Ric Flair vs Ricky Morton (NWA, 4-12-1986)

NWA World Championship Wrestling, Atlanta, GA

“Flair, to me, I think Flair’s the true world champion. Matter of fact, these companies he worked for … they oughta drop down on their knees and kiss his fuckin’ ass. He made rasslin’ what it was.” — Ricky Morton

“During one stretch, I wrestled eighteen hour-long matches with Morton in fourteen days. He was so good that it wasn’t even like working.” — Ric Flair

Flair is the world champion, but this is non-title. It’s set up by a tag team match, the Rock n’ Roll Express facing young Ray Traylor (later better known as the Big Boss Man) and Carl Styles. Before that match starts, Ric Flair is ringside and on the mic.

Flair says he doesn’t have to wait for a later match between the two, he wants Morton right now. And that’s what we get. Flair vs Morton on television, a rare in-ring appearance from the champ.

They lock it up, Morton shoves Flair to the corner and does not give a clean break, slapping Flair before backing off. C&E again, Flair to a headlock, then he’s off the ropes and tackles Morton down. Morton goes for the legs, Flair kicks him away. Morton to the apron, he slingshots in with a sunset flip and gets one.

Flair goes for Morton, who couners with a backslide for two. Morton goes for a dropkick, but Flair hangs on to the ropes. Flair misses an elbowdrop. Headlock takeover from Morton gets one. This is a REALLY fast start, both guys just going 100 mph out of the gate.

Arn Anderson joins at ringside, countering Robert Gibson on the other side of the ring. Fair to Flair. Morton off the ropes with a tackle, Flair goes for a hiptoss but Morton blocks and gets an abdominal stretch on. Flair screaming out in pain as Morton cranks around the bicep. Morton countered, Flair gets out with a hiptoss, but Morton’s up first and Flair is begging off into the corner.

Pee Wee Anderson tries to step in, bu Morton ignores him. Flair sneaks in a knee down low, then lands a knife edge chop in the corner. They trade shots and Morton’s right hands win the battle. Hiptoss from Morton, then a flying headscissors! Dropkick! Flair staggered, Morton takes off across the ring and hits a frankensteiner! Flair bails out of the ring! Arn tries to settle him down as the crowd chants “Rock n’ Roll, Rock n’ Roll!”

Back into the ring, Morton gets a front facelock and Flair bulls him to the corner, driving a shoulder into the midsection. Morton blocks a right and drops Flair with one of his own. Flair rolls Morton over in a headlock and gets two, but Morton rolls back out and hangs on to the hold.

Morton with another tackle off the ropes as they get ready for commercial, and JUST before we go to commercial, Morton misses a crossbody and crashes into the ropes.

Back from the break and Flair is controlling on the mat. They stand it up and Morton uses a hair pull to push Flair to the corner. Flair unloads with rights and chops, though. Morton whipped to the other corner, but he springs up with a crossbody for two!

Flair back in control, driving Morton’s head into the top turnbuckle. Flair off the ropes, Morton telegraphs a backdrop and Flair kicks him in the chest. Flair gets Morton up and hits a delayed vertical suplex, then hits the WOOO! Arn Anderson shouting, “That’s it, Schiavone! That’s it!” But it’s not, Morton kicks out at two.

Into the corner, another chop from Flair, Morton trying to fight back with right hands, and he does that. Flair into the corner, then he comes out and into a backdrop. Morton up top, flying dropkick connects!

Morton going for a neckbreaker, Flair trying to block it, and he does. Flair turns it around and goes for another suplex, but Ricky blocks that. Morton with a suplex of his own! Morton covers after a pause, and gets two.

Both men on their knees, trying to get up. Flair up first, bringing Morton with him. Morton off the ropes, Flair misses a back elbow, and Morton gets something of a Thesz press for two.

Flair with a chop in the corner, but Morton turns him around and lands some overhand shots to the chest. Flair sends Morton off the ropes, goes for a hiptoss, Morton tries for a backslide, Morton pulled over the head of Flair, and drops the champ with a right hand.

Pee Wee gets bumped out of the ring as Morton rolls Flair up off the ropes, and clearly has the match won. But no ref. Flair uses the lack of referee to throw Morton over the top rope to the hard, cold floor.

But Morton smacks Flair’s head off the ring post and they head back into the ring! Morton laying in with right hands in the corner, mounting and raining the blows down. Flair goes for an atomic drop, bu Morton small packages him for another clear fall, only there’s still no referee.

Flair takes the flip in the corner, runs down the apron, and hits a flying crossbody! Morton rolls through it — Arn comes into the ring and Gibson dropkicks him and counts Flair down for three! It’s not official, but Flair is bloodied, clearly beaten by Ricky Morton, right here in the WTBS Studio in front of God and everyone.

The RnRs leave there. Dusty and Baby Doll join them with Schiavone. Dusty talks up the babyfaces and runs down Ric Flair. Ricky takes over. “I told you, Ric Flair, I’d beat you! And I’m gonna do it again, baby!”

Rating: 4.5/5. TV matches in 1986 don’t get any better than this. It’s an electric sprint between two of the best wrestlers in the world, elevating Morton, a tag team specialist, into at least being a short-term legitimate contender for Ric Flair’s title, giving the Horsemen and Flair someone else to worry about. The Horsemen would go on to bust up Morton’s face, causing him to have to wear one of those Bill Laimbeer protective masks, before their really big showdowns, one in New Orleans in June ’86, and a couple on The Great American Bash Tour in July ’86.