Ric Flair and Ricky Steamboat’s first two matches were five-star classics. Will we get a third in the WrestleWar 1989 review?
Hint: You probably already know the answer to that.
Let’s jump into Blake’s WrestleWar 1989 review.
- Date: May 7, 1989
- Location: Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, TN
IN THE RING: The Oak Ridge Boys sing the national anthem. It’s Nashville. You gotta have a popular music group in the house.
Doug Gilbert vs. The Great Muta (w/Gary Hart)
Well this was advertised as Muta vs. Junkyard Dog but that didn’t happen. Muta kicks him immediately and Gilbert is about to get the beating of a lifetime. But wait! Gilbert hits multiple clotheslines to get some momentum and this Tennessee native might just have a shot here. Never mind. Muta rakes the eyes and delivers the running elbow drop.
Gilbert tries to find more offense but Muta regains control. He goes up top for the moonsault but Gilbert moves out of the way and Muta still lands on his feet. Eddie Gilbert is now at ringside. Muta flies over the top onto Doug. Back inside and Muta hits the moonsault to win it at 3:16. STONE COLD, STONE COLD. Muta was awesome as usual.
• Rating: **
BACKSTAGE: Lance Russell with Ric Flair. He’s got the beautiful blue robe here. He calls Steamboat the greatest wrestler in the world but says to be the man, he’s gotta beat the man.
Butch Reed vs. Ranger Ross
Ross gains the advantage but Reed takes over with power moves. HERE COMES ROGUE TEDDY LONG. JR talks about how he was fired after he screwed over the Road Warriors at Clash of the Champions VI. Teddy stands around the ring surveying the talent.
My goodness this match is rough. Hard to believe Reed has fallen this far. Reed goes up top to hit the shoulder block for the win at 6:58. Dreadful.
• Rating: 1/2*
BACKSTAGE: Lance with Lex Luger. He doesn’t like how Michael Hayes has been running his mouth. That’s about it.
Dick Murdoch vs. Bob Orton (w/Gary Hart) – Bullrope Match
WHY, WHY, WHY? Who decided this was a good idea? The Bullrope match concept is generally terrible anyways. They fight for a bit and then there’s noticeable editing on the WWE Network. What I saw of it was terrible.
• Rating: DUD
The Samoan Swat Team (w/Paul E. Dangerously) vs. The Dynamic Dudes
Johnny Ace and Shane Douglas carrying surfboards and sporting blonde mullets is truly a sight to see. Johnny with the momentum early as he’s slamming everyone in sight. Shane gets in and makes the Samoans look like idiots. Samu and Fatu do not like that and start beating the shit out of Johnny. PEOPLE POWER.
Double team from the Samoans keeps their momentum going. Samu delivers a hell of a chop to Johnny in the corner. Johnny pretty much getting destroyed at this point. That lasts for a good while and even includes Samu slobbering all over Johnny. Paul E grabs the mic and tells Johnny he’s as useless as a woman from Nashville.
Finally we get the hot tag and Shane gives the dudes some confidence. Johnny hits a dropkick off the top, which allows Shane to cover for the upset win at 11:02. Surprisingly decent.
Rating: **
BACKSTAGE: Lance talks with Lou Thesz, Pat O’Connor, and Terry Funk. They’re the judges for tonight’s title match.
Michael PS Hayes (w/Hiro Matsuda) vs. (c) Lex Luger – NWA US Title
These two were tag partners until Hayes turned on him for some reason. Cross body from Hayes early gets a one count. Hayes regroups on the outside after some offense from Luger. They exchange punches in the ring and Luger slams Hayes. Luger in control now and he locks on the armbar.
Hayes eventually fights out and goes for the sunset flip, but we’re back to the armbar. Out again but Luger hits the backbreaker and gets a two count. Hayes throws the chops in the corner and then hits a clothesline. No sell from Luger has he picks him up and throws him into the corner. Punches in the corner from Luger but then he misses a flying cross body and goes flying over the top.
Hayes goes to work on the outside and throws Luger into the post. Hayes gets a two count back in the ring and he locks on the chinlock. Bulldog from Hayes gets another two count. Matsuda gets involved by throwing Luger into the rail while referee Nick Patrick is distracted by Hayes. Back to the chinlock. Luger throws Hayes across the ring and has the momentum. Hip toss to Hayes and then Luger hits a big clothesline for a two.
Military press from Luger and then another military press. Nashville crowd eating this with a spoon. A THIRD MILITARY PRESS. He goes for the Torture Rack but Hayes counters into a DDT. Ref bump and you know where this is headed. Terry Gordy comes out and pushes Hayes on top of Luger and we’ve got a major upset at 16:06. Hayes wins the title. Good heat and back and forth action. Much better than I thought it would be.
• Rating: **1/2
The Iron Sheik (w/Rip Morgan) vs. (c) Sting – NWA TV Title
SHEIKY BABY IS HERE. Sheik nails Sting with the flag pole before the match even starts. Sting takes control and hits the Stinger Splash. Then he locks on the Scorpion Death Lock and damn it Sheik taps at 2:12.
• Rating: 1/2* for the match, ***** for the SHEIKY BABY
Ric Flair vs. (c) Ricky Steamboat – NWA World Heavyweight Title
Flair comes out with 40 women standing in the aisle. 40! Just another weekend for the Nature Boy. Meanwhile, Steamboat comes out with his son riding a fucking pony. Perhaps the greatest combination of entrances ever. So odd to have this match go on here, as we’ve still got the two tag title matches to come. BUT HERE WE GO.
Shoulder block from Flair to start the match but Steamboat counters with a hip toss. THE CHOPS ARE BACK. Like seriously, there’s never been a chopping show quite like this. Not even when Yamaguchi Son choppy choppied Val Venis’ pee pee. Steamboat gets pissed the hell off and he comes back with perhaps the hardest chops of this entire three-match series. He then sends Flair reeling to the outside.
Armbar from Steamboat as he drops a few knees into the shoulder. Arm drag from Steamboat and Flair isn’t liking this one bit. Flair reverses, but Steamboat reverses back to the hammerlock. Half-nelson time from the Dragon. Flair brings the chops but Steamboat once again gets back to the hammerlock. Forearms from Flair and then guess what? CHOPS. Flair throws them, then Steamboat throws them even harder. That leads to a Flair flop as we see Thesz taking notes at the judges’ table.
Flair picks up Steamboat and puts him on top. Steamboat flies off but misses. However, Steamboat hits the dropkick to knock Flair back outside. Flair regroups a bit and then hits a few knees. But Steamboat continues to work on the elbow and shoulder of Flair. Hip toss from Flair but he misses the elbow. Steamboat goes back to work on the arm. Flair delivers shoulders to Steamboat’s abdomen in the corner. JR reads the judges’ cards, and they all give the first 15 minutes to Steamboat.
These chops from Flair are hellacious. So are Steamboat’s chops. Flair throws Steamboat outside but Steamboat immediately gets back in the ring and chops and punches the shit out of Flair. But Flair manages to get back momentum by throwing Steamboat over the top. Some random fan approaches Steamboat to tell him to get up.
IT’S STILL REAL TO THAT FAN DAMNIT. Steamboat gets sent into the first row after a Flair chop. Now we have an exchange of chops as they chase each other outside.
Back inside and the pace has picked up with Steamboat dominating. Flair with the corner flip bump and Steamboat chops him on the apron. Steamboat then goes back to the armbar. Steamboat goes for the flying splash but Flair moves out of the way, which sends Steamboat over the top rope. Flair keeps chopping away and Steamboat is on SPAGHETTI LEGS. Multiple pin attempts from Flair get nothing. Another two count and Flair is frustrated. He drops the elbow but Steamboat kicks out again.
Flair misses a chop but he catches Steamboat and throws him off the ropes. No count as Steamboat’s hand is under the ropes. Back to the outside and Flair suplexes Steamboat on the floor. Counter from Steamboat inside gets a near fall. Back and forth we go as both men go flying over the top in an awesome spot. Flair throws Steamboat back inside, but Steamboat throws Flair off the top. More near falls as the crowd is on their feet. Steamboat sets Flair up on the turnbuckle and hits the superplex.
Steamboat goes for the double chicken wing but Flair uses the ropes to stop it. However, Steamboat hits the flying chop off the top and then goes up top again. But Flair stumbles into the ropes and knocks Steamboat onto the floor. Flair hits the vertical suplex to bring Flair back inside. Now Flair locks in the Figure Four. Steamboat tries to reach the ropes as we hit the 30-minute mark. He finally does to break the hold.
More chops in the corner from Flair but Steamboat fights back. Flair wooooooos but Steamboat hits the kick to the back of the head. Steamboat goes for the slam and Steamboat’s leg buckles as Flair falls on him to score the pin and win the title at 31:37. After the match, they shake hands as Steamboat sells the knee. This was unheard of at this point in time.
You already know what rating this match is getting. Many people have tried to rank the three Flair/Steamboat matches, and I’d argue you could put them in any order and I wouldn’t disagree. Personally, I’d probably go Clash at No. 1, this at No. 2, and Chi-Town Rumble at No. 3.
• Rating: *****
INSIDE THE RING: JR praises Flair and Steamboat. Flair says Steamboat is the greatest champion he’s ever faced. Funk comes into the ring and says he wants to be the first to congratulate Flair. He then says he would have voted for Flair had it gone 60 minutes. Funk says he’d like to be the first to challenge Flair for the title. Flair says he’s honored but Funk’s been in Hollywood while he’s been the world champ. Funk gets upset and asks Flair if he thinks he isn’t good enough. Flair says he’s not in the top 10 when it comes to challengers. Funk says he was just kidding and then clocks Flair right in the dome.
Funk throws him outside and beats the living hell out of him. He throws Flair off the table and then PILEDRIVES HIM ON THE TABLE. Keep in mind this was a 1989 table and that shit didn’t break in half. Funk starts beating Flair with a chair and even threatens to duke it out with a fan. Funk goes over to JR with the mic and basically calls Flair garbage. ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL. One of the best post-match angles in wrestling history.
The Road Warriors vs. (c) Mike Rotunda and Steve Williams (w/Kevin Sullivan) – NWA World Tag Titles with Nikita Koloff as Special Referee
Koloff immediately throws Sullivan out much to the crowd’s delight. Give the crowd credit for being hot after the awesomeness that came before this. Animal in control early as Hawk and Williams make their way in. Williams misses an elbow drop and Hawk drops the fist. Hawk with a clothesline off the apron.
While Koloff is occupied with Animal, Rotunda throws Hawk into the ringpost outside. Animal back in to gain the momentum and go for a pin, but Williams breaks it up. Hawk goes after him while Rotunda misses Animal and flies over the top. Hawk and Animal hit the Doomsday Device but Dan Spivey comes out and pulls Koloff out of the ring. All hell breaks loose and the Road Warriors are awarded the DQ win at 6:06. This started well but went nowhere thanks to the finish.
• Rating: *
Dan Spivey and Kevin Sullivan vs. (c) Eddie Gilbert and Rick Steiner (w/Missy Hyatt) – NWA US Tag Team Titles
Brouhaha to start the match but all I care about is Hyatt. Spivey rams Steiner into the ringpost multiple times and that’s not good for the champs. The challengers control the match and they are beating the hell out of both Gilbert and Steiner. JR says there will be a ruling on the world tag title situation before the end of the show.
Spivey throws Gilbert around like a rag doll and then hits a dropkick. Steiner in pain on the apron. Gilbert flips out of a Spivey move and nearly breaks his back on the backdrop. Sullivan gets in and does nothing before tagging back out. Spivey dominating until Gilbert makes the tag but Tommy Young doesn’t see it. Steiner hits the clothesline which allows Gilbert to score the pin at 6:41. After the match, Sullivan and Spivey destroy Gilbert and Steiner. Sullivan goes over and grabs Hyatt but Gilbert runs him off with a chair. A total nothing match.
• Rating: 1/2*
OUTSIDE THE RING: JR informs us that Rotunda and Williams have been stripped of the NWA World Tag Titles. Fantastic.
SHOW SUMMARY
Yet again, Flair and Steamboat put the show on their back and walk 500 miles with it. The Funk/Flair angle after the match was pure gold, and it would lead to yet another incredible sequence of events leading up to the Great American Bash. Everything else on the show was just kind of there.
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