Reviews

In this WWF WrestleFest ’90 review, it’s a look at a classic WWF Home Video release that features Mr. Perfect vs. Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage vs. Roddy Piper, and more.

Let’s jump in!

IN THE STUDIO: Sean Mooney runs down the card for this video. The WWF Hasbro action figures sitting on the desk are a nice touch of nostalgia. They were fantastic!

‘Macho King’ Randy Savage (w/Sensational Sherri) vs. Rowdy Roddy Piper

Mooney and Lord Alfred Hayes are on commentary. Sherri checks under Piper’s skirt, so she smacks her on the ass. It was a different era! Piper gains control and Sherri tries to distract him, but Piper isn’t having it. Savage is done with this and heads for the back, but Piper gives chase and brings the action back to the ring. Sherri slaps Piper, and it’s Savage who takes advantage with an elbow drop to the outside. Then Savage hits a double ax handle off the top for a two count. Savage sends Piper back outside, and Sherri clocks the man while Savage distracts the referee. A big knee to the face gives Savage the momentum, and he tries to choke out Piper.

The tide turns with Piper sending Savage into the corner, and the Macho King is stuck. Piper goes at him until Sherri sets Savage free. Airplane spin from Piper! Those things make me dizzy, and the same can be said for Piper who stumbles onto Savage for a near fall. Savage goes for the airplane spin, and this one is way faster. These dudes are SPINNING. Savage is all out of sorts, so he goes up top and proceeds to fall to the outside. What a great spot. The crowd eats it up with a spoon. Piper goes after Savage until Sherri yet again gets involved by jumping on Piper’s back for the DQ.

After the match, Piper puts the sleeper on Savage, but Sherri hits him in the back. So, Piper puts the sleeper on Sherri. Savage hits Piper with a knee to the back, but Piper throws Savage into Sherri. Piper then takes a strap and hammers Savage with it.

• Blake’s Take: This was a Superstars match between two top stars, so you weren’t getting a clean finish. Not much to it other than the airplane spins. **

IN THE STUDIO: Chase Tomlinson of Houston sends fan mail, and he wants to see The Ultimate Warrior vs. Dino Bravo. Mooney says ask and you shall receive.

VIDEO: Jimmy Hart says Chase asked for it, so Warrior is gonna get his ass beat. Warrior then says Chase is the only person who can command the viewing on Coliseum Video of his destruction. This would make me want to buy a tape, so bravo to the marketing team on this idea. I, too, could be the next Chase!

Dino Bravo (w/Earthquake and Jimmy Hart) vs. (c) The Ultimate Warrior – Intercontinental Title

Warrior hits the ring running, and he powerslams Bravo. Warrior off the top with an ax handle, and he tries to go up again but Earthquake grabs his foot. Bravo tries to use his strength to knock down Warrior, but that shit ain’t happening. Hip toss and bodyslam from Warrior, and Earthquake grabs Warrior’s foot again. Bravo clotheslines Warrior over the top, but Warrior retreats under the ring. Hart disappears under the ring, and he comes out without any pants. It was a pants party under the ring! Warrior pulls out Bravo and slams his face on the apron. Warrior hits a suplex and goes for the splash, but Bravo brings up the knees. It’s a test of strength that Warrior gets the better of, but Bravo throws him into the corner and hits a back suplex.

Bravo tries to lock in the bearhug but can’t get a good grip. Eventually he does, but Alfred is calling out Bravo for a ridiculous strategy. Warrior eventually breaks out, but Bravo rakes the eyes and hits an atomic drop. Bravo misses an elbow drop, but Warrior slams him and then favors the back. Bravo hits a knee to the back to send Warrior to the outside, where Earthquake bodyslams him with the referee distracted. Bravo with a sideslam for two, and it’s time for Warrior to hulk up. Warrior runs wild and hits the flying shoulder tackle and splash, but Earthquake breaks it up for another DQ.

Earthquake demolishes Warrior and goes up top for a squash, but HERE COMES HULK HOGAN to save the day. Hogan knocks off Earthquake, and that’s that.

• Blake’s Take: We’re 2-for-2 on DQs to start this tape. Less than ideal! But it’s expected, and Hogan making the save for the Warrior was what this was all about. **

IN THE STUDIO: We zoom in on the Hogan action figure, which was a beauty. Mooney tells people to send postcards if they want to request a match. Be specific and tell them you want a clean finish, folks!

MANAGER’S PROFILE: Mr. Fuji teaches his teams to do devious things. That bastard! He also has them do 5,000 squats, which seems excessive. We get the great highlight of Fuji running the 5k race and his teams doing dirty deeds.

VIDEO: Brutus ‘The Barber’ Beefcake has an announcement, and Rick Martel is the main guest at his barber shop. Martel says he’s so much better than Beefcake, and Coliseum Video fans get to see what he’s talking about. Arrogance will reign supreme!

’The Model’ Rick Martel vs. Brutus ‘The Barber’ Beefcake

Gorilla Monsoon takes over on commentary. It sounds like Hillbilly Jim joining him. This is a Madison Square Garden match for those curious. Martel shows off his abs, and Beefcake does the same. The bell rang a half hour ago, fellas! Gorilla calls them out for it. Beefcake shakes his ass, and Martel has had enough. Nice to see Vladimir the superfan in the front row (read my documentary review here). Martel asks for a handshake, and Beefcake accepts by kicking him in the midsection. Beefcake with 10 punches in the corner, as Hillbilly notes he’s getting “plucked like a chicken.”

Back to the corner, but Martel hits an inverted atomic drop. Martel goes on offense for a bit as Gorilla and Hillbilly pontificate a variety of things, including whether referee Danny Davis can be trusted due to his past history. Gorilla and Hillbilly are absolute gems. Martel applies the sleeper for what feels like a century, and Beefcake eventually fights out until Martel hits a knee to the breadbasket. Hillbilly notes that Martel “didn’t come in on a load of turnips.” I couldn’t have said it better myself. Beefcake with a small package for a near fall, and Martel goes back to work. Vladimir approves!

Martel heads up top, but Beefcake shakes the ropes Warrior-style to rack him. Beefcake clotheslines Martel to the outside, and Hillbilly has questions for Davis since he’s holding back Beefcake. Devious Danny strikes again! Sunset flip from Beefcake, but Martel reverses and holds the ropes for leverage for the victory. Gorilla lets us know it’s a miscarriage of justice! Beefcake puts the sleeper on Martel after the match, and Davis stands there and does ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. Beefcake grabs the clippers, but Bobby Heenan throws water on Martel as he retreats.

• Blake’s Take: I enjoyed this. It wasn’t a classic and went longer than it probably needed to, but the combination of Gorilla/Hillbilly and quality heel work from Martel made this entertaining. **1/2

WRESTLEFEST PROFILE: The Hart Foundation say Coliseum Video requested an in-depth profile on them. Jim Neidhart rants about not getting the titles and Bret Hart has to calm the man down. Bret tells them to look at this match against the Powers of Pain.

The Powers of Pain (w/Mr. Fuji) vs. The Hart Foundation

Tony Schiavone and Lord Alfred Hayes are your commentary team. This was a Wrestling Challenge match based on the posters in the rafters. Two of my favorite teams from this era here. Neidhart and Barbarian start things off, and neither man will budge. We’ve got a HOSS FIGHT. Warlord grabs Neidhart, but Neidhart moves out of the way as Barbarian hits a clothesline on his partner. Bret is in, and a little double team action from the Hart Foundation. Alfred is thrilled with the aggression from them in the early going, and he notes the importance of the match with a potential opportunity against The Colossal Connection on the line.

Warlord reverses momentum with a slam to Bret, and Barbarian comes in with a headbutt to Bret’s back. Neidhart gets pissed, so the referee gets occupied with him while Barbarian and Warlord double team Neidhart in the corner. They work over Bret for a bit, but he eventually makes the tag to Neidhart. He hauls off on Barbarian and Warlord, and Barbarian accidentally drops an elbow on Warlord. Fuji trips Neidhart, which allows Warlord to jump off the apron onto Neidhart. Fuji swings the cane, but Neidhart moves and he hits Warlord. The referee counts out both teams because of course he does. Bret hammers Barbarian and Warlord with the cane after the match.

• Blake’s Take: That’s the third straight non-finish to start WrestleFest ’90. Classic! This was probably my least favorite of the trio. *1/2

VIDEO: Neidhart laughs about their match with Dino Bravo and Honky Tonk Man. We’re getting TWO Bravo matches on this tape? Like Jesse Spano in Saved By The Bell, I’m so excited, I’m so excited, I’m so….scared.

The Hart Foundation vs. Dino Bravo and Honky Tonk Man (w/Jimmy Hart)

Mooney and Alfred are back on commentary. Alfred got himself a tan! Bret and Bravo kick things off. Bret with a small package, and he hits a flurry of offense on Bravo. Honky comes in, and Bret tags in Neidhart. Wishbone to Honky’s tonk! Neidhart uses the bearhug, but a reverse atomic drop from Bravo swings the momentum. A double team from the heels with the referee distracted is up next. It’s a contractual obligation in every match. Both Honky and Bravo take turns going at Neidhart, and the teamwork – with the referee distracted again, of course – is somewhat impressive.

Honky misses a jumping punch, and that allows Neidhart to get the hot tag to Bret. He runs wild and eventually hits the vintage elbow drop off the second rope. The heels attempt more shenanigans, but that doesn’t work. Jimmy throws the megaphone in the ring, and Bret has the pin on Brabo but the referee doesn’t count. Neidhart grabs the megaphone and hits Honky and Bravo, so there’s your highly anticipated DQ finish!

• Blake’s Take: It was better than the previous match, but make it four in a row without a clean winner. It is what it is in this era in the WWF. **

VIDEO: Bret and Neidhart are back and talking about The Rockers. Now we’re getting somewhere! Surely we’ll get a straight-up winner this match….

The Hart Foundation vs. The Rockers

Mooney and Alfred are once again the commentary duo. Bret and Marty Jannetty start the match. Good teamwork from Jannetty and Shawn Michaels, and then we get the one-on-one showdown with Bret and Michaels. Reverse atomic drop from Bret to Michaels, and Neidhart is in with a big bodyslam. Bret throws Michaels’ face right into Neidhart’s boot, and then it’s bearhug time. Michaels with a desperation bodyslam to Bret, but Bret regains control and tags in Neidhart, who hits a huge dropkick for two. Neidhart with a backdrop for another near fall.

Bret catapults Neidhart into the ring, but Michaels dives out of the way. He can’t make the tag, and Bret is back in with a big boot to the face. Bret goes for the elbow drop off the top, but Michaels moves and finally makes the hot tag to Jannetty. A powerslam to Bret gets a near fall, and then it’s a knee to the face for another two. Double superkicks to Bret, but Neidhart breaks up the pin. Michaels with a snap suplex to Bret…but he kicks out at two and a half! Excellent reversal as Bret hits a clothesline on Michaels, and Mooney says you could call this one match a WrestleFest. Agreed.

Bret tags in Neidhart, and he pounces on Michaels. But Michaels throws Neidhart into the ropes, and it knocks Bret off the apron onto the steel barricade. Neidhart checks on Bret, and here come THE FABULOUS ROUGEAUS! They’re All-American boys! The bell doesn’t ring, but we know it’s a DQ. After the match, both babyface teams chase Raymond Rougeau and Jacques Rougeau to the back.

• Blake’s Take: Easily the best match on the tape. Not even the non-finish could make impact that. Great stuff from two legendary teams. ****

VIDEO: Alfred tells us about how the WWF moves the rings and equipment to each town. We even go under the hood with a look at the engines on the tractor-trailer trucks. Alfred’s promo is magical. The man is THRILLED about the efficiency of the ring crew.

IN THE STUDIO: Mooney throws it to the featured match of Mr. Perfect vs. Hulk Hogan for the WWF title at MSG.

Mr. Perfect (w/The Genius) vs. (c) Hulk Hogan – WWF Title

And we’re back to Gorilla and Hillbilly. Perfect wants none of Hogan in the early going, but that doesn’t matter as Hogan hits multiple bodyslams to send Perfect retreating. DOUBLE NOGGIN KNOCKER to Perfect and Genius! Hogan slams Genius and throws him in the ring, which makes no sense. What also makes no sense is Genius kicking Hogan and the referee staring right out it without a DQ. Is this a Handicap Match? Hogan throws Perfect into Genius in the corner. Hogan then hits an atomic drop on Genius to send him reeling. Hogan rams Genius into the steel post, and HULKAMANIA IS RUNNING WILD. Hogan clotheslines Perfect to the outside and we’ve got another DOUBLE NOGGIN KNOCKER. Perfect just taking an absolute drubbing in this match.

However, Perfect delivers a kick to the face to shift the momentum. Perfect goes on the offensive and sends Hogan to the outside, Genius teases hitting Hogan with the scroll. Hillbilly is tired of the interference in the WWF, but he could simply be talking about WrestleFest ’90 and it would be an accurate statement. Vladimir is having fun as Perfect goes up top, and when Hogan tries to pick him up, Perfect uses the thumb to the eye. Perfect applies the sleeper for a good while, but Hogan eventually gets up and he gets rammed into the corner for his efforts. Perfect goes back up, and Hogan shakes the ropes to rack him. Hogan follows him up top, and he picks Perfect up by the hair and racks him a few more times. Double ouch!

Atomic drop from Hogan, and he kicks Perfect’s leg out from his leg. Hogan goes for an elbow drop, but Perfect manages to sneak out of the way. Perfect then hits the Perfect Plex but seemingly can’t lock the hands, so Hogan kicks out. Hogan with the big boot to Perfect, but it knocks him out of the ring. They brawl, and Perfect grabs chair but misses and hits the steel post. Perfect has a pair of something in his tights, and it’s not balls! It’s brass knuckles. Hogan grabs the knucks and hits Perfect with it, and the referee calls for the DQ. PERFECT WINS! NEW WWF CHAMPION! Just kidding, folks.

After the match, Hogan picks up Genius, but Perfect makes the save.

• Blake’s Take: They protected Perfect at MSG, which showed you where he stood at this point in his WWF career. I’m still of the opinion he should have won the 1990 Royal Rumble. Good match with a tremendous crowd. ***1/2

IN THE STUDIO: Mooney throws it to the next match, and we’ve got Hasbro figures to set it up. Beautiful.

IN THE RING: Howard Finkel reveals Big Boss Man as the special guest referee for the tag match.

‘Million Dollar Man’ Ted DiBiase and Akeem (w/Virgil and Slick) vs. Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts and The Ultimate Warrior – Special Guest Referee: Big Boss Man

It’s another Mooney and Alfred pairing on commentary in what was a Superstars match. We start with DiBiase and Jake, and there’s plenty of history between those two. Jake quickly goes for the DDT, but DiBiase retreats. Jake works over DiBiase’s arm, he makes the tag to Warrior, and the place comes UNGLUED. To say that Warrior was on the rise would be an understatement. Akeem controls things for the heels by taking the fight to Jake. DiBiase does the same as he hits a piledriver, but Jake gets a foot on the rope. A reverse atomic drop and clothesline allows Jake to signal for the DDT, but DiBiase slows him down momentarily before Jake makes the hot tag to Warrior. My goodness, the crowd is losing it. Warrior hits the splash on DiBiase for the win. CLEAN FINISH! Bossman hits Virgil with the nightstick, and Jake hits the DDT on Virgil before letting loose Damian.

• Blake’s Take: You wanna talk about superstars. Warrior was on another level. This was short, but it was pretty sweet. **1/2

BLAKE’S TAKE ON WWF WRESTLEFEST ’90

A fine bit of nostalgia on this tape. The Hart Foundation vs. The Rockers, and the Hogan vs. Perfect matches were a lot of fun, despite anyone actually winning. But that was the story of all but one of these matches. The star power is what really stands out, as there are so many quality matchups in this particular lineup. Recommended for 80s to early 90s wrestling fans.

For more of my show reviews, visit the Reviews section!

In this ECW Hardcore TV 3/6/99 review, Taz has something to say to Sabu, The Dudley Boyz have a state of the union, and much more.

Let’s jump in.

• Show: ECW Hardcore TV
• Date: March 6, 1999
• Location: The 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, PA

VIDEO: We get footage of Sid powerbombing everyone in sight. He’s gonna be Living Dangerously on March 21.

VIDEO: Taz is in no man’s land in Red Hook. There’s no beach or pretty girls in thongs, there’s just a bunch of “homeless dirtbags on the corner ready to jack your ass.” What a quote.

BACKSTAGE: Joey Styles takes a shot at WCW Uncensored and the concept they stole from ECW. He also calls out Turner for naming The Sandman as “Hak.” And then it’s a discussion on the fake barbed wire that WCW is gonna use instead of the real barbed wire they use in ECW. That sends us to highlights from the Terry Funk vs. Sabu match at Born To Be Wired in 1997 that had real barbed wire. Funk racking Sabu was just brutal, and so was Sabu shredding his arm and taping it up himself. Sabu wrapping barbed wire around him and diving onto Funk, who was also wrapped in barbed wire, was a wild sequence where they were tied together until Sabu scores the pin.

BACKSTAGE: Styles is back to take aim at Eric Bischoff for copying ECW’s extreme matches. Another great line: “Hollywood Hogan won’t let his back touch the canvas, much less barbed wire.” ECW certainly had a chip on its shoulder, and Styles was great pushing the narrative.

VIDEO: The Dudley Boys, Mr. Mustafa, and Joel Gertner deliver a state of the union. Gertner tells stories of the hood so that he can taunt New Jack and says he never learned lessons from the streets. They’re gonna teach him a lesson, and it’s one his mother would’ve taught him if she wasn’t “whoring herself out.” That lesson is that cash rules everything around you. Buh Buh Ray Dudley calls Jack an idiot and threatens him. Mustafa holds up his cash, and they all laugh.

BACKSTAGE: Styles is pissed about the double cross.

VIDEO: New Jack says Mustafa has to deal with him at Living Dangerously. Jack is bleeding, and he’s gonna kick Mustafa’s ass all over the building. He then says it won’t be a wrestling match, it’ll be a homicide. Well, that escalated quickly.

VIDEO: Taz is back on the streets of Brooklyn. He wants to know why Sabu is pissed at him.

VIDEO: Highlights from House Party 1999, where Shane Douglas hit the Pittsburgh Plunge on Chris Candido before his match with Taz, which led to Douglas issuing a challenge to Taz for a rematch from Guilty as Charged. Taz hit the Tazmission on Douglas through a table for the win. We then get the video of Douglas teasing retirement and the formation of the Impact Players with Justin Credible and Lance Storm, who attacked Douglas and Francine before Tommy Dreamer made the save. Then it’s Storm introducing Dawn Marie has his new manager while mocking Beulah McGillicutty.

BACKSTAGE: Styles hypes the card for Living Dangerously, with Taz vs. Sabu, Rob Van Dam vs. Jerry Lynch, Tajiri vs. Super Crazy, Douglas and Dreamer vs. Impact Players, Sid in action, and more.

VIDEO: Taz is at the Red Hook Park, and he’s gonna choke out Sabu in New Jersey.

BLAKE’S TAKE ON ECW HARDCORE TV 3/6/99

Thoughts: No new material on this episode, but it was a fun show with Taz vs. Sabu as the highlight of the company in this era.

For more of my show reviews, visit the Reviews section!

In this WCW Uncensored 1996 review, Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage team up in the infamous Doomsday Cage Match.

Let’s jump in.

• Show: WCW Uncensored 1996
• Date: March 24, 1996
• Location: Tupelo Coliseum in Tupelo, MS

Konnan vs. Eddy Guerrero – US Title

This was about what you’d expect from these two dudes. Well-paced match with a lot to like. The finish was odd due to the announcer explanation, but overall, this was great stuff. I’ve never been a big Konnan fan, but he was fine here. Guerrero was superb as always.

The Belfast Bruiser vs. Lord Steven Regal

Considering how brutal the Nitros were leading into this pay-per-view, it’s shocking that we’re now two-for-two on this show. This was the opposite of the opener in that it was a stiff brawl from start to finish. Regal got his nose busted open along the way to add to it. They fought to the Doomsday cage before the Blue Bloods interfered to cause the DQ. The match itself was fun, the ending was not. Still worth the watch.

Colonel Rob Parker vs. Madusa

This started the downfall of this pay-per-view as a whole. Nothing against either individual, but this wasn’t the first two matches. However, this was far from the worst thing on the show and that’s saying something. This match went less than four minutes and there isn’t much of a reason to say anything else about it.

Diamond Dallas Page vs. The Booty Man – Retirement Match

If you’re friends with Hulk Hogan, you can do what you want in WCW in this era. Booty Man is simply not good in the ring, and the only thing that saved this match was Kimberly getting involved. Of course, the match itself was lackluster thanks to the Booty Man. And of course, he won the match to send Page into “retirement.” Booty also got to kiss Kimberly afterward. 

The Giant vs. Loch Ness

What could go wrong here? This was a complete squash. Giant was surprisingly athletic at this stage in his career. That showed when he took a bump over the ringpost in the corner and onto the floor. Shortly after, the Giant won with the leg drop. Less than three minutes, and that’s all it needed to be.

The Road Warriors vs. Sting and Booker T – Chicago Street Fight

Friendly reminder that WCW had a Chicago Street Fight in Tupelo. When you think of a street fight, you think of a rather compact, intense competition that involves a lot of brawling. This match didn’t have much of either. And it went 30 minutes. 30 minutes! This was arguably one of the worst 30-minute matches I’ve ever seen, and you’re talking to someone who has always liked all four men. The combination and stipulation made no sense, but this was pre-nWo in 1996, so that’s no surprise. Sting and Booker won, and it was no fun.

Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage vs. Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, The Taskmaster, Meng, The Barbarian, Lex Luger, Z Gangsta, and Ultimate Solution – Doomsday Cage Match

Going to be honest with you: I remember nothing about this match from when I watched it as a child. So this is essentially a brand new viewing for me. And I can confirm that in all of my years of watching wrestling, this is in the top five of worst matches ever. How anyone watching this show could support this is beyond me. It’s as if every single show during this time period was booked with only one objective in mind, and that was seeing how Hogan could overcome as many people on the roster as possible.

No one had a damn clue about the rules of this match, and when asked during the match, even Schiavone had no idea and sat there speechless. Even Hogan and Savage had no clue since they went to exit at the end and momentarily forgot to pin someone. So Hogan sent Savage back in there to pin Flair who was, you know, the WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION at the time.

Every guy not named Hogan and Savage was destroyed in this match, including the red-hot Luger (although he didn’t look as bad as others). Zeus and Solution weren’t exactly dominant heels, but ultimately, it didn’t matter since we knew Hogan was squashing them all anyway. I have no idea how anyone could watch this match in real time in 1996 and not hate Hogan with a passion. This was brutal on every level imaginable, and it’s one of the worst ideas in the history of planet Earth.

BLAKE’S TAKE ON WCW UNCENSORED 1996

Overall Rating: 2.5/10

Thoughts: Not sure there’s ever been a main event that bad. Ever. It was a stupid idea that was created solely to try to get people to stop booing Hogan. And it only made people hate him even more. Even the kids in the crowd couldn’t support this ridiculousness. After the first two matches, this quickly became a total shitshow. Luckily, WCW would pivot soon and give the fans a different Hogan.

For more of my show reviews, visit the Reviews section!

In this Saturday Night’s Main Event 11/26/88 review, Randy Savage defends the WWF title against Andre the Giant, The Fabulous Rougeaus move to the United States, and much more.

Let’s jump in.

• Show: Saturday Night’s Main Event
• Date: November 26, 1988
• Location: Arco Arena in Sacramento, CA

Super Ninja (w/Mr. Fuji) vs. (c) The Ultimate Warrior – Intercontinental Title

This match would of course lead to the famous eight-year IC title reign by Super Ninja. Just kidding. Ninja chops away on Warrior and that shit doesn’t work. Warrior throws him outside and then goes outside and throws him back in. Sort of defeats the purpose of throwing him outside in the first place.

Warrior presses him and hits the splash for the win at 2:11. So much for Ninja being a serious threat. The match served its purpose. That’s all you could ask for here.

• Rating: 1/2

VIDEO: We get the events of Ted DiBiase turning on Hercules and trying to make him his slave. Then Jesse Ventura interviews DiBiase and name drops Donald Trump at one point.

Virgil (w/Ted DiBiase) vs. Hercules

If Herc loses, he becomes DiBiase’s slave. Double team on Herc early and then the chase is on as Herc wants DiBiase.

A little back and forth but this is mostly Herc squashing Virgil. He finishes him with the pin at 3:20. Afterwards, Herc throws Virgil over the top towards DiBiase. Squash.

• Rating: SQUASH

BACKSTAGE: Andre hates snakes and Gene Okerlund calls him out on it. We get the video of the snake incident with Jake Roberts at the previous SNME in October.

Andre the Giant (w/Bobby Heenan) vs. (c) Randy Savage (w/Elizabeth) – WWF Heavyweight Title

Big match. Andre gets in control early on and doesn’t let up for a bit. He uses the strap to choke out Macho. Attempted comeback by Savage, but trying to pick him up probably wasn’t the best idea he ever had.

Squash action until Savage starts fighting. Jesse points out that he’s using hit and run tactics. Very true. And here comes Jake Roberts with Damian in hand. He causes a ruckus and Andre is scared as usual. The ref makes Jake leave ringside and Heenan starts searching under the ring for Damian. Andre plays being possessed by knowing where the snake is, and that allows Savage to take control.

Heenan pretty much destroying the ringside area trying to find Damian. He finally finds him and Jake comes back to retrieve the bag. Heenan gets in the ring to escape Jake’s wrath and the ref calls for the DQ finish at 8:51. Andre gets tied in the ropes and Savage invites Jake and Damian in for a little fun. Andre manages to get out before the snake can get to him.

• Rating: **1/2

Boris Zhukov vs. Hacksaw Jim Duggan – Flag Match

This should be a total shitshow. It was. Hacksaw hits the charge to win at 2:27.

• Rating: DUD

VIDEO: We get the recap of Brother Love and Big Boss Man attacking Hulk Hogan. Awesome.

IN THE RING: Brother Love Show with Slick. He then brings out Hogan. Hopefully this doesn’t turn into the Bubba the Love Sponge Show. Love keeps asking Hogan questions and interrupting before he can respond. Hogan finally rips away the mic and then starts doing the same thing back to Love. This has already gone five minutes too long, and I can’t possibly watch the next five minutes of it.

The Fabulous Rougeaus (w/Jimmy Hart) vs. The Young Stallions

HUGE BREAKING NEWS BEFORE THE MATCH: THE ROUGEAUS HAVE OFFICIALLY MOVED TO THE UNITED STATES! Vince tries to hype up this being a good match, but we all know what’s coming.

Nothing more than a showcase for the Rougeaus. Short and sweet, as underhanded shenanigans get Jacques and Raymond the victory at 3:05.

• Rating: SQUASH

SHOW SUMMARY

It’s Saturday Night’s Main Event. There’s no reason to expect classics at this point. Nothing more than showcases for some of the stars and a little storyline advancement here and there.

For more of my show reviews, visit the Reviews section!

In this WWE Payback 2016 review, Roman Reigns defends the WWE title against AJ Styles, Kevin Owens goes one-on-one with Sami Zayn, and much more.

Let’s begin.

• Show: WWE Payback 2016
• Date: May 1, 2016
• Location: Chicago, IL

Pre-Show: Baron Corbin vs. Dolph Ziggler

So, as if jobbing Ziggler out to everyone in sight wasn’t enough, we’re gonna do it on the pre-show. I guess less people see it, so perhaps that’s better for Ziggler. This is also your friendly reminder that Mauro Ranallo and Corey Graves should be the RAW announce team.

Corbin controls the match early and then Ziggler finds momentum to nail the Famouser. The match goes outside and Corbin picks Ziggler up and sends him flying into the ringpost. This was a cool spot. Back in the ring and Corbin doing nothing but gloating as he steps on Ziggler’s head. I know where this is leading.

And sure enough, I was right. Ziggler immediately hits the rollup and wins the match. So they went with the “rookie gets too confident” storyline to give Corbin his first loss since joining the main roster. Hey, at least Ziggler wins. Rejoice!

• Rating: *1/2

Pre-Show: Ryback vs. (c) Kalisto – WWE United States Title

Well Ryback just mocked CM Punk’s clobberin’ time move during his entrance. Bet you can’t guess who told him to do that. We could reach nWo levels of garbage in the ring after that decision.

Fans immediately start chanting “you can’t wrestle.” RYBACK ALSO HAS “PRE-SHOW STOPPER” WRITTEN ON HIS BELT. Seriously, give Ryback the World title right now. This guy is ALL IN.

A couple of high-flying moves from Kalisto early and naturally we go to a commercial break since this is on the WWE Network. Incredible counter from Kalisto to DDT Ryback on the apron and now THE BIG GUY is selling the shoulder. A few near falls from Kalisto and he’s making Ryback look silly at this point. Another near fall and I’m still stunned the crowd isn’t destroying Ryback with chants after the Punk bit. Pick it up, Chicago.

Another awesome sequence of near falls from both men, and holy hell this match has been decent. Then Ryback goes up top and MILITARY PRESSES KALISTO OFF THE TOP ROPE. Then Ryback goes back up top and misses and Kalisto hits the finisher for the win.

This match was legitimately awesome. A ton of fun and great heel work by Ryback. He sold the shoulder like a champ. I was joking earlier, but he legit needs another big push. Now watch them release him.

• Rating: ****

IN THE RING: The New Day come out and they are glorious as usual. Xavier Woods hits on Beyonce and Big E makes a joke about things going down in the Twitter DM’s.

VIDEO: Excellent video package that promotes all the new talents in the WWE, with the Shane vs. The Authority as the main storyline. And then the graphic says “the first pay-per-view of a new era.” Wow. Like Ryback earlier, the WWE is ALL IN.

Enzo and Cass vs. The Vaudevillains – No. 1 Contender for Tag Titles

Great reaction as usual for Enzo and Cass. And since Vince McMahon apparently hates the Vaudevillains gimmick now, they can’t possibly win here. Even though I did predict they would win a few days ago.

Match controlled by the good dudes early. Enzo gets thrown to the outside, but in an extremely ugly spot gets caught on the bottom rope and slams his head on the mat. He’s legit hurt here. We immediately get a stretcher and medical personnel. This is not good.

The match is called off. The announcers are a mess. Cass is a total mess also. What an unfortunate way to start this show. That looked absolutely terrible. He really nailed his head hard on the mat in a whiplash-type of sequence. Hopefully this is just a precaution and he’s fine. Man.

• Rating: NR

Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn

Michael Cole updates everyone and says that Enzo was just sent to a hospital. Damn it. Well, a lot of people are still a little shellshocked, but if there’s two men that can get you back into the WWE reality, it’s these two.

Great spot with Zayn flying over the top early to take down Owens on the outside. Owens takes control and Cole says that Enzo is moving his extremities and is talking. Awesome news. Owens has the stairs pulled out and we get back in the ring before anyone can use them.

More solid back and forth, but like a lot of people, I think the crowd is still reeling from the Enzo injury. You can’t blame them. Zayn hits the thunderbomb and a close near fall. The “this is awesome” chants are here, so the crowd is back. Owens gets a near fall and hits the Eddie Guerrero frog splash for a two-count. Now we have Eddie chants. Love it.

These two are FIGHTING now. Both with strong moves and the other comes back with a vengeance. This is what we thought it would be. Two guys that hate each other going all out. Painful spot as Zayn flips Owens over onto the apron. He hit that thing flush, which can’t feel good. Zayn flies through the second rope and hits the DDT. Goodness.

Superkick and powerbomb from Owens to Zayn to get the victory. That came from outta nowhere. Overall a good match as expected, but admittedly, it may have felt like a bigger deal had it not come after the events of the last match. This is probably one that I’ll have to rewatch to give it a more focused rating.

• Rating: ***1/2

IN THE RING: After the match, Owens slaps the taste out of Zayn’s mouth and throws him to the outside. Owens then calls for Saxton to get a mic and come into the ring. If he powerbombs Saxton, it might be the greatest moment ever. Owens demands Saxton ask him about beating Zayn. Owens yells and screams and says he finally beat Zayn. He’s a better man than Zayn. He says now he’s focused wants to get back HIS IC title. Saxton tells him the match is next, and he’s gonna do commentary for it.

Cesaro vs. (c) The Miz (w/Maryse) – IC Title

Maryse is tremendous. Owens is already berating Saxton on commentary to the delight of everyone on the planet. Like he’s really giving it to him. It’s beautiful.

Cesaro is dominating the match in the early going. That is, until Maryse gets involved and allows Miz to take over. Not too much happening afterward, as Owens on commentary continues to be the highlight. Cesaro gets a near fall that brings back a little momentum. Cesaro with a pretty suplex off the top rope for another near fall. Owens told Saxton to go call his mom or something. Owens is on another level.

Cesaro hits the big uppercut and Miz manages to sneak the foot on the rope Ric Flair style. Miz takes advantage of the hurt shoulder and hits the Skull Crushing Finale but Cesaro kicks out! ZAYN IS BACK. He jumps the table and he and Owens brawl all over the place.

In the ring, Cesaro makes Miz tap out. But the ref is occupied with Owens and Zayn on the apron. Of course, he doesn’t see it, and Miz rolls up Cesaro to retain. Another fine match.

• Rating: ***

OUTSIDE THE RING: Cesaro is angry and attacks Miz after the match. Then Owens attacks Cesaro. Then Zayn attacks Owens, but Owens powerbombs him to stand tall. Maryse saves Miz from a beating from Owens.

Chris Jericho vs. Dean Ambrose

We get a rundown of all the different language announcers. FUNAKI IS HERE. SMACKDOWN NO.1 ANNOUNCER. Cole says Enzo is undergoing testing at a local hospital.

Thanks to a spotty WWE Network feed, I missed most of this match. I’ll update later.

BACKSTAGE: AJ Styles with Ranallo. He plays down the involvement from Gallows and Anderson tonight. They also show Sasha Banks backstage talking to Shane McMahon.

Natalya (w/Bret Hart) vs. (c) Charlotte (w/Ric Flair) – Women’s Title

Once again, after watching Clash of the Champions I earlier, I wish Flair was about 30 years younger here. The crowd goes apeshit when Bret makes his way out.

Charlotte in control and Flair is clapping like a proud father. As he should. Vicious chops from Charlotte and Nattie returns the favor. Continued action and Charlotte gets sent to the outside. Flair checks on her as she’s selling the knee. Nattie goes for a baseball slide but Charlotte counters, and then Nattie counters that with a semi hurricanrana.

Back in the ring, Charlotte delivers a vicious kick to the face. Nattie eventually goes for the Sharpshooter but no bueno. Nattie kicks out of Natural Selection. Charlotte then hits a moonsault and Nattie kicks out yet again. Not much crowd reaction for this, which furthers the point that Sasha is who everyone wants at this moment.

Charlotte then goes with the Sharpshooter and referee Charles Robinson calls for the bell even though Nattie never taps. CHICAGO SCREWJOB. Bret gets in the ring and decks Flair, then Bret and Nattie go double Sharpshooter on Flair and Charlotte.

The match was solid, but once again, WWE goes to the well with the Montreal Screwjob finish. At least they used Lil Naitch as the referee, I suppose. The finish really hurt the match. It’s gotten repetitive at this point.

• Rating: *1/2

IN THE RING: Vince McMahon is here and the crowd is chanting CM Punk louder than ever. Vince is smirking and loves it. They do not let up and interrupt him. So Vince says screw it and says he wants to know how long they can go with it. Vince brings up the greatness of the Attitude Era, and the crowd pops at that. He asks the crowd if Shane or Stephanie should be running RAW. I’ll let you guess what they think.

Crowd boos the hell out of Stephanie and Vince goes OFF and calls Chicago a bunch of animals. They’re still booing. Just get Shane out here already. Finally, Shane’s music hits, and please save everyone, Lil Vinnie Mac.

Shane runs through all the internet headlines of people talking about how much better RAW has been with him in charge. Shane is good as usual in this role, and he asks Vince to listen to the people’s voice. They go bonkers, and Vince says enough of the fans being happy. And he says he doesn’t listen to anyone except him. SO TRUE. He says tonight is about him and what he wants. Here’s what he wants: BLOOD. He wants to see them both disembowel each other. Father of the year. He gives both of them control of RAW. Great, so that means we get way too many segments with those two arguing about everything.

BREAKING NEWS: Michael Cole with an update that Enzo has been diagnosed as having a concussion, and all other tests are negative. Fantastic news.

AJ Styles vs. (c) Roman Reigns – WWE World Heavyweight Title

Update: People still hate Roman Reigns. So either this is WWE’s way of squashing Styles and making him look like a fool in his first title match, or they make him even more of a star. Let’s hope for the latter.

“You can’t wrestle” chants from the crowd. This is inaccurate. Reigns can actually wrestle, but he’s constantly booked like a fool. He’s not the best wrestler in the world, but he’s far from terrible. Slow start, and the crowd entertains themselves with a Roman sucks chant to the New Day tempo.

Tweets suggest Enzo has been discharged from the hospital now, so that’s more great news. As for this match, it feels like it’s struggling to find a flow. Luckily, Styles gets the crowd back into it with a kick to the head of Reigns. And then Styles gets the Calf Crusher and Reigns makes it to the ropes. AND THEN STYLES DOES A FLYING FOREARM OFF THE TOP ROPE ONTO REIGNS THROUGH THE ANNOUNCE TABLE. That was good stuff.

And then Reigns gets counted out. Are you kidding me? Chicago may riot. BUT SHANE O MAC SAYS NO RIOTS TONIGHT, YOUNG MEN. He restarts the match with no countouts.

Styles takes control and then Reigns almost lands a pinfall. Now the referee calls for a DQ and awards Styles the match after an inadvertent low blow from Reigns. As you would expect, Stephanie comes out to one-up Shane and says now there’s no DQ. Vince Russo would be impressed with this overbooking.

Now these two are fighting into the crowd. Something big is obviously gonna happen after the restarts. Reigns hits the Superman Punch and Styles kicks out. Reigns looks like he’s gonna snap. YES PLEASE. He hits another Superman Punch and sets up for the spear. But we have visitors! Anderson and Gallows arrive and beat up Reigns. The champ is down and out in the middle of the ring. Styles is up and hits the Phenomenal Forearm. Reigns gets the foot on the rope at two and three quarters.

The Usos make their way into the mix. They beat up Anderson and Gallows, and Reigns throws Styles onto all four men on the outside. Reigns then flies over the top and hammers everyone. Styles with the forearm again to Reigns on the outside. He rolls Reigns in and gets a near fall after a splash. A few more back-and-forth moments, and Reigns hits the spear for the victory.

Whew. Well, the overbooking was stupid at first, but ultimately it led to Styles looking like a big star. It also surprisingly makes Reigns look better for surviving that kind of performance from Styles.

• Rating: ***3/4

BACKSTAGE: Vince, Shane, and Stephanie speak about the title match. He congratulates them on their involvement. They announce an Extreme Rules rematch between these two. Well then.

OVERALL

You had nothing truly awful on this show aside from the unfortunate Enzo injury and Vince/Shane/Stephanie segment. All the matches told a story, and even if the Montreal Screwjob rehashing was dumb, it will at least lead to something interesting from Charlotte and Nattie.

Owens and Zayn had a great match as expected, and we also had solid outings from Cesaro/Miz and Jericho/Ambrose. Even the pre-show match between Kalisto and Ryback was wildly entertaining.

The main event told a story. A lot of people expected a certain someone to debut, but it’s clear they are gonna milk that one. Although it ruined the overall flow, the interruptions by Shane and Stephanie in the main event made sense in furthering their power struggle. And then Styles and Reigns put on a few awesome sequences after that.

It’s clear that the company is pushing the “New Era” moniker. This was a solid start.

For more of my show reviews, visit the Reviews section!

In this WWF SummerSlam 1998 review, Stone Cold Steve Austin defends the WWF title against The Undertaker, Triple H faces off with The Rock in a Ladder Match for the Intercontinental title, and much more.

Let’s jump in.

• Show: WWF SummerSlam 1998
• Date: August 30, 1998
• Location: Madison Square Garden in New York City, NY

VIDEO: We see highlights of the rivalry between Steve Austin and The Undertaker. Vince McMahon tells Taker that with Kane, he will become the WWF champ.

IN THE RING: Val Venis says he’s in the Big Apple, and that he came, he saw, and he came again. Big Valbowski does it again!

Val Venis vs. (c) D’Lo Brown – European Title

Tony Chimel announces that D’Lo now resides in Helsinki, Finland. I can appreciate his commitment to the title. Edge is in the crowd, and he’ll be in action a bit later. D’Lo controls the action, but Venis moves out of the way after a splash attempt off the top. An awesome counter from D’Lo as he catches Venis off the top into a powerbomb. D’Lo tries his hand at a top rope move, but Venis counters into a bodyslam for a near fall. Venis goes for the Money Shot, but D’Lo gets his knees up. Huge D’Lo chant from the MSG crowd. D’Lo goes for a powerbomb and he just drops Venis on his head. JR thinks it was from the perspiration. D’Lo finally hits the powerbomb, but Venis kicks out at two. D’Lo up top for the Frog Splash, but Venis moves out of the way. The chest protector is off! Venis grabs it and goes up and top, and referee Jimmy Korderas accidentally racks him! That’s some bias right there. Venis throws Korderas down, and D’Lo takes the chest protector back. Korderas then calls for the bell for the DQ. Well that was fun until the finish. Val slams Korderas, and then hits the Money Shot.

BACKSTAGE: Michael Cole tells us that Austin destroyed a hearse on Sunday Night Heat. They thought Taker and Kane were in it, but they weren’t. Mankind is pissed because he was the one in there, and he has a sledgehammer in his hand.

IN THE RING: Insane Clown Posse perform The Oddities’ entrance. Kurrgan, Golga, Giant Silva, and Luna Vachon are dancing their asses off. You’ve got to love them.

The Oddities vs. Kaientai – 4-on-3 Handicap Match

The fact that John Tenta was so into this Golga role was just tremendous. He’s the best. Mr. Yamaguchi-san tries some shenanigans, but the Oddities aren’t having it. JR says “well, we never advertised this to be a classic.” JR always keeps it real. Silva throws Taka Michinoku onto everyone on the outside. Kaentai hits four frog splashes off the top onto Golga, and their confidence is up….until Golga clotheslines all of them. Luna bodyslams Yamaguchi, and the Oddities hit a chokeslam before Golga pins all four Kaentai members. Fun was had by all.

BACKSTAGE: Don Hendrix is with Shawn Michaels. Call the WWF superstar line, only $1.69 per minute!

Jeff Jarrett vs. X-Pac – Hair Match

Jarrett and Southern Justice cut poor Howard Finkel’s hair on Heat. That was clearly a noteworthy show. Fink joins X-Pac, and he’s wearing a DX shirt. Fink tells Jarrett to “suck it” before the match, so it’s on. Jarrett on offense in the early going, but X-Pac hits a tornado DDT off the top to turn the tide. X-Pac misses a flying cross body, and Fink is getting a little nervous. Jarrett locks on the Figure Four, but X-Pac eventually gets to the ropes. X-Pac counters the Figure Four and hits a suplex to send both men down. Bronco buster in the corner from X-Pac, and a sit-out powerbomb gets two. Fink gets on the apron and Jarrett knocks him silly. Southern Justice is back, and Dennis Knight goes to hit X-Pac with the guitar but he blocks it. X-Pac then hits Jarrett with the guitar with the referee’s back turned to notch the victory.

IN THE RING: Road Dogg and Billy Gunn bring chairs to hold back Southern Justice. Droz and The Headbangers come in to hold Jarrett while X-Pac shaves his hair. Method Mod is in the crowd enjoying the festivities.

IN THE THEATRE: Hendrix is standing beside the Lion’s Den ahead of the match between Owen Hart and Ken Shamrock.

BACKSTAGE: Michael Cole asks The Rock about him ambushing Triple H with the title on Sunday Night Heat. Everything happened on that show! Rock is guaran-damn-teeing that he’s gonna retain the championship.

IN THE RING: Marc Mero and Jacqueline make their entrance, and Sable does the same. She introduces her partner, and it’s Edge!

Marc Mero and Jacqueline vs. Edge and Sable – Mixed Tag Team Match

The rules are that this is your typical mixed tag where the men fight the men, and the women fight the women. Let’s see if it stays that way given the rivalry between Mero and Sable. That doesn’t take long, as she goes to hit the Sable Bomb on Mero, but Jacqueline pulls her off of him. Edge flies over the top onto Mero, and then throws him into the steel steps. Jacqueline jumps onto Edge’s back, so he does what anyone would do and proceeds to put him over his leg and spank her. Attitude era does it again! A couple of dramatic near falls, and Edge proceeds to rack Mero on the top. Sable hits a hurricanrana on Mero off the top, and Jacqueline accidentally headbutts Mero right in the balls. Edge picks up Sable and slams her onto Mero for the win. This was pretty entertaining.

VIDEO: Home Shopping Network is gonna have a content drop right after SummerSlam!

BACKSTAGE: Taker says he will stand alone in his match against Austin, and he wants to know if he’s ready for him.

BACKSTAGE: Mankind doesn’t know if he will defend the WWF Tag Team titles since Kane isn’t in the building. Mankind says maybe he should forfeit, but he doesn’t want to disappoint the people and suggests Michael Cole be his partner. Bad idea, Mick! Vince McMahon brings up Mankind’s memories of MSG and tries to convince him to compete by himself. Vince grabs a few weapons and hands it to Mankind.

VIDEO: Highlights of the ongoing rivalry between Owen and Shamrock. That included the Dungeon Match, which I enjoyed more than most. Reminder that Dan Severn turned on Shamrock, so he’s furious about it.

Owen Hart vs. Ken Shamrock – Lion’s Den Match

The setup and atmosphere is something. It’s a UFC octagon in the MSG theatre. Severn was Owen’s trainer for the match, so that only adds to Shamrock’s frustration. Shamrock uses Owen’s shirt to try to choke him out, which is not something you’ll see in a UFC fight. Shamrock also jumps off the side of the cage like Spider-Man in a rather unique offensive maneuver. He does it again, and Owen finally catches him on a third try. Owen goes for the Sharpshooter and locks it in, and Shamrock starts climbing the cage to break it up. Owen goes for the choke, but Shamrock walks up the cage and reverses it into the Ankle Lock. Severn is pissed and hits the road, and Owen taps to give Shamrock the victory.

BACKSTAGE: Austin doesn’t trust anybody, and he’s not afraid to cheap shot Taker to keep the title.

The New Age Outlaws vs. (c) Mankind – No Holds Barred Match for the WWF Tag Team Titles

Dogg and Gunn bring out a dumpster full of weapons, so business has just picked up. My guess is Mankind is going to take a beating here, which is not easy to watch a few decades later given what we know about head injuries. Dogg and Gunn deliver a few unprotected shots with some baking sheets, and eventually they throw his head into the side of the dumpster. However, Mankind throws Gunn through a table in the corner, but the numbers game catches up to him. They powerbomb him onto two chairs…and Mankind kicks out at two. Then it’s a spike piledriver on Mankind onto a chair for the win.

IN THE RING: Gunn says they are gonna put Mankind in the garbage where he belongs, and that’s what they do. Simple enough. Dogg and Gunn celebrate, but Kane stands up in the dumpster. Kane smashes Mankind with a sledgehammer and pushes the dumpster to the back. JR is pissed!

VIDEO: Highlights of the rivalry between Rock and Triple H, including the infamous segment where DX mocked the Nation of Domination, Rock and company humiliating Chyna, and more.

IN THE RING: Triple H gets the live entrance treatment, as Chris Warren sings the DX theme.

Triple H vs (c) The Rock – Ladder Match for the Intercontinental Title

I rewatched this match a few years ago for my Top 10 Rock Matches column, so I’ll just use that for reference:

“I wasn’t sure how this one would hold up watching it for the first time in a while. But even with all the insane ladder matches since, I still thoroughly enjoyed it as a monumental stepping stone for both Rock and Triple H. Rock was only 26 at this point, which is pretty wild to think about.

“As far as ladder matches go, this one didn’t have the high spots we’re used to in this era of wrestling, but the psychology and selling from both men were great. Every big move felt important. Rock using the ladder and a chair to decimate Triple H’s injured knee (due to Rock attacking him with the belt on Sunday Night Heat) made complete sense, and there were several innovative spots for a 1998 ladder match.

“Also, the MSG crowd went NUTS when Rock hit the People’s Elbow on Triple H on the ladder. The Rocky chants afterward told you all you needed to know about this dude’s potential as a mega star.

“Of course, the real highlights of this match were Triple H’s purple tights (still one of my most prized action figures) and the old school yellow ladders!”

Yeah, I still agree with all of that. A very enjoyable match that embraced the old school psychology needed to tell a good story.

COMMENTARY: JR and Jerry Lawler are once again questioning whether Kane will play a role in the main event.

The Undertaker vs. (c) Steve Austin – WWF Title

The reaction to Austin’s entrance says it all about how much the people were into him at this point. The crowd came unglued when that glass shattered. Their heads collide early in the match after an Irish whip, and that didn’t exactly look pretty. Austin focuses on Taker’s leg to which JR equates to someone chopping down a tree. JR was so good in this era, and I hope people realize just how important he was to the success of it. Kane arrives to stir shit up, but Taker demands that he go to the back. Surprisingly, Kane listens to his brother, but Austin isn’t too sure about it.

Taker picks up Austin from the apron and chokeslams him into the middle of the ring in what was an impressive sequence. They brawl into the crowd in front of a sign that says “Vince Fears Talent” and another that says “Goldberg Is Da Man.” Kevin Dunn was working overtime on getting away from those camera shots! Taker clears off the Spanish announce table, and that was never good for those dudes. Taker goes up top and hits a leg drop onto Austin on the table. WOW. I did not remember that. The table doesn’t break, which wasn’t a good development for Austin’s back.

Taker hits a chokeslam on Austin, but Austin reverses the Tombstone attempt. Taker regains momentum and goes old school, but Austin hits a low blow and then the Stunner for the win.

IN THE RING: Taker grabs the title and hands it to Austin. Taker gives a nod to Austin and leaves the ring, and Kane comes out to stand by Taker in the aisle as Austin celebrates.

Blake’s SummerSlam 1998 Review

• Recommended Matches: Triple H vs. The Rock
• Show Rating: 7.5/10
• Thoughts: An enjoyable Attitude Era show that featured an excellent ladder match and plenty of entertainment elsewhere. 

For more of my show reviews, visit the Pro Wrestling Reviews section!

In this Mid-South Wrestling 5/15/82 review, One Man Gang faces off with Mr. Olympia, Ted DiBiase aims for revenge, and much more.

Let’s jump in.

• Show: Mid-South Wrestling
• Date: May 15, 1982

RINGSIDE: Boyd Pearce and Bill Watts hype the big matches on the card. Watts weighs in on Ted DiBiase being fined for interfering in the action as a guest commentator. He also reveals that The Junkyard Dog and Mr. Olympia won the Tag Team titles at a recent event.

The Grappler vs. Coco Samoa

Watts does his usual fine work putting over the characteristics of each man. Coco isn’t like Afa and Sika, and Grappler is always up to something with that foot. It’s the little things. Coco with a valiant effort as you would expect, but he misses a splash in the corner and Grappler throws him into the turnbuckle. Grappler takes advantage and picks up the pin for the win.

RINGSIDE: Watts gives the history of Paul Ellering’s knee injury, including when he hurt it again back in January. Then it’s highlights of Ellering motivating kids to do sit-ups in the ring. He does his sit-ups with weights after that. To further illustrate his abs of steel, Jesse Barr and Buddy Landel jump off the top rope onto his midsection. Watts tells us he’ll be doing push-ups next week. The man is an adonis.

One Man Gang (w/Skandor Akbar) vs. Mr. Olympia

Two of my favorites here. It can’t be understated how huge Gang is, and Watts puts that over in the early going. Olympia fights back, but Gang counters with a knee to the midsection. Olympia hits two body checks and then a dropkick to send Gang to the mat. Gang tries for a splash, but Olympia moves and goes up top to hit a dropkick that sends Gang over the top to the outside. Akbar protests to the referee that Olympia can’t come off the top rope, which leads to Olympia hitting him with a dropkick. However, Gang comes from behind and hits an elbow drop on Olympia to score the win.

Kim Duc (w/Skandor Akbar) vs. Dick Murdoch

Watts notes this is a bounty match and that Akbar brought in Duc – just like he did with Hacksaw Duggan – to try to destroy Murdoch. Duc works on the arm, and when Murdoch tries to punch him, Doc brings it back to the mat. Watts tells the story of Murdoch beating up someone in a restaurant who talked bad towards him. Afterward, he sat down and ate the guy’s steak dinner. Incredible. Murdoch eventually gains control, but Akbar hits the ring and tries to hit Murdoch with his trenching tool. The latter ducks, and Akbar hits Duc instead. Murdoch grabs the tool back and uses it on Duc for the win. It’s great when the referees let the babyfaces do what they want after the heels try to screw them.

Billy Starr vs. Iron Mike Sharpe

Sharpe stands out as an absolute brute. Watts once again brings up DiBiase losing his cool and leaving the commentary desk a week ago. Big back body from Sharpe, and then he uses the bearhug on Starr until he fights out of it. However, Sharpe goes to the reverse backbreaker and that’ll do it for the victory.

COMMENTARY: Boyd and Watts show the footage of DiBiase having enough of the nonsense and going after One Man Gang and The Assassin. Back to the desk, Watts talked to DiBiase and he said something has to stop Skandor Akbar and his crew.

The Assassin and Bob Roop vs. Ted DiBiase and Ernie Ladd

What a lineup of talent this is. DiBiase goes for the Figure Four on Assassin but he manages to tag in Roop. DiBiase locks on the Figure Four on Roop, and once again, Watts is terrific on commentary pointing out that Roop is the one who designed the counter to the move. But this time around, DiBiase has a counter for the counter. Chaos ensues with all four men in the ring, and Assassin loads up the mask. Ladd gives the big boot to Assassin, but that knocks him into the referee. DiBiase throws Assassin into the steel post to knock him silly, and here comes Gang. Ladd hits the shoulder block to send Roop out, but another Assassin comes in with a loaded boot and he kicks DiBiase in the face for the win.

The Turk vs. Buddy Landell

Turk is back, and Watts is still pissed off at the shenanigans of the previous match. He also talks up Gang and how even Andre the Giant couldn’t slam the man. A back and forth match between Turk and Landell, but it’s a time limit draw.

BLAKE’S TAKE ON MID-SOUTH WRESTLING 5/15/82

Overall Rating: 5.5/10

Thoughts: Another fine installment of Mid-South Wrestling, with the atmosphere during the DiBiase/Ladd vs. Assassin/Roop match being the highlight. And it can’t be understated how excellent Watts is on commentary and what it does to get people invested in the storylines.

For more of my show reviews, visit the Reviews section!

Here’s my WCW Fall Brawl 1995 review, which features an interesting War Games main event.

• Event: WCW Fall Brawl 1995
• Date: September 17, 1995
• Location: Asheville, NC

– Tony Schiavone and Bobby Heenan hype the action, including The Giant destroying Hulk Hogan’s motorcycle before the show.

Flyin’ Brian vs. Johnny B. Badd – No. 1 Contender for WCW US Title

Michael Buffer in prime form from the start. The winner of this one gets a shot at Sting in two weeks on WCW Saturday Night. Feeling out process early on, with Tony and Heenan focusing on War Games. Lots of technical counters and reversals, and the crowd doesn’t particularly seem pleased. Just as the action picks up, Badd goes back to the headlock. Badd gets busted open near his eye at some point, the aggressiveness builds from there. Tony plays up both of these men being able to go the 20 minutes, so that’s a hint of what direction they’re heading in. Pillman uses some heel tendencies to get the crowd going, and the action ramps up from there.

Pillman in control, then Badd in control. Great spot with Badd coming off the top but Pillman hitting him with a dropkick. Several near falls after that, and that trend continues to the one-minute mark. Badd thinks he got the pin, but Pillman’s in the ropes. Buffer counts it all the way down for the draw. But since Nick Patrick does what he wants, he says the match must continue with sudden death overtime.

These two keep working their asses off, and there’s a great spot with Badd throwing Pillman into the guardrail before flipping onto him. Pillman with a flying cross body of his own onto Badd on the outside. Man, these dudes are putting on a wrestling showcase. They work to a double cross body, and it’s Badd who uses his momentum to get the pin for the win. This match took up nearly the first 40 minutes of the pay-per-view, and it was worth it. (Highly Recommended)

– Mean Gene Okerlund with Ric Flair. He talks about the bond with him and Arn Anderson and how they’re now on the opposite side. Gene wants to know if Flair hates Arn. Flair says the problem is he loves him, but there’s only one king of the hill. WOOO!

Cobra vs. Sgt. Craig Pittman

Pittman sneaks in by rappelling from the rafters and attacking Cobra from behind. Not gonna lie, I don’t recall much of anything about Cobra. I know it’s Jeff Farmer (fake Sting), but this Cobra character didn’t do much. This is essentially a squash match, with Pittman making quick work to force Cobra to submit. Maybe that’s why the Cobra character didn’t work!

– Recap of Paul Orndorff losing his shit in the locker room and questioning himself. PSYCHIC GARY SPIVEY gives him a long motivational speech and Orndorff is back. He even kisses the mirror. What did I just watch? I’m not sure, but Orndorff is a national treasure.

Diamond Dallas Page (w/Diamond Doll and Maxx Muscle) vs. (c) The Renegade (w/Jimmy Hart) – WCW Television Title

This was certainly an interesting period in the careers of both men. Of course, I’m specifically talking about Page’s gear. Heenan makes a joke about Gary Spivey having better hair than Kimberly, and I’m not sure I agree. I know Renegade’s history is what it is, but this is not a terrible match. Maybe it’s Page’s selling, or maybe they just had chemistry. Either way, the crowd was into it, especially when Renegade dove onto Muscle on the outside. That allowed Page to hit the Diamond Cutter on Renegade to win the title.

Harlem Heat (w/Sister Sherri) vs. (c) Bunkhouse Buck and Dirty Dick Slater (w/Col. Rob Parker)

Tony hints that Mike Tenay has the SCOOP of a top wrestling start defecting to another promotion. Just call the hotline, folks! An interesting mix of styles here, as when you think about it, they’re somewhat similar. Buck and Slater are brawlers, and Booker T and Stevie Ray are ass-kickers. I always enjoyed the Sherri pairing with Harlem Heat. Then again, she was great in pretty much every role throughout her career. There is indeed some ass-kicking in this match, but there’s a lot more methodical holds from Buck and Slater. Meanwhile, Sherri crawls on her knees into ring No. 1 and Parker approaches her and they start kissing. The Nasty Boys run in and use Slater’s boot on him, and Booker gets the pin to win the titles. There wasn’t much to this one.

– Buck is pissed at Parker and Gene wants answers. Parker says he’ll get them another tag title match. Gene thinks he’s in love and calls him disgusting. Gene was truly the best. Parker says he has to have Sherri, and he’ll get the titles back for Buck and Slater.

– Promo for Halloween Havoc, including the suggestion to watch for it on videocassette. Does anyone still have the Halloween Havoc 1995 VHS?

– Gene with Arn Anderson. Gene keeps stirring the pot with a video package of Arn and Flair’s bond and the backstory that led to their match. Awesome job from the production team to sell the feud. Arn says all a man can do is stand up to his word. No surprise, but a tremendous promo from Arn.

Arn Anderson vs. Ric Flair

Give WCW credit. If you were gonna do a match like this, it had to be in North Carolina. Quite a crew ringside, with Pillman, Parker, Big Bubba Rogers, and the American Males all watching. Technical masterclass between these two friends turned foes. They focused on working the crowd and taking them for a ride. Just when you thought Arn may finish Flair off, Flair locks in the Figure Four. But then Arn reverses it to force Flair to get the break. That leads to Flair becoming the dirtiest player in the game with a shot to Arn’s knee. Great selling from Arn on the knee, and that’s when Pillman hops on the apron and kicks Flair in the back of the head, allowing Arn to hit the DDT for the win. (Recommended)

– We get a ridiculous video package with Kevin Sullivan hyping the War Games match. This is 1995 pro wrestling right here. 

– Tony and Heenan show us the video of The Giant destroying Hogan’s motorcycle before the show. 

– Another video package with the events leading to the War Games match, including Luger joining the team.

– Mean Gene with Hogan, Savage, Sting, and Luger. They all talk and they’re ready.

The Dungeon of Doom vs. Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Sting, and Lex Luger – War Games Match

Buffer informs us that a special stipulation has been added: If Hogan’s team wins, it’ll be Hogan vs. Sullivan one-on-one after the match. Joy. Sting and Shark start things off. John Tenta really is one of the most underrated wrestlers ever. He could do some pretty incredible work for his size. Zodiac in next, then it’s Savage. Next up is Kamala, then Luger. The usual brawling all over the place, with both teams getting the upper hand at various points. Meng makes his way into the mix, and he does what Meng does. He kicks ass. Hogan comes in and immediately turns to his heel tactics by throwing powder in the heels’ eyes. His team keeps the momentum going from there, and Hogan forces Zodiac to submit to earn the victory. This was probably the worst War Games match in history.

– After the match, Sullivan tries to hit the road, but they force him to get in the ring with Hogan. Of course, Hogan squashes him, and then Giant comes out and seemingly breaks Hogan’s neck. All of Hogan’s teammates return to make the save. Buffer says over the microphone that paramedics are needed at ringside to attend to Hogan.

Blake’s Take On WCW Fall Brawl 1995

• Best Match: Flyin’ Brian vs. Johnny B. Badd
• Show MVP: Johnny B. Badd
• Overall Rating: 4.0/10
• Thoughts: The main event was brutal, and so was much of the rest of the card. However, the opener and Flair vs. Arn were both excellent. This show at least had that going for it.

For more of my show reviews, visit the Pro Wrestling Reviews section!

In this WrestleMania III review, Hulk Hogan squares off with Andre the Giant in the main event, Randy Savage and Ricky Steamboat put on a classic, and much more.

Let’s jump in.

• Show: WWF WrestleMania III
• Date: March 29, 1987
• Location: Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, MI

IN THE RING: Vince McMahon welcomes us to the Silverdome as the crowd of 18.4 billion people goes wild. Aretha Franklin then does the best rendition of America The Beautiful in WrestleMania history.

RINGSIDE: Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse Ventura are with Bob Uecker and Mary Hart. They kick off the festivities.

The Can-Am Connection vs. Don Muraco and Cowboy Bob Orton

The crowd is loving Rick Martel and Tom Zenk as they control the action early. Always love when the babyfaces get off to a great start in the first match because it’s a good way to gauge where the crowd is at right off the bat. Huge pop for the hot tag to Martel, and the babyfaces are on a roll. The double team action continues, and the crossbody does the job to give the Connection the win. An exciting way to start the show.

VIDEO: We see the events leading to Billy Jack Haynes vs. Hercules.

BACKSTAGE: Mean Gene Okerlund with Hercules and Bobby Heenan. Herc is here to kick Billy Jack’s ass.

Billy Jack Haynes vs. The Mighty Hercules (w/Bobby Heenan)

The entrance carts make their official debut, and those were just the best. This is being pushed as the battle of the Full Nelson. Haynes goes for it early, but Herc manages to reverse. Most of the match is Herc wearing down Haynes’ back, and there’s really not a whole lot more to it. You would think that would lead to a big babyface comeback for the win or the heel eventually being too strong to overcome. Instead, after Haynes battles out of the Full Nelson, he gets a series of offense going before locking in his own Full Nelson. Then Hercules breaks it by going through the middle rope, and Haynes continues to hold on the Full Nelson which causes both men to get counted out. All about power in this match, but the finish wasn’t my favorite.

Things pick up after the match, as Herc takes the chain and busts Haynes wide open. You clearly see Haynes blading, and he’s bleeding profusely by the time Herc and Heenan leave the ring.

BACKSTAGE: Gene with King Kong Bundy, Little Tokyo, and Lord Littlebrook. Quite a fall for Bundy from the WrestleMania II main event to this match.

BACKSTAGE: And now Gene is with Hillbilly Jim, Haiti Kid, and Little Beaver. Jim is gonna look out for his partners.

King Kong Bundy, Little Tokyo, and Lord Littlebrook vs. Hillbilly Jim, Haiti Kid, and Little Beaver

Uecker joining commentary for this match makes it even better. The big spot they work to is Bundy teasing squashing Kid and Beaver, but Jim gets the tag and takes Bundy down. They go for the pile pin and that doesn’t work. Eventually, Bundy has had enough and he slams Beaver and drops an elbow as the ref calls for the DQ. This was what it was.

BACKSTAGE: Mary is with Randy Savage and Elizabeth. Mary wants to talk to Elizabeth, and Savage doesn’t like that at all.

VIDEO: We recap the events leading to “King” Harley Race vs. The Junkyard Dog.

BACKSTAGE: Gene with Harley, Heenan, and Fabulous Moolah. Lots of royalty talk. Uecker wants a date with Moolah, so that’s a development. We transition to Gene with JYD, who says he’s gonna be wearing the crown.

“King” Harley Race (w/Bobby Heenan and Fabulous Moolah) vs. The Junkyard Dog – Loser Must Kneel And Bow Match

Quite a stipulation there. It’s all JYD at the start, with Harley bumping for him all over the place. I’ll never not love the JYD headbutts. The crowd seems to agree. Then, out of nowhere, a Heenan distraction allows Harley to hit a simple belly-to-belly suplex and he pins JYD for the win. Well, that was an abrupt finish. Of course, JYD won’t bow and he destroys Harley after the match.

BACKSTAGE: Vince with Hulk Hogan. He calls out the critics in the gym who think it’s his last ride, then rips his shirt off. ALL IN THE VITAMINS, BROTHER. He says the Hulkamaniacs don’t take any shortcuts, and Andre has to beat all of them to beat him.

BACKSTAGE: Gene with The Dream Team of Greg Valentine and Brutus Beefcake, plus Johnny Valiant and Dino Bravo. They yell about some stuff.

The Rougeau Brothers vs. The Dream Team (w/Johnny Valiant and Dino Bravo)

Two fun teams, though the Rougeaus don’t yet have their legendary theme music. Heenan makes his way to the commentary booth, and this has to be the best trio in commentary history. He runs down Haynes’ antics, then proceeds to say he “doesn’t deal with widgets.” The Brain was one of a kind. The finish sees a hell of a double team move from the Rougeaus, which allows Bravo to sneak in while the referee is distracted and nail a Rougeau. That leads to Valentine getting the pin for the victory and after the match, Beefcake questions the interference. So his partners just leave him in the ring. Thus begins one of many character transformations for Beefcake.

VIDEO: Hype for the Roddy Piper vs. Adrian Adonis match.

BACKSTAGE: Gene with Adonis and Hart. They’re gonna clip Piper’s hair.

Adrian Adonis (w/Jimmy Hart) vs. Roddy Piper – Loser Gets His Head Shaved Match

Gorilla and Jesse remind us that Piper is leaving wrestling after the match, and I’d like to boldly predict that he’ll be back. Piper brings Hart in for the DOUBLE NOGGIN KNOCKER with Adonis. Gorilla’s call of that move never gets old. Then Piper wants more and throws Hart from the top onto Adonis. But Hart regroups and scoops Piper’s leg as Adonis goes on the attack. More shenanigans from the heels to keep the upper hand and Adonis locks in the sleeper. Adonis thinks he has the match won, but here comes Beefcake to hand Piper the clippers. Piper locks in the sleeper and that’ll do it for the win. So there’s your official turn for Beefcake, and he shaves some of Adonis’ hair. Entertaining work from all parties in this one. (Recommended)

IN THE RING: Fink introduces Jesse as Gorilla pushes that he simply wanted to be announced to the crowd.

BACKSTAGE: Hart rants to Gene about his hatred for the British Bulldogs.

The Hart Foundation and Danny Davis (w/Jimmy Hart) vs. The British Bulldogs and Tito Santana

Matilda unleashes some frustration on Jimmy Hart before the bell rings, and Jimmy has been bumping like a wild man on this show. Even Uecker finds it obvious. Gorilla puts over Bret as the next big thing, so as usual, Gorilla was spot-on with his analysis. Mary Hart wants Dynamite to make a tag and can’t figure out why he’s not doing so. He’s getting his ass kicked, Mary! That’s why. Davis with the cocky spot of coming in for a few quick shots on defenseless Dynamite before tagging back out. He tries to do it again but hot tag to Tito, and he runs wild. Bulldog hits a Tombstone on Davis like it’s a transitional move, which is pretty funny to think about given what that move would signify once The Undertaker made his mark. We’ve got a BROUHAHA as the action breaks down, and somehow it’s Davis that scurries over and pins Bulldog for the win. Good action here as you would expect from these six.

BACKSTAGE: Gene with Andre and Heenan. Andre’s stoic stare in this segment is legendary. Heenan explains why Andre is gonna beat Hogan. This is a short but awesome way to build the importance of the main event.

Butch Reed (w/Slick) vs. Koko B. Ware

What a pop for Koko. Birds are over, brother. Jesse wants Jack Tunney to look into Koko’s taped hand, and once again, Jesse is the greatest. Reed controls most of the action until Koko fights back with a few near falls. But another near fall attempt on a cross body leads to Reed reversing it, and he grabs a handful of tights to score the win. After the match, the heels try to continue the onslaught, but Tito runs out and makes the save.

VIDEO: A recap of the events leading to Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat. OHHH YEAH!

BACKSTAGE: Savage taunts Steamboat and says he’s gonna embarrass him and put him out of wrestling. Then it’s Gene with Steamboat, who says it’s gonna be a clash of titans.

Ricky Steamboat (w/George “The Animal” Steele) vs. (c) Randy Savage (w/Elizabeth) – WWF Intercontinental Title

Strap in because HERE WE GO. It’s been several years since I’ve rewatched this match, and it’s always a fun one to revisit. What quickly stands out every time I watch it is that every move feels important. The psychology is just tremendous, and they work a back-and-forth style that sends the crowd on an emotional roller coaster. Just when you think Savage has all the momentum, Steamboat mounts a comeback with a cross body into a near fall. Another thing that many people remember from this match is all the pinfall attempts which, again, only add to the drama and suspense. I love Savage trying to get Steamboat counted out by sending him into the front row. Yet another small detail that works wonders for the story.

Savage hits a pair of double axe handles, but Steamboat kicks out again. And he keeps kicking out after every big move. The babyface that gets knocked down time and time again and keeps getting up is foolproof storytelling. It just works. The fans are biting on every pin, and they think Steamboat has it won but Savage sneaks the foot on the ropes at the last second. Another awesome series of pin attempts, and my goodness is this terrific. The crowd is trying everything they can to will Steamboat to victory.

Ref bump allows Savage to take control, and he hits the flying elbow but there’s no referee to count it. This also sends the crowd into a frenzy. Savage grabs the ring bell as Steele tries to take it away from him, and Steele manages to finally do it to send Savage flying. And that’s when Savage tries a body slam, but it’s Steamboat who reverses it into a small package to win the title.

It simply does not get much better than this in pro wrestling. The build to it made it seem like the most important match to date in both men’s careers, and they sold it to perfection. All the near fall attempts pushed the idea that both men were desperate (in a good way) to win the title and finally vanquish their rival.

I think that sometimes there is a tendency to believe that a match can only be perfect if it’s long. Savage vs. Steamboat was only 14 minutes and 35 seconds, but they managed to bring out so many emotions that fans were an emotional mess by the time it was over. Another tidbit that I loved: The post-match visual of watching a broken Savage riding on the cart with his head down. THAT is how you tell the story without saying a word.

I don’t rate matches based on what I think they should be to someone else. I rate matches based on what they are to me. And to me, this is still one of the best pieces of business I’ve even seen in wrestling. It’s a masterpiece. (Legendary)

BACKSTAGE: Gene with Jake Roberts and Alice Cooper. They look back at Honky Tonky Man beating Jake with a guitar. Then it’s Gene with Honky and Jimmy Hart, and they’re as obnoxious as ever.

Jake “The Snake” Roberts (w/Alice Cooper) vs. The Honky Tonk Man (/Jimmy Hart)

Give the crowd credit. They just saw a classic, and they’re still as hot as they were when this show started. Two great WWF characters in this match, and that’s why this is such a memorable show. It’s not that all the matches are classic, but they all feature a blistering crowd and clearly-defined babyface and heel character that play well off of each other. That’s what you had throughout this match. Eventually, Jimmy gets involved, and that’s where Honky takes advantage and uses the ropes for leverage to notch the pin for the win. The real payoff comes after the match, where Jake holds Jimmy, and he and Alice throw the snake on him.

IN THE RING: Fink invites Gene into the ring, and he gets a HUGE pop and fans start chanting his name. Give me this crowd forever. Gene announces the indoor attendance record of 93,173. Little did Gene know how much this announcement would be debated by people around the world for decades to come.

The Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff (w/Slick) vs. The Killer Bees 

The greatest part about this is Slick comes out wearing his torn shirt after getting it ripped by Tito. That’s true dedication to the character! There is trash all over the ring before the match starts due to Volkoff singing the Russian national anthem. Here comes Hacksaw Jim Duggan to save America and my goodness does the man get a pop. This was pretty much your typical letdown match before a much-anticipated main event. These four worked hard and put together a solid tag team match. Sheik locks in the Camel Clutch, so Hacksaw figures he’ll just come in and hit him with a 2×4 to cost the Bees the match. Jesse loves giving Hacksaw shit after he does stuff like that. It’s hilarious.

BACKSTAGE: Gene with Andre and Heenan. Andre is gonna take the title from Hogan.

VIDEO: We recap the events leading to Hogan vs. Andre, including the brotherly love between Hogan and Andre before Andre turns to the dark side. Hogan’s dramatic “YESSSSS” when Piper asks him about facing Andre at WrestleMania is never not funny.

BACKSTAGE: Gene with Hogan. He’s as hulked up as ever.

IN THE RING: Fink introduces Uecker as the special ring announcer, and he brings in Mary Hart as the special timekeeper.

Andre the Giant (w/Bobby Heenan) vs. (c) Hulk Hogan – WWF Title

It’s a small thing, but I love Hogan walking down the aisle like he would for any other entrance. HULKAMANIA doesn’t need a cart, brother! The Irresistible Force meets The Immovable Object. Let’s get it on. This is one of those defining matches in wrestling history, and I still think it’s the biggest match WWE has ever done. Hogan immediately going for the bodyslam and his back giving out was a nice touch, since that allows Andre to work on the back for the entire match. Listen, by no means is this a technical masterpiece. But anyone rating it like it should be is doing it wrong. This is all about star power and story, which is perfectly acceptable when it’s a match involving two of the biggest attractions in the history of the sport.

There’s no doubt that Andre was extremely limited in what he could do physically, but I thought he still managed to pull off the most important spots in the match. Would a long bearhug work by today’s standards? No. But does it work for Andre, whose primary goal was to crush Hogan and destroy his back? Sure it does. Every time Hogan tries to thwart Andre, it’s Andre who uses his size and power to stop Hogan’s offense. And then comes the climax, where Hogan finally knocks Andre to his feet and the crowd fucking loves it. From there, Hogan slams Andre and hits the big boot to earn the victory.

It’s a match that’s built around a few big moments, but what I always enjoy about it is it didn’t try to be something it shouldn’t be. Throw out any debate for the star ratings on this one because they don’t matter. Just an incredible spectacle that went way beyond a wrestling match, and it led to the biggest primetime audience in wrestling history for the rematch in 1988. (Legendary)

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BLAKE’S TAKE ON WRESTLEMANIA III

Recommended Matches: Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat (*****), Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant (***** spectacle), Adrian Adonis vs. Roddy Piper (***)

Overall Rating: 9.0/10

Thoughts: The thing about a great wrestling show is that it’s all about fan expectations. As a fan, I don’t expect every match on the card to be a 5-star classic. It’s all about the ebb and flow, in addition to the nostalgia, the characters, and the storylines. This show gave me everything I wanted as a fan. You had a wrestling classic, a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle, and a host of memorable characters. For my money, WrestleMania III is one of the best WrestleManias of all time.

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For more of my show reviews, visit the Pro Wrestling Reviews section!

In this WWF Royal Rumble 1994 review, 30 competitors square off in the Rumble match, Yokozuna defends the WWF title against The Undertaker in a Casket Match, and much more.

Let’s jump in.

• Show: WWF Royal Rumble 1994
• Date: January 22, 1994
• Location: Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, RI

RINGSIDE: Vince McMahon is EXCITED and hypes all the big matches. Then it’s Ted DiBiase making his way out to join Vince on commentary. I just went from watching DiBiase lose the North American title in Mid-South to fast-forwarding 12 years to see him on commentary with Vince.

Tatanka vs. Bam Bam Bigelow (w/Luna Vachon)

Vince explains that Ludvig Borga suffered a recent injury and couldn’t face Tatanka, which was actually legit. I enjoyed both Tatanka and Bam Bam during this era, but I enjoyed the Bam Bam and Luna pairing even more. DiBiase reveals both men will be in the Rumble right after Tatanka gets squashed in the corner by Bam Bam. Not the best timing, Ted!

This was a nice showcase for Bam Bam’s strength and Tatanka’s resiliency (with the ICO PRO banners hanging in the background). The crowd bites on a near fall when Tatanka counters into a bodyslam, and they are really behind Tatanka in this one. I love DiBiase pointing out he’d never dance around like Tatanka so he could preserve his energy for the Rumble match.

Bam Bam was so talented, and his versatility was on full display playing the heel role. But it was Tatanka coming off the top with the flying cross body to score the pin. (***, Recommended)

VIDEO: Highlights of the events leading to Bret Hart and Owen Hart against The Quebecers. Bret and Owen were both so awesome playing up the tension between them.

BACKSTAGE: Todd Pettengill with Bret and Owen. They really push their togetherness, and Owen is so over the top with his facial expressions that you know what he has in store. Love it.

Bret Hart and Owen Hart vs. (c) The Quebecers (w/Johnny Polo)

Polo is, of course, the future Raven. They tell the story of Bret and Owen being on the same page in the early going, and their technical skill is always a thing of beauty. These two were just so, so good in the ring. One example is Bret using a variety of pin attempts on Jacques Rougeau, which sends the crowd into a frenzy.

The heels work over Bret to set up the desire for the hot tag to Owen. Eventually, Owen gets the tag, and he locks in the Sharpshooter on Jacques. But it’s Pierre who hits him from behind. Another hot tag spot to Bret, and he manhandles both Jacques and Pierre.

Then comes a big sequence with Polo pulling down the rope as Bret attempts offense. From there, the heels do damage on Bret’s knee, and the onslaught continues with Jacques using a chair and cane on it. I like the small tidbit of Owen throwing Bret back into the ring to get destroyed some more which, on the surface, seems innocent enough.

Bret somehow reverses the momentum and locks in the Sharpshooter, with DiBiase noting that it’s a selfish move given how injured he is. Another small story tidbit there. However, Bret can’t keep the hold on and once again sells the knee injury, and referee Tim White calls for the bell to signal Bret can’t continue.

After the match, DiBiase does a great job pushing Bret’s selfishness, and Owen is pissed at Bret. And then it happens. Just when Bret gets to his feet, Owen kicks his leg out from under him. Owen walks down the aisle and calls Bret selfish, while officials tend to Bret in the ring. Raymond Rougeau comes down with a microphone and pushes Bret likely being unable to compete in the Rumble match as he does a stretcher job.

Though a different setting and storyline, there were shades of a format similar to the Mega Powers exploding in terms of the story detail involved. The finish was a little anticlimactic, but I loved everything about this with Bret, Owen, The Quebecers, Vince, and DiBiase all excelling in their roles. (Highly Recommended)

BACKSTAGE: Pettengill with Owen. Why Owen, why? He goes off on Bret, who is watching as he gets rolled down the aisle on the stretcher. AWESOME presentation there. Owen doesn’t care if Bret is in the Rumble, and he’s gonna win the WWF title himself.

RINGSIDE: DiBiase is applauding Owen and Vince is pissed. DiBiase explains what it takes to be at the top of the WWF. Seriously, bravo to everyone involved in the last 30 minutes of this show.

IRS vs. (c) Razor Ramon – Intercontinental Title

Jim Ross and Gorilla Monsoon are on commentary for this match. I’d say that’s a legendary duo, though both are used to being the main play-by-play guy. One of the real highlights of this match is Razor’s gear, as it resembles an aqua color. It looks great. Razor tries to make it a brawl early on, but IRS takes control and slows things down by using the ground game.

A ref bump allows IRS to grab his briefcase, but it’s Razor who uses it. The ref is still down, so no count. Then Razor goes for the Razor’s Edge, but here comes Shawn Michaels. He uses the bogus IC title to clock Razor from behind. Everyone is down, and IRS crawls his way to Razor to get the pin to win the title….or so we think.

One of the Hebners comes out to inform Joey Marella about the bogus belt shot. Rather than restart the match, Razor just hits the Razor’s Edge and Marella counts the three to allow Razor to retain. The crowd was hot, but I didn’t find the match all that engaging.

VIDEO: Paul Bearer is in a creepy warehouse, where The Undertaker is carving a casket for Yokozuna. We also see highlights of Yokozuna being terrified at Taker’s antics. Excellent vignette to push Yokozuna’s fear entering the match.

The Undertaker (w/Paul Bearer) vs. (c) Yokozuna (w/Mr. Fuji and Jim Cornette) – Casket Match for the WWF Title

This is an infamous match in WWF history, specifically due to it having one of the most unique finishes ever. I can remember watching this back in the day and being mesmerized by the wild finish, but I can’t say I remember much about the actual match that led to it. Turns out it’s pretty much a brawl with a lot of weapons involved, whether it be chairs, powder, or other wrestling-related items. But as I always note, you can’t deny the spectacle of these kinds of matches when the crowd is as invested as this one is in this match.

Crush preventing Taker from closing the casket on Yokozuna starts a flurry of heel interference. The Great Kabuki, Tenryu, and Bam Bam all join in as Fuji steals the urn. But Bearer gets in back and nails both Fuji and Cornette with it. They tell the story of the power of the turn bringing Taker back, and he fights off all the heels. Adam Bomb and Jeff Jarrett join the mix, and so do Samu and Fatu. That’s a 9-on-1 advantage for those keeping count. Make it 10-on-1 as Diesel enters. They try to close the casket, but Taker fights out until Yokozuna steals the urn and hits Bearer with it.

Then things get strange. Green smoke flies out of the urn as the beatdown continues until they successfully lock Taker in the casket. And then things get really strange. The green smoke is back, and Taker’s music hits. We see him on the video screen from inside the casket. He refuses to rest in peace, and we get 90s video effects until Taker levitates from the casket. Bearer places the urn on the casket as Vince pushes the supernatural of Taker.

This has to be seen to be believed, as there is no possible way to describe it accurately. I did love the psychology of Fuji and Cornette enlisting the help of all the heels since it was legal to do so given the match stipulation. That was clever. For old-school wrestling fans, it’s undoubtedly one of the worst matches in history. For people who enjoy a nice acid trip, it may be one of the best matches in history. You decide! (Noteworthy)

VIDEO: Randy Savage, Jeff Jarrett, Tatanka, Diesel, Doink, Dink, Shawn Michaels, and Lex Luger hype the Rumble match.

The 1994 Royal Rumble Match

Scott Steiner is No. 1 and Samu is No. 2. And it’s Rick Steiner at No. 3 to push the randomness of the draw. Samu gets his head hung in the ropes, which doesn’t look pleasant. Scott nonchalantly throws him out as Kwang enters at No. 4. Owen Hart is in at No. 5 as Rick continues to play up being blinded by Kwang’s mist. That allows Owen to eliminate Rick in an easy fashion.

Bart Gunn is No. 6. Vince alerts us something is going on backstage with the cameras headed in that direction. Here comes Diesel at No. 7. He dumps out at Bart and Scott, then tosses Owen and Kwang. There goes Owen’s shot. Perhaps he’ll get another! Bob Backlund runs in at No. 8, and he had quite a run in the 1993 Rumble match. Not so much in this one as Diesel tosses him too.

Billy Gunn enters the mix at No. 9, and if you thought he was gonna eliminate Diesel, you’re wrong. Diesel sends him packing right away. We see backstage footage of Tenryu and Kabuki beating down Luger, so now he’s questionable to enter. I like his chances though. Virgil is No. 10, and DiBiase’s reaction is great. Vince reveals Virgil is the alternate for Kamala.

Virgil tries to eliminate Diesel, and that was a mistake as Diesel tosses him. Randy Savage is No. 11, so business has picked up. Jeff Jarrett runs out at No. 12, and he gets some shine on Savage before Savage eliminates him. Crush joins at No. 13 to continue his feud with Savage. Diesel and Crush double team Savage, and Savage is tossed as Doink arrives at No. 14.

Doink watches Diesel and Crush beat each other up until the latter two turn their attention to him. Bam Bam Bigelow is No. 15, and Vince notes “the ring is starting to fill up with some beef.” Lots of beef! Bam Bam gorilla press slams Doink out of there, and here comes Mabel at No. 16. BEEF EVERYWHERE. He immediately goes after Diesel, and it’s wild to think these two would be main eventing a pay-per-view about a year and a half later.

Sparky Plugg is No. 17 to replace the 1-2-3 Kid. Vince pontificates Sparky could win this thing, and I’m not sure I agree. Shawn Michaels seems like a better choice at No. 18, and Diesel teases going at him before they shake hands. But then everyone gangs up on Diesel as Michaels sneaks up to lend a push, which eliminates Diesel. He gets a good ovation from the crowd and even some Diesel chants, so they bought the dominant performance.

Mo is No. 19, and for some reason, Michaels tries to bodyslam Mabel. Greg Valentine in at No. 20 as Vince notes his 50-minute performance in the 1991 Rumble match. Tatanka joins the mix at No. 21, and Michaels goes wild selling for him. And it’s The Great Kabuki coming out at No. 22 as the ring is filling up. But then everyone gangs up on Mabel to eliminate him.

Lex Luger does indeed make it in at No. 23. Boy does he sprint out there, so apparently that Tenryu and Kabuki attack was nothing. Luger quickly eliminates Kabuki to get his revenge. Speaking of Tenryu, he’s in at No. 24. The horn hits for No. 25 and no one comes out, so Vince assumes that means Bret can’t make it.

Rick Martel enters the mix at No. 26, and he’s another who had a long run in the 1991 Rumble. And it’s Bret Hart limping out at No. 27 to a huge pop from the crowd. Fatu doesn’t quite get the same pop at No. 28, but he adds to a loaded ring at this point. Luger and company eliminate Crush as Marty Jannetty runs in at No. 29, and he and Michaels square off to a big ovation.

Adam Bomb rounds out the group at No. 30 and Vince immediately declares him the winner. Vince’s commentary was hilarious at times. Michaels eliminates Plugg, and Vince reveals Bastion Booger got sick and didn’t enter at No. 25. So there’s your mystery entrant.

Still 11 men left, and it stays that way for a while until Martel eliminates Valentine, then Tatanka eliminates Martel. Bomb is out after Luger ducks, and Mo is also sent packing. Luger eliminates Bam Bam, while Michaels eliminates Jannetty. Luger and Bret join forces to eliminate Tenryu, and the final four is Luger, Bret, Michaels, and Fatu.

Luger runs wild, then Luger and Bret simultaneously eliminate Michaels and Fatu at the same time. And in a memorable finish, it’s both men tumbling over the top to create confusion as to the actual winner. Luger’s music initially plays to declare him the winner, but it stops and Bret’s music hits to declare him the winner. There’s zero doubt that the fans were way more excited about Bret winning.

Jack Tunney strolls down as we see multiple replays of the finish, which smartly never show a camera angle of their feet hitting the floor. Finkel then milks the announcement of the winner before declaring that Luger and Bret are co-winners.

Your mileage will vary on the finish, but aside from things getting bogged down with the lackluster stretch late, I enjoyed this Rumble and think it’s one of the more underrated ones in history. I can remember rooting for Luger at the time (though more fans were clearly behind Bret) and convincing myself Bret’s feet hit first. In actuality, it was the opposite, but credit to both men for pulling off a difficult task. I thought it was creative, and while you could have easily restarted the match to crown a winner, the cliffhanger made it work.

Elsewhere, you had a dominant run to establish Diesel as a top star, a few more storylines being advanced, and much more. Owen being randomly eliminated seemed odd given the role he played in the heel turn on Bret, but it’s almost forgettable by the end of the match (which may be a good thing). As always, a fan’s enjoyment is subjective, and I found this very entertaining. (Highly Recommended)

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BLAKE’S TAKE ON WWF ROYAL RUMBLE 1994

Overall Rating: 7.5/10

Thoughts: I know a lot of people will hate on this show for Taker/Yokozuna and the co-winner Rumble finish, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. The opener was solid, the Bret/Owen stuff was fantastic across the board, and the Rumble match had a lot of fun spots. And yes, even the ridiculous Casket Match has value in a “what the hell did I just watch” kind of way. Some good 1994 nostalgia.

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In this WCW Nitro 9/18/95 review, Ric Flair goes one-on-one with Brian Pillman, Randy Savage and Lex Luger have choice words, and much more.

Let’s get to it.

• Event: WCW Monday Nitro
• Date: September 18, 1995
• Location: Freedom Hall in Johnson City, TN

ON THE STAGE: Eric Bischoff, Bobby Heenan, Steve McMichael, and PEPE hype the action. We then hear sirens and Bischoff says there’s an emergency in the back.

BACKSTAGE: Gene Okerlund is standing outside of an ambulance, and The Taskmaster and The Giant hop out. Giant says he’s the true immortal and not Hulk Hogan. Gene says Giant’s father would be disappointed in him. Yes, this was when they were pushing that Andre the Giant was his actual father. Giant says his father would be helping him destroy Hogan.

ON THE RAMP: Earl Robert Eaton goes to make his entrance, but he’s jumped by Harlem Heat. They walk down with Sherri, who is carrying the Tag Team titles that Booker T and Stevie Ray won at Fall Brawl. Booker says they’re gonna turn up the heat on Nitro and defend the titles right now.

The American Males vs. (c) Harlem Heat- WCW Tag Team Titles

Gotta appreciate an impromptu title match. I also like the consistency of Harlem Heat’s approach. They’re just dudes who want to beat the shit out of everyone. If you wanted to know why Booker was seen as a future top star of the company, his incredible offense in this match made it very clear. His athleticism and star potential was on another level.

Colonel Robert Parker makes his way out and grabs Sherri off the apron, which of course leads to them making out on their way to the back. Meanwhile, Bagwell takes advantage and counters Booker and pins him to win the titles. Keep in mind that commentary was noting throughout the match that they weren’t sure if this title defense was official since Nick Bockwinkel wasn’t in attendance.

Blake’s Take: Since I’m watching this many years later, I didn’t remember the title switch here which made it entertaining. I figured something was up with commentary starting the match questioning whether it was an official defense, so I’m sure Harlem Heat will get their belts back soon enough.

VIDEO: Call the WCW Hotline at 1-900-909-9900! And kids, get your parents’ permission!

IN THE RING: Gene welcomes Ric Flair. Gene brings up Flair’s match later on with Brian Pillman. Flair addresses his issues with Arn Anderson and says he broke the code by bringing an outsider into it. Flair is gonna chop Pillman back to Cincinnati and then kick Anderson’s ass. Woooooo!

COMMENTARY: It’s gonna be Sting vs. Lord Steven Regal, Cobra vs. Craig Pittman, a special interview with Dusty Rhodes, and an update on Hulk Hogan’s status on WCW Saturday Night.

Paul Orndorff vs. Johnny B. Badd

Orndorff’s entrance music is TREMENDOUS. I mean, it’s terrible, but it’s great for his Mr. Wonderful character. Orndorff with a dropkick to start the match and he goes after Badd in the corner, then gets in referee Nick Patrick’s face. Bischoff plays up Badd’s grueling 30-minute match against Pillman at Fall Brawl and how it could slow him down in this one. Badd comes off the top rope, but Orndorff gets the knees up. Back from commercial and Badd is in control after throwing Orndorff to the outside. Badd with a couple of aerial moves for a near fall. Orndorff goes for the piledriver, but Badd counters in a flurry of offense. However, Badd goes for another counter and Orndorff sits on him and hooks the legs for the victory.

Blake’s Take: They worked hard and the story was Badd perhaps being fatigued, and it’s Orndorff stealing the win with the flash pinfall. 

ON THE BEACH: Randy Savage is doing BENCH PRESSES on the beach in front of a bunch of Baywatch lifeguards. As if that wasn’t normal enough, here comes Taskmaster to throw the bar on Savage before attacking him. Flair, dressed in his ring gear, runs off Taskmaster. Wild stuff.

IN THE RING: Gene welcomes Savage. He says thanks but no thanks to Flair saving him. Savage is gonna destroy Taskmaster, and he adds that no one is stronger than Hogan. He then says Hogan is a horrible judge of character because he picked Lex Luger for the team. Gene pushes that what Luger did was unintentional, but Savage isn’t buying it. Savage predicts that Lex Luger, Sting, and Jimmy Hart are gonna join the Dungeon of Doom at some point. That brings out Luger, who thinks Savage is jealous because he also wants to be the WCW World Heavyweight Champion. Savage tells Luger that he hit him with a cheap shot. Savage wants to throw down right now and slaps Luger in the face as we go to commercial. Speaking of which, I’m watching the original broadcast from 1995, and every commercial break features the movie trailer for SHOWGIRLS, which of course had Elizabeth Berkley (aka Jessie Spano from Saved By The Bell) in the starring role.

ON THE STAGE: Bischoff says security cleared the ring to stop Savage and Luger from going at it.

VIDEO: We look back at Giant driving a monster truck and running over Hogan’s motorcycle on the Fall Brawl pre-show. Then it’s the replay of Giant breaking into the cage and twisting Hogan’s head like a bottle top.

COMMENTARY: Coming up next on TNT, it’s American Kickboxer II!

Brian Pillman vs. Ric Flair

These two go right after each other, and Flair throws Pillman to the outside and delivers a flying axe handle. They go back and forth, and it’s Pillman with a huge dropkick on Flair as he jumps off the top. Of course, Pillman tries to use the ropes for leverage, and Bischoff is pissed at his change in attitude. It’s CHOP TIME as they exchange some brutal ones outside, then Flair throws Pillman on the guardrail.

Flair beats down Pillman in the ring, and he goes back up top. That doesn’t work as Pillman throws him off. Pillman misses his own top rope move, and Flair goes for a pin but Pillman counters into a near fall. Flair goes to the Figure Four and Pillman has no choice to tap to give Flair the win.

Blake’s Take: These two can obviously go in the ring, but this was pretty short and straightforward with Flair handling his business.

IN THE RING: Flair looks into the camera and tells Arn he’s waiting for him. Flair then says he’s gonna kick Arn’s ass next week.

ON THE STAGE: Mongo hypes the feud between Savage and Luger, and Heenan thinks Arn is gonna kick Flair’s ass. Bischoff also says Bockwinkel might do something about the tag title situation. Heenan then points at his headset and says something is going on in the back. That’s your cliffhanger.

Blake’s Nitro Awards

• Best Match: Brian Pillman vs. Ric Flair
• Best Angle: Savage and Luger
• Nitro MVP: Ric Flair
• Overall Nitro Rating: 5.0/10
• Thoughts: Not the most noteworthy edition of Nitro, but it forwarded several big feuds with Flair vs. Arn, Savage vs. Luger, and of course, Giant’s monster truck vs. Hogan’s monster truck.

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The WCW Nitro 9/11/95 review features the go-home show for the big War Games Match at Fall Brawl, with Hulk Hogan leading the way.

Will there be shenanigans? I think there will be shenanigans.

Let’s get to the WCW Nitro 9/11/95 review.

• Event: WCW Monday Nitro
• Date: September 11, 1995
• Location: Knight Center in Miami, FL

– Eric Bischoff, Bobby Heenan, and Steve ‘Mongo’ McMichael welcome us and recap Lex Luger’s big debut on the first episode of Nitro. Bischoff tells us Vader won’t be in War Games, so Hogan needs a replacement for his team.

Sabu vs. Alex Wright

This is undoubtedly one of the most random matchups in WCW history. I don’t think Sabu and Alex Wright are used in the same sentence a lot. They pushed Sabu’s crazy style on the debut Nitro, and he followed through on it, folks. Lots of wild offense from Sabu, and he got the win after a top rope maneuver. However, it turns out that actually wasn’t true? After the match, Sabu basically uses himself as a missile and comes off the top to drive Wright through a table. Somehow, this allows Nick Patrick to reverse his decision, and he awards the match to Wright. I’m not sure that’s legal.

• Blake’s Rating: ** (-***** for Patrick’s decision)

– Mean Gene Okerlund welcomes Ric Flair to the ring. Flair runs down Arn Anderson, and HERE COMES LEX LUGER. Flair loses his shit over Luger’s physique and says “tonight, the package takes control.” How many women did Flair say that to in the 80s?! What a line. Luger says Flair never changes, and then leaves. Not sure what the point of Luger coming out was.

VK Wallstreet vs. Sting

MAN CALLED STING. MAN CALLED STING. The theme never gets old. Wallstreet’s singlet sure is something. Lots of back and forth in this one, which you would expect from these two stars. Of course, when you debut a new character like Wallstreet, I figure you probably want him to win. That wasn’t gonna happen against Sting, as he hit the flying cross body for the win.

• Blake’s Rating: **1/2

– The Disco Inferno is debuting on WCW Saturday Night. Can’t miss that spectacle!

Scott Norton vs. Randy Savage

Great work having Norton destroy Savage before the bell rings. Norton takes no shit from anyone, and that’s the way to prove it. Bischoff doing a good job putting over Norton on commentary, so give him credit for that. They play up Savage potentially having a broken back, and that’s not ideal. Bischoff says as such considering Savage is on Hogan’s War Games’ team. Norton countering every attempted comeback by Savage, including hitting a brutal hanging DDT. Savage finally gains control, but the Dungeon of Doom hit the ring. That leads to Avalanche falling on Norton’s knees, allowing Savage to hit the elbow drop for the victory. One match after a guy loses a match for putting his opponent through a table after the match, another wins while his opponent gets held down by someone not in the match. RULES! After the match, Norton gets physical with Avalanche.

• Blake’s Rating: **1/2

Lex Luger vs. Hulk Hogan – WCW World Title

To this point, every debuting character they pushed on the Nitro debut has lost. Let’s see if Luger can change that. Hogan with a DROP TOEHOLD TAKEDOWN early in the match. Technical masterclass, brother. Both no-sell each other’s offense early, so we’re off to an interesting start. Luger eventually puts on the Torture Rack and for some reason thinks he’s won the match. Hogan hulks up and hits the boot and leg drop, but the Dungeon of Doom is back again to force the DQ.

• Blake’s Rating: **

– Hogan, Sting, and Savage clear the ring, then we get a shoving match with Hogan and Luger. Bet you can’t guess where this is heading!  Hogan suggests Luger is with the Dungeon of Doom. Sting is the voice of reason and wants Luger on the team. Savage and Hogan don’t want him. Savage now pushes Sting and Jimmy Hart as turncoats. Hogan finally agrees and asks Luger to join them. 

Blake’s Nitro Awards

• Best Match: VK Wallstreet vs. Sting
• Best Angle: Hogan needs a War Games partner
• Nitro MVP: Sting
• Overall Nitro Rating: 6.0
• Thoughts: They pushed Hogan needing a replacement partner from Vader at the very beginning, and that led to a show-long angle with an obvious conclusion. Still, it worked fine to promote a War Games match. The Dungeon of Doom interference in the Sting and Savage matches had a reason behind it. Also, Norton looked fantastic in his debut.

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