JANUARY 29
1994
In the main event of a show at Korakuen Hall, Mitsuharu Misawa, Kenta Kobashi and Giant Baba teamed to face Toshiaki Kawada, Akira Taue and Masa Fuchi in a ***1/2 match.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9uBZ-F_aog
Dennis Coralluzzo sent in a taped promo that aired on SMW TV where he claimed to have proof that Tracy Smothers was really Vito Marinara from Schuylkill Haven, PA. We also heard from Dory and Terry Funk, with Dory stumbling through an explanation of the Texas Death Match.
In accordance with a stipulation from a Clash of the Champions match with Brian Pillman two days earlier, Col. Rob Parker dressed in a chicken suit on WCW Saturday Night. Tex Slazenger, Shanghai Pierce and Steve Austin attempted to save Parker and put Pillman in the chicken suit instead, but the babyface locker room cleared to force the issue. Robert Fuller displayed a tremendous knack for physical comedy in this segment. Also on the show, WCW Commissioner Nick Bockwinkel announced that the Vader-Ric Flair match scheduled for SuperBrawl IV would be postponed. As part of the segment, Vader provoked Flair and Ricky Steamboat into a pull-apart brawl before finally leaving the room. The show drew a 2.8 rating.
1996
WWF Monday Night RAW aired a show taped on January 22 in Stockton, CA. The first in a series of vignettes aired to hype the upcoming debut of Mankind, better known at the time as Cactus Jack. The newest skit included a mock press conference where The Huckster said it was in his contract with Billionaire Ted that he never loses while Billionaire Ted himself is asked why they purposely undercut their advertising rates even though they provide double the programming of the WWF. The irony of the Huckster line was that he lost a match on Nitro that very same night. The show drew a 2.4 rating, and you can watch it on the WWE Network.
WCW Monday Nitro aired live from Canton, OH. To kick off the show, Ric Flair scored the first pinfall victory of his career over Hulk Hogan after hitting him in the eye with a high-heeled shoe. The show drew a 2.8 rating, and you can watch it on the WWE Network.
1998
WCW Thunder aired live from Memphis, TN. The show was headlined by The Steiner Brothers taking on Kevin Nash and Konnan, which ended with Nash arrested after powerbombing referee Charles Robinson. Earlier in the night, Dusty Rhodes cut a memorable promo explaining why he joined the NWO at Souled Out, citing previous problems with Turner hierarchy. Also on the show, Eddy Guerrero and Chris Jericho teamed to face Chris Benoit and Dean Malenko in an excellent match that was given far too little time. The show drew a 4.2 rating.
1999
OMEGA featured one of the best American tag matches of the decade when the WWF-bound Hardy Boys faced the Serial Thrillaz (Shane Helms & Mike Maverick) in a ****1/4 match in front of a hot crowd in Wendell, NC. The Hardys were WWF bound and this was the last OMEGA show until they reopened it in recent years.
In The “To Watch” Queue:
Bret Hart vs Bam Bam Bigelow (WWF 01/29/93)
Jun Akiyama vs Takao Omori (AJPW 01/29/94)
Jun Akiyama & Takao Omori vs The Fantastics (AJPW 01/29/95)
