Friday 28 January 2022

WCW Clash of The Champions IX: New York Knockout Review!

 




Hello and welcome to another edition of Seanomaniac Wrestling Reviews, the only wrestling review series on the internet that continues to baffle the people more than a Wrestling Stan Account! It’s time for WCW Clash Of The Champions IX: New York Knockout! This seems like the biggest Clash in quite some time as we have a I Quit Match between Funk and Flair as our main event, we also have Luger vs Pillman in a rematch from Halloween Havoc and some interesting tag matches to round out the card, could this be a good clash? I think the clash could have a similar record to In Your House at this point, far more uninteresting ones compared to interesting ones but we are only 9 shows in so I guess I won’t judge too quickly but let’s do this!

 

The Road Warriors W/ Paul Ellering vs The Fabulous Freebirds


This is what I want to see, LOD smashing people who can bump for them. Hayes and Hawk to start, Hayes dodges the right hand from Hawk but Animal brings Hayes back into the ring. Hawk clotheslines both, I think we are going to have lots of stalling here. Military press slam by Hawk, Animal smacks Hayes around. Flying shoulder tackle from Hawk, Hawk lands a dropkick on Garvin. Double elbow on Garvin, Garvin rakes the eyes and clubs Animal. Suplex connects and Animal pops right back up, massive clothesline by Animal who poses for the fans. Hayes lands an elbow but Animal does not move, clothesline and the flying shoulder tackle. Tag to Hawk, Hawk wrenches the arm of Hayes. Clothesline by Hawk, tag to Animal.

 

Animal and Garvin are in, Animal misses a corner splash. Hayes hurls Animal to the floor, stomps by Hayes. Tag to Garvin, they batter Animal. Hawk is with the referee, right hands by Garvin. Hayes chops and chokes Animal, choke with the ropes and more double-teaming before Hawk tosses the referee and batters The Freebirds. We have a DQ, what a hot start eh?

 

Never really got going, the match being thrown out is quite disappointing but I guess that is what they thought would be a good idea to open a show.

 

Winners: The Fabulous Freebirds over The Road Warriors via DQ!

 

Doom W/ Woman vs Eddie Gilbert & Tommy Rich


Gilbert seems to have slid down the card, possibly due to his heat with Ric Flair as Gilbert considered himself a big star like his big personality but it was not meant to be unfortunately, Woman continues to manage her men in black and this looks like it will be a squash.

 

Gilbert and Simmons to start, Simmons throws down Gilbert. Side headlock from Gilbert but Simmons tosses Gilbert across the ring. Simmons poses, O’Connor roll from Gilbert. Gilbert lands a face-buster before strutting, tag to Rich. Diving axe handle from Rich, Rich works the arm with elbows before Simmons goes low with a right hand. In comes Reed, Reed gets caught in an arm-bar before drilling Rich with forearms. Leapfrogs before Rich lands a hip-toss, stand-off between the two as Gilbert tries firing up the crowd. Tag to Gilbert who drills Reed, side headlock before Reed grabs the hair. Sidewalk slam from Reed, suplex from Reed and a tag to Simmons.

 

Simmons tosses Gilbert around the ring, big axe handles from Simmons. Tag to Reed, massive knee to the ribs. Reed lands closed fists to the head of Gilbert, swinging neck-breaker from Reed for two. Gilbert escapes to tag in Rich, elbows from Rich. Gut-shot and back body-drop, we have a brawl now with everyone in the ring. Tag team atomic drop and diving clothesline combination by Doom for the win.

 

Another brief match to put over this impressive new tag team, fine by me but not exactly super interesting to review!

 

Winners: Doom over Eddie Gilbert & Tommy Rich via Diving Clothesline!

 

The Dynamic Dudes vs The Midnight Express


The Dudes were being managed by Cornette as a thank you for saving Cornette when Paul E. Dangerously knocked out Cornette with his cell-phone. This led to tension between the two teams as Cornette was seen as neglecting his Midnight Express. The Midnight Express have given Cornette an ultimatum: choose which team you will continue to manage. It baffles me that I have not seen The Midnight Express near those tag team championships considering how good they are inside of that ring.

 

Cornette stands in a neutral corner for this match, Douglas and Eaton to begin the match. Clean break from Eaton, lock-up. Side headlock from Eaton, abdominal stretch from Douglas but Eaton escapes before being caught in an arm-drag. Douglas takes out Eaton and Lane, arm-drag on Lane. Shoulder block by Douglas before Lane drop toeholds Douglas but Douglas slips out with a hammerlock. Lane counters the hold by pulling the hair and works the arm, Douglas lands a drop toehold into a wristlock. Lane pulls the hair, schoolboy by Douglas for two. Little shoving, Ace wants to brawl. Lane misses an enzuigiri, Ace ducks the manoeuvre.

 

Lane brings Ace to the ropes, dropkick counters from Ace. Scoop slam and Lane backs up, tag to Eaton. Side headlock from Eaton, shoulder block too before Ace lands more dropkicks. Douglas dives onto Eaton, crowd reacts somewhat positively. They lock-up with Douglas grabbing a headlock, Lane delivers a belly to back suplex. Douglas dodges the elbow drop and lands an arm-drag, in comes Eaton but Eaton eats an arm-drag. Eaton pushes Douglas to the ropes, massive punch by Eaton. Eaton wants a superplex, Douglas slips out and lands an O’Connor roll for two, diving crossbody for two. Ace is in now, hip-toss and monkey flip.

 

Ace wanted the head-scissors but Lane smashed Ace from the apron. Karate kicks from Lane, snap-mare into a Russian leg-sweep. Tag to Eaton, Rocket Launcher and Ace counters with his knees. Tag to Douglas, right hands all around. Back body-drop from Douglas, Olympic Slam from Douglas but in comes Lane. We have a brawl, Eaton has something in his wrist. Cornette takes the chain and tells Douglas to go after Eaton and with Douglas’ back turned, Cornette waffles Douglas with the racket for the win.

 

Solid tag team match with an ending that makes me happy because The Midnight Express and Jim Cornette are meant to be, that’s the way it should always be. Ace and Douglas have been solid as a tag team but their gimmick is dying a slow death and I am not sure how they will recover, the future does not look bright. Luckily for Douglas and Ace, ECW and AJPW were going to come calling to revive their careers after WCW.

 

Winners: The Midnight Express over The Dynamic Dudes via Racket!

 

Super Destroyer vs Dr. Death Steve Williams


Jack Victory in his Midnight tights again, little effort to hide Victory at this point. He’s been destroyed more times than I can count, Destroyer gets a shot or two in before Williams destroys Super Destroyer with a military press slam and The Oklahoma Stampede!

 

Winner: Dr. Death over Super Destroyer via Oklahoma Stampede!

 

The Skyscrapers W/ Teddy Long vs The Steiner Brothers


Meaty tag team matches! Spivey and Rick to start, Spivey clubs Rick. Rick ducks and wants a German, Spivey is tossed in a brutal German suplex. Steinerline to the floor, that’s fucking sick. Spivey drills Rick with a tombstone, Rick elbows back at Spivey and lands another Steinerline. In comes Scott, Frakensteiner on Spivey and fallaway slam on Sid Vicious. Sid and Scott are in there, whip to the buckle but Scott dodges Sid and works the arm. Same spot we saw from the previous match with LOD, Spivey and Sid land a dropkick/clothesline combination. Powerslam from Spivey, big boot too. Scott blocks the suplex and Scott suplexes Spivey, Steinerline on Spivey.

 

In comes Rick, rights and lefts from Rick. Steinerline on Spivey, powerslam with Sid eating a double clothesline from The Steiners. In comes Doom, belly to belly suplex on Spivey. We have a DQ as Doom come to ringside and batter The Steiners, Woman is here to batter Rick with her heel. Rick shakes it off and Rick says there will be a belly to belly suplex. We have a bodyguard in the ring, a beatdown ensues before LOD come to ringside and it’s a brawl that pops the crowd.

 

More of an angle than anything else but man it is fun to watch Steiners throw people around the ring. Especially when it is Spivey because Lord knows I love Sid and Spivey is such a disappointment when standing next to Sid Vicious.

 

Winners: The Steiner Brothers over The Skyscrapers via DQ!

 

(NWA United States Heavyweight Championship Match) Lex Luger © vs Flyin’ Brian Pillman


These two had quite the good match at Halloween Havoc, showcasing the strengths of both men. WCW decided hey why not do that again? So here we are with Luger taking on Pillman II. They lock-up, clean break from both. Luger looks hesitant to get in there with Pillman, they lock-up again. Luger continues to create distance between the two, Luger looks to the crowd and tells them to shut-up. Luger chants around the arena, Luger talks more trash to the fans. Knee from Luger, elbows to the spine. Right hands from Luger, Pillman eats a shoulder block but leapfrogs Luger and nails two beautiful dropkicks. Luger powders and talks more trash, an irate Luger is on the floor. Lock-up, right hands by Luger who waffles the challenger, Irish whip with Pillman leapfrogging Luger and Luger is clubbed down and powders once more.

 

Luger calls for a time-out, Luger shoves Pillman to the corner. Cheap-shots from Luger, Luger poses for the fans. Chops from Pillman, belly to back is countered and Pillman skins the cat after missing a clothesline. Big kick staggers Luger, Luger calls for another break. Missile dropkick from Pillman for two, chops rock Luger. Pillman wrenches the arm of Luger, Luger begs for mercy as Pillman lands the hot-shot. Pillman works the arm off the ring-post, Luger meets the guardrail too. In the ring, Luger brings Pillman to the corner and lands some massive rights. Whip to the opposite buckle and a belly to back suplex from The Total Package. Irish whip and a military press slam with Luger calling for the finish, military press drop from Luger.

 

Pillman is on one knee brawling back into this one, Luger pulls Pillman to the floor. Luger slams Pillman on the floor, Luger suplexes Pillman back into the ring. Only two for Luger, Pillman schoolboys for two. Irish whip from Luger into the powerslam, Luger calls for The Rack. Pillman schoolboys Luger for two again, they are trading blows. Right hands and chops, flying clothesline by Pillman. Irish whip and a back body-drop, Pillman climbs high. Diving Crossbody but the referee is wiped out again, chop down from Pillman. Luger clubs Pillman, Pillman lands an O’Connor roll but there is still no referee. Dropkick with Luger rolling to the floor, Pillman tries waking the referee. Luger grabs the chair, Pillman does not see the chair and Luger waffles Pillman and picks up the win. After the match, Sting makes the save as we built towards Starrcade.

 

This was a great match between these two, Luger at his best as a massive douchebag heel who believes he is better than everyone. Luger is happy to bump around for Pillman, Pillman gets two visual pin-falls over Luger too showing that one day we might revisit but more importantly, there are very high on Pillman. Great finish from Luger too and angle afterwards, Luger says Sting finally has the guts to face him only to turn and run when given the chance to face Sting. Great heel work from The Total Package!

 

Winner: Lex Luger over Brian Pillman via Chair To The Head!

 

(I Quit Match) Ric Flair vs Terry Funk W/ Gary Hart


A fantastic angle began with Terry Funk being upset that Ric Flair would not accept his challenge for the world championship, Funk proceeded to almost break the neck of The Nature Boy. This led to a heated contest between the two, intensity that we had not seen from The Nature Boy in quite some time but that was not enough, they continued their feud with Funk almost suffocating Flair with a bag over his head. They got it on at Halloween Havoc but apart from the finish, it was not enough for me but an I Quit Match tonight will settle the score. Terry Funk has been tremendous since joining WCW and I am sad to see him go but Funk would never truly retire.

 

Funk being the badass that he is, Funk gives Flair one chance to quite before we begin. Lock-up, clean break. Another lock-up, Funk misses the chop and is chopped to the floor. Funk threatens the fans, chops from Flair. Whip to the buckles, chop and Funk is down again. Funk almost attacks a camera guy showcasing that he is rocked, Funk is so awesome. Funk powders, jabs from Funk but they have little effect. Shoulder block by Funk, Flair goes for the leg and chokes Funk. Funk rakes the eyes, stomps to the head. They are on the apron here, right hand floors Flair. Headbutt rocks Flair, Flair chops back at Funk. Funk drills Flair with a left hand, elbow to the skull. Flair is dumped to the floor, Flair meets the guardrail. Left hands batter Flair, microphone to the head from Funk. Flair throws pick right hands to get back into the match, Flair chants are strong here tonight. Ten punches in the corner, Funk eats an inverted atomic drop. Neck-breaker from Funk staggers Flair, Flair chops back again with Funk spilling to the floor. Flair sends Funk to the guardrail, Flair shoves Gary Hart. Flair is distracted by Gary Hart and Funk takes advantage. Swinging neck-breaker, Funk wants a piledriver. Texas-sized Piledriver from Funk, Funk begins working the neck and face. On the floor, Funk piledrives Flair on the concrete. Funk is getting sadistic now.

 

Funk slams Flair off a table before taking the table for himself, what is the plan here? Flair is battling back out of desperation, right hands too. Funk’s head meets the table, Funk is tossed across the table before Flair goes after Gary Hart. Inverted atomic drop and Flair is going to work the leg, Flair drops all his weight on the leg over and over. Chops and right hands, Funk is trying to run away but Flair tackles Funk to the ground and lands a shin-breaker. Flair suplexes Funk into the ring, Funk kicks and fights to block the hold and thumbs the eye of The Nature Boy. Funk is suplexed to the apron, Flair applies The Figure Four Leg-Lock. Funk quits after being locked in the hold, I thought that was a little less dramatic than I thought it would be. Gary Hart turns on Funk and Muta goes after Flair. Sting makes the save but Luger comes here too, Sting is waffled before Flair makes the save.

 

This was a great match in my eyes, Funk sets the tone by asking Flair if he wants to quit before he lays this beating on him. The bell rings and these two scrap it out, beating one another all over the ring. Flair goes for the leg, Funk piledrivers Flair on the floor to bring up the neck injury again and I am getting flashbacks, the piledriver on the concrete is just vicious and it’s incredible. Funk on the mic is great and Funk saying he will never great only to have to utter those words to save his leg from being broken, great stuff and a strong angle heading into Starrcade although I have heard bad things about Starrcade so let’s say I am a little worried but we had two big blow-offs on this show with The Midnight Express vs The Dudes and Flair vs Funk coming to an end. A solid Clash of Champions for WCW despite the jobber matches and DQs that filled the early parts of the show!

 

Winner: Ric Flair over Terry Funk via I Quit!


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