– The opening link this week is music related, going to The Walkmen who’s new album You & Me is not only excellent but my favorite of the year thus far. Now, I meant do make this the opening plug sooner when they were running a special where you could buy an advance mp3 version of the album for only $5 and it benefited a cancer fund, but that has since ran out. Not like you were actually going to BUY it anyway …
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The NeelDown: WCW Superbrawl VIII
– Your hosts are Bobby Heenan, Mike Tenay & Tony Schiavone
– From San Francisco, CA
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– Iron Mike and company welcome us and call Hogan v. Sting one of the biggest matches in history.
Rick Martel v. Booker T – TV Championship
The background here is that Martel won the TV title from Booker on Nitro not long before this while he was feuding with Perry Saturn, so this is the rematch for the title with winner getting Saturn, which would kind of only make sense if Booker was the winner. Woops, didn’t mean to spoil it for you. Booker wants no part of the handshake and clotheslines him out to start. Man, those white pants with the flames are HOT! Martel slugs away inside but gets clotheslined down for two. Meanwhile, Raven and the Flock watch on at ringside. Back inside Booker works on an armbar but Martel forces him to the corner and goes in control briefly with some corner offense, but a Booker spin kick quickly puts him back down, and he goes back to the arm. Martel fights out but Booker counters a sunset flip and nails a superkick for two. Back to the armbar once again, and then an Irish whip sets up a big hip toss. Booker tries following up with corner splash but he gets backdropped to the floor. Booker takes a barricade and some apron shots as the crowd gets on Martel pretty good, which is impressive. Martel brawls him down inside but Booker quickly gets back into it by dodging a blind charge and hitting a sideslam, then a Spinaroonie follows after he misses an elbow. I think it’s safe to say that’s the first time I’ve seen it set up after MISSING a move. Martel snaps off a quick slam with I believe is his first real move of the match outside of brawling in the corners, and that gets two. Booker fights out of a headlock and they slug it out, resulting in Booker being caught by a spinebuster off the ropes, setting up the Quebec Crab but Booker quickly makes the ropes. Booker rolls through on a crossbody attempt for two, then rolls him up for the same. Short arm lariat gets two for Martel, but Booker comes back with a flying forearm and the axe kick as the crowd revs up, but misses a high crossbody. Martel then tries something of the sort of his own, but Booker catches him coming off the top with a kick for the pin and the TV title as the crowd erupts. Good opener that went a bit slow at times but the crowd was way into it so it worked out well. (***)
Winner: Booker T
Booker T v. Saturn – TV Championship Numero Dos
If you’re confused by this, read the first sentence of the opening match. Saturn hits the ring right after the previous one ends and locks in the Rings of Saturn. Booker fights out so Saturn tries a couple of cradles and rolls up, none of which work so he tries choking him out with his jacket. Booker counters a blind charge with a sunset flip out of the corner for two. They spill to the outside where Saturn sends him to the railing and jams his arm into the post a few times. Booker sends him into the railing now but Saturn tackles him as he crawls away in an odd segment. Back inside Booker runs into a boot but catches Saturn with a slam. Saturn dumps him and follows him out with a splash from the apron, injuring himself in the process. Booker gets a flying forearm inside but misses a leg lariat in the corner giving Saturn a two count. Saturn sets him up top and nails back suplex for a double KO spot as the announcers just now talk about how brilliant Frank’s call is that if Booker loses it will be the shortest title reign in WCW history.
Booker tosses him off to block a superplex attempt and capitilizes with a nice missile dropkick. Spin kick and the crowd is alive again but Saturn takes him down with a capture suplex seemingly out of nowhere for another double KO, resulting in a Saturn pin for a close two. Another suplex gets two for Saturn and he adds a second rope moonsault that barely brushed Booker, but regardless we’re back to the “both men down” stage. Saturn kicks him down in the corner. Booker tries something from the second rope but slips up so Saturn has it scouted out and gets two. Saturn locks in a rear choke as the announcers receive word that Martel suffered a knee injury in the last match. Booker elbows out and they collide with forearms. Booker is slow to get up and he walks straight into a powerslam which they call a “desperation move”. I guess he just needs to be desperate at all times. Booker evades a blind charge and hits a nice spinebuster to set up the axe kick followed by a side slam. Saturn dodges the Harlem Hangover and capitalizes with a bridged suplex for two. German gets two but Booker hits the Harlem side kick for the pin to retain the title much to the Cow Palace’s delight, and thus Booker is THE MAN, delivering two great matches back to back with great effort. (***1/2)
Winner: Booker T
La Parka v. Disco Inferno
Of course every time I hear or see the name Disco Inferno I now think of Glazer’s column, but that’s a story for another time. Parka tosses a chair at him to start, solicifying the point that he means business. LP gets a snap slam and he stops to do a quite comical dance of his own, before kicking Inferno in the ass. Parka blocks a sunset flip but Inferno gets his own snap slam for two, followed by a corner clothesline for the same. A Parka spin kick sends Disco the floor where follows with a corkscrew dive, and while out there he feeds him to the railing and levels him with a lariat. Parka is STILL dancing inside, but he goes back out to drop him over the railing some more. They repeat this sequence soon as Inferno returns the favor by sending Parka to the steps and following with a clothesline. LP skins the cat on his way back in and kicks him down, then stops to mock Hogan to the crowd? It appears so. He goes to a rear choke to slow things down. Disco fights out but Parka gets an Oklahoma Roll for two. LP adds a dropkick for two and goes back to the rear choke. Disco elbows him down after dodging a blind charge for two but the crowd is dead at this point. Parka ranas him to the floor and follows with a suicide dive, a textbook example says Tenay. That gets two for Parka inside, but he eats post on a blind charge and Disco capitalizes with an atomic drop and forearm for two. Swinging neckbreaker gets two for Disco. He stupidly stops to bicker with the ref allowing LP to nail him from behind and retrieve the chair. He sits Disco in it in the middle of the ring, but Disco pops up and crotches him and tosses him head first into the chair, then finishes with the stunner. Not bad, but probably should have been quicker and to the point. (**3/4)
Winner: Disco Inferno
– Gene Okerland is with JJ Dillon discussing if Nick Patrick has been reinstated, since he has been suspended since Starrcade. He brings Patrick out to let him know he’s been reinstated. Nick says it’s one of the best moments in his life and he gives them kisses in gratitude. He says he’s gonna call the Sting-Hogan main event fairly, but Dillon interrupts to say that he’s not the ref for the main event. He argues with Gene, as if it was his problem, about this.
Goldberg v. Brad Armstrong
This is just added to the card. We shall see if Bill falls to the “Armstrong Curse” as his t-shirt exclaims. He tries to mat wrestle to start but Goldberg quickly takes him down into an ankle lock and slams him down. Armstrong manages his only offense via a Russian leg sweep, but Goldberg no-sells it and we’ll just cut to the chase, the Spear and Jackhammer end it and put Goldberg at 645-0. (-/-)
Winner: Goldberg
Chris Jericho v. Juventud Guerrero – WCW Cruiserweight Championship
If Juventud loses, he has to unmask. Basically, Juvy offered the mask risk to get the title shot. Earlier in the feud on either Nitro or Thunder, I can’t remember, Jericho actually successfully pulled off the mask but he had another underneath. Jericho refuses to talk the belt off even after the bell rings. The Brain offers an explanation: because the title belt is his “binky”. Juvy gets the better of a couple lock ups and spin kicks the belt, so he finally takes it off. Juvy nails another spin kick but Jericho keeps him grounded. Juvy gets backdropped to the apron but springs in with an elbow and gets a top rope apron on the floor. Jericho strategically just lays on the floor as the refs counts as he would not lose the title, so Juvy finally decides he better haul him back in. Ha! Inside, Jericho hot shots Juvy and adds a German suplex, then tosses him before pausing and yelling “I can fly too!” to the camera. Jericho follows him out and tries something off the steps, but Juvy dodges it. Jericho catches him on a crossbody attempt inside and delivers a brainbuster for two. “COME ON, BABY!” cocky pin gets two for Jericho. Juvy gets a sunset flip for two but a boot quickly puts Jericho back in control. Delayed suplex gets two and Jericho drops him over the knee after a backbreaker. Juvy fights out but runs into a lariat for two. Juvy tries a top rope rana but Jericho counters to an electric chair. A low dropkick sends Jericho to the floor allowing Air Juvy to connect. Back inside a Juvy piledriver sets up the 450 which connects for the pin. However, after the bell and everything we see that Jericho got the ropes. Wise call. While Juvy stops to argue with the ref, he gets chop blocked by Jericho. Juvy cradles him to counter a powerbomb attempt for two, but Jericho quickly levels him with a clothesline for two. Juvy counters another powerbomb attempt to a DDT for two. They battle up top and Jericho shoves him off to block a top rope rana, but jumps into an inverted atomic drop. Juvy capitalizes by setting Jericho on the top rope and hitting a rana from the turnbuckle in a nice spot, which gets two. Jericho quickly recovers however and gets a reverse suplex. Lionsault misses so he slams him down into the Walls, but Juvy reverses it into a cradle for a CLOSE two. Juvy rides the momentum and comes off the ropes to try a rana, but Jericho counters it to the Liontamer and Juvy taps. (***3/4) Just an awesome back and fourth match.
Winner: Chris Jericho
– Post match Jericho strikes comedic gold by getting on the mic and dedicating the win to all of the Jerichoholics out there. He tells Juvy to take off his mask, bro. Oh hell, I’m gonna start paraphrasing for this shit. “If you have a weak heart or get sick easily, please close your eyes or leave the building, ’cause this guy is uuuuuuuuugly!” It’s taking too long so Jericho rips it off himself. The announcers say this must be a hard moment for him because it’s like he let the family down. He then poses for the crowd, fresh face and all.
British Bulldog v. Steve McMichael
Bulldog pummels him in the corner to start but gets taken down with a twirling slam and Mongo stomps a mudhole. He slugs away but misses a leg drop so Bulldog attacks the leg. Bulldog locks in a sharpshooter, be it awkwardly, but Mongo makes the ropes. Some choking in the ropes-esque offense follows from Mongo and he dumps him. Bulldog takes a few railing and steps shots. Eventually they do the “swing and a miss” sequence where Mongo’s arm hits the post allowing Bulldog to work that over for a while. Mongo fights back but the wrist gives out so he chopblocks him Bulldog. Tombstone attempt is blocked and Bulldog takes him down in an armbar, which Mongo fights but can’t take it and that’s your finish. Afterward he says he never tapped. (1/4*)
Winner: British Bulldog
Diamond Dallas Page v. Chris Benoit – WCW United States Championship
Or as more appropriately titled before both headed to the barber in the new century, the mullet v. the bird’s nest. They shake hands to start and Benoit quickly goes after the arm, which DDP reverses and they go back and fourth into a stand off. Benoit grabs a headlock and shoots him off for a hip toss. DDP sends him to the corner face-first and nails a gutbuster. Tony comments that you have to wrestle DDP your way, or else he’ll “beat ya”, and that, ladies and gents is pretty sound advice says I. Benoit knees out of a suplex and front suplexes him into the ropes. DDP blocks a suplex of his own so Benoit quickly takes him down into the Crossface, but DDP quickly makes the ropes. DDP bails to take a breather and bridges Benoit during the test of strength inside. Benoit chops away but DDP takes him down with a back suplex. Benoit quickly hits the floor to evade the Diamond Cutter. He takes his time out there but comes back in to avoid the count out and they exchange slaps. Don’t worry though, they quickly become fists. It turns into a vicous brawl with DDP powering him to the corner as it now is personal due to Benoit’s elongated break on the floor. Benoit wisely hooks the legs to block a leap frog attempt for two, but DDP rolls through and turns it into a wheel barrel slam for two in a nice sequence. Benoit low dropkicks the knee and boots him down in the corner, then locks in a unique wristlock-esque submission, which he rolls over with to apply a modified Crossface.
DDP fights out of it with a jawbreaker but Benoit stays on top by stomping a mudhole in the corner. DDP gets a surge of energy out of nowhere but Benoit breaks up the momentum via a snap suplex for a close two. He then goes back to the previous submission, which DDP fights out of quicker this time after a backdrop, but then Benoit catches him automatically a sleeper. Sweet. DDP desperately dumps him through the ropes to break it, then crotches Benoit up top setting up a superplex which results in a double KO spot. They’re both up at nine and DDP gets his self-named tornado clothesline for two. He calls for the Diamond Cutter but Benoit shoots him through the ropes, so DDP switches to a top rope forearm for two. Benoit quickly takes him down in the Crossface but DDP has his foot on the rope. They exchange cradles for two and DDP gets a belly-to-belly suplex for two. Benoit counters a hammerlock to the rolling Germans for a CLOSE two and both men are down. DDP calls for the Cutter again, which Benoit blocks by hooking the arms for a backslide, but DDP powers out and flips him over with the arms still hooked then nails the Diamond Cutter for the pin to retain the US title. I didn’t love this match QUITE as much as everyone else seemed to, but make no mistake about it, it was a really solid match and one of if not the best of DDP. The awesome finish really did a lot for it for me, I still love that every time I see it. (****)
Winner: Diamond Dallas Page
– Important health update on the Giant is finally revealed, after they teased us through all of the undercard thus far. But we WILL hear from the man himself tomorrow night at Nitro in Sacramento. And you don’t want to miss that.
Randy Savage v. Lex Luger – No DQ
Luger jumps him to start but injures the bandaged ribs on a press slam, so Savage dumps him attacks the ribs on the outside. And on the inside. After taking a couple minutes worth of rib shots, Luger cradles him for two. Savage dumps him again quickly however and Luger eats some more railing shots to the ribs. Things spill to the crowd where Savage adds some light chair wacks to the mix. Funny spot during the brawl in the crowd sees one of the security guards loving the action. Anyway, back to ringside and Luger eats the steps. Railing shot # 17 follows and then, you guessed it, Savage goes back to kicking the ribs. Back inside Savage gets a suplex and it’s back to the ribs but Luger is done selling and catches him with a snap slam then puts him in the Torture Rack but Elizabeth runs in to break it up. The nWo hit the ring but both guys ward them off and Luger finishes with the Rack but the camera is too busy showing Hogan telling the rest of the guys that he’s glad Savage lost. This was all rib shots until Luger pulled off one move, followed by interference, I can’t even warrant it 1/4* (-*)
Winner: Lex Luger
The Outsiders v. The Steiners – WCW Tag Team Championship
Hall starts with Rick and gets cute to start, so Rick punches him down. Hall spits at him so Rick rakes the eyes. This one is sure off to a good start. Rick gets a belly-to-belly and three pairs of mounted punches. Another suplex forces Hall to tag out and Rick clotheslines Nash to the floor. The Steiners pose in the ring but SWERVE! Scott makes his long anticipated heel turn by turning on his brother and taking out DiBiase for good measure. Dusty Rhodes then takes out DiBiase for good. Scott then exchange the SUPER SECRET nWo hand pounds with Nash and Hall and Hall pins Rick for two. Rick tries fighting back but can’t fight the odds and Hall finishes him with the Outsider’s Edge (after botching the first one) for the pin to retain the tag straps. Well, we all know where Scott’s singles career went after this. (1/4*)
Winner: The Outsiders
– Uncensored promo (the next PPV), possibly one of the corniest wrestling commercials I’ve ever seen.
Hulk Hogan v. Sting – WCW Undisputed Championship (vacant)
While Hogan’s entrance takes about ten minutes, Sting simply runs straight in during the super special ring announcing. Hogan immediately starts whipping him with the Hollywood belt. Hogan slowly brawls him down and does some choking while constantly rambling off stuff like “who’s the man” and “you ‘ain’t nothin” for camera purposes. He then chokes him with Sting’s coat. This is gonna be a while. The brawl spills to the floor with Hogan still in control, and he sends Sting to the steps, joining virtually everyone else on the undercard. Back inside Sting gains the advantage of a test of strength but Hogan forces him to the corner and the cocky pin gets two. Tony comments that Hogan is going at the usual Hollywood Hogan pace, which unfortunately is true. Hogan stops to do even more posing and bragging which results in Sting slugging him down and now it’s his turn to attack with the belt, and thus both of their secret S&M spanking fetishes are satisfied in one match! That forces Hogan to bail but Sting hunts him down and chokes him with it (still part of the fantasy). Back at ringside Sting misses a splash and eats the railing.
That allows Hogan to wack Sting with a chair and back inside bites his forehead. A stinger splash sets up the scorpion death lock but Hogan makes the ropes. Another stinger splash connects but also waffles the ref. Great. Hogan follows with the leg drop, Nick Patrick is the new ref, it only gets two. Hogan adds a back suplex and pins a couple of times for two until Sting bridges up into another test of strength, but Sting’s too weak and Hogan stomps on his hands and it’s rear choke time. More outside stuff and back in Hogan goes low, forcing a warrant from Patrick. Sting no-sells some punches and psychs Hogan out, nails a pair of stinger splashes and sets up the death drop but Hogan kicks the ref down in the process. And finally the nWo hit the ring as if that wasn’t going to happen and while Sting fights them off, Savage sneaks in and nails Hogan with a mystery object giving Sting the pin. JJ Dillon them comes out to reward Sting with the title and he spray paints WCW on Hogan. (1/2*) Match went about as expected, but the finish was even stupider than anticipated.
Winner: Sting
End of show.
The NeelDown – This show had a damn good undercard and Jericho-Juvy and Benoit-DDP are well worth checking out, along with the great effort from Booker to kick off the show. On the downside, the last three matches were borderline unwatchable and thus kind of leaves you with a sour taste in your mouth after watching the show unfortunately, but that is kind of to be expected of this era of WCW. So the lesson learned here is, watch everything before Luger-Savage and it’s recommended. You can kind of think of it like a modern day TNA PPV, with, say, an awesome Angle-Styles match in the undercard, a pretty solid X division title match, a great World X Cup match, but a crappy main event involving, say, Sting (booked on this show), Scott Steiner (booked on this show), Kevin Nash (booked on this show) or Jeff Jarrett. Definitely want to check out Souled Out 98 as well.
