In this WCW Starrcade 1997 review, Hollywood Hogan defends the WCW title against Sting in one of the most anticipated matches in wrestling history.
Let’s jump in!
- Show: WCW Starrcade 1997
- Date: December 28, 1997
- Location: MCI Center in Washington, D.C.
VIDEO: Cool intro video with Sting, which pushes the importance of the main event.
RINGSIDE: Tony Schiavone thinks this is the GREATEST NIGHT IN THE HISTORY OF OUR GREAT SPORT! You’ve gotta love Tony. What I also liked about this opening segment was showing wrestlers in the crowd waiting for the main event which, once again, makes it seem important. Also, Schiavone announces Nash won’t be at the show, so his match with The Giant is off.
1. Dean Malenko vs. (c) Eddie Guerrero – Cruiserweight Title
One glaring thing in this match is that Malenko is just a technical master. He’s excellent. Great back and forth action with Eddie using all the heel tactics he can to keep the title. The announcers are mostly talking about the upcoming matches, but that was to be expected considering the magnitude of the main event and show as a whole. Eddie works over Malenko’s leg and dropkicks the steps into it. They follow that with more back and forth, and Malenko’s powebombs are a thing of beauty. However, it’s Eddie hitting the Frog Splash on Malenko’s knee to retain the title at 14:57. ***3/4 (Recommended)
IN THE RING: Scott Hall, who gets the winner of Hogan and Sting at SuperBrawl, surveys nWo vs. WCW with the crowd. He says Nash isn’t here, which leads to Giant coming out and hitting him with the powerbomb.
2. The Steiners (w/Ted DiBiase) and Ray Traylor vs. Randy Savage (w/Elizabeth), Scott Norton, and Vincent
Konnan was supposed to be the nWo’s third member, but his wife gave birth. He made the right choice there. Scott is just jacked, and he’d get even more jacked. Lots of heel tactics from the nWo, and speaking of Scotts, Norton is awesome. The faces clear the ring and destroy Vincent, but the crowd is struggling in this match. They work to Rick getting the hot tag, and Scott hits a brutal DDT off the top to Vincent. He also hits the Frankensteiner on Vincent. But the ref gets distracted, and some shenanigans allow Savage to hit the elbow drop for the victory. The crowd at least popped huge for the nWo. **
ON THE STAGE: Mean Gene Okerlund hypes new faces for the WCW Hotline, and out comes JJ Dillon to announce Nick Patrick as the referee for the main event. He is, of course, the former nWo ref.
3. Bill Goldberg vs. Steve McMichael
They brawl in the aisle to start the match, and I love the tidbit from Schiavone that they had to be held apart all day backstage. That’s a great tidbit that adds to the story of the match. These two actually put together some decent work early on as the fans are occupied with Raven and The Flock in the crowd. The decent work turns to a few ugly spots, and Goldberg tries to put Mongo through the table and finally does. The fans give him a nice “ECW” chant for his efforts. Goldberg hits the Jackhammer to pick up the win at 5:59. *1/2
IN THE RING: Raven says that he’s not wrestling Benoit, but instead, it’s Saturn taking his spot.
4. Saturn vs. Chris Benoit
Raven is ringside as Mike Tenay hypes up Raven denying the match four weeks in a row. Kidman tries to get involved, and so does Sick Boy. This is a Raven’s Rules Match, so it’s all legal. Saturn, a very underrated worker, hits an impressive moonsault. He then wears down Benoit in what’s a pretty long sequence. Eventually, Benoit locks in the crossface on the outside, but the entire Flock interferes. Saturn goes for another moonsault but hits the Flock after Benoit moves. Benoit goes for the win but the Flock is back and Raven hits the DDT on Benoit, with Saturn locking in the Rings of Saturn for the victory at 10:50. Lodi’s posterboard signs were a truly highlight in this era. **1/2
5. Buff Bagwell vs. Lex Luger
These dudes have been feuding, and that’s likely evident by the fact that they spit in each other’s faces. Luger showcases some ridiculous power, but Buff tries to counter that by yelling for Vincent to come out. He does. Buff gains the advantage but Luger fights back, then Vincent gets involved with a rope choke on Luger. The crowd is chanting for Booker T, who’s among the WCW wrestlers waiting for the main event. Schiavone continues to play up history in the making with Hollywood Hogan and Sting, so that’s another nice touch. Buff with rest holds, but Luger runs wild and throws Vincent onto Buff. Buff then knocks the ref into Luger, who goes for the Torture Rack but there’s no ref. Savage hits the ring, and Luger racks him too. Norton in, and he nails Luger with the chain to allow Buff to pin Luger for the win at 16:36. *1/2
6. Diamond Dallas Page vs. Curt Hennig – US Title
DDP quickly goes for the Diamond Cutter, but Perfect slides out. Schiavone with yet another solid tidbit about how the US Champion is the top challenger for the World title. The fight goes to the outside, and I’m randomly thinking about just how many members the nWo had at this point. Alex Wright is with James Vandenberg in the crowd, and that’s quite a duo. DDP and Hennig both working hard, but that’s no surprise. They’ve got great chemistry together. It’s DDP who finally hits the Diamond Cutter on Hennig to win the title at 10:52. This was a huge moment for DDP. ***1/4 (Recommended)
7. Larry Zbyszko vs. Eric Bischoff – Winner Gets Control of Nitro (Special Guest Referee: Bret Hart)
What a way to use Bret after his WWF exit. Just wild creative there. Bischoff is in his karate gear and having fun, so good for him. Tenay starts breaking this thing down like any other match, and that’s why Tenay is a pro. Bischoff goes to his roundhouse kick routine to send Larry down, but Larry goes after him. Bret is breaking holds left and right, and Bischoff’s selling is pretty great. Schiavone wonders whether Bret is nWo since he’s breaking Larry’s holds. Bischoff with a flurry of offense until he’s exhausted, and Hall puts a steel plate in Bischoff’s boot with Larry out. Bret then decks Bischoff and Hall and puts the Sharpshooter on Hall. Bret raises Larry’s arm and apparently that’s the match as WCW wins. Incredibly, that wouldn’t be the worst finish on this monumental show. *
8. Sting vs. Hollywood Hogan – WCW Title
What an entrance for Sting until he comes out from the back. It just makes no sense given the build. However, the presentation is great, and the announcers do a good job playing up Sting having ring rust. Hogan yells “hero” at Sting to mock him, and Sting sends Hogan reeling. But this is just too slow of a match for such a historic storyline. Hogan takes control and Sting no-sells a suplex. Hogan uses the bat on Sting, and then comes the infamous sequence where Sting misses the splash on the rail, and Hogan hits the leg drop to pin Sting cleanly. But the camera cuts to Bret who’s pleading that it was a fast count. No, it wasn’t at all. Bret throws Hogan into the ring, Sting fights off the nWo, and Sting makes Hogan submit to win the title at 12:53. Hogan barely shakes his hand to signal the submission in what was another obvious power play. The locker room comes in to celebrate with Sting who, along with Bret, comes out of this match looking like an idiot. Not exactly the finish WCW needed for the biggest match in the company’s history. DUD
Blake’s Take on WCW Starrcade 1997
- Best Match: Dean Malenko vs. Eddie Guerrero
- Show MVP: Eddie Guerrero
- Overall Rating: 3.0/10
- Thoughts: This show was built around one very important match, and since that match was a total mess, it knocks the overall rating considerably. Only Hogan came out of the main event looking good, which was the exact opposite effect of what it should’ve been. Sting and Bret – pushed as the company’s top babyfaces – truly looked like complete morons. Of course, that may have been Hogan’s intent. What figured to be one of the easiest finishes in wrestling history was so unnecessarily convoluted that it destroyed all the momentum that had been built up for all parties involved. There were two decent matches and the crowd was great, but this was simply a HUGE misstep for WCW.
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