WCW From the Beginning

SLAMBOREE (May 22, 1994)

Dustin Rhodes pinned Steve Austin with the Bulldog in 12:47.
Rating: ***

Dustin Rhodes opened the night with another impressive win, topping old rival Stunning Steve Austin proving his losing streak was a thing of the past. As usual, Terry Funk was alongside. 

After the match, Rhodes called out his friend Davey Boy Smith who came to meet him in the interview stand. Rhodes asked Smith for a match, saying his downward spiral started when he lost to Davey and needed another chance at him to correct things and move forward. 

Smith said while he respects Rhodes and would gladly give him a match, he's too focused on trying to win his US title back from Steven Regal at the moment.

Rhodes said he respects that, but as soon as Smith gets that back, he wants a shot. The two shook hands. 

Brian Knobbs pinned Greg Valentine after a back suplex in 0:07:31.
Rating: ** 1/4

Brian Knobbs got a singles win over Greg Valentine, but after the match, Knobbs was attacked by Paul Roma and Paul Orndorff, Pretty Wonderful.

The two later said that one half of the Nasty Boys was already gone, alluding to Jerry Sags’ knee injury, and they were going to get rid of the other, making one less team to keep them from tag gold. 

No-Time-Limit-Match:
Jean-Paul Levesque and Lord Steven Regal defeated Johnny B. Badd and Davey Boy Smith when Regal pinned D.B. Smith after a dragon suplex in 23:50.
Rating: ** ¼

Dustin Rhodes made a reappearance, running down to the ring with a branding iron and hitting Smith in the back with it, knocking him out and giving Regal and Levesque an easy win. 

Rhodes went to the back yelling "You're too scared to fight me, I'll make you fight me!"


Brian Pillman pinned Ricky Steamboat after a flying dropkick in 13:47.
Rating: *** ¾

(Brian Pillman retained the WCW TELEVISION TITLE)

Brian Pillman is a changed man from a few years ago. He and Steamboat once engaged in a fantastic series of matches for the US title with Steamboat always getting the better of the younger, more volatile Pillman. 

Pillman, showing his changed attitude, offered Steamboat this title match in a sign of respect. 

The match was another great affair, and this time, Pillman came out on top with the clean win. After, Pillman and Steamboat embraced in the middle of the ring.

Harlem Heat (Stevie Ray and Booker T) defeated 2 Cold Scorpio and Marcus Alexander Bagwell when S. Ray pinned Bagwell after a Slapjack in 13:47.
Rating: ** 1/4
(Harlem Heat retained the WCW WORLD TAG TEAM TITLES.)

Despite them being No. 1 contenders, Harlem Heat agreed to only give a title shot to old rivals Bagwell and Scorpio if they agreed to the stipulation that if they lost, they would disband forever. 

Confident they’d win, Bagwell and Scorpio agreed to the terms, but maybe they should’ve given it a second thought. Harlem Heat scored the win, breaking up their rivals in the process.

Sting defeated Ron Simmons by countout in 14:04.
Rating: * 3/4

Cactus Jack made his first appearance since getting thrown in a trunk by Ron Simmons at Spring Stampede a month ago, running to ringside and chasing away Simmons during his match with Sting. 

Sting stood in the ring a bit confused but accepted the countout victory.

Rick Rude pinned Barry Windham with the Rude Awakening in 15:21.
Rating: *** 3/4

While Rick Rude says he should be at the head of the line for a world title shot, Barry Windham, back after a shoulder injury, argued that Rude needs to climb his way back up. 

Rude dismissed Windham’s suggestion that he should be at the head of the line for a title match, but offered to prove who the real top contender is. 

There was no official designation as to this being a top contenders match, but Rude clearly believes his win solidifies his standing at the top.

Big Van Vader defeated Ric Flair by disqualification in 15:25.
Rating: ** 1/2
(Ric Flair retained the WCW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE.)

Flair has grown increasingly paranoid in recent weeks over the possibility of Hulk Hogan coming to WCW. But he hasn't gotten much support in his crusade to unite WCW against him. 

Flair finally reached his snapping point tonight, during his title match against Vader he attacked Vader with a chair getting DQed. Sting came down to try to talk sense into Flair only to have Flair attack Sting with the chair as well. 

An insensed Flair screamed after the match, "I was wrong, I don't need Sting. All I need, is the Horsemen." He flashed four fingers up as cameras faded out.

Card rating: ** 1/2

CLASH OF THE CHAMPIONS XXX (June 23, 1994)

WCW celebrates it’s landmark 30th edition of the Clash of the Champions with an explosive card. In a throwback to the very first Clash, Ric Flair and Sting will meet tonight for the WCW World title. 

However, casting a shadow over that match and the night itself is the ongoing rumors of negotiations between WCW and Hulk Hogan. 

Flair has tried, to no avail, to unite WCW against Hogan. Sting chiefly, has rebuffed Flair’s offers. In counter, Flair says he has no other choice but to reform the Four Horsemen. 

Johnny B. Badd pinned Jean-Paul Levesque with the Tutti Frutti in 12:43.
Rating: ****

Steven Regal promised Johnny B. Badd a United States title shot if he could beat Regal's new protege Jean-Paul Levesque. It wasn’t easy, but Badd took care of that end of the deal despite suffering an arm injury when Levesque sent Badd shoulder first into the ring post.

But while Badd’s hand was still being raised in victory, Regal came out saying he was a man of his word. However, that title match was going to happen, right now.

Lord Steven Regal made Johnny B. Badd submit to the Regal Stretch in 3:09.
Rating: ***
(Lord Steven Regal retained the WCW UNITED STATES TITLE.)

Regal took advantage of Badd’s fatigue and his arm injury, quickly making him submit to the Regal stretch. 

Arn Anderson pinned Ice Train with the DDT in 0:07:18.
Rating: ** ¼

Ric Flair has stated he's aiming to reform the Four Horsemen to help defend WCW against the impending arrival of Hulk Hogan. He previously tried to get Sting to join his efforts but was turned down. 

Flair's longtime friend Arn Anderson is obviously along for the ride, and Anderson's partner Bobby Eaton thought he was too. But after Anderson's match tonight, he gave a ringside interview telling Eaton flat out he wasn't going to be a Horseman. He used Eaton for his help to fight Roma and Orndorff but Anderson claimed he had to do most of the work himself. 

Those matches showed Anderson that Eaton didn't have what it takes to be a Horseman. Eaton looked ready to go after Anderson when running in and attacking from behind was Stunning Steve Austin. 

Anderson pointed at Austin saying "That's a Horseman."

Pretty Wonderful (Paul Orndorff and Paul Roma) defeated Harlem Heat (Stevie Ray and Booker T) when Orndorff defeated S. Ray by disqualification in 4:10.
Rating: * 3/4
(Harlem Heat retained the WCW WORLD TAG TEAM TITLES.)
[Brian Knobbs interfered against Paul Orndorff.]

Pretty Wonderful took their turn at Harlem Heat in a world title match, but Brian Knobbs obviously hasn't forgotten Pretty Wonderful attacking him last month. 

Knobbs ran down causing a DQ not long into the title match, and then issued a challenge saying while Jerry Sags is still hurt, he's found a new partner and asked Pretty Wonderful to meet them next month at Bash at the Beach.

Brian Pillman defeated Ron Simmons by countout in 7:59.
Rating: ** ¾

(Brian Pillman retained the WCW TELEVISION TITLE.)

Cactus Jack hasn't been seen much lately, but when he's been around he's scared the heck out of Ron Simmons. 

Just like at Slamboree, Jack ran down during Simmons' match, this time his TV title shot against Brian Pillman. Jack chased Simmons to the back getting him counted out.

Davey Boy Smith pinned Dustin Rhodes with the Running Powerslam in 14:59.
Rating: *** ¾

Dustin Rhodes, still reeling from a loss to Davey Boy at Starrcade, asked for a rematch to try to fully put his losing streak behind him. But when Smith said no due to having his focus elsewhere, Rhodes couldn’t accept that. 

After a blindside attack last month, Smith finally agreed to face Rhodes, and much like their first match, Smith came out on top. 

Rhodes wasn’t letting this one go though, as he and his manager Terry Funk attacked Smith after the match. 

Rick Rude defeated Marcus Alexander Bagwell in 16:29.
Rating: **

Bagwell tried to make a huge jump up the ladder in a match against former world champ Rick Rude. Bagwell gave Rude quite a match but just couldn't top the former world champ. 

After the match, while Rude and his valet Woman were celebrating, Barry Windham came out and said he's not done with Rude yet. At Bash at the Beach, he has a big surprise in store for him.

Ric Flair pinned Sting after a roll up in 19:08.
Rating: ***
(Ric Flair retained the WCW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE.)

Old rivals met again with Sting challenging for Ric Flair's world title. Flair was a bit distracted running around ringside ripping up any signs for Hulk Hogan he could find. 

While Flair was engaged with the match, Anderson and Austin came out to patrol around ringside. When it looked like Sting was ready to put Flair away in the scorpion, Anderson started yelling at a young fan with a Sting shirt and a sign saying "Sting and Hogan, the dream team." Anderson ripped the sign up and drew Sting's attention. Flair took advantage of the distraction, rolling Sting up from behind, grabbing the tights and getting the pin. 

After the match, Anderson and Austin joined Flair in a 3-on-1 attack on Sting, until the music began to play and Hulk Hogan made his way to the ring to make the save!

Sting and Hogan fought off the Horsemen, and then in a sight many never thought they’d see, Sting and Hogan stood face to face in a WCW ring and shook hands.

Card rating: ** 3/4