NWA (WCW) Power Hour (July 28, 1989)

 

Original Airdate: July 28, 1989 (taped July 18)

From Amarillo, Texas; Your Hosts are Jim Ross and Jim Cornette

Dan Spivey v Johnny Rich: So I guess after a few weeks of matches from various locations, like Prime Time or Mania, they’re doing actual tapings now. Spivey keeps having Rich beat, but then backing off on the pin attempts, and dragging this squash on and on. Spivey with a powerbomb at 9:17. This was insanely long. ¼*

Gordon Solie is in the studio with the Wrestling News Network, which is mostly Great American Bash results

Rip Morgan and Jack Victory v Scott Hall and Ranger Ross: Ross and Morgan start, and Rip pounds him into the ropes, and uses a hiptoss. A criss cross allows Ross a superkick for two, and he passes to Hall to work the arm a bit. Tag to Victory, and Hall gets caught in a front-facelock. That allows the heels to work Hall over, until a missed dive allows the hot tag, and Roseanne Barr the door! Hall gets dumped to the outside, allowing the heels to double up on Ross, but a combo backfires, and Ross schoolboys Victory at 6:10. Solid enough. *

Terry Funk hosts Funk’s Grill, with guest Norman the Lunatic. Not much here, mostly just Terry abusing the guy

Tommy Rich v Eddie Gilbert: Posturing to start, and Gilbert throws a bodypress for two. Rich gets a headlock on, so Gilbert looks for a counter, but Tommy shifts to a hammerlock, grinding it on. Gilbert makes the ropes and bails to regroup, and Rich goes back to holds after Eddie comes back in, but Gilbert hangs out in the ropes. A criss cross ends in Gilbert falling out of the ring, but Rich helps him back in, and they shake hands. Gilbert with a small package for two, reversed by Rich for two, and reversed back by Gilbert for another two. Gilbert throws a punch, but Rich responds in kind, and Eddie ends up on the outside again. Inside, Eddie manages a wristlock, but Rich uses a kneebreaker to shake him off. Rich stays on the leg, and a spinning toehold looks to put it away, but Gilbert manages a cradle for two, so Tommy bails to break the momentum. Back in, Gilbert kicks at the leg, and a trio of shots takes Tommy off of his feet. Gilbert gets a figure four on, but Rich makes the ropes. Gilbert goes to a toehold, but with two minutes left in the time limit, Eddie knows he needs to speed things up, so he bashes the leg into the post. Gilbert with a vertical suplex for two, but Rich reverses a second one, and they criss cross into a double knockout. Up, and Rich gets a sleeper on, but time expires at 15:03. I liked how this built from a babyface match with handshakes and such into using closed fists and posts as they start feeling the pressure of the time limit. Good subtle heel work from Gilbert here. * ½ 

BUExperience: This wasn’t a particularly good episode, but the Rich/Gilbert match is interesting, at least. I thought this felt a little lowkey for a show coming on the heels of the Bash, but I guess it was taped prior to the pay per view, so maybe that’s not completely surprising.