Hall’s WCW Clash Of The Champions XVII Review

Clash of the Champions XVII
Date: November 19, 1991
Location: Savannah Civic Center, Savannah, Georgia
Attendance: 6,922
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Jim Ross

This is a show I’ve seen quite a few times over the years and I might as well give it another shot. The big feud at the moment is Sting against the recently debuted Rick Rude, who first appeared at Halloween Havoc and promised to come after Sting and the US Title. There’s one other major moment on here though and it’s one of the best things WCW ever did. Let’s get to it.

The opening video runs down all five title matches. Yeah this is a big show.

We go to the arena and as always I have to wonder: why was the big WCW logo tilted sideways? That was the case at multiple shows so it had to be on purpose.

Thomas Rich vs. Big Josh

Lumberjack match and Alexander York (Terri Runnels) is here with Rich. They’re part of the technology obsessed York Foundation while Josh (the future Doink The Clown) is a lumberjack. Rich jumps him to start fast as commentary explains that Rich brought Josh to WCW and then turned on him. Some right hands just make Josh mat but Rich has nowhere to run, meaning it’s a chop into an atomic drop.

Rich is sent outside and violently tossed back in, with Josh dropping an elbow for an early one. Josh is sent outside this time and more of the Foundation gets in some cheap shots. Back in and Josh gets tossed back to the floor for another beating. Rich chokes away with some tape back inside so Josh fights up, only to get choked right back into the corner.

A suplex gets two on Josh, who charges into a raised boot. For some reason Rich goes up top but gets slammed down, meaning it’s time for a criss cross of all things. Terrance Taylor (of the Foundation) trips Rich down, allowing Josh to hit the Northern Exposure (running seated senton) for the pin at 6:04.

Rating: C-. Pretty slow paced match here with nothing overly interesting save for Taylor costing Josh the match in the end. This wasn’t exactly a red hot match to start things off and the lumberjacks were really only there for the finish, which is fine enough. They didn’t have a terrible match, but they also didn’t have an interesting one, which isn’t much better.

Bobby Eaton vs. Firebreaker Chip

Eaton is on his own and Chip is from WCW Special Forces, whatever those are supposed to be. They shake hands to start and we’re ready to go with a lockup, which goes nowhere. Chip headlocks him down to little avail before trying a…some kind of jump off the top which goes over Eaton.

Another trip to the top lets Chip hit a not so smooth high crossbody so it’s back to the headlock. Eaton gets out and misses a charge, allowing Chip to hit a top rope clothesline for two. Chip starts working on the arms with a half nelson/hammerlock on the mat, which is rather different. Back up and Eaton hits a shot to the face followed by a backbreaker but Chip gets two off a backslide. Eaton kicks him into the corner and a bridging belly to back suplex gives Eaton the pin at 4:52.

Rating: C. Chip was trying to do some nice stuff in there but he just wasn’t very smooth with them. At the same time you have Eaton, who can make anything work in a match and he was doing his thing here. Eaton didn’t have much going on at the moment so this was just a way for him to get a TV win, which is fine, though not the most thrilling result.

Starrcade 1991 is coming! Featuring Battlebowl! That was my first pay per view as a kid and I’ve seen it far more times than I could count.

Here is Sting to find out who has been sending him big gift boxes featuring presents such as Cactus Jack and Abdullah The Butcher. A bunch of muscular men bring out a…..carriage I guess you would call it. Sting wants a prize and Madusa comes out to crawl over to Sting, who isn’t sure what’s going on. He does seem kind of interested and does the shot, but here is World Champion Les Luger to jump Sting and go after his surgically repaired knee. The leg is slammed onto the ramp and here are some of Sting’s friends to chase Luger off. That’s not good when Sting has a title defense set for tonight.

Z-Man vs. Diamond Studd

We’re joined in progress and Studd gets a boot up in the corner, setting up a middle rope bulldog. We go split screen to Sting being put in an ambulance as Z-Man crotches Studd against the post. A top rope sunset flip gets two but Studd is back with a clothesline as Sting’s friends insist that he’ll be back in time for his title match. Z-Man gets in an enziguri and a crucifix gets the pin at 1:24 shown. The match was just a backdrop for Sting’s injury stuff. The Studd would be fine as he would jump to the WWF in about six months and change his name to Razor Ramon.

Post match the Studd hits a chokeslam and the Diamond Death Drop (Razor’s Edge). Studd does the wipe his hands deal and declares himself the Bad Guy. Geez just move him to the WWF now as it’s almost all right there.

TV Title: Steve Austin vs. PN News

News (a 400lb rapper who had no rap talent) is challenging and Lady Blossom is here with Austin. An early cheap shot doesn’t work for Austin, who gets lifted into the air and thrown down. News (with his orange YO BABY YO BABY YO tights) hits a running splash in the corner and Austin needs a breather on the floor. That’s fine with News, who sends him into the barricade and they go back inside. For some reason Austin tries a slam, with the collapse giving News two.

News suplexes him into the ropes for two but Austin misses a charge to send him outside. Back in and News sends him crashing down, setting up a belly to belly for two, as Blossom puts Austin’s food on the rope. News goes after Blossom, allowing Austin to hit a running dive (!) over the top to send News into the barricade. They get back inside and News misses a charge, allowing Austin to get a rollup with feet on the ropes to retain at 4:24.

Rating: C. News was one of those ideas that could only work in the early 90s and he wasn’t exactly good enough in the ring to overcome the ridiculousness. At the same time, Austin was able to hang with just about anyone and you could see the skill all over the place. They did what they could here but it was smart to keep things short.

Missy Hyatt interviews Marcus Alexander Bagwell, who is brand new and happy to be here. Hyatt isn’t happy though as Bagwell doesn’t ask her for a date despite being 21 years old.

WCW Top Ten:

Champion: Lex Luger
1. Sting
2. Rick Steiner
3. Steve Austin
4. Ron Simmons
5. Dustin Rhodes
6. Barry Windham
7. Cactus Jack
8. Bill Kazmaier
9. Bobby Eaton
10. Vader

For some reason, neither the Bagwell interview nor the Top Ten are on the official WWE YouTube version of the show.

Cactus Jack vs. Van Hammer

Van Hammer gets a music video for his entrance, which is 100% him playing the guitar. And suplexing someone, albeit not at the same time (that would be more impressive). Jack jumps him from behind to start but Hammer gets in a belly to back dropkick. A dropkick sends Jack outside for a slingshot ax handle, leaving Hammer to jump from the floor to the apron.

Back in and a big boot into a slam into a legdrop gives (Brother) Hammer two. The Cactus Clothesline has Hammer in trouble again and the middle rope elbow connects. Back in and the fans start cheering for Hammer, which manages to trigger a comeback. A hard clothesline puts Jack down and a top rope knee to the head gets two. Jack is back up and they collide, with Jack crashing out to the floor. That lets him get in a guitar shot to Hammer’s throat for the pin at 4:06.

Rating: C+. I remember Hammer being one of the coolest things I had ever seen, though that might have been due to being three years old. He was one of those guys who had a good look and size, but he was beyond awkward in the ring. At the same time you have Jack as the madman who just wanted to hurt people, which suited him rather well. These two would go at it again and it got a lot better with fewer rules.

Post match Jack jumps him again but Hammer fights back and hits a slingshot suplex on the ramp.

Jim Ross calls Eric Bischoff, who is at the emergency room with Sting. The knee isn’t as bad as it seems but Sting’s knee is still hurt. More on this later.

Commentary recaps the Tag Team Title situation, which included the Enforcers (Arn Anderson/Larry Zbyszko, the Tag Team Champions) slamming a car door on Barry Windham’s car at Halloween Havoc. Windham is still injured and Dustin Rhodes might need a new partner as a result.

Tag Team Titles: Enforcers vs. Dustin Rhodes/???

The Enforcers are defending and Windham is in street clothes. Windham says he can’t wrestle due to reconstructive hand surgery. He does have a replacement here…and it’s a guy in a really big dragon mask. He takes his time getting to the ring as the Enforcers yell at commentary about the change. The man under the mask is….RICKY STEAMBOAT and the Enforcers absolutely freak (Anderson: “NOT RICKY STEAMBOAT!”) as the fans go nuts

Steamboat chops away at Anderson to start things off but gets taken into the wrong corner. That’s fine with Steamboat, who fights his way out as everything breaks down. The fight goes outside and Steamboat takes over, including going back inside to clear the ring again. The champs need a breather (Anderson: “He’s just a man!”) and Steamboat grabs a headlock takeover back inside. Rhodes comes in to work on Zbyszko’s arm, with a slam not even getting him out.

Steamboat wraps the arm around the post a few times but it’s back to Rhodes, who gives up the tag off to Anderson. Rhodes seems to charge into a low blow and Anderson comes off the top with a shot to the back. A double noggin knocker gets Rhodes out of trouble and Anderson needs a timeout on the floor. Sidenote: there is some kind of purple stuff on top of a few of the cameras and it is driving me crazy as I keep thinking my TV is breaking.

Anyway, Steamboat comes back in for a kick to Zbyszko’s chest but Anderson gets in a shot of his own so Zbyszko can take over. Steamboat tries to chop his way out of trouble and grabs a sunset flip but Anderson gets a tag off to Zbyszko to break it up. The assisted abdominal stretch goes on for a bit, followed by a belly to back suplex to drop Steamboat again.

Steamboat manages to come back with a faceplant but Zbyszko cuts off another tag attempt. Anderson grabs the bearhug and even gets a two count while holding on. A Boston crab has Steamboat in more trouble, with Zbyszko cheating from the apron like a villain should. Zbyszko comes in for a Boston crab of his own and it’s back to Anderson.

Steamboat gets his boots up to cut off a dive from the top and the tag brings in Rhodes…but the referee doesn’t see it. The tag goes through a few moments later and it’s back to Rhodes to clean house. A bulldog hits Anderson and it’s back to Steamboat for the high crossbody to Anderson for the pin and the titles at 14:49.

Rating: A-. Yeah this is still great, as they had the fans going nuts throughout the whole thing. The match is an old school tag format with the Enforcers beating the heck out of Steamboat, who of course can sell as well as anyone. The reveal of Steamboat as the partner made it that much better but dang this was great stuff. If you like old school tag wrestling, check this one out.

We get a video on this newcomer from Japan: Jushin Thunder Liger. It’s also weird seeing Liger in green instead of his signature look. Of note: I believe this includes him facing a young Chris Benoit.

Paul E. Dangerously (Heyman) has the contract for the US Title match, which basically says if Sting can’t wrestle, Rick Rude is the new champion. That contract is about 10 pages, which seems to be a bit intense. Dangerously, reading the contract: “I’m not lying this time.”

Jim Ross calls Eric Bischoff and explains the “loophole” in the contract (that’s not what loophole means) and Sting finds out about the whole forfeit deal. He’s on his way back to the arena because this isn’t happening…and Sting steals an ambulance. This is the far better version of the story than three years later when Hulk Hogan did almost the same thing at a later Clash.

Light Heavyweight Title: Johnny B. Badd vs. Flyin Brian

Badd, with Theodore Long, is challenging and has some women put money in his garter belts. After some dancing with Long, Badd strikes away in the corner but gets dropkicked out to the floor. The running clothesline over the ropes drops Badd on the ramp but he sends Pillman crashing into the barricade.

Back in and a slingshot crossbody puts Badd down but he raises the knees to block a top rope splash. Badd goes up and is dropkicked out of the air, allowing Pillman to hit a jumping clothesline. Back up again and Badd grabs a top rope sunset flip…but Long has the referee for some reason. That earns Long some yelling, allowing Pillman to grab a rollup for the retaining pin at 4:21.

Rating: B-. This got going for a bit in there but they didn’t have much time. The dancing at the beginning even ate up more of that time and that was a bit annoying as these guys were having a fast paced match. Pillman was great in this kind of match and Badd could hang with him, but Liger coming in soon enough was going to make this division get even better.

Post match Badd knocks Long cold and they seem to be done.

US Title: Sting vs. Rick Rude

Rude, with Paul E. Dangerously, is challenging but there is no Sting. Dangerously gets on the mic and promises that Sting doesn’t care about the fans….as Sting and the ambulance arrive. Sting, with his knee taped up, power limps into the arena and the fight starts on the ramp. Sting manages a gorilla press but the knee is really banged up.

They get inside with Rude going to the eyes but getting punched out of the air. A backdrop sends Rude flying and Sting hammers away, followed by a clothesline to the floor. That works well for Rude, who wraps the bad knee around the post to take over again. Back in and Rude comes off the top with a shot to the back of the head, meaning it’s time for some hip swiveling.

The Rude Awakening is blocked though and Sting wins a slugout, despite barely having two legs. Rude gets knocked down but lands with a chop block to the knee. The distraction lets Dangerously blast Sting with his phone….for two. The fans are right back into it and Sting grabs a DDT but goes after Dangerously. Another chop block takes Sting down again and Rude grabs the tights for the pin and the title at 4:52.

Rating: B. This was a great mixture of action and angle, as they beat each other up with Sting having the fans going nuts throughout. It was a heck of a thing though, as Rude is instantly a big deal and one of the top heels in the company. Sting has a bunch of options to go after, but Lex Luger and the World Title seems most likely. Rude would never be beaten for that title, which he would hold for a year and then vacate due to an injury.

Post break Dangerously and Rude, with Madusa, talk about how it was all a plan and now you have to deal with them. Dangerously sounds so fired up to win some gold and mentions the Dangerous Alliance, which was going to be even better in the near future.

Ron Simmons is out of actions with a broken wrist but he wants the winner of the World Title match so he can be the first Black man to hold the title. That would wind up being true, albeit about eight months later.

We recap Rick Steiner challenging Lex Luger for the World Title. Steiner gave Luger a belly to belly suplex and had a referee count the pin despite it not being a match. Steiner then beat up the rest of Luger’s crew and it’s time for a title shot.

WCW World Title: Rick Steiner vs. Lex Luger

Luger, with Harley Race and Mr. Hughes, is defending and Steiner has his brother Scott with him. Actually hold on as Hughes is ejected before the match so it’s two on two. Well one on one but managers are people too. They circle each other to start and Rick wrestles him down without much trouble, sending Luger over to the ropes.

It works so well again that Rick does it a few more times and then hits a running shoulder into the corner. Something like a powerslam gives Rick two more and he clotheslines Luger outside, where Race has to defrazzle him. Back in and Rick hammers his own head into a buckle, followed by a backdrop. A poke to the eye doesn’t get Luger very far as Rick suplexes him for two. The referee gets knocked down though and Rick is crotched on the top rope, allowing Luger to hit a pair of clotheslines (one to the front and one to the back) and take over.

Rick gets in another suplex but gets slammed back down, Luger knocks him outside and then sends him back inside, where Rick hits a heck of a powerslam for two. The top rope bulldog connects but Luger’s foot is in the ropes. Rick superplexes him but here is Hughes, who gets Frankensteinered by Scott. Race offers a distraction though and Luger gets in a belt shot to retain the title at 11:30.

Rating: D+. Yeah this was only so good and a lot of that is due to Luger having almost no interest in doing anything, despite being the World Champion. At the same time, Steiner was a pretty random challenger, mainly because he was replacing the injured Simmons. There was no drama about the result, especially with Sting pretty clearly gearing up to go after Luger for the attack on the knee. Not a good main event, but Rick was firing off those suplexes.

Commentary teases the new Tag Team Champions not being able to keep the titles due to the mystery partner thing (they kept them) and wrap things up.

Roll credits.

 

Results
Big Josh b. Tommy Rich – Northern Exposure
Bobby Eaton b. Firebreaker Chip – Bridging belly to back suplex
Z-Man b. Diamond Studd – Crucifix
Steve Austin b. PN News – Rollup with feet on the ropes
Cactus Jack b. Van Hammer – Guitar to the throat
Ricky Steamboat/Dustin Rhodes b. Enforcers – High crossbody to Anderson
Brian Pillman b. Johnny B. Badd – Rollup
Rick Rude b. Sting – Rollup with tights
Lex Luger b. Rick Steiner – Belt shot

 

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7.5

The final score: review Good

The 411

There are some weak spots in there but the good stuff, such as Sting vs. Rude and the Light Heavyweight Title, plus the outstanding Tag Team Title match was more than enough to overcome them. It’s the start of a great time for the company, though it would need Luger’s departure in a few months to really make it work. Good show here, but dang the great stuff would be coming in the new year. Well the spring of the new year. Either way, good enough show here, but trimming some stuff off would have made it great.