Match #10 for the WCW World Tag Team Championships: WCW World Tag Team Champions The Enforcers (Arn Anderson & Larry Zbysko) vs. WCW United States Tag Team Champions The Patriots (Todd Champion & Firebreaker Chip)
Zbyszko and Chip start the action. They size each other up and go to a collar and elbow. Shoulder tackle by Chip. They tussle for position for an abdominal stretch and Chip gets the upper hand. Larry reverses with a hip toss. Chip kicks him away, single leg pick up and a scoop slam gets him one. Zbyszko goes for a neckbreaker but is brought down with a back slide. The veteran lectures the referee and his opponent before tagging in Double A. He taunts Champion, ducks the tie up and pulls Chip down with a waist lock. Chip wrestles him out of the ring and Anderson complains. Back to the ring, shoulder tackle by Chip. They reverse hammer locks and Champion is tagged in.

Double axe handle by the bigger man and he works the Enforcer over with a wrist lock. Anderson gets positioning and takes him down with knees and kicks. Champion is flipped back into the ring and receives a knee to the collarbone. Champion rolls to the apron, Anderson tries to flip him into the ring again, but instead it’s Champion who flips the Double A onto the floor. Anderson rakes the eyes on the floor but he’s back body dropped. Chip rolls him back in and he runs into Champion’s bear hug. Larry breaks the hold with a cheap shot while Randy Anderson’s back is turned. The Enforcers send Champion with an Irish whip but he comes back with a double clothesline.

Slowly back to the ring and Zbyszko is tagged in legally. Collar and elbow tie up and Larry gives a cheap slap before running away outside the ring. He baits Champion into being held up by Anderson and lands a spinning kick to the chest. Chip protests as Champion is dumped to the floor. Zbyszko throws Champion into the guard rail and rolls him to Anderson. Shot to the midsection, snap mare and a knee to the face by Anderson. Tag is made to the Living Legend who scoop slams the young opponent. Swinging neck breaker and Champion kicks out at 2. He uses Anderson’s knee as a weapon and tags Arn in. Champion fights back with rights, he lifts Anderson for an atomic drop and a blind tag is made to Zbyszko.

Champion is caught from behind with a double ax handle and Anderson stomps him. Back breaker by Larry and Champion kicks out at two. Reverse chin lock by Legend, but Champion counters a snap suplex. Anderson and Chip both get tags and Chip fights off both Enforcers. Big power slam by Chip on Double A and Zbyszko saves the pin. Champion knocks Larry down with a reverse elbow and he’s knocked out the ring by a running Chip. Firebreaker turns around and is grounded by a Spinebuster and the champs retain.
Winners and STILL WCW World Tag Team Champions: The Enforcers (Anderson/Spinebuster)

• EA’s Take: Ho-hum encounter with a predictable result. Double-A’s next chapter in his career after the disbandment of The Horsemen brings him into a pairing with Larry Zbyszko and it’s a good one. We’ll be seeing much more of them moving forward as they become the top heel squad in the division.

In The Arena: Eric Bischoff is ringside and he’s joined by Paul E. Dangerously & Madusa. Dangerously declares war on the WCW committee for kicking him out of his co-host role. He’s targeting the company’s top stars and he will start with Sting. They introduce The Halloween Phantom, the man who will help him bankrupt the company. Madusa unmasks him to reveal it’s ‘Ravishing’ Rick Rude.

Match #11 – 2/3 Falls for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship: WCW World Heavyweight Champion Lex Luger w/Harley Race & Mr. Hughes vs. Ron Simmons w/Dusty Rhodes
The two men give each other a long stare down. Collar and elbow tie up and a quick break. Side head lock by Luger who takes down Simmons. The challenger breaks the hold and they’re cautiously back to their feet. A tie up and Luger spins into a hammerlock, countered by Simmons and Luger breaks it on the ropes. Collar and elbow, Luger with position in the corner, slow break and Simmons takes offense to Luger’s attempt at a right.

He bashes Luger but misses a drop kick. Luger on offense with a running elbow. Double ax handle by the champion followed up with some big forearms. Simmons holds him off with his boots and lands some rights. Luger reverses the whip but Simmons takes him down with a face buster. He comes back with a clothesline and follows with a power slam. Spinebuster by Simmons and Ron Simmons earns the first fall.
First Fall: Ron Simmons

The managers check in with their clients for the 60 second rest period. Round two starts and Luger appears to be reeling. Lex shakes it off and limps around the ring. Collar and elbow and Luger gets his knee up. Simmons blocks a snap suplex with his own. Irish whips and a back body drop by Simmons and Luger tries to escape. He baits the challenger into the corner and takes some shots. Irish whip by Simmons and he lands a bulldog. The Total Package kicks out at two and rolls to the apron. Luger gets caught with an inside cradle for another two count. Simmons is baited by Simmons and gets dumped to the floor. Back to the apron, he re-enters with sunset flip and a two count.

Big clothesline by Ron. He goes for another but Luger side steps him. Luger stomps Simmons, and chokes him with his boot. He uses his laces to rake the eyes. Simmons tries to fight him off, but can’t get the upper hand. Standing elbow drop by Luger and Simmons kicks out. Both managers flip their lids. Shot to the mid section and some quick strikes by Simmons, but after hitting the ropes he’s caught with a power slam. He’s slow to make the cover and there is a kick out. Irish whip by Simmons but he’s caught by a boot and a lariat. Simmons kicks out of the lateral press and Luger’s frustrated. Luger sets up and hits a vertical suplex.

Again, he’s slow to make the cover and Simmons kicks. Lex grabs a reverse chin lock and the crowd wakes up. Luger uses the ropes for leverage as Nick Patrick checks on Ron. Simmons strengths his way up to his feet, hits a few elbows and works him to the corner. Irish whip is reversed by Luger, Simmons moves, rolls him up and almost wins the belt. A little chain wrestling and Ron can’t put him away with the back slide. Shoulder block by Simmons. He goes for another one but Race distracts him by grabbing at his boot. Dusty Rhodes nails him from the outside. Simmons and Luger exchange rights. Luger goes for a clothesline, Race holds Simmons from the outside, and Luger flies over the top rope. A judgement call is made for a disqualification.
Second Fall: Lex Luger

Both men check in with their managers once again. Rhodes tells Simmons it’s the 4th quarter. Cheap shot by Luger and he goes on offense with ax handles. Simmons is bashed into the corner, but it hulks Simmons up. Luger begs for mercy but Ron pounds him in the corner. Luger carries him back to the middle of the ring before eating a clothesline. Simmons pins him for two. Irish whip and a back body drop by Simmons, Luger kicks out again. Luger gets a shot to the mid section, they run the ropes and Simmons gets an inverted atomic drop.

Luger is sat atop the turnbuckles and Simmons lands a superplex. The champ kicks out at two and 3/4. Powerslam by Simmons and he sets up on the 2nd turn buckle, landing a flying shoulder block. Luger rolls outside. He pokes Simmons in the eyes but Ron blocks the guard rail shot and makes him taste it instead. Simmons goes for a football tackle but Luger moes and he hits the ring post. Luger rolls Simmons in and lands the piledriver to retain the title.
Winner and STILL WCW World Heavyweight Champion: Lex Luger

• EA’s Take: Honestly, I enjoyed this main event and considering the workrate of Mr. Hughes, it turns out to be a positive forced change to have Simmons as the opponent. It was a really good angle that was also controversial, something WCW never seemed to do either of in these years. Ron’s really elevated his game and is going to continue pursuing the World Title going into 1992, so we’ll be seeing him in a lot of good spots coming up. Unfortunately, the coming months will see Lex be the second consecutive reigning champion to have contract issues with the company, leading to him being used less despite holding the title as we roll towards 1992.

EA’s Finisher: The “Refer-eye Cam” they used for two matches was a little corny, but surprisingly not too brutal to watch. The helmets did, however, look hilarious. It was interesting to use your most popular singles competitor and your most popular tag team in a gimmick match to open the show and outside of the typical silliness WCW gives us for a Halloween Havoc, I found this show to be overall enjoyable. There was some great action in more than one match, which has become rare over these past couple of years. Austin/Rhodes stole the show and I’m really enjoying watching the rise of Ron Simmons to becoming the first African-American World Champion.

Top Three To Watch
1 – Steve Austin vs. Dustin Rhodes
2 – Lex Luger vs. Ron Simmons
3 – Bobby Eaton vs. Terrance Taylor

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