WCW Clash of The Champions XXIX Review!

 

Hello and welcome to another episode of Seanomaniac Wrestling Reviews, the only wrestling review series on the internet that throws kayfabe out the window at media scrums! It’s time for Clash of The Champions XXIX! The last Clash of 1994 and there are not many of these clashes left as we will be limited to 2 per year moving forward, mad to think that I have ran through so many of these cards, most were forgettable with the occasional classic in there, let’s see if we can end 1994 on a high with this Clash? The only match they promote is the six-man tag between Kevin Sullivan’s team against Hogan’s team. Let’s get it on!

 

(WCW World Tag Team Championship Match) Pretty Wonderful © vs The Stars & Stripes

Another rematch? Got damn it, can’t we get some fresh blood in here? Looking at the card, it is all rematches except Vader vs Rhodes and the main event. We even have Honky back on the card, what have I done to deserve this?

 

The champions are annoyed by the Paula chants, if the challengers lose The Patriot will unmask. Bagwell and Orndorff to start, elbows from Orndorff and a right-hand floors Bagwell. Tag to Roma, boots and right hand from Roma. Bagwell is rocked, Irish whip is reversed by Bagwell. Roma leaps over Bagwell before getting caught with a clothesline after a crossbody, hip-toss and a dropkick. Patriot clotheslines down Orndorff, the champions are being pin-balled around by the challengers, the crowd is hot. Patriot and Orndorff are going to reset the match, we have a lock-up with both men trying to push the other. Arm-drag by Patriot, hip-toss but the elbow misses, Orndorff misses an elbow. Drop toehold by Orndorff, Patriot counters with a hammerlock to avoid a side headlock. Orndorff scrambles to the ropes, Orndorff reassesses the situation.

 

Side headlock by Patriot, shoulder block but a knee lands by Orndorff. Tag to Roma, back-breakers by Roma. Three of them, impressive and a fist-drop from Roma. Two for Roma as Bagwell makes the save, shoulder block by Patriot. Inverted atomic drop, Bagwell lands a right from the apron. Atomic drop on Roma, Thesz press for two. Tag to Bagwell, axe handle to the arm. Stun-gun like manoeuvre by Roma, think it was a flapjack but Bagwell is dropped on the floor and Orndorff decimates Bagwell on the floor with knees. Patriot looks on concerned for his partner. Hot-shot from Orndorff, elbow to the groin.

 

Right hand by Orndorff, Bagwell eats the mat. Orndorff lands his elbow to the head, dropkick from Roma. Powerslam by Roma for two, tag to Orndorff. Reverse chin-lock by Orndorff, Bagwell fights back briefly before Orndorff rakes the eyes. Snap-mare is countered by Bagwell, clothesline by Orndorff after the backslide attempt by Bagwell. Sunset flip from Bagwell, Roma makes the save with an elbow. Patriot comes in to help but Patriot is dumped to the floor, Orndorff suplexes Bagwell while Patriot shoves Roma off the top rope. The referee counts and Bagwell puts up his shoulder at the last second.

 

On par with the other matches these have had, a bit shorter but I am fine with that. The crowd is with Stars & Stripes which adds a bit to the match, usually the crowd would have the same tepid reactions to Stars & Stripes that I have, the tag team division is still not great so I am hoping major changes is coming soon enough. Might be the end of Orndorff’s run in the next year so I would just like to go on record and say I had no idea how much of a part he was in early 90s WCW, the guy had been involved in some major feuds and a constant feature in the mid-card scene and with his goofy elbow and brutal piledriver, you can count me as a big Mr. Wonderful fan.

 

Winners: Stars & Stripes over Pretty Wonderful via Shoulder Up!

 

(WCW World Television Championship Match) Johnny B. Badd © vs The Honky Tonk Man

Rematch city bitches, these two stunk it up at Halloween Havoc. I am not sure how much things will change here but the crowd is lively, Honky ducks Badd. Honky wants no part of him, they lock-up. Clean break from Badd, Honky is not happy with the fans calling him a coward. Honky takes the arm, arm-wrench and a stomp to the arm. Elbows to the arm, Badd comes back with a hammerlock and sends knees into the elbow of Honky. Honky is in the ropes, Honky is not happy claiming Badd pulls the hair. Fist to the head from Honky, Honky says it was open-handed, back-rakes and to the buckle. Atomic drop from Badd, Badd messes up the hair and lands a massive right hand. Honky pulls down the strap, Honky wants to box.

 

Honky hides again, the referee gets between the two and Honky lands a fist to the head. Elbows from Honky, scoop slam and middle rope fist drop. Reverse chin-lock, Badd counters the shake, rattle and roll. Badd is fighting back, Honky meets the buckle. Inverted atomic drop, ten punches in the corner. Knee-lift from two, Honky shoves Badd into the referee. Honky has the guitar, Badd is cracked in the head but the referee saw it, Honky is disqualified!

 

Much better than a time-limit draw, much shorter too. However, we are going to have another match aren’t we? I think Honky coasted on the success of the gimmick and how hot the WWF was at the time because seeing Honky in WCW just does not have the magic of the WWF days. Maybe he was never any good haha but here in WCW, Honky has not been doing anything to make Johnny B. Badd look good.

 

Winner: Johnny B. Badd over Honky Tonk Man via DQ!

 

The Nasty Boys vs Harlem Heat

Feels like a year since I have seen Harlem Heat on PPV, Sid being fired from WCW may have hurt them a lot because they were his backups heading into that War Games Match with The Shockmaster etc. The Nasty Boys are your babyfaces still and any match that isn’t a brawl with these two is usually horrific. Booker and Knobbs begin, lots of brawling. Eye-rake by Booker, Knobbs is whipped to the buckle. Elbow counter and a stiff clothesline, scoop slams for Harlem Heat. Tag to Sags, double clothesline. Double corner splash, Sags and Stevie Ray brawling now, Stevie Ray winning that war. Boot by Sags,  face-buster by Sags. Tag to Knobbs, double beatdown on Stevie Ray, Booker is irate.

 

Wishbone-split on Stevie Ray, knee-drop for two. Tag to Knobbs, splash to the knee. Knee-wrench by Knobbs, we have a commercial break and Booker is kicking Knobbs in the face and to the floor. Stevie Ray lands a clothesline to the floor, Booker is limping and I am not sure if he is selling. In comes Stevie Ray and pump-kicks Knobbs, beatdown in the corner. Flying clothesline by Stevie Ray, tag to Booker. Harlem side-kick by Booker, Knobbs avoids the diving fist-drop. Tag to Sags, clotheslines and fists all around. Elbow to Stevie Ray, clothesline to the floor. Stevie Ray is calling someone, what? Knobbs sends Booker into the ring-post, Booker continues calling. Sherri is the secret boss, Sherri is coming to ringside. Knobbs is distracted, Booker T lands a diving fist drop on Sags and Stevie covers to steal the win as Knobbs deals with Sherri.

 

Well that’s the start of a tag team rise and it’s exactly what the WCW tag team division needed because it was dying a slow-death. Lots of brawling with this one, no real build to the hot-tag but that’s the thing about Nasty Boys matches: If I was forced to sit through that, I would probably not finish the match because I can’t stand them.

 

Winners: Harlem Heat over The Nasty Boys via Diving Fist Drop!

 

Vader W/ Harley Race vs Dustin Rhodes

So Vader is still number one contender yet his match at Starrcade will more than likely not be Hogan as Hogan is busy with The Three Faces of Fear. Dustin Rhodes has been stuck battling The Stud Stable which has slid down the card and lost its centrepieces in Sid and then Austin. Rhodes has moved on but against the number one contender, I don’t fancy Rhodes’ chances. Vader shoves Rhodes to the corner, massive shots. Rhodes tackles Vader and drops all his weight on him, slaps all around. Vader is being bitch-slapped, this is insane. Crowd is going wild, Rhodes ducks clotheslines and lands a flying crossbody for two. Vader is clotheslined to the floor, Rhodes is on fire.

 

Rhodes knocks down Race, Vader has to recover. In the ring, Rhodes beats down Vader in the corner. Corner splash, Rhodes suplexes Vader. Vader rolls to the floor, Rhodes is with the referee before Vader comes back with a massive splash. Rights and lefts shots to Rhodes, Rhodes is down. Vader misses a corner splash, roll-up by Rhodes for two. Clothesline by Vader turns Rhodes inside-out, Vader tries a splash but Rhodes counters for a scoop slam. Sunset flip but Vader misses his splash, flying clothesline and mounted right hands by Rhodes. Rhodes shoves the referee, Rhodes tries a bulldog but Vader picks up Rhodes and dumps him on the floor. Vader Bomb! Vader climbs high again, Vader Bomb for two. Clubbing blows from Vader, Rhodes begins to rally though. Rhodes slams Vader who tried a middle rope crossbody.

 

Rhodes lands right hands, Vader cannot land any attacks. Elbows and a slap, clothesline staggers Vader. Vader will not go down, bionic elbows are not enough. Rhodes lands a diving clothesline on Vader, two for Rhodes. Middle rope DDT by Rhodes for two, bulldog time for Rhodes. Bulldog connects! 1..2… Race is in the ring. Rhodes is squished into Race, wheelbarrow slam by Vader for the win.

 

A damn good match from the fiery Rhodes who can turn it up and I would say is underrated in WCW during this era because Rhodes can go and take a match that has no angle and make it into something super meaningful. Would love to see these two go at it again. At the end of the match, Duggan makes the save which makes me laugh that we could have Vader vs Duggan. Anyways, Rhodes is great and Vader is great and it’s nice to see how good these two can be.

 

Winner: Vader over Dustin Rhodes via Wheelbarrow Slam!

 

 (WCW United States Heavyweight Championship Match) Hacksaw Jim Duggan © vs Stunning Steve Austin

Rematch time, Duggan gets the crowd going before shoving down Austin, Austin cowers in the ropes. Austin says Duggan pulled the hair, Vader is here and the match is over. Vader beats the shit out of Duggan briefly before Duggan picks up the 2X4 and we have a stand-off. Vader and Austin as allies? We shall see, that was a waste though.

 

Winner: Hacksaw Jim Duggan over Stunning Steve Austin via DQ!

 

Hulk Hogan/ Sting/Dave Sullivan vs The Three Faces of Fear

A mystery man had attacked Hulk Hogan multiple times before the cage match at Halloween Havoc, Hogan after overcoming Ric Flair would take off the mask of this mystery man and it would be Brother Bruti! Brother Bruti would be assisted by Avalanche and Kevin Sullivan, forming The Three Faces of Fear.

 

This starts right away, Hogan and Sullivan to start. Hogan punches and sends Sullivan into the buckle, corner clothesline by Hogan. Hogan bites the head of Sullivan, Sting back-drops Sullivan. Scoop slam and elbow drop, dropkick from The Stinger. Hogan is back in, right hands by Hogan. Team Sullivan beat down Hogan, Mr. T cannot control the ring. Dave Sullivan is fighting away now, we have lost all order. Avalanche splashes the arm of Dave Sullivan, it’s possibly broken. Dave Sullivan is out of this match, his arm may be broken. Avalanche splashes Hogan in the corner. Scoop slam attempt but Avalanche stops that shit, tag to The Butcher. Butcher chops at Hogan because he is a backstabber brother, chops and boot to the throat. Avalanche is in, Avalanche misses a splash. Scoop slam goes wrong as Avalanche lands on top, headbutt to the chest.

 

In comes Sullivan who chops all over Hogan, Mongolian chops don’t work though as Hogan battles back. Hogan is in Sullivan’s corner though, triple team attacks to Hogan. Avalanche comes in, Hogan is down. Bearhug from Avalanche, Hogan fights out of it and lands right hands before Butcher trips up Hogan. Hogan rocks Avalanche and tags in Sting who kicks and punches everything in sight. Stinger Splash on Avalanche, military press slam with Sullivan but Avalanche catches Sullivan and Sting is squished by both, top rope knee-drop and double stomp by Sullivan. Hogan breaks that shit up, double clothesline on Sting. Butcher chokes Sting, Avalanche lands a leg drop to Sting. Two for Avalanche, Hogan makes the save.

 

Sullivan is in, chops to the chest of The Stinger. Sting whips Sullivan to the buckle, boot counter by Sullivan. Sullivan is up high, Sting yanks Sullivan off the top rope. Hogan and Butcher are now legal, Butcher begs for mercy. Right hands all around by Hogan, Sullivan takes the megaphone from Jimmy Hart. Mr. T stops Sullivan using the megaphone, Sting is with Avalanche and Hogan pins Sullivan but you can’t really see what went down and the heels get their heat back as the match ends. Avalanche crushes Sting, Hogan is cracked with the megaphone. Butcher puts Hogan to sleep and the babyfaces clear out the locker room to try and help.

 

It was fine, I thought Dave Sullivan would be eating the pin but nope, Team Hogan still wins over the newly minted heel faction, off to a great start aren’t we? Anyways, the match isn’t much compared to the last match between Rhodes and Vader, it’s like stepping into a time machine. Looks like this is going to be the main event scene for the next year so buckle up for some Hogan action with Butcher, Sullivan and Avalanche. What’s Sting doing for Starrcade? No idea again, unbelievable how the guy is treated.

 

Winners: Team Hogan over The Three Faces of Fear!

 

This clash sets up Starrcade 1994 and I can’t say I am too thrilled based off of what I have been given, I imagine we will have Badd vs Honky III, not sure what Sting is doing or Rhodes or Austin. We could possibly have Vader vs Duggan for the United States Championship despite Vader being number one contender for the world’s championship and with Flair gone I cannot fathom how we are not getting Vader vs Hogan for the championship at the biggest show of the year but regardless, the card is not looking great and the influx of talent of Hogan’s buddies is really starting to dominate much of the card. From top to bottom, the quality is changing and not for the better. Thanks for reading and remember: there’s always another night!