-Today we look at The Great American Bash ’89: The Glory Days from the NWA and WCW.
-The Great American Bash 1989: The Glory Days took place on July 23, 1989 from the Baltimore Arena in Baltimore Maryland. The Attendance for the show was 14,500. It was the fifth PPV event produced by WCW under the NWA banner.
-A Lance Russell voiceover welcomes us to Baltimore.
-Opening Credits.
-Jim Ross and Bob Caudle welcome us to the Bash.
-There is a weird cut here as they put on the bottom of the screen that they present this in the most complete form possible due to original production technical difficulties.
-Two Ring King of the Hill Battle Royal: The match consisted of two rings. The rules were that once a competitor was tossed out of the first ring, he would battle in the second ring. The last competitor standing in the first ring would be the winner of the first ring and the eliminated participants would compete in the second ring. The last competitor of the second ring would compete against the winner of the first ring in a standard wrestling match: Kevin Sullivan, Mike Rotunda, Bill Irwin, Ron Simmons, Brian Pillman, Scott Hall, Ranger Ross, Eddie Gilbert, Dan Spivey Sid Vicious, Rick Steiner, Scott Steiner, Terry Gordy, Steve Williams are your participants. Typical Battle Royal Fare. Sid Vicious wins Ring #1. Dan Spivey eliminates Steve Williams to win Ring #2. Manager Teddy Long says the Skyscrapers are going to split the 50,000 prize.
-Gordon Solie interviews Teddy Long. He says that now that they’ve won the King of the Hill, they are going to take care of everyone else.
-Bill Irwin VS. Brian Pillman: Irwin attacks early. Pillman is so fast. Pillman does a great head scissors move here. Back and forth. Irwin throws Pillman outside. Irwin hits a nice clothesline. Pillman thrown into the second ring, where he hits a high crossbody to pin Irwin.
-Gordon Solie interviews Paul E. Dangerously. Paul E. says he saw Starrcade ’86 and he saw Jim Cornette fall off of the scaffold, and he knows that because of that fall, he knows that the knee is still bad and he’s going for the knee. Superb promo!
-The Dynamic Dudes Shane Douglas and Johnny Ace VS. The Skyscrapers Sid Vicious and Dan Spivey with Teddy Long: After Teddy Long was fired as a referee, he became a manager and added Norman the Lunatic as his first wrestler. He then put former Varsity Club member Dan Spivey with newcomer Sid Vicious in a team called The Skyscrapers. This match with the Dudes was announced on the July 15th edition of World Championship Wrestling. Jim Ross brings up the “We’re real athletes who wrestle.” Crowd chants Peanut Head to Teddy Long. Dudes try double team tactics. The crowd chants we want Sid! They cheer when he is tagged in. The crowd is behind The Skyscrapers, despite what the announcers say. Bigger we want Sid chant. Crowd digs Vicious. Dudes trying to make a late comeback. Spivey hits a powerbomb on Johnny Ace to win.
-Gordon Solie interviews Jim Cornette, who says Paul E. was right about his knee, but nothing will stand in the way of his revenge.
-Tuxedo Street Fight: Jim Cornette VS. Paul E Dangerously:
-Jim Cornette Story about this match.
-Cornette rips Dangerously’s jacket off. Dangerously responds by throwing powder in the eye of Cornette. Paul starts hitting the wrong knee. JR makes some comments about Paul that wouldn’t fly in 2019. Crowd is solidly behind Cornette. Paul misses an elbow and the crowd cheers. This is an entertaining match. Bob Caudle says alright, let’s see some clothes start coming off here and I am so embarrassed. Paul goes to use powder again, and Cornette kicks it in his face. He then tears off Paul’s pants to win.
-Gordon Solie interviews Gary Hart. He says that The Great Muta is better than Sting.
-Texas Tornado Tag Team Match: The Varsity Club Kevin Sullivan and Mike Rotunda VS. The Steiner Brothers Rick and Scott with Missy Hyatt: At WrestleWar, Eddie Gilbert and Rick Steiner defeated Sullivan and Dan Spivey to retain the NWA US Tag Team Championship. Following that, Steve Williams and Spivey left The Varsity Club. Rick Steiner suffered a shoulder injury and Scott was place in a rivalry with Kevin Sullivan. A female fan of Rick’s, Robin Green, was shown in the crowd during Scott’s matches, resulting in Sullivan confronting her in the Jun 3rd edition of World Championship Wrestling. The Varsity Club then defeated The Steiner Brothers at the June Clash of the Champions. Robin Green’s flowers were torn up by the Varsity Club during a Steiner Brothers match on the June 24th edition of World Championship Wrestling. On the July 22nd edition of World Championship Wrestling, it was announced that the two teams would meet in a Texas Tornado match at the Bash. Missy Hyatt is looking good here. They start off hot and heavy. Brutal Match. They are using chairs, steps and everything else they can on each other. Both Steiner’s pin Kevin Sullivan to win.
-Gordon Solie interviews Sting and Eddie Gilbert. Sting is focused and ready for Muta. They have been telegraphing and Eddie Gilbert heel turn for some time, then they decide not to do it, and everyone is left floundering as a result.
-NWA World Television Championship Match: Sting with Eddie Gilbert VS. The Great Muta with Gary Hart: On May 13, Muta and Gary Hart challenged Sting to a Dragon Shi match. On May 20, Sting challenged Muta to an immediate match but Hart turned him down, say he and Muta were not ready. On May 27, it was announced that Eddie Gilbert had accepted Muta’s Open Challenge for a Dragon Shi match. Then at the June Clash, Gilbert accidentally struck a fireball into Trent Knight’s face. On July 1, it was announced that Sting would defend the TV title against Muta at the Bash. Sting hits a dive on Muta from one ring to the other to start. This starts out relentless. Back and forth. Muta using rest holds in the match. Sting fights back. Muta has stiff kicks. Crowd loves Sting’s comeback. Sting ducks as Muta sprays red mist and it hits referee Nick Patrick. Muta then moves as Sting goes for the splash. Muta hits the moonsault and referee Tommy Young counts two. Sting hits a back suplex and it’s a double pin situation. Muta grabs the belt and he and Gary Hart leave. Bullshit chant goes out.
-Gordon Solie interviews Lex Luger, who is doing the patented Lex Luger interview hand movements. Luger says he’s been with his attorneys all day and has a surprise for the NWA.
-NWA United States Championship Match. Lex Luger VS. Ricky Steamboat: On June 10, Luger gave some remarks claiming he had been held back and claimed to be worth of a title shot for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship ahead of either Steamboat or Terry Funk. On the June Clash, Funk got disqualified during his match against Steamboat by hitting him with a microphone. Luger made the save and ran off Funk but then attacked Steamboat himself, becoming a villain. On June 24 edition of World Championship Wrestling, Luger announced in an interview that he attacked Steamboat because he was tired of making fans happy and wanted to prove himself better than Steamboat. On July 1 edition of World Championship Wrestling, it was announced that Luger would defend the United States Heavyweight Championship against Steamboat at The Great American Bash. Steamboat comes down with Piece of Work Bonnie and Little Ricky. He’s also got a kimono lizard. Luger will not get into the ring unless the No DQ stipulation is waived. Promoter Gary Juster is in the ring trying to work something out. A small “Gary” chant goes out. Steamboat agrees to the stipulation, so they have a regular match. Steamboat tries to end it early. Luger slows it down. They fight in and out of the ring. Luger displaying big power moves. Some quick two counts. Steamboat won’t stay down. Steamboat then opens up the chop house. Steamboat hits a neckbreaker. Luger misses a clothesline and goes outside. Luger gets a two count coming back in. Steamboat hits the big chop from up top for a two count. Steamboat gets thrown into the other ring. Luger brings a chair into the ring. He gets inadvertently hit with the chair. Steamboat hits him over and over with the chair to get disqualified. Steamboat then chases Luger to the back with the chair.
-They lower the cage for War Games.
-The Freebird team is shown. They are not worried at all, because they’ve got the SST, Bamm Bamm, and The Birds are one. The SST are doing frightening things during this interview.
-The Midnight Express say they are ready. Dr. Death rambles incoherently for a minute. The Road Warriors then do a standard promo.
-War Games Match. The Midnight Express Stan Lane and Bobby Eaton, The Road Warriors Hawk and Animal, and Steve Williams with Jim Cornette and Paul Ellering VS. The Fabulous Freebirds Michael Hayes, Jimmy Garvin, and Terry Gordy, and The Samoan Swat Team Samu and Fatu with Paul E. Dangerously: At WrestleWar, The Varsity Club (Mike Rotunda and Steve Williams) retained the NWA World Tag Team Championship against The Road Warriors (Hawk and Animal) by disqualification when Kevin Sullivan and Dan Spivey attacked the referee Nikita Koloff. This caused the titles to be vacated by the WCW Executive Vice President Jim Herd. A tournament occurred to determine the new champions. The quarter-final round took place on editions of World Championship Wrestling. Fabulous Freebirds (Michael Hayes and Terry Gordy) defeated Road Warriors, Dynamic Dudes (Johnny Ace and Shane Douglas) defeated Jack Victory and Rip Morgan, Samoan Swat Team defeated Ranger Ross and Ron Simmons and Midnight Express (Bobby Eaton and Stan Lane) defeated Butch Reed and The Raider. On June 14 edition of Clash of the Champions, the semi-final round and the final round took place. In the semi-final round, Fabulous Freebirds (Michael Hayes and Jimmy Garvin) defeated Dynamic Dudes and Midnight Express defeated Samoan Swat Team. In the final round, Fabulous Freebirds defeated Midnight Express to win the vacant titles. The interferences of Road Warriors and Samoan Swat Team in each other's matches throughout the tournament began a rivalry between the two teams as well as beginning a new rivalry between Fabulous Freebirds and Midnight Express. On June 17 edition of World Championship Wrestling, Williams became a fan favorite when Jim Cornette made him, the newest ally of Midnight Express against Fabulous Freebirds. Later that night, Terry Gordy defeated Williams, with the help of Michael Hayes and Jimmy Garvin, which resulted in a brawl between several teams. On July 1 edition of World Championship Wrestling, it was announced that a War Games match would take place at The Great American Bash pitting Road Warriors, Midnight Express and Steve Williams against Fabulous Freebirds and Samoan Swat Team.
The heel team comes down to Badstreet USA. The faces come out to Iron Man. The Road Warriors are driven down on Harleys. Jimmy Garvin and Bobby Eaton start the match. WCW had a camera inside the cage. Eaton gets bounced around the cage. Hayes trash talks Eaton from the outside. Gordy enters the cage. They pummel Eaton around both rings. Williams comes in next. He military presses Gordy into the cage 8 times. All four get into a slugfest. Samu enters the cage. 3 on 2 advantage. Animal comes in. He cleans house. He hits a tackle on Samu from the first ring. Fatu comes in. Hawk chant goes out. Stan Lane comes in. Hayes realizes he has to go in next and says damn! Hayes goes in. Hayes hits some DDTs when he comes in. JR mentions Hayes/Garvin against The Road Warriors in the cage at WrestleRock without mentioning the events name or the AWA. Crowd loses it as Hawk comes in and gives the SST a double clothesline off the top rope. Eaton DDTs Hayes. Crowd goes crazy for everything the Road Warriors do. Hawk makes Garvin submit to the hangman neckbreaker. The faces leave as the heels close the door with Animal inside. Hawk and Steve Williams get the door open and chase the heels off.
-Gordon Solie interviews Ric Flair. He’s returning because wrestling is what he knows and what he does. Terry Funk now has to face him one on one. He says he’s 120%.
-NWA World Heavyweight Championship Match. Ric Flair VS. Terry Funk with Gary Hart: This match came as a result of Funk attacking Flair after WrestleWar. On July 1 edition of World Championship Wrestling, Flair requested the WCW Executive Vice President Jim Herd to allow him to defend the title against Funk at The Great American Bash, which Herd accepted. The crowd is hot for Flair when he comes out. They start outside of the ring brawling. They finally get inside. Funk throws a chair in but doesn’t get to use it. JR brings up their amateur wrestling credentials if you’re drinking at home. They go back outside quickly. Funk has the advantage early. They trade blows, then open up dueling chop houses. Flair concentrating on Funk’s neck. Flair hits two piledrivers on Funk. Flair in control Funk trying to come back. Flair gets the figure four on. Hart distracts the referee while Funk uses the branding iron on Flair. Funk hits a piledriver for a two count. Flair is bleeding. Funk taking the ringside mats up. Flair blocks a piledriver attempt on the concrete. Funk hits a neckbreaker, then another. Funk screaming at Flair to said I Quit. Flair hits Funk with the branding Iron. Both men are bleeding. Flair misses a knee in the corner. They reverse each other’s cradles. Flair gets the quick pin with an inside cradle to win. Muta comes in and sprays Flair with green mist. They both beat down Flair. The referee gets thrown out. A we want Sting chant goes out. They take out head of security Doug Dillinger. Sting comes out to a big pop. All four going at it. Muta tries to throw the steps in. Flair and Sting go outside and they continue to brawl. They announce that the TV Championship has been held up. Then the brawl starts back up. They are brawling all over. JR’s voice is going and he and Bob Caudle try to wrap up, but they won’t stop fighting. Flair comes over with Sting and says thank you to him. He says that he and Funk just got started.
-Jim Ross and Bob Caudle then recap the night and sign off from Baltimore.