WCW SuperBrawl VIII

From San Francisco, California; Your Hosts are Tony Schiavone, Mike Tenay, and Bobby Heenan.


Opening WCW Television Title Match: Rick Martel v Booker T: Booker doesn't fall for the old handshake trick, and unloads on the champ with a backdrop before clotheslining him over the top. Back inside, Martel tries a series of kneelifts, but a hiptoss is blocked with a short-clothesline, and Booker hits a backelbow for two. Booker with an armbar and a spinkick when Martel gets uppity. A kneedrop gets two, and a superkick for two, so Booker goes back to the armbar. Martel manages to backdrop him to the floor and knocks the challenger into the guardrail as he attempts to get back in. Rick follows him out for a little abuse to the back, but he misses a cross corner charge on the way back in, so Booker gives him a sidewalk slam - only to walk into a powerslam for two. Martel with a chinlock and a spinebuster to set up the Quebec Crab (a Boston crab), but Booker's got the ropes. God, you'd think after, what, twenty years of using that move he'd remember to try it a little farther from the ropes. Rick tries a 2^nd rope bodypress, but Booker rolls through for two, then cradles him for another two. Martel fires back with a lariat for two, but takes a diving forearm out of a criss cross, and Booker hits the axekick. Booker with a nice spinebuster, but a flying bodypress misses, and Martel goes to the middle rope for an axehandle - only to walk into the Harlem Sidekick on the way down, and we have a new champion at 10:32. Martel was actually booked to go over here, but suffered a severe leg injury, which forced them to change the booking on the fly, and it effectively derailed Martel's career renaissance. Solid opener, though, with both guys working hard though a bunch of nice (if basic) sequences, and the crowd getting really, really into Booker T. * ¼

WCW Television Title Match: Booker T v Saturn: Saturn was promised a shot at the winner later in the night, but decides to take advantage of the fatigue, and demands his shot right then and there. He wisely goes right for the Rings of Saturn to try and get a quick submission, but Booker won't give, so Saturn cradles him for two. A backslide gets two, but a sloppy magistral cradle is in the ropes. Undeterred, Saturn chokes Booker with his shirt, but misses a blind charge, and gets cradled for two. Booker's still too battered to sway the momentum, however, so Saturn knocks him to the floor, and whips him into the guardrail. He adds a stungun onto the rail, and then rams Booker's shoulder into the ringpost a couple of times. Back inside, Saturn unloads in the corner, but walks into a boot during a charge, and he gets powerslammed. Still, Booker can't capitalize, and Saturn clotheslines him to the floor and follows with a plancha. Saturn adds a pump-splash from the middle rope to the floor, but gets caught with a diving forearm on the way back in. Dazed Booker misses a cross corner charge though, and Saturn side superplexes him. Saturn tries a standard superplex next, but gets dropped with a forward-falling superplex, and Booker finally manages to capitalize with a missile dropkick. Booker with a spinkick, but he walks into a t-bone suplex, and both guys are left looking up at the lights. Saturn manages to cover for two, and hits a nice belly-to-belly suplex for two. Saturn with a springboard moonsault and a chinlock, as it looks like they're trying to work out the finish. Back up, they work a double-knockout spot out of a criss cross, and Saturn manages to recover first with a powerslam - only to miss a cross corner charge, and take a spinebuster. Booker with the axekick and a sidewalk slam to set up the Harlem Hangover - Saturn dodging him, and hitting a Northern lights suplex for two. German suplex gets two, but Booker flips out of a side suplex, and hits the Harlem Sidekick to retain his new title at 14:23. Saturn looked really messy, and the pacing was really weird, but considering this was thrown together after Martel's injury, it was fine - if a bit long. * ½

Disco Inferno v La Parka: I think the issue here is that both guys really like to dance, or something. Also, Italians versus Mexicans. Parka throws a chair at him at the bell, and hits a powerslam before mocking Disco's dancing. That's over the line, so Disco returns fire with his own powerslam for two, and follows with a cross corner clothesline for two. Parka with a spinheel kick to knock Disco to the floor, and he follows with a corkscrew plancha before whipping poor Disco into the rail. Parka rolls him in for a two count, and a bodyslam sets up a flying splash - which misses. Disco shoves him back out to the floor to return the favor with his own whip into the rail, but fails to properly capitalize, and takes a series of kicks on the way back into the ring. Parka with a chinlock and a magistral cradle for two, but a cross corner charge misses, and Disco blasts him with a backelbow for two. Disco tries to backdrop him over the top, but Parka hangs on, and pulls Disco to the floor with a headscissors. Parka follows with a tope, and rolls Disco in for two. Disco dodges him coming into the corner to set up an inverted atomic drop and a diving clothesline for two. Disco with a swinging neckbreaker for two, but gets punched in the ear for his troubles, and Parka grabs a (plastic) chair from ringside. He seats Disco on it and goes to the top, but Disco gets off his ass, slams Parka onto it, and hits the Chartbuster for the pin at 11:40. Both guys worked really hard here, and ended up with a solid outing - if a bit disjointed and dull. *

Goldberg v Brad Armstrong: And so begins Chapter Two for Goldberg, as WCW starts booking him as the unstoppable monster we know and love, instead of having him work multiple pay per views against Steve McMichael. And he's in full beast mode tonight, just destroying and blocking Armstrong at every turn. Goldberg with a press/powerslam, and an overhead suplex to set up the spear and the Jackhammer at 2:24. Just a squash, but Goldberg was so, so cool to kids like me at this point, and Armstrong made him look amazing. ¼*

WCW Cruiserweight Title v Mask Match: Chris Jericho v Juventud Guerrera: Jericho is less than eager to start, but decides that if he must, he'll wear his title belt while he wrestles. He controls with a wristlock, but Guerrera slides between his legs, and spinkicks him in the (title belt covered) gut - Jericho now more than glad to hand it over to the referee. Chinlock, but Chris quickly counters into a hammerlock, so Guerrera takes him down with a headscissors, and hits a springboard leg lariat. Guerrera with a springboard rana to put Jericho on the floor, and Chris decides to play dead (hilariously mugging for the camera in the process) to take a countout loss, but retain the title. Guerrera gets wise and drags him in for a series of chops, but Jericho decks him - only for Guerrera to reverse somersault out of a German suplex. Unfortunately for him, he walks into a stungun as he tries to capitalize, and Jericho follows with a springboard dropkick to put his challenger out on the floor. Jericho with a bodyslam out there, and his goofy springboard (off the ring steps) clothesline - which misses, at least. Guerrera with a springboard bodypress on the way back in, but gets caught in a scoop brainbuster for two. Press slam, but Guerrera counters with a standing victory roll for two - only to get kicked in the face for his trouble, and nailed with a hanging vertical suplex and a senton splash for two. Jericho with a backbreaker submission and a lariat for two, followed by an electric chair for two. To the top, but Guerrera dropkicks the champion to the floor, and follows with an absolutely gorgeous springboard leg lariat. Back in, Guerrera hits his own scoop brainbuster to set up a 450 splash, and we have a new champion at 10:32. Oh, but the referee decides he saw Jericho in the ropes, and Chris clips Juvi's knee during the confusion. German suplex, but Guerrera counters with another standing victory roll for two, so Chris levels him with a lariat for two. Jericho with a powerbomb, but Guerrera counters into a DDT for two. Guerrera with a rana off the top, but Jericho counters with a 2^nd rope axehandle, countered again by Guerrera with an inverted atomic drop. Back to the top, Guerrera brings him back down to earth with a springboard rana for two, and a bridging reversal sequence ends in Jericho hitting an inverted suplex, but missing the Lionsault. Guerrera tries a bulldog, but he's countered into the Liontamer, which he counters into a standing victory roll for two. Juvi with a rana, but Jericho holds on this time, and shifts into the Liontamer to retain at 13:28. Good, fast paced, and well worked action - Jericho's creativity always a welcome addition to the exciting cruiserweight division. *** ½

Davey Boy Smith v Steve McMichael: Smith catches a charging McMichael in a droptoe-hold at the bell, but walks into a gutwrench suplex, and McMichael stomps him. McMichael with a bodyslam, but a nice legdrop misses, and Smith locks him in the Sharpshooter. Unfortunately, being related to the Harts apparently means nothing, because it's quite poorly executed, and McMichael grabs the ropes. Steve punts a few field goals in his ribs, and tosses Davey out to the floor for a few shots into the guardrail. A punch against the rail is dodged, however, and McMichael hurts his wrist. Davey quickly capitalizes by smashing it against the steps, and back inside, he whacks it on the turnbuckles. A cross corner whip gets reversed, but McMichael has trouble hitting the 3-point stance due to the back wrist. He still manages to hit a couple half hearted versions, but the wrist gives out during a bodyslam attempt, and Davey hooks on a reverse armbreaker for the submission at 6:09. The first bad match of the night, but at least it was short, and psychologically sound. ¼*

WCW United States Title Match: Diamond Dallas Page v Chris Benoit: They trade wristlocks in the early going, and end up back at square one after a stalemate. A criss cross allows Benoit to fire off an armdrag to get the champs attention, but it backfires when DDP unloads a pair of kneelifts and a pair of backelbows. Page with a gutwrench gutbuster, but a suplex is blocked with a series of knees, and Benoit dumps him in the ropes - Page landing on his previously injured ribs. Snap suplex, but Page blocks, so Benoit drops into the Crippler Crossface - Dallas quickly snagging the rope before Chris can apply it, and then rolling out to the floor to regroup. Back in for a test-of-strength into a pinfall reversal sequence - ending in Benoit unloading chops. Page fires back with a side suplex, but Benoit hits the deck to avoid the Diamond Cutter, and rolls out to the floor to break the momentum. Back in, a slapfest quickly turns into a slugfest, which quickly turns into both guys rolling around in a schoolyard shuffle. Benoit dominates, but he another reversal sequence ends in Page hitting an ocean cyclone suplex for two. Benoit dropkicks the knee before Page can take control, and hits a short-clothesline into a cobra clutch. Page powers into a chincrusher to break, so an annoyed Benoit chops him into the corner, and stomps a mud hole. A snap suplex gets two, and he goes back into the cobra clutch on the dazed Dallas. Page manages to escape with a snapmare, but he's still groggy, and Benoit takes advantage with a sleeper - only to get dumped to the floor. Chris tries keeping the momentum by going to the top as he re-enters, but Page shakes the ropes, and super-duperplexes him off - leaving both guys in a heap. Back up for another slugfest - this one won by Page with a discus punch for two. Page with a nice flying clothesline for two, but Benoit counters a suplex with the Crossface - only for Page to get the ropes before he can fully realize the hold. Benoit with his own suplex, but Page cradles him for two - reversed by Benoit for two. Chris with chops in the corner, but Page reverses a cross corner whip, and hits a belly-to-belly suplex for two. German suplex, but Benoit counters into the three-alarm rolling German suplexes for two. That leaves both guys taking the referees count, and Page manages a DDT as a counter to a Benoit hiptoss - getting two. Diamond Cutter, but Benoit blocks with a backslide - only for Page to counter into the Cutter, and retain the title at 15:48. Really good back-and-forth stuff here - well worked, well paced, and given plenty of time to develop. Plus, the face/face dynamic fit nicely, with both guys focusing on counters upon counters instead of heel spots versus face spots. ****

No Disqualification Match: Randy Savage v Lex Luger: Savage attacks him at the bell, and targets Luger's heavily taped ribs. To the floor, Savage drops him across the rail, and keeps after the ribs as they go back inside. Luger manages to counter a bodyslam with an inside cradle for two, but Savage is quick to spring up with another shot at the ribs, and dumps Lex back to the floor for a little fieldtrip into the crowd. Inside, Savage suplexes him, but Luger no-sells, and pops up with a powerslam. Torture Rack, but Miss Elizabeth runs in and rakes his eyes to break. That draws the nWo out, but Luger slaps the Rack back on, and gets the submission victory at 7:33. Not good (like, at all), but well placed on the card - as opposed to headlining like it did the month before at Souled Out. DUD

WCW World Tag Team Title Match: The Steiner Brothers v The Outsiders: Rick Steiner starts with Scott Hall, and hits a belly-to-belly suplex, and unloads a ferocious ten-punch count that goes well beyond ten - though that might just be Rick's inability to count to ten. Another belly-to-belly draws Kevin Nash in, but Rick easily gets rid of Big Kev - only for brother Scott Steiner to turn on him, and join the nWo. That allows Hall an Outsider's Edge (despite Ricks efforts at making a pointless comeback - you can't retain the titles, dummy), and we have new champions at 4:17. Well booked, as they didn't pussyfoot around with the turn (I hate when they book these things to run twenty minutes, only to have one guy turn on the other - why not just do it right away?), but not much else. It had a point, and it made it, though. DUD

Main Event: WCW World Title Match: Hollywood Hulk Hogan v Sting: This is for the vacant title - held up after the bullshit finish at Starrcade two months before. Sting tries charging in, but Hogan is ready with his weightlifting belt, and unloads on the Stinger. Hogan with a series of closed fists and a pair of backscratches as they spill out to the floor, for Hogan to abuse him with the guardrail. Inside, Hulk tries a test-of-strength, and hits a cross corner clothesline for two. Hogan with a series of elbowdrops, but he makes the mistake of hitting way too close to home for WCW by playing Titanic on the ropes (standing on the middle rope and yelling 'I'm the champion of the world!!' with his arms outstretched), so Sting jumps him, and beats him with his own weight belt. Back outside, they do the vogue 'brawl through the crowd' spot, but Sting misses a Stinger Splash against the rail, and Hogan chokes him. Inside, Hulk resorts to biting, but gets caught with the Stinger Splash, and hooked in the Scorpion Deathlock. Unfortunately, Sting's year in the rafters must have fucked up his depth perception, because Hogan is right next to the ropes and breaks. Another Stinger Splash, but the referee gets bumped, and Hogan hits the Legdrop in the confusion - getting two when another referee runs in. Hulk with a side suplex for two, and a chinlock sets up a schoolboy for two. To the floor again for more rail fun, but Hogan gets reversed going into it (taking a few business exposing bumps within inches of the fans), but manages to blow Sting low before he can finish him. Hulk keeps unloading forearms, but Sting starts no-selling, and hits with two Stinger Splashes and the Deathdrop - but the referee gets bumped again. Cue the nWo, but Sting fights them off, and wins the title at 16:33. The usual Hogan junk from the period, and unfortunately Sting was nowhere near the level he was at four or five years before, where he might have carried Hulk to something watchable. I think there was a total of, like, six actual moves - terrible for any seventeen minute match, and outright ridiculous for a main event. DUD, bordering on negative stars.

BUExperience: Sure, the main event is absolute shit, but the rest of the card is pretty solid stuff, with the bad (Tag Titles, Savage/Luger, Smith/McMichael) kept short, and good stuff like the Cruiserweight and United States title matches getting plenty of time. It’s far from a must-see, but it’s a good little show – only missing a good main event to really bring it home. ***