On this addition of the old school review we are heading back to world championship wrestling for the first time in over 13 months since we last visited uncle teds promotion. Last time out in wcw the company was in the midst of it's biggest ever boom period with the nWo taking over and cruiser weights tearing it up week in week out which resulted in wcw resoundingly beating the WWF in the ratings during the Monday night war era. On this review we will be taking a look at wcw the last 13 months and what the company had done right and very wrong during this period. As well as the nWo angle, the rise of a young rookie called Bill Goldberg who is now WCW World Heavyweight Champion and the Monday night war in general from this period of time in pro wrestling history.
The Last Great Hope: Bill Goldberg
When we last visited WCW the company was on one if it's hottest streaks ever as americas number one wrestling promotion. The company was only going to get better coming out of the summer of 1997 in part thanks to the sting vs the nWo angle. Sting was viewed by many longtime wcw fans as the one guy who could vanquish wcw of it's unwanted invaders the nWo. Coming into the fall of 97 sting silently stalked and watched from the rafters as wcw was ingulfed by the nWo. The fans were clearly telling wcw (with reactions towards stinger gaining momentum week after week) it was time for the stinger to rid wcw of the nWo. So the company made it official following wcw Halloween havoc 97 and announced sting would face Hollywood Hulk Hogan for the WCW World Heavyweight title at the company's biggest ppv of the year Starrcade. During this time Bret the Hitman hart fresh off being screwed by WWF and shawn Michaels at that years survivor series and was the hottest free agent in pro wrestling and was finally a wcw performer so how did Eric Bischoff treat the Hitman on his big arrival. Maybe your thinking at starrcade he would be in a big debut match against randy savage or someone else in the nWo. Well no, none of that happened as wcw in the informant wisdom booked hart to serve as a special guest enforcer for the hogan/sting title match at starrcade. So wrestling biggest babyface in the last 10 years, the man who had just been screwed by vince was booked as a pawn in the ongoing nWo vs WCW war. At starrcade your thinking sting beat hogan right? Well sort of. You see wcw booked something nobody wanted to see and that was a screwy finish on it's biggest show of the year (they would copy this trend until it's death) which didn't give the fans what they wanted and by reactions alone it was clear the people wanted sting to beat hogan and destroy the nWo for good. The finish in question saw hogan pin sting 1,2 and 3 in one of the flattest moments in pro wrestling history. Wcw fans had just seen there hero beaten convincingly by hogan and what is a urban legend in wrestling is the deal that night was that it was supposed to be a fast count. But if you've seen the match like I have then I'm sure your agree it didn't look like no fast count on sting that night. Anyway Bret hart grabbed a microphone and said "no this isn't happening again and restarted the match. Sting then grabbed hogan and placed him in a scorpion death lock and hogan sort of shook his head and Bret rung the bell. Yep after nearly two years of build by wcw the whole pay off ended in a whimper, yes fans rejoiced as sting raised up the wcw title that night but the longterm damage this result would have on wcw as a whole would be disastrous. As wcw entered 1998 JJ Dillion announced on nitro that due to the conterversary surrounding the way starrcade main event ended the wcw title was being held up. Eventually JJ announced sting would wrestle hogan for vacant wcw title at wcw superbrawl. On that night sting defeated hogan in what should have been the starrcade finish but it wasn't the end of the nWo. In fact in 1998 the group became much stronger and wcw in 1998 felt like it did in 1996 because let's face it not a hell of a lot had happened at all in the last two years. The evil heel (well cool heels) group of the nWo still exsisted and worst of all hulk hogan and his buddies were still on top of wcw why sting, lex luger, the giant and DDP (even hart who by now thanks to wcw horrible mistreatment of him was just another guy) where all playing second fiddle to hogan and it got even worse when nWo black and white split and nWo wolfpac was created. It was just simply as wcw put more of the same and to make matters worst one of wcw few draws sting even turned heel and joined the group without little or no explaination. This upset the lockeroom no end including the misused under and mid card guys like Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerrero and Dean Malenko who felt in wcw there was no upward momentum because guys like hogan and Nash held them down but this didn't bother Bischoff as he always had the Tuesday morning ratings to point out what he was Doing was best for business. Then it happened as raw beat nitro for the first time in 84 weeks on April 13th. This sent Bischoff into panic mode as he started to give away big matches his fans would have paid to see for free on nitro each week. It sounds great in theory but in reality but by giving away these matches for free Bischoff essentially left a hell of a lot of money on the table in doing so. The biggest of the matches which were given away for free was undefeated rookie of bill Goldberg (who was white hot in the spring/summer of 98) vs Hollywood hulk hogan (who had regained the wcw title from sting rather to quickly following super brawl). The match would have done blockbuster numbers on ppv if built up right but Bischoff had little patience during this period and was so obsessed with beating vince and the WWF even if it was for just a week. The match was set for July 6th in wcw own backyard of Atlanta Georgia at the world famous Georgia dome. Hogan who's popularity was beginning to dip at the time knew that as turner representive would be on hand to watch the match would see he drew the house (wcw drew 55,000 for this show in fact as ticket sales proved throughout 98 it was the name wcw which was drawing because wcw sold out enough arenas months in advance without even one match announced for the show, this Georgia dome show was no different) and had lost cleanly to Goldberg it would help his contract negations which were on going at the time. So basically hogan agreed to lose after originally it was set that hogan would face Goldberg in a non title match on this show because get this Bischoff agreed with hogan he would be the man to hand Goldberg his first defeat at that years starrcade. On the night it looked like too the world Goldberg had beaten hogan clean and was wcw newest saviour but like sting he would play second fiddle to hogan. It was during this time bischoff went insane as the war intensified signing Dennis rodman (who had been a draw the previous year but by now was less of a star as the press had moved onto someone else) to a cool 2 million deal for 3 appearances. Wcw also signed up another NBA player during this period Karl Marlone (who was proberly the best mainstream star since Lawrence taylor to wrestle as unlike the worm he actually took his role seriously and was a Massive fan of wrestling) who signed a similar deal to rodmans. After flushing all that ppv money away Bischoff went and threw a couple more million of it away on these two but wcw at this point was still making some much jack thanks to house show and merchandising revenue. It all lead to wcw BATB 98 where hogan and rodman beat Marlone and page in your typical hogan main event which also went over 38 minutes which is far to long in my opinion. Meanwhile Goldberg destroyed Curt Hennig in 3 minutes to retain the wcw title as for Hennig he was nowhere near the top of card in 98 so why he was number 1 contender well I guess I would have to ask eric. Eric was more and more irrate the WWF was beginning to pull away in the ratings war so made another huge mistake by signing talk show host Jay Leno to wrestle a one off at wcw next ppv Road Wild. With rodman and Marlone you can sort of understand at least those guys where athletes but Leno he was an out of shape talk show host who had little if any athletic background. At road wild jay and DDP beat Bischoff and hogan in another crappy main event and where was Goldberg well he yet again played second fiddle. As he beat 8 guys who Were no longer over or were no longer draws, he did provide a rememberable sight as he gave the near 500 pound the giant a jackhammer to win the match. Then Bischoff capped it off with the announcement wcw had signed the ultimate warrior the early 90's star was back in wrestling and in wcw but his signing pissed off just about everybody when it was announced Bischoff had signed warrior to a massive deal similar to that of rodman, Marlone and Leno who all made up to 2 Million depending in who you believe. Warrior debuted on nitro on august 17th on the show he cut a long winded promo and announced the formation of his own group to appose Hollywood hulk hogans nWo group which he called one warrior nation (get it it's nWo spelled backwards) and immdently began to appear and disappear at will with the aide of some "Magic Smoke". Warrior also could appear in mirrors and talk to hogan as well as converting ed 'Disciple' Lesile in some very strange homoerotic angles (anyone want to remember the bondage scene with the two, I've tried to forget it but there is some things I can't unforget during this period, thanks wcw) which took place on nitro between the two at the time. So we've arrived at the show and I guess your wondering well how could it all go so wrong in a year. But I will let you know this dear reader thankfully things can and will get worst for wcw and this show is up there with the worst.
WCW Fall Brawl 98 PPV Results 09/13/98, Winston Salem, North Carolina The Joel Lawerance Veterans Memorail Coliseum Att: 11,528 (sell out, no comps), PPV Buy Rate: 365,000
Before I start This verison of the show I'm watching is from the wwe network I did try to locate it by other means but alas I couldn't find it. We open the show with a lame music video package which does very little to explain the stories leading into this show. Tony Schaivone, Bobby Hennan and Mike Tenay, as the announcers talk about the main event the crowd chant we want flair. We are thrown backstage where the cat Ernest Miller is arguing with security officers in a hall way but the announce team never explain why this is happening. We're then thrown to the stage where Mean Gene Oaklund is talking about the main event when in walks the lionheart Chris Jericho. Who rips into Goldberg (this feud caused WCW politics to end it before it should have been ended and one of the many reason jericho would jump to wwe in under a year) Jericho announces he will be wrestling goldberg tonight and he will the first double champion in Wcw history as at the time jericho was also wcw world television champion.
Tag Team Match: The British Bulldog and Jim Niedheart Vs The Dancing Fools Alex Wright and Disco Inferno
Before I start this match I have to add that this match was the match which first resulted in Davey boy taking a bad bump on a trap door which contained the warrior so he could make his mysterious entrance. Anyway bulldog was laid up in a hospital bed on all sort of pain medication and good ole wcw fired him which caused a lot of resentment between the wrestlers and Mangerment as an awful lot of wrestlers felt if the same happened to them then those guys would also be fired. It sent such a bad message to the lockeroom at it lead many wrestlers who were injured rushing back before they should have and morale in the lockeroom plummeted because of this one injury. It wasn't the biggest thing to happen during wcw history but the ramifications were still being felt many years later when a glut of talent all but suddenly died and the wrestling business was exposed by the media as a dirty business something that the media still like to bring up today. As for me personally if wcw hadn't added a 90 day injury Claus into its contract (which at the time wcw felt protected them from wrestlers who used and abused the system for years so they could sit at home and collect fat pay checks for doing nothing). Into the match then as Davey boy and the das wonder kid start out. Early on Davey complains Wright used his hair to gain the advantage while Wright had a headlock on him. Davey then uses Wright hair to gain the advantage over Wright and backs him up into the corner and hammers away. Smith gives Wright a military press and tags in the anvil while Wright tags disco. Not much at all happens between the two with the two mostly stalling and using cheap heat tactics to advance the match. By this point hennan had all but given up and here the once mighty hennan is a shell of his former self. Disco gives anvil a drop toe hold and stomps on anvils back. Disco counters a back drop by anvil and gives anvil a dropkick.
Anvil comes back with a powerslam and tags Davey who unloads into discos back with stiff shots but disco makes a tag and in comes Wright who starts dancing (by this point the dancing gimmick of Wright has long out lived its welcome). Arm drag by Wright to Davey who then Irish whips Davey from one side of the ring to the other. Atomic drop by bulldog to Wright but Wright Takes out Davey with a dropkick and tags in disco. Davey gains advantage by tossing disco to the outside and anvil goes to work on Gilberti. Disco runs into a knee from Davey and he takes a big bump off of the knee. Disco and Davey have an ackward exchange which the crowd boos then Davey tags anvil and Davey has the look of pain on his face. Anvil works over disco as the crowd chant we want flair. Flying Shoulder tackle by anvil to disco who bounces into his partner and tags him in. Wright comes in as Davey is tagged and Wright gives him a hip toss and back body drop (this was the spot which caused Davey to get injured as the look on his face told me that really hurt). Davey is back up (not to quickly) and continues to proceed with the match which in my book makes you either insane or one tough son of a bitch. European upper cut by Wright to Davey who is clearly in serious trouble he's not just hurt but blown up as well. Bulldog is then slammed by Wright right onto his back (what a way to protect your fellow wrestler Alex). Anyway there is some miscommunication (I'm guessing Davey told disco to go home early) and Davey gives disco a running powerslam for the 1,2 and 3.
Your Winners: Davey Boy Smith and Jim Niedheart
Average opener which I couldn't suspend by disbelief for because of knowing what happened during it. This wasn't a good way to open the show, last year we got a awesome tag team match as wrath and Mortis beat Glacier and The Cat to open the show. This year we get a tag team match where one team clearly isn't over at all and the other team is well past its prime. It's to the back as mean gene and he announces it may not be bother vs brother tonight then in walks scott Steiner who has a band aide in his arm. He says "I'm banged up gene and I have a doctors note to excuse me from wrestling tonight". Gene claims it's bogus and in walks championship commitee member JJ Dillion who takes a look at the note and he claims it's bogus and makes steiner wrestle by claiming if steiner doesn't wrestle tonight he will be barred from wcw for life.
WCW World Television Title Match: Chris Jericho (Champion) Vs "Goldberg"
Jericho mocks goldbergs entrance by getting lost in the back with his own personal security crew which includes Ralphus (a wcw truck driver) after a few minutes of comedy Jericho finds his way to the entrance and walks to the ring. Goldbergs music plays and the announcers say at long last goldberg is going to shut up Jericho. Some Pryo goes off then when it stops it's Gillberg (no it isn't actually but it looked like Dwayne Gill). The announcers say this is a disgrace as Bobby laughs then tony adds it would take 3 men like the one who's in the ring to be anything like Goldberg. Jericho smirks as the bell rings and he easily takes control of this imposter with a hip toss and drop kick. The crowd chant Goldberg very loudly as Jericho takes some of the imposter offensive which he sells (sort of). Jericho comes back and slaps on the liontammer (walls of Jericho) to get the victory.
Your Winner: Chris Jericho
A very quick comedy bout which sort of serves it's propose to continue a feud which isn't going to be a feud come next month. I'd say this was a wasted opportunity by wcw the crowd were clearly into this but as usual in wcw during this period politics put the kibosh to it and a feud which could have actually spiked interest in both men and make Goldberg and Jericho bigger stars coming out of it. Afterwards Jericho celebrates with the toy world title the impostor had worn to the ring as were thrown to the back were Rick steiner is with the Internet guys and he answers some question about scott Steiner and says "he can't even trust his own blood". A video is shown which was shot earlier in the day as Mike Tenay who's with the Armstrong brothers it's interrupted by the cat who says why are you giving tv time to these guys i'm the greatest says the cat then the cat gives brad a cheap shot.
Singles Match: Ernest 'The Cat' Miller Vs Norman Smiley
The cat has a microphone and begins to talk about how much of a big star he is because he is a 3 time World karate champion. He says he could take norman apart then he says to norman "I'm a brother your a brother so I'm giving you 10 seconds to get out of here". The cat turns his back but norman isn't going anywhere and he attacks the cat from behind (again as I've said many times before on this review who is the face and heel here). This match was the pits the crowd couldn't have cared less and the cats offensive is so weak looking that I can not take him seriously whatsoever. Norman meanwhile elects no noise from this crowd during his piss poor comeback. It ended after a few minutes of no one caring whatsoever with the cat nailing smiley with a spin kick.
Your Winner: The Cat
This match was awful and as I said above was the pits. If you like bad wrestling matches with two guys who have weak looking offensive then this is the match for you. It offended me so much I didn't even want to review it blow for blow like I do with every match on this review. Afterwards the cat screams I'm the greatest but no one seems to care. A video package airs on the near six month build of Rick vs scott Steiner, this package was a hell of a lot better than the shows opening package.
Brother Vs Brother Match: Rick Steiner Vs Scott Steiner/With Buff Bugwell
Scott stalls on the outside by flexing for the fans in the front row then after a few moments Rick and scott unload on one another in the middle of the ring as the crowd comes unglued. Rick gives scott a massive belly to belly suplex and a powerslam then begins to hammer scott in the corner. The two "brothers" brawl on the outside and take it into the crowd as buff literally craps himself on the outside. Back in the ring scott counters another belly to belly with a low blow as the referee is distracted by buff. Steiner slows the pace of the match to a crawl with more stalling and flexing. Back on the outside scott throws Rick into the ring steps then gives him a guillotine across the guardrail. Back in the ring scott gives Rick a clothesline to monster heat from the crowd. Rick mans up by nailing scott with a ddt then he grabs buff who pops up on the apron and scott attacks Rick from behind and tosses Rick back to the outside. The two brawl some more on the outside then return to the ring and exchange left and rights in the middle of the ring and the crowd explores again. The announcers bring up buffs neck injury who by now is selling the fact he is seriously hurt but the crowd don't buy it chanting bullshit. The Match is temporarly stopped as EMT tend to buff, scott and Rick both show worry towards buff. Meanwhile the crowd ain't buying it chanting bullshit yet again but wcw delaying it then makes the crowd fall silent but some still ain't buying it. Out comes a stretcher and some more medical staff who strap a neck brace on buff as Rick tells his brother you better not be lying to me. The announcers bring up buffs previous neck issues and say we have to give buff the benefit of the dealt here. After what seems like forever buff is put on the strecther as Rick looks on worried. Scott leaves with buff as Rick follows as they leave going off into the back and the crowd boos. In the back wrestlers (heels and babyface) arrive and ask if buff is ok to which scott says "it ain't good guys. Eric Bischoff is there as buff is loaded into an ambulance and Scott gets in the ambulance with him then the ambulance goes to leave but Scott and buff burst out and attack Rick from behind but security break it up. Tony calls this the biggest disgrace in wcw (didn't he say that already) and claims the nWo had fooled us again and apologies for the NWO actions this evening.
Non Contest
I'm guessing wcw wanted to continue this feud for another month at least as this feud ended at the next months world war 3 PPV after Rick overcome some more silly nwo antics. It's right into match number 5 and then I realised its silver king so this cruiser weight match ain't going to be as good as it could have been if it was rey Mysterio, Psicosis, LA Parka, Hector Garza or Eddie Guerrero in silver kings spot, hell it could have been anyone as long as it's not silver king.
WCW World Cruiser Weight Title a Match: Juventud Gerrera (Champion) Vs Silver King
The two exchange knife edge chops in mid ring to start out then Juventud nails king with a headscissors. Silver king rolls to the outside and sticks out his tongue into the camara. Back in the ring juvie springboards to the top rope and comes off with a huancanrana and then king nails juvie with tilt a whirl side slam for a near fall. King poses to the crowd and they boo him, king stomps juvie and pins him but only gets a 2 count. Some fans chant boring well silver king is but juventud not so much. Monkey flip by silver king sends juvie up and over to the outside he then nails juvie with a springboard planca going up and over to the outside. Back in the ring king goes for a powerbomb but counters it into a sunset flip but king botches it and both men fall over. Juvie nails king with a spinning heel kick and springboards back up to the top rope and nails king with another huancanrana but juvie only gets a two count. Standing side kick by king to juvie and he pins him for a two count and the crowd don't react at all to the near fall. King goes up top and juvie follows him up and gives king a reverse Frankensteiner and gets a near fall (that should have been the finish). Roll up for king out of nowhere for another near fall then both men get up and juvie gives king a juvie driver and a 450 splash for the 1,2 and 3.
Your Winner: And Still WCW World Cruiserweight Champion Juventud Gerrera
Very average cruiser weight title match which last year was the companies saving grace for hardcore fans. I didn't enjoy it but then maybe that's because I really can't stand silver king and probably cant fairly review his matches because I hate him that much. Afterwards they show a video package of all the big moves from that previous match. Back into the Internet location where Konnon is. He brings up scott hall and in walks hall who sounds incredibly drunk as he is slurring his words. A video package airs on the feud between Saturn and Raven as that Match is up next.
Raven's Rules Match: Raven/with The Flock Vs Saturn
This mach had too many stipulations added to it with Kaynon being handcuffed at ringside as well as if Perry saturn wins he is free of the flock but if he loses he will be Ravens servant for life. JJ DIllion and doug dillenger are out and handcuff a recultant Kaynon to the ring post at ringside. Raven grabs the microphone and raven says "saturn has been an embrasement to himself and the flock". Saturn says it "doesn't matter if he wins or loses because he has his integrity back". Raven takes control early on by attacking Saturn from behind he then nails Saturn with a high knee lift and raises his out arms to monsterous heat from this hot crowd. Saturn eventually fires up and unloads on raven skull with a big right hands. Saturn goes up top and nails raven with a big splash but only gets a two count. Saturn offers for raven to leave and raven tries to leave but Saturn grabs him and goes to suplex raven back into the ring but drops raven stomach first onto the outside. Saturn plancas out onto raven but then is attacked by Lodi as tenay mentions this match is under Ravens rules. Back in the ring snapmere by raven and he goes up to the second rope and drops an elbow onto Saturn for a near fall. Short arm clothesline to Saturn from raven and then raven tells Saturn to quit. Sleeper hold by raven to Saturn as both guys need a rest, eventually Saturn counters the hold with a jaw breaker. Both men are hurt but Ravens up first and he covers Saturn for another near fall. Backslide by Saturn to raven only gets Perry a two count, raven nails Saturn with a clothesline and celebrates. Russian leg sweep by raven gets raven a two count on Saturn he goes for the cover over and over until Saturn low blows raven. Both men recover pulling themsevles up in the corner then raven charges Saturn and rams his shoulder into Saturns gut. Lodi introduces a chair and raven gives Perry a drop toe onto the chair for another two count. Horace (Hogan) Boulder and Johnny Swinger (members of the flock) walk out holding a table while raven holds Saturn up and tells billy kidman to go to the top rope. Kidman comes off but nails raven instead (unexpected babyface turn). The crowd go wild as kidman mouths something to raven as the rest of the flock chase Kidman into the back as Saturn gets up and now realises it's finally going to be 1 on 1 (sort of). Saturn picks up raven and drills him with a Death Valley driver and gets the 1,2 no as Lodi shows back up and pulls the referee out of the ring. The crowd chant Saturn over and over as raven goes for a lariat but Saturn gives him a t-bone suplex and a belly to belly. Scoop slam by Saturn and a leg drop and covers raven for another near fall. The crowd is really hot now and chanting Saturns name over and over then raven gives Saturn an inside cradle and gets a two count. Saturn then applies rings of Saturn but lodis back but Perry takes him out by giving him a belly to belly suplex. Then raven whips Saturn into the corner but Saturn squashes referee mikey Jay by accident. Kaynon steals the keys from Mikey Jay's pocket and unlocks himself and gives Saturn a flatliner. Kaynon picks up the referee as raven covers Saturn and referee Mikey Jay counts 1,2 but no Perry just kicks out and the crowd explodes as they probably felt as did I that was it for Saturn. Saturn nails Kaynon with a t-bone suplex then grabs Lodi and gives him a Death Valley driver from the ring apron driving lodi through the table set up earlier at ringside by swinger and Boulder. Saturn is selling on the outside (I don't blame him he did just take the brunt of that table spot) and raven is selling in the ring. Saturn crawls into the ring but raven catches him with the even flow ddt and Mikey counts 1,2 no again as Saturn kicks out to the delight of the crowd. Raven argues with the referee as Saturn recovers he grabs raven and drills raven with a Death Valley driver for 1,2 and 3.
Your Winner: Perry Saturn
At long last we get a good match and oh boy did this show need a good match at this point after 6 useless matches. Raven was at the top of his game here he was super over as a heel and set up a match which really would put over his real life buddy Saturn and this crowd ate it up. The crowd made Saturn look like a star and he actually wrestled like one as well and by this point your thinking wcw has created a bona fide star but by the next time we visit wcw for some reason I think easy e will probably have dropped the ball with this guy. Tony announces that debra duggan has news on her husband Jim and he says "the doctors had successfully removed the tumour from his lung" and was kicking cancers ass. I had totally forgotten about duggans illness and during a show which had so many bad things on it this was a nice little get well soon message from wcw something Davey boy smith would not have. A video airs on the feud between Malenko and Hennig it wasn't a video just a recap of all the major angles these too were involved in leading up to this match.
Singles Match: Curt Hennig/with Rick Rude Vs Dean Malenko
Malenko jumps in the ring and goes right after Hennig by punching him in the head and then stomping Hennig over and over in the corner. The crowd let out a massive we want flair chant as the two begin to brawl on the outside. Rude tries to interfere but Malenko beats him down on the outside. Back in the ring Malenko goes to work on the knee of Hennig as he drops his own knee over and over into Hennig knee. Hennig is selling the knee perfectly (did you like that) and yells out my knee over and over. Malenko goes for a funk spinning toe hold but Hennig boots him off. Chops by Hennig to Malenko but the iceman isn't having it as he fires the chops back at Hennig chest. Suplex by Malenko and a headscissors to Hennig for a near fall. Single leg take down and Malenko teases the Texas cloverleaf and the crowd are on the edge of there seats for that move. Malenko continues to pile on pain to Hennig's leg then rude gives Malenko a cheap shot and him and Hennig try to leave. Malenko is back up and brawls with both men in the aisle way. Back in the ring Malenko drops his arse onto Hennig's knee and then applies a leg grape vine but rude pulls Hennig to the ropes. Malenko is relentless applying another grape vine but Hennig counters it with a foot to Malenkos jaw. Forearm smash from Hennig to Malenko and he goes for the Hennig plex but can't do it because of his injured knee. Malenko counters it and gives Hennig a perfect plex of his own and gets the 1,2 but no 3 as in comes Rick rude who causes the DQ. Arn anderson runs out but rude and Hennig attack anderson's neck and arm (Arn suffered a serious neck injury which ended his career) but the damage is done as Malenko saves double a from the 2 on 1 attack.
Your Winner: By DQ Dean Malenko
I was genuinely displeased by the cheap DQ finish, hell couldn't wcw have put over Malenko. This crowd seemed more than happy to accept Malenko as a babyface but alas wcw did the usual and dropped the ball and refused to send a up and comer over a veteran (something that would hurt the company by the end of the year). A video is shown promoting wcw Halloween havoc 98, spoilers hogan and warrior have a dire match which was critical panned by almost everyone and would be by myself if I would review it.
Singles Match: Scott Hall/with Vincent Vs Konnon
During his entrance hall seems to be filling the effects of a drink or two and he's into the wrong ring and can barley get up to the second rope. Right I shell address this right here right now. Who's stupid idea was it to encourage hall to act this way in real life he was having a very real life battle with the booze. In fact in 98 alone hall wrecked 5 different rental cars, groped an elderly lady and just about pissed all of his colleagues (who still gave a fuck about wcw at this point) who felt he was unprofessional when he showed up in no condition to perform but as this was wcw they still sent him out there and had him play up the fact that he was drunk. This chracther development was just plain stupid and only made hall worst in the long run (how many times did no show for TNA in the early noughties). Anyway hall grabs a microphone and says "hey yo" as Vincent comes in with a drink for him. Hall can barley put his drink into his mouth then he asks to take a survey. He says "are you here to see wcw (no reaction) or are you Here to see the nwo" (the crowd sing along). He asks are you here to see the original nwo or the wolfpac (the crowd boo black&white but pop for the wolfpac). He then finishes with the old saying "that's another victory for the good guys" (ok scott whatever). Konnon is very much over and I'm wondering why this crowd is still so hot after watching so much crap. To start the match hall keeps going from one ring to the other (if your not familiar with fall brawl/war games ppv wcw always set up two rings against one another) with a big smile on his face. Eventually k-Dogg is all over hall in the ring with a clothesline, side slam and a top wrist take down. Hall is deliberately having a bad match here or is he you decide as he does hardly anything. Rolling lariat by Konnon to hall then hall rolls in between the two rings but Konnon decided to stomp on him as hall is wedged in between the two rings. Hall crawls out under the ring and goes to Vincent and he takes a swig for the working man of his drink Vincent is holding. Back in the ring both men lock up as the announcers make drinking jokes aimed at hall. Hall grabs Konnon's arm and drives his knee into Konnon back as both men need a moment or two to have a rest. Konnon gets up but hall takes him back down by now this hold has been on forever and my interest in this match is beginning to fade. Konnon eventually breaks the hold but hall nails Konnon with a fall away slam for a two count. Abdormal stretch by hall and Vincent hands hall his drink and takes another swig for the working man. Again these two work this spot to death as the crowd begin to switch off. Konnon counters the Abdormal stretch and the crowd lets out a groan. The match picks up a little pace but the crowd is almost dead by now, hall sends Konnon into the corner and puts Konnon on the top rope. Hall goes up top and back drops Konnon to the mat below for a near fall. Hall takes another swig of his drink as Vincent tells hall "you've got to finish him". Konnon recovers and nails hall with another side slam and applies the tequila sunrise and hall taps out.
Your Winner: Konnon
Another crappy match which featured way to many rest holds which put his reviewer to sleep. Honestly that's another stinker and the main event is next, maybe it will get better right? And this main event can save this show. Then the announcers throw it to the ring where MIchael buffer is in the ring (yep that expensive arsehole is still around to say his famous catchphrase of are you ready to rumble).
Main Event War Games Double Ring Double Cage 3 Team Match: Team WCW DDP, Rowdy Roddy Piper and The Warrior Vs nWo Hollywood Hollywood Hulk Hogan, Bret Hart and Stevie Ray Vs nWo Wolfpac Kevin Nash, Sting and Lex Luger
The cage begins to lower as buffer announces the new rules for this years war games. He says "there will be 3 participants on each team consisting of nine men in total in the match beyond war games". He adds "that two men will start which was determined in a random draw" (the announce team hyped on about this random draw all night and we didn't even get a backstage vignette to see this draw all we got was tenay confirming Bret hart and DDP had drawn numbers 1 and 2 respectively). Buffer continues with "Those two men will then wrestle for 5 minutes and after that another men will enter then after that the rest of the wrestlers will enter every 2 minutes". Buffer says "This match has no time limit and the winner would be number one contender to Bill goldbergs wcw world title (so basically wcw took the team concept out of war games, so why would any of these men team together when a world title shot was on the line, this made no sense to me whatsoever). DDP is our first he gets a great reaction from this crowd in Salem. Bret hart is out next and he gets a mixed reaction from the crowd (fans at the time didn't know how to react to hart as wcw had turned hart heel when he joined nWo Hollywood, again this made no sense less than a year after Montreal, Surely the Hitman should have been a face considering how he was still fresh off his screwing in Montreal). Both men lock up to start the match, hart backs DDP into the corner and beats DDP down with stiff right hands. Arm ringer by Bret to DDP and he begins to work over the arm. DDP mounts a comeback with punches of his own and then gives Bret a belly to belly suplex and page covers Bret. Hold up a minute DDP covers Bret, why the rest of his team mates haven't entered yet and the other combatants haven't entered yet. So why are they going for covers and now what's the point in doing this when it makes no sense. Just Think about it for a second Wouldn't it be to your advantage to be number 1 or 2 because you get 5 minutes to win a world title before the other combatants enter (this was the nonsensical side to the booking of this show). I guess it's true what they say you shouldn't mess with a winning formula as wcw (Bischoff) have made what was once a pretty great match with logical rules and that was once all your team mates had entered then you could go for win. In this scanerio what's stopping teammates from wanting to help one another when in all logical sense they would be out there for themsevles to try and win a title shot and what's stopping hart or page knocking out the referee stealing the padlock key from him and locking themsevles in the cage so others can't enter (just thinking about this giant plot hole is making my head hurt). Hart whips page into the corner then gives him a ddt. Penzer announces that 2 minutes had elapsed while hart chokes DDP in the corner. Hart continues to stall (which also made no sense why isn't he going for the win). Back breaker by Bret and then he drops his head into DDP gut. Hart picks up DDP but DDP catches Bret in an arm bar as penzer announces 4 minutes have elapsed. Hart and DDP work the arm spot with 15 seconds remaining in this period. Hart whips DDP into the corners as stevie Ray makes his way to the ring and like war games of old the heel team has the one man advantage. Ray and hart double team DDP and beat him down in the corner then DDP comes back with a double flying clothesline. Ray nails DDP with a side kick and the announcers even point out the fact that stevie should have gone for the pin. Sting is out next but he's meet at the door by stevie. Eventually sting enters ring 2 and nails Ray with a gut shot, stevie falls from one ring to the other but sting flys from one ring to the other and splashes Ray to a massive pop. While Hart had DDP in one corner and chokes him while sting has the upper hand on Ray in the other. Sting grinds rays face across the steel cage while hart continues to stomp a downed DDP. Both hart and DDP nail one another with a clothesline at the same time while sting continues to beat down Ray. Out next is Rowdy Roddy Piper who comes out to the ring with a crazed look on his face. Piper attacks everyone even his team mates as tenay mentions it's every man for themselves. Piper hot entrance soon cools off as he stumbles around trying to look convincing but by this point he's all but washed up and a shell of his former self. Out next is Lex Luger who elects quiet a reaction from this crowd, like piper he comes in with the crowd on fire but once he begins to wrestle the crowd go quiet again. Luger stomps piper and then works over Ray but then piper catches luger in a sleeper but he counters it by picking up piper and crotching him on the top rope. Out next is Kevin Nash who gets some Pryo he comes in and clears house by giving Bret and DDP a big boot and nailing stevie with a side slam. Hulk Hogan sneaks out to the ring and enters the cage as the announcers wonder why he is out here as tenay points out that there is still a minutes and 37 seconds on the clock. Meanwhile in ring number 2 luger puts Bret in a Torture rack but hogan stops the Hitman from quitting by nailing lex with a slap Jack. Hogan nails nash, piper and sting all from behind with the slap Jack as Ray helps hogan beat down nash and luger. Hogan drops a leg drop onto nash as him and Ray celebrate and the crowd chant hogan sucks. Then the dry ice begins to fill the ring and you can clearly hear a number of wrestlers cough (kayfabe killing spot). As the smoke disappears the warrior is standing in mid ring pounding on his chest as hogan looks on worried. Hogan attacks warrior from behind them some more dry ice is pumped into the ring and more coughing from "unconscious" wrestlers. When the smoke clears hogan is holding warriors jacket but there is no warrior (he's under the ring as this stunt was performed with the aide of the trap door which hurt bulldog earlier). Then some Pryo explodes and out runs the warrior because the other warrior hogan had just attacked wasn't actually warrior it was wcw warrior rip off the Renegade (making his last ever wcw appearance and national wrestling promotion appearance as soon after the renegade would shoot and kill himself). Warrior enters the cage and goes on the attack taking out Ray and hogan. Meanwhile hogan crawls out of the ring into the awaiting arms of the disciple and they padlock the cage shut. Warrior is a crazed man and he kicks at the cage bursting it open in the process and he climbs out of the cage and runs after hogan (believe it or not warrior tore his quad during this whole mess). Back in the ring Ray and hart try to nail DDP with the slap Jack but Ray accidently nails the Hitman with the slap Jack. DDP then nails Ray with a diamond cutter to get the 1,2 and 3.
Your Winner: Diamond Dallas Page
What a good awful logic killing match with no redeeming features whatsoever. As I've pointed out many times already this GOD AWFUL match MADE NO SENSE whatsoever FUCKING EVER (can you tell if I'm a little bit mad after watching this crap). Afterwards the crowd barley react as most of them had there attention elsewhere (on warrior and hogan who were still in the aisleway) then the ppv just suddenly cuts to black and that's it folks.
Rating, Round Up & Match of the Night
So what do you say about a PPV that is arguably in the top ten of all time worst wrestling PPV that hasn't already been said. Obviously the booking of the main event finish was awful whoever thought the dry ice pumping into the ring while the match was underway was just woeful. Obviously this was crazy as the crowd couldn't see or acknowledge what was happening. Then there was all that coughing you all could loudly hear from the "unconscious" wrestlers. It was as Kayfabe killing as it comes and WcW not the wrestlers have themsevles to blame for that one. Also the finish was far to rushed as warrior and hogan were barley out of the aisle as DDP nailed Ray with the diamond cutter to get the winning pinfall and DDP big moment was ruined because the crowds attention was elsewhere. WCW obviously wanted to make DDP a worthy challenger to goldberg for next months Halloween Havoc ppv but didn't with this rather flat and rushed finish. I'm sure Buschoff thought the crowd would give DDP a earth shattering pop after beating all of the other eight wrestler (six of which were former world champions) but that's didn't happen because of all the lunacy which was happening on the outside between hogan and warrior. As for the rest of the card the pacing of the show was horribly off because did they really need to book nine matches (4 of which were mercifully short and meant nothing) on a card that needed 5 tops (including the main event). There was so much useless crap on the undercard where last year wcw was excelling that. The show was just plain horrible with bad, nonsensical booking which all but destroyed this show. It was so bad I've decided to give it a minus two out of ten score (yep I hated it that much) not even the mighty Bret hart could save it but then no one could save wcw which is by now in 1998 was seriously heading into a tailspin under eric Bischoff. As for match of the night there can only be one winner it was Saturn v Raven. These two stole the show and worked there butts off to make there match seem important. The real winners were the crowd who remained hot throughout even with all the crap wcw presented to them on that night.
Thank You's
Just want to thank you @JamesPowers33 and @MrPr3sid3nt92 for thom this blog would not be available on the @JWRNetwork and the rest of the team. I would also like to thank the good folks at @SundaySegue as well as all the #SegHeads around the world and to the fellow wrestling folk group on Facebook. As for next month it's another "Special" which diverts from this timeline (of 1998) as I will be reviewing the first ever (sort of) War Games match as well as the 1992 verison of the match and the 2000 verison of the match as well as a special look at the history behind dusty rhodes most famous creation the war games match. So until then as Bill apter would say see you at the matches.
By Billy_Jay_222
@billy222me or @RantsWrestle
