NWA (WCW) Power Hour (March 30, 1990)

 

Original Airdate: March 30, 1990 (taped March 18)

From Miami, Florida; Your Hosts are Jim Ross and Gordon Solie

Tommy Rich and Johnny Ace v Samu and Cuban Assassin: Ace and Samu start, and Johnny dominates. That draws Assassin in, but Ace cleans house on his own. The dust settles back on Ace and Samu, and Ace grabs a wristlock, before passing to Tommy. Rich works a wristlock of his own, so Samu goes to the eyes, and delivers a bodyslam. Tag to Assassin, but he walks right into an armdrag into an armbar. Tag to Ace for a flying punch to the arm, and the babyfaces take turns working Assassin’s arm. Ace ends up getting nailed, however, and the heels take over, cutting the ring in half. Rich gets the hot tag, and Roseanne Barr the door! Rich hits Assassin with a Thesz press, but Samu saves at two. Ace takes Samu out, and Rich gets a sleeper on Assassin, but time expires at 8:52. ¾*

Gordon is in the studio for Wrestling News Network. He has an update on Sting! He’s riding his stationary bicycle! 

Eddie Gilbert v Cactus Jack: In response to last week’s time limit draw, they’ve extended the time limit to twenty minutes for this. Gilbert goes right at him, but Jack hooks a leveraged cradle for two. Jack argues the count, allowing Gilbert to recover, and he slugs Cactus. Gilbert with a backdrop ahead of a flying bodypress for two, and a dropkick sends Jack to the outside to regroup. Back in, Gilbert grabs a wristlock, but Jack fights to an overhead wristlock. Gilbert counters down into a hammerlock, but misses a dive off the middle, and Jack hits him with a Russian legsweep for two. Jack gets a chinlock on, but Eddie fights him off. Gilbert tries a Thesz press, but Jack blocks with an inverted atomic drop, and a big clothesline sends them both tumbling over the top. Kevin Sullivan attacks Gilbert out there, but Eddie still beats the count to the apron, so Jack dropkicks him off. Eddie beats the count again, so Jack smashes his face into the post, and takes him back to the outside for a backbreaker on the floor. Jack teases a dive from the apron, but the referee harshes his mellow, so Jack decides to try a vertical suplex on the floor, but Gilbert counters to a side suplex out there. Both guys beat the count, and a criss cross ends in a collision - Jack falling on top for two, and then Gilbert crucifix cradling for two. Another criss cross results in another double knockout spot, and both guys stagger up - simultaneously throwing punches to knock each other back down. Sullivan capitalizes by nailing Gilbert, and Jack hooks the leg at 9:35. Another fun outing between the two. ** ¼ 

Terry Funk (dressed like a gypsy) catches up with the Wild Samoans, and promptly insults their heritage

NWA World Tag Team Title Match: The Steiner Brothers v Doom: Scott Steiner starts with Ron Simmons, and they get in each other's faces. A criss cross ends in Scott delivering a powerslam, so Ron goes to the eyes, and throws a headbutt. Scott wins a criss cross with a bearhug drop, and Rick Steiner tags in. Ron rakes his eyes as well, but misses a clothesline, and Rick overhead suplexes him. Tag to Butch Reed, and he catches Rick with a kneelift. Reed tries a cross corner whip, but Rick reverses, and hiptosses him on the rebound. Rick adds a clothesline, and Reed wisely hides in the ropes to break the momentum. Tag to Scott, and Reed manages to pound him into the ropes, but loses a criss cross when Scott throws a dropkick. Scott adds a clothesline, and Reed backs off. Reed comes at him with a big forearm, but Scott manages a belly-to-belly suplex, so Ron runs in. Scott takes him out, but the distraction allows Reed the breathing room needed to clobber Scott, and the champ ends up on the outside. Ron rolls him in for Reed to crotch on the top rope, and Reed adds a swinging neckbreaker for two. The challengers go to work on Scott, until he manages to duck a clothesline from Ron, and catch him with a rana for two. The execution there was flawless. That draws all four men in, and Teddy Long nails Rick with a weapon. That allows Reed to cover, and we have new champions crowned at 7:26. I was totally not expecting a title change here. As usual with these two teams, this was fun, and hard hitting. Afterwards, Paul Ellering is out to try and alert the referee to what happened, and the official demands to inspect Long’s glove. He finds the weapon, and reverses the decision, so the Brothers retain by DQ. ** ¾ 

Our Wrestler of the Week is NWA United States Champion Lex Luger

BUExperience: Two good feature matches on a one hour TV show? Take it and run!