Leighty’s Retro Review: NWA Great American Bash ’90: New Revolution

-This was the first NWA show I ever watched on PPV. My next door neighbor ordered the show for her kids and invited me over. I remember playing outside before the show and hurting my knee and spent the rest of the night pretending I was Sting. I don’t think I have seen the show since then, so outside of the Main Event and Vader’s debut, I don’t remember anything. Let’s get to it!

-Announce Team: Jim Ross and Bob Caudle
-Date: July 7, 1990
-Location: Baltimore Arena, Baltimore, MD
-Attendance: 10,000
-PPV Buys: 200,000

”Nature Boy” Buddy Landell vs. “Flyin” Brian

-Pillman’s scroll graphic for his name is blank, which isn’t the best way to start your brand new era PPV. They exchange slaps to start and then to the corner where they chop the stuffing out of each other. Pillman with a cross-body from the middle ropes for two. Pillman with three dropkicks to pop the crowd and Landell ends up on the floor. Landell talks some trash and flexes to the crowd which draws a “Buddy” chant. Back in the ring Landell complains about a hair pull and then pulls Brian’s hair behind the ref’s back. Wonderful! To the corner and Landell slaps Pillman again and then hides behind the ref and between the ropes. They lock up again and Pillman gets a wrist-lock, but a thumb to the eye stops that. Pillman tries a sunset flip, but Buddy punches him in the face. Pillman tries another cross-body, but gets caught and Landell hits a backbreaker. More posing from Buddy! Pillman fires back with chops, but misses a dropkick as Buddy grabbed the top rope. Landell gets a two count and then another. Pillman tries a hip-toss, but Landell stops that with a clothesline for two. Pillman back with more chops and then the mounted punches in the corner. They trade chops again and Landell gets in the final blow of this exchange. Chinlock from Buddy and he gets in a knee to the gut when Pillman breaks. They knock each other down and then we get more trading of chops. Pillman goes back to the mounted punches in the corner. Landell hits an elbow out of the corner and both men are down again. Pillman with another cross-body, but Landell rolls through for two. Landell ducks a clothesline and Pillman ends up on the apron. He rushes up top and hits another cross-body and this time it gets the pin at 9:46.

Winner: Flyin Brian via pin at 9:46
-Just a solidly worked match that I enjoyed. Pillman was on a good run and Landell knew how to work with him. ***

The Iron Sheik vs. Captain Mike Rotunda

-Sheik attacks before the bell as JR lies about Sheik being a Silver Medal Winner in Greco-Roman Wrestling at the 68 Olympics in Mexico. Sheik is huge here as he has a pot belly and it’s no wonder they put him in military garb for his WWF run the next year. Rotunda back with a slam and a drop-kick that sends Sheik to the floor. A lady at ringside waves a small American Flag in Sheik’s face and sticks her tongue out at him. Awesome! Sheik is finally back in the ring and they start trading chops. Sheik goes to the eyes and then runs Rotunda into his pointed boot. Sheik with a gut-wrench suplex and then hooks an abdominal stretch. Sheik uses the ropes, so the ref kicks his arm away. Rotunda misses an elbow and The Sheik tells the crowd to stick it. Belly to Back suplex that nearly turned into a German Suplex gets two! Routanda eats some chops and fires back with right hands. He finally drops Sheik and he begs off by praying. He goes back to the eyes and tries a suplex, but Mike blocks and gets one of his own for two. Sheik dumps Mike to the floor and then poses on the middle ropes. Lot of posing tonight which is ironic considering they always took shots at WWF for being the company with men who are worried about posing. Sheik with a suplex back into the ring for two and then some heavy chops. He tries a double arm suplex, but Mike reverses and gets a backslide for the pin at 6:48.

Winner: “Captain” Mike Rotunda via pin at 6:48
-Not much to this one as Sheik was past his prime obviously and Mike had been floundering since the Varsity Club split. The finish was a little awkward as well. *1/4

-Gordon Solie îs with Harley Race, who is in his wrestling gear. He still has a grudge against Tommy Rich for beating him for The World Title. He notes that if Flair is not on his toes tonight, he will get beat.

”Dirty” Dutch Mantell vs. Doug Furnas

-I wonder if the idea was to get a bunch of people on the show as they anticipated a large audience due to the Main Event and thus threw out a bone to people like Mantel, Landell, etc? Perhaps they just wanted solid pros in there with some of the younger guys to make them look good as well. Mantell hooks a side headlock, and gets shoved off. He runs into Furnas and drops. Now Furnas gets the side headlock and they reverse rolls, but Mantell can’t stand up to a shoulder from Furnas and ends up on the floor. Furnas shows off his athleticism with a series of leap frogs and then gets a Gorilla Press Slam where he walks around with Dutch for a bit before slamming him down. Lockup again and Dutch pushes Furnas into the corner and slaps him. Furnas walks Dutch into the corner, but Dutch pulls the ref in the way. Dutch gets another slap as he is trying to fluster Furnas. He gets a third slap and this time Furnas slaps back and pounds away with punches in the corner. Furnas back flips off the top and delivers a dropkick to send Dutch back to the floor. Back in the ring Furnas gets a wrist lock which forces Dutch to grab the hair. Furnas gets a crossbody for two and then an armdrag into an armbar. Dutch breaks and they start trading punches. Furnas with a slam, but he misses a top rope splash. Short-arm clothesline for Dutch, but Furnas kicks out with some power. I am noticing a lot of elderly people in the first few rows. Very different from crowds only a few years later and today. I am scanning the crowd because not much is happening as Mantell controls the arm. He pitches Furnas to the floor and gives chase. Another short-arm clothesline! Back in the ring a snap suplex gets another two again, but again Furnas kicks out with power as Dutch lands on the ref. Dutch goes back to the arm and uses the tights for good measure as he works the ref. The ref catches him on the third try and Furnas gets a roll-up off the distraction. Furnas ducks a clothesline and gets a shoulder tackle. Powerslam from Furnas, but he sets too early on a backdrop. Dutch lands a kick, but Furnas responds. Heavy kick from Furnas as they seem to be on different pages at the moment. Dutch loses track of Furnas as they run the ropes and Furnas uses that to get a belly to belly suplex for the pin at 11:17.

Winner: Doug Furnas via pin at 11:17
-Not a fan of this one as it started okay, but probably went too long and never really got the crowd into it. You could see Dutch was doing all he could to keep Furnas on track at times. *1/2

Harley Race vs. “Wildfire” Tommy Rich

-Battle of former NWA Champion as this would classify as a Legends or Old Timers Match. This is something that would fit in with Slamboree when they did Legends Matches. Rich gets dropped with a clothesline, but is back with a slam. Ross and Caudle question the fast start as they aren’t sure if either man can keep up this pace. Obviously not as they slow things down. Race gets sent shoulder first into the post and Rich goes to work there. Race with a HHH high knee (I know) and then sticks Rich with a piledriver. They fight on the ramp and Race snaps off a suplex. Race drops a knee before they head back into the ring. Head-butts from Race and then he tosses Rich to the floor. Back in the ring Rich turns things around and gets a clothesline that sends Race over the top and to the floor. Rich gets a slam out there and heads back in to break the count. Ross mentions Rich took the NWA Title from Harley in one of the biggest upsets in wrestling history. The match was April 27, 1981 which was a month before I was born. Not often I get to type that sentence in regards to wrestling at this point. Rich only held the Title for 4 days before Race won it back. Race with a clothesline and another knee drop as this crowd is just gone. Neckbreaker from Race as they are hitting everything solidly, but slowly and without the crowd caring. Rich back with right hands and a knee-lift. They both end up spilling over the top the floor and that doesn’t even get a reaction. They head back in and Rich comes off the top, but Race rolls through and gets the pin at 6:31.

Winner: Harley Race via pin at 6:31
-The work was solid, but slow and the crowd did not care. This was a weird match to put on this show, but perhaps they wanted Harley to get one last match on a big show. *1/2

-Paul Heyman cuts a promo with Mean Mark as they are going to take the US Title from Lex Luger.

NWA United States Tag Team Titles: The Midnight Express (c) (w/ Jim Cornette) vs. The Wild Eyed Southern Boys

-Midnights attack before the bell and send both Boys to the floor. They brawl out there and then back into the ring. Eaton gets left alone and gets sent flying with a double backdrop. Then a double shoulder and Lane eats a pair of right hands for good measure. You can hear some boos as there are quite a few Midnight fans in the crowd. Cornette must have heard as he yells at the crowd and calls someone a pig faced moron. We start proper with Eaton and Steve Armstrong. Steve with an arm-drag and Eaton goes to his corner to slow things a bit. He pushes Armstrong into the corner and starts firing off right hands. Slam from Eaton and he heads up top, but a bit too early as Armstrong slams him down. Monkey flip from Steve followed by a dropkick. Armstrong up top and he comes off with a clothesline that sends Eaton to the floor where Cornette is waiting with open arms. Sign of a good manager! Lock-up and Smothers gets the tag in the corner. Eaton eats a double chop and scurries to his corner. He regroups and tries a slam, but Smothers slides out and hits a super kick. “Cornette Suck” chant rings throughout the building. Eaton is staying in there and lands some right hands in the corner. A whip to the corner is reversed and Smothers drops Eaton with another super kick. Now Eaton tags out and I don’t blame him. Lane in to a good reaction from the crowd and he stretches the legs as he is ready for some KARATE. The crowd pops as Lane lands a back handed punch. This is fantastic! Lane wins the KARATE battle initially, but gets his leg caught and Smothers lands some back hand punches and another super kick. Eaton rushes in and gets hit with a super kick for the third time. Wonderful! Lane regroups and back in they get into a grapple contest as they reverse holds. Lane has had enough of this fair fighting and goes to the eyes. Tag made to Eaton, but he rushes in and gets caught with an arm-drag. Eaton pushes Smothers back in the corner and delivers some right hands. Eaton gets caught again though and rolls to the floor. Smothers hits a dropkick through the ropes. The Express use some distraction techniques, but Smothers ducks a double clothesline and Armstrong comes off the top onto both Midnights to pop the crowd. We get pin attempts all over the place and The Express have to bail again as Cornette is on the verge of a heart attack. Blind Tag by The Midnights and Smothers gets tossed over the top and to the floor. Lane sends Smothers into the railing as Cornette has the ref’s attention. Classic! Cornette uses the racket for good measure and again, Classic! Smothers tries to climb back in, but Lane knocks him off and he goes flying into the railing. Sweet! Atomic Drop into a backbreaker from Eaton and he maintains the hold for a bit. Clothesline from Eaton cuts off a brief comeback and again, that pops the Express fans in the crowd. Leap Frog Splash! Lane throws some KARATE KICKS in the corner before tagging back to Eaton. He comes in and gets a two count. Smothers creates space in the corner and hits another super kick. Eaton grabs the leg to stop the tag and gets a slam. Alabama Jam connects and listen to that crowd! Tag to Lane as Eaton is selling the move which makes sense as he landed on his ass from off the top rope. Smothers with a sunset flip, but Lane is out at two. Lane hits a kick to the gut and Eaton hits a swinging neckbreaker. Eaton sling shots Smothers back into the ring and Lane back in for a suplex that gets two. Eaton back in with a straight right hand that knocks Smoothers to the floor. Eaton tries to sling shot him back into the ring, but Smothers reverses and Eaton goes over the top and to the floor. Lane fights off a comeback attempt, but Smothers gets a double sunset flip and uses that to roll and make the tag to Armstrong. He runs wild and hits a flying shoulder on Lane for two. Smothers with a slam to Eaton! Armstrong with the top rope dropkick on Lane who was being held up by Smothers, but no ref as he is getting Smothers out of the ring. Eaton pushes Armstrong off the top and then heads up and we get a Rocket Launcher on Armstrong for TWO! Wow! The crowd is standing now! Smothers changes places with Armstrong and gets a small package for two. Great near fall! Lane hits a kick to the back of the head from the apron and Eaton gets a roll-up for the pin at 18:15.

Winners and Still NWA US Tag Team Champions: The Midnight Express via pin at 18:15
-This was fantastic and that last few minutes after the hot tag was insanely great. Just an amazing display of old school tag wrestling that sucked the crowd in and had them rocking with everything they were doing. ****1/2

-The Free Birds sporting glitter and makeup cut a promo on The Steiner Brothers.

Big Van Vader vs. Tom Zenk

-VADER’S MUSIC! THE HELMET! This is Vader with a fuller mask than what he would become synonymous with later in his career. Zenk rushes in and maybe the thought is if I anger him, he will end it earlier. Vader mauls him in the corner and hits a running splash in the opposite corner. Heavy short-arm clothesline to the side of the head. Vader lifts Zenk over the top by his throat. He misses a clothesline and Zenk his a dropkick. He charges again and Vader casually catches him with a Gorilla Press Slam! He drops an elbow and then follows with a suplex. Another heavy clothesline and then a splash finishes at 2:16.

Winner: Big Van Vader via pin at 2:16
-Just destruction as it should have been. The crowd just seemed to be in awe of Vader as they popped for the entrance and him winning the match. This was just a taste as Vader wasn’t quite read to be unleashed on WCW. SQUASH

-The Horsemen (minus Flair) get some promo time as they have a 6 Man Tag later.

The Steiner Brothers vs. The Fabulous Freebirds

-On one hand I have seen too many Bird matches covering 89 and 90, but on the other hand…BAD STREET! The Birds jump The Steiners before the bell, which I didn’t hear anyway. Scott gets dropped throat first on the top rope and then hit with a double clothesline. Garvin tries a DDT, but Scott backdrops out and then blocks Hayes trying one as well. Rick back in and he throws out Steiner-lines to clear the ring. Scott runs down both Birds on the floor with a double clothesline. Ross covers the history between the two teams as The Birds lost the Tag Titles to The Steiners back in November. Now we get the stalling from the Birds as they egg on the crowd, who respond with some non PG chants. Scott and Garvin start us proper and Garvin gets manhandled, so he tags out. We have some time with Hayes getting the tag. We got a more tasteful, “Freebirds Suck” chant. Rick backs Hayes into the corner and bites his ass. Tag to Garvin and he wants Scott, which is pretty dumb. Scott with a hiptoss and then one to Hayes. He hits a dropkick on each Bird and they bail to the floor again. I give The Birds grief for all the stalling, but the crowd is white hot for all of this. The Birds talk strategy on the ramp as the crowd waits patiently for the ass kicking to resume. More stalling from Hayes as the chants grow louder. Hayes finally lands a kick and sends Scott into the top buckle. Heavy forearms and chops from Hayes! Scott catches Hayes ducking too soon and hits a double under-hook sit-out powerbomb. Garvin rushes in and Scott wrecks him with a tilt-a-whirl slam. The Birds bail to stall once again. Now Rick is in and and he wants some of Hayes. “Michael is a bitch,” chant from some in the crowd. Hayes with a leapfrog and he is proud of himself. He tries again and Rick plants him with a power slam. Garvin gets slammed as well. The Birds finally start cheating which gets them the advantage. Rick eats a clothesline on the floor from Garvin and then a double suplex out there. Another clothesline from Garvin as the ref has been with Scott the entire time. Back in the ring Hayes gets a slam for one and then a bulldog for two. Garvin with the tag and he punches Scott on the apron to draw him back into the ring. Garvin with a chinlock as Jim Ross makes veiled gay jokes about The Birds wearing makeup and San Francisco. Rick elbows out but a knee stops the brief comeback. Garvin with a slam and he heads up top, but takes too long and eats a right hand. Rick heads up and comes off to plan Garvin face first on the mat. The race is on as the crowd is on fire and the hot tag is made to Scott. Powerslam to Hayes! Gorilla Press of Hayes onto Garvin! STEREO STEINER-LINES! Hayes gets caught with THE FRANKENSTEINER! Garvin plans Scott with a DDT behind the ref’s back, but he makes the cover and isn’t legal so the ref won’t count. Smart ref there! As Garvin argues, Rick hits Hayes with an overhead release suplex and puts Scott on top for the pin at 13:40.

Winners: The Steiner Brothers via pin at 13:40
-This was an okay tag match with a hot crowd. Again, the stalling gets old too me, but I can’t fault them for it as it works on getting the crowd going. **1/4

The 4 Horsemen (Arn Anderson, Sid Vicious, Barry Windham) vs. Paul Orndorff, The Junkyard Dog, and El Gigante

-Wonderful and Arn start us off, and again, it’s still weird seeing Orndorff as a good guy. Arn tags out to Sid because he’s smart. Sid picks Paul up by the throat and slams him down, but misses a leg drop. I mean, Orndorff of all people would have that move scouted. Wonderful catches Arn and Windham with a hiptoss. He tries one on Sid, but nothing happening. He tries a backslide and that does no where, so JYD decks Sid and that helps Wonderful complete the move for a two count. Arn gets the tag and The Horsemen try to trap Paul in the corner, but he fights his way out. Everyone in the ring and the Horsemen scurry to the floor as Gigante steps in the ring. Back in the ring Arn starts bouncing all over the place for JYD and then eats a punch from Wonderful on the apron. He avoids a right from Gigante and Arn backs into his corner having seen his life flash. Windham and JYD have a go and JYD hits some bad looking headbutts that may or may not have made contact. Windham goes to the eyes after everything else fails, but it doesn’t do much as JYD gets a suplex. Arn and Wonderful back in and Wonderful runs wild on all three Horsemen. Clothesline to Arn, but Windham comes off the top to stop a piledriver. The crowd starts a loud, “We Want Sid,” chant and Arn makes the tag as he is a man of the people. Powerslam from Sid and the crowd loves him. I am not a fan of the double singlet look on Sid. Windham back in and he gets a vertical suplex for two. Arn back in and he drops an elbow as Wonderful sets too early on a backdrop. Windham back in and Wonderful lands a left hand. The hot tag is made to JYD and now he gets to run wild for a bit. The Horsemen throw JYD over the top (to the ramp) and that is a DQ at 8:49.



Winners: El Gigante, JYD, and Mr. Wonderful via DQ at 8:49
-Awful ending and the crowd is not happy about Gigante never legally getting into the match. This was just a waste and they failed to deliver. We now know Gigante was very limited, but Arn and Windham could have bumped for him here and there to give the crowd something. We didn’t even get a tease of Sid/Gigante. *

NWA United States Heavyweight Championship: Lex Luger (c) vs. Mean Mark (w/ Paul Heyman)

-Mark grabs the arm to start and it’s weird seeing him without the tats and working non Undertaker style. Very slow start to this one. Luger gets a hammerlock, but Mark counters which Liger then counters back into a hammerlock. Mark complains about a hair pull and then yells at the crowd. Mark lands a right hand in the corner and then another. He misses an elbow in the corner and then misses a clothesline. Luger gets a crossbody for two and then an arm-drag into an armbar. Luger works the arm for a bit as this is going nowhere so far. Heyman is keeping the crowd engaged on the floor as best as he can. Mark hits a clothesline that kind of hits Luger, who wasn’t sure if he should sell it or not. Mark lands a shot to the throat and chokes Luger on the middle rope. He goes to work on the arm and shoulder and gets a grounded arm-bar. Luger fights to his feet, but Mark drops down as Luger charges and he crashes over the top to the floor. Paul distracts the ref so Mark can run Luger into the wooden steps. He bounces Lex’s head off the announce table. Heyman gets in some words on commentary to wake up the fans at home. Back in the ring Luger gets a sunset flip for two. Mark back to throwing right hands. He misses a charge in the corner and they start trading right hands. Mark wins this exchange and gets a vertical suplex, but Luger no sells as he bounces to his feet. IRONY! Luger starts snapping off clotheslines as the crowd is finally awake. He gets Mark up in The Rack and the ref gets kicked by accident. Paul rushes in and decks Luger in the ribs with his phone. The ref wakes and Mark gets a two count. Weak looking clothesline from Mark. He signals for The Heart Punch, but Luger blocks, punches Heyman, and hits a clothesline for the pin at 12:08.

Winner and Still NWA United States Champion: Lex Luger via pin at 12:08
-Not the most exciting match though they got the crowd into Luger’s comeback at the end. As we know this was the closest Mark ever got to moving up the card in WCW and was undertaking a new role 4 months later in the WWF. *1/2

NWA World Tag Team Championship: Doom (c) (w/ Teddy Long) vs. The Rock-N-Roll Express

-Contrast in styles here which usually produces good results. Ross is all over Doom’s college football backgrounds as one would expect and name drops Burt Reynolds. Gibson starts with Simmons and it’s a slow start as Simmons flexes and then offers Gibson a chance to leave the ring. That’s kind of him! Simmons shoves Gibson across the ring and hits another pose. I swear JR once told me the NWA wasn’t about men posing. Simmons lands some knees, but misses a clothesline and Gibson lands some right hands. He avoids a charge in the corner and gets a roll-up for two. Reed in and he slugs Gibson down with clubbing right hands. Gibson floats over and gets a slam, showing some power. He hits an elbow and Reed needs a second to regroup. Morton gets the blind tag, but Reed goes to the eyes. He runs Morton down with a shoulder as Ross notes that every time the RNR won the Tag Titles was against a bigger team. RNR use another blind tag and get a double tackle on Reed to send him to the ramp. Double suplex on Ron and he bails to the floor. Reed gets brought back in from the apron, but has had enough and rips Gibson’s head off with a clothesline. Gibson stumbles to the wrong corner and eats a right hand. Doom hits a double elbow which gets a two count for Simmons. Slam from Ron and he drops a leg. Back to Reed and they sucker Morton into the ring, so they go pitch Gibson over the top and to the floor. The crowd is kind of subdued for this one which I am not used to seeing for a RNR match. Back in the ring, Reed gets a swinging neckbreaker for two. Gibson gets a knee as Reed sets too early. He makes the tag to Morton and he fires away with right hands and hooks a sleeper. Simmons forces a break. Morton gets a roll-up for two, but Simmons is back in and hits a clothesline to the back of the head. Reed with a clothesline and drops a series of elbows. Hey, the accelerated timer from Starrcade 89 is back as they announce 10 minutes are gone at the 8:00 mark. Simmons in, but he runs into a boot in the corner. Ricky hasn’t been beaten enough so not tag yet as Reed is in and rakes the eyes. The crowd is distracted by something in the crowd as they start barking. Nearly 10 minutes into the match we finally get a Rock and Roll chant as Reed hooks a chinlock. Morton punches out and tries a backslide which gets an assist from Gibson, but Reed is out at two. Simmons back in and he hits a slam and sling shots Morton under the bottom rope. That gets two and then another, so Simmons goes to a choke. Morton with a flash small package for two, but he can’t follow up and gets booted in the head. Slam gets two! Reed tags back in and hits a double ax off the middle ropes and drops a leg. Fist drop gets a two count, so we go back to the chinlock. Morton gets pitched to the floor where Long gets in a cheap shot and then Simmons sends him into the railing. Caudle tries to put over the beating Ricky has taken here, but who is he kidding? This is baby stuff for Ricky. Ugly powerslam from Reed, but he tries a splash and Morton gets the knees up to block. Hot Tag to Gibson gets no reaction. Damn! Gibson runs wild and it’s wild how this crowd doesn’t care. All four men start to brawl and Long ends up on the apron. Convoluted ending as Gibson hits an enziguiri that sends Reed into Long. That didn’t really flow well. Gibson goes after Long and that lets Reed come off the top with a shoulder for the pin at 15:40 to a small pop.

Winner and Still NWA Tag Team Champions: Doom via pin at 15:40
-This wasn’t bad, but the crowd did not care one bit. It made the 15 minutes seem even longer. The ending was kind of whack as well. **

-Gordon Solie interviewed Ric Flair earlier in the day when the area was still empty. Depending on your age, make your own 2000 WCW or 2024 AEW joke.

NWA World Heavyweight Championship: Ric Flair (c) vs. Sting

-Sting is rocking his iconic American Flag face paint and jacket. The Dudes with Attitudes (Steiner, JYD, and Orndorff) are at ringside to make sure The Horsemen can’t get involved. Ole Anderson is handcuffed up the aisle to El Gigante as well. The deck is really stacked against Flair here. After a delay due to Sting destroying his knee, we are finally here. Just a few months earlier his former partner won the WWF Title from Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania, and now Sting has his chance against the NWA’s Greatest Champion. The crowd is fired up for this one as you would expect. Sting shoves Flair down off each lock-up and they trade yells. The story should be really simple as Sting is coming back from a knee injury against Ric Flair, who loves destroying knees. Flair throws some chops in the corner, but Sting just stares him down and somewhere in the back Mean Mark is taking notes for November. Gorilla Press Slam and Flair rolls to the ramp. More chops and again Sting just stares him down. Sting runs down the ramp and hits a clothesline that sends Flair back into the ring. Flair begs off in the corner and uses the break to get in a thumb to the eye. Flair drops a knee as Caudle and Ross go over Flair being the Wrestler of the 80s. I humbly disagree, but as noted, I grew up on WWF. Suplex, but Sting beats Flair to his feet and comes off the top with a crossbody for two. Flair gets back in the ring and finally goes to the knee. He lands a chop, but Sting charges out of the corner with a clothesline. Flair just can’t get on track in this one yet. Test of Strength, but Flair slaps him in the face and finally lands a chop that bothers Sting. He tosses Sting between the ropes and to the ramp as they announce 10 minutes have passed at 5:50. That’s awful and even worse than what they were doing at Starrcade. Bad part is I believed the times they announced when I watched this live. Who knew 34 years later I would be watching the match while keeping time? Flair avoids a dropkick and goes back to the knee. Flair misses a knee drop and Sting hooks the Figure Four to a big pop from the crowd. Cool! Flair quickly gets to the ropes but Flair is still screaming as she sells it like death. They head to the floor and Flair lands a chop and sends Sting into the railing, but he no sells it. Flair runs back to the ring and tries to beg off, but Sting gets top position and fires off right hands. Flair tries to go up and Sting slams him down. Backslide from Sting gets two! Sting asks about the count and Flair hits a leg sweep to turn the tide. Cool! Flair is feeling himself a bit more as he talks crap to Scott Steiner. Just wait about a decade until Scott gets a chance to respond. Flair slaps Sting in the face, which is dumb. That fires Sting up and he shakes off every chop and tells Flair to bring more. Gorilla Press as the knee seems okay now. Clothesline gets two. Sting punches away in the corner and we get the Flair Flip in the corner, but he can’t run the apron as Sting drops him with a clothesline. Suplex brings Flair back into the ring and it gets two. Stinger Splash! Scorpion Deathlock and here come The Horsemen, but The Dudes cut them off and they start brawling on the ramp. Flair gets to the ropes to force a break. Flair gets in a shoulder from the apron and dives in for a pin with his feet on the ropes, but Scott knocks them off and Sting is out at two. Sting with a roll-up for two. Sting bridges up and into a backslide for two. The chops from Flair still aren’t working. Sting tries a knee in the corner, but misses (and the camera nearly missed as they cut to the crowd). Flair goes in for the kill, but Sting counters the Figure Four with a small package for the pin at 16:06.

Winner and New NWA World Heavyweight Champion: Sting via pin at 16:06
-Great and historic moment, but not the classic match it would have been had Sting not destroyed his knee. It was still good obviously, but not as good as the Starrcade match they had 7 months earlier. The result was never in doubt compared to Hogan/Warrior, so it didn’t have the drama. It may be unfair to compare the two matches, but they both set out to accomplish the same goal. ***1/4

-Sting celebrates as pyro goes off. He gives his victory speech and puts over Flair before going back to the ring to celebrate.

-Jim Ross signs off.

-Thanks for reading!

7.0

The final score: review Good

The 411

The US Tag Title Match is amazing and the Main Even is historic enough and good enough to make this a good show. A lot of filler which is unusual for the NWA as this time as they didn't bloat their cards with shorter matches. This kicked off the new era for the NWA with Sting as the World Champion and much like Warrior beating Hogan, it seemed like a can't miss situation.