Grilling JR - Clash Of The Champions II [Show Notes] (Patreon)

Today JR we are going back 35 years to discuss the second Clash of the Champions.

We covered the first Clash of the Champions back in the archives over 3 years ago so be sure to check that out in the archives at GrillingJRonYoutube.com!

Coming off the rousing success of the first Clash of the Champions, it only made sense there would be another one right?

At the same time the Main Event is launching as another show. Was this too much? Was it the lore of syndication money? Why another show on top of what was going on?

The debut of the show features Ric Flair, Tully Blanchard & Arn Anderson taking on Barry Windham, Lex Luger & Sting. That’s a gigantic main event to launch a show isn’t it?

When you launch a show like this - and this is the main event - it’s hard to live up to that standard each and every week am I right?

You’re ring announcing and also providing commentary for this show…how hectic do you remember these tapings being?

Baby Doll would leave the company around this time frame. Do you remember the story with her exiting the company?

Dusty Rhodes is suspended for 120 days - 4 months - after his accidental assault on Jim Crockett…and this is to launch the Midnight Rider gimmick. Was this something that was needed for Dusty?

We’re also building towards the Crockett Cup which is going to feature Nikita Koloff taking on Ric Flair for the NWA Title. JR - the Magnum TA episode of Dark Side of the Ring aired recently - and the momentum behind Nikita’s babyface turn was quite high was it not?

Al Perez & Larry Zybysko are put together as a tag team during this…is this just trying to find a bunch of tag teams to fill up the Crockett Cup?

There’s a lot of interviews based around the Midnight Rider with all the heels, and then even Dusty is cutting promos on the fact he’s suspended. This just equaled more Dusty on TV did it not?

From the Observer

“The third annual Crockett Cup will be taking place on 4/22 and 4/23 in Greenville, SC and Greensboro respectively and it's certainly the least talked about Cup of the three. Although the Crocketts were projecting a sellout in Greensboro which would be a $307,000 gate and advance sales have been very good, the impression I've got is it's simply too fast to run a big show coming off a big show (even though 3/27 didn't draw a big house in Greensboro since it really was a TV special rather than a big show, it was hyped as a major card and it's hard to get the audience "up" so quickly after an interest peak).”

Was this an issue with running too many big shows back to back like this?

Also from the Observer

“What's the best way to build an audience for a new show? How about by pre-empting the thing four weeks in a row after its debut? That's the deal with the NWA Main Event show which aired on Saturday at 11 a.m. this week (and will for the next few weeks because of Atlanta Braves baseball and other TBS specials) so just about nobody saw it.

Midnight Rider debuted on 4/10 in Roanoke at the TV tapings and came in on a horse with Magnum leading the way. Later in the show he came from behind and choked Tully with a lasso.”

I mean this is not the ideal situation is it?

From the Observer

“The NWA is in grave danger of losing the Nassau Coliseum as Coliseum officials now want to go back to the WWF (which pulled out when the building started booking Crockett shows). I'm told the proposed NWA date on 6/24 is in grave jeopardy and that the NWA is looking at promoting shows in the New York area, if they are kicked out, at the Westchester County Center in White Plains, which, while more easy accessible to most of New York City than the Coliseum, won't draw well because it has the connotation of being a minor league arena.”

Was this a common issue in the northeast with trying to come in and running these WWF arenas?

“The NWA return to Boston on 4/15 for its annual show at the Boston Gardens drew just 5,000 fans and $62,000 with the main event as an eight man cage match with Dusty Rhodes & Sting & Barry Windham & Lex Luger downing Ric Flair & Tully Blanchard & Arn Anderson & Ivan Koloff when Luger pinned Ivan.

When the card ended, the scoreboard message said, "We hope you enjoyed tonight's WWF event." . . .”

Was expanding into the northeast a necessary evil and it just didn’t work? What went wrong?

From the Observer

“In case any of you missed any of the Crockett shows this past weekend, you missed absolutely nothing. The TV is back to its Fall '87 depths with nothing but commentary and interviews talking about nothing but the Midnight Rider and his alter ego, Dusty Rhodes.

Considering it is a week before one of the promotions biggest events of the year (Crockett Cup), you would think that would be the priority, but is was barely acknowledged, with no first round pairings (of course, I'm sure if they listed the first round it would scare people away from Greenville), no listing of teams, basically a throwaway announcement of the Flair vs. Nikita NWA title match (which is a throwaway event since nobody in the world believes Nikita has a chance) and one of the most pathetic looking skits I've ever seen involving J.J. Dillon and Jim Crockett. I'll give J.J. credit for saving it about as good as possible but a tree shows more personality than Jim Crockett. . . . Considering they are putting all their hype in one basket, they had better hope Dusty can draw with this gimmick but somehow four months of this stuff seems rather trying…”

Was all the momentum of Sting vs. Flair at the first Clash all gone by this point?

While all this is going on - there’s a big heel turn finally in Jacksonville during a WTBS taping. Barry Windham & Lex Luger are defending the NWA World Tag Team Titles against Tully Blanchard & Arn Anderson. Luger gets posted and juices for the first time in a long time, Windham goes to make a tag to him and Luger isn’t there. JJ Dillon at ringside eggs on Windham until Barry finally snaps and hits Luger with a lariat costing his team the tag team titles. The way this is all laid out is so much better than going 20 minutes and having someone turn out of nowhere which makes no sense…why is this so much better?

Windham escapes to the heel locker room and is attacked by the Midnight Rider and it’s an all out brawl which has Windham rip off the Midnight’s mask and the babyfaces protect his face…and Barry is your new #2 heel in the company is he not?

It’s reported in the Observer that this is a spur of the moment decision - do you know that to be true?

At the Crockett Cup and the first night in Greenville drew a near full house, around 4500 fans paying $53,000 and the second night in Greensboro only draws 8500 fans…was the terrority burned out at this point do you think?

Before we get into the tag tournament - Night #2 features Midnight Rider taking on JJ Dillon.

From the Observer

“It's time for the Midnight Rider show, starring the greatest wrestling legend in his own mind of all-time, the Midnight Rider.

J.J. Dillon cut his head off and got clobbered with the cowbell five or six times in the 4:15 massacre before getting pinned. Considering every wrestler has to get Dusty's angle over you would think there would be interest in this match. Dusty got cheered when he came out, but no more than the Fantastics and less than the faces in the two previous matches. This bloodfest had no heat at all.”

Where do you think it went wrong with the Midnight Rider?

“7. What can you say about Nikita Koloff that hasn't been said? He can't wrestle. He's not over very big. NOBODY cared about this match. He's not a drawing card. There's a joke among certain wrestlers of certain federations (none of whom work here) that whenever J.J. goes to kiss Dusty's ass late in the afternoon for the fourth or fifth time that day, he can't do it. Nikita's feet are in the way. Ric Flair carried this bum for 30:08 and the fans were into it even though it was a collection of all the same predictable spots. Hey, with Nikita, there is no room for improvising. If you can make it watchable, which this certainly was, then you've earned your money. Flair bled at 26:00. The early part of this match wasn't good although the crowd was into everything. The last half was good with Flair doing all the standard stuff. Flair tossed him over the top rope for the DQ. **¾”

Meltzer is super negative here on Koloff. Did you ever get that feeling he wasn’t good enough?

8. Time for the finals with the new NWA tag champs Tully & Arn against Luger & Sting.

Luger did a great dropkick on Anderson to open the match. Even the fans cheering the Horseman had to clap for that one. It was past 11 p.m. and these fans had seen basically one great match after another yet the heat was the hottest for this match. The first 10 minutes were adequate work with Luger in a lot of the way and getting tired at the end. Sting missed his splash into the corner and got killed for a few minutes. They went through a series of big moves, the splash, scorpion, then Arn hit Sting with the DDT but Lex made the save. Lex tags in as fresh as a wilted daisy and pounds on everyone when Magnum T.A. interferes, tripping Arn as he goes to slam Luger. Arn kicks out at two, shocking everyone and making this a fun match. Arn argues with Magnum and Luger comes from behind and cradles him for the 1-2-3 and at 16:05 it was all over.

***½”

This is the right team and the right finish to win the Cup right?

Meltzer would continue…

So why the half house for the finals? Flair's match meant nothing. This $1 million b.s. isn't believed by anyone but the densest marks and unless you have a strong tournament and the fans know who is in it, tournaments aren't a big draw.

This whole Midlife Rider bit has been a flop. They spent too much valuable TV time getting a guy who should be a legend already over and not pushing the guys who theoretically need time to get over. After three years, without one sellout to their credit, Crockett has to re-evaluate this tournament.

First off, limiting the thing to 16 teams would be a benefit. You could have eight matches plus a World title match that means something on the first night, if you announce the opening round pairings and have some "feud" matches in the first round. Instead, they never announced half the teams and gave out this b.s. about Mexico and Japan which nobody bought, then had the audacity to say the Japanese team missed their flight. I realize getting outside teams is something easier to be written about than to actually put together, but the lure of something like this should be seeing new faces and new match-ups and this tourney was the same old faces with no key newcomers.”

Why was it all a mess?

It’s reported in the Observer that Titan does make a power play on getting back exclusivity of the Nassau Coliseum and now JCP is out. You’re talking about an arena that hosted the Bunkhouse Stampede and within two more dates they’re going back to Vince. Was this a sign of the power of Vince’s machine or the issues with JCP drawing in the northeast?

It’s also reported that with the loss of Nassau, Jim Crockett decided against staying on WPIX in New York as it was rumored to cost him $6000 per week and it made no economic sense to pay that if you’re not running shows there. The reality is now that JCP is out of New York & Los Angeles - the two biggest markets - and the financial savings can’t offset the potential media exposure of being there. Was this the first time you were seeing the grimness of the companies financial state?

Rip Morgan comes into the company teaming with the Sheepherders. What can you tell us of Rip Morgan - a name not well known or remembered.

Well the Midnight Rider angle comes to an end, and Meltzer is super critical of the angle, story and the result.

From the Observer

“The Midnight Rider has ridden off for the final time, after just a two week stay in the NWA, thus ending one of the quickest about-face angles in pro wrestling history. Four or five weeks of television, a baseball bat angle and the punching of Magnum T.A. were all flushed down the commode last weekend when the decision was made to pull the plug on the gimmick because it wasn't working.

The official announcement on WTBS this past weekend was that Paul Boesch went to the NWA board and somehow convinced them to reinstate Dusty. With all the panic decision-making going on in the NWA, with angles changing so fast one TV show contradicts the next, things must be worse off than they appeared to be a few weeks ago.

Of course, it is May, and the key contracts are due their balloon payment and let's just say I expect more of the same over the next few weeks.”

Why do you think the Midnight Rider angle - which had been very successful at past times in various other territories didn’t work?

Looking back - Meltzer points out that the Magnum angle and the baseball bat, essentially is all wasted…would you agree with that?

How much panic decision making was going on behind the scenes at this time?

Was Crockett feeling the pressure at this time?

Was Dusty?

How much were the “balloon” payments weighing on everyone’s mind and decision making?

Were you worried?

It’s also odd that Windham is programmed with the “returning” Dusty instead of Luger who he just turned on to join the Horsemen. Windham would win the tournament for the US Title that Rhodes was stripped off - but was there a miss do you think with Luger & Windham not coming together?

Was the combination of Flair, Windham, Tully & Arn the best Horsemen in your mind - or was it Flair, Tully & the Andersons?

As we see the Clash card come together, it’s noticeable that what built the first Clash of the Champions to be successful running against the WWF and WrestleMania, mainly Ric Flair, he’s not scheduled to wrestle and the main event is Tully & Arn defending the NWA Tag Team Titles against Sting & Steve Williams…feels like a massive letdown from the first edition does it not?

Also no Lex Luger or Road Warriors announced to wrestle…you’re talking the first prime time weeknight show, as the first Clash was on a Sunday afternoon…but this is week night…is it a different thought process with that?

In the middle of May this is reported in the Observer…

“I'd almost be remiss in not commenting on the rumors swirling through the wrestling world that Ted Turner is going to buy the NWA. All I know is no deal has been completed but the rumors are flying everywhere about what may or may not happen. If such a deal is completed, Jim Crockett will still run the wrestling operation however the rest of the family wouldn't be as involved as it would be their stock that Turner would buy out. There's been a ton of speculation, particularly about Dusty Rhodes, should this happen, but it's all premature. . . “

Is this around the time where you started to hear the rumors with Ted Turner?

Were you starting to see the internal struggles with the Crockett family - or was this a new aspect coming to life?

How did these types of things affect your mindset or your job?

Were you at any point during this - worried the company may go under if Turner doesn’t purchase it?

The end of May comes and the story is in the Observer:

“In what could be the biggest story of the year, there is a possibility that the NWA could be under new ownership. As has been widely rumored for weeks, a deal was proposed by the Crockett organization which would sell the majority of the company to Turner Entertainment. The deal is as of this writing before the Acquisitions Committee of the Turner company and the word on whether or not it is approved is expected within a week.

The report I've got on the deal is that Turner would be buying out the stock of David, Frances and Jackie Crockett, but not the stock of Jim Crockett. Jim Crockett would remain as the general manager of the company and run day-to-day business operations. A lot of the promotions and p.r. and other business activities would be run by the Turner group, which should result in a more professional and business-like approach. Any other changes would be pure speculation at this point. It would be foolish to even speculate on what this deal, if it goes through, would mean to the NWA promotion, although if it doesn't go through, and it's as likely to not be approved as it is to be approved, the NWA is going to face a major crossroads this summer.”

We know the process would take until later on that year for the deal to officially get done, but how bad off was Crockett, do you know?

Do you think anyone besides Turner was ever a player for the company?

How stressed was Jim at this time?

Meltzer would continue

Business-wise, things simply cannot continue to be run as they have been run for this group to stay solvent. That is no longer speculation. That is fact. Things must change. The other members of the Crockett family trying to sell their stock tells that story. There are wrestlers who are owed large sums of money. The promotion is really at the same crossroads in many cases as the old UWF was just a few months before it was sold to Crockett.

As many of you saw, the TBS show this past Saturday spent an awful lot of time plugging the Omni show on 5/22, which was strange since usually they don't do such a hard-sell for what on the surface appeared to be just another Omni card. For whatever reason, the press boxes, usually empty on wrestling nights, were filled this time. The speculation was that several VIP's were there trying to get a look at what it exactly is that they may be purchasing. The hard sell worked, since 7,300 fans turned out at the Omni, more than triple the crowd from last month's card and with a line-up that on paper wasn't any more attractive. The fans were rabid and the work rate was well above average. Somebody was certainly trying to impress somebody.

Was this in direct correlation with the purchase by Turner? Was the hard sell to make the company look as good as possible in front of the VIPs?

I mean once Turner opened the books he had to know what was going on…am I right? Do you think anybody was “fooled” by the presentation?

“The TV taping on 5/15 in Asheville drew 500 fans for Road Warriors & Sting vs. Ric Flair & Tully Blanchard & Arn Anderson. . . Kevin Sullivan came out to watch Ron Simmons but there was no indication of a Simmons turn although that has been rumored ever since the start of the Varsity Club thing (simply because Simmons & Steve Williams were both varsity stud athletes in college).”

Asheville and 500 fans with that type of main event - what a stark contrast to just a year earlier am I right JR?

Do you think Simmons in the Varsity Club at any point in time could’ve worked? Why Sullivan in the Varsity Club? Do you think that was ever a good fit?

The Observer would continue regarding the sale of JCP…

“Lots of unrest in the NWA. As of the last word, none of the contract balloon payments, due on 5/1, have been paid and I'm told there are about 10 wrestlers due sizable amounts of money, at least 1 in the six-figures.

Several guys are making noises about quitting if the money doesn't come in, but realistically, unless WWF will take them, and WWF isn't going to add too many guys this summer, than the only alternative is to go to a promotion in which they'll make a lot less money.

This is the time the WWF could brutally wound this group by stripping them of several key personnel.

It is no secret that Steve Williams wants out, since he seemingly made that clear in Houston on 5/13. In addition, Williams was pulled from the main event on the 6/8 "Miami Mayhem" TBS special and replaced by Dusty Rhodes, who teams with Sting against Tully Blanchard & Arn Anderson. .

There’s so many issues and so much going on. Who was owed the most and who was the loudest about the issues?

What do you remember of the Steve Williams issues here? You were close to him - were you hearing the wrath of it?

Were you surprised to see him pulled from the main event considering the issues?

Kevin Sullivan kidnaps Precious and puts a spell on her while Ron & Jimmy Garvin are wrestling Mike Rotundo & Rick Steiner. Just…one of those things wasn’t it?

From the Observer

Jim Garvin did a fantastic interview on the 6/4 TBS show admitting Precious was his wife and he really put a lot of heat on this Kevin Sullivan feud, and there was a lot of heat needed to be added.

Was Jimmy Garvin vastly underrated in your mind?

“The Baltimore PPV has already cleared nine million homes, so it is expected it will clear a PPV universe the same size as that of Wrestlemania IV. If they do only half as well, it will be an amazing accomplishment for them and it'll alleviate a lot of the current financial woes. . .”

I mean this has to be a big step forward but there’s some light at the end of that tunnel?

Also the Powers of Pain do this big angle with the Road Warriors and injure Hawk’s back…was it a money issue with the Road Warriors that took them off TV?

“The Midnight Express & Jim Cornette attacked The Fantastics on TBS while Bobby Fulton was demonstrating how a straight jacket works. It was done before in Mid South but I know people who weren't aware of that and still thought it was very predictable. Ccrnette's interview arguing with the Fantastics where he said he'd no longer appear on NWA TV was a real good one.”

Can we say enough for how good Cornette was in this era?

As you go into the last few days…the only match announced publicly on the national show was Tully & Arn defending against Dusty & Sting. The thought process is that seeing the NWA live is a bigger deal…but I mean this is why George Scott got let go in 1989 was it not?

The show draws just 2400 fans to the James L. Knight Center in Miami, and it was setup for 6000. Was Miami typically a tough town to draw in?

Dusty was essentially a wrestling god in Florida - do you think the product was just too cold that even with him on top it wasn’t going to work?

Meltzer would point out that you were set up in the parking lot and as the best play-by-play announcer it was a discredit to the product having you there doing interviews while Tony Schiavone & Bob Caudle were handling the in-ring. Did you think that was the best play here for the finished product?

Do you remember being told a reason why you didn’t do play-by-play?

From the Observer

“It also seems like every time the NWA tries to do something to make them look major league, like the limos, the yacht, etc., they come off looking even more minor league than had they never even tried to look major league. Entrances of celebrities in limos is a good idea for an open, but not when you don't have any celebrities, and Gary Juster and Frances Crockett don't even qualify as celebrities to wrestling fans.

The show started with Jim Ross in the parking lot and the limos pulling up with the dignitaries, who turned out to be Lyle Alzado (who it turned out was Only there to plug his new TV show), Gary Juster and Elliot Murnick (two NWA promoters), Frances Crockett and the vice president of a company which is part owner of the Chicago Black Hawks of the NHL and also owned a yacht which we'll get to later. Pretty tacky.”

I mean…these aren’t exactly the big stars you would expect to see highlighted in this way to launch a national prime time professional wrestling show was it?

“1. Barry Windham pinned Brad Armstrong in 13:55 to retain the U.S. title.

The first six-minutes were either headlocks on the mat, or simply stalling by Windham. They got going a little, and Windham put Armstrong in the figure four for nearly three minutes. The idea of this was stupid, because after the first minute the heat was gone and all it serves to do is devalue the hold if you can have it on for that long and still not beat the guy with it.

After being in the figure four for all that time, Brad's leg made a remarkable recovery and the last four minutes were good, although nothing spectacular. The finish saw Armstrong come off the top ropes with a flying body press and got a two count, then he tried the move a second time and Windham rolled-over on top and put the claw on and got the pin. The finish itself was pretty good, but overall the match was a decent opener to a card, but very disappointing considering the talent involved. Windham appeared to be going through the motions here.

*¾”

I mean you’re talking two great talents who could really go - but the body of the match - 3 minutes inside a figure four when the World Champion uses it as a finish - a real head scratcher here. How did these two miss?

“It was interview time now. Lyle Alzado came on to plug his TV show, "Learning the Ropes," which the Crocketts are helping put together and several NWA wrestlers will appear in. He was nice enough about wrestling saying that overall wrestlers were better athletes than football players. The show starts in the fall and has already cleared two-thirds of the country so odds are you'll be able to see it. From the clips, I'm not sure you would want to, but I don't want to make a snap judgment about it. One thing several people brought up is that on the show, they show the masked wrestler (supposed to be Alzado, although in reality Steve Williams is the stand-in for Alzado in the wrestling scenes although most viewers won't know that and will believe Alzado was able to pick up all these wrestling moves in no time flat) tossing Ric Flair and Flair does his flip into the turnbuckle. A lot of people don't like that because the sequence is choreographed and the flip isn't supposed to be a choreographed move when Flair does it nightly. Personally I could care less and don't think it's an issue.”

What did you think of the show and the promotion here for it? Was it doomed for failure?

“Then came the Rock & Roll Express for an interview announcing they were back. They got pretty much a lukewarm response considering this big surprise should have theoretically popped the place. Robert Gibson nearly tripped walking to the interview area. Ricky Morton gave a terribly obnoxious interview. I don't dislike the guy as much as it seems most readers do, but a few more interviews like that and I'll jump right on the bandwagon. If they turn them heel this summer and feud them with The Fantastics then bringing them back is at least a minor benefit. If they are babyfaces, they are wasting their time, because the era of the Rock & Roll Express ended last summer, if not earlier. As one wrestling promoter from another organization told me, Ricky & Robert in the NWA those last six months were like a tooth that had gone bad.”

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express’ return here is less than ideal and it’s hard to disagree that they had probably outstayed their welcome in 1987. But a promo from them instead of say…Jim Cornette who wasn’t on this show…doesn’t seem like a wise decision does it JR?

“Then we saw the contract signing for the Ric Flair vs. Lex Luger "Match of the Century" in Baltimore on 7/10. The signing was on a yacht in the Atlantic Ocean. Seemed like a waste while it was going on, but it was done to set up the angle which followed next. Actually I was hoping the angle would be on the yacht and they'd throw Luger overboard.

At least it would have been original and we wouldn't have to watch that parking lot scene.”

Look it’s pretty cool to have this done on a Yacht…I guess….and the whole setup is for what’s coming up in the next segment…but Luger’s charisma here matched up with Ric is tough to really get behind isn’t it?

“After a commercial we thought we were going to see The Fantastics vs. Sheepherders, but we had a special major news bulletin, Lex Luger has arrived. Aren't you glad you don't invite these guys to your parties? Well, forget what promises to be the best match on the card, we've got to hear those pearls of wisdom only Lex can give us. But we didn't have the chance, the moment Lex came out of the limo, all four Horseman (including Barry who by this time had already had time for a shower it seemed) jumped Luger and basically mugged him. The least they could have done was make it look realistic and steal his wallet instead of his shoes. They ripped up his white tuxedo. The actual execution of this was great by all parties involved, however it looked too staged and too unbelievable. Also, it's not like we've never seen this angle before.

In fact, we were so lucky we got to see it two more times before the show ended. The least they could have done was let Arn Anderson DDT Lex on the pavement, since the DDT is so over that maybe people would believe he was really going to the hospital (at this point we needed to actually see the ambulance and paramedics instead of all this talk of what a horrible travesty we just saw).”

Luger in the white tux gets great color - and this is the old school Horsemen beat down - but it’s silly to see everyone but Barry in suits while Barry is in his ring garb is it not?

You’re standing right there for it all - did it need more like Meltzer said?

Mind you - we’re one hour into this prime time show and just 1 match. Do you think that hurt the audience back then?

“2. The Fantastics retained their U.S. tag team titles beating the Sheepherders in 19:29.

This was the best match on the show. The Sheeps mainly brawled and the match had real good action and good pacing, actually great pacing considering the length of the match. Both faces took lengthy turns as getting beaten on. Finish saw Fulton tag in and cradle Luke Williams off the ropes.

***¾”

People forget with the Bushwhackers that they were actually a hell of a tag team way back when as the Sheepherders and could actually go and the Fantastics…well they’re Fantastic aren’t they Jim?

“3. The Garvins beat Mike Rotunda & Rick Steiner in 13:11 in a match with Kevin Sullivan in a cage at ringside and Precious holding the key to the cage. Fans booed Ron Garvin during the introductions. They spent most of the time emphasizing the Sullivan/Precious bit with Sullivan supposedly having a piece of paper he would give Precious if Precious would let him out of the cage.

The match itself on TV became a backdrop for this angle, although judging from the live crowd, this whole angle isn't getting over because the crowd wasn't into this match.”

Do you think the cage at ringside gimmick is a tough one to get over?

“First 10 minutes were pretty dead, mainly holds on the mat beating on Ronnie while they tried to get the angle over to little avail. Last three minutes were good ending with Jimmy pinning Steiner at about the same moment Precious gave in and let Sullivan out of the cage, however instead of giving her the piece of paper, Sullivan started choking Precious and Dr. Death ran from the announcing booth to save Precious and they ran the heels off. Precious then started kicking Dr. Death and got mad at the Garvins and walked out by herself.

The finish was good but the match should have been better. *¾”

Steve Williams and Kevin Sullivan…not what you think of what you hear these two but the match was eh…I feel like the Kevin Sullivan story can be overrated looking back wouldn’t you agree?

“4. Nikita Koloff downed Al Perez via DQ in 11:51. I'm beginning to change my opinion on Perez. At least in this match he showed himself to be a very good worker. The only problem is, he still lacks color and this feud is still going nowhere fast. I've learned there is a secret in having a good match with Nikita. That is, treat him like a jobber and keep pounding on him most of the way and let him get his four moves in as comebacks. I've seen Eddie Gilbert and Dick Murdoch have great matches with him like that. The problem with the Horseman vs. Nikita is they are always trying to sell his strength and playing sell-ball, which with a guy who knows only four moves makes bad matches.

Anyway, Perez kept on top of Nikita and while this was nothing special, it was better than average. At least Perez was impressive although Nikita was still Nikita. Perez took a bump over the top rope from an elbow, then Larry Zbyszko did a run-in with a chain but Nikita clotheslined him. Then Gary Hart took off his jacket and started choking Nikita and they did a three-on-one on him for a while before leaving him for dead.

**½”

Dave makes it seem like Nikita is the shits and I don’t agree with him - but Al Perez with all this is something. But the highlight to this is all Gary Hart to me what say you JR?

“5. Dusty Rhodes & Sting downed Tully Blanchard & Arn Anderson in 10:58 via DQ so the heels keep the NWA tag team belts.

Dusty is really over big in Florida, more so than anyone else on the show. They announced him at 268 ½ pounds. This was a good match except for a 60 minute spot where Dusty had to sell. Sting worked almost the entire way and Tully & Arn are such a great team that this was a darn good match. Dusty did his routine and got out, and in Florida, Dusty deserves to be the star of the show because he truly is a legend there. Arn gave Sting a DDT on the arena floor and Sting made a comeback 30 seconds later. Stupid. The WWF ran Ricky Steamboat and Jake Roberts for six months off that move and these guys treat it as a transition. They are going to need a shotgun to get over an angle if guys treat DDT's on concrete as a 30 second stunning move.

Finish saw Windham run in and put the claw on Dusty while Tully, Arn and this blond-haired guy who was never mentioned beat up on Sting. Dusty juiced pretty good and Barry had the claw on him in the aisle when they cut to the commercial. Since this was the third "angle" of the show, and all three were carbon-copies, I wasn't as impressed with the finish as maybe I would be at another time. Still, it was good.

***¼”

I mean the irony of Meltzer talking about the DDT here and considering what the current wrestling product of today is isn’t lost on me - but the match is put together correctly - and the DQ probably isn’t the ideal finish for TV viewers but still - these 4 know what they were doing don’t they?

The show drew a 4.7 rating and a 8.2 share which means 2.128 million homes watched it. Considering TBS at the time was doing a 3 rating with a movie in the normal time slot it’s a success. But the first Clash drew a 5.8 rating so it’s down but still I think it’s a very good rating don’t you?

From the Observer

As expected, the TV ratings rose as the show went on, peaking with a 6 rating during the Dusty Rhodes & Sting vs. Tully Blanchard & Arn Anderson main event, which translates into 2,660,000 homes. Probably the most impressive thing about the ratings is the Atlanta Braves vs. San Francisco Giants baseball game which followed delivered a 1.5 rating during its first hour which means more that three-quarters of the audience plus the fans who tuned in when the ball game started turned it off when the wrestling ended. . .

So on this night - the Clash drew better than baseball and baseball couldn’t hold the wrestling audience. Quite the change 35 years later isn’t it?

What say you JR, what did you think of the show?