Backstage: Jesse Ventura is joined in the locker room by ‘The Natural’ Dustin Rhodes. They show a video of Buck attacking Rhodes on WCW Saturday Night. Rhodes says there’s a big difference between a T in Tennessee and a T in Texas, and he plans to teach Buck a lesson.

Match #5 for the WCW International World Heavyweight Championship: Sting vs. WCW World International Heavyweight Champion ‘Ravishing’ Rick Rude
Rude starts in with his trademarked derobing introduction, but he’s interrupted by the appearance of Harley Race in the ring. He wants a microphone, he’s here on behalf of Vader. No matter the outcome of the match, his client wants a shot at the winner. Race tries to take a cheap shot at Sting but his punch is blocked, he’s whipped to the corner up and over the top rope. Rude hasn’t even removed his robe yet but he tries to take advantage of the distraction and charge at the challenger. Sting ducks his clothesline and we’re officially underway. To the ropes and Sting delivers a back body drop before clotheslining the champ out to the floor.

Vertical suplex on the floor and Rude is rolled back in the ring, Rude begs for time. Sting’s not having it and he lays in rights. Irish whip and Sting lets out a “Woooo”. He throws Rude into the buckle and hits a belly to back suplex, Rude kicks out. Sting rakes the back and grabs a front facelock on the mat. Slowly up to vertical and Sting issues a scoop slam and a high elevation elbow drop. The crowd loves it so he does it again. The crowd is hot so why not a third? Lateral press and Rude kicks out. Sting returns to the front facelock, Rude climbs up to his feet and tries some body shots. Rude lifts Sting but he hangs on. He lifts him again, this time dropping him groin first on the top rope and he clotheslines him to the floor. The champ follows and drives Sting’s head into the apron.

He delivers another shot on the entrance ramp and shoots Sting back inside. Sting is dazed and Rude lays in some forearms to the kidneys before a belly to back suplex. Rude sits on Sting’s back for a reverse chin lock. He knocks Sting down to the mat and poses to a sea of boos. He returns to the chin lock, Sting powers his way up to his knees but Rude spoils his fun by jumping on his back. Rude drops an elbow and Sting kicks out at two. Right back to the chin lock for Rude, Sting climbs up and lifts Rude on his shoulders. Sting looks to drop him but Rude turns it into a roll up, Sting reverses and neither get 3.

Rude lays in forearms, sends Sting to the ropes, the champ gets a boot to the midsection but he sends Sting again quickly and grabs a sleeper hold. Sting falls down to the mat as the referee watches closely. He drop checks the arm and Rude breaks the hold before checking a third time. Rude wants to beat him down some more and lays in some rights. Sting is woken up by the shots and he looks possessed, telling Rude to lay it in some more. Sting flexes like a mad man, Rude tries to run but he’s caught from behind. Sting lifts Rude for an atomic drop, and then an inverted one. A series of clotheslines by Stinger before sending Rude for a back drop. Rude tries reversing an Irish whip but Sting holds his ground, he whips the champ to the corner but he collides with Randy Anderson.

Sting delivers a Stinger Splash to Rude with the ref squished between him and the turnbuckle. Sting locks in the Scorpion Deathlock and he tries to get the down ref’s attention. Harley Race comes rushing back to the ring and Sting lays his shoulder into the former World Champion’s gut. Sting pounds on Race, so here comes Big Van Vader. Sting is taking on all comers and he throws Race and Vader’s heads together, knocking them both out to the floor. Rude uses the opportunity to take Sting out at the knee from behind. Rude is sluggish but knees Sting in the face. He sets up for the Rude Awakening, spinning Sting around. Race has come back into the ring holding a chair.

He takes a swing, Sting moves and clocks Rude on the back of the head. Sting stomps Race back out to the floor, covers the unconscious Rude and we have a new champion.
Winner and NEW WCW International World Heavyweight Champion: Sting (Outside Interference)

• EA’s Take: Welp, the time has finally come and we’ve reached the last time we will be seeing ‘The Ravishing One’, as he will suffer a career-ending neck injury in a match against Sting at New Japan’s Wrestling Dontaku just a few weeks later and I am bummed that I’m finished covering his work in this series. On the bright side, a great final hurrah here as he gives one more great performance with Sting, who is still clearly “the man” in WCW.

Match #6 – Bunkhouse Match: ‘The Natural’ Dustin Rhodes vs. Bunkhouse Buck w/Col. Robert Parker
Rhodes is introduced 2nd and he comes running right down to the ring and leaps from the entrance ramp into the ring with a big splash. The Natural lays in some rights and kicks the midsection. To the ropes and Rhodes hits a big clothesline. A right knocks Buck to the apron, Rhodes brings him back with a vertical suplex. He tries a pin and Buck kicks out. To the ropes and Rhodes stays in control with a back drop. A right knocks Buck to the floor, Dustin chases him and they brawl on the floor, exchanging rights. Bionic elbow by Rhodes and he drops an elbow into Buck’s groin. Dustin rolls him back into the ring, pokes the eyes and knocks him down with a right.

To the ropes they go, Rhodes goes for a cross body, Buck moves and Rhodes rolls hard onto the floor. Parker takes a brief opportunity to choke him with his handkerchief, Buck moves in with a weapon and snaps it across Rhodes’ back. He follows it with a shot to the forehead. Rhodes climbs onto the entrance ramp and Buck turns him inside out with a clothesline. Rhodes is split open and Buck chokes him with his suspenders. Rhodes is rolled back into the ring, he tries a desperation right but can’t find his opponent. Scoop slam and some stomps by Bunkhouse Buck. Rhodes is dragged to the apron and his leg is wrapped around the ring post.

Dustin fights back and kicks Buck away. Rhodes goes to his pocket, it’s a bag of powder and he hits Buck in the eyes with it. He’s still up first and he whips Rhodes with his belt over and over again. Parker tells him to just give up. Buck sets him up in the corner and lays in rights before stomping the rib cage with his big cowboy boots. Buck charges in with another big boot, Dustin moves.  Rhodes sets him across the top turnbuckle and punts him over and over again. Big bionic elbow across the head of Buck and Dustin grabs the belt. He wraps it around his fist and lays it on Buck. Rhodes grabs his cowboy boot and heads to the middle rope, dropping the heel across Buck’s face.

Rhodes sets Buck over the top rope, rips open his t-shirt and whips him with the belt. Another Bionic elbow and he clotheslines Buck out to the floor. Buck digs into his pocket and rolls back in the ring. He misses with a right and Rhodes scores with an atomic drop. Rhodes sets up on the middle turnbuckle and lays in the elbows as the crowd counts along. Irish whip followed by a quick clothesline. He grabs Buck for a Bulldog and lands it. He goes for the pin but Parker is up on the apron. Rhodes suplexes the Colonel into the ring and whips him with the belt.

Buck is up on his feet, he tries a schoolboy but Rhodes kicks out. Rhodes pounds away with rights and Buck kicks out. Buck reverses the Irish whip but runs into Rhodes’ boot. The ref backs Rhodes away from the ropes allowing Parker to give Buck brass knuckles. He clonks The Natural and knocks him out allowing him to pick up the W.
Winner: Bunkhouse Buck (Foreign Object)

• EA’s Take: Fun fact about Bunkhouse Buck – in 2010, he appeared on WWE programming as “Jack Swagger Sr”. I know it was a screwed finish to protect the babyface, I know Jimmy Golden was a successful southern territory guy and I know that this feud continues, but something feels a bit sour about bringing in this mid-40’s guy who is relatively unknown to most casual fans around the rest of country and putting him over one your best, still very young stars. Goldust (especially during the Attitude Era) is one of the most memorable characters in wrestling history and an obvious Hall of Famer, but at only 25 years old in 1994, there is little doubt in my mind that The Natural could have been built into a WCW World Heavyweight Champion someday. He had the size, the skill, the popularity with the fans, the heritage, legitimate runs with secondary titles at a young age, all he needed was the right future push. But hey, with good ol’ Hulk Hogan walking through the door soon, I guess all of those bets were off anyway, right?

Backstage: Jesse Ventura is trying to get a word with ‘Ravishing’ Rick Rude in the locker room, but the former champion is raging. Ventura is confused about the interference in the match. Rude says he didn’t ask for help and didn’t need any help. Big Van Vader and Harley Race appear and Rude chews them out for costing him the match and the title. A shoving match ensues and the other wrestlers have to separate them.

Match #7: Big Van Vader w/Harley Race vs. The Boss
The Boss wastes no time and meets Vader on the ramp, and shots are fired. Race tries holds Boss in place, Vader charges and Boss moves causing a collision of allies. Boss clotheslines Vader into the ring and the bell rings. Boss sends Vader for the ride and lifts a big boot. A straight right knocks Vader back outside. Body shots from Boss but Vader fights back. Standing clothesline by the former World Champion. Vader lifts Boss and throws him back in the ring. He backs up and dives over the top rope for a big splash but Boss gets his knees up. Boss stomps away and drops an elbow. Straight rights and a clothesline throws Vader to the floor.

He whips Vader into the railing and he flips up and over, into the seats. Boss hot shots Vader across the steel and intimidates Race before holding the ring. Vader joins him, Boss sends him for an Irish whip and a big splash. Boss scoop slams the big man to a big ovation from the crowd. Vader is up and shows life with right forearms. Headbutt by The Boss and they hit the ropes, big back body drop to the Boss out to the floor. Race takes some cheap shots and Vader appears to have some hard way blood. Vader with a vertical suplex from the apron. Vader lands a big splash but Boss kicks out at two. In the corner, Vader throws some strikes, but Boss fights back.

Belly to back suplex by The Boss and they’re both slow to get up. Vader sends Boss to the ropes, Boss ducks a clothesline and scores with one of his own. Running clothesline by Vader and he heads for the 2nd rope not realizing Boss stood up. He throws the big man down on his shoulder. He seats Vader on the top turnbuckle and calls for a superplex, ultimately landing more of a DDT, Vader kicks out at two. Boss heads for the top rope and hits a splash, he hooks the leg but Vader grabs the ropes. Boss goes back to the top rope, leaps but Vader catches him with a power slam.

He sets Boss up for the 2nd rope splash and lands it but Boss manages to kick out. Vader is frustrated and he’s going for it again – instead deciding to go all the way up top. He lands a moonsault and that’s enough to keep Boss down.
Winner: Big Van Vader (Moonsault)

• After The Bell: Race grabs the nightstick and the handcuffs. He attempts to handcuff Boss to the ropes but the tide turns. Race is beaten down with the nightstick until WCW Commissioner Nick Bockwinkel rushes into the ring to break it up.
• EA’s Take: That running splash from the ramp was ambitious for the big Vader, but he definitely caught his feet on the top rope and could have been seriously hurt. The back body drop to Boss out to the floor looked like it could have been a miscommunication and if Ray didn’t grab that top rope, it could have been mighty ugly.

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