WCW Clash of the Champions XVII
Savannah, Georgia - November 1991
COMMENTATORS: Jim Ross & Tony Schiavone
Next up - Firebreaker Chip vs. Bobby Eaton. I'm kind of a mark for any Bobby Eaton match. Like the opener, it'd be a stretch to call this match "good," but its at least not bad. The Firebreaker Chip gimmick is lame, but Curtis Thompson - the man behind it - proves he's more than just a musclebound meathead by moving in the ring with speed and urgency (and even coming off the top rope at one point). Eaton is the consummate pro so you know he's not going to let this one degrade into tedium. A good clean finish too. (2/5)
After a commercial for SuperBrawl, Tony Schiavone brings out Sting. The storyline coming into this was that Sting had been getting sent mysterious boxes - most of which turned out to be guys that ended up attacking him (Cactus Jack, Abdullah the Butcher). This time around, the "box" is carried down the entrance way by a dozen greased-up amateur bodybuilders and out comes Madusa, who seductively strokes Sting's legs and chest. It is very, very reminiscent of the angle where Sensational Sherri distracted the Ultimate Warrior at the 91' Rumble. "Reminiscent" is polite - its a total knock-off. That being said, its still a great segment because this was the peak of "Surfer" Sting, the whole presentation is wonderful camp, and Luger's attack gets great heat. (+1)
We join The Diamond Studd vs. The Z-Man already in progress. The match is put on split-screen to show Sting getting taken out of the arena in an ambulance, but the action looks good as both Zenk and Hall are moving at a brisk clip. The Z-Man rolls him up for the win, but Studd hits him with the Diamond Death Drop (Razor's Edge) after the match to get his heat back. What we do see in this match is good, but its really just a continuation of the Sting angle. I'm not going to rate it.
PN News makes his way down the aisle, but doesn't rap, set to square off against the reigning Television Champion, "Stunning" Steve Austin. Austin brings the fight to News right from the start, but News uses his size and power to gain control. Austin is working in pinball mode, bumping and selling for the 300+ pounder. At one point, Austin tries to lift the challenger for a bodyslam, but News lands on him for 2. The crowd is totally buying that we could have a new TV Champion and they pop big for News' hitting a belly-to-belly suplex for another 2 count. News goes to the outside to try to take out Lady Blossom, but Austin comes flying off the top rope with an axehandle from behind. Austin is able to capitalize on a missed splash into the corner, using the ropes to help him retain his title. This was a surprisingly fun little match that showed how good Austin already was at this point. (3/5)
Cactus Jack challenges Van Hammer next, these two continuing a rivalry that had begun on the weekly TV shows around this time. Extra half-point for the super cheesy pre-match Van Hammer video. Jack is the experienced hand so he's definitely leading Hammer around by the nose from beginning to end. Van Hammer was the one getting the push, but Jim Ross is clearly relishing the opportunity to get Mrs. Foley's Little Boy over as a complete lunatic and tremendous threat to the company's do-gooders. Foley takes a few spills to the outside and hits his patented (and career-shortening) elbow to the arena floor. He would take much more dangerous bumps in his career, but for 91', this was still something you didn't see everyday and is sold as such. The match is too disjointed to be considered good and the finish is awkward (with the referee made to look very dumb), but the post-match gets heat and, in terms of furthering a storyline, it all works. I'd probably take this, warts and all, over most of the choreographed and overly rehearsed matches we see on RAW these days as, at the very least, this still feels a bit unpredictable and like a real fight. (2/5)
The WCW World Tag Champions, The Enforcers (Arn Anderson and Larry Zybysko), had been engaged in a feud with Dustin Rhodes and his tag partner, Barry Windham, for the previous few months, injuring Windham during the pre-show of October's Halloween Havoc. I'm not 100% sure on why Windham wasn't cleared to compete in November/December 91', but he was back by January. Regardless, Dustin and Barry announce that because Windham is unable to wrestle due to injury, they have found a mystery partner - who makes his way down the aisle in a large cape and a ridiculous lizard mask the size of a small fridge. The reveal that it is Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat seems obvious in hindsight but still gets a good pop - though I think it would've gotten an even bigger one if they'd just let him come out without the stupid mask. From here you get exactly the kind of match you would expect out of these four Hall of Fame-level workers. Anderson and Zybysko spend the first third bumping and selling, taking powders so that they can "regroup" while the babyfaces get the crowd hyped. Eventually they cut the ring in half and Steamboat plays the face-in-peril (expertly). Compared to the rest of the matches on this show, this match feels capital-I "Important," like both sides know how critical this match is. Steamboat doesn't want to lose on his first night in and has history with the heels, Dustin Rhodes brings intensity as the guy who finally gets to have a run at the champs, and the veteran villains clearly care - first and foremost - about retaining the tag titles. Its telling how a pretty straight-forward "old school" tag match can work when the motivations of anyone involved are clear, the babyfaces take the time to elicit sympathy, and the heels play their role by feeding into the heroes' offense and cutting every corner possible. I've read some reviews, notably at wrestling nerd HQ ProWrestlingOnly, that call this one of the best WCW matches ever - and I'm not sure it isn't - but I also think that there's an appeal here to a "classic NWA" viewer that was a bit lost on me when I was a kid and that I can't feign now even 28 years later. This might be about as close to a "must watch" match as is possible for not being a match I would consider "must watch," though, again, if you look around the internet, you'll find plenty of folks giving this 4+ stars and some even calling it a Top 5 Best Tag Team Match in wrestling history. (3.5/5)
There's a number of segments sprinkled in where Tony Schiavone is on the phone from the hospital to report about Sting's condition, Paul Dangerously explains that if Sting can't make it to the match he has to forfeit the title, Sting gets on the phone to announce that he's coming for Rude, etc. None of it is stand-alone great, but as a bundle, its quality, simple storytelling that builds up the United States Championship match perfectly.
Back to the ring we go for Flyin' Brian vs. Johnny B. Badd. Badd would get much better in the ring as the years go on, but he's not terrible here - just a bit limited. Pillman, meanwhile, is awesome, hitting an Air Pillman to the rampway and then taking one of his trademark throat-to-the-guardrail bumps off of it. I like how JR notes early that Badd, a heel, has been having issues with his manager Teddy Long - a subtle way to build towards the finish and Badd's impending face run. Pillman tries to hit a splash from the top, but Badd gets his knees up. Badd attempts a splash off his own, but Pillman counters with a dropkick and follows it up with another flying clothesline. Most of the big moves of this match are telegraphed, but considering Badd's skill level and the fact that, as rudimentary as it may seem in 2019, Pillman was working a much faster pace than your average worker, its understandable. Not a great match but good enough and the post-match angle is short, sweet, and pops the crowd. I'm not sure Badd was officially a babyface immediately after this match, but knocking Teddy Long on his ass certainly got him more than halfway there. (2.5/5)
After a commercial break, Paul Dangerously comes down the aisle with "Ravishing" Rick Rude (who doesn't have his signature WCW music yet). Dangerously cuts a fantastic promo as the screen splits and we see Sting being rushed into the arena in an ambulance. Dangerously loses it in the ring and Sting limps his way towards the ring, being assisted by a bunch of babyfaces. The crowd erupts into a "We Want Sting" chant and absolutely explodes for his entrance. Rude comes rushing down the aisle and the two brawl on the ramp. Sting lifts him up with a military press and drops him, his adrenaline carrying him through. Sting immediately clutches his knee in pain and Rude retreats into the ring. JR and Schiavone sell things perfectly, rightfully explaining that Sting is running on pure emotion and courage. Sting continues to drop Rude with a number of strikes, including a huge clothesline back onto the ramp. Rude ends up on the floor and grabs Sting's leg, slamming it twice into the steel post. Rude hits an axehandle from behind and then draws massive heat by swiveling his hips in the middle of the ring. Rude attempts a Rude Awakening, but Sting blocks it and JR can't believe it. Rude bounces off the ropes and, without even knowing what he's doing, hits Sting in the back of the knee as he falls flat on his face. While the ref checks on Rude, Dangerously nails Sting in the back of the skull with his cell phone! That should be it...but Sting kicks out at 2! Sting hits a DDT as well and then grabs Dangerously by the shirt. This time Rude clips Sting with all his weight and grabs the tights to steal the victory as the crowd boos. There's even at least one piece of trash thrown in the ring as the fans are super pissed about the finish. This might be one of my favorite matches ever in terms of storytelling from beginning to end. Brilliant work all around - from JR and Tony to Dangerously to Sting to Rude. Who said a match that runs well below 10 minutes can't be great and an absolute "must see"? For what this is, its just about perfect...but its more an angle than a "match" so I'm not going to put it all the way up to the vaunted 4.5-5 level. (4/5)
Backstage, Dangerously and Rude cut an all-time great promo - and one that predates Ric Flair's Royal Rumble victory as well. Awesome. (+1)
We get a commercial explaining the Battle Bowl concept at Starrcade 91' and then a ringside interview with Ron Simmons. Simmons says he will live up to his promise of being the first black man to wear the WCW World Championship no matter who wins tonight's main event.
The World Heavyweight Championship is on the line next - Lex Luger defending the gold against Rick Steiner. This one starts (and mostly stays) slow, with Steiner bringing Luger to the mat with a basic wrestling move, Luger getting rope breaks, and Luger stalling repeatedly. Some trash gets thrown in the ring, but the crowd pops for a shoulder tackle and Steiner catching Luger with a high suplex. Luger takes some decent bumps and hits some sharp clotheslines and the Dog Faced Gremlin has the crowd behind him at times, but the pace is just too slow and the big spots come too far apart for me. The way Luger and Steiner move in minute 5 is like they've been through a war, but the first 3 minutes were mostly walking around and stare-downs so it just doesn't work. Steiner hits a bulldog from the top rope and a belly-to-belly from the corner which brings Mr. Hughes to the ring. Scott Steiner hits him with a Frankensteiner that looks like it could've crippled him and Harley Race distracts the ref too. The chaos allows for Luger to hit Rick with the belt to steal the W. Not terrible, but not a match I'd ever recommend. (1.5/5)
Clash of the Champions XVII is a show I remember watching live when I was 7 years old (but not being allowed to finish as the main event aired past my bed time). I was heartbroken by Sting's loss to the nefarious Rude and, watching it back, the feeling return. It is just that good of a one-night storyline. I didn't remember much of the rest of the show but was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the rest of the show - specifically the World Tag Team Championship match, Austin/PN News, and even the Pillman/Badd match. With a Kwang Rating of 2.88-out-of-5 and a running time comparable to a Takeover show, this one is strongly recommended to old school WCW fans looking for a good nostalgia show to watch. Just skip the main and, if you're in a time crunch, the first two matches.
FINAL RATING - Watch It...With Remote In Hand
The WCW World Tag Champions, The Enforcers (Arn Anderson and Larry Zybysko), had been engaged in a feud with Dustin Rhodes and his tag partner, Barry Windham, for the previous few months, injuring Windham during the pre-show of October's Halloween Havoc. I'm not 100% sure on why Windham wasn't cleared to compete in November/December 91', but he was back by January. Regardless, Dustin and Barry announce that because Windham is unable to wrestle due to injury, they have found a mystery partner - who makes his way down the aisle in a large cape and a ridiculous lizard mask the size of a small fridge. The reveal that it is Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat seems obvious in hindsight but still gets a good pop - though I think it would've gotten an even bigger one if they'd just let him come out without the stupid mask. From here you get exactly the kind of match you would expect out of these four Hall of Fame-level workers. Anderson and Zybysko spend the first third bumping and selling, taking powders so that they can "regroup" while the babyfaces get the crowd hyped. Eventually they cut the ring in half and Steamboat plays the face-in-peril (expertly). Compared to the rest of the matches on this show, this match feels capital-I "Important," like both sides know how critical this match is. Steamboat doesn't want to lose on his first night in and has history with the heels, Dustin Rhodes brings intensity as the guy who finally gets to have a run at the champs, and the veteran villains clearly care - first and foremost - about retaining the tag titles. Its telling how a pretty straight-forward "old school" tag match can work when the motivations of anyone involved are clear, the babyfaces take the time to elicit sympathy, and the heels play their role by feeding into the heroes' offense and cutting every corner possible. I've read some reviews, notably at wrestling nerd HQ ProWrestlingOnly, that call this one of the best WCW matches ever - and I'm not sure it isn't - but I also think that there's an appeal here to a "classic NWA" viewer that was a bit lost on me when I was a kid and that I can't feign now even 28 years later. This might be about as close to a "must watch" match as is possible for not being a match I would consider "must watch," though, again, if you look around the internet, you'll find plenty of folks giving this 4+ stars and some even calling it a Top 5 Best Tag Team Match in wrestling history. (3.5/5)
There's a number of segments sprinkled in where Tony Schiavone is on the phone from the hospital to report about Sting's condition, Paul Dangerously explains that if Sting can't make it to the match he has to forfeit the title, Sting gets on the phone to announce that he's coming for Rude, etc. None of it is stand-alone great, but as a bundle, its quality, simple storytelling that builds up the United States Championship match perfectly.
Back to the ring we go for Flyin' Brian vs. Johnny B. Badd. Badd would get much better in the ring as the years go on, but he's not terrible here - just a bit limited. Pillman, meanwhile, is awesome, hitting an Air Pillman to the rampway and then taking one of his trademark throat-to-the-guardrail bumps off of it. I like how JR notes early that Badd, a heel, has been having issues with his manager Teddy Long - a subtle way to build towards the finish and Badd's impending face run. Pillman tries to hit a splash from the top, but Badd gets his knees up. Badd attempts a splash off his own, but Pillman counters with a dropkick and follows it up with another flying clothesline. Most of the big moves of this match are telegraphed, but considering Badd's skill level and the fact that, as rudimentary as it may seem in 2019, Pillman was working a much faster pace than your average worker, its understandable. Not a great match but good enough and the post-match angle is short, sweet, and pops the crowd. I'm not sure Badd was officially a babyface immediately after this match, but knocking Teddy Long on his ass certainly got him more than halfway there. (2.5/5)
After a commercial break, Paul Dangerously comes down the aisle with "Ravishing" Rick Rude (who doesn't have his signature WCW music yet). Dangerously cuts a fantastic promo as the screen splits and we see Sting being rushed into the arena in an ambulance. Dangerously loses it in the ring and Sting limps his way towards the ring, being assisted by a bunch of babyfaces. The crowd erupts into a "We Want Sting" chant and absolutely explodes for his entrance. Rude comes rushing down the aisle and the two brawl on the ramp. Sting lifts him up with a military press and drops him, his adrenaline carrying him through. Sting immediately clutches his knee in pain and Rude retreats into the ring. JR and Schiavone sell things perfectly, rightfully explaining that Sting is running on pure emotion and courage. Sting continues to drop Rude with a number of strikes, including a huge clothesline back onto the ramp. Rude ends up on the floor and grabs Sting's leg, slamming it twice into the steel post. Rude hits an axehandle from behind and then draws massive heat by swiveling his hips in the middle of the ring. Rude attempts a Rude Awakening, but Sting blocks it and JR can't believe it. Rude bounces off the ropes and, without even knowing what he's doing, hits Sting in the back of the knee as he falls flat on his face. While the ref checks on Rude, Dangerously nails Sting in the back of the skull with his cell phone! That should be it...but Sting kicks out at 2! Sting hits a DDT as well and then grabs Dangerously by the shirt. This time Rude clips Sting with all his weight and grabs the tights to steal the victory as the crowd boos. There's even at least one piece of trash thrown in the ring as the fans are super pissed about the finish. This might be one of my favorite matches ever in terms of storytelling from beginning to end. Brilliant work all around - from JR and Tony to Dangerously to Sting to Rude. Who said a match that runs well below 10 minutes can't be great and an absolute "must see"? For what this is, its just about perfect...but its more an angle than a "match" so I'm not going to put it all the way up to the vaunted 4.5-5 level. (4/5)
Backstage, Dangerously and Rude cut an all-time great promo - and one that predates Ric Flair's Royal Rumble victory as well. Awesome. (+1)
We get a commercial explaining the Battle Bowl concept at Starrcade 91' and then a ringside interview with Ron Simmons. Simmons says he will live up to his promise of being the first black man to wear the WCW World Championship no matter who wins tonight's main event.
The World Heavyweight Championship is on the line next - Lex Luger defending the gold against Rick Steiner. This one starts (and mostly stays) slow, with Steiner bringing Luger to the mat with a basic wrestling move, Luger getting rope breaks, and Luger stalling repeatedly. Some trash gets thrown in the ring, but the crowd pops for a shoulder tackle and Steiner catching Luger with a high suplex. Luger takes some decent bumps and hits some sharp clotheslines and the Dog Faced Gremlin has the crowd behind him at times, but the pace is just too slow and the big spots come too far apart for me. The way Luger and Steiner move in minute 5 is like they've been through a war, but the first 3 minutes were mostly walking around and stare-downs so it just doesn't work. Steiner hits a bulldog from the top rope and a belly-to-belly from the corner which brings Mr. Hughes to the ring. Scott Steiner hits him with a Frankensteiner that looks like it could've crippled him and Harley Race distracts the ref too. The chaos allows for Luger to hit Rick with the belt to steal the W. Not terrible, but not a match I'd ever recommend. (1.5/5)
Clash of the Champions XVII is a show I remember watching live when I was 7 years old (but not being allowed to finish as the main event aired past my bed time). I was heartbroken by Sting's loss to the nefarious Rude and, watching it back, the feeling return. It is just that good of a one-night storyline. I didn't remember much of the rest of the show but was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the rest of the show - specifically the World Tag Team Championship match, Austin/PN News, and even the Pillman/Badd match. With a Kwang Rating of 2.88-out-of-5 and a running time comparable to a Takeover show, this one is strongly recommended to old school WCW fans looking for a good nostalgia show to watch. Just skip the main and, if you're in a time crunch, the first two matches.
FINAL RATING - Watch It...With Remote In Hand
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