NWA / WCW The Great American Bash Results
The Main Event – 7/24/88: Florida Heavyweight Champion Rick Steiner & Dick Murdoch defeated Tim Horner & Kendall Windham at around the 7-minute mark when Murdoch pinned Windham with an elbow to the face and elbow drop
Pay-per-view bouts – featured Jim Ross & Tony Schiavone on commentary:
Nikita Koloff & Sting fought NWA Tag Team Champions Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard (w/ JJ Dillon) to a 20-minute time-limit draw at 20:07; the bell rang as Sting had Blanchard caught in the Scorpion Deathlock, making some fans believe there was a title change; after the bout, Sting & Koloff left ringside with the belts (Ric Flair & the 4 Horsemen, Allied Powers)
Bobby Eaton & Stan Lane (w/ Jim Cornette) defeated NWA US Tag Team Champions Bobby Fulton & Tommy Rogers to win the titles at 16:23 when Eaton pinned Fulton after hitting him in the face with a chain after referee Tommy Young was knocked down; pre-match stipulations stated the champions would get to whip Cornette 10 times if they won; Cornette was hung above the ring in a shark cage and wearing a straight jacket for the duration of the bout; after the match, Fulton assaulted Eaton with the chain before he and Rogers chased Cornette into the ring and lashed him 10 times (Allied Powers)
Jimmy & Ron Garvin, the Road Warriors (w/ Paul Ellering), & Steve Williams defeated Kevin Sullivan, NWA TV Champion Mike Rotunda, Al Perez (w/ Gary Hart), the Russian Assassin, & Ivan Koloff (w/ Paul Jones) in a Tower of Doom match when Sullivan knocked Jimmy out of the cage after Precious gave Jimmy the key to unlock it; stipulations for the bout stated a wrestler from each team would enter at 2-minute intervals and would battle down the three cages; the team to get to the bottom first would have to go through Precious, who had the only key to the lock; after the bout, Sullivan locked himself in the cage with Precious, with Jimmy then climbing back to the top of the cage and going through each level to get back to Sullivan, with Road Warrior Hawk making the save as Garvin freed Precious (WarGames: WCW’s Most Notorious Matches)
NWA US Champion Barry Windham (w/ JJ Dillon) pinned Dusty Rhodes at 15:56 with the claw after Ron Garvin interfered and knocked Rhodes out with a punch after referee Tommy Young was knocked down; after the bout, Steve Williams tended to Rhodes in the ring; moments later, footage backstage showed Garvin celebrating with Gary Hart and Dillon (The Rise and Fall of WCW)
NWA World Champion Ric Flair (w/ JJ Dillon) defeated Lex Luger when referee Tommy Young, under orders of the athletic commissioner at ringside, stopped the bout due to Luger bleeding above the eye as Luger had Flair caught in the Torture Rack; after the bout, Sting, Steve Williams, and Nikita Koloff came out to celebrate Luger’s victory until the official decision was announced
Pay-per-view bouts – included an opening focused on the Baltimore area; featured Jim Ross & Bob Caudle on commentary; included Gordon Solie conducting a backstage interview with Paul E. Dangerously about his upcoming tuxedo match with Jim Cornette, with Dangerously saying he didn’t care if he won because he was out to hurt Cornette; featured Solie conducting a backstage interview with Cornette about his upcoming bout with Dangerously; included Solie conducting a backstage interview with Gary Hart about the Great Muta’s upcoming bout against NWA TV Champion Sting; featured Solie conducting a backstage interview with Sting and Eddie Gilbert about Sting’s upcoming match against Muta; included Solie conducting a backstage interview with NWA US Champion Lex Luger about his upcoming match with Ricky Steamboat, with Luger saying Steamboat was in for a surprise about the advertised No DQ stipulation; featured a backstage promo by NWA Tag Team Champions Michael Hayes & Jimmy Garvin, Terry Gordy, & the Samoan Swat Team about participating in the upcoming Wargames; included Solie conducting a backstage interview with NWA World Champion Ric Flair about his upcoming match against Terry Funk:
Sid Vicious & Dan Spivey co-won a 2-ring $50,000 battle royal; Vicious won ring 1 by last eliminating Brian Pillman and Spivey won ring 2 by last eliminating Steve Williams following interference from Mike Rotunda; the winners of the two rings would have wrestled in a one-on-one bout to determine the winner but Teddy Long said his two men would split the winner’s purse; other participants included: Rick & Scott Steiner, Terry Gordy, Kevin Sullivan, Eddie Gilbert, Ron Simmons, Ranger Ross, Bill Irwin, Brian Pillman, and Scott Hall
Brian Pillman pinned Bill Irwin at 10:18 with a crossbody from ring 2 into ring 1 as Irwin was arguing with referee Nick Patrick
Sid Vicious & Dan Spivey (w/ Teddy Long) defeated Shane Douglas & Johnny Ace at 10:11 when Spivey pinned Ace with a modified spike powerbomb and a botched powerbomb
Jim Cornette defeated Paul E. Dangerously in a tuxedo match at around the 6:30 mark after kicking Dangerously’s powder into his own face (The World’s Greatest Wrestling Managers)
Rick & Scott Steiner (w/ Missy Hyatt) defeated Kevin Sullivan & Mike Rotunda in a Texas Tornado match at 4:42 when Scott hit a crossbody off the top onto Sullivan as Sullivan had Rick in the air, with both Steiners falling on Sullivan for the win
NWA TV Champion Sting (w/ Eddie Gilbert) pinned the Great Muta (w/ Gary Hart) with a back suplex into a bridge at 8:40; after the bout, Sting was announced as the winner after referee Tommy Young made the 3-count but the finish was disputed by original referee Nick Patrick who said Muta had won; moments later, as Young explained the situation to Sting and Gilbert, Muta and Hart left ringside in possession of the title belt
NWA US Champion Lex Luger defeated Ricky Steamboat via disqualification at 10:26 when Steamboat shoved down referee Tommy Young as Young attempted to grab a steel chair from the challenger, which Luger brought in the ring moments earlier; prior to the bout, the challenger came to the ring with his wife and young son and carrying a komodo dragon; the match was to have been No DQ but prior to the bout Luger said he wouldn’t put the title on the line unless Steamboat dropped the stipulation, with NWA official Gary Juster and Steamboat eventually agreeing; after the match, Steamboat repeatedly hit Luger with the chair before chasing him backstage (Ricky Steamboat: The Life of the Dragon)
The Road Warriors (w/ Paul Ellering), Steve Williams, Bobby Eaton & Stan Lane defeated NWA Tag Team Champions Michael Hays & Jim Garvin, Terry Gordy, & the Samoan Swat Team (w/ Paul E. Dangerously) in a Wargames match at around the 22-minute mark when Garvin submitted to a hangman’s neckbreaker by Road Warrior Hawk; after the bout, the heels closed the door shut as Road Warrior Animal was assaulted inside the ring for several moments before Hawk made the save (WarGames: WCW’s Most Notorious Matches)
NWA World Champion Ric Flair pinned Terry Funk (w/ Gary Hart) at around the 17-minute mark by reversing an inside cradle after Funk avoided the figure-4; after the bout, Flair punched out Hart before the Great Muta sprayed green mist into Flair’s eyes, with Muta and Funk double teaming the champion and assaulting him with the title belt before Sting made the save for a bloody Flair; just as Sting started to be double teamed as well, Flair made a comeback, assaulted Funk around ringside, and threw Muta to the floor; Flair & Sting eventually brawled with Funk & Muta down the aisle; during the closing moments of the show, Ross announced the TV Title had been held up as a result of the Sting / Muta match earlier in the card (Hart’s surprise first appearance with Funk) (Nature Boy Ric Flair: The Definitive Collection)
David Sierra pinned Mr. X at 11:57
Pay-per-view bouts – featured Jim Ross & Bob Caudle on commentary; included Gordon Solie conducting an interview on the platform with Michael Hayes & Jimmy Garvin regarding their match later in the show against Rick & Scott Steiner; featured Solie conducting an interview on the platform with Sid Vicious, Barry Windham, Ole Anderson, & NWA TV Champion Arn Anderson regarding the match later in the show against El Gigante, Paul Orndorff, & the Junkyard Dog as well as Ric Flair defending the NWA World Title against Sting; included Solie conducting an interview on the platform with NWA US Champion Lex Luger regarding his title defense against Mark Callous and Sting’s match later in the show against Flair in which he predicted Sting to win the title; featured a pre-taped segment in which Solie conducted an interview with Sting in his locker room regarding his title shot against Flair; included a pre-taped segment in which Solie spoke with Flair inside the empty arena regarding his upcoming title defense; Tony Schiavone missed the show due to a death in the family:
Brian Pillman pinned Buddy Landel with a crossbody off the top at 9:45
Mike Rotunda pinned the Iron Sheik at 6:48 with a backslide
Doug Furnas pinned Dutch Mantell with a belly to belly suplex at 11:19
Harley Race pinned Tommy Rich at 6:33 when the momentum of a crossbody off the top by Rich put Race on top
NWA US Tag Team Champions Bobby Eaton & Stan Lane (w/ Jim Cornette) defeated Tracy Smothers & Steve Armstrong at 18:14 when Eaton pinned Armstrong with an inside cradle after Lane kicked Armstrong in the back of the head as he ran the ropes; the champions were heavily cheered in the match (The Rise and Fall of WCW)
World Championship Wrestling – 7/28/90: Big Van Vader pinned Tom Zenk at 2:15 with a clothesline and splash (Vader’s debut)
Rick & Scott Steiner defeated Michael Hayes & Jimmy Garvin at 13:43 when Scott pinned Hayes after Rick hit Hayes with a belly to belly suplex as the referee sent Garvin out of the ring
The Junkyard Dog, Paul Orndorff, & El Gigante defeated Arn Anderson, Barry Windham, & Sid Vicious via disqualification at 8:48 when all three Horsemen threw JYD over the top rope; after the bout, El Gigante made the save and cleared them from the ring
NWA US Champion Lex Luger pinned Mark Callous (w/ Paul E. Dangerously) at 12:08 with a clothesline after avoiding the heart punch and knocking Dangerously off the apron
NWA Tag Team Champions Doom (w/ Teddy Long) defeated Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson at 15:38 when Reed pinned Gibson with a shoulderblock off the top after Gibson punched an interfering Long inside the ring
Sting (w/ Rick & Scott Steiner, the Junkyard Dog, & Paul Orndorff) pinned NWA World Champion Ric Flair in a No DQ match with an inside cradle as Flair attempted the figure-4 to win the title at 16:05; during the contest, Ole Anderson was handcuffed to El Gigante at ringside; late in the match, Arn Anderson, Sid Vicious, & Barry Windham came out as Flair was caught in the Scorpion Death Lock but Rick & Scott Steiner, JYD, and Orndorff scared them backstage; after the match, Gordon Solie conducted an interview with Sting near the entranceway in which Sting said Flair was the greatest champion of all time (Great American Bash 05, The History of the World Heavyweight Championship)
The Junkyard Dog defeated Black Bart
Pay-per-view bouts – featured Jim Ross & Tony Schiavone on commentary; included Eric Bischoff conducting an interview in the aisle with Paul E. Dangerously & Arn Anderson regarding their steel cage match later in the show against Rick Steiner & Missy Hyatt; featured the Weekly Top 10 rankings: Johnny B. Badd (10), Ron Simmons (9), the Diamond Studd (8), El Gigante (7), Arn Anderson (6), Bobby Eaton (5), WCW TV Champion Steve Austin (4), Sting (3), Barry Windham (2), and WCW US Champion Lex Luger (1); included Bischoff conducting a backstage interview with Dustin Rhodes, Tracy Smothers, & Steve Armstrong regarding their upcoming elimination match against WCW 6-Man Tag Team Champions – Badstreet, WCW US Tag Team Champions Michael Hayes & Jimmy Garvin; featured a backstage segment where Bischoff attempted to interview Hyatt in her locker room; moments later, as Bischoff made his way into the room, Missy’s locker room attendant read a love letter sent to Missy from Jason Hervey; Bischoff continued to move into the dressing room until he stumbled upon Missy taking a shower, with Missy throwing things at him until he left; included a video package detailing the feud between Sting and Nikita Koloff; featured a video package highlighting the Luger / Windham world title match:
Bobby Eaton & PN News defeated WCW TV Champion Steve Austin (w/ Lady Blossom) & Terrance Taylor in a scaffold match at 7:23 when Eaton captured the other team’s flag and returned it to his team’s side of the scaffold; pre-match stipulations stated the winning team would either knock the other team from the scaffold or capture the flag from the other team’s side of the scaffold and return to their side; after the contest, the four men fought in the ring until Eaton & News cleared their opponents from ringside
The Diamond Studd (w/ Diamond Dallas Page) pinned Tom Zenk with a belly to back suplex into a bridge at 6:57 after Zenk kicked an interfering Page out of the ring; prior to the bout, Page had a woman from the crowd help Studd disroabe
Ron Simmons pinned Oz (w/ the Great Wizard) with two tackles and a shoulderblock at 7:56 after knocking the Wizard off the apron
Richard Morton (w/ Alexandra York) pinned Robert Gibson at 17:23 after Morton came off the top and hit Gibson in the back with the computer as York distracted referee Bill Alphonso on the apron
Dustin Rhodes, Tracey Smothers & Steve Armstrong defeated WCW 6-man Tag Team Champions – Badstreet, WCW US Tag Team Champions Michael Hayes & Jimmy Garvin (w/ Big Daddy Dink) in an elimination match at 17:03; Hayes pinned Armstrong at 13:43 following a double DDT alongside Badstreet; Hayes was eliminated after backdropping Smothers over the top at 13:54; Garvin pinned Smothers at 15:20 following a double DDT alongside Badstreet; Rhodes pinned Garvin following a lariat at 15:28; Rhodes pinned Badstreet with the bulldog, while at the same time kicking an interfering Dink out of the ring
Yellow Dog (Brian Pillman under a mask) defeated Johnny B. Badd (w/ Teddy Long) via disqualification at 6:00 when Long broke Dog’s cover after Dog hit a crossbody off the top; following the entrances, Pillman cut a promo to the camera stating “Johnny not bad, Johnny be gay;” stipulations stated if Dog was unmasked to be Pillman then Pillman could never wrestle in WCW again; after the bout, Long attempted to unmask Dog until Dog fought back, with Badd knocking Bad out of the ring with a left punch; moments later, Dog came back into the ring, clearing Badd & Long from the ring
Big Josh pinned Black Blood in a lumberjack match at 5:39 with an inside cradle after Dustin Rhodes, one of the lumberjacks, hit Blood in the knee with Josh’s axe handle as Blood attempted to attack Josh behind the referee’s back with his axe; lumberjacks for the match included Rhodes, Richard Morton, PN News, Bobby Eaton, Dick Murdoch, Dick Slater, the Junkyard Dog, and Black Bart; prior to the bout, Josh was escorted to the ring by several women
El Gigante pinned the One Man Gang (w/ Kevin Sullivan) with a clothesline to the back of the head at 6:14 after kicking a face-full of powder into the Gang’s face; prior to the bout, Eric Bischoff conducted an interview in the aisle with Sullivan regarding the upcoming match; Gigante was escorted to the ring by several midgets
Nikita Koloff defeated Sting in a Russian chain match at 11:46 when Sting attempted to leap over Koloff to reach the fourth and final turnbuckle, with both men falling into the turnbuckle and Koloff hitting it first; after the bout, the two continued to brawl, with Sting leaving the ring after using the chain to crotch Koloff
WCW US Champion Lex Luger pinned Barry Windham in a steel cage match with a knee to the back and a piledriver at 12:24, moments after Harley Race & Mr. Hughes appeared ringside and Race spoke to Luger from ringside; due to pre-match stipulations, Luger won the vacant WCW World Title; following the entrances and during the contest the fans frequently chanted “We want Flair” and “Nature Boy;” after the contest, Luger, Race, & Hughes left ringside together (the debut of a new WCW World title belt) (The History of the World Heavyweight Championship)
WCW Tag Team Champion Rick Steiner defeated Arn Anderson & Paul E. Dangerously in a steel cage match at 2:09 by pinning Dangerously with a bodyslam and Steinerline; prior to the bout, it was announced cameras were backstage to document the relationship between the new WCW World Champion Lex Luger and Harley Race & Mr. Hughes and that information would be made available the following weekend on all WCW programming; following the entrances, Dick Murdoch & Dick Slater appeared ringside and carried Missy Hyatt – Steiner’s scheduled tag team partner – backstage against her will, making the bout a handicap match
The Super Invader defeated Marcus Alexander Bagwell
Pay-per-view bouts – featured Jim Ross & Jesse Ventura on commentary, with Tony Schiavone & Magnum TA hosting the event; included Schiavone conducting an interview with Bill Watts, alongside Hiro Matsuda, in which Watts held the NWA World Championship belt and announced a tournament would be held Aug. 6 in Tokyo, Japan; during the segment, Watts announced he had taken off the name of the last champion, Ric Flair, to make room for the new title holder’s name; Watts then said he had plans to sign a match between the NWA World Champion and the WCW World Champion to consolidate the belts; featured Eric Bischoff conducting a backstage interview with IWGP Tag Team Champions Rick & Scott Steiner in which they cut a promo on WCW Tag Team Champions Terry Gordy & Steve Williams and being forced out of the tournament; included Schiavone & Magnum conducting an interview with Ron Simmons regarding the upcoming WCW World Title match; featured Bischoff conducting a backstage interview with Big Van Vader & Harley Race regarding Vader’s match against WCW World Champion Sting later in the night:
NWA Tag Team Championship Tournament Quarter Finals: Ricky Steamboat & Nikita Koloff (USA) defeated Brian Pillman & Jushin Liger (USA) at 19:25 when Steamboat pinned Pillman when the momentum of a crossbody off the top by Pillman put Steamboat on top for the win
NWA Tag Team Championship Tournament Quarter Finals: Hiroshi Hase & Shinya Hashimoto (sub. for Akira Nogami) (Japan) defeated Michael Hayes & Jimmy Garvin (USA) at 9:16 when Hase pinned Garvin with a northern lights suplex after Hashimoto kicked Garvin in the face behind the referee’s back
NWA Tag Team Championship Tournament Quarter Finals: Dustin Rhodes & Barry Windham (USA) defeated WCW US Champion Rick Rude & WCW TV Champion Steve Austin (USA) at 19:16 when Rhodes pinned Austin with a clothesline off the top as Austin attempted a piledriver on Windham
NWA Tag Team Championship Tournament Semi Finals: WCW Tag Team Champions Steve Williams & Terry Gordy (Japan) defeated Ricky Steamboat & Nikita Koloff (USA) at 21:39 when Williams pinned Steamboat with a running powerslam after ramming Steamboat into the corner
NWA Tag Team Championship Tournament Semi Finals: Dustin Rhodes & Barry Windham (USA) defeated Hirhosi Hase & Shinya Hashimoto (Japan) at 14:55 when Windham pinned Hase with a lariat
Big Van Vader (w/ Harley Race) pinned WCW World Champion Sting to win the title at 17:17 with the powerbomb after Sting struck his head on the steel ringpost while attempting a Stinger splash in the corner; during the bout, Ron Simmons was shown in the crowd watching the match with Tony Schiavone (The Rise and Fall of WCW)
NWA Tag Team Championship Tournament Finals: WCW Tag Team Champions Steve Williams & Terry Gordy (Japan) defeated Dustin Rhodes & Barry Windham (USA) to win the titles at 21:01 when Williams pinned Rhodes with a clothesline; prior to the bout, Rick & Scott Steiner came out to confront Williams & Gordy but were sent backstage by Ole Anderson and Doug Dillinger
The Main Event – featured Eric Bischoff interviewing WCW Commissioner Nick Bockwinkel in the aisle about his major announcement regarding WCW World Champion Hulk Hogan and Vader; Vader quickly interrupted the segment by grabbing both Bischoff and Bockwinkel and saying he was “tired of their shit;” after Vader confronted Bockwinkel and ripped his suit, Hogan attacked him from behind until Sting, Jim Duggan, Dave Sullivan, and Jimmy Hart pulled Hogan off:
Harlem Heat defeated Bobby Fulton & Tommy Rogers (sub. for the Rock ‘n’ Roll Express)
Sgt. Craig Pittman defeated Chris Kanyon via submission with the Code Red
Bunkhouse Buck & Dick Slater (w/ Col. Rob Parker) defeated Frankie Lancaster & Barry Houston; following the bout, Harlem Heat & Sister Sherri confronted Buck, Slater, & Parker as they were being interviewed by Gene Okerlund, with Parker kissing Sherri and her punching him to the floor; the confrontation led to the two teams agreeing to meet later during the pay-per-view
Pay-per-view bouts – featured Tony Schiavone & Bobby Heenan on commentary; included Gene Okerlund interviewing Dave Sullivan backstage about his arm wrestling contest later against Diamond Dallas Page in which a date with the Diamond Doll and his rabbit Ralph were at stake; featured Okerlund interviewing Lord Steven Regal & Bobby Eaton backstage regarding their tag team title shot later in the show against the Nasty Boys; included Schiavone speaking with Bockwinkel about the confrontation he had earlier in the show against Vader, with Bockwinkel announcing Vader would face Hogan the following month at Bash at the Beach in a steel cage match; during the segment, Bockwinkel forgot the name of the next pay-per-view; featured Okerlund interviewing Ric Flair backstage about the announcement of the cage match and his match later in the night against Randy Savage, with Flair claiming he took Savage’s wife in 1992 and then his dad in 1995; included Okerlund interviewing the Nasty Boys about their defense against Regal & Eaton later in the night; featured Okerlund interviewing Col. Parker & Meng backstage regarding the match against Sting later in the show; included Okerlund interviewing Sting about his upcoming match against Meng; a fan who won a WCW look-alike contest, Billy Ray Helms, sat in the front row; Helms was dressed as Big Bubba; featured Okerlund interviewing Randy Savage backstage, who congratulated the Renegade and Sting on their title wins and cut a promo on facing Flair later in the night:
Alex Wright pinned Brian Pillman at 15:25 by blocking a crucifix into a sunset flip; after the match, the two men hugged out of respect (Wrestling’s Highest Flyers)
Dave Sullivan defeated Diamond Dallas Page (w/ Maxx Muscle & the Diamond Doll) in an arm wrestling contest; due to pre-match stipulations, Dave won a date with the Diamond Doll; had DDP won, he would have won Dave’s pet rabbit Ralph; after the contest, DDP and Maxx argued until Maxx told Page it was the Doll (Kimberly) who accidentally bumped into him and caused him to lose; moments later, Okerlund interviewed DDP, Maxx, and the Doll in the aisle in which Page said he didn’t lose
Jim Duggan (sub. for Marcus Alexander Bagwell who was said to have a leg injury) defeated Sgt. Craig Pittman via disqualification at 8:11 when Pittman refused to break the Code Red armbar after Duggan reached the ropes; after the bout, Duggan cleared both Pittman and referee Nick Patrick from the ring with his 2×4
Harlem Heat (w/ Sister Sherri) defeated Bunkhouse Buck & Dick Slater (w/ Col. Rob Parker) at 8:39 when Stevie Ray pinned Buck with an inside cradle after both Parker and Sherri reversed the move behind the referee’s back
The Renegade (w/ Jimmy Hart) pinned WCW TV Champion Arn Anderson to win the title at 9:06 with a Samoan Drop and splash off the top; after the bout, a huge man in the front row (the Giant) was seen staring at Hart and the Renegade and almost tried to grab Hart
WCW Tag Team Champions the Nasty Boys defeated Lord Steven Regal & Bobby Eaton at 15:03 when Brian Knobbs pinned Eaton after Jerry Saggs hit the flying elbowsmash, moments after Harlem Heat & Sister Sherri interfered and Booker hit the Harlem Hangover on Knobbs only to accidentally crotch Eaton on the top rope
WCW US Championship Tournament Finals: Sting pinned Meng (w/ Col. Rob Parker) at 13:35 with a jumping DDT to win the title, moments after Meng kicked out following a top rope splash from Sting
Ric Flair pinned Randy Savage (w/ Angelo Poffo) at 14:41 after assaulting Poffo on the floor and hitting Savage in the face with Poffo’s cane
The Main Event:
Rocco Rock pinned Jerry Saggs at 1:46
VK Wallstreet pinned Jim Powers at 3:07 with the Samoan Drop
Jim Duggan pinned Disco Inferno at 2:09 with the running clothesline
Pay-per-view bouts – featured Tony Schiavone & Dusty Rhodes on commentary; included an presentation of the colors by Sgt. Craig Pittman as the National Anthem played before the opening match; the passing of Dick Murdoch was mentioned prior to the opening contest; featured Gene Okerlund interviewing Kevin Sullivan & Jimmy Hart backstage regarding the falls count anywhere match against Chris Benoit later in the night in which Sullivan said he would do to Benoit what he did to Brian Pillman; included Okerlund interviewing Sting backstage regarding his match later in the night against Lord Steven Regal; featured Okerlund interviewing WCW World Champion the Giant & Hart regarding the match against Lex Luger later in the night; included Okerlund interviewing WCW TV & Tag Team Champion Lex Luger regarding his match with the Giant later in the night; featured Okerlund interviewing Randy Savage, Steve & Debra McMichael, Kevin & Terri Greene regarding their match against Ric Flair & Arn Anderson later in the night; included Okerlund interviewing Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Chris Benoit, Woman, Elizabeth, and Bobby Heenan regarding Benoit’s victory and the match later in the night against McMichael & Greene, with Flair closing with “There’s a lot of things the Macho Man would like to do that he can’t do anymore, right Liz?”; featured a segment at the entrance stage with Eric Bischoff in which he asked the two men who have been recently interrupting Nitro – Scott Hall & Kevin Nash – to come out; after they did, Bischoff agreed to their challenge of a match and it would be at Bash at the Beach July 7 in Daytona Beach, FL; he then asked if they worked for the WWF, with both responding they didn’t; after Bischoff said they would have to wait until the following night to find out who their three opponents would be, Hall punched Bischoff in the stomach and Nash powerbombed Bischoff off the stage through a table feet away; moments later, medics and officials tended to Bischoff and he was taken backstage on a stretcher; as Bischoff was being assisted, Schiavone left the commentary table to check on the situation:
Rick & Scott Steiner defeated Ice Train & Scott Norton at 10:28 when Scott pinned Norton with a botched Frankensteiner following the bulldog off the top double team
WCW US Champion Konnan pinned El Gato at 6:02 with a modified spinebuster out of the corner into a roll over
Diamond Dallas Page pinned Marcus Alexander Bagwell at 9:38 with the Diamond Cutter after blocking Bagwell’s attempt at the fisherman’s suplex
WCW Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko pinned Rey Mysterio Jr. at 17:51 by reversing a hurricanrana attempt into a powerbomb and putting both feet on the ropes for leverage; Mike Tenay did guest commentary for the bout (Mysterio’s debut) (Rey Mysterio: 619, Rey Mysterio: Biggest Little Man)
John Tenta pinned Big Bubba (w/ Jimmy Hart) at 5:23 with a powerslam after catching Bubba as he came off the top; after the bout, Tenta cut off some of Bubba’s beard after Bubba collided with Hart in the ring
Chris Benoit pinned Kevin Sullivan (w/ Jimmy Hart) at 10:02 in a falls count anywhere match following a superplex from a table laid across the top turnbuckle; after the bout, Arn Anderson came to the ring, pulled Benoit off Sullivan – appearing to be siding against his Horsemen teammate – before he and Benoit both began stomping the leader of the Dungeon of Doom; moments theraefter, Anderson and Benoit left the ring as Meng, the Barbarian, Big Bubba, and Maxx ran out to make the save ( Hard Knocks: The Chris Benoit Story)
WCW Tag Team Champion Sting defeated Lord Steven Regal via submission with the Scorpion Deathlock at 16:29 following a backdrop; prior to the bout, Regal was escorted to the ring by Geeves
Ric Flair & Arn Anderson (w/ Bobby Heenan, Elizabeth, & Woman) defeated Steve McMichael & Kevin Greene (w/ Randy Savage) at 20:51 when Flair pinned Greene after McMichael hit Greene over the head with a Halliburton full of money as Greene attempted to reverse Flair’s figure-4; prior to the bout, it was announced Savage had been re-instated as a wrestler and would return to the ring the following night on Monday Nitro against Flair; mid-way through the match, Elizabeth & Woman scared Debra McMichael & Terri Greene, who escorted their husbands ringside, backstage with Debra returning ringside during the closing moments in a dress, rather than her Carolina Panthers jacket, alongside Elizabeth & Woman and showing McMichael the Halliburton and a 4 Horsemen t-shirt; Chris Benoit came ringside during the closing moments as well to attack Savage; after the bout, Savage was assaulted and hit over the head by Flair with the Halliburton before McMichael put on the Horsemen t-shirt, officially joining the group, and both he and Debra shook hands with Heenan
WCW World Champion the Giant pinned WCW Tag Team & TV Champion Lex Luger with the chokeslam at 9:38 after Luger failed an attempt at the Torture Rack and fell face-first to the mat as the champion was on his shoulders; prior to the bout, Luger checked on the injured Eric Bischoff as he was being placed on a stretcher near the entrance stage; Jimmy Hart escorted the Giant to the ring but was chased backstage at the 2-minute mark by Sting after Hart tried to hit Luger with his megaphone (The Big Show: A Giant’s World)
Pay-per-view bouts – featured Tony Schiavone, Bobby Heenan, & Dusty Rhodes on commentary:
The Ultimo Dragon defeated Psychosis (w/ Sonny Onoo) via submission with the Dragon Sleeper at 14:22 after Onoo accidentally kicked Psychosis in the head; Mike Tenay did guest commentary for the bout, subbing for Dusty Rhodes; the commentary team made note that Psychosis’ tap out was understood as a submission
Harlem Heat (w/ Sister Sherri) defeated Rick & Scott Steiner via disqualification at 12:03 when Vincent ran in the ring and dropped an elbow on Booker T immediately after Booker sustained a top rope Frankensteiner from Scott; due to pre-match stipulations, Harlem Heat became the #1 contenders to the WCW Tag Team Titles; after the bout, Rick & Scott Steiner attacked Vincent and dropped him with the double team bulldog
Konnan defeated Hugh Morrus via KO at 10:36 with the Tequilla Sunrise after Morrus hit his face on the top turnbuckle while attempting the moonsault, followed by a German suplex
Glacier pinned Wrath (w/ James Vandenburg & Mortis) at 12:03 with the superkick after hitting Wrath with a chain thrown into the ring by Mortis; Mortis was handcuffed at ringside for the duration of the bout but helped double team Glacier after the match when Glacier became handcuffed to the top rope; eventually several referees came out to break up the fight and free Glacier from the rope; Mike Tenay did guest commentary for the bout
WCW Women’s Champion Akira Hokuto (w/ Sonny Onoo) pinned Madusa at 11:44 with a brainbuster; Lee Marshal did guest commentary for the bout; after the bout, the champion continued to attack Madusa’s left knee, which she appeared to seriously injure mid-way through the contest; due to pre-match stipulations, Madusa was forced to retire; after the contest, Gene Okerlund tried to interview the trainer at ringside as he helped Madusa backstage but both the trainer and Madusa refused to comment; later in the show, the trainer was shown backstage checking Madusa’s bad knee
Chris Benoit defeated Meng in a death match at 14:58 via submission with the Crippler Crossface after being caught in the hold over a minute; Jimmy Hart escorted Meng ringside before the bout but was scared backstage by Benoit before the match began; after the match, Benoit was taken backstage on a stretcher and, several minutes later after being checked on by the trainer, Meng was taken backstage on a stretcher as well
Kevin Greene pinned Steve McMichael (w/ Debra) at 9:21 after WCW US Champion Jeff Jarrett interfered and accidentally hit McMichael in the back of the head with his Halliburton; during the bout, Greene’s mother and father were shown sitting ringside
WCW Tag Team Champions Scott Hall & Kevin Nash defeated Ric Flair & Roddy Piper at 10:03 when Hall pinned Piper with the Outsider’s Edge; Syxx was in the champions’ corner but was chased backstage by Flair mid-way through the contest, leaving Piper to fend for himself
Randy Savage (w/ Elizabeth) pinned Diamond Dallas Page (w/ Kimberly) in a non-sanctioned lights out match at 15:56 with the flying elbowsmash after WCW Tag Team Champion Scott Hall interfered and dropped DDP with the Outsider’s Edge (Macho Madness: The Ultimate Randy Savage Collection)
Great American Bash 98 – Baltimore, MD – Arena – June 14, 1998 (12,810; announced as a sell out)
Pay-per-view bouts – featured Tony Schiavone, Bobby Heenan, & Mike Tenay on commentary; included Gene Okerlund at the entranceway recapping the feud between Sting and the Giant; featured footage from the previous Thursday’s Thunder in which Bret Hart interfered in Chris Benoit’s match with Booker T, with Booker T winning via disqualification and winning the Best of 7 series to earn a TV title shot at the Bash; footage was also shown of Booker asking JJ Dillon for a rematch, with Dillon stating the rematch would be at the Bash, with the winner facing WCW TV Champion Fit Finlay later in the show; included backstage footage of Chavo Guerrero Jr. speaking to the WCW Internet team regarding his upcoming match with Eddie Guerrero; featured footage from the previous Thursday’s Thunder of Dean Malenko giving up the WCW Cruiserweight Title, due to Chris Jericho complaining Malenko didn’t win it fairly, for the chance to get Jericho back in the ring at the Bash for the held up title; included backstage footage of Eddie at the Internet position backstage in which he apologized to Chavo, citing the family didn’t want he and Chavo to fight; featured a vignette on Juventud Guerrera; included footage from the previous Monday’s Nitro of Roddy Piper and Randy Savage arguing, with the two eventually fighting each other; featured an ad for the July 12 Bash at the Beach:
Best of 7 Series: Booker T pinned Chris Benoit at 16:19 following two Harlem sidekicks and a missile dropkick; Booker – 4, Benoit – 3; pre-match stipulations stated the winner would face WCW TV Champion Fit Finlay later in the show (Hard Knocks: The Chris Benoit Story)
Kanyon pinned Perry Saturn with the Flatliner at 14:46 after catching Saturn coming off the top, moments after Saturn became distracted by two men dressed as Mortis fighting each other on the floor; prior to the bout, Saturn was distracted by a man coming out the entranceway dressed as Mortis, during which Kanyon came out of the crowd; Kidman, Horace, Scotty Riggs, and Lodi came out early in the bout, on behalf of Saturn, but were ejected; after the contest, one of the men dressed as Mortis held up Kanyon’s arm in victory before then dropping him with a DDT on the floor; the man then took off his mask, revealing himself as Raven; moments later, Raven grabbed the mic and dressed down Saturn for the loss, with Saturn cornering him until Kidman, Horace, Lodi, and Riggs returned, with Saturn being beaten down until he eventually cleared the ring
Chris Jericho defeated Dean Malenko via disqualification at 13:50 when, after Jericho said “You’re nothing, just like your dead father,” Malenko assaulted Jericho on the floor and hit him over the back with a steel chair; stipulations stated the winner would earn the vacant WCW Cruiserweight Title; after the contest, Malenko dragged Jericho backstage, down the hallway, and eventually out of the arena; Malenko eventually rammed Jericho into a mailbox before he was restrained by security, with Jericho running into a building across the street; no decision was announced following the match, with the commentary team saying more information would be available the following night on Nitro
Juventud Guerrera pinned Reese (w/ Lodi) at 8:45 with a hurricanrana after Van Hammer appeared and hit Reese in the back with a steel chair as the referee was distracted by Lodi
Chavo Guerrero Jr. pinned Eddie Guerrero with a springboard tornado DDT at 14:46
Booker T pinned WCW TV Champion Fit Finlay to win the title at 13:13 with a piledriver after Finlay struck his shoulder on the ringpost; after the bout, Stevie Ray came out and congratulated Booker on his win
WCW US Champion Bill Goldberg pinned Konnan (w/ Curt Hennig & Rick Rude) at 1:56 with the spear and Jackhammer; prior to the bout, it was announced Goldberg’s mother recently broke her hip; Goldberg’s record: 100-0; after the champion left ringside, Hennig & Rude helped Konnan to his feet before double teaming him in the corner; moments later, Kevin Nash and Lex Luger came out to clear the ring and tend to Konnan after Hennig took off his Wolfpac shirt to reveal a nWo black & white shirt underneath
WCW World Champion Hulk Hogan (w/ the Disciple) & Bret Hart defeated Randy Savage & Roddy Piper at 11:41 when Savage submitted to Hart’s Sharpshooter after Hogan reaptedly rammed Savage’s knee into the ringpost; stipulations stated Savage and Piper would wrestle after the match; following the bout, Piper knocked Hart to the floor; moments later, Gene Okerlund attempted to conduct an in-ring interview with Piper regarding Savage’s injury and the scheduled one-on-one bout, during which Piper helped Savage to his feet until Savage knocked Piper down to begin their match
Roddy Piper defeated Randy Savage via submission with a figure-4 at 1:38 moments after Savage knocked out referee Charles Robinson, with referee Mikey Jay coming out to call for the bell
WCW Tag Team Champion Sting pinned WCW Tag Team Champion the Giant with a reversal into the reverse DDT at 6:41; stipulations stated the winner would be able to pick his own tag team partner to share the championship with; prior to the bout, the Giant came ringside smoking a cigarette; Sting twice hit the reverse DDT in the match but Giant kicked out of both pin attempts; after the contest, Sting left ringside with both title belts (Sting: Into the Light)
Pay-per-view bouts – included Tony Schiavone, Bobby Heenan, & Mike Tenay on commentary; featured an opening backstage segment in which Master P and his entourage arrived to the arena, wtih Curt Hennig welcoming Master P and asking for an autograph; after Master P autographed a CD, Hennig crushed it; featured a backstage segment with Roddy Piper and Buff Bagwell in which Bagwell thanked Piper for the opportunity he gave him by “giving him the ball” and letting him face Disco Inferno later in the show; included DJ Ran warming up the live crowd throughout the program:
Hak (w/ Chastity) pinned Brian Knobbs (w/ Jimmy Hart) at 5:40 by hitting him over the head with the Singapore cane after Knobbs ran into Hart holding a steel chair on the ring apron; prior to the bout, Knobbs cut an in-ring promo saying it was his wife’s birthday and his present to her was beating Hak; after the match, Hugh Morrus appeared and held Hak so Knobbs could hit him with the chair, then the two hit a spike piledriver before Morrus hit a moonsault onto Hak, laying underneath a ladder; Knobbs then came off the middle turnbuckle ramming a trash can into the ladder
Van Hammer pinned Mikey Whipreck with a cobra clutch slam at 8:34
Buff Bagwell pinned Disco Inferno with the Buff Blockbuster at 10:32
Konnan & WCW Cruiserweight Champion Rey Mysterio Jr. defeated Curt Hennig & Bobby Duncum Jr. at 10:44 when Mysterio pinned Duncum with a springboard legdrop into the ring after Swoll, sitting ringside with Master P and his entourage, jumped the rail and hit a shoulderblock on Duncum moments after Barry Windham came ringside and attacked Konnan on the floor; after Master P and his group were ejected from ringside, Hennig, Duncum, and Windham laid out Konnan and Mysterio (the debut of the “Rap is Crap” theme song)
Ernest Miller (w/ Sonny Onoo) pinned Horace Hogan (sub. for Scott Norton) at 5:09 with a side kick after putting on one of his red dancing shoes; prior to the bout, Horace appeared instead of Norton and said he would beat Miller as payback for Miller hitting him the previous week on Nitro which lead to the match; the commentary team expected to see Norton but no explanation was made as to why he wasn’t there; after the bout, Miller put on his robe and danced until Horace ran him out of the ring
Ric Flair (w/ Arn Anderson & Aysa) defeated Roddy Piper via disqualification at 8:14 when Buff Bagwell attacked Anderson on the floor, as Anderson gave Flair added leverage with the figure-4, and then attacked Flair inside the ring; moments later, as Bagwell had Flair trapped in the corner, Piper attacked Bagwell with Piper, Flair, and Anderson triple teaming Bagwell, Anderson hitting the spinebuster, and Piper repeatedly whipping Bagwell with a strap; Flair’s role as WCW President was at stake in the match
WCW TV Champion Rick Steiner pinned Sting in a non-title falls count anywhere match at 11:41; the falls count anywhere stipulation was not announced until the ring introductions; the final moments of the match saw the two men fight their way backstage, past the WCW.com table where Chris Jericho was doing guest commentary, until Sting was attacked by Tank Abbott and had three attack dogs unleashed on him by WCW US Champion Scott Steiner; as two of the dogs bit Sting, the camera quickly cut away to a dozen security guards running to make the save; the camera then cut back to the arena where, moments later, the Steiners dragged referee Mickey Jay out to the ring, who then called for the bell after Rick had allegedly pinned Sting backstage but the dog attack was too graphic for the cameras to pick up on and the finish was not captured on film; the Steiners then cut an in-ring promo with Rick finishing by saying “And who’s the shittiest town in America? Baltimore.”
Diamond Dallas Page & Kanyon (w/ Bam Bam Bigelow) defeated WCW Tag Team Champions Chris Benoit & Perry Saturn to win the titles at 19:12 when Kanyon pinned Benoit following a Diamond Cutter / Greetings from Asbury Park double team behind the referee’s back, as the referee was distracted by Dean Malenko helping Saturn up on the floor; after the bout, DDP dropped Malenko, who came ringside during the closing moments of the match, with the Diamond Cutter inside the ring
WCW World Champion Kevin Nash defeated Randy Savage (w/ Madusa, Gorgeous George, & Ms. Madness) via disqualification at 7:27 when, after hitting the powerbomb on Savage and fighting off his women, Nash was laid out by Sid Vicious, who kicked Nash in the face and dropped him with the powerbomb; during the opening moments, it was officially announced that Savage’s top rope elbowsmash was no longer banned; after the bout, Sid, Savage, and the women left ringside together (Vicious’ surprise return after a 6-year absence)
Pay-per-view bouts – featured an opening video package recaping the return of Bill Goldberg, Eric Bischoff having him arrested on Thunder, and posed the question as to whether Goldberg would appear at the Bash; included a shot outside the arena showing several police officers, beside their patrol cars; featured Tony Schiavone, Scott Hudson, & Mark Madden on commentary; included a backstage segment in which police officers assured Bischoff and Ernest Miller that no one was getting in the building without their permission; featured Gene Okerlund conducting a backstage interview with WCW Hardcore Champion Big Vito & Johnny the Bull about their upcoming match against Kronik for the #1 contendership for the WCW Tag Team Titles; included Pamela Paulshock conducting a backstage interview with Diamond Dallas Page regarding his upcoming ambulance match against Mike Awesome; featured Okerlund conducting a backstage interview with Kanyon about his attack on DDP earlier in the show, with Kanyon saying Eric Bischoff visited him in the hospital and said he would make him a star if he would take DDP out; Okerlund then showed footage of DDP escaping the ambulance earlier in the night, with Bill Goldberg’s monster truck shown arriving to the arena; Kanyon then referred to himself as “Positively Kanyon;” included footage of Hulk Hogan driving into the arena parking lot; featured footage of a limo arriving to the arena, with Ric Flair and his family getting out; moments later, Goldberg’s monster truck was shown in the distance; included Okerlund conducting a backstage interview with Hogan regarding his upcoming match with Billy Kidman, with Hogan’s career on the line; included a backstage segment in which Bischoff complained about Hogan winning, with a police officer telling him no one has seen Goldberg yet; featured an ad promoting Bash at the Beach:
WCW Cruiserweight Champion Chavo Guerrero Jr. (w/ Major Gunns, Lash LeRoux, Gen. Rection, & Van Hammer) pinned Disco Inferno (w/ Konnan, Rey Mysterio Jr., Juventud Guerrero, & Tygress) at 4:59 after LeRoux interfered, attacking Disco behind the referee’s back moments after Guerrera did the same moments earlier to Guerrero; following the entrance of the MIA, Rection addressed his team with Guerrero then pulling out a fake hand grenade that he said he would use on Disco; he then threatened Inferno’s group that he would kill them if they interfered; late in the match, Juventud attempted the People’s Elbow on Guerrero behind the referee’s back but failed; LeRoux blatantly pulled Guerrero onto Disco for the pinfall in view of the referee; Pops appeared ringside late in the match and was knocked out after being confronted by Konnan; after the contest, the Filthy Animals attacked MIA in the ring; after the Animals left ringside, Major Gunns stood over Pops, tore her shirt off, and gave him mouth-to-mouth until he came to; Pops then saw Major Gunns and passed out again, then came to and rolled on top of her until he was pulled away by the other members of MIA
Kronik defeated WCW Hardcore Champion Big Vito & Johnny the Bull at 9:21 when Brian Clarke pinned Johnny following the double chokeslam, as Vito was busy polishing his title belt on the floor; stipulations stated the winners would be the #1 contenders for the WCW Tag Team Titles; Vito wore his title belt for much of the match until Kronik took it off him
Mike Awesome defeated Diamond Dallas Page in an ambulance match at 9:36 when Kanyon, who was positioned in a wheelchair at the entrance stage and wore a halo brace, droppage Page with a Diamond Cutter off the stage, then put him on the stretcher to allow Awesome to win during his entrance, DDP wheeled Kanyon out to the entrance stage; at the 7-minute mark, Kimberly interfered, hitting DDP with a lead pipe until Ms. Hancock ran out and dragged Kimberly backstage; during the final moments of the match, Eric Bischoff came out, as Awesome was on the stretcher, and acted as though he was going to attack the helpless Kanyon, with Page then coming to Kanyon’s aid; Kanyon then attacked Page and revealed the “New Blood” shirt he was wearing underneath
Booker T pinned WCW Tag Team Champion Sean Stasiak at 13:57 in a bootcamp match when Stasiak failed to meet referee Mickey Jay’s standing 10-count after Booker hit Stasiak with the Lex Flexor; during his entrance, Booker rode a zipline to the ring; during his entrance, Stasiak cut a promo on GI Bro before their fight began in the aisle; Stasiak’s face was painted camouflage for the match; late in the contest, WCW Tag Team Champion Chuck Palumbo ran out with the Lex Flexor and double teamed Booker until Booker fought him off and cleared him from the ring
Shane Douglas defeated the Wall in a tables match at 8:12 after using a foreign object to punch the Wall off the top of a ladder, with Wall then falling through three tables set up below; during his pre-match in-ring promo, Douglas referred to the crowd as “Baltimore pieces of shit” and then bragged that Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan would be forced to retire later in the show; Douglas then said he would challenge the Wall to a tables match in which the winner would have to put the loser through the best of five tables instead of one; Wall put Douglas through a table positioned ringside at the 4-minute mark with a chokeslam; Wall put Douglas through a second table at the 5-minute mark with a side suplex through a table positioned ringside; after the match, the Wall pulled himself to his feet and dropped referee Mark Johnson with a chokeslam through a table
WCW US Champion Scott Steiner (w/ Madajah & Shakira) defeated Rick Steiner & Tank Abott in a handicap Asylum match at 3:47 by forcing Abott to submit to the Steiner Recliner, moments after Abott struck Rick with a chain; the match was scheduled as Abott vs. Scott Steiner, with Rick added early in the match following an order from Eric Bischoff & Vince Russo
Hulk Hogan pinned Billy Kidman at 11:40 after hitting Kidman with brass knux, brought ringside for Hogan late in the match by Torrie Wilson; Hogan used nWo music for the bout but not “Voodoo Child;” stipulations stated Hogan would have to retire if he lost; Torrie came ringside at the 10-minute mark; during the final moments of the bout, Kidman hit guest referee Horace Hogan with the knux before Torrie climbed in the ring and hit a low blow on Kidman; after the match, Hulk and Horace celebrated in the ring
Ric Flair defeated David Flair via submission with the figure-4 at 10:16; pre-match stipulations stated Flair would have to retire if he lost
Vampiro defeated Sting in an Inferno Match at 7:23
WCW World Champion Jeff Jarrett pinned Kevin Nash at 17:22 after Bill Goldberg interfered
