7 Awesome Wrestling Matches (That The Critics Hated)

With that particular week's Observer not available within the online archives, we cannot cross-reference; we can only assume that whoever is tasked with curating ProfightDB has committed a typo. Per the database, Meltzer rated one of the WWF's best doubles offerings of the 1980s a turgid two-stars.

Tully Blanchard was on great form in this blinding twilight years bout; he sold athletically for a young Bret Hart in the early going, his body and seemingly his mind rotated by the Hitman's gorgeous hip tosses. He looked punch drunk and flailing, but possessed just enough reserves to tag in Arn Anderson and maintain control of Hart's leg to allow his partner to take advantage. It didn't work; Hart, in a premonition of his seminal singles career, kept his wits about him. He was preternaturally wise to the Brain Busters' artifice, shaking his leg loose, and then his head, when seamlessly slipping out of Arn's subsequent bulldog attempt.

All fire and technicality, we can only presume that Meltzer marked this down when babyface Jim Neidhart assumed a protracted control spot that felt at odds with the inherent drama of tag team wrestling.

Still, the final third was electric by the standards of the time, with Bobby Heenan operating in prime who-me? pr*ck mode. The finish felt off, too; going 16 minutes only to deliver a heel victory was a bit deflating.

But two stars off? That was a 4/10 rating atypical of Meltzer's tastes and acumen alike.