WCW Clash of Champions 11/28/93

[Deleted]

WCW Clash of the Champions






Live from Bayfront Center
November 28, 1993
8:05 pm eastern
St. Petersburg, Florida

Eric Bischoff: Happy Thanksgiving everybody! From the Sunshine state, live on TBS, this is WCW, and this is the Clash of Champions! Hello wrestling fans, I'm Eric Bischoff joined by Missy Hyatt, and tonight is the night. Put away your wallet and put down the remote because you will not want to go anywhere tonight. 9 big matches set to come your way over the next 2 and a half hours, plus Hulk Hogan returns to WCW! He is here tonight, and he will be out here live before the fans later on to sign the contract and make it official. Sting vs Hulk Hogan at Starrcade. But that's still a way's away because tonight, Sting will look to finally unmask The Black Scorpion when he gets him in the ring, tag team action with Cactus Jack and Big Van Vader. Any theories Missy on who The Black Scorpion could be?

Missy Hyatt: Well my sources tell me that of the leading candidates, both Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan are here right now. There's a lot of wrestlers back there because of that Computer Contenders Challenge with Ice Train and the U.S. title, so it's pretty much impossible to say anybody is here that shouldn't be. Hopefully tonight, we get an answer.

Eric Bischoff: And indeed we may. Speaking of Ric Flair, a big match for him tonight. He has went above and beyond the call of duty. He wanted Barry Windham in a rematch so badly that he has vowed that if he does not win here tonight, he will quit WCW. And he will do so in a quite literal way, because it will be an I Quit match. The only way to win Missy is to make your opponent say those 2 magic words.

Missy Hyatt: I'm rich? I know for me any guy saying those 2 words makes me submit every time.

Eric Bischoff: Good to know. And then to top it all off, 15 foot high Steel Cage. Rowdy Roddy Piper steps in there with the World champion Ravishing Rick Rude. There are only 2 ways to win Missy, escape the cage by climbing over the top, or by going through the door. Pinfalls will not count, submissions will not count, it's been waived tonight because no referee was willing to put themselves in the line of fire and get inside of there. Can't say I blame them, so there will be 2 outside the ring to keep order, and to make sure there is a winner. And with that, we send it down to ringside to the men that will call the action tonight, Tony Schiavone and Jesse The Body Ventura.

Tony Schiavone: Thank you Eric. We are at ringside and Jesse, this is going to be a big night. I can't say that I recall a night of action this big, free of charge, ever in my years of broadcasting.

Jesse Ventura: Ha, you said it all right there. WCW, the Clash of Champions. It doesn't get any bigger than this tonight. Just a loaded lineup from top to bottom, PPV caliber action. This is WCW, this is where the big boys play, and tonight Tony, there's gonna be a whole lot of playing going on.

Tony Schiavone: In addition to the 3 top matches mentioned already and the appearance of Hulk Hogan, tonight the King of Cable tournament finals with Dustin Rhodes against Johnny B. Badd. Not only that Jesse, but a big grudge match with The Road Warriors against Harlem Heat.

Jesse Ventura: That's 1 I've been waiting to see for a while now, and finally tonight, we get our answer. You've got the mean streets of Chicago against the bad streets of Harlem. The American people wanna know Tony, which wins out, and tonight, we find out once and for all.

Tony Schiavone: And not only that, but as this is the Clash of Champions, we have 3 other championship matches. Shane Douglas will challenge Lord Steven Regal for the WCW TV Title in a rematch from Monday's Nitro when Douglas took Regal to the limit in a draw. The WCW U.S. champion Ice Train will be in the final Computer Contenders Challenge match, and against who, we don't yet know. Plus, the WCW Tag Team Title is on the line when 2 Cold Scorpio and Marcus Alexander Bagwell defend against Beautiful Bobby Eaton and Chris Benoit, and that match kicks things off as we send it up to David Penzer with the introductions.

WCW Tag Team Title match
vs

Far from the first meeting between these 2 tag teams, the matches have failed to thrill thus far. At Halloween Havoc, 2 Cold Scorpio and Marcus Alexander Bagwell defeated Bobby Eaton and Chris Benoit to win the WCW Tag Team Title, as well as a subsequent match for the title as part of the Computer Contenders Challenge. Able to work around a technicality of the rematch clause not being met in that match, Scotty Flamingo got this rematch signed for the title. And since, the challengers have managed to go over the champions twice, first on Saturday Night in a 6 man tag team match, and then on Monday's Nitro by eliminating them in an 8 team elimination match. The 2 teams get a lot of time with the opener tonight, almost 20 minutes. A hot and exciting start to the show that sees several near falls. Benoit hits Scorpio with a Dragon Suplex, 2 count. Bagwell gets Benoit into a fisherman's suplex, 2 count when Eaton breaks it up. Eaton hits Bagwell with the Alabama Jam, 2 count when Scorpio breaks it up. Scorpio hits Benoit with the 450 Splash, 2 count when Flamingo reaches in out of sight from the referee and rakes the eyes. That move proves critical as it gets Bagwell coming over on the floor. As that happens, Benoit lifts Scorpio and tags Eaton. He goes up to the top rope and sets up for their finisher. Eaton comes off, driving the knee into Scorpio's chest. He covers, but the referee is initially more focused on getting Benoit to the apron. He counts, but the delay gives Bagwell the time to pull Eaton off and out to the floor at 2. Bagwell decks him and saves the title for them. Benoit quickly goes up to the top rope to capitalize on Scorpio still being down. Benoit leaps off with a swandive headbutt, but Scorpio manages to move. Benoit clutches at his head. Bagwell is back to the corner, but Eaton is legal. He heads in, but before he can reach Scorpio, the hot tag comes. Bagwell is in and working over Eaton. Benoit comes in, but takes some as well. Flamingo gets on the apron but Bagwell decks him, although in the process drops his polo stick into the ring. Benoit grabs it out of sight from anybody, but Scorpio, who tries alerting the referee, but only serving to distract. Benoit readies it like a sledgehammer shot, but Bagwell moves and Benoit clobbers his own partner. Bagwell dropkicks Benoit and tags Scorpio. He goes up to the top rope and with Eaton down, comes off with a corkscrew somersault leg drop. He covers and the referee makes the count. Scorpio and Bagwell take the win, and they will retain the titles at just past 18 minutes of action. It looks like this series may be over after several intense meetings over the past few months with Scorpio and Bagwell on top. Eaton and Benoit no longer top contenders, the question going forward becomes who will be? Jesse Ventura suggests the winner of The Road Warriors vs Harlem Heat later, or maybe even the renewed and revitalized Hollywood Blonds after they survived the 8 tag team elimination match Monday on Nitro. Dark horses could be The Nasty Boys with a strong showing Monday, or Tex Slazenger and Shanghai Pierce, who also survived in the match. Point is, lots of teams gunning for those belts and no time to rest for the champions.



-- First commercial break --

vs

A last minute addition to the card, this match comes after the challenge by Diamond Dallas Page on Monday's Nitro to get himself a match on this event. Quick to accept we now learn was The Z Man, having successfully defeated Brad Armstrong to end their feud on Monday's Nitro. Both wrestlers seem to have momentum going for them, making a win tonight crucial. The difference maker could be DDP's bodyguard Max Muscle on the outside, who Zenk will have to be aware of at all times. These 2 do not get much time, getting right into the thick of things tonight. Zenk starts hot, but DDP gets control after Max is able to distract him. Zenk starts to build a comeback and heads to the top rope for a cross body block. As he leaps however, DDP gets out of the way and Zenk crashes hard into the mat. DDP looks to be out on his feet as Zenk gets up, but he has the instinct to grab Zenk by the neck and drop down into The Diamond Cutter. Page covers and picks up the 3 count to take the win just after the 5 minute mark. Important win for DDP on this stage, but the action is not over as Max comes in. Page tells him to finish Zenk off and he grabs him, locks in the full nelson, picks him up and slams him down into the mat. With Max Muscle in his corner, DDP may be the most dangerous he has been thus far in WCW.



-- Second commercial break --

WCW TV Title match
vs

A rematch from Monday's Nitro when Shane Douglas was picked as challenger for Lord Steven Regal through the magic of the Computer Contenders Challenge. Douglas took Regal to the limit and seemingly had the match and the title won when the match was instead ruled a time limit draw. Match makers wasted no time signing this rematch as Douglas' plea for 5 more minutes went ignored by Regal, instead choosing to just leave as he clearly had the match lost when it ended. Always lurking in a Regal match is Jean Paul Levesque, who proved to be key in Monday's finish, and could again here tonight. Douglas really seems to have Regal's number as the bell rings. While not going into the same detail here as Monday's more dramatic draw, the TV champion again seems off his game. Several 2 counts bring Levesque out to ringside, but the referee immediately orders him to leave. Douglas agrees naturally with that decision, but the distraction gives Regal time to once again reach into his boot for a foreign object. It backfired Monday, but not here. Douglas gets blasted with it, but Levesque serves to backfire himself because the referee is not making the count. Finally he turns to count, but Douglas gets a shoulder up at 2 with enough time passed. The look on Regal's face says it all, but this is now his match and he has control. He preps for the Regal Stretch, but Douglas instead turns onto his back and manages to kick Regal away. The champion comes back, but gets taken over with a monkey flip. They both get up and Douglas is back in control. He preps for the big belly to belly suplex, but Regal manages to knee Douglas in the midsection and free himself. He then decides to just leave. Wise move according to Ventura because the title does not change on a count out, Schiavone calling it a cowardly move. Douglas however goes out to get him. He brings him back and throws him in under the bottom rope. Regal manages to distract the ref and as Douglas goes to climb back in, Levesque is back out and hits Douglas from behind before sending him into the ringpost, quickly ducking out of sight for when the referee turns back around. The count quickly reaches 10 and Regal wins just past the 8 minute mark. The TV champion will retain the title, although far from a decisive win, and on the heels of the match Monday, by no means a win that will send Douglas away as a challenger. Regal does however keep the belt for now and on this night, that is what matters.



-- Third commercial break --

vs

A grudge match almost 4 months in the making with Chicago vs Harlem when The Road Warriors battle Harlem Heat. It was several weeks before War Games with both teams set to take part that Harlem Heat took out Animal, causing him to miss the event. While he would miss Fall Brawl, he was back a couple weeks later to return and help Hawk try to take out Booker T and Stevie Ray, and avenge the injury. The teams have met several times, never having a clear cut winner. Whether DQs, no contest, this is a chance for 1 tag team to finally prove themselves better than their opponent. During the introduction, it gets announced on commentary that Ron Simmons has taken a leave of absence following the match with Vader a week and a half ago on Nitro. Whether to rest up nagging injuries or to evaluate his career is unknown, but he should be heard from in the coming weeks with an announcement on that. The referee has a hard time getting it to 1 on 1 given the history, but manages to get Hawk and Booker T to finally start as the bell rings. After they test the waters, Stevie Ray wants in, but he wants Animal. So they go at it, each trying to upstage the other. It is not long before the action breaks down with The Road Warriors in control, tagging in and out to keep a fresh man against Stevie, but he manages to get a thum to the eye and run Hawk face first into the turnbuckle. The referee warns him as Booker chokes Hawk, and the match starts to shift to Harlem Heat's favor. They isolate Hawk and focus on wearing him down, the closest call coming from a scissors kick, getting a 2 count. Stevie Ray comes back in and what is this? He lifts Hawk up on his shoulders. Jesse Ventura cannot believe they would try this as Booker goes up top after a tag. Animal has seen enough, comes in and hits Stevie from behind, hitting the ropes to put Booker down. Hawk crawls for a hot tag as Booker tags Stevie. Success for both and Animal is in with a purpose. He delivers a scoop powerslam on Stevie Ray, flying shoulder tackle on Booker T. Hawk comes in and the 2 deliver a double clothesline on Booker to send him outside. Animal tags Hawk and lifts Stevie Ray up. Hawk heads to the top rope, coming off with a flying clothesline for the Doomsday Device. The cover gets made and the referee counts 3. The Road Warriors win this match just past the 7 minute mark, putting an exclamation mark onto the end of this rivalry. Ventura says that you have to give Harlem Heat credit for trying, but let's face it, even in 1993, The Road Warriors are still #1 when it comes to power. Both agree that Harlem Heat showed marked improvement against The Road Warriors and they may have their day yet, but not tonight. What lies ahead for The Road Warriors going forward is anybody's guess, possibly the WCW Tag Team Title as Starrcade approaches?



-- Fourth commercial break --

King of Cable Tournament Final
vs

The November sweeps month long King of Cable tournament reaches its climax here tonight with the final. Dustin Rhodes defeated Diamond Dallas Page and Brad Armstrong to get here, while Johnny B. Badd defeated Jean Paul Levesque and Lord Steven Regal, but there is far more to this than just the King of Cable. At Halloween Havoc, Rhodes put a World Title rematch on the line,with Badd winning when he took advantage of an injury to Rhodes. This past Monday on Nitro, Rowdy Roddy Piper convinced Badd to step up and give Rhodes the same opportunity and be a man, which Badd accepted through the pep talk. Later on in the elimination match however, Rhodes would accidentally lead to Badd getting eliminated, followed by Badd doing the same. Badd is slowly losing his fanbase, but a clear cut victory tonight could restore some faith in him. The match gets going with the 2 trading the advantage. Badd has it early and is not shy about grandstanding to the crowd, who are not very appreciative of it. Rhodes on the other hand takes down Badd with a couple arm drag take downs and the modesty gets cheers. The action starts to pick up, Rhodes getting a couple of near falls before Badd knees him in the gut. Badd immediately puts his focus onto the knee of Rhodes given that was how he won their match a month ago. Not a noble approach to try and injure Rhodes, but Badd wants this win, make that NEEDS this win. Several 2 counts come, but Badd cannot put Rhodes away. The Natural is able to start making a comeback, but after a leapfrog turns into a head on collision that leaves both laying. As they get up, Rhodes starts landing bionic elbows, gets some offense in and gives the sign for the bulldog. Badd goes out to the floor though to save himself from that. Rhodes follows, and the ensuing action, Badd grabs Rhodes and manages to shove him into the ringpost. Dazed, Rhodes then gets Irish whipped into the metal barrier. Badd brings him in and heads up top, waiting for Rhodes to get up for his big sunset flip. Badd leaps off, hooks Rhodes and takes him back as the referee counts. Just before the 3 Rhodes kicks out and Badd cannot believe it. He starts questioning the referee, only giving Rhodes time to recover and roll Badd for a schoolboy, but only for a 2. Back up to their feet, they go at it some more leading to Badd sending Rhodes into the ropes. Badd ducks as Rhodes leapfrogs over. Badd turns, thinking Rhodes has went into the other ropes, but he is right there and headlocks Badd into a bulldog. Rhodes covers and grabs the 3 for the win around 9 minutes in. Dustin Rhodes is the 1993 King of Cable, and just as importantly has won back his World title shot that he will receive on Nitro this Monday, December 2, and avenges the loss a month ago at Halloween Havoc. Badd goes to the outside as Rhodes celebrates the win, and is none too pleased. He goes to the commentators table and questions Tony Schiavone and Jesse Ventura on who they think won, feeling he was cheated out of the win. Badd grabs a chair and folds it up, seemingly considering using it as Rhodes readies himself. Badd instead throws it down and leaves, Schiavone thinking that maybe his good nature and common sense won out this time. Ventura says that heart does not win matches, and common sense would have been using it during the match and leaving King of Cable and with a World Title shot on Monday, instead of nothing.



-- Fifth commercial break --

Back from break and in the ring stands Eric Bischoff along with WCW commissioner J.J. Dillon. A table has been setup with 1 able to safely assume that it is now time for the Hulk Hogan segment.

Eric Bischoff: With me now in the ring, none other than the commissioner of WCW, J.J. Dillon. Certainly not the easiest of jobs of late. Everybody seems to want something, and none more vocal the last couple of months than Sting.

J.J. Dillon: That's right Eric, and not only that. You would think being commissioner of WCW means, you know, dealing with WCW talent. At least that's what I thought. Instead I've found myself spending a lot of the time having to deal with somebody not even under contract to WCW. A man that is not even on the payroll of this company. I just hope that somebody remembers that when it comes time for the Christmas bonuses next month.

Eric Bischoff: I do too. And that man is of course none other than the 1, the only, Hulk Hogan!

The fans cheer the mere mention of his name. Just wait until he comes out.

J.J. Dillon: And as you can see, we have a table here, the contract's ready. The time is now. The time is now and we are ready to make history Eric. In just a few short moments, Hulk Hogan will sign this right here, and he will become a member of WCW.

Eric Bischoff: I still can't believe it myself. Wrestling fans around the world still can't believe it, and I don't think anybody will believe it until the man himself signs it. The world is watching J.J., they wanna see Hulk Hogan, and they wanna see him now.

J.J. Dillon: Then let's not wait any longer Eric. Ladies and gentlemen, St. Petersburg, Florida, please stand and put your hands together ... Hulk! ... HOGAN!

The fans cheers are very brief because ...

Yeah. Brother Brutus is out instead and heading towards the ring. What is this all about? He gets in and J.J. seems unamused by this.

J.J. Dillon: Brother Brutus. Please, don't ruin this.

Brother Brutus: Don't ruin what J.J.? You know as much as anybody else does, that I'm the biggest Hulkamaniac there is man! You think I'd miss this?! Not a chance in the world. If it wasn't for me, Hulk Hogan wouldn't even be coming out here today. I'm the main reason Hogan's even going to sign that contract. The red and yellow flows through my veins. You know the drill J.J. You know because you signed me to a contract and it's my job to do things like this. It's my job to come out here and make sure that this contract is ready for the Hulkster to sign it, so give it here. I wanna take a look at that thing.

Dillon reluctantly hands Brutus the contract. He looks it up and down, nodding his head.

J.J. Dillon: I don't know what you're looking for in there.

Brother Brutus: Don't worry J.J. This is my business, mine and the Hulkster's. Just let me finish looking it over.

J.J. Dillon: It's a basic WCW contract drawn up by our legal team. Same as the 1 you signed, and-

Brutus holds up the contract and readies to rip it in half.

Eric Bischoff: Wait a minute!

J.J. Dillon: What are you doing?

Brother Brutus: What I should've done a long time ago!

Before he can do it though, music hits the P.A. "He's Ame-e-erica-annnnnn ... Ma-eh-aaaddddde"









... Brutus gets a look of panic ...









... the fans explode ...

HULK HOGAN! Riding in on the Harley Davidson as has become his trademark so far here, well trademark from a whopping 2 live appearances so far, this being his third. The place is electric as Hogan gets off and enters the ring. He brings the hand to the ear to listen to the crowd. Seems alright as he points to them, followed by a pose. Hogan repeats to all 4 corners as apparently the panic of Brutus possibly ripping the contract up is not that important to prevent as he could have easily done it 100 times over in the time this takes. Finally Hogan stops and the music stops as Bischoff holds the mic so he can speak.

Hulk Hogan: Well ya know something Eric Bischoff, if there was ever any doubt that Florida was Hulkamania country, think again brother! This right here is the WCW, Hulk Hogan, coming together. Worlds are colliding man, and I gotta wonder if all these people are ready for it dude. I gotta wonder if they're hearing this all across the world and out into outer space, all across the universe man. This is what Hulkamania's all about, and this is what the WCW's all about. Clash of the Champions, I've been asking for it, and now finally I get my wish. J.J. Dillon's gotten the A-OK to bring in the Hulkster, make the dream match with Sting at Starrcade a reality, so I gotta ask man. Brother Brutus, just what do you think you're doing out here dude? You and me, we go way back. I'm talking to the creation man. When God made the heavens, he made Hulkamania and Brother Bruti was right there for it all dude. But you gotta tell me just what you think you're doing, ripping up that contract out here.

Brother Brutus: I think there must've been some confusion Hulkster! See, I'm just looking out for your best interests! I know you've been busy with Mr. Nanny breaking box office records the world over and filming Thunder in Paradise man. You've got so much going on here, but I know WCW, and I know what's going on Hulkster. I've heard this man speak like a Judas. He says that "they" don't wanna sign you because they don't wanna put you in the same ring as Sting!

J.J. Dillon: Now wait just a minute.

Hulk Hogan: Is that true J.J.? Is it true that there's people in the WCW that don't want the Hulkster coming in here?

Eric Bischoff: I can tell you for sure, these fans want you in here.

Hulk Hogan: That's good to know Mr. Bischoff, but that's not who I'm asking about. See I know all my Hulkamaniacs, from the little ones to the biggest and baddest brother, they're gonna stand by me through thick and thin. What I wanna know right now though, is Brother Brutus speaking the truth man? Are you a Judas out here? Are you gonna betray me the second I sign that thing man?

Brother Brutus: Juuuuudddddaaaaasssssssss.

J.J. Dillon: Hulkster, I can't speak for others, I can only speak for myself. I can assure you that the last thing I am is a Judas as your brother here says. On a personal level, I'd like to see Hulk Hogan against Sting more than anything at Starrcade, but there are people that don't.

Hulk Hogan: And who are these people Mr. James J Dillon? Who out there wants to see the Hulkster walk away? Who wants to deny all these great fans what they've wanted to see since the dawn of man out here? The match that was created by the big man upstairs on the 8th day that it's so big brother. I'm talking Starrcade anniversary man, the Hulkster and the Stinger, WHO out there is trying to keep me from signing this?

J.J. Dillon: Hulkster, I think it's only fair that I tell you what I told Sting. You might see this match as the ultimate test of who is the better man, just like all these fans, just like myself even. But there are people in WCW that see it as "us" vs "them". "North" vs "south" if ya get where I'm going. And if Sting loses, that's troubling for those people that think that. If Sting loses Hulkster, there's going to be hell to pay.

Hulk Hogan: So what you're saying is that it's not about who the Hulkster is, but what the Hulkster represents? Is that what I'm hearing man?

J.J. Dillon: In some words ... yes. Yes it is.

Hulk Hogan: Well then let me tell YOU something brother! The Hulkster stands for a lot of things, and I represent more than you'll ever know. Truth, justice, telling all my little Hulkamaniacs out there to train, say their prayers, and take their vitamins man! I don't represent the north, I don't represent "them", what I represent is the life blood of every last Hulkamaniac brother. I represent the strongest force in the galaxy, and what are you gonna do James J. Dillon, what are YOU gonna do when the largest arms in the universe man, whatcha gonna do when they run wild on YOU!?

The fans erupt in cheer as Dillon adjusts his glasses, unsure of how to take that.

Hulk Hogan: Brother Bruti, hand me that contract man. Hand me the contract so that I can sign on the dotted line. Hand it to me so that I can show J.J. Dillon and show all the big wigs running this place just who I am at the Starrcade, and what Hulkamania's all about!

Hogan grabs the contract away as fans cheer while he readies to sign it.

J.J. Dillon: Are you sure you want to do that?

Hogan signs it and holds it up for all the fans to see like they have never seen paper before in their lives.

Eric Bischoff: Alright! It is official! Hulk Hogan is a part of WCW! Hulk Hogan, 1 on 1 with Sting, at Starrcade on December 29, live on PPV!

Hulk Hogan: And Stinger man, I want you to know from 1 man to another. The way I see it is this brother. This Judas right here, he can say whatever he wants, but at the end of the day, this is about the 2 of us in that ring. I don't care what happens man, all that matters to me and all my Hulkamaniacs out there is that we finally get the answer to the age old question that fans have wondered about for years now dude. All that matters on December 29 at the Starrcade brother is that it's Hulk Hogan, it's Sting, it's WCW, and we find out who the better man is once and for all! And as far you go Brother Bruti!

Brutus gets a look of shock and surprise.

Hulk Hogan: Don't think I don't know what's been going on! I see the TV man! I watch WCW Monday Nitro like the millions of fans all around the galaxy dude! You've been using and abusing out here brother, and that's not the Hulk Hogan way! That's not what Hulkamania's all about man! So you gotta straighten up and fly right out here, got it?

Brother Brutus: Hulkster, I don't know what you're talking about brother! I've been-

Hulk Hogan: I don't wanna hear the excuses Brother Bruti! I just wanna hear you say that you're receiving loud and clear what I'm saying right now! You leave the Stinger alone man, cause this is between me and him and it has nothing to do with you! Are we clear out here brother?

Brother Brutus: Yeah Hulkster, yeah. We're clear.

Hulk Hogan: Good! Now let me show all these fans in the WCW what Hulkamania's all about brother!

Eric Bischoff: Alright, Hulk Hogan!

Hogan begins ripping the shirt as the music starts up. The fans start going bat shit crazy again as Hulkster starts a posing routine, touring the ring. Tony Schiavone puts over the power of Hulkamania on commentary and that this may end up being the most historic day in WCW history as we head towards the official match now, Hulk Hogan vs Sting, Starrcade. Jesse Ventura meanwhile cannot help himself and says that the real Judas and traitor out here is Brother Brutus if he's the 1 cutting Hogan's hair because he thinks he took a little too much off the top. Comments like that or knocks at Mr. Nanny may fly on Saturday Night where people that matter are not watching, but risky business on the Clash of Champions to say that in this segment.



-- Sixth commercial break --

WCW U.S. Title match - Computer Contenders Challenge
vs

Since arriving in WCW, Ice Train has went undefeated the past 6 months. Over that run, he captured the WCW U.S. Title with a win on Nitro some 2 and a half months ago. He currently finds himself on the receiving end of attacks from Tex Slazenger and Shanghai Pierce, revenge for having defeated Slazenger back in the underdog challenge back in May on Nitro to earn his spot. Tonight is the final Computer Contenders Challenge match. All 4 champions have had their luck tested against an opponent deemed to be the best match up by computer analysis, and so far it has created some big name challengers. Tonight Ice Train will have his luck tested against ...

Max Muscle?! The commentators point out that the computer bases decision on many factors including height and weight, and it cannot be denied that Muscle is physically most resembling of Train on the entire WCW roster. Jesse Ventura thinks that this could be Train's undoing since we have seen very little of Max Muscle in the ring in action, and this is a literal golden opportunity to walk away champion. The 2 have a staredown mid ring, a mass of humanity. The bell rings and Train hits the ropes for a shoulderblock, but Muscle stands his ground. Again, same thing. Max is unlike any opponent Train has met so far. A third shoulderblock attempt sees Max instead clothesline Train. He picks him up and lands a couple hard forearms to the back before taking him to the corner. Irish whip attempt follows, but Train reverses it. Max goes into the corner hard with the force sending him back out. Train meanwhile hits the ropes and comes back at Max with a running low angle shoulderblock, aka The Pounce if time machines to 2004 TNA existed. Max gets up and Train sends him him into the ropes, connecting with a scoop powerslam and a cover. The referee gets down and makes the 3 count. Much like Monday's Nitro, Ice Train again makes extremely short work of an opponent, this time in under 2 minutes. Ventura says that maybe this shows the Computer Contenders Challenge is not all it is cracked up to be, and evidence the human touch will always be needed. Tex Slazenger and Shanghai Pierce beware because Ice Train is on a roll and coming for them.





-- Seventh commercial break --

[Deleted]

vs

This is it. Sting's big chance after a month of cheap shot attacks by this mystery individual, The Black Scorpion. First costing him the WCW title at Halloween Havoc, and then several subsequent attacks on Nitro. Conspiracy theorists abound that it could be Hulk Hogan, Sting's opponent at Starrcade. It could be Ric Flair, the original Black Scorpion. Once thought for sure to be Brother Brutus, that theory seems to have lost traction when Scorpion appeared in a Sting vs Brutus match on Nitro. The other half of this equation is Cactus Jack and the WCW champion Big Van Vader, with Cactus looking to prove himself a worthy contender to Vader. Manager Harley Race thinks the idea of Cactus representing WCW as champion is laughable. Tonight he looks to prove him wrong.

Sting starts the match in the ring and calls for The Scorpion. He will not get his wish though, as instead the massive Vader starts the match opposite him. An early lockup sees Vader push Sting back to the corner and give a clean break, only to hit a double bicep and taunt Sting, asking him "who's the man?" Sting circles to take another go, but ends up getting shoved down. Cactus wants the tag and gets it, looking to make a point here. The fans cheer as he goes in, only to have Vader start landing forearms to the back. Cactus gets backed to the corner where Vader starts delivering some big shots. An Irish whip to the opposite corner is followed by a charge in, but Cactus moves. Vader turns to a kick at the knee and several rights. He twists the arm and Sting takes in to take over. Vader has other plans though, grabbing Sting at the back of the head and pushing him into the ropes to shove him off. Sting hits the ropes and bounces back into a clothesline attempt from Vader that he ducks. When Vader turns, Sting starts landing shots and charges with a clothesline that rocks Vader. A second attempt though sees Vader recover and catch Sting with a double sledge. Sting goes down and here we go, The Scorpion tags in. Like a predator stalking prey, he keeps behind Sting, going down into a reverse chin lock. The Scorpion wrenches back with no clues on his identity from this. The masked man releases the hold and kicks at Sting from behind. He brings Sting to his feet and drives him into the corner with a shoulder to the gut before a tag. Vader steps back in and just starts slugging away before bringing Sting out. A spinning back fist puts him down, followed by an elbow drop. Vader covers ...






... 1






... 2




... no.

Easy kick out by Sting as Vader goes to a headlock. Sting fights and gets up, huge show of strength as he lifts Vader up in a belly to back suplex, dropping him to the mat. It took a lot out of Sting though and Vader easily tags, while Sting comes nowhere near Cactus. The Scorpio grabs him by the leg, pulls him back and starts kicking at it. The commentators note how working the leg would certainly be a Ric Flair signature, but also wonder if he would risk the I Quit match with Barry Windham by competing twice back to back like this. The Scorpion brings Sting to his feet and locks in an abdominal stretch. He takes hold of the top rope for added leverage while Sting fights the pain. The referee catches The Scorpion, makes him release the top rope, and Sting hiptosses him over. Rather than tag, Sting immediately grabs at the mask of The Scorpion, but he is able to quickly recover with jawbreaker that puts Sting down. The Scorpion picks up Sting, but he frees himself and manages to tag in Cactus to a pop. Scorpion tags out to Vader and it is back to square 1 here. Cactus does not back down with several hard rights for Vader. The 2 exchange in a slug fest before Cactus backs Vader to the ropes and backs up to charge back with a clothesline that takes out both out and over to the floor. Cactus gets up first, but Vader is able to shove him back first into the apron. As this is going on, Sting sneaks over and pulls The Scorpion off the apron. He goes for the mask as Vader rolls Cactus back into the ring. The referee is busy and misses this ...









... A SECOND BLACK SCORPION! He attacks Sting outside the ring and the 2 switch places. This changes everything according to the commentators because this means that it could certainly be Brother Brutus under the mask at times because we only saw 1 with him. 2 would certainly point the finger more towards Hulk Hogan and Brutus than either of them and Ric Flair in Ventura's eyes. Oh yeah, and Sting gets sent into the guard rail and left laying. In the ring meanwhile, Vader delivers a body avalanche on Cactus in the corner and then heads to the middle rope. He starts building momentum, launching back with a Vader bomb. Vader covers ...






... 1






... 2






... NO!

Cactus gets a shoulder up. Vader tells the referee "that was a 3, that was a fucking 3!", overheard clearly by the camera. But being WCW champion, he does not let that set him back as Sting finally gets back to the corner. He lifts Cactus up and starts driving forearms to his back before setting up for the power bomb. Cactus however frees himself, hits several punches to drive Vader back to the corner. A kick to the knee brings the champ down to 1 knee as Cactus back up and charges back with his own knee into Vader's head. Cactus collapses out of exhaustion perhaps and starts to go over for the tag. Vader meanwhile is looking to make the tag himself. Scorpion tags in, but so does Sting. The fan favorite cups his hands to his mouth and lets out an "OWWWWWWWWWWW!" as he readies for this, but then ...









... LIGHTS OUT! ...









... LIGHTS ON! ...









... and suddenly The Scorpion is instead behind Sting. Before he can even realize where The Scorpion is, the sleeper is locked in. Sting starts fading. This has put him down before. The commentators wonder if maybe The Scorpion switched again there, obviously no real answers. Sting is going out and the referee starts checking. He lifts the arm once and it is limp, going down. A second time, same result. He lifts it a third time, but Sting starts to rally. The fans cheers wake him up as he starts fighting back to his feet. He drives an elbow into the gut and breaks free. He starts driving in rights. Before sending him into the ropes, lifting him up and delivering a big military press slam. As The Scorpion is getting up, Sting hits the ropes and comes back with a 1 handed bulldog. As The Scorpion gets up in the corner, Sting is there and an Irish whip across, Stinger splash! Irish whip across, another Stinger splash! The Scorpion goes down and Sting goes to the legs. He brings them upright, steps through, grapevines, and turns. Scorpion Death Lock! Only seconds later and the referee calls for the bell. The Scorpion submits and Sting and Cactus win the match. But the story does not end there. Rather than have Vader help The Scorpion, Race just calls him down. The 2 leave The Scorpion high and dry. The masked man starts getting up, realizing he is between Sting and Cactus Jack with nowhere to go. He still tries to run, but Sting grabs him and no escape this time. He sends The Scorpion into Cactus, who kicks him in the midsection and hits the double under hook DDT. Sting seats The Scorpion up and reaches in for the mask. He loosens it, unties it, pulls it off, and ...









... BRUTUS!? ...









... HOGAN!? ...









... FLAIR!? ...

... RAGE OF THE WRECKING CREW! Wait. What? Even Sting himself seems disappointed by this, Tony Schiavone saying that Rage must just be a patsy in this operation. Ventura says that Rage is no Lee Harvey Oswald here, but he agrees and smells a conspiracy since we now know 2 men are under the mask, the identity of 1 is still unknown but throws out that maybe it is Fury, the other half. They wonder if maybe Rage was just brought on for only tonight? But it is also possible he has been under the mask the whole time. Before Sting realizes, Rage gets outside of the ring and leaves to the back. Ventura thinks Sting should have questioned him on who else was under the mask. Schiavone however says Sting will have to put this all behind him because in 1 month, he now has Hulk Hogan at Starrcade, 1 on 1. But regardless of that comment, this issue would clearly seem to not be done and we have not seen the last of it as much as Sting probably had hoped to have all the answers by the end of this match.



-- Eighth commercial break --

I Quit match
vs

Possibly the biggest match of the night as this could mark the end of The Nature Boy Ric Flair. After over a year of feuding, things reach a boiling point tonight as Flair and Barry Windham battle it out in an I Quit match. After defeating Flair via DQ at Halloween Havoc, Windham refused a rematch. Flair was so desperate however that he vowed that if he says "I Quit", he not only loses the match, but will literally quit WCW and retire from pro wrestling. That got Windham accepting, and not only that, but the winner of this match will go on to challenge the World champion at the 10th anniversary of Starrcade next month on PPV, currently Rick Rude, but both Rowdy Roddy Piper later tonight and now Dustin Rhodes on Monday's Nitro will first get shots, so the match by then is anybody's guess.

The match starts with Windham cheap shotting Flair as he takes his robe off. He immediately starts beating him down in the corner and trying for whatever advantage he can in this 1 early on. He brings Flair up for an Irish whip across the ring, but The Nature Boy reverses it. Windham goes in hard and no time to rest as Flair is in right away with hard chops. Windham seeks refuge outside the ring, but Flair follows without missing a beat. The chops continue and Windham is forced back into the ring. As Flair rolls in though, he manages to catch him with a knee to the ribs. Windham starts choking Flair on the bottom rope, telling the referee to "ask him!" as if this is enough to get the words out. Windham brings Flair up and sends him into the ropes, clotheslining him down to the mat. Windham leaves the ring in search of whatever he can find that may help get the words out. First weapon of choice, the steel chair! Windham brings it in, but before he can use it, Flair grabs the other end. A tug of war ensues before Flair lets go and Windham falls back off his own momentum. Flair kicks away some more before taking the chair and wrapping Windham's knee through it. He gets set to kick it down aka "Pillmanize" it as it would later be known, first giving Windham the chance to quit. He refuses and Flair stomps it down. Windham is in pain early here, but not giving up. Flair removes the chair and slides out, taking Windham's leg with him. Flair again gives Windham the chance to quit before he wraps the knee around the ring post, but no go. Instead Windham is able to pull Flair into the ring post using his leg strength. Flair goes down as Windham gets up, albeit hobbling now. As Flair gets up, he reaches over and brings him to the apron and knocks him back down. Windham grabs the chair and steps back outside, ignoring the referee's warnings. For his next trick, Windham pulls apart the metal barricade that separates fans. He kicks Flair back down and then places it over Flair's body. Using the chair, he whacks it against the metal, telling Flair to say it. A few times and still nothing. Flair is in obvious pain, but lets out a "never!" for good measure.

The referee gets out and helps get Flair out from under the metal barricade as Windham wonders off in search of something else, looking under the ring with something seemingly in mind. Flair has the same idea though it looks like. Windham does indeed find something in the form of a wrench used to put the ring together. He laughs at the thought of this and goes over to Flair, but as he turns the corner, takes a fire extinguisher to the face! As the white ... whatever it is lol ... as it blinds Windham, Flair takes the extinguisher itself and smashes it down across Windham's knee. That 1 had to hurt big time. Windham gets up, but Flair is kicking at the knee. The action finally gets back into the ring as Flair follows. He sizes Windham up and lifts him into shinbreaker. Not once, but twice. The commentators speculate on the Figure 4 being used to get the "I Quit" at this point, seemingly what Flair is thinking. Flair grabs the bad leg, sets up, spins around, and it is locked in! Windham is in pain, and anything goes here. Windham tries for the ropes but the commentators wonder if that even matters in an I Quit match. Certainly does not here because Windham is what might as well be miles from grabbing onto them. Flair on the other hand is close enough that he grabs hold and starts using them himself for leverage. Adding to the pain, Flair rocks Windham around, trying to get the "I Quit" out of him. Windham tries something else, going for the turn. This would reverse the pressure on the hold and Windham succeeds. Now Flair is in a bad way, but he is able to release the hold before anything major. Windham crawls away, reaching into his tights in the process. Flair gets up with the help of the ropes and walks over to Windham. Looking exhausted himself, he turns Windham and goes for the Figure 4 again. He grabs the leg, sets up, spins around ...

... POW! In something that should maybe have an Adam West Batman style graphic accompanying it, Windham blasts Flair with a right hand, accompanied by his mysterious loaded black glove. Flair goes down, but not out. Windham gets up and tells the referee to "ask him", getting no response. Windham grabs Flair as he gets up, pulls him in and hits the implant DDT. Unfortunately for Windham, this is not a regular match because if it were, he would certainly have it won right now. Instead he has to turn Flair, mount him and start slapping him until Flair starts stirring again. When Flair does, Windham applies the iron claw! A move perfected by his father Blackjack Mulligan and adapted over the past couple months here, Windham puts it on and Flair has no options. Windham rips into the forehead, releasing, firing a punch, and reapplying. Flair is noticeably busted open and Windham is just toying with him now. If anything would get the "I Quit", it would be this. Windham releases again and lets Flair slowly get to his feet, or 1 knee anyways. He then runs in with a lariat, almost knocking his head off. The claw gets reapplied and Flair's career is now in serious jeopardy, never mind just the match. Flair gives what sounds like an "I ... I ... I" but never quits. Windham releases again and threatens the referee to listen carefully because Flair is close to saying it. Flair gets to a knee again as Windham goes back to reapply, but Flair instead drives his forearm between the legs of Windham to down him with a low blow. Windham is down, Flair collapses back to the mat.

As they get up, Windham punches, Flair chops. Windham punches, Flair chops. Windham punches, Flair blocks it and chops. Flair chops. Flair chops. And now Windham is clearly on the defensive with Flair on the attack. Not looking good at all, Flair takes him to the corner and goes to Irish whip Windham across, but The Lone Wolf reverses it. Flair goes in hard, but flips out to the apron and runs along the apron to the other corner. He goes up top and comes off, hitting Windham with a chop / forearm, never really was all that clear what Flair did there as 75% of the time he usually gets caught by the opponent. Flair stretches out Windham's hand with the glove and stomps on it. He does it again. He tells the referee he intends to break every 1 of his fingers if that is what it takes to make him say that he quits. He then sits on the extended arms and starts bending the fingers back with a camera close up looking more like 70's exploitation horror in Times Square than pro wrestling. Flair then bites at the fingers! He then goes out and looks to find something, alas the hammer used by the timekeeper with the ring bell. He gets back in and gives Windham the chances to say he quits, rather than endure this. Windham just clutches his hand and ignores the request. So Flair pulls out the arm and proceeds to smash the hand with the hammer. Windham cries in pain, but no "I quit". Flair does it again, but still nothing. Things are now going south fast for The Lone Wolf. The referee tries to plea with Flair that this is too much, Flair just bringing the hammer back as if to hit the referee, telling him to back off. Windham goes to the floor as Flair throws down the hammer and the referee gives it back since it is needed for a purpose out there.

Flair exits as Windham has his hand covered as though he just got it chopped off in Lando's Cloud City and was about to find out Flair was his father. If only it were that easy. Flair chops at Windham, and then grabs some excess cable from the cameras and wraps it around Windham's throat. No "I quit", but the commentators seem more concerned that Windham's pride could cost him more than just the match now. Flair takes some slack from the wires and slides in under the bottom rope. The wire goes over the top rope and Flair pulls back. Windham is getting choked out, hung via the top rope right now. He tries to free himself, but he is quickly going out. Flair lets go a bit to ensure Windham does not pass out and tells the referee to ask him. Windham gives nothing, so Flair pulls back again. Windham starts going out. Flair again releases to give Windham a chance to say it. Flair readies to go back again, but alas Windham pulls in the referee and the bell gets called. The match is over as the commentators wonder on the decision, Jesse Ventura thinking Windham must have just said it. Sure enough, the referee enters and raises Flair's arm in victory. Flair wins as Windham says "I quit" to the referee. Somebody here certainly will not be having a happy Thanksgiving, but Flair will. And he may have a happy Starrcade too because he is now the #1 contender and will face the World champion come December 29 - whether it be Rowdy Roddy Piper or Ravishing Rick Rude with the Steel Cage match to come, and even Dustin Rhodes having a shot this Monday on Nitro first. Flair seemingly ends the feud with Windham here tonight in a devastating match.



-- Ninth commercial break --

Eric Bischoff: Alright, welcome back to the Clash of Champions. An absolutely crazy night so far Missy, but still to come, the big 1. As you can see behind us, the construction of the steel cage has begun. Tonight, 2 men enter, only 1 man leaves, and he leaves the World champion. Now as we found out moments ago, The Nature Boy Ric Flair will challenge the winner of this match at Starrcade, but not only that, The Natural Dustin Rhodes will also receive a shot this Monday on Nitro. By the time we get to Starrcade, it could be any 1 of 3 wrestlers facing The Nature Boy.

Missy Hyatt: Personally I'm hoping to see Ric Flair against Roddy Piper. What a match that would be.

Eric Bischoff: Indeed it would. Fans will recall the many battles those 2 waged in the Mid Atlantic region, and it was just a week and a half ago on Nitro that they were scheduled to team, and Flair mysteriously no showed. He claimed to have been attacked backstage, but by who? We don't know. He doesn't even know. It could be anybody, or it could be nobody. Tonight we saw a second Black Scorpion, so his name certainly not in the clear. And technically, a second Scorpion, it has to put Brother Brutus back into the discussion after we had taken him out.

Missy Hyatt: It really is a mystery Eric. We have no idea who it is. It could be any number of-

And just like that, Brad Armstrong and Toni Adams are for some reason out here to interrupt. Fans boo.

Brad Armstrong: You know I would thank you all for that reception, but I think it's only fitting on this day that all of you be thanking me. I am the best wrestler, bare none, in WCW today, and how does the company handle that? Put me in the main event? Give me a title shot? How about not even being on the card. This is an embarrassment for this company. Last I checked, it was World Championship Wrestling. Heck, give me 10 minutes with a broom and I'll put on a better man than anything we've seen so far, that's how good I am. Give me 10 minutes with anybody, I'll beat them 1, 2, 3. It doesn't matter who!

Missy Hyatt: What about me?

Brad Armstrong: Hold on here, hold on. You can't possibly be serious? You think you can handle me, 1 on 1?

Missy Hyatt: I don't think. I know!

Toni Adams: Now hold on here, I'm not sure who you think you're talking to out here, but if you want to talk to this man, you have to ask my permission.

Missy Hyatt: Excuse me? I don't know where you came from or who you are, but I'm the first lady of WCW. I don't need anybody's permission to do anything, least of all yours.

Brad Armstrong: Ladies, ladies. Please. Since this is Thanksgiving, let's just calm down out here. The last thing these fans want to see is the 2 of you fighting over me. After all, there's enough of me to go around for the both of you.

Missy Hyatt: Are you for real? Listen mister, you might have the wrestling moves, but when it comes to this right here? You certainly don't have the moves to handle this.

Missy piefaces Armstrong with her hand and walks off.

Brad Armstrong: That's fine. You think I actually wanted you anyway. I've got all I need right here. Let's get out of here.

Armstrong grabs her by the arm, but she resists. He turns back and gets slapped in the face to a big pop.

Toni Adams: You think I didn't hear that? Besides, you lost the King of Cable and my chance to be Queen, you're not even wrestling tonight. I came to WCW because I thought this was where the big boys played. Not the "little" boys.

Adams leaves as well to a big pop as Armstrong is left alone, embarrassed by this ordeal.

Brad Armstrong: Yeah, you leave! I didn't want her anyway. What are you looking at Bischoff?

Eric Bischoff: Not much apparently. Hey!, I'm just going by what they said. Anyway, 1 last break as they finish off the construction of the Steel Cage, and when we come back, it's Roddy Piper, it's Rick Rude, it's next!


-- Tenth commercial break --

Steel Cage match for the World Title
vs

When it comes to cable TV, it is pretty hard to get much bigger than this in 1993. The Steel Cage is complete. Rowdy Roddy Piper to challenge Ravishing Rick Rude for the World Title. The feud began some 4 months ago when Rude was awarded the World title by WCW International back at the August Clash of Champions on Piper's Pit, following a controversial finish at Bash at the Beach against Ricky Steamboat. Piper had some comments for Rude that led to a sneak attack and Rude laying out Piper with 2 Rude Awakenings. Piper would be absent from WCW until returning to set up a non title match at Halloween Havoc. Piper would end up winning the match clean with the sleeper, setting up this rematch. As announced, only way to win is to escape the cage as no referee was willing to get into the cage with these men to make the necessary count, but 2 referees present on the floor to keep tabs and ensure all the ringside area is observable. The options are over the top or through the door. With the introductions, Michael Buffer.

Michael Buffer: Tonight, a time to give thanks. A holiday celebrated all across the United States of America, to honor the blessings given, and tonight, the superstars of World Championship Wrestling. 2 stand taller than the rest on this eve. 2 stand, ready to do battle inside of a 15 foot high steel cage. The only way to win, to escape the punishment endured. To escape the clutches of the other man. To escape the confines of the cage itself. And to reign as the Heavyweight champion of the World. St. Petersburg, Florida, are you ready?!? Wrestling fans, are, you, rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrready?!? Then for the thousands in attendance, and the millions watching around the world, from the Bayfront Center, ladies and gentlemen, LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLET'S GET READY TO RUMBLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLE!



Both men enter the cage and ready to go at it. Some early comedy as Rude immediately heads for the door. Piper catches him easily by grabbing him and pulling him back in, but Rude cheap shots and heads right for the door again. He is crawling, but Piper grabs him by the legs and pulls him back in as the door gets shut. To prevent that, Piper turns them and goes to stand by the door. Rude gets up and looks over to see Piper standing there, just giving a wave and a hi. If you want out that door, you gotta get through Piper to do it. So Rude instead does the next best thing and immediately starts climbing! Piper just walks over and grabs him. Rude gets a look of panic before Piper kicks the top rope that Rude is balanced on and causes him to drop down and low blow himself on it. The commentators speculate this match is as much about getting revenge for Piper as it is about the title and he will not be trying for an early exit here. Rude gets up and Piper grabs him by the head and runs him into the cage. He turns and rams Rude's head into the other side of the cage. Rude goes down and Piper is loving this. As he gets up, Rude throws a punch but Piper ducks and gives him an atomic drop. Rude turns and gets a poke to the eyes. Piper fires Rude into the opposite turnbuckle, hitting with such force he comes out into a back body drop. Piper waits for Rude to get up and looks for the sleeper, but Rude quickly dives towards the cage and the momentum sends Piper head first into the steel. Piper is down and Rude is slow to get up. The referee opens the door thinking Rude is going to try and go out, but he tells him to close it. Now that Piper is down and prone, he would like to first inflict some damage.

Piper gets up and starts taking some hard jabs from Rude. A snapmare puts Piper on his back, followed by an atomic elbow drop to the head. Piper squirms as Rude starts choking him. Piper starts crawling, maybe for the door? But a long way away and Rude sits on the back, locking in a camel clutch. Jesse Ventura notes that taking out the lower back, could prove critical to take out Piper's ability to climb that cage. Piper starts fighting to get up, getting to his hands and knees, but Rude just jumps up and crashes his weight to the lower back and reapplies. Piper starts fighting again and Rude tries the same thing again, but Piper crawls out of the way and Rude just crashes himself into the mat. Piper gets up at the ropes as Rude also gets up. He goes to grab Piper and slams him face first into the turnbuckle. No effect. Tries again, and not only no effect, but it seems to riling Piper up. He starts shaking but Rude quickly silences that by instead slamming him face first into the cage. Rude lifts Piper up and drops him with a belly to back suplex. Now Rude gives the sign to open the door. He heads over but Piper is grabbing his leg to stop it. Rude tries kicking him off and instead goes to climb again. He gets up to the top, but Piper is right behind him. Piper grabs him by the face and slams him into the cage. A second time and Rude falls back to the mat. The fans cheer as Piper looks around before continuing the climb. He might do it here! He gets a leg draped over, but Rude manages to grab the other leg in time and stop the momentum. Rude gets up and smashes the leg into the cage before straddling it himself. Now the 2 are fighting in a very dangerous position here. A simple unwanted fall could win the match, but cost them dearly in doing so. Rude manages to get over and start climbing down, but Piper grabs him by the hair! Rude flails his legs about as if to drop and make it seem like Piper's hold of his hair is all that is stopping him (though Rude is holding onto the top of the cage too).

Piper brings Rude back over, but Rude kicks him off. Piper goes down and Rude rather than climb here looks for the ultimate punctuation mark. He stands a top the cage as the commentators wonder what is about to go down. Rude jumps off and lands on his feet, buckling into a diving knee drop. Rude himself sells the move taking a lot of him while Piper lays dead. Rude finally gets up. Piper gets to his hands and knees as Rude just stands over him, gyrating his hips with his hands behind his head. Piper gets up and Rude grabs the neck. Slow and theatrical in nature, Rude twists Piper around, cracking the neck with the Rude Awakening. Piper is done here as Rude spends some more precious time mocking the crowd with hip gyrations rather than trying to escape. Finally Rude starts climbing the cage, taking his sweet time as he clearly thinks he can. As he gets near the top though, Piper starts crawling. Rude gets over the cage and sees Piper by the door to give a look of panic himself. He starts hurrying up. Rude is climbing down. Piper is climbing out. Rude hops down. Piper falls to the floor. The bell rings! Referee #1 by Rude raises his hand to massive boos from the audience. Referee #2 however raises Piper's hand?! The fans cheer, but this is not clear cut. Who wins? Ventura thinks if it were a tie, that means Rude keeps the title. Schiavone disagrees and says if a tie, they should get back inside the cage and finish this. The 2 referees consult with each other. The wrestlers await word, and ...

... the match continues! Piper is pleased with this, but Rude argues. He thinks this should be a draw and he is the champion. Piper gets back in and waits for Rude. He argues it to the bitter end, but to no avail. Rude heads back in, but Piper charges him. Piper starts throwing punches but Rude just seems concerned with isolating the arm, and we quickly find out why. While outside, Rude sneaks in a pair of handcuffs and locks Piper to the cage! Schiavone cries foul, but there is little anybody can do about this. Rude will win the match on semantics but wants to have some fun first. He mocks Piper and laughs as Piper tries to free himself as if his strength alone can maybe free him. Rude steps in cautiously and kicks Rude. Short jabs follow and Rude again heads to the mid ring, gyrating the hips for fans with his back to an angered Piper. The handcuffing brings out Piper's friend Johnny B. Badd. He tries getting into the cage himself, but the referees restrain him. Badd argues this is not fair as Rude keeps punching and kicking Piper. Rude walks towards Badd and the door, but Piper grabs Rude by the back of the tights. He pulls Rude back in and manages to lock in the sleeper hold. With one wrist cuffed up, Piper has to turn Rude close enough to do this, but it works! Rude starts fading!! It looks like this plan may backfire after all on the World champion. Rude is out like a light here, but Piper is cuffed to the cage. 1 of the referees climbs up the side of the cage, reaching through and trying his generic lock picking skills to free Piper with a paper clip. Rude gets revived and starts crawling for the door. The referee keeps going. Piper gets free'd! He grabs Rude and pulls him back in. Rude hits him with a high knee and Rude goes down. Piper wants the door open now. This is it. New World champion finally ...

... NO! As Piper goes to leave, the cage door slams back on his head! Piper immediately crumples in a heap as Johnny B. Badd has betrayed Piper here tonight. The fans boo as Badd just looks on in silent rage. Piper is done like Thanksgiving dinner here and Rude starts stirring with everybody given a few seconds here to ponder just what the hell that was for? Schiavone is disgusted by it, while Ventura thinks that maybe Badd's emotions have got the best of him. Schiavone wants clarification as Ventura says that if it had not been for Piper, Badd would have never put his title shot up tonight against Dustin Rhodes, he would not have gotten looked over all those times, and Piper's gratitude to Badd for helping him all this time was choosing Ric Flair as partner 2 weeks ago on Nitro. Rude gets up, unaware of what went down and seems to second guess leaving through door with Badd standing there. Badd however steps down and Rude steps out cautiously, stepping to the floor. Rude will win this match as he quickly grabs the title belt and goes to leave, just thankful he still has this. That means we have Ric Flair challenging Rick Rude at Starrcade on December 29. That much we know.

But Badd is not done. He gets back inside the cage and has a chain and padlock. He locks up the cage himself, alone with Piper. The fans boo this as Piper gets to his knees and looks Badd in the eyes, wondering why. Why he would do that. Badd's only answer is a left handed knockout hook that sends Piper dropping to the mat. Pathetic. Schiavone calls Badd pathetic because everybody else is to blame but himself for his own actions. Ventura says that he likes this new side of Badd and thinks maybe this is what he needs to turn things around. Badd lifts Piper up and puts him into a fisherman's carry. And just like that, he pushes Piper up and turns him into a cutter. Piper is not moving as Badd gets up and just looks down at him. This is enough though. Dustin Rhodes is out and trying for the door. No go, padlocked shut. He starts climbing, but at the same time so does Badd to get out. Rhodes leaps in and races over, but no use as Badd himself is out. Rhodes goes back to Piper trying to revive him, but no dice. He is out. Badd just walks away with fans booing, some even pelting him with litter. Rhodes wants help but they cannot get in, thus bringing out a pair of bolt cutters. Badd is gone and they cut the lock to get in. Rhodes stands to look on as the personnel attends to Piper, but all the commentators can ask is why. The show fades to black with a brief promo for Starrcade focused on Sting vs Hulk Hogan, December 29 from Charlotte, North Carolina.

(and a reminder, no Saturday Night as mentioned on Nitro as it will be a Best of Starrcade special, really though just did not want to bother writing it and have the next Nitro be the first show after this for the fallout)

[promoterx]

You have Missy's character nailed, fun reading the exchange with here and Eric to kick off the show.

A little surprised to see Bagwell and Scorpio put Eaton and Benoit away once and for all, really thought Eaton and Benoit were going to come out on top here, really not sure where you are headed with the tag titles since there are so many different avenues right now, going to be fun to see where it all goes.

Nice little match with Zenk and Page that does what it needed to do, not every match needs a massive build up or some sort of story behind it, sometimes it's as simple as one guys on his way up the card and the other on the way down.

I honestly thought when Bagwell and Scorpio won the match that Harlem Heat would pull off the upset against the Road Warriors and head on to face Bagwell and Scorpio at Starcade.

Another one I didn't see coming was Dustin's win, but I should have. Looking back, the story is set up for this, but the way it was going I really thought Badd was going to turn full heel to win the King of Cable, so you swerved me while still going where I thought you were IE heel Badd. Dustin vs. Rude should be a good match upcoming.

Good work on the Hogan contract signing segment, all that was missing was Jimmy Hart jumping up and down in the background. Really like how you are playing the Brutus gimmick here. Sting vs. Hogan is going to be fun.

Ice Train vs. Max Muscle would have been some......interesting.......stuff. Nice to see Ventura taking a shot at the computer, I have a feeling Train is going to be dropping the title soon, and I think the Texicans might have a hand in him finally losing it. Was surprised not to see them show up in some way here.


BIIIIIIIIG win for Flair vs. Windham, though you have to wonder what Windham will do next here in WCW, maybe he's the one to go after Train? Flair challenging for the World Title at Starcade is just the way it should be.

Fun little segment with Brad Armstrong and the girls, little things like that do so much to add to a show.

Great match to close it all out, I actually thought you may put the title on Piper when you had Flair no show the tag match on Nitro. I thought you might be laying ground work for a Piper vs. Flair Starcade match, since it was the anniversary and they were both on the first one. Still the Badd turn was perfect here, and now you have two great matches set for Starcade with Flair vs. Rude, and Badd vs. Piper. Great work!

[Deleted]

Windham is done. For now anyway. That was always my plan. I am going to hold on to him for now and just sell the effects of this match as reason for being off TV, and then gauge things in the new year after Starrcade. Either I have something new for him or I will drop him.

Also Piper will be out a bit too selling that. Starrcade has enough, I did not want to bastardize Piper that low on the card. Besides, he needs time off. New movie project in the works lol.

[Grape Ape]

Being done with Eaton and Benoit, it is now time for Bagwell and Scorpio to take a step up in the tag ranks. Lots of ways to go here.

Road Warrior fan here, so nice to see them step over Harlem Heat. Still a good match up because the Heat offer up a good exchange because of their size.

Hogan finally shows himself and signs the WCW contract. I wish there was a little more time before the match with Sting to give Hogan a little in-ring work or at least something with Brutus but I guess there is some time for at least one match. Found the mic work so-so with the "Us versus Them" which I imagine was a jab at WWF without it being said. That's over so looking forward to Hogan's role here going forward.

Speaking of Sting, I had the same reaction he did when unmasking Al Greene. I guess that isn't over just yet.

Really liked the Flair/Windham match. You gave Flair the edge he might need now stepping up against the Stings, Hogans, Rudes and Vaders sitting at the top. He still means business and is willing to do what it takes to get what he wants.

The Brad Armstrong segment was all kinds of funny and placed just right to bring the level of intensity down just a tad before heading into the main event. Now, with no Adams, where does he go from here? Back to the drawing board I would imagine.

Solid cage match between Piper and Rude that had me cheering on Piper but it was not to be with Badd turning. Well built turn there. The finished out well and as you have done time after time, set up what is to come next very nicely and smoothly.

Great work!

[Deleted]

The stuff with "us" vs "them" is not over. That has been half of the basis of the angle on TV for weeks now and will continue to be. It is pretty well established "them" is WWF at this point from the TV. It also is not a jab at WWF in any way since in order for it to work and make sense, I have to present WWF as roughly equal in the eyes of the WCW executives that are said to be treating it as such. If I were trying to make WWF seem inferior within this angle, it would not make any sense because they would just sign Hogan no questions asked instead of here where Sting forced the hand to make them sign him. And just to clarify for anybody reading this that just happens upon this, that all started pre-promoterx's WWF obviously, so it is nothing to do with the current WWF or as a comment on what he does in any way.

As for Hogan in the ring, I will not be giving Hogan a match before Starrcade. He is being built for a big PPV as the reason he is here in the storyline, everybody knows exactly who he is, so I do not think it adds anything to the sell to have him do a TV match just for the sake of doing a match, if anything just takes away slightly because Starrcade is no longer his debut. I would agree if this were a small time 80s regional territory it makes sense, but as with him in real life until 95 or so, I would rather keep him out of the ring on TV for the most part and save his matches for PPV with the occasional TV match. People want to see Hogan wrestle, pay for it, throw a bone every now and then though. For now anyway. That philosophy will probably change once he gets further entrenched.

Glad the Armstrong segment got over as it was written completely on the fly. I realized it made no sense to go to commercial, come back, a cage is up lol. So I added that while they would have been building the cage in the background, and as a way to write Adams out because she was not working out at all like I had planned. I liked Armstrong far better in the early heel character I gave him based more out of not getting respect from fans before she showed up, than I did after and he was more just becoming like any other random low mid-card heel.

[Deleted]

Solid stuff thru and thru. Loved the Hogan angle, Flair finally getting passed Windham, and how the Badd turn was handled. Extra bonus for comedy throughout, especially the Armstrong segment, and how you handled writing off Toni Adams.

Really thought the main event was handled great, with Badd turning and I LOVE that Piper's not going to be around for a bit. Gives Badd a chance to build some heat before the two finally lock horns (or gloves depending on which way you go with it).

The Brutus/Hogan stuff was fun too, although IF he or Flair get revealed as the Scorpion at this point it'd be a bit of a let down. Which is my only complaint here. I thought for SURE we were getting Scorpion's reveal here tonight, and we didn't. I'd say that's not a bad thing, BUT I really hate to see this angle play into Sting/Hogan at Starrcade. Perhaps we're getting a reveal on a Nitro, given how Easy E likes to give away big angles and matches for free it'd make sense.

The Ice Train stuff, WOW, just WOW... the US title is BURIED at this point, and it's completely intentional on your behalf. It's funny stuff, but in the long haul just kills the credibility of the title. I think it's time to kill it dead, perhaps Badd can get a run as champ or something.

Also, it appears as though (at least in your Thanksgiving show that vanished) that the Sid/Arn real life incident has occurred here in your WCW, curious as to what that means for Vader now. Will Flair step in and take Sid's spot as he did in real life?

Anywho, great job as per usual man.

[Deleted]

They were announced as suspended on Nitro on October 28, and have not appeared since. But if a tree falls in the forest and nobody is around lol ... so in that sense, it did not work at all for how it was supposed to for readers with storylines abruptly cutting off a month ago, especially if you are wondering here if Flair will take Sid's place because Sid's place was long taken by somebody else the build to this show as a feud with Vader and Flair's match here was to determine an opponent to Rude.

As for Ice Train, not my intention at all actually, or for it to be comical, so I am actually failing quite miserably. Everything was getting ripped apart with Train, so I started going the Goldberg route. To me, I saw it more as a challenger here that was put in short matches and brief spurts of offense to hide his faults and come across as dominant. I saw this as not Max Muscle in 1996 being told to try and wrestle, this was me thinking he has an impressive look and a physical presence, and when Train beats him in no order here as a mystery opponent here no less with no preparation at all in 1993 when this rarely got done in a buffer match, it comes off a certain way. Follow that doing the same to Levesque on Nitro, and the match on tonight's Nitro. That was my intention, but it is clearly not working like I envision it, like a lot here actually lol. Wrong approach I guess to bring in guys and try to push them when the real WCW did nothing with them like Tex and Shanghai, or maybe it is just pairing that negative with another similar example in Ice Train that does not work. Not sure, but needless to say, I will try to not make that mistake again and stick to pushing established names going forward over pet projects.

I think it is pretty obvious after this weekend that Nitro is just a dead format and not working, even these big shows too to some extent. I think people can look at my work and think "yeah, I can appreciate the work put into it" but also an overriding "yeah, that is too long to actually read" lol. Details of stuff are getting missed left and right it seems because the show is just flat out too long and people are skimming it, if reading it at all, as seen by 3 of the last 4 Nitro shows having 0 feedback on them, and it in turns leads to the stuff on these not coming across as intended or the point I am going for being completely missed on some stuff. Or stuff that should have been taken in by the reader weeks ago just coming up now at the show itself. And I am not criticizing anybody for that or trying to come across as getting on anybody's case for not reading, because as much as people write "do what you want" or "whatever works for you", in my opinion it is the writer's job to make the reader understand and convey their thoughts, and I am failing at that right now almost top to bottom relative to before. Bombing might be a better word actually lol. I cut tonight's Nitro down yesterday from its original written form and trimmed as much as I could to make it the smallest file size for a Nitro since May, although reading it back after, then it gets stuck in some weird middle ground where the finer detail is gone so stuff does not come out like it should, and it is still too long relative to everything else lol. I might just make next week's a carbon copy of Saturday Night's format and see how that works out, and then starting after Starrcade, just do a simpler less detailed format for occasional week to week consumption so stuff is harder to miss, if not drop Nitro entirely.

[Deleted]

My fault. I DID read this, just went back a day or so later before leaving feedback and skimmed. Totally forgot Cactus was getting the shot at Starrcade. You've hyped it pretty well too so I feel like a fool here. Don't change for the sake of my feedback. Yeah I skim from time to time these days but DO either go back and fully read or fully read and go back and skim. Forgive me, the last few months for me have been crazy.

[Deleted]

Hey, man, no attack on you or need to apologize. I just mean clearly Nitro is not working on some level for whatever reason, and it seems to me length would be the culprit. The problem is when it gets that long, it gets more detail. When it gets more detail, it is far easier to miss stuff that I obviously know is there because I write it. And then when I get here, I know everything that has happened, but clearly some is getting missed along the way. I was not questioning you reading this show or details here, just the Nitro shows in build up as impacting an understanding on this to the same degree I get from it as a writer and knowing every little thing to take stuff for granted. That to me is bad writing by me on some levels because I am failing to look at it from an audience perspective, not so much the readers.

Tonight's Nitro may be a little wonky because it is edited down from the normal format, but I think the new way should make for a far easier read if you guys like to "Nextflix" these in 1 show for lack of better term. It is not a complete overhaul or anything and still long by comparison (from memory, 8000 words vs 16000 last week, so roughly half), just far less of the commentators and less in the matches, "trimming the fat". Next week's when I actually write it like that from scratch, there will probably be little bits of commentary written into the matches, more like what I did for the December 7 Saturday Night. This could all end up as a positive for everybody long term, so I do not want anybody to take it as negative. Just acknowledgement that Nitro severely needed change from me as when I went from 1 hour to 2, I should have done this; instead I just doubled the show from the exact original format which I should have never done.