NWA (WCW) Power Hour (March 9, 1990)

 

Original Airdate: March 9, 1990 (taped February 26)

From Beckley, West Virginia; Your Hosts are Jim Ross and Gordon Solie

Eddie Gilbert v Hacksaw Higgins: As usual for this promotion, squashes need to be insanely long and competitive, this one running an insane amount of time before Gilbert finally puts it away with a sunset cradle at 6:48. ¼*

Gordon Solie is in the studio for Wrestling News Network, and not a ton of real developments this week, but he does reveal that Sting has had successful surgery, and is recovering 

The Rock 'n' Roll Express v Bob Cook and Ned Brady: Ross goes as far as to dub Brady as ‘Nasty Ned,’ so he was probably being considered for a US title run, or something. The Express with a combo at 5:15. They may not be my favorite act, but the crowd was losing their minds for them, so you can’t poke a lot of holes in the booking. DUD

Jim Cornette hosts the Louisville Slugger, with guests Teddy Long and Doom. Their focus this week is the Chicago Street Fight against the Road Warriors

NWA World Title Match: Ric Flair v Tommy Rich: Feeling out process to start, presumably to determine whose hair is more bleached. Rich fights off a series of chops with a backdrop, and a dropkick follows. Rich goes to a mat-based headlock, and a series of punches lead to Ric bailing. Back in, Ric wins a criss cross with a backelbow, and Rich ends up down on the outside. Inside, Flair goes to work. A butterfly suplex gets the champion two, but Rich fights back with a slingshot sunset flip for two. Rich manages a Thesz press for two, so Ric tries a headlock. Rich forces a criss cross, so Flair throws a shoulderblock, and covers. Rich immediately gets into the ropes, but Ric hooks it off without the referee noticing, and scores the pin at 13:19. * ¼ 

BUExperience: The title match is fun, the rest was pretty boring.