Written by: Bob Colling
World Championship Wrestling presents Saturday Night
Date: 5/14/1994
From: Atlanta, GA
Matches:
1.) WCW International World Champion Rick Rude defeated Mark Starr
2.) WCW World Tag Team Champions The Nasty Boys defeated Quinn Nash & Brad Anderson
3.) Dustin Rhodes defeated The Shadow
4.) The Patriot defeated Tony Zane
5.) Kevin Sullivan defeated Tex Slazenger & Shanghai Pierce in a handicap match by disqualification
6.) Ric Flair defeated Ricky Steamboat to win the vacant WCW World Championship
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Nick Bockwinkel has the WCW World Championship with him to open the show. He says they had a tough decision to make until Ric Flair tossed the championship to him to cause the championship match tonight.
2.) Schiavone and Heenan hype up the frustration that Rude has had since losing the WCW International World Championship, but he has since regained the title. So, his frustration with Vader is kind of a disconnect for me.
3.) WCW International World Champion Rick Rude is interviewed following his easy victory. Rude defends against Big Van Vader at Slamboree. Rude claims he was ripped off by WCW, Sting and Vader. Rude says that in Philadelphia it is evil against evil.
4.) WCW World Tag Team Champions the Nasty Boys are interviewed following their victory. Sags says they have been stuffing their faces with victory as of late. Sags laughs about Cactus Jack falling off the stage and hit a shovel. Dave Sullivan hurt his knee and now they don’t have any opponents for Slamboree. Knobbs suggests that the old wrestlers come out of retirement to wrestle them. Mean Gene informs the champs that they will be in a street fight at Slamboree against Kevin Sullivan who will have a partner. There will be a special referee for the match as it will be David Shultz from the Philadelphia Flyers!
5.) Dustin Rhodes is interviewed following his victory. Rhodes thinks that Buck is afraid of him and that’s why he continues to be attacked. He had a great opportunity to regain the WCW United States Championship and Buck attacked from behind because he is afraid. Dustin says that the Stud Stable is afraid of him because they know he is going to kick their butts.
6.) Larry Zbyszko is interviewed regarding his recent issues with WCW Television Champion Lord Steven Regal. He talks about George Washington winning at war. Zbyszko says that the country has become what it is today since that time. Zbyszko can’t wait to step in the ring with Regal and says he isn’t a nice guy unlike other people in this country. Zbyszko says that nobody has been tough enough to shut his mouth and he will see Regal in Philadelphia next Sunday.
7.) Sensational Sherri comes out for an interview about her desire for the WCW World Championship. Sherri says her man needs to be the perfect man. Sherri says it doesn’t matter how long or when she makes her decision, but you better believe her man will bring her gold to wear wherever she wants to wear it.
8.) The Nasty Boys attack Kevin Sullivan from behind after Sullivan tossed both opponents to the floor. Knobbs attempts a piledriver but Cactus Jack comes out to whack Sags off the top with a steel chair. Jack enters the ring and cleans house and has a standoff with Sullivan in the ring.
9.) Kevin Sullivan and Cactus Jack are interviewed after the match. Sullivan says the Nasty Boys took out Dave in the locker room because they don’t want to wrestle him. Kevin blames Cactus Jack for not taking care of his brother. Jack tells Sullivan to put his hand back where it belongs before they get hurt. Jack says he isn’t a babysitter and while he doesn’t like Kevin Sullivan he thinks they belong together to fight the Nasty Boys. Sullivan agrees to team for one time only, so there is our match for Slamboree.
10.) Flair has control in the opening minute of the match with a side headlock. Steamboat gets out of the hold and takes Flair down to the canvas controlling the arm. They counter each other on the mat with Steamboat getting control by locking in a hammerlock. Flair is able to put a half Boston Crab on Ricky but isn’t able to get a submission. Flair misses a knee drop and they have a stand off. Steamboat hits a gorilla press slam, twice. Steamboat grabs Flair on the apron and hits a vertical suplex back into the ring for a near fall. Steamboat controls the arm of Flair and drives his knee into the left arm. Col. Robert Parker has come to ringside to watch the match just as he promised. Steamboat hits a few arm drags to maintain control of the bout. They begin to slap each other with Steamboat getting the better of the exchange hitting a backdrop. Flair bails to the floor to regroup from that fast exchange. Steamboat comes off the ropes and is met with a punch to the midsection. Flair continues to work over Steamboat with chops. Flair continues to work over Steamboat in the corner with strikes. Flair sends Ricky into the corner back first as we go to commercial.
Steamboat is on the floor as the fans begin to chant for him but Flair comes off the apron to hit a double axe handle and continues to chop Steamboat on the floor. Flair gets a near fall back in the ring. Steamboat battles back with strikes in the corner but Flair puts an end to that with an atomic drop. Flair decks Steamboat with a right hand for a two count. Flair is using the ropes for leverage while having a headlock on Ricky. They begin to trade chops with Steamboat getting the better of the exchange. Steamboat backdrops Flair but misses a dropkick as Flair backs away. Flair misses an elbow drop and Ricky attempts a scoop slam but Flair lands on top for a near fall. Steamboat rolls to the floor but is met on the apron and Flair delivers an elbow shot to the face. Ricky attempts a sunset flip and gets a near fall. Ricky gets another two count following a scoop slam. Flair stops Steamboat with a big boot in the corner.
Flair rolls over for a pin attempt but Steamboat kicks out at two only to be chopped to the canvas. Steamboat stops Flair on the top rope with strikes. Ricky chops Flair several times and hits a superplex for a two count! Flair gets his knees up to block a big splash attempt. Flair has a pin on Steamboat while using the ropes for leverage but only gets a near fall. Ricky nearly wins with an inside cradle. Flair comes off the middle rope to hit a knee drop. Flair puts a sleeper hold on Steamboat right in the middle of the ring. Steamboat rams Flair face first into the top turnbuckle and Flair falls flat on his face. Steamboat chops Flair as we go to a second commercial break.
Steamboat is chopping Flair in the corner and knocks Flair off the apron with a chop sending the Nature Boy to the floor. Steamboat comes off the top rope looking for an overhand chop but Flair hits him in the midsection. Ricky hits a vertical suplex on the floor! Steamboat works over Flair as Flair is standing on the apron. Steamboat hooks Flair for a vertical suplex into the ring but Flair lands on his feet and chops Steamboat. Flair misses a knee drop and Steamboat drags Flair to the corner to wrap his knee around the ring post. Steamboat continues to work over the knee and locks in the figure four leg lock! Flair is screaming in agony but pops up as the referee nearly counted him out. Flair reaches the bottom rope after a few moments in the hold. Steamboat focuses his offense on Flair’s leg. Flair kicks Steamboat away to avoid another figure four. Steamboat chops Flair several times in the corner and the Nature Boy falls flat on his face. We go to our third commercial break.
Steamboat leaps off the top but misses a splash and appears to injure his knee. Flair gets up and delivers a double stomp to Steamboat. Flair hits a vertical suplex and both men are hurting at this point. Flair delivers a knee breaker and locks in the figure four in the center of the ring. Flair is using the ropes for leverage with the referee out of position but Steamboat refuses to give in. Luckily, the referee sees the illegal usage of the ropes to break the hold. Steamboat knocks Flair off his feet with a kick to the head. Flair heads to the top but is stopped by Ricky who hits a press slam to the canvas! Steamboat works on Flair with right hands in the corner. Flair goes flipping into the corner but ducks a clothesline on the apron. Steamboat decks Flair in midair to avoid an axe handle shot. Flair drops Steamboat throat first across the top rope. Steamboat puts a sleeper on Flair but Flair gets out with a back suplex.
Ricky puts Flair on the top rope and hammers away on his rival. Steamboat hooks Flair and hits another superplex! Steamboat misses a splash onto the knee of Flair and hits the canvas butt first. Flair is sent chest first into the corner and Steamboat hits a back suplex for a near fall. Ricky heads to the top rope and drops Flair with an overhand chop for a two count. Steamboat goes to the top again to hit another overhand chop for a two count. Steamboat press slams Flair and goes to the top rope for a third time. Steamboat leaps off hitting a top rope cross body but the referee is knocked down as well!
Flair nearly steals a win with a rollup. Steamboat with a small package for a two count. They continue to trade rollup attempts. Flair kicks Ricky as he was on his knees trying to get up. Flair blocks a leapfrog by ramming his shoulder into Steamboat’s midsection to get the three count. (****. That was a really good match between two legends of the business on free television and easily the best television match thus far for WCW in 1994. However, that finish was pretty bad. I get that the match had been going on for nearly forty minutes, but that was far from being a truly satisfying finish to the match. Flair acted as a full fledged heel in the match and a clean victory big for any heel.)
11.) Col. Robert Parker is interviewed saying that his briefcase has cash in there. Parker says Flair will be meeting his mystery man at Slamboree. This is similar to Slamboree last year which had the debut of Sid Vicious. Parker says the briefcase belongs to his mystery man who is over 300 pounds and has issues with Flair. WCW World Champion Ric Flair comes over to confront Parker. Flair and Parker show the briefcase to the world as it is full of cash. Parker gives Flair the briefcase if he just walks away. Flair decks Parker and leaves with the money to close the show.
Final Thoughts:
A very good episode considering the main event went for most of the second hour and as per usual they delivered a great match. The buildup to Slamboree has been pretty effective over the last few weeks with most of the matches getting proper buildup.
Thanks for reading.