WCW Clash of the Champions XXX (January 1995)

Original Airdate: January 25, 1995

From Las Vegas, Nevada; Your Hosts are Tony Schiavone and Bobby Heenan.


Opening WCW Television Title Match: Arn Anderson v Johnny B. Badd: The first lockup ends in a clean break in the corner, but a slugfest goes Badd's way and he hits a kneelift. Anderson fires back with a snapmare into a kneelift, but a trip to the top rope ends with Badd dropkicking him to the floor, and then following out with a plancha. Back in, Badd hits a flying axehandle for two, and goes for an armbar. Badd with an enzuigiri as Anderson brings it up to a vertical base, and he manages to dodge Arn's version of it and roll into a cradle for two. Anderson dumps him into the corner in frustration, and knocks the challenger to the floor for manager Colonel Robert Parker to abuse. Back inside, Arn hooks a chinlock, and starts working the midsection with punches and stomps. A kneelift gets a pair of two counts, but Badd blocks a figure four and backdrops the champion. Badd with a series of clotheslines, and a headscissors takedown sets up the Golden Gloves routine to put Anderson on the floor. Parker revives him with a pitcher of water out there, but that's enough to distract Badd, and Anderson DDT's him to retain the title at 7:38. Just a TV match, though certainly not bad. ½*

Alex Wright v Bobby Eaton: Wright catches Eaton with an armdrag right away, and takes Bobby to the mat in a wristlock. Eaton tries to force it up to a vertical base, but gets caught with a hard shoulderblock, and put back on the mat in an armbar. A fist takes the pep out of Alex's step, but he manages to dodge Bobby coming into the corner, and takes him back to the mat with a gorgeous headscissors. Wright with a series of European uppercuts, but a missed bodypress leaves him crashing into the rope, and Eaton stomps him. Chinlock is broken with a suplex by Wright, and he follows with a backdrop. Jumping backelbow sets up a missile dropkick for two, and a springboard bodypress gets two - only for Wright to walk into a swinging neckbreaker as he tries to follow-up. Eaton hits the Alabama Jam to finish, but Wright kicks out at two, and catches the frustrated veteran with another springboard bodypress for the pin at 7:30. These two didn't really click, but it built into decent little match towards the end, and Wright looked good - which was the whole point. ½*

WCW World Tag Team Title Match: Harlem Heat v Stars and Stripes: Before we get underway, Ric Flair (in kayfabe retirement, after losing to Hulk Hogan back at Halloween Havoc) struts down to ringside with two ladies, and takes a seat in the audience to observe. Meanwhile, in the ring, the Heat try to push their challengers around, but the referee restores order, and we start with Booker T and Marcus Bagwell. Slugfest goes Bagwell's way, but a charge into the corner doesn't, and Booker goes ballistic with a series of kneelifts. Criss cross ends with Bagwell dropkicking Booker to the floor, and he hits a backdrop on the way back in. Tag to Patriot with a hiptoss for two, and he locks Booker up in an armbar on the mat. Tag to Stevie Ray triggers a 'USA' chant (I guess they thought Harlem was in Africa?), and Patriot rallies to tag Marcus. Bagwell comes in with a flying axehandle, but Stevie blocks an armbar with a Greco-Roman fist to the face. Criss cross ends with Stevie slamming him, and he tags brother Booker - who ends up missing a charge, and getting caught in a sunset flip for two. Tag to Patriot for a suplex, but Booker blocks, so Patriot changes gears with a belly-to-belly suplex for two. Bagwell in with a monkeyflip, but Booker blocks, and tags Stevie to help cut the ring in half. The Heat work Bagwell over ('USA! USA!') until a four-way brawl breaks out, and Booker pins Bagwell with a handful of tights at 9:22. Everyone put in an effort, but it came off as dull. ½*

Sting v Avalanche: Guardian Angel acts as the guest referee for this one. Sting charges right in at the bell, but gets quickly overwhelmed, and pounded into the corner. He uses his speed to dodge a charge though, and a dropkick sends Avalanche tumbling through the ropes to the floor. Sting follows, but referee Angel wants it back in the ring. Inside, Sting calls for a test-of-strength, but ends up kicking Avalanche and trying a slam - only to get toppled for two. Avalanche with an elbowdrop and a legdrop (move set!), and a powerslam gets two. Another elbowdrop misses, and Sting hits four consecutive Stinger Splashes and a bodyslam to setup the Scorpion Deathlock - but Angel won't call for the bell despite Avalanche clearly submitting. That leads to another referee running in to call it at 5:19, and yep, it's a heel turn for the Angel - he and Avalanche beating Sting down after the bell. I've never liked any of their matches, but this one was at least short compared to their fifteen minute suckfest at Starrcade '94. DUD

Main Event: Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage v Kevin Sullivan and The Butcher: Just don't call them the Mega Powers, now! Hogan starts with Butcher, and actually gets overpowered out of the initial lockup. He does better on the second go around (after a handy Savage pep talk) and unloads a ten-punch count in the corner. Cross corner clothesline has Butcher flopping to the mat, and Hulk tags Savage for a flying axehandle. Back to Hulk for his own 2^nd rope version, and a high knee gets two. Criss cross ends in Butcher getting the deadly Sleeper on, and Hogan fades. He's out, but Butcher lets off too early for it to count as a submission. Sullivan still runs in to raise his hand in victory, and as the referee tries to restore order, Savage gets a mischievous look on his face. He pops to the tope rope, points two fingers at the heavens, and blasts Hogan with the Flying Elbowdrop. The crowd isn't sure if Savage just turned heel, but nope, he just remembered that Hogan always no-sells the elbowdrop, so he gave him one in hopes of triggering a Hulk Up - and it does! That spot is goofy, yeah, but is also awesome beyond all description, and brilliant psychology within the realm of their history. Hogan and Savage clean house until the dust settles back on Hogan and Butcher, and Hulk hits the big boot to set up mounted punches. Backscratches (with added chestscratches!) set up a double big boot with Savage, but Sullivan fires off a cheap shot from the apron, and Butcher backdrops Macho over the top rope! Butcher rams him into the rail and ringpost out there, and back inside, Sullivan unloads in the corner. The heels work to cut the ring in half, and Butcher hooks the Sleeper to finish, but Savage counters with a stunner and gets the tag to Hogan. He's a house of arson, and a Savage Flying Elbowdrop/Hogan Legdrop combo end sit at 12:10. Any match that features THAT Hulk Up spot can't be all bad. ¼*

BUExperience: By 1995, WCW’s pay per view lineup was expanding to the point where they were holding a pay per view almost a show every month, and these Clash specials were becoming increasingly irrelevant. In fact, for 1995, WCW scaled back the Clash to only two shows for the whole year, as having a pay per view nearly every month made shows like this not only redundant, but very unlikely to feature big matches that they would rather get you to pay for. This one was pretty much exactly that, as everyone wrestled short TV matches, and nothing was really resolved and/or must see. DUD