NBR: Clash of the Champions 3

CLASH of the CHAMPIONS XXVII: June 23, 1994

Championship Unification Match
Sting (NWA International Champion) .vs. Ric Flair (WCW Heavyweight Champion)

“Sensational” Sherri comes out and goes to Sting’s corner. RIP Sherri.

They’re playing up the fact that Flair has been spooked by the arrival of Hulk Hogan. Indeed, Hogan is the third man in the match, and that’s not a good thing.

Sting accidentally hits Sherri, and in the confusion Flair gets the pin. Not to anyone’s surprise, but Sherri was with Flair all along. Sherri and Flair double-team Sting, and Sting gets saved by … Hogan. Oh, I weep for the future of WCW.

* 1/2

CLASH of the CHAMPIONS XXVIII: August 24, 1994

WCW U.S. Championship Match
”Stunning” Steve Austin (Champion) .vs. Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat

The pacing of this match isn’t great. That’s kinda nit-picky, I know.

Nice sequence there at the end with Steamboat winning the match.

***

CLASH of the CHAMPIONS XXXII: January 23, 1996

Hulk Hogan & Randy “Macho Man” Savage w/ Miss Elizabeth & Kevin Greene .vs. Ric Flair & The Giant w/ Jimmy Hart

It’s funny to think that Hogan, who was supposed to be the savior of WCW, got stuck in god-awful matches against the Giant (which were more Hogan’s fault than the Giant’s) with terrible booking, whereas Randy Savage started a feud with Ric Flair that actually drew pretty darn well in early ‘96. And I don’t really need to tell you that the matches were better.

Kevin Greene … yeah, that whole thing didn’t work. I know Dennis Rodman was a PR coup for WCW, but the rest of their attempts at pro sports/pop culture crossovers were pretty sorry.

The Giant beat Hogan for the WCW Title by disqualification, as Hogan’s manager Jimmy Hart turned on Hogan and inserted a “DQ clause” in the contract that let Hogan lose the belt that way. If that’s not the most pussy way to lose a title I’ve ever seen, I don’t know what is. And while I do blame Hogan somewhat, the real blame lies with Bischoff & co. for a) signing a contract that gave Hogan creative control in the first place and b) approving such godawful storylines that made their company look like crap.

About what you’d expect. Savage hits the elbow on Flair, but Hart interferes. but Flair hits Savage with the knux with the referee’s back turned. Flyin’ Brian and (snicker) Zodiac come out, but Hogan and Kevin Greene dispose of them. Embarassing.

1/2*

CLASH of the CHAMPIONS XXXIII: August 13, 1996

Medusa .vs. Bull Nakano w/ Sonny Onoo

I know there were a lot of lady wrestlers who were big in Japan and got the fanboys chattering. I never saw it.

It’s always sad when the referee obviously sees what he’s not supposed to see. And then he has to pretend that he didn’t see it, and everyone loses credibility.

I guess they wanted a lady match on here for balance. Whatevs.

0 stars

CLASH of the CHAMPIONS XXXIII: August 13, 1996

Match for the Battlebowl Ring … because …. something
Eddie Guerrero .vs. Diamond Dallas Page

Decent match. Eddie wins with the frog splash.

I can’t believe we had a match about a frickin’ ring.

* 1/2

CLASH of the CHAMPIONS XXXIII: August 13, 1996

WCW Tag Team Championship Triple-Threat Tag Match

Sting & Lex Luger .vs. Steiner Brothers .vs. Harlem Heat w/Sherri

Col. Parker walks out alone to join Sherri at ringside.

Disappointing.

**

CLASH of the CHAMPIONS XXXIV: January 21, 1997

WCW Cruiserweight Championship
Ultimo Dragon (Champion) w/ Sonny Onoo .vs. Dean Malenko

Dusty was an underrated color commentator.

The Dragon gets a chance to perform the Asai moonsault; or as the Dragon calls it, the “Me'” moonsault.

Good match.Dragon submits to the Texas cloverleaf.

***

CLASH of the CHAMPIONS XXXV: August 21, 1997

WCW Cruiserweight Championship
Chris Jericho (Champion).vs. Eddie Guerrero

Not bad, but only about half the match these two are capable of.

WCW World Tag Team Championship
Diamond Dallas Page & Lex Luger .vs. Scott Hall & Randy “Macho Man” Savage w/ nWo (sans Hogan)

Kevin Nash announces that the World Tag Team Championship will be on the line, even though the Outsiders are the champions. Such was the ability of WCW to screw with the rules just a little too much, making title changes and such just seem random.