Tony Schiovane, Mike Tenay and Bobby “The Brain” Heenan are on commentary for this match. Before the match, we get a black and white video montage hyping tonight's main event. Norman Smiley enters first and Heenan corrects Schiovane on saying his name. This is filler, so they talk about the main event during the whole entrance. Prince Iaukea enters as Schiovane goes over the other two big matches tonight.
NORMAN SMILEY VS. PRINCE IAUKEA
WCW Starrcade 1998 (27th December)
They lock up and Iaukea gets a waist lock, rolling Smiley up immediately for a one count. Norman Smiley asks for a test of strength and gets it, he slaps Iaukea across the back and an overhead chop to the chest. Iaukea rolls through an irish whip and catches Smiley's kick, taking him down with a dragon screw. A dropkick sends Smiley through the ropes, Prince Iaukea vaults over to the apron and comes off with a somersault onto Smiley. He brings it back in the ring and covers for a nearfall, a vertical suplex gets another one and Smiley headbutts Iaukea, he backs him into the corner for an overhand chop, Iaukea tries to fight his way out but Smiley stomps on his foot and puts him in an arm wringer. He takes Iaukea down in a hammerlock and the referee counts a pin even though Iaukea's shoulder is up. Smiley has Iaukea in an arm scissors but he rolls through and escapes, stomping at Smiley. Iaukea hits Smiley with an elbow to the top of the head, and right hands in the corner followed by chops.
Norman Smiley shoves Iaukea down, Norman Smiley lifts Iaukea up for a suplex and drops his midsection across the top rope then hits a swinging scoop slam for a nearfall. Smiley puts Iaukea in a figure four necklock and rolls him away from the ropes, he releases it and sends Prince Iaukea off the ropes, Iaukea tries a sunset flip but Smiley hits him with a right hand, Iaukea grabs Smiley's ankles again and brings him down for 1, Smiley brings him over with a snapmare and hits a knee drop as the fans aren't liking the match, Prince Iaukea gets to his feet as Smiley is beating on him, he reverses an irish whip sending Smiley off the ropes but Smiley sends him into the mat. He hits a double stomp on Iaukea's midsection and puts him in an abdominal stretch on the mat, he rolls Iaukea into a pinfall but Iaukea gets his shoulder up, Smiley can't force Iaukea's shoulder down so he puts his weight over him in the armbar.
Norman Smiley brings Iaukea up to his feet and Iaukea fights back with strikes, he sends Smiley from corner to corner and follows with a clothesline. Smiley blocks a suplex and hits one of his own. He celebrates before turning his attention to the fans. He brings Iaukea up in a double underhook then slams him to the mat, he covers 1, 2, no! Iaukea gets his foot on the rope. Smiley has Iaukea in a wristlock but Iaukea blocks him from making it an armbar and fights out with open palm thrust, he chops at Smiley and shoulder blocks him into the ropes but Smiley counters an irish whip with a drop toehold. He calls for the Big Wiggle but Iaukea catches him off guard with a Northern Lights suplex for a nearfall. Norman Smiley fights back and puts Iaukea in a bodyscissors, then transitioning through to a chickenwing and various other submissions before going to the top wristlock, he moves and tries to force Iaukea's shoulders down, but that's never won a match.
He hits another double stomp. He keeps attacking Iaukea as he gets to his feet, but Iaukea jabs him, Iaukea trips Smiley and attacks the groin with some modified dragon screw so Smiley rolls out to the floor. Iaukea hits Smiley with a right hand but Smiley knocks the taste out of his mouth and rakes the eyes. He turns to the fans again and Iaukea hits him with right hands, Smiley is sent into the corner but avoids the charge, Iaukea stops his shoulder from hitting the ring post. Prince Iaukea gets more right hands in and snapmares Smiley down and hits a springboard crossbody, but Smiley rolls through for a nearfall. Prince Iaukea sends Smiley off the ropes but he blocks a hip ross, they struggle over a backslide, Smiley tries to get the chickenwing locked in but Iaukea fights it off, he sends Smiley off the ropes but Norman Smiley goes back to the chickenwing. Prince Iaukea tries to fight it off, but Smiley locks his hands and drops back, forcing Iaukea to tap out.
WINNER: NORMAN SMILEY
This was an OK match. Norman Smiley is a bit of a guilty pleasure of mine, his hardcore division stuff was the only good thing in late WCW in my opinion, this match didn't show the best for Smiley though. It was an interesting first look at Iaukea for me, I feel like he could become someone I look for on wrestling cards for these reviews. Not the best match but it's good for what it was, if just a bit sloppy. [* ¾ ] 3/10.
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