WCW Uncensored 99 review
Hello there my names Michael Fizgerald and I’m the new guy around here on the pulse. My job is to do the weekly Smackdown report every Friday here. But aswell as that I also will post the odd Video/DVD review
But first I thought I might tell you a little about myself. I’m from England and have been a wrestling fan for over 6 years now. I first started following wrestling from about The Higher Power storyline in WWF. Since then I’ve been nuts about wrestling and have a wide a varied selection of old and new wrestling shows and some Japanese stuff as well.
My favourite wrestlers are Bret Hart, Kenta Kobashi, Chris Benoit, Randy Savage, Brutus Beefcake, Demolition, Ric Flair and Ultimate Warrior.
My all time favourite company is ECW just because of all the great wrestlers who came through there such as Guerrero, Malenko and others and because it felt different from all the other companies around with it’s mix of hardcore style, lucha and pure wrestling aswell as all the shoot comments and “insider” stuff for a young teenager it was quite the experience when I first watched it
My favourite match of all time is tricky to say but I love the second match between Ric Flair and Ricky Steamboat in their series of 1989. It’s on the Ric Flair DVD and the match is awesome from start to finish. Just a pure technical classic and it shows all the reasons why I love wrestling
This is the first site I’ve ever written for but I have been writing on my own personal site for a while so I have a bit of experience I guess.
I was thinking of what to start with and I felt this show would be a good way to start as it was the first WCW Video I ever got and it was unique in that it was a sort of transition time for WCW as some new talent was coming in and guys like The Horsemen and Booker T were moving up to main parts of the card. In addition, it was in front of a really hot crowd who were actually excited to see a WCW show. Yes I’m scared too. All in all it’s a show I like to watch and I knew I’d enjoy reviewing it and I hope you all like it too
This is from March 12th 99 I think. It was a week or two before Wrestlemania XV. We’re in Louisville, Kentucky and you’re hosts are “Mr Dumb” Tony Schiavone, “Mr Brain” Bobby Heenan and “Mr Professor” Mike Tenay.
WCW Cruiserweight Title (C) Billy Kidman Vs Mikey Whipwreck
Mikey Whipwreck gets no music and according to the commentators this is his debut. As I really only started following WCW in about summer 99 I’ll take their words for it. Kidman gets a pretty healthy pop and the fans are getting rowdy rowdy to the bowdy bowdy. Hoooooodley hooooooooooo whoops sorry wrong month. Brain starts off by calling Whipwreck Shipwreck. I’ll keep you updated on the other names he comes up with. Lock up and Kidman gets mowed down with a shoulder block and takes a head scissors by Mikey. That was nice. Bobby now is using Whipneck as his wrong pronunciation of choice. Dropkick sends Mikey outside. Kidman rolls Mikey in and goes up with a cross body for two . Mikey knocks Kidman out with a leg lariat. A whip into the safety rail by Kidman. Mikey though catches Kidman and sends him throat first into the guardrail. Nasty. Mikey rolls him into the ring but only gets a two count. Mikey talks some smack and hits a snap mare and then locks him in an Indian leg lock. He rolls him over and grasps the top of neck of Kidman. Mikey lets him go and taunts to some good heel heat. He nearly takes Kidman’s head off with a guillotine leg drop. Chops by Mikey in the corner but a whip is reversed and Kidman hits that cool clothesline out of the corner that he never does anymore. Some mud hole stomping by Kidman but a Rocker Dropper is reversed into a power bomb for two. We go to a rest hold now from Mikey but it’s a move that works the neck so it’s part of the story of the match so no points deducted. Weird chin lock actually nether seen it done like that before. Kidman fights out and knocks him outside to a big face pop. Kidman hits a nice plancha but hurts his knee on the concrete. They’re back on the apron and Mikey hits another leg drop over the neck for a close two count. Mikey is really slowing down the pace here and it doesn’t suit him. Suplex is reversed into a DDT an Kidman goes up for a SSP but Mikey knocks him off to the outside. Mikey goes for a crossbody but lands chin first on the guardrail. Kidman goes into the crowd and Mikey follows over but misses his running flippy thing. Drop toe hold into the ring steps by Mikey. They’re giving these two a lot of time here to get their stuff going and the fans are into it. Cover only gets a two in the ring. Funny bit of dialogue here
Bobby – Do you think when Mikey was younger he was his parents little Whippersnapper?
Tony – I would think so. Weren’t we all?
Bobby – no I didn’t know his parents
I LOVE THIS GUY HIRE HIM VINCE NOW!!!
Meanwhile Mikey gets a two off a Russian leg sweep. Mikey does the old fashioned “getting frustrated at not keeping Kidman down” look. I’m sure a power bomb attempt will follow. Kidman misses a Stinger Splash and Mikey gets two of it. Fans start taunting Mikey and Mikey turns to yell at them. Mikey is a pretty good heel considering before this he was a career babyface. Snap suplex gets a near fall. Kidman gets a low down for a two. Kidman did this exact match with pretty much every cruiserweight on World Wide in 99. Superplex attempt is reversed and Mikey gets a top rope clothesline for a REAL close two count. The fans thought it was over right there. Pedigree by Kidman gets a two. Mikey gets a super back drop with real vigour and gets another near fall. Curtain Call gets two for Mikey. Mikey is really pulling stuff out of his arse here for his WCW debut. Mikey goes the aforementioned power bomb but Kidman hits the face buster and finishes Mikey soon after with the SSP.
WINNER – KIDMAN
***1/2 – well I really liked this. They gave them a good amount of time and the fans really liked it. I’m surprised Mikey didn’t get a better push after that, Although really I’m not, as this was a great match. My only niggle was that it was slow in certain places but aside from that it was very entertaining.
Harlem Street Fight for ownership of the nWo black and white faction – Vincent Vs Stevie Ray
The thought of either of these guys being the leader amuses me greatly. Stevie wants to kill somebody tonight. I think he’ll kill 17,000 people in a minute if you know what I mean. Weapon check to start and we have a stand off that turns into an…um…brawl off? Stevie murders Vincent in the ring with generic offense such as punches and kicks. Vincent knocks Stevie outside and whips him into a guardrail. He also rakes the back because he’s Hulk Hogan’s little bitch. Stevie nails Vincent and throws him into the crowd. They then proceed to brawl into a covered up area of unused seats, which is the “security area”. Stevie yells “I’m the leader” and continues the beating. Basically more slow a boring brawling happens and they end up in the ring where Horace throws in a slapjack and says “I don’t care who wins it I’m the leader!” Vincent tries to use it but gets hit with the move called the Slapjack which is a bastardised version of the pedigree for the win
WINNER – STEVIE RAY
½* – They killed a really hot crowd with this worthless piece of rubbish. I mean why EITHER of them made the show is beyond me as Vincent was so deteriorated as a worker here it was sad to watch and Stevie Ray is…well…Stevie Ray. Bland, generic and boring NEXT
Kevin Nash w/ Lex Luger and Elizabeth Vs Rey Mysterio JNR
We have our first dead person here in Elizabeth which is a real shame but that’s wrestling I guess. Rey beat Nash on an episode of Nitro after Nash made him lose his mask to set this up. It’s currently 1 for 1 here. Rey gets a good reaction from the fans here as he comes out with his rap music that actually is quite catchy. Stand off to start but Nash taunts Rey causing Rey to charge into a big boot. Nash throws Rey around for a bit but Rey reverses a throw into a bulldog and follows that with a scissors kick. The fans are popping for anything Rey does here. Nash gets kicked outside but he sidesteps a baseball slide and slams him twice into the guardrail. Nash now beats Rey down in the ring and hits his elbows in the corner followed by a crotch chop, but with a twist as he puts him up top and does it sending Rey to the outside. He then chokes Rey outside. Nash continues to dominate in the ring and gives Rey an inverted atomic drop and poses to the fans for a bit. Rey hits a massive kick in the groin that gets an ooohhh from the fans and follows that up with a broncobuster YEEEHAAAHHHHHH. Nash catches him doing a moonsault but Luger trips up Rey as he gets out and Nash gives Rey a HUGE Jacknife power bomb for the win.
WINNER – KEVIN NASH
** – Good little Big Man/Little Man match. Rey really had to lose here so he could fight smaller guys again so no complaints on the finish and the live crowd seemed to like it to so it’s all good.
Jerry Flynn Vs The Cat and Sonny Oono
Flynn is one of my all time favourite jobbers. He was basically a poor mans Steve Blackman. This I believe was the biggest feud and match of Flynn’s career except of course his loss to Goldberg. The deal here is that both Flynn and Cat are into karate and Oono is “undefeated”. They shaved Flynn’s ponytail as well to just ADD to this AWESOME feud. Flynn starts off quick with rapid kicks on Cat but goes for Oono and gets attacked from behind by Cat. Flynn fights back with a belly to belly suplex. Cat blocks some Flynn offence and taunts the crowd before getting destroyed by Flynn and bailing. Flynn dives over the top onto him but takes a kick from Oono outside. Oono gets a couple of more cheap shots and cat takes over in the ring for a while. Oono gets the odd cheap shot here and there as Cat beats Flynn down with his “exciting” moves including the choke. He yells “I’m the greatest” a lot. He knocks Flynn down with a kick and tags in Onoo. Oono checks the carcass and taunts before getting a two. Oono runs away and tags out to Cat again. Cat continues the beatdown on Flynn outside the ring with a whip into the guardrail. Flynn keeps going after onoo here. Flynn fights back and starts hitting some of his offence on Cat. Cat takes control again. This match is very repetitive and is going on for way too long. Finally Sonny comes in by accident and Flynn gets the win to a minor pop from the fans. So Flynn scores his biggest win and ends Sonny Onoo’s winning streak
WINNER – JERRY FLYNN
*
Hardcore Match
Bam Bam Bigelow Vs Raven Vs Hak
Ah WCW hardcore matches. One problem I had with WCW hardcore matches was that they treated them as just plain comedy matches and the announcers would LAUGH OPENLY at them. At least JR and King would try to give the belt some credibility. Starts off as a 3 way brawl and Raven’s sister brings out a whole trolley full of weapons. Now you’re talking. All the weapons end up in the ring including trash cans and other stuff. They hit each other with all the weapons as the announcers laugh themselves shitless. Very hard to do play by play on this so I’ll just describe how it ends. Raven gets some tape and tapes Hak’s hands together and tees off with some awesome chair shots. Somehow Hak becomes untapped at some point. Meanwhile Bammer puts Raven on a table but Chastity sprays him with a fire extinguisher which sends Bam through a table and prompts Bobby to yell “I LOVE IT, I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT” then Chastity gets in the ring and sprays Raven with it and then head butts him right in the groin allowing Hak to make the pin and win the match. Chastity then leaves with Hak.
WINNER – HAK
**1/2 – Just a mess full of weapons shots but it was entertaining and they at least didn’t blow the main spots so I’ll be generous. Besides it was kind of funny listening to Tony adlibbing and Bobby’s great one-liners.
Now the announcers kill time while the ring guys clear up the mess from the last match. Bobby messes around and conducts a “BOBBY” chant as Tony and Mike talk about the usual “What will the nWo do?” stuff.
WCW World Tag Team Titles
Lumberjacks with straps surround the ring
(C) Curt Hennig and Barry Windham Vs Chris Benoit and Dean Malenko
The lumberjacks: Norman Smiley, Chris Adams, Prince Iaukea, Hugh Morrous, Kenny Kaos, Kendall Windham, Bobby Duncam JNR and Meng. Which isn’t very impressive. We have two more dead guys in Hennig and Duncam. Man watching old shows can be depressing. Before the match starts Arn Anderson and convinces Adams to give him his strap and the fans REALLY like that.
Hennig and Windham try to leave but the lumberjacks send them back in. lock up results in a Hennig slap on Benoit and Benoit returns the favour. Hennig runs outside and gets whipped so he tags out instead. Barry and Benoit have a chop contest and Benoit wins as he’s Chris Benoit. Malenko gets tagged in a leg lariats Windham for a near fall. He continues to pound on Barry with rights in the corner. Double elbow by the Horsemen gets two only. Benoit runs into a big boot and takes a DDT from Windham. Hennig comes in and goes after Benoit’s knee before sending him outside for some whipping. Benoit is now the face in peril it would seem. Benoit gets slapped in a chin lock but back drops his way out of it. Windham delivers a European uppercut and an awesome lariat for two. I don’t care what people say Barry Windham could still do his shit in 99. Benoit attempts to fight back and floors Windham but can’t make the tag. Benoit hits a German Suplex and finally tags out to Malenko who is on fire. All 4 guys end up the ring and Malenko gets a HennigPlex for two. The Cloverleaf is broke up by Windham. Malenko is sent outside and gets whipped. Windham and Hennig now do a number on Malenko. Nice hanging suplex by Windham. This guy is so underrated it’s unfair. Malenko gets sleepered and gets taken down to the mat. Anderson starts yelling at Malenko to make the ropes but Hennig starts yelling at Anderson to shut up. God this match is good. Malenko takes some chops in the corner and Windham gets some cheap shots and sends Malenko outside for more whipping. Hennig starts slapping up Malenko and tags in Windham for another cool lariat for two. Windham does so much athletic stuff for a guy his size. He gives Malenko some pounding in the corner but Malenko hits some punches while he goes up for a back drop and both men are down. That was a nice visual. Benoit and Hennig are tagged in and we have a noggin knocker. All 4 are in again and Benoit takes off Windham’s belt and the two spill outside to fight with the lumberjacks. Hennig knocks Malenko down with a leather belt and then knocks Arn off the apron with it. Arn then pulls out a tire iron from his pocket and the crowd goes NUTS. Arn nails Hennig with it and the fans love it. Benoit then hits swandive head butt all the way across the ring and the Horsemen win the belts.
WINNER – BENOIT AND MALENKO
**** – I know many people may think that rating is crazy but I LOVED this match. I hadn’t watched it in a while and I never realised how truly great it was. Plus, I like all 4 guys and any match that has that many cool moments, like Arn attacking Hennig with the tire iron HORSEMEN STYLE, deserves a **** rating.
Dog Collar Match
Chris Jericho w/ Ralphus Vs Saturn
Saturn is wearing a terrifying chain dress here that is just plain ridiculous. This was during Saturn’s weirdo period where he had to wear a dress and wore weird contact lenses that make his eyes yellow. He looks like a Goth on steroids. Jericho is apprehensive to out the dog collar on so he tries to make Ralphus wrestle the match for him. Ralphus refuses so Jericho kicks him away from ringside not before taking his mouthgard from him first. Yes Jericho will wrestle this match with a gum protector. That’s so indescribably cool. He won’t put the collar on so Saturn T-Bones him and puts it on for him. Jericho tries to run away but Saturn pulls him back. Way too much stalling here. They fight over the chain and Saturn pulls Jericho in for a clothesline. Saturn jumps off the apron and sends Jericho into the turnbuckle. He then springboards onto Jericho in the ring with the chain and chokes him with it. As far as these matches go it’s not too bad as they are using the chain but it’s not restricting the normal moves they do. Jericho is crotched on the ropes and pulled off the apron into the guardrail. Fans aren’t really digging this at the moment. Saturn is killing Jericho here and Jericho has barely got any offence in at all. Finally he crotches him with the chain and now he takes over the advantage. He then dominates Saturn outside with the chain by choking him with the aid of the ropes and the apron. Jericho dives onto Saturn on the apron knocking him down. He then goes for a power bomb off the apron but ends up slamming him into the ring but the momentum brings both guys in over the top. The two fight in the corner and Jericho gets a hangman choke with the chain but Saturn gets an inside cradle for two. Jericho tries the cocky cover but gets nothing from it. He taunts the fans but Saturn pulls him off the top. Saturn gets 10 punches in the corner but Jericho tries the Lion Tamer but Saturn wraps the chain around Jericho’s neck and chokes him. That was a fine piece of psychology there. 10 count on both guys and Saturn gets a DVD for a two count. Saturn takes Jericho to the top and tries a hurricanrana but Jericho gets a nice power bomb for two. Jericho takes the chain off and wraps it around himself and goes for a top rope splash. Saturn dodges it and gets another DVD to finish off Jericho and get the win.
WINNER – PERRY SATURN
**1/2 – good enough but it was pretty dull in places and I could tell from reading back the review but it was technically sound.
WCW TV Title
(C) Scott Steiner w/ Felicity Shagwell Vs Booker T
Buff Daddy and Scotty Psycho take their sweet time making it down to the ring. Shame these two split from one another, as they were good together. Buff’s arse was probably hurting too much if you know what I mean. He was sick of getting slapped around by his master. Booker gets a pretty decent pop from the fans. This was his first real big run as a face from about late 98 to mid 99 before WCW ran out of stuff to do with him and paired him back up with Stevie. Everyone is doing the raise the roof thing here. I mean EVERYONE that’s how over Booker was at this time. Scott spends lots of time yelling and barking at fans. Roid Rage will get you baby. Lot’s of Buff signs in the crowd I should add. Scott stalls for a loooooong time. The two lock up and it doesn’t really go anywhere. Average match between the two here but it’s quite a slow pace. The idea is that Booker has Scott’s number and throws Steiner off his game. Finally Scotty gets in control for a while but Booker fights back and takes over. Buff comes in with a chair and goes to hit Booker but Booker dodges it and Buff hits Steiner. Booker kicks the chair in Buffs face and pins Steiner to become a 6 time WCW TV Champion
WINNER – BOOKER T
** – Enjoyable, if slow, match between the two but they would have a much better one a month later at Spring Stampede.
WCW World Title Match (C) Hollywood Hogan Vs Ric Flair
First Blood Steel Cage
If Flair wins he becomes WCW president for life but if Hogan wins then Flair has to retire from wrestling forever
Flair tells Charles Robinson to not stop the match for a little cut or gash it has to be REAL first blood. This is quite a famous match as it was where WCW tried to turn their number one face – Flair – Heel and turn one of the top heels – Hogan – face. The point of the double turn was to freshen things up but it was a bad idea as Ric Flair was loved by the fans and turning him heel was an unneeded thing to do and as for Hogan no one really cared about him from about February 99 onwards till he brought out the red and yellow again. Lock up to start and Hogan dominates early. He takes a few chops from Flair and a few kicks to the leg but Flair takes a back body drop and a few Axe Bombers, which would equal legalised death if this match was in Japan as that’s Hogan’s dreaded finish over there, and Flair begs off. Hogan hits a slam and some elbows followed by a stomp to the face. He then begins to choke him. Flair fights back with more chops but Hogan hits some of his own and then some right hands. Hogan continues the beating with a lariat in the corner and we have a Flair Flop. Hogan starts posturing to the fans and slaps on a figure 4. Flair tries to fight back up and he tries to send Hogan into the cage but gets thrown in himself. Hogan continues to beat Flair and busts him wide open in full view of the referee but the match goes on. Hogan brings some barbed wire down and starts rubbing it in Flairs face. Flairs hair is now stained in blood and Hogan slaps Flair around with the weight lifting belt. Fans are chanting for Hogan now. This match should over right now I mean Flairs face is CRIMSON. Hogan gets the big boot and the leg drop and goes for a pin but Robinson won’t count. Hogan starts pointing at Flairs face but Robinson is having none of it. Flair nails Hogan with some sort of weapon and sends him into the cage to bust him open. David Flair and Torrie Wilson come out and David is here to support Hogan. Flair spits at David and gyrates for Torrie as he’s Ric Flair and even when his career is on the line he has unquenchable libido. Hogan starts Hulking up to fully cement his facedom. Flair now starts to beg but it doesn’t work and Hogan hits another leg drop and once again goes for a pin but Robinson is reluctant to count. Hogan continues the beating but takes a brain buster which Hogan no sells. Flair begs off again as Hogan continues to kick two shades of shit out of him. Arn Anderson charges down to ringside and nails David. Torrie jumps on his back and is thrown down. Anderson grabs a tire iron who passes it to Flair who nails Hogan and slaps Hogan in the figure 4 which Robinson fast counts and Ric Flair is a 14 time world champion and Flair is now officially a heel
WINNER – RIC FLAIR
*** – For Hogan and Flair in 99 this was a really good effort from both of them
Of course that’s the answer to the question at the start. When is First Blood not First Blood? When you win by pinfall silly. Expect that in a Christmas cracker soon
The Inside Pulse
Well this show was rated as fair back when it was on in 99 and I think it still holds up today. It really didn’t have much historical significance except for Flairs 14th title win. If you ever get a chance to pick it up cheap I suggest you do as most of the matches are quite good and the main event isn’t bad either. Plus, the Horsemen Vs Hennig and Windham match is miles better than I remembered it being and is a great tag match. I can recommend this one
