-Today we look at Clash of the Champions IX from the NWA and WCW.
-Clash of the Champions IX: New York Knockout took place on November 15, 1989 from the RPI Field House, now the Houston Field House in Troy, New York. There were 4,000 fans in attendance and the shew did a 4.9 rating on TBS. The show was a bridge between Halloween Havoc and the Iron Man/Iron Team tournaments at Starrcade 1989.
-Clash Opening Credits.
-Terry Funk says he doesn’t want Flair’s belt, family, or money. He want’s Flairs pride.
-Ric Flair says it’s not titles, women, or cars, its pride, integrity, and guts.
-Jim Ross and Gordon Solie welcome us to the Clash. This is Gordon’s finest hour. They run down the night’s matches.
-The Fabulous Freebirds Jimmy Garvin and Michael Hayes VS. The Road Warriors Hawk and Animal with Paul Ellering: The Freebirds had actually lost the World Tag Team Championship on November 1, but the match had not aired yet, so the Freebirds were introduced as the World Tag Team Champions. The crowd is hot for the Road Warriors as soon as their music hits. Crowd loves everything that the Road Warriors do. Freebirds suck chant goes out. They promote the Steiners/Freebirds match coming up on Saturday Night. It breaks down and they start brawling. Hawk throws the referee to the side for the disqualification. The crowd is booing the decision.
-Gordon Solie tries to call the replay, but the machine must not be working, so he summarizes what happened for us.
-Jim Ross interviews Gary Hart and Terry Funk. Funk says that he and Flair are a lot alike, but neither is a quitter.
-Promo for Starrcade.
-Jim Ross brings on Bill Apter, who presents Sting with the most popular wrestler of the NWA. He then presents Ric Flair with the Wrestler of the Decade award.
-Woman has pre-recorded comments. She says with Doom, no one will stop her. She also says she has a large surprise for Rick Steiner. Gordon Solie says she is an evil person, but she sure is pretty.
-Tommy Rich and Eddie Gilbert VS. Doom Butch Reed and Ron Simmons with Woman: Announcers still pretend not to know who Doom are. Gilbert and Rich try to take Doom on with quickness. Doom uses power moves and size to take the advantage and control the tempo. They just nail Rich to get the pin.
-Another Starrcade promo.
-Jim Cornette interviews the Steiner Brothers. They announce officially that they have named their finisher the Frankensteiner. They say they aren’t afraid to take on any team. Steiners are still not good on promos yet.
-The Dynamic Dudes Shane Douglas and Johnny Ace VS. The Midnight Express Stan Lane and Bobby Eaton: Jim Cornette is in a “neutral” corner as he has been with both teams. A 900 hotline tag slips through without the disclosure that the line is no longer active. Cornette tells the referee that Lane pulled hair. Dudes have the advantage. Ross and Solie highlight upcoming events on the NWA calendar and as always highlight the Connecticut one. The crowd is solidly behind the Midnight Express as they just do not like the Dynamic Dudes. Eaton gets a chain as Cornette comes around the ring. Cornette gets the chain and nails Douglas with the racket so Eaton can pin him and the crowd goes wild even though it’s a heel move. The announcers saying that it was a trick by Cornette and the Midnight Express, but the crowd doesn’t care.
-The Super Destroyer VS. Steve Williams: This is Jack Victory’s 4th Masked Mystery Man appearance at a Clash in 1989 as he was also Russian Assassin #2, The Blackmailer, and The Terrorist. Norman comes down to ringside dressed as Santa Claus. Williams just dominates the Super Destroyer. He slams him on a ringside table before finishing him with an Oklahoma Stampede.
-The Skyscrapers Dan Spivey and Sid Vicious with Theodore Long VS. The Steiner Brothers Rick and Scott: The Steiner Brothers had actually won the Tag Team Championship on November 1st, but the match would not air until the following Saturday, so they are not announced as the champions. Rick puts on Teddy Long’s hat, and the crowd chants peanut head at Long. The crowd is behind the Steiners solidly. Spivey hits a piledriver on Rick. Scott hits the Frankensteiner and a fall away slam on the Skyscrapers. The Skyscrapers then come back. It goes back and forth until Doom and Woman hit the ring. A bell rings. Woman hits Rick with her shoe, Rick then goes after her until her bodyguard Nitron makes his debut to protect her. Then the Road Warriors hit the ring and all four teams start to brawl. The Crowd loves it. During the match it is later determined, Sid Vicious punctures a lung and is replaced by Mark Callous soon after. This was to set up the Iron Team tournament at Starrcade, but because of the injury to Vicious, the SST take the place of the Skyscrapers at the event.
-Jim Ross interviews the Road Warriors, Paul Ellering, and the Steiner Brothers. Starrcade is brought up, but all five say they have forged an alliance against the other teams until then.
-Starrcade promo.
-NWA United States Championship Match: Lex Luger VS. Brian Pillman: The announcers talk about Luger’s chances at Starrcade. The crowd is split between the two competitors. The announcers talk about both men’s athletic backgrounds If You’re Drinking At Home. Great match between these two. Pillman gets a two count from a top rope dropkick. Pillman then takes Luger outside. Luger then takes over. Luger throws Pillman out. Luger struggles, but suplexes Pillman back inside the ring. They trade two counts. This is a really good match. Pillman hits a crossbody, but the referee is hit too. Pillman gets Luger down twice for a three count, but we don’t have a referee. Luger then gets Gary Michael Cappetta’ s chair and hits Pillman with it to get the pin as the referee recovers. Luger then beats Pillman with the chair. Sting comes to the ring. He tells Luger to bring it. Luger backs off and the crowd massively boos. Sting follows him to the back begging for Lex to try something.
-Ric Flair has some prerecorded comments. He says Terry Funk has nothing to lose, but to Be the Man, You’ve Got to Beat the Man.
-I Quit Match Terry Funk with Gary Hart VS. Ric Flair: Both men have promised to shake the other man’s hand and declare him the better man if they lose. Funk knocked outside early. Ric Flair then opens the Chop House early, but don’t worry, it’s staying open late for Funk. Solie and Ross talk about the spinning toe hold for Funk verses the figure four for Flair. The wrestlers fight over to where the announcers are at ringside and Solie steps away to avoid getting hit. They brawl outside the ring and down the aisle. Funk and Flair are just beating the hell out of each other. Hart is shoved out of the way by Flair and he looks genuinely pissed off about it. Solie utters the immortal line. Five Letters, Two Words, I Quit. Funk hits a big piledriver on Flair. Then he hits another one on Flair on the floor. They take turns using a table on each other. Flair again hits Hart. Flair starts to work on the leg for the figure four. Funk is being brutalized, but he fights being put into the figure four. Funk is then suplexed onto the apron. Flair then gets the figure four on back inside the ring. Funk is fighting it and risking a broken leg before giving into the tremendous pain and saying I Quit. A loud pop from the audience for that. Hart is Livid. Funk shakes Flair’s hand and says that Flair is the better man. The announcers are putting over Funk as a man with integrity and a man of his word. This match received a 5-star rating from Dave Meltzer.
-Hart attacks Funk, so Flair attacks Hart. The Great Muta and The Dragon Master then attack Flair. Sting comes to Flair’s aid. Luger then comes down and hits Sting with a chair and goes after Flair. The faces are left lying on the mat. Luger breaks the trophies that were awarded earlier. Paramedics are called for Flair and Sting. The announcers recap the post-match brawl.
-Final Starrcade Promo.
-Jim Ross and Gordon Solie recap the night and put over Terry Funk’s integrity again before signing off from Troy.