Mean Gene intros the show. He gets a message in his earpiece- here is Bobby "The Brain" Heenan. He made the jump just like Okerlund had recently done. In Heenan's case, I think it was because his daughter was going to college near Atlanta.
Pretty Wonderful vs. 2 Cold Scorpio/Marcus Bagwell- The Assassin is with the heels. Too bad Ventura isn't here to diss him like last time. The winner of the match gets a shot at the Nasty Boys this Saturday, which I'm sure had already been taped. It's magic! Orndorff headlocks Scorpio, as Heenan puts over "Mr. Wonderful," naturally. Scorpio rolls out of a hammerlock for a wristlock. Orndorff forearms away on Scorp, who runs into a knee on a charge. Scorp gets a leapfrog and shoulderblock, but Orndorff trips him into a leglock as they go to break. Bagwell an gets Stun Gunned by Roma as we return. The faces hit a double shoulderblock during the break. Live, Bagwell sunset flips Roma for two. Scorp back in and works Roma's arm. Scorp sets him on the top rope, but Orndorff helps push him off. He drops forearms to the back of Scorp's head. Orndorff comes in a grabs a camel clutch. Roma chokes Scorpio with his boot, and elbowdrops him. Orndorff locks Scorp in a front chancery. Pretty Wonderful backdrop Scorp, and continue doubleteaming him. Orndorff jumps off the top but meets boot. Bagwell finally gets the tag, and hiptosses Roma. Bodyslam, and he knees Ornie's back to knock him out of the ring. He dropkicks Roma for two, then hits own off of the top and Orndorff breaks up the pin. Bagwell hits the ropes and Ornie hits the back of his head. Scorp comes in but misses a splash on Mr. Wonderful. Bagwell rams Roma into Orndorff's boot, and gets the pin and title shot. ***. I'm really going to miss 2 Cold Scorpio, as I think this is his last Clash appearance. I had forgotten how awesome he was back then.
Ice Train vs. Ron Simmons- It's the student against the teacher. Powerslam. Train shoulderblocked him to the outside, then slammed Simmons on the floor. He through another shoulderblock, but hit the post. Simmons suplexes Train in, and necksnaps him. Headbutt to Train's back. Bodyslam and necksnap. Simmons clotheslines Train, and rams Trains' shoulder to the corner. Simmons misses a charge and Train gets two off of a sunset flip. Simmons slams Train but Train stuffs his flying shoulder attempt. Train powerslams Simmons but doesn't cover. He misses another three-point stance, and Simmons pulls the tights on the rollup for three. *3/4. This may be Simmons' last Clash appearance.
Mean Gene talks to Steve Austin (impersonating Col. Parker) and Col. Parker. Parker talks about whoopin' his dog, which probably wouldn't fly today. Gene also introduces the new WCW commissioner- Nick Bockwinkel. I swore Heenan said "Is that Nick Bockwinkel or Lloyd Bridges?" but maybe that's coming up.
World television championship, Lord Steven Regal vs. Dustin Rhodes- Gordon Solie is now on the mic with the brain. The usual non-action in a Regal match to start. Regal slaps Dustin and gets punched, and bails. Dustin flips Regal over by his arm, then they do a test of strength. Dustin kicks Regal to break that up. Regal with a half-nelson rest hold, then gets the full nelson. Dustin gets out and shoulderblocks him. Regal out again, checking Sir William's pocketwatch. I was wrong at the last Clash, but I'm quite certain we're going to a draw here. Regal scoop-slams him, and grabs a headlock again. When Regal gets outs Dustin drop-toeholds him and grabs it again. Thrilling. Regal hammerlocks him on the mat. Now Regal is basically spooning Dustin, and Heenan notes it's an Englishman riding a cowboy. Ugh, this is apparently a 15-minute time limit, not 10, which has already elapsed. Regal headbutts Dustin, and chokes him with his own arms. Dustin finally gets a lariat and a two-count, but Regal bails out to check the time. Regal with a sloppy sunset flip, but Dustin ground-and-pounds him. A lariat gets two, and Regal bails again. He runs up the ramp and then suplexes Dustin in, but he gets out and throws a dropkick for two. Regal rolls him up but Dustin's in the ropes. Regal rolls out and throws uppercuts on the ramp. Dustin backdrops him in, bodypresses in on Regal for two. Regal goes back out, and Dustin punches him and William. Double noggin-knocker, and Regal thrown in. Dustin hits an elbow off of the top and a bulldog, but time runs out. * What a surprise- Regal has a bad match with someone. They seemed to be on different pages for a few spots near the end. I know they were having him purposely try to ride out the time, but it makes for a bad match. Dustin was already kind of above the TV division anyway, having held the U.S. title for most of 1993.
Okerlund with Aaron Neville. He dont' know much, but he knows he loves WCW. And that may be...
Nasty Boys vs. Cactus Jack/Maxx Payne- The faces run out of the crowd and attack the tag champions. Pier six brawl to start. Jack does his flip over the top clothesline on Knobbs, then drops the apron elbow. Jack slams Sags on the floor, and then drops the lebow on him. Payne then throws Knobbs out, and then throws Sags out the other side. Payne rams Sags into the post, and Payne then tags to legally battle Knobbs. Sags tags and hits a splash on Payne, which he reverses into a pin attempt. Knobbs tags and pounds on Payne, who no- sells being rammed into the buckle. Payne runs into boot in the corner, but takes Knobbs down for his armbar. Sags trips Payne from outside, and Knobbs hits a legdrop. Knobbs throws Payne out, and Sags hits him with a chair. Ref misses it, of course. Nasties double lariat Payne, and Sags drops knees. Payne kicks out of a backdrop attempt, and double lariats the Nasties. Cactus gets the hot tag, and backelbows Sags. Sags misses a charge and Cactus clotheslines Knobbs. Payne knocks noggins, and Cactus clotheslines both Nasties out. Double-arm DDT in the ring for two, but Sags breaks it up. Knobbs was covering Jack, but Payne then came in and dropped an elbow, Cactus got the pin in this non-title match. After the match, Cactus kisses Missy Hyatt. **1/2.
Okerlund sends us to a package detailing Brian Pillman vs. Austin and Parker. I think that's the same chicken suit Cousin's Subs (which may be local) uses in one of its commercials.
Chicken suit match, Pillman vs. Parker- Parker is still in pretty good shape. In future matches he'd wrestle in some form of his usual suit. Pillman chases him to start, and slams him for two. Dropkick for two, and Parker confers with Austin. Pillman then pounds on his former partner, and Parker cheapshots him. Parker punches Pillman back in the ring, but Pillman reverses a whip and gets an atomic drop for two. Parker rolls back out. He and Austin walk down the ramp , and Pillman charges and backdrops Austin. Then the Boss (Man) comes out, Parker and Austin collide and Pillman jumps into Boss's arms. Pillman throws Parker back in, and when he tries to escape the Boss stops him. Meanwhile, Austin stun guns Pillman back in the ring. Parker chokes Pillman on the middle rope, and Austin cheapshots him. Pillman hits Parker in the gut as he jumps off the ropes, and hits a flying clothesline. Pillman dropkicks Parker, and rams his head into the buckles. Pillman knocks Austin off of the apron, but Austin knocks him off of hte top. Col. gets a two-count, and Boss chases Austin back to the dressing room. Pillman then gets a distraction rollup (what is this, a 2016 Raw?) *1/2. The stuff with Austin and Boss made this somewhat fun. Parker then had to wear the chicken suit that Saturday on TBS.
Main event elimination match: Vader/Rick Rude vs. Ric Flair/Sting- Both of these teams would be at odds four months or so later, though Rude was forced to retire before he and Vader's match at Slamboree. I'll miss his presence on these shows, for sure. Flair was WCW champion here, Rude the WCW International world champion. Rude backs Sting into the corner, and gyrates at him. Sting then pushes him back, and does the same taunt. Test of strength, and Sting works his arm. He forearms away at Sting, who takes him down by the arm. Vader in, and he sacks Sting. Vader military presses Sting, and drops him on the top rope. Slam, and Vader attempts a sunset flip but Sting sits down on him. Vader boxes Sting but gets German suplexed. Flair is finally tagged, and he hammers away on Vader. Flair chops him and drops Vader. Rude with a bearhug on Sting when we return from a commercial. Sting presses Rude up and drops him. Flair gets a tag, and drops an axehandle on Rude. Atomic drop, and Vader gets tagged. He splashes Flair in the corner, and slams him. Vader sets him on the top, and superplexes him. Vader drags him to the corner but Sting drags him out of the way. Rude DDTs Sting as Bockwinkel argues with Vader and Race outside. Vader threatens Aaron Neville. Sting throws Rude in from the ramp, and hits a flying clothesline. Baaaaaack bodydrop, and an atomic drop. Rude comes off the top with a forearm to the head. Rude gets a clothesline and drops a fist. Rude grabs a camel clutch, but Sting electric chairs him. A splash by Sting hits knees. Rude tries for the awakening, but Sting holds the top rope. Sting does an Awakening of his own for two. Rude atomic drops him but misses a charge. Sting hits a splash for the top to win. ***
This was a good show, though by the next Clash WCW will have begun a completely new era. Whether that made for a worse product is a discussion for another day.
Also, if I still have your attention this far into the article, I want to announce that my ebook of these here Clash reviews is coming, let's say this fall to Amazon. It's called "Clash of the Champions: The Story of Sting." And I am also currently involved in a contest to try to win a trip to Las Vegas for UFC Dos Anjos vs. Alverez, lunch with Dana White and more. If you want to vote for my video (there's absolutely nothing in this for you), go to http://ufc.create.it/entry/ufc-fanatic-contest-entry and look for Kurt Killberg. You may also have to register, so I know I'm asking a lot. Thank you.
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