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In this edition of With This Ring, Ryan and Cindy wrap up the GWCW project with a look at the #1 Ric Flair. After a quick look at the overall list and Ryan’s picks they launch into a retrospective on Ric Flair’s career with matches stretching from 1982-2000. We look at early matches in the TBS Studios featuring Jack Brisco, Magnum TA and Ron Garvin, elevating Scott Steiner in from Clash of the Champions, A Mega Powers primer as there's matches against both Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage, and end it with 2000 WCW from the Spring Break Nitro. Throughout it all we sprinkled in some classic Flair promos and Cindy talks about how she wants her Space Mountainette t-shirt. We rank Flair among the other wrestlers we watched and spoiler alert, he’s pretty high. We put a bow on the GWCW list by looking forward to what will follow. Enjoy!
- RIC FLAIR VS JACK BRISCO (08/21/82 MACW; 17:20)
- RIC FLAIR VS MAGNUM TA (06/15/85 WCWSN; 14:14)
- RIC FLAIR VS RON GARVIN (12/28/85 WCWSN; 21:29)
- RIC FLAIR VS SCOTT STEINER (CLASH XIV, WORLD TITLE MATCH)
- HULK HOGAN VS RIC FLAIR (CLASH XXVIII, WCW WORLD TITLE MATCH)
- RIC FLAIR VS RANDY SAVAGE (WCW WORLD TITLE CAGE MATCH, SUPERBRAWL VI)
- STING & VAMPIRO VS RIC FLAIR & TOTAL PACKAGE (TEXAS TORNADO TAG MATCH, 03/27/00, NITRO)
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In this edition of With This Ring, Cindy and Ryan look at the not quite stone cold career of Stunning Steve Austin in WCW. Discussion includes his quick rise and unfortunately quick demise, his promo skills and how he showed signs of a skill that would work well in the WWF. There’s the Dangerous Alliance, the Hollywood Blondes, where he goes in the GWCW list and Austin and how he used the end of his WCW reign to fuel the Stone Cold character in WWF. Sit back and enjoy, before New Year’s Eve and get your ballots in! Enjoy!
- BOBBY EATON VS STEVE AUSTIN (06/29/91 POWER HOUR; 12:06)
- STING & RICKY STEAMBOAT VS RICK RUDE & STEVE AUSTIN (CLASH XVIII)
- HOLLYWOOD BLONDES VS DOS HOMBRES (SLAMBOREE 1993, TAG TEAM TITLE STEEL CAGE MATCH)
- STEVE AUSTIN VS BRIAN PILLMAN (CLASH XXV)
- RICK RUDE, PAUL ORNDORFF & STEVE AUSTIN VS BRIAN PILLMAN, STING & DUSTIN RHODES (SUPERBRAWL IV, THUNDERCAGE MATCH)
- STEVE AUSTIN VS RICKY STEAMBOAT (BASH AT THE BEACH, UNITED STATES TITLE MATCH)
- STING VS STEVE AUSTIN (04/08/95, SATURDAY NIGHT)
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In this edition of With This Ring, Ryan and Cindy look at the career of Double A, Arn Anderson. They look at the Enforcer’s career from the very beginning, with a squash match against the Road Warriors all the way to giving his spot to Curt Hennig. They look at a tag match against the Rock n’ Roll Express in 1986 and 1996. They also look at Arn teaming with and facing Ric Flair. They talk about Wargames, Factions & Promos. Sit back and listen as we discuss the career of the perpetually 40 year old, who retired at 39. It was a special weekend recording so our first couple is a little tipsy so play along at home and start your holiday weekend!
- The Road Warriors vs. Arn Anderson & Paul Jones (Georgia Championship Wrestling • August 7, 1983)
- Rock & Roll Express vs. Ole & Arn Anderson - NWA Tag Title Steel Cage Match - Starrcade 1986
- ARN ANDERSON VS GREAT MUTA (01/05/90 POWER HOUR; 15:55)
- BARRY WINDHAM VS ARN ANDERSON (06/06/92 WCWSN; 32:50)
- VADER & STEVE AUSTIN VS RIC FLAIR & ARN ANDERSON (11/13/93 WCWSN; 33:46)
- ARN ANDERSON VS JOHNNY B BADD (BOXING MATCH, UNCENSORED 1995)
- ARN ANDERSON VS RIC FLAIR (FALL BRAWL 1995)
- RIC FLAIR & ARN ANDERSON VS ROCK N' ROLL EXPRESS (06/03/96, NITRO)
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Ryan and Cindy continue their trip through their GWCW list with a look at one of the most talented tag team competitors ever, Beautiful Bobby Eaton. Before we dive into Bobby Eaton though, we do a mini-episode on Lex Luger, originally an episode that was recorded last month but was lost, perhaps just like the Lex Luger Icon episode on Peacock. Back to Bobby Eaton, we see two matches from each version of the Midnights, his brief singles run as a babyface, the Dangerous Alliance and finally Earl Robert of Eaton. Is he the best tag competitor in WCW history? Are Confederate tights appropriate attire for babyfaces? Should Eaton’s managers count for his promo ability? Does he have the best mullet in WCW history? All this and much more With This Ring....
- MIDNIGHT EXPRESS VS ROCK N ROLL EXPRESS (02/07/86 SUPERSTARS ON THE SUPERSTATION)
- MIDNIGHT EXPRESS VS ROAD WARRIORS (SKYWALKER MATCH, STARRCADE 1986)
- MIDNIGHT EXPRESS VS FANTASTICS (03/26/88 PRO)
- MIDNIGHT EXPRESS VS SOUTHERN BOYS (GREAT AMERICAN BASH 1990)
- RIC FLAIR VS BOBBY EATON (CLASH XV, WORLD TITLE MATCH)
- ARN ANDERSON & BOBBY EATON VS STEINER BROTHERS (SUPERBRAWL II, TAG TEAM TITLE MATCH)
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In this month’s edition we weigh Big Van Vader’s GWCW ballot. We first talk about Leon White the man and how made his way into wrestling, then move on to his career taking off in Japan and his brutal matches with Stan Hansen and just how an eye can fall out in a wrestling match. Then the golden era, his first match with Sting and then the greatness that is The White Castle of Fear and the Beach Blast mini-movies. We talk about Cheatum’s short WCW career and how Vader packed much more sensibly than Sid Vicious. From there we look at Vader’s feud with the man known as Ray Traylor, the Boss, We conclude with Vader’s face turn and what could have been.
Matches Include:
- VAN VADER VS Z-MAN (GREAT AMERICAN BASH 1990)
- VADER VS STAN HANSEN (WRESTLEWAR 1991)
- VADER VS STING (02/15/92 POWER HOUR; 8:01)
- VADER VS RICKY STEAMBOAT (10/16/93 WCWSN; HUMAN CAGE; 24:06)
- VADER VS THE BOSS (SPRING STAMPEDE 1994)
- VADER VS STING VS GUARDIAN ANGEL (FALL BRAWL 1994, TRIANGLE ELIMINATION MATCH)
- RIC FLAIR & ARN ANDERSON VS VADER (CLASH OF THE CHAMPIONS XXXI)
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In a fresh episode of With This Ring, Ryan and Cindy look at the WCW career of the one and only Cactus Jack. They look at his uninspiring early WCW run, his return as a monster heel, his birthday cake eating skill and his feud with Sting. The duo also talk about Cactus turning face and his brutal feud with Vader, as well as his back to back classic matches with the Nasty Boys and of course, getting lost in Cleveland. The couple wrap up with wondering if being a one-match type of worker hurts him and if being Santa gives him any intangible points, plus their actual rankings of Cactus. Enjoy!
Matches:
- ROAD WARRIORS & NORMAN VS. CACTUS JACK, BAM BAM BIGELOW & KEVIN SULLIVAN (CAPITAL COMBAT 1990)
- STING VS.. CACTUS JACK (11/23/91 POWER HOUR; SUBMIT OR SURRENDER; 14:21)
- CACTUS JACK VS PAUL ORNDORFF (SUPERBRAWL III, FALLS COUNT ANYWHERE)
- VADER VS. CACTUS JACK (04/17/93 WCWSN; 11:25)
- NASTY BOYS VS. CACTUS JACK & MAXX PAYNE (SPRING STAMPEDE 1994, CHICAGO STREET FIGHT MATCH)
- CACTUS JACK VS. VADER (04/30/94 WORLDWIDE, TEXAS TORNADO MATCH)
- NASTY BOYS VS. CACTUS JACK & KEVIN SULLIVAN (SLAMBOREE 1994, TAG TEAM TITLE BROAD STREET BULLY MATCH)
In this episode of With This Ring Ryan and Cindy look at the WCW career of Brian Pillman. They run down everything from Flyin’ Brian to the Loose Cannon. Along the way they talk about the Hollywood Blondes, the Disney tapings, the 4 Horsemen in 1995, the evolution of the Loose Cannon and how Pillman’s life tragically ended. Which NFL team did Brian Pillman play on, because they never mention it in any of his matches? Enjoy!
- LEX LUGER VS BRIAN PILLMAN (HALLOWEEN HAVOC 1989, UNITED STATES TITLE MATCH)
- RIC FLAIR VS BRIAN PILLMAN (02/17/90 WCWSN)
- BRIAN PILLMAN VS JUSHIN LIGER (SUPERBRAWL II)
- STEVE AUSTIN & BRIAN PILLMAN VS RICKY STEAMBOAT & SHANE DOUGLAS (03/28/93 MAIN EVENT)
- HOLLYWOOD BLONDES VS RIC FLAIR & ARN ANDERSON (CLASH XXIII, TAG TEAM TITLE MATCH)
- BRIAN PILLMAN VS JOHNNY B BADD (FALL BRAWL 1995)
- BRIAN PILLMAN VS EDDIE GUERRERO (CLASH OF THE CHAMPIONS XXXII)
With This RIng #19: Dusty Rhodes
Ryan and Cindy start there journey into the GWCW wrestler project with the one and only American Dream. During the watch discussion topics include his character, his feud with Ric Flair, his 1994 return and his final WCW match in 2001. They also talk about the GWCW Wrestler project and how some lack of categories may hurt Dusty overall. Sit back and enjoy the "hard times"!
Matches:
- RIC FLAIR VS DUSTY RHODES (STARRCADE 1985, WORLD TITLE MATCH)
- TULLY BLANCHARD VS DUSTY RHODES (06/13/87 PRO; 24:39)
- TERRY FUNK & BUNKHOUSE BUCK VS DUSTIN & DUSTY RHODES (CLASH XXVIII)
- NASTY BOYS, DUSTY & DUSTIN RHODES VS ROBERT PARKER, TERRY FUNK, BUNKHOUSE BUCK & ARN ANDERSON (FALL BRAWL 1994, WAR GAMES MATCH)
- DUSTIN & DUSTY RHODES VS JEFF JARRETT & RIC FLAIR (GREED 2001)
To wrap a bow on the GWCW matches list, Ryan and Cindy watch some of the more memorable and quintessential WCW moments. Topics include: Mini-movies, drugged out bears, matches on the back country roads of Tupelo, Mississippi and more! They also talk about how WCW it is to have Nitro at Spring Break and what exactly is Cheatum the evil midget’s employment status?? The pair discuss the WWE Network move to Peacock and what it might mean for WCW history and the podcast in general. WELCOME TO OZ!
Matches:
- OZ VS. TIM HORNER (SUPERBRAWL I)
- BIG JOSH VS. BLACK BART (SUPERBRAWL I)
- STING VS. VADER (SUPERBRAWL III, WHITE CASTLE OF FEAR MATCH)
- STING & DAVEY BOY SMITH VS. VADER & SID (BEACH BLAST 1993)
- BLACKTOP BULLY VS. DUSTIN RHODES (KING OF THE ROAD MATCH, UNCENSORED 1995)
- RIC FLAIR VS. REY MYSTERIO JR (WCW WORLD TITLE MATCH, 03/22/99, NITRO)
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In this edition of With This Ring, Ryan and Cindy wrap up Ryan’s GWCW list, looking at the remaining matches that made his top 20 list. They talk about how a match can be too long, the Ric Flair/Ricky Steamboat feud of 1989, the poison mist glands that most Japanese wrestlers use and how logical it would be for Muta and Terry Funk to be connected, then the duo delve into War Games and look at the safeness of a structure that has a roof about 2 feet above the competitors. Also War Games means blood, so lots of blood in this match, with Barry Windham leading the way and Sid hitting the worst looking powerbomb ever on Brian Pillman. They talk about a hoss battle tag team match between the Steiners and Luger and Sting and finally, a look at War Games 92, Sting’s Squadron against the Dangerous Alliance. After looking at these five matches, Ryan and Cindy also check out Ryan’s top 20 matches and finally Ryan’s top 10 overall. Enjoy!
Matches:
- RICKY STEAMBOAT VS. RIC FLAIR (05/07/89 WRESTLEWAR WORLD TITLE MATCH)
- RIC FLAIR VS TERRY FUNK (07/23/89 GREAT AMERICAN BASH WORLD TITLE MATCH)
- FOUR HORSEMEN VS. STING, BRIAN PILLMAN & STEINER BROTHERS (WRESTLEWAR 1991, WARGAMES MATCH)
- STEINER BROTHERS VS. LEX LUGER & STING (SUPERBRAWL, TAG TEAM TITLE MATCH)
- STING'S SQUADRON VS. DANGEROUS ALLIANCE (WRESTLEWAR 1992, WAR GAMES MATCH)
