Written by: Bob Colling
World Championship Wrestling presents Saturday Night
Date: 12/4/1993
From: Atlanta, GA
Matches:
1.) Paul Orndorff defeated Erik Watts
2.) Arn Anderson defeated Tom Burton
3.) WCW World Champion Vader defeated Alex Davis
4.) Ron Simmons defeated Sonny Rogers
5.) WCW Tag Team Champions Nasty Boys defeated Troy Ace & Al Phillips
6.) WCW Television Champion Lord Steven Regal defeated Mark Starr
7.) WCW United States Champion Dustin Rhodes defeated An Unknown
8.) Ric Flair & Ricky Steamboat defeated Bobby Eaton & The Equalizer
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Orndorff stalls in the corner for a few moments to start the match. Orndorff gets frustrated when he’s knocked down to the mat. Orndorff controls Watts with a wrist lock on the mat. Orndorff presses down on the left arm, but Watts refuses to give in. Watts reaches the ropes to break the hold and Orndorff delivers several forearm strikes. Watts hip tosses Orndorff, but misses an elbow drop. Orndorff gets a hammerlock on Watts, but still can’t get a submission. Orndorff misses a dropkick as Watts held the ropes. Watts dropkicks Orndorff and yanks down on Orndorff’s arm a few times before locking in a hammerlock of his own. Orndorff breaks free and leg sweeps Watts to the mat. Watts avoids a stomp to the gut and locks in the STF. However, Orndorff reaches the ropes quickly. Orndorff shoulder blocks Watts, but is sent through the ropes to the floor. Watts kicks Orndorff on the apron and hits a vertical suplex into the ring from the apron. Watts goes for a cover, but Orndorff kicks out at two. Watts dropkicks Orndorff coming off the ropes. Watts scoop slams Orndorff leading to a near fall. Orndorff ducks a clothesline, but is elbowed to the floor. Orndorff eye rakes Watts and drops Watts over the top rope throat first. Orndorff heads to the top rope missing a knee drop attempt. Watts connects with a running clothesline and tries for an STF. Orndorff avoids it, but Watts decks Orndorff with right hands. Watts rams Orndorff into the corner face first. Orndorff knee lifts Watts in the corner and gets a rollup with his feet on the ropes to win the match. (*1/2. That wasn’t too bad, actually. Watts kept his offense basic and they told a decent enough story with the STF attempts. Orndorff did well here to keep my interest.)
2.) Tony Schiavone interviews Arn Anderson following his victory. Anderson remarks about the shiner that he has and says that if it weren’t for bad luck, he wouldn’t have any luck at all. Anderson notes that Austin and Orndorff have some kind of alliance. Anderson needed Paul Roma to have his back, but Roma wasn’t there to have his back. Anderson saw the footage that Roma may have had a mental lapse. Anderson saw that Roma froze and says that there’s no in-between when it comes to being a Horsemen. Either you are in or you are out. Anderson doesn’t take anything lightly. Anderson appears to be questioning Roma’s mindset with the Horsemen.
3.) Mean Gene interviews WCW World Champion Vader after his victory. Vader enters the scene and he’s livid throwing stuff around. Harley Race is with Vader. Vader says he’s the king of the world. Vader says the crown and gold are his. Vader says that every hour of every day draws closer to the event where Flair’s career will come to an end at Starrcade on December 27th. Vader wants Flair to bring all his famous friends to see Flair lose his career in his hometown. Vader is going to embarrass Flair and issue pain to him. Vader notes that he sent Sid Vicious out of wrestling. Vader wants Flair to come prepared for war.
4.) Tony Schiavone interviews Ron Simmons following his victory. Schiavone thinks that Simmons will be back in the title picture in no time. Simmons says he’s on his way to be back at the top. Ice Train enters the scene saying that he’s been working hard in the gym to pattern his life after Simmons. Simmons says that Train needs to get it done in the ring and Train needs to be on time for the workouts. Simmons promises to do whatever it takes to get back on top in WCW.
5.) Mean Gene is with Col. Robert Parker, who wants to chat with Dustin Rhodes after Rhodes won his match. Parker mentions that Dustin will be wrestling Austin at Starrcade in a best two out of three falls match. Parker offers Dustin a chance to handover the WCW United States Championship so that Dustin will not have to be embarrassed by losing two straight falls on PPV. Dustin rubs a cigar into Parker’s face to officially decline the offer.
6.) Flair and Eaton kickoff the tag team main event. Flair keeps Eaton on the mat with a headlock. Flair shoulder blocks Eaton into the corner. Eaton backs Flair into a corner, but Flair chops Eaton. Eaton takes Flair over with a backdrop and a right hand to send Flair over the top to the floor. Equalizer clubs Flair on the apron, but Flair chops Equalizer and hits a top rope axe handle. Steamboat tags in and jumps down onto Equalizer’s arm. Equalizer slams Steamboat, but misses an elbow drop. Steamboat drop toe holds Equalizer and keeps arm control before tagging in Flair. Flair comes off the top with another axe handle, but an eye rake stops him. Eaton tags into the match and hammers away on Flair. Eaton trades strikes with Flair. Eaton gains the advantage sending Flair over the ropes to the floor in the corner. They brawl to the aisle way where Flair backdrops Eaton onto the cement floor. Equalizer tries to help, but is sent into the railing as Flair tossed Eaton across the floor. Flair heads to the top rope missing an axe handle. Eaton tags in Equalizer and Flair is worked over with strikes in the corner. Flair tags in Steamboat and chops Equalizer several times. Equalizer is met with a boot to the face as Steamboat hits Eaton on the apron. Steamboat goes to the top and hits a crossbody on Equalizer, but the referee is distracted by Flair. Eaton leaps off the top to forearm Steamboat.
Eaton tags in and hits a swinging neckbreaker to keep Steamboat on the mat. Equalizer returns and trades strikes with Steamboat. Equalizer knee lifts Steamboat and backdrops Steamboat for a two count. Steamboat tries to fight back, but Eaton keeps Steamboat on the mat. Equalizer keeps control with an elbow strike. Equalizer nearly pins Steamboat after a slam. Equalizer avoids a crossbody and Steamboat crashes to the mat. Eaton tags back out and Equalizer is driven down to the mat face first by Steamboat. Eaton tags into the match and Flair gets the hot tag. Flair cleans house with strikes and a backdrop. All four men are in the ring trading strikes. Equalizer is sent to the floor and Steamboat slams Flair onto Eaton to get the three count. (*1/2. Obviously a weaker main event than compared to recent weeks. I thought Eaton stood out as performing really well with two main event guys. His offense flowed really well and he looked great in there. There was never a doubt how this was going to end, though.)
7.) Mean Gene interviews Ric Flair to end the program. Flair has put his career on the line to get a shot at Vader at Starrcade on December 27th. Flair says it all started in 1975 and talks about the airplane crash. Flair notes that John Valentine is paralyzed and the pilot passed away. Flair was told he’d never wrestle again. Flair lists the accomplishments since that was said to him. Flair wants the championship for himself this time. Flair has earned the right to compare himself to other athletes. Flair talks about losing to Kerry Von Erich and wrestling Dusty Rhodes in front of 40 to 50 thousand people. Flair is not afraid to look Vader in the eye and he’s going to walk the aisle to show Vader he’s the greatest wrestler in the world.
Final Thoughts:
A filler week of TV with nothing much going on here. They are doing a decent job building up the PPV and the pivot to Flair/Vader has gone better than I expected.
Thanks for reading.