WCW Saturday Night 8/28/1993

Written by: Bob Colling

World Championship Wrestling presents Saturday Night
Date: 8/28/1993
From: Atlanta, GA

Matches:
1.) Steve Austin & Brian Pillman defeated Mark Starr & Frankie Lancaster
2.) Charlie Norris defeated Maxx Payne by count-out
3.) Lord Steven Regal defeated Brad Armstrong
4.) Rick Rude defeated Dustin Rhodes in match one of the best of three series for the vacant WCW United States Championship
5.) Ice Train defeated Bob Starr
6.) Sting & Davey Boy Smith defeated Harlem Heat by disqualification

Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Late in the opening match, Pillman suffered an ankle injury on a monkey flip out of the corner. It looked like a bad sprain considering the way he landed. Pillman manages to get out of the match before anything worse happened to him. Austin seemingly went for the Stun Gun but just dropped Lancaster to the mat and won the match. That was an awkward finish to the match.

2.) Flair for the Gold hosted by NWA World Champion Ric Flair is next. Flair’s guest this week is a real great in the industry and puts him over as being really close to being the WCW United States Champion. Rick Rude makes his way out and shakes hands with Flair but is staring at Fifi when he comes out. Flair puts over Rude’s match with Dustin Rhodes at Beach Blast. Flair notices it and wants Rude to focus on the interview. Rude says Flair had a great match too, but isn’t all that interested in talking to Flair. Rude has different thoughts on his mind and that’s Fifi. Rude wants her to come over to him and she does. Rude gave his phone number to her and he never got a phone call. Flair is trying to calm Rude down and says that Fifi doesn’t know English. Rude knows that Fifi wants him and wants to know why she didn’t call him back. Flair says he has a lot in common with Rude and says Fifi doesn’t understand what’s going on. Rude thinks that Fifi needs to make a decision and proceeds to make out with her, but she didn’t like that. Fifi slaps Rude! Flair suggests that Rude got his answer and goes to close the segment. Rude grabs the championship and decks Flair from behind! Rude hits the Rude Awakening on the floor! Rude yells at Fifi saying that she is a gold digger! Rude tells her to tell Flair that the gold is coming to him and so is Fifi! Fifi is crying as she checks on Flair.

3.) Tony Schiavone notes that Ric Flair is supposed to team with Sting against Harlem Heat. We hear from Sting backstage saying that Flair isn’t doing well but isn’t cleared. Sting has another partner for the match and it’s Davey Boy Smith! Smith says they are the Super Powers and nothing will stop them.

4.) Dusty Rhodes shares some thoughts about the upcoming match between Rick Rude and Dustin Rhodes. Dusty says this is all about opportunity and opportunity knocks for both men.

5.) Rude and Dustin get right in each others face but don’t come to blows at the start of the match. Dustin backs Rude into a corner but backs away. Rude takes Dustin down to the canvas and controls him with a headlock and is insulting his family. Dustin manages to get out of the hold and wrenches on Rude’s arm with a wrist lock. Dustin controls Rude on the canvas with a hammerlock but Rude isn’t going to give up and reaches the ropes to break the hold. Rude begs off in the corner covering up and Dustin doesn’t go after him. Rude wants a test of strength and Dustin decides to go for it. Rhodes pokes Rude in the eyes and stomps on Rude. Dustin sends Rude shoulder first into the corner and takes Rude over with an arm drag. Rhodes drops a knee across the left arm of Rude. Dustin lifts Rude up by his arm and drops Rick to the canvas. Dustin continues to wrench on the arm and controls Rude on the canvas. Dustin works over the arm as Rude remains in the hammerlock position. Rude stops Dustin with a right hand and drives Rhodes face first onto the canvas. Rude keeps Dustin on the canvas with a sleeper hold as we go to commercial.

Back from commercial, Dustin has kept the sleeper hold on. During the commercial, Rude attempted a Rude Awakening but Dustin got out of it and hit the Rude Awakening but taunted Rude instead of going for the cover. Rude gets out of the sleeper and heads to the top rope hitting an axe handle shot. Rude goes to the top rope again and hits a second axe handle to drop Dustin to the canvas for a two count. Rude focuses his attack on the lower back of Dustin with a few shots and sends Dustin hard into the corner. Rude controls Dustin with a chin lock but isn’t able to get a submission. Dustin gets out of the hold with an electric chair slam! Dustin misses a running clothesline as Rude ducked and Dustin goes flying over the top to the floor. Rude rams Dustin face first into the apron. Rude rolls Dustin into the ring and sneaks up from behind putting a bear hug on Rhodes. Dustin tries to fight his way out but Rude hits a belly to belly suplex for a near fall. Rude goes back to the bear hug and takes Dustin down to the canvas for a near fall. Rude lets go as Dustin is holding his back and Rude delivers a right hand. Rude locks in an abdominal stretch and is pulling Dustin by the hair and switches back to pulling the tights while the referee is out of position. Rude settles for a chin lock on the canvas. Rude tries to jump onto Dustin’s back but Dustin got his knees up and low blows Rude.

Dustin jabs Rude a few times and comes off the ropes with an elbow strike. Dustin atomic drops Rude and comes off the ropes hitting a bulldog! Dustin has the cover but Rude got his boot on the ropes! Rude stops Dustin with a sleeper hold! Dustin backs Rude into the corner but Rude goes to the top and leaps over Dustin. Rude misses a clothesline and Dustin has a sleeper hold on Rude. However, Rude pushes off the turnbuckle and they both fall down with Rude landing on top for the win. (***. A solid match, but the finishing sequence didn’t seem to work very well. I’m thinking Rude was trying for the Bret Hart/Piper finish at WrestleMania VIII and just landed on top instead of floating over. Anyway, it’s a good start to the three match series.)

6.) Rick Rude is interviewed by Tony Schiavone following the victory. Rude says that Dustin has one foot in the grave and another one on a banana peel. Rude tells us that Dustin is one match away from watching the greatest WCW United States Champion on TV. Rude also turns his attention to Ric Flair saying that in order to beat the man you have to meet the man. Rude wants Flair to be mad as hell when they square off. Rude is going to be the man.

7.) Ice Train is interviewed following his victory. Train’s manager Thunderbolt wants us to know they are interested two things. They want to whoop anybody. He almost swore on television. Train is on the fast track and is making his way to the top.

8.) Harlem Heat tease leaving the ring because of the crowd chanting but they obviously go through with the match. Smith and Stevie start the match with Stevie working over Smith with a few strikes. Ray comes off the ropes to shoulder block Smith, but neither man budges. Smith power slams Ray and the same goes for Booker. Smith is fired up and does a flip in the ring! Booker tags in and so does Sting to continue the match. Sting arm drags Booker a couple of times to keep the momentum in his favor. Sting comes off the ropes with a cross body and continues to arm drag Booker. Smith gets tagged in and comes off the top with an axe handle. Smith keeps Booker on the canvas wrenching on his arm. Smith lifts Booker up by the arm and drops him down. Smith steps on Booker’s arm and wrist on the canvas. Sting gets tagged back in but misses a dropkick attempt crashing to the canvas. Stevie enters and clubs Sting several times. Smith tags in and gets kicked by Booker on the apron allowing Stevie to deliver a big boot. Smith stops Booker with a kick and tags in Sting. Booker hammers away on Sting but is stopped by a dropkick. Sting dropkicks both opponents but is stopped briefly until Sting clotheslines both men. Smith gets in the ring causing all four men to brawl. Sting connects with the Stinger Splash in the corner on Booker. Sting goes for the Scorpion Death Lock but here comes Sid Vicious attacking Sting hitting a choke slam! After the match, Sting is triple teamed as Smith isn’t able to help. Ric Flair comes running down with a 2×4 to make the save. (*1/2. Pretty much by the books and nothing overly entertaining here. A completely forgettable match.)

9.) Davey Boy Smith, Sting and NWA World Champion Ric Flair are interviewed. Smith says that Sid stuck his nose into something that didn’t invoke him. Sting says that some of the most important matches were for the title and Sid has put his nose into them. Sting says that Sid is a gutless wonder. Flair says that he owes Rick Rude two now and dares Rude to meet him next week. Flair puts down Harlem Heat wondering who they are anyway.

Final Thoughts:
It is kind of amazing that it took Rick Rude nearly two years to get in the main event picture and challenging for a World Championship. The segment between Rude and Flair was nicely done, and kind of spoils the Rude/Dustin series since I can’t see Rude being champion while chasing Flair. Fall Brawl build has still felt really bland on Saturday Night and Harlem Heat haven’t been presented as a major threat to really warrant their involvement in War Games.

Thanks for reading.