wrestling / Video Reviews
Leighty’s Retro Review: NWA Clash of The Champions XIII: Thanksgiving Thunder
Image Credit: WWE
Loading...-It’s a Thunder show on TBS, so I can’t see how it can be anything other than awesome. Let’s get to it!
-Announce Team: Jim Ross and Paul E Dangerously
-Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Jacksonville, FL
-Nov 20, 1990
-Attendance: 5000
-TBS Rating:4.2
The Fabulous Freebirds (w/ Little Richard Marley) and Bobby Eaton vs. The Wild Eyed Southern Boys and El Gigante
-BAD STREET! I will keep saying it: on one had it’s another Freebirds match, but I get to hear Bad Street. Hayes mentions El Gigante is not here and instead we are getting a tag match. So, let’s start over.
The Fabulous Freebirds (w/ Little Richard Marley) vs. The Wild Eye Southern Boys
-BAD STREET! I will keep saying it: on one had it’s another Freebirds match, but I get to hear Bad Street. We saw this match at the last Clash in the battle of the Rebel Flags. The ref calls for the bell and we start with Garvin and Smothers. Didn’t hear the bell, but we are going. Smothers with a series of leap frogs and then we get a double dropkick. One for Hayes and one for Marley as well and then we hear at bell at 37 seconds. Weird! Hayes in and he throws chops at Smothers. The Birds work Smothers over in the corner, but he rolls away and draws The Birds to his corner where Armstrong comes off the top with a crossbody. Smothers with a slam on Garvin and one on Hayes and then he tackles down both Birds. That lets JR work in Smothers football background and Paul rants against how this isn’t football. Smothers follows to the floor and gets sent into the railing. Back in the ring Garvin with a slam and another. Smothers back with a sunset flip for two. Garvin up first and he hits a clothesline. Slam from Garvin and he heads up top, but Smothers meets him and slams him down. Both men tag, but the ref didn’t see the tag to Armstrong. Double suplex by The Birds and Armstrong comes off the top with a crossbody. Garvin takes a nasty bump as he gets backdropped over the top and on the ramp. Cool! Armstrong flies over the top ropes at him with a dive to pop the crowd. Behind all that action, Marley trips Armstrong which causes him to stumble into a DDT from Hayes for the pin at 4:47.
Winners: The Fabulous Freebirds via pin at 4:47
-This was a fun sprint as The Birds couldn’t stall and that last 60 seconds was pretty great. **1/4
-Tony Schiavone brings out Sting and as is tradition, The Black Scorpion’s voice interrupts while Tony and Sting ignore him at first. This is just awful and hokey. Nothing happens as Scorpion just laughs and promises Black Magic.
Buddy Landell vs. Brian Pillman
-Landell is announced as being from Jacksonville and gets booed out of the building. Landell attacks before the bell as Dangerously notes Pillman embarrassed Landell at The Great American Bash. That’s right, so this is another rematch. Dangerously notes the crowd isn’t booing, but saying Buddy. I watched that episode of The Simmons at lunch today at work and my jaw almost dropped as I was expecting Paul to say Boo-Urns, but that episode is still a few years away. Pillman with a clothesline that sends Landell over the top and onto the ramp. Landell gets a slam out there and then knocks Pillman off the apron and into the railing. Buddy follows and drops Pillman throat first on the railing. He misses a clothesline though and catches the post. Pillman lands some shots, but gets thrown into the post. Landell throws some chops in the corner, but Pillman responds with a hip-toss and then a dropkick. Pillman fakes a dive over the top and then gets a springboard crossbody. This is a fun match! Landell catches Pillman with a shot on the floor and hooks an abdominal stretch back in the ring. He uses the ropes for extra advantage which is always a plus. Pillman fires up with chokes, but a knee to the gut cuts off that rally. Pillman with a crossbody off the middle rope, but Landell catches him and gets a backbreaker for two. Another two and another two! High backdrop from Pillman! Landell preps for a superplex, but Pillman punches his way out and comes off top with a crossbody for the pin at 5:51.
Winner: Brian Pillman via pin at 5:51
-This was a wonderful little match as they meshed well together. Landell has been fun his few appearances throughout the year. ***
Big Cat vs. “The Candyman” Brad Armstrong
-Big Cat would be Mr. Hughes and he looks less intimidating when not in the suit. He gets an insert promo and is coming for Lex Luger. Cat backs Brad into the corner, but misses a clubbing blow. Cat shoves Armstrong across the ring and flexes as now Paul is going over football backgrounds. It seems Cat played at Kansas State. I assume that was under Bill Snyder. I have to check now. It seems Snyder became K-State coach in 1989 and may Hughes was done by 88 so they may have missed each other. Back to the match where Cat gets a series of backbreakers and then a slam for two. I love the sound the ropes make when someone runs into them. Armstrong starts his comeback but misses as dropkick and Cat finishes with The Torture Rack at 4:29.
Winner: The Big Cat via ref stoppage at 4:29
-They made sure to note Armstrong didn’t give up and the ref stopped the match. Okay then. This was a Mr. Hughes match with a little more trash talk. *
Z-Man vs. Brian Lee
-Interesting that Lee would get a solid run from Heyman in ECW just a few years after this. This is Lee’s debut as noted by Paul, which is funny because The Undertaker debuts just days after this show. Lee with a shoulder tackle to start. Another go and they collide with neither man budging. Zenk with a hiptoss and he tries a blind cross body off the middle ropes, but Lee is not where he should be and Zenk just splats. That was kind of funny as Lee wasn’t anywhere close to Zenk. Dangerously notes Lee wants to make a Big Reputation and they way he said it, has Taylor Swift in my head now. Lee lands a right hand and hooks a reverse chinlock. Really? In a 3 minute match? Man avoids a charge in the corner and gets a karate kick in the opposite corner. That was also awkward as Zenk was waiting for Lee to come out of the corner. Z-Man with a top rope dropkick for the pin at 3:10.
Winner: Z-Man via pin at 3:10
-The parade of short matches continues though this was worse than the last one. 1/4*
-Tony is with Mike Rotunda, who no longer wants to go by that name and instead he is Michael Wallstreet. He is with Alexandra York, and as you know, she would become Marlena in the WWF with Goldust. I always like seeing people debut and how they change and find something that makes them a star.
The Star Blazer vs. Michael Wallstreet
-Blazer is Tim Horner under a red and yellow mask. So is it a jab at The Blue Blazer or Hulk Hogan? I guess Blue Blazer was no longer a thing in the WWF by this point. Wallstreet gets a waist lock and kicks the masked good around a bit. Fireman carry take over and Wallstreet wants some competition. He runs Blazer down, but gets caught with a hip-toss and two dropkicks. Wallstreet bails to the floor where he regroups. Back in the ring he sends Blazer through the ropes and to the floor. Ross notes this is like a Hostile Takeover by Wallstreet. A little under six years away from that Jim, though I guess VK Wallstreet ended up being part of that group. Suplex is escaped and Blazer gets a roll-up for two. Weak splash from Blazer in the corner. He fires off some right hands and lands a back elbow. Slam from Blazer as this is less of a SQUASH that it should be. Blazer tries a dropkick but gets caught in a Boston Crab. They trade pin attempts and then something gets screwy before Wallstreet finishes with The Wallstreet Crash at 4:14.
Winner: Michael Wallstreet via pin at 4:14
-Another short, and bad match with the crowd totally checked out. 1/2*
-Gordon Solie presents the WCW Top 10:
Tag Teams
-Champions: Doom
The Steiners (US Tag Champions)
Ric Flair and Arn Anderson
Nasty Boys
Fabulous Freebirds
Rocky Morton and Tommy Rich
Southern Boys
Master Blasters
Tim Horner and Candyman
Big Cat and Motor City Madman
Norman and The Juicer
-Man, is that a sad list once you get towards the bottom.
Men’s Top 10
-World Champion: Sting
Stan Hansen (US Champion)
Sid Vicious
Lex Luger
Ric Flair
Arn Anderson
Terry Taylor
Brian Pillman
Michael Wallstreet
Z Man
Beautiful Bobby
-This is weak list as well. It’s not a good lock perception wise when The Red Rooster is the 6th ranked challenger for your World Title.
-The First Annual Pat O’Conner Memorial Tag Tournament will take place at Starrcade and we get a video package going over Pat’s history. It’s an 18 team Tournament and the winners get a trophy. The Steiners are the 1 seed and Muta and Saiato are the 2 seed.
-They show off the 7 foot tall trophy that goes to the winners.
African Finals: Sgt. Krueger and Col. Deklerk vs. The Beast and Kalua
-So the winning teams represents Africa at Starrcade in the Tag Tournament. Dangerously asks who paid for the plane tickets to bring these guys in from Africa and Ross notes it had to be World Championship Wrestling. Nothing of note happening as Col and Kalua take turns working the arm. Col gets a roll-up for two as someone yells “boring.” Yep! Moonsault press from the middle ropes for Col. gets two. Sgt. in and he drops an elbow. The Beast is in and gets shoved by Col. Beast with a jumping clothesline that wakes up then crowd. JR: “African style.” Col. wants a handshake and the crowd boos that. Col gets a crossbody from the middle ropes and then drops a double axe. The crowd is not happy. Beats counters another crossbody with a power slam for two. Atomic drop to Sgt and then a slam for the Col. All four men brawl in the ring and the Sgt hits a dropkick that puts The Col. on top for the pin at 4:50.
Winners: Krueger and Deklerk via pin at 4:50
-We are just on a roll with short, boring, bad matches. 1/2*
-Video package covering the Luger/Hansen rivalry. Hansen pulled off the upset at Halloween Havoc when he pinned Luger for The US Title.
-Tony is with Lex Luger and the Big Cat interrupts. He wants a piece of Lex and the crowd is actually into this. Luger punches Cat in the face and walks off.
The Motor City Madman vs. Lex Luger -There’s that theme song from Luger that SLAPS! The Big Cat follows Lex from behind as he makes his entrance and they start trading blows on the ramp. Referees are out to separate them, so Lex heads to the ring and gets attacked before the bell. Luger ducks a clothesline and another before getting a clothesline. Motor City bails to the apron and catches Luger with an elbow. Luger gets a suplex back in the ring and Madman looked like a pack of concrete taking that move and nearly landed on his head. Madman back with a clothesline followed by a sidewalk slam. Luger backdrops out of a backbreaker, but gets run into the corner. He just stares down The Madman and hits a clothesline for the pin at 2:34.
Winner: Lex Luger via pin at 2:34
-For under three minutes just let Luger SQUASH him. Luger using a clothesline was a shot at Hansen. Big Cat was falling backwards before the clothesline even came near him. 1/2*
-Starrcade commercial! Why did they saddle Starrcade with so many gimmicked shows?
The Renegade Warriors (Chris and Mark Youngblood) vs. The Nasty Boys
-The Nasty Boys just had a star making performance against The Steiners at Halloween Havoc and logic says they gobble up The Warriors here. Ross promises to quit announcing if The Nasty Boys can beat The Steiners. Again, no opening bell but I will just go with Nick Patrick yelling, “ring the bell.” Seems like a good place to start. Saggs starts with Mark and we get a clean break in the corner from Mark. Another go and this time Saggs lands a punch over the ref’s back. The crowd is into this one to start. Knobbs in and we get a double boot and double suplex from The Nasty Boys. Blind tag to Chris and he gets a cross-body for two. He gets an arm-drag and into an arm-bar. Mark back in off the top with a shot to the arm and then Chris does the same. Knobbs lands some right hands to the back of the head and brings in Saggs. Knobbs distracts the ref, which allows Saggs to send Chris over the top to the floor and then into the security railing. Dangerously goes on about Lawrence Taylor showing up at the next show in Jersey and how he can challenge The Nasty Boys. Like LT would ever step inside a wrestling ring. This match just kind of continues as The Nasty Boys work on the arm. Shoulder breaker from Saggs gets two. Here are The Steiners and it’s a DQ at 5:03.
Winners: The Nasty Boys via DQ at 5:03
-This show is just on a roll. The match was just there for The Steiners to run in and continue things with The Nasty Boys. At least let the Nasty Boys maul The Warriors until the Steiners showed up. 1/2*
The Night Stalker vs. Sid Vicious
-We have a young Bryan Clark/Adam Bomb/Wrath making his debut here. Sid wearing a ring singlet just looks so weird. It takes away from his aura. I don’t see this ending our streak of bad matches, but stranger things have happened. Test of strength and then they collide into each other. Stalker gets a bear hug and looks like he is whispering sweet nothings in Sid’s ear. Sid pops the ears to break, but Stalker goes right back to it. Sid starts to punch his way out and then hits a boot in the corner. Stalker lands a knee to the ribs and then another one. Elbows from Stalker and he drops the arm over the top rope. Sid lands a jab to the throat, but gets caught with another knee. They just stand around as they are waiting for someone and it’s The Big Cat. Sid with a belly to back suplex and then punches The Big Cat. Stalker has his ax and misses. I mean he swung that to hit Sid with the flat part and not as one would to cut someone. Sid then uses the ax as I guess he couldn’t find scissors for the pin at 3:30.
Winner: Sid Vicious via pin at 3:30
-Just awful! DUD
-Cat and Stalker attack after the match and Sid grabs a chair so he can get away.
-The Freebirds get some interview time and run down El Gigante. Gigante shows up to support The Southern Boys, so the Birds bail. That Argentine/Confederate alliance is strong I guess.
The Steiner Brothers (c) vs. Magnum Force
-I assume this is non-title. Scott starts with Speed (what it says on his tights, so we will go with it) and hits a tilt-a-whirl slam. Rick from MF is in and so is Rick Steiner. A couple of Ricks going at it. The non Steiner Rick misses a clothesline, but Rick Steiner doesn’t. Tag back to Scott and he hits a Frankensteiner to pop the crowd for the pin at 1:57.
Winners: The Steiner Brothers via pin at 1:57
-The Frankensteiner gets a *. At least this wasn’t supposed to be competitive and the crowd was entertained. *
-Recap of the Sting/Black Scorpion saga!
-Paul E brings out Sting and he is rocking the all denim look. Sting tells Paul to shut up and we start to hear The Black Scorpion’s music. The Scorpion kidnaps a “fan,” and turns his head around before putting him inside a cage and turning him into a leopard. Paul is trying his best to sell this but it’s so dumb and Sting is just standing by and watching this man terrorize fans because he made him a deal. The Black Scorpion then disappears and tells Sting he will see him at Starrcade. Poor Sting!
-Run down of the Horsemen/Doom feud.
Butch Reed (w/ Teddy Long) and Ron Simmons) vs. Ric Flair (w/ Arn Anderson)
-So there’s a bunch to this one as the deal is a coin flip right before the bell will determine who is facing each other. The coin gives us the Flair/Reed match as noted. If Flair wins, The Horsemen get a Tag Title Rematch at Starrcade and Long has to be the chauffeur of the Horsemen for a day. If Reed wins, Flair’s Rolls Royce and yacht belong to Teddy Long. The coin toss gets screwed up on Doom’s side as they call heads and then they just get to pick who they want to wrestle. It made more sense on the Horsemen side as Flair called heads and apparently that’s what it was, so he gets to wrestle. So weird! These two had a famous match many years ago that Big Dave gave ***** so I am curious to see what they can do here. Reed runs Flair down with a shoulder, but Flair just Wooos at him. To the corner where Flair throws some chops and Reed responds with some of his own. Right hand by Reed sends Flair on his ass and then another one. Reed boxes as he delivers shot after shot and then hits a Gorilla Press Slam. Clothesline as Reed is basically playing Lex Luger here. Another clothesline sends Flair to the floor and Simmons lays in some boots. Flair throws a knee, but is still not right, so he walks up the ramp to regroup. Reed follows and runs Flair down with a clothesline. Paul is doing a great job on commentary putting over Flair has the advantage as a singles wrestler, while Reed has been in a Tag Team for over a year. Reed pounds away with the 10 count punch and the crowd is counting along. Dropkick from Reed as this has been an ass kicking so far. Flair smartly goes to the eyes. CHOPS in the corner followed by body blows. Flair gets the ref to focus on Simmons so he can dump Reed to the floor and Arn hits a clothesline. As long as both side as cheating, it’s all good. They trade chops and punches and for whatever reason this crowd seems to be behind Reed more than Flair. Flair Flop! Flair begs off in the corner, but gets sent upside down and gets caught with a right hand on the floor from Simmons. Flair gets tossed into the railing and then back into the ring. Flair hits a knee drop, but misses a second one and Reed gets a figure-four. Flair nearly gets counted down, but is up at two. Arn pulls Flair to the ropes and Patrick has to pull Reed off of Flair. Reed with a suplex to bring Flair back into the ring and that gets two. Slam from Reed, but he misses an elbow off the second rope. Reed gets sent to the corner, but bounces out with a clothesline for two. Reed hammers Flair with right hands, but Flair is back with a chop. More punches from Reed and then another Gorilla Press Slam! Flair uses the ref’s position to land a right hand and gets a two count as Long put Reed’s foot on the bottom rope. Backdrop sends Flair flying! Another Gorilla Press Slam! That gets two as Arn pulls the ref to the floor. Reed heads up top and hits the flying shoulder, but the ref is stuck outside with Long and Anderson. Reed has Flair covered, but in Flair’s defense his foot is under the bottom rope. Flair with a backdrop that sends Reed to the floor onto the ref and Long. Simmons in with a clothesline, but Arn one ups that and blasts Reed with a chair. The ref is back and Flair gets the pin at 14:13.
Winner: Ric Flair via pin at 14:13
-This was a darn good match and the fans were into it even with both guys and everyone at ringside cheating like crazy. Heel vs. Heel matches more often than not get the crowd going. After all the crap on this show, this was so refreshing to see. ***1/2
-Thanks for reading.
