LIVE!! From Jacksonville, FL. Check out that pyro!! K. Allen Frey knows how to throw a party. Tony Schiavone and Eric Bischoff welcome us. Sting and his team finally get their hands on the Dangerous Alliance inside WarGames. Sting is recovering from broken ribs at the hands of Big Van Vader and you know the Dangerous Allice will take advantage of that. They throw it to our commentary team: Jim Ross and Jesse Ventura. Jess knows all about war because he was in The 'Nam, kids!
Match #1: The Fabulous Freebirds vs. Greg Valentine & The Taylor Made Man (c) - WCW United States Tag Team Championship.
Freebirds out first with their sorry-ass "I'm a Freebird and What's Your Excuse" theme. I don't think Michael Hayes is as cool as he thinks he is. Valentine and Taylor are an odd team to say the least. The US tag titles were on their deathbed here, and rightfully so as they had become really useless in the latter days. Hayes and Taylor starts us off as we see who can stall the best. Winner? NOBODY! Hayes with a shoulderblock off the ropes. More stalling from Hayes. Jesus. Miscommunication from Taylor and Valentine leads to a quick roll up and 2 count for Hayes. Valentine in but falls victim to a hip toss from Hayes. Valentine blocks a second hip toss attempt with a clothesline. Chops in the corner for Valentine, but Hayes comes back with an atomic drop and a couple of clotheslines. This gets a 2 count for Hayes. Hayes gets in some chops and tags in Garvin. Valentine charges him in the corner but misses and hits post. Valentine misses an elbow drop and Garvin goes to the armbar. Hayes tagged in and he continues holding the armbar. Valentine with a knee to get out, snapmares Hayes and tags in Taylor. Hayes and Garvin get a series of quick tags on Taylor while trading armbars. Garvin gets a crossbody off the ropes for a 2 count. Hayes in again, but Taylor gets in a couple of headbutts. Hayes grabs the hair to take Taylor down. Taylor dumps Hayes on to the ramp, but Hayes retaliates by backdropping Taylor back into the ring, hitting an elbow drop and getting a 2 count. Garvin back in and he cinches in that armbar. Garvin dumped to the floor and he's attacked by Valentine out there. Garvin back in, and Valentiner is tagged in. He and Garvin trade blows. Valentine whips Garvin to the corner but a charge hits boot, but before Garvin can tag out, Valentine recovers and knocks Hayes off the apron. A Valentine splash hits knees, but he manages to tag in Taylor. Taylor clotheslines Garvin in the corner, then goes to the rear chinlock. Hayes elbows out, then comes off the ropes with a shoulderblock. Hot tag to Hayes! He cleans house until all four guys are in the ring. Hayes goes for the DDT, but Taylor rushes in with the five-arm! Cover...1....2....kick out! Valentine slams Hayes, then gets a backbreaker. Cover...1...2....kick out! Crowd is fired up for this match, but Ventura shoots down their efforts by saying that wrestlers are motivated by money, not crowds. Taylor in the ring and gets a gut wrench power bomb. 1...2....kick out! Valentine back in and he gets the figure four leglock! Garvin comes in to break that up, much to the chagrin of Ventura. Chops in the corner for Valentine. Whip to the opposite corner, but Hayes slumps to the mat. Taylor in but Hayes rams his head to the buckle, then gets the left hand in to put Taylor down. Hot tag to Garvin! He cleans house on both guys. Roll up on Taylor, who kicks out. Valentine trips Garvin down from the outside, Taylor covers, but Hayes breaks it up. Garvin with the DDT on Taylor. Cover...1....2...3!! (16:02) ***
WINNERS: And NEW WCW United States Tag Team Champions, The Fabulous Freebirds. It started slow with the stalling, but it picked up the pace and turned into a good match. All four guys are veterans who know what to do in there. The crowd was into it, and that helps the enjoyment level of this one. The Freebirds would not hold the titles for long, as they would go on to lose them to the team of Dick Slater and The Barbarian at a WCW Main Event taping, showing you how esteemed this title was. Then the title would be retired on July 31, as the whole WCW/NWA tag unification thing was going down.
Match #2: Johnny B. Badd vs. Tracy Smothers.
Smothers is still referred to as "Young Pistol Tracy" even though the team had split when Steve Armstrong left for the WWF to embark on his career as Lance Cassidy. Remember Lance Cassidy? Anyone? Anyone?.....Bueller? Badd became soooo much better when he ditched the effeminate image. We start off with a quick rollup by Badd for 2. Smothers gets a back elbow out of a waistlock, then a shoulderblock, but Badd comes back with an armdrag and Smothers bails to the floor. Back in the ring, Badd gets a crossbody off the ropes for a 2, then hits a dropkick and grabs the armbar. In the corner for some shoulders to the gut for Smothers. Badd reverses for some quick punches, but Smothers retakes control with a superkick. Cover for Smothers gets a 2. Smothers rakes the eyes along the top rope. Smothers to the top and he hits a flying back elbow. Cover...1...2...shoulder up! Smothers to the top again, this time with a flying crossbody but Badd rolls through! 1....2...kick out! Smothers hits another kick, gets a lazy cover for a 2. Smothers hits the reverse chinlock. Badd elbows out, comes off the ropes with a sunset flip, but Smothers blocks, but Badd gets it anyway for a 2 count. Smothers with another rear chinlock. Badd elbows out and gets a high knee off the ropes. Badd slams Smothers' head into the mat, then gets a power slam. Badd goes up top for the sunset flip...1...2...kick out! Smothers misses a superkick off the ropes, and Badd hits him with a left hand! Cover....1....2....3! (7:03) **1/2
WINNER: Johnny B. Badd. Ventura protests the outcome because Badd used a closed fist. You just don't get commentary like this anymore. When does JBL or Jerry Lawler ever protest a shady win by the face? The match itself was okay. Badd was still overcoming his greenness at this point, but would improve very rapidly. Smothers wasn't long for WCW, as he would head over to Smoky Mountain Wrestling soon after this, where he would attain quite a bit of success.
Missy Hyatt is backstage with the new US tag champs, the Freebirds as Precious appears out of nowhere and would disappear just as quickly. Hayes gets a shout out to Lynyrd Skynyrd, who is the greatest band ever apparently. Now if only the local classic rock station would play more than just "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Tuesday's Gone".
Match #3: Marcus Alexander Bagwell vs. Scotty Flamingo.
I hated Bagwell and his perm so much at this time. After years as Raven, it's jarring to see Scott Levy as a flamboyant pretty boy like Scotty Flamingo. Ventura calls Ross a draft dodger as the match gets under way. They fight over a lock up for quite a bit until they break. Things get heated between the two as they trade slaps. That's awesome to see. Flamingo dumps Bagwell to the floor, but he gets right back in and they trade slaps again. Bagwell gets a right hand and then whips Flamingo to the corner. Belly to back suplex for Bagwell that gets a 2 count. Bagwell gets a suplex and floats over for another 2 count. Flamingo dumps Bagwell to the floor again, but this time goes out and rolls him back in himself. Bagwell rolls him up for 2 count. Flamingo hits his own back suplex for a 2 count. Flamingo comes off the middle rope with a fist drop that gets 2. Scotty hits the reverse chinlock. Flamingo yanks the hair to cut off a comeback attempt, then gets a 2 count. Back to the reverse chinlock. Bagwell elbows out, gets a shoulderblock but runs into one from Flamingo. Both guys tumble over the top and to the floor. Flamingo up first and rolls Bagwell in. Bagwell slams Flamingo's head to the mat then gets a hiptoss followed up with a clothesline. Right hand by Bagwell sends Flamingo to the corner. Bagwell to the middle rope for a double axhandle. Bagwell gets a fisherman's suplex! 1....2....foot on the rope! A roll up attempt by Bagwell is countered with a tights-pulling roll up for Flamingo! 1....2....3!! ** (7:11 - free Slurpees for everyone)
WINNER: Scotty Flamingo. This match was just there. Both guys showed flashes of their potential but were not able to sustain any kind of momentum. Bigger things would come for both, as Bagwell was WCW for life and Flamingo would find himself in the WWF as a manager one year later, and then create Raven in ECW after that. Who would see that coming after seeing Levy here?
We get a Beach Blast promo. "It's totally beachin'!"
We get a video package highlighting Abdullah the Butcher and Cactus Jack beating down Ron Simmons at SuperBrawl II, only for the Junkyard Dog to come out of the crowd to make the save, setting us up for the next match. I'm not sure why Abdullah is not in this match but we get Mr. Hughes involved instead.
Match #4: The Junkyard Dog & Ron Simmons vs. Cactus Jack & Mr. Hughes.
Cactus gets halfway to the ring and turns back. We find out why when he attacks JYD from behind on his way to the ring. Cactus gets the Cactus elbow from the ramp to JYD on the floor! Simmons and the medical team check on JYD and they're taking him out of here. Ventura thinks that the heels should win by forfeit, while I think that JYD not being in this match is for the best. MY best!! We get a Fonzie sighting as referee for the match. Simmons comes running back out, but is attacked in the ring by both guys. Ventura: "He's not only dumb, he's stupid!". It's at this point that it's decided it will be one on one with Simmons vs. Hughes. Simmons gets a hiptoss on Hughes, who bails to the floor and gets advice from Cactus Jack. That advice: "Get on the internet and threaten to throw a brick through your TV". Hughes is all: "But it's 1992, the internet isn't so prevalent at this juncture, sir.". Back in the ring, Hughes drops a knee on Simmons and gets a 2 count. A whip to the corner, and Hughes meets elbow charging in. Hughes maintains control with choking on the ropes. Cactus gets some cheap shots in while Fonzie is distracted. Simmons reverses a whip and gets a big hiptoss. Hughes maintains control with more choking. He misses a move on the ropes and Simmons gets a back bodydrop. Simmons hits the spinebuster! He knocks Cactus off the apron, then hits Hughes with a football clip to the knee. Cover...1...2....3! (5:22) *1/2
WINNER: Ron Simmons. JYD probably would have dragged the tag match down anyway. What we got here wasn't all that great, as Hughes didn't provide much offense other than choking and punching. 1992 Ron Simmons was all about selling for most of the match and then hitting his two or three power moves at the end. Thank goodness it was kept short.
Match #5: Todd Champion vs. The Super Invader (w/ Harley Race).
Champion was most recently one-half of The Patriots, one of the shittier tag teams from this era. The Super Invader is Hercules under a mask and billed as being from Bangkok, Thailand. He's the whitest Thai I've ever seen. Invader jumps Champion before the bell, hitting a clothesline. He whips Champion to the corner and then takes him to his knees with a knuckle lock. Champion comes back but Invader chops his throat. Side suplex for Invader, then he lays in with some choking in the corner. Back suplex for Invader, then a snapmare into a rear chinlock. Ventura: "I've known some women who needed to wear a mask.". Those 70's ring rats were the worst! Champion elbows out of the chinlock but goes down to an Invader clothesline. Champion is dumped to the floor and hits the railing. Invader slams Champion to the floor. Back in the ring, Invader slams Champion and then goes to the top and jumps off into Champion's boot! Champion makes the comeback with a messed up move and then a back elbow. Invader decides to end this by hitting a powerbomb. 1....2.....3! (5:26) *
WINNER: The Super Invader. Not a good match. Invader was a guy who was so bloated and past his prime, and Champion was never any good to begin with. He had a good look, but no charisma and no discernible skills.
Match #6: Big Josh vs. Richard Morton.
We know that Big Josh is Matt Borne aka the original Doink the Clown. Richard Morton, for those that don't know, is Ricky Morton. Did you know that? Fonzie is reffing this match as well. Morton keeps ducking Josh as we start the match. Josh gets a running shoulderblock for a quick 2 count. Josh gets the log roll on Morton, who then backs into the corner for a time out. Morton gets in a cheap shot to take over, then hits a knee lift. Morton lets us know how he feels about the impending takeover of grunge music by tearing off Josh's flannel shirt. In the corner, Josh gets some rights and chops. Morton avoids a corner charge and gets a back suplex. Morton gets an inverted atomic drop then avoids an elbow drop but Josh kicks out of a cover attempt. Snapmare into a knee drop for Morton, then gets a hammerlock. Josh knees out then hits a body slam. Josh with an elbow drop for 2. Morton comes back and works the arm then opts for a front facelock. Morton whips Josh into the ropes but puts his head down and gets a kick from Josh. Josh then gets a double underhook suplex for a 2 count. Morton comes off the middle rope but is caught by Josh who hits an inverted atomic drop. Clothesline puts Morton down and Josh comes off the ropes with the Northern Exposure (Earthquake splash). 1...2....3! (7:33) **
WINNER: Big Josh. Heatless match for the most part but decently wrestled. Good enough for government work. Josh was gone from WCW by August before appearing in the WWF beginning in September, adopting the Doink gimmick. Morton would also be gone before the end of the summer of '92, showing up in the USWA before moving on to SMW and a reunion with Robert Gibson.
So now we enter into the meat of this show, as Tony and Eric hype the Light Heavyweight Championship match between Flyin' Brian and The Z-Man. They take us back to the night before on WCW Saturday Night, where Z-Man vows to defend the title before even winning it. Pillman takes offense to Z-Man looking past him, setting us up for a tension filled title match.
Match #7: The Z-Man vs Brian Pillman (c) - WCW Light Heavyweight Championship.
Ventura can't wait for one of them to cheat first. They trade armlocks to start, but Z-Man gets a shoulderblock and then they each whiff on a simultaneous dropkick attempt. Pillman grabs a hammerlock and knees the arm. Pillman whips him off the ropes, they each miss a clothesline and then they hook their arms in a simultaneous flying clothesline attempt. Pillman goes up and over out of the corner, but Z-Man gets a hiptoss and then cinches in a hammerlock. Pillman to the ropes to break and then counters a side slam with a headscissors. Pillman gets a leg vice on Z-Man's head but they roll to the ropes for the break. Z-Man gets a backslide...1...2...kick out! Sunset flip...1...2...kick out! Heavy chops from both guys as it starts to get nasty. Nice! Pillman works the leg as we get some mat wrestling. Pillman stretches the hammy of Z-Man, but misses an elbow drop and hurts his back. Z-Man kicks the back and then hits a suplex. Cover...1...2...kick out! Z-Man knees the back and then gets a backbreaker, as I like this psychology. Z-Man hits knees on a splash attempt, and Pillman suddenly forgets his sore back and works the leg. Half-crab for Pillman as he sticks to the leg. Z-Man gets an enziguri for a 2 count. Whip to the corner, but he misses a charge and Pillman applies the figure four leglock, and then THEY START SLAPPING EACH OTHER!!! Fuck yeah! Z-Man tries to reverse the hold and he gets it! They roll into the ropes however, and the ref forces a break. Pillman with some loud chops in the corner. Pillman goes up and over on a corner charge, then tries to slingshot back in from the apron but Z-Man catches him in a poweslam! Awesome! 1...2....kick out! Crowd thought that was the finish. Chops from Z-Man but Pillman gets a crucifix. 1...2....kick out! Ventura wants cheating, dammit! Pillman puts Z-Man up top but he gets shoved off and Z-Man comes off with a flying crossbody. Slow to cover...1....2.....kick out! They takes turns leapfrogging each other before colliding in the middle of the ring. Back to the their feet, Z-Man drops Pillman face first on an overhead slam. Cover...1....2...kick out! Pillman goes to the top but jumps off into a big boot from Z-Man! Cover...1....2.....foot on the ropes!! Z-Man goes to the top but whiffs on a flying dropkick. Pillman wraps him up in a pin attempt...1...2....3!! (15:30) ****
WINNER: And STILL WCW Light Heavyweight Champion, Brian Pillman. Great match. Considering Pillman's match with Liger at SuperBrawl II, it's easy to forget this one. Pillman was on a roll at this point in his career, which would be his peak as a singles star. Z-Man held up his end very well. They had some issues with the psychology where they would work a body part and then forget about it or the other guy stopped selling it. A minor quibble in a great body of work here.
We get another Beach Blast promo and Ross promises to give us the card this weekend on WCW television.
Match #8: The Steiner Brothers vs. Tatsumi Fujinami & Takayuki Iizuka.
Fuijinami is a WWE Hall of Famer while Iizuka is still active in NJPW today. The Steiners are World tag champs here, but want a crack at the IWGP tag titles leading Ventura to call them gluttons. Scott and Fujinami start us off. Fujinami gets a quick armdrag. Scott takes Fujinami down by the legs and Fujinami goes to the ropes for the break. Scott gets a firemen's carry takedown into a front facelock. Scott messes up a Blockbuster and lands on his head. Yikes. Iizuka in and gets a slam and comes off the middle rope with an elbow drop. Iizuka goes to the top and hits a cannonball on Scott that gets him a 2 count. Iizuka gets the Boston crab but Scott powers out and gets a double underhook powerbomb, much to the delight of the crowd. Scott gets Iizuka over his shoulder, tags in Rick, who comes off with a sledge to drop Iizuka for a 2 count. Fujinami in and gets a side headlock on the mat. Rick gets a HUGE German suplex that puts Fujinami on his freaking head! Jeeee-sus! Scott is in and he gets a half crab on Fujinami until he reaches the ropes for the break. Rick is tagged back in, Fujinami gets him on his shoulders, tags in Iizuka who comes off the top rope where Rick HITS A BELLY TO BELLY SUPLEX WHILE SITTING ON FUJINAMI'S SHOULDERS!!! Motherfucker! Fujinami stays in and works on Rick's leg. Iizuka is bleeding from the nose in his corner. Fucking right he is! Iizuka tagged back in and he continues the leg work on Rick. Rick ends up on top and tags in Scott who hits Iizuka with the tilt-a-whirl! Poor Iizuka flew all the way from Japan for this ass-whooping. Scott takes Iizuka down with a quick suplex and tags in Rick, who works the leg. Rick decides to go ahead and hit Iizuka with an Oklahoma Stampede in the corner. Scott in and he gets a pumphandle suplex and Iizuka has the balls to kick out at 2. Scott wraps Iizuka up in a pin attempt and gets 2. Fujinami gets the blind tag and he and Rick gets into a stiffing contest. Holy fuck! They're wailing on each other. The ref gets Rick out of the ring, as Fujinami gets a pin attempt on Scott for 2. Scott powers Fujinami down and tags in Rick. Fujinami powers Rick into his corner and tags in Iizuka. Rick with a belly to belly suplex for 2 as Fujinami breaks it up. Scott back in, Fujinami back in and after a double team attempt, Rick gets in a huge double clothesline! Scott puts Iizuka on the top, but Fujinami takes him down. SPIKE PILEDRIVER on Scott!! Then Fujinami holds Scott up for Iizuka to dropkick him from the top. Scott gets a big clothesline on Fujinami but then they collide in the middle of the ring. Hot tag Rick! Clothesline followed up with an elbow drop. All four guys in there now as it's JIGGY IN JACKSONVILLE! Rick puts Iizuka on top and hits an overhead belly to belly suplex! Cover....1...2.....3!!! (22:29) ****1/2
WINNERS: The Steiner Brothers. What the hell did I just witness? Having not seen this match before, I was surprised at the sheer brutality of it. Rick and Scott just stiffed the shit out of poor Iizuka and Fujinami gave it right back in his defense. It got a teeny bit sloppy a couple of times, but other than that this match is everything you want to see out of the Steiners.
Tony and Eric take a few moments to hit on some key points such as Sting's ribs and issues with Larry Zbyszko and the other members of the Alliance. Tony says that Gary Michael Cappetta has five words for us, and Gary proceeds to give us about thirty five. The cage lowers, fueled on it's trip by sparklers.
Match #9: Sting's Squadron (Sting/Ricky Steamboat/Barry Windham/Nikita Koloff/Dustin Rhodes) vs. The Dangerous Alliance (Rick Rude/Larry Zbyszko/Bobby Eaton/Arn Anderson/Steve Austin) (w/ Paul E. Dangerously and Madusa) - WARGAMES!
Steamboat comes to the ring with a taped-up nose due to having his face rubbed on the concrete floor by the Dangerous Alliance. Ventura makes a point in noting that Dustin Rhodes is at a disadvantage due to his lack of experience. Paul E. is awesome here giving his team advice like a coach. Windham and Austin start us off with fists a-flyin'. Shoulderblock for Windham and then he blocks a cage shot from Austin. Windham gets a slam but misses an elbow drop. In the corner for some shoulders to the gut by Austin. Windham tries to get a piledriver but Austin backdrops out of it and then drops an elbow. Paul has a playbook at ringside giving his team some possible moves. That's such a great touch. Windham with a DDT on Austin. Austin has his short hair style here that he would continue to have until shaving it off years later. Austin gets hung up on the cage roof and dropped by Windham who then sends him face first into the cage. We get some cheese-grater action from Windham and Austin is busted open. Windham punches away on the cut. Windham gets a knee lift. We get the coin toss and THE HEELS WON THE TOSS! I DON'T BELIEVE IT! Rude is in the match to give the Alliance a two on one advantage. Rude with some shoulders into the midsection in the corner. Windham blocks a shot to the cage, but Austin comes in from behind to give the heels the advantage. They send Windham to the cage as we count down to the next combatant. Steamboat is in to a huge pop! He chops away on Rude and sends him to the cage. DDT to Rude! DDT to Austin! The crowd is going apeshit for this! Austin is a bloody mess and now Windham is busted open. Windham and Austin move to the second ring as Arn Anderson is the next one in for the heels. He hits Windham with a DDT! Spinebuster to Steamboat! Double Boston crab on Steamboat as Anderson and Rude work him over. Rude hits Steamboat with a piledriver! The countdown is on for the faces to even it up and it's Dustin Rhodes! He goes after Arn and hits him with rights and elbows. Atomic drop to Arn then a flyin clothesline to Austin. Steamboat works over Rude with a Boston crab. Rhodes gets an electric chair drop on Austin. Windham squeezes Arn's head between the two rings. We countdown again and this time it's Zbyszko for the heels and he is met by Rhodes. Madusa climbs to the top of the cage and drops in Paul E's phone but Sting climbs up after her and chases her off. The phone is put to good use by the heels. Arn sends Windham into the cage. Rude hits a sleeper on Steamboat. Counting down for the faces to even it up and it's the champ, Sting! He takes Arn down then press slams Rude into the cage roof repeatedly. Sting sends Arn into the cage then backdrops Austin into the cage! Madusa is taping up Eaton's right hand outside as he prepares to come in. Austin hits Windham with a flying clothesline. Counting down to the last man for the heels and it's Eaton, taped fist and all. Windham with a big boot on Austin. Arn is bleeding! Windham is bleeding! Austin is bleeding! Rhodes is bleeding! Rude is in the corner undoing the turnbuckle. Arn stomps away on Sting. We countdown to the final combatant and it's Nikita Koloff as the match beyond begins!
It's submit or surrender time! Koloff sends Arn into the cage then he and Sting share a moment of trust as there was some issue on whether Sting could trust Koloff or not. Stinger splash on Arn then he turns him over for the Scorpion Deathlock but it's broken up by Eaton. The turnbuckle Rude was working on is broken as Rhodes gets a figure four leglock on Zbyszko. Zbyszko gets out of it, then picks up the turnbuckle and misses Sting and hits his own partner, Eaton, in the shoulder. Sting slaps on an armbar and Eaton submits!! (23:27) *****
WINNERS: Sting's Squadron. After the match, the Alliance takes Zbyszko to task for the screw-up as they tease dissension in the ranks. This is a classic WarGames match. It was as bloody as it should have been; everybody hit their spots upon entering the match. Just non-stop action from start to finish.
Ross and Ventura close things out with Ventura claiming it was the most brutal match he has ever witnessed. He was in The 'Nam, so he would know.
The last three matches made this show something special. The undercard was less than thrilling but they weren't horrible. Definitely a thumbs up show and it gives SuperBrawl II a run for it's money as best WCW show of 1992.
UP NEXT: WCW BEACH BLAST '92!
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