|Date: July 14, 1991
|Venue: Baltimore Arena |City: Baltimore, Maryland
|Attendance: 9,320 |Buys: 145,000

|tweet me: @BastionBlogger

The show opens up with a PPV shot of a fan entering the show. Jim Ross then welcomes us to The Great American Bash 1991.

P. N. News & Beautiful Bobby vs. Stunning Steve Austin & Terrence Taylor – Scaffold Match

Previous PPV matches: This is a first time PPV match involving these four men. P. N. News and Stunning Steve make their PPV debuts tonight.

Great American Bash PPV Record: Bobby Eaton is 3-5, everyone else in the match makes their Great American Bash debut tonight.

Match: The four men make the long climb to the top of the scaffolding and it’s Bobby Eaton and Stunning Steve that make their way to the center. It’s very cagey as both men look to find their balance. Stunning Steve seems petrified. We’re told that the match ends when either someone falls from the scaffold or someone gets the opponents flag from the other side of the scaffold. Terrence Taylor and P. N. News soon get into it but again but cagey as you would expect. Lady Blossom is outside watching her man Steve Austin and his partner. P. N. News makes it to the other side of the scaffold, as does Terrence Taylor. Taylor seems the most confidence on top of the scaffold. Beautiful Bobby grabs the flag of his opponents, walks back to his side of the scaffold but instead of winning the match he goes back to attack his opponents. Lady Blossom hands Stunning Steve some hair spray and Austin sprays it in both Bobby and P. N. News’ face which causes Eaton to drop the flag. All four men go at it and suddenly the announcement is made that Bobby and News have won. I have no idea what just happened but this is dreadful.

Result: Beautiful Bobby and P. N. News win somehow.

Review: This was awful from start to finish. Yes, the element of danger made it somewhat more interesting but this was close to unwatchable. Very little action. A win for a Eaton and PN News somehow.

Rating: 1/10

Jim Ross and Tony Schiavone tell us that Ric Flair has continued to refuse to sign a new contract. Schiavone has dyed his hair blonde.

New announcer Eric Bischoff is joined by Paul E. Dangerously and Arn Anderson. Dangerously says that he has made a phone call tonight to make sure that Missy Hyatt is done in wrestling. Arn says that Rick Steiner can’t look past him tonight as it’ll be aggravated assault tonight.

Back to Jim Ross and Tony Schiavone who are buying time as the ring crew take down the scaffolding.

Z-Man vs. Diamond Studd

Background: Diamond Studd is a newcomer on the block and wasted no time attacking Z-Man, stripping off his suit and embarrassing him in. front of the world.

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

Great American Bash PPV Record: Z-Man is 0-1, Diamond Studd (under his real name Scott Hall) is also 0-1.

Match: Diamond Studd is of course joined by Diamond Dallas Page. Z-Man launches himself into the ring and attacks both Diamond Studd and Diamond Dallas Page before the bell. He starts quickly but Page soon gets revenge, pulling down the top rope which sends Z-Man to the outside where Diamond Studd throws him over and into the barricade. In the ring and Diamond Studd keeps control of the match with Z-Man getting little bits of offence but struggles to keep any momentum. Studd hits a chokeslam for a two count. Z-Man hits a karate kick and the two men battle outside the ring again. I think that kick may have cut Studd open. Back in the ring and Z-Man pulls Diamond Dallas Page into the ring which distracts him long enough for The Diamond Studd to hit a belly to back suplex with a bridge for the win.

Result: Diamond Studd wins by pinfall.

Review: This wasn’t a bad match, it was pretty average and did what it needed to. Diamond Studd had to be the man to win, I’m a big fan of his and should move up the card. It feels like Z-Man’s run could be coming to an end. An ok match here with some fun action outside of the ring.

Rating: 4.5/10

Ron Simmons vs. Oz

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

Great American Bash PPV Record: Ron Simmons is 1-1, Oz wrestles at this event for the first time tonight.

Match: This is a tough one to predict because Oz seems to be someone they are pushing but Ron Simmons has a lot of momentum too. The Oz gimmick is terrible but he might just have the best entrance music in the company. It’s a slow start to the match anyway with Oz tring to wear Ron down with a headlock. Oz is the more powerful of the two men as he knocks Simmons down with shoulder barges. Boring chants break out so Simmons clotheslines Oz out of the ring. Back in the ring and Oz wins a test of strength before picking up the pace slightly with clotheslines and then hits a side slam for a two count. He then throws Simmons out of the ring where the Wizard lays in a boot. Ron hits Oz with a few football tackles and then a shoulder block for the three.

Result: Ron Simmons wins by pinfall.

Review: The crowd was flat for this one. It was not good. Oz was bad. Ron Simmons wasn’t given much of an opportunity to showcase his talent but the best part of the match was the action that led to the finish. A big win for Ron Simmons against an undefeated Oz.

Rating: 2/10

We’re shown the WCW Top Ten. From 10 to 1 they are Johnny B. Badd, Ron Simmons, Diamond Studd, El Gigante, Arn Anderson, Beautiful Bobby, Stunning Steve, Sting, Barry Windham and Lex Luger.

Richard Morton vs. Robert Gibson

Background: Ricky Morton shocked the world when he joined the York Foundation. Morton would go a step further and attack his former best friend and tag team partner Robert Gibson who tried to reason with him which led to this match.

Previous PPV matches: This is a first time these two men have fought each other.

Great American Bash PPV Record: Robert Gibson is 4-1-1, Richard Morton is 3-1-2. (W-D-L)

Match: Richard Morton has Alexandra York in his corner but these two men get into it in the entranceway. It’s a quick start to the match with Robert Gibson getting most of the offence in. This is a true battle of mullets. Morton keeps escaping the ring which slows the match down a lot. Morton sends Gibson into the middle turnbuckle to take control. He rips at Robert Gibsons tights to expose the knee brace which supports the previously injured knee. Richard Morton works the knee of Gibson from here, applying leglocks and figure fours. Gibson can barely stand as Morton continues the assault on the knee. This match is so slow that even Jim Ross has commented on the pace. Gibson hits a DDT but can’t capitalise on it. Someone audibly shouts “take it home” and Morton nods, right on camera. Ricky goes to the top but Robert throws him down before hitting an enzeguri. The two men fight on the entranceway and miss each other with dropkicks. Alexandra York distracts the referee, Morton grabs the computer and nails his former partner with it for the win.

Result: Richard Morton wins by pinfall.

Review: Another poor match. A really slow pace. The psychology was there but the execution of the match was so poor because of the pace. The right man won and probably in the correct way but it was a hard watch.

Rating: 3/10

Eric Bischoff is backstage with The Young Pistols and Dustin Rhodes. Dustin Rhodes promos are hilarious as he tries to imitate his father.

The Young Pistols (Steve Armstrong & Tracy Smothers) & Dustin Rhodes vs. The Fabulous Freebirds (Michael “PS” Hayes, Jimmy Garvin & Badstreet) – Elimination Six Man Tag Team match

Previous PPV matches: This is a first time six man tag team match between these six men.

Great American Bash PPV Record: The Young Pistols are 0-1, Michael Hayes is 2-2, Jimmy Garvin has won 2, drawn 1 and lost 4 and the man under the Badstreet mask is 0-1.

Match: Michael Hayes and Dustin Rhodes kick off the match after having a moonsault off. Rhodes takes control early and fights off all three opponents. No Diamond Dallas Page at ringside for this one, only the Roadboss Big Daddy Dink. A cheap shot from Garvin gives the Freebirds control of the match. All six men go at it with the Pistols coming off the top. From here Tracy Smothers and Jimmy Garvin go back and forth before Steve Armstrong hits a big top rope clothesline on Badstreet. The Freebirds send Tracy Smothers out of the ring where Big Daddy Dink nails him with a clothesline. The Freebirds make quick tags against Tracy Smothers as they keep him from his corner. Badstreet is a really smooth, crisp worker. Smothers counters a DDT attempt from Hayes and tags in Steve Armstrong who picks up the pace. All six men get into it from here. Steve Armstrong looks to take the mask off Badstreet but that allows Hayes to nail him with a clothesline before Michael and Badstreet hit a double DDT for the three count. Steve Armstrong is eliminated and Michael Hayes is eliminated seconds after as the referee claims Hayes threw Armstrong over the top rope!

So we’re down to two against two. Dustin makes a hot tag but the referee doesn’t see it. Behind the referee’s back Garvin and Badstreet hit Smothers with a double DDT and pin him to eliminate Smothers from the match. Dustin Rhodes then hits a big clothesline on Garvin and pins him for the three! We’re down to Badstreet and Dustin Rhodes. Rhodes counters Badstreet who comes flying off the top and then nails him with a clothesline but Big Daddy Dink distracts the referee. Rhodes then hits a bulldog, dropkicking Dink at the same time before pinning Badstreet for the victory!

Result: Dustin Rhodes wins the match for his team.

Review: This match felt a little slow to get going and then the eliminations came thick and fast. I think they could have spread the eliminations out more and got to them quicker. Dustin Rhodes gets the big win tonight for his team. Will we find out who is under the mask of Badstreet?

Rating: 4/10

Yellow Dog vs. Johnny B. Badd

Background: This is a bounty match as Johnny B. Badd looks to unmask The Yellow Dog tonight. Is it the fired Brian Pillman? Johnny B. Badd makes his PPV debut tonight and looks to find out who the Yellow Dog is.

Previous PPV matches: This is a first.

Great American Bash PPV Record: If Brian Pillman is under the mask of the Yellow Dog then he is 2-1 at Great American Bash events.

Match: Before the match gets underway the feed goes to black. And then the feed returns. Jim Ross refers to Yellow Dog as Brian Pillman. It’s a back and forth fast-paced start to the match. Yellow Dog is a lot quicker than Johnny B. Badd. Badd has Theodore Long in his corner and Yellow Dog dropkicks Johnny into his manager. Johnny B. Badd hits an impressive sunset flip off the top rope for a near fall. Yellow Dog ducks a big left hand and hits a belly to back suplex. Yellow Dog hits a spinning heel kick, back body drop and then a cross body off the top but as he pins Johnny B. Badd his manager Theodore Long breaks it up causing a disqualification!

Result: The Yellow Dog wins by disqualification.

Review: It wasn’t a memorable match but it wasn’t terrible. They’d booked themselves into a corner here where they didn’t want either man to lose cleanly. The result they went with was probably the best they could do. A loss for Johnny B. Badd tonight but not a clean one.

Rating: 4/10

Eric Bischoff is in the women’s locker room. Someone delivers Hyatt flowers that are from her boyfriend Jason. Bischoff then walks into the shower where Missy throws things at him and tells him to get out.

Big Josh vs. Blackblood – Lumberjack match

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

Great American Bash PPV Record: Both men make their Great American Bash debut tonight.

Match: Lumberjacks include Dustin Rhodes, Junkyard Dog, Dick Slater, Dick Murdoch, Richard Morton, Bobby Eaton and P. N. News. Blackblood takes control early and throws Big Josh out of the ring where The Hardliners lay into him before tossing him back into the ring. Big Josh soon takes control and he knocks Blackblood out of the ring where the heels let him rest. Big Josh hits his logroll and knocks his opponent out of the ring where the babyfaces toss him back in. Blackblood drops Big John on the top rope to take the advantage. The lumberjacks then get into it on the outside whilst Blackblood lays into Big Josh with a legdrop. There’s no Kevin Sullivan at ringside for this one. Blackblood hits a German suplex and then grabs the axe but Dustin Rhodes nails Blackblood with an axe handle! Big Josh then rolls up Blackblood for the win!

Result: Big Josh wins by pinfall.

Review: Dustin Rhodes was the difference in this one, costing Blackblood the match. This was a fairly entertaining match actually, mostly because of the guys on the outside. Big Josh seems the right winner, I think he has more of a future with the company. I didn’t mind this match, it wasn’t as drawn out as some of the matches tonight and it kept me entertained.

Rating: 5.75/10

El Gigante vs. One Man Gang

Background: This is a battle between the two giants in WCW. One Man Gang attacked El Gigante following El Gigante’s match with Sid at Clash Of The Champions. This wouldn’t be the last time One Man Gang attacked El Gigante and then ext time it happened Kevin Sullivan would shave Gigante’s head.

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

Great American Bash PPV Record: El Gigante is 1-0, One Man Gang wrestles at this event for the first time tonight.

Match: Kevin Sullivan cuts a promo on the way to the ring, talking nonsense about the lady with the third eye. El Gigante is accompanied by small people. The small people run circles around One Man Gang and then go to the outside with Kevin Sullivan, one of which took a nasty bump. Gigante meanwhile takes control against One Man Gang. Gigante hits a hiptoss and some clubbing blows. One Man Gang comes off the second rope with a clothesline but can’t take the big man down. Gang then nails Gigante with a wrench before working the leg of the giant. Kevin Sullivan also gets a cheap shot in with the wrench. One Man Gang hits the 747 splash but Gigante pushes him out of the ring. Gang heads to the top but Gigante throws him down and hits a suplex. Sullivan hands One Man Gang some powder but El gigante kicks it in his opponents own face and then pins him for the three!

Result: El Gigante win by pinfall.

Review: A fairly interesting spectacle compared to some of what we’ve seen tonight. El Gigante got the win in the end and remains unbeaten. One Man Gang keeps his heat but I don’t think he needed to.

Rating: 3.5/10

We’re shown some footage of what led to the match between Sting and Nikita Koloff.

Sting vs. Nikita Koloff – Russian Chain match

Background: Nikita Koloff returned to WCW with a view to take out Lex Luger but he would take out Sting by accident, costing Sting and Luger the tag team titles. Sting would look for revenge over the following weeks but Koloff had his number. Nikita would attack Sting on numerous occasions and even intimidate his fans.

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

Great American Bash PPV Record: Sting has won 3 and drawn 1, Nikita has won 2, drawn 1 and lost 4.

Match: Sting takes control early, taking the fight to the outside and smashing Koloff off the barricades. It’s all Sting in the early going as he fights a quick pace and uses the chain as a weapon. Sting is the first man to hit two turnbuckles. Koloff then takes control and bounces Sting off the barricades. Sting pulls Koloff into the ringpost and it’s back and forth from here. Sting hits a low blow using the chain which fires up the crowd. Koloff touches three turnbuckles but Sting stops him from touching a fourth. The two men wrestle into one corner and then another. Nikita hits a blatant low blow before Sting hits one of his own. Both men then hit a third turnbuckle before Nikita hits a big clothesline. Sting then hits a big Stinger splash on Koloff sending Koloff into the fourth turnbuckle first!

Result: Nikita Koloff wins the match.

Review: This was a decent match. I am surprised that Nikita Koloff won the match despite it being his speciality match. Sting doesn’t lose too much heat from losing and he gets his revenge after the bell. It’s a big win for Nikita though and should put him back in the hunt for the United States Championship.

Rating: 6/10

The commentators hype up the main event and we get a video package whilst the ring crew put the cage up.

Lex Luger vs. Barry Windham – Steel Cage match for the vacant World Heavyweight Championship

Background: Lex Luger won a number one contenders match by beating The Great Muta at Clash Of The Champions. Ric Flair would then leave the company, vacating the World Heavyweight Championship. Barry Windham was announced as Ric Flair’s replacement and would meet Lex Luger in a cage match to determine a new World Champion.

Previous PPV matches: These two men have met on PPV once before and Lex Luger won that match, winning the United States title at the Chi-Town Rumble.

Great American Bash PPV Record: Lex Luger is 3-3, Barry Windham is 4-1.

Match: It’s a cagey start to the match as both men counter suplexes attempts from the other. Lex hits a hiptoss and Barry hits a dropkick in a cautious match. Lots of “Ric Flair” and “Nature Boy” chants. It’s back and forth between the two men as both men look to gain an advantage. Luger hits a suplex. The two men exchange sleepers before Lex hits a DDT for a two count. Luger then climbs the cage but Windham tosses him down to the mat. Windham then climbs the cage but Luger avoids an elbow drop. Lex hits three clotheslines for a near fall. Luger then applies the torture rack but Windham gets out of it and hits a side suplex. Windham hits a big clothesline off the top. This is the first WCW/NWA PPV ever to not feature Ric Flair. Harley Race and Mr Hughes emerge from the back and walk towards the ring. Harley talks to Luger and tells him that now is the time. Luger hits Windham with a piledriver and hooks the leg for the three!

Result: Lex Luger wins the World Heavyweight Championship.

Review: I’m not sure what to make of that finish. The crowd pop for Luger but have we just seen a heel turn? It wasn’t the most memorable match but it has crowned Lex Luger as World Heavyweight Champion for the first ever time. Lex was the right man to win, no doubt. Not a bad main event but lacked that main event feel.

Rating: 6/10

Wow, that wasn’t even the main event.

Rick Steiner & Missy Hyatt vs. Arn Anderson & Paul E. Dangerously – Mixed gender tag team match

Background: This was scheduled to be a six person tag team match but Scott Steiner got injured and Barry Windham got bumped up to the world title match, leaving this as a tag team match.

Previous PPV matches: This is a first time tag team match involving these four.

Great American Bash PPV Record: Rick Steiner is 2-2, Arn Anderson has won 2, drawn 2 and lost 4. Missy Hyatt and Paul E. Dangerously wrestle at this event for the first time tonight.

Match: The Hardliners (Dick Slater & Dick Murdoch) take Missy Hyatt away from the match, leaving Arn Anderson alone in a handicap match. Paul E. Dangerously opts to stay outside the ring as Rick Steiner and Arn Anderson go at it. Dangerously soon gets involved, attacking Steiner from behind. Rick hits Anderson with a Steinerline and then powerslams Paul E. Rick hits Dangerously with a Steinerline and pins him for the win.

Result: Rick Steiner & Missy Hyatt win by pinfall.

Review: Well this was short. Rick Steiner beat Arn and Dangerously by himself but why was this the main event. It makes no sense whatsoever. I was entertained by this match but it was certainly no classic.

Rating: 3.75/10

Man, I need a podcast to rant about this show. From start to finish it was a disaster. Firstly, the scaffold match was bad, the capture the flag element was terrible and took all the danger out of the match. Bobby Eaton won the match and then went back, got sprayed in the face and was then announced as the winner. This was so bad. Why wasn’t P. N. News fighting the man he’s been feuding with for weeks, Johnny B. Badd? Diamond Studd was one of the shining lights of the show. Why did Ron Simmons beat Oz? I can only assume Oz is done now. Morton and Gibson was really disappointing. Some of it was average. Like the six man tag team elimination match and the lumberjack match.

Why wasn’t the world title match on last?! This makes no sense whatsoever. Luger and Windham are battling to become world champion for the first time in either of their career and it goes on second last?! The finish made no sense. Harley Race and Mr Hughes turning up and not really doing anything. Race told Luger to finish it and he did, with a piledriver. Lex Luger wins clean, the crowd cheer, Luger looks confused because he’s actually just done the lamest heel turn ever. None of that made sense. And then Missy Hyatt gets kidnapped and Rick Steiner wins a handicap match in two minutes. This whole event was an absolute mess. Ric Flair must have been watching, glad to be out of it.

Overall Rating: 39.5/100 (ranked 23rd out of 25 WCW/NWA PPV’s reviewed so far)

Match Of The Night: Sting vs. Nikita Koloff / Lex Luger vs. Barry Windham
Worst Match Of The Night: Bobby Eaton & PN News vs. Stunning Steve & Terrence Taylor
Surprise Of The Night: Lex Luger turns heel
Worst Booking Of The Night: Everything
Superstar Of The Night: Lex Luger
Great American Bash 91 Will Be Remembered For: Being awful / Lex Luger winning the world title