NWA (WCW) Power Hour (August 12, 1989)

 

Original Airdate: August 12, 1989 (taped August 1)

From Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Your Hosts are Jim Ross and Jim Cornette

Mike Rotunda v Shane Douglas: They feel each other out to start, with Douglas frustrating him. Finally, Mike goes to the eyes to end that bullshit, and an elbowdrop gets Rotunda two. Mike goes to a chinlock from there, but Douglas gets to a vertical base, and into the ropes to force a break. Mike with a cheap shot, but Douglas gets fired up, and he chases Mike to the outside - only to get clobbered after losing the high ground. Mike with a vertical suplex for two, but Douglas catches him with a backdrop out of the ropes. Shane unloads into the corner for a ten-punch count, but Mike dumps him over the top to shake it off. Mike hooks a small package on the rattled Douglas as Shane climbs back inside, and that’s the pin at 8:42. The last few minutes were great, but the first two-thirds were really dull. ¾*

Gordon Solie is in the studio for Wrestling News Network, and the big news is that Johnny Ace is on the shelf after an assault from the Royal Family

No Disqualification Match: Great Muta v Eddie Gilbert: Muta sprays Missy Hyatt with the mist before the bell, driving Gilbert ballistic. Gilbert goes nuts on him with punch after punch, and they end up on the outside, where Gilbert chokes him with the apron. The Steiner Brothers show up to get Missy to the back, as Eddie posts Muta. Inside, Gilbert beats on him with a chair, and then into the corner for a ten-punch. Muta forces a criss cross, allowing him to use his speed to catch Gilbert with a spinkick, leaving Eddie on the outside. Gary Hart is there to post him, drawing Tommy Rich out to try and watch Eddie’s back. Too little too late, my dude. Muta chokes Gilbert with a wire in the ring, and a legdrop to the groin follows. Gilbert fights back, so Hart comes in, but Rich takes him out. Meanwhile, Eddie gets to the top, and dives with a flying bodypress on Hart, which the referee counts the pin on at 7:11. And, yeah, apparently we’re counting that, as we get the announcement and everything. The match was fun, but the finish was ridiculous, and didn’t really fit the promotion. *

Terry Funk hosts Funk’s Grill, with guests the Steiner Brothers. Funk tries to get them on his side by noting that they don’t like all the flashy dress and stuff like Ric Flair, but Scott quickly corrects him that he likes ‘that kind of stuff’

Road Warrior Hawk v Samu: Hawk slides in and we have a slugfest right away, with neither guy selling anything. They spill to the outside, where Hawk takes control, and Samu eats the apron. Samu goes to the eyes to buy time, and he manages to tag Hawk with a superkick out there. Inside, Hawk fights him off with a standing dropkick, but Samu responds in kind. Clothesline, but Hawk ducks, and throws one of his own for two. Hawk grabs a chinlock from there, but Samu escapes, so Hawk goes to a sleeper. Samu drops into a jawbreaker to escape, and he rakes the eyes, but Hawk is still fired up with chops. Samu cuts him off, and delivers a turnbuckle smash, then hammers Hawk down for a nervehold. Hawk escapes, and hits a powerslam, but misses a jumping clothesline. Paul E. Dangerously passes Samu his cell phone to make sure, but Paul Ellering knocks it away, and Hawk blasts Samu with it for the pin at 9:10. Afterwards, Samu smashes the phone as he fumes at Dangerously, but really, he needs to look in the mirror. Paul made a complete pass, Samu fumbled it. ½*

BUExperience: I enjoyed things this week, buoyed by having three star/star matches.