Meng

‘WCW BASH AT THE BEACH 1995’ Recap + Review – Hogan vs. Vader, Lifeguard Match, Coolest Wrestling Venue of All-Time

by

DATE: July 16, 1995
VENUE: Huntington Beach (Huntington Beach, CA)
COMMENTATORS: Tony Schiavone & Bobby “The Brain” Heenan
VIEWING METHOD: Peacock

Bash at the Beach 1995 brings the action of World Championship Wrestling to an honest to god beach, the only place that contain a main event as big as Hulk Hogan vs. Vader in a Steel Cage. Since we’re on a beach and Baywatch is a thing we’ve also got a Lifeguard match as Ric Flair and Randy Savage continue their year-long feud, The Renegade defends the Television Championship against “Mr. Wonderful” Paul Orndorff, and…Jim Duggan takes on Kamala? We sure this is a WCW show?

Read more

‘WCW THE GREAT AMERICAN BASH 1995’ Recap + Review – Savage vs. Flair, Sting vs. Meng, Hacksaw vs. Pitbull

by

DATE: June 18, 1995
VENUE: Hara Arena (Dayton, OH)
COMMENTATORS: Tony Schiavone & Bobby “The Brain” Heenan
VIEWING METHOD: Peacock

The Great American Bash returns to the WCW PPV lineup with this 1995 edition, headlined by the blood feud between Randy Savage and Ric Flair. A new United States Heavyweight Champion is also crowned as Sting & Meng battle waddle for the vacant wacant title witle, and Arn Anderson defends the World Television Title against The Renegade.

Read more

‘WCW UNCENSORED 1999’ Recap + Review – BOB WIRE, Lumberjacks with Straps, Dog Collars, Oh My

by

DATE: March 14, 1999
VENUE: Freedom Hall (Louisville, KY)
COMMENTATORS: Tony Schiavone, Bobby “The Brain” Heenan, & “The Professor” Mike Tenay

All sorts of things are on the line at Uncensored 1999 as Ric Flair fights to become WCW World Champion and PRESIDENT FOR LIFE, challenging Hollywood Hogan in a First Blood Cage Match topped with BOB WIRE. Also on the show Rey Mysterio Jr. looks for revenge against Kevin Nash, Mikey Whipwreck makes his improbable WCW debut, Perry Saturn finally embraces the real him, and a bunch of other sh*t thrown against the wall because it’s Uncensored.

CHAMPIONS

  • WCW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION: Hollywood Hogan
  • WCW UNITED STATES HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION: Scott Hall
  • WCW WORLD TELEVISION CHAMPION: “Big Poppa Pump” Scott Steiner
  • WCW CRUISERWEIGHT CHAMPION: Kidman
  • WCW WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS: Curt Hennig & Barry Windham

LINEUP

  • Kidman [c] vs. Mikey Whipwreck for the WCW CRUISERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP (***3/4)
  • HARLEM STREET FIGHT: Stevie Ray vs. Vincent (*3/4)
  • Rey Mysterio Jr. vs. Kevin Nash (*1/2)
  • HANDICAP MATCH: Jerry Flynn vs. Ernest Miller & Sonny Onoo (*1/2)
  • Raven vs. Hak vs. Bam Bam Bigelow (***)
  • LUMBERJACK (WITH STRAPS) MATCH: Curt Hennig & Barry Windham [c] vs. Chris Benoit & Dean Malenko for the WCW WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP (**1/4)
  • DOG COLLAR MATCH: Perry Saturn vs. Chris Jericho (**)
  • Scott Steiner [c] vs. Booker T for the WCW WORLD TELEVISION CHAMPIONSHIP (*3/4)
  • FIRST BLOOD CAGE MATCH: Hollywood Hogan [c] vs. Ric Flair for the WCW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP (*1/2)

Read more

[#everyNITROever] ‘WCW Monday Nitro’ 9.25.95 – Luger vs. Meng, Savage vs. Taskmaster

by

Venue: Florence Civic Center (Florence, SC)
Commentators: Eric Bischoff, Bobby ‘The Brain’ Heenan, & Steve ‘Mongo’ McMichael

On this week’s Monday Nitro future dancing best friends Alex Wright and Disco Inferno meet in singles action, Randy Savage gets revenge on The Taskmaster for the latter’s beach attack on the set of Baywatch (…yup), and Lex Luger takes on Meng. Also Hulk Hogan is here to show off his goofy neck brace so that’s fuuuuun.

Champion Roll-Call

  • WCW World Heavyweight Champion: Hulk Hogan
  • WCW United States Champion: Sting
  • WCW World Television Champion: Diamond Dallas Page
  • WCW World Tag Team Champions: The American Males (Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Scotty Riggs)

The Lineup

  • Alex Wright vs. Disco Inferno (**)
  • Craig Pittman vs. Kurasawa (***1/4)
  • Randy Savage vs. The Taskmaster (1/4*)
  • Lex Luger vs. Meng

Read more

[PPV Recap] ‘WCW Fall Brawl 1995’ – War Games, Anderson vs. Flair, Badd vs. Pillman

by

Date: September 17, 1995
Venue: Asheville Civic Center (Asheville, NC)
Commentators: Tony Schiavone & Bobby ‘The Brain’ Heenan

The third annual Fall Brawl features Hulk Hogan’s first time in a War Games match, as he leads his team into battle against The Dungeon of Doom. Also on the show Ric Flair takes on Arn Anderson for the first time, Johnny B. Badd and Brian Pillman fight to become #1 contender to the United States Championship, and Harlem Heat tries to win back the WCW World Tag Team Championship from Bunkhouse Buck & Dick Slater. Let’s goooo.

Champion Roll-Call

  • WCW World Heavyweight Champion: Hulk Hogan
  • WCW United States Champion: Sting
  • WCW World Television Champion: The Renegade
  • WCW World Tag Team Champions: Bunkhouse Buck & Dick Slater

The Lineup

  • #1 Contender’s Match: Johnny B. Badd vs. Brian Pillman (****1/4)
  • Cobra vs. Craig Pittman (SQUASH)
  • The Renegade [c] vs. Diamond Dallas Page for the WCW WORLD TELEVISION CHAMPIONSHIP (**)
  • Bunkhouse Buck & Dick Slater [c] vs. Harlem Heat for the WCW WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP (*1/2)
  • Arn Anderson vs. Ric Flair (****1/2)
  • War Games: Hulk Hogan, Lex Luger, Sting, & Randy Savage vs. The Dungeon of Doom (*)

Read more

[#everyNITROever] ‘WCW Monday Nitro’ 9.11.95 – Hogan vs. Luger, Sabu Debuts

by

Venue: Knight Center (Miami, FL)
Commentators: Eric Bischoff, Bobby ‘The Brain’ Heenan, & Steve ‘Mongo’ McMichael

This week on Monday Nitro the WCW World Heavyweight Championship is on the line as Hulk Hogan takes on the returning Lex Luger for the first time. Also on the show VK Wallstreet makes his return to WCW, Randy Savage faces off with Scott Norton, and ‘Das Wunderkind’ Alex Wright tries to figure out how to face Sabu while WCW tries to figure out how to market Sabu given the current state of their product.

Champion Roll-Call

  • WCW World Heavyweight Champion: Hulk Hogan
  • WCW United States Champion: Sting
  • WCW World Television Champion: The Renegade
  • WCW World Tag Team Champions: Bunkhouse Buck & Dick Slater

The Lineup

  • Alex Wright vs. Sabu (**1/2)
  • Sting [c] vs. V.K. Wallstreet for the WCW UNITED STATES CHAMPIONSHIP (**)
  • Randy Savage vs. Scott Norton (**1/4)
  • Hulk Hogan [c] vs. Lex Luger for the WCW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP (**1/2)

Read more

[#everyNITROever] ‘WCW Monday Nitro’ 9.4.95 – Hogan vs. Rogers, Sting vs. Flair, A Total (Package) Surprise

by

Venue: Mall of America (Bloomington, MN)
Commentators: Eric Bischoff, Bobby ‘The Brain’ Heenan, & Steve ‘Mongo’ McMichael

Despite having many of their competition’s former stars and the corporate backing of billionaire Ted Turner, World Championship Wrestling struggled to compete with the longstanding dominant force in professional wrestling: the World Wrestling Federation. Running out of ideas Eric Bischoff, then the company’s President, presented Turner brass with an idea: a weekly live show on Monday nights to directly compete with the WWF’s flagship Monday Night Raw. Although many believed it was a fool’s errand, Turner agreed and on September 4, 1995 WCW debuted its first-ever episode of Monday Nitro live on its new home TNT during a week where Monday Night Raw was pre-empted due to the U.S. Open tennis championship. This gamble would eventually pay off and not only did it raise the profile of WCW, it led into one of pro wrestling’s boom period.

But while we know Nitro’s impact on a broad scale, I want to dive deeper and see how the shows themselves hold up. I want to see what stories really stand the test of time, which matches deserved to be remembered, and most importantly I want to relive the rise (and, sadly, fall) of my favorite wrestling company. This is #everyNITROever and there’s no other way to begin than the first episode, aired live from the Mall of America in Bloomington, MN. Let’s do this.

Champion Roll-Call

  • WCW World Heavyweight Champion: Hulk Hogan
  • WCW United States Champion: Sting
  • WCW Television Champion: The Renegade
  • WCW World Tag Team Champions: Buckhouse Bunk & Dick Slater

The Lineup

  • Brian Pillman vs. Jushin ‘Thunder’ Liger (**1/2)
  • Sting [c] vs. Ric Flair for the WCW UNITED STATES CHAMPIONSHIP (**1/2)
  • Hulk Hogan [c] vs. Big Bubba Rogers for the WCW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP (*3/4)

Read more

[PPV Recap] ‘WCW Uncensored 1995’ – Hogan vs. Vader, Nasty Boys vs. Harlem Heat

by

Date: March 19, 1995
Venue: Tupelo Coliseum (Tupelo, MS)
Commentators: Tony Schiavone & Bobby ‘The Brain’ Heenan

The first-ever Uncensored set the tone for the soon to be annual PPV event, featuring a whole host of matches considered ‘unsanctioned’ by WCW. That meant no rules, no mercy, and NO TITLES ON THE LINE. It was a cool idea on paper but this is WCW we’re talking about so the execution left a lot to be desired. Like “a lot” a lot. I’ve never watched this one before after reading so much bad press around it but you know what? I’m game to give it a shot. What’s the worst that could-wait Jim Duggan is competing in a MARTIAL ARTS match? And this is the debut of THE RENEGADE? Oh no. Oh no oh no oh no.

Champion Roll-Call

  • WCW World Heavyweight Champion: Hulk Hogan
  • WCW United States Champion: Vader
  • WCW Television Champion: Arn Anderson
  • WCW World Tag Team Champions: Harlem Heat (Booker T & Stevie Ray)

The Lineup

  • King of the Road Match: Dustin Rhodes vs. The Blacktop Bully (*3/4)
  • Martial Arts Match: Jim Duggan vs. Meng (DUD)
  • Boxer vs. Wrestler: Johnny B. Badd vs. Arn Anderson (*1/4)
  • Randy Savage vs. Avalanche (*1/2)
  • Sting vs. Big Bubba Rogers (*1/2)
  • Texas Tornado Match: The Nasty Boys vs. Harlem Heat (**)
  • Strap Match: Hulk Hogan vs. Vader (DUD)

Read more