|Date: July 12, 1992
|Venue: Albany Civic Center |City: Albany, Georgia
|Attendance: 8,000 |Buys: 70,000

|tweet me: @BastionBlogger

A video package kicks us off with Tony Schiavone running down the card. He then welcomes us to the summertime extravaganza. He’s joined by Magnum TA. We’re told that Nogami is injured and Hashimoto will take his place. They then throw to Jim Ross and Jesse Ventura. They hype up the main event before throwing to Eric Bischoff and Bill Watts who explain the difference in NWA and WCW rules.

Brian Pillman & Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Nikita Koloff & Ricky Steamboat – NWA Tag Team Championship tournament quarter final match

Previous PPV matches: This is a first time tag team match between these two babyface teams.

Great American Bash Record: Brian Pillman is 3-1, Nikita Koloff has won 3, lost 4 and drawn 1, Ricky Steamboat is 1-0 and Jushin Liger makes his Great American Bash debut.

Match: Brian Pillman and Nikita Koloff kick off the match and it’s Nikita’s strength against Brian’s technical and high flying skills. Pillman and Liger make lots of quick tags to keeping Koloff isolated. Ricky Steamboat tags in and picks up the pace, throwing both opponents out of the ring. Steamboat and Pillman go at it for a while as it becomes a back and forth contest. Liger tags in and hits a moonsault for a near fall before hitting a tombstone for another near fall. Steamboat tags Koloff who drops elbows on Liger. Nikita slows down the pace but tags in Steamboat who picks it back up. It’s a real back and forth match. Nikita motions for a Russian sickle on Liger but Flyin’ Brian attacks him from behind. Pillman hits a springboard clothesline and a missile dropkick for a near fall. Both men make tags and the crowd are hot for Liger and Steamboat. Pillman tags in and all four men go at it. Brian hits a cross body off the top but Steamboat rolls through and gets the three!

Result: Ricky Steamboat and Nikita Koloff win by pinfall.

Review: This was a really good way to kick off the show. The crowd were really into it and the match had a really fast pace to it. I really enjoyed this one. Although these aren’t two regular tag teams they put on a match that would make you believe otherwise. Steamboat and Koloff advance to take on Dr Death and Terry Gordy in the semi finals. 

Rating: 8/10

Eric Bischoff is backstage with The Steiner Brothers who say that they’re not done with Dr Death and Terry Gordy

Hiroshi Hase and Shinya Hashimoto vs. The Fabulous Freebirds (Michael PS Hayes & Jimmy Garvin) – NWA Tag Team Championship tournament quarter final match

Previous PPV matches: This is a first time tag team match between these two teams.

Great American Bash Record: Michael Hayes is 2-3, Jimmy Garvin has won 2, lost 5 and drawn 1, Hiroshi Hase and Shinya Hashimoto make their Great American Bash debut tonight.

Match: Michael Hayes and Hiroshi Hase kick things off. There’s plenty of technical wrestling between the two before they both tag out. Hashimoto is the stronger of the two men and he dictates the pace against Garvin. Michael Hayes tags in and doesn’t have any success against Hashimoto either. The Japanese make quick tags against Hayes, keeping him isolated with plenty of double teaming. Hayes hits some left hands and tags in Garvin who kicks up the pace. All four men get int it, Hashimoto kicks Garvin in the face and Hase hits a northern lights suplex for the win. 

Result: Hiroshi Hase and Shinya Hashimoto win by pinfall. 

Review: This match was alright. Nothing spectacular here but it wasn’t terrible. You could argue this was a bit of an upset but I don’t mind Hase and Hashimoto picking up the victory. They advance to the semi finals. 

Rating: 4.5/10

Tony Schiavone is with Bill Watts and Hiro Matsuda. There will be a tournament in Japan for the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship. Watts then says that the winner will face the wcw world heavyweight champion to consolidate the titles. What a waste of money. 

Rick Rude & Stunning Steve Austin vs. Barry Windham & Dustin Rhodes – NWA Tag Team Championship tournament quarter final match

Previous PPV matches: This is a first time tag team match between these two teams.

Great American Bash Record: Steve Austin is 0-1, Barry Windham is 4-2, Dustin Rhodes is 1-0 and Rick Rude wrestles at this event for the first time tonight.

Match: Steve Austin and Barry Windham kick off the match. It’s back and forth between the two rivals as Madusa watches on. Barry Windham starts to dominate and Austin tags out to Rude. Dustin Rhodes tags in and hits suplexes, dropkicks and arm drags. Rhodes counters a tombstone attempt and hits one of his own. Austin tags in and it’s back and forth between he and Dustin. Windham tags in with a clothesline off the top for a two count. Rude and Austin make quick tags, and cheap shot Windham as Madusa distracts the referee. Eventually Dustin Rhodes gets the tag and he picks up the lace to the delight of the crowd. He hits a clothesline off the top on Austin which is enough for the three!

Result: Dustin Rhodes and Barry Windham win by pinfall. 

Review: This was a good match between four of the biggest stars in the company. The Dangerous Alliance dominated for the most part before Dustin Rhodes got the hot tag for the win. I can only see these two men reaching the final against Dr Death and Terry Gordy. A decent match here. 

Rating: 6.5/10

Eric Bischoff is backstage with Big Van Vader and his manager Harley Race. Harley says that Vader being ready is an understatement. Vader says Sting will feel the pain. They cut off the interview as Harley Race is talking again. 

Nikita Koloff & Ricky Steamboat vs. Dr Death Steve Williams & Terry Gordy – NWA Tag Team Championship tournament semi final match

Previous PPV matches: This is a first time tag team match between these two teams.

Great American Bash Record: Nikita Koloff has won 4, lost 4 and drawn 1, Ricky Steamboat is 2-0, Dr Death is 4-1 and Terry Gordy is 2-2.

Match: Ricky Steamboat and Terry Gordy kick off the match. Gordy and Williams out-power Steamboat in the early going whilst Steamboat relies on his speed. Nikita tags in and matches power with his opponents. It’s back and forth between Koloff and Williams as they wrestle a slow pace. Steamboat tags in and despite initially quickening the pace it’s not long before Williams and Gordy make quick tags and keep Ricky from tagging out. Koloff eventually gets the hit tag but his momentum is quickly halted by Terry Gordy. Gordy applied an STF but Nikita won’t submit. Dr Death locks on a Boston crab but still Koloff won’t quit. All hell starts to break loose. Gordy pushes Steamboat off the top and Dr Death catches him and hits a stampede for the win!

Result: Dr Death Steve Williams and Terry Gordy win by pinfall.

Review: This was a slow match. It wasn’t the most entertaining. There was plenty of rest holds and submissions. I thought Doc and Gordy would win. 

Rating: 3/10

Barry Windham & Dustin Rhodes vs. Hiroshi Hase and Shinya Hashimoto – NWA Tag Team Championship tournament semi final match

Previous PPV matches: This is a first time tag team match between these two teams.

Great American Bash Record: Barry Windham is 5-2, Dustin Rhodes is 2-0, Hiroshi Hase and Shinya Hashimoto are 1-0.

Match: Rhodes and Hase kick off the match. There’s plenty of tags between the two teams in the cagey opening moments. Dustin and Barry take control, wearing down Hashimoto. Hashimoto hits a spinning heel kick on Rhodes before he and Hase hit a spike piledriver. Barry Windham gets the hot tag and hits a big clothesline on Hase for the win. 

Result: Dustin Rhodes and Barry Windham win by pinfall.

Review: This match was ok. Thankfully not as long as the previous semi final but still not great. A predictable win for Rhodes and Windham though. 

Rating: 3.5/10

Tony Schiavone and TA Magnum are with Ron Simmons who will be watching the world championship match with an eye to be the next contender. 

Sting v Big Van Vader – World Heavyweight Championship match

Background: Following an attack from Vader on Sting putting the World Heavyweight Champion on the shelf, it was announced that Big Van Vader would challenge for the title at The Great American Bash.

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

Great American Bash Record: Sting is 3-1-1, Big Van Vader is 1-0.

Match: Vader starts the match with jabs and no-sells Sting offence as long as he can but the world champion hits a big dropkick on his challenger, sending him to the outside. The crowd go nuts when Sting picks up the pace. Vader fights back and hits splashes and elbow drops but can’t keep Sting down. Vader applies a scorpion deathlock but Sting won’t submit. Vader dominates with strikes and slams. Vader heads to the top but Sting kicks him down and then hits an impressive Samoan drop for a near fall. The referee gets knocked down but recovers quickly to count a two for Sting. Sting hits a Stinger splash and then looks for a second but Sting knocks himself out on the ringpost. Sting is busted open now. Vader hits a powerbomb and gets the three!

Result: Vader wins the World Heavyweight Championship by pinfall. 

Review: This could be looked at as a bit of an upset. Vader has come from nowhere really to win the world heavyweight championship. This was a decent but not spectacular match. I was a little surprised by the result. It’s a new direction for wcw who have never really had a monster champion before. 

Rating: 6.5/10

The likes of Ron Simmons and Nikita Koloff come out to check on Sting and help him to the back. 

Eric Bischoff is backstage with Harley Race and Big Van Vader. Harley says that Vader is the king of wrestling.

Barry Windham & Dustin Rhodes vs. Dr Death Steve Williams & Terry Gordy – NWA Tag Team Championship tournament final match

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

Great American Bash Record: Barry Windham is 6-2, Dustin Rhodes is 3-0, Dr Death is 5-1 and Terry Gordy is 3-2.

Match: The Steiner Brothers come out before the match can get started but referee Ole Anderson sends them to the back. Barry Windham and Dr Death kick off the match. It’s a cagey start to the match. Gordy hits the first high impact move, a German suplex on Dustin Rhodes. Barry Windham then looks for a figure four on Gordy who manages to block it. From here it’s a slow paced back and forth match between the four men. Gordy locks the STF on Dustin who won’t submit. Williams and Gordy keep the advantage from here, taking cheap shots and double teaming Rhodes where they can. Windham gets a hot tag and picks up the lace against both opponents, hitting Gordy with a lariat and then slamming Williams for a near fall. Williams sends Barry into the ringpost to regain the advantage. Williams and Gordy make frequent tags, keeping Windham away from his corner until finally Rhodes gets the hot tag. Rhodes tries to take on both opponents but the numbers are too much and he gets taken down. Barry Windham gets involved and all four men go at it. Williams counters a bulldog and sends Rhodes into Gordy before nailing Dustin with a clothesline for the three!

Result: Dr Death Steve Williams and Terry Gordy win the NWA Tag Team Championships.

Review: This was another slow back and forth match. I’m not a big fan of this style of wrestling. Williams and Gordy are getting pushed to the moon having recently won the wcw tag team championships as well. It was a slow one, much like many of the other matches tonight. Not a lot of fire to it. 

Rating: 3.75/10

Tony Schiavone interviews the new champions who says they will be champions for a long time.

And that was The Great American Bash 1992. WCW love a themed PPV, they like a tournament, they like tag team based cards and this show had all of that. I didn’t love it. There were some good matches like the opener between Brian Pillman, Jushin Liger and Ricky Steamboat & Nikita Koloff, and the match between Sting and Vader. I’m not a big fan of the wrestling style of Dr Death and Terry Gordy who went on to win the tournament, they’re getting a big push at the moment. Vader beating Sting for the World Heavyweight Championship was a surprise to me. Vader has come out of nowhere really and he’s the first monster heel WCW/NWA have had in last decade. I would have ended the night with the World title match and added a match between the semi finals and final. Overall a fairly hit and miss show but worth it for the previous matches I mentioned.

Overall Rating: 51/100 (ranked 20th out of 32 WCW/NWA PPV’s reviewed so far)

Match Of The Night: Brian Pillman & Jushin Liger vs. Ricky Steamboat & Nikita Koloff
Worst Match Of The Night: Nikita Koloff & Ricky Steamboat vs. Dr Death Steve Williams & Terry Gordy
Surprise Of The Night: Vader wins the World Heavyweight Championship
Worst Booking Of The Night: Nit putting the World Heavyweight Championship match on last
Superstar Of The Night: Big Van Vader, Dr Death & Terry Gordy
The Great American Bash 92 Will Be Remembered For: Big Van Vader winning the World Heavyweight Championship