WCW Saturday Night (January 15, 1994)

 

Original Airdate: January 15, 1994 (taped December 13, 1993)

From Atlanta, Georgia; Your Hosts are Tony Schiavone and Jesse Ventura

Pretty Wonderful v 2 Cold Scorpio and Marcus Alexander Bagwell: This is a rematch from last week… which is a rematch from Starrcade… which took place after both of these rematches were taped. Paul Roma starts with Bagwell, and Roma manages to hammer on him a bit, but a criss cross allows Marcus a bodypress. He adds a dropkick before armdragging Roma into an armbar, but Roma bodyslams his way out of trouble. Tag to Paul Orndorff, but Bagwell dodges the charge in, and tags out. A criss cross ends in Scorpio taking him down to a wristlock, and he passes to Bagwell for a flying axehandle. Bagwell works a wristlock as well, so Orndorff tries criss crossing, but eats a hard shoulderblock. Another criss cross allows Orndorff to hotshot him, and Orndorff adds a pointed elbowdrop for good measure. Tag to Roma to work Bagwell over, and a backbreaker sets up an elbowdrop. The heels cut the ring in half on Marcus, but Scorpio gets the hot tag, and Roseanne Barr the door! Scorpio catches Roma with a victory cradle at 6:12. These teams have consistently good chemistry, but how many times are we going to see this match already? More, apparently, as the heels attack after the bell, and do a beatdown that will probably result in another rematch. **

Brian Pillman is still mourning the breakup of the Hollywood Blonds, but he has a nice chicken suit to make him feel better

Ron Simmons v Scott Studd: Ron squashes like his last name is ‘Steiner,’ and finishes with a spinebuster at 2:12. Afterwards, Gene Okerlund swings by to see how Ron feels about facing Ice Train at the Clash of the Champions. Simmons thinks Ice isn’t ready for this kind of thing, which draws Train himself out. He’s complimentary, but doesn’t back down, so Ron clarifies that if Ice takes the match, he’s going to end his career. Train still won’t back down, even as he says that he doesn’t have to win, he just wants to test himself against a top worker like Simmons, a man he respects. Ron responds by slapping him upside the head - hard. This was a great way to build a program. Quick, simple, and effective. DUD

Gene Okerlund is in the control center for a Clash of the Champions report. Ric Flair looks good with that version of the WCW World title belt, though he was built for the big gold belt. Which is somewhat surprising, considering what a massive design that was, and that Flair isn’t such a big dude

Dustin Rhodes v Gambler: Gambler! I first got into wrestling with the WWF, but when I started occasionally seeing WCW programming in 1994, I remember Gambler standing out to me, as it felt like all of the guys in WCW were ‘stars,’ compared to the jobbers you’d see losing on Superstars. And, obviously, Gambler is just an enhancement talent, but giving him a ‘gimmick’ made him feel like a star to a little kid. Rhodes with a bulldog at 0:55. DUD

Cactus Jack and Maxx Payne v Sheik and Bob Cook: Some fan in the crowd actually has a sign promoting Bob Cook for President of the United States. Jesse casts doubts on his political prowess, but who is he to say? Payne finishes Cook with a fujiwara armbar at 2:10. Good energy here. Afterwards, Okerlund catches up with the duo, with Jack comparing himself to Fred Flintstone (complimentary), and promising to take the tag title belts off of the Nasty Boys’ fat waists, so they can put them on their own fat waists. Cactus is always an entertaining promo, and always witty, it’s no surprise that Mick Foley had talent as a writer. ¼*

WCW Television Title Match: Lord Steven Regal v Erik Watts: Tony actually takes the time to address why a Lord would have a Sir as a valet. Apparently, it’s because of a lost bet. “Who told you that, Alfred Hayes?!” wonders Ventura. Joking aside, I can’t tell you how much I love it when they address little things like that, even if no one was wondering. Watts works a headlock early on, but Regal reverses it on him. A criss cross sees Watts take him down for the STF, but Regal is in the ropes right away, and bails on the break.  Watts takes him down for it again once Regal is in, but he’s too close to the ropes. Watts switches to a spinning toehold, but Regal shoves him to the outside to shake it off, but Erik beats the count in, so Regal starts tagging him with uppercuts. Lots of them. Watts reverses him into the corner and delivers a backdrop for two, followed by a pair of dropkicks for two. Watts goes up with a flying axehandle for two, and a pair of shoulderblock connect, but a bodypress doesn’t. That allows Regal to hook a crucifix cradle to retain at 4:36. Good pacing here. ¾*

Johnny B. Badd v Tex Slazenger: Tony and Jesse get into a conversation about what Badd’s cowboy outfit makes him look like, that thankfully stays classy. Posturing to start, and Badd knocks Slazenger over the top with a punch. Back in, Badd uses a hammerlock into a headlock, but Slazenger whips him into the ropes. Badd wins the criss cross with an overhead armdrag, a standard armdrag, and then a drop-toehold into another hammerlock on the mat. Slazenger escapes, and lands a clothesline, allowing him to put the boots to Johnny. Into the corner to unload, but a piledriver is countered into a rana, allowing Badd the pin at 2:38. Not much to this one. Afterwards, Shanghai Pierce comes in to attack, but Johnny fights them off. Gene comes out to chat with Johnny after the dust settles, and Badd promises to unmask Pierce sooner than later. I get a kick out of the smile Gene gives when Johnny calls him pretty here. He was such a master of the art of what he did. ¼*

Steve Austin v Brian Pillman: The WCW United States title is not on the line. Steve stalls on the outside at the bell, and then fakes a knee injury during the first criss cross once actually getting inside. Pillman shows no mercy, triggering a slugfest, and Brian uses a drop-toehold into a stepover toehold. Pillman works the leg, but Steve blocks a figure four, and Pillman ends up on the outside. Pillman sweeps the leg from the outside to post Austin, so Steve goes to the eyes to shake him off. Steve tries a piledriver on the floor, but Brian backdrops him to block, so Colonel Robert Parker comes over with a distraction. Brian takes the bait, allowing Austin to blast Pillman with a clothesline, then post him. Pillman beats the count, so Austin puts the boots to him, and applies an armbar. Brian escapes, and looks to sweep the leg, but Austin fights him off, and works the arm. Pillman throws chops to shake him off, and a series of turnbuckle smashes rattle the ring. Austin dumps him to the outside to buy time, allowing Parker to attack, and Brian is in trouble again. Steve looks for a bodyslam on the way back in, only for Pillman to roll through into a cradle at 9:03. Solid work, though nothing outstanding. Afterwards, the heels attack Pillman and try to make him wear the chicken suit, but Dustin Rhodes runs out to save. * ¼ 

BUExperience: I continue to love this period, with lots of feature matches, and great pacing.