The SmarK Rant for WCW Worldwide – 01.16.93
Taped from Dothan, AL
Your hosts are Tony Schiavone & Jesse Ventura
BREAKING NEWS: Not only has Vader won the WCW title, but Great Muta has won the NWA World title from Masa Chono!
Paul Orndorff joins Tony to start and he’s gunning for Sting! Well it’s important to have goals.
Barry Windham v. Tommy Angel
They really need to find new entrance music for heel Windham. Barry gets a slam and rakes Angel’s face on the ropes, but Tommy fights back with knees in the corner and a hiptoss. So Barry tosses him outside and suplexes him back into the ring, then finishes with the Implant DDT at 2:12. That DDT was badass until he got lazy with it.
WCW MAGAZINE! WITH ERIC BISCHOFF!
Bill Apter stops by to award PWI Rookie of the Year to Erik Watts. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Yeah OK.
Vinnie Vegas v. Tim Dixon
Mr. Vegas is making sure to show off his guns here with normal tights instead of the usual suit. Almost like he’s trying for a job somewhere else. Nah, that’s crazy talk. Vinnie puts him down with a knee and follows with SNAKE EYES for the pin at 1:05.
Meanwhile, 1992 PWI Rookie of the Year Erik Watts is signing autographs for some snot-nosed kid in a gas station parking lot, but he’s brutally attacked by Arn Anderson (wearing Zubaz pants in public) who is sadly unable to slam Watts’ head in the car door before Erik takes him down and puts him in the STF. Luckily the police are there to save Arn and drag that big meanie Erik Watts off him. WHAT EVEN WAS THIS SUPPOSED TO ACCOMPLISH?
The Wrecking Crew v. Joey Maggs & Johnny Rich
I can never keep the generic WCW teams of the 90s straight but I think this was the Terminator and Al Green repackaged for the millionth time as faux Road Warriors? Anyway they’re Rage and Fury because they both have anger management issues and WCW isn’t big on imaginative names. Maggs manages to hold off Rage for a bit, but Fury comes in and takes over with a backbreaker before dropping a leg on him. Over to Temu Animal who hits a powerslam and a short clothesline gets two. But then Johnny Rich gets a hot tag and has a pretty good comeback while doof and doofier stand there like LJN wrestling figures and let Rich bounce off them. But then they catch him and finish with a clubbing forearm/backbreaker combo at 4:54. The only thing getting wrecked was their testicles, what with all of the steroids they were taking. This was like an all time terrible tag team debut as the jobbers completely outclassed them.
Meanwhile, Ron Simmons is the PWI Inspirational Wrestler of the Year. Oh and then let’s show him losing the WCW title to Vader again.
Paul Orndorff v. Marcus Bagwell
Orndorff makes his return to WCW here and beats on Bagwell in the corner to start, but Bagwell comes back with a kneelift and dropkick before going with the FULL ARM DRAG AND TWIST. Bagwell takes him down and works the arm on the mat, holding the armbar through an escape attempt by Orndorff. Paul takes him down for a headlock, but Bagwell reverses him to a hammerlock and stays on the arm. So Orndorff gives him a knee to the gut and drops the elbows on him to take over while Jesse does a running joke getting Bagwell’s high school name wrong. Orndroff goes up for a pump splash and hits the knees, and Bagwell fights back again with another dropkick and puts him down with a back elbow for two. Crossbody gets two. But then he’s playing to the crowd and Orndorff just clobbers him from behind with a clothesline to the neck and finishes with a backdrop suplex at 5:15. This was a really enjoyable match and Bagwell was getting much better. Good return for Mr. Wonderful.
SUPERBRAWL III CONTROL CENTER! WITH JIM ROSS!
We take our second look at Vader winning the WCW title on this show, and also see Sting beating him at Starrcade 92, so Vader will be defending his title against Sting in some form. But it just feels like the build needs…something more. You know what I mean? Some small touch to really make you want to buy this PPV. Hopefully they’ve got a great idea.
Stunning Steve Austin & Flyin’ Brian v. The Z Man & Johnny Gunn
Yes, it’s the debut of the HOLLYWOOD BLONDS, complete with the new music. This should be a hot match. Pillman and Zenk trade wristlocks to start, and Brian hides in the corner while Austin protects him. Pillman with chops on Zenk, but Tom hits a missile dropkick and the babyfaces clean house. Zenk with an enzuiguri and the babyfaces pinball Pillman in the corner, but Gunn comes in and immediately gets clobbered by the Blonds in the heel corner. He fights back with a sunset flip on Austin for two, but Austin rolls him up and blatantly grabs the trunks for two. Austin viciously runs him into the bottom turnbuckle and Pillman comes in and beats on him with chops to take over. Zenk tries to come in, so Pillman tosses Gunn over the top rope and then claims innocence while Austin beats on Gunn outside. Back in the ring, Austin and Gunn slug it out and both go down, so Zenk gets a tag and makes a comeback on Pillman. Dropkicks for everyone and he superkicks Austin, and then catches Pillman with a superkick to block a bodypress in an impressive spot. That gets two, but Austin sneaks in and hits a stungun while Pillman adds a dropkick for extra momentum, and that finishes Zenk at 5:40. Hell of a finisher there, not sure why they didn’t carry on with it. Very fun match, felt like it should have went a big longer.
Meanwhile, Rick Rude accepts the PWI Most Hated award for 1992.
Big Van Vader joins Jesse to finish the show. He feels no man and fears no pain! Or something like that, I dunno, I’m not his publicist.
Really enjoyed this show. Hopefully it carries on like this for a while before Bischoff takes over and moves the whole thing to Orlando.