Written by: Bob Colling
World Championship Wrestling presents Saturday Night
Date: 6/5/1993
From: Atlanta, GA
Matches:
1.) Sid Vicious defeated Rod Morgan
2.) Maxx Payne defeated Larry Santo
3.) NWA World Champion Barry Windham defeated Pez Whatley
4.) Dustin Rhodes defeated Sgt. Buddy Lee Parker
5.) Junkyard Dog & Jim Neidhart defeated WCW Television Champion Paul Orndorff & Dick Slater
6.) Ricky Steamboat defeated Mike Moon
7.) Sting & Davey Boy Smith defeated Shanghai Pierce & Tex Slazenger
8.) Kensuke Sasaki defeated Rick Rude by disqualification
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Sid looks to be in absolute incredible condition and comes across like a mega star compared to everyone else in WCW. That’s probably just my opinion on the guy, but he brings a new look to the company that has been a little stale lately. Of course, he wins with the power bomb. He is associated with Col. Robert Parker and appears to be lined up for a big heel push, as expected. After the match, Parker and Sid are interviewed. Parker says he is going to drop the bomb at Beach Blast. Parker puts over Sid as the biggest star. Sid chimes in and says there is no man that compares to him. Sid is superior to everyone and fears no man. He is the man who rules the world.
2.) The Masked Assassin comes over and wants to clarify a few things. He came to Slamboree because he wanted a confrontation with Dusty Rhodes. He says that Dusty won’t be able to stay behind his security forever. They have some unfinished business and he won’t rest until it has been settled.
3.) Maxx Payne is interviewed following his squash victory. Payne cuts a promo on Johnny B. Badd saying that Badd has to come to his domain to get his Badd Blaster. Payne doesn’t think that Badd has the guts to come and get his Blaster back.
4.) An update on the condition of Cactus Jack is aired with Catherine White looking for Cactus. She says that Cactus is no longer at the hospital and nobody knows where he went. White says that Cactus has serious mental health issues and no longer just physical. White finds a looney on a bench saying that he knows where Cactus is. He says that Cactus Jack is in Cleveland, then says Atlanta, and then says Atlantis and that Cactus has fins. They find go to someone playing basketball who acts like Jack Nicholson. I’m not sure if these are supposed to be funny, but that wasn’t.
5.) Rick Rude is interviewed backstage by Tony Schiavone. He asks why Rude is holding onto the WCW United States Championship when it is not his. Rude says it is his because he pinned Dustin Rhodes for three-seconds. Rude has two guys with him to guard his championship and to make sure nobody steals it form him again.
6.) Dustin Rhodes is interviewed following his victory. Rhodes says he never lost the WCW United States Championship. He is going to win the championship fair and square. He has signed a contract for Beach Blast. Dustin says he will do whatever match Rude wants at Beach Blast.
7.) Jim Neidhart and Junkyard Dog are interviewed before their match. Neidhart gives Schiavone a goatee that is similar to his. How was that not an idea to be sold for him?! Neidhart actually looks motivated competing in WCW, but I don’t believe he gets any kind of push and doesn’t appear on pay per view, I know that much. Late in the match, Slater drops Junkyard across the railing and that causes the disqualification. That is an odd disqualification since that is a common move to happen on the floor, but whatever.
8.) Arn Anderson and Ric Flair are interviewed by Tony Schiavone. Anderson says that Austin and Pillman should be careful what they ask for. They are back together and square off against the Hollywood Blonds at Clash of the Champions. Flair says that he was willing to sit back and take a new role. Flair calls Austin and Pillman punk kids who jumped on him and Anderson. Flair says we all get older but few get greater, but he and Anderson have gotten greater. They are going to walk that aisle one more time!
9.) Teddy Long is interviewed about his work in the Atlanta area. Long tells the kids to stop the killing and drugs. He transitions to 2 Cold Scorpio challenging Barry Windham. Windham comes over and says that he is going to make quick work of Scorpio. Long smiles and says that Windham is crazy when the NWA World Champion had left. Some random British music is playing and a man comes over to give a message to fans. Lord Steven Regal and Sir William are coming to WCW!
10.) Flair For The Gold is next with Ric Flair dressed is typical 90s gear and his hair slicked back. He is actually wearing a Johnny B. Badd t-shirt. Flair is wearing white socks and jeans and Anderson is in jeans too, far different that the usual suits. He has the most colorful guest this week, which is none other than Johnny B. Badd, which makes the t-shirt understandable. Badd has brought Flair a gift and gives Flair a bow. Flair puts over the look of Badd and they sit down to continue the talk. Johnny talks about Maxx Payne and says that Payne took something special to him, which was the Badd Blaster. The one that Payne took from him was the original Badd Blaster that his mother made for him. They end the segment by dancing.
11.) Rude works over Sasaki with a stomp and overhand strikes before hitting a scoop slam. Rude continues to club away on Sasaki to maintain the advantage in the early moments. Rude is shoved out of the corner and Sasaki hits a running clothesline followed by a backdrop. Sasaki drops Rude arm first across the top rope to focus on a body part. Sasaki has an arm bar on Rude but isn’t able to get a submission. Sasaki hip tosses Rude out of the corner and goes back to the arm to control Rude. After a commercial break, Sasaki keeps control of Rude and does his hip swivel to taunt the self-proclaimed WCW United States Champion.
Sasaki shoulder blocks Rude but is soon sent through the middle rope to the floor. Rude comes off the apron to axe handle Sasaki before returning to the ring. Rude heads to the top rope and hits an axe handle to drop Sasaki again. Rude tries to do his hip swivel and does it despite a struggle holding his ribs. Rude drives Sasaki down to the canvas with a vertical suplex. Rude cuts Sasaki off with a knee lift to the midsection. Rude controls Sasaki on the canvas with a chin lock. Rude jumps down across the lower back of Sasaki. Rude runs over Saskai with a clothesline. Rude leaps off the top to hit another axe handle but can’t put Sasaki away on the cover attempt. Rude goes to the top again but gets crotched by Sasaki this time. Sasaki hooks Rude and hits a superplex! Sasaki heads to the top rope and nails Rude with an axe handle of his own. Sasaki works over Rude in the corner with a series of strikes and stomps. Saskai lifts Rude into the air and drops him gut first to the canvas. Sasaki nearly wins following a snap power slam. Saskai sends Rude over the top to the floor with a clothesline. Rude decks Sasaki with his briefcase and the referee calls for the bell. After the match, Dustin Rhodes comes out and attacks the belt guards allowing Rude to runaway with the belt. (**. The action wasn’t overwhelmingly great, but it was a decent match that was kept simple and wasn’t up-tempo. The aftermath executed some development for Rhodes/Rude.)
12.) The program comes to an end with the WCW World Tag Team Champions Hollywood Blonds mocking Ric Flair and Arn Anderson. They have their own segment the “Flair For The Old.” Brian Pillman comes out dressed as an old man with a cane and an overweight Fifi. Pillman shows off his maid and slaps her ass. Pillman introduces Steve Austin who shakes his hand and pretends to be too weak to handle it. Austin begins to cut a promo and Pillman pretends to fall asleep as “Flair”. Pillman says it is time to get his medication and empties it out on his hand but Austin grabs it and tosses the pills into his mouth. Arn Anderson comes over and confronts the Blonds. Austin makes fun of Anderson’s body and Arn decks Austin while Pillman hides behind the maid. Anderson takes Austin down in the ring and pummels Austin until Pillman enters and whacks Anderson with his cane. Ric Flair runs out and scares the Blonds from the ring!
Final Thoughts:
I think this is the most productive Saturday Night program I have watched for ’93. Just about every segment had some kind of angle advancement and it promoted both the Clash and Beach Blast very well. I enjoyed the show and the final segment was done very well. Blonds/Horsemen has been a great feud to see develop on television. Austin and Pillman may have been the first “cool heels” in the business and they don’t credit for that. Anyway, a very good show this week.
Thanks for reading.