OOOLD SCHOOOOL

[The King Of Swing]

Yeah pretty sure there was a January 98 episode of Raw where Austin just ran about attacking other Rumble entrants.

[simonworden]

 

 

The newer WCW tapes that you used to get in Woolies.

Like me, you're missing "Great American Bash 2000". Was that ever released as a single VHS over here? I only ever recall it in one of those big VHS boxsets of various WCW PPVs in 2000.

 

I think Slamboree 2000 (the month before Great American Bash) was the final WCW ppv to be released over here.

 

The final 10 ppvs before Vince bought them out (Great American Bash from June 2000 to whatever they called the last one in March 2001) were never released in the UK.

 

As mentioned before GAB 2000 was released but I think it was only in a 5/6 video box set of Souled out-Slamboree-Superbrawl-SPring Stampede-Slamboree-GAB  One of them might have been missing not sure.

 

I tried to get that individually for years. When I did it was the right cover and content but an American version, played fine just had a paper case not plastic which annoyed me. I saw the box set once but being young then I didn't want to spend all my cash on the other videos when I had them or almost all of them already for 20 quid I think. wish I had now

 

Anyone know why they didn't ever release Slamboree-Mayhem over here? seemed strange to just do Uncensored/Spring Stampede then start again at starrcade

[garynysmon]

Been watching some early 1996 WWF since getting the network (both Raw and the PPV's) and although I was a fan at the time, I've never gone back to watch any of this era until now.

First observation is that I'd forgot just how stinging and generally pathetic the Billionaire Ted vignettes were. The WWF had gone from refusing to acknowledge any other promotion to asking fans to write to the Federal Government to oppose the Time Warner merger, while another vignette accused him of being a bit racist. Crazy really when you look back.

 

Mind you, on a more positive note, Wrestlemania 12 is often looked at as a one match show, but they did a stellar job in building up the whole card. I'm 2 weeks away from the event now but even the throwaway six man tag has been building up for weeks. The Goldust/Piper feud was also pretty risque for its time, but Dustin Rhodes was fucking superb at playing the character.

 

After reading Bret's book about how his character was purposely pushed to fail before WM12, its fair to say he has a point! Its all about Shawn, but McMahon on commentary was easily the worst offender.

 

Edit: Hakushi, what a waste! He was incredible!

 

This was class though...

 

[DraxSpago]

Probably could have put this in the network thread but googled this so lets put it here, just watched the Nitro before Hog Wild, few noteworthy things

 

Malia Hosaka's great arse

Madusa calling her a 'Jap' on her way to the ring

The Disney crowds were shite

 

How good WCW were at that time of rotating their top lads and actually making you watch the next episode to see them, something WWE would do well to copy nowadays

[The King of Old School]

How good WCW were at that time of rotating their top lads and actually making you watch the next episode to see them, something WWE would do well to copy nowadays

 

What top lads?

[DraxSpago]

 

How good WCW were at that time of rotating their top lads and actually making you watch the next episode to see them, something WWE would do well to copy nowadays

 

What top lads?

 

 

Outsiders (though that was mainly for storyline reasons obviously), Savage, Sting, Luger, the usual lot

 

Unless I've completely misread that and you mean WWE's top lads, in which case I mean Cena not wrestling every week when he comes back, having Reigns not wrestle every week and, more importantly, only have him on Raw

 

Wyatt doesn't need to wrestle on TV either come to think of it, stick a couple more lads with him and have them do his matches for him, a bit like Raven and the Flock, just a shame it's too late to make his PPV matches actually draw but at least it'd make him stand out a bit

[tiger_rick]

I'd forgotten about this thread. I'll add my Smackdown 2002 thoughts here. Previous shows are in the Random thoughts thread.

 

8th August - https://ukff.com/topic/131365-random-thoughts-thread-v2-no-news-items/?view=findpost&p=2958034

 

1st August - https://ukff.com/topic/131365-random-thoughts-thread-v2-no-news-items/?view=findpost&p=2957626

 

25th July - https://ukff.com/topic/131365-random-thoughts-thread-v2-no-news-items/?view=findpost&p=2956800

 

Anyway...

 

Smackdown August 15^th 2002

 

Smackdown is still hot heading towards SummerSlam. Lesnar opens looking awesome in a Hulkamania shirt. There are an unholy amount of signs in the crowd. Seemed normal then. Most seem to reference Hogan, Lesnar or The Rock. There’s a quality Heyman promo which is interrupted by Rikishi of all people who they then present as a pretty credible opponent for Lesnar later on.

Billy, Chuck and Rico take on Hurricane, Shannon Moore & Bob Holly as they re-cap and angle on Velocity. That’s an angle, between low carders, on a C show. Matt Hardy runs out for no reason. Oh hang on, big news, he's signed for Smackdown. This is puzzlingly low-key but it plays into Matt’s slow burner heel turn.

Dawn Marie gets a bollocking for giving Stacey the papers on the last show. Steph says it was a contract giving RVD a rematch for the IC Title that he didn’t know about until Stacey stooged. Made RVD sound like a fucking mug to be fair.

Angle beats Big Smiley Mark Henry before Mysterio does a run in. Angle manages to get busted wide open by a Hurricanrana.

Lesnar beats Rikishi with a very impressive F5. Lesnar sells way too much in the match though. Continuing the trend of heels getting involved but no DQs happening, Heyman is in the ring for ages and eventually takes a stink face.

Batista chucks Devon through a door in the middle of Nidia trying to seduce Funaki. Seriously. All mental.

Edge & Rey vs. what would become Los Guerreros is really good until the DQ finish. Angle gets some good heat on Rey until Edge gets back in for a save and comes across as a huge star in the making again - taking everyone out. Eddie’s brain buster is brilliant again.

 

The crowd are also brilliant. They are shit-hot for the Rock vs. Benoit main. There’s a fantastic “Toothless aggression” sign. Benoit looks absolutely incredible. Not like a year or two later when his neck disappeared. Rock’s sharpshooter is fucking awful – just in case anyone has forgotten. They repeat the crossface spot from couple of weeks before with Lesnar standing and smiling in Rock’s face as Rock magnificently sells the hold. Rock escapes, just, and hits Rock bottom for the finish.

 

Great show.

 

Smackdown August 22^nd 2002

 

This is the go home show for SummerSlam. It starts with another decent Heyman promo before Lesnar calls out the Rock. Rock gets attacked by Eddie and Benoit who then attack Edge on his way into the arena after the break. Presumably a management punishment for Edge’s tardy time-keeping!

Hurricane & Moore vs. Tajiri & Jamie Noble. Tajiri is fantastically sleazy on way to the ring. There’s a great spot on the outside mid-match as Nidia crouches down as she runs her hand down towards Moore's cock only for Tajiri to kick Moore in the face over her head. After the match the heels continue to attack before hurricane and Moore fight them off. After the fight is over, Matt Hardy runs down to celebrate and demands they them lift him on their shoulders. Excellent stuff.

Backstage, Steph talks to Eddie and Benoit like a head mistress bollocking two little kids. She was always a cunt.

The cameras follow Matt Hardy back out with some great footage as he wanders through the Gorilla position. Nothing so interesting these days. Chavo comes out for an impromptu match. Guess it wasn't all great back then! Chavo wins with a roll up after a Kane teaser distracts Hardy. What a miscarriage of justice. A mysterious mic picks up Matt and Mike Chioda’s conversation clearly after the match. This might be weird but as Matt claims if there is an explosion the match automatically ends and that Chioda screwing him is the biggest travesty since Earl Hebner screwed Bret Hart in Canada it’s worth it. Gold.

Kidman takes on Angle and wins by count out after Angle chases Rey off. I’ve no idea if this was any good because I was distracted by how the ring apron was dusty, the ringside mats badly scratched and marked and the canvas really well used too. These are the sort of details they are obsessive about now. You don’t need HD to tell how bad it was then. Though somehow never really noticed at the time.

 

Another now vs. then comparison is that hardly any matches go to commercial mid-match. They all wrap up nicely in the segment.

There’s a magnificent video on Lesnar's training regime. It creates a feeling of legitimacy that they’d fucking die for these days. And is a really obvious lesson in how they could go about restoring it.
 

Rikishi and Cena beat Devon and Batista after Batista turns on Devon. Again.

 

Nidia promises to get her tits out if she wins Women's title. This is technically a heel vs. heel match but the crowd is well in favour of the promiscuous Nidia against frigid Molly Holly. Nidia loses and then tries to whip them out anyway but Molly stops it. Booo.

 

Rock & Edge vs. Benoit & Guerrero is a good TV main event. Rock & Brock finally scrapping after the match is the big sell though.

 

Bring on SummerSlam.
 

[PowerButchi]

I've been watching loads of expansion era WWF recently  (83-87 or so) as I've spent all the time I think I've needed to on 1987 to the present and so aren't fussed on it anymore. I fucking hate Ivan Putski, Hulk Hogan always seems to kick it up a gear when he's in attire other than yellow trunks and red boots, and Lord Alfred Hayes is the shits reading an autocue.