JANUARY 30
1991
WCW Clash of the Champions XIV aired live from Gainesville, GA in front of 2,200 fans. The show marked the return of Dusty Rhodes, who broadcast the card alongside Jim Ross at ringside. The show was headlined by Ric Flair defending the newly won WCW World Championship against Scott Steiner in a disappointing match. Meanwhile, Paul E. Dangerously lost to Missy Hyatt at arm wrestling after getting distracted by her boobs. Also, Stan Hansen hyped a match against Vader at Wrestle War ’91 by explaining that all fans want in the United States is “pretty boys and face paint” while in Japan, fans want to see real men fight. This was followed by a clip of their match at the Tokyo Dome the previous year. The show drew a 3.9 rating, and you can watch it on the WWE Network.
1993
All Japan Pro Wrestling held a card in Chiba where Steve Williams and Terry Gordy defeated Mitsuharu Misawa and Toshiaki Kawada to win the AJPW World Tag Team Titles in a ****1/4 match. Misawa and Kawada would not regain the titles, as Kawada was on the verge of a singles push and long feud with Misawa.
The Heavenly Bodies defeated the Rock & Roll Express to win the SMW Tag Team Titles on their television show, which was taped in Newton, NC, when Bobby Eaton made a surprise appearance to assist the Bodies in winning the gold. The match was scheduled to be a title defense against The Stud Stable, but they no-showed after their tires were slashed in a repeat of the Austin Idol-Freebirds angle in Georgia a decade earlier.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=019IUKl49fU
The WWF vs USWA feud got underway, as Mr. Perfect cut a pre-taped promo on USWA television to hype his match with Jerry Lawler two days later at Mid South Coliseum. Also on the show, a video aired of PG-13 singing “Hip Hop Hooray” with their own lyrics.
WCW Worldwide aired a ***1/2 match taped on January 19 in Anderson, SC, where WCW World Tag Team Champions Ricky Steamboat and Shane Douglas faced The Hollywood Blonds in a non-title match with the Blonds scoring a pin.
WCW Saturday Night aired a very good Vader & Barry Windham vs Sting & Dustin Rhodes match, highlighted by the post-match angle where Windham and manager Harley Race held Sting while Vader whipped him with a belt to hype their upcoming strap match. Also on the show, Steven Regal made his first appearance on WCW television. He was a babyface, completely without the aristocrat gimmick he worked for most of his career. We also saw a music video for 2 Cold Scorpio. The show drew a 2.6 rating.
1995
WWF Monday Night RAW aired (live/taped) from Palmetto, FL. Vince McMahon demanded an apology from Bam Bam Bigelow for shoving Lawrence Taylor at the Royal Rumble, but Bigelow refused to provide one. The segment ended with Bigelow issuing a challenge to Taylor to step into the ring with no pads, no helmet and no teammates. Also on the show, Bob Backlund procured the Crossface Chicken Wing on Jerry Lawler, who immediately said, “I quit, Mr. Bob Backlund” to get out of it. Backhand then insisted that he would no longer break the hold unless the victim provided an identical response. In the main event, the 1-2-3 Kid and Bob Holly once again squared off with the Smoking Gunns. The match ended with Kid being stretchered out as part of an injury angle. The show drew a 3.0 rating, its best in a while, and you can watch it on the WWE Network.
1999
Power Pro Wrestling aired clips of Jerry Lawler dropping the Power Pro Title a few days earlier to Baldo (currently known on WWE television as Jason Albert). Back in the studio, Lawler confronted Sean Stasiak, who he blamed on the loss. He offered him $5000 to get in the ring, which Stasiak refused, so Lawler upped the ante by putting up his hair. Stasiak would only agree to the match if Stacy’s services were at stake; sure enough, Stasiak defeated Lawler in their match later on the show to win her as a valet. Earlier in the show, Bruce Pritchard showed up in the studio and Randy Hales demanded that he be thrown out immediately. A group of heels attacked him from behind and were about to piledrive him on the studio floor until Lawler made the save.
Public Enemy returned to ECW television to brawl with the Dudley Boys, who were mocking them, to a track of incredibly annoying Joey Styles commentary.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x43xbj_public-enemy-returns-to-ecw_sport
In The “To Watch” Queue:
Shinya Hashimoto & Manabu Nakanishi vs Kensuke Sasaki & Hiroyoshi Tenzan (NJPW 01/30/95)
