Chairshot Classics: WCW WrestleWar ’91

Match #10 – War Games: The Four Horsemen (WCW World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair, Barry Windham & Sid Vicious) & Larry Zbysko w/Arn Anderson vs. Sting, ‘Flyin’ Brian Pillman & WCW United States Tag Team Champions The Steiner Brothers (Rick & Scott)
Barry Windham starts and Brian Pillman rushes in to be the first participant on the other side. They go right for each other. Brian hits a flying clothesline off the bat. Shoulder tackle by Windham. Pillman uses the cage to drop kick and head scissor Windham. Pillman pounds away in the corner. Irish whip and Brian climbs the turn buckles. Windham moves from a potential cross body but Pillman delays. He hits the Horseman with a dropkick. Pillman misses a cross body, but Brian hits a low blow. Windham meets the cage and the crowd is behind Flyin Brian. Pillman continues to pound Windham on the cage and the crowd is counting.

Headbutt from Pillman and he bites Windham on the bridge of the nose. Windham is busted open. Straight rights by Pillman. Again, Pillman bites before a series of right. Hip toss from Pillman and he sends Windham into the cage. To the top rope and Pillman lands a flying clothesline. Another headbutt and Pillman throws Windham into ring number 2. Windham is face first into the steel again. A series of kicks takes Windham to the mat and Pillman works on the knee. Windham gets a breather by kicking Pillman off. The two exchange strikes and Schiavone counts down the final seconds. A coin toss is held and The Horsemen win.

Ric Flair is next in and he ambushes Pillman from behind. Chops in the corner are exchanged. Flair goes down and backs off. Pillman is overcome by the double team and goes shoulder first into the steel. Windham lifts him and uses the cage again. The Horsemen are in complete control and Flair dumps Pillman back into ring 1. They work on Pillman’s shoulder.

Sting evens the odds and he hammers away at Flair and Windham. The Horsemen try to send him for an Irish whip but Stinger comes back with a double clothesline. Bulldog by Sting on Windham before helping Pillman by giving Flair the same. In ring two, a belly to back suplex by Windham on Pillman. Windham saves Flair from Sting but is fought off quickly. Flair tries to chop Sting but can’t effect him. The champ begs for mercy and takes a beating from Sting. Stinger Splash on Flair…

Larry Zbyszko enters the ring. Sting goes to ring two and hits him with a flying clothesline. Pillman applies the figure four on Windham while Zbysko fights back on Sting. Flair breaks the hold on the mat. Brawling all over when there is 30 seconds until we see a Steiner. Windham and Zbyszko double team Sting and the next man readies to enter.

Rick Steiner enters and he immediately hits the Horsemen with Steinerlines and rights. He stands on the turnbuckle and hammers Flair before giving him a belly to belly suplex. The champ meets the cage courtesy of the dog faced gremlin. Flair is busted open. Windham saves Flair and exchanges rights with Steiner.

Sid Vicious enters the ring and immediately goes after Steiner. He holds him for Flair to hit a low blow. Pillman blocks Flair’s attempt to throw him into the cage and receives multiple blows instead. Sid takes Sting down with a clothesline while Steiner and Zbyszko fight. Larry goes face first into the cage.  Sting is thrown onto the apron by Sid. Huge rights by Steiner, but Vicious fights back. Chops from Flair to Sting in the corner while Windham bashes Rick and Pillman’s heads together.

Scott Steiner is the last man to enter. He enters with a double Steinerline on the Horsemen. He lands a double underhook suplex on Zbyszko. The Steiners double team Vicious and throw him into the Steel. Flair eats a Stinger Splash and locks in a Scorpion Death lock. Zbyszko saves Flair. Vicious scoops Pillman and works on the shoulder but Brian fights back before meeting the turnbuckle. Vicious rips the tape off of Pillman as action is wild all over the ring. All four members of Sting’s team lock in figure fours but no one submits. Sting sends Flair over with a military press after slamming him on the top of the cage. Scott sends Windham into the steel while Vicious clotheslines Rick. Pillman tries to choke out Zbyszko.

Rick is sent for the ride and eats a double clothesline. Scott gets a clothesline and Flair fights off Sting with a poke to the eye. Pillman fights off the Horsemen with big chops and shots to Flair. Windham blocks a DDT from Scott Steiner and the younger brother gets a boot from Sid. Vicious lifts Flyin Brian with a front slam and sets up for the powerbomb. Vicious hits it not once but twice. Pillman is out cold. El Gigante runs down to the ring and rips open the door of the cage. He checks on his friend, Pillman. Referee Nick Patrick calls the match. Gigante carries Pillman to the back.
Winners: The Four Horsemen & Larry Zbysko (Referee Stoppage)

• After The Bell: Referee Nick Patrick explains that Pillman was out cold and he wasn’t going to be responsible for risking his career.
• EA’s Take: WarGames is hands down my favorite WCW stipulation match. It has some of the same charm as a Royal Rumble with the anticipation of someone being added to the match at different intervals, but the team vs. team grudge match aspect in the caged double ring is great too. Sort of an abrupt, surprise ending that should not only get sympathy on Brian Pillman, but El Gigante as well. There was nearly a 2nd career-threatening botch because Sid’s first powerbomb on Pillman dropped Brian right on his neck. That’s my one gripe. Why have they not realized they need to raise the top of the cage a few more feet? AND WHY does it take a few more years even to realize it?

EA’s Finisher: After the debacle that was Starrcade 1990, I was open minded to anything. This show wasn’t a classic, but it wasn’t bad. I know Vince resists ideas that were not his to begin with, but I think NXT would do something fun when they brought back an updated, modified version of WarGames as a special stipulation match. As for the show, Eddie Guerrero fought in a dark match on the card that I would have been interested in seeing, but it was fun to see the WCW PPV debuts of future Hall of Fame inductee Diamond Dallas Page. Plus, something tells me Dustin Rhodes will get in there as well. SuperBrawl I is next up and Ron Simmons and Butch Reed will indeed meet in a steel cage match. Really looking forward to laughing as Kevin Nash makes an appearance as Oz too. For WrestleWar ’91, better effort than Starrcade.

Top Three To Watch
1 – War Games
2 – Lex Luger vs. Dan Spivey
3 – Terry Taylor vs. Z-Man

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