wrestling / Video Reviews
Leighty’s Retro Review: WCW Clash of The Champions XVIII
Image Credit: WWE
Loading...-Welcome to 1992 as the first show of the year belongs to WCW. We are firmly in The Dangerous Alliance Era which means WCW is back on the rebound after a rough 1991. Let’s get to it!
-Announce Team: Jim Ross and Tony Schiavone
-Kansas Expo Center, Topeka, Kansas
-Jan. 21, 1992
-Attendance: 5,500
-TBS Rating: 3.7
Big Van Vader and Mr. Hughes (w/ Harley Race) vs. The Steiner Brothers
-Hughes and Scott start and Scott immediately shoots in for a take down, but Hughes gets to the ropes. Another go and Scott gets a Fireman’s Carry Takeover. Another go and Hughes lands a right hand to the jaw followed by a headbutt. Shoulder tackle but Hughes plays to the crowd and gets tossed across the ring with a belly-to-belly suplex. Hughes takes a break on the floor and once back in corners Scott where he and Vader can tee off on him. Rick in and he gets sent to the floor as does Scott. Vader and Hughes celebrate which lets The Steiners come off the top with Steinerlines to send both Hughes and Vader to the floor. Vader and Rick are up next as the crowd is into this one. Still weird hearing JR talk about The Big 8 Conference. Vader with a belly to back suplex and then a vertical suplex. Vader slugs away and gets a Gorilla Press Slam. Splash in the corner from Vader as he is rolling right now. Another try, but Rick rushes out with a Steinerline and then throws Vader across the ring with a suplex and another Steinerliner sends him to the floor. Rick gets stupid and dives at Vader on the floor and pays for it as he gets caught and run into the post. Rick ducks one clothesline in the ring, but a second one connects and the crowd is pissed at Vader. Vader heads up top which freaks the crowd out and in a nice little touch, Scott shakes the ropes to throw him off balance. Rick brings him off the top with a belly-to-belly suplex. Scott in and there’s a Steinerline for two. Scott tries a German Suplex, but Vader blocks, so Rick punches him in the face. That lets Scott hit the German. Much like Rick, he gets dumb and throws himself off the top at Vader and gets caught and it’s a power slam. Scott tries a sunset flip, but yeah, right and Vader FLATTENS him by dropping South. Hughes in and he wants to get in on the suplex action. He misses a charge in the corner and HOT TAG to Rick. He sends Hughes flying with a hip-toss and then a backdrop as it’s a MEAT SLAPPING MATCH with bodies flying all over the place. Everyone in the ring and Vader accidentally nails Hughes. Race gets punched by Rick because it’s Harley and he probably insisted that someone punches him in the face. As Scott and Vader fight on the floor, Rick comes off the top with a bulldog on Hughes for the pin at 9:02.
Winners: The Steiner Brothers via pin at 9:02
-This fantastic as it was all action and no rest holds and just 4 big dudes throwing each other all around the ring and trading bombs. ***3/4
Young Pistol Tracy and The Taylor Made Man vs. Flyin’ Brian and Marcus Alexander Bagwell
-Just listing the names as they were introduced. It seems Taylor left the York Foundation a few weeks ago and now goes by The Taylor Made Man. At least Ross can still call him Taylor and be correct. No clue why Smothers lost his last name and Pillman has been going by Flyin’ Brian since his debut. Brian starts with Taylor and dominates early. He uses his speed but gets caught with a backbreaker for two. Jawbreaker follows! Brian back with a crossbody and makes the tag to Bagwell. Dropkicks for everyone. Pillman gets brought back in with a slingshot onto Taylor and then double dropkicks and stereo dives to the floor. Hot start to this one and the crowd is loving it. Tracy in and he catches Bagwell with a superkick and then a flying back elbow. Short-arm clothesline gets two. Taylor back in and he hits a running clothesline in the corner as the crowd continues to boo. I am digging this crowd so far. Tracy back in with a slam, but Bagwell gets the knees up to block a splash. Tag to Pillman who dropkicks Taylor off the apron and hits a spin-wheel kick on Tracy. Taylor decks him from behind and we get some cheating behind the ref’s back. Taylor with a suplex that sends Pillman from the ring to the floor. Cool! Back in the ring Pillman tries to fight out of the corner, but nothing doing. Taylor back in and he gets a gut-wrench powerbomb for two. Tracy back in and he knocks Pillman off the apron and into the railing. No matter as Brian is back in with a springboard clothesline and the hot tag is made to Bagwell. Everyone in the ring and Pillman gets dumped to the floor. Bagwell with a sunset flip on Tracy, but Taylor grabs his arm to keep him up. Pillman back in with a dropkick to take Taylor out of it and Tracy ends up falling back win the sunset flip for the pin at 7:47.
Winners: Flyin’ Brian and Marcus Alexander Bagwell via pin at 7:47
-The hot start to this show continues as this was another good tag match and the crowd was way into it. Pillman was great here and Taylor and Smothers knew exactly what to do. Bagwell did what he needed and this was all kinds of fun. ***
-Video from a house show in The Omni, where Jushin Thunder Liger beat Flyin’ Brian for the Light Heavyweight Championship. I’m sure it was a BANGER!
Richard Morton vs. Johnny B. Badd
-This is in the Light Heavyweight Division and again, Badd as a LH seems weird. Morton with a head scissors, but Badd escapes and goes to his boxing background. Morton hides between the ropes to keep his distance. Badd sends Morton into the corner and then comes off the second ropes with a double ax. Morton lands a right in the corner and sends Badd to the floor. Badd rushes back in and gets a roll-up for two. Morton up first and he delivers a clothesline followed by an inverted atomic drop. They head to the floor and Morton sends Badd into the ring post. Badd with a sunset flip back in for a two count. Morton up first again and gets a suplex for two. Powerslam off a reversed whip by Badd, but Morton goes to the eyes. Morton tries to out box Badd and that goes poorly. Badd gets caught with an elbow, but we get an ugly ending as Badd rolls through on a crossbody and gets tangled in the ropes, so it looks wonky as the three count is made at 3:21.
Winner: Johnny B. Badd via pin at 3:21
-Not a great showcase for the LH Division and thankfully they didn’t roll with the winner here being next for Liger at SuperBrawl as the commentary team hinted at. 1/2*
-Eric Bischoff interviews Flyin’ Brian and Johnny B. Badd. Brian cuts an anti-Japan promo and then decks Johnny for putting a sticker on his cheek. Guess, you could say Brian is kind of a loose cannon.
Diamond Dallas Page vs. PN News
-News is wearing a Chiefs hat to suck up and now I am annoyed. He spits some weak rhymes before Page attacks at the bell. We get a criss-cross spot and News uses his ass to back Page up and then sends him to the floor. He brings Page back in with a sling shot and hits a splash in the corner. Rolling Splash by News and then another. News misses an elbow which gives Page an opening. Clothesline gets a two count followed by a series of elbows. He then mocks the “yo baby, yo baby, yo,” and I laughed. Page nearly gets a slam, but News falls back on him for a two count. Page uses the top rope to choke and then snaps News neck off the top rope as well. He sling shots in with a crossbody for two. Whip reversed and News gets a belly-to-belly suplex. NEWNAMI finishes at 3:26. For some reason News’ music started playing before the count was even made. I assume since he was sporting a Chiefs hat this was fixed for him much like Super Bowl 44 and 48 were fixed against my Niners. BOSA WAS HELD!
Winner: PN News via pin at 3:26
-I enjoyed this more than the previous match as the energy was better. *
WCW Top 10
-World Heavyweight Champion: Lex Luger
10. Larry Zbyszko
09. El Gigante
08. Vader
07. Dustin Rhodes
06. Cactus Jack
05. Rick Steiner
04. Ricky Steamboat
03. Steve Austin (TV Champion)
02. Sting
01. Rick Rude (US Champion)
-With Luger getting in this past year, everyone on that list is in the WWE Hall of Fame except Gigante and Dustin Rhodes, who I assume will be there one day.
-Tony Schiavone introduces K. Allen Frey, who is the new Executive VP of WCW. He has become an internet darling thanks to offering cash bonuses to whoever had the best match, which led to guys busting their ass, but that was a problem for some and he didn’t last long. Frey announces Luger vs. Sting for the World Title at SuperBrawl and brings out the newest signing, Jesse “The Body” Ventura and the writing had to be on the wall for either Ross or Schiavone and we know how that went. Jesse calls WCW the wrestling of the future, and I mean, if we don’t look past 1998, he was kind of right. I always think of Jesse having a longer run in WCW, but he gone a little over two years later when Hogan was brought into the company.
-Sting is brought out, but Lex sends in a pre-taped video as he is preparing for his World Title defense at SuperBrawl. Sting signs the contract and as far as contracts signings go, this was weak as we didn’t even have a table to be flipped on someone. Jesse goes full blown sell for the match and because it’s Jesse it sounds more important just because he is telling us about it.
Falls Count Anywhere: Cactus Jack vs. Van Hammer
-Hammer uses his gimmicked guitar to shoot picks in Jack’s face and then dives over the top with a crossbody for a two count as the bell sounds. Hammer drops a leg for two, but gets caught coming off the second ropes with a clothesline. That gets two for Jack and then he hits The Cactus clothesline, taking both men to the floor. Jack gets a two count out there and then sends Hammer into the railing. Jack removes the mat to expose the concrete floor and plans him face first on the concrete. Jack is insane and comes off the ropes with a sunset flip on the concrete which doesn’t really work as planned, but Jack took a full bump on the concrete because well, it’s Mick. Powerslam by Hammer on the ramp gets two. Jack goes to the eyes and hits a clothesline as the crowd is kind of in awe watching this. Hammer gets a small package on the ramp for two, but Jack with another clothesline. Jack tries to send Hammer to the floor with a hiptoss, but we know who is taking that bump. Sure enough, it’s reversed and Jack SPLATS on the concrete again. Hammer comes down with a clothesline for another two count. They brawl on the floor and end up going to the backstage as the crowd boos thinking the match is over. Ross sends us to a commercial break.
-60 seconds of Peacock commercials!
-We are back as the cameraman opens a door and finds Jack and Hammer brawling in the parking lot. Jack uses a 2×4 and we see they are near a makeshift stockyard as it seems there is a rodeo coming to the arena coon. Mick uses a bull skull to attack Hammer. They fight into a bullpen and Abdullah The Butcher shows up wearing a cowboy hat. The Butcher swings a shovel at Jack, but decks Hammer and Jack gets the pin at 7:56.
Winner: Cactus Jack via pin at 7:56
-This was probably crazy stuff at the time, but kind of tame now obviously. The stuff in the arena was fun, but I found the stuff outside to be kind of silly. **3/4
-Abdullah sends Jack into a water trough and Missy Hyatt ends up getting a bath as well because they continue the running gag of her getting embarrassed at these shows. Jack and Abdullah continue to fight as they throw to another break.
The Fabulous Freebirds vs. Brad Armstrong and Big Josh
-These poor guys didn’t even get an introduction which means no Bad Street and really, what’s the point of a Birds match then? Or, is this the period they had a new song? Hayes and Brad start with a lock-up. Armstrong was Bad Street with The Birds and then Arachnaman before going back to being himself. No stalling from Hayes which means they aren’t getting much time. Hayes with a roll-up for Brad kicks out and Garvin gets the tag. He lands a knee in the corner and then hits a running forearm. Garvin up top and he gets a crossbody for two. Blind tag to Josh who hits a slam off a Brad dropkick. Log Roll from Josh. Hayes in and he gets rolled as well. Sunset flip from Hayes gets two, but Josh back to the armdrag. Garvin back in and Josh hammers away on him in the corner. Garvin nearly falls on a whip to the corner and they end up colliding. That looked rough. Tag to Hayes and Brad. Backdrop to Hayes followed by a dropkick. One to Garvin as well. The Birds go to the eyes and send Brad to the ramp. Josh with a clothesline on both Birds. The ref forces him out which lets the Birds hit a double DDT for the pin at 3:39.
Winners: The Fabulous Freebirds via pin at 3:39
-Look was different but same Birds though giving them under 4 minutes saved us from stalling. The crowd still likes them though. *1/2
-Hype video for The Steiner Brothers and they get promo time with Eric.
Thomas Rich vs. Vinnie Vegas
-Yes, Oz is dead and now Big Kev has the gimmick that Shawn Michaels noticed and ended up helping him get a job in the WWF. This is totally the first time we have ever seen this guy in WCW according to Tony. Vegas brings Tommy over to see someone in the crowd, but it’s a ruse as Vegas attacks. He plants Rich on the mat and then chokes away on the middle ropes. Short-arm clothesline and Snake Eyes finishes at 56 seconds.
Winner: Vinnie Vegas via pin at 56 seconds
-The crowd did not react to the new gimmick at all. Perhaps he will find one that works out for him one day. SQUASH
-Eric is standing by with Paul E. Dangerously and he brings up how every prediction he has made has come true. As we know, he has upgraded to SPOILERS today. He promises one or more of our heroes will end up in the Magnum TA Retirement Home and whoever it is, will never wrestle her again.
The Dangerous Alliance (Larry Zbyskzo. Arn Anderson, and Bobby Eaton) (w/ Paul E Dangerously) vs.”The Natural” Dustin Rhodes, Ron Simmons, and Barry Windham
-Eaton and Anderson won the Tag Titles a few days earlier at a house show in Jacksonville from Dustin and Steamboat. Windham has a brace on his damaged hand, so he is just a bit annoyed and wants Larry. He starts with Eaton though and fires off lariats and then a superplex for two as Anderson makes the save. Everyone in the ring and we get a Triple Figure-Four spot on The Dangerous Alliance. Larry and Ron stay in as JR reminds us that Ron finished 9th in Heisman voting. Arn and Larry try to double team, but Ron fights them both off and hits a double shoulder block. Eaton dives off the top and gets caught in a bear-hug. Gorilla Press Slam to Anderson and Ron gets a two count on Larry. Dustin in and Larry quickly tags out to Eaton. He lights up Dustin with some chops and then a whip to the corner. Dustin back with a right hand and he pitches Eaton over the top and onto the ramp (behind the ref’s back). Dustin dives out with a clothesline to pop the crowd. Larry in and so is Windham and this is what he wanted. He misses a lariat as Larry is pulled away by a teammate. Piledriver is countered with a backdrop. Eaton tries to come off the top, but Windham dropkicks him off the top and to the floor. Larry runs away and falls victim to a blind tag as Dustin lands a series of right hands. Dustin goes for a dive, but Eaton pushes Larry out of the way and Dustin crashes over the top and on the ramp. Paul gets in a few cheap shots and then brings in Arn. SPINEBUSTER gets two! Dustin gets the knees up to block a splash, but he still gets PLANTED with a DDT. Arn gets a two count as he took too long to make the cover. Bobby back in with a slam and he heads up top. He drops a flying elbow for two. Bobby misses a splash in the corner and crushes his balls on the middle buckle. Arn in and he gets a slam, but eats two boots to the face as he comes off the top rope. HOT TAG to Barry and he comes off the top with a lariat. Another lariat followed by a backdrop gets two. Everyone in the ring and they pair off, leaving Barry and Eaton in the ring. Eaton off the top, but Barry uses the protected hand to land a right for the pin at 9:27.
Winner: Barry Windham, Ron Simmons, and Dustin Rhodes via pin at 9:27
-This was fun, but too short. With these six men give them 20 minutes and let them tear the house down. ***
-Barry, Dustin, and Ron cut a promo backstage and Barry is still pissed and he is coming for Larry. Well, sucks to be Larry!
“Ravishing” Rick Rude and “Stunning” Steve Austin (w/ Paul E. Dangerously) vs. Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat and Sting
-Jesse Ventura joins JR at the announce desk and it just feels right having him on commentary again for a Rick Rude match. These are the four men holding the top 4 spots in the WCW World Title Rankings. Steamboat starts with Austin as JR brings up Austin’s dad played for Rice in The Cotton Bowl. Jesse notes that had to be a long time ago as he can’t remember the last time Rice was in a Bowl. As a Niner fan, it is my duty to mention Jerry Rice was just two years removed from playing in his second Super Bowl. Steamer with a superkick to Austin and Rude runs in to take a strike to the face. Another go and Austin makes the tag to Rude, but Steamboat is able to back away as he knows the corner is death. Rude calmly walks over and slaps Sting in the face. That brings Sting in and Rude bails to his corner. Rude lands the first few blows, but Sting is back with an Atomic Drop and then an Inverted Atomic Drop to give is Rude’s classic selling of the move. Sting rakes at the back as Jesse calls him out for using such a move as a supposed hero. Sting with a modified camel clutch as he seemed a little lost there on what to do next. He punishes the back and then taunts Rude by swiveling his hips. Steamboat in as there is no tag, but the fans let Patrick know there was a tag. Liars! Steamboat mocks Rude’s hip swivel and switches out with Sting again. This is pretty funny. Sting tries one time to many and crushes his balls on Rude’s knees. The crowd starts a loud Sting chant as Austin runs him into the corner. Sting blocks a second try, but gets caught off with a knee and then Austin hits a back elbow for two. Rude knocks Dragon off the apron to keep Sting from tagging and turns around to get a two count on Sting. Austin back in with right hands and one for Steamboat as well. Sting avoids a punch and HOT TAG to Dragon. He runs wild on Austin and Rude and sends them into each other. Superkick to Rude! Shot to the abdomen of Austin. Victory Roll, but Rude decks him and hits a clothesline as the ref was with Sting. Dragon fights back against Austin and tries a roll-up, but Austin holds onto the ropes. Small package from Dragon gets two. Everyone in the ring. Sting gets sent to the ramp, so he pulls Austin out with him. They fight as Rude and Steamboat do battle in the ring. Austin back in the ring and he hits a backbreaker. He goes for another, but Sting comes off the top with a crossbody and Austin gets screwed as it’s a double pin at 11:21. Jesse is pissed and I don’t blame him as that was pretty awful.
Winners: Sting and Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat via pin at 11:21
-Didn’t like the ending, but the I did like the match more than the previous one. Sting and Steamboat taking turns getting the stuffing kicked out of them and making comebacks will always work. ***1/2
-Things break loose as Rude drops Dragon with two Rude Awakenings and then whips him with a belt. Security tries to help, but Dangerously, Rude and Austin take care of them. Sting lays over Dragon and takes the lashes for him as more security heads down to the ring.
-JR and Jesse wrap things up and hyper SuperBrawl!
-Thanks for reading!
