Chairshot Classics

Chairshot Classics: WCW SuperBrawl IV (1994) – Flair vs. Vader 2

Published

4 years ago

November 21, 2018

In The Arena: ‘Mean’ Gene is joined by WCW International Broadcaster Olivier Muffler. He’s never seen anything quite like SuperBrawl. He gives Gene a German saying that means he’s very proud to stand side by side with him, and certainly the German wrestling fans will see this great event. Muffler has one last question: can Ric Flair beat Vader twice? Okerlund won’t put himself in the hot seat, we’ll find out later.

Match #4: Johnny B. Badd vs. Jimmy ‘Jam’ Garvin w/Michael ‘P.S.’ Hayes
They lock up, Badd takes position in the corner and Garvin complains that he grabbed the hair. Jimmy Jam struts and resets. Hammerlock into a side headlock takedown by Badd. Garvin jumps up but backs off, he heads to the ramp to check in with Hayes. Collar and elbow, side headlock from Badd. Garvin hits the ribs and they go to the ropes, Badd leapfrogs Garvin and takes him down once again. He holds the headlock, Garvin counters with a head scissor. Hayes barks from his wheelchair on the outside. Badd maneuvers into a hammerlock and drives the knees into the kidneys. Badd rolls him over and gets two.

Garvin is up quick but he’s taken over with an arm drag. Badd holds the arm and cranks on it. Clean break in the corner, Garvin poses and the fans don’t like it. Collar and elbow, Badd moves to a wristlock, he ducks under for a back drop and holds the arm bar. Badd holds a wristlock and pounds on Garvin’s arm. Garvin uses the hair to drag Badd to the mat. Johnny is angry and Garvin backs off. Jimmy Jam wants to call timeout to talk with Hayes again. Collar and elbow, drop toe hold by Badd, he moves into a hammerlock and tells the crowd he’s a Badd man. The ref checks in, but Garvin isn’t interested in quitting. Up to their feet, Garvin gets position in the corner and he lays in a series of knees. Irish whip is reversed by Badd, Jimmy Jam gets his boot up.

Badd is stomped on the mat, lateral press and Badd kicks out. Garvin throws Badd head first into the corner, he does it on the other side and snaps him over for a sleeper hold. Badd works his way back up, flips Garvin over and hits the ropes. Jimmy gets his knee up, but Badd kicks out at two. Garvin calls for the DDT but Badd lifts him with a back body drop. Badd throws the fist into the midsection, they hit the ropes and Badd gets him with a head scissor takedown. Another back body drop by Badd and he’s calling for the Kiss that don’t Miss. Garvin ducks the left, but Badd nails him with an uppercut. Badd heads for the top rope and scores a sunset flip to pick up the win.
Winner: Johnny B. Badd (Sunset Flip)

After The Bell: Badd looks to give the wheelchair-bound Michael Hayes a big left hook. Hayes backs up on the ramp which gives Garvin enough time to ambush Johnny. He hauls him back into the ring, uses Hayes boot to knock Badd out and then finishes him with a jawbreaker.
EA’s Take: One thing you have to say about The Freebirds: they knew how to entertain. This was Garvin’s first match in 2 years and his last in WCW. Other than a very short stint with Hayes and Gordy in GWF, his wrestling career is all but over at this point. So he does what any good vet should do on the way out and put the young guy over.

Backstage: ‘Mean’ Gene checks in from outside the main eventer’s locker room once again. He asks for an officer to assist him into Vader’s area. There is a lot of screaming and banging heard from the outside. Gene peaks in, but tonight’s challenger runs him out with a chair.

Match #5 for the WCW World Television Championship: Arn Anderson vs. WCW World Tag Team Champion Lord Steven Regal w/Sir William
Regal looks disgusted at Anderson’s attempt to shake hands. Collar and elbow as the USA chants start early. They struggle for position and just break it off clean in the middle of the ring. They try a lockup, Anderson takes a quick shot to the side of Regal’s head. The TV champ wants William to take a look. Side headlock by The Enforcer, Regal breaks it on the ropes and he continues to favor his ear. They lock up, side headlock by Anderson, squeezing on the ear. To the ropes they go, shoulder block by Anderson, Arn measures him but Regal reels by the ropes. Neutral position, Regal goes for the wristlock and grabs the chin.

Anderson reverses and whips Regal to the mat. Lord Steven gets up and tries stalling but he can’t wait any longer. Regal tries to keep his distance and they lock into a test of strength. Regal with the upperhand early, Anderson works back up to his feet and turns the tide. Anderson kicks the gut, goes for a leg trip and grabs a modified arm bar. Regal uses his boot on Anderson’s face and lays in some European uppercuts. Regal goes for a half chicken wing and then stomps on the arm. He grinds Double A’s face as Sir William cheers him on. Up to a vertical base, Anderson reverses into a hammerlock and hits him with a hammerlock slam.

Regal slows it down, they finally lock up and the ref calls for a break in the corner. Anderson lays in his shoulder to the midsection and pulls Regal down to the mat with a hammerlock. He hangs on and rolls Regal’s shoulders to the mat but he can’t get 3. Regal is pulled to the corner and The Enforcer wraps Regal’s arm around the ring post. Sir William checks in with his reeling client, he tells him there is about 15 minutes left in the time limit for the match. Back in the ring, Regal rocks him with forearm shots. He grabs a cravate, Anderson attempts to break it with a scoop slam but Regal hangs on. Regal tries for some pins but Anderson makes sure his shoulders don’t stay down. Anderson pounds the knee and reverses.

Double A wraps his arm around the top rope and then uses his own shoulder for leverage. He yanks on the arm and tosses the champ across the ring. On the mat, Regal regains control with a head scissor and a reverse chin lock. Regal goes back to the cravat, Anderson drops in some elbows and a forearm to break it and he hits a back body drop. He makes a cover but can’t win the title. He holds Regal down, stretching the arm out of its socket. Regal breaks the hold and hits some European uppercuts. Irish whip to the corner and Regal collapses, Anderson drops some knees over the top. He whiplashes the champ’s arm across the top, he tries a pin but is too close to the ropes. Front face lock by Regal and an uppercut knocks Anderson to the apron. Regal runs a distraction while Sir William cheapshots the challenger with the umbrella. In the corner, Regal lays in some elbows.

Single leg takedown by Regal and he rolls Anderson over for a half crab, he uses the rope for leverage but he’s caught by Randy Anderson. Regal grapevines the legs for a submission and pulls up on the arm. Sir William holds Regal’s boot for extra leverage. Regal grinds his forearm into the face and lays in some rights. Anderson counters with a single leg takedown and he puts the boots to Regal’s groin. He sets up for the Figure Four but Regal kicks him away. Regal tries some pins but can’t get it, he dumps Anderson to the floor so William can take another cheap shot with the umbrella. Anderson pulls Regal down and bashes his knee against the apron. Back in the ring, it’s Anderson with the single leg take down. He jabs the knee down to the mat and William is up on the ramp.

Regal reverses the momentum and holds Anderson in a half nelson. Forearms across the back by the champ and he holds on with a reverse chin lock. Irish whip to the corner and Anderson collapses. Regal tries a cover and Anderson kicks out. Regal hangs on with a nerve lock and there are 3 minutes left. Anderson fights from his knees and they go toe to toe with strikes. Anderson gets the better of the exchange with some lefts, but Regal refuses to be pinned. Test of strength on the mat, now Regal with the leverage but Arn won’t give. Back to a vertical base, Regal trips him but Anderson catches him with a body scissor submission. Regal attempts to turn it into a Boston Crab but Anderson flips him away.

The Enforcer grabs a sleeper, he tosses Regal into the corner and schoolboys him. Regal kicks out. Anderson tries a small package and Regal kicks out once again. Regal sets up for a butterfly suplex, Arn counters and sends Regal for a spinebuster. He’s slow to make a cover, William distracts Anderson. From the apron, Arn lands a shoulder to the gut and goes for a sunset flip. William offers his cane for Regal to hang on to, Lord Steven sits down on Anderson’s chest while hanging on and he steals a win to retain the belt.
Winner and STILL WCW World Television Champion: Lord Steven Regal (Outside Interference)

EA’s Take: I feel like I appreciate Double A now far more now than I did while watching WCW live in my pre-teen years. I felt psyched when he came out to a nice pop for this match. These guys have a lot of similarities in terms of the value they brought to the table as in-ring performers and they’re both still influential in WWE. Anderson as a senior producer for RAW and Regal as the GM for NXT. Creatively, screwed finish in this one.

Match #6 for the WCW World Tag Team Championships: Cactus Jack & Maxx Payne vs. WCW World Tag Team Champions The Nasty Boys (Brian Knobs & Jerry Sags)
Payne and Knobs get us started. Immediate German suplex from Payne and Knobs rolls to the ramp, stunned. He tags in Sags and tells the crowd to shutup. Collar and elbow, Sags goes to the eyes and the midsection. They hit the ropes, Payne catches the boot and scores with a belly to belly suplex. Now it’s Sags’ turn to regroup on the apron. Tag is made back to Knobs and Payne checks in with Jack. Knobs takes advantage of the neutral position, they hit the ropes but it’s Payne with a side slam. Sags rushes to his partner’s aid but Payne catches him for a big slam. Jack puts his boot up and Payne uses it on Knobs. Jack is tagged in and he cleans house, both partners dropping elbows on Knobs. Sags has to break up a pin.

All 4 men brawl and Jack and Payne clear the ring. Jack gets baited into the opponent’s corner by Sags, he drops a knee in the gut and tags in Knobs. Jack catches him with an elbow and leg drops him on the apron. Tag is made to Payne who sends Knobs to the ropes. Kick to the gut and a facebuster by the challenger. Knobs goes to the eyes to break it, they hit the ropes but he can’t knock Payne down. Sags comes in for some cheap help in taking him to the mat. Sags is tagged in and he lands a low blow. Knobs is tagged in quickly, Payne blocks a scoop slam and gives Knobs one instead. Brian moves away from a leg drop and he drops an elbow. To the 2nd rope, Payne moves away from the elevated leg drop. Tags are made to Sags and Jack.

Cactus catches him with a knee lift and clotheslines Knobs over the top rope to the outside. He attempts to come off the apron but Sags catches him from behind. Knobs lifts the mat on the floor and Sags shoulder blocks him onto the concrete. Knobs throws Jack into the steel rail and he’s got blood coming from his mouth. Sags kicks him from the apron, and he’s slow to return. Scoop slam by Knobs and he rolls him over for a Boston crab. Tag is made to Sags and he drops an elbow on Jack’s back. He takes over the Boston crab and tags in Knobs who does the same thing. Jack tries crawling to Payne, Maxx has seen enough and he fends off Sags from interfering. Patrick calls off Sags as Payne pulls Jack closer to their corner. A tag is made to Payne but the referee didn’t see it.

He tells Payne to get out of here. The Nasty Boys attempt to double team Jack, he ducks a double clothesline and instead gives them both DDTs. He rolls over to tag in Payne who cleans them out with clotheslines and scoop slams. Head butts are given to both Nasty Boys and he goes for the Payne Killer on Knobs. Jack tries to make sure Sags can’t interfere but Nick Patrick backs him off. With the ref tied up, Sags grabs the acoustic guitar they brought to the ring and clocks Payne with it. The ref calls for the bell, we have a disqualification.
Winners: Cactus Jack & Maxx Payne (Disqualification)

EA’s Take: How is Mick Foley still alive and functioning? That bump on the concrete that caused him to bleed from the mouth was ridiculous and it’s hardly the craziest thing he did on a regular basis. I don’t need to tell you too much about this one, you can figure what type of match you’re in for just by seeing the participants. Foley will be out the door for ECW in the coming months, but he’s certainly leaving a lasting impression.

Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!

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Classic SummerSlam

Attitude Of Aggression #277- The Big Four Project Chapter 4: Summer Slam ’88 & Survivor Series ’88

Published

4 weeks ago

March 2, 2023

David Ungar

Attitude Of Aggression #277- The Big Four Project Chapter 4: Summer Slam ’88 & Survivor Series ’88

The Attitude Of Aggression returns for Chapter 4 of The Big Four Project, a chronological analysis, review, and discussion about WWE’s Big Four PPVs/ Premium Live Events. On this Episode, Dave is again joined by the one and only PC Tunney to discuss two more huge events in pro wrestling history, the inaugural Summer Slam and Survivor Series’88. However, the guys are also joined by the debuting DJ of The Mindless Wrestling Podcast to join in the festivities. Summer Slam ’88 was a key event in the story of the rise, and eventual fall, of The Mega Powers. But it also saw a different kind of explosion as The Ultimate Warrior burst upon the scene like few had before him with an iconic dethroning of The Honky Tonk Man. The fellas look at how the events of that night in MSG nearly 35 years ago redefined an industry. From there, Dave & DJ recap the second Survivor Series. While not as unique or good as the first Survivor Series, there were still many key moments that took place that night. The Mega Powers would be the sole survivors of their match that night,,,,but they would not survive as a united force for much longer. What changed that night in Richfield, Ohio so long ago? We have the whole story for you here on Chapter 4 of The Big Four Project!

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Chairshot Classics

Chairshot Classics: What I Watched #16 – ECW Guilty As Charged 1999

Breaking up the 2018 time travel with a much deeper dive! Harry goes back to some prime ECW with Guilty As Charged 1999!

Published

7 months ago

September 2, 2022

Harry Broadhurst

Greetings, salutations and welcome back. Harry here once again with another edition of ‘What I Watched’. As the calendar year turns to 1999 on my watch-through of all things ‘big three’ wrestling, I covered Starrcade 1998 in an earlier edition of WIW. I figured since this is probably the last year where all three major companies are relevant (at least at the start), it could be fun to compare and contrast how I feel about the respective PPVs when compared to some of the independent wrestling I’ve been covering recently. Or even going back to the PROGRESS or Impact Wrestling shows that I’ve covered before. I am fully aware there are going to be some bad shows in 1999. But there is also a lot to talk about in a drastically changing industry. Let’s do this, shall we?

ECW is in flux as talent losses haven’t yet gotten to what they would become but names like Sandman, Mikey Whipwreck, Bam Bam Bigelow and others are no longer with the company. To make matters worse, the ECW-FMW relationship is falling apart now as well as a Chris Candido and Sunny (sorry, Tammy Lynn Sytch) no-show of a scheduled FMW appearance. Paul Heyman himself is the first person we see telling us the card is going to change…how much does it change? The WayBack Machine takes us to January 10th, 1999 in Kissimmee, FL as it’s time for ECW to be Guilty as Charged!

What I Watched #16

ECW Guilty as Charged 1999

1/10/1999

Millenium Theatre in Kissimmee, FL

Runtime: 2:40:30 (Peacock)

Commentary By: Joey Styles (PBP)

THE RESULTS

Match 1: Axl Rotten/Ballz Mahoney win 3 team tag elimination match, eliminating Little Guido/Tracy Smothers @ 10:44 (Danny Doring/Roadkill eliminated @ 8:15)
Match 2: Yoshihiro Tajiri pins Super Crazy, dragon suplex @ 11:37
Match 3: Psycho Sid Vicious pins John Kronus, powerbomb @ 1:31
Match 4: Bubba Ray and D’Von Dudley def. New Jack/Spike Dudley, both Dudleyz pin Spike @ 10:05
Match 5: ECW TV Title- Rob Van Dam pins Lance Storm, bridged German suplex @ 17:46
Match 6: Justin Credible pins Tommy Dreamer, That’s Incredible on ladder @ 18:44
Match 7: ECW Heavyweight Title- Taz defeats Shane Douglas © by KO, Tazmission @ 22:15

THE BREAKDOWN

Three Team Tag Elimination Match
Started as a straight up 2 vs. 2, but within the first two minutes, Ballz and Axl (Axl making his return to the company after the passing of his grandmother) join the frey and it becomes your traditional ECW three team brawl. Nothing really stands out here but the overall work is good enough for what the match is supposed to be. The elimination of Doring and Roadkill is well done, as a FBI double-team fishermanbuster looks really cool and gets a decisive win for what was to be the original match. They do give the win to Axl and Ballz here, which I get given the fact they are a popular act, but I personally think that Guido and Tracy were a better team during the time frame. (**½)

Super Crazy vs. Tajiri

Yes, it’s the feud that never ends. But this is where it begins. Both men were relative newcomers to the American wrestling scene with both having had limited exposure on WWF TV (both were in the Light Heavyweight title tournament). This is a good match but not a great match and honestly, I think timing is the issue here. Eleven minutes may seem like a lot but knowing what these two would be capable of down the road once there is more of a fan and time investment into their matches, it ends up being a good starting point but probably not the blow away match that ECW was expecting to deliver here. (***)

John Kronus vs. Mystery Opponent

So, ECW fans are notorious for their belief that the “big oaf” style of the WWF and WCW wouldn’t work in ECW. Obviously, they are wrong. Guys like Big Dick Dudley and 911 became massive fan favorites due to their look, not anything they could do in a wrestling ring. You can add another name to that list, as Psycho Sid makes his ECW debut here (following an introduction by the ‘Judge’ Jeff Jones) and absolutely kicks Kronus’ ass in less than two minutes. Sid was never anything special in the ring but he is one of the more charismatic big men in wrestling history so the cult-like following is easy to understand. Too short to rate, but fun for what it was. (X)

Dudleyz vs. New Jack/Spike Dudley

Sixteen year old Harry getting into ECW was a huge Joel Gertner fan. Thirty seven year old Harry going back and watching these shows is an even bigger fan of Joel Gertner. Granted, his shtick is incredibly juvenile but sometimes, you just want to laugh…

The match is your standard ECW garbage brawl. Most New Jack matches definitely have a similarity to them that does not hold up well for re-watching. I will openly admit to being a Spike Dudley mark and he does well taking an ass whooping from Bubba Ray. The Dudleyz definitely have their moments in ECW (the best is still to come in my opinion) but this isn’t one of their best performances. I will give props to New Jack for taking 3D on the ramp, even if it doesn’t come across the cleanest. About what you’d expect, but nothing more. (**)

Rob Van Dam vs. Masato Tanaka was the originally scheduled match and I think it could have been fun. However, Tanaka apparently has visa issues which prevent him from being able to get into the US for the show and thus ECW has to pivot quickly. I do have to give credit to Lance Storm for his pre-match promo here. For someone who is not known as one of the better talkers in wrestling history, he does a really good job explaining the situation with the 3 way that was supposed to happen (Storm vs. Spike vs. Jerry Lynn (cracked pelvis)) and then calling out Rob Van Dam since his opponent wasn’t there either. Storm has a really good closing line for the promo too: “I’m not the ‘Whole F’n Show’, but I am the best damn part of it’. That is one of the lines that sticks with you and you remember it.

The match itself is very good but not great. It is better than anything else on the show, so perhaps I’m rating it on a slight curve for that. Van Dam’s selling is sporadic but to be fair, Van Dam’s selling is always sporadic. The biggest thing for me is that despite that, they still keep an impressive pace and the match is by and large clean. There is a super weak chair shot by Storm (which the crowd gives him a good ration of shit over), but they do manage to turn that crowd around for the finishing sequence. A little surprised by the choice of finish, but I imagine that has something to do with telling the idea that Storm got caught and wasn’t soundly defeated like most of Van Dam’s prior opponents had been. (***½)

Stairway to Hell- Justin Credible vs. Tommy Dreamer

The problem for Credible in ECW is that Paul wanted you to believe that Justin was this huge deal but truthfully, the booking never actually treated him as such. Yeah, he won…A LOT…but more often than not, it was almost treated as an afterthought. He very rarely won the big matches on his own and while I get that as a heel, you want to give him that sense of dickishness, as a wrestling fan eventually you have to make it look like the dude could stand up on his own. Dreamer has long been a favorite of mine, even if he has overstayed his welcome in the ring on occasion. You know going in that win or lose, Tommy will bust his ass to give you as good a match as he is capable of.

As for this match, it never reaches that next level that you expect a gimmicked semi main event of a PPV to reach. It’s not actively bad or anything (in fact, probably up there for Credible’s best match in ECW to date) but with the stipulation and the gaga around it, it feels like there was so much more it could have been. The finish comes off really flat as well as it renders the whole point of the stipulation useless and only serves to put more heat on Credible by way of Funk. (**½)

So, I’ll be a little nicer to this match then some other reviewers I’ve seen for a couple reasons. It completely accomplishes the goal that Heyman set out for it. Taz comes out of the match looking like a world beater. Douglas comes out of the match as the face of the company who “went out on his shield” as the old phrase goes. Sabu looks like a lunatic and a viable threat to take the title at any time he damn well pleases. Candido comes off as a huge dick and sticks the final knife in Douglas’ back for the end scene. So the story telling is magnificent.

The match itself? At least a good five to seven minutes too long for that story. I get wanting that epic storytelling to fold out but when you guys are down and low on ideas, it might not be the worst idea to take it home. The other issue is that by trying to serve so many masters, Heyman causes the main event to end up being epically overbooked. Granted, that is an ECW trademark but for what was to be the crowning moment for Taz, I don’t think the 73rd Airborne needed to be a part of it. Sabu could have just as easily returned post match to set up a run with Taz. Or Candido could have turned on Douglas post match to give him a direction going forward since Taz would be occupied with Sabu. I’m not saying it completely takes away the moment but it does make it mean less than it could or should have in the overall scheme of things. (**)

THE FINAL REACTION

Best Match/Moment: Rob Van Dam vs. Lance Storm, although I do think their match at the first ECW PPV ‘Barely Legal’ (which I imagine I’ll eventually do) is better
Worst Match/Moment: The main event. What could have been an awesome moment for the ‘Human Suplex Machine’ and the biggest ass kicker in the company is ruined with a boring crowd brawl (to the home viewer) and a couple of run-ins that either end up actively taking away from it.
Overall Show Score: 5.5/10
MVP: Joey Styles is the best thing about this show with his one man performance. There is a reason he was such a major influence on what I did as an announcer.

THE SIGNOFF

It’s not a bad show. It’s just not a particulary good one either. And while ECW would put out worse, it only barely outdoes Starrcade 98 to avoid the worst show of the return thus far.

So, where do we go from here? January of 1999 had no chill. The very next Sunday would see the first WCW outing of 1999, called Souled Out. The Sunday after that would be the 1999 edition of the Royal Rumble. I’m going to hit both of those but as a fair warning, I’ll probably try to mix an Independent show from 2018 in the middle of them. Hope to see you guys at Souled Out. And feel free to check out my archives by clicking on my name at the top of this review. Thanks for reading, everyone.

Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!