NWA (WCW) Power Hour (August 31, 1990)

 

Original Airdate: August 31, 1990 (taped August 20)

From Marietta, Georgia; Your Hosts are Jim Ross and Paul E. Dangerously

Brian Pillman v Doug Vines: They’re bringing up the Gauntlet idea again, so I guess that’s getting revived after the stellar two week run last time. Jokes aside, it’s a great concept, and I hope they stick with it this time. Pillman with a flying bodypress at 4:22. DUD

Gordon Solie is in the studio for Wrestling News Network, and we get a look at the Master Blasters. Or, their legs, at least

The Nasty Boys v Tim Parker and Scotty Williams: Good to see these guys in the fold. They pick up the win at 4:56. DUD

Clash of the Champions XII ad

NWA United States Champion Lex Luger thinks that Ric Flair can ‘come and get it’ in regard to his title

Sid Vicious v Dave Diamond: Sid with the powerbomb at 2:35. I remain mixed on Sid’s look in the singlet. DUD

Jim Cornette hosts the Louisville Slugger, with guest WCW World Champion Sting. Cornette wants more information on this mysterious Black Scorpion, but Sting has no clue who it could be. He thinks the guy is probably crazy, so he’ll just have to be crazier

Black Scorpion taunts Sting from his shadowy lair. Say what you will about how this all played out later, but it’s ‘good creepy’ at this point. Scorpion offers to reveal his identity if Sting can beat him at the Clash

Junkyard Dog v Mike Thor: The announcers bat around theories about the Scorpion, and Dangerously confidently declares that it can’t be Ric Flair, since he’s wrestling Luger at the Clash. Case closed. Dog gets the pin at 1:33. DUD

Tour ad

NWA United States Tag Team Title Match: The Midnight Express v Brad Armstrong and Tim Horner: Stan Lane starts with Horner, and they posture, with Lane making multiple accusations about cheating. A big criss cross allows Tim a dropkick, so Bobby Eaton comes in, but Tim sends him back with a dropkick. The Express try another double team, but Horner shakes it off, and tags Brad for some successful double teaming. Lots of foreshadowing here, as Dangerously complains about not having a plane ticket for the Clash, and Ross offers to ‘search’ Missy Hyatt to see if she’s hiding it on her person. Brad takes Eaton to the mat in a headscissors, but Bobby escapes, and drills him with a kneelift. Tag to Lane, but he runs right into an armdrag, held into an armbar. Lane forces a criss cross, but loses to a schoolboy for two, and he passes to Tim. Horner with a fireman’s carry into an armbar, and multiple reversal sequences are won by Horner with hammerlocks. Lane finally just punches him, and he tags Eaton, but Bobby runs into a dropkick, and ends up on the mat in an armbar. Back to Brad for a wristlock, but Eaton quickly fights him off, and turnbuckle smashes him. Backelbow, but Brad counters to an armdrag, then dropkicks Eaton out of the ring. Brad follows for a headscissors on the floor, and he rolls Bobby in, but gets crotched while trying a dive. That allows Eaton to try a superplex, but Brad blocks, and monkeyflips him. Another headscissors from the challenger, and another dropkick, so Lane runs in, and Roseanne Barr the door! The challengers dominate, and Brad hits Eaton with a Russian legsweep, but Stan saves. Brad with a rollup, but Lane breaks it up with a hiptoss, and he lands a sidekick. That puts Armstrong in trouble, and the Express go to work on him, cutting the ring in half. While they do that, the announcers keep pushing the ‘Candyman’ nickname for Armstrong, and what the fuck were they even going for with that? Brad reverses a suplex from Eaton to allow the hot tag, and Horner runs wild. A 2nd rope bodypress on Lane gets two, so the Express toss him over the top to force a DQ at 11:52. A lot of action here, and constantly engaging. Afterwards, the Southern Boys make the save for the babyfaces. ** ½ 

BUExperience: Good push for the Clash here, and the tag title match was strong.