Jim Ross and Paul E. Dangerously on commentary ... Tony Sciavone (dressed as a "large" Phantom of the Opera on interviews...)

--Midnight Express (w/Jimmy Cornette) vs. Ricky Morton & Tommy Rich: We are told that The Freebirds broke Robert Gibson's leg, thus we have Rich as a sub. Did the Midnights ever have a bad match? I don't think so. Great music too. Half-way through the match, Lane rocket-launches Eaton onto Morton (who is prone on the rampway) which receives a great crowd reaction. Eaton hits the second best move of the match moments later--a neckbreaker on Morton which actually turns into probably the first Diamond Cutter seen on TV. The fans pop for the heels again and the announcers proclaim that it was a variation on Eaton's trademark move. Weird that it would be almost four years before someone picked up on this move. Eaton's Alabama Jam on Morton makes the third best move of the match. Hogan's leg drop was pure crap compared to Eaton's version. Rich eventually tags in and mounts a comback with a weak Thesz press on Lane. But Cornette stops the comback with a nice racket shot which gets another great pop from the crowd. For being heels, The Midnights were over more than the faces in this match. The Southern Boys (later known as The Young Pistols) run down dressed up like Jimmy Cornette and distract both Eaton and Lane. Rich grabs the racket, clocks Lane and gets the upset pin. For some reason, the Midnights music plays even though they just lost. Maybe because they had better music than Rich and Morton. Or maybe because they were just so over. Who knows...

--A very lame, very bad Sting-Black Scorpion promo is next. Ross and Paul E. attempt to look scared.

--The Renegade Warriors vs. The Fabulous Freebirds (w/"Their #1 Roadie and best friend," Little Richard Marely aka Rocky Johnson ... yes, counting "The Rock" Don Muracco, "The Rock" Ole Anderson and Rocky Johnson, there were three Rocks before Dwayne Johnson.) Indian gimmicks ... oh boy. What was the deal with Little Richard anyway? And what was the deal with Hayes and Garvin ("Yeah, Yeah, Yeah") wearing make-up? Anyway, Hayes puts an end to this match with a short DDT.

--The Steiner Brothers vs. The Nasty Boys: US tag team title match ... US tag belts?!?!? What are they? Two of the clumsiest teams attempt to kill one another in this match, back when the Steiners were no longer World tag team contenders and before The Nasties beat the Harts for the WWF gold. Scotty hits a stiff Frankensteiner on Knobbs for the win. Afterwards, during an interview with Phantom Tony, Scotty verbally abuses the Nasties and is attacked by ... a popcorn vender. Nope, it's the Nasties as popcorn venders. Ross can't figure it out ... I guess he couldn't see past the fake get-up ... or possibly he didn't realize that popcorn venders should be in the audience, not on the interveiw stage. Very bad stuff.

--Doom vs. Ric Flair and Arn Anderson: Why do, on so many occasions, the opening matches steal the show? Not only was the opening tag better than any other match on the show, it put the tag title match to shame. At one point, Ross calls refers to Reed as "Rude." Not yet, Ross ... it would be a year or so before Rick Rude would jump ship. Simmons and Rude ... I mean, Reed, Flair and Arn battle to the back and are counted out.

--Stan Hansen vs. Lex Luger: For the US belt. Hansen has a gaping, dripping mouth full of Skoal. Luger's Creepshow music is ... well ... the best thing about Luger. Hansen wins after hitting Luger with a nasty looking Lariat.

--Sting vs. Sid Vicious: For the world title. Remember how bad these matches were in 2000. Well, they weren't much better 10 years earlier. A bad finish has Sting and Sid brawling on the outside. Both men vanish when the Horsemen hit the ring. Suddenly, Sid and Sting are in the ring again when Sting goes for a body slam ... he can't hold the big man. Sid falls ontop and gets the pin. New champ ... fireworks go off and orange and black balloons fall from the ceiling. But wait ... all of a sudden, a confused Sting appears near the ring. Sting runs back in, hits Sid with the belt followed by a Stinger Splash and a pinfall victory via a small package. We're told that the other Sting was Barry Windham and the show goes off the air. Poorly done.

Now, if you read Arn Anderson's book, Arn claims that (1) this was the official return of Barry Windham to WCW and the Horsemen and that (2) Sting returned to ringside busting out of a straight jacket that he had been put in backstage in order for the fake Sting to cost the real Sting the match. Well, Arn, you were there ... but maybe Rude, I mean Reed, hit you a little too hard in your previous match because neither of those two facts are correct. At least not on my version of this event.