WCW Clash of the Champions XXIX

“Mean” Gene Okerlund interviews Colonel Parker with Meng in tow. The Colonel has a contract for Arn Anderson and Bunkhouse Bunk to face the winner of the tag team title match on WCW Saturday Night. Who thinks the Pauls stand a chance here?

Match 1 for the WCW World tag team titles: Pretty Wonderful (champions) versus Stars and Stripes

Wait a minute! Where’s WCW’s designated curtain-jerker the Badd man? Wow! Stars and Stripes are the curtain jerkers tonight. I wonder if it pays off.
Patriot’s mask was also on the line here. At least something’s not on a pole.
Second rope cross-body from Roma got a 1 count.
Hot crowd here tonight.
Three consecutive backbreakers from Roma to Patriot.
Immediately thereafter Roma came off the top turnbuckle with a right hand.
Thesz press by Patriot on Roma for 2.
Shaky-shaky elbow drop from Orndorff to Bagwell.
Tremendous dropkick from Roma.
Excellent powerslam from Roma.
Backslide by Bagwell got 2.
Sunset flip by Bagwell broken up by Roma.
Both Roma and Patriot went over the top rope.
Roma climbed the top turnbuckle in order to splash Bagwell after Orndorff delivered a vertical suplex to him; however, Patriot knocked Roma down to the mat.
Both Orndorff’s and Bagwell’s shoulders were down until Bagwell lifted up at the last moment.
WE HAVE NEW CHAMPIONS!

Summary: Great opening bout accompanied by a title change. As is the case the live show here promotes the upcoming taped match as Stars and Stripes faced Buck and Anderson on 11/19 (taped 11/8).

Match 2 for the WCW World TV title: Johnny B. Badd (champion) versus The Honkytonk Man

Honkywood, USA? Seriously?
Let’s hope this rematch is better than the one from Havoc.
Just like last month Badd messed up Honky’s hair, but Honky didn’t submit.
Honky delivered a fist drop from the second rope.
Badd reversed a Shake Rattle and Roll into a back drop.
Knee lift from Badd.
Honky tossed Badd into referee Randy Anderson.
He then picked up his guitar and WAFFLED Badd with it.
Anderson called for the bell.
Badd won by DQ.

Summary: While it wasn’t as boring as last month’s match it wasn’t good either.

After the match Honky hit Badd with the guitar again. If you wonder where Jeff Jarrett borrowed the guitar gimmick here you go.

After a commercial break Tony shills the hotline. Backstage the Honkytonk Man is on the hotline with Mike Tenay and Chris Cruise discussing ~~the heat between former WWE diva Victoria and TNA President Dixie Carter~~ his guitar smash hit he performed in the ring.

The Three Faces of Fear cut a promo. Ed Leslie has been repackaged as Butcher while John Tenta is now Avalanche. Keep that fresh in your mind as it will appear on the test.

While Booker T rambled to the cameraman Stevie Ray was on the phone with somebody.
Whoops! The graphic gave it away, but I won’t.
Tony confirmed that both members of Harlem Heat are actually brothers.
Heenan namedropped Rodman three years before he made his WCW debut.
Double-clothesline from Sags.
Knobbs splashed Stevie Ray’s leg.
Standing side kick from Stevie to Knobbs.
Forearm from the apron to the floor by Stevie.
Bicycle kick from Stevie.
Flying clothesline from Stevie.
Leg lariat from Booker T.
Booker T missed a fist drop from the second turnbuckle.
Hot tag to Sags.
Clothesline from Sags sent Stevie over the top rope to the floor.
As Sags slammed Booker T in the ring Stevie tried to make a phone call before getting nailed by Knobbs.
Booker T grabbed the phone on the floor but got rammed into the ring post.
Sensuous Sherri was shown holding a cell phone then made her way to the ring.
Booker T flew off the top turnbuckle and nailed Sags.
While Sherri distracted Knobbs Stevie pinned Sags.

Summary: The last five minutes of this match showed exactly how good Harlem Heat was as a tag team. Adding Sherri as their manager made them infinitely better and more relevant. I look forward to what Harlem Heat does next.

Vader mauled Rhodes to start the match.
He then spat in Rhodes’ face which prompted Rhodes to take Vader off his feet and pound away on him.
He even ripped off Vader’s head gear.
Flying cross body from Rhodes got 2.
He then clotheslined Vader over the top rope to the floor.
On the floor Rhodes nailed Race.
Upon returning to the ring Vader got mauled by Rhodes.
Rhodes then gave Vader a vertical suplex.
Body block by Vader.
Rhodes evaded a Vader avalanche and rolled him up for 2.
360° sell from Rhodes after a Vader clothesline.
Vader attempted another avalanche, but Rhodes caught and powerslammed him.
Sunset flip by Rhodes and he avoided getting squished.
Lariat by Rhodes.
After accidentally hitting referee Randy Anderson, Rhodes attempted a bulldog, but Vader tossed him over the top rope.
Clothesline put Rhodes down.
Vader then gave him a Vader bomb.
Make that 2.
Vader mounted the second turnbuckle but got powerslammed again.
Rhodes couldn’t knock Vader off his feet until he landed a top rope lariat.
DDT from the middle turnbuckle by Rhodes. Wow!
Bulldog from Rhodes prompted Race to get up on the apron.
As Rhodes confronted him Vader turned him into a Rhodes sandwich.
After an inverted powerbomb from Vader he pinned Rhodes.

Summary: Amazing match here. Both Rhodes and Vader brought the goods. Check this one out!

After the match Vader and Race position Rhodes for more punishment. As Vader attempts another Vader bomb “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan comes to the ring, knocks Race down, and guides Rhodes out of the ring. Vader hits nothing but mat. Duggan stands tall as the crowd voices its approval.

Back in the dressing room Hulk Hogan, Sting, and Evad Sullivan along with Jimmy Hart are interviewed by Okerlund. Sting and Evad are wearing red and yellow face paint. Hogan makes a Natural Disaster reference.

On the WCW hotline Booker T tells Mike Tenay and Chris Cruise ~~that the Main Event Mafia was on like neckbone~~ Harlem Heat with Sensuous Sherri are World tag team title contenders.

Match 5 for the WCW US title: “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan versus “Stunning” Steve Austin

This match again? Perhaps the third time’s the charm for Austin.
Duggan carried Old Glory and his 2x4 to the ring.
After a bit of stalling the match got underway.
Just as the match was getting underway Vader and Race ran to the ring.
Vader then manhandled Duggan until the board was located and the heels fled.
Good-bye, Austin’s credibility. I wonder where he’ll regain it.
Duggan won by DQ.

Summary: This was just a setup for the match between Duggan and Vader at Starrcade. Poor Austin was just window dressing.

Match 6: WCW World Champion Hulk Hogan, Sting, and Evad Sullivan (w/ Jimmy Hart) versus Kevin Sullivan, Avalanche, and the Butcher

Yet again Mr. T was the special guest referee and wearing referee pajamas including nightcap.
Buffer rumbled.
Hogan was wearing red and yellow face paint. Evad must have told him he was odd man out without face paint.
Standing dropkick from Sting to Sullivan.
As the Butcher held out the left arm of Evad, Avalanche crushed it.
Hart summoned the trainers, and Evad was taken to the back.
The match was now 3 on 2.
Avalanche missed… uhhh…an avalanche.
Hogan tried to slam Avalanche but landed on his back instead.
Sullivan came off the middle ropes twice with right hands to Hogan.
Bear hug from Avalanche.
Hogan escaped then tried to knock Avalanche off his feet.
On his third attempt off the ropes Butcher tripped him.
Avalanche then gave Hogan an elbow drop.
Powerslam by Avalanche but he missed a splash off the ropes.
Hot tag to Sting.
After taking on all three Faces of Fear Sting gave Avalanche a Stinger splash.
Make that 2.
He then press slammed Sullivan onto Avalanche who used Sullivan as a battering ram to pancake Sting in the opposite corner.
Knee drop off the middle turnbuckle by Sullivan followed by a double stomp to the gut.
Powerslam by Avalanche to Sting.
Leg drop off the ropes by Avalanche.
Sullivan climbed to the top turnbuckle, but Sting tossed him down to the mat.
Hot tag to Hogan.
As Sullivan took Hart’s megaphone outside the ring Sting gave Avalanche another Stinger splash.
Big boot from Hogan to Butcher.
Sullivan tried to nail Hogan with the megaphone, but Mr. T took it away from him.
After that Mr. T nailed Sullivan, and Hogan pinned him.

Summary: Bad finish to a sports entertainment type of match. It did, however, promote three matches from Starrcade.

After the match Sullivan levels Mr. T with the megaphone. Avalanche slams Sting as Butcher works over Hogan in the corner. Avalanche drop on Sting. Just as Hogan tries to break things up Sullivan nails him with the megaphone three times. Butcher then applies the sleeper on Hogan.

Brian and Brad Armstrong attempt to stop the chicanery but are dismissed immediately. Shortly thereafter Stars and Stripes hit the ring but to no avail. Meanwhile Butcher still has the sleeper on Hogan. Finally WCW security and trainer stop this mess and tend to Hogan.

Conclusion: The proper job of these free telecasts is to promote the PPV. It certainly accomplished that feat as five matches for the upcoming Starrcade had their seeds planted with this show.

As far as the main event is concerned your mileage may vary depending upon your like/dislike for the Hulkster. However, the bout between Vader and Sting took me by surprise in a very good way. The Harlem Heat match had a very nice back story that made sense and garnered a worthwhile rematch. The tag team title match was solid as well.

Check this show out if you’ve never seen it especially for the Vader-Rhodes match. See you at Starrcade!