‘WCW WORLDWIDE’ 01.09.1993 Recap + Review – Best of Worldwide in 1992…But Mostly All November

HOSTS: Tony Schiavone & Jesse “The Body” Ventura

Worldwide continues the clip show motif started earlier the day on Power Hour, with Schiavone & Ventura run down some of the highlights from the show in 1992. Most them apparently took place in November which seems…suspect. 

CHAMPIONS

  • WCW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION: Big Van Vader
  • WCW UNITED STATES HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION: “Ravishing” Rick Rude
  • WCW WORLD TELEVISION CHAMPION: Scott Steiner
  • WCW/NWA UNIFIED WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS: Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat & Shane Douglas

LINEUP

  • Big Van Vader vs. Joe Thurman & T.A. McCoy (Worldwide – 11.07.1992)
  • CLIP: Ricky Steamboat & Shane Douglas vs. Brian Pillman & Steve Austin (Worldwide – 11.24.92)
  • CLIP: Sting vs. Big Van Vader – King of Cable Finals (Starrcade ‘92 – 12.28.92)
  • CLIP: Rick Rude vs. Nikita Koloff (Worldwide – 7.25.92)
  • CLIP: Sting vs. The Barbarian (Worldwide – 11.28.92)

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‘WCW SATURDAY NIGHT’ 01.02.1993 Recap + Review – U.S. Title Tournament Quarterfinals, Hollywood Blondes Form

AIRDATE: January 2, 1993
COMMENTATORS: Jim Ross & “The Living Legend” Larry Zbyszko

Saturday Night this week focuses on the Quarterfinals of the U.S. Title/U.S. Title #1 Contender’s Tournament, with Ricky Steamboat taking on Dan Spivey in the main event and Johnny B. Badd battling Barry Windham in a match whose closing moments has been burned into my brain since I first watched the show live. Also Brian Pillman & Steve Austin start their tag team journey this week but that probably won’t lead anywhere, definitely not to the best tag team of the year or anything, and we get a rundown of the Clash of the Champions card that is very subject to change. 

CHAMPIONS

  • WCW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION: Big Van Vader
  • WCW UNITED STATES HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION: “Ravishing” Rick Rude
  • WCW WORLD TELEVISION CHAMPION: Scott Steiner
  • WCW/NWA UNIFIED WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS: Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat & Shane Douglas

LINEUP

  • Z-Man & Tommy Gunn vs. Cactus Jack & The Barbarian (*3/4)
  • Erik Watts vs. Mustafa Saied (COMPETITIVE SQUASH)
  • U.S. TITLE #1 CONTENDER’S TOURNAMENT – QUARTERFINALS: Dustin Rhodes vs. Vinnie Vegas (**1/4)
  • Brian Pillman & Steve Austin vs. Ricky Nelson & Larry Santo (**)
  • U.S. TITLE #1 CONTENDER’S TOURNAMENT – QUARTERFINALS: Van Hammer vs. Tony Atlas (*)
  • U.S. TITLE #1 CONTENDER’S TOURNAMENT – QUARTERFINALS: Johnny B. Badd vs. Barry Windham (**3/4)
  • U.S. TITLE #1 CONTENDER’S TOURNAMENT – QUARTERFINALS: Ricky Steamboat vs. Dan Spivey (**3/4)

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‘WCW WORLDWIDE’ 01.02.1993 Recap + Review – Rhodes vs. Spivey, Steamboat & Douglas vs. Windham & Pillman

AIRDATE: January 2, 1993
COMMENTATORS: Tony Schiavone & Jesse “The Body” Ventura

The inaugural Worldwide of 1993 features a Unified Tag Team Championship main event as Ricky Steamboat & Shane Douglas defend against Barry Windham & Brian Pillman. Also on the show Erik Watts takes on Bobby Eaton in a Bounty Match and Dustin Rhodes wrestles not once, not twice, but THREE times.

CHAMPIONS

  • WCW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION: Big Van Vader
  • WCW UNITED STATES HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION: “Ravishing” Rick Rude
  • WCW WORLD TELEVISION CHAMPION: Scott Steiner
  • WCW/NWA UNIFIED WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS: Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat & Shane Douglas

LINEUP

  • Dan Spivey vs. Scott Allen (SQUASH)
  • Dustin Rhodes vs. Danny Deese (SQUASH)
  • 2 Cold Scorpio vs. Chris Sullivan (SQUASH)
  • BOUNTY MATCH: Erik Watts vs. Bobby Eaton (*1/2)
  • Dustin Rhodes vs. Dan Spivey (*3/4)
  • Ricky Steamboat & Shane Douglas [c] vs. Barry Windham & Brian Pillman for the WCW/NWA UNIFIED TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP (**1/2)

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‘WCW POWER HOUR’ 01.02.1993 Recap + Review – Armstrong & Bagwell vs. Pillman & Windham, New World Champion Announced

AIRDATE: January 2, 1993
COMMENTATORS: Tony Schiavone & “The Living Legend” Larry Zbyszko

WCW begins their New Year with Power Hour, featuring a tag team main event pitting Brad Armstrong & Marcus Alexander Bagwell against Barry Windham & Brian Pillman, plus some big news as a new World Champion has been crowned…at a house show in Baltimore during the week.

CHAMPIONS

  • WCW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION: Big Van Vader
  • WCW UNITED STATES HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION: “Ravishing” Rick Rude
  • WCW WORLD TELEVISION CHAMPION: Scott Steiner
  • WCW/NWA UNIFIED WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS: Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat & Shane Douglas

LINEUP

  • 2 Cold Scorpio vs. Joe Cruz (SQUASH)
  • Scotty Flamingo vs. Keith Cole (*)
  • Brad Armstrong & Marcus Alexander Bagwell vs. Barry Windham & Brian Pillman (**1/2)

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‘WCW BEACH BLAST 1993’ Recap + Thoughts – Superpowers vs. Masters of the Powerbomb, Flair vs. Windham

DATE: July 18, 1993
VENUE: Mississippi Coast Coliseum (Biloxi, MS)
COMMENTATORS: Tony Schiavone & Jesse “The Body” Ventura

WCW Beach Blast 1993 features a tag team main event as Sting & Davey Boy Smith join forces against Big Van Vader & Sid Vicious aka The Masters of the Powerbomb. The NWA World Heavyweight Championship is also on the line as Barry Windham defends against “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair and Dustin Rhodes defends the United States Heavyweight Championship against “Ravishing” Rick Rude in an Iron Man Match. 

BUT FIRST, a movie:

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‘WCW CHI-TOWN RUMBLE 1989’ Recap + Review – Flair vs. Steamboat, Luger vs. Windham, Loser Leaves NWA

DATE: February 20, 1989
VENUE: UIC Pavilion (Chicago, IL)
COMMENTATORS: Jim Ross & Magnum T.A.
VIEWING METHOD: Peacock

Chi-Town Rumble 1989 features a legendary World Championship match as Ric Flair defends against Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat in the main event. Also on the show The Road Warriors defend the World Tag Team Championship against The Varsity Club, Lex Luger defends the U.S. Championship against Barry Windham, and Jim Cornette teams with his Midnight Express to take on Paul E. Dangerously and the Original Midnight Express in a Loser Leaves the NWA Match.

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WCW POWER HOUR 08.03.1991 Recap + Review – Six Man Bounty for the Mask Match, Squashes Galore

COMMENTATORS: Jim Ross & Paul E. Dangerously

Legacy of WCW continues on Jon vs. Pro Wrestling as we head into August 1991, with the first episode of Power Hour. This one features matches that have already aired in previous weeks on other programming but since we’re starting fresh on a new website I have treated them as new; future rundowns will be a lot more condensed since Power Hour tends to be mostly rehashed footage if you watch all of their other TV.

CHAMPIONS

  • WCW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION: “The Total Package” Lex Luger
  • WCW UNITED STATES HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION: Vacant
  • WCW WORLD TELEVISION CHAMPION: “Stunning” Steve Austin
  • WCW WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS: Vacant
  • WCW UNITED STATES TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS: The Fabulous Freebirds (Michael “P.S.” Hayes & Jimmy “Jam” Garvin)
  • WCW WORLD SIX MAN TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS: The Fabulous Freebirds (Michael “P.S.” Hayes, Jimmy “Jam” Garvin, & Badstreet)

LINEUP

  • Johnny B. Badd vs. Joey Maggs (SQUASH)
  • El Gigante vs. Carl Nelson (SQUASH)
  • Steve Austin vs. Kip Abee (SQUASH)
  • Z-Man vs. Mike Thor (SQUASH)
  • BOUNTY FOR THE MASK: The Yellow Dog, Dustin Rhodes, & Bobby Eaton vs. Arn Anderson, Barry Windham, & Diamond Studd (**1/4)

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‘WCW UNCENSORED 1999’ Recap + Review – BOB WIRE, Lumberjacks with Straps, Dog Collars, Oh My

DATE: March 14, 1999
VENUE: Freedom Hall (Louisville, KY)
COMMENTATORS: Tony Schiavone, Bobby “The Brain” Heenan, & “The Professor” Mike Tenay

All sorts of things are on the line at Uncensored 1999 as Ric Flair fights to become WCW World Champion and PRESIDENT FOR LIFE, challenging Hollywood Hogan in a First Blood Cage Match topped with BOB WIRE. Also on the show Rey Mysterio Jr. looks for revenge against Kevin Nash, Mikey Whipwreck makes his improbable WCW debut, Perry Saturn finally embraces the real him, and a bunch of other sh*t thrown against the wall because it’s Uncensored.

CHAMPIONS

  • WCW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION: Hollywood Hogan
  • WCW UNITED STATES HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION: Scott Hall
  • WCW WORLD TELEVISION CHAMPION: “Big Poppa Pump” Scott Steiner
  • WCW CRUISERWEIGHT CHAMPION: Kidman
  • WCW WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS: Curt Hennig & Barry Windham

LINEUP

  • Kidman [c] vs. Mikey Whipwreck for the WCW CRUISERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP (***3/4)
  • HARLEM STREET FIGHT: Stevie Ray vs. Vincent (*3/4)
  • Rey Mysterio Jr. vs. Kevin Nash (*1/2)
  • HANDICAP MATCH: Jerry Flynn vs. Ernest Miller & Sonny Onoo (*1/2)
  • Raven vs. Hak vs. Bam Bam Bigelow (***)
  • LUMBERJACK (WITH STRAPS) MATCH: Curt Hennig & Barry Windham [c] vs. Chris Benoit & Dean Malenko for the WCW WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP (**1/4)
  • DOG COLLAR MATCH: Perry Saturn vs. Chris Jericho (**)
  • Scott Steiner [c] vs. Booker T for the WCW WORLD TELEVISION CHAMPIONSHIP (*3/4)
  • FIRST BLOOD CAGE MATCH: Hollywood Hogan [c] vs. Ric Flair for the WCW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP (*1/2)

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‘WCW SUPERBRAWL IX’ Recap + Review – Hogan vs. Flair, Goldberg vs. Bigelow, RIP Mysterio’s Mask

DATE: February 21, 1999
VENUE: Oakland Arena (Oakland, CA)
COMMENTATORS: Tony Schiavone, Bobby “The Brain” Heenan, & “The Professor” Mike Tenay
VIEWING METHOD: Peacock

SuperBrawl IX features a very fresh and never before seen main event as Hollywood Hogan defends the World Title against Ric Flair. About time! Also on the show Rey Mysterio Jr. put his mask on the line against Miss Elizabeth’s hair (they don’t wrestle each other, don’t get excited), new World Tag Team Champions are decided, and if you love nWo interference and shenanigans YOU ARE IN FOR A GREAT NIGHT.

CHAMPIONS

  • WCW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION: Hollywood Hogan
  • WCW UNITED STATES HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION: “Rowdy” Roddy Piper
  • WCW WORLD TELEVISION CHAMPION: “Big Poppa Pump” Scott Steiner
  • WCW CRUISERWEIGHT CHAMPION: Kidman
  • WCW WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS: Vacant

LINEUP

  • Booker T vs. Disco Inferno (**3/4)
  • Perry Saturn vs. Chris Jericho (***)
  • Kidman [c] vs. Chavo Guerrero Jr. for the WCW CRUISERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP (**)
  • 2 OUT OF 3 FALLS KINDA: Chris Benoit & Dean Malenko vs. Curt Hennig & Barry Windham for the vacant WCW WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP (*1/2)
  • MASK VS. HAIR: Rey Mysterio Jr. & Konnan vs. Kevin Nash & ??? (*3/4)
  • Scott Steiner [c] vs. Diamond Dallas Page for the WCW WORLD TELEVISION CHAMPIONSHIP (***)
  • Roddy Piper [c] vs. Scott Hall for the WCW UNITED STATES HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP (3/4*)
  • Goldberg vs. Bam Bam Bigelow (**1/4)
  • Hollywood Hogan [c] vs. Ric Flair for the WCW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP (**)

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‘WCW BEACH BLAST 1992’ Recap + Review – Steiners vs. MVC, Sting vs. Cactus, Steamboat vs. Rude

DATE: June 20, 1992
VENUE: Mobile Civic Center (Mobile, AL)
COMMENTATORS: Jim Ross & Jesse “The Body” Ventura

Just four days removed from Clash of the Champions XIX, WCW presents its first-annual Beach Blast live from the summer capital of the world: Mobile, Alabama! This show features one of the greatest World Championship matches in WCW history, the Tag Team Championship main-eventing a PPV for I think the first time ever, and a 30 minute Iron Man match. Let’s see how it holds up.

CHAMPIONS

  • WCW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION: Sting
  • WCW UNITED STATES HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION: “Ravishing” Rick Rude
  • WCW WORLD TELEVISION CHAMPION: “Stunning” Steve Austin
  • WCW LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION: “Flyin” Brian Pillman
  • WCW WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS: The Steiner Brothers (Rick & Scott Steiner)
  • WCW UNITED STATES TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS: The Fabulous Freebirds (Michael “P.S.” Hayes & Jimmy “Jam” Garvin)

LINEUP

  • Brian Pillman [c] vs. Scotty Flamingo for the WCW LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP (**1/4)
  • Ron Simmons vs. The Taylor Made Man (*1/2)
  • Marcus Bagwell vs. Greg Valentine (*1/4)
  • FALLS COUNT ANYWHERE: Sting [c] vs. Cactus Jack for the WCW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP (****1/4)
  • IRON MAN CHALLENGE: Ricky Steamboat vs. Rick Rude (****1/2)
  • Dustin Rhodes, Barry Windham, & Nikita Koloff vs. The Dangerous Alliance (**3/4)
  • The Steiner Brothers [c] vs. The Miracle Violence Connection for the WCW WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP (***1/2)

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