WCW Pro 8/31/1997

Written by: Bob Colling

World Championship Wrestling presents Pro
Date: 8/31/1997
From: Orlando, FL

Matches:
1.) Scott Norton defeated Chip Minton
2.) Silver King & El Dandy defeated Bill Payne & Butch Long
3.) Chris Benoit defeated Steve Armstrong
4.) Chavo Guerrero Jr. defeated Bobby Starr
5.) Ric Flair defeated Billy Kidman

Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Armstrong shoulder blocks Benoit early on for the advantage. Benoit tries for a powerbomb, but Armstrong arm drags Benoit followed by a few dropkicks. Benoit stops Armstrong with a clothesline. Benoit sends Armstrong into the corner and delivers several right hands. Armstrong tries for a rollup, but Benoit gets out of the hold. Benoit drops Armstrong with a forearm strike. Armstrong plants Benoit with a back suplex. Armstrong gets a sunset flip for a near fall. Benoit stops Armstrong with a boot to the midsection. Benoit chops Armstrong in the corner. Benoit boots Armstrong followed by an elbow strike. Benoit heads to the top rope hitting a diving headbutt. Benoit locks in the Crossface to win the match. (*1/2. They didn’t do a whole lot here as it was just Benoit doing very little leading into the finish.)

2.) Kidman takes Flair over with a headlock for the early advantage. Flair taunts Kidman against the ropes. Flair takes Kidman down with a headlock, but Kidman counters with a head scissors. Flair reaches the ropes and eye rakes Kidman followed by a right hand. Flair continues to work over Kidman with boots to the leg. Flair chops Kidman in the corner followed by more right hands. Kidman blocks a right hand and hammers away on Flair. Kidman backdrops Flair followed by a dropkick. Kidman misses another dropkick as Flair held onto the ropes. Flair misses an elbow drop and Kidman nearly wins with backslide. Flair turns Kidman inside out with a clothesline. Flair drops Kidman with a chop and works over the right knee of Kidman. Flair locks in the figure four and wins the match. (*1/4. That went the way I expected it to go. Kidman got a few moments to shine, but there was no doubt about the direction o this match. It also makes sense as to why Kidman won last week on Pro only to lose this week to a bigger star.)

Final Thoughts:
The feature matches were a bit disappointing this time around, but again any time Flair is on Pro it’s an interesting thing to watch.

Thanks for reading.