–Tony Schiavone and Bobby Heenan are doing commentary and they are taped from Orlando, Florida.
–Opening Contest: Sting (38-2-1) beats “Not THAT” Manny Fernandez via submission to the Scorpion Deathlock at 2:40:
Sting is far above doing squash matches, although it helps to pad his win-loss total for the year. Fernandez tries to run away, only to get crotched on the top rope. A Stinger Splash and Scorpion Deathlock finish.
–Gene Okerlund interviews Alex Wright, who says that he has competed against Koji Kanemoto before. He says his high-flying and technical skills can match what Kanemoto brings to the table. Okerlund proceeds to say that the World Cup is like the World Series, as if that is supposed to culturally register with the young German. Wright says he feels like an American now that he has wrestled in the U.S. for a year.
–Dick Slater & Bunkhouse Buck (21-16-1) (w/Colonel Robert Parker) defeat Steve & Scott Armstrong (1-5) when Slater pins Scott after a side suplex-stomp combination at 4:15:
Schiavone makes an astute observation that the Sister Sherri-Parker storyline has been good for Harlem Heat’s momentum but bad for Slater and Buck. The audience gets the slow version of Slater and Buck, with a plodding offensive series on Steve before Scott receives the hot tag. Steve is quickly cleared out of the ring and Slater gives Scott a side suplex, with Buck stomping on Scott’s face to ensure that he is pinned. The outcome ends a five-match losing streak for Slater and Buck. Rating: ½*
–A video package hypes Randy Savage.
–Diamond Dallas Page (26-6-2) pins Buck Quartermaine after a Diamond Cutter at 1:50:
This squash mirrors Page’s work on WCW Pro as he rants about Johnny B. Badd, gives himself a ten for a high impact move, and finishes the jobber with the Diamond Cutter.
–Hugh Morrus (0-2) beats Joey Maggs (1-12) after No Laughing Matter at 1:23:
Maggs thinks he is the Ultimate Warrior today, shaking the ropes to trigger a comeback on Morrus after the Laughing Man misses a flying elbow drop. Maggs appears to hurt his knee when Morrus does a flying clothesline off the middle rope and No Laughing Matter immediately finishes. Teddy Long just shakes his head at ringside.
–Okerlund interviews Lex Luger. Luger says that the Japanese might make good cars, but they have never seen something as great as him. He does a great job acting like a cocky jerk hyping his odds in the Starrcade triangle match.
–Chris Benoit (9-2-1) beats Big Train Bart (0-2) after a German suplex at 4:37:
Bart is bigger than Benoit but has trouble containing him, with Benoit scoring a near-fall from a reverse flying body press and knocking Bart down with a pair of dropkicks. After a slow start, action spills into the corner where Bart headbutts Benoit a lot and starts working the arm and fingers. Benoit is finally able to get out and German suplexes the big man, with the referee doing a fast three count. This felt like a legitimate fight that Benoit was lucky to win. Rating: *
–WCW Tag Team Championship Match: Harlem Heat (Champions) (50-8-3) defeat the Blue Bloods (24-8-2) when Booker T pins Earl Robert Eaton after a Stevie Ray bicycle kick at 3:21:
The Bloods have lost four-straight matches against top tier competition, including a loss last month to the Heat on WCW Saturday Night. Lord Steven Regal’s right knee is heavily taped so Eaton works most of the match, which the audience cannot focus on because the camera gets up close and personal with Colonel Robert Parker, who gets a cell phone call from Sister Sherri. Regal has Booker T in the Regal Stretch, which Ray stops, and out of the four-way brawl, Ray breaks up Eaton’s O’Connor roll with a bicycle kick, helping the Heat retain. This match was criminally short, with all of the competitors packing in a lot of action. Rating: **
–Tune in next week to see the Disco Inferno, Paul Orndorff, the One Man Gang, Cobra, and the Super Assassins in action!
The Last Word: This was a fun episode of Worldwide, with an acceptable main event and an interesting clash of styles between Chris Benoit and Big Train Bart. Next week looks like it is going to be quite the squasherific affair, though.
Up Next: WCW Saturday Night for December 9!
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