With WCW only a few weeks away from WrestleWar, it seemed to have things figured out in terms of giving fans a mega main event feud heading into this Clash of the Champions X review.
However, as was seemingly always the case with this company, things did not go according to plan.
Let’s jump in.
Date: February 6, 1990
Location: Memorial Coliseum in Corpus Christi, TX
ON THE STAGE: Jim Ross and Jim Cornette welcome us with Cornette using his racket as a gun to really promote the Texas Shootout theme. JR also tells us that we can call the hotline to talk to Sting. Great to hear.
RINGSIDE: Terry Funk essentially tells everyone to take out their guns and aim them at their TV sets. If only we had in-home cams at this point, as I’m willing to bet that hundreds of people actually did this.
BACKSTAGE: Gordon Solie with the Road Warriors and Paul Ellering. They run down the Skyscrapers.
ON THE STAGE: JR reminds that Sting is on the hotline. CALL STING, DAMNIT.
VIDEO: Back from commercial where we get what can only be described as one of the greatest video packages in history, as Dr. Death Steve Williams jumps out of an ambulance, grabs a man who is clearly having issues, and puts him back in the ambulance before performing CPR. He then yells at the driver to get this man to the hospital. An Oscar-worthy performance here.
Samoan Savage (w/Big Kahuna) vs. Dr. Death Steve Williams
Williams hammers Savage from behind to send him reeling. Back inside and football tackles everyone from Williams. But Savage reverses eventually with a huge clothesline before sending him outside. Kahuna gets a choke in while the ref’s back is turned. Woman makes her way to ringside and sits in a chair while Savage keeps beating up on Williams. Cornette makes a border patrol joke about the number of Spanish fans in attendance, and something tells me that wouldn’t go over well in 2019. Williams fights back but Savage gets the power slam for a near fall.
Sunset flip attempt from Williams but it gets block. Williams doesn’t care as he hits a clothesline before missing an elbow. Savage covers for another two count before going back to the chin lock. More attacks from Savage which sends Williams back outside. Kahuna gets another shot in and Savage gets things back in the ring. Savage goes up top but misses the splash. Williams picks him up for the press slam and then hits a dropkick. Savage goes for a move, but Williams counters into a backslide for the pin at 7:55. This wasn’t terrible and actually a little better than expected.
• Rating: **
VIDEO: We get an absolutely incredible WrestleWar promo video, and by incredible, I mean as cheesy as it gets. It’s clear that the company was going after the WWF style here, but the execution was less than stellar. This is basically a rap video that has to be seen to be believed.
IN THE RING: Terry Funk welcomes The Four Horsemen, which of course was Ric Flair, Sting, Arn Anderson, and Ole Anderson. Flair says they’re gonna make a statement. Ole tells Sting to pay attention. Ole then proceeds to tell Sting that he’s no longer in the Horsemen because of the fact that he decided to sign the upcoming title match with Flair. Ole says that Sting can stay in the group if he cancels the match with Flair. Ole gives him two hours to make up his mind, and Sting gets pissed as he grabs Ole’s jacket. That sets off Flair, who nails Sting before Ole and Arn join the attack. Flair says he tried to warn Sting and then kicks him again. Great stuff here to send the Horsemen back to be full-on assholes while Sting becomes their enemy.
The Mod Squad vs. Brian Pillman and The Z-Man
Quick pin attempt from Pillman as JR and Cornette argue about Sting. Arm drag from Pillman and here comes the Z-Man. Another arm drag and then a leap frog from Z-Man. Double team move from the good guys and then Spike makes the save on the pin attempt. Spike and Basher go for a double team move of their own, but Pillman catapults from the apron to deliver a double clothesline as Z-Man ducks out of the way. Double dropkicks clear the ring and then we get the JUMPING HIGH FIVES from Pillman and Z-Man.
Pillman in control until Spike hits a face buster. Then we get a top rope move from Basher which leads to a near fall. Shenanigans with the ref’s back turned as JR absolutely loses his fucking mind about this Sting thing. Basher with a headlock on Pillman and then Spike tags in to go right back to the headlock. Pillman finally gets a leapfrog and flying elbow but can’t manage to make the tag. Crucifix pin from Pillman for a two. Spike goes up for the flying elbow but misses, and that allows Pillman to make the hot tag to Z-Man. He runs wild before hitting the flying cross body for the pin at 9:53. Not sure this match needed 10 minutes.
• Rating: *1/2
Cactus Jack Manson vs. Mil Mascaras
Holy shit where did this match come from? Gary Michael Cappetta botches Foley’s name and calls him Captain Jack, so we’re off to a great start. It’s strange to see Foley without a shirt, but Mascaras doesn’t care as he goes into the bow and arrow. Head scissors takeover from Mascaras and then we get a flying headbutt and dropkick to send Cactus outside. Cactus proceeds to go after Cappetta, but then backs into a chair and falls flat on his ass. The theme here is that Cactus is an idiot. If you don’t believe that, here’s what JR had to say: “Cactus is an idiot.” There you go.
Cactus backs Mascaras into the corner, but he’s gotta know that Mascaras isn’t selling for anyone. Boston crab from Mascaras but Cactus gets to the ropes. Cactus gets a few shots and throws Mascaras out onto the floor. Eventually Cactus goes on to the apron but Mascaras sneaks around and dropkicks Cactus to send him off the apron before landing back-first onto the hard concrete floor. JR and Cornette go crazy about Cactus hitting his head. Cactus gets back in and Mascaras comes off the top with the cross body to get the victory at 5:00. Foley’s character work was great here, but man the fall off the apron was rough to watch.
• Rating: *
VIDEO: Missy Hyatt promos something while wearing a revealing dress. Go figure.
RINGSIDE: Cactus Jack is going after the band. Cactus then hammers one of the drummers, and the drummer starts brawling with him.
BACKSTAGE: Solid with Norman the Lunatic. Norman is confused by the falls count anywhere match stipulation until he realizes he can pin Kevin Sullivan at the hot dog stand.
VIDEO: We see Norman at the zoo as he says one of the pigs looks like Sullivan. Hope the producer of that segment was paid extra for that masterpiece.
Kevin Sullivan vs. Norman the Lunatic – Falls Count Anywhere Match
Cornette calls Norman a child molester before the match, and I’m pretty sure Cornette would’ve gotten fired approximately 879 times already for his commentary work on this show. Sullivan attacks from behind to start things off and sends him outside. Norman reverses and sends Sullivan into the ring post before taking things back in the ring. Sullivan goes for a sunset flip but Norman squashes him with his thighs of steel. Norman goes for a big splash in the corner but Sullivan gets the boot up.
Sullivan goes up top but Norman grabs him and slams him. Now Norman up top for a splash but he misses. Back outside and Sullivan body slams him and gets a two count. Sullivan goes for a back suppler and manages to lift Norman about a half inch off the ground before getting another near fall. Sullivan starts choking Norman with his shirt and keeps destroying him for several minutes before Norman finds some offense.
Norman starts choking Sullivan with the shirt and then they start going back up aisle. Norman sends Sullivan off the rail and gets a two count. Sullivan hits a big back drop for a near fall, and they go through the curtain where Sullivan winds up in the women’s restroom. Norman goes in after him as the door locks shut, but Solie enters the picture and HOLDS THE MIC ON THE DOOR. That’s a true journalist right there. Sullivan comes stumbling out and Norman isn’t far behind with a toilet seat in hand, with the ref declaring Norman the winner at 7:26. To put it simply, this was a bad match.
• Rating: DUD
IN THE RING: Funk apologizes for the actions against Sting and then starts calling fans morons for seemingly no reason at all. That escalated quickly. He then welcomes Lex Luger, who complains about Sting being the No. 1 contender. Luger keeps yapping as the fans chant for Sting. Luger also hypes up his list of “alocades” which may in fact be the same thing as accolades. Luger keeps hyping himself until Funk basically tells him to shut up because he’s gotta send it to commercial.
The New Skyscrapers (w/Teddy Long) vs. The Road Warriors (w/Paul Ellering)
Another WWF legend enters the scene here with Mean Mark Callous (you may know him as The Undertaker) forming the New Skyscrapers with Dan Spivey. Hawk goes for a quick offensive move but Spivey attempts to throw him outside, but Hawk hits a vicious clothesline. Shoulder block from Hawk sends Spivey reeling. Here comes Callous as he and Animal go back and forth before Callous misses a big cross body.
Spivey gets the tag and Hawk goes after him in the corner but goes shoulder-first into the post. That sends things outside where Spivey spears Hawk’s shoulder into the post again. Spivey keeps working on the shoulder before making the tag. Callous in and it’s OLD SCHOOL time as he walks the ropes and comes down on Hawks shoulder. More shoulder work and he goes for the old school move again but Hawk reverses and makes the hot tag to Animal. Powerslam on Spivey for a two count and Callous back in to try a double-team move, but Animal reverses and hits a double clothesline.
Another double clothesline sends Callous outside as Hawk and Animal hit the finisher on Spivey. But Teddy gives Callous a chair, and he comes off the top and nails Animal with it as the ref is distracted with Hawk for some reason. Ellering up on the apron and he clocks Teddy. Now everyone is brawling and Spivey attempts a pile driver on the chair, but he literally misses the chair by about 478 feet. Spivey beats the hell out of Hawk with the chair to the point that the chair is completely dented. Fans are throwing trash everywhere as Spivey and Callous walk to the back, so I guess we can call this is a DQ at 7:26. Typical hoss match that was there to further heat between the two.
• Rating: *1/2
Doom (w/Woman) vs. (c) The Steiner Brothers – NWA Tag Team Titles
The stipulation here is that Doom must unmask if they lose, which is pretty comical since you can legitimately see most of their faces already. Powerslam from Scott on Simmons and then a belly-to-back suplex for good measure. Reed in now as Cornette says it takes Rick an hour and a half to watch 60 Minutes. Scott sends Reed to the floor before tossing him back in. Scott goes after the mask and then Rick comes in barking. Reed goes to work on Rick but Rick reverses and tries to get the mask. Then Rick hits an impressive belly-to-belly suplex before Scott gets back in the mix.
Simmons in control after a sneaky double team move. Scott tries to scurry over for a tag but Simmons doesn’t allow it. Scott gets thrown outside as Reed drops him on the steel rail. Simmons hits the spinebuster on Scott for two as we get another double team. Scott goes for a quick pin attempt but that leads to a brutal piledriver from Reed. Yet another double team sends Scott outside the ring where Simmons gets in some offense. Back inside and Scott with a sunset flip for a two but he can’t quite make the tag.
Franksteiner from Scott nearly breaks his neck and that leads to the hot tag to Rick. He goes wild and eventually unmasks Reed, who then gets rolled up by Rick for the pin at 13:04. After the match, Cappetta announces that Simmons must unmask or he’ll be suspended. So he does and no one seems to care since, again, you could see almost his entire face already anyways. The crowd was hot during the match, so that gives it a little bit of a bump.
• Rating: **1/4
ON THE STAGE: JR and Cornette recap the Sting situation.
BACKSTAGE: Solie with the Horsemen. Ole says he explained things clearly and that Sting better make a decision quick. Flair talks about how great he is.
Buzz Sawyer, The Great Muta, and The Dragonmaster vs. Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, and Ole Anderson – Steel Cage Match
This is the most budget cage ever, and Arn and Buzz go at it right off the bat. Sawyer goes flying head-first into the cage, and that’s not smart. Then he throw Arn into the cage as Flair comes in to chop Sawyer, who complete no sells them and starts going at Arn again. Sawyer then goes flying into the cage again as Arn moves out of the way. Flair in and he and Sawyer are throwing haymakers at each other. Dragonmaster in and Flair chops him. Ole in and Dragonmaster starts chopping.
Double team from Arn and Ole, but Dragonmaster sells nothing and just walks over and tags Muta. The fans go nuts as Muta hits the springboard and HERE COMES STING. He climbs the cage and tries to go after Flair as Pillman and Z-Man are here to try to break things up. As Sting goes to hit Flair with a hard punch, he accidentally carries through and hammers Pillman right in the head. Pillman isn’t happy at all as he holds his nose. Meanwhile, in the ring Ole does a hard move on Sawyer, who sells absolutely nothing again.
Lots of guys holding Sting back but he runs after the cage again. Sawyer up on the top of the cage, but he misses a splash. Arn hits a spine buster on Dragonmaster and there’s chaos everywhere. Arn with a DDT and he pins Dragonmaster at 6:10. The match was all about Sting, and during the melee, he started noticeably limping. Well, that’s because he tore something in his knee coming off the cage and had to undergo surgery, which obviously sidelined him for months while changing the main event at WrestleWar.
• Rating: *1/2
SHOW SUMMARY
Seeing a few future WWE legends here during the early stages of their career is great and all, but this show was awful. The matches weren’t very entertaining, and the hot Flair/Sting feud went nowhere due to the knee injury.
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