Sunday 28 August 2011

These Two Must Be Best Friends

Skipped the 1/8 and 8/8 TV matches because the 93 yearbook's one its way and I'll watch them both on there, but here's 3 Steamboat/Regals to rock your.......mind?

Steven Regal v Ricky Steamboat (WCW 19/9/93)
--I got the feeling I liked this less than most on here, but it's on the list and not scraping the bottom parts. I guess my only real negatives are how some of the mat-based stuff worked, because i would have liked it to be Regal trying to ground Ricky with Ricky being a Hawaiin jumping bean ruining hs offense (that's right...a Hawaiin jumping bean...shut up), but it didn't bring the match down. And a great match it was. I haven't seen the 1/8, 8/8, or any of the build up to this, but thankfully this took place in a English-speaking country because them commentators tell me Regal attacked Steamboat with an umbrella the night prior reuslting in Steamer taping his ribs. Once they get shine and small offense in Regal's all about attacking that thing and keeping Steamboat in as much pain as possible. Steamboat's arm work was good, but I felt it sort of went nowhere. I really don't want to make it sound like I didn't like this becasue I really, really did. Mixed words and all that. Finish was tremendous, Stemboat goes to skin the cat and with the referee distracted Sir Wi--oh to hell with it--BILL DUNDEE clocks him over the head with his "it might rain in here on day faggots" umbrella and lets Regal win the TV Title. Great match, even if it doesn't sound like I think so. Well, I got it at 49 right now, so there, that's great. I might watch this again.

Steven Regal v Ricky Steamboat (WCW 25/9/93)
--Someone could say this was better than the Fall Brawl match and I'd totally get it. I don;t think it is, and i have it lower, but I watched it twice in one day and is actually a better ten minute match than the Arn/Steamboat from 21/3/92 (or 28/3/92, Idk). Steamboat jumps Regal from the time bell goes and the crowds gone into studio-Memphis mode adoring everything that's going on and watching Regal get thrown around in delight. He takes his LORDSHIP to the utside and Regal gets pasted to the floor, evetually getting in the ring and using bite tactics becasue he wants this fucker to feel PAIN. Regal's "shock" selling is so great, and his "desperation need to win this thing" offense is even better. He keeps Steamboat more grounded here, I thought, and it was evident that whenever Steamboat would get his offense back he'd use a chop or a head-into-turnbuckle rather than a submission. Steamboat might be the greatest ever babyface at creating hope spots. Once DUNDEE gets involved Steamboat reverses the advantage and gets the pin and it's awesome.

Steven Regal v Ricky Steamboat (WCW 27/12/93)
--Don't have this listed, but it was still really good. A 15 minute time limit at the boggest may per view of the year isn't the kind of thing I think is all that smart, but 15 minutes can get you a hell of a match. There's really good matwork for a lot of it, and it's the kind of Benoit/Finlay matwork where really anyone could get the advantage off of one move instead of anyone being grounded. I'm really struggling to remember anything else, but onve they hit the last few minutes, I felt let down, I guess. I thought Regal's might noe behte guy who could go for a time limit draw with all them fancy schmancy pinfalls and such, but I thought he did it well in the Arn match from SuuperBrawl IV and the Saturday Night Stemboat match could have fooled me for a time limit wreckfest. Finish was real good, though; Steamboat misses that final crossbody and doesn't get his title back.

Sunday 21 August 2011

If This Feud Were A Woman I'd Be In A Chapel Saying "I Do,"

Went through a hefty chunk of the Dustin Rhodes/Studd Stable feud from 1994 and it is so the greatest thing ever. Here's basically the best of the best of what I watched in unneeded nonsensical detail. Watch all this, btw.

Dustin Rhodes v Bunkhouse Buck (WCW 17/4/94)
--Couldn't have asked for anything more in a Bunkhouse match. Buck comes out all cocky because this is his time and Bunkhouse is part of his name and how can little rookie boy even try to touch him. Minute later and Dustin's launched himself over the ropes with some sort of piece of wood in his hand. I haven't seen what lead up to this, but the announcers said "Dustin's looking for revenge", and that equals good pro wrasslin'. Typical shine period where there's no rules, and typical heelish arsehole antics from Buck, low blows and all. He grabs that piece of wood eventually (which s apparently a 1x2) and smashes it over Rhodes head. It's one of those ECW shoot hits as well, where he goes "pro wrestling's fake you bastards? FUCK IT!" Dustin's entire faces goes red with blood and it's dripped on the mats outside. You're getting two types of Dustin Rhodes here; sympathy Dustin, and enraged Dustin, and they're as good as each other. Once sympathy Dustin is out of the way, enraged Dustin takes over by shaking in the corner drawing energy from God and his Texans at home. or something. Enraged Dustin's all about that revenge, he's whipping and punching making sure Buck goes home to the trash can where he lives on a stretcher. WCW are awesome at ending a match and making you want a proper conclusion in the future and this naturally had that. This is sitting in my top quarter right now, and even if I don't think it'll stay there, it was everything a guy could want.


Dustin Rhodes v Bunkhouse Buck (WCW 22/5/94)
--They had a Bunkhouse, here's a bull-rope! Dustin's still all piss and vinegar and he doesn't even let the tie the rope to Buck before he tries to murderise him. I'm almost struggling to remember any Buck offense, because Dustin beat on his for a *long* time, but it's the kind of Mid-South-esque babyface beating that you crave in a feud as vie as this has been. There are these absolutely nasty cowbell shots where it's Dustin's turn to go ECW on Buck, and he just swings the thing straight at his head and he's content with wherever it lands. There were plenty of shots like that and I remember saying "Jesus" out loud on one of them. Buck's bumping like Terry Funk everywhere and Dustin's whooping him all over. Watching Col. Parker lose his mind is always fun as well. Then the actual TERRY FUNK comes out with a cloth on his head once this is finished after having one of the more batshit matches ever with Tully Blanchard earlier in the night (seriously watch that one) and there's madness everywhere. This definitely wasn't as good as the Bunkhouse match, but it's a great, great fight and it's laying in my top 50 right now. Two matches and I already think this feud is the greatest.


Dustin Rhodes/Arn Anderson v Terry Funk/Bunhouse Buck (WCW 17/7/94)
--"YEAH, I'LL BE YA PARTNER!" Arn accepts Dustin's invitation to be his partner and "take them down". More enraged Dustin! He throws both guys over the top rope when the referee has his back turned and Jesse Ventura on commentary is yelling at everyone. I mentioned Buck bumping and selling like Terry Funk himself, and they're both in the ring now so you can imagine what the hell is going on in there. You don't see a huge bunch of Arn in this, likely because of the turn, but he's a crazy babyface apron. He's shaking and yelling and jiving once he gets the final tag he gets up Dustin up and plants a mega DDT on him in the mother of al betrayals. Meng's out and they're stomping on his arm like the Horsemen did to his pa in the '80s. Just more build up, fun and twists in a really great feud.


Dustin Rhodes v Bunkhouse Buck (WCW 6/8/94)
--Nothing much to write about here, this was more tame than the other matches since is the a ten minute match on free TV, but it was really good for the time given and it made me think that Buck has more stuff to his name other than the Dustin/Studd Stable feud. You obviously get your hatred and fiery punches, but there's no whipping or cowbell shots to the noggin around here. Buck pushes the camera man down before getting to ring, and that's fairly batty. Post-match is the mother load, though. Dusty was at ringside the whole match and he gets involved into this tussle with Meng and Parker and you see the sparks fly everywhere. If WWE were half as good at building matches off of little ten minute matches on TV as WCW were in this era, I'd be watching.


Dustin Rhodes/Dusty Rhodes v Terry Funk/Bunkhouse Buck (WCW 28/8/94)
--"All I need's is a hug t' seal d' deal." Dusty's really over from facing up to the Studd Stable and he can't move a whole lot but he knows what he's doing in there and is a great crowd worker. More Funk and Buck bumping, Terry tries to rip off the barricade in a ad bunch of frustration. Dustin's shine periods really are great, he has those post where he dominates both guys and they don't look completely arse-stupid like they might. the transitions posts are really good as well, I dig it when people miss stuff/opponent's evade. AA bring a DQ and post-math has Dusty swinging a wooden chair over Meng's head with the fucker not even reacting and you hear five thousand audience members dump in their pants. Meng's choking Ol' Dusty out and Dustin's grounded so it's pretty clear they need back-up in their little war. Like the Dustin/Arn vs. Buck/Funk tag this isn't a match to list, but it's really, really fun and it's a great feud-builder. Punches and elbows, man.


Dustin Rhodes/Dusty Rhodes/Jerry Sags/Bran Knobs v Bunkhouse Buck/Terry Funk/Arn Anderson/Col. Robert Parker (WCW 18/9/94)
--It's WarGames and in one of the more ridiculous TV snippet segments you see Dusty come to The Nasty Boys for help in some kind of goofy looking bar area. But forget about that; this is WarGames, motherfucker! First period has Dustin getting in without hesitation and trying to be more piss and vinegar against an Arn Anderson who's putting a more Wile E. Coyote strategic approach forth. That's to no avail obviously, and he eventually gets one of his classic WarGames spots where he has his head shoved between both rings and Dustin's treating him like a jackhammer.  Period 2 allows Bunkhouse to come through and give Arn a chance to rest before the both of them can double team Dustin's arm that they stomped on months back. The next two minutes is up and Jerry Sags brings it with double clothesline and cage-ramming that I swear to God looked like could tip the cage over. The Studd Stable are pissy on the outside and Funk wants in NOW; that bezerk motherfucker tries to somehow throw a chair in there, forgetting there's a roof on it and everything. Looney. Gets even loonier when he gets to legally come in with one of his boots off, wavering it everywhere and tipping himself over the ropes in the process. He's got Dustin and rubs his face against the cage of the are where Dusty's standing watching his son being treated as cheese. Then Funk gets caught in a piledriver and ends up falling between the two rings way down the floor. <3 Terry. Knobs is the nest guy in and blows every heel in sight into the cage like darts, and the revenge boot shots Funk gets are brutal lump-giving blows. More Funk lovin' when he gets so dizzy out of his mind he ends up swinging his fists at an already dazed Buck (who's his partner). Final heel period sees Parker sweating his arse off and tuggin' at his shirt collar because he thought Meng was gonna be in this thing up until a week ago. He slowly tries to creep in only to see Dustin staring him down and he takes the longest time. Buck grabs Dustin and Parker grubs up the confident to come in and lay those cheap manager shots in. Now's the point of the "I hope the cameramen get the best parts on tape" section where they have no idea what to stick on TV. We get a AA Spinebuster, Funk whipping Dustin, Colonel whipping Sags, and Dustin getting the belt and whipping everyone all in the space of a couple of minutes. The crowd blow their arse off once he gets to Colonel, and you have Meng trying to tear the cage off to get in there like originally planned. Dusty's in once the final ten count's done and before he gets triple-teamed he's shining all oevr the place with his signature elbows and is that good ol' house o' fire. The Dusty/Colonel stare-down is awesome and once Parker gets clobbered Meng decides to try to climb the cage to only be knocked down. Dusty's got a Figure-Four on Colonel and the Nastys are taking turn splashing and dropping elbows on him before he finally gives up before he becomes paraplegic. Meng's in after the match is done and head butts a camearman in madness. I found it odd that there was no blood the entire match, but apart from that, this was an insane blow-off (even if there were matches after it). Terrific stuff, probably the best WarGames behind 87, 91 and 92.

Friday 19 August 2011

'DEM BIG BOYS PLEH BUT 'DEY DON'T PLEH NICE~

Scott Steiner/Rick Steiner v Steve Williams/Terry Gordy (WCW 20/6/92)
--Sort of went into this expecting something great. Forget "great", man; this was fantastic. Almost seemed like a dream match between the two teams who had all the power and mat presence in the world, and it came off like that Rock vs. Brock vibe you WANT. Obviously not as big or anticipated, but it's something to take seriously. Doc and Gordy are Japan tourists of sorts, and it has that same deal as when Vader was brought in at the Great American Bash a month later. Point is; it's no regular tag match. Scotty Steiner being the mat wrestler of the bunch outclasses Gordy's attempts at building some kind of offense. Williams at one point is yelling his bloody head at Gordy to keep hold of a leg while in a submission himself, and Gordy's tugging on that thing for his life. The Rick/Doc parts in particular felt like the big this-is-the-motherfucking-load showdown stuff. It gets the Varsity Club history mention from Jim Ross, and he says he's been waiting on this one. Williams has that football past and he's bulldozing Rick like an elephant mother who's had her child attacked. Rick eats like three shoulder-blocks to the thigh area and when Williams rampages him for the third he pulls a Steinerline out of his arse and Doc's completely wiped. Doc gets thrown with a belly-to-belly and he sold it excellently, he gets out of the ring and tries to weed it off and in turn is putting the suplex over as a really big deal. I seriously dig that kind of smallish stuff. It gets to the point where they're channelling their inner-puroresu and bombing each other with the mother-set of suplexes. These aren't regular US suplexes either, they're those motherfucking AHHHHHHH suplexes you'd want parading an All Japan main event. Gordy was getting planted on his head in a mad heap of arse and elbows. Totally level ballgame; Steiners can wrestle, MVC can wrestle, Steiners can throw, MVC can throw, and that's more little shit points I dig. One thing Steiners have that trouble doing is getting Doc and Gordy down for longer periods of time, which Doc and Gordy themsleves master. There's this really terrific grounding part where MVC are literally not letting Scott get past the middle of the ring. I felt the hot tag was almost a mistake, though. Williams had a Boston Crab and Scott's scurrying towards his corner to get to Rick, and when he actually hits the tag the referee goes to look at Gordy in the MVC because he was probably supposed to interfere or something. I'm not making no complaint, though; house-o'-fire Rick Steiner isn't something you want to miss. WCW around this time could be notoriously shitheaded with bullshitting time limits, so when they ht the 30 minute draw the time's really clocking in at about 25 or less, but they shove in all the really cool nearfall stuff you see when the announcer's counting down on his mic. Scott gets his Frankensteiner in once he counts to one and you could tell he wanted the pin despite keeping those big ol' belts. Time limit draw only helps the level ballgame deal and sets up a possible re-match between two teams that have that SCORE TO SETTLE. I would've been perfectly settled with this being the only match they had, though. Seriously exceptional and maybe a top five WCW match of 1992. Forty seven fuckin' stars.