APRIL 17, 1989
MID-SOUTH COLISEUM
“The Crowning” Round 1
(The Winner of the Crowning Gets $100,000 & a Future WCW World Title Shot)
“Hot Stuff” Eddie Gilbert © vs Sting
WCW World Television Title is on the Line
Sting defeats “Hot Stuff” Eddie Gilbert by submission when he followed up a Stinger Splash with the Scorpion Leglock. wrEddie Gilbert was once again by himself as Missy Hyatt has not been seen since Clash of Champions when her two men, Gilbert and Tatum, squared off against each other. Whether it was Missy not being there or Sting being on top of his game, Gilbert struggles to get much going in this bout. Sting did little celebrating when given the TV title as he said that it is great to be a champion but he really wants to earn that World Title!
Hacksaw Butch Reed vs Psycho Sid with Oliver Humperdink
Give Hacksaw some credit here as he went toe to toe with the monster across from him. Both men hit each other with some huge moves and there were many near pinfalls. This was the first time since bringing Sid to WCW that Humperdink actually looked nervous. This must be why he thought he needed to get involved. After Sid had nailed Reed in the corner with a closed fist, ref Pee Wee Anderson tried to step in and admonish Sid. Humperdink took the opportunity to wrap the tag rope around Reed’s neck and choke him. Reed was flailing around but the ref couldn’t see the rope. Finally, Reed managed an elbow to the face of Humperdink and the manager went flying. This took a lot of energy out of Reed who staggered out of the corner right into a powerbomb and a victory for Psycho Sid.
“The Total Package” Lex Luger © vs Terry Funk
(WCW United States Title is in the Line)
Funk pulled out every dirty trick in the book and had Luger in some serious trouble until Luger rallied for the victory with the clothesline/Torture Rack Combo.
“Mr. USA” Tony Atlas vs Col. Debeers
While we have already seen some big matches, this just might be the one the crowd has been waiting for. Everyone in the building hoped Debeers finally would get what is coming to him. Every time Jerry Jarrett has thought he has Debeers set up to wrestle someone of the likes of Atlas, Debeers has found a way out of it. Well, tonight, it looks like we will finally see Debeers put-up or shut-up.
Debeers comes out first and the Mid-South Coliseum is shaking from the raucous boos. Debeers does everything he can to insight them even more. These boos change to cheers as Atlas takes his first steps from behind the curtain.
WHAM… from behind… the Iron Sheik, Mr. Saito, and the Russian Assassin attack Atlas. The beating is brutal and there is no help coming for Atlas. Reed has just been power-bombed from Sid and Ron Simmons is not in the building.
After the attack has done its job, the Anti-American Coalition roll Atlas into the ring. Even though Atlas can barely stand up, Debeers is screaming at Pee Wee Anderson to ring the bell. Anderson, seems unsure what to do but Atlas is in the ring and is standing up, even though propped up by the ropes. Anderson decides to call for the bell and the match is under way.
This takes only a few seconds as Debeers connects with a reverse piledriver on Atlas and then we get the 3-count. After Anderson has raised Debeers hand, he struts out of the ring like he has just accomplished some major feat. With Debeers already gone, the rest of the AAC, attack Atlas once again. Finally, we get Sting and Luger who come to his rescue but the damage is done. Many in the crowd wonder if we will see Atlas in the near future.
WOMEN’S TAG TEAM MATCH
Magnificent Mimi & Wendy Richter vs Madusa Micelli & Terri Powers
It is like these 4 women realize that the future of WCW women’s wrestling depends on the show they put on tonight. All 4 give everything they got with the end coming in a moment of chaos. Madusa was in playing the face in peril and finally made the hot tag to Terri. Terri, comes in with a quick flex and then goes wild as both Mimi and Richter are being throttled from pillar to post. Madusa recovers enough and we go 2 on 2 with the babyfaces in complete control. The end comes in spectacular fashion as Terri and Madusa connect with Double Superplexes on the heels. Nobody seems to know or care who the legal women are in the ring but it doesn’t matter as Madusa covers Richter and Terri covers Mimi for the double pin and the win. The crowd seems to really like this new element to WCW.
LOSER LEAVE TOWN STREET FIGHT MATCH
Jake “The Snake” Roberts & Magnificent Muraco vs Roddy Piper & Mystery Partner
Interesting thing here was with Snake and Muraco already in the ring, Piper came out all alone. When ref Teddy Long asked who is partner was, Piper negatively shook his head. Snake and Muraco, in street clothes ready for a rumble, told Piper that the contract was signed and that he had no choice but to face them alone. Piper shrugged like it was no big deal.
WHAM… Muraco and Snake with the immediate double team attack. While there are not really any rules in this street fight, Teddy Long was able to get Muraco to the apron for a somewhat normal tag team match set up.
Muraco and Snake were just too much for Piper and, at times, the beating was just brutal. Piper has blood dripping down his face as he is being tossed around like a sack of potatoes. It almost seemed too easy. Muraco and Snake were having a grand time. Roberts eventually connects with a DDT but instead of covering Piper, Muraco and Snake just watch Piper suffer. They start toying with the fans as Piper eventually begins to crawl to the corner.
The camera catches Piper untying the bottom turnbuckle as Muraco, with a big smirk on his face starts to strut to him!
WHAM… Piper, out of nowhere, nails Muraco with a loaded right hand with what appears to be a pair of brass knuckles.
Muraco goes down… as is Piper. Snake unsure of what happens rushes over to check on his teammate. Piper is now up.
WHAM… Brass knuckles punch to Snake.
Piper drags himself onto of Snake… Teddy Long, surprised as anyone, makes the 3-count.
Somehow, Piper has survived!
The camera goes back and shows the replay of Piper getting the brass knuckles out of the bottom turnbuckle. Jim Ross and Tony Schiavone are shocked but admit that nothing should ever be put past Roddy Piper.
“The Crowning” Round 2
(The Winner of the Crowning Gets $100,000 & a Future WCW World Title Shot)
“WCW World Television Champ” Sting vs Psycho Sid with Oliver Humperdink
(TV Title is not on the line)
As the match starts, we notice that Humperdink has come to the ring with a cane. Jim Ross suggests that he must have gotten injured when he fell off the ring apron after getting hit by Reed’s elbow when he was choking Hacksaw.
As for the match itself, Sting does a great job of selling all of Sid’s big moves while Psycho Sid plays it pretty stiff and No Sells much of what Sting is doing. This gives the match the illusion that it is being dominated by Humperdink’s monster. Sting finally makes a comeback and has Sid up against the ropes and set up for the Stinger Splash.
As Sting screams to the crowd, Humperdink climbs up on the apron. Sting rushes across the ring and leaps….
WHAM… Humperdink with the new cane accidently cracks his own man in the head. Couple that with the Splash and Sid is down.
Sing covers him. Ref Pee Wee Anderson rushes in. 1…2…3!
Jim Ross: Oh bawh Gawd! Sting has won. The streak is over. Sid has suffered his first defeat in WCW. Sting is going to the finals of the Crowning.
“WCW United States Champion” Lex Luger vs Colonel Debeers
(U.S. Title in not on the line)
Luger seems to have learned from earlier in the night and is paying attention on his way to the ring as he knows that any member of the Anti-American Coalition could attack at any time. He also is coming to the ring with Hacksaw Butch Reed in case of an all-out attack.
Colonel Debeers, surprisingly, does come to the ring by himself. As soon as he steps foot in the ring, he demands the house microphone.
Colonel Debeers: It is not bad enough that I am being forced against my will to wrestle this freak Lex Luger but I will not wrestle with the likes of this creature, Butch Reed at ringside. He is not a manager and frankly, I have no idea what he is doing here.
Reed walks right up to Debeers and looks him dead in the eye…
Hacksaw Reed: I am as much of a manager as any of your goons that attacked my friend Tony Atlas a little while ago but, because I have so much respect for the WCW fans, I want them to see you get broken in half by Lex Luger, so I will leave. Oh, but one thing before I go!
WHAM… Reed unloads on Debeers with a huge right hand and then tells Pee Wee Anderson to ring the bell like he did before in the match with Debeers and Atlas.
Reed actually only goes halfway up the ramp and takes a seat.
DING…DING…. DING!
The match is under way and starts with Luger wrestling from the top but give Debbers some credit. He used enough dirty tactics to change the momentum. The crowd really gets behind Luger and he starts one last come back. After a few big blows by Luger he calls for the “Torture Rack.”
From out of nowhere, here comes Saito, Iron Sheik and The Russian Assassin.
Give Hacksaw Butch Reed some credit as he fights off 3 members of the AAC long enough for Luger to hoist up Debeers into The Rack. It looks like Luger is going to break him in half.
Debeers is flailing around like a fish out of water and he finally submits! The crowd is going wild. Luger dumps Debeers to the ground just as the AAC get around Reed and head to the ring. Luger, knowing that he has another match coming up, exits stage left and escapes the attack.
As Luger thanks Hacksaw Reed, Jim Ross hypes up the final match of the Crowning as Luger will face his best friend, Sting, for $100,000 and a shot at the WCW World Title.
WCW WORLD TAG TEAM TITLE MATCH
Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard © vs Ted Dibiase & “Dr. Death” Steve Williams
One thing that did happen in this match that both Ted Dibiase and Dr. Seath predicted was that at no time did Ric Flair make any attempt to leave the locker room and help his fellow Horsemen. That doesn’t mean that it was going to be fought evenly and by rules. Woman did her best to make sure the Horseman left with the belt. From distracting the ref, to grabbing hold of Dibiase’s leg to courageously smacking Dr. Death across the face, Woman was involved from the opening bell.
Despite all that Woman did, the Horseman were in trouble in this one. There was no way to match Dr. Death’s power and Dibiase can simply do it all in the ring. While the Horsemen did have plenty of time wrestling from the top, it appeared that their title reign was in jeopardy. That is until Woman sprays Ted Dibiase in the eyes with perfume. Dibiase is now like Ray Charles wrestling a bear… He has no shot. Dr. Death tried to take over but he is still not 100% and eventually the Horseman are in control. We see Dibiase tag himself in to try and give Dr. Death a break but this just led to the end as he was literally wrestling blind. An Arn Anderson spinebuster followed by a slingshot suplex by Tully along with a grab of the tights during the ref’s count and the Horsemen survive.
The Finals of The Crowning
(The Winner of the Crowning Gets $100,000 & a Future WCW World Title Shot)
WCW United States Champion “The Total Package” Lex luger
Vs
WCW World Television Champion Sting
Both men are obviously excited at the opportunity that this match presents but you tell they both wish the match was against someone else. The match starts with a true handshake followed by about 5 minutes of nothing. We get a few armbars and a few leglocks but this is neither man’s forte. Eventually, Sting and Luger shake hands again and both agree the match is ON! Each man gives it his all and we see some big moves by each. After about 10 more minutes, both men appear to be dead even.
The crowd moans as out comes Woman! Nobody knows what is going on. Sting and Luger both look at her and then at each other as if to say, “Is she with you?”
They both shrug their shoulders and begin to wrestle again. At one point, Luger pushes Sting to the corner.
Woman pounces and for the second time tonight, the perfume bottle is out and she sprays Sting in the eyes. Luger is beside himself and chases her up the aisle. Luger runs back to the ring to see if Sting is okay.
Sting, like Dibiase, is flailing around. He is clawing at his eyes. Luger puts his hand on him to try and help him.
WHAM… Sting hits Luger by accident. Luger shrugs it off and tries to tells Sting what happened. Sting still can’t see. Luger again comes to his aid.
WHAM… again Sting in self-defense mode, hits Luger.
Luger seems frustrated even though he knows Sting is just trying to protect himself.
WHAM… This time it is Luger with a huge clothesline. He figures the only way to get Sting the help he needs is to end the match.
Luger picks up Sting…
WHAM… Powerbomb! Luger mercifully covers Sting as Teddy Long makes the 3-count. Luger immediately calls for help as officials rush in and are pouring water all over Sting’s eyes. He is taken to the back as an upset Luger is not celebrating one of the biggest wins in his career.
WCW WORLD TITLE MATCH
“Nature Boy” Ric Flair with Woman © vs Jerry “The King” Lawler
Mid-South Coliseum has seen its share of big matches before. They have blown the roof of the place both with cheers for their favorites including the King and deafening choruses of boos for those they hate. This one might have been the loudest of both worlds. By bringing wrestling back to Memphis, WCW has endeared it to the fans and now they get to cheer their hometown hero in a World Title match has them exploding with excitement. That is until Flair is lead to the ring by Woman. After what she just did to Dibiase and Sting, she is enemy #1.
With these two in the match, we already know it is an instant classic. As we get near the 30-minute mark, we see the champ in some serious trouble. We have already seen him flip himself over the turnbuckle out onto the floor. He has suffered in agony at the King’s version of figure four. Lawler has pulled the strap down and nailed the middle rope fist drop. Now he is calling for the piledriver.
Woman is up on the apron while the ref is admonishing her get down.
WHAM… Flair has mustered the strength to shove The King into ref Pee Wee Anderson and down he goes.
Woman, for the third time tonight, reaches into the purse for the perfume bottle. She starts toward the King.
Suddenly the crowd erupts… Lex Luger is running to the ring. He heads straight for Woman who looks like she has seen a ghost. She takes off in the other direction and narrowly escapes up the ramp.
Luger goes to Pee Wee Anderson but he is out…
Luger goes to check on Lawler who is struggling to his feet. Luger helps him up and points him in the direction of Flair who is in big trouble.
WHAM… Luger grabs Lawler’s arm and connects with a devastating short armed clothesline.
Luger quickly drags Flair on top of Lawler. Next he drags Pee Wee Anderson over and uses his own arm to lift and drop Anderson’s arm 3 times for the World’s fastest 3 count.
Luger basically in a full sprint makes an escape as he is dragging Flair behind him. They as he is dodging all types of debris on the way.
Give Mid-South Coliseum security its due. Somehow, a riot was avoided as Jerry Lawler drags himself up on the bottom rope and stares out into the abyss and thinks how close he came to being WCW World Champion.
