In The Arena: ‘Mean’ Gene plugs a WCW Hotline survey and then welcomes NASCAR Driver Kyle Petty. He compares Flair’s retirement match to his father Richard Petty’s retirement from racing, but he’s definitely rooting for ‘The Nature Boy’ tonight.

Match #5 is 2 Out Of 3 Falls for the WCW United States Championship: WCW United States Champion ‘The Natural’ Dustin Rhodes vs. ‘Stunning’ Steve Austin w/Col. Robert Parker
There will be a 30 second rest period between falls. They measure one another and its Dustin with a single leg takedown, but Austin retreats. Collar and elbow tie up and Austin moves to a waistlock, Rhodes reverses it and Austin grabs a rope. Collar and elbow and its Austin with the side headlock takedown. Rhodes counters with a head scissor and he puts it down hard. Austin rolls to the ropes to break the hold and he comes up defensively. Collar and elbow, they fight for position and hit the ropes.

Austin with a shoulder block but its Rhodes with an elbow on the comeback. Rhodes tries a pin but Stunning Steve bails out to the floor. Austin takes his time to come back to the ring. Rhodes calls for a test of strength but he’s hit in the gut. Snapmare by Austin, he goes for a chinlock but Rhodes twists into a hammerlock. The Natural drives his knee into Austin’s shoulder. Austin somersaults and breaks the hold on the ropes, he bails to the floor and the fans don’t approve. Back in and they tie up, Dustin with the side headlock takedown. He holds Austin down and Steve smacks the mat. To their feet and to the ropes, its Rhodes with a shoulder block.

He keeps going and Austin catches him with a boot. Austin lifts Rhodes for what looks like a powerbomb, Rhodes rolls down his back and puts Stunning Steve into a backslide for two. Austin rolls to the floor to regroup once again. Back in, its Austin with a double leg takedown, a boot to the gut and he pulls Rhodes out to the apron. Steve lays in a big elbow and pulls him onto the floor. They exchange blows and finally Rhodes throws Austin over the railing and into the fan area. Parker tries fanning his client and Austin calls for timeout. Austin offers his hand from the outside but Rhodes isn’t buying it. Austin rolls back in and continues to offer a suspicious handshake.

The Natural isn’t having it and he clocks him. Side headlock takeover by Rhodes and he hangs onto the headlock. Up to their feet and Austin causes a break in the corner but not without a cheap right. He goes to work with strikes, a snapmare and an elbow from the ropes. Steve drives his head into the canvass and Dustin must kick out at two. Austin chokes him on the middle rope and Parker taunts him. Kick to the ribs, a snapmare and a knee to the forehead by Austin. Steve tries a cover and Rhodes kicks out, he comes up to his knees and delivers a right. Austin comes to his feet but he’s hit in the gut and takes a few to the chin.

Austin slows it down with a kick to the gut and an elbow off the ropes. He tries a cover and only gets two. Austin dumps Rhodes to the outside, but The Natural is quick to get back to the apron. He drives his shoulder into Austin and tries a sunset flip but only gets two. Rhodes with forearms and rights. He sends Steve for the ride and hits him with a dropkick. He tries a cover but Parker pulls his leg. Rhodes takes exception to it and approaches him, allowing Austin to hit him from behind. Rhodes swings with a right but is caught in a belly to back suplex. Slow cover by Austin and Rhodes kicks out. Austin with straight rights but Rhodes fights back. They hit the ropes and collide, both men are down. They’re slow to their feet but immediately slug it out.

Rhodes ducks a clothesline and lifts him for a scoop slam on the comeback, Austin holds the ropes and leverages his body on top of The Natural, Rhodes kicks out. Snapmare by Austin and he heads to the 2nd rope, he tries a knee but Dustin moves. Rhodes hits him with rights and the trademarked elbow. To the ropes and its a big clothesline by Rhodes. He sends him again and scores with a powerslam. Austin barely kicks out and Parker is up on the apron. Rhodes throws Austin into his his manager and both tumble to the floor. Because Austin went over the top rope in the process, it calls for a disqualification.
First Fall: ‘Stunning’ Steve Austin

There should be a 30 second rest period, but Rhodes ambushes Austin on the floor and drives him into the ring post. The ref restores some order and gets Dustin back in the ring. Austin is busted open and Parker has been helped to the back by the medical staff. The bell rings to decide the 2nd fall and Rhodes wastes no time to return to the floor and beat on his opponent. He dumps him back in and comes off the top with a double ax handle. The lights in the arena go out and spotlights are being used! Snap suplex by Rhodes and he drops an elbow. He tries a pin but only gets two. Irish whip by Rhodes and he clotheslines a blood Austin. Rhodes stands on the 2nd turnbuckle and delivers a series of rights. Austin grabs him by the waist, drops Rhodes to the mat, rolls him up with a handful of trunks and steals it with a surprise pin.
Winner and NEW WCW United States Champion: ‘Stunning’ Steve Austin

• EA’s Take This is easily one of my favorite WCW rivalries of the early 1990’s. Schiavone’s comment that “We’re looking at two men who will dominate WCW for the next decade” is very funny in retrospect, seeing as we’re only a couple years away from ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin and Goldust. Great match, it was seemingly an out-of-nowhere finish, but I’m okay with that once in a while. It messes with your immunity to the cadence of a match. One thing I would actually emphasize these days is seeing more guys win on secondary, signature moves once every blue moon. Not so much on PPV, but on TV, because it would make false-finishes in big matches more dramatic. If Dolph Ziggler goes for a cover after a Famouser, is there any drama in your heart that maybe he actually just won the match? You have to swerve the ‘Smarks’ every once in a while to keep things interesting.

Match #6 for the WCW International World Heavyweight Championship: WCW International World Heavyweight Champion ‘Ravishing’ Rick Rude vs. The Boss
They jaw in each other’s face and Boss is enraged. Collar and elbow, Boss with position first but they spin around. Rude finally covers up in the corner and the ref backs him off. Collar and elbow and once again they dance and once again, Rude cowers in the corner. Rude lectures the referee and the crowd pops for The Boss. They lock up again, this time its Rude with position in the corner and he takes a cheapshot as the ref tries to break it. Forearms and rights by the champ. He follows with an elbow and then lays it into the chin. He drags Boss’ eyes over the ropes and gives shots to the kidneys.

To the ropes, Boss reverses and sends Rude with a back drop. He sends Rude again and hits him with a big boot. The challenger follows it with a big back breaker, Rude kicks out at 1. Boss sends Rude into the turnbuckle and then an Irish whip. Big rights by Boss and another Irish whip. Rude collapses to the mat. Scoop slam by Boss and he hooks the leg, Rude kicks out. Boss dumps him out to the floor and slams him on the ground. Boss breaks the ref’s count and goes back for more. Boss sets up a vertical suplex and hangs Rude from the top rope. He throws body shots to the vulnerable champ. Rude tries pulling himself into the ring but he runs into right hands.

He finally rolls off to the floor but Boss rolls him back in. Bear hug by the challenger and Rude cries out. Rude bites the bridge of the nose to break it, but The Boss fires back with rights. Irish whip but the champ gets his knee up. Rude heads for the top but Boss cuts him off with a right and then drives his face into the mat. He tries busting him on the middle rope but Rude moves. Rude comes off the apron with a sunset flip and he gets the 3 count to retain his title.
Winner and STILL WCW International World Heavyweight Champion: Rick Rude (Sunset Flip)

• EA’s Take: I was happy to see Big Boss Man get his posthumous Hall of Fame due a couple of years back. Other than the flippy Hardcore Championship, his only major title to speak of in either WWF or WCW was a tag title with Ken Shamrock, but he’s a great example of the fact that titles aren’t everything when it comes to leaving an impact on the fans. It was a heel-friendly crowd tonight, not only did Austin get a good share of cheers after his win, but there were audible “Rude-Rude-Rude” chants when he was in trouble.

Match #7 for the WCW World Tag Team Championships: WCW World Tag Team Champions The Nasty Boys (Brian Knobs & Jerry Sags) w/Missy Hyatt vs. Sting & Road Warrior Hawk
The Nasty Boys have some words with fans who are cat calling Missy. The Nasty Boys parade around the ring as everyone boos. They take their time to decide who is starting. It’ll be Sting and Knobs. Sags tries to psyche Sting out and Knobs wants him to back up. Collar and elbow, Knobs with position in the corner, he tries a cheapshot but Sting dodges it. Another lock up, arm drag by Stinger and Knobs consults with his partner. Knobs kicks the gut and lays in some rights.

Sting’s head meets the corner and they hit the ropes, Sting ducks and scores with an elevated clothesline. He drops and elbow on Knobs and takes care of a rushing Sags. Knobs walks into a right from Hawk  and Sting sends him outside. The Nasty Boys consult with one another, Hawk lifts Sting over his head and throws him on top of the champs. Missy yells that this is cheating. Tag is made to Sags and he gets in Hawk’s face. Hawk wants in so here he comes. Sags tries going in but Hawk intimidates him back. They lock up and Hawk gets position. Sags turns it on him and lays in some rights and forearms. Hawk returns the favor with some big chops, Irish whip but Sags gets the boot up. Tag is made to Knobs, they try double teaming Hawk and send him to the corner.

The Road Warrior bounces off and clotheslines both of them. They regroup with Missy on the ramp. Sags re-enters the ring and is immediately pummeled but Hawk. A series of rights and Sags collapses. Standing drop kick by Hawk as he climbs up. To the ropes they go and it’s a big shoulder block by Hawk. He lays in a right and Sags tries to bail. Hawk pursues him. Back in the ring, they hit the ropes, Sags blocks the boot but Hawk hits the enzigure. Tag is made to Sting and they give Sags a double elbow. Vertical suplex by Sting but Sags thumbs the eye. He tags in Knobs who is victimized with a hiptoss and a wristlock. Tag is made to Hawk who stays on the wrist, pulling it over his own shoulder.

Knobs goes head first into the turnbuckle, Hawk grabs the arm and tags in Sting who keeps working him over with the wrist lock. Seated arm bar by Sting and he yanks Knobs head up. Quick tag back to Hawk, he sends Knobs to the corner but it’s Hawk who hits the ring post. Down on the floor, Sags takes a cheapshot and then hits Hawk with a chair. Sting checks on his partner, Sags lifts him up and Missy slaps him. Hawk goes after her but Knobs cuts him off from behind. Sags rolls him back in and Knobs stomps away. Tag is made to Sags who drops a knee on Hawk’s elbow. Quick tag to Knobs and he pulls him down to the mat. He drops a leg and tries a cover, Hawk kicks out.

Armbar on the mat by Knobs and he tells Hawk to give up. LOD chants break out. A tag is made to Sags who drops a headbutt on Hawk’s shoulder. Sags locks in a submission as Hawk struggles to roll over to Sting. Tag is made to Knobs and they double team Hawk. Scoop slam by Knobs and he tries a cover. He goes back to a shoulder submission as Sting pumps up the crowd. Missy taunts him from the floor. Hawk works up to his knees and pounds on the mat. Up to vertical and he pulls Knobs in for a clothesline. A tag is made to Sing but the ref didn’t see it and he kicks him out.

The Nasty Boys send Hawk for the ride, he ducks a double clothesline and gives boots to both of them. Hawk makes the tag and Sting cleans house. Scoop slam for Sags and a drop kick for Knobs. He sends Knobs for a big clothesline but Sags breaks it up. Sting dumps him to the ramp and clotheslines Knobs over the top to join him. The Nasty Boys decide they’ve had enough, Missy grabs the belts and they head for the back but Sting and Hawk won’t have that. They haul the champs back and dump them in the ring. Sting goes for a top rope splash but the knees are up. Scoop slam by Knobs. To the 2nd rope goes Knobs and he hits a big leg drop.

He drops another across the neck and Sting must kick out. Knobs throws Sting over the top rope and Sags takes advantage. Missy whips Sting and Sags levels him with a clothesline. Back in the ring, a vertical suplex by Knobs and Sting kicks at two. Tag is made to Sags and he hits the kidney area. Abdominal stretch by Sags as the crowd rallies for Sting. Hawk is going nuts on the apron. Knobs enters illegally while the ref is focused on Hawk. He applies the stretch. The ref drop checks the arm and only gets two. Forearm shot by Knobs and an Irish whip, Sting gets the boot up and tries a sunset flip for two. Sags is tagged in and drops an elbow across the back. Gutwrench suplex by Sags and he tags back to Knobs. He drops an elbow and makes a cover, Sting kicks out.

Camel clutch style reverse chinlock applied, Sting turns himself around and walks toward his corner. Knobs goes to cut off Hawk but takes a shot himself. He brings Sting to the opposite corner, front face lock and a vertical suplex by Knobs. He makes a cover and Sting must kick away once again. He returns to the chin lock. Hawk has seen enough and he kicks Knobs off. Sags is in, double ax on the back and makes a cover. Sting kicks out again. Knobs is back in and he goes back to the abdominal stretch. Sting reverses with a hip toss. Sags is tagged in and Knobs holds Sting’s leg so he can’t get to Hawk. Clubbing forearm to the chest and a quick tag back to Knobs who scoop slams Sting.

Back to the 2nd rope and he lands a big splash. He calls to do it one more time but instead drops an elbow. Now he’s on the rope, but Sting gets the boot up. Sags rushes over and knocks Hawk off the apron and they give Sting a double team splash. Power slam by Knobs. Hawk blindsides him and takes care of Sags in the corner. Hot tag to Hawk and he ambushes Knobs, finishing him off with a body slam. Sags appears to be hurt in the corner. Sags crawls over to make the save, Sting takes care of him. Hawk goes to the floor to pound on Sags while Knobs takes a Stinger Splash. He goes for the Scorpion Deathlock but Missy runs a distraction.

Sting plants a kiss on her, Knobs charges and Sting moves which knocks her off the apron. Sting comes in with a Schoolboy but Knobs barely kicks out. Knobs goes for the eye which slows him down for a minute, but Sting lifts him up on his shoulders. Hawk hits the Doomsday Device, Sting makes the cover but Missy comes in to break up the pin. The ref calls for a disqualification. Sting and Hawk win but the Nasty Boys retain the title.
Winners: Sting & Road Warrior Hawk (Disqualification)

• EA’s Take: Not the best showing for any of these 4 guys, there seemed to be some sloppy confusion at times. I think there were a couple of factors in play. Sags appeared to be legitimately injured. He tried to soldier on, but couldn’t do much, forcing Knobs to essentially work the whole second half and likely change up a lot of plans. It also felt like a match that wasn’t supposed to be as long as it was, but perhaps they were charged with going a half hour due to a time surplus. That’s just my speculation, but the last 10 minutes were lethargic and repetitive.

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