Match #5 for the NWA United States Tag Team Championships: NWA United States Tag Team Champions ‘Flyin’ Brian Pillman & ‘Z-Man’ Tom Zenk vs. The Fabulous Freebirds (Jimmy Garvin & Michael ‘P.S.’ Hayes)
Some girls join the Freebirds in the ring. As the Freebirds pose for the crowd, the champs direct the girls out of the ring and stand in their place to surprise the challengers. The champs go to work and Garvin is dropkicked out of the ring. The champs put on the Freebird’s covers and strut around the ring to mock them. They lead a “Freebirds Suck” chant. Hayes and Pillman start the action. Hayes struts and moonwalks around the ring, before taking offense to the crowd’s chant. Collar and elbow tie up and a quick break. Hayes poses for the crowd. Another tie up and Hayes pushes Pillman back to the corner. Hayes misses a right and Pillman is on the offense.

He hits a big clothesline and Hayes retreats. A tag is made to Garvin and Pillman tags his partner as well. Collar and elbow tie up and Garvin takes him down temporarily on a waist lock. Back up to their feet, they run the ropes and Zenk delivers a football tackle.They tie up and Zenk grabs a side headlock. They run and Zenk reverses a hiptoss with one of his own and lands a drop kick. Garvin moves away from the 2nd drop kick and is sent for the ride. Zenk instead kicks Garvin in the face and Pillman is tagged back in. Pillman holds onto a side headlock, before running with a football tackle.

Pillman jumps onto Garvin with a flying crucifix but can only get a 2 count. Hayes is tagged back in to face Pillman. Hayes delivers straight rights. Pillman blocks a move to the corner and slams Hayes into the corner. Hayes is resilient and fights back. The two exchange more blows. Brian goes to the top and lands a cross body press for a two count. Hayes misses a clothesline and Pillman executes a sunset flip for a 2 count. Brian stays on the offense with an arm bar. Tag is made to Zenk and he stays on with a wristlock. Zenk works him all the way down to the mat holding onto the arm. Back to their feet, they run the ropes and Hayes lands a clothesline allowing a tag to Garvin. Jimmy can’t do much better as he’s work to the mat with a wristlock as well.

Garvin works his legs over and grabs Zenk’s head with a scissor. Zenk gets up and manages a tag to Pillman who goes back to work on the wrist. Pillman leaps over Garvin after an Irish whip and hits him with a flying knee. Side headlock takedown by Pillman gets him two. Garvin grabs a side headlock and tags Hayes back in. Hayes whips Pillman and grabs a sleeper hold. Nick Patrick checks the arms but only gets two. Back to their feet, Pillman tries to fight him off but Hayes lands a big left. Hayes goes to the top rope for a cross body, but Pillman rolls him over for a reverse on the cradle. Another tag is made to Garvin and they deliver a double elbow.

Hotshot from Garvin on Pillman. Pillman is sent for the ride and receives a knee to the midsection. Hayes is tagged back in. He rolls Pillman over with a snapmare but misses with his right hand. Pillman sends Hayes for the ride but receives a right to the back of the shoulder blades. Garvin is back in with a shoulder tackle but Garvin is stunned as well. Hot tag is made to Zenk who immediately lands a drop kick and a power slam. Garvin stops the momentum with a kick to the head and a tag to Hayes. Zenk reverses an Irish whip and goes to work with straight rights. He follows it up with a Z-Lock but Garvin breaks it up with an axe handle off the top rope.

Hayes pins Zenk for 2. Zenk is dumped to the outside and abused by Garvin. Hayes follows Zenk out and beats him down on the floor. Zenk goes shoulder first into the ring post before getting rolled back into the ring. Garvin is tagged back in and he executes a snap mare into a chin lock. The crowd chants for Zenk as he works his way back up to little avail. Garvin moves the hold into a camel clutch. An impatient Pillman rushes and kicks Garvin to break it up. As the referee is focused on Pillman a tag is made to Hayes who grabs a reverse chin lock. The referee is unsure about the tag and argues with Garvin. Zenk tries to get to the ropes as Hayes holds him back and uses verbal intimidation.

Back to their feet, Z Man lands some elbows to the mid section then sends Hayes for the ride and a scoop slam. It’s not enough as Hayes moves on the standing elbow attempt and he rolls Zenk into a small package but can only get two. Garvin is tagged back in, and he sends Zenk to the ropes and hits a boot to the midsection. Scoop slam by Garvin who only gets 2 on a lateral press. Hayes is tagged back in and he grabs hold of a reverse chin lock. Z Man gets back to a vertical base and fights Hayes off in the corner. He sends Hayes for an Irish whip but Hayes catches him. Hayes head for the top rope but Zenk pulls him down. Hayes reverses with a snapmare and gets a two count. Hayes can’t hold him down.

He delivers straight kicks to the head and teases Zenk away from him partner. He comes off to deliver a blow to Pillman. While the referee is distracted with the incensed Pillman, the Freebirds double team Zenk on the other side. Hayes covers Zenk for 2 and a half as Hayes protests. Hayes nails Zenk with his trademarked bulldog but Pillman interrupts with a kick to the head. Hayes grabs hold of another reverse chin lock. Hayes sends Zenk for the ride but it is countered with a DDT. Both men make the tag at the same time and Pillman cleans house with 4 drop kicks.

The Freebirds try to whip but he ducks the double clothesline in favor of a shoulder tackle. Hayes is dumped to the floor. Pillman is held and thrown into the cameraman. Unfazed, he goes to the top rope and prevents Garvin from moving in on Zenk by landing a flying body press and gets the 3 count.
Winners and STILL NWA United States Tag Team Champions: ‘Flyin’ Brian Pillman & ‘Z-Man’ Tom Zenk (Pillman/Top Rope Crossbody)

• EA’s Take: A well executed tag team affair here as The Freebirds continue showing what made them work and that’s pure charisma. Pillman and Zenk were a fun little team, but it felt more like Z-Man needed to be in a duo much more than ‘Flyin’ Brian. I thought the thing to do here was have The Birds take the straps since they’re certainly the more established team and as we know now, there were no long-term plans for Pillman & Zenk.

Match #6 for the NWA World Tag Team Championships: NWA World Tag Team Champions The Steiner Brothers (Rick & Scott) vs. The Andersons (Arn & Ole)
Scott and Arn get the action started. Arn takes a cheap shot at Rick. He runs the ropes but Rick pulls him out and pounds on him. Sent back to the ring and Scott strengths him to the corner for rights as Rick takes care of Ole who was attempting to interfere. The Steiners clear the ring and the crowd barks. The Andersons slow things down. Arn tries to lure Scott to his corner. Snapmare by Arn but Scott blocks the knee drop. He comes back with an atomic drop.

Ole rushes the ring but he is bullied as well. Ole is tagged in legally, and he’s taken down with a single leg take down. Rick is tagged in and Ole backs off. Collar and elbow tie up and Rick fights out of the opponents corner with rights. Scott rushes in to help his brother and the Steiners clear the ring once again. Ole and Rick are back in the ring and they lock up. Arm bar by Ole, but it’s reversed by Rick. Arn is tagged in and Rick backs off. Collar and elbow into a side headlock by Rick and he holds on. They run the ropes and Rick power slams Arn. He gets 2 on a lateral press. Ole is backed off from interfering. Arn and Rick tie up and Arn takes him over with a snap mare.

He goes to the top rope but Rick catches him before he gets all the way up. Arn feigns like he’s going to the back, but marches back to the ring. Tags are made to both partners and Ole cranks a side headlock. Ole works on Scott’s left arm. Scott fights back but a tag is made back to Arn. They run, and Scott lands an inverted atomic drop and Scott locks in a figure four. Arn rushes the ring but Rick stops him. Scott’s eyes are raked and the hold is broken. Ole holds the leg, but Scott takes him down with a suplex. He drops the knee to the chest Rick is tagged back. they lock up and Arn is immediately tagged back in.

The Andersons double team him into the turnbuckle. Back to the center of the ring and Rick reverses a vertical suplex. Ole is tagged back in and he goes to work on Rick. Quick tag back to Double A and he’s double teamed once again. The referee keeps Scott from interfering as the Andersons take liberties. Body slam and elbow drop by Ole and he gets 2 and a half. The two exchange blows from their knees. Ole tries to hold Rick’s leg from the tag but can’t do it. Arn and Scott are tagged back into the match and Scott takes Arn down with a headlock. Back to their feet and Scott gets the advantage.

He elbows Arn to the outside. He tries to clothesline Scott, but misses and hits the post. Arn takes advantage of this and goes to work on the left arm. Scott is driven face first into the railing. Ole rolls him back into the ring and holds him in a wide based arm bar. A tag is made back to Arn. Hammerlock slam by Arn and he stays on the left arm of Scott Steiner. Snapmare by Anderson. He goes up to the 2nd rope but Scott gets his legs up. They go to the ropes and Scott catches him in a Frankensteiner.

Both men make the delayed tag and Rick goes to work with some rights. He sends Ole for a Steinerline and gives one to Arn for good measure. The Andersons attempt to send Rick for a double clothesline. He kicks Arn and rolls Ole with an inside cradle for the win.
Winners and STILL NWA World Tag Team Champions: The Steiner Brothers (Rick/Inside Cradle)

• EA’s Take: Ol’ Ole has returned and The Andersons are back in the tag team picture…and they’re trying to sell them as biological brothers like The Steiners. Actual brothers or not, they make a solid team and it was a good match between two all-time great tandems. Another note on Ole’s return, this will also spark some screwy, notoriously bad ideas for WCW as he eventually takes over the booking duties.

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