I pride myself in hitting deadlines, no matter if they are self-imposed. This project is going to get rougher as I start a new job, but I’m making it under the wire once again and I thankfully have a jump on next week’s diary as well.
This PPV was even more difficult for a variety of reasons. The third straight WCW PPV was a daunting thing to begin because I can see the writing on the wall with Bill Watts’ rules and direction. I’m very busy doing many different things.
If you know me and notice the date that I watched this show on, it’s the 14-year anniversary of my wife and I being together. She supports me in every thing I do including this crazy project and I would go insane without her by my side. I dedicate this one to her.
I’m also doing that because I love ribbing her and this show has absolutely nothing to do with her and isn’t particularly good or meaningful. So, when I tell her this and she actually reads it and doesn’t find the connection, it will make her angry and make me happy.
Love you, Samantha!
PAY PER VIEW NUMBER 52: WCW GREAT AMERICAN BASH 1992
Written on 2/17/2021
THE FIRST THING YOU SEE: The American flag as a backdrop as the voiceover recaps the seven teams left in the NWA Tag Title Tournament at a breakneck pace. The Japanese team is just called “the team from Japan” because it’s 1992. Georgia has an Albany? Apparently so as we are live in that city with pyro and Eric Bischoff is GONE! Magnum TA joins Tony Schiavone instead and he’s much better than Bisch at explaining Sting’s mindset before his title defense later. A recap of the Miracle Violence Connection beating the Steiners at the Clash of the Champions to advance to the Semis plays. Akira Nogami’s eye is hurt and he’s being replaced by Shinya Hashimoto. This point is enforced by a random clip of Nogami at a Tokyo optometrist. I don’t like the way TA says that the Japanese contingency is “shrewd.” The bracket is shown before going to the commentators.
-Holy Jesse’s jacket! It looks like artistic puke glitter. Jim Ross is with Ventura and they discuss the World Title match before throwing it to Bischoff backstage with Bill Watts. So, his big change was putting himself on TV. There’s more talk about rules and the difference between the NWA and WCW top rope regulations. This is long and he invokes the DH rule in baseball as a reason and it took two shows for him to earn an LVP consideration. Even over EB somehow!
-The girls get shrieking for Jushin Thunder Liger. Just kidding, Brian Pillman is with him. The men are happy for Liger, though. A gong plays for Ricky Steamboat and Nikita Koloff. There’s a massive gap in between their walks to the ring for some reason. Their tag experience separately is highlighted as commentators can’t stop talking about the light heavyweight advantage because they can come off the top rope in this.
MATCH NUMBER ONE: NWA TAG TITLES QUARTERFINAL MATCH- Brian Pillman and Jushin Thunder Liger vs Ricky Steamboat and Nikita Koloff
-Pillman and Nikita start. I can get down with this. The power game has Pillman selling huge early.
-Apparently, Nikita abused Madusa at some point and Jesse doesn’t like it. JR tries to reason it by saying “maybe she’s not a lady.” What the fuck did I miss?
-Good back and forth with Brian’s speed taking over before Liger tags in and they use the top back and forth for attacks on the arm.
-Nikita has been great at selling for the littler guys on dropkicks and even a tackle by Liger. He finally tags out and I’m pumped for Ricky against either guy.
-Ross mentions Pillman’s team beat the Canadian crew including Chris Benoit and Steamboat’s team beat the Malenko boys. Nice double dropkick on Ricky and the pace and flow of this one has been great so far.
-Some brief rest holds before Jushin hits the gas with a martial arts kick, moonsault, tombstone and somersault senton. Dragon kicks out of those last three moves. Damn, you couldn’t have Nikita break up a couple of those at least? Liger is a badass as usual.
-Liger starts taking punishment including three straight backbreakers by Steamboat and a running powerslam. Brian breaks up the fall.
-Liger tries for a tag in a headlock, but whiffs it in a planned spot. I like that. A big kick later and Pillman tags in a house of fire before grounding Steamboat.
-Jushin earns MVP consideration for what can best be described as a cartwheel clothesline.
-Nikita starts dominating, but Pillman tags in and gets the advantage including a pin attempt the ref misses when Liger dropkicks his partner onto Nikita. Air Pillman and a HUGE missile dropkick, but it’s only two in a great nearfall.
-Minor botch as Brian tries to leap from the second rope onto Nikita’s back for a sleeper, but they both fall down. He locks it on anyway and they both tag out soon after a double down. Liger hits a big kick for another close call.
-Ricky can’t bridge out of a pin attempt because he’s too tired, but still managers to apply the backslide.
-Brian gets accidentally crotched on the top rope while Liger and Koloff brawl. He recovers and unwisely tries to use a finishing move against its owner.
WINNERS: Ricky Steamboat and Nikita Koloff in 19:26 when Steamboat pins Brian Pillman after a roll-through on a top rope cross body.
FINAL WORD: WCW does babyface vs babyface tag team matches so well.
-After the replay, we take it to Bischoff backstage with the Steiners. They are wearing some crazy sci-fi lab inspired “Frankensteiner” shirts that I desperately want. Scott talks and brings up Muhammad Ali and Harley Race as greats that aren’t undefeated. He’s actually coherent and not as mush-mouthed. Rick is more growly that anything in his brief comments.
-Oriental music for Hiroshi Hase complete with moustache and Shinya Hashimoto dressed like Friar Ferguson. I am very excited for this…until Badstreet USA plays. The Freebirds enter and they beat the Silver Kings to get to this point. I’m glad I missed that.
MATCH NUMBER TWO: NWA TAG TITLE QUARTERFINALS MATCH- Hiroshi Hase and Shinya Hashimoto vs The Fabulous Freebirds
-Nick Patrick is pointed out as the referee as he’s making his return after months off due to a car accident. I didn’t notice he was gone. Meanwhile, Hayes moonwalks and Hase just stares at him.
-Ventura makes some mildly funny comment about Hase speaking Japanese fluently before calling him “Hassy” a bunch of times.
-After nothing but ground work by Hayes against Hase, Shinya versus Garvin begins. Jesse talks about Shinya liking his rice with emphasis and wants JR to eat fish heads.
-A USA chant begins as Hayes and Hashimoto have no chemistry. This is after Garvin seemed to clench up at every one of Shinya’s kicks.
-Dick Slater and the Barbarian are now the United States Tag Champions. What the fuck is going on in this company? I didn’t even know they were signed!
-Hayes is once again an LVP threat by being even worse than Garvin by acting like a pussy at all of Hashimoto’s kicks, blocking them with his arms and not bumping properly.
-The timer is three minutes fast for all of the right reasons as Shinya hits a bridging fallaway slam despite the Birds’ best efforts.
-The Japanese team keep throwing Michael’s head into the other teammate’s outstretched hand as if a tag is being attempted instead of a foot or a head for a real attack.
-A pair of left hands by Hayes leads to a tag to Garvin. He slams Shinya, but Hayes accidentally distracts the ref and Hashimoto gets a kick in.
-The best move of the match was the last move for many reasons.
WINNERS: Hiroshi Hase and Shinya Hashimoto in 9:17 when Hase pinned Jimmy Garvin with a bridging Northern Lights suplex.
FINAL WORD: These four meshed as well as Lynyrd Skynyrd probably meshed in Japan itself.
-Schiavone is with Hiro Matsuda and Bill Watts, who is holding the Big Gold Belt. The NWA Heavyweight Title tournament is starting in Sumo Hall in Japan soon in conjunction with New Japan very soon. Watts mentions Ric Flair by name and takes his nameplate off. Man, why is Watts all over this show? He mentions that he wants Sting to wrestle the winner to consolidate the titles. What’s the point of giving the title out then? Just make it a number one contender’s tournament!
-Stock rock for Rick Rude and Steve Austin alongside Madusa. A fan is shown with a Room 269 sign about Madusa. Isn’t that like the second or third time I’ve seen that? Rude gets some mic work in and calls the crowd “simple minded simpletons.” That’s a classic. His tights are on point as well. Some honky tonk music leads Barry Windham and Dustin Rhodes to the ring and they are very popular. They have matching tights, too!
MATCH NUMBER THREE: NWA TAG TITLE QUARTERFINALS MATCH- Rick Rude and Steve Austin w/Madusa vs Barry Windham and Dustin Rhodes
-Austin and Windham start and I can’t help but wonder how much Augie would hate the future Stone Cold because he lacks knee pads like Cody Rhodes circa 2010. Can I actually squeeze out an Augie Artiles on Podswoggle reference challenge? Sure! By the way, Austin’s lack of knee protection is probably why he will need massive braces later in his career.
-Jesse makes a big deal about Barry’s taped fist and Austin sells it like death. Ole Anderson apparently checked everyone earlier in the day. Steve takes a big slap and Rhodes elbows him and the Stunning one is so great as a shitty heel in peril.
-Rhodes versus Rude means more face dominance. We get our second Tombstone of the night as Dustin reverses Rick’s attempt. Why the ruck is that such a transitional move in WCW 1992?
-Ventura keeps calling the faces the “Texicans” and I’m not sure he knows what that means.
-Austin and Barry have good chemistry as evident by a top rope clothesline by the face and a big back drop by the heel.
-Madusa gets on the apron to distract the ref from illegal attacks by Rude that finishes up with the worst missile dropkick I’ve ever seen.
-Piledriver attempt and Barry is saved by Dustin. Austin comes off the top and guys are just doing it now because they can to show the difference even if they shouldn’t.
-Many babyface in peril and tag cut off spots for Windham mixed with long stretches of old school tag cheating like feet on the ropes and phantom tags.
-Barry falls into the tag after a second double down and Dustin is a great hot tag with dropkicks, lariats and a second rope back elbow.
-Why does the finish have a picture in picture when it happens entirely in the ring?
WINNERS: Barry Windham and Dustin Rhodes in 19:15 when Rhodes pins Steve Austin with a top rope clothesline.
FINAL WORD: That was very textbook in both action and delivery.
-Eric Bischoff interviews Big Van Vader and Harley Race. The manager’s promo is rough as he trips over words and has the wrong tone. Vader also talks and he’s much better than Harley. I hate it when that happens. He’s so confident and intense.
-JR and Jesse kill time while previewing Halloween Havoc and talk costumes before taking it over to GMC for the semifinals. Costumers are rich considering what Ventura looks like.
-Koloff and Steamboat enter and one-night tournaments always suck because the crowd gets tired of the same people. A wide shot makes the crowd and building seem so small before Gordy and Williams enter as the new WCW Tag Champs. They are still getting a muted reaction. There’s definitely a smart mark in the front cheering for the heels. I’m sure Augie would be seated next to him and Mr. Anderson would debut on this show 20 years early (and we have one to go).
MATCH NUMBER FOUR: NWA TAG TITLE SEMIFINALS MATCH- Ricky Steamboat and Nikita Koloff vs Terry Gordy and Steve Williams
-Terry vs Ricky to start and it’s grounding the face time already as Doc runs in place on the apron.
-More chain wrestling as I can hear individual conversations in the audience, it’s so quiet.
-A man in the front row is throwing a toddler up to entertain himself and now me.
-Nikita finally tags in, but they are still exchanging drop toe holds and arm bars. Go HOSS. Williams and Nikita also sloppily grapple.
-The best exchange so far is with Gordy and Koloff bouncing on two shoulder blocks, Gordy reacts big and Nikita dropkicks him down to wake the people up.
-Steve Williams is approaching LVP levels for me. He just seems uncoordinated and his exchanges don’t pop the crowd/pale in comparison to Bam Bam.
-The camera lens is always dirty in the bottom left corner. It’s distracting.
-Ventura tries to cover for the match by saying it’s the heels’ pace by being methodical, etc.
-The ref is inconsistent noticing no tag after a double suplex behind his back and not counting the fall. I never like that. Either catch it all the time or not.
-Doc hits a sloppy backbreaker to Ricky’s ribs and he’s definitely in the MVP lead now between this and the weird Russian leg sweep/scissors hold he has applied.
-“Modified” DDT means it looked like shit by Steamboat on Gordy. Nikita tags in and the clock is actually 15 seconds behind. Why on this match? After a few tackles, Gordy side steps one and Koloff takes the heat.
-Doc puts on a headscissors while hooking Nikita’s ankle with his arm. Okay, that’s somewhat cool if not dangerous looking.
-Gordy applies the “Oriental Twist” AKA a STF as JR namedrops Masahiro Chono.
-After a long stretch of long stretching, Ricky tags in with chops, awkward Irish Whips and a suplex. All four men are in and Steamboat hits a top rope karate chop. Gordy pushes him into Doc’s arms on a second attempt.
-I like that version more than the standard powerslam version.
WINNERS: Terry Gordy and Steve Williams in 21:39 when Williams pins Ricky Steamboat with a spinebuster stampede.
FINAL WORD: That was way too long and way too redundant. I’m starting to thinking Miracle Violence isn’t for me.
-A long breakdown of what we just saw and what’s coming up by Jesse and JR before the Japanese team enters again. The graphic spells Hashimoto’s name as “Shinnya.” Great attentions to details. The big Texans enter as Ross talks about the difference in rest in between matches as a factor.
MATCH NUMBER FIVE: NWA TAG TITLE SEMIFINALS MATCH- Hiroshi Hase and Shinya Hashimoto vs Barry Windham and Dustin Rhodes
-Hase vs Dustin starts, but Barry comes in soon in a battle of great hair.
-Windham wins a test of strength battle against both competitors with leverage and a suplex.
-Every time Ventura says “Japanese”, I cringe.
-Dustin is chain wrestling both of them now and I’m more interested in Nick Patrick’s wrist tape/cast.
-Shinya grounds Barry with some arm and head traps and he shows good charisma goading Dustin and being devious going after the eyes.
-Dustin eats a spin kick and spike piledriver before Hashimoto yells “Banzai” before a big elbow. He gets who he is supposed to be here. I should get used to it, I guess, with what’s coming in WWF.
-Hase lands some good overhand chops and Rhodes is an MVP with his selling and fire on his comebacks as they are able to make the crowd root for him.
-Hiroshi misses double knees from the top rope and eats a big lariat. Windham tags in and takes both men down, getting a couple nearfalls with high impact moves.
-Hashimoto is dumped to the floor and Hase ducks under Dustin’s leapfrog, but doesn’t duck Windham.
WINNERS: Barry Windham and Dustin Rhodes in 14:55 when Windham pins Hiroshi Hase with a lariat.
FINAL WORD: Simpler than Forrest Gump, but equally effective thanks to the babyfaces’ popularity.
-Jesse really is the GOAT at calling replays.
-Schiavone and Magnum recap and Magnum talks full of enunciation. Ron Simmons is with them and he is close to his home. He panders to the crowd about that and WCW as a whole. It’s a fiery babyface promo about trying to be the heavyweight champ. It’s a little hard to believe in his cheap suit (but it’s not going to matter in the long run.)
-Vader’s music hits and he comes out with Harley in an even cheaper suit than Simmons. He’s wearing that incredible helmet screaming “WHO’S THE MAN?!?!?” After the smoke from the helmet, Sting appears to the pop of the night. He’s rocking the USA colors. Sid Vicious, Lex Luger and Ric Flair are all name dropped as Sting’s conquests. That’s rare for this era. The commentators put over the size of this challenge so well. The competitors go nose-to-nose and talk trash at the bell.
MATCH NUMBER SIX: WCW TITLE MATCH- Big Van Vader w/Harley Race vs Sting
-Vader dishes out forearms and clubbing blows in the corner early. Sting bails after a clothesline. He comes back and hits a clothesline and cross body that Vader no sells. Badass.
-Simmons and Schiavone are shown looking in, but from behind. That’s odd.
-A splash is missed and Sting EXPLODES with a belly to back suplex and two clotheslines, the second one knocking Vader over the top. The crowd is going bananas!
-Vader challenges Sting to a test of strength and the crowd reacts more negatively to the idea than a bad bid on the Price is Right. It’s teased several times before Vader goads him in with one hand. He destroys him, but Sting thumbs him in the eye and unleashes another flurry including a suplex from the apron to the ring. WOW. There’s a good reaction on a nearfall on a small package as well.
-Vader taunts and takes his time a lot, particularly after a butt splash. Sting is on the MVP radar with his selling of death to Vader’s attacks mixed with his own explosiveness.
-Vader puts Sting in the Scorpion. It’s like The Rock’s or Sting’s in TNA, but it’s still cool to see.
-Sting finally forces Vader off of him, but keeps eating potatoes.
-More power moves before Sting responds with Jushin Liger’s running knee, then a DDT. The timer is 90 seconds off.
-Sting is too tired to follow up, but catches Vader on the top rope and kicks him down until he’s draped on the top rope. Sting kicks him, then puts him up on his shoulder for 30 FUCKING SECONDS before a Samoan Drop for a two count. What a beast.
-The ref bumps on a belly to back counter, but he gets right back up for Sting’s pin on Vader with a German Suplex WITH bridge still for only two.
-After one Stinger Splash, he tries another one, but hits his head on the metal hook connected to the buckle. He’s draped in the corner and bleeding. Vader covers him and it’s only two. JR is very, very good at selling all of this and making it feel big.
-Sting is out on his feet, flailing and missing shots. Race calls for it, Vader calls for it and he nails it.
WINNER: Big Van Vader in 17:18 to win the title with a powerbomb
-The crowd cannot believe it and that was clean as a fucking whistle.
FINAL WORD: That’s Thanos snapping his fingers in wrestling form. It was also a great first encounter in a legendary rivalry.
-The replay shows Sting “hitting the post” and Vader’s underrated/dangerous finish. Ole, Ron and others tend to Sting in the ring before helping him to his feet to a mixed reaction. JR sells shocked and I can’t help but feel bad for Sting as he never gets a chance to really drive the bus.
-Tony and Magnum recap the match. TA says Sting is number one in his book because of his determination. His list is wrong. Bischoff interviews Race and the new champ. Race is much better here than earlier calling Vader the “king of wrestling.” Vader lets out some great noises and laughs. EB makes a terrible Richter scale reference before sending it back to the commentators. I’m guessing Vader is going to celebrate with some Little Caesar’s deep-dish pizza (and the Augie challenge is complete).
-The crowd kind of chants for Ole as he is the ref for the tournament final. A wide shot of the crowd shows a lot of empty seats. People probably left after the Sting match, to be honest. This has a scary one-hour time limit as Gordy and Williams enter. There are even more empty seats on the hard cam. GMC and Nick Patrick joke and laugh about something before the babyfaces enter for their third bout. Why did the Steiner Brothers match not happen on this show? Speak of the devil as Rick and Scott come to ringside in more ZUBAZ than I’ve ever seen. Man, I want to be Scott Steiner in 1992 so bad. Officials stop them and send them to the back before the bell.
MATCH NUMBER SEVEN: NWA TAG TITLE FINALS- Steve Williams and Terry Gordy vs Barry Windham and Dustin Rhodes
-Barry and Steve start and I’m more interested in the phone number no longer active lower third for the hotline on screen.
-Gordy Germans Dustin and you can hear a pin drop. Dustin again works overtime with elbows to get some sort of pop. Barry tries a Figure Four, but Gordy slips out.
-Jesse explains the crowd’s silence as being stunned about the last match as Windham and Williams slowly skirmish on the mat.
-JR mentions Steve McMichael playing opposite Dr. Death in college. Uh-oh…here comes MONGO.
-SO…MUCH…STALLING with takedowns, long submissions and redundant attacks. It’s been nine minutes of nothing as Gordy puts on the STF.
-Ventura with the line of the night about Dustin trying to prove he has guts: “his old man has guts…literally.”
-JR points out the tag ropes and questions if they are being used. Again, I’m focusing on the commentary because it’s more interesting than this long, slow dissection of Rhodes.
-On top of it all, Ole Anderson is very bad as a referee.
-Dustin drop toe holds into a tag to Barry. He hits good lariats and suplexes, working hard to get some kind of a reaction. Ole’s cadence on the counts take them right back out of it.
-More redundancy as Doc ducks down on a sleeper and Barry eats the buckle like Sting and the heels take over again.
-JR ignores Jesse’s age jokes about Strangler Lewis to try and tell the story of the match…if there is one.
-A quiet MVP: that toddler from earlier who is still awake. He’s better than me watching this.
-Gordy hits the ropes hard and collides with Barry for a double down. Dustin gets the tag and gets cut off from behind very quickly. It’s too quick because it kills the crowd again. We’re back to rest holds on Dustin. Sigh…there’s a thin line between methodical and boring.
-Ole does a terrible job of stopping a double team in the corner as Dustin tries brawling out of it like crazy.
-Williams hits the Oklahoma Stampede in the corner over and over, but Barry dropkicks his partner on top of him for a good two count.
-A brawl breaks out and Gordy and Barry go out from the apron to the floor. Steve misses a corner attack; the crowd can feel it and Dustin tries the bulldog. He gets thrown into Gordy’s back to quell that momentum.
-Dustin is so close to MVP with his selling on the finish. Unfortunately, any energy is immediately drained from the audience on said finish.
WINNERS: Steve Williams and Terry Gordy in 21:10 to win the titles when Williams pins Dustin Rhodes with a lariat.
FINAL WORD: Is “meticulous to a fault” a phrase? It should be.
-Disinterested boos as the heels celebrate with the titles. Then, Doc seems to complain to security about something someone yelled at him.
-Schiavone and Magnum are interrupted by the new champs celebrating. Williams talks about the executives and lawyers in Japan being excited. I forgot what a BAD promo he is. He can’t finish words or thoughts. Gordy takes over and is so much more confident and cooler. They walk off and TA lies about this being very exciting.
-JR and Jesse preview Halloween Havoc one more time. Jesse says the crowd and JR aren’t happy because their heroes lost. A sign behind them reads “Vader is the Man and Sting is a Woman.” Jr trips over his words previewing the hotline before the Bash theme fades in as Sting is put over again. They sign off and credits roll over shots of the arena as pyro goes off and the place is almost empty already.
THE LAST IMAGE: Jim Ross and Jesse Ventura (as soon as the credits hit in WCW, I stop counting this FYI)
THE WRAP UP
FINAL MVP of PPV: The Natural had three matches and came close, but this was a return to form for Sting. He acted like a top guy and did the honors the right way.
FINAL LVP of PPV: The name Dr. Death is appropriate for Steve Williams because he kills the momentum all of the time in whatever he does.
MY FAVORITE MATCH: Big Van Vader vs Sting
MY LEAST FAVORITE MATCH: Hiroshi Hase and Shinya Hashimoto vs The Fabulous Freebirds
FINAL THOUGHTS: Each of these three WCW shows in this run got worse and worse as Watts became more in favor. Tournament shows always struggle, but take into account heel domination and a lack of heels over and the crowd was a big detriment to this show. PLUS, the matches were repetitive as hell. The sole singles match tried, but it was ultimately not enough. Leave the NWA behind and move on. MULLET DOESN’T RECOMMEND
NEXT TIME: The only Big Four WWF PPV emanating from Europe with SummerSlam 1992. Hey, my wife’s family is from England. Maybe I’ll dedicate that one to her, too!