WWE Vintage Collection Recap – 1/3/10

Reviews, Shows, TV Shows

Welcome back to Vintage Collection for 2010. I’m sure it’ll be a great year, and we may as well get straight into things.

Our first match comes from Starrcade 96, and it’s the final in the Womens Championship tournament. Between Akira Hokuto and Medusa. coming in, Hokuto seems to have the advantage, but Medusa takes over quickly and goes for a cover after a scoopslam. Hokuto tries to pull Medusa up, and lifts her and holds her neck before dropping her at four and then covering her neck with her leg again. Medusa fights back to break the choke. but Hokuto leans her back over her leg and chokes again. Hokuto hits a german suplex into a bridge for a two count and then into an arm bar. Medusa runs the ropes and hits what looks like a bit of a botched DDT. Hokuto goes for another german suplex into another bridge for a one count. Medusa goes up high and hits what looks like another DDT from the second rope. Medusa picks her up and hits a powerbomb to a two count. Medusa tries to hit another powerbomb but Hokuto uses the momentum to push Medusa backwards down onto the mat. Both women get up again and Medusa hits a german suplex into another two count. Medusa goes up to the second rope and Hokuto climbs up to hit a superplex. Hokuto climbs up to the top rope again, and a dropkick sends her down to the arena floor. The distraction allows Sonny Onoo to come up from behind and hit Medusa on the back with an American flag. A missile dropkick into a northern lights bomb to get the three count and the win for Akira Hokuto.

The second match comes from Starrcade 1997 and the match is for the US Championship, and is between Curt Hennig and Diamond Dallas Page (DDP). Straight in, DDP goes for an immediate roll-up and quick count. When the two men finally get involved with each other, DDP keeps coming out on top with a series of shoulders and punches. Hennig rolls outside the ring. When they lock up inside again, Hennig starts to get the advantage keeping DDP down with a series of kicks to the ribs. (DDP’s ribs are taped in this match). A chop and then Hennig sends DDP down to the mat. As they stand up, DDP gets the advantage, throwing Hennig down onto the mat and into a side headlock, which Hennig is able to break out of with a knee of the ribs and then some chops. DDP comes back and they end up in a side headlock again. The two men get to standing, and DDP keeps his advantage eventually sending Hennig over the top rope to the outside. DDP goes after Hennig to bring him back in, this doesn’t work out for him as Hennig is able to drop DDP throat first into the top rope. Getting back into the ring, Hennig starts to work on the ribs of DDP eventually sending him to the outside. DDP is thrown into the steel steps and Hennig rolls back into the ring. We go to an ad break.

Straight back into the action, Hennig kicks DDP and then sends him down to the mat with a lariat before locking in a side headlock while keeping his feet on the ropes for leverage outside of the view of the ref. Finally DDP is able to get back up to standing, and a jawbreaker separates the two men. DDP starts unleashing punches, but Hennig returns the punches too. Hennig gets sent over the top rope, and DDP follows him over. Hennig ends up in the crowd for a minute before DDP throws him back over again. The count gets to 9 before the two men get back into the ring. From here Hennig is crotched on the ring post and Hennig manages to counter a Diamond Cutter before a two count. A couple of quick rollups before both men get back up to standing. A lariat knocks DDP down again, and Hennig tries to go for his finisher but DDP is able to counter and sends Hennig back down to the mat. Both men actually stand up to fall down of their own accords here. As they get back up again, DDP runs the ropes and then is able to hit a Diamond Cutter to a three count and the win. New US Champion, Diamond Dallas Page.

The next match comes from Starrcade 1990 and is between the Steiner Brothers and The Great Muta & Mr Saito and is the final match in the Pat O’Conner Memorial International Tag Team Tournament. Coming in, Saito has Rick Steiner down on the ground in a choke hold, as the two men get to standing the ref turns around and Muta comes off the top rope onto Rick. Saito tags in Muta who delivers a kick to his ribs before Rick is able to deliver a Steinerline and tag in Scott. Scott is able to elevate Muta up with the northern lights and then able to deliver a double arm suplex. Saito interrupts the count, and Muta starts choking Scott in the corner of the ring. Saito is tagged in, and he delivers a chop to Scott while he’s running, and then into a suplex to a count, but Rick gets involved and breaks it up. He also distracts the ref so that Muta and Saito can set up a piledriver in the corner. Muta is able to send Rick out of the ring with a spinning kick, and Saito is still in control over Scott who is being sent headfirst into the turnbuckles. Saito is able to lock in a sleeper hold, but Rick performs a sunset flip from the top turnbuckle which leads to him getting the three count on Saito and the win.

The next match comes from Starrcade 1994 and it’s between Hacksaw Jim Duggan and Vader for the WCW United States Championship. Coming straight in, Vader plants Duggan with a slam and then goes up to the second rope and splashes down over the chest of Duggan, but in the three count, Duggan is able to put his foot up onto the ropes to break the count. Vader tries to go up to the second rope again, but Duggan brings him down with a foot to the crotch. Vader gets back in control by smashing his entire body into Duggans which sends him to the edge of the ring where Harley Race chokes Duggan out over the bottom rope while the ref is distracted. Both men exchange punches, but a clap to the ears knocks Duggan back down to the mat. Vader goes up to the top rope and goes for a moonsault, but Duggan moves out of the way. Both men get to standing, and Vader is able to slam into Duggan in the corner, but when he tries it a second time, Duggan is able to knock him down with a clothesline. When both men get to standing again, Duggan is able to start unloading with a series of punches and an irish whip into the corner. Duggan is able to knock Vader down with a spear, but as he goes for the cover, Harley Race who is at ringside is able to rake the eyes of Duggan and break up the count. Vader climbs to the top rope here, and goes to jump off, but Duggan is able to reverse the motion and slam Vader down. Harley Race is over distracting the ref, and Duggan eventually gets up to go and get the ref. Vader tries to swing a punch, but Duggan is able to duck. Duggan tries to do his spear again but misses Vader and runs into his own board being held by Race at ringside. Vader is able to pick him up and plant him face first into the mat to pick up the three count and the win. New WCW United States Champion, Vader.

Heading into Starrcade 1998, Bill Goldberg has 173 wins and 0 losses. This match is for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship and is between Goldberg and Kevin Nash. Coming in, Nash has Goldberg in a side headlock but he is able to backdrop suplex Nash to break the hold and it sends Nash to the outside. Nash climbs back in and as they go at it again, Nash gets the advantage with punches and knees. Goldberg is backed into the corner and Nash just keeps unloading on him there before using a foot to choke out Nash in the corner. As Goldberg tries to break out, he’s able to push Nash onto his back and locks in a blatant choke. Nash is able to switch things around, but Goldberg is able to lock in another submission, an ankle lock. Until Nash is able to reach the ropes to break the hold. Goldberg pushes Nash into the corner and unloads punches before moving out back into the center of the ring. A right hand knocks Nash down, but Nash is able to grab onto Goldberg and throw him into the turnbuckle. Nash goes for the choke with his foot again, and he tries to send Goldberg into the ropes to deliver a superkick but misses. Goldberg is able to reverse things with a spear, but Nash goes for a low blow to keep Goldberg down. And we go to an ad break.

Coming back into the match, Nash is ontop of things and delivers an elbow drop. Nash takes Goldberg over to the ropes and chokes him out on the second rope with a foot, and then does a running jump to choke him out even more. Nash goes for another cover but only a two count. Nash delivers a punch to Goldberg’s back, and another one before he tries for a third and Goldberg is able to kick Nash. An attempt at a clothesline, but Goldberg stays on his feet, a second one knocks him down. Goldberg is able to get up and into a spinning neckbreaker, and is able to throw him over again into a two count. Goldberg is able to hit a standing side kick, and he goes for a slow scoopslam to get Nash down. He sends Nash running the ropes, and knocks him down again with a flying dropkick. Disco Inferno shows up at ringside, and Goldberg takes him down with a spear. Bam Bam Bigelow comes in from behind and Goldberg is able to also send him out over the top ropes. Scott Hall appears at ringside and knocks Goldberg down with a stun gun. This allows Nash to get a jackknife powerbomb and a three count. Nash breaks the streak and wins the WCW Heavyweight Championship.

That’s all the coverage we’re going to be having from Starrcade events, and next week we start our look back at the Royal Rumble.