Backstage: Jesse Ventura is standing by with Nick Bockwinkel and The Boss. He reminds him that he’s supposed to represent a lot of good people, so the Commissioner strips him of his nightstick, handcuffs and even the name ‘The Boss’ due to his actions tonight.

Match #8 for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship: Ricky ‘The Dragon’ Steamboat vs. WCW World Heavyweight Champion ‘Nature Boy’ Ric Flair
Nick Patrick explains the rules and there’s the bell. Drop toe hold by Flair, Steamboat escapes into a hammerlock but they both roll off. Collar and elbow, Flair with a side headlock and an arm drag takedown. They struggle for position and it must be broken on the ropes. Collar and elbow and a side headlock takedown by Flair. Steamboat counters with a head scissor and Flair escapes. Collar and elbow and they hit the ropes, shoulder block by Steamboat and Flair regroups. Another tie up, waistlock by Flair, Steamboat jockeys for better position and drops him with a toe hold. In the corner, Steamboat lays in a slap across the face, clearly meaning business.

Collar and elbow, to the ropes, Steamboat leapfrogs twice and lifts Flair with a military press, following it with a series of flying head scissor takeovers. Standing dropkicks from Steamboat and Flair is dumped to the outside. The Dragon rolls him back in and comes off the top rope with a chop, Flair kicks out at two. The champ rolls out to the floor to regroup. Flair returns to the ring, he attempts to haul Steamboat down by the hair over and over again, each time Ricky kicking back to his feet. Flair with a big chop in the corner, Steamboat fires back and they exchange shots. The ref tells both men to watch it. They measure and lock up, side takeover by Steamboat.

Flair is up, Ricky hangs on and runs to the corner for more leverage with another takeover. Steamboat hangs onto the side headlock, to the ropes they go, The Dragon with a shoulder block and returns to the headlock. He cranks it on hard, another shoulder tackle and Flair kicks out. Right back to the side headlock for Steamboat. Flair works to his feet, in the corner and Flair throws in a chop. Irish whip, Steamboat leapfrogs and delivers a hiptoss. He follows it with a head scissor and a side takedown for two. Steamboat grinds Flair’s head and hits the ropes. Shoulder blocks by Steamboat. He moves in for another, Flair tries tossing him over the top rope but The Dragon hangs on. Flair poses for the crowd, but Steamboat shocks him with a schoolboy, the champ kicks out.

Side takedown and Flair still won’t give three. Headlock by Steamboat, Flair grabs the tights to roll him over but Ricky stays in control. Up to their feet, Flair tries an atomic drop but it’s blocked. He throws a knee to the midsection to break the lock and chops away. Drop toehold by Steamboat and he moves into a front facelock. Back to vertical and into the corner, Flair drives the shoulder into the midsection. Steamboat reverses the Irish whip and backdrops Flair, but The Nature Boy moves away from a dropkick. A chop in the corner and a short right from Flair. He moves to another corner to do the same thing.

Snapmare takeover and a knee across the forehead by the champion. Another snapmare and knee combo, he hooks the leg and The Dragon kicks out multiple times. To the ropes and a back elbow by Flair but he still can’t get Steamboat to lay down. They exchange chops and Steamboat gets the upper hand. For the ride, Flair ducks a clothesline, he comes back with a flying crossbody but both men go flying over the top rope and out to the floor. The count is on and Flair breaks it. He stays outside, sets up for a piledriver but Steamboat reverses with a back drop. Steamboat tries a running splash, Flair moves and The Dragon gets hung up on the steel railing. The champ rolls Ricky into the ring and heads for the top rope.

The Dragon cuts him off and hits him with a superplex. He tries a cover but Flair kicks out. Irish whip to the corner, Flair flips over the turnbuckle and out to the apron, Steamboat chops him down to the floor. Up to the top rope and it’s Steamboat with an ax handle down to the floor. Flair rolls back into the ring and begs for mercy. Steamboat climbs to the 2nd turnbuckle and lays in some rights as the crowd counts along. Chops from The Dragon and Flair falls face first. Steamboat tries a cover but Flair has his foot on the rope. Steamboat goes to pick Flair up, The Nature Boy dumps him through the middle rope but The Dragon is up to the apron quickly.

He lays in a shoulder to Flair and jumps in with a sunset flip. Flair cuts it off with a right. He measures Steamboat and drops a knee but Steamboat catches his leg, he stands up and locks in The Figure Four on the master of the move. Nick Patrick counts when Flair’s shoulders hit the mat but he doesn’t give. Steamboat cranks the hold and pulls him to the middle of the ring. Finally Flair goes to the eyes to break the hold and Ricky bails to the floor to regroup. From the apron, Flair tries a vertical suplex but can’t hold him, Steamboat lands on top and tries a pin. Some chain wrestling and Steamboat is trying a backslide.

He drops to his knees but Flair kicks out at two. Ricky tries a small package but still can’t get him. Flair begs from his knees and baits him into the corner. A kick to the midsection and a few chops from The Nature Boy. Steamboat fires back with backhand chops and sends Flair for the ride. He chops again and Flair tumbles onto the entrance ramp. From the ramp, Steamboat tries a suplex, Flair blocks it and tries one of his own, Steamboat lands on his feet and chops Flair back into the ring. Steamboat Irish whips him over the top rope and to the floor again and immediately gives chase. He tries a big chop but Flair catches him with a boot. Flair returns to the ring and Steamboat buys some time, staggering around the ring.

Up to the apron and they exchange strikes. Steamboat chops Flair’s down and heads for the top, he lands a crossbody and Flair kicks out at about 2 and 3 quarters. Snapmare by Flair and he climbs to the top, Steamboat cuts him off and gorilla presses him to the mat. Steamboat’s turn to head back to the top, he tries a splash and Flair moves. The champ tries locking in the Figure Four but Steamboat blocks it with him hand. It’s finally too much and Flair has it on. Steamboat pulls his way to the ropes and he has them. Both men return to their feet and Flair quickly takes Ricky out at the kneecap. Snapmare by Flair and he wants the hold again, Steamboat reverses with a small package but he can only get two. Steamboat works into a backslide but Flair kicks out again.

Chops and rights from the challenger and he seats Flair on the top rope. He sets up for a superplex and lands it, but he’s hit his head as well. The 10 count is on, Steamboat covers when Patrick gets to 8 and Flair gets his shoulder up. To the ropes they go, Steamboat with a waistlock and a victory roll but they knock Nick Patrick to the floor along the way. He’s slow to get back allowing Flair to kick out. Flair ducks a backhand, tries lifting Steamboat for an atomic drop, he rolls off Flair’s back, hooks the arms and locks in the double chicken wing submission. He falls back and puts Flair’s shoulders on the mat, Nick Patrick counts to three and it appears we have a new champion.

Referee Randy Anderson & WCW Commissioner Nick Bockwinkel come down to the ring to confer. Patrick explains that both men’s shoulders were down and neither had clear control, so he counted to three on both of them. Bockwinkel will take the decision to the WCW Board to determine the champion, but for now, Flair leaves with the title.
Winner: Draw (Double Pin)

• EA’s Take: Steamboat was the consummate babyface for a lot of his career. I get that it’s a babyface vs. babyface situation in this match and that the fans have been extremely vocal for Flair since his return, but I didn’t like hearing a smattering (maybe 20%) of boos in Steamboat’s direction. The only thing he did to warrant that was not being Ric Flair. This was a “Both These Guys!” situation. They’re gearing up for Hogan vs. Flair, so it was pretty obvious that Steamboat wasn’t taking the title, but the finish is good in that it makes you interested to tune into the next cable show.

EA’s Finisher: This was WCW’s first Spring Stampede, but it didn’t make a return as an annual staple until 1997. I wouldn’t call this show a “Classic” by any means, but I don’t have too many complaints. One of the few is how they teased Hogan. Look, in wrestling you definitely need to lead the fans on a little bit, I get that. Vignettes are a perfect example of dangling a concept out there for something that doesn’t actually occur for a while. But, they sold the idea that Hulk Hogan may make his WCW debut to confront Ric Flair during the main event pretty hard. If it doesn’t happen this time, then fans are eager to see what happens next time, but there was literally no payoff even in terms of closing remarks after talking about it throughout the night. None. Oh well.

Top Three To Watch
1 – Ric Flair vs. Ricky Steamboat
2 – Lord Steven Regal vs. Brian Pillman
3 – Rick Rude vs. Sting

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