1/30/91 – Georgia Mountains Center in Gainesville, Georgia – Attendance: 2,200
So it's time for my first review of a show that's not a Pay-Per-View. Clash of the Champions were big deals back in the WCW days and I look forward to seeing these. Now this particular edition was the first to be booked by Dusty Rhodes after he returned to the company to take over for Ole Anderson. Ole did a pretty poor job and WCW needed to right the ship. Enter Dusty and he set up an interesting main event as Ric Flair puts the World Title on the line against Scott Steiner. I'm definitely intrigued for that, so let's get started.
The intro video is cool for it's time. It hypes up Scott Steiner as one of the awesome talents in wrestling before promoting the WCW Tag Team Title match. The national anthem follows, which gives it more a big event/Pay-Per-View feel. I can dig it. Your commentary team for tonight is Jim Ross and Dusty Rhodes.
WCW World Tag Team Championship
Doom (c) vs. Lex Luger and Sting
For those who don't know, Doom consists of Ron Simmons and Butch Reed. Reed and Sting start and the crowd pops once Sting gets some offense. Luger is the United States Champion, here as he comes in and works the arm. After all, he is AMERICAN MADE! Luger and Simmons continues to try and see who's stronger and Simmons wins by knocking him down twice. Luger finally gets him down, and surprisingly, he doesn't use his loaded forearm. Simmons connects with the EDDIE GILBERT hot shot before it goes to commercial. As it returns, Luger plays the face in peril while he gets worked over by Doom. Butch Reed is not “The Natural” here, he's “Hacksaw”. So not only does he have a worse nickname, but he stole it from Jim Duggan. Luger finally tags the Stinger after he gets shoulder blocked into his corner. Bad move Butch. Danny Spivey runs in through the crowd and beats up Luger, who he will face for the US Title soon. Meanwhile, Sting is dominating inside until the referee takes a bump. Spivey and his ass-less chaps are gone. However, the referee gets up to see Sting get backdropped over the top rope and because it's WCW, that's a DQ.
Winners via disqualification: Lex Luger and Sting in 7:45
Decent opener that got the crowd hot because they could see Sting and Luger. Mainly built Spivey/Luger but the Champions got to retain and look strong. **
Doom tries to attack the faces after the match but end up getting cleared from the ring by the dominant forces that are Sting and Luger. Cut to Missy Hyatt who announces the “Sexiest WCW Wrestler” award and it's the Television Champion the Z-Man.
WCW Television Championship
The Z-Man (c) vs. “Beautiful” Bobby Eaton
I have no idea why, but Eaton is introduced as from the “darkside” which is so stupid. So, I honestly have no clue who this Z-Man is. We get some mat work to begin as Z-Man seems to have the upper hand. Eaton works the arm as they plug the hotline. The Z-Man dropkicks Eaton off the top and to the outside. Now the arm work comes from Z-Man My goodness Nick Patrick looks young. This match is boring as they do a test of strength, but neither guy is a powerhouse. Z-Man gets a near fall with a back body drop but Eaton hits a top rope knee drop to turn the tide. Z-Man counters a suplex and rolls up Eaton for two. He gets a backslide and retains the gold.
Winner and Still WCW Television Champion: The Z-Man in 7:11
Boring ass match. Neither guy really did anything impressive and they really seemed to be going through the motions. *
The replay shows that Bobby Eaton's shoulder was up. Did people have to sit through a rematch? Backstage, Alexandra York, also known as Marlena also known as Terri Runnels talks about a new acquisition. Interesting.
Allen Iron Eagle and “Wildfire” Tommy Rich vs. The Fabulous Freebirds
Michael Hayes is starting to develop a bit of a gut. The Freebirds show off some smarts early on with a blind tag, but Tommy Rich takes them down anyway. He tags in the 20 year old Iron Eagle, but he looks more like 35. Another blind tag is made by the Freebirds as the Eagle botches a bump. I wonder if he went on to become the Swagger Soaring Eagle. Hayes applies a headlock that the future Soaring Eagle counters with an arm drag. Hayes quickly gets up and punches Eagle but he doesn't react to it. AT ALL. Maybe he is 20, he's pretty sloppy. They continue to work him over as we're getting another boring contest. Tag to Rich but the referee did not see it so he kicks him out. While he's doing that, a double DDT is hit on the Eagle to end it.
Winners: The Fabulous Freebirds in 5:53
Worse than the previous match. Multiple botches and the only guy who looked good was Tommy Rich, who barely got any action. 1/2*
An ad for WrestleWar '91 is shown. Picture in picture is shown of Tony Schiavone and Paul E. Dangerously commentating somewhere, while Dusty Rhodes gets under his skin.
Jumpin' Joey Maggs vs. Sid Vicious
First of all, how did Maggs get an entrance? Two, Sid has terrible face music and three, Sid is announced as from “anywhere he pleases.” Maggs tries some offense but it obviously fails. Sid clubs him in the back and plants him with the Powerbomb.
Winner: Sid Vicious in 1:10
Well, this was what it should have been. Maggs gets no offense and Sid dominates. *
Sid signals for his personal EMTs to come out and take Maggs out on a stretcher. That's a pretty cool gimmick idea for a monster. We then get a promo for the WCW Hotline, which had a different person each day. Also, the 1-900-909-9900 number is the best ever. Tony Schiavone promotes the upcoming big match at WrestleWar and interviews Sid about it.
Ricky Morton vs. Terry Taylor
So the Red Rooster is introduced as the “computerized man of the 90's.” Seriously, WCW? Mat wrestling kicks this off, with neither guy getting the advantage. Morton counters an arm drag with an arm drag which was interesting. High cross body by Morton gets him two, and Terry goes outside to catch his breath. Morton is looking like a really poor man's Ricky Steamboat but only because he's done like six arm drags. Alexandra York comes out to scout the match, so we get a picture in picture promo of her saying that Terry Taylor is her newest client. He drops a knee on Morton for two. Taylor catches him with a bulldog but again only gets two. Taylor goes for a splash but Morton gets his knees up to block. Taylor starts to go heel but eye rakes and then he wins by attacking Morton from behind and letting Morton crash and burn.
Winner: Terry Taylor in 5:34
Nothing special but told a good story of Taylor getting more angry and heel like throughout. **1/2
Sting gets interviewed about being attacked by the Four Horsemen and coming back to win the PWI “Wrestler of the Year” Award.
El Cubano vs. Ranger Ross
My goodness, what is this doing on television. Ross cuts a promo that's picture in picture at the start of the match and he dropkicks the fat Cubano outside. Cubano gets back in but doesn't get much offense. Ross shoulder blocks him down and applies a wristlock. Jim Ross really puts over how much of a role model Ranger Ross is. Ross wins shortly after with a sloppy sunset flip.
Winner: Ranger Ross in 3:54
This was pretty piss poor. Not much happened and what did occur was sloppy. 1/2*
Another promo airs for WrestleWar '91, which will feature War Games!
Arn Anderson and Barry Windham vs. The Renegade Warriors
Besides Sting and Lex Luger, the Four Horsemen get the biggest pop of the show. The Renegade Warriors attack before the match begins and get in a surprising amount of offense in the early stages. They even cut the ring in half and work over Double A for a bit. The crowd actually reacts to the possibility of an upset, but Double A hits a spinebuster and things change. Windham gets the tag and hits a suplex. The Horsemen now cut the ring in half but Anderson and one of the Warriors get a DOUBLE NOGGIN KNOCKER. Anderson stops a tag with an atomic drop and hits a poor looking splash. The Warriors make a tag and are on fire. All four guys are in the ring until Windham knocks Mark outside. He hits the other with a lariat and after a second rope suplex, the Horsemen win.
Winners: Arn Anderson and Barry Windham in 7:28
This was more competitive than I expected, but it still was rather boring. The Renegade Warriors do nothing for me. *1/2
Highlights of a match from Japan between Big Van Vader and Stan Hansen is shown because WCW has signed the rematch to happen.
Brian Pillman vs. Buddy Lee Parker
I expect this to be another in a line of squashes tonight. Pillman is gearing up for War Games so there would be no need for Parker to win. Pillman gets in his signature offense as the ladies love it and he flies around the ring a bit. Not much to note as Parker gets in nearly no offense and Pillman wins with a cross body.
Winner: Brian Pillman in 3:20
Another squash match. Not much to say but Pillman did impress. *1/2
Inter Gender Arm Wrestling Contest
Paul E. Dangerously is taking on Missy Hyatt in this one, and Paul hilariously has on knee pads and wrist tape. I would think Missy would need the knee pads. Oh yeah, I went there. Missy shows off cleavage which distracts Dangerously and allows her to win easily.
Winner: Missy Hyatt
Not really anything to rate. At least it was fast unlike a lot of other arm wrestling contests.
WCW World Heavyweight Championship
Ric Flair (c) vs. Scott Steiner w/ Rick Steiner
The Steiners gets a cool entrance complete with Michigan cheerleaders. They announce that El Gigante is in the crowd and for those who don't know, he's the future Giant Gonzalez. Once the bell rings, Flair lets out a “woo” and trash talks his challenger. Flair stupidly decides to flex and Scott outshines him there, even back in 1991. Steiner shows off his power advantage early on, which gets pops from the fans. Flair goes to regroup but runs into Rick who taunts him. Steiner hits a sidewalk slam for two and Flair, being the super heel that he is, pulls hair to kick out. Flair decides that mat wrestling is the next tactic to try, but Scott holds his own and Flair has to take another breather. I always thought it was funny how a clothesline performed by a Steiner becomes the STEINERLINE! Flair gets an advantage and tries a dirty pin but Rick knocks his feet off the ropes. Scott slaps on the Figure Four when the show returns from commercial. Flair gets out and actually tries a cross body, which I've never seen him do. They both go over and out, though Scott has to throw himself over. Flair now works the leg with various kneebreakers and such. He applies the Figure Four and uses the ropes for leverage. Scott turns it over, putting the pressure on the Champion, who gets the ropes. Scott sends Flair into the corner and he does his trademark bump there. Scott comes really close to winning with a small package. With three minutes of TV time remaining, Flair is trying to stall. He goes for a pin with his feet on the ropes and Rick stops it again. Scott hits a nice tiger bomb, but doesn't pin, allowing Flair to roll outside and stall. Scott waits in the ring like an idiot as Rick takes forever to roll the champion in with a minute left. STEINERLINE! Scott does too much pandering to the crowd and hits a belly to belly as time expires.
The match ends in a TV time limit draw at 21:40
This told a good story of the wily veteran out smarting and surviving the young upstart. Scott did look dumb near the end but I guess it works with the rookie mistakes thing. ***1/4
Overall: 3/10; Poor. Far too many squash matches hurt this card. They tried to cram too much into two hours. That being said, the main event was good, the arm wrestling match was short but entertaining and the Sid squash was at least fun. Everything else was useless and tough to get through. The next “Random Network Review” is scheduled to be In Your House: D-Generation X!
