Roddy Piper v Dick Slater (Mid-Atlantic, 3/12/83) - GREAT
This and the Final Conflict tag on the same show is a heck of a 1-2 punch. They wisely saved the plasma for the main event so this wasn't a bloodbath, but even if it was for the TV title they sure didn't start it like a sporting contest. Right at the bell Slater tries to strangle Piper with a towel, then Piper turns it around and strangles Slater and there weren't many people in the country as red hot as Piper at this point in time. Slater was all about selling huge here and his over-the-top stooging and mannerisms really played off Piper's lunatic charisma. Over-the-top stooging in a literal sense as well, because a couple times he basically launched himself over the top rope to create some distance from Roddy. This threatened to break out into a street brawl more than once but it was always reined in before it went that far. Piper would work the arm so Slater would headbutt him in the face, then Slater would go to the spinning toe hold so Piper would punch him in the eye. They'll trade punches in between bouts of trying to actually wrestle, then at other points the madness will take them and Piper will step on Slater's face like he's trying to put out a cigarette or Slater will throw a headbutt to the willy. Slater's falling headbutts are great, like the best Harley Race headbutts only quicker, like he's throwing himself into those falls rather than simply letting gravity do its thing. Slater also damn near hits a gutwrench powerbomb, which I would guess was supposed to be a suplex version but Piper kicking and flailing forced Slater to improvise. Piper's dropkick is not a beautiful thing in the slightest but I'd be lying if I said I don't love it with Hot Rod busts out something fancy and it looks as reckless and sloppy as it might if someone did it in a drunken pub scrap.
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