OOOLD SCHOOOOL

[The Cum Doctor]

Aye, gies a go at that as well.

[IANdrewDiceClay]

This sites another cracking channel for all kinds of wrestling.

http://www.youtube.com/user/AceDagger1#p/u

[Richie Freebird]

How many times did Dusty have to say

[fye]

How many times did Dusty have to say

[air_raid]

Hog/Road Wild was always hilarious as the commentators try desperately to sell what a shower of bastards the nWo are, but those bikers love Hogan and spoil it.

[PowerButchi]

The Sturgis shows were best for exposing RD Reynolds for the total spastic he is.

 

In the Death of WCW it was a "Disgrace" that they booed a Benoit vs Malenko 30 minute draw because THEY DIDN'T LIKE WRESTLING, but they didn't comment on the fierce booing of all the Black and Japanese lads wrestling. Obviously Stevie Ray's lack of Moveset and poor Ringwork makes racism ok.

[IANdrewDiceClay]

Alex Wright got "faggot" chanted at him as well, but the boring chants from the bikers were obviously far worse.

[PowerButchi]

Also, Ric Flair even in the year 2000 could have got a 19 rating like he was working for Mid South in Oklahoma Syndication IF THEY JUST LET HIM WRESTLE.

[Richie Freebird]

In the Death of WCW it was a "Disgrace" that they booed a Benoit vs Malenko 30 minute draw because THEY DIDN'T LIKE WRESTLING,

 

Benoit won it in the end after a second overtime period after interference from Woman. When I watched it the bikers seemed into it, they cheered like fuck when the over time rounds were announced. They seemed to really enjoy the bout. It was a blinder for me.

 

but they didn't comment on the fierce booing of all the Black and Japanese lads wrestling. Obviously Stevie Ray's lack of Moveset and poor Ringwork makes racism ok.

 

I noticed the heavy booing of Harlem Heat, it didn

[ThePhenom]

Cracking show though. That Malenko vs Benoit match was a work of art.

Agreed, I really liked that match. Ric Flair Vs Eddie Guerrero is another good one from that PPV as well.

[Richie Freebird]

Agreed, I really liked that match. Ric Flair Vs Eddie Guerrero is another good one from that PPV as well.

 

Yeah that was a good one too, as was the Ultimo Dragon vs Rey Jr bout. Did they always refer to him as

[Devon Malcolm]

WCW SATURDAY NIGHT - 8/1/94

 

Tony wastes no time introducing us to our first match of the evening, and why wouldn't he be in a rush considering he's delighted to tell us that it's Thunder & Lightning up first? Oh yes. Still, at least we have the privilege of seeing them up against the excellent Bob Cook (just ask X-Pac) and Bob Starr. And just to prove how great he is, Cook has his fan club in attendance, proudly showing off his homemade Bob Cook fanclub t-shirt. Tony mocks him, but I bet it's one more fanclub member than fucking Thunder & Lightning have.

 

The match starts with audible "Bob!" chants as well. The Saturday Night crowd, for me, were consistently the most mental and entertaining of any wrestling audience I can think of, and that includes Manhattan Centre era Raw. The match is actually quite even before Lightning hits a few drop kicks and they do some shitty double team move to score the win. Bob Cook Fan seems to have disappeared.

 

We then have a promo from Pillman and Sting for their match later, before Okerlund, The Body and Schiavone kill some time wittering on about dandruff and dancing. No, really.

 

Back to the ring and it's time for The Natural Dustin Rhodes to squash Bill Payne. Mr Payne is rocking a haircut clearly inspired by Terry Scouser. All he needs is the 'tache and Gary Bleasdale would have had a rival. Good quality squash with Rhodes hitting a particularly nice lariat halfway through and Payne selling great. Schiavone spends part of the match trying to convince us, in all seriousness, that Steven Regal could lose the TV Title tonight - to Larry Santo. And that it will be Santo v Rhodes at Clash Of The Champions. WE'LL FIND OUT LATER.

 

Time for the first of two main events! The Masked Assassin leads Pretty Wonderful out to the ring with Orndorff taking exception to some fat gimp in the front row holding up a 'PAULINA' sign while Roma, once again, no-sells it in the background. The WCW Manager Of The Year Teddy Long leads out their opponents Marcus Bagwell & 2 Cold Scorpio. The Body mocks some bespectacled prat captured on camera dancing to their theme like Bez on a double dosage before Bagwell and Scorpio launched an unprovoked sneak attack on Roma and Orndorff.

 

A few notes about this match. Firstly, Assassin has THE fattest neck that I've ever seen on a not particularly fat person. Bagwell's hair is pure Germaine Greer. And Roma sells a punch from Scorpio early in the match like he got hit by a fucking anvil. Really good tag match this, going about 13 minutes with Scorpio taking most of the punishment before Orndorff pins Bagwell after Assassin nuts him with his loaded mask.

 

Back we go after the ads to the ring and it's time for The Shockmaster. Ventura can't contain himself for long - "The Shockmaster's doing a lot better getting to and from the ring lately. Did he change his boots or something?" Chortle. They actually talk at length about his infamous debut and what a tit he looked, which is interesting. Otis Apollo takes the squash in less than 2 minutes. Poor Tugboat, as if that commentary wasn't bad enough, he now has to talk to Okerlund. He tells us that he has a big surprise for us all - the SUPER Shockmaster. He cuts a terrible taped promo with too much dry ice and you can't hear what he's saying as the music's too loud. It's probably for the best.

 

Fuck me vertical, if it isn't Ice Train! I'd completely forgotten about his existence, but if I remember rightly he stuck around WCW almost right to the end. The problem for me though is that a 300lb black guy shouldn't be coming to the ring making train noises. Johnny Stevens is doing the job, and he doesn't last more than a minute before Train yells "ALL ABOARD!" (for fuck's sake) and then pins him with a power slam.

 

Off to the Control Centre for a preview of Clash Of The Champions before we're back to the ring for Harlem Heat. Stevie Ray (sorry, Kane) tells us that he doesn't care about these two boys in the ring, he only cares about hurting people. He almost sounded like he meant it. He gets into a pretty funny and heated shoving match with whichever of Bobby Walker & Jason Johnson is the short black one before the match starts, while some fan holds up a sign that says, "Get real Harlem Heat! The only strong thing about you is B.O.!" Said fan is, honestly, a perspiring and incredibly fat ginger woman. Turns out Walker is the black one, and he has an absolutely awful exchange with Kane where they botch about three things in 30 seconds including a hip toss, Walker running the ropes, and a Kole leapfrog. They drag this shit out to over 5 minutes.

 

Okerlund tries to grab an interview with them. Stevie Ray cuts some ridiculous promo about other tag teams wanting some but not getting some but that Harlem Heat want some and get some or something like that. What the fuck are you TALKING about?

 

Save us Lord Steven Regal! It's time for his HUGE TV title defence against Larry Santo, who went on to be the trainer for long time TNA jobber David Young. And for that we will always be thankful. Regal's mannerisms were (and still are) so fantastic that half the time I missed what was going on his matches to see what disgusted face he was pulling this time. All of a sudden Schiavone doesn't seem so chipper about Santo's chances, nearly creaming himself over a piss-poor Santo crossbody that gets him a 2 count. The Regal Roll does the job after quite a good little match, although Regal's dropkick (no, really) during the match is something I can understand him not repeating again.

 

Okerlund gets an interview with Pretty Wonderful during which Roma says nothing, for some reason. Masked Assassin shows why he should never have been let near a mic, droning on with a monotone monologue which actually bears no resemblance to a heel promo whatsoever as he actively praises Scorpio & Bagwell after Orndorff had just been taking the piss out of them and calling them Salt n Pepa. Orndorff looks legitimately as though he has got the arse after that.

 

It's second main event time! WCW International World Heavyweight Champion Ravishing Rick Rude is teaming up with that Stunning Steve Austin to face Brian Pillman & Sting. This is an EXCELLENT match. Rude looks a million fucking dollars in this match both selling and on offence, and one thing I realised again watching this match is just how good Austin was as a slightly cowardly and humorous heel. It gets forgotten, really. In fact, all four of them are on top form in this one. Sting takes most of the punishment before Pillman is pinned after some cracking offence when Col. Parker kicks him in the back of the head while the ref deals with a brawling Rude and Sting.

 

Good edition, that, and two cracking tag main events.

[Richie Freebird]

Is that the same masked team of Thunder and Lightning from IWA Puerto Rico?

[Dirty Eddie]

I've just watched WCW Wrestle War '91, thought I'd throw out a brief review/thoughts....

 

(WCW VHS release version, so not the full card)

 

 

The Big Cat & The Border Patrol Vs Ricky Morton, Tommy Rich & JYD

 

Very ordinary 6 man for the 6 Man Tag Team Championships (I'm watching these nwa/wvw ppvs in order and this is the first time I remember these belts turning up, not that I saw any actual belts). Morton played his usual role and a JYD powerslam set up Morton to get the pinfall victory. Only really notable to see the rubbish Buddy Lee Parker, the "Sarge" from the Power Plant featured in the Louie Theroux wrestling doc. It's quite amusing watching the gassed up turd looking lost and bumping badly. Still, he gave us Goldberg (apparently).

 

Bobby Eaton Vrs Brad Armstrong

 

A great little match as you'd expect between these two. Eaton works over the back with a bunch of crisp and different backbreaker variations and hits the beautiful Alabama Jam legdrop for a clean win. Funny to hear the commentators talking about Brad's little brother, who was fighting in Iraq at the time. Oh, you didn't know?

Dustin Rhodes Vrs Buddy Landel

 

It still amazes me that WCW had Buddy working undercards as a second-rate "Nature Boy" all while Ric was working in the main events. Landel is pretty average, and he and Dustin have some awkward moments, in between some solid back and forth action. Landel isn't much for selling, just kind of standing around while Dustin locks on an armbar. Thankfully this ends with a meaty looking running bulldog for the clean Rhodes win. Dusty on commentary eats it up.

 

Stan Hansen Vrs Big Van Vader

 

Vader is just brilliant at this stage, fast and devastating. Hansen is the most disgusting looking guy to have to wrestle, with wads of chewing backy just drooling from his mouth at all times. These two knock the piss out of each other in and around ringside in a tasty brawl. Too tasty it seems, as the Ref throws the match out. They fight up the ramp with Hansen's rope and away to the back, presumably to fight all night long (OK, Dusty, give it a rest!!). Good match, would have liked a finish.

 

Lex Luger Vrs Danny Spivey - US Title Match

 

Luger comes out looking as big as i have ever seen him. Looks to have added 25lbs of muscle since the last PPV I watched at the end of 1990. As such, he's a fair bit less active than usual and appears to blow up quite early. Spivey sets a 'deliberate pace' (slow, very slow) and I find myself wanting this to end. Luger makes the same noise when he throws a punch as when he takes one; just a kind of short groan. Essentially, Luger gets beaten down for most of the match, then gets a kinda sneaky roll-up for the win. Dan looks miffed, and Luger looks fucking exhausted. Thankfully Nikita Koloff is here to give Luger a brand new Title belt, which should cheer him up. Unfortunately, in a shock, Nikita lamps Luger with the belt and declares he's coming for it. Lex takes the opportunity for a much needed lie down, while Skeevone overacts.

 

Freebirds Vrs Doom - Tag Team Titles

 

The Freebirds have ditched the sequined dungarees and updated to cool as fuck leather biker jackets. Yeah, it's 1991 bitches. This match sees the WCW PPV debut of DDP in the Birds corner. A pretty fun match between two very solid teams. A mis-fire from the team of Doom leads to a cheap title victory to the Freebirds after Butch nails Ron by mistake. After the match, Butch turns heel (?) on Ron by kicking the shit out of him and working him over with an "international object". That shit Teddy Long joins in and Doom are Done.

 

In an amazing piece of television, we then go to Jim Ross and Dusty at ringside with a fan (a black kid who looks about 13) who won a front row ticket...

 

JR - "So, who's your favourite team in the war Games?"

 

Kid - "....... Doom"

 

JR - "Uh... Doom is your favourite team? I don't think they're gonna be a team much longer""

 

Poor fucker, just saw his favourite team split up, and got the question wrong.

 

WAR GAMES - Flair, Windham, Sid & Zbyszko Vrs Sting, Pillman & The Steiners

 

There are three pages worth of rules that Skeevone bores us through before the match starts, and finally the cage comes down. Pillman starts off by ignoring his team-mates and his injured shoulder to get in the ring and start getting some sweet revenge. He unloads on Windham who bumps and flies about for Brian. Soon the blood is flowing as Pillman gets the crowd going mental. Shockingly the Heels win the coin toss and Naitch is quickly in there chopping away with Brian. Anyway, you all get the gist of these matches. Suffice to say, it was bloody good. Windham and Flair were the heel MVPs taking a battering all over the place. Sting and the Steiners are always great in these matches, full of fire and excitement. Big Sid does alright too, until the nasty powerbomb spot on Pillman. Sid drops Brian right on his head (the cage was was too low for a regular Sid powerbomb). Brian lands badly, but is with it enough to get up and take another (safer) powerbomb from Sid. El Gigante runs out and "rips the cage door off" to check on his friend. Somehow, El Gigante seems to be the one calling the match off. We get clarification that Ref Nick Patrick deemed Pillman unable to continue, and thus he names The Horsemen team the winners. Submit Or Surrender?? No, Referee stoppage. bah!

 

A pretty weak finish to a really fun match.

 

Overall a pretty fine show. These old WCW shows always give you at least a couple of great tag matches, and the guys you expect to deliver (Flair, Arn, Windham, Steiners, etc...) almost always do.

[PowerButchi]

Spivey vs Luger was a great little match!