Match #7 for the NWA & WCW World Tag Team Championships: NWA & WCW World Tag Team Champions Ricky ‘The Dragon’ Steamboat & Shane Douglas vs. Barry Windham & ‘Flyin’ Brian Pillman
Douglas and Pillman start us out. Collar and elbow tie up, Shane with the advantage and we get a clean break. Another tie up, waistlock by Pillman and Douglas counters. Collar and elbow, Pillman with advantage and he buries his shoulder. Reversal of the Irish whip, Pillman puts on the brakes and takes Douglas over with a hip toss. Shane ducks a clothesline and takes him out with a right. From the ropes, Pillman attempts a crucifix, blocked by Douglas with rights. Tie up, Pillman with the advantage, quickly countered by Douglas.

Knife edge chop by Pillman and he chokes his opponent on the ropes. From the ropes, Douglas tries an unsuccessful victory roll. He dropkicks Pillman to the outside, Windham rushes in and he’s knocked down with the drop kick. Steamboat comes in as the champs double drop kick him. They send Windham again with a double shot to the mid section and a double back body drop. They slow it down and Windham is tagged back in. Steamboat is firey to get in the ring and he gets the tag. He and Windham exchange shots, The Dragon with the advantage. Front face lock into a vertical suplex by Steamboat. Big rights and a snapmare and Steamboat tags in Douglas who enters from the top rope.

Reverse chin lock by Shane. Slowly up to vertical, but Windham strengths out with a belly to back suplex. Shane blocks the right and delivers his own, Steamboat is tagged back in. Snapmare and a neck breaker by Steamboat. Windham is clotheslined over the top rope and Dragon chases him. Scoop slam on the hard floor by Steamboat. On the ramp, Douglas scoop slams Windham once again. Steamboat tosses him back into the ring and hits him with a reverse neck breaker. Windham kicks out at two, but Steamboat stays in control and tags in his partner. Reverse chinlock by Douglas, Windham works his way up to vertical and he drives Douglas’ chin.

Pillman is tagged in and he drives Douglas to the canvass. Forearm shots by Pillman followed by a hard chop. Irish whip into Windham’s elbow. Pillman gives chase but he’s flipped onto the apron and then drop kicked off. Windham checks on his partner. Douglas throws him back into the ring and heads for the top. Pillman catches him with a drop kick and Douglas falls all the way to the floor where he eats a cheap lariat from Windham. Shane is slow to the apron where he’s immediately assaulted by Flyin Brian. Tag is made to Windham who goes to work with a head butt. Big right hand by Barry followed by an elbow to the back of the head.

Windham has a confrontation with the referee, followed by Douglas attempting to fight from his knees. The ref gets tied up and Pillman takes some cheap forearms. Windham snaps Douglas from the apron into the bottom rope, tag is made to Pillman. Brian chops Douglas down to the mat. Shane tries to fight back, but he falls victim to a drop toe hold and here comes Windham. Shane is dumped to the floor, Windham follows. Windham buries rights but Steamboat has a chair to break it up. Tag is made to Pillman who cuts Shane off from a legal tag to Steamboat. He goes for the cover and there are multiple kick outs.

Pillman sends Shane into Windham’s boot and a tag is made. Windham comes off the top with a big right. He lifts Douglas for a suplex, a lateral press and Shane kicks out. Another big right knocks Douglas onto the ropes. Tag is made to Pillman who enters with an elbow. Front facelock into a snap suplex, followed by a splash for Flyin Brian. He takes a cheap shot at Steamboat who ties up the referee while the heels double team. Tag is made to Windham who kicks Douglas in the gut, he goes for a suplex but Shane counters. Shane is able to make the tag and Steamboat is on fire with dropkicks, chops and scoop slams for both opponents.

Windham stops the party with a power slam but he’s still stunned. Belly to back suplex and a tag is made to Pillman. Brian throws Steamboat over the top rope with the ref’s back turned and from the floor, Windham throws his shoulder into the post. Steamboat is slow to return but he catches Pillman with a chop but Brian kicks out. Tag is made to Windham who comes off the top with a clubbing forearm. Steamboat points his finger at Windham as he eats shots. Dragon fights back, Windham cuts him off with a boot, Barry goes for the top and Steamboat moves. Irish whip is reversed and Steamboat scores with a face buster on the mat.

Pillman and Douglas both receive tags, Shane with the early advantage. All four men get involved. Pillman is lifted for a back body drop and Windham is double clotheslined to the entrance ramp with Steamboat falling over with him. In the ring, Shane reverses an Irish whip but eats a boot. Pillman hits the ropes but Douglas catches him with a belly to belly suplex. Windham can’t make the save and the champs retain.
Winners and STILL Tag Team Champions: Ricky Steamboat & Shane Douglas (Douglas/Belly-To-Belly)

• EA’s Take: Solid contest here, Steamboat and Douglas are an interesting pairing that we’ll be seeing more of, but it works within the confines of a near non-existent tag team division. Keep your breath Barry, you still have one more match to work. They’ll have some better matches coming up against Pillman and a new tag team partner.

Match #8 – King Of Cable Tournament Finals: Sting vs. Big Van Vader w/Harley Race
The two former champions have a long staredown. They lock up and Vader mashes his hand into his face. Collar and elbow, Stinger with some quick shots and Vader is unaffected. Another lock up, quick scoop slam by the big man. They lock up again and Sting suffers the same fate. Sting charges him and Vader knocks him down with forearms. Military press across the top rope by Vader and Sting is reeling. He picks him up and does it to him again, Sting rolls out to the floor. Back in the ring, Vader meets him with heavy shots.

Sting ducks a few clotheslines and catches Vader with a martial arts move. A clothesline to the face and a German suplex by Sting. He follows it with a clothesline, he goes for a second and they both tumble over the top rope and to the floor. Vader’s head gear is torn off and he eats a cross body on the outside. Back to the ring and Vader takes control with a headbutt and some rights. Irish whip, Sting moves and hits the monster with an armdrag. He goes for a Stinger Splash but Vader is prepared and lifts his boot. Vader tries to send Sting for the ride, he hangs on, catches Vader in the midsection and plants him with a DDT. Sting sits Vader on the top turnbuckle and strikes with a monster DDT.

Vader is forced to kick out at two and a half. Sting turns Vader over with the Scorpion Deathlock but he’s in the ropes. Vader rolls outside to regroup with Race. Sting chases him, he attempts a big splash but Vader moves and Stinger hits the rail. Vader rolls back into the ring and Sting is slow to get up as the ref count. He makes it in just in time, but he’s struggling. Vader with a powerful clothesline. Irish whip, followed by a splash and a lariat as Sting is in trouble. Vader with a slow lateral press and Sting kicks out. Straight rights by Vader and he lifts Sting for a belly to back suplex. Vader lands a splash but Sting kicks out.

A frustrated Vader tries a reverse chinlock and he works it into a modified, seated abdominal stretch. He tries another lateral press and the fan favorite kicks out. Sting blocks a clothesline and he uses his strength to work a backslide, Vader kicks out. The big man whips Sting to the ropes, Stinger with a sunset flip, Vader tries a reversal by sitting down but Sting moves. Straight rights by Vader and Sting stumbles. Vader grabs a side headlock and Sting counters with a suplex. Vader somehow up first, he tries a pin and Sting kicks out. Reverse chinlock by Vader, quickly relinquished. Up to their feet, Vader measures his strikes, Sting tries to protect himself but he falls face first on the canvass.

Up to his feet, Vader clubs away. He seats Sting on the top turnbuckle, Sting thumbs him in the eye, fights back and knocks him back to the mat. A fatigued Sting simply falls back down. Vader is up first, clubbing with more forearms. Sting asks for more as he moves around the ring. Sting starts to hulk up and the crowd is behind him. A whip to the ropes and he catches Vader with rights. On the fourth shot, Vader falls to the mat. Sting lifts Vader for a fallaway slam, he tries a pin but he’s in the ropes. Sting heads for the top rope and he lands a big splash. Vader kicks out and Race makes his way up to the apron. Sting takes offense and confronts him.

Vader blindsides Sting in the corner. Vader with a chokeslam and Vader says it’s over. He goes to the 2nd turnbuckle and lands a splash. The impact knocks him away and he’s frustrated. He’s going up for a third time, this time Sting gets up and catches him with a powerslam and that’s all she wrote.
Winner: Sting (Powerslam)

• EA’s Take: A bizarre novelty trophy by WCW here because they just frickin’ LOVE tournaments. I get that they take every opportunity to put Sting over because the fans (including me) love him, but shouldn’t the World Heavyweight Champion be in the mix to be the ‘King of Cable’? What about the World Television Champion, doesn’t that make sense? Either way, Sting and Vader had plenty of battles and this one was strong. If your biggest show is going to be somewhat underwhelming, at least send the fans home knowing their hero got a W.

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