WWE Vintage Collection Recap – 10/4/09

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Welcome to another recap of WWE’s Vintage Collection. This week we begin in an odd way, with some slightly odd background on our first match. Basically, to sum up the important points, apparently Papa Shango has put a curse on the Ultimate Warrior. Which causes Warrior to suffer strange pains, and also causes an odd black goo to run down his face. Then we hear some words from the slightly strange Papa Shango that are basically threatening Warrior, and to add to the fun, Gene Okerlund is also struck by the same curse! (oh noooo!). So we see some more of that odd goo.

Wow, okay, so we’re off to a weird start, and Gene Okerlund informs us that Vintage will feature Halloween themed moments and matches up until Halloween.

So, finally onto the first match, and it’s between Papa Shango and The Ultimate Warrior which occurred on May 19th, 1992. The match begins before the bell when Warrior sends Shango flying to the outside, and then he throws Shango onto the ring post before getting back into the ring. Warrior keeps going strong here, and tries to frog splash, but Shango lifts his knees and starts a comeback. Shango starts to press the neck of Warrior into the corner, and delivers punches. Warrior starts to fight back, delivering kicks, but he misses when he launches himself into the corner. Shango is back on top and locks his hands on either side of Warriors neck and goes crazy. He starts rolling his eyes around and muttering in the middle of the ring. (apparently delivering a curse to Warrior). Warrior makes his way to his feet and tries to get back into this but keeps getting knocked back down to the mat. Shango climbs up to the second rope and goes into some sort of trance before launching himself off, and of course he misses. Warrior comes back, hits some clotheslines, a splash and a three count. Your winner in this one, The Ultimate Warrior. (I normally don’t add personal comments here, but I agree with the statement my friend made about this match: “I think it’s the worst wrestling match I’ve seen in my life”).

Well, hopefully Vintage can come back from the last disaster match and lift the quality here. This next match comes from WCW Starrcade 89 (Dec 13th, 1989) and it’s between The Great Muta and Sting. Muta tries to start off here when he misses a spinning kick, and the two men lock up in the ring. Muta goes straight into a full nelson hold (better known as “the Masterlock” these days). Sting reverses it and puts Muta straight back into the same hold. Muta hits a mule kick to take Sting down and then locks in a side headlock. They exchange runs until Sting is able to gain control by sending Muta flying, and hits a snap suplex to a two count. Sting locks in an arm hold to an atomic drop and then tries to go for a Scorpion Death Lock but Muta goes to the ropes to get the break, and we head into an ad break.

Straight back into the action. They lock up again, and Muta rakes the eyes of Sting. Muta takes control, hitting an elbow and goes into a crazy submission hold where Muta is in a bridge postiion & has Sting’s arms chicken winged behind him. Sting manages to reverse it and then hits a series of punches, and stays in control, throwing Muta around the ring into a slam and an elbow. Sting locks in a reverse chinlock on Muta. Which he reverses and then pushes Sting into the corner and keeps him down on the mat. Muta unloads some chops and knees in the corner. He then goes up high, tries for a moonsault and misses but lands on his feet. Muta still manages to hit a kick to get Sting down. He tries to climb the ropes again but is kicked by Sting and crotches himself on the ropes. Sting climbs up, hits a superplex and gets the three count. Your winner here, Sting.

We’re treated to a Legion of Doom promo threatening Demolition. And then we’re treated to a Demolition promo with Mr Fuji. Equally as threatening and scary. Obviously our next match is between the Legion of Doom & Demolition, and it all goes down on Feb 10th, 1991. We start off with both Demolition guys beating on Hawk while the ref is looking away. Hawk comes back and starts beating on one member of Demolition until the other member of Demolition pulls the ropes down which ends up sending Hawk to the outside. Again, the ref turns away and Mr Fuji hits Hawk with a cane. Demolition keep unloading and Smash gets tagged in. Both men start up with the punches, but its Smash who takes control. Crush gets tagged in, and then we see a double clothesline that knocks both men down. Animal gets tagged in here, and he unloads on both members of Demolition. Who then try to pick him up, which he reverses and then hits a double clothesline to knock both men down. One member of Demolition gets sent to the outside, and then Mr Fuji gets involved knocking one of the members of the Legion of Doom off the top ropes. Things get insane, it’s impossible to tell who is beating on who, but the ref raises the hands of the Legion of Doom. So, your winners here are the Legion of Doom.

Back into things again. And this has to be the most terrifying thing ever. Doink the Clown as a heel. I’m terrified! This is his in-ring debut against Bob East on Jan 31st, 1993. Doink starts out with a Boston Crab, and laughs hysterically in the corner. East tries to get back into this, but is knocked down with a kick to the side of the head. Another submission hold is locked in, and when East manages to get back up again, Doink hits a massive drop kick, and then a snap suplex. Doink then uses what they call a “crucifix” with a Boston Crab to get the three count and the win. Your winner, Doink the Clown.

Another terrifying character, Goldust cuts a promo here in front of a picture of the Hollywood Hills. This next match is between Goldust & Shawn Michaels and its Goldust’s first opportunity at the WWE Championship on Sept 6th, 1996. Immediately Michaels pulls Goldust off the apron, and soon then they head back into the ring. Goldust tries to get things going, but Michaels manages to control until Goldust hits an uppercut and a clothesline into a series of punches. Goldust throws Michaels onto the top ropes throat first. Michaels is sent up and over the top ropes here, and then gets dropped onto the railings. Here we’re shown Marlena who is openly smoking a cigar at ringside and uses it as a weapon on Michaels. Goldust goes back into the ring and pulls Michaels back in with a lateral press.

The match is edited here and we go forward in time, We see Michaels try and make a comeback. but it doesn’t work as Goldust locks in a chinlock. Things slow down a lot here as we go to a split scene focusing on Mankind backstage. Coming back to full screen, Goldust has another chinlock in, but Michaels manages to get some punches in and starts to fight back. A double clothesline knocks both men down. And we go to another break.

Coming back in, both men are lying prone on the mat, and as they stand up, they trade punches in the middle of the ring.  Michaels starts to build momentum here leading to a high cross body off the ropes. They cut the footage again and we see Michaels hit an elbow off the top rope. He tunes up the band, and as Marlena distracts, Goldust manages to get back in this. Michaels jumps up to the top ropes, fakes Goldust out with a pretend jump and then hits a moonsault to the three count. Mankind comes running out and both him and Goldust try to get Michaels. Michaels takes off and Paul Bearer climbs into the ring and the three men stand around looking scary. So your winner here, Shawn Michaels.

Well, that’s all she wrote this week, and we’re going to be back next week with more Halloween themed matches.