Before the match, there’s an interview with the champion. Luger tells Gordon Solie it’s a showcase event, and he is the showpiece. He transcends being the US champion and the sport of wrestling itself. He’s known as the Total Package because he has a million-dollar body, a multi-million dollar brain and the desire to win at any cost. So it’s the usual modesty you expect from a wrestling promo. We have a commercial break before the match to go grab snacks.
Halloween Havoc 89 – October 28th – Settle the
score! Contact your Pay-Per-View provider if you dare!
“Wildfire” Tommy Rich makes his way out to the ring first,
and the crowd gives him a pretty loud reaction. Cornette says this is a big
chance for Rich, to have a shot at the US title tonight at the champion makes
his way to the ring. A fan in the crowd has a sign saying “The Untotal Package”…
Erm, burn I guess?
Jim Ross and Jim Cornette are on commentary for
this match.
LEX LUGER © VS.
TOMMY RICH
(NWA United
States Championship)
JCP Clash of the Champions VIII: Fall Brawl ‘89 (12th
September 1989)
The bell rings and Lex Luger grabs a
headlock. He takes Rich down but gets trapped in a headscissors, Luger tries to
kick out and does on the second attempt.
Jim Cornette goes over Tommy Rich’s accolades as they lock up, Tommy Rich backs Luger into the corner and we get a clean break. Luger pauses to think this through, then storms into another lockup. He backs Rich into the corner, Tommy blocks a right hand and fires back with some of his own, backing Luger across the ring then sending him back with an irish whip. Luger staggers out of the corner into a backdrop, Tommy Rich slams him and takes him down with an arm drag. Lex Luger begs off to the corner, breaking up Rich’s momentum. Luger gets to his feet and they lock up, Tommy Rich gets a headlock and Luger walks to the ropes, stepping outside to break the hold. Lex Luger gets the next headlock, Tommy sends Luger off the ropes but is knocked down with a shoulder tackle. Jim Ross says Terry Funk is in the building, although he was injured a few days ago. Tommy Rich goes back to the headlock and works it for a bit before Luger sends him off the ropes. Tommy Rich goes over a prone Luger, Lex leapfrogs but Tommy Rich ducks the clothesline. The champion hits the ropes once more before being knocked down with a right hand.
Lex Luger is taken down with an arm drag, Rich keeps him on the mat, taking control of the left arm until Luger can rollup to one knee. Tommy Rich gets a shot in on Lex’s shoulder but Luger breaks the hold and drops his elbow across Rich’s neck. Tommy Rich is sent off the ropes, he ducks a shot from Luger and hits a running crossbody but only gets 2. Tommy Rich takes Luger down with another armdrag but Luger is able to get to one knee immediately. Lex Luger works to his feet and backs Rich into the corner to begin the 5 count. Lex Luger connects with right hands in the corner and sends Rich across the ring, but he charges into the turnbuckles and gets rolled up. Lex Luger kicks out at 2, but all credit goes to the referee, getting down for that count. Tommy Rich gets another nearfall with an inside cradle as the fans are biting on these chances. He goes back to the arm, keeping Luger sat on the mat whilst the crowd’s heart rate goes back to normal. Lex Luger is clearly frustrated as he gets back to his feet and backs Tommy Rich into the corner, Jim Ross says Mike Tyson is watching the show tonight.
Lex Luger with a knee to the midsection and an elbow to the top of Rich’s head, but he gets sent across the ring. Tommy Rich hits a backdrop out of the corner. Tommy Rich makes some kind of mistake on a dropkick, I think he fell short, but the camera didn’t help. He’s sent off the ropes into a powerslam and Luger covers for a nearfall. Lex Luger targets Tommy Rich’s back with forearm strikes and elbow drops as Rich drops to the mat. Luger covers and gets 2, he complains to the referee as Ross says he’s softening Rich up for the Torture Rack. Tommy Rich is sent through the ropes, but he holds on to the middle rope and gets back on the apron, a shoulder to Lex’s midsection sets up a sunset flip back into the ring, 1,2, no! Lex Luger misses a clothesline and sends himself over the top to the floor. Tommy Rich takes a breather as we see some crowd shots, he tries to suplex Luger back into the ring, it looks rough but Luger lands on top of Rich for the pin. Tommy Rich kicks out at 2 and an irish whip sends him off the ropes into a sidewalk slam for another 2 count. Lex Luger clubs the lower back and hits another powerslam before calling for the Torture Rack. Tommy Rich escapes out the back, he tries the O’Conor roll but is sent back into the mat, hitting his head.
Lex Luger picks up the challenger and perches him on the top turnbuckle, hitting a superplex from the middle rope for another nearfall. Lex Luger doesn’t know what else to do, almost hitting his head on the corner post as he goes to the top rope. Tommy Rich rolls out of the way of a splash from Luger. Tommy Rich gets his second wind, firing off right hands and sending Luger off the ropes into a back elbow. Lex Luger backs into the corner again but is sent off the ropes into another back elbow by Rich. Tommy Rich hits a fist drop from the middle rope 1, 2, no! Tommy Rich sends Luger off the ropes again and the referee is almost in the way, Rich hits the Lou Thesz press and covers, he thinks he has it won but Lex Luger got his foot on the bottom rope. Lex gets out of the ring as the referee explains that the match is still going on. Tommy Rich follows and backs Luger into the post with right hands, but Luger moves out of the way and Tommy Rich hits the ring post. Rich gets back in the ring, he meets Luger with a right hand but it obviously hurts Rich more, so he kicks at Luger.
Tommy Rich puts Luger in a sleeperhold over the ropes but is dropped across the top rope with a stun gun. Lex Luger crawls over to cover and weakly gets his foot towards the bottom rope before the 3 count for some slight controversy.
WINNER: LEX LUGER (STILL NWA United States Champion)
This was a good back and forth match, Tommy Rich looked on the same level as Lex Luger and it took mistakes from Rich or the power game for Lex to get any momentum, I feel like the finish was sightly messed up, as Luger didn’t quite get his foot to the rope in time from selling, but it was a minor thing that’s excusable. It was a fun introduction to Tommy Rich for the reviews and I’m looking forward to more of his matches. He worked well with Luger, which isn’t an easy feat. [**½] 5/10
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