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.
CHAMPIONS
- WCW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION: Hulk Hogan
- WCW UNITED STATES HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION: Vacant
- WCW WORLD TELEVISION CHAMPION: “The Enforcer” Arn Anderson
- WCW WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS: The Nasty Boys (Brian Knobbs & Jerry Sags)
LINEUP
- Alex Wright vs. Brian Pillman [RECAP]
- ARM WRESTLING CONTEST: Dave Sullivan vs. Diamond Dallas Page [RECAP]
- Jim Duggan vs. Craig Pittman [RECAP]
- Harlem Heat vs. Bunkhouse Buck & Dick Slater [RECAP]
- Arn Anderson [c] vs. The Renegade for the WCW WORLD TELEVISION CHAMPIONSHIP [RECAP]
- The Nasty Boys [c] vs. The Blue Bloods for the WCW WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP [RECAP]
- Sting vs. Meng for the vacant WCW UNITED STATES HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP [RECAP]
- Randy Savage vs. Ric Flair [RECAP]
RESULTS & RATINGS
RECAP
FINAL THOUGHTS
*****
-Schiavone and Heenan open the PPV and immediately go into hype mode for Savage/Flair saying it’s appropriate that tonight’s show is on Father’s Day as Savage is getting revenge on behalf of his dad Angelo Poffo. Hulk Hogan and Vader are both here but aren’t scheduled to wrestle but there’s some potential chaos to be had.
–
“Das Wunderkind” Alex Wright vs. “Flyin” Brian Pillman
Wright and Pillman shake hands before locking up. Wright grabs a wristlock, Pillman sends him to the canvas with a monkey flip and reverses, Wright flips to his feet and counters into an armbar. Wright cartwheels out of a wristlock into an armdrag, Pillman immediately counters with a headscissors and they reset. Pillman dropkicks Wright and brings him to the canvas with a snapmare, settling into a hammerlock. Wright backflips out of the corner and ducks Pillman, connecting with a dropkick and headscissor takedown, hanging onto the hold after they hit the canvas. Pillman counters into a side headlock, Wright repeatedly trying to reverse the weight to sneak a pin. Back to a vertical base, Wright connects with another headscissors, Pillman ducks an enzuigiri and applies a crossbow but almost gets pinned because his shoulders are on the mat. Pillman breaks the hold and goes back to the side headlock takeover. Wright escapes, Pillman connects with a tilt-a-whirl headscissors, Wright swats away a dropkick attempt and immediately goes into a Boston Crab. Wright switches gears and tries a surfboard but he beefs it so it becomes a different tie-up instead. Wright surprises Pillman with a series of quick-fall attempts; a frustrated Pillman forgets the technical stuff and WRECKS Wright with a slap to the chest and a rake to the eyes. Pillman settles back into a hammerlock, Wright drops low and sends him crashing to the steps and floor. The steps are located at the CENTER of the apron instead of the side which is a choice.
Wright tries to showboat, Pillman angrily pulls him off and chops him repeatedly. Pillman and Wright exchange chops, Pillman counters a splash with a pair of knees. Pillman slows the match back down with a bodyscissors, pulling him back into a chinlock for extra pressure. No submission so Pillman drills Wright with a gutwrench slam instead for the 1…2…not yet. Pillman hangs Wright out to dry. Pillman tries to suplex Wright back into the ring, but Wright reverses and Pillman gets sent to the floor! Wright follows up with a splash to the floor, Pillman hitting the guardrail on the way down. Back in the ring Wright connects with a missile dropkick for the 1…2…Pillman kicks out! Wright sends himself to the floor, Pillman follows up with a tope suicida as Ohio cheers on their hometown favorite. Pillman comes off the buckles and hits nothing but guardrail as Wright gets out of the way just in time. Wright comes off the top again but this time Pillman dodges and he crashes to the canvas almost shoulder-first which looked PAINFUL. Pillman sets Wright up on the top turnbuckle, Wright throws him off and connects with a flying crossbody for the 1…2…PILLMAN KICKS OUT! Wright tries a whip but Pillman drops down, Wright comes off the top but Pillman catches him on the way down with a dropkick for the 1…2…WRIGHT KICKS OUT. Pillman climbs the buckles, Wright throws him into the top rope, standing switch and Wright connects with a German suplex for the 1…2…Pillman kicks out. Pillman goes for a sunset flip, Wright sits down and grabs the legs for the 1…2…3!
Alex Wright defeated Brian Pillman via pinfall (15:26)
- JON’S THOUGHTS: Excellent way to open the PPV. Wright and Pillman worked well together, with the latter helping the former through a few botches. Final stretch was tremendous, especially Pillman countering Wright with a dropkick when he came off the top. Love stuff like that. Pillman even let out some of his Hollywood Blond-like heel tendencies and had a crazy look in his eye for flashes of time. A nod to his future Loose Cannon persona? Maybe, that dude was always thinking ten steps ahead. Great win for Das Wunderkind, might be the best match I’ve ever actually seen from him. (***1/2)
–
-VIDEO: Diamond Dallas Page wins a series of Arm Wrestling contests, The Diamond Doll and Maxx Muscle by his side. If someone can beat DDP, they get a date with the Doll. Van Hammer gets close but Muscle trips him up behind the ref’s back to help DDP get the win.
–”Mean” Gene Okerlund is standing by with Dave (“Evad”) Sullivan and his rabbit Ralph. He will win tonight’s Arm Wrestling contest for Ralph and “Daddy” Sullivan; if he wins he gets a date with The Diamond Doll; if DDP wins he gets to cook Ralph the Rabbit.
–
ARM WRESTLING CONTEST
Dave Sullivan vs. Diamond Dallas Page [w/ The Diamond Doll & Maxx Muscle]
DDP comes out in a sweet fur coat, showing off some of the 13 million dollars he won earlier in the year. Sullivan makes his way out with Ralph in the animal carrier and in full wrestling gear, his theme being an instrumental version of “I Wanna Be a Hulkamaniac” which is one of the worst songs ever released. Stakes are this: if Sullivan wins, he gets a date with The Diamond Doll, if DDP wins he gets Sullivan’s pet rabbit Ralph. According to commentary Ralph was a gift to Dave from The Diamond Doll to make him feel better while he recovered from an injury.
DDP keeps stalling, Evad desperately wanting to start. Finally it’s ON and they do their arm wrestling thing. Muscle gives DDP a little leverage but gets caught, Muscle bumps into the Doll who bumps into DDP and DAVE WINS!
Dave Sullivan defeated Diamond Dallas Page (TIME NOT RECORDED)
- JON’S THOUGHTS: I mean let’s be honest this is probably the best Dave Sullivan match by default. (NR)
DDP initially blames Muscle but they hug it out, Muscle points the blame at The Diamond Doll and DDP yells her down in the corner as she cowers. He sucks so much that a date with DAVE SULLIVAN seems better in comparison. Yeesh. After a replay “Mean” Gene Okerlund interviews DDP, The Doll, and Muscle. DDP freaks out, wanting a do-over and saying he’s a 10+ while Dave is a 0.
–
“Hacksaw” Jim Duggan vs. Sgt. Craig “Pitbull” Pittman
This is Pittman’s second match of the night, having defeated Scott D’Amore (WAIT WHAT) during the Main Event pre-show. Pittman doesn’t care though and wants to battle more, and with his original opponent Marcus Alexander Bagwell out with an injury Duggan has stepped up to the plate. Duggan loves him some U.S. of A so this is the perfect PPV for him.
Duggan and Pittman shove each other and almost send referee Nick Patrick flying as he tries to separate the two. Duggan starts a “USA” chant which doesn’t really phase Pittman since he served in the Marines. I’m sure he loves his country too. Pittman grabs a waistlock, Duggan escapes and they reset. Duggan muscles Pittman over with a hip toss, angering the Pitbull. Pittman brings Duggan to one knee with a wrist lock, Duggan counters and Pittman escapes with a forearm. Duggan dodges Pittman and he sends himself out to the floor, initially landing on his feet but losing his balance before Schiavone can finish saying how impressive that was. Pittman catches Duggan with a shot to the throat and RIPS HIS KNEEPAD OFF before ramming it into the post. Holy hell, that was intimidating. Duggan and Pittman roll around the ring, Pittman grabs a leglock, releasing the hold to rain down forearms. Duggan catches Pittman with a hard right which Pittman sells like a half-second later by flying to the canvas. Pittman sweeps the legs and reapplies the leglock, his tank top also ripped up due to the intensity of the fight. Duggan gouges Pittman’s eyes to escape, Pittman pushes him to the mat and applies a spinning toehold, Duggan shoves him off and the Pitbull falls to the floor…like a second after the move happens. Timing ain’t great. Duggan belts Pittman with a series of jabs and a slam, hurting his own knee more in the process. Duggan hits Pittman with the 3 Point Stance but he absorbs it and goes after the arm instead, LOCKING IN CODE RED but Duggan gets to the ropes; Pittman refuses to let go though, forcing the ref to DQ him.
Jim Duggan defeated Craig Pittman via DQ (8:12)
- JON’S THOUGHTS: Now this was a f*cking FIGHT. Duggan and Pittman just straight up beat the hell out of each other and it was a shame they had to break it up with leglocks and other boring “wrestling” stuff. I just wanted to see them throw bombs. I was VERY surprised at how much I enjoyed this one, to be honest. I hope there’s a follow-up somewhere with an actual finish. (***1/4)
Duggan scares off the ref and Pittman with his 2×4, leading the crowd in another “USA” chant as the angry Pitbull stalks to the back.
–
–”Mean” Gene Okerlund is joined by The Blue Bloods (“Lord” Steven Regal & “Earl” Robert Eaton). Regal says The Nasty Boys have blown it and are in for the thrashing of their lives, stopping Okerlund from asking Eaton any questions.
-EARLIER ON MAIN EVENT: Sherri and Col. Robert Parker jaw jack at each other and set Harlem Heat vs. Bunkhouse Buck & Dick Slater for tonight’s Great American Bash PPV. Parker steals a kiss from Sherri, Sherri responds with a BOMB of a forearm.
–
Harlem Heat (Booker T & Stevie Ray) [w/ Sister Sherri] vs. Bunkhouse Bunk & “Dirty” Dick Slater [w/ Col. Robert Parker]
Buck & Slater attack Harlem Heat right away, Harlem Heat clear the ring and give everyone time to reset. Ray slams Slater, Buck runs in and eats a slam himself, both teams in a stand-off. Booker tags in and drops Buck with a leg lariat. Ray tags back in and connects with a big boot as Booker holds Buck in place. Ray traps Buck in a front facelock, Booker gets the tag and connects with a dropkick. Slater tags in and brings Booker to the canvas with a drop toehold, Booker counters a front chancery with a hammerlock. Ray tags in and throws bombs with Slater before settling into a chinlock off a snapmare. Booker tags in, Slater brings him to the corner and makes the tag to Buck who connects with a kneelift. Booker counters Buck with a slam, Buck avoids the elbow but Booker spins back to his feet and connects with an elbow to the head. The Spineroonie, just not called that yet. Ray tags in and dazes Ray with a series of chops and elbows. Buck tags in, Ray pokes the eye and grabs a side headlock; Slater knees him from behind to distract him and leave him open to a big boot from Buck. Buck sends Ray to the floor, Slater shoves him head-first into the post and gets in a series of kicks while the ref tries to keep Booker at bay. Slater rolls Ray in and Buck connects with another big boot for the 1…2…Ray kicks out. Ray ducks a double clothesline and hits one of his own (sorta, it almost looked like a double spear) to Buck & Slater; Booker gets the tag and he’s a house of fire. Dropkick to Slater, flying forearm to Buck but Slater quickly breaks up the pinfall attempt. Booker cradles Buck, Parker runs in to reverse it, Sherri reverses back and Booker gets the pin!
Harlem Heat defeated Bunkhouse Buck & Dick Slater via pinfall (8:41)
- JON’S THOUGHTS: Not bad for a match they threw together at the last minute. Harlem Heat is in the top half of greatest tag teams in WCW history so they rarely disappoint and I’ve got a soft spot for Buck & Slater so this was mostly my sh*t. Story was with Sherri & Parker though and I dug the finish with both trying to reverse the pin for their team but Sherri winning out. (**3/4)
–
-EARLIER ON MAIN EVENT: WCW Commissioner Nick Bockwinkel’s announcement is interrupted by Vader, who gets physical with him until Hulk Hogan makes the save. Pier-six brawl breaks out until Sting & Jim Duggan run out to separate Hogan.
-Bockwinkel is now at the booth with Schiavone & Heenan. Bockwinkel announces that Hogan vs. Vader will take place next month at Bash at the Beach in a STEEL CAGE. Bockwinkel forgot the name of the PPV midway through which was fine because he’s Nick Bockwinkel and he can do whatever the f*ck he wants.
-Okerlund brings in “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair ahead of tonight’s main event. Flair says if Randy Savage has the intestinal fortitude to walk the aisle tonight his career will come to an end. Okerlund reminds Flair that it’s Father’s Day, Flair reminds Savage he took his wife (Elizabeth) in ‘92 and took his father last month at Slamboree. Wait hold up did Flair f*ck Angelo Poffo at Slamboree? I feel like I would’ve remembered that.
–
“The Enforcer” Arn Anderson [c] vs. The Renegade [w/ “The Mouth of the South” Jimmy Hart] for the WCW WORLD TELEVISION CHAMPIONSHIP
The Renegade made his debut back in March at Uncensored as Hulk Hogan’s “Ultimate Surprise”. Naturally folks thought Hogan had meant the actual Ultimate Warrior but instead WCW decided to ruin somebody’s career before it even started by saddling him with a rip-off gimmick. You can tell he’s a Renegade by the R painted on his face. I forgot how f*cking good Arn Anderson’s theme song was in the 90s. That’s the good stuff right there.
Anderson attacks Renegade from behind, Renegade blocks a whip and sends Anderson into the buckles following up with a running clothesline/bodyblock. Anderson hits a running clothesline of his own, Renegade no-sells it and hits a series of clotheslines, the final one sending the champ packing. Renegade slingshots to the floor, Anderson quickly rolls back in and creates separation. Anderson wants a DQ since he was sent over the top but it doesn’t count because the match needs to happen. Renegade grabs a side headlock, hanging on through an Irish whip attempt. Heenan calls Hart “the Louse of the South”, mad that Hulk Hogan has brainwashed him into being a goody-two-shoes. Anderson traps Renegade in an abdominal stretch, Renegade counters into his own but Anderson escapes. Renegade catches a kick, Anderson counters with an enzuigiri but Renegade once again no-sells so Anderson bails to the floor once again to figure it out.
Anderson catches a charging Renegade with a LOUD back elbow and traps him in a sleeperhold. Renegade escapes and applies a sleeper of his own, Anderson escapes with a belly-to-back suplex. Anderson grabs a chinlock in the center of the ring, Renegade trying to get the support of the crowd but the reaction is…iffy at best. Poor guy. Renegade no-sells a kick, Anderson dodges him and connects with a Spinebuster for the 1…2…Renegade kicks out! Anderson tries holding his arms down to get the pin but Renegade keeps powering out. Renegade ducks a clothesline and connects with an inverted atomic drop, Anderson ricochets out of the corner and the back of his head collides with Renegade, knocking both down. Anderson heads to the top, Renegade trips him up and hits a Torture Rack Samoan Drop. Renegade takes flight with a Renegade Splash for the 1…2…3!
The Renegade defeated Arn Anderson [c] via pinfall to win the WCW WORLD TELEVISION CHAMPIONSHIP (9:08)
- JON’S THOUGHTS: Look people can hate on The Renegade all they want and it was a dead gimmick the second it was someone other than The Ultimate Warrior at Uncensored but the motherf*cker was TRYING. Anderson was the perfect guy to battle him too, carrying him to a better than average match on willpower alone which was impressive. I didn’t hate this. (**1/4)
Renegade celebrates while a ridiculous amount of pyro explodes above the ring. I love the title and all but that seems like overkill. Cut to the crowd where A MYSTERIOUS GIANT (aka The Giant aka The Big Show) stands up and stares daggers at Renegade and Jimmy Hart. The Giant reaches for Hart but Hart barely escapes, so he curls his fist in comic frustration before walking off. Hart tries to get Renegade to pay attention to this whole thing but he doesn’t care.
–
-Tony Schiavone narrates a video recapping the feud between The Nasty Boys and The Blue Bloods, which began last month at Slamboree via sneak attack. They’ve been battling on TV in the weeks leading to tonight’s title match.
-Okerlund is standing by with The Nasty Boys. Brian Knobbs vow to bash The Blue Bloods’ brains out at The Great American Bash, Jerry Sags vows to take them to Nastyville.
–
The Nasty Boys (Brian Knobbs & Jerry Sags) [c] vs. The Blue Bloods (“Lord” Steven Regal & Robert “Earl Of” Eaton) for the WCW WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
A brawl immediately erupts, Sags whipping Regal with his Nasty jacket around the ring as Knobbs slobberknocks the sh*t out of Eaton in the aisle. Sags and Regal enter the ring to turn this into a “regular” match, the former belting the latter with a clothesline. Nasties give both Blue Bloods a PIT STOP and they bail from the ring, trying like hell not to vomit from the smell. THEY HADN’T THOUGHT OF THE SMELL, YOU B*TCH. Sags belts Regal with forearms, Eaton grabs him in the corner while Knobbs connects with a Cactus Elbow on the floor. Well they were certainly in the ring for a whole minute, huh? Sags bounces Regal off the apron, Knobbs drops Eaton butt-first on an open chair. Sags connects with a pumphandle slam for the 1…2…Regal gets the shoulder up. Knobbs tags in, Regal blocks a whip attempt and cracks him repeatedly with forearms to the side of the head. Eaton tags in and rakes the eyes, Knobbs brings him out of the corner with a hip toss followed by a backdrop but gets sent out to the floor. Regal follows up with a Cactus Elbow from the apron to the back of the head, getting revenge for earlier.
Knobbs tries to get back in the ring but Eaton kicks him back to the floor. Regal tags in and trades forearms with Knobbs, Sags runs in and attacks him while Eaton chokes Knobbs in the corner. Regal hits a series of knees to the head and tags out to Eaton who crotches himself in the corner after missing a splash. Sags gets the tag but he’s f*ckin’ tired so no real house of fire, just a powerslam and kneedrop. Eaton gets sent to the apron with a right, Sags pulls him back in but Regal throws him out to the floor behind the ref’s back so no DQ (not that he DQed anyone earlier when Knobbs went out but shh). Sags tries to catch his breath but the Blue Bloods continue the attack and send him ribs-first into the apron. Sags gets sent into the guardrail and Eaton drops knees as he rolls to the apron. Eaton tags in officially and connects with a flying kneedrop, but takes too long to cover and Sags gets the shoulder up just in time to avoid the loss. Eaton takes pity on the very tired Sags with a chinlock. Before he can fight out Regal gets the tag and drops him with a European uppercut for the 1…2…Sags kicks out. Knobbs leads a “NASTY” chant as Eaton tags in and clips Sags’ knee.
Regal misses a somersault splash, Eaton quickly tags back in but Knobbs gets the tag and HE’S the house of fire, taking on both Blue Bloods. Knobbs hits Regal with a powerslam, Eaton makes the save but gets sent out by Sags. Sister Sherri and Stevie Ray run out and distract Sags, Booker T hits Knobbs with a Harlem Hangover but trips Eaton up when he yanks the ropes to leave knocking him to the canvas. Sags comes off the top with a flying forearm on Eaton and Knobbs covers, Regal unable to pull him off, for the 1…2…3!
The Nasty Boys [c] defeated The Blue Bloods via pinfall to retain the WCW WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP (15:00)
- JON’S THOUGHTS: A ton of fun as most Nasty Boy brawls are, but dipped for a bit when a clearly blown up Sags was trying to slog his way through the Blue Bloods’ heat segment. Regal & Eaton are a kickass team though so they made it work for the most part. Booker T accidentally costing The Blue Bloods the match after hitting Knobbs with the Harlem Hangover made me laugh. Cut a few minutes for the sake of Sags and you’d have a better match. (***)
–
-A video plays showing highlights from all the matches in the U.S. Title tournament that has been going on for the last two months. Sting & Meng was supposed to be a semi-final match, with Ric Flair & Randy Savage being the other, but the latter ended up being thrown out for…reasons. Sting beat Arn Anderson and Paul Orndorff to get to this point while Meng dispatched Marcus Alexander Bagwell and Brian Pillman. One of the men Savage beat when he was still in the tournament was “Stunning” Steve Austin in what I think was his final high-profile match in WCW before leaving the company and…what was it…oh right leading the WWF to its most successful period ever and putting WCW out of business.
-Okerlund is standing by with Meng and Col. Robert Parker. Parker says he didn’t come to “stinky” Ohio to return below the Mason-Dixon without the gold and tells Sting to get all his doctor friends together because they’re going to need put him back together when Meng is done with him.
-Schiavone and Heenan segue into a video hyping next month’s Bash at the Beach, which will be taking place on a honest to God beach (Huntington Beach, to be exact).
-Okerlund is joined by Sting for some comments ahead of tonight’s match. Sting says he’s spent years in WCW paying dues and learning the hard way against some of the best pro wrestlers on earth, but he’s still here and he knows what to expect.
–
Sting vs. Meng [w/ Col. Robert Parker] for the vacant WCW UNITED STATES HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Meng throws some martial arts kicks and strikes, which Sting is able to avoid thanks to his speed. Meng cheap shots Sting as the ref tries to separate the two, following up with rapid strikes and headbutts, chopping him down to the canvas. Meng goozles Sting in a Tongan Death Grip-like position but the move doesn’t exist yet I don’t think. Sting fights back, connecting with a dropkick that only enrages the big man so Parker forces him out to the floor for some advice/cooldown. Meng works Sting over, raking the eyes and kicking at the spine and ribs. Meng F*CKS Sting up with some chops, aided by the heat in the arena making everyone super sweaty. Sting responds with rights of his own and another dropkick, Sting charges but Meng dodges and he misses a crossbody, falling to the apron. Parker distracts him, Meng sends him to the floor with an elbow. Meng connects with a sit-out powerbomb for the 1…2…Sting kicks out. Meng continues the offense, drilling Sting with a shoulderblock and covering again for the 1…2…Sting kicks out again and Meng brings him to his knees with a trapezius hold. Meng tosses Sting to the floor and Parker gets in a host of cheapshots, Heenan saying he’s “getting a kick out of Sting” which is a great line. Sting surprises Meng with a sunset flip attempt but Meng maintains his balance and breaks the grip with a karate chop followed by a stomp to the head. Back to the trapezius hold we go.
Meng charges, Sting meets him in the middle and they run into each other. Sting blocks a hip toss and goes for a backslide, using the buckles to flip over and hitting a back elbow from the middle buckle. I think the idea was a crossbody? Eh it got the job done. Meng is the first to his feet and comes off the middle buckle with a flying headbutt for the 1…2…Sting kicks out. Meng tries again, Sting kicks out again. Sting counters a back suplex into a crossbody for the 1…2…Meng kicks out. Sting lays into Meng with a series of clotheslines, the third finally bringing him to the canvas as the crowd goes wild. Sting follows up with a one-handed bulldog, inverted atomic drop, and a clothesline that sends both of them out to the floor but Sting lands on his feet. Parker tries to get involved again, Sting lays him out with a clothesline and ducks as Meng hits nothing but ringpost! Sting rolls Meng back in and traps Meng in the Scorpion Death Lock but Meng powers out the shock of the Stinger. Sting clips the knee and comes off the top with a flying clothesline, then heads to the top once again and hits a Superfly Splash for the 1…2…Meng pushes him off. Sting comes off the ropes with a leaping DDT and covers again for the 1…2…3!
Sting defeated Meng via pinfall to win the WCW UNITED STATES HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP (13:36)
- JON’S THOUGHTS: Sting got the win and the title which is cool for him, and the most consolation of the prizes for stepping aside in the Hogan Era, but Meng was the real star here to me. He looked absolutely badass here, damn near impervious to everything Sting threw at him and his powering out of the Scorpion Death Lock was great. The finish felt kind of out of nowhere but they had to do something since Sting’s big move was already beaten and Meng was never going to submit. Good match, not surprising they run it back the next month at Bash at the Beach. (***1/4)
–
-The winner of the Father’s Day wrestler lookalike contest is shown in the audience. He is the SPITTING IMAGE of Big Bubba Rogers. I guess that Hogan lookalike that’s always in the crowd doesn’t have kids?
-A video recaps the feud between Ric Flair and Randy Savage as narrated by Tony Schiavone.
-Okerlund interviews Randy Savage ahead of tonight’s match. Savage first congratulates his friends The Renegade and Sting on their title wins, then wishes Angelo Poffo a Happy Father’s Day. Savage tells Flair there’s no way out and will not miss this opportunity, too hot to handle and too cold to hold OHHHHH YEAH.
–
“Macho Man” Randy Savage [w/ Angelo Poffo] vs. “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair
Flair was retired by Hulk Hogan back in October at Halloween Havoc but was reinstated at the behest of Hogan & Savage after he interfered in Savage’s match at Uncensored. Hogan & Savage defeated Flair & Vader at Slamboree, but Flair had the last laugh by attacking Savage’s father Angelo Poffo, locking him in the Figure Four while Arn Anderson pummeled him with kicks. Savage tried to face Flair in the U.S. Title tournament, getting Alex Wright DQed so Flair would advance to the semi-finals, but a wild brawl broke out backstage into the parking lot which got them both kicked out of the tournament. WCW still wants that PPV money though so while they don’t get to battle for a championship they still got the main event slot on the PPV. Savage takes a moment to come out but when he does he’s joined by his father Angelo Poffo, walking out with a cane and getting a seat right at the apron to see his son beat the sh*t out of The Nature Boy.
Savage chases Flair in the ring, Flair connects with a chop but Savage drops him with an elbow and a series of rights. Savage puts Flair in the lights with a backdrop followed by a clothesline that sends him packing to the floor; instead of taking a breather the Macho Man keeps going, coming off the top with a double axhandle. Savage backdrops Flair onto the protective mats, Flair responds by sending him skull-first into the ringpost. Flair breaks the count and sends Savage into the guardrail, a stupid fan trying to get in his face and make himself part of the match. What a nerd. Flair takes flight himself, coming off the apron with a double axhandle right to the back of the neck. Flair pulls Savage into the ring, Savage tries to go for a suplex but Flair pushes him into the corner. Savage bounces Flair’s head off the top rope, choking the life out of the Nature Boy and laying into him with left hooks, the right taking him down. Flair begs off, Savage lunges at him with more right hands, Poffo cheering him on.
Flair rolls to the floor, Savage hops out and belts him from behind with another double axhandle, refusing to let him breathe for even a second. Flair heads to the top, Savage slams him off and tries a piledriver but Flair moves it to the corner to try and get a rope break. Savage sends him into the buckles, Flair flipping up and out to the floor. Flair goes after Poffo, Savage immediately attacks him but gets his knee clipped when he checks on his Dad. Flair continues working the knee, dropping him on the guardrail. Savage continues to fight back, Flair tries to take it out of him with another shot to the knee. Flair takes too much time to gloat and Savage throws him to the apron with a yank of the tights, continuing to throw bombs even while flat on his back. Flair pulls Savage to the floor, Savage reverses a whip and sends him crashing into the guardrail. Savage rolls in, Flair slaps on the Figure Four and uses the ropes behind the ref’s back, almost getting a pinfall when The Macho Man briefly passes out from the pain. Savage finds a second wind and uses the ref to turns it over and reverses the pressure but has to let go because his knee is too weak.
Savage lays into Flair a bit, Flair kicks the knee out and heads to the top, Savage dodges a splash and trades rights with Flair. Flair comes off the top and Savage counters with a right hand and falls on top for the 1…2…Flair kicks out. A busted-open Savage comes off the top with the Flying Elbow for the 1…2…SAVAGE PULLS FLAIR UP. Savage tries to use the spare ring bell but the ref rips it out of his hand. Savage goes back to the top, Flair rolls to the floor and the Macho Man comes off the top; Flair hits him in the gut and Savage CRACKS the guardrail. Jesus. Flair works over the busted open eye of Savage Flair goes after Poffo, Poffo chokes him with his cane but Flair knocks him to the floor. Savage attacks Flair from behind and checks on his father, Flair now in possession of the cane. Savage rolls in, Flair hits him flush in the face for the 1…2…3.
Ric Flair defeated Randy Savage via pinfall (14:44)
- JON’S THOUGHTS: Savage f*cking ruled in this one, barely letting up from bell to bell. Even when Flair took out one of his legs he still kept going like a man possessed, throwing fists even as he laid on his back. I loved it so much, and cool of WCW to give Angelo Poffo some shine; just imagine if Vince had let him in that Legend’s Battle Royal at a house show Savage probably would’ve never left the WWF/E. What a fumble. What a fun PPV this was. (***3/4)
Poffo helps his son to the back and we cut to Schiavone & Heenan who close the show by hyping next month’s Bash at the Beach featuring Hogan vs. Vader in a Steel Cage. Heenan goes on a tangent and Schiavone stares him down. Heenan gets mad and throws his headset at Schiavone, walking off as Schiavone says goodbye to the fans. Knowing their history that could’ve been either a planned thing or a shoot.
*****
FINAL THOUGHTS
Great American Bash ‘95 is a fun show that flies by, bookended by two excellent matches and an undercard that only falters when it’s not about wrestling (the Arm Wrestling nonsense). I mean we got a JIM DUGGAN match that I was willing to go *** on, that in and of itself should elevate this PPV to must-watch status, you know? Also SUPER funny that WCW’s best PPV of 1995 doesn’t feature Hulk Hogan in any way outside of the pre-show. Probably a lesson to take from that but no one would.
- FAVORITE MATCH: Jim Duggan vs. Sgt. Craig Pittman
- FAVORITE MOMENT: Meng easily breaks out of the Scorpion Death Lock, putting the fear of God into Sting years before he found the fear of actual God.
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RESULTS & RATINGS
- Alex Wright defeated Brian Pillman via pinfall (15:26) (***1/2)
- ARM WRESTLING CONTEST: Dave Sullivan defeated Diamond Dallas Page to win a date with The Diamond Doll (NR)
- Jim Duggan defeated Craig Pittman via DQ (8:12) (***1/4)
- Harlem Heat defeated Bunkhouse Buck & Dick Slater via pinfall (8:41) (**3/4)
- The Renegade defeated Arn Anderson [c] via pinfall to win the WCW WORLD TELEVISION CHAMPIONSHIP (9:08) (**1/4)
- The Nasty Boys [c] defeated The Blue Bloods via pinfall to retain the WCW WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP (15:00) (***)
- Sting defeated Meng via pinfall to win the WCW UNITED STATES HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP (13:36) (***1/4)
- Ric Flair defeated Randy Savage via pinfall (14:44) (***3/4)