WCW Clash of the Champions XXIV w/ What Happened When Commentary

This is the legendary SHOCKMASTER DEBUT show. It starts off with Regal subbing for an injured Pillman and Austin against Arn and Roma, in airbrushed shirts. They have a pretty solid match even with Regal having no major chemistry with Austin. He's great as a dickhead heel looking down on Brian for daring to get injured, and Arn cheats to win with a schoolboy using the tights.

Bobby Eaton's out to face Scorpio. This is one of the many eras with Eaton just as a glorified enhancement talent - but still with credibility from the Midnight days and his singles TV Title run. Bobby slugs him with a great right hand in the corner. Scorpio was years ahead of his time with his feats off the top rope and we see some guy in the crowd for eons.Eaton gets a flying elbow, but a thrust kick and a 450 end it. The replay shows Scorpio nailing him hard with it on the head.

Johnny B. Badd with a mask due to the Badd Blaster going off in his face is up. Johnny's out in an amazing zebra-print getup. Maxx elbows him hard. Maxx misses a second rope splash and Johnny covers him to win. Johnny wins the guitar too.

 

FLAIR FOR THE GOLD TIME! Ric is out with Sting and Davey before Parker, Sid, Harlem Heat come out before THE SHOCKMASTER SHOCKS THE WORLD! Tony does a great rundown of this where they got this shitty jacket at Ross before buying a Stormtrooper helmet and throwing glitter on it at 5PM. Tony says that it looked like Fred hit a rocket up his ass and was thrown through the wall. Dusty made the character a goofball to play off of it all and it sorta worked.

 
Orndorff and Steamboat are up. Orndorff's wearing the belt over the robe. Michael Buffer is out and I love the idea that ALL titles are important. A light rig goes out early on and we get some basic matwork. Paul lands a nice elbow for 2. Tony talks about the Shockmaster's debut LOOK never actually being discussed until the day of the show. Ricky lands a few nice running shots. They fight over a backslide and Steamboat gets 2. Tana is so much like Steamboat with his work - only more charismatic. Paul rolls through a crossbody for 2, but Ricky rolls through a slam to win it! Paul piledrives him on the ramp on the belt.

Sting and Flair face the Kongs next. Harley is with them and Tony does a Harley impression saying they're awful and being trained by Jody Hamilton. Tony sells the story of the Kongs never being taken off their feet and it's a simple story, but it works here. It's amazing that after the Shockmaster, we get two fat guys in a mask and big vest. Buffer does the intros here too.

The Kongs look SO GIGANTIC and not in a good way - they just look like two fat indy guys. Sting hits dropkicks and slams before running wild with chops on them. One fat guy misses an elbow and Sting hits a lariat. Stinger splash and a Superfly dive end it. Sting's splash off the top was gorgeous. A replay makes the slams look disgusting with Sting's hands all up in the nuts. Tony mocks his brown and white outfit before Sting and Flair shake hands.

A RICK FLARE fan gets his sign on TV. Wow, that is just dreadful. Rick Rude and the Equalizer are out to face Dustin and a mystery partner. Rick comes off as THE MAN here. Conrad talks about how now fans would get mad because he's body-shaming them and Tony says most are, so he's right. Animal comes out in a slick black car to bring out Hawk as Dustin's partner, with Animal as a distraction.

Hawk dominates Rude to start. Tony puts over his traps, and even in '93, they are ungodly. Hawk goes for a neckbreaker, but Equalizer bumps before the move - so Hawk just keeps him down and fistdrops him. He covered for it pretty much perfectly. Hawk and Dustin hit a doomsay device while Tony talks about Dave Sullivan always came up to him and asked if his work was okay. Rude hits a flying chop. Equalizer misses a lariat and hits Rude. Hawk hits a double lariat and a double facebuster. Hawk dives into the pile during a bodyslam to end it. Hawk looks so great being menacing.

Jesse's Hendrix shirt is incredible and they plug a Camaro contest. We get a clip of Animal coming out in it alongside the ad - and that's pretty good for WCW's production. Tony and Conrad talk about these contests being a gimmick to get mailing info. A PRO WRESTLING KING OF SPORTS hat guy in the crowd.

Davey vs. Vader is up for the title. Davey grounds and pounds him early on the ramp before Vader teases a suplex on the ramp, but Davey hits a DELAYED VERTICAL SUPLEX ON THE RAMP. Goddamn what a hot start. Davey dropkicks him down. BIG LARIAT OUTSIDE IN ON THE RAMP! VADER CLUBS HIM IN THE CORNER! Vader misses the barricade bodyblock and Davey puts him on the barricade gut-first - and A FAN SHOVES VADER OFF IT. Wow, that was something else.

Davey hits a Samoan drop that looks awesome. Vader lands the vertical bodypress. Vader lands his own Samoan drop too and goes up for a splash off the top that gets 2. Davey goes for a sunset flip, but Vader does the butt drop and misses. Vader chinlocks him, but Davey lands a crucifix bomb for 2. Davey slugs him and gets a GODDAMN DROPKICK with Vader up top and stomps away. Vader boots him and hits a Vader bomb for . Vader dives into a powerslam, but Nick gets a shot to the head. Vader goes up for the powerslam, but Harley clips the knee and Davey loses. Davey beats up Harley and Cactus beats up Vader. Conrad talks about how Harley is the last man standing in this match