The Z-Man Tom Zenk and Flyin' Brian vs Midnights (Robocop)

The Z-Man Tom Zenk and Flyin' Brian vs Midnights
Capital Combat '90 - for the US Tag Titles

"Best Match of the PPV: The Midnight Express vs. Tom Zenk and Brian Pillman (WCW).
There are three brilliant matches in that one PPV, but in my opinion this one was the best. The Doom vs. Steiners match was good, but not AS GOOD as this one, and while the Luger vs. Flair match was on par with this one, the finish was terrible. This match is something special and worth checking out if you haven't seen it before." (Matt Adamson, 'The Best Of Times in 411mania 2.28.08 )

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The Powerdriver Review:
Clash of the Champions #11
NWA Capital Combat 1990: Return of Robocop
May 19, 1990
Washington, DC
DC Armory


U.S. Tag Team Champions: Brian Pillman & Tom Zenk (2/12/1990)

NWA U.S. Tag Team Champions Brian Pillman & Tom Zenk vs. The Midnight Express (w/Jim Cornette)

Keep in mind that Ole Anderson was hired as booker a week or so prior to this show. Cornette’s supposed to be locked inside a cage Houdini-style at ringside, but the Midnights attack to try and take everyone’s attention off that fact. Pillman and Zenk, however, clear the ring of the Midnights and make sure Cornette is locked inside the cage. Eaton starts off with Pillman and takes a couple dropkicks after running the ropes. STEREO MONKEY FLIPS on the challengers! To think I just saw Bobby Eaton in a tag-team match with Barbarian last night at a church! Pillman hits both Midnights with Air Pillman! Back in, Lane hits Zenk with some savate kicks, but the Midnights have some miscommunication problems. Lane goes to the floor and gets some advice from Cornette. Pillman locks up with Lane next and delivers a sunset flip for two. Lane pokes Pillman in the eye and tags in Eaton, who comes in and gets stuck in an armbar. Eaton breaks free, but Pillman FLIPS out of a monkey flip and puts Eaton down with a dropkick. Lane gets a tag and nailed with an atomic drop into Eaton. The Midnights head out to get some more advice from Cornette because this isn’t working. Back in, Lane has more savate kicks for Zenk. Eaton tags and dumps Pillman, but he comes back with a top-rope sunset flip for two. That’s followed by double-backdrop delivered to Eaton. Lane grabs Zenk from the apron as Eaton charges, but Zenk ducks and backdrops Eaton clear out to the floor. Back in, Pillman and Zenk go back to work on Eaton’s arm. Eaton escapes and avoids a crossbody block from Pillman to send him crashing out to the floor. Eaton follows out and delivers a swinging neckbreaker on the floor. Pillman climbs back onto the apron, but Lane runs into him for the famous Pillman chest bump on the guardrail. The Midnights finally turn the action in their favor as they punish Pillman with double-teams like the Curt Hennig running neck snap/elbow drop combo, which is pretty sweet. Eaton hits a BEAUTIFUL slingshot backbreaker on Pillman. Next up, the Midnights deliver a drop-toehold/elbow drop combo for 1-2-NO! Zenk makes the save. They go to the floor again where Lane sends Pillman into the guardrail. Back in, Pillman gets a desperation sunset flip for 1-2-NO! Eaton tags and he’s ready to put this kid away, so he climbs up and delivers the elbow drop. That gets 1-2-NO! Eaton stays on top and tries to power Pillman’s shoulders to the mat, but Pillman won’t give it up. Desperation inside cradle on Lane gets two. Eaton tags and tries to power Pillman down again, but it’s not happening. Eaton heads up and Pillman is there to meet him. Eaton pokes him in the eye and comes off to the top to slam him down to set up the ALABAMA JAM (guillotine leg drop). KISS IT GOODBYE! 1-2-NO!! Eaton tries for a tilt-a-whirl slam, but Pillman whirls out of it and slams Eaton to the mat. Semi-hot tag to Zenk! He goes for the Z-LOCK (sleeper hold) on Lane, but Eaton breaks it up. Side Russian legsweep from Lane sets up the ROCKET LAUNCHER! It connects! Cover, 1-2-NO! Eaton whips Zenk in the corner, but he totally misses the charge. Eaton reverses a cross-corner whip, but Zenk comes out of the corner with a crossbody for 1-2-NO! Lane saves, which brings Pillman in the ring. Ref Randy Anderson sends Pillman to his corner while Lane sneaks in an enziguri on Zenk into an inside cradle from Eaton for the 1-2-3! The Midnight Express regain the US tag titles! (20:22) This was basically the end of the Pillman/Zenk connection, as Ole decided to job these two very talented guys to almost every big man who walked into the NWA. Sure, Pillman went on to become a superstar after Ole, but outside of winning the TV title for a very short time, Zenk never really seemed to recover from Ole’s unnecessary de-push. ***¾