The Sergeant and the Sheik!

Sgt Slaughter v Iron Sheik (WWF, 5/21/84)

On its own this is really good, but as a lead-in to the Boot Camp match, within the wider context of the feud, it's excellent. I loved Slaughter at the start, staring dead-eyed at Sheik who was slapping and spitting on him, finally retaliating with a right hand to a monster pop. When talking about the Backlund/Slaughter feud a few days ago I said the January match was really effective as an opening match in a series, one that made you want to see the heel get his clock cleaned. This was maybe even better in that respect and it's cool that Slaughter's role has completely flipped here. Sheik is a total scumbag and spits on Slaughter and flicks sweat on him and shadow boxes while Slaughter is crawling around on the floor. People are pelting the ring with garbage and any time you achieve that sort of heat-garnering then you're doing okay in my book. Solidarity with the Sheik, unless he was a paedophile or sex offender or something in which case I retract any demonstration of solidarity. They worked in the loaded boot perfectly. Slaughter careens into the post with his awesome signature bump, but he doesn't blade at that point. He saves that for when Sheik loads up the boot, puts it on the top turnbuckle and rams Sarge into it. THEN he blades and holy fuck this is an 11 on the Sgt Slaughter blade job scale. Slaughter's blood loss selling is about as good as it gets, then he tries to take Sheik's boot and it leads to the non-finish you knew it was leading to. Sheik hightails it with boot in hand as Sarge is willed to his feet by the crowd. Slaughter reciting the Pledge of Allegiance is incredible jingoism and at least a couple hunner of those folks in the crowd were at the Capitol Building on January 6th, especially the wee lads and lassies in full military uniform being flung about by their mas and das. You'd absolutely buy a ticket for the rematch, whether you were born in East Rutherford or East Fife.

Sgt Slaughter v Iron Sheik (Boot Camp Match) (WWF, 6/16/84)

And of course the rematch is still amazing. From word one the heat is off the charts and it doesn't dip below nuclear for even a millisecond. The way they used the boot was great again, and kind of subtle at a couple points. There was one bit where Sheik had it on the turnbuckle and rammed Slaughter's head into it, the same way he did in the previous match to bust Slaughter open, but he hadn't "loaded" it yet so Slaughter sold it like a regular shot. When Sheik loaded it up a bit later he didn't actually use it right away, and when he did it was a regular kick to the stomach that Slaughter sold like he'd been blasted with a shotgun. I mean that's just cool as fuck, right? Attention to detail and all that. Slaughter dominating early ruled, whipping Sheik with a swagger stick, bonking him with a helmet, then putting the helmet on and clonking him with a headbutt. It was some of that revenge he never got in the last match and the people were rabid for it. Sheik's first bit of offence is an Irish whip reversal and Slaughter flies into the post with the signature bump. Again I like that he never went to the blood right there, instead saving it until later when - yes yes you have guessed it - Sheik rammed his head into the loaded boot. At that point Slaughter very much went to the blood, staggering around dead on his feet while Sheik was clobbering him in the head and biting the cut. The revenge spot with Slaughter loading his own boot and hitting a stomp to the head off the middle rope was great and Sheik must've bladed a line straight down the top of his head because he's bleeding EVERYFUCKINWHERE almost immediately. The fatigued selling from both of them down the stretch was incredible and it felt like life or death for every single action. Even something like Slaughter punching Sheik in the ribs to block the gutwrench suplex felt huge, then Sheik manages to hit it later and boy does the Sheik have an awesome gutwrench suplex. After he hits it he just falls back like he has nothing left to give and you absolutely believed it. Sheik taking his boot off and trying to use it as a weapon was some proper desperation stuff and Slaughter countering with the Cannon was fucking amazing. Then he does the slow crawl over, grabs it, whomps Sheik in the face with it and the whole entire bastard roof is off. A sensational bitta business.