The Meltzer 4+-Star Match Review Thread
08-08-2015
, 11:10 PM
08-09-2015
, 10:37 AM
08-09-2015
, 09:15 PM
08-18-2015
, 08:43 PM
Clash of the Champions XXIII: WCW Tag Team Titles (2 of 3 Falls) - The Hollywood Blondes (c) vs. Ric Flair & Arn Anderson
Date: June 17, 1993
Link: http://network.wwe.com/video/v32366657
Background: Ric Flair had been back in WCW for almost four months at this point. The Blondes had apparently mocked Flair and Arn for being old, or something like that.
The Match: Tony Schiavone and Jesse Ventura on the call, Nick Patrick in the middle.
Arn vs. Pillman to start, as Arn was obviously scouting for future Horsemen at this point. A couple of exchanges just end in Pillman taunting Arn, but Pillman gets sent down hard twice after before getting angry and slugging Arn into the corner. He lets up though, and Arn fights his way out, clobbering Pillman back toward the opposite corner before putting him on the mat. Pillman runs a begging gambit and gets in an eye gouge. It doesn't get him control for long, as Arn reverses an Irish whip, catches Pillman trying to leap past him as Arn charges the corner, and Double A drops him across the top rope.
Steve Austin tags in and mocks Arn for being fat. Austin hits a shoulderblock and cheap shots Flair, but Arn heads over and tags Flair in. Flair enters, showboats, and then fools Austin into an eye gouge and a series of chops in the corner. Whip into the other corner, backdrop as Austin staggers out of it. Flair slingshots Pillman in and beats him up as well before fighting Austin into the Flair/Arn corner. Arn puts a hurting on Austin as Flair fights Pillman off. Austin rolls out for an escape and a breather.
Stunning Steve gets his bearings back, rolls back in, double-legs Flair and takes him down, but Flair scrambles back to his feet, chops Austin into the corner, and tags The Enforcer in. Arn stomps a mudhole in Steve down in their home corner, then works him over in the middle of the ring with a series of stomps. Puts a hammerlock on Austin and then slams him down on the compromised arm. Tag out to Flair, who drops the knee on Stunning Steve. Austin goes for a tag, but Flair knocks Pillman off the apron before a tag can be made. Tag back out to Arn.
Arn with an arm-wringer on Austin that he wrenches away at several times. Pillman goes down his apron, baits Flair into coming up his way, then as the referee is distracted he chokes Arn from the outside with a towel, pulling him to the mat and creating an opening for Austin to unleash a series of stomps. Tag back out to Pillman, who enters with a hard right to the gut and a jawbreaker. It appears that we have our heat segment.
Arn punches back at Austin from the corner, but there's not a lot behind those right hands, and he doesn't create near enough room to escape. The Blondes pick up the frequent tags and continue to work Anderson over. Anderson finally creates a significant chance on a sequence where Austin lunges at him along the ropes, comes up empty, actually bounces off unharmed, and then as he brags about being unharmed Anderson plants him with the DDT. Although that wasn't his finest, I always enjoyed Arn's DDT more than Jake Roberts's. Hot tag to Flair.
Flair fights both Blondes off, ultimately clearing Austin out and focusing on the legal man Pillman. Austin returns quickly, attacking Flair from behind, but as the Blondes go to execute a double-team move as they whip Flair off the ropes, Arn pulls Austin by the leg and Flair is able to hit a diving forearm as Pillman is distracted by his partner being picked off. 1-2-3, Flair and Arn pick up the first fall. They send it to commercial break as Michael Buffer prematurely crowns Flair and Arn as the new tag team champions.
Fall #1: Flair & Arn via pinfall
We pick up the new fall after the break, with Flair facing off with Pillman. Pillman viciously chops at Flair in the corner, but Flair is in babyface mode, which gives him superpowers to reverse all chopping flurries. Actually Pillman re-reverses and starts delivering again, but after a whip into the opposite corner, Flair flips over the rope and runs up the apron to clock Steve Austin. Distracted by his own clever move, Flair gets blindsided when Pillman follows in with a running forearm that knocks the Nature Boy to the floor. Austin is on the spot and suplexes Flair out there.
Flair drags Pillman outside, but Pillman responds furiously, taking the fight to Flair and smashing him into the steel guardrail. Austin joins the fray and hangs Flair across the guardrail as well. Arn Anderson finally comes to the rescue, wielding a steel chair and chasing the Blondes off. The damage to Flair is done though, and we slip into heat segment #2, with the Blondes working him over. Austin executes a textbook superplex to the middle of the ring, but doesn't follow with a pinfall attempt. C'mon, that move should at least be good enough for a pin in a 2 of 3 falls match.
Austin rams repeated shoulders into Flair in the corner. Flair tries to poke and gouge and chop his way out, but he's dead on his feet and doesn't come close to tagging. Pillman in, the two trade some chops then have the mid-ring collision as both run off the ropes. Pillman is able to tag Austin, but Anderson gets the hot tag on the other side as well. Arn fights both champions off and plants Stunning Steve hard with his spinebuster, but Pillman is in for the save to prevent the title change. As Arn gets up, Pillman clips him hard in the back of the knee, causing The Enforcer to go down like he was shot. Austin for the pin…and just a near-fall. I fully expected that to tie things up.
Pillman tags in and works over the now-obliterated left leg of Double A. Arn's attempts to fight back are no good, as all Pillman has to do is attack the bad leg again to put him down. Flyin' Brian attempts a whip into the corner, but Arn sells like a boss and just crumples instead of running to the corner. Pillman tries for a pin, but settles for a two-count. Half crab by Pillman focuses on the bad wheel. Anderson escapes the hold and actually connects on a desperation enziguiri. Pillman tags Austin, but Arn can't tag Flair.
After Pillman returns to the ring, he goes for a second rope move and connects face-first with the boot of The Enforcer. Hot tag to Flair, who throws Pillman out over the top while Nick Patrick isn't looking. Back suplex by Flair on Austin. The Nature Boy sets up for the figure-four, but Barry Windham runs in and attacks Flair to cause a disqualification.
Oh come on. Flair and Arn win with their second fall being a DQ, and despite pinning the champs earlier in the match, that's not a title change? That's really a very stupid ending to a good match.
Result: Flair & Arn via pinfall for fall #1 and DQ for fall #2
Meltzer Rating: ****
My Review and Rating: This was a really good match, fine work on all sides, with very few boring points and an effective story told overall. The ending was dumb as hell in a way that I can't help but deduct points for. That crap was like an AWA tribute. ***1/2
Date: June 17, 1993
Link: http://network.wwe.com/video/v32366657
Background: Ric Flair had been back in WCW for almost four months at this point. The Blondes had apparently mocked Flair and Arn for being old, or something like that.
The Match: Tony Schiavone and Jesse Ventura on the call, Nick Patrick in the middle.
Arn vs. Pillman to start, as Arn was obviously scouting for future Horsemen at this point. A couple of exchanges just end in Pillman taunting Arn, but Pillman gets sent down hard twice after before getting angry and slugging Arn into the corner. He lets up though, and Arn fights his way out, clobbering Pillman back toward the opposite corner before putting him on the mat. Pillman runs a begging gambit and gets in an eye gouge. It doesn't get him control for long, as Arn reverses an Irish whip, catches Pillman trying to leap past him as Arn charges the corner, and Double A drops him across the top rope.
Steve Austin tags in and mocks Arn for being fat. Austin hits a shoulderblock and cheap shots Flair, but Arn heads over and tags Flair in. Flair enters, showboats, and then fools Austin into an eye gouge and a series of chops in the corner. Whip into the other corner, backdrop as Austin staggers out of it. Flair slingshots Pillman in and beats him up as well before fighting Austin into the Flair/Arn corner. Arn puts a hurting on Austin as Flair fights Pillman off. Austin rolls out for an escape and a breather.
Stunning Steve gets his bearings back, rolls back in, double-legs Flair and takes him down, but Flair scrambles back to his feet, chops Austin into the corner, and tags The Enforcer in. Arn stomps a mudhole in Steve down in their home corner, then works him over in the middle of the ring with a series of stomps. Puts a hammerlock on Austin and then slams him down on the compromised arm. Tag out to Flair, who drops the knee on Stunning Steve. Austin goes for a tag, but Flair knocks Pillman off the apron before a tag can be made. Tag back out to Arn.
Arn with an arm-wringer on Austin that he wrenches away at several times. Pillman goes down his apron, baits Flair into coming up his way, then as the referee is distracted he chokes Arn from the outside with a towel, pulling him to the mat and creating an opening for Austin to unleash a series of stomps. Tag back out to Pillman, who enters with a hard right to the gut and a jawbreaker. It appears that we have our heat segment.
Arn punches back at Austin from the corner, but there's not a lot behind those right hands, and he doesn't create near enough room to escape. The Blondes pick up the frequent tags and continue to work Anderson over. Anderson finally creates a significant chance on a sequence where Austin lunges at him along the ropes, comes up empty, actually bounces off unharmed, and then as he brags about being unharmed Anderson plants him with the DDT. Although that wasn't his finest, I always enjoyed Arn's DDT more than Jake Roberts's. Hot tag to Flair.
Flair fights both Blondes off, ultimately clearing Austin out and focusing on the legal man Pillman. Austin returns quickly, attacking Flair from behind, but as the Blondes go to execute a double-team move as they whip Flair off the ropes, Arn pulls Austin by the leg and Flair is able to hit a diving forearm as Pillman is distracted by his partner being picked off. 1-2-3, Flair and Arn pick up the first fall. They send it to commercial break as Michael Buffer prematurely crowns Flair and Arn as the new tag team champions.
Fall #1: Flair & Arn via pinfall
We pick up the new fall after the break, with Flair facing off with Pillman. Pillman viciously chops at Flair in the corner, but Flair is in babyface mode, which gives him superpowers to reverse all chopping flurries. Actually Pillman re-reverses and starts delivering again, but after a whip into the opposite corner, Flair flips over the rope and runs up the apron to clock Steve Austin. Distracted by his own clever move, Flair gets blindsided when Pillman follows in with a running forearm that knocks the Nature Boy to the floor. Austin is on the spot and suplexes Flair out there.
Flair drags Pillman outside, but Pillman responds furiously, taking the fight to Flair and smashing him into the steel guardrail. Austin joins the fray and hangs Flair across the guardrail as well. Arn Anderson finally comes to the rescue, wielding a steel chair and chasing the Blondes off. The damage to Flair is done though, and we slip into heat segment #2, with the Blondes working him over. Austin executes a textbook superplex to the middle of the ring, but doesn't follow with a pinfall attempt. C'mon, that move should at least be good enough for a pin in a 2 of 3 falls match.
Austin rams repeated shoulders into Flair in the corner. Flair tries to poke and gouge and chop his way out, but he's dead on his feet and doesn't come close to tagging. Pillman in, the two trade some chops then have the mid-ring collision as both run off the ropes. Pillman is able to tag Austin, but Anderson gets the hot tag on the other side as well. Arn fights both champions off and plants Stunning Steve hard with his spinebuster, but Pillman is in for the save to prevent the title change. As Arn gets up, Pillman clips him hard in the back of the knee, causing The Enforcer to go down like he was shot. Austin for the pin…and just a near-fall. I fully expected that to tie things up.
Pillman tags in and works over the now-obliterated left leg of Double A. Arn's attempts to fight back are no good, as all Pillman has to do is attack the bad leg again to put him down. Flyin' Brian attempts a whip into the corner, but Arn sells like a boss and just crumples instead of running to the corner. Pillman tries for a pin, but settles for a two-count. Half crab by Pillman focuses on the bad wheel. Anderson escapes the hold and actually connects on a desperation enziguiri. Pillman tags Austin, but Arn can't tag Flair.
After Pillman returns to the ring, he goes for a second rope move and connects face-first with the boot of The Enforcer. Hot tag to Flair, who throws Pillman out over the top while Nick Patrick isn't looking. Back suplex by Flair on Austin. The Nature Boy sets up for the figure-four, but Barry Windham runs in and attacks Flair to cause a disqualification.
Oh come on. Flair and Arn win with their second fall being a DQ, and despite pinning the champs earlier in the match, that's not a title change? That's really a very stupid ending to a good match.
Result: Flair & Arn via pinfall for fall #1 and DQ for fall #2
Meltzer Rating: ****
My Review and Rating: This was a really good match, fine work on all sides, with very few boring points and an effective story told overall. The ending was dumb as hell in a way that I can't help but deduct points for. That crap was like an AWA tribute. ***1/2
08-20-2015
, 08:12 PM
RAW: Intercontinental Championship - Shawn Michaels (c) (w/ Diesel) vs. Marty Jannetty
Date: July 19, 1993
Link: http://network.wwe.com/video/v31295669
Background: Jannetty had pinned Michaels a couple of weeks earlier in a non-title match thanks to some interference by Mr. Perfect. Here's our title rematch.
The Match: This was the curtain-jerker to open Raw. Vince McMahon, Bobby Heenan, and Randy Savage on the call, Earl Hebner the official.
Marty opens the match by turning his back for no apparent reason, and Michaels seizes on the opportunity to clobber him. After a brief flurry of offense, Jannetty lands on his feet on a backdrop attempt, and after a sequence of reversals and re-reversals, Jannetty lands a hard clothesline for two. Rollup for another two. Whips HBK into the ropes, HBK comes off and leapfrogs to go behind Jannetty, attempts to run him into the ropes to pull him back for a rollup, but Jannetty ducks and Shawn spills through the middle rope to the floor.
After a quick breather, Michaels returns and we reset. Side headlock by Michaels gets used temporarily as a wear-down, but Marty pushes him off toward the ropes, leapfrogs on the way back, and we get another series of reversals and counters that culminate in Michaels attempting a superkick and Jannetty ducking it. Great action so far; we reset again.
Marty wrestles Michaels into the corner, Hebner tries to get in the middle and create some space, but Michaels hits a cheap shot over the top to go on offense. He doesn't remain in control for long though, coming up empty on a corner charge and then taking multiple arm drags directly out of that. Slam by Jannetty, and a cover for two.
Marty cinches in an arm-wringer on the champ. Transition into the hammerlock, Michaels gets behind and shoves him into the ropes, then connects on a back elbow to greet him coming back. Again Michaels can't keep control, taking a boot flush to the face on a corner charge and then taking a second rope clothesline from Jannetty. Marty tries to follow with the flying fistdrop from the top, Michaels moves, Marty lands on his feet and immediately plants HBK with the DDT. Goes for the cover and gets a three-count, but Michaels's foot was on the ropes. Diesel charges into the ring furious at Hebner for erroneously counting to three. Vince shrugs it off and sends it to break, saying "We've already seen one title change tonight!"
Back from break, the match has resumed. Another referee came down and corrected the error. Okay then. The two brawl outside and then head back in. Standing suplex by Jannetty gets a two-count. A series of hard rights from Jannetty, a whip into the ropes, and a backbreaker on the way back. Two-count. Sleeper by Jannetty. Michaels begins to fade, but manages to regain his feet and back suplex his way out of the hold.
HBK whip into the corner, reversed, but then catches Jannetty's corner charge with a back elbow, then quickly dumps him to the outside. Jannetty eventually rolls back in, Shawn whips him into the ropes, they criss-cross a couple of times and then collide in mid-ring. Another commercial break.
Back from break, Michaels leaps to the top rope and connects on an axhandle from there. Two-count, and a reverse chinlock to follow. Jannetty slugs away at the gut of HBK, but HBK puts him back down without much issue, then applying a front facelock for a while. Jannetty fades to the point of having his arm drop twice, then does the "hold the third time and get an adrenaline rush that sends him back to his feet" thing. After a few attempts to lift Michaels up, he finally gets him up and crotches him along the top rope. The crowd chants "whoomp, there it is." Wat.
Jannetty sends Michaels into the ropes and clubs him with a flying back elbow as he comes off. Sends him into the ropes again, Michaels stops short and sets up for a powerbomb, Jannetty reverses into a hurracanrana, but only gets the near-fall for two. Marty whips Shawn into the corner, Shawn dodges a corner charge, heads up top, connects on a flying cross-body from there, Marty rolls through, only gets two. Rocker dropper by Marty.
A woozy Michaels trips getting up once, gets up again, and slips into the ropes to get tied up. Jannetty lands a few rights on him, backs up and charges, Shawn ducks, and Marty takes a hard spill out over the top rope. As Earl Hebner tends to Michaels in the ring, Diesel simply rolls Marty back in, and Michaels pins him for the win.
Result: Shawn Michaels via pinfall (13:58)
Meltzer Rating: ****3/4
My Review and Rating: I was iffy on going four stars on this one, because it felt like the type of match where I say "nice pace, good offense, just wasn't really feeling it enough to give it a full four stars." But the last 3-4 minutes of the match are so damn good; they put it over the top. I even like the ending, as somewhat unconventional as it was. This is way better than the Royal Rumble match. ****
Date: July 19, 1993
Link: http://network.wwe.com/video/v31295669
Background: Jannetty had pinned Michaels a couple of weeks earlier in a non-title match thanks to some interference by Mr. Perfect. Here's our title rematch.
The Match: This was the curtain-jerker to open Raw. Vince McMahon, Bobby Heenan, and Randy Savage on the call, Earl Hebner the official.
Marty opens the match by turning his back for no apparent reason, and Michaels seizes on the opportunity to clobber him. After a brief flurry of offense, Jannetty lands on his feet on a backdrop attempt, and after a sequence of reversals and re-reversals, Jannetty lands a hard clothesline for two. Rollup for another two. Whips HBK into the ropes, HBK comes off and leapfrogs to go behind Jannetty, attempts to run him into the ropes to pull him back for a rollup, but Jannetty ducks and Shawn spills through the middle rope to the floor.
After a quick breather, Michaels returns and we reset. Side headlock by Michaels gets used temporarily as a wear-down, but Marty pushes him off toward the ropes, leapfrogs on the way back, and we get another series of reversals and counters that culminate in Michaels attempting a superkick and Jannetty ducking it. Great action so far; we reset again.
Marty wrestles Michaels into the corner, Hebner tries to get in the middle and create some space, but Michaels hits a cheap shot over the top to go on offense. He doesn't remain in control for long though, coming up empty on a corner charge and then taking multiple arm drags directly out of that. Slam by Jannetty, and a cover for two.
Marty cinches in an arm-wringer on the champ. Transition into the hammerlock, Michaels gets behind and shoves him into the ropes, then connects on a back elbow to greet him coming back. Again Michaels can't keep control, taking a boot flush to the face on a corner charge and then taking a second rope clothesline from Jannetty. Marty tries to follow with the flying fistdrop from the top, Michaels moves, Marty lands on his feet and immediately plants HBK with the DDT. Goes for the cover and gets a three-count, but Michaels's foot was on the ropes. Diesel charges into the ring furious at Hebner for erroneously counting to three. Vince shrugs it off and sends it to break, saying "We've already seen one title change tonight!"
Back from break, the match has resumed. Another referee came down and corrected the error. Okay then. The two brawl outside and then head back in. Standing suplex by Jannetty gets a two-count. A series of hard rights from Jannetty, a whip into the ropes, and a backbreaker on the way back. Two-count. Sleeper by Jannetty. Michaels begins to fade, but manages to regain his feet and back suplex his way out of the hold.
HBK whip into the corner, reversed, but then catches Jannetty's corner charge with a back elbow, then quickly dumps him to the outside. Jannetty eventually rolls back in, Shawn whips him into the ropes, they criss-cross a couple of times and then collide in mid-ring. Another commercial break.
Back from break, Michaels leaps to the top rope and connects on an axhandle from there. Two-count, and a reverse chinlock to follow. Jannetty slugs away at the gut of HBK, but HBK puts him back down without much issue, then applying a front facelock for a while. Jannetty fades to the point of having his arm drop twice, then does the "hold the third time and get an adrenaline rush that sends him back to his feet" thing. After a few attempts to lift Michaels up, he finally gets him up and crotches him along the top rope. The crowd chants "whoomp, there it is." Wat.
Jannetty sends Michaels into the ropes and clubs him with a flying back elbow as he comes off. Sends him into the ropes again, Michaels stops short and sets up for a powerbomb, Jannetty reverses into a hurracanrana, but only gets the near-fall for two. Marty whips Shawn into the corner, Shawn dodges a corner charge, heads up top, connects on a flying cross-body from there, Marty rolls through, only gets two. Rocker dropper by Marty.
A woozy Michaels trips getting up once, gets up again, and slips into the ropes to get tied up. Jannetty lands a few rights on him, backs up and charges, Shawn ducks, and Marty takes a hard spill out over the top rope. As Earl Hebner tends to Michaels in the ring, Diesel simply rolls Marty back in, and Michaels pins him for the win.
Result: Shawn Michaels via pinfall (13:58)
Meltzer Rating: ****3/4
My Review and Rating: I was iffy on going four stars on this one, because it felt like the type of match where I say "nice pace, good offense, just wasn't really feeling it enough to give it a full four stars." But the last 3-4 minutes of the match are so damn good; they put it over the top. I even like the ending, as somewhat unconventional as it was. This is way better than the Royal Rumble match. ****
08-20-2015
, 09:38 PM
08-22-2015
, 12:26 PM
Halloween Havoc '93: Texas Death Match - Vader (w/ Harley Race) vs. Cactus Jack
Date: October 24, 1993
Link: http://network.wwe.com/video/v31658449
Background: Well, I posted the rules in the picture up the page, so there's that. The stipulation was arrived at by spinning a wheel though, so it wasn't too specific to this feud.
The Match: Tony and Jesse on the call. Vader enters first (no goofy outfit quirks this time), Cactus second to arrive, and again he kicks the match off by charging in right away and beginning to brawl on the ramp. The two trade blows, and Vader sheds his mask almost immediately. Cactus dodges a punch, causing Vader to punch the post and hurt his hand. Cactus immediately capitalizes by smashing that hand into the guardrail.
Jack pursues with a chair, but Vader thwarts him and turns the attack back on him. They continue to trade punches. Cactus borrows a camera from a random fan at ringside (appeared to clearly be improv, since the fan seemed loathe to give it up or something) and hammers Vader over the head with it. He grabs another steel chair and hits him square in the head with an unprotected chair shot, then rolls Vader in.
Cactus charges Vader in the corner and catches a boot to the face, then a hard clothesline. Tony marvels at Vader's resiliency as Vader then lays in those stiff punches in the corner. Punches Jack through the middle rope to the ramp, then attempts to suplex him back in, but Cactus blocks the suplex and actually suplexes the big man over the top and out to the ramp. Jack now bleeding. Back suplex on the ramp, followed by a series of punches.
Harley Race attempts to come up and hit Cactus with the chair, but for some reason he does it in absolute slow motion, and Cactus hits him in the stomach to fend that off before picking up the chair for himself and connecting on a really soft, very protected chair shot to Vader's head. Another harder one lands on Vader's shoulder. The two brawl on the ground and roll under part of the PPV stage into something that is set up as a tombstone with "RIP Vader" on it.
Cactus is the first to emerge from underneath, and he returns to the ring as Vader rises from the grave bleeding. Hard running clothesline from Jack gets a three-count, and we enter the 30-second rest period. After this, Vader has to answer a 10-count; this format seems to suck. He makes it to his feet, and Cactus hits him with some flimsy cardboard cactus to knock him over. Vader rolls off the side of the ramp, Jack elbows him from the ramp to there, and gets another three-count. And we wait another 30 seconds. Vader beats the ensuing 10-count.
Cactus pounces again, hammering away at a bloodied Vader, but Vader blocks and starts firing back with punches of his own. The brawl continues, with Cactus slamming Vader head-first into the steel steps up to the ramp. Jack sets a table up in the ring as both men return inside. Referee Nick Patrick first goes to take the table and move it out of the way, but then actually he just turns it so that the legs aren't facing out. Obviously this was setting up a spot after Foley messed up or something, but it was so blatant that Jesse calls Patrick out for setting the table up for Cactus. Weird.
It looks like Cactus was going to whip Vader into it in the corner; Vader blocks and lays in a few punches, whips Cactus toward the table, but gets reversed and ends up ramming into it himself after all. This pin attempt only gets a two-count, as apparently Vader is much better at kicking out after marginal bumps if he's got a mat underneath him. Cactus picks up the table and hits Vader with another really soft shot.
Vader rolls out, Cactus attempts a sunset flip from the apron, Vader sits out on him, but Cactus rolls out and Vader absorbs the shock to the tailbone as he sits out on the floor. Tony: "Most of the fans here are standing in disbelief, Jess." Well they may be standing - I can't really tell - but they sure as hell aren't making any noise for this match. Cactus picks Vader up and drops him stomach-first along the guardrail. Vader ultimately stands up on the crowd side of the rail, and Cactus's reaction is to charge toward him and bump his knees hard against the rail, spilling over it. I can't tell if that was a botched attempt to jump over the rail or what; if not, it was really bizarre.
Vader attempts to hang Jack over the rail with a stun gun, but Jack sort of spills over top of the rail instead. Vader walks back over the rail, grabs a chair, connects on a chair shot. The camera catches Harley Race wielding a taser of some sort as the competitors re-enter the ring. Vader sets Jack up in the corner, heads up top, and executes a moonsault from there. 1-2-3.
30 seconds run out, and Cactus answers the 10-count. Hard punches in the corner by Vader, who then dumps Cactus through the middle rope to the ramp. Jack tries to fight back, jumping on Vader's back, but Vader falls really hard on his back and pancakes Jack against the hard ramp. That was a pretty cool bump. And another, as Jack takes a hard chair shot to the head. Vader lays the chair on the ramp and DDTs Jack onto it (without really connecting). Trainers come out to attend to Jack and check on him, but Vader chases them off and pins Cactus for another three-count.
We enter the rest period, but the two resume fighting, and for some reason the ring announcer just loudly counts it down anyway as if the two are actually still resting. DDT by Cactus on the ramp, actually hit the chair as well. Harley is stalking along with his taser device, and as Jack makes it to his feet Harley stuns his leg with it to drop him.
Meanwhile Vader made it to his feet, and…Nick Patrick declares the match to be over? Apparently they were still doing a 10-count because of that pin from before, and since Vader got up and Jack didn't, he wins. What on earth. Even the ring announcer sounds confused as to how the match can be over.
Result: Vader via mass confusion (15:59)
Meltzer Rating: ****3/4
My Review and Rating: What a weird match, and mostly not in a good way. The format was dreadful. The match lacked any of the drama that last man standing matches can have. Accordingly, the crowd was basically dead. A couple of the chair shots were pretty wicked, and the late back bump that Cactus took was strong, but most of the spots were kind of shrugworthy. The ending was a mess, and holy **** did they go out of their way to foreshadow the fact that Vader was winning via very specific Harley Racerference with a taser. I appreciate that these two put themselves through some decent physical punishment to put on a show, but for me it wasn't a show that I could bring myself to care much about. **1/4
Date: October 24, 1993
Link: http://network.wwe.com/video/v31658449
Background: Well, I posted the rules in the picture up the page, so there's that. The stipulation was arrived at by spinning a wheel though, so it wasn't too specific to this feud.
The Match: Tony and Jesse on the call. Vader enters first (no goofy outfit quirks this time), Cactus second to arrive, and again he kicks the match off by charging in right away and beginning to brawl on the ramp. The two trade blows, and Vader sheds his mask almost immediately. Cactus dodges a punch, causing Vader to punch the post and hurt his hand. Cactus immediately capitalizes by smashing that hand into the guardrail.
Jack pursues with a chair, but Vader thwarts him and turns the attack back on him. They continue to trade punches. Cactus borrows a camera from a random fan at ringside (appeared to clearly be improv, since the fan seemed loathe to give it up or something) and hammers Vader over the head with it. He grabs another steel chair and hits him square in the head with an unprotected chair shot, then rolls Vader in.
Cactus charges Vader in the corner and catches a boot to the face, then a hard clothesline. Tony marvels at Vader's resiliency as Vader then lays in those stiff punches in the corner. Punches Jack through the middle rope to the ramp, then attempts to suplex him back in, but Cactus blocks the suplex and actually suplexes the big man over the top and out to the ramp. Jack now bleeding. Back suplex on the ramp, followed by a series of punches.
Harley Race attempts to come up and hit Cactus with the chair, but for some reason he does it in absolute slow motion, and Cactus hits him in the stomach to fend that off before picking up the chair for himself and connecting on a really soft, very protected chair shot to Vader's head. Another harder one lands on Vader's shoulder. The two brawl on the ground and roll under part of the PPV stage into something that is set up as a tombstone with "RIP Vader" on it.
Cactus is the first to emerge from underneath, and he returns to the ring as Vader rises from the grave bleeding. Hard running clothesline from Jack gets a three-count, and we enter the 30-second rest period. After this, Vader has to answer a 10-count; this format seems to suck. He makes it to his feet, and Cactus hits him with some flimsy cardboard cactus to knock him over. Vader rolls off the side of the ramp, Jack elbows him from the ramp to there, and gets another three-count. And we wait another 30 seconds. Vader beats the ensuing 10-count.
Cactus pounces again, hammering away at a bloodied Vader, but Vader blocks and starts firing back with punches of his own. The brawl continues, with Cactus slamming Vader head-first into the steel steps up to the ramp. Jack sets a table up in the ring as both men return inside. Referee Nick Patrick first goes to take the table and move it out of the way, but then actually he just turns it so that the legs aren't facing out. Obviously this was setting up a spot after Foley messed up or something, but it was so blatant that Jesse calls Patrick out for setting the table up for Cactus. Weird.
It looks like Cactus was going to whip Vader into it in the corner; Vader blocks and lays in a few punches, whips Cactus toward the table, but gets reversed and ends up ramming into it himself after all. This pin attempt only gets a two-count, as apparently Vader is much better at kicking out after marginal bumps if he's got a mat underneath him. Cactus picks up the table and hits Vader with another really soft shot.
Vader rolls out, Cactus attempts a sunset flip from the apron, Vader sits out on him, but Cactus rolls out and Vader absorbs the shock to the tailbone as he sits out on the floor. Tony: "Most of the fans here are standing in disbelief, Jess." Well they may be standing - I can't really tell - but they sure as hell aren't making any noise for this match. Cactus picks Vader up and drops him stomach-first along the guardrail. Vader ultimately stands up on the crowd side of the rail, and Cactus's reaction is to charge toward him and bump his knees hard against the rail, spilling over it. I can't tell if that was a botched attempt to jump over the rail or what; if not, it was really bizarre.
Vader attempts to hang Jack over the rail with a stun gun, but Jack sort of spills over top of the rail instead. Vader walks back over the rail, grabs a chair, connects on a chair shot. The camera catches Harley Race wielding a taser of some sort as the competitors re-enter the ring. Vader sets Jack up in the corner, heads up top, and executes a moonsault from there. 1-2-3.
30 seconds run out, and Cactus answers the 10-count. Hard punches in the corner by Vader, who then dumps Cactus through the middle rope to the ramp. Jack tries to fight back, jumping on Vader's back, but Vader falls really hard on his back and pancakes Jack against the hard ramp. That was a pretty cool bump. And another, as Jack takes a hard chair shot to the head. Vader lays the chair on the ramp and DDTs Jack onto it (without really connecting). Trainers come out to attend to Jack and check on him, but Vader chases them off and pins Cactus for another three-count.
We enter the rest period, but the two resume fighting, and for some reason the ring announcer just loudly counts it down anyway as if the two are actually still resting. DDT by Cactus on the ramp, actually hit the chair as well. Harley is stalking along with his taser device, and as Jack makes it to his feet Harley stuns his leg with it to drop him.
Meanwhile Vader made it to his feet, and…Nick Patrick declares the match to be over? Apparently they were still doing a 10-count because of that pin from before, and since Vader got up and Jack didn't, he wins. What on earth. Even the ring announcer sounds confused as to how the match can be over.
Result: Vader via mass confusion (15:59)
Meltzer Rating: ****3/4
My Review and Rating: What a weird match, and mostly not in a good way. The format was dreadful. The match lacked any of the drama that last man standing matches can have. Accordingly, the crowd was basically dead. A couple of the chair shots were pretty wicked, and the late back bump that Cactus took was strong, but most of the spots were kind of shrugworthy. The ending was a mess, and holy **** did they go out of their way to foreshadow the fact that Vader was winning via very specific Harley Racerference with a taser. I appreciate that these two put themselves through some decent physical punishment to put on a show, but for me it wasn't a show that I could bring myself to care much about. **1/4
08-22-2015
, 05:45 PM
Starrcade '93: Title vs. Career - Vader (c) (w/ Harley Race) vs. Ric Flair
Date: December 27, 1993
Link: http://network.wwe.com/video/v31673705
Background: I don't actually know what led to Flair putting his career on the line to get this title shot. I'll start knowing backgrounds on a more consistent basis at some point.
The Match: Vader is introduced as having won championships in every continent. I'm definitely curious as to what title he managed to win in Antarctica. This event is emanating from Charlotte, so the crowd is all kinds of electric behind Flair. Jesse and Tony on the call, Randy Anderson the referee.
The two men circle each other as a "Flair" chant breaks out. Vader powers Flair down to the mat to start. Three times, all told. Flair rolls out and baits Vader into chasing him around the ring a bit, seemingly a tactic just to wear down the big man before returning to the ring. Once back in, Vader applies a wristlock to the challenger and slaps him a couple of times before cranking it up a notch and delivering the short clothesline.
Flair blocks a Vader punch and turns him around into the corner, laying in multiple hard chops, but Vader just tosses him down like a rag doll again. Usually no-selling Flair's chops is only allowed when Flair is a heel. Tony says that those patented chops are usually effective, but you have to have the other man worn down a little more than that. What? Since when do you have to wear a man down to make him prone to being hurt by hard chops? Aren't the chops just something to wear a guy down anyway? Flair rolls out.
After his breather, the challenger is back in, and Vader is right back on him, pounding without mercy in the corner. He only lets up to take the match in another direction, picking Flair up and press slamming him. Flair goes outside again, but Vader isn't allowing the break this time, following Ric out, picking him up, and hanging him along the guardrail.
Vader gets overly aggressive though, charging Flair at the guardrail, going for the avalanche and getting nothing but steel when Flair dodges. Flair capitalizes quickly and posts the champ as the crowd erupts. This brief turnaround gets stopped though, as the referee gets distracted with Vader, allowing Harley Race (Flair's opponent 10 years prior at this event) to attack Flair and lay him out. Race rolls Flair back inside, and Vader is able to press slam him again with ease.
Nature Boy attempts to leave, but Vader stops him along the apron and throws him back inside. The champ continues to pretty much have his way with the hometown favorite, methodically deconstructing him with punches and clotheslines. He throws Flair into the corner, Flair flips out over the top and ends up landing on the ramp before going to the floor.
Vader pulls him back in and levels him with more punches and clotheslines. Flair fights back with some more chops, but Vader again stares through them and continues the attack, powerslamming the challenger for a two-count. The champ heads up to the second turnbuckle and hits the flying clothesline from there. A snapmare, back up to the second rope, and a splash attempt misses.
Flair up top quickly for a flying axhandle. Chops. Another flying axhandle barely connects. The third axhandle from the top finally fells the big man. Flair, now bleeding from the mouth, stands back and measures the big man before dropping the running knee on him. Still, he's staggered from all of the prior offense, and Vader simply gets back up and clotheslines him to the mat.
Vader, saying "it's over" to the partisan crowd, sets Flair up on the top turnbuckle and superplexes him from there. He doesn't go for the cover, likely realizing that that move somehow never wins anything ever, and instead gets up to drop an elbow. Follows with a running splash attempt, but the Nature Boy rolls out of the way and Vader eats canvas. Both back up slowly, Flair goes aggressive again and runs the ropes, but Vader puts him down with a simple shoulderblock on the way back.
The champ dumps Flair back outside and then occupies the official while Harley Race goes in for a second feeding on Flair's carcass. Flair slowly back up to the apron. Vader helps him back in, lays in some punches, whip into the corner, and he comes up empty on another attempted avalanche, this time against the turnbuckles. A little sloppy with the spot-calling there, as Vader blatantly announced that they were going to do an empty corner charge. Flair whips Vader to the other corner, Vader reverses, and this time he connects on an avalanche following him in.
More hard rights from the big man. Randy Anderson starts asking Flair if he can continue the match; obviously he will. Wristlock by the big man, but Flair hits an eye gouge to get free and finally connects on a few punches that drop Vader to a knee, and ultimately puts him down on the mat with several more.
Vader loses the mask. Flair goes outside, grabs a leg, drags Vader over to straddle the corner. Posts the left leg. Flair grabs Jesse Ventura's chair away while Randy Anderson is caught up with Harley Race, and Flair levels Vader's left leg with it.
The underdog wails away with chops and punches, still out on the floor. Vader tries to get his feet back, but takes another series of punches for his efforts. Randy Anderson is again asleep at the wheel, and Flair lands another chair shot. The action finally goes back inside. Flair remains on offense, again more punches to the big man, culminating in Flair actually biting at Vader's face. Flair really, really plays the underdog to perfection here. He pulls Vader to one side of the ropes and jumps on the leg that he's been working over.
More punches from Flair, an attempt at a figure-four, and Vader kicks him off, all the way down to the mat, to quiet the crowd and spare his leg from further damage. The big man is back in control just like that, setting Flair up in the corner and going for the Vaderbomb…miss. Flair goes back after the figure-four and successfully cinches it in this time. Race gets up on the apron, almost all the way into the ring, but Vader eventually makes it to the ropes on his own.
Flair gets up and lets out something of a war cry, proud of his surge of offense, but after wasting a precious handful of seconds, his corner charge is met with the big boot to the face. Elbow drop by the champ, followed by some vicious-looking forearms to a helpless, lying Flair. Again Flair finds himself in the corner. Vader heads all the way up to the top and attempts the moonsault, but it misses. Flair slowly covers, Harley Race heads up to the top rope for a flying headbutt to try to break the pin up, but Flair rolls off and Race hits Vader. Who breaks up a pinfall with a top rope headbutt in mid-count? Randy Anderson pushes Race out of the ring.
Flair with a running forearm and a series of chops, but he runs the ropes and gets hammered down to the mat again on the way back by Vader. Still, Vader is hobbled upon that same impact, kind of starts to limp away, Flair capitalizes by grabbing the bad leg, rolling him up with sort of a schoolboy, 1-2-3, new world champion. Massive pop. Ending kinda sucks even though the crowd reaction is satisfying.
Result: Ric Flair via pinfall (21:18)
Meltzer Rating: ****1/2
My Review and Rating: I don't know what I didn't like when I saw this last time, but I was dead wrong; this match is truly excellent. I think the ending stuck in my head, as it was all I previously remembered of the whole thing. Flair tells a brilliant story as the underdog here, the crowd atmosphere is awesome, the psychology is absolutely on point, and regardless of a crappy final spot in the match, Flair shipping the world title again is an awesome feel-good moment. Absolutely loved this. ****1/2
Date: December 27, 1993
Link: http://network.wwe.com/video/v31673705
Background: I don't actually know what led to Flair putting his career on the line to get this title shot. I'll start knowing backgrounds on a more consistent basis at some point.
The Match: Vader is introduced as having won championships in every continent. I'm definitely curious as to what title he managed to win in Antarctica. This event is emanating from Charlotte, so the crowd is all kinds of electric behind Flair. Jesse and Tony on the call, Randy Anderson the referee.
The two men circle each other as a "Flair" chant breaks out. Vader powers Flair down to the mat to start. Three times, all told. Flair rolls out and baits Vader into chasing him around the ring a bit, seemingly a tactic just to wear down the big man before returning to the ring. Once back in, Vader applies a wristlock to the challenger and slaps him a couple of times before cranking it up a notch and delivering the short clothesline.
Flair blocks a Vader punch and turns him around into the corner, laying in multiple hard chops, but Vader just tosses him down like a rag doll again. Usually no-selling Flair's chops is only allowed when Flair is a heel. Tony says that those patented chops are usually effective, but you have to have the other man worn down a little more than that. What? Since when do you have to wear a man down to make him prone to being hurt by hard chops? Aren't the chops just something to wear a guy down anyway? Flair rolls out.
After his breather, the challenger is back in, and Vader is right back on him, pounding without mercy in the corner. He only lets up to take the match in another direction, picking Flair up and press slamming him. Flair goes outside again, but Vader isn't allowing the break this time, following Ric out, picking him up, and hanging him along the guardrail.
Vader gets overly aggressive though, charging Flair at the guardrail, going for the avalanche and getting nothing but steel when Flair dodges. Flair capitalizes quickly and posts the champ as the crowd erupts. This brief turnaround gets stopped though, as the referee gets distracted with Vader, allowing Harley Race (Flair's opponent 10 years prior at this event) to attack Flair and lay him out. Race rolls Flair back inside, and Vader is able to press slam him again with ease.
Nature Boy attempts to leave, but Vader stops him along the apron and throws him back inside. The champ continues to pretty much have his way with the hometown favorite, methodically deconstructing him with punches and clotheslines. He throws Flair into the corner, Flair flips out over the top and ends up landing on the ramp before going to the floor.
Vader pulls him back in and levels him with more punches and clotheslines. Flair fights back with some more chops, but Vader again stares through them and continues the attack, powerslamming the challenger for a two-count. The champ heads up to the second turnbuckle and hits the flying clothesline from there. A snapmare, back up to the second rope, and a splash attempt misses.
Flair up top quickly for a flying axhandle. Chops. Another flying axhandle barely connects. The third axhandle from the top finally fells the big man. Flair, now bleeding from the mouth, stands back and measures the big man before dropping the running knee on him. Still, he's staggered from all of the prior offense, and Vader simply gets back up and clotheslines him to the mat.
Vader, saying "it's over" to the partisan crowd, sets Flair up on the top turnbuckle and superplexes him from there. He doesn't go for the cover, likely realizing that that move somehow never wins anything ever, and instead gets up to drop an elbow. Follows with a running splash attempt, but the Nature Boy rolls out of the way and Vader eats canvas. Both back up slowly, Flair goes aggressive again and runs the ropes, but Vader puts him down with a simple shoulderblock on the way back.
The champ dumps Flair back outside and then occupies the official while Harley Race goes in for a second feeding on Flair's carcass. Flair slowly back up to the apron. Vader helps him back in, lays in some punches, whip into the corner, and he comes up empty on another attempted avalanche, this time against the turnbuckles. A little sloppy with the spot-calling there, as Vader blatantly announced that they were going to do an empty corner charge. Flair whips Vader to the other corner, Vader reverses, and this time he connects on an avalanche following him in.
More hard rights from the big man. Randy Anderson starts asking Flair if he can continue the match; obviously he will. Wristlock by the big man, but Flair hits an eye gouge to get free and finally connects on a few punches that drop Vader to a knee, and ultimately puts him down on the mat with several more.
Vader loses the mask. Flair goes outside, grabs a leg, drags Vader over to straddle the corner. Posts the left leg. Flair grabs Jesse Ventura's chair away while Randy Anderson is caught up with Harley Race, and Flair levels Vader's left leg with it.
The underdog wails away with chops and punches, still out on the floor. Vader tries to get his feet back, but takes another series of punches for his efforts. Randy Anderson is again asleep at the wheel, and Flair lands another chair shot. The action finally goes back inside. Flair remains on offense, again more punches to the big man, culminating in Flair actually biting at Vader's face. Flair really, really plays the underdog to perfection here. He pulls Vader to one side of the ropes and jumps on the leg that he's been working over.
More punches from Flair, an attempt at a figure-four, and Vader kicks him off, all the way down to the mat, to quiet the crowd and spare his leg from further damage. The big man is back in control just like that, setting Flair up in the corner and going for the Vaderbomb…miss. Flair goes back after the figure-four and successfully cinches it in this time. Race gets up on the apron, almost all the way into the ring, but Vader eventually makes it to the ropes on his own.
Flair gets up and lets out something of a war cry, proud of his surge of offense, but after wasting a precious handful of seconds, his corner charge is met with the big boot to the face. Elbow drop by the champ, followed by some vicious-looking forearms to a helpless, lying Flair. Again Flair finds himself in the corner. Vader heads all the way up to the top and attempts the moonsault, but it misses. Flair slowly covers, Harley Race heads up to the top rope for a flying headbutt to try to break the pin up, but Flair rolls off and Race hits Vader. Who breaks up a pinfall with a top rope headbutt in mid-count? Randy Anderson pushes Race out of the ring.
Flair with a running forearm and a series of chops, but he runs the ropes and gets hammered down to the mat again on the way back by Vader. Still, Vader is hobbled upon that same impact, kind of starts to limp away, Flair capitalizes by grabbing the bad leg, rolling him up with sort of a schoolboy, 1-2-3, new world champion. Massive pop. Ending kinda sucks even though the crowd reaction is satisfying.
Result: Ric Flair via pinfall (21:18)
Meltzer Rating: ****1/2
My Review and Rating: I don't know what I didn't like when I saw this last time, but I was dead wrong; this match is truly excellent. I think the ending stuck in my head, as it was all I previously remembered of the whole thing. Flair tells a brilliant story as the underdog here, the crowd atmosphere is awesome, the psychology is absolutely on point, and regardless of a crappy final spot in the match, Flair shipping the world title again is an awesome feel-good moment. Absolutely loved this. ****1/2
08-22-2015
, 08:31 PM
Quote:
Starrcade '93: Title vs. Career - Vader (c) (w/ Harley Race) vs. Ric Flair
Date: December 27, 1993
Link: http://network.wwe.com/video/v31673705
Background: I don't actually know what led to Flair putting his career on the line to get this title shot. I'll start knowing backgrounds on a more consistent basis at some point.
The Match: Vader is introduced as having won championships in every continent. I'm definitely curious as to what title he managed to win in Antarctica. This event is emanating from Charlotte, so the crowd is all kinds of electric behind Flair. Jesse and Tony on the call, Randy Anderson the referee.
The two men circle each other as a "Flair" chant breaks out. Vader powers Flair down to the mat to start. Three times, all told. Flair rolls out and baits Vader into chasing him around the ring a bit, seemingly a tactic just to wear down the big man before returning to the ring. Once back in, Vader applies a wristlock to the challenger and slaps him a couple of times before cranking it up a notch and delivering the short clothesline.
Flair blocks a Vader punch and turns him around into the corner, laying in multiple hard chops, but Vader just tosses him down like a rag doll again. Usually no-selling Flair's chops is only allowed when Flair is a heel. Tony says that those patented chops are usually effective, but you have to have the other man worn down a little more than that. What? Since when do you have to wear a man down to make him prone to being hurt by hard chops? Aren't the chops just something to wear a guy down anyway? Flair rolls out.
After his breather, the challenger is back in, and Vader is right back on him, pounding without mercy in the corner. He only lets up to take the match in another direction, picking Flair up and press slamming him. Flair goes outside again, but Vader isn't allowing the break this time, following Ric out, picking him up, and hanging him along the guardrail.
Vader gets overly aggressive though, charging Flair at the guardrail, going for the avalanche and getting nothing but steel when Flair dodges. Flair capitalizes quickly and posts the champ as the crowd erupts. This brief turnaround gets stopped though, as the referee gets distracted with Vader, allowing Harley Race (Flair's opponent 10 years prior at this event) to attack Flair and lay him out. Race rolls Flair back inside, and Vader is able to press slam him again with ease.
Nature Boy attempts to leave, but Vader stops him along the apron and throws him back inside. The champ continues to pretty much have his way with the hometown favorite, methodically deconstructing him with punches and clotheslines. He throws Flair into the corner, Flair flips out over the top and ends up landing on the ramp before going to the floor.
Vader pulls him back in and levels him with more punches and clotheslines. Flair fights back with some more chops, but Vader again stares through them and continues the attack, powerslamming the challenger for a two-count. The champ heads up to the second turnbuckle and hits the flying clothesline from there. A snapmare, back up to the second rope, and a splash attempt misses.
Flair up top quickly for a flying axhandle. Chops. Another flying axhandle barely connects. The third axhandle from the top finally fells the big man. Flair, now bleeding from the mouth, stands back and measures the big man before dropping the running knee on him. Still, he's staggered from all of the prior offense, and Vader simply gets back up and clotheslines him to the mat.
Vader, saying "it's over" to the partisan crowd, sets Flair up on the top turnbuckle and superplexes him from there. He doesn't go for the cover, likely realizing that that move somehow never wins anything ever, and instead gets up to drop an elbow. Follows with a running splash attempt, but the Nature Boy rolls out of the way and Vader eats canvas. Both back up slowly, Flair goes aggressive again and runs the ropes, but Vader puts him down with a simple shoulderblock on the way back.
The champ dumps Flair back outside and then occupies the official while Harley Race goes in for a second feeding on Flair's carcass. Flair slowly back up to the apron. Vader helps him back in, lays in some punches, whip into the corner, and he comes up empty on another attempted avalanche, this time against the turnbuckles. A little sloppy with the spot-calling there, as Vader blatantly announced that they were going to do an empty corner charge. Flair whips Vader to the other corner, Vader reverses, and this time he connects on an avalanche following him in.
More hard rights from the big man. Randy Anderson starts asking Flair if he can continue the match; obviously he will. Wristlock by the big man, but Flair hits an eye gouge to get free and finally connects on a few punches that drop Vader to a knee, and ultimately puts him down on the mat with several more.
Vader loses the mask. Flair goes outside, grabs a leg, drags Vader over to straddle the corner. Posts the left leg. Flair grabs Jesse Ventura's chair away while Randy Anderson is caught up with Harley Race, and Flair levels Vader's left leg with it.
The underdog wails away with chops and punches, still out on the floor. Vader tries to get his feet back, but takes another series of punches for his efforts. Randy Anderson is again asleep at the wheel, and Flair lands another chair shot. The action finally goes back inside. Flair remains on offense, again more punches to the big man, culminating in Flair actually biting at Vader's face. Flair really, really plays the underdog to perfection here. He pulls Vader to one side of the ropes and jumps on the leg that he's been working over.
More punches from Flair, an attempt at a figure-four, and Vader kicks him off, all the way down to the mat, to quiet the crowd and spare his leg from further damage. The big man is back in control just like that, setting Flair up in the corner and going for the Vaderbomb…miss. Flair goes back after the figure-four and successfully cinches it in this time. Race gets up on the apron, almost all the way into the ring, but Vader eventually makes it to the ropes on his own.
Flair gets up and lets out something of a war cry, proud of his surge of offense, but after wasting a precious handful of seconds, his corner charge is met with the big boot to the face. Elbow drop by the champ, followed by some vicious-looking forearms to a helpless, lying Flair. Again Flair finds himself in the corner. Vader heads all the way up to the top and attempts the moonsault, but it misses. Flair slowly covers, Harley Race heads up to the top rope for a flying headbutt to try to break the pin up, but Flair rolls off and Race hits Vader. Who breaks up a pinfall with a top rope headbutt in mid-count? Randy Anderson pushes Race out of the ring.
Flair with a running forearm and a series of chops, but he runs the ropes and gets hammered down to the mat again on the way back by Vader. Still, Vader is hobbled upon that same impact, kind of starts to limp away, Flair capitalizes by grabbing the bad leg, rolling him up with sort of a schoolboy, 1-2-3, new world champion. Massive pop. Ending kinda sucks even though the crowd reaction is satisfying.
Result: Ric Flair via pinfall (21:18)
Meltzer Rating: ****1/2
My Review and Rating: I don't know what I didn't like when I saw this last time, but I was dead wrong; this match is truly excellent. I think the ending stuck in my head, as it was all I previously remembered of the whole thing. Flair tells a brilliant story as the underdog here, the crowd atmosphere is awesome, the psychology is absolutely on point, and regardless of a crappy final spot in the match, Flair shipping the world title again is an awesome feel-good moment. Absolutely loved this. ****1/2
Date: December 27, 1993
Link: http://network.wwe.com/video/v31673705
Background: I don't actually know what led to Flair putting his career on the line to get this title shot. I'll start knowing backgrounds on a more consistent basis at some point.
The Match: Vader is introduced as having won championships in every continent. I'm definitely curious as to what title he managed to win in Antarctica. This event is emanating from Charlotte, so the crowd is all kinds of electric behind Flair. Jesse and Tony on the call, Randy Anderson the referee.
The two men circle each other as a "Flair" chant breaks out. Vader powers Flair down to the mat to start. Three times, all told. Flair rolls out and baits Vader into chasing him around the ring a bit, seemingly a tactic just to wear down the big man before returning to the ring. Once back in, Vader applies a wristlock to the challenger and slaps him a couple of times before cranking it up a notch and delivering the short clothesline.
Flair blocks a Vader punch and turns him around into the corner, laying in multiple hard chops, but Vader just tosses him down like a rag doll again. Usually no-selling Flair's chops is only allowed when Flair is a heel. Tony says that those patented chops are usually effective, but you have to have the other man worn down a little more than that. What? Since when do you have to wear a man down to make him prone to being hurt by hard chops? Aren't the chops just something to wear a guy down anyway? Flair rolls out.
After his breather, the challenger is back in, and Vader is right back on him, pounding without mercy in the corner. He only lets up to take the match in another direction, picking Flair up and press slamming him. Flair goes outside again, but Vader isn't allowing the break this time, following Ric out, picking him up, and hanging him along the guardrail.
Vader gets overly aggressive though, charging Flair at the guardrail, going for the avalanche and getting nothing but steel when Flair dodges. Flair capitalizes quickly and posts the champ as the crowd erupts. This brief turnaround gets stopped though, as the referee gets distracted with Vader, allowing Harley Race (Flair's opponent 10 years prior at this event) to attack Flair and lay him out. Race rolls Flair back inside, and Vader is able to press slam him again with ease.
Nature Boy attempts to leave, but Vader stops him along the apron and throws him back inside. The champ continues to pretty much have his way with the hometown favorite, methodically deconstructing him with punches and clotheslines. He throws Flair into the corner, Flair flips out over the top and ends up landing on the ramp before going to the floor.
Vader pulls him back in and levels him with more punches and clotheslines. Flair fights back with some more chops, but Vader again stares through them and continues the attack, powerslamming the challenger for a two-count. The champ heads up to the second turnbuckle and hits the flying clothesline from there. A snapmare, back up to the second rope, and a splash attempt misses.
Flair up top quickly for a flying axhandle. Chops. Another flying axhandle barely connects. The third axhandle from the top finally fells the big man. Flair, now bleeding from the mouth, stands back and measures the big man before dropping the running knee on him. Still, he's staggered from all of the prior offense, and Vader simply gets back up and clotheslines him to the mat.
Vader, saying "it's over" to the partisan crowd, sets Flair up on the top turnbuckle and superplexes him from there. He doesn't go for the cover, likely realizing that that move somehow never wins anything ever, and instead gets up to drop an elbow. Follows with a running splash attempt, but the Nature Boy rolls out of the way and Vader eats canvas. Both back up slowly, Flair goes aggressive again and runs the ropes, but Vader puts him down with a simple shoulderblock on the way back.
The champ dumps Flair back outside and then occupies the official while Harley Race goes in for a second feeding on Flair's carcass. Flair slowly back up to the apron. Vader helps him back in, lays in some punches, whip into the corner, and he comes up empty on another attempted avalanche, this time against the turnbuckles. A little sloppy with the spot-calling there, as Vader blatantly announced that they were going to do an empty corner charge. Flair whips Vader to the other corner, Vader reverses, and this time he connects on an avalanche following him in.
More hard rights from the big man. Randy Anderson starts asking Flair if he can continue the match; obviously he will. Wristlock by the big man, but Flair hits an eye gouge to get free and finally connects on a few punches that drop Vader to a knee, and ultimately puts him down on the mat with several more.
Vader loses the mask. Flair goes outside, grabs a leg, drags Vader over to straddle the corner. Posts the left leg. Flair grabs Jesse Ventura's chair away while Randy Anderson is caught up with Harley Race, and Flair levels Vader's left leg with it.
The underdog wails away with chops and punches, still out on the floor. Vader tries to get his feet back, but takes another series of punches for his efforts. Randy Anderson is again asleep at the wheel, and Flair lands another chair shot. The action finally goes back inside. Flair remains on offense, again more punches to the big man, culminating in Flair actually biting at Vader's face. Flair really, really plays the underdog to perfection here. He pulls Vader to one side of the ropes and jumps on the leg that he's been working over.
More punches from Flair, an attempt at a figure-four, and Vader kicks him off, all the way down to the mat, to quiet the crowd and spare his leg from further damage. The big man is back in control just like that, setting Flair up in the corner and going for the Vaderbomb…miss. Flair goes back after the figure-four and successfully cinches it in this time. Race gets up on the apron, almost all the way into the ring, but Vader eventually makes it to the ropes on his own.
Flair gets up and lets out something of a war cry, proud of his surge of offense, but after wasting a precious handful of seconds, his corner charge is met with the big boot to the face. Elbow drop by the champ, followed by some vicious-looking forearms to a helpless, lying Flair. Again Flair finds himself in the corner. Vader heads all the way up to the top and attempts the moonsault, but it misses. Flair slowly covers, Harley Race heads up to the top rope for a flying headbutt to try to break the pin up, but Flair rolls off and Race hits Vader. Who breaks up a pinfall with a top rope headbutt in mid-count? Randy Anderson pushes Race out of the ring.
Flair with a running forearm and a series of chops, but he runs the ropes and gets hammered down to the mat again on the way back by Vader. Still, Vader is hobbled upon that same impact, kind of starts to limp away, Flair capitalizes by grabbing the bad leg, rolling him up with sort of a schoolboy, 1-2-3, new world champion. Massive pop. Ending kinda sucks even though the crowd reaction is satisfying.
Result: Ric Flair via pinfall (21:18)
Meltzer Rating: ****1/2
My Review and Rating: I don't know what I didn't like when I saw this last time, but I was dead wrong; this match is truly excellent. I think the ending stuck in my head, as it was all I previously remembered of the whole thing. Flair tells a brilliant story as the underdog here, the crowd atmosphere is awesome, the psychology is absolutely on point, and regardless of a crappy final spot in the match, Flair shipping the world title again is an awesome feel-good moment. Absolutely loved this. ****1/2
excelent match that deserves all the praise it gets
08-23-2015
, 11:29 PM
08-29-2015
, 12:15 PM
SuperBrawl IV: Thundercage Match - Sting, Dustin Rhodes, & Brian Pillman vs. Rick Rude, Paul Orndorff, & Steve Austin (w/ Col. Rob Parker)
Date: February 20, 1994
Link: http://network.wwe.com/video/v31658259
Background: The individual feuds here are Sting vs. Rude, Pillman vs. Austin, and Rhodes vs. Orndorff.
The Match: Tony Schiavone and Bobby Heenan on the call; I guess this is the point at which Jesse departs and Heenan is in. Too bad Heenan was rarely very good in WCW. It appears that we're under normal six-man tag rules in this match, just inside of a thundercage. Note: I feel really stupid every time I type "thundercage."
Sting vs. Orndorff looks to open, but Sting taunts Rude into tagging in before the action gets under way. Rude connects on a kick and some punches, but gets reversed on a whip into the ropes and takes a high backdrop followed by a series of clotheslines that leaves Rude laid out in the corner. Sting waits and allows a recovery. Rude is able to get a bit of offense in on Sting, then tags back out to Mr. Wonderful.
Orndorff with an arm-wringer, an arm-bar, and a series of punches and knees fixated on Sting's arm. Schiavone explains that the difference between this cage and other cages is that you have to go outside the ring in order to slam your opponent into the cage. Well that's a ****ing exciting difference.
Austin tags in and keeps the offense going for a moment on Sting's left arm, but Sting reverses into his own arm-wringer, the two run the ropes, but on a leapfrog Austin lands funny and his knee gives out (kayfabe).
Sting immediately tries to capitalize by applying the Scorpion Deathlock, but Orndorff is in for the save and Austin actually surprises Sting with a schoolboy for two. Both to the outside, Sting slams Austin into the cage a couple of times, and Flyin' Brian also drops to the floor to get his shots in on his former tag partner.
Back in, Pillman enters as the legal man, and the Hollywood Blondes are officially having it out. They go outside and trade some hard chops, then Austin runs away and baits Pillman into chasing him, only to back drop him into the side of the cage. Lots of random illegal interference persists, as Orndorff drops to the floor and smashes Pillman into the cage as well. I have no idea whether this is no DQ or what.
Pillman is now bloody as he returns to the ring, and Rude re-enters for the heel team to get some offense in before tagging control back over to Orndorff. Orndorff gets hit back on a corner charge, but blocks Pillman's follow-up clothesline attempt and delivers a stiff back suplex to Pillman that Pillman takes a hard bump on. Rude back in, top rope kneedrop, two-count.
Frequent tags continue, with Austin back in and stomping away at his old running buddy. He continues on offense for a bit, but the momentum hits a screeching halt when he goes up for a second rope elbow and runs into a desperation upward dropkick by Pillman on the way back. That was a great-looking spot. Austin tags out, but Pillman manages the hot tag to Sting.
Sting gets his shots in on all three men - Orndorff the legal one - and clears the ring. Sting follows Orndorff outside, drags him along the floor, smashes him into a cage. Again. He returns Mr. Wonderful to the ring, but Mr. Wonderful is bleeding now too. Sting tag to Dustin, who unleashes a flurry of punches and elbows to Orndorff, but ultimately gets reversed and pulled face-first into the turnbuckle. Orndorff seizes the opportunity to tag out to Rude.
Rude and Dustin trade punches in the corner, Dustin grips Rude with a side headlock to set up a running bulldog, but Rude keeps running through on the running bulldog attempt and ends up using Dustin's momentum to lift him up to the top turnbuckle. Rude follows up top with a nice back superplex.
The Ravishing one follows with a bearhug. I consider it to be an inarguable rule that only fat dudes have bearhug privileges, but I guess Rude disagrees. Belly-to-belly suplex by Rude, and a tag to Stunning Steve.
Dustin fights back at Austin, knocks him to the apron and then dropkick Austin and sends him flying into the cage for a weak-looking bump that the announcers pretend to be impressed by. Austin recovers quickly and is straight back in, actually taking the fight back to Rhodes. Corner whip by Austin, but Rhodes jumps up top and launches backwards with a back elbow. Tag to Pillman, who promptly backdrops Austin and then dropkicks Rude off the apron. This baits the heels in, and the faces follow, with all six going at it.
Sting and Pillman with a double backdrop on Austin. Sting picks up Pillman throws him onto Austin, Pillman lands on top, 1-2-3.
Result: Sting/Rhodes/Pillman via pinfall (14:36)
Meltzer Rating: ****1/4
My Review and Rating: This was pretty much a hot circle of garbage. So boring, so disjointed, very little entertainment value. I liked Pillman's dropkick spot to pick off a flying Austin, and I liked Rude's back superplex, but those individual spots don't move the overall needle that much when the whole match was pretty damn dull. Meltzer should have recused himself from rating thundercage matches since he's apparently incapable of doing it well. **
Date: February 20, 1994
Link: http://network.wwe.com/video/v31658259
Background: The individual feuds here are Sting vs. Rude, Pillman vs. Austin, and Rhodes vs. Orndorff.
The Match: Tony Schiavone and Bobby Heenan on the call; I guess this is the point at which Jesse departs and Heenan is in. Too bad Heenan was rarely very good in WCW. It appears that we're under normal six-man tag rules in this match, just inside of a thundercage. Note: I feel really stupid every time I type "thundercage."
Sting vs. Orndorff looks to open, but Sting taunts Rude into tagging in before the action gets under way. Rude connects on a kick and some punches, but gets reversed on a whip into the ropes and takes a high backdrop followed by a series of clotheslines that leaves Rude laid out in the corner. Sting waits and allows a recovery. Rude is able to get a bit of offense in on Sting, then tags back out to Mr. Wonderful.
Orndorff with an arm-wringer, an arm-bar, and a series of punches and knees fixated on Sting's arm. Schiavone explains that the difference between this cage and other cages is that you have to go outside the ring in order to slam your opponent into the cage. Well that's a ****ing exciting difference.
Austin tags in and keeps the offense going for a moment on Sting's left arm, but Sting reverses into his own arm-wringer, the two run the ropes, but on a leapfrog Austin lands funny and his knee gives out (kayfabe).
Sting immediately tries to capitalize by applying the Scorpion Deathlock, but Orndorff is in for the save and Austin actually surprises Sting with a schoolboy for two. Both to the outside, Sting slams Austin into the cage a couple of times, and Flyin' Brian also drops to the floor to get his shots in on his former tag partner.
Back in, Pillman enters as the legal man, and the Hollywood Blondes are officially having it out. They go outside and trade some hard chops, then Austin runs away and baits Pillman into chasing him, only to back drop him into the side of the cage. Lots of random illegal interference persists, as Orndorff drops to the floor and smashes Pillman into the cage as well. I have no idea whether this is no DQ or what.
Pillman is now bloody as he returns to the ring, and Rude re-enters for the heel team to get some offense in before tagging control back over to Orndorff. Orndorff gets hit back on a corner charge, but blocks Pillman's follow-up clothesline attempt and delivers a stiff back suplex to Pillman that Pillman takes a hard bump on. Rude back in, top rope kneedrop, two-count.
Frequent tags continue, with Austin back in and stomping away at his old running buddy. He continues on offense for a bit, but the momentum hits a screeching halt when he goes up for a second rope elbow and runs into a desperation upward dropkick by Pillman on the way back. That was a great-looking spot. Austin tags out, but Pillman manages the hot tag to Sting.
Sting gets his shots in on all three men - Orndorff the legal one - and clears the ring. Sting follows Orndorff outside, drags him along the floor, smashes him into a cage. Again. He returns Mr. Wonderful to the ring, but Mr. Wonderful is bleeding now too. Sting tag to Dustin, who unleashes a flurry of punches and elbows to Orndorff, but ultimately gets reversed and pulled face-first into the turnbuckle. Orndorff seizes the opportunity to tag out to Rude.
Rude and Dustin trade punches in the corner, Dustin grips Rude with a side headlock to set up a running bulldog, but Rude keeps running through on the running bulldog attempt and ends up using Dustin's momentum to lift him up to the top turnbuckle. Rude follows up top with a nice back superplex.
The Ravishing one follows with a bearhug. I consider it to be an inarguable rule that only fat dudes have bearhug privileges, but I guess Rude disagrees. Belly-to-belly suplex by Rude, and a tag to Stunning Steve.
Dustin fights back at Austin, knocks him to the apron and then dropkick Austin and sends him flying into the cage for a weak-looking bump that the announcers pretend to be impressed by. Austin recovers quickly and is straight back in, actually taking the fight back to Rhodes. Corner whip by Austin, but Rhodes jumps up top and launches backwards with a back elbow. Tag to Pillman, who promptly backdrops Austin and then dropkicks Rude off the apron. This baits the heels in, and the faces follow, with all six going at it.
Sting and Pillman with a double backdrop on Austin. Sting picks up Pillman throws him onto Austin, Pillman lands on top, 1-2-3.
Result: Sting/Rhodes/Pillman via pinfall (14:36)
Meltzer Rating: ****1/4
My Review and Rating: This was pretty much a hot circle of garbage. So boring, so disjointed, very little entertainment value. I liked Pillman's dropkick spot to pick off a flying Austin, and I liked Rude's back superplex, but those individual spots don't move the overall needle that much when the whole match was pretty damn dull. Meltzer should have recused himself from rating thundercage matches since he's apparently incapable of doing it well. **