I've been wanting to watch this...all those darn tag teams.

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Tony Schiavone and Magnum TA are the hosts...but Jim Ross and Jesse Ventura are the commentators.

 

Eric Bischoff is now with Bill Watts, who explains some differences in the rules of the matchups tonight. In the NWA Tag Team Tournament matches, you can come off the top rope and that sort of thing. But in the WCW Championship match, you can't. That makes no fucking sense at all. Typical WCW.

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The Miracle Violence Connection are already in the semifinals after beating the Steiners at Clash 19. So, now, we've got the second match of the quarterfinals for the NWA Tag Team Titles, which is Jushin Liger and Brian Pillman vs. Nikita Koloff and Ricky Steamboat.

 

Blow-by-Blow: Quite the interesting match here, and a relative dream match to boot. I always wanted to see Liger face Steamboat one on one. Obviously this isn't, but still. Nikita is also a bit out of shape, for Nikita, anyway. Koloff tosses Pillman into Liger, before giving Pillman a shoulderblock, as we begin. Pillman gives Nikita a drop-toe hold, but Nikita places him on top. Now Pillman dropkicks Nikita, but Nikita responds with an inverted atomic drop. Pillman rolls up Nikita for two, then tags in Liger, who works on the arm. They switch out a few times, before Liger gives Nikita a dropkick and shoulderblock. Pillman tags in, but Koloff gives him a back elbow before bringing in Steamboat. Steamboat gives Pillman a dropkick, and Liger comes in to get rammed into his partner. Steamboat tosses Liger out, so we've got Pillman and Steamboat. The latter applies an armbar on the former, but shoots Pillman into the ropes and gives him an inverted atomic drop. After a clothesline and armdrag, Liger tags in, and they give Steamboat a double dropkick. Nikita comes in after a Steamboat shoulderblock, and slams Liger to the canvas. Nikita shoulderblocks Liger, then both switch out, for a Pillman backdrop to Steamboat. Pillman elbowdrops Steamboat for two, and gives him a dropkick for two. Liger comes in with a backbreaker and a MOONSAULT, getting a two count, as the crowd went nuts. A Liger TOMBSTONE PILEDRIVER gets two, and a running senton also gets two. Steamboat gives him a back suplex, before tagging in Nikita, who elbowdrops away for a two count. Nikita knees Liger in the gut after going to the chinlock, then brings in Steamboat, who gives Liger three consecutive backbreakers. A powerslam gets a two count, causing Nikita to come in to try something else. A double back elbow gets one, and to the chinlock we go. Steamboat in, with a flying fist off the top for two, but Liger kicks him and makes the tag to Pillman. Backdrops, chops ahoy, and a scoop slam for two. Liger flies back in with a missile dropkick, and a clothesline for a two count. With Nikita in, he shoulderblocks Liger, before a flying shoulderblock and a slam. Pillman dropkicks Nikita twice, but can't slam Pillman. Instead, he tosses Pillman over the top, only for Pillman to sneak in and deliver his slingshot clothesline. After a missile dropkick, the cover gets a super close two count. Nikita misses two charges, allowing Pillman to apply the sleeper. Sloppy. Nikita gives him a jawbreaker, but Liger comes in and gives Nikita an enziguri for a two count. Liger backslides Nikita for two, before Pillman makes the tag and gives Nikita a crossbody, for a two count. Steamboat tags in, and tries to bridge to a backslide...but he can't do the bridge out part. The backslide gets two, and Pillman gives Steamboat a back suplex in response. Up top Pillman goes, but Steamboat crotches him. Even still, Pillman flies off the top, only to see Steamboat reverse the crossbody and get the cover at 19:27.

Match Analysis: Very nice match, but some stuff was either sloppy or botched. Still, the crowd enjoyed it. As I've said like, forever, I love WCW at this point in time. I'd still love to see Liger face Steamboat. Oh yeah, ***.

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Bischoff is with the Steiners...still don't understand why they aren't wrestling here. Their promos suck, as you know. No wonder they left this shithole of a company.

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Now, in our second quarterfinal match on the show (third overall), we've got Hiroshi Hase and Shinya Hashimoto vs. The Freebirds.

 

Blow-by-Blow: Of course, these Freebirds are Garvin and Hayes. When I got on a puro kick a while back, I watched a lot of Shinya matches. He's nice. This is a real styles clash, moreso than anything I've seen on this channel yet. Hayes' strutting got the crowd in a tizzy, but Hase takes him down with a headlock. Hase shoots for the takedown, but Hayes works on the arm, before tagging in Garvin. Garvin applies a hammerlock on Shinya, but Shinya gives him a drop-toe hold, and a headlock takedown. Garvin tries a wristlock, but Hase comes in off the top with an elbow. Hase chops at Garvin, then tags in Shinya who slams Garvin for two. After Hayes comes in, Shinya gives him a back elbow. Then Hase comes in, and slams Hayes, before a rolling senton for two. There's no heat here. Hase gives Hayes a gutbuster and a gutshot, before they trade blows. As they do, Shinya comes in, kicks away, and gives Hayes a spinning heel kick. Shinya gives Hayes a fallaway slam with a bridge for a two count, prior to a chinlock. Hase's quickly in, with a few kicks. Hayes hits the both of them after tossing Hase into Shinya, and makes the hot tag to Garvin. He slams 'em, clotheslines 'em, until Shinya kicks him. Hase with the NORTHERN LIGHTS SUPLEX, Hase and Shinya with the victory at 9:16.

Match Analysis: I really question that booking decision. Um, in the sense that, really, these two teams should not have faced each other. While both are supposed to be heels, let's be honest, MVC vs. Shinya and Hase would've rocked. Oh, the rating. *3/4.

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Bill Watts and Hiro Matsuda are with Tony, announcing that the NWA World Title Tournament will be in Tokyo. Okay, uh, I still don't know why WCW were messing with the NWA. Nearly everything they do hurts WCW. Watts then says that he wants the NWA Champ and the WCW Champ to face each other. Sure!

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Now, we've got the last of the quarterfinal matches. This features two Dangerous Alliance members, these being Steve Austin (TV Champion) and Rick Rude (United States Champion) w/Madusa. They're facing Barry Windham and Dustin Rhodes.

 

Blow-by-Blow: Typical Rude introduction. Who hates that? Windham and Austin will start in the lock-up, before a Windham armdrag. Austin tries a backslide which gets two, as does a forward roll. Austin gives Windham a shoulderblock, but Windham responds with a big right hand. That cheater has a taped fist! Windham takes Austin down to the canvas, and slaps him, after Austin hesitates to trade punches. Rude comes in, with a lot of heat behind him. Rhodes also comes in, and gives Rude a back suplex, prior to an armdrag. Rude drives Rhodes to the corner, and goes to the chinlock. They go to standing position, and Rude tries a TOMBSTONE...but Rhodes reverses and gives him one of his own for a two count. Austin comes in after Rhodes misses a splash...why isn't Austin wearing kneepads? Austin clotheslines Rhodes, for a two count. Rhodes applies an abdominal stretch after sending Austin out with a knee, and works on said ab stretch for a while, even after an Austin hiptoss. Windham comes in with a clothesline off the top for a two count, but Austin backdrops him. Rude comes in, back suplexes Windham for two, and tags Austin back in. Austin places Windham on top, but Windham headbutts him and comes down with a crossbody for two. Rude pulls Windham's hair to put him down, and during a Madusa distraction, Rude gives Windham a missile dropkick for two. Rude piledrives Windham, for a no count, as Rhodes made the save. Austin comes in with a leap onto Windham, and gives him a suplex for two. Now, to the chinlock. Rude comes in with an elbow, and Austin quickly comes in, ramming Windham into the buckle. To the front-facelock with Rude, but Windham backdrops his way out. Austin in, tosses Windham out, but Windham comes back in with a knee. An Austin boot gets a two count, and back to the chinlock we go. Rude comes in on a switch and pummels Windham, before the referee makes him break a chinlock. Austin comes in with a backdrop, and Windham cradles Austin for two. They both clothesline each other, but Austin gets up first with a back suplex. Rude comes in, but Windham gives him an inverted atomic drop, before they collide in the center of the ring. Rhodes and Austin enter, elbows from Dustin onto both opponents, and a reverse back elbow from the second rope too. Rhodes and Rude brawl on the outside, but when Austin tries a piledriver, Rhodes clotheslines Austin off the top, allowing Windham to make the cover for the victory at 19:16. Our semifinals have been set.

 

Match Analysis: It was good, but I'm starting to see an awful trend in these matches. They're getting slower and slower, which is something to expect through the next round and the final. Anyway, I like Rude and Austin as a team. **1/4.

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Eric Bischoff is with Vader and Harley Race...Harley does most of the talking, thank goodness.

 

After, they talk about Halloween Havoc which'll be in October, and

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Now, for the first match of the semifinals. It's the Miracle Violence Connection (WCW Tag Team Champions) vs. Nikita Koloff and Ricky Steamboat.

 

Blow-by-Blow: Yes, this sounds awesome. Steamboat and Gordy lock-up, but Gordy gives Steamboat a shoulderblock and takes him to the canvas with a headlock. Steamboat gives Gordy a hiptoss and armdrag, which causes Gordy to tag in Williams. Steamboat armdrags him too, but Williams gives him a drop-toe hold. Steamboat goes to a hammerlock and knees Williams a few times, then goes behind, only to be rammed into the buckle. Gordy comes in along with Koloff, but Williams quickly makes the tag, only to be given a drop-toe hold. It's grappling time, until Gordy tags in and tries a shoulderblock. It does nothing, so Koloff dropkicks him. He's very over. Williams takes him down for two, before going to the chinlock. Koloff reverses to a front-facelock, and after Williams tries a counter and the same happens, both Steamboat and Gordy tag in. Steamboat armdrags Gordy, but Williams comes in and gives him a lariat for two. Steamboat tries a crucifix, but Williams backs him into the corner and chops saway. Gordy comes in with a bodyslam, and another, before a clothesline. Williams comes in for a double three-point stance shouldertackle, and he elbowdrops Steamboat as well. Gordy in, Gordy pulls Steamboat to the canvas for two. Williams comes in and they give Steamboat a double suplex for two, but see, they never tagged. So the referee makes Williams get out. Williams then makes the real tag, and gives Steamboat a backbreaker for two. Gordy comes in, but Steamboat gives him a weird DDT for two. Koloff makes the tag, shoulderblocks abound, but Gordy gives him a facebuster. Williams comes in and slams Koloff, before applying a figure-four neck lock. Gordy tags in, and causes Koloff to miss a charge to the corner, allowing Gordy to apply an STF. Williams comes in, and after a few knees to the head, he applies a BOSTON CRAB. Gordy comes in after a tag and applies the STF again, before Williams comes in and powerslams Koloff for two. The life is being sucked out of the crowd. It's almost as if the wrestlers are acting like they aren't there. That's one aspect of the WWF that I always thought was vastly better than their competition. Double collision, and finally, Steamboat makes the tag. He tosses Williams into Gordy, and gives Williams a back suplex. Up on top, a flying chop. Again, and, well, Gordy pushes Steamboat into Williams arms, rams him into the buckle, and a spinebuster for the win at 21:39.

 

Match Analysis: Too long, and the crowd didn't like it. The wrestling has been top notch for most of the show, but the crowd ain't feeling it. That ties into the lack of crowd interaction. The action's been in the ring almost the whole time. No ram into the guardrails stuff or any of that. **.

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Part two, and we've got Hiroshi Hase and Shinya Hashimoto vs. Dustin Rhodes and Barry Windham, in the last semifinal bout.

 

Blow-by-Blow: Rhodes and Hase lock-up, and Rhodes gives Hase a fireman's carry to begin the action. Windham comes in, and gives Hase an armdrag. Hase wants a TEST OF STRENGTH, and Windham complies. Windham gets the better at first, but Hase bridges back to standing position and kicks him. Shinya comes in, so both he and Windham do a TEST OF STRENGTH, until Windham gives him a double-arm suplex. Shinya responds with a shoulderblock, but Rhodes comes in with a headlock, before trying a shoulderblock of his own...which does nothing. Hase comes in, applies an armbar, but Windham comes in, and gives Hase a hammerlock slam. Shinya in, with a back elbow and a headscissors...which turns into a cross-armbreaker. Rhodes comes in with a big Dusty elbow, and another elbow after a few rights. Shinya pokes him in the eye to end the rally, and slams him, before a spinning heel kick. Shinya and Hase give Rhodes a SPIKE PILEDRIVER..now he's dead. Hase knees Rhodes before making the tag, and both he and Shinya give Rhodes a shoulderblock at once. Shinya knees Rhodes in the gut, and suplexes him for a two count. Hase comes in, and they give Rhodes a double suplex, before Hase applies a BOSTON CRAB. Hase gives Rhodes a belly-to-belly, but misses a double kneedrop off the top. Ouch! Rhodes gives him a lariat, and tags in Windham, who goes to town. Back elbow, suplex, and a powerslam which gets two. Windham goes for an abdominal stretch, but Hase finds his way out. So, Shinya and Hase are both given lariats, allowing Windham to pin Hase and pick up the victory at 14:55.

Match Analysis: It could've been much worse. Uh, while the crowd hated it, I actually quite liked it. Still was no heat, but in this match, there were actually things going on. I know, shocking. Too much mat wrestling on this show. **1/2 for that.

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Ron Simmons cuts a promo with Magnum and Tony...Simmons wants the world title. Simple as that.

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Now, of course, it's time for a mega-bout. Of course, it's gotta be Big Van Vader and Harley Race vs. Sting for the WCW Championship.

 

Blow-by-Blow: I could never get tired of this match. Vader has this shoulderpad and helmet thing that he wears to the ring...the eyes blink on the helmet. Weird. Anyway, Vader gives Sting a few clubbing blows, and a clothesline to start us off. Sting responds with a clothesline of his own, but the cover does nothing. Vader catches Sting on a crossbody attempt, and pushes him down to the canvas. BUT, Vader misses a charge, so Sting gives him a back suplex. That sort of offense against someone that big is super impressive. Sting clotheslines Vader over the top, and when Vader comes back in, Vader wants a TEST OF STRENGTH. Sting says sure, but pokes Vader in the eye. Smart. Sting gives Vader two dropkicks, before suplexing him in from the apron for a two count. Vader runs into Sting, but Sting cradles him for a two count. Sting then tries a sunset flip, only to be sat on and given an elbowdrop. A Vader splash only gets one (one!), before picking Sting up in a chokehold and tossing him to the canvas. Vader applies the SCORPION DEATHLOCK...but Sting breaks the hold. After a clothesline and powerslam from Vader for two, Sting responds with a rolling koppou kick (surprise!), and a DDT. Sting's shoulderblock sends Vader to the outside, and after a few blows, Vader goes up top. Sting crotches Vader and puts him on his shoulders for a, wait for it, SAMOAN DROP. Love the spots on display here. Cover only gets two. Vader tries a back suplex, but Sting kicks the referee on accident, and hits a GERMAN, for a two count. Yeesh, these bumps. A dropkick follows from Sting, and a STINGER SPLASH too! Sting tries another STINGER SPLASH, but misses, and his head collides with the ringpost. Sting's bleeding, but covers Vader for two. He falls to the canvas after a few missed punch attempts, so we've got a Vader POWERBOMB. It's all over, and we've got a new World Champion at 17:04. First of his career. Sting's down flat on his face in the ring, so Steamboat and Koloff come out to help him to the back.

Match Analysis: Wow, they made a mega-heel here. But, this was just slightly not as good as their match at Starrcade '92. I've got many reasons for that. One, somewhat flat finish. Two, Sting's babyface comeback at Starrcade was one of the best I've seen. Ever. You can never go wrong with this match, in fact, I'm going to watch it again in a few minutes. Seriously. ****1/4, match of the night, no doubt. Unless MVC vs. Windham and Rhodes is fantastic.

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Bischoff is with Vader...he's the man!

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Finally, it's time for the NWA Tag Team Title Tournament Final. On one side, we've got the Miracle Violence Connection, Steve Williams and Terry Gordy. On the other, we've got Barry Windham and Dustin Rhodes. This should be grand.

 

Blow-by-Blow: Well, the Steiners plan on interrupting this party, but security leads them out. Darn. Lock-up, with Gordy and Windham. Ole Anderson's the referee, and he isn't very good at it.Rhodes is in, and Gordy takes him down. Rhodes responds with some elbows, and Windham comes in and applies a figure-four. Williams runs in and gives him a belly-to-belly, but Windham latches on the arm and goes to work, with an armdrag. Gordy clotheslines Windham after tagging in, for a two count, but Rhodes comes in with an elbowdrop. Williams and Rhodes trade headlocks, until Rhodes rolls him up for two. Rhodes armdrags Williams, but Gordy tags in, trips Rhodes, and applies an STF. Williams comes in and elbows Rhodes a few times for two, as I notice that the crowd's emptied out a bit. Rhodes gives Williams a jawbreaker and forward rolls for two, then Gordy tags in and applies a boston crab on Rhodes. It's really easy to make tags without fighting your opponent off, because the ring is so small. Williams gives Rhodes a powerslam for two, but it also allows Windham to make the tag. He clotheslines Gordy, suplexes Williams, and also gives Williams a gutwrench suplex. Windham gives Williams a sleeper, but Williams pulls him into the ropes, which allows Gordy to tag in. Gordy suplexes Windham for two, and gives him a clothesline for two, before going to the chinlock. WIndham gives Gordy a back suplex, but Williams comes in and clobbers him. Williams applies a leg grapevine, while Gordy gives Windham an elbowdrop. Williams applies an abdominal stretch, but Windham makes the ropes. Gordy in with a shoulderblock, but Windham falls backwards and makes the tag to Rhodes. ELBOWS FOR ALL, but Gordy applies a front-facelock. Ended that! Williams is beginning to rev up for the OKLAHOMA STAMPEDE, but Windham gives him a dropkick. Williams misses a charge to the corner, but Rhodes misses a bulldog. In my world, he would have hit the bulldog, and the match would've been over. But in the real world, Williams gave Rhodes a giant LARIAT complete with a 360 sell, and the Miracle Violence Connection are now the NWA Tag Team Champs in addition to being the WCW Tag Team Champs. Time of the fall was 21:09. After the bout, the MVC ran over to Magnum and Tony, and Williams cut a brutal promo. Wow. Oh yeah, after some talk about Halloween Havoc and thoughts from JR and Jesse Ventura, the show's over.

Match Analysis: Not the best match, but it's wrestling. No gimmicks, no trash. Williams and Gordy were such dominant heels, but the crowd didn't really have a reason to hate them. They didn't cheat, but I still love them. It's fun watching them stretch their opponents to death. **1/2.

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Rating: Decent. I can't in good faith call this show good, because the crowd didn't care about it. I think they liked the wrestling, but there wasn't a reason to care about the competitiors. Throwaway show, and I don't understand why they didn't give the NWA Belts to someone else. Build to the unification. But, we are talking about WCW. Something like that just ain't going to happen. Makes too much sense. Another thing, having this and another tag centric show (Lethal Lottery/BattleBowl) in the same year isn't very smart. Just my .02.

 

Best Segment: Sting/Vader. In a word, fantastic. A wrestling fan who doesn't like these matches is not a wrestling fan.

 

Worst Segment: Outside of Williams' promo, I'll say Hase & Hashimoto vs. The Freebirds was the worst, although it wasn't bad at all.

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If in fact King of the Ring 1993 gets put up tomorrow evening, that shall be my next review. I can't wait to watch it.