The Playboy in Portland

Buddy Rose v Frank Dusek (Portland, 2/16/80)

A ridiculously fun Buddy Rose performance. It's not like it even needs to be said at this point, but the way he'll throw in a bunch of different wrinkles for every match he wrestles is really remarkable. Sometimes those wrinkles will be small, some will be broad (so more than a wrinkle?), all will be worthwhile. Dusek wasn't amazing here and maybe he never was, but Rose was at the peak of his powers and didn't need much to play with. Actually, Dusek was fun in the first fall. He wasn't mere hand luggage and he was enough of a canvas for Rose to work off. He'd just recently turned babyface and in Portland you could've been the most hated bastard walking but five minutes opposite the Playboy and the fans would be on your side regardless. Bonnema mentions on commentary how Dusek said in an interview that he wasn't about to change the way he wrestles just because he lives on the other side of the tracks now, and sure enough he had no issue cutting corners in the first fall. He never tried to hide it, would throw cheapshots, had zero interest in being a good sport, and Buddy was almost bewildered that people were somehow cheering the fella because of it. Buddy would hesitate to engage and Dusek would keep forcing the issue, popping Rose in the mouth with a jab as Rose tried hiding behind Sandy Barr. Then Rose tried to skirt around the apron by holding onto the post so Dusek just punched him in the fingers and Buddy toppled back. When Dusek comes out after him he grabs a chair and chases Rose around ringside, then Buddy scoots back in the ring and tries to slingshot Dusek in from the apron, but Dusek flips it and slingshots Buddy out to the floor. At one point Dusek basically hit a fucking Slingblade! I mean it was a clothesline and not a particularly well executed one but it had enough VIGOUR that we can't help but wonder if Frank Dusek wasn't years ahead of his time. Then he makes the mistake of lifting Rose's shoulders off the mat on a 2-count. He should've taken the win when he had the chance because eventually he eats a backdrop on the concrete and Buddy zeroes in on the back to win the first fall. The second fall isn't as compelling because Dusek himself isn't as compelling working from underneath, but I always find Rose engaging when working a heat segment. There was actually one great bit that I'm going to give Dusek the benefit of the doubt on and say he meant it. Buddy had been working over his neck and Dusek went for what looked like a back suplex, which wound up being a sort of Russian leg sweep. Hell maybe he was trying for an ACTUAL Russian leg sweep and I'm giving him even less credit than he deserves. The cool part was how he hit it and immediately grabbed his neck, unable to follow up, which allowed a groggy Rose to capitalise first. Piper and Ron Bass get involved in the third fall and Rose hollering about how Piper shoved him in the gluteus maximus was amazing. Rose is in that real god tier of wrestlers where I feel like literally every match they've ever had is worth watching. Rose, Tenryu, Funk, Han, Fujiwara, the Tonga Kid...it's a hell of a club to be a part of.