WCW Saturday Night 5/1/1993

Written by: Bob Colling

World Championship Wrestling presents Saturday Night
Date: 5/1/1993
From: Atlanta, GA

Matches:
1.) The Blackhearts defeated Dave Hart & Mike Winner
2.) The Junkyard Dog & Jim Neidhart defeated Chic Donovan & Rip Rogers
3.) WCW World Tag Team Champions Hollywood Blonds defeated The Italian Stallion & Rex Cooper
4.) Scott Norton defeated Tom Zenk
5.) NWA World Champion Barry Windham defeated Pez Whatley
6.) The Wrecking Crew, Tex Slazenger & Shanghai Pierce defeated Marcus Alexander Bagwell, Too Cold Scorpio, Kent & Keith Cole by disqualification
7.) WCW Television Champion Paul Orndorff defeated Ron Simmons by reverse decision to retain the title

Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) The show starts off with a look at a new tag team named the Blackhearts. It is a bizarre opening to the show as they have white plastic masks on their jacket or something. They are a masked duo and the fans seemed to be seriously confused about what they have witnessed.

2.) WCW Television Champion Paul Orndorff comes over and is pissed about being involved in dirty politics in WCW since winning the title. He says the rules state that his belt is only on the line for the first ten minutes of the match. Orndorff warns Ron Simmons that he is going to pay tonight.

3.) Dick Slater is at ringside to watch the tag match involving Junkyard Dog. There was no altercation between the two men.

4.) Tony Schiavone interviewed a WCW trainer in the training room. Chuck Tachet is the trainer that works with WCW and goes over his role in the company. He talks about the injury that Cactus Jack suffered last week due to Vader’s attack. He says that Cactus suffered a concussion and is sometimes unaware of where he is.

5.) Jesse Ventura conducted an interview with Scott Norton following his easy victory. Norton says he is in WCW for one thing and that is respect. Norton says that someone doesn’t give him respect then he is going to take them out. Norton goes to leave but stops as Col. Robert Parker comes over and introduces himself.

6.) Col. Robert Parker is with Tony Schiavone following a commercial break. Parker gives Tony a cigar and talks about being a promoter. Parker is in WCW to promote the greatest star. Parker is coming back next week and he will have a contract. Someone will have the opportunity to be the greatest star of all time.

7.) The first ever Flair For The Gold hosted by Ric Flair has WCW World Champion Vader and Harley Race as his guests. Flair introduces his maid Fifi. Vader tells Flair that they are here to talk about now and the future not the past. Vader tells Flair that he is the hunter not the hunted. He is tired of hearing about Davey Boy Smith and Sting. Vader reminds us that Sting has suffered pain due to his hands. He will be wrestling Davey Boy Smith at Slamboree on May 23rd. Vader says that Smith will suffer the same fate as Sting, Cactus Jack and Nikita Koloff. Flair asks Vader why he wears the mask. Vader gets annoyed and grabs Flair’s jacket briefly before saying he likes the mask thus he wears it. Vader asks Fifi who the man is and she says that Flair is. Vader issues a challenge to Flair before leaving with Race. Flair says that next week he will have NWA World Champion Barry Windham as his guest.

8.) Tony Schiavone brings Blackjack Mulligan for an interview. Mulligan says that excitement has hit Saturday Night because he is. Mulligan puts over NWA World Champion Barry Windham as a great champion and fighter.

9.) Simmons starts the match hitting Orndorff with right hands before Orndorff can take his robe off. Ron knocks Orndorff to the floor following a dropkick. Orndorff returns to the ring and gets control following a series of strikes in the corner. Simmons fights back with a leaping shoulder block for a near fall. Simmons comes off the top for a near fall with a cross body. Back from commercial, Ron is focusing his attack on the champs legs and slams his legs down across the apron. Simmons nearly wins with an inside cradle and continues to work over the leg of Orndorff. Ron locks in the figure four as we are told that five minutes are left in the match. Orndorff avoids a running clothesline and puts a sleeper hold on Simmons. Paul hits a back suplex after sending Simmons chest first into the corner. Simmons blocks an axe handle from the top by getting his boot up. Ron gets a near fall following another clothesline. Simmons hits a power slam but Orndorff kicks out at two. Orndorff pulls Simmons to the floor to kill some more time. Ron sends Paul head first into the turnbuckle and connects with a top rope shoulder block! Orndorff pokes Simmons in the eyes and Simmons hits the referee on accident. Simmons avoids a brass knuckles shot and grabs the brass knuckles. Simmons decks Orndorff and gets the three count! The referee sees the brass knuckles and reverses the decision. (*1/2. That was a pretty boring match as the leg work by Simmons wasn’t all that great. The finish continues their feud a little while longer, too.)

10.) We are supposed to see the in-ring return of Dustin Rhodes but instead Rick Rude comes out and says that there was a little mishap causing the return to be delayed. Dustin comes out and wants Rude to enter the ring. Dusty Rhodes is in the ring trying to reason with his son. Dustin leaps over the ropes to brawl with Rude as several wrestlers try to keep them apart. This is a great way to end the show.

Final Thoughts:
Not too much going on here as the featured match was boring and the Flair for the Gold segment didn’t accomplish too much. Next weeks episode has my interest as Windham might actually have to address his issues with Flair.

Thanks for reading.