WCW Spring Stampede 1997

From Tupelo, Mississippi; Your Hosts are Tony Schiavone, Dusty Rhodes, and Bobby Heenan.


Opening Match: Rey Mysterio Jr v Ultimo Dragon: Dragon takes him to the mat in a front-facelock out of the initial lockup, but Mysterio quickly counters into an armbreaker, countered again by Dragon into a chinlock. Rey counters into a hammerlock from there, but Dragon slams him to break, and we're back to square one. Another go has Rey quickly taking him down for a reverse chinlock, but Dragon firing back with a snapmare, and a cradle for two. Wristlock is flipped out of by Mysterio, so Dragon unloads lightning kicks to ground Junior. Dropkick and a bodyslam get one, so he ties Mysterio up on the mat in an armscissors. The ropes break, so Dragon gives him a helicopter backbreaker, and a no-release powerbomb sets up a stungun. Sleeper, but Mysterio uses elbows to break - only to walk into a backelbow as he tries to follow-up. Dragon with a sick looking running powerbomb and a tombstone for two - Dragon pulling him up to break the count. Another sleeper, but Mysterio fires off a spinheel kick - only to get cracked with a clothesline before he can capitalize. Dragon punts a couple of field goals in his ribs before hitting a nice forward-falling suplex, and slapping on a surfboard. He shifts it into a two count before Rey bails to the floor, but Dragon following backfires when Mysterio whips him into the rail. Inside for a criss cross, and Dragon slaps on yet another sleeper, but another criss cross sees Mysterio get one of his own. Rey with a dropkick and a spinheel kick to put Dragon on the outside, and this time it's Rey following - with a gorgeous springboard somersault bodyblock. Rey with a springboard somersault legdrop on the way back in for two, and a droptoe-hold sets up a springboard legdrop (sans somersault) one for two. Rey goes back up, but Dragon it on him with a dropkick this time, and Mysterio takes a crazy bump to the floor off of it. Dragon follows with a baseball slide and a plancha, but a suplex back is in blocked - only for Rey's attempt at a springboard follow-up to get blocked with a dropkick. Dragon with a big swing, but the vertigo ends up leaving both men on their asses. Dropkick stalemate leaves them back on the mat, and Rey strikes first with a rana for two - rolled into a cradle by Dragon for two. Dragon with an enzuigiri for two, and a cross corner clothesline sets up a fantastic rana off of the top for two. Dragon goes for a tiger suplex, but Mysterio hides in the ropes to block, and both guys start firing off cradles for a series of near falls. Dragon tries one last strike with a spinheel kick, but Mysterio sidesteps him, and hits a springboard rana into a cradle for the pin at 14:55 - getting a big pop from the crowd. Really good match here, loaded with crisp spots, tons of crazy bumps (especially from Mysterio), and great crowd heat. Off to a good start! *** ½

WCW Women's Title Match: Akira Hokuto v Madusa: After some stalling, Hokuto starts tossing her challenger around with hairpull slams, but a charge into the corner misses, and Madusa unloads jabs. Hokuto returns fire with a clothesline, and tries a chokehold, but the silly referee breaks it up. Hokuto responds by unleashing a whole series of chokeholds (even one from the top rope), but a whip into the ropes allows Madusa a few hairpull slams of her own for two. Hokuto with a literal ankle bite to slow Madusa down, but an airplane spin is countered into a crucifix for two. Madusa with a dropkick and a 2^nd rope version to set up the German suplex - but it only gets two. Powerbomb, but Luna Vachon runs in, and Hokuto cradles her to retain at 5:13. Well paced, but nothing else - and sloppy at points. DUD

WCW Television Title Match: Prince Iaukea v Steven Regal: Regal gets right into his usual stall tactics at the bell to remind us he's British, and they finally make contact when Iaukea goes for a side-headlock. Regal counters into a couple of pinfall attempts, and into a wristlock when those fail, but Iaukea reverses, and goes back to the headlock. Regal breaks with some European uppercuts, but an attempt at a headlock of his own is reversed. Regal tosses him to the floor, but takes a springboard bodypress on the way back in for two, and the challenger bails into the ropes to break the momentum. Regal calls for a test-of-strength, but rakes the eyes when Iaukea overpowers him, and locks him in a full-nelson. More European uppercuts set up... more European uppercuts... but Iaukea finds a series of chops to fire back with. Collar-and-elbow tie-up goes Regal's way with a kneelift, so Iaukea tries a springboard bodypress, so Regal simply sidesteps him, and the champ splats on the mat. Heh. Plus, serves him right for doing the spot in such a slow and sloppy manner. Unfortunately for Regal, Iaukea dodges him coming into the corner, and a schoolboy retains at 9:16. Pretty dull stuff here, between Regal's stalling, Iaukea's sloppiness, and the general style clash. ¼*

Public Enemy v Jeff Jarrett and Steve McMichael: Oh, God, please let this be short. Rocco Rock starts with Steve McMichael, and we have a shovefest ladies and gentlemen! McMichael challenges him to a 3-point stance showdown, but Rocco thinks better of it and tries a side-headlock before resorting to choking Mongo in the corner. Tags to Johnny Grunge and Jeff Jarrett, and Jeff quickly slaps on an abdominal stretch - using McMichael for additional leverage. Criss cross goes Grunge's way with an atomic drop, and Double J bails to the floor before Johnny can continue. Tag back to Rock, but Jeff outwrestles him, and passes to McMichael for a double-team backelbow. Steve with a chinlock and a sidewalk slam for two, but a tilt-a-whirl slam triggers a four-way brawl. McMichael and Rock brawl to the entrance set while Grunge misses a flying splash though a table at ringside, and Jarrett takes him in with a flying bodypress for two. All four back it back inside to continue the brawl, and a shot from Rock with McMichael's briefcase to Jarrett's head allows Grunge to get the pin at 10:42. Really sloppy stuff here. And it's not like they were trying really innovative or difficult spots - just the basics were being blown, and it looked absolutely terrible. DUD

WCW United States Title Match: Dean Malenko v Chris Benoit: A fierce battle over the initial lockup ends in a rope break when Dean powers Chris into the corner, and the second lockup goes to a stalemate. They trade headlocks and armdrags to another stalemate, so Dean shoots at the leg, and ties Benoit up in a leglock. He shifts into an anklelock when Benoit starts to wrestle out, but Chris forces it up to a vertical base, and blasts him with a shoulderblock. Malenko rolls to the floor to regroup, and back inside, Benoit takes control with a wristlock. Malenko reverses, so Benoit counters into an overhead wristlock. The champ slams his way free, and they're back to square one with a test-of-strength - controlled by Malenko, but countered into a wristlock by Benoit after busting out an impressive bridge. Benoit with a chinlock into a bow-and-arrow, but Malenko breaks with a side suplex, and he tosses Benoit into the corner before cradling him for two. Malenko with an STF into a camel clutch, and then into an armscissors as Benoit tries to counter. Chris powers to his feet (carrying Malenko with him - the hold still tenaciously applied) and drops to the mat in a slam to break. Benoit adds a side suplex for two, and a short-clothesline gets two. Abdominal stretch has Malenko fading, but he manages a hiptoss to break - though he can't sway the momentum, and takes a kick to the face. Benoit suplexes him for two, and a beautifully executed snap suplex gets a pair of two counts. Malenko reverses a cross corner clothesline to set up a suplex, but Benoit counters with an inverted suplex as Jacqueline makes her way down to ringside to attack (Benoit valet) Woman. They brawl on the floor as Benoit hits the flying headbutt, and now Jimmy Hart is running down to steal the title belt. That draws Eddie Guerrero out to protest as Malenko suplexes Benoit to the floor to brawl, and now Arn Anderson is out to aid Benoit. That draws Kevin Sullivan out to crack Benoit with a pool cue, and the referee has enough - calling for a lame double disqualification at 17:53. The bad ending is an obvious flaw, but even before that, this was way, way too slow (not just for the bored crowd, but for me), and felt like it never really got going. Not that they didn't work well together (every move and hold was flawlessly executed), it just felt underwhelming. **

WCW World Tag Team Title Match: Kevin Nash v Rick Steiner: This was supposed to be the Outsiders defending against the Steiner Brothers, but Scott Hall 'no showed' and Scott Steiner 'got arrested' earlier in the evening, so the titles are on the line in a singles match instead. Though, really, you couldn't find more realistic excuses for Hall and Steiner if you tried. Tried hard. Anyway, Rick gets slaughtered in the corner in the early going, but he manages a sloppy belly-to-belly suplex and an equally sloppy powerslam for two. That prompts fellow nWo member Syxx to pull down the top rope when Rick tries to bounce off of them, and Steiner goes crashing to the floor. Syxx punts a few field goals in his ribcage before Nash rolls him in for a sidewalk slam - which gets two. Nash chokes him on the ropes and hits a big boot to set up the Powerbomb - but it only gets two! Nash decides to go for it again, but Steiner blows him low, and hits a flying bulldog for two. Rick fires off a series of clotheslines, but Syxx pops up onto the ring apron again, and the distraction allows Nash to fire back with a clothesline of his own. With Steiner down and nWo referee Nick Patrick helpfully looking the other way, Syxx pops off the top turnbuckle (easier said than done in a WCW ring, as it takes three men to get it exposed), and Nash drops Steiner on it with a snake eyes. He gives him another, so nWo manager Ted DiBiase tells him to finish up before he goes too far. Nash responds with another one, so DiBiase (after one last plea to stop) walks out. Undeterred, Nash gives him a fourth snake eyes anyway and even adds another Powerbomb to retain the tag titles at 10:25. Weird singles-match-for-the-tag-titles booking aside, this wasn't anything memorable - slow, plodding, and sloppy. Shame, too, because this could have been a fun power match if either guy was motivated. DUD

#1 Contenders Four Corners Match: Lex Luger v The Giant v Booker T v Stevie Ray: Booker is coming off of an infamous interview earlier in the night where he called Hollywood Hulk Hogan a 'nigga' in anticipation of the title shot he plans to earn here. Unfortunately, no amount of casual racism will help the fact that neither member of Harlem Heat is even close to World Title contendership at this point, so. Anyway, Luger starts with Booker T, and quickly takes a backelbow when he tries a waistlock. Luger fires back with a clothesline and a press slam, but gets caught in the wrong part of town ('Harlem'), and Stevie Ray tags in. Unfortunately for Stevie, Luger passes to the Giant, and he slams both Stevie and Booker around, so Stevie passes to Luger. Lex isn't eager to get in with his tag partner, and his attempt to slam the big man gets him toppled for two. Both guys wisely tag out to Harlem Heat, and poor Stevie looks like he's gonna cry. He mans up when Booker shoves him, but a criss cross ends in a stalemate when neither guy wants to strike the other. Booker passes back to Luger, and Stevie dominates him with kicks before tagging Booker back in to sidewalk slam him. A missed fistdrop allows Luger to tag Giant, however, and the big man knocks Booker across the ring with a clothesline then adds a bodyslam. An elbowdrop doesn't work out as well though, and Booker tags Stevie. Harlem Heat double-team Giant in the corner, and start cutting the ring in half. Giant fires back with a big boot for Stevie before tagging Luger back in, and Lex bodyslams him to set up a series of pointed elbowdrops. Those get two, and Lex adds a side suplex for Booker before Stevie suplexes him to stop the effort. That gives Booker two, and he hits a kneedrop for another near fall. Chinlock, but Luger power up, so Booker gives him a leg lariat for two. Tag to Stevie with a clothesline for two, and he slaps on a chinlock of his own. Lex with a side suplex to break, but Booker stops him from tagging, and gives him an axekick for two, but a Rocket Launcher misses, and Lex gets the tag. Giant is a house of arson, and looks to finish Stevie with the Chokeslam - only to stop short, and tag Luger to put him away with the Torture Rack at 18:18. Kinda weird booking here, as all four guys were regular teams at this point, and neither Booker T or Stevie Ray were convincing title contenders in early 1997, giving us what was essentially a straight tag match (with a few token exceptions) instead of a proper four corners match. And a boring one, too. ¼*

Main Event: No Disqualification Match: Randy Savage v Diamond Dallas Page: Savage is less than eager to get started, so Page chases him to the floor, and rams his head into the rail. Again into the ring apron, and DDP rolls him in for a lil' butt-fuckin'. Well, not really, but is sure looked like he was about to. Diamond Cutter is blocked by Savage, and he snaps Page's neck across the ropes to put him on the outside. Savage follows to clothesline him into the crowd, and take a tour around the arena before ending up back at ringside for Savage to bash his brains against the guardrail. Savage with a flying axehandle to the outside, and a whip into the stairs before they go back inside. Savage throws two feet on the ropes for a near fall, and he decides to make it count by scaring ring announcer Michael Buffer out of his chair - and grabbing it to use as a weapon. Savage brings it in to abuse Page with, but he's not satisfied, and slaps the reluctant timekeeper out of his chair - only for Page to end up blasting him with it. Savage still manages to choke him in the corner and hit a short-clothesline for two, but another try gets reversed, and both guys are down. Savage is up first with three consecutive bodyslams, and he goes back to the floor for the ring bell - only for Page's wife, Kimberly, to pull it away. Savage still leaps with the Flying Elbowdrop, but the delay allows Page the time to recover, and block by lifting his knees. Diamond Cutter, but Savage counters into a backslide, and mule kicks him for two. Savage responds by bitch slapping and piledriving the poor referee, and he takes his belt off for a few shots - to the referee, not Page. He decides to go right back for the Flying Elbowdrop on Page, and this one hits, but the referee is out. Savage summons nWo referee Nick Patrick to takeover, but Page catches Randy with the Diamond Cutter before he can finish him, and Patrick counts a clean pinfall at 15:37. I remember just loving this one when I saw it live at the age of twelve, and thinking it was just wild (the fact that it was a well built feud certainly helped). I'm happy to say it holds up pretty well today - no classic, but an intense, hard-hitting, and well paced brawl. Plus, wild and crazy, referee abusing, bitch slapping, Michael Buffer scaring Randy Savage is always, always, always a joy to watch. Always. * ½

BUExperience: These shows were becoming rather interchangeable by this point, and this was really not much of an exception. It’s got all the hallmarks of a ’97 WCW show: a great cruiserweight match, weird booking (the #1 Contenders match, the Tag Title match), and lots of nWo bullshit. Basically, this just felt like a pay per view for the sake of having a pay per view and raking in a few extra bucks, but certainly nothing ‘can’t miss’ about it. DUD