SuperBrawl VII

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

SuperBrawl VII

February 23, 1997

Cow Palace

San Francisco, California

News & Notes: After Starrcade, Hollywood Hogan claimed he defeated Roddy Piper. He still had the WCW title, so he was the victor. WCW aired footage of the match. Eric Bischoff took the tape and destroyed it. He told the announcers to never pull a stunt like that again. Then the WCW championship committee named Piper as the #1 contender because of his win. But Piper declined. He wanted to return home to his family. However, Hogan goaded him into accepting. He slapped Piper and mocked his kids. Roddy agreed to the match, but he still said he didn’t represent WCW. He stood alone. To prepare for the bout, Piper vowed to spend a week in Alcatraz. He felt it would put him in the proper mindset to face Hogan.

Meanwhile, Randy Savage returned. He appeared the week before Souled Out. Savage said Bischoff blackballed him. He sat in the ring and refused to leave until he could speak with someone in power. Various wrestlers approached, so Savage attacked them. Then Sting confronted Randy. He offered him the bat and turned his back. But Savage didn’t attack. The two men then left together. They were spotted in the crowd over the next few weeks.

In other news, the nWo made many people’s lives a living hell. Bischoff fired Randy Anderson for his actions at Souled Out. Randy brought his kids to Nitro and begged for his job. Eric told his children to inform their father he was still fired. But Bischoff gave Randy a chance to regain employment. If he could defeat Nick Patrick, the job was his. Randy won with referee Jimmy Jett’s help. Bischoff fired both men for their actions. Then the nWo injured some wrestlers. They broke Lex Luger’s arm and caused a car accident involving the Steiner Brothers. Their behavior was out of control.

We open with Roddy Piper in Alcatraz. He exits his cell, and a guard places a hand on his shoulder. Piper removes the hand and says, “I know my way!” He then runs screaming into the courtyard. Piper stumbles past more guards. He says, “I didn’t spend seven days in hell for nothing!” Then he calls Hogan an endangered species. Roddy rides on the front of a boat and laughs like a maniac. He yells he’s coming, and he’s bringing Alcatraz with him! Piper also chuckles because he sees sharks in the water. (This was entertainingly weird.)

Tony Schiavone welcomes everyone to SuperBrawl. He’s with Dusty and Bobby. They’re awaiting Piper’s arrival. (Did they fine him for being late?) Dusty says Piper lived through pain blues and agony in Alcatraz. Bobby and Tony think Hogan should lock his doors. Piper is coming for him. Then they show clips of Syxx stealing everyone’s title belts. Tony calls him a kleptomaniac.

Cruiserweight Title Match: Syxx vs. Dean Malenko (c)

Notes: Syxx continued his belt stealing ways. He tried stealing Guerrero’s US title again. Then he took Dean Malenko’s cruiserweight strap. Malenko didn’t take kindly to his thievery. Now, Syxx has both Malenko and Guerrero on his back. Also, the commentators mention Malenko’s father trained Syxx. It adds another layer to this feud.

The Match: Malenko attacks Syxx with punches, a leg lariat, and a brainbuster. But he keeps pulling Syxx up from pin attempts. Then they trade slaps and Malenko lands a powerslam. He also attacks Syxx’s leg. They tumble out of the ring and Syxx kicks Dean when they return. Syxx nails a Bronco Buster and a sliding leg drop. He then focuses on Dean’s surgically repaired neck. Syxx uses sleeper holds and a flying leg drop. Dean responds by crotching Syxx on the top rope. He attempts a back superplex, but Syxx reverses it in mid-air. Next, Syxx grabs the title belt. Eddie Guerrero arrives and stops him from using it. They play tug-of-war with the strap. It slips from Eddie’s grasp and nails Malenko in the face! The ref didn’t see it. Syxx covers for the victory.

Thoughts: This was a solid bout. I liked the psychology. Syxx worked Dean’s neck because of his history of spinal issues. The action was crisp and well done. It wasn’t the typical high-flying cruiserweight match. But that’s okay. I like the variety. I even liked the finish. It’s more of those interlocking storylines I like.

Winner: Syxx (New Champion) (11:57)

Mean Gene plugs the hotline. He says he spotted a WCW superstar having breakfast with the nWo. You can find out who if you call! (What a snitch.) He then welcomes Diamond Dallas Page. They don’t know who he’ll face, but it’s a nWo member. DDP uses Occam’s Razor to narrow the possible opponents. Gene implies DDP took out Big Bubba on Nitro. (Gene can’t help but snitch!) Gene also suggests Page might face Buff Bagwell. Then Gene gets an update in his earpiece. Buff Bagwell is the opponent! Page says, “Buff. When you think you’ve got my number, Diamond Cutter. BANG!” Dallas gives the camera a hip thrust and leaves the room.

Konnan, La Parka, & Villano IV vs. Juventud Guerrera, Super Calo, & Ciclope

Notes: WCW saw the WWF’s six-man Lucha match at the Rumble. They said, “We can do it better.” Konnan is still with the Dungeon of Doom. But he’s the liaison to the Mexican talent. He leads a team of La Parka and Villano IV. This is the original La Parka. He still wrestles as LA Park. Villano IV is the son of Mexican star, Ray Mendoza. All his sons comprise a stable called Los Villanos, hence the name. (Ray was a busy man! How many sons does he have?) I already introduced Juvi and Calo, so I’ll speak about their partner. Rey Mysterio Sr. trained Ciclope. He wears a cyclops-themed mask. Ciclope also wrestled under the name Halloween in Mexico.

The Match: Ciclope and Villano trade holds, reversals, and arm drags. Juvi and Konnan exchange strikes. Konnan uses a wheelbarrow suplex and a powerbomb. Then La Parka and Calo brawl to the floor. Calo lands a slingshot senton over the ropes! But Calo misses a springboard dropkick. Parka then places Calo in a chair and dives onto him. Next, Ciclope and Villano also fight outside the ring. Ciclope splats hard when he misses an Asai Moonsault. (That looked rough.) Juvi returns, but he misses a 450 splash. He covers anyway. Juvi controls the match until Konnan and Villano give him a Doomsday Device. Then everyone gets involved in a group submission. Juvi’s team reverse it and it’s a big dog pile! This leads to another four-way submission. Konnan’s team does a star while La Parka performs a surfboard in the middle of it. The face team breaks free and land stereo dives to the floor. However, Konnan gives Juvi the Power Drop. The ref counts the three, despite Juvi kicking out.

Thoughts: There were sloppy moments, and they botched the finish. But it was a fun match. Everyone shined. The action was enjoyable. It’s a shame about the ending. Also, I felt bad for Ciclope. It seems his mask restricts his vision. He landed hard on that missed Asai Moonsault.

Winners: Konnan, La Parka, & Villano IV (9:51)

TV Title Match: Prince Iaukea (c) vs. Rey Mysterio Jr.

Notes: Prince Iaukea is a Hawaiian wrestler. He also trained with the Malenkos. Kevin Sullivan gave him his ring name as a nod to King Curtis Iaukea, but he’s not his son. Iaukea won the TV title from Steven Regal in an upset. Mysterio distracted Regal while Steven made a lackadaisical cover. Prince seized the opportunity and rolled Regal up for the win. Mysterio was next in line for a shot because he almost got a victory over Regal. (Hold on. A Polynesian wrestler upset a pompous blue blood for a midcard title? Where have I seen that? Oh, right. Rocky Maivia did it in the WWF. Oh, WCW!)

The Match: They trade mat holds and reversals. Then they evade each other’s attacks until Iaukea nails a kick. Prince follows with a flying crossbody to the floor and lands some suplexes. He also hits a pressing backbreaker. But Rey dropkicks Prince on another flying crossbody attempt. Rey then takes him over the ropes and nails a somersault senton. He follows with springboard and split-legged moonsaults. However, Iaukea catches Rey on the ropes and gives him a super Samoan Drop. This draws Regal out to watch the match. Rey does a dragonrana and heads to the apron. But Regal pulls him down and Rey hits his head. Steven rolls Mysterio into the ring and Prince covers for the win. He didn’t see what happened.

Thoughts: This was good, but it had little heat. Prince Iaukea is dull. He won the belt a week before this event. The fans cared little about the bout. They reacted well to high spots and the finish. But they were quiet for the rest. I still liked it. The finish did a good job continuing the Regal storyline.

Winner: Prince Iaukea (8:56)

Prince Iaukea spots Regal. Steven sarcastically applauds Prince’s victory. When Iaukea realizes what happened, he offers the belt to Rey. But Mysterio doesn’t want it that way. He gives it back to Prince and raises his arm. Regal begs one of them to come and fight him.

Gene says he’s about to speak with the 472—oops, 473 pound Giant. (Did The Giant correct him over one pound?) Gene also repeats his earlier hotline story. You can call and speak with Jeff Katz, Mark Madden, and himself! (That sounds awful.) Gene then welcomes The Giant. He asks him about the nWo’s mind games. The Giant says he rode and roomed with them. He knows what they’re about. They want him rattled and crazy. But that’s not happening. He’s composed. The Giant is the conductor. Hall & Nash are playing the instruments. Next, The Giant guarantees victory. Gene reminds him Luger can’t wrestle. He got cleared, but Bischoff said no. The Giant is by himself tonight against Hall & Nash. (This was a subdued promo from The Giant. But it was good. He’s better when he’s not screaming.)

Diamond Dallas Page vs. Buff Bagwell

Notes: DDP’s actions at Souled Out made him a marked man. But he wasn’t taking this laying down. The nWo arrived for an episode of Nitro. Someone attacked Big Bubba. Nash noticed he was missing and went looking. He found Bubba unconscious in the parking lot. Mean Gene implied Page was behind it. DDP feigned innocence.

The Match: They trade arm holds and slaps until Page nails a neckbreaker. Then they fight at the apron and Buff hotshots DDP. Buff chokes and taunts him. He lands a tornado DDT and poses. But Page surprises Buff with pin attempts. Bagwell answers with clotheslines and argues with the ref. They shove each other. DDP capitalizes with clotheslines, an atomic drop, and a powerbomb. Next, Buff tries pinning Page with his feet on the ropes. But Page hotshots Bagwell when he tries ten punches in the corner. Dallas continues his attack until Buff avoids a Diamond Cutter. Bagwell then uses a fisherman suplex, but he demands a ten count from the ref. Page rises, so Buff tries a neckbreaker. DDP reverses it into a Diamond Cutter! This draws out the nWo and the ref calls for the bell. (That’s odd. They didn’t touch DDP.)

Thoughts: It was a decent match, but that finish was disappointing. Everything up to that point was solid. I liked some of DDP’s reversals. They had some unique spots. But the ending left much to be desired. However, I can’t argue with the results. The fans love DDP.

Winner: Diamond Dallas Page (by DQ) (9:46)

Page escapes before the nWo can grab him. He stands in the crowd and blows them a kiss. Buff is still out cold in the ring. The nWo help him while DDP poses with the fans. He makes the sign of the Diamond Cutter.

Then they show a fan who won a Sony PlayStation. Keith Phillips from Ogden, Utah is the lucky man. He howls in celebration, so Heenan makes fun of him.

U.S. Title Match: Eddie Guerrero (c) vs. Chris Jericho

Notes: This match doesn’t have much of a build. Jericho saved Guerrero from a nWo beating. I guess he gave him the title match as a thank you. I won’t complain. Jericho vs. Guerrero is a great pairing. It’s a face vs. face match with little build. The fans are quiet, so Jericho realizes someone needs to play the heel. He shows some aggression in this bout. It’s a glimpse of the future.

The Match: They begin with mat wrestling and trade submissions. Then they exchange strikes and suplexes. Both men fight through an abdominal stretch and a test of strength. They also swap pin attempts and takeovers. Jericho places Eddie in a Lion Tamer, but he reverses it. Chris then uses a modified Torture Rack. But Chris misses a springboard crossbody. Eddie answers with a brainbuster and tries a Frog Splash. Jericho moves, so Eddie rolls through it. However, Chris grabs him and hits some suplexes. Jericho continues with springboard dropkicks and body presses. Next, Chris dives off the ropes and Guerrero catches him in an atomic drop. They collide, but Chris nails a powerslam. Jericho also reverses a tornado DDT into a northern lights suplex. They trade more pin attempts until Eddie pins Jericho with a sunset flip.

Thoughts: It was good but not as good as I expected. The bout was slow. They never won over the fans. Some chanted boring. This fell flat. It wasn’t bad. It simply never found momentum. I think I set my expectations too high because of who’s in it.

Winner: Eddie Guerrero (12:02)

Triangle Match: The Public Enemy vs. Harlem Heat (w/ Sister Sherri) vs. The Faces of Fear

Notes: They booked this as a Four Corners Match, but The Steiners had their car accident. Now, this is a Triangle Match. It was a #1 Contender opportunity. WCW removed that stipulation because the Steiners couldn’t compete. Hall & Nash delivered footage of the Steiners’ crash to WCW. They claimed it would clear their names. It showed them bumping The Steiners’ car until they ran into a ditch. I’m unsure how that clears The Outsiders. I should also point out Rocco Rock shaved his head for this bout. It’s not a good look. Dusty claims Harlem Heat’s pyro blew the hair off Rocco’s head.

The Match: Barbarian powerslams Rocco, but Stevie Ray tags into the bout. Harlem Heat controls the match with double-teaming. Rock complains, but it distracts the ref. Harlem Heat takes advantage. Booker lands an ax kick and a sidekick. But Meng tags and throws strikes and dropkicks. Then The Faces of Fear do some clubbering. Barbie gives Booker a super belly-to-belly and a clothesline. Meng uses a piledriver, so Grunge stops the pin. Next, The Faces land stereo diving headbutts and a backdrop/powerbomb combo. Barbs then sends Harlem Heat to the floor. But The Public Enemy makes a blind tag. Barbara catches Rocco on a dive. Grunge uses a flying crossbody to knock Barbarian over. Johnny covers for the win.

Thoughts: This was good fun. I have to change my opinion on Triangle Matches. I’ve enjoyed them more than I expected. The Faces of Fear continued looking awesome. They had good combo moves. Plus, I enjoyed the finish. I’d almost say this was too short. I wanted more.

Winners: Public Enemy (7:43)

Jeff Jarrett vs. Steve Mongo McMichael (w/ Debra)

Notes: The Horsemen swore everything was fine. Jarrett was still a pest. Most of them ignored Jeff. But Debra didn’t. She likes Jarrett. Debra can’t decide whether to help her husband or Jeff. Now Jarrett gets a match with McMichael. If he wins, he joins the Four Horsemen. Tony wants to know if someone must leave the group. But no one tells him the answer.

The Match: Jarrett uses headlocks, hip tosses, and arm drags. He then struts and poses until Mongo lands a powerslam and some chop blocks. Jeff regroups and McMichael follows. But Debra prevents them from fighting on the floor. Jarrett uses the opening. He attacks and puts Mongo in an abdominal stretch. Debra swats Jeff’s hand with the briefcase when he uses the ropes. She wants a fair fight. Next, Mongo press slams Jeff and sends him to the floor. Debra wipes Jarrett with a towel, so Steve chokes Jarrett with it. Mongo controls the bout until Jarrett uses a facebuster. Then they trade sleeper holds. Mongo nails a side slam and a sidewalk slam. Jarrett responds with a flying crossbody. Mongo kicks out, but he clips the ref! Mongo then asks for the briefcase. Debra refuses. She turns her back and throws the case into the ring over Steve’s head. Jarrett grabs it and hits Mongo. He covers for the victory.

Thoughts: This was surprisingly good for a Mongo match. It was basic, but that’s necessary with McMichael. I liked the finish. It amused me. The overall storyline isn’t great. It dragged on for weeks. But the match itself was fun.

Winner: Jeff Jarrett (8:12)

Debra winks at the camera and says, “How did that happen?” Heenan says he smells divorce. Everything confuses Tony. He doesn’t know what to think. Jarrett celebrates becoming a Horseman. Jeff reminds us Flair believed in him.

San Francisco Death Match: Chris Benoit (w/ Woman) vs. The Taskmaster (w/ Jimmy Hart & Jacquelyn)

Notes: Benoit took Woman from Sullivan. Kevin found himself a new girl. Her name is Miss Jacquelyn. Jackie trained under Skandor Akbar. She wrestled in WCCW and the USWA. Jacquelyn also worked as a manager. She spent years in Tennessee before coming to WCW. Jackie attacked Woman and helped Sullivan. WCW officials strap Woman and Jackie together for this match. You almost have two matches going on. Benoit and Sullivan brawl, but Jackie and Woman fight too.

The Match: The men and the women brawl with each other. Jackie and Woman use the strap. Benoit and Sullivan throw strikes. Kevin uses a backdrop, a suplex, and slams Chris off the top rope. But the women enter the ring. Sullivan tries removing Jackie’s strap, so Woman pulls it into his crotch. However, Jackie gets the strap and whips Benoit. Kevin then uses it to hang Chris over the ropes. While he hangs, Jackie kicks him in the balls. (Dusty says, “She kicked him in the thing!”)

Everyone brawls again and the men head to the back. They fight through a curtain. Sullivan slams Chris on a cart and hits him with a trash can. Benoit returns the favor. They can’t find a bathroom, so they return to the ring. Woman and Jackie keep fighting while Sullivan puts Chris in a Tree of Woe. He hits a running knee and a double stomp. But Woman distracts Kevin. This allows Chris to nail a piledriver and grab a table. He places Sullivan on it. Jackie protects her man by covering him. Benoit gives them both a flying headbutt, but the table doesn’t break. Chris covers for the three count.

Thoughts: This was an enjoyable brawl. It wasn’t as good as their Falls Count Anywhere bout. But that’s a tough one to top. The finish didn’t go as planned. The table was supposed to break. It would set up the aftermath. The stubborn table lessens the effect. (Botchamania would have a field day with it.) But I still liked it, despite the end.

Winner: Chris Benoit (8:35)

Both men and Jackie lay unconscious on the mat. (It would work better if the table broke. Benoit had to stand up and make the pin.) Arn Anderson watches from the aisle. He shakes his head at the carnage. WCW officials arrive to help. They load the three of them on stretchers and put them in an ambulance. (I get what they went for, but it took a while.)

Next, they show a commercial for Uncensored. It stars Hugh Morrus. He’s locked in a cage. Hugh laughs and yells about people tearing each other apart. There are no titles, belts, refs, or rules. (I’m pretty sure there are refs.) Morrus then tells someone to get him out of there.

Handicap Match for the Tag Team Titles: The Giant vs. The Outsiders (c) (w/ Syxx)

Notes: Lex Luger decided The Giant deserved a second chance. He told WCW to trust him again. Then Luger saved Giant from the nWo. The two teamed to face The Outsiders for the titles. But the nWo attacked Lex and broke his arm. He wore a cast. Bischoff said Luger couldn’t wrestle until doctors cleared him. Luger got clearance, but Eric barred him anyway. Now, The Giant must face The Outsiders alone. Hall & Nash play Rock Paper Scissors to decide who starts. Hall wins.

The Match: Hall throws strikes, but The Giant keeps shoving him. Scott spits on Giant and tags Nash. They exchange elbows and kicks until Giant dropkicks Nash over the ropes! He then rams Nash into the post and returns Kevin to the ring. But Syxx nails The Giant with the Cruiserweight title. The Outsiders control the match with a diving bulldog, elbows, and clotheslines. They also use ref distractions to double-team Giant. Meanwhile, Syxx throws a kick that misses. The fans boo.

The Giant then cleans house with clotheslines and kicks. Syxx leaps at him again, but The Giant catches him. He throws Syxx onto Nash. But Hall hits Giant with a title belt, and Nash lands a Jackknife! (That’s impressive.) However, Kevin hurts his back. This draws out Lex Luger. Bischoff confronts him, so Lex shoves Eric into the rail. Luger then asks for a tag. He enters the match and hits everyone with his cast. Then he puts Nash in a Torture Rack. Kevin submits.

Thoughts: This was easily The Giant’s best match. They booked it well and told a good story. The crowd was hot for this, especially when Luger arrived. Plus, Nash Jackknifing The Giant impressed me. (He’ll do it again in the future with worse results. But we’ll get to that.) I’m sure you can see the aftermath coming. Bischoff strips Giant & Luger of the titles. Luger wasn’t cleared. It’s another meaningless victory.

Winners: The Giant & Luger (New Champions) (8:53)

Luger then tells The Giant to chokeslam Hall, so he does. The ref counts a three count to cover all the bases. Tony thinks this will prevent Bischoff from taking the titles. He’s wrong. Luger & The Giant then pose with the belts. The commentators give Nash credit for powerbombing The Giant. But Heenan says the nWo dropped the ball this time.

WCW Title Match: Hollywood Hogan (c) (w/ Ted DiBiase & Vincent) vs. Rowdy Roddy Piper

Notes: Hogan enters first. Heenan says Hulk insisted on it. He wanted to show off more. (I believe it.) Then Tony reminds everyone Piper isn’t aligned with WCW. He wouldn’t bring the title home, but he could take it from Hogan. Next, Piper arrives. He still wears his dirty shirt from Alcatraz. They did a good job making Piper looked filthy and unwashed. (Maybe he didn’t take a shower for a week.) Hogan takes Piper’s kilt and spits on it. He calls Roddy a chickenshit. (He didn’t realize the camera was behind him. Hogan looked uneasy when he realized it was on TV.) I also want to point out Dave Penzer did the introductions. There’s no Michael Buffer. I’m cool with it.

The Match: Hogan stalls until Piper jumps him. Roddy claws, punches, and uses a low-blow. He also chokes Hogan with the dirty shirt and bites him. Piper even uses a chair, and the ref allows it. Hogan returns the low-blow. But Piper absorbs it and bites him again. He also fights off some nWo members. Then Hogan uses some cheap shots. Roddy answers with eye-pokes and head claps. Next, Piper crotches Hogan on the ropes. While this happens, Sting and Savage appear in the aisle. Sting sees Piper in control and changes his mind. But Savage remains at ringside. Sting watches him and almost turns around. He leaves instead.

Hogan and Piper brawl back and forth and head to the floor. Hogan rams Roddy into the rail and the post. He attacks Piper’s leg and returns the biting. Then Hogan uses a bear hug. Piper answers with more head claps. Hogan responds with another low-blow. He then tries a slam. But Piper drops behind him and grabs a sleeper. Hogan fades and the ref drops his arm three times. But wait! Savage pulls Hogan’s leg under the ropes while the ref isn’t looking. When the ref turns around, he sees it and restarts the match! Savage hands Hogan brass knuckles and Hogan punches Piper. Hogan then covers for the win.

Thoughts: Most of this was an entertaining brawl. It was no technical marvel, but I enjoyed it. The match had great heat. However, the finish fell flat. It confused both the fans and the commentators. I get what they went for, but it wasn’t great. The end brought it down a notch.

Winner: Hollywood Hogan (11:32)

The ending confused everyone. Savage takes the knuckles back from Hogan and hides them. The ref hands Hogan his belt while Hollywood hugs Savage. Then Savage punches Piper. He spray paints nWo on Roddy. Hogan throws the ref out of the ring. Savage then drops flying elbows on Piper and Hogan hits leg drops. They also ram Roddy’s head into the mat. Hogan & Savage pose for the camera. Hollywood dedicates his win to The Outsiders. He says it’s too sweet. Savage gives Piper another flying elbow for good measure. (Where did Sting go? This is another nWo beating where no one helped. It makes WCW look like they don’t care.)

The Good:

• Syxx/Malenko was solid.

• The six-man tag was fun but sloppy.

• The Triangle Match was enjoyable.

• The Death Match was a good brawl.

The Bad:

• The finish of the main event.

• Jericho/Guerrero was disappointing.

Performer of the Night:

I’m giving it to Kevin Nash for hitting a Jackknife on The Giant. It could have gone badly and it will in the future. But he pulled it off this time.

Final Thoughts:

This was a return to form after the disaster of Souled Out. It wasn’t outstanding, but it was above average. The show had good stuff and decent storyline development. The only issue is the number of matches. They tried doing too much. It didn’t need ten bouts. However, it was still an enjoyable watch.

Thank you for reading. I will post my next review on Friday because I’m busy next weekend. It’s WCW’s Uncensored ’97.