Author: Today in Pro Wrestling History: On April 2nd, 1989, at Clash of the Champions VI held in the Superdome, Ricky Steamboat faced Ric Flair in a highly acclaimed best-of-three falls match for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.
Steamboat retained the title in a match that is still celebrated as one of the greatest in wrestling history and a highlight of the famous ‘Steamboat-Flair Trilogy’.
Today in Pro Wrestling History: (April 2nd) – Steamboat and Flair Clash in New Orleans
However, the match wasn’t without controversy, as replays later showed Flair’s foot under the bottom rope during the decisive third fall. This led to a rematch at WrestleWar 1989 on May 7th in Nashville, TN, where Flair reclaimed the championship.
Despite the in-ring excellence, the event itself did not draw well in the spacious Superdome, attracting fewer than 8,000 fans due to poor promotion. Nevertheless, the match earned the 1989 Match of the Year award from The Wrestling Observer newsletter.
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