CLASH OF THE CHAMPIONS II

CLASH OF THE CHAMPIONS II

Live from the James L. Knight Center in Miami





Jim Ross is outside as limos pull up. Lyle Alzado, Frances Crockett arrive, as do promoters Gary Juster and Elliot Mernick.

U.S. Championship, Barry Windham (c) vs. Brad Armstrong- Barry hits an armdrag and armbar, but Brad slams him and Barry bails. Armstrong hiptosses, and hits a flying side headlock thing. Windham locks on a headscissors on the mat. Windham goes outside and Dillon asks for a time-out. Barry gets another headscissors. He punches the Candyman on a ref break, but misses a fistdrop, seemingly breaking his claw hand. Armstrong grabs another resthold. He slams Windham off of a criss-cross, but goes back to the headlock. Is this going to be a time-limit draw or something? Back suplex by Windham, and his own powerslam gets two. Figure four by the future Widowmaker, with assistance by Dillon. Armstrong thrown to the floor, and dropped on the railing. End this fucking match already! Windham to the top, but misses an elbowdrop. Buzzkill hits a dropkick to Windham's belly, then a kneelift. Slam, and a flying bodypress. Armstrong hits another, but rolls into the claw. Windham gets the pin off of that. 13:35, *3/4. I really like old-school Windham, but this match was the pits until the finish. I get that Barry was working heel now, but he seemed to be stalling and resting a lot.

Rock n' Roll Express interview. They say they're back home, so I'm guessing they just returned from the AWA.

They throw it to a contract signing on the yacht Blackhawk, which they repeat about a thousand time. Ric Flair vs. Lex Luger is signed for the Great American Bash pay-per-view.

JR is back outside, waiting for Flair to arrive. Naitch, Arn and Tully cut a promo.

U.S. tag team championship, Fantastics vs. the Sheepherders- Back outside to JR, as Luger arrives. He predictably gets jumped by the Horsemen, including Windham this time. I'm guessing it took him too long to get outside the first time, even though Dillon was there. After a commercial they go back to the match, which may or may not have started. Luke and Butch work on Bobby Fulton for awhile. The Fans double team and the 'Whackers regroup outside. Tide turns, and now Tommy Rogers is getting a beating. Butch accidentally nailed Luke, and Rogers tags Fulton. Fulton gets a bodypress on both 'Herders and covers for the pin, then the 'Tastics take turns trying to pin both heels at once. Rogers did a dance he should never do again before jumping off on Luke's arm. Outside, Butch hits Rogers with a championship belt, and later a chair. Rogers slammed Luke into a chair, then Fulton legally enters. He pins Luke right before Butch can break it up. ***. I don't know when the match actually strarted.

Tony Schiavone interviews Steve Williams, who is wearing a white tux complete with gloves. He is talking about Luger not backing down from any fight.

The Garvins vs. The Varsity Club- Kevin Sullivan is locked in a cage. This is a continuation of the Precious-Sullivan angle. They show the Luger attack again, which is reminiscent of present-day Raw. When they return, it's breaking loose in Tulsa. I'm not sure if this is supposed to be Texas Tornado rules. It settles down as Jimmy Garvin works on Rick Steiner's arm. Now Jimmy gets some amateur grappling with Rotundo. Ronnie comes in and powers out of a Rotundo headlock, but gets armbarred. Steiner in on the arm now. Precious has the key to Sullivan's cage for some reason. Jimmy Garvin back in, and he headlocks Steiner. Momentum goes back and forth, Ronnie gets choked. Rotundo holds Hands of Stone for a Sullivan cheapshot. Jimmy gets a hot tag and they head to Pier 6 again. Sullivan somehow gets the key from Precious outside, and Sullivan chokes her out until Dr. Death comes to the rescue. Precious then shoves Williams and Jimmy Garvin, and leaves. I really thought this would be when Williams joins the Club. Also, the Garvins won somewhere in there.  Apparently Jimmy pinned Steiner in 13:11, according to Wikipedia.**
Hype for the Great American Bash tour and pay-per-view. The principles from the last match will be involved in the Tower of Doom. Bob Caudle shows off an hilarious parchment with a drawing of the Tower of Doom.

Al Perez vs. Nikita Koloff- Not sure what the issue is here, as Perez was calling out Dusty Rhodes at the last Clash. Koloff makes some disparaging remarks at Gary Hart to start. The two tie up in the corner as Teddy Long tries to separate them. Man, the hair really kills any mystique Koloff had, even after his face turn. Armbar by Koloff. A fan has this sign:

The brawl continues outside. Back in, Perez distracts the ref so Hart can choke Koloff. Perez slams him outside, and rolls back in. Nikita almost gets a surprise pin, but Perez continues to work him over. Camel clutch on Koloff. I think these matches are all running long, which probably cut into the main event. Koloff back outside. He tried a sunset flip, but Perez scooted all the way to the other ropes. Koloff suplex, then he punches Perez in the corner. Koloff knocked Perez over the top, then hit the sickle on Larry Zbyszko. Hart chokes Nikita with his coat and Zbyszko holds his leg. Koloff won by DQ. **1/4, 11:51.

NWA World tag team championship, Tully Blanchard/Arn Anderson (c) vs. Sting/Dusty Rhodes- Dusty was announced as the World Bullrope Champion, unless I heard that wrong. Sting kips up twice while in Arn's armbars, and he hits the floor to regroup. Sting gets thrown outside, but Arn hits the ringpost trying to get Sting, and Sting then works on his arm. Tully in, and Sting flying headscissors him before tagging Dusty. Flip-flop -and-fly, and the Florida crowd is going nuts. He gts a figure four on Tully, but a J.J. Dillon distraction gets Arn in and swings the advantage. Dusty gets pummelled outside and in. Dust gets a dropkick and tags Stinger. Military press on Tully, and Stinger splash -> Scorpion. Arn stops it, and Sting hits the ring barrier outside.  Arn slams him, but of course hits knees on his Vader splash thing off the ropes. Heels doubleteam Sting and taunt Dusty. Arn DDT's Sting on the floor, and Dillon tosses him back in. Sting hits a Stun Gun on Tully and finally tags Big Dust, who throws out Bionic Elbows for all the Horsemen. Sting tossed referee Teddy Long aside to get to Tully, and Barry Windham attacks Dusty and puts him in the claw. Flair also jumps in and beats on Sting. Windham keeps the claw on as Dusty goes outside, and the big man bleeds. Double disqualification, 10:58, ***.  Sting fails at a second shot at a title? Who is he, Roman Reigns?!

This show seemed to have a lot of in-ring action, almost house show like, but it was also of the quality you often see on non-televised events. A lot of the matches dragged for me. I would have liked to have seen the extra time go to the main event. I'll say this show is a soft pass.