HITMAN383 Re-Rant for WCW/Mandalay Video 'Best of' Series (Bash at the Beach, Halloween Havoc, Starrcade)

- Back in 1999, WCW started releasing a lot of “Best of INSERT PPV NAME HERE” tapes, little one hour clip job deals, and selling them for like $10.00. I bought all of them (minus Uncensored), and my first tape reviews were on these. They are still up at my Rant Center, and back when I sent those in to the OLD Rantsylvania (pre when it was RS.com, and it was this long geocites-likes address) I thought they were pretty good. Today they don’t quite hold up. (This was originally written in the Spring of 2002)

- So I figured: Let’s Re-Rant! But each of these is about 1 hour, so three rants for one hour shots would be dumb … so lets go the Scott Keith route, and put it all in one rant: The HITMAN383 Rant for WCW Mandalay Video Series I. Next, I’ll do some more tapes from that same series.

- BTW, I use the SK system for these. That means, if I think the match/segment was worth anything, I’ll give it a point. I do this because these Mandalay ones are clipped to the point where you’d be a nut to give it a star rating. (A nut, or a super inexperienced fourteen year old kid doing his first series of online wrestling reviews, like I was in 1999! By 2002, my stuff was at least a lot less cringe worthy) Some tapes (like most Coliseum ones) are minorly clipped, and I still give out the stars to them.

- First: The Best of Bash at the Beach.

- Your Host is Mean Gene, in front of a beach-like backdrop.

- Beach Blast 1992: Falls Count Anywhere: Cactus Jack vs. Sting: I think I’ve made my feelings on Bill Watts clear in my individual rant for this show. Sting is, of course, the WCW Champion, but Watts (that DUMB ASS) made this a non-title match. (A lot can be said about Bill Watts’ WCW tenure, but time, perspective, and access to stuff like Mid-South has changed my views on him as a booker and promoter tremendously) They fight in the isle to start, and Sting backslides him for two. Backdrop hits out there, and he bulldogs him in a nice bump. Cut to Sting missing a Splash, and then cut to Sting backdroping Mick into the crowd. He rams him to the rail, and suplexes him on the floor for two! Jack bumps back over the rail, and we cut to Sting fighting his way out of a body scissors. Cut to Jack using a chair on Sting, and then we cut to Sting splashing Jack into the rail. Cut to the isle, as Sting slams him on the ramp, and then uses a chair on the back and knee. Sting clotheslines him down, and hits a top rope clothesline from the top to the ramp to win at 3:17. Heavily cut, and a shame too, since it was like a *** ½ match. 1 for 1 for the bumping.

- Beach Blast 1993: Vader and Sid Vicious vs. Sting and Davey Boy Smith: Sting takes Sid to school to start (with Sid screwing up at every turn), and Sting bulldogging him about 90 times. Sid comes back with a quick chokeslam, and we cut to Vader and Bulldog fighting. Vader kills him in the corner (stiff ones two), and we cut to Davey suplexing Vader for two. Vader stops the offense with his gut, and we cut to Sid nerve holding Davey. I think it says something when the highlights of this involve rest holds. Cut to a heel miscommunication spot, as Vader rams Harley Race, and Sting gets in to clear house. The heels cheat to win, however, and Vader clotheslines him. Cut to Sid kicking Sting while he’s down. Cut to a Vaderbomb on Davey, and then the moonsault. He covers, but Sting dives in to save, allowing Davey a crucifix for the pin at 3:59. Clipped to watchability, but barely. 2 for 2.

- Bash at the Beach 1994: WCW World Title Match: Ric Flair vs. Hulk Hogan: Face pop for both guys, even though Flair is the heel here. All the WCW officials at ringside are beaming with pride for the Hogan-fest we’re about to see. He even brings Mr. T with him, to really make a “we’re taking WCW back to the 80’s” statement. Huge crowd though, and they DO love Hogan. Criss cross to start, leads to a Hogan clothesline. Cut to Hulk mocking Flair’s strut, and then cut to them trading armbars. Flair bails out, and hides behind Sherri leading us to cut to Hulk killing him with punches. He clotheslines him into the corner, and he tries the big boot, but Ric bails. Hulk follows, but Flair outsmarts him on the way back in, and chops away. Cut to Flair missing a knee drop, and Hogan getting the ten-punch count in the corner. He bounces off the ropes, but Sherri trips him up, allowing Flair to jump him. Good knee shot there two. Flair chops him (which Hogan actually sells with an over the top bump!), and Sherri tries to use a chair. Jimmy Hart stops her, so Flair continues to pound the Hulkster. Cut to Flair’s chops getting so sold, and Hogan’s crappy chops killing Ric. Cut to Flair putting Hogan in the sleeper, and then Hogan hulking up out of it. He kills Flair after that, and knocks him to the floor. Cut to Flair suplexing Hogan (good one, too), but Hulk no-selling it to a big pop. Hogan pounds some more (he’s done nothing but pound here!), and then hits the big boot. He covers for two, but Sherri tugs the ref. out. Flair clips Hogan’s knee, and Sherri splashes him from the top. Cut to more chops from Flair (no sold), but he eats knee on a corner charge. Sherri misses another splash attempt, and Flair gets slammed off the top. Hogan (the sportsmen) then decks both Flair and the female Sherri. He then proceeds to piss me off by hooking the crappiest figure four I’ve ever seen. Mr. T drags Sherri away, but Flair still catches Hogan with the knux for two. Cut to Hogan’s hulk-up routine, and the leg drop finishes at 9:40 to a monster pop. Good match that was good even when clipped. 3 for 3.

- Bash at the Beach 1995: WCW World Title Cage Match: Hulk Hogan vs. Vader: Hogan has Dennis Rodman with him. Remember when THAT name meant something? He’s so dated, however. We cut to somewhere during the match, where Hogan is using his shirt to choke the big guy, and then rams Vader into the mesh. This is escape or pin, BTW. Cut to Vader eating Hogan alive in the corner with bodyshots (not as stiff as the ones on Davey earlier, however). Cut to Hogan using Vader’ s “monster” mask to scare him. Don’t ask … please. Cut to the Vaderbomb. Cut to Vader “suplexing” Hogan. The quotes because it was an Andre the Giant-like suplex. Cut to Hogan calling for the slam, and then he rams him to the cage. Beefcake and Sullivan run out to assault Hogan, but Rodman stops them, and we cut to Hogan climbing out. Vader stops him, and they trade chops on the top. Hulk wins that, and escapes at 3:23. Too clipped for any points, and I haven’t seen the entire match since 1995, so I can’t judge THAT version. (It sucked) 3 for 4.

- Bash at the Beach 1996: Six Man Tag Team Match: Kevin Nash, Scott Hall & A Mystery Man vs. Randy Savage, Lex Luger & Sting: The Mystery Man was supposed to be the incoming Bret Hart, but I think we all know how it ENDED UP turning out. Oddly, a small crowd for such a big card, but whatever. (Makes sense as they booked arenas way in advance, well before the nWo angle was even born) The WCW team all have painted faces, and none of them seem too happy to be there (especially Luger). Bobby suspects that his broadcast partner Dusty Rhodes is the third man, which Tony yells at him for thinking. Oddly, Dusty WOULD eventually go on to join the n Wo, but that’s another story. We start with a big brawl, and Lex getting bumped REALLY quickly in, and having to be strechered out. This was to build anticipation that Lex was possibly the third guy. Oddly again, everyone in this match would eventually be in the n Wo. Cut to Sting kicking Hall’s ass, and then cut to Nash kicking Sting’s. Cut to a Sting dropkick on Nash, and then cut to Nash using an abdominal stretch on Sting. Cut to Sting pounding the hell out of the big man, and tagging Savage. Randy takes Hall down with an axehandle, and then pounds on Nash. He is a house of fire! Nash low blows Savage to finally stop the mad man, and all of a sudden Hulk Hogan struts out to help team WCW! The Outsiders bail out immediately, leaving the prone Savage in the ring. Hulk yells at the heels, and then does the biggest heel turn ever, and leg drops the Macho Man a number of times. The n Wo then counts their own pin (they’ve already killed the ref.), at 5:22 of what was shown. Gene comes out to question what the hell Hogan is doing, and Hogan cuts one hell of a heel promo, while the ring fills with trash. Now THAT’S a heel turn. He even tears into the WWF AND WCW. The match was an autrocity, but the historical value gets a point. 4 for 5. (The weird spacing on ‘nWo’ throughout this one was simply to try and ‘trick’ Microsoft Word from autocorrecting it to ‘now’)

- Bash at the Beach 1997: Ric Flair vs. Roddy Piper: What have I done to deserve THIS one? And it’s not like it’s 1992, when I might care. We cut right to mid-match, as Piper knocks Flair out of the ring with punches (what else?). Cut to the ten-punch count in the corner, and Piper clotheslining him to the floor. Cut to Flair chopping away. Cut to Piper reversing the figure four. Cut to the outside, where Flair begs off, but Piper chops him. Cut to in ring, as Flair gets the knux, but Piper steals them, and decks him. Benoit runs out, but misses a headbutt on Piper, hitting Ric. That doesn’t end this, however, as we cut to a slugfest. Piper wins that, and hooks a sleeper on to get the win at 2:52, and a good pop. Clipped to a crappier match than what it was in it’s entirety. 4 for 6.

- Bash at the Beach 1997: Hulk Hogan and Dennis Rodman vs. Lex Luger and The Giant: Did we really need this OR the above match on this tape? (No arguments on Piper/Flair, but this one certainly warranted inclusion) Cut directly to Luger posing after shoving Hogan. Joy. Cut to Hulk beating the hell out of Lex, and then cut to Lex and Rodman facing off. Dennis does an arm drag, and a leapfrog, which gets the announcers and his teammates going crazy like he just hit the rolling German suplexes, or something. Cut to Giant slamming him, and then spanking him. Eww. Cut to Hogan dropping the big leg on Luger, and then cut to Dennis elbowing Lex in the corner. Cut to Giant going berserk, killing both heels, and a VERY TALL Sting comes out and attacks Giant with a bat. See, he’s about 7 feet tall. Oh, hell, it’s Kevin Nash, happy? Hulk and Rodman think they have it won, but Lex racks Hulk, and Hogan SUBMITS at 3:02! WHAT? HOGAN? JOBBING? AND SUBMITTING? HOLY SHIT! Not only a job, but a submission in front of a worldwide audience isn’t like him. 4 for 7.

- Bottom Line: Some okay stuff, but everything is clipped to hell. Not worth buying, or even renting, unless you’re a history buff, because there IS a lot of history on here with the first Hogan match, the n Wo formation, and the Rodman match.

- Very Mildly Recommended, for history purposes, but not really for the wrestling.  (Maybe back in 2002, but obviously today there’s no reason to waste your time watching three minute clippings of twenty minute matches when the original full length versions are widely available)

- Tape 2: The Best of Halloween Havoc.

- Your Host is Mean Gene again.

- Halloween Havoc 1989: Thunderdome Cage Match: Terry Funk and The Great Muta vs. Ric Flair and Sting: Flair and Funk start, and a criss cross gives Funk a shoulderblock. Cut to Flair slamming him twice, and then slamming him to the floor. Cut to Sting tossing Funk to the floor (this is a Hell in the Cell-like cage), and then punching him. Cut to Sting tossing Muta out, and ramming him into the bars. He chokes him out there, but Funk saves. Cut to a Muta snap suplex, and then he and Terry drop 1,000 elbows on Sting. Cut to a 4-man brawl, as Sting bulldogs Muta. Cut to Flair locking a figure four on Muta, while Sting and Funk fight on the top of the thundercage! Flair lets off, and we cut to Sting diving off the cage with a cross body on Funk. That was just crazy! Cut to Flair figure fouring Funk, while Sting splashes onto him. The heel towel accidentally gets tossed in, and the faces win at 3:36 of what was shown. Way too clipped to get a point. 0 for 1. (I’ll say! This was a twenty two minute match!)

- Halloween Havoc 1990: NWA U.S. Tag Team Title Match: The Nasty Boys vs. The Steiner Brothers: This is a rather famous match, actually. Big brawl to start, as Sags whacks Scott with a chair. Cut to the Steiners doing their big double team bulldog spot, and then cut to a Scott belly to belly on Jerry. Cut to Rick doing a Steiner-line on Knobs, but getting tossed to the outside. The Nasties take advantage, and spike piledrive Scott! They cover, but Rick saves with a chair. Cut to Sags holding a Boston crab on Scott. Cut to Scott taking both Nasties down, and making the hot tag to Rick. He’s a house of fire, and belly to bellies Brian for two. Everyone brawls now, and Scott trips up the Nasties, allowing Rick another Steiner-line. Scott finishes with a rana on Knobs at 3:09. It’s a good match in full, but it’s WAY too clipped here. 0 for 2.

- Halloween Havoc 1990: NWA World Title Match: Sting vs. Sid Vicious: Sting makes the mistake of turning his back, and Sid attacks. Backbreaker hits, but Sting no sells (how’s THAT feel, Sid?), and knocks him to the floor. Cut to Sting ramming him to the post, and then cut to Sid kiping up (whoa!), and clotheslining him. Cut to a Sid powerslam for two, and then cut to Sting missing the Stinger Splash. We cut to Sting hitting a cross body for two, and then we shoot to the isle, where Vicious slams him. Sting runs back to the ring with a clothesline, knocks Sid to the floor, and follows with a dive to the floor. They fight to the back, confusing the crowd, and then come back out. Sting tries a slam, but Sid topples on top to pin him at 3:16 (to a HUGE pop for the heel Sid). However, the REAL Sting then runs out, and lets us know that it was a fake Sting (Barry Windham) in disguise, then rolls Sid up to get the real win. Clipped to crap. 0 for 3.

- Halloween Havoc 1991: Chamber of Horrors Match: Vader, Abdullah the Butcher, Cactus Jack and the Diamond Studd vs. Sting, El Gigante, and the Steiner Brothers: Great. If you’re thinking, “Damn, that looks like it should be a clusterfuck” HEY, you’re right! Everyone brawls. That goes on for the whole match, as it’s just a big fight in a thundercage, and it ends when someone is put in the Electric Chair and burned. Mid-way through, the chair comes down, and everyone just stops fighting to watch. Okay. Anyway, the Butcher eventually gets put in (and fried) at 3:17, in a REALLY fake looking spot. The Green Mile put their whole way of doing it to rest, as we all know without the sponge on the head, Abby would have been on fire, damnit! Blood couldn’t save this one, either. It also OPENED that PPV, and served only to kill the crowd, and get rid of the super-over Sting one match in. Smart. 0 for 4. (Yeah, what a waste of some great workers here)

- Halloween Havoc 1992: Coal Miner’s Glove Match: Sting vs. Jake Roberts: This was the “spin the wheel, make the deal” match, and they picked THE worst option on the list. The poll is also REALLY, REALLY high up. Way to high to easily climb. Sting slams him around to start, and goes for the glove. Jake stops him, and we cut to Sting missing a dropkick. He works the back (in a TINY, ECW-ish arena), and tosses Sting to the floor. Cut to Jake hip tossing Sting out, and climbing. Sting weakly crotches him as a result, so we cut to him getting dumped out again. Jake hits him with a chair, and we cut to a missed Stinger Splash. Cut to Jake climbing, but Sting stops it. Sting decks him, and climbs, as Cactus Jack brings the snake bag out to Jake. Sting finally makes it up the SUPER poll, grabs the glove, and bops Jake for the win at 3:38. The Snake then “bites” Jake in the face (more like Jake holds it there for a while) in a really stupid visual. Not at all well done like when the WWF did it with Savage. (Well, that’s because Savage is insane, and let the cobra actually bite him) Crappy match, again. 0 for 5.

- Halloween Havoc 1993: WCW International World Title Match: Rick Rude vs. Ric Flair: Rude looks half-sleeping during the intros. Why are we seeing this, anyway? Vader/Cactus was RIGHT THERE! Then again, they’d have clipped it to hell anyway, but the point remains the same. We cut right into Flair chopping the “champion,” and hitting a hanging vertical suplex. Cut to more chops by the challenger, and Ric cross bodies Ric, dropping BOTH MEN to the floor. Great spot. We cut to Flair leaping from the top to the concrete, but getting nailed by Rude. Rick tries to use a chair, but the ref. stops it. He’s undaunted, however, and throws Flair into the rail. Cut to a Flair Flip, leaving Ric dead on the ramp. Cut to Rude holding a bear hug on the mat, and then cut to a ref. bump. Rude slips on the knux, but misses a shot, and Flair side suplexes him. Flair grabs them (after the dumb ass ring attendant tries to move it out of the ring), and decks Rude. He covers for two, as another ref. stops the count due to Flair’s cheating at 3:45. Okay. Bad match, from what I saw. 0 for 6.

- Halloween Havoc 1994: WCW World Title Retirement Cage Match: Hulk Hogan vs. Ric Flair: Mr. T is the guest ref. here, but I’m just happy we’re finally getting what could be a good match. Hogan dominates to start (duh!), and backdrops Flair to the heavens. He hits a series of clotheslines, and makes Flair eat the doo-rag. He chokes him in the corner, and does the 10-punch count. Mr. T gets in his face about it, which allows Flair to poke the eyes. Ric chops away, and tries to ram Hogan into the mesh, but Hulk reverses. Flair tries again, and this time he makes him eat steal! Flair drops a knee, as we get a look at Muhammad Ali at ringside making the WrestleMania I re-hash count go up by one. Cut to Flair hooking a figure four, but Hogan reverses. T gets bumped, allowing Flair to pound. Sherri tries to climb in, but Jimmy Hart stops her. She takes him out, and tries again, so Sting nails her. The Masked Man of Mystery pops up from under the ring to take Sting out, and he and Sherri climb in to pound. Yeah, come to think of it, Brutus Beefcake DID disappear after the entrances. I wonder why? They handcuff Mr. T to the ropes to ensure no problems, but then Hogan starts no selling. He beats up both Ric AND Sherri (what a man!), and then slams her off the top rope to truly be a punk. Flair tries to run out, but Hogan kills him, and the leg drop finishes at 7:23 for a HUGE pop. Fun match, as the full version is excellent, and so is this one. 1 for 7.

- Halloween Havoc 1995: WCW World Title Match: Hulk Hogan vs. The Giant: First, the monster truck match! To understand the crappiness of THAT one, check out my Netcop Busts rant. Anyway, after that shenanigans, they have a crappy match too! Hogan is dressed in Hollywood Hogan attire (despite still being a face), and also has no moustache (the DOD shaved it off). (That was a weird visual, to say the least) Hulk hammers with punches to start (all which fail), and then tries a slam. Just like WrestleMania III, it fails, and Giant pounds him. Cut to Hogan hitting the slam (with Heenan bringing up WM III, the last time this happened), and he drops the big leg. Hulk covers, but Jimmy Hart (his manager) trips the ref. He clocks Hogan with the belt to follow, but Hogan no-sells. He’s about to beat on Hart, when Giant attacks with a bear hug. Great. You’re in the big hot spot of the match, and you lock a bear hug. Jobber. Luger and Savage run out to save, but Lex turns heel too, and kills Macho. Okay. Resse then runs out in a mummy suit, and humps Hogan in the ass. No, you didn’t read wrong. Anyway, Lex racks Hogan, just to put the big closure on this crap fest. Officially, Giant wins by DQ at 3:00, or so, as there was no closing bell. Total, total, total crap. 1 for 8. If any of the above made sense to you, please, see a psychiatrist.

- Halloween Havoc 1996: WCW World Title Match: Hulk Hogan vs. Randy Savage: Hogan as the funky hair piece here. Don’t ask … please. (Again, this was back in the pre-Youtube era, when you’d actually have to ask people what some of these things were, instead of doing a simple Google search) He also has no heat, but neither does Savage, so I guess it’s okay. Cut right to Savage kicking his ass, and stealing the hairpiece off. Again, do not ask. Cut to more Savage pounding, as Hogan bails out. Savage jumps him in the isle for more abuse, and smacks him in the head with a folding chair. Hulk, not to be outdone, does the same. Cut to later in the match, as Liz distracts Hogan, and Randy schoolboys him up for two. He also exposes Hogan’s ass a couple of times. Okay, NO ONE needs to see that. Tony: “A side of Hogan we’ve never seen before, eh?” Bobby: “I’ve seen that side A LOT!” I feel dirty now. Cut to Hogan holding Liz in front of him on the floor, while Savage stalks him. It’s like WM V again, with the roles reversed, and the heat gone. Cut to Savage hitting the big elbow for two, but the n Wo ref. only counts two. Cut to Giant beating on Savage, and putting Hogan on top for Patrick to count to three at 3:26. 1 for 9.

- Halloween Havoc 1997: Thunderdome Cage Match: Hulk Hogan vs. Roddy Piper: Hogan tries to run out the cage, so Piper beats him with his belt, and bites him in the ass. Okay, NO ONE needed to see that. That’s two matches in a row, that Hogan’s ass has disgusted me. (Still pales in comparison to the episode of Hogan Knows Best where he has Linda shave his back) Cut to Piper kicking the hell out of him on the mat, while Hulk SELLS! Cut to both guys going out the door at the same time, so they go back in. Does this match have rules, or anything. They fight into the isle, but Nash/Sting makes another appearance, allowing Piper to chop Hulk. They go back in the cage, and we cut to Hogan whipping him with his weight belt. Savage (heel) runs out, and dives off the top of the super cage, but hits Hogan! Now THAT was a super dive. That is REALLY, REALLY high. Think two HITC’s tall. Piper hooks the sleeper, and wins, at 3:23. Afterwards Savage, Hogan, Bischoff and even Nash/Sting and Hall/Sting pound Piper. Okay. Crappy match. 1 for 10.

- Gene tells us he hopes this tape scared us. Boy, did it!

- Bottom Line II: Eh. Hogan/Flair is the only thing worth it, and a match just as good between them is available on the BATB tape, and that’s a better overall tape. Suck fest here. (Even using a sliding scale for all the clipping, this tape sounds absolutely horrible)

- Strong Recommendation to Avoid.

- Tape 3: The Best of Starrcade (1983-1990). See they couldn’t fit it all in one tape, so they were gonna do a two parter. Smart idea. However, they never did part II, just to piss me off. (Given that part two would have likely covered Battle Bowl and Ed Leslie headlining, that’s probably a small mercy)

- As a side note, this tape is THE first tape I ever reviewed. That rant is available over at the Rant Center.

- Your Host is Mean Gene.

- Starrcade 1983: NWA World Title Cage Match: Harley Race vs. Ric Flair: Gene Kininski is the ref. Big pop for Flair, and good heel heat for the champion. Slow start, as they have a feeling out process. Plus, don’t forget, this is freakin’ 1983! Cut to Flair kneeing Race in the gut, and snapmaring him to the mat for a chinlock, which turns into a side headlock pretty quickly. Cut to Race pounding on the challenger, and stiffly piledriving him. Elbow drop gets him two, and we cut to more of Race’s beating. Flair tastes the steel mesh, and gets busted open. Cut to Flair fighting back with chops, but he uses closed fists, so Gene steps in. It’s A G-D DAMNED CAGE MATCH! Race uses a headbutt, and we cut to Flair ramming him to the mesh, drawing blood. Ooh, a double juice. Can’t beat that. Knee drop connects, and Ric works the champ over, while the crowd goes nuts. Piledriver for two (in a rare instance of Flair using that move), and then we cut to Flair chopping Race down for two. Elbow drop connects, and Flair struts around, while dripping blood. He side suplexes Harley, and hooks on the figure four. Race hangs on, as we get an overhead shot showing us how bloody the mat has gotten. Race reverses, but Flair makes the ropes. Cut to Flair making the Rocky comeback, refusing to quit, as Race keeps ramming him to the cage. He can’t gain strength, however, as Race chokes him with his boot. Cut to a ref. bump, and Flair hits a top rope cross body to claim his second world title at 8:09 to a big pop. Back in ’83, the guy was ALREADY a 2-time champ! Solid outing. 1 for 1.

- Starrcade 1983: Dog Collar Match: Roddy Piper vs. Greg Valentine: I didn’t like this one in my first rant. They start by standing on opposite sides, and having a tug of war (using their HEADS) with the chain being the rope. Cut to Piper kicking his ass in the corner with the chain, and then cut to Greg hammering Piper’s bad ear. He raps the chain around Piper’s eyes, and pulls, in a cute spot. Cut to Piper doing the same, only he chokes the nose and mouth too. It’s like a headvice here. Cut to them brawling on the floor (both bleeding), and then cut to Valentine clubbing him in the ear with the chain. Damn, even Piper’s EAR is bleeding. Cut to Piper trying to get in the ring, but Valentine kicking him down each time. He finally does get in, and loses his balance, selling the ear problem. Smart, actually. Cut to Greg on the 2nd rope, but Piper pulls the chain to get him down, and then uses the chain to tie him up and pin him at 3:43. Maybe it’s the clipping, but I still don’t see what’s so good about this one. 1 for 2.

- Starrcade 1985: NWA U.S. Title I Quit Cage Match: Tully Blanchard vs. Magnum T.A.: This was a BIG feud at the time. They brawl to start, and we cut to more brawling. Slugfest won by TA, and he just won’t let up on the champ! Magnum tries to grate him on the mesh, but a low blow stops that effort. Tully tosses him to the cage, and we cut to Blanchard hammering him. Cut to Magnum trying to get an “I quit” (with Blanchard a bloody mess), but he refuses to quit. Cut to TA bleeding, and they have a slugfest. Cut to Tully banging the mic. in his head repeatedly, but he won’t quit. This is just WAY intense. Cut to a slugfest on the knees, and Magnum tries to get an “I quit,” but no luck. Cut to Tully hitting an atomic drop, and smashing his skull with the mic. Cut to Tully bumping the ref., and getting a wooden chair. He breaks a spike off of it, and tries to jam it into Magnum’s eye, but TA fights him off. He finally breaks away from him, and jams the spike into TULLY’S eye (drawing pools of blood) to get the win at 5:31 The clipping hurt it quite a bit, but it’s still a SUPER intense brawl. 2 for 3.

- Starrcade 1987: NWA World Title Cage Match: Ronnie Garvin vs. Ric Flair: Yes, Garvin really WAS the world champion. Don’t ask, please. Why the hell does the ring skirt say “TWN,” anyway? The heel Flair draws better face heat than Garvin, oddly, and they start off with a chop fest. Ron actually wins that, and hip tosses his challenger. Cut to more chops from Garvin, and Flair does the flop to sell them. Cross corner whip leads to a big backdrop, and he works Ric’s arm. Cut to Garvin slapping Flair around, so they have another chop fest. Ron wins that again, so we cut to Flair hitting a knee breaker. He goes RIGHT to the figure four, but Ron makes the ropes. Cut to Garvin tossing Flair repeatedly into the cage, and then grating him on it. That cuts the legend open, so Garvin throws him into it again. Cut to a brawl at the top (won by Garvin), and he tries a sunset flip, but Flair ducks down to stop him before he even starts. Tight psychology there. Garvin chops away on him, as a result, but takes an elbow. Cut to Ric getting crotched on the top, and Garvin using a sunset flip, but Flair reverses for two, so Garvin reverses for a two of his own! Flair hits an atomic drop, but Ron catches him with a lariat for two. A criss cross leads to a Flair slam to get the pin at 6:00, and a big pop. Good enough. 3 for 4.

- Starrcade 1988: NWA World Title Match: Ric Flair vs. Lex Luger: This was the famous “almost made Rick Steiner world champ” fiasco that got Dusty Rhodes fired, and Ric Flair to keep his title. Lex is SUPER put together here. Flair outsmarts Lex on the opening criss cross, and taunts Luger by posing. He does it again, but this time Lex clotheslines him to the floor. Cut to when Flair works him over with chops, and a criss cross leads to a Luger powerslam! Cut to a Lex press slam, and cut to Flair getting a cheep shot in. Lex quickly comes back, and rams Ric into the corner. Cut to Flair raking the eyes, and then a criss cross allows Lex to clothesline him for two. Suplex connects for two, as the crowd cheers Luger on. Lex misses an elbow, however, but we cut right to him doing the 10-punch count in the corner. Clothesline gets him two, and he powerslams him. He calls for the rack, and hooks it, but his bad leg gives out, allowing Flair (with two feet on the ropes) to get the pin at 4:05. Clipped, which hurts, but it’s still good. 4 for 5.

- Starrcade 1988: NWA World Tag Team Title Match: The Road Warriors vs. Sting and Dusty Rhodes: This is the equivalent of when Hogan was teaming up with Goldberg in early-mid 2000. The old guy was trying to get heat off of the rising star. 4-man brawl before we even start, and the Rhodes/Sting combo dump them out. We officially start with Sting/Animal, and a criss cross allows Sting to dropkick him out. Cut to Dusty elbowing Animal for a bit, and then cut to Sting and Hawk fighting. Hawk stomps a mud hole in the corner (9-years before Austin would make it famous), but Sting clotheslines him out of his boots. He powerslams him, and hits a big elbow to follow. Cut to Animal slamming Sting (no sold), and Sting clotheslining him out. He follows out with a top rope dive (which was BIG at the time), and we cut to Hawk killing Rhodes on the mat. Dusty starts no-selling (wow, twice the LOD’s offense was no-sold. HA HA), and Rhodes actually dropkicks him. Animal comes in to choke, and he cut to Dusty hitting a stunner. He tags Sting, who cleans house, and bulldogs Animal. He dropkicks him next, and hits the Stinger Splash. He gets the Deathlock in (3 years before Hart), but Hawk saves. They kill Dusty, but Sting saves, and cross bodies Animal. It’s good for three, but Ellering takes the ref. out to stop the count! The faces win by DQ at 5:04, and then kick the heels’ ass to get more heat! Fun, non-stop match. 5 for 6.

- Starrcade 1989: Iron Man Tournament Finals: Sting vs. Ric Flair: Sting takes control to start, and a criss cross allows him a shoulderblock, and a hip toss. Cut to them fighting over a wristlock (which Sting wins), and we cut to a long criss cross ending in a Sting press slam. Flair shoves him in retaliation, so Sting knocks him to the floor. Cut to Sting backsliding him for two, and cut to Sting doing a series of dropkicks. Criss cross allows Sting to use his entire Ultimate Warrior impression for a two count, and we cut to Flair beating him on the floor. Cut to Flair beating him INSIDE, and he uses a unique roll up (out of an abdominal stretch) for two. He keeps the hurt on the Stinger, and hits a butterfly suplex for two. Sting catches him with a lariat for two, but takes some chops as a result. Cut to them fighting on the apron, and Sting gets a sunset flip, so Ric decks him. Sting no sells some shots, does a 5-punch count in the corner, and a hip toss/clothesline combo gets him two. Flair hits a knee breaker, and works on the knee. He tries the figure four, but Sting cradles him up for the pin at 5:21. Barely a point, but a point is a point. 6 for 7.

- Starrcade 1990: WCW World Title Cage Match: Sting vs. The Black Scorpion: And now, the black eye on WCW’s history. Or should I say ONE of the black eyes on their history. The crowd is dead, and they start with a very Flair/Sting like sequence. The Scorpion hits a side suplex, but misses an elbow. The crowd is sitting on their hands completely here. Cut to Scorp. covering for two (with a Flair-like two feet on the ropes), and cut to them wrestling on the mat. Okay, the Scorpion is Flair, happy? The problem is: Flair/Sting would be great, but so the secret isn’t given away, Ric has to wrestle away from his normal style. This hurts the match. A LOT. Anyway, the suck-fest ends with Sting hitting a top rope cross body for the pin at 5:44. Horrible, horrible match with no heat. Afterwards, the Scorpion is unmasked. 6 for 8. (I’m kind of surprised they skipped over the famous and gimmicky Skywalkers match from ’86, yet bothered to include this one)

- Bottom Line: Pretty damn good tape! The last match REALLY, REALLY sucks, and the Piper/Valentine one is isn’t that good, but the rest is all worthy. I mean, yeah, the clipping hurts this, but it’s not as bad as some of the other clip jobs done on the previous two. I like this one for history purposes, and for some fun matches.

- Recommended.

- Final Word: Get the Starrcade one, don’t bother with the other two.