Vintage Collection Chris Cooley Presents The WWE Vintage Collection #105: Brian Pillman, Ricky Steamboat, Dean Malenko and much more.
By Chris Cooley
Jun 6, 2010 - 8:20 AM
Welcome to Part Two, of our retrospective look, at the Cruiserweight division.
Episode #105
MATCH#1: Too Cold Scorpio vs. Scotty Flamingo
DATE OF MATCH: January 13, 1993
For those unfamiliar with these two, Too Cold Scorpio became Flash Funk, and Scotty Flamingo lost the brightness, and became Raven.
Both men tussle to gain the upper hand, and it’s Scorpio who gets it, with a kick sending his opponent to the outside. Back in, and it doesn’t take long for Scorpio to end up on the outside, where he receives a cross body from the ring by Scotty. Snap mare brings a near fall for Flamingo, and an inside cradle brings two for Scorpio. Suplex for a two by Scott, then latches on a reverse chin lock.
Flamingo looks for momentum, but Scorpio gains control, dropkick and a scoop slam, followed by a move up the top with a cross body, connecting with his opponent, but it only brings a near fall. Flamingo tries to gain the advantage, but Too Cold nails him with a side kick, and a spinning leg drop, before hitting his finishing move, and getting the three.
YOUR WINNER: Too Cold Scorpio
COMMERCIAL
MATCH#2: WCW CRUISERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
‘The Iceman’ Dean Malenko (c) vs. Syxx
DATE OF MATCH: February 23, 1997
Malenko comes in on the attack, dominating Syxx. The Iceman keeps breaking his own pin attempts, in order to punish Syxx. Dean nails a powerslam, and Syxx kicks out of this pin attempt. Syxx tries to fight back, but ends up in the Tree of Woe, allowing Malenko to continue control. Dean cannot apply the Texas Cloverleaf, but he is able to cross body Syxx out of the ring. The Iceman poses with the belt, then ducks a kick by Syxx, and nails him. Dean whips Syxx across, and Syxx finally gets in some offence with a kick, which brings us to...
COMMERCIAL
We retrun with Syxx with a limp from an attack to his knee, attack Malenko in the corner with a series of kicks, before connecting with the Rough Rider. Syxx gets a near fall with a quick leg drop, and then attacks the Iceman in the corner with attacks, before locking in a sleeper. Dean is able to get out of the hold, and manages to get a near fall. Syxx with several shots to Malenko, before hanging him off the apron, and gets in a shot to the neck of his opponent.
Syxx with a suplex, and then heads up top to connect with a leg drop, but it only brings him two. Another sleeper hold is applied by Syxx, but Dean escapes and applies a sleeper of his own, before they headbutt the other and both go down. Syxx gets wishboned on the top rope, and Malenko looks for a back suplex off the top, but it hurts both men.
Syxx grabs the belt, as Eddie Guerrero comes down, and tries to grab the belt off Syxx. Dean grabs Syxx by the hair, and as the referee is distracted by Eddie, Syxx grabs the belt and nails the Iceman with it, to capture the gold.
YOUR WINNER: Syxx
COMMERCIAL
MATCH#3: WWF LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
TAKA Michinoku (c) w/Yamaguchi-San vs. Christian w/Gangrel
DATE OF MATCH: October 18, 1998
Christian, in his first singles match, looks for the upper hand early, but TAKA gets in a kick, a clothesline, and a springboard plancha on the challenger. Michinoku gets in a near fall with a leg drop , but soon loses the advantage after a reverse DDT by Christian. He then connects with two suplexes, followed by a facebuster, which leads to another near fall by Christian. Edge is in the crowd, as TAKA looks to clothesline Christian over the ropes, but ends up flying over them, and Christian capitalizes with a diving attack on the champion. Guess what comes next?? Fifteen Stone Cold Stunners? Not even close.
COMMERCIAL
Christian nails a falling powerbomb for a near fall, and a scoop slam is followed by a choke. The challenger then heads up top for a splash, but TAKA moves out of the way. Michinoku nails a dropkick, and follows up with a baseball slide, and an asai moonsault. TAKA then continues the assault, with attacks in the corner, before sending his opponent across, and after a bit of difficulty, connecting with a cross body off the top, but Christian rolls through and gets the near fall.
Michinoku with a drop kick, bringing him another near fall, before being countered by Christian into a Russian Leg Sweep for a near fall. Lawler makes a puffy shirt reference from Seinfeld, in regards to Christian and Gangrel’s shirts, as Christian counters TAKA’s Michinoku Driver attempt, into a roll up for the three.
YOUR WINNER: Christian
COMMERCIAL
MAIN EVENT: Ricky ‘The Dragon’ Steamboat vs. ‘Flyin’ Brian Pillman
DATE OF MATCH: October 25, 1992
Pillman with the early control, but Steamboat fights back. The Dragon skins the cat, and gets a near fall, but meets the turnbuckle face first. Ricky plays a little possum, and then locks in an armbar. Steamboat with am armdrag takeover, before continuing to work on the arm of Pillman. Brian with a drop toe hold, but Steamboat regains control. Flyin comes back, but the Dragon connects with a back body drop, followed by a slam, but Pillman gains control with a thumb to the eye. Steamboat with a choke, and tries to whip Brian across, but the attempts are countered, and Flyin Brian regains control, as we enter commercial.
COMMERCIAL
Pillman in control with stomps, but Steamboat tries to come back, but is countered into a headscissors, with brings Flyin Brian a near fall. The Dragon gets in a backslide for two, and then chokes his opponent. Pillman places Ricky on the top rope looking for a superplex, but Steamboat counters, knocking Brian down, but The Dragon gets a dropkick as he jumps off, as Pillman gets in several near falls.
Flyin Brian applies a sleeper, and Steamboat escapes by ramming Pillman’s head into the corner. Brian snaps the Dragon’s head on the ropes, before a top rope is counters, as Ricky throws him off. Steamboat now has all the momentum, as Flyin Brian heads outside to try to escape. Back in the ring, Pillman gets in some attacks, but Ricky comes back with blows of his own.
Brian heads outside again to escape, but Ricky goes to chase him, and almost pays the penalty of sending his opponent in the ring first. Ricky connects with a back breaker, then connects off the top with a sunset flip for a two. Steamboat counters Pillman into another roll up, and this time he gets the three.
YOUR WINNER: Ricky Steamboat
That’s the lot for this edition, next week, it’s more of the same. More cruiserweights!