December 25, 2007
Matt Peddycord

NWA World Championship Wrestling
March 4, 1989
Atlanta, GA
WTBS Studios

Your hosts are Jim Ross and Magnum TA.

Eddie Gilbert & Rick Steiner (w/Missy Hyatt) vs. Rip Morgan & Mike Thor

Thor gets outwrestled by Gilbert and beaten down by Steiner, so he tags out. Morgan gives Gilbert a little bit of trouble, but then he makes the mistake of tagging Thor. Steinerline and a HOTSHOT gets the win. (5:21) Man, with competition like this, how are Gilbert and Steiner undefeated?

WCW Hotline ad! 1-900-909-9900. I never did listen to that “kids, get your parents’ permission before calling” stuff.

The Iron Sheik vs. Cougar Jay

Sheik does a quick workout with some Iranian dumbbells before his match. They’re so heavy! Sheiky baby throws poor Cougar Jay around and wins with the CAMEL CLUTCH. (1:52) Cougar Jay has now been humbled. That guy needed to get knocked down a peg or two anyways.

Paul E. Dangerously stops by to hype his new talk show segment called The Danger Zone, and that is next!

The Danger Zone

“Secret Service” Jack Victory stands by as the body guard in case Paul E’s guest can’t handle the tough questions. Before Paul E brings out his guest, he takes a quick cheapshot at Brother Love for those of us who are listening. His first ever guest is none other than Nature Boy Ric Flair! Paul E still calls Flair the champ. Flair says he’s going to make a statement with a match next week! Paul E says he doesn’t want his son (you’ve got to have sex first, Paul. OOOOHHH!) to grow up in a world where Ricky Steamboat is the champ, only Ric Flair. So when will he get a rematch? Well, Flair just guarantees that Steamboat’s title reign will be the shortest ever. WOOO!

Since Steamboat is off defending the belt in Japan, he’s got some pre-recorded comments telling us, Ric Flair, and the world that he’s totally down for a rematch.

NWA World Television Champion Mike Rotunda (w/The Varsity Club) vs. Bob Emery

JR & Magnum try to hype this as something more than a squash, but I think we all know different. Rotunda grounds Emory, but can’t seem to keep him down long enough for an elbow drop. He misses several of those and finally gives up on it and just stomps him instead. Abdominal stretch on the mat gets the submission win for Rotunda. (4:46) Like Emery had a chance. Pfft.

Interview with the Varsity Club. Sullivan says the TV belt will never change hands now that he made it so that the matches can only go ten minutes long, which would be a rule that would be in effect for the next five years. Nobody can beat Rotunda in under ten minutes! Just thinking about it gets Dr. Death excited. Spivey mentions that Rotunda should put up $10,000 dollars, and if there’s somebody who can beat him, then he can have the money AND the belt. Rotunda thinks this is a good idea! Doc and Spivey get a little warm and overexcited and then barks at Rotunda to tell somebody to turn the AC on. Awesome. After all that, Sullivan makes Rotunda the new captain of the Varsity Club. Congratulations, Captain Mike! Such a great promo.

The Midnight Express (w/Jim Cornette) vs. Joe Cazana & Julio Barrera

The MX double-team the crap out of Barrera while Cornette mentions to us how he’s baffled that a man of Flair’s caliber would associate himself with the likes of Paul E. Dangerously. Cornette is just so glad to still be around after the Chi-Town Rumble. Drop toehold/elbow drop combo connects. It turns into an extended squash once the jobbers get in some offense, but Eaton quickly stops Cazana with a back elbow. Cazana tries that crap again, so Lane avoids an elbow drop and delivers a slingshot back elbow to set up the ROCKET LAUNCHER for 1-2-3. (6:50) Eaton landed so hard, he had to jump over Cazana to avoid to stepping on him!

Interview with Lex Luger. Apparently they showed the match where Luger won the title at the Chi-Town Rumble, but we go right into the interview instead. He says it feels so good to have the US title back. If he could cut the belt up in little pieces, he would give it a piece to all of his fans.

The Samoan Swat Team (w/Paul E. Dangerously) vs. Bobby Mercedes & Joe Cruz

JR says the SST have the potential of being more dominant than the Road Warriors. While the Samoans brutalize these jobbers, Paul E stops by JR & Magnum to talk about how great everything is going for him. Dennis Condrey is happily retired in Aspen thanks to him, Randy Rose is supposedly doing just fine in the unemployment line, he’s got his own talk show, a new awesome tag team to manage – he’s got it all. Samu gives Mercedes a DDT from the middle rope to put him away. (4:40) Another great squash for the SST, but not quite as intense as their debut.

Barry Windham (w/Hiro Matsuda) vs. George South

Windham’s hand is hurting! He calls Luger’s win a fluke and an injury won’t keep him from regaining the belt. “I will have my ribs cut out before I walk away from you!” Whoa. Barry takes one shot at South and then steps away to act like it doesn’t bother him. Stuff like that is lost in today’s wrestling. You know, the little things that should be common sense stuff. South gets dumped and beat down by Kendall Windham, who shows up out of nowhere. Back in, Windham maintains control and finishes South off with the Lariat. (4:36) Yes, the Lariat, with the hurt hand. Because this is serious business.

Sting vs. The Raider

We get a criss-cross right out of the tie-up, which results in dropkicks. JR makes a joke about people being from Parts Unknown and how silly it would be in situations like applying for a job. Stinger Splash sets up the SCORPION DEATHLOCK for the submission. (3:16) 3:16? Uh oh, it’s an OMEN! Maybe predestination is real after all.

Interview with the Midnight Express and Jim Cornette. Another great promo, as Cornette continues to be elated about the fact that the Original Midnight Express is finally history. His Midnight Express have taken out two of the legendary Four Horsemen, put Rock n Roll into a coma, won every title, won every award, and received every honor. If the Samoans want some, come get some. Don’t sing it, bring it.

“Dr. Death” Steve Williams & Dan Spivey (w/Kevin Sullivan) vs. Crash Chandler & Steve Casey

The WunderJobbres just can’t compete with these boys. The VC work on Crash’s back and grab bearhugs for a large majority of the match. Spivey hits his SIDE SLAM and then makes Crash submit to the bearhug. (4:57) Spivey releases the hold only when he WANTS to. I really do love the Varsity Club.

Interview with the Stinger. He wants somebody to WANT him.

Hacksaw Butch Reed vs. Gator Gilmore

Matsuda must be busy today. Real aggressive squash with tons of chokes and soupbones. FLYING SHOULDERBLOCK gets the win. (2:59) Reed is so ANGRY!

Michael PS Hayes & Junkyard Dog vs. Trent Knight & Gary Royal

Hayes controls to start with chinlocks and an elbow drop off the second rope for two. Knight and JYD go for a bit. A headbutt from Knight proves to be quite a stupid move, so JYD nails him with a headbutt of his own. JYD nails Knight in the mid-section, setting up the DDT for Hayes. (4:30) Hayes & JYD hype their upcoming tour of Louisiana before we go.

YOUTUBE IT: Pretty much check out the stuff that stays consistently good like anything with Jim Cornette and the Midnight Express. Paul E’s Danger Zone segment was great, and the Varsity Club interview was a standout promo for the group.

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