SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: Approx. 29:00 Min.
For the July 30, 1994, edition of WCW Saturday Night, the main event would pit Sting and Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat (both former WCW World Champions) vs. the arrogant WCW U.S. Champion “Stunning” Steve Austin and “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair, accompanied by ‘Sensuous’ Sherri Martel. The bout was presumably filmed at WCW Saturday Night’s studio: the Center Stage Theater in Atlanta, Georgia. The announcers are Tony Schiavone and Bobby “The Brain” Heenan.
Notably, the bout was televised (but not necessarily filmed) days after WCW Bash at The Beach where Flair had dropped the WCW World Heavyweight Championship to Hulk Hogan.
REVIEW:
Both duos are in excellent form, as Steamboat’s on-screen chemistry with Flair and Austin demonstrates why they were undoubtedly his best WCW adversaries (along with Rick Rude). More so, Austin and Flair’s heel teamwork is impressive.
Given that Steamboat’s active in-ring career ended only months later (due to an injury), fans shouldn’t mind seeing that he gets more screen time than Sting. Eerily, it’s like a premonition that Schiavone and Heenan comment that some think that an aging Steamboat’s abilities had somewhat declined. That may have been accurate, but, even in his early forties, Steamboat still nimbly holds his own against Austin (a decade younger) and a timeless, 44-year-old Flair. What can else be said of a mid-thirties Sting, other than he delivers exactly what it is required of him.
The bout’s only stale component is “Sensuous” Sherri Martel’s participation. Her villainous antics come off as a tired cliché (after three productive years performing the same function in the WWF for Randy Savage, Ted DiBiase, and finally Shawn Michaels). Still, she is a welcome upgrade over Flair’s dubious former valet/maid, ‘Fifi,’ who “The Nature Boy” would marry in real life decades later.
Though this tag bout’s action is formulaic and becomes somewhat monotonous (presumably, to fill at least thirty minutes of airtime), neither the participants nor the announcers let viewers down. That includes a somewhat unexpected finish, in terms of which tandem scores a decisive win.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 7 Stars
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