The Wrestling Doctor 08.05.08: An Exercise In Idle Speculation: Clash of the Champions (Part II)

Posted by W.S. Thomason on 08.05.2008

Read on to find out how the words “Van Hammer” and “Highly Recommended” come together for one time only!

THE WRESTLING DOCTOR: THE PRESCRIPTION FOR WHAT AILS

This week is the second part in a series looking at what matches and moments from the Clash of the Champions series should make a rumored 2009 "Best of" DVD set.

I am briefly looking at each Clash and pulling out the matches that ought to make a DVD set. I am assuming that the DVD collection would be three discs, so I am dividing the thirty-five Clashes evenly into three groups. Possible collection candidates will be graded as MUST HAVE, HIGHLY RECOMMEDED, or IF SPACE PERMITS. At the end of the series, we will look at what a hypothetical set might look like.

For the unacquainted, Clash of the Champions was a free, three hour, pay-per-view quality special on TBS run by Jim Crockett Promotions opposite Wrestlemania IV. The success of that event lead to serialization, and Clashes graced TBS four to five times a year until WCW began running more pay-per-views. The Clashes died out altogether after 1997, when Nitro, Thunder, and twelve pay-per-views rendered the event moot. The match quality on the various Clashes varied, but many of the shows would be on PPV if offered today.

I am not listing or discussing all of the matches on each show, nor am I reviewing the bouts themselves. Far more capable staff handles such duties on the right side of your screen. Not every Clash will get a match on the collection – some of the shows were not worth documenting. I also am considering in my picks realities such as match time, DVD redundancy, and backstage politics. After all, those unfortunate things determine a lot of what we do or do not receive.

Last week I looked at Clashes I – XII. This week, we cover November 1990 through August 1993 with Clashes XIII – XXIV.

Clash XIII: 20 Nov 1990 / Jacksonville, FL / "Thanksgiving Thunder": A program sub-titled "Thanksgiving Thunder" can only deliver so much. This show featured Sid Vicious vs. The Nightstalker (Bryan Clarke), a masterpiece too awesome for DVD. Your head will implode like a rotted cantaloupe if you watch that match. Public Enemy's Ted Petty (Rocco Rock) appeared as Col. DeKlerk, saving an otherwise dreadful Pat O'Connor International Tag Team Tournament qualifying match. Ric Flair faced Butch Reed in a match where the participants were determined by coin toss as a means of continuing the Horsemen-Doom feud. We cannot overlook a magic trick from The Black Scorpion designed to spook Sting and make viewers disappear. This Clash enters the era where the shows were becoming more glorified versions of WCW Saturday Night. Nothing significant here. Moving on.

Clash XIV: 30 Jan 1991 / Gainesville, GA / "Dixie Dynamite": The already-departed Jim Cornette got a name for a mid-level Smoky Mountain wrestler out of this, so it was not a total loss (not that Dixie Dynamite is all that original). This show was supposed to be held at the CNN Center, but they had to move it the dilapidated Georgia Mountain Center instead. That over-played and cramped WCW Saturday Night venue was not the right environment for a significant show. One good match did come out of this show, however.

WCW World Title: Ric Flair vs. Scott Steiner: The Steiners were seriously over by the end of 1990, and the next logical step was for WCW to push them as singles stars. Scott was the better worker of the two, and he had pinned Flair in his second match of "running the gauntlet" in September 1990. Unfortunately, 1991 was the year that his injuries began to show. The muddled mess that was the WCW office failed to push the Steiners while they were really hot. This match is a TV-time-remaining draw, and definitely worth a look.
Grade: Highly Recommended

Clash XV: 14 June 1991 / Knoxville, TN / "Knocksville USA": This was the last major show before WCW began to transform into a post-Flair promotion. Several potentially good matches were cut short by WCW Saturday Night-like squashes. Scott Steiner tore his bicep during the show, and The Great Muta completely wiped out on a hand-spring elbow.

WCW World Title: Two-Out-of-Three-Falls: Ric Flair vs. Bobby Eaton: This was Flair's last high profile defense before the debacle with Jim Herd led him to jump to the WWF. Eaton seemed to be going places, but they dropped him down the card shortly hereafter. Nice match.
Grade: Must Have

Clash XVI: 05 Sept 1991 / Augusta, GA / "Fall Brawl": No double sub-title this year. I guess "Augusta Aneurysm" did not make the cut. Nicknames ended after this one, anyway. Cactus Jack made his return to attack Sting, and they had a great post-match brawl that continued later in the show when Sting made a retributive strike. Editing that fight together into one segment would make a great extra, but nothing of note beyond that occurred at this event. A very large yawn takes us to the next edition.

Clash XVII: 19 Nov 1991 / Savannah, GA: The Clash returned to form with this show. Sting and Rude met here, but it was less of a match and more of a way to get the US belt on Rude, start up the Sting-Luger program, and ignite the long-term Sting-Rude rivalry. They would have better matches.

WCW World Tag Team Titles: Arn Anderson & Larry Zbysko vs. Ricky Steamboat & Dustin Rhodes: The match was originally scheduled to be Rhodes and Barry Windham going after The Enforcers, but Zbysko had broken BW's hand in a car door before Halloween Havoc. Rhodes had a mystery partner who turned out to be Steamboat, fresh off a brief stint in the WWF. The crowd was hot for a great match that embodied the excitement of a live program.
Grade: Must Have

Clash XVIII: 21 Jan 1992 / Topeka, KS: WCW was hot again with the Dangerous Alliance angle going strong. This Clash introduced Jesse Ventura to the broadcast team and set-up the top notch Superbrawl II card. The winter and spring of 1992 were rolling solid until Bill Watts came in to save us from moves off of the top rope.

Sting & Ricky Steamboat vs. Rick Rude & Steve Austin:
This match could have been much better than it was, but with these four involved it was still great. The Dangerous Alliance Angle was fantastic. You won't find better foils than Steamboat and a top-form Sting.
Grade: Must Have

Falls Count Anywhere: Cactus Jack vs. Van Hammer: Come on, you know you want to see this one again. There is a rodeo pen involved, and Abdullah the Butcher also jumps in. The match is a testament to Foley's ring generalship, as he manages to minimize Van Hammer's excessive limitations. It is not the best fall-count-anywhere match by any means, but it is a very enjoyable bout that may be Hammer's best effort. Cactus was really into using a shovel as a weapon during this period. I do wonder why shovels aren't used more often – they are a believable weapon with considerable surface area and a great sound.
Grade: Highly Recommended

Arn Anderson, Bobby Eaton, & Larry Zbysko vs. Barry Windham, Dustin Rhodes, & Ron Simmons: Another taste of The Dangerous Alliance which saw Windham returning to avenge his broken hand and Simmons attempting to reignite his hot streak from the fall of 91. Anderson formed great teams with both Eaton and Zbysko, and those three gel very well. If only the six-man titles were still around at this point…
Grade: If Space Permits

Clash XIX: 16 June 1992 / Charleston, SC: This show featured first round matches of the revived NWA Tag Team Title tournament. Bill Watts had banned moves from the top rope in WCW, but since this was an NWA event, moves off the top were legal. That rule change for the tournament confused fans and reminded them of what a poor decision Watts had made. The bouts were mainly built to put over WCW talent, but a few gems snuck through the over-booking.

Brian Pillman & Jushin Liger vs. Chris Benoit & Beef Wellington: The best match of the night and the entire tournament was Benoit's first WCW appearance. You know it will not make a DVD release, which is a shame.
Grade: Must Have But Not Likely

Ricky Steamboat & Nikita Koloff vs. Joe & Dean Malenko: It may be the only time that Steamboat was in the ring with Dean Malenko. That alone makes the match worth considering.
Grade: If Space Permits

Clash XX: 02 Sept 1992 / Atlanta, GA: This clash was held at the Center Stage Theatre, where WCW Saturday Night was regularly taped from 1989 to around 1996. The show was a celebration of 20 years of wrestling on TBS and featured many luminaries, including Hank Aaron and the last televised appearance of Andre the Giant. The show also featured a phone-in fan referendum on whether or not moves from the top rope should continue to be illegal. Not surprisingly, the ban was overturned by a huge landslide. Oh, and there was a throw down between Steamboat and a young punk named Austin.

WCW TV Title: Steve Austin vs. Ricky Steamboat: No Disqualification: As much Austin-Steamboat as possible is a good rule to compile by. This match was a no-disqualification pay-off to a late summer feud between the two over Austin's TV title. The match is not as stellar as their 1994 encounters, but it was still the match of the night and one of the best from the WCW-Watts era.
Grade: Must Have

Elimination Match: Sting, Nikita Koloff, & The Steiners vs. Jake Roberts, Rick Rude, Big Van Vader, & Super Invader: The feud-furthering main event designed to build up Halloween Havoc. A decent little match.
Grade: If Space Permits

DVD Extra: Andre the Giant's last televised appearance.

Clash XXI: 18 Nov 1992 / Macon, GA: A fairly forgettable show that featured one of the first big wins for Erik Watts (oh goody) and the debut of Too Cold Scorpio.

King of Cable Semi-Final: Sting vs. Rick Rude: The Sting-Rude feud has been neglected by history and WWE DVD releases, but it had the longevity and intensity of the Cena-Edge rivalry. They had great in-ring chemistry, and this bout may have been the best of their feud. It was a 20 minute time-limit draw, and Sting advanced in a judge's decision and went on to win the tournament. Rude kept his momentum going towards his planned title win over Simmons for the WCW Title.
Grade: Must Have

WCW / NWA Tag Team Titles: Barry Windham & Dustin Rhodes vs. Ricky Steamboat & Shane Douglas: A solid tag match where Windham turns on Rhodes in the culmination of their long-teased break-up. Douglas' legitimate heat with the WWE may keep a match where he looks good off of any collection.
Grade: If Space Permits

Clash XXII: 13 Jan 1993 / Milwaukee, WI: Injuries mucked up the Thunder Cage main event, but a couple of other matches helped out the show.

WCW / NWA Tag Team Titles: Ricky Steamboat & Shane Douglas vs. Steve Austin & Brian Pillman: This was the first big tag title shot for the pairing of Austin and Pillman, before they were dubbed the Hollywood Blondes. The original idea was to use Austin and Pillman to build up Steamboat and Douglas. Then they got over big time. This is the match Austin discusses on the Pillman DVD where they potato Steamboat and Douglas with the belts. Including this bout would give us another Blondes effort on DVD besides the Slamboree cage match.
Grade: Must Have

Chris Benoit vs. Brad Armstrong: This match was Benoit's debut as a full-time WCW talent. Benoit works a stiff style, including a fantastic moment where he nails a clothesline off the second rope and out of the ring, taking Armstrong off of the apron. It should have made the Hard Knocks DVD, and we know that it will never make our Clash collection.
Grade: Highly Recommended But Not Likely

Clash XXIII: 16 June 1993 / Norfolk, VA: This Clash featured the WCW ring return of Ric Flair. The show was not as highly-rated as expected, and WCW executives placed the blame on The Hollywood Blondes instead of the declining quality of the product over the preceding year. But at least there was no Cheatum.

WCW / NWA Tag Team Titles: Two-Out-Of-Three-Falls: The Hollywood Blondes vs. Ric Flair & Arn Anderson: The only thing wrong with this match is that it was not given enough TV time for a third fall. They should have carved out 45 minutes for these four. A tag team classic that shows what the Blondes could have been for WCW.
Grade: Must Have

NWA World Title: Barry Windham vs. Two Cold Scorpio: This match looks weak on paper, as Scorpio's spot-heavy style and Windham's frame do not seem to be compatible. They put on one great effort, though, and it looked for a little while like Too Cold may actually score the huge upset. Well-worked.
Grade: If Space Permits

Clash XXIV: 18 Aug 1993 / Daytona Beach, FL: The segment from this show that must be included is The Shockmaster's legendary botched entrance. For the unacquainted, Sting was introducing the former Tugboat / Typhoon as the surprise member of his team for the upcoming Wargames match at the first Fall Brawl pay-per-view. The Shockmaster was supposed to impressively debut by bursting through the wall of the set of "Flair for the Gold" in a flurry of pyro while an Ole Anderson voice-over would further intimidate the heels. Instead, the pre-cut whole in the set was too small and The Shockmaster tripped, falling flat on his face on lie television amidst laughter from the other workers, commentators, and everyone watching. The voiceover continued as planned, as Ole could not see the disaster from the back. This extra would sell a few thousand sets by itself. It would have the added advantage of taking a shot at WCW on a collection celebrating their accomplishments, so there is no way that McMahon could pass up this segment.

Extra: The Shockmaster entrance

WCW TV Title: Ricky Steamboat vs. Paul Orndorff: This match was far too short, but a good effort from two solid workers when the TV title still had a little value.
Grade: Highly Recommended

The Count So Far

Must Have
The Midnight Express vs. The Fantastics (Clash I)
Barry Windham vs. Sting (Clash III)
Ric Flair & Barry Windham vs. The Midnight Express (Clash IV)
Ric Flair & Sting vs. The Great Muta & Dick Slater (Clash VIII)
Lex Luger vs. Brian Pillman (Clash IX)
Ric Flair vs. Terry Funk (Clash IX)
Ric Flair vs. Bobby Eaton (Clash XV)
Arn Anderson & Larry Zbysko vs. Ricky Steamboat & Dustin Rhodes (Clash XVII)
Sting & Ricky Steamboat vs. Rick Rude & Steve Austin (Clash XVIII)
Ricky Steamboat vs. Steve Austin (Clash XX)
Sting vs. Rick Rude (Clash XXI)
Ricky Steamboat & Shane Douglas vs. Steve Austin & Brian Pillman (Clash XXII)
The Hollywood Blondes vs. Ric Flair & Arn Anderson (Clash XXIII)

Highly Recommended
Ric Flair vs. Sting (Clash I)
Ric Flair vs. Ricky Steamboat (Clash VI)
The Road Warriors vs. The Samoan Swat Team (Clash VIII)
The Midnight Express vs. The Dynamic Dudes (Clash IX)
The Midnight Express vs. The Rock ‘N' Roll Express (Clash XI)
Ric Flair vs. Scott Steiner (Clash XIV)
Cactus Jack vs. Van Hammer (Clash XVIII)
Ricky Steamboat vs. Paul Orndorff (Clash XXIV)

If Space Permits
Lex Luger & Barry Windham vs. Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard (Clash I)
Sting & Dusty Rhodes vs. Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard (Clash II)
Steiners vs. The Freebirds (Clash VIII)
Steiners vs. Skyscrapers (Clash IX)
Steiners vs. Doom (Clash X)
Road Warriors vs. Skyscrapers (Clash X)
Arn Anderson vs. Paul Orndorff (Clash XI)
Lex Luger vs. Ric Flair (Clash XII)
Barry Windham, Ron Simmons, & Dustin Rhodes vs. Arn Anderson, Larry Zbysko, & Bobby Eaton (Clash XVIII)
Ricky Steamboat & Nikita Koloff vs. Joe & Dean Malenko (XIX)
Sting, Nikita Koloff, & The Steiners vs. Jake Roberts, Rick Rude, Vader, & Super Invader (Clash XX)
Barry Windham & Dustin Rhodes vs. Ricky Steamboat & Shane Douglas (Clash XXI)
Barry Windham vs. Too Cold Scorpio (Clash XXIII)

Extras
Original Clash opening titles (belts floating around lightning)
Horsemen parking lot attack on Lex Luger (Clash II)
Jim Cornette "Season's Beatings" promo (Clash IV)
Sting-Cactus Jack brawl (Clash XVI)
Andre the Giant's last televised appearance (Clash XX)
The Shockmaster's Entrance (Clash XXIV)

Looking at the shows from this era makes me miss the WCW in-house entrance music. The cheesy lyrics are incredible, such as these inspiring words from "A Man Called Sting": "He does this, he does that / He's as big as a bull and quick as a cat". Shakespeare!

Sadly, I cannot find the lyrics to the Dustin Rhodes song anywhere – I know "The Natural" and "Naturally" appear too close together to be anything other than awful. Post them below or send a link if you have access to them.

Clashes XXV to XXXV next week!