Buddy Rose vs Rick Martel - 2/9/80 - 2/3 Falls - First Fall Only

I was worried we weren't going to have this at all. As it is, it seems like I just have the first fall to watch here. Bonnema brags that they have a main event to show them since most territories never show a main event. Martel won the belt the previous Thursday in Salem in two falls so Buddy is the challenger here. They actually shake to begin. Great stuff to begin with some wrestling/reversals followed by an awesome quick paced rope running and ending with a Martel 'rana for a near fall. Martel could keep up with Buddy better than anyone else in the territory at this point. Buddy takes a powder and comes back into a headlock, followed by a tease of the rope running, a great drop toehold and a really good Martel reversal to start armwork, which, as we all know by now, is a definite strength of Martel's. Here it's just a hammerlock but Martel really works it and Buddy's as good as always in selling and trying to get out. Really unique attempt to get out through going off the ropes. I've seen hang-on spots but never this particular one before. They switch it into wing lock (with Martel doing a great standing knee into the elbow too). It really looks like he's trying to wrench Buddy's arm off here. Buddy kicks out, but misses an elbow and gets armdragged into Oregon before they go back to another armlock, almost a cross arm breaker, but with Martel jamming his knee into Buddy's shoulder, allowing for just brutal looking selling from Buddy. Great facial expressions. This is really an extended version of the Buddy-Getting-Outwrestled-No-Matter-What shtick he uses sometimes but it's really turned up to 11. Martel has sort of a reverse top-wrist lock and he just grinds it making it look really nasty. Buddy is trying to escalate his way out of this including believably going for a flying head scissors! Martel doesn't let him get him over and really looks like a champion here. Buddy goes for the nose but ends up pinned and has to let go. This has been almost ten minutes of Martel working Buddy's arm but it's been incredibly compelling and well-worked. Rose FINALLY gets an edge, tossing Martel over the top but he steamboats back in and hits a dropkick as the crowd erupts.

Buddy goes for it again, Martel hangs on. Buddy's ready for it, but Martel headscissors him out. Buddy runs in, reverses a corner whip. Martel goes for a flash second rope body press, but Buddy ducks it. He starts in almost immediately on the now hurt ribs, making sure to sell just how battered he is in the process. Buddy honing in on a body part is a work of beauty. He does a slingshot where Martel's ribs go into the ropes and he ends up with his back draped over Buddy's knees. Martel fights up but ends up almost pinned. Buddy does it again; this time Martel makes it to the ropes but Buddy goes right back onto the back. Buddy does a great shoulder thrust into the shoulder, but goes for it again and Martel sunset flips him for a near fall. Buddy goes for the inside backbreaker. Martel blocks. Martel goes for it. Buddy blocks. Buddy goes for it. Hits it for the three count. I wish that Buddy had sold the arm JUST a little more because he usually does but it almost didn't matter since the last few minutes were so good. He also might have gone back to it in the later falls, which I don't have here so I don't know, maybe it paid off later.

This was great. If it's just a taste to come for what they have later in the year, I'm excited.