WELCOME TO ROCK STAR GARY REFLECTIONS!

Live from Detroit, MI

Airdate: October 29, 1995

Attendance: 13,000 (7,000 paid)

Hosted by Tony Schiavone and Bobby “The Brain” Heenan

According to Tony, Ric Flair has been attacked by Brian Pillman and Arn Anderson. Their tag match later may be in jeopardy. No! That’s why I bought the show, dammit! Oh wait, it’s 20 years later. Never mind.

Highlights from WCW Saturday Night where Badd no-showed his US title match against Sting (aired 9/30, taped 9/20). Pillman took his place but lost. At the end of the show Badd showed up stating he had a flat tire. DDP interrupted, but Maxx Muscle let the proverbial cat out of the bag with FOUR flat tires. Badd nailed DDP with the “kiss that don’t miss” in retaliation. Solid angle.

Match 1 for the World TV title: Diamond Dallas Page (champion w/ the Diamond Doll and Maxx Muscle) versus Johnny B. Badd

Highlights:

Rating: ***

Summary: Discounting DDP’s chin locks a great story was told in this match.

Match 2: “Macho Man” Randy Savage versus Kamala Zodiac

Highlights:

Rating: DUD

Summary: I realize Savage may have to wrestle twice tonight, but when the highlight of the match is a disruptive fan you get nothing.

Backstage “Mean” Gene Okerlund shills the WCW Hotline teasing a story that dealt with Carl Ouellet, I believe. Anyways, he interviews NEW WCW TV champion Johnny B. Badd. Believe it or not Gene invites Badd out for some Greek food in Detroit. Pass the baklava, please!

We see highlights from Clash XXXI where Kurasawa “broke” Hawk’s arm.

Match 3: Road Warrior Hawk versus Kurasawa (w/ Colonel Parker)

Highlights:

Rating: *

Summary: Methinks Nakanishi learned more outside the ring from Hawk than he did inside of it.

Backstage Gene interviews Savage. Pure lunacy ensues.

Match 4: Mr. JL versus Sabu (w/ the Original Sheik)

Highlights:

Rating: **

Summary: Spotfest city! While exciting it neither told a story nor went anywhere. Methinks Sabu’s WCW tenure won’t run much longer.

After the match the Sheik threw his customary fireball at Mr. JL. How dastardly!

At the entrance King Curtis yells at the Taskmaster making no sense whatsoever. Supposedly Hulkamania will be dead courtesy of the Dungeon of Doom. Also the Yeti will appear later.

Back in the locker room Gene interviews the winner of the Harley-Davidson contest (“Maniac” Mike Hill) along with “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan and Jimmy Hart.

World War III only on PPV November 26! Smell the 60-man battle royal coming your way.

Match 5: “The Total Package” Lex Luger versus Meng (w/ the Taskmaster)

Highlights:

Rating: *1/2

Summary: Slow match, but it appears that Sullivan wanted Luger to win the match in order to face Savage. The plot thickens.

Back in the locker room Gene interviews the Giant.

Match 6: “Nature Boy” Ric Flair and Sting versus “The Enforcer” Arn Anderson and “Flyin’” Brian Pillman

Highlights:

Rating: *****

Summary: Wrestling has told numerous tales during its history, but the storyline between Sting and Flair is an ongoing one that writes itself beautifully. Even though it’s apparent that Flair would turn on Sting it still played well here. Technically the match is ***-***1/2, but the finish boosts it even higher.

Gene is at the entranceway and shills the hotline. Road Warrior Hawk (sans makeup but wearing a cast) is sitting next to Mike Tenay while on the phone. Gene then interviews the Horsemen as they have been reformed again. But who will be the fourth Horseman?

Back in the locker room Tenay interviews Lex Luger.

We recap the history between the Giant and Hulk Hogan. Is RAW on?

Match 7 (Monster Truck): Hulk Hogan versus the Giant

Highlights:

Rating: NONE

Summary: Cross-promotion isn’t a bad thing, but monster trucks aren’t my thing. Sorry.

After the “match” Giant exits his truck hunting for Hogan. He confronts him near the edge of the building. Next he chokes Hogan along the ledge…until he falls off the roof! The Detroit River is shown, but the Giant isn’t spotted. Wow! That’s totally unnecessary. Eric leaves the broadcast position to find out more on the situation. I think he was trying to escape the atrocity that was this angle.

Match 8: “The Total Package” Lex Luger versus “Macho Man” Randy Savage

Highlights:

Rating: *1/2

Summary: There has to be more to this story as the question of Hart at ringside is unclear.

A replay of the aftermath of the monster truck battle is shown. I’m not certain which is worse: bait and switch or shock value for the sake of shock value. You make the call!

Match 9 for the WCW World title: Hulk Hogan (champion w/ Jimmy Hart) versus the Giant (w/ the Taskmaster)

Highlights:

Rating: DUD

Summary: Two heel turns within a match cannot raise the quality of this dreck.

After the match the trainer checks on Hogan and Savage in the ring. Tony hopes to let us know more on this situation on WCW Monday Nitro tomorrow night.

Conclusion: If one was to gauge a show based upon its main event then this sucked. However, with Flair turning on Sting I cannot say this PPV was terrible. Additionally the opening match title change was good stuff.

I realize that WCW needed another giant for its World War III PPV the following month, but putting Ron Reis in a mummy costume and referring to him as the Yeti made the Dungeon of Doom versus Hogan story even sillier than it already was.

Halloween Havoc, similar to SuperBrawl, was the perfect time and place for Hogan to drop the title. Instead Hogan lost by DQ (a cop-out finish on a PPV?) to maintain his hero character. If Hogan had jobbed the title (it didn’t have to be clean) to the Giant then a superstar was MADE!

If you’re going to watch this show, be forewarned that the Hogan/Dungeon of Doom nonsense dragged down what could have been a decent WCW PPV.

See you for the Monday Night War week 8!

Buyrate: 0.60

Comments? Suggestions? Send them to me at rsg@rockstargary.com and follow me on Twitter (@rockstargary202).

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