Without really thinking about it I ended up putting two Tom Zenk matches up for review one after the other. This time taking on another Texan for the WCW Television Championship. Jim Ross and Tony Schiovane are our announce team for this match. The Z-Man enters first to a raucous ovation, but it didn't do him much good this time last year. The champion enters with Lady Blossom by his side as Jim Ross tells us Austin is ranked #5 and Z-Man is #9 in WCW's Top Ten Rankings.
“STUNNING” STEVE AUSTIN © VS. TOM ZENK
(WCW TELEVISION CHAMPIONSHIP) – 15 Minutes Time Limit
WCW Clash of the Champions: Fall Brawl (5th September 1991)
They stall to start before Z-Man gets Austin against the ropes on a collar-elbow tie up. Austin tries to back Zenk up but Zenk keeps control until the referee breaks them. They tie up again and this time Austin takes Zenk into a corner, Zenk switches and mounts the second rope, again breaking cleanly at 3. The Z-Man is one-third of the WCW 6-Man Tag Team Champions with Big Josh and Dustin Rhodes, as Austin quickly gets a side headlock. He transitions to a hammerlock. Z-Man counters to one of his own, Austin flips him over with a snapmare and grabs a chinlock on the mat. Z-Man reverses to a hammerlock and drives his knee into Austin's arm, before getting a lower center of gravity to wrench on his shoulder. Austin makes it to the bottom rope after a struggle and Z-Man breaks cleanly, not without hovering the threat of his boot over Austin.
Austin applies a side headlock in the middle of the ring but gets sent off the ropes, Austin gets the better of a running shoulder block. Austin looks pleased with himself on that one, but Z-Man is quick to grab one of his own. We see Lady Blossom at ringside as Z-Man keeps control of Austin, Austin is able to send Z-Man off the ropes but gets knocked out of his boots on a shoulder tackle. Z-Man allows Austin to get to his feet, not the smartest move in a championship match, or a 15-minute time limit match. They lock up and Z-Man gets a headlock, the producer decides to go to a long-distance camera as Austin uses Z-Man's hair and sends him off the ropes. Austin knocked down again with a tackle, this time letting Z-Man over him before meeting him with a kick to the gut. Austin takes Z-Man over in a headlock but Z-Man locks in a headscissors forcing Austin to kick out. As they get to their feet Austin looks like he might want a belly to belly suplex, but Z-Man forces him against the ropes to slow the match back down.
“Stunning” Steve Austin is able to get another side headlock, and he takes Z-Man down to the mat. Z-Man counters with a headscissors forcing Austin to kick out again. Z-Man takes Austin over with an arm drag and keeps hold with an arm bar on the mat. Z-Man moves Austin's arm, trying to twist and extend the elbow as much as he can, but that allows Austin into a position to get to one knee. Austin's all the way to a vertical base now, Z-Man wrenches the arm as JR tells us that moves the pressure to Austin's elbow. Austin rakes at Z-Man's face and escapes with a right hand. Caudle mentions that Austin needs his arm for his Stun Gun finisher. A simple headlock will do for now though. Austin is sent across the ring and knocks down Z-Man as I notice how small the ring is. Z-Man catches Austin with a superkick before sending him overhead on a back body drop, 1, 2, no! Austin rolls out of the ring, and the referee stops Z-Man following him. Austin makes it on to the elevated walkway but Z-Man flies over the top rope with a running cross body!
Steve Austin is dumped in the ring and Z-Man goes to the top but misses a second cross body attempt. Austin takes his chance, stomping at Z-Man on the mat. Z-Man gets to his feet. Austin hits him with a right hand and snapmares him over. Austin grinds on Z-Man with a chinlock on the mat as JR reminds us that the time limit is Austin's friend the more this match goes on. Austin uses the ropes as his friend too, putting his foot on them for leverage before the referee notices. Austin breaks the hold at 3 to avoid disqualification. Steve Austin sends Z-Man across the ropes and Z-Man ducks a back elbow. Austin lifts Z-Man up, STUN GUN! Austin decides to bring Z-Man to his feet and scoops him up, small package counter! 1, 2, 2.5, no! Z-Man almost won the title. Austin realizes his mistake and goes back on the attack. Z-Man reverses an irish whip, catching Austin in a sleeper. Austin reaches around desperately, making it to the ropes by Lady Blossom. Lady Blossom hands Austin some brass knuckles, Z-Man DUCKS! Z-Man lifts Austin for a back suplex but Austin gets a shot with the knuckles, landing on Z-Man for the cover, 1, 2, 3.
WINNER: “STUNNING” STEVE AUSTIN (STILL WCW TELEVISION CHAMPION
Imagine this match happening 8 years later. It would be completely different, the crowd were behind everything Z-Man did, similar to last year. He got to go out there and show some flashy stuff, and he looked better for working with Austin. I genuinely believed Z-Man could pull off the upset here, and that's what this match needed to do for me. – WORKRATE: 3.75/5 PERSONAL ENJOYMENT 3.25/5 OVERALL 7/10
Well that's my weekend To-Do
List finished. I may have time to get one out later today to finish
off the WCW only section of this. Looking at the event though, I am
having difficulty with which match to review. 60% of the card looks
to have serious potential. 1992 WCW is going to be much the same all
year round judging from what I'm seeing doing this research. Anyway
after much consideration the match shall be Steve Austin again
defending the WCW Television Championship against Ricky Steamboat in
a No Disqualification match.
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