Clash of Champions III: Fall Brawl
September 7, 1988
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)
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
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 ***
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
9. Steve Williams & Nikita Koloff v. The Sheepherders, Clash III **1/2
10. Mike Rutundo v. Jimmy Garvin *3/4, Clash I
