The Great American Bash 1989: WCW's Roster Caught Fire All at Once

The two-ring concept gives the battle royal an unusual visual identity, and the large field lets WCW put several emerging names in front of the crowd immediately. Brian Pillman, Scott Hall, the Steiner Brothers, Sid Vicious and Steve Williams all get moments, while the constant movement between rings keeps the match from becoming completely static.

The problem is the payoff. Sid wins one ring, Dan Spivey wins the other, and Teddy Long simply announces that the Skyscrapers will split the prize rather than fight. That protects the team and establishes their unity, but it turns the entire structure into setup for a non-match. The spectacle is interesting; the conclusion is a cop-out.

Pillman immediately changes the pace of the show. His armdrags, dropkicks and movement between the two rings feel quicker than almost anything else on the undercard, while Bill Irwin gives him a sturdy veteran opponent who can slow the match without killing it. The contrast produces a much better bout than the names alone would suggest.

The finish uses the unusual setup perfectly. Irwin becomes distracted by the referee while Pillman moves into the other ring and launches a crossbody across the gap for the pin. It is athletic, easy to understand and gives Pillman a memorable payoff. The match is a strong early example of why he quickly stood out on the roster.

The match exists to establish the Skyscrapers, and it succeeds at that goal. Sid Vicious has immediate presence, Dan Spivey supplies the heavier work, and the Dynamic Dudes spend most of the bout being overwhelmed. The crowd's reaction to Sid is more interesting than the intended babyface appeal of the Dudes.

Douglas and Ace make a brief comeback and even cause the Skyscrapers to collide, but the power difference always feels decisive. Spivey eventually finishes Ace with a powerbomb. Nine minutes is longer than necessary for the story, yet the result leaves the new monster team looking exactly as dangerous as WCW wants.

The match works because Cornette and Dangerously understand the feud better than they understand wrestling technique. Every powder spot, cheap shot and clothing tear gets a reaction because the audience already wants to see the managers humiliate each other. Cornette even works around a legitimate knee injury without letting the match become awkward.

Dangerously tries the powder one time too many, Cornette kicks it back into his face and strips the remaining tuxedo for the victory. The stipulation limits the ceiling, but six minutes is the correct length and the crowd gets the payoff it wants. This is effective feud entertainment rather than a conventional wrestling match.

The tornado rules are perfect for the Steiners because there is no need to slow down for tags. Rick and Scott attack immediately, Sullivan and Rotunda respond with rough control, and the match becomes a four-minute series of suplexes, ringside collisions and rapid saves. The pace makes the still-new Steiner team look dangerous rather than inexperienced.

The finish is equally efficient. Rotunda is sent outside, Sullivan tries to isolate Rick and Scott launches a crossbody that allows both brothers to cover Sullivan. The match ends before the idea can wear out. It is not long enough to become an epic, but it is one of the clearest early demonstrations of what would make the Steiners special.

Sting and Muta wrestle like two people trying to skip the feeling-out process entirely. Sting launches himself between the rings, Muta answers with strikes and the handspring elbow, and both men keep the pace high without making the match feel random. The crowd reacts to them as equals rather than as champion and challenger.

The closing sequence is excellent until the decision. Muta misses the mist and hits the referee, lands the moonsault for a near fall under the replacement official, and then gets caught in Sting's belly-to-back suplex. Both men's shoulders are down and the referees disagree over the result. The confusion protects the rivalry but costs the match a cleaner ending. The wrestling itself is outstanding.

Luger and Steamboat work a hard, compact championship match built around Luger's growing arrogance. Steamboat attacks with quick pins and chops, Luger slows him with power, and the champion repeatedly argues with the referee whenever the match stops going his way. The contrast gives Steamboat's comebacks extra energy.

The finish turns Steamboat's frustration into the story. Luger brings in a chair, Steamboat survives the attempt and then uses the chair himself, drawing the disqualification. The ending denies a clean result, but it strengthens Luger's heel character and gives Steamboat a believable emotional breaking point. The match is excellent even with the protected finish.

WarGames works because every entry changes the balance. Bobby Eaton survives the opening disadvantage, Steve Williams enters like a wrecking ball, the Samoan Swat Team restores the heel edge and Animal receives a huge reaction when he finally evens the numbers. The two-ring structure lets separate fights develop without making the action impossible to follow.

The final stage is pure momentum. Michael Hayes arrives with DDTs, Hawk enters last for the babyfaces and the match turns into a rapid series of saves and cage collisions. Hawk eventually catches Jimmy Garvin in the hangman's choke for the submission. The match is violent, organized and driven by established rivalries rather than spectacle for its own sake.

Flair and Funk begin as though the match has already been going for ten minutes. Flair chases Funk outside, the fight spills around ringside and both men attack the neck because the feud began with Funk trying to injure Flair. The aggression makes every chop and piledriver attempt feel connected to something personal rather than simply escalating a move count.

Gary Hart's interference gives Funk a chance to reopen Flair's head, but the champion keeps surviving. Funk hits the piledriver and continues attacking the neck, while Flair answers with his own piledriver, figure-four attempts and increasingly desperate counters. When Funk goes to the spinning toehold, Flair catches him in a small package and retains.

The result is excellent because it does not end the feud. Funk loses the championship match but immediately remains dangerous, Muta joins the post-match attack and Sting makes the save. The show closes with Flair and Sting standing together against the next major heel alliance. It is a violent, efficient main event that turns revenge into future direction.