AWA - Nick Bockwinkel vs. Ric Flair - pre-match interview and match highlights

Hey man, first, this isn't a title vs. title match. Bockwinkel was not the AWA Champion, hadn't been since 1984. Stan Hansen was the Champ having just beaten Rick Martel a few weeks earlier for the belt.
This match took place on January 16, 1986 at the Winnipeg arena, the last AWA show until 1988 in that area. The WWF took over their tv slot in Winnipeg and the rights to use the Winnipeg arena, and moved from a monthly big show to a random show every 3 or 4 months and then less than that as the years went by. It killed Winnipeg as a big time wrestling city--the AWA used to run some big angles and turns there, and the monthly show was a Winnipeg staple for decades. Darn shame.
Hope that info helps!

Also interesting that the complete match has never surfaced. I taped the match off TV as it aired back in the day, and any version I've seen has started where this one does. I thought I possibly had started recording it late, but the vid here clarifies that it was indeed a Jined in Progress bout. Strange since TSN almost always aired whole matches from the Arena.
Glad to have that cleared up in my head!

Thanks so much for posting this... Purely golden

in my opinion, the two best wrestlers ever. the Ric Flair of the AWA vs the Nick Bockwinkel of the NWA/JCP

Nobody called it the match of the decade

These 2 fossils didn't draw shit

Dig that obvious shot from Flair to Hulk Hogan.

I wonder who called this match?

The Winnipeg Arena was on fire that night.

bockwinkle the babyface here is just awesome to watch. I loved him on the mic

Classic interview and match

Which year was this match?

I know that many consider the mid to late 90's(attitude era, NWO) to be a great time period in Pro Wrestling history. But I consider the mid 1980's to be the peak of the golden era. There's good reason why so many people look back at this time period as being so special. You had more unique talented wrestlers in one territory back then than you have in the entire business now!

Thanks for the Upload of this Match. The Bob Backland vs. Ric Flair match must be out there somewhere.

Flair vs. Bockwinkel was a dream match.😎

Someone may have said this on a previous post but what was the reason Bockwinkle never became NWA champ?

I beleave Mr Nick was & is better than Flair. Flair will always be number 2 to Mr Nick

The two greatest heel champions of the 80's. Best of the best.

wrestling royalty ladies and gentlemen

AWA had an incredible roster in the late 70's/early 80's

I always loved nick bockwinkle. He was a great heel, great inside and outside of the ring. Always gave the crowd 110%. The same can be said for slick rick.

Flair in an AWA tV Studio for this first time since the 1970s.

Thumbs up for the match, not the reception. Just glad we have the footage! (It sounds like this was before Bockwinkle's 3rd AWA title reign.)

good match
terrible finish

I’m glad Ric and Nick didn’t bring the Horsemen and Heenan with them. This was one hell of a match! These are the two world champions I followed from childhood to my early 30’s. RIP Nick and Bobby

Great show of respect during the beginning promo...

Great promo,both conducted themselves professionally.both respected.the hand shake.❤😢

A very subdued Naitch. Saying "Nick Bockwinkel is wrestling " miss those days

Scott Hall on commentary interesting.

I like it when Flair does a laid back "talking "interview without yelling and getting all worked up. Not even a WOOO!!!!

BOY WERE THEY PULLING BACK THERE PUNCHES IN THIS MATCH EVEN NICK RELEASING HIS BACK SLIDE PIN YOU COULD SEE NICK RELEASING HIS HOLD CLEARLY AT TWO " LOOKS BAD". BOCKWINKLE COULD HAVE EASILY JUST SAID THE HELL WITH THIS I WONT LET GO AND GOT THREE COUNT BUT DID NOT. I THINK THE NWA SHOULD HAVE LET THE BELT GO TO NICK JUST FOR A FEW WEEKS AND THEN PASSED IT BACK TO FLAIR JUST OUT OF RESPECT FOR BOCKWINKLE BUT IT DID NOT HAPPEN.

A HUGE MATCH HERE AND THEY DONT PUT A RING APRON UP. WHO THE HELL PUT THIS PUT THIS MATCH UP OUGHT TO BE FIRED. APPEARANCE IS EVERYTHING

Pure Class Nick Pure Class 👏👏👏👏

An Nature Boy a Legend as Well 👏👏👏

Two of "The Best" Champions & professional wrestlers to ever step in in the ring! I am old enough and fortunate enough to remember their title reigns and lived in both the AWA and NWA territories at their heights .

Match was in January 1986. The last regular AWA card in Winnipeg before the WWF arrived.

Verne gagne son Ric Flair vs his replacement Nick

This is unusual but awesome to see Flair so serious outside his Japanese NWA World Title defenses. No Woo’s. No screaming. No bragging about Space Mountain, Ladies, Lear Jets, Rolexes or The Horsemen. Just a serious sports based promo.

Wrestling Gold.