Hey yo Stud Muffins & Foxy Ladies,
We made the big haul out to Indiana and back again all in one whirlwind weekend to end the Ball State graduation festivities for my sister. Chirp! Chirp! They have friggin Waffle House in Ohio. New England needs to get on the ball and upgrade itself pronto. Those waffles are damn tasty.
Speaking of some down home Southern cooking, I am returning again to my favorite promotion of all time, WCW. After weeks analyzing 00s puroresu and giving some love to the modern product especially to the Shield, it was time to return home and just enjoy some good 'ol Dubbya-See-Dubbya. Even though, I am a huge WCW fan, I am rather young thus I am still playing catch up to watch all of its glory and misery. I realized I had never seen the consensus best match in WCW history: Wargames 1992. Wargames 1992 is the climax to the Dangerous Alliance angle, which is one of the few WCW angles that receives universal praise. I have watched a match here and there from the storyline which lasted from Halloween Havoc '91 to Wrestlewar '92 (the stable continued, but fizzled out after Wargames due to get another regime change this time to Bill Watts). The best place to start is of course the beginning.
We made the big haul out to Indiana and back again all in one whirlwind weekend to end the Ball State graduation festivities for my sister. Chirp! Chirp! They have friggin Waffle House in Ohio. New England needs to get on the ball and upgrade itself pronto. Those waffles are damn tasty.
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Friends dont let friends eat pancakes
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Paul E. Dangerously having been fired as an announcer from WCW returned at Halloween Havoc to inform us he renewed his manager's license and had a new client the mysterious Halloween Phantom. The Phantom turned out to be none other than top WWF heel, "Ravishing" Rick Rude. After the Great American Bash '91 debacle, WCW hit rock bottom without their cornerstone in the form of Ric Flair and the crowd openly mutinying with chants of "We Want Flair" all night long. The debut of Rude was the shot in the arm WCW needed. At Clash of the Champions XVII in November, Great American Bash 1991 seemed like a distant memory because in 4 short months, WCW turned their product around hitting what might have been their in-ring peak. They ran a tremendous angle pitting Rick Rude against their top babyface and US Champion Sting. Rude won the title under nefarious circumstances with Sting being chop blocked earlier in the night coerced to be admitted to the hospital only to hijack an ambulance and put up a valiant, but losing effort to the fresh Rick Rude. However, the night was not full of disappointments as Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat returned to help Dustin Rhodes to wrest the Tag Titles off the Enforcers (AA & Zbyszko had crushed Dustin's partner Barry Windham's hand in a car door at Halloween Havoc) in one of the greatest matches in WCW history. In one night, Steamboat & Rude had everyone saying Nature Boy Who? It was smart booking putting titles on these hot returning acts elevating the talent, the titles and the show. The sinking ship had been salvaged as Rude and Steamboat billowed the sails.
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| Good 'Ol JR, Stunning Steve, Paul E., The Living Legend, The Enforcer, The Ravishing One & Beautiful Bobby |
The boon of Rude and Steamboat arrivals were compounded by the founding of the Dangerous Alliance. The Dangerous Alliance, managed by Paul E. Dangerously and the Director of Covert Operation, Madusa often in her father's hideous suits, was comprised of the US Champion Rick Rude, TV Champion Steve Austin, the soon to be World Tag Team Champions Arn Anderson & Bobby Eaton (I dont know why they swapped Zbyszko out for Eaton) and Larry "The Cruncher" Zbyszko. It was the entire of main event heel roster (save for the World Champion Lex Luger) paired together just wrestling a rotating cast of babyface such as Steamboat, Sting, Dustin Rhodes, Steiners and the returning injured Barry Windham to badass match after badass match. There are often comparisons made to the Four Horsemen and the dynamic was a little different because the Dangerous Alliance was not created to protect the World Champion, but rather Paul E.'s vehicle to attack WCW by attacking its franchise faces. It is a subtle difference, but a key one in the presentation. In addition, the Four Horsemen felt like a gang of friends that were united together to protect Flair and in the process help each other. The Dangerous Alliance felt more like a manager's stable where the only connection between the wrestlers were that were managed by the same man. They clearly were united and helped each other out, but there was not the same sense of camaraderie.
Since this is just volume one, that seems like a fitting stopping point summarizing the introduction of the group and the comparison to the vaunted Four Horsemen. I just want to reiterate how awesome the Tag Title match between Steamboat/Dustin and The Enforcers is. Whether you are a fan of WCW or not, it is definitely worth checking out and one of the best return matches ever especially for Arn's and Larry's reaction at the beginning. Since that match happened on a Clash, it is a generally well-known. To call your attention to a hidden gem TV match, definitely check out Bobby Eaton vs Ricky Steamboat. Eaton is on point with offensive arsenal and demonstrates a mean streak that often kept his match getting over to the next level. Steamboat is just a master at selling then unleashing his onslaught of nearfall combinations. It is a great mixture of brawling and technical wrestling that leads to a hot, hot finish run. In the future volumes, I look to break down individuals and the how impactful (or not) the Dangerous Alliance angle was.
Choice Cuts
WCW World Tag Team Champions The Enforcers (Arn Anderson & Larry Zbyszko) vs.
Dustin Rhodes & Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat - Clash of the Champions XVII ****1/2
WCW US Champion Sting vs "Ravishing" Rick Rude w/Paul E. Dangerously -
Clash of the Champions XVII (Not a great match per se, but a great angle!)
Bobby Eaton w/Mad USA vs. Ricky Steamboat - WCW Saturday Night 12/14/91
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| DANGER! DANGER! HIGH VOLTAGE! |
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| The Enforcers one of the best short-lived tag teams. Promos were money |
WCW World Tag Team Champions The Enforcers (Arn Anderson & Larry Zbyszko) vs.
Dustin Rhodes & Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat - Clash of the Champions XVII
To me all time great matches, need urgency and struggle. You have to believe these two men or teams are actually working to achieve victory. In this match, every single spot is worked for because how great all four of these men are. It has become almost cliche to praise how well the Enforcers put over Steamboat's return, but that only shows how great a job they do from the facial expressions to "NOT RICKY STEAMBOAT!". I watched this match with my mother and brother and when he said "He's just a man!" They popped huge. (My whole living with my parents may be a detriment to the above fantasy). I always, always loved that line. This tag match is like manna from heaven after being in the desert of WWF tags. Look, I have seen plenty of great WWF tags don't get me wrong, but there is nothing like Mama's home cookin'. I have come home, baby!
Jim Ross sums up the beginning the best when he says the Enforcers have been totally psyched out my Ricky Steamboat explaining how they are just generally so cerebral, but this surprise has really unnerved. I love that is how that match really unfolds as the story in and out of the ring really connects. The babyface shine is just one of those really feel-good ones, but credit to the Enforcers they are still working to get the advantage they are just discombobulated by the presence of Steamboat. I would rank Ric Flair as the greatest verbal seller of all time, but Larry Z is definitely up there with him. From the beginning, Dustin looks like he belong in there with these three veterans as he is excellent at delivering some great babyface offense. The Enforcers are cheating and stalling like muthafuckas, but nothing seems to take effect as the babyfaces will just not be denied. The thing I really took away from this match was that the transition to the heat segment maybe the greatest transition I have ever seen. Larry Z slaps Steamboat to get him hot and he bails. The Steamer gives chase. Larry Z gets back in and tags Arn. As Steamboat gets back in, Arn hits him. Dustin goes to argue and Arn comes crashing down on the Dragon's back while the Living Legend holds him. Tony puts over that looked "helter-skelter", but it was actually a well-laid plan. That was the fuckin' beauty of it. It is did not look rehearsed. It looked like a really intelligent piece of strategy to finally give the Enforcers the advantage. The Enforcers work a kickass heat segment, but that's like telling you the sun is coming up tomorrow. It is just a clinic as they focus on Steamboat's back and constantly are keeping him in their corner. My favorite part is the Boston Crab where Larry Z is pushing Arn's head back just for that extra little bit. In a match like this, every inch counts. What I really want to make a point of is in a WWF tag usually the heels just do their thing. Here, Steamboat is still clawing at everything. He is still throwing strikes. He is looking to claw his way back into this anyway he can. This entire match has just had so much struggle to it and that's makes it so timeless. Who ever is on the defensive is still putting up a fight. Steamboat gets an atomic drop, but Arn's head snaps back and they crack heads. The ref's count is on, but the Dragon makes it to the Natural. Dustin is a house afire. He hits a wicked lariat and here comes the bulldog on AA. He tags Steamboat back in so Steamboat can hit the cross-body on Arn so he can get the feel-good moment in winning the tag titles in his return.
They used Dustin perfectly in this match, but not due to a lack of experience as he was just about to have an absolutely incredible '92. Steamboat was the main focus of the match. You wanted to see Steamboat kick ass at the beginning, get his ass beat and then get the pinfall because he is in the returning hero. Dustin was a sweet guitar fill to Steamboat's all-time bitchin' riff. Dustin hit a lot of good offense to pop the crowd. This is my favorite Steamboat performance because of how passionate it is and how he just works every spot as hard as he can. I don't think much more can be said about the Enforcers, just a masterful heel performance. I am so glad to finally be home, again! ****1/2
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| INCOMING~! |
WCW US Champion Sting vs "Ravishing" Rick Rude w/Paul E. Dangerously -
Clash of the Champions XVII
In one night, WCW turns around the entire company from what could have been a death blow at Great American Bash '91. It was really only 4 months since the nadir and I think that's actually pretty damn fast given what happened with Flair's departure. I am not saying Rude + Steamboat = Flair, but fuck if it did not make great TV right through Beach Blast '92. This match is the WWF's domain, not that they would ever come close to running an angle like this until the Attitude Era. WWF is usually better at using as a match as backdrop to run an angle, but WCW kills them on this one as this is just superb. I remember reading about this angle on Wrestlecrap and thinking what the fuck is wrong with this author this sounds bitchin'. So having watched it a couple since then, yep I was right, the execution was pitch perfect. Paul E. is excellent as the evil genius that rambles too long giving the hero enough time to make it back. Sting hitting the military press to Rude on the ramp was one of the best hope spots of all time. He really could pull this out. They do everything they can to protect Sting. Rude works over his badly injured knee, he pokes him in the eyes, Paul E. hits him in the head with the phone and finally Rude chop blocks AND grabs the tights to get the pin. I think every bit of it works. This is where you want all this shit in excess because it makes both parties garner more heat. Outside of the Vader series, this may be the best Sting performance of all time as he really milks the knee injury and delivers a great heroic performance. Rude immediately feels like a huge deal in WCW beating Sting for a title in a great dick heel performance. Kudos to the booking committee to stick the titles on Rude and Steamboat right off the bat . That's how you build on an immediate impact.
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Dustin Rhodes & Bobby Eaton vs Arn Anderson & Steve Austin - WCW Worldwide 11/23/91
Again WCW impresses by pulling off a match that is the WWF's bread and butter using a match as a backdrop for an angle. Dustin really stood out in this match as really strong performer. Calls of nepotism be damned, he earned his position and this is just further proof. Just little things like coming in hot and chest bumping Arn just reminds the audience "Yeah he fucking hates this dude because he crushed Windham's hand". The beginning of the match he just stays the course and keeps wriggling free from all the cheating/head games tactics and going back to arm, but Eaton wont stay in the ring for more than 10 seconds so it is effectively a handicap match as Tony points out. Bobby had already been unveiled as the second member of the Dangerous Alliance on TV thus Tony focused on Bobby's odd behavior. Dustin did such a fantastic job selling fatigue. He was not hitting things at crisply and that leads to him getting hotshotted. Anderson and Austin are just great old school heels always taking shortcuts before hitting their moves. Bobby is great at distracting the ref and missing tags, Bobby actually does fire off some punches when he is tagged and that can be explained away as AA and Austin are not yet in the Dangerous Alliance. The Enforcer rammed Dustin's arm into the post thus he missed a tag so Beautiful Bobby gets pissed and gives him a shoulderbreaker costing them the match. It was a tight, efficient match that got everyone over in their role and moved Eaton into the burgeoning Dangerous Alliance. Even though I dug it, the crowd was dead, but on paper it does look like a lethal lottery style tag match, but does a great job laying the foundation.
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Larry Zbyszko vs Barry Windham - WCW Main Event 11/24/91
The wacky WCW TV taping/airing schedule strikes again as this was taped prior to Larry earning the "Cruncher" moniker when he crushed Big Barry's hand in a car door at Halloween Havoc. We never really did a get a blowoff for that, for shame. Larry is just excellent in this short match. As good as Barry is, Zbyszko could have been in there with anybody and this would have been great. I enjoyed his infamous stalling tactics this go around especially when he went over to the chicks with the "I LOVE BARRY" sign and tears it up. What a saucy boss! Zbyszko does every stalling tactic in the book and once gets trapped, he is not afraid to let the audience know his frustration ad they are loving it. On the flip side, when he gets his opening he is right on Windham on the outside and in the ring. You get the real sense of his desperation to control the bigger and better Windham. Thats what a heel should be hiding behind his bravado but actually wicked insecure in high pressure situations like this. Windham ends up scoring the victory with a flash pin. The Enforcers looks to put the boots to him, but Ron Simmons was in to make the save. Great Larry performance and worth seeing for a classic heel performance.
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Bobby Eaton w/Mad USA vs. Ricky Steamboat - WCW Saturday Night 12/14/91
Seeing Madusa in her father's suit, makes me want more Missy Hyatt on my screen. O wait, I always want more prime Missy on the screen (I feel like one of the few who does not mind her commentating/interviewing). Enough about Missy because this match totally rules the school. From the outset, Beautiful Bobby establishes himself he is one mean sumbitch. He chokes Steamboat with his own bandanna and is relentless on top of him. This match is a perfect example of how you can mix things up. They brawl into crowd and Eaton hits a chair shot on Steamboat. It is not a hardcore match. It is just a match between two dudes that just don't like each other. WWE seems content in having everything in their nice, neat little boxes and this match showcases how you can blend genres. On the outside, Steamboat is able to send Eaton into the post and here comes a barrage of armdrags and armwork, which affords the Dragon the opportunity to tell the "Witch" at ringside to shut up. After the aforementioned chairshot, Eaton sends The Dragon's shoulder into the ringpost, nice tit for tat. He gets a nearfall on a suplex attempt and busts out a short arm scissors (a favorite of mine). Eaton and Steamboat's selling has really been top notch. In a moment that made me laugh out loud, Eaton goes to hit a move off the top and JR exclaims he is from Huntsville! I guess most natives of Huntsville, AL are landlubbers. Eaton eats feet and Steamboat unloads his onslaught of pinning predicaments. Eaton counters the skin the cat with a belly to back suplex and busts out a Billy Robinson style backbreaker. I like how Steamboat gets his nearfalls on flash pins and Eaton is using suplexes. It makes for good complements. Steamboat catches Eaton in a crucifix pin for the win. Austin crashes the party, but not before Barry Windham cast and all is back to make the save. Great way to build towards Steamboat/Austin next week and a badass match overall. Eaton really showed off his mean streak in this match while still putting over Steamboat's challenge. They really used everything to their advantage. All the outside work was used to set up what was to happen in the ring before they hit the frenetic finish. ***3/4
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WCW TV Champion "Stunning" Steve Austin w/Paul E. Dangerously vs Big Josh
WCW Pro 12/21/91
Poor Matt Bourne getting saddled with Big Josh and Doink The Clown. While Doink was far superior to Big Josh (just terrible), it did have a ceiling. What is remarkable is that he wrestled in two totally different styles. Doink was presented in the ring and by Vince as a technical wrestling wizard whereas Big Josh was an untrained lumberjack brute (because all people from Oregon are lumberjacks, duh). He did a great job given the limitations of each character. The match is pretty standard, but Josh had two nice spots: airplane spin and standing on top of Austin and stepping him, which was pretty cool. Austin looked like a pretty generic heel in this one and just survived using some Paul E distraction and feet on the ropes. Big Josh was also wearing denim floodwaters. Yep, he was going nowhere.
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Dangerous Alliance (Bobby Eaton & The Enforcers) vs
All Gold Everything (Brian Pillman, Ricky Steamboat, Dustin Rhodes) - WCW Pro 12/21/91
The first of many Dangerous Alliance six mans is a solid match, but I did not think it was exceptional. Cool that everyone on the babyface team is a champion, Steamboat & Rhodes lifted the titles from the Enforcers and Pillman is the Champion of the ill-fated Light Heavyweight division. The shine lacked panache felt like the faces were going through the motions. The heels were excellent especially Arn in selling how smart he was for stopping short of the turnbuckles only get rammed into them by Dustin. Things picked up for once Dustin crashed and burned to outside. He is such a great face in peril and the heels were just kicking ass in being assholes and taking it to Dustin. I wished Pillman got more of an opportunity to work with DA, but he was stuck being the cornerstone of the DOA Light Heavyweight Division. Pillman was a good hot tag, but the finish stretch was a little rushed. Pillman has the pin after a cross body, but the ref is distracted by all the surrounding chaos and Eaton hits a perfect Alabama Jam from the heavens to break it up. Arn gets the duke and I just love that finish. More of a harbinger of the great things to come then a great match in its own right. Post-match is the best part as Barry Windham is back to exact revenge from the Dangerous Alliance and cleans house on the three members with his cast.
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