1001 MATCHES: Bobby Eaton

(by Phil Rippa)

With spaces becoming limited, I wanted to stack the list with a couple of my all time faves before finishing. Here is Bobby Eaton who is like a Top 5 wrestler of all time but no one cares. I really don’t have the energy anymore to explain why Eaton is better than pretty much anyone that the WWE had that the stupid internet thinks are the greatest of all time. Remove the wool from your eyes sheep.

For frame of reference – these are the Eaton matches picked so far

  • MIDNIGHT EXPRESS vs. THE FANTASTICS – CLASH OF THE CHAMPIONS I
  • MIDNIGHT EXPRESS vs. RIC FLAIR/BARRY WINDHAM – Clash of the Champions IV
  • vs. 2 COLD SCORPIO – CLASH OF THE CHAMPIONS XXIV
  • STING’S SQUADRON vs. DANGEROUS ALLIANCE – WRESTLEWAR 1992 (WarGames)
  • MIDNIGHT EXPRESS vs. ROCK ‘N’ ROLL EXPRESS (08/16/86)
  • MIDNIGHT EXPRESS vs. RICKY MORTON/TOMMY RICH – HALLOWEEN HAVOC 1990

601) BOBBY EATON vs. BILL DUNDEE – CONTINENTAL (07/24/82 – NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Championship)

One of the rare times Bobby gets to cut a promo for himself. A whole lotta Memphis gets crammed into this one: Jimmy Hart, Dutch Mantell (with bullrope), a broken ring, a title change, a wild brawl.

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602) BOBBY EATON vs. JIM CORNETTE/JIMMY HART – CONTINENTAL (10/17/83)

Yup – you are reading that description correctly. A whole lotta Memphis gets crammed into this match too. Less than three minutes. Lots of stipulations, a ref bump, a loaded mask, a screwjob finish, a riot. One of the things lost to wrestling history is how great Jimmy Hart’s punches were.

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603) BOBBY EATON vs. DUSTY RHODES – NWA WORLDWIDE (01/26/88 (Taped), 02/06/88 (Aired) – United States Championship)

As far as at least I can tell, the only televised singles match between Bobby and Dusty. (Heck, Cagematch claims the only had two singles matches total).

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604) BOBBY EATON vs. RIC FLAIR – NWA MAIN EVENT (01/07/90 – NWA World Heavyweight Title) 

We are getting all of Bobby’s singles matches against the big dogs in here. So much to process. Cool heel Eaton challenges quasi-face Ric Flair for the Heavyweight title on the Main Event of all places. Arguably better than the better known Clash of the Champions match.

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605) MIDNIGHT EXPRESS (BOBBY EATON/STAN LANE) vs. SOUTHERN BOYS (TRACY SMOTHERS/STEVE ARMSTRONG) – WCW “GREAT AMERICAN BASH ’90” (07/07/90 – US Tag Team Titles)

Possibly the most forgotten great match of Eaton’s career as it is a tag match that doesn’t involve the Rock ‘n’ Roll Express or the Fantastics or the Dangerous Alliance. Baltimore did not deserve this match.

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606) BOBBY EATON/PN NEWS vs. STEVE AUSTIN/TERRANCE TAYLOR – WCW “GREAT AMERICAN BASH ’91” (07/14/91 – Scaffold Match with Capture the Flag rules)

I am getting into Dean territory talking about seeing Dick Murdoch when growing up but this was the 1st PPV I ever bought with my own money. How I remained a wrestling fan is a miracle. Baltimore deserved this match.

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607) BOBBY EATON vs. ABDULLAH THE BUTCHER – WCW SATURDAY NIGHT (09/28/91)

Eaton and Abby have a crazy ass brawl that is less than five minutes long. This is where Jim Ross was in his element as his screaming puts everything over the top. And every show ever should have been taped at Center Stage.

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608) BOBBY EATON/ARN ANDERSON vs. RICK & SCOTT STEINER – WCW “Superbrawl II” (02/29/92 – WCW World Tag Team Titles) 

Good Lord this was my Junior year of High School wet dream matchup. 

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609) BOBBY EATON/SABU vs. TERRY FUNK/ARN ANDERSON – ECW “WHEN WORLD’S COLLIDE” (05/14/94)

Not to be confused with the famous AAA show six months later. This was a joint show with (then) Eastern Championship Wrestling and the NWA. And yeah – the teams are too wacky to not include. Heyman is involved so it is overbooked.

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610) BLUE BLOODS (LORD STEVEN REGAL/EARL ROBERT EATON) vs. CHRIS BENOIT/DEAN MALENKO – WCW MAIN EVENT (10/29/95)

I had to get the Blue Bloods in here somehow. Since at the time, Main Event served as the “kickoff” show for the PPVs, this was the lead in to Halloween Havoc 95 with the infamous Sumo Monster Truck Match AND the debut of the Yeti.

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