Posted on by bdamage1
Brian Damage
WCW Starrcade 1990 pay per view was remembered for a couple of things. First, it was the final event that was co produced under the National Wrestling Alliance. Secondly, it was the ending of the infamous Sting versus The Black Scorpion feud. Last but certainly not least, it was the event that held the first and only Pat O’Connor International Memorial Tag Team Tournament.
It was a one night, single elimination tag team tournament that had teams representing eight different countries. The winner of the tournament would receive a trophy and bragging rights of being the top tag team in the entire world. The eight teams from eight countries were as follows:
*Chris Adams and Norman Smiley, representing the United Kingdom
*The Great Muta and Mr. Saito, representing Japan
*Salman Hashimikov and Victor Zangiev, representing the Soviet Union
*Danny Johnson and Troy Montour, representing Canada
*Konnan and Rey Misterio, Sr., representing Mexico
*Rip Morgan and Jack Victory, representing New Zealand
*Col. DeKlerk and Sgt. Krueger, representing South Africa
*The Steiner Brothers (Rick and Scott), representing the United States
Most of these tag teams were authentically from their respective countries or at least had one member that originated from there. The only team that was fully “gimmicked” was the team representing South Africa. Col. DeKlerk was actually Ted Petty aka ‘Flyboy’ Rocco Rock of Public Enemy fame and Sgt. Krueger was really Ray Apollo best known for his work as the replacement Doink the Clown after Matt Borne in the WWF.
To give a little backstory as to how and why this tournament came to be…it begins with its namesake Pat O’Connor. O’Connor was both a wrestler and a promoter who who held the NWA world heavyweight title from 1959 to 1961. He also the first ever wrestler to simultaneously hold both the NWA and AWA word titles. He was also a booker and promoter throughout the Missouri territory for several years. In August of 1990, Pat O’Connor passed away at the age of 65 from cancer.
The NWA/WCW decided to honor one of their greatest champions a couple of months later with an international tag team tournament that would occur on the promotion’s biggest night of the year….Starrcade. The event took place at the legendary Kiel Auditorium in St. Louis, Missouri….one of O’Connor’s old stomping grounds. Famed St. Louis promoter Sam Muchnick opened up the festivities for the evening. According to ring announcer Gary Michael Cappetta, the winners of the tournament would be deemed “the tag team champions of the universe.”
While no actual titles were up for grabs, there was a rather huge trophy that would be awarded to the victors. WCW play by play announcer said the trophy stood over 7 feet tall. The tournament was created with one purpose in my mind…to book the Steiner Brothers strong. Rick and Scott Steiner were a red hot team by the time 1990 rolled around and with the tag team titles already on the waists of Doom who were in the middle of a feud with the Four Horsemen….WCW bookers wanted to keep the Steiners fresh and relevant.
The Steiners ripped through the competition all the way to the finals where they faced the Japanese contingent of Masa Saito and the Great Muta. The referee for the finals was none other than Japanese referee Tiger Hattori. The match was what you would expect from great wrestlers like the Steiners and Muta and Saito. The Steiners as expected won the match and the inaugural Pat O’Connor tournament. I say it was the inaugural tournament, because both Jim Ross and Tony Schiavone made references to it being so. Apparently, this was going to be an annual event.
The Steiners were greeted at the top of the ramp by Tony Schiavone and WCW president Jim Herd who awarded Rick and Scott the first ever Pat O’Connor International Tag Team Tournament trophy. Of course, a second tournament never happened for whatever reason. Considering this occurred during the Jim Herd era…nothing really made sense at all.
Dave
Of course, another tournamnet never came to be for whatever reason. Considering this was during the Jim Herd Era
The Steiners were greeted at the top of the ramp by Tony Schiavone and WCW president Jim Herd who awarded Rick and Scott the first ever Pat O’Connor International Tag Team Tournament trophy. Of course, a second tournament was never happened for whatever reason. Considering this occurred during the Jim Herd era…nothing really made sense at all.
Like the Jim Herd era, nothing in the above makes sense at all.
177613735
Relax kid, it was an error that was corrected. Thank you though for your input.