Post by Agent P on Apr 27, 2012 14:20:05 GMT -5
WCW Starrcade 1995
December 27, 1995
LIVE! From Nashville, Tennessee
by Emerson “The bored of being joys” Witner
Hello boys and girls. This is your insane NXT reporter here to take you back in time to 1995. The Monday Night Wars had just begun, The Giant had just debuted, Triple H was a nickname and Hulk Hogan somehow was not the WCW Champion.
This show was built around a 7 match series between WCW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, with the team that wins 4 winning the World Cup of Wrestling. In theory it was US vs Japan, but the first member of Team USA is....Chris Benoit.
The main event would feature Randy Savage defending his newly won WCW Title against the winner of a Triangle Match between Ric Flair, Sting and Lex Luger.
Your announcers are Tony Schiavone, Dusty Rhodes and Bobby Heenan. Tony was well prepared for the show, having a large number of notes for each Japanese guy and basically showing a work ethic most people thought he didn't have. Sadly for him (and many other guys) Dusty and Bobby just shouted him down the whole night. A clip can be found on YouTube of Masa Chono hitting Lex Luger with a Mafia Kick, Tony calling it and the other two making fun of him for it.
Onto the show!
Match #1
WCW: 0, New Japan: 0
Chris Benoit (WCW) vs Jushin Thunder Liger (w/Sonny Onoo) (New Japan)
The match hasn't even started and Dusty called Team Japan's manager Sonny Bono.
Benoit is the newest member of the Four Horsemen, but Liger gets the early advantage, sending the Crippler to the outside and nailing a running flip dive off the apron to the floor.
Liger with a rolling kick, but comes off the ropes and hit with a Tilt A Whirl back breaker for a 2 count. Liger quickly takes back control and hip-tosses Benoit to the outside. Benoit ran off before Liger could dive out onto him.
Tony tells us that regardless of what happens, there will be 7 matches. So if New Japan sweeps the first four, they will still do the last three.
Benoit locks on a Boston Crab, which looked more like the Lion Tamer, which was all but ignored by the announcers. The fans explode for a German Suplex with a Bridge by Benoit, but Liger kicks out at 2.
Liger battles back with a series of submission holds, including a Surfboard, a Dragon Sleeper and a Camel Clutch.
Jushin hits a Tombstone, but climbs to the top rope. Benoit cuts him off and nails a huge Superplex, but he hit the back of his head, so he couldn't make the cover right away.
Benoit back up, went for the Diving Headbutt...but Liger rolls away! Another rolling kick to the top of Benoit's head and a 2 count off of a Sit-out Powerbomb and another off of a Brainbuster.
Benoit chops back and hits 2 straight German Suplexes and a stiff looking Powerbomb. Back to the top rope and this time he hits the Diving Headbutt!
Kevin Sullivan is out. In recent weeks Sullivan has been feuding with the junior members of the Horsemen. Benoit turned his attention away from Liger, which gave him the chance to nail Benoit with a Hurricarana for the win!
Winner: Jushin Liger (New Japan)
Time: 10:28
Backstage Mean Gene is interviewing Eddie Guerrero, who was angry that Kevin Sullivan stuck his nose in Benoit's match. Eddie also says it is quite the honor to represent WCW in the World Cup and he will do his best to win.
Match #2
WCW: 0, New Japan: 1
Alex Wright (WCW) vs Koji Kanemoto (w/Sonny Onoo) (New Japan)
Kanemoto is the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion. Wright has a dance that is easy to make fun of. Alex is undefeated at Starrcade, getting the win against Jean Paul Levesque one year earlier. Jean Paul was so disappointed that he jumped to the WWF and won 13 World Titles and married Stephanie McMahon.
Dusty and Brain argue over whether Hulk Hogan has to have a meeting with the board of directors to overturn some suspension he allegedly has.
Koji working on the knee of Alex to start the match. By the way, Team USA now consists of one guy from Canada and one from Germany.
Alex with a deep arm drag and a head scissors take down. With Koji near the ropes, Alex with a high cross body block that sends both men tumbling over the top and to the floor. Alex rolls back in and then dives back out.
Koji decides to take a breath and yell at the fans and to take a 9-count. Back in the ring Koji takes down Alex with a series of chops and kicks, while Dusty talks about filibustering.
Kanemoto with a front chancery, looking to place Alex on the top turnbuckle, but he missed. Alex drops to the outside and runs around the ring, just in time to catch a 200 pound Japanese guy, as Koji hits a dive over the top.
Koji hit a great Tiger Suplex for a 2 count and then a Moonsault, but didn't go for the cover. Alex hits his Bridging German Suplex for a 2. Alex goes outside and leaps over the top with a splash for another 2 count.
To the top and Wright comes off with a Missile Dropkick that Koji counters with a dropkick! Back to their feet and Alex almost gets the win with a Crossbody from the top.
Alex hits a series of dropkicks and a superplex for a 2 count, but Koji hits Snake Eyes and a jack knife cover for the win!
Winner: Koji Kanemoto
Time: 11:43
New Japan is half way to victory! WCW has to win 4 out of 5 to pull this out.
Sonny Onoo has run backstage to do an interview with Mean Gene. Onoo said soon it would be 5-0 and he would buy WCW and the state of Iowa. Why would he buy Iowa? Damned if I know.
Match #3
WCW: 0, New Japan: 2
Lex Luger (w/Jimmy Hart) (WCW) vs Masahiro Chono (w/Sonny Onoo) (New Japan)
WCW sends out a big gun to try and get them on the board.
Chono is a former NWA Champion, Luger a former WCW Champion. Dusty tries saying the fans don't like Luger, as they chant “Lu-ger”
Chono with the early advantage, hitting the afore-mentioned Mafia Kick, but both men are trying to out-heel each other. Jimmy Hart and Lex Luger had recently turned on Hulk Hogan, but Sting still thinks there is good inside Luger.
Masa hits a Scorpion Death Drop and then slaps on the STF. John Cena is sitting somewhere telling Chono that it's not on properly. Luger gets to the ropes, which Tony sells as quite the big deal.
Chono with another Mafia Kick, but Luger hit the “Sicilian Elbow” in the “Yugoslavian Jaw” and he kicked the “Bosnian Butt”.
Luger then put Chono in the Torture Rack for the win!
Winner: Lex Luger
Time: 6:41
Mean Gene interviews Sting, who is happy that it's now 2-1. Sting says it was a bad day when he lost the US Title to Kensuke Sasaki. Well Sonny Onoo will buy WCW over his dead body. I guess he is okay with Iowa being sold.
Match #4
WCW: 1, New Japan: 2
Johnny B. Badd (w/Kimberly) (WCW) vs Masa Saito (w/ Sonny Onoo) (New Japan)
Kimberly had left Diamond Dallas Page for Johnny B. Badd. She would later leave Badd for The Booty Man.
Onoo got on the mic and said Kimberly is what's wrong with this country. Kimberly called Sonny Hop Sing and that this isn't a Bath House.
Badd is the current WCW TV Champion. Saito backs Badd into the corner, but gives a clean break. Saito just completely out-wrestling Badd and is quite smooth going from hold to hold.
Badd gets chopped like no tomorrow, so to save himself, chopped back. The fans got into this as both men exchanged chops. While this was not Samoa Joe vs Kenta Kobashi, it was quite entertaining.
Saito finally knocks down Badd and distracts the referee as Onoo chokes Badd with the Japanese flag!
Saito, who is 53 years old at the time of this match, hit a Backdrop Suplex. Side Russian Leg Sweep by Masa. Badd fights back and finally drops Mr. Danger with a running knee lift!
Badd comes off the top with a big sunset flip to Saito for a 2 count! Onoo is up on the apron. Badd is distracted and Saito dumps him over the top rope for the disqualification!
Winner: Johnny B. Badd
Time 5:42
At the time WCW had a rule prohibiting throwing an opponent over the top rope. After the match Saito stalked Kimberly, so Badd ran in and ran him off.
Mean Gene interviews Lex Luger and Jimmy Hart now. Luger plans on winning the WCW World Title tonight.
Before the next bout, I just found out my brother and sister in law are having a girl. Congratulations!
Match #5
WCW: 2, New Japan: 2
Eddie Guerrero (WCW) vs Shinjiro Otani (w/Sonny Onoo) (New Japan)
The winner of this match will bring his team within one win of victory in this competition.
Tony told a story of Otani going to the matches in Japan dressed as Jushin Liger hoping to be noticed. He was.
Otani takes Eddie down and rips at the mouth of Eddie. The problem of this match was the fans knew the competition would end 4-3 and figured that Sting and Randy Savage (who were in the next two matches) wouldn't be doing a job, so the result of this match was pretty much a given.
This match can be found on the WWE Life and Times of Eddie Guerrero DVD. The match is quite good regardless of the predictability. Eddie with a brain buster for a 2 count after a Boston Crab where he locked his hands tight.
Eddie missed a corner splash. Otani hit a springboard missile dropkick, which send Eddie flying out of the ring. Otani then hit a springboard dive out of the ring and sending both him and Eddie halfway up the aisle.
Dusty said that if Bobby was Otani he would be hitting Dusty with a bottle of soda pop.
Eddie gets out of a sleeper and hits a side suplex for a 2 count. Otani with a sweet Bridging German Suplex for a 2 count and then a Springboard Spinning Heel Kick.
Otani is cut off when he goes up top again and Eddie hits a Hurricarana for a 2 count! Eddie then hits a Sit Out Powerbomb for another 2 count. A series of reversals sees Otani slap on an ankle lock. Otani wraps his legs around Eddie's, but Eddie grabs the ropes.
Eddie fights Otani outside, slamming Shinjiro on the floor before hitting a springboard dive onto his opponent. Back in the ring Otani hits a Springboard Dropkick to the back of the head.
Eddie hit a Hurricarana for a 2, but Otani rolled through for a 2, Eddie rolled over that for a 2, but Otani rolled through yet again and got the win!
New Japan is one win away from victory!
Winner: Shinjiro Otani
Time: 13:21
Mean Gene interviews Randy Savage, who has the weight of the world on him. He needs to pick up a win to keep the competition going.
Match #6
WCW: 2, New Japan: 3
Randy Savage (WCW) vs Hiroyoshi Tenzan (w/Sonny Onoo) (New Japan)
If Tenzan wins then New Japan will take the competition in 6 matches. We will still have Sting vs Sasaki though. Savage is the reigning WCW World Champion.
A very basic match, which was more of a backdrop for Dusty and Heenan to preview the Triangle Match later on.
Tenzan tried to put on a show, but would have been better off being paired with Johnny B Badd. Savage, who has double duty, is just trying to get through this.
Tenzan almost won the competition with a diving headbutt. He missed a moonsault and Savage won with the Diving Elbow Drop.
Winner: Randy Savage
Time: 6:43
We are going to Match 7 with a 3-3 tie!
Mean Gene now interviews Ric Flair, who does not have to take part in the World Cup, so he will be rested for the Triangle Match.
Match #7
WCW: 3, New Japan: 3
Sting (WCW) vs Kensuki Sasaki (w/Sonny Onoo) (New Japan)
Sasaki is the WCW United States Champion, having won the title in Tokyo in November. If he beats Sting a second time he will take the World Cup home with him.
Sasaki jumps Sting at the bell. Kensuki beats down the back of Sting, but the Stinger nails a Stinger Splash a minute into the match. Sting is timid at following up, so Sasaki takes him down with a running bulldog.
Sting elbows out of a German Suplex, but gets power slammed and dropped with a Brain Buster.
The crowd is chanting USA, so the director shows the most unenthusiastic person in the audience half-ass chanting USA.
Sasaki locks on the Scorpion Death Lock! Can he make Sting submit to his own move? Sting successfully fights out of it, but Sasaki hits a Dragon Screw Leg Whip. He goes for a second and Sting hits an Inzigiri.
Sting gets out of a running power slam and slaps on his own Scorpion Deathlock! Sasaki almost gets to the ropes, but Sting pulls him to the middle and Sasaki submits!
Winner: Stimg
Time: 6:42
WCW has won the World Cup! Everyone on Team WCW comes out and celebrates the team victory. It includes a trophy presentation, where Mean Gene gives the cup to Sting. It is weird seeing Benoit and Wright standing out there taking part in a US victory celebration.
Match #8
#1 Contenders Match
Ric Flair vs Sting vs Lex Luger
The winner will face Randy Savage tonight for the WCW World Title. In this match two men will wrestle in the ring and the third will stand on the apron waiting for a tag. Whomever gets the first fall will win.
Yes, Sting and Luger walked to the back just so they could walk back out. Due to a pre-match coin toss, the match will start with Sting vs Flair. Flair had convinced Sting to team with him at Halloween Havoc against Pillman and Anderson. Flair turned on Sting and formed the Four Horsemen with Benoit as #4. Sting did beat Flair at World War 3.
Sting, who just had Sasaki working on his back during the last match, didn't sell it and Flair didn't go after it.
Sting did, however, sell for the early part of the match, as Flair beat him down with a series of armbars and wrist locks. Flair with a chop and then dropped the Stinger with a punch to the jaw. Sting battled back with a running dropkick and the 10 punches of doom in the corner.
Flair and Sting battle outside the ring. Flair sends Sting into the guardrail twice, but Sting no sold it the second time and sent Flair back in the ring, where he missed a dropkick.
This is the third time Sting and Flair have faced off at Starrcade. Sting won in 1989 and 1990. flair suckered Luger to get in the ring, which caused the ref to cut him off, so Flair back dropped Sting over the top rope to the floor, which would have been a disqualification.
Flair hits a suplex, but Sting explodes to his feet and hits a press slam and a superplex to Flair for a 2 count.
Luger tags Sting at 10:15 and finally gets into the match. Now we have Luger vs Flair, which also happened at 2 Starrcade's: 1988 and 1989.
Luger backed Flair into the corner and punched away. The referee tried to pull him away, but the Nature Boy got a cheap shot in.
Luger battles back and hits a Gorilla Press Slam and the 10 Punches of (the team of) Doom, but Flair raked the eyes to take over.
Flair worked the knee as Sting tries to get the referees attention. Flair grabbed a chair and hit Luger in the knee! We may be a Figure Four away from Flair in the main event.
Flair slaps it on! Will Luger give it up? No, Luger is fighting it and manages to turn it over! Flair lets go and climbs to the top rope, but Luger tosses him off.
Flair tags out to Sting at 17:21 so now we have Sting vs Luger. Friend vs Friend. They also faced off at 2 different Starrcade's. 1989 and they were the last two left at BattleBowl in 1991.
After stalling for 2 minutes Luger kicks his friend in the gut and runs him from pillar to post. Sting battles back and hits the 10 Punches of Doom. That is a lot of doom.
Luger clothesline's his friend to the mat and then steps on his throat! Would you choke your friend like that?
Sting hits a cross body off the top rope for a 2 count and goes for the Vader Bomb, but Luger gets his knees up.
Luger finally gets Sting in the Torture Rack! But in doing so, knocks out the referee! Flair sneaks in, from behind and chop blocks Luger and throws both men outside the ring.
Referee Nick Patrick gets up and counts both men out, giving the win to Flair! Sting had the chance to get back in, but Luger pulled him out!
Winner: Ric Flair
Time: 27:30
Flair wins! But Luger kept Sting from getting in the ring! Flair is going to face Randy Savage in just a few minutes for the WCW World Title.
Jimmy Hart runs out to stand in Ric Flair's corner for some reason.
Tony, Dusty and Bobby kill a few minutes to give Flair some time to take a few deep breaths and to let the fans come down for a little bit.
Match #9
WCW World Heavyweight Championship
Macho Man Randy Savage vs Nature Boy Ric Flair (w/Jimmy Hart)
This is the only time that two men have had a WWF Title match at WrestleMania and a WCW Title match at Starrcade. This is Flair and Savage's fourth ppv match of 1995. Slamboree, The Great American Bash and Bash at the Beach preceded this one.
Jimmy Hart is a part of the Dungeon of Doom, which is feuding with the Four Horsemen, which makes it odd that he is out there.
A fast paced open to this, as Savage gets a 2 count off of a backslide 20 seconds into the match.
A minute into the match Paul Orndorff, in a neck brace, appeared at ringside. The Horsemen attacked him a few weeks earlier and pile drove him on the concrete floor, which was the end of Mr. Wonderful's career.
Orndorff didn't do anything and eventually left.
Savage sent Flair flying out of the ring. Macho Man to the top rope with a Diving Double Ax Handle, but Flair side stepped him!
Three minutes into the match Flair is chopping Savage on the outside and slams Savage's arm on top of the guard rail. While Randy Anderson, the referee, gets Flair back in the ring, Jimmy Hart runs around and punts Savage in the ribs.
Back in the ring Flair continues to work on the arm, with a hammerlock and then dropping a knee on it.
Savage gets a 2 count with a punch to the face. Jimmy Hart jumps on the apron as Savage builds momentum. Hart tosses the megaphone to Flair, but Savage intercepts it and nails Flair with it!
Savage to the top nails the Flying Elbow Drop! Brian Pillman and Chris Benoit are here! But Savage threw Pillman into Benoit!
With the ref still distracted Arn Anderson ran in and nailed Savage with brass knuckles! Anderson drags Flair on top, the referee turns around and we have a new champion!
Winner and NEW WCW World Champion: Ric Flair
Time: 8:26
After the match the Horsemen celebrate and Pillman whips Savage with the WCW Title.
That is it from Nashville and that is it from my computer. If you have any questions, comments, concerns or emotional outbursts, send 'em my way at ewitner@yahoo.com, on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/Krazy.E.Man or by following me on Twitter @thereallyrealew!
December 27, 1995
LIVE! From Nashville, Tennessee
by Emerson “The bored of being joys” Witner
Hello boys and girls. This is your insane NXT reporter here to take you back in time to 1995. The Monday Night Wars had just begun, The Giant had just debuted, Triple H was a nickname and Hulk Hogan somehow was not the WCW Champion.
This show was built around a 7 match series between WCW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, with the team that wins 4 winning the World Cup of Wrestling. In theory it was US vs Japan, but the first member of Team USA is....Chris Benoit.
The main event would feature Randy Savage defending his newly won WCW Title against the winner of a Triangle Match between Ric Flair, Sting and Lex Luger.
Your announcers are Tony Schiavone, Dusty Rhodes and Bobby Heenan. Tony was well prepared for the show, having a large number of notes for each Japanese guy and basically showing a work ethic most people thought he didn't have. Sadly for him (and many other guys) Dusty and Bobby just shouted him down the whole night. A clip can be found on YouTube of Masa Chono hitting Lex Luger with a Mafia Kick, Tony calling it and the other two making fun of him for it.
Onto the show!
Match #1
WCW: 0, New Japan: 0
Chris Benoit (WCW) vs Jushin Thunder Liger (w/Sonny Onoo) (New Japan)
The match hasn't even started and Dusty called Team Japan's manager Sonny Bono.
Benoit is the newest member of the Four Horsemen, but Liger gets the early advantage, sending the Crippler to the outside and nailing a running flip dive off the apron to the floor.
Liger with a rolling kick, but comes off the ropes and hit with a Tilt A Whirl back breaker for a 2 count. Liger quickly takes back control and hip-tosses Benoit to the outside. Benoit ran off before Liger could dive out onto him.
Tony tells us that regardless of what happens, there will be 7 matches. So if New Japan sweeps the first four, they will still do the last three.
Benoit locks on a Boston Crab, which looked more like the Lion Tamer, which was all but ignored by the announcers. The fans explode for a German Suplex with a Bridge by Benoit, but Liger kicks out at 2.
Liger battles back with a series of submission holds, including a Surfboard, a Dragon Sleeper and a Camel Clutch.
Jushin hits a Tombstone, but climbs to the top rope. Benoit cuts him off and nails a huge Superplex, but he hit the back of his head, so he couldn't make the cover right away.
Benoit back up, went for the Diving Headbutt...but Liger rolls away! Another rolling kick to the top of Benoit's head and a 2 count off of a Sit-out Powerbomb and another off of a Brainbuster.
Benoit chops back and hits 2 straight German Suplexes and a stiff looking Powerbomb. Back to the top rope and this time he hits the Diving Headbutt!
Kevin Sullivan is out. In recent weeks Sullivan has been feuding with the junior members of the Horsemen. Benoit turned his attention away from Liger, which gave him the chance to nail Benoit with a Hurricarana for the win!
Winner: Jushin Liger (New Japan)
Time: 10:28
Backstage Mean Gene is interviewing Eddie Guerrero, who was angry that Kevin Sullivan stuck his nose in Benoit's match. Eddie also says it is quite the honor to represent WCW in the World Cup and he will do his best to win.
Match #2
WCW: 0, New Japan: 1
Alex Wright (WCW) vs Koji Kanemoto (w/Sonny Onoo) (New Japan)
Kanemoto is the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion. Wright has a dance that is easy to make fun of. Alex is undefeated at Starrcade, getting the win against Jean Paul Levesque one year earlier. Jean Paul was so disappointed that he jumped to the WWF and won 13 World Titles and married Stephanie McMahon.
Dusty and Brain argue over whether Hulk Hogan has to have a meeting with the board of directors to overturn some suspension he allegedly has.
Koji working on the knee of Alex to start the match. By the way, Team USA now consists of one guy from Canada and one from Germany.
Alex with a deep arm drag and a head scissors take down. With Koji near the ropes, Alex with a high cross body block that sends both men tumbling over the top and to the floor. Alex rolls back in and then dives back out.
Koji decides to take a breath and yell at the fans and to take a 9-count. Back in the ring Koji takes down Alex with a series of chops and kicks, while Dusty talks about filibustering.
Kanemoto with a front chancery, looking to place Alex on the top turnbuckle, but he missed. Alex drops to the outside and runs around the ring, just in time to catch a 200 pound Japanese guy, as Koji hits a dive over the top.
Koji hit a great Tiger Suplex for a 2 count and then a Moonsault, but didn't go for the cover. Alex hits his Bridging German Suplex for a 2. Alex goes outside and leaps over the top with a splash for another 2 count.
To the top and Wright comes off with a Missile Dropkick that Koji counters with a dropkick! Back to their feet and Alex almost gets the win with a Crossbody from the top.
Alex hits a series of dropkicks and a superplex for a 2 count, but Koji hits Snake Eyes and a jack knife cover for the win!
Winner: Koji Kanemoto
Time: 11:43
New Japan is half way to victory! WCW has to win 4 out of 5 to pull this out.
Sonny Onoo has run backstage to do an interview with Mean Gene. Onoo said soon it would be 5-0 and he would buy WCW and the state of Iowa. Why would he buy Iowa? Damned if I know.
Match #3
WCW: 0, New Japan: 2
Lex Luger (w/Jimmy Hart) (WCW) vs Masahiro Chono (w/Sonny Onoo) (New Japan)
WCW sends out a big gun to try and get them on the board.
Chono is a former NWA Champion, Luger a former WCW Champion. Dusty tries saying the fans don't like Luger, as they chant “Lu-ger”
Chono with the early advantage, hitting the afore-mentioned Mafia Kick, but both men are trying to out-heel each other. Jimmy Hart and Lex Luger had recently turned on Hulk Hogan, but Sting still thinks there is good inside Luger.
Masa hits a Scorpion Death Drop and then slaps on the STF. John Cena is sitting somewhere telling Chono that it's not on properly. Luger gets to the ropes, which Tony sells as quite the big deal.
Chono with another Mafia Kick, but Luger hit the “Sicilian Elbow” in the “Yugoslavian Jaw” and he kicked the “Bosnian Butt”.
Luger then put Chono in the Torture Rack for the win!
Winner: Lex Luger
Time: 6:41
Mean Gene interviews Sting, who is happy that it's now 2-1. Sting says it was a bad day when he lost the US Title to Kensuke Sasaki. Well Sonny Onoo will buy WCW over his dead body. I guess he is okay with Iowa being sold.
Match #4
WCW: 1, New Japan: 2
Johnny B. Badd (w/Kimberly) (WCW) vs Masa Saito (w/ Sonny Onoo) (New Japan)
Kimberly had left Diamond Dallas Page for Johnny B. Badd. She would later leave Badd for The Booty Man.
Onoo got on the mic and said Kimberly is what's wrong with this country. Kimberly called Sonny Hop Sing and that this isn't a Bath House.
Badd is the current WCW TV Champion. Saito backs Badd into the corner, but gives a clean break. Saito just completely out-wrestling Badd and is quite smooth going from hold to hold.
Badd gets chopped like no tomorrow, so to save himself, chopped back. The fans got into this as both men exchanged chops. While this was not Samoa Joe vs Kenta Kobashi, it was quite entertaining.
Saito finally knocks down Badd and distracts the referee as Onoo chokes Badd with the Japanese flag!
Saito, who is 53 years old at the time of this match, hit a Backdrop Suplex. Side Russian Leg Sweep by Masa. Badd fights back and finally drops Mr. Danger with a running knee lift!
Badd comes off the top with a big sunset flip to Saito for a 2 count! Onoo is up on the apron. Badd is distracted and Saito dumps him over the top rope for the disqualification!
Winner: Johnny B. Badd
Time 5:42
At the time WCW had a rule prohibiting throwing an opponent over the top rope. After the match Saito stalked Kimberly, so Badd ran in and ran him off.
Mean Gene interviews Lex Luger and Jimmy Hart now. Luger plans on winning the WCW World Title tonight.
Before the next bout, I just found out my brother and sister in law are having a girl. Congratulations!
Match #5
WCW: 2, New Japan: 2
Eddie Guerrero (WCW) vs Shinjiro Otani (w/Sonny Onoo) (New Japan)
The winner of this match will bring his team within one win of victory in this competition.
Tony told a story of Otani going to the matches in Japan dressed as Jushin Liger hoping to be noticed. He was.
Otani takes Eddie down and rips at the mouth of Eddie. The problem of this match was the fans knew the competition would end 4-3 and figured that Sting and Randy Savage (who were in the next two matches) wouldn't be doing a job, so the result of this match was pretty much a given.
This match can be found on the WWE Life and Times of Eddie Guerrero DVD. The match is quite good regardless of the predictability. Eddie with a brain buster for a 2 count after a Boston Crab where he locked his hands tight.
Eddie missed a corner splash. Otani hit a springboard missile dropkick, which send Eddie flying out of the ring. Otani then hit a springboard dive out of the ring and sending both him and Eddie halfway up the aisle.
Dusty said that if Bobby was Otani he would be hitting Dusty with a bottle of soda pop.
Eddie gets out of a sleeper and hits a side suplex for a 2 count. Otani with a sweet Bridging German Suplex for a 2 count and then a Springboard Spinning Heel Kick.
Otani is cut off when he goes up top again and Eddie hits a Hurricarana for a 2 count! Eddie then hits a Sit Out Powerbomb for another 2 count. A series of reversals sees Otani slap on an ankle lock. Otani wraps his legs around Eddie's, but Eddie grabs the ropes.
Eddie fights Otani outside, slamming Shinjiro on the floor before hitting a springboard dive onto his opponent. Back in the ring Otani hits a Springboard Dropkick to the back of the head.
Eddie hit a Hurricarana for a 2, but Otani rolled through for a 2, Eddie rolled over that for a 2, but Otani rolled through yet again and got the win!
New Japan is one win away from victory!
Winner: Shinjiro Otani
Time: 13:21
Mean Gene interviews Randy Savage, who has the weight of the world on him. He needs to pick up a win to keep the competition going.
Match #6
WCW: 2, New Japan: 3
Randy Savage (WCW) vs Hiroyoshi Tenzan (w/Sonny Onoo) (New Japan)
If Tenzan wins then New Japan will take the competition in 6 matches. We will still have Sting vs Sasaki though. Savage is the reigning WCW World Champion.
A very basic match, which was more of a backdrop for Dusty and Heenan to preview the Triangle Match later on.
Tenzan tried to put on a show, but would have been better off being paired with Johnny B Badd. Savage, who has double duty, is just trying to get through this.
Tenzan almost won the competition with a diving headbutt. He missed a moonsault and Savage won with the Diving Elbow Drop.
Winner: Randy Savage
Time: 6:43
We are going to Match 7 with a 3-3 tie!
Mean Gene now interviews Ric Flair, who does not have to take part in the World Cup, so he will be rested for the Triangle Match.
Match #7
WCW: 3, New Japan: 3
Sting (WCW) vs Kensuki Sasaki (w/Sonny Onoo) (New Japan)
Sasaki is the WCW United States Champion, having won the title in Tokyo in November. If he beats Sting a second time he will take the World Cup home with him.
Sasaki jumps Sting at the bell. Kensuki beats down the back of Sting, but the Stinger nails a Stinger Splash a minute into the match. Sting is timid at following up, so Sasaki takes him down with a running bulldog.
Sting elbows out of a German Suplex, but gets power slammed and dropped with a Brain Buster.
The crowd is chanting USA, so the director shows the most unenthusiastic person in the audience half-ass chanting USA.
Sasaki locks on the Scorpion Death Lock! Can he make Sting submit to his own move? Sting successfully fights out of it, but Sasaki hits a Dragon Screw Leg Whip. He goes for a second and Sting hits an Inzigiri.
Sting gets out of a running power slam and slaps on his own Scorpion Deathlock! Sasaki almost gets to the ropes, but Sting pulls him to the middle and Sasaki submits!
Winner: Stimg
Time: 6:42
WCW has won the World Cup! Everyone on Team WCW comes out and celebrates the team victory. It includes a trophy presentation, where Mean Gene gives the cup to Sting. It is weird seeing Benoit and Wright standing out there taking part in a US victory celebration.
Match #8
#1 Contenders Match
Ric Flair vs Sting vs Lex Luger
The winner will face Randy Savage tonight for the WCW World Title. In this match two men will wrestle in the ring and the third will stand on the apron waiting for a tag. Whomever gets the first fall will win.
Yes, Sting and Luger walked to the back just so they could walk back out. Due to a pre-match coin toss, the match will start with Sting vs Flair. Flair had convinced Sting to team with him at Halloween Havoc against Pillman and Anderson. Flair turned on Sting and formed the Four Horsemen with Benoit as #4. Sting did beat Flair at World War 3.
Sting, who just had Sasaki working on his back during the last match, didn't sell it and Flair didn't go after it.
Sting did, however, sell for the early part of the match, as Flair beat him down with a series of armbars and wrist locks. Flair with a chop and then dropped the Stinger with a punch to the jaw. Sting battled back with a running dropkick and the 10 punches of doom in the corner.
Flair and Sting battle outside the ring. Flair sends Sting into the guardrail twice, but Sting no sold it the second time and sent Flair back in the ring, where he missed a dropkick.
This is the third time Sting and Flair have faced off at Starrcade. Sting won in 1989 and 1990. flair suckered Luger to get in the ring, which caused the ref to cut him off, so Flair back dropped Sting over the top rope to the floor, which would have been a disqualification.
Flair hits a suplex, but Sting explodes to his feet and hits a press slam and a superplex to Flair for a 2 count.
Luger tags Sting at 10:15 and finally gets into the match. Now we have Luger vs Flair, which also happened at 2 Starrcade's: 1988 and 1989.
Luger backed Flair into the corner and punched away. The referee tried to pull him away, but the Nature Boy got a cheap shot in.
Luger battles back and hits a Gorilla Press Slam and the 10 Punches of (the team of) Doom, but Flair raked the eyes to take over.
Flair worked the knee as Sting tries to get the referees attention. Flair grabbed a chair and hit Luger in the knee! We may be a Figure Four away from Flair in the main event.
Flair slaps it on! Will Luger give it up? No, Luger is fighting it and manages to turn it over! Flair lets go and climbs to the top rope, but Luger tosses him off.
Flair tags out to Sting at 17:21 so now we have Sting vs Luger. Friend vs Friend. They also faced off at 2 different Starrcade's. 1989 and they were the last two left at BattleBowl in 1991.
After stalling for 2 minutes Luger kicks his friend in the gut and runs him from pillar to post. Sting battles back and hits the 10 Punches of Doom. That is a lot of doom.
Luger clothesline's his friend to the mat and then steps on his throat! Would you choke your friend like that?
Sting hits a cross body off the top rope for a 2 count and goes for the Vader Bomb, but Luger gets his knees up.
Luger finally gets Sting in the Torture Rack! But in doing so, knocks out the referee! Flair sneaks in, from behind and chop blocks Luger and throws both men outside the ring.
Referee Nick Patrick gets up and counts both men out, giving the win to Flair! Sting had the chance to get back in, but Luger pulled him out!
Winner: Ric Flair
Time: 27:30
Flair wins! But Luger kept Sting from getting in the ring! Flair is going to face Randy Savage in just a few minutes for the WCW World Title.
Jimmy Hart runs out to stand in Ric Flair's corner for some reason.
Tony, Dusty and Bobby kill a few minutes to give Flair some time to take a few deep breaths and to let the fans come down for a little bit.
Match #9
WCW World Heavyweight Championship
Macho Man Randy Savage vs Nature Boy Ric Flair (w/Jimmy Hart)
This is the only time that two men have had a WWF Title match at WrestleMania and a WCW Title match at Starrcade. This is Flair and Savage's fourth ppv match of 1995. Slamboree, The Great American Bash and Bash at the Beach preceded this one.
Jimmy Hart is a part of the Dungeon of Doom, which is feuding with the Four Horsemen, which makes it odd that he is out there.
A fast paced open to this, as Savage gets a 2 count off of a backslide 20 seconds into the match.
A minute into the match Paul Orndorff, in a neck brace, appeared at ringside. The Horsemen attacked him a few weeks earlier and pile drove him on the concrete floor, which was the end of Mr. Wonderful's career.
Orndorff didn't do anything and eventually left.
Savage sent Flair flying out of the ring. Macho Man to the top rope with a Diving Double Ax Handle, but Flair side stepped him!
Three minutes into the match Flair is chopping Savage on the outside and slams Savage's arm on top of the guard rail. While Randy Anderson, the referee, gets Flair back in the ring, Jimmy Hart runs around and punts Savage in the ribs.
Back in the ring Flair continues to work on the arm, with a hammerlock and then dropping a knee on it.
Savage gets a 2 count with a punch to the face. Jimmy Hart jumps on the apron as Savage builds momentum. Hart tosses the megaphone to Flair, but Savage intercepts it and nails Flair with it!
Savage to the top nails the Flying Elbow Drop! Brian Pillman and Chris Benoit are here! But Savage threw Pillman into Benoit!
With the ref still distracted Arn Anderson ran in and nailed Savage with brass knuckles! Anderson drags Flair on top, the referee turns around and we have a new champion!
Winner and NEW WCW World Champion: Ric Flair
Time: 8:26
After the match the Horsemen celebrate and Pillman whips Savage with the WCW Title.
That is it from Nashville and that is it from my computer. If you have any questions, comments, concerns or emotional outbursts, send 'em my way at ewitner@yahoo.com, on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/Krazy.E.Man or by following me on Twitter @thereallyrealew!
