WCW Starrcade 1993 Review!

 

Hello and welcome to another edition of Seanomaniac Wrestling Reviews, the only wrestling review series that would tell you MJF needs to hold out for more money! It’s time for WCW Starrcade 1993, the tenth anniversary of the historic event and it is headlined by Title vs Career as Ric Flair puts his career on the line against Vader for the WCW World Championship. We also have Dustin Rhodes vs Stunning Steve Austin for the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship in a two out of three falls match. We have Lord Steven Regal vs Ricky Steamboat for the WCW Television Championship, Hawk & Sting vs The Nasty Boys for the WCW World Tag Team Championships and more! Seeing what Sting is doing and seeing what Austin is doing is almost baffling considering what we were doing at Battle Bowl. No indication that Austin would be challenging for that championship and Sting challenging for the tag team championships again? Where is Animal? Well Animal was collecting an insurance policy for the next few years so again, what was the point of having Hawk without Animal? Whatever, this is Starrcade, this is WCW biggest show so let’s see what they do!

 

2 Cold Scorpio & Marcus Bagwell W/ Teddy Long vs Pretty Wonderful

So Roma is no longer a Horseman and is teaming with Paul Orndorff, interesting to see that is where things ended up going for Roma. How quickly it all collapsed, this starts hot with team babyface knocking around Roma and Orndorff. Roma and Orndorff scramble, Roma and Bagwell to start. Roma kicks down Bagwell, Bagwell ducks and lands a flying crossbody for two. Arm-drag into an arm-bar, Scorpio tags in and kicks the arm of Roma. Scorpio and Bagwell work the arm of Roma, hammerlock throw to the buckle. Leg drop on the arm into a short-arm scissors, Roma escapes and tags in Orndorff who gets caught in an arm-drag and arm-bar. Scorpio has his eyes raked, forearm shot from Orndorff. Scorpio lands a hip-toss and flying head-scissors. Roma comes in and is caught with an atomic drop by Bagwell, more arm work. Double drop-downs and leapfrogs before a hip-toss into the splash, arm-bar from Scorpio.

 

Bagwell is in there with Orndorff, Roma distracts Scorpio and lands a diving chop to the back of the head. Roma lands a back-breaker, make it three. Roma poses feeling himself in this moment and lands a massive elbow drop for two. Belly to back suplex for two, Scorpio makes the save. Tag to Roma, butterfly suplex and powerslam. Diving top rope splash misses, Orndorff is tagged in and misses the elbow drop. Hot-tag to Scorpio, right hands all around. Dropkicks all around, Scorpio lands a snap suplex. Scorpio climbs high, Roma holds onto the leg of Scorpio. Bagwell and Roma brawl on the floor, diving fist to the head by Scorpio. Orndorff is rocked, spinning heel kick by Scorpio. The Assassin is on the apron and The Assassin is smacked in the head. The Assassin has something in his mask, Assassin cracks Scorpio with a headbutt as Orndorff lifts up Scorpio in a flapjack position and the new team of Roma and Orndorff go over.

 

Decent tag team match, Orndorff is a lot more watchable in a tag team setting. Orndorff can get the heat and be a constant annoyance while Roma does the heavy lifting in the ring. Roma is much better as a natural heel than a babyface, Roma was woeful in The Horsemen. Scorpio and Bagwell are fine in this match, Scorpio is so talented and would benefit from some actual singles matches and some angles while Bagwell is probably best in a tag team because there’s just not much there in the charisma department.

 

Winners: Pretty Wonderful over Scorpio & Bagwell via Headbutt!

 

Shockmaster vs Awesome Kong

Awesome Kong and King Kong batter Shockmaster, double clothesline and double splash. Oh wait it is King Kong in the ring, the match has started officially. Whip to the buckle, Shockmaster blocks with a boot and clotheslines King Kong. Flying crossbody, scoop slam and it is over. A squash to continue the push of The Shockmaster.

 

Winner: Shockmaster over King Kong via Scoop Slam!

 

(WCW Television Championship Match) Lord Steven Regal © W/ Sir William vs Ricky The Dragon Steamboat

This match baffles me because booking would lead you to believe that this feud was dead and buried before being brought back up at Battle Bowl where they were partners but I am happy to see Steamboat have a match where he can do his thing as I have sorely missed good quality matches on my WCW programming. Big Steamboat chants as Regal refuses to lock-up, Regal is disgusted by the challenger. Steamboat grabs the leg, clean break from the corner. Regal is not happy with how aggressive Steamboat is in this match.

 

Regal continues stalling, lock-up and Regal pushes Steamboat to the ropes. Regal uses the leg to gain advantage, Steamboat reverses the hold. To the ropes, another clean break. Regal gets a shot on the arm of Steamboat, Steamboat shows that there is a weakness there. Steamboat is hesitating, Steamboat is showing that the arm is really hurting. Regal sweeps the leg and steps on the arm, Steamboat looks to wriggle free. Steamboat manages to break free, Regal uses his superior technical wrestling skills to regain control. Steamboat manages to reverse the hold and flip Regal, both men block hip-tosses before Steamboat lands one of his own and covers for two. Criss-cross from both men, sunset flip by Steamboat for one. Regal works the leg, Steamboat is in an awkward position. Steamboat is in serious trouble, Regal applies pressure to the knee. Regal maintains control with elbows, Steamboat is kicking and manages to land an enzuigiri.

 

Scoop slam by Steamboat, Steamboat climbs high. Diving chop from Steamboat, arm-bar from the challenger. Steamboat works the leg as Regal tries to escape the hold, knees to the ribs and arms. Regal pushes Steamboat to the ropes, massive European uppercuts from the champion. Steamboat decides to chop the life out of Regal, they are on the floor. Sir William thinks about an umbrella shot, Steamboat gives chase as Regal is lying in wait and lands a massive dropkick. Steamboat lands a Japanese arm-drag but both men trade pin-fall attempts, Regal wants a butterfly suplex but Steamboat breaks free. Butterfly suplex, they brawl on the floor. Sir William grabs Steamboat, Steamboat escapes and smashes both Regal and William together. Steamboat hot-shots Regal, Steamboat is on the top rope. Diving Crossbody misses as Regal pops up and eats a German suplex but the time limit has expired.

 

Solid but disappointing for two reasons in my mind, the first is why bring back up this feud to have a time-limit draw at your biggest PPV, what could you possibly be saving for and why book the match if you are not going to put someone over? On top of that my other problem is this looked like a draw from the get-go, I thought the arm work was going to go somewhere and was getting excited to see what would be happening going forward but no sadly, we did not go there which makes me sad because I saw the draw coming and it took me out of the overall experience. This was a chance to put this feud to bed yet they did a time-limit draw, struggling to figure that one out.

 

Time-Limit Expired!

 

Cactus Jack & Maxx Payne vs Tex Slazenger & Shanghai Pierce

From challenging for the world championship upon his big return to competing in tags with Maxx Payne, this company is bizarre sometimes. Payne and Shanghai start, very stuff as both men try shoulder blocks before Shanghai runs through Payne. Slazenger and Cactus are in now, Cactus rakes the eyes before Slazenger returns the favour. Slazenger runs into a knee and a kick to the head, Payne is in now. Cactus lands a single arm DDT, Shanghai makes the save but Cactus takes out Shanghai. Double clothesline to Slazenger, Shanghai saves his partner. Headbutts from Cactus, Payne tags into the match. Payne misses a corner splash, Slazenger lands a modified bulldog. Shanghai is in, Payne lands a sunset flip for two. Belly to back suplex from Payne, Cactus receives the tag and headbutts down Shanghai. Slazenger comes in, the match breaks down.

 

Cactus Jack clothesline on Shanghai, Slazenger is pulled to the floor by Cactus. Tag to Payne, Payne back-drops Cactus onto Slazenger. Shanghai clubs Payne, middle rope axe handle misses and Payne has the Fujiwara armbar but Slazenger makes the save. Payne ducks the clothesline and double clotheslines Slazenger and Shanghai. Cactus receives the tag,  Shanghai clotheslines Slazenger by mistake and Cactus lands a Double Arm DDT for the win.

 

Not bad, some hard-hitting shots in there but I am more interested in how Cactus ended up in tag matches with Maxx Payne after feuding with Vader. Is there potential in this wacky team? Yeah sure why not, we can see where things go from here.

 

 

Winners: Team Cactus over Team Slazenger via Double Arm DDT!

 

(WCW United States Championship Two out of Three Falls Match) Dustin Rhodes © vs Stunning Steve Austin W/ Colonel Rob Parker

Dustin Rhodes and Austin had a match at Halloween Havoc which ended in Rhodes escaping with the win over Austin, this was before Austin had found himself under the tutelage of Colonel Rob Parker. Nothing at Battle Bowl or the Clash would lead you to believe that these two would be doing battle for the championship but that’s this company in a nutshell. I feel for Rhodes because the championship was handed to him basically in the tournament for the vacant championship and the big win over Rude to recapture the championship was not even on PPV.

 

Rhodes shoots for the leg of Austin, Austin scrambles to the ropes. Rhodes has the waist-lock, Austin goes to the ropes. Side headlock takedown from Austin, Rhodes counters with a head-scissors. Austin reaches the ropes, shoulder block by Austin. Rhodes sends Austin powdering to the floor, Austin must re-evaluate on the floor.  Austin rakes the eyes and lands a snap-mare but Rhodes rolls through and drives knees into the arm of Austin before Austin makes it to the ropes again. Austin is once more on the floor, side headlock takedown from Rhodes. Austin pulls the hair but Rhodes lands a shoulder block, Austin counters with a boot to the ribs.

 

Austin looks for an Argentine back-breaker but Rhodes counters for a backslide, Austin is out on the floor once more showing frustration at how Rhodes is countering his every move, Rhodes is taken down by Austin and stomped. Elbow across the throat from Austin, Rhodes is brawling with Austin on the floor before Austin is whipped into the guardrail and into the crowd. Austin wants a handshake, Rhodes smacks Austin with a right hand. Side headlock takedown, Austin and Rhodes go to the corner. Austin ignores the clean break and smashes Rhodes in the face, elbow to the head from Austin. Austin kicks and lands knee-drops before grabbing the arm, Rhodes is battling back on his knees. Two big rights to the face, Austin whips Rhodes. Elbow to the face, Austin hurls Rhodes to the floor. Dropkick in the ring by Rhodes, cover for two. Colonel Parker grabs the leg of Rhodes, Austin clubs Rhodes from behind.

 

Belly to back suplex, Austin gets a two count. Rhodes lands elbows before both men bang heads off an Irish whip. Austin misses a clothesline but Austin uses the ropes to avoid a scoop slam falling on Rhodes for two. Snap-mare and Austin climbs high, Austin misses a middle rope knee-drop, Rhodes is firing up big time now. Rhodes lands right after right, Bionic Elbow from Rhodes. Irish whip and flying clothesline, powerslam for two. Parker is on the apron talking mad amounts of trash, Rhodes throws Austin over the top rope into Parker but it is a DQ because Austin was sent flying over the top rope. Austin is up 1:0 thanks to a crucial error from Rhodes.

 

Rhodes drags Austin in the ring, diving chop from Rhodes. Austin is bleeding after being sent into the ring-post during the rest period by an irate champion. Rhodes has Austin in the corner, ten punches in the corner but Austin has a handful of tights and Austin secures the win and wins the championship!

 

That was certainly a different way to go about it, two straight falls for the heel to capture the championship? Not really sure how that makes Rhodes look good in defeat but these two work well together, really digging Austin at this point in his career during this time. I think Rhodes needs a big feud to take him to that next level, the tag matches with Windham were fantastic and Rhodes has been solid on his own but he needs that breakout feud to take him to the next level. Good stuff from two rising stars but the booking is a little perplexing here.

 

Winner: Stunning Steve Austin over Dustin Rhodes via Handful of Tights!

 

(WCW International Championship Match) Ravishing Rick Rude © vs The Boss

Big Bossman is here in WCW but he is now known as The Boss to avoid that little copyright battle, Boss is the next man to battle Rick Rude. This is a little surprising considering if we follow the previous PPV logic, it would have dictated that Rude would have been battling British Bulldog for the championship.

 

Rude and Boss talk trash to one another, Boss backs-up Rude to the corner. Rude is shocked by this display. They lock-up and shove around the ring, Rude is scared in the corner. They continue to lock-up before Rude lands a cheap-shot, Rude continues to smack around Boss. Boss reverses an Irish whip and lands a back body drop, big boot by Boss. Back-breaker and hard Irish whip from The Boss. Big right hand and another hard Irish whip, scoop slam and Rude kicks out at one. Scoop slam on the floor from The Boss, Boss places Rude in the tree of woe against the ropes and pummels Rude with right hands. Massive rights and lefts from The Boss, Rude is trying to get out of the ropes but gets walloped with a right hand for his efforts. Bearhug from The Boss, Rude rakes the eyes or bites the nose, not sure but Boss fires back with massive right hands.

 

Rude is whipped to the buckle, Boss runs into the boot. Rude climbs high but jumps into a right hand and a face-buster, Boss calls for a big move. Rude dodges the leg across the back and Rude is on the apron and lands a slingshot sunset flip and this is over.

 

Biggest PPV of the year and Rude gets the win over The Boss with an apron sunset flip after being whooped for the majority of the match. Interesting for sure, I love Rude but he has a tendency to underperform in his first time clashes with opponents, it happened with Sting, Steamboat and Rhodes. It I no different here, makes me sad because I fell hard for Rude during The Dangerous Alliance angle but the matches with the NJPW talent and his matches since returning from injury are very hit and miss. Knowing that it is nearly 1994, Rude’s time in that ring will be coming to an end through no fault of his own so it is interesting to see Rude’s work during this time but I have been more disappointed as of late.

 

Winner: Rick Rude over The Boss via Apron Sunset Flip!

 

(WCW World Tag Team Championship Match) The Nasty Boys © W/ Missy Hyatt vs Road Warrior Hawk & Sting

Sting is one of the most popular wrestlers in WCW, the crowd comes alive every time Sting is inside of that ring but The Stinger has been wrestling on PPV in tag team matches for the majority of the year. It is quite shocking honestly how long they have kept Sting away from championships or singles feuds. Was it a good idea to break Sting away from Vader? I would say yes, they killed it every time inside of that ring but Sting needed to heal and grow and overcome the monster that is Vader but I thought they would have paid it off but it seems like that is far away from WCW’s plans with Flair taking what I believe should be Sting’s spot.

 

This match starts with a lot of stalling hence my mini-rant about Sting’s position in the company, Knobbs eats an arm-drag before Knobbs starts brawling with The Stinger. Sting meets the buckle hard, Irish whip with Sting ducking and landing a flying lariat. Elbow drop connects and Sags is decked with a clothesline, the babyfaces clean house. Hawk picks up Sting and presses The Stinger onto the champions. Sags and Hawk are in the ring now, dear God it is going to get stiff in that very ring now. Sags tees off on Hawk in the corner, Hawk turns the tide and chops Sags all over. Sags blocks Hawk with a boot and Knobbs comes in, they brutalize Hawk but Hawk explodes out of the corner and lands a massive clothesline. More powdering and stalling, Hawk pummels Sags back in the ring and lands a dropkick.

 

Hawk lands a flying shoulder block and fist-drop, Sting tags into the match and we have a double elbow. Suplex from Sting, Hawk tags in and works the arm. Hammerlock throw to the buckle, tag to Sting. Arm-wrench and arm-bar from The Stinger, Hawk comes in and misses a corner spear with his shoulder hitting the ring-post. Sags cracks Hawk with a chair in the shoulder, Missy slaps the shit out of Hawk. Hawk shakes it off, Knobbs axe handles Hawk to the floor. Tag to Sags, knees to the arm. Cross arm-breaker from Sags, Fujiwara arm-bar from Knobbs. Hawk fights back and Sting manages to receive the tag but Sags had the referee distracted, The Nasty Boys try a double-team but Hawk murders both with lariats. Sting gets the hot-tag, scoop slams and dropkicks galore.

 

Clothesline by Sting, two for Sting. Sags is dumped to the floor, Knobbs is clotheslined to the floor also. Sags and Knobbs are leaving, they have had enough. Sting and Hawk give chase, the champions are thrown back into the ring. Sting tries a diving splash but Knobbs blocks with his knees, scoop slam by Knobbs. Knobbs lands a diving leg drop/senton and squishes Sting, looks like Sting should have moved but didn’t for some reason. Knobbs throws Sting over the top rope, no DQ? Ok, Sags sends Sting into the guardrail. Missy whips Sting but Sting fires up, Sags clotheslines Sting right back down. Abdominal stretch from Sags, Knobbs gives Sags his hand for leverage. Knobbs applies the same hold, Knobbs whips Sting to the buckle. Sting lands a boot and a sunset flip for two, Sags is in and elbows Sting. Sags lands a massive pump-handle slam, Knobbs comes in and applies a camel clutch. Sting breaks out but cannot capitalize, suplex by Knobbs.

 

Two for Knobbs, camel clutch again from Knobbs. Sting escapes, Knobbs maintains control. Abdominal stretch from Knobbs, Sting hip-tosses out of the hold. Sags is in and lands an elbow to the spine, Sags calls for a big move. Clubbing blows against the ropes, tag to Knobbs. Scoop slam from Knobbs, middle rope splash from Knobbs. I think Sting was meant to block as Knobbs repeats the spot and eats a boot to the face, Sags comes in and hobbles to Hawk with a forearm. Knobbs lands a splash, powerslam by Knobbs. Hawk comes in and clotheslines Knobbs to the floor and yanks Sags onto the top rope. Can Sting make the tag? Yes! Hawk is in the ring!

 

Flying shoulder block on Knobbs, clothesline and scoop slam, Sting whips Knobbs to the buckle. Stinger Splash, Scorpion Death-Lock but Missy is on the apron. Missy is kissed by Sting, Knobbs knocks her off the apron and Sting rolls-up Knobbs for two. Knobbs eye-rakes Sting, Sting has Knobbs who is trying to escape. Doomsday Device and Knobbs lands right on his head in brutal fashion, Missy Hyatt comes in and attacks Sting for the DQ.

 

Brutal match, 29 minutes with these 4? You are pushing it WCW, Knobbs seemed to not be on the same page with Sting or Hawk, made for some very clumsy spots. Didn’t need to see Hawk play babyface-in-peril followed by Sting playing babyface-in-peril. The match just went on and on, felt like it would never end. That was really rough viewing, not thrilled with The Nasty Boys as champions. Would have much preferred a year of The Hollywood Blondes but we can’t all be so lucky.

 

Winners: Team Sting over The Nasty Boys via DQ!

 

(WCW World Heavyweight Championship vs Career Match) Vader © W/ Harley Race vs Ric Flair

10 years ago, Ric Flair made himself The Man by defeating Harley Race for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship at Starrcade A Flair for The Gold! Ric Flair now places his career on the line against the unstoppable Vader who has decimated Sting, Cactus Jack and British Bulldog while also winning Battle Bowl. Vader looks unstoppable, Vader looks unbeatable and The Nature Boy is coming off a big loss to Rick Rude and an injury at the hands of the champion. Flair is backed into the corner and had almost impossible odds stacked against him but we are in Flair Country ladies and gentlemen and when it comes to delivering in big time situations, there is nobody better than The Nature Boy!

 

Nice touch to begin with Flair looking like he wants to shed a tear to begin with the announcement of his name. Flair and Vader stare one another down, Vader is sizing up the hometown hero. Vader shoves down Flair like it is nothing, Vader shoves down Flair again. Flair powders after being shoved again, Vader is chasing Flair. Vader stops in his tracks, the world champion will not tire himself out in this match. Headbutt and clubbing blows from Vader, Vader starts working the wrist. Slaps from the champion, short-arm clothesline from Vader. Vader grabs the wrist again, Vader screams “You ain’t mad enough”! Perfect stuff from Vader, Flair chops back at Vader but it does not even phase Vader. Flair powders again, Vader poses in the ring dominant so far in this championship match.

 

Vader backs Flair to the corner, rights and lefts from Vader. Stomps all over the head from Vader, Flair has not been able to land any regular attacks. Military press slam from Vader, Flair rolls to the floor looking to survive. Vader drops Flair on the guardrail, Flair is up against the guardrail and Vader misses a big splash. Flair lands a flurry of chops and right hands and sends Vader into the ring-post, Flair has control but Harley Race comes in and batters Flair. Vader is back in control, suplex into the ring from the champion. Clubbing blows again from Vader, Flair is suplexed into the ring again. Rights and lefts from Vader, Vader sends Flair to the buckle hard. Clothesline from Vader, Flair flip to the apron and Flair spills to the ramp and then the floor. Flair can barely stand, this is not looking good for the challenger. Clothesline and headbutts from Vader, Vader repeatedly calls Flair “Chump”.

 

Measured right hands to the head, Flair begins to chop back at Vader. Vader is unphased, Vader is unstoppable. Massive powerslam for two, diving clothesline from Vader. Snap-mare and Vader climbs high, Vader misses a middle rope splash. Flair climbs high, what could this be? Diving chop to the head, chops and Flair climbs high again. A second diving chop, Flair chops and chops. Flair goes up again, diving chop drops Vader. Flair is on fire now, knee-drop to the head. Vader pops up and clotheslines Flair, Vader lands a massive superplex from the middle rope. Elbow drop to the ribs and groin area, Flair is bleeding from the mouth. Flair avoids the splash from Vader, what has The Nature Boy left in the tank? Vader clubs down Flair after attempting a running strike. Vader tosses Flair to the floor, Harley Race stomps all over the face of Flair with his boot.

 

Flair is whipped to the corner, Vader misses his running splash. The second time around Vader does not miss the splash and squishes Flair. Flair is struggling big time, Vader goes back to the arm. Flair thumbs Vader in the eye, rights and lefts from The Nature Boy. Vader is down to a knee, Vader is dropped by Flair’s flurry of strikes. Flair decides it is time to work that leg, knee into the ring-post. Flair takes Ventura’s chair and wallops the leg of Vader, Flair is going to go to the figure four if this continues, Flair is landing chops and right hands to the head of Vader. Right hands to the head of Vader, we are back in the ring. Flair continues to land rights and lefts, Vader has his face bitten by the challenger. Flair drops all his weight on the knee, Flair is strutting and the crowd is going bananas! Flair is going for it, The Figure Four is blocked by Vader.

 

Vader has kicked Flair halfway across the ring, Vader Bomb misses! Flair dodged it, Flair is still in this match. Flair goes for the leg again, Figure Four in the middle of the ring! Harley Race is on the apron, going wild! Harley Race is nearly in the ring, this is ridiculous. Vader makes it to the ropes, Flair’s best shot is not enough to topple the champion. Flair runs into a boot from Vader, elbow drop to the groin and ribs again. Vader is on top now, landing elbows and forearms to the head. Vader Bomb time again, will it connect this time? Vadersault actually! Vader misses the moonsault, Flair covers Vader but Vader kicks out. Harley Race wanted to nail his Diving Headbutt but Flair dodges and Vader takes the headbutt. Flair chops and chops but runs into a big clothesline, Vader turns his back on Flair and Flair rolls-up Vader for the win!

 

Fantastic wrestling match here, shocking that something so good could come from this company in 1993. Flair as the hometown hero is perfect here, Flair puts over the threat of Vader form the get-go. Flair looks shaken as Vader tosses him around, Vader lands splashes and more taking the fight to Flair. Flair rallies and every time it happens, the crowd comes alive. They want so badly Flair to win, Flair tries and tries but Vader is just too strong, just too tough. Flair manages to topple the giant though with repeated attacks, softening up that leg and the crowd believes that must be it but no Vader will not go down to the Figure Four. Flair lives off the energy of the crowd but Vader keeps on clubbing him down, Vader is great in his role here. Top-tier trash talk, just a big nasty bastard who won’t stop beating up our hero. Vader looks to have stopped The Nature Boy in his tracks only for Flair to catch the giant off-guard and by surprise, rolling him up for the unthinkable win. Great story-telling from two men who work so well together. I thought it would be Sting to dethrone Vader but this was worth it, let’s see what Flair can do back on top of the mountain in WCW.

 

Winner: Ric Flair over Vader via Roll-Up!

 

That was WCW’s Starrcade 1993, a mostly bad PPV from WCW it must be said. WCW in 1993 has been a very bad year for the company, injuries and incidents have robbed the company of the likes of Barry Windham and Sid Vicious, the booking has been so hit and miss that it’s hard to see what they were trying to accomplish during this time. It hurts because I was so high on the company in 1992 before they proceeded to do nothing with The Dangerous Alliance angle but 1993 was a shit-show, the Slamboree PPV and Battle Bowl being notoriously awful concepts that were wastes of PPV. So what did WCW do on their big show to end 1993? Pretty Wonderful vs Bagwell & Scorpio is a solid tag team match but screams of what are we doing with these guys? Roma was brought in as a Horsemen in 1993, utterly failed in the role which many would argue he did not deserve so is back tagging while Orndorff for all the fun of the Paula chants has held a quite prominent position on the cards but I am left questioning why, why was Orndorff TV champion and never dropping the championship to Simmons? Why was Orndorff defeating Steamboat when Steamboat has so much more to offer? Bagwell is still a rookie and relatively green while Scorpio is explosive and exciting but here they are, former fluke tag team champions who do not seem to progressing at all, fine match but we need a shake-up honestly. Shockmaster vs King Kong is a squash, they are tring to salvage Shockmaster, an awful gimmick but bless them for trying. Steamboat vs Regal was good wrestling-wise but this is Starrcade, Regal has cheated his way to victory numerous times, why not pay off him losing the championship or if you want to continue his momentum, have him beat Steamboat but no, we have a time-limit draw on our big blow-off show.

 

Cactus Jack teaming with Maxx Payne makes me sad because Cactus turning face was a focal point of the year and with one PPV match with Vader later, Cactus is teaming with Maxx Payne who last time I checked was in a feud with Johnny B. Badd. How did we get here for Cactus? It’s really easy to see why Foley would end up going to ECW before going to the WWF. Austin vs Rhodes was good in part, I like their work together. The two straight falls victory for a heel is a shocker and makes me feel like Rhodes was a failed experiment as US champion. I can’t say they are wrong when the Rhodes vs Rude blow-off iron man match ended in a draw, it’s sad to see when I wanted so badly to see Rhodes vs Windham. The Boss vs Rick Rude was poor, finish summed up a lacklustre performance from both men. The tag team match is atrocious, this is their big plan for The Stinger, arguably the most popular guy in the company and he’s been in tag matches for a number of PPVs, it is more baffling that they signed Hawk with Animal injured. In all honesty, who wants to see one without the other? The main event is fantastic, it would be fondly remembered as a bright spot during this year and I think it deserves the praise, it’s great stuff from Flair and Vader. Only seek this match out, everything else on this card is not worth it. WCW ends the night on a high but 1993 was not a fond year to look back on, join me next time as we tackle WCW in 1994! Thanks for reading and remember: there’s always another night!