Nikita Koloff (c) vs. Bobby Eaton – World Television Championship match

Background: For weeks Jim Cornette has had his sights set on the Television Championship held by Nikita Koloff. He’s actually been hyping up Stan Lane as the man to take the title from Koloff but tonight it is Bobby Eaton who gets the shot.

Previous PPV matches: This is a first time singles PPV match between these two men.

Match: It’s a cagey start to the match as both men look to take the early advantage. Bobby Eaton gets some big right hands in but Nikita no-sells and lands some right hands of his own. Jim Cornette shouts intructions to Bobby Eaton from the outside. The match from here is back and forth with lots of mat wrestling and submissions holds. They exchange headlocks and hammerlocks for much of the match. Nikita hita a big powerslam to show off his power. I don’t mind the pace of this match so far. Bobby Eaton is looking for his first PPV victory tonight having lost his previous 8 matches on major events. The fight goes to the outside where Bobby lays in some right hands until Koloff launches him into the ringpost. There are no mats on the outside of the ring and Nikita hits a hiptoss on his challenger. A lot of Eaton’s offensive is submission holds. He does hit a dropkick off the top rope for a near fall. Nikita breaks out of what felt like an hour long hammerlock and hits a Russian sickle. Eaton goes right back to the hammerlock. I wouldn’t be surprised, based on the regular time updates, if this match goes the distance. With just two minutes to go Bobby Eaton continues to work the arm. With 30 seconds to go Nikita starts a comeback, laying in some big right hands and a back elbow. He hits a Russian Sickle and the time runs out.

Result: Time limit draw.

Review: This match was ok. It was a bit slow in places but clearly they were pacing themselves. It wasn’t a terrible match, there were some high spots. Just too many headlocks and hammerlocks for my liking. I’m surprised that Nikita didn’t win, they must be keeping Bobby Eaton looking strong. Eaton continues to look for his first PPV victory. I didn’t hate this match, it kept my interest anyway.

Rating: 4/10

Barry Windham (c) vs. Larry Zbyszko – Western States Heritage Championship match

Background: Larry Zbyszko has been saying for a long time that he was to win the Western States Heritage Championship from Barry Windham, partly because he goes into his 14th year as a profressional wrestler and is looking for his first major championship. He gets his shot tonight.

Previous PPV matches: This is a first time PPV match between these two men.

Match: Larry Zbyszko has Babydoll in his corner and she gets in Windham’s face from the off. Barry Windham has the advantage in the early going, using his power to hiptoss his challenger and cause him to retreat to the outside. The two men exchange wrestling holds and strikes but Zbyszko can’t get the better of Windham who hits an inverted atomic drop. Larry attempts to use leglocks to keep Windham down but Barry fights back. Windham misses a senton off the top allowing Zbyszko to take back control. It’s back and forth with Windham really selling his knee, he buckles as he tries to hit a suplex. The fight goes to the outside where Larry sending Barry into the ringpost. Back in the ring and Windham misses a clothesline and falls to the outside. Back in the ring and the match remains back and forth. Windham counters a piledriver before the two men clash heads in the middle of the ring. Windham hits an Irish whip into the corner but takes out the referee in the process. With the refere down Zbyszko nails Windham with Babydoll’s high heel shoe! He hooks the leg and the referee counts the 3!

Result: Larry Zbyszko wins the Western States Heritage Championship by pinfall.

Review: This was a good match. I enjoyed the psychology and I thought it was a really solid back and forth match. It’s the best I’ve seen Barry Windham. Windham needs to stay protected so losing in this way makes a lot of sense. And he can be elevated up the card now. I[m not really sure about this particular title but Larry can hold it for a while before putting over an up and coming young talent.

Rating: 7/10

Ri. Flair (c) vs. Hawk – World Heavyweight Championship match

Background: Another rivalry heading into the event was between Ric Flair and Road Warrior Hawk for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. At Starrcade, Flair defeated Ron Garvin to win the title. On December 6, The Road Warriors (Hawk and Animal) defeated Flair and Arn Anderson by disqualification. On January 24 episode of World Championship Wrestling, Flair was scheduled to defend the title against Hawk at Bunkhouse Stampede.

Previous PPV matches: This is a first time PPV match between these two men.

Match: We join this match just as it gets underway. It’s all Hawk in the early going as he tosses Flair around. Flair retreats out of the ring but Hawk is kind enough to suple him back in before applying a bear hug. Hawk fires up on the outside, even throwing the ring steps at Flair unsuccessfully. Back in the ring and Ric takes control with a low blow. It’s all Flair from here as he lays in chops and strikes. He works the left leg of Hawk and hits another low blow for good measure. Flair manages to lock on the figure four but Hawk reverses it, applying the pressure to Flair until he gets to the bottom rope to break it. Ric then heads to the top but Hawk throws him down to the canvas. Hawk hits a big clothesline but also nails the referee, sending him out of the ring. Hawk throws Flair over the top rope which may come back to haunt him. He then throws Flair into the ringpost a couple of times busting him wide open. Hawk hits a superplex but thers’s no referee to count. JJ Dillon then nails Hawk with a chair but Hawk gets up to his feet and disposes of Dillon. Flair picks up the chair and nails Hawk with it before pinning him for a near fall! Ric Flair picks up the chair against and hits Hawk with it right in front of the referee who calls for the bell!

Result: Hawk wins by disqualification.

Review: This was a fun match. Hawk was the more powerful man and threw Flair around and so Flair had to resort to desperate measures to retain his title. This match really put over Hawk as a main event guy and somebody who could be built to take the title off Flair. But we all love The Road Warriors as a tag team so we’ll have to see how that plays out. In the end Flair took the disqualification loss to retain his championship.

Rating: 7/10

Dusty Rhodes vs. Lex Luger vs. Animal vs. Arn Anderson vs. Tully Blanchard vs. The Barbarian vs. Ivan Koloff vs. The Warlord – Finals of the Bunkhouse Stampede

Background: The main match heading into the event was the Steel Cage Bunkhouse Stampede. By December 26, Big Bubba Rogers, Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard, The Barbarian and The Warlord, Lex Luger, Road Warrior Animal, Steve Williams, Mighty Wilbur and Ivan Koloff had qualified for the Bunkhouse Stampede final. The final participant was determined by a Wildcard Bunkhouse Stampede on January 1, which was won by Dusty Rhodes. Mighty Wilbur was injured and therefore was unable to compete in the final. No explanation was ever given as to why Steve Williams and Big Bubba Rogers did not compete in the final.

Previous PPV matches: This is a first battle between these eight men.

Match: All eight men are locked in the cage and the bell rings. This is going to be a melee. They all go at it with the faces outnumbered by the heels. To elininate someone from the match you have to throw them either through the cage door or over the top of the cage. dusty comes close to eliminating Tully Blanchard and Ivan Koloff. It’s amazing that any of these men climb the ropes when it puts them at risk, The Barbarian tries to throw Dusty Rhodes over the top but Animal saves Rhodes. Koloff is busted open. The crowd go nuts as Dusty starts whipping everyone with his belt. Lex Luger lays into Tully Blanchard with his boot but still nobody has been eliminated. Rhodes has blood all down his arm. Arn Anderson is nearly eliminated by Animal but Barbarian makes the save. The first elimination finally happens when Ivan Koloff is eliminated by Animal. Animal gets his second elimation when he eliminates The Warlord but Animal falls out with him!

With five men left in the ring Lex Luger lays into Tully Blanchard, hitting a big powerslam and then the torture rack. Lex and Tully fight over to the door and Arn Anderson also helps out. Arn nearly has Lex eliminated but Luger fights him off and it results in all three men falling out! We’re down to just Dusty Rhodes and The Barbarian! Barbarian hits a diving headbutt. Barbarian looks to shove Dusty Rhodes out the door but Rhodes fights back. They fight back into the cage and up it where Rhodes hits Barbarian with a bionic elbow sending him flying over the cage to win the match!

Result: Dusty Rhodes wins, last eliminating The Barbarian.

Review: This was a really fun match. It was chaotic from start to finish. It’s the first time I have ever seen a battle royal in a cage and it certainlly added another level to that sort of match. I’m not sure about Dusty Rhodes winning the match, he’s won a lot of these matches and it could have been used to elevate a younger talent like Lex Luger or even Sting. Still, a good match tonight.

Rating: 8.25/10