Video: ‘Mean’ Gene is flanked by Vader and Harley Race for a press conference announcing the details of Starrcade 1993. Ric Flair comes in demanding a shot at Vader’s title and he’s willing to put his 20 year career on the line in Charlotte, NC. Vader accepts the challenge, Race tells him that they may have been at the 1st Starrcade but this will be his last. The Nature Boy reminds Race that it was a ‘Flair for the Gold’. It was that way in 1983, and it’ll be the same way in 1993.

Match #4: WCW United States Champion ‘The Natural’ Dustin Rhodes & King Kong vs. The Equalizer & Awesome Kong
Rhodes and Equalizer start us off. Collar and elbow, waist lock by the US champ. Equalizer reverses it, but Rhodes fights into a hammerlock. Equalizer lays in some elbows, they hit the ropes and Rhodes with a drop toe hold. Arm drag into an arm bar by Rhodes. Equalizer breaks it up and lifts him for a scoop slam. Equalizer stops short of a back drop with a boot to the face. A tag is made to Awesome. Rhodes tries some drop kicks but can’t get the big man over. He pokes the eyes and drop kicks him from behind, and then tries a schoolboy. Awesome goes to the eyes and clubs Rhodes with forearms and takes him down with a headbutt.

Rhodes moves away from an elbow drop and tags in Awesome’s partner, King Kong. King refuses and tags Dustin back. Rhodes is forced to fight and lays in some rights. Rhodes is in the wrong corner, Equalizer is tagged in but the US Champ takes him over with an arm drag. Arm bar by Rhodes and now King Kong will accept a tag. He pounds away on Equalizer and sends him for a clothesline. Straight forearms by King Kong, Equalizer reverses the whip to the ropes and sits him down with a clothesline. A headbutt and body shots by Equalizer, they exchange rights and the ref forces a break in the corner. A reverse of the Irish whip but King Kong walks into a boot. A football tackle by Equalizer. He tries a leg drop but King moves.

Dustin is tagged in and so is Awesome Kong. He lays in some rights an elbow to the head, but it’s not enough for three. To the ropes, and Dustin executes a sunset flip. Equalizer breaks up the pin and King Kong comes in to cut him off. Awesome with a headbutt on Rhodes and he makes a Kong Sandwich out of Equalizer. Rhodes blindsides Awesome Kong with a bulldog and we have our winners.
Winners: ‘The Natural’ Dustin Rhodes & King Kong (Rhodes/Bulldog)

• EA’s Take: I’m sorry you ended up in this match, Dustin. Goldust is looking pretty good at this point! He’s the only participant that made this look like a wrestling match, otherwise it would just be a group of overweight guys slowly throwing some punches. It is what it is.

Match #5: WCW World Tag Team Champion Jerry Sags & Sting w/Missy Hyatt vs. ‘All-American’ Ron Simmons & Keith Cole
Sags and Simmons will start us off. Sags is unsure about this and he quickly backs out to the floor. He tells Sting to watch his back. Collar and elbow tie up and Simmons gets position. Sags takes a cheap shot on the break and drives Simmons to the other corner. Into the ropes and Simmons with a hip toss, a drop kick, an arm drag and a big shoulder block. He twists the arm and tags in Cole. Sags reaches for Sting but Cole takes him over. Cole drives the knee into the tag champ’s arm and holds on with the arm bar.

The crowd chants for Missy behind her. Up to vertical, Sags tries a scoop slam but Cole hangs onto the arm. “We Want Sting” rings from the crowd. Cole drops the leg on Sags’ arm. The Nasty Boy pulls Cole in for a clothesline and teases the crowd by changing his mind about tagging Sting. The cheers get louder and Sags tells Sting to wait. Big forearm to the side of Cole’s head, Sags telling the ref to get out of his face. Cole reverses an Irish whip and lands an arm drag into an arm bar. Now Sags is screaming for Sting as a tag is made to Simmons. Teamwork with a double elbow and Sags has to kick out. Sags staggers and the fans get what they want – here comes Sting. Collar and elbow and a clean break in the corner. Side headlock by The All American, they hit the ropes and Simmons lands two shoulder blocks.

Collar and elbow, Sting with a go behind from the ropes, he awkwardly takes Simmons down and tries a cover. A head of steam from Sting with two shoulder blocks of his own and Simmons slows it down. Drop toe hold by Simmons and a tag is made to Cole. They shake hands and Sting compliments Cole’s hair style. They lock up, arm drag by Cole. Collar and elbow and to the ropes, Sting works into a backslide and Cole kicks out. Arm drag by Sting and he tags in Sags. Jerry is greeted by an arm drag/arm bar combo. Sags with a snapmare and he lays his knee across Cole’s forehead. Sags kicks Cole around the ring and mocks him for shaking hands. Sags drops a leg and tags Sting back in. Wristlock by Sting but Cole is able to make the tag.

Simmons and Sting lock up and hit the ropes, Sting ducks a clothesline and hits a flying body press for a 1 count. Up quickly, Stinger follows it with a clothesline. Collar and elbow and Simmons cheap shots Sting off the rope break. The All American stomps on his head and yells at Missy. He chokes Sting across the top rope and puts the boot to the ribs. He sends Sting for the ride and a big powerslam. Tag is made to Cole as the crowd encourages The Franchise. A wristlock is locked in and Simmons is tagged in quickly. He drives Sting face first into the canvass and catapults Sting under the bottom rope. He tags in Cole and tells him to finish off the former World Champ.

Sting reverses the whip to the ropes and lands a back body drop, a scoop slam, a running clothesline and executes a vertical suplex. Irish whip and a Stinger Splash, but Sting is unaware that Sags tagged himself in. The ref moves him away, Sags heads to the top rope and steals the glory with an elbow drop.
Winners: Jerry Sags & Sting (Sags/Top Rope Elbow Drop)

• After The Bell: Ron Simmons is angry and he attacks Cole, ultimately finishing him off with a spinebuster.
• EA’s Take: You had to wake the crowd up with Sting after the last match. It was fun seeing him and Simmons in the ring together, thinking about how I randomly came across him at a meet and greet headlined by the Stinger. Ron Simmons is by far the nicest dude in professional wrestling I’ve spoken with. As for his future in WCW, after this I’d say heel turn is confirmed.

Match #6: ‘Nature Boy’ Ric Flair & ‘Stunning’ Steve Austin w/Col. Robert Parker vs. 2 Cold Scorpio & Maxx Payne
Austin and Flair dispute over who is the captain of this team. It’ll be Austin and Payne starting us off. They tie up but Austin can’t lift the big man. Flair taunts his partner from the apron. Collar and elbow and Payne wrestles Austin to the mat. Stunning Steve gets shoved to the mat. He offers a tag to Flair, but Naitch blows him off and struts. To the ropes and Payne hits a few big shoulder blocks. He tries a cover and Austin kicks out. Double leg pick up by Austin but Payne is up quickly. He grabs Austin by the neck and tosses him like a rag doll. Tag is made to The Cold Man. Collar and elbow, Austin with a knee to the gut and clubbing forearms.

From the apron, Austin tries a vertical suplex. Scorpio with a reversal. He avoids contact and plants Austin with a corkscrew takeover. He hits Steve with a drop kick and sends him for the ride. It’s Austin with a shoulder block but Scorpio with a drop kick. Flair has seen enough and he accepts a tag. Collar and elbow and a drop toe hold by Flair. Scorpio spins into a hammerlock and they chain wrestle on the mat. Scorpio bridges out of a pin and tries a backslide. He finally gets him over but Flair kicks out with a “Wooo”. Collar and elbow and a side headlock by Cold. Into the ropes and Flair is muscled down. He mocks Austin with a tag and instead he’ll take on Payne. Flair goes to the knee and hits a snapmare.

He heads to the top rope but Payne catches him with a press slam. Flair moves away from an elbow and tags in Austin. Stunning Steve goes to work on the knee and throwing a right. To the ropes, Austin ducks an elbow but is victimized by a back drop. He tells Parker he needs a new partner. Scorpio is tagged in and Austin drives his shoulder in. Flair is tagged in and he pops the crowd with patented chops. Scorpio doesn’t back down and he lands a vertical suplex and a back flip for two. Shoulder block by Scorpio, they spin about with standing switches and Scorpio tries a victory roll but Flair kicks out. A big chop by Flair, and he sends Scorpio for a back body drop. A tag is made to Austin and he drives the knee to Scorpio’s shoulder.

Scorpio tries a crucifix and Austin kicks out. Stunning Steve walks straight into a back thrust kick and heads for the top. Austin cuts him off and whips his feet out from underneath him. Austin lands a superplex and tries a cover but The Cold Man kicks out of the cocky pin. Back breaker by Austin and he stands on 2 Cold’s throat. A tag is made to Flair and he throws Scorpio into the corner. He collapses and Flair drives in the knee. He hooks the leg and Scorpio kicks out. Belly to back suplex by Flair and Payne breaks the pin. A tag is made to Stunning Steve and he sends Scorpio for a back drop and a knee. Another arrogant cover and Scorpio kicks out. Abdominal stretch by Austin and he uses the rope for leverage. Flair won’t have it and he removes his partners hand and tags himself in. They get in one another’s face and Flair chases Austin across the ring. He sets up Scorpio for some big chops and lifts him for a delayed vertical suplex. Payne makes the save on the pin.

Flair directs Austin to the top rope and hits a back breaker. Austin hits a top rope knee and Payne is forced to make another save. Snap mare into a reverse chin lock by Austin. Cold breaks it with elbows and they exchange rights. Austin bites the bridge of the nose, he tries a bulldog but Scorpio sends him into the turnbuckle. Spinning kick by Scorpio and both men are down. A tag is made on both ends and it’s Payne’s turn for chops, but Maxx is fired up. He sends The Nature Boy for a back body drop and a clothesline. Another Irish Whip, Flair moves out of the way and Payne hits his knee. Flair locks in the Figure Four. Austin makes sure Scorpio can’t break it up and Payne has to submit.
Winners: ‘Nature Boy’ Ric Flair & ‘Stunning’ Steve Austin (Flair/Figure Four)

• EA’s Take: Austin and Flair? What a multi-generational dream team. The tension between these two was well played out, if you remember from Austin and Pillman’s feud with The Horsemen. I know Flair’s got Vader coming up at Starrcade, but I’d be shocked if these two don’t clash in early 1994.

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