wrestling / Video Reviews
Leighty’s Retro Review: NWA Clash of Champions XII – Fall Brawl ’90: Mountain Madness
Image Credit: NWA
Loading...-The Clash so big it needed two subtitles! We are in the first few months of Sting’s NWA Title reign after dethroning Ric Flair and kicking off a new era. Tonight is his first televised Title defense against The Black Scorpion. Yep, it’s that angle! Let’s get to it!
-Announce Team: Jim Ross and Bob Caudle
-Asheville Civic Center, Asheville, North Carolina
-Sept 12, 1990
-Attendance: 4000
-TBS Rating: 5.0
The Fabulous Freebirds (w/ Buddy Roberts) vs. The Southern Boys (w/ Bullet Bob Armstrong)
-Again, I have seen so many Bird matches since starting this run through 89 and 90, but the plus side is BAD STREET! The Birds are all decked out in the Confederate/Rebel Flag including their faces painted. The Southern Boys are also decked out with confederate/rebel gear. Over 20 years ago my high school band did a halftime show that was Civil War themed and they used Confederate and Union flags. That didn’t go over well as the news was called and the next week, they were carrying blue and gray flags. This was only a decade or so after this match where everyone in the ring is sporting the stars and bars. This was supposed to be a six man with Bullet Bob and Roberts involved, but Roberts is injured. The Birds double team Smothers, but Armstrong comes off the top rope with a crossbody and both Boys cover for a two count. The Birds regroup with Buddy and they go back to double teaming Smothers in the corner. They tease the top rope crossbody, but the Birds duck. Armstrong faked them out though and we get a double dropkick as they get back to their feet. Another meeting of the minds for the Birds on the floor. Hayes wants Smothers, so they start us again. Hayes fires away with right hands and Smothers responds. Hayes misses a right in the corner, but lands a left that knocks Smothers to the floor. Coo! Garvin gets in a shot on the floor as well. Garvin hits Smothers with a knee to knock him off the apron and this crowd is not happy with The Birds. Smothers delivers a shoulder from the apron and jumps in with a dropkick. Garvin cuts off the tag and gets a slam. Hayes back in with chops and right hands. He plants Smothers with a bulldog for two. Then another two. Hayes just unloads with right hands. Smothers tries a sunset flip, but Hayes punches him to cut that off. Hayes struts before hooking a chinlock. JR puts over that The Birds were the first to use rock music as a ring entrance theme. Garvin in and he drops Smothers throat first on the top rope. Garvin up top, but Smothers slams him off. The race is on and Smothers dives to make the hot tag. Backdrop to Hayes! Backdrop to Garvin! Dropkick to each! Roberts gets involved and Hayes gets a roll-up, but Bullet Bob comes in and delivers a right hand. That gets two as Garvin makes the save. We find out Roberts isn’t injured as his arm is out of the sling and he throws a foreign object into the ring, but it’s missed. The Boys get a double sunset flip for the double pin at 8:33.
Winner: The Southern Boys via pin at 8:33
-Fun, simple tag match with a hot crowd. No complaints at all here. ***
-The Birds attack after the match and get their heat back by hitting Bullet Bob with a double DDT.
-Tony Schiavone is backstage with the new US Tag Champions: The Steiner Brothers! They are excited to give fans Champions to cheer for and now they are the top contenders for Doom’s World Tag Titles. Tonight they face Maximum Overdrive!
Mike Rotunda vs. Buddy Landell
-Rotunda is accompanied by a fan who won a contest at Burger King. She is from Pittsburgh, so that’s cool. It seems the contest was all about writing poetry about World Championship Wrestling. Rotunda gets a side headlock and takes it to the mat. Landell rolls him back several times for a two count. They get to their feet and Rotunda gets a hip-toss and that lets Landell complain to the ref about the tights being pulled. Another go and Rotunda gets a hammerlock, but eats an elbow. Landell throws right hands, but gets caught in the corner and brought out with a hip-toss. Rotunda gets two and goes back to the chinlock before switching to an arm-bar. He goes to a hammerlock from there. Landell blocks a third hip-toss with a clothesline and then poses. Landell drops an elbow for two. They start trading right hands and Landell gets the advantage. He hooks an abdominal stretch and uses the ropes because it’s easy heat and always works. Rotunda breaks with a hip-toss, but misses an elbow. Suplex from Landell and he sells the move as he hit the back of his head. Cool! Landell off the middle rope, but Rotunda catches him coming down with a right hand. Leg drop from Rotunda gets two! Landell fires off a chop and Rotunda stares him down. Landell goes to the eyes and takes Rotunda to the mat. Rotunda blocks a clothesline and gets the pin with a backslide at 5:39.
Winner: Mike Rotunda via pin at 5:39
-Just a match with the crowd a little subdued. *1/2
-Tony Schiavone is with The Free Birds and they probably could have chosen a better place to do the interview as you can see a ton of empty seats in the upper level of the arena. The war with The Southern Boys continues!
-We get a video of The Birds being mobbed by fans in Hollywood set to Bad Street! Okay then!
Tim Horner and Brad Armstrong vs. The Master Blasters
-KEVIN NASH’S DEBUT! He is Steel here and is teaming with Iron. They are from Detroit, but Pittsburgh would have made more sense. Steel starts with Horner and Kev is jacked here, but lean at the same time. He picks Horner up, but doesn’t really do anything with him. Iron in and he just throws punches and runs Horner into the corner. Double elbow from The Blasters. Steel throws some chops in the but misses a charge. He holds the ropes to block a dropkick and then drops an elbow. Iron drops one as well for two. Armstrong gets the tag, but misses a clothesline and Iron hit a shoulder tackle. Double clothesline from The Blasters! Steel back in and he hits a power slam. Solid one too! Armstrong, using the Candyman nickname here, starts a comeback but runs into a boot in the corner. At least I assume as the camera completely missed it as it was focused on showing us Big Kev’s back. Iron with another flying shoulder and then a slam. It’s like a generic create a wrestler on 2K spamming moves. Legdrop gets two! Armstrong ducks a shoulder and gets a dropkick. Horner in with a backdrop. Horner gets a sleeper, but Steel is to save and all four men start brawling. Armstrong gets tossed to the floor and Horner is left alone. Double Shoulder Block finishes at 4:51 to an audible pop.
Winners: The Master Blasters via pin at 4:51
-The gimmick and look was awful and the match was kind of awful, but it’s fun seeing someone who ended up being a big star make their debut. Both Blasters were just raw and had no real clue what to do, but there was no NXT Level Up back then to send these guys. 1/2*
-Tony Schiavone is backstage with Brian Pillman, who is prepared to run The Gauntlet on TBS. The objective is to win 3 consecutive bouts on 3 consecutive shows. If they win, $15,000. If they lose at any point, the three opponents split the $15,000. Maybe MJF was a big fan of the concept.
-Missy Hyatt is the arena with Ric Flair and he immediately starts flirting with her. That’s the Nature Boy! Flair CHALLENGES Lex Luger for the US Title tonight.
The Nasty Boys vs. Jackie Fulton and Terry Taylor
-Our first look at the Nasty Boys during this run of Retro Reviews. Knobbs starts with Fulton and immediately gets caught with an arm-drag. Knobbs clubs Fulton down and hooks an overhand wrist-lock. Saggs in and Fulton gets an arm-drag on both men and then a crossbody to both. Tag to Rooster, I mean, Taylor and he gets a neckbreaker for two. Taylor lands an up kick and then gets a hiptoss on each Nasty Boy and then another one on Saggs. Fulton back in and he goes to work on the arm. Back to Taylor and he drops an elbow to the arm, but gets too close and eats a forearm. Saggs pitches him to the floor and ends up getting run into the post. Taylor off the apron with a shot and then hits an elbow back in the ring. Saggs misses an elbow and Taylor gets two off a crossbody. Fulton back in and he goes back to the arm. Saggs gets free and tags Knobbs. He rushes in and Fulton gets an armdrag. Taylor in with a belly to back suplex and Fulton comes off the top with a dropkick for two. Knobbs goes to the hair to get the advantage. Saggs back in and he drops a knee. Back to Knobbs and he gets an assisted splash in the corner for two. Taylor gets a sunset flip for two, but no tag as Knobbs decks Fulton. Taylor avoids Knobbs which has the Nasty Boys running into each other. Tag to Fulton and he hits a series of dropkicks. Bridging suplex gets two as the pin is broken up. Fulton off the top but Knobbs catches him on the way down with a powerslam. Saggs in and he drops the top rope elbow for the pin at 7:10.
Winners: The Nasty Boys via pin at 7:10
-The Nasty Boys should have dominated this one a bit more since Taylor and Fulton weren’t a regular team. Better debut than The Master Blasters, but that’s not saying a lot. *1/2
-Tony is in the arena with Sid and he wants Sting and his World Title.
Wild Bill Irwin vs. Wildfire Tommy Rich
-Winner gets to keep using “Wild.” Well, at least until a hockey team in NHL shows up I guess. Though, at this point Minnesota still had the North Stars and they were getting ready to start their season. One in which they lost the Stanley Cup Finals to my Pittsburgh Penguins. Oh, the match! Rich jumps Irwin at the bell, but gets caught with a knee. Caudle notes that Rich came out smoking. I mean, Wildfire! Irwin gets dumped over the top and Ross has to cover and note it was a judgment call by the ref. Back in the ring Rich gets a suplex for two. He hooks a side headlock, but gets rolled over for a two count. Rich rolls back to maintain the hold. Irwin misses a clothes and Rich goes right back to the side headlock. Irwin rolls for another two as Ross brings up Rich winning the World Title from Race in 1980 and being the 3rd youngest World Champion of all time. Wonder where he ranks now with the run of younger World Champions we have had in the 30 plus years since. Irwin turns things around and lands a clubbing blow on the apron that Rich sells by falling off and crashing into the railing. Cool! Back in the ring Rich counters a side slam into a sleeper, but Irwin backs him into the corner. Irwin misses a clothesline Rich gets a Thesz Press for the win at 3:56.
Winner: Tommy Rich via pin at 3:56
-This was an okay sub 4 minute match. *1/2
WCW Top 10
World Champion: Sting
Lex Luger: US Heavyweight Champion
“Nature Boy” Ric Flair
Arn Anderson: TV Champion
Barry Windham
Sid Vicious
Stan Hansen
Brian Pillman
Junkyard Dog
“Wildfire” Tommy Rich
“Nature Boy” Buddy Landell
-Boy did that list get weak as we got near the bottom. No wonder Sting was screwed as Champion as his list of challengers amounted to The Horsemen and not much else since they weren’t turning Luger back.
WCW Top 10: Tag Teams
Wold Tag Champions: Doom
Steiner Brothers: US Tag Champions
Rock and Roll Express
The Horsemen (Any pair I guess)
Midnight Express
Southern Boys
Fabulous Freebirds
Samoan Swat Team
Pillman and Zenk
JYD and El Gigante
Rotunda and Horner
-Again, that is a powerfully weak bottom of the rankings. The Top though is more than Sting has to work with in his division.
-Stan Hansen promo. He has a bunch of kids at home and needs money, so he wants Sting and the World Title. Hansen is not happy being ranked sixth.
LPWA World Heavyweight Title: Susan Sexton (c) vs. Bambi
-The LPWA lasted all of three years and was founded by Tor Berg. Sexton is the inaugural champion, having been awarded the Title in January. Only two more women would hold the title before the promotion folded in 1992. Sexton is an Aussie and gets a side headlock to start. Bambi runs her down but gets caught with a trip. Sexton works the legs and transitions to a side headlock. Bambi gets a head scissors, but Sexton escapes and goes back to tying up the legs. Bambi escapes and works the arm. Sexton flips out and goes back to the arm. She drops a leg as Caudle jokes the winner gets a dinner date with Jim Ross. Ross notes Women’s Wrestling has become more isolated, but there are still good ones out there. Who knows maybe one day there will be some kind of Revolution. Bambi gets a roll-up for two as this crowd is just not caring one bit about what’s happening here. Bambi gets an elbow in the corner. Sexton off the second rope with a crossbody for two. Backdrop from Sexton! She hits a slam and drops an elbow for two. Bambi with a small package, but Sexton reverses and gets the pin at 4:10.
Winner and Still LPWA World Heavyweight Champion: Susan Sexton via pin at 4:10
-These women were thrown out there as the only match in their division and given less than five minutes on TBS. Look how far we have come as they get one match and usually 7-9 minutes on TBS today. Progress! 1/2*
Non Title: The Steiner Brothers vs. Maximum Overdrive
-MO are known as Hunter and Silencer. Scott starts with Hunter (Tim Hunt) and takes him down rather easily. He hooks a Boston Crab, but Hunter gets to the bottom rope. Another go and Scott powers Hunter back to the mat as we are just waiting for the Steiners to start tossing these jobbers around the ring. Scott gets a hiptoss and Hunter complains to the ref. Hunter lands a knee in the corner, but Scott reverses to a hiptoss out of the corner. Backdrop by Scott and Silencer runs in to get thrown around the ring. Rick in with a Double Steinerline! MO stall on the floor as I just want this one to get over with as nothing is really happening. The crowd loves the Steiners, but I want them SQUASHING these geeks. The Silencer in for the first time and lands some clubbing right hands. He works Scott over in the corner, but Scott quickly rebounds and gets a belly to belly suplex. Rick in and Silencer isn’t sure what to do as Rick gets on all fours. He opts to punch Rick in the face when he stands and then hits a slam. He hits a back elbow as we are getting something going now. Rick ducks a clothesline and catches Silencer jumping with a powerslam. Hunter back in and Rick knees him in the gut. Steinerline! Top Rope Elevated DDT finishes at 6:23.
Winners: The Steiner Brothers via pin at 6:23
-It picked up a bit, but I found this disappointing as I wanted a slaughter. *1/2
Stan Hansen vs. The Z-Man
-Hansen is pissed about his ranking, so this isn’t going to be a fun night for Tom. Hansen attacks before the bell and they end up on the floor. Zenk immediately gets back in the ring because he knows he is screwed out there. Doesn’t matter as Hansen takes him out and hits him with a chair, which should be a DQ, but not here. Hansen gets a suplex back in the ring and drops an elbow. Back to the floor and Hansen drops an elbow on the throat. Ross puts on Hansen’s football background and his work in Japan. Hansen fires off some chops and stomps the face. We go picture in picture where Tony is interviewing Lex Luger. He is focused on Flair and will worry about Hansen should he get a shot. Belly to back suplex from Hansen! Zenk gets in a dropkick and then other for two to pop the women in the crowd. Hansen runs him down with a shoulder and hits a Lariat for the pin at 3:19.
Winner: Stan Hansen via pin at 3:19
-This was exactly what it needed to be.SQUASH
-We go back to WrestleWar where Lex Luger challenged Ric Flair for the World Title. My review can be found here.
-Back to Tony Schiavone and he is with US Champion, Lex Luger. He puts over Flair as the premiere wrestler of all time, but things have changed as Flair is chasing him.
NWA United States Heavyweight Championship: Lex Luger (c) vs. Ric Flair
On one hand, Sting is in the Main Event defending the World Title, but he has to follow Flair/Luger and is facing a masked opponent that nobody cares about. I know Warrior wasn’t booked well post Mania VI, but he was better off than Sting. Luger’s theme still BANGS! Also, the ramp running to the corner of the ring has been bugging me all night. Someone today would clear the ring post and hit some kind of dive out onto the ramp. Flair brings the trash talk as he tells Luger he goes from #2 to #1 tonight when he takes Lex’s Title. We have real stakes between two mega stars and the crowd is pumped for it. Luger runs Flair over to start and Flair takes a breather in the corner before hitting a WOOO. Flair is only a 6 time World Champion at this point. Flair throws chops and Lex just grits his teeth and stares Flair down. Gorilla Press Slam and Flair bails to the floor. The crowd is losing it! Flair sells the slam like death as he uses the ramp to stay on his feet. Cool! Back in the ring Flair gets a knee into the gut and throws a heavy chop. Lex flexes at him and gets another Gorilla Press Slam! Flair was waiting for a clothesline over the top and it took Lex a second to realize it, but he eventually hits the clothesline. Luger follows and gets a clothesline down there. Great spot as Ric thinks he dropped Luger with a neck snap and he poses as Luger just stands behind him. Another Gorilla Press Slam but Lex misses a jumping elbow drop. Now the chops are working a little, but Lex comes flying out of the corner and hits a clothesline to the chest and shoulder. Flair sells it like his shoulder has been separated, but we know better and he decks Luger as the ref tries to check on him. Classic! Now we go to school as Flair sends Lex to the floor and fires him into the railing. Ross notes that Flair is looking to be a 5 time US champion and how nobody has ever surpassed 10 Title reigns. After the Hardcore and 24/7 Title we have people in the 50s now. Flair lays in the boots as he kicks Luger all around the inside of the ring and here’s another WOOOO! He yells at the cameraman and throws chops while yelling, “Turner, Herd, this is for you.” I believe the Herd part! Back to the floor and more chops and Luger gets sent into the railing. Flair is crazy here as he goes after a security guard’s chair and gets into a shoving match with Nick Patrick. I like that Flair has this desperation about him now that he is no longer World Champion. Flair works the knee as this crowd has been full throat since the opening bell. The NWA crowds may have been smaller around this time, but they always brought the noise. Chop from Flair and Luger punches back. Luger starts winning the exchange, so Flair goes to the eye with a thumb. Smart! Luger blocks a hip-toss and gets a backslide for two. The accelerated timer is back as they call 15:00 when we’ve just passed 10 minutes. Luger with a clothesline for two. Flair shows some power with a slam and gets a two count. Another two count! Another two count! Flair heads up top and that doesn’t go well as you would expect. Luger slams him across the ring and then we get a Flair Flip in the corner. No running the apron though as Luger runs him down with a clothesline. Gorilla Press Slam again! Powerslam and Luger calls for The Rack. Flair bails to the apron and goes to the eyes again. Luger hooks a bear-hug and sets Flair on the top rope. This is going to suck for Flair’s back! Superplex and Flair’s sell is always fantastic! It gets two as Flair gets his foot on the ropes. Ross calls it the easy way out and screw that. Do what you can to survive! Luger throws punches in the corner which has Patrick cutting him off and Flair throws another thumb to the eyes. They end up on the floor and Luger shakes off being sent into the railing. Stan Hansen attacks Luger and that’s a DQ at 14:25.
Winner: Lex Luger via DQ at 14:25
-Fantastic match with a crappy ending! That was a theme with these two in 1990 as they didn’t want either man losing cleanly. I loved the dynamic of Flair needing to be aggressive as he was the challenger and Luger just staying with the power game. ***3/4
-We get a pre-recorded message from The Black Scorpion who says he will tell the world who he is, if Sting wins.
NWA World Heavyweight Championship: Sting (c) vs. The Black Scorpion
-The Scorpion is rocking a mask and a dark robe. Scorpion just stands and waits on Sting. I believe it has been stated it was Al Perez under the mask here. Scorpion throws shoulders in the corner and lands a clubbing blow to the back. Sting creates space and lands some kicks and chops. They choke each other and Patrick steps between them. That lets Scorpion get in a right hand and he chokes with his boot. Probably not a good sign, but we have some seats emptying opposite the hard cam. They fight on the floor and Sting drops Scorpion throat first on the railing. They head back in the ring and Sting goes for the mask. No dice though and Scorpion sends Sting into the corner. Just a lot of punching and kicking here. Very weak slam from Scorpion on the ramp and then he gingerly stands on Sting’s face. Sting goes back to the mask which has the kids in the crowd freaking out. Back to the ring and Sting hits a dropkick. Sting goes to a choke and they choke each other again. How did they think this was going to do Sting any favors? I mean I guess they had good intentions but the seemingly screwed themselves by booking the angle before they had someone to deliver a genuine surprise. Perez drops a knee for a two count. JR gets in a shot saying anyone can have a belt made that reads “World Champion,” and subtly notes the WWF Title is a Regional Title. Sure Jim! Sting hits a Stinger Splash out of nowhere for the pin at 8:10.
Winner and Still NWA World Heavyweight Champion: Sting via pin at 8:10
-Not good at all though the crowd really likes Sting. *
-Sting removes the black mask and Scorpion is wearing a red mask. WOLFPACK IN THE HOUSE! A second Black Scorpion shows up on the ramp as Ross and Caudle are baffled.
-After a break Sting is interrupted by Sid, who wants a World Title Match. Sting is too focused on The Scorpion, so Sid kicks his ass. This was setting up Halloween Havoc, but the Scorpion angle was just an albatross around Sting.
-Thanks for reading!
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