Written by: Bob Colling
World Championship Wrestling presents Worldwide
Date: 1/1/1994
From: Orlando, FL
Matches:
1.)Brian Pillman defeated Denny Brown
2.)Tex Slazenger & Shanghai Pierce defeated Thunder & Lightning
3.)the Shockmaster defeated Mike Dibacco
4.)WCW Television Champion Lord Steven Regal defeated Scott Sandlin
5.)Cactus Jack & Maxx Payne defeated Pretty Wonderful by disqualification
Angle Developments/Notes:
1. Mean Gene conducted an interview with Thunder and Lightning. They are happy to be in WCW as they just got back from Japan. They believe the best competition in the world is right here in WCW. Apparently, Tex and Shanghai have a surprise for them tonight. Thunder and Lightning are also coming for the Nasty Boys and the WCW World Tag Team Championships. Seriously, these two are so bland on the microphone and lack any kind of entertainment.
2. Thunder and Shanghai kick off the tag match with neither man able to get a clear cut advantage. Thunder takes Pierce over with an arm drag to get the action started. Lightning enters to drop Pierce with an elbow shot. Tex tags in and works over Lightning with some basic strikes. Lightning hits a leaping forearm and arm drags Tex over. Thunder keeps control of Tex with an arm drag. After a cheap shot, Tex works over Thunder with a shoulder breaker and Shanghai nearly wins after an elbow drop. Thunder avoids a splash by Pierce in the corner. Lightning tags in and cleans house. Lightning scoop slams Tex and nearly pins Shanghai after a belly to belly suplex. The referee is distracted and that allows Tex to plant Lightning with a reverse DDT and Shanghai gets the win. (*. A really basic match here that was not entertaining at all. The babyface team of Lightning and Thunder seem to be really green or they are just bad. I’ve always liked the team of Shanghai and Tex and it’s good to see them get a tag win.)
3. Mean Gene conducted an interview with Brian Pillman. Gene talks about Pillman’s past teaming with Steve Austin. Pillman says the Hollywood Blonds are temporarily out of business because of Col. Robert Parker. Pillman believes that Austin walked away from the greatest tag team dynasty in history.
4. Mean Gene conducted an interview with Tex Slazenger and Shanghai Pierce. Tex takes exception to Gene saying they won by the skin of their teeth earlier in the night. Shanghai says it doesn’t matter how they won, as long as they won.
5. Payne and Roma kick off the main event this week. Roma pulls Payne down to the canvas to get out of a headlock. Roma hammers away on Payne but that doesn’t hurt Payne. Maxx fights back with a series of strikes and nails Roma with an elbow shot in the corner. Payne follows up with a scoop slam and wants a piece of Orndorff. Roma stays in the match, however. Payne counters a slam attempt but Orndorff enters to attack Payne from behind and Maxx is double teamed. Maxx is sent into the ropes and met with a double clothesline. Orndorff tags in and delivers an elbow strike off the top rope. Orndorff stomps away on Payne but is kicked in the chest soon after. Payne is trapped in the corner and double teamed. Maxx tries to fight back but Orndorff stops him with a back suplex. Roma chops Payne but they don’t have much impact. Payne hammers away on Roma but misses a splash in the corner. Roma hits a running bulldog and heads to the middle rope. Roma misses an elbow drop. Cactus is waiting for the tag and finally gets tagged in. Orndorff tags in as well and Jack is cleaning house. Jack drops Orndorff with a discus clothesline and a scoop slam. All four men are fighting in the ring. Orndorff dumps Jack over the top to the floor to cause the disqualification. After the match, Payne is double teamed until Jack returns to make the save. (*1/2. Anytime you are stuck having to watch Maxx Payne wrestle basically a whole match, it’s never going to be a good thing. The match was boring as a result. Pretty Wonderful tried to keep it interesting and they are an underrated tag team, but Cactus needed to be more involved in this one.)
6. Mean Gene interviews Cactus Jack and Maxx Payne. Jack says it was supposed to be a different kind of day. Jack says that Payne is more miserable than him. Jack says Pretty Wonderful ruined his day. Cactus wants them in the ring again next week. Payne says they are going to bury them.
Final Thoughts:
Not a good show to kick off the year. The Pillman interview made it seem like he was teasing a reunion with Austin in the future. That’s what I gathered from it. The feature matches weren’t good this week and it didn’t feature any huge stars. Thus, this gets a thumbs down from me.
Thanks for reading.