Uncensored ’95

(All screen captures are the property of World Wrestling Entertainment)

Uncensored

March 19, 1995

Tupelo Coliseum

Tupelo, Mississippi

News & Notes: WCW had so many feuds that were supposedly out of control they felt the need to create a special PPV to settle them. Uncensored was billed as unsanctioned. That meant there would be no rules, but also no titles would be on the line. The idea was WCW washed their hands of the matter and let the wrestlers go wild. Almost every match would have a gimmick. It was a unique idea on paper, but this is WCW. As you will see, they have a hard time remembering their own plot devices.

The main feud for this show was the continued rivalry between Hulk Hogan and Vader. WCW booked them in a Strap Match for this PPV. After SuperBrawl, Flair continued interfering in Hogan’s business. They had another pull-apart brawl and the police got involved. Nick Bockwinkel decided to suspend Ric Flair. I’m unsure how you suspend someone that’s retired, but that’s WCW for you. However, Flair rightfully pointed out Uncensored was unsanctioned. He promised to make an appearance anyway because WCW could do nothing about it. Hogan countered by promising to bring an ultimate surprise. Fans naturally expected this to be the Ultimate Warrior. WCW wanted to sign him, but his asking price was so high it was obvious he had no serious intentions of joining. That didn’t stop WCW from implying he would. They showed a silhouette of a man—scaramouche—sorry, got distracted for a moment there. It vaguely looked like Warrior. They eventually had Hogan do a promo where he admitted it wasn’t Warrior. It was a man named The Renegade. This was WCW’s cheap knock-off version. He stood behind Hogan and they did their best to hide his face in smoke. It was obviously not Jim Hellwig.

The PPV begins with quick cuts and edits of wrestlers talking about attacking and pain. It’s mixed with a narrator telling us there are no rules. Graphics appear on the screen listing the various gimmick matches. It’s made to look like the letters were cut out of newspapers and magazines to form some sort of ransom note. Watch this PPV, or you’ll never see your favorite wrestlers again!! If they really wanted to make us sweat, they’d threaten to air nothing but Dave Sullivan matches. Also, they make sure to tell us the card is subject to change. Given how much false advertising went into this event, that’s probably a smart disclaimer.

Tony Schiavone welcomes everyone to Tupelo for Uncensored. He’s standing on the ramp with Bobby Heenan and—Mike Tenay? Where’s Gene? I guess all this uncensored action was too much for him. Bobby calls it the most important week in the history of sports. He talks about Michael Jordan, Mike Tyson, and Hogan vs. Vader. Tenay then brings up the Ultimate Surprise—The Renegade. I’m unsure why they’re still calling it ultimate or a surprise when we already know it’s not who we expected. Then, Heenan casually mentions Jimmy Hart is missing. No one seems that worried about it. Then again, it is Jimmy Hart. Finally, Tenay plugs the hotline because Gene isn’t there and someone has to do it. He then walks away as footage rolls of the first match. They go to the ring—excuse me, the road.

King of the Road Match: The Blacktop Bully vs. Dustin Rhodes

Notes: The Dustin Rhodes/Blacktop Bully feud escalated to its natural conclusion. Bully is a trucker, so it’s only fitting this match takes place in the back of a moving rig. The objective is to fight from one end of the trailer to the other and sound an air horn mounted to the front. In their way are bales of hay and crates. The match was filmed using a cameraman inside the truck, a helicopter, and a vehicle driving beside them. It makes for some cool visuals, but also awkward editing. However, there’s a deeper reason for the latter. I’ll get to that after the match.

The Match: It is already in progress when we join them. Both men scramble for the horn and ram each other into the metal. Dustin stops Bully with a chunk of wood and does an awkward piledriver. They also both perform suplexes, and Dustin drops a bale of hay on Bully’s head. It seems rather dangerous to perform actual moves on a moving truck, so I’ll give them credit. At one point, Dustin breaks a crate over Bully’s back. The chunks of wood fall onto the road and the truck drives over them. Heenan takes a moment to joke about a trailer park they pass. Then, the truck has to stop for a church bus. The signal gets fuzzy and Tony claims it’s microwave interference. Was the church bus jamming the signal!? The truck gets moving again, and I swear they repeat the same footage from earlier. Dustin uses a bucket of water, which Heenan thinks is gas. They eventually fight up to the horn, but Bully pushes Dustin over and sounds it for the win.

Thoughts: This was a strange spectacle. It was mostly punching and kicking, but it was unique. It’s not a match to rewatch multiple times, but I think it’s different enough to view at least once. There is definitely some tension and drama. Watching them dangle their legs over the edge of a moving truck can make you a bit nervous. Only WCW would think of such a needlessly dangerous gimmick match. They would only top themselves years later with that junkyard match. I was surprised to see Bully win. You could tell they wanted to continue this feud. However, that would not happen. Rhodes, Bully, and the road agent Mike Graham would all be fired. Dustin and Bully bladed during this match, which was against WCW rules at the time. I thought this was Uncensored, but apparently it’s quite the opposite. They managed to scrub almost any sight of the blood from this match. That’s why it’s so awkwardly edited. It’s amusing because the footage is out of order. It goes from bright and sunny to twilight and back again. This match somehow bent time and space! I’m kidding, of course. It was filmed the day before and edited for the show.

Winner: Blacktop Bully (13:06)

Fireworks explode in the arena after the match. I have to wonder if the fans watched it on the screens. They’re pretty quiet, so it’s hard to tell. Tony and Heenan talk about Hogan and Vader a bit before sending it to Tenay. He’s with the TV Champ Arn Anderson, Col. Parker, and what appears to be a ninja wearing an outfit made from gaudy drapes. Oh, it’s Meng. He should go back to the suit and sunglasses. Mike asks Arn about his Boxer vs. Wrestler match against Johnny B. Badd. Arn questions Badd’s manliness. He calls him desperate for putting on boxing gloves to fight him. He’s unafraid of Johnny’s left hand because Arn believes the DDT is more effective. Then, Col. Parker gloats over Bully’s win and says Bully is his man. I have bad news for him. Then, Tenay asks about Meng vs. Duggan. Parker quotes Elvis and tells Duggan he sealed his fate by putting his hands on him. He also threatens to have his way with Duggan. Um—eww. Parker claims Meng will show Jim nine types of martial arts and make Duggan’s eyes even more crossed. He tries to say more, but Tenay rudely interrupts him to show a video package.

They air footage from SuperBrawl set to Rey Mysterio’s future theme music. Gene narrates and tells us Meng made the transition from a bodyguard to a wrestler. He calls him an awesome force and says no one knows what’s in store for the Martial Arts Match. Considering it’s a Duggan match, I wouldn’t expect any martial arts. That’s for sure.

Martial Arts Match: Meng (w/ Col. Parker) vs. Hacksaw Jim Duggan

Notes: Meng walks to the ring and doesn’t say a word. He doesn’t need to because his ninja outfit is loud enough. You can only see his eyes through the hood, but he appears to be wearing clown makeup. Is this what WCW thinks a ninja looks like? Then, Duggan enters the arena in street clothes with his fists taped. He’s also wearing a bandanna, which makes him look like a wrestling version of Bruce Springsteen. I apologize to Bruce for that insult. Also, they introduce the special ref for this match. It’s a former karate champion, Sonny Onoo. He was a close friend of Bischoff that Eric brought into the company. He would work as a liaison between WCW and NJPW as well as a manager for Japanese wrestlers. He somehow looks older here than he would later. Is he Benjamin Button?

The Match: Onoo insists Duggan bow to both Meng and himself. Jim refuses, and they waste lots of time getting him to comply. He finally does, but Meng kicks him. They trade chops and punches until Duggan removes his boots to use as weapons. It’s not enough, and Meng keeps returning to nerve holds and choking. He even gives Jim a dreaded double nerve hold! It’s a wonder Jim didn’t submit immediately. Meng continues with more chops, so Duggan answers with headbutts. He hurts himself. Parker uses the opening to choke Duggan with his handkerchief. However, Jim fights back. He threatens Onoo before nailing the running clothesline on Meng. He pops up immediately while Parker distracts Duggan. This opens the door for Meng to give Duggan a Savate kick for the win.

Thoughts: I’m unsure how this was a Martial Arts Match. It wasn’t scored on points. It was simply a No DQ match with lots of punching and kicking. It was also filled with far too many nerve holds for my taste. This was dull. Meng is a legit badass. Just look up stories about him if you don’t believe me. However, the match didn’t showcase that. WCW made him look cool up to this point but nearly ruined it. Meng shouldn’t have needed help to beat Duggan. It’s similar to the Vader/Duggan match. They did more to protect Duggan than make his opponent look strong.

Winner: Meng (7:04)

Meanwhile, Mike Tenay is with Johnny B. Badd and his boxing trainer, Roc Finnegan. Mike asks Johnny if he’s at a disadvantage in his match. Johnny says he is because it’s hard to counter a wrestler while wearing gloves. However, he says it’s not about boxing versus wrestling. It’s about Johnny B. Badd versus Arn Anderson. I’m pretty sure it is a boxer versus a wrestler. That’s the entire point of the stipulation. Way to downplay the gimmick, Johnny. Next, Roc claims Badd is going to knock out that stiff. He quickly realizes he can’t say his lines with a cigar in his mouth and removes it. Finally, Tenay asks Badd about his pet name for his left hand. Badd responds, “Arn Anderson, you’re going to Dreamland!” I thought he called it the Kiss That Doesn’t Miss. I’m confused. Did he rename it or did he forget? Perhaps it missed one too many times, and he gave it a new name.

Next, Tenay introduces a special look at Double A, Arn Anderson. Arn is at what appears to be a construction site. He steps out of a truck and explains why he’s not in his usual Mercedes. Apparently, the stress of being TV Champion made him trade it in for a nice GMC. I guess he finds cheaper cars soothing. Arn then talks about his career while they show highlights. He says he doesn’t care if he breaks someone’s neck and sends them to the hospital. Then, he looks at his reflection in the window and tells himself he’s a better wrestler than anyone. He also claims he will hold onto the title by any means and will be champion as long as he wants to be. I’m sure Mercedes and GMC loved the product placement. This was a bit odd, but Arn’s promos are good enough to make it work.

Boxer vs. Wrestler Match: Johnny B. Badd (w/ Roc Finnegan) vs. Arn Anderson (w/ Col. Parker)

Notes: Arn Anderson defeated Badd on a January edition of Main Event to become the TV Champion. It kick-started a feud between the two men that escalated to this Boxer vs. Wrestler match. Badd is legitimately a former Golden Gloves boxer, so it makes sense. The match consists of ten possible three-minute rounds with a one-minute rest between them. They can win by either pin, submission, or knock-out. On a side note, Tony and Bobby spend much of the early match speculating about Jimmy Hart’s whereabouts. They say Vader was seen earlier with his coat. They still don’t sound that concerned.

The Match: Badd dominates the first round with quick punches. Arn has to regroup because he’s surprised. He tries some takedowns in Round 2, but Johnny keeps knocking him to the mat. Badd also lands lots of body punches in the corner. The round ends, but Arn attacks during the break and gives Johnny a DDT. He also attacks again while Roc is talking strategy. Anderson reminds the ref there’s no DQ and throws Badd over the ropes. Arn continues his attack and whips Badd into a stool before landing a spinebuster. However, Roc jumps on Arn’s back. Anderson shakes it off and sends Johnny back to the floor where Parker attacks him. Then, the round ends. Roc uses the break to cut one of Badd’s gloves free, but Arn doesn’t notice. He attacks Johnny only for Roc to place a spit bucket over Arn’s head. Badd punches it and removes his glove. He then nails the Kiss That Doesn’t Miss for the knock-out win. Heenan complains they cheated, but Tony reminds him it’s Uncensored.

Thoughts: This was far better than expected. I thought they told a great story and played perfectly to the gimmick. It’s probably the only match on the show that used its gimmick well. It helps that Badd did a great job of throwing believable worked boxing punches. They had a good look and sound to them without doing much damage. Then, there was that highly amusing finish. I enjoyed this.

Winner: Johnny B. Badd (00:22 into the 4^th Round)

Heenan continues complaining, so Tony shakes his head at him and introduces a video package about Randy Savage. It’s random clips of Savage wrestling, but it has enough rapid cuts and flashy colors to be almost nauseating.

Then, Tenay is with Randy Savage, and he’s not talking. I’m kidding. He speaks this month. Savage says, “What it is, is what it is!” He also makes fun of old buckethead, Arn Anderson. Mike asks if Avalanche’s attack was a wake-up call. Savage says Avalanche can’t handle him because he’s too cold to hold. Then, Savage says he’s going to explode in Avalanche’s face. Oh, my! He loses his train of thought and claims he doesn’t know what he’s saying. This makes Randy so mad he threatens to punch Tenay if he doesn’t stop smiling. Savage then heads to the ring and says he might punch someone else along the way because it’s no more Mr. Nice Guy.

Macho Man Randy Savage vs. Avalanche

Notes: This is merely a continuation of the Savage & Sting vs. Avalanche & Bubba feud. They split it into individual matches, but neither got a special gimmick. They probably could have used some. Cappetta gives Savage an almost Buffer-like introduction, except he doesn’t botch any of his lines. He calls Randy the most exciting and charismatic performer. I’m sure Hogan loved that. Avalanche shows off his impressive arms on the way to the ring, but Cappetta gives him a simple introduction. Come on! Sing the praises of those massive guns, Gary!

The Match: Savage sticks and moves and then slaps Avalanche. He tries retaliating, but Savage moves and Avalanche tumbles to the floor. Randy continues the attack with axehandles, but he fails to slam the big man. This opens the door for a flurry of offense from Avalanche. He nails elbows and leg drops. He even does a surprising dropkick!! Savage attempts a comeback, but Avalanche sends Randy crashing into the guardrail. He then prevents Savage from entering the ring until Randy blocks a suplex. Savage does another axehandle and tries a sunset flip, but Avalanche sits on him. He then cuts off another Savage comeback by catching him out of the air. Then, they fight to the floor where a rather rough-looking woman with lots of hair jumps the rail and attacks Randy. She gives him chops—hey, wait a minute! The woman reveals herself to be Ric Flair in drag. He aids Avalanche in nailing an Avalanche drop, so the ref calls for the bell. Hogan rushes the ring to stop the attack while Flair and Avalanche retreat.

Thoughts: What!? How do you have a DQ on this show? It’s typical WCW to create an entire show with no rules and then have a DQ. Is that the best finish they could conceive? I admit Ric Flair in drag is highly amusing, but this makes no sense. The match was already kind of dull before the non-finish. I guess they wanted to protect both men, but I don’t think either would be hurt by a loss.

Winner: Randy Savage (by DQ) (11:44)

Flair and Avalanche high-five as they leave ringside. He looks quite comical in eye-shadow and lipstick. Heenan jokes Flair will get free drinks because it’s Ladies Night. Hogan then helps Savage out of the ring.

Meanwhile, Tenay is with the Tag Champs, Harlem Heat and Sister Sherri. He asks them about their Texas Tornado Match. Sherri waves her arms around and looks like she’s had a bit of the bubbly. Stevie talks about the lack of rules and repeats some of the same lines he used last month. Then, Booker calls Tenay a clown. Mike is unamused. Booker threatens to hit the Nasty Boys upside their head with something foreign if they know what he means. I doubt they do. He also calls Tupelo a redneck town and says it will be obliviated. I think he meant obliterated unless he’s planning on using some Harry Potter spells. Next, Sherri says the Nasties have been a thorn in their side too long. I agree. She also claims they will walk down the aisle shaking their derrieres and sticking out their chests. I can see her doing that, but why would Booker and Stevie follow suit!? Tenay cuts off Sherri before she can say anything more and she doesn’t look pleased.

Next, they show a video recapping the Sting/Big Bubba feud. Tensions rose between Sting and Bubba before the Triangle Match. They came to a head when Bubba turned heel at Clash of the Champions.

After the video, Tenay is with Sting. He introduces himself to Mike, despite the fact we’ve seen them together on the hotline. I guess Sting forgot or doesn’t care about him. Sting says he’s always on fire, especially when he’s in Tupelo. He also claims words can’t describe his mood. He’s unsure what Bubba calls himself, but he tells him tonight is Bubba’s end. He then lets out a war cry and heads to the ring. It was short and sweet. He didn’t give Tenay any time to interrupt.

Big Bubba Rogers vs. Sting

Notes: Big Bubba has new music. It’s a generic guitar riff, as most WCW themes tend to be. I swear they simply cycle through their list of stock music. Tony says he always knew Bubba had this attitude in him. He talks about knowing him all the way back to when he was a bodyguard. Heenan doesn’t care. He’d rather make fun of Mike Tenay. He also makes fun of the fans while Sting enters the arena. It doesn’t seem like either commentator is treating this match as important. Tony talks about the arena being new and Bobby jokes it hosts hog auctions.

The Match: Bubba points at Sting, so he bites Bubba’s hand. Then, Sting puts on Bubba’s hat and chokes him with the coat. Bubba bails, so Sting leg drops the hat. Somewhere, Flair writes down the idea of attacking clothing for later use. Sting continues his attack. He whips Bubba around and sends him to the floor. He also pulls Bubba into the post before returning him to the ring for a splash and a slap. Bubba evades some more offense and Sting injures himself on a leapfrog attempt. Bubba sees his opening and attacks Sting’s leg for a while. He cuts off Sting’s comebacks and locks Sting in some leg holds. This continues until Bubba accidentally falls off the top rope. Sting answers with a sleeper hold, but Bubba breaks it by using his tie to land a jawbreaker. Sting fires back with a German suplex and a flying splash. However, Bubba clips Sting’s knee in desperation. Sting mounts another comeback, but his knee buckles on a slam attempt and Bubba pins him.

Thoughts: I get the story they were telling, but the match was slow and dull. They could have taken more advantage of the lack of rules. Bubba could have still done the leg attack, but with more dirty tactics. They had a regular wrestling match and they lost the crowd. It wasn’t a bad match. It was simply uninteresting. I’m surprised Bubba got the win. I guess they’re trying to build sympathy for Sting.

Winner: Big Bubba (13:43)

Tony then plugs Slamboree. He talks about the Hall of Fame. Then, they discuss the main event and speculate about Jimmy Hart again. Tony also wonders if Flair is still wearing a dress. After that, they talk about the Harlem Heat/Nasty Boys feud and show a recap video. It’s set to funky music and shows footage of their multiple matches. Gene narrates and talks about the Nasties almost winning the Tag Titles at SuperBrawl.

Tenay is with a very angry Nasty Boys. Knobbs gets revenge for everyone by interrupting Mike. Brian is so angry he thinks they’re in Tuscon instead of Tupelo. Even Sags has to cover his ears while Knobbs screams about shoving things down Harlem Heat’s throats. Knobbs shakes a trash can around while Sags threatens to stuff their opponents into it. Jerry also mistakenly calls the PPV Incensored. Knobbs then echoes the sentiments about the trash can and leaves. Tenay looks like he’s developed a headache from all the screaming.

They follow that promo with a hype video for Harlem Heat. They show footage of their matches and include Booker doing the Harlem Hangover (Flying somersault leg drop). I guess he finally remembered to debut the move.

Texas Tornado Match: The Nasty Boys vs. Harlem Heat (w/ Sister Sherri)

Notes: This is a Texas Tornado Match. Does that mean the losing team has to amputate a foot? Oh, that was in poor taste. I apologize. All joking aside, it means there will be no tags. All four men are legal and falls count anywhere.

Sherri comes to ring alone with the belts on her shoulders. She acts confused and yells for Booker and Stevie to join her. The Nasty Boys make their entrance while Cappetta sounds as confused as Sherri. They carry the trash can with them and enter the ring, but Harlem Heat attacks from the crowd.

The Match: Everyone brawls and Harlem Heat get the early advantage. Booker nails a Harlem Side Kick and then they give Knobbs a scary-looking spike piledriver. Sags decides he’s done selling again. He returns to the ring and the Nasties grab Sherri. They give her the Pity City. Then, Sags dumps garbage on Stevie, so Tony calls him a litter bug. The fight then spills out of the ring and heads toward a clearly fake concession stand. The area quickly becomes a mess of food and drinks. Sherri chokes Sags while Stevie rubs some cotton candy on Jerry’s head. Booker and Knobbs join them, but Brian wipes out on the slippery floor. Next, the Nasties throw around some trays and spray Stevie with mustard. Somehow, Knobbs locates a hockey stick and uses it while falling on his ass. Everyone is sliding and falling and Sags nearly pulls off Sherri’s top. Booker attempts a slam, which is dangerous given the poor footing. It’s thankfully blocked, but they end up collapsing the funnel cake stand. Knobbs recovers and lands a powerslam for the win, but the cameraman misses it. The commentators are confused by the bell until someone informs them what happened. They show a replay that reveals Booker kicked out of the pin. It doesn’t matter.

Thoughts: This match was a literal and figurative mess, but it was an enjoyable one. It was a train wreck. The floor became such a mess they could barely perform moves. Yet, I couldn’t take my eyes off it. It was unique for the time. I’ve always been a sucker for Falls Count Anywhere Matches that go to unique locations. The concession stand was clearly fake, but it still was a cool visual. On a side note, was there legitimate heat between these teams? This is the second time in a row Sags no-sold Harlem Heat’s offense. There were also some stiff strikes in the match. I get the feeling these four men didn’t like each other.

Winners: The Nasty Boys (8:43)

Next, Tenay is with Vader. Mike doesn’t even have a chance to interrupt. Vader shoves him away and takes the mic. He screams the demon of fear is before Hogan. He says the fear is here and there. My god Vader, you got fear everywhere! Look at the mess! They’ll never clean up all of that! Then, Vader tells Hogan it’s time to pay for his stupidity. He says Flair is in his corner and there are 23 world titles between them. Flair enters the picture. He’s still wearing eyeliner, lipstick, and fingernail polish. He looks quite lovely. Vader throws a chair while Flair complains about Hogan screwing up his life and career. Ric calls himself the master plan and says he’s a man possessed. He wants to take Hogan out of the sport forever. Then, Vader calls himself the uncrowned champion and tells everyone to tune in because it’s live and in living color.

They follow the promo with a video recap of the Hogan/Vader feud. It begins with footage from SuperBrawl and includes a confrontation on Saturday Night. Then, Hogan attacks Vader with a strap during a Vader/Patriot match. Jimmy Hart prevents Flair from stopping Hogan.

After the video, Hogan cuts a promo in front of a green screen. He complains about shenanigans. He also says he was born at night, but not last night. Then, Hogan tells the fans and Vader and Flair to wait until they see the ultimate surprise. Hogan knows the power of the ultimate surprise and asks what they’re going to do when it runs wild on them. Again, it’s no longer a surprise. He already said it’s the Renegade. I’m not sure he understands what surprise means.

Leather Strap Match: Hulk Hogan (w/ The Renegade) vs. Vader (w/ Ric Flair)

Notes: Michael Buffer does his introductions. He’s determined to annoy me because he immediately claims the match is sanctioned by both WCW and the Mississippi Athletic Commission. The whole point of Uncensored is it’s unsanctioned. Vader arrives with the glamorous-looking Flair. If you’re wondering why Harley Race is still absent, WCW released him while he was recovering from a car wreck. That’s typical WCW. Then, Buffer introduces Hogan as the King of—OH, COME ON!! Someone proofread Michael’s cue-cards! Hulk-a-mania! It’s not that difficult! Hogan doesn’t have Jimmy Hart with him because they still haven’t located him. No one seems that concerned a man has been kidnapped. Tony explains the rules of a Strap Match. You have to drag your opponent to all four corners. Remember that.

Vader attaches the strap, but Hogan is reluctant because Flair is in the ring. Ric demands he do it and looks ready to attack. However, some vaguely Ultimate Warrior-like music plays and out comes—

—this cheap knock-off, The Renegade. He does an amusing bow-legged run to the ring and chases Vader and Flair to the floor. He blocks Flair’s punch and screams in his face while Hogan and Vader begin fighting.

The Match: They brawl in and out of the ring. Hogan maintains control through punches and biting. He also whips both Vader and Flair with the strap. Renegade does his best to keep Flair at bay and even throws Vader back into the ring. Hogan and Vader play tug-of-war with the strap and Vader pulls him into some avalanche attacks. He follows that up by slamming Hogan and landing a Vader Bomb. Then, Vader chokes Hogan nearly unconscious with the strap. He follows that up by whipping Hogan, but Jimmy Hart arrives in tattered clothes. He stops Vader from using a chair, and Hogan wields it instead. Hogan then pulls Vader into the post multiple times and whips Vader with the strap. They fight to the floor again where Hogan starts touching posts, but Vader stops him at two. Vader fights back and nails Renegade before chokeslamming Hogan inside the ring. However, Hogan hulks-up and nails the big boot and leg drop. He then manages to touch three corners before Vader stops him.

Next, a masked man arrives. I thought we were beyond this! He breaks a wooden chair over Renegade, so Flair interferes in the match. The masked man leaves as Vader drags Hogan to three corners. He attempts the fourth one, but Flair puts a chair under Hogan’s head and tells Vader to splash him. Vader foolishly agrees only to miss a somersault dive. Flair pulls Vader out of the ring to save him and returns to attacking Hogan. Unfortunately, Hogan hulks-up and attacks Ric. He whips Flair with the strap and nails the big boot and leg drop. Then, Hogan straps himself to Flair and touches all four corners. The bell rings—wait, what!?

Thoughts: I—what—how!? Are you kidding me!? What was that!? How did Hogan win a strap match by dragging the wrong person around the ring? This might be the most insulting finish to a match I’ve seen. Oh, WCW! I get they wanted to protect Vader, but this makes no sense. Also, so much for the goodwill after SuperBrawl. Hogan might have been giving in that match, but he dominated this one. Vader looked like a chump. I would say this is peak Hogan nonsense, but there is worse to come. This was awful.

Winner: Hulk Hogan?? (18:21)

After the match, Flair and Vader attack Hogan. They try to clothesline Hogan with the strap, but he knocks down both men. Renegade then stops the attack, but the masked man returns. However, Arn Anderson arrives with his hands and feet tied. He’s wearing the masked man’s outfit, so the commentators wonder who the other masked man is. He removes the mask to reveal Randy Savage. Randy attacks Vader with a chair, so he retreats and the babyfaces celebrate in the ring. Heenan tries making sense of the nonsense and claims it can’t get any better than this. I hope he’s wrong, or we’re in trouble. We’re supposed to accept Savage jumped Anderson and tied him up in that short period of time. Also, why would he know he even needed to do so? Oh, why am I applying logic?

Hogan continues posing while Tony wonders if things can get crazier. Heenan believes so. He also thinks Flair is in deep mental trouble and calls for someone to help him. They show replays and Heenan sounds distressed. Tony tries to explain the finish, but Heenan points out Vader was the legal man. Tony then plugs Slamboree again and says goodnight.

The Good:

– Badd/Anderson was well done.

– The Nasties/Harlem Heat was an entertaining mess.

– There was a lot of intentional and unintentional humor in this show.

– Some of the promos were good fun.

The Bad:

– That awful main event.

– The Renegade

– The dull Sting and Savage matches.

– The nonsensical finish of Savage/Avalanche

Performer of the Night:

It’s a tie between Arn Anderson and Johnny B. Badd. They got the idea of their gimmick match and played it to its fullest. Plus, they told a good story.

Final Thoughts:

This was an absolute mess, but it was an entertaining one. It falls into that so bad it’s good category. The main event was insulting and there were a couple of dull matches. However, there is entertainment value to be found in the overall product. This might fall behind Halloween Havoc ‘95 in the rankings of entertainingly bad WCW shows for 1995. This is clearly a company trying to find its way. There will be a lot of proverbial spaghetti thrown against the wall in ‘95 and some of it is highly amusing.

Thank you for reading. My next review will be WWF WrestleMania XI. Look for it next Saturday!