WCW Uncensored 1996
When I decided I was going to cover this PPV, that was the moment I realized I was a masochist. If you're not familiar with this PPV, it's the one that features the awful, bafflingly booked Doomsday Cage Match, a three-tier cage pitting the Mega Powers against The Alliance to End Hulkamania... What a nightmare this is. We'll get to it later on, because this is what caps off the PPV, and admittedly I don't know how the rest of this show fares, so let's get into it.
Our opening video package shows the members of the above mentioned Alliance talking about getting rid of Hogan, while repeating Doomsday repeatedly, followed by Jimmy Hart laughing maniacally for some reason.
We're live from the Tupelo Coliseum in Tupelo, Mississippi for the 2nd annual Uncensored PPV. On commentary we have Tony Schiavone, Dusty Rhodes and the late Bobby "the Brain" Heenan. Production has Dusty and Bobby's names switched on the graphic that pops up. They hype up the Doomsday Cage, which has been set up by the entrance way, away from the usual ring in the middle of the arena.
Let's get to our first match.
WCW United States Heavyweight Championship: Eddie Guerrero vs Konnan (c)
Commentary mention that this is the only title match tonight. Konan spends most of the match working Eddie with several submission maneuvers, Commentary mentions how the winner of this will also be #1 contender for the WCW Championship. Eddie gets his own slew of submissions in along with his usual high-flying offense.
Eddie goes up top seemingly for a Frog Splash but Konnan tosses him off, only to be turned into a roll up for a near fall. Konnan off the ropes and Eddie leaps up and... I'm not really sure what happens here. Seemingly Eddie hits Konnan and they fall, Eddie landing crotch first on Konnan's head and commentary are calling it a low blow? I'm kinda confused here. Anyways, Konnan takes advantage and gets the three in 18:31 to retain. Surprised they were given this long, or maybe I just don't know how WCW did things back then. Great match until we got to that confusing ending, but I guess it's meant to protect Eddie, so I don't know.
Konnan helps Eddie back to his feet and goes to raise his hand, but Eddie pushes him off and is visibly pissed. We get replays of the closing moments before we cut to Okerlund.
He's backstage and mentions Col. Parker nervous in the background before he plugs some chat that fans can have with WCW stars, cutting to The Giant at a computer.He calls in Col. Parker and Dick Slater and accuses him for the disappearance of Bunkhouse Buck.. Honestly I didn't understand any of this promo.
Special Grudge Match: Lord Steven Regal (w/ Jeeves) vs The Belfast Bruiser (Fit Finlay)
Finlay smacks Jeeves on his way, and he's got some weird one sleeved jacket.
This is more a fight than anything, stiff shots everywhere with a few rest holds here and there, and even then you've got forearms grinding across the face and more stiff shots. WCW show us their Spanish announce team, with Konnan and Pedro Morales (and some guy named Miguel). Finlay busts Regal's now with a punch right to the face near the end. They fight up to the entrance near the cage, Finlay even gets thrown into it. Blie Bloods come out and attack Finlay and the match ends in a DQ. Finlay wins in 17:32. This match went on way too long for what it was.
Ref tries to pull the Blue Bloods off Finlay but the continue the beatdown, and Regal gets in a slap before they head to the back. Finlay chases after before cutting to Okerlund.
He's in the locker room with The Giant and Jimmy Hart, asking about his match with Loch Ness. Jimmy's full of energy, saying he's gonna prove he's the greatest manager in wrestling. Okerlund announces that the winner of this match will face Flair for the World Title on Nitro the next night. Giant says he can start off with rhymes and riddles, and says he'll smoke Loch Ness like bacon on a griddle (yup). He tells Ric he's gonna tear him limb from limb and he'll become World Champ again before they walk off.
We cut to commentary who talk about the night's first two matches, and they hype up Giant vs Loch Ness. Then they hype up the next match.
Back to Okerlund in the locker room to hype the WCW Hotline before bringing in Loch Ness. He calls Hart a weasel face who brought him over from across the ocean and promised him a shot at Hogan in the Doomsday match, used his power of attorney to take him out. He says he's gonna take it out on Giant, and when he drops 700 pounds on Giant he won't get up. Okerlund says he's gonna have to introduce Loch to his dentist neighbor, Loch staring at him as he turns it back to the arena.
Intergender Match: Madusa vs Col. Robert Parker
Parker goes to shake hands but Medusa just shows him her ass.
Parker pushes Medusa into the corner off a lock up and he poses for the crowd. He does it again but she pushes out, then more posing by him. Medusa gets him in the corner as they lock up and she take him down to the mat. Parker complains about his back. Parker gets her up for an Airplane Spin but she counters into a Sunset Flip for a near fall. She body slams a dizzy Parker to the mat to a pretty good pop. Parker tries to leave while Dick joins him in the aisle.
Another lock up and he picks her up by the neck, then throws her down. Missing an elbow drop, Medusa with a dropkick off the middle rope, then another, Parker rolls back out. Medusa with a crossbody off the top, with a weird catch by Parker.
Back in the ring, Medusa hits a German suplex with a bridge but Slater knocks her feet out, Parker landing on top to get the 3 in 3:48. For what it was, not a terrible match. Parker gets the cheap heat, it didn't go too long, so it's fine by me.
Slater raises Parker's arm while Medusa tries to tell the ref what happens. Parker and Slater leave the ring as we go to replays.
Cut to Lee Marshall in the locker room, with what appears to be a diagram of the Doomsday Cage on a blackboard behind him. The Road Warriors come in, and say it doesn't matter who they go against, they just want to kick everyone's butts. The rest is pretty intense that basically boils down to they're the Road Warriors for a reason, and say they're gonna beat Sting and Booker T tonight in the Chicago Street Fight.
Back in the arena and we cut to commentary and they hype our next match, DDP hoping to get Kimberly and the rest of his money back. They say he's sold his jewelry and tights, and basically broke, and this is his chance tonight. They also hype their next PPV Slamboree, followed by a promo video to hype it up further with it's signature event Lethal Lottery.
Onto our next match:
I Quit Wrestling Match: Diamond Dallas Page vs The Booty Man
Pre-Match Thoughts & Notes: To be clear this isn't an I Quit match. The stipulation is that is DDP loses the match, he has to quit wrestling, if he wins he regains his money and "the booty girl". Page comes out disheveled and what looks like jogging pants, so he's playing up the broke guy role pretty good. If you aren't familiar with The Booy Man, it's one of the many gimmicks used by Ed Leslie, formerly Brutus Beefcake. I'll admit as stupid as his theme is, it's pretty catchy. They mention as an aside that Johnny B. Badd left WCW, who I think was originally DDP's opponent tonight.
They spend the first few minutes taunting and playing to the crowd and stalling for time. Kimberly makes her way out at some point to cheer on Booty Man. As stupid the gimmick is the crowd is completely behind him so that's something I guess. DDP with great heel work, using the ropes for leverage, but overly long rest holds seriously slow things down.
Kimberly distracts DDP and even kisses her, prompting her to slap him and Booty to take advantage, coming off the ropes with a High Knee (get it, High Knee? Hiney? yeah...) for the win in 16:05. Not a terrible match, a bit slow and boring at times and maybe a bit long but it was alright.
Booty plants a big kiss on Kimberly at ringside as they celebrate. DDP is pissed and tries to get his hands on them until Doug Dillinger gets in the way. We go to replays as Booty and Kim head to the back.
Okerlund is with Lex Luger and Jimmy Hart. To things short,, he originally supposed to be in the Street Fight, but Jimmy pulled him out and put him in the Doomsday Cage. He also says this is the last night he's managing Lex, gives him a tacky jacket and runs off. The bell is rung for some reason, even Okerlund hears it, and Lex hypes up the cage match, and mentions how his partner Sting has to go into that match without him. This promo's a bit of a mess but it gets its point across.
The Giant (w/ Jimmy Hart) vs Loch Ness
Pre-Match Thoughts & Notes: You might know Loch Ness better as Giant Haystacks... or you might not. The Giant is better known as The Big Show these days. I kind of like the ominous music Loch Ness has. Giant has this weird green lighting, I guess because they wanna make him look like the Jolly Green Giant?
This doesn't last long, and thankfully so, because this isn't good even for what it is. Loch can barely move as it is and Giant does his best but it's a terrible match. Show hits a side kick and a leg drop and gets the pin in 2:36. Nothing else to say about this.
Jimmy hops around with joy as Giant yells at the camera about winning the title, Jimmy screams something but the audio doesn't pick it up, then we go to replays.
Back to Lee Marshall with Sting, one half of the tag champs and Booker T, one half of Harlem Heat. This basically just Sting and Booker hyping each other up in a pretty intense promo and its pretty good.
Tag Team Chicago Street Fight: The Road Warriors vs Sting & Booker T
It's announced that falls count anywhere. It's strange to have a Chicago Street Fight in Mississippi, but I won't really complain.
Road Warriors waste no time in attacking them in the aisle, tornado tag rules here. I like the picture-in-picture views for the separate fights going on between each pairs.
For some reason Booker starts to head up the aisle and to the back, with Animal in tow. Animal accidentally nails Luger as he's oiling himself up, he and Stevie Ray starts to assault Animal and tie him to a post with some athletic tape.
Booker is back out after Sting misses a Stinger Splash into the barricade. Back in the ring, Booker misses a flip off the top rope, Stevie Ray is down and nails Hawk in the back of the head as he's leaned against the ropes, allowing Booker to get the 3 and the win in 29:44. Entertaining match, pacing was good, Warriors get protected, so I think it was good all around.
Animal screams from the back as he realizes he's lost the match, Sting and Booker celebrate. Commentary mention that Harlem Heat get a title shot now, and we cut back to see Stevie in the back nailing Animal with the chair some more. We go to replays of the closing moments.
We cut to commentary who hype up the main event some more.
THE RULES
Let's be honest, the rules are basically thrown out by the end of this match and it turns into a nonsensical mess, but for the sake of making that clear, here they are. We've got three cages stacked on top of the other, the middle split into two rooms, with a ring set up in the bottom, and two sets of scaffolding on either side of the cage. Each cage will hold a different members of the Alliance: Ric and Arn in the top cage, Taskmaster and Luger in room 1 and Meng and The Barbarian in room 2, and the remaining 2 at the bottom. Hogan and Savage have to start at the top, go through the second and make their way to the bottom, and I believe leave the cage to win, but commentary don't make that all too clear. If Hogan or Savage are pinned or made to submit along the way, the match is over. Heenan puts it best when he says that rules will be thrown out the window, that these guys don't care about rules and are just out to eliminate Hulkamania.
Doomsday Cage Match: The Alliance to End Hulkamania (Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, The Taskmaster, Lex Luger, Meng, The Barbarian, Z-Gangsta & The Ultimate Solution) vs The Mega Powers (Hulk Hogan & "Macho Man" Randy Savage)
Pre-Match Thoughts & Notes: Michael Buffer overhypes this tragedy of a match before he makes the introductions, but it is nice to hear his voice. They set off some pyro to hype it up further. They mention Brian Pillman should be here, so I'm not sure what's up here. As some background, Z-Gangsta is the former Zeus, the villain from No Holds Barred, and Ultimate Solution played Bane in the Batman & Robin.Taskmaster of course is Kevin Sullivan. Hogan and Savage are hot with this crowd.
The first bulk of this match is pretty boring. With the mesh flooring of the cage, they don't wanna do any wrestling moves on it, so most of the action in the first and second cages is punches, chops and slamming each other into the cage. Arn for whatever reason is in track pants and a shirt. Commentary mistake a slam for an elbow drop by Savage. Hogan rips his shirt off which actually gets a pop. Commentary also mention Z-Gangsta and Ultimate Solution are nowhere to be found, despite being introduced, so no idea what's up. We do get a pair of figure 4s by Flair and Arn. Flair drops something into the second cage, Hogan throws some powder and they drop into the second cage.
I think Hart passes Taskmaster a chain through the cage but otherwise this is more of the same, punches chops and slamming into the cage. Commentary are trying desperately to find something to talk about. Hogan tries for a long time to chain the door between rooms closed. Hogan and Sullivan fight onto the scafolding, and Hogan tries to kill him and push him to the floor. Savage fights Luger in the cage while Sullivan tries to kill Hogan now.
So here's where the rules get thrown out, because Hogan and Savage are out of the cage and fight to the ring with Sullivan and Luger, so don't they win this thing? I guess not. Hogan nails Sullivan with a mic and hits him with his boot in the ring. Everyine else leaves the cage as the fight continues. Hogan throws Sullivan face first into the side of the cage, then Savage into the cage.
Hogan and Luger in the ring now, Savage and Sullivan follow, I guess everyone else has just left? Zeus and Bane finally come out and join in on the beatdown. Finally they get into the bottom level of the cage.
Even with a ring this is most attacks and slams into the cage from the ring apron. Arn and Ric come back out, Arn out in his wrestling gear this time and join in on the beat down making this 4 on 2. Jimmy Hart laughing maniacally on the outside. Booty Man comes out with a couple of frying pans, Hogan throws powder in Bane's face and they start taking nailing all 4 with the pans. Luger makes his way in now and nails Hogan and Savage, and he's got a weighted glove I guess. Flair holds up Savage to be hit, and Savage ducks, and Luger stops himself for some reason, then nails Flair anyways? Huh? Hogan and Savage back on the offensive. They go to leave the cage finally, but Savage makes the pin on Ric, but the bell doesn't ring until they both escape the cage? Whatever, this match is finally over in 25:21, Mega Powers win.
Savage is the only one selling the "brutality" of this match, while Hogan has seemingly come out unharmed. Looks like the Luger/Flair thing was planned, commentary brings it up.
Panning to commentary, hoping Luger explains himself the next night on Nitro, also hyping Giant vs Flair for the title. They do their best to save this crap, and there's this weird pause after Dusty talks before Heenan says they can try again tomorrow, before he heads to the back to, I guess talk to the Alliance. We even get a credit roll, that for some reason only has first names? I mean sure why not.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Jesus Christ, to call that match a mess does not do it enough justice. Boring, slow, plodding, and over booking to save Hogan and Savage. Not to mention the fact that 8 guys were incapable of taking these two down, which sounds like Russo level of booking and he wasn't even writing for this show. The rest of the show, at least for the most part was actually pretty good, so there's that. It did kind of bother me that every match had some kind of screwy finish to it though.
I don't know what happens from here on, other than the fact that Giant would go on to win the WCW Title the following night on Nitro from Flair.
Our opening video package shows the members of the above mentioned Alliance talking about getting rid of Hogan, while repeating Doomsday repeatedly, followed by Jimmy Hart laughing maniacally for some reason.
We're live from the Tupelo Coliseum in Tupelo, Mississippi for the 2nd annual Uncensored PPV. On commentary we have Tony Schiavone, Dusty Rhodes and the late Bobby "the Brain" Heenan. Production has Dusty and Bobby's names switched on the graphic that pops up. They hype up the Doomsday Cage, which has been set up by the entrance way, away from the usual ring in the middle of the arena.
Let's get to our first match.
WCW United States Heavyweight Championship: Eddie Guerrero vs Konnan (c)
Commentary mention that this is the only title match tonight. Konan spends most of the match working Eddie with several submission maneuvers, Commentary mentions how the winner of this will also be #1 contender for the WCW Championship. Eddie gets his own slew of submissions in along with his usual high-flying offense.
Eddie goes up top seemingly for a Frog Splash but Konnan tosses him off, only to be turned into a roll up for a near fall. Konnan off the ropes and Eddie leaps up and... I'm not really sure what happens here. Seemingly Eddie hits Konnan and they fall, Eddie landing crotch first on Konnan's head and commentary are calling it a low blow? I'm kinda confused here. Anyways, Konnan takes advantage and gets the three in 18:31 to retain. Surprised they were given this long, or maybe I just don't know how WCW did things back then. Great match until we got to that confusing ending, but I guess it's meant to protect Eddie, so I don't know.
Konnan helps Eddie back to his feet and goes to raise his hand, but Eddie pushes him off and is visibly pissed. We get replays of the closing moments before we cut to Okerlund.
He's backstage and mentions Col. Parker nervous in the background before he plugs some chat that fans can have with WCW stars, cutting to The Giant at a computer.He calls in Col. Parker and Dick Slater and accuses him for the disappearance of Bunkhouse Buck.. Honestly I didn't understand any of this promo.
Special Grudge Match: Lord Steven Regal (w/ Jeeves) vs The Belfast Bruiser (Fit Finlay)
Finlay smacks Jeeves on his way, and he's got some weird one sleeved jacket.
This is more a fight than anything, stiff shots everywhere with a few rest holds here and there, and even then you've got forearms grinding across the face and more stiff shots. WCW show us their Spanish announce team, with Konnan and Pedro Morales (and some guy named Miguel). Finlay busts Regal's now with a punch right to the face near the end. They fight up to the entrance near the cage, Finlay even gets thrown into it. Blie Bloods come out and attack Finlay and the match ends in a DQ. Finlay wins in 17:32. This match went on way too long for what it was.
Ref tries to pull the Blue Bloods off Finlay but the continue the beatdown, and Regal gets in a slap before they head to the back. Finlay chases after before cutting to Okerlund.
He's in the locker room with The Giant and Jimmy Hart, asking about his match with Loch Ness. Jimmy's full of energy, saying he's gonna prove he's the greatest manager in wrestling. Okerlund announces that the winner of this match will face Flair for the World Title on Nitro the next night. Giant says he can start off with rhymes and riddles, and says he'll smoke Loch Ness like bacon on a griddle (yup). He tells Ric he's gonna tear him limb from limb and he'll become World Champ again before they walk off.
We cut to commentary who talk about the night's first two matches, and they hype up Giant vs Loch Ness. Then they hype up the next match.
Back to Okerlund in the locker room to hype the WCW Hotline before bringing in Loch Ness. He calls Hart a weasel face who brought him over from across the ocean and promised him a shot at Hogan in the Doomsday match, used his power of attorney to take him out. He says he's gonna take it out on Giant, and when he drops 700 pounds on Giant he won't get up. Okerlund says he's gonna have to introduce Loch to his dentist neighbor, Loch staring at him as he turns it back to the arena.
Intergender Match: Madusa vs Col. Robert Parker
Parker goes to shake hands but Medusa just shows him her ass.
Parker pushes Medusa into the corner off a lock up and he poses for the crowd. He does it again but she pushes out, then more posing by him. Medusa gets him in the corner as they lock up and she take him down to the mat. Parker complains about his back. Parker gets her up for an Airplane Spin but she counters into a Sunset Flip for a near fall. She body slams a dizzy Parker to the mat to a pretty good pop. Parker tries to leave while Dick joins him in the aisle.
Another lock up and he picks her up by the neck, then throws her down. Missing an elbow drop, Medusa with a dropkick off the middle rope, then another, Parker rolls back out. Medusa with a crossbody off the top, with a weird catch by Parker.
Back in the ring, Medusa hits a German suplex with a bridge but Slater knocks her feet out, Parker landing on top to get the 3 in 3:48. For what it was, not a terrible match. Parker gets the cheap heat, it didn't go too long, so it's fine by me.
Slater raises Parker's arm while Medusa tries to tell the ref what happens. Parker and Slater leave the ring as we go to replays.
Cut to Lee Marshall in the locker room, with what appears to be a diagram of the Doomsday Cage on a blackboard behind him. The Road Warriors come in, and say it doesn't matter who they go against, they just want to kick everyone's butts. The rest is pretty intense that basically boils down to they're the Road Warriors for a reason, and say they're gonna beat Sting and Booker T tonight in the Chicago Street Fight.
Back in the arena and we cut to commentary and they hype our next match, DDP hoping to get Kimberly and the rest of his money back. They say he's sold his jewelry and tights, and basically broke, and this is his chance tonight. They also hype their next PPV Slamboree, followed by a promo video to hype it up further with it's signature event Lethal Lottery.
Onto our next match:
I Quit Wrestling Match: Diamond Dallas Page vs The Booty Man
Pre-Match Thoughts & Notes: To be clear this isn't an I Quit match. The stipulation is that is DDP loses the match, he has to quit wrestling, if he wins he regains his money and "the booty girl". Page comes out disheveled and what looks like jogging pants, so he's playing up the broke guy role pretty good. If you aren't familiar with The Booy Man, it's one of the many gimmicks used by Ed Leslie, formerly Brutus Beefcake. I'll admit as stupid as his theme is, it's pretty catchy. They mention as an aside that Johnny B. Badd left WCW, who I think was originally DDP's opponent tonight.
They spend the first few minutes taunting and playing to the crowd and stalling for time. Kimberly makes her way out at some point to cheer on Booty Man. As stupid the gimmick is the crowd is completely behind him so that's something I guess. DDP with great heel work, using the ropes for leverage, but overly long rest holds seriously slow things down.
Kimberly distracts DDP and even kisses her, prompting her to slap him and Booty to take advantage, coming off the ropes with a High Knee (get it, High Knee? Hiney? yeah...) for the win in 16:05. Not a terrible match, a bit slow and boring at times and maybe a bit long but it was alright.
Booty plants a big kiss on Kimberly at ringside as they celebrate. DDP is pissed and tries to get his hands on them until Doug Dillinger gets in the way. We go to replays as Booty and Kim head to the back.
Okerlund is with Lex Luger and Jimmy Hart. To things short,, he originally supposed to be in the Street Fight, but Jimmy pulled him out and put him in the Doomsday Cage. He also says this is the last night he's managing Lex, gives him a tacky jacket and runs off. The bell is rung for some reason, even Okerlund hears it, and Lex hypes up the cage match, and mentions how his partner Sting has to go into that match without him. This promo's a bit of a mess but it gets its point across.
The Giant (w/ Jimmy Hart) vs Loch Ness
Pre-Match Thoughts & Notes: You might know Loch Ness better as Giant Haystacks... or you might not. The Giant is better known as The Big Show these days. I kind of like the ominous music Loch Ness has. Giant has this weird green lighting, I guess because they wanna make him look like the Jolly Green Giant?
This doesn't last long, and thankfully so, because this isn't good even for what it is. Loch can barely move as it is and Giant does his best but it's a terrible match. Show hits a side kick and a leg drop and gets the pin in 2:36. Nothing else to say about this.
Jimmy hops around with joy as Giant yells at the camera about winning the title, Jimmy screams something but the audio doesn't pick it up, then we go to replays.
Back to Lee Marshall with Sting, one half of the tag champs and Booker T, one half of Harlem Heat. This basically just Sting and Booker hyping each other up in a pretty intense promo and its pretty good.
Tag Team Chicago Street Fight: The Road Warriors vs Sting & Booker T
It's announced that falls count anywhere. It's strange to have a Chicago Street Fight in Mississippi, but I won't really complain.
Road Warriors waste no time in attacking them in the aisle, tornado tag rules here. I like the picture-in-picture views for the separate fights going on between each pairs.
For some reason Booker starts to head up the aisle and to the back, with Animal in tow. Animal accidentally nails Luger as he's oiling himself up, he and Stevie Ray starts to assault Animal and tie him to a post with some athletic tape.
Booker is back out after Sting misses a Stinger Splash into the barricade. Back in the ring, Booker misses a flip off the top rope, Stevie Ray is down and nails Hawk in the back of the head as he's leaned against the ropes, allowing Booker to get the 3 and the win in 29:44. Entertaining match, pacing was good, Warriors get protected, so I think it was good all around.
Animal screams from the back as he realizes he's lost the match, Sting and Booker celebrate. Commentary mention that Harlem Heat get a title shot now, and we cut back to see Stevie in the back nailing Animal with the chair some more. We go to replays of the closing moments.
We cut to commentary who hype up the main event some more.
THE RULES
Let's be honest, the rules are basically thrown out by the end of this match and it turns into a nonsensical mess, but for the sake of making that clear, here they are. We've got three cages stacked on top of the other, the middle split into two rooms, with a ring set up in the bottom, and two sets of scaffolding on either side of the cage. Each cage will hold a different members of the Alliance: Ric and Arn in the top cage, Taskmaster and Luger in room 1 and Meng and The Barbarian in room 2, and the remaining 2 at the bottom. Hogan and Savage have to start at the top, go through the second and make their way to the bottom, and I believe leave the cage to win, but commentary don't make that all too clear. If Hogan or Savage are pinned or made to submit along the way, the match is over. Heenan puts it best when he says that rules will be thrown out the window, that these guys don't care about rules and are just out to eliminate Hulkamania.
Doomsday Cage Match: The Alliance to End Hulkamania (Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, The Taskmaster, Lex Luger, Meng, The Barbarian, Z-Gangsta & The Ultimate Solution) vs The Mega Powers (Hulk Hogan & "Macho Man" Randy Savage)
Pre-Match Thoughts & Notes: Michael Buffer overhypes this tragedy of a match before he makes the introductions, but it is nice to hear his voice. They set off some pyro to hype it up further. They mention Brian Pillman should be here, so I'm not sure what's up here. As some background, Z-Gangsta is the former Zeus, the villain from No Holds Barred, and Ultimate Solution played Bane in the Batman & Robin.Taskmaster of course is Kevin Sullivan. Hogan and Savage are hot with this crowd.
The first bulk of this match is pretty boring. With the mesh flooring of the cage, they don't wanna do any wrestling moves on it, so most of the action in the first and second cages is punches, chops and slamming each other into the cage. Arn for whatever reason is in track pants and a shirt. Commentary mistake a slam for an elbow drop by Savage. Hogan rips his shirt off which actually gets a pop. Commentary also mention Z-Gangsta and Ultimate Solution are nowhere to be found, despite being introduced, so no idea what's up. We do get a pair of figure 4s by Flair and Arn. Flair drops something into the second cage, Hogan throws some powder and they drop into the second cage.
I think Hart passes Taskmaster a chain through the cage but otherwise this is more of the same, punches chops and slamming into the cage. Commentary are trying desperately to find something to talk about. Hogan tries for a long time to chain the door between rooms closed. Hogan and Sullivan fight onto the scafolding, and Hogan tries to kill him and push him to the floor. Savage fights Luger in the cage while Sullivan tries to kill Hogan now.
So here's where the rules get thrown out, because Hogan and Savage are out of the cage and fight to the ring with Sullivan and Luger, so don't they win this thing? I guess not. Hogan nails Sullivan with a mic and hits him with his boot in the ring. Everyine else leaves the cage as the fight continues. Hogan throws Sullivan face first into the side of the cage, then Savage into the cage.
Hogan and Luger in the ring now, Savage and Sullivan follow, I guess everyone else has just left? Zeus and Bane finally come out and join in on the beatdown. Finally they get into the bottom level of the cage.
Even with a ring this is most attacks and slams into the cage from the ring apron. Arn and Ric come back out, Arn out in his wrestling gear this time and join in on the beat down making this 4 on 2. Jimmy Hart laughing maniacally on the outside. Booty Man comes out with a couple of frying pans, Hogan throws powder in Bane's face and they start taking nailing all 4 with the pans. Luger makes his way in now and nails Hogan and Savage, and he's got a weighted glove I guess. Flair holds up Savage to be hit, and Savage ducks, and Luger stops himself for some reason, then nails Flair anyways? Huh? Hogan and Savage back on the offensive. They go to leave the cage finally, but Savage makes the pin on Ric, but the bell doesn't ring until they both escape the cage? Whatever, this match is finally over in 25:21, Mega Powers win.
Savage is the only one selling the "brutality" of this match, while Hogan has seemingly come out unharmed. Looks like the Luger/Flair thing was planned, commentary brings it up.
Panning to commentary, hoping Luger explains himself the next night on Nitro, also hyping Giant vs Flair for the title. They do their best to save this crap, and there's this weird pause after Dusty talks before Heenan says they can try again tomorrow, before he heads to the back to, I guess talk to the Alliance. We even get a credit roll, that for some reason only has first names? I mean sure why not.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Jesus Christ, to call that match a mess does not do it enough justice. Boring, slow, plodding, and over booking to save Hogan and Savage. Not to mention the fact that 8 guys were incapable of taking these two down, which sounds like Russo level of booking and he wasn't even writing for this show. The rest of the show, at least for the most part was actually pretty good, so there's that. It did kind of bother me that every match had some kind of screwy finish to it though.
I don't know what happens from here on, other than the fact that Giant would go on to win the WCW Title the following night on Nitro from Flair.
Comments
Post a Comment