Road to Clash of the Champions XXIII

All right, let's start with who we have to work with. Here's the WCW roster according to solie.org in May of 1994.

Bobby Eaton, Sting, Brian Pillman, Arn Anderson, Brad Armstrong, Big Van Vader, Dustin Rhodes, Johnny B. Badd, Steve Austin, Cactus Jack, Ricky Steamboat, Diamond Dallas Page, Marcus Alexander Bagwell, Paul Orndorff, Lord Steven Regal, Maxx Payne, Ric Flair, Paul Roma, Stevie Ray, Booker T, Dave Sullivan, Brian Knobbs, Jerry Saggs, Mark Starr, Terry Taylor, The Guardian Angel, Kevin Sullican, The Patriot, Bunkhouse Buck, Steve Armstrong, Brian Armstrong, Meng, Terra Ryzing, Terry Funk, Alex Wright, Frank Anderson

Now, there's a few people in this list out of action or otherwise unavailable. Pillman's still in ECW for another couple of months, I'm writing Vader out for a couple of months since he didn't appear on TV, Maxx Payne was injured, and Meng isn't wrestling...yet.

But, let's start at the top of the card. In real life, they went with Flair/Sting to unify the titles and setup Hogan/Flair, but we ain't got to do that. So, we'll let it simmer for a while. Ric & Sting are still faces, but we'll play up the tension since they've warred before.

However, like I said, not time for Flair/Sting yet. Because indeed, it's time for Ric Flair's old nemesis to return in the form of Terry Funk. We'll have Funk insult Flair for a couple of weeks, leading to a confrontation. Words will be exchanged, but Flair will deny Funk a World Title match. Instead, he says come to the Clash with a partner. I'll have one. Cue Steamboat.

Main Event : Flair & Steamboat vs. Funk & ???

We'll tease various people for the next couple of weeks including Dory Funk Jr. and a host of others. Also, while all this is going on, we'll air hype videos of Vader 'training' to return to WCW as he feels he's lost his focus, etc., etc. They say he'll be back in September, but the videos will run all summer long.

Now, on to the tag titles. We'll continue the Nasty's/Cactus & Sullivan feud, but we'll write Dave Sullivan out by having the Nasty's jump Evad somewhere and completely destroy them. That'll anger up Kevin and hey...we gotta' reason for a rematch.

Tag Title Match: Cactus Jack & Kevin Sullivan (c) vs. The Nasty Boy's

As far as the US title goes, at Slamboree, Johnny B Badd lost to Steve Austin in a fluke pin, then nailed Austin after the match. As a result, it's rematch time. Over the next month, Austin will slowly seperate from Col. Rob Parker and basically go lone wolf. Both guys will get big wins, we'll even have a tag match with Austin/Regal vs. Dustin/Badd or something like that where Badd gets the big win on Austin.

US Title Match: Steve Austin (c) vs. Johnny B Badd

Next up, we'll go with RL and Zybysko upsetting Regal for the title, leading to an immediate rematch at the Clash. Worked in real life, it'll work in alternate reality too.

TV Title Match: Larry Zybysko (c) vs. Lord Steven Regal

That was pretty much the real-life card aside from the Guardian Angel's (Ray Traylor) re-debut, so I'll throw it in here as well.

As far as the rest of the roster goes, Dustin Rhode will continue his war with the rest of the Stud Stable and say he'll have a big challenge for the Stable at the Clash. Meanwhile, we'll start up a nice fun midcard tag feud between Pretty Wonderful & Stars 'n' Stripes with Harlem Heat running in a secondary role, but still winning matches. Meng will have his real life debut and start off as just Rob Parker's manager, but we'll hype his real life toughness and say he's probably the most dangerous man in WCW, even though he's not a wrestler. Finally, both Terra Ryzing and DDP will continue to drift on the bottom of the card.

That's it for CotC. Flair & Steamboat teaming together to take on Terry Funk & a mystery partner, Austin/Badd again, Zybysko/Regal for the TV Title, and the hardcore duo of Sullivan & Jack getting revenge for Evad against the Nasty Boy's. Plus, the Guardian Angel debuts! All for free. Remember to watch TBS.