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

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

Clash of Champions III: Fall Brawl

Clash of Champions III: Fall Brawl
September 7, 1988

Albany, GA

MATCH #1: World Television Championship: Mike Rotundo (c) v. Brad Armstrong

This is a pretty darn good opener but not anything you won't see a million times in the NWA around this period in time. Just a really well done 'putting over' of a lower mid card guy to give him a little credibilty while making the heel champion look vulnerable at all times.

In fact, there are points where this match is really brilliant. Armstrong's answer early on for pretty much everything in Rotundo's move set is pretty great. They have some decent stuff centered around the headlock and eventually as expected, Rotundo gains control and it looks great for around five-seven minutes.

The problem here is that Armstrong's comebacks NEVER really come off, at least to me, as really belivable. Sure, put me back in 1988 and i'd have probably been popping for them, but the fact that it doesn't look great now shows how it doesn't hold up all that well. I think they missed out on some heat a bit with Armstrong not getting any of the near falls down the stretch as well, although there IS ONE searing hot small package spot I really dug.

Dr. Death's presence wasn't played off of more either, and that's a little something that could've been utilized a bit more. I can see why they didn't, as this IS the opener, but if they were REALLY going for the put over, then that'd have been the way to go. Never the less, this is a really good opener. **1/2

MATCH #2: The Sheepherders v. "Dr. Death" Steve Williams & Nikita Koloff

Needless to say, this is a monster change of pace from the first match. I think it's safe to assume that there will be no armbars and headlocks in this.

Much to my embarassment, I clearly haven't seen as much of the Sheepherders as I should have pre-Bushwhakers years, because they're really great heels. Like really, really good. They don't DO a lot, but they're a boat load of fun and they stick with their own unique schtick that seemed to stick out in a tag team division that at the time, had two or three of the greatest heel tag teams ever.

This match is really all them, IMO, if for nothing more than the fact that Koloff and Williams are a terrible pairing. I LOVE Williams and even have a soft spot for Nikita, but as a duo, matched up against a team like the 'herders, they're an awful pairing. Both guys are very full-steam ahead, smash mouth, kill your mother type workers and them garnering sympathy while getting beat down isn't likely to happen. Get a team like the SHeepherders who cheat and beat, and this is kind of starting off behind the eight ball before things even start.

This SHOULD be a terrible match, but it surprisingly wasn't and that's large in part due to the 'Herders just being way too much fun as bad guys. They start off doing the right thing, and that's just to eat bumps, look stooge-ish, and make funny faces. Eventually of course they cheat, Morgan's interfering, and good lord it's a debacle. Neither Williams or Koloff gets stuck as the 'babyface in peril' for too long so they never really seccumb to what could have been a major league black hole for this match. The end I almost liked as much, as they ended it with a Russian Sickle out of nowhere, which would have worked perfectly had there not been a minor legal man issue, but really, this could have been a train wreck, so I'm not going to pick at straws. **1/2

MATCH #3: Dusty Rhodes v. Kevin Sullivan

It's just around this time period that I can't stand Dusty Rhodes on any level whatsoever and this match is just more of that. It's an entirely underwhelming brawl that had it not been for Sullivan being dastardly and Hart being sinister, I could've cared less about.

Rhodes is entirely in his own world here at points as practically all his offense sort of catches Sullivan off kilter at points, and it comes off that neither of these two are on the same page heading into this.

The finish is imfamously bad, but ultimately, this match was dead before the finish.
*

MATCH #4: Russian Chain Match: Ricky Morton v. Ivan Koloff

This was a pretty great little match. Basically the story heading in is that this is Ricky Morton's first big singles match while Koloff is basically in a lose or you're out of my stable situation with Paul Jones.

Ricky Morton is one sensational wrestler and Koloff, who by this point is completely limited in what he can do, is still a fun lower mid-card schtick around this time. Morton's selling and timing is really great here and there are plenty of great, brutal spots with Ricky and Ivan using the chain.

What makes this match a well-worked one though, is the lack of blood. Usually in matches like this, you want a blood bath, but being sorta meaningless in the long run, it'd make no sense to have these two splaterring each other's faces and doing lame high spots. Instead, the chain becomes the central feature in Koloff's struggle to win the match, rather than just to inflict pain with it, and vice versa, it sorta becomes Morton's handicap.

Koloff appropriately is in charge most of the match. He uses the chain to maintain control but never over does it. Morton uses the chain when he can too, but struggles trying to drag Koloff from corner to corner. Things tie together nicely enough in the end when Morton is a hair's breath from the final corner and Koloff uses Jones' crop to try and help him win the match, but Jones can't hold on and Morton clatters into the corner for the win.

Like I said, this isn't OMFG~ MOTY!! stuff, but it's a well worked match for it's spot on the card, which, in a world where the Briscoe's are bleeding and Austin Aries is doing 9 billion flips on the undercard, is really refreshing. **1/2


MATCH #5: United States Championship: Barry Windham (c) v. Sting

God, fuck, dammit, shit Barry Windham rules. Period. Windham just totally rocks my world in this match and for whatever reason, my overly educated ass almost completely forgets that Sting's even in this thing. This is a really great TV main event but to be fair, it's really a one man show.

Windham's reactions throughout the first ten minutes utterly destroy the world. His getting pissed off at Sting dumping him on his ass ONCE, his goading San Fransisco 49ers star John Ayers at ringside, 'changing up his strategy'.... he rules. Sting just sort of plays along, doing some ok babyface no-selling and Windham bumping all over god green's earth for him. Oh and Windham's version of Stinger splash makes me want to sell my mother.

The last ten minutes is done well and the finishes are played to ok. Sting kinda just throws a bunch of stuff out there but for whatever reason, gets at least something to stick almost every comeback run. The sleeper coming down the home stretch is perfectly timed and comes off as a sign of growth as a tactician, which feeds into the larger story here, which is Sting being a great young wrestler thirsting for his first belt.

Windham cuts that nonsense off with a great shin breaker and a little leg work, that is just TOO Four Horseman not to like. Of course the dastardly JJ Dillon gets involved and Windham clocks the unsuspecting Stinger with a chair that Dillon tossed into the ring. Ayers comes charging into the ring and points out who did what to the referee and Sting gets the DQ win. Ayers tosses JJ around a bit and Sting takes care off Windham and all's well that ends well.

Here's another match that while not 'blow your doors' off type stuff, is executed really f-ing well by one guy in the match to the degree that the flaws here aren't really a huge deal. The finish IS a little squirly, but it works well enough for what they're going for, and ultimately that was to put over Sting and the special guest referee for the Flair-Luger match at Starrcade, John Ayers. This isn't as good as the Sting-Flair match from a few months earlier, but it sure is a lot of fun, if only for Windham's motherfucking awesome heel performance. ***1/4

Overall: It's really hard to knock this card as outside of the Rhodes-Sullivan match, NOTHING sucks. In fact, it's all quite good. There are some surprisingly decent performances from Brad Armstrong and Ivan Koloff. I thought the 'Herders-Williams/Nikita match was sure to blow, but was actually really awesome. The main event delivered and got it's point across, too so honestly, there isn't much to dislike at all about this show and that's saying something, as the booking around this period sucked and most of the REALLY good talent in the NWA at the time wasn't even on the card. Go figure. But certainly a sleeper card i'd reccomend to just about anyone.

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

1. Sting v. Ric Flair, World Hvt Title, Clash I ***1/2
2. Midnight Express v.The Fantastics, US Tag Titles, Clash I ***1/4

3. Sting v. Barry Windham, US Title, Clash III ***1/4
4. Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard v. Barry Windham & Lex Luger, World Tag Titles, Clash I ***

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

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

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

8. Dusty Rhodes & Sting v. Tully Blanchard & Arn Anderson **1/2, Clash II
9. Steve Williams & Nikita Koloff v. The Sheepherders, Clash III **1/2

10. Mike Rutundo v. Jimmy Garvin *3/4, Clash I

Clash of Champions II: Miami Mayhem

Clash of Champions II: Miami Mayhem
June 6, 1988
Miami, FL

MATCH #1: United States Championship: Barry Windham v. Brad Armstrong

Really there's nothing here to get overly excited about. I'm a huge Windham mark but here, there's really nothing going on except and extended squash. Armstrong gets some decent stuff in here and there, but outside of that, this is all about making Barry Windham look strong heading into the Great American Bash. *1/2

MATCH #2: US Tag Team Championship: The Fantastics v. The Sheepherders

Here's the Bushwhackers before they started whackin' bush and I like what I see. I was kind of surprised that the challengers got in the ammount of offence they did here as they control pretty much 95% of this match. Kinda shotty booking for the champs.

Irrgegardless, I like this match a heck of a lot more than I probably should. Butch and Luke are pretty awesome as heels here, and just when things seem like they may be getting a little flat, they do something slightly wild to bring the crowd back into it. Being the wild New Zealanders they are, they use a lot of debris around the ring; the guard rail, the belts, a flag pole and even a non-folding chair to the back. Just fun brawlin' heel stuff.

Rogers' selling is out of this world here, which of course just makes everything the heels are doing that much better. Especially an exceptional visual of him slumping in the corner after Butch gets done turning him inside out on what particular occasion.

Again this match suffers from some strange booking and prevents it from really being much better than a decent match. The hot tag is made and then there's a flash pin literally in like 10 seconds for the win and it kinda leaves you with that 'wow, that's all it took' feeling. Again, this hardly sucks and in flashes is incredibly good, but a weird finish takes a lot away from what's an otherwise perfectly acceptable match. **1/2

MATCH #3: Ronnie & Jimmy Garvin (w/ Precious) v. Rick Steiner & Mike Rutundo

This is a total 'angle match'. Everything going on inside of the ring really takes a major league back seat to what's going on on the outside of the ring. Kevin Sullivan, being the creep show he is, is locked up in a cage at ringside while these guys all go at it. Precious has the key to the cage, but it's safe to assume she's not going to be giving that up after Sullivan's psycho stalker behavior stuff.

The match itself is pretty much a wild brawl minus weapons while the camera is on Precious pretty much 75% of the time as she's being heckled by Sullivan, who's pleading with her to give him the key and let him out because he 'has something to show her'. Yes, creepy.

There's nothing to really criticize here, as basically Sullivan ends up getting his hands on Precious and gets the key from her. He goes to rough up the girl at ringside when Steve Williams comes running over after being on commentary most of the match and does a pretty good bomb job on him before bringing Precious back to Jimmy. Thing is though, that precious wants nothing to do with him and walks off. Just sort of an odd 10 minutes or so, that didn't really click with me. *3/4

MATCH #4: Nikita Koloff v. Al Perez

I GUESS these two have been feuding for a little while, but it's kinda hard to tell by the way they're wrestling. Nothing seems to be really learned over the course of their feud and there isn't much intensity between the two. Well, scratch that. Nikita is crazy, but he's always crazy.

Watching the match and more specifically Koloff, makes me think of Batista. His explosiveness and power and total inability to time his stuff is so similar to Bats that's it's kinda creepy. *3/4

MATCH #5 World Tag Team Championship: Tully Blanchard & Arn Anderson v. Sting & Dusty Rhodes

If this isn't a classic Dusty booked match, then I dunno what is.

Sting and Dusty come in and completely and totally clean house to open things up. The Horseman struggle to find anything open before JJ Dillon distracts the ref and enables them to break a figure four held by Sting. From there on out it's 'make Sting our bitch' before Dusty gets the hot tag and the faces come within a fart's whiff of winning the tag belts, only for Barry Windham and Flair to come trapsing down to the ring and causing a DQ finish.

That's the match in a nut shell. Here's what I liked-didn't like.

I guess i'll end on a positive note soe i'll go over what I didn't like first. I hate the Dusty circle jerk stuff. Sting is a guy who just took Ric Flair to the absolute limit two months ago and here he is turning into a total punching bag. In fact, i'd have no DOUBT made Dusty that guy just because he'd have been the better choice to garner sympathy from the crowd. It really did Sting no favors and didn't build much heat to anything at the Bash. This was all about pops for Dusty and it just wasn't all that great.

The good stuff. The Four Horseman. Period. The offense is AWESOME, the mannerisms are AWESOME. JJ DILLON is more AWESOME. These guys really make the best out of a really poorly worked match and help it along with some great selling. The ONLY reason the crowd was into this was because of the babyfaces.

And thank god Dusty and Sting were wrestling Blanchard and Anderson. Sting was booked so weak here that i'd think it'd hurt him against any other team.

Overall, another really hit and miss match here with some flashes of brilliance, but certainly nothing top level. **1/2

Overall: This isn't required viewing or anything, but it's hardly bad and worth a watch if you can get ahold of it. There's plenty of good mixed into the bad but if anything, it's a good picture of what was so great and so bad about the NWA at this period in time.



Clash of Champions On Going Top 10 (Through Clash II)
1. Sting v. Ric Flair ***1/2, Clash I
2. Midnight Express v.The Fantastics ***1/4, Clash I
3. Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard v. Barry Windham & Lex Luger ***, Clash I
4. The Fantastics v. The Sheepherders **1/2, Clash II
5. Dusty Rhodes & Sting v. Tully Blanchard & Arn Anderson **1/2, Clash II
6. Mike Rutundo v. Jimmy Garvin *3/4, Clash I
7. Jimmy Garvin & Ronnie Garvin v. Mike Rutundo & Rick Steiner *3/4, Clash II
8. Barry Windham v. Brad Armstrong *3/4, Clash II
9. Nikita Koloff v. Al Perez *3/4, Clash II
10. Dusty Rhodes & The Road Warriors v. Ivan Koloff & Powers of Pain *1/4, Clash I

Clash of Champions I Review

Clash of Champions I
March 27, 1988
Greensboro, NC

MATCH #1 World Television Championship, Olympic Rules: Mike Rutundo v. Jimmy Garvin

This is sort of in the midst of that whole Precious being chased by the obsessed Kevin Sullivan thing, which was, well, pretty awesome. I'm a sucker for both these guys and even though Garvin's actual talent as a worker is probably mid card level at best, the character just rules. Feather boas are manly.

The basically start off with you're typical strong face-heel stuff with Rutundo wearing the Syracuse uniform and in general being a douche. This isn't exactly MOTY stuff and the stipulation is just thrown on there to make the match seem a little bit more important. The real issue at hand is for Precious to get her revenge on Sullivan and she gets that in the end with a really fun 2X4 beat down on Sullivan the crowd goes banannas for. Consider the show opened. *3/4

MATCH #2: US Tag Team Championship: The Midnight Express v. The Fantastics

This is utterly incredible. I'll almost be willing to say the Fantastics might be the best tag team to never fully get their due. These two teams are primarily known for their work IN the ring, but this is an insanely awesome brawl.

Cornette's on the mic before hand to talk shit and be a slime ball. Love the guys in the front row. The two teams go right at it from the opening bell and pretty much this is just bedlam from here on out. There are some pretty wild chair shots for the time and a really cool body slam on a table set up on the outside. Even Cornette is trying to get in on the fun and throws a chair at Fulton like a total sissy and then gets chased. Just wildly entertaining stuff.

Finally the match settles down into a tag team wrestling match around five minutes in. Great iscolation, baby face in peril stuff with the Midnight Express just putting a brutal beat down on poor Bobby Fulton. The back work here is great, and Fulton was one hell of a seller.

The gradual build up of Tommy Roger's wanting to kill the world is great on the outside and when the hot tag is missed by the referee, the crowd just about blows up the arena. Rogers finally tweaks and tossed the official over the top rope and begins cleaning house, saving his partner from a sure fire Cornette racket shot. He tosses his partner off the top rope for the big splash. A new referee runs down, makes the three count, and we've got new champions!

Or not. The old official comes in the ring and takes the belts from the Fantastics, gives them back to Cornette's stooges and raises their hand. Dusty, dusty finish. While i'd certaily say this wasn't the best match between these two teams, it's a darn great match. ***1/4

MATCH # 3: Chicago Street Fight: Dusty Rhodes & The Road Warriors v. Ivan Koloff & The Powers of Pain

Remember that whole hockey mask angle? Yep, this is that match. This was pretty bad. In fact it was woefully bad. Sure, it's a wild brawl and ultimately we want to see the heels get what's coming to them but the fact that this doesn't last much more than four minutes is a real let down, especially considering all the time they spent building this sucker up. Granted, it didn't end here, as this was more of a 'quick, let's use a match to shoot through an angle' kind of thing. And not that there's really anything wrong with that. This is what it is. *1/4 just to sound super picky and important.

MATCH #4: World Tag Team Championship: Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard v. Barry Windham & Lex Luger

This match is SO basic, but SO effective all at the same time. The early going is all the youthful upstarts, overpowering the cagey veteran champions at every turn. Blanchard and Anderson start cheating like you read about and because of it, are able to do what they do best, iscolate a body part and rip it off your body and beat you with it.

When that falls through, you see JJ Dillon start to interject himself in the match and man, is he a heat magnet. Finally, Luger gets a big old hot tag and things tend to go nuts. Dillon tosses a chair in the corner and Anderson looks for the whip, but Luger reverses it and Anderson crashes into the chair. One roll up later, and that's all she wrote.

Anyone who wants to see tag team wrestling at it's most fundamental levels done perfectly, this is probably it. GREAT face-heel dynamic, GREAT comebacks, GREAT hot tag, GREAT finish. Again, this isn't MOTY stuff, but any two young wrestlers who wanna learn how to work a great, fundamentally sound tag match should watch this. ***

MATCH #6: World Heavyweight Championship: Ric Flair v. Sting

This is probably the match that really put Sting on the map as a major player in the NWA/WCW for the duration of the late 80's. Sure, Sting was obviously over before this, but I think this was really his official 'arrival' so to speak and with good reason, as it's a good match, but certainly not in the upper echilon of stuff these two did together but more of the end of the first chapter so to speak.

Much like the tag match that preceeded this was a great example of great fundamental tag wrestling, this is probably the penultimate Flair makes another guy match. Ironically even though it's sort of remembered as that match that cemented Sting as a top flight guy, it was Flair who steals the show here.

The early going is all Sting. Flair tries everything from shoulder blocks, to chops, to raking the eyes, to hip tosses, etc. Everything Flair does, Sting has an answer for. The entire first 15 minutes or so is basically Sting in charge, using the headlock as a launching pad for the bigger bombs he throws. His persistence is what's leading him towards the light and it's when he hesitates, that he pays.

Sting finally breaks a headlock and just like that, Flair rolls out of the way and the match takes a turn for the heelish. Flair of course takes things right to the outside whre if Sting gets the upperhand, he can't pin Flair, thus keepin' the champ safe in a hotly contested title match. Great stuff here as Flair begins battering away at Sting. Being ever resourceful though, Sting comes back with some bombs of his own, finding a way to beat the Flair control segment.

Sting neutralizes Flair a little bit more with some back work and other fun, but then takes a really stupid mistake, showing his youth, when he misses a diving clothesline into the ring post. Flair pounces on the arm like any good champ would and begin taking it apart. Eventually Sting's able to reverse an irish whip and shrug off some Flair chops and here we go to the finish.

The two trade roll ups and all sorts of wild stuff heading down the last 10 minutes and have the crowd going nuts. Like any good Flair draw, it ends with him in a boatload of trouble heading down the final stretch, only to sneak away with the draw. ***1/2

Overall: This is a really great television wrestling show. Like really, really great. Three matches over three stars and while the other two don't bring much inthe way of quality action, they're a boat load of fun and completely satisfying. Ross and SHOCKINGLY Shavone are out-freaking-standing calling the action to boot. This is as good as TV wrestling can probably get.

Clash of Champions On Going Top 10
1. Sting v. Ric Flair ***1/2
2. Midnight Express v.The Fantastics ***1/4
3. Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard v. Barry Windham & Lex Luger ***
4. Mike Rutundo v. Jimmy Garvin *3/4
5. Dusty Rhodes & The Road Warriors v. Ivan Koloff & Powers of Pain *1/4
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