Friday 17 June 2022

WCW Clash of The Champions XXVII Review!

 




Hello and welcome to another edition of Seanomaniac Wrestling Reviews, the only wrestling review series on the internet that breaks your heart more than The Rockers break up! It’s time for Clash of The Champions XXVII! Sting vs Ric Flair to unify the world championships! Stunning Steve Austin defends his championship against Johnny B. Badd, Larry Zbyszko defends his Television Championship against Lord Steven Regal and The Nasty Boys challenge for the WCW World Tag Team Championships held by Kevin Sullivan & Cactus Jack!

 

(WCW World Tag Team Championship Match) Cactus Jack & Kevin Sullivan © vs The Nasty Boys


Sags and Cactus to start, slap-fest with both men brawling it out. Cactus wins that war, Knobbs comes in to help his partner but Knobbs cuts that off. Double clothesline by the champions to both Nasty Boys, another clothesline to Knobbs. Sullivan and Knobbs reset the match, more brawling all over the ring. Knobbs meets the buckle, Knobbs catches Sullivan with rights and lefts. Push to the corner, in comes Sags. They rough up Sullivan before Sullivan lands a noggin-knocker, Sullivan slams Cactus into both Nasty Boys. Cactus rallies the crowd, Knobbs is in there with Cactus. They slug it out, whip to the buckle by Knobbs but Cactus blocks with a boot and lands a clothesline for two. Sags saves Knobbs, Sullivan comes in and works the arm before Cactus lands shots to the ribs and a headbutt to the arm.

 

Knobbs rakes the eyes, Sags comes into the ring. Elbows by Cactus for two, Sags trips up Cactus. Knees to the head, tag to Knobbs. Sags and Knobbs double-team Cactus, Cactus lands a kick to the face. Tag to Sullivan, biting from Sullivan. Right hand decks Knobbs, Sags comes in and kicks Sullivan. Scoop slam by Sags, leg drop from Sags. Tag to Knobbs, kicks to the ribs. Eye-rake from Knobbs, Sags comes in and tosses Sullivan to the floor. Knobbs kicks Sullivan in the head twice, axe handle to the floor. Sags misses a knee-drop, in comes Cactus. Elbow to the chin, Cactus works over both with headbutts and biting. Cactus Jack clothesline to the floor on Knobbs, Cactus low-bridges Sags but misses a springboard elbow to the floor. Cactus cracks his head off the guardrail, that was rough to watch.

 

Belly to back suplex on the floor, Sags has Cactus in the ring. Whip to the corner, Knobbs misses a corner splash and Sags gets hit with a clothesline. Sullivan rallies the crowd, Sullivan lands rights and lefts to the ribs. Clothesline on Knobbs, Knobbs is thrown to the floor. In the ring, we have Cactus and Sags. Knobbs attacks Dave Sullivan at ringside, referees are involved. Sags chases Dave, they fight over the crutch. In the ring, Cactus lands his Double Arm DDT for the win!

 

Not bad but these two teams were made for brawling and their previous match blows this out of the water with how much fun it was, happy for Cactus to be getting that push but Maxx Payne did win me over so this partnership with Sullivan really feels like it came out of nowhere.

 

Winners: Team Cactus over The Nasty Boys via Double Arm DDT!

 

The Guardian Angel vs Tex Slazenger


The Boss hit a little too close to home so we have a new gimmick for Ray Traylor, Boss had done nothing of note since joining WCW apart from one good match with Vader. The white shirt tucked into his pants does nothing for him either, Guardian Angel looks really big. Slazenger hits Guardian Angel three times which breaks his golden rule. Rights and lefts by Guardian Angel, leg across the back. Massive uppercut and massive sidewalk slam and it’s over.

 

Winner: Guardian Angel over Tex Slazenger via Sidewalk Slam!

 

(WCW Television Championship Match) Lord Steven Regal W/ Sir William vs Larry Zbyszko ©


So this was bizarre to me, we had waited almost a year to see Regal lose that championship and when that time comes, it is Larry Zbyszko of all people. Lots of stalling before Regal stomps all over Zbyszko. Uppercuts in the corner, forearms to the side of the head. All Regal so far, more forearms to the face. Uppercut takes the champion down, Zbyszko uses the ropes to survive. Slaps from Regal, Zbyszko lands rights, lefts and a spinning sole butt. Rake of the eyes and Regal is tossed onto the ramp, stomps on the ramp. Regal is thrown back into the ring, Regal shoots for the single leg. Regal steps on the head of Zbyszko, butterfly suplex time. Zbyszko blocks and we have the finish from their previous PPV encounter but Regal survives this time, Zbyszko lands a suplex for two.

 

Piledriver plants Regal for a close two, Zbyszko cannot believe it and starts choking the challenger. Swinging neck-breaker for two, Zbyszko steps on the face of Regal. Regal fires up and wants a fist-fight, Zbyszko tells the referee to get out of the way. More stalling, both men land forearms and uppercuts before Regal takes down the champion. Reverse chin-lock from the challenger, Zbyszko breaks free but Regal continues the control with a headbutt and knees to the head. Another uppercut, forearm shots by Regal. Zbyszko reverses an Irish whip and lands a bearhug into the Boston crab but Sir William cracks Zbyszko with the umbrella and Regal reverses the crab for a cradle and the top ropes give Regal that helping hand to win.

 

Not even a replay of the screwy finish? Damn Zbyszko deserved better than that but yeah I enjoyed this match an awful lot, a very physical battle between the two, plenty of good shots in there. Very happy with how this match turned out with both men just beating the hell out of one another. Regal is champion again so I have to question what was the purpose?

 

Winner: Lord Steven Regal over Larry Zbyszko via Roll-Up!

 

(WCW United States Heavyweight Championship Match) Stunning Steve Austin © W/ Colonel Rob Parker vs Johnny B. Badd


Rematch time, no Colonel Rob Parker. Has Parker disassociated from Austin? Anyways, Badd is continuing to grow inside of that ring so fair play to Badd who went from someone I did not want to see to someone who is doing quite well for himself inside of that ring. Badd starts hot before being taken out with an elbow, Austin jaw-jacks with the crowd. Austin sends Badd to the floor, Austin is taunting though. Badd takes out Austin and slams the champion into the ring apron. Badd works the arm, arm-wrench from Badd. Austin escapes and we have some drop-downs and leapfrogs before a dropkick from Badd and an arm-wrench. Austin pulls Badd down by the hair, Badd pops right back with a dropkick. Badd is on the top rope, diving clothesline from Badd for two.

 

Drop toehold into a front chancery, Austin pushes back Badd to the corner. Right hand by Badd and more arm-work, Austin shoves off Badd. Shoulder block by Badd, Austin dodges the left hook. Whip to the buckle, Austin blocks with a boot and slams Badd to the mat by the hair. Elbow to the back of the head, knee to the throat. Make it two, Irish whip and Badd dodges the knee to the ribs for a schoolboy, close two. Austin grabs the hair and slams Badd into the mat, Badd lands two massive lefts to the ribs. Austin kicks Badd in the face, Badd lands a single leg dropkick to turn the tide. Inverted atomic drop, flying head-scissors takedown from Badd. DDT from Badd, back body drop from Badd. Whip to the buckle, corner clothesline and a scoop slam.

 

Badd climbs high, Badd is looking for that sunset flip. Austin plays possum and crotches Badd, Badd blocks the suplex and Austin falls to the mat. Austin dodges the diving sunset flip and cracks the mat hard, Austin covers for two. Austin chokes Badd with the middle rope, Austin misses the leg across the back as Badd dodges. Clothesline for two, ten punches in the corner by Badd. Austin reaches into his tights for an object, Austin cracks Badd in the ribs and lands a small package for the win. However, there is another referee in the ring and they restart the match. Badd rolls-up Austin to capture the championship but are we sure that this counts? They are not giving us much so I don’t know if it is official.

 

These two work well together, Austin did a very good job of making Johnny B. Badd seem like a credible contender, there is still room of improvement but the changes from the last three years to this year is incredible it is like night and day. Probably will have a blow-off at the PPV, good for them, both are working hard and maybe bigger things await both men in their careers.

 

Winner: Johnny B. Badd over Stunning Steve Austin via Schoolboy!

 

(WCW World Heavyweight & WCW International Championship Unification Match) Ric Flair © vs Sting ©


The two rivals going at it once more going for the two biggest championships in the company, Flair is back to being a heel once more. We have Sensational Sherri at ringside, there was intrigue to see who she would sign with but here she is in Sting facepaint, she must be in The Stinger’s corner!

 

Sting shoves down Flair twice, Flair goes for a hammerlock but Sting counters. Same thing happens off the front chancery, Sting shoves down Flair again. Shoulder block by Flair, military press by Sting. Irish whip into another military press, Flair rolls to the floor and does his Flair Flop. Flair scares off fans and Sherri, Flair has lost control. Sting wrenches the arm, eye rake by Flair. Chop in the corner that Sting shakes off, hip-toss out of the corner and a clothesline, make it three. Flair goes to the floor to recover, lock-up and Flair lands a knee. Fist to the head, right hands pepper Sting. Chop in the corner but Sting shakes it off, Flair is backing off. Hip-toss and dropkick, Irish whip but Flair dodges the dropkick and goes after the knee. Figure four countered into a small package for two, Flair shoves the referee. Flair walks to the ramp, looking to re-evaluate. Flair chants, Sting lands fist after fist but misses The Stinger Splash! Sting’s ribs are bothering him now, Flair tosses Sting over the top rope. Flair chops and lands rights against the guardrail, Sting is rattled by these attacks.

 

Sherri screams at Sting to get up! Hot-shot from Flair, Flair uses the ropes to pin Sting but Sting continues kicking out, Sherri informs the referee which results in Flair screaming once more. Belly to back suplex from Flair, elbows crack Sting in the chin. Flair kicks the ribs again and again, sleeper from Flair. Sting shakes off the sleeper, side headlock by Sting. Shoulder block and Sting catapults Flair into the buckle, both men are down currently. Sting suplexes Flair into the ring for two, Flair Flip to the apron and a clothesline for good measure. Flair begs for mercy, ten punches from Sting. Inverted atomic drop does not work for Flair, Sting lands a massive clothesline. Superplex time, it connects in the middle of the ring. Sting climbs high, diving splash misses for The Stinger.

 

Flair drills Sting with a delayed vertical suplex but Sting is back on his feet. Flair backs up to the corner, hip-toss and dropkick again. Irish whip and a military press slam. Clothesline by Sting, clothesline to the floor and Flair pulls Sherri in front of him so Sting dives onto Sherri. Sting is concerned for Sherri, Sherri is not moving. Flair kicks Sting in the head, Irish whip and Sting has Flair in the backslide for two. Clothesline by an irate Sting, Sting wants to check on Sherri but Flair rolls-up Sting for the championship. Sherri was with Flair all along though, Flair has Sting as Sherri lands a top rope dive. Two splashes from Sherri, Flair takes out the referee. Hogan comes out and challenges Flair after punching his lights out.

 

Sting and Flair do their usual song and dance and the crowd eats it up, not on par with their initial Clash encounter or the Bash of 1990 but still good old Flair vs babyface that beats the shit out of him cheese. Interesting dynamic with Sherri, Flair having a valet is not new as Fifi was with The Nature Boy before but it gives a different dynamic to having The Brain with him or JJ Dillon. Of course, I know that further down the line Flair will have trio of women by his side but we will deal with the here and now, Flair vs Hogan is big business and fresh, lots of fresh match-ups for Hogan in WCW but to see Sting shoved to the side once more is heart-breaking considering his popularity and ability inside of the ring. I complained that 1993 was the year of Sting in multi-man matches on PPV and I fear 1994 will be Sting sliding down the card. Maybe I am wrong but I know it will be all about Hogan for the next wild.

 

Winner: Ric Flair over Sting via Roll-Up!

 

I would strike this as an important Clash with the set-up between Hogan and Flair for the Bash and of course, another entry in the Flair vs Sting series, that is where the importance ends as we mostly have rematches from the previous PPVs and a gimmick change that I don’t care for in The Boss turning into The Guardian Angel. WCW is going to go through quite the shift, let’s see where it takes us. Thanks for reading and remember: there’s always another night!

 


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