Sage Cortez
There were many interesting things about Fall Brawl, but I feel that none of them were the expected quality of the matches. I believe the most interesting thing was that WCW had pulled out of the NWA. The idea was that whoever the NWA Champion was after this show would go on to drop the title at a house show to a champion of the NWA’s choosing. Of course WCW wasn’t going to do that. WCW also had an issue heading into this show with Sid Vicious taking a drug test and there being a lot of drama over it. Anyway, I’m ready for the show. Houston was a strange location for WCW.
– September 19th, 1993, from the Astro Arena in Houston, Texas
This opening video is unbelievably strange. Don’t know what to make of it. There are three titles on the line and Vader has been stashed in War Games even though he’s hardly been on television. Tony Schiavone and Jesse Ventura will be on commentary for this one. Eric Bischoff is there and he was a clown so I’ll try to ignore him for now.
Lord Steven Regal (w/Sir William) vs. Ricky Steamboat for the WCW Television Championship
Pre-Match Thoughts: This could be an excellent match, probably the best on the show on paper. At least that’s what I think. This should be a good test for Steamboat in terms of what he’s able to do. I’m pretty sure he was able to do a whole lot. Regal hadn’t been given much of a chance to work long matches yet either. I feel like there’s definitely some talent missing from this card, I should say.
Match Review: Steamboat attacks, apparently because Regal beat him up the day before. Steamboat hits him with big chops, but sells the ribs after doing so. They trade big shots for a bit, then Steamboat throws Regal over the top and onto the ramp. How is that not a DQ? Steamboat throws Regal back in, then goes up top and hits Regal with a flying chop. Regal comes back with kicks to the ribs, but Steamboat has his own kick put Regal on the mat. Steamboat then throws Regal shoulder-first into the buckle, and goes to a hammerlock. When Regal breaks it, Steamboat decides to fake an injury and take him back down with another hammerlock. Regal hits him in the ribs, but Steamboat goes back to the hold. Steamboat then shoots the half for 2, and a cross body also gets 2. The way Steamboat ran the ropes, the speed at which he did it, made all that look so good. Steamboat puts a short-arm scissors on Regal, and when Regal picks him up, Steamboat’s able to maintain the hold all the way back to the mat. Regal finally gets out, and throws Steamboat to the outside. Steamboat quickly gets back in the ring, and Regal backdrops him. Regal drops a knee on those ribs, then grinds his elbow into them. Regal does a rolling senton onto the ribs, that’s different. He puts a chinlock on Steamboat, but Steamboat picks him up on his shoulders and drops him to the mat. Steamboat misses a splash, so Regal drops the knee into his ribs again. Regal picks Steamboat up for a backbreaker submission, but Steamboat comes out the other side and chops Regal in the head. Regal takes Steamboat down with a drop toe-hold, then uses a SURFBOARD variation. They get up, and Regal rips the tape off Steamboat’s ribs before a butterfly suplex that gets 2. Steamboat trips Regal and slingshots him into the buckle, then goes for a slam but Regal falls on top for 2. Regal applies a half nelson, then slams Steamboat for 2. Regal goes for a TOMBSTONE PILEDRIVER, but Steamboat reverses it to his own for 2. Regal comes back with a back suplex attempt, but Steamboat counters and cradles Regal up for 2. Steamboat’s chops get 2, then another cradle gets 2. Steamboat suplexes Regal for 2, then heads up top again, this time coming down with a cross body, but he can’t cover because his ribs hurt. A Steamboat shoulderblock gets 2, then Regal tries to throw Steamboat over the top. Steamboat skins the cat, but Sir William hits him in the head with an umbrella. Regal GERMAN SUPLEXES Steamboat, and we have a new champion after 17:05!
My Thoughts: I liked this match a lot, I thought it was interesting seeing Regal and Steamboat’s styles both come together this way. The psychology and selling here was perfect. I really enjoyed seeing both guys commit to working body parts and selling them for the entire match. Other than the German suplex I don’t think Regal did anything abnormal that somebody with an injured elbow would or wouldn’t do. Steamboat was a master of selling and that was on display here. The crowd didn’t react to much of anything and that doesn’t make sense to me, but that was often an issue crowds had during Regal’s matches so it shouldn’t be surprising. ***1/2.
Eric Bischoff is with the Nasty Boys, and apparently they have a secret for tonight. Whatever that’s supposed to mean. They said they’ll win with a bulldog from the top rope.
Big Sky vs. Charlie Norris
Pre-Match Thoughts: It’s fair to say I could literally not give less of a shit about this match. I don’t even recall who the heel and face are supposed to be. This is a Worldwide match, right? There are a lot of empty seats in the crowd and all the lights are on so they can all be seen. Norris does a Native American gimmick.
Match Review: They lock up, and nothing comes of it. It’s the unstoppable force meeting the immovable object. Sky elbows at Norris’ arm for a bit, but Norris is able to return the favor. He arm drags Sky, then keeps the armbar on him for a bit. Norris runs into a big boot, then gets CHOKESLAMMED. Sky slams him, then leg drops him. I guess he’s the heel, whatever. Sky slams Norris again, then goes to the second rope for a knee drop that misses. Norris gets all INDIANED UP, then hits Big Sky with some chops. Norris hits him with a big boot, and that’s the end after just 4:35.
My Thoughts: That was a match. A match where nobody cared. A match where the guys couldn’t wrestle. Just a match. DUD.
The British Bulldog was interviewed in the back, and it looked like they let somebody with Down’s Syndrome interview him. This is not supposed to be an insult on my part at all. I think that’s a cool thing for WCW to do for somebody.
Paul Orndorff and the Equalizer vs. Marcus Alexander Bagwell & 2 Cold Scorpio
Pre-Match Thoughts: Now this, on the other hand, could be very good as long as the Equalizer isn’t in there very much. Orndorff had looked good in this WCW run so far, and the Bagwell/Scorpio team seemed like a good match to this point. Was it right to team Scorpio up with somebody like Bagwell? No. Scorpio should have been in the singles equation. When Scorpio and Bagwell start dancing, that might be the worst thing I’ve seen. Ventura said “white men can’t dance.” I agree.
Match Review: Equalizer and Bagwell start things off, and Bagwell dodges his charge. Equalizer shoves Bagwell hard into the corner, then shoulders him down. Bagwell sneaks under him this time, but misses an enzuigiri. Equalizer misses an elbow drop, so Bagwell’s able to shoulderblock him. Scorpio tags in for a double elbow and double dropkick, which sends Equalizer to the outside. When he gets back in, Scorpio gets headbutted and Orndorff makes the tag in. Orndorff and Equalizer take Scorpio down with a double backdrop, then Orndorff works Scorpio over with kicks and elbows. Scorpio comes back with some forearms, then goes up top and flies off with a cross body that Orndorff reverses for 2. Scorpio goes to an armbar, then tags in Bagwell for a double hip toss and double elbow drop that gets 2. Orndorff gets in some shots, but Bagwell suplexes him for 2. Equalizer then pulls the top rope down as Bagwell runs the ropes, which sends him over the top. Equalizer then slams Bagwell on the floor, onto pads which look…quite dirty. Orndorff knees Bagwell to keep him on the outside, then Equalizer rams Bagwell into the apron. Bagwell tries to sunset flip Orndorff, but that’s blocked. Equalizer tags in, draws Scorpio into the ring, and Bagwell gets choked because of that. The Paula chants start, as Equalizer has a chinlock on Bagwell. Bagwell goes for a crucifix when he gets out of it, and that gets 2. Equalizer’s clothesline also gets 2, then he tags out and Orndorff elbows Bagwell’s back a lot leading to a bear hug. Bagwell gets out and back suplexes Orndorff, then Scorpio makes the hot tag in.
Scorpio beats up Equalizer, hitting him with a great spinning heel kick and dropkicking Orndorff. Scorpio goes up top, and his cross body on Equalizer gets 2. All four guys are in there now, and Orndorff clotheslines Scorpio. Bagwell gets beaten up for a bit, being hit with a double clothesline. Scorpio gets kneed off the apron, but gets back up there as Orndorff accidentally knees his partner. Scorpio flies off the top with a 450 splash on Equalizer, and that gets the pin at 10:46. Of course, Scorpio and Bagwell get taken out after the match.
My Thoughts: This wasn’t completely awful, but it wasn’t anything special either. The segment after the hot tag was quite long, but the right team went over in the end. Good booking. Basic match otherwise and I feel like Scorpio should have been given more of a chance to make things happen. He didn’t, so that’s that. *1/4.
Time for a promo from Regal and Sir William! His comments were typical of the character and I think that sums up just about everything.
Shanghai Pierce (w/Tex Slazenger) vs. Ice Train
Pre-Match Thoughts: Another Worldwide match here. What were they thinking and why wasn’t somebody like Steve Austin on this show? This crowd is so dead and there’s a good reason for that at this point. Never noticed how similar Big E’s look is to Ice Train. At least Big E can work, though.
Match Review: These two behemoths lock up and Ice Train decides to flex his muscles. Ice Train throws Pierce to the canvas, then shoulderblocks him. Very interesting stuff here. Train is wearing lifts on his boots. Pierce kicks him in the gut, then Slazenger acts like he’s going to trip Train, which leads to a Pierce clothesline. Pierce goes for a suplex, but Train reverses to his own. Train backdrops Pierce, then the Texans go for a clothesline with their bullrope, but Train runs straight through it. Train then powerslams Pierce for the pinfall at 3:28, and clears the ring of both Texans. Okay!
My Thoughts: This was better than the other Worldwide match, and it’s easy to explain why. Pierce bumped around for Train, and they didn’t slow down to do any chokes or silly stuff. 1/2*. The Texans, as you may know, became the Godwinns in the future.
The Nasty Boys vs. Arn Anderson and Paul Roma for the WCW Tag Team Championships
Pre-Match Thoughts: There should be nothing wrong with this at all, and if the Nasties were in good shape this should actually be a good match. If it isn’t, I don’t know what else to say about this show. Maybe it’s destiny for it to be a terrible one. I wonder if the crowd will care about this match as well. It seems obvious that the new team going straight into a title match will win. Looks like the Nasties surprise is Missy Hyatt! Would be shocking if she didn’t get involved in the match. Paul Roma wearing a Four Horsemen shirt does not look right. They haven’t done anything Horsemen-like either.
Match Review: Roma and Knobbs will start this off, and they spend a lot of time gesturing to the crowd. Roma then dodges a Knobbs charge to the corner, and knocks him out to the apron. Knobbs gets back in and rams Roma into the buckle, then runs him over with a shoulder. Roma comes back with a powerslam, then does the same to Sags and dropkicks Sags to the outside, clearing the ring. Sags makes a legal tag in, and he wants Arn Anderson. Okay. Arn and Sags lock up and trade punches, then Arn hits him with a back elbow. Arn wraps Sags’ leg around the post two times, then stomps on that left leg. Roma tags in, jumps on the leg, then drops an elbow and leg on it. Roma has a toe-hold on Sags, then drops another elbow on his leg for good measure. Knobbs is able to make a tag in, but Roma takes him down with a drop toe-hold and Arn enters for a double wishbone. Ouch. Arn smashes Knobbs’ knee into the mat, then locks those legs up. Roma tags in and rams Knobbs into the buckle, then goes back to the stepover toe-hold. Roma decides to sit on Knobbs for some reason, then snaps the leg. Knobbs misses a charge to the corner when he gets up, then he kicks Roma into his corner, giving Knobbs the opportunity to attack from behind. Sags tags in and drops Roma with a gutwrench suplex for 2, then he slams him and drops a knee on him. Knobbs tags in, drops an elbow on Roma’s back, and puts a chinlock on him. Sags gets back in there and elbow drops Roma, and it’s back to the chinlock. Roma picks Sags up on his shoulders, but that’s not easy to do so he drops him. Knobbs gets back in there with an elbow drop, and covers for 2 this time. Roma picks him up much easier than Sags and falls back with a slam, then Arn makes the switch in. He hits Sags with a back elbow, then puts a sleeper on him until shoving him into the corner. Arn goes to the second rope for a pump splash, but he misses and Knobbs clotheslines him over the top. Amazing fall to the floor there.
Sags brings Arn in the hard way, then tosses him out to the other side for Knobbs to bodyslam him. Sags whacks Arn with a chairshot to the back, then throws him into the ring for a Knobbs elbow drop that gets 2. Sags throws Arn hard into the corner, so Arn headbutts him down low a few times to try to fight out. That doesn’t work, so the Nasties keep working Arn over. Sags puts an abdominal stretch on the Enforcer, then Knobbs makes an illegal switch in to keep the hold on. Arn reverses the hole, but Sags clotheslines him when the official is distracted and Knobbs covers for 2. Sags tags in for yet ANOTHER elbow drop, then puts a front face-lock on Arn. Arn fights over to the corner for a tag, but the referee didn’t see it. The Nasties double clothesline Arn, and Sags covers for 2. Knobbs tags in and puts a bear hug on Arn, and I’m just now noticing how long this match has gone on. Much too long for how slow it is. Arn bites Knobbs to break the hold, but Sags cuts off the tag attempt. Arn tries to suplex Sags, but Sags reverses to his own and covers for 2. Back to the bear hug, then Knobbs makes a tag for a double elbow. WOW at how boring this is. Knobbs knocks Roma off the apron, then Arn finally stops him with an elbow. Sags cuts Arn off AGAIN, then Arn finally stops these guys with a double facebuster. Roma makes the hot tag in and goes to town, hitting both guys with right hands and clotheslining Knobbs. Roma dropkicks Sags, slams Knobbs, then gives him a noggin-knocker. Roma goes to the top, and a missle dropkick on Knobbs gets 2. Roma clocks Sags, but Knobbs attacks from behind. Where is Arn? The Nasties decide they’re going to give Roma a top rope bulldog, but Arn walks over there and pushes Sags off the top, causing Roma to take Knobbs down with a flying head-scissors that gets 2. Arn takes Sags and throws him out of the ring, then Arn picks Knobbs up with a SPINEBUSTER. Roma goes up top and hits Knobbs with a BIG SPLASH, but Sags flies off the top with an elbow drop on Roma. Knobbs covers Roma, and there’s another title change after 23:58. The replay gives away that Roma was bracing himself to be hit with the finishing elbow.
My Thoughts: That was long and utterly tortorous. It’s actually very difficult to come up with much good to say about that. The finishing sequence was good I suppose, and the right guy lost. Otherwise, it was completely aimless. There was no rhyme or reason to any of the work and I didn’t understand why the heat segments were so long. They could and should have mixed it up, but it seems like everyone was content with their low effort level. 1/2*. Most certainly the worst tag team match Arn Anderson was ever in.
The Nasty Boys and Missy Hyatt are with Jesse Ventura for a promo now. There’s quite a lot of bounce at ringside and I think everyone knows I’m talking about Missy Hyatt and what parts of her I’m talking about.
Yoshi Kwan (w/Harley Race) vs. Cactus Jack in a BOUNTY MATCH
Pre-Match Thoughts: This show has gone more and more downhill. To what depths this show can possibly go, I do not yet know. Nothing has been offensively bad, just plain boring. Anyway, Race put a bounty on Cactus’ head because Vader is clearly scared of him. The video package before the match puts Cactus over big time, showing Cactus beat Vader and pretty much their whole feud to this point besides that match. Including Lost in Cleveland! So weird seeing Foley with a shaved face. Apparently he never had amnesia and the whole thing was mind games. This Yoshi Kwan gimmick is something else. You gotta see it. Cactus got the biggest pop on the show so far. Race apparently stole some bag from Cactus, so he wants it back.
Match Review: Cactus attacks Race and knocks him out of the ring, then tackles Kwan and beats him up. Cactus jumps on his neck as he leans against the ropes, then takes Kwan to the outside with the Cactus Clothesline. Cactus gets distracted by Race, so Kwan knees him from behind and rams him into the apron. Kwan takes Cactus over to the ramp for some reason, and he hits him with an enzuigiri. A diving headbutt follows that, then they walk through one ring to get back over to theirs. Kwan kicks Cactus to the canvas, then hits him with a spinning wheel kick. Cactus catches Yoshi’s boot and starts choking him, then he scratches his back. An inverted atomic drop follows that, then a running forearm. Yoshi Kwan’s selling is HILARIOUS. Race trips Cactus as he runs the ropes, then he gets on the apron. Kwan accidentally kicks Race in the gut, Cactus drops Kwan with the double-arm DDT, and that’s the end after 3:39. They keep selling this bag thing, and Cactus suplexes Race to get it back.
My Thoughts: Like I said, Yoshi Kwan’s selling was hilarious and made the whole thing worth watching. Enjoyed that whole thing even as short as it was. Even as racial as the gimmick was. Still, just *1/4. They didn’t do very much. The post-match had more action than the match.
Rick Rude vs. Ric Flair (w/Fifi the Maid) for the “World Championship”
Pre-Match Thoughts: With the NWA and WCW splitting, WCW couldn’t use that name. They didn’t have any name planned to use, so they had to default to something very basic like this one. There was an episode of Flair for the Gold to keep this feud moving, and during that Rude pretty much molested Fifi with a kiss. So, Flair broke that up only to get clocked with the title belt and given a Rude Awakening on the title floor. Not looking forward to this too much given Rude’s physical condition since suffering that injury. His matches haven’t been good. No idea why Fifi is at ringside. Rude called Flair a boy and had a towel depicting a crying Flair. Rude also had tights with Fifi on them. Haha.
Match Review: They lock up and break clean, then Rude goes to a headlock. Flair tries to reverse to a wristlock, and they spend a little bit fighting over that. Rude shoulders Flair down, then goes up top and flies down with a knee drop that misses. Flair locks the FIGURE-FOUR on early, but Rude quickly makes the ropes. Rude goes to the eyes, then clotheslines Flair over the top. Flair has a big knot on his back. Rude taunts Fifi for a bit, so Flair goes up top and comes down with a right forearm. Flair goes to a hammerlock, then hammers Rude with some chops and continues to work the arm. That goes on for a while, until Rude goes to the eyes. Rude rams Flair into the buckle a few times, then misses a charge to the corner and gets chopped more. Flair continues with a wristlock, and I’ve gone maybe three minutes without typing anything. Rude breaks it and goes for a bodyslam, but his arm hurts too much. Flair goes to a hammerlock, and drops a knee on that left arm as well. Now we have an armbar, until Rude breaks it and Flair backslides him for 2. Flair takes Rude over the top with a cross body, but Rude gets up first and clotheslines him. Rude drives Flair into the apron, then suplexes him back into the ring for 2. Rude slams Flair for 2, then sits on him with a chinlock. Rude tries to jump and sit on Flair, but Flair moves out of the way. Flair shoulders Rude down, but Rude gets up, picks him up, and drops him on the top rope. Rude then throws Flair upside down and out to the floor, then clotheslines him with the top rope. Rude goes to a bear hug, and when Rude takes him down, Flair sweeps him and mounts him, leading to some punches. THAT’S EARLY MMA SHIT, BAH GAWD. Rude gets up first and hot shots Flair, so that’s the third time he got clotheslined by one of the ropes. Rude goes up top and lands a forearm of his own, then lands a second. Rude goes up there a third time, and Flair hits Rude in the gut on the way down. Flair follows with a back suplex, then drops a knee on Rude. Flair busts out the butterfly suplex for a 2 count, then beats Rude up in the corner. Flair misses a rush to the corner, so Rude DDT’s him for 2. Rude goes for the RUDE AWAKENING, but Flair grabs the ropes to block it and he bites Rude too. Flair gives Rude his own neckbreaker, but Rude gets his foot on the rope to stop the count. Rude puts a sleeper on Flair, so Flair breaks it with a knee-breaker. Flair trips Rude, then goes up to the second rope for a leg whip. Flair knees Rude in the balls, then goes for the FIGURE-FOUR again only for Rude to kick him away. Flair knees him a few more times, and Rude rolls him up for 2. Flair tosses Rude out of the ring, then picks him up and drops him on the rail. Flair chops him a couple times, then for some reason he heads up top and dives all the way out to the floor onto Rude! Flair drags Rude into the ring for more chops, then Rude throws him upside down into the corner again. This time Flair runs across the apron and leaps off the top, but Rude hits him in the gut. Rude hits Flair with a knee drop from the top, but that only gets 2. Rude throws Flair to the outside again, then Fifi gets on the ramp and slaps Rude. Rude then kisses Fifi again, and brings her in the ring to yell at her. Flair attacks Rude from behind and backdrops him, then gives him an inverted atomic drop. Flair flapjacks Rude, then goes to the FIGURE-FOUR. Rude takes some brass knuckles out of his tights and wallops Flair with him, right as the referee is taking to Fifi. So, Rude covers and becomes the “World Champion” after 30:49!
My Thoughts: This was quite a bit better than I was expecting, and despite how long the match was, and despite how slow-building the match was, I liked it. Flair set out to work an old school match and for some reason it just worked for me. Rude had a hard time carrying his end of this and every other match he was in, but Flair was on a mission and worked like a machine. He just would not let this be a bad match, but a lot of people think it was. Funny thing is, I was going to give it a **3/4 rating, then I decided to read Dave Meltzer’s review of the show and saw his rating. It was the same. I do have a major problem with all the heels winning the title matches on this show. I don’t think that’s right and I think the finishes were all too similar. Also not how you’d want Rick Rude to win his first world title.
Sid Vicious, Big Van Vader (WCW Champion), and Harlem Heat (w/Harley Race & Col. Robert Parker) vs. Dustin Rhodes (WCW US Champion), Sting, the British Bulldog, and THE SHOCKMASTER (w/Road Warrior Animal) in a WAR GAMES MATCH
Pre-Match Thoughts: I’m somewhat excited for this match. I should note that I’m eschewing the Kane and Kole names for Harlem Heat, I’m just going to call them by what I know them as. If the heels go on to win this War Games, maybe we’d be able to call this the most heel favorable show ever. It makes me a little sad that I’m out of the era where the most notable and best War Games took place. There’s a cameraman in the cage this time! Animal had to be there because they advertised him even though he couldn’t work. The Shockmaster is now a construction worker. Oh boy.
Match Review: Rhodes sneaks in the cage when he isn’t supposed to, because he’s injured and was going to go in last. That means he’s in there with Vader, ensuring the best two workers in the match get a chance to go at it. He clotheslines Vader from the top rope, but with injured ribs he’s definitely going to get mauled. Vader starts to do just that, but Dustin beats him down in the corner. Dustin takes his boot off and hammers Vader with it, but runs into Vader’s foot. Vader clotheslines him and punches him in the corner, but Dustin comes back with a forearm to knock Vader down. Vader picks Dustin up and slams him, then lands on him with a VADER BOMB. Vader takes his mask off, so Dustin DDT’s him given the chance. Dustin goes back to his boot and wallops Vader with it, as it is now time for the coin toss. The heels win, of course. Vader goes up to the second rope, as the new man enters…
It is Stevie Ray! Right as Dustin powerslams Vader, he gets in there and Dustin tackles him to beat him up for a while. Vader attacks Dustin from behind, then Stevie clocks Dustin with the boot a few times. He then rams Dustin into the cage, where Sid and Booker T talk shit to him. Dustin is now bloody. Vader rams him into the cage, and Stevie hits Dustin with a big boot.
It is time for…STING! He enters the cage and meets both heels, taking them out with a double clothesline. Sting works over both guys, then takes Stevie hard into the cage. He hits Vader with a STINGER SPLASH, then Samoan drops him back into the cage. Sting throws Stevie over into the other ring, where Dustin clotheslines him. That’s a LOT of blood. Dustin hits Stevie with the boot, and Sting takes Vader into the fence a few times.
It’s SID! He gets in there and Sting beats him up, but Stevie hits Sting from behind and Sid chokeslams him. Vader hits Sting with that boot, and Sid chokes him. Stevie nails Dustin with a back elbow, as Sting takes Sid down with a facebuster. The heels then pick Sting up and press him into the top of the cage, dropping him afterward. Sid hits Dustin with a big boot, then some kicks that completely miss.
Next in is the British Bulldog, who nails Sid with a clothesline and elbow drops him. He then slams Vader off the top rope, and Stevie Ray tastes some of that wrestling boot. Sting and Bulldog press slam Sid into the cage, then Sting gives Sid and Stevie a noggin-knocker that doesn’t work. Bulldog works over Stevie in the corner, then Dustin throws Sid into the fence.
Booker T makes his entrance, and the heels beat the babyfaces up bad now. Ventura couldn’t help but bury the Shockmaster. I love it. The babyfaces are relying on Typhoon to win them the match. Relying on Tugboat. Booker slams Bulldog off the top rope, then Booker does the best thing of the match even though he misses Sting and somersaults into the other ring. Dustin has a figure-four on Sid, and it’s time for the last guy…
THE SHOCKMASTER. He runs in and rams Booker into the fence, then Stevie gets some too. He beats up Vader, then Booker takes another big ride into the cage. Dustin hits Sid with the boot, then Shockmaster decides to put Booker T in a bear hug. Everyone’s looking at these two guys, which makes everyone look like an idiot. Then Booker submits after 16:39. LOL. Can’t stop laughing at Vader and Sid screaming and Sid going all “WE DEMAND SATISFACTION.” Oh God. Booker said he’s going to kill somebody because he didn’t give up. That was better than the match.
My Thoughts: That match was almost a complete disaster. Have to give Dustin Rhodes some credit for blading and working so hard, if he wasn’t there this would have been abominable. He did all he could to make the match good, but the bookers didn’t do shit. The way the heels stood tall at the end actually gave off the presentation that they won the match. After all, Dustin was the guy who got busted up. The ending was so funny, it’s almost guilty pleasure level. I’ve been laughing the whole time I’ve been writing this while watching Sid go crazy over losing. Anyway, it’s hard to rate that, especially given all the other terrible matches on this card. *.
The prevailing thought going through my head while watching this was that WCW had too many big guys and not enough talented wrestlers. I had a major problem with this show, if you couldn’t tell. They immediately deadened the crowd with the first two matches, and I’m not sure there was any way to redeem things in their eyes after that. What a way to shit things up. Houston was never a hot market for WCW to begin with, so the placement of this show was quite odd. This is definitely one of the worst WCW PPV’s. Absolutely terrible in almost every way. Bad booking, not great action, nothing offensively awful. Just nothing. Next up, its back over to the WWF.
Wrestling Time: 1:50:59. So many long matches, two of which were far too long.
Best: Steamboat vs. Regal. I did like this, but the finish was odd and repetitive in the context of the rest of the show.
Worst: Charlie Norris vs. Big Sky. There’s a whole lot to choose, but I think that must be.
Card Rating: 3/10. Avoid forever.
