Andrew Lutzke
October 29th, 1995
Hulk Hogan and The Giant are already on the roof and playing cat and mouse with their monster trucks. I want to know how much money WCW paid to pimp out 2 monster trucks in the style of the DOD and Hulkster, then pay for permits to run them on the ROOF of an arena. Not to mention the cost of getting them up there, which I have to assume was done via air lift during the day. All for adding zero buys to the PPV.
Ric Flair has been attacked by Brian Pillman and Arn Anderson and his status for tonight’s PPV is unclear.
Johnny B. Badd vs. DDP (TV Champ)
They replay the angle that set up this match where Maxx Muscle accidentally revealed that DDP was behind Badd’s car getting four flat tires while Badd was trying to get to the arena to face Sting. The acting was really hammy.
Badd has his doppelganger come out and distract DDP which allows Johnny to sneak in through the audience and attack DDP. Page takes a big bump outside and Badd rams he and Maxx’s heads together. Johnny puts a bucket on his head and slaps both sides of it, then sends the bucket head into the ringpost. Say what you will about Bischoff giving DDP a push because they were neighbors/wife swappers whatever, but Page is working his ass off here and bumping everywhere to make Badd look like a million bucks. They do a cute spot where DDP accuses Badd of pulling his hair during a armbar, so Badd says “I pulled your hair? You mean like this?” and he proceeds to yank at DDP’s greasy locks. Page gets control and does some nifty cheating by using his wrist tape to discreetly choke Badd out. DDP’s offensive segment is awfully headlock heavy though. Kimberly looks on disapprovingly during much of DDP’s cheating and reluctantly holds up his “10” scorecard when he hits a big move. This culminates during Badd’s comeback when DDP is blasted by a flying double ax handle and she grants Badd a “10”. Page cuts off Badd’s comeback with a modified DDT and then attempts the Diamond Cutter – only for JBB to counter by clinging to the top rope. DDP is dumped to the floor and JBB launches down on him and Maxx. Diving splash gets 2. Badd sets up for the “Tutti Frutti” punch but Maxx grabs him and DDP tries to hit Badd but JBB moves and dropkicks the heels together. DDP is rolled up for another 2. I totally bought that as the finish. Maxx tries clotheslining Badd and hits DDP instead and that is enough for the pin. Good match, weak finishing spot. Badd was coming into his own as a worker at this point.
Zodiac vs. Randy Savage
Savage attacks Zodiac right off but a fan running in and trying to go after somebody stymies the assault. Randy Anderson struggles to hold back the fan as Savage and Zodiac spill out to the floor – probably to allow security to tackle the putz. Zodiac gets rammed into the barricades a few times and the crowd ROARS for the fan being arrested. They finally get the guy out of the ring and Savage rolls Zodiac back in, hits the big elbow and pins him. Absolutely a nothing match that was over before it started. At least the fan invasion made for an interesting segment. The announcers take time to bury Kamala, who had been fired/quit WCW before the PPV.
Hawk vs. Kurasawa
Kurasawa “broke” Hawk’s arm in August to set this up. It was startling at the time because seeing a Road Warrior sell an injury of that magnitude was very rare. Savage beat Kurasawa clean 1-2-3 on Nitro 6 days before this because WCW only had 75 guys on the roster so of course they’d have to book something that would hurt interest in a PPV match. I’m sure Hawk was thrilled watching that. Hawk has a blatant rip off of his WWF LOD theme complete with it opening with “OHHHH What a rush!!”
Hawk blitzes Kurasawa to start and kicks the tar out of him for several minutes with stomps, punches, chops, a gut wrench suplex and a powerbomb. Col. Parker distracts Hawk long enough for Kurasawa to attack but he quickly loses control after missing a flying elbow. Hawk dumps Kurasawa to the floor and hits Col. Parker with a flying clothesline. Hawk is posted and tossed back in the ring. 2 Samoan drops later and Kurasawa puts his feet on the ropes for a 3 count. Crowd is dead silent. Hawk jumps up and is pissed.
Randy Savage promo. Savage jokes about the fan run in and threatens Hulk Hogan that friendship can take a backseat if they end up in the ring against each other. Savage then tells Mean Gene “Your mustache is crooked!!” Gene fires back with “Your beard is uneven!” Macho tells Gene to get in line with everyone else who has a problem with him. Savage and Gene then look awkwardly for a second and Savage gets back on track by promising Luger that he will see to it that Lex beats Meng. Gene asks about the SUMO MONSTER TRUCK BATTLE and Savage responds with “My curiosssssity is killing me, just like the cat would be killed byyyyy the curiosity!! I’ll be watching on the video scope!!” Awesome wacky promo!
Sabu vs. Mr. JL
The Sheik (Sabu’s uncle) is joining him. Sabu gets a face pop. JL is chucked to the floor and Sabu moonsaults into both JL and The 200 year old Sheik. Sabu misses a flying splash on the concrete and JL hits one from the top rope. Sabu misses another moonsault in the ring and JL hits his own. Sabu tries for another moonsault but is German suplexed instead. Sabu hits what I guess could be called a reverse frankensteiner and that was spectacular enough to have been the finish. Sabu tries for another moonsault and JL springs off the ropes and dropkicks him to the cement floor. Sabu shoulder butts JL in the belly and drops his neck on the top rope. One final moonsault finishes him. The Sheik tosses a fireball in JL’s face after the match for good measure. Fun spotfest. Jerry Lynn’s earning his keep and Sabu is about to quit/be fired and head back to ECW.
THE MASTER babbles on about stars and eclipses. The Giant has been prophesized to lead the Dungeon of Doom into the next century and The YE-TAY is the insurance policy.
The Monster Meng vs. Lex Luger
The announcers continue to speculate that Lex is part of the Dungeon. Somewhat unfair that Luger had to work his match so much later than Savage since they will face each other later on -assuming Luger wins this match. Sonny Onoo and other Japanese businessmen are at ringside on behalf of Bobby Heenan as we ease toward the New Japan vs. WCW storyline. The match is a bit long and somewhat plodding. The end sees Meng hit Luger in the throat with a spike but Kevin Sullivan runs in and kicks Luger during the pin – giving Luger the victory. The same finish was done a night earlier during a Luger/Shark match on WCW Saturday Night. Meng is not pleased.
The Giant does a promo. It seems so odd to me that they are simultaneously having the DOD be a wacky freak monster cult while also having The Giant feuding with Hogan about monster trucks. The Giant is in a jumpsuit here and it looks silly. The Giant crushes Mean Gene’s hand and promises to knock Hogan off the Cobo Hall’s roof and then drag whatever is left into the ring and then chokeslam him through the ring and take his title.
Brian Pillman and Arn Anderson vs. Ric Flair and Sting
Flair is still “injured” so Sting is going it alone, however Sting and Flair both kicked these guys butts 2 on 1 thirteen days earlier so this shouldn’t be an issue. Crowd is chanting “We want Flair”. Sting whoops them both and they bail out to the floor to regroup. Sting is lured to the floor by Pillman and Arn attempts an ambush but Sting wipes out both men anyway. Back in, Pillman is press slammed and tags out, so Sting catapults Arn back into his corner and that causes Pillman to fall off the top rope and down onto his nutsack. Sting then launches Pillman from the top and into the barricade.
Flair finally runs down in street clothes and tries to get at Arn Anderson. Flair is forced to bide his time in the corner while Sting is beatdown. Arn & Pillman steal from Owen Hart’s playbook and attempt the “Rocket Launcher”, and it sees Pillman find Sting’s knees but the Stinger is cut off from making the tag. Sting fights his way back towards Flair but Pillman distracts Flair and Ric bails out after him instead of making the tag. Sting is worn down further as Flair’s angst builds on the apron. Sting FINALLY fights his way out of the heel corner leaving Pillman and Arn laying. He slowly crawls over for the “hot” tag. Flair jumps in, struts and BLASTS Sting! The announcers and the arena are aghast. All 3 men pounce on Sting and he briefly fights back, flinging some punches towards Flair hoping to eviscerate the man whom Sting probably knew in his heart of hearts had evil intentions for him. All 3 men beat down Sting. Post match promo sees the Horsemen pelted with trash. Very well done angle, no matter how obvious it was.
Luger promo. Sting is the only guy Lex can trust. Luger doesn’t know why the DOD wanted he and Savage to clash.
SUMO MONSTER TRUCK BATTLE!!!
Hulk Hogan’s truck vs. The Giant’s truck. This eats up 15 minutes of PPV time. Hogan finally wins after many minutes of watching tires spin. They get out of their trucks and The Giant chokes Hogan up by the edge of the building. Hogan escapes and accidentally sends the Giant falling off the edge and to his death. RIP Paul Wight 1971-1995. Amazingly WCW has the gall to go on after their rookie monster has been killed live on PPV.
Randy Savage vs. Lex Luger
Luger wants to let bygones be bygones but Macho is having none of that. Jimmy Hart wanders down. Heenan is losing his mind over the Giant dying and starts screaming at interns to get him info. Savage goes into his usual mode of selling the whole match. Hart gets on the ropes and has an extended conversation with the ref. Savage accidentally flings Luger into Hart and Luger falls into the middle of the ring. A big elbow finishes him. Really a nothing match.
Heenan storms off when he can’t get any info. He comes back and says the exits are blocked. Heenan says that’s Andre’s son and everyone knows how close Andre and Heenan were. Heenan and Tony blow 5 minutes blabbing about not having any information on The Giant.
Hulk Hogan vs. The Giant
Michael Buffer is upbeat despite The Giant’s death. Hogan comes down in Hollywood Hogan gear. Hogan starts to deliver a eulogy for The Giant and absolves himself of any blame in his death. Suddenly the DOD music hits and The Giant storms out. Hogan has Sullivan’s devil make up on his forehead. Giant no sells Hogan’s first wave of punches. Giant out powers Hogan and wears him down methodically. Giant looks like he wanted to suplex Hogan but Hogan refuses, then they awkwardly rotated arm positions and Hogan ended up in a bear hug for a second that turned right into an irish whip/elbow combo. Hogan dodges a leg drop and does a mini-Hulk up. Punches, back rakes and a series of clotheslines culminate with the Giant flying over the top rope.
Hogan forces the Giant back in and continues the assault until he is caught with a back breaker and a bear hug. Chokeslam gets 2. HULK UP. Big Boot. Eye poke. Bodyslam. Leg drop. Ref is knocked over by Jimmy Hart!?!? Hart plays dumb and he and Hogan pick up the ref. When Hogan turns around Hart shoves the ref and hits Hogan with the title belt. Hogan is clamped in the bearhug again. Luger and Savage run down. Luger attacks Savage as the YE-TAY comes down. To this day no one knows why Sasquatch dressed like a mummy for this. Yeti sodomizes Hogan while the Giant still has him locked up in the bear hug and that’s finally enough to cause Hogan to collapse to the mat. Yeti tries to walk around like he’s a mummy but his mask keeps blocking his sight so he has to stop and fix his wrappings multiple times. Oy. Giant and Yeti double hump Savage. Hogan and Savage are both put up in the torture rack. Hulkamania is dead.
You have to give WCW credit; at this point Starrcade’s main event is totally up in the air. A Hogan/Giant stipulation rematch makes sense or a MegaPowers vs. Giant/Luger mega match. With a little tweaking Hogan vs. Savage is also being teased or even a MegaPowers vs. Sting/Luger match. Even a Savage vs. Hogan vs. Luger vs. Sting match is feasible. Kind of crazy that the correct answer would be none of the above. Anyway WCW has the big picture down and a bright and exciting future despite having one of the goofiest top heel groups ever on top. I’m looking forward to watching this all unfold over the next few months and years.
Perhaps the best part of this PPV is HEEL HEAT! The DOD and Horsemen leave the PPV stronger than ever and nothing makes a great babyface more than having quality heels to conquer.
