Backstage: ‘Mean’ Gene is joined by Dusty Rhodes, Dustin Rhodes & The Nasty Boys to discuss their upcoming WarGames match. Sags said on the streets, you talk the talk but then you walk the walk. That street is Nasty Boulevard. Knobbs says it’s retribution time. Dustin says Arn Anderson has audacity to question anyone else’s manhood, he’s not a man and never has been one. Dream chimes in saying that when they talk about the great games in the world you have to talk about WarGames. Tonight, Col. Robert Parker is going to squeal like a pig.

Match #5 is a Triangle Elimination WCW World Heavyweight Championship #1 Contender’s Match: Vader w/Harley Race vs. Sting vs. The Guardian Angel
WCW Commissioner Nick Bockwinkel holds a coin toss to determine which two competitors start the match and who gets a ‘bye’. The odd man out is Sting, so it’ll be The Guardian Angel and Vader battling first. Vader and Sting have a small scuffle, Angel tells Sting this is his turn, don’t mess with his turn. Sting wants Vader out of his face. Vader taunts and Angel tells him where to stick it. They lock up and Vader brushes him off quickly. Collar and elbow, side headlock by Angel, they hit the ropes and collide with shoulder blocks. Angel taunts and Vader calls for a test of strength. Vader with the upper hand early, Angel gets the crowd pumped but its a knee to the gut from Vader. Angel is abused in the corner and staggers around.

Irish whip by Vader, Angel comes back fast with a clothesline but Vader doesn’t move, He tries again with the same result. He tries lifting the bigger man but cannot. Forearm shots in the corner by Vader, another Irish whip and this time it’s Vader with the big splash. Angel is sent to the ropes, he ducks a clothesline and turns it into a belly to back suplex. He holds Vader’s legs up and drops an elbow on the midsection. Angel still can’t scoop slam Vader but he gives a series of punches and heads to the top rope with Vader hung up on the bottom rope. Angel leaps, Vader moves and Angel is slung on the top rope. Reverse chinlock by Vader and he smashes Angel’s face and drops an elbow in between. Vader screams at him to quit. Vader goes for a big splash, Angel moves out of the way and trips Vader down to the mat and gets two.

Angel hits the ropes and gets him over with a crossbody but Vader won’t surrender. Vader is up, he rushes Angel for a clothesline and both big men go over the top rope. Vader moves in for a right, Angel moves and Race is clocked. Vader hits the ringpost going for a body block with Angel moves again. Back in the ring, Vader catches a boot and Angel scores with an enzigure. He’s finally able to lift Vader for a scoop slam but he kicks out. Vader is whipped to the ropes but runs into the referee, Angel hits his finisher on the comeback but there is no count. Harley Race comes into the ring to headbutt Angel. Vader climbs to the 2nd rope and hits a Vader Bomb to win round one. The Guardian Angel has been eliminated.

It’s Sting’s turn and the crowd pops for him. Vader attempts to psyche Sting out before they lock up, Sting gets position in the corner and they break it off. Collar and elbow and the result is the same. Collar and elbow and Vader pushes Sting to the mat. The Franchise blows up in Vader’s face. Collar and elbow, this time it’s Vader with position in the corner and he pounds on the midsection. Big forearm on Sting’s chest, but Stinger is fired up. Vader knocks Sting’s head and brings him back to the corner for another, Sting is just too fired up. Sting with an eye poke, foot stomp, shin kick and drop kick to bring the big man down. They lock up and hit the ropes, Sting ducks and runs into a brick wall. Vader lifts him for a scoop slam and climbs up for his Vader Bomb, he lands it but opts not to cover.

He climbs up again, tries again but Sting gets up, lays in some kicks. Vader comes down and blocks the momentum. He sends Sting for the ride and hits a clothesline. He sets Sting up for another bomb, Sting moves. Sting tries a sunset flip, Vader tries sitting on his chest and Sting moves once again. Stinger charges Vader and clotheslines him to the floor. Sting follows and the ref directs traffic. Race tries to get involved, but Sting blocks a vertical suplex and gives Harley one instead. Back in the ring, front facelock by Sting and lifts his rival up for an impressive vertical suplex. He moves to the top rope and comes away with a big splash. It was partially blocks so Sting tries a standing splash, Vader gets his knees up.

Vader pulls Sting up for a scoop slam and he’s heading up again, this time all the way to the top for a moonsault. Sting moves and Vader hits hard. Sting seats Vader on the top turnbuckle and hits him with a superplex. High elevation elbow by Sting, and decides to do it again. He makes a cover and Vader barely kicks out. Fireman’s carry into a Samoan drop by Sting, again the big man gets his shoulder up. Sting with strikes in the corner, setting up for the Stinger Splash and he gets it. He rushes back again for a running clothesline, Vader gets his shoulder up just in time. Waist lock and he lifts the big man for a German suplex and again he kicks out.

Vader reverses momentum and clubs Sting with a left-right combo. Vader tries to throw him to the outside, Sting doesn’t make it all the way out so Vader boots him outside so Race can take cheapshots. Vader clubs him around the ring and sets him in the corner with more lefts and rights. He rocks Sting with a forearm but it wakes Sting up. He tries again and again. Sting comes at him with rights and sends him for a clothesline. Sting stomps Vader’s head he tries a cover but Vader’s foot is on the ropes. Vader rolls to the floor to regroup, Race tells the cameraman to get out of here. Vader rolls into ring #2 and Sting hits two top rope clotheslines. Vader is down and Sting’s heading back up again for a top rope splash, somehow Vader kicks out.

He pops back up and takes some control. Vader hits a belly to back suplex but is slow to cover, Sting gets a shoulder up. Standing clothesline by Vader and he climbs the turnbuckles with one minute remaining. Vader leaps and Sting reverses it with a powerslam, both men are down. They get back to their feet, Sting sends Vader for a clothesline but Harley Race pulls the referee’s leg. Sting locks in a Scorpion Deathlock but time runs out. We must have a winner so a 5 minute overtime period is started. Sting waists no time to lock in a reverse chin lock but Vader is on the ropes. Sting pursues but Vader gets his knee up. Sting is punted in the ribs.

A front face lock and a vertical suplex by the big man. Both men moving very gingerly. Vader lifts Sting and sits him on the top turnbuckle. He throws in a few rights and is warned about closed fists. Vader says it’s over, he tries a superplex but Sting fights back and bites his nose. Vader crashes to the canvass but Sting doesn’t have enough energy to leap. He just rolls down and tries a cover, Vader gets a shoulder up. Vader blocks a double leg pick up and headbutts Sting. Vader back to the top rope, Sting catches him in the act, puts Vader on his shoulder and falls backwards, both men are down. Vader clubs him with clotheslines and slams him to the mat, Sting gets his shoulder up again with 1 minute remaining in the overtime period.

Vader drops a splash on Sting and he kicks out at two and a half. Vader rises up slowly, he sets up for a powerbomb he makes a cover, Sting doesn’t kick but the pin happens as time expires. There must be a winner so we enter sudden death. The first competitor knocked off of their feet will lose. Sting rolls into the other ring as the bell rings. Vader stalks him with rights, Sting uses the ropes to stay up. Standing clotheslines and Sting staggers to the corner but holds himself up on the turnbuckle. More clubbing blows by Vader. Sting blocks a right and fights back. It’s Sting’s turn to lay them in, they collide in the center of the ring multiple times. Harley Race is up on the apron but The Guardian Angel is back to take care of him.

Vader is hung up on the top rope, Sting hits a shoulder block and Vader hits the mat. We should have a winner but the referee is preoccupied with Angel and Race. The Masked Man who hit Hogan in the leg rushes to ringside and clubs Sting in the leg before quickly running away. The ref turns around in time to see Sting on the mat and Vader on his feet.
Winner: Vader (Outside Interference)

• EA’s Take: I’ve said it before, but this match *should* be a triangle match between three Hall of Famers, but alas it’s only 2 out of 3. That needs to change. It’s very bizarre calling Boss Man “Angel”. This certainly made Vader look extremely strong for his upcoming match with Hogan without damaging the other two. At first, I figured Vader would win the coin toss to get some heat, Sting would win round one and then they could tell the story that he came up short due to fatigue. The more I think about it though, this is the better way to go. It might be my favorite Sting/Vader bout to date.

In the Arena: ‘Mean’ Gene is here to pass on an important message from WCW World Heavyweight Champion Hulk Hogan. He’s on satellite in the gym in Venice Beach. He has a master plan to get Ric Flair where he wants him. Jimmy Hart rushes in, he has Ric Flair on the phone from Las Vegas. Flair immediately hands the phone to one of his accompanying female guests who explains Flair’s actually busy. Hogan is busy training, and he can’t imagine what kind of training Flair must be doing. She explains that she gives him great workouts. Flair finally takes the phone and asks who is this? Flair explains that he retired as the real World Champion and he’s enjoying himself, too busy to waste his time. Hogan has a master plan to coax Flair back. Flair denies that he’s afraid to take on Hogan again, and the camera should show the World Heavyweight Championship belt. Hogan is going to make an offer he can’t refuse: if he can beat him one more time, he’ll leave the sport of wrestling forever. The Nature Boy heard Hogan quit at Clash of Champions, he has the belt and if he’s willing to put his career on the line, he’s got a match. After he gets off the phone, Hulk explains to Gene that his knee is a lot better than Flair thinks and he’s going to be ready to go. WCW Commissioner Nick Bockwinkel joins Gene to confirm the match, which will take place in a steel cage at Halloween Havoc.

Match #6 – WarGames: Stud Stable (Terry Funk, Arn Anderson, Bunkhouse Buck & Col. Robert Parker) vs. ‘The American Dream’ Dusty Rhodes, ‘The Natural’ Dustin Rhodes & The Nasty Boys (Brian Knobs & Jerry Sags)
Dustin Rhodes and Arn Anderson start us off and they waste absolutely no time to slug it out. Arn tries throwing him into the cage, Dustin comes back with a roundhouse kick. The Natural to the top, he drops a forearm on Double A and throws him toward the steel. Anderson blocks and retreats to the other ring. Anderson throws a boot to the gut and knocks him down with a right. Rhodes gets him to the apron and throws him back first into the cage. Dustin sends Anderson for an inverted atomic drop sending him between the rings. Rhodes lifts him upside down and pounds his head and shoulders in between.

Arn fights back from his knees and scratches the eyes. Shot to the midsection, he tries a forearm, Dustin ducks and back drops him into ring #2. He heads into ring #1 and runs for a flying cross body. Dustin holds the top on the cage to boot Anderson away. Anderson is knocked over with rights and Dustin stomps the midsection. To the ropes, high impact clothesline by The Natural followed by an elbow. Rhodes stomps on the wrist of Double A, he tries a back drop by Anderson counters with a DDT. The Enforcer lays in a few strikes and uses some tape to choke Dustin. Anderson sends Rhodes for an inside out clothesline. Dustin gets back up and fights back, sending Anderson for a dropkick. Anderson rolls into the other ring. He tries a savate kick, misses and Rhodes locks in a submission.

The coin toss occurs and Bunkhouse Buck is in the match. He sends Rhodes for a big boot and stomps the forehead. A double whip and elbow by Anderson and Buck. They double team Rhodes into the cage as his dad tries cheering him on. Buck stomps a hole in Rhodes’ arm. The double team continues as they work on Dustin’s knees. The countdown is on and Jerry Sags is next in. he clotheslines both of his opponents and clubs away with forearms. A power slam for Arn and he lifts Buck to throw him into the cage. He includes Arn with the fence fun and drops Buck with a piledriver. Dustin has recovered to help out and he lays in a series of rights in the corner to The Enforcer. Sags drives him elbow into Buck’s head and Dustin grabs Double A in a sleeper. Sags lifts Buck by the neck and puts him down.

Terry Funk is next in, he takes his boot off and pounds away with it. Buck and Anderson send Sags into the steel and Funk takes care of The Natural. He taunts Dusty as he abuses his son, choking him on the middle rope. Buck holds Sags for Anderson’s offense. Dustin hangs Funk groin first on the top rope and Parker looks frightened. Dusty encourages Brian Knobbs who is the next one in. Sags piledrives Funk between the rings and he falls through the crack. He struggles to get back up and here comes Knobbs. All three opponents are there to meet him, he counters a cage shot and sends all the members of The Stud Stable in one by one. Knobbs rakes Anderson’s face on the steel and drops a leg. The faces clean out the ring, Rhodes working on Buck.

Sags takes Funk’s boot and beats him across the face until he goes down. A wide shot on the melee, Funk is delirious and he takes more boot shots from Dustin. The countdown is on and Col. Robert Parker says he’s not going in. Nick Patrick says he has to and he’s very hesitant. He waits until Buck blindsides Rhodes and holds him in place. Parker boots him in the gut and throws a right but he’s hurt his hand. Spinebuster by Anderson as Funk beats Rhodes with his belt. Parker is given the belt to whip Sags with. Dustin manages to steal the belt and he goes on a whipping streak of his own, the crowd pops big when he goes after Parker. He works on Double A in the corner, and the crowd is chanting for The American Dream. The countdown is on and here comes Dusty Rhodes.

He fights out of a triple team, bionic elbows and cage shots for all three. He turns around and focuses his attention on Parker. Meng is losing it on the outside. The Nasty Boys whip Parker into the corner for a big splash. Rhodes applies the figure four leg lock on Parker while the Nasty Boys drop elbow after elbow on him. Rhodes keeps everyone else away and Parker has to quit.
Winners: ‘The American Dream’ Dusty Rhodes, ‘The Natural’ Dustin Rhodes & The Nasty Boys

• EA’s Take: There are two things that are inevitable about WarGames: if Arn Anderson is in the match, he’s starting and the heels win the coin toss because it helps create comebacks. As soon as you saw who was in the match, it was pretty obvious who would be #4 for each team and who would submit, but they still made the whole thing entertaining even though it did feel like Dusty overshadowed everything. I think it was an attempt to help Dustin’s angle, but it really eclipsed it more than anything else.

EA’s Finisher: I like when matches mean something, and every match tonight either had a title on the line, a special stipulation or a special gimmick. I enjoyed the show and while I know it’s all kayfabe storytelling for a big main event, but no Hogan OR Flair in the arena this quickly after Hogan’s big debut? Just watching them interact on a screen? I’m sure the paying customers appreciated that. The fans were very divided on the whole Flair/Hogan thing, with plenty of “We Want Flair” chants and some healthy booing for Hogan, but Virginia isn’t far removed from ‘Flair-Country’. We’re also seeing the beginnings of Hulk’s big influence as well after Hacksaw has jumped ship with more to come.

Top Three To Watch
1 – Vader vs. Sting vs. The Guardian Angel
2 – Stud Stable vs. Dusty Rhodes, Dustin Rhodes & The Nasty Boys
3 – Lord Steven Regal vs. Johnny B. Badd

Which match was your favorite? Let us know on social media @theCHAIRSHOTcom and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!

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