|Date: December 29, 1991
|Venue: Norfolk Scope |City: Norfolk, Virginia
|Attendance: 9,000 |Buys: 155,000

|tweet me: @BastionBlogger

There’s a small introductory video before Jim Ross & Tony Schiavone welcome us Virginia.They throw to Eric Bischoff, Missy Hyatt and Magnum TA who are here to make the draw. We know there will be 10 random tag team matches with the winners of the tag team matches going to a battle royal at the end of the night. They draw the first match which pits partners against each other!

Michael “PS” Hayes & Tracy Smothers vs. Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Jimmy Garvin

Starrcade PPV Record: Michael Hayes has lost 1 and drawn 1, Jimmy Garvin has drawn 2 and lost 1, the other two men make their Starrcade debut tonight.

Match: Tracy Smothers and Marcus Bagwell kick off the match. This is a PPV debut for the rookie Bagwell. It’s a really slow and cagey start between these two men as The Freebirds stand in their corners. Bagwell picks up the pace with dropkicks and armdrags. Bagwell tags in Jimmy Garvin who kicks Smothers out of the ring. Both men make tags and Michael Hayes takes control against Marcus Bagwell. There’s more tags made and finally Michael Hayes and Jimmy Garvin are tagged in at the same time. It’s cagey between the two partners. Hayes gets the first near fall of the night. The two men then tag out. Garvin and Bagwell work better as a team and make quick tags. All four men soon get into it after a cheap shot from Bagwell to Hayes. Hayes accidentally nails Garvin with a right hand and they get into it as Bagwell hits Smothers with a fishermans suplex for the win!

Result: Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Jimmy Garvin win by pinfall.

Review: This was a good way to kick off the show. The pacing was good and it gave us a taste of what to expect from these random tag teams. I thought we might see the end of the Freebirds but they left on good terms. Jimmy Garvin and Marcus Bagwell advance to the Battlebowl Battle Royal.

Rating: 5.5/10

It’s time for the next draw. Stunning Steve Austin is partnered with Ravishing Rick Rude to face Van Hammer and Big Josh.

Stunning Steve Austin & Ravishing Rick Rude vs. Van Hammer & Big Josh

Starrcade PPV Record: Rick Rude is 0-1, the other three men make their Starrcade debut tonight.

Match: We’ve got two members of The Dangerous Alliance against two babyfaces so there should be some chemistry in this match. Steve Austin and Vam Hammer kick off the match for their teams. Paul E. Dangerously is at ringside for his team. It’s a back and forth start to the match. Van Hammer is a big guy. Rick Rude tags in and takes control. Rude is a main eventer waiting to happen. Austin and Rude make quick tags, keeping Hammer away from Big Josh. Big Josh makes a hot tag and lays into Rude. Rude doesn’t sell any offence against his abs. Austin tags in but Big Josh dominates before tagging Van Hammer back in. Both men tag out, Rude hits an axe handle off the top for a near fall. The pace slows down as Austin and Rude wear down Big Josh, keeping him from tagging out. Dangerously gets involved and for some reason the referee doesn’t disqualify his team. Austin then accidentally nails Dangerously allowing Josh to tag out. Van Hammer picks up the pace and all four men then get into it. Rude makes a blind tag and hits the Rude Awakening for the win.

Result: Rick Rude and Stunning Steve Austin win by pinfall.

Review: It was the expected result but it took a while to get there. This match dragged on a bit. Much of the match was a slow pace and it probably could have been four or five minutes shorter. Rude will be a favourite for the Battlebowl later and Stunning Steve should do well too.

Rating: 3.5/10

It’s time for the third draw. Dustin Rhodes is first, he’ll team with rival Richard Morton against Larry Zbyszko and El Gigante.

Dustin Rhodes & Richard Morton vs. Larry Zbyszko & El Gigante

Starrcade PPV Record: Richard Morton is 4-0 at Starrcade, Larry Zbyszko drew his only previous Starrcade match and both El Gigante & Dustin Rhodes make their Starrcade debut tonight.

Match: Dustin Rhodes and Larry Zbyszko kick things off. It’s back and forth between the two men until Rhodes aggressively tags in Morton. Zbyszko tags in El Gigante and Morton immediately tags back out to Rhodes. Dustin has no luck against El Gigante. Gigante hits a powerslam as Larry yells at him from the outside. Zbyszko tags back in and it’s back and forth between he and Rhodes. Larry counters a bulldog attempt and tags El Gigante back in before yelling at him. Zbyszko then slaps Gigante so El Gigante drags him into the ring and throws him towards Morton and Rhodes who hit Larry with a double dropkick. Rhodes pins Zbyszko and gets the three!

Result: Dustin Rhodes and Richard Morton win by pinfall.

Review: This match was ok. It was the right length but it wasn’t a memorable one. I thought the losing team would actually be the one to win but I was wrong. Rhodes and Morton get the victory and it’s the first time tonight we’ve seen a team implode.

Rating: 3.5/10

It’s time for another draw.

Bill Kazmaier & Jushin “Thunder” Liger vs. Diamond Dallas Page & Mike Graham

Starrcade PPV Record: Mike Graham is the only man in this match to have fought at Starrcade before and he lost his previous match.

Match: The two Light Heavyweights kick off with champion Jushin Thunder Liger and Mike Graham. Liger hits a head scissors to get the crowd going. Kazmaier tags in and throws Mike Graham around. In comes Diamond Dallas Page who struggles against Bill’s strength. Kazmaier skins the cat which is impressive for a man his size. He then comes off the middle rope but DDP avoids the splash. This is a PPV in-ring debut for Page. Kazmaier tags Liger who hits a spinning heel kick. Page tags Graham but Liger runs circles around him. There’s plenty of tags in this match and no dissention between the two teams. Liger applies a bow and arrow stretch on Graham who doesn’t submit and then applies a Boston crab. The two men exchange pinfalls and there’s lots of ground based wrestling. Liger hits a rolling Yakuza kick and tags in Kazmaier. Liger sends Graham out of the ring and hits him with a plancha. Back in the ring and Liger hits a moonsault, DDP breaks up the cover and all four men get into it until Kazmaier throws his partner Jushin Liger into DDP, pinning him for the three!

Result: Bill Kazmaier and Jushin “Thunder” Liger win by pinfall.

Review: This match felt like a match between four men who are not used to being in tag team matches. The psychology wasn’t very good but some of the quality was good. Diamond Dallas Page shows a lot of potential. I wasn’t blown away by Liger to be honest. But Liger and Kazmaier go on to the BattleBowl.

Rating: 3.5/10

There’s an ad for SuperBrawl 92.

It’s time for a draw. We’ve got Lex Luger and Arn Anderson, two former Horsemen against Terrence Taylor and Z-Man, two men who have been rivals recently.

Lex Luger & Arn Anderson vs. Terrance Taylor & Z-Man

Starrcade PPV Record: Lex Luger has won 3, drawn 1 and lost 2, Arn Anderson has won 2, drawn 1 and lost 1, Terrance Taylor has lost all 3 of his previous Starrcade matches and Z-Man is 0-1.

Match: This match features four men experienced in WCW. Arn Anderson and Z-Man kick off the match and in the early stages Terrance Taylor helps out his partner. All four men quickly get into it where Taylor and Z-Man clear the ring. Taylor so far is wrestling like a babyface. Both men tag out and it’s back and forth between all four men. Lex hits a big gorilla press slam on Taylor. Taylor gets lots of offence in against the champion. Arn Anderson takes control for his team. Taylor and Z-Man get back into the match but Harley Race grabs the leg of Z-Man and Anderson nails him with a DDT. Arn and Lex keep Z-Man from tagging out but eventually the hot tag in made and Terrance picks up the pace against both opponents. He gets a couple of near falls on Luger and then hits a gutwrench powerbomb. All four men get into it but Arn hits Taylor with a cheap shot and Luger hits him with an attitude adjustment powerbomb for the win.

Result: Lex Luger and Arn Anderson win by pinfall.

Review: This was a decent match, the pick of the matches so far. There wasn’t a lot of chemistry between the two teams but Luger and Anderson predictably win.

Rating: 5.75/10

We’re shown a graphic of the ten men to have qualified so far.

The next draw features Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat and Todd Champion against Cactus Jack and Sgt Buddy Lee Parker. But Abdullah The Butcher attacks Sarge backstage.

Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat & Todd Champion vs. Cactus Jack & Sgt Buddy Lee Parker

Starrcade PPV Record: Ricky Steamboat is 1-1, Todd Champion, Cactus Jack and Sgt Buddy Lee Parker make their Starrcade debut tonight.

Match: Abdullah The Butcher walks out to be Cactus Jack’s partner but the referee’s send him to the back. Sgt Buddy Lee Parker crawls out but Abdullah continues to nail him with a broom handle. In the ring Ricky Steamboat and Cactus Jack go at it. Cactus dominates the early stages of the match until Steamboat hits some chops and a suicide dive. Todd Champion tags in and hits a big powerslam and legdrop. Sarge continues to crawl towards the ring. Cactus throws Champion out of the ring and then hits an elbow drop off the middle rope. Cactus and Todd Champion butts head and both men then tag out before Cactus throws Sgt Buddy Lee Parker into the ring. Steamboat then hits a powerslam and heads to the top, hitting a beautiful cross body for the three.

Result: Ricky Steamboat and Todd Champion win by pinfall.

Review: This was an unusual match but it’s a nice break form the norm. Ricky Steamboat and Todd Champion advance. I didn’t hate this match, Steamboat and Cactus Jack are both great workers and then you had the story of Sgt Buddy Lee Parker crawling to the ring and taking the fall.

Rating: 4/10

Who will get drawn next? Sting is first, he’ll be teaming with Abdullah The Butcher! They take on Flyin’ Brian and Beautiful Bobby.

Sting & Abdullah The Butcher vs. Flyin’ Brian & Beautiful Bobby Eaton

Starrcade PPV Record: Sting is 4-1-1, Abdullah is 1-1, Bobby Eaton is 2-3 and Brian Pillman wrestles at this event for the first time tonight.

Match: Abdullah The Butcher attacks Sting before the match with a mop, taking him out on the entrance ramp. Brian Pillman then rushes out and saves Sting but his partner Bobby Eaton attacks Pillman from behind before going after Sting. All four men go at it on the outside before Sting and Bobby Eaton officially kick off the match. Sting soon gets into the match and hits a massive clothesline to the outside. Abdullah The Butcher soon gets involved again, attacking his own partner Sting and giving Eaton the advantage again. Abdullah uses a pencil to attack his own partner and again Brian Pillman saves Sting. Pillman bodyslams Abdullah and hits him with a splash off the top as Sting goes to work on Beautiful Bobby. Sting hits a tombstone piledriver on Eaton but again Abdullah attacks Sting. All four men go at it and then in comes Cactus Jack! JAck accidentally nails Abdullah with a stick and then Sting hits Eaton with a cross body for the win!

Result: Sting and Abdullah The Butcher win by pinfall.

Review: This match was bizarre but the best match of the night so far. I really enjoyed the psychology of this one. It was chaotic, you had all four men going at it with their own teammates and I think it really captured the psychology of the lethal lottery. Sting (my pick to win it all) and Abdullah The Butcher advance.

Rating: 6.75/10

After the match Cactus Jack and Abdullah The Butcher fight with each other all the way to the back.

Time for a draw and Rick Steiner is drawn with The Diamond Studd but due to an injury to Diamond Studd, Rick Steiner will team with The Nightstalker. Big Van Vader and Mr Hughes are drawn next.

Rick Steiner & The Nightstalker vs. Big Van Vader & Mr Hughes

Starrcade PPV Record: Rick Steiner is 6-1-1, Mr Hughes is 0-1, Vader and The Nightstalker wrestle at this event for the first time tonight.

Match: Big Van Vader and Rick Steiner kick things off for their teams. Vader (no mask tonight) dominates early on until Rick hits a massive Steinerline and then a belly to belly suplex. Steiner takes the fight to the outside but Vader rams him into the ringpost. Steiner just about suplexes Vader into the ring. Mr Hughes tags in and controls the match for his team. The Nightstalker tags himself in and hits a big clothesline off the top on Mr Hughes. Vader tags in and knocks down The Nightstalker and Rick Steiner hits a bulldog on Hughes. Vader then splashes The Nightstalker and gets the three.

Result: Big Van Vader and Mr Hughes win by pinfall.

Review: This wasn’t the best match but it wasn’t a total disaster. The two big men win against Rick Steiner and an inexperienced Nightstalker, of whom the commentators really buried. Lots of big men in the BattleBowl but no Rick Steiner.

Rating: 3.25/10

Scott Steiner is drawn next with Firebreaker Chip. They take on Johnny B. Badd and Arachnaman.

Scott Steiner & Firebreaker Chip vs. Johnny B. Badd & Arachnaman.

Starrcade PPV Record: Scott Steiner is 5-1, Arachnaman (Brad Armstrong) drew his previous Starrcade match and the other two newcomers make their Starrcade debut tonight.

Match: Johnny B. Badd and Firebreaker Chip start things off. To be honest I’d have preferred to see Johnny B. Badd and Scott Steiner drawn together and advance. Johnny B. Badd hits strikes whilst Chip his high flying moves. Scott Steiner tags in to a big pop. Scott Steiner is looking big. Steiner dominates against Arachnaman but Johnny B. Badd tags in and has more luck. Steiner looks to wrestle against Johnny’s jabs. Scott hits a pumphandle slam and tags Firebreaker Chip in. Both teams make quick tags with Steiner and Chip keeping control. Scott hits a double underhook powerbomb on Johnny B. Badd and then tags out. Arachnaman slows down the pace before hitting a big dropkick. Scott Steiner tags in and takes on both opponents. All four men get involved, Arachnaman heads to the top but gets caught and thrown with a belly to belly. Scotty pins Arachnaman and gets the three!

Result: Scott Steiner and Firebreaker Chip win by pinfall.

Review: Like I say, I’d have preferred to have seen Johnny B. Badd team with Steiner here but we got Firebreaker Chip and they got the win. This match was ok, it wasn’t terrible. Not much more to say than that.

Rating: 3.5/10

Ron Simmons is drawn next with Thomas Rich against Steve Armstrong and PN News.

Ron Simmons & Thomas Rich vs. Steve Armstrong & P. N. News

Starrcade PPV Record: Ron Simmons has drawn 1 and lost 3, Thomas Rich is 1-0, whilst the other team make their Starrcade debut tonight.

Match: Ron Simmons and Steve Armstrong kick off the match. Armstrong angers Simmons early on and Ron lays into him. Rich tags in and the two heels go at it. PN News gets involved, tossing Thomas Rich around. Rich tags Simmons and fares better, taking down News with a bulldog for a near fall. Both teams go back and forth, making frequent tags. Ron Simmons and Thomas Rich argue with one another which allows Steve Armstrong to take control for his team. The crowd are hot for Ron Simmons in this one. The match really slows down with Armstrong and Rich. Ron Simmons finally gets a hot tag and picks up the pace. He powerslams both opponents and then hits a spinebuster on Armstrong for the three.

Result: Ron Simmons and Thomas Rich win by pinfall.

Review: A match that started ok but limped over the finish line. I expected Ron Simmons to win but would have preferred to have seen he and PN News qualify.

Rating: 2.75/10

Marcus Alexander Bagwell vs. Jimmy Garvin vs. Stunning Steve Austin vs. Ravishing Rick Rude vs. Dustin Rhodes vs. Richard Morton vs. Bill Kazmaier vs. Jushin “Thunder” Liger vs. Lex Luger vs. Arn Anderson vs. Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat vs. Todd Champion vs. Sting vs. Abdullah The Butcher vs. Big Van Vader vs. Mr Hughes vs. Scott Steiner vs. Firebreaker Chip vs. Ron Simmons vs. Thomas Rich – two ring BattleBowl

Match: So all 20 men will start in one ring, where they are eliminated into the second ring and a second battle royal will begin until there is one winner in the first ring and one in the second. The two winner will then go one on one to determine the overall winner. Let’s go. Sting is my pick to win it all against Lex Luger. All 20 men go at it with no early eliminations. Vader is impressive, dominating the likes of Ricky Steamboat. Thomas Rich is the first man eliminated into the second ring. The crowd go nuts for Sting and Lex Luger. Bagwell is next to be eliminated from the first ring and then Firebreaker Chip, Jushin Liger and Richard Morton. There’s some nice action between the latter two before Liger eliminates both he and Morton from the second ring. Thomas Rich is also a gonner. Steamboat and Arn Anderson fight into ring 2 but I’m not sure they were eliminated from ring 1. Todd Champion and Jimmy Garvin are eliminated from ring 1 and Garvin is quickly eliminated from ring 2. Ring 2 starts to fill up. Ring 1 just has Sting, Rick Rude, Vader and Lex Luger. Rude and Sting battle over the top and it’s just Vader and Luger. Luger eliminates Vader to win the first battle royal.

The second ring still has a lot of participants but the likes of Firebreaker Chip and Todd Champion are eliminated. Dustin Rhodes still in there, he eliminates Arn Anderson as they give us a triple screen. Dustin Rhodes, Ron Simmons and Mr Hughes all go over the top. Marcus Bagwell, Vader and Scott Steiner all go. We’re down to Sting, Rick Rude, Stunning Steve and Ricky Steamboat, four big players. Rude accidentally clotheslines Steve Austin out! Steamboat then eliminates Rude before Rude pulls Steamboat out. Sting wins the second battle royal! But Rick Rude nails Sting with a Rude Awakening.

It’s down to Sting and Lex Luger. Who would have called that. Lex lays into Sting. Luger had a good break after winning his battle royal. He nails Sting with a clothesline and then mocks Sting. Harley Race gets involved but Sting fights him off. It’s enough of a distraction for Luger launch Sting into the barricade. They fight around the ring and then back into it where Sting takes control. Harley Race gets into the ring so Sting suplexes him. Luger avoids a Stinger Splash. Lex looks to finish it but Sting hangs on and then hits some big strikes, a bulldog and then eliminates Lex to win!

Result: Sting wins BattleBowl.

Review: This was a fun match. I like the idea behind it but the first Battle Royal probably went on a bit long. Vader came out of that looking good. The second battle royal was all about the likes of Sting and Rick Rude. Sting goes the distance in the end. It was predictable but the right result at the end of the day. An enjoyable match which tops off an entertaining night.

Rating: 6.5/10

And thsat was Starrcade 91. I really enjoyed the random tag team element of the show, for WCW it’s their Royal Rumble and it made for some teams. What I did find interesting is that they teams literally seemed random. There were a couple of matches with background but generally the teams were all really random. You know if WWE did this then the teams would all have backstories. There wasn’t a lot of quality on the show but I did enjoy the Sting & Abdullah The Butcher vs. Flyin’ Brian and Bobby Eaton match. The two ring battle royal that ended the show was fun too. It was predictable in the end with Sting and Lex Luger but definitely the right booking.

Overall Rating: 44.09/100 (ranked 23rd out of 27 NWA/WCW PPV’s reviewed so far)

Match Of The Night: Sting & Abdullah The Butcher vs. Bobby Eaton & Brian Pillman
Worst Match Of The Night: Ron Simmons & Thomas Rich vs. Steve Armstrong & PN News
Surprise Of The Night: N/A
Worst Booking Of The Night: N/A
Superstar Of The Night: Sting
Starrcade 91 Will Be Remembered For: The Lethal Lottery