Written by: Bob Colling
World Championship Wrestling presents Saturday Night
Date: 3/19/1994
From: Atlanta, GA
Matches:
1.) Dustin Rhodes defeated Rick Fargo
2.) WCW International World Champion Rick Rude defeated Bill Payne
3.) Arn Anderson defeated Shanghai Pierce
4.) WCW United States Champion Steve Austin defeated Tom Torres
5.) Ricky Steamboat defeated Paul Roma
6.) Bunkhouse Buck defeated Scott D’Amore
7.) The Boss defeated Bob Cook
8.) Terra Ryzing defeated Sonny Rogers
9.) Paul Orndorff defeated Sting by disqualification
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Mean Gene chats with Dustin Rhodes after his match. Gene talks about Bunkhouse Buck. Dustin says that Col. Robert Parker has been a thorn in his side sense day one. Dustin says that Buck will not take him out and he knows how to get his hands dirty. Dustin says if Buck wants a piece of him to come and get it.
2.) Mean Gene talks with Rick Rude, but Sting comes over with two girls that had gone after Rude prior to his match. Rude signed his name prior to his match that a female was holding. Sting reveals that Rude had actually signed his name to a contract to wrestle him at Spring Stampede. Honestly, that’s one of the stupidest things I’ve ever seen.
3.) WCW World Champion Ric Flair talks with Mean Gene. Flair says he is flattered that Hogan has a renewed interest in being number one in pro wrestling. Ric notes that Ricky Steamboat gets the championship match at Spring Stampede. Flair puts himself over and tells Gene to get Bobby Heenan and ask Hulk Hogan what his intentions are to coming to World Championship Wrestling.
4.) Roma elbows Steamboat and gets the early advantage. Roma continues with a dropkick and taunts the fans. Ricky stops Roma with a knee breaker and begins to work over the left knee. Steamboat seemingly taunts Flair by locking in the figure four and is shouting Flair’s name. Roma manages to reach the bottom rope. Roma avoids the figure four and sends Steamboat shoulder firs tint the corner. Roma leg drops the same arm and hits a hammerlock scoop slam. Ricky is sent shoulder first into the corner and Paul continues to wrench on the arm. Ricky drops Roma with a vertical suplex and scoop slam. Steamboat leaps off the top and hits an overhand chop. Ricky goes up top again but is crotched by Roma and is punched to the apron. Steamboat counters a suplex attempt back into the ring and lands on top for the win. (**. A decent match as I was surprised that Roma provided some entertaining offense by focusing on the arm. The finish was a little odd, but a watchable match.)
5.) Mean Gene interviews Ricky Steamboat. Gene mentions that Flair is talking about Hulk Hogan more than he is talking about Steamboat. Ricky talks about the mutual respect for their careers and how he accidentally chopped Flair last week. Here comes Ric Flair to get involved in the interview. Flair tells someone to keep their mouth shut because he is the WCW World Champion. Flair tells Steamboat to ask how to put the figure four on in the ring. Ricky tells Flair to never belittle him again in the backstage area. He knows how to draw the line between friendship and business. Steamboat remembers that he won two of their three matches in 1989. Ricky suggests that Flair focus on him instead of Hulk Hogan. Flair doesn’t say anything as Gene says we are out of time for the segment.
6.) Mean Gene talks to Col. Robert Parker and Bunkhouse Buck. Parker says he has tried to set an example for every person he manages. Parker says that Dustin Rhodes dishonored him and he has revenge in the form of Bunkhouse Buck. Buck says the party is over for Dustin Rhodes and that daddy isn’t there to help him anymore. Bunkhouse wants Dustin in the ring.
7.) Mean Gene is with WCW Television Champion Lord Steven Regal and Sir William. Footage from WCW Worldwide where Regal delivered a piledriver to Brian Pillman on the floor. Regal claims that Pillman doesn’t have any skill and was best when he was riding the coattails of Steve Austin with the Hollywood Blonds. Again, Regal says that Pillman will not get a title shot.
8.) Orndorff gets the early advantage by wrenching on Sting’s arm. Sting hip tosses Orndorff and Paul backs off into a corner. Sting hammerlock scoop slams Orndorff and focuses his work on Paul’s arm. Orndorff battles back but misses a middle rope elbow drop. Orndorff drops Sting with a back suplex. Paul continues to work over Sting with a series of stomps. Paul continues to strike Sting several times as the pace of the match has slowed. Sting nearly wins with a backslide but Orndroff reaches the ropes with his feet. Rick Rude is at ringside with a piece of paper. Rude has the contract he unknowingly signed last week as Sting hits a snap suplex on Orndorff. Orndorff recovers first and heads to the top rope but Sting gets his feet up to stop Paul. Sting delivers a jaw breaker and Rude slaps Sting in the face with the contract. Sting no sells some punches as he gets a second wind. Sting drops Orndorff with a few strikes. Sting tosses Orndorff over the top and that causes a disqualification. Sting turns his attention to Rude who backs off and runs into the ring. Rude bails again and runs backstage. Orndorff attacks Sting from behind that doesn’t go well. So, Paul Roma comes out to deck Sting a few times. Sting takes care of Pretty Wonderful by himself. (*1/2. Mostly a boring contest between these two. That seems to be the case for most of Orndorff’s singles matches at this point. He just works a very slow paced match.)
9.) Mean Gene is with Sting to close the show. Sting says he has a copy of the contract as does Rick Rude and the man in charge. Sting challenges Pretty Wonderful to a tag match next week on the program.
Final Thoughts:
Flair is slowly but surely turning heel and I’m enjoying it. He is much more interesting as a heel. Steamboat/Roma was a decent match. A fine program this week with some fine squash matches, as well.
Thanks for reading.