Kamala's Random WCW Bullshit thread

[BruiserBrody]

November 20th, 1993 – WCW Battlebowl was held in Pensacola, Florida. A lottery-type concept paired up wrestlers at random for various tag team matches with the winning team from each advancing to an over-the-top-rope battle royal, and the winner of the battle royal being declared the winner of Battlebowl.

Vader and Cactus Jack defeated Charlie Norris and Kane (Stevie Ray).

• Brian Knobbs and Johnny B. Badd defeated Erik Watts and Paul Roma.
• The Shockmaster and Paul Orndorff defeated Ricky Steamboat and Lord Steven Regal.
• King Kong and Dustin Rhodes defeated The Equalizer and Awesome Kong.
• Sting and Jerry Sags defeated Ron Simmons and Keith Cole.
• Ric Flair and Steve Austin defeated 2 Cold Scorpio and Maxx Payne.
• Rick Rude and Shanghai Pierce defeated Tex Slazenger and Marcus Bagwell.
• Road Warrior Hawk and Rip Rogers defeated Davey Boy Smith and Kole.
• Vader last eliminated Sting to win the Battlebowl battle royal.

----
It takes effort to make this much talent on a card and book an all time stinker of a PPV.

At least something like Havoc 98 was just disappointing... this is near unwatchable

I went to thehistoryofwwe to potentially rebook this with the actual feuds of the era and I realized the Clash from this month is actually stacked.

They should have flipped the PPV and free show I guess. Maybe book a few extra guys (Ice Train, etc) and make it 2 WCW Saturday Night specials (4 matches each) and book the Clash as an eliminator round and the Battle Bowl, with a few mid card matches sprinkled in to fill out the Clash card.

Clash of the Champions XXV – St. Petersburg, FL – Bayfront Center – November 10, 1993 (6,000; 1,700 paid)
Tex Slazenger & Shanghai Pierce defeated Mark Starr & Frankie Lancaster
Shown live on TBS – featured an opening announcement by Gene Okerlund that fans could now vote on the Manager of the Year on the WCW Hotline – Sir Williams, Missy Hyatt, Harley Race, or Teddy Long; included Tony Schiavone & Jesse Ventura on commentary; featured Okerlund conducting an interview in the arena with Col. Rob Parker regarding Parker recently dropping Sid Vicious and picking up Steve Austin as his newest wrestler; during the segment, it was implied Sid was in the arena though Parker said he had a restraining order against him; included a BattleBowl Control Center with comments from Sting and Paul Orndorff; the segment closed with Okerlund saying “We will have more this Wednesday as part of the Clash of the Champions, live!”; featured the announcement that the Manager of the Year award would be decided at Starrcade:
Road Warrior Hawk fought WCW International World Champion Rick Rude to a double count-out at 5:38 when both men began brawling on the floor
The Shockmaster pinned the Equalizer at 2:29 with the bearhug into a slam; during the bout, it was announced there was a backstage confrontation between Davey Boy Smith and WCW International World Champion Rick Rude
WCW TV Champion Lord Steven Regal (w/ Sir William) pinned Johnny B. Badd at 6:35 with a roll up and grabbing the tights for leverage after Badd grabbed for William when William put Regal’s foot on the bottom rope during a cover; during the bout, it was announced the prior confrontation between Davey Boy Smith and WCW International World Champion Rick Rude stemmed from Smith challenging Rude for the title
Steve Austin (w/ Col. Rob Parker) pinned Brian Pillman at 9:11 when Parker pushed Pillman as he attempted a springboard clothesline into the ring, with Austin then throwing Pillman face-first to the mat (The Legacy of Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Best of Clash of the Champions)
WCW US Champion Dustin Rhodes (w/ Dusty Rhodes) pinned Paul Orndorff (w/ the Assassin) at 12:15 with an inside cradle after avoiding an elbow off the top; after the bout, Orndorff threw Dustin to the floor, with the Assassin then throwing Dustin into the ringpost until Dusty made the save; moments later, Dusty attempted to unmask the Assassin until Orndorff helped in double teaming Dusty and whipping him with the title belt; Orndorff then attempted the piledriver on Dusty until Dustin cleared the ring
WCW Tag Team Champions the Nasty Boys (w/ Missy Hyatt) defeated Sting & Davey Boy Smith at 8:41 when Brian Knobbs pinned Smith after Jerry Saggs hit the elbowsmash off the top behind the referee’s back as Smith had Knobbs covered following the running powerslam; prior to the bout, Smith fought with Saggs on the rampway, with WCW International World Champion Rick Rude sneaking up behind Smith and dropping him with the Rude Awakening until he was chased away by Road Warrior Hawk
Ric Flair (w/ Fifi) defeated WCW World Champion Vader (w/ Harley Race) via disqualification at around the 9-minute mark; prior to the bout, Col. Rob Parker confronted Flair backstage in which he said Steve Austin could beat Flair, with Flair then punching Parker before making his ring entrance; the finish saw Vader miss the moonsault and Flair made the cover, with referee Randy Anderson then crawling over to make the count and slapping his hand against the mat as he crawled over; however, the referee disqualified Vader for accidentally hitting him just prior to the moonsault; after the match, Flair was attacked by Vader, Race, Steve Austin, and Col. Rob Parker until Dustin Rhodes and the Shockmaster appeared; moments later, Gene Okerlund came in the ring for an interview with Flair, with Flair cutting a promo on Vader & Austin and saying he would have Sid Vicious as his partner that weekend on WCW Saturday Night

 

[snuffbox]

Yours is the much better idea, Brody. The buyrate for that had to be bad. And then they do battlebowl AGAIN at Slamboree 96!

 

[BruiserBrody]

Yours is the much better idea, Brody. The buyrate for that had to be bad. And then they do battlebowl AGAIN at Slamboree 96!

They ruined 2 Starrcades and Dusty still didn't take the hint and turned it into a PPV by itself. I know Sid and Arn stabbing each other changed plans, but Battlebowl at least needed a Vader defense. Flair or a Cactus Jack blow off....not sure what stip to go with since Havoc was gimmicked up.

 

[Tino Standard]

WCW TV Champion Lord Steven Regal (w/ Sir William) pinned Johnny B. Badd at 6:35 with a roll up and grabbing the tights for leverage after Badd grabbed for William when William put Regal’s foot on the bottom rope during a cover

Weirdly, the finish of this match is a core wrestling memory for me. Badd kinda messed up the spot because he started to hook Regal’s far leg like normal, but then remembered that William supposed to put Regal’s foot on the rope. So Badd dropped the leg and hooked the near one instead.

Even though I had known wrestling was a work for a while by this point, this was the first time I spotted something like that happening in real time.

 

[BruiserBrody]

Apparently the Johnny B Badd vs Pillman 30 min PPV match was meant to be a double burial.
Some backstage wanted Mero exposed as green in such a long match, and Pillman was meant to fail at carrying him and prove he's actually not that good.
Then the guys went out and killed it.

 

[Valeyard]

Mero would be one of the biggest stars in the world if he'd come in now. 1995-96 Mero is a top shelf face.

 

[Big Papa Paegan]

Realistically speaking, even 97/98 "Marvelous" Marc Mero would be a big deal now. Not ME big, but probably having a pair of transitional runs with either the Universal or World titles.

 

[Valeyard]

I feel like if he's around now, he's a top AEW guy that people fight about.

 

[One Epic Winter (OEW)]

I love stories like that. Just like how Taker/Batista killed it at WM and made sure no one could follow them when they were relegated to the third match on the card.

 

[strummer]

Mero never got that US title shot

 

[BUTT]

His fault for getting four flat tires.

 

[BruiserBrody]

Also funny in that WON I took that from is that Al Snow was being recruited by both WCW and WWF. WCW offered him more money, but missed a deadline meeting meanwhile Vince had him picked up in a limo and wined and dined.... to become Avatar.

WCW may have only wanted him for a pay per show deal, so he could be on TV in the Mr JL, early cruisers mix.

For those not around in 94ish-95 Snow was a hot name on the early internet/tape trading for a bit. He and Benoit had a 20 foot ladder match that even got ads selling it in the Apters.

 

[Valeyard]

Snow's gotta be one of the most WCW guys to never work there. He fits so well in any era of that company. Like a world exists where he's the Disco Inferno we deserve.

 

[alfdogg]

I know he had his issues but I'm still somewhat astonished that Buff Bagwell never held even one singles title in WCW. He was there almost ten years!

 

[One Epic Winter (OEW)]

The only time it really would have made sense is when he split with Scott Steiner and Flair put him over in a tag match. I remember the WCW website made a huge deal of that. Never world title worthy but I don't think giving him a TV or US title run would have been the worst thing.

 

[Big Papa Paegan]

The only time it really would have made sense is when he split with Scott Steiner and Flair put him over in a tag match. I remember the WCW website made a huge deal of that. Never world title worthy but I don't think giving him a TV or US title run would have been the worst thing.

Bagwell was ON FIRE for that brief period, and then fizzled out again when it went from "Bagwell hates Flair" to "Bagwell is going to fight Piper." That 8-man tag was one of the last truly hot Nitro mains, IIRC.

For those not around in 94ish-95 Snow was a hot name on the early internet/tape trading for a bit. He and Benoit had a 20 foot ladder match that even got ads selling it in the Apters.

This is why I always found it funny when Snow did the 180 turn in the 00s and landed firmly on the idea that "good worker" can only be applied to people that drew money, and being a talented wrestler doesn't mean shit. Literally his entire allure, and why the Head gimmick worked so well, was that he was an insanely talented wrestler between the ropes who kept getting saddled with bad gimmicks by the WWF to the point where he lost his mind.

 

[Valeyard]

Bagwell not getting a singles title is wild. Seems like a perfect guy for 1994 to feud with Regal at least.

 

[BruiserBrody]

More from last weeks Center Stage pod: At New York Knock Out, they booked Dr Death to face Super Destroyer (Who was supposed to be Bill Irwin returning to the gimmick for whatever reason after months of doing jobs under his own name). Then it was changed to Zenk vs Cuban Assassin instead. Nobody told Doc, who flew to NY. Irwin was in All Japan teaming with Gordy at the Tag League, so they tossed Jack Victory under the SD mask and had him get squashed.

 

[Valeyard]

Was there ever any push get Lyle Alzazdo to work in order push Learning The Ropes?

 

[JHawk]

IIRC they announce Lyle Alzado as a guest judge for the Flair-Sting Clash I match but he didn't show. I don't think there were any other attempts to have him on Crockett TV though.

 

[BruiserBrody]

Was there ever any push get Lyle Alzazdo to work in order push Learning The Ropes?

In 1988, JCP wouldn't have been able to pay him anyway. By the time Learning the Ropes was airing, they were in bankruptcy and seeking a buyer.

It started airing almost the exact same time they sold to Turner. Can TBS justify paying Alzado when they didn't even want to pay the wrestlers and cut backs were about to be all the rage? Especially since TBS didn't have a piece of the syndication money pie.

 

[Valeyard]

Celebrity shit is always a viable money pit. If you can get Hervey to be a judge, you can get Lyle to make Rotundo bump.

 

[snuffbox]

Didn't he appear at a Clash of the Champions?

 

[One Epic Winter (OEW)]

Bagwell was ON FIRE for that brief period, and then fizzled out again when it went from "Bagwell hates Flair" to "Bagwell is going to fight Piper." That 8-man tag was one of the last truly hot Nitro mains, IIRC.

Pretty impressive pop Bagwell got for the pin.

 

[BruiserBrody]

Celebrity shit is always a viable money pit. If you can get Hervey to be a judge, you can get Lyle to make Rotundo bump.

Hervey was on a popular sitcom. Lyle was a good NFL player with a heck of a gimmick. He starred in at least 1 movie, boxed Ali, and got some endorsements thanks to being part of the Raiders mythos.
He missed his chance. Should have gotten him in the WM 2 Battle Royal when he was slightly less washed.

Now Nitro in 1999 getting Dick Butkus to leech off his "Hang Time" fame to confront Rodman I can get behind! (I think I'm kidding)

 

[BruiserBrody]

NWA @ Atlanta, GA – Center Stage Theatre – November 28, 1989 (matinee)
Kendall Windham pinned Rick Ryder at 4:27 with a bulldog

WTF.... Barry quits the WWF to help them avoid the embarassment of his families legal drama....and WCW brings Kendall back in the same month??

 

[BruiserBrody]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1865380742588424474

I'm trying to wrap my head around Lawler in WCW in 93 instead. They don't need more announcers. He'd likely be a heel. Likely gets a Clash feud with Sting and maybe a PPV vs Sting once Flair is around to fill in the upper card/main event ranks.

One change is "Lord" Steven Regal is probably never born due to the similar gimmicks.

Face Cactus vs Lawler probably rocks. Lawler vs Dustin in slug fests sounds great. Maybe a feud with Badd that is all homophobia cheap heat?
Maybe a face turn in 94 to work Mr. Wonderful in a pile driver vs pile driver angle. Then he can work Terry Funk once Funk comes in as well.

 

[Valeyard]

I don't think Lawler does much beyond a window of drawing better houses in Tennessee. Lawler just does NOT feel like a major star on a national level and I don't see him being taken seriously against someone like Sting. Like he doesn't translate past the regional level. Now that said a prolonged Dustin feud would rule.

 

[alfdogg]

I feel like Lawler in WCW would basically just be Larry Zbyszko.

 

[Hawk 34]

I think it’s more likely we get a player/coach out of him and instead of the Stud Stable we get the Kings Court instead.