Sage Cortez
WCW without Ric Flair has its issues, one of those being a lack of star power on their television shows. They didn’t put Lex Luger on their television shows to try to solve the problem, either. They also had TV taped where Barry Windham was a heel, that they had to run out before turning him babyface. Talk about a company with problems. What happens to the Yellow Dog angle? Why does Windham not have a match listed for Halloween Havoc? Stuff like that seems quite concerning and nonsensical. I’m looking to find out why these things happened. WCW also had a response to the WWF’s steroid trial. It was to not do testing at all.
– Taped to air July 20th, 1991, on Worldwide
Barry Windham, Arn Anderson, and the Diamond Studd (w/Diamond Dallas Page) vs. Dustin Rhodes, Bobby Eaton, and the Yellow Dog in a BOUNTY MATCH
Pre-Match Thoughts: If Windham unmasks the Dog, does he win his own bounty? I guess this would qualify as Windham TAKING IT INTO HIS OWN HANDS. I’ve read this match is quite excellent. If Dustin gets the pin here, I think I’ll be sick. That’s just brutal honesty. Once again, if the Yellow Dog is Flyin’ Brian, Pillman would then be banned for life. So why is the Yellow Dog entering to Pillman’s music?
Match Review: Windham and the Dog start this one, with Windham smacking his opponent around and going for the mask. The Dog comes back with a spinning wheel kick, and some Pillman-esque chops. The Dog backdrops Windham and heads up top, coming down with a big missile dropkick! Arn Anderson tags in, and misses a charge to the corner, with the Dog giving him a dropkick from the second rope! Studd tags in, as does Eaton, which leads to quite the strange matchup. They smack each other for a bit, then Dustin tags in. It’s Razor Ramon vs. Goldust! Dustin rocks Studd with elbows, so Arn tags in there. He knocks Eaton off the apron, then ducks to the outside, where Eaton knocks him down. I guess Arn forgot. He gets back in there and pinballs back and forth between all three opponents, getting a rise out of the crowd. Windham gets in there, and takes Dustin down with a headlock, with Dustin reversing to a head-scissors. Windham gets out, and Dustin takes him down with dropkicks, getting Windham trapped in the wrong corner. The Dog tags in and comes off the top with a big right hand, then he backdrops Windham. Arn tags in and is taken down by a drop toe-hold, then the Dog slaps a figure-four on him. Then the other guys get in there, and we have STEREO FIGURE-FOURS. Haha. THIS IS RASSLIN’. After the heels recoup, Arn ducks to the outside and gets Eaton to follow him around the ring, leading to a big clothesline from Windham. Studd then rams Eaton into the apron, and sends him back inside for boots from Arn. Arn uses a catapult into the bottom rope, and Windham throws Eaton from the apron into the rail. DDP even throws Eaton into the rail! Eaton gets back in there only for Arn to knock him out to the apron again, and he tags in Windham this time. Windham rams Eaton’s face into the mat, then drops a knee on him. Eaton comes back with a clothesline, and tags in THE NATURAL. Dustin elbows everyone, and now everyone’s in the ring. He and Windham leave the ring, and the Dog is in there with the Diamond Studd. The Dog leaps over Studd and rolls up Arn, getting the victory at 11:35!
Now the heels go for the mask, and the Dog barely escapes and runs away.
My Thoughts: This match was bordering on being great, but didn’t have the finish I would have liked. I thought everyone played their part and worked really hard, with Eaton, Arn, and Windham being the obvious standouts. When guys this good work a match together, it’s bound to be quality stuff. ***1/4, worth a look if you google it.
– Taped to air July 27th, 1991, on WCW Pro
One Man Gang (w/Kevin Sullivan) vs. Big Josh
Sorry to not have locations, but I can’t find them. Black Blood was fired and removed from this feud because he wanted paid more. According to the WON, he was making $300 for every match. This match started with Big Josh running out there on the attack, and hitting Gang from behind. He knocked Gang down with a flying forearm, but after 33 seconds, Kevin Sullivan saw enough and got in the ring. This turned into a double team, with Josh trying his best to fight these guys off only for Gang to take him out and hit him with the 747. Now they want to cut Josh’s hair! Gang gets to cutting, but HERE COMES BALD EL GIGANTE. See, Gang had shaved El Gigante’s head. Anyway, Gigante made the save.
– Taped to air July 27th, 1991, on World Championship Wrestling, from Tallahassee, Florida
The Diamond Studd (w/DDP) vs. The Yellow Dog (w/Tom Zenk) in a BOUNTY MATCH
Pre-Match Thoughts: Zenk and the Studd were feuding, so I guess Zenk is there to watch the Dog’s back. At least DDP is getting time to do the entrance this time. Hell yeah. This thing cracks me up. I don’t understand how this was supposed to get heat. Why would anyone boo this? Dusty basically ripped off Rick Rude’s thing, but Rude took his own robe off and didn’t use a hot chick to do it.
Match Review: These two shove each other, and the Dog slaps Studd. That’s quite mean. He moves out of the way of a punch and Studd flies over the top, but Studd gets right back in there and goes for the mask, only to be given a jawbreaker. A dropkick sends Studd back out over the top, but when Studd gets back in, he gives the Dog a huge flapjack. Studd puts the Dog in a bear hug, but the Dog will not quit yet. DDP’s hype jobs were so funny, how could anyone dislike this guy? They stayed in this bear hug for a long time, but when the Dog gets out, he hip tosses Studd. Studd comes back with a back elbow, then puts the Dog in an abdominal stretch. Eventually Studd gets caught cheating, and the Dog goes for a sunset flip that gets blocked. Studd tries an arrogant pin, but the Dog finally takes him over for 2. Studd puts the boots to this mysterious masked man, but the Dog fires off a high knee. That’s followed by Studd trying to throw him over the top, but the Dog skins the cat and flies off the top with a missile dropkick! DDP then grabs the Dog to trip him, and Studd chokeslams the Dog. He rips the mask off too! Zenk runs in and puts a shirt over the Dog’s face, and the Dog rolls Studd up for the victory at 8:45!
My Thoughts: They actually taped two matches like this. First Steve Austin ripped the mask off, then Hall did on the same day. This match wasn’t the better of the two, and in fact I should have watched the other. As stated previously, Hall was either really green or simply really boring. Could be the latter. *1/2.
– Taped to air August 3rd, 1991, on WCW Pro
Tom Zenk vs. Steve Austin (w/Lady Blossom) for the WCW Television Championship
Pre-Match Thoughts: This sounds good, interesting, and completely different than the other stuff I’ve watched this time. That’s good because I needed a break from the Yellow Dog stuff, which permeated through ALL of WCW’s TV at this time. Zenk was a former TV champion, so it makes sense he’d get a shot here. They really need to drop this Z-Man moniker. It’s terrible. Austin’s entrance music is really awesome. These matches have ten minute time limits now.
Match Review: Zenk and Austin lock up, and nothing comes of it. Zenk then goes to a headlock, and follows that with a dropkick that gets 2. He trips Austin for another count of 2, then Austin clotheslines him. An Austin bodyslam gets 2, then they go back to fighting over a headlock, which Austin slaps on the challenger. Austin gets shot into the ropes and avoids a superkick, which puts the match at square one again. Zenk blocks a big boot, then gives Austin an atomic drop and a clothesline for 2. Zenk uses a headlock of his own now, and Austin reverses to a head-scissors. Zenk gets out, but Austin puts it right back on. Zenk gets out again, but Austin takes him into the ropes and punches away at him. Austin powerslams Zenk, but takes a kick to the chest and Zenk follows with a spinning back elbow. Zenk slams Austin for 2, then they collide with each other. Lady Blossom gets on the apron for some reason, and she tosses an object to Austin, but Zenk gets it and hits Austin with it. He covers, and the referee counts the fall at 7:00! Zenk is announced as the new champion, but Blossom tells the referee Zenk put a foreign object in his tights. She then digs it out, and the decision gets reversed!
My Thoughts: Not a spectacular match, but they wanted to show how capable Austin and his manager were. Clearly quite capable. This was standard wrestling, nothing too active nor anything boring. It was like they were just getting going. **.
– Taped to air August 3rd, 1991, on World Championship Wrestling, from Tallahassee, Florida
WCW Tag Team Championship Tournament Quarterfinals: The Enforcers vs. The Young Pistols
Pre-Match Thoughts: I’m very thankful to have found this one. The Enforcers are of course, Larry Zbyszko and Arn Anderson. These guys got a nice little block on the TV show to have a quality match. The Steiners vacated these titles because Scott Steiner jacked his arm up. Zbyszko and Arn were a perfect team, they couldn’t have put together a better one for the short term.
Match Review: Zbyszko and Smothers will start this, and Zbyszko uses a knee to the gut early on. He slams Smothers, then gives him a suplex for 2. Zbyszko tags in Arn, and Armstrong tags in too, for a double chop. Armstrong misses a charge to the corner and falls to the outside, then Arn wrenches the left arm around the post. Back in they go, and Arn utilizes the HAMMERLOCK SLAM. Arn keeps working the arm, but eventually clotheslines the post on accident. Armstrong goes to work on his arm, using all the same tactics Arn used until making a tag out. Smothers lands a double axehandle from the top onto that arm, then the Pistols make an illegal switch. Zbyszko was not pleased. The Pistols did it again, so Smothers knocks Arn down with a knee. Armstrong tags in and so does Zbyszko, who gets put in a hammerlock. Smothers tags back in and rolls Zbyszko up for 2, then puts the armbar on him. Zbyszko gets out with a back suplex, then Arn tags in for some elbows. Smothers tries to fight out of a bad spot, but Zbyszko pulls the top rope down on him and he falls to the outside. Zbyszko throws Smothers back in, and Arn now goes to work on Smothers’ leg. ONE BODY PART AT A TIME! Arn uses a stepover toe-hold, not a move I see too often. Zbyszko tags back in there and stomps on the leg, snapping it around and such. Zbyszko uses the stepover toe-hold as well, and tags in Arn to continue the job. He wraps the leg around the post, and Zbyszko jumps off the apron, landing with a stomp on the leg. Armstrong is about to throw the towel in on his partner, and Zbyszko goes to a spinning toe-hold. Arn tags back in and puts a half crab on Smothers, and this time, Armstrong throws the towel in and has the match stopped at 11:42.
My Thoughts: This is a very effective way to establish a team, with Arn and Zbyszko going for LEG DESTRUCTION. They were wrestlers, they will out wrestle people, and if they need to, they’ll cheat too. I totally get it. **3/4, this was a good match too.
I did skip one match in this tournament. The Freebirds fought Dick Murdoch and Dick Slater, with the match ending in a double count-out.
– Taped to air August 17th, 1991, on WCW Pro, from Wicomico Youth Center in Salisbury, Maryland
Black Blood (w/Kevin Sullivan & One Man Gang) vs. The Yellow Dog in a BOUNTY MATCH
Pre-Match Thoughts: This was one of the WWF’s old taping stomping grounds, before they decided to stop using it because it was too small or something. I did say that Black Blood got fired, but apparently not quite yet. Also on this episode of WCW Pro, they had a girl who couldn’t have been more than 16 disrobe the Diamond Studd. Oh dear. I felt very sleazy watching that.
Match Review: Well, this Yellow Dog is so clearly not the same guy. No muscle definition. Blood shoved this guy back into the corner, but the Dog rolls him up for 2. Blood comes back with a hip toss and a bodyslam, but misses an elbow drop and the Dog cradles him up for 2. These two then trade chops, and Blood hip tosses him, knocking him out of the ring. Sullivan goes for the mask, but gets fought off as Gang goes crazy while wearing his gimp mask. Okay. The Dog tries a cross body and gets 2, then tries a sunset flip only for it to get blocked. The Dog takes Blood down with a back elbow and heads up top, coming down with a dropkick that misses. Blood picks him up, drops him throat-first on the top rope, and drops a leg for the victory at 3:47.
After the match, Black Blood goes for the mask…and THAT’S RIP ROGERS. THE YELLOW DOG WAS RIP ROGERS. Well, that’s one way of getting out of something.
My Thoughts: I’m totally shocked WCW would do this. I mean, they’re a great company that doesn’t mess with people at all. Weren’t they? 1/2*. Brian Pillman would be reinstated the next week, to the surprise of nobody. People were begging for him to be able to come back.
– Taped to air August 17th, 1991, on World Championship Wrestling, from the Convention Center in Sioux City, Iowa
WCW Tag Team Championship Tournament Quarterfinals: Richard Morton & Terrence Taylor (w/Alexandra York) vs. The Patriots
Pre-Match Thoughts: Few things to run down here. Mr. Hughes contract was sold to Lex Luger, so he’s out of the York Foundation. Tommy Rich is in the York Foundation now, as Thomas Rich. Todd Champion and Firebreaker Chip were the Patriots, and Firebreaker Chip was a firefighter. Why isn’t he Firefighter Chip? Morton should have changed his look to go with his new alignment. The Patriots look like fucking dopes.
Match Review: Taylor and Chip lock up, and apparently the Patriots are being portrayed as being SUPER STRONG. Chip takes Taylor down and drops elbows on him, then hits Taylor with a clothesline. Morton tags in for the first time, and he goes for a monkey flip only for Chip to flip through and clothesline him. That was actually impressive. Champion tags in, and Morton gets out of there. This Champion doofus is doing a pec flex. Get outta here. He runs Taylor over with a shoulderblock, then blocks Taylor’s bodyslam attempt to give him one of his own. Morton gets slammed too, and the York Foundation goes to the computer. GOTTA FIX THE PROBLEM. The Patriots work on Taylor’s arm for a bit, with Champion doing most of the work. Morton knees Chip from behind when he tags in, and Taylor uses a jawbreaker. Morton tags back in, and he gives Chip an inverted atomic drop. He and Taylor then choke Chip, and Morton covers for 2. Taylor tags in, and Chip sunset flips him for 2. Chip tries a small package which also gets 2, and Taylor tags back out. Morton gives Chip a back suplex for 2, then tags in Taylor for a leg drop that gets 2. Taylor goes to a chinlock, and Chip gets out with a kick to the face. Champion makes the hot tag in, and the heels bump off his punches. A cross body on Taylor gets nothing, as Morton breaks up the pin. He and Chip go to the outside, and Champion hits Taylor with a flying back elbow for the fall at 9:17.
My Thoughts: I’m shocked that they put two guys over in this fashion right after introducing them. I think this booking totally sucked. It’s one thing to do bad things, but to put new guys with no experience over your best acts is something totally incompetent. ** as there was nothing wrong with the match, I just don’t understand why this was done.
In another tournament match on this show, Bill Kazmaier and Rick Steiner advanced to the finals. That’s funny.
– Taped to air August 24th, 1991, on WCW Pro, from the Civic Arena in St. Joseph, Missouri
Arn Anderson vs. Ron Simmons
Pre-Match Thoughts: Was WCW truly leaving the South and going national with their TV tapings? The answer was no, so these TV taping locations were awfully confusing. Anyway, in an important angle I can’t find on YouTube, Ron Simmons had called out Lex Luger a bit before this episode of the show. Hell yeah, that’s a babyface I can get behind. Harley Race and Mr. Hughes went down to the ring, and said Luger didn’t want to talk to Simmons. Luger walked out to a babyface pop of sorts, and got the fans to turn on him because Hughes clotheslined Simmons from behind. Luger then clotheslines Simmons, finally getting booed. BUT HERE COMES BARRY WINDHAM. BUT HE’S A HEEL. Windham grabbed the microphone, and Luger went back down to the ring. Now Hughes and Race attack Windham, and Luger clotheslines Windham a few times. BUT HERE COMES RON SIMMONS AND HE HAS A CHAIR. He scares everyone out of the ring, and asks Windham what side he’s on. Turns out he and Windham are on the same side and shake hands! Interesting. Now, to the match.
Match Review: If Simmons wins the match, he moves far up the WCW RANKINGS. He shoves Arn to the canvas, then Simmons blocks a punch, leading to a great looking press slam. Simmons follows that with a charge to the corner that misses, so Arn heads up top. Simmons then slams Arn down from the top, and Arn has to rake the eyes to stop his momentum. Simmons responds with a suplex, but he puts his head down for a backdrop and Arn DDT’s him. Arn gives Simmons a neckbreaker, and that gets 2. Arn goes to a chinlock, then elbows Simmons in the head once Simmons breaks free. There are a few, uh…”good ol’ boy” looking types cheering Arn on at ringside. Simmons punches Arn for 2, but Arn cradles him up for 2. Arn goes to the second rope, and Simmons hits him on the way down. Simmons hits Arn with a football tackle to the leg, and that’s good for a Simmons victory at 5:00!
My Thoughts: I’m really glad that Ron Simmons got pushed, seeing as he was the most obvious guy to challenge for Luger’s title. Yeah, I know Sting was there, but WCW needed to do something different. Simmons deserved his spot, although like I said, some fans weren’t too receptive to him. There were a lot of wrestling fans in those days that just wouldn’t cheer for a black babyface at the top of the card. That’s why most prominent black wrestlers had to be heels. **1/4.
– Taped to air August 24th, 1991, on Worldwide, from the Civic Arena in St. Joseph, Missouri
Tom Zenk, Dustin Rhodes, and Big Josh vs. The Fabulous Freebirds & Badstreet for the WCW Six-Man Tag Team Championships
Pre-Match Thoughts: It’s very rare that these were defended, and one can naturally assume that if they’re being defended, they’re also going to be lost. Anyone with a brain would assume that. Magnum TA did commentary for Worldwide at this point, glad to see him involved.
Match Review: Josh and Garvin will start, and Josh dropkicks him. He hits Hayes with one too, then hits them with a double clothesline. Dustin tags in, as does Badstreet, and Dustin backdrops Badstreet. He then htis all three opponents with elbows, clearing the ring again. Hayes tags in, and pops Dustin with the left hand. Now Garvin throws Dustin over the top behind the back of the official, and Dustin gets double teamed by Hayes and Badstreet. Badstreet tags in and heads up top, hitting Dustin with an elbow on the way down. Hayes tags in and comes off the top with a right hand, then an elbow drop gets 2. Badstreet and Garvin get in there, and Dustin gives them a DOUBLE BULLDOG. Zenk makes the big tag in, hits everyone with dropkicks, and now his partners are in there. Badstreet and Zenk are the legal men, and Badstreet goes for his big DDT only for Big Josh to smack him. Zenk flies off the top with a cross body, and we have NEW SIX-MAN TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS after a match of less than 5 minutes.
My Thoughts: Dusty just wanted to get a title on Dustin, and everyone knew it. I don’t mind, honestly. It was time to phase the Freebirds out, because Garvin was looking in rougher shape every time I see him. Hayes was still capable. The six-man titles don’t mean anything anyway. *1/2.
– Taped to air August 24th, 1991, on World Championship Wrestling, from the Convention Center in Sioux City, Iowa
WCW Tag Team Championship Tournament Semifinals: The Enforcers vs. The Patriots
Pre-Match Thoughts: I’d be shocked if this was good. Seems like a style clash that does not lend itself well towards becoming a good match. That being said, who knows? The final of this tournament was going to take place at Clash of the Champions, with the winner of this match taking on Rick Steiner and Bill Kazmaier.
Match Review: I really can’t stand this Firebreaker Chip. The gimmick bothers me too much. He locks up with Zbyzsko, and Zbyzsko takes him over with a fireman’s carry. He follows with an arm drag, trying to educate this youngster. Zbyzsko then stalls as only he can do, and slaps a headlock on Chip until Chip uses a shin-breaker. Arn makes a tag in, and starts telling Champion what’s what. Arn knocks the guy off the apron, then ducks to the outside so Champion can knock him down. I love that spot. Champion tosses Arn in for some pinball action, pissing him off and causing him to leave the ring. Arn gets back in there, and he wants Champion now. He attacks Champion on his way in, but Champion hits him with a flying shoulderblock and a bodyslam. Champion picks Arn up for a bear hug, which Zbyzsko is sure to break. Zbyzsko then tags in, and it’s time to go to work on the left leg. TAKE IT OUT. Arn tags back in for more work on it, sending it into the post. He then uses a spinning toe-hold, which Champion counters with a cradle for 2. Zbyzsko tags back in, applying a simple toe-hold. He goes for a suplex, but Champion reverses and makes the tag out. Zbyzsko also tags out, and Chip gives both Enforcers bodyslams and dropkicks. All four are in now, and Arn goes for a piledriver on Chip only for Chip to backdrop him. Arn holds on, Zbyzsko knocks Chip down, and Arn gets a pinfall while holding the ropes at 9:08.
My Thoughts: Everything Arn and Zbyzsko are doing in this team is great. Arn’s lines about mind over matter, controlled rage…well that just about sums these guys up. They also carried an inferior team to a better match than they could have had with somebody else. Granted, this wasn’t a perfect match. It was, however, decent at the very least. **1/2, I’d have given more for more action after the tag.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX???
There’s a box gift wrapped for Sting. What could be inside? He thought this was a present for him. Sting opens the box, and ABDULLAH THE BUTCHER COMES OUT OF IT. THAT’S AMAZING. He throws Sting into the rail, and beats Sting down until officials come to ringside. The obvious thing to ask is…why? Struggling to think of how that makes sense at all.
– August 25th, 1991, from the Omni in Atlanta, Georgia
WCW United States Championship Tournament Final: Steve Austin (WCW TV Champion, w/Lady Blossom) vs. Sting
This is just clips. There was a big tournament at the Omni, none of which was shown for obvious reasons, namely that they didn’t want to show all those wrestlers taking falls on TV. Surprisingly, Dustin Rhodes was in this tournament and did not win! What was in this video looked great, but Austin had Sting beaten and went to hug his manager instead. Sting got up and gave him a TOMBSTONE PILEDRIVER, then scared Lady Blossom off the apron. So, Sting became the new US Champion after rolling Austin up.
That’s it for this one match and angle wise, but there is quite a lot of news. WCW started a tournament for a Light Heavyweight Championship, and that tournament had jobbers in the first round. WCW also had guys who were supposed to join. Van Hammer was one of them. Bam Bam Bigelow and Eddie Gilbert were supposed to and didn’t. Cactus Jack DID join WCW. WCW also had planned to do a match at Clash of the Champions where the wrestlers would fight in quicksand and the winner would be the first to escape. I don’t even have snark to offer. There were also people slated to leave. Robert Gibson and Big Daddy Dink were two of those people. Nikita Koloff was also leaving, so he was put over at the Bash for nothing. Kevin Sullivan was out too. WCW was what it had mocked the WWF from becoming. They did wrestle in WCW, sure. They were also a joke, rapidly becoming filled up with green steroid freaks who couldn’t work. Next is SummerSlam 1991!
Best: The Enforcers. In general, this pairing was the best thing about WCW at this time.
Worst: Building up the York Foundation only to make the gimmick totally irrelevant by not having match plans printed by the computer. How about reinstating Brian Pillman after a meaningless loser leaves town match? How about Lex Luger only cutting interviews on TV?
