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World Championship Wrestling Fourth of July Spectacular Weekend of July 4, 1991 Jim Ross and Bobby Heenan welcome fans to a special Fourth of July edition of World Championship Wrestling. Ross says the Great American Bash is only weeks away, and tonight every major rivalry in WCW takes another step toward Baltimore. Heenan says the Dangerous Alliance has already begun taking over the company, and by the time the Bash is over, every championship may belong to Paul E Dangerously. Great American Bash Control Center Eric Bischoff debuts the Great American Bash Control Center, standing before the Great American Bash logo. He officially unveils the complete card for The Great American Bash 1991, live from Baltimore on Sunday, July 27. WCW World Heavyweight Championship: Sting (c) vs. Curt Hennig Lex Luger vs. Sid Vicious w/ Harley Race WCW World Tag Team Championship: Steiner Brothers (c) vs. Road Warriors WCW United States Tag Team Championship: Arn Anderson & Larry Zbyszko (c) vs. Ricky Steamboat & The Great Muta WCW Television Championship: Flyin Brian (c) vs. Scott Hall Ravishing Rick Rude w/ Paul E Dangerously vs. Dustin Rhodes The Undertaker w/ Paul Bearer vs. Diamond Dallas Page Davey Boy Smith vs. Genichiro Tenryu w/ Alexandra York Ron Simmons vs. Butch Reed w/ Teddy Long The Return of Big Van Vader No Disqualification Match: The Rock 'N' Roll Express vs. The Fabulous Freebirds Bischoff promises one of the biggest nights in WCW history before sending fans back to ringside. Special Vignette A flashy sports car pulls into frame. Out steps Johnny B. Badd. He says people may notice the looks first... ...but they'll remember the fists. His smile grows wider. "My hands are fast... ...and dangerous." Sid Vicious vs. Ben Williams Sid Vicious wastes absolutely no time destroying Ben Williams. The match lasts barely a minute as Sid plants Williams with one powerbomb after another before casually pinning him. The match is over. Sid isn't. Harley Race orders the stretcher into the ring. Medical personnel reluctantly wheel it between the ropes before loading Williams onto it. Sid suddenly charges forward and drives the stretcher headfirst into the steel ring steps, sending Williams crashing to the floor. Jim Ross is disgusted. Bobby Heenan simply says this is exactly why Sid calls it the Stretcher Tour. Eric Bischoff is standing by with Lex Luger. Luger says six months ago he was the man lying on a stretcher because of Sid Vicious. Every week Sid sends another victim to the hospital hoping to remind everyone who he is. Luger says the only thing Sid is proving is that he's afraid. At the Great American Bash, Sid won't need another stretcher victim. He'll have Lex Luger. WCW World Tag Team Championship Steiner Brothers (c) vs. Orient Express The new champions continue to impress, controlling the match with strength and teamwork. The Orient Express create a few openings through quick tags and precision offense, but the Steiners quickly regain control. Rick catches Kato with an overhead suplex before Scott finishes the match with the Steinerizer. The Steiner Brothers successfully retain the WCW World Tag Team Championship. Missy Hyatt joins them in the ring, applauding wildly and raising both championship belts high above their heads. The Road Warriors vs. The State Patrol The Road Warriors answer immediately. The State Patrol never stand a chance. Hawk and Animal overwhelm them from the opening bell before finishing with the Doomsday Device in convincing fashion. Tony Schiavone catches the Road Warriors afterward. Animal says the Steiners looked impressive. Hawk says they're going to have to be even better in Baltimore. "We're coming for those belts." Scott Hall, Arn Anderson & Larry Zbyszko vs. Mike Stone, Ryan Kurth & Mark Samples The Dangerous Alliance works like a machine. Arn isolates opponents. Larry slows the pace. Hall finishes them. After several minutes of complete control, Hall plants Mike Stone with the Razor's Edge for the victory. Paul E gathers his men afterward and says championship after championship continues falling into Dangerous Alliance hands. "The WCW World Heavyweight Championship is next." Dustin Rhodes & Ricky Steamboat vs. Hank Jeffries & Titus Rockwell The veteran and the rising star make an outstanding team, combining Steamboat's experience with Dustin's athleticism. They control most of the contest before Steamboat scores the victory following the Flying Crossbody. As Dustin and Steamboat celebrate, Rick Rude walks onto the entrance stage with Paul E Dangerously. Neither man says a word. Rude simply smiles. Then slowly runs his thumb across his throat. Special Vignette A young athlete trains relentlessly inside a gym. Weights. Running. Wrestling drills. The narrator introduces Marcus Alexander Bagwell as one of the hardest-working young athletes in Georgia. Soon... he'll have the opportunity to prove it in WCW. Lex Luger vs. Kama Kama comes out looking for revenge after losing at Clash, using his power advantage to frustrate Luger early. The match becomes increasingly physical before Luger finally explodes with a series of clotheslines. Moments later he locks Kama into the Human Torture Rack. Kama submits almost immediately. Luger refuses to release the hold. Officials race into the ring. Luger still won't let go. Only after repeated warnings does he finally release Kama and stand over him. Tony Schiavone asks Luger what came over him. Luger says one sentence. "Sid... you're next." Flyin Brian vs. Steve Dalton Flyin Brian continues his impressive Television Championship reign with another exciting performance, defeating Steve Dalton after the Flying Crossbody. Ross reminds viewers that next at the Great American Bash, Brian faces perhaps his toughest challenge yet when Scott Hall comes after the Television Championship. Special Vignette Electric guitars fill the screen. Smoke rises. Van Hammer appears. "It's time... ...to rock and roll." Hammer swings his guitar over his shoulder. "And I'm the baddest dude on the block." Great American Bash Control Center Eric Bischoff returns with one final look at the Great American Bash card, reminding fans that every major championship in WCW will be defended and that Baltimore will host one of the biggest events of the year. Main Event WCW World Heavyweight Championship Sting (c) vs. Rick Rude The Fourth of July main event feels like a pay-per-view attraction. Rick Rude immediately targets Sting's back and ribs while the World Champion answers with intensity, refusing to give the challenger an inch. The pace steadily increases as the two battle all over the ring, with each man narrowly avoiding defeat on several occasions. Late in the contest Sting finally builds momentum. Clothesline. Dropkick. Stinger Splash. The crowd comes alive. Sting hooks the Scorpion Deathlock. Before he can turn Rude over— Curt Hennig storms into the ring. The referee immediately calls for the bell. Disqualification. The Dangerous Alliance swarms the ring. Scott Hall joins the attack. Arn Anderson and Larry Zbyszko cut off Flyin Brian and Dustin Rhodes before they can make the save. Rick Rude and Curt Hennig take turns stomping the World Champion. Then Ricky Steamboat and The Great Muta sprint to ringside. The arena erupts. The Dangerous Alliance quickly retreat, regrouping on the floor. Paul E Dangerously gathers his men at the entranceway, smiling confidently despite the chaotic ending. Jim Ross says the battle lines have officially been drawn. At the Great American Bash, every rivalry comes to a head. The final image shows Sting standing in the ring with Flyin Brian, Dustin Rhodes, Ricky Steamboat, and The Great Muta. Across the aisle, the Dangerous Alliance stare back. The war has only just begun. Fade to black.

World Championship Wrestling Weekend of June 27, 1991 Jim Ross and Bobby Heenan welcome fans to World Championship Wrestling with the Great American Bash only one month away. Ross says next week's Fourth of July edition of the program will be one of the biggest television broadcasts of the year as Jesse Ventura unveils the complete Great American Bash card. Heenan says that's next week. Tonight belongs to the Dangerous Alliance, who have another opportunity to leave carrying championship gold. Jesse Ventura wastes little time joining the broadcast. Standing in the center of the ring, he confirms that next week every Great American Bash match will become official. Then he adds one more announcement. Next week, Sting will defend the WCW World Heavyweight Championship against one member of the Dangerous Alliance. Ventura points toward Paul E Dangerously and his men, saying it doesn't matter which member is selected because the challenger will be determined by random draw at the end of tonight's program. Paul E appears on the stage wearing a confident smile. He says Ventura can spin all the drums he wants because every man standing beside him is capable of becoming the next WCW World Heavyweight Champion. The Great Muta opens the wrestling action against Mike Sullivan. Muta controls the match from the opening bell, chopping Sullivan down before finishing him with the Moonsault for another decisive victory. Tony Schiavone catches up with Ricky Steamboat afterward. Steamboat says Rick Rude has spent weeks trying to embarrass people and prove he's the toughest man in WCW. At the Great American Bash, Muta is going to return the favor. Schiavone turns toward Muta for a response, but Muta simply stares into the camera without saying a word. Tony Schiavone then welcomes the Steiner Brothers and Missy Hyatt. Rick says Hawk gave them good advice after Clash. He told them to go back and watch the tape, and that's exactly what they did. Scott says they saw everything, including Missy getting involved when nobody asked her to. Rick tells Missy he appreciates the support, but if the Steiners are going to be champions, they want to do it themselves. He then looks directly into the camera and says the Road Warriors were right. If Hawk hadn't been accidentally struck during the match, they honestly don't know how things would have turned out. Scott says they're making this simple. Whenever the Road Warriors want another title match, all they have to do is sign the contract. The Road Warriors make their way onto the stage. Animal says that's exactly what they wanted to hear. Hawk says they'll see the Steiner Brothers in Baltimore. Rick and Scott extend their hands. The Road Warriors look at them for a long moment before turning and walking away without accepting. Respect has been restored. Trust hasn't. The camera catches Missy Hyatt watching them leave, applauding politely before her smile fades ever so slightly. Davey Boy Smith makes quick work of Chris Nelson, overpowering him throughout before finishing the match with the Running Powerslam. As Davey celebrates, Alexandra York walks onto the stage beside Genichiro Tenryu. York says her computer continues to prove itself correct. It identified Davey Boy Smith as one of the premier athletes in professional wrestling, which is exactly why Tenryu has accepted his challenge for the Great American Bash. Davey smiles and welcomes the opportunity. Tenryu never says a word. Ron Simmons defeats Rick Masters in dominant fashion, wrestling with an aggression that has only intensified since Doom fell apart. He plants Masters with a thunderous Spinebuster before scoring the pinfall. Eric Bischoff is waiting with Teddy Long and Butch Reed afterward. Teddy says Doom was never built around Ron Simmons. It was built around Butch Reed from day one. Reed says Simmons spent years riding his coattails and now everyone is finally seeing the truth. Simmons walks onto the interview platform, staring directly at Reed. He says Reed can keep talking if he wants. At the Great American Bash, he'll finally have to back every word up. Lex Luger meets Curtis Hughes in a physical contest where Hughes uses his size to keep Luger grounded early. Luger gradually fights his way back into the match before hoisting Hughes into the Human Torture Rack for the submission victory. As Luger celebrates, Sid Vicious steps onto the stage with Harley Race. Neither man says a word. Instead, Harley slowly points toward the entrance. Medical personnel wheel two empty stretchers into view. Harley smiles. "Keep winning, Lex. Sooner or later... you're leaving on one of those." Luger never takes his eyes off Sid as the two continue staring each other down. Diamond Dallas Page picks up another victory, defeating Mark Peterson after using the ropes for extra leverage behind the referee's back. As he leaves the ring, Page flashes a confident grin toward the camera. Heenan says the kid may actually have something. The Undertaker faces Jeff Morris in another dominant performance. Morris throws everything he has at the big man early, but nothing slows him down. A devastating Chokeslam is followed moments later by the Tombstone. Paul Bearer quietly raises the urn and says another soul has been claimed before Undertaker disappears without acknowledging the crowd. Flyin Brian continues building momentum with another successful Television Championship defense, defeating Scott Allen after an exciting showcase that ends with the Flying Cross Body. Ross says every week Brian continues proving he belongs among the elite wrestlers in WCW. Marty Jannetty returns to singles competition against Brian Carr and looks as sharp as ever, using his speed and quickness to keep Carr off balance before putting him away with a top-rope fist drop. Tony Schiavone congratulates Marty after the match. Marty says he's done looking backward. He's here to make a name for himself. Owen Hart and Jim Neidhart meet the Orient Express in an outstanding tag team contest. Owen's speed repeatedly frustrates the Express while Neidhart controls the power exchanges. Late in the match, Owen heads to the top rope looking to finish things. Suddenly Genichiro Tenryu appears from nowhere. With the referee distracted, Tenryu drives a brutal kick into the side of Davey Boy Smith's head on the apron. Owen turns just in time to see the commotion. The distraction is enough. The Orient Express immediately capitalize, catching Owen with a quick roll-up to steal the victory. Davey staggers back to his feet as Tenryu calmly retreats beside Alexandra York. Ross says York International just made this rivalry personal. The main event sees Michael Hayes and Ricky Morton defend the United States Tag Team Championship against Arn Anderson and Larry Zbyszko. For much of the match, the champions appear to have finally figured things out. Their timing is sharper, the tags are quicker, and Ross even wonders aloud if this unlikely partnership has finally become a legitimate team. Then everything falls apart. One missed tag turns into an argument. Another blind tag creates more confusion. Arn and Larry patiently wait for their opportunity. Late in the match, Morton desperately reaches for the tag after escaping Arn Anderson. Hayes steps into the ring. The crowd rises expecting the save. Instead— DDT. Morton collapses. The arena erupts in shock. Hayes calmly steps aside. Arn drags Morton back to his feet and plants him with a devastating Spinebuster before tagging Larry Zbyszko. One. Two. Three. Arn Anderson and Larry Zbyszko are the new WCW United States Tag Team Champions. Michael Hayes slowly backs toward the entrance. Jimmy Garvin walks onto the stage. The two men exchange a knowing look. No words. Just a nod. Robert Gibson rushes to the ring to check on Ricky Morton while the Dangerous Alliance celebrate yet another championship. As the broadcast comes to a close, Jesse Ventura returns to the stage holding a lottery drum. He reminds everyone that next week's Fourth of July spectacular will feature a WCW World Heavyweight Championship match between Sting and one member of the Dangerous Alliance. Ventura reaches into the drum. The arena falls silent. He slowly opens the envelope. A smile crosses his face. "Ladies and gentlemen... next week, the challenger for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship..." He pauses. "...Rick Rude." The camera immediately cuts to Sting standing on the entrance stage with the WCW World Heavyweight Championship over his shoulder. Across the arena, Rick Rude slowly smiles. Jim Ross says next week's Fourth of July edition of World Championship Wrestling just became must-see television. Fade to black.

I changed this in post - it was an idea but I messed that up - sorry!

World Championship Wrestling Weekend of June 20, 1991 Jim Ross and Bobby Heenan welcome fans to World Championship Wrestling as WCW continues its march toward the Great American Bash. Ross says the fallout from Clash of the Champions is still being felt throughout the company and tonight could shape the entire summer. The Steiner Brothers defend the WCW World Tag Team Championship against the Road Warriors in tonight's main event. Lex Luger and Sid Vicious are both in the building. Ron Simmons is looking for Butch Reed. The Dangerous Alliance has promised to address Sting directly. Heenan smiles and says that every week WCW seems to lose a little more control while the Dangerous Alliance gains a little more power. Tony Schiavone is standing by with WCW World Heavyweight Champion Sting. The crowd immediately rises to its feet. Sting says ever since winning the World Championship, he hasn't had a moment to breathe. Every member of the Dangerous Alliance seems to think they're next in line. Scott Hall wants another shot. Rick Rude wants revenge. Arn Anderson and Larry Zbyszko want to run WCW. Sting says that's fine because he's spent his whole career fighting uphill battles. If somebody wants a shot at the World Title, all they have to do is ask. The crowd erupts when Paul E Dangerously appears. But he doesn't come alone. Scott Hall walks out first. Then Rick Rude. Then Arn Anderson. Then Larry Zbyszko. Then United States Champion Curt Hennig. The entire Dangerous Alliance slowly surrounds the ring. Ross immediately points out that Sting is hopelessly outnumbered. Heenan calls it good planning. Sting never backs down. Paul E laughs. He says everyone keeps looking at the wrong men. They focus on Hall because he's the biggest. They focus on Rude because he's the loudest. They focus on Arn because he's the smartest. But the future of professional wrestling is standing right beside him. Paul places his hand on Curt Hennig's shoulder. The crowd reacts immediately. Paul says Hennig already holds one championship. At the Great American Bash he plans on holding two. Hennig slowly raises the United States Championship. Then points directly at Sting's World Title. Paul E makes it official. At the Great American Bash... Curt Hennig will challenge Sting for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. The crowd explodes. Sting smiles. Hennig smiles back. Neither man takes their eyes off the other. The Dangerous Alliance slowly backs away while Sting remains standing alone in the ring holding the World Title high above his head. Ross says Baltimore just got a whole lot bigger. WCW Television Championship Flyin Brian (c) vs Jimmy Garvin Garvin arrives with Diamond Dallas Page and immediately begins running his mouth. Flyin Brian receives one of the loudest reactions of the evening and looks every bit like the fighting Television Champion. The match gets plenty of time and both men make the most of it. Garvin slows the pace down whenever possible, forcing Pillman into a more methodical contest than he prefers. The veteran continues targeting Brian's neck and shoulders while Heenan repeatedly points out that Jimmy Garvin has forgotten more tricks than most wrestlers ever learn. Brian eventually begins mounting a comeback. A flying headscissors sends Garvin sprawling. A springboard crossbody nearly ends the match. DDP gets involved from ringside long enough to create another opening for Garvin. The finish comes when Garvin attempts to steal the victory with a handful of tights. Brian barely escapes at two. Garvin argues with the referee for a moment too long and that hesitation costs him. Dropkick. Flying Crossbody. One... Two... Three. Flyin Brian retains the Television Championship. Ross says Pillman continues proving that he belongs among WCW's elite while Heenan reluctantly admits the kid keeps finding ways to win. The Undertaker vs Jeff Morris Jeff Morris looks reasonably confident during his entrance. That confidence disappears the second Undertaker steps over the top rope. The Deadman completely overwhelms him. A massive boot rocks Morris early. A chokeslam follows shortly afterward. Then comes the Tombstone. The match is over in under two minutes. Undertaker doesn't celebrate. He doesn't speak. He simply stands over the fallen Morris before turning toward the camera with those cold eyes. Ross says he's beginning to believe Undertaker may be the most dangerous man in professional wrestling. Heenan says he stopped doubting that weeks ago. Tony Schiavone is standing by with Ron Simmons. Simmons says everybody keeps asking him about Doom. The titles are gone. The team is gone. That happens. But what he can't accept is Butch Reed acting like he carried the team. Simmons says he fought for Doom. He bled for Doom. He won championships for Doom. And if Reed has something to say, he should come say it to his face. The crowd erupts when Reed attacks from behind. The two men immediately begin throwing fists. Not wrestling punches. Real punches. Officials and security rush into the scene. Neither man wants to stop. Reed yells that Simmons was always the weak link. Simmons nearly breaks loose from the officials trying to restrain him. Ross says this thing has gone far beyond a tag team breakup. WCW United States Tag Team Championship Michael Hayes & Ricky Morton (c) vs Mark Peterson & Danny Rivers The champions continue to surprise people. Morton and Hayes are beginning to develop genuine chemistry as a team and the crowd is fully behind them. Morton does most of the heavy lifting while Hayes brings his veteran instincts and occasional rule bending to the equation. Peterson and Rivers get more offense than expected and force the champions to work for the victory. The finish comes when Morton catches Rivers with a Flying Body Press. One... Two... Three. The champions retain. After the match Arn Anderson and Larry Zbyszko appear. Arn says everybody keeps talking about the World Tag Team Championship while these two men are quietly carrying gold of their own. Larry says next week they'll get a very close look at the champions. Ross immediately announces: Next Week Michael Hayes & Ricky Morton vs Arn Anderson & Larry Zbyszko The crowd responds favorably to that announcement. Davey Boy Smith vs Bob Stone Davey Boy continues looking more and more like a future singles star. Stone tries to use speed and movement early but quickly discovers that Davey is simply too powerful. The Bulldog throws him around the ring with ease and eventually finishes him with a thunderous powerslam. After the match Alexandra York appears. The crowd immediately begins buzzing. Standing beside her is Genichiro Tenryu. York says her computer continues identifying superior athletes throughout WCW and one name repeatedly rises to the top. Davey Boy Smith. York says the numbers suggest Davey may be one of the finest competitors in the entire company. Tenryu slowly steps forward. Davey steps forward. The two men stand face to face. No words. No punches. Just a tense staredown. Ross says he'd pay money to see that fight. Heenan says he has a feeling somebody soon will. Owen Hart & Jim Neidhart vs Steve Bradley & Mike Kelly The newest version of the Hart Foundation continues to gain momentum. Owen dazzles the crowd with his speed while Neidhart brings the brute force. The contrast works perfectly and the pair score an impressive victory after Owen comes off the top rope with a missile dropkick. The celebration doesn't last long. The Orient Express hit the ring from behind. Kato and Tanaka jump both men. The crowd boos loudly. A wild brawl breaks out before officials can restore order. Owen is pointing directly at the Orient Express while Neidhart is trying to fight through security. Looks like a collision course has been set. Lex Luger comes to the ring. The reaction is loud and mixed. Luger says everybody keeps talking about Sid Vicious as though he's some unstoppable force. Luger says he has spent his entire career beating monsters. Sid Vicious doesn't impress him. That statement brings Sid out immediately. The crowd comes alive. Sid slowly walks toward the ring without ever taking his eyes off the former World Champion. Harley Race positions himself between them. Luger doesn't move. Sid doesn't move. The tension is incredible. Sid finally smiles. The crowd erupts. Luger laughs directly in his face. Ross announces that next week Lex Luger will face Curtis Hughes while Sid Vicious will be in attendance. Neither man backs down. Neither man blinks. Eventually Sid takes a step backward and leaves the ring area, but the message has been sent. Main Event WCW World Tag Team Championship The Steiner Brothers (c) vs The Road Warriors The crowd is electric before the opening bell ever rings. Ross calls it a dream match. Heenan says somebody may not survive it. The opening minutes are exactly what everyone hoped for. Scott Steiner and Animal collide like two freight trains. Rick Steiner and Hawk begin throwing fists in the middle of the ring. Nobody gives an inch. The match steadily escalates into a war. Animal catches Scott with a powerslam. Rick answers with a Steinerline. Hawk nearly wins with a flying shoulder block. Scott nearly wins with a Frankensteiner. The crowd is completely invested. Missy Hyatt remains at ringside throughout the contest, cheering louder than anyone in the building. As the match enters its closing stretch, the Road Warriors begin taking control. Animal catches Scott coming off the ropes and drives him into the mat with a massive powerslam. Hawk follows with a crushing clothesline that nearly turns Rick inside out. The crowd senses a title change. Hawk gets the tag. The Road Warriors are rolling. Animal hoists Rick onto his shoulders. The Baltimore crowd rises to its feet. Everybody knows what's coming. The Doomsday Device. Hawk hits the ropes. Missy suddenly jumps onto the apron. The referee immediately turns to deal with her. Animal is yelling. The crowd is yelling. And in the confusion Missy reaches into that oversized purse she's been carrying around for weeks. CRACK! Right across the back of Hawk's head. The arena gasps. Animal never sees it. The referee never sees it. The Steiners don't see it. Hawk stumbles awkwardly. Rick immediately grabs him. Massive belly-to-belly suplex. Scott dives on top. One... Two... Three! The bell rings. The Steiner Brothers retain the WCW World Tag Team Championship. The Road Warriors are furious. Animal is screaming at the referee. Hawk is trying to figure out what happened. The Steiners celebrate but look slightly confused by all the chaos surrounding them. Meanwhile Missy Hyatt stands in the corner smiling. Just for a moment. A satisfied smile. Ross says something doesn't feel right. Heenan says Missy was simply supporting champions. The final image of the night is Missy Hyatt raising the arms of the Steiner Brothers while the Road Warriors stare holes through all three of them from the ring. Something has changed. Fade to black.

Got some time to edit and publish book #2 of the Honest Violence Novels. This is a direct sequel to Blood for Silver that I published back in December. https://amzn.to/4vvdfeQ 28 Days to Die Book Two of the Honest Violence Novels Bounty hunter Clinton Briggs has survived war, outlaws, and a lifetime of bad decisions. But when a deadly debt leaves him owing $1,500 in just twenty-eight days, he finds himself trapped in a race he cannot afford to lose. With nothing but his rifle, his horse, and a ledger counting down to his death, Briggs rides across the American frontier hunting wanted men for their rewards. Every bounty buys another sunrise. Every delay brings the deadline closer. Snow-covered mountains, army forts, gambling halls, and lawless towns become stations on a desperate journey where violence is currency and time is the one thing money cannot purchase. As the days disappear, wounds deepen, alliances shift, and the line between justice and survival begins to vanish. To stay alive, Briggs must ask himself how much of his soul he is willing to spend to pay a debt that may never truly be settled. 28 Days to Die is a gripping literary western thriller about debt, desperation, and the brutal mathematics of survival. The second novel in the Honest Violence series, it explores what becomes of a man when every sunrise may be his last and every choice carries a price.

This was a really good go-home show because it made WrestleRock feel like a huge event from top to bottom. The celebrity appearances gave it a big-time feel, and the Carlos Colon training video was excellent because it made him look like a hero representing all of Puerto Rico, while Kokina looked like an absolute monster destroying everyone in his path. Hogan and Gerry Morrow remain one of the hottest feuds in the company and the visuals of Morrow celebrating with champagne and Hogan shaking the cage were memorable. Warrior and Kerry Von Erich made their match feel important without needing hatred, and the tag division continues to be one of the strengths of the AWA with several different feuds and stipulations that all feel unique. The returns of Muraco and Matt Borne added some surprises, and the six-man brawl gave fans a taste of the chaos to come at WrestleRock. By the end of the show, there were multiple matches that felt like must-sees, which is exactly what you want heading into a major event.

World Championship Wrestling Weekend of June 13, 1991 Jim Ross and Bobby Heenan welcome fans to World Championship Wrestling only one night removed from Clash of the Champions. Ross calls it one of the most eventful nights in company history, pointing to the crowning of new World Tag Team Champions, the implosion of Doom, the return of The Great Muta, and the Dangerous Alliance making it clear that Sting is now their primary target. Heenan says Ross forgot one thing—the Dangerous Alliance isn't going away. They're just getting started. Tony Schiavone opens the show standing with the new WCW World Tag Team Champions, Rick and Scott Steiner. Rick says last night was everything they came back for. Scott says they promised everyone they weren't coming back from Japan to wait in line. They came back to become champions. Rick puts over Doom and the Road Warriors, calling both teams among the toughest they have ever stepped into the ring with. Scott says winning the titles means something because of who they beat. Suddenly, The Walking Riot Missy Hyatt steps onto the set. The crowd erupts. The Steiners look surprised. Missy congratulates them and says she knew they could do it. She says everybody in WCW is talking about the Steiner Brothers and they should be. They're the World Tag Team Champions. Then Missy casually places herself between the brothers and begins speaking almost as if she represents them. Before the interview can continue, The Road Warriors walk out. Animal says they didn't lose last night. Hawk says if the Steiners are champions, then they owe the Road Warriors a title match. Missy immediately answers. "Accepted." The Steiners look at one another. Missy smiles. Ross is stunned. Heenan laughs. Next week: The Steiner Brothers vs The Road Warriors for the WCW World Tag Team Championship. Sid Vicious destroys two local competitors in a handicap match. The match lasts only moments. Sid powerbombs the first man. Then the second. Then he powerbombs the first man again. The crowd begins to boo heavily. Harley Race smiles. Sid drags one man back to his feet and delivers another powerbomb. Medical personnel rush toward ringside. Sid shoves them away. The injured wrestlers are eventually rolled onto stretchers and wheeled out of the arena. Jim Ross says the Stretcher Tour has returned. Heenan simply says that's what happens when a man has something to prove. Eric Bischoff catches up with Lex Luger. Luger says he watched everything. He watched Sid try to end careers. He watched him smile while people were wheeled away. He says six months ago he was one of those people. Luger says Sid's tour is eventually going to end. Because sooner or later, he's getting his hands on him. And when he does, Sid won't need a stretcher. He'll need a miracle. Flyin Brian defeats Mike Thorpe in a fast-paced Television Championship showcase. Brian looks sharp and energetic, building momentum after successfully defending the title at Clash. Afterward, Larry Zbyszko appears. Larry says Brian is fortunate. Twice. But every young champion eventually makes one mistake. Larry promises he'll be there when it happens. The Great Muta defeats Carl Adams in his first singles match back in WCW. The crowd is fully behind him, and every kick and chop receives a reaction. Muta wins decisively and celebrates briefly. Tony Schiavone attempts to get a word with Muta and Ricky Steamboat afterward. Steamboat says last night was only the beginning. He says Rick Rude and Arn Anderson made the mistake of creating another enemy. Muta simply smiles. Then slowly runs his thumb across his throat. Curt Hennig defeats Tommy Burke in a confident, polished performance. The United States Champion never appears threatened and keeps complete control throughout. After the match, Hennig says Dustin Rhodes had his opportunity. And he failed. Now it's time for him to go back to being just another kid living off his father's name. Dustin Rhodes defeats Steve Carter in convincing fashion later in the evening. Dustin wrestles with more aggression than usual and looks determined to keep climbing despite his loss at Clash. Tony Schiavone is standing by with Ron Simmons. Simmons says he isn't here to make excuses. The Steiners beat them. The better team won. Then his expression changes. But Butch Reed? That's another matter entirely. Simmons says Reed made mistake after mistake and cost them everything. He says next week, he wants Butch Reed in the ring. Face to face. Ross immediately wonders if Doom are officially finished. Main Event Sting, Ricky Steamboat & Flyin Brian vs Arn Anderson, Larry Zbyszko & Curt Hennig The main event feels like a continuation of the war that has been brewing for months. Larry and Brian immediately resume their rivalry. Steamboat and Arn pick up right where they left off. But the most interesting moments come when Sting and Curt Hennig finally find themselves in the ring together. The crowd comes alive. The two men exchange holds and counters, and for a brief moment it feels like the next great championship rivalry may already be taking shape. Then everything breaks down. Scott Hall suddenly storms to ringside. He enters the ring. The referee immediately calls for the bell. Disqualification. The Dangerous Alliance begin surrounding the babyfaces. Then Rick Rude slides into the ring. Chaos erupts. Sting and Hall begin brawling. Steamboat goes after Rude. Pillman and Larry spill outside. Bodies are everywhere. Then— Rude catches Sting from behind on the floor. RUDE AWAKENING. The arena gasps. Sting is laid out on the concrete. The Dangerous Alliance slowly back away. Hall stands over the fallen World Champion. Paul E joins him, smiling. Ross is furious. Heenan is ecstatic. The final image of the night is Scott Hall staring down at Sting while the Dangerous Alliance leave together, knowing they have finally drawn first blood in their war against the WCW World Heavyweight Champion. Fade to black.

CLASH OF THE CHAMPIONS Thursday, June 12, 1991 Jim Ross and Bobby Heenan welcome fans to Clash of the Champions, calling it one of the most stacked cards in WCW history. Ross says championships, careers, and rivalries will all take major turns tonight, while Heenan argues that by the end of the evening, the Dangerous Alliance may have more power than ever before. International Championship Genichiro Tenryu (c) vs Savio Vega The opening match introduces WCW to Genichiro Tenryu in impressive fashion. Savio Vega is energetic and game, using his speed to briefly frustrate the champion, but the story of the match is Tenryu's aura and physicality. Every chop sounds like a gunshot, and every strike seems to carry extra weight. Savio refuses to quit and even mounts a short comeback, but Tenryu cuts him off with a vicious lariat before finishing him clean. After the match, Alexandra York joins him in the ring. She says York International did not come to WCW to participate. They came to dominate. Tonight is simply the first example of what superior talent and superior intelligence can accomplish. Tenryu raises the International Championship as York looks directly into the camera. Eric Bischoff is standing by with Lex Luger. Luger says for six months he sat at home and replayed one moment over and over again—Sid Vicious powerbombing him through a table and trying to end his career. He says tonight is not about championships. It is about proving to himself that he can still fight and proving to Sid that he failed. Kama is simply standing in the way of something much bigger. Television Championship Flyin Brian (c) vs Larry Zbyszko This is a classic clash of styles. Flyin Brian keeps the pace moving and uses his speed to frustrate Larry throughout the match. Larry continually slows things down, uses veteran tricks, and repeatedly targets Brian's shoulder and neck. Several times it appears Larry is on the verge of stealing the championship, but Brian's athleticism ultimately proves too much. In the closing moments, Brian catches Larry out of position and scores the clean victory. Flyin Brian retains the Television Championship. Larry sits in the corner afterward, frustrated and furious, while Brian celebrates with the title. Tony Schiavone is standing by with Sting. Sting says tonight is exactly what the event is called—a clash of the champion and the number one contender. Scott Hall earned this opportunity. He fought for it. He deserves it. But tonight, he steps into the ring with the WCW World Heavyweight Champion. Sting says Hall can bring the Dangerous Alliance with him if he wants. He'll bring the championship. And that's all he needs. Lex Luger vs Kama Luger's first match back receives a tremendous reaction. Kama attacks aggressively from the opening bell and targets Luger's back and ribs, trying to exploit any lingering effects of the injury. Luger fights through it. Every punch seems personal. Every clothesline seems to carry six months of frustration. The crowd erupts when Luger finally builds momentum and powers Kama into the Torture Rack. Kama has nowhere to go. He submits. Lex Luger wins. As Luger celebrates, Sid Vicious appears at the entrance. The crowd roars. Luger immediately locks eyes with him. Sid starts forward. Harley Race gets in front of him. The fight almost happens. Almost. Luger points directly at Sid. Sid simply smirks. The issue is far from over. United States Championship Curt Hennig (c) vs Dustin Rhodes Dustin Rhodes wrestles the best match of his young career. He survives everything Hennig throws at him and repeatedly forces the champion to dig deeper than expected. The crowd gradually gets behind him, sensing an upset. Dustin nearly wins after a powerslam. Then again after a sunset flip. Hennig barely survives. Finally, experience wins out. Dustin makes one mistake, and Hennig immediately capitalizes, scoring the pinfall and retaining the United States Championship. After the match, Hennig offers Dustin a sarcastic handshake. Dustin looks at him. Then turns and walks away. The crowd applauds him as he leaves. He lost. But tonight proved he belongs. Eric Bischoff is standing by with the Steiner Brothers. Rick says everybody in WCW keeps talking about Doom and the Road Warriors. Scott says they're tired of hearing it. They didn't come back from Japan to be contenders. They came back to become champions. Rick says tonight isn't just another title match. Tonight is their night. Undertaker vs Jim Neidhart Jim Neidhart gives Undertaker more resistance than most of his recent opponents. He fights aggressively and uses his power to stagger the big man several times. Undertaker absorbs everything. Then the atmosphere changes. A massive chokeslam shakes the ring. Moments later, the Tombstone ends it. The Undertaker wins. Paul Bearer raises the urn and says another soul has been claimed. Undertaker never once acknowledges the crowd. Special Attraction Tag Team Match Ricky Steamboat & Mystery Partner vs Rick Rude & Arn Anderson Rick Rude and Arn Anderson enter laughing. Paul E says nobody answered Ricky Steamboat's call. Steamboat walks out alone. The crowd buzzes. Then— The Great Muta's music hits. The building explodes. Muta slowly walks to the ring beside Steamboat while Rude and Arn look stunned. The match itself is excellent. Arn controls the pace, Rude uses every shortcut possible, and Steamboat and Muta provide constant energy and unpredictability. In the closing moments, Steamboat sends Rude to the floor. Arn turns— Mist. Muta rolls him up. One. Two. Three. Muta pins Arn Anderson. The crowd erupts. Steamboat and Muta stand tall together while Paul E looks absolutely furious. Rude pulls Arn from the ring as he stares at Muta. A new rivalry has just been born. WCW World Heavyweight Championship Sting (c) vs Scott Hall This is the biggest match of Scott Hall's career, and he wrestles like it. The Dangerous Alliance accompanies him to ringside and creates constant pressure. Hall controls long stretches of the match and several times appears to be on the verge of an upset. He uses his size and strength effectively and pushes Sting harder than anyone expected. The crowd steadily rallies behind the champion. Sting refuses to stay down. Finally, after surviving everything Hall can throw at him, Sting catches him and scores the victory. Sting retains the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. As Sting celebrates, the Dangerous Alliance enters the ring. The numbers become obvious. Then— Ricky Steamboat. Muta. Dustin Rhodes. Flyin Brian. All walk onto the stage. No fight breaks out. No words are exchanged. Just a visual. The sides have been drawn. A war is coming. Eric Bischoff catches Paul E Dangerously backstage immediately afterward. Paul is furious. He says tonight is a night the Dangerous Alliance will never forget. The sides have finally been set. Everyone now knows exactly where they stand. Then Paul looks directly into the camera. "But now, Sting… there is but one target. And that is you." He points toward the ring. "Come hell or high water, the Dangerous Alliance is going to end your career once and for all." Paul walks away with the Alliance following behind him. Main Event WCW World Tag Team Championship Doom (c) vs Road Warriors vs Steiner Brothers The match feels enormous from the opening bell. All three teams look capable of winning. The Road Warriors fight with desperation. Doom fight with pride. The Steiner Brothers wrestle with the confidence of men who know their moment has arrived. Late in the match, Hawk and Animal appear ready to finish Butch Reed. Ron Simmons breaks it up. Chaos erupts. Bodies begin flying everywhere. The Road Warriors spill outside with Simmons. Reed staggers back to his feet. Scott makes a blind tag. Rick explodes with a Steinerline. Scott launches off the ropes. Steinerizer. One. Two. Three. The building explodes. The Steiner Brothers are the new WCW World Tag Team Champions. Rick and Scott embrace as the crowd roars. Then everything changes. Ron Simmons is furious. He turns toward Butch Reed. Reed tries explaining himself. Simmons shoves him. Reed shoves back. Simmons drills him with a right hand. The crowd erupts again. Officials and Teddy Long rush the ring as Doom finally implodes. The Road Warriors watch from ringside, staring at the new champions. The Steiner Brothers climb opposite turnbuckles and raise the World Tag Team Titles high above their heads. Then the camera catches something unexpected. Missy Hyatt has entered the ring. The Walking Riot is all smiles. She applauds the new champions and wraps her arms around both men. Rick laughs. Scott looks almost embarrassed. Then Missy turns, grabs Scott by the face, and plants a kiss on his cheek. The crowd erupts. Rick can't stop laughing. Scott's eyes go wide. Missy smiles and applauds the new champions. The camera slowly pulls back. The Steiner Brothers stand tall with the championships. Doom are being restrained. The Road Warriors continue watching. Missy stands beside the new champions. Fade to black.

World Championship Wrestling Weekend of June 6, 1991 Jim Ross and Bobby Heenan open the broadcast by reminding viewers that Clash of the Champions is just days away. Ross calls it one of the strongest cards WCW has ever presented on television, while Heenan insists the Dangerous Alliance is preparing to leave with even more power than they already possess. Scott Hall opens the wrestling portion of the show against Mike Stanton. The entire Dangerous Alliance accompanies Hall to ringside, creating an intimidating atmosphere before the opening bell. Hall methodically dismantles Stanton, never appearing rushed or threatened. Hennig, Rude, Arn, Larry, and Paul E applaud throughout the match as Hall finishes things with the Razor's Edge. Afterward, Paul E says Hall was the first piece of the puzzle. First came Hall. Then came Hennig. Then Rude. Then Arn. Then Larry. He says every great empire begins with a scout, and at Clash, Scott Hall will bring the WCW World Heavyweight Championship into the Dangerous Alliance. Tony Schiavone is then joined by Sting. Sting says Scott Hall deserves respect because he earned his opportunity. That's exactly why he's preparing for the toughest fight possible. Sting says Hall isn't facing a man protecting a championship. He's facing the WCW World Champion. At Clash, it won't be about factions or numbers. It'll be about who the better man is when the bell rings. Later, Tony Schiavone welcomes Ricky Steamboat to the interview area. Steamboat says for months the Dangerous Alliance has grown stronger because nobody has stood up to them together. He says he sent word everywhere looking for someone willing to stand beside him. Someone willing to fight. Paul E immediately appears with Arn Anderson and Rick Rude. Paul says he's heard the stories. He heard Steamboat was planning on bringing Nikita Koloff, but apparently there may be some visa problems. Arn laughs. Rude laughs. Paul asks the obvious question. "Did anybody answer?" Steamboat smiles. "You'll find out at Clash." And then he walks away. Larry Zbyszko defeats Johnny Ace in one of his better television performances in recent weeks. Ace keeps the pace moving early, but Larry constantly slows the match down and forces him into mistakes. Larry secures the victory and immediately asks for a microphone. He says Flyin Brian has talent, speed, and athletic ability. What he doesn't have is experience. At Clash, Larry says experience wins championships. Eric Bischoff then interviews Flyin Brian. Brian says Larry keeps talking about experience because it's the only advantage he has left. At Clash, Larry will discover he can't slow down somebody he can't catch. Dustin Rhodes defeats Kevin Adams in convincing fashion. Dustin wrestles with intensity throughout, knowing the biggest opportunity of his career is only days away. After the match, Curt Hennig joins Eric Bischoff. Hennig says Dustin has all the talent in the world, but talent isn't enough. He says Dustin spent his entire life benefiting from being Dusty Rhodes' son. At Clash, Dustin steps into the ring without his father beside him. Hennig says that's when reality finally catches up. The Road Warriors cut a pre-taped interview focused entirely on the WCW World Tag Team Championship. Hawk says everybody keeps talking about Doom and the Steiner Brothers while forgetting who made tag team wrestling important in the first place. Animal says the belts are coming home. The Steiner Brothers defeat The State Patrol in dominant fashion. Rick and Scott look explosive from the opening bell, throwing the Patrol around with ease and never letting them establish control. After the match, Tony Schiavone enters the ring to interview the Steiners. Before he can ask a question, Missy Hyatt joins them. The crowd responds immediately. Missy says everybody in WCW wants to talk about Doom. Everybody wants to talk about the Road Warriors. But the smartest people in wrestling already know who the future is. The Steiner Brothers. Rick grins. Scott looks slightly uncomfortable. Missy says that at Clash, the Steiners aren't walking in as contenders. They're walking in as the best tag team in wrestling. The visual gets over exactly what it needs to. Later in the show, Doom appear with Teddy Long. Simmons says they have listened to enough predictions and enough opinions. Reed says the champions are still the champions. Teddy promises that after Clash, everybody will remember exactly who runs the tag division. Alexandra York appears alongside Genichiro Tenryu in a luxury suite overlooking the arena. York says York International did not come to WCW to participate. They came to dominate. She formally announces that at Clash of the Champions, Tenryu will face Savio Vega. York says Vega is simply the first example of what happens when international excellence meets ordinary competition. Tenryu slowly displays the International Championship around his waist while York promises this is only the beginning. The Undertaker defeats Chris Dalton in another eerie showcase. Dalton briefly attempts to use speed and movement, but the moment Undertaker takes control the match is effectively over. A chokeslam is followed by the Tombstone, and the atmosphere changes completely. After the match, Paul Bearer says Jim Neidhart continues to prepare for a wrestling match when he should be preparing for a funeral. Jim Neidhart later joins Tony Schiavone. Anvil says he's heard enough threats and enough ghost stories. He says he's fought monsters before and he'll fight another one at Clash. He promises that Undertaker will find out exactly how hard the Anvil hits. Main Event Owen Hart & Davey Boy Smith vs Mr. Hughes & Kama The main event is physical from the opening bell. Hughes uses his size advantage effectively while Kama brings aggression and power. Owen spends much of the match fighting from underneath before finally reaching Davey Boy, who changes the momentum completely. The babyfaces rally and eventually score the victory after a strong closing sequence. The celebration is short-lived. Haku storms to ringside. The numbers begin to shift. Meng appears. Then Sid Vicious steps onto the stage with Harley Race. The crowd erupts. Before anything can happen, Lex Luger's music hits. The reaction is even louder. Luger storms to ringside and stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Owen and Davey. Sid immediately starts forward. Harley grabs him. Meng grabs him. Hughes grabs him. The fight almost happens. Almost. Luger and Sid lock eyes as the crowd roars. Ross closes the show by saying that sooner or later these two men are going to collide, and when they do, WCW may never be the same. The final image is Sid Vicious and Lex Luger staring each other down as Clash of the Champions looms just days away.

World Championship Wrestling Weekend of May 30, 1991 Jim Ross and Bobby Heenan open the broadcast by making it clear that Clash of the Champions is shaping up to be one of the biggest television events WCW has ever presented. Ross runs through the stakes already forming across the company, pointing to Sting’s first World Title defense, the complete instability in the tag division, Lex Luger’s return to action, and the growing influence of the Dangerous Alliance. Heenan says WCW keeps calling it competition, but what he sees is a company getting carved up by smarter men. Tony Schiavone opens the first major segment standing with Sting, Dustin Rhodes, Ricky Steamboat, and Flyin Brian. Schiavone points out that over the past several weeks, this group has become an unlikely but increasingly united front against the Dangerous Alliance. Dustin speaks first, saying Curt Hennig has spent weeks treating him like a kid and talking down to him, but at Clash he gets his United States Title shot and plans to make the most of it. He shifts immediately to Rick Rude, saying Dusty Rhodes may be gone, but he’s still standing, and somebody has to start tearing apart the Dangerous Alliance piece by piece. Flyin Brian says Larry Zbyszko has spent enough time lurking around his Television Championship and now gets his chance. Steamboat says Arn Anderson and Rick Rude made the mistake of assuming they could dictate terms. Finally, Sting steps forward and says Scott Hall wanted the World Champion’s attention, and now he has it. At Clash, Hall gets exactly what he asked for. Later in the show, Jesse Ventura joins Ross and Heenan at the broadcast position for a major announcement. Ventura says the WCW tag division has become impossible to manage. Doom insist they are the dominant champions. The Road Warriors believe the belts already belong to them. The Steiner Brothers came back from Japan and immediately made it clear they are not waiting in line. So at Clash of the Champions, the WCW World Tag Team Championship will be decided in a Triple Threat match between Doom, The Road Warriors, and The Steiner Brothers. Ross immediately sells it as one of the biggest tag matches in company history. That brings Teddy Long, Doom, The Road Warriors, and The Steiner Brothers into the interview area. Teddy says Doom built this division and everybody else is chasing them. Hawk says Doom built excuses. Animal says those belts are finally coming home. Rick Steiner says everybody in WCW loves to talk. Scott says at Clash the talking ends. The tension is immediate and thick, but nobody throws a punch. The visual alone sells the match. Curt Hennig defeats Tom Carson in a polished showcase, controlling the match from start to finish with effortless confidence. Paul E Dangerously joins commentary and spends the entire match mocking Dustin Rhodes, saying Dustin is confusing ambition with belonging. Hennig wins clean and never looks rushed. Afterward Eric Bischoff catches Hennig and Paul E at ringside. Hennig says Dustin Rhodes is getting the biggest opportunity of his life, and Paul says the tragedy is that he’s going to waste it. Flyin Brian defends the Television Championship against Rick Nelson in a fast-paced title match that lets Brian do exactly what he does best. Nelson gets enough offense to make the match competitive, but Brian never loses control for long and finishes him decisively. After the match, Tony Schiavone interviews Larry Zbyszko. Larry says Brian is exciting and athletic, but championships are not won by enthusiasm. They’re won by experience, discipline, and intelligence. At Clash, Larry says the Television Championship becomes his. Jim Neidhart defeats Mike Masters in a straightforward power showcase, bullying him around the ring and finishing decisively. As Neidhart celebrates, the atmosphere in the building suddenly shifts. The Undertaker appears silently in the aisle with Paul Bearer. Neidhart turns and stares him down, stepping forward and looking him over. Undertaker never reacts. Bearer slowly raises the urn and says some men spend their lives believing they understand power, only to discover too late that they understand nothing at all. Undertaker slowly turns and walks away, leaving Neidhart visibly unsettled. Ricky Morton and Michael Hayes defend the United States Tag Team Titles against Carl Stone and Jeff Harper in another increasingly strange title defense. Morton wrestles straight and tries repeatedly to establish some sense of trust with Hayes, while Hayes remains impossible to read. Several times it looks like Hayes may simply abandon Morton, only to step back in at the exact right moment. They retain the championships, and afterward Morton extends his hand in a genuine show of trust. Hayes almost accepts. Then slowly backs away with a smirk. Morton looks frustrated. Hayes looks completely amused. Mr. Hughes, Kama, and Meng destroy a trio of local opponents in violent fashion, overwhelming them from the opening bell. Harley Race watches from ringside, clearly pleased with the destruction. Afterward Eric Bischoff interviews Harley and Sid Vicious. Harley says Lex Luger can talk about revenge all he wants, but at Clash he steps into the ring with Kama first. Sid says very little, simply staring into the camera and saying Luger came back for the wrong reason. Tony Schiavone then attempts to get a word with Alexandra York in a luxury suite, only to be physically stopped by Genichiro Tenryu before he can get close. York smiles and says Schiavone is asking the wrong question. The question is not why York International is here. The question is why WCW wasn’t prepared for them. She announces that York International has signed an exclusive agreement with WCW to bring international talent into the company. Not ordinary talent. Superior talent. She says wrestling has entered a new era where intelligence, preparation, and technology are just as valuable as physical power. At Clash of the Champions, Genichiro Tenryu will make his WCW in-ring debut. Tenryu slowly unzips his jacket, revealing the International Championship around his waist. Ross is stunned at the sight of the title while York calmly says Tenryu will defend it against anyone. Rick Rude defeats Danny Cramer in dominant fashion, never giving him much of an opening. After the match, Tony Schiavone interviews Paul E Dangerously and Rick Rude. Paul says he heard Ricky Steamboat had plans to bring Nikita Koloff as his partner at Clash, but unfortunately he hears there may be some visa complications. Rude smirks at the suggestion. Moments later Steamboat appears, and Schiavone asks if there’s any truth to the rumor. Steamboat simply smiles and says they’ll find out at Clash. The main event sees Sting, Flyin Brian, and Dustin Rhodes take on The Mountie and The Border Patrol in a strong television six-man match. The babyfaces control the energy from the start, with Brian bringing speed, Dustin bringing intensity, and Sting bringing the star power every time he enters. The match is competitive enough to matter, but the result is never seriously in doubt, and the babyfaces pick up the clean victory. Then the Dangerous Alliance appear. Scott Hall, Curt Hennig, Arn Anderson, Larry Zbyszko, Rick Rude, and Paul E slowly make their way toward ringside. The babyfaces stand ready. Then Ricky Steamboat walks out and joins them. No fight breaks out. No chaos. Just a visual. Two sides staring each other down. Ross closes the show by saying Clash of the Champions cannot come fast enough.

World Championship Wrestling Weekend of May 23, 1991 Jim Ross and Bobby Heenan open the show by emphasizing that WCW is changing faster than anyone can control. Ross points to Sting’s championship reign beginning under immediate pressure, the Dangerous Alliance tightening its grip, Lex Luger’s return, and the growing chaos in the tag division. Heenan says Ross is finally starting to understand that dangerous men tend to organize better than heroes. Lex Luger opens the show in the ring for his first live appearance since SuperBrawl. He says last week was about making it clear he was back. This week is about making something else clear. Sid Vicious does not scare him. Luger says Sid tried to end his career after Starrcade, and now he gets to live with the fact that Luger came back anyway. He says Harley Race can keep surrounding Sid with hired muscle, but eventually none of them will matter because Sid will have to stand in the ring with him alone. Harley Race appears at the entrance with Sid, Meng, Mr. Hughes, and Kama. Harley says Luger talks big for a man who hasn’t wrestled in months. Sid steps forward and simply tells him to keep talking while he still can. Ventura appears and says if Luger wants his revenge, he’ll have to earn it the hard way. Harley’s men will get their shots first. The message is clear. Luger vs Sid is coming. But not yet. The Dangerous Alliance come to the ring in full force. Paul E says everyone in WCW keeps pretending the company belongs to Sting because he holds one championship. Paul reminds everyone his group holds the real power. Curt Hennig holds the United States Championship. Arn Anderson and Larry Zbyszko are climbing. Rick Rude is still standing after ending Dusty Rhodes. Scott Hall is coming for the World Title. Dustin Rhodes interrupts. Still taped up. Still angry. He says Hennig can keep talking. At Clash, he’s taking the title. Hennig smirks and tells Dustin he’ll never be more than Dusty’s kid. That gets heat immediately. Dustin Rhodes defeats Bob Cook in a strong singles match, wrestling with urgency and aggression throughout. Hennig and Paul E remain at ringside watching the entire time. Dustin wins decisively, then stares directly at Hennig afterward while the champion slowly applauds with a smug smile. Rick Rude defeats Donnie Rich in a physical showcase, controlling most of the match with confidence and arrogance. Rich gets brief moments of offense, but Rude never truly looks threatened. He finishes the match clean, then grabs a microphone afterward and says everyone wants to know what’s next for Ravishing Rick Rude. He answers it himself. Ricky Steamboat. Rude says Steamboat got lucky surviving one war. He won’t survive another. The Road Warriors destroy a lower-card team in brutal fashion, overwhelming them in short order. Their post-match promo is short and intense. Hawk says Doom keeps surviving on borrowed time. Animal says the belts are coming home. Doom defeat another team later in the show, but the tension between Ron Simmons and Butch Reed is impossible to ignore. A mistimed collision nearly costs them momentum, and Simmons visibly loses his temper afterward before Teddy Long gets between them. Reed insists it was another accident. Simmons doesn’t look convinced. The Steiner Brothers dominate in their own showcase match, looking every bit like the most dangerous pure wrestling team in the company. Ross reminds viewers again that these are former IWGP Tag Team Champions, not rookies finding their footing. As the Steiners celebrate, the camera briefly cuts to a luxury suite. Alexandra York is seated calmly. Beside her stands Genichiro Tenryu. Watching. No explanation is offered. Heenan quietly says his contacts in Japan tell him Alexandra York is a very powerful woman. Then the camera cuts away. The Undertaker defeats another credible opponent in a short but eerie squash. The match is competitive only briefly before Undertaker absorbs punishment, sits upright, and takes complete control. Tombstone. Done. Paul Bearer says there are many men in WCW who believe themselves powerful. But none of them have stared into true darkness. Mr. Hughes, Kama, and Meng destroy a trio of opponents in a dominant six-man squash. The match exists entirely to reinforce Harley Race’s army as a dangerous force surrounding Sid. Ricky Morton and Michael Hayes defend the United States Tag Team Titles against The Orient Express in one of the more compelling matches on the show. The tension between Morton and Hayes continues to build, and several times Hayes looks like he may finally abandon his partner. Morton never fully trusts him. The Orient Express capitalize on the dysfunction repeatedly, but when the pressure builds, Hayes unexpectedly stays in the fight. Morton and Hayes manage to survive and retain, though the alliance looks shakier than ever. This isn’t over. Flyin Brian joins Sting backstage before the main event, saying Larry Zbyszko has spent enough time lurking around the Television Championship without stepping into the ring. Sting says Scott Hall wants the World Title? Then tonight he can come try and take it. Main Event Sting & Flyin Brian vs Arn Anderson & Larry Zbyszko This is an excellent main event built around contrast. Sting brings explosive energy, Brian keeps the pace flying, while Arn and Larry slow everything down with veteran control and constant shortcuts. Larry and Brian have strong exchanges throughout, teasing the Television Title issue, while Arn repeatedly works to keep Sting grounded. Late in the match, momentum swings toward the babyfaces. That’s when Scott Hall appears. Hall walks to ringside slowly, creating immediate distraction. Sting takes notice. Arn capitalizes. Chaos follows as the match begins breaking down. Sting and Hall eventually collide at ringside while Brian and Larry continue battling in the ring. The finish comes in the confusion, with no clean resolution as officials rush down trying to restore order. The final image is Scott Hall standing face to face with Sting while Larry Zbyszko points toward Flyin Brian’s Television Championship. Ross closes the show saying WCW isn’t getting calmer. It’s getting worse.

Now this is where the territory starts feeling real. This TV show did something critical: It gave the promotion a destination. Before this, Georgia felt hot. Now Georgia has a money match pathway to the Omni. That is a major upgrade. 📺 NWA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING Air Date: 5/14/83 WTBS Studios — Atlanta Capacity: 500 Expected: 300 Projected actual: 475-500 This is your hottest TV yet. 🎟️ BUSINESS IMPACT This episode directly sells: ✔ Savannah ✔ Augusta ✔ The Omni That’s exactly what TV should do. Not random wrestling. Not isolated promos. Business generation. THE BIG MOVE Augusta becomes a qualifier for the Omni Wahoo vs Rocky National Championship Winner gets Flair This is excellent territory logic. Why it works: raises Augusta from “just another house show” gives fans urgency makes the National title matter protects Flair from weekly overexposure makes the Omni feel earned That’s smart booking. 🔥 SEGMENT-BY-SEGMENT Ric Flair opening promo Excellent. Flair feels like the true center of the promotion. Most importantly: He’s SELLING TOWNS. That’s old-school gold. The Augusta focus was smart. You made that town matter. Grade: A Pez Whatley & Norvell Austin vs The Medics Good utility segment. Also nice little roster correction because Pez needed backup against Borne/Anderson heat. Norvell is a smart fit here. This gives you: a potential babyface tag team fresh undercard options better roster structure Nothing flashy. But smart. Grade: B+ Bad News Brown squash w/ Cornette Okay NOW we’re talking. It’s official. Cornette has Allen. That is a meaningful development. Current stable: One Man Gang Bad News Brown That’s a nasty heel foundation. Grade: A- Rocky Johnson interview This is where things get interesting. The first half? Strong. Rocky chasing Wahoo? Perfect. Close but never quite there? Excellent babyface framing. The line: "that wily injun" VERY 1983? Yes. Would that absolutely be said in territory wrestling then? Also yes. Does it fit Rocky as a fired-up babyface challenger in that era? Honestly... yes. Not endorsing it—just grading authenticity. BUT— This line: "first black NWA World Heavyweight Champion" THAT is money. That gives Rocky real stakes. That adds historical weight. That makes fans care. Excellent. Grade: A Buzz Sawyer destroys jobbers YES. Perfect use of Buzz. Do NOT overtalk Buzz. Do NOT make him polished. Make him dangerous. This tells viewers: Buzz doesn’t care about wrestling. He wants violence. Exactly right. Grade: A Brad Armstrong wins Good consistency. Quietly building him. He’s becoming your dependable honest babyface. Grade: B+ Wahoo interview Very strong. This is EXACTLY how Wahoo should sound. Key strengths: pride anger resentment championship entitlement The "committee stacking the deck" line works beautifully. That adds realism. Only note: Calling Rocky "Soul-shuffling fool" is fantastic heel-ish edge. Which raises the central question: Is Wahoo still your babyface? Because this is starting to smell like a heel turn. Not bad— just something to define. Grade: A Main Event Wahoo squashes Keith Larson Correct booking. You needed Wahoo to look strong before Augusta. No nonsense. No drama. Win and go home. Grade: B+ 🔥 CROWD HEAT HOTTEST ACTS 🔥 Ric Flair Still the king. 🔥 Wahoo Promo got him hotter. 🔥 Rocky Biggest beneficiary tonight. This was arguably his breakout episode. 🔥 Buzz Sawyer Wild card chaos is working. 🔥 Cornette stable Now becoming real. 📈 ROSTER MOVEMENT 🔼 RISING FAST Rocky Johnson Wahoo McDaniel Buzz Sawyer Bad News Brown One Man Gang Cornette STEADY Ric Flair Brad Armstrong Pez NEEDS SCREEN TIME Buddy Landell Tommy Rich Matt Borne Gene Anderson Tommy/Buzz got a week off storywise, which is fine—but don’t let it cool. BUSINESS PROJECTIONS Savannah Baseline: 3,900 Projected: 4,800–5,400 Augusta Baseline: 3,600 With title stakes + Flair implications: Projected: 5,500–6,000 Potential sellout if angle catches fire. That’s a huge jump. MONEY MATCH TRACKER Protected: ✔ Flair vs Wahoo ✔ Flair vs Rocky ✔ Buzz/Tommy ✔ Gang vs top babyface Created: 🔥 Wahoo vs Rocky (Augusta qualifier) Excellent. TERRITORY HEALTH STATUS: 🟢 HOT This is your strongest business week so far. Because now: the audience understands where things are going. That changes everything. ONLY CAUTION You’re starting to skew HEEL HEAVY. Cornette Gang Bad News Buzz possibly Wahoo edge Make sure: Brad Rocky Tommy Pez eventually Flair’s opponent keep the balance. SHOW GRADE Category Grade Business Impact A+ Crowd Heat A Promo Logic A Match Utility B+ Territory Direction A+ FINAL: 9.3 / 10 Best booking move? Making Augusta matter. That’s how you turn house shows into business.

World Championship Wrestling Weekend of May 16, 1991 Jim Ross and Bobby Heenan open the broadcast still buzzing from SuperBrawl, with Ross calling it one of the most important nights in recent WCW history. Sting is the new World Champion, Lex Luger has returned, Big Van Vader has arrived, and the tag division looks ready to implode. Heenan says all Ross really means is that WCW is more dangerous than ever. Sting opens the show with the WCW World Heavyweight Championship over his shoulder to a thunderous ovation. He keeps it simple, saying he promised he would climb the mountain, and now he’s standing at the top. He says this championship belongs to WCW and he intends to be the kind of champion who fights anyone, anytime. That brings out Harley Race, flanked by Sid Vicious, Meng, Mr. Hughes, and Kama. Harley says Sting isn’t champion because he was the better man. He’s champion because Lex Luger stole the match. Sid steps forward and says only one thing. “You didn’t beat me.” The crowd reacts immediately. Then Lex Luger’s music hits. Massive reaction. Luger walks to the ring with purpose, no posing, no arrogance—just intensity. He says everybody wants to know where he’s been. He answers it himself. Rehab. Doctors. Physical therapy. Trying to recover after Sid Vicious drove him through a table and tried to end his career after Starrcade. The crowd pops hard. Luger says for months he sat at home watching Sid tear through WCW while Harley Race built an army around him. He watched Sting keep fighting while he was stuck wondering if he’d ever wrestle again. Then came SuperBrawl. He saw Harley Race trying to steal another championship. So he came back. He stares directly at Sid. “You tried to end my career. All you really did was give me a reason.” Huge reaction. Sid steps forward, but Harley holds him back. The Dangerous Alliance hit the ring later in the show with Paul E Dangerously leading Curt Hennig, Rick Rude, Scott Hall, Arn Anderson, and Larry Zbyszko. Paul says while everyone is celebrating Sting, smart people are paying attention to what really happened at SuperBrawl—his alliance got stronger. Hennig retained the United States Title. Rude retired Dusty Rhodes. Arn and Larry destroyed Ricky Steamboat and Dustin Rhodes after their match. Hall handled Marty Jannetty. Paul says the World Title will come in time. But WCW already belongs to them. Dustin Rhodes interrupts. Still bandaged from SuperBrawl. He says he’s tired of hearing Curt Hennig talk about greatness while hiding behind other people. He wants a United States Title match. Hennig laughs and accepts—if Dustin can survive long enough to make it to Clash. That’s official. The Steiner Brothers destroy a local team in short order, looking every bit like world-class killers. Ross reminds everyone these are former IWGP Tag Team Champions, not rookies looking for attention. After the match, Rick says Doom and the Road Warriors can keep tearing each other apart, because eventually the best team in wrestling takes those belts. Doom cut a tense in-ring promo. Teddy Long tries to calm things down, saying what happened at SuperBrawl was chaos, nothing more. Reed agrees. Simmons doesn’t. Simmons says he’s getting tired of “accidents.” That line hangs. The Road Warriors interrupt. Animal says Doom is running out of time. Hawk says next time there won’t be any confusion. Before anything gets physical, the Steiners walk onto the stage. No words. Just stares. The tag division suddenly feels radioactive. Ricky Morton and Michael Hayes defend the United States Tag Team Titles against a lower-card team, but the tension between them is obvious the entire time. Morton tries to wrestle straight while Hayes cuts corners constantly. They retain, but the moment the bell rings Robert Gibson and Jimmy Garvin hit the ring and the whole thing breaks down into another wild brawl. Ventura storms onto the stage furious and says next week this gets settled in a special challenge match. The Undertaker defeats a credible opponent in a short but eerie showcase. The match is competitive for a minute until Undertaker absorbs punishment, sits upright, and completely changes the atmosphere. Tombstone. Done. Paul Bearer says Big Josh was merely the beginning. Flyin Brian retains the Television Championship in a strong mid-show title defense, continuing to build momentum as one of WCW’s most reliable champions. After the match, Larry Zbyszko appears at the entrance, applauding sarcastically. Scott Hall defeats Kendall Windham in a hard-hitting singles match. Hall controls the pace and finishes decisively with the Razor’s Edge. Afterward he tells the camera Sting’s first title reign won’t last long. Main Event Sting, Davey Boy Smith, and Owen Hart vs Meng, Mr. Hughes, and Kama This is physical chaos from the opening bell. Davey and Meng beat the hell out of each other. Hughes uses his size to control long stretches. Owen brings speed every time he gets space. Sting gets the biggest reactions every time he steps into the ring. Late in the match the momentum shifts toward the babyfaces, and that’s when Sid Vicious walks onto the stage. The crowd erupts. Sid slowly walks toward ringside, clearly intending to get involved. Then— Lex Luger’s music hits. Massive reaction. Luger storms out and plants himself between Sid and the ring. The crowd loses it. Sid and Luger stand nose to nose. Inside the ring, the distraction allows Sting to capitalize, finishing the match for the victory. But nobody is looking at the ring anymore. The final image is Lex Luger and Sid Vicious staring each other down while Sting stands behind them holding the WCW World Heavyweight Championship high.

This AWA run is really starting to click for me. The biggest thing is the roster actually feels alive now instead of just “here’s some matches.” Stuff is connecting. Kokina/Canek feels like a legit world title program, Hogan/Morrow has real heat, Tommy Rich turning slimeball works because it actually makes you want to see him get punched, and the Austin Idol/JW Storm/Gary Young stuff might honestly be one of the best things going because there’s actual character development there instead of just random booking. The vignettes are helping a lot too—Bad News coming back, Warrior, Maxx Payne, even the weird Norman thing—it makes the company feel bigger and like things are happening beyond just what’s in the ring. Only real note is just not overloading the board with too many debuts/teases at once because you’ve got a ton of moving pieces right now. But overall this feels like true AWA personality and a reason to tune in each week.

The screen opens in darkness as a low rumble builds underneath the sound of wind, and a voice begins to cut through the silence. For months, the ground has been shifting. Images flash quickly—Sid driving Owen Hart into the mat, a steel cage door slamming shut, Sting staring forward without blinking. Champions have been questioned, with Curt Hennig clutching the United States Title while Ricky Steamboat argues his case and Jesse Ventura steps in to restore order. Rules have been rewritten, and control has slipped away. The pace quickens as the chaos builds. The Road Warriors storm forward while Doom backs away. The Rock N Roll Express land a double dropkick as the Freebirds turn on each other. Rick Rude smirks while Dustin Rhodes is driven to the mat. Scott Hall delivers the Razor’s Edge, and The Undertaker stands over another fallen opponent without emotion. The voice continues as new power has arrived, and the screen fills with the Steiner Brothers standing tall as the crowd erupts around them. The tone shifts again as the narration slows, focusing on the weight of the moment. Old legends fight for one more chance, with Dusty Rhodes raising his fist and Ricky Steamboat locked into battle. Then everything goes quiet. And something is coming. For just a moment, a shadow appears—massive, unmoving—followed by the sound of heavy footsteps before the screen cuts again. The voice returns, lower now, more deliberate. Tonight, the fight becomes real. Sting walks forward with purpose, while Sid Vicious steps into frame, cold and expressionless. The energy builds as the crowd comes into view, rising, reacting, waiting. There are no more questions. No more excuses. The music swells as the final words hit. There is only SuperBrawl. The final images come fast—Sting shouting, Sid delivering a powerbomb, Dusty throwing punches, Rude laughing, a cage door slamming shut, the Road Warriors charging, the Steiner Brothers standing strong, and once again that looming figure stepping forward out of the dark. Everything changes tonight. The WCW SuperBrawl logo crashes onto the screen. WCW SUPERBRAWL I Bayfront Center — Tampa, Florida May 10, 1991 After the opening video finishes, the camera cuts to a packed Bayfront Center as pyro explodes across the stage. Jim Ross welcomes everyone to SuperBrawl while Bobby Heenan says WCW may never look the same after tonight. The crowd is loud before the first match is even introduced, and Ross immediately pushes the idea that every major issue in the company comes to a head tonight. The opening match sees Davey Boy Smith, Owen Hart, and Jim Neidhart take on Haku, Kama, and Mr. Hughes with Harley Race at ringside. The match is physical from the start, with Davey and Haku colliding repeatedly while Owen brings speed into the match whenever he gets room to move. Hughes controls portions of the match through sheer size, but the momentum shifts once Neidhart gets involved and starts throwing bodies around. Harley repeatedly interferes from ringside whenever his team begins losing control, forcing the referee to constantly restore order. The finish comes when Davey powers Kama into the mat and scores the pin while Sting appears briefly at ringside to neutralize Race’s involvement. Ross points out that Sting is already making his presence felt before the world title match later tonight. After the match, Eric Bischoff interviews Ricky Steamboat and Dustin Rhodes backstage. Steamboat says Curt Hennig tried to prove he didn’t belong anymore, but at The Omni he proved he could still survive anything thrown at him. Dustin says Arn Anderson and Larry Zbyszko made the mistake of turning this into something personal. Steamboat finishes by saying tonight is not about revenge—it’s about fighting back. The Steiner Brothers make their WCW pay-per-view debut next against The Orient Express, entering with the IWGP Tag Team Titles around their waists. Ross emphasizes that these are not newcomers to professional wrestling but one of the most respected tag teams in the world returning from Japan. The match is explosive and fast-paced, with Scott Steiner throwing the Express around the ring while Rick controls the pace whenever the match settles. The Orient Express use quick tags and double teams to create openings, but once the Steiners gain momentum the match changes completely. Scott catches one opponent coming off the ropes and launches him overhead with a belly-to-belly suplex that brings the crowd to its feet. Moments later the Steiners finish the match decisively and stand tall afterward while the Road Warriors watch the monitors backstage. Tony Schiavone catches up with the Steiner Brothers afterward. Rick says WCW’s tag division is the best in the world and that’s exactly why they came back. Scott says Doom and the Road Warriors can keep fighting over who runs the division because eventually all roads lead to them. Flyin Brian defends the Television Championship against The Mountie in a fast-paced match built around speed against control. Brian keeps the pace high early, forcing Mountie to constantly react, but Mountie slows the match down whenever he can and repeatedly traps Brian against the ropes. Heenan praises Mountie’s ability to frustrate opponents while Ross points out that Brian refuses to stop moving. In the end Brian escapes a slam attempt, lands a quick dropkick, and finishes the match with a springboard crossbody to retain the title. The United States Tag Team Title situation finally explodes as Jesse Ventura comes to the ring before the next match carrying both championship belts. He says he’s tired of the confusion and tonight there will finally be a defense with no excuses. Ricky Morton and Michael Hayes, the recognized co-champions, will defend the titles against Robert Gibson and Jimmy Garvin. The match is unstable from the opening bell, with Morton and Gibson naturally working together while Hayes and Garvin constantly manipulate the pace behind the referee’s back. As the match continues it becomes increasingly obvious that Hayes and Garvin are functioning like a real team while Morton slowly realizes too late that he’s being used. Late in the match Gibson reaches for a tag, but Hayes cuts Morton off and drills him with a DDT. Garvin immediately superkicks Gibson, and Hayes drags Morton’s body on top of Gibson for the pinfall. Technically, Morton and Hayes retain the titles, but Hayes and Garvin leave laughing while Ventura screams that this entire situation is out of control. Big Van Vader makes his WCW debut next against Kendall Windham, and the atmosphere changes completely the moment the entrance begins. Smoke pours across the entranceway as Vader slowly emerges wearing the massive headpiece and armor while the crowd reacts with a mixture of awe and confusion. Ross says he has heard stories about Vader from Japan but never imagined anything like this in person. The match itself is destruction. Windham tries to fight back early, but Vader crushes him with repeated clubbing shots before throwing him across the ring. A powerbomb nearly folds Windham in half before Vader climbs the ropes and lands the Vader Bomb for the decisive victory. The crowd is stunned while Ross quietly asks what WCW may have just unleashed. After Vader destroys Kendall Windham and leaves the ring, the camera briefly cuts away from the chaos inside the Bayfront Center to a luxury suite high above the arena floor. Alexandra York sits calmly in the front row of the box while Genichiro Tenryu stands beside her, arms folded, watching the ring without expression. Neither reacts to the destruction they just witnessed. Jim Ross immediately recognizes Tenryu and sounds surprised. “Wait a second… that’s Genichiro Tenryu!” Heenan leans forward as the camera lingers for another moment. “My contacts in Japan tell me Alexandra York is a very powerful woman, JR… York International’s got money everywhere.” Ross says he has no idea what that means for WCW, but before the discussion can continue the camera cuts back toward the ring and the show moves on. Paul E Dangerously appears backstage afterward with the Dangerous Alliance. Hall says Marty Jannetty is about to learn the difference between style and power. Arn says somebody is leaving in an ambulance tonight. Larry says Steamboat survived one fight just to walk into another. Rude says Dusty Rhodes is going to be put down in his second home tonight, and Hennig closes by saying Nikita Koloff stopped being dangerous years ago. Nikita Koloff challenges Curt Hennig for the United States Championship in a hard-hitting match that never slows down. Nikita controls stretches through pure force while Hennig constantly looks for openings and angles. Hennig repeatedly attacks the neck and shoulder to neutralize Nikita’s power, and Heenan points out that Hennig is wrestling a smarter match. Late in the match Nikita nearly wins after the Russian Sickle, but Hennig barely gets his foot on the ropes. Seconds later Hennig catches Nikita coming forward, uses the ropes for leverage during a cradle, and narrowly escapes with the title. Tony Schiavone interviews Dusty Rhodes before the next match. Dusty talks about Tampa, about WCW, and about men like Rick Rude trying to erase everything that came before them. He says Rude thinks tonight is a funeral, but he’s still standing. Scott Hall defeats Marty Jannetty in a match built around Hall’s control and physicality. Jannetty fights from underneath and briefly rallies with speed, but the damage from Shawn Michaels’ recent attack is clearly still lingering. Hall catches Jannetty trying to come off the ropes and plants him with the Razor’s Edge for the clean win. Hall doesn’t celebrate much afterward. He simply walks away. The Undertaker faces Big Josh next, and the mood shifts immediately once the arena lights darken and a single spotlight follows Undertaker to the ring while Paul Bearer carries the urn beside him. Ross says there is something deeply unsettling about the man, while Heenan quietly agrees. The match is competitive early, with Josh using his strength to briefly stagger Undertaker, but the momentum changes once Undertaker sits upright after a near fall. He takes complete control from there, eventually finishing Josh with the Tombstone while Bearer raises the urn over the ring. Sting is interviewed before the main event and says tonight he climbs the tallest mountain in wrestling. He says Sid Vicious may be the biggest and strongest man in WCW, but tonight the Stinger flies. Rick Rude and Dusty Rhodes collide in one of the most emotional and violent matches on the entire show, with the atmosphere changing the moment Dusty makes his entrance. Jim Ross openly wonders if this could be the last time the Tampa crowd ever sees Dusty wrestle, while Bobby Heenan says Rick Rude intends to make sure of it. Dusty enters to a massive ovation, feeding off the crowd immediately, while Rude walks to the ring calm and confident, convinced he already knows how the night ends. The match begins as a fight rather than a wrestling contest. Dusty attacks immediately with punches in the corner and rough brawling, but Rude eventually slows things down and begins tearing apart Dusty’s ribs and lower back with deliberate punishment. Every time Dusty tries to rally, Rude cuts him off with something cruel, controlling the pace and trying to break Dusty down in front of his own fans. Dusty refuses to stay down. The Bayfront Center erupts when Dusty finally fires back with a series of right hands before dropping Rude with the bionic elbow, nearly stealing the match. Rude barely survives and retreats outside, where the fight spills into the aisleway. Rude drives Dusty into the guardrail and then the ringpost, opening him up near the eye as Ross shouts that Rude is trying to end Dusty Rhodes in Tampa. Back in the ring, Dusty fights through the blood and damage and nearly puts Rude away again after a powerslam, but Paul E jumps onto the apron at the last second. Dusty turns for just a moment, and Rude immediately capitalizes, planting him with the Rude Awakening in the center of the ring. One. Two. Three. Rude wins. But he doesn’t stop attacking. He stomps Dusty repeatedly after the bell until officials rush the ring. Dustin Rhodes sprints down to help, only to get dropped by Rude as well. The crowd rains boos down while Rude stands over both men before finally backing away with Paul E at his side. Dusty slowly tries to sit up as the Tampa crowd rises to its feet applauding him. Ross says he doesn’t know if this is the end for Dusty Rhodes, but if it is, then the American Dream went down fighting. Doom defend the WCW World Tag Team Titles against the Road Warriors in a violent, chaotic fight that never fully settles into structure. The Road Warriors overpower Doom early, but Simmons and Reed constantly find ways to survive and regain control. The match slowly becomes more heated as both teams start losing patience. Late in the match Reed accidentally collides with Simmons during a wild exchange, creating just enough hesitation for the Road Warriors to surge forward again. Before a finish can happen, the Steiners appear at ringside and tensions explode. The match completely breaks down into chaos as all three teams fight around the ring while officials rush out trying to restore control. Ross shouts that the entire tag division is falling apart. Ricky Steamboat and Dustin Rhodes face Arn Anderson and Larry Zbyszko next in a tense, methodical tag match. Arn and Larry control the pace through constant isolation and technical precision, forcing Steamboat and Dustin to fight from underneath throughout the contest. Steamboat eventually catches fire and nearly puts Larry away before Arn breaks the pin at the last second. The match becomes increasingly physical as all four men start throwing punches instead of wrestling holds. In the final stretch Dustin wipes Arn out at ringside while Steamboat rolls Larry up to score the victory. The celebration is brief, however, as the Dangerous Alliance immediately hits the ring afterward and leaves both men laid out. The main event sees Sting challenge Sid Vicious for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. The atmosphere feels different before the bell even rings, with Ross calling it the biggest match in WCW. Sid controls much of the early portion through sheer size and power, forcing Sting to constantly fight uphill. Every time Sting rallies, Harley Race finds a way to create a distraction long enough for Sid to regain control. The crowd continues building behind Sting as the match progresses, especially once he begins surviving Sid’s powerbomb attempts. Late in the match Race finally tries to interfere directly, pulling back his arm to strike Sting from behind. Then the crowd explodes. Lex Luger appears out of nowhere and grabs Harley Race’s arm before he can swing. The arena erupts as Luger pulls Race away from the ring and the distraction gives Sting the opening he needs. Sid turns back around directly into the Stinger Splash. Sting hooks the legs. One. Two. Three. The Bayfront Center explodes as Sting wins the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. Ross is nearly screaming while Heenan can barely process what just happened. Sting stands on the turnbuckles holding the title high while Luger watches from ringside. Sid stares back at both men with pure rage while Harley Race tries to pull him away. The final image of SuperBrawl is Sting holding the WCW World Heavyweight Championship in the air as fireworks explode above the ring and Ross shouts: “A new era has begun!”