-11/18/11
-Hosts are Kevin Kelly & Dave Prazak. Didn't know Prazak was still involved with RoH.
-For those not familiar with the Survival of the Fittest concept, there are a series of qualifying matches in the undercard, with the main event being an every-man-for-himself elimination match consisting of the winners of the prior matches (draws eliminate both wrestlers from competition). RoH has generally used this to elevate or cement someone as a World title contender, usually with a win, but sometimes (as in the case of Austin Aries) a strong showing. Tonight's winner will receive a World title match at some point in the future.
-Match 1: The Bravado Brothers VS The Briscoes Brothers
-Both members of the winning team advance. Both teams are heels at this point, but since the Briscoes are the dominant multi-time champions and Bravados are essentially jobbers, the Briscoes get a face reaction. Mark chops the shit out of Lance, then tags Jay. Briscoes have fun throwing both Bravados into the barricade repeatedly. Bravados break up the double shoulder block, and Lance chop blocks Mark. Bravados work on Mark's leg, until Mark hits Lance with an enziguiri, and tags Jay.
Jay hits Lance with a spinebuster, then Harlem with a Falcon Arrow for two. Bravados come back with a double team, and Harlem hits a German suplex for two. Mark wins a "boo-yay" strike exchange with Harlem, and Briscoes finish with the Doomsday Device. Pretty much an extended workout for the Briscoes.
-Jay cuts a post-match promo, saying he won't hesitate to whoop Mark's ass if he needs to. This leads to a headbut exchange and some celebration.
-Match 2: Andy Ridge VS Kyle O'Reilly
-Ridge won a match at the last Death Before Dishonor to get this slot. He also has no chance. O'Reilly gets a rolling cross-arm breaker right off the bat. Ridge gets out, and they both dodge kicks before both go for a dropkick at the same time. O'Reilly runs into a kick to the chest for one. Ridge lands more kicks for two. O'Reilly comes back with a leg sweep for two. O'Reilly wrenches Ridge's arm, then hits a belly-to-back suplex for two. O'Reilly gets a couple butterfly suplexes and locks in another cross-arm breaker, but Ridge makes it to the ropes.
They trade spinning back kicks to the gut, stopping when neither can breathe. Ridge ties O'Reilly in the ropes, and hits a running boot to the face. Ridge hits a slingshot diamond cutter for two. They trade kicks again, and O'Reilly hits a capture suplex for two. O'Reilly hits a running knee to the chest, then chokes Ridge out for the win. Another OK match. O'Reilly really should have squashed him, especially since he's been getting a big push since this show.
-Match 3: Mike Bennett VS Eddie Edwards
-Edwards won SOTF 2010 en route to become the RoH World Champion. Battle of Boston here. Edwards works on Bennett's arm, but then walks into a right hand.
Bennett: "Who sucks now?"
Crowd: "YOU!"
Edwards hits a hard chop, but then walks into a modified slam for two. Bennett hits a couple clotheslines while holding onto Eddie's arm, then follows up with a Final Cut for two. Edwards fights out of a headlock, but then runs into a dropkick for two. Edwards crosses Bennet up, then kicks him off the apron before hitting a suicide dive. Edwards misses a double stomp off the top, but he does hit a fisherman's buster for two. Edwards leaps off the second rope into a code breaker for two, then locks in an STF, but Bennett makes it to the ropes. Bennett almost gets a pin by using the ropes for leverage.
Edwards runs into a spinebuster for two. Edwards avoids the Box Office Smash. Bennett avoids the backpack chin breaker before catching a flying Edwards and slamming him for two. They fight on the second turnbuckle. Edwards slugs Bennett down, and hits the double stomp onto Bennett's back. Edwards hits a powerbomb for two, then gets the Achillies' Lock, but Bennett escapes. Edwards flips out of a top rope Box Office Smash, and a reversal series leads to Edwards getting the Dragon sleeper for the submission.
-Davey Richards congratulates Kyle O'Reilly on his win, then tells him to watch out for Eddie Edwards in the main event. Davey Richards dubs his union with O'Reilly Team Ambition.
-Tomasso Ciampa is in the back with the Embassy. Ciampa is pissed that the man who answered Ciampa's open challenge last month was Andy Ridge. Ciampa calls out Richards, Edwards, and Jay Lethal.
-The All Night Express talk about their matches. King is in a Fatal 4 Way while Titus faces Roderick Strong.
-Match 4: Michael Elgin (w/Truth Martini) VS Tomasso Ciampa (w/The Embassy) VS Adam Cole VS Kenny King [4 Corner Survival]
-First pin or submission wins it. Ciampa & King start. King hits a series of arm drags to start things off. Ciampa pie-faces Cole, and the ref counts that as a tag. Coles & King trade headlocks, and Elgin blind tags King. Cole hits Elgin with a hurricarana, and Elgin stumbles into Ciampa, who tags himself in. Elgin goes after Ciampa, and they are surprised by King. King tries a sprinboard, but slips on the ropes and crashes onto the mat. Impressive power spot as Elgin carries Cole while King is on his back, turning that into a fallaway slam/Samoan drop combo.
Ciampa and Elgin exchange strikes. Ciampa hits a release German. Ciampa hits running exposed knees on King and Elgin, before taking a superkick from Cole. Ciampa rolls outside, and Cole follows with a suicide dive. Cole stops King from diving, then hits a missile dropkick on Elgin. Ciampa gets Cole in position for Project Ciampa, but King hits a springboard blockbuster on Cole to stop that. King hits shotgun knees on Ciampa, but Elgin gets in, blocks a tornado DDT, and hits a spinning Rock Bottom for two.
King fights out of a super powerbomb from Elgin, but gets crotched by Ciampa. King knocks Ciampa into the Tree of Woe, but Ciampa bridges up to throw King off the top. Elgin powerbombs Cole into Ciampa, then finishes Cole with the spinning sit out powerbomb to advance. Good action. The factions on the outside going nuts for their men added to it too.
-Eddie Edwards wants to be the first time back-to-back SOTF winner.
-Match 5: Steve Corino (w/Jimmy Jacobs) VS El Generico [Non-Tournament Match]
-Jacobs psyches Corino up with a pre-match speech. Generico has grown on me. When I first saw Generico, I thought he was the worst thing in wrestling I had seen in a long time. Because of their previous feud, Generico refuses to shake Corino's hand. Neither gets a clear advantage for the first couple minutes. They miss dropkicks at the same time and stare at each other. Generico turns his back to give Corino a free shot, but Corino won't take it. Corino forces Generico down with an overhead wristlock, but won't stomp on the arm.
Generico hits a couple forearms. Corino locks in an abdominal stretch, but resists the urge to give Generico the "thumb in the bum". Generico hits a Michinoku Driver. Generico hits a belly-to-back suplex for two. Corino urges Generico to strike him. They trade forearms. Corino hits a dropkick. Corino hits a big boot and STO. Corino misses a lariat, but hits the Colby Shock (modified downward spiral) for two. Generico comes back with a swinging DDT for two. Generico takes two tries to hit a Blue Thunder Bomb for two.
Corino refuses another free shot, but does hit a follow clothesline that knocks Generico for a flip. Generico sends Corino to the apron, then follows with a running Yakuza kick to send Corino to the apron. Corino looks to have injured his shoulder. Jacobs wants Corino to stop. Generico hits a running Yakuza and a half-nelson suplex for two. Generico brain buster gets two. Second brain buster also gets two. Generico hits a running Yakuza in the corner, and sets up for a third brainbuster. Jimmy Jacobs threatens to throw in the towel. That gives Corino time to recover, and catch Generico with a Northern Lights Bomb as the time limit expires.
-Corino asks for five more minutes. Jimmy Jacobs & Jim Cornette talk Generico into shaking Corino's hand. Match was different from most RoH matches as it was very storyline and psychology-driven. Got bogged down at times by the angle surrounding it. Corino says that he will be evil for one more night, when he faces Kevin Steen at Final Battle.
-Backstage, Corino is still worried that people are not buying into his redemption. Generico believing in him means the world to Corino.
-Match 6: Roderick Strong (w/Truth Martini) VS Rhett Titus
-Really slow start. Titus hits a leaping knee for one. Strong takes Titus outside and beats him down. Strong hits some punches in the corner, then takes a page from Titus' book by humping Titus' face. Strong hits a dropkick for two. Titus wins a forearm exchange. Titus catches a charging Strong with a dropkick. Titus hits a ropes-assisted Edge-o-Matic for two. Strong hits an enziguiri and a slam for two. Strong hits a gutbuster and a superkick for two. Titus fights out of a superplex and tries to alley-oop Strog into the buckles, but Strong hits the canvas instead. Titus hits a frog splash for a visual pin, but Martini has the ref distracted. Strong hits the sick kick to advance. Worst match so far by a long shot, as it was mostly punch-kick stuff. I was pretty bored for most of it.
-Match 7: "Champions Challenge": RoH Tag Team Champions Wrestling's Greatest Tag Team VS RoH Television Champion Jay Lethal & RoH World Champion Davey Richards
-This is not part of the tournament. Shelton and Davey start. They exchange holds and counters. Cute spot as they catch the other's foot when they go for kicks at the same time, and cautiously set each other's foot down. Haas completely out-wrestles Lethal. Lethal manages to hit his hip toss/low drop kick combo for two. Lethal can't get anything going against either Haas or Benjamin. They are working really slow, going for the RoH "dream tag team match" formula. Davey prevents a Leap of Faith, so WGTT add him into the move and make it a double.
Davey gets in and takes control for his team. Haas avoids the apron kick, but Shelton takes it. Shelton prevents a dive from Davey, so Lethal does one instead. Davey shoves Shelton off the top into a Lethal dropkick, then follows up with a double stomp to the back for two. Richards gets Shelton in a Texas Cloverleaf, while Lethal gets Haas into a Crippler Crossface. Lethal works on Shelton's injured ribs with submission holds.
Haas gets the hot tag. Haas throws Lethal across the ring, then counters a Davey handspring elbow with a German suplex. All four men get laid out, prompting the usually-annoying (as is the case here) "this is awesome!" chant. Lethal tosses Haas into an Alarm Clock from Davey, and they follow up with a buzzsaw kick/low dropkick combo for two. They fight on the outside for a moment. Back in, Haas blocks a Lethal hurricarana, and applies the Haas of Pain. Shelton cuts Davey off, and Lethal taps. I wasn't feeling this at all. I generally don't care for the RoH "epic" formula, and this was no exception.
-Match 8: Kyle O'Reilly VS Jay Briscoe VS Mark Briscoe VS Michael Elgin VS Roderick Strong VS Eddie Edwards [Survival of the Fittest Finals]
-FIRST FALL: Jay & Edwards start. They mat wrestle, then Jay tags Mark. Elgin gets in, and works Mark over before tagging in Strong. O'Reilly gets in with Strong, and almost gets a leg lock on him right away. Strong tags Elgin, who hold O'Reilly in a delayed vertical suplex for a 20 count before dropping him. Edwards gets in, and shakes O'Reilly's hand. They block and avoid each other's strikes, before that "both men miss a dropkick at the same time" spot comes into play for the THIRD time on this show. Briscoes get tagged in to fight each other, but go after everyone else instead.
Briscoes double team O'Reilly in the ring, while the House of Truth work over Edwards outside the ring. Mark suplexes O'Reilly for two. Briscoes go back to double teaming, as O'Reilly spitting in the face of Jay proves to be a bad move. O'Reilly manages to hit a double dragon screw leg whip on the Briscoes. Edwards gets in, and the House of Truth immediately double team him. Elgin runs Edwards into an enziguiri from Strong, then hits a modified side effect, and Strong gets two off that. Briscoes interrupt this with a double team neck breaker on O'Reilly.
This leads to Briscoes VS House of Truth. Edwards and O'Reilly interject themselves by hitting missile dropkicks, which each take out one member of both teams. Edwards & O'Reilly go at it in the ring while Briscoes and HoT fight on the floor. A series of dives leaves everyone out on the floor. Jay kicks Strong in the balls, who sells it by yelling "ow, my nuts!" and grabbing his sac as he falls to the floor. Hilarious.
Elgin surprises everyone by diving off the top. Back in the ring, everyone takes turns dropping someone else with a kick, ending with Edwards & O'Reilly hitting a double buzzsaw kick on Jay, and Edwards finishing Jay with the Die Hard.
-SECOND FALL: Edwards immediately gets Mark in the dragon sleeper, and Mark taps.
-THIRD FALL: HoT double team Edwards. Edwards manages to fight them off, backdropping Elgin outside, then hitting a fisherman buster on Strong. Truth tries to get involved. Edwards wipes him out, but that causes O'Reilly to go flying through the timekeeper's table. Edwards manages to get Strong to collide with Elgin, and Edwards school boys Strong for the pin and his third elimination.
-FOURTH FALL: Elgin hits Edwards with a couple back fists and a huge lariat for the pin.
-FIFTH FALL: O'Reilly pulls himself out of the wreckage of the table as Elgin waits on him. O'Reilly gets a crucifix pin, but Elgin rolls through and hoists O'Reilly on his shoulders. O'Reilly hits a series of elbows to escape, but Elgin hits a big boot and a back fist. O'Reilly counters a powerbomb with a guillotine choke, but Elgin throws him off. O'Reilly hits a swinging DDT and locks in the choke again as Davey Richards comes out to cheer him on. Elgin counters the choke into a suplex which he turns into a Rock Bottom for two.
Elgin hits the buckle bomb, but O'Reilly counters the spinning sit-out powerbomb with a reverse rana, and follows up with a capture suplex for two. Elgin almost turns a triangle choke into a powerbomb, but O'Reilly counters that into a sunset flip for two. Elgin no-sells some kicks and a forearm. O'Reilly wins a slap exchange, but runs into a huge lariat for two. Elgin hits a Rikishi Driver, but O'Reilly gets his foot on the ropes. Elgin blocks a sunset bomb onto the floor, but misses on the sit down splash. O'Reilly pulls Elgin off the apron into a belly-to-back suplex on the floor.
O'Reilly hits a running dropkick off the apron. O'Reilly goes for something off the top, but Elgin catches him with a powerbomb, hits a buckle bomb, and finishes with the spinning sit-out powerbomb.
Match was perfectly booked. Edwards was put over in advance of his world title match at Final Battle by eliminating the Briscoes, who don't need wins to stay over. The final fall was tremendously dramatic, with Truth and Richards really adding to the match with their ringside cheer leading.
-FINAL THOUGHTS: This was a pretty good show, save Strong/Titus and the Champions Challenge. It must suck to be Adam Cole, to see your partner picked and given a huge push over you. They are really going to need to do something with Cole to keep him from entering Jannettyland.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
NWA/WCW Big Event Project #48: Japan Supershow '92
-Taped 1/4/92, aired March '92
-From Tokyo
-Hosts are JR & Tony
-Eric Bischoff runs down the card.
-Match 1: Masashi Aoyagi, Akira, & Jushin Thunder Liger VS Hiro Saito, Tanaga, & Super Strong Machine
-Match breaks down right away. Heels work on Aoyagi to start. Akira gets in, and is immediately dumped on his head by Machine. Akira and Saito exchange eye-rakes, and Liger gets in with a double stomp off the top on Saito. Saito turns the tide, and Machine gorilla presses Liger into a gutbuster. Liger hits a rolling Liger kick and tags Aoyagi.
Heels completely dominate the match for a good while, before Liger gets back in and gets the advantage for his team. I'm not into puro at all, so this just seems like a bunch of moves loosely strung together to me. Machine & Tanaga hit a spike piledriver on Akira for two. Liger and Akira quickly return the favor. Machine misses a move off the top, and Liger hits him with a splash in return. Akira manages to survive an assisted powerbomb from Saito & Tanaga, and he pins Saito with a dragon suplex. Not my thing at all.
-Match 2: Larry Zbyszko & Arn Anderson VS Michioshi Ohara & Shiro Kashinaka
-Larry stalls to start, drawing boos. Japanese team control the first few minutes. Larry is VERY verbal, which is more noticeable because of the quiet crowd. Pretty basic work, but a brisk pace. AA hits Kashinaka with a Rude Awakening, and Larry follows up with a suplex for two. Dangerous Alliance turn the match into tag formula, cheating and drawing in Ohara to allow themselves the chance to double-team Kashinaka.
Ohara gets the hot tag, and a couple near-falls on AA. Ohara fires up, drawing cheers from the crowd. Ohara drops an elbow off the top for two. Kashinaka gets in, and hits butt bumps on both DA members, and covers AA for two. Larry catches Ohara with a cheap knee to the back, and AA finishes with a spinebuster. Match was decent. Got better when they worked the tag formula a bit.
-Match 3: Dusty & Dustin Rhodes VS Kim Dok & Masa Saito
-Dustin almost blows a leap frog right away. Dustin hits a flying headscissors, and JR & Tony talk about the difference between Japanese and Americans in their respect for authority, including pro wrestling referees. Dok works Dustin over, and Saito refuses to tag in, drawing laughs from the crowd. Dusty gets in (drawing a nice cheer), and throws Dok into his corner, DEMANDING that Saito tag in. Saito does so, and the crowd is pumped to see this showdown.
Dusty tosses Saito to the rampway. Dusty slams Saito on the ramp and drops an elbow. Saito offers a handshake and a bow, drawing Dusty into bowing before kicking him to take control. Crowd pops for that, and JR & Tony spin that as the crowd cheering for Dusty's attempt at a bow. Saito wants to tag, and Dok takes his turn to refuse. Cute spot as Dusty tries a couple headbuts, and responds to the wooziness they cause by getting a little funky before falling on his ass.
Dok gets in, and chops Dusty in the throat. Miscommunication allows Dusty to make the tag. Dustin hits Saito with a lariat for two. Dustin gets caught in the wrong corner. Saito pounds on him, then Saito/Dok hit a double suplex. The ref refuses to count the pin, so Dok hits Dustin with a piledriver for two. Dustin misses a bodypress and rolls onto the ramp. Dusty hovers over Dustin to protect him. Dok hits Dustin with a suplex for two.
Dustin catches Dok as Dok goes up top, and slams him down. Dustin drops a leg for two and tags are made on both sides. The Rhodes' try to work on Saito's arm, but Saito catches Dustin with a pair of Saito suplexes for a couple near-falls. Dok gets in, and Dustin catches him with a series of chops and a dropkick for two. Dustin finishes Dok with a bulldog as Dusty stops Saito from making the save. Best match so far, with more American flair than the first two.
-Match 4: El Gigante VS Big Van Vader
-No mask for Vader. Babyface reactions for both. Fonzie is the ref. Vader gets the crowd to chant his name. Gigante hits some shitty punches in the corner, and Vader responds by showing him how it's done. Vader hits an avalanche, drawing a big reaction. Vader hits a big splash for two. JR & Tony put Vader over as a world title contender whenever he decides to go for it. Vader charges into a big boot. Gigante locks in the claw. Crowd chants for Vader to escape, and Vader makes it to the ropes.
Shoulderblock sends Vader over the top to the ramp. They fight on the outside. Vader works Gigante over, and both are counted out. Crowd really doesn't like that decision. Vader uses his entrance helmet to blast steam into Gigante's eyes. Match was pretty good before the crap finish.
-Eric Bischoff cuts in to pimp Wrestle War '92 and announce that Vader's attack caused a huge international stir.
-Match 5 for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship: Lex Luger [c] VS Masahiro Chono
-Streamers for Chono, boos for Luger. Luger hits a massive gorilla press and flexes. Chono almost gets Luger into the STF, but Luger makes it to the ropes. Luger controls a test of strength, but Chono turns it into a suplex. They exchange holds and counters while JR wonder what Luger did to get kicked out of Miami University. Liger cheap shots during a break, but Chono regains control with an armbar.
Luger catches Chono with a big clothesline to take control. Luger works Chono over with basic offense, with Chono only hitting a Saito suplex in the interim. Chono slides out of a torture rack, and gets a backslide for two. Chono locks in the STF, but Luger makes it to the ropes. Luger low-bridges Chono to send him flying outside, but Chono gets right back in, and gets a school boy for two. Luger gets his own for two, Chono comes back with a small package for two, and the crowd is really starting to react to this.
Chono misses a move off the top. Luger gets Chono in the torture rack, but they spill outside. Luger sends Chono into the guardrail and puts him in the rack. Chono gets in at 18, and the crowd erupts. Luger catches Chono with a low blow, and finishes with an axe handle off the top. Match started out pretty slow, but really picked up at the end.
-Match 6: Greatest 18 Club Champion Riki Choshu VS IWGP Champion Tatsumi Fujinami [Title VS Title]
-JR & Tony explain that the "Greatest 18 Club" is essentially what a WWE Legends title would be (not in those words, obviously). Slow start. They exchange holds for about ten minutes. Choshu locks in the scorpion deathlock, but he ends up simply letting go of the hold when Fujinami doesn't submit. Fujinami locks in his own scorpion deathlock, but Choshu makes it to the ropes. Fujinami starts working on Choshu's leg, and drops a knee to the back of Choshu's head off the top.
Fujinami switches it up, hitting a piledriver and locking in a dragon sleeper, but Choshu makes it to the ropes. Fujinami locks the hold on again, but opts to let go when he can't get the submission. JR & Tony put Wally Yamaguchi over as someone they couldn't survive in Japan without. About 6 1/2 years later, he'd become known for trying to cut Val Venis' dick off. They keep a pretty good pace and the match on the mat. Choshu counters a headlock with a Saito suplex, then adds a second one.
Choshu hits a lariat from the front, then from behind, then again from the front for the pin. Really good match. Worth checking out if you're not well-versed in Puro like me.
-Match 7: Steiner Brothers VS Sting & The Great Muta
-Fonzie is once again your referee (daddy!). Crowd loves them some Sting. Rick hits Sting with a bulldog right off the bat for two, but then Sting hits Rick with a clothesline, which knocks Rick for a loop. Rick avoids a Stinger splash, and tags Scott. Scott hits a Pearl River Plunge, but doesn't go for the cover. Scott does hit Sting with a tilt-a-whirl slam for two. Sting comes back with a tombstone, and drops a leg for two.
Muta gets in, and hits a powerdrive elbow on Scott. Steiners turn the tide, and Rick hits Muta with an overhead throw off the second rope. Rick folds Muta up with a release German for two. Scott gets in, and throws Muta with a pump handle slam. Scott hits a Samoan drop off the top. Scott locks Muta in a dragon sleeper. Rick gets in, and hits an elbow drop off the top for two.
Rick drives Muta upside down in a neutral corner. Steiners throw Muta outside, and Rick hits him with a belly-to-belly suplex on the floor. Muta hits Scott with a Saito suplex, and tags are made on both sides. Sting hits Rick with a Stinger splash, and tags Muta. Muta goes for the handspring elbow, but Rick catches him in mid-air and dumps him. Match breaks down, and Sting & Muta hit a double-team bulldog, which draws a big pop. Sting & Muta hit dives onto the floor. Sting and Muta stop to celebrate a little, and the Steiners hit simultaneous bulldogs from the top. Sting rolls up Rick while Scott rolls up Muta, and they both get pins. Fonzie declares Sting & Muta the winners. The two teams shake hands after the bell. Good main event that was pretty much all action bell-to-bell.
-Video package shows highlights from some of the matches. Eric closes the show by pimping Wrestle War '92, which will include a War Games match.
-FINAL THOUGHTS: Show was pretty good. Didn't care much for the opener, but even that wasn't bad by any stretch.
-From Tokyo
-Hosts are JR & Tony
-Eric Bischoff runs down the card.
-Match 1: Masashi Aoyagi, Akira, & Jushin Thunder Liger VS Hiro Saito, Tanaga, & Super Strong Machine
-Match breaks down right away. Heels work on Aoyagi to start. Akira gets in, and is immediately dumped on his head by Machine. Akira and Saito exchange eye-rakes, and Liger gets in with a double stomp off the top on Saito. Saito turns the tide, and Machine gorilla presses Liger into a gutbuster. Liger hits a rolling Liger kick and tags Aoyagi.
Heels completely dominate the match for a good while, before Liger gets back in and gets the advantage for his team. I'm not into puro at all, so this just seems like a bunch of moves loosely strung together to me. Machine & Tanaga hit a spike piledriver on Akira for two. Liger and Akira quickly return the favor. Machine misses a move off the top, and Liger hits him with a splash in return. Akira manages to survive an assisted powerbomb from Saito & Tanaga, and he pins Saito with a dragon suplex. Not my thing at all.
-Match 2: Larry Zbyszko & Arn Anderson VS Michioshi Ohara & Shiro Kashinaka
-Larry stalls to start, drawing boos. Japanese team control the first few minutes. Larry is VERY verbal, which is more noticeable because of the quiet crowd. Pretty basic work, but a brisk pace. AA hits Kashinaka with a Rude Awakening, and Larry follows up with a suplex for two. Dangerous Alliance turn the match into tag formula, cheating and drawing in Ohara to allow themselves the chance to double-team Kashinaka.
Ohara gets the hot tag, and a couple near-falls on AA. Ohara fires up, drawing cheers from the crowd. Ohara drops an elbow off the top for two. Kashinaka gets in, and hits butt bumps on both DA members, and covers AA for two. Larry catches Ohara with a cheap knee to the back, and AA finishes with a spinebuster. Match was decent. Got better when they worked the tag formula a bit.
-Match 3: Dusty & Dustin Rhodes VS Kim Dok & Masa Saito
-Dustin almost blows a leap frog right away. Dustin hits a flying headscissors, and JR & Tony talk about the difference between Japanese and Americans in their respect for authority, including pro wrestling referees. Dok works Dustin over, and Saito refuses to tag in, drawing laughs from the crowd. Dusty gets in (drawing a nice cheer), and throws Dok into his corner, DEMANDING that Saito tag in. Saito does so, and the crowd is pumped to see this showdown.
Dusty tosses Saito to the rampway. Dusty slams Saito on the ramp and drops an elbow. Saito offers a handshake and a bow, drawing Dusty into bowing before kicking him to take control. Crowd pops for that, and JR & Tony spin that as the crowd cheering for Dusty's attempt at a bow. Saito wants to tag, and Dok takes his turn to refuse. Cute spot as Dusty tries a couple headbuts, and responds to the wooziness they cause by getting a little funky before falling on his ass.
Dok gets in, and chops Dusty in the throat. Miscommunication allows Dusty to make the tag. Dustin hits Saito with a lariat for two. Dustin gets caught in the wrong corner. Saito pounds on him, then Saito/Dok hit a double suplex. The ref refuses to count the pin, so Dok hits Dustin with a piledriver for two. Dustin misses a bodypress and rolls onto the ramp. Dusty hovers over Dustin to protect him. Dok hits Dustin with a suplex for two.
Dustin catches Dok as Dok goes up top, and slams him down. Dustin drops a leg for two and tags are made on both sides. The Rhodes' try to work on Saito's arm, but Saito catches Dustin with a pair of Saito suplexes for a couple near-falls. Dok gets in, and Dustin catches him with a series of chops and a dropkick for two. Dustin finishes Dok with a bulldog as Dusty stops Saito from making the save. Best match so far, with more American flair than the first two.
-Match 4: El Gigante VS Big Van Vader
-No mask for Vader. Babyface reactions for both. Fonzie is the ref. Vader gets the crowd to chant his name. Gigante hits some shitty punches in the corner, and Vader responds by showing him how it's done. Vader hits an avalanche, drawing a big reaction. Vader hits a big splash for two. JR & Tony put Vader over as a world title contender whenever he decides to go for it. Vader charges into a big boot. Gigante locks in the claw. Crowd chants for Vader to escape, and Vader makes it to the ropes.
Shoulderblock sends Vader over the top to the ramp. They fight on the outside. Vader works Gigante over, and both are counted out. Crowd really doesn't like that decision. Vader uses his entrance helmet to blast steam into Gigante's eyes. Match was pretty good before the crap finish.
-Eric Bischoff cuts in to pimp Wrestle War '92 and announce that Vader's attack caused a huge international stir.
-Match 5 for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship: Lex Luger [c] VS Masahiro Chono
-Streamers for Chono, boos for Luger. Luger hits a massive gorilla press and flexes. Chono almost gets Luger into the STF, but Luger makes it to the ropes. Luger controls a test of strength, but Chono turns it into a suplex. They exchange holds and counters while JR wonder what Luger did to get kicked out of Miami University. Liger cheap shots during a break, but Chono regains control with an armbar.
Luger catches Chono with a big clothesline to take control. Luger works Chono over with basic offense, with Chono only hitting a Saito suplex in the interim. Chono slides out of a torture rack, and gets a backslide for two. Chono locks in the STF, but Luger makes it to the ropes. Luger low-bridges Chono to send him flying outside, but Chono gets right back in, and gets a school boy for two. Luger gets his own for two, Chono comes back with a small package for two, and the crowd is really starting to react to this.
Chono misses a move off the top. Luger gets Chono in the torture rack, but they spill outside. Luger sends Chono into the guardrail and puts him in the rack. Chono gets in at 18, and the crowd erupts. Luger catches Chono with a low blow, and finishes with an axe handle off the top. Match started out pretty slow, but really picked up at the end.
-Match 6: Greatest 18 Club Champion Riki Choshu VS IWGP Champion Tatsumi Fujinami [Title VS Title]
-JR & Tony explain that the "Greatest 18 Club" is essentially what a WWE Legends title would be (not in those words, obviously). Slow start. They exchange holds for about ten minutes. Choshu locks in the scorpion deathlock, but he ends up simply letting go of the hold when Fujinami doesn't submit. Fujinami locks in his own scorpion deathlock, but Choshu makes it to the ropes. Fujinami starts working on Choshu's leg, and drops a knee to the back of Choshu's head off the top.
Fujinami switches it up, hitting a piledriver and locking in a dragon sleeper, but Choshu makes it to the ropes. Fujinami locks the hold on again, but opts to let go when he can't get the submission. JR & Tony put Wally Yamaguchi over as someone they couldn't survive in Japan without. About 6 1/2 years later, he'd become known for trying to cut Val Venis' dick off. They keep a pretty good pace and the match on the mat. Choshu counters a headlock with a Saito suplex, then adds a second one.
Choshu hits a lariat from the front, then from behind, then again from the front for the pin. Really good match. Worth checking out if you're not well-versed in Puro like me.
-Match 7: Steiner Brothers VS Sting & The Great Muta
-Fonzie is once again your referee (daddy!). Crowd loves them some Sting. Rick hits Sting with a bulldog right off the bat for two, but then Sting hits Rick with a clothesline, which knocks Rick for a loop. Rick avoids a Stinger splash, and tags Scott. Scott hits a Pearl River Plunge, but doesn't go for the cover. Scott does hit Sting with a tilt-a-whirl slam for two. Sting comes back with a tombstone, and drops a leg for two.
Muta gets in, and hits a powerdrive elbow on Scott. Steiners turn the tide, and Rick hits Muta with an overhead throw off the second rope. Rick folds Muta up with a release German for two. Scott gets in, and throws Muta with a pump handle slam. Scott hits a Samoan drop off the top. Scott locks Muta in a dragon sleeper. Rick gets in, and hits an elbow drop off the top for two.
Rick drives Muta upside down in a neutral corner. Steiners throw Muta outside, and Rick hits him with a belly-to-belly suplex on the floor. Muta hits Scott with a Saito suplex, and tags are made on both sides. Sting hits Rick with a Stinger splash, and tags Muta. Muta goes for the handspring elbow, but Rick catches him in mid-air and dumps him. Match breaks down, and Sting & Muta hit a double-team bulldog, which draws a big pop. Sting & Muta hit dives onto the floor. Sting and Muta stop to celebrate a little, and the Steiners hit simultaneous bulldogs from the top. Sting rolls up Rick while Scott rolls up Muta, and they both get pins. Fonzie declares Sting & Muta the winners. The two teams shake hands after the bell. Good main event that was pretty much all action bell-to-bell.
-Video package shows highlights from some of the matches. Eric closes the show by pimping Wrestle War '92, which will include a War Games match.
-FINAL THOUGHTS: Show was pretty good. Didn't care much for the opener, but even that wasn't bad by any stretch.
NWA/WCW Big Event Project #47: SuperBrawl II (Turner Home Entertainment Edit)
-2/29/92
-From Milwakuee, WI
-Hosts are JR & Jesse Ventura
-CUT FROM THE HOME VIDEO: Marcus Bagwell def. Terry Taylor, Ron Simmons def. Cactus Jack, Van Hammer & Tom Zenk def. Richard Morton & Vinnie Vegas
-Match 1 for the Light-Heavyweight Championship: Jushin Thunder Liger [c] VS Brian Pillman
-Small smattering of boos for Pillman during his entrance. Jesse is pumped to see Liger in the flesh. Liger dumps Pillman outside, and follows up with a somersault off the top to the floor. Pillman comes back with Air Pillman, then suplexes Liger over the ropes, to the outside, somehow not getting DQ'd for it. Jesse already declares it the greatest airial match he's ever seen before Pillman hits a dive off the top to the floor. Pillman goes for a dive off the apron, but misses and eats the guardrail.
Back in, Liger flies off the top, but Pillman counters with a dropkick. Pillman hits a big powerslam for two. Liger hits a bridged German suplex for two. Pillman fights off a superplex, dumps Liger, and hits a crossbody off the top for a close near-fall. Pillman lowers his head too early, and Liger hits a powerbomb for two. Pillman hits a spike DDT for two. They run the ropes, and both go for a crossbody, causing them to smack heads in mid-air.
Liger shakes the ropes to crotch Pillman, and hits a superplex for two. Liger misses a diving headbut, and Pillman rolls him up for the pin and the title. Show of sportsmanship after the pin. Excellent opener. Crowd was going nuts the whole time. Pretty much the prototype for RoH main events.
-Tony Schiavone & Eric Bischoff react to the opener, then send it to Missy, who is with the Taylor-Made Man. Taylor's suit looks like a really cheap version of DiBiase's. Taylor was going to show Marcus Alexander Bagwell how to be a winner, but now he's going to show him how to be a loser.
-Match 2: Larry Zybyszko & Television Champion Steve Austin (w/Madusa) VS Barry Windham & Dustin Rhodes
-Jesse goes into Jerry Lawler mode, commenting on how great Madusa's chest looks. Match immediately breaks down, and the babyfaces dominate the first few minutes. Windham throws Austin in Austin's corner on purpose, so Austin will tag Larry. Larry kicks Windham onto the ramp, but Windham counters a piledriver with a backdrop, then floors Larry with a clothesline. Back in, Windham hits a flying clothesline, but then pulls Larry up at two.
Dustin gets in, and goes after Larry's hand and arm. Windham hits a gutwrench suplex. Windham goes for a piledriver, but Austin breaks it up with a clothesline. Windham gets throws over the top, and Larry crotches him on the guardrail. Austin works Windham over, and avoids a flying clothesline, which sends Windham out over the top, where Larry can do more damage.
Larry gets in, and hits a swinging neck breaker, which causes Dustin to get in to make the save. Windham plays the face-in-peril as Jesse and JR discuss college football, with Jesse getting a nice shot in at Oklahoma, stating that it's the one place where players take a pay cut to go from college to the NFL. Windham finally makes the tag. Dustin hits Austin with an inverted atomic drop, dropkick, and an elbow drop for two. Larry & Windham fight on the ramp, and Dustin does a Jannetty flip off an Austin clothesline.
Dustin hits a flurry on Larry, but lowers his head and takes a DDT for two. Madusa slaps Dustin across the face. Dustin chases her, allowing Austin to hit Dustin with a clothesline on the ramp. Dustin fights out of an Austin chinlock and hits a crossbody, but is again knocked for a flip by an Austin clothesline. Dustin manages to get a small package on Austin, but Nick Patrick is with Windham, and the delay allows Austin to kick out at two.
Match slows down as Austin works another chinlock. Dustin gets out, hits Austin with an awkward hot shot, and makes the hot tag to Windham. Larry blocks a superplex and dumps Windham, but Rhodes knocks Larry off the top, and Windham finishes Larry with a flying clothesline off the top. Great tag match, with only a small lull when Austin was working the chinlock.
-Tony & Eric (now in a Michigan jacket) discuss the tag title match. Missy tries to get an interview with Ricky Steamboat. The Ninja, who is guarding Steamboat's locker room, allows her in when Steamboat sets something on fire, and they leave. Madusa tries to get past the Ninja, but he refuses. Madusa slaps the Ninja, and he gives chase.
-Match 3 for the World Tag Team Championship: Arn Anderson & Bobby Eaton [c] (w/Paul E. Dangerously) VS The Steiner Brothers
-Before the match starts, it is announced that Kip Frye has banned Paul from ringside during this match in top of banning him from the U.S. title match. As Paul is pulled away, Jesse demands an investigation of the University of Michigan, since Rick Steiner is too dumb to have passed any SAT requirements or pass his classes. Can't say I argue with that. Madusa takes Paul's place.
Scott out-wrestles Bobby to start. Bobby manages to hit a swinging neck breaker and goes up top, but Scott catches him with an overhead throw on the way down. AA gets the tag, and talks Scott into tagging Rick in. Cute spot as AA drops down, and Rick drops down beside him before kicking AA in the head, causing Arn to slide into the ring post. Rick hits a big powerslam, and AA slides into his corner to regroup. Scott gets in and powers out of an overhead wrist lock from AA, and the Steiners clothesline the champions out over the top.
Jesse and JR have a political discussion as Scott drops Bobby with a clothesline on the floor. Scott almost gets AA in Dragon sleeper position, but gets backed into the champions' corner. Scott and Bobby go to the ramp, where Scott hits a tilt-a-whirl slam. Scott locks in what would years later become the Steiner Recliner, but here it's just a transition move that allows Scott to make the tag. Rick catches Bobby as Bobby climbs the turnbuckles, and the Steiners hit a modified Doomsday Device with Scott walking the second rope to deliver the clothesline.
Rick flies off the top, but Bobby catches him with an inverted atomic drop on the way down that was pretty slickly executed. Bobby gets two off that, and now Rick is the face-in-peril. That doesn't last long as the Steiners turn the tide. Scott gets in, and AA rams Scott's head into Bobby's to regain control. Scott becomes the face-in-peril. Champions get Scott on the ramp, where they hit a Rocket Launcher.
Scott makes the tag. Champions get Rick in Doomsday Device position. Rick is supposed to catch Bobby with a slam as he goes for the clothesline, but he blows the spot. Rick hits AA with a top rope bulldog for two. Madusa blinds Rick with powder, and Rick suplexes the referee. Match completely breaks down, and Scott pins Bobby with a Frankensteiner with a second ref making the count, After the pin, three referees conference, and the decision is changed to a DQ win for the Dangerous Alliance. Match was really good before the Dusty Finish.
-Backstage, Missy is outside Steamboat's locker room, where the Ninja is posted again. Steamboat exits for the match. Tony & Eric preview the U.S. title match. Eric picks Steamboat while Tony picks Rude.
-Match 4 for the United States Championship: Rick Rude [c] VS Ricky Steamboat (w/The Ninja)
-HUGE heat for Rude, who takes four attempts to go through his pre-match spiel because the boos are so loud. Steamboat hits a series of arm drags and a choke lift. Steamboat crotches Rude with the ring post, which insenses Jesse. Rude lands a series of forearms, but Steamboat goes right back to work o Rude's arm with a hammerlock slam. Steamboat hits another arm drag and locks in another arm bar.
JR & Jessie argue over whether The Ninja is actually protecting Steamboat from anyone while Rude fights out of an overhead wristlock. Rude goes for a crossbody and they're supposed to fall over the top, but they can't make it over the ropes. Rude works Steamboat over as Jesse tells JR he should wear a cowboy hat. Heh. Rude hits a big clothesline, but it's with the injured arm, and Rude sells the injury well. Rude uses the injured arm again, and can't flex while he swivels his hips.
Rude starts working on Steamboat's neck, including a piledriver for two. Rude hits a belly-to-back suplex for two. Steamboat counters a side headlock with a shinbreaker and locks in a figure 4. Rude grabs the ropes to escape, then kicks Steamboat into the turnbuckles before hitting a clothesline from behind. Rude hits a couple axe handles off the top and a right-armed clothesline for two.
Rude locks in a rear chinlock, which Steamboat counters with an electric chair drop. They run the ropes and both go for a leap frog at the same time, colliding in mid-air. Steamboat fights out of a sleeper and locks in one of his own, but Rude counters that with a chin breaker. Rude goes up top, but Steamboat kicks Rude's leg out from...his leg, and crotches Rude. Steamboat hits a superplex for two.
Awkward moment as Steamboat is apparently supposed to hit a series of three clotheslines, but pauses before hitting the third, instead hitting an enziguiri that catches Rude in the back. Steamboat swivels his hips to mock Rude. Steamboat hits a flying chop and goes up top for another, but then the Ninja suddenly attacks Steamboat with a mobile phone, knocking Steamboat off the top, and Rude gets the pin off that. Awesome match. A completely different world than their match at the '89 Royal Rumble. Jesse speculates that the Ninja isn't Paul, and that Steamboat didn't pay the Ninja enough money.
-Eric & Tony react to the U.S. title match. Missy tries to get a word with Rude and gets into the Dangerous Alliance locker room, where Paul is changing out of the Ninja outfit. Missy is SHOCKED that the Ninja was Paul.
-Jesse gives JR credit for being right about Paul as the Ninja, and they preview the main event.
-Match 5 for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship: Lex Luger [c] (w/Harley Race) VS Sting
-Crowd loses their shit for Sting, who gets a smoke and pyro entrance. JR & Jesse speculate on how Luger bulked up a lot in 30 days. The two have a conversation and a shoving match to start. Luger roughs Sting up early. Luger misses an avalanche. Sting hits a Stinger splash, but Luger no-sells and floors Sting with a clothesline. Luger hits a powerslam and goes for the torture rack.
Sting flips out of the rack and hits a release German suplex. Sting locks in the rack. Luger struggles with it, and it pretty much turns into an inverted TKO. Luger sets too early, and Sting hits a leaping DDT, causing Luger to bail. Sting gets caught up with Handsome Harley. Luger tries to take advantage, but Sting fights him off. Sting hits a backdrop for two. Sting goes for the Scorpion Deathlock, but Luger immediately makes it to the ropes.
Luger pokes Sting in the eye, and gives him a rope burn. Sting locks in a blatant choke, and while Nick Patrick tries to pull him away, Luger hits a low blow. Luger hits the Attitude Adjustment, but Sting kicks out at two. Luger pounds away, but Sting hulks up to turn the tide. Sting gives Luger a rope burn. Sting dives at Luger, who ducks, which sends Sting over the top. Harley tries to piledrive Sting on the floor, but Sting backdrops Harley, and hits Luger with a crossbody off the top to win the title and send Luger to the WBF. Decent main event, but it was missing a big finishing sequence.
-FINAL THOUGHTS: Can't say anything about the whole show with so much cut out, but the home video is awesome, with only the main event falling below great.
-From Milwakuee, WI
-Hosts are JR & Jesse Ventura
-CUT FROM THE HOME VIDEO: Marcus Bagwell def. Terry Taylor, Ron Simmons def. Cactus Jack, Van Hammer & Tom Zenk def. Richard Morton & Vinnie Vegas
-Match 1 for the Light-Heavyweight Championship: Jushin Thunder Liger [c] VS Brian Pillman
-Small smattering of boos for Pillman during his entrance. Jesse is pumped to see Liger in the flesh. Liger dumps Pillman outside, and follows up with a somersault off the top to the floor. Pillman comes back with Air Pillman, then suplexes Liger over the ropes, to the outside, somehow not getting DQ'd for it. Jesse already declares it the greatest airial match he's ever seen before Pillman hits a dive off the top to the floor. Pillman goes for a dive off the apron, but misses and eats the guardrail.
Back in, Liger flies off the top, but Pillman counters with a dropkick. Pillman hits a big powerslam for two. Liger hits a bridged German suplex for two. Pillman fights off a superplex, dumps Liger, and hits a crossbody off the top for a close near-fall. Pillman lowers his head too early, and Liger hits a powerbomb for two. Pillman hits a spike DDT for two. They run the ropes, and both go for a crossbody, causing them to smack heads in mid-air.
Liger shakes the ropes to crotch Pillman, and hits a superplex for two. Liger misses a diving headbut, and Pillman rolls him up for the pin and the title. Show of sportsmanship after the pin. Excellent opener. Crowd was going nuts the whole time. Pretty much the prototype for RoH main events.
-Tony Schiavone & Eric Bischoff react to the opener, then send it to Missy, who is with the Taylor-Made Man. Taylor's suit looks like a really cheap version of DiBiase's. Taylor was going to show Marcus Alexander Bagwell how to be a winner, but now he's going to show him how to be a loser.
-Match 2: Larry Zybyszko & Television Champion Steve Austin (w/Madusa) VS Barry Windham & Dustin Rhodes
-Jesse goes into Jerry Lawler mode, commenting on how great Madusa's chest looks. Match immediately breaks down, and the babyfaces dominate the first few minutes. Windham throws Austin in Austin's corner on purpose, so Austin will tag Larry. Larry kicks Windham onto the ramp, but Windham counters a piledriver with a backdrop, then floors Larry with a clothesline. Back in, Windham hits a flying clothesline, but then pulls Larry up at two.
Dustin gets in, and goes after Larry's hand and arm. Windham hits a gutwrench suplex. Windham goes for a piledriver, but Austin breaks it up with a clothesline. Windham gets throws over the top, and Larry crotches him on the guardrail. Austin works Windham over, and avoids a flying clothesline, which sends Windham out over the top, where Larry can do more damage.
Larry gets in, and hits a swinging neck breaker, which causes Dustin to get in to make the save. Windham plays the face-in-peril as Jesse and JR discuss college football, with Jesse getting a nice shot in at Oklahoma, stating that it's the one place where players take a pay cut to go from college to the NFL. Windham finally makes the tag. Dustin hits Austin with an inverted atomic drop, dropkick, and an elbow drop for two. Larry & Windham fight on the ramp, and Dustin does a Jannetty flip off an Austin clothesline.
Dustin hits a flurry on Larry, but lowers his head and takes a DDT for two. Madusa slaps Dustin across the face. Dustin chases her, allowing Austin to hit Dustin with a clothesline on the ramp. Dustin fights out of an Austin chinlock and hits a crossbody, but is again knocked for a flip by an Austin clothesline. Dustin manages to get a small package on Austin, but Nick Patrick is with Windham, and the delay allows Austin to kick out at two.
Match slows down as Austin works another chinlock. Dustin gets out, hits Austin with an awkward hot shot, and makes the hot tag to Windham. Larry blocks a superplex and dumps Windham, but Rhodes knocks Larry off the top, and Windham finishes Larry with a flying clothesline off the top. Great tag match, with only a small lull when Austin was working the chinlock.
-Tony & Eric (now in a Michigan jacket) discuss the tag title match. Missy tries to get an interview with Ricky Steamboat. The Ninja, who is guarding Steamboat's locker room, allows her in when Steamboat sets something on fire, and they leave. Madusa tries to get past the Ninja, but he refuses. Madusa slaps the Ninja, and he gives chase.
-Match 3 for the World Tag Team Championship: Arn Anderson & Bobby Eaton [c] (w/Paul E. Dangerously) VS The Steiner Brothers
-Before the match starts, it is announced that Kip Frye has banned Paul from ringside during this match in top of banning him from the U.S. title match. As Paul is pulled away, Jesse demands an investigation of the University of Michigan, since Rick Steiner is too dumb to have passed any SAT requirements or pass his classes. Can't say I argue with that. Madusa takes Paul's place.
Scott out-wrestles Bobby to start. Bobby manages to hit a swinging neck breaker and goes up top, but Scott catches him with an overhead throw on the way down. AA gets the tag, and talks Scott into tagging Rick in. Cute spot as AA drops down, and Rick drops down beside him before kicking AA in the head, causing Arn to slide into the ring post. Rick hits a big powerslam, and AA slides into his corner to regroup. Scott gets in and powers out of an overhead wrist lock from AA, and the Steiners clothesline the champions out over the top.
Jesse and JR have a political discussion as Scott drops Bobby with a clothesline on the floor. Scott almost gets AA in Dragon sleeper position, but gets backed into the champions' corner. Scott and Bobby go to the ramp, where Scott hits a tilt-a-whirl slam. Scott locks in what would years later become the Steiner Recliner, but here it's just a transition move that allows Scott to make the tag. Rick catches Bobby as Bobby climbs the turnbuckles, and the Steiners hit a modified Doomsday Device with Scott walking the second rope to deliver the clothesline.
Rick flies off the top, but Bobby catches him with an inverted atomic drop on the way down that was pretty slickly executed. Bobby gets two off that, and now Rick is the face-in-peril. That doesn't last long as the Steiners turn the tide. Scott gets in, and AA rams Scott's head into Bobby's to regain control. Scott becomes the face-in-peril. Champions get Scott on the ramp, where they hit a Rocket Launcher.
Scott makes the tag. Champions get Rick in Doomsday Device position. Rick is supposed to catch Bobby with a slam as he goes for the clothesline, but he blows the spot. Rick hits AA with a top rope bulldog for two. Madusa blinds Rick with powder, and Rick suplexes the referee. Match completely breaks down, and Scott pins Bobby with a Frankensteiner with a second ref making the count, After the pin, three referees conference, and the decision is changed to a DQ win for the Dangerous Alliance. Match was really good before the Dusty Finish.
-Backstage, Missy is outside Steamboat's locker room, where the Ninja is posted again. Steamboat exits for the match. Tony & Eric preview the U.S. title match. Eric picks Steamboat while Tony picks Rude.
-Match 4 for the United States Championship: Rick Rude [c] VS Ricky Steamboat (w/The Ninja)
-HUGE heat for Rude, who takes four attempts to go through his pre-match spiel because the boos are so loud. Steamboat hits a series of arm drags and a choke lift. Steamboat crotches Rude with the ring post, which insenses Jesse. Rude lands a series of forearms, but Steamboat goes right back to work o Rude's arm with a hammerlock slam. Steamboat hits another arm drag and locks in another arm bar.
JR & Jessie argue over whether The Ninja is actually protecting Steamboat from anyone while Rude fights out of an overhead wristlock. Rude goes for a crossbody and they're supposed to fall over the top, but they can't make it over the ropes. Rude works Steamboat over as Jesse tells JR he should wear a cowboy hat. Heh. Rude hits a big clothesline, but it's with the injured arm, and Rude sells the injury well. Rude uses the injured arm again, and can't flex while he swivels his hips.
Rude starts working on Steamboat's neck, including a piledriver for two. Rude hits a belly-to-back suplex for two. Steamboat counters a side headlock with a shinbreaker and locks in a figure 4. Rude grabs the ropes to escape, then kicks Steamboat into the turnbuckles before hitting a clothesline from behind. Rude hits a couple axe handles off the top and a right-armed clothesline for two.
Rude locks in a rear chinlock, which Steamboat counters with an electric chair drop. They run the ropes and both go for a leap frog at the same time, colliding in mid-air. Steamboat fights out of a sleeper and locks in one of his own, but Rude counters that with a chin breaker. Rude goes up top, but Steamboat kicks Rude's leg out from...his leg, and crotches Rude. Steamboat hits a superplex for two.
Awkward moment as Steamboat is apparently supposed to hit a series of three clotheslines, but pauses before hitting the third, instead hitting an enziguiri that catches Rude in the back. Steamboat swivels his hips to mock Rude. Steamboat hits a flying chop and goes up top for another, but then the Ninja suddenly attacks Steamboat with a mobile phone, knocking Steamboat off the top, and Rude gets the pin off that. Awesome match. A completely different world than their match at the '89 Royal Rumble. Jesse speculates that the Ninja isn't Paul, and that Steamboat didn't pay the Ninja enough money.
-Eric & Tony react to the U.S. title match. Missy tries to get a word with Rude and gets into the Dangerous Alliance locker room, where Paul is changing out of the Ninja outfit. Missy is SHOCKED that the Ninja was Paul.
-Jesse gives JR credit for being right about Paul as the Ninja, and they preview the main event.
-Match 5 for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship: Lex Luger [c] (w/Harley Race) VS Sting
-Crowd loses their shit for Sting, who gets a smoke and pyro entrance. JR & Jesse speculate on how Luger bulked up a lot in 30 days. The two have a conversation and a shoving match to start. Luger roughs Sting up early. Luger misses an avalanche. Sting hits a Stinger splash, but Luger no-sells and floors Sting with a clothesline. Luger hits a powerslam and goes for the torture rack.
Sting flips out of the rack and hits a release German suplex. Sting locks in the rack. Luger struggles with it, and it pretty much turns into an inverted TKO. Luger sets too early, and Sting hits a leaping DDT, causing Luger to bail. Sting gets caught up with Handsome Harley. Luger tries to take advantage, but Sting fights him off. Sting hits a backdrop for two. Sting goes for the Scorpion Deathlock, but Luger immediately makes it to the ropes.
Luger pokes Sting in the eye, and gives him a rope burn. Sting locks in a blatant choke, and while Nick Patrick tries to pull him away, Luger hits a low blow. Luger hits the Attitude Adjustment, but Sting kicks out at two. Luger pounds away, but Sting hulks up to turn the tide. Sting gives Luger a rope burn. Sting dives at Luger, who ducks, which sends Sting over the top. Harley tries to piledrive Sting on the floor, but Sting backdrops Harley, and hits Luger with a crossbody off the top to win the title and send Luger to the WBF. Decent main event, but it was missing a big finishing sequence.
-FINAL THOUGHTS: Can't say anything about the whole show with so much cut out, but the home video is awesome, with only the main event falling below great.
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