wrestling / Video Reviews
Leighty’s Retro Review: WCW Clash of The Champions XVII
Image Credit: WWE
Loading...-After this show, I am going to focus on Starrcade 1995 as I am up to that point in my Nitro reviews. That will be the last PPV I have to do on my Nitro run as I have every 96 and 97 WCW PPV reviewed at this point. When I get back to 91, Survivor Series and This Tuesday in Texas are up next and then we finish with Starrcade 1991. Let’s get to it!
-Announce Team: Jim Ross and Tony Schiavone
-Savannah Civic Center, Savannah, GA
-Nov. 19, 1991
-Attendance: 6992
-TBS Rating: 4.3
-Jim Ross and Tony welcome us to the show and sets the stage for what it is to come.
-Eric Bischoff and Missy Hyatt are backstage and Missy is beaming as she gets to interview prized rookie, Marcus Alexander Bagwell.
Lumberjack Match: Thomas Rich (w/ Alexandra York) vs. Big Josh
-Rich jumps Josh as he tries to get into the ring and pulls his flannel over his head. He starts firing off right hands and I appreciate the fast start. Fun crowd to start as well and it helps that the lumberjacks are getting them going on as well. Josh eats the punches and Rich wants to bail, but nowhere to go and Josh chops him down. Atomic Drop follows and Rich goes to leave again, but runs into Todd Champion. Log Roll from Josh followed by another chop. He goes to the ground and pound before Rich rolls to the floor. He rolls to the heel side so he can get a breather, but The Birds and Patriots rush over to send Rich back into the ring. Back in the ring Rich sends Josh to the floor where The Young Pistols get in a few shots. Rich goes old school as he uses his wrist tape to choke. Rich lands a back elbow and then drops another elbow on the mat for two as Josh kicks out with ease. Rich cuts off a comeback with more choking with the tape. Steve Armstrong gets on the apron to choke as Rich has the ref pulled away. Suplex from Rich gets two! Josh shakes off an elbow to the head and starts firing off left hands and forearms. He gets caught with a boot in the corner. Rich up top, but Josh slams him down. For some reason Peacock takes a break during the match which is annoying, so I stop my timer. Back with Josh hitting a snap suplex for two. We get a criss-cross and Taylor trips his partner in The York Foundation which lets Josh hit Northern Exposure for the pin at 6:05.
Winner: Big Josh via pin at 6:05
-The crowd was into it and there were no rest holds so it’s a win for me. I appreciate they just started punching each other instead of starting with a wrestling match. **
Firebreaker Chip vs. Beautiful Bobby
-Handshake to start and Bobby offers a clean break in the corner. Another go and Bobby gets a hip-toss. Chip with a headlock and takes it to the mat where Bobby rolls him on his shoulders for a two count. Eaton shoves off but misses an elbow. Chip runs up the ropes and falls on his ass leaping over Bobby. He may have injured himself as he is working out something with his ankle. He goes back to a side headlock and Bobby gets another two count off that. Bobby runs Chip into the corner to break and then avoids a charge in the corner. Chip blocks that though and comes off the top with a cross-body for two as Bobby gets the bottom rope. We get some chain wrestling which leans to someone yelling, “boring.” To the corner and Chip doesn’t offer a clean break, so I don’t feel sorry when Bobby hits a clothesline. Backbreaker from Bobby gets two. Bobby gets a cross-body, but Chips roll with it and gets two. Chip with a backslide for two. Chip with a roll-up for two and takes an awful bump off the kick-out into the corner. Bobby catches him coming back with a belly to back suplex for the pin at 4:52.
Winner: Beautiful Bobby via pin at 4:52
-Boring as it did wrong what the opener did right. Chip looked a little nervous out there. *
-Starrcade commercial spelling out what to expect from Lethal Lottery and Battle Bowl.
-Tony brings out Sting, who has been receiving boxes and the final one is supposed to be delivered tonight. They get right to it as the final box is a carriage being brought out by a group of oiled up men in black tights. Sting: “give me a prize.” Madusa comes out of the box and flirts with Sting to get his back turned and here comes Lex Luger to reveal that he is behind the boxes. He goes right for the bad knee and rams it off the ramp a few times before some of Sting’s friends run down for the save.
The Diamond Studd vs. The Z-Man
-We are back just as the bell sounds for this match as neither man gets a proper introduction, but Ross notes the Sting ordeal has them scrambling. We cut to the back where Sting is getting wheeled into an ambulance. We see Studd hit a clothesline and he sends Zenk into the corner. He misses a second clothesline and Zenk gets a crucifix for the pin at 1:23.
Winner: The Z-Man via pin at 1:23
-These poor guys were stuck having over 90% of the match happen in a small corner of the screen while we focused on Sting. DUD
-Studd hits a choke slam and Diamond Death Drop to a nice pop after the match. Studd tells us he is the bad guy. Hey, I bet he could use that as part of a catchphrase. Officials in WCW should probably take note.
WCW World TV Title: “Stunning” Steve Austin (w/ Lady Blossom) vs. PN News
-Austin attacks from behind before the bell. Whip is reversed and News lifts Austin off the mat with a double choke and then tosses him back down. He backs Austin into the corner and hits a splash. Clothesline to the back and News is fired up for this shot. He continues to throw blows to the back and gets a slam. Elbow drop, so Austin bails to the floor. News follows him and sends Austin into the security railing. Back in the ring Austin goes for a slam, but News falls back for a two count. Jumping kick from News! Suplex as Austin’s legs hit off the ropes. Austin is bumping all over the place for the big man. Austin uses the tights for leverage to send News to the ramp. He throws some punches out there and charges, but gets backdropped back into the ring. News goes to a brief bear-hug before hitting a belly-to-belly suplex for two thanks to Blossom putting Austin’s foot on the ropes. News stalks Blossom and AUSTIN LEAPS OVER THE TOP ROPE AND HITS NEWS ON THE FLOOR. LUCHA STONE COLD! Back in the ring News misses a splash in the corner, and Austin gets a pin with his feet on the ropes for the win at 4:20.
Winners and Still WCW World TV Champion: Steve Austin via pin at 4:20
-This was actually a fun little match as they got in and got out and the crowd was into it. Best PN News match I have ever seen. **1/4
Cactus Jack vs. Van Hammer
-Hammer turns his back as the bell sounds and Jack is all over him. He throws kicks in the corner and lands some forearms as well. Jack screeches a lot but gets caught with a back suplex. Dropkick sends Jack to the floor. Hammer slings shots over the top and hits a double axe. Back in the ring Hammer hits a big boot and gets a slam. Leg Drop gets two. I see what they did there. Jack hits the Cactus Clothesline to send both men to the floor. Jack off the second ropes with an elbow to Hammer in the floor. Cool! Jack mocks Hammer and makes him wave to the camera. The crowd actually starts a Hammer chant but Jack goes to the eyes. Whip to the corner is reversed and Hammer hits a clothesline to the back of the head. Hammer drops a knee off the top rope, but Cactus is out at two. Ugly spot as they collide and Jack ends up on the floor. He uses Hammer’s guitar to hit him in the throat and gets the pin at 4:05.
Winner: Cactus Jack via pin at 4:05
-Jack gets a win as he is getting some traction and it’s fun watching him and Austin hit the stage here in WCW to get their careers in a bigger promotion rolling. **
-After the match they continue to brawl and Hammer gets the slingshot suplex on the ramp followed by a shoulder tackle. The crowd is digging this brawl to the back.
-We get scintillating video of JR calling Eric on the phone to get an update on Sting. Eric is given the thumbs up sign from an orderly, so he assumes that is a good sign. Weird that Tony and JR keep calling it a medical facility as I always assumed that was just a Vince pet peeve.
-We go back to Halloween Havoc where The Enforcers broke Barry Windham’s hand in the parking lot before the show. -The Enforcers make their entrance and here comes Dustin and Barry, but Barry is in street clothes. Barry says Dustin has a a partner and it’s someone wearing a rather large Dragon Mask. Tony thinks it could be someone from Japan. I think it’s Bryan Danielson myself. -Of course it’s Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat and the crowd goes crazy. Arn sells it like crazy and I can only assume when HHH had to respond to Cactus Jack returning he studied how Arn reacted to Steamboat here. “Not Ricky Steamboat.”
WCW World Tag Team Titles: The Enforcers (c) vs. Dustin Rhodes and Ricky Steamboat
-The crowd is pumped for this one as Ricky starts with Arn. Lockup and Dragon starts firing off right hands and chops, but Arn goes to the eyes. Larry and Arn try to double team Ricky in the corner but he fights out and everyone is in the ring. They fight to the floor and the crowd is just losing it. This is already the best thing on this show and we are only 60 seconds into the match. Steamboat with a back elbow to Larry back in the ring and then Arn gets caught with an inverted atomic drop and standing dropkick. The Enforcers bail to the floor to regroup as they are still in a state of shock. Arn: “He’s just a man.” HE’S NOT A MACHINE. HE’S MAN! Back in the ring Dragon gets a side headlock on Larry. Dragon with a tackle and then a side headlock that Larry rolls into a pin for two. Dustin gets the tag and he drops a leg on the arm. Larry with a slam, but Dustin holds on the arm and maintains control. Dragon back in as he comes off the top with a chop to the shoulder. He wraps Larry’s arm around the steel post as they are looking for payback for Barry. Dustin back in and he drops a knee to the damaged arm and hooks an armbar. Larry is able to get close enough to his corner to make a tag and Arn decks Dustin from behind. He starts firing off punches in the corner and catches Dustin rushing in with a knee. Arn up top, but Dustin tries a slam, which Arn blocks by going to the eyes. He comes off with a shot to the shoulder and takes the eyes with the laces of his boot. Now Arn charges in the corner and gets caught with a boot. BIONIC ELBOWS FOR EVERYONE! Ross has to mention Steve Avery from The Braves and thanks JR, as he was a Pirate killer and ruined the Fall of 91 and 92 for me. Jerk! Larry back in and he wants Dragon. That doesn’t seem wise. Sure enough, Dragon lands a karate kick. Larry responds with a SLAP to the face and makes Dragon chase. Blind tag to Arn and Dragon gets a knee to the back. Now The Enforcers can go to work. Larry back in with a suplex for two. He sends Dragon back first into a knee from Arn. Dragon fires off some chops but gets cut off and Arn is back in. He sends Dragon into the corner with a hard whip to continue the damage on the back. Dragon fights back with more chops and kicks, but Arn with a semi-low blow to turn the tide. Sunset flip from Dragon, but Arn is able to barely make a tag as he is falling back and Larry makes the save. Slam from Larry and he hooks an abdominal stretch and immediately we get some cheating with Arn offering a helping hand. Fantastic! Dustin shows the inexperience as he rushes in which gets the ref away and more cheating by The Enforcers. This is just classic tag wrestling. Arn with a belly to back suplex for two. Dragon keeping getting in some chops to give the crowd hope and then drives Arn face first into the mat as he set too early on a backdrop, but Arn holds the leg and makes the tag to Larry. Backbreaker for two, but what’s cool is Dragon just keeps throwing in chops and strikes wherever he can. Larry with a drop toe-hold and makes the tag to Arn. Dustin gets caught coming in again and again we get cheating. Arn goes to a bear-hug as the crowd is rocking with them and begging Dragon to make the tag. Arn actually wears Dragon down to the mat and gets a two count. Dragon has to fight off his back and catches Arn in a body scissors, but Arn counters that into a Boston Crab. MORE CHEATING as Larry pushes on Arn’s head for extra torque. Just awesome! Larry back in and he picks up with The Boston Crab and Ricky taps the mat, but this is 1991 so it’s just him MANNING UP as he crawls towards his corner. The tag is made, but the ref just happened to be over with Arn. This is beautiful! Arn back in and Ricky gets an atomic drop but Arn bounces out of the corner and their heads crack. This crowd really really wants Ricky to make the tag. Arn heads up top, but Dragon gets both feet up to block. The race is on and HOT TAG TO DUSTIN! Larry in, but Dustin is running wild. Lariat to Larry. Slam to Arn! Right hands to both! Bulldog while also getting a blind tag. Dragon in and Larry throws him over the top, but he lands on the apron and comes off top with a crossbody for the pin and Tag Titles at 14:50.
Winner and New WCW World Tag Team Champions: Dustin Rhodes and Ricky Steamboat via pin at 14:50
-Amazing tag team match here! Just a perfect tag match that hit every note you want. The crowd was way into this and The Enforcers were just a great cheating team that took every advantage they could. Steamboat was Steamboat which meant he took a great beating but showed tremendous fight. Dustin was the hot head rookie who made some mistakes but was there to turn the tide and then Ricky used the blind tag to his team’s advantage to get the win when The Enforcers had run out of ways to cheat. *****
-Video package for Jushin “Thunder” Liger. I hear Brian Pillman needs an opponent in that new Light Heavyweight Division.
-Jim Ross is with Paul Heyman who has a contract that was signed for The US Title and if Sting can’t make it by bell time he will forfeit the Title and it goes to Rick Rude. Twenty four years later and Heyman is still at the top of the game and finding loopholes and making sure contracts favor his clients.
-Jim Ross is back on the phone with Eric Bischoff and lets him know about this forfeit deal. Eric lets us know Sting has made his way out of the hospital and Eric tells him about the loophole. Sting is pissed and wants someone to drive the ambulance back to the building or he will do it himself.
WCW Light Heavyweight Championship: Brian Pillman (c) vs. Johnny B. Badd (w/ Teddy Long)
-Badd is wearing a garter belt and has women at ringside slips dollars to him. My wife wore a Steeler garter belt at our wedding. My cousin was the one who caught it but I threw it between my legs like a football snap because the ceiling in the hall was kind of low. Badd seems like he would be a bit big for the Light Heavyweight Division, but I guess this is a bit heavier than the more famous Cruiserweight Division. Pillman starts fast with chops, a backdrop and a dropkick. Badd ends up on the ramp and Pillman springs out there with a clothesline. Cool! He tries for a piledriver, but Badd blocks that and then jumps off the ramp with Pillman and drops him on the railing. Again, cool! Pillman back with a slingshot crossbody for two. Powerslam from Pillman and he heads up top. Splash is blocked as Badd gets his knees up and then he rakes the eyes. Back elbow from Badd and he hooks a chinlock, but drops it and throws some clubbing blows to get a two count. Slam from Badd and he heads up, but Pillman catches him with a dropkick on the way down. LOUD CHOP! Leaping clothesline from Pillman. Whip is reversed and Pillman gets a spinning heel kick. Clothesline is ducked and Badd gets a leaping clothesline. This is what we need from this division! Badd off the top with a sunset flip, but Long as the ref distracted. The left hook is missed and Piillman runs Badd into Long and gets the roll-up for the pin at 4:19.
Winner and Still WCW Light Heavyweight Champion: Brian Pillman via pin at 4:19
-Fun sprint, with a weak ending that the crowd even seemed bummed by. Badd had the clean pin and then lost because his manager was an idiot. **3/4
-Badd decks Long with the left hook to end their pairing for good and it gets a pop from the crowd. WCW United States Heavyweight Championship: Sting (c) vs. “Ravishing” Rick Rude (w/ Paul E Dangerously)
-Heyman notes that Sting has let everyone down and we get picture in picture as an ambulance pulls up to the arena. Sting hobbles around looking for a way to get in the building as Paul is losing his mind. The bell sounds and a “We Want Sting” chant starts. A group of babyfaces help Sting find his way into the arena and the fight is on as Rude rushes at Sting on the apron. Sting sucks up the pain and gets a Gorilla Press Slam on the ramp. Back to the ring and Rude goes to the eyes, but gets caught coming off the top. Backdrop from Sting as he continues to sell the knee. Rude is wobbly legged as Sting batters him off the top buckle and then lands a right hand. He misses a punch, but hits a clothesline that sends Rude over the top and onto the ramp. Rude grabs the leg and rams it off the post and he is SCREWED now. Rude calls Sting a son of a bitch as he comes off the top with a clothesline to the back of the head. Rude swivels the hips and this crowd is PISSED! Rude Awakening, but Sting fights out of it. He misses a clothesline and Rude goes to the eyes. Sting fires off right hands and Rude ends up falling off the ropes and into Sting’s knee. Paul E blasts Sting over the head with his phone, but that only gets two. DDT from Sting and Dangerously is on the apron again. Rude clips the knee and gets a pin while holding the tights at 4:52.
Winner and New WCW United States Heavyweight Champion: Rick Rude via pin at 4:52
-This whole deal was wonderful and went exactly as it should. Sting looked like the biggest face ever while fighting on one leg and Rude and Paul cheated like crazy even with the physical advantage. ***
-Tony is backstage to interview Rude, Dangerously, and Madusa. Paul mentions The Dangerous Alliance and is pissed at WCW. Rude tells Sting “nice guys finish last.” Paul: “Hi, Mr. Herd.”
-Starrcade 91 commercial explaining BattleBowl: The Lethal Lottery!
-Jim Ross is with Ron Simmons, who has a broken wrist and is here to scout the World Title Match. He promises he will be the first black man to wear that belt. SPOILER!
WCW World Heavyweight Championship: Lex Luger (c) (w/ Harley Race and Mr. Hughes) vs. Rick Steiner (w/ Scott Steiner)
-Anderson throws Mr. Hughes from ringside, but Race and Scott get to stay. Lockup to start and Steiner backs Luger into the corner, who grabs the ropes to get a break. JR once again lets us know Luger graduated college with a 3.78 GPA. Rick gets a single leg, but Luger gets to the ropes to break. Double leg from Rick and Luger again gets to the ropes. Another go and Luger gets to the ropes again as they are starting this one slow. Luger is showing frustration as he gets run down by a tackle. Side headlock and Steiner ends up catching Luger with a power slam for two. Steinerline sends Luger through the ropes and to the floor. Luger stalls on the floor. God bless the crowd as they are still with them. We are five minutes in and have had a power slam and clothesline. Luger back in and sends Rick into the buckle, but he shakes that off and sends Luger flying with a backdrop. Luger goes to the eyes, but misses a clothesline and Rick gets a German Suplex for two. Luger begs off and they start trading right hands. The ref gets bumped enough that Luger can drop Rick balls first on the top rope. Clothesline and he calls for The Rack. He doesn’t go for it though and just fires off kicks. He runs Rick’s face on the ring rope and rakes the eyes with his boot laces. Suplex is blocked and Rick gets one of his own. Luger back with a right hand to the throat behind the ref’s back. He pitches Luger to the floor which lets Race get a kick in. Luger sends Rick into the railing before firing him back into the ring. Luger with a series of shots to the back, but Steiner shakes it off and gets a power slam for two. Steiner off the top with The Bulldog, but Luger gets his foot on the bottom rope. Belly-to-Belly off the middle ropes. Mr. Hughes here and Scott takes him and hits a Frankensteiner. Rick brings Race into the ring with a suplex. In all the chaos, Luger gets his hands on the belt and blasts Steiner to get the pin at 11:29.
Winner and Still WCW World Heavyweight Champion: Lex Luger via pin at 11:29
-Just a total bore! No clue what happened to Luger once he became Champion as he just seemed to be on pilot mode. *
-JR lets us know that they will make a decision about the Tag Championship Match on the Hotline as The Enforcers are bitching they didn’t sign a contract to face Steamboat.
-Thanks for reading!
