to the floor. Barbarian comes out after him and runs Graham into the corner post and he falls backwards over the barricade. Barbarian goes out over the barricade after Graham. Barbarian grabs a chair and hits Graham with it. The referee gets the chair away, but Graham is a bloody mess. The referee finally gets between them and raises Graham's hand.
-Back to Greensboro for the National Heavyweight Championship Match. Terry Taylor vs. Buddy Landel with JJ Dillon: Landel out first and Budro looks to be in fantastic shape here. It is well documented that he was about to get a huge push and royally screwed it up because as others who know him best and Landel himself would say, he was his own worst enemy. Taylor comes out and he is also in tremendous shape. Referee Sonny Fargo holds up the title and then checks both wrestlers. The bell rings and they circle each other. Landel goes to lock up and then brushes Taylor off being a natural heel. They lock up and Landel drives Taylor back to a corner. Landel tries to tie Taylor up, but Taylor breaks out of it and they are face to face as they come out of the corner. They lock up and drive to the ropes as Tony Schiavone mentions that JJ is supposed to be with Landel, but he was in the bull rope match and will probably show up later on. They break on the ropes and Landel complaining to Fargo. They circle each other again and lock up. Drive back to the ropes again and I feel like I'm having Déjà vu again with this match. They break and Landel shoves Taylor, who shoves Landel right back and Landel falls on his ass and immediately starts scooting away from Taylor. Landel backs to a corner and makes Fargo keep Taylor away. The crowd starts to get on Landel. He finally comes out of the corner and locks up with Taylor again. Landel with a wrist lock. He really cranks it on and drives Taylor to his knees. Landel was doing his Real Nature Boy gimmick at this time and was going to feud with Ric Flair going into 1986 as they had been trading insults on TV and had a few matches with each other. Like I mentioned earlier, Landel went and messed it up for himself not long after this match and would be in Memphis shortly after that where he would have a fantastic run with Bill Dundee and draw the last sell out of that promotion with Dundee against Jerry Lawler and Dutch Mantell in a Texas Death Match. Taylor fighting to try and get out of the wrist lock. Taylor fights to his feet, so Landel transitions into an arm bar. Taylor with an arm drag to Landel. Another lock up and drive to the ropes. They break and Landel tries to hit Taylor, who blocks the strikes and knocks Landel down with a shot to the face. Landel again backs to the corner and complains about the fists to Fargo and makes Fargo keep Taylor away. They lock up again and Landel with a side headlock takeover. He gets a one count, but Taylor gets his shoulder up. Taylor shifts Landel over a couple of times for two counts, but Landel shifts back. Taylor gets back to his feet, but Landel still has the headlock on. Taylor reverses the move into an overhead wrist lock and forces Landel down to the mat. Taylor cranks on the hold and tries to force Landel's other shoulder down. He does a few times for some two counts. Taylor runs his knee into Landel's arm and they are both back up to their feet with a wrist lock. Landel drives Taylor to the corner. He runs his knee into Taylor's stomach and hits him in the face. He then chops Taylor several times in the chest and if this were 1995 or later, the fans would be whooing with every chop. Landel with a corner whip, but runs into Taylor's boot when he charges in and falls face first into the mat. He gets back up and turns around, only to get hit by a right hand from Taylor. Taylor with an Irish whip and a backdrop. Taylor then drops a knee on Landel, but only gets a one count. Taylor then puts a wrist lock on Landel to drive him back to his knees. Landel gets back to his feet and reverses the hold. Taylor reverses it back and Landel hits him with a stiff looking shot to knock Taylor to the mat. Landel then stomping Taylor to keep him down on the mat. Landel picks Taylor up and hits him with a big right hand to knock Taylor woozy. Landel gets Taylor back in the corner and delivers shots and chops to Taylor. He then snap mares Taylor out of the corner and gets a headlock on him. He gets Taylor down on the mat and is trying to put him out with the headlock. JJ finally comes to ringside in a gaudy tuxedo with his head bandaged up saying come on Nature Boy, I've never let you down to Landel. This is funny considering the Four Horsemen are just about to come together and what JJ's role would be with that group. Taylor with a side suplex to Landel to break the hold. Both wrestlers get back to their feet. Taylor with a backbreaker. Taylor follows that up with a leg drop and I'm not sure if Hulk Hogan was wrestling that day, but wherever he was, I can assure you he isn't worrying about Terry Taylor doing a leg drop to Buddy Landel at Starrcade '85 for the National Heavyweight Championship. Taylor gets a one count, but Landel gets his leg on the ropes. Taylor drives Landel into a corner and hits him with a big right hand. Landel reverses a corner whip and clotheslines Taylor. He gets a close two count. Landel up and kicking Taylor as JJ encourages him. Landel with another shot and goes for a suplex, but Taylor catches him with a small package for a two count. Landel up and hits Taylor and then gets on his back and gets a rear chin lock on Taylor. Taylor gets up to his knees and is crawling towards the ropes. He finally flips Landel off his back and Landel lands hard in the corner. Back and forth in the middle of the ring as Taylor blocks a right hand shot and hits Landel with a right of his own. Taylor with a right hand, a kick, and a chop to Landel. He follows that up with a snap mare and then steps on Landel's throat. Taylor with a big suplex to Landel. He gets a two count. Taylor with another shot and a corner whip. He then runs Landel head first into the top turnbuckle several times. Fargo trying to get Taylor away and when he does it the second time, JJ passes Landel his shoe and Landel hits Taylor with it and Taylor hits Fargo as he is falling. Something happens though and Taylor and Fargo are both back up quickly so Landel shoves Taylor into Fargo again and both go down as Landel gets JJ's shoe again. JJ gets up on the apron. Taylor reverses an Irish whip to run Landel into JJ, which knocks JJ off the apron to the floor. Taylor with an Irish whip and hits Landel with the five arm, although I don't believe he was calling it that yet. Taylor picks Landel up and puts him on the top rope for the superplex. Taylor goes for the superplex, but as he is coming off, JJ grabs Taylor's leg and Landel falls on top of Taylor. Fargo comes to and makes the count and we have a new National Heavyweight Champion. Landel is ecstatic in the ring and the crowd doesn't like the decision at all. Fargo presents Landel with the belt and he holds it up high and the fans boo him.
-Back to Atlanta for the National Tag Team Championship Match. Ole and Arn Anderson vs. Wahoo McDaniel and Billy Jack Haynes: McDaniel and Haynes are the NWA United States Tag Team Champions here, a title that despite its name was a Florida centric tag title. Haynes would get pissed off at Jim Crockett over his Starrcade payoff and would quit JCP in December and eventually make his way to the WWF the next year. Haynes and Arn start. The bell rings and they circle each other. They lock up and Haynes pushes Arn off so hard that he lands in the corner. They lock up again and battle for position. Haynes again pushes Arn off into the corner. Arn is visibly frustrated. Another lock up and Haynes gets a side headlock on. Arn pushes off. Haynes comes back with a shoulder block. Haynes rushes Arn, who leapfrogs Haynes to avoid the hit. Haynes then stops and military presses Arn down. Arn backs to his corner and Ole tagged in. He and Haynes lock up and push off a couple of times. Ole goes for a side headlock, but they are in the ropes. Haynes gets Ole off the ropes and hits him with some big right hands. Ole falls down against the ropes. He then goes after Haynes again and again. Haynes hits him with big right hands. Ole wanders into the wrong corner and McDaniel hits him and he spins around only to get hit by Haynes again and knocked down. McDaniel tagged in. He Irish whips Ole and chops him to the mat. McDaniel then goes over and chops Arn in the corner. Ole gets up, but McDaniel hits him with a snap mare to knock him back down. McDaniel drops an elbow on Ole and Ole then tags Arn in. Arn is hesitant to get in, but finally does. They do a brief test of strength and Arn pushes off. They then lock up and drive back to the ropes. They break and Arn goes to punch McDaniel, who ducks and comes back and slaps Arn so hard in the chest that my chest started hurting. Arn back up and is avoiding McDaniel with all that he has. They do finally lock up again and McDaniel gets a side headlock. Arn trying to get out, but McDaniel turns it into a side headlock takeover. Ole starts to come in to break it up, but the referee gets him out almost right away. The referee then goes back and is checking that Arn's shoulders don't go down. Arn then cheats to reverse the hold into a headscissors. The referee asks him if he cheated and of course he denies it. The referee is checking, but McDaniel is not giving up. McDaniel works back to his knees and powers out and gets the side headlock on again. He gets a one count and Arn briefly gets the headscissors on again before they both get back to their feet and start circling each other again. Ole was about to come in and break all this up. Arn goes over and acts like he wants Ole to tag by putting his hand out, but Ole doesn't tag and Arn and McDaniel lock up again. Arn gets a side headlock and then tags Ole in and Ole comes in and hits McDaniel in the side several times as Arn holds him. The referee makes Arn get out of the ring and Ole left to hit McDaniel with some hard shots in the corner. Ole follows that up with a snap mare and then gets McDaniel in an arm bar. McDaniel is trying to work his way back to his feet, so Ole kicks him in his arm pit to get him back down. McDaniel then does get back to his feet and starts chopping Ole with his other arm. He chops Ole down, but Ole locks his own legs around McDaniel's legs to prevent him from getting to his corner to tag Haynes in and at the same time, Ole tags Arn in and Arn knocks McDaniel to the ground. Arn starts stomping McDaniel's arm and gets a standing leg lock on the arm and McDaniel is screaming out in pain. Arn grabbing the ropes for leverage behind the referee's back. He has McDaniel down on his stomach in a hammerlock. McDaniel gets back to his feet and Arn tags Ole in and Ole knocks McDaniel down to one knee. Ole gets him down and attacks McDaniel with stomps and kicks. Ole backs up too far one time and Haynes takes a swipe at him, but Ole is just out of Haynes' reach. Ole with a scoop slam and an elbow to McDaniel. He gets a two count and that is the first attempted pin in the match to my recollection. Ole runs McDaniel into Arn's knee, tags Arn in, and holds McDaniel for Arn to hit several times. Ole lets McDaniel go right before the referee counts to 5. Haynes comes in to save McDaniel and all four men going at it as the crowd cheers wildly. The referee gets Haynes out while the Anderson's double team McDaniel in their corner. Arn gets McDaniel in a wrist lock and yanks McDaniel's arm down several times, trying to dislocate the shoulder. McDaniel comes back with chops to Arn to try and break the hold. He chops Arn down, but Arn gets a leg lock as he falls and tags Ole in at the same time and the Minnesota Wrecking Crew has done a tremendous job keeping McDaniel on their side of the ring during this match. Both men on their feet. Ole gets a wrist lock on and McDaniel chops his chest over and over to try and break the hold. He finally does and both Arn and Haynes tagged in. The Anderson's attack Haynes as he is coming through the ropes and Haynes is hitting both. He then runs their heads together and both Andersons fall to the ground. All four men in now exchanging blows and the referee gets McDaniel out so the Anderson brothers go back to double teaming Haynes. Ole finally gets out as Arn gets a snap mare to Haynes. Double A is a good nickname for Arn, because he is like the Energizer Bunny. He just keeps going. Haynes tags McDaniel back in and Arn attacks him with some right hands as he is coming through the ropes. McDaniel comes back with some chops and Anderson is just swinging wildly trying to respond. McDaniel with an Irish whip and a chop to knock Arn down. He gets a two count before Ole gets in to break up the pin. That brings Haynes in and Ole gets out and the referee then gets Haynes out. McDaniel with a side headlock. Arn pushes off. Ole hooks McDaniel's leg as he reaches the ropes and Arn gets a two count. Haynes gets back in and as the referee is trying to get him out, Arn and McDaniel are exchanging chops by the Anderson corner. Ole goes down and grabs McDaniel by the leg and holds it out of the referee's sight as Arn pins McDaniel.
-Intermission.
-When they come back, Johnny Weaver interviews JJ Dillon and Buddy Landel. JJ says this is the greatest night in his wrestling career. He thinks history will show that the gathering will be the greatest event in wrestling history. He says that JCP is professional wrestling everywhere in the world. He came here tonight believing that Bart could take down Bass, but he was prepared for the worst. He took a physical beating from Bass that he hopes he never has to take again, but he summoned up a lot of Intestinal fortitude that he didn't know existed, gave Bass the beating of his life, and now JJ is the uncrowned champion of the bull rope match. If that wasn't enough, Nature Boy Buddy Landel went out and proved all the nay Sayers wrong when they said he wasn't championship material. They said that JJ was wrong because he was so high on Landel and now he is the new National Heavyweight Champion. A title that he is going to hold for a long time to come. He then shakes Landel's hand and says congratulations to Nature Boy. Landel says that Johnny Weaver and everyone else out there knows that JJ Dillon turned his whole career around. The 9 months that he has been here, he has been playing possum. He says you want to be a champion, you've got to live like a champion. He has watched Tully Blanchard, Ric Flair, Arn and Ole Anderson, and he has modeled his life after them. He is a champion. He is the National Heavyweight Champion. Now all these guys can come out here and they can run off the mouth about this and that, but the bottom line is this, when he goes to bed and wakes up every morning, he can look at himself in the mirror and he can say, Nature Boy Buddy Landel, you are the National Heavyweight Champion and he will take on anybody at any time and in the famous words of Ric Flair, he said it.
-I Quit cage match for the United States Championship. Tully Blanchard with Baby Doll vs. Magnum TA: It goes without saying, but I am going to say it anyway, if you only watch one match from this card, you have to watch this match. Blanchard and Baby Doll out and Blanchard looking determined as he gets in the ring. Magnum is already in the ring and he looks determined as well. Tom Miller introduces both men and he says the vastly popular Magnum TA and Magnum gets a great reaction from the crowd. Baby Doll and Blanchard both booed when introduced. Referee Earl Henber gets the mic with the cord through the cage as the door is closed. The bell rings and they circle each other. They lock up and Blanchard drives Magnum to a corner. He goes to hit Magnum, who blocks the shot and hits Blanchard with a big right hand that knocks him back and to the mat and Blanchard scrambles away. Magnum goes to grab Blanchard, who catches Magnum with a single leg takedown. Magnum pushes Blanchard off with his boot. Both get back up and Blanchard catches Magnum with another single leg. They roll back and forth on the ground trying to battle for position. Magnum finally pushes Blanchard off of him. Both back up and Blanchard hits a big forearm to Magnum. Magnum shakes it off, but Blanchard hits him again. Back and forth near a corner and they are hitting each other with big chops. Magnum getting the better of it and Blanchard goes down to one knee briefly. He gets hit again and falls on his ass and through the ropes so that he is between the ropes and the cage. Blanchard gets back up and Magnum grabs him and bends him backwards across the ropes and hits him with a big forearm to the chest. Magnum then goes to run Blanchard's head into the cage. Baby Doll looking very concerned as Blanchard gets a shot on to get Magnum down. Blanchard then climbs up the ropes and comes off with an elbow to Magnum. He then hits Magnum with kicks and elbows while he is down on the mat. Blanchard then gets Magnum up and throws him into the cage. Magnum trying to get up and Blanchard quickly gets a rear chin lock on and Magnum is starting to bleed from the forehead. Magnum reaching up and trying to hold on. Magnum makes it back to his feet and breaks the hold. As he breaks it, Blanchard hits him with a knee to the stomach to get Magnum down on the ropes. Blanchard with an elbow, Magnum reverses an Irish whip and then he presses Blanchard up and drops him throat first down on the top rope. Magnum hits Blanchard, who is woozy for a second and then comes back against Magnum with a knee to the stomach and other to the face to knock Magnum down to one knee and I realize that I use the word woozy a lot. Magnum back up and hits Blanchard with some big right hands. A side headlock and another right hand to the face knocks Blanchard to his knees. Magnum goes to pull Blanchard up, so Blanchard takes advantage and pulls Magnum into the cage. Blanchard grabs the mic and tries to get Magnum to say I quit, but he won't. They go back to hitting each other as referee Earl Hebner grabs the mic and blows into it a couple of times and you can hear it. I guess Hebner thought it wasn't working because he says is it on to somebody and says no it isn't working. He talks to someone on the outside and feeds the mic back through the cage. Then he has to jump out of the way quickly as Magnum takes Blanchard and runs him into the cage right where Hebner was standing. He hits the cage hard and lands back in the middle of the ring. Magnum picks Blanchard up and slams him into the cage again. Magnum gets Blanchard up and he is bleeding from the forehead to the arm. Magnum works on the arm for a minute before going over to the mic and asking Blanchard if he wants to quit. Blanchard screams no and headbutts Magnum in the stomach. Both men on their knees and Magnum hitting Blanchard in the shoulder with his right hand. He then covers Blanchard and you can't tell from where they are shooting the match, but it looks like Magnum is Biting Blanchard in the arm. That's one way to make someone give up I guess. Blanchard with an eye gouge to Magnum and Blanchard says oh shit and they bleep it out. Both men are covered in blood. Blanchard rushes Magnum, but gets caught with a kick to the stomach. He goes after Blanchard, who catches Magnum with a quick shot to knock him down to the ground. Blanchard gets up and kicks Magnum in the head to knock him back down to the mat. Blanchard up again to kick Magnum to make sure that he stays down. Blanchard grabs the mic and brings it over to Magnum and screams at Magnum for him to say it, but Magnum says no. So Blanchard hits Magnum in the head with the mic. He then screams again for Magnum to say it, but Magnum says no again. Blanchard throws the mic away and punches Magnum in the face. He then covers Magnum, but realizes that he can't win that way and grabs Magnum by the hair and hits him with a stun gun like move that drives him both into the cage and on the top rope. Blanchard then climbs to the top rope and comes off with a forearm to Magnum. Baby Doll is loving what she is seeing. Blanchard goes back to the corner and grabs the mic again. He gets back on Magnum and screams into the mic for him to say it and Magnum again says no. Blanchard hits Magnum in the head with the mic again. Blanchard drops an elbow on Magnum. He goes to drop another one and Magnum moves. Both back up to their feet and Magnum with a right hand to Blanchard. Blanchard wobbly on his feet and goes down to his knees. Magnum pulls him back up by his hair and chops Blanchard in the throat, but both men fall down. Magnum grabs the mic and hits Blanchard with it before screaming at Blanchard to say it, but Blanchard won't. Baby Doll looking worried on the outside as Magnum stomps Blanchard. Magnum gets Blanchard up and hits him with the mic to knock him back down again. Magnum yells at Blanchard to say I quit, but again Blanchard won't say it. They grab each other by the head and Blanchard on top of Magnum and it looks like they are trying to tear each other apart. Both get up to their knees and Blanchard hits Magnum with a big right hand to knock Magnum woozy TASIYDAH and up against the ropes. Magnum with a right hand to knock Blanchard to the mat, but both men are absolutely spent here. Magnum up and grabs the mic again. He hits Blanchard with the mic and yells at him to say I quit, but again Blanchard won't say it and at this point, I know it was the mid 80's and we weren't as aware of things then as we are now, but I would have thrown that microphone away and gotten a new one. Blanchard kicks Magnum to get away and the mic goes flying as a result. Back up and exchanging blows in the corner. Magnum gets the better of it and hits Blanchard with some corner mounted punches until Blanchard grabs Magnum and hits him with an inverted atomic drop. Blanchard grabs the mic and hits Magnum with it again as Baby Doll looks on with glee. He then almost grinds the mic into Magnum's face screaming at him to say it, but Magnum won't. Blanchard goes to work on Magnum's leg. He's dropping knees on the leg and then takes Hebner and throws him halfway across the ring for some reason. Blanchard drops an elbow on Magnum and then Baby Doll throws a chair into the ring. It is a wooden chair and when he gets it, Blanchard slams it down on the mat and it breaks apart. He grabs a piece of the chair, kicks Hebner away, and goes after Magnum with the chair piece. He goes to stab Magnum in the face with the chair piece, but Magnum grabs the piece at the last second and the crowd cheers wildly. Blanchard desperately trying to stab Magnum with the chair piece and Magnum doing everything that he can to stop Blanchard. Magnum using all of his strength to keep the chair away from his face and eyes. He hits Blanchard with a knee to get him off. He hits him with more knees to get free of Blanchard. Magnum grabs the chair piece and stabs Blanchard in the forehead with it. He screams at Blanchard to say it and Blanchard finally screams yes. The referee calls for the bell and the fans are ecstatic as Magnum is the new United States Champion. Baby Doll looks worried and rushes inside the cage as soon as they open the door. Magnum still has the chair piece and grabs Blanchard like he is going to stab him again before throwing the chair piece away. Magnum grabs the US title and leaves as Baby Doll checks on Blanchard. They show a replay of the finish as Tom Miller announces Magnum the winner.
-Atlanta. Jimmy Valiant and Miss Atlanta Lively with Big Mama vs. The Midnight Express Dennis Condrey and Bobby Eaton with Jim Cornette in an Atlanta Street Fight: Cornette introduces the MX. They come out and all of them are wearing tuxedos. The faces come out and MAL is of course Ronnie Garvin in drag. They dub over the Boy from New York City when the faces come out. Valiant and MAL extremely over with the crowd. Heels conferring in the corner as the bell rings and they try to get the match started. The heels try to jump the faces, but Valiant knocks Eaton down and MAL sprays Condrey in the face with hair spray or powder or something. Eaton trying furiously to get away from MAL. MAL kicks Eaton down in the corner. MAL takes a necklace off and chokes Eaton with it which is legal since this is a street fight. Valiant grabs a chair and hits Condrey with it on the outside of the ring. Condrey falls down on the outside and Eaton falls down on the inside and things are not going well for the MX so far in this match. Eaton gets to a corner and hits MAL with a kick to the stomach. Eaton then kicks the leg trying to get MAL down as Valiant is choking Condry on the outside with the chair and Condrey is already bleeding. Condrey finally gets away from Valiant. All four in the ring now exchanging blows. Valiant knocks Eaton down with a big right hand. Valiant and Eaton go outside over the barricade and Valiant throws Eaton and he goes down and slides about 6 feet. He then picks Eaton up and hits him with another big right hand as Big Mama cheers on. Condrey has MAL in the corner and Valiant comes to pull Condrey off. A right hand from Valiant knocks Condrey to the mat. Valiant and MAL run the MX's heads together. Valiant punching Condrey in the head repeatedly. Valiant with an Irish whip and he gets Condrey in a sleeper. Cornette is over with Eaton and hands Eaton something. Eaton hits MAL with it and MAL goes down. The MX throws powder into Valiant's eyes and then hits him with something and he goes down. All four look to be bleeding now as the MX have cheated their way to an advantage. Condrey has a belt that he whips Valiant with and then wraps the belt around Valiant's neck as Eaton battles MAL in the corner. MAL hits Eaton in the head with the purse as Condrey gets Valiant down and starts kicking him. The MX the try to pull MAL's pants down. Valiant comes and punches the MX off of MAL. Valiant gets Eaton's jacket off and starts choking him with it. Valiant then gets the shirt off and starts choking him with it. MAL gets the coat off of Condrey as Eaton throws Valiant to the outside and comes over to help Condrey with MAL. The MX hold MAL by the arms as Cornette comes in and prepares to hit MAL with the tennis racket. He hits MAL square on top of the head. Condrey holds MAL for Eaton to hit a shot from the second rope. Valiant gets up to the apron only to get knocked back down by Eaton. Valiant back up and gets back in the ring and all four going at it again. Eaton grabs Valiant and throws him back to the outside. The MX get MAL down as Valiant gets back into the ring and is trying to fight back. MX with a double Irish whip and clothesline to Valiant. Condrey holds Valiant in place for Eaton to go up top and come off with a splash, but MAL hits Eaton with a right hand as he comes off. MAL then covers Eaton to get the pin. Cornette comes in and attacks MAL. Valiant and MAL get Cornette down and start undressing him. The Street People hold Cornette for Big Mama to hit, but the MX break up the attempt and they and Cornette leave ASAP. Valiant, Big Mama, and the referee are over checking on MAL, who is bleeding heavily in the face.
-Johnny Weaver interviews Magnum TA. Weaver congratulates Magnum, who says that the belt is back where it belongs. He says Tully Blanchard should have never been in any I quit match. That ain't wrestling. That's what it took to get back what was rightfully his. But now things start all over again. The United States Championship. The most prestigious belt in the world bar none, except the World Heavyweight Championship, is back where it belongs and I have figured out that Magnum TA doesn't know what bar none means. He then says he and Tully Blanchard have done it all over the country and when you consider that Magnum TA went on to marry Tully Blanchard's ex-wife and help raise his kids, that brings about a creepy undertone to this interview. He says they have wrestled many times and he is not putting the belt up in any closet somewhere. Nikita Koloff, Buddy Landel, anybody out there, Arn Anderson. He says this belt right here is a fighting champions belt. He's had the taste of it before and he just went through the battle of his life. He thinks he left a little something of himself in that ring. Maybe something he will never get back again. But he can assure anybody out there. Anybody that has had any aspirations of taking the belt away from him. You better think twice. The United States belt and Magnum TA are going to be together for a long, long time. Anybody out there who thinks they can do something about it, put your name on the dotted line brother. He's not a hard man to find. He's Magnum TA, the United States Heavyweight Champion.
-NWA World Tag Team Championship Match. Ivan and Nikita Koloff with Krusher Khrushchev vs. The Rock & Roll Express Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson with Don Kernodle: The Russians come out to the Soviet National Anthem and enter the ring first. The crowd goes crazy when the Rock & Roll Express and Kernodle come out. The bell rings and Nikita and Morton are going to start. Slow to start as the crowd starts the USA chant before they even lock up. They lock up and Nikita pushes Morton off and he goes flying halfway across the ring. They lock up again and Morton gets a side headlock on. Koloff pushes off and Morton comes back and tries a shoulder block, but Nikita just pushes Morton to the ground. Morton back up and does drop downs and leapfrogs to avoid Nikita. Nikita tries for the Russian Sickle, but Morton ducks the attempt and hits Nikita with a dropkick that has him stagger to the corner. Ivan tries to come in to interfere, but gets stopped by referee Earl Hebner right away. They circle each other slowly and Nikita with a boot to the stomach and a forearm to the back to knock Morton to his knees. Morton back up and Nikita throws him into a corner turnbuckle. Nikita with a kick to the chest and Morton goes back down. Morton tries to come back with a shot, but it doesn't have much of an effect on Nikita as he grabs Morton by the hair and tags Ivan in. Nikita holds Morton in a front face lock for Ivan to hit. Nikita then gets out. Ivan with a forearm to the back. He goes to run Morton into the corner and Morton fights back with a shot to the midsection of Ivan. Morton with a side headlock. Ivan pushes off and Morton runs the ropes. Ivan tries to use Morton's momentum against him to propel him into the cage, but Morton gets his foot up into the cage to stop the momentum. He then ducks a clothesline attempt from Ivan and then runs and hits Ivan with a crossbody. That gets a two count and the crowd comes alive and cheers any offensive move that Morton makes. Morton gets a side headlock. Ivan picks Morton up and dumps him on the top rope to break the hold. Ivan stomping Morton on the mat. He gets a two count. Ivan goes to throw Morton into the cage, but Morton stops it by getting his boot up on the cage and they go back and forth in the corner. Gibson tagged in. Double Irish whip to Ivan and Gibson hits him with a dropkick. Ivan back up and Gibson hits him with a scoop slam. Gibson then drops a knee on Ivan's head. He gets another two count. Gibson gets a side headlock on Ivan and tags Morton back in. Morton hits Ivan in the midsection and snap mares him over. Morton drops a fist on Ivan's head and gets another two count. Morton gets a front face lock on and drives him to the cage, where unknown to Ivan, Morton makes the tag to Gibson. He comes in and gets a two count on Ivan. Gibson with a front face lock. Ivan gets to the ropes. Morton tagged back in. The Rock & Roll are doing a good job with the quick tags early in the bout. Morton comes in and grabs Ivan by the throat for a three count and then punches Ivan. Morton gets Ivan in a front face lock, tags Gibson back in, and holds Ivan for Gibson to come off the second rope with an elbow to Ivan's back. He gets another two count. Gibson gets a side headlock and Ivan comes back with an eye rake. They battle for position and Ivan drives to the ropes, but breaks right before the 5 count. Ivan with a right hand and an Irish whip, but Gibson ducks a clothesline attempt and goes to roll Ivan up, but Ivan hits the cage head first and just falls backwards onto the mat. Nikita tries to come in, but gets cut off by the referee and Gibson runs Ivan head first into the cage again. Gibson then holds Ivan for Morton to come off the top rope and hit Ivan with a fist drop. Nikita starts to come into the ring, but again gets cut off by Hebner. Morton tagged in and he knocks Ivan down again. He then goes back up top and hits Ivan with another fist drop. He gets another two count and Ivan is bleeding. Gibson tagged in and Morton holds Ivan for Gibson to hit Ivan with a shot to knock him back down. Gibson gets another two count. Nikita tagged in and Gibson hits him with a drop toe hold and gets him into a headlock. Nikita up and pushes off. Gibson ducks a Russian Sickle, but Nikita gets him in a bear hug. Nikita then drops Gibson straight backwards face first into the cage. Morton comes in, but Hebner gets him right back out. Nikita picks Gibson up and throws him back into the cage. He then does it again. Gibson reaches out to Morton, but he is too far away. Nikita comes over and hits Morton with a back elbow, bringing Morton into the ring where he hits Nikita a couple of times before Hebner gets him out of the ring. This allows Ivan to hit Gibson from the top rope. He comes in and Khruschev yells at Ivan to run Gibson into the cage. Ivan gets Gibson up in the corner and runs his shoulder into Gibson several times. Ivan then grabs Gibson and runs him face first into the cage. Gibson falls backwards to the mat and he is busted open. Ivan then drops an elbow on Gibson. Ivan gets a two count. Ivan with an Irish whip, drops his head too early, and Gibson hits him with a boot to the face. Nikita tagged back in and he attacks Gibson with boots to the head. Nikita then bites Gibson in the forehead for a three count. Nikita with a scoop slam and the crowd is solidly behind Gibson, urging him to tag Morton in. Morton gets taunted and comes in. Hebner cuts him off, allowing Ivan to come off with a fist drop to Gibson while Nikita holds Gibson. Ivan goes for the cover, but Morton breaks up the pin attempt. Ivan with an Irish whip and a back elbow to Gibson. Ivan then goes for a leapfrog body guillotine to Gibson, but Gibson moves and Ivan lands on the ropes hard and bounces off to the mat. Ivan up and gets Gibson in his corner. Nikita holds Gibson for Ivan to punch, which brings Morton in and all four men now going at it. Hebner gets Nikita and Morton out. Nikita with a boot and an Irish whip to Gibson. He follows that up with a snap mare and a leg drop. That gets a two count. Ivan goes for another leg drop and Gibson moves out of the way. Nikita tagged in and he attacks Gibson. Nikita with a snap mare and a headlock to Gibson. Gibson's face is a bloody mess. Morton and the crowd solidly behind Gibson trying to get him to get up and make the tag. Kernodle on the outside yelling get him Robert as Gibson is hitting Nikita in the head with right hands trying to break the headlock. Ivan tagged in after Gibson breaks the hold and Ivan drops a knee on Gibson. He then gets Gibson up against the ropes and headbutts Gibson down again. Gibson reaching out to Morton to tag, but he is a long way from the corner. Ivan kicks Gibson in the back to knock him down to the mat. Ivan then drops a knee on Gibson and gets a two count, but Gibson gets his foot on the ropes. Gibson up and hits Ivan with a double ax handle. Gibson is woozy TASIYDAH, but trying to make it back to his corner to tag, but Nikita tagged in and cuts Gibson off before he can get there. Nikita runs Gibson head first into the cage. Nikita goads Morton into the ring and then chokes Gibson while Hebner is getting Morton out. Nikita then goes over to pin Gibson, but Morton is in to break up the pin attempt. Khruschev is shown urging Nikita on from ringside. Kernodle tries to get a USA chant going as Ivan is tagged back in. Ivan with an Irish whip, but Gibson slides through his legs and avoids the Russian Sickle. Gibson then hits a dropkick and the crowd comes to life, screaming for Gibson. Ivan takes out Hebner when Ivan was falling from the dropkick. Gibson covers Ivan, but there is no referee to count the pin. Nikita and Morton both in and Nikita hits Morton with the Russian Sickle. Nikita then hits Gibson with the Russian Sickle and puts Ivan on top of Gibson, but the referee is still down and they are all tangled up in the ropes. It's a whole mess. Fans on their feet urging Gibson to tag Morton in. Both wrestlers back up and Ivan grabs Gibson and Irish whips him, but Gibson tags Morton right before the Irish whip and Ivan backdrops Gibson and as he does, Morton rolls Ivan up for the pin and we have new World Tag Team Champions! The crowd goes wild at the result and the Russians attack Gibson inside the cage. Morton climbs up and over the cage. Nikita tries to stop him, but Morton slips away from Nikita. Morton is a bloody mess down on the floor. Khruschev gets in the ring. The Russians throw Hebner down and clothesline Gibson with the chain. They then do a version of the Doomsday Device on Gibson with Khruschev holding Gibson and Nikita and Ivan both coming off the top rope to double clothesline Gibson. Kernodle is down on the floor on the outside, but we don't see what happened to him. The Russians are whipping Gibson with the chain on the inside. Other wrestlers are coming from the back and the Russians are attacking them as they try to get in the cage. The Russians finally leave to a loud chorus of boos and a USA chant as the other wrestlers check on the Rock & Roll Express and Don Kernodle. They then show a replay of the end of the match.
-Back to Atlanta for the Main Event. Two years in the making. NWA World Heavyweight Championship Match. Ric Flair vs. Dusty Rhodes: The two had met the year previously of course in that disappointing main event at Starrcade '84. They had been feuding off and on but the feud intensified when Flair broke Rhodes' ankle in September with the help of Arn and Ole Anderson. Rhodes out first. He has an early version of pyro and the dry ice smoke. He is loose and ready as he has his white satin jack on that says Dusty on the back and he gets a tremendous ovation as he comes to the ring. Flair is then shown and he looks to be in a purple robe looking cool, calm, and collected as he waits to be introduced. The robe may not be purple as there is a purple spotlight on Flair. The lights and pyro go off for Flair as the 2001 theme plays and he makes his way to the ring. You see that he is actually wearing a white robe with purple sequins. The crowd is white-hot as Rodger Kent announces the main event and the participants. Both wrestlers looking determined. Flair booed heavily when he is introduced. Referee Tommy Young checks both men. The bell rings and Rhodes is there just staring at Flair. He then struts and mocks Flair, who just stares at Rhodes. They circle each other. They lock up and drive to the corner. They break and start exchanging shots and chops in the corner. Rhodes fired up as he comes out of the corner, hitting Flair with left and right hands. He knocks Flair down to the mat to the crowd's delight. Flair back up and Rhodes hits him with an elbow and a right hand to knock him back down. Flair rolls out of the ring and steps out over the barricade to regroup and Bob Caudle wonders if he is leaving the arena. Flair then gets back in the ring. Another lock up and Flair hits Rhodes in the stomach with a knee. He then chops Rhodes several times. Rhodes comes back with a series of elbows to Flair's forehead. They lock up and Flair pushes off. Rhodes comes back with a shoulder block. They run the ropes and Rhodes catches Flair with an elbow to knock him down to the mat. Flair backs away and rolls back outside to regroup again. Flair finally gets back in the ring. He screams come on at Rhodes. They lock up and Flair with a side headlock. He shifts into a hammerlock, but Rhodes reverses the hold and drives Flair to the mat. Flair slowly works his way back to his knees and then gets Rhodes off him. They do a test of strength briefly, but break it off and both men are wary. Flair drives Rhodes back to a corner and starts chopping him. Flair then snap mares Rhodes out of the corner and drops a knee on his forehead. Flair gets a one count as the crowd gets behind Rhodes to urge him to get up. Rhodes up and Flair gets him in a wrist lock and kicks the back of his knee and Rhodes goes to the outside in pain. He also goes out beyond the barricade. Flair keeps breaking Young's count and then grabs Rhodes when he gets up on the apron. Rhodes blocks a punch and hits Flair on the back of the head with an elbow. He hits a series of elbows, but breaks right before the 5 count. Flair down and Rhodes puts his leg on the bottom rope and comes down on it. Rhodes gets back in the ring and motions that he is going to break Flair's leg. He pulls Flair back to the center of the ring and drops an elbow on the knee and locks the leg up. Flair screaming in pain, but won't give up and tries to grab Rhodes by the hair to get out of the hold. Flair in a tremendous amount of pain, but not giving up. He grabs Rhodes by the head briefly. Rhodes gets up with the leg still in his hands and looks out to the crowd, who encourage Rhodes to hurt Flair. Rhodes drops an elbow on the knee and goes back to the leg hold. Flair gouges Rhodes in the face to break the hold and get back up. Flair limping as he tries to get Rhodes up in a suplex, but Flair's leg gives out on him. Rhodes reverses it and suplexes Flair. Rhodes then goes back to the leg and drops an elbow on it. Then back to the leg lock as Young checks to see if Flair wants to give up and he doesn't Rhodes pulls back on the move, allowing Flair to grab Rhodes' head to try to force him to break the hold. Both men back to their feet and exchange chops before Rhodes gets a side headlock on. Flair pushes off and Rhodes comes back with a shoulder block. Rhodes rushes Flair, who catches Rhodes in a sleeper. Rhodes starting to fade and in desperation, he falls forward and drives Flair face first into the corner turnbuckle. Rhodes rolls to the outside and grabs Flair's leg and drives it against the ring post. He then drives an elbow into the ankle. Rhodes gets back in the ring on the 7 count and stomps the ankle over and over. Young gets Rhodes away briefly, and when Rhodes comes back, Flair headbutts Rhodes in the stomach as Flair is trying to stand. Flair chopping to get out of the corner. Rhodes pushes Flair back to the corner and starts chopping him. Rhodes with a snap mare. Rhodes goes to drop an elbow, but Flair moves out of the way. Flair limping and goes up top, but gets caught and thrown off so TASIYDAH. Happy Thanksgiving cocktail for you. Rhodes goes to put Flair into a figure four, but Flair kicks Rhodes off. Rhodes falls and grabs his ankle in pain. A double count going. Both back up and Flair chops Rhodes down and goes for the figure four, but Rhodes kicks Flair off. Flair tries again and Rhodes kicks him off again. Flair comes back and stomps on Rhodes' leg. Rhodes back up and Flair gets him into the corner and goes to wrap Rhodes' leg around the rope. Rhodes headbutts Flair to stop him. Back and forth in the corner. Rhodes corner whips Flair up and over to the outside. Rhodes goes out after Flair and runs him into the corner post. Rhodes then runs Flair head first into the barricade. Rhodes gets back in and Young puts him in a corner so that he can start the count on Flair. But much like Baby in Dirty Dancing, Rhodes doesn't stay in the corner and he meets Flair as Flair is getting on the apron. Flair's face is a bloody mess. Rhodes has Flair on the apron and is hitting him with elbows to the head. Rhodes gets Flair back in the ring and slaps him hard on the chest. Young gets something in his eyes and doesn't see Flair throw Rhodes over the top rope. Rhodes gets up and then goes up top and hits a crossbody on Flair. It wasn't the prettiest move, but that was something you don't see everyday. He gets Flair down, but Young comes over late to count and Rhodes only gets a two count. The crowd booing the late count. Both men back up and Flair goes for a right hand to Rhodes. Rhodes blocks it and hits Flair with a right hand of his own to knock Flair down. Rhodes gets on top of Flair and punches him in the face for a three count. Flair back up only to get an elbow from Rhodes to knock him back down. Rhodes gets Flair in the corner and hits him with elbows to the head and there is a guy in the crowd who has been making this whoo like sound all match long. He is so annoying. He sounds like a crow with laryngitis. Rhodes then hits Flair with corner mounted punches. He stops at the three count and Flair does the Flair flop for those of you keeping score at home. Rhodes looking out at the crowd and he has them in the palm of his hand. Flair back up and they go back and forth in the middle of the ring with Rhodes getting the better of the encounter. Rhodes with a little flip, flop, and fly on Flair to knock him down. Flair begging off as he slides back to the corner and Rhodes stalking him. Rhodes with a corner whip. Flair up and over and runs to the opposite corner. He goes up top and actually comes off, but Rhodes catches him with a shot as he is coming down. Rhodes goes to kick Flair in the ribs, but Flair moves out of the way and Rhodes kicks the corner post and both men are down. A double count going. Flair gets back up. He drapes Rhodes' leg on the bottom rope and drops down on it. Rhodes writhing in pain on the ground and Flair screaming come on to Rhodes. Flair then drops a knee on Rhodes' ankle to try to re injure the leg. Rhodes is in tremendous pain and Young asks him if he wants to give up and Rhodes says no. Flair punches Rhodes and gets the figure four on. Rhodes in pain but fighting it. Rhodes goes back on the mat and Flair gets a couple of two counts. Flair really cranking on the hold trying to get Rhodes to give up. He tells Young to ask Rhodes if he wants to give up. Rhodes says no and calls Flair a son of a bitch. He raises his arm, gives Flair the bird, and then turns the move over and Flair is screaming out in pain. Flair gets to the ropes and Rhodes lets go of the hold on Young's four count. Both men up on an 8 count and Flair chopping and hitting Rhodes up on the ropes and Rhodes doing his version of Hulking up. He comes back and hits Flair with a series of elbows. Rhodes with an Irish whip, but Flair with a go behind as Rhodes went for what looked like a backdrop. Rhodes runs and hits Flair with a clothesline. Rhodes gets a two count. Flair kicks out, throwing Rhodes on top of Young. Young gets back up just as Rhodes throws Flair into the corner and Flair runs into Young and knocks him out to the floor. Rhodes goes for the figure four. Flair kicks him off. He tries again and again Flair kicks him off. Rhodes hits Flair with an elbow and then gets the figure four on Flair and the crowd comes to life. Arn Anderson comes out and hits the ring. Rhodes knocks him down. Ole Anderson comes in and hits Rhodes with a high knee to the back to knock him down. Ole then goes outside to check on Arn. Another referee comes out as Flair covers Rhodes and gets a two count. Flair goes for a scoop slam but Rhodes gets an inside cradle to pin Flair and the crowd explodes just like that cooter did. New heavyweight champion. Rhodes holds the belt up high as other wrestlers get in the ring to celebrate. They lift Rhodes up as he lifts the championship up. Ole and Arn shown helping Flair to the back. They are screaming at the wrestlers in the ring. You can't make out what they are saying, but I'm sure it's not Happy Thanksgiving. The Omni is emptying out quickly as they announce Dusty Rhodes as the new champion. The hoarse crow has not left though.
-Tony Schiavone is back in the locker room to talk to Dusty Rhodes. The other wrestlers spray Rhodes with champagne as he starts to talk. They are in a good mood. Rhodes says we're back. When he said this one's for the textile workers, auto workers, all the blue collar people across this great land. The American Dream came back from the bottom and is now World's Heavyweight Champion. And he is going to be that way for a long time. Wahoo McDaniel is there and Rhodes says my man Chief. Nobody can beat the people, nobody can beat the world. Nobody can beat the American Dream. He then walks off as they celebrate around him.
-Tony and Bob then talk about the night and the new champions crowned. They then thank everyone for the success JCP has had and sign off from Starrcade '85 with a video package of the event.
-After Starrcade, Rhodes' victory was reversed by Tommy Young. The match was changed to Rhodes winning by disqualification due to interference from Arn Anderson and Flair remained the NWA champion. Soon after, in January 1986, Flair formed the Four Horsemen stable with Arn Anderson, Ole Anderson and Tully Blanchard, along with James J. Dillon as their manager.
-Final Thoughts: This was a great show with a disappointing ending. Rhodes should have won the championship outright as fans were starting to tire of the so-called "Dusty Finish".