PWTorch Newsletter Christmas Flashback
Originally Published: PWTorch Newsletter #33
Cover-Dated: Dec. 29, 1988

WCW Starrcade '88 Report
December 26, 1988
Norfolk, Va.
Report by Wade Keller, PWTorch editor

Torch Newsbreakers: Starrcade '88 is history and Ric Flair pinned Lex Luger in the main event to retain his NWA World Title. The Road Warriors retained their belts over Sting and Dusty Rhodes via DQ. Steiner is new TV champion. Williams and Sullivan are new U.S. Tag Team Champions.

(1) "Dr. Death" Steve Williams & Kevin Sullivan pinned The Fantastics (Bobby Fulton & Tommy Rogers) in 17:00 to win the NWA U.S. Tag Team Titles. For an opener it was fine, but it wasn't one of the Fantastics's better matches. Steve Williams was working harder than most nights, but didn't seem to be selling enough for the Fantastics. Fulton went for a flying body press and Williams caught him and "hot shot" his neck over the top rope. That led to an easy, and surprising, three count. Mostly action. (Grade: C-)

(2) The Midnight Express C (Bobby Eaton & Stan Lane w/Jim Cornette) defeated The Midnight Express D (Dennis Condrey & Randy Rose w/Paul E. Dangerously) in 17:00. The bout started with comedy as Cornette tried to get to Dangerously. While Midnight C was on offense most of the first ten minutes, Cornette got in a couple of good shots on both Condrey and Rose. The tide turned when Eaton flew into the corner and crotched himself as Condrey moved. Later, Lane "ghetto blasted" Rose and covered him. Dangerously hit Lane with his phone and placed Rose over Lane. The ref entered the situation and made the three count.

Referee Teddy Long found the phone and decided to continue the bout, to which a double goozle quickly put Midnight C on top for the pin. Express D beat on Cornette and his team after the bout. The Fantastics should have made the save, thus ending their feud with Express C and beginning one with Express D. The match was almsot all action, but Midnight C was obviously the better team. All four were in top form. (Grade: B+)

(3) The Russian Assassins (Angel of Death & Jack Victory w/Paul Jones) beat The Junkyard Dog & Ivan Koloff in 5:00. The highlight of this bout was the Assassins's new red and gold outfits. RA's won when Victory put a foreign object in his mask and KO'ed Koloff with it. JYD was in very little and did even less. Actually, it wasn't that bad. It was short and fulfilled its purpose. Jones's team didn't lose, thus, they didn't have to unmask and Jones can remain a manger in the NWA. (Grade: D+)

(4) Rick Steiner pinned Mike Rotunda in 20:00 to win the NWA World TV Title. When Steiner pinned Rotunda, the fans popped bigger than when Luger apparently beat Flair at the Baltimore Bash. He is over big time. Sullivan keenly wore black as to blend into the background while in the suspended cage. The first ten minutes were below average, but the fans were into it. Williams came ot ringside mid-match. Steiner had Rotunda down for an apparent three count after a belly-to-belly suplex, but at two, Williams took it upon himself to ring the bell. Steiner got up before three thinking he won. The referee stopped the count thinking the time limit had expired.

Tommy Young came to the ring and re-started the match after arguing with Teddy Long over the decision. Sullivan had been let out of the cage during the arguing. As Sullivan argued with Tommy Young on the ring apron, the match re-started. Steiner swung Rotunda into the ropes, but Mike ran into Sullivan, went down, and was pinned. The fans celebrated as Steiner took three laps around the ring and ran back to the dressing room. Great, creative ending. (Grade: B-)

(5) Barry Windham beat Bam Bam Bigelow via count-out in 18:00 to retain the U.S. Heavyweight Title. This could have been the best match of the night and of Bigelow's career. Bigelow got a decent babyface reaction, but he had a hard babyface act to follow in Steiner. The match told a story, saw all of the big moves each does, and ended after Barry rolled into the ring at the ten count and Bigelow didn't make it back in until the eleven count. At one point, Bigelow picked up Windham at two to attempt his nuclear splash, which he missed. A lot better than expected. (Grade: A-)

(6) Sting & Dusty Rhodes beat The Road Warriors (w/Paul Ellering) via DQ in 15:00 for the NWA World Tag Titles. Sting's music was used, but not Dusty's. The Road Warriors now have a new song, a re-mix of "Iron Man" done by the NWA synthesized band. Sting got the second biggest reaction of the night. The highlight was Sting coming off the top rope with a cross body block onto Animal outside of the ring. He owned the crowd from that point on. Dusty executed a less successful, yet effective dropkick. The Warriors were DQ'ed when Ellering interfered before the three count. Thanks to Sting, this was a very good match. (Grade: B)

(7) Ric Flair pinned Lex Luger in 31:00 to retain his NWA World Hvt. Title. There was not the magic in this bout that existed at the Baltimore Bash in July. The first 15 minutes did nothing for me. At 20 minutes, the action picked up with some of the usual spots. Flair hung Luger's legs over the ring apron and nailed them with a chair. He worked Lex's legs for a while and finally applied the figure-four. Lex made an impressive and "buyable" comeback as he reversed and broke the leglock. He went on to put Flair in the Torture Rack. Lex's legs gave out, though, and Flair landed on top of Luger. Flair put his legs over the second rope for leverage and got the three count. The ending was very appropriate, except the rope-for-leverage part was not necessary and did not matter. To Luger's credit, he got the fans on his side by match's end.

[Torch photos credit Wade Keller (c) PWTorch.com]

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