[1990-05-25-USWA Texas] Steve Austin vs Chris Adams (Barbed Wire)

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Loss]

Austin gets scratched multiple times just getting in and out of the ring. He has a nasty gash on his back before the match even starts, just from entering the ring. This is the first good match I think they've had. Great finish too, with Austin trying to drop Adams from a press slam position onto the wires and Adams countering for a pin. Post-match, Jeanne slips Adams a pair of brass knucks and Austin slugs him before injuring him with a chair, which Adams sells beautifully.

[PeteF3]

They work a whole match without any major cuts on the wire at all, as the mere threat of the wire is enough to get heat and draw people in. Awesome finish as Chris fights from getting dropped onto the wire and pulls out a crucifix for the victory. He pays for it afterward, as Austin decks Adams with brass knucks and then brutalizes him with a chair and a really well-done beatdown.

[soup23]

Good match with teasing of the barbed wire when it was appropriate. Austin's power moves and timing looked better here than in previous matches.

[shoe]

By far the beat match the 2 have had. I totally dug that Austin is so green he forgets about the wire when he tries to bale. Finish was pretty good too.

[Kevin Ridge]

Barbed wire match which I barely noticed at first. Austin backs out of the ring and scrapes himself on the barbed wire. Nice tease of Adams desperately fighting off Austin from getting pushed into barbed wire. Oh that splash Austin. Different type of barbed wire match where it was more teasing of using the barbed wire than being a bloody type match.

[Cox]

I liked how this match was more about teasing the damage of the barbed wire more than it was about two maniacs carving each other up in the barbs. The gashes Austin gives himself (whether accidentally or on purpose) sell the danger of the match without these guys having to bleed buckets all over the ring. Good match.

[TravJ1979]

I agree that the USWA stuff is the best it's been this year with three angles really at their peak. I enjoyed this match and it is probaby Austin's best yet.

 

I found it funny that a fan in the audience was wearing the same exact outfit as Tessa was during a Tatum/Dundee match earlier in the month. With the announcers going over how well "Mean Jean" looked, I just happened to notice this.

[garretta]

I didn't think you could work a barbed wire match well without major bleeding from at least one of the participants, but I was wrong. This was a beautifully worked match, with psychology you don't often see in a stip match like this. From Austin busting open his back just getting into the ring to the lengths these two guys go to avoid getting cut to the fact that Jeannie wore one of her best outfits, which subtly got over the idea that she wouldn't be a factor during the body of the match, this was well done from start to finish. The limits of television actually helped the quality of the work, which doesn't happen very often.

 

Speaking of which, the finish itself was inspired, as Chris manages to avoid the wire and score a pin out of nowhere at the same time with the crucifix. Austin's not satisfied, and after laying Chris low with a pair of brass knucks courtesy of Jeannie, he murders him with one of the stiffest-looking chair shots I've ever seen, then drives the chair into the back of Chris's neck at least three more times. Just terrific stuff all around.

 

Craig and Percy are gelling on commentary, and even though this was almost certainly unintentional, I couldn't help but snicker every time Percy referred to "Mean Jeannie". No matter what else you say about her, you have to admit that she's prettier than wrestling's other Mean Gene!

 

Now that Chris has asserted himself, what's next for this feud? Can't wait to find out!

[drew wardlaw]

Austin looks good, the gashes on his back are nasty and really do a great job of inadvertently selling the barbed wire as dangerous. I really loved the finish here, Adams up in a slam just about to be dropped on the barbs but he manages to reverse it into a kind of crucifix pin. Really good, best of the feud so far.

[GSR]

Adams forward rolls to Austin who darts out the ring but ends up cutting his back on the barbed wire in the process. He gets back in the ring and this time Adams comes at him with a front flip, and he’s out of there again but cutting his back up some more. The match finally gets going and Adams drags Austin over to the barbed wire trying to cut his forehead but Austin holds him off. Jeannie is great here looking worried and concerned that her man could end up getting maimed. The two of them continue, almost in turns, trying to cut the others face, but the only blood in the match is from Austin accidentally cutting his own back at the start. Austin with a powerslam and he climbs to the top turnbuckle but misses the big splash. After these past couple of matches he needs to think about eliminating that move from his repertoire! Adams with a piledriver and then it’s his turn to climb the ropes. He comes off with a splash of his own but Austin gets his knees up. Austin presses Adams over his head as if he’s about to drop him on the barbed wire but Adams reverses it into a crucifix for the pin. Jeannie hands Austin some brass knux after the match and he nails Adams laying him out. She then passes him a chair which he uses to beat him with and to add insult to injury, Jeannie scratches him in the face before the two of them make their way out of there.

 

I liked this match and it had a nice finish too. Jeannie really came into her own as well as a valet, with the way that she was reacting to what was going on in the ring. I do think Adams has been too giving in this feud so it was nice to see him come out on top in the match, even if Austin did lay him out post-match.

[dawho5]

Great way to work a barbed wire match. Unexpected, but no complaints at all. Austin getting caught trying to drop Adams over the barbed wire was a perfect finish.

[El-P]

Ok, the teases were good but honestly, it does kinda feel like a rip-off to actually not use the wire at all. Solid stuff with Austin looking the best he had, and worked pretty smartly. But it's also not exactly satisfying to me. One of these two should have bled to make the gimmick really work. It was a good Barbed Wire Teasing" match though. Lacked the final chapter like Onita would deliver at the same time in Japan. Kinda crazy to think Steve Austin was involved with this kind of gimmick, and so early in his career to boot.