5 Forgotten Gems From Classic WCW

When you talk about legit badasses in wrestling history, few would argue the credentials of “Dr Death” Steve Williams and Terry “Bam Bam” Gordy. A staple tag-team of All Japan Pro Wrestling in the early 90s, The Miracle Violence Connection as they were known was as tough as they come with a list of accolades to back it up.

Back in the US, the Steiner Brothers were the baddest team in town and made a living throwing people around for fun. When it was announced that the MVC were going to be coming to WCW, both teams were locked on a collision course that would culminate at Beach Blast ‘92 for the WCW World Tag Team Titles.

The teams would first cross paths at Clash of the Champions XIX, where Doc and Gordy would shockingly defeat the previously unstoppable Michigan-natives in the quarter finals of the NWA World Tag Team Championship Tournament; a tournament the Miracle Violence Connection would eventually go on to win at the Great American Bash in July. However, the Clash itself wouldn’t air on TBS until June 22nd, two days after Beach Blast PPV on June 20th.

So, to all those not in attendance at the Clash, the bout at Beach Blast was seemingly the first encounter for these two teams and, before Doc and Gordy would would get their hands on NWA gold, the duo from All Japan would get a shot at the WCW straps; with Rick and Scott putting WCW World Tag Team titles on the line in the main event.

Going the full 30 minute time limit, the match lived up to Tony Schiavone’s billing as the Steiner’s “toughest test to date”; in a great display of grapple-based wrestling, stiff shots and old-school physicality. The result left the door open for the multiple rematches that would occur and set the tone for one of the feuds of the year in WCW.

After drawing twice with the Steiners on house show events following this, Williams and Gordy would go on to win the WCW Titles from The Steiners at an untelevised show at the legendary Omni in Atlanta on July 5th that year; which they would quickly unify with the NWA Tag Titles at the Great American Bash a week later.

The Steiners would leave WCW for the WWF two months later and wouldn’t reclaim the WCW titles until they returned in 1996. Meanwhile, Gordy would leave WCW in October shortly before Halloween Havoc ‘92 while Williams would remain with the company until after Starrcade in December; thus bringing an end to their tag team affiliation in WCW.

Doc and Gordy would reunite just once more four years later, this time in Paul Heyman’s ECW at High Incident ‘96, in a losing effort to The Eliminators; a match that itself is well worth unearthing.