The show starts with a promo from Theodore R. Long. He hypes up the new formation of The Skyscrapers debuting later. Sid Vicious is out injured for the foreseeable future and 'Dangerous' Dan Spivey has a new partner tonight. Jim Ross is joined on commentary by Kevin Sullivan.
Rick & Scott Steiner def. Rick Fargo & Pat Rose (1*)
The opening matchup sees the Steiner brothers take on enhancement talent / perennial jobbers Fargo & Rose. The Steiners come out to 'Welcome To The Jungle' by Guns 'N' Roses, and take part in some OTT fan interaction. Rick starts the match and goes through his mad-dog routine. This one is over quickly and Rose doesn't even get tagged into the match. A top-rope 360 slam from Scott & a bear hug suplex from Rick and its all over. Some nice moves from the Steiners but not really much of a match. (2:32)Up next, Jim Ross talks to Teddy Long about the Skyscrapers. Teddy looking good in his white & black pinstripe suit tells Ross that Sid has been replaced and he might have a job for him once he is fit to compete.
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| "Let me tell you something playa..." |
The Midnight Express [w/ James E. Cornette] def. Paul Drake & 'Nasty' Ned Brady (1*)
In 1990, the Midnight Express comprised of 'Beautiful' Bobby Eaton and 'Sweet' Stan Lane, accompanied by James E. Cornette. Cornette joins the commentary team to offer his opinions on the tag team division, in particular the returning Rock and Roll Express. Cornette suggests that they drove them out of the NWA before and would do so again. Unlike the previous match, the jobbers manage to get a little offense in on 'Beautiful' Bobby, however some roughhouse heel tactics from Stan & Bobby, followed by the Rocket Launcher, and Eaton scores the pin. (4:15)Norman 'The Lunatic' def. Bob Cook (1*)
Whilst not quite as bad as his 'Bastion Booger' gimmick in WWF, Norman was pretty dumb. Hailing from the State Hospital, decked out in mental patient gear, completely mismatching footwear, what looks like a safari hat and carrying a teddy bear, it's hard to envisage this ever getting off the ground. Norman's current angle is his infatuation with Woman (Nancy Sullivan / Benoit). Kevin Sullivan is on commentary and has some harsh words for Norman, including 'Nitwit'. Sullivan also says that Bob Cook is a great wrestler, so perhaps we shouldn't listen to him. A promo is shown where Norman states that he will reveal his painting of Woman on the Sunday Night Main Event broadcast. After a nice legdrop and back body drop, Norman sits on Cook's face for the pin and a literal squash. (3:15) |
| In case the outfit and demeanor of Norman didn't give it away, he was helpfully referred to as a lunatic. |
'Mad Dog' Buzz Sawyer & DragonMaster def. Ricky Nelson & Rick Ryder (1*)
Sawyer & DragonMaster hit the ring minus The Great Muta who is also part of their stable around this time. The bell rings and Sawyer lets out a feral scream... I think Festus must have watched this and years later based his entire gimmick around it. Seems like the Mad Dog is being overly stiff with these two jobbers, but hits a nice powerslam. Dragonmaster hits a backbreaker & Inverted Piledriver (tombstone) before tagging in Sawyer, who gains the pinfall via his top rope splash (3:26)We cut to a segment with Bill Apter of PWI who is with the magazines recent award winners, Scott Steiner (Most Improved), Ric Flair (Wrestler of the decade) and Gordon Solie (Commentator extraordinaire). Ric Flair's hair looks immaculate.
Flyin' Brian & Z-Man def. The State Patrol (2*)
The State Patrol, were kind of the tag team equivalent of the Brooklyn Brawler. They had a gimmick, but lost practically every match they were ever put in. The match starts with a series of hip tosses and arm drags from the Z-Man, before Flyin' Brian starts putting together some quick offense - Sunset Flip, Backslide, Flying double clothesline. Pillman looks absolutely ripped at this stage of his career to the point where his head looks a little bit too small for his body. Lt. James Earl Wright & Sgt. Buddy Lee Parker beat down on Z-Man for a while, and even break out the patented Bushwhackers battering ram. Its all short lived though, as Pillman gets the tag and its all over after a flying crossbody from the top rope (8:15).The Royal Family [w/ Lord Littlebrook] def. Sean Regal & Larry Santo (1*)
The Royal Family head to the ring next. Having debuted their frankly stupid costumes the previous night on Power Hour, they have new music tonight too and the transformation is complete. WCW was really all about tag team wrestling in early 1990 - Steiners, Road Warriors, Midnight Express, Rock and Roll Express, The Freebirds, Skyscrapers, SST, Doom, Dynamic Dudes, Zenk & Pillman and these guys were right at the bottom of the list. This one is thankfully brief and after some roughhousing and a double face-first suplex, Victory covers Regal for the win. Littlebrook, who is like a cross between Hornswoggle & Snoop Dogg, puts a few boots in after the match (3:48)
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| The Royal Family. Costumes endorsed by the Queen of England, according to Jim Ross |
The New Skyscrapers [w/ Theodore R. Long] def. Agent Steel & Randy Harris (1*)
This match is memorable for being the first appearance of the Undertaker in WCW. At this point he was known as 'Mean' Mark Callous and was put into the Skyscrapers team, replacing Sid Vicious. Teddy Long and the commentators are going to great lengths to convince the viewers that The Skyscrapers are better than ever and a quick squash match is exactly what is needed here. 'Mean' Mark does get a chance to debut his walking the top rope move which is undoubtedly the highlight of a brief encounter. 'Dangerous' Dan gets the pinfall following a powerbomb. (2:20)
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| Very old school |
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| Post Match Promo with Jim Ross |
Jim Ross conducts a short interview with Ric Flair next. Flair addresses the feud that is building between himself and Lex Luger, gets in his 'To Be The Man...' shtick and talks a little about the new Horseman. This is Flair in his prime, all faculties intact and his promos are well delivered.
The Dynamic Dudes def. Cactus Jack Manson & Lee Scott (1*)
The Dynamic Dudes head to the ring in their god awful shorts and t-shirts combo, but on this occasion they left their skateboards in California. Johnny Ace (a.k.a John Laurinaitis) gives some kid in the crowd his t-shirt which may actually fit him in 2014, but he probably doesnt wear it. Johnny's partner is Shane Douglas and they are set to go against ref/wrestler utility man Lee Scott, and Cactus Jack who has not yet dropped the Manson moniker. Nothing happens in the first couple of minutes apart from a double drop kick, so Kevin Sullivan talks about Cactus Jack being a cultured genius & budding Kasparov. Cactus eventually tags in Lee Scott who is quickly beaten with some double-team move which is basically a dropkick by Douglas. After the match, Cactus Jack is unhappy with his partner losing the match, and proceeds to give him a beatdown (3:10).
We cut to Jim Ross who is about to interview the Rock and Roll Express. Ross calls the team 'the four time tag team champions of the year' and they eventually head out in very un-rock-and-roll grandpa jumpers. Robert Gibson talks incoherently for a bit before Ricky Morton lays out the teams plans to conquer the NWA tag division. After a commercial break, a very unhappy Lee Scott joins Jim Ross and challenges Cactus Jack to a 1-on-1 match next week.
'Dr.Death' Steve Williams def. Hacksaw Higgins (1*)
I'll go on record as saying I was never really a fan of Dr. Death, who went on to achieve great success in Japan during the 90's. At the stage of his career, Williams seemed to be WCW's answer to Hacksaw Jim Duggan... all thumbs up, "Hoooooo" chants to the crowd. Higgins was a fairly large guy for a jobber, but didn't put up much offense in this match and Williams finishes things with the Oklahoma Stampede. Jim Ross always went to bat for Dr. Death throughout his career, and its evident during commentary here too (3:55).
We cut to an interview with US Heavyweight Champion Lex Luger. He talks about how great he is for three minutes and how it is his destiny to become the World Heavyweight Champion.
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| Lex Luger [US Heavyweight Champion] |
'Wildfire' Tommy Rich def. Cactus Jack Manson (1*)
This is originally supposed to be a match between Tommy Rich and masked jobber Agent Steel, but Cactus Jack enters the ring and throws Steel back into the locker room area. Jim Ross remarks that Cactus Jack isnt going to have a very long career as he takes several bumps to the outside, including a back body drop to the concrete floor. The match is back and forth before Tommy Rich scores the pinfall with some kind of move that ends up much like a sunset flip (4:35).
Jim Ross interviews Michael 'P.S' Hayes about the tag team division. He tries to build some heat between the Freebirds and the team of Pillman & Z-Man. I think he calls Pillman 'Fryin' Brian.
The Samoan Swat Team w/ Sir Oliver Humperdink & The Samoan Savage def. The Italian Stallion & Brody Chase (0*)
The SST are up next, the team comprising of Samu & Fatu. Its pretty cool seeing early Rikishi in action... he is probably around 280lbs here and looks in decent wrestling shape. Samu starts off with the Italian Stallion who holds his own before tagging in Brody Chase. After this the Samoans just decimate Chase, who could be genuinely groggy, but the match is filled with botched spots until a Fallaway Slam from Samu & top rope splash from Fatu end it (3:18).
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| Fatu of the Samoan Swat Team |
The match is followed by a short promo from Woman, who states her intention for the 90's is to obtain the services of World Heavyweight champion Ric Flair.
Arn Anderson & Sting def. The Galaxians (1*)
You should always try to end a show in style and this one is no exception. That's right, I'm talking about the Galaxians! These guys are everything I love about wrestling from the 80's and 90's - completely ridiculous, no-hopers, awful gimmick, terrible costumes, but every week you want them to get the win... just once. Facing two of the Four Horseman, there is little chance of that this week. Sting hits the Stinger Splash, followed by a nice DDT from Anderson and this one is over, meaning we'll have to wait a little longer for a Galaxian win (3:57).
They really used to cram a lot into these Saturday Night shows, and there is just enough time left for Ross to conduct an interview with the Horseman. Lots of mutual back slapping going on and Flair breaks out another of his catchphrases.
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| We are kiss-stealing, wheeling-dealing, limousine riding, jet-flying son-of-a-guns |
I enjoyed watching the WCW shows that I have from this week in January 1990, and hopefully it brought back some memories for you. My awards for the week go to -:
Wrestler(s) of the week :
1. Arn Anderson - I just really like what he's doing. Playing the 'Enforcer' role well, good technician, nice promo's, two pinfall victories.
2. Flyin' Brian - Cool to see some early Pillman, I haven't seen the 'high flying' version in a long time
3. Cactus Jack - Even though he lost three matches over two shows, that's not really the point. He did a good job of building his character this week with the 'reckless abandon' shown in some of the spots in his matches.
Match of the week : Flyin' Brian vs. Cactus Jack [Power Hour 1990-01-06]
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