May 21, 2007
Matt Peddycord

WCW Power Hour
January 26, 1991

The current WCW Champs were as follows:
World Champion: Ric Flair (1/11/1991)
U.S. Champion: Lex Luger (12/16/1990)
World Tag Team Champions: Doom (5/19/1990)
U.S. Tag Team Champions: Rick & Scott Steiner (8/24/1990)
World Television Champion: Arn Anderson (1/14/1991)

On today’s episode, you’ll see Brian Pillman in action. Also, Rick Steiner is in the hizza-house. In the main event, TV Champ Tom Zenk defends against Moondog Rex. Doesn’t that sound like fun to you? It’s time for the Power Hour!

Your hosts are JR & Paul E. Dangerously!

The Minotaur vs. Keith Hart

The Minotaur is better known as Steve DiSalvo from Stampede. You see, Stampede was closing down around this time and all this talent had to go somewhere, so some of the Stampede talent wandered into WCW for a short time. Surprisingly enough, the Minotaur isn’t found on wrestlecrap.com, which kind of shocks me because it’s so bad. This is also not the same Keith Hart from the Stu Hart family, by the way. In between beating the CRAP out of this jobber, Minotaur sneaks as many looks into the camera as he possibly can here. He finishes with a stiff clothesline. (3:41) Minotaur would be gone in a week or so.

Paul E denigrates women to build up his arm wrestling match in four days before we go to break.

Master Blasters vs. Tim Parker & Scott Allen

The Master Blasters are Blade and Steel. You’d probably know them better as Al Green (Blade) and Kevin Nash (Steel). They look like coal miners with mohawks because they appear to have coal dust rubbed all over their faces. I believe this is Kevin Nash’s first REALLY bad gimmick I do believe. Al Green would become a dog during the Russo/Bischoff era, so it does get worse for him. They just murder these jobbers and finish with a double-running shoulderblock to finish. (2:25) Tim Parker would meet the wrath of the great and powerful Kevin Nash again at Superbrawl.

Call the WCW Wrestling Hotline!

Rick Steiner vs. Mike Samples

His brother Scott is wrestling Ric Flair while Rick remains low-key as he’s nursing a knee injury. Rick rubs Samples face into the mat as the Master Blasters make their way back out to screw around with the DFG. Some refs come down and get those two guys out of here. Back in the ring, Rick puts Samples away with a BELLY-TO-BELLY SUPERPLEX. (2:45)

WrestleWar ’91 ad. Enter the sweepstakes and you could win a VCR! Maybe even a WCW camo hat!

Let’s check in with Gordon Solie at the WNN. He tells us that Bobby Eaton is gunning for Tom Zenk’s WCW TV title. We know this because Eaton attacked Zenk last week on World Championship Wrestling and gave him the ALABAMA JAM. Those two will square off at the Clash. Also, Solie shows a video of Missy Hyatt working out to take on Paul E in the arm wrestling match. It’s just like the Sable workout videos, and I’m sure you’ve all seen those. Then we cut to Paul E in the gym. Instead of working out, he just sits on the equipment and talks about the plight of men in this country because of the women’s lib thing. Back to Gordon, he says that Paul E is basically lazy. That’s Paul E’s cue to walk up beside him and cut a promo. He’s doing for all us men in America!

Another WrestleWar ’91 video.

We finally get to see the confrontation between Scott Steiner and Ric Flair at the Meadowlands back on January 11 after Flair regained the World title for the seventh time. The Steiners walk past Flair while he talks about how great he is. When Flair calls him out, Rick comes by and reminds Flair that Scott had already beat him in the middle of the ring in 1990. Scott points fingers and starts yelling and stuff. Flair wants Scott Steiner at the Clash on January 30. WOO.

Brian Pillman vs. Lt. James Earl Wright (w/Sgt. Buddy Lee Parker)

J.E.W. is one of the State Patrol guys who become regular tag-team jobbers throughout the ‘90s in WCW. Wright complains about hair-pulling to start, but he’s got an Arn Anderson haircut so that doesn’t hold much ground for an argument. Pillman monkey-flips out of the corner and dropkicks Wright out to the floor. Buddy Lee Parker gives him a tongue-lashing and sends him back in the ring. Why would a sergeant be yelling at a lieutenant? He would definitely be dropping and giving Wright fifty right now. Pillman leapfrogs over Wright and surprises him with a springboard crossbody for two. Pillman armdrags Wright into an armbar, but Wright complains about hair-pulling and gets a break! HA. Buddy Lee Parker has tickets with him. These guys remind me of the boys in blue from Super Troopers. Anyways, Pillman headscissors Wright out to the floor again and then flips Wright back in from the apron. Pillman starts to come off the ropes, but Parker trips him up. Wright kicks and chokes Pillman for a bit, but Pillman comes back with a sunset flip for 1-2-NO! Wright goes to the eyes and hits a snap suplex for 1-2-NO! Pillman delivers an inside cradle for two. Wright wins a chopfest and catches Pillman with a clothesline before tossing him out to Parker for a stomping. Pillman blocks and delivers a turnbuckle smash on the apron and then nails Wright with a flying double-ax. Pillman hits the jumping back elbow and a backdrop. Parker gets knocked down from the apron and Pillman finishes with AIR PILLMAN. (6:18) Good match! State Patrol attack again after the bell, but Pillman double-dropkicks them out. This leads to Pillman/Parker at the Clash.**

JR & Paul E build up the Taylor/Morton match at the Clash. Last week on World Championship Wrestling during a Terry Taylor interview, Taylor tells us he feels he’s being shafted by not getting a TV title shot and that he thinks it’s lame that he has to wrestle Morton instead. Morton comes out on Taylor’s interview and is all like, “Why do you hate me?”

Terry Taylor vs. Joe Barrett

Alexandra York (Terri Runnels) comes out and watches Taylor during his match. Taylor delivers a couple backbreakers, but then gets caught in a sunset flip for two. Barrett hits a crossbody for another two, almost as if he’s trying to embarrass Taylor in front of the ladies. Taylor comes back with a back suplex, a piledriver, an Arn Anderson spinebuster and the FIVE-ARM (running forearm) for the 1-2-3. (4:03) Paul E stirs the pot a little more to signal a Terry Taylor heel turn.

WCW TV Champion Tom Zenk vs. Moondog Rex

Typical Zenk start as he does several spots that all lead to a headlock. Moondog finally blocks one of them and drops Zenk with a back suplex. Kind of an awkward spot as Moondog takes Zenk from corner-to-corner for a hotshot. Moondog comes off the middle rope for a clothesline and connects for two. Moondog headbutts Zenk out to the floor. Zenk comes back in and ducks low off the whip and takes a swinging neckbreaker for another two. Zenk wins a slugfest though and quickly puts Moondog away with the MISSILE DROPKICK. (5:46) Rather boring. CRAP

Final Thoughts: Only four days away from the Clash. Tons of talk about the Flair/Steiner match, but the Sting/Luger vs. Doom match was hardly mentioned during the whole hour. This is the last syndicated show until June. Literally. The next syndicated show I have on tape is the WCW Saturday Night that aired June 1.