Steiner Brothers vs Midnight Express (NWA, 9-15-1990)

NWA Pro Wrestling, Gainesville, GA

Taped on Sept. 3. Beautiful Bobby and Sweet Stan are right at the end of their run, feeling they’re being buried by Jim Herd specifically, and probably partially by Ole Anderson, who tells Jim Cornette to “go home” about six weeks after this match airs if he doesn’t like their booking. Cornette did, and so did Stan Lane, and the Midnight Express were no more.

(Requests open and tips always appreciated!)

Midnights out first. Jim Ross calls Cornette “The Mouth of the South.” Absolutely not. Not even disrespecting Corndog here, but that’s another guy. Paul E. Dangerously is on the call with Ross.

The Steiners have just recently, on Aug. 24, won the NWA United States tag team championship from the Midnights in East Rutherford, NJ. This is not announced as a title match but a “special tag team event.”

Scott and Eaton start. Bobby’s mullet now has shaved sides, you can just feel the Midnights ending. Paul E. is friends with Howard Stern! Can you believe that?! Howard Stern!!

Scott outwrestling Eaton to start, Bobby trying to get referee Nick Patrick involved. Ross always sounds like he hates working with Paul E., honestly. Whether here or later in the WWF. They were good together, I’m not saying they weren’t, but Ross was not great at sounding enthused when he wasn’t, ever. This is recorded from the WPIX New York version of the Pro, so you get lots of Local Flavor mixed in, such as Howard Stern. WGN in Chicago had a version like this, too. It was the same as the standard Pro show in terms of matches, but with local promos and plugs and the like.

Steiners get the advantage and then they go to a bunch of promos for an upcoming Philadelphia show. Steiners talk, then Junkyard Dog talks and El Gigante stands there, then Sting comes in to talk about the Black Scorpion.

After those promos, Tony Schiavone running down the Sept. 29 lineup in Philly (Sting Watch Night!) and a plug for Limos by Lydia, we’re back to the wrestling match!

Scott is in with Eaton, totally in control. Then he decides to get weird:

This is the sort of move you just won’t see done anymore on the television. It’s just daffy brained “why not? let’s try it!” horseshit.

Jim Ross warns us that they only have four minutes left and we’re probably not going to get an outcome here. Rick and Sweet Stan in, Rick with that big release power slam/belly-to-belly deal of his. Mounted for punches in the corner, Cornette distracts the ref (and Scott, by extension), and Bobby gets in there to jump on Rick from behind, knocking him to the floor, where he lays in some extra shots.

Rick rolled (!) in and Stan hits a SAVATE KICK. Midnights with some nice double team offense, drop toe hold from Stan and an elbowdrop to the back of the head from Bobby. Eaton slipping in that hidden right hand, scoop slam gets two. Jim tells us they won’t even roll the credits. They will give you every second of an attempt to see a finish.

Rick ducks an attempt at more double team, and hits a belly-to-belly suplay on Bobby. RAPIDLY RUNNING OUT OF TIME as Scott tags in, slamming every Midnight he can. Dropkicks for both. Back elbow for Stan, tilt-a-whirl slam for Bobby and that gets two.

Breaking down into a fight. Cornette jumps into the ring with the racket, but Scott catches him. Bobby hits Scott with the racket, Stan pins, and the show is over.

Can’t really rate it or anything but a fun bit of TV as the Steiners keep climbing in the world and the Midnights are at their end.