World Championship Wrestling presents Worldwide
Date: 11/7/1992
Matches:
1.) NWA World Champion Masahiro Chono defeated Scotty Flamingo
2.) WCW World Champion Ron Simmons defeated Steve Austin in an arm wrestling match
3.) Big Van Vader defeated TA McCoy & Joe Thurman in a handicap match
4.) Erik Watts defeated Bob Cook
5.) Brian Pillman defeated Ricky Nelson
6.) Ricky Steamboat & Shane Douglas defeated Arn Anderson & Bobby Eaton by disqualification
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Tony Schiavone and Jesse Ventura are on commentary where they promote the arm wrestling tournament that starts tonight. WCW United States Champion Rick Rude enters the scene and he’s pissed off about being ripped off in Japan and in his own backyard. Rude believes he should be the NWA World Champion!
2.) Chono controls Flamingo with a waist lock, but Flamingo counters quickly. Chono takes Flamingo down to the mat and keeps arm control. Flamingo counters a hammerlock, but is taken to the mat again with a drop toe hold. Flamingo gets to the ropes to avoid the STF. Chono keeps a headlock on Flamingo, but delivers a shoulder block. Chono hip tosses Flamingo followed by a kick to the back of the head to stagger Flamingo. Chono controls Flamingo on the mat with a sleeper, but Flamingo gets to his feet and backs Chono into a corner. Flamingo elbows Chono to break free and delivers a few strikes. Chono gains the advantage with an arm bar and hits a side Russian leg sweep. Flamingo tries for a drop toe hold, but Chono avoided it. Chono counters on the mat, but Flamingo strikes Chono into the corner several times. Flamingo delivers a running elbow strike, but Chono kicks Flamingo to the mat. Chono plants Flamingo with a Samoan Drop. Chono locks in the STF and wins the match by submission. (*1/2. I was surprised that Flamingo got much of anything in terms of offense, but it was mostly just casual strikes so it wasn’t too much anyway. Chono seemed to get a few jeers after he won, but he’s not being presented as a heel.)
3.) Eric Bischoff hosts WCW Magazine and talks about how upset WCW United States Champion Rick Rude is about what happened at Halloween Havoc. Rude found a way out of defending his title at Havoc by having Vader defend on his behalf against Nikita Koloff. We see footage of Bill Watts explaining at Havoc how Rude got out of the title defense due to an injunction.
4.) Jesse Ventura is in the ring to hose the arm wrestling tournament. The first round match is between WCW World Champion Ron Simmons and Steve Austin. There are three referees watching the contest to make sure nobody is cheating while there’s only one referee in traditional wrestling matches, which is kind of hilarious. They are competing in their street clothes. Cactus Jack and the Barbarian are watching on the floor as Cactus is giving Barbarian tips. Austin is clearly putting all his effort into this, but Simmons is maintaining composure and doesn’t seem to be struggling too much. Simmons is able to prevail and wins the arm wrestling match. Simmons is interviewed afterward and says Austin had more strength than he thought. Simmons tells Barbarian that he’s going to have to kick his butt to win the WCW World Championship from him.
5.) Tony Schiavone shows footage from Halloween Havoc, but Rick Rude and Madusa enter the scene and Rude is livid about what happened. Rude says Schiavone is trying to make him look bad with fifteen seconds of footage. Rude promises the NWA World Championship will be his and he’ll get even with Sasaki.
6.) Harley Race and Big Van Vader share pre-tape comments during Vader’s bout. Race wants people to look at Vader and puts over his ability and size. Vader fears no man and no pain. Vader proceeded to dominate his handicap match winning the match after a powerbomb on Thurman.
7.) Eric Bischoff is back again with WCW Magazine segment. Bischoff talks about Halloween Havoc some more talking about Vader wrestling on Rick Rude’s behalf against Nikita Koloff in a no disqualification match for the WCW United States Championship and Madusa barred from ringside. We see footage of the battle, which Vader prevailed in. Thus, Rude remains the WCW United States Champion. Bischoff also talks about Paul E. Dangerously and his tension with Madusa recently. We see footage of the confrontation between the two at Havoc, again.
8.) Erik Watts won his enhancement match with a fisherman suplex.
9.) We see footage of Erik Watts training with Chono and Sasaki to learn the STF submission hold.
10.) Video of the issues between Brian Pillman and Shane Douglas us shown from WCW Saturday Night where Pillman rammed Douglas into a ring post, but Douglas hit a belly to belly suplex on the floor.
11.) Brian Pillman won his enhancement match following running chop block. I’m sure that was done to avoid a high risk move that would likely pop the crowd.
12.) We hear a brief pre-tape promo from WCW’s newest tag team Tom Zenk and Johnny Gunn as they say they are on their way to a WCW ring near you.
13.) Steamboat and Eaton kickoff the tag main event. Eaton backs Steamboat into a corner, but cleanly backs off. Eaton backs Steamboat again and delivers several strikes in the corner. Steamboat fights back with strikes. Steamboat leaps off the middle rope and hip tosses Eaton followed by a monkey flip and an arm drag. Douglas tags into the match and shoulder blocks Eaton. Steamboat tags in and strikes Eaton over the arm. Anderson tags into the match, but backs off as Steamboat broke free from Eaton. Anderson is met with a kick to the midsection. Anderson puts a headlock on Steamboat, but Douglas tagged in and clotheslines Anderson for a two count as Anderson put his boot on the bottom rope. Anderson knee strikes Douglas and rams Douglas into the corner head first. Anderson tries for a DDT, but Douglas holds onto the ropes. Eaton tagged in and decks Douglas to the mat. Eaton rams Douglas into the corner several times. Anderson returns to the match and strikes Douglas in the midsection followed by an elbow. Anderson misses elbow drops. Steamboat tags in and cleans house with chops. Eaton tries to deck Steamboat, but fails. Anderson knee strikes Steamboat to the floor where Michael PS Hayes cheap shots Steamboat. Eaton strikes Steamboat on the apron several times. Anderson stomps Steamboat followed by strikes.
Eaton tries for a slingshot suplex, but Steamboat counters with a backbreaker. Douglas gets the hot tag and cleans house with strikes. Douglas sends Eaton into the corner and decks Anderson. Douglas scoop slams Eaton and does the same to Anderson. Douglas hits a snap suplex on Eaton for a two count. Steamboat attacks Anderson in the corner with strikes. Eaton climbs to the top rope, but Steamboat slams Eaton off. Brian Pillman came out and double axe handled Douglas off the top causing the disqualification. After the match, Douglas fights off Eaton and Pillman to avoid a spike piledriver. Steamboat gets in the ring and stands tall with Douglas as the crowd is going nuts. (***. I thought it was a good match despite the cheap finish. The crowd was fired up for the aftermath and if they continue to present Douglas and Steamboat with such reactions it shouldn’t take long for them to be the top babyface tag team.)
14.) Eric Bischoff joins the show again for WCW Magazine. Bischoff shows more of the confrontation between Paul E. Dangerously and Madusa at Halloween Havoc where Dangerously fired her, but Madusa responded by attacking Dangerously.
15.) Tony Schiavone tries to talk to Hiro Matsuda regarding Halloween Havoc, but WCW United States Champion Rick Rude barges into the scene again. Rude says it is about time that Hiro showed up, but wants to know where Sasaki is at for not counting his fall. Madusa is with Rude cornering Hiro on the podium. Rude demands answers when Kensuke Sasaki came out and Rude brawls with Sasaki to end the program.
Final Thoughts:
Another good episode of WCW Worldwide. WCW continues to produce quality one-house programming.
Thanks for reading.