DOOM VS. STEINER BROTHERS

This was the first match in the 1989 Ironteam Tournament, and the first match of Starrcade 1989. On commentary for this event are Jim Ross, Jim Cornette and Terry Funk. The opening video package simply shows the competitors in the Ironman and Ironteam tournaments tonight, before we go to the arena to hear the American National Anthem. Jim Ross welcomes us to Starrcade, pushing the two tournaments tonight. By all accounts it's purely for bragging rights. He introduces Terry Funk for the singles Ironman tournament and one Jim Cornette for his tag team expertise. Cornette explains the rules, it's 20 points for a pinfall or submission victory, 15 for a countout victory, 10 if you win by disqualification and 5 points go to each team for a draw. We go back to the ring for the introduction of all four teams in tonight's round robin tournament. Nitron is Woman's bodyguard, and both of them accompany Doom to the ring first. As The Steiner brothers enter Jims Ross and Cornette mention that the Samoan Swat Team are last minute replacements for the Skyscrapers.

DOOM VS. STEINER BROTHERS (IRONTEAM TOURNAMENT)

WCW Starrcade 1989 (13^th December 1989)

The Steiners are the current WCW World Tag Team champions. Scott starts the match with I believe Simmons, and forces him straight into the corner. Scott breaks clean and Ross simply calls the man in the ring Doom #1. Steiner breaks in the corner again, leading to a shoving match. This escalates to an exchange of right hands before Scott reverses an irish whip catching Mr. Doom with a powerslam for 2. Doom #1 is sent into the turnbuckles but gets his knee up to knock Scotty off his feet. Steiner gets sent across the ring but Doom #1 ducks early and gets leapfrogged. Steinerline knocks him down. Scott snapmares Doom #1 over with a chinlock in the Steiner corner, tagging out to Rick. Doom #1 takes his time and Rick gets control of the arm, moving through to a hammerlock. Doom #1 drops down with a stunner. Steiner sends Doom #1 across the ring into a belly to belly suplex, drawing in Doom #2, who gets slammed. Doom #2 gets the legal tag as soon as he's back on the apron, coming in with a knee lift. He keeps Steiner on the mat with right hands to the side of the head. Steiner is sent across the ring, ducking a clothesline and leapfrogging Doom #2. He plants him on the mat with a falling scoop slam for 2.

Scott Steiner gets the tag and works a headlock, Doom #2 tries to send him off the ropes but can't. Doom #2 lifts Steiner into an atomic drop, but Steiner holds on before showing Doom #2 how it's done. He uses his amateur background to trip Doom #2 by his ankle and bring him over to Rick. Rick stomps the midsection before wearing down Doom #2 with a chinlock on the mat. Rick tags back out before Doom #2 sends him across the ring with an arm drag. Scott somehow gets a nearfall on Doom #2 in amongst some chaos that's going on and Doom #1 is being told to stay out of the ring. Scott hits an inverted atomic drop but misses a Steinerline tumbling out to the floor. Doom #2 holds Scott for Nitron to pepper him with right hands. The referee's attention is taken away by Rick trying to help his brother, and Doom #2 helps Scott back in the ring. Doom #1 sends Steiner across the ring, planting him with a powerslam as he comes off the ropes for a nearfall. Doom #1 chokes Scott before taking him over to Doom's corner, he makes the tag and holds Scott for a kick to the ribs. Doom #2 kicks Scott out, under the bottom rope.

Steiner is double teamed on the floor again before being sent back in. Doom #2 hits a vertical suplex for a nearfall. Cornette mentions that no matter what the result Scott Steiner has to wrestle twice more tonight. Doom #2 carries on stomping Scott before sending him into Doom #1's boot and making the tag. Both members of Doom send Scott across the ring and hit a double back body drop. Rick is stopped from helping his partner so Doom #1 takes advantage, choking Scott behind the referee's back. Doom #1 sends Steiner off the ropes for a standing spinebuster. He covers but only gets 2, another cover leads to another nearfall, but each time Scott kicks out he's using up energy. We're four minutes away from the time limit as Doom #1 keeps Scott in their corner with a chinlock, using the bottom rope for leverage behind the referee's back. He tags out and Doom hit a double back elbow. Doom #1 walks over Steiner on his way back to the corner, as Rick comes over for words. Doom #2 lifts Scott and slams him over to the floor again, but Rick helps him to his feet. Ross thinks Rick has a plan as Scott is brought back in the ring with a suplex from the apron. No, Steiner lands on top! The referee is slow to get down to count, so he only gets a nearfall. Cornette blames Rick Steiner for being out of his corner. Scott reverses a piledriver attempt but gets sent across the ring. He leapfrogs over Doom #2 and hits a belly to belly suplex.

Double tag brings in Rick with a Steinerline to Doom #1. Doom #1 is sent across the ring into a high powerslam but Steiner doesn't cover, only 2 minutes left. Doom #1 gets Steinerlined over the top and Doom #2 eats one too. Doom #1 is back in the ring and he runs into a wild right hand. Doom #2 blindsides Rick and both members send him across the ring. He ducks a double clothesline but Nitron trips him from ringside. Steiner goes after Nitron and Doom #1 hits him with an ax handle from the apron. Both Steiner brothers and Doom brawl around ringside as the referee starts counting them out. Rick Steiner rolls back in the ring at the last second giving the Steiners 15 points.

WINNERS: THE STEINER BROTHERS

This was a nice hard hitting match to start the show on. Scott Steiner played a good face in peril for a majority of the match, and Doom got to look strong against the champions, without having them lose. It'll be interesting to see how the beating Scott got affects The Steiners later in the tournament. – WORKRATE: 2/5 PERSONAL ENJOYMENT 2/5 OVERALL 4/10

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