#75: Steve Austin vs. Ricky Steamboat, WCW Saturday Night (3/12/1994).
This is a #1 contenders match, where the winner faces Ric Flair for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship at Spring Stampede.
One of my favorite opponents of Austin’s in WCW was definitely Ricky Steamboat. The Dragon had a skill of bringing out the best in everyone that he faced, and against Austin, he helped the future Bionic Redneck have his best matches in WCW, in my opinion at least.
The bell sounds, and Austin is trash talking immediately. He shoves Steamboat, who grabs him for the side headlock. Austin forces him to the ropes and escapes. Austin takes control of the ropes, and twists away at the shoulder. Steamboat is able to fight through it, and gets Austin in a side headlock takedown. Austin works his way back to his feet and goes for a back suplex, but Steamboat slips out and traps Austin in a crucifix and goes right back to the side headlock.
Austin is back to his feet, and he tries to place Steamboat on the top rope, but the Dragon uses his feet to push himself off and right back into the side headlock. Austin is tenacious and he pulls the hair of Steamboat to try and escape. He goes for a back slide, and Steamboat goes right back to the side headlock. Austin is back to his feet, as Steamboat cranks a little harder. They run the ropes, and Steamboat with a crossbody, and Austin reverses it into a nearfall.
Austin sends Steamboat head first into the turnbuckle, and punches him in the corner. Steamboat fights back with an elbow to the head, then he snaps into a side headlock takedown. He transitions to a front face lock, followed by a shot to the spine of Stunning Steve. Back to their feet, Steamboat continues with the face lock, but Austin lifts him up and places him on the top rope. Austin hits several headbutts to the Dragon, followed by a chop.
He pulls Steamboat to the mat, and stomps him in the chest against the turnbuckle. Almost like he’s stomping a mudhole and walking it dry! Abdominal stretch follows, as Austin looks to slow things down in his favor. Steamboat fires back with strikes, and Austin catches him with a spinebuster. In the corner, Austin unloads with punches to the midsection. He punches Steamboat against the ropes, then hits a clothesline that sends him to the outside.
Austin brings Steamboat to the apron, and sends his forearm into his chest. Steamboat tries to come in with an axe handle, and Austin catches him with a shot to the midsection. Austin makes the cover, and gets a nearfall. Austin gets a bear hug in on Steamboat now. He tries to chop his way out of it, but Austin will not let go of his grip. Steamboat finally escapes hits several shoulder tackles. Austin fights back with a knee to the gut.
Several chops by Steamboat off the ropes. Steamboat charges Austin and sends him over the top rope. Col. Parker distracts the ref, and Steamboat gets a near fall from a small package on Austin. Back suplex to Austin, and Steamboat only gets 2 off of it. Chop to the chest, and Austin kicks Steamboat in the face in return. Steamboat won’t relent, and he chops him more. Austin sends him to the outside, and Steamboat takes Parker out.
He returns to the ring with a sunset flip, but Col. Parker is holding onto Austin’s hands to prevent the pin! Austin is able to make the cover, but the ref notices Parker and breaks it up. Several nearfalls follow, with Steamboat on the offensive. Back slide attempt from both men now, and Parker comes in to cause the Disqualification. Ric Flair is here to help even the odds.
This is a fantastic match that greatly showcases why Austin was so talented, and why Steamboat is one of the greatest to ever do it. They take their time here, and the match flows naturally because of it. Steamboat is incredible here. He gives Austin so much, and makes him look like a million bucks. To his credit, Austin stands toe to toe with a legend, and never looks out of place.
I could do a whole week of Austin/Steamboat matches for this blog. Hey, maybe I will!