Editor's Note #1: Chris Benoit will be mentioned throughout this blog. I do not seek to glorify the man Chris Benoit. Chris Benoit was an evil man that murdered his wife and child. Chris Benoit is a part of wrestling history and will be discussed as a part of wrestling history.
Editor's Note #2: Originally Volume 2 was going to finish the countdown started in Volume 1 of the best matches to take place in the WWF between 1993-97 however I have not found time to rewatch the Mind Games match between Shawn Michaels and Mankind. I will keep putting out content until I feel I can do that classic match justice at which point I will release those final rankings.
Hey Yo Stud Muffins & Foxy Ladies,
Pro Wrestling Love vol. 2:
The Greatest Matches of WCW in 1995-2001
Objective: Break up the Greatest Match Ever Project
(hosted at gwe.freeforums.project.net) into more manageable chunks to help me
build my Top 100 List for the project.
Motivation:
Contribute to the discussion around these matches to enrich my own
understanding of pro wrestling and give a fresh perspective for old matches and
even hopefully discover great pro wrestling matches that have been hidden by
the sands of time.
Subject: This
second volume of Pro Wrestling Love begins the Top 12 countdown of the best
matches to take place in World Championship Wrestling from 1995-2001. The years
were selected based on Hulk Hogan’s arrival in July of 1994 completely
reimagining the company in his likeness. I would argue that similar reimagining
happened when Vince Russo took over the booking in October of 1999, but WCW was
so terrible from October of 1999 to end, March of 2001 that is not worth doing
a separate blog on that. You can revisit past Pro Wrestling Love Volumes at
ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com and eventually at PlaceToBeNation.com. You can check out the full version of these
reviews in ProWrestlingOnly.com by going to the forums and finding the folders
associated with the date of the match.
 |
| I LOVE THEIR '97 RUN! |
The Misses: I
would say one of the surprises of this countdown was the dearth of highly touted
matches from 1996-97 WCW when their vaunted midcard consisting of Chris Benoit,
Eddie Guerrero, Dean Malenko, Chris Jericho, Rey Mysterio, and Ultimo Dragon
among others was firing on all cylinders. The one obvious match makes the list
of course (*cough* Eddie vs Rey *cough*), but this is actually a really wide
open list. You would think that the biggest company in America for two years
with one of the best rosters in history would have been picked apart, dissected
and have a canon established. However, besides Eddie vs Rey, can you
automatically say what the next match is that would make the list. The
combination of the popularity of the company and the popularity of its
wrestlers among wrestling critics make for a more interesting column than one
would expect.
For instance, Chris Benoit generally considered one of the
best wrestlers of 90s does not have any obvious matches to make this list. He
will have two that make the list, but I don’t think going into this match that
any of the matches were mortal locks.
Two of his more highly touted matches were the brawl against Kevin
Sullivan at Great American Bash ’96 and his overwrought ode to progressive rock
with Dean Malenko at Hog Wild. I find the GAB match to be more of a fun,
plundah brawl than something incredibly amazing, even if Dusty gives a *****
performance on commentary. The Malenko match reminds me of those overly long
prog rock songs where the focus is how many notes or time changes they can fit
in a song rather than having a strong hook and entertaining the audience. The
last major Benoit match I want to bring up is the Booker T Best of Seven
Series, which I lived through. This has become very fondly remembered from WCW
and really made Booker T a singles star. Booker T has never done much for me as
a wrestler and I thought the Final Match was good, but nothing more.
The only two other matches I wanted to bring up that had a
bit of reputation going into this countdown involve Ultimo Dragon. As you can
imagine as an 8 year old, diehard WCW fan, I was pretty huge fan of masked
wrestlers. Psicosis and La Parka were my favorite, but Ultimo Dragon was not
far behind. Unfortunately, for the most part, I do not think Ultimo Dragon has
aged well. He will have at least one match from Japan that will make my Top 100
of All-Time, but overall I find his matches to be bereft of psychology. He is a
phenomenal offensive wrestler. He has a deep arsenal and his execution is
stellar. His offense still looks as good in 2018 as it did in 1996. However, in
my opinion, offense is only one element of pro wrestling. His constant blowing
off of selling and just running through spots without rhyme or reason make his
matches ultimately an unfulfilling experience. His two well-regarded matches
from this era are the World War III ’96 match against Rey Mysterio and
Starrcade ’96 against Dean Malenko. The first match is a glorified squash match
and just a total exhibition of Dragon at his offensive best. I have been harsh
on this match in this match, but it is entertaining and enjoyable to watch, but
there is no struggle. It looks like Dragon is having a training session showing
off different moves while Mysterio acts as his tackling dummy rather than a
contest with two men vying to win the bout. The second match with Malenko is
just pretty boring with no real hook. I do like Ultimo Dragon so I will give
him a shoutout and that his best WCW
match was against Steven Regal at Slamboree 97 and that would make a Top 20
if I was doing a Top 20.
I want to end this on a high note and I think the silver
lining is that this will be a list that is a nice blend of matches you expect
and some that come out of left field.
 |
| Lance Storm once used this picture on Twitter to explain to me that Ultimo Dragon deserved to be in the WON HOF. I am not convinced Lance fully understands how pro wrestling works. |
Honorable Mentions:
Scott Steiner vs
Goldberg – Fall Brawl 2000
The best match from the Russo era not even Russo interfering
with a plastic whiffle ball bat could completely ruin this.
Diamond Dallas Page
vs Chris Benoit – Thunder 5/27/99
WCW World Champion Hollywood Hogan vs Diamond Dallas Page – Nitro 10/28/97
DDP was the best, consistent wrestler in WCW from 95 to the
End. Yes, Rey and Eddie had higher highs, but they were short spurts compared
to DDP would pretty much kicked ass from the beginning to the end of this era.
DDP appears on this list more than any other wrestlers. These are two TV
matches that have been lost to the sands of time that show DDP at his best
wrestling matches that drip with effort. Also shoutout to Hollywood Hogan even
as late as 97 he could still be a compelling, energetic pro wrestling. I can
understand saying Hogan did not have many “great” matches, but he was NEVER
boring and this was his best in the Hollywood character, brutha.
WCW World Heavyweight
Champion Sting vs Chris Benoit – Nitro 9/20/99
Chris Benoit vs Eddie
Guerrero – Nitro 10/16/95
In addition to the DDP Thunder match, here are a pair of TV
matches from Chris Benoit that rule the school. The first is probably one of
the best debut matches in the history of wrestling as Benoit and Eddie have a
balls out, hard-hitting sprint and get themselves over immediately. The second
is a glimpse into Chris Benoit, WCW main eventer as he takes on the very rare
sighting of Heel Sting. This is during that one month heel run before Vince
Russo nuked WCW one month later.
WCW Cruiserweight
Champion Rey Mysterio Jr. vs Dean Malenko – Halloween Havoc ‘96
This match was the last match out. I loved the Malenko/Rey
series from 1996 and it is easily Malenko’s best work from his career. The
pairing was perfect to get Rey over as a total superstar from jump.
Chris Benoit &
Dean Malenko vs Eddy Guerrero & Chris Jericho – Brian Hildebrand Tribute
This match would actually rank in the Top Six if I was just
ranking it against the other matches on the list. However, technically, this is
not a WCW sanctioned match even though it featured all WCW talent (Brian
Hildebrand better known as Mark Curtis was a referee in WCW and this was a
tribute show for him in 1998 after he tragically passed from cancer) so I
decided against ranking it. It is a terrific match and I will be nominating it
for the Greatest Match Ever project. Just a perfect understanding of tag team
fundamentals by four of the all-time greats.
 |
| I couldnt find an image of Savage's picture perfect elbow from this match which was my Desktop background in late 1997. |
The Twelfth to Seventh Best Matches of World Championship Wrestling
from 1995-2001
#12. Randy “Macho Man” Savage vs Diamond Dallas Page – Spring
Stampede 1997
If I was making a favorite matches of all time list, this
would be near the top. Two of my all-time favorites just hit out of the park.
There are some people prefer the GAB match or Halloween Havoc match, but
nothing can top the opening match in this legendary feud. DDP was such a great
character. He was the real People’s Champion. A blue collar dude from New
Jersey that entered through the crowd because he was one of us. He really gave
me those John McClaine Die Hard vibes. Macho Man was on top of his heel game.
This was a total revitalization of the Macho Man character. He was completely
unhinged at this time. I loved how he roughhoused everyone. He would pick on
David Penzer and the refs like it was his job. He was a psychopathic bully. He
really goes the extra mile to be despicable especially when he goes after
Kimberly. This was a great feud and this opening salvo in the feud made DDP
into a superstar. It was a very selfless moment when Savage put DDP over clean
in the middle with the Diamond Cutter. I love once Savage comes to that he is
so incensed that he grabs Kimberly by the hair and is ready to haul off and
punch her right in the face. This is too much even for the New World Order.
When Bischoff talks him out of it, he turns and decks Easy E. That’s how you
get a new heel over. When he is ready to do something so vile, the other heels
think he has gone too far.
Both these men are well-known for pre-match planning, but
what is amazing about both men is their matches never feel rehearsed or
mechanical. They come across as organic. I think whats really impressive about
this match is even though the majority of the match is Savage kicking the ever
loving crap out of DDP, it never drags because Savage uses the props at
ringside so effectively. He is intimidating Buffer and Kimberly. He is
attacking Penzer and a random cameraman. After three strikes, he piledrives the
ref to Hell, rips his shirt open and then whips him with his own belt. This is
a great showcase of the new Macho Man loose canon character. In parallel this
is a great showcase for DDP as the gritty, gutsy common man fighting for his
wife’s honor against this despicable psychopath. A perfect match to mint a new
main eventer and it was the rebirth of the Macho Man.
#11. Lord Steven Regal vs Fit Finlay – Uncensored 1996
If you are real quiet, you can actually hear Regal explode
at the end of the match. Violent does not do this match justice. Often pro
wrestling is simulated violence, but in this match these two willing allow one
another to harm and maim. The closest comparison I can make is to those
BattlArts matches where Ikeda and Ishikawa would just stiff the hell out of
each other. It can be so brutal that it is actually disturbing to watch.
The beginning of this match is a great example of the style
of pro wrestling I love as this was just dripping with struggle. They were
fighting through each other’s offense. I love WCW in this period because it is
so varied and unlike anything WWF would present at this time. They are hitting
each other so hard and in every hold that it really feels each is trying to
win. It never feels like my turn, your turn because every fucking turn is
earned. I think Regal’s dropkick to Finlay’s head is just nasty. The finish is
beyond brutal and it looks like it comes straight out of Mick Foley’s Theatre
of Pain. Finlay shatters Regal’s nose
with a palm strike and blood comes pouring out like a faucet. That was the
premature end to what was supposed to be a 30 minute draw. Let me tell you
something brutha, that’s a way more memorable finish than a 30 minute draw. It
could have used more of a narrative or character work to elevate it, but
goddamn it is a gripping war.
#10. New World Order (Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, & Syxx) vs
Ric
Flair, Roddy Piper, & Kevin Greene – Slamboree 1997
One of the biggest faults of the New World Order era was the
dearth of feel-good matches, but here we finally get one in front of a jacked
Charlotte, North Carolina. Ric Flair was making his return after a shoulder
injury. When Ric Flair is on like this, he cant help but smile. It is just that
contagious energy that you wish you could bottle up and sell. Hall and Syxx are
the best scuzzballs ever. They went all in as trying to be the biggest heels of
all time. I loved when Syxx, 212 lbs of disrespect, is strutting that Flair
chops him mid-strut. This is just Flair on fire. A triumphant Flair performance
that nearly matches Starrcarde ’93 in emotion. Kevin Greene from the brand new Carolina
Panthers was the perfect celebrity and gotta love his enthusiasm. This is just
crowd-pleasing spot after crowd-pleasing spot. Even the heat segment is abrupt,
it is all about cramming in as much feel-good Flair as possible. They do a
great job towards the end making you believe the NWO was going to put
themselves over again, but it was just a tease. The finish is just the most
awesome possible, decisive, crowd-pleasing finish. That is a sentence that was
not written enough during the NWO era. This is the ultimate, great feel-good,
popcorn, Summer blockbuster match where Ric Flair gets his revenge for one
night on the three biggest jackasses in WCW.
#9. WCW World Heavyweight Champion Goldberg vs Diamond Dallas Page
Halloween Havoc 1998
CLASH OF THE TITANS! There are many great examples of DDP
being a ring general in this time period, but there is no better example than
this match. Goldberg had incredible aura around him at this time. He really
felt like the baddest man on the planet. The Terminator come to life. However,
there aren’t many great Goldberg matches around because he was such an anomaly
in pro wrestling that it was hard to build a conventional pro wrestling match
around a monster babyface that was coupled with the highly toxic WCW political
environment. DDP cut through the bullshit came out with a way to have a
compelling match with Goldberg that was longer than two minutes and made both
men look great.
The World Heavyweight Champion vs People’s Champion, Rookie
Phenomenon vs Hard Working Late Bloomer and The Terminator vs Die Hard.
Everyone wants to know the answer to who would win John McClane or The
Terminator. Goldberg is the super athlete: quick, powerful and impervious to
pain. DDP never says die. One has to give. DDP knows he has one shot: Diamond
Cutter. He goes for it early and often. I love DDP’s urgency. The best moment
is when DDP avoids the spear and Goldberg eats the ringpost. It makes sense the
only person that can do real damage to Goldberg is Goldberg. Goldberg shows
some range with he is selling. He is stunned but is still moving forward
because he is a monster knows no other way. DDP signals for the Diamond Cutter…BOOM!
SPEAR! The Las Vegas Crowd and me lose our minds. Goldberg’s shoulder is too
messed up for the Jackhammer…BANG! DIAMOND CUTTER! I was screaming “Pin Him,
Dallas, Pin him” 15 years after this match happened that’s how damn great this
finish run is. Those two moments serve as reminder on why pro wrestling is just
the best. What makes this match so special in my opinion is that this match is
so uniquely Goldberg and DDP there are no two other wrestlers could replicate
this feel of Cyborg vs Blue Collar Hero that is the hallmark of excellent pro
wrestling psychology.
#8. WCW World Cruiserweight Champion Chris Jericho vs Eddie Guerrero
– Fall Brawl 1997
In late 1997, there were two amazing heels in US pro
wrestling, one was Shawn Michaels and the other was Eddie Guerrero. The
sadistic, scowling Eddie Guerrero in late ’97 was one mean son of a bitch in
the ring, but he also knew the exact right times to be a sniveling, cowardly
stooge. He was the consummate heel and he was over like rover. There were huge “Eddie
Sucks” chants every PPV and Nitro match from this era. One thing I love about
WCW fans compared to WWF is how into the midcard they always were. WWF fans were
always obsessed with main event (and still are). For the most part, Jericho was
a miss in WCW, his reach more often exceeded his grasp as he was going overly
dangerous spots to get himself over and demonstrated a tenuous grasp on
psychology which apparently was not taught to him until he joined the WWF.
Very classic pro wrestling layout, but what makes this so
incredible is how good Eddie is at all parts of the match. From the outset, he
does everything he can to shine up Jericho, bumping and stooging for Jericho.
The transition to the heat segment is a snap of the neck across the top rope,
but the heat segment features a lot of strong back work including his dad’s
Gory Special and some really great Eddie character work. In classic WCW Jericho
fashion, there is a very dangerous spot. He is going to powerbomb Eddie off the
apron, but drops back with it into a hotshot. They both come down out of
control crashing on each other. It was a gnarly spot, but in this case it
worked in a kayfabe sense because at this point it was a hotly contested match
and Eddie had been in control and Jericho needed something big to
re-consolidate his advantage. After
this, they just throw bomb after bomb at each other in a way that feels smart
and like two men trying their hardest to win the Cruiserweight Championship. A
great example of Eddie’s character work and his range as a heel knowing how to
flip the switch between coward and bastard and it always feeling organic.
#7. Bret “Hitman” Hart vs Chris Benoit – Nitro 10/04/99
This match was dedicated to Owen Hart after his death in
World Wrestling Federation in May of 1999 and is a tribute to Owen Hart from
his brother and from a fellow Albertan. I don’t want to take away from the true
intention of the match, but this was also WCW’s goodbye to classic pro
wrestling as Vince Russo would take over in a couple weeks and nothing on WCW
TV would ever resemble pro wrestling again.
The story of the match to me is Bret keeps chip, chip,
chipping away opening up a bigger and bigger lead on Benoit before one last
Benoit gasp. There is a beautiful gradualism to this match. Two men paying
tribute to someone they love by doing what they love. They start with classic
tests of strength and as Benoit looks to assert himself it is Bret that
counters with a Russian Legsweep. That is the story of the match is Bret
countering Benoit throughout the match picking his spots and accelerating
through the holes in Benoit’s offense. Benoit does a great timing his hope
spots. Peppering them in early, but as his mistakes accrue and Bret’s offense
take his toll they become fewer and further between. The finish run is a spectacular fireworks display from
Benoit that really rallies the KC crowd behind Bret. My favorite part of the
match is how the crowd reacts to Bret applying the Sharpshooter. First, people
are slowly rising to their feet inquisitive, then there is the steady build of noise and when
he finally turns Benoit over there is a great pop. Just a beautiful pro
wrestling match and a fitting tribute to Owen.
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