The Great American Bash 1989 review features a hell of a show, as it has been universally loved by wrestling fans throughout history.
And given some of the matchups on the card, it’s easy to understand why this one could deliver in a big way.
Let’s jump into Blake’s Great American Bash 1989 review.
Date: July 23, 1989
Location: Baltimore Arena in Baltimore, MD
Bill Irwin vs. Brian Pillman vs. Eddie Gilbert vs. Kevin Sullivan vs. Mike Rotunda vs. Ranger Ross vs. Rick Steiner vs. Dan Spivey vs. Sid Vicious vs. Ron Simmons vs. Scott Hall vs. Scott Steiner vs. Steve Williams vs. Terry Gordy – Two-Ring King of the Hill Battle Royale
All the participants come to the ring wearing crowns, so there’s that. Ranger Ross and Ron Simmons get eliminated from the first ring, which means they go to the second ring. Simmons gets tossed out of the second ring, so apparently he’s now officially eliminated from the match.
It’s nearly impossible to keep up with what’s going on here and technical difficulties speed this thing ahead where only Sid and Pillman are in the first ring. Pillman eventually gets thrown to the second ring and Sid will await the second ring winner. We work to Spivey, Rotunda, and Williams as the only three left in the second ring.
Williams gets rid of Rotunda, and then Rotunda trips Williams. That allows Spivey to send Williams out and we’re down to the two partners. Teddy Long hops in the ring and says he won’t allow his guys to fight each other. So they’re gonna split the money and that’s that. I’m sure this was entertaining in person, but the technical difficulties make it hard to follow.
• Rating: 1/2*
BACKSTAGE: Gordon Solie with Teddy. He has the check and says the Skyscrapers will take on all comers.
Brian Pillman vs. Wild Bill Irwin
Irwin gets a few near falls off the bat. Head scissors from Pillman to send Irwin outside. Sliding dropkick to Irwin and now Pillman is arm dragging to the arm bar. Some back and forth as we go back to Pillman locking in the arm bar. JR informs us that Pillman eats no red meat, and you simply can’t get that in-depth commentary anywhere else.
Irwin yells “you wanna fly, fly out of here” as he slings Pillman through the ropes. Awesome. Irwin just being a total asshole. Near fall and then Irwin locks in the chin lock. Pillman temporarily takes control but Irwin hits a massive clothesline. Irwin throws Pillman onto the announce table and nearly hits KLONDIKE BILL. Pillman back in and he works to a splash for a two count.
All the momentum with Pillman as he goes up top but misses after Irwin moves. Irwin with more offense before picking Pillman up and launching him into the second ring. But Pillman gets on the top in the other ring and soars over to hit the flying cross body for the win at 10:18. Good stuff here.
• Rating: ***
BACKSTAGE: Solie with Paul E Dangerously. He’s not concerned with winning but only concerned with kicking Jim Cornette’s ass.
The Dynamic Dudes vs. The Skyscrapers (w/Teddy Long)
Johnny and Shane throw a frisbee with a kid from the audience before the match. PEOPLE POWER. It’s still strange to think of John Laurinaitis as a sex symbol, but here we are. As if the pre-match couldn’t get any better, a fan casually taps Spivey on the arm, which leads to Spivey shoving and nearly decapitating him. Probably a fireable offense in 2018.
And holy hell we have more pre-match entertainment, as JR takes jabs at the WWF and says the NWA doesn’t have “snakes and bodybuilders” and instead has great athletes. MORE PRE-MATCH FUN as the crowd chants “peanut head” at Teddy Long. My guess is things are all downhill from here, because the pre-match has been quite entertaining.
Spivey on offense early before the Dudes double team with the monkey flip. Spivey then gives a boot to the face. Sloppy sequence after that as the Dudes go for another double team and everyone’s off their mark. Sid gets tagged in and the crowd loves it. He chops the chest of Johnny and the crowd is cheering Sid like crazy.
Spivey back in and he’s going to work on Shane. Crowd now chanting “we want Sid.” Reminder that the Dudes are the babyfaces. Spivey hits a power bomb and then kicks Shane outside where Teddy starts kicking him. Back inside and Spivey gets a two count after a suplex. Crowd goes wild as Sid tags in. Sid then poses and their eating it up with a spoon. Sid toys with Shane and the crowd boos as Spivey gets the tag.
Backbreaker from Spivey but then he misses a headbutt off the top. Shane crawls over and here comes Johnny. He goes on offense and hits a clothesline off the top. Sid breaks it up and chaos ensues. Sid and Spivey accidentally clothesline each other as the Dudes double dropkick Sid. Double hip toss to Spivey, but eventually Spivey regains control with help from Sid and the Skyscrapers win it at 9:14. Not a great match, but it was at least amusing to see the crowd love on Sid.
• Rating: **
BACKSTAGE: Solie with Cornette, who hypes the match with Paul E.
Paul E. Dangerously vs. Jim Cornette – Manager’s Tuxedo Match
Another funny pre-match note here, as a fan in the crowd has a “NWA is #1, WWF stinks” sign, which of course has the WWF blurred out on the network. The rules are this match are simple: To win, you must strip your opponent of his tuxedo. Considering the participants, that’s quite the objective. Cornette immediately throws the jacket off Paul E, and then Paul E throws powder in Cornette’s eyes. AND NOW PAUL E IS BEATING CORNETTE’S LEG WITH A TELEPHONE. Just fantastic.
It’s all Paul E now as eventually he chokes Cornette with his neck tie. Cornette turns the tide and goes to the choke. Cornette then goes for a groin kick and Paul E spits in his face. We go outside and Paul E working the injured knee. JR on Paul E: “What he causes, Preparation H wouldn’t cure.” Gotta love JR. Back inside and Paul E is slapping the hell out of Cornette, but then misses an elbow drop.
Punches from Paul E, and Cornette is hulking up. Caudle says “let’s see some clothes start coming off here” and I can’t ever say I’ve had that same thought involving these two. Cornette strips Paul E of his shirt. Now Paul E goes for the powder again but Cornette kicks it right back at him. That leads to Cornette ripping the pants off and getting the victory at 6:22. This was what it was and the crowd was hot.
• Rating: *1/2
BACKSTAGE: Solie with Gary Hart. He hypes Great Muta’s upcoming TV title match against Sting.
The Varsity Club vs. The Steiner Brothers (w/Missy Hyatt) – Texas Tornado Tag Team Match
These two teams hate each other and they’re kicking ass as soon as the bell rings. Sullivan and Rick work to the outside and Sullivan hits him with a chair, but Rick isn’t fazed. Rick uses the chair but Sullivan blocks it. Now these two have a table and are beating each other silly. And now they have the ring steps. Meanwhile on the inside, Rotunda and Scott are going at it.
Simultaneous near falls for the Steiners before Sullivan sends Rick back outside. All four men inside and it’s TOTAL NONSTOP ACTION here. Eventually Rotunda gets sent outside and Sullivan picks Rick up. That leads to Scott coming off the top and hitting the flying cross body to allow both Steiners to land on top of Sullivan for the 1-2-3 at 4:22. Awesome action for a short match.
• Rating: ***
BACKSTAGE: Solie with Sting and Eddie Gilbert. Stinger is ready for the match.
The Great Muta (w/Gary Hart) vs. Sting (w/Eddie Gilbert) – NWA World TV Title
They are really pushing Muta’s undefeated streak here. An awesome start as Sting flies from the first ring into the second ring to deliver a cross body on Muta. Sting then goes after Hart on the outside before coming back in and getting a karate chop off the top from Muta. Irish whip and Muta with the elbow to Sting in the corner. Muta then hits the backbreaker and goes up for the moonsault, but Sting moves. Muta lands on his feet and then sends Sting outside before hitting a cross body over the top.
Sting back on the apron where he hits the clothesline. Then he goes up top for a clothesline and gets a two count. Back outside temporarily and they come back in where Sting delivers a bodyslam. Muta regains control and locks in the headlock. Another Irish whip but Sting reverses for a military slam. Then Muta reverses another move and goes back on offense and applies the chin lock. Muta then goes to the abdominal stretch and tries to get a pinball out of him.
Sting now rallying and hitting punches but Muta stops that pretty quickly. Muta tries to go back to the elbow in the corner but Sting moves and hits a flurry of offense before dropkicking Muta outside. Back in and Muta goes for the mist, but Sting moves and REF BUMP TIME as it goes right in Nick Patrick’s face. Moonsault from Muta and Tommy Young slides in but only a two count. Sting then hits a back suplex for the three count at 8:40 with Muta’s shoulder clearly up.
Patrick slides back in and apparently he saw it, but Young counted the three. Muta and Hart runs off with the title and the audience has not a damn clue what just happened. Confusing finish for those in the audience, but the replay clearly shows what they were going for. This would lead to the title being vacant. Fun match as expected between these two.
• Rating: ***1/2
BACKSTAGE: Solie with Lex Luger. Luger means what he says and says what he means. He wants the No DQ stipulation dropped or he may not go forth with the match against Ricky Steamboat.
Ricky Steamboat vs. (c) Lex Luger – NWA US Title Match
Steamboat’s entrance is amusing as usual. Luger gets on the mic and says he’s not defending the title unless the No DQ clause is waived. He walks out but Steamboat waves the stipulation and here we go. Luger with the advantage but Steamboat reverses into an inside cradle for a two count. Then another two count and STEAMBOAT IS CHOPPING. Backdrop to Luger and the champ retreats outside. Steamboat follows and THIS SON OF A GUN IS CHOPPING SOME MORE. Steamboat then with an atomic drop before throwing Luger in.
The challenger hops on the apron but Luger kicks his face in. Luger goes outside but he gets chopped like crazy. Both back in and Luger uses his power to take control. He works on Steamboat’s back and then hits the military press off the Irish whip. Back to work on the back before getting a few two counts. Steamboat then sneaks behind for a school boy and nearly gets a three count. Luger is pissed and destroys Steamboat. Lots of Luger fans in the crowd. Steamboat starts chopping again and Luger gets pissed and regains control before giving Tommy Young a nice shove. Flying cross body from Steamboat for another near fall.
Luger hits the inverted atomic drop as Luger taunts the same fan he’s been taunting all match long. He turns around and Steamboat hits the neck breaker. Luger gets up and goes for a clothesline but Steamboat drops and sends him over the top rope. Luger on the apron and Steamboat delivers some offense. Steamboat tries to bring Luger back inside but Luger falls on him for a near fall. Luger goes up top but Steamboat chops and sends him flying onto the mat. Chop and a dropkick from Steamboat. He goes up and nails the flying chop to the head for a two count. This is excellent.
Steamboat runs at Luger and who launches him into the other ring. Luger goes outside and grabs a chair. Young tries to take it away but Luger gets him out of the way, which is enough to allow Steamboat to catapult Luger into the corner with the chair bonking him in the head. Steamboat picks up the chair and barely nudges Young, who goes flying. GUESS WHAT’S NEXT BOYS AND GIRLS? Young calls for the DQ on Steamboat at 10:26. Steamboat keeps beating Luger with the chair and then heaves Young out of the ring. Steamboat just going wild here on Luger, and he proceeeds to chase Luger to the back with the crowd going insane. I absolutely loved this match, even if the finish wasn’t clean. Just brilliant work from both men.
• Rating: ****1/2
BACKSTAGE: The Fabulous Freebirds and the Samoan Swat Team run down the Road Warriors, Midnight Express, and Dr. Death Steve Williams ahead of the War Games match.
BACKSTAGE: The Midnights, Williams, and the Road Warriors do the same thing.
The Fabulous Freebirds and Samoan Swat Team (w/Paul E Dangerously) vs. The Midnight Express, The Road Warriors, and Dr. Death Steve Williams (w/Jim Cornette) – War Games Match
Garvin and Eaton start things off. They go back and forth until Garvin throws Eaton into the cage. Eaton gets up and reverses a corner spot and hits a kick while hanging on the top of the cage. That offense doesn’t last long as Garvin goes back on the attack. Eaton hits a backbreaker and slam before locking in the Boston crab. Here comes Gordy who immediately tosses Eaton into the cage and the Freebirds go to work.
Williams is next in and he hits a double clothesline on Garvin and Gordy. Williams and Gordy fight to the other ring and Williams presses him back and forth while ramming the top of the cage. Garvin still unloading on Eaton at this point. Samu joins the mix and he beats the hell out of Williams. Samu and Garvin use the double team on Eaton, and Williams eventually gets the same treatment from Gordy and Samu.
Here comes Animal, who starts kicking ass left and right. The good guys in complete control now while Hayes and Fatu strategize outside. Fatu makes his way in and he and Samu double heatbutt Animal. Hawk is furious on the outside as the Samoans continue to destroy Animal. Lane is next to enter and he goes wild. Chaos all over the ring with the good dudes controlling the offense.
Hayes is last to come in for his team and he hits DDT’s on pretty much everyone before he taunts Hawk. And now it’s How time as he soars off the top and takes out the Samoans immediately. Then Hawk clotheslines Hayes and he and Williams double clothesline Gordy. Hawk picks up Garvin and sends him face first into the corner. Meanwhile, Eaton with a DDT to both Hayes and Samu. Hawk still decapitating fools.
We work to Hawk hammering Garvin with a top rope clothesline, and then he hits the neck breaker. Hawk picks Garvin up and uses the hangman neck breaker to make Garvin submit at 22:18. After the match, the good guys exit but the bad guys lock Animal inside and beat on him until Hawk gets the door loose. Lots of action and good heat. I don’t love the War Games concept, but this was at least fun from start to finish.
• Rating: ***3/4
BACKSTAGE: Solie with Ric Flair. Solie wants to know why he’s returning with such a serious injury. Flair says he knows what he’s getting into. He’s 120% and ready to rock and roll.
Terry Funk (w/Gary Hart) vs. (c) Ric Flair – NWA World Heavyweight Title
Flair goes at Funk in the aisle to get us going and the crowd is going apeshit. Flair bites at Funk before going back into the ring. Funk starts trying to break the rail and then chases after a camera man before going face to face with a fan. Flair jumps outside and rams Funk’s head on the table. Funk stumbles around and throws a chair in the ring. Then he retreats into the crowd temporarily before getting on the apron and back in. My goodness Funk is just awesome here.
Flair with chops that send Funk back outside, and Flair goes out with him. Funk reverses and shoves Flair into the ring post. Now Funk is back on the apron as he kicks at Flair’s head. Funk pulls Flair on the apron and slaps the taste out of his mouth before suplexing back inside for a two count. And then Funk hits a punch before Flair rolls back to the outside. Funk with chops on the back of the neck until Flair goes for a suplex and both men take a nasty spill. That didn’t look good.
Chops back and forth and then it’s eye rakes for both gentlemen. Back on the inside and Funk goes for the piledriver, but Flair flips him over the top to the fancy blue mats. Flair takes control in the ring and gets a near fall after a knee to the back of the head. Flair then picks Funk up and hits the piledriver. Then he nails another piledriver, which sends Funk out into the aisle. Back into the ring and Flair slapping Funk silly. More offense from the champ and he gets another two count.
Flair holds Funk’s leg up and locks in the Figure Four but Hart hits the apron. Tommy Young gets distracted with that and Funk uses the branding iron to smack Flair in the face. FLAIR IS BUSTED WIDE OPEN. Funk with more offense and goes for the pin, but Flair gets the foot on the rope at two. Funk is pissed, so he goes out and removes one of the mats. He starts choking Flair with hand tape as Young comes over and tries to pull Funk off. That doesn’t work as Funk pulls Flair out for the piledriver, but Flair reverses and hits the back body drop.
Funk takes things in the ring and delivers three straight neck breakers. Somehow Flair is back up and he pops Funk with the branding iron. Flair throws Funk into the post on outside and there’s blood all over the place. Shocker considering the participants. Flair with punches inside and Funk is on SPAGHETTI LEGS. Flair goes for a knee to the corner but Funk moves and goes for the spinning toe hold. We get a double reversal with each man reversing. That leads to Flair getting another counter into the pin to retain at 17:23. As soon as the match is over, Muta hits the ring and sprays the mist into Flair’s eyes.
Funk and Muta destroy Flair BUT HERE COMES STING. He goes at Muta and brawls with Funk. Flair back up and he charges at Muta. WE’VE GOT A BROUHAHA ON OUR HANDS. Flair and Sting toss Muta and Funk much to the crowd’s delight. Then after a little pausing, Funk throws a chair in that hits Flair. He charges at Funk in the aisle and Sting does the same to Muta before causing them to retreat up the ramp.
But these guys aren’t done with each other, as JR announces the TV title has been held up and the brawling keeps going for a while. Once that stops, Flair says he’s not done with Funk while covered in blood and green mist. Great match, and the post-match stuff was superb and made it clear how much these guys hated each other.
• Rating: ****1/4
SHOW SUMMARY
Some people consider this the best pay-per-view of all-time, and while I wouldn’t go that far, it’s pretty great stuff. I personally liked Luger/Steamboat the best in terms of the match itself, but it’s nearly impossible to top the combo of the Flair/Funk match and the incredible brawling afterwards with Sting and Muta included. Today’s promotions could learn a lot from this show when it comes to selling hatred between good and evil.
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