Hollywood Blondes

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Steve Austin & Brian Pillman, "The Hollywood Blonds"

The Hollywood Blondes were a heel tag team in World Championship Wrestling in 1992 & 1993.

[edit] History

There have been many versions of the "Hollywood Blondes" over the years (Jerry Brown & Buddy Roberts in the 1970s and Rip Rogers & Ted Oates in the 1980s), but the most famous one was the WCW tag team of "Stunning" Steve Austin and "Flyin'" Brian Pillman. They were known for their innovative tag team work in the ring and for their mockery of legends like Ric Flair and Arn Anderson. After a good move on an opponent, they acted like they were filming their fallen opponent as he looked on in horror. After victories, they would intone their catchphrase, "Your brush with greatness is over!"

The team was put together in November 1992 when WCW management did not have anything for either of them to do. Pillman and Austin made up some matching trunks and vests and decided to make the gimmick work.

They immediately started a feud with WCW/NWA World Tag Team Champions Ricky Steamboat & Shane Douglas (The titles were unified at this point). They wrestled them at Starrcade '92 and Clash of Champions 22 before winning them on March 11, 1993. They continued their feud until it culminated on May 23, 1993, at Slamboree when the Blonds won a Cage Match to retain their titles.

The Blonds then decided to pick on some legends, Ric Flair and Arn Anderson. Flair was hosting a show called "A Flair For the Gold" with Anderson sitting at the bar during the show, so the Blondes made up "A Flare For the Old", complete with Austin as Anderson with a pillow under his shirt for a gut. This was aired on June 5, 1993 and it really kicked the feud into high gear.

On June 17, 1993, at Clash of Champions 23, The Blondes retained their titles in a classic 2 out of 3 falls match against Flair and Anderson by DQ due to Barry Windham's interference. Four Horsemen member Paul Roma saved his fellow Horsemen and the feud included some six-man tag matches between the six wrestlers as well as tag team matches.

By July, Flair had become a singles wrestler and the Blondes were feuding with Anderson and Roma. In August, Pillman suffered an injury and was replaced in the team by Lord Steven Regal for a title defense at Clash of Champions 24 on August 18, 1993, at which time Austin and Regal lost the titles.

Pillman came back in September only to be turned on by Austin (who had joined Col. Rob Parker in Pillman's absence). They feuded for awhile and Pillman even made Parker wear a chicken suit on TBS, but this version of the Hollywood Blondes was finished.

[edit] Other versions of The Hollywood Blondes

Buddy Roberts and Jerry Brown wrestled as The Hollywood Blondes in the 1970's in the Southern territories, California, and New Japan Pro Wrestling.
Rip Rogers and Ted Oates wrestled as The Hollywood Blondes in 1984 in the NWA's Jim Crockett Promotions.
Lenny Lane and Lodi wrestled in WCW in 1999 as the flamboyant West Hollywood Blonds.