-Today we look at Clash of the Champions XXIII from WCW.
-Clash XXIII was shown on TBS on June 17, 1993 from the Norfolk Scope in Norfolk, VA.
-Intro.
-Tony Schiavone and Jesse Ventura welcome us to the Clash. They talk about Ric Flair returning to the ring and Paul Orndorff being injured.
-Ron Simmons vs. Dick Slater with Paul Orndorff: Simmons gets a good reaction when he comes out. The fans chant Paula when Orndorff and Slater come out. The bell rings and they lock up. Simmons with an atomic drop. Slater with a leg lock and Simmons pushes off. Simmons with a shoulder block for a two count. Slater rolls out to regroup. Back in, they have a test of strength. Simmons tries for a sunset flip, but Slater slaps him. Simmons gets in the three point stance and Orndorff grabs his leg and Slater hits Simmons with a forearm. Slater with a shot to knock Simmons down. He follows it up with a swinging neck breaker for a two count as Simmons got his foot on the ropes. Slater and Orndorff think they won. They trade shots and Simmons hits a big slam to get the pin.
-Beach Blast ad.
-Eric Bischoff and Larry Zbyszko discuss some of the matches coming up. They bring in Michael Buffer who will be the guest ring announcer for the main event.
-Marcus Alexander Bagwell vs. Lord Steven Regal with Sir William: Regal comes out and he is so great with his facial expressions and mannerisms. They lock up. Regal with a wrist lock. Into a hammerlock. He gets a snap mare. Bagwell comes back with a wrist lock. Regal with a drop toe hold. Bagwell with a hammerlock. Regal comes back with a series of European uppercuts. Bagwell flips Regal out of the corner by the arm. More European uppercuts by Regal. He clips Bagwell's knee. He follows it up with two snap mares. Regal with a leg lock. Bagwell with a back kick to get out. Regal goes back to the knee. He gets Bagwell down and works on the knee again. Bagwell kicking Regal in the midsection repeatedly. Back with an Irish whip and a backdrop for a two count. A backslide gets another two count. Regal rolls through and rolls Bagwell up and holds the tights to get the pin.
-Eric Bischoff talks to Maxx Payne about him having Johnny B. Badd's Badd Blaster. Payne calls Badd out and says he will give the Badd Blaster back. Badd comes out. Payne pushes Bischoff away and shoots Badd in the face with the Badd Blaster. Officials come out to help Badd. When they come back from commercial break, Payne is in the ring and says he wins by forfeit. The Z-Man comes out and confronts Payne and they have an impromptu match. Zenk with a super kick and a dropkick. He hits an Irish whip and another dropkick. Payne reverses a corner whip and gets the Payne Killer on. Officials come out and finally get Payne off Zenk.
-NWA World Heavyweight Championship Match. Barry Windham vs. 2 Cold Scorpio: Scorpio is extremely popular with the fans when he comes out. Michael Buffer announces the participants. They lock up and push off. They circle each other. Scorpio with a dropkick. Windham with a hammerlock. Scorpio comes back with a slam. Windham with a right hand. He corner whips Scorpio, who comes back with a takedown and Windham rolls out to the ropes. Back in, Windham with a right hand. Back and forth. Windham with a big kick. Windham hits a top rope clothesline and the crowd pops for that one. He slams Scorpio and drops a knee down. Windham with a float over suplex for a two count. Scorpio comes back with shots and goes for a dropkick, but Windham holds on to the ropes. Windham with a DDT. He gets a two count. Scorpio with an inside cradle for a two count. Windham with a gut wrench suplex for a two count. Windham argues with referee Nick Patrick about the count. Windham with a clothesline. He guillotines Scorpio on the top rope and throws Scorpio out. Scorpio chopped on the apron. Scorpio comes back with a press for a two count. Windham comes back with a dropkick and a fall away slam for a two count. A couple of right hands by Windham knock Scorpio out. He follows it up with a belly to back suplex for a two count. Back and forth. A Scorpio sunset flip gets a two count and Windham comes back with a clothesline. Scorpio with a belly to back suplex. Windham goes for a superplex, but Scorpio pushes him off and hits a splash for a two count. Scorpio with a victory roll. He hits a super kick and another victory roll for a two count. A splash gets another two count for Scorpio. Scorpio with a top rope dropkick for another two count. Scorpio thrown to the outside, but holds on the ropes and comes back in for a splash and Windham hits him with a right hand. Windham with a leaping DDT to get the pin.
-Tony and Jesse talk about Beach Blast coming up.
-Eric talks to Sting, Dustin Rhodes, and Davey Boy Smith about their upcoming match.
-6-Man tag team match. Rick Rude, Big Van Vader, and Sid Vicious with Harley Race and Col. Robert Parker vs. Sting, Davey Boy Smith, and Dustin Rhodes: Faces very popular when they come out. Sting and Rude start. Sting with a side headlock. Into a top wrist lock. Back to the side headlock. Rude trying to get out. Double reversal. Rude with elbows to Sting in the corner. Sting with a backdrop. The other heels come in and Sting takes them on. He rolls Rude up for a two count. Rhodes tagged in. Vader comes in and splashes Rude when Rhodes moves. The crowd is loving it. Vicious and Smith tagged in. Smith with a slam and Vicious is selling hard for the faces. Vader and Rhodes tagged in and Rhodes beats Vader down in the corner. He suplexes Vader. He drops a series of elbows to Vader. He goes for a splash, but misses and Vader hits a forearm. Vader hits a splash, but only gets a two count. Rude tagged in. Rhodes slammed down for a two count. Rhodes slams Rude down. Vicious tagged in. He slams Rhodes into a corner. The crowd gets behind Rhodes. Back and forth. Vicious gets a two count. Vader tagged in and beat Rhodes down in the corner. He goes for a splash, but Rhodes slams Vader as he comes off. Rude tagged in and Rhodes reverses a piledriver on Rude. Heels take over on Rhodes and now all 6 men in and going at it. Sting thrown into the barricade. Race hits Rhodes with Rude's Haliburton and Rude pins Rhodes. They hit Smith with the case, but Sting grabs the case and runs the heels off.
-Eric and Larry talk about the tag team title match coming up.
-World Tag Team Championship Match 2/3 Falls. The Hollywood Blonds Steve Austin and Brian Pillman vs. Ric Flair and Arn Anderson: Crowd solidly behind the Horsemen. Michael Buffer is also the ring announcer for this match. Anderson and Pillman start. Pillman making fun of Flair. They lock up and Anderson throws Pillman to the ground. Pillman slaps Anderson in the corner and Anderson unloads on Pillman. Pillman thumbs Anderson in the eye. Back and forth and Anderson guillotines Pillman on the top rope. Austin tagged in. A we want Flair chant goes out. Flair tagged in. The crowd cheers wildly. He chops Austin in the corner. Flair takes on both of the Hollywood Blonds. Flair rakes Austin's face. Austin with a double leg pick up. They trade blows. Anderson tagged in. Anderson with a wrist lock. Horsemen quick tagging. Flair with a wrist lock. Then Anderson in and he picks up the wrist lock. Blonds get Anderson down and choke Anderson with their towel. Anderson and Pillman trade blows. Austin drops knees on Anderson and tags Pillman in. Pillman with a front face lock. Austin tagged in. Austin with a suplex. The Flair chant goes out again. Anderson hits a DDT on Austin. Both Pillman and Flair tagged in and Flair hits a move from the top rope. Drink 'em if you got 'em! Flair chopping Pillman in the corner. Austin attacks Flair from behind. Flair hits Pillman with a flying forearm to get the pin. 2nd Fall- Flair and Pillman start. Pillman and Flair trade chops. Flair goes up and over to the apron and chops both Hollywood Blonds. Austin suplexes Flair on the floor. Pillman attacking Flair on the outside. They drop Flair on the outside. Austin tagged in and Flair double teamed in the corner. Austin with a superplex to Flair. He gets a two count. Austin with a corner whip. Back and forth. Flair chopping Austin. Austin cuts off a tag attempt. Pillman tagged in. They collide and both men down. Anderson and Austin both tagged in. Anderson cleaning house. Anderson hits a spinebuster, but Pillman makes the save. Pillman clips Anderson and Austin gets a two count. Pillman tagged in and working on the leg. Back and forth. Pillman working on the knee. He gets a two count. Austin tagged in and gets a leg lock. Anderson trying to make a tag. Pillman tagged in and gets a half crab on. He then stomps on the leg. Anderson knocks Pillman down, but goes to the wrong corner. Austin tagged in. Blonds double teaming Anderson. Pillman in and goes for a splash. Anderson gets the leg up. Flair and Austin tagged in. Flair unloading on Austin. He hits a belly to back suplex. He puts the figure four on. Barry Windham comes down and attacks Flair. Horsemen win by disqualification. The titles do not change hands. Paul Roma comes in to help Anderson and Flair. they finally get Windham off of Flair. The Horsemen check on Flair. Tony Schiavone interviews Barry Windham. Windham says Flair doesn't want any of him. He says Flair has no guts. Flair attacks Windham. They get separated as they go off the air.
-Final Thoughts: A total set up for Beach Blast and they are going all in on Flair and Windham.