WCW Clash of the Champions XVI: Fall Brawl 91'
Augusta, GA - September 1991
CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into tonight's show, Lex Luger is the WCW World Heavyweight Champion, Sting is the United States Champion, and the Television Championship is held by "Stunning" Steve Austin. The World Tag Team Titles are vacant due to Scott Steiner's injury, while The Patriots hold the US Tag Team Championships. Finally, Big Josh, Dustin Rhodes, and The Z-Man are the Six Man Tag Champions.
COMMENTATORS: Jim Ross and Tony Schiavone
The Georgia Brawl is our opener, a 20-man over the top rope battle royal featuring The Z-Man, Thomas Rich, "Beautiful" Bobby Heenan, Ranger Ross (he was still in the company??), Tracey Smothers, Oz, PN News, The State Patrol's Buddy Lee Parker, WCW Television Champion "Stunning" Steve Austin, Dustin Rhodes, Terry "Terrence" Taylor, Big Josh, El Gigante, One Man Gang, and Barry Windham. If I had a time machine, I'd for sure make a stop at a WCW house show in 91' to grip the tee shirt that Big Josh is wearing. Big Josh nearly skins the cat, but as he works to get back in the ring, Terry Taylor and Ranger Ross get eliminated beside him and bring him back to the floor too. Tommy Rich and Parker go out next and we're down to 15. The Z-Man is eliminated off-camera. Steve Austin back body drops Smothers out of the match and we're down to mostly the monsters now. Bobby Eaton gets tossed in a cool spot that sends him right into a cameraman on the walkway and then PN News gets tossed too, the big man taking a decent bump over the turnbuckle. Windham and Austin eliminate each other and continue brawling on the floor. We're down to four in the ring - Oz, Gigante, Dustin Rhodes, and the One Man Gang. The heels start teaming up on the babyfaces, but Gigante fights back to a decent applause. The heels toss Dustin Rhodes over the top, but as they gloat, Gigante hits them with a double clothesline to get the victory. Was this his last appearance or did he appear at Halloween Havoc? I forget. Regardless, WCW should've booked someone else to win this because it would've been somewhat prestigious and could've helped revive or build-up a better talent. Not the worst battle royale ever. (1.5/5)
The Fabulous Freebirds accompany Badstreet (Brad Armstrong) down the aisle for his match against the returning Flyin' Brian Pillman. Randy Anderson sends the Birds to the back to keep this one on the level. This match was part of the inaugural Light Heavyweight Championship tournament, a great idea for a title and tournament that didn't really pan out as WCW lacked legitimate stars to fill the division. This match is definitely a Pillman showcase, the former Bengal controlling the early going before taking a heinous suplex from the ring apron to the floor and then his signature chest-first bump onto the steel barricade. Pillman recovers, but gets sent into the ring post in another impressive bump. Back in the ring, Badstreet hits a reverse neckbreaker, but when he heads to the top rope it gives Pillman the opportunity to knock him to the floor and then hit an INSANE suicide dive through the middle ropes and Badstreet, nearly knocking himself unconscious by hitting the steel rail too. Pillman attempts a top rope splash, but Badstreet blocks it. Pillman with a spinning kick for two. Badstreet with a DDT for two. Pillman attempts a crucifix, but Badstreet drops back. They both go up to the corner and Badstreet falls back. Pillman hits a crossbody off the top for the win. This match wasn't perfect, but some of Pillman's spots were just absolutely insane. (3/5)
Tony Schiavone reviews the WCW Top Ten. I loved these segments and part of it had to be the faux Bon Jovi music that plays in the background.
The United States Championship is on the line next as Johnny B. Badd challenges Sting. Before the match begins, we see a short video of Abdullah the Butcher attacking Sting after bursting out of a "mystery box." I really loved that angle as a kid. Sting and Badd start things off at a frantic pace, the Stinger wrestling with serious urgency. Johnny B. Badd hits an impressive sunset flip off the top rope, but Sting counters quickly with an inside cradle and then a sunset flip of his own. Badd works a wristlock, forcing him into the corner. Sting avoids a back elbow in the corner and applies a wristlock of his own. After a fun start, this match has lost some of its luster. Sting hits a vertical suplex, but both men are back on their feet quickly. JR notes that another man-sized gift box has been delivered on the walkway. There's some confusion in the ring as they blow a spot. Sting misses a Stinger Splash, but is able to block Badd's big right hand. Badd hits him with a shot to the ribs, but Badd wants to see what's in the box (giving Sting time to recover). Sting is up too and sees the box. The match basically stops here before Sting brings Badd to the mat and pins him with a very ugly inside cradle. Cactus Jack runs out and attacks Sting. Jack then hits a crazy elbow drop from the top turnbuckle, over the announcer table, onto the floor! Jack hits a DDT in the ring before heading back down the aisle. This match started out really strong, but then deteriorated at a rapid pace. The Jack run-in helped, but not enough to really consider it a great match. At least it didn't last too long. (2/5)
After a commercial break, we see a video recap that helps explain what happened. Jack had emerged out of the box (this wasn't clear at first) to attack the Stinger.
Mike Graham takes on the York Foundation's Richard Morton in the other half of tonight's pair of semi-final matches of the Light Heavyweight Championship tournament. By this point, Morton had changed his attire a little bit from his Rock n' Roll Express days, but I think he really should've done even more to make it clear that he'd sold out and "gone corporate." The crowd is dead for this, likely because Mike Graham was a nobody in WCW. Schiavone notes the difference in styles between the first pair of semi-finalists and these two (the first match having innovative spots and high-flying and this match being mostly just your typical wrestling match between two guys who aren't just your standard bout). There's nothing not "sound" about the action - obviously Morton and Graham are experienced, capable workers - but as JR might put it, you need some sizzle with your steak. York distracts the ref as Graham gets the visual pin, but Morton kicks out and sends him into the corner hard. Morton rolls him up for the win. I understand having Morton get the dirty win to add to his heel persona, but I'm not sure it was the right call as it protected Graham for no apparent reason. I would've liked this to go a bit shorter too. (1.5/5)
After a commercial break, JR talks up Bill Kazmaier, the World's Strongest Man according to the Guinness Book of World Records. Eric Bischoff welcomes him to the ring to attempt to break a world record. Kazmaier performs an incredible feat of strength, bending a thick steel rod around his neck. After performing the feat, though, The Enforcers (Arn Anderson and Larry Zybysko) attack him, ramming a huge weight into his ribs. Did he actually set a record here? Was that legit? I don't know and I don't really care. This segment was too short to earn a point, but it was still kinda cool.
The Fabulous Freebirds are up next which means we're likely to get a shitty match as the team was well past their prime at this point. Their opponents are The Patriots - Firebreaker Chip and Todd Champion. This wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, mostly because it was kept under 6 minutes and the Freebirds didn't eat up too much time with their tiresome schtick. I must admit to being a bit surprised that both Patriots' career basically ended as quickly as they started, especially Todd Champion, who had the kind of size and look that one would think would've at least warranted him a cup of coffee in the WWE. Maybe the steroid scandal prevented it? Maybe its just that Vince thought nobody would buy a superstar named Todd? Inoffensive match, but not worth seeking out. (1.5/5)
Paul E. Dangerously's guest on his Danger Zone segment this evening is none other than Cactus Jack. As Jack mourns the death of Sting's career, a large box is delivered. Jack makes his way towards the mystery box, expecting it to be his buddy Adbullah The Butcher, but, whoops, its the Stinger! Cactus Jack takes his second crazy bump of the night getting back-dropped off the walkway and onto the arena floor. This segment didn't make any real sense (How did Sting get a box so fast? How did Jack not expect it to be Sting?), but I like the concept of Jack playing mind games with Sting, Sting playing them right back, and the inherent suspense of the "mystery box" (even if the contents of the box were predictable to anyone over the age of 8, which I wasn't at the time).
The number one contender for Lex Luger's WCW World Championship, Ron Simmons squashed The Diamond Studd (Scott Hall) next. Simmons was getting a big push at the time while Studd was floundering in the midcard after debuting with the company just a few months before. When Hall struck it big as Razor Ramon a year later in the WWE (and then got even more famous as one of the original members of the nWo), there was a long-held belief that he was ready for a more prominent spot in the company as early as 91', but after rewatching his work from this time period (as well as his nWo years), I'm not sure I buy it. Hall's natural cool was the perfect fit for the genre in the late 90s, but his in-ring work could be sluggish and the knock-off Rick Rude gimmick he was working here felt like well-trodden territory. Was Hall being wasted by the company as his buddy Kevin Nash famously claimed? No more than nearly everyone else on the roster burdened with a one-dimensional gimmick or having to carry immobile 7 footers (like El Gigante and Kevin Nash). This did what it needed to do and, though he wasn't a top level guy, beating Studd did mean more than squashing your average Power Hour jobber. (1/5)
After a brief interview with Simmons (that gets interrupted by Harley Race and Curtis Hughes) and a commercial break, Terrence Taylor makes his way down the aisle to get beaten by Van Hammer. After seeing this match, I'm surprised Terry Taylor stayed with WCW for even a single show after having to job to Hammer, who is beyond terrible here. Despite being completely jacked, Hammer's finishing move is a knee drop from the corner, which he performs atrociously. I'm not even a Terry Taylor fan, but he deserved better. This match is more embarrassing than any of that Red Rooster garbage. Van Hammer would improve over time (though, he was never actively "good"), but this was an awful showing. (0/5)
Lex Luger is hanging out backstage with his posse, Harley Race and Mr. Hughes. Ron Simmons barges in, but is shoved out. Rollins then busts into the room by tackling his way through the door. For its time, this was a pretty good way to build heat between these two.
"Stunning" Steve Austin defends his Television Championship against "The Z-Man" Tom Zenk next. Austin was building up his reputation at the time and Z-Man, on his best nights, could be good, but this match is just meh. It gets better as it goes along, but really the only great moment is the finish: Lady Blossom giving Austin a pair of brass knucks, Zenk ducking the first roundhouse and getting Austin up for a back suplex (and sure victory) only to get clocked in the skull and pinned all while the ref suspects nothing. It is one of the best cheap victories I've seen recently, so simple yet so believable without making the babyface look foolish. (2/5)
Before the big contract signing segment between Luger and Simmons, a series of videos air from Ron Simmons' trips to the Atlanta Boys and Girls Club (I think it was?). We then cut back to the arena for the official Halloween Havoc contract signing. I love the giant paintings of Luger and Simmons; The set design is clearly aping the Rocky movies but it works. Unlike the hundreds of times the WWE has shot similar angles, I love the brevity of this one. Simmons signs, then Race reads it over, and then Luger signs...but not before making a short comment congratulating Simmons on his accomplishments and letting him know that after he beats him, he will gladly take him on his chauffeur. Simmons' response is so quick that the words don't really have time to resonant, but it works.
Main event time - The Enforcers, Arn Anderson and Larry Zybysko, taking on Rick Steiner and Bill Kazmaier in the finals of the WCW World Tag Team Championship tournament. When it rained on WCW in mid-91', it really, really poured. Not only had they lost their World Champion, Ric Flair, prior to their last big PPV (the disastrous Great American Bash that saw Luger turn heel win the gold in a tournament final against Barry Windham ), but when Scott Steiner came down with a bicep injury in the summer of 91', the World Tag Team Titles were also vacated. Keep in mind, when Luger won the World Title, his United States Championship was also vacated (Sting defeated Steve Austin in a tournament final for that title in August). With the company's three biggest titles shuffled around in the space of 4 months, championship credibility was an issue - and the fact that WCW's roster was thin on talent and star power didn't help matters. Anderson and Zybysko come out first escorted by a dozen club-wielding SWAT members because that's what an "enforcer" is, I guess? Kazmaier and Steiner arrive next and Bill's ribs are wrapped up. This is basically a two-on-one match (and not a great one at that). Kazmaier eventually tags himself in to relieve his partner, but this ends up costing them the match as after bodyslamming Anderson, Zybysko's power gives out on him when he tries to hoist up Zybysko in a press slam. Not a good match, but like the Austin/Z-Man finish, I have to give credit to the booking here as it wisely protects Rick Steiner (Kazmaier's blind tag instantly upsets the Dog-Faced Gremlin) while still making it clear that The Enforcers were in the driver's seat the whole time and knew how to capitalize on Kazmaier's naive bravery. Their post-match promo is pretty good too. (1.5/5)
I enjoyed Clash of the Champions XVI, but won't deny much of that enjoyment stems from how many great memories this show brought back. Its Kwang Score, a lowly 1.5-out-of-5, isn't a ringing endorsement but its not like your average Raw episode would earn anything too much better. The fun of this show is its time capsule quality and the bevy of mini-moments it provides - from the "What Happened To That Guy?" cameos of the opener to the pair of classic Sting/Cactus Jack segments to the quaint production tricks throughout the whole thing. It might be an acquired taste, but if you were a fan during this oft-forgotten period of WCW history, this is a breezy 2 hours to revisit.
FINAL RATING - High Risk Maneuver
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