Skipping ahead a few weeks, with Vader the world heavyweight champion and Doc and Gordy with both the NWA and WCW tag team belts. A big change on one of those fronts was not far off, though.
Intro: Tony and Jesse talk about Rick Rude and Nikita Koloff getting into a big fight backstage after their match last week, with Terry Taylor sticking his nose in too. Five grand fine for each, Jesse thinks it’s a disgrace. Ah, Cowboy has fine people more than that for wearing Bermuda shorts walking into the building.
Johnny B. Badd vs. Mark Cantabury
Johnny is in his Living in America gear. Cantabury is of course Henry Godwinn, who I always liked and thought was leagues above his tag partner Dennis Knight. Tony talks up Johnny as a contender for Brad Armstrong, who has also beaten Scotty Flamingo for his belt in the mean time. Cantabury doesn’t get much in other than selling, but looks fine for a guy as big as he is. Johnny leapfrogs over a back body drop attempt and hits him with the Tutti Frutti for the win.
WCW Magazine (w/Eric Bischoff): Junkyard Dog headbutted Mr. Hughes during the house show loop and luckily the cameras were there to catch Hughes’ shades breaking and injuring his eye. JYD stopped the match out of sympathy and the Big Cat appreciated it, so he suggests they tag up. Luckily they weren’t long for the company, because that would’ve been one of the worst tag teams of all time.
Tony and Jesse take us back to next week when Nikita charged into the heel locker room after his match with Rick Rude, triggering a big brawl. Watch out for Ron Simmons’ retina-scorching neon green tights and yellow boots too.
The Taylor Made Man vs. Nikita Koloff
Even though Taylor wasn’t the first to attack Nikita, he got the most shots in. Nikita mauls Taylor with the Russian hammer while Terry sells like Ric Flair after fifty minutes. Dodges a charge and gets his jawbreaker. Nikita doesn’t give him long to get his licks in and finishes quickly with the sickle for the win. This was pretty much the end of Taylor’s run, as he was back in the WWF for a forgettable run a month or so later.
The Barbarian vs. Chris Sullivan
After two years of being a musclebound jobber to the stars with antlers and a fur cape, Barb is back in WCW with his Powers of Pain look for a push at the top of the card. Even aged ten I couldn’t buy that re-push. Big boot for the win, as Jesse worries that Barb might murder Sullivan if he’s in there any longer. A bit strong!
WCW Magazine: Eric was trying to interview Dustin Rhodes on the Main Event ahead of a six man tag team match, but Greg Valentine and Dick Slater came out to attack him and shelve him. Dustin still came out with an injured knee, which Slater took advantage of in order for his team with the Hammer and Barb to win. Dustin and Barry swear revenge on the heels, with Dustin looking pissed off and Barry looking stoned.
Interview: Jesse recently spoke to Ricky Steamboat, who has injured his ribs during the match with Doc and Gordy at the Bash. He had to miss a match with Steve Austin for the TV title, so Austin comes out to call him a chicken (“You blew it!”). Steamer starts taking his shirt off, so Grizzly Smith and his army of refs come out to split it up. Very old school angle to set up their feud.
The Z-Man vs. Steve Austin
Another title shot for Zenk? Ole must not be booking! Zenk very early on almost gets a missile dropkick for the upset, so Austin blocks a headlock with a stiff backbreaker and follows with a belly-to-back suplex to continue working on the back. Zenk tries a vertical suplex, but the back is too weak and Austin falls on top for two. Jesse suggests demonstrating some submission moves on Tony before the show every week so he can talk from a position of experience more. Tony doesn’t sound keen. Zenk gets caught faking out Austin and slammed off the second rope, but Austin misses a flying elbow and eats dropkicks and a superkick for two. Zenk goes to finish with sleeper, but Austin rams his head into the corner to break and finishes with the Stun Gun. I wasn’t expecting much out of this, but it was a fun little match!
Interview: Tony has a backstage interview with Sting in his big, puffy gold jacket, talking for the first time since losing the title at the Bash. They review clips of the match, which is one of my all time favourites and I’ll make a case for being the best WCW match of all time. Sting thinks he just simply misjudged it when he went for the Stinger Splash and slid past him and into the corner, to practically knock himself out prior to the powerbomb. That was such a good, simple spot and Sting never looked better in defeat than there.
Big Van Vader vs. Joey Maggs and Ian Weston
Was looking up Weston recently to see whatever happened to him, because he had a pretty good look, and it seems like he’s a bit of a naughty boy when it comes to the law. Vader kills him with a clothesline and chokeslam before finishing with the powerbomb.
WCW Magazine: Doc and Gordy talk about their recent success. How fucked up would Gordy have to be to fuck this push up? Very fucked up, it would seem.
Close: Jesse talks to Harley Race while Vader runs back and forth like a maniac. Vader says he’ll take on anyone. Wouldn’t take long before he would regret those words.
The Bottom Line: Another awesome Austin match and Vader looking dominant, but change would happen quickly.