December 14, 2007
Matt Peddycord

NWA World Championship Wrestling
February 18, 1989
Atlanta, GA
WTBS Studios

We see Ric Flair’s entrance from the Clash before anything happens.

Your hosts are Jim Ross and Magnum TA!

Interview with Ricky Steamboat. With only 48 hours until the Chi-Town Rumble, Steamboat remains confident as he heads into the biggest match of his career.

The Midnight Express (w/Jim Cornette) vs. David Heath & Billy Holiday

I’ve mentioned it before and I’ll mention it again just for reference sake – David Heath is Gangrel. As usual, Paul E Dangerously walks out to run his mouth about how he’s going to take Jim Cornette out of the NWA at the Chi-Town Rumble. Cornette even gets a cheap shot in on Heath to show Paul E that he’s getting ready for their match, I presume. He even hops in the ring in the middle of the match and begs Paul E to join him, but it’s a no-go. Holiday receives the VEG-O-MATIC and that will do it. (4:48) It slices and it dices!

Interview with the Varsity Club. There’s a new member in the crew. He’s from the University of Georgia and his name is Dan Spivey! Sullivan tells us about a crazy dream he had about the Road Warriors. Next up, whoa! Spivey is like cocaine on the mic! All Rotunda has to say is that he’s ready to get his TV belt back just like he’s done for the last month. He looks SO ready to end this feud with Steiner.

Dan Spivey vs. Tony Suber

The future Waylon Mercy annihilates poor Tony Suber and finishes him off with a SIDE SLAM. (5:00) Impressive debut in the NWA to say the least.

Interview with Lex Luger. He feels better than ever and can’t wait to win the US belt. Luger is PLUGGED IN, BRUTHA!

Ricky Steamboat vs. Jerry Price

Steamboat brings his little kid out to ringside with him. LAME! Jerry “Don’t Call Me Half” Price tries to get the upperhand with a hammerlock, but that won’t do it. Steamboat grabs an armbar while JR and Magnum hype Flair/Steamboat in two days. Chops abound, including a Flying Judo Chop, and then the FLYING BODYPRESS gets the three-count. (4:57) He IS ready for Flair.

NWA World Tag Team Champions The Road Warriors (w/Paul Ellering) vs. Ned Brady & Julio Barrera

Short, sweet and stiff. Animal powerslams Brady from the middle turnbuckle for the win. (1:33) Powerful stuff.

Interview with the Road Warriors and Paul Ellering. They’ve come to the conclusion that the reason the Varsity Club have brought in Spivey is because they need help taking the belts away from the Road Warriors. Nope, all they need is a ref who can count lightning fast.

Sting vs. Max McGyver

Butch Reed stops by to talk some trash about the Stinger. Sting hits all of his usual stuff while he gets a little distracted by Reed. He then works a headlock for a while, hits the Stinger Splash, and then uncles McGyver with the SCORPION DEATHLOCK. (4:42) Will Butch Reed submit to the Stinger? Find out at the Chi-Town Rumble!

Interview with Ric Flair, Barry Windham and the awkward Hiro Matsuda. To be the man, Steamboat has to BEAT the man. WOOO!

NWA U.S. Heavyweight Champion Barry Windham vs. Allen Kinsey

Real methodical squash for Windham. Seems more like apathy than anything though. After the prolonged beatdown, the Lariat wins the match. (4:24) Poor Barry. He’s appears so unhappy.

Interview with the Midnight Express and Jim Cornette. After the Chi-Town Rumble, Paul E is going to be flatter than his girlfriend.

Vincent Young vs. Trent Knight

This is supposed to be Vincent Young’s big NWA debut. Apparently, he’s a fast-paced breakdancer who shows his American patriotism on his tights. He actually gets a lower mid-card push until it ultimately failed within a few months. Anybody know what happened to that guy? Send me an email. Some people in the audience actually jump up and down when Knight gets in some heelish jobber offense. Young comes back and wins with a SLEEPER, but the crowd doesn’t seem to like him at all.(4:58) He shows us what he’s got when it comes to breakdancing, and they BOO him! Now I bet he just feels silly for doing that.

The Samoan Swat Team vs. Dale LaParouse & Bob Emory

Sting was supposed to have an interview first, but these Samoans don’t care because they’re such UNCONTROLLABLE SAVAGES! The heel managers Paul E, Sullivan, Gary Hart and Paul Jones all stand around scouting these newcomers to the NWA. Double Thrust Kick connects on LaParouse! Samu hits a DDT off the second rope and then gives him a back superplex to set up a Fatu flying splash for the 1-2-3. (4:12) Paul E is the only one to mention to JR at just how awesome the SST are. Great debut.

Interview with Sting. He’s kind of disappointed that Reed isn’t talking junk about him. Sting is just happy that Reed comes out to watch his matches, and that gets him EXCITED!

After the break, we get an interview with Barry Windham, Kendall Windham and Hiro Matsuda. Barry puts Luger over as a great athlete, but Barry’s on his case. He will do whatever it takes to keep the belt and will not not cheat to do it!

Lex Luger vs. Keith Steinborn

Lexy is sexy! The ladies in the audience are feelin’ him! Luger works an armbar, a pair of clotheslines, the powerslam, and then finishes Steinborn off with the TORTURE RACK. (4:12) Just another Luger squash.

Interview with Ricky Steamboat. He says he doesn’t want Flair to treat him like he has Luger, meaning that if he doesn’t capitalize on his opportunity at the Chi-Town Rumble, he may not get anymore title shots.

Abdullah the Butcher (w/Gary Hart) vs. Ric Allen

Abdullah stomps all over Allen and then applies the nerve hold. OUCHIES! While this bores everyone, Paul E Dangerously helps out on color to “boost the ratings”. After TWO MINUTES of that, Allen is out and Abdullah drops a pair of Dusty Rhodes elbows for the win. (4:08) If it wasn’t for Paul E’s goofy self, this would’ve been abysmal.

Interview with Paul E. Dangerously. After Monday night in Chicago, he says Cornette will rot in the devil’s playground! Well if that’s anything like it sounds, Cornette better hope that doesn’t happen.

Michael PS Hayes & Dick Murdoch vs. Mac Anderson & El Negro

The jobber team’s name should be the Black-Mac Attack! That’s GOLD! Murdoch must still be subbing for JYD here. Paul E is still hanging around doing color, mostly making Jim Cornette jokes. When Hayes tells Paul E “bye bye”, Paul E starts making Michael Hayes jokes. Lots of arm work done on Anderson. DDT hits, and a Murdoch elbow drop gets the win. (5:26) Entertaining if only for Paul E.

Eddie Gilbert & Rick Steiner vs. The Cruel Connection

Hot Stuff International reunites! Instead of calling the match for the former Mid-South team, JR and Magnum bully Paul E around. They only use words though, not fists. The lime-green Conquistadors get their masks ripped and pulled on for a good while. #2 gets nailed with a Steinerline. Off a cross-corner whip, one of the Cruel Connection guys dosey-doe into a BELLY-TO-BELLY SUPLEX from Steiner for 1-2-3. (3:15) Good enough.

Interview with Eddie Gilbert and Rick Steiner. Just think William Regal and Eugene, and there you go.

YOUTUBE IT: At least check out the Flair interview, which is his last one before the big dance. As a matter of fact, I believe it was actually included on the Ric Flair DVD. Also, the WCW debuts of the SST and Dan Spivey are worth a look. Even if you don’t like them too much, it’s a great squash match. Plus the conversing between JR and Paul E is always a fun time found on the last few squashes.