WCW Worldwide 4/24/1993

Airdate: April 24, 1993

Hosted by Tony Schiavone and Jesse “The Body” Ventura

A determined Rude opens up on Cooper with some headbutts. Cooper
appears to have raided RVD’s closet for his ring attire. In an innovative spot
Rude hoists Cooper up with a vertical suplex, switches to a military press,
then drops him face-first. A second attempt at a vertical suplex permits Rude
to just drop Cooper without falling back himself. To continue the punishment
Rude gives Cooper a bear hug and then throws him down again. A sidewalk slam
follows. Rude attempts a cover but pulls himself away at 2. The Rude Awakening
gets the 3 count! ½*for the innovative spot.

Our first installment of WCW Magazine starts with Tony
Gilliam mentioning Rick Rude’s quest to gain the US title from the current
champion Dustin Rhodes. Dustin offers a challenge to Rude to face him in the
ring. Shouldn’t Rude be the one issuing challenges instead of the champion?

Back from commercial Tony and Jesse promote Slamboree ’93. Jesse’s
sport coat is acid-washed purple this week.

Before the match starts Jesse praises then questions Scorpio
and Bagwell’s attire. Tony asks: “Who else wears pink and white in WCW?” Jesse’s
reply: “Missy?” Bagwell works on the arm of Sullivan to start. A quick reversal
leads to a fireman’s carry takeover by Bagwell. He poses to psyche out his
opponent. After a snapmare Scorpio tags in and drops his legs on Sullivan’s arm
from the second rope.  A quick tag
follows and Bagwell comes off the top with both legs onto the arm.

Sullivan comes back with some punches and a slam then tags
in Thor. Bagwell and Thor go corner-to-corner where Bagwell successfully
leapfrogs him then hits a sloppy back elbow. An armdrag and armbar by Bagwell
segue into another tag to Scorpio. The faces double-back-bodydrop Thor. Bagwell
then assists Scorpio with some leverage on a standing moonsault. Scorpio
follows up with a spinning heel kick. Bagwell tags back in, gives Thor a
double-shoulderblock with Scorpio, and controls with an armbar. Thor comes back
with forearms and a slam. After an Irish whip Thor delivers the back elbow.
They fight over a wristlock. Sullivan comes in to assist Thor in a double
wristlock but Bagwell flips out of it with the help of Scorpio. “Cold Man”
(Jesse’s nickname) double-clotheslines Thor and Sullivan.

Thor and Sullivan try to take a powder but Bagwell and
Scorpio give each man a baseball slide. They follow with stereo pescados! Back in
the ring Bagwell works Thor’s arm. Scorpio tags back in. After giving Thor a
slam Scorpio attempts a splash but hits the knees. Thor chops Scorpio but gets
reversed on a whip into a running clothesline. After another slam both Scorpio
and Bagwell head to the top and double-missile dropkick Thor!

Sullivan tags in and sends Scorpio to the mat with a
clothesline. He tries another one but gets superkicked. Scorpio lifts Sullivan
onto the top turnbuckle in his team’s corner. Bagwell tags in so that he and
Scorpio can double-superplex Sullivan for the pin! **

Tony interviews Bagwell and Scorpio. Bagwell’s Southern
accent is unmistakable here. Inadvertently Bagwell flaunts his guaranteed
contract by telling Austin that he and Scorpio don’t eat TV dinners but steak
and baked potatoes instead. Scorpio issues a challenge to the Hollywood Blonds
for the World Tag Team titles.

Eric Bischoff and Greg Gagne preview the Computerized
Contender’s Challenge. The computer “chooses” the contenders. Yeah, right. For
the World TV title Shane Douglas edges out Davey Boy Smith, Vinnie Vegas, and
Steve Regal as the top contender. Next week Douglas faces champion Paul
Orndorff. Bischoff snubs Erik Watts subtly. Also 2 Cold Scorpio and Marcus
Bagwell sit atop the contenders’ list for the World Tag Team title. They ranked
higher than former champions Steamboat and Douglas, Vinnie Vegas and Big Sky,
and Tex Slazenger and Shanghai Pierce. For the US title Kensuke Sasaki is #1
while Rude is a very close second. Scorpio and Bagwell individually round out
the field. Now we know why Rude was angry earlier since he was snubbed for his
title shot on Worldwide. Then again he could just be pissed because he’ll have
to carry Rhodes down the line. As far as the NWA title picture is concerned
Johnny B. Badd outranks Ron Simmons, Maxx Payne, and Van Hammer here. Lastly
for the WCW World title Ricky Steamboat bests Sting, Cactus Jack, and Erik
Watts atop the list. According to Bischoff contenders can move up in case of
injury to the contenders above them in the rankings. All these matches will
occur during the month of May on WCW Worldwide! Sweeps month, baby! Woohoo!

Norton methodically decimates Stryker with a shove, a slam,
and a thunderous chop that sends Stryker to the mat. A headbutt leads to a whip
and a nasty clothesline. Norton goes down to a knee to make to make the pin this
week. DUD

A Flair for the Gold debuts next week!

In the Slamboree ’93 Control Center Bischoff promotes the
event which occurs on May 23 only on PPV. Gordon Solie joins Eric. Legends
scheduled to appear include: Johnny Valentine, Lou Thesz, “The American Dream”
Dusty Rhodes, Blackjack Mulligan, and Don Muraco, Highlights of a match between
Muraco and Bobby Duncum in August of 1974 are shown. Additionally Big Van Vader
will defend the WCW World title against “The British Bulldog” Davey Boy Smith. Barry
Windham will defend the NWA title against Arn Anderson.

When we return from commercial last week’s clip of Arn
Anderson beating up Bobby Eaton is shown.

As much as I appreciate AA banana yellow tights look awkward
on him. Arn works on the arm to start. He provides some classic Anderson
techniques by stomping the arm as well as a standing armbar around the leg. The
Anderson slam follows. He continues to work on Travis’ arm with an armbar and
hammerlock. Shortly thereafter he rams him shoulder-first into the turnbuckle,
wraps his arm around the top rope, and finishes him with the spinebuster. DUD

In the second installment of WCW Magazine Tony Gilliam
promotes the WCW World title match at Slamboree. Vader is with Harley Race and
tells Davey Boy Smith that he “must pay with (your) blood, sweat, and (your)
tears.”

For those who aren’t aware Big Sky is Tyler Mane who is
better known as “Michael Myers” from Rob
Zombie’s Halloween. Big Sky starts off with Rude Dog. Valiantly Rude Dog
tries to take Big Sky off his feet but to no avail. Rude Dog tries a dropkick
but gets shrugged off. Big Sky slams him then drops the leg. An eye rake leads
to a mouthful of boot as Vegas tags in. Vinnie works Rude Dog over with punches
and a knee to the gut. Rude Dog eats more boot as Big Sky tags back in. Jesse
notes that each time either Vegas or Big Sky enter the ring they step over the
top rope.

Big Sky goes to the second rope and drives an elbow to the
back. While he chokes Rude Dog with his foot in the corner Jesse and Tony
rattle off teams from the Big Sky Conference such as Montana, Montana State,
Idaho and Boise State in his honor. The ratings from the northern Rocky
Mountains will be pouring in!

Menacingly Big Sky continues to clobber Rude Dog in the back
with forearms. He continues the onslaught with an armtwist and wristlock as
well as clubbing the arm. Vegas tags back in and gives a double axehandle blow
to Rude Dog’s arm. He then gives him a backbreaker and an elbowdrop off the
ropes.

Big Sky tags in again and forcibly makes Rude Dog tag in
Rainbow Brown. His tights may be orange at the moment but not for very long.
More clubbing forearms from Big Sky then he tags Vegas. The two giants drive
Brown down to the mat with a double-chokeslam. Vegas whips Brown off the ropes
and makes him eat boot. He goes for the cover but in mid-count changes his
mind.

Vegas tags Big Sky back in who necksnaps Brown on the top
rope. He then gives him a sidewalk slam and a fist off the ropes. To completely
bury Brown he chokes him in full view of referee Nick Patrick. Vinnie tags back
in and makes Brown eat turnbuckle. Another quick tag to Big Sky occurs. Big Sky
maneuvers Brown into a fireman’s carry then delivers the Samoan drop. He nails
Rude Dog in the corner just to be a bully. Vegas tags in rolling his dice.
Unfortunately for Brown it comes up Snake Eyes. That gets the pin. DUD

Johnny comes to the ring and gives a female fan “the kiss
that don’t miss.” He then shoots off his confetti gun from the second
turnbuckle. Jesse states that Badd should be arrested for littering. Badd
starts with the arm then works into a headlock. Harkrider shoots him off but
gets shoulderblocked. Badd comes off the ropes again and reverses a hiptoss
with one of his own. He then armdrags and dropkicks him. He follows up with
another armdrag and armbar. As Badd takes down Harkrider Jesse mentions Badd’s
thin mustache, eye makeup, and feather boas. He goes on to say that Badd gets
his boas directly from him. Tony wants Jesse to bring in a boa plant.

Meanwhile Badd works the arm and then the head. Harkrider
shoots him off again but gets slightly bulldozed. Badd’s offense is all over
the place until he wallops him with the Tutti Frutti! Subsequently Harkrider is
counting the lights. Badd gets the pin as Jesse claims shenanigans. Badd then
decorates Harkrider with “the kiss that don’t miss.” DUD

Tony interviews “Nature Boy” Ric Flair. “A Flair for the
Gold” debuts next week and Flair says it will “make network history.” Flair’s
guest next week will be WCW World Champion Big Van Vader with “my archrival”
Harley Race. Flair woos us out!

In my last report I pondered whether or not this show will
pass the test of WCW history. Well, the test has to wait until the May 1 show for
sweeps before being taken since this episode was all hype and no delivery. Next
week’s show features a World TV title match as well as “Flair for the Gold” so
we can look forward to that!

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