Match of the Day: Flair vs Steamboat

Chi-Town Rumble 1989 - 20th February 1989

I've been wanting to look at the Flair-Steamboat matches from 1989 for a long while now, and after watching the Ricky Steamboat documentary on the WWE Network (thanks WWE Network!), it pushed me further to take a look at them and see what all the fuss is about.

These series of matches have been described as 'setting the bar' for matches since so there must be something to it, especially seeing as it has two of the best ever pitted against each other.

Other than the wrestling on show, the thing that stuck out for me here is the commentary provided by Jim Ross and Magnum TA. Ross, in particular, really impressed me (although, didn't surprise me) with how he stuck to the wrestling side of things throughout. I say this because I have been conditioned, for a long time now, to think that the way Michael Cole, JBL and Jerry Lawler present a show is the norm. The beauty of Ross' commentary is that he simply calls the moves, helps tell the story of the match, and rivalry - simple things such as Flair is the party-guy; rich, with all the girls, whereas Steamboat is the working man; the family man. This simple storytelling adds so much to the match and keeps you engrossed further and firmly behind one or the other. There are no 'app plugs' or other sporting/pop culture references that take you away from the match; it's to-the-point and wrestling-focused.

This match was Steamboat's defining moment as he would become the World Champion (for the only time) when being a world champion still meant something.

Dailymotion video - Chi-Town Rumble '89 - Flair (c) vs Steamboat

The icing on the cake here is when Ross concludes that Ricky Steamboat just became the World Champion by beating the best champion that the NWA has ever had... what a compliment to pay to both guys.

I'll be taking a look at the other two matches that these guys had, and will probably put them up here for all to see...

@jimmosangle