-This past week:
-It is okay to feel betrayed, dejected, sad, angry, etc.
-What happened was and is not right and should not be tolerated.
-It’s okay to walk away for a while.
-Reach out to someone if you need to talk or just vent.
-Today we look at Chi-Town Rumble from the NWA and WCW.
-The Chi-Town Rumble PPV took place February 20, 1989 from the UIC Pavilion in Chicago, Illinois. There were 8,000 in attendance.
-Opening Credits.
-Jim Ross and Magnum TA are your announcers for the evening and welcome us to the show. They run down the card for the night.
-Highlight video of some of the stars of the upcoming Chi-Town Rumble.
-Bob Caudle interviews Michael Hayes. Hayes says he can feel it tonight. He is fired up. This is an all-star card. This is a good promo for the card.
-Michael Hayes VS. Russian Assassin I with Paul Jones: Slow start. Assassin goes for a leap frog, but Hayes punches him. Back and forth. Hayes playing up to the crowd. Hayes working an arm bar in between strutting and showing off. Sunset Flip by Hayes gets two. Back to the arm bar. Assassin comes back and throws Hayes out, but he lands on his feet and punches the Russian. Hayes again opens up the Arm Bar for Happy Hour. Assassin maintains the advantage. Russian sickle for a two count. Back and forth. Another sickle gets a two count. Assassin gets a reverse chinlock on. Hayes gets up and works out of it. They trade shots. Jones takes a cheap shot on Hayes. Assassin pushes off a bulldog attempt. Assassin misses a charge and hits the corner post. Hayes hits punches in the corner. Hayes hits the DDT for the win.
-Bob Caudle interviews Ricky Steamboat who has piece of work Bonnie and Little Ricky with him. They are dressed in all white and Steamboat says he’s been waiting for this and it’s the moment of truth. Steamboat is just not a strong interview.
-Sting VS. Butch Reed with Hiro Matsuda: They push each other to start. Sting hits an atomic drop. Sting is over with the crowd. Sting avoiding Reed. Jim Ross talks about Reed’s athletic background in football and rodeo if you’re drinking at home. Sting hits a dropkick that knocks Reed out. Back in, Sting gets a side headlock on. Ross takes a subtle dig at The Ultimate Warrior saying Sting has surpassed the ability of his former tag partner. Reed goes outside for advice from Matsuda. Reed misses an elbow and Sting gets a wristlock on. Lots of rest holds in this match. Sting gets thrown outside. Back in, Reed hits a double ax handle for a two count. Matsuda chokes Sting while Reed distracts referee Teddy Long. Reed gets a side headlock on. Sting fights back, but Reed wears him back down. Reed uses the ropes for leverage. Sting again fighting back as JR’s mic cuts out momentarily. Reed puts his knees up as Sting goes for a splash. Sting comes back, but Reed throws him out. Reed hits a neck breaker, then puts on a rear chinlock. Sting hits a jaw breaker. Sting hits a clothesline. Sting in control. Sting tries for a sunset flip, Reed blocks it and sits down on Sting for a pinning predicament. Long sees Reed using the ropes and kicks his arms away allowing Sting to follow through with the sunset flip and get the win. They continue to fight after the bell.
-Bob Caudle interviews Paul E. Dangerously, who has Randy Rose and Jack Victory with him. Paul E. says that he’s throwing the game plan off. This is a cover, as Dennis Condrey has left the NWA. They head to the ring.
-Bob Caudle interviews Jim Cornette and The Midnight Express. They were prepared for Dennis Condrey, but no matter who the opponents are, they plan to stay in the NWA.
-The Original Midnight Express Randy Rose and Jack Victory and Paul E. Dangerously VS. The Midnight Express Stan Lane and Bobby Eaton and Jim Cornette: Loser of the fall leaves the NWA. Cornette wants Paul E. to start. Lane and Rose start. Chain Wrestling. Rose clotheslines outside. Victory tagged in. Triple teaming on Victory which brings the crowd into it. Quick tags by the MX. Rose gets control, but a Paul E. slap towards Eaton hits Rose instead. Eaton slammed into the railing outside. Back in, Paul E. tagged in. He hits a few shots, but quickly tags out as Eaton recovers. Cornette wants Paul E. in. Rose hits and beats Cornette. Paul E. tagged in with Cornette knocked down. Cornette back up and he hits Paul E. Rose and then Victory in hitting Cornette. Lane tagged in. OMX triple teaming. Lane knocked out of the ring. Back in, Lane reverses a piledriver. Rose tagged in and beat around. Eaton in. He hits a top rope dropkick on Victory. Paul E. and Cornette tagged in. Cornette Clotheslines Paul E. Rose and Lane tagged in. All four wrestlers in the ring. Rose misses a top rope splash. It’s breaking down. MX hits the double flapjack on Rose to win the match.
-Bob Caudle interviews Ric Flair with Hiro Matsuda. Flair says he has wrestled the greats, and he remains the World’s Heavyweight Champion. He says Matsuda is the greatest mind, while Matsuda just stands there wasting oxygen.
-NWA World Television Championship Match Rick Steiner with Scott Steiner VS. Mike Rotunda with Kevin Sullivan: Rotunda rolls out right away, but walks away from Scott. Back in, chain wrestling to start. Rotunda getting frustrated by Rick. European uppercuts by Rotunda. Syracuse sucks chant goes out. Back and forth. Rick hits a big clothesline. Feeling out process. Abdominal stretch reversal by Rick to take Rotunda down. Rotunda rolls out again. Back in, Rotunda hits a reverse crossbody, but Rick rolls through for a two count. JR again talking college athletics if you’re drinking at home. Rick has a side headlock on. Rick hits a back body drop. Rick then misses a big splash. It goes outside. Rotunda punishes Rick. Back in, Rick hits a powerslam for a two count. Sullivan comes on the house mic and says that Rick has a beautiful dog back in the dressing room. This distracts Rick. Rotunda hits a nice side suplex. Rotunda then hits a dropkick. Rick gets a sleeper on. They both fall down with the sleeper on, but Rick’s shoulders go down for a three count. Rotunda regains the TV title.
-Bob Caudle interviews The Road Warriors and Paul Ellering. They guarantee that The Varsity Club will go up and have their heads ripped off.
-NWA United States Championship Match. Barry Windham with Hiro Matsuda VS. Lex Luger: Luger shows power moves early. Windham is making Luger look good, but Luger is working his butt off too. Luger hits a big powerslam. Luger then misses a top rope move. They go out and brawl. Windham hits a suplex back in. Windham then takes over. Luger falls outside as a cut has opened over his eye. Windham accidently hits the bolt of the ring post and his hand starts bleeding. He gets the claw on. Luger fights back. Windham goes for the superplex. He hits it. Windham then hits a belly to back suplex, but Luger gets his shoulder up before the three count. Back to back weird endings to the championship matches. New United States Champion Lex Luger. Windham attacks Luger after the announcement. He piledrives Luger onto the belt.
-Bob Caudle interviews Mike Rotunda. He says he had a plan, and he got his belt back.
-Jim Ross and Magnum TA recap the night so far.
-NWA World Tag Team Championship Match: The Road Warriors Hawk and Animal with Paul Ellering VS. The Varsity Club Steve Williams and Kevin Sullivan: Sullivan and Animal start. Sullivan goes up top, but Animal catches him and powerslams him. Williams tagged in. He gets a powerslam. Hawk tagged in. Williams rolls out. Jim Ross talks college sports again for those now drunk at home. Williams military presses Hawk, who then clotheslines Williams. Double clothesline from both Road Warriors. The Varsity Club double teaming Animal. They throw Animal out and Sullivan hits him with a chair. Williams gets a two count on Animal. Sullivan tagged in. The Varsity Club doing some quick tags. Hawk and Sullivan both tagged in and Hawk hits a big powerslam. Hawk and Williams brawl outside, Animal and Sullivan brawl inside. Williams pins Hawk, Animal pins Sullivan. The referee says that The Road Warriors win.
-Bob Caudle interviews Lex Luger. He says he has had one of the hardest matches of his career.
-Video recap of what led to the Main Event.
-NWA World Heavyweight Championship Match: Ric Flair with Hiro Matsuda VS. Ricky Steamboat: Steamboat starts with a tackle. These two are so good together. Flair walks outside. Back in, they open up the chophouse. Steamboat hits a dropkick and gets a side headlock on. More chops and a two count by Steamboat. Flair takes a brief walk. Back and forth. Flair chopped outside as the crowd starts to get into it. Steamboat is then dragged out. Back in, Flair drops a knee onto Steamboat. Flair does his usual high rope spot, but actually hits it this time. But Steamboat rolls through it for a two count. Flair gets the figure four on. Referee catches Flair using the ropes for leverage and makes him break the hold. They go outside and chop. Steamboat suplexed back in for a two count. Flair using the ropes for leverage, then they trade pin attempts. Steamboat bridges out of a pin attempt. Close pin attempts. Steamboat hits a clothesline. Steamboat with a flying judo chop. He hits the crossbody, but the referee goes down too. Teddy Long comes down to check on Tommy Young. Flair throws Steamboat out, but Steamboat holds on, climbs the turnbuckle, but misses the body press. Flair goes for the figure four again, but Steamboat catches him in an inside cradle to win. The crowd goes crazy when it is announced.
-Bob Caudle interviews Ricky Steamboat. He can’t believe it. He is showered with champagne. He doesn’t know what to say. He is going to be the champion for the people.
-They sign off from Chicago.