Clash of the Champions IX: The New York Knock Out

Clash of the Champions IX: The New York Knock Out
Troy, NY
November 15, 1989

MATCH #1: World Tag Team Championship: The Freebirds v. The Road Warriors

The circumstances surrounding this one are actually kind of funny. As it turns out, the Freebirds aren't really the champions. How does that work? Well, turns out they had jobbed the belts a few days earlier but because the match hadn't aired yet, thus this is their final match as champions.

This one is kept nice and short, the way it should be. The Warriors start potatoing the bejesus outta the Freebirds and Garvin and Hayes want absolutely nothing to do with that and start doing their fun stalling, hip swivelling and attempting to, as JR says on commentary, "cut corners" so that they can get in control of the match. Of course they eventually iscolate Animal and all kinds of aggitate Hawk who blows his stack and comes a running on in, propelling the referee across the ring and causing the DQ.

This is worked ok, but is pretty run of the mill stuff. It does it's trick and they kept it short and sweet enough. This isn't really much of anything to get wow'd about though. *1/2

Match #2: DOOM (w/ Woman) v. Eddie Gilbert and Tommy Rich

This is another one of those extended squashes, but man, Eddie Gilbert deserves a medal for this one. He performed pretty darn great. DOOM is still in their masks at this point and lookin' good. Gilbert, like mosquitos, stick and move like crazy men but eventually get caught by the big mangs and get pulvarized. It's a bad night for whitey. *1/4

Match #3: The Midnight Express v. the Dynamic Dudes

This is a decent enough match with a super great finish, as is per the usual with the MXE.

Basically Cornette is in a neutral corner for this one as he's got man crushes on both teams. You can tell the Midnights are the ones with the bigger problem here as he's been their manager for forever and then some. The Dudes just do what the Dudes do.

Despite having an exceptionally lame gimmick, Johnny Ace and Shane Douglas make an ok team and repeatedly frustrate the Midnights and consistently present a compelling case that maybe Cornette should get behind the neon pink-o's and ditch the playboys. Everytime the Midnights get something going, the Dudes cut them off and frustrate them. There isn't ever a part where the Midnights can string together a consistent enough string of offense.

Because of this, you see the gradual heel turn here which of course comes to a head with a classic Midnight Express screw job finish. Bobby Eaton goes to use a chain on Shane Douglas but Cornette jumps in the ring and takes the chain away from him and chucks it into the crowd, admonishing Bobby. He encourages Shane to give Eaton the business and as soon as Shane does, he eats a racket shot to the back of the head.

Cornette choose the DUDES over his homies? Right. Fun match with a sensational finish. **1/4

Match #4: Steve Williams v. The Super Destroyer

This is Jack Victory's 9 millionth jobber in a mask who so happends to be a heel he's played on a Clash show. Yikes this is thankfully quick and painless. Williams is too goody goody gum drops here again but thankfull is a goody goody gum drop with a big power slam. This isn't anything memorable. *

Match #5: The Steiner Brothers v. The Skyscrapers

The Steiners are the great up and coming wrestling team, the Skyscrapers are the new big boys on the block. Granted this had some cool heat through the match, it's actually pretty bad. Vicious and Spivey give away WAY too much freaking offense in the early going. Steiner popping off hurricanrannas on guys who're 6'11 is pretty shitty too. Thankfully, DOOM interfere and bring Woman's bodyguard along for the fun and start whoopin' that ass. Spivey and Vicious like playing that game too, so they join. Unfortunately for the bad guys, the Road Warriors come charging to the Steiner's aid, getting a mega-pop in the process, and we've got a wild super brawl in the middle of the ring. Bad match with a fun run in infested ending. I'll give it a star for the brawl at the end. *

PS- This was the match where Sid Vicious punctured his lung which led to the introduction of a certain clown named Marc Calloway. Wonder what ever happened to him?


Match #6: United States Championship: Lex Luger v. Brian Pillman

This is a really great and likely forgotten match. Luger's really in more of a feud with Sting at this point, but Pillman's chasing him at the same time. Luger's been billed as the next big thing and thus far, with the exception of Ric Flair, has mowed down everyone tossed in front of him. Pillman, oddly enough, has been on a hot streak of HIS own and has been dominant in his own regard. After screwing Pillman out of the win at Halloween Havoc, Luger is forced to give Brian a rematch for the belt on this show.

This is a great Luger-formula match. Luger tries to wrestle, Pillman outwrestles him. Luger does the over power em thing, and Pillman tops him again. Luger starts to think his way around things and look for Pillman to make mistakes and capitalize on them, but Pillman recovers too quickly for Luger to get anything going.

A great and late Latino who liked cheating once said: If you can't win, cheat until you win. If that doesn't work, cheat harder. Luger gets into the whole douche-ish looking for any excuse to cheat he can. Eventually, he grabs a chair and absolutely potatoes (I like that word) Pillman in the grill with it. The official is dazed and Luger gets the win. After the match Luger needlessly beats down Pillman and the Stinger comes in to make the save. Fun enough I suppose.

Another one of those formula matches where Luger's great ability to look really frustrated is amplified by Pillman's ability to play an even pluckier vanilla babyface. I'm a little torn here between which defense I like better, the Rich defense or this one, because it's a really close call. ***

Match #7: I Quit Match: Ric Flair v. Terry Funk

Well, there's been a lot said about this one and with good reason. It's really fuckin' good.

I really like this match, but to be honest, I ALWAYS wonder how it'll hold up every time I watch it and EVERY time I watch it I wonder why i'm such an idiot sometimes. I think watching Funk-Steamboat enhanced this for whatever reason as it's just that match ratcheted up two or three clicks.

Steamboat didn't have a reason to hate Funk, but as you all know, Flair sure did. This just makes for a super intense brawl that doesn't have a lot of goofy table spots, sick chair shots, etc. This is fundamentally, what any feud ending gimmick match should be and that's just overflowing with hate, energy and most importantly, closes the book. This does all of that.

Flair's chops have extra mustard on them and he's all over Funk at all times. There's never a 'down' spot in this... like literally. There's never a point where one guy is laying around rolling around on his back. The selling is superb as a lot of it is delayed selling and that's tough to pull off well without making it look like overkill (see anything Pro Wrestling NOAH related). Funk looks like he's fighting for generations of Funks and Flair's fighting for his manhood.

I miss the day when matches like an I Quit match or a Last Man Standing sorta match didn't involve six million table spots, etc. I like a high spot as much as anyone, but in the end, there's always someone whose going to be willing to do a zanier stunt than you do. There's no replacement for keeping things simple but making sure things are intense. Table spots pop the crowd because they just saw the act.. the stunt... The pain... This match is good because the spots create DRAMA. It generates sympathy for the WRESTLER.

This is considered one of the first real hardcore-type brawls in the US up to this point, but really, by today's standards, it's hardly hardcore. And that's a-ok. Hardcore ain't about tables, chairs and thumbtacs, it should be about hate and intensity. This is what those matches are out and is really everything a final blow off match should be. ****1/4

Overall: Take the final two matches off this cards and it's scary-bad, but the last two matches make things ok enough. Flair-Funk is required viewing for anyone who considers themselves a wrestling fan, but Pillman-Luger is really worth going out of your way to see too. The Dudes-Midnights is fun for what it is too, but really, the rest of this is a lot of filler crap. Some of it's hit filler crap and some is miss filler crap, but it's still all relatively meaningless in the end. C

The one thing that's fun to watch is how much Turner's production team brought to the table when he bought the organization, both good and bad. We get some super terrible gimmicks, but a much needed production overhaul. If you look at the NWA shows towards the end of 1988 and look at WWF at the same point, the difference in polish is huge. The WWF looks flat out better and is a way better overall production than the NWA. Turner though, sees the need to clean up the look and puts a lot of effort into lighting and presentation. The jump from late 88-early 90 is pretty dramatic and cool to watch unfold.


Clash of Champions On Going Top 10 (Through Clash IX)
1. Ricky Steamboat v. Ric Flair, World Hvt Title, Clash VI *****
2. Ric Flair v. Terry Funk, I Quit Match, Clash IX ****1/4
3. Ricky Steamboat v. Terry Funk, Clash VII ***3/4
4. The Midnight Express v. Ric Flair & Barry Windham, Clash IV ***3/4
5. Sting v. Ric Flair, World Hvt Title, Clash I ***1/2
6. Ric Flair & Sting v. Great Muta & Dick Slater, Clash VIII ***1/2
7. Midnight Express v.The Fantastics, US Tag Titles, Clash I ***1/4
8. Sting v. Barry Windham, US Title, Clash III ***1/4
9. Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard v. Barry Windham & Lex Luger, World Tag Titles, Clash I ***
10. Lex Luger v. Tommy Rich, US Championship, Clash VIII ***

Dropping Out
10. The Fantastics v. Ron Simmons & Eddie Gilbert, US Tag Titles, Clash IV **3/4

Clash of the Champions Stock Picks

I saw this on another site and I thought it was a pretty darn great idea so I 'm going to do it here. Yes, I get no points for originality, but your'e reading, so whose the fuck stick?

Stock Going Up

Lex Luger-- Yes, I said it. I think Luger's underrated, or at least underrated in terms of the stuff he did in the late 80s. Granted, he spent much of both years working with guys like Ric Flair and Barry Windham, but here's a guy that to me, carried his weight and then some in both of those matches. Virtually everything he's been involved with in the Clash matches has been good and he even pulls some fun stuff out of guys like Tommy Rich rather unexpectedly.

Rick Steiner-- Bar none, the best character actor of this era. I've already seen enough to say it. His stuff with the varsity club is a lot of fun.. and well... funny, but not to the degree where he becomes a comedy act or a stooge. In fact, it's utterlyu believable and he comes off as the most genuinely 'realistic' character on the roster. Everyone knew a guy like Steiner, who was a great athlete, pretty stupid, but loveably stupid. His ring work is pretty darn great too. In fact, I haven't seen a match with Rick Steiner involved that i've disliked thus far.

Jimmy Garvin-- It's not so much a 'congrats, you're great in the ring' pick as much as I think these clash shows show what a fantastic utility player Garvin was in the mid card. He worked face well, heel a little better, but still both come off as a lot of fun. None of his matches are particularly great, but they're at base entertaining and what's Jimmy Garvin without drama following him, uh, everywhere? Seriously though, WWE lacks Jimmy Garvin-esqe guys who can carry a good feud in the mid card with just about anyone over anything face or heel. Hell, wrestling in general lacks guys like this..

The Fantastics-- You can cut it any way you want to, this team was the backbone of the strongest tag division in wrestling history throughout 88 and into early 89, as division that featured the Midnight Express, Rock-N-Roll Express, The Road Warriors, The Varsity Club, Sheepherders, Blanchard & Anderson and more. Everything these guys are in is good. Everything. Long matches, short matches, brawls, head lock contests.. you name it, they work it, work it well and it's great. I mentioned it earlier and it warrants repeating, that often the best wrestlers are able to find an effective formula, stick with it, and modify it slightly according to who they're wrestling against. Flair is the best example, Matt Hardy is the most current example and I'd say these guys are the best tag team example.


Stock Going Down

The Road Warriors-- Holy shit, i've hated almost everything they've been in thus far. Maybe they're phoning it in, maybe they're just not that good. I dunno, but whatever it is here, I haven't been able to get into anything of theirs outside of the Varsity Club brawl at Clash VI. Everything else has just rubbed me as 'trying too hard'. The one thing they DO do well, is capitalize on the great crowd heat they get early on in matches and are able to drag it out by being no-nonsense shit kickers for about five minutes and at least keep the crowds into it, which in the end, is the only thing that matters. ANYTHING that goes longer than 10-12 minutes though, falls apart pretty badly.

Sting-- This isn't really a knock on the Stinger as much as it is where he's at in his career during this period. John Cena went through this gawky stage in the ring as well where he was running between the 'do I play for sympathy?' thing or "Do I kick ass and take names?' thing. Stinger's definately still growing and shows signs of being incredible, especially in his matches with and against Ric Flair. However, there are still matches where it comes off as obvious that he's significantly inferior and gets worked right out of the building and becomes an afterthought like his match with Windham. So I dunno, his stock goes down for me, at least in the late 80's sense, but mostly because he's just still growing.


So those are my picks through the first eight. Check back when i'm done with Clash XVI and see where everyone's headed!

Clash of Champions VIII: Fall Brawl '89

It's Fall Brawl time again. Oh joy of joys.

Match #1: The Road Warriors v. The Samoan SWAT Team

These two teams work best in short-shot quickie brawls. Anything more than 10 minutes, for either team, usually falls apart. Here's a case of a well booked, basic match capitalizing on the heat on both teams and card placement. The crowd is bat shit hot for this event and these are the first two teams out of the gate. The Warriors potato the Samoans, the Samoans potato back, the Warriors drop the whole state of Idaho on their heads and that's it. Nothing more, nothing less. *3/4

Match #2: World Tag Team Championship: The Fabulous Freebirds v. The Steiner Brothers

This is a classy little match. If people are looking to get into tag wrestling and want to know how to put on a great match with a less experienced team, grab a notebook for this one. This is essentially the first crack at the tag belts for the Steiners, who by this time, are pretty much noobs in the tag ranks.

The early part of the match is basically The Steiners running through their flashy stuff and the Freebirds sell their asses off for them. Of course, that eventually comes to a head when the more experienced Rick gets in there with Hayes. The match briefly stalls a bit before Hayes grabs the advantage and we're into the face in peril piece of the match.

Rick is awesome in this role, period. His character at the time was so loveably stupid and believable, that it was just a magnet in this type of a match up for good old babyface sympathy. Scott's offense during this period was a lot more fast paced and energetic so when the hot tag hits, it comes off really well and again, the birds do some floppin', but to the degree where it doesn't come off as overly ridiculous. They keep the sequence nice and tight, as to not over expose Scott and it gets cut off as Scotty literally stumbled into a Hayes implant DDT to end the match.

The ending is left more or less shrouded in mystery though as the question arises as to whether Woman, whose supposedly one of their valets, tripped him up or not. Either way you go, whether Scott's showing his inexperience by being prone to mistakes or that they were screwed out of the titles by a slutty bitch, you get something good. The fact that the commentators and the Steiners seem willing to allow that ambiguity works even better.

This is a nicely worked, tight match that went exactly as long as it should have and everyone comes away looking good. **3/4

Match #3: The Z-Man Tom Zenk v. The Cuban Assasin

Here's a squash I didn't really dig all that much. They seemed like they were GOING to go for something more compedetive, but shyed away from it with head locks and arm bars, which don't really fit into a squash-type match. The spots are timed awkwardly with Zenk doing little to capitalize on the initial pops and keep the momentum going strong throughout the eight-nine minutes this went. This is a pretty easy skipper match. 1/4*

Match #4: Sid Vicious v. Ranger Ross

Not much here. Vicious literally blows through his four or five signature moves, Ross tries to not get totally murdered, and they go home. Really, there ain't much to say here. 1/4*

Match#5: Brian Pillman v. Norman "The Lunatic"

Now THIS is a good squash match. Pillman is being billed as a wily, spry, thinking man's wrestler and even though Norman has no shot of winning here, his power spots are placed well and initially, Pillman really struggles to find a way to keep the big man at bay and pin his shoulders to the mat. Eventually Pillman thinks his way to a win with a nice crucifix.

I was actually surprised at how much good psychology they were able to pack into the four-five minutes they had. Norman looked surprisingly buy-able as a viable lower mid card big man here while Pillman didn't look like he was totally trampling him, and that there was more of a legit struggle for him to think his way to a win over a much bigger and very unpredictable opponent. This is what it is, but for my only giving it *3/4, this is pretty decent.

Match #6: Steve Williams v. Mike Rotundo

Of all the matches i've watched so far in the Clash set, this is probably the most dissapointing thus far. If you really put things into context, this should have been billed as a lot bigger deal than it was. Williams came into the NWA as a babyface and was more or less the corner man for Rick Steiner when he broke away from the now defunct Varsity Club. He turned on Steiner and he and Rotundo dominated the tag division for the first half of 89, winning both the US and World Tag belts. Of course Williams eventually turned again, broke the group up, and this should have been the culmination of all that. The feud was about Williams going over big, and this fell short of expectations for me in a lot of ways.

My major issue here is that Williams plays the babyface role way, way too hard. Williams is a dominating big man and should be billed as such. Rotundo is a smarmy, smart heel who thinks his cheating out and figures out how to win matches. Williams dominates, Rotundo is more of a survivor.

Here, as I just said, Williams goes for the hard babyface and simply put, gives Rotundo way, way too much offense here. Williams was always a pretty good babyface, but he's not the type of face that attracts sympathy and that's what they seemingly went for here. It improves as the match goes along, with Williams FINALLY finding ways to overwhelm Rotundo with his power, but the power stuff doesn't have the maximum impact and Williams is forced to pander to the crowd way too much here, especially down the home stretch, where by that point he shouldn't have to do that.

Rotundo is perfectly fine here pulling off some fun eye gouging and holds, but taking the two as characters into account, it's kinda all for nothing. Even the ending is kinda silly with Williams going for the stampede, but Rotundo rolling through for the pin attempt, only to have that reversed. So Williams wins, gets attacked afterwards but reacts like he doesn't really care.

As I said, the structure doesn't fit the feud and Williams having an uphill battle against anyone is sort of tough to buy. Again, this is dissaponting. A lot of people liked this, but i'm a little baffled as to why, other than the fact that it's Williams and Rotundo in a match. *3/4

Match #7: Lex Luger v. Tommy Rich

Luger, in my opinion, is an underrated worker in the ring. Some of his stuff, well most, was increibly mediocre, but during this time period he was really strong and given the right opponent could be downright awesome at times. This is one of those cases where Luger works a really smart match with a super motivated Rich and the result is a darn good US title match.

They play up Rich's temper early on and his tendancy to get overzealous at times. He goes hard at Luger initially, but the whole time, despite his being in total control, you get the sense that he's wrestling Luger's match and eventually it'll catch up to him, and as you guessed, it does.

That's not before Rich puts on a hell of a performance. Rich eventually grabs his composure and works a smart match, keeping the bigger man grounded and on the match. Luger is forced to adapt and tries his mat stuff, but that doesn't work before going to the slugging, but still, Rich doesn't take the bait and is able to still keep the upper hand. Eventually though, as said earlier, things catch up to him and the match opens up. Rich gets fired up a bit and Luger's able to snap mare his head off the ropes and sneak away with a clean win.

Rich comes off looking nothing like the slouch you'd expect him to in this match and looks plucky and game for the match, but his usual tendancies lead to his undoing and Luger's able to catch him off guard and escape with a solid win and still look strong. This is a very solid, if not flat out good match. Hell with it. It's really good. ***

Match #8: Sting & Ric Flair v. The Great Muta & Dick Slater

This is a sensational heat-filled tag main event. Flair, of course, is embroiled in a feud with Terry Funk and Gary Hart. Sting gets involved due to his dislike for the Great Muta and saved Flair from a nasty beat down at the Bash. Slater is Funk's replacement, whose supposedly injured. The whole match builds to Funk's inevitable run in.

Flair and Sting are a dream team here and look every bit the part, dominating the early going. Flair looks exceptionally sharp with his offense and he and Sting seem to have everything in hand in the early going. Muta though, is the real stud here and works both Sting and Flair well and comes off as an uber credible threat to both.

Slater brings his wild Slater-like stuff here with the stoogie bumping. This is run of the mill tag stuff until about eight minutes in where it breaks down into a total brawl, with Muta and Slater eventually getting the better and taking the opportunity to lay a nasty beat down on Sting.

This is a huge elevational piece of the match as Sting comes off looking super-resilient, surviving a lot of Muta's best stuff AND a Gary Hart coin shot. Muta eventually has had enough so Slater comes in all wild goes nuts on Sting but a little too nuts and we lead into the hot tag.

The match totally breaks down in a good way as all four men go at it and we've basically got a melee, Sting and Flair are hitting multiple revenge spots and eventually we get the ref bump and Funk comes rumbling down to the ring and sticks a bag on Flair's head and we get the imfamous plastic bag angle to end the match, as the heels walk away with a clear upper hand, totally outsmarting the babyfaces.

While this doesn't have a lot of traditional tag structure stuff, they manage to work enough of it in to keep it a real, legit tag match while mixing enough wild crap to build heat and pop the crowd. The ending angle is one of the all time great ones.

I really like this and it's a ton of fun on a lot of levels, all building towards a big moment. In the end, it comes off as much like a supurbly built angle as it does a well worked match, and that's not something that comes easily. See this one. ***1/2

OVERALL: This is a pretty a-typicial Clash show. You get a hot main event, some total garbage, a let down and a surprisingly good match. The last two matches are worth going out of your way to see and the tag title match is as text book experienced heels beat inexperienced babyfaces as you get. This isn't the most memorable Clash card i've seen, but it's pretty well rounded. B- sounds good.

Clash of Champions On Going Top 10 (Through Clash VIII)
1. Ricky Steamboat v. Ric Flair, World Hvt Title, Clash VI *****
2. Ricky Steamboat v. Terry Funk, Clash VII ***3/4,
3. The Midnight Express v. Ric Flair & Barry Windham, Clash IV ***3/4
4. Sting v. Ric Flair, World Hvt Title, Clash I ***1/2
5. Ric Flair & Sting v. Great Muta & Dick Slater, Clash VIII ***1/2
6. Midnight Express v.The Fantastics, US Tag Titles, Clash I ***1/4
7. Sting v. Barry Windham, US Title, Clash III ***1/47
8. Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard v. Barry Windham & Lex Luger, World Tag Titles, Clash I ***
9. Lex Luger v. Tommy Rich, US Championship, Clash VIII ***
10. The Fantastics v. Ron Simmons & Eddie Gilbert, US Tag Titles, Clash IV **3/4

Dropping Out
9. Road Warriors v. The Varsity Club, World Tag Titles, Clash VI **3/4
10.The Fantastics v. The Sheepherders **1/2, Clash II

Clash of Champions VII: Guts N Glory

Clash of Champions VII
Fort Bragg, NC
June 14, 1989

Match #1: Tag Team Title Tournament Semi-Final: The Freebirds (Michael Hayes & Jimmy Garvin) v. The Dynamic Dudes

Say what you will about the brutally cheesy Dynamic Dudes gimmick, this is a pretty good tag match. The Freebirds are ones uncorking the big angle though, unveiling Garvin as the newest member of the faction. The Dudes are the cinderella team here, as Ross puts them over as the more inexperienced and undefeated team that's managed to earn a few surprise wins here and there to get themselves here. Still, they're huge underdogs.

The match starts out with some good cheesey heel stalling from the 'Birds before we get into the meat and potatoes of it all. The Birds looked rather surprised right off the bat and surprisingly, despite the organization being as great as it was, Hayes and Garvin are obviously inexperienced in terms of tagging with EACH OTHER, so this works ok.

Once the Freebirds start playing the numbers game, it's just a matter of time and sure enough, they cheat and cheat and cheat to maintain their advantage. Eventually Shane Douglas gets the big hot tag but the fun doesn't last long, as Terry Gordy super-involves himself, distracting the ref long enough for Hayes to absolutely murder Douglas with a nasty implant DDT to win the match.

Overall, this is surprisingly strong but is just agreat showcase of how freaking good the Freebirds are at making a team look good. Not that the Dudes get dragged to something decent, as they definately carry their weight here, but everything they do is magnified times seven thanks to Hayes, Garvin and Gordy. **1/4

Match #2: World Tag Title Tournament Semi Final: The Midnight Express v. The Samoan SWAT Team

This match is basically the Clash VI match with a HELL of a lot more intensity. Both teams go through their stuff for extended periods of time before we get a hot tag. The hot tag sequence comes off well until all hell breaks loose and Cornette's being a douche, Paul E. Dangerously is being a douch, hell, it's a douche-fest.

The end though, is dirty, dirty, but sets up the final well. The Road Warriors hate the SWAT's and Dangerously too, and feel the need to inerject themselves in the match and do quite gloriously. Thanks to the leg up, the Midnights win.

This isn't anything super spectacular, but it's amazing how much better this comes across with a hot crowd behind it. The hate works better, Cornette is a better douche, same with Dangerously.. just everything works better. **1/4

Match #3: Ranger Ross v. The Terrorist

Ranger Ross is basically here to pop the army boys and go home. That's basically, err, literally all that happends. Ross comes out, waves a flag and kicks a terrorist. *******3/4.2's

No really, probably 1/4* for practically nothing happening except a kick-y.

Match #4: The Ding Dongs v. Cougar Jay & George South

Good lord fuck. I never imagined i've EVER review a Ding Dongs match, but hell is a chilly place today.

It's AMAZING how bad the crowd shits on these guys. Like amazing. They're also amazingly annoying with the dinging bell in the corner and not being particularly in sync at all. In fact, had Cougar and South not sold their backsides off, this could have been a nuclear-disaster type bad match. The Dongs blow a ton of spots in a relatively short period of time and spend the rest of the time shedding little bells all over the ring. Funniest part of the mat is Jay leaning down and going 'what the fuck' when picking up the bells on the mat. Honestly, for that moment alone, this isn't a total dud, but it's DAMN close. 1/4*

Match #5: Steve Williams v. Terry Gordy

Ah man, I love these two in a match. Any match. Even in a spaghetti eating contest.

This starts off super fast and super intense with these two basically beating the fuck out of each other with lots of big man super fun. Both struggle to move the other man around the ring at will and both aren't easily able to eat the other guy's offense. Big man matches are best when it's like two bricks clacking off each other. The beginning of this is all that.

Then it plateaus big time unfortunately. Not that anything's bad, but the crowd chills five minutes into this and Gordy and Williams struggle to get them back into it, despite even fighting into the crowd, which of course causes the countout, but still, you'd have figured that'd have done them SOME good.

Overall this is fun, but doesn't go long enough for it to go to the next level and they lose the crowd pretty quickly. The good sequences are awesomely awesome though. **1/4

Match #6: The Varsity Club (Mike Rotundo & Kevin Sullivan) v. The Steiner Brothers

This is a really good short match. Basically Scott's come to the NWA to give his big brother some backup against the cocky Varsity douches. Thus, the Steiner Brothers are born.

Anyways, this match is awesome with the Steiners coming out to Hot Stuff. They surprise the Varsity Club clowns early in the match, especially Scott, whose looking pretty plucky. Eventually though, Scott gets caught and basically gets wrecked by Sullivan. This is the best part of the match and Scott plays an excellent babyface in peril here as the Varsity Club subject him to all sorts of dastardly treatment, including a nasty table bump and a particularly stiff shot with some wooden ring steps.

The hot tag sequence is done well and the Varsities cutting it off and getting the cheating win, over Scott no less, leaves the door open for more stuff down the line as well as something for Scott and Rick to continue to strive for. Very well structured short match. **1/2

Match #7: NWA World Television Championship: Sting v. Bill Irwin

This is another short, utterly pointless match on this card. By now, the crowd's starting to get a little sick of getting good initial stuff and losing it as we get into the match. This only goes about three minutes and is a cute Stinger squash, who brings some ok stuff here, but really, it's still pretty bleh. *

Match #8: NWA World Tag Team Championship Tournament Finals: The Freebirds v. The Midnight Express

How can you NOT get up for THIS? I'm betting there'll be a lot of hip swiveling and cock thrusting here in a non homosexual way.

Unfortuantely though, this doesn't really deliver at all. They start with a fantastic premise. Paul E Dangerously jumps Jim Cornette with a loaded rackett and leaves him mildly retarded on the floor. The Dynamic Dudes help Cornette to the back, leaving the Midnight Express in deep trouble, as they're up against the numbers of the Freebirds. Basically, they're done before the match starts.

They do some sorts cardboard tag stuff, of course executed well, but nothing mindblowing before heading into the "Bobby Eaton is a punching bag" part of the match. Eaton's one of the best sellers the business ever had and is outstanding here and the crowd gradually gets behind him. They play to the numbers thing with Lane CONSTANTLY protecting him on the outside as often as possible.

Then, they just don't do much with it, or at least from the babyfaces perspective. Basically Lane gets the hot tag and we're working the SAME EXACT formula we've used in TWO previous tag matches in the night where it gets cut off, Gordy interjects himself and then that's it. Now, playing to the numbers in that respect works ok but I feel empty here for whatever reason.

I REALLY think this could and would have benefitted greatly from Cornette coming back from the locker room or the Dudes or some other babyface team coming to the corner of the Midnights while they're in peril. They never really worked beyond that. Lane's hot tag gets a big pop, but his offense looks awkward in that role and of course nothing really ever gets going with it, as we do the dirty finish we've done twice already tonight, which is frustrating in a way.

This goes about ten minutes and hell, it didn't need anymore time to be great, it just lacked a real swerve or hot spot to get it really going. Normally I wouldn't give a crap if it wasn't two of my favorite tag teams of all time meeting for the first time. Regardless of that, I can't really FAULT them for it in the match, but dammmit I feel like they could've gone the extra mile with it, even with the time alotted to them. **1/2

Match #9: Norman the Lunatic v. Mike Justice

Ah, Bastion Booger pre-Bastion Booger days. It still blows. 45 seconds of Herd crap. DUD.

Match #10: Ricky Steamboat v. Terry Funk

Finally, a match i've REALLY been waiting to see and FINALLY, a match that doesn't really dissapoint.

Steamboat really brings the good here and Funk is Funk. The story here is that Funk's an unstoppable psycho and Steamboat ain't gonna be intimidated by him. The strikes from Steamboat really have some, uh, steam behind them and he seems totally content to work the wild style Funk wants.

The thing I love about this is that it's a wild brawl without one really crazy spot, fighting into the crowd, or baging of heads off of tables. Just punches and chops gallore and a whole lot of 'tude. NO ONE worked that match as well as Funk and everything he does makes him look like a killer and totally out of his mind.

Oddly enough though, as Funk tends to do, his performance fades to the background and his craziness just amplifies the sympathy Steamboat is able to garner by eating so many of Funk's big moves like the pile driver, the pile driver on the floor, etc. He comes off as a pseudo badass even, as Funk bounces around and sells his tail off for Steamboat all while maintaining and enhancing his maniac persona.

This is a real treat on a lot of levels and it's worked tightly, which works well. The fourteen minutes is the perfect ammount of time because they minimize the chances of the crowd ever fading out of it. This is a really great match i'd say is probably in my top three, but I still can't decide if I like the Midnight-Flair/Windham tag better. It's tough call. ***3/4

Overall: This is probably the weakest Clash show i've seen yet, although it is entertaining and a good show all around. I guess the biggest thing about this show is that many of the match ups prove to be really dissapointing. Gordy-Williams never takes off, the Midnights-Freebirds never get going, etc. It's like everyone sat in the back and were like, 'ok, we've got a limited amount of time for our matches, let's work five great minutes and then just work in a finish'. The main event is really worth going out of your way to see though, while the crap is awesomely crappy in a way that only the Jim Herd run WCW could be. Overall, a dissapointing show, but not entirely bad on any level. C+

Clash of Champions On Going Top 10 (Through Clash VII)
1. Ricky Steamboat v. Ric Flair, World Hvt Title, Clash VI *****
2. Ricky Steamboat v. Terry Funk, Clash VII ***3/4,
3. The Midnight Express v. Ric Flair & Barry Windham, Clash IV ***3/4
4. Sting v. Ric Flair, World Hvt Title, Clash I ***1/2
5. Midnight Express v.The Fantastics, US Tag Titles, Clash I ***1/4
6. Sting v. Barry Windham, US Title, Clash III ***1/4
7. Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard v. Barry Windham & Lex Luger, World Tag Titles, Clash I ***
8. The Fantastics v. Ron Simmons & Eddie Gilbert, US Tag Titles, Clash IV **3/4
9. Road Warriors v. The Varsity Club, World Tag Titles, Clash VI **3/4
10.The Fantastics v. The Sheepherders **1/2, Clash II

Dropping Out
Mike Rotundo v. Brad Armstrong, TV Title, Clash III **1/2

Clash of Champions VI: Ragin' Cajun! Review

It's almost embarassing for me, as someone whose been a wrestling fan for many-a-year and has seen almost everything once, that despite the number of times i've watched this main event, i've yet to see ANYTHING else from this card. Not one other match. That, my friends, is about to change.

Clash of the Champions VI: Ragin' Cajun
Superdome, New Orleans, LA
April 2, 1989


Match #1: The Midnight Express v. The Samoan Swat Team

I wasn't overly wild about this, which is a little difficult for me to say, as I love both teams quite a great deal, especially the Paul E. Dangerously version of the Swat team. This is a REALLY flat tag opener considering the participants. In fact, i'd say the match they have at the NEXT Clash show is leaps and bounds ahead of this one in terms of quality.

Here, they just seem to be aiming to establish the Samoans as the latest stooges that Dangerously will use to get Jim Cornette. The ending to this is pretty great and lays the ground work nicely for the rest of the 'feud', but to be honest, this is pretty bleh for the most part. The Midnights do their thing, the Samoans theirs. Hot tag cooled off in a big way with a dirty finish which is a good thing. Just relaly formulaic and no one is particularly eye popping in this other than the sheer amount of time they gave this. *3/4

Match #2: The Great Muta v. Stevin Casey

This feels like it should have been on the last show. It's a pretty straight forward Muta exhibition of his creepiness. The bell doesn't even ring before he spits the good ole green mist in Casey's eyes and pretty much puts a major league beat down on the youngster from there on out. There's a great commentary job on the part of Ross here, putting him over as a unique act unto himself, which is really appropriate, considering just HOW different Muta was from anything else on the card at the time. Other than that though, this is a pretty basic extended squash. *1/4

Match #3: Butch Reed v. The Junkyard Dog

Ah, the midsouth goodness is revived! Unfortunately for us, this ain't Mid South. This is probably what a few thousand fans saw during their touring days together. Not that it's bad on any level, just VERY a-typical JYD-Butch Reed stuff. JYD interacting a lot with the crowd while Butch does his cocky heel stalling for three quarters of the match. Again, nothing dreadful here by any stretch of the imagination but I feel like i've seen them go with this formula six hundred times or so in the past. *3/4

Match #4: Cowboy Bob Orton, Jr. v. Dick Murdoch

Of all the matches I saw on this card, this was the one I was probably looking the most forward to. Now granted I knew it wouldn't be mind blowing or anything like that. Given the place these guys were given on the card, it'd be unrealistic to expect that. Regardless, it's these two in a match so it's got to be fun on some level.

This runs around ten minutes or so, and basically ,we get a fun old school headlock fest. JR keeps repeating constantly that these two are mirror images of each other and on a certain level, he's right, and for the purposes of this match, he's very right. They counter in and out of headlocks early on before going to each other's arms. Then we're back to the headlock struggles again before going for a solid old school finish. Murdoch hoists Orton up to give him a suplex and the dastardly Gary Hart snags his leg long enough to trip him up, then holds it as the official counts to three. The execution is reasonably good here, the selling is fun and the offense though basic, is still fun.

My beef with this match is the crowd they're playing to. That kind of stuff, while good for what it is, just totally lost the crowd. Extended headlock sequences and armbar sequences are good if you're going broadway, but in the middle of a REALLY big crowd in a dome and wrestling the fourth match of the card, it's kind of awkward. Sometimes you just need to be cognisant of the crowd you're working in front of. Despite all that though, this is fun mid card, old-school stuff. *3/4

Match #5: World Tag Team Championship: The Road Warriors v. The Varsity Club

I liked this match a lot. Like probably a lot more than I should have, given the fact that they don't do a whole heck of a lot differently from the last match, but the incredible levels of heel douche bag-ness in this match rule to a point where they can't be ignored.

Teddy Long has been the subject of storylines recently and how appropriate is it that this is his first real piece of character development. These two teams are full of bullies. The Road Warriors don't wear the belts, Paul Ellering, their bitch does. They also wear spikey shoulder pads. Steve Williams looks like everyone's worst nightmare at a truck stop. Mike Rotundo is the all american bully. Kevin Sullivan is looking especially evil tonight, because he's wearing his wrestling tights and a turtleneck sweater. Fuck yeah for turtleneck sweaters. I need me some.

This is just a total slug fest from bell to bell and the kind of smash mouth, kick a puppie stuff you'd expect from these two teams. There's a great close up of Williams brigning the hate with a stomp right on Animal's jaw. Rotundo looks slightly overmatched here as he's the fourth potato in the ring, but there's nothing really wrong with that when you're in a fist fight with Hawk, Animal and Steve Williams.

The slow Teddy Long turn evolves over the course of the match as he botches some calls just enough so you believe that it's all just a mistake on his part. After that, he increasingly becomes distracted more and more with the Road Warriors, who aren't really willing to play by his rules. Eventually Animal vaults him across the ring, and that doesn't sit to well with Long, who not only allows himself (literally) to be distractred and cause interference, but he also fast counts the final fall and costs the Road Warriors the belts. Wicked fun stuff here as we get good character role playing made better by throwing a third story in there to mess the whole world up. I MIGHT be a little high in rating this, but it just really clicked for me. **3/4

Match #6: US Tag Team Championship: The Varsity Club (Sullivan & Dan Spivey) v. Eddie Gilbert & Rick Steiner

This is another one that's fun for what it is. To be honest, it's worked REALLY well, considering the crowd they're playing to and whose involved. The bulk of the match is built around Gilbert and Spivey. Spivey's easily the worst worker in this group so you might as well let him run through his power spots and let the best seller (Gilbert) flop all over the ring for you and make you look like a million bucks. Basically that's all we get here with some brief hot exchanges between Sullivan and Steiner, who still don't like each other very much. Jumble that altogether and you get a fun match.

The ending takes it out of the totally average category though and bumps it up slightly as Missy Hyatt involves herself in the proceedings and we get a nice purse shot to Sullivan's face to send the fans home happy. **

Match #7: The Iron Sheik v. Ranger Ross

Here's a little filler before the main event. Sheik is always fun on some level and totally carries this guy to a fun USA v. The World short shot. Sheikie jumps him at the bell and does a pearl harbor job on him for a while before Ranger Ross makes the comeback. Things look like they're in hand before Rip Morgan, designated anti-american flag bearer, comes in and whacks Ross with a flag to cause the DQ. The heels put a nasty beat down on Ross before JYD comes out and makes the save and everyone cheers. Basic, filler stuff here. *

Match #8: World Heavyweight Championship, 2/3 Falls: Ricky Steamboat v. Ric Flair

I'm not going to go into a lengthy review here because everything about this match has been said a million times over by people who could speak to it far better than I could. This MIGHT be the best match in North American Wrestling history, or at least that there's footage of. In fact, this whole series is beyond great, but I think this is just the one that everyone walks away from going 'wow' once they go back and watch it again.

The energy these guys have is just different and something that's really impossible to create, you just have to be kinda lucky. Rock-Austin had that sort of energy and Misawa and Kawada did, but I can't think of any other tandem that came close. Whether you're a casual fan, a MOVEZ~ guy, or a guy who just genuinely enjoys wrestilng, you'll like this. Heck, if you don't like wrestling I don't get how you'd dislike it.

This goes roughly an hour and there isn't a down spot, or if there is, it doesn't come off FEELING like a downspot. The struggle for every little piece of ground is great, Flair is stoogie when he needs to be, an assassin at other times. Steamboat kind of gets knocked off his feet in the first part of the match, not excpecting Flair to be coming at him so hard. Then Steamboat 'settled down' a little bit, gets an advantage and just begins tearing Flair to pieces in a way Flair has been worked over. The end of the second fall is exceptionally shocking, as Ric Flair rarely, if ever in a major storyline to that point, submitted. It was one thing for Steamboat to come back from losing the second fall, but it's another thing to completely squash and steamroll the guy who is the greatest on the planet at the time. The third party is even steven down the line to a controversial finish that sets up the third match where Flair finally wins his belt back.

The selling is the best i've seen in a wrestling match. The strikes are intense and you can feel the compedetive hate between the two. While the first match is really sort of a big dick jousting contest between the two, this is more of the respectful top this kinda ting. This is as good as it gets. I've given four matches this rating, ever. *****

Overall: This is a must own if for nothing more than the main event, which is probably the best match to ever take place on this side of the pond, if ever. The rest of the show though, is a real mixed bag and even the better stuff won't be for everyone. Even I had a hard time getting through this show which REALLY seemed like traveling through a swamp up to your knees. This is a good show for what it's worth, but it's certainly not going to be an edition of the Clash that's for everyone, save for the final match of course.


Clash of Champions On Going Top 10 (Through Clash VI)
1. Ricky Steamboat v. Ric Flair, World Hvt Title, Clash VI *****
2. The Midnight Express v. Ric Flair & Barry Windham, Clash IV ***3/4
3. Sting v. Ric Flair, World Hvt Title, Clash I ***1/2
4. Midnight Express v.The Fantastics, US Tag Titles, Clash I ***1/4
5. Sting v. Barry Windham, US Title, Clash III ***1/4
6. Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard v. Barry Windham & Lex Luger, World Tag Titles, Clash I ***
7. The Fantastics v. Ron Simmons & Eddie Gilbert, US Tag Titles, Clash IV **3/4
8. Road Warriors v. The Varsity Club, World Tag Titles, Clash VI **3/4
9. The Fantastics v. The Sheepherders **1/2, Clash II
10. Mike Rotundo v. Brad Armstrong, TV Title, Clash III **1/2

Dropping Off The List:
9. Ricky Morton v. Ivan Koloff, Russian Chain Match, Clash III **1/2
10. Dusty Rhodes & Sting v. Tully Blanchard & Arn Anderson **1/2, Clash II

Clash of Champions V: St. Valentine's Day Massacre

Clash of Champions V: St. Valentine's Day Massacre
February 15, 1989
Cleveland, OH

So here's the show that kicks off 1989, only a week away from the big Chi-Town Rumble pay per view....

Match #1: The Midnight Express v. The Russian Assassins

This is pretty much a glorified squash without being overly squishy. The Russians look good enough to maintain some credibility while the MXE look awesome. The end comes a bit out of nowhere, especially considering that the match isn't all that fast paced, but it does the trick I guess. They go for the hard sell for the pay per view with lots of intervening cut shots of Paul E. Dangerously talking trash here and there. Nothing more than a really well done squash. *3/4

Match #2: Butch Reed v. Steve Casey

For something that at first, strikes you as totally useless filler, it's pretty good. I mean this isn't super spectacular, but it's Butch Reed putting on a freaking bitchin' heel performance while Casey follows along. Like the match before it, this is basically another not so squishy squash, as Casey and Reed are both billed as being undefeated on TV leading into the match, giving it some sort of importance.

Reed's a guy who I think is utterly underrated in terms of how effective he was as a heel. Some of his stuff in mid south is can't miss and unfortunately he didn't much of a push in the WWF, so most of what we get is stoogie bad ass Butch instead of straight bad ass Butch.

JR does a great job of getting Butch's heel-ishness over as him being a guy who REALLY doesn't have to cheat to win matches, but does anyways because he's got an attitude problem. Reed cheats pretty much everytime he possibly can. This doesn't do much for Casey, who by 10 minutes is an afterthought in the match, as just about everyone in the crowd wants Reed dead. Casey TRIES the whole 'keep the big man on the mat to negate the strength' thing, but Reed uses some cunning underhanded tactics to gain the advantage and makes the poor guy his woman, just out muscling him the whole match.

Again, this is an extended squash, but Reed looks pretty great here and that deserves some credit in and of itself. *3/4

Match #3: Lex Luger v. The Blackmailer

Yet another extended squash here. Basically the small story is that the Blackmailer (pun intended) is being sent to hurt Lex before his big US title match with Barry Windham at the coming pay per view. Luger though, thwarts him at every attempt and basically bats him around the ring with ease. The end is a nice little set up for the pay per view, as Luger ends the match with the super plex, Barry Windham's finishing move. Now if that doesn't send a message, I don't know what does. *1/2

Match #4: US Tag Team Championship: The Varsity Club v. The Fantastics

Mike Rotundo is subbing for Kevin Sullivan here. This isn't much more than the Starcade match a few months prior to this. Basically, this is the rematch from that match and it plays out very similar, with the big bully Williams/Rotundo tandmen putting a hurt on the poor Fantastics.

There's some good character work here as Rotundo plays the hate-able leader of the bunch with the smirks and flat out, outclassing both of the smaller Fantastics in the ring. Williams is a total bulldozer and runs em over. Once the Fantastics finally catch a break, Teddy Long gets distracted trying to herd Tommy Rodgers out of the ring while Rotundo plants a knee to his partner's head.

Here's another match that's fun for what it is, but like the Starcade encounter, just never gets out of second gear for me. **

Match #5: Ricky Steamboat v. Bob Bradley

This is all about putting over Steamboat one more time before heading into his title win over Flair at the pay per view that coming Monday. Steamer looks GREAT here, fluid and totally on top of his game. He sort of ran through his move set and called it a day, but everything looked good here from Steamboat. This IS probably the worst match of the night, but it's not a bad one, just a really simple little squash match. *1/4

Match #6: Rick Steiner v. Rip Morgan

This match would've been AWESOME had it been a spelling bee.

These two are clearly the most mentally retarded members of the NWA rosters and in a good way. Steiner, despite being incredibly stupid, is an incredible wrestler and that shines through here as Morgan bumps all over the ring for him. Morgan's a good opponent considering the booking here, as he's the perfect guy to react in a goofy way to Steiner's even goofier persona. That's pretty much it though, another fun squash. *1/2

Match # 7: World Six Man Tag Team Championship: The Road Warriors & Genichiro Tenryu v. The Varsity Club

JYD, Sting and Michael Hayes WERE supposed to be the original challengers here, but Kevin Sullivan locks them in the basement so I guess that's off. It's all about bullys man.

Hawk, Steve Williams, Animal, Kevin Sullivan AND Tenryu all in the same ring. Fuck this is going to hurt to watch. These guys just beat the fuck out of each other. That's all. Honestly. Hawk stiffs Williams, Animal stiffs Sullivan, they come back, Tenryu comes in and kicks people in the head and Rotundo tries not to die. Whose the asshole that signed HIM up for this smash your face fest?

This breaks down, um, pretty much the whole time. We get about 15 seconds of tag wrestling before everyone attempts to kill each other. To add to the total chaos of this, Hayes, Sting and JYD are busy getting some dork to clip the chain that's bolted them in the basement and eventually break loose. They come storming down to the ring and it's just a fucking free for all.

Honestly, this isnt a match, more like an extended fight between nine guys who just all want to kill each other's children just because. It's a fun, hot way to end the night and get people amped about the promotion as a whole and want to buy Chi-Town Rumble. **1/4 for fun and totally unnecessary violence.


Overall: They REALLLLLLY went for a super hard sell on the pay per view here. If you've watched any of the recent Saturday Night's Main Events, this has that sort of feel, where you get a lot of good squash matches and a fun blow off angle at the end of the night to get everyone feeling good about the promotion as a whole.

What makes this show totally watchable though, are the SEGMENTS. Freaking Rick Steiner delivers probably two of the best retard promos anyone's EVER given. There's of course the imfamous Steamboat-Flair angle where Flair fights Steamer in his bananna hammock after asking him why he only sleeps with one woman. Sting's promo is super humanly bad and watching Hayes bail him out, only to have it ruined further by some weird JYD rambilng, AND THEN bring it all back in again, is fun too. So if you like great segments, you'll like this.

Overall, this entire show has a REALLY different feel to it than the previous four in the series. The overall presentation is far more modern and sleek while this is more geared towards selling the pay per view than others were. The in ring action isn't anywhere NEAR the level of the previous shows, but it's not altogether bad and at least keeps you around watching.

So again, here's a show that's way different and shows the NWA in clear transition into the WCW years. C

Clash of Champions On Going Top 10 (Through Clash V)

1. The Midnight Express v. Ric Flair & Barry Windham, Clash IV ***3/4

2. Sting v. Ric Flair, World Hvt Title, Clash I ***1/2

3. Midnight Express v.The Fantastics, US Tag Titles, Clash I ***1/4

4. Sting v. Barry Windham, US Title, Clash III ***1/4

5. Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard v. Barry Windham & Lex Luger, World Tag Titles, Clash I ***

6. The Fantastics v. Ron Simmons & Eddie Gilbert, US Tag Titles, Clash IV **3/4

7. The Fantastics v. The Sheepherders **1/2, Clash II

8. Mike Rotundo v. Brad Armstrong, TV Title, Clash III **1/2

9. Ricky Morton v. Ivan Koloff, Russian Chain Match, Clash III **1/2

10. Dusty Rhodes & Sting v. Tully Blanchard & Arn Anderson **1/2, Clash II

Starcade '88 Review

So as a little reprieve from the Clash set, which i'll be watching more of tonight, i'm tossing this bitch out there, because 1.) It's motherfucking awesome and 2.) Why not stop off at the pay per views along the way... eh? So anyways, let's get to the poundage.

MATCH #1: US Tag Team Championship: The Fantastics v. Steve Williams & Kevin Sullivan

Half of this rules, half of it sucks. The Fantastics were as good a team as there ever was and had they not waltzed into the same division that the Rock N Roll Express, The Midnight Express, Tully & Arn and The Road Warriors inhabited, then I think anyone could make a feasible argument for being one of, if not THE best tag team of this period. Much like Matt Hardy works within a strict formula but manages to still rule, The Fantastics sorta do that in a tag team in the 80s sorta way. These guys usually get the shit pounded out of them for like 15 mintues, tease great comebacks, maybe let someone work a limb here or there, then fly to a great flash-type finish.

The problem with the formula is that when it's with a great team, it's great to watch. When the other team ain't on the same page with ya, it can be pretty bland stuff, and that's kind of what we get here. The first part is pretty great and like most Fantastics matches, everyone sort of picks a role and goes with it. Sullivan plays the cheating, sinister and easily frustrated heel to start things off while Williams is the unbeatable ass kicker. The military press spot where he slams Fulton flat out through the damn mat after TOSSING HIM IN THE AIR a few times is pretty sweet.

From there it's more Fantastic flop fest sort of stuff, which always works. But then something goes wrong here because Williams and Sullivan don't look like they're much into behaving here. The offense really weakens up on their end for whatever reason and the match frequently breaks down in odd places. That leads up to a weird finishing sequence where Fulton basically just gets sling shotted into the ropes and then pinned, which REALLY doesn't work given the kind of match they were going for. This kid was basicaly nuked the entire match and all it takes is him running chest first into the ropes a bit awkwardly to do the trick?

As I said, this match has it's VERY bright spots, but gets real weird at points and prevents it from really going from a decent opener to a good one. **1/4

MATCH #2: The Midnight Express (w/ Jim Cornette) v. The Original Midnight Express (w/ Paul E. Dangerously)

This is just filled with awesome hate. Seriously, this match is an absolute gas, ESPECIALLY if you're a MXE maniac like I am. Basically, all you need to know is that Condrey and Eaton were partners in the NWA. Condrey left for the AWA and Stan Lane replaced him in the Cornette stable. Randy Ross was Condrey's original partner and they first used the MXE name. So anyways, business blew in the AWA so the Originals came sauntering over to the NWA under the guidance of Paul E Dangerously and began feuding with the modern Midnight Express.

Cornette and Dangerously hate each other and they spend the entire match goading each other and creating mayhem for their opponents, like to the point where it's almost distracting. NO ONE plays the goading manager like Cornette. NO ONE plays the offended and aggitated heel manager like Dangerously. Cornette cheating by hitting both Condrey and Ross with the rackett and Dangerously being so pissed off and ringing the bell... I could watch it all day.

Oh yeah there's a match goign on too, and it's pretty much old school greatness. Eaton and Lane are really athletic and fun to watch while Condrey and Ross are just great characters. It mixes so well too, as Condrey and Ross play OUTSTANDING chicken shit heels and use eye rakes, time out cheap shots and goofy bumps to really ham it up out there. Their reactions to everything Lane and Eaton do is just what makes this perhaps the most fun match on the card.

There's no way in fuck they could've done a clean ending for this, as it's one of those matches that would have been HURT by one. Of course Cornette interferes and of course Dangerously uses his Zak Morris phone... it's a damn shame this feud never got blown off appropriately, but still, this still feels somewhat satisfying. ***1/2

MATCH #3: Ivan Koloff & The Junkyard Dog v. The Russian Asassins (w/ Paul Jones)

This is kinda filler stuff and isn't much more than just being a formulaic Russian Asassins match where they get beat up, Jones stooges it up and then they stick something in the mask and win. Granted Koloff and JYD make it fun with their cartoony stuff that is altogether enjoyable, but if you've seen one Russian Asassins match, you've seen all of em. *1/2

MATCH #4: World Television Championship: Mike Rotundo v. Rick Steiner

Here's another insanely good, basic wrestling match. If i've said it once, I feel like i've said it a million times; Wrestling is best when it reflects real life. The best feuds are the ones that people can relate with and here's an example of that.

Steiner has been hanging out with the heelish Varsity Club for a while now. Rotundo and Williams are sorta those guys you know in high school that dump milk on people's heads and stuff nerds like you in lockers. Steiner's the mildly retarded jock of the group, whose really a good guy, but just not really capable of thinking on his own. Eventually though, the good side in Steiner comes out as he gets sick of being picked on by Rotundo and company, and turns on the faction, thus setting this batch of fun-ness up.

Rotundo is the antithesis of Steiner, the guy whose sleek looking and a heck of a smart wrestler. Steiner is just the dumb animal and is the clear #3 in the faction so the loveable underdog thing is on times 400 for this. There's no way you won't love Steiner and hate Rotundo. The odds however, are at least a little more even, since manager Kevin Sullivan will be suspended above the ring in a cage. Awesome.

The early part of this just plays to that whole dominant champ v. dumb but plucky challenger thing. Rotundo basically out does Steiner in every way imaginable. Steiner isn't able to get anything going and anytime Steiner begins to fight back, Rotundo outsmarts him and rubs it in everyone else's face. Steiner's comebacks aren't really progressive nor are they all that frequent, and this just helps paint the picture that much better.

Rotundo uses the little stuff but eventually decides it's time to go home and begins throwing the big boms: His belly to bellys and lariats. However, Steiner keeps on kicking out, because, as we found out before the match, he wants to win for mommy. Imagine crazy Perry Saturn meets Eugene meets Kurt Angle. That's basically where Steiner's at.

Since Kevin Sullivan can't interfere, it's up to one of the other Varsity Club members to help Rotundo steal a victory, so Steve Williams decides to trot down to ringside. While he's on his way down to the ringside area, Steiner's actually sorta beginning to mount something resembling offense, so it's evident Rotundo's beginning to tire. Steiner hits his belly to belly, which is his finisher, and Williams rings the bell at 2, confusing Steiner (which isn't hard to do). Steiner thinks he's won the match as Williams leaves for the back.

Sullivan is being lowered onto the floor and gets up on the ring apron to create some more confusion. While he's doing that, Rotundo pearl harbors him and goes for an irish whip. Steiner reverses it though and sends Rotundo clattering into Sullivan and they knock heads long enough to daze Rotundo enough to be pinned and that's exactly what happends. Holy crap, the crowd explodes as stupid Steiner runs around the ring with the belt screaming "I beat you!" as Rotundo looks totally shocked and beside himself.

Mike Rotundo was awesome as TV champ all through 1988, but it's the match where he loses the title that takes the taco as the best one. Steiner's great as the loveable babyface. This is a great formula and toss it in there with an angle that EVERYONE who ever went to high school saw in real life and you've got a lot of fun. All you have to do is go out there and not stink the joint and like most Rotundo stuff, this is worked so smart that it's impossible not to love it. This is super awesome. ***1/2

MATCH #5: United States Championship: Barry Windham v. Bam Bam Bigelow

I guess the hits just keep on comin'.

Here's another match that got a pretty 'big match' build leading up to it. Windham had been flat out dominant as US Champ throughout '88 and if you were to ask most of us who know what we're talking about, would say was probably the back bone of the promotion that year, as he wrestled everyone and their mother and dragged something good out of them to boot.

Bigelow really got a decent little push in the WWF from 87-88 but sort of leveled off midway through the year. Bigelow saw the writing on the wall and left for greener pastures. So here he shows up with lots of credbility (giving Andre a run for his money at Survivor Series a year earlier for example) so why not toss him in the ring with Windham? Ah, I love the times where people didn't give a crap if a guy got a title shot right off the bat......

Anyways, the early part of this is insanely good. NOTHING Windham can toss at Bigelow even phases the monster babyface. He drops Bigelow on his head, it doesn't do anything, hits the lariat, Bigelow laughs, etc. In fact the best part of the early going is when Bam Bam eats a back drop driver, no sells it and hits a standing drop kick on Windham, who rolls to JJ Dillon's arms screaming 'crap!'

Bigelow completely dominates the early exchanges, and Windham does his best to flop around and look clueless. Windham eventually fights out of a chin lock and looks to be getting somewhere when he flings Bigelow to the outside. Bigelow twists his knee up a bit and you'd tink this will help Barry but it doesn't do much for him as Bam Bam starts hitting him with head butts and a sling shot big splash, which was unheard of then.

Bigelow though, gets so dominant, that he starts getting over confident and makes some horrible decisions. After the sling shot, he doesn't go for the cover and instead goes for the flying headbutt, but misses it by a mile. Here's the big transition point in the match.

Windham has been let back in and he hulks up and actually gets a pop despite being the heel. He picks Bigelow up and gives him a smirk and a pat on the chin before taking his f-ing head off with a lariat. A back drop driver later and it looks like Windham might be getting somewhere. A drop kick of his own (nice revenge spot) sends Bigelow to the outside and Windham began to knock his head off the post.

Windham singnals for the claw and slaps it on. Bigelow's head though is one of his biggest weapons and it isn't likely to have the effect on Bigelow that it would have on others. Windham is so emotional here with rage screaming "that belt is fucking miiiiiiine!" to the crowd. Windham rules. Windham does what he said he'd do before the match and body slams Bigelow.

Then HE gets stupid and misses the flying elbow off the top. Bigelow makes a sensational babyface comeback that gets cut a shade too short. Bam Bam is looking for a lariat, but Windham thinks body block and the two roll over the top rope to the floor. Bigelow hits a fun atomic drop but when he charges at Windham, Barry side steps him and he smacks into the ring post. Barry realises the ref's counting and sneaks into the ring and Bigelow gets counted out.

If you're going to make a match between two dominant guys, they need to both dominate. Bigelow makes Windham his woman in the early going, putting on a nice exhibition of how good he is. Windham returns the ass-rape-age and shows how good he can be. They hit a stalemate and Windham gets the win, but not in a way where he looks much better, if better at all.

I'm not wild about the finish, because it IS a little out of nowhere, but it makes sense considering the way they were going with things and for Bam Bam to be SLIGHTLY more out of it at this point in the match, makes it ok with me. BECAUSE of the ending feeling weird though, I probably wouldn't go as high for this as I did the other two big matches on the card, but it's still pretty great. ***1/4

Match #6: World Tag Team Championship: The Road Warriors v. Dusty Rhodes & Sting

If there was something that's really lacking in today's wrestling world, i'd have to say it's babyfaces having friends. The one thing I loved about the Orton-Cena segment the other night was the intervention of Cody Rhodes, who like Cena, has a bone to pick with the heel for a common reason. This is basically a big time feud between Dusty Rhodes and the Road Warriors rooted in 'violence for the sake of violence'. Sting's Dusty's wing man here, which is great because Sting's actually the guy whose going to benefit the most here. Talk about a great way to benefit many.

The hate level is super high here, with both teams going right at it before the bell. By some miracle of god, the bell doesn't ring, and we get through introductions before going back to these four murdering each other.

As a tag team match, this sorta sucks, but it's not about tags and rules, it's about everyone beating everyone up. Hawk and Animal are the best bullies, face or heel, that the wrestling world's probably ever seen, or at least here in North America and all their stuff is about hurting people. TONS of stiff forearms, chops, punches, kicks and slams are heaped onto the babyfaces showing that the Road Warriors ain't out here to win a match, they're here to hurt someone.

Dusty only has revenge on the mind and is looking to use his usual stuff long enough to allow him to seriously injure someone. He has chair shots, and most importantly six million thumbs to the eye. However, this match IS for the tag titles and like any good guy team would be, they want those belts. Each and everytime they get away from brawling, they get overwhelmed. Sting and Rhodes CAN trade bombs, but don't seem to anxious to do it, which is a little puzzling.

This match DOES suffer a bit from the fact that by this point, it was practically impossible to hate the Road Warriors as they're just so bad ass that you can't not really like em. They try their hardest but when your largely heel offense gets pops from the crowd, it's hard to combat. Sting keeps things fun with some great high spots to keep them in the match and Dusty goes for frequent revenge spots and it at least keeps the face reactions on Dusty and Sting enough to not be overly offensive.

The ending is ok enough, but considering how this feud was built, this probably should have been it for the program. That's neither here nor there though, as the ending makes enough sense in the context of things, but not enough to really feel any sense of this thing being done yet. Again, this is pretty good stuff for the most part, but is too darn inconsistent for me to call good. **1/4

MATCH #7: World Heavyweight Championship: Ric Flair v. Lex Luger

The NWA and WCW were always known for their not so subtle booking and a large part of the reason for that was that everything led up to the big main event match at Starcade that was supposed to always be the be all, end all of the year's storylines.

Throughout the years, this had mixed success. They hit the jackpot in '83, '84 and '85, did ok with it in '86 but more or less flopped with the Garvin-Flair main event in '87. This however, was nearly 9 months in the making. Lex Luger joined the Four Horseman organization and was summarily kicked out in favor of Barry Windham. Luger made Flair and his belt the target and impressed enough to earn himself a shot at the belt at the Great American Bash in June/July. Luger lost the match due to 'excessive bleeding' and essentially the Maryland Athletic Comission screwing him over. Luger spent the remainder of the year chomping at the bit to get back at Flair and finally things have come to this. Luger gets a fair one on one shot at the title against Flair. If Flair gets DQ'd, he loses the title.

Smarks seem to crave 'strategy stories' and because of that, there's zero reason they should loathe this match in any way shape or fun because it's REALLY all about strategy. Before the match, Ross and Coddle are clammoring over Flair's strategy and how Luger will elect to wrestle the match.

Things start off basically with Flair just waiting for Luger to make a mistake. He doesn't have much success early on with, well, anything.. and his best hope is to try and survive the Luger onslaught and hope that Luger's abundance of desire will cause him to make a mistake. Sure enough, Luger destroys Flair early in the match, out bombing Flair and shockingly out wrestling him. Eventually Luger misses an elbow and Flair's ready to go to work.

Flair takes things to the outside, where he doesn't have to strike with Luger and pretty much evens up the odds. He double stomps Lex in the ring, but sure enough, as soon as Flair begins striking, Luger no sells it and begins peppering Flair with slams and drops. It looks like any strategy Flair has is pretty much out the window, because Lex surely won't make the mistake again. Or will he?

After pulvarizing the champion for another five to ten minutes, Luger gets frustrated because despite throwing every nuke in his arsenal save for the torture rack, he can't keep Flair's shoulders pinned to the mat. Flair agitates with some stupid chops and Lex bullies him into the corner and begins man-bitching him. Referee Tommy Young steps in to try and break up the party, but Luger shoves him aside. Who cares right?

Well, Flair doesn't get the advantage there, it's JJ Dillon being smart and distracting the referee while he recovers that dramatically and decisively turns the tide of the match. Flair does what he does best and cheats, raking the eyes and then dumps Luger over the top rope (which would be a DQ.. horay for the stip being followed) while the official is distracted. Flair is desperate so he grabs a chair and cracks Luger across the leg with the chair.

Flair zeroes in on the leg of Luger and essentially negates any power or speed advantage he'd have had. Flair double stomps the knee, drops knees on the leg, sits out on it..Basically every basic Flair move set thing is uncorked here, but with Ross and Coddle doing such a good job of selling the devistation of it, and Luger surprisingly selling like a champ, it really bumps the intensity of it all up a few notches.

After surviving and nearly reversing a few Figure Four attempts, Luger's desire to win takes hold and he hulks up and begins laying into Flair with a flurry of offense. Luger's leg can't take much more and Flair's beyond dead at this point, so Luger goes for the kill shot and slaps on the Torture Rack. His leg though, which has been torn to shreds, can't hold Flair and he crumples under the weight. Flair falls on top of him and uses the ropes for some leverage and Luger's dream is dead as a doornail.

This is a really, really fantastic match. Luger looks like a monster, Flair a survivor like you'd expect, but they just take those roles to the next level with some ridiculously sensational performances. This is probably Luger's best match. He gets over his desire to win by uncorking things like cross body blocks and his willingness to not be afraid to wrestle Flair's match. He evolkes sympath with one of the best sell jobs of a leg ever. When he's juiced, the selling is less prominent, but it comes back here and there and it's not in a way that makes you think Luger forgot to do it and suddenly remembered it again. Flair, when in control, looks like a freaking killer. Flair thinks his way through a lot of the match, but it's really luck and an ability to survive that gets him through it. It's not just the typical Flair selling his balls off for someone and finding a way to win. It's Flair thinking, failing, executing, surviving and ultimately getting a little lucky.

Some weren't totally into the idea of Luger losing here, but I think it's a-ok. Luger wasn't ready for that spot, but DOES make you re-consider with his performance in this match, if only for a little while. This ultimately helped him more though, as Luger, for as many shortcomings as he might have had, set himself up for an utterly sensational 1989.

You get everything in this match. Some fun counter wrestling which makes smarky ROHbots swoon, brawling, crowd heat, emotion, etc. Most of all, it's a sensational conclusion to a story that was nearly a year in the making, which is ultimately what a Starcade or Wrestlemania main event should be all about. It's a shame that fans don't have the patience for long, extended feuds like this anymore, because this is what that type of build can be. This is probably my MOTY for '88 and one that every wrestling fan should watch. ****1/2

OVERALL: I'm not a guy who spews stars but this show is one of those exceptions. EVERYTHING on this card was built just so damn well and all the matches delivered on some level. There are four matches on this card that had they been on any other card, probably would have been the match of the night, even during this time period in the NWA, which despite some shoddy booking on the part of Dusty Rhodes, had so much great talent in the prime of their careers that there was just no way in hell they could've sucked. If I were to give the show some criticism though, it would be that not all the major match ups really concluded everything. Not that they HAVE to, but considering the way they built three of the four big matches on the card, you kind of hoped they would have. Even the stuff that's NOT as good (US Tag Title Match, JYD/Ivan-Russians) is at BASE entertaining and fun viewing. This gets a major league reccomendation for me, and to this point was easily the best show the NWA put on top to bottom. 1) I'm not saying the worst all together but as I said before it was an okay show which makes it more of how a fan in takes it in their opinion. When the show is great their can be no arguement (or at least it shouldn't be). But with a show like it was it was more of how the fan looks at it as a whole it's either okay or could have been better. As for Shelton saying he is in my opinion the best pure athlete on Raw doesn't take away from the other guys at all I respect that they ll bust their a**. I just feel Shelton deserves a push at least at the mid-card scene espcially as Jeff is low on contenders. I think Shelton's passion for the buisness is to do bigger things than slip away. He must want to take it to the next level. Everyone wants to one day be the guy to hold the top spot in the company down the line. If you look at when did Shelton ever not take advantage of an oppurtunitiy, with the push from Triple H he had a great IC title run afterward. The HBK match could have been a good tag team run but I guess the creative team scraped the idea before it really got started. Give Shelton the medium ball and the guy can make it happen no on the mic but he can get the ring stuff done. I feel the same goes for Charlie Haas highly under-rated. A

Unforgiven Pay Per View Review

It's that time of month again... another pay per view..

MATCH #1: ECW World Championship: CM Punk v. Elijah Burke

Here's another Punk ppv match that is mostly good throughout and suffers from a strange ending. There's not a lot here to talk about. It's basically Burke proving his worthiness by outclassing Punk through most of the match. Punk builds his comeback spots well enough but again, the ending kind of kills the build, as it comes out of nowhere. In fact, the Punk seemed a little weirded out by it. With Burke in control, Punk hits a roll up out of nowhere and, uh, that's it. Again, the slow build was good, but that doesn't work when you've only got like 10 minutes for a match. *3/4

MATCH #2: WWE Tag Team Championships: Matt Hardy & MVP v. Deuce & Domino

This is a solid, but unspectacular match. This is obviously all about Hardy and MVP's disfunctionality and they play to that quite obviously through the match. We get dueling "ballin" elbows, screaming axe handles, etc. MVP gets sour puss and feins leaving but of course comes back to attempt to steal the glory. Hardy catches him this time though, and ejects MVP from the ring and steals a victory for himself.

While I like this, it's a little too angle heavy to be a good match. Deuce and Domino are REALLY afterthoughts in this and while that's not entirely a bad thing as they suck big time, it monopolizes the entire match and thus it comes off more like an exhibition of Hardy and MVP's obvious dislike for eachother than anything else. *3/4

MATCH #3: No DQ for Carlito: Triple H v. Carlito

This was a good deal better than I thought it would be, but it still wasn't much. Carlito embrassing his inner stooge is a good thing, but it's done to a degree here where it becomes obvious that he's not even remotely a threat to Triple H.

He goes for mostly stoogie weapons spots with the garbage cans and otherwise laughable objects. While it plays to his character's strength well, it takes away from the credibility he has competition for Triple H and kills pretty much any chance one would have of taking the match seriously. Carlito's good here, but honestly his schtick doesn't fit what they might have been going for here.

Triple H is Triple H here, and mauls people. That is all. *3/4

MATCH #4: Women's Championship: Candice Michelle v. Beth Phoenix

This is way awesome ladies scuffling. This played out A TON like Umaga-Cena I from January where Beth basically murders Candice for 10 minutes and then gets caught on a flash pin.

What makes this match is Candice's top notch selling. She legitimately looked like she was being buried out there and Beth's 'it' factor of being 'the woman' helps make it look all the better. The military press, the one handed slam, all of it looks super devastating and the only saving grace for Candice is her willingness to not get murdered and survive the BIG shots.

Candice, despite improving tons, can still be wicked inconsistent, but they stuck with a good formula for this match and it worked well. Beth looked strong and it left the door open for a rematch. Can't ask for more than that. Solid women's stuff. **3/4

MATCH #5: World Heavyweight Championship: The Great Khali v. Batista v. Rey Mysterio

This was a lot of fun. Khali ain't much, but for whatever reason, the guy is one ofthe best in the WWE in triple threat matches. The build for the vice grip is played up well here and it plays a central role in the match throughout. Mysterio of course is a huge under dog, and struggles to gain any sense of control in the match, but that's not really bad, considering that's more or less where he should be in a match like this. Batista seems all about proving himself to be better than Khali.

Again, the Vice Grip being lights out being the central theme works well here. Khali is able to grab it twice. Had this been a one on one match, he'd have walked away from this relatively easily, but he struggles to manage the numbers, thus stressing the whole point of the champion being at a disadvantage in this kind of match. The finish is really excellent with Mysterio hitting his home run shot, but being unable to capitalize as Batista says 'fuck friends' and powerbombs his dwarfy ass onto Khali, double-fucking the champion and totally destroying teeny Rey.

A spine buster wouldn't work for most, but after eating three finishers, it comes off as believable and smart that Khali could be put down with that kind of firepower. It took three BIG finishers, but it does the job. Even better, no one comes off looking weak here. Well worked Triple Threat match. ***

MATCH #6: World Tag Team Championship: Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch v. London & Kendrick

This was a good match that got dragged down by a dead crowd. And that's not dragged down because stupid people couldn't see goodness, but in the sense that London and Kendrick got too tied up in trying to drag them in with big spots that just didn't fit in the context of what they were trying to do.

This is that classic brawlers v. high flyers stuff and that works well through the body of the match. London and Kendrick try to make the pace hectic, Cade & Murdoch try to keep it plodding and more based in ground n pound. What bothered me though was the constant death spots from the babyfaces in every transition of the match. That made things flow weird and while the spots popped the crowd, they lacked the proper placement and they weren't able to follow up on them to the degree that the crowd STAYED with what they were doing.

Again this is a fun match, but the green-ness of these guys showed through too much to make it LEGITMATELY good. **1/4

MATCH #7: WWE Championship: John Cena v. Randy Orton

This match played out like a Dusty Rhodes match circa the late 80s where there was a lot of build for something that was really a glorified angle. Cena brings a lot of fun hate here, and Orton's sneaky and coniving, but the placement on the card gave away what was going to be a screwey finish and Cena's father being there cemented it and killed it before the bell rang.

Now the execution of the angle was near perfect. Cena gets revenge and it's entirely necessary in the context of things if they're goingto have a big gimmick match blow off to this. Orton afterall, should have some sort of reason for wanting a blood bath match. So the Kick heard round the world part II worked from a storyline perspective, but as a pay per view main event, it was a huge let down.

It's short, tight, and well executed, but they just didn't give it enough time to go anywhere as a match, but it's obvious they weren't looking for that. **1/2

MATCH #8: The Undertaker v. Mark Henry

I'll probably have to give this another look, but the crowd was so gassed from the title change and the Cena-Orton match that they just didn't have anything left over for this. A slow, plodding big man match isn't a bad thing, but being placed on the card where it was, hurt it.

The themes are played out well enough though and make this watchable and even good. Taker is relentless in his pursuit of revenge while Henry is a one man wrecking crew bent on taking Taker out. Henry isn't sublte here and he just goes with the bombs away approach, knowing that it's the only way he's going to win. The repeated splashes, bear huge and stiff lariats work well for him here. Taker, however, is totally willing to oblige in a bomb fest, but finds out that it's going to take more than normal to put Henry down, who kicks out of a choke slam, but is finally put down with a monsterous power bomb out of the corner.

This is a good big man match. These sorts of matches shouldn't be about building anything, it should be bombs galore, and both provide plenty of dynamite here. This is a good big man match that suffered because of where it fell on the card. **1/2


OVERALL: This show was booked really poorly. Booking the hottest angle in years and a world title change before a return match we've seen 6 million times ain't smart and it killed the crowd dead. Had it been me, i'd have probably done the triple threat last. Everyone on the card seemed to struggle with the crowd except the two world title matches and did so to a degree that it made it obvious that match placement was the issue. This isn't awful or anything, but it's pretty obvious this is a transitional set up pay per view for what's looking like a big No Mercy pay per view. However, that being said, it doesn't stack up to other shows that have monopolized a pretty great year for the WWE. C-

Clash of Champions IV: Season's Beatings

Clash of Champions IV: Season's Beatings
December, 1988
Chatanooga, TN

MATCH #1: US Tag Team Championship Tournament Finals: The Fantastics v. Ron Simmons & Eddie Gilbert

First things first, it was a surprise they went as long with this match as they did. The crowd seems to be definately in the corner of Simmons & Gilbert, despite the Fantastics being uber babyfaces. Both teams adjust well to this dynamic with some good role playing early on as Gilbert establishes himself as the best wrestler in the match, while Simmons is willing to play the bully.

As things move along though, it evolves into something unexepctadly good, and that's Eddie Gilbert playing the babyface in peril, and the Fantastics looking like the dominating and at times ruthless aggressors. Gilbert is probably one of the better pure heels wrestling had in the 80s, while NO ONE played better rag dolls than the Fantastics. So the reverse psychology in a sense, works here.

The finish is built to nicely, with the arm work on Gilbert ending up being his team's undoing. Unfortunately though, it ended up backfiring in the last five minutes, especially the finish, as the crowd was a little TOO behind Simmons and Gilbert winning the match. In wrestling, it's always good to roll with the punches when the crowd is more undecided, but only to a point and I think they might have overdone it here. It's a case of these guys almost being a little too good for their own good, which unfortunately can be the downfall of some dream match up combinations.

Still though, this is a solid offering and a great end to a fun tournament. The roles evolve throughout the match and the boys try to manage the crowd reactions as best they can, even if it didn't end on the note they were looking for. **3/4

MATCH #2: Steve Williams v. The Italian Stallion

This match killed far more time than it should have. Nothing was offensively bad here, in fact Williams looks like a killer as always, but again, guys like Stallion just don't have enough stuff to really fill up a 15 minute match and make it look like they've got much of a fighting chance. There are a ton of spots where you're just waiting for Williams to end it and NOT looking for a Stallion comeback. There are some good spurts for a minute here and a minute there and the transitions are also done pretty well, so again, this isn't entirely un entertaining, but it's nothing overly decent either. *1/2

MATCH #3: Hand Tied Behind His Back: Ivan Koloff v. Paul Jones

Here's another match with just a strange dichotamy. Jones and Koloff are probably two of the most hated heels in the company at this time and it's just plain odd to see Koloff working babyface. Jones heels it up well and Nikita's comebacks are done pretty well so on the surface, this is probably better than most would give it credit for, but it struggles in the sense that no one seems to really be behind Ivan at any one point. Another match that didn't have anything bad, but just suffered from a lack of feel that's important in a good rivalry. *1/2

MATCH #4: Dusty Rhodes v. Road Warrior Animal

This starts off fun, but man oh man is Dusty sloppy in this. I'm not a guy that puts TOO much stock into move execution, but Dusty's so out of place in times, it takes away from my overall enjoyment of things. Just like the Sullivan match from September, it just doesn't last long enough to really start going anywhere. Dusty hits the ring like a ball of fire, awkwardly cleans house, the crowd explodes and everyone sort of gets carried away. Dusty pelts the referee and Hawk interferes before Sting comes in to make the save and we've got the last little bit of build before the big Starrcade grudge match. This doesn't come off like an actual match, but more like an extended continuation of an angle, which I will say is quite good, but again, that doesn't really help the match all that much. *1/4

MATCH #5: The Midnight Express v. Ric Flair & Barry Windham

For a lot of people, this is sort of a dream match up. The Midnight Express are basically kings of the tag division. They've held both the World and US tag titles and at one point, held both at the same time. Flair and Windham are the World and US singles champs, and obviously the superior singles workers, so you know this is set up to be good. It sure delivers in spades.

To this point, I think this is the best match the Clash has produced. The Midnight Express dominate the early going, as they should, this being their environment. Flair in particular, is never given an opportunity early on to figure out either Lane nor Eaton as the Express use a lot of quick tags and double team moves to keep Flair utterly off balance. Windham looks totally lost (in a good way) trying to handle both guys as the Express keep things calm for themselves, as hectic for the Horseman.

Eventually though, the Horseman start thinking and while Flair aren't as accustomed to tag wrestling as Arn and Tully, still know how to take advantage of a situation and Windham turns the tables while the referee is tending to Lane by clocking Eaton with a killer lariat. From there, the Horseman start targeting the head and legs and doing their horseman thing, keeping him iscolated while getting their big shots in while the official is tending to the babyfaces.

Eventually though, Lane gets a killer hot tag and cleans house. Eaton is back in quickly enough and with Windham more or less taken care of, they go for the home run shots on Flair hitting the goozle then an Eaton top rope leg drop. Emotions take over though as Cornette goes ballistic on JJ Dillon on the outside for getting a little overly involved in the match (the goading of Cornette throughout the match is a fun distraction) and Flair's able to quickly turn the tables with a shoe shot to a weakened Eaton's head, draping his partner over Bobby for the victory.

Here's another good match made better by playing to the obvious surface strengths of all four guys in the ring. This is classic Horseman stuff here as they think (and cheat) their way to a win with a super hot crowd.

This is a match that anyone looking to become a good tag wrestler should watch. Roles stay consistent and that theme trumps anything else. Flair and Windham look awkward at first, but their sheer ability keeps them in it long enough to buy opportunities to beat a supererior TEAM. This is a brutally awesome match that is a must see and to this point, is the best i've seen on any of the shows thus far. ***3/4


OVERALL: This is two beautiful loaves of bread with some shitty meat in the middle. There's plenty of Starcade build, but they didn't go for the hard sell for the pay per view as much as I'd expect. Everyone, losers included, head into the pay per view looking strong. This isn't consistently good throughout, but it's still pretty great. B

Clash of Champions On Going Top 10 (Through Clash IV)
1. The Midnight Express v. Ric Flair & Barry Windham, Clash IV ***3/4
2. Sting v. Ric Flair, World Hvt Title, Clash I ***1/2
3. Midnight Express v.The Fantastics, US Tag Titles, Clash I ***1/4
4. Sting v. Barry Windham, US Title, Clash III ***1/4
5. Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard v. Barry Windham & Lex Luger, World Tag Titles, Clash I ***
6. The Fantastics v. Ron Simmons & Eddie Gilbert, US Tag Titles, Clash IV **3/4
7. The Fantastics v. The Sheepherders **1/2, Clash II
8. Mike Rotundo v. Brad Armstrong, TV Title, Clash III **1/2
9. Ricky Morton v. Ivan Koloff, Russian Chain Match, Clash III **1/2
10. Dusty Rhodes & Sting v. Tully Blanchard & Arn Anderson **1/2, Clash II