I reviewed the match between these two from Nitro back in 1995 here. Jesse “The Body” Ventura joins Jim Ross on commentary. The opening video runs down the 4 championship matches tonight before Eric Bischoff and Tony Schiovane welcome us to the show. Eric Bischoff says Lex Luger has been preparing for his WCW World Championship match tonight against Sting, whereas Sting has been taking on all comers and possibly spreading his attention too thin. The Steiner brothers also face Beautiful Bobby Eaton and Arn Anderson of The Dangerous Alliance for the WCW Tag Team Championships. Bischoff puts The Steiners over but Schiavone's predicting it for The Dangerous Alliance, both Anderson and Eaton are very experienced tag team wrestlers and shouldn't be overlooked. Paul E is barred from ringside for the WCW US Championship match between Rick Rude and Ricky Steamboat. Bischoff's looking forward to seeing The Dangerous Alliance without Paul E. Dangerously. Missy Hyatt will be backstage all night trying to get an interview with the WCW Champion, Lex Luger as well as Ricky Steamboat. Schiovane and Bischoff go over two more matches tonight with Flyin' Brian Pillman trying to get his WCW Light Heavyweight Championship back from Jushin Thunder Liger, as well as Dustin Rhodes teaming up with Barry Windham to face off with “Stunning” Steve Austin and Larry Zybysko.
They take it to Jim Ross in the ring. He introduces us to WCW's newest announcer, Jesse “The Body” Ventura, who rides down to the ring on a motorcycle. He uses the USA-made Harley Davidson for a cheap pop and says he's back in wrestling after 2 long years. Ross asks for his predictions on tonight's championship matches. Ventura says the World title match could go either way, Lex Luger's been in hiding and he won't talk to anyone. He notes Jim Ross's initials and says with a cowboy hat he'd look like JR Ewing.... Nah, that look would never work on Ross. They get ready to call our first match, taking it back to Bischoff and Schiovane to cover. Flyin' Brian Pillman runs down to the ring as we're ready for our first match. He's challenging Jushin “Thunder” Liger, trying to regain his WCW Light Heavyweight Championship. Jushin Liger enters and makes me sad that WWE couldn't license his NJPW music for Network usage. The WCW Light Heavyweight Championship is a new belt. Brian became the inaugural champion, beating Richard Morton in the finals of a tournament at Halloween Havoc last October. He lost the championship to Jushin Liger Christmas Night.
JUSHIN THUNDER LIGER © VS. BRIAN PILLMAN (WCW Light Heavyweight Championship)
WCW Superbrawl II (29th February 1992)
Pillman gets control of the arm but Liger counters and flips Pillman over. Liger drops down to one knee to keep Pillman on the mat. Pillman gets back to his feet, countering again. Liger is quick to send Pillman off the ropes before he can fully get the headlock on but Pillman knocks him down with a shoulder tackle. Jushin Liger gets to his feet and charges. Pillman leapfrogs him, The champion rolls under a second leapfrog and they get the same idea for a dropkick. They participate in a short stand-off so Ross and Ventura can talk about Liger's legendary Japanese career. Brian Pillman strikes first with a drop toe hold, locking the left arm in an armbar on the mat. Pillman moves into a hammerlock and kneels above Liger. Jushin Liger makes it to his feet and grabs the rope, Pillman doesn't release the hold so Liger jabs him in the ribs. Brian Pillman is sent from one corner to another but floats over and catches Liger with a headscissors out of the corner. Fyin' Brian dropkicks Liger out to the floor.
Brian Pillman flies through the ropes with a kick, sending Liger into the guardrail. Pillman lets Liger get back in the ring, but falls to a single-leg takedown. Liger starts working a toehold on the mat as Ventura wonders how good Liger's matwork is. Brian Pillman eases the pressure, breaking free and kicking Liger in the face. Pillman strikes at Liger and sends him corner to corner. This time Liger floats over, crossing the ring again, climbing the turnbuckles and hitting a moonsault on a standing Pillman for a nearfall. Jushin Liger sends Pillman to the floor with a standing dropkick. Pillman evades a dive that never comes as Liger handsprings back off the ropes, much to the amusement of the crowd. Pillman doesn't look too pleased though. Pillman knees Liger in the gut as he gets back in the ring and snapmares him down to the mat. Pillman locks in a modified abdominal stretch on the mat, pulling at Liger's shoulders. Pillman transitions into a headscissors. Jushin “Thunder” Liger rolls to his front and escapes, but Pillman makes it to the ropes to avoid the surfboard.
Liger hits a drop toe hold and locks the knees in place for another attempt before Pillman makes it to the ropes. Liger forces Pillman into the corner and hits him with shoulders to the midsection. Liger sends Pillman across the ring and follows with a running dropkick. Jushin Liger takes his time as Ventura talks about how intimidating Liger's costume is, namedropping the Predator movies. Brian Pillman ducks a running clothesline, getting a nearfall from a crucifix. Jushin Liger gets sent across the ring, getting his own nearfall with a modified sunset flip. Jushin “Thunder” Liger lands on the back of his head from a back suplex, although we don't see it properly and that's enough to get Pillman another nearfall. Pillman chops Liger in the corner and sends him across the ring. Liger moves out of the way of a running knee strike and kicks at the leg. Liger snaps it back, following up with a shinbreaker. Jushin Liger drags Pillman to the middle of the ring and locks in the figure 4! Pillman's shoulders drop, but he's only down for a nearfall. The camera pans the crowd before they exchange slaps still in the hold! Liger's shoulders hit the mat in pain so Pillman gets a nearfall too. Liger rolls over to reverse the pressure. They roll into the ropes, leaving Mikey Atkinson to untie them.
Liger kicks at Pillman's leg as they get to their feet, dropping him back down. Liger has his target, kicking the knee before turning Pillman over into a modified single-leg boston crab, not turning him all the way though. Pillman tries to get the ropes but instead makes it to his feet. He drops Liger with sudden enziguri! Pillman can't get to his feet quick enough, so Liger kicks him again. Jushin Liger sends Pillman off the ropes, he comes back with a headscissors. Pillman charges at Liger, dragging his injured leg and gets sent over to the floor. Liger climbs to the top turnbuckle, diving to the floor with a somersault senton! Jushin Liger gets back in the ring, allowing a count out victory. The referee gets to about 7 before Pillman's back on the apron. They each counter suplex attempts over the top rope, Liger breaks it up with a slap to Pillman's ribs. Brian Pillman stops himself going into the ring post, sending Liger's head into the top turnbuckle instead. PILLMAN HITS A SPRINGBOARD CLOTHESLINE! The fans go crazy from that move, so Pillman takes a few moments to celebrate. Pillman drags Liger to his feet near the ropes and climbs out to the apron, suplexing Liger to the floor! Brian Pillman climbs to the top rope and dives out with a cross body on Liger for a hat-trick of consecutive big spots.
Flyin' Brian calms it a bit more on the floor, chopping Liger's chest. He sets Liger up against the guardrail as Ventura and Ross mention the champions' advantage. Pillman flies from the apron but eats the guardrail on his way down. Jushin Liger throws Pillman in the ring, climbing to the top rope. Liger jumps into a dropkick from midair! Brian Pillman goes to the top rope as Ventura asks why he didn't cover. Liger tries to dropkick Pillman out of the air but Pillman was attempting a missile dropkick, so they both go down. They get to their feet, each thinking a leg lariat but they hit air and end up on the mat again. Liger hits an exhausted chop to Pillman's chest as they get to their feet, both men showing the effects of both their styles and this match. Jim Ross says these are the only two men to have held the championship since it's creation. Brian Pillman reverses an irish whip, sending Liger off the ropes. Pillman hits a powerslam for 2 and looks distraught he couldn't keep the champion down. Jushin Liger reverses a waistlock, getting his own nearfall with a bridging german suplex. He brings Pillman to his feet and puts him on the top rope, Pillman blocks a superplex attempt and sends Liger down to the mat face first. Pillman just hits a crossbody for a nearfall. Pillman sends Liger off the ropes but ducks early. Liger catches Pillman with a powerbomb, pinning him down for 2. Pillman counters the second powerbomb and rolls into a jackknife cover for 2. Ross covers for Pillman calling it a modified Frankensteiner as Liger brutalises Pillman with a knee to the head.
Brian Pillman gets sent off the ropes, Liger ducks into a DDT but lands near the ropes. Pillman covers but Liger grabs the bottom rope at 2. Pillman sends Liger off the ropes, but Liger ducks a clothesline. They criss-cross and collide in the middle of the ring. Pillman rolls out to the apron and makes his way to the top rope in a daze. Jushin Liger uses the top rope to get to his feet, and leans on it crotching Pillman, Jushin Liger hits a superplex, 1, 2, 2.999! Jushin Liger climbs to the top again, looking to finish Brian off with a diving headbutt, Pillman rolls out of the way! Pillman rolls Liger up and bridges back to win back the championship.
WINNER: FLYIN' BRIAN PILLMAN
I liked the start of this match a lot more than the end. Jushin Liger started by using his technical skill against Pillman, knowing Pillman can fly with the best of him, but once he'd begun working on Pillman's leg, it just became hitting him with everything and anything. Pillman seemed to forget the leg down the stretch too, as he was getting to the top rope and across the ring with less trouble each time. I'm not sure how I would put it side-by-side with it's 1995 Nitro counterpart, but besides the formula ending (which admittedly did make the sudden end mean something for me) it just could have been done without forgetting the first 65% of the match. – WORKRATE: 3.25/5 PERSONAL ENJOYMENT 2.5/5 OVERALL 5.75/10
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