WCW Bash at the Beach '97

Hosted by Tony Schiavone, the “American Dream” Dusty Rhodes, & Bobby “The Brain” Heenan

Can Rodman inch his way toward victory with Hogan in the main event? Will the Steiners earn yet another chance at tag team gold? Who will be forced to retire? Who is DDP's mystery partner? So many questions, let's find out the answers!

Match 1: Glacier & Ernest Miller versus Wrath & Mortis (w/ James Vandenberg)

"Iron" Mike Tenay joined the broadcast table for this match.
At the onset a melee broke out, and Glacier gave Mortis a cross corner whip.
He then crotched Mortis with the top rope, and Miller nailed an incoming Wrath with a springboard kick.
As Miller tagged in, he delivered a jumping thrust kick to Mortis for 2.
Wrath tagged in, but Miller hit a bicycle kick.
When Miller came off the ropes, Wrath caught and gave him a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker.
He then mounted the second turnbuckle, walked the second rope, but missed an elbow drop.
After Wrath sandwiched them together and shoved them in a corner, Glacier and Miller came back with a double dropkick for 2.

Glacier then anticipated an attack from Mortis and nailed him sending him to the floor.
Next, Wrath gave Glacier a big boot that sent him to the floor.
Mortis then made Glacier taste the steel railing. It must have tasted like the Chavo chicken at Malcolm's Bar.
While Glacier's on the floor, Wrath delivered a somersault senton.
Miller then distracted referee Jimmy Jett so Mortis gave Glacier a Wrath-and-chair-assisted superkick against the ring post. OUCH!
As Glacier gave Mortis another cross corner whip, he followed with a heel kick.
He then turned around only to eat a clothesline from Wrath with a 360° sell for 2. Woohoo!
When Wrath tagged in, he and Mortis delivered a powerbomb/neckbreaker combo on Glacier for 2. Impressive!
Wrath then gave Glacier a back elbow and a reverse Boston crab while Mortis mounted the second turnbuckle and hit a guillotine leg drop for another 2.
After a slam, Mortis mounted the top turnbuckle but missed a moonsault.
Wrath came in to cut off the hot tag, but Miller came in illegally nonetheless.
As he gave Wrath a superkick, Miller delivered a roundhouse kick to Mortis.
All four wrestlers were in the ring while Glacier gave Mortis the ten-punch count-along.
When Mortis reversed a cross corner whip, he booted Glacier in the midsection.
He then attempted a suplex, but Glacier countered with a DDT.
After Glacier made a lateral press, Vandenberg placed Mortis' foot under the bottom rope and wrapped a chain around it.
He then got up on the apron to distract both Glacier and Jett.
As a result, Glacier superkicked the bejeezus out of him sending him to the floor.
Meanwhile, Mortis superkicked Glacier with the chain.
1-2-3.
Wrath and Mortis won.

Summary: Much better than I anticipated with good teamwork on both sides. The match told a good story too as the heels cheated to win. Glacier is no longer undefeated.

Backstage, DDP participates in an interview for wcwwrestling.com yet reveals no secrets.

Match 2 for the WCW Cruiserweight title: Chris Jericho (champion) versus Ultimo Dragon

Jericho gave Dragon a cross corner whip which resulted in a Dragon headstand and a mule kick.

As Dragon unleashed a series of kicks, Jericho came back with a double powerbomb.
He then hit a senton for 2.
While the Daytona faithful chanted "We Want Syxx," Jericho delivered a delayed vertical suplex for another 2.
He then gave Dragon a backbreaker, grabbed a head lock, but Dragon countered with a belly-to-back suplex.
After Jericho gave Dragon a cross corner whip, Dragon floated over only to fall victim to a Jericho moonsault. Unfortunately for Jericho, he couldn't get 3.
He then hooked a double underhook powerbomb yet still couldn't put away Dragon.
When he placed Dragon atop the top turnbuckle, Jericho attempted a superplex, but Dragon blocked it.
Instead, Jericho joined Dragon atop the top turnbuckle and dropkicked him to the floor. Wow!
He then hit a springboard plancha to Dragon on the floor. Woohoo!
Back in the ring, he slammed Dragon, mounted the second turnbuckle, leaped, but ate boot.
Dragon then placed Jericho atop the top turnbuckle and joined him.
As Jericho tossed him down to the mat, Dragon rejoined him only to get shoved down to the floor again.
Jericho then mounted the top turnbuckle, leaped, but ate a dropkick. Great timing!
After Dragon attempted a suplex on floor, Jericho countered with a snap suplex.
He then guillotined Dragon with the top rope but missed a springboard dive landing on the floor.
When Dragon faked out one aerial maneuver, he succeeded with an Asai moonsault.
Dragon then gave Jericho a somersault huracanrana for 2.
When he attempted a handspring elbow, Jericho attempted la magistral cradle.
Dragon then escaped and hooked his own for another 2.
As Jericho escaped a dragon suplex, he countered with a victory roll for 2.
Both wrestlers then fell to the floor, and Dragon gave Jericho an enziguri.
After Jericho escaped a suplex back into the ring, he hit a Lionsault to Dragon's back and hooked a cradle for 2.
He then slammed Dragon, attempted another Lionsault, but Dragon dropkicked him in mid-air again.
When Jericho blocked a tiger suplex, Dragon attempted a dragon sleeper.
Jericho then escaped but ate a clothesline.
As Dragon mounted the top turnbuckle, he delivered a moonsault and attempted another dragon suplex.
Jericho escaped again and attempted another double underhook powerbomb.
After Dragon countered with a huracanrana, Jericho countered with a sunset flip.
1-2-3.
Jericho retained.

Summary: If the Daytona faithful had given a damn, and the match had contained some dramatic near falls, this would have been perfect. As it is, it's still great and worth seeking out.

At the entrance, "Mean" Gene Okerlund shills the hotline and interviews Raven who is sitting in the front row. Stevie Richards sits next to him. Finally, Raven speaks but in prose and doesn't answer the question about being DDP's mystery partner. When Richards brings up the topic of "announcement tomorrow night," Raven slugs him.

If the Steiners win, they become #1 contenders to the World tag team titles...again.
Check out Muta's entrance garb. Perhaps he thought Halloween was during the summer.

At the onset, Chono and Muta tossed each Steiner to the floor.
The Steiners then mounted the same top turnbuckle and hit stereo Steinerlines.
As Scott gave Muta a cross corner whip, he ate boot on his follow-through.
He then leap-frogged Muta but ate a thrust kick to the midsection.
Next, he delivered a double underhook powerbomb to Muta.
Upon giving Muta a gorilla press slam, Scott tagged out.
Chono tagged in and gave Rick a Yazuza kick.
Shortly after, Rick powerslammed Chono who then sought refuge outside the ring.
Tags were exchanged on both sides while Muta reversed a cross corner whip.
When Scott ate a knee in his back from Chono, he placed Muta atop the top turnbuckle.
Although he joined Muta, Scott was in the nWo corner.
Chono then nailed him from behind and gave Scott an electric chair.
After Muta gave him a handspring elbow, he bulldogged Scott.
He then delivered a flashing elbow and tagged in Chono.
While Rick distracted referee Mickey Jay, Scott escaped a double-team, joined Chono atop the top turnbuckle, and hooked an overhead belly-to-belly superplex. Wow!
Hot tag Rick.
He then gave Muta and Chono each an overhead belly-to-belly suplex.
Upon mounting the top turnbuckle, Rick hit a bulldog on Muta for 2.
All four wrestlers were in the ring while Rick powerslammed Chono.
Meanwhile, Scott delivered a belly-to-belly suplex to Muta and mounted the second turnbuckle.
As Chono nailed Scott in the back, Muta hit a super huracanrana. Woohoo!
Rick returned to the ring but received a dragon screw leg whip from Muta.
When Muta attempted another handspring elbow, Rick caught and gave him a release German suplex for 2.

Scott then delivered a Frankensteiner to Muta for 2.
While Chono argued with Jay, the Steiners gave Muta the Steiner DDT.
1-2-3.
The Steiners won.

Summary: Awesome match as each wrestler got to showcase himself well. The only question is when the Steiners will get their title shot.

Partido 4: La Parka, Psicosis, y Villano IV (w/ Sonny Onoo) contra Juventud Guerrera, Hector Garza, y Lizmark, Jr.

This match would appear to be a car wreck waiting to happen, but in a good way.

Villano IV gave Garza a cross corner whip followed by an avalanche.
As Garza reversed a second cross corner whip, he ate a mule kick on his follow-through.
He then sent Villano IV to the floor, caught him with a baseball slide, moonsaulted while landing on his feet on the floor, and delivered a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker.
When Guerrera gave La Parka a pair of flying headscissors, he monkey-flipped La Parka over the top rope to the floor.
Guerrera then hooked La Parka between the ropes and gave him another flying headscissors on the floor.
After Guerrera got involved with some members of the Daytona faithful, Onoo laid in some kicks to him.
La Parka then held Guerrera for him, but Onoo inadvertently kicked La Parka.
As more rudo miscommunication occurred, Garza mounted the top turnbuckle and hit a cross body block.
Guerrera then hit a springboard senton on La Parka before the technicos dropkicked the rudos out of the ring.
Next, the technicos delivered stereo tope con hilos to the rudos on the floor. Amazing!
Guerrera then tossed Psicosis back into the ring, attempted a springboard manuever, but ate a dropkick in mid-air.
When Psicosis placed Guerrera atop the top turnbuckle, he joined and DESTROYED Guerrera with a top rope sunset flip. That looked DANGEROUS!
Surprisingly, Guerrera kicked out at 2.
Psicosis then gave Guerrera a cross corner whip into the rudo corner, and La Parka clotheslined him.
Upon giving Guerrera a second cross corner whip, Psicosis whipped La Parka into a mule kick by Guerrera.
La Parka then monkey-flipped Guerrera into Psicosis. As a result, Guerrera hooked a West Coast Pop on Psicosis.
From the top turnbuckle, Garza hit a moonsault on La Parka while Lizmark, Jr. delivered one of his own to Villano IV.
After some more rudo miscommunication, Garza and Lizmark, Jr. hooked a star until La Parka tossed Guerrera onto Lizmark, Jr.

Not THAT kind of star! Sorry, Dorothy.
Psicosis then clotheslined Garza, mounted the top turnbuckle, but missed a splash.
Following that, Lizmark, Jr., Villano IV, Guerrera, and La Parka missed high spots.
Villano IV then gave Guerrera a belly-to-belly suplex, mounted the top turnbuckle, but got caught.
As Lizmark, Jr. spoiled a double-team by the rudos, he hit a cartwheel moonsault on Villano IV for 2.
He then dropkicked Villano IV out of the ring, mounted the top turnbuckle, and delivered a tope.
When La Parka gave Lizmark, Jr. a corkscrew plancha, Garza assisted Guerrera with some serious hang time on a tope. Increíble!
Psicosis then got backdropped by Garza over the top rope onto La Parka.
To put the cherry on top, Garza then hit the corkscrew plancha onto the remaining five luchadores.

In the ring, Garza and Psicosis clothesline one another while Villano V ran to the ring.
Villano V then gave Garza a leg drop for 2.
Upon clotheslining Garza, he got another 2.
Mistakenly, Villano V then clotheslined Psicosis instead of Garza over the top rope to the floor.
Garza then hit a missile dropkick followed by a standing moonsault.
1-2-3.
Garza, Guerrera, y Lizmark, Jr. ganan.

Summary: Tremendous irony that Villano V took the fall despite working only the last minute of the match. While spot-rific, the match was incredibly entertaining as all six wrestlers defied gravity and made it look extremely good.

Match 5 (career): The “Crippler” Chris Benoit versus Kevin Sullivan (w/ Jacqueline & Jimmy Hart)

Loser of this match must RETIRE.
After Sullivan suplexes Benoit over the top rope to the floor, he joined and whipped Benoit back-first into the steel railing.
Jacqueline then nailed Benoit and sent him back-first into the steel railing.
As Sullivan and Jacqueline double-team him, Benoit tossed Jacqueline into Sullivan.
Speaking of Sullivan, he used Jacqueline as a weapon and made Benoit taste the steel railing. It must have tasted like the Nachos Machos at the Lucky Rooster.
Sullivan then tossed Benoit into the surfboard section of the beach set and rammed him face-first into the lifeguard chair.
Next, he tossed a surfboard at Benoit and then BEANED him with a real one. OUCH!
When Sullivan tossed a beach chair at him, Benoit noticed Hart on the lifeguard chair and pushed it over. Will we ever hear or see Jimmy Hart again? Stay tuned!
Benoit then nailed Sullivan with a beach chair, but Jacqueline took the chair and whacked Benoit with it.
As Sullivan made him taste numerous Rooster Balls, he piledrove Benoit on the concrete floor.
GET OUT THE SPATULA!
Jacqueline then hit a pair of elbow drops before Sullivan gave Benoit the Devil Stomp.
After they returned to the ring, Benoit delivered a clothesline.
Sullivan then tossed Benoit to the floor, and Hart put the loafers to him.

When Sullivan joined him on the floor, he rammed Benoit face-first into the steps.
He then crotched Benoit with the ring post and then the steel railing.
As he clotheslined Benoit to the floor, Sullivan put a knee down I-95 SOUTH to Titusville.

Back in the ring, Benoit crotched Sullivan with the top rope.
He then delivered a snap suplex for 2.
Jealous that Benoit ate all of the Rooster Balls, Sullivan bit him in the midsection.
Benoit then performed his best Mike Tyson imitation by biting Sullivan's ear. I hope he didn't bite it off.

Afterward, he hooked the Crippler Crossface, but Sullivan made the ropes.
He then dragged Sullivan to the middle of the ring and reapplied it.
When Sullivan made the ropes again, Benoit reversed a cross corner whip but came up empty on his follow-through.
Sullivan then placed Benoit atop the top turnbuckle and tied him to the Tree of Woe.
As Sullivan repeatedly nailed Benoit in the corner, Jacqueline pulled a balsa wood chair from under the ring.
Hart then distracted referee Nick Patrick while Jacqueline entered the ring and argued with Sullivan over the chair.
Suddenly, she CROWNED Sullivan with the chair!
WE HAVE A FACE TURN!
Benoit then mounted the top turnbuckle and hit the diving head butt.
1-2-3.
Sullivan must retire!

Summary: Putting Sullivan full-time behind the scenes was the mission behind this match. Thank goodness! Benoit can finally move on to better opponents. Keep in mind that Sullivan lost his retirement match IN HIS HOMETOWN. That becomes important later in 1997.

After the match, Hart screams at Sullivan and gets pushed down to the mat. He then yells that Sullivan "let (the Dungeon of Doom) down."

Match 6 for the WCW US title: Jeff Jarrett (champion) versus Steve “Mongo” McMichael (w/ Queen Debra)

Before the match began, Mongo swiped the belt so that he can solicit cheers from the Daytona faithful.
Jarrett did the same thing and received jeers.
As the bell rang, the Daytona faithful chanted "Jarrett sucks."
Jarrett then came off the ropes and ate a Bossman slam.
Next, Mongo gave Jarrett a three-point stance tackle causing Jarrett to seek refuge outside the ring.
Jarrett returned but received a high knee from Mongo.
When Mongo clotheslined him over the top rope to the floor, Jarrett pulled him outside the ring and made him taste the steel railing. It must have tasted like Rooster Balls. Oh, wait, that was the last match. Instead, it must have tasted like the Turning Japanese at the Grind Gastropub. Methinks the restaurant doesn't understand the lyrics to the song.

Nevertheless, Jarrett rammed Mongo face-first into the steps.
Mongo then reversed an Irish whip sending Jarrett into the steel railing.
After he rammed Jarrett face-first into the steps, Mongo choked Jarrett with a microphone cable.
He then gave Jarrett an elbow drop on the apron.
Back in the ring, Mongo pressed Jarrett overhead and dropped him.
He then powerslammed Jarrett for 2.
As he gave Jarrett a cross corner whip, Mongo came up empty on his follow-through. Also, he injured his knee.
Jarrett then delivered a pair of three-point stance tackles to the injured Mongo.
When he attempted the figure-four leg lock, Debra got up on the apron.
Jarrett then stole the Haliburton from her while she distracted referee Jimmy Jett.
After Jarrett nailed Mongo's arm with the Haliburton, he SMASHED it on his head.
1-2-3.
Jarrett retained.

Summary: Is it me or does Jarrett not care about working with Mongo? While he used his charisma to keep the Daytona faithful involved, he did nothing wrestling-wise.

We then get a pre-recorded black-and-white nWo interview with Hogan and Rodman. While he wears a beach hat and nWo t-shirt, Rodman also wears nail polish.

Match 7: “Macho Man” Randy Savage & Scott Hall (w/ Elizabeth) versus Diamond Dallas Page & ???? (w/ Kimberly)

Kimberly led DDP to the ring, and the mystery partner is...Curt Hennig...to ZERO pop.
After DDP missed a discus punch, he clotheslined Savage.
Tags were exchanged on both sides as the former AWA tag champions faced off.

As Hennig gave Hall a knee lift, he followed with an atomic drop.
He then delivered an inverted atomic drop and an Axe.
Next, he gave Hall a running neck snap and tagged in DDP.
Hall then reversed an Irish whip, but DDP hit a pancake and nailed Savage.
When Hall reversed a cross corner whip, he followed with a corner clothesline.
He then distracted referee Mickey Jay so that Savage could hammer DDP.
After Hall performed the crotch chop, Savage tagged in.
Savage then mounted the top turnbuckle and hit a double axe handle.
As Hall tagged in, Hennig distracted Jay, and Savage hammered DDP again. SNEAKY!
The Daytona faithful then chanted "D-D-P" while Hall dumped their hero to the floor.
When Savage rammed DDP back-first into the steps, he tossed him back in for a Hall discus punch. That got 2.
Savage tagged in, but DDP gave him an inverted atomic drop.
After Hennig tagged in, Savage reversed an Irish whip.
I believe that DDP was supposed to low-bridge him but didn't get the rope down far enough.
Instead, Savage kicked Hennig to the floor.
Thinking that DDP had betrayed him, Hennig nailed DDP from behind.
He then left DDP to the wolves as he headed backstage.

After Hall delivered the Outsider Edge, Savage mounted the top turnbuckle.
He then hit the big elbow and pinned DDP with one foot on his chest.
As a result, Hall and Savage won thanks to Hennig.

Summary: More storyline than match as the Hennig soap opera continues. Where do his allegiances lie? Stay tuned!

Piper beat him up until Flair sought refuge outside the ring.
After each wrestler chopped the other, the result became a Flair flop.
Piper then gave Flair the ten-punch count-along followed by a cross corner whip.
As a Flair flip took Flair to the apron, Piper clotheslined him to the floor.
Piper then joined and made Flair taste the steel railing. It must have tasted like Rooster Balls. Er, I did that joke already. Sorry. It must have tasted like the Floribbean chicken sandwich at Reflections.
When Piper backdropped him on the floor, he made Flair HIT THE POLE.
Referee Mark Curtis then admonished Piper allowing Flair to deliver a chop block.
After another chop block, Flair hooked the figure-four leg lock.
Will Piper submit?
No, he reversed the hold.
He then gave Flair a swinging neckbreaker for 2.
As Piper choked him, Flair implemented his handy-dandy uppercut downstairs.

Shortly after, Piper took Flair a couple flights down himself.
He then gave Flair a cross corner whip followed by a back drop.
When he clotheslined Flair over the top rope to the floor, Piper joined and brawled with Flair.
Back in the ring, Piper reversed an Irish whip and hooked a sleeper.
Flair then countered with a jawbreaker for 2 with his foot on the ropes.
After Flair mounted the top turnbuckle, PIper caught and slammed him down to the mat.
Piper then hooked his own figure-four leg lock until Flair made the ropes.
As Flair pulled a foreign object out of his knee pad, Heenan called it a "hand protector." HA!
Piper then blocked a right, removed the brass knux, and nailed Flair. Prior to nailing Flair, he had pushed referee Mark Curtis down.
Suddenly, Benoit and Mongo hit the ring.
While Mongo distracted Curtis, Benoit mounted the top turnbuckle.
Seeing Benoit out of the corner of his eye, Piper evaded him causing Benoit to head butt Flair.
Benoit then distracted Curtis so that Mongo could tombstone Piper. That only got 2 for Flair.
When Flair reversed an Irish whip, Piper hooked another sleeper.
Piper won.

Summary: Flair trying to wrestle Piper is like Benoit trying to wrestle Sullivan. It's just not going to work. While each wrestler used charisma and their tried-but-true tactics to delight the Daytona faithful, they didn't provide a worthwhile wrestling match.

Match 9: WCW World champion “Hollywood” Hogan & the "Worm" Dennis Rodman (w/ "Macho Man" Randy Savage) versus the “Total Package” Lex Luger & Giant

Buffer rumbled.
To show how popular WCW was, boxer and low-blow specialist Andrew Golota sat among the Daytona faithful.

After approximately five minutes, Hogan gave Luger a cross corner whip followed by a corner clothesline.
He then slammed Luger but missed a leg drop.
As Luger slammed him, Hogan tagged out.
Clad in jeans and an nWo t-shirt, Rodman endured a LOUD "Rodman sucks" chant.
After a collar-and-elbow tie-up, Rodman gave Luger an arm drag. Normally I don't report those, but that's the first ever wrestling move executed by Rodman.
Luger then gave Rodman an arm drag knocking the bandana off him. Meanwhile, the Daytona faithful ERUPTED.

Upon leap-frogging Luger, Rodman shoulder-blocked him. The announcing trio acted incredulously. Personally, the guy jumps for a living so a leap frog shouldn't be trivial whatsoever.
Rodman then leap-frogged Luger twice but ate a clothesline.
When tags were exchanged on both sides, Hogan clotheslined Giant twice but couldn't take him off his feet.
He then gave Giant a cross corner whip followed by a corner clothesline.
To counter a side head lock, Giant delivered an atomic drop to Hogan.
Rodman tagged in, leap-frogged Giant, but got caught on a second attempt.
As Giant hooked a bear hug, he gave Rodman an inverted atomic drop. Perhaps Madonna should make different arrangements tonight.

Giant then spanked Rodman and applied a standing choke.
Shortly after, Rodman and Hogan double-clotheslined Giant.
Rodman tagged in, and Hogan mounted the second turnbuckle to lower the boom on Giant.
When Hogan tagged in, he gave Giant a big boot but didn't take him off his feet.
Luger then distracted referee Randy Anderson, and Hogan and Rodman delivered a double hip toss to Giant. Wow!
Hot tag Luger.
After Luger cleaned house, Savage got up on the apron only to get nailed by Luger.
Luger then came off the ropes but received a boot to the back of the head by Rodman.
As Hogan gave Luger a belly-to-back suplex, he got 2.
He then distracted Anderson so that Savage could hammer Luger. How dastardly!
When Hogan slammed Luger, he hit the leg drop for another 2.
While the Daytona faithful chanted "Lu-ger," Rodman tagged in and gave Luger a series of back elbows.
He then delivered the standing boot choke and argued with Anderson.
Upon reversing a cross corner whip, Luger came up empty on his follow-through.
Giant tagged in and put down both Rodman and Hogan with consecutive big boots.
After Giant gave them a double noggin knocker, a rather tall Sting sauntered toward the ring.

Rodman then knocked Anderson OUT COLD and sent him to the floor.
As Giant attempted to chokeslam Rodman, rather tall Sting walked over the top rope and WHACKED Giant with a baseball bat.
Again, the announcing trio were incredulous that this was actually Sting. Unlike Barry Windham at Halloween Havoc '90, this Sting imposter didn't cut his hair or shave off his beard.
Hogan then inadvertently hit Rodman, so Luger hooked the Torture Rack on him.
Suddenly, Nick Patrick hit the ring and called for Hogan's submission.
Giant and Luger won.

Summary: Rodman's wrestling "skills" were immensely better than anticipated. Sending the fans home happy with Luger making Hogan submit was a great finish business-wise.

After the match, Luger puts Rodman in the Torture Rack until Savage comes in. Luger then places Savage in the Torture Rack to end the show.

Conclusion: Since WCW believed a more casual audience would tune in for Rodman, the wrestling took a back seat to storylines and charisma-based storytelling. On the other hand, the Jericho/Steiners/lucha matches were between really good to stellar. Hence, I advise checking this show out but be forewarned that the actual wrestling takes a hiatus in the second stanza.