Written By: Bob Colling
World Championship Wrestling presents Spring Stampede
Date: 4/17/1994
From: Rosemont, IL
A video package hyping up the show is shown.
Gene Okerlund introduces Aaron Neville who sings the Star-Spangled Banner.
Tony Schiavone and Bobby Heenan are on commentary for the show. Heenan can not wait to see Ric Flair defeat Ricky Steamboat.
Opening Contest: Johnny B. Badd defeated Diamond Dallas Page: Page attacks Badd from behind but misses a clothesline and is rolled up almost losing the match. Badd clotheslines Page over the top to the floor and drags Page back into the ring. Badd with a wrist lock but is yanked down by Page and is met with a few stomps. Page with a back drop and gets a near fall. Badd reverses a front face lock with a hammerlock and gets a near fall on a rollup attempt. Page with a back elbow and a shoulder block but Badd kicks him away. Badd arm drags Page and goes back to a arm bar. Page with a poke to the eyes and takes Badd down for a pin but only gets a two count. Page with a dragon sleeper set up but Badd is able to snap mare Page and follows up with a dropkick for a near fall. Page sends Badd face first into the top turnbuckle and goes to work on Badd with several back elbows. Badd is sent chest first into the corner and driven down to the mat with a back suplex. Page stomps away on Badd and is able to connect with a gut buster. Vertical suplex by Page and he gets a two count. Badd elbows his way out of a sleeper hold and connects with a back suplex. Badd with a shot to Page’s midsection and atomic drops Page. Badd with a clothesline and a backdrop as Page comes off the ropes. Badd with a head scissors takedown and knocks Page to the floor with a left hand punch. Badd leaps over the top rope and takes Page out with a cross body! Badd heads to the top rope and leaps off with a sunset flip which gets him the win! **¼
Mean Gene and Jesse Ventura talk about the Steamboat/Flair and the street fight taking place later on.
Second Contest: WCW Television Champion Lord Steven Regal fought Brian Pillman to a draw to retain the title: Pillman on the attack early with right hands in the corner and chops away on Regal. Pillman drives his knee into Regal’s apparent injured thigh. Pillman mounts Regal and hammers away on the champ some more. Regal begs off and is slapped by Pillman. Pillman drives Regal face first into the mat and sends Regal into the ropes where he connects with a Japanese arm drag. Regal bails to the floor and is able to kick Pillman and uppercut him to get the upper hand. Pillman comes back by whacking Regal’s arm across the guard railing a couple of times. Pillman pulls down on Regal’s arm across the top rope and backs Regal into the corner where he takes Regal down with a hammerlock briefly. Pillman wraps Regal’s arm around the ring post, twice. Pillman continues his offense by chopping Regal but is stopped with a uppercut and Regal takes Pillman down with a suplex. Pillman chops Regal but Regal kicks Pillman and uppercuts the challenger. Regal with a nice northern lights suplex as Pillman attempted a leap frog and gets a near fall. Regal clubs away on Pillman’s back but Pillman gets a few chops in before Regal stops Pillman with a few more right hands. Regal lifts Pillman up but Pillman rolls through with a rollup and gets a near fall. Regal grabs Pillman’s leg and rolls through slamming Pillman down to the mat. Regal locks in a STF in the middle of the ring. Regal uppercuts Pillman but Pillman avoids one and attempts a backslide but Regal blocks in and has a modified surfboard locked in. Pillman fires back with a few chops and goes for a backdrop but Regal avoids it and goes for a power bomb but Pillman connects with a hurricanrana which gets him a near fall! Regal catches Pillman as he comes off the ropes and drives Pillman down with a rolling fireman’s carry and gets a two count. Regal goes back to the STF but Pillman refuses to give up. Regal rolls over and has a surfboard on Pillman but again Pillman doesn’t give in. Pillman fights out of the hold with a few right hands and goes for a backdrop as Regal comes off the ropes but Regal trips Pillman and has a half Boston crab cinched in. Regal switches into full nelson on the mat and it is announced that there is five minutes left in the contest. Pillman with a couple of chops and knocks Regal down to the mat Regal sneaks in a rollup but Pillman kicks out at two! Regal stands Pillman up and is greeted with several right hands and chops. Regal comes back with several strikes of his own but Pillman gets a few shots in of his own. Regal chokes Pillman on the top rope. Pillman dropkicks Regal and both men are down in the ring as time continues to tick away. Regal blocks a dropkick but Pillman uses his hips to spin Regal down. Pillman kicks Regal on the side of the head but isn’t able to follow up. Regal shoves Pillman away as Pillman attempted a monkey flip. Regal misses a standing head butt and it is announced that one minute remains. Regal leaps off the middle rope and Pillman dropkicks him in midair! Pillman with a backdrop and chops Regal in the corner. Pillman with a few punches in the corner and comes off the ropes but is caught by Regal. They both dump over the top rope and Pillman runs out of time as he suplex’s Regal back into the ring. **
Third Contest: WCW World Tag Team Champions the Nasty Boys defeated Cactus Jack/Maxx Payne in a street fight to retain the titles: All four men brawl on the entrance ramp during the challengers entrance. Payne suplex’s Sags in the ring while Knobs hits Jack with a pool stick on the floor. Payne tosses Sags into the guard railing while Jack whacks Knobs with the pool stick back in the ring. Jack clotheslines Knobs over the top to the floor. Sags works on Payne with a chair and Jack sends Knobs into the railing. Sags whacks Jack over the head with the chair rather viciously. Jack returns the favor with a chair shot across the back. Jack sends Knobs into the ring steps and Payne drops a elbow on Sags a few times. Knobs clotheslines Jack back into the ring from the entrance ramp. Sags beats down Jack with a pool stick back in the ring. Knobs leaps off the entrance ramp onto Payne with a double axe handle. Payne gets the upper hand with a head butt. Sags uses the pool stick to clothesline Jack over the top to the floor. Knobs and Payne have brawled to a merchandize area. Knobs with a trash can shot and tosses a table onto Payne. Jack and Sags begin to brawl into the crowd for a second. Jack with a chair shot on Sags while Knobs gets a near fall on Payne. Payne gets up and is able to scoop slam Knobs through a table! Payne shoves a shirt down Knobs mouth and gets a near fall. Sags sends Jack over the guard railing and the Nastys double team Payne by tossing Payne through wall near the entrance ramp! Knobs hits Jack several times with a table over the back and carries the table towards the ring. Knobs gets a near fall on Payne while Jack connects with a swinging neck breaker on Sags on the ramp way. Jack slams a table across Sags back! Knobs comes out of nowhere and nails Jack with a shovel over the head! Payne grabs the shovel and hits Knobs a couple of times until he is low blowed by Knobs. Sags goes for a pile driver through the table but the tables breaks before the move is hit. Sags just shoves Jack off the side and Jack hit’s the concrete extremely hard! Sags with a straight shovel shot to Jack’s face. Sags covers Jack and wins the match. ****
After the match, Payne is hit with a piece of table.
Fourth Contest: WCW United States Champion Steve Austin defeated the Great Muta via disqualification to retain the title: Muta ties up with Austin but Austin goes to the ropes quickly. Muta with a side headlock takedown and gets a two count. Top wrist lock by Muta and switches to a headlock until Austin reaches the ropes again. Austin with a takedown and stomps away on Muta. Austin is sent into the ropes and Muta is able to lock in a abdominal stretch. Muta blocks a reversal with a back elbow and Austin rolls to a corner. Muta with a rollup and gets a two count. Muta goes right back to a side headlock and keeps it locked in despite Austin’s best effort to get out of it. Austin gets out of the hold following a back suplex and gets a near fall. Austin attempts a vertical suplex but Muta is able to connect with a suplex instead. Muta with a elbow drop and takes Austin back down with a headlock. Muta with a shoulder block coming off the ropes and dropkicks Austin. Muta keeps his offense with yet another headlock but Austin reverses with a head scissors. Muta gets out of it and just taunts Austin which causes Austin to leave the ring. Austin with a rollup for a near fall. Muta counters a front face lock with a hammerlock and gets a near fall as he tried to keep Austin’s shoulders down. Parker grabs Muta’s foot and Austin delivers a high knee lift to Muta’s back and Muta falls to the floor. Parker chokes Muta and Austin comes off the apron with a axe handle. Austin comes off the apron again with a axe handle and sends Muta into the guard railing head first. Back in the ring, Austin stomps away on Muta and snap mares him down. Austin comes off the ropes with a knee drop and gets a two count. Austin has a abdominal stretch on Muta and uses the top rope for extra leverage. Austin keeps the hold on for a few moments until the referee sees him using the rope and Muta hip tosses Austin. Muta blocks a right hand and delivers a few strikes of his own. Muta attempts a dropkick but Austin hangs onto the ropes. Austin leaps off the middle rope with a forearm drop and gets a two count. Parker gets another cheap shot in and Austin rams Muta head first into the corner. Muta blocks another attempt and sends Austin into the corner. Muta with a standing spin kick and backdrops Austin. Vertical suplex by Muta and follows up with a dropkick. Muta makes his way to the top rope but misses a missile dropkick as Austin sidesteps the attempt. Austin goes for the inside toe hold but Muta gets out of the attempt. Muta drops Austin with the Stun Gun! Muta with a handspring back elbow and signals for the end. Muta places Austin on the top rope and connects with a top rope hurricanrana! Muta super kicks Parker off the apron and Austin charges but is back dropped over the top to the floor. Muta has been disqualified. *½
After the match, Muta knocks Austin and Parker out with a slingshot cross body!
Before the next match, Rick Rude is about to cut his usual heel promo but is cut off by Harley Race. Race is there on behalf of Vader. Race says that Vader wants the winner of the match. Race tries to get a cheap shot on Sting but Sting sends Race to the floor.
Fifth Contest: Sting defeated WCW International World Heavyweight Champion Rick Rude to win the title: Sting with a backdrop on Rude and quickly clotheslines Rude to the floor. Sting with a vertical suplex on the floor and Rude begs off back in the ring. Sting with a few right hands and sends Rude back first into the corner. Sting connects with a back suplex and gets a two count. Sting scratches Rude’s back and has a front face lock on the champion. Sting scoop slams Rude and comes off the ropes with a elbow drop, three times. Sting goes for a cover but gets a one count and goes back to a front face lock. Rude tries to punch and stomp his way out of the hold but is unsuccessful. Rude gets out of the hold by crotching Sting on the top rope and clothesline Sting off the ropes to the floor. Rude rams Sting head first into the apron and the ramp way. Rude goes up top but Sting is too far away so Rude works on Sting’s back with several forearm shots and a back suplex for a near fall. Rude with a rear chin lock and jumps down onto Sting’s back. Rude proceeds to taunt the fans before going back to a rear chin lock. Rude jumps down onto Sting as Sting tried to get to his feet. Rude with a forearm drop and gets a near fall. Rude once again goes back to a rear chin lock. Sting gets to his feet and has Rude in a electric chair slam but Rude rolls through and gets a near fall. Sting rolls through and gets a two count as well. Rude has a sleeper hold on Sting as Sting comes off the ropes. Rude breaks the hold as he wants to do more damage to Sting. Rude with a few right hands but Sting starts to get a second wind. Sting wants Rude to hit him some more and he goes nuts. Sting yanks down Rude’s tights and delivers a few atomic drops. Sting with four clotheslines and a dangerous backdrop that sees Rude do a 450. Sting sends Rude into the referee in the corner and connects with the Stinger Splash in the corner knocking both men down. Sting has the scorpion death lock on Rude and Harley Race comes down to the ring. Sting hammers away on Race and Vader comes down to, only to be met with right hands. Rude sneaks from behind and chop blocks Sting’s knee. Rude works on Sting with a forearm shot across the back. Rude goes for the Rude Awakening and Race enters with a chair. Race misses Sting and hits Rude which allows Sting to cover Rude and pick up the win and title! **½
After the match, Sting celebrates with the title win while Rude is laid out.
Sixth Contest: Bunkhouse Buck defeated Dustin Rhodes in a bunkhouse match: Rhodes runs down to the ring and leaps over the top rope knocking Buck down with a clothesline. Rhodes with several right hands backing Buck against the ropes. Rhodes with a another clothesline and punches Buck to the apron. Rhodes with a vertical suplex from the apron back into the ring and gets a near fall. Rhodes sends Buck into the ropes and backdrops Buck. Rhodes works on Buck on the floor and they start to trade right hands. Rhodes with a elbow smash that drops Buck. Rhodes with a elbow drop to Buck’s lower midsection. Rhodes drops Buck with a right hand back in the ring. Rhodes attempts a cross body coming off the ropes but Buck ducks and Rhodes crashes to the floor. Parker chokes Rhodes on the floor. Buck goes to floor with a stick and breaks the stick over Rhodes back! Buck nails Rhodes in the head with the stick as well and Rhodes has been busted wide open! Buck with a running clothesline on the entrance ramp and takes his belt off to choke Rhodes! Rhodes swings widely in the ring but doesn’t connect. Buck scoop slams Rhodes and stomps Rhodes in the face. Buck works on Rhodes knee by slamming Rhodes knee on the apron and around the ring post. Rhodes kicks Buck down on the floor and goes into his pocket back in the ring. Rhodes has powder and tosses powder into Buck’s eyes! Buck takes off his belt again and starts to whip Rhodes! Buck kicks Rhodes in the groin and Parker gets a good laugh at the beating. Buck hammers away on Rhodes in the corner. Buck misses a running big boot in the corner and Rhodes starts to get to his feet. Rhodes with right hands as Buck is trapped in the corner. Rhodes kicks Buck as Buck lays on the top rope. Rhodes with a elbow smash that drops Buck to the mat. Rhodes takes off his belt and punches Buck with the belt wrapped around his fist. Rhodes hits Buck several times with the belt and Buck has been busted wide open as well. Rhodes takes off his cowboy boot and leaps off the middle rope driving the boot into Buck’s face! Rhodes rips off Buck’s shirt and begins to whip Buck’s exposed back. Rhodes clotheslines Buck over the top to the floor. Buck goes into his pocket and misses a loaded right hand shot. Rhodes with a atomic drop and hammers away on Buck in the corner. Rhodes with a running clothesline in the corner and plants Buck with the running bulldog. Parker gets on the apron and Rhodes brings Parker in with a vertical suplex! Rhodes whips Parker with his belt! Parker is dumped to the floor and Buck rolls Rhodes up for a near win! They trade punches with Rhodes getting the upper hand. Rhodes goes for the cover but Buck kicks out at two. Rhodes kicks Buck out of the corner and Buck is given brass knuckles by Parker. Buck nails Rhodes with the brass knuckles and picks up the win. ***
Backstage, Jesse Ventura is with Rick Rude. Rude tells Ventura that he didn’t need any help. Vader comes into the picture and they have to be separated by other heels.
Seventh Contest: Vader defeated The Boss: Boss runs up the entrance ramp and is met with a few clubbing blows from Vader. Race holds Boss for Vader but Vader misses Boss and splashes Race on accident! Boss with a series of right hands and clotheslines Vader into the ring. Boss with right hands and a big boot which staggers Vader. Boss uppercuts Vader and Vader falls to the ramp way. Boss with more right hands but Vader gets a few shots in to stop Boss’s offense. Vader with a short arm clothesline and power slams Boss over the top back into the ring from the ramp. Vader runs down the rap and leaps over the top for a splash but Boss gets his knees up to block it! Boss drops a few elbows to follow up on his offense. Boss clotheslines Vader to the floor and sends Vader over the guard railing into the crowd! Boss drops Vader chest first across the guard railing! Boss head butts Vader a couple of times and sends him into the corner where he connects with a big splash. Boss scoop slams Vader but Vader comes back with several jabs. Boss with a eye poke and a head butt. Vader with a extremely dangerous backdrop to the floor where Boss almost landed right on the ropes and saved himself from a severe injury. Vader is busted open over his right eye. Vader brings Boss back into the ring with a vertical suplex from the apron. Vader big splashes Boss and gets a near fall. Vader with several clubbing blows in the corner but Boss comes back with a few right hands of his own. Boss takes Vader down with a back suplex and both men struggle to their feet. Boss comes off the ropes and connects with a running clothesline. Vader with a boot to Boss’s face and knocks Boss down with a clothesline. Vader makes his way to the middle rope but Boss gets up and slams Vader down to the mat! Boss jumps off the middle rope with Vader and connects with a DDT! Boss goes for the cover but Vader kicks out at two. Boss leaps off the middle rope and connects with a cross body. Boss goes for another cover but Vader reaches the ropes this time. Boss leaps off the middle rope again but Vader catches Boss and connects with a power slam. Vader leaps off the middle rope with the Vader Bomb and goes for the cover which Boss kicks out of! Vader goes to the top rope and hit’s a top rope moonsault! Vader covers Boss and picks up the win! ***
After the match, Boss beats down Race with his stick until nick Bockwinkel comes in and directs Boss to the backstage area.
Backstage, Nick Bockwinkel takes away Boss’s nightstick and handcuffs because he doesn’t believe he is the Boss anymore.
Main Event: WCW World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair fought Ricky Steamboat to a no contest: Flair with a drop toe hold but Steamboat slides out of it and they have a stand off. Flair with a side head lock and arm drags Steamboat. Flair with a front face lock but Steamboat reaches the ropes. Flair with headlock again but Steamboat counters with a head scissors and Flair gets out of it. Steamboat with a shoulder block coming off the ropes and Flair backs off into a corner. Flair takes Steamboat down but Steamboat is able to fireman carry the champion and locks in a side headlock. Flair backs Steamboat into a corner and shoves him. Steamboat responds with a hard slap across Flair’s face, twice! Steamboat connects with a gorilla press slam and a head scissors takedown, twice. Steamboat dropkicks Flair over the top to the floor and tosses Flair back into the ring. Steamboat heads to the top rope and nails Flair with a overhand chop for a near fall Flair bails to the floor and gets his breath back. Flair yanks Steamboat down by the hair a couple of times but Steamboat pops right back up. Flair goes to work with several chops but Steamboat chops Flair back and Flair stumbles down to the mat. Steamboat takes Flair down with a side headlock but they get back up quickly. Steamboat runs up the ropes and takes Flair back down after using the turnbuckle to help. Steamboat with a shoulder block and goes back to a side headlock. Steamboat with another shoulder block and goes back to a side headlock after getting a near fall. Steamboat with a hip toss and a head scissors take down. Steamboat gets a near fall with a side headlock. Steamboat with a couple of shoulder blocks until he is dumped over the top but is able to pull himself back up and nearly wins the match with a rollup. Steamboat goes back to a side headlock takedown. Flair attempts a atomic drop but Steamboat avoids it. Flair with a chop and comes off he ropes but is met with a drop toe hold. Flair with a shoulder block a few times in the corner to break out of a headlock. Steamboat with a backdrop and attempts a dropkick but Flair avoids it and Steamboat crashes hard to the canvas. Flair works on Steamboat with a few right hands and chops. Flair snap mares Steamboat and connects with a knee drop in the middle of the ring, twice. Flair goes for a cover but only gets a two count a few times. Flair with a back elbow and goes back to pin attempts but Steamboat kicks out the series of attempts. They start to trade chops with Steamboat dropping Flair. Flair comes off the ropes and they both go over following a cross body attempt. Flair attempts a pile driver on the floor but Steamboat blocks it with a backdrop. Steamboat chops Flair and attempts a splash but misses and hits the guard railing! Flair goes to the top rope but is chopped by Steamboat. Steamboat brings Flair back down to the mat with a superplex and gets a near fall! Flair flips upside in the corner and is chopped down to the floor. Steamboat leaps off the top rope with a overhand chop to the floor. Flair begs off in the ring and is backed into a corner. Steamboat with a ten punches in the corner and follows up with several chops. Steamboat goes for the cover but Flair puts his foot on the bottom rope! Flair tosses Steamboat to the floor but Steamboat quickly comes back with a sunset flip but Flair prevents himself from going down by delivering a right hand. Steamboat blocks a knee drop and locks in the figure four! Steamboat has Flair right in the middle of the ring! Flair tries to reach the ropes but is pulled back to the center by Steamboat, a few times. Flair pokes Steamboat in the eyes and Steamboat just rolls to the floor. Flair goes for a vertical suplex back into the ring but Steamboat lands on top and gets a near fall. They bridge up out of a pin attempt and Steamboat backslides Flair for a near fall! Steamboat with a inside cradle and only gets a two count. Flair with boot to the guy and goes back to chopping Steamboat. Steamboat comes back with a flurry of chops and right hands. Flair rolls to the entrance ramp following another chop. Steamboat attempts a suplex back into the ring but Flair brings him over the ramp way where Steamboat lands on his feet and chops Flair back into the ring. Steamboat tosses Flair into the corner and Flair flips over to the floor. Steamboat leaps off the apron but is met with a boot to the chest. Steamboat and Flair trade chops but Steamboat chops Flair from the apron and gets the advantage. Steamboat leaps off the top and connects with a cross body for a near fall! Flair ducks a clothesline and nails Steamboat with one of his own. Flair heads to the top rope but stopped by Steamboat who power slams Flair down to the mat. Steamboat heads up top and leaps off missing a splash! Flair goes for the figure four but Steamboat blocks it for a moment. Flair has the figure four locked in right in the dead center of the ring! Steamboat is able to reach the bottom rope! Flair with a snap mare and goes for the figure four but Steamboat rolls Flair up getting a near fall! Steamboat with a backslide and goes back to chopping and punching Flair in the corner. Steamboat crotches Flair on the top rope and is able to drive Flair down with a top rope superplex! Steamboat manages to roll over for the cover a few moments but only gets a near fall. Steamboat rolls Flair up as the referee slipped to the floor and Steamboat gets a near fall. Steamboat with a double chicken wing submission! Steamboat drops down to the mat and the referee counts the three! ****
After the match, the referee declares a double pin and thus the match is a draw. Steamboat flips out at the result as Spring Stampede comes to a end.
End of show.
My Take: Page/Badd was a solid, quick opener that had the crowd making noise throughout the whole contest. It only got roughly six minutes but they put a lot in their and made both guys look good. The crowd is really pumped up for this show, by the way. A hot crowd makes for a great show.
Pillman/Regal was a decent title match and good way to pace the show. I have never been a fan of the ring announcer announcing how much time is left in the match. That pretty much gives it away that their will be a draw.
The street fight was a pretty good one. Jack took some insane bumps, especially for 1994. The thud from him hitting the concrete floor was just sickening. It was a entertaining brawl but was kept fairly short. The fans were really into the match as well but didn’t like the finish. I would hope just because the champions retained and not because they thought it was a weak finish.
The three minutes of Austin/Muta was entertaining but the whole match was pretty boring I thought. Muta really killed the match with always going for the side headlock. I think those two could have done a lot better if they were allowed to put on a good show and not kill the crowd.
Sting/Rude was a solid contest I thought. The only problem I had with it was that they gave away the planned finish as Race was out of position when Rude went for the first Rude Awakening. Also, it would have been a lot better if Sting had gotten a clean win over Rude. All that being said, it was a decent contest.
Buck/Rhodes was a fun ass kicking brawl. The match fit perfectly with their feud at the time. A regular match would have not been a good one but the hardcore type brawl that they put on was entertaining. Rhodes bleed a lot during this match. This pay per view is shaping up to be one of the best in WCW history.
Vader/Boss put on a good show as that was a good big man vs. big man match. They displayed some incredible moves that I would never have thought they could pull off. One of the Boss’s better matches.
A excellent main event to close out what was perhaps one of if not the best all around WCW pay per view ever. These two just put on a great show for over a half hour and added another classic match to their list of classic matches from the 1980’s. The title would be held up following the show and these two had yet another classic match on a Saturday Night show. Flair would retain the championship.
Overall, aside from Austin/Muta, there is not a bad match on this show. This pay per view really has every that their needs to be to have a great show. If for some reason you do not have this show. Find a way to get it. You will not be disappointed.
Thanks for reading.