Pro Wrestling Love vol. 16: Best of WCW from 1991-1994 (Sting, Vader, Rick Rude, Ricky Steamboat)

Hey Yo Stud Muffins & Foxy Ladies,

Pro Wrestling Love vol. 16:

The Best of World Championship Wrestling 1991-1994

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 sixteenth volume of Pro Wrestling Love begins the Top 12 countdown of the best matches to take place in World Championship Wrestling from 1991-1994. Originally, I wanted to go from July of 1991 to July of 1994. July of 1991 is when Ric Flair the most important, biggest star of Jim Crockett Promotions and WCW left for the WWF after a dispute with Jim Herd and management. July of 1994 is when Hulk Hogan debuted in WCW. Both are landmark events in WCW history and bookend what I consider the classic Turner era of WCW. The year 1989 still feels very Crockett. With Flair’s departure, it really feels like a fresh promotion. The returns of Rick Rude and Ricky Steamboat in November of 1991 are the shot in the arm for WCW to lead it to its best in-ring year in 1992. Of course, the debut of Hulk Hogan changes the complexion of WCW forever shedding its Southern roots and becoming a national promotion. For ease, I chose to use the calendar years of 1991-1994. 

You can revisit past Pro Wrestling Love Volumes at ridingspacemountain.blogspot.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.

Contact Info: @superstarsleeze on Twitter, Instagram & ProWrestlingOnly.com.

It wasnt just the matches that were red hot in WCW...MISSY WOOOOOOOOO

Honorable Mentions

So many…I love this era…so here we go…

Vader vs The Boss - WCW Spring Stampede 1994

My favorite style of wrestling is big time, hoss fighting. You know two big uglies throwing each other around. This match epitomizes my favorite style.

Cactus Jack vs "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff - WCW SuperBrawl III Street Fight

A very underrated brawl on a very underrated show. The year 1993 tends to get written off for WCW but there are plenty of gems and this one of them.

WCW World Champion Ric Flair vs Brian Pillman - WCW Saturday Night 4/13/91
Barry Windham vs Brian Pillman - WCW SuperBrawl I Taped Fist

Before WCW shot Brian Pillman to Hell with the Yellow Dog (though I do contend the angle was good the finish just sucked), he was embroiled in a hot feud with Barry Windham & the Horsemen coming out of Wargames in February. He had a ton of great TV matches with Barry in the spring of 91 centered around his injured shoulder it all came to a head in a brutal taped fist match at SuperBrawl I that is criminally short. Also during that time, Pillman had a great TV match with Windham's Horsemen buddy, Ric Flair that featured Flair in full cheating heel mode and I highly recommend to watch both matches. 

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Barry Windham vs Steve Regal  

WCW Worldwide 4/17/93

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Barry Windham vs 2 Cold Scorpio 

WCW Clash of the Champions XXIII

Barry Windham was in a scary groove at this point of his career. It is so sad that a knee injury in July of 93 basically ruined the rest of his career. This was Windham fulfilling the promise he showed in 1988 as Ric Flair’s heir as a potential top heel champion.

WCW World Tag Team Champions Hollywood Blonds vs 2 Cold Scorpio & Marcus Alexander Bagwell -WCW Worldwide 5/8/93

The Hollywood Blonds are the stuff of legend in internet circles and this is their best match together.

WCW US Champion Sting vs Cactus Jack - WCW Power Hour 11/23/91

WCW World Heavyweight Champion Sting vs Cactus Jack - WCW Beach Blast 1992

The latter match is pretty famous for being Cactus’ first big break in WCW. The former is a great under the radar brawl that I highly recommend.

WCW World Heavyweight Champion Vader vs Cactus Jack - WCW Saturday Night 4/17/93

WCW World Heavyweight Champion Vader vs Cactus Jack - WCW Saturday Night 4/24/93

Amazingly brutal series of matches besides these two behemoths. It is the ultimate sadist in Vader and the ultimate masochist in Cactus Jack.

Unified World Tag Team Champions Miracle Violence Connection vs 

Barry Windham & Dustin Rhodes - WCW Saturday Night 10/03/92

Miracle Violence Connection vs The Steiner Brothers - WCW Clash of Champions XIX

The Miracle Violence Connection of Dr. Death Steve Williams & Terry Gordy have become controversial in wrestling criticism. Some see them as only Bill Watts’ boys and not deserving of their push that they just had dry matches. I, among others, see their run as not a smashing success, but one that did deliver some great power matches.

Vader vs Dustin Rhodes - WCW Saturday Night 11/21/92

Vader vs Dustin Rhodes - WCW Clash of the Champions XXIX

Two wrestlers that we don’t think of having incredible chemistry with each other, but these two matched up so well. I really love that Clash match and it pains me that it did not make the Top 12. Definitely one of the last matches out.

Arn Anderson w/Paul E. Dangerously vs Dustin Rhodes - WCW Saturday Night 01/04/92

WCW World TV Champion Barry Windham vs Arn Anderson - WCW Saturday Night 6/6/92

Two great Arn Anderson matches against long, lean blonds here that feature great double limb psychology. Highly recommend both as showcases of traditional textbook wrestling done right.

WCW World TV Champion Ricky Steamboat vs Steven Regal - WCW Fall Brawl 1993

WCW World TV Champion Lord Steven Regal vs Larry Zbyszko - Saturday Night 5/28/94

Steven Regal is one of the great all-time great midcard wrestlers in history. Always having interesting, unique match that drip with struggle. The Regal vs Zbyszko feud is one of those semi-famous feuds that holds up. The Fall Brawl 1993 match against Steamboat is a total under the radar gem that has been lost to the sands of the time.

Dangerous Alliance (Rick Rude, Arn Anderson, Bobby Eaton & Larry Zbyszko) vs WCW (Sting, Ricky Steamboat, Barry Windham & Dustin Rhodes) - WCW Saturday Night 2/22/92

Dangerous Alliance (Arn Anderson, Bobby Eaton & Larry Zbyszko) vs 

Ricky Steamboat, Dustin Rhodes & Nikita Koloff - WCW Saturday Night 5/23/92

The Dangerous Alliance of Rick Rude, Steve Austin, Arn Anderson, Bobby Eaton & Larry Zbyszko is THE reason why the first half of 1992 was such an amazing time for WCW. Pretty much every week there was a six man or eight man tag that just rocks and is ton of fun. The match from May is absolute last match out, it is a great babyface blowout match that just rocks.

LONG LIVE THE NATURE BOY!

#12. WCW World Tag Team Champions The Nasty Boys vs Cactus Jack & Maxx Payne 

Spring Stampede 1994

There has been a movement on the internet I have noticed that prefer the Slamboree 94 match where Kevin Sullivan replaces Maxx Payne and while I love that match too it cant compare with the original. At this time, there was an undercurrent on the independent scene of hardcore/garbage wrestling that utilized a lot of weapons/plunder in the matches. Cactus, who was making his mark by taking death-defying bumps, had his finger on the pulse of this scene that was surging in both Japan and America. This was the first match of this genre to take place on a national stage. Brawls and street fights were not uncommon at all in the 1980s, but they were usually hate-filled match that focused on punching and blood. These matches of the 90s shifted more towards using a variety of wrestling. Memphis wrestling clearly had an influence here, but again the emphasis here was on the weapons rather than hate and blood. In today's WWE landscape, most gimmick matches are just glorified weapons matches. It all begins here. The difference is the style had yet to become a self-parody and this match is legitimately great. 

Incredible! Violent, short but sweet. ECW was just getting in their groove but this was better than any ECW garbage match I can think of. Mayhem and organic.

As good as having two refs was, they needed more cameras in place for the finish. I think the finish was hurt by the fact that Cactus's wicked "back of the head to the concrete" bump felt totally upstaged by Payne/Knobs (they were in the foreground) even though that was the bump that directly led to the finish. At Superbrawl IV, the central hook of the match was that exact bump and it really got played up to max effect.

Probably my favorite weapons-laden, tour of the arena matches. I usually hate those type of matches because of the annoying guide your opponent to a spot transition. This one just felt organic and violent. American wrestling could use one of these right now. Saggs blasting everyone with chairs. The concession stand portion was great, but the finish was incredible. The shovel shot to Cactus head before he could cover was disgusting and that bump off the ramp on the back of his head to concrete always gets an oh my fucking God from me. Sags mercy killing shovel shot to Cactus head is excessive but fits the violence of the match.

I do not think anyone has mentioned this so I think this definitely is one of the all time great Tony Schiavone quotes"

"I dont think that shirt even fits him!" - when Payne grabs a Nasty Boys shirt from the merch stand and chokes Knobs with it.

Total garbage spotfest! Loved every minute! ****1/2

#11. WCW World Light Heavyweight Champion Jushin "Thunder" Liger vs Brian Pillman  SuperBrawl II

America's first taste of international junior heavyweight style that would become so influential. It would be Rey Mysterio & the Luchadores that would cement the position of cruiserweight/junior heavyweight wrestling in America forever. Now it is hard to even differentiate heavyweight and junior heavyweight wrestling because so many heavyweights have incorporated the junior heavyweights and so many junior heavyweights (AJ Styles, Daniel Bryan etc...) are pushed as heavyweight main eventers. It all begins here so not just a great match, but an important match. 

I have this match on the Brian Pillman DVD set and have always thought it was great, but at the time they were editing out Jesse's commentary. I have to say I was really impressed with The Body and how much he put over Liger. Dusty, God bless him, I think really did like the luchadores, but just did not take them seriously. The less said about Heenan and the Luchadores the better. Here, Jesse was putting over how intimidating Liger looked, how great he was both on the mat & the air, and how he had earned the respect of the crowd and that the USA chants were just out of reflexive patriotism. I used to think it was a close call between Jesse and Heenan, but the more and more I watch the more it is becoming a no contest in favor of The Body.

Watching the match this time around, it definitely came off more as an exhibition and showcase of Liger and Pillman's talents as athletic wrestlers. I would not call this an out and out spotfest because the transitions were still pretty tight, but it was clear that story was to WOW. After the early establishment that they were equals, I did like that Pillman was wrestling his usual rugged style (dropkick to the outside, chops, matwork) as a contrast to Liger's moonsault and back handspring (nice pop for that one). It was weird they did not payoff the Liger surfboard attempts. It is always great when an opponent has something scouted and give maximum effort to avoid it, but I thought after wearing him down more that we would get the surfboard for a good nearfall type spot. There were some parts of the match that I did find too back and forth. Like Pillman hitting a nasty back drop driver and then pretty much immediately taking heat to the knee. I thought Pillman had been working pretty effectively as the subtle heel so maybe this was to reestablish him as the babyface, which seemed to work because in the figure-4 was when the U-S-A chants started. After the figure-4, Pillman starts to mount a comeback, but Liger drops him over to the floor and heads to the top. It was cool to watch the crowd all stand and be stunned by the somersault from the top to the floor. This is an example of why I would not say this was a total spotfest at this point they has demonstrated that Liger is a high-flyer so they want to showcase Pillman in that role so they have an epic struggle over a suplex back into the ring and ends up with Pillman running Liger's head into the turnbuckle leaving him prone to Air Pillman. Sure, Pillman blows off the legwork, but hey at least he did not just hit Air Pillman they actually bothered working a transition. Now Pillman hits a suplex over the top rope to the floor, which I always mark out for because it is so rare and then a cross body from the top to the floor. Two can play at that game, Mr. Liger. Here again is where it gets a little spotty with Pillman taking signature chin bump on the railing (always nasty), but then meeting Liger with a dropkick (pitch perfect) as he came off the top.

Too often you will only see wrestlers establish they are equals by going for the same moves early on, but I like they continued that thread later into the match with both going for dropkicks and spinning wheel kicks. It felt like you were watching the two of the best in their respective styles. They do a really hot Japanese-style finish stretch with a ton of bombs and nearfalls that is very reminiscent of the Pillman/Badd finish stretch at Fall Brawl '95. I am not going to do a laundry list of moves as it much better to watch it yourself, but I will give them praise for their urgency and struggle they gave these spots. Also shout out to Liger for taking that super front suplex hard on his stomach. The build to the superplex was well-done and when it did not get Liger the fall, it got a nice pop. Liger going for the kill with the diving headbutt, but crashing and burning was an excellent finish. You live by the sword, you die by the sword. I am surprised my man, Jesse The Body did not bust out that cliche because that was a perfect way to sum up the finish. ****1/2

#10. Four Horsemen (Ric Flair, Barry Windham, Larry Zbyszko, Sid Vicious) vs 

Sting's Squadron (Sting, Brian Pillman, Steiner Brothers) - Wrestlewar '91 WARGAMES

A very underrated Wargames that is seemingly only remembered for Sid Vicious nearly killing Brian Pillman twice on two wildly dangerous powerbombs, but this is a barnburner. The opening five minutes are the best opening five minutes in Wargames history. Brian Pillman is a blood thirty lunatic as he wants to rip Barry Windham limb from limb. This sets the tone for the whole match. It is forgotten about because 1991 WCW feels so irrelevant and so cold. 

Watched this match last night and those first five minutes blew me away moreso than any watch I had had before. From the beginning, when the visibly injured Pillman breaks from the pack to exact revenge from the Horsemen. I love how commentary puts that and all things Pillman over. I like how Pillman mixed athletic and violent spots to display both sides of his character. Sometimes, when people grab onto the ceiling of the cage and try to do a spot it comes off artificial. This looked Pillman was looking for that extra leverage to fuck up Barry Windham. Once Pillman busted Windham out, when he had Windham's blood smeared on his mouth that is one of the most feral, barbaric things you will ever see in a wrestling ring. Pillman was a man possessed in that segment. I loved Barry Windham's crazy out of control bump over the top rope of both rings into the next ring. Windham was a next level athlete. 

Flair is in like a wild man and even with his mushroom cut can still go toe to toe with Pillman in a chopfest. Flair begs off and now finally Big, Bloodied Barry has recovered enough to break Pillman's momentum. Together the Horsemen friggin chuck Pillman as hard they can shoulder first into the cage. I said "Holy Shit!" audibly seeing that. That was such a great spot. Flair goes over and gives the Sting team a big 'ol hip thrust. I love it! Barry hoists Pillman onto his shoulder and drives him his shoulder into the cage. Then they throw Pillman across into the other ring (a wicked bump, similar to Big Barry's earlier) in order to get him away from Sting's door. Holy shit, that's some sweet strategy. I know just realized Pillman did the same thing to Windham in the first segment. Even in the heat of the battle, these wrestlers are the ultimate tacticians. Both Horsemen meet Sting at the door, but Sting is hopped on on that sweet Phoenix noise!?!?!?!?! He hits a double clothesline to a big pop. It is bulldogs for everyone. Windham is resorting to eye-rakes to everyone, but Sting can't be denied. Larry Z in is so Sting just flies over both rings and clobbers Larry Z.

It settles into a blur of violence until the wicked ending. The Steiners brought a lot of great energy while Sid brought a lot of awkward spot calling and stilted moments. Sid single-handlely knocks this out of classic status for me. I say that as one of the biggest Sid's fans of all time, but I gotta call a spade a spade. They hit a great crowd-pleasing spot in the form of a quadruple figure-4 spot. I like violence as much as next wrestling fan, but I thought the violence at the beginning of this match was a lot more noteworthy than the middle of the match. I thought it was interesting that Rick Steiner was the one that busted Flair open. I thought those honors would have gone to the Stinger. I swear everytime the camera was on Sid he was calling a spot. Ugh. I actually like how Larry Z threw Rick Steiner into the cage hard, but Steiner no-sold because "Muthafucka, I got no brains." Scotty Steiner is the bundle of energy you expect great Steinerline on Sid. Stinger Splash by Sting and locks the Scorpion Deathlock onto Flair. I agree that this some of the best Flair/Sting segments ever.

I never been a big fan of the military press into the roof spot as it does not looks like it hurts. I LOVE that while a bunch of action is going on you can hear Larry Z's screams of agony in the background. Wargames is friggin' awesome. Sid gets a hold of Pillman and throws him up into the ceiling. Then he nearly kills Pillman dead with the first powerbomb and then does another one. El Gigante, the friendly giant, is out to surrender for his unconscious amigo. I know that powerbomb was unsafe, but goddamn it looked brutal. 

This is an excellent violent affair. That maybe the best opening 10 minutes in Wargames history. Pillman is an absolute beast throughout the match and the best violent performance of his career. I would say this the WCW match of the year over the Clash Tag that features the return of Dragon. I have to think long and hard if it is better than '94 Wargames match. I would say they are pretty even. '94 may win out because there is more emotion with Dusty & Dustin vs the Stud Stable. Still is a very breezy and bloody match. ****1/2

When you are a walk-behinder, the view never changes...the view never changes...

#9. Dusty Rhodes, Dustin Rhodes, & Nasty Boys vs Stud Stable (Terry Funk, Arn Anderson, Bunkhouse Buck, Col. Robert Parker) - WCW Fall Brawl '94 WARGAMES

The last hurrah of old school, Southern WCW before the Hulk Hogan transformation completely sets in. Throughout 1994, Col. Robert Parker had assembled a Stud Stable of Dusty Rhodes' enemies throughout the decades and set about to exact revenge on his son Dustin Rhodes. You had his archrival from the '70s in Florida in Terry Funk. Parker & Buck (aka Jimmy Golden) were from Alabama/East Tennessee and I am sure had crossed paths with the American Dream. After years of being beaten by Dusty, they had their eyes locked on his son and taking out their anger on him. Dustin looked for help from an unlikely source in Arn Anderson and to the shock of no one Arn Anderson turned on young Dustin and joined Dusty's enemies as of course Arn was a principle Dusty enemy of the 80s as a part of the Four Horsemen. This causes Dusty to get back in the saddle and deliver the GREATEST promo of all time. Words cant do it justice. Watch the promo where Dusty tells his son, Dustin that he wants to join him in this fight. It is a must see before you watch this match. 

Banner fucking year for the Nasty Boys! Jerry Saggs, brother in-law of Dusty (just found out that today and am still floored), is an total animal. The man just loves dishing out pain. The use of cowboy boots and belts was great to ratchet up the heat and intensity in lieu of blood. Dustin & Arn it was the natural pairing. Arn trying to psych Dustin out and get him to his door luring him in only to have his head rammed into the steel cage. Dustin flying across the ring to deck The Enforcer. Can you feel it? Because I can! Hot Damn! This is not Pillman against Windham in Wargames 91, but it is pretty damn good. Arn does take over with a DDT and then gets a crab as Bunkhouse Buck comes in and he is actually pretty energetic taking it to Dustin. Then Jerry Muthafuckin Saggs comes in. This sadist just starts chucking everybody into the cage and drops Buck like a bad habit with a piledriver. Funk had been bothering me in other bouts, but I loved him here. He is a rabid dog that cant wait to get in and he has his cowboy boot in his hand. He lunges at Dustin and obliterates him with the boot and then raking Dustin's face against the steel in front of Dusty is next level heel shit. Then there is the bump to end all bumps. Saggs the sadist and Funk the masochist get together in an unholy union where Saggs PILEDRIVES FUNK BETWEEN THE RINGS. Funk drops into the abyss and Saggs I think was so hurt he actually had trouble getting back to his feet due to the awkward landing. Muthafucka! The Tennessee Stud is pissing his pants that he has to come into the ring. I think Parker did the right thing to play up the chickenshit role rather than being the badass Tennessee Stud. Fans wanted to see the comeuppance against the coward who was going to beg for mercy. Once Fuller has an opening he kicks Dustin and then starts whipping everyone with a belt. I am loving the belt and the cowboy boots and all that shit. So Southern and so badass! Now there is the Dusty chant as the fans eagerly anticipate the entry of the American Dream, baby! Dusty hits the ring to a MASSIVE POP and shit is on! Everyone goes into the cage and eats the Bionic Elbow. Parker is cowering and Dusty slaps on the Figure-4. The Nasties splash and elbow drop Parker as Meng is violently shaking the cage, which adds a lot to the environment. Parker has not choice to give up. MENG seems to be more than a bodyguard for Parker as he is very distraught about his employer's well-being. I think he cares!

My one complaint is that the feud started as Dustin vs Stud Stable. In a lot of ways, this became about Dusty and the finish made Dusty look like the hero and Dustin was kinda in the background. I think they could have laid out a bit better to have Dustin take out Buck, AA and Funk in climatic fashion clearing the way for his father to get the win. I just hate seeing Dustin as an afterthought when this is really his feud. I did not feel like the payoff was really there. In terms of action this was awesome. Really entertaining, went by in a flash and just a ton of fun. Definite WCW match of the year contender. Hard pressed right now to determine if I like this Dustin/Buck, Flair/Steamboat or Nasties/Cactus& Payne more. Loaded year from WCW! ****1/2 

#8. WCW World Tag Team Champion The Enforcers (Arn Anderson & Larry Zybszko) vs 

Ricky Steamboat & Dustin Rhodes - Clash of the Champion XVII

WCW Match of the Year, 1991

Probably the best surprise tag partner angle of all time as Barry Windham had his hand crushed by the Enforcers in a car door at Halloween Havoc. A pitch perfect Southern Tag Team match here that should be studied by wrestlers and fans alike. 

"He's just a man. He's just a man" - Arn Anderson after taking a Ricky Steamboat ass-kicking

One of the all-time great Southern tags and returns in pro wrestling history. After Flair's departure in July of 1991, it looked like WCW was on death's doorstep. It is amazing that just four months later, WCW was completely revitalized by the returns of Ricky Steamboat & Rick Rude. Here, The Enforcers had crushed Barry Windham's hand at Halloween Havoc and he was unable to compete. Thus Dustin got Steamboat as a replacement. The reaction of Arn Anderson is something to behold. His character work was amazing throughout this match. His freak out at the beginning, selling for the shine, the aforementioned quote and then asking for a timeout, all great shit. I loved the babyface shine. Thats how you capitalize on a return. Steamboat came out breathing fire. I loved how Arn and Larry Z were still attacking, but Steamboat was fighting through it all. The bumping & stooging by the Enforcers was top notch. I love how they finally gain the advantage. Larry Z runs his mouth and gets Steamboat back into the match. Then he slaps Steamboat and Larry Z heads for the hills. It was all a well-laid trap. In this game of cat and mouse, Steamboat gets caught exiting with a knee from Arm. Tony does a great job explaining how that may have looked helter skelter, but it was actually a well-thought out plan. As the ref is detain Dustin, the Enforcers consolidate their  advantage with a double team. Anderson goes from coward to confident in a blink of the eye. Signaling that Dragon is done. Did I mention I love Arn Anderson. Great heat segment on Steamboat. Loved the ab stretch and Boston crab where they get that extra leverage. Good false tag before the real one. Real quick finish, Dustin cleans house and tags Steamboat back in crossbody for the win. They follow the Southern tag formula to a tee and it is great. Really inspired heel performance here and Dragon looked great on his return. Im a smidge lower on this than most. I thought they went home too fast. Dustin is barely in the match. I thought the front half was real next level whereas the back half was just textbook. Really great execution of the textbook, but still textbook. It just doesnt quite get to that tippy top level for me. I am thinking about Greatest Match Ever when I am writing this so thats why I am nitpicking. Regardless, this is a classic and something anybody who loves tag team wrestling should watch. The Dragon has returned to WCW let us rejoice and be glad! ****1/2 

#7. WCW World Heavyweight Champion Vader vs Ric Flair - Starrcade 1993

A very polarizing match over the years and I dont know why. I dont see the argument against this match. The emotion of this match carries this to being one of the greatest, most memorable matches in the history of WCW. I think this is babyface Ric Flair at his best just so energetic and tenacious in this one.

How can you not get emotional watching this? The opening video package is amazing. Vader showing up in the Ribera Jacket saying we are going to have a party and he likes this kinda party was great. Flair being picked up by Okerlund in the limo was cool. "If there is no more Ric Flair, who will go Wooo?" - Fan to Flair in 1993, amazing. The world without Ric Flair is going to be a lot less fun. Vader is such a great brute. I love that double fist pump Ric Flair gives on the entrance way. He loves pro wrestling. Pro wrestling loves him.

I'll be honest this is more lopsided than I remember, but it is fine by me because Vader was in a ridiculous groove at the time point in his career. There may be no wrestler at working heat segments ever. That's a big claim, but his brutality is totally engrossing. You cant take your eyes off Vader destroying an opponent. You see tuffs of blond hair burst into the air with each massive blow. Flair taking it to Vader early was the wrong idea. Flair chops and Vader just shoves him. "You aren't man enough" Vader twists him into a Greco-Roman Knucklelock and beats the shit out of him. Flair is the king of verbal selling and the way he hollers in pain is great. Of course, what makes Vader a great heat segment worker is how he feeds for his babyface to get hope spots. Vader misses and eats the railing. The electricity when Flair chops and punches was amazing. Flair has great, great punches. We don't talk about that enough. Harley interrupts this comeback and Flair takes a wicked bump on the floor. Vader DESTROYS Flair. Huge superplex! Punches and forearms. Wicked clotheslines. He busts open Flair real good on a lariat to the mouth. Flair "You son of a bitch!" Flair bleeding from the mouth adds to this grittiness. The fact he is in way over his head against this unstoppable monster. Vader starts to give Flair more opening. A missed splash here and a missed splash there. Vader locks up Flair again and this time Flair goes to the eye. Then Flair just unloads with punches and CHOPS HIM IN THE FACE! Off comes the mask. Vader's face is cut up and red. Hell Yes! Flair goes for the leg. The crowd comes alive. You can hear the excitement in Tony's voice. Wraps the Grizzly Bear's leg around the post and then the chair to the knee. Vader tries to attack. Flair just starts beating the shit out of his face while Vader yells "Hit me! Hit me!" Flair crowns him with a chair. That is the one sequence I always remember. This comeback is positively electric. It is the ultimate fist pump. You want to know you are over? Pick up someone's foot and see a crowd lose their shit. Flair picks up Vader's foot to setup for the figure-4 and the crowd goes wild. Vader still has some fight in him. Missed Vaderbomb! Figure-4! This should have been the finish. I know Vader submitting might have hurt his image but damn it would have been great. Vader gets control again after he makes the ropes. MISSED VADERSAULT! Insane spot. Flair covers. Harley headbutts Vader. Fun spot, but not necessary. The finish sucks as Vader does get back up and then Flair tabletops for the win. Doesn't matter Flair wins and it is one of the loudest pops of all time.

Great performances by both wrestlers. Vader comes across as an unbeatable monster. Flair is selling like a champ and really does feel over his head. What I love about Flair's offense it is all chops and punches! He came to fight! This match comes across as a fight and Flair is fighting for his life! Vader is the king of the missed move and does a great job giving Flair openings and selling for Flair's molten hot comebacks. I actually really liked the finish stretch just not the finish. Big fight feel and a big fight that delivered. Long Live The Nature Boy! ****1/2

Father's Day Fracas: Randy Savage, Ric Flair (WCW, 1995)

Hey yo Stud Muffins & Foxy Ladies,

As is typical with all my wrestling projects, I could not sustain interest through the end. I hope to wrap 2014 up by the end of March, but first I needed a break and just watch some old school wrestling to recharge my batteries. I decided to watch one of my favorite matches of all time again: Randy Savage vs Ric Flair - Great American Bash 1995.

She can be on MY FAVORITE TEAM any day!

This unheralded classic features Randy Savage delivering the best babyface performance of his WWF & WCW career. We all know the Savage babyface formula of taking heat, hitting a bodyslam and then the big elbow. He is such a great classic seller and his matches feature nonstop action that matches where still entertaining. As a heel, Savage is the personification of intensity and generates chaos in every situation. Besides the Jake The Snake feud, rarely did Savage demonstrate the same manic tendencies. Unfortunately, the Jake feud while filled with classic angles and promos never was given a chance to develop a classic match.   

When WWE DVDs started producing career retrospectives in 2003 and the advent of youtube of 2006, I was THE kid in the candystore finally getting to sample all the great matches that I could before only read about. Growing up a WCW fan, I was a big Macho Man and Nature Boy fan. There was no bigger dream match in my estimation than watching those two wrestle. I had read the Scott Keith review of Wrestlemania VIII. I knew the angle, hell I knew what was going to happen in the match, but damnit I could not wait to see it. It was the ultimate redemption story for the Macho Man after losing his career to the Ultimate Warrior the previous year, but gaining back what really mattered: Elizabeth. This set off a chain events that afforded him the chance to return and challenge for the WWF Championship, one year after the biggest loss of his professional life. The Randy Savage story arc told just in Wrestlemanias from Wrestlemania II to VIII is without a doubt the great creative achievement of Vince McMahon with Wrestlemania VII being Vince's crowning moment as a creative genius. Wrestlemania VIII was the bow on the perfect story. Now you add in Flair, the cocksure former NWA champion, the invader from the South that basically just defeated the entire roster at Royal Rumble 1992. He was the Real World Heavyweight Champion and he had Liz before Randy. Hot damn!

I have watched the Wrestlemania VIII match and it is a great match. It is probably a top 20 WWF match of the 90s and a really great exhibition of how Savage is probably the best seller in American wrestling history. There was something missing. Flair and Savage are both all about energy. It is why I have always gravitated towards them: the colors, the promos, the personalities and the movement. It lacked that chaotic energy. I thought maybe I had overhyped it in my head. Months and years passed and watched more and more kickass historic matches.  I had always known Flair vs Savage had a series in WCW, but it was not very highly rated  (***-****) and it was WCW's worst period in terms of buzz and booking in 1995. One day, threw on their Great American Bash 1995 match and like before I knew the angle from reading the angle that Flair had injured Savage's father, Angelo Poffo with the figure-4 at the previous PPV. From the outset, I was transfixed. It was the perfect confluence of my two favorite wrestlers in the bout that I can imagine only them having. Savage was just a bull that sees red. He was relentless in every sense of word. It was completely engrossing. Flair was the perfect complement to Savage. He deferred to Savage's violent tendencies. It is not often Flair plays second banana in a match, but Savage was giving an all-time career performance in this match. Flair will get nasty when pushed. He got just as nasty in this match that just dripped with hatred. For Flair it was a fight for survival for Savage this was the ultimate revenge match.

A Bleeding Savage says one elbow is not enough punishment for the Nature Boy. 

Watching this last night, it never fails to ensnare my entire attention. I just knew I needed to devote a blog to this masterpiece of violent hatred. I can never just write about one match so I threw in the other highly touted three matches of 1995 WCW. Without debut of Nitro, WCW in 1995 would be a pretty barren landscape of highlights as it was  a year of poor booking, lame characters and the transformation of WCW into a weird rock n wrestling parody of 80s WWF. Usually, Flair vs Anderson & Pillman vs Badd, both, from Fall Brawl '95 are held up as the shining lights for a bleak year. They are great matches, but they pale in comparison to the energy and excitement of Flair vs Savage. Another match that sometimes gets overlooked is the Hogan vs Vader SuperBrawl V match, which I would say is a top 5 Hogan match of all time. It gets shit on because of Hogan no-selling the Vader Bomb and killing it off even though in this match Vader is treated like the true monster he ought to be. It goes to show you always watch the primary source material and only let second-hand accounts guide you so much. Thankfully, I did with the excellent Savage vs Flair match from Great American Bash 1995, which have become my favorite match of all time.

Match Listing:

WCW World Heavyweight Champion Hulk Hogan vs WCW US Heavyweight Vader ****

Superbrawl V  

Great Hogan vs Monster match where Hogan actually adapts to the situation. Vader is a beast.

“Macho Man” Randy Savage vs “Nature Boy” Ric Flair - Great American Bash 1995 ****1/2

Think shoot, but work and I am not even sure they were working. Hate-filled fight. WATCH IT!

Brian Pillman vs Johnny B. Badd - Fall Brawl '95 ****

Japanese-influenced bombfest that was a harbinger of wrestling to come. Highly influential

Ric Flair vs Arn Anderson - WCW Fall Brawl 1995

AA proves he is Flair's equal. Flair cheats only for AA to out-Flair Flair with a little help from a friend. 

The Irresistible Force vs The Immovable Object, Jess!

WCW World Heavyweight Champion Hulk Hogan vs WCW US Heavyweight Vader

Superbrawl V  

Not much of a story to this one, except it was one of the big dream matches since Hogan had arrived in WCW and really logical. Hogan had made his star by wrestling these big monsters and vanquishing them (Studd, Bundy, Andre, Earthquake). However, there is no more versatile big man than Vader, who combined the size of those men with an explosive quickness. Also, Hogan’s star was on the wane as his 10 year old character had grown stale and passé especially in the South, which expected a higher level of wrestling than the cartoon stuff that Hogan liked to shovel. This led to this weird dynamic of Hogan getting pretty brutally booed the entire match against monster heel, Vader. 

Tony lets us know that Ric Flair is indeed here in the front row. Hogan had “retired” Flair in October of 1994. They begin by both men are of equal strength. Hogan unleashes some pretty wicked slaps and his whip/elbow combo. Vader just screams “NO PAIN! NO PAIN!  NO PAIN!” I was totally marking out during this segment. I just wanted Vader to maul Hogan. In a cool twist, Hogan realizes the power game is ineffective and actually attempts to wrestle Vader. WHAT!!??! He even busts out a flying cross arm-breaker (juji-gatame for MMA fans). Vader breaks that up by stepping on Hogan’s face like a boss. Hogan is betwixt and between. Vader mauling in the corner is combined with a wicked short-arm clothesline. 

Hogan powders and Vader eats his railing bump and nearly wipes out Flair. Well, I think Hogan may have found something that worked. Hogan works some chops in the corner, the 10 punch count and then a rebound lariat to a small pop. Hogan uses some of his heel tactics: boot on throat and eye-rake, but he goes for the bodyslam attempt too early as Vader drops on top of him. Vader runs through some strikes and then connects with the powerslam/Vaderbomb combo for two. The Vadersault misses and Hogan in desperation whips Vader back into the rail and blasts him with the best Hogan chair shot I have ever witnessed. VADER FEELS NO PAIN! Vader chokeslams the fuck outta Hogan. I don’t think Hogan intended to take that wicked of a bump. The Hulk-Up comes off a vertical suplex. Vader KICKS OUT of the LEGDROP at ONE!!!! HOLY SHIT!

A Vader body attack wipes out the ref and Vader hits the powerbomb and he counts a visual three along with Flair, but there is no ref. Hogan makes his comeback and clears him outta the ring only for Flair to attack. Finally the ref calls for the DQ. Savage and Sting make the save against Flair & Vader.

There is a lot to love about this match up until the finish. I loved the beginning story with Hogan trying to wrestle Vader and then using his own dirty tactics out of desperation because Vader was such a monster. Vader comes across as this unconquerable monster with the no-selling at the beginning, the killer offense and of course kicking out of the vaunted leg drop at one. A lot is made about how, Hogan no sold a Vaderbomb previous to this match and how it killed Vader’s drawing power. I can only say he definitely tried to make up for it in this match because Vader looked awesome here. All of the traditional Hogan transition are ineffective against Vader and they only way for Hogan to sustain offense is through Vader mistakes and illegal tactics like chairshots really makes Vader seem like an unstoppable force. The finish is pretty unsatisfying. A Vader victory and subsequent matches against Sting and Savage would have drawn well while Hogan questions if he still has it would have been an interesting wrinkle to the Hogan character. I like the Boss match better because of the efficiency of spots and the better finish, but this one was remarkably good and one of the Top 5 Best Hogan matches I have ever seen. ****

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Vader & Arn Anderson vs Stars & Stripes - WCW Saturday Night 4/15/95

The Patriot sure as hell had one interesting career: Kenta Kobashi's gaijin tag partner, WCW midcarder, more All Japan with Bobby Fulton's brother as his partner and then brief stint as WWF main eventer and I am sure I am missing some other stuff. I actually thought he looked pretty damn good here and was able to rile the crowd up pretty easily. I would have actually liked to see him a get a stronger push in WCW or All Japan to see what he really could have done.

This is a really strong TV tag team match that makes me long for more Vader & AA tag matches because damn did they gel perfectly here. Both really have a similar methodology when it comes to wrestling, they are going to get theres, but they do their utmost to shine up the babyface no matter where the babyface is on the card. Arn makes Stars & Stripes look like a million bucks early and even Patriot gets a lick on Vader. Before they hit heel in peril, Arn directs traffic to set up for a catapult into a Chokeslam. Shit! That was awesome. Vader takes it to Bagwell in the corner with the typical Vader blows, but Bagwell is able evade Vader long enough to tag in Patriot. Patriot looked awesome here for a minute stretch of offense. He was teeing off on Vader and hits a massive flying forearm and the crowd is jacked! Vader is always giving in matches and perfect way to make Patriot look like a star.  Arn stops the bleeding by goading Patriot to the outside ducking and VADER BODY ATTACK! Here is the reinstated Nature Boy to add his two cents to the match. The heat segment proper on Patriot is awesome! At one point, Anderson uses a drop toehold to keep Patriot down and Vader squashes with a sick elbow. Vaderbomb only gets two, which shocks the timekeeper who rang the bell expecting it to be the finish. Got to smarten up the timekeeper, WCW! People complain about Hogan killing the finish! LOL! Vader is just in his element here destroying the Patriot, but letting him sneak in little shots. Anderson does the head collide on rope running sequence, but not a very convincing one. Bagwell is in and there is something in the water because he looks great coming off the hot tag and tagging Arn getting a powerslam for two. Double dropkick to Vader! Bagwell hits a Fisherman Suplex on Anderson, but Vader hits a diving headbutt and Anderson rolls through for the win. Great TV match that was energetic throughout, they gave some love to Patriot and Bagwell, btu Vader was just a monster in this and really looked like one of the best wrestlers in the world! ***1/2

Savage takes a lickin, but keeps on tickin

“Macho Man” Randy Savage vs “Nature Boy” Ric Flair - Great American Bash 1995

This may be my favorite match of all time. My two favorite wrestlers competing one of the greatest hate-filled, relentless, fight to survive matches I have ever seen. I remember being so excited to finally see Savage vs Flair, my two favorites of all time, when I finally started searching youtube 2006 and immediately it was the Wrestlemania VII match that I wanted to see it. It is a great match and a great moment in the culmination of the overarching Randy Savage Wrestlemania story arc dating back to Wrestlemania III. Something was missing. It was missing that truly out of control feel and energy that Flair and Savage can bring. Watching this match in shitty quality on dailymotion in 2008, I was transfixed. Savage was a relentless ball of fury. Lunging at Flair at ever turn. There were just these little things that made it feel like a shoot. Savage attacking Flair from behind in such a way that was scary. Or Savage just suffocating Flair even on the begging off section. There just was not the customary time. The selling was selling of exhaustion of a fight. Savage's selling of the knee was spot on and why he was one of the greatest of all time. While Savage gives a truly special performance, it would be an amazing match without Flair. Flair sells the match as a fight to survive. He is blasting the fuck out of Savage and he dives onto Savage from behind, which is another wicked bump. The way he sells. He is in pain and fatigued, but if he even takes one moment to breathe, he may not last. So he just keeps fighting. I can not say how much I love this match.

My video includes opening remarks from Savage with the interview being conducted by “Mean” Gene Okerlund. He vows revenge against Flair and the momentum is on his side. Incidentally, today is Father’s Day and a happy accident for this storyline He finishes with one of my favorite lines from him: “Too hot to handle, too cold to hold”. Flair is adorned in a black and white sequined robe decorated with Monarch Butterflies in white diamonds. Savage is also donning the black and white and HE IS NOT ALONE. His father, Angelo Poffo, is with him after the attack from the Horsemen, but with the aide of a cane. This is NOT FAIR TO FLAIR. DOUBLE A! DOUBLE A! Where art thou?

Once Poffo is settled in, Savage hits the ring and Flair heads for the hills. Savage gives chase.  Savage wants to kill Flair and any offense Flair can muster is because Savage is overzealous. Savage is hitting hard tonight. This aint a wrestling match. THIS IS A FIGHT~! Flair stops Savage’s momentum by sending him into the steel ringpost and then the guardrail. Flair with an uncharacteristic axe-handle off the apron to the back of Savage. The bump Savage takes was just violent and gripping to watch. I love it, Flair knows that Savage wants to kill so he adapts by pulling out all the stops. Angelo Poffo gets out of the chair with a look of concern as Flair is taking Savage apart with his trademark moveset of chops and kneedrops.  Savage connects with a flurry of jabs and in a fit of  rage chokes Flair and grabs at his nose. Flair takes the Bret-bump into the corner more choking. Flair tries to powder out, but Savage nails him from behind wicked hard. These are the moments that make it feel like a shoot. Flair takes his usual bump off the top rope. How does he not have crippling back injuries? Flair flip now onto the outside and now he goes after daddy. The Brain and I share the same sentiment as us that was fuckin dumb. Flair is smarter than both of us because he suckered Savage into checking on his Daddy and then clipping the knee. What follows is a shinbreaker across the guardrail, which is another crazy bump. The Brain wonders if “Did Daddy bring two canes because his son is going to need one.” The Brain continues to the tell story well, “Flair was smart he knew he was going to be able to slug it out with Savage, a man possessed. So he went to take a body part out. Flair has a plan.”

Savage throws punches from his back in a show of valor and courage. Kicking and clawing at Flair with whatever he can muster and Flair like the prick he is just keeps going back to knee. This is masterful psychology. Savage is killing it right now with his selling. NOW WE GO TO SCHOOL!!! Flair of course gets to the ropes for that additional leverage. Savage is fighting only for his father and in a truly moving spot, Mr. Poffo attempts to get the ref’s attention that Flair is cheating. This is one of the most emotional matches I have ever had the pleasure of watching. SAVAGE REVERSE THE PRESSURE!!!

Savage hops on one leg only to dive on Flair and keep punching. Flair and Savage are just laying it all on the line. Flair flip for a second time, runs down the apron but Savage hits him in the gut as he comes done. SAVAGE HITS HIM WITH BIG ELBOW!!!! He pins Flair, but pulls him at 2. NOT ENOUGH SAYS MACHO MAN  as he grabs the ring bell (shades of Ricky the Dragon) and the crowd is whipped into a frenzy. The Brain says Savage is out to maim Flair. At some point, Savage has been busted open under his eye. Holy shit, what a brawl so far. The ref saves Flair from the bell and Savage crashes and burns hard on the guardrail. What a bump, the fans in the front row are freaked out because he hit so hard. Flair is pissed off because Savage has tried to maim him. Flair goes for Angelo, Poffo chokes him with cane, but Flair knocks out Angelo and gains control of the cane. Savage having checked on his dad does not realize this. Flair waffles him with cane. Flair picks up the tainted victory.

This match epitomizes why I love wrestling: Raw hatred for each other with stiff shots, high-energy no resting with brilliant story-telling and acting. WATCH THIS MATCH! Contender for best WCW match of the decade. The last Match of the Year contender, Flair or Savage would ever have. I would say the best babyface Savage performance of his career in WCW or WWF.   ****1/2.

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One Cool Looking Muthafucka

Brian Pillman vs Johnny B. Badd - Fall Brawl '95

 Pillman's "Blonds Have More Fun" is an excellent slab of pop metal. Nice to see pop metal still had home somewhere in 1995. Before the match, the crowd is already firmly behind Johnny B. Badd. The winner of this match receives a mandatory US Title shot against then holder, Sting. In this snippet of Pillman's career, he was not often paired with someone he had to carry. unfortunately, I did not have access to his GAB '95 match as a comparison point. Both were ostensibly face vs. face matches against an carryable opponent where Pillman chose to play the heel in that match. You can tell how much Pillman hated being a face at this point in his career. The first 5 or minutes are filled with lackadaisical, slow-motion hold work. They do the obligatory dropkick each other at the same time. One of my pet peeves in wrestling is when a wrestler just drops a hold for no reason and that happens more than once in this portion. Business picks up with a Billy Robinson backbreaker into a Boston Crab by Pillman. He lets go to punch Badd with a closed fist and Pillman starts to jaw with the fans and the camera. I was pretty underwhelmed with the match until that point. Badd hits a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Shoving exchange is won by Badd, which gets a nice pop. Pillman backs him into a corner and hits a hard reverse elbow. Pillman goes full-on heel at this point taking the walk up the aisleway, the facetious handshake and biting Badd. They have a sick collision on a double Thesz Press attempt, where was this fire earlier. At this point, it just turns into a bombfest, which is so strange for 1995 WCW and I was totally caught off guard. I enjoyed it a lot. Badd had a lot more aerial moves in his arsenal than "Flyin'" Brian. I always felt that was a misnomer that got him pigeon holed in places he did not belong when he should be having violent brawls because watching the footage he was so well-suited for that. Badd hits a powerbomb and Pillman hits a tombstone piledriver. Are we in the Budokan? They trade finishers (Tutti Frutti & Air Pillman) as the time limit expires. Nick Patrick says there must be a winner so we go to sudden death! Heenan wonders when he is going to get a chance to shave, which I thought was hilarious. Pillman chops the fuck outta Badd on the outside. YES! That's the Pillman I want! Badd counters a Pillman missile dropkick with a dropkick a callback to Pillman's counter-dropkick spot. They trade sleepers. Misawa counters Kawada's powerbomb with a headscissors takeover. I am sorry, I meant Pillman counters Badd's powerbomb with a headscissors takeover. I find a out a Badd Day is a Top Rope Frankensteiner and Pillman takes a great bump for it. He follows up that bump with always sick-looking railing bump. I find out a Badd Mood is a crazy somersault plancha. Lets Go Badd! I might have to explore him further. Badd does a reverse slingshot splash and eats knees. Pillman looking to prove why he is "Flyin Brian" and keep up The Badd Man whiffs pretty bad on a suicide dive. In his defense, Badd should have closer and to add to the complexity the stairs where right up against the apron there so he had to clear that too. At 30 minutes into the match, they fuckin sprint against the ropes and collide mid-ring with Badd falling on top for the win. Pillman-san and Badd-san had quite the match that night that hitherto was rarely seen in America. Unfortunately, this style was copied and stripped down missing the transitions to hold together the big spots. Yes, the beginning of the match was lackluster, but once Pillman effectively turns heel it gets a lot better. I wish Pillman had a better transition to turning heel rather just kind of just snapping his fingers and saying I am going to heel it up. To that point, Pillman bumps like a heel, but does offense like a babyface, which I feel hurts how the middle of the match connects to the amazing finish. It is a very disjointed match, which I hate rating. The beginning was some of the lamest face vs. face wrestling you'll ever see. The middle was an interesting period where Pillman was heeling it up and Badd was playing the hero well in their mini-battles. Then finish they just go balls to the walls and Pillman stops cheating and heeling. There is no glue. Within the finish stretch, the transitions are great and they have plenty of callback psychology. I just can't fit the three portions of the match together. I hate rating matches like this. What I have found interesting about this match is a lot people just throw out **** and don't say why it falls shy of ***** (not this group, but those who review for other sites). The finish stretch, which is incredibly long for an American match, is friggin' good that I will agree with the consensus and give it ****. I am trying to do star ratings to keep everything straight for future lists and projects.

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Best Friends 4 Life?

Ric Flair vs Arn Anderson - WCW Fall Brawl 1995

"If God Were A Pro Wrestler His Name Would Be Ric Flair", Amen, brutha amen. And look a Flair 3:16 sign! I have always fallen on the positive side of things in this controversial match because it was a compelling story between two men who said true to themselves from start to finish. The Enforcer is a double tough sumbitch that has been content (or proud) to be the Champion's best friend and protector. Anderson's game plan has always been to neutralize an opponent by taking a limb away rendering him powerless to be picked apart. We have seen this countless times in WCW especially in the amazing Dustin Rhodes Saturday Night 1992 match. Anderson could brawl, but he was a brawler per se. He wrestled with intent to maim and win. He was violent, but in an out or control frenetic way. He had purpose and that is every bit as violent as a bar room brawl. The story never called for Anderson to come in and tee off on Flair to beat him up. He wanted to prove his mettle against the measuring stick of pro wrestling and he was going to do it his way. He was going to take away Flair's arm and beat him down to humble him. He was going to prove he was every bit the pro wrestler that Ric Flair was and it could have been just easily him in that top spot.

Flair says it all in the beginning "Are you sure you want this?" You could interpret that two ways. It is Flair cocky as ever saying I am going to beat you 1-2-3 and you are going to look a fool. Or is it the Nature Boy that does not want to fight his friend. From the outset, Flair was shown up by his Enforcer on the mat and standing up. He would ball up those fists and get tagged in the face. It woke Flair up to the reality that he was in a fight with his best friend and if he did not get his ass in gear then he would be the one humiliated. It was not two men who loathed each other, it was their pride at stake. When the chips are down, Flair will do whatever it takes to win a match. In a stroke of genius, for over a decade, Ric Flair would go up and over the turnbuckles run down the apron and either he get struck or thrown off the top rope. On this night, Anderson expecting to deck the prone Nature Boy, Flair finally pulls down the ropes sending him head over heels onto the floor. It was such a great spot and finally the Dirtiest Player in the Game is on top and he ain't too proud to use a ref's distraction to take a cheapshot at Anderson. In a way, at this point, Anderson has won, he has proven that Flair would be forced to go into his bag of tricks to beat. Anderson was the better pure wrestler, but Flair was the better cheapshot artist. It was time for The Enforecer to get his hands dirty and on the floor he starts the rapid fire punching to the head. At about this point, they do lose me a bit because it does become a bit of the Flair show as they just start throwing shit out as part of the grand finale. Flair gets a suplex on the floor and then a delayed vertical, but then the next thing you know he is hanging upside down. Anderson goes for the DDT and Flair hooks the top rope, but then Flair is getting thrown off the top. The Figure-4 stuff was incredible and super heated. I loved Anderson blocking, the struggle, Flair spit and then Anderson fires up. Anderson did a great job selling the knee and just when you think it is over. Pillman whacks Flair and Anderson hits the DDT. The Enforcer beat the Nature Boy at his own game by calling in the reinforcements and having that all-important Plan B. My minor quibble aside about the run up to the finish, I thought this was a great match that stuck to the story and was a match that only these could work. Arn Anderson was Arn Anderson he was not the Flair opponent du jour. My major qualm with the match was that Flair was ostensibly the face coming in, worked heel in the match and then got turned full-on babyface by the finish. I know Flair's preference to work heel and I think it was the right call to have him wrestle match as a heel because it served the story better. It felt they were going for a double turn in the match and then finish cements where they were going into it. I have lessened on this because Anderson/Sting does not have the same cache as Flair/Sting teaming and it was a good desperation tactic by Anderson to tear a page out of Flair's book. I would put this over Pillman/Badd, which on rewatch felt really, really long and overwrought. This match had the heat and the big match atmosphere, but there were too many lulls and it never felt like they ratcheted all the way up to a real boiling point, which you would have loved to see. ****

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Chris Benoit vs Eddy Guerrero - WCW Nitro 10/16/95

One of my favorite matches of all time, before youtube all I had was a handful of DVDs from WWE and one was the Benoit DVD. I watched the shit out of it and there was nothing I liked better for those moments when I had only 10 minutes than this fantastic sprint. I was totally awestruck how explosive these two were from both a speed and power standpoint. You see spotfests all the time, but it is a lost art to see them done with such acceleration and intensity. The spots are incredible, but the selling is equally as amazing for how believable it was, but still fit in the context of 10 minute showcase sprint. Early on, they show off their speed and play tit for tat. Their headscissors are amazing. Guerrero scores big with the splash from the top to the outside, but wraps his arm around the ringpost. Eddie sells the arm like a champion the rest of the way, but Benoit should get credit too.  Benoit is the best non-Mexican at selling the discombobulation that results from an armdrag. The armdrag keeps him off balance and it is what affords Eddie the chance to hit a Tornado DDT. Benoit sells his head, hits a wicked clothesline and still needs to shake the cobwebs loose. That how you demonstrate to people you are fighting through pain. Benoit works an incredible Anderson-style heat segment and taking it to the next level with an Northern Lights Hammerlock Slam, Jesus! Again, Eddie can use that headscissors to discombobulate Benoit long enough to show he can give as good he gets with the back drop driver and brainbuster. Almost every spot is a direct consequence of what happened previously and then leads into the next one, it is mind blowing how well this laid out while still having giant spots. Benoit gets knees up only to hit the MUTHA OF ALL POWERBOMBS! Eddie kicks out, but when he uses his bad arm to punch Benoit takes advantage with a Dragon Suplex. Tremendous match! It is incredible how they were able to basically pack in all their unique characteristics in one ten minute debut match. Huge offense. Check. Psychology. Check. Selling. Check. Logical Layout. Check. Impressing in a Debut. Check. One of my favorite sprints of all time! ****

2 Out of 3 Falls: Brian Pillman, Lex Luger, Ricky Steamboat

Hey yo,

I had thought I had seen it all in my 18 years of watching soap operas and then Bold and Beautiful busts out a Defenestration, shades of Prague circa 1618 to jump start the Thomas-Rick feud for CEO. Great, great ending to the weekend.

If we are real quiet, I bet we can hear the ocean between those cans!

I have half of the Mysterio, Malenko, and Dragon 2 Out Of 3 Falls written, but with the 15^th Anniversary of Brian Pillman’s passing, I thought it would be timely to cover one of the sharpest minds of the wrestling business. Pillman was a thinking man’s wrestler that maximized the most of his talents to deliver hotly contested wrestling matches. Due to compounding injuries and drug usage, Pillman reinvented himself as the “Loose Canon” a gimmick that blurred the lines between fact and fiction. The “Loose Canon” allowed Pillman to utilize that raspy voice (a result of numerous surgeries as a child to remove throat polyps) to its greatest effect whipping up WCW, ECW and WWF fans throughtout late 1995 until his death on October 5, 1997. While I love these promos and character, at this point in his career Pillman had largely been rendered immobile and his best years in the ring were left behind him. This has led Jim Ross, one of his biggest supporters, to declare that Brian Pillman died of a broken heart due to his failure to realize his dreams to become a main event player in the wrestling world. Since this is a blog that focuses more on in-ring work, not to say I don’t love a good promo and solid character work, I will be focusing on the years when Pillman is one of the greatest wrestlers in the world, but due to his size he was relegated to the mid-card. The mid-card is a very integral part of the wrestling show. Even though, the main event is what draws fans into arena, the fans aspect an entertaining show for three hours. When Pillman was on the card, the fans were ensured one helluva wrestling bout. My theory about Pillman is that his usage would have been maximized as a wrestling antihero. He was best as wrestling as a babyface, but better in the stick as a heel. Lets see if I can back this up by analyzing babyface contest against heel US Champion Lex Luger in 1989 and a heel performance with “Stunning” Steve Austin as the Hollywood Blonds against World Tag Champs Ricky Steam and Shane Douglas.

Best Sunglasses In The Biz

A quick word on the other contestants in the ring:

Lex Luger – I am a huge Luger mark and probably the biggest on the internet. The general consensus has finally arrived at the conclusion that I had, which is Luger from 88-91 was involved in some excellent bouts. They only make this conclusion stating that Luger could be carried by his opponent. I assert that Luger was one of the Best in the World in that timeframe. I hope to prove that in this blog and future blogs.

Ricky Steamboat – Is one of the best fundamental wrestler you will ever find, great at everything, but only truly spectacular at selling. His offense was solid and for the time you could say his aerial tactics were top shelf, but he was never going to give you crazy chain wrestling, a spotfest or a violent brawl. Instead, he would leverage his extraordinary selling to elicit sympathy from the audience building tension for his heated comeback. The central question about Steamboat is he the greatest babyface ever?

Steve Austin – You may have heard of this tough SOB’s name. Well before Austin became a beer-drinking, stunnering, foul-mouthed redneck, he was a blond, old-school heel from Hollywood. I think Austin always preferred being a heel and truly enjoyed the chickenshit and comedic aspect of being a heel. This is why he pushed for his 2001 heel turn because to him that was what true classic wrestling was. In this performance, he delivers an inspired heel performance 

Shane Douglas – The funny thing about Shane is that due to youthful appearance and long blond hair he was cast as a bouncing babyface both as Johnny Ace’s tag team partner and now as Steamboat’s tag partner. What is funny about that is Shane Douglas is one angry prick. From his ECW work, he found out just how fuckin angry he was. But even in these tags with Steamboat when he was supposed to be a smiling, happy-go-lucky babyface, you could tell it was forced because he was just an angry young man. I have a watched a lot of fuckin Shane Douglas over the past day, but this match against Blonds is probably the greatest performance of his career.

Sssssshhhh this was my sister's crush when she was 6. Ssssshhh I didnt say that. Lex Luger

NWA US Heavyweight Champion “The Total Package” Lex Luger vs Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat
Great American Bash 1989

Backstory: Steamboat lost the World Heavyweight Championship to Ric Flair at Wrestlewar 1989 (candidate for greatest match of all time). Terry Funk was looking to get a shot at Flair after being snubbed and then summarily piledriving Flair on a table. This was 1989 so that was some wild fuckin shit. First Funk had to beat Steamboat and this was built as the Main Event of June’s Clash of the Champions. So one day, Luger interrupts a Steamboat/Funk promo and cuts the promo of his life. As much, I love Luger, I always thought his promos sucked the big one due to dry mouth and lack of any rhythm. So after Funk/Steamboat, Luger comes out and destroys Steamboat with a chair to seal his heel turn and set up this match. Now the match is supposed to be No Disqualification with build being Steamboat getting his revenge during this match.

Steamboat has a ridiculous entrance as he is carried to the ring on a plank with the least terrifying looking komodo dragon all the while he looks terrified of falling. Luger’s entrance actually malfunctions as he is on a rotating disk that is supposed to show him doing bodybuilder poses. He tries to spin with his feet and when it wont give so he just turns around and flexes. It is funnier if you watch it, I pinky swear. So Luger marches to the ring and he will have none of the NO DQ stip. In fact, if Steamboat does not waive it, he is taking his ball and going home. This makes sense because in a No DQ match the champion loses his advantage and in essence the title is held-up. Steamboat just wanting to get his hands on the Total Package accepts Luger’s desired alterations.

First thing I LOVE about this match is that Steamboat leaves his usual armdrags and armbars at the door because HE IS PISSED~! The beginning they establish Luger is stronger and Steamboat is quicker with multiple quick pinfalls. Ross and Caudle work to establish Luger’s heel turn even mentioning that some fans continue to cheer for him even though he mocks them (heel fans in 1989, they never got laid). Steamboat brings the hate with chops, dropkicks and a back body drop. Luger takes a powder and Steamboat continues his onslaught with an atomic drop. In one of Luger’s favorite spots, Luger cuts Steamboat with a kneelift as the Dragon attempted to get back in the ring. Luger is using Steamboat’s intensity against him and is setting up opportunities to create an advantage for himself. He follows that up with a  wicked lariat on Steamboat. But Steamboat will not be denied as he drives Luger’s head into a table on the outside.

Back in Ross informs us that Luger said “A good big man would beat a good little man everytime”. Luger catches Steamboat as he comes off the top rope with a punch to the gut. This continues the theme of Luger being able to turn Steamboat’s reckless abandon against him. Luger immediately follows up with a backbreaker and a Gorrila Press slam, which gets an audible pop. This time Luger established a heat segment with his focus on the lower back. The first act of the match was all about Steamboat’s anger and intensity and Luger looking for a way to stifle him. This introduces three elements:

• set up for the Torture Rack
• Will Luger get cocky or will he attack purposefully now that he has grounded Steamboat
• This whole match the Dragon has been offense how will he react on defense
• Luger doin extra taunting in order to get a heel reaction

Funny spot as Luger bitches about the count, Steamboat rolls him up quickly and the ref fast counts him. Tommy Young is one cheeky bastard. Luger, in a fit of frustration, rattles off three big lariats. Steamboat does the out on his feet, swinging in their aimlessly, fall on his ass sell job. Got to love Steamboat! Luger connects with a powerslam for two and finally a “Luger Sucks” chants starts. Steamboat catches him with a cross-body to get two in a well-timed hope spot. After trading moves, Luger crashes and burns over the top off a missed lariat (a typical 1989 Luger spot). Steamboat proved resilient, which forced Luger to go for a big bomb. This allowed Steamboat to use his quickness to cause Luger to miss his big bomb. 

Greatest babyface ever? Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat

Luger falls on top of Steamboat on a bodyslam attempt for a 2 count putting over the fatigue at this point of this grueling contest. Luger eats a Flair press slam off the top and Steamboat gets a second wind a barrage of chops and dropkicks ensue. Steamboat connects with a top rope chop to get a 2 count. Now Steamboat is the one frustrated because he finally hit his big bomb and it only led to a two count. Luger grabs a chair (the same weapon he used on him a month ago), but as the ref blocks him from using it, Steamboat is able to catapult him into the corner with chair meeting Luger’s skull. Steamboat letting his anger get the best of him attacks Luger with chair thus getting DQ’d. Steamboat chases Luger to the back with the chair as that segment ends.

I fuckin love this match. Everything makes sense and it is so heated and action-packed. Steamboat does not work any holds and is out to punish Luger. He starts going for big bombs and Luger is able to finally stifle him. Luger works him over nicely and gets the crowd going. Luger gets frustrated and goes for a bomb and misses letting Steamboat back into the match. Then when Steambat hits his big move and cant get the win the drama kicks into overdrive because it feels as if it is only a matter of time before Steamboat wins. Only for Luger to feel the only way to save his title is the chair. Then Steamboat letting his emotions get the best of him use the chair to inflict more punishment on him. One of my personal favorite matches and all-time classic, definitely check this match out.

Flyin Brian with Extra Day-Glo

NWA US Heavyweight Champion “Total Package” Lex Luger vs “Flyin” Brian Pillman
Halloween Havoc 1989  

I do not know of any backstory to this match. Basically, I get the feeling that Pillman was a bright newcomer so they put him in there with one of the top heels and give him a shot at a major title and see how he does. This is one of the smartest worked matches I have ever seen. It is not like Steamboat/Luger, which has the ability to play off a feud. Instead all the drama in the match has to be generated between the ropes, which is not an easy task. Now factor in that both men debuted about three years before this and it is a very tough challenge. Both men delivered in spades with big time performances and getting very good crowd heat throughout.

The story does take a couple of viewings before you get a good grasp of it. It seems that not even announcers really understood what was going on as he often wondered why Luger was not going for power moves instead of his strike-oriented offense. All will be explained in the following paragraphs.

Instead of establishing the obvious Luger strength advantage, they put over Pillman’s tenacity by letting him stick with collar-elbow tie-up and get a playful slap out of that. Luger does not take to kindly to the insolence from the rookie (it was Pillman’s first year with company) and takes him to the woodshed. Then he gets cocky after all he is Lex Fuckin Luger. Pillman does not take kindly to that and just tackles him to the ground then follows it up with a chop, back body drop, dropkick, baseball slide and another chop. Luger is giving Pillman a lot here and making him look really good. Air Pillman misses and Luger bails; Pillman gives chase. Luger cuts Pillman off with a kneelift, hmmm where I have seen this before. Luger tries to set up for a power move to consolidate the advantage but Pillman evades him with a cross body block, which gets two. Pillman then grounds the more powerful Luger with an armdrag and wristlock.

This is the sequence I just fuckin love about this match. Pillman started off full of piss and vinegar, but that got him in trouble so now he is content with controlling the pace with an armbar. This frustrates Luger rather than really hurting him. Everytime, Luger tries to get something going on offense Pillman will use his quickness to get back into the armbar. They go back to this like three times, which really hammers home the point. Pillman does not how to put away Luger and Luger cant use his strikes to set up a control segment because of Pillman’s quickness. This only works because Luger consciously only uses strikes and no slams or suplexes during this portion. You really get a feeling that Pillman is out-wrestling Luger, but you are worried that he wont put him away. Perfect analogy is when an underdog has the slight lead on a favorite the whole game. You are in shock that they are hanging tough with the favorite and as the match progresses you are nervous if they can hold on. Just like in that scenario, when the favorite or Luger in this case starts to build momentum your stomach drops.

That’s when it happens. Pillman goes for the put away and crashes and burns on a splash attempt. Now Luger finally has the ability to put together an offensive sequence that makes Pillman only more sympathetic as he takes an ass-kicking from the much bigger Luger. Luger crushes him with a wicked clothesline from behind, steps on his throat and a delayed vertical suplex gets two as he releases all that frustration. As Pillman tries t build a comeback, Luger sends him crashing through the ropes onto the outside with a well-timed leverage move. Pillman gets a sunset flip for two when he gets back in and then Luger crashes and burns on his big lariat attempt as he hurdles over the rope to the floor. It is such a great spot because it looks visually impressive and Luger uses it late in matches to put over the fact his opponent is so resilient that he needs to go for a big move to end it, but cant connect. As they tussle on top, Pillman pushes Luger off the top and gets a sunset flip for 2. Pillman follows this up with a flying reverse elbow for 2. Now the place is rocking as Luger is begging off and Pillman is looking like a million bucks. Air Pillman (springboard clothesline) connects, but only gets two as Luger puts his foot on the ropes (protecting the finisher). Pillman misses a dropkick and Luger connects with a hotshot to escape with title.

Luger gave so much to Pillman throughout the match. In the beginning, he let Pillman look like his equal in the collar-elbow tieup. He sold for Pillman well during the hot shine segment. Then he let Pillman control a well-put together body of the match, which illustrated how Pillman’s quickness was besting Luger’s power. The heat segment put over Pillman’s resilience. Then finally the Pillman comeback really felt like Pillman was one move away from winning. The finish paid off how Pillman’s mistakes were his downfall and that Luger escaped with his title by hitting one lucky move off. Fabulous match and really shows how Luger was one of the best workers in the world in 1989 and that Pillman had a bright future ahead of him.   

Always the jokesters: The Hollywood Blonds

NWA/WCW World Tag Team Champions Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat & Shane Douglas vs The Hollywood Blonds (Brian Pillman & Steve Austin)
Clash of the Champions XXII

I watched three Pillman vs Steamboat/Douglas matches. Even though everyone says the Windham/Pillman and Blonds title change are the better matches. I have to disagree to me this is the best of the series. They pack more action in here and really build to heated finish. Yes the finishes of the other two matches are more satisfying, but the build is better in this match and the finish of this match is logical. Holistically, I prefer this match because of the real exciting shine section and a good employment of Blonds stock spots even if they had not started using the Towel yet.

From the outset, the announcers inform us that this title match will have a 30 minute time limit as opposed to a 60 minute time limit thus they expect a faster-paced match than normal. As if the wrestlers were hearing them, deliver an exciting, action-packed match. It was almost like the wrestlers were instructed to do that or something. Weird.

I love the agrression Austin displays and then how due to an early Pillman save and everything breaks down into a big melee with the faces sending the Blonds packing. It really lends to the big match atmosphere. Steamboat and Douglas are able to isolate Pillman’s arm and repeatedly come off the top onto the arm utilizing the quick tag. So early on it is established that Steamboat & Douglas are a smart tag team and consummate wrestlers. Pillman grabs a handful of hair and then feigns a knee injury off a criss cross to create an artificial timeout (THERE ARE NO TIMEOUTS IN WRESTLING!!! As every announcer ever has yelled). This establishes that Pillman and Austin are willing and capable of taking every shortcut to get ahead in this match. Douglas catches Pillman with a powerslam as he comes off for a springboard. This spot demonstrates that the babyfaces will be able to overcome the Blonds’ cheating because they are smarter and more talented. The babyfaces in all circumstances should always look better. Pillman tags out. Austin and Douglas do a surprisingly good and fluid chain sequence. It is not that long, but for 1993 it looks amazing. Douglas comes out on top with a double wristlock and is looking like a million bucks. He has been on top of his game all match. Austin uses the hair to escape, but Douglas cuts him off with the drop toe-hold (I love drop toe-holds), Steamboat is in and executes a hammerlock slam (I love that move too). This match has featured great psychology from the babyfaces. That is what is really lacking from the other two matches I mentioned. It felt like the early shine segment was meandering and aimless. In a really fun sequence, Steamboat press slams Douglas on top of Austin and when Pillman comes into save, Steamboat press slams him on Austin. That sequence had me smiling and the crowd rocking because the heels were really hamming it up. 

Pillman impersonating Ric Flair in the Famous Flair For The Old Skit

Austin is able to drop down and use a leverage move (grab the Dragon’s tights) to send Steamboat crashing into Pillman’s elbow (REMEMBER THIS) and then Austin is able to immediately capitalize with a belly-to-back suplex to kick off the face-in-peril segment. Pillman comes in and sucker punches Douglas, which causes the ref to be detained to calm down Douglas allowing for Pillman to throw Steamboat over the top rope (which should be a DQ in ’93 WCW). This has the crowd really hot as Pillman taunts the crowd as he grins like a Cheshire Cat. Austin follows this up with a bodyslam on the outside, but Douglas is there to break it up. Pillman brings Steamboat back in with a vertical suplex and really tries to press his advantage with multiple pinfalls. Steamboat uses a sunset flip as his hope spot but the ref is distracted by Austin in a good spot. Austin is in and hits a gutwrench suplex (one of my favorite suplexes). Austin suckerpunches Douglas to set up sending Steamboat into Pillman’s elbow again. However, they pay this off with Steamboat catching Pillman with an elbow instead and he take his wicked Pillman bump (“chin first” on the guard rail). I love how the Blonds attempted to use the move that gave them the advantage only for them to have this turned around on them making the babyfaces look that much smarter. However, Austin still cuts off Steamboat with a belly-back suplex and then with overhead body vice. I have to say while it is boring as a bearhug, it is at least more visually impressive. As the Blonds try to go for their coup de grace, Steamboat evades and Air Pillman strikes Austin. After a bit of struggle, Steamboat is able to tag in Douglas.

THE CROWD IS ROCKING!!! Katie Bar The Door, Shane Douglas is a HOUSE OF FIRE!!! He is just crushing everything in sight. Douglas hits the Belly To Belly on Pillman. Douglas had polished off Windham/Rhodes and Windham/Pillman with this exact move, but Austin is able to come off the top to make the save. Steamboat attacks Austin on the outside, but as the ref restrains Steamboat Austin grabs a title belt and whacks Douglas in the head as he had Pillman rolled up in the plain view of the ref. This is an auto DQ. Pillman DDTs Steamboat and Douglas blades off the belt shot. In one of my favorite visuals, Steamboat tries to cover Douglas with is own body while Pillman whips both of them with the gold belts.

This is more of a fun match than the previous Luger matches. It is like the Blonds/Douglas&Steamboat is a fun action blockbuster and the Luger matches are Oscar candidates. The Blonds match told such a simple storyline of how the babyfaces clearly outclassed the Blonds, but the Blonds were willing to cheat and thus the faces would have to overcome that obstacle. In addition, the match was wrestled at a wicked fast-paced with well-thought out spots. Every spot mattered and every spot led to a payoff. The best example is how Austin’s leverage move into the Pillman elbow got them the advantage, but when they go back to it Steamboat turns the tables on them and it leads to the Pillman bump. If you want a fun 16 minute sprint, I cant think of many better matches, you will have a smile on your face the entire time.

The Hollywood Blonds would pick up the tag team titles in March of 1993 only to drop the titles to the Horsemen team of Arn Anderson and Paul Roma in July of 1993 only for the Blonds to disband. The Blonds have gained legendary status on the internet as prime evidence that WCW's booking was rooted in keep the good 'ol boys club on top and that any other act that gets over is buried.  Thus the Blonds are looked on as a shining spot in an otherwise lackluster 1993 WCW and have gained that special mythos. They did have a badass catchphrase "This is your brush with greatness". Truth seems to be that the Blonds did not draw too well against Flair/Anderson and thus the decision was to resume Austin's singles push as he went onto capture the US Heavyweight Championship. In addition, the Blonds while having fun tag matches like this and against the Horsemen and Scorpio/Bagwell really failed to have that one true classic match. This being said the Blonds were a lot of fun and excelled as an old-school heel tag team that got under you skin.

Whether it was a heel or babyface, Brian Pillman always wanted to make sure the crowd was entertained and he made sure of that until his dying day. Rest In Peace, Brian Pillman.

The next blog will definitely highlight WCW’s crusierweight division as we look at Rey Mysterio, Dean Malenko and Ultimo Dragon.