LowBlowPodcast

Here we go Florida... I like all the action here - lots and lots of talent - that's for sure. I agree with you on the spacing... something that will take time and practice but I am sure you'll get it figured out soon enough. I think the big thing coming out of this for me is Billy Jack ad JYD as top tier guys along with Adonis as a heel. I think that you came out super strong and it will be interesting to watch the development of all these guys over the next couple of weeks/month in regards to how the tournaments shake out.

WCW Saturday Night WTBS Studios - Atlanta, Georgia 4/30/88 -WCW Saturday Night opens with highlights from the two nights of the Crockett Cup. It is extended with all the big matches. We see the World Title match and the controversy there. We see Sting and Windham winning the tournament and then cut to Jim Ross and Tony Schiavone who are putting over the big tournament. They talk about some major announcements from Jim Crockett in this program. We will see Sting and Windham here along with hearing from Rowdy Roddy Piper! Right now we want to get things going with Butch Reed! Butch Reed defeated Mike Rhodes via the top rope shoulder block! -Butch Reed comes over he is with Slick. They are putting Reed over as an eventual champion. Slick says he has got his man ready and pretty soon he’s going to unleash the full power on the World Championship Wrestling! *COMMERCIAL* Buddy Landel defeated Red Tyler via the Figure-Four Leg Lock! The Rockers jump into the set and put over the last two weeks. They talk about going to the time limit with the World Tag Champs and coming o so close to beating the US Tag Champs. That brings out Jim Cornette with the MXE and Big Bubba! They are tossing insults before we hear that Shawn Michaels is challenging either member to a match here tonight. Sweet Stan pops up and says he would love the chance to shut him up. Looks like we have got a match for later on this evening! Big Bubba Rogers w/ Jim Cornette defeated Jim Stone & Ryan Erikson via the Bubba Slam! *COMMERCIAL* -We return to Saturday Night with the Road Warriors. They are not happy about what happened at the Crockett Cup. They want answers from Jim Cornette and want a rematch with Bubba and the One Man Gang! Brad Armstrong defeated Black Shadow via the Swinging Neckbreaker! *COMMERCIAL* Dick Murdoch defeated Vince Wilder via the Brainbuster! We see Jimmy Hart come out with Rude and Bundy. He puts his team over in a big way. He says that Rick Rude is going to be defending the US Title week in and week out to show they haven’t lost anything. He puts over how Bundy is still going to be beating people with the 5-count! He says that Sting and Windham have made the list and they are going to get what is coming to them! King Kong Bundy w/ Jimmy Hart defeated Quincy Jones & Bob Marcus with the Avalanche and 5-count! *COMMERCIAL* Saturday Night is back and we’ve got Rowdy Roddy Piper on set. He is putting over his big win over Jimmy Snuka and the issue with the Horsemen. That brings them all out. Flair and Piper throw some verbal jabs at one another and Piper says that he wants a shot at the title. Flair says he hasn’t earned a shot so Piper says he will face any of the Horsemen for that chance. The Horsemen then draw Piper over but out of the shadows… that’s BUZZ SAWYER! The Mad Dog! He has got a chain and he attacks Piper! The Horsemen watch on as Piper is attacked and beaten down! Officials and wrestlers come out while the Horsemen celebrate… have they paid off Sawyer to keep Piper away!?!? *COMMERCIAL* We’re back and out comes the Varsity Club but the visual is interesting… Mike Rotundo is in a sling! Kevin Sullivan announces that the Hart Foundation are responsible for the attack on Mike Rotundo and they will be dealt with. He says that Jim Crockett took the TV title away from Mike Rotundo and for that injustice… Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart are going to rue the day they stepped foot in WCW! Dan Spivey & Steve Williams defeated Erick Hughes & Curtis Jacobs via the Oklahoma Stampede! *COMMERCIAL* We’re back with Jim Crockett Jr. He announces that the TV title has been vacated and will be held up. There will be a formal announcement next week regarding a tv title tournament right here on Saturday Night! He says the top eight contenders for that title will be announced and the matches will run right up to the Clash of the Champions where a new champion will be crowned! He then welcomes out Sting, Luger, and Windham. He congratulated Sting and Windham on the Crockett Cup victory. He announces that at the Clash… he is rewarding these three men with a six-man tag team match against the Horsemen! They want to know what is going to be done about JJ Dillon!?! Crockett says that he has a plan for Dillon… but then out of the back comes Dusty Rhodes and he is screaming at Crockett. Sting, Windham, and Luger hold him back… this isn’t good... *COMMERCIAL* We’re back and Dusty is pleading with Crockett to do something about his son Dustin and Stan Hansen. Crockett says that the legal team is looking into the video but Dusty screams that it isn’t enough! Crockett says that it is out of his hands and out of the hands of WCW and that makes Rhodes explode and he runs over and grabs Crockett and pushes him to the ground! He is screaming at him while Windham, Sting, and Luger have to pull him off! My gosh Dusty Rhodes has snapped! *COMMERCIAL* We’re back with Jim Ross and Tony Schiavone apologizing about what just happened here with Dusty Rhodes and Jim Crockett. They say that Crockett has been escorted to a medical facility while Rhodes has been escorted out of the building. They put over the announcement at the Clash but that brings out the Horsemen… Flair, Anderson, Tully, Hennig, and JJ. Hennig says that he is one of the top contenders for the TV title and hopes he gets a shot! Arn and Tully put over the gross injustice that happened at the Crockett Cup. They put over the Harts but say they aren’t contenders due to the technicality! JJ Dillon announces that he has a sizeable investment in Buzz Sawyer and he knows that Roddy Piper won’t be around for long. Flair then puts over the six-man and he says that this will be the night the Horsemen vanquish all of their enemies and then he will stand tall at the Clash with the Horsemen… the Titles… and no more Sting… no more Luger… no more Windham… and NO MORE PIPER! WOOOO! Ron Simmons defeated Tommy Peterson via the flying shoulder block! *COMMERCIAL* Tony and Ross are back and they put over all the action from tonight as we head into our big main event with members of the Rockers and the Midnight Express in action… let’s go to the ring! MAIN EVENT Shawn Michaels w/ Marty Jannetty vs Stan Lane w/ Bobby Eaton & Jim Cornette -A fun main event with these two showing off their singles chops. You can tell that Shawn Michaels is something special and he and Stan put on a fun 9-minute contest with tv time looming. Lane is able to get the upper hand and then we see Michaels with a big comeback. This brings Eaton and Cornette into the fold but Marty Jannetty is able to fend them off. Lane is looking to finish with a big crescent kick but Michaels rolls through and nails a big kick of his own and then a backslide for the 3-count! Michaels is the victor and he jumps out of the ring and joints Jannetty… Cornette can’t believe it and we’re out of time!

Hey everyone, I have been working to revive the Low Blow Booking Podcast and am excited to announce that we will be back next week with a new episode. I have moved the podcast to Anchor - please check it out. https://anchor.fm/lowblowbookingpodcast We will be kicking off season 2 next week! Please take a look and enjoy! Any comments on shows are more than welcome here to dig deeper on topics.

Pretty BOLD move to have Hogan out of the tourney. Plain and simple. I think you've got a lot of matches that were meaningful in terms of a tournament but wonder if you could have rolled it down to 8 and had just solid matches for it to be more of a workrate event. I LOVE that the Freebirds are rolling here with the IC and Tag Titles. Hayes is really one of my big faves right now in this game and he's proving to be a popular commodity. I like the final eight in the tournament and really would like to see more of Savage and Lawler. I think there's a lot of juice there. Beefcake is the one who plays the foil here to help Savage win the match and the tournament. I The Main event...the moments from the real 4 and this 4 line up the right way. Bock isn't Dibiase at this point in his career but is definitely a commodity. I have always wanted Savage to be more away from Hogan and this REALLY sets him up to do that if he wants to. He could either embrace all that is Hogan and Beefcake or line up with an Orndorff, Andre, or others to oppose him and be a champion on his own dime. This makes the WWF must see for the next couple of months. Good stuff!

I sincerely appreciate all the feedback here. The biggest problem with 1988 WCW/NWA is that I really didn't mind what they did on paper for these big shows like Crockett Cup... so I want to keep some of that authenticity but also give it my own obviously with Rude/Bundy/Piper and so on. It is definitely a fun time to write for and the change in dynamics really makes the creative process a little big more exciting. Thanks everyone!

I really appreciate the use of DeGeorge here. I think he is in a spot that really suits him. He is really moving things forward and keeping the stories moving. The Queen's Court is an amazing segment. Sheri could have done this with ease in this time frame. Great stuff. I also like the focus here of all the big names getting wins that needed them. Each person who won tonight is moving forward towards something. The biggest is obviously Jake who has got a lot of heat on hi with Race (surprise), Orton, and Dibiase. Damien can even the odds for so long... he is going to need some big time back up and soon!

WCW Presents: The Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup Night 2 The Coliseum - Greensboro, North Carolina 4/23/88 Crockett Cup Round 2 The Hart Foundation vs Arn & Tully w/ JJ Dillon -What an opener. These matches have a 20-minute time limit and these two teams go right to the 18-minute mark and with limited time remaining things break loose. Throughout the match we see the strength of the Anvil play a pivotal role. It is unmatched by Arn and Tully and JJ looks to be in shock. Anderson and Blanchard are able to slow the pace down but the momentum of the Harts builds back up and the crowd is behind them. With less than two minutes remaining; we see a crazy flurry. Arn Anderson nails a spinebuster on Bret and looks for a pin but the Anvil breaks it up. 90-seconds remain! Tully comes in and he sends Bret to the ropes and he makes a blind tag to the Anvil. Anderson pulls the ropes and Bret goes flying out of the ring to the floor. Anderson attacks him down there while Tully watches. 60-seconds… and Tully doesn’t see that the Anvil is on the middle rope and he turns around to a huge shoulder block that sends Tully right into Arn who is back up on the apron and they crash heads! Tully goes back into the Anvil who nails a huge POWERSLAM for the 1...2….3! The Harts have done it! The Harts move on with 30-seconds remaining! The crowd is in shock! Rick Rude & King Kong Bundy w/ Jimmy Hart receive a bye due to the DDQ between the Road Warriors vs One Man Gang & Big Bubba match Barry Windham & Sting vs Rick Steiner & Dan Spivey w/ Kevin Sullivan -These guys try to build up from that first one but it just doesn’t have the tag team juice… however Sting and Windham have got the crowd behind them and some good heat on Sullivan helps matters. These guys go about 13-mintues and the highlight is seeing Spivey and Windham go toe to toe and the crowd is loving it. The finish sees Sullivan trying to get involved but out of the back comes Ron Simmons and the crowd pops. He pulls him down and they are brawling outside the ring. Inside the ring Windham flies with a big Lariat on Spivey that sends him to the floor. Sting throws Steiner to the corner and nails a STINGER SPLASH and Rick stumbles out and Windham with a flying Lariat and the 3-count as Sting and Windham move on! The Midnight Express w/ Jim Cornette vs The Rockers -Another big time match to finish off the 2nd round and these guys go 17-minutes with some real great fast paced action. The Rockers bring some big time action and lots of double team moves but so do the MXE. They bring a lot of backdoor cheating and some slick maneuvers. Jim Cornette is sweating bullets outside of the ring. The final moments see the Rockers building some serious momentum but it is Jim Cornette who plays the role. We see Stan Lane go for a crescent kick on Shawn Michaels who ducks and then comes back with one of his own! He turns around and Bobby Eaton is there with a short left hand and then a DDT on Michaels! As he goes for the 3-count Cornette grabs Janetty and holds him while the MXE get the win and move on! The Rockers are not happy and neither are the fans! Exhibition Match Jim Duggan vs Butch Reed -A pretty solid exhibition here from two men looking to make a name for themselves. This one goes about 12-minutes with both men getting some offense before all hell breaks loose and we see some big time brawling. The finish sees Butch Reed outside the ring with Duggan and unbeknownst to the referee, Reed nails Duggan in the gut with the 2x4 and then jumps back in the ring. Duggan gets up and brings the 2x4 in and he swings and NAILS Reed in the back! Butch Reed with the DQ victory but Duggan is letting him have it. The crowd pops for Duggan but he has lost the battle to a war that could be far, far from over. Crockett Cup Round 3 The Hart Foundation vs vs Rick Rude & King Kong Bundy w/ Jimmy Hart -Semifinal contest here with a million dollars on the line. The Harts have proved their worth already and have to do it again here against their former manager, Jimmy Hart. This one is a 30-minute time limit and these guys go about 16-minutes. The Harts are definitely feeling the effects of their earlier contest. Rude and Bret show off some great stuff inside the ring but it is one again, King Kong Bundy who is the difference maker. The Harts do get some momentum but Jimmy Hart spells trouble. The finish sees Jimmy Hart get up on the apron. He tosses the megaphone to Rick Rude who goes up and nails Bret from behind. Meanwhile, Jimmy is holding the Anvil and here comes Bundy with the Avalanche! Neidhart falls backwards and here comes the big splash for the 3-count and Rude and Bundy are in the finals! Barry Windham & Sting vs Midnight Express w/ Jim Cornette -Another solid semifinal contest. Sting and Windham are really starting to gel while the Midnights look great. We get a lot of double-teaming on the Stinger which causes some good heat before we see a big time comeback from Barry Windham. He nails some big lariats and they have complete control. The finish sees the Midnights struggling with this big momentum shift and Jimmy Cornette is trying to get involved but Sting comes through with a baseball slide dropkick that sends him Flying into the guardrail! The Midnights pull Sting up and send him to the ropes for a double clothesline but he ducks and out of nowhere Barry Windham off the top rope with a Lariat on Stan Lane! Sting then dropkicks Bobby Eaton out of the ring to the floor! Windham covers Lane for the 1...2….3! The Finals are set with Sting and Windham taking on Rude and Bundy! WCW WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP Lex Luger vs Ric Flair © w/ JJ Dillon -Big time feel for our World Championship Match. Both men come out to a lot of pomp and circumstance. Flair… he is the world’s champion and has defended it against everyone in his path. Luger is the up and comer. He has been the US Champion but is looking at his first shot at the World Title and he’s going to try and make the most of this opportunity. These guys go 22-minutes. We see Flair get some juice for a ring post shot outside the ring. Luger’s power is the name of the game but the technique of Flair keeps him in the match. The turning point is a nasty knee chop on Luger that takes him all but out. He may have some serious damage and Flair goes to work. Around the 18-minute mark, Luger finds a way to build back up and he comes with some big shots and it appears as though the adrenaline has taken over for the Total Package! He is looking for a huge POWERSLAM but you can tell the knee is shot! Luger is in a bad way! JJ Dillion is outside the ring going nuts. Luger sends Flair to the ropes and big time back body drop! Flair makes the sign for the rack! Luger picks up Flair but stumbles… he then goes for it again and appears to have it but he falls backwards and Luger and Flair both go over the top to the floor! Tommy Young is making the count and it is getting high...7….8… Flair sneaks in and Luger is looking to get in but JJ Dillon kicks him in the kidneys and Young doesn’t see it and he says 9….10! Flair has won it via count out and the crowd isn’t happy! Flair holds the title up. He is a mess but he is the champion! Luger is in a bad way. The Horsemen run down to celebrate with Flair but here comes Sting and Windham to the aide of Luger. This one could break loose at any moment! Crockett Cup Finals Barry Windham & Sting vs Rick Rude & King Kong Bundy w/ Jimmy Hart -Jim Ross is quick to point out how Sting and Windham have to be thinking about Luger but they have so much on the line right now. Rude and Bundy are fresh. They’ve only wrestled twice to the three times of Sting and Windham. These guys have no time limit and there must be a winner. They go about 25-minutes and the crowd goes in and out. This time we see Windham get the heat and Rude and Bundy beat the living hell out of him. It builds and builds to a false tag to Sting and then they get more heat. Finally the moment happens and Sting gets the tag and he comes in like a house of fire. Some big time shots and dropkicks and all hell is breaking loose. We see Sting hit a big dropkick on Bundy that sends him out to the floor. Rude is stirring but Windham is back! Sting FLIES OVER THE TOP ROPE AND SPLASHES BUNDY! Inside the ring Windham ducks a clothesline and then comes back with a big lariat. Rude is stumbling to get up to his feet and out of nowhere Sting off the top rope with a splash for the 1….2….3! STING AND WINDHAM HAVE WON IT! Jimmy Hart is irate outside the ring. He collects his men but doesn’t collect any money! We go to a special ceremony with Elizabeth Crockett, Jim Crockett Jr, and David Crockett. Jackie Crockett is doing the camera work. They had the big $1,000,000 check to Sting and Windham and the crowd pops! Jim Ross and Bob Caudle put this over in a big way as we sign off!

Go check out For the recap of night one and some huge developments on the set of Saturday Night!

WCW Saturday Night WTBS Studios - Atlanta, Georgia 4/23/88 -Tony Schaivone is in the studio in the middle of the ring and he is all alone for this special one hour edition of WCW Saturday Night. Tony puts over how we will go through night one of the Crockett Cup and hear from the 7, yes 7 teams remaining. We will also hear from Lex Luger and Ric Flair from the Coliseum in Greensboro later on in the evening. Right now we’re going to see some of the contests from the first round and hear from the victors… The Hart Foundation defeated Kevin Sullivan & Mike Rotundo The Hart Foundation are shown with Bob Caudle and they talk about the Varsity Club while also putting over the Horsemen. They know what it takes to be victors and in the tournament setting you can’t hold anything back but need to go 100% from the sound of the bell! The Horsemen put over the Harts by saying they are good competitors but the bye has given them the advantage of watching everything just a little bit closer and that is exactly what they need to put the Harts down on Night 2! The Road Warriors vs Big Bubba & The One Man Gang w/ Jim Cornette goes to a double DQ! Rick Rude & King Kong Bundy w/ Jimmy Hart defeated Tim Horner & Brad Armstrong Rick Rude and Bundy are with Jimmy Hart and they put over how they are in the semifinals for a reason. They have got the speed, the power, and the expertise to win the Million Dollars and they don’t care who they will face. They say bring on the Horsemen and the Harts. There is unfinished business no matter who steps into the ring! *COMMERCIAL* -Tony is back in the studio and he puts over the big Football Brawl with Dr. Death and Ron Simmons. He says that this one is far, far from over between those two. He expect Simmons to reload and come at the Varsity Club with more in the future. He then leads us into the 2nd part of the bracket and we see the highlights. The Rockers defeated Ron Bass & Black Bart The Rockers put over the first match and talk about bringing a whole new level of speed to WCW. They talk about getting close with the Horsemen but they get a real chance against the MXE to show they should be champions! The MXE is with Jim Cornette who is gangbusters about the Road Warriors being out and he puts over the Rockers as Teenie Boopers who are about to get popped. This is the big leagues and the US tag champions have been discarded and disrespected and now it is time for due to be paid and money to be won! Rick Steiner & Dan Spivey defeated Tommy Rich & Dick Murdoch Kevin Sullivan is with Steiner and Spivey. He puts over their history with athletics and working through tournaments. This will be no exception and the Varsity Club is still in the money and they won’t lose this opportunity. Sting & Barry Windham vs Nikolai Volkoff & Boris Zhukov Sting and Barry are on a big time high after their victory. They pump up the night 2 match with the Varsity Club. Sting says he knows Rick Steiner very well and Windham can go toe to toe with Spivey and they know what it is all about and are looking to make the most of this chance! We then get a hype video for Night 2 of the Crockett Cup! Arn & Tully vs The Hart Foundation Rude & Bundy receive a Bye The Midnight Express vs The Rockers Rick Steiner & Danny Spivey vs Sting & Barry Windham Plus… Hacksaw Jim Duggan vs Butch Reed WCW World Championship Ric Flair defends against Lex Luger! *COMMERCIAL* Tony is back in the Studio as he puts over all the big action from last night but then out of nowhere… it is STAN HANSEN! Hansen jumps in the ring and grabs Schiavone! Stan Hansen: Listen up you puke. I knew you’d be here all alone and I thought that was the perfect time to give you this! Now put this in and let all these people out here see what I have been doing with my time off! -We see Hansen give Schiavone a video tape that he gives to the production staff. They put it in and we see the feed… it is of Stan Hansen driving and yelling at a cameraman. They pull up to a Florida Independent wrestling show. Hansen barrels his way in and the fans can’t believe he’s there. Hansen is pushing people away and then he goes in the gym. We get a blackout and then it comes back on and walking down the aisle is Dustin Rhodes… that’s Dusty’s son! -Hasen is laughing on the video as as the match gets started Hansen then gets out of the stands and runs into the ring and attacks Dustin Rhodes! The crowd is going nuts as the few security guards are trying to get order. Hansen takes off his belt and starts whipping Dustin’s back! He drives the buckle into his skull and now Dustin is a bloody mess! We see more officials and wrestlers come out as Hansen is escorted out of the building and the cameraman catches it all! *COMMERCIAL* Tony is back and he apologizes for what we saw there. He apologizes for the blood and Stan Hansen’s behavior. He says Hansen was escorted out of the studio by police officers during our break. He hopes that we will get an update from Dusty Rhodes on Dustin soon. He says we have a couple more things to cover as he pumps up the return of Roddy Piper… we see him defeating Jimmy Snuka and then get words from Roddy Piper… Roddy Piper: You know I came back here for a fight and I got it. I know things between me and Snuka are far from over but I know things between me and Flair are just starting. Ric… you saw it tonight… I haven’t missed a step brother. By the time you finally accept a match with me I am going to be at the top of my game and I am coming… I am coming for you… I am coming for that title and I won’t quit until I get what I want! *COMMERCIAL* Tony is back once again and he says he’s made a phone call to Dusty Rhodes who was irate that the attack happened and the footage was shown. He says he will be in the studio next week to address it with Jim Crockett Jr. He then pumps up the card which will be starting in minutes live from Greensboro and says there is footage from Lex Luger and Ric Flair going into that big main event tonight for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship! Lex Luger: You know this is the biggest moment of my career. The first time I am getting my chance at Ric Flair and the World Title. Flair, I was a Horsemen. I was in charge of making sure you held that title. When I was in that role I saw everything. I saw your strengths and your weaknesses. Tonight… I am going to exploit those weaknesses and I am going to show the world what the future looks like and what it is. I am going to achieve my destiny and walk away with the title tonight Ric Flair. It is my time! Ric Flair: Lex Luger… if you really go back and remember your time with the Horsemen you were no more than a bag man for me pal. You carried the titles of the Horsemen. I saw you always look at the World Title and I heard the rumblings that you thought it could be yours. Well Lex… tonight is the night pal but it is not your night. This is prime time… this is the Crockett Cup and pal… I am going to show you and the rest of the world why I am the World Champion and pal...there is no one who can take this title from me on my worst day but today is my best! We then get a hype video for Night 2 of the Crockett Cup! Arn & Tully vs The Hart Foundation Rude & Bundy receive a Bye The Midnight Express vs The Rockers Rick Steiner & Danny Spivey vs Sting & Barry Windham Plus… Hacksaw Jim Duggan vs Butch Reed WCW World Championship Ric Flair defends against Lex Luger!

Go check out For the Crockett Cup Night 1!

WCW Presents: The Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup - Night 1 Memorial Auditorium - Greenville, South Carolina 4/22/88 -So this event isn’t “televised” but is given production from Jim Ross and Bob Caudle. It is simply the matches with some interviews but not necessarily a PPV style event. Crockett Cup Round 1 Arn & Tully receive a bye The Hart Foundation vs Kevin Sullivan & Mike Rotundo -A great opening match and the Hart Foundation have got some real hype behind them. This one goes about 13 of the 15 minutes. The finish sees Mike Rotundo go for a flying shoulder block in the corner but Bret Hart leaps up and Rotundo NAILS the ringpost… Hart rolls over the top for a 3-count and the Harts move on! After the match Rotundo is given some medical attention. His shoulder appears to be in a seriously bad way. Tim Horner & Brad Armstrong vs Rick Rude & King Kong Bundy w/ Jimmy Hart -This one has a little pop and flare but it is quickly squelched when Bundy gets in the ring. His power is unmatched and he destroys Tim Horner with an Avalanche. This leads to a Rude Awakening and 3-count with Rude and Bundy looking very strong as they move on! The Road Warriors vs Big Bubba & The One Man Gang w/ Jim Cornette -A complete brawl from the opening bell. None of the 4 men seem to be wanting to sell and this is fists and fire the entire time. We see two officials try to get involved but both get knocked out by competitors. Finally Tommy Young comes out and calls for the bell. This one is a double DQ and it appears as though Jim Cornette’s plan has worked but will the Midnights be the ones to capitalize? FOOTBALL BRAWL MATCH Ron Simmons v Dr. Death Steve Williams w/ Kevin Sullivan -Simmons and Williams come out in their FSU and Oklahoma gear respectively. We hear Jim Ross put over the two Orange bowl games with OU being the victors. He says he knows Simmons and knows he wasn’t a dirty player even though Sullivan is telling that lie. These guys go into a 10-minute brawl with both men juicing. They hit some big shots but in the end it is Sullivan getting involved which leads to Williams nailing Simmons with the OU helmet and then a big Oklahoma Stampede for the 3-count. Lots of heat here but Simmons has got more to prove to get through these guys. The Midnight Express receive a bye The Rockers vs Ron Bass & Black Bart -A really fun match with a good pace. The power of Bass and Bart is countered by the speed of the Rockers. The finish sees Mart Jannetty duck out of a big Lariat from Ron Bass only for Shawn Michaels to come off the top rope with a dropkick and then Marty rolls him up for the 3-count! The Rockers move on! Tommy Rich & Dick Murdoch vs Rick Steiner & Dan Spivey w/ Kevin Sullivan -A pretty even brawl here. Rick Steiner and Spivey seem to have some good teamwork while Murdoch and Rich just can’t seem to get it together. The finish sees Sullivan arguing with Murdoch outside the ring. Rich goes for the Thesz press but Spivey catches him and hot shots him off the top rope and then slams him down for the 3-count! The Varsity Club moves on! Sting & Barry Windham vs Nikolai Volkoff & Boris Zhukov -The final match of the first round pits the favorites in Sting and Windham against the Russians. We see Boris and Nikolai get in some offense and some heat but Sting and Windham have some serious momentum and come back with a fire. A top rope cross body from Sting on Boris is the finish with the 3-count and they move on! MAIN EVENT Roddy Piper vs Jimmy Snuka w/ JJ Dillon -Big fight feel here with Piper and Snuka who come out of the gate ready for a brawl. JJ Dillon makes his presence known but Piper is quick to stop him with a big right hand. We see both men get some juice and Piper sells big for Snuka. Piper comes back with a vengeance and then nails Jimmy with some rights and lefts. JJ is once again getting involved and he holds Piper before Snuka runs for a headbutt but Piper moves and Dillon is nailed… Piper then rolls up Snuka for the 3-count and the crowd pops huge! Piper celebrates and in the shadows we see Ric Flair being held back by the Horsemen… when will those two meet?

There's a lot going on here in the follow-up. First off I really think Tom Zenk and the SST are some people to get behind over the long haul. I've been watching a lot of their WCW runs and they definitely have some talent. Muta and Sherri is also something that is highly intriguing. For some reason I see it working really well. Lastly the angle with Dibiase and Jake was well done. I think that keeping hands off for a while and playing the mind games on both ends is really the route with these guys.

The build for mania is at an all-time high. Like I said before Michael Hayes as intercontinental champion is very intriguing to me and something I'm fully behind. The tournament looks to have a lot of drama even before it started so the payout should be great. Looking forward to what the final touches will be.

I have to speak to the road warriors, it's something that I've noticed especially when writing, I feel like their presence is so powerful that I don't need to show them as much if that makes sense. It's almost like that idea of why Andre was so much better than the big show and it was because you didn't see him as much. I think that's the route I'm going with the road warriors where they may not be on TV every week but everybody knows who they are and what they're all about. It was something that was brought up in the death of the territories book and that has kind of stuck with me over the last couple weeks of writing.

WCW Saturday Night WTBS Studios - Atlanta, Georgia 4/16/88 -Saturday Night opens up with stills from last week with Jimmy Snuka showing up here in WCW and Ric Flair being the one who brought him in! We cut to Ross and Schiavone who put over a big night of action. They talk about how Jim Crockett will reveal the brackets for the Crockett Cup. We will also see the World Tag Team Titles on the line when the Horsemen take on the Rockers! Right now it is time to head to the ring for our opening contest! Tim Horner & Brad Armstrong defeated the Shadows via the double dropkick! -We then see Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart come over. They put over Bundy and Rude and talk about wanting some revenge from that loss. They put over the world tag title match tonight and just how important it will be. Could the Rockers break the bracket and get the titles right off the bat or will the Horsemen reign? Either way the Harts want the winners! Ron Bass & Black Bart defeated Mike Jeffries & Wally Wright *COMMERCIAL* King Kong Bundy defeated Jim Stone & George Williams via the Avalanche & Five Count! -Jimmy Hart is here with Bundy and Rude. They are putting over the Crockett Cup and how Rude and Bundy should get a bye but they have no problem running through anyone in their path! They talk about the US title and how Rude is going to defend the title against any and all comers and no matter who steps in the ring they will get a Rude Awakening! The Russians defeated Kevin Jones & John Michaels via the POWERSLAM! *COMMERCIAL* Jimmy Snuka defeated Henry Lyons via the SUPERFLY! -After the match Roddy Piper comes out and we’ve got a lot of security and guys who come out to break it up before they get their hands on one another… this one is about to break loose *COMMERCIAL* Roddy Piper: I just want to take a moment and apologize for my actions. I let my temper get the best of me and you guys know me… sometimes that happens. Well… I will be honest I came here to WCW to be a judge man but when I was ringside I got this itch. I got this itch in the back of my neck and it made me want to jump in the ring and well… you know… I called the big guy and we had a deal… a deal to come back for a couple of matches… just to see where I was at mentally with it. As most of you know… I am not always with it mentally… or am I? Well I signed on to face someone at the Clash… they said it would be a showcase… or an exhibition… then… last week I meet my opponent… thanks to Ric Flair. I have always been a step ahead but now I find myself with my back against the wall. The way I see it… you either bow down or you break what is in front of you and Jimmy Snuka… I am coming brother. I have fought you all over the world… you’ve beat me and I have beat you but this… this is different. I have got something to prove… and I am going to prove it at the Crockett Cup. I want Ric Flair to be there watching. Flair… I wanted to come back for a couple of matches… but now I am back for one reason… and that reason is YOU! I am coming for you and there’s nothing you can do about it! Ron Simmons defeated Bobby Steele -The Varsity Club is out in full force and Sullivan is going wild butting everyone over and talking about the Football Brawl and the Crockett Cup. He says that he and Rotundo will do whatever it takes but knows that he’s got double the chance to really cash in and that’s what is going to happen. He says we’ll see the end of Ron Simmons next week and the Varsity Club is going to win a Million Dollars! HAHAHA *COMMERCIAL* Jim Crockett is here and he has got a big board that shows off the big bracket for the Crockett Cup 1988! Arn & Tully receive a bye The Hart Foundation vs Kevin Sullivan & Mike Rotundo Tim Horner & Brad Armstrong vs Rick Rude & King Kong Bundy w/ Jimmy Hart The Road Warriors vs Big Bubba & The One Man Gang w/ Jim Cornette The Midnight Express receive a bye The Rockers vs Ron Bass & Black Bart Tommy Rich & Dick Murdoch vs Rick Steiner & Dan Spivey Sting & Barry Windham vs Nikolai Volkoff & Boris Zhukov Crockett, Ross, and Schiavone then put over the special matches… night one we’ll see the Football Brawl with Ron Simmons vs Dr. Death Steve Williams along with Roddy Piper vs Jimmy Snuka. Night two we’ll see Butch Reed against Jim Duggan and the World Title match with Lex Luger against Ric Flair! *COMMERCIAL* -Ross and Schiavone put over the Crockett Cup brackets and talk about some of the big matches. They say that the Rockers and Horsemen could change spots here tonight if the Rockers win the tag titles. They put over all the special matches. They talk about the World Title match. It is going to be something special! Right now we see Butch Reed in action! Butch Reed w/ Slick defeated George Qunicy via the Flying Clothesline! -Jim Duggan comes out to a great ovation while he and Ross and Schiavone put over the Crockett Cup. He says he was here two years ago and won and plans on doing the same thing this time. He says that he has liked being in WCW so far and looks to make it his home just like the good ol US of A… TOUGH GUY! *COMMERCIAL* -JJ Dillon comes out and he’s got Arn and Tully with him. They put over the next match and how this will be the deciding factor in who will join the Horsemen. Arn and Tully put over the match with the Rockers coming up. They say that Ric Flair is in the back watching closely. We head to the ring... Terry Taylor vs Curt Hennig -A really fun contest that gets 15-minutes but around the 10-minute mark things start to break loose. We see both men get in some offense but it is Taylor who gets the upperhand. The Horsemen seem to be cheering him on but then he misses a clothesline and goes out to the floor. Tully distracts the referee and Arn Anderson grabs Terry Taylor and hits him with the DDT on the FLOOR! OH MY! He picks up his lifeless body and puts him in the ring for Hennig to pick him up and NORTHERN LIGHTS SUPLEX for the 3-count! -The medics come out to help Taylor who is a bloody mess but the Horsemen are putting the boots to him in a big way! They are hammering on him until Ric Flair comes out and they join him at the booth. They officially welcome Curt Hennig to the Horsemen and give him a Rolex Watch! Hennig says it is an honor to be a Horsemen and he is going to be the PERFECT pick for them! Ric Flair then goes off… Ric Flair: PIPER! LUGER! STING! WINDHAM! We are together now and boys… there’s no stopping us! Look at Terry Taylor right now.... Look at him drenched in his own blood. He’ll never be the same again! Piper… when Snuka gets done with you… I will finish off whatever is left! Sting and Windham… the Crockett Cup… we saw the brackets boys… if you make it to the finals… the Horsemen will be there waiting! Then there’s Luger. Flexy Lexy… pal you couldn’t cut it with us so you think you can beat us!?! Huh? Pal… you have got a million dollar body with a 10 cent brain and there’s no way on God’s Green Earth you’re walking out with the title! Pal… you don’t have the tank to go 60-minutes with me… ask Sting… ask anyone… I am holding this title for as long as I want and as long as I hold it… I drive the biggest cars… I fly the fanciest planes… and I kiss the prettiest women because I am the World’s Heavyweight Champion pal. The Horsemen are together… we have got our eyes on the prize and it is gold, money, and women and we’re taking it all! WOOOOO! *COMMERCIAL* Lex Luger, Barry Windham, & Sting defeated Kyle Stevens, Mark Rico, & Jim Storm via the Torture Rack! -Luger, Windham, and Sting come over and put over all the events of the night. They talk talk about the Crockett Cup and the bracket. They put over all the tough competitors in front of them but know they have what it takes. Then we get Lex Luger talking about the world title… Lex Luger: Flair… you come out here and talk about the cars, the plans, and the women but you don’t talk about the gym, the training, and the heart. The heart it takes to be a champion! Flair… you’ve held the title more than anyone… you know what it is about… you know all about the game but pal… look right here… the game is changing. It is faster… it is stronger… and it is VICIOUS! I am coming with everything I have got Flair. You wanna call me Flexy Lexy… well look at this pal…. (Luger pumps up the double bicep) I am 265 pounds of pure muscle pal. I am head to toe the greatest athlete of this generation and I am making it my vow right now to all these people that I am going to take that title. I am going to end your reign once and for all and pal… there will be no coming back from it! *COMMERCIAL* -Ross and Schiavone put over all the big happenings from tonight and pump up the Crockett Cup in a big way. MAIN EVENT WCW WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP The Rockers vs Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard © w/ JJ Dillon -We got about 20-minutes of television time allotted for this match. These guys come right out of the gate and go balls to the wall. This is a real coming out situation for the Rockets. They are fists and fire every second. The Horsemen are on a high right now but they have to slow things down. When they do it is the momentum building for the Rockers that changes the situation. With the time limit running down we see Arn Anderson counter a big splash from Marty Jannetty and it takes him over the top rope to the floor! The referee doesn’t see it though! Arn and Tully go out and they start hammering away on Marty and then off the top rope Shawn Michaels leaps and takes out everyone! The time has run out. Jim Ross and Tony Schiavone put it over in a big way! We’ll see you next week at the Crockett Cup!

There is an abundance of big names down under and you've got some good use out of them so far. I love the use of the tag teams... especially Ellering with the POP. Nikita vs Bam Bam would be a closet favorite matchup for me IRL. I always thought those two had many similarities when it comes to their careers. Dibiase as the first champion is the right way to go. Jake is a better hunter... his chase will be great but I don't know if he has what it takes to take the gold!

WCW Saturday Night WTBS Studios - Atlanta, Georgia 4/9/88 -Saturday Night opens up this week with Jim Cornette at ringside with Big Bubba and the MXE. He is pumping up the Crockett Cup and the release of the bracket next week. Jim Cornette: Ladies and germs… I am out here to let everyone know who is going to win the Crockett Cup. It is this team right here… Beautiful Bobby and Sweet Stan… the Midnight Express. I have cashed in one of momma’s insurance policies to make sure of it and I have gone out and got the perfect partner for Big Bubba Rogers. He stands 6’9” and weighs in at 450 pounds. He really needs no introduction but I am going to give one to him anyways… ladies and germs… he is the one and the only ONE MAN GANG! -Gang comes out to a chorus of boos! He and Bubba shake hands and then get in the ring for our opening contest! Big Bubba & One Man Gang defeated Bobby Fyre & Tony Storm via the 747 from OMG! -They walk back over and Jim Cornette is putting over how these two are bigger than the Road Warriors, they are Stronger than the Road Warriors, they are meaner than the Road Warriors and they will DESTROY the Road Warriors when the time comes. Their only hope is to get a draw on the other side of the bracket… they can run but they won’t be able to hide! *COMMERCIAL* Rick Steiner & Danny Spivey defeated Henry Shaw & Ryan Roberts via the powerbomb! -The Varsity Club comes over and joins Tony and Ross who put over both of their teams in the Crockett Cup. Sullivan says that he’s joining the Television Champion because he wants to get his hands on some of these teams out there who have claimed to be top tier in the WCW. He says that with two teams, the Varsity Club has the odds and the chances to make history and they will do just that. Then he turns his attention to Ron Simmons. He says that he has put out the option for Ron Simmons to join the Varsity Club but he made the wrong choice and that’s a choice that is going to haunt him the rest of his career… and the end of that career comes when Dr. Death gets to face him in the football Brawl at the Crockett Cup. The rules are simple… come showing your colors… there are no rules… it is a brawl till a man can’t make the 10 count. Just like in football when you can’t get the 10 yards for a first down… when you can’t answer the 10 count you lose! Ross and Schiavone put it over in a big way as we cut to the ring for Buddy Landel Buddy Landel defeated Quincy Sharpe via the Figure Four Leglock! -The Russians come out and talk about joining the Crockett Cup as a true worldly team. They know what it takes to win the Million Dollars and they know they will do whatever it takes and take out whoever is in their way! *COMMERCIAL* -Ross and Schaivone are back putting over the big announcements from Jim Crockett last week. The one announcement they spend some time on is the Butch Reed vs Hacksaw Jim Duggan exhibition. We see Butch Reed come into the set and he looks jacked and ready to kill someone. Reed is flanked by his manager… Slick! Reed is flexing and working the crowd while Slick talking about how he has been on the backburner for too long and now it is time to shine brighter than he ever has before. He says that Jim Duggan is a cross-eyed fool and Reed is going to put him down the hard way. This brings out Duggan who comes in with some great fanfare. He tells Slick and Butch Reed to shut the hell up before he gets in the ring... Jim Duggan defeated Tom Roberts via the 3-point stance clothesline! -Duggan comes over and works the crowd before saying that he’s like a prize fighter. Someone who comes in for a big showdown and this time it is Butch Reed who is he’s up against. He says he knows Reed from his time in the Mid South but this is a new territory and a new fight and he is a new Jim Duggan who has got fists of fire and they are ready to take him out… TOUGH GUY! *COMMERCIAL* -Saturday Night is back with Ross and Schiavone putting over the big World title match between Ric Flair and Lex Luger. They talk about this being one of Luger’s first chances to get a World title match since leaving the Horsemen in the early part of the year. We see Luger come out with Sting and Windham. Ross and Schaivone put over their entry in the Crockett Cup as we cut to the ring for them in action. Sting & Barry Windham defeated Bobby Roy & Steve Archer via the Flying Cross Body! -We cut back over and Lex Luger is standing by and he’s got words for Ric Flair… Lex Luger: Tony Schiavone… Jim Ross… everyone knows my history with the Horsemen. I was brought in to be the muscle… the power… the one who could stand up against the Road Warriors. Well I did my job and I did it well. I was a United States Champion. By hook or by crook that title was taken from me… but all the while I was the number one contender for the World Title but I never got my shot! My role was to protect Ric Flair… well Flair… who is protecting you now? You are looking at the number one contender for that title and I am coming for it brother. I am coming for it with every ounce of energy in my body and every fiber of my being! I stood by for too long… watching you hold that title and tell everyone you were the best. Well Flair… now you’re looking at the best and I am coming for that title! *COMMERCIAL* -Saturday Night is back with Ross and Schiavone putting over how we will hear from Roddy Piper here tonight about his announcement. We will also have a special showdown when King Kong Bundy takes on Jim Neidhart in our main event! Right now it is time to head to the ring for a special match involving Terry Taylor! Terry Taylor defeated Kendall Flanagan via the Figure Four Leg Lock! -The Horsemen are here… Flair, JJ, Arn, & Tully come out and once again Terry Taylor makes his case to join the Horsemen but this time JJ Dillon says that he and Curt Hennig are the finalists… next week they will face off with the Horsemen at ringside and the winner earning that fourth and final spot! We cut to Hennig in action! Curt Hennig defeated Ron Wight via the Fisherman’s Suplex! -The Horsemen all give Hennig his due and talk about next week’s match. Then we hear Arn and Tully put over the Crockett Cup and how next week it is on the line when they have to defend the world tag titles.They are told they will be facing the Rockers and Arn and Tully aren’t happy about it. They talk about the possibility of losing the titles and the number one seed… but then they’d wake up because that’s just a dream! We then cut over to JJ who puts over the Hennig vs Taylor match next week in a big way. Then Flair goes off on Lex Luger being a million dollar body with a 10 cent brain. If he was smart he would have stayed an Horsemen.. Instead he made the dumbest decision of his life and now he’s going to have to live with the fact he was never going to be able to beat Ric Flair. Now Flair turns his attention to Roddy Piper and says he can’t wait for his big announcement later tonight and he plans on being there to watch it all go down! *COMMERCIAL* The Rockers defeated The Shadows via the Flying Fist Drop! -The Rockers come over and go wild putting over their tag title match next week. They know this could make or break their career in WCW and with the titles on the line anything could happen. They want to prove they are the best and will do whatever it takes to get into that position! Ron Bass w/ Black Bart defeated Vance Swartz via the Gordbuster *COMMERCIAL* Dick Murdoch & Tommy Rich defeated George Kelly & Bryan Jones via the Thesz Press -Dusty Rhodes comes out and he is despondent about the decision that Jim Crockett made. He says he wants a face to face with Crockett about this decision. He wants Stan Hansen in the ring and he wants Crockett and WCW to make it happen! The Road Warriors defeated Tim Rich and Mike Regan via the Doomsday Device! -The Road Warriors come over and discuss the Crockett Cup. They know that with the random draw anything can happen. They can’t wait to find out who they face and where the Midnights are! They also talk about Bubba and the Gang and put over how they may have a hard time putting them up but when they his the Doomsday Device they will put them right through the RING! *COMMERCIAL* -We return with footage from last week’s debut of the Hart Foundation but also the souring of the moment when they announced they wouldn’t be joining Jimmy Hart. We then cut to a big time main event with Bundy joined by Rude and Hart to take on Jim Neidhart who’s joined by the Hitman! MAIN EVENT Jim Neidhart w/ Bret Hart vs King Kong Bundy w/ Rick Rude & Jimmy Hart -A fun little main event that gets out of hand pretty quickly. We see Jim and Bundy put in some work but it is Jimmy Hart who is setting things off the deep end. He is getting involved… every chance he gets which gets Bret involved leading to he and Rick fighting outside the ring. This all serves as a distraction for Bundy to nail Jim Neidhart with an avalanche in the corner that ends up being a 3-count. Bundy, Rude, and Jimmy all escape with a chaotic win as the Anvil is looking to get himself together with the Hitman as this one is far, far from over! *COMMERCIAL* -Saturday Night is back with Jim Crockett in the back having to be ushered to the set with Dusty Rhodes trying to get his attention. Rhodes is escorted to the back and Jim Crockett says he will speak with him soon. He comes out to the announce booth and discusses the Crockett Cup. He announces that the pairings will be released next week. The special attractions on night two include Butch Reed taking on Hacksaw Jim Duggan along with the World Title match between Ric Flair and Lex Luger. One night one, we’ll see the special Football Brawl and a match including… Roddy Piper comes out to a huge ovation! -Crockett puts over how Rowdy Roddy Piper will be in action on night one of the Crockett Cup! Piper says he has been waiting for this moment for almost one year and can’t wait to step back inside the ring...but this brings out the Horsemen. Flair is out with Arn and Tully flanking him while JJ is behind. Ric Flair: You said a couple of weeks ago that when I change the rules you change the game. Well pal… now you’re in my game. You see I had the inside scoop that this would be happening… so I did what I could to purchase the contract for your big return match Piper. You see the Horsemen… we’ve got our hands full at the Crockett Cup… but when you’ve got the money we’ve got… the resources we’ve got… you make this happen. So it was signed this morning… your opponent… as personally financed by the Horsemen will be... -That’s Jimmy Snuka! Snuka is here and he looks right at Piper. He smirks at him and Piper has got a severe look in his eyes. We are running out of time but the final view is Piper standing eye to eye with both Flair and Snuka more next week fans!

I have a very strange appreciation for Michael Hayes as intercontinental champion around this time. I could see it really working well. my pick is that the free birds are going to walk out with all the gold at mania but I'm also looking forward to the WWF championship tournament and just who will survive. Obviously bockwinkle and Hogan are the favorites.

WCW Saturday Night WTBS Studios - Atlanta, Georgia 4/2/88 -Saturday Night opens up with the Final Moments of the Sting vs Ric Flair World Title match. We see the time limit expire with Sting turning the figure-four on Flair. We cut to Tony and Jim who put over a big night of WCW Saturday Night. They say that we will hear from Jim Crockett Jr on the top eight seeds for the Crockett Cup in just 3 weeks! They also announce that Ric Flair will learn his challenger for the WCW World Title here tonight! Plus we’ll hear from Dusty Rhodes, Sting, the Road Warriors, and the Horsemen will be here! We’ll see the TV title match from the Clash of the Champions that couldn’t air due to time constraints. Plus the Hart Foundation make their debut! Right now let’s head to the ring for our opening contest! Tommy Rich defeated Bobby Richards via the Thesz Press! *COMMERCIAL* Big Bubba Rogers w/ Jim Cornette & The MXE defeated Tom Snow & Al Wertz -Jim Cornette and the MXE come over with Bubba and put themselves over along with the Crockett Cup coming up. Cornette says that he knows the MXE should be the number one seed but figueres that Jim Crockett will figure out a way to screw that up. He says that Big Bubba has even been looking for a partner to secure a win for the Midnights! Ross and Schiavone wonder who it could be but James E is keeping quiet… we’ll find out soon enough! Boris Zhukov & Nikolia Vokoff defeated Tommy Jones & Rock Watson *COMMERCIAL* -Saturday Night is back with footage of Rick Rude winning the US title. We see Rude, Bundy, and Jimmy Hart celebrating at the stand. Ross and Schiavone put over how they stole the title with the help of Stan Hansen and Jimmy Hart acts like he doesn’t even know who that is! He says that he has entered Rude and Bundy in the Crockett Cup and now he’s going to be a millionaire! He says he has another team in the cup… he wants to introduce everyone to Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart… the HART FOUNDATION BABY! The Hart Foundation defeat the Shadows via the Hart Attack! -The Harts get a good reaction from the crowd with some boos and jeers but when they go over to the booth… they proclaim that they are the Hart Foundation… but not Jimmy Hart’s HART FOUNDATION! They are here for a purpose… they’re here to show everyone why they are the best team in wrestling and they’re going to prove it at the Crockett Cup! They walk off to some major cheers while Rude and Bundy can’t believe it and Jimmy Hart is going nuts! *COMMERCIAL* Dick Murdoch defeated Ronny Williams -Dick Murdoch and Dusty Rhodes join Tony and Jim Ross… Dusty takes over… Dusty: Ladies and gentlemen… I have stood out here for years and talked about the pain, blues, and agony of this sport. I have talked about the miscarriages of justice that have fallen on me in the past but I have also talked about my triumphs. I have never done it alone… I have had friends and I have had the fans. But this next fight… ladies and gentlemen… I have to go it alone. Stan Hansen...the master of the Lariat! The man who has wreaked havoc and caused terror all over the world if you will. Stan Hansen… our paths have only crossed a hand full of times and brother we’ve both felt it. I put a letter on the desk of Jim Crockett Jr this morning to give you a full reinstatement so I can kick your ass! I am begging Jim Crockett… I am begging WCW… give me what I want… give these people what they want… GIVE ME STAN HANSEN! The Road Warriors defeated Mike Kelly & Tim Simms -The Road Warriors come over after killing these guys and put over Dusty’s comments but also say that they know Hansen… they know Rhodes… when it comes down to it… it will be a war… but a war they aren’t apart of and don’t want anything to do with because they are focused primarily on the Crockett Cup! They want the Million Dollars again! Once you taste it once… you can’t get the taste out of your mouth and we’re hungry. We snack on danger and dine on death and dead men don’t cash checks but you’re looking at the two baddest dudes on the block who have got one thing in mind and that is pain and destruction for everyone in our path! *COMMERCIAL* -Ross and Schiavone put over the Clash and build up to the TV title match that we’ll see now in its entirety! TELEVISION CHAMPIONSHIP Ron Simmons vs Mike Rotundo © -A decent contest here but nothing too crazy. These guys are on after Flair and Sting and the live crowd doesn’t show much love for it after that last match. They go about 11-minutes but Rotundo has to do a lot of the work. Simmons power is definitely something to behold but it just isn’t all there yet. The finish sees Simmons get a big head of steam and even hit the SPINEBUSTER on Rotundo. When he goes up to the top rope for the shoulder block, Sullivan distracts the referee and Dr. Death comes out of nowhere with an Oklahoma Sooners helmet and just CRACKS Simmons in the skull. He hunches over and falls to the mat for Rotundo to make the pinfall and retain the title! *COMMERCIAL* -We’re back on set with the Varsity Club and Sullivan has got the Oklahoma Sooners helmet on the table... Kevin Sullivan: Ron Simmons… you see these Oklahoma Helmet… this was the helmet worn by Steve Williams on January 1st, 1981! It was the helmet he wore when the Oklahoma Sooners BEAT the Florida State Seminoles in the Orange Bowl! You see during that game… Steve Williams got to play at offensive guard against the great Ron Simmons of Florida State. It was in that game that Ron Simmons was playing dirty! He was poking eyes. He was punching people in the throat. He was an all out cheater! Well… Ron Simmons… how the tables have turned… but not really. On January 1st, 1981… the Oklahoma Sooners defeated Florida State… and on March the 27th, 1988, it was the 5th quarter of that game and look once again… Oklahoma came out on top! HAHAHA! -This draws out Ron Simmons who is got piss and fire running through his veins with security holding him back. He challenges Williams to a fight and Dr. Death doesn’t back down! Simmons shoves the football helmet back into Williams face and Dr. Death challenges him to a football fight at the Crockett Cup! Come any way you want but ready to BRAWL! Simmons gladly accepts and it looks like we’ve got a fight brewing! Security escorts Simmons to the back while we cut to the ring for the Varsity Club in tag team action! Dan Spivey & Rick Steiner defeated Johnny Jones & Mark Dupree via the Powerbomb! *COMMERCIAL* Terry Taylor defeated Norman Mason with the Five-Arm! -Flair, Arn, Tully, and JJ come out to cut a promo but Terry Taylor jumps in again...He puts over how he’s been winning week in and week out! The Horsemen give him his due… but JJ puts over how Terry Taylor is on a short list… a very short list… but there’s someone else on the list and we’ll see him in just a few minutes. Arn and Tully put over the Crockett Cup and talk about being the number one team in wrestling for a reason… it is these tag titles and they will face anyone for them… anytime… anyplace! Ric Flair then goes on a huge rant saying he knows it is going to be Windham, Luger, or Sting at the Crockett Cup but the end result will be the same with him holding the title. Ross points out Roddy Piper but Flair says that Piper is nowhere to be found and he won’t be in the ring anytime soon! Flair continues to put himself over and then the Horsemen say they will stand by and watch the next match with a close eye... Curt Hennig defeated Donny Knight with the Fisherman’s Suplex *COMMERCIAL* Jim Crockett is here and he makes the official announcement for the 2-night… 14 team… 1 Million Dollar Tag Team Tournament. He says that the top two teams in WCW… the World Tag Team Champions Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard along with the US Tag Team Champions the Midnight Express will both receive byes in the first round and begin action in round number two. The remaining teams will be randomly drawn and those pairings will be released in two weeks right here on Saturday Night. Here are the remaining teams... Crockett Cup Announcement… Arn & Tully Midnight Express Road Warriors Lex Luger & Sting Rick Rude & King Kong Bundy Rotundo & Sullivan Horner & Armstrong Steiner & Spivey The Rockers The Hart Foundation Dick Murdoch & Tommy Rich Ron Bass & Black Bart Nikolai Volkoff & Boris Zhukov Ross & Schiavone point out how there’s only 13 teams… but Jim Crockett says he is currently finalizing a deal with Jim Cornette in regards to a teammate for Big Bubba Rogers. We will have that final decision next week. He also announces that the Football Brawl between Ron Simmons and Steve Williams will be held on night one along with a very special attraction that will also be announced next week! Crockett then turns his attention to Stan Hansen and Dusty Rhodes. He says that Stan Hansen has not returned any communication in regards to his reinstatement. He is still suspended indefinitely and will not be reinstated until the $100,000 fine is paid! Crockett then says that there will be a special attraction on night two. A match has just been signed between two big stars in the sport who will be here next week… Hacksaw Jim Duggan will be taking on Butch Reed! Crockett says a world heavyweight championship match has been signed… The Nature Boy Ric Flair will be defending the World Championship against the Total Package Lex Luger on the second night of the Crockett Cup! *COMMERCIAL* -Ross and Schiavone are back putting over the teams in the Crockett Cup and how the Horsemen and MXE will get byes! They also put over Lex Luger getting a chance to take on Ric Flair for the World Title. We then get to our Main Event with the man called Sting in action! Sting vs Buddy Landel -A fun matchup for the Stinger who goes about 12-minutes with Buddy Landel. They put on a good show for the fans and just when Landel tires to put the Stinger down he comes back with a huge flurry. Landel runs and Sting ducks out of the way. He then hits a Stinger splash in the corner nailing both men before going up top for a high cross body and the 3-count! -Sting, Luger, and Windham walk over to the booth and are going wild! They put over the Crockett Cup and how this is going to be different than the Clash. This is the night they will get their revenge on the Horsemen. That draws the Horsemen out and Flair and company are calling them out for a match but when Sting, Luger, and Windham accept they back off to say not here… not now… but behind the Horsemen is none other than Rowdy Roddy Piper! Piper gets right in Flair’s face as Luger and Sting turn Arn and Tully around and knock them down! Flair swings at Piper who ducks and then atomic drops him into Luger who backdrops him over the announce table! The crowd is going wild as we go off the air!

I want to welcome @Chachins He will take over Florida Championship Wrestling... Florida Championship Wrestling Figurehead: Jack Brisco Head Booker: Dusty Rhodes Announcers: Gordon Solie & Ernie Ladd Adrian Adonis Al Perez Billy Jack Haynes Blackjack Mulligan Bob Backlund Bob Bradley Brady Boone Corporal Kirchner Danny Davis Dave Taylor Doug Furnas Dr. D Dave Schultz Freddie Blassie George Wells George Steele Great Kabuki Hillbilly Jim Iceman King Parsons Iron Sheik Ivan Koloff Jimmy Jack Funk (Jesse Barr) Junkyard Dog Kamala Ken Patera Killer Khan Koko Ware Manager - Mr. Fuji Manny Fernandez Matt Borne Omar Atlas Pete Doherty Pez Whatley Phil Lafon Reno Riggins Ricky Morton Robert Gibson Rocky Johnson Tony Atlas Steve Keirn Tom Prichard Jimmy Del Ray Tommy Rogers Bobby Fulton Les Thornton Mike Graham Bubba Ottman Percy Pringle Kendall Windham Dusty Rhodes (Currently shared w/ WCW) Dustin Rhodes (Currently shared w/ WCW)

Here we go with the Thunder Down Under... Again... I love Race in the color role... I do like Nikita here and he did have a push going into 88 and 89 just a different kind of character than before. Kokina is a monster and a lot of people don't know how good Yoko was before he showed up in the WWF... we'll see that here. Bulldogs and SST are some hot tag teams... could be some big brawls int he future. Lastly, Dibiase is the man and he will be the headliner here without question. Good stuff!

Paul Diamond and Pat Tanaka are leaving WCW to look for more stable work. Buzz Sawyer and Eddie Gilbert are coming in on a short term basis.

The 16 Man Tourney is upon us...I see 18 total names with Hogan and Bock in there but no Andre which is surprising. I like the actual 16 rather than 14 with the double bye. Other than that it looks like Jaggers and Oliver are looking to cause some trouble. Seems like the WWF has got some big things on the horizon and I am excited to see how the rest of the WrestleMania card plays out.

WCW is going to swap Teddy Long for Slick... seems to be the right move at this point in 88.

WCW Presents: The Clash of the Champions The Omni - Atlanta, Georgia 3/27/1988 -A great opening video sets the stage for the Omni in Atlanta! Jim Ross and Bob Caudle are standing by… JR: Welcome everyone to the Clash of the Champions! Jim Ross and Bob Caudle here to call the action for the next two hours. Bob… tonight we’ve got every title in WCW on the line but everyone is looking forward to the World Title with Ric Flair and Sting! Bob: Well everyone knows what Ric Flair is all about but tonight we find out what Sting is all about. JR: I think everyone is ready to see what the Venice Beach Bad Boy is going to do tonight to the Nature Boy… plus… what role will Roddy Piper play in this event? Bob: Well he said it last night… as a judge he’s just here to watch… but you gotta know if someone tries him… he will show his true colors! JR: Fans we have got five title matches… we’re well away of the time constraints of this broadcast with the time limits of these contests. Right now we’re going to kick things off with our US Tag Title Contest! US TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP Brad Armstrong & Tim Horner vs Midnight Express © w/ Jim Cornette -A good 13-minute match with Horner and Armstrong getting in some offense and looking good but the MXE are at a different level. JR and Caudle put over the Road Warriors, Rockers, and others in the tag division. They also name drop the Hart Foundation who will be on WCW Saturday Night next week! They also put over the Crockett Cupand the announcement of the top 8 teams next week. They say the US tag champions will be there and tonight we see the MXE get the wind with the Rocket Launcher. Horner and Armstrong look good but just don’t have enough in the tank! *COMMERCIAL* -We’re back at the Clash with Champions and Tony Schaivone is with Sting, Luger, and Windham. They all put over their matches but you can feel the dissention with Luger and Windham. They say they’re on the same page and they will have to be tonight. Sting says that the waiting is over… he says all the outside things will not be a factor and tonight the match will be decided inside the ring… the way it should be! US HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP Dusty Rhodes © vs Ravishing Rick Rude w/ Jimmy Hart -A big time match up here with Rhodes and Rude and the crowd is solidly behind the dream. Ross and Caudle put over the arrival of King Kong Bundy. They talk about Dick Murdoch. Inside the ring, these guys have 30-minutes and the match gets drawn out a bit but is still fun to see. The finish sees Bundy make his way out to the ring but here comes Dick Murdoch! Murdoch and Bundy are fighting outside the ring and then Rude and Dusty are brawling inside the ring and the referee gets knocked down. Rude then goes out and he hammers on Murdoch but inside the ring… out of nowhere… STAN HANSEN IS HERE… Rhodes turns around and Hansen NAILS HIM WITH THE LARIAT! Rhodes is slow to get up and Hansen AGAIN WITH A LARIAT! Hansen rolls out of the ring and is being pummeled by the crowd to the back… Rude gets in the ring, pulls up Rhodes and RUDE AWAKENING and pulls the referee over...1…..2…..3! RICK RUDE HAS WON THE US TITLE! The crowd is in shock! Jimmy Hart and Bundy are celebrating like crazy! Ross and Caudle can’t believe what they’ve seen… we have a new US Champion! *COMMERCIAL* -We’re back with Ross and Caudle putting over the US title match… they can’t believe Stan Hansen showed up… they can’t believe Rude is the champion… they say that Rhodes is receiving medical attention in the back and they hope to hear from him after our next match… the world tag team titles are on the line... WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP Lex Luger & Barry Windham vs Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard © w/ JJ Dillon -After all the talk… all the hoopla… it comes to these four men and they put on a helluva match for about 18-minutes. Luger and Windham look good and Blanchard and Anderson look great. A lot of tags and smooth moves from both teams but you can tell Anderson and Blanchard are more polished. The drama comes when Luger accidently hits Windham with a forearm. This draws and argument between the two… they are pushing one another and reach back to throw a punch but Anderson runs from behind and nails Windham who hammers Luger and he goes out of the ring to the floor! Anderson pulls Windham over and has a handful of tights for the 3-count! The Horsemen get the win and retain the titles! We see Windham and Luger starting to go at it outside the ring… we see some babyface jobbys come out to break them apart… we cut back to Tony and the Dream! Dusty Rhodes; Tony Schiavone… the best thing you can do right now is just chill daddy… Rick Rude… you stole the American Dream… you stole the US Title… you call it a Rude Awakening well brother I AM WIDE AWAKE NOW AND THERE ARE DUES TO BE PAID! Stan Hansen… you come out of the shadows… to try and stop the DREAM that is AMERICA! You want to try and put be down daddy well you can try and try but you ain’t done a damn thing but wake me up! Rude! Hansen! Bundy! Hart! I am coming! I am coming with scorn in my heart! I am coming with fire in my soul! I am coming with the American Dream to reclaim what is mine in this world! I am coming for the RECKONING...one way or another… I will get mine… and you… you will get yours! *COMMERCIAL* -Ross and Caudle are back putting over the big Tag Title match and how the Horsemen played the mind games with Luger and Windham and it looks to have worked. They put over Dusty Rhodes and how he is vowing revenge on Hansen and Rude! They put over the big World Title match. They say the TV title match between Rotundo and Simmons is on stand by as we cut to Tom Miller for our introductions... Tom Miller: Ladies and gentlemen, it is now time for our main event… for the WCW Heavyweight Championship of the World. Introducing first, our three judges... Television star… Jason Hervey! Penthouse Playmate Patty Mullen Professional Wrestling great… the one… the only… ROWDY RODDY PIPER! Tom Miller: Now… the challenger… from Venice Beach, California… ladies and gentlemen… STING! His opponent… the champion… from Charlotte, North Carolina… the WCW Heavyweight Champion of the World… the NATURE BOY… RIC FLAIR! WCW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP Sting vs Ric Flair © w/ JJ Dillon -What a moment we have here. The Omni is going wild for this one. Flair and Sting… the first WCW World title defense since the buyout. Caudle and Ross put it through the roof and we see these two men push each other to the limit. It is Sting’s strength that is on display and the crowd is eating every motion and move. Flair turns the tide and breaks the big man down and tries to work the knee but Sting once again shows just how powerful he is by breaking loose. We get a very close 2-count at about the 25-minute mark on Flair and he is right in Tommy Young’s face but Young pushes him back and he goes out of the ring. Piper is there and smiles at Flair but doesn’t get involved. Flair continues to move around and STING OVER THE TOP ROPE with a cross body on Flair and the crowd explodes! They continue to go through and now Sting is on the offensive and he is looking to pick up steam. He even looks to finish with the Stinger Splash but Flair ducks down and Sting goes over the top to the floor. This is Flair’s chance and at the 45-minute mark he goes for broke. He does everything he can to break down that knee of Sting but Sting’s got a fire inside him that continues to burn. JJ Dillon is sweating bullets outside the ring. Ross and Caudle say that this is a special moment and anything could happen. Flair gets into his series and he is looking to lock in the Figure Four but Sting rolls through for another very close 2-count! Sting is now in control and we’ve got limited time remaining! He press slams Flair and the crowd is going nuts! Sting screams as though he knows this is his moment! Arn and Tully are shown running down to the ring but Windham and Luger… UNITED… they run down and stop them! The Horsemen are drawn back without issue! Sting then locks in the SCORPION DEATHLOCK and Flair is in the center of the ring! He has Flair right where he wants him but it is JJ Dillon who gets up on the apron and Sting runs over and NAILS HIM! This gives Flair a chance to take out the knee and he goes for the Figure-Four! He has it locked in with minutes remaining! Sting continues to fight and the crowd is going nuts! 60-seconds as Tom Miller calls out and Sting turns the Figure-Four over and Flair is hurting but then Flair turns it back…. Sting comes back up and turns it one more time and now he has Flair in pain…. The bell rings! The crowd is stunned! They have gone the full 60-minutes! Both men struggle to their feet. Flair has to be helped by JJ Dillon! Sting pulls himself up by the ropes! Tommy Young grabs the title and he won’t give it to Flair… he says that the Judges have the final say! Tom Miller: Ladies and gentlemen… with this match going to a sixty minute time limit… we must go to the judges for the victor. Please give me your cards… First… Jason Hervey scores the match…to RIC FLAIR! Rowdy Roddy Piper scores the match… to STING! Lastly, Patty Mullen scores the match… RIC FLAIR! -The crowd boos and Roddy Piper gets in the ring as Flair grabs the title. Piper helps up Sting as Windham and Luger come out and help him up. Anderson and Blanchard come out with Flair. Ross and Caudle say that our tv time has elapsed… we will show the TV title match this Saturday on WCW Saturday Night! Our final scene is Piper, Sting, Luger, and Windham looking at the Horsemen walking up the aisle with the titles…