We’re inching closer and closer towards the biggest event of the year in Starrcade 1988, and big things are happening as we head into the Clash of the Champions IV review.
The biggest of which was Ted Turner buying Jim Crockett Promotions in mid-October. The company was spiraling downward and needed major help, so Billionaire Ted stepped in to save the day.
But before we get to Starrcade, we’ve got another installment of the legendary Clash of the Champions.
Let’s jump right into Blake’s Clash of the Champions IV review.
- Date: December 7, 1988
- Location: UTC Arena in Chattanooga, TN
Eddie Gilbert and Ron Simmons vs. The Fantastics – US Tag Team Title Tournament Finals
The last time around, you’ll remember that Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard were your World Tag Team champions. Well, they bolted for the WWF after losing those titles to the Midnight Express, who held the US Tag Titles at the same time. Naturally they dropped the US titles for the World titles (which they’ve lost to the Road Warriors by this point), and thus here we are with a tournament final to determine the new champs. DAMN.
Showcase of power early from Simmons. We also make sure to get the shot in of Jason Hervey from The Wonder Years in the crowd. The same Jason Hervey that judged the Ric Flair/Sting main event at Clash of the Champions I. Hot crowd for Gilbert’s offense since he’s a Tennessee native.
Simmons and Gilbert continue to work on Fulton for a bit until Fulton goes with the small package for a two count. Rogers up top but misses the elbow, which allows Simmons to hit the shoulder block. Gilbert works over Rogers until we get the hot tag to Fulton. We then go to the over the ring camera view, which is, um, unique.
Fantastics gain some momentum after Fulton dodges the shoulder block and makes the tag back to Rogers. More good back and forth as they are really treating this like a huge deal. Momentum goes from one side to the other, and there’s been several near falls on Simmons. The story continues that Simmons is simply too powerful and he shows it. Gilbert eventually back in to strut and kick ass as usual.
Simmons misses another shoulder block, but Fulton tries to come back with a body press only for Simmons to catch and slam him. Now Rogers is trying to work over Gilbert’s arm and sends him into the steel railing outside the ring. THESE FOUR DUDES ARE GOING TO WORK. Not sure why we are reminded of the time limit when it’s a tournament final and Jim Ross tells us there must be a winner. Dusty finish in a tournament final would be next-level stupidity.
The work continues on Gilbert’s injured arm. Announced as five minutes remaining in the time limit. Fans gotta be getting nervous. And Gilbert is struggling to get the tag to Simmons. Finally the hotshot on Fulton allows Gilbert to……stay in the match and not go make the tag. This of course costs Gilbert immediately as Fulton steals the pin with a rollup at 27:04 to win the titles.
Incredible psychology in this one. You had the Fantastics sort of playing the heel role at times (and getting a lot of boos afterwards), as Gilbert wouldn’t back down. Ultimately, Gilbert’s fight would cost he and Simmons the match since he refused to tag out. There’s some slow spots when the arm gets torn to pieces, but given the story of the match, it doesn’t hurt it too much. Just an excellent tag team match.
• Rating: ***3/4
ANNOUNCE BOOTH: Tony Schiavone with Lex Luger as his special guest. Luger babbles.
Italian Stallion vs. Dr. Death Steve Williams (w/Kevin Sullivan)
Williams is your newest Varsity Club member after turning heel. Mike Rotundo on the mic with JR before the match, and he’s pretty good. Hot start for the Italian Stallion. And he stays hot and actually appears to pose a threat to Sullivan’s new man.
After a surprising amount of back and forth (and more offense than you’d ever expect from Italian Stallion), Sullivan gets involved while Teddy Long has his back turned. This is a squash match that has gone way too long even at five minutes. HOLY HELL THE RING ANNOUNCER SAYS 10 MINUTES HAVE EXPIRED. Surely this match is almost over. Surely.
Bob Caudle says this has been a quick paced match at the 11-minute mark, and I’m not sure what match Caudle has been watching but it clearly isn’t this one. Nothing but Williams using rest holds now. Slam the fucker and pin him for three. No way. We can’t have that. So, Williams decides to be goofy and go up top and miss a splash onto Stallion. Now we’ve got Stallion hulking up and making Williams look like a moron.
FINALLY we get the Oklahoma Slam for the pin at 15:17. This went 15 minutes. THIS. Horrendous booking on every level.
• Rating: 1/2*
ANNOUNCE POSITION: Magnum TA welcomes the Junkyard Dog back to the NWA. Gotta love JYD. Gotta love Magnum too. Magnum hypes his return and match with Ivan Koloff against the Russian Assassins at Starrcade.
Ivan Koloff vs. Paul Jones
It’s billed as a handicap match since Koloff will have one hand tied behind his back. I can’t see this being an all-time classic. Like the match before, this drags on way too long.
Jones finally uses a foreign object to try to gain some sort of control. Then Koloff gets his hands on it and hammers Jones with it for the pin at 8:21. Well that one was too long. Go figure.
After the match the Assassins come out to attack Koloff. FANS ARE THROWING TRASH IN THE RING. Surely people in Chattanooga were not this upset about Ivan Koloff of all people getting his ass kicked. JYD makes the save to set us up for Starrcade.
• Rating: DUD
Animal vs. Dusty Rhodes
Since both men were part of the six-man tag champions, the winner gets all three belts. That makes sense. This was all brought about after Dusty was betrayed by his best buds. Dusty also wearing the eye patch, which was a product of Animal jamming the spike into his eye. Of course, that led to Dusty’s firing after Starrcade. But we’ll get there.
Hot start for the Dream but he misses a big elbow and lets Animal find some steam. That doesn’t last as Dusty rolls outside and wraps Animal’s leg around the ring post. Dusty for some reason knocks Tommy Young out of the ring and that allows Ellering to make an appearance.
Animal goes after the eyeball and Dusty then goes after his eyeball. Here comes Hawk to join in on the melee.
More trash being thrown around now. But it stops when STING hits the ring. He throws down with Hawk while Dusty breaks a chair over Animal. All hell has broken loose. Meanwhile Dusty gets DQ’d during this mess at 2:45, which gives Animal the six-man titles.
This was good storyline advancement but certainly wasn’t much of anything match-wise.
• Rating: 1/2*
Midnight Express (w/Jim Cornette) vs. Ric Flair and Barry Windham (w/JJ Dillon)
Now this is a main event. Eaton absolutely slaps the taste out of Flair’s match in the early going and then styles and profiles a bit. People still throwing garbage. College kids I’m sure.
Eaton continues the whoopin and Lane comes in to get him some. Kick to Flair’s head as he makes the tag to Windham. Dropkick forces Windham to retreat. Windham tries to find offense up top but he misses and Lane’s dropkick show is back. Great psychology here from Flair and Windham as they seem flabbergasted by Eaton and Lane controlling the match.
We have Eaton back in and he’s bodyslamming everyone in sight. Double clothesline gets the crowd even more rowdy, leaving the Horsemen to regroup on the outside. Lane puts the Figure Four on Flair, and then Eaton follows suit with a Figure Four on Windham. Madness. JR continues to push the new attitudes of the Midnight Express and Cornette.
Flair looking like the world champ but Eaton once again gets the advantage. Then we get a cut-in of PAUL E. DANGEROUSLY namedropping Ted Turner and saying that no one wants he and the Original Midnight Express to invade the Clash. Magnificent work as usual.
The continued decimation of Flair and Windham is a sight to see. Eaton with a roll-up but Flair gets the shoulder up at two. Windham gives Eaton a nice shot that sends him over the top to the outside. Flair back in dropping knees. Crowd really rallying behind Lane and Eaton. Windham drops Eaton on the security rail and STAN LANE WILL HAVE NONE OF THAT. But Flair and Windham with more great teamwork, and Windham hits a massive lariat to Eaton for a near fall.
Sleeper hold is here as Windham locks it in on Eaton. But Flair gets in and Eaton tries to fight back. Chops and punches aplenty by both men. Flair tags Windham and HOT HOT tag to Lane by Eaton. Lane starts taking names and then tags Eaton back in. Leg drop off the top from Eaton! Now we got Cornette and Dillon in a brouhaha on the outside. CHAOS.
However, Flair hits Eaton in the head with Dillon’s shoe and Windham crawls over to score the win at 17:41. That’s why he’s the dirtiest player in the game. I absolutely loved this match. You had four dudes that could really go at this point in time, and this was fantastic from start to finish. Just outstanding.
• Rating: ****1/4
ANNOUNCE POSITION: Cornette is pissed and he wants a rematch. This was damn good promo work, which should surprise no one.
Blake’s Clash of the Champions IV Awards
- Best Match: Midnight Express vs. Ric Flair and Barry Windham
- Clash of the Champions IV MVP: Ric Flair
- Overall Clash of the Champions IV Rating: 6.0/10
- Thoughts: Man did I love the main event. You also have a great opener with two hard-working teams going at it for nearly 30 minutes. Of course, there was a lot of trash in between those two matches. But the build towards Starrcade was fine, and again, a must-see main event helps this show tremendously.
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