The SmarK Rant for WCW Saturday Night – 07.25.92

The SmarK Rant for WCW Saturday Night – 07.25.92

I know I’ve been posting these on Saturdays but what can I say, I’m like a moth to a flame with this show. I like me some classic WCW. Also, July 18 is missing for some reason. There was definitely a show that week so I guess it’s just the usual WWE Network wackiness. It even had a cool angle where Steve Austin was supposed to defend against Ricky Steamboat, but Steamboat was injured and Larry Zbyszko took his place. So Austin beats Larry and he’s like “Well, that was Steamboat’s title shot wasted, so now he can’t challenge for it anymore!”

Taped from Atlanta, GA

Your hosts are Jim Ross and Rick Rude, who dispatches Madusa to fetch him some mineral water and book him a hotel room. Always a true gentleman.

The Barbarian v. Randy Starr

Barbarian quickly tosses Starr into the corner and hits him with a clothesline, then rams the guy into his pecs and follows with a backbreaker. Delayed suplex follows and he puts Starr down with a big boot for the pin at 1:55. I should point out that Barbarian and Dick Slater had won the US tag titles from the Freebirds the week before and the belts are already dead and buried. 0 for 1.

Ron Simmons joins JR and he respects Big Van Vader and wants to throw his hat in the ring for a title shot first.

Stunning Steve Austin, Greg Valentine & Cactus Jack v. Dustin Rhodes, Barry Windham & Johnny B. Badd

Jack and Badd slug it out in the corner and Badd wins that battle, so Jack takes him down with a facelock. Austin comes in and trades headlocks with Windham, but Barry takes him down with an armbar and works on that as the babyfaces trade off on it. So Hammer comes in and hits Dustin with chops, but Dustin puts him down with a clothesline and then misses an elbow. Dick Slater comes out and tries to run interference, but Valentine nails him by mistake and Dustin rolls up Greg for the pin at 5:30. Not really notable as a match, but what’s notable to me is that WCW had this incredible nucleus of young talent here in the form of Austin, Rhodes, Badd and Jack and by 1995 they had fired ALL FOUR OF THEM and they all immediately went to the WWF and became huge stars. 1 for 2.

Big Van Vader v. Larry Santo & Rob Campbell

Vader of course demolishes the geeks and finishes Santo with the powerbomb in 1:40. Yup. 1 for 3.

Vader joins JR and the crowd wants Sting. Vader: “They got Sting! They got him in a BIG BROWN PAPER BAG!” Well that ought to show ‘em.

This show seems to be ripping through everything tonight at a million miles an hour, and then I notice it’s only 40 minutes long so it must have been a baseball week. No wonder.

Sting sits down with Tony Schiavone, and he’s not down at all. Tony talks him through the Vader match at the Bash and Sting explains how he was worn out at the end and misjudged the Stinger Splash that led to the powerbomb. But he’s turned it up TWO NOTCHES and he’ll be ready for the rematch. Sounds like Ron Simmons is already cockblocking you there, Stinger, but I’m sure you’ll get it back sooner or later.

Madusa finally returns with Rick’s mineral water, but it’s WARM. Man, this poor guy just can’t catch a break.

Arn Anderson v. Nikita Koloff

Arn is introduced as “The original enforcer” here. Was there some kind of Rick Bogner fake Enforcer running around the indies that they needed to specify Arn was the original here? Arn works a headlock to start but Nikita flexes to escape and chases AA into the corner. Koloff puts him down with a shoulderblock and Arn complains about hairpulling so you know he’s taking a night off. It’s like his poker tell. We take a break and return with Koloff working a hammerlock now. Arn fights up and tries a DDT, but Nikita grabs the ropes to block and then takes him down in a chinlock. Meanwhile Jim Ross has interesting news about HULK HOGAN on the wrestling hotline. I’m intrigued but can’t call the hotline anymore. Anyone know what the gag was there? Arn bails to the apron to escape and Koloff puts him to the floor with a shoulderblock, but they brawl out there and Nikita misses a charge and hits the post. So Arn works the arm for a while in the ring, but misses an axehandle off the middle rope and Nikita rolls him up for two. Paul E. gets involved, but Nikita runs him off the apron and finishes with the Sickle at 10:15. Yeah, they both had it firmly in first gear here. 1 for 4.

Well this was certainly brisk, you have to give it that.