{"id":1491,"date":"2020-04-09T10:09:19","date_gmt":"2020-04-09T14:09:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/deathvalleydriver.com\/?p=1491"},"modified":"2020-04-09T10:09:19","modified_gmt":"2020-04-09T14:09:19","slug":"ronareview1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/deathvalleydriver.com\/ronareview1\/","title":{"rendered":"RIPPA ‘RONA REVIEW #1"},"content":{"rendered":"

(By Phil Rippa)<\/span><\/p>\n

At some moment in time board poster Smelly McUgly took advantage of the payola program and paid me to review a random Hodge Podge of matches. There isn\u2019t really an order to them. Also a quick note \u2013 on Smelly\u2019s list was also the Midnight Express vs Fantastics from Clash I which Rev Ray selected for the <\/span>DVDVR #100<\/a> and the Taylor Wilde\/Sarita vs. Awesome Kong\/Ayako Hamada match that I put on the 1001<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

I should also note that I started these reviews like two months ago but then I got writer\u2019s block over how irritated I got over the Rope a Dope comment so the rest of the reviews can be considered the first of what could potentially be several \u2018RONA REVIEWS~!<\/span><\/p>\n

VADER\/MR. HUGHES vs. RICK & SCOTT STEINER – WCW CLASH OF THE CHAMPIONS XVIII (01\/21\/92)<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Now that I am in my mid-40s I have realized that one of the things my brain does to help contextualize wrestling (well especially old WWE and WCW) is to think about things in terms of the more famous things that occurred around it. So for example\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

This is Clash 18 which almost no one talks about because when people talk about Clashes it is always 1, 10 and 19. So being the Clash BEFORE the most tape traded Clash\u2026 talk about a forgotten moment in time. It is also the Clash AFTER Ricky Steamboat being the best mystery partner ever. God fuck this non-descript show.<\/span><\/p>\n

Or\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

This match is the opening match on a Clash that was basically the setup show for Super Brawl II where the only real memorable thing was the Cactus Jack\/Van Hammer falls count anywhere match. I mean it is in Topeka, Kansas. No wonder no one talks about this match.<\/span><\/p>\n

Or\u2026 Or\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

Hey Rick Steiner was in the Main Event of the last Clash just two short months ago getting a World title shot against Lex Luger. Now he is in the opening match trying to \u201cmove up the tag team ranks\u201d. And Jushin Liger is nowhere to be found. Fuck this company.<\/span><\/p>\n

Anyway, for me (especially with the benefit of hindsight) an enjoyable aspect of a lot of Clash matches is the quaint beauty behind \u201cWell \u2013 we got our finish I guess we just have to throw shit against the wall for five minutes till we get there.\u201d You just need to look beyond the ugliness to see it. Like there is no reason for Rick Steiner to just randomly jump on Vader from the outside. Nor is the anything beyond \u201cAww fuck it\u201d for them to unofficially work the match like a Texas Tornado. It is four large men hitting some clotheslines and suplexes while Mr. Hughes ridiculously over-emotes with his selling. Then Hughes eats the fall as we all knew he would.<\/span><\/p>\n

It is what would pass as 2nd<\/sup> hour RAW match now. Though I am fairly certain no one would no sell the finish like Hughes. That was some Hulk Hogan level bullshit right there.<\/span><\/p>\n

~!~<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

RICK & SCOTT STEINER vs. DOOM (BUTCH REED\/RON SIMMONS) – WCW CLASH OF CHAMPIONS X (02\/06\/90 – Titles vs. Masks)<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n