WCW Spring Stampede 1994 (Version II)

Original Airdate: April 17, 1994

From Chicago, Illinois; Your Hosts are Tony Schiavone and Bobby Heenan

Opening Match: Johnny B. Badd v Diamond Dallas Page: This is the pay per view debut of the gigantic yellow WCW logo printed right on the mat, along with black ropes. Page now has Kimberly in his corner as the Diamond Doll, as opposed to some random woman. He attacks Johnny, but gets rolled up for two, and Badd clotheslines him over the top. Page tries to milk the count, but Badd pulls him right back inside, and works the arm - only to get taken down with a fireman's carry for two. Page with a front-facelock, but Badd counters to a hammerlock, and turns it into a cradle for two. Dropkick gets two, but Page drops him into the corner, and unloads there. Side suplex hits, and a gutwrench stomachbreaker follows. Vertical suplex gets two, so Page goes to a headvice, but Johnny escapes, and hits an inverted atomic drop. Backdrop follows, so Page tries a tilt-a-whirl, but gets countered with a headscissors. Right hand knocks Dallas to the outside, and Johnny is right on top of him with a tope suicida! Back in, Badd comes off the top with a flying sunset flip, and that does it at 5:52. Nothing special, but just what an opener should be. ** ¼ (Original rating: *)

WCW Television Title Match: Lord Steven Regal v Brian Pillman: Brian jumps him from behind, and goes to town in the corner to start. Well, that's one way to prevent Regal's usual match starting stall session. Steven is left begging off, but Brian keeps coming with an overhead armdrag, and Regal bails to the outside. Pillman doesn't give him much breathing room, however, heading right out after him, and sending him into the guardrail a few times, until Regal is begging to get back inside! Brian obliges, but bashes the champ's arm against the post a couple of times first, then takes him in for some more abuse in the corner. Regal manages to fight him off with an uppercut, and he takes his challenger down to the mat in a wristlock. Brian escapes, and tries to speed things up again with a criss cross, but gets caught in a nasty overhead suplex for two. Steven tries to ground him again, but Pillman keeps swiping at him, and hooks a small package for two. Regal shoots at the leg, and takes Brian down into the Regal Stretch, but Pillman escapes. He tries a backslide, but Regal manages to block, and he ties the challenger up in a modified surfboard. Overhead backbreaker, but Pillman counters with a rana for two, so Steven drops him with the Regal Roll for two. Back to the Stretch, then into a mexican surfboard, but Brian escapes and wants to criss cross, so Regal quickly sweeps him back down to a half crab. He shifts that back to the Stretch, as we're told that only five minutes remain in the time limit. Brian knows his time is running out, but every time he escapes, Regal is able to ground him again before the challenger can build any momentum. Brian manages to evade him long enough to throw a dropkick, but by this point Pillman is so battered, that he can't immediately follow-up. Regal tries a Boston crab, but Pillman is able to block - though again, too battered to capitalize. He holds Regal off with a leg-feed enzuigiri to buy recovery time, but the clock is ticking. Regal tries a dive off the middle rope, but Pillman manages to dropkick him out of the air, and this time he musters a second wind. Backdrop hits, but a bodypress ends in both men tumbling over the top, and Sir William gets involved. Brian fights him off, and he suplex-slams Regal back in from the apron, but time has gone at 15:00. God, how many time limit draws did Regal do during this period? It's a shame Honky Tonk Man never won a title during his brief run through the promotion later in the year, because a Regal/Honky champion/champion feud could have been the best worst thing ever. As for this particular one, it was good stuff, with Pillman trying to keep the pace moving, but the champion continually cutting him off, and grounding him to stretch things out to the time limit. ** ¾ (Original rating: * ¾)

Chicago Street Fight: The Nasty Boys v Cactus Jack and Maxx Payne: The Nasties are the WCW World Tag Team Champions here, but this is non-title. I miss Missy. They start brawling right on the ramp, and Jerry Sags gets hit with a spinebuster from Maxx, as Brian Knobbs beats Cactus with a pool cue. Into the ring, Knobbs misses a dive off the middle rope with the cue, and Jack goes to work with it for a bit, then cactus clotheslines him over the top, as Jerry beats Payne with a chair. Jack sends Brian into the rail, but Sags attacks with the cue before he can follow-up. Cactus actually fights him off and uses a chair, but here comes Knobbs again. The Boys isolate Jack in the ring, but Payne is back in play, and he brawls up the aisle with Knobbs, as Sags sends Cactus over the top with a clothesline. Knobbs and Payne reach a merchandise stand (set up near the entrance area, where no fan can go, in a detail that's always driven me nuts), and Maxx slams Brian through a table for two, as Sags and Jack brawl into the crowd. Everyone ends up over at the merch stand, and Jack takes a bump onto the concrete following a whip at the rail. That allows the Boys to throw Payne through the stand itself, but Jack is back, so Sags starts beating him with a table. Jack fights him off, and hits a swinging neckbreaker on the ramp, then suplexes the table onto Sags! Jack sets it back up, but Knobbs charges over with a shovel - blasting Cactus in the face to stop him from using the table. That allows Jerry to get Jack up on the table for a piledriver, but the table gives out before they can execute it, and they collapse in a heap. Jack then takes a crazy plunge off the ramp onto the concrete, and Sags puts a cherry on top by bashing his head with the shovel for the pin at 8:59. I used to love this match back in the late 90s, but it's not really my cup of tea anymore. It was certainly unique in 1994, and Jack's bumps still send shivers up your spine even today, but it doesn't quite hold up the way, say, the ladder match from WrestleMania X does. That match also has long since been surpassed in terms of the level of bumps and high spots, but it still holds up as a classic today because, while the bumps were smaller, they were only a part of a much larger story, as opposed to being the story itself. This match was basically just the bumping, with little in the way of selling, or psychology. Not to mention, it's essentially a derivation of Mick Foley's earlier brawls with Sting, Vader, Paul Orndorff, and even Van Hammer. ** ½ (Original rating: ** ½)

WCW United States Title Match: Steve Austin v Great Muta: This is pretty much a one-off return to the promotion for Muta, making his first appearance since SuperBrawl III - and his last until popping up again for Slamboree the following year. Feeling out process to start, with Muta dominating. Austin bails following a vertical suplex and a dropkick, but ends up right back on the mat in a hammerlock on the way back in. This is taking forever to get going, and unlike all the holds in the TV title match, this lacks the psychology. Colonel Robert Parker distracts Muta for Austin to hit with a high knee, and the challenger ends up on the outside, where he takes a trip into the post. Inside, Steve snapmares him over to set up a kneedrop for two, and he works an abdominal stretch. The announcers note that the tide has turned since Parker distracted Muta 'five minutes ago,' though it's only been, maybe, two. Can't blame them, this match is like watching two slugs covered in molasses. Muta hiptosses free, but misses a dropkick, and Steve dives with a 2^nd rope pointed elbowdrop for two. Steve with a turnbuckle smash, but a second go gets reversed, and Muta throws a spinkick. Backdrop follows, and a vertical suplex leads to a dropkick. Muta goes up with a flying dropkick, but Austin sidesteps, and tries the Hollywood and Vine, but it doesn't work out. Looked like they had a miscommunication there. Muta hits the champ with his own finisher (a hot shot), then delivers a handspring backelbow, followed by a rana off the top to pop the crowd. That summons Parker onto the apron, allowing Steve a sneak attack, but Muta backdrops him over the top - getting himself disqualified in the process at 16:27. I love both guys, but man, this one did not work, like, at all. ¼* (Original rating: *)

WCW International World Title Match: Rick Rude v Sting: Rude tries a sneak attack, but gets backdropped, and sent over the top with a clothesline. Sting follows to the outside with a vertical suplex on the floor, giving the crowd exactly the kind of pep they need following that last snooze fest. Back in, the Stinger hammers Rude with right hands, and a cross corner whip follows. Side suplex is worth two, and the champion is grounded in a front-facelock. Sting lets off to hit a bodyslam, then punctuates it with a series of three well executed elbowdrops for one. Sting tries for the front-facelock again, but Rude powers out this time, and drops his challenger crotch-first across the top rope, then clotheslines him out of the ring. Rude pounds the back on the way in, and a side suplex gets him two. Reverse chinlock is applied, so Sting tries an electric chair to escape, but for once Rude sees that counter coming, and counters back with a victory roll - only for Sting to reverse for two! Rick pounds the back to cut off a comeback, however, and he tries a sleeper to put the challenger down. Sting powers up and hits both sides of an atomic drop, and a series of clotheslines follow. Backdrop hits, but a cross corner whip ends in the referee getting bumped during the Stinger Splash! Scorpion Deathlock, but the referee is down. That draws Harley Race and Vader out, but Sting fights them both off - only for Rude to sneak up and clip the leg! The finish gets messed up, as Rick is supposed to go for the Rude Awakening, but Race is out of position, and the champ has to stall. Harley finally gets into place, and Rick sets the hold up - only for a chairshot from Race to accidentally hit Rude, and Sting to get the pin at 13:07. They've had better matches, but this was a solid enough entry in their long running series. * ½ (Original rating: **)

Bunkhouse Match: Bunkhouse Buck v Dustin Rhodes: 'Bunkhouse match' is basically just another street fight. Dustin wastes no time, charging down the ramp, and diving over the ropes with a clothesline on Buck to get things jumpstarted. Dustin knocks him onto the apron with a right hand, and a vertical suplex brings Buck back in for two. Backdrop and another right hand send Buck to the outside, and Rhodes follows for a slugfest out there. In, Dustin tries a bodypress, but Buck ducks, and Rhodes takes a bump to the outside off of it - where Colonel Parker is waiting with a cheap shot. Buck heads out to abuse him with a stick, a shot to the head drawing blood. Kind of weird that this one had color, while the tag match was bloodless. Buck sends him flipping through the air with a clothesline on the ramp, and he chokes Dustin with his suspenders out there. Back in, Buck bodyslams the Natural, and stomps on the cut to be a dick. Not dirty dick, though. That would come later. Buck bashes Dustin's knee into the post, so Rhodes uses a handful of powder to shake him off. Unfortunately, Dustin can't mount a comeback in time, before Buck pulls off his belt, and starts whipping away. Buck obliterates him in the corner, but a big boot misses, and Dustin returns fire in the corner. Rhodes wraps a belt around his hand for a series of loaded rights, and Dustin pulls off his boot - dropping onto Buck from the middle rope with it. Buck is bleeding now as well, but Rhodes shows no mercy, going to work whipping him with the strap as well. Clothesline sends Buck over the top, and Rhodes hits an atomic drop on the way back in, then bashes him with an elbow laden ten-punch in the corner! Cross corner clothesline sets up a Bulldog, but Dustin neglects covering in order to deal with Parker. Has he learned nothing from the US title match? And, indeed, that allows Buck to schoolboy him for two. Thank God that wasn't the finish, because it would have been weak as fuck. They slug it out again, and Rhodes is in control, so Parker passes Buck a pair of brass knux, and he knocks Dustin out for the pin at 14:14. Perhaps overstayed its welcome a little bit, but a pretty good brawl here, just non-stop action, and lots of brutality. *** (Original rating: ** ½)

Vader v Boss: Boss charges him on the ramp during the entrances to start, so Harley Race tries to intervene - only to end up taking a huge bump when Vader accidentally charges right into him. Boss takes Vader into the ring with a flurry of right hands, and a big boot sends the big(ger) man back over the top. Boss follows to slug it out on the ramp, but Vader is able to control that exchange, and he puts Boss down with a short-clothesline. Vader slams him into the ring, but an attempt to run down the ramp and dive over the ropes with a splash backfires when Boss lifts his knees to block! Wild! Boss sends him over the top again with another clothesline, and a whip into the rail sees Vader bump into the first row. Boss then drops his big ass across the rail for good measure, and back in, Boss delivers a corner clothesline. Bodyslam shakes the ring, but Vader is getting good and pissed, and starts throwing bombs. Boss holds his own, but an attempt at charging ends badly when Vader backdrops him over the top! Vader is busted open from the eye here, in what looks like it was hard way. Think SuperBrawl III, but not quite as dramatic. He vertical suplexes Boss in from the apron, and adds a splash for two. He goes to town on Boss in the corner, but again, Boss holds his own with the slugger, and hits a side suplex! Vader throws back with a clothesline, and he heads up for the Vaderbomb, but Boss is up, and he impressively slams the mastodon off the ropes! Jim Ross would be losing his mind calling this. Boss with a vertical superplex for two, and a flying bodypress is worth two. Again, but this time Vader catches him with a powerslam (looks like he may have missed his mark on the first go around, though it isn't a glaring mistake), and Vader capitalizes with the Vaderbomb, but only for two. Vadersault follows, and that's enough at 9:17. This, for my money, was actually the best brawl of the night, with two big hosses knocking each other around, and not even needing a single weapon to do it! This may be Ray Traylor's best match ever, too. *** ¾ (Original rating: ***)

Main Event: WCW World Title Match: Ric Flair v Ricky Steamboat: Feeling out process to start, with flawless execution throughout. A nice criss cross ends in the Dragon press-slamming him, and a pair of headscissor takedowns follows. Pair of dropkicks knock the champion out over the top, but Ricky rolls him right back in, and dives with a flying tomahawk chop for two. Flair bails to break the momentum, and isn't shy about using the hair to try and dominate Steamboat on the way back in, but throwing some chops at the challenger just gets the Dragon breathing fire! I'll note here that Heenan - who has had a bit of a rough go finding himself since joining WCW - has settled into his role nicely at this point, and has been doing a great job all night. Now that he's stopped trying too hard to crack jokes all the time, he's a lot more relaxed, and strikes a good balance between humor, and providing counterpoints to Schiavone. Ricky dominates the champion on the mat, so Flair tries tossing him over the top to get a DQ, but the Dragon skins the cat back in, and schoolboys Ric for two. He goes back to absolutely dominating Flair on the mat, but Ric is able to get him to a vertical base in the corner, and he throws the chops! Snapmare sets up a kneedrop, and another snapmare sets up another kneedrop. Okay then. It all gets two, so Flair holds onto the cover, wearing Steamboat down through multiple pinfall attempts. Backelbow gets another series of two counts, but a criss cross sees both guys go out over the top when Flair throws a bodypress. Ric decides to piledrive him on the floor, but the Dragon counters with a backdrop - only to miss a stinger splash against the rail out there! Ric goes to the top on the way back in, but Steamboat brings him down with a vertical superplex for two, and a corner whip flips Flair onto the apron - right into a chop from the challenger. Ricky dives out after him with a flying tomahawk chop, and Flair is begging off on the way back inside! Ricky shows no mercy with a ten-punch in the corner, and he starts absolutely going to town with chops for two! They were using belts in the Bunkhouse match, but that was the real lashing. Ricky with a slingshot sunset flip, but Flair manages to block - only to have Steamboat catch the leg on a kneedrop, and shift into a figure four! Awesome counter! Ric gets the ropes, but that's not enough for him, adding an eye poke for good measure to buy time. He tries a vertical suplex, but Steamboat topples him for two, and a reversal sequence ends in the Dragon hooking a backslide for two. Inside cradle gets two, so Flair goes low, and he cracks his challenger with those big chops. Ricky responds in kind, and Flair flops out to the ramp, so Steamboat tries to suplex him back in. Flair reverses, but Steamboat blocks, and sends Flair back in with a chop - then right back out with a corner whip! Dragon dives off the apron with a chop, but Flair blocks by lifting his boot, and he leaves the challenger out there to take the count. Ricky slugs from the apron before coming back inside with a flying bodypress, but it only gets two. Flair fires off a clothesline, and another snapmare sets up a trip to the top rope, but Steamboat slams the Nature Boy down! Ricky flies with a flying splash, but no one's home, and Flair is quick to capitalize with the Figure Four! Steamboat does his best to block, but Flair is able to get it fully applied, and the challenger is in trouble! He fights tooth and nail for the ropes to escape, so Ric takes his ass back to center ring to try again, but Ricky finds a cradle for two this time! Backslide gets two, and a vertical superplex connects, but takes the wind out of both men’s sails. Ricky crawls over for a dramatic two count, and he tries a rollup, but only for two. Flair with a side suplex, but Steamboat counters to a double-chickenwing, and he rolls it back into a cradle - only to end in a double pinfall at 32:19. Still great, but not on par with some of their earlier efforts, and I overrated it the first time through. I wish they'd done the draw on TV to set up the definitive finish on the pay per view, instead of vice versa, though. **** (Original rating: **** ½)

BUExperience: Wow, spring 1994 really produced some fantastic shows on both sides of the aisle, didn’t it? Though there are a few weak matches, the good easily outweighs the bad here. Strong effort up and down the card (with a few exceptions), a hot crowd, and an interesting variety of styles make this an easy winner. One of the best shows this promotion ever produced, really.

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