All Time MOTY List Head to Head: Rose/Wiskowki v. Martel/Piper V. Larry Zbysko v. Ivan Putksi

Larry Zbyszko v. Ivan Putski WWF 8/23/80

PAS: Shockingly fun Texas Death Match (which appears to be just a No DQ match in WWF world). Putski is a guy who I never liked before and is pretty much universally considered a turd. Putski has a weird overly muscled body and these tiny T-Rex arms, and can really barely move. Larry Z however puts on a heel masterclass, he is bumping all over the ring for Putski's stump arm punches, and flying into tables and chairs. He is also super nasty on offense, laying into Putski with lightning fast punches and at one point removing the turnbuckle and smashing the back of Ivan's head directly into the ring bolt. This kept moving, kept violent and I loved the cheap foot on the ropes pin to escape with a win. Zbyszko is a guy I really like, and while the Regal matches may be better matches, this would be on his superworker submission reel.

ER: We start this with an advertisement for the upcoming Prism airing of "The First Nudie Musical", when Kal Rudman gifts us with "I always wanted to see Cindy Williams nude. It's a fantasy of mine." Kal Rudman is a treasure. I have no idea how Phil found this match or what drove him to watch it, but we've been trying to get more eyeballs to the site and more reviews of Ivan Putski or Larry Zbyszko matches will surely put butts in the seats. But I really loved this match, and am impressed with the find. Putski has one of the most impressive/grotesque bodies in wrestling. Phil's T-Rex line is on the money as his arms are just insanely short. He's like the Cotton Hill of arms. But I spent this whole match just mesmerized by Larry bumping around and begging off for Putski, and Putski put in his work too. He tightened things up and clubbed Larry in the back, kicked at his quads, and in an epic moment punted Larry right in the balls. But damn Zbyszko, what a showing. I always wished he would have highlighted his stooging more as he was really great at it. Even as late as his TNA feud with Raven he was still making it work with excellent stooging (I met him at a Con once and praised his stooging against Raven, specifically this hammy run he did when Raven was chasing him, and Larry immediately said "Oh you mean when Raven was too fat and couldn't catch me, so I had to slow down?" Picture Zbyszko saying that in his voice and imagine how much joy I felt in that moment). He flies into buckles for Putski, gets tangled in the ropes, really gets beaten around the ringside area, choked with a mic cord, reaches out for help as Kal Rudman exclaims "Putski says he's going to kill him!!" And then back in he finally uppercuts Putski in the balls (which made one woman's antipolonism spring to life as she jumped up clapping right after Larry went low) and then Larry takes over. I really liked Larry's cocky assault, and it made that punt to the junk that much more satisfying. Larry sold one of the all time great injured testicle sellings, making his body go stiff as a board as he timber'd down to the mat, then rolled around in fetal position holding his tenderest of areas. The feet on ropes finish was perfect and a nice dick move cherry on this tasty sundae. This was some unexpected fun right here, something on paper that I never would have checked out.


Portland Tag Review

Verdict:

ER: I really loved this match and it was such a fun surprise treat, but that Portland tag was better, and included an ultra intense and satisfying post match. I think this was a surprise worthy challenger, but outside of that build to Putski's comeback punt I don't think it rose to the heights of the PDX tag.

PAS: I loved this, but I think it is more of a Larry Z showcase, than an awesome match. PDX tag had four great performances.