Open: Eric Bischoff & Missy Hyatt open the show. They discuss title matches including the Iron Man match for the United States Championship, and Ric Flair pursuing the NWA title once again. Jesse Ventura is running late to be at ringside as he’s hanging out at a tiki bar with some ladies.

Match #1 for the WCW World Television Championship: WCW World Television Champion ‘Mr. Wonderful’ Paul Orndorff vs. ‘All-American’ Ron Simmons
Simmons gets the crowd riled up as some chant “Paula”. Orndorff is irate. Simmons knocks him off the apron and goes on the attack on the floor. He rolls Orndorff back in the ring, kicks in the gut and knocks him down with a right. He sends Orndorff for a back elbow and follows it with a drop kick. A lateral press for two and Orndorff rolls out. The crowd gets on his case some more. He slowly steps back in. They feel each other out, drop toe hold from Mr. Wonderful but Simmons moves from the elbow.

Simmons grabs a wristlock and works over the arm.Simmons converts into a hammerlock, broken up with an elbow. Orndorff keeps striking with elbows and rights. Irish whip and Simmons moves out of the way. The All American goes back on offense and grabs an arm bar. They hit the ropes, Orndorff ducks a clothesline and jumps on Simmons’ back with a sleeper. He shoves the former world champion into the corner and scores with a belly to back suplex. Orndorff heads up top and Simmons dodges the knee. Ron works over the knee that he just landed on, stomping it down on the mat from behind. More kicks to the inside of the knee and Simmons uses the bottom rope for more leverage. Simmons locks in a figure four but Orndorff was too close to the ropes.

Orndorff rolls outside and baits Simmons. He pulls the challenger out to the floor and ambushes him. Simmons rolls back in and Orndorff is still on the attack, grabbing a reverse chinlock. Simmons works to his feet, breaks the hold and lands a shoulder tackle. Orndorff comes right back with a high knee lift, and he drops that knee across Simmons’ jaw. Front face lock by the champ, Simmons scores some body shots, breaking the hold. Irish whip but Orndorff gets his foot up. Lateral press and Simmons kicks out. Orndorff goes back to the reverse chin lock, the crowd cheers Simmons on. Simmons tries fighting from his knees, Orndorff measures him with rights.

Reverse whip to the ropes and Simmons scores with a powerslam and gets a two count. Orndorff with a shot to the throat, he sends Simmons to the ropes, a backbody drop is reversed with a sunset flip and the champ kicks out. Orndorff sends him again but Simmons stops short of a dropkick. Simmons sends Orndorff for a big clothesline, sends him again for a back elbow and Orndorff again kicks out. Front facelock and a snap suplex by Simmons but Orndorff is too close to the ropes. Orndorff changes momentum with a thumb to the eye, he sets Simmons up for a piledriver and it’s reversed with a backdrop over the top rope, prompting a DQ.
Winner and STILL WCW World Television Champ: ‘Mr. Wonderful’ Paul Orndorff (Disqualification)

• After The Bell: Simmons doesn’t realize he’s been disqualified and sets up Orndorff for a top rope shoulder tackle. The ref explains what happens and Orndorff tries to blindside Simmons with the belt. The challenger ducks and turns the fate on the champ. He poses with the belt as Orndorff retreats.
• EA’s Take: It’s been a while since I’ve seen Ron on a PPV. He was hot leading into his 1992 championship win, but his reign was somewhat underwhelming and then he got hurt. Great to see the fans give him a good response, but part of it was the fact that Orndorff was getting great heat as the injury really derailed all the momentum Simmons had prior.

Match #2: Marcus Alexander Bagwell & 2 Cold Scorpio vs. Tex Slazenger & Shanghai Pierce
Pierce and Bagwell start us out and lock up quickly, Pierce with position in the corner. He breaks it off and the crowd boos at his taunting. Collar and elbow, side headlock by Bagwell, they hit the ropes and collide twice with shoulder blocks. They go for a third time, Bagwell with a baseball slide under Pierce’s legs, he ducks a clothesline and lands a cross body. Slazenger charges in, Scorpio helps his partner and they double team the big man face first on the mat. Scorpio tries to elevate over the top rope and it prompts an all out brawl on the entrance ramp. The Texan team bails to the floor and the babyfaces hold the ring.

Slazenger is tagged in to face Bagwell, he taunts Scorpio and they oblige with a tag. Scorpio dances and Slazenger doesn’t like it. Collar and elbow tie up, Slazenger with the side headlock into the ropes. Slazenger wins with a shoulder tackle. Scorpio hits the ropes and he is hit with a huge back drop. Slazenger sits him on the top rope. Scorpio blocks strikes and scores with a big cross body. He follows with a drop kick and an arm drag, and holds on with an arm bar. Bagwell is tagged back in for a double team hip toss. He latches on with a wrist lock and Tex fights out with forearms. Pierce is tagged back in, he’s caught with a drop toe hold.

They hit the ropes, Pierce with a shoulder tackle. Bagwell leapfrogs him twice and scores with an arm drag, hanging onto the wrist. Pierce with a forearm and a scoop slam. Tag is made to Slazenger and he’s met with an arm drag. Bagwell with a suplex and a two count. They hit the ropes and Pierce cheapshots Bagwell from behind. Slazenger takes advantage, elbows the skull and brings Bagwell down, going into the hammerlock. Pierce is tagged in and picks up where his partner left off. Quick tag back to Slazenger who stomps away. The fans rally for Bagwell who is head butted. They hit the ropes and Bagwell leaps with a sunset flip.

Slazenger kicks out and hits a vicious clothesline. Scorpio saves his partner from the pin. Pierce is back in and stays in control. He throws Bagwell into his corner and runs a distraction to get a double team. Snapmare into the reverse chinlock by Pierce on Bagwell. He’s held on the mat and Slazenger helps his partner get extra leverage. Bagwell works to his feet, breaks the hold with elbows he he’s caught with kick to the gut and a side saulto suplex. Lateral press and Scorpio makes the save again. Tag is made to Slazenger and he holds the hammerlock. They work back to their feet and Slazenger still has the arm bar.

Shots to the midsection by Bagwell but he’s brought down with a drop toe hold and a tag is made back to Pierce who drops a big elbow. Scoop slam by Pierce but Bagwell dodges the elbow drop. Tag is made to Tex and he cuts off Bagwell from his tag attempt. He lifts Bagwell on his shoulder, lands a shoulder breaker and Pierce is tagged in who drops the elbow. Cocky cover and Bagwell kicks out. Forearm to the back and Bagwell meets the turnbuckle. Irish whip and Bagwell moves out of the way. Marcus crawls under Pierce’s legs and he makes the hot tag to Scorpio. 2 Cold with quick strikes and a back elbow. Side kick to a charging Slazenger.

He whips Pierce into the corner and scores with a superkick. He heads for the top rope and lands a big splash. Slazenger saves the cover, Bagwell comes in to deal with Tex. They whip the heels into one another, Slazenger is drop kicked out of the ring. Double Irish whip to Pierce, Bagwell ducks a clothesline and hits a belly to back suplex. Scorpio heads for the top and lands a 450 splash for the win.
Winners: Marcus Alexander Bagwell & 2 Cold Scorpio (Scorpio/450 Splash)

• EA’s Take: Fans would better know Pierce and Slazenger as the Godwinn’s of the WWF in a few more years, but this might be some of the better in-ring work we will see out of the big bruisers. This team of Scorpio and Bagwell is a lot of fun, but this match could have used a little more 2 Cold in my opinion as he’s by far the most entertaining of the four at this time.

In the Arena: Missy Hyatt is joined by Paul Orndorff and someone they simply call The Equalizer. She knows a lot of people who want to take his TV title, but Mr. Wonderful explains why he’s the John Wayne of professional wrestling. He plays by the rules, and when things get tough he can handle it. Ron Simmons should be punished for tossing him over the top rope. Simmons can keep coming, but he’s going to keep on choking just like Florida State. A guy like Ricky Steamboat is too old to come after his title, they call him the old man by the sea.

Match #3: Erik Watts vs. Lord Steven Regal w/Sir William Dundee
Watts comes in for a tie up and Regal struts away. They bluff once again and they finally attempt a lock up, Regal maneuvers out of the way. Finally a collar and elbow, Regal grabs a modified arm bar, moves it into the wrist lock. Watts reverses it on him and Regal dances around. Regal somersaults out and hits a monkey flip but Watts keeps hold of the wrist. Regal gets position for a snapmare and moves into an arm bar.  Regal ducks a kick to the head, Watts flips over and kicks Regal off of him.

Watts with a backdrop and he stays right on the arm. He drives the knee in. Regal jumps to his feet, reverses out of the hold with a wristlock takedown. Lateral press and Watts kicks out. Regal holds his wrists to the mat, Watts tries to bridge out, Regal jumps on top of him but Watts somersaults backwords and holds the wrists strong. Regal counters out of it with a top wristlock, driving Watts down to the mat. Test of strength on the mat, Watts makes it to his feet. Regal flips him over for a pin, quickly countered. Collar and elbow tie up, hammerlock by Watts. Regal moves him in corner, breaks the hold with an elbow and takes him down with a drop toe hold.

Watts spins out of a front face lock and scores with a hip toss. He holds Regal on the mat with the arm bar. He works into a standing hammerlock, Regal reverses with a backdrop but Watts hangs on for a sunset flip. Regal goes into an ankle submission. He lifts Watts for European uppercuts and forearm shots. Snapmare takedown, he moves the knee pad off but Watts dodges it. Whip to the ropes and Watts takes the legs out from under him. He sets up for the STF, locks it in but Sir William Dundee hits him in the face from the floor. Regal blindsides him with a schoolboy and we have our winner.
Winner: Lord Steven Regal (Schoolboy)

• EA’s Take: A welcome to WCW PPV’s to one of the most underrated talents in professional wrestling history. I say that acknowledging he won his share of belts and that he continues on as the General Manager of NXT, but Regal was brilliant in the ring. The little things make all the difference in professional wrestling and Regal’s crisp technical skills, believable selling, facial expressions and mannerisms were always great from him. One of the competitors you couldn’t really appreciate until you’re older and have a better understanding of everything. Also, how is Erik Watts still employed?

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