WCW August 1994 - 8/5, 8/12, 8/19, 8/26, & 8/28

[jackknight]

Commish said:

I’m nicking Kimmel’s format for this catch-up because it’s much better than my last one!

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WCW Friday Nitro
August 5, 1994
Caesar’s Palace
Las Vegas, Nevada

• “Nature Boy” Ric Flair held a meeting with his lumberjacks Dustin Rhodes, Dusty Rhodes, Hawk, Power Warrior and the Midnight Express. Flair says he doesn’t know which one of them has taken a pay-off from Dibiase or even if it’s just a mindgame from Dibiase. Flair can’t stop anyone from taking the money, but they should all know that the WCW World Heavyweight Title means the world to him. He’s not going to let anything, not even a turncoat, get in his way of regaining the title.

• WCW World Heavyweight Champion “The Million Dollar Man” Ted Dibiase (w/ Virgil) defeated Johnny Ace by forcing him to submit to the Million Dollar Dream. After the match, Dibiase got on the microphone and warned Ric Flair to continue looking over his shoulder because EVERYBODY has a price for the Million Dollar Man.

• We see the man formerly known as Cactus Jack sitting in a boiler room, now wearing a dress shirt, wrestling tights and a bizarre mask. He yanks out strands of his hair as he says the people he trusted most have betrayed him. They cheered for him to jump off a cage and risk his life, but then they looked at him with dusgust and spit at him when he settled a score with Terry Funk. These fans are hypocrites and poor, naïve Johnny B. Badd will pay for their sins. Badd will face vengeance on behalf of… MANKIND!

• Shawn Michaels (w/ The Taylor Made Man) & Taz (w/ Bill Alphonso) defeated The Hell Raisers (Hawk & Power Warrior) (w/ Paul Ellering) in the main event. Both teams scored several near falls, but late in the match, The Taylor Made Man (from the outside) slammed a metal briefcase against Hawk’s back as he came off the ropes. Taz immediately connected with a Tazplex and scored the win. Michaels, Taz and their cohorts celebrated after the match.

• In Other Action: The Stud Stable (Buddy Landel & Bunkouse Buck) (w/ Col. Robert Parker & Meng) defeated The Terminators when Landell pinned Terminator II with the corkscrew elbow drop… Mr. Wall Street Mike Rotunda pinned Koko B. Ware with the Stock Splitter (Hot Shot)… Joe Malenko defeated Aldo Montoya after forcing him to submit to the STF… Dan Severn pinned Steve Armstrong with the belly-to-belly suplex.


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WCW Friday Nitro
August 12, 1994
Caesar’s Palace
Las Vegas, Nevada

• Dan Kroffat (w/ Doug Furnas) pinned Stan Lane (w/ Bobby Eaton) when Kroffat hit the frog splash on Lane. The Taylor Made Man made another appearance and offered that briefcase to Bobby Eaton, who once again pushed him away and refused. This caused a distraction for Stan Lane, who was laid out by Kroffat’s bicycle kick. After the match, Eaton attempted to explain to Stan Lane that he had no diea why that happened. Regardless, the Can-Ams get a little momentum going their way heading into the Best 2/3 falls match at the PPV.

• Ric Flair, Road Warrior Hawk and Power Warrior defeated The Taylor Made Man, Mr. Wall Street Mike Rotunda and Virgil in a six-man tag team match when Flair made Virgil submit to the Figure Four. One interesting moment saw all six-men brawling in the ring. Hawk took turns decking all of his opponents and then swung. As he and Flair went back-to-back, Hawk spun around, seemingly out of instinct, and decked Ric! Flair seemed more stunned than anything and then got in Hawk’s face a little bit. Power Warrior calmed his teammates down and they rallied for a win. After the match, the two shook hands, but Flair did seem to look a little suspicious as they left the ring.

• Col. Robert Parker said he was disgusted that Road Warrior Hawk and Power Warrior thought they could manhandle him in their recent matches with the Stud Stable. Parker has gone out and bought the best protection money can buy: the Tongan warrior known as MENG! Meng made his WCW debut in a dominating win over Koko B. Ware by rendering the Birdman unconscious in the Tongan Death Grip.

• Mankind defeated Steve Armstrong in absolutely brutal match. Mankind mauled Armstrong from bell to bell, eventually winning by jamming his fingers down Steve’s throat in a move he calls the Mandible Claw. After the match, Mankind threw Armstrong out to the floor and connected with a flying elbow drop off the apron, before wandering to the dressing room.

• In Other Action: Ken Shamrock warmed up for his PPV match with Gary Albright by defeating Aldo Montoya with the ankle-lock submission hold… Johnny B. Badd pinned Terminator II with the shooting star press… Shawn Michaels and Taz mocked Dusty Rhodes by saying he’s too old, too fat and too slow to be competing with two athletes in the prime of their careers. Taz says he'll take great joy in breaking the neck of an icon.

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WCW Friday Nitro
August 19, 1994
Sturgis, SD

• Johnny B. Badd defeated Johnny Ace by disqualification, when Mankind entered the ring and attacked Badd with a steel chair. Johnny fell out to the floor, obviously hurt. Johnny Ace tried to hold Mankind back from doing further damage, but Mankind turned on him and applied the Mandible Claw. Ace fell to the canvas and was soon foaming at the mouth. Badd reentered the ring and pried Mankind off Ace, before throwing him to the floor. Mankind wandered to the locker-room, while Badd checked on the unconscious Ace.

• The British Bulldog promised that he’d be a fair official in the WCW World Television Title match between Fit Finlay and Lord Steven Regal at Hog Wild ’94. Bulldog said he hates both men so JJ Dillon doesn’t have to worry about him showing any favoritism. Bulldog promised that the best man will leave with the gold.

• The Midnight Express (Stan Lane & Bobby Eaton) defeated Bunkhouse Buck & Buddy Landell (w/ Col. Robert Parker) when Bobby Eaton came off the top rope with the Alabama Jam on Buddy Landell. Remember fans, the Midnights not only will be serving as lumberjacks at the PPV, but they’ll also challenge The Can-Am Express for the WCW World Tag Team Titles. At one point, The Taylor Made Man made his way to the ring and attempted to hand a briefcase to Bobby Eaton. Eaton seemed confused and refused to the take the case, causing Ric Flair to run down and chase off Taylor. After the Midnights won, Flair returned to the ring to question Bobby Eaton, but Stan Lane settled things down.

• Ric Flair was interviewed with Dustin Rhodes and “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes. Flair said he was going to be straight up with Dusty. The two spent more than a decade at each other’s throats with each one taking every cheap shot in the book. Flair just wants Dusty to look him in the eye and tell them they’re all in this together against Dibiase’s stable. Dusty says he doesn’t like Ric Flair, he never has and he never will. But he respects Ric Flair. Dusty doesn’t have that respect for Ted Dibiase because he buys his way into titles and big matches. The Dream says Flair better damn well know that he hasn’t taken a payoff. Flair nods his head and tells Dusty and Dustin to kick some tail when they face Shawn Michaels and Taz at the pay per view.

• In Other Action: WCW World Heavyweight Champion “The Million Dollar Man” Ted Dibiase (w/ Virgil) pinned Koko B. Ware with a top rope fist-drop. After the match, Dibiase told Flair to watch closely as he shoved a $100 down Ware’s throat… Jerry Flynn pinned The Taylor Made Man with a leaping kick to the chest. Flynn told Lance Russell after the match that he’s ready to face off with Dan Severn… We see footage of Dustin Rhodes training his father Dusty for his return to the ring against Shawn Michaels and Taz. Dusty is jogging up long flights of stairs and he even hits a Bionic Elbow that breaks several planks of stacked wood. The Dream is ready to get funky like a money!


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WCW Friday Nitro
August 26, 1994
Sturgis, SD

• WCW World Television Champion Fit Finlay was in the middle of an interview with Lance Russell in the ring, when Lord Steven Regal and Sir William attacked. Regal taped up his fists as Finlay tried to get back to his feet after a double-team attack. The attack went no further as The British Bulldog ran in and landed big clotheslines on Regal and Sir William, causing them to retreat to the floor. Finlay spun around, only to get pressed by the Bulldog and thrown over the top rope, where he landed on Regal and Sir William out on the floor. Regal, Sir William and Finlay were all down on the arena floor while the special referee for the PPV title match, The British Bulldog, was standing tall in the ring.

• Mankind was in the middle of another rant from the boiler room, when Johnny B. Bad burst in and bashed him over the head with a trashcan. Mankind stumbled right into a second shot, then fell to his knees. This psycopath then motioned for another. Johnny obliged with a third shot, which sent Mankind sprawling to the floor. Badd threw the can at the fallen Mankind and then said he’d see him at Hog Wild. As the scene faded out, we could hear Mankind laughing!

• WCW World Tag Team Champions The Can-Am Express (Dan Kroffat & Doug Furnas) give another smug interview, where Furnas says he’s insulted that Lane and Eaton have agreed to be lumberjacks for Ric Flair. Furnas wants them to stay focused on being lumberjacks because that means the WCW World Tag Team Title match will be over in two quick falls. Kroffat warns the Midnight Express that after they lose this match, the Can-Am Express are moving on to other challengers.

• Shawn Michaels (w/ WCW World Heavyweight Champion Ted Dibiase) pinned WCW United States Heavyweight Champion Dustin Rhodes (w/ “Nature Boy” Ric Flair) in a non-title match. As expected, Flair and Dibiase began brawling on the outside, bringing down the cavalry of The Taylor Made Man, Taz, Mr. Wall Street and Virgil. Soon, Flair’s lumberjacks (Hell Raisers, Midnights and Dusty Rhodes) ran down evened the odds as a brawl erupted on the floor. In the ring, Dustin tried for a running lariat, but Michaels ducked. As Dustin got back up, he walked right into the Sweet Chin Music. HBK made the cover to score a win over the WCW United States Champion. The brawl continued as the show went off the air.

• In Other Action: Taz threatened to choke out the legendary Dusty Rhodes and send him out of Sturgis on a stretcher. It's Dusty Rhodes return to the ring, but Taz promises that it'll be his final match EVER. All through his promo, Bill Alphonso was blowing his whistle obnoxiously in the background… Meng (w/ Col. Parker) defeated Steve Armstrong by forcing him to submit to the Tongan Death Grip… Jushin “Thunder” Liger pinned Johnny Ace after landing the Liger Press off the top rope… Ken Shamrock forced Buddy Landell (w. Col. Parker & Meng) to submit to the ankle-lock. Shamrock and Meng had a stare-down after the match… WCW World Television Champion “The Belfast Bruiser” Fit Finlay pinned Koko B. Ware after connecting with the tombstone piledriver.



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WCW Hog Wild ‘94
August 28, 1994
Sturgis, SD

• Jushin “Thunder” Liger defeated Joe Malenko to open this great event. These two men set the pace for the event by putting on a wrestling clinic. In the end, Liger reversed a belly-to-back suplex into a victory roll to score the win. One has to believe that both of these men will be in contention for the new WCW World Cruiserweight Title.

• WCW World Tag Team Champions The Can-Am Express (Dan Kroffat & Doug Furnas) defeated The Midnight Express (Stan Lane & Bobby Eaton) at 23:11 to retain the gold. In the first fall, Doug Furnas pinned Stan Lane after connecting with a running axe bomber. The second fall saw Bobby Eaton score a pin on Dan Kroffat with the Alabama Jam. It looked the Midnight Express would win the third fall, but a miscue cost them the match. Eaton held up Kroffat for Lane, but Sweet Stan seemed to showboat a little too long and ended up super-kicking Beautiful Bobby when Kroffat ducked out of the way. After the match, Lane tried to explain to Eaton what had happened.

• Mankind defeated Johnny B. Badd after forcing him to submit to the Mandible Claw. Badd put up as much fight as he could, but the man formerly known as Cactus Jack simply couldn’t be stopped here. Mankind was brutal and unrelenting as he destroyed Badd and eventually rendered him unconscious by jamming his fingers down Johnny’s throat.

• Dan “The Beast” Severn pinned Jerry Flynn after connecting with a belly-to-belly suplex and then bridging it into a pin. Severn looked incredibly impressive as he swiftly took down the former karate champion.

• It’s unclear who the WCW World Television Champion is following a very controversial finish. Fit Finlay put his title on the line against Lord Steven Regal, with their dual arch-nemesis “The British Bulldog” Davey Boy Smith acting as referee. Finlay, Regal and the Lord’s cohort Sir William pulled every dirty trick in the book, angering Bulldog. The conclusion saw Davey Boy Smith get fed up and plant Regal with a running powerslam. Finlay thought Smith was helping him, but Bulldog booted him in the gut and them power-slammed him as well. Bulldog covered both men and counted three himself. The British Bulldog grabbed the WCW World Television Title and walked out with the gold.

• In the Grudge Match From Hell, Shawn Michaels (w/ The Taylor Made Man) & Taz (w/ Bill Alphonso) defeated “The Dream Team” of WCW United States Heavyweight Champion Dustin Rhodes & his father Dusty Rhodes. The Rhodes family started off strong, clearing the ring of all four of their enemies. Dustin kept up the momentum for quite some time, but eventually fell victim to a side suplex from Taz. Taz and Michaels made quick tags to keep control, but Dustin made the hot tag to The Dream after landing a lariat. Dusty came in like a house on fire, dishing out Bionic Elbows to Michaels, Taz and The Taylor Made Man, who had stepped onto the apron. However, Dusty got so caught up in the moment, that he turned right into the Sweet Chind Music from Michaels. Shawn made the cover to score the win, while Taz held off an exhausted Dustin Rhodes. As Dustin tended to his dad after the match, Shawn Michaels got on the microphone and sarcastically told Dustin to “get a real partner” next time. Taz was unsatisfied with the win and could be heard shouting that he wanted to "break the fat man's neck", but Michaels, The Taylor Made Man and Bill Alphonso held him back.

• Ken Shamrock defeated Gary Albright after forcing the big man to tap out to the ankle-lock submission. Dan Severn came out and stood in the aisle during match, obviously scouting two potential opponents. Severn walked out just as Shamrock gained the submission win.

• In the main event, “Nature Boy” Ric Flair pinned “The Million Dollar Man” Ted Dibiase to regain the WCW World Heavyweight Title in the Canadian Lumberjack. As a refresher, Flair’s lumberjacks were Road Warrior Hawk, Power Warrior, Stan Lane, Bobby Eaton, Dustin Rhodes, and Ken Shamrock (who filled in for Dusty Rhodes). Dibiase’s lumberjacks were Mr. Wall Street, The Taylor Made Man, Virgil, Shawn Michaels and Taz (w/ Bill Alphonso). Dibiase had also promised that he’d bought off one of Flair’s lumberjacks to give himsefl the edge. That plot point didn’t come into play right away as Flair and Dibiase traded a series of near falls and had the great technical match everyone expected. The big news occurred when the lumberjacks began fighting at ringside. The referee tried to get everything in control, but Virgil popped on the apron with a metal briefcase in his hand as the official was turned around. Stan Lane crawled up on the apron as well and snatched the briefcase from him. Stan threatened Virgil with it as Flair and Dibiase battled near the ropes. Lane then smiled evilly and swung the briefcase at Ric Flair! Lane’s the traitor… but it didn’t work out as Flair ducked out the way and then poked Stan in the eye. Lane flopped down to the floor, still holding the case and then took off to the dressing room. In the ring, Dibiase tried to attack from behind and apply the Million Dollar Dream, but Flair connected with his patented mule kick with the referee’s back was turned. Dibiase see-sawed around the ring, obviously in great pain. Flair re-routed the referee and then caught Dibiase in a roll-up to get the 1-2-3! Flair proved tonight that he truly is the dirtiest player in the game! Dibiase was furious after the match!

WE HAVE A NEW WCW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION!!!!

THE NATURE BOY IS ON TOP OF SPACE MOUNTAIN ONCE AGAIN!!!