WCW Saturday Night (March 5, 1994)

 

Original Airdate: March 5, 1994 (taped February 22)

From Atlanta, Georgia; Your Hosts are Tony Schiavone and Bobby Heenan

Boss v Big Bad John: This jobber is absolutely massive, and I had to immediately look him up, because there’s no way he didn’t get a shot somewhere. Apparently, Heidenreich worked under that same name later, but it’s not him. Instead, it’s the dude who would later become Maxx Muscle. Boss with a scrapbuster at 2:09. Afterwards, Boss swings by to chat with Gene Okerlund, and promises revenge on Big Van Vader. DUD

2 Cold Scorpio and Marcus Alexander Bagwell v Rip Rogers and Ron Oakes: Oakes is another absolutely massive jobber, but a quick check reveals that he never developed beyond that. He didn’t look as impressive as Big Bad John, but John looked like he was tailor made for Vince McMahon, and I’m still surprised they never tried anything with him. He wasn’t a great worker, but it’s not like they haven’t made a go of it with far worse. Scorpio polishes Oakes off with a flying 450 splash at 3:29. ¼*

Okerlund brings Steve Keirn out, and he promises a mystery partner coming in to join him soon. I’m not feeling this gimmick, and I’m guessing no one else was either, because it didn’t last long

Okerlund is in the crowd, teasing the women with his Hotline, where he’ll have news about Hulk Hogan! Probably just more rumor mill bullshit, I can’t see that ever actually happening. Can you even imagine a star like Hulk Hogan working in this tiny venue?  

Ron Simmons v Tom Zenk: Simmons pounds on him, but Tom blocks a press-slam, and throws a dropkick. A headscissor takedown follows, but Ron blocks a hiptoss, so Zenk goes to a backslide instead, getting two. Simmons rakes the eyes to put a stop to that flurry, and a bodyslam sets up a headbutt drop. Ron with a legdrop, but Zenk hooks an inside cradle for two. Simmons cuts him off again, but a cross corner whip gets reversed. Zenk charges in, but Ron blocks, and dives with a 2nd rope shoulderblock at 2:49 - with Zenk not even staying down for the full three count. No wonder he was turfed shortly after this. ¼*

Okerlund discusses the announcement that Ricky Steamboat has been named as the top contender to the WCW World title, which draws Colonel Robert Parker out, claiming he has a signed contract saying that Steve Austin is the top contender, so Steamboat should get in line

Brian Pillman v John Stevens: Pillman with a missile dropkick at 2:20. Afterwards, Pillman swings by to chat with Gene, promising to get revenge on Steve Austin for the sneak attack last weekend. DUD

Jungle Jim Steele v Gambler: The announcers hype up a ‘major announcement’ about Hulk Hogan still to come. Wait, without needing to fork over any cash to Okerlund?! That is major! Steele with a Thesz press at 1:30. DUD

Okerlund brings Ricky Steamboat out, and he’s been through a lot of red tape to get his title shot against Ric Flair. But, here’s Colonel Parker again, once more saying that Steve Austin has the first shot. Steamboat thinks that if Austin is the top contender over him, then Austin should prove it in the ring tonight

WCW Merchandise Catalog ad

Pretty Wonderful v Keith Cole and Kent Cole: Two more impressive looking jobbers who never amounted to anything. What was in the water in Atlanta in 1994? Heenan has a ball mixing those twins up to annoy Schiavone, and it’s great. Paul Roma helps Paul Orndorff avoid a double team, and Orndorff capitalizes with a piledriver at 4:27. “On one of the Cole twins,” notes Tony, after spending the entire match telling us that it’s easy to tell them apart in response to Heenan’s jokes. ¼*

Okerlund brings WCW World Tag Team Champions The Nasty Boys out, and they’re not worried about Equalizer, or his ‘big brother’ who is coming to get them

WCW Magazine ad

Rick Rude v Dave Hart: The WCW International World title is not on the line. Rude with a neckbreaker at 1:25. Afterwards, Rick swings by to chat, and thinks it’s great that Sting wants a shot at the title, but he’s not the top ranked contender, so he should fuck off. I’m half surprised Colonel Parker didn’t pop out with a contract right then. DUD

Gene makes the big Hogan announcement: he’ll be conducting an interview with Hulk, which will air next week. This, of course, sends Heenan into a fit of rage

Steve Austin and Lord Steven Regal v Ricky Steamboat and Arn Anderson: I’m surprised they let Steamboat do the fire-breathing gimmick in this tiny venue. Regal and Steamboat start, and a criss cross ends in Regal elbowing him. They criss cross again, but this time Steamboat throws a bodypress for two, and a dropkick knocks Regal into his home corner, where he’s able to regroup. Steamboat grabs a full nelson as they re-engage, and he passes to Anderson to slap on a headlock. Austin catches a tag in, but Anderson dominates him, and Steamboat puts him in an armbar. Steve fights into his home corner in the hold, and passes to Regal, but Steamboat dodges the cheap shot on the exchange. Steamboat tries a dropkick, but misses, and Regal tries for a Boston crab, but Ricky reverses! Austin saves, and then tags in to hit a dazed Steamboat with a bodyslam, followed by a vertical suplex. Steve adds a kneedrop for two, and it’s back to Regal, as the heels take control on the Dragon. They cut the ring in half on him, until Anderson just comes in, tags be damned! Everyone brawls, and Roseanne Barr the door, we’ve got a kettle on! The heels dump Steamboat, and double up on Arn, but Ricky gets to the top rope, and dives at Austin with a flying bodypress at 10:29. Solid tag action here, and well booked, paying off the Steamboat/Austin issue that they spent the whole show building in a satisfying way. * ¼ 

WCW Hotline ad

Okerlund brings Parker out, and he’s not satisfied with the tag match as a way of settling the dispute, since it wasn’t one-on-one anyway. So, next week, Austin v Steamboat, and the winner gets the title shot at Spring Stampede 

BUExperience: A really entertaining and easy to watch episode.