NWA (WCW) Power Hour (July 7, 1989)

 

Original Airdate: July 7, 1989

Your Hosts are Jim Ross and Jim Cornette

Scott Steiner v Bounty Hunter: Scott knocks the guy around, as Ross talks about how ‘tremendous’ Scott’s muscles are. Oh, you ain’t seen nothing yet, Jim. Honestly, he looks positively tiny at this point. Not compared to, like, other humans. Just compared to what’s to come. Steiner with a rana, but Hunter is in the ropes, saving him from getting pinned. Hunter bails to regroup, but ends up trapped in an armbar as soon as he gets back inside, and Steiner dropkicks him. Hunter manages a backbreaker for two, and he works a chinlock, but misses a splash. That allows Scott to make a comeback, and a blockbuster finishes at 8:42. Scott gave him way too much here. ½*

Gordon Solie is in the studio with the Wrestling News Network. The big news this week is that Ric Flair will return to the ring to get revenge on Terry Funk at the Great American Bash. It’s still so weird for me to hear Solie discuss the WWF. This week he covers the Rick Rude/Ultimate Warrior feud. Vince must have been thrilled to have his show get free press on TBS. I don’t get it from the WCW side, though. Why discuss what sounds like interesting stuff that we can’t see on your show?

Tommy Rich v Jim Bryant: Rich is over pretty huge here. Squint, and you’d think this is Rich versus Jerry Lawler. Tommy with a Thesz press at 4:54. DUD

Terry Funk hosts Funk’s Grill, with guest Paul E Dangerously. Paul does his Funk impression. Meh, Bruce Prichard’s is better 

Six-Man Tag Team Match: Brian Pillman, Shane Douglas, and Johnny Ace v Bill Irwin, Jack Victory, and Rip Morgan: Ross has been doing all the commentary solo for this show, and while he’s an incredible commentator and near his peak at this point, he does not at all work as a solo. Shane starts with Victory, and dominates him. Jack ends up on the outside, and he passes to Bill on the way back in. Irwin tries a hiptoss, but Douglas reverses. That draws Jack and Rip in, but Shane hiptosses them both, and the dust settles back on Douglas and Irwin. Shane grabs a standing side-headlock, and he blind tag to Pillman for a nice dropkick. Brian takes Bill to the mat in a side-headlock, and he passes to Ace for a jumping backelbow. Ace gets a turn to work a headlock, so the rest of the heels run in, but the babyfaces clean house. The dust settles on Ace and Morgan, and Johnny dominates with a wristlock. The babyfaces take turns working Rip’s arm, but Pillman gets caught in a bearhug slam for two. That’s enough to turn the tide, and the heels cut the ring in half on Pillman. And they actually cut it in half, which I always appreciate. It’s a lost art with a lot of heel tag wrestlers. Brian dodges a charge in the corner to allow the hot tag to Ace, and he runs wild, but stupidly goes after all the heels in their home corner, and gets clobbered. Well, serves him right, idiot. The heels work on Ace, but Irwin misses an avalanche to allow the hot tag to Brian. Pillman runs wild, and Roseanne Barr the door! The heels dump Pillman and triple team the Dynamic Dudes, but Pillman recovers with a springboard flying sunset flip at 13:06. This was okay, but kind of lost the thread after the first heat segment. The second one was overkill. Watching this, you could see that Pillman was going to be a star, though. * ¼ 

This week’s Wrestler of the Week is Great Muta

BUExperience: This felt like kind of a quiet episode, with less going on than the last couple. With the Bash pay per view right around the corner, I’m surprised.