WCW Clash of the Champions XVIII 1/21/1992

Written By: Bob Colling

World Championship Wrestling presents Clash of the Champions XVIII
Date: 1/21/1992
From: Topeka, Kansas

A video promoting the Dangerous Alliance and their reign of terror on the baby faces in WCW.

Jim Ross and Tony Schiavone are on commentary for the show. They soon turn it over to Eric Bischoff and Missy Hyatt. They just talk about being near the action and getting interviews.

Opening Contest: Steiner Brothers defeated Big Van Vader/Mr. Hughes: Scott Steiner and Mr. Hughes start the match off for their teams. Scott with a single leg takedown but Hughes quickly gets to the ropes. Scott with a wrist lock and a fireman’s carry takedown but doesn’t follow up. Hughes pokes Scott in the eyes and knocks Scott down with a right hand and a head butt. Hughes comes off the ropes with a shoulder block but Scott is able to take Hughes over with a belly to belly suplex! Hughes rolls to the floor and is clearly frustrated with what has occurred. Hughes backs Scott into his corner and gets several right hands in. Rick enters but is tossed to the floor by Hughes. Vader also tosses Rick to the floor but the Steiner’s climb to the top rope and take both of their opponents down with clotheslines! Hughes and Vader roll to the floor as the Steiner’s stand tall in the ring. Vader tags into the match to take on Rick Steiner. Rick has a side headlock on Vader but that doesn’t last long as Vader drives Rick down with a back suplex. Vader hooks Rick up for a vertical suplex and connects. Vader continues his dominance of Rick with a gorilla press slam. Vader charges towards the corner and splashes Rick. Vader attempts a second big splash but is met with a clothesline from Rick. Rick takes Vader over with a belly to belly suplex and clotheslines Vader to the floor. Rick tries to lunge onto Vader on the floor but Vader catches Rick and rams Rick back first into the ring post! Back in the ring, Rick runs the ropes until he is stopped by a clothesline from Vader. Vader heads to the top rope but is stopped by Rick and Rick drives Vader down to the mat with a belly to belly suplex. Scott with a running clothesline but only gets a two count. Scott attempts a German suplex and after some help from Rick, is able to connect with one! Scott comes off the top rope looking for a cross body but is power slammed by Vader. Scott goes for a sunset flip but Vader blocks it by sitting down onto Scott! Hughes tags in and power slams Scott for a near fall. Hughes continues his offense with a clothesline but misses a splash in the corner. Rick tags into the contest and hip tosses Hughes and backdrops the big man. All four are in the ring until Vader tosses Rick to the floor. Vader accidentally clotheslines Hughes as Scott avoided a clothesline. Scott and Vader brawl to the floor which allows Rick to leap off the top rope and nail Hughes with a bulldog! Rick covers Hughes and picks up the win. ***

Second Contest: Marcus Alexander Bagwell/Brian Pillman defeated Tailor Made Man/Young Pistol Tracy: Tailor and Pillman start off and exchange shoves. Tailor backs Pillman into a corner and slaps him. Tailor with a shoulder block in the corner and delivers a few chops. Pillman with a few chops of his own and takes Tailor down with a head scissors and a atomic drop. Pillman and Bagwell nail Tailor with a few right hands. Tailor stops Pillman as he comes off the ropes by connecting with a backbreaker which gets a two count. Jawbreaker by Tailor but Pillman counters a second backbreaker with a head scissors. Bagwell tags in and cleans house with dropkicks and hip tosses. Pillman slingshots in and nails his opponents with a clothesline. Bagwell and Pillman dive to the floor hitting crossbodys on Tracy and Tailor! Tracy and Bagwell are the legal men now with Tracy getting the upper hand with a dropkick. Tracy nails Bagwell with a flying elbow and a clothesline for a two count. Tailor comes in and clotheslines Bagwell in the corner. Tailor follows up with a rolling neck snap which gets him a two count. Tracy tags back in and scoop slams Bagwell but misses a splash coming off the ropes as Bagwell gets his knees up. Pillman tags in and backdrops Tracy and knocks Tailor off the apron. Spinning heel kick by Pillman nearly picks up the win. Tracy and Tailor double team Pillman by choking him on the top rope. Tailor with a vertical suplex from the apron to floor sending Pillman crashing hard to the floor. Tracy goes for the cover back in the ring but Pillman pops his shoulder up at two. Tailor blocks a backdrop by connecting with a gut wrench sit down power bomb but isn’t able to win the match. Tailor works on Pillman in the corner with several right hands. Tracy knocks Pillman off the apron and Pillman crashes into the guard railing. Pillman recovers quickly and springs off the top rope nailing Tracy with a clothesline. Bagwell tags in and cleans house. Pillman is sent to the floor and Bagwell is double teamed. Bagwell sunset flips Tracy and Pillman dropkicks Tailor into Tracy to allow Bagwell to get the win! **½

Footage of Jushin Liger winning the WCW Lightweight Championship. Liger will be at Superbrawl II to wrestle a opponent to be named later.

Third Contest: Johnny B. Badd defeated Ricky Morton: Morton yanks Badd down a couple of times but Badd gets a side headlock on Morton briefly until Morton counters with a head scissors. Badd backs Morton into a corner trying to punch him but Morton avoids the punches. Morton is rammed head first into the corner and Badd leaps off the middle rope hitting a double axe handle. Morton tosses Badd to the floor and taunts the fans but is rolled up from behind by Badd and almost loses the match! Morton with a quick clothesline and follows up with a atomic drop. Morton dumps Badd to the floor again and sends Badd face first into the ring post. Badd sunset flips Morton from the apron but only gets a two count. Snap suplex by Morton for a near fall. Badd sends Morton into the ropes and connects with a power slam but Morton kicks out. Morton pokes Badd in the eyes and misses a few wild punches. Badd with a few body shots and drops Morton face first to the mat. Morton comes back with a cross body but Badd rolls through and wins the match. ½*

Eric Bischoff interviews Brian Pillman and Johnny B. Badd. Pillman is focused on winning the WCW Lightweight Championship. Pillman talks about growing up watching various Japanese wrestlers. Pillman is going to have the championship return to the United States. Badd offers nothing to the interview until he puts a lips sticker on Pillman’s face. Pillman proceeds to drop Badd with a right hand.

Fourth Contest: PN News defeated Diamond Dallas Page: Page tries to scoop slam News to start but gives up. They run the ropes until News sends Page to the floor with a dropkick. News slingshots Page back into the ring from the apron and splashes Page in the corner. News with a couple standing, rolling splashes and slams Page out of the corner. Page rolls out of the way of a elbow drop and backs News into a corner. Page avoids a splash in the corner and nails News with a clothesline for a two count. Page drops several elbows and hammers away on the big guy. Side Russian leg sweep by Page but still only manages a two count. Page attempts a scoop slam but News weighs too much and drops onto Page for a near fall. Page recovers and chokes News across the top rope. Page leaps over the top rope and drives News across the top rope. Slingshot crossbody by Page but again only gets a two count. News with a belly to belly suplex and heads to the top rope. News with a top rope body splash and pins Page. *

Top 10 in WCW:
10. Larry Zbyszko
9. El Gigante
8. Big Van Vader
7. Dustin Rhodes
6. Cactus Jack
5. Rick Steiner
4. Ricky Steamboat
3. WCW Television Champion Steve Austin
2. Sting
1. WCW United States Champion Rick Rude
WCW World Heavyweight Champion: Lex Luger

Tony Schiavone welcomes K. Allen Frye who now operates WCW, apparently. Frye has a contract for the next WCW World Heavyweight Championship match. Frye announces that Luger has signed the contract. Frye has found the personality who will give Superbrawl II event some attitude, Jesse Ventura! Ventura says that WCW is wrestling of the future. Ventura is back where he belongs, in wrestling! Schiavone takes over and announces that Lex Luger will defend the WCW World Heavyweight Championship against Sting! Sting comes out and gets fireworks to celebrate the announcement. Lex Luger had some words for Sting which were pre-taped. Luger says that he basically chose to be in exile from WCW as he needs to concentrate for his match with Sting. Luger says that Sting will just be another chapter in his career. Sting signs the contract and enters the ring to play to the crowd.

Fifth Contest: Cactus Jack defeated Van Hammer in a falls count anywhere match: Hammer blows something into Jack’s face on the apron and connects with a crossbody leaping into the ring for a near fall. Hammer with a big splash in the corner and leaps off the middle rope with a clothesline. Hammer with a standing leg drop for a near fall and quickly goes to the middle rope. Hammer leaps off but is met in midair with a clothesline from Jack for a two count. Jack clotheslines himself and Hammer to the floor and covers Hammer for a two count. Hammer is sent back first into the guard railing and Jack pulls up the mats on the floor. Jack rams Hammer face first onto the concrete floor and climbs to the middle rope. Jack leaps off with a sunset flip onto the concrete but only gets a near fall. Hammer tosses Jack into the guard railing but Jack quickly comes back on the attack. Hammer gets out of a sleeper hold with a jaw breaker and power slams Jack on the ramp way for a near fall. Jack clotheslines Hammer on the ramp way but Hammer battles back with a few right hands as they begin to brawl towards the backstage area. Hammer with a inside cradle but Jack kicks out and clotheslines Hammer. Hammer is able to drive Jack to the floor with a hip toss off the ramp way! Hammer leaps off the ramp way and clotheslines Jack on the floor for another near fall. They brawl backstage and the fans are not happy about it. They are actually outside as the show comes back from commercial. Jack hits Hammer with a traffic cone but Hammer gets a few right hands in. Jack chokes Hammer by a horse stall. Missy Hyatt is by the action screaming over what is happening. Hammer is choking Jack with a rope until Abdullah the Butcher hits Hammer with a shovel. Jack covers Hammer and picks up the win. **½
After the match, Butcher attacks Jack and tries to drown Jack. Butcher grabs Hyatt and tosses her into the water!

The Freebirds perform a song before their match.

Sixth Contest: The Freebirds defeated Brad Armstrong/Big Josh: Armstrong and Hayes start the contest with Armstrong hip tossing Hayes after a few leapfrogs. Hayes with a botched rollup and tags in Garvin as Armstrong kicks out. Garvin ducks a clothesline from Armstrong and delivers a running forearm shot. Garvin leaps off the top with a crossbody for a near fall. Josh tags in and Armstrong dropkicks Garvin. Josh drives Garvin down with a running power slam and casually stands on Garvin’s chest before doing a log roll. Hayes tags in and misses a clothesline so Josh scoop slams Hayes. Hayes with a sunset flip but Josh kicks out at two. Garvin tags back in but is controlled by Josh in the corner with several right hands. Garvin and Josh collide head first in the corner but they both tag out. Armstrong backdrops Hayes and follows up with a series of dropkicks on the Freebirds. Armstrong is dumped to the floor but Josh clotheslines the Freebirds. Armstrong attempts a suplex on Hayes but Garvin kicks Armstrong and along with Hayes plant Armstrong with a double DDT! Hayes cover Armstrong and wins the match. ½*

A video putting over the Steiner Brothers is aired.

Eric Bischoff interviews the Steiner Brothers after the video. Rick talks about talking justice and about coming after the Dangerous Alliance for the tag team titles. Scott says they will prove they are the best tag team in wrestling.

Seventh Contest: Vinnie Vegas defeated Thomas Rich: Vegas with a few knee strikes and a running face buster coming off the ropes. Vegas drops Rich with the Snake Eyes on the top turnbuckle and wins the match in under a minute. DUD

Eric Bischoff interviews Paul E. Dangerously. Dangerously notes that every single thing he has predicted has came true since he was returned to WCW at Halloween Havoc 1991. Dangerously promises that one of the top fiver heroes in WCW will be out for good. Dangerously cuts a fantastic promo wondering what will happen to Ron Simmons, Ricky Steamboat’s child and the demise of Sting tonight.

Eighth Contest: Dustin Rhodes/Barry Windham/Ron Simmons defeated Arn Anderson/Bobby Eaton/Larry Zbyszko: Windham and Eaton start off the contest with Eaton getting the upper hand with a swinging neck breaker. Eaton crotches Windham on the top rope and delivers a couple of right hands. Eaton brings Windham back to the mat with a superplex but Windham no sells and nails Eaton with a couple of lariats. Windham crotches Eaton on the top rope connects with a superplex of his own for a two count. The baby faces end up putting on three figure fours as the Dangerous Alliance broke up the pin! Simmons and Zbyszko are now the legal men despite their not being a tag. Simmons manages to get out of a double team wrist lock by Anderson and Zbyszko. Simmons with a double shoulder block and catches Eaton off the middle rope. Simmons has a bear hug on Eaton until Anderson hits Simmons with a knee. Simmons clotheslines Eaton and press slams Anderson. Rhodes tags into the contest and kicks Zbyszko arm. Eaton tags back into the contest and rakes Rhodes eyes. Eaton works on Rhodes in the corner with right hands. Rhodes comes back with a right hand and tosses Eaton over the top onto the ramp way. Rhodes leaps over the top rope and clotheslines Eaton on the ramp way. Eaton is tossed back into the ring and tags out to Zbyszko who now has to square off with Windham. Windham hammers away on Zbyszko and goes for a lariat but Zbyszko avoids it and Windham crashes to the mat. Windham blocks a pile driver attempt by back dropping Zbyszko. Eaton is dropkicked off the top rope to the floor. Windham drives Anderson down to the mat with a running bulldog. Windham chases after Zbyszko and tags out to Rhodes who works on Zbyszko with right hands. Rhodes misses a crossbody and flies over the top rope crashing to the ramp way. Dangerously hits Rhodes in the gut with his cell phone! Zbyszko follows up with a swinging neck breaker on Rhodes in the ring and Anderson tags in. Anderson plants Rhodes with a spine buster and nearly wins the match! Anderson attempts a splash off the middle rope but Rhodes got his knees up. Anderson slips out of a scoop slam and nails Rhodes with the DDT! Anderson covers but Rhodes is able to pop his shoulder up at two! Eaton scoop slams Rhodes and heads to the top rope. Eaton leaps off and drops a elbow for a near fall. Eaton misses a running splash in the corner but manages to tag in Anderson. Anderson scoop slams Rhodes and leaps off the middle rope but Rhodes gets his boot up! Anderson tags out to Eaton and Rhodes tags in Windham. Windham leaps off the top with a lariat and nails Eaton with a second lariat. Windham with a backdrop on Eaton and gets a two count. Anderson cheap shots Windham and now everyone is brawling. Eaton leaps off the top rope but Windham hits Eaton with his cast on his right hand. Windham covers Eaton and picks up the win. ***¼

Backstage, Tony Schiavone is with Barry Windham, Ron Simmons and Dustin Rhodes. Windham says he doesn’t give a damn what WCW says. Windham is back and has a short list of names that he is going to hurt. Windham says that Zbyszko is the first man on his list and says he will make sure Zbyszko will feel more pain than he felt. Windham predicts that someone in the Dangerous Alliance will be crippled.

Before the next match, WCW United States Champion Rick Rude rips on the crowd before showcasing his body.

Main Event: Sting/Ricky Steamboat defeated WCW Television Champion Steve Austin/WCW United States Champion Rick Rude: Steamboat and Austin start the match and they have a clean break. Shoulder block from Steamboat but Austin is able to come back with right hands in the corner. Steamboat fights out of the corner with several strikes and Austin rolls to the apron. Steamboat blocks a hip toss and backslides Austin for a near fall. Steamboat with a couple of rollups but Austin kicks out again. Austin with a cheap shot but Steamboat nails Austin with a side kick and kicks Rude to the floor as well. Austin has a headlock on Steamboat as he tags in Rude, but Steamboat backs away to prevent a double team attack. Rude slaps Sting and Sting tags into the match. Sting backs Rude into the corner and Rude talks to his team. Rude with a knee strike to the gut and hammers away on Sting. Sting ducks a clothesline and atomic drops Rude. Sting with several clotheslines on both Rude and Austin. Sting rakes Rude’s back and tosses Rude hard back first into the corner. Sting gut wrench slams Rude midsection first and has a camel clutch locked in. Sting jumps down across Rude’s back and plays to the crowd. Sting leaves as Dangerously gets on the apron and this allows Steamboat to enter and as a chin lock on Rude. Steamboat does the same thing that Sting did as leaves the ring to let Sting back in. The referee believes the fans when they say they tagged, but they didn’t. Sting goes to jump onto Rude’s back but Rude turns over and gets his knees up. Rude with a knee lift and tags in Austin who works on Sting in the corner ramming Sting head first into the top turnbuckle. Sting blocks a shot and sends Austin head first into the corner. Austin regains the advantage with a spinning back elbow and gets a two count. Rude tags back in delivers several shots to Sting’s ribs as Austin held Sting. Rude with a front face lock and Sting tries to reach his partner. Rude knocks Steamboat off the apron and covers Sting but isn’t able to get the three. Austin tags back in and drives Sting down with a back suplex. Sting with a sunset flip and avoids a right hand from Austin. Steamboat gets tagged in and cleans house nailing Austin and Rude with right hands. Steamboat shoulder blocks Austin and gets a two count. Steamboat with several more shots on Austin and has a victory roll on Austin but Rude comes in and prevents a pin from being made. Austin with a elbow to Steamboat and tags out to Rude. Rude with a few overhand shots and scoop slams Steamboat. Austin tags in but Steamboat gets a few chops in on Austin. Austin is rolled up by Steamboat with a inside cradle but Austin kicks out. All four men are getting involved as Austin connects with a backbreaker on Steamboat. Sting is dumped off the ramp way by Austin. Austin attempts a second backbreaker on Steamboat but Sting leaps off the top with a crossbody and covers Austin along with Steamboat to win the match. **¾
After the match, Rude drops Steamboat with two Rude Awakenings. Sting misses a Stinger Splash on Austin in the corner. Rude whips Steamboat with the microphone a few times, even with Sting covering Steamboat. Dangerously is hitting security with his phone!

Jim Ross and Jesse Ventura talk about what happened in the main event. Ross signs off to close out the show.

End of show

My Take: What a great way to open up the show. That was a very good hard hitting contest. I wasn’t expecting anything like that but I was pleasantly surprised. Steiner’s looked damn good here and Hughes didn’t come across bad like he usually would. Their wasn’t a dull spot of the contest, which is a rare occurrence. Good overall match.

So, the first match is a hard hitting tag match and to follow that we get a fast pace tag team match. I enjoyed the second tag match as well. It is completely different style of match really from the previous one so it transitioned well and it wasn’t poor placement to have tag matches after each other because of that.

The finish of Badd/Morton was poorly executed. A rather boring match. Badd also shouldn’t have been involved with the interview segment with Pillman. He offered nothing to it. He clearly was trying to figure out a way to not look like a idiot just standing next to Pillman.

Who would have thought approx six years later DDP would become one of WCW’s biggest baby faces. Back in 1992 he is jobbing to PN News who is a bigger version of John Cena. Just minus the popularity and any actual skill. Basically, all they have in common is that they are white and rap. News wouldn’t be around in WCW for long.

Hammer/.Jack had a fun little brawl as I think it is safe to say this is one of Hammer’s better matches. I’m sure it helped that he didn’t really have any restrictions but still it was surprisingly decent from his end. I thought the ending/aftermath stuff was rather comical but I’m not sure that was intended.

Freebirds and Vegas matches weren’t anything worth mentioning in my opinion. Vegas simply got a squash match to get his new character some momentum. The crowd was rather dead for the Vegas match.

The six man tag match was a good match as I thought it would be. The main objective seemed to put most of the spotlight on Windham and Rhodes as Simmons seemingly didn’t get much time showoff what he could do. After watching the show, I was given the impression that Windham is getting a big baby face push. Watch out Rick Rude!

The main event was good but I didn’t like the finish to it. Ventura is a great commentator and he says exactly what I was thinking. Allowing Sting to help Steamboat pin Austin was just stupid. The match was actually rather odd as Sting and Steamboat seemed to act more like heels than the heels did! Anyway, they put on a good outing the aftermath kept the Dangerous Alliance strong.

Overall, a fantastic Clash of the Champions. It really was. To think this show was on free television is just insane. Well worth the two hours to sit through this one. I recommend checking it out if you get the chance.

Thanks for reading.