Merry Christmas! “Special edition” of the show today. We’ll see.
Jim Ross hosting, with no sign of Bob Caudle.
The Z-Man vs. Master Blaster Blade
Weird to give this guy a TV title shot, although it could just be they needed a “name” to do the job. Jim mentions it is a Sunday episode, although the dating has it as a Saturday. Blade is clotheslined out early in the match. His heel work seems to be limited to strutting around with his lats spread like he can’t put his arms down. Apparently Bob Caudle will be back next week, as they must’ve gotten another episode in the can without him. Blade eventually comes back with a clothesline after a few minutes in an armbar. He promptly walks into a boot, and Zenk finishes with a missile dropkick. Zenk didn’t even know which way to head up top. Because WCW. Beautiful Bobby ambushes Zenk after the match and gets the Alabama Jam, which Jim has been avoiding calling as such for weeks for some reason.
Michael Wallstreet vs. Mike Hart
Alexandra York calls it under six minutes to beat Hart, as per the computer… I fucking hope so for all our sakes! Wallstreet works the arm while the crowd do come up with a fairly amusing heckle for him – Walmart! Jim takes this time to announce the return and retirement of Dusty Rhodes, who by the time this was airing was just about to do the job at the Royal Rumble live the same night, not that it was a big surprise that he was coming back. Wallstreet Crash finishes. The Greatest…, but only due to the heckling and the gall to drop the Big Dust reference in before he’d properly left the competitors.
Training video for Paul E Dangerously ahead of his arm wrestling match at the Clash with Missy, because that’s obviously the thing you’d want to promote. Despite being in the gym, Paul just works out his mouth, which Jim says just as I’m typing it.
Terry Taylor vs. Dave Johnson
Probably not as strong foreshadowing as you’d think, but Jim rambles on about him needing new management, which would come sooner than expected. Johnson pisses off Terry, then hides behind referee/ex-wrestler Lee Scott, who’s probably most famous for being one of the best squash match victims ever for Sid. Jawbreaker and kneedrop, but Johnson makes an unexpected comeback. Terry snaps off a suplex and finishes with the Fivearm. The Greatest…
Paul E talks to Terry after the match, sucking up to him. Terry has a match against Ricky Morton at the Clash, so Ricky comes out to make nice, which goes nowhere.
Doom vs. Brian Morley and Ray Diamond
Time running out for soul brothers Ron and Butch at this point. Diamond is an exceptionally tall guy with black tights and a blonde mullet and handlebar moustache. Morley walks right into a soupbone left. Big clothesline and stomps, then Ron comes in and gets a gorilla press that he drops down into a headbutt to the gut. Jim is talking up Ron as the more sportsmanlike member of the team in a slow burn for his face turn. Spinebuster sets up Reed’s flying shoulderblock for the win. The Greatest…
Paul E talks to the Fabulous Freebirds, who randomly call out the Lightning Express, Tim Horner and Brad Armstrong. Waste of a promo, that!
The Renegade Warriors vs. Magnum Force
Snore! Paul E at least comes and joins Jim for some chauvinistic commentary. He’s far more interesting than the match, feeling sorry for the Donald after Ivana kicked him out. If anyone wants to tell Mark apart from Chris, he’s the one who doesn’t wear a top to cover up his moobs. Magnum Force Rick fucks up a shoulder charge to the corner, so Chris gives him a stiff back suplex. Jim shows Paul the door ahead of his time while Magnum Force Other Guy goes low to set up a powerslam from Rick. The Youngbloods come back with the double chop and assisted splash to win. The Greatest… just for Paul this time.
Sting promotes the upcoming eight man before Ric and his bad haircut rebuts him.
The Four Horsemen vs. Sting, Flyin’ Brian and the Steiner Brothers
From another TV taping and different arena. Strangely, the Horsemen come out to Barry’s La Grange music instead of Also Sprach Zarathustra. Jim says that if time runs out before the match is done they’ll pick it up on the Main Event… Well, with two minutes remaining that looks likely. Sting and Arn start, although the issue to promote is Scott challenging Flair at the Clash in an infamous match that made Steiner hate the Nature Boy for life. And we’re out with the Stinger and Flair mid-flow… Shit! And there don’t seem to be any copies of the full match online, so it’s up to thehistoryofwwe.com to confirm that the match was thrown out seventeen minutes in as a double disqualification. Because WCW.
Melting it down: Aside from some choice bits on commentary it was as far away from a special episode as I’d expected. Back in the new year as we get closer to the Clash.