"Stone Cold" Steve Austin
Affiliated with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF)
Photo courtesy of John Shetler, Jr.
Editor of RingWatch
HATRED RENEWED
After their two run ins on the Rick Steamboat/Chris Benoit undercard, it was obvious that the rivalry between Magnum TA and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin had not died out in the least!!! Austin, in this interview with Jim Ross on World Championship Wrestling, obviously showed that he hasn't forgotten about Magnum:
AUSTIN: "First, let me say that regardless of how so-called "tasteless" my actions were, Magnum TA had no business getting involved in my business with Lex Luger, who's an overrated sack of crap that couldn't win and hold onto a world title if his life depended on it!!! So, I come out to even the score with Magnum with a little help from another loser in wrestling Owen Hart and, as you saw, I opened up a can of whoop-a** on both of those sorry pieces of trash!!! Now, Magnum, I have to give you a little respect. You did get up after that shot and come after me but you also made the biggest mistake of your sorry life!!! You want another shot at this (holding up the US title), well you're going to have to do it on my terms Magnum!!! I want you in a Bunkhouse match!!! No DQ, no time limit, no countouts!!! If you do get lucky and win, I'll give you another shot at this belt!!! But if you lose this match, you have to pull down your trunks, you have to pull down you panties, bend over and take ten lashes from a leather strap on you bare a** RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE WORLD!!!"
At this point, Jim Ross' eyes are about to come out of his head!!! The studio crowd is stunned by Austin's demands!!!
AUSTIN: "That's right Jim Ross!!! Put that down in the contract!!! If he beats me, then he'll get another shot at this title!!! If he doesn't win, then after I kick his a** I'll whip his a** and that's the bottom line cuz "Stone Cold" said so!!!"
Later, Magnum had this to say:
MAGNUM: So, "Stone Cold", you want to paint me into a corner. In order for me to get back something that I feel is mine - the NWA United States Title - I'll agree to any match you want with any kind of stipulation you want. If that's what it takes to get you back into the ring, then that's what I'll do!!
The rematch was signed for the April 1 Clash Of The Champions special from New Orleans, LA. The NWA, eager to put on a great show, joined with the WWF, World Class, UFC, UWF (Mid-South) and New Japan for this card. Even ECW sent a few wrestlers to participate.
THE UNDERCARD
This card took place in the Superdome in New Orleans, LA. It was one hot ticket as every seat in the building was sold out. The fans, anticipating the rematch from the first Magnum/Austin match, was treated to a first-rate card. Here are the matches and the way they went:
Eddy Guerrero VS. Tully Blanchard (NWA World Television Title Match)
In this 30 minute encounter, Eddy was surprisingly dominant!!! Blanchard had his moments but couldn't keep up with the style of Eddy!!! Blanchard needed a break and got it when Eddy took too long going to the top rope for the "froggy-splash"!!! Blanchard, unknown to the ref or Guerrero, slipped a foreign object into his kneepad!!! Guerrero came down with his splash and was met with both knees into the mid-section (the loaded knee caught him near the ribs on his left side)!!! Blanchard rolled him up and, using the tights for added leverage, got the victory and retained his NWA TV title.
Perry Saturn/Dean "Man Of A 1,000 Holds" Malenko VS. Dan "The Beast" Severn/Ken Shamrock (Texas Tornado Cage Match w/Submission Rules)
This war, which only submissions count, saw the advantage trade back and forth!!! Surprisingly, except for a few cage shots and the typical closed fist, there was virtually no rulebreaking as all four of these men know how to get it on and wrestle!!! At the 15 minute mark, Malenko hooked the Texas Cloverleaf on Shamrock. Shamrock, however, had a counter. He picked at Malenko's ankle to break the hold and turned it into his anklelock submission!!! At the same time, Saturn had hooked his "Rings Of Saturn" double-armlock on Severn!!! Both men tapped out at about the same time!!! The ref had no choice but to throw the match out as a draw!!! Although angry over having no winner, all four men gave each other respect and walked out of the cage together to a nice applause from the New Orleans crowd.
Bret "HitMan" Hart VS. Shawn "HeartBreak Kid" Michaels (UFC Style Match)
Yep, you read this fictional bout correctly. No booking, no Eric Bischoff, no Vince McMahon!!! This bout is a real fight!!! No jobs or fake stuff!!! The ref for this match is UFC ref John Macarthy!!! The rules of this match is just like a standard UFC rules except that the low blow is legal here!!! Anyway, Bret comes into the ring with a wrestling singlet version of his pink and black tights while Michaels comes in with black shorts (knee length) and wrestling shoes on!!! The two tear into each other with Bret quickly taking the advantage by turning it into a grappling/brawling match!!! Toe to toe, Shawn uses his faster hand speed to beat the "HitMan" to the punch!!! At about the three minute mark, Bret has a busted lip while Shawn has a cut below his left eye!!! Shawn goes for a front facelock/chokehold at about the six minute mark but Bret reverses it and gets a crossface chicken wing hammerlock!!! After about 30 seconds in the hold, Michaels finally taps out!!!
Ole & Arn Anderson VS. Ivan & Nikita Koloff (No Disqualification)
The winner of this bout would receive a tag title shot at WCW World Tag Team Champions Rick & Scott Steiner at a later date. In this wild encounter, the Andersons kept Ivan Koloff in the ring for as long as possible. The continued to work over the veteran's left arm until Ivan manages to tag Nikita!!! Nikita cleans house but misses his "Russian Sickle" clothesline on Arn Anderson!!! When Nikita comes off of the ropes, Arn catches him in the "spinebuster" slam and goes for the pin when Ivan clobbers Arn with the chain (Krusher Krushev, meanwhile, is keeping Ole at bay)!!! Nikita rolls on top and takes the pin!!! The Russians get the next shot and it will be on April 14 in Greensboro, NC on pay-per-view.
Steve "Dr. Death" Williams VS. Randy "Macho Man" Savage
In this see-saw match, Williams has Savage up and ready to deliver the "Oklahoma Stampede" powerslam but Savage slides behind Williams and pushes him into the ref!!! Seeing Williams down, Savage goes to the top and nails the big elbow but there is no one to count!!! "Macho" goes to the top again but, as he dives, Diamond Dallas Page enters the ring and catches him coming down and executes a reverse atomic drop!!! Stunned, Savage falls victim to the "Diamond Cutter"!!! Williams and the ref wake up to see a prone Savage (DDP is long gone by this time)!!! Williams covers and gets the three count!!!
Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat VS. Chris "The Crippler" Benoit (NWA World Title Match/30-Minute Ironman rules)
In a rematch of their last encounter, Steamboat and Benoit was tied three to three with only 2 minutes left in the match. Steamboat's left arm had been worked over by Benoit while Benoit's neck and back had been the target of Steamboat's attack. Steamboat, at the one minute mark, went for the double-arm chicken wing submission but couldn't hold it because of his injured left shoulder!!! Benoit quickly hooked the "Cripper Crossface" on the champ!!! With 10 seconds remaining, the ref gave the fall (and the match) to Benoit because Steamboat passed out from the pain (he never actually gave up)!!! Benoit is the new NWA World Heavyweight Champion!!!
Kerry Von Eric VS. Kevin Nash (Detroit Street Fight)
Ten minutes into this brawl, Von Eric whipped Nash into a corner. Unfortunately, it was the corner the ref was standing in!!! After the ref gets sandwiched, Nash turns around to receive the "Iron Claw" from Von Eric!!! As Nash went down to one knee, Scott Hall comes down and slides a cowboy boot into the ring to Nash!!! Nash uses the heel part to deliver a low blow to Kerry!!! With Kerry in pain, Nash gets up and delivers his "Jackknife" powerbomb on Von Eric!!! While this was going on, The Giant comes down and attacks Hall and the match turned into a four-man brawl!!! The ref, when he recovered, threw the match out and ruled it no-contest!!!
Diamond Dallas Page VS. Hiro Hase
This match was dominated mostly by Hase as he blocked the "Diamond Cutter" on three occasions!!! At about the 15 minute mark, Hase hooked his patented "Northern Light" suplex but was too close to the ropes!!! This allowed DDP to get his leg on the ropes to stop the three count. Hase then whipped Page into the ropes for a hiptoss but DDP (in mid-air) hooked an old move of his called "The Diamond Dream" (a reversal out of a hiptoss into a DDT)!!! This allowed Page to get the three count!!!
The British Bulldogs VS. The Road Warriors (NWA World Tag Team Title Match)
In a rematch of their Detroit encounter, the Warriors were better prepared for their English rivals!!! Still, the Warriors became frustrated by their inability to put the Bulldogs away!!! On this occasion, the Warriors did get in the "Doomsday Device" on Dynamite Kid but the Kid kicked out of it!!! The Warriors stood in disbelief as did the crowd!!! Meanwhile, Davey Boy Smith snuck in from behind Hawk and caught him in a quick roll up for the three count!!! Livid beyond belief, the Warriors delivered a savage beating to the Bulldogs!!! They took Dynamite to the outside and double-piledrived him on the concrete!!! Then, they put Davey Boy in a version of the "Device" called the "Human Sacrifice"!!!! Animal lifted DBS in a powerbomb position but held him up in the air so that Hawk could clothesline him from the top rope!!! Thus, it is a powerbomb/clothesline combo!!! Anyway, DBS hit the mat with a sickening thud!!! The Warriors leave triumphant even though they have lost the bout!!!
Ric Flair VS. Masa Chono
It was the figure-four leglock VS. the STF crossface (as well as WCW VS. nWo/New Japan) in this one. Both men took tremendous punishment in this 30 minute bout!!! The match's ending was marred by interference as the ref got knocked out at the 33 minute mark!!! Flair executed the figure four on Chono!!! Chono tapped out but there was no ref to count the submission!!! The Great Muta, another nWo member, came down and executed his patented moonsault onto Flair, breaking the hold!!! Muta left the ring but, as he did, he met Arn Anderson!!! Anderson gave Muta the "SpineBuster" on the concrete!!! By the time Arn got to the ring, Chono was in the mists of putting the STF on Flair!!! Before Chono could drop down to complete the move, Arn runs in and gives Masa his DDT!!! By this time, the ref turns around and gets up to see Flair covering Chono and counts the pinfall!!!
Hunter Hearst Hemsley VS. Taz
Triple H took the beating of his life in this 20 minute torture match!!! Even Chyna couldn't save Hemsley here as Taz suplexed and plain out wrestled the former I-C Champion!!! Finally, Taz puts Hemsley out of his misery with the "taz-mission" for the win!!!
Ted DiBiase VS. Shane "The Franchise" Douglas (ECW Title Match)
The veteran DiBiase had Douglas on the ropes at about the 13 minute mark as he went for his "million-dollar dream" sleeperhold!!! Francine jumped on the apron to distract DiBiase but Ted payed her no mind!!! As Douglas was about to go down, Bam Bam Bigelow rushed in and attacked DiBiase, causing a disqualification!!! That didn't matter as Douglas executed a belly-to-belly suplex on DiBiase!!! That set Ted up for Bigelow's "Nuclear Splash" from the top rope (remember, Bigelow's about 408 pounds)!!! Bigelow was going for another when Steve "Dr. Death" Williams came in to rescue his former partner from further injury!!! Williams aided DiBiase back to the dressing room.
Chyna VS. Madusa
In this anticipated ladies encounter, it was the power and size of Chyna VS. the brawling ability and speed of Madusa. This match was dominated by Chyna (who's a former LPWA Champion and All-Japan star). Madusa only gained the advantage through guile and misques by Chyna. Still, Chyna had the match won until she tried a "frog-splash" from the top rope and missed!!! Madusa managed to get in a roll-up (with help from the ropes) to get the win!!!
THE MATCH
The match introductions are done by Howard Finkle:
"Ladies and Gentlemen!!! This next contest is the main attaction of the evening!!! It is a NWA United States Heavyweight Title shot VS. ten lashes!!! It will be a bunkhouse match!!! That means come as you are, bring anything with you, no-time limit, no countouts and no disqualifications!!! The match can only end by pinfall, submission, or if a competitor cannot continue!!!"
At this point, you hear shattered glass and driving guitars and drums!!! Which signals the theme music of SCSA.
"Coming down the aisle!!! From Victoria, TX, weighing in at 245 pounds!!! The NWA United States Heavyweight Champion, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin!!!"
Austin enters the arena wearing his "Stone Cold" vest, an "Austin 3:16" shirt, blue jeans and brown logger boots. He is greeted with a round of boos in the Superdome!!! Austin throws up several birds and "up yours" signs at the crowd!!! He enters the ring and mounts the second turnbuckle. He raises his arms and holds up the US title!!! He then gives the ring announcer a brief stare as he goes to a corner and awaits Magnum.
"His opponent is from Virginia Beach, VA!!!"
(Note: Magnum TA, as best that I know, never had an official theme song so I gave him the classic Jimi Hendricks song "Purple Haze")
At this point, Jimi Hendricks' "Purple Haze" blares over the speakers!!!
"Weighing in at 235 pounds, Magnum TA!!!"
Magnum enters the arena with his own leather vest, wearing a black T-Shirt, blue jeans and brown cowboy boots. As Magnum was about to come up to the ring apron, Austin slingshots himself over the ropes on top of Magnum and the match is on!!! Both men are exchanging punches back and forth!!! Austin gets the better of the exchange as he knocks Magnum away!!! Magnum goes and lays against the ring post!!! Austin charges at him but Magnum moves and Austin hits the steel post!!! Seeing Austin on his knees, Magnum goes to the ring steps and jumps off with a double ax handle blow on Austin!!! Magnum then stomps and kicks Austin in the gut and ribs with those hard sole boots!!! Magnum bends down to pick up Austin but Austin responds with a low blow!!! Austin then waistlocks Magnum, picks him up and drops him groin first on the steel guardrail!!! Austin quickly goes to the ring apron and gets a running start on Magnum (who is still straddling the rail)!!! He clotheslines Magnum off of the rail from the apron and into the crowd!!! Austin jumps over the rail to go after him!!! Austin picks Magnum up and throws him into the guardrail (Magnum has a cut on his forehead now and is bleeding)!!! Austin charges at Magnum but Magnum counters by backdropping Austin over the rail into the ringside area!!! TA climbs over the rail to go after Austin!!! Austin is ready for his though as he dropkicks Magnum in the chest as Magnum was coming over!!! This blow knocks the back of Magnum's head into the rail!!! "Stone Cold" throws Magnum back into the ring!!! Austin follows up his advantage with a forearm smash from the top rope on the back of Magnum's head!!! Steve picks Magnum up and puts him into a corner!!! There he begins his ritual kicks in the corner, stompping him down to the canvas!!! He stops and gives a thrust gesture with "crotch" chops and gives him a final kick in the face!!! Austin raises his hands and gets a mixed reaction from the crowd!!! He goes back to Magnum and picks him up for a trip into the ropes!!! Magnum comes off the ropes with a flying forearm that knocks Austin back and causes his arms to be tied into the ropes!!! Magnum, taking advantage of the situation, takes Austin's legs and puts them on the outside (he looks like he's in a streched crucifix position)!!! Magnum then rips Austin's shirt off of him, takes off his leather belt and begins whipping Austin across the chest and stomach with it!!! Austin is screaming to the heavens!!! Magnum then takes the belt, puts it across Austin's forehead and rakes it hard across it!!! Austin is now bleeding at this point!!! Magnum goes to work on his cuts with fists to the head!!! Next, Magnum releases Austin and hits him with a reverse atomic drop!!! Seeing Austin in trouble, Magnum hits the ropes and gets off a flying bulldog headlock!!! Magnum goes for the first pin attempt of the match and gets a two count!!! Magnum picks up Austin and fires a right that staggers the champion!!! Magnum whips Austin into a corner and charges but Austin is ready for him as he puts a boot up into the face!!! Austin quickly picks up Magnum in a fireman's carry and turns it into an airplane spin!!! Austin releases it around the fourth rotation and turns it into a "Stone Cold Stunner"!!! Oddly, Austin does not go for the cover!!! Instead, he gets in a push up position and screams verbal insults to Magnum!!! Austin then gets up and goes outside to find a steel chair!!! Ausitn returns to the ring and puts it on Magnum's ankle (much like he did Bret Hart and the late Brian Pillman in real life)!!! Austin goes to the top rope but takes his time getting there!!! The reason being is that Bret Hart was sitting at ringside watching this match!!! Austin was throwing verbal insults at Bret!!! This proved to be costly as Magnum gets up just as Austin reached the top rope!!! Magnum gets the chair off of his ankle and lays it out flat in the middle of the ring. Then, he goes to the top, catches Austin off guard with stiff fists and superplexes Austin off of the top rope....onto the steel chair!!! Austin is moaning in pain right now!!! Magnum gets Austin and throws him into the ropes and executes his belly to belly suplex on the chair!!! Magnum does not go for the pin however!!! Instead, with a nod from Bret, Magnum hooks in a "Sharpshooter" (Magnum adds a double "bird" to Austin before he turns him over)!!! The pain must be unbelievable to Austin's already injured back but he won't surrender!!! Unlike WrestleMania 13, though, Austin manages to escape by pushing Magnum off of him after 2 minutes of suffering!!! Still, the damage was devestating!!! Austin, still game, manages to get a poke into the eye before Magnum could follow up on his advantage!!! Austin tries a bodyslam but his injured back won't allow it!!! Magnum uses the sudden lapse to roll up Austin in a cradle move to win the match and the right to face Austin again for the US Title at a future date!!! As Magnum left the ring, he pointed at Bret Hart and smiled. Hart smiled back and gave Magnum a thumbs up!!! Austin, when he returned to his feet, grabbed the mic and had this to say:
"Okay, Magnum!!! I guess you got your shot!!! But there's one thing that you didn't read in the contract and that was that if you won your shot, that I get to choose what kind of match it'll be in!!! You know, all of you Virginia Beach boys all got good looks but you also have the brains of a jacka**!!! Now, there ain't no one going to tell me that Magnum TA didn't learn that move from no one but Bret Hart!!! Let me tell you something Bret, your a** should've stuck with tag teaming with Jim "The Pyrite" Neidhart instead of sticking your nose in the business of "Stone Cold!!!" So, when I get through with Magnum jacka**, you better believe I'll be looking for you next and that's the bottom line!!!"
AFTERMATCH
After careful review of the contract, it was discovered that Austin DID have the right to pick the type of match that he and Magnum TA would be in next!!! The next encounter would be for the US title but under what terms? Only time will tell?
