Superstar Sleeze
DVDVR 80s Project
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Everything posted by Superstar Sleeze
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NWA US Champion Stan Hansen vs Lex Luger - NWA Starrcade 1990 Bullrope Match There are very few things that gross me out in this world, but chew is one of them. That was just nasty with Hansen having that big wad in his mouth, spitting towards the fans and having the dribble on his chest. Gross, gross, gross. I am surprised this is not more highly regarded. Maybe I am biased because these are two of my favorites. The bullrope is really skinny and does not make much of a sound, but the wrestlers make for it with hard work. Luger sets the tone early that he will not be bullied. He blasts him with a clothesline and bodyslams him. Luger is ready to go to war with the Bad Man from Borger. It is a great struggle with each man just scrapping with each other. Luger hit a monster clothesline at one point. Hansen throws Luger into a row of chairs and then bounced chair off his back. They tease the corners, but men still have too much life force left so Hansen hangs him. Good heat segment as Hansen looks to win. Then Luger makes a big time comeback and it is great. The finish is a crazy one and one that satisfies Hansen's need not to do a clean job. Luger runs into the ref as he touches the fourth corner. Big pop! Then when Nick Patrick restarts it; Hansen blasts him with a cowboy boot in the head. Hansen touches the first corner and Patrick raises his hand for one and the crowd boos heavily thinking they will get the bullshit finish. Plenty of struggle but Hansen gets fourth corner and the decision is reversed!!! Huge Pop! Luger hits Hansen with the clothesline out of the ring and takes the belt. Strong match with lots of struggle there was just not that extra oomph or memorable spots to make it great, but hard work by both men. ***3/4 -
WCW US Tag Team Champions Steiner Brothers vs Nasty Boys - NWA Halloween Havoc '90 I remembered this match fondly, but this was even better than I remembered. It was not just a heavyweight bombfest, but actually a very well-structured match with great progression. It actually felt very All Japan with all the bombs, saves, suplexes and just general chaos. Loved how they just started with a brawl and Saggs throwing Scotty into the railing and bouncing a chair off his back. Saggs is definitely my favorite Nasty Boy. The Steiners' shine is awesome. Top Rope Belly-to-Belly Suplex, Butterfly Powerbomb and Steiner Bulldog. Electric! Nasty Boys smash Scotty's back with a chair and now we go to work. Nasties are throwing all sorts of suplexes on Scotty's back and working great holds. Loved the belly 2 belly out of the bearug as a hope spot. Rick is a little overzealous thinking Scotty would make the tag and hits a MONSTAH STEINERLINE! Then takes a wicked tumble over the top rope and was so pissed he smashes the back of Saggs' skull, which he blades off of. The work on Scotty's back continues and the Nasties are actually really damn good working cutoffs and building the drama to the tag. When Scotty does tag, the place explodes and Rick just destroys everything with huge Steinerlines. I love the double Steinerline from the top rope and Saggs takes it like a man to the back. Rick signals for Scotty to for the Frankensteiner and the place explodes in anticipation. Scotty hits the MUTHA OF ALL FRANKENSTEINERS! Everyone always says Nasties' best match or a contender with their '94 Cactus brawls. But the Steiners actually don't really have a laundry list of great matches either. In fact, you could make the argument this is the Steiners' best match without it being the Nasties best match. I need to rewatch that one great MVC match, but other than that I got this at number two for the Steiners. Incredible bombfest with a relaly strong middle section that builds to the finish. One of the best North American tags of the decade! ****1/2
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Midnight Express vs Ricky Morton & Tommy Rich - NWA Halloween Havoc 90 Tommy Rich makes Robert Gibson look like Ric Flair with how little he does in this as Morton wrestles 99% of the match. I loved Stan Lane high fiving everyone even trying to get Nick Patrick in on the action. Face shine was bit more subdued then usual. This has to go down as one of the best heat segments in tag team wrestling history. MX open up a can on Morton who sells so well. The transition which was a back drop into a slam. Stan Lane's dancing was so good! Eaton's rocket launcher. Plenty of Corny's racket shots. Lane doing a JYD headbutt. Alabama Jam and then wanting the ten count instead of a standard pin. MX was just so friggin' good here. Rich was a fine hot tag and I totally bit on Rich eating the pin off a racket shot, but then Southern Boys distract in ridiculous Cornette-style garb. Rich ends up whacking Lane with the racket for the win and there goes the Midnights. Fun match. Almost all heat segment, but whatta heat segment! ***1/2
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Well now...you guys are going to make me watch this now...I'm a sucker for leopard print. Shanghai Pierce was a masked wrestler. Lol. I never knew that. YOWZA!!! She should have never cut her hair. WOW! How come Tony & Jesse did not know she would be with the Nasties yet there were multiple signs knowing she would be with them. That many smart fans in 1993? WCW World Tag Team Champions Arn Anderson & Paul Roma vs Nasty Boys - WCW Fall Brawl 1993 Missy Hyatt. Leopard Leotard. Swoon. *****
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Horsemen ( Ric Flair, Arn Anderson & Paul Roma) vs Barry Windham & Hollywood Blonds - WCW Saturday Night 7/3/93 Did Paul Roma do anything besides a side headlock? Jeez, if you are going to make him a Horsemen you might as well try to make the best of it rather than be embarrassed by it. Flair was the total MVP of this for me. He is so underrated as a babyface by himself and by most everyone else. He is so damn fiery. I love shit like throwing a random wicked chop at Austin when he is in trouble in the wrong corner. He is great at selling and his babyface comeback is so compelling. His stuff with Pillman at the beginning was just a taste of their old TV battle. Him and Windham going toe-to-toe but now with Flair as the face & Windham as the heel was cool. Windham throws Flair into the railing and that suplex back into the ring and then floatover was a thing of beauty. Flair is able to tag to Arn to minimal reaction. They are in Louisiana apparently. Is that why the reaction to Flair's first match back a little muted? Very strange. Anderson nails Austin with a spinebuster but a fracas breaks out and Austin clubs him in the back of the head with a clothesline. Flair is a monster on the apron during the Anderson heat segment. I love him running over yanking Pillman down and blasting him with a chop or how excited he gets on the apron during an Anderson hope spot. Flair gets the hot tag and this crowd be damned. He supplying 1 Megawatt of electricity out there just hitting anything that moves. He applies the figure-4 to Windham, but Barry throws the ref out and that triggers the DQ. Besides Flair's energy and Windham's smoothness, I thought there was noting too remarkable just a strong TV six-man tag. ***1/2
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NWA World Heavyweight Champion Barry Windham vs 2 Cold Scorpio -WCW Clash of the Champions XXIII Between this and Regal match, we see what Windham's vision for the NWA World Champion would have been. It is a champion in control, confident and mean, but one that grows more and more frustrated and overly confident allowing his challenger back into it. These have been great NWA World Champion travelling matches but very different from the manic Flair matches and bump-a-thons that Race would run. The beginning of this match is what puts this behind the Regal match. They seem to trouble getting on the same page. In both matches, the faces did not really get shine, which I thought it was interesting. I love the transition to the heat segment with each feigning punches only for Windham to kick him to the gut. Love that flying lariat. How about Windham getting up to hit Scorpio in the head with a dropkick from a standing position. I will say I never noticed how small Scorpio was until he was in the ring with Big Barry & that Nick Patrick (a big dude) was taller than him. This was an incredible showcase of Windham's offensive prowess just like the Regal match. Would have liked some more hope spots, but the slingshot Thesz Press was a good one. When it came time for the finish stretch, Scorpio killed it. He throws Windham off on the superplex and then just dazzles from there! The slingshot 450 Splash was wicked!!!! I don't think I have ever seen that in any other match. Great finish with Windham punching Scorpio out of the sky with a right to the jaw and then hitting his DDT. Windham was in such a groove. Crying shame about the injury. The finish felt very WWE 2010s with Windham hitting someone out of the air. Dug it. Scorpio was great in the closing stretch, but this was the Barry Windham show and we all were along for the ride and it was badass. ****
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NWA World Heavyweight Champion Barry Windham vs Steve Regal - WCW Worldwide 4/17/93 Before he was Lord Steven, he was just Steve Regal a plucky British upstart with weird hair and fiery European Uppercut. One of my all-time favorite TV matches that tells the veteran heel champion vs plucky rookie babyface so well. Windham is so fucking smooth in this. He can make vicious look effortless. Regal is fired up as this is first big opportunity in America and he is prepared to make the most of it. Windham working the arm in the beginning is just great. He steps on the hand and stomps the arm. Nasty spot that I have seen so many times, never gets old and the way Windham did it is just great. Love Regal firing up right before the break. This is so energetic. Back from the break, Windham dodges an incoming Regal hits a nasty back elbows and then HURLS him across the ring. The ensuing Windham heat segment is a thing of beauty. They perfect mixture of suplexes and strikes. If Windham did not get injured and maintained this level of performance, he would have been US wrestler of the year throughout the mid-90s. Heel Windham vs Hogan would have been money. Windham gets frustrated because Regal keeps kicking out. They just start wailing on each other. Regal throws some really good lefts. He tags him on one to the jaw and Windham is rocked. They both go over the top rope on a crossbody, but Regal gets his leg caught and wrenched. Oh no! Windham takes advantage to hit his Elevated DDT to win the match. Classic story executed to perfect with tons of struggle and energy with a cool finish to boot. Windham was so damn good in this timeframe. ****
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I heard him say he had hearing like a field mouse, missed the "fuckin" part. lol. WCW World TV Champion Lord Steven Regal vs Arn Anderson - WCW SuperBrawl IV Double A is the lord and master of the meat & potatoes, fundamentals-based pro wrestling match. I loved this just like his great encounter with Dustin in early 92. It presents how to build a compelling wrestling matches around holds without many highspots. I mean the crowd and Tony lose their shit about 25 minutes when Arn gets a single leg takedown! That's incredible! Regal is having trouble with his ear early during the lockups, but eventually settles into Arn working the arm, his comfort zone. I think whats interesting is that Regal so often takes wrestlers out of their comfort zone but here Arn is right in his wheel house working with Regal. Regal tries to take control, but Arn maneuvers himself into a hammerlock slam very cool. Now he really goes to work on the arm wrenching against the ringpost. Regal is constantly asking Dundee about the time. The extended time limit to 30 minutes is really bothering him. Back in he get a cravat and works it well. I loved Anderson trying to slam him and Regal maintaining his grip. Awesome. Great pinning attempts. This is such small, detailed wrestling. Regal rocks Double A with an European Uppercut and Dundee jabs him in throat with umbrella. So my one gripe with Regal matches around this time is that I don't feel like there is much progression in his heat segments. They become meandering segments of holds that do not seem to really building to anything. They look great and I love how vicious they are with the palm strikes to face, but where is this all going. It is at this point Anderson gets the leg trip and he looks like he may be going after the taped leg and everyone pops. He works the leg, but Regal is doing everything to break his momentum. They do the Arn Anderson knucklelock spot but this time it is Regal playing the role of Arn Anderson, which is cute. Here comes the Arn Anderson barrage of nearfalls as the time limit draws near and SPINBUSTER! Dundee distracts Anderson. Sunset flip by Anderson, but Regal drops down and holds onto the umbrella to win the match with just six seconds left. I really liked the pinfall victory when everyone expects the draw. The one real highspot was the spinebuster. That's really nuts when you think about. Arn was a total beast in this match. Great showcase for both. They put the wrestling in pro wrestling in this one. ****
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WCW World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Hulk Hogan - WCW Bash At The Beach 1994 It is Flair vs Hogan! You have to get up for this match. Tony calls this the Match of the Century and the biggest match in wrestling history. I mean besides Hogan vs Andre is there really anything else that compares from the modern era. It is pretty crazy that it was WCW that put this together. Having Shaq there in Orlando was a nice touch. Michael Buffer had been doing WCW events for a while, but makes this feel big time. Mr. T & Jimmy Hart make it feel a bit dated, but that's just Hogan being Hogan. They should have done Heenan and Jesse on commentary together. Did that ever happen? Both of them slagging on Hogan, rooting for Flair only for Hogan to win would be great. A lot of people say this is a Hogan match, not a Flair match, which I am inclined to agree, but it does feel 90s Flair a lot too. 90s Flair did not take offense much and definitely relied on his bumping and his tried and true spots, which is what this match has in spades. Late 80s/Early 90s Hogan definitely liked to sell and take a heat a lot in this match there is no as much of that. Standard Hogan shine he is stronger than Flair. Standard Flair shine of letting opponent outwrestle him and this time it is Hogan with a flying cross armbreaker!!! Pretty nifty. Flair plays Savage hiding behind Sherri and attacking Hogan as he gets back in the ring, but to no avail. Sherri trips Hogan and Flair chop blocks the knee. This is really what makes it feel very Hogan-y is that all the transitions and momentum shifts go through the manager. Jimmy Hart saves Hogan from getting hit with the chair from Sherri. It feels like Sherri is wrestling as much as Flair. The Flair chinlock is pretty long and un-Flair like. Flair Flip and clothesline feels more Flair to me. Hogan MISSES the leg drop! Sells the leg, but Flair cant get the figure-4. Flair hits a pretty monster suplex on Hogan that looks amazing! Hogan NO-SELLS! Perfect no-sell timing! Felt like a huge moment. Big Boot and Sherri pulls out the ref. Chop block off distraction and splash by Sherri leads to the figure-4. Everything is worked through Sherri. Hogan makes the ropes and Flair chops in the corner. Well you know that wont go well, but whether it is Sting, Luger or Hogan it is always fun. Sherri misses the splash and Flair takes his press slam. When Hogan clotheslines Flair, he actually takes a swing kinda connects with Sherri, which I thought was weird. Mr. T takes her to the back, but Flair has knuckledusters from her. Blasts him and Hogan kicks out. Hulk Up! You know the rest. Big moment! Great match felt like Hogan vs Flair & Sherri. Sherri was more integral to the match than Flair was. Very good big time match. ***1/2
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I think the complaints of Roman/Rusev are valid. However that was one helluva match! It was the match I was most looking forward for SSlam(Cena/AJ II should be stellar) and glad they got the chance to tear house down on RAW. For my money best Free TV match of the year! Is anything else close?
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Bully Ray main event heel run on Smackdown would be perfect. That show is horrible and it could at least make it watchable.
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Vader vs Dustin Rhodes - WCW Clash of the Champions XXIX This aint no tea party! I fully expected to enjoy this, but this was fucking fantastic! Best Vader match of the year and right up there with the best of Dustin, who had a stellar career year in 94. Vader bullying Dustin in the corner and taunting him only for Dustin to double leg him and just start wailing on him was AWESOME! THE CROWD EXPLODED! Tony lost his shit! I am going wild here at home. He rips off the mask and beats on him some more. Awesome, awesome stuff. Whats the best way to deal with a bully punch him right in the mouth. Dustin was not afraid to fight fire with fire. Vader takes a powder to break Dustin's momentum. The crowd was wicked hot. Dustin tries charging at Vader who hits his Body Attack and goes right back to work in the corner with those heavy hands, but no taunting this time. I loved Dustin's hope spots. Catching Vader full body weight in the corner and then slammin was an eye-popping spot. Nice lariat and just when it looks like he would have it with the Bulldog; Vader uses his own momentum to chuck him over the top rope!!!! it is a bump that needs to be seen to be appreciated! INSANE! Vader delivers two big Vaderbombs, but Dustin is too close to the ropes. He goes to the middle rope and does his bodyslam bump to transition. They do this incredible weeble wobble spot with Dustin trying everything he can to knock the Mastodon off his feet and finally the flying lariat does it to a big pop. Dustin hits the Bulldog! Harley is on the apron and Vader knocks Dustin into Halrey and then picks him up to hit the Glam Slam! I didn't know the Glam Slam was a Vader finish for a while. Action-packed sprint. Literally not one moment of downtime. Perfect bully vs energetic babyface match. The opening was electric; great hope spots; huge bump by Dustin; Vader looked like a total monster; awesome comeback with the weeble wobble work and then bulldog only for the well-worked cheap finish with a monster slam by Vader. So so damn good! ****1/4
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As with the Boss match, the match begins on the aisleway as Duggan takes it right to the Mastodon. Duggan throws Vader into railing and Vader if flying all over the place as he makes Duggan look like a million bucks. The crowd chants U-S-A!. Maybe the White Castle of Fear is not in America? During this shine, Vader takes his gut first bump into the railing and plenty of wicked lariats (some real stiff shots by Duggan). Strong shine for Duggan, Vader hits a wicked, MONSTAH eye-poke? He has all this raw power and strength, but instead chooses to use an eye-poke as his transition, such a great heel move. Duggan tries to stave off the Vader rally, but misses a Tenryu style elbow to finally put Vader in command. Tony is losing his shit over this. Vader hits the axe-bomber, which sends Duggan careening into the guardrail from the apron (very nice bump from Duggan). Bobby the Brain unloads one of his funniest lines with: For Duggan to take a shower is a high-risk maneuver. Vader smartly attacks the ribs with vicious body punches and tries to polish him off with his powerslam/Vaderbomb combo but Hacksaw is able to get his foot on the ropes. Nice Vader Body Attack cuts off Duggan. Vadersault misses and the fans erupt in U-S-A to exhort their fallen leader. Duggan gets down into the three-point stance and hits his lariat finisher, but Harley gouges the eyes. Vader takes his usual slam off the top, but there is NO REF!!! The ref is being detained by Harley Race on the apron, which distracts Hacksaw. The finish is Vader Irish whips Hacksaw into Harley holding the 2x4 into this weird variation of the Glam Slam. It is looked impressive as Vader basically muscled Duggan up, but then couldnt hold him so he just dropped him on his face. I dont know what it was supposed to be, but it looked vicious. Vader is the NEW US HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION! ****
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I commented on Cedric/Ibushi in Pete's thread. Incredible. Cedric was a total star. I like Metalik a lot. Just enough Lucha to be fresh but enough American/Japanese style to fit plus he has some size to him. Kalisto may be the new Rey Jr, but this could be their big Mexican star. If I was booking, I'd put him over. Ibushi & Sabre Jr will always be over with smarks. Metalik can get you the casuals. Is my Mom going to dig Metalik or Ibushi? Metalik in a slam dunk. Great match with Tajiri enjoyed the arm drags and submissions. Metalik has damn good flying! So much better than fucking Sin Cara. Little abrupt on the finish but the match cemented me as a Metalik fan. Looked at bracket. Forgot Gulak was in the tourney so Cedric is second best American wish those two were getting pushed instead of NXT guys but you gotta take care of your own. Really hope Metalik goes over Sabre Jr in semis. Ibushi vs NXT guy (I haven't seen Ciampa/Gargano) is really interesting. They are pushing Ibushi so hard almost too hard. He seems primed for an upset plus cmon it is NXT contracted American vs Japanese dude you know there is enough people in the back arguing to take care of their own and to have an American in the finals. I'm going upset there. Hopefully Metalik takes it over Gargano/Ciampa in the finals. All of sudden I'm really into this tourney. Lots of possibilities!
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Woke up in middle of night and couldn't go back to sleep. Well this was no cure for insomnia. Best match of the tournament. Loved the layout for most part. Commentators did a great job laying out that Cedric was a big Ibushi fan so he had the miss kick/moonsault scouted and the Golden Triangle scouted. This allowed Cedric to hit his big dive and work his game. Ibushi hit one of the best damn drop kicks you will ever see to swing momentum and allow him to start working his game. Still Cedric had stuff like the Powerbomb scouted. It did get a little spotty here, but the finish stretch was badass. The Cedric Brainbuster and head kick was straight Fiyah! So much emotion. You could see it all release from Cedric great combo and selling of the kick out by Cedric. Good finish run to spotlight before succumbing to the Powerbomb. Love that they didn't drag it out with a zillion near falls. Cedric got some love and then three spots later loss perfect timing. Thought Cedric was the total star in this and was best American but they probably want to spotlight one of the NXT guys. Would have liked to see Cedric go one round further then face Ibushi. They killed it. I'm a little lower than you, Pete. Like the Cedric is a fan so he has shit scouted and his emotion during finish run. In that back half just lost me a little bit with all the moves they were throwing out. Cedric is the man! ****1/4
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Dusty & Dustin Rhodes & Nasty Boys vs Stud Stable (Terry Funk, Arn Anderson, Bunkhouse Buck & Col. Robert Parker) - WCW Fall Brawl 1994 WARGAMES "DUSTY!" "DUSTY!" "DUSTY!" THEY ARE ALIVE TONIGHT ROANOKE, VIRGINIA BABY! You know what they say? Virginia is for Lovers! And Virginia Loves The American Dream, Daddy! Banner fucking year for the Nasty Boys! Jerry Saggs, brother in-law of Dusty (just found out that today and am still floored), is an total animal. The man just loves dishing out pain. The use of cowboy boots and belts was great to ratchet up the heat and intensity in lieu of blood. Dustin & Arn it was the natural pairing. Arn trying to psych Dustin out and get him to his door luring him in only to have his head rammed into the steel cage. Dustin flying across the ring to deck The Enforcer. Can you feel it? Because I can! Hot Damn! This is not Pillman against Windham in Wargames 91, but it is pretty damn good. Arn does take over with a DDT and then gets a crab as Bunkhouse Buck comes in and he is actually pretty energetic taking it to Dustin. Then Jerry Muthafuckin Saggs comes in. This sadist just starts chucking everybody into the cage and drops Buck like a bad habit with a piledriver. Funk had been bothering me in other bouts, but I loved him here. He is a rabid dog that cant wait to get in and he has his cowboy boot in his hand. He lunges at Dustin and obliterates him with the boot and then raking Dustin's face against the steel in front of Dusty is next level heel shit. Then there is the bump to end all bumps. Saggs the sadist and Funk the masochist get together in an unholy union where Saggs PILEDRIVES FUNK BETWEEN THE RINGS. Funk drops into the abyss and Saggs I think was so hurt he actually had trouble getting back to his feet due to the awkward landing. Muthafucka! The Tennessee Stud is pissing his pants that he has to come into the ring. I think Parker did the right thing to play up the chickenshit role rather than being the badass Tennessee Stud. Fans wanted to see the comeuppance against the coward who was going to beg for mercy. Once Fuller has an opening he kicks Dustin and then starts whipping everyone with a belt. I am loving the belt and the cowboy boots and all that shit. So Southern and so badass! Now there is the Dusty chant as the fans eagerly anticipate the entry of the American Dream, baby! Dusty hits the ring to a MASSIVE POP and shit is on! Everyone goes into the cage and eats the Bionic Elbow. Parker is cowering and Dusty slaps on the Figure-4. The Nasties splash and elbow drop Parker as Meng is violently shaking the cage, which adds a lot to the environment. Parker has not choice to give up. MENG seems to be more than a bodyguard for Parker as he is very distraught about his employer's well-being. I think he cares! My one complaint is that the feud started as Dustin vs Stud Stable. In a lot of ways, this became about Dusty and the finish made Dusty look like the hero and Dustin was kinda in the background. I think they could have laid out a bit better to have Dustin take out Buck, AA and Funk in climatic fashion clearing the way for his father to get the win. I just hate seeing Dustin as an afterthought when this is really his feud. I did not feel like the payoff was really there. In terms of action this was awesome. Really entertaining, went by in a flash and just a ton of fun. Definite WCW match of the year contender. Hard pressed right now to determine if I like this Dustin/Buck, Flair/Steamboat or Nasties/Cactus& Payne more. Loaded year from WCW! ****1/2
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Dusty & Dustin Rhodes vs Stud Stable (Terry Funk & Bunkhouse Buck) - WCW Clash of the Champions XVIII Dusty and Funk had been feuding for nearly two decades at this point and Tony conjectures this was all a part of Funk's master plan to get Dusty back in the ring. I like it. Cedar Rapids is hot, but imagine if this was in Florida, Georgia or Mid-Atlantic. SWEET LORD! What was it with WCW and Cedar Rapids. I feel like every Thunder from 1998-99 was taped in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Fun, but way too rush needed way more time breathe. Heels were fun stooging for the energetic Dustin and the charismatic Dusty. Face in perils were way too short. Would have loved them really try to break Dusty's arm like they did Dustins at the Bash. Arn DDTs Dustin for DQ. Dusty recycles ne of his favorite angles where he horsecollars a wooden chair around MENG and MENG no-sells it. Loved Dusty's selling and Dustin desperately trying to cover up his father, but the other three Studs were beating him down. I love the Stud Stable line up. I am really excited for Wargames. I have never seen it before.
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Dustin Rhodes & Arn Anderson vs The Stud Stable (Terry Funk & Bunkhouse Buck) - WCW Bash At The Beach 1994 The match exists as a back drop to the AA turn on Dustin. As it is official, all of Dusty's old enemies (Funk, Anderson, Fullers?) are taking out their frustrations on Dustin and Dusty is nowhere to be found. Dustin is absolutely fantastic in this as he basically wrestles this as a handicap match. The crossbody bump out of the ropes over the ringsteps to the floor is incredible. Funk & Buck do some weird selling and their heat segment is not great. Dustin's comeback is all types of awesome and so is The Enforcer cheerleading on the apron especially when you know what is going to happen. Bionic Elbows for everyone, double noggin knocker and Funk pins Buck, which is funny. Dustin finally tags Arn, who is pumped only to drop Dustin with a DDT. Perfect. Heels beat down Dustin and Daddy is nowhere to be found. Great angle!
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WCW World TV Champion Larry Zbyszko vs Lord Steven Regal - WCW Clash of the Champions XXVII Incredible progressions. They drop all pretenses of wrestling and just brawl with each other. Regal is pissed and jumps Zbyszko. He wails on him and he really overwhelms him. He starts taunting him. RUH ROH! Here comes Larry Z baby! Love that fired up old man! Just awesome back and forth strike exchanges. Love the play off the Slamboree finish and then Larry Z getting his suplex. Regal is brutal in this. Those palm strikes to the face are nasty and so is that headbutt when he is in the body scissors. Zbyszko looks like he may have it when Dundee pushes him over and Regal grabs the ropes to win! I have loved how every match thus far has felt different and built on the previous match. ***3/4
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WCW World TV Champion Lord Steven Regal vs Larry Zbyszko - WCW Saturday Night 5/28/94 A match about pride and winning. Zbyszko completely showed up Regal at Slamboree not only winning, but dominating the majority of the match. Regal came out hot, but Larry Z would not be denied. I loved Larry going for the Boston Crab early. No stalling, no easing into the match, he is here to win and the message has been sent to Regal. I loved Larry escaping from the Cravat into another Cravat and really wrenching it. Regal needs three moves to gain control: kneelift, somersault that Larry gets out of the way, but the heels of the boots hit him and then an European Uppercut. The match is dripping with struggle. It is not just about the title. There is a personal pride for both men to prove who is the better wrestler. Larry gets distracted by Dundee and puts him in a sleeper only for Regal to blast him from behind. Regal is incensed at this point. He feels humiliated. There is nothing that causes a human to be angrier than when you attack a core belief. Regal believes he is the best pure technical wrestler. When Larry Z not just challenges that, but shows he may be better, you can feel Regal's entire world crashing down around him. When you feel that way, you lash out and Regal did with wicked forearm blows to the head. He was not just stretching him; he was attacking him. But Larry Z is not going to go away because he has something to prove. It is about proving to himself that he still has it. I loved the struggle over the Butterfly Suplex with Larry Z hitting it. I think it encapsulates the match so well. Then Larry Z chokes Regal. I love how personal this is and it is completely over competition. Regal just starts rocking him with European Uppercuts and blasting him with forearms in the corner. Roundhouse kick by Zbyszko. This is a FIGHT! Zbyszko proving he can stretch with the best of him using a standing surfboard and then a standing reverse figure-4, which I love! Regal goes for the tights. He has tried wrestling, tried roughhousing and now he is outright cheating. Amazing! Stomping! Regal heabutts in the ropes and the TV show goes off the air. Now we go to next week for the conclusion of the match! This would never work now in the world of spoilers, but I like the idea. They knock heads. Sleeper, but Zbyszko pushes off Dundee to land on top to win to a MASSIVE POP! I thought the finish was a bit flat, but the body match was incredible. It was not just the finish was a bit lame like why is Dundee on the apron, but the run up they seemed to lose a bit of steam. However, I love how personal this felt and it all in the spirit of competition and proving who is the best wrestler because it meant so much to the both of them. Incredible TV match, ****1/4
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Guess I am all alone preferring Spring Stampede. WCW World Tag Team Champions Nasty Boys vs Cactus Jack & Kevin Sullivan - WCW Slamboree 1994 Street Fight Surprisingly, I have never seen this match before. I think this is most high-profile 90s US match I had not seen. Sullivan has replaced Maxx Payne, which I have surmised is due to Dave Sullivan being injured by the Nasties and perhaps the fact it was Slamboree. This was very energetic and was total raucous mayhem. Jerry Saggs is a fucking animal. He has no regard for anyone's body. Saggs & Cactus are a match made in heaven. Cactus is the ultimate masochist and Saggs is the ultimate sadist. They are just wailing on each other with what ever is not nailed down. My favorite spots were Knobs suckering Cactus into hitting a Cacuts Elbow on the trash can. Then my favorite spot was Saggs swinging the trash can around like a madman not caring where the hell he hit someone. Cactus takes his ridiculous bump, which is from the ramp through the table. I really like when people suplex tables on people and Cactus does that. I also when people throw objects at each other and there were plenty of chair throws. I can see the argument this is better than Spring Stampede because of the energy level, but I really thought the finish was flat and that Spring Stampede's finish was definitely superior. Those shovel shots and the bump of the ramp was nasty. Here we get some lame shots from Shultz and Cactus needs his help to win the match. It is this crazy feud and this hockey dude is the reason why Cactus & Sullivan win kinda takes the wind out of my sails. The post-match is crazy. Payne's guitar shot to the back of Saggs' head is ridiculous and Dave Sullivan absolutely hits a homer run with crutch on Knobs. Fucking awesome garbage brawl. If Spring Stampede is the greatest garbage brawl of all time, this is the second best! ****1/4