Match #9: Johnny B. Badd & Arachnaman vs. Scott Steiner & Firebreaker Chip
It’s Badd and Chip off the start. Collar and elbow tie up, Chip is sent for the ride, Badd leapfrogs twice before being taken down by reverse hip tosses. Badd takes a hard shot with his left, sends Chip and knocks him down with an elbow. Chip kicks out of a pin, Badd with more body shots. Irish whip by Badd and Chip climbs the turnbuckles to come back with a crossbody. Badd kicks out, wrist lock by Chip, tag is made to Arachnaman and he’s met with an arm drag. The crowd pops for Scott Steiner as he’s tagged in. Fireman carry takeover into an armbar for Scott. They run the ropes and Steiner catches him with a power slam.

He brings him back up for a back body drop and clotheslines the masked opponent over the top and down to the floor. Arachnaman rolls back in and tags his partner. Badd and Steiner lock up, Scott gets position on the ropes but Badd nails him down with a right. Steiner is incensed and pounds away. Badd leapfrogs him off the ropes and lands another right. Scott quickly crawls and lifts him for a double leg takedown. Scott lifts Badd into a suplex position, and he’s rammed upside down into the top turnbuckle. Gut wrench suplex and a tag is made to Chip who enters with a snapmare and a reverse chin lock. They wrestle on the mat and Badd works into a hammerlock. Chip shows some athleticism getting back to his feet, but Badd hangs onto the wrist and tags in Arachnaman. He stays on the arm and gets him down on his knees.

Back to a vertical base and Arachnaman works a hammerlock. Chip escapes and hits an arm drag, Scott is tagged back in. Arachnaman makes his way over to tag in Badd, Scott sends him for the ride and a Steinerline. Double underhook powerbomb by Steiner and Chip comes back in. The ref backs Chip off when it looked like he was going for a low blow giving Badd the opportunity to tag his partner back in. Arachnaman and Firebreaker tie up, chain wrestling from a vertical base and Arachnaman takes control first with forearms. Chip returns the favor, Irish whip but Arachnaman moves. Knee to the head by Arachnaman and Chip kicks out at two.

Arachnaman grabs a reverse chin lock down on the mat. Chip is slow back up to base, Chip is sent for a drop kick but he catches the second attempt and turns him into a Boston crab. Arachnaman tries to crawl toward the rope, but instead spins Chip into a pinning predicament. Back to their feet and Badd is back in. Johnny softens him with more body shots and follows with a snapmare and a reverse chin lock. The ref drop checks the arm and Chip doesn’t give. Tag back to Arachnaman who delivers some forearms. The two criss cross, a blind tag is made to Steiner and delivers a big Steinerline. Tilt-a-whirl slam on Arachnaman and scoop slam to the charging Johnny B. Badd. Chip accounts for Badd, but Arachnaman blocks the back body drop with a kick. Arachnaman to the top rope and he’s caught by Scott. Steiner delivers a belly to belly suplex and that’s enough for the win.
Winners: Scott Steiner & Firebreaker Chip (Steiner/Belly-To-Belly Suplex)

• EA’s Take: Anyone who knows anything about wrestling over the last 30 years knows that Scott Steiner has a short temper and he was an unapologetic, stiff worker. I don’t want to speculate, but especially in his early days, I could see him as being a real homophobe. Between Badd still being relatively inexperienced and having the flamboyant gimmick of wearing women’s makeup to the ring? There was a point early in the match where I swear Scott was pissed with some of the execution and started laying it on thick for a shoot. Either way, you had to figure at least one of the Steiner Brothers would be advancing. Also…Arachnaman? Really? This is what you have Brad Armstrong doing?

Match #10: Steve Armstrong & P.N. News vs. Ron Simmons & Thomas Rich
Rich and Simmons debate over who is going to start, it turns out to be Simmons and Armstrong. Steve with his back turned to Simmons, daring him to attack. Ron taps him on the shoulder and lifts him for a gorilla press. He hammers away on Armstrong, sets up for a back body drop but Steve stops short and clubs him with a forearm. Simmons ducks a clothesline and comes back with a diving shoulder block. Wrist lock and a shot to the tricep by Simmons and Rich is tagged in. Armstrong reverses the Irish whips and delivers strikes in the corner. This time it’s Rich who reverses an Irish whip, Armstrong off the turn buckle is lifted with a back body drop.

Armstong moves away from double ax handle and takes Rich over with an arm drag before tagging in P.N. news. He holds Rich in a full nelson, Rich doesn’t want the cheap shot. Collar and elbow, but Rich can’t lift the Rapmaster. Scoop slam by News. Another tie up and Rich is thrown across the ring. The fans chant “We Want Ron” to the displeasure of the man formerly known as Wildfire. He reluctantly obliges, Simmons and News show some sportsmanship and then they tie up. Ron drives him to the corner and there’s a clean break. Another tie up, jockey for positioning, but this time News takes liberties at the break up. Irish whip and a splash in the corner for News.

He tries again but this time Simmons gets his elbow up. A big bulldog by Simmons and News has to kick out at 2. Shoulder tackle by Simmons and another kick out. Ron hits the ropes but runs into a clothesline. Crossbody by The Rapmaster for two. Tag is made to Armstrong, Rich is refuses to tag in on the other side. Simmons goes on offense and Rich decides to tag in now that a few shots were laid in. Rich tries using his wrist tape to choke Armstrong. Irish whip by Rich and Armstrong gets the boot up. Steve takes Rich’s tape from him and now he’s going to use it as a weapon.

Whip to the corner and a shoulder block takedown by Armstrong. Rich tags a reluctant Ron Simmons who scowls and scolds him. Armstrong wants time out and Simmons turns his back to lecture Rich. Armstrong blind sides him and sends him into the turnbuckle. Simmons reverses the whip and comes back with a clothesline and a two count. Ron tags Rich back in who is quick with a belly to back suplex. Rich to the 2nd turnbuckle and he drops a fist to the face. Irish whip by Rich but he meets Armstrong’s knee. Steve drives his opponent into his partner’s knee and News returns to the action as the legal man. Flying clothesline by the big man and Rich barely kicks out. Quick tag to Armstrong who delivers a body shot and a big splash in the corner.

He goes for another splash but Rich moves. Armstrong dodges Rich’s elbow and PN News is tagged back in. Scoop slam on Rich and another quick tag. Armstrong goes for a big splash but gets knees to the midsection instead. Rich crawls to the wrong corner. He sees his partner but opts not to make the tag. Armstrong blocks a right and delivers his own. Rich is worked over in the corner, Simmons protests the use of the rope and the referee turns to back him away. News refuses to take advantage of the situation and explains that to his partner. Neck breaker by Armstrong and Rich kicks out of an arrogant cover. Modified surfboard submission by Armstrong, slow to their feet and Rich breaks it with a chin buster.

Rich reaches for a tag but he’s cut off. Rich fights back with a right, Armstrong pursues him but Thomas sneaks between his legs and tags in Simmons. Powerslam by Simmons and a scoop slam for the 400 pound rapmaster. The All American slams Armstrong for the spine buster and we now have our final two Battlebowl participants.
Winners: Ron Simmons & Thomas Rich (Simmons/Spinebuster)

• EA’s Take: Not much to say about this last match except — I know they’re building up, Simmons and it’s working, so you had to know who was winning this one going in.

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