The red-hot feud between Ric Flair and Terry Funk officially boils over in this Clash of the Champions VIII review, as we get another memorable post-match moment featuring the two legends.
How does the rest of the card stack up?
Let’s take a look at Blake’s Clash of the Champions VII review.
- Date: September 12, 1989
- Location: Carolina Coliseum in Columbia, SC
VIDEO: We look at the events leading up to the Ric Flair/Sting vs. Terry Funk/Great Muta match. And my goodness were they highly entertaining.
RING AREA: Jim Ross and Jim Cornette hype the main event.
BACKSTAGE: Gordon Solie with Gary Hart. He says there’s no problems in the Hart camp and that it’s probably coming from Flair and Sting.
Samoan Swat Team (w/Paul E. Dangerously) vs. The Road Warriors (w/Paul Ellering)
This is a true HOSS BATTLE. Holy cow were Hawk and Animal jacked here. Also, this is clearly a NWA show since it’s dark as can be. Animal goes wild early, and Hawk gets in for a big boot on Samu. Hawk and Animal dominate things for a bit until Hawk misses in the corner and goes flying outside. A few cheap shots from Samu, including racking Hawk’s balls on the railing. Fatu kicks some ass and Hawk makes a tag but NICK PATRICK IS INCOMPETENT. He forces Animal out, so Hawk stays in and gets beaten like a drum for a while.
Fatu tries to keep the momentum going by flying off the top but Hawk raises the boot and nails him on the chin. We get the hot tag to Animal, and he goes nuts. Fatu grabs Paul E’s telephone and goes to hit Animal but Hawk knocks it away. Then Ellering throws the phone back in and Hawk hammers Fatu with it. Apparently this is a No DQ match all of a sudden. Doomsday Device from the good guys and that’ll do it at 6:46. The Samoans are pissed with Paul E afterwards. The crowd made this fun.
• Rating: **
The Cuban Assassin vs. The Z-Man
Here’s the debut for Tom Zenk, and let us hope that this company has learned how to book a proper squash match instead of repeating BUTCH REED AND STEVEN CASEY’s 17 MINUTE MATCH AT CLASH V. That was a disaster. Cuban with a little offense before Zenk locks in an arm bar. They go back and forth for a few minutes until Zenk locks on the sleeper hold for the win at 3:36. This was not the debut they were hoping for from Zenk.
• Rating: DUD
VIDEO: The South Carolina governor has declared it RIC FLAIR DAY. Did you know that Ric Flair day happens to be on the same day as Rusev Day?
Ranger Ross vs. Sid Vicious (w/Theodore Long and Dan Spivey)
Sid attacks Ranger before the match even starts and beats the hell out of him on the outside. Back in the ring and Ross hits a kick and a few punches. That leads to Sid hitting the DDT and an insane helicopter slam. Best move ever. Sid then hits the power bomb to complete the squash at 1:08. THIS IS HOW YOU SQUASH JOBBERS.
• Rating: 1/2*
VIDEO: Missy Hyatt and Robin Green (the future Woman) go shopping. Green was playing the role of a fan that was in love with Rick Steiner.
BACKSTAGE: Solie with the Fabulous Freebirds. They promise to retain their titles against the Steiners.
The Steiner Brothers (w/Missy Hyatt and Robin Green) vs. (c) The Fabulous Freebirds – NWA World Tag Team Titles
We get the lovely WWE Network generic music for the Freebirds, which is always disappointing. What’s not disappointing is Missy Hyatt in 1989. Scott and Hayes go back and forth in the early going, with the crowd still hot. Garvin works in and eventually gets a belly to back suplex from Scott. JR keeps talking about this being the night for the Steiners, which clearly means the Freebirds are winning.
Rick in now and he’s in full-on gremlin form. Cornette reels off Rick’s hobbies and interests, which is pretty hilarious. Rick slams both Hayes and Garvin before delivering the corner punches to Hayes. Cheap shot from Hayes but Rick regains control with a belly to belly suplex. Hayes gets out of the way of a Rick clothesline, which allows the tag to Garvin. Scott gets knocked outside as Garvin punches Rick repeatedly.
We go outside with Hayes throwing Rick into the rail. Back in and Hayes hits a vicious clothesline for a two count. Tag to Garvin and another two count for the champs. Garvin with the sleeper hold on Rick but the latter gets out and hits a suplex. Rick makes the hot tag, and since this is the NWA, the camera misses it. Scott comes in on a roll and gets a near fall. Scott then goes off the ropes and trips, which allows Hayes to hit a DDT and cover for the pin at 10:27.
The replay intentionally doesn’t show the angle to see how Scott tripped, and that leads to fans pointing at Green. Scott is unhappy and they go back and forth trying to figure out if it was Green or Hyatt. Good tag match, which isn’t surprising for the NWA in this era.
• Rating: ***
Norman the Lunatic (w/Theodore Long) vs. Brian Pillman
Pillman is electric to start the match, and he flies onto Norman on the outside. The tide turns as Norman hits a splash off the top rope but Pillman kicks out at two. They go back outside and Norman splashes Pillman on the ring post. He goes for a second splash and Pillman moves out of the way. And back in the ring again, where Pillman delivers a dropkick off the top. Pillman then hits a slam and a backdrop before Norman catches him off the top rope for a near fall.
Big clothesline from Norman for another two. Pillman then hits the crucifix and locks in the pin at 3:38. Teddy yells at Norman afterwards, and poor Norman is upset. Folks, this was only three minutes, but it’s one of the best three-minute matches you’ll ever see. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
• Rating: **1/2
BACKSTAGE: Solie with Hart again. Solie says he’s hearing Funk isn’t here. Hart says he’s here and leaves.
Mike Rotunda vs. Dr. Death Steve Williams
More generic theme music here, which could’ve easily been used in every 80s porn out there on the shelves. Williams military presses Rotunda five times to get things started. Rotunda gains control and takes it outside while Bill Apter lingers in the background. Crowd now chanting “Syracuse sucks.” Nice rest hold action from Rotunda until Williams reverses and gets a near fall. Rotunda goes back to the headlock AND MY GOODNESS DO THESE FANS HATE SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY.
Tommy Young reinforces the belief that he’s blind as a bat as Rotunda uses the ropes for leverage for what feels like an hour. They work to the corner and I’m fairly certain that both men nearly get nailed in the head by one of the cameras. This company, man. Rotunda goes up top but that was a bad idea, with Williams slinging him off. Corner punches from Williams, and then he misses in the corner.
Rotunda comes running but Williams drops to the mat and Rotunda flies outside. Back inside where Rotunda counters the slam but Williams rolls on top for the pin at 7:04. Another hard-worked match with plenty of heat.
• Rating: **
BACKSTAGE: Solie with Lex Luger. He calls himself the show piece and that he is on a platform by himself.
Tommy Rich vs. (c) Lex Luger – NWA United States Title
It should be obvious at this point how great heel Luger was in 1989. His mannerisms are just perfect. He complains early about Rich grabbing his hair. Rich with all the offense as Luger retreats into the corner. Eventually Luger hits the shoulder block and WE’VE GOT FLEXING BOOB MUSCLES. Fun sequence follows as Rich works to the arm bar. Power moves from Luger but Rich hits a flying cross body for a two count.
Back to the arm bar but Luger gets offense momentarily. Rich then goes to the school boy for two before a small package for two. Arm bar locked back on, with JR telling us that Mike Tyson and Don King are watching this show. I highly doubt it. Luger back in control and hits a power slam for a near fall. The champ goes at the lower back and gets another two count.
Rich gets thrown to the apron and he monkey flips over for a two. Luger then goes for the clothesline but goes flying over the top to the outside. Rich then tries to suplex Luger back into the ring, which leads to him DROPPING LUGER ON HIS HEAD. Holy shit that nearly decapitated the man. Luger falls on him for a near fall, and I’d be willing to bet that Luger is concussed. Another slam from Luger but Rich gets the shoulder up again. Luger calls for the rack and Rich goes for the reversal, except that Luger pushes him away.
Luger sits Rich on the top rope and luckily doesn’t drop him on his head as he delivers the superplex. And Rich kicks out of that too. Luger flies off the top and Rich moves out of the way at the last second. Rich with more offense and then drops the right hand off the top for two and a half. Thesz press from Rich but Luger gets his foot on the ropes at two.
Action goes outside and Rich hits his hand on the rail, which Cornette plays up. Rich then locks the sleeper on Luger on the apron but the champ turns it into a hangman and gets the pin at 10:36. I did not expect this match to be this good. Aside from Luger nearly getting a concussion, this was a ton of fun.
• Rating: ***3/4
BACKSTAGE: Solie is with Hart for a third time. Hart reveals a doctor’s letter and says that Funk is here. We go to a video of Funk in the hospital with his right arm in the cast. This was done to play up Flair beating the holy hell out of Funk with his own branding iron. Funk promises to beat the shit out of Flair.
BACKSTAGE: Solie with Flair and Sting. Flair says he isn’t surprised that Funk is here but that he’s a hurt man. Flair and Sting give each other a super duper high five.
The Great Muta and Dick Slater (w/Gary Hart) vs. Ric Flair and Sting
Crowd is super hot as Sting and Muta start. Sting sends both Muta and Slater reeling early on. Muta back in and Sting goes to work on the arm while JR and Cornette talk about Slater’s arm cast being a weapon. More back and forth, and Sting works back to the arm drag/arm bar combo. Flair gets the tag AND IT’S TIME TO CHOP. Muta takes some brutal chops before he’s able to tag in Slater.
Flair takes things to the corner and chops all over the place to Slater. Flair in control until he goes knocked outside. Muta then with the flying cross body over the top onto Flair, which immediately leads to Sting hitting his own flying cross body over the top on Muta. Here comes Slater and LOOK THE HELL OUT WE’VE GOT A BROUHAHA ON OUR HANDS. Flair and Sting gain the advantage and get back inside while Hart gives instructions to Muta and Slater. JR and Cornette then point out that Hart has Funk’s branding iron in the corner but didn’t have it a few minutes ago.
Good teamwork from Flair and Sting on Slater. Muta eventually gets in and more double-team action from the good guys. Muta manages to go back on offense after an eye rake to Flair. Slater back in and he works on Flair for a while. Tag back to Muta and damn does this dude have some awesome kicks. Flair sent outside where Slater slams his head on the rail. And Flair gets back to try to take advantage with a chop, but Muta does not appreciate that.
Flair finally manages to make the tag to Sting and he quickly gets caught in the wrong corner. He gets out and hits the gorilla press slam on Muta while Flair and Slater destroy each other outside. Tommy Young gets occupied with them as Sting locks Muta in the Scorpion Death Lock in the middle of the ring. Hart then gets in and hits Sting with the LETHAL ROLL OF COINS. Apparently Young can’t see the numerous coins now scattered throughout the ring. Muta goes for the pin but Sting kicks out at two and a half.
Powerbomb from Muta gets another two before Slater hits the boomerang under the bottom rope. Sting falls outside and gets a bodyslam from Slater. Muta drops down and the camera misses him throwing Sting into the steel railing. FLAIR IS PISSED THE FUCK OFF as he sprints around and chops the daylights out of Muta. Slater locks the sleeper on Sting back inside but Sting drops and breaks the hold. Slater goes for a piledriver but Sting flips him and makes the hot tag to Flair.
All four men in the ring where eventually Muta sprays Sting with the yellow mist. That leaves Flair to try to lock in the Figure Four on Muta, which leads to Slater nailing Flair in the head with the cast. Flair now bleeding profusely as Young apparently also got hit by Slater and is now woozy on the outside. Sting regroups but Muta nails him. HERE COMES TERRENCE FUNK. He hits the ring and he puts a PLASTIC BAG over Flair’s head to draw the DQ at 19:16. Holy shit he’s trying to kill the guy. JR’s commentary is fantastic here as Funk ties the bag on Flair’s head.
Meanwhile Muta and Slater hold Sting’s foot and nail it with the branding iron. This was simply awesome from start to finish, and once again, the post-match angle was just incredible.
• Rating: ****1/4
RINGSIDE: We come back from break where Sting and Brian Pillman are hovering over Flair. Apparently Pillman gave Flair mouth-to-mouth to try to help him breathe and now paramedics are working on the champ.
SHOW SUMMARY
This is one of those sneaky good shows that has something for everyone. While the main event and post match angle deserves plenty of attention, Luger/Rich was surprisingly great, and the tag title match was also a lot of fun. Not a bad show at all.
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