Backstage: Missy Hyatt is outside Lex Luger’s dressing room. The champ has been in hiding preparing for this match. Harley Race heads for the door and is asked about Luger’s preparedness. Race says Luger’s in the greatest shape of his life and he’ll be the champ tonight… and tomorrow night.

Match #3: Ron Simmons vs. Cactus Jack
Collar and elbow tie up, Simmons with position and Jack with a cheap right. He follows it with forearms, and the two exchange strikes. Irish whip by Simmons but Jack gets his boot up. Ron ducks a clothesline and Cactus finds himself in a hangman on the ropes. Simmons hits the floor and takes some body shots. He’s finally released and he staggers around the floor. Simmons throws his head into the guard rail and rolls him back into the ring. He pursues Jack but is stopped by a low blow. Kick to the head by Jack. Simmons is thrown to the ropes but comes back with a facebuster. Scoop slam and standing leg drop gets a two count for Simmons.

Irish whip, and Jack gets his elbow up following it with a clothesline. In the crowd, Junkyard Dog is looking on, dressed in a tuxedo. Double underhook DDT by Jack. Cactus with a running legdrog, a lateral press earns him two. Simmons is dumped to the floor and Jack abuses him on the railing. Scoop slam by Jack who heads up to the middle turnbuckle who hits a flying elbow drop. Simmons is whiplashed over the top rope and rolled back in the ring. He fights back with some rights but misses a drop kick. Jack tries to take advantage with a cover but only gets two. He moves into a reverse chin lock, Simmons slowly works up to a vertical base and takes Jack to the mat.

This time, Cactus is sent and is hit with a drop kick. Jack moves away from Simmons’ dive and Ron tumbles onto the entrance ramp. Jack follows him, but Simmons lifts him into a spinebuster. Cactus is thrown back into the ring, but he reverses momentum with a rake to the eyes. Irish whip and a bulldog by Jack. He heads for the second turnbuckle, dives off, and Simmons catches him with a power slam which is good enough for the win.
Winner: Ron Simmons (Powerslam)

• After The Bell: Jack attacks Simmons as Abdullah The Butcher rushes down to the ring. Simmons assumes he is there to hit Cactus, but he’s instead blindsided by the kendo stick. Simmons is double-teamed, Junkyard Dog works his way through the crowd to ringside. Security tries to stop him, but they receive headbutts. He rolls in the ring and attacks both Jack and Abdullah, clearing the ring. He and Simmons embrace as the crowd chants “J-Y-D!”.
• EA’s Take: Obviously the biggest takeaway from this sub-7 minute match was setting up the return of Junkyard Dog. The match itself was just the power slugfest you’d expect from these two as Simmons continues rising up through the ranks. Foley’s a great foil to help get guys over the top on the card and would become a fixture in that same spot years later in the WWF.

Match #4: Richard Morton & Vinnie Vegas vs. Van Hammer & ‘Z-Man’ Tom Zenk
Hammer gets the crowd stomping and cheering. He and Morton will start us off. Collar and elbow tie up, Morton rakes the eyes and goes on offense in the corner. Hammer reverses an Irish whip and lifts Morton for a big military press slam. Morton wants out, and Vegas is met with an arm drag. A shoving match ends with a collar and elbow, they twist throughout the ring and Vegas gets position before the ref breaks it in the corner. They tie up again, now Hammer with the advantage. Ref breaks it up and Vinnie pokes his thumb in the eye. Heavy rights by Vegas. They hit the ropes, Hammer ducks a clothesline, Vegas goes for a leapfrog but Hammer runs into him appearing to hit him low. A wristlock is moved into a hammerlock by Hammer and Vegas is thrown into the corner twice.

Vegas fights back with rights, but Hammer is up to the task. He pounds on the big man in the corner until Vinnie carries him across and slams him into the opposite turnbuckle. Hammer comes back with a desperate clothesline. He makes the tag to Z-Man and holds Vegas in place for a missile drop kick. He goes for a cover but Morton grabs a hand full of hair. Vegas slows it down and regroups. Collar and elbow and a big knee by the big man. Tag is made to Morton who goes right to work. Z-Man reverses a whip to the ropes, Morton ducks a clothesline and can’t land a victory roll. Z-Man ducks a big forearm and sends Morton over the top rope to the floor with a clothesline. Fired up, he flies over the top rope with a big splash and stays right on him with rights and a hip toss.

Morton is flow to return to the ring and baits Z-Man over for an eye poke before tagging Vegas back in. Vegas tosses Z-Man toward his own corner and requests Van Hammer. Zenk obliges. Collar and elbow tie up, side headlock by Hammer but Vegas lifts him with a belly to back suplex. Short clothesline by Vegas gets a one count. He drives Hammer’s head into Morton’s knee and makes the tag. Morton lifts him for an inverted atomic drop, snapmare followed by a big right hand. Morton makes a quick tag and Vegas hits Hammer with a modified bulldog, Zenk breaks up the pin. Side salto suplex by Vegas and Hammer powers out of the pin. Vegas sends him for a big boot and he taunts the crowd.

Tag is made to Morton, Vegas holds Hammer in place for a right from the turnbuckle. Belly to back suplex and a lateral press but Hammer strengths out again. A quick tag is made to Vegas who comes in with a standing elbow drop. Vicious rights from Vegas and another fast exchange is made. Hammer reverses a whip to the ropes and he delivers a power slam to Morton and gets two. Richard gets up and cheapshots Zenk who is standing on the apron. He holds Hammer in a full nelson allowing Vegas to double team him while the ref fends off an outraged Z-Man. Vegas hits him with the flying shoulder tackle, and he kicks his reaching hand away. Hammer musters up some rights, but a thumb to the eye stops it. Vertical suplex by Vegas but Hammer still kicks out.

Tag to Morton, snapmare into a reverse chin lock. Another quick tag, they hit the ropes, Hammer ducks a clothesline and both big men collide shoulders and go down in the middle of the ring. Vegas staggers to his feet and tags Morton, but Hammer is able to dive over for the hot tag to Zenk. Z-Man on the offense with a high elevation back body drop on Richard, and he drop kicks Vegas off the apron. Morton is sent for the ride and a powerslam for a near fall. Morton goes to the eyes to stop the momentum again. Irish whip to the corner, but Z-Man leapfrogs him and turns it into a sunset flip to pick up the pinfall before Vegas can break it up.
Winners: Van Hammer & ‘Z-Man’ Tom Zenk (Zenk/Sunset Flip)

• EA’s Take: During the introduction, there was a passive aggressive shot at the WWF. This is Luger’s last PPV before working for Vince McMahon. Before wrestling in the WWF, he participated in the short lived World Bodybuilding Federation. Ventura explained how Tom Zenk used to be a bodybuilder, but turned to professional wrestling, “Cause as we all know, there ain’t no money in bodybuilding”. The snarky comment held some truth, as the organization would fold 6 months later, after less than two total years in existence. Major botch when Vegas attempted a leapfrog on Hammer. While the botch appeared to be more on Hammer, what are you doing at 6’10” trying to leapfrog a dude who is probably 6’7”? There’s a reason why Kevin Nash isn’t known now for his tremendous offense, this is just a case of a guy that’s still green, in his third gimmick over the past two years, trying to do too much.

Match #5: Barry Windham & ‘The Natural’ Dustin Rhodes vs. WCW Television Champion ‘Stunning’ Steve Austin & Larry ‘The Cruncher’ Zbysko w/Madusa
Zbyszko and Austin ambush their opponents right off the bat. Windham takes the fight to Zbyszko with a back body drop while Windham hits Austin with rights in the corner. The Cruncher is dumped to the ramp and all four brawl. Rhodes’ rights send Austin outside and Windham clotheslines him back into the ring. Rhodes reverses a hiptoss into a backslide and he gets a two count. Austin misses a clothesline and is struck with a Bionic Elbow. Irish whip by Rhodes, but Austin shoves him away. He goes to the top turnbuckle, but Rhodes catches him with a lariat and a near fall. Austin rolls out and Madusa complains to the referee.

Rhodes doesn’t like the stalling and he throws Austin back in the ring. A tag is made to Windham who enters with a single axe handle. He sends Austin to the ropes and delivers a drop kick. He throws Austin to the corner because he wants Zbyszko. The Cruncher is upset and wants no part of this. Collar and elbow tie up and Zbyszko rakes the eyes, a karate kick knocks Windham to the outside. He tries a piledriver but Windham reverses it into a back body drop. Massive lariat from Windham and Zbyszko is dumped back in the ring. Zbyszko is thrown to the ropes for a diving lariat. He goes for a pin but changes his mind, he wants to pound Zbyszko’s head.

Impressive DDT by Windham and a tag is made to Rhodes, double elevation back body drop but there’s a kick out at two. Wristlock and a full arm drag and twist by Rhodes. He delivers knees to the hand, wanting redemption for the broken hand Zbyszko gave Windham. Rhodes hammers away, Zbyszko fights his way back, Rhodes blocks the head shot into the turnbuckle and instead returns the favor. He’s thrown to the corner where Windham takes liberties, and a legal tag is made. Gut wrench suplex by Windham and Zbyszko kicks out. Windham tries to lift Zbyszko for a piledriver, can’t get him up on the first attempt and Stunning Steve rushes in for the save with a lariat.

Rhodes is told to get back to his corner by Nick Patrick and Zbyszko tosses Windham over the top rope. Steve leaps from the apron with an ax handle and sends him into the steel. Zbyszko lifts Windham from the floor and low blows him on the rail. Madusa taunts Windham as he eats a forearm before being rolls back in. Clothesline from Austin followed by a vertical suplex, Windham kicks out. From his knees, Windham fights back with blows to the midsection. Austin is sent to the ropes, the TV champ ducks the lariat and knees Windham which sends him flying over the top rope again.

Rhodes rushes to his aid but is stopped by Nick Patrick while Zbyszko abuses The Natural’s partner on the floor. Windham is rolled back in and Zbyszko gets the tag. Austin holds Windham’s leg to make sure no tag is made on the other side. Standing neck breaker by Zbyszko and Rhodes breaks up the pin. Scoop slam by The Cruncher, Windham kicks out. Tag is made to Austin who enters with a belly to back suplex but he still can’t get the win. Snapmare into a reverse chin lock by the TV Champ. Windham slowly works to a vertical base, Austin holds the side headlock and Barry escapes with a belly to back of his own. Tag is made to Zbyszko, he sends Windham to the ropes and catches him with a sleeper hold.

Windham works his way up and breaks it with a chin buster. Windham blocks a right and pounds Zbyszko in the jaw. They run the ropes, collide and both men go down. Austin is tagged in, Windham is up but staggering, he falls backwards and here comes Rhodes. Austin is sent to the ropes for an inverted atomic drop, followed by a drop kick, a snapmare takedown and an elbow drop. The TV Champ kicks out at two. Whip to the ropes by Rhodes and he lands a lariat  but Zbyszko breaks up the pin. Windham takes up for his partner and pounds The Cruncher out to the entrance ramp. Rhodes and Austin hit the ropes, Austin can’t complete a victory roll but he turns Rhodes inside out with a clothesline.

Rhodes’ head meets the turnbuckle, Irish whip by Austin and Dustin falls over like a sack of potatoes. It’s Zbyszko’s turn, snapmare takedown and a stomp to the face. A spinning neckbreaker is good enough for two. Rhodes fights his way out of the corner with some chops and rights. Dustin tries to send Zbyszko for a back body, but The Cruncher catches him with a DDT, Rhodes barely kicks out. Rhodes is sent for the ride and reverses it with a kick to the face, but he’s reeling and falls over. Madusa takes a slap from the outside, Rhodes rolls out and stalks her down, and on the entrance ramp Austin catches him from behind. Back in the ring, Windham beats Zbyszko down to the mat.

Austin sends Rhodes back in the ring and hangs him over the middle rope for a bronco buster. A lateral press and another close call, Zbyszko claiming the count was slow. A snapmare into a reverse chinlock by the champ. Rhodes works to a vertical base and delivers elbows to the midsection. Austin rakes the eyes and sends Rhodes for the ride, The Natural ducks two clotheslines and lands a crossbody. A close two count, and Austin jumps right back to his feet to catch him with a lariat. Austin tags Zbyszko back in, and he goes to work with boots to the midsection and a backbreaker, Rhodes kicks out.

On their feet, Rhodes blocks a vertical suplex and counters with one of his own. Both men are slow to get up, Zbyszko is up first, Rhodes with a right but Zbyszko with a drop toe hold. Austin rushes across the ring and draws Windham in with a big right. Rhodes surprises Austin with an inside cradle but Nick Patrick is slow to get over for the count. Modified reverse chinlock by Austin down on the mat. Stunning Steve uses the ropes for leverage, Windham protests. Rhodes works his way back up, elbows the midsection, sends Austin to the ropes, Steve ducks a clothesline and Rhodes hot shots him on the top rope.

Zbyszko gets tagged first, Rhodes nails a right and dives for a tag to Windham. Barry with rights for both opponents, Zbyszko is sent to the ropes and is hit with a lariat. Austin interrupts the pin. Zbyszko is seated on the top rope for the superplex. The Cruncher pushes him off and goes up to his feet on the turnbuckle. Rhodes punches him down to the mat from the apron. This gives Windham a chance to climb the opposite turnbuckles, he takes flight with a flying lariat. Rhodes makes sure Austin can’t interfere and Zbyszko is pinned.
Winners: Barry Windham & ‘The Natural’ Dustin Rhodes (Windham/Top Rope Clothesline)

• EA’s Take: Predictable payoff for an angle I frankly forgot about that originally began as a tag title pursuit by Windham and Rhodes. Windham was legit injured however, which ended up putting Ricky Steamboat in his place with whom Dustin would win the titles, but then drop them rather quick at the beginning of ’92.. Austin and Rhodes have great chemistry and I am hoping for another feature singles bout in the near future. That’s really my main takeaway from this one.

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