WCW Slamboree 1997 (Version II)

 

Original Airdate: May 18, 1997

                                                          

From Charlotte, North Carolina; Your Hosts are Tony Schiavone, Dusty Rhodes, and Bobby Heenan

Opening WCW Television Title Match: Ultimo Dragon v Steven Regal: Mike Tenay joins us for commentary on this one. Regal has officially asked not to go by 'Lord' anymore, since he's getting back to his roots as a carnival brawler in an effort to find the killer instinct needed to win back the TV title. But he still wears the frilly robe anyway. Feeling out process to start, dominated by Dragon, but then Regal dumps him on his head to take control. Regal works a wristlock, but Dragon counters to a headlock, and shoulderblocks his challengers down for two. To the mat with another headlock, so Regal tries forcing a criss cross, but eats a dropkick. Dragon with a series of kicks, and he takes Regal to the mat for a chinlock, adding a bootrake for good measure. Dragon with a half-crab, but Regal makes the ropes, so Dragon puts the boots to him. Dragon with a neckbreaker to set up a mat-based headscissors, but Steven counters to the Regal Stretch, though Dragon is immediately in the ropes. Dragon bails to regroup, but Regal is ready with a vertical suplex for two on the way back in, and he grabs a full-nelson. Dragon reverses, and comes off the ropes with a sunset flip for one, with Regal immediately countering back to the Stretch, but Dragon is in the ropes. Dragon takes him down for mounted punches, and he works a cross-armbreaker. Regal counters back into position for the Stretch, but Dragon manages to cover up to avoid getting trapped in the hold, so the challenger turns it into a Mexican surfboard instead. Dragon escapes and puts him in a Muta-lock, then into a camel clutch, but Regal fights him off. Backdrop, but Dragon lands on his feet, and dropkicks Regal to the outside for Sonny Onoo to unload on. Dragon doesn't seem pleased with that, and rolls Regal in to hit with a handspring backelbow. Rana off the top gets the champion two, but he misses a flying moonsault, and it's Stretch time, but Dragon is in the ropes before Regal can get it locked again. Regal responds with a butterfly powerbomb, but Dragon counters with a rana for two. Regal comes back with an Oklahoma roll for two, and he fires off uppercuts, but Dragon ducks one, and uses a spinheel kick for two. Magistral cradle, but Regal is in the ropes. Springboard moonsault press connects, but Regal blocks the tiger suplex, so Dragon dumps him to the outside. Dragon dives with a plancha, but Regal dodges, and the champion wipes out. The timing there looked off, like Regal moved too early. No matter, Dragon recovers, and dives with a springboard moonsault press into the aisle. Onoo takes more cheap shots out there, but Dragon gets annoyed at him, so Sonny spinkicks his own man! That allows Regal an inverted vertical suplex on the way back in, and the Stretch finishes the vulnerable Dragon at 16:04. There was some good stuff here with Dragon blocking Stretch attempts and hanging with Regal on the mat, and it was less of a style clash than you'd expect. Onoo factoring into the finish was a downer, though. *** ¼ (Original rating: ***)

 

Madusa v Luna Vachon: Lee Marshall joins us for commentary on this one. Luna pounds her down right away, and slams her around by the hair, which fires Madusa up for some chops, so Luna goes to the eyes. Luna uses a catapult under the bottom rope, but Madusa randomly gets fired up again, and throws a spinkick. Luna fights her off by viciously sweeping the legs and choking her down, then working a stomach claw. Luna with a floatover suplex for two, but a corner whip gets reversed, and Madusa follows in with a corner splash. Cross corner whip sets up another corner splash, and a whip into the ropes leads to a clothesline for two. Madusa goes for the leg, so Luna rakes the eyes to shake her off, but Madusa keeps coming with a sunset flip for two. Criss cross ends in Luna landing a facebuster, however, and she adds a neckbreaker. To the top for a flying splash, but Madusa dodges, and a bridging German suplex puts Vachon away at 5:10. This seemed surprisingly stiff. ¾* (Original rating: DUD)

 

Gene Okerlund brings Randy Savage and Miss Elizabeth out, but Savage doesn't have patience for Gene's questions, and sends him to the back. He wants Diamond Dallas Page, not Mean Gene. DDP, not MG. It rhymes, which makes it a real thing. Is it me, or are there more rednecks in the crowd tonight than usual? So this draws Page out, and Savage quickly bails up the aisle until the rest of the nWo can show up. Well, not the 'rest,' just the undercard guys. Without the hat and glasses on, Savage looked really old at this point. So he tries coming at Dallas, but Page beats the shit out of him with a crutch, and he manages to hold off the rest of the group with it, too. Really vicious looking shots there. He eventually gets overwhelmed, but Giant (wearing a Lex Luger t-shirt) makes the save. This was good stuff to further the hot Page/Savage angle, though it probably belonged on Nitro

 

Rey Mysterio Jr v Yuji Yasuraoka: Tenay is back on commentary again for this one. Yasuraoka with strikes to stun Rey in the early going, and he takes Mysterio down for an overhead wristlock. Rey fights to a vertical base, so Yasuraoka shifts to a chinlock, but Rey counters to a leglock. Yasuraoka gets into the ropes to force a break, and uses a suplex, then a bodyslam to set up a kick to the shoulder blades. Another bodyslam leads to a wristlock, but Rey flips his way out of it, so Yasuraoka clobbers him with a clothesline for two. Yasuraoka with a spinheel kick for two, but a charge ends badly when Rey uses a backdrop. Rey with a rana to send Yasuraoka over the top, and he wants a dive after him, but the referee is in the way, so Mysterio leapfrogs OVER him to do it anyway. That's a fun spot. Yasuraoka charges back in, but now Rey has him rattled, and is ready with a drop-toehold into a camel clutch. Yasuraoka gets into the ropes, so Mysterio puts the boots to him, and further punishes him with chops. Springboard flying dive, but Yasuraoka is ready with a spinkick to knock him out of the air, and Yuji covers for two. Yasuraoka takes him down for a fujiwara armbar, and he rams Rey arm first into the turnbuckle. Yasuraoka keeps on the part with a cross-armbreaker, but Rey fights free, so Yasuraoka clotheslines him back down for two. Back to the armbreaker, but Rey makes the ropes, so Yasuraoka kicks him out of the ring in shame. Yasuraoka snaps his arm across the top rope to keep Rey on the outside, and Yuji dives after him for good measure. Yasuraoka with a vertical suplex to bring Rey in for two, and a cross corner whip sets up a charge, but Rey lifts his boot to block. Spinebuster sets up a split-legged moonsault for two, but Yasuraoka reverses a victory cradle for two - reversed back by Mysterio for two. Yasuraoka tries a spinheel kick, but Rey ducks, and drops him with a powerbomb. Rey goes up with a flying splash to wrap up, but Yasuraoka rolls out of the way, and gives him a double-arm DDT for two. Yasuraoka argues the count before trying the DDT again, but this time Rey counters with a bridging suplex for two. Cross corner whip, but Yasuraoka stops short, and hits him with a spinheel kick. Yuji goes upstairs for a flying bodypress, but Rey is ready with a dropkick, and a springboard flying rana into a cradle finishes at 14:58. No idea why they'd waste Mysterio on this no-build match, but I guess it was as good an attempt as any to give Yasuraoka instant credibility. Of course, he wrestled literally one more match (which wasn't even televised) before disappearing from the promotion for good, so I'm not sure if it was worth fifteen minutes of pay per view time. But at least the match was good, and Rey went over. ** ¾ (Original rating: ***)

 

Glacier v Mortis: Glacier tries charging in, but Mortis has the high ground, and that does not go well for the ice man. Remind me never to go to war with Glacier at my side. Mortis goes to town on the leg as Wrath makes his way out, and that distracts Mortis enough for Glacier to hit with an electric chair. Glacier makes a comeback, so Wrath just attacks him for the DQ at 1:54. Well, that was quick. Afterwards, the heels beat Glacier down, until Ernest Miller runs out of the crowd to make the save - making his WCW debut. This was just an angle, and that's fine. DUD (Original rating: DUD)

 

WCW United States Title Match: Dean Malenko v Jeff Jarrett: They feel each other out to start, with Malenko maybe a little ahead on points, but pretty evenly matched. Once it turns into them trading submission holds, Malenko is easily able to get the better of it, and he targets the leg. Dean dumps him to the outside and dropkicks the leg against the guardrail, but Jeff steals the high ground on the way back in, and throws a dropkick for two. He slaps on an abdominal stretch, but Dean gets into the ropes. They try doing a reversal, but it gets messed up, so Malenko just stomps the shit out of him instead, and Jarrett bails. He regroups out there for a bit, and suckers Dean into a cheap shot on a test-of-strength as they come back inside. That allows Jeff to work an armbar, but Malenko dumps him into the corner to escape, and uses a side suplex for two. Cross corner whip works, but a charge in doesn't, and Jeff is ready with a neckbreaker. Figure Four, but Malenko blocks. Texas Cloverleaf, but Jarrett counters with a cradle for two. Leg-feed enzuigiri, but Malenko ducks, and snaps his throat under the bottom rope with a catapult. Cloverleaf, but Jeff dumps him to the outside to block, and whips the champion into the rail out there. Jarrett with a flying bodypress on the way back in, but Malenko rolls through for two. Jeff responds with a sleeper, but Dean drops back into the corner to shake him off, and is able to reverse. Jarrett uses a kneebreaker to escape, and this time he gets the Figure Four applied, but Dean makes the ropes. Watching the crowd cheer against the Horsemen using a figure four in Charlotte is weird. Jeff tries a slam, but Dean shoves him into the corner to block, and both guys collide. That leaves the challenger down on the outside, so Steve McMichael shows up, and rolls Jeff back in. Not so much being helpful, though, as Jarrett is still out of it. That allows Malenko to win a reversal sequence with a butterfly powerbomb into the Cloverleaf, and he retains at 15:02. This felt like it took forever to get into gear, and though it was fine once it did, it was marred by yet another interference based finish. ** ¼ (Original rating: *** ¼)

 

Death Match: Meng v Chris Benoit: Unlike Jarrett, Benoit is a Horsemen who doesn't get booed. Chris is cautious with him in the early going, trying to keep distance and avoid Meng's various strikes, but he ends up on the outside, where he regroups with Woman. Back in, Meng pulls him close for a nice belly-to-belly suplex, but Chris counters a short-clothesline with a German suplex. Benoit capitalizes with a dropkick to the knee, but Meng blocks a figure four attempt, and Chris wisely bails. Unfortunately for him, Meng follows, and Benoit is forced to use a drop-toehold into the steps to shake him off. Meng no-sells, but it does buy Chris some time, and it's back to square one in the ring. They go in for the double knucklelock, and Meng powers him into the corner for elbows, but Chris manages to turn the tide, unloading chops. Jacqueline shows up to watch from the aisle, and the crowd gets really excited about that, for some reason. But then she just leaves anyway. Meng with a headbutt, and he puts Benoit in a half-crab, and oh God, why is there such a huge wet spot on Meng's ass? Is this is Sid situation? I wouldn't be surprised if that happened, but no one ever said anything because, you know, Meng. Benoit makes the ropes and tries coming back with a flurry of chops, but Meng just headbutts his ass back down. Piledriver knocks Benoit silly, but he beats the count to a vertical base, so Meng tries a short-clothesline, but Chris counter to the Crippler Crossface. The announcers pretty much straight up note that Meng is too powerful for this shit, though. And, indeed, he crawls into the ropes to force a break pretty quickly. Benoit responds by putting the boots to him, but a slugfest goes badly, and Meng pounds him into jelly. Jelly still beats the count, however, so Meng pounds again, but Chris just won't get the message. He needs to go full Meng. Meng unloads in the corner next, but the pesky referee gets in the way, and he misses a big boot. That allows Chris to hit a rolling German suplex, but Meng blocks the second alarm, and just BLISTERS him with some nasty chops. The camera crew does a great job accentuating it with some great angle choices. Chris fights him off with the Crossface, but Meng makes the ropes, so Chris kicks him out of the ring for a tope. He came full steam ahead on that one, too. Benoit goes upstairs on the way back in, but Meng follows for a superplex - only for Chris to counter with a German suplex off the middle. That allows him to dive with the flying headbutt drop, but Meng catches him in the Tongan Death Grip! And that's it at 15:03. This felt like it overstayed its welcome a bit, but it was a solid brawl between two stiff workers who weren't afraid to lay into one another. ** ¼ (Original rating: ½*)

 

The Steiner Brothers v Konnan and Hugh Morrus: Scott Steiner and Morrus start, and Scott gets the first takedown with an armdrag, so Hugh immediately starts bitching about a hair pull. Scott responds by going for an overhead wristlock, so Hugh fights him off with an actual hair pull, and Steiner bitches about it like a little girl. You're twice his size! Just hit him! Hugh tries a turnbuckle smash, but Scott counters with a belly-to-belly suplex, and tags brother Rick Steiner in. Hugh comes at him with forearms, and uses a corner whip to set up an avalanche, but a second one misses, and Rick launches him with an overhead suplex. Pair of Steinerlines follow, and Rick takes a dives with a flying clothesline, so Morrus bails to regroup. He tags to Konnan on the way back in, and he promptly loses a criss cross when Rick throws a clothesline. Rick adds a German suplex, and it's back to Scott for another suplex, so Konnan tags out. Jimmy Hart thinks fast by tripping Scott up, however, allowing Hugh a neckbreaker. Morrus capitalizes by press-dropping Scott across the top rope, and the Dungeon of Doom go to work on him. A miscommunication allows Scott to overhead suplex Konnan, and there's the hot tag to Rick - Roseanne Barr the door! Rick hits Hugh with the flying bulldog, but Konnan breaks the cover up at two, so Scott takes him into the corner for a ten-punch count. Hugh manages to clothesline Rick down, but he misses the No Laughing Matter, and Scott gives him a Frankensteiner to allow Rick the pin at 9:37. I know it wouldn't have made any sense, but the Steiner's against Benoit and Meng probably would have been pretty awesome. Afterwards, Konnan turns on Morrus. * ½ (Original rating: ½*)

 

Steve McMichael v Reggie White: We get some measuring to start, with McMichael getting the better of him due to his wrestling experience, but Reggie managing to outsmart him to put Mongo on the outside. Steve threatens to walk out, but Gilbert Brown (also of the Green Bay Packers) shows up to force him back inside. White greets him with a dropkick for two, as the crowd chants for McMichael. Even he, as the heel, is getting cheered for holding up the four fingers in this building. Poor Jeff Jarrett. McMichael works an armbar, and then goes after the leg. Sidewalk slam sets up a legdrop, but White dodges, and grabs a standing headlock. McMichael whips him into the ropes to escape, but White rebounds with a bodypress for two, and works a weird looking nervehold that makes it look like he's giving Steve a deep tissue massage. McMichael praying while in the hold is a funny touch, though. Mongo uses a mulekick to escape, so at least you can't say he wasn't just hanging around Flair for the partying. Steve works a half-crab, but Reggie makes the ropes, so Steve tries a figure four, but Reggie shoves him to the outside to block. McMichael goes upstairs on the way back in, but Reggie slams him off the top. Yep, definitely not just drinking with the Nature Boy. Steve still recovers first, and unloads in the corner, but Reggie gets fired up, and throws a few clotheslines. Reggie with an inverted atomic drop and a clothesline to send Mongo over the top, and he follows to whip Mongo into the rail out there. Inside, White uses a vertical suplex to set up a splash, but the referee is caught up with Debra McMichael. That allows Steve to go for the briefcase, but Gilbert cuts him off. That draws Jarrett out to pass McMichael another case, and White eats it at 15:16. This was generally fine as an exhibition, but fifteen minutes was a lot for two crossover guys without some better workers in there to guide/carry things. ½* (Original rating: DUD)

 

Main Event: No Disqualification Six-Man Tag Team Match: Syxx and The Outsiders v Ric Flair, Roddy Piper, and Kevin Greene: This is Flair's first match since September 1996, and Tony notes that Flair won the world title in this very building at Starrcade '93, and that the guy he beat was never seen from again after that night. Well, that's certainly one version of what happened. Syxx and Flair start, and Syxx dominates him with speed, but makes the mistake of mocking the strut, and he takes a big ol' chop. Syxx comes back with a spinkick, and he pounds Ric with his own chops in the corner, but the Nature Boy turns the tables. Cross corner whip sets up a backdrop, so Scott Hall tries running in, but Flair chops him down. Ric runs over to crack Kevin Nash with one, too, and the incredulous look on big Kevin's face is pretty amazing. Hall officially tags into the match, but Flair has had enough fun, and gives it to Greene. Hall decides to make it a battle of the Kevin's instead, however, and big Nash tries pushing him around, but a criss cross goes badly when Greene hits a jumping shoulderblock. Greene adds a clothesline, and he's flexing like a videogame Lex Luger. Greene knocks Nash to the outside, so Hall tries sneak attacking, but Greene clotheslines him down as well, and the nWo bail to regroup on the outside. Dust settles on Hall and Piper, and Scott tries messing with him by slapping the bad hip, but Piper responds with a slap right to the face. That was funny. Roddy beats him into the corner, so Hall tries a backdrop, but Piper is ready with a kneelift. Scott tries railroading him into the nWo corner, but Roddy fights all three heels off, and drops Hall with a neckbreaker. That draws Syxx in with a cheap shot to the bad hip, and that's enough to turn the tide. Hall tries adding insult to injury by putting Roddy in a figure four, but Piper blocks, and manages a tag to Ric. Flair comes in hot, but an attempt at a flying bodypress gets caught in a fallaway slam. But, hey, he actually managed to make the dive without getting blocked. That's something. Give the boy that. Flair ends up on the outside for a beating from the nWo, and Hall uses a leveraged pin on him for two. The nWo go to work on the Nature Boy, but a double knockout with Syxx allows the hot tag to Piper. The referee misses it, so Piper just decks him. It's no DQ anyway, so good for Hot Rod. Everyone comes in for the brawl, and Roseanne Barr the door. Why didn't they just do that right away? It's no DQ, and the nWo aren't exactly known for fair play to begin with. Flair gets Hall in the Figure Four as Piper holds Nash in a Sleeper - allowing Greene to front-powerslam Syxx for the pin (counted by replacement referee Nick Patrick) at 17:13. This was a very basic, but very fun match, and in front of a super hot crowd. It wasn't really at the level of workrate that a PPV main event requires, but it was entertaining, and certainly didn't feel like it under delivered, or overstayed its welcome. There was a lot of political bullshit involved here (from the WCW guys not wanting Syxx in the match, to who would do the job, to whether or not there would even be a six-man), as well as some personal animosity, but you'd never know all that from watching this, as everyone worked really well together. ** ½ (Original rating: *)

 

BUExperience: Though forgettable (I’ve seen it several times before and couldn’t remember a thing about it), it’s actually a fun show to throw on and just enjoy. Very watchable.

 

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