Written by: Bob Colling
World Championship Wrestling presents Worldwide
Date: 5/30/1992
From: St. Petersburg, FL
Matches:
1.) WCW Television Champion Barry Windham defeated Joe Cruz
2.) The Super Invader defeated Carl Robertson & Eddie Martin in a handicap match
3.) WCW World Tag Team Champions The Steiner Brothers defeated Rick Thames & Sonny Trout
4.) Diamond Studd defeated An Unknown
5.) WCW United States Champion Rick Rude defeated Dustin Rhodes in the finals of the Nintendo Top Ten Tournament
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) After Windham wins his match, Steve Austin comes in and attacks Windham until Dustin Rhodes runs into the ring and grabs the belt from Paul Dangerously. Barry is given the belt and Austin runs out of the ring and to the backstage area.
2.) Rhodes controls Rude early on with a hammerlock and takes the champ down to the canvas driving his knee onto the left arm. Rude works over Rhodes in the corner with a chop but soon runs into a big boot and Rhodes nails Rude with a lariat out of the corner for a two count. Dustin follows up with a vertical suplex and the fans are heavily behind Rhodes. Dustin focuses his offense on the lower back of Rude sending Rude into the corner hard back first a few times. Dustin scoop slams Rude and continues to work over the lower back with strikes. Rhodes keeps Rude on the canvas as he drives his knee onto the lower back. Rhodes tries to get a submission with a camel clutch. Rhodes continues to play to the crowd by taunting Rude hip movements. Rude gets control dropping Rhodes with an atomic drop. Rude continues his offense with a swinging neck breaker for a two count.
Rude avoids a monkey flip out of the corner and clotheslines Rhodes. Rude heads to the top and drops Dustin with an axe handle but only gets a near fall on the cover attempt. Dustin fights back in the corner with elbow strikes. Rude is staggered but drops to his knees and low blows Rhodes to stop Dustin’s momentum. Rude works over Rhodes with strikes and attempts a tombstone but Rhodes counters and spikes Rude with the tombstone but Rude gets his boot on the bottom rope. Rude dumps Rhodes over the top to the floor. Rhodes shoulder blocks Rude from the apron and can’t get Rude over with a sunset flip. Rhodes delivers a jaw breaker and a leaping clothesline for a two count. Dustin leaps over Rude and confuses the champ before hitting the running bulldog. Madusa was distracting the referee to prevent the pin fall. Rhodes clotheslines Rude over the top to the floor and tosses the champ down. Rude nails Rhodes with the WCW United States Championship from the apron. Rude picks up a knocked out Rhodes to hit the Rude Awakening for the victory. (***1/4. That was a really fun and competitive match that the fans were invested in. I really enjoy the 1992 WCW era Rick Rude.)
Final Thoughts:
A good episode largely thanks to the Rude/Rhodes main event. They were given plenty of time and made it worthwhile to view it, that’s for sure.
Thanks for reading.