Cup of Joe Wrestling Show

A Wrestling Podcast for your commute.

Episode 199 Notes

-Stitcher.
-I had a pretty good weekend. My wife and I went to a festival on Saturday and did some all day shopping on Sunday.
-Today we look at Halloween Havoc '92 from WCW.
-Halloween Havoc '92 was shown on PPV on October 25, 1992 from the Philadelphia Civic Center in Philadelphia, PA. There were 7,000 in attendance.
-Intro. This is pretty advanced computer graphics and animation for the time.
-Tony Schiavone and Bruno Sammartino welcome us to the show and Sammartino says he is excited to be here. They run down the matches that could happen for spin the wheel. They then run down some of the other matches that are going to happen on the show. They talk about two referees being assigned to the NWA World Title match and wonder who Rick Rude's referee is going to be. They then throw it to Missy Hyatt in the back. She says she hasn't found anything out yet, but hopes to get into Rick Rude's dressing room soon. She then throws it to ringside to Jim Ross and Jesse Ventura.
-Jim and Jesse talk about some of what's going on the PPV, but I can't get over the fact that this is the second show in a row I've done that took place in Philly and I see the same people in the audience like super fan Vlad and Hat Guy. This despite the shows being two years apart from each other. They talk about the matches on the wheel. They then throw it to GMC.
-6-Man tag team match. Arn Anderson, Bobby Eaton, and Michael Hayes vs. The Z-Man, Johnny Gunn, and Shane Douglas: Oh look, two appearances in a row for Shane Douglas as well. Those people in Philly really know how to get around. Anderson and Gunn start the match. They lock up and drive to a corner. Break clean, but then Anderson slaps Gunn. He then hits Gunn with a big knee and a forearm and gets a cheer from the crowd. Anderson with a corner whip. Gunn with a leapfrog to avoid the charge and hits Anderson with a dropkick. Everything after the corner whip was sloppy looking, but Anderson sells like nobody else in the business, so he makes Gunn look like a million bucks. Anderson with a knee to the midsection of Gunn and Anderson goes up top, but Zenk comes in and hits a dropkick to Anderson and Anderson spills out to the floor. Douglas and Gunn hit the other two on the apron with dropkicks and the heels all spill out to the floor. Anderson gets back in the ring. They lock up and Gunn with a wrist lock to Anderson. He then tags Zenk in and Zenk comes off the second rope with an elbow to Anderson. Zenk picks up the wrist lock, but Anderson catches Zenk with a drop toe hold and tags Eaton in. Eaton runs Zenk into a turnbuckle. He then gets Zenk into the corner and hits Zenk with a big right hand to the cheer of the crowd. Zenk reverses a corner whip and goes for a hip toss, but Eaton blocks it and hits Zenk with a right hand to the midsection. Zenk with an Irish whip and then has drop downs and leapfrogs to avoid Eaton. He then hits a backdrop to Eaton and Jesse says Eaton has tremendous fan support in Philadelphia. They love them some Bobby Eaton and the Midnight Express in Philly. Zenk follows that up with a dropkick and Eaton falls back into his own corner. Hayes comes in and he gets a big ovation and this crowd is feeling itself tonight. Hayes struts to the delight of the crowd. He attacks Zenk and gets him in a side headlock. Zenk goes to push off and Hayes holds on to the ropes. The referee tries to break the hold, but Zenk gets an Irish whip and hip tosses Hayes. Hayes gets up and complains that Zenk pulled his wrestling tights and the crowd cheers again. The referee asks Zenk who says no of course not but he asks the crowd and they say yes. Zenk with a wrist lock and Douglas tagged in. He is less than a year away from coming back to Philadelphia to be a part of ECW. Douglas with a forearm to Hayes from the second rope and picks the wrist lock up. Hayes comes back with a side headlock and Douglas pushes off. He then hits Hayes with an arm drag into an arm bar and Hayes gets to his knees and complains to the referee that Douglas pulled Hayes' hair. Hayes with a knee to the stomach and Eaton tagged in. Douglas catches him with an arm drag. Douglas then gets the arm bar on Eaton. Eaton drives Douglas to force the break and Douglas does and Eaton hits him with that big right hand in the corner. Douglas reverses a corner whip and gets a backdrop. Douglas then hits a headscissors on Eaton. Douglas then hits what Jesse refers to as an arm drag, but with a leg. Zenk tagged back in and they do the wishbone to Eaton. Zenk then gets a leg lock on and the referee asks Eaton if he wants to give up. Jesse calls Douglas a right wing Republican. He would mention this several times while Douglas was in WCW. Jim says he bets Jesse is right. Anderson tagged in and gets Zenk in a side headlock. Zenk pushes off and Anderson comes back with a shoulder block. Zenk responds with a sleeper on Anderson. Anderson with a belly to back suplex to get out of the sleeper and the crowd cheers wildly. Hayes tagged in. He drops an elbow on Zenk. Hayes then gets the reverse chin lock on Zenk. Zenk gets back to his feet as Jesse talks about handsome guys getting into wrestling and then after a few years they aren't handsome any more and gives Bruno as an example. Zenk with some elbows to get free. Hayes misses a clothesline, but catches Zenk with a boot to the stomach. Hayes with a nasty looking swinging neck breaker to Zenk. He gets a two count and tags Eaton in. He picks Zenk up and Zenk tries to fight Eaton off with punches to the stomach. Zenk goes over to the corner and hits Hayes and Anderson and then goes and atomic drops Eaton, but Eaton tags Anderson in as he was going up for the atomic drop. Zenk not aware of the tag and reverses a corner whip. He comes back and runs into an elbow from Anderson. Anderson gets a close two count. Anderson runs Zenk into Hayes' knee and tags Hayes in. Hayes with a shot to Zenk and a rear chin lock. Zenk blocks a suplex attempt and hits a suplex of his own. Anderson tagged in. Douglas also tagged in. He cleans house on the heels. He gets Anderson in a front face lock and Hayes distracts the referee while Eaton clips Douglas' leg to a roar from the crowd. Anderson goes after the injured leg and brings Douglas over to the ropes and comes down with all of his weight on Douglas' knee. Jim and Jesse talk about the clip and how that would be a 15 yard penalty in football. Anderson holds the leg and Eaton comes off the top rope with a knee drop to Douglas' leg to another roar from the crowd. They give Anderson a standing ovation as Eaton puts Douglas in a figure four. Hayes grabs Eaton's arms for extra leverage as the faces come in and the heels double team Douglas as the faces were being put out of the ring by referee Mike Adkins. The fans continue to cheer all of this. Douglas counters the figure four, so Eaton reaches up and tags Anderson in. Douglas hits an atomic drop on Anderson, who hits the turnbuckle and flies back and he and Douglas collide in the ring and both men are down. A double count going. Hayes and Gunn both tagged in. Gunn getting the better of Hayes and now all 6 men in the ring. In the middle of all the chaos, Gunn hits the Thesz Press on Hayes to get the pin. Mixed reaction from the crowd.
-Missy Hyatt is still outside of Rick Rude's locker room. She says she still can't get in. Harley Race approaches and she asks him what he is doing here. He says he's here to watch a world title match and tells Missy that she can't come in.
-Tony and Bruno talk about what they just saw and Bruno says something is up.
-Brian Pillman vs. Ricky Steamboat: As the newly turned Pillman makes his way to the ring, JR mentions his football career, so TASIYDAH. Steamboat comes out and JR runs down his credentials and says Steamboat is a four-time World Tag Team Champion, but forgets Steamboat's reign with Dustin Rhodes from just a little under a year earlier, so he is really a 5 time champion. The bell rings and they circle and approach each other slowly. they lock up and drive to a corner and Jesse says he likes the new cockiness of Pillman. Pillman breaks, but then backs Steamboat into a corner and chops Steamboat. Steamboat comes back and hits a chop of his own. He gets a side headlock on Pillman. Pillman pushes off and Steamboat comes back with a shoulder block and immediately falls on Pillman. He gets a one count. Another shoulder block and cover. He gets a two count this time. Pillman goes and throws Steamboat out, but Steamboat grabs the rope and skins the cat, so TASIYDAH. Steamboat with a roll up for another two count. Pillman kicks out of the corner and that runs Steamboat face first into a turnbuckle and Pillman takes advantage and hits Steamboat with a scoop slam. Steamboat plays possum and gets Pillman down and gets an arm bar on Pillman. They get back to their feet and Pillman pushes off. Again, Steamboat comes back with a shoulder block. Steamboat then counters a hip lock attempt with one of his own. He then hits a big arm drag on Pillman and goes back to the arm bar. He transitions to a wrist lock and brings Pillman up and slams him back down to the mat. Pillman with a drop toe hold and floats over into a side headlock. Steamboat reverses into a hammerlock. Pillman back to his feet and hits Steamboat with several shots. Steamboat fires back with a chop. Steamboat follows that up with an Irish whip and a backdrop. Pillman comes back with a shoulder to Steamboat's midsection. Pillman follows that up with a rake to the eyes. He then slams Steamboat's head down to the mat. Pillman puts Steamboat's head on the top rope and then jerks the rope back to guillotine Steamboat back as the crowd starts a Brian sucks chant. I think I have been overusing the word fickle lately, so I have been trying to avoid it, but this truly is a fickle crowd. Pillman with shots to Steamboat, feeling that he has the advantage. Pillman with an Irish whip. Steamboat leapfrogs Pillman to avoid a shot. Jim and Jesse talk about the crowd chanting and Jim says he can't quite tell what the crowd is saying and Jesse says he can tell it, but he can't say it and I'll admit I laughed. Steamboat picks Pillman up by the throat and slams him down to the mat. Pillman back to his feet, only for Steamboat to slam him back down again. Steamboat goes back to chopping Pillman. He then runs Pillman into a turnbuckle. Steamboat goes to Irish whip Pillman, who falls to the mat. He tries it again and again, Pillman falls to the mat. Pillman begs off and then hits Steamboat with a forearm to knock Steamboat down. Pillman follows it up with a kick to the head and then rubs Steamboat's face in the mat. He then hits Steamboat in the face with a series of punches. He stomps on the throat area of Steamboat as the fans start a Cincinnati sucks chant towards Pillman. Steamboat runs Pillman into a turnbuckle and then Irish whips Pillman. Steamboat looks to be going for a backbreaker, but Pillman counters with a headscissors in a nice looking move. He gets a two count from it. Pillman with an Irish whip. Steamboat comes back and hooks the arms in a backslide to get a two count. Pillman comes back and slams Steamboat down to the mat. He then chops Steamboat down on the mat, but breaks on the four count. Pillman puts Steamboat on the top rope and slaps Steamboat. Pillman goes for the superplex, but Steamboat blocks the move. Steamboat slams Pillman down to the mat instead and jumps from the second rope to splash Pillman, but Pillman catches him with a dropkick as he is coming down. Pillman goes for some covers, but Steamboat gets his shoulder up. Pillman reverses an Irish whip. He gets Steamboat in a sleeper and then jumps on Steamboat's back. Steamboat goes towards a turnbuckle and drops down to run Pillman into the turnbuckle. Pillman holds on to the sleeper, so Steamboat goes to the opposite corner to do the same thing and this time it works. Pillman rolls out to the apron and then guillotines Steamboat on the top rope. Pillman goes up top, but gets caught with a throat thrust from Steamboat. Steamboat then slams Pillman off the top rope. Pillman begs off and then rolls to the outside. Steamboat follows Pillman out, chops him, and throws him back in the ring. Pillman with a knee lift and a chop to Steamboat as he tries to come inside. They exchange chops. Steamboat knocks Pillman down and Pillman begging off. He goes to the outside and Steamboat follows him out and throws Pillman back in again. He gets Pillman down with a single leg as Pillman came over to attack Steamboat again. Pillman catches Steamboat with a knee and comes off the second turnbuckle onto Steamboat with a crossbody. He gets a two count. Steamboat reverses a move and gets a backbreaker on Pillman. Steamboat with a sunset flip off the top. He can't hold Pillman down for the pin and Pillman goes to reverse with a roll up, but Steamboat hooks Pillman's shoulders down using his legs and pins Pillman.
-Teddy Long is in Masa Chono's locker room. He has Kensuke Sasaki, Hiro Matsuda, and the president of the NWA Mr. Sakaguchi with him. Matsuda says that Chono has chosen Sasaki to be his referee for the world title match.
-Tony Schiavone is with Bill Watts to talk about the US title match. Watts also says that Harley Race is going to be Rick Rude's chosen referee for the NWA title match. Watts then talks about Steve Williams and Steve Williams, I mean Austin, going after the tag team titles. Watts then says because of a threat from an injunction from Rick Rude, Big Van Vader will be Rude's surrogate in his match with Nikita Koloff, but Watts says Madusa is still barred from ringside and if Vader loses, Koloff will be the new US champion.
-United States Championship Match. No disqualification and Madusa is barred from ringside. Big Van Vader representing Rick Rude vs. Nikita Koloff: Vader comes out with Rude and Harley Race. Head of referees Ole Anderson informs referee Nick Patrick and GMC that Rude and Race are also barred from ringside. They leave the ringside area as Patrick holds the belt up high. The bell rings and Vader bows up at Koloff, trying to intimidate him. Koloff does the same to Vader. This is a heavy power match up. They exchange some heavy blows. Vader with big body and head shots to Koloff in the corner. Vader with a corner splash and a clothesline to rock Koloff down. The crowd is mixed on Vader, but he does have his share of fans. Vader throws Koloff out, but he lands on his feet. Koloff hits a crossbody to Vader's back for a two count after he turns Vader over and that's a unique move that I have never seen before. He follows it up with a headlock. Vader comes out and hits more body shots to Koloff. Vader with a corner whip and splash, but Koloff moves out of the way and rolls Vader up for a one count. Koloff with a crossbody for a two count. Vader rolls out to the floor to regroup. Koloff follows Vader out and hits him with a double ax handle to the floor. Vader runs Koloff into the barricade. Vader hits Koloff with a chair and some fan throws a beer at Vader and Jesse rightly chastises the fan. Koloff tries to come back in with a sunset flip, but Vader drops straight down on him and this match has been all Vader so far. He punishes Koloff. Koloff trying to come back. Vader chokeslams Koloff and then splashes him to get a two count. Jim and Jesse can't believe it. Vader gets a rear chin lock on Koloff. Koloff doesn't go out though. Koloff tries to get up and suplex Vader, who slams Koloff back down. Koloff then does hit a suplex and starts to come back. He can't get Vader down. It takes three shoulder blocks to knock Vader down and Koloff gets a two count. Koloff clotheslines Vader to the outside and that excites the crowd. Koloff goes out after Vader and goes to hit him with the sickle, but Vader moves and Koloff hits the post instead. His shoulder is hurting, but he does get back in the ring. Vader goes after the injured arm. Vader hits the powerbomb and pins Koloff. The injury to Koloff is authentic, and this is his last match. Happy Trails, Nikita! The crowd cheers Vader.
-Starrcade '92 ad.
-Jim and Jesse talk about the tag team championship match. Teddy Long talks to Steve Williams and Steve Austin. They say they are ready for the champions. Missy Hyatt talks to Dustin Rhodes and Barry Windham. They say there is no problem between them and they are ready for Austin and Williams.
-World Tag Team Championship Match. Barry Windham and Dustin Rhodes vs. Steve Williams and Steve Austin: Rhodes and Williams start. Rhodes tries to knock Williams down, but can't do it. Williams hits a series of three point stances and shoulder blocks, but Rhodes catches Williams with a lariat when he tries for it again. Windham tagged in. They battle for position. Even paced with both men trading moves. Rhodes tagged back in. Williams gets him down with a hammerlock. They trade moves and Williams with a wrist lock. Rhodes jumps over the top rope, causing Williams' hand to come down hard on the top rope as Rhodes lands on the ground. He follows it up back inside with a dropkick to Williams and Williams wisely tags Austin into the ring. They lock up and Rhodes quickly tags Windham in. Austin with an advantage early and hits Windham with a nice dropkick and I didn't think that Austin could do a dropkick. They go back and forth with an excellent series of moves. Windham and Rhodes hit Austin with some elbows and shots as he bounces between them in the middle of the ring. He falls outside after a right hand from Windham. Austin gets back in and Windham gets a side headlock on and tags Rhodes in. Rhodes with a side headlock takeover to Austin. There are two stories being told in this match. 1. Can Windham and Rhodes get along as the two had been having problems with each other and 2. Williams and Austin teaming up as a new team since Terry Gordy is now gone. Jesse talks about he and Adrian Adonis being a good team as the East-West Connection. Even though they didn't always get along, it's what they do in the ring that counts. Austin gets Rhodes over for some two counts. Austin gets back to his feet and pushes off and I noticed that here he isn't wearing knee pads even though his legs would start to bother him later in his career. They go back and forth. They are having a hard fought match so far. Rhodes gets a two count after a lariat. Windham tagged in and hits a lariat of his own and the tag champs are looking good so far. Austin trying to fight back to get to his corner. Williams finally tagged in. He and Windham hit each other with some hard shots that wakes the crowd up. More back and forth action and Austin tagged back in. Heels double team Windham to get him down. Austin gets several covers, but can only get two counts from it. Williams tagged back in. Windham gets Williams in a sleeper, and Williams gets to a turnbuckle and falls forward to get out of the hold, and it looks like Windham went head first into the steel post with the move. Williams takes advantage and gets Windham down. Austin tagged in and now they have cut the ring in half and are preventing Windham from making the tag. Austin gets Windham down, but only gets a two count. This is a good wrestling match, but the crowd isn't into it at all. Windham gets away, but is so out of it, he goes to the wrong corner and tags Williams. Austin then tags Williams and Windham is in a lot of trouble. Windham kicks out at 2.5 after a Williams power slam. Williams gets a sleeper on and Windham fights back to get to his feet and drives his head into Williams' jaw. Austin tagged in and goads Rhodes in so that Austin can set Windham up on the top turnbuckle while the referee is getting Rhodes out. Windham fights Austin off when Austin goes for the superplex. Windham gets a two count after a top rope lariat and the crowd came to life for that one. Rhodes finally tagged in and cleans house on both heels. The crowd does get up for that and the lariat that Rhodes hits Austin with. Rhodes hits the bulldog and covers Austin, but Williams breaks up the pin and now all four men in the ring. Williams hits Rhodes with a big clothesline while referee Randy Anderson is getting Windham out of the ring. Austin can only get a two count. Williams tagged back in. Back and forth. Austin tagged in. He gets a two count. Heels back to firmly being in control.. Austin gets Rhodes up in an over the shoulder backbreaker. A series of counters by both men does get some applause from the crowd. Williams tagged in. He and Rhodes exchange right hands in the ring. Williams gets Rhodes down and Austin tagged in. Rhodes goes for the flip, flop, and fly and gets caught with a shot for Austin and the crowd pops big for that one. He gets a two count and tags Williams in. He gets a two count after a float over suplex. Rhodes is bleeding. Rhodes fighting back, but can't make the tag. Austin tagged back in. Quick tags by the heels, but they still can't get the pin. 5 minutes remaining as Williams has Rhodes in a sleeper. Rhodes gets out of the sleeper, but Austin tagged in. He gets a half crab on and the announcers say the time limit is working against the challengers as there are three minutes remaining. Rhodes finally tags Windham in, but the referee didn't see it and won't allow it. Heels double team Rhodes and throw him over the top rope as Randy Anderson was trying to get Windham out of the ring. Windham picks Austin up and as he does, Austin's boots hit Anderson, knocking him out of the ring. Nick Patrick comes in to check on Anderson and then Austin pins Windham with two minutes remaining. Anderson waves it off as Rhodes was the legal man and Rhodes rolls Asutin up for a count and the crowd gets to its feet. They liked that, but the two count is anti-climatic. Back and forth. Rhodes hits a piledriver. 20 seconds left. The match is a draw.
-Tony talks to Harley Race, Vader, and Paul E. Paul E says he's the one who engineered the whole thing. He gets interrupted by Madusa, who thanks Vader and Race. Paul E says that he has had it with her. He goes off on her and calls her inferior. He says the only reason that she has a job is because the other hooker had a previous obligation. He then fires Madusa and hits her. She jumps on him and the crowd pops huge for it. Officials come out to restrain both.
-Jim and Jesse talk about what just happened.
-Sting comes out to spin the wheel. The wheel does look cool, I will give them that. A guy in a WCW shirt comes in and sets the wheel. Tony is over as Sting pulls the lever and comes up with a coal miners glove match. Jesse explains the match to the audience.
-GMC introduces some NWA officials and introduces Kensuke Sasaki and Harley Race as the two referees for the match.
-NWA World Heavyweight Championship Match. Masa Chono vs. Rick Rude with Madusa: Rude out first and it is surprising seeing him come out with Madusa. He does his pre match spiel and you see a young Blue Meanie in the crowd. Jim asks what's going on with Rude and the Dangerous Alliance since he is with Madusa. Chono comes out with Hiro Matsuda. They do a coin toss to see which official will be in the ring and outside the ring. Jesse says he doesn't trust Ole Anderson as he checks both referees. Harley Race will be the inside referee and Kensuke Sasaki will be outside. Race holds the belt high and then checks both men. The bell rings. They circle each other and drive to a corner. This should be a good mat-based encounter as neither man is known for top rope moves. Rude with the early advantage. He hits Chono with some hard shots. Chono comes back with a side headlock takeover. The crowd chants we want Flair as Rude has Chono in a side headlock. I would tell them to wait a few months, but of course I didn't know that in 1992 and don't really care now. Chono with a waist lock suplex to get out of the move. Rude up and gyrates to the crowd. Chono with a hammerlock, but Rude reverses it. Chono with a drop toe hold to get Rude down and the crowd is whooing now. Anything to entertain themselves, I believe. Rude coming back with shots. He gets a two count and then gets Chono in a sleeper. Chono gets out and comes back with a hammerlock. Rude up and Chono kicks him in the kidneys, so Rude bails out. Madusa checks on him and Sasaki comes over and tells Rude to get back in the ring. Rude up on the apron and Chono hits him with a suplex and goes back to working on the lower back of Rude. He punishes Rude some more and tries to get Rude over for the STF. He gets the Boston Crab on instead and Jim says he's never seen Rick Rude submit. He gets to the ropes to force the break. Chono pulls Rude away from the ropes and works on the back some more before going for a rear chin lock. Chono continues to focus on the lower back. Rude comes back with a modified jaw breaker. They go back and forth in the ring. Rude gets Chono down and goes back to posing for the crowd. Rude working on Chono's neck. Chono in a rear chin lock, but makes his way back to his feet. Chono gets up and goes for the STF, but Rude quickly covers up. Chono clamps down harder on the leg. He keeps going for the head, but Rude keeps his head down. Rude finally gets up and they go back and forth. Rude hits a piledriver. He gets a two count, but Chono gets to the ropes. Rude goes up top, but Chono backs away as Rude jumps. Rude slows it down with a rear chin lock. He transitions to a sleeper. Chono gets back to his feet briefly, but Rude gets him back down as the crowd gets to its feet. There is something happening out in the audience, but they don't show it on camera. That usually means a fight. Jim says they can't see whatever it is. 20 minutes have elapsed in the match. Chono starts to get out of the sleeper, so Rude hits him with a shot and goes up top. Chono starts to move, but it looks like Rude at least partially hits the dropkick on Chono. Chono with a running kick that Rude ducks and Chono hits Race, who falls out of the ring. Sasaki goes over to check on Race. Rude goes to run Chono into a turnbuckle, but Chono reverses it and Rude goes flying over the top rope and lands on both referees. Chono tries to suplex Rude back in from the apron, but Rude slips behind Chono and hits the Rude Awakening. He covers Chono, but the referees are still down. Madusa over to try to get them up. Rude goes for the top rope knee drop, but Chono moves. Chono gets the STF on. Sasaki calls for the bell while Race waves it off. Controversial finish to keep this thing going. Sasaki raises Chono's hand. Race says no. Race says Chono is disqualified for throwing Rude over the top rope. Sasaki shoves Race and Race punches Sasaki. Rude throws Chono out. Sasaki takes out Race and Rude. He then rips off his referee's shirt and the crowd cheers wildly. Rude wins by disqualification, but Chono remains the NWA champion.
-Starrcade '92 ad.
-Jim and Jesse talk about the last match. They then talk about Cactus Jack training the Barbarian for his match against Ron Simmons.
-WCW World Heavyweight Championship Match. Ron Simmons vs. The Barbarian with Cactus Jack: When Simmons comes out, he has Teddy Long and a group of security bring him to the ring. Almost like Goldberg, only 5 years too early. The crowd seemed ready for this one. The bell rings and they slowly circle each other. They finally lock up and Barbarian pushes off. They get into a shoving contest. Barbarian with a side headlock and he may be the first man to compete for the WWF and WCW World Titles on PPV in the same year. Simmons pushes off and Barbarian comes back with a shoulder block. They do some shoulder blocks to try and knock each other down. Barbarian goes over to Cactus Jack for advice. Simmons finally with a series of moves to Barbarian to get him down and Barbarian rolls outside to regroup with Cactus Jack. Back in, Barbarian gets Simmons in the corner and hits him with forearms and right hands and knees to Simmons. Simmons reverses and hits some double ax handles to knock Barbarian down. He rolls out to regroup again. Barbarian hits a guillotine on Simmons on the top rope. Barbarian takes over with a series of power moves. Cactus Jack climbs up on the apron to distract referee Nick Patrick, which allows Barbarian to go to the outside and run Simmons into the corner post. Barbarian then sets Simmons up against the post and then clotheslines Simmons. Barbarian breaks the count to punish Simmons some more. They both finally get back in the ring. Barbarian continues to punish Simmons, who comes back with a sunset flip, but doesn't get the pin. Barbarian gets a version of the cobra clutch on Simmons. Simmons fighting to get out of the move. He gets back to his feet, but Barbarian gets him back down to his knees. Simmons back to his feet. He drives Barbarian back into the turnbuckle, but Barbarian doesn't let go of the hold. Simmons backs Barbarian into another corner and Barbarian finally releases the hold. Barbarian continues the assault on Simmons. Barbarian goes up top and goes for an elbow drop, but Simmons moves out of the way. Simmons hits the sidewalk slam for a two count. Cactus Jack gets back up on the apron to distract Patrick as Simmons hits a scoop slam. Simmons hits a shoulder block on Barbarian and then knocks Cactus Jack off the apron. A kick to the back of Simmons' head by Barbarian knocks Simmons out of the ring. Cactus Jack puts Simmons back in the ring. Barbarian goes up top and hits the headbutt to Simmons. He only gets a two count. Barbarian hits a clothesline for another two count. Barbarian goes for the big boot, but Simmons catches him with a power slam to get the pin.
-Tony and Bruno talk about the last match and talk about the youth movement in WCW. They then talk to Erik Watts and the crowd boos Watts. He talks about all the competition in WCW and he has his dad's trait of having the knot in his tie too small. They are joined on the podium by Ron Simmons after his match. The Erik Watts push is in full effect. Simmons says it's another step in the way to becoming a great champion and Erik Watts is on the way to becoming a champion.
-Jim and Jesse talk about the Coal Miners Glove match.
-Main Event Coal Miner's glove match. Sting vs. Jake Roberts: Roberts had threatened to bring his snake and have it bite Sting, so they say there are medical personnel standing by with anti-venom. Roberts comes to the ring without the snake bag though. Sting gets a great reaction when he comes out. Roberts starts yelling at Sting as soon as Sting gets in the ring. Roberts then immediately goes for the glove, but Sting slams Roberts down instead. They each take turns going for the glove and getting stopped by the other. Back and forth for a few minutes. Roberts finally gets a side headlock. Sting goes for a dropkick after pushing off, but Roberts holds on to the ropes. Roberts works on the lower back of the fallen Sting with knees. Roberts then throws Sting over the top rope in this non-sanctioned match. Roberts comes out after Sting and Sting runs him into a ring post. Sting grabs Robert's arm through the ropes and pulls him into the post a few more times and then Sting goes for the glove. He almost has it when he is pulled off the pole by Roberts. Roberts hits a belly to back suplex, but his arm is still hurting from being pulled into the post. Sting goes back to working on the arm with a hammerlock. Roberts gets out and goes for the glove, but Sting pulls him straight down and he lands on the post. Roberts falls to the mat. Roberts holds on to Sting's leg and Sting starts kicking Roberts. Sting goes back to working on the arm with an arm bar. Roberts makes his way back to his feet and then drops down by the ropes to break the hold and force Sting out of the ring. Roberts follows him out. Roberts grabs GMC's chair and hits Sting in the back with it twice before throwing Sting back in the ring. Roberts then takes the tape from his wrist and chokes Sting with it. Roberts goes for a knee lift, but Sting moves and Roberts falls to the mat and both men are down. Sting gets Roberts into the corner and goes for the Stinger Splash, but Roberts moves out of the way. Roberts hits the short clothesline and signals for the DDT. The crowd cheers and some chant DDT. He hits the DDT and Roberts also looks hurt. Roberts goes for the glove. Sting out on the apron and pulls Roberts down, but Roberts catches Sting with an elbow. Sting runs down the apron and swings around the pole to hit Roberts and knock him down. That was a cool move. Cactus Jack shown coming down the aisle with a bag. He throws the bag and a snake handler's glove to Roberts as Sting climbs the pole and gets the coal miners glove as Roberts pulls a cobra from the bag. We enter hokey territory here as they want it to look like as Sting hits Roberts with the glove, the snake turns and bites Roberts in the face as Sting pins Roberts, but it looks so phony, even for wrestling. Roberts gets up, but still has the snake on his face as they say it's still biting him. Cactus Jack pulls Roberts out and the snake is now biting him on the cheek for real and Roberts is bleeding. I admire his determination.
-This is pretty much it for Roberts in WCW as Cactus Jack and Roberts stumble to the back. They say someone needs to get medical care for Roberts. Tony Schiavone and Bruno Sammartino talk about the main event and wonder if this is just the beginning of the war between Roberts and Sting. Short answer, no. Moving on.
-Jim and Jesse talk about the main event and then talk about Starrcade. They sign off from Philadelphia. End Credits.
-Final Thoughts: This was a show that had a lot of potential, but couldn’t pay it off. So long to Jake Roberts as WCW is adrift at this point.