Welcome to another post in the continuing series looking at the history of WarGames! When we last left off, we had a mixed bag of different teams and stables competing in "The Match Beyond.
Now, we are in February 1991. And some things have definitely changed in WCW. For starters, Arn, Dusty, and Barry had come back to the promotion (Dusty making his return on this very night of the WarGames match). The Horsemen are back together with a slightly different lineup. Gone are Tully and JJ. But replacing Tully was a huge psychopath by the name of Sid Vicious. (Sid as a Horsemen doesn't really make sense once you think about it.) Sting had emerged as a major main event talent and former World Champion by this point. Jim Herd was running the promotion, and he was causing a bunch of headaches for fans and Ric Flair. We also get The Steiner Brothers and Brian Pillman making a big splash in the main event scene. And since Arn is injured, taking his place on the Horsemen team is "Living Legend" Larry Zbyzsko.
Without further delays, and before Arn and Sid fight each other, let's get to it!
WrestleWar '91
February 24, 1991
WarGames
The Horsemen (Ric Flair, Sid Vicious, Barry Windham) and Larry Zbyzsko vs. Sting, The Steiner Brothers, and Flyin' Brian Pillman
The cage descends from the rafters with fireworks coming out of each side of the cage. J.R. and Dusty are going to call this, while Tony Schiavone runs down the rules. Here come The Horsemen and Larry. Following them are Sting (dressed in an American Flag attire), The Steiner Brothers, and Flyin' Brian. Brian's shoulder is taped up heavily. Barry Windham is already in the cage, and while Sting and The Steiners have their backs turned, Brian rushes up the steps and jumps inside the cage.
It's Windham and Pillman to start it off! Windham pounds away, but Brian gets him with a flying clothesline. Shoulder tackle by Windham. Pillman uses the cage to dropkick him. Head scissors takedown using the cage by Pillman. Pillman fakes out Windham and dives at him off the corner with a dropkick. (Not a lot of room to do aerial stuff in this cage.) Pillman misses a big splash on Windham and crashes to the mat. Brian gets Barry with a blatant low blow. Brian throws Windham face first into the cage. Windham smashed against the cage again and again in front of the Horsemen. Windham is bleeding. Now, he's grating his face against the cage. Pillman continues the attack to the point of BITING Windham. Rights by Pillman. More biting by Pillman followed by punches in the corner. More punches to Barry. Windham again sent into the cage. Pillman climbs the corner and nails a big flying clothesline! Windham is thrown over the ropes from one ring to another. Windham meets a new side of the cage. 1 minute left in the period. Pillman attacks the leg of Windham. Windham kicks Pillman in the face to get the break. 30 seconds are left. Back bodydrop by Pillman. Flying fist to the face of Windham.
Coin toss. Horsemen win. Here comes Flair! Chops to Pillman. They are exchanging chops. Crowd is losing it as Pillman knocks Flair down. But Windham comes over to help Flair. Flair and Windham throw Pillman shoulder first into the steel. Barry puts Brian on his shoulder and launches him into the steel. Flair flips Pillman over the top ropes into the other ring. Pillman is being choked on the top rope.
HERE COMES STING! Sting and Flair go at it. RIGHTS ARE FIRING! Windham gets some. The heels whip Sting into the corner, and Sting comes running out with a double clothesline to pop the crowd. (Notice how that's a big spot here. Just a simple move like that is popping the crowd in these War Games so far.) Sting bulldogs Windham down. Pillman and Sting team up on Flair. Another bulldog on Flair. Pillman goes to beat up Windham in the other ring, but Windham catches Pillman and drops him on the top rope. Windham then goes over and fights Sting. All four men are in the same ring. Flair chops Sting, but Sting no sells it. Sting continues to attack Flair! Flair gets thrown into the corner. STINGER SPLASH!
HERE COMES LARRY! But as soon as Larry gets in, Sting punches Larry, runs to the other ring, and LAUNCHES HIMSELF OVER THE TOP ROPE OF ONE RING AND CATCHES LARRY WITH A BIG DIVING TACKLE!!!! Wow! Meanwhile, Pillman has Windham in the Figure Four! Sting gets caught in the numbers game between Larry and Flair. Flair sees Pillman and kicks him in the shoulder to break up the submission. Sting is choking Larry while Flair stomps on Brian's shoulder. The heels walk to the other ring to welcome...
RICK STEINER! STEINER LINES TO FLAIR AND WINDHAM! Steiner gets Flair in the corner. Punches to Flair and a Belly to Belly Suplex! Flair gets sent into the cage! Flair's face gets grated against the cage, and Flair's been busted wide open! Pillman and Larry are going at it. Meanwhile Windham sent Sting into the cage. Windham and Rick are now going at it. Rick gets back to Flair and grates his head against the cage again. The countdown ends...
AND SID VICIOUS IS IN THE CAGE! Sid goes right after Rick Steiner and rams him into the turnbuckle. Flair kicks Rick down low. Pillman gets to Flair and rams him repeatedly against the steel. Steiner sends Larry into the cage. Sid sends Sting into the cage with most the wrestlers. Flair is bleeding like a stuck pig!!! Sid decks Rick Steiner. Flair works on Sting in the corner. Sting gets hulked up and sends Flair into the cage. Flair begs off and again LOW BLOWS Sting. Dirtiest Player in WarGames for sure.
HERE COMES SCOTT STEINER! HOLLA IF YOU HEAR HIM! Windham and Flair double team him when he gets in, but the crowd-pleasing double clothesline gets Steiner the edge. BUTTERFLY POWERBOMB BY SCOTT TO LARRY! Sid is choking Rick Steiner, but Rick sends him running into a clothesline from the corner by Scott. Sid sent shoulder first into the cage. STINGER SPLASH to Flair! SCORPION DEATHLOCK! Larry kicks Sting off of Flair. Sid has Pillman and powerslams him to the mat. Pillman tries to fight off Sid, but Sid will have none of it. He rams Pillman's shoulder into the turnbuckle. Sid rips off the tape from Pillman's shoulder while you can hear Flair screaming in the distance. Sid's grabbing his knee now for some reason. Pillman kicks Sid in his psychotic anatomy. The HORSEMEN ARE ALL IN FIGURE FOUR LEG LOCKS FROM STING'S TEAM!!!! The crowd is going nuts!!! The Horsemen rake the eyes of their partners' torturers, breaking the holds. Sting military presses Flair into the cage multiple times before dropping him. Big clothesline to Rick Steiner by Sid. Sting is working on Flair. Vicious is down by an attack by Rick Steiner. Sid kicks Rick in the head. Windham and Sid double-clothesline Rick. Pillman being double-teamed by Flair and Windham. Pillman continues to fight off Flair and biting his open wound! This is insane! So much going on. Sid has Pillman Sid bounces Pillman off the top of the cage back to the mat! Sid goes to powerbomb Brian, AND HE DROPS HIM RIGHT ON HIS HEAD! DAMN! Second Powerbomb at least gets Pillman on a flat back, but Sid almost killed Pillman here. Pillman is out, and that might not be just selling. Arn yells to ask Brian if he gives up. Here comes El Gigante to check on Brian. He surrenders for Pillman who is out of it.
Winners: The Horsemen and Larry Zbyzsko
Match Grade: A+. This is another classic WarGames match for a lot of reasons. First, if you didn't believe that Pillman was a legit star, you didn't watch this match. He worked a shoulder injury gimmick the entire match and showed a ton of heart for his character. Plus, you had perhaps the greatest post-entrant sequence in the WarGames with all 8 men going at it for a good solid 6-7 minutes. The star power in this one definitely helps as well.
Where do I rank this? I do not rank this above the 1988 WarGames, but I am going to put it at the next spot. So...
WarGames Ranked (Thus Far)
1. WarGames 1988- Horsemen vs. Dusty's Team
2. WarGames (1991)- The Horsemen/Zbyzsko vs. Sting, The Steiners, and Pillman
3. WarGames I (1987)- The Four Horsemen vs. The Dream Team
4. WarGames 1989- Road Warriors/ Midnight Express/Dr.Death vs. Freebirds/Samoans
5. WarGames II (1987)- The Four Horsemen vs. The Superpowers
_ _ _ _ _
The next edition of this series of UnWrest Focus will look at what has been called the greatest WarGames match in history: Sting's Squadron vs. The Dangerous Alliance from WrestleWar '92.
Until then, take care of yourselves and spread some awesomeness.
Now, we are in February 1991. And some things have definitely changed in WCW. For starters, Arn, Dusty, and Barry had come back to the promotion (Dusty making his return on this very night of the WarGames match). The Horsemen are back together with a slightly different lineup. Gone are Tully and JJ. But replacing Tully was a huge psychopath by the name of Sid Vicious. (Sid as a Horsemen doesn't really make sense once you think about it.) Sting had emerged as a major main event talent and former World Champion by this point. Jim Herd was running the promotion, and he was causing a bunch of headaches for fans and Ric Flair. We also get The Steiner Brothers and Brian Pillman making a big splash in the main event scene. And since Arn is injured, taking his place on the Horsemen team is "Living Legend" Larry Zbyzsko.
Without further delays, and before Arn and Sid fight each other, let's get to it!
WrestleWar '91
February 24, 1991
WarGames
The Horsemen (Ric Flair, Sid Vicious, Barry Windham) and Larry Zbyzsko vs. Sting, The Steiner Brothers, and Flyin' Brian Pillman
The cage descends from the rafters with fireworks coming out of each side of the cage. J.R. and Dusty are going to call this, while Tony Schiavone runs down the rules. Here come The Horsemen and Larry. Following them are Sting (dressed in an American Flag attire), The Steiner Brothers, and Flyin' Brian. Brian's shoulder is taped up heavily. Barry Windham is already in the cage, and while Sting and The Steiners have their backs turned, Brian rushes up the steps and jumps inside the cage.
It's Windham and Pillman to start it off! Windham pounds away, but Brian gets him with a flying clothesline. Shoulder tackle by Windham. Pillman uses the cage to dropkick him. Head scissors takedown using the cage by Pillman. Pillman fakes out Windham and dives at him off the corner with a dropkick. (Not a lot of room to do aerial stuff in this cage.) Pillman misses a big splash on Windham and crashes to the mat. Brian gets Barry with a blatant low blow. Brian throws Windham face first into the cage. Windham smashed against the cage again and again in front of the Horsemen. Windham is bleeding. Now, he's grating his face against the cage. Pillman continues the attack to the point of BITING Windham. Rights by Pillman. More biting by Pillman followed by punches in the corner. More punches to Barry. Windham again sent into the cage. Pillman climbs the corner and nails a big flying clothesline! Windham is thrown over the ropes from one ring to another. Windham meets a new side of the cage. 1 minute left in the period. Pillman attacks the leg of Windham. Windham kicks Pillman in the face to get the break. 30 seconds are left. Back bodydrop by Pillman. Flying fist to the face of Windham.
Coin toss. Horsemen win. Here comes Flair! Chops to Pillman. They are exchanging chops. Crowd is losing it as Pillman knocks Flair down. But Windham comes over to help Flair. Flair and Windham throw Pillman shoulder first into the steel. Barry puts Brian on his shoulder and launches him into the steel. Flair flips Pillman over the top ropes into the other ring. Pillman is being choked on the top rope.
HERE COMES STING! Sting and Flair go at it. RIGHTS ARE FIRING! Windham gets some. The heels whip Sting into the corner, and Sting comes running out with a double clothesline to pop the crowd. (Notice how that's a big spot here. Just a simple move like that is popping the crowd in these War Games so far.) Sting bulldogs Windham down. Pillman and Sting team up on Flair. Another bulldog on Flair. Pillman goes to beat up Windham in the other ring, but Windham catches Pillman and drops him on the top rope. Windham then goes over and fights Sting. All four men are in the same ring. Flair chops Sting, but Sting no sells it. Sting continues to attack Flair! Flair gets thrown into the corner. STINGER SPLASH!
HERE COMES LARRY! But as soon as Larry gets in, Sting punches Larry, runs to the other ring, and LAUNCHES HIMSELF OVER THE TOP ROPE OF ONE RING AND CATCHES LARRY WITH A BIG DIVING TACKLE!!!! Wow! Meanwhile, Pillman has Windham in the Figure Four! Sting gets caught in the numbers game between Larry and Flair. Flair sees Pillman and kicks him in the shoulder to break up the submission. Sting is choking Larry while Flair stomps on Brian's shoulder. The heels walk to the other ring to welcome...
RICK STEINER! STEINER LINES TO FLAIR AND WINDHAM! Steiner gets Flair in the corner. Punches to Flair and a Belly to Belly Suplex! Flair gets sent into the cage! Flair's face gets grated against the cage, and Flair's been busted wide open! Pillman and Larry are going at it. Meanwhile Windham sent Sting into the cage. Windham and Rick are now going at it. Rick gets back to Flair and grates his head against the cage again. The countdown ends...
AND SID VICIOUS IS IN THE CAGE! Sid goes right after Rick Steiner and rams him into the turnbuckle. Flair kicks Rick down low. Pillman gets to Flair and rams him repeatedly against the steel. Steiner sends Larry into the cage. Sid sends Sting into the cage with most the wrestlers. Flair is bleeding like a stuck pig!!! Sid decks Rick Steiner. Flair works on Sting in the corner. Sting gets hulked up and sends Flair into the cage. Flair begs off and again LOW BLOWS Sting. Dirtiest Player in WarGames for sure.
HERE COMES SCOTT STEINER! HOLLA IF YOU HEAR HIM! Windham and Flair double team him when he gets in, but the crowd-pleasing double clothesline gets Steiner the edge. BUTTERFLY POWERBOMB BY SCOTT TO LARRY! Sid is choking Rick Steiner, but Rick sends him running into a clothesline from the corner by Scott. Sid sent shoulder first into the cage. STINGER SPLASH to Flair! SCORPION DEATHLOCK! Larry kicks Sting off of Flair. Sid has Pillman and powerslams him to the mat. Pillman tries to fight off Sid, but Sid will have none of it. He rams Pillman's shoulder into the turnbuckle. Sid rips off the tape from Pillman's shoulder while you can hear Flair screaming in the distance. Sid's grabbing his knee now for some reason. Pillman kicks Sid in his psychotic anatomy. The HORSEMEN ARE ALL IN FIGURE FOUR LEG LOCKS FROM STING'S TEAM!!!! The crowd is going nuts!!! The Horsemen rake the eyes of their partners' torturers, breaking the holds. Sting military presses Flair into the cage multiple times before dropping him. Big clothesline to Rick Steiner by Sid. Sting is working on Flair. Vicious is down by an attack by Rick Steiner. Sid kicks Rick in the head. Windham and Sid double-clothesline Rick. Pillman being double-teamed by Flair and Windham. Pillman continues to fight off Flair and biting his open wound! This is insane! So much going on. Sid has Pillman Sid bounces Pillman off the top of the cage back to the mat! Sid goes to powerbomb Brian, AND HE DROPS HIM RIGHT ON HIS HEAD! DAMN! Second Powerbomb at least gets Pillman on a flat back, but Sid almost killed Pillman here. Pillman is out, and that might not be just selling. Arn yells to ask Brian if he gives up. Here comes El Gigante to check on Brian. He surrenders for Pillman who is out of it.
Winners: The Horsemen and Larry Zbyzsko
Match Grade: A+. This is another classic WarGames match for a lot of reasons. First, if you didn't believe that Pillman was a legit star, you didn't watch this match. He worked a shoulder injury gimmick the entire match and showed a ton of heart for his character. Plus, you had perhaps the greatest post-entrant sequence in the WarGames with all 8 men going at it for a good solid 6-7 minutes. The star power in this one definitely helps as well.
Where do I rank this? I do not rank this above the 1988 WarGames, but I am going to put it at the next spot. So...
WarGames Ranked (Thus Far)
1. WarGames 1988- Horsemen vs. Dusty's Team
2. WarGames (1991)- The Horsemen/Zbyzsko vs. Sting, The Steiners, and Pillman
3. WarGames I (1987)- The Four Horsemen vs. The Dream Team
4. WarGames 1989- Road Warriors/ Midnight Express/Dr.Death vs. Freebirds/Samoans
5. WarGames II (1987)- The Four Horsemen vs. The Superpowers
_ _ _ _ _
The next edition of this series of UnWrest Focus will look at what has been called the greatest WarGames match in history: Sting's Squadron vs. The Dangerous Alliance from WrestleWar '92.
Until then, take care of yourselves and spread some awesomeness.
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