-Today we look at Starrcade '92 from WCW.
-Starrcade '92: Battlebowl-The Lethal Lottery II was shown on PPV on December 28, 1992 from the Omni in Atlanta, GA. There were 8,000 in attendance.
-Intro.
-Jim Ross and Jesse Ventura welcome us to Starrcade. They run down some of what we are going to see before throwing it to Eric Bischoff. Bischoff says Rick Rude has a herniated disc and that Steve Williams will take his place against Ron Simmons. They then show the wrestlers standing by to be chosen for Battlebowl.
-Tony Schiavone, Bill Watts, and Hank Aaron are in the ring to present Sting with the Battlebowl ring from the previous year. Sting says he is looking to make it two in a row.
-Larry Zbyszko and Missy Hyatt are at the podium to prepare to draw names for the lethal lottery.
-1st lethal lottery bout. Van Hammer and Dan Spivey vs. Cactus Jack and Johnny B. Badd: Badd gets the biggest ovation when he comes out. Jack and Hammer start. Jack gets Hammer in the corner. Hammer comes back with a corner whip, but Jack takes him down with a double leg pick up. Hammer comes back with a corner whip and a clothesline. Hammer follows it up with a leg drop for a one count. Badd in. Back and forth. Hammer with an elbow drop for a two count. Badd with some nice arm drags and a Frankensteiner. Scott Who? He gets a two count. Badd with an arm bar and Jack tagged in. Spivey tagged in. Back and forth. Spivey with a clothesline. He punishes Cactus Jack and Hammer tagged back in. Badd tagged in. Spivey buries his knee into Badd after Hammer hits an Irish whip. Hammer asks what he is doing and Spivey tags himself in. Spivey with a sidewalk slam. He gets a bear hug on Badd. Hammer tagged in. He gets a two count. Spivey tagged back in. Quick tags by Hammer and Spivey. Cactus Jack tagged in and corner whips and then bulldogs Spivey down. He drops the elbow for a two count. Back and forth. Jack with a clothesline. Jack tries to tag Badd in, but he is still on the floor after being thrown there earlier by Spivey. Spivey with a side Russian leg sweep to Jack for a two count. Hammer in and delivers a flying shoulder block. Hammer covers, but Badd in to break up the pin. He goes to drop an elbow on Hammer, who moves and Cactus Jack gets the elbow instead. Jack pushes Badd, who then hits Jack with a left hook. Hammer rolls Jack up to get the pin.
-Tony, Larry, and Missy pull the next names out.
-Dustin Rhodes and Big Van Vader with Harley Race vs. Kensuke Sasake and The Barbarian: Vader and Barbarian start. They push each other. Vader trying to intimidate Barbarian. That is not going to work. They try to clothesline each other, but neither goes down. Barbarian scoop slams Vader. Vader returns the favor to Barbarian. Barbarian with some shoulder blocks. Vader blocks Barbarian down in response. Vader pounding Barbarian down in the corner. Barbarian comes back with some clotheslines to knock Vader down. Rhodes tagged in and Vader holds Barbarian in a bear hug for Rhodes to hit with a clothesline. He gets a two count. Barbarian with a clothesline for a two count of his own. Sasake tagged in. He and Rhodes go back and forth. Sasake with a clothesline. Rhodes with a dropkick. Vader tagged in and hits Sasake with a body press from the second rope. Vader follows it up with a clothesline and a power slam for a two count. Sasake comes back with a series of moves, but runs into the boot from Vader and Sasake's lip is busted open. Sasake counters a suplex attempt with a suplex of his own and that takes some strength. Barbarian and Rhodes both tagged in. Rhodes with a flurry of offense and gets a near fall from it. Sasake comes in to break up the pin and he and Rhodes start chopping each other. Barbarian rushes Rhodes, who moves and Sasake gets hit instead. Rhodes rolls Barbarian up to get the pin. Vader and Race attack Rhodes after the match.
-SuperBrawl III ad.
-The third team is drawn. Barry Windham and The Great Muta vs. 2 Cold Scorpio and Brian Pillman: This match should be interesting given the participants. Scorpio and Windham start. They trade moves. Scorpio with an arm bar. Muta tagged in. He and Scorpio circle each other. They trade waist locks and Pillman tagged in. He chops Muta. Pillman with a dropkick for a two count. Muta comes back with a shoulder block. He follows it up with a dropkick and a side headlock takeover. Windham tagged in. They go back and forth. They chop each other in the corner. Muta tagged back in. Pillman drives Muta into the canvas. Muta with a karate kick to the jaw. Pillman comes back and tags Scorpio. Scorpio with a big clothesline to Muta. Scorpio with a splash, but Muta gets his knees up. He tags Windham in. Windham hits a lariat and a leg drop for a two count. A float over suplex gets another two count. Muta tagged in and they hit a double dropkick to Scorpio. Scorpio coming back. He scoop slams and drops a leg on Muta. Scorpio with a 450 splash on Muta, but Windham breaks up the count. Windham plants Scorpio with a big DDT. Muta hits the moonsault to get the pin.
-4th match. Sting and Steve Williams vs. Erik Watts and Jushin Liger: Sting and Liger start. Liger with a side headlock. Back and forth. Williams tagged in. Watts also tagged in and hits a couple of arm drags. Williams knocks Watts to the mat. Watts comes back with a crossbody. Liger comes in and attacks Williams with kicks. Williams with a clothesline out of the corner. He gets a two count. Sting comes in and slams Liger up against a turnbuckle and gets a two count. Liger comes back with a sunset flip for a two count. Williams tagged in. He guillotines Liger on the top rope. Sting tagged back in. He gets a clothesline and a two count. Sting misses the Stinger Splash when Liger moves. Williams tagged back in. He hits Liger with a big right hand. Sting tagged back in and gets a half crab on. Liger gets to the ropes. Williams tagged back in. He hits Liger with a forearm. Liger comes back with a sleeper. Williams with a backdrop and Sting tagged back in. He hits a suplex for a two count. Williams back in. Liger with a bulldog and Watts tagged in. Watts with a couple of dropkicks and gets the STF on, but Williams immediately gets to the ropes. Watts with a crossbody that Williams turns into a Stun Gun to get the pin. So Battle bowl has been set.
-Jim and Jesse talk about Battlebowl.
-Tony and Larry talk about the NWA Championship Match coming up.
-NWA World Heavyweight Championship Match. Masa Chono vs. The Great Muta: The bell rings. Chono with a snap mare. Back and forth. Chono with a leg scissors. He hits a roundhouse kick. Muta rolls outside to regroup. Chono with a side headlock. Muta fights out. Chono with a shoulder block. Muta back out to regroup again. Back in, test of strength. They exchange moves with their hands locked together. Muta with an abdominal stretch. Chono comes back and gets out. Muta transitions into an arm bar. Back and forth. Muta with a headscissors on Chono. Chono with a counter into a version of the Scorpion Deathlock. Muta back to his feet. Chono throws Muta outside. Muta back in and Chono throws him back out and follows. Muta gets in the ring and it's like a game of cat and mouse. Chono with an arm bar into a hammerlock and gets Muta down. Chono back to the arm bar. Chono with a scoop slam. He goes up top, but gets caught and Muta with a superplex. Muta with an Irish whip and a backdrop. He follows it up with a half crab. Into a version of the Indian Death lock into a chin lock as well. Chono gets to the ropes. Chono with a suplex. Muta comes back with a spinning kick that knocks Chono to the outside. Chono back in and Muta catches him with a handspring elbow. He follows that up with a backbreaker. Muta goes for a moonsault, but Chono moves out of the way. Chono goes to work on Muta's leg. Back and forth. Muta with a close two count. They both go for dropkicks at the same time and both down. Muta counters a suplex attempt and falls on Chono for a two count. Muta goes for a dropkick after an Irish whip, but Chono holds on to the ropes and then gets the STF on Muta. Muta finally gives up.
-Jim and Jesse talk about Rick Rude's injury and give an update that Rude could be stripped of his US title. Rude comes out and says that a doctor has ruined the biggest day of his life and WCW wants to make it worse by stripping him of his title.
-WCW World Heavyweight Championship Match. Ron Simmons vs. Steve Williams: The bell rings and Williams extends his hand to Simmons. Simmons shakes the hand. They circle each other. Simmons with a side headlock. Williams tries to push off, but Simmons doesn't let go. Williams tries again to the same effect. Williams finally pushes off and Simmons comes back with a shoulder block and neither man moves. They face each other in three-point stance mode and charge and neither man moves again. Simmons catches Williams with a clothesline and gets a two count. Simmons with an arm bar. Williams gets out and rolls to the outside to regroup. Simmons picks a wrist lock up when Williams comes back in the ring. Williams grabs hair to break free. Simmons goes back to the wrist lock. Williams responds with a forearm. Simmons goes back to working on the arm. Simmons with another hair pull. They trade right hands. Williams with a corner whip, but Simmons catches him with a back elbow. Simmons slams Williams down. Simmons goes back to the arm bar. Simmons with a pump handle slam. Simmons goes up top, but Williams side steps him as he comes off. Williams stomping Simmons. Williams slams Simmons' knee on the apron area. Williams with a dropkick to the knee area. Williams with a half crab to the injured knee. He then slams his boot onto the injured knee several times. Williams attacks the knee every time Simmons gets back to his feet. Williams with a leg lock, but Simmons gets free. Williams gets him back down. Williams continues to concentrate on the injured leg. Williams with a backbreaker for a two count. Williams with an Irish whip and a clothesline for another two count. Williams goes back to a leg lock. Williams with a scoop slam. He follows it up with tackles to the injured leg of Simmons. Simmons catches Williams with a clothesline and then a sidewalk slam. He hits William's leg with a couple of tackles. He tries for a third one. Williams avoids it and Simmons spills to the outside but lands on his feet. Williams comes out after Simmons. Simmons rushes Williams with a clothesline, but Williams moves and Simmons hits the ring post instead. They both get counted out. They continue to fight outside and Simmons runs Williams into the ring post. Williams attacks Simmons again in the ring. They switch it to Williams being disqualified.
-SuperBrawl III ad.
-Tony and Larry talk about the Tag Team Championship match coming up.
-Unified World Tag Team Championship Match. Ricky Steamboat and Shane Douglas vs. Brian Pillman and Barry Windham: The crowd seems subdued for this one. Douglas and Pillman start. Jesse talks about Douglas being a Rush Limbaugh fan so TASIYDAH. Back and forth feeling each other out. Pillman chopping Douglas in the corner. Douglas with a right hand to Pillman. They circle each other again. They trade wrist locks. Pillman choking Douglas on the top rope. Douglas with a dropkick to Pillman and Steamboat and Douglas with a double dropkick to Windham when he gets in. They do a lot of double team moves to Windham, but Pillman is the legal man. Windham finally tagged in. Steamboat also tagged in and the crowd comes to life for that. They go back and forth. Steamboat with a double chop and a suplex. More right hands from Steamboat. Douglas tagged back in and gets a snap mare on Windham. Into a chin lock. Windham with a belly to back suplex to get out of the move. Steamboat tagged in and goes after Windham. Steamboat with a snap mare. Steamboat knocks Windham to the outside and slams him. Douglas comes out and slams Windham on the ramp. Back in, Steamboat hits a swinging neck breaker. He follows it up with a front face lock and Douglas tagged in. Douglas with a rear chin lock. Windham comes back with a jaw breaker. Pillman tagged in. He takes over on Douglas. He chops Douglas again in the corner. Pillman Irish whips Douglas into an elbow from Windham. Pillman gets to the apron and Douglas dropkicks him from the apron to the barricade. Windham down to check on Pillman. Douglas gets Pillman back in the ring and goes up top. Pillman dropkicks him while he is up top and Douglas falls from the turnbuckle to the floor. Windham then clotheslines Douglas. Pillman guillotines Douglas on the top rope as he tries to get in. The heels take over on Douglas. Windham in and headbutts Douglas. He is punishing Douglas and keeping him from tagging. Windham goads Steamboat in so Pillman can double team Douglas. Pillman tagged in. He chops Douglas down. Douglas comes back, so Pillman gets Douglas in a drop toe hold and tags Windham in. Windham throws Douglas back out and goes out to punch Douglas. Steamboat comes out and hits Windham with a chair. Jesse complains, but the crowd cheers. Windham tags Pillman, who cuts off a Douglas tag attempt. He gets a series of two counts. Pillman runs Douglas into Windham's boot. Windham tagged in and hits Douglas while Pillman holds him. The crowd trying to get behind Douglas, but he is fading. Pillman tagged back in. Pillman with a suplex and splash to Douglas. He gets a two count. Pillman goads Steamboat in again so the heels can double team Douglas while the referee is getting Steamboat out. Windham tagged in. Douglas counters a suplex attempt. Back and forth and Steamboat tagged in to big fan fare. He cleans house. Windham hits Steamboat with a power slam. He gets a belly to back suplex and tags Pillman in. Pillman goads Douglas in and throws Steamboat over the top rope as the referee was getting Douglas out. Windham runs Steamboat into the ring post. Steamboat comes back with a chop to Pillman for a two count. They exchange chops in the center of the ring. Pillman with a tilt a whirl headscissors for a two count. Windham in and hits a forearm to Steamboat from the top rope. Windham with some big right hands to Steamboat, but Steamboat won't go down. Windham with a boot to the abs and goes up top. Steamboat ducks the lariat attempt and hits a kick to Windham. Steamboat runs Windham's head into the mat. Douglas and Pillman both tagged in. Douglas hitting both heels. Now all four men in the ring. Steamboat clotheslines Windham out to the ramp and he ends up there too as a result. Pillman rushes Douglas, who catches Pillman with a belly to belly suplex to get the pin. One fan at ringside didn't like the result and boos.
-Jim and Jesse talk about the King of Cable final coming up.
-The King of Cable final. Sting vs. Big Van Vader with Harley Race: Vader and Race out first and Vader says it's time to go to war. Sting out to a massive ovation as he is easily the most popular wrestler in WCW. Vader gets on one knee and does his V sign to Sting. They circle each other. They lock up. Vader pushes off. Another lock up and Sting with a series of lefts and rights. Vader says no pain. Vader with a scoop slam. Vader does it a second time. Vader with a crushing blow as Sting rushes him. Vader guillotines Sting on the top rope. He does it again on the other side. Sting goes outside to regroup. He comes back in and hits a cannonball to Vader to knock him down. An enziguri knocks Vader down again and then Sting hits a suplex. He clotheslines Vader out and they both go over to the outside. The headgear comes off Vader. Race over to confer with Vader outside and Sting with a suicide dive to take them both out. The crowd taunts Vader as he gets back to his feet. Vader hitting Sting with left and right hands in the corner. Sting with an arm drag, but Vader kicks Sting in the face as Sting goes for a Stinger Splash. Back and forth. Sting hits a DDT. Sting gets Vader up and superplexes him to a massive pop from the crowd. Sting gets a two count. Sting gets the Scorpion Deathlock on, but Vader gets to the ropes. He rolls out to regroup, but Sting follows him out. He goes to splash Vader, but Vader moves and Sting hits the barricade. Sting struggles to get in the ring. He does get in, but collapses to the mat. Vader with a short clothesline. Vader hits a corner splash. He gets a two count. Vader with a series of rights and hits a belly to back suplex. Vader hits a splash for a two count. He puts Sting in a chin lock and then a submission on the arm and neck. He gets another two count. Sting gets a backslide in for a two count. Sting tries for a sunset flip. Vader goes to come down on Sting, but Sting moves. Vader with a side headlock that Sting counters with a belly to back suplex. Vader goes back to a chin lock. He then hits Sting with right hands in the corner. Sting trying to cover up. Vader puts Sting on the top rope. Sting fights off a superplex attempt with a thumb to the eye and Vader falls off the turnbuckle. Sting falls to the mat. Vader goes back to beating Sting in the corner and Sting tells him to come on. Vader with an Irish whip and Sting punches Vader. Another right hand knocks Vader down. Sting hits a fall away slam. Sting goes up top and hits a splash for a two count. Race gets up on the apron to distract Sting so Vader can hit Sting from behind. Vader with a chokeslam and a splash from the second rope. He goes up again. Sting catches Vader up there and power slams him off to get the pin and win the King of Cable trophy. Jesse interviews Sting and Sting says there is only one thing left and that's to win BattleBowl.
-Tony and Larry talk about what we just saw and about BattleBowl coming up. They show an interview Tony did with Paul Hornng from the Green Bay Packers about the importance of winning the Super Bowl and how important the BattleBowl ring is.
-BattleBowl: Dan Spivey, Dustin Rhodes, The Great Muta, Barry Windham, Sting, Big Van Vader, Steve Williams, and Van Hammer are your participants. Sting is the last one to come out and Vader attacks him on the ramp. Officials trying to separate them. Everyone else pairing off in the ring. Now all 8 in the ring. Forearms are flying. Spivey trying to get Hammer out. Sting hit with a clothesline from Vader. Spivey and Windham trying to eliminate Sting. Muta helps Sting. More forearms, but no one eliminated yet. Vader down and Sting tries to get the sleeper on him. Van Hammer eliminated. Rhodes bulldogs Windham out on the ramp. Spivey eliminated. Vader rushes Sting and they both spill out onto the ramp. Down to four men. Rhodes busts Windham open with a shot. Muta runs Williams into a turnbuckle. Rhodes with a DDT on Windham. Williams runs and hits Rhodes, but they both spill out to be eliminated. Two left and the crowd starts a Muta chant. Windham with a float over suplex. Muta holds on to the ropes to avoid being eliminated. Windham hits a suplex. He then hits a superplex and a standing dropkick. Muta with a series of dropkicks to eliminate Windham to win BattleBowl.
-Jim and Jesse recap the night and sign off from the Omni.
-Final Thoughts: This was an okay show as WCW is floundering at this point. Things would pick up some in 1993 for them. Worth at least one look.