HARLEY RACE vs. ABDULLAH THE BUTCHER

Harley Race vs. Abdullah The Butcher
ALL JAPAN, NWA World Championship Match
Nov. 10 1979 Korakuen Hall (Tokyo)


For Harley Race, this circuit in Japan was a severe tour. He fought four title matches with Jumbo Tsuruta and Giant Baba. He was taken the NWA belt by Baba in Nagoya, and somehow he got back the title in Amagasaki. He would fight against The Butcher in Tokyo, and that would be the last match of this circuit. However, the NWA office declared that this fight with The Butcher also would be held as the championship match. Race had to face a difficult enemy before going back to his country.

At that time, the popularity of The Butcher was reaching the peak. He was the cruelest heel in the history of wrestling of Japan, and he always showed bloody fights with Baba and the Funk brothers. But his ability as a wrestler was praised by wrestling fans. Abdullah won the Champion Carnival twice, and he wrested the PWF belt from Bill Robinson. The Sheik was only a cruel heel, but The Butcher was a strong heel. Probably the NWA office could not disregard his popularity in Japan.

When The Butcher went on the ring, a snowstorm of strips of paper fell, and Abdullah waved his hands to spectators. And he was standing calmly during the ceremony, and he received a bunch of flowers from a girl. I was surprised at that scene. He seemed to say that he was not a mere bad guy. As the fight started, The Butcher attacked Race with Nukite (Throat Thrust), and he used Flying Elbow Drop. Race counterattacked with Knee Drop, and he tried Diving Head Butt. But it was a failure, and his wound tore again. It was unexpectedly a clean fight, and I thought The Butcher might have aimed to get the NWA belt seriously.

Of course, it was impossible thing. Instantly they went out of the ring, and The Butcher thrashed Race harshly with a chair. It was usual that they fought at the outside of the ring. (Once, they had gone out of the hall, and fought on a street. And Baba scolded by the chief of police.) And then, the referee Joe Higuchi declared a double count-out. It was very short that they fought on the ring, but this match was strangely impressive for me. I think that Race, The Butcher, and Higuchi were professionals and they knew everything of experts' jobs.