#73: Dustin Rhodes vs. Steve Austin, WCW Halloween Havoc (10/24/1993).
This is for Dustin’s WCW United States Heavyweight Championship.
Austin had several great singles feuds throughout his time in WCW, and this was one of them, against a young Dustin Rhodes.
Jesse Ventura refers to Stunning Steve as the wrestler of the 90s. What foreshadowing! The crowd hates Austin during the Michael Buffer introductions, while they give Dustin a great pop. The bell sounds, and Austin gets a slap off immediately. They lock up, and Dustin gets Austin into the turnbuckle. Austin with another slap, and Dustin is pissed. Austin escapes to the outside. Great sign in the crowd that says “Creature from the Blonde Lagoon.”
Back in the ring, Austin takes Dustin to the mat and looks for a Boston Crab. Dustin flips out of it and decks Austin in the head with a punch. Back up, they are tentative for the next move. Austin with a back elbow that drops Dustin, followed by a right hand. Austin with a knee to the side of the head. Snap mare into a cover, and Dustin kicks out. Austin hits a Power Slam. Dustin counters with a snap mare takeover, and he starts throwing punches! Austin slips into a side headlock, and a fist of his own.
Austin with a shoulder tackle, and Dustin hits a nice dropkick. He sends Austin headfirst into the turnbuckle a few times. More punches in the corner, and Austin gets Dustin against the corner with a chop. Austin goes for a high knee in the corner, and Dustin avoids it, and Austin lands on the turnbuckle and goes to the outside. Austin seems hurt now, as he limps around on his bad knee. He comes back into the ring, and Dustin goes right for the target. Dustin drops the knee onto his own, and he drops all his weight on it.
Dustin with a toe hold now, and he yanks at Austin’s bad leg. He wraps Austin’s leg around his own, and begins to torque the ankle in odd directions. Austin is up, and he rakes the eyes of Dustin, then kicks him low. Austin sends Dustin head first into the turnbuckle, and drives his boot into his face. Snap mare, followed by a knee to the head by Austin. He used his good knee! Dustin sends Austin face first into the turnbuckle, and Austin fights back with a Power Slam. With each offensive move, Austin is selling that knee.
Austin with several punches, and Dustin fights back with punches of his own! Back body drop by the champion, and a flying clothesline gets a nearfall. Dustin looks for a bulldog out of the corner, but Austin is able to lift Dustin up and straddle him on the top rope instead. Austin gets some back elbows in, and knocks Dustin backwards. He’s hanging upside down. Austin lets him go, and stomps away at the chest. Dustin catches Austin with a roll up for a close 2 count.
Small package by Dustin gets another nearfall. Austin sends Dustin off the ropes and looks for a Stun Gun, but Dustin counters with punches. Two nearfalls follow from both. Dustin decks Austin with a right hand, and chases him around ringside. Back in the ring, Austin catches Dustin in a roll up, and though the ref counted the three, he notices that Austin’s feet were on the rope, and orders that the match continue. While Austin is busy celebrating his “victory,” Dustin rolls Austin up and gets the win!
I could've done without the way it ended, but that was a solid bout of pure wrestling action. Austin really had all the tools to be a success as far back as this. He really was a great in ring general. Many forget that following his neck injury, but the man had great ring awareness. Dustin was, as his nickname would imply, a natural at being a wrestler. He performed well here. I also forget just how damn tall he is sometimes. Hidden gems like this are why more people should check out Austin's time in WCW, and quite frankly, Dustin's time as well.