Slamboree ’97

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

Slamboree

May 18, 1997

Independence Arena

Charlotte, North Carolina

News & Notes: The nWo accepted Ric Flair’s challenge. Flair, Piper, & Greene expected Hogan. But he’s filming a movie. Hogan made sporadic appearances, but he wouldn’t be on the nWo team at Slamboree. They got The Outsiders & Syxx instead. Everyone doubted if Hall would show until Scott reappeared at the end of Nitro. This feud centered on tradition vs. disrespect. Flair’s team didn’t care for this new generation. They had no respect. The Outsiders accused the old guard of paving a road full of potholes and leaving the business in a funk. They left the young guys to fix what they broke. Syxx even singled out Ric Flair for stealing his shtick from Buddy Rogers. This angered the Nature Boy. We almost saw this match early. Flair, Piper, & Greene called out the nWo. They came to the ring for a fight, but the nWo dropped flyers that said, “Tradition bites.” Then the nWo attacked while they were distracted. The rain of papers entranced Piper. He almost didn’t save Ric from a beating. But Flair’s team maintained they were on the same page. The next week, the nWo hung Tradition Bites banners around the arena to further piss off Flair’s team. They stirred the pot even more by making demands. The nWo wanted 75% of the gate money for Slamboree or they wouldn’t compete. They also attacked Piper’s bad hip in a locker room ambush.

Meanwhile, the nWo patched their differences. Nash claimed he had no problem with Rodman. He was simply cranky because he and Syxx spent Easter alone. Savage also buried the hatchet with Bischoff. They agreed to put each other on probation and coexist, for now. The reunited nWo turned their attention to DDP, Luger, The Giant, & Sting. Randy Savage injured his leg at Spring Stampede. But that didn’t stop him from taunting Diamond Dallas Page. Randy claimed Kimberly wanted him and wouldn’t stop calling his phone. Savage lured Page into a trap. Hogan helped Randy attack and injure Page’s ribs with a crutch. Then Luger tried to cash in his title match. But Kevin Nash said he had to go through him first. They fought on Nitro until the nWo caused a DQ. Sting appeared in the ensuing brawl and handed out bats to the WCW guys. However, the nWo attacked Luger during a Japan tour and injured him too. The following week, Bischoff claimed he would interview Sting and get some answers. It was the fake Sting. Bischoff mocked him, thinking the real Sting wasn’t there. He was, and he gave the phony a Scorpion Death Drop. Sting then sent Bischoff fleeing into the crowd.

It seemed tensions were as bad as ever. But WCW received good news. Turner appointed a chairman of the executive committee. He would undo some of Bischoff’s decisions and restore order to the company. That man is the former manager of the Four Horsemen, James J. Dillon! Since WCW had power again, Nick Patrick seized the opportunity to get his job back. He pleaded for reinstatement. Dillon said he’d think about it. Meanwhile, Bischoff and the nWo immediately challenged Dillon’s authority. Eric told JJ to bite him. Dillon found this amusing. He said he could undo some of Bischoff’s decisions. For instance, Big Bubba and M. Wallstreet’s nWo contracts weren’t legit. But some contracts were binding. WCW had to give the nWo 75% of the Slamboree money. However, he wouldn’t stand for the out-of-control violence. Whenever the nWo attacked, Dillon was there with security to escort them away from the ring.

NFL All-Pros are stepping off the gridiron and into WCW’s black and blue division! It’s all about respect and tradition. WCW faces the nWo with the help of the wildcard, Kevin Greene. The nWo is on a campaign to replace honor with disgrace! Their triple threat will engage forces at Slamboree!

Tony Schiavone welcomes everyone to the Queen City. It’s tradition vs. the nWo. The commentators speak about the main events. Heenan says Reggie White is stepping into a whole different field and game. Mongo knows how to play that game. (I’ll explain more before their match.) Then Dusty calls the nWo seeping sewage. He tells them to never toss tradition out the window. Rhodes follows that by mumbling something I couldn’t understand. I rewound it multiple times. I think he said, “What a time for diction to take a hole.” What does that mean!? Also, Tony sends it to the opening match this week on Slamboree. Does Schiavone think this is a weekly event?

TV Title Match: Steven Regal vs. Ultimo Dragon (c) (w/ Sonny Onoo)

Notes: Ultimo Dragon defeated Prince Iaukea for the TV Title after Regal injured Iaukea. (It happened three weeks before Rocky Maivia lost his IC title. So I was wrong.) Regal then demanded a TV title match. He’s confident now the belt is off the man he couldn’t beat. In fact, Regal showed new aggression. He even picked a fight with Meng. It didn’t end in his favor. But this new aggression included a character change. Regal doesn’t want to be called a Lord. He’s returning to his dirty roots for a while.

The Match: They trade holds, submissions, and takedowns. Frustrations grow between them, which results in harder and harder strikes. Regal keeps attempting a Regal Stretch. Dragon fights free and slaps Regal out of anger. But Steven answers with a bow and arrow stretch. Dragon breaks this by biting Regal and puts Steven in a bridging deathlock. Then the fight spills to the floor and Onoo attacks Regal. However, Dragon doesn’t want that. He tells Sonny to stop. Dragon then continues with a super Frankensteiner. He misses a moonsault, but he counters an underhook powerbomb with a hurricanrana.

They head to the floor again, and Dragon misses a crossbody. But he nails an Asai Moonsault. This leads to Onoo attacking once more. He kicks Regal until Dragon stops it. Sonny has enough of Dragon’s disobedience. He kicks Dragon in the back of the head! This distraction allows Regal to roll Dragon into the ring. Steven lands an inverted suplex and puts Dragon in the Regal Stretch for the win.

Thoughts: I know technical bouts like this aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. But I enjoyed this. It started slowly, but it escalated. The strikes and submissions became harder and more aggressive as it progressed. The crowd appreciated it too. They reacted well to the action. Everything was crisp and well-executed. The storytelling was good. These two have great chemistry. Also, I don’t know if this was WCW’s intention. But Regal’s recent actions got the crowd to cheer him. There was a Regal chant during this encounter. It surprised the announcers.

Winner: Steven Regal (New Champion) (16:04)

Sonny Onoo looks into the camera. He says, “I make champions and I destroy them.” Heenan doesn’t think Onoo’s attack was intentional until he watches the replay.

Madusa vs. Luna Vachon

Notes: Confusion surrounds the WCW Women’s title. Madusa supposedly defeated Hokuto in Japan. But Onoo contested the outcome. There’s one problem. WCW never filmed that encounter. In fact, they didn’t even inform Madusa or Hokuto of the storyline until after it began. Plans changed after they already announced the win on TV. They ran the story of Sonny contesting it to cover the decision. But that didn’t stop them from promoting this as a Women’s title match on Nitro. Luna even cut a promo saying she’d take the title from Madusa. Gene never corrected her. (On a side note, resident woman expert Lee Marshall joins commentary for this bout.)

The Match: Luna attacks with strikes and hair-based offense. They trade slaps until Vachon rakes the eyes and uses chokes. Madusa answers with a heel kick, but Luna chokes her again. Then Vachon grabs a stomach claw and returns to the choking. (This seems to be a theme in WCW women’s matches.) But Madusa rallies with corner splashes, chops, and kicks. She also clotheslines the hell out of Vachon! However, Luna stops the momentum with another eye-rake and she blocks a sunset flip. Vachon continues with more hair takedowns and a neckbreaker. But Luna misses a flying splash. Madusa capitalizes with a German suplex for the victory.

Thoughts: This was okay but forgettable. It wasn’t long enough to gain any momentum. And the action was basic. The confusing build didn’t help. It resulted in little heat. I didn’t mind it. But it’s a match most people will forget about by the end of the show.

Winner: Madusa (5:09)

Madusa removes the outer portion of her top and waves it around while the fans cheer. I’ll give the commentators credit. Lee Marshall puts over Madusa. He mentions she won Rookie of the Year in ’88. Lee calls her the future of women’s wrestling. I wish I could say he’s right. But the WCW women’s division isn’t long for this world.

Mean Gene loses his train of thought when Madusa passes him. He recovers and speaks of a change in talent coordination. (Bischoff gave Sullivan a break from creative. He worried about Kevin because of his marital issues.) Also, someone could leave WCW! Call the hotline to find out more!

Then the nWo’s music interrupts Gene. Randy Savage and Liz take the mic from him. Randy tells Okerlund to get lost. Savage name drops all the nWo members. He calls them the future, so a DDP chant begins. Savage tells the fans DDP wants no more of him. But DDP emerges from the crowd with a bent crutch. He drives Savage out of the ring. Randy regroups with the nWo and Bischoff. Page asks what’s his deal. Where’s Hogan to sneak up behind him? Dallas then asks where Savage is going. Does he have a previous engagement? DDP knows it’s not with Kimberly or Liz. He’s got it! Savage is going to Hogan’s house to wash his car and kiss Hogan’s ass! Both the commentators and the fans pop for that line. Savage tells everyone to step aside. He enters the ring, so DDP beats him with the crutch. The rest of the nWo get the same until Scott Norton attacks Page’s injured ribs. Then the nWo pounce. But The Giant arrives to save DDP. Bischoff finally convinces Savage to leave before things become worse.

Rey Mysterio Jr. vs. Yuji Yasuraoka

Notes: Yuji is a wrestler from the WAR promotion in Japan. He debuted on Saturday Night and they announced this bout. Rey then saved the jobber Yuji faced from a beating. However, Rey has other things on his mind. Mysterio faced Syxx twice for the Cruiserweight title. Both encounters ended with The Outsiders attacking Rey. Nash gave him a Jackknife and Hall did The Outsiders Edge. They took Rey out on a stretcher after Nash’s attack. JJ Dillon threatened to take the title from Syxx. But the nWo called his bluff.

The Match: They trade chinlocks, leglocks, and sleeper holds. Then Yuji controls the match with clotheslines and wheel kicks. He focuses his attack on Rey’s back until Mysterio sends him over the ropes with a hurricanrana. Mark Curtis blocks Rey’s dive. So Mysterio dives over him with a somersault plancha! Next, they fight at the apron again. And Rey springboards into a heel kick by Yuji. Old Double Y then attacks Mysterio’s arm. He puts him in armbars, cross armbreakers, and a keylock.

Rey falls to the floor, so Yuji lands a springboard crossbody the camera misses. Then he brings Rey back into the ring. But Mysterio hits a split-legged moonsault that takes out a cameraman. (That will teach him to miss shots of the action!) Rey continues with pin attempts and a powerbomb until Yuji nails the double-arm DDT. It only gets a two, so Yuji complains. This leads to Rey landing a northern lights suplex and dropkicking Yuji out of the air. Then Rey catches him with a springboard hurricanrana for the win.

Thoughts: It was a technically solid bout with no heat. I get Syxx is in the main event. But I’d rather see Syxx vs. Mysterio. That’s the match they built on TV. The action was fine. There were some good spots. But the silent crowd took away from it.

Winner: Rey Mysterio Jr. (14:58)

Rey looks into the camera. He says, “No Japanese is going to come here and intimidate the Mexican and American wrestlers. We are the best.” Rey hates Japanese people! You heard it here first! (I’m kidding, of course.)

Glacier vs. Mortis (w/ James Vandenberg)

Notes: They added to Vandenberg’s backstory. He worked as a curator of a museum until they fired him for stealing artifacts. James continued those stealing ways on Nitro. Wrath & Mortis attacked Glacier and stole his helmet. It was a gift from Glacier’s trainer. Then Mortis gouged at Glacier’s eye and ground the spike of the helmet into it. Then they attacked him a second time with Mortis’ staff. The commentators advised Glacier to find a friend if this keeps happening. During Mortis’ entrance, Vandenberg threatens to send Glacier back to his igloo in a body bag.

The Match: Glacier rushes the ring, so Mortis attacks him while the snow still falls. He gives Glacier kicks and punches and focuses on Glacier’s knee. Mortis tries removing the Cryonic Kick from the equation. Then Mortis waves out Wrath and poses on the turnbuckles. But Glacier pulls him into an electric chair drop and a backdrop. Glacier then sends Mortis over the ropes, but Wrath attacks to cause a DQ.

Thoughts: Well, that was pointless. I get they’re setting up the post-match stuff. But this is a PPV. You do this on free TV. I don’t mind what comes next, but they could have had a full match first. I enjoy watching Kanyon wrestle. It could have been decent.

Winner: Glacier (by DQ) (1:51)

Wrath chokes Glacier with the staff while Vandenberg yells at him. Then Mortis holds Glacier while Wrath hits elbows and kicks. Next, Mortis drives Glacier into the steps with a Rocker Dropper! Then the attack continues until Wrath attempts the uranage. But a fan enters the ring and stops them. Wait a second! That’s no fan!

It’s Ernest the Cat Miller. He dispatches Mortis and Wrath with spin kicks. The commentators recognize him and say his name. They say Miller is the current world champ of tournament karate. He appeared on Worldwide a few times. Mortis and company retreat while Vandenberg says, “You just opened Pandora’s box!” (I have some backstory on this. Kanyon told Miller to really kick him. Miller was reluctant. But Chris told him the fans would crap on it if it didn’t look good. Kudos to Kanyon for taking that. It was a good kick.)

Gene is in the aisle. He wants to talk with Miller or one of the lovely ring attendants. (Gene is extra horny tonight.) He doesn’t talk to either. But Gene plugs the hotline again. He says someone in WCW might be ready to hit the ropes—or the road. Call the hotline to find out which.

U.S. Title Match: Dean Malenko (c) vs. Jeff Jarrett (w/ Debra)

Notes: Jarrett challenged Dean Malenko to a match. Jeff wanted to gain his respect, as he did with his Four Horsemen teammates. But that’s nonsense. Mongo can’t stand Jarrett. Steve made Jeff fight Harlem Heat by himself for 90% of a tag team bout. McMichael arrived late, hit a few moves, and tagged Jarrett again. When Jeff lost, Mongo mocked him. Yet Jarrett still looked for the Horsemen’s approval. He’s persistent. I’ll give him that. Meanwhile, Malenko still has issues with Guerrero. Dean tried to injure Hector Guerrero. Eddie warned him. Those actions may bring out Eddie’s dark side. (I want to point out something amusing. Schiavone claims holding up the Four Horsemen signal gets you cheered in Charlotte. Jarrett does it and gets a Jarrett sucks chant.)

The Match: Jarrett uses takedowns, mat wrestling, and leg work. But Dean has none of that. That’s his game! Malenko attacks Jarrett’s knee, both in and out of the ring. However, Jarrett catches Malenko in abdominal stretches and uses Debra for leverage. The ref catches him, so Dean counters with stomps and punches. Jarrett regroups and goes after Malenko’s arm. They fight back and forth and block each other’s submissions. So Jarrett takes him to the floor and whips Dean into the rail.

Back in the ring, Dean reverses a flying crossbody and they trade sleeper holds. Jarrett answers with a shinbreaker and locks in the Figure Four. Dean breaks free and both men collide. This causes Jeff to fall out of the ring, so Debra checks on him. Mongo has enough of that. He tells Debra it’s time to go. Jarrett can handle this himself. McMichael rolls Jarrett into the ring and tells him to do something. But Dean nails an underhook powerbomb and puts Jarrett in the Cloverleaf for the victory.

Thoughts: It started slowly. I wasn’t sure I would like it. But this turned into a pretty decent bout. It helps the crowd was hot for it. They hated Jarrett. Plus, I liked the finish. I still don’t care for the overall storyline. But the match itself was enjoyable.

Winner: Dean Malenko (14:54)

Death Match: Meng vs. Chris Benoit (w/ Woman)

Notes: Sullivan wants to destroy Benoit. Kevin can live with Woman leaving him. He has Jackie now. But he’s pissed about his daughter taking Benoit’s side. So Sullivan tasked Meng with taking Chris out. Benoit said it’s fine. Perhaps this is karma for all his sins. But this will only lead to them destroying each other. Meanwhile, Meng had warm-up matches with Jericho and Regal. He used the Tongan Death Grip on both men and refused to let go. Woman begged Sullivan to make Meng stop. She’s worried for Benoit. But Chris made her promise not to throw in the towel. This has Death Match rules. You win when your opponent can no longer continue. Jimmy Hart enters with Meng. But Meng sends him to the back.

The Match: They trade kicks, dropkicks, and suplexes. Meng gets the advantage, so Benoit pulls him outside and sends Meng into the steps. Then Meng answers with chops and elbows while Jacquelyn arrives. Woman chases her to the back. Meanwhile, Meng and Benoit brawl with more chops, headbutts, and stomps. Meng uses a Half Crab and a piledriver. But Benoit grabs a Crossface. Meng drags him to the ropes to break it. Meng’s assault continues, so Chris dares him to bring it. Benoit rallies with rolling German suplexes and another Crossface. But Meng breaks it again! He then crotches Chris on the ropes and tries a superplex. Benoit rolls out and hits another German. He follows with a flying headbutt. However, Meng catches him with the Tongan Death Grip! Woman climbs to the apron and Benoit tells her no. He doesn’t want her ending it. Chris can’t break the hold and he passes out. So the ref calls for the bell.

Thoughts: It wasn’t thrilling, but I liked the storytelling. However, the finish reminded me of the Mankind/Rocky match from A Cold Day in Hell. Meng caught Benoit in his submission when Benoit did a top rope move. Benoit passed out, much like Rocky. Other than that, it was a decent fight with some good intensity. I liked it well enough.

Winner: Meng (14:54)

They show a commercial for The Great American Bash. DDP, Kimberly, and The Steiner Brothers are at a backyard BBQ. The narrator says the Bash will have plenty of meat to sink your teeth into. This leads to Scott asking if we want hot dogs. But Rick Steiner knocks the hot dog out of Scott’s hand with a bottle of mustard. Then DDP says, “This ain’t no picnic, monkey boy!” Kimberly says it’s The Great American Bash and DDP yells bang!

The Steiner Brothers vs. Konnan & Hugh Morrus (w/ Jimmy Hart)

Notes: Scott Steiner had a bout with The Giant on Nitro. But Konnan & Hugh Morrus attacked him before it began. Then they attacked both Steiners before an encounter with The Public Enemy. The brawl continued and Public Enemy got involved. This led to a match between Konnan & Morrus and The Public Enemy. The Dungeon won. But Morrus put Konnan through a table by accident. We will see if that factors into what happens on this show. (If you’re wondering, they never explained why The Dungeon attacked The Steiners. They felt like doing it.)

The Match: Morrus uses hair-pulling tactics. But it doesn’t prevent the Steiners from using suplexes and Steinerlines. Rick also nails a flying clothesline, so Hugh regroups and tags Konnan. He gets the same from The Steiners. The Dungeon finally takes control when Jimmy Hart trips Scott. Morrus nails a neckbreaker and press slams Scott onto the ropes. Then The Dungeon uses a rolling clothesline and armbars. However, Scott ducks a clothesline and boots Konnan in the face. Rick tags and cleans house with Steinerlines, slams, and suplexes. He even hits the flying bulldog on Morrus. But Konnan stops the count. This leads to a brawl that knocks Konnan to the floor. Hugh attempts No Laughing Matter and misses. He doesn’t realize Scott is in the ring. Scott nails a Frankensteiner and Rick covers for the win.

Thoughts: This was another decent but forgettable bout. The Steiners had some fun spots. The build was weak, but the crowd wasn’t dead. They reacted well to the Steiners. However, this existed to set up the post-match story. The Steiners deserve something more important. This was filler.

Winners: The Steiner Brothers (9:35)

Konnan is fed up with Hugh Morrus and Jimmy Hart. He shakes his head and walks away in disgust. But then he returns to the ring. Konnan admonishes Morrus for not tagging him. But then he goes to hug him. However, Konnan kicks Hugh and gives him a DDT. A shocked Jimmy Hart says, “You said blood in, blood out!” (BOUND BY HONOR! Sorry, couldn’t resist.) Konnan ignores him and walks away.

Steve Mongo McMichael (w/ Debra) vs. Reggie White (w/ Kent Johnston)

Notes: WCW capitalized on the old Packers vs. Bears rivalry. Reggie White won a Superbowl with the Packers in 1997. Mongo won with Chicago in 1985. They announced this bout on Nitro. Reggie was in the front row, so Mongo confronted him. He called Reggie a sell-out for leaving the Eagles for the Packers. Mongo also spat on him. The next week, Reggie took Mongo’s briefcase away before he could use it as a weapon. But Mongo committed the biggest sin of all. He insulted the people of Wisconsin. Reggie couldn’t abide that! White comes into this match with his strength coach, Kent Johnson. Mongo has Debra in his corner.

The Match: They shove each other around and trade headlocks and shoulder blocks. Neither man goes down at first. But Mongo is the first to fall. McMichael is pissed, so he dares Reggie to get into a three-point stance. He does, so Mongo nails a chop block. Then Reggie makes the same challenge. He dodges another chop block and sends Mongo to the floor. McMichael bails and leaves. So Reggie’s teammate (Gilbert Brown) lifts Mongo and returns him to the ring. Reggie gives him a dropkick. White then uses headlocks, forearms, and a crossbody. But Mongo answers with armbars, a side slam, a double nerve hold, and a low-blow. He tells Reggie, “Jesus may have your soul, but I’ve got your ass now!”

Mongo targets White’s leg. Reggie blocks a Figure Four and rallies. He slams McMichael off the top rope and uses running clotheslines. But Reggie’s leg is too hurt to capitalize. The fight spills to the floor, where White whips Mongo into the rail. Reggie even reverses a suplex in the ring. He follows with a splash, but Debra distracts the ref. Mongo grabs the briefcase, so Gilbert Brown stops him. However, Jarrett arrives with a second case. Mongo clocks White and covers for the win.

Thoughts: This was a mess. Parts of it had an amusing charm. But it went way longer than it should. If they shaved off five minutes, I could call it good stupid fun. As it stands, it was bad. This didn’t need to go fifteen minutes. Also, I have a question. Was Reggie White the first celebrity to lose their match? I know it happens again in wrestling history. But was this the first time?

Winner: Steve McMichael (15:17)

Mongo and Jarrett celebrate. Debra jokes about Reverend Reggie White healing her ankle injury. Mongo says a cheesehead could never beat a Chicago Bear.

Ric Flair, Roddy Piper, & Kevin Greene vs. Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, & Syxx

Notes: Buffer calls this a super match for pride and glory. There are no disqualifications and there must be a winner! Buffer also announces Hall, Nash, & Syxx as the Wolfpac of the New World Order. It’s a nickname the three of them started using. But it’s a while before they become a separate faction. (I also want to point out The Outsiders are wearing brand new tag belts. It’s about time. The old ones looked haggard. This new design sticks around until the end.) Then Greene, Piper, & Flair enter one at a time. Flair is last and gets a great reaction for his return. Tony points out this is the building where he won the WCW title in ’93. He says Flair pummeled a big man into submission that night. The man was never seen again! (It was an unnecessary shot at Vader. Also, it isn’t true. Flair won by roll-up. And Vader spent another two years in the company.)

The Match: Syxx and Flair trade chops, shoulder blocks, kicks, and takedowns. Flair struts and does some hip thrusts. Then Ric chops everybody! Hall enters the match, but he tags Nash when Greene joins him. Nash throws elbows and knees. Greene answers with shoulder blocks and clotheslines until the nWo regroups. They demand Piper. So Roddy hands out slaps and rapid punches. He even lands a neckbreaker. But the nWo attack his hip. Hall & Syxx take turns working on Roddy’s leg. However, Roddy blocks a Figure Four and dives for a tag to Flair.

Ric throws chops and punches. He even does a flying crossbody! But Hall catches him and nails a fallaway slam. Everyone brawls until Nash takes control. He hits Snake Eyes, a Boss Man Attack, and a side slam. Then Syxx gives Flair a Bronco Buster, which gets a derogatory chant from the crowd. Then Syxx and Ric collide. Both men tag, but the ref misses Piper’s. Roddy is frustrated and decks the ref. This leads to a brawl while Nick Patrick arrives. Greene sends Syxx out of the ring. Flair gives Hall a low-blow. Nash tries stopping this, but Greene hits a chop block! Then Flair puts Hall in a Figure Four, Piper locks Nash in a sleeper, and Greene nails a powerslam on Syxx. Hall passes out, so Nick Patrick counts his shoulders on the mat.

Thoughts: This was a lot of fun. The crowd was rabid for it. They structured this match perfectly. Plus, I enjoyed the finish. Everyone had time to shine. Even Kevin Greene looked good. WCW hired the wrong football player to the full-time contract. Greene is much better than Mongo. This match was a great way to close the show.

Winners: Flair, Piper, & Greene (17:20)

Flair, Piper, & Greene celebrate. Dusty says they climbed over some big chug holes—or potholes. Schiavone says, “When they wake up, tell them tradition does not bite!” Rhodes has a good laugh at that. Heenan says fans are crying in appreciation of Ric Flair.

The Good:

• The main event was good fun.

• Regal/Dragon was quite solid.

• Malenko/Jarrett was good.

The Bad:

• Some of the matches had little build.

• Mongo/Reggie was bad.

• There were no interview or backstage segments to break the monotony.

Performer of the Night:

It’s a tie with Ric Flair and Kevin Greene. They both brought great energy to the main event. Plus, the crowd was hot for both of them. It was a lot of fun.

Final Thoughts:

The main event was great and the show had good action. But I wouldn’t call it an outstanding PPV. The only terrible thing was Mongo vs. Reggie. However, much of the show was filler. It also suffered from too many matches. It would be better if they cut a couple of bouts and broke the pace with interview segments. This was match after match with no breather. Pacing is an issue for WCW.

Thank you for reading. My next review is the WWF’s King of the Ring ’97. Look for it next Sunday!