A Mysterious King: Rey Misterio Jr., Dean Malenko, Psicosis (WCW, 1996)

Hey yo Stud Muffins & Foxy Ladies,

Calling all Tufts Students, Superstar Sleeze needs your help! Our Sleeze Queen, the Gutter-Glam Goddess and MY Future Ex-Wife, Ke$ha is playing at Tufts University. The curmudgeons over at Tufts are restricting access to Tufts undergraduates only. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! I am going on almost two years of withdrawal since the most spectacular live act in vivid color. So please help me see the greatest artist of our generation one more time!

Who do you want me to be so that you will sleep with me?

Speaking of revolutionary forces in the field of entertainment, has there been anybody as revolutionary and influential as Rey Misterio Jr. in the past two decades? He did not just break barriers for the Latino and smaller stature wrestler community he demolished them. He introduced lucha libre wrestling style and the traditions of lucha libre to a widescale American audience for the first time. Of course, his groundbreaking high-flying acrobatics took our breath away and have been imitated, but never quite duplicated. To be a pioneer of his magnitude, it is not enough just to be different and be good at your craft. You have to excel like few others in the history of your industry. A cool mask and some fancy moves will only take you so far as many luchadors or indy wrestlers will tell you. In order to be as influential and ground-breaking as Rey Misterio, you have to make people invest in you as a character. It is the richness of Rey Misterio's total understanding of professional wrestling that made him one of the greatest wrestlers in the history of this great industry. All of facets of Rey, I mentioned above, shaped pro wrestling into a totally different beast from pre-Rey to post-Rey, but it was something simple and a known commodity that allowed Rey to shine, break these barriers down and influence pro wrestling. It was his heart and the story of the underdog. Rey did not pioneer that. We have known that story since Biblical Times. Rey repackaged that story in the body of an undersized Mexican-American, who had no business being the absolute megastar he was in the United States of America based on previous history.  

World Championship Wrestling did not discover Rey Misterio obviously. He was a part of the infamous Tijuana circuit that produced the likes of Konnan and Psicosis. Eventually, he made his way to the upstart AAA promotion that was running counter to CMLL (oldest pro wrestling promotion in the world). His first American exposure was the When Worlds Collide PPV in 1994 where AAA presented a PPV on American PPV stations with English commentary. From there, he would travel to Japan and ECW wrestling showcase matches against his perpetual arch-nemesis, Psicosis. In June of 1996, the enigmatic Antonio Inoki held his World Wrestling Peace Festival in Los Angeles with American, Japanese and Mexican promotions participating. The match of the festival was the Rey Misterio Jr & Ultimo Dragon vs Psicosis & Heavy Metal tag team match. The match served as an showcase for Misterio's offensive talents and the story sold on WCW TV was the officials were impressed and booked him for the Great American Bash 1996 against Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko.

One contentious debate about the internet was WCW running contrary to the normal booking model of bringing Rey into your promotion. Standard practice was to pit him against rival Psicosis who as a big bumping heel could make Rey look like a million bucks. WCW being WCW never does anything the logical way instead put Rey against the dry Dean Malenko. While I agree with the critics that it was not the perfect match to WOW the fans and I do think they should have given Rey one or two big highspots early. The match was structured to demonstrate to the fans he was not all sizzle and no substance because he was able to show his heart. His verbal selling was on full display. Credit where credit is due Malenko worked an all-time great heat segment that had the fans totally invested in the underdog character even before they saw all his incredible moves. At the Bash at the Beach, Rey Misterio and Psicosis did their touring showcase match, which in my opinion is their best match outside of Mexico. Psicosis was an incredible talent that could go from a big bumping clown to the a sadistic prick at the drop of the hat. The Bash At The Beach showed both in top form. In the course of two months, Rey Misterio was a sensation and his victory over Dean Malenko the next night on Nitro to win the Cruiserweight Championship cemented that and resurrected the Cruiserweight division, which looked dead on arrival. Finally, Rey also was the best opponent in the career of Dean Malenko. Dean, who more often than not, was incredibly dry and mechanical was able to work incredible matches thanks to the selling and highspots of Rey Mysterio, which mixed perfectly with Dean Malenko's offensive stylings.

Rey Misterio's 1996 will go down as one of the all-time great years with incredible matches in ECW, WCW, WAR and AAA. As a fan, I am just glad I get to live in a world with Rey Misterio Jr.

Match Listing:

Rey Misterio Jr & Ultimo Dragon vs Psicosis & Heavy Metal 

 World Wrestling Peace Festival 1996

Really fun, crowd-pleasing exhibition of the technicos offense and the rudos bumping.

WCW Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko vs Rey Misterio Jr.

Great American Bash 1996 ****1/2

Classic heat segment with Malenko working the arm. Awesome Rey Verbal Selling. Great Finish Stretch.

Rey Misterio Jr. vs Psicosis – Bash At The Beach 1996 ****1/2

WOW! A perfect way to showcase the spots, but still within the framework of two archrivals struggling to win a match.

WCW World Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko vs Rey Misterio Jr. - WCW Nitro 7/8/96

Awesome shine! Weird finish. Great moment in Nitro history.

WCW Cruiserweight Champion Rey Misterio Jr. vs Dean Malenko 

WCW Halloween Havoc 1996 ****1/4

Awesome finish stretch. Malenko is hungry to win his title back and Mysterio thwarts with speed and daring.

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Rey Misterio Jr & Ultimo Dragon vs Psicosis & Heavy Metal 

 World Wrestling Peace Festival 1996

Wow, the rudos get even less in this than I remember. Don't get me wrong, this is an incredibly fun exhibition of the techinco's abilities and rudo's bumping and a total feel good match. When you are promoting Peace through wrestling I can't think of a better match as it features Rey and Dragon at their crowd pleasing best and Psicosis at his most selfless. Besides an early Psicosis guillotine, this was the Rey show with just breath-taking spot getting a bigger and bigger pop. Psicosis was a total pro taking all of Rey's ranas and insane dives. Dragon and Heavy Metal was perfect for what it was with Dragon showing off his kicks and quick movements. I loved Psicosis not being to catch Dragon in the corner with repeated strikes and then the crazy bump he took over the top turnbuckle. The dive train in this was awesome. You kinda miss Rey's somersault plancha, but then all of sudden you have a Psicosis crashing into your scene full force. I thought Dragon would go Asai, but he when with a somersault off the top so Rey could do a corkscrew Asai moonsault. To set that corkscrew Asai moonsault up, Psicosis takes my all time favorite bump the slide on your belly to the floor bump (usually a Rey Rey bump). Heavy Metal follows that up with another favorite bump of mine when technico kicks the rudo's feet from under him and he flies into the ropes/turnbuckles ass-first. A Tiger Suplex gives the technicos the victory to a big pop. One of those matches that will always bring you up when you're down, but without more offense from the heels it just feels like an exhibition. ***1/2

WCW Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko vs Rey Misterio Jr.

Great American Bash 1996 

This match simultaneously salvaged the fledging cruiserweight division and made it into a sensation over night. This match is the best exhibition of Malenko’s chain wrestling being entertaining and working well within the confines of the layout. Malenko knows he cannot let Rey create space between them or otherwise face the damage of Rey’s vaunted aerial attack. If he can ground Rey, he eliminates that threat. That is the crux of the match Rey trying to squirm away from Malenko and Malenko trying to wrangle Rey.

From the outset, Malenko is one who is able to strike first with a cool looking Greco-Roman knucklelock arm snapping-thingy. It looked sweet trust me. He works over that arm relentlessly and convincingly with a great variety of moves. It always feels like he is trying to gain a new advantage or add a different degree of pain to Rey’s arm to keep him off-balance. My favorite moment is a flying hammerlock into a kimura that just looks so fuckin sweet. The key in this control segment is that Rey still has hope spots. This was Rey’s debut and it was critical to have these hope spots especially when he did not get an opening shine or you run the risk of jobberizing him.

As the match progresses and Dean is still struggling to put Rey away, you come to see a recurring theme with Malenko he does show emotion. Dean is not more relatable wrestler or the best seller, but he is really good at selling frustration at the inability to put an opponent away. This combined with Rey’s resilience and sympathetic underdog selling creates a very powerful story for the audience that is rooting for the underdog in this debut match against the champion.

When Dean finally does lose control, Rey unleashes that arsenal of aerial maneuvers, which both wow the fans and does a good job displaying why Dean was working so hard to ground Rey. The finish is thrilling with Rey’s quick pinfall attempts and all his quick counters. However, he finally succumbs to a massive powerbomb by Dean, who puts his feet on the ropes for three. The finish is a satisfying climax to this cat and mouse game. Rey looks like a champ with hot finish and Dean is able to retain due to one big move.

Most of what I have read has been in favor of declaring this match a classic, but it feels that many feel the need to defend it against a vocal minority that believes Dean gobbled up Rey for too long. Now, if Dean just sat in an armbar for the entirety of his lengthy heat segment, I would agree. Dean was really active with a lot of gnarly submissions and high-impact blows into pinfalls. It truly felt like he was trying to win a match and I can appreciate that. I think where these critics have a point is that Dean should not have immediately entered into a heat segment. In their subsequent Nitro match in July, Rey has a really cool babyface shine to open it. In that match, it really sets up the idea of what Dean has to fear. If Dean can not ground him, Rey will have him going in circles and Dean really sells that frustration in that match well. In this match, you don’t really get the feeling that Dean has anything to worry about in the context of the match because Rey did not open with anything. The drama in the Great American Bash would have been greatly enhanced by allowing Rey to hit a couple big moves off the bat to demonstrate how he lethal he could be. Since I brought up the Nitro match, the big problem with that match is that Malenko’s heat segment really meanders and is not really as good as this one. The Great American Bash match is a better complete match.

In sum, I think if you tack the babyface shine segment from the Nitro match and splice it into the Great American Bash match you have a Match of the Year Candidate for 1996. As is, it is one of three best matches from 1996 in WCW (Mysterio/Psychosis), but just cant compete with the All Japan and othere matches of 1996. This heat segment definitively proves in my mind that Dean Malenko is not boring. Can he be boring? Yes and we will see that! But he definitely can be a fuckin fantastic offensive wrestler. I think Dean’s strong suit is as a heel. Malenko is one of the few American wrestlers to always be straddling the face/heel line. I think if the booking team just went full bore with Dean as a sadistic, ground-based heel he would have had more entertaining matches consistently. This match showed how effective he could be as a yin to Mysterio’s yang. Mysterio for his part continued his campaign to be best wrestler in North America. I agree that Mysterio should have worked the majority of the match from underneath. His selling endeared him to the fans, his hope spots were well-timed to keep the audience engaged, and the match was structured to give his aerial spots time to breathe and seem more important to the audience. In the Dragon match, he will not be so lucky. 

One thing I want to debunk is that at least initially the commentary team (sans the Brain) did a very good job trying to get over the cruiserweights. You could feel how excited Dusty was to watch them and how much he enjoyed their work. As time progressed, of course like with all things in the mid-card, the WCW commentary team would just ignore it and talk about the Hogan-related item of the night. ****1/2

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Rey Misterio Jr. vs Psicosis – Bash At The Beach 1996

Growing up, Psicosis was one of my favorite wrestlers just based on look alone. I would argue that he had even cooler costume than La Parka, but La Parka had the dance moves & chair so it was a close call. I was always disappointed that he was never featured at the same level of Rey Misterio or Juventud Guerrera. It turns out these childhood feelings have been validated by the fact that Psicosis is really fucking good. Both going back through the old footage and reading other people’s opinions that Psicosis is one of the best workers in the world in the mid-90s. Unfortunately, he was not able to sustain his greatness in the late 90s while his arch-nemesise, Rey Misterio Jr. really took off. Misterio and Psicosis have a history that dates back to Tijuana wrestling scene of the 90s. Psicosis was the clown, base and vicious heel to Rey Misterio’s undersized underdog with revolutionary high-flying. They were the perfect mix and they took their act on tour. From their home promotion of AAA (an upstart lucha libre promotion challenging CMLL think the American League or AFL), they travelled to Japan to wow the crowds there and then came to Philadelphia to the little promotion that could, ECW. In 1996, in an effort to further differentiate WCW from WWF, Eric Bischoff brought in a small army of luchadores to populate the fledging WCW cruiserweight division. So logically, the hottest match of 1995 was featured for the first time for a wide scale American audience when Rey Misterio and Psicosis locked up at Bash At The Beach 1996.

It would be so easy for Misterio and Psicosis to just hit a myriad of mind-numbing highspots to astonish and amaze a virgin audience, but what makes these two among the all-time greats is how they transition and build to those highspots for maximum sensory impact. For that reason, this match holds up as one of the best matches in the history of WCW and one of the best PPV openers in any company of all time. Psicosis is consummate heel in this match. He knows when to let Rey shine and when to get vicious to put that heat on Rey. It is a great selfless performance that makes Rey look one of the biggest stars of the world, but in doing so elevates himself and the match. It was surprising to me that first highspot went to Psicosis with a gorgeous suicide dive over the top rope. Unlike all the wussy dives through the ropes recently, this one really wipes Rey out. Psicosis is just great laying down a wicked beating on Rey. Rey is so great at verbal selling as Psicosis whips, chops and slams him. Psicosis nails him with a top rope guillotine leg drop. There is a definite sense of Psicosis attacking the neck and looking to take the wind out of the high-flying Misterio, which is a great strategy against the quick Rey Rey. Psicosis takes his first crazy, hellacious bump, which is a monkey flip on the apron that propels him into the post. WOW! Misterio hits a rana off the apron and then a springboard hurricanrana spikes Psicosis only gets two. The match never feels like an exhibition even the objective of the match is to showcase these crazy spots. The competitors still care about the win and loss. Psicosis does a great job selling his knee after a Rey dropkicks his knee. Trying to chop down the bigger man is not a bad strategy for Rey especially after getting his ass kicked for a good chunk there. Psicosis quashes the Misterio comeback with a droptoehold and locks on a nasty headscissors. I loved Rey’s screams. One of the best worked headscissors I have ever seen and a perfect use of it: a heel who needs to stop the bleeding and sap the energy from a babyface. Good stuff.  Psicosis is targeting the neck again as he sends him flying into the top rope. Rey powders to catch his breath, but Psicosis is right on him dropping him neck first on the railing. Then he hits a senton from the top rope to the floor. WOW! Psicosis’ offense is breath-taking and violent, perfect. Back in the ring, Psicosis applies a camel clutch and fishhooks him. Psicosis is just fucking killing it. Misterio is like Woah, woah I am pretty fucking good too so he busts out a cartwheel into a hurricanarana and a mind-blowing top rope hurricanarana onto Psicosis that was standing on the apron. Holy shit, I think all these spots would still blow the majority of WWE’s current audience’s mind in 2015. Psicosis takes one of my favorite bumps when he gets dropkicked in the back of the head, he slides belly first onto the floor. Misterio hits a twisting corkscrew Asai Moonsault and everybody loses their shit. You can tell how much Tenay loved calling that while Dusty and Bobby were just like What the Fuck. I think while Bobby would vacillate between not giving a shit and putting over the crusierweights, The Dream seemed to be really entertained by them and in his own way put them over at every chance. Psicosis is able to catch Rey with a powerbomb and it actually looks really good. Psicosis is looking for Splash Mountain and Rey hits a crazy rana to win the match. WOW!

I have seen this match a couple times before and I am always blown away by how good it is. Matches that revolve around showcasing spots usually don’t age that well, but this match was as character-driven as it was spot-driven. Not to mention, these spots were crazy awesome and hold up totally. To me a heel is selfless, big bumping and vicious. Psicosis just had that in spades. He took two crazy bumps and hit some amazing highspots. He was always vicious with how he attacked Misterio. Misterio is just an all time great. His verbal selling was off the charts and he was great as a ragdoll for Psicosis to throw around, but when it came to blow people’s minds. He never failed. That finish run is just one incredible highspot after the other all with the purpose of winning the match. Definitely a contender for best WCW match of 90s and a testament to the greatness of the Rey Misterio/Psicosis series. ****1/2

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WCW World Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko vs Rey Misterio Jr. - WCW Nitro 7/8/96

I have said it before and I will say it again if you put this shine on the Great American Bash match and you have an all-time classic. This shine is perfect for whetting the fan's appetites for how exciting Rey can be. It makes them invest more in the heat segment because they want to see the grand finale. From a strictly kayfabe perspective, it establishes what Malenko has to worry about. If he can't control him, Misterio is going to dictate the pace with armdrags, ranas and dropkicks and keep him off balance. Once Malenko grabs a a hold of him with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker he does not let go. He alternates between controlling holds (surfboard, camel clutch) to regain his energy & sap Rey's and nasty throws like the butterfly powerbomb and hanging him out to dry on the ropes. Once again, when Rey can create space he is deadly as he snaps off a rana to the floor and hits an Asai Moonsault, now granted this was not the smoothest exchange, but it was the right idea. I hated Dean picking Rey up towards the end when he had him after super gutbuster and again after another suplex. Did not fit Dean's characters and there was no storyline motivation. Rey winning with an out of nowhere hurricanarana was an awesome way to kick off the most important Nitro in history coming after the Hogan heel turn. It pops the crowd and gives them something feel good after Hogan just turned heel. Plus, Rey totally deserved it. The blown spots and Malenko pulling Rey up hurts this from being one of the all time great Nitro cruiserweight matches, but still very entertaining. ***1/2

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WCW Cruiserweight Champion Rey Misterio Jr. vs Dean Malenko 

WCW Halloween Havoc 1996

They are afforded to have an extended version of their Nitro sprint and they do not disappoint with an unheralded classic. They utilized the extra time wisely to have Rey sell more convincingly and really milk it before his spectacular comeback. Malenko worked a similar heat segment to the Nitro match vacillating between holds and high impact blows and throws. Where the time really came in handy was in the beginning and end. Before the match, Malenko was pissed that he came in with a two match losing streak to the champion and wanted his belt back. So in order to get into his head, he stole Rey's mask to get into his head. Right at the beginning, the usually reserved Malenko wasted no time jumpstarting the match with blows and throws. He even looked to hook up the Texas Cloverleaf early. Rey desperately escaped and seemed a bit overwhelmed. However, once he was able to create some space and use his quickness to keep Malenko off balance he had Malenko looking like a fool tripping on his face. Rey punctuates this great shine segment with a somersault plancha and regains the stolen mask. I love little victories inside a match. I also loved that Rey Rey had to earn that shine over an early Malenko onslaught. Probably, my favorite part of the match to be honest. Malenko catches Rey on a rana attempt and slams him. He works a solid heat segment making sure to pepper in highspots to keep the crowd involved while he worked holds to keep Rey grounded. The heat segment at Great American Bash was world class and it is hard to compare, but this is a step down. There either needed to be more direction or more Rey hope spots to take this to the next level. I thought the Great American Bash match also featured more Rey verbal selling. I really did like the instances of Rey crawling away from Malenko to the apron gets attacked and then tries to crawl to the other side. There was great Rey selling, but I don't think it was as showcased. They both head to the top and they simultaneously punch each off the top, which I was not a fan of that spot, but the finish run we get is just excellent. Rey hits a tremendous springbaord somersault plancha in the ring that Malenko takes beautifully and is a contender for best Rey spot of the year in a year loaded with them. After struggle between both to negotiate a pinfall, Misterio gets a two and follows up on Malenko with a corkscrew Asai Moonsault well there is another one for the highlight reel. Misterio gets the exact hurricanarana that won him the title, but Malenko kicks out. Tony exclaims that he had never seen someone kick out of that predicament. Ruh Roh! Undeterred, Misterio looks to hit the springboard version and rallies the crowd, but Malenko has a different idea with a POWERBOMB! That should have been the finish. Live by the sword, die by the sword is a favorite finish genre of mine so I am biased. Malenko is looking for his Super Gutbuster, but Misterio looks to counter with top rope Frankensteiner, but we end up with a SUPER GUTWRENCH POWERBOMB!

The shine of the Nitro match with the heat segment of the GAB match and the finish of this match and at the very least you have a contender for the greatest match in WCW history. This is just a tremendous series and this match features some of the most exciting moments in WCW Crusierweight history. Rey was just awesome in the beginning, his selling was great in the heat segment, but not as highlighted as before and the finish stretch was paced perfectly with escalation between spots. Malenko worked a strong heat segment that did a go a bit long without action towards the end, but more than made up for it by telling the great story of a man obsessed with the winning championship. He had Rey scouted. He kicked out of the rana that cost him the title and he crushed Rey on the springboard rana. Then when it came down to the end and it was anyone's ball game on the top rope, Malenko showed that he wanted it just that much more. ****1/4

Die Hard: Diamond Dallas Page, Goldberg, Booker T (WCW, 1998)

Hey yo Stud Muffins & Foxy Ladies,

March Madness is upon us and all I know is that the Kentucky Wildcats are sporting a semi-pro team, but it only takes a second to take your eye off the prize to cost them their whole season. That being said, I will be going all in the Wildcats BABY! Tweet me @SuperstarSleeze for March Madness pool instructions.

FEEL THE BANG!

March Madness is upon us and it is only fitting as we enter the period where WCW was in total booking disarray. The year 1997 was interesting in that it is probably the greatest year in WCW history if you look at it comprehensively from all the different facets of wrestling being match quality, booking and financial. Besides one obvious match ( Eddie Guerrero vs Rey Mysterio Halloween Havc 1997), it does not have a consensus over the year's greatest match so I have been wading through it more thoroughly for that reason and because I enjoy the year as a whole. So I have skipped ahead to 1998. I start covering the main event matches and booking  of 1998 WCW in a previous blog series, which did not get finished. I know shocking. :( I will be skipping discussing that and focus on the mid-card.

The WCW midcard is a tale of two halves. The first half was dominated by Chris Benoit and Diamond Dallas Page and the second half saw a resurgence of the crusierweights around Juventud Guerrera, Billy Kidman, Eddie Guerrero and Rey Mysterio Jr.. Chris Benoit is always a difficult subject. My personal take on the matter of evaluating his career and his matches is to treat him like any other wrestler, but to never glorify him beyond that. So I will analyze his work, but I will never advertise him in the title of the blog or make him seem to be a hero of any kind. For the first half of 1998, he was just in the zone in terms of being no-nonsense asskicker and the fans absolutely were behind him 100%. He was over huge against Raven and DDP. Fans are going to gravitate towards badasses and Benoit's relentless, tenacious, always moving forward attack appealed to men who like a vicious streak in their wrestlers.

 I disagree with any who says Benoit was booked poorly during this time period by WCW. The reason we are stuck with so many heatless wrestlers is because of the start-stop pushes. Straight up, there just was not room in the main event for Benoit at this time. Just like there was not room in the main event for Bret Hart in 1989 when he worked predominantly singles and it was teased he would be elevated. Vince was a genius for biding his time with Bret and waiting until 1991 to get the ball rolling. WCW had done a great job showcasing Benoit early against Guerrero & Malenko, making him a Horseman (huge distinction) and giving him a blood feud with Kevin Sullivan. The rest of his contemporaries traded belts and were treated as great competitors. Benoit had this gnarly and vicious side that made him perfect for a personal grudge feud which helped differentiate him from your Jerichos and Malenkos. He was the MVP of the 97 Wargames and worked a hot midcard feud with Raven & his Flock to end the year and move into 1998. In early 98, they started to elevate him into the title pictures, working with a huge star on the rise, DDP and another hot midcard act, Booker T. The problem was the follow-up or lack thereof. Benoit just disappears after June and resurfaces for the Horsemen reunion in September, but it is not really utilized again until early 1999 with Dean Malenko. That's when the booking of Benoit begins to show its cracks.

The Real People's Champion

As for Diamond Dallas Page, he is the only wrestler that is consistently booked well throughout 1998. I would argue he is booked even better than Goldberg and Hollywood Hogan. By the end of 1998 is a huge main event star that is wicked over and is a big asset in being able to have quality main event matches. I will cover this when I finish my look at WCW's main event scene of 1998. I just want to get over how crazy awesome 1998 was for DDP. In watching the footage again, I have been become a huge fan of DDP. Every performance drips with effort and it feels like a huge fight. I love his blue collar, die hard character. It is so relatable. He was the 90s version of Dusty Rhodes and I know from listening to his shoot interviews that would be a big compliment for him. Really watch these matches that I recommend because he is criminally underrated.

After a hot stretch in 1997, the match quality in the crusierweight division cooled off, but the interest level may have been at all time high during the awesome Chris Jericho/Dean Malenko. However, with the elevation of Jericho to the TV title and Malenko becoming a Horseman. The Crusierweight division found itself under the guidance of new blood, Billy Kidman and Juventud Guerrera. Having watched a lot of Juvy in the past couple days, he has been on fire and I had forgotten how good he is. Whereas Rey's bread and butter was the sell, Juventud brought the badass offense. He has a wicked chop and his dives looked like they would wipe you up. These two would be joined by two of the greatest wrestlers of all time, Rey Mysterio and Eddie Guerrero and for a couple months in late 1998 the crusierweight division was on fire.

As far as how these matches stack up in terms of being the best WCW match of the 90s, 1998 does surprising well. It offers a strong contender in terms of the knock-down, Katie Bar the Door donnybrook for the US Championship, Benoit and DDP had. DDP and Goldberg comes in just a tick below it and is probably the best WCW PPV main event between 1996-2001. Benoit vs. Raven and Benoit vs. Booker T were both great matches, but I do not consider them contenders for the honor of being the best WCW match of the 90s. Finally, there is a match on here that I loved, but technically is not a WCW-sanctioned bout, but features all WCW-contracted wrestlers and is in honor of a WCW official. So it is being included and it is a definite contender for the best WCW match of the decade as the Four Corners of WCW (Benoit, Malenko, Guerrero, Jericho) just rock Knoxville with an old school classic tag team match that features all-time great  heel performances from Guerrero and Jericho. Overall, 1998 adds two more matches to list as it grows now to five matches all at that ****1/2 level. WCW in 1998 was interesting, the booking was disarray, but the match quality was still there.

Match Listing:

Chris Benoit vs Raven - Souled Out 1998 ***3/4
http://ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com/2014/11/wcw-souled-out-1998.html
Benoit in full unrelenting badass mode. Raven is a sick sado-masochist. Needs more Raven heeling.

Bret Hart vs Ric Flair - Souled Out 1998 ****
http://ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com/2014/11/wcw-souled-out-1998.html
Bret looks great in his WCW debut selling knee well & great offensive execution. Flair keeps pace with his deep bag of tricks. Strong debut for Hart, but there was no follow up. Last great WCW Flair match?

WCW US Champion Diamond Dallas Page vs Chris Benoit - SuperBrawl VIII ****1/2

Full steam ahead, no looking back FIGHT! Neither man gives an inch. One of the Best WCW matches ever!

WCW US Champion Diamond Dallas Page vs Chris Benoit vs Raven - WCW Uncensored 1998 

Balls to the wall action and still retains credibility. DDP is so over. Great finish. Best WCW Raven match.

WCW TV Champion Fit Finlay vs Chris Benoit - WCW Slamboree 1998 ****
 Everything you think it would be a brutal, violent, stiff bout. Benoit's PPV hot streak continues. 

Chris Benoit vs Booker T - Great American Bash 1998 ****
Maybe the best Booker performance of his career. On fire, timing his hope spots perfectly and laying his shit in. Surprisingly, it was Benoit who I felt was meandering

WCW World Champion Goldberg vs Diamond Dallas Page - Halloween Havoc 1998 ****1/4
HUGE FIGHT FEEL! DDP rules and every performance drips with effort. It is Die Hard vs Da Man!

WCW US Champion Bret Hart vs Diamond Dallas Page - Nitro 10/26/98 ***3/4 
Awesome never say die face against cunning heel. Great heat and sympathy to an satisfying climax

WCW Crusierweight Champion Billy Kidman vs Juventud Guerrera - WCW Nitro 11/16/98
Kidman's counterwrestling vs Juventud's asskicking offense. Badass finish stretch!

Chris Benoit & Dean Malenko vs Eddy Guerrero & Chris Jericho - 
Brian Hildebrand Tribute ****1/2 
Classic tag team match. Eddie & Jericho give all time great heel performance and Benoit is tremendous as the face in peril and asskicker.

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WCW United States Champion Diamond Dallas Page vs Chris Benoit - SuperBrawl VIII

Why is this not considered one of the best WCW matches of all time? I was impressed by the work and fight of both men in this tremendous hard-fought contest. Every little move from a standard Irish Whip to the final Diamond Cutter felt like an incredible struggle to execute. Each man was coming at the other like they were at the Battle of Stalingrad and there was no retreat. They were cutting each other with nasty strikes and knee lifts. It truly felt like both men were incredibly invested in winning this championship and they were going fight and claw for the victory on this night. All in all, they still kept this very much a babyface vs. babyface match. You had the rough and tumble blue collar street fighter against the polished, gnarly Canadian fighting machine. I liked DDP trying to impose his size and rough house tactics early only for Benoit to hang him out to dry and then try for the Crossface early. Page smartly bails and gets back in, he knows he is in for a fight against Benoit is just throwing crazy strikes to keep him at bay and now he looks for the Diamond Cutter and Benoit powders. I love the mirror spots. DDP IS JAAAAACCCCKKKEDD! They brawl back in the ring. Fuck, I love this. Benoit dropkicks the knee and looks to sap Page's energy by leaning on him with a Cobra Clutch-like hold. I like this use of the move. We know DDP is a ball of crazy energy that is his offensive strategy he is impulsive if you sap that then he should be easy pickings. I loved little shit like Benoit eating jawbreaker, but then coming right at Page with chops and kicks. Babyfaces always move forward. DDP pulling himself up by the ropes and throwing Benoit into the corner is one of my favorite spots of DDP matches. Benoit fights like hell on an Irish Whip attempt and snaps off a suplex. This is pro wrestling. Benoit is all about the sleeper and Page dumps him over the top rope and Benoit is still coming! Page crotches him and superplex to finally level the playing field. They work really awesome, well-built nearfall sequence that was rare at this time and would be over huge now. Benoit shoving DDP off of the Diamond Cutter attempt and Dallas immediately climbing the top rope and flying three quarters of the way across the ring to wipe out Benoit like an out of control torpedo epitomizes how wild this match was. It is just dripping with urgency. Benoit gets a Crossface, but DDP is too close to the ropes and his rolling Germans serve as his super hot nearfall. DDP signals for the Diamond Cutter, Benoit looks for the Backslide and BANG!

What a damn fight! Neither man gave an inch and they went toe to toe for the entire bout. They sustained heated fight for a good 15 minutes and it just never let up. The finish sequence was damn near perfect (ok ok there was a shitty DDT in there somewhere). I love matches where everything is contested, both wrestlers are invested in the outcome of the match and every action is urgent and consequential. This match had it in spades. As much as I love DDP/Goldberg, this is my WCW match of the year. ****1/2  

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WCW United States Champion Diamond Dallas Page vs Chris Benoit vs Raven 

 WCW Uncensored 1998

Call me crazy, but I really enjoyed this clusterfuck. It was non-stop action, but much like the cruiserweight triangle match at Starrcade they always incorporated all three guys in logical ways. I liked this a bit better than the cruiserweight match because of the three distinct characters involved and how they built drama going into the finish stretch. You have the asskicker Benoit, the sado-masochist Raven and the never say die DDP and the match really felt really character driven. They do a triple lock up, which is contrived, but I liked the intensity of the lock up and they establish early it is every man for himself when they each deck each other. The lock up spills to the outside and they throw DDP into the stairs ribs, those pesky, never healing ribs, first. DDP sells this and we get some Benoit and Raven, but it is a normal amount of selling as opposed to the egregious amount you normally see in this time of match. I loved DDP avoiding baseball slide only to have Raven take it and then hitting a nice slingshot cross body. Raven was actually really good in this too by wildly just on top of people. It really felt very chaotic with people just shoving each other when they weren't looking. I think this Raven's best match in WCW as opposed to the asskicking he took at Souled Out. Raven directs traffic and forges an alliance with Benoit to take out the champion by sending him through the Uncensored sign. DDP is fucking out and looks done for. Raven suplexes table onto Benoit. I am such a mark for throwing objects and I loved that spot, but Raven gets overzealous and goes flying into the table. Benoit plays it smart and he carries Raven back to the ring to increase the distance between him and DDP. Kudos to Tenay for picking up on this. Benoit hits the drop toehold onto the chair, which always looks nasty and Raven's eye starts to swell pretty immediately. DDP slide on his side back to the ring in just awesome dramatic fashion. I love DDP! It is time to rip-off ECW wholesale, but hey what has not been seen by this audience is new now. They do the triple sleeper spot. It turns out NOAH ripped off this match for the triple German. DDP is fucking over it is awesome. The dude totally deserved to main event five PPVs in a row in 1998 and his reign in 1999. Anyone who says otherwise has either not watched the footage or is blind! Raven tells Benoit lets take out the champ again and here is the Use My Sign from Lodi, but it is a Stop SIgn! AWESOME! DDP is laid out on the table and Benoit attacks Raven. Raven fucked up that one. Benoit looks to superplex Raven through DDP in the table, which would have a HOLY SHIT spot for the ages. But DDP sends Benoit flying off and hits a nasty Diamond Cutter where the table does not break and Raven goes chest first into the edge. Wrestlers not being as athletic made these types of spots look brutal as hell. Great fucking finish! Benoit looked like an asskicker, but just did not pull the trigger early enough. DDP may have never-healing ribs, but his spirit just won't die. There is a never dull moment and never a moment where the match loses credibility. It was a chaotic war between three men. Another feather in the caps of Benoit & DDP! ****

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WCW TV Champion Fit Finlay vs Chris Benoit - WCW Slamboree 1998

The Wocestah crowd was rabid for the Wolverine on this night with a big Benoit chant early after a chop and even chanting Finaly Sucks! Hell they popped for an early hiptoss cover by Benoit. That's what happens when wrestling treated as real by the fans and the wrestlers. They care that their favorite wins not how he wins or if it is at the expense of making someone look bad. It is Benoit and Finlay. You know it  is going to be a war and this one was awesome. It totally built on their badass Nitro '97 sprint with them having more time to draw things out. Benoit looks strong in the early going controlling with chops, but as he gets up from a Finlay submission he is blasted with a wicked clothesline. For the rest of the match, Finlay is going to town on the neck and head of Benoit. Benoit does a great job selling this clothesline rolling out of the ring in such a way that he makes a thud when hits the floor. Finlay follows up with a bodyslam on the floor and another clothesline. Benoit comes roaring out of the corner with chops, Finaly stymies him with an eyepoke/chinlock combination. Perfect use of the chinlock to control the match and lean on your opponent sapping him of his energy. Finlay peppering in wicked elbows to Benoit's neck and kicks to his back. Finaly goes for the chair on the outside, but Benoit grans a hold of it to hit Finlay in the back to a big pop. I love chair shot in stiff midcard matches it is  a great change of pace. Benoit goes for his dive to the outside, but Finlay uses the chair to block it. Jesus, Benoit! Finaly is working double time on the neck, but runs into the corner full steam ahead. Two Rolling Germans land, but on the third Finlay runs Benoit throat first into the ropes. DAMN! A violent counter that makes total sense in the match. Really should have led to the Tombstone finish in my opinion. Benoit counters an attempted clothesline with the Crossface, but too close to the ropes. Snap suplex and he signals for the diving headbutt and the crowd just explodes. Huge boos for Booker T sauntering out as payback for Benoit doing it to him and costing him Television championship. Finlay blasts him in the back of the head with wicked dropkick. Benoit just crumbles to the floor and deadweights Finlay. FInaly finally rolls him back in and Benoit gets a desperation inside cradle, but nothing happening. Finaly ends his misery witha Tombstone! Awesome, brutal match with Finlay wrestling  a perfect strategy to control the explosive Benoit with stiff shots and chinlocks. Benoit is just relentless and always knows when to come out at you with his stiff offense. I can't see how these two could ever have a bad match. I would put this above the Raven match since Finlay contributed more, but behind the DDP match, which I think told a better story and had even more urgency. ****

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Chris Benoit vs Booker T - WCW Great American Bash 1998 Match #7

Technically, this is match #8 of seven to determine the number one contender to the Television Championship (my childhood memories were foggy and I thought they were in the midst of the Best of Seven series for the TV Title when one of them lost the title to Finlay randomly and thus threw a monkey wrench into the works. Turns out, it was a number one contendership series the whole time). On the previous episode of Thunder, Bret Hart tried to help out former Dungeon graduate, Benoit by blasting Booker with a chair. Benoit does not want to win that way and goes so far to tell the referee. That kind of sportsmanship is actually pretty refreshing rather than playing morally conflicted interminably. JoJo Dillon scrubs the record clean and says the Great American Bash match is for the kit and kaboddle. Really strong midcard WCW booking, which is shocking because the WCW main event scene is a total clusterfuck at this point.

The argument can be made Benoit's lack of attack on Booker's knee stems from his sportsmanship. He was above exploiting an injury and respected Booker too much. Now clearly the reason is because the Finlay match later was going to be based around the knee, which makes sense since Finlay is the real heel. It would have been helpful if the commentary told this story rather blithering on about the injured knee. Even trying to apply this logic to the match, Benoit's offensive strategy just seemed off. His execution was as crisp as ever, but it was meandering like he did not know what he wanted to do next. He uses the dragon screw leg whip to take control, but after that it is an assortment of chops, suplexes and chinlocks. It was a weird use of the chinlock because it is not like Booker established himself as a runaway locomotive early on. It really feels like his offense is not setting anything up. Tenay did a good job claiming this was to set up the Crossface, but I wasn't feeling it. Benoit does go for the Crossface when Booker starts to mount a comeback, but Booker falls towards the ropes. In fact, I thought Booker outperformed Benoit. He was timing his hope spots really well and he brought a lot of fire from underneath. I really liked his crash and burn off the reverse cross body as he was going for a home run. Again when Booker is able to get a head of steam, he is looking for that missile dropkick. His offense is setting up for a big bomb. Benoit is always great at selling his big high-risk moves like the superplex (milks it for an 8 count before the cover) and swandive headbutt (writhes in pain before the cover). Loved Benoit have scouted Booker's weird sunset flip thingy in the corner, by stopping short letting him do it and then CHOP! Booker nails a couple Harlem Sidekicks, which finally dazes Benoit enough to hit his missile dropkick.

This maybe my favorite Booker performance of his career. He was laying his shit in well and his timing and move selection were just spot on. His instincts were just clicking. He built perfectly to that missile dropkick and Benoit really was able to sell how his big bombs had taken a lot out of him. It was a war of attrition and Booker outlasted Benoit in this battle. Match was dragged down by an unusually meandering Benoit in the early going. The finish stretch and Booker's performance make this one of the best WCW matches of 1998. ****

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WCW World Heavyweight Champion Goldberg vs Diamond Dallas Page 

WCW Halloween Havoc 1998

I saw this originally when WCW was compelled to repeat the entire main event on Nitro because they went over on the PPV, which is part of the reason the match is so famous. I honestly had forgotten everything about the match so besides knowing who won this was totally fresh. The other reason this match is famous because it is really good in time period where WCW main event were usually dogshit. Guess what this match is not just really good, it is excellent. I actually think this match is underrated given the ratings I have seen around the net. It is a testament to both Goldberg's aura and DDP's ring generalship at this time. With a doubt, DDP is the WCW MVP of 1998 and his entire 1998 is proof at his amazing grasp on pro wrestling psychology.

The World Heavyweight Champion versus the People's Champion, the Unstoppable Force versus the Blue Collar Hero, the Rookie Phenomenon versus the Hard Working Late Bloomer, just the characters naturally make for a great story going into the match. DDP is wrestling manifestation of John McClane and he is taking on the fucking Terminator in Goldberg. Who does not want to see that? This is the type of match that shows why pro wrestling is the greatest form of entertainment to ever exist in human history.

Page is JAAAAACCCCKKKKKED TO THE MOON for this one and he comes at Goldberg repeatedly who shrugs him off with powerful shoves. DDP will not be detered and they spill out in a heated moment. Goldberg is treated like a super athlete here: unstoppable power, impervious to pain and cat-like quickness. When DDP tries a single leg pick up, Goldberg does a backflip and DDP does it again to get a one count. That is the story of DDP the dude just does not know when to quit. He is going to try and try and try. I love it! Goldberg's stunned selling, but always moving to get up and moving forward is so perfect for his character. I love the urgency of every DDP movement knowing he is in there with a monster. He has his one big weapon, the Diamond Cutter, he tries it early and gets send flying to the outside. DDP tries to contain Goldberg with a front facelock, but Goldberg explodes out of it. Goldberg with a huge thrust kick sends DDP into the corner. Goldberg goes for the spear and eats the ringpost. OH SHIT! It only makes sense the person who can do the most damage to Goldberg is Goldberg. DDP signals for the Diamond Cutter and BOOM! SPEAR! THE PLACE COMES UNGLUED! I LOST MY SHIT! Goldberg's shoulder is fucked. Can he get him up for the Jackhammer? DIAMOND CUTTER! PIN HIM, DALLAS! PIN THAT MAN! GET UP! GET UP! PIN HIM! 1-2-NOOOOOO!!!!!! DDP tries to stay on him, but Goldberg reverses a suplex attempt into a Jackhammer. Holy shit, that was electric.

I have become the biggest retroactive DDP fan. His Die Hard, blue collar attitude is just so badass. You can't help but cheer for the dude. Honestly, lost myself in that Diamond Cutter. I really thought to myself can DDP pull this out before I came back to reality. Pitch perfect layout that accentuated both men's characters. Pro wrestling matches should be driven by wins and losses, but how it gets done should be unique to the participants involved. These two men are the only people who could have this match because it uniquely fit them. That is the hallmark of excellent pro wrestling psychology. ****1/4

BANG!

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WCW US Champion Bret Hart vs Diamond Dallas Page - WCW Nitro 10/26/98

One night after he took Goldberg to the limit, DDP gets a title shot against Bret Hart. I love that booking. DDP is red-hot at this point, but he is coming off a loss.How do you capitalize on that heat? Have him beat Bret Hart and take the US title! Excellent booking! Bret Hart has a rep of taking people out like Booker T at Bash At The Beach and Sting at Halloween Havoc so how do you capitalize on that well, have him look to take out DDP. Only problem is DDP Dies Hard.

Bret Hart gets put in a match against DDP and has his best match of the year since the Flair match, coincidence, I think not. DDP was the best American main event wrestler at this point. The early part of the match with DDP just taking it to Bret Hart at his own game everything just drips with effort. You know Bret Hart is the more polished of the two, but DDP has the heart and the passion to close the gap between him and Hart. Bret Hart is getting countered at every turn and this already hotter than the Sting and Luger matches, which were good. Hart uses the hotshot to take control. What takes this match to the next level for Hart is DDP's selling. At first, DDP still has enough energy to pull himself up by the ropes and unload with punches. I love that spot! Hart keeps cutting him off, but you get the feeling you just cant keep Page down. Like when Bret drops an elbow on a DDP that is trying to get up on all fours. I loved that visual along with DDP clawing towards Bret as he only know one direction. DDP should be ranked higher as one of the all-time great babyfaces because his desperation selling and never say die attitude is what being a babyface is all about. Hart is on his heel A-game using his feet on the ropes and a foreign object. Hell he even busts out a superplex. Bret Hart has to resort to a low blow that wipes out DDP and the ref. Hart goes to swing with the foreign object, but DDP ducks and BANG! DIAMOND CUTTER! 1-2-3! DDP wins the US Title, but Bret Hart attacks him after the match pinpointing his knee with the chair and then applying the Sharpshooter as the fans chant for Goldberg who comes as we go off the air.

DDP was just the ultimate blue collar, hard working, never say die babyface and he delivered a great performance. Finally Bret has a babyface that can really generate that sympathy and make his heel character stand out. DDP added a lot to the standard Bret Hart match based on his character and is a very entertaining match, probably the best Nitro main event of the year. ***3/4

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WCW Crusierweight Champion Billy Kidman vs Juventud Guerrera - WCW Nitro 11/16/98


Billy Kidman, intelligent counterwrestler, was not the style I was expecting, but it definitely well-received by me. Almost at every turn, Kidman had an answer for Juvy's high-octane and aggressive offense. His ability to transition defense into offense was a really neat stylistic touch. Early on, he was able to take Juvy's movement transfer into a spinebuster then later dropkicking him off the apron leading to him hitting a plancha. What made this match even more special was Juvy really taking the time to sell all of Kidman's big moves and his own. You really got a sense of how high-risk these moves were when Juvy was selling his ass after a hard springboard legdrop. That was the story of the match, Juvy was dictating the pace of the match, but he was going to live and die by his moves. If he landed them, he was in the driver's seat, but Kidman's patience and counterwrestling ability like the facebuster out of the powerbomb or wheelbarrow suplex to avoid the bulldog was stymieing Juvy Juice. Before I get to the finish, I really liked Juvy playing to the crowd with the chops and the ten count punches in the corner. It really feels like Juvy has matured as an American wrestler. Juventud finally nails his big move the Juvy Driver, BUT he pulls back to hard on the cover and Kidman slips out. Again, Juventud's overzealousness costs him. He looks frustrated but tries to follow up with a top rope Frankensteiner. Kidman hits a low blow (WOW was not expecting that) and hit a slam off the top. 1-2-NO! Woah! I totally bit on that false finish. Kidman looks to seal the deal with a Shooting Star Press, but Juvy blocks and hits the 450 for the win. I really liked the story of Kidman's counterwrestling versus Juventud's high-risk offense. Kidman stooping to a low blow was a cool touch. I wish that Juvy did not just pop out to knock Kidman off his perch, but that's a small quibble. **** 
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Chris Benoit & Dean Malenko vs Eddie Guerrero & Chris Jericho 

 Brian Hildebrand Tribute Show 11/29/98

HOLY SHIT, THIS WAS ALL TYPES OF AWESOME! WCW's Four Corners finally get the opportunity to knock it out of the park and they don't waste one moment. Eddie and Jericho remind me why I absolutely love pro wrestling. They are just so damn entertaining, but you want to boo them every step of the way and Benoit & Malenko are here to kick ass because Jericho and Eddie went out their way to mock Hildebrand at the beginning of the match. Jericho and Eddie blend cowardly, vicious and arrogance in one appetizing package delivering an all-time great heel tag team performance. All the classic Jericho & Eddie spots are here: Eddie covering Jericho's ears so he can't hear "Jericho Sucks!", scurrying to the corner to hold onto your partner's leg, Eddie calling for timeout. That is just a few it was literally awesome heel spot after another. The heels try as they might to fight fire with fire are just overwhelmed by the badassery of The Horsemen. Even Malenko is teeing off on Jericho and making this a heated bout. This is the exact environment that Benoit excels in. Jericho and Eddie try to meet him head on and just get destroyed. In a hilarious moment as Malenko is countering a Jericho surfboard and the people are chanting "Jericho Sucks!", he yells "SHUT UP YOU BUNCH OF NIMRODS!" Sounds like a man that has a tenuous grasp at best on this match. Jericho once again tries to meet Benoit head on and a wicked chopfest ensues. Jericho does what any intelligent coward would do, pokes him in the eyes and forcefully drops him throat first across the top rope. OW!

Jericho and Eddie just flip the switch from cowards to arrogant prick heels like that. Eddie is telling fans to kiss his ass while he drops Benoit with a brainbuster. Jericho is covering Benoit with one foot after a double suplex. Eddie flies over the top onto Benoit throat as it laid exposed on the apron being held in place by Jericho. Then Benoit's neck is snapped into the bottom rope. Benoit is great at selling and you can hear him gasping for breath on this fancam. Benoit finally hits a suplex to break up a sleeper, but goes up top to consolidate the advantage, but Eddie is able to hit a superplex and Jericho detains Malenko. I have loved the struggle of the entire match but here you can just see Benoit fight with every last breath to break free as Eddie and Jericho do everything they can to somehow contain this raging fireball. Some of the exchanges between Benoit and these two are just incredibly fierce. Eventually Benoit waylays them both off the apron. Building to a Malenko hot tag is suspect at best and it is for the best it does not last long. Jericho rolls through a roll up to apply the Liontamer, but Malenko makes the ropes. Jericho throws a temper tantrum, but Eddie snaps him out of it. SUPERPLEX/FROGSPLASH Combo!!!! BITCHIN! Benoit bowls Eddie off of Malenko. Benoit hits his Swandive Headbutt, but Jericho pulls out the ref. Benoit shoots Eddie into a Malenko powerbomb into a Cloverleaf and Benoit has Jericho trapped in the Crippler Crossface, but there is no ref. WAIT! Brian Hildebrand leaps into the ring and Eddie & Jericho both tap out as Hildebrand gives us a classic call for the bell. Then because it is 1998 and your wardrobe determines your allegiance he reveals a Four Horsemen shirt to a nice pop.


Jericho & Guerrero give a master class in how you can blend old school heeling with modern offense. It is all about flipping that switch from cowards to pricks. It was just awesome watching them have all that time to work. It has been said a million zillion times and even by Jericho himself, they were a totally missed opportunity as a tag team.   Benoit did a great job in his face in peril selling early and then realizing he needed to fight his way out of there going right into asskicker mode. Even Malenko did well in this crowd-pleasing, asskicking match. This would be my WCW Match of the Year if it took place in WCW and it is right there with Austin/Dude Love for US Match of 1998. Love, love this style and these four crushed it in honor of Brian Hildebrand! ****1/2

Rest in Peace, Brian Hildebrand

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.