December 4, 2007
Matt Peddycord

NWA Main Event
January 22, 1989

Your host is Jim Ross.

NWA Western States Heritage Champion Larry Zbyszko vs. Kendall Windham

Mr. Cawthon says this match took place in the Omni on New Year’s Day. Kendall has not turned heel to try and be a Horsemen just yet. He was kind of Disco Inferno trying to be in the nWo – he just didn’t have *it*. Zbyszko argues with ref Teddy Long over a hip toss to start. He comes out of an armbar and takes Kendall to the floor for a posting job to try for a countout win, but Kendall makes it back in. Zbyszko grabs a chinlock and Kendall elbows out to set up the big comeback. He tries for a ten-count corner punch, but Larry Z brings him out of the corner and pins him with his feet on the ropes. (5:53) Kendall shows very little intensity, so that makes it hard to even begin to get behind his matches. ½*

NWA World Television Champion Rick Steiner vs. Mike Rotunda

This is from the January 14 World Championship Wrestling taping. We JIP to a back elbow for a pair of twos. Just to be a jerk, Rotunda bites on Steiner’s hand puppet Alex. Rick LOVES his left hand, you know. Steiner gets a desperation sunset flip, but Rotunda pokes him in the eyes on the way down for two. Steinerline connects, but now Dr. Death is in the ring and stomping a mudhole in Steiner for the DQ.(2:00 shown) The Varsity Club give Steiner a SPIKE PILEDRIVER and then they try to steal his dog until Hayes and JYD come by to put an end to that. Nothing ever comes from it though.

Eddie Gilbert vs. Kevin Sullivan

Also from the annual Omni house show on 1/1/89, says Graham. Gilbert ‘s being billed from “every girl’s dream” here instead of Lexington, Tennessee. Sullivan stomps the CRAP out of Gilbert to start. They go on the floor and brawl for a while with Sullivan in total control. When Sullivan grabs the ring bell, JR exclaims “That could KILL somebody!” Oh how times have changed. Back in, Gilbert fires back and we JIP to see both guys knocked down on the mat. Clothesline from Sullivan gets two, then we go to a chinlock. Gilbert elbows out, but runs into a chop. Back to the chinlock. Gilbert escapes, but runs into a boot in the corner. DOUBLE STOMP~! 1-2-NO! Sullivan tries to get the pin with a knuckle lock, but that turns into a test of strength. Surprisingly, the Roided One Eddie Gilbert loses that battle. They go back to the floor where Sullivan rips away at Gilbert’s face, but then Gilbert’s trick knee acts up and Sullivan gets his junk rocked. Back in, Teddy Long gets bumped. Sullivan ducks a swing and returns the favor by dropping Gilbert crotch-first on the ropes. He covers, but the ref is down. DUH! Kevin goes over to wake up Long and gets rolled up for the 1-2-3. (7:40 shown) Decent little brawl outside of the rest holds. **

The Midnight Express (w/Jim Cornette) vs. The Original Midnight Express (w/Paul E. Dangerously)

OH HECK YEAH! Another New Year’s Day Omni match. Cornette has his “Paul E Sucks” shirt on tonight, which is part of his wrestling attire for the manager’s bunkhouse match later on in the night. Wild brawl to start, which is no surprise. Lane atomic drops Rose on a chair and Eaton beats Condrey all around ringside. As soon as they start a regular match, Lane dumps Rose out for a tennis racket shot. Back in, Condrey tags in. Lane brings him over to his corner for a tag to Eaton and a drop toe hold/elbow drop combo. Lane tags in for the Leapfrog Backbreaker double-team move to send Condrey retreating to his corner for a tag. Condrey pops Eaton in the mouth and sets up for a Leapfrog Backbreaker of their own, but Lane cuts Condrey off with a clothesline. Rose takes an atomic drop into an Eaton right hand. He connects with a clothesline, then tags Lane. Rose misses a corner charge and runs shoulder-first into the ringpost. Lane wants a handshake. HEY WAIT A MINUTE! He kicks him in the gut instead and gives Rose a monkey flip. We get another switch, which gives us Condrey vs. Eaton. They do a criss-cross, so Eaton heads outside and chases Paul E around. They try it again and this time Condrey goes after Cornette, but Lane stands in his way. Meanwhile, Cornette mocks Paul E by frolicking around and basically calling Paul E a ragin’ homo. In the ring, Lane tries another monkey flip, but Condrey saves Rose just in time. Now we have a heat segment. Condrey scratches and claws at Lane, then dumps him out. That allows Rose to throw him into the guardrail one good time. Back in, Rose tags in for a back elbow. Ugh, sloppy suplex gets two. Rose draws Eaton into the ring for a Paul E/Condrey double-team on the floor, but Cornette and his tennis racket chase them away. Back in, Rose hits the chinlock. Lane escapes and tries a sunset flip, but he KO’s Lane before he falls back. Tag to Condrey for some clawing and kicking. False tag spot ensues and Lane gets double-teamed again. Condrey then gets whipped into a SAVATE KICK~! Can Lane make the tag?! YES HE CAN! Eaton immediately comes in for a flying elbow drop! DOUBLE NOGGIN KNOCKER sets up a double running face slam on Rose and Condrey! DOUBLE FLAPJACK to Condrey! Eaton covers, but Paul E gets in the ring and reaches back to nail him with his phone when Cornette runs in to stop him and chase him out of the ring. Meanwhile, Condrey nails Eaton with some other kind of foreign object and then throws it away to Paul E. Condrey covers for 1-2-3! (15:21) My heart just sank. Anyways, a pretty good match, but I’ve seen them do better. I don’t think there was enough nearfalls to really build up the finish and it just seemed really sudden. Still a good one though. ***

YOUTUBE IT: Some Midnight Express goodness and that’s about it.

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