Chi-Town Rumble '89 Page 2
Paul E of course gets his shots in now. So Cornette tags in and calls out Dangerously, but gets sucker-punched and Dangerously gets his shots in. Cornette takes some good shots from the heels, earning my respect. Lane gets the hot tag and beats up Victory, but *he* gets sucker-punched too. Man, everyone is getting the beats put on them. Healthy "Paul E Sucks" chant from the crowd. Randy Rose does the WORST impression of Stan Lane I've ever seen. Eaton gets the hot tag and hits Victory with a sweet missile dropkick to a big pop, then forces a tag to Paul E to a bigger pop. Cornette comes in and throws some stiff right hands and a good clothesline (well, compared to Lex Luger), then a pier-six erupts. Lane gets a two-count after a missed Rose dive. The Original Midnights get control, but a collision allows the Real Midnights to hit the Flapjack on Randy Rose and get the pin. Good match, and Cornette and Dangerously obviously take their art seriously. ***
· A historic interview as TV champ Rick Steiner brings out his brother Scott, who justifies Rick's goofiness by bringing up the car accident that nearly ended his life a few years prior. This was Scott's first appearance.
· World TV title match: Rick Steiner (w/ Scott Steiner) v. Mike Rotundo
Rick won the belt from Rotundo at Starrcade '88 in a match that ranks as one of the biggest pure markout moments for me. It should be noted that Rick's imaginary friend Alex pre-dated Mr. Socko by ten years. This is a very scientific match, as both guys are total mat wrestlers at this point. Well, not in the Lou Thesz manner, but Rotundo isn't doing the usual heel stuff. Match goes back and forth, with Steiner getting control, but Kevin Sullivan wanders out and notes that Steiner "has a very nice dog in the back." Rick is distracted by this, and Rotundo takes advantage with a backdrop suplex for two. Rick comes back with a sleeper, but as the ultimate demonstration of his own stupidity, he lays back on the mat for leverage and gets counted down for three, giving Rotundo the TV title. ***1/4
· US title match: Barry Windham v. Lex Luger
This is the much-delayed blowoff match for Windham's Horsemen turn nearly a year prior, and the last time Windham would ever be truly over. Luger beats the crap out of Windham early on, but misses a flying bodypress (!) and Windham takes over. They fight outside the ring and Windham takes a swing at Luger and hits the ringpost, "breaking" his hand. Windham blades his hand for added effect. He gets his dreaded claw-hold, but can't hold on because of the hand. Never did get that move. Windham continues wearing Luger down and goes for the superplex, selling the hand injury the whole time. It gets two. Windham does a belly-to-back suplex, but Luger lifts his shoulder and gets the US title for a second time. Windham throws a tantrum and piledrives Luger on the belt. One of Luger's best matches. ***1/2 Windham would take a couple of months off and then bolt to the WWF.
· NWA World tag team title match: The Road Warriors v. Steve Williams & Kevin Sullivan
Williams and Sullivan were the US tag champs at this point. Vicious bit as Williams takes a double clothesline from the LOD (front and back at the same time) and Jim Ross sells it as though Dr. Death should be dead. Animal ends up as face in peril. Hot tag to Hawk and he just kills the Varsity Club. Totally fubared ending as everyone misses their cue, and it ends up with Hawk pinning Sullivan after a clothesline from the top. Bleh. *1/2
· NWA World title match: Ric Flair v. Ricky Steamboat
This was the first of their best of 193,988 series, which Steamboat won 193,987 to 1. But Flair won the last one, and that's what mattered in the end. Flair's entrance is complete with a line of women and a row of trumpets to herald him. Now THAT'S an entrance. I ask you -- why would David Flair go to HOGAN to get a woman when his father had 40 of them lining the aisles just for his ring entrances? They exchange some mind-blowing chops and Steamboat gets a two count. They play mind-games with each other over things as simple as a headlock, which is pretty neat to see. They're just letting it all hang out, as Flair does the overselling thing with a near-dive over the top rope from the force of a chop. Geez, talk about putting someone over.
Flair drags him out and cheats like a bastard, to the delight of the ringside fans. They are literally hitting each other so hard that I'm flinching from watching it. Flair flip leads to a flying bodypress, which is reversed for two. Flair gets the figure-four and grabs onto the ropes for leverage and the crowd is nearing a riot. Is that Dave Meltzer at ringside ... with an afro? More chops and both guys go spilling over the top rope. Flair gets some two-counts off a suplex. Backbreaker for two and some two-counts, with the feet on the ropes, of course. Steamboat gets two on a rollup. He misses the flying bodypress and they go into a wrestling sequence off a headlock, which leads to a butterfly suplex for two for Steamboat. Backslide for two. Crowd is SERIOUSLY into this.
Steamer with a flying tackle and he hits the CHOP OF DEATH from the top, then goes for the flying bodypress, but Tommy Young gets bumped. Flair tosses Steamboat, but Steamboat hangs on and goes for the bodypress again. It misses, and Flair goes for the figure-four as Teddy Long runs in to sub for the original ref. Steamboat reverses to a small package and gets the winning pinfall to claim his first World title. Would've been Match of the Year if they hadn't gone and topped themselves later in the year. ****3/4 And that last 1/4* was ONLY knocked off because WrestleWar was *that* much better.
The Bottom Line: Well, I always thought the name was pretty lame. I mean, Chi-Town Showdown has a better ring to it. But regardless, any show with a Flair-Steamboat main event gets a thumbs up from me. Even if the name does suck.