RATING LEVELS:
Curt Hennig – A “GOAT” show, as Perfect as possible
Watch It – A consistently good show worth watching in its entirety
Watch It…With Remote in Hand – 3 or more above-average ratings
High Risk Maneuver – Mostly filler, inessential, but 1-2 good matches
DUDleyville – Zero redeeming qualities, chore to watch
Halloween Havoc 96' kicks off with a Cruiserweight Championship Match - Rey Mysterio Jr. defending against Dean Malenko. Befoore the bell can even ring, Malenko is on the attack, trying to lock in the Texas Cloverleaf within the first minute. While a tad too choreographed at the start, when the moves performed are so dazzling, its hard not to be wowed by the athleticism. When the match slows down and the moves become a bit more targeted, things are no less smooth but the match benefits from the suspense having time to build. While Mysterio would go on to have a ton of guys one might call his greatest opponent, I'm not sure Malenko has any better opponent. Against Rey, the Iceman is able to not only demonstrate his inventive submission arsenal, but he's also able to hit powerbombs and suplexes with ease. From here, the action ebbs and flows with a mix of concussion-causers in the ring and high risk maneuevers galore outside of it. Moments when the wrestlers are noticeabily and awkwardly positioning themselves for the next big spot tarnish the match a bit too much for me to give it a glowing review, but if you can overlook that issue, the action in this match is unbelievable at times. (3.5/5)
Halloween Havoc 96' - October 1996
Las Vegas, Nevada
CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan is the reigning WCW World Champion coming into the event, while his fellow nWo teammate, The Giant, is in unofficial possession of the US Championship (Ric Flair is technically United States Champion). The Cruiserweight Champion is Rey Mysterio Jr., the Television Champion is Steven Regal (though he's not on the card), and the WCW World Tag Team Titles are held by Harlem Heat.
COMMENTATORS: Tony Schiavone, Bobby Heenan, and Dusty Rhodes
Jeff Jarrett's first WCW pay-per-view appearance, I believe! Lee Marshall is in the house as well.
Eddie Guerrero takes on Diamond Dallas Page in a continuation of their long-running rivalry over Page's BattleBowl ring. Back when DDP won the thing, the announcers clearly stated that he who held the ring held a contract for a World Title match…months later, neither Guerrero or Page has had the sense to cash it in. This is probably for the better because they have awesome chemistry with one another. After starting off with some action on the outside of the ring, Guerrero and Page take things inside and go through a series of exchanges based all around headlocks and solid reversals, a nice change of pace from the balls-to-the-wall spots of the previous bout. Also, unlike the previous bout, the more devastating maneuvers are sold for appropriate lengths, Guerrero spending ample time on the floor, hanging from guardrails, hunched over and such. Page, meanwhile, throws enough heel quirks into his in-ring persona that the crowd has no choice but to boo him even if, slowly but surely, its obvious that he is getting over as a character (and one that can dish out some excellent offense at times). Page's quarreling with Nick Patrick allows for Eddie to catch a second wind believably, leading to a somewhat ill-performed pinning sequence that's saved by a vicious lariat from DDP and, moments later, Guerrero firing back with a pair of on-the-jaw European uppercuts and a crossbody to the outside that is perfectly captured by the camera man. The final few minutes solidifies Guerrero's toughness while also giving DDP the continued push up the card that he was well-earned by this point in his WCW career. While I would've enjoyed a slightly more suspenseful finish (maybe one that played into a time limit or featured an "out of nowhere" Diamond Cutter?), I was very much pleased with the effort and story these two told. Very solid match. (4/5)
A bizarre Randy Savage/Slim Jim promo comes up next as Macho announces the winner of the WCW Halloween Havoc Sweepstakes and is now the proud owner of a Slim Jim Monster Struck. Network Nugget of Weirdness! Oooooh yeah! (+1)
Chris Jericho is in the back, nerding it up with a CompuServe geek.
Before our next match, Dean Malenko shares some thoughts with Mike Tenay. Not much to say about that.
In the stands, Ted DiBiase stands with pseudo-United States Champion, The Giant. DiBiase is pretty great in this role, talking down Jeff Jarrett for not accepting a place in the New World Order. The Giant gets some words in too before the two make a Shield-like entrance through the crowd. Tony makes it very clear that this is not a US Title match and that the belt is actually the rightful property of Ric Flair, who makes his way down the ring last for moral support. The bell rings and Jarrett struts a bit, frustrating the Giant with his quickness and cockiness. Giantt dominates, though, tossing Jarrett from an atomic drop position in a big spot and following it up by tossing Jarrett halfway across the ring by his throat. Jarrett attempts to tire the big man down with a sleeper but can't get him off his feet. Ric Flair attempts to a lend a hand by lending a chair, but Jarrett can't escape his monstrous opponent, who hits him with an elbow drop, a headbutt to the crotch, and then a backbreaker (one of my favorite Giant/Big Show moves). Flaiir grabs a mic to rally Jarrett, but it only seems to motivate Giant further, who levels his opponent with more of the same basic offense he'd been utilizing since the start. Of course, when you're 7 feet and 400+ pounds, you don't need a vast array of holds to impress the audience. Similarly, Jarrett is quite good in this bout, fighting with a ton of fire in the few moment when he's not effectively selling The Giant's size and power. Jarrett is not a great babyface, but Flair's involvement helps at keeping the crowd actively rooting for the good guys. The finish is a bit disappointing, but only because the actual match was considerably better than I predicted going in. If Jarrett is this motivated for the rest of his WCW run, I may end up having to reevaluate my generally lukewarm, indifferent view of his career. (3/5)
Eddie Guerrero takes on Diamond Dallas Page in a continuation of their long-running rivalry over Page's BattleBowl ring. Back when DDP won the thing, the announcers clearly stated that he who held the ring held a contract for a World Title match…months later, neither Guerrero or Page has had the sense to cash it in. This is probably for the better because they have awesome chemistry with one another. After starting off with some action on the outside of the ring, Guerrero and Page take things inside and go through a series of exchanges based all around headlocks and solid reversals, a nice change of pace from the balls-to-the-wall spots of the previous bout. Also, unlike the previous bout, the more devastating maneuvers are sold for appropriate lengths, Guerrero spending ample time on the floor, hanging from guardrails, hunched over and such. Page, meanwhile, throws enough heel quirks into his in-ring persona that the crowd has no choice but to boo him even if, slowly but surely, its obvious that he is getting over as a character (and one that can dish out some excellent offense at times). Page's quarreling with Nick Patrick allows for Eddie to catch a second wind believably, leading to a somewhat ill-performed pinning sequence that's saved by a vicious lariat from DDP and, moments later, Guerrero firing back with a pair of on-the-jaw European uppercuts and a crossbody to the outside that is perfectly captured by the camera man. The final few minutes solidifies Guerrero's toughness while also giving DDP the continued push up the card that he was well-earned by this point in his WCW career. While I would've enjoyed a slightly more suspenseful finish (maybe one that played into a time limit or featured an "out of nowhere" Diamond Cutter?), I was very much pleased with the effort and story these two told. Very solid match. (4/5)
A bizarre Randy Savage/Slim Jim promo comes up next as Macho announces the winner of the WCW Halloween Havoc Sweepstakes and is now the proud owner of a Slim Jim Monster Struck. Network Nugget of Weirdness! Oooooh yeah! (+1)
Chris Jericho is in the back, nerding it up with a CompuServe geek.
Before our next match, Dean Malenko shares some thoughts with Mike Tenay. Not much to say about that.
In the stands, Ted DiBiase stands with pseudo-United States Champion, The Giant. DiBiase is pretty great in this role, talking down Jeff Jarrett for not accepting a place in the New World Order. The Giant gets some words in too before the two make a Shield-like entrance through the crowd. Tony makes it very clear that this is not a US Title match and that the belt is actually the rightful property of Ric Flair, who makes his way down the ring last for moral support. The bell rings and Jarrett struts a bit, frustrating the Giant with his quickness and cockiness. Giantt dominates, though, tossing Jarrett from an atomic drop position in a big spot and following it up by tossing Jarrett halfway across the ring by his throat. Jarrett attempts to tire the big man down with a sleeper but can't get him off his feet. Ric Flair attempts to a lend a hand by lending a chair, but Jarrett can't escape his monstrous opponent, who hits him with an elbow drop, a headbutt to the crotch, and then a backbreaker (one of my favorite Giant/Big Show moves). Flaiir grabs a mic to rally Jarrett, but it only seems to motivate Giant further, who levels his opponent with more of the same basic offense he'd been utilizing since the start. Of course, when you're 7 feet and 400+ pounds, you don't need a vast array of holds to impress the audience. Similarly, Jarrett is quite good in this bout, fighting with a ton of fire in the few moment when he's not effectively selling The Giant's size and power. Jarrett is not a great babyface, but Flair's involvement helps at keeping the crowd actively rooting for the good guys. The finish is a bit disappointing, but only because the actual match was considerably better than I predicted going in. If Jarrett is this motivated for the rest of his WCW run, I may end up having to reevaluate my generally lukewarm, indifferent view of his career. (3/5)
Ted DiBiase is back in the crowd, seconded by his longtime bodyguard, Vincent (aka Virgil) and Syxx, who, like The Giant, makes his way through the crowd from the "nWo Entrance" to take on Chris Jericho. From the first minutes, the action here is intense, fast-paced, and stiff, noticeably less choreographed than the Mysterio/Malenko opener and even more personal than Guerrero/DDP. Unlike in WWE, where Syxx (as 1-2-3 Kid) was often pitted against noticeably larger, slower opponents, its fun to see him paired up against a worker capable of keeping pace with the former Lightning Kid and more than willing to sell convincingly for the guy. Both guys take give and take some big moves - Jericho flying over the corner and onto the floor, Syxx dropkicking a turnbuckle and landing backfirst, Jericho launching himself with a springboard splash to the outside, the villainous nWo member connecting with an elbow drop on the Lionheart prone on the apron...as the match goes on, the action gets more intense as Nick Patrick's poor officiating draws harsher and harsher boos. In terms of telling the story of the dirty ref, this is an exceptional example that lays the cheapness of its finish extra thick - which is a good thing when that's exactly what is needed to cement Nick Patrick's heel turn. Good in-ring action and a meaningful conclusion that doesn't bury the loser. (3/5)
After some words from the Total Package, Lex Luger squares off against Arn Anderson, the two feuding over personal issues related to the fall-out from Fall Brawl. This is a relative "sprint," but its not a bad one. Long-running rivals, Anderson and Luger do a masterful job of using a few classic high spots to great effect and Tony Schiavone's commentary pushes how personal this match is. Dusty doesn't help much with this "boolah boolah" references, but they don't detract too much either. A ref bump allows the guys to take this one a step further on the outside, a nice touch that leads to an intense finish. From here, the post-match nudges the needle even further towards "Must Watch" territory - the drama and story is beautiful, an angle that proves without question that WCW had considerably more than just "The nWo Storyline" going for it in the fall of 96'. A no worse than average match with a closing scene that makes one want to hunt down the next night's Nitro on the Network. Solid stuff. (3/5)
The Horsemen action continues with Mongo McMichael and Chris Benoit taking on The Faces of Fear, Meng and Barbarian. Like so much of tonight's show, this match is surprisingly good - maybe even great at times. All four men bring fire to the match and seem determined to live up to their reputations. Meng and Mongo square off to satisfying, if a bit cartoonish, results, while Benoit bumps with gusto to his monstrous opponents. His passion seems to inspire Barbarian to bust out some of his best offense too - including an awesome release belly-to-belly from the top rope. The Faces of Fear's double-team maneuevers are almost equally impressive, which makes the actual finish a tad less so. Again, like the previous match, the post-match action only helps as Benoit looks tougher than nails trying to stand up to the Dungeon of Doom. On commentary, Schiavone makes it clear that Flair and Jarrett can't come out for the save as they are heading to the hospital with Anderson, while Kevin Sullivan and Woman further their reality-based rivalry. All in all, a quality 10 minutes of action that I'm not sure the next bout will live up to. (3/5)
Ted DiBiase is in the stands again, hyping the arrival of the number one contenders to the WCW World Tag Championships, The Outsiders, Scott Hall and Kevin Nash. Their opponents: Harlem Heat, a team that I've only been impressed with in bits and peices, some of their matches being tolerable, but many being quite dull. This one takes a bit to start, but the crowd is certainly hot for it - at least it seems so, though, there is some sort of distraction in the initial minutes that seems to have most of the fans' (and even the commentators') attention. Hall starts things off with Booker before Nash and Stevie Ray square off (with Nash actually getting face pops at the onset). Nash's offense isn't spectacular, but his selling here is quite good - bumping for Stevie Ray and taking a vicious scissor kick from Booker to establish them as a genuine threat and credible champions. Hall comes in for the save but, after a bulldog from the top, ends up having to rely on Nash to save him from Harlem Heat momentum. All the while the crowd is generally supportive of the Outsiders, popping for their cheap shots and, at one point, seeming to chant "Razor!" after Hall plants a kiss on the lips of Sister Sherri (a babyface move if I've ever seen one). While far from a classic, the crowd is hot, and there's barely a slow minute in any of it. All four men, but especially the Outsiders, do what it takes to keep the crowd engaged and make each other look good. The finish isn't perfect and I wouldn't call this "Must See," but this is easily one of the better Harlem Heat matches I've seen recently. (2.5/5)
Classic World War 3 commercial featuring the weird conpiracy theorist guy! Network Nugget of Nostalgic Awesomeness! (+1)
"Hollywood" Hulk Hogan has arrived, sporting a ridiculous wig and hyping his upcoming film work (3 Ninjas: Kick Back at High Mountain and Santa With Muscles) on the mic before making his way down the aisle (with The Giant in tow) to defend his WCW World Championship against longtime rival "Macho Man" Randy Savage. Savage shows up with his Monster Truck and the Giant is sent to the back and from here we get a good stretch of Hogan stalling and stooging. When the action begins in earnest, Savage immediately starts selling like Hogan's swinging a tire iron at him, but that's not to say things get boring. The crowd is very engaged and Hogan's performance is actually pretty fun to watch - if the Hulkster seemed to be a bit unsure of himself at Hog Wild in August, his work here is remarkably confident and smooth, seeming to relish in the opportunity to play the cowardly heel that has to use dirty tactics to get the advantage. Savage, known for putting loads of details into his matches, obviously came into this one with a game plan - not only do we get some great moments with the aforementioned wig, but there's a classic guardrail spot, Miss Elizabeth showing up to add even more drama, a well-timed ref bump, and even some nice twists after Nick Patrick shows up. The two threw the kitchen sink into this match and while there are no big high spots, there are also no lulls. While not highly recommended, when you consider this match in context, it brings a comedic element to the show that no other match offered and it does it well. (3/5)
The show does not end there, though. Hulk Hogan cuts a great heel promo, gloating about his victory, but is interrupted by the arrival of Roddy Piper, who proceeds to deliver one of his most impassioned speeches of that decade. Unfortunately, the awkward ending hurts things a little bit - like many great Saturday Night Live sketches, the premise is excellent and the lines all hit their target, but without a solid ending, its an imperfect scene that suffers from a lack of real resolution. (4/5)
All in all, Halloween Havoc 96' is easily the best show I've seen in many, many months. With an average match/segment score of 3.88-out-of-5 (admittedly bolstered by two bonus points for the World War III commercial and Randy Savage giving away a monster struck), Halloween Havoc 96' is the rarest of rare shows, a treat to watch from beginning to end. The worst match on the card, The Outsiders vs. Harlem Heat, is still arguably the best 2-on-2 tag match Harlem Heat had had in seven months (I did rate the triangle with Luger & Sting and the Steiners from Clash XXXIII higher, but am not sure I'd make that same call if I had to again). Every match delivers what it needs to - from the opening contest to the main event and there is a noticeable lack of goofy, washed-up 80s gimmicks in the midcard clogging up the ring. Instead, with Jarrett, The Giant, Mysterio, Malenko, Jericho, Syxx, Guerrero, and Benoit all in prime spots, the stage is set for Hogan, Savage, and Piper to serve as the "star power" that brings the show to a satisfying crescendo.
FINAL RATING - Curt Hennig Level
The show does not end there, though. Hulk Hogan cuts a great heel promo, gloating about his victory, but is interrupted by the arrival of Roddy Piper, who proceeds to deliver one of his most impassioned speeches of that decade. Unfortunately, the awkward ending hurts things a little bit - like many great Saturday Night Live sketches, the premise is excellent and the lines all hit their target, but without a solid ending, its an imperfect scene that suffers from a lack of real resolution. (4/5)
All in all, Halloween Havoc 96' is easily the best show I've seen in many, many months. With an average match/segment score of 3.88-out-of-5 (admittedly bolstered by two bonus points for the World War III commercial and Randy Savage giving away a monster struck), Halloween Havoc 96' is the rarest of rare shows, a treat to watch from beginning to end. The worst match on the card, The Outsiders vs. Harlem Heat, is still arguably the best 2-on-2 tag match Harlem Heat had had in seven months (I did rate the triangle with Luger & Sting and the Steiners from Clash XXXIII higher, but am not sure I'd make that same call if I had to again). Every match delivers what it needs to - from the opening contest to the main event and there is a noticeable lack of goofy, washed-up 80s gimmicks in the midcard clogging up the ring. Instead, with Jarrett, The Giant, Mysterio, Malenko, Jericho, Syxx, Guerrero, and Benoit all in prime spots, the stage is set for Hogan, Savage, and Piper to serve as the "star power" that brings the show to a satisfying crescendo.
FINAL RATING - Curt Hennig Level
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