WCW Saturday Night 11/20/1993

Written by: Bob Colling

World Championship Wrestling presents Saturday Night
Date: 11/20/1993
From: Dalton, GA

Matches:
1.) The Shockmaster defeated Sledgehammer McGill
2.) The Colossal Kongs defeated Tom Zane & Mike Thor
3.) Arn Anderson defeated Paul Orndorff by disqualification
4.) Steve Austin defeated Brad Anderson
5.) Sting & Ricky Steamboat defeated WCW Tag Team Champions The Nasty Boys by disqualification

Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) This episode features the debut of the robotic arm opening video. Which is one of the best openings ever and brings me back to my childhood.

2.) Mean Gene interviews Shockmaster following his victory. Shockmaster will be competing at Battle Bowl. Shockmaster knocks the microphone out of Gene’s hands to play up his clumsy nature. Shockmaster says it would be incredible to be in there with one of the Kongs. That provided basically nothing.

3.) Mean Gene reveals that Sting will be Ricky Steamboat’s partner against the Nasty Boys tonight for the WCW Tag Team Championships. Jesse Ventura can’t believe it.

4.) Footage from WCW Main Event is shown where Tony Schiavone interviewed Todd Champion. Champion is glad to be back in the USA. Champion has his eyes on WCW Television Champion Lord Steven Regal. Champion thinks Regal is a fake and phony. Champion says they are equal in the USA and won’t call Regal a Lord. Regal makes his way out with Sir William and confronts Champion. Regal would be honored to embarrass Champion next week on Main Event. They will have a match next week on Main Event.

5.) Anderson and Orndorff lockup with Orndorff backing Anderson into a corner, but cleanly backs away. Anderson keeps a headlock on Orndordd and shoulder blocks Orndorff a few times. Orndorff stays on the mat before going to the corner to regroup. Orndorff takes Anderson down to the mat with a drop toe hold and keeps arm control on Anderson. Orndorff rubs his knee on Anderson’s shoulder, but isn’t able to get a submission. Orndorff controls Anderson with a wrist lock, but Anderson counters quickly and elbow drops Orndorff on the knee. Orndorff is able to quickly reach the ropes. Anderson yanks on Orndorff’s arm a few times and keeps an arm bar on Orndorff for a few moments. Orndorff punches Anderson and bails to the floor. Anderson tosses Orndorff to the floor and misses a clothesline hitting the post. Orndorff rams Anderson over the railing and delivers a few stomps. Orndorff keeps control on Anderson with an elbow drop and almost wins with a few pin attempts. Orndorff uses the ropes for leverage, but Anderson doesn’t give in. Orndorff knee drops Anderson several times while using a hammerlock. Anderson elbows free from Orndorff, but Orndorff hits an awkward backdrop.

Orndorff continues to work over the left arm of Anderson with a wrist lock. Orndorff sends Anderson into the ropes and misses a clothesline. Arn locks in a sleeper hold and Orndorff appears to be fading, but falls backwards to break the hold. Orndorff elbow drops Anderson and locks in a hammerlock. Orndorff stomps on the left arm, but Anderson fights back with strikes. Anderson kicks Orndorff and delivers a clothesline. Orndorff leaps off the middle rope missing an elbow drop. Anderson hammers away on Orndorff and tries for a DDT, but Assassin causes a distraction. Anderson hammers away on Orndorff several times and decks an interfering Steve Austin. That calls for a disqualification with Orndorff holding Anderson down and Austin beats on Anderson. Paul Roma slides into the ring to finally make the save for his partner. (*1/2. I kind of expected this to be slow and plodding. They did a lot of arm work and it lacked excited offense throughout the contest.)

6.) Tony Schiavone interviews Arn Anderson. Anderson knows what it feels like being a grape squashed into wine. Anderson says he’s one of the dirtiest players in the game and tells Steve Austin that he’ll find out about the Horsemen if he wants to get involved in his matches. Anderson says if you can bleed, then you can be hurt. Anderson issues a challenge for next week. Anderson doesn’t appear happy with Roma for being late on having his back.

7.) Tony Schiavone interviews Col. Robert Parker, The Assassin and Steve Austin after Austin’s victory. Parker says everything he touches turns into gold. Parker needs ideas to handle the Rhodes family and says they’ll know everything about them with Assassin. Assassin notes he doesn’t work for anyone, but rather with Parker. Assassin knows the Rhodes family better than anyone. Assassin will have them move into the path of destruction. Austin chimes in and says he’s coming for the WCW United States Championship that is held by Dustin Rhodes. Austin will do whatever it takes to win.

8.) Steamboat and Sags kickoff the tag title main event. Steamboat ducks a clothesline and chops Sags after knocking Knobbs off the apron. Sags backs Steamboat into the corner and delivers a few shoulder rams to gain the advantage. Sags continues with a right hand in the corner and rubs Steamboat’s face over the ropes. Knobbs decks Steamboat from the apron and Sage keeps a top wrist lock on Steamboat. Steamboat fights back with chops to the champions and stands tall. Sags decks Steamboat to prevent a tag to Sting. Steamboat breaks free and Sting is tagged in. They double elbow Sags to the mat and Sting connects with a leaping elbow drop for a two count as Knobbs gets involved. Sting keeps control on Sags with a wrist lock and bites Sags arm. Sags eye rakes Sting and tags in Knobbs, but Sting hip tosses Knobbs followed by an arm drag. Knobbs forearms Sting several times and rams Sting into the corner face first. Sting dropkicks Knobbs out of the corner followed by an arm drag. Sting stomps on Knobbs hand and tags in Steamboat. Steamboat comes off the top to deliver a strike and kicks Knobbs. Steamboat drop toe holds Knobbs to the mat and keeps arm control on the mat. Steamboat chops Knobbs to the mat and keeps an arm bar locked in. Knobbs hammers away on Steamboat and misses a splash. Steamboat arm drags Knobbs and tags in Sting. Sting comes off the ropes to leg drop Knobbs. Knobbs delivers a few strikes and Sags tags in, but is taken down by a drop toe hold.

Sting keeps an arm bar on Sags. Steamboat tags back in and takes Sags down to the mat with a hammerlock. Sting stomps on Sags arm as the show goes to commercial. Steamboat chases Sags around ringside and Knobbs decks Steamboat with a clothesline on the floor. Knobbs slams Steamboat on the floor and Sting comes out to check on his partner. Steamboat is worked over by Sags with a leg drop. Sage delivers a knee drop and clubs on Steamboat in the corner. Sags keeps a front face lock on Steamboat and Knobbs tags in to work over Steamboat. Knobbs clotheslines Steamboat for a two count. Knobbs keeps a front face lock on Steamboat preventing a tag to Sting. Knobbs hammers away on Steamboat in the corner and Sags tags in to keep the advantage with an abdominal stretch. Knobbs returns to keep the abdominal stretch on Steamboat. Steamboat kicks Sags to block a backdrop attempt. Knobbs prevents Steamboat from tagging out. Steamboat fires back with chops to Knobbs, but is stopped with a front face lock. Sting tags in, but the referee didn’t see it. Sags hammers away on Steamboat in the corner followed by a back elbow. Knobbs delivers an elbow drop to keep Steamboat on the mat managing a two count on a cover attempt.

Steamboat drives Knobbs face first down to the mat, but Sags is tagged in and prevents another tag attempt to Sting. Sags takes Steamboat over with a vertical suplex. Knobbs flips Steamboat into the ring from the apron and slams Steamboat to the mat. Knobbs goes to the middle rope missing a splash as Steamboat got his knees up. Steamboat tries to tag out, but Sags decks Sting on the apron. Steamboat avoids a splash by Knobbs in the corner and clotheslines Sags. Steamboat finally tags in Sting and Sting cleans house with clotheslines. Sting slams both Sags and Knobbs. Sting nails Sags with a flying clothesline for a two count. All four men are in the ring brawling. The champs are sent into each other and Steamboat dropkicks Knobbs. Sting hits the Stinger Splash on Sags and locks in the Scorpion Death Lock, but Rick Rude comes off the top to strike Sting and causes the disqualification. After the match, Ric Flair slides into the ring and attacks Rude and the Nasty Boys. (***. Steamboat took a beating and I didn’t mind the constant fake tags to Sting. I thought they told a good story and it kept my interest. The finish is to be expected, but it appears there’s a six man tag coming my way and I’m totally fine with that.)

Final Thoughts:
A decent show largely carried by the effective tag team main event. I’m hoping for a six man next week.

Thanks for reading.