Chi-Town Rumble - Background

Background

Chi-Town Rumble featured seven professional wrestling matches that involved wrestlers from pre-existing rivalries, plots and storylines that were played out on World Wide Wrestling, Pro and World Championship Wrestling–World Championship Wrestling (WCW)'s television programs. Wrestlers portrayed a hero, villain or a tweener as they followed a series of events that built tension, and culminated in a wrestling match or a series of matches.

The main rivalry heading into the event was between Ric Flair and Ricky Steamboat for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. At Starrcade, Flair defeated Lex Luger to retain the title. On January 21 edition of World Championship Wrestling, Steamboat returned to WCW as Eddie Gilbert's surprise partner against Flair and Barry Windham in a tag team match. Steamboat pinned Flair to win the match and demanded a shot against Flair for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. On January 28 edition of World Championship Wrestling, it was announced that Flair would defend the title against Steamboat at Chi-Town Rumble.

The main tag team rivalry heading into the event was between Road Warriors (Hawk and Animal) and Varsity Club (Steve Williams and Kevin Sullivan) for the NWA World Tag Team Championship. At Starrcade, Varsity Club defeated The Fantastics (Bobby Fulton and Tommy Rogers) to win the NWA United States Tag Team Championship. Later that night, Road Warriors retained the NWA World Tag Team Championship against Sting and Dusty Rhodes by intentional disqualification. On January 14 edition of World Championship Wrestling, Sullivan and Williams challenged Road Warriors to a match for the World Tag Team title. On January 28 edition of World Championship Wrestling, it was announced that Road Warriors would defend the title against Sullivan and Williams at Chi-Town Rumble.

Another tag team rivalry heading into the event was between Midnight Express (Bobby Eaton and Stan Lane) and Original Midnight Express (Dennis Condrey and Randy Rose). At Starrcade, Eaton and Lane defeated Condrey and Rose in a tag team match. The rivalry expanded to involve their managers Jim Cornette and Paul E. Dangerously respectively. On January 14 edition of World Championship Wrestling, Dangerously announced that he would force Cornette out of NWA. On January 28 edition of World Championship Wrestling, it was announced that a Six-man Loser Leaves NWA match would take place pitting Midnight Express and Cornette against Original Midnight Express and Dangerously.

A secondary rivalry heading into the event was between Barry Windham and Lex Luger for the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship. At Starrcade, Windham defeated Bam Bam Bigelow to retain the US title. Later that night, Luger was defeated by Ric Flair in a title shot for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. Windham and Luger's rivalry dated back to April 23 edition of World Championship Wrestling in 1988, when Windham turned on Luger during a NWA World Tag Team Championship title defense against Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard and joined Four Horsemen. On January 28 edition of World Championship Wrestling, it was announced that Windham would defend the United States title against Luger at Chi-Town Rumble.

Another secondary rivalry heading into the event was between Rick Steiner and Mike Rotunda for the NWA World Television Championship. At Starrcade, Steiner defeated Rotunda to win the Television title. On January 14 edition of World Championship Wrestling, Steiner defeated Rotunda to retain the title in a rematch when Steve Williams caused the disqualification by attacking Steiner. On January 21 edition of World Championship Wrestling, Rotunda expressed about his quest to regain the title. On January 28 edition of World Championship Wrestling, it was announced that Steiner would defend the TV title against Rotunda at Chi-Town Rumble.