WCW Clash of the Champions XXXI

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

Clash of the Champions XXXI - August 1995

Daytona Beach, Florida

COMMENTATORS: Tony Schiavone and Bobby Heenan

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Hulk Hogan is the reigning WCW World Champion, Sting holds the United States Championship, The Renegade is the TV Champion, and the Studs Stable of Bunkhouse Buck and Dick Slater are the recognized WCW World Tag Team Champions.

Our opening contest is what Michael Buffer calls a “very special tag team match,” as Colonel Parker brings out his clients Meng and Kurasawa to take on the team of Sting and Road Warrior Hawk. Hawk hits a noticeably poor dropkick early on, then no sells Kurasawa’s moves like it’s the 1980s. Sting does better work in the ring, but once Hawk gets back in the ring, it’s a return to awkwardness between himself and Kurasawa especially as Hawk wants nothing to do with making Kurasawa look remotely competent. Granted, Hawk isn’t necessarily wrong in his decision (Kurasawa seems pretty green and no-selling was essentially Hawk's entire gimmick), but the lack of drama keeps this match from being remotely interesting. The post-match features an injury angle that salvages (and arguably helps explain) the story of the match, but even with this bonus, I wouldn't waste my time viewing this bout. (1.5/5)

We get a video recap of what transpired earlier as Hogan, Macho Man, and Sting fought off the Dungeon of Doom – aka The Shark, Kamala, the Zodiac, and Kevin Sullivan. When we come back to Schiavone, he reminds viewers that Hogan will be making his way into the Dungeon of Doom tonight!

Next up is Diamond Dallas Page, accompanied by Kimberly, taking on “Das Wunderkind” Alex Wright. Wright takes control early and shows off some good-looking moves, including a crossbody to the outside and some decent mat wrestling. DDP’s offense and shtick isn’t bad either – he hits a great swinging neckbreaker (to which Kimberly responds by holding up a “10” placard) and, though his outfit is ridiculous, Page works with confidence and energy. As the match continues, there is a noticeable shift in the audience’s reactions as they go from indifference in the opening minutes to, if not full engagement, at least somewhat interested in seeing who will win this. It helps that there are a number of good near-falls and high spots (a great German Suplex from Wright, Page sidestepping a risky crossbody to the outside). (2.5/5)

Backstage, Arn Anderson and Ric Flair speak about their opponent tonight, Vader. 

Before our next match, we get some totally sick commercials for Judge Dredd toys and Slim Jims. I’m genuinely surprised that you’ll find these on the Network and wish they ran even longer. Network nuggets of awesomeness!

Paul Orndorff challenges The Renegade for the TV Championship next. Orndorff tries to cut Renegade off as soon as he comes in, but Renegade, to the delight of very few in the crowd, ends up reversing the momentum and taking control of the bout. Orndorff quickly gains up the upper hand, though, which is the smart move considering there’s no way Renegade could lead this dance. The fans couldn't care less as Renegade gets bumped off the apron multiple times before finally catching Orndorff with a crossbody. Like their match at Bash at the Beach, there is controversy surrounding the finish, but only to the viewers at home as both Schiavone and Bobby Heenan, counting along with Nick Patrick, count only to 2. The video clearly shows that Patrick slaps the mat three times but the first count was tough to see. Oh well – that slight hiccup is the only remotely interesting or thought-provoking aspect of this match. Half-point rewarded for keeping it short. (0.5/5)

We get a nice recap of the feud leading to our next match. This sort of video package really helps the “watchability” of these shows and sets the stage well for the 5-man-1-woman match we’re about to get. As hokey as this storyline is, it actually ages decently thanks to the excellence of Sensational Sherri.

Harlem Heat and Sherri vs. Colonel Parker, Bunkhouse Buck, and Dick Slater is next. Was there no more natural feud in the history of wrestling than this one? Between the Bash At The Beach and this show, the Studs Stable had captured the WCW Tag Team Championships. What’s noticeable about this match is that the Heat is clearly working as faces and their offense comes off significantly better than it did when they were “tweeners.” Booker T is the funnest guy to watch in the ring as he hits a number of his future signature moves (at this point, they draw little reaction, though). When Parker and Sherri get in, the pop is huge and their spots, if not perfectly executed, are well selected and effective. The finish and post-match are confusing, but continue the storyline and take it somewhere new. I think this is my favorite Heat match yet and it may have something to do with the killer WCW Harley Sweepstakes commercial in the middle. (4/5)

Hulk Hogan cuts on a promo on the Dungeon of Doom and gets in a nice joke about Vince McMahon too. When we come back from break, “Mean” Gene is with Tomas Diaz, a national ambassador for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. This is as awkward as it sounds and then gets even more awesome when Randy Savage shows up. This stretch of ridiculous segments also features a Tim and Eric-esque Macho Man music video. Finally, the video package stretch is rounded out by Hulk Hogan going down to the Dungeon of Doom, getting into it with The Giant, and then being rescued by his former adversary, Vader. Unbelievable Network nuggets! (5/5)

The main event is next – Vader vs. Ric Flair and Arn Anderson. The action is pretty good, but really just makes me want to see Anderson vs. Vader one-on-one, which I’m not sure happened based on the little bit of googling I did. The booking doesn’t make perfect sense as, a year or so earlier, Flair defeated Vader 1-on-1, but that doesn’t prevent the live crowd from enjoying things. As per usual, Vader’s offense is awesome and the Horsemen sell plenty for him. Really, this match is all about the aftermath, though, as Flair and Anderson’s friendship seems to dissolve before our eyes. Not a great match, but an intriguing one no less. (3/5)

With a somewhat astonishingly decent 2.75-out-of-5 average match/segment rating, the 31st Clash of the Champions is no masterpiece, but it is significantly better than the card looks on paper -  thanks largely to several must-see segments. Based on my reviews, this is the highest average rating that WCW put out on one show since Fall Brawl 94’. A slightly better main event and at least one other match worth watching would’ve put this in an even higher bracket, but for a snapshot of WCW in 95’, you can do worse than catch this cheesy, cartoonish TV special.

FINAL RATING – Watch It…With Remote in Hand

WCW Bash at the Beach 95'

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

Bash at the Beach 95' - July 1995

Huntington Beach, CA

COMMENTATORS: Tony Schiavone and Bobby Heenan

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Hulk Hogan is the reigning WCW World Champion, Sting holds the United States Championship, The Renegade is the TV Champion, and the Harlem Heat are the recognized WCW World Tag Team Champions.

The second ever Bash At The Beach kicks off with a video package hyping up the man challenging for the United States Championship – Meng. This is followed by some energetic words from the champ, Sting. Unfortunately, there’s more energy and enjoyment to be found in watching these pre-match vignettes than anything that actually occurs in the match, which starts pretty slow and stays there for a little too long. There are a handful of good moments, specifically Meng dishing out a brainbuster from the apron and following it with a triple backbreaker, and Sting’s selling is good, but the last 3 minutes don’t take this match anywhere new and the finish just comes off as anticlimactic. Road Warrior Hawk shows up at the end, but adds more nothing. I could see some people really hating this match, but I found it to at least hit peaks of “average” thanks to Sting’s selling. (2/5)

The WCW Television Champion, The Renegade, is up next, defending his gold against “Mr. Wonderful” Paul Orndorff. Like Arn Anderson, its obvious that the plan was to put The Renegade in with veterans to make him look good, but that plan is not a good one – Renegade is sloppy throughout, managing to deliver one of the worst looking dropkicks since the heyday of Erik Watts. To make matters worse, the finish is poorly executed and unnecessarily cluttered by Orndorff getting his arm up (but this not being seen by the ref, Nick Patrick). This only infuriates the crowd, who pop big for Orndorff piledriving the champion after the bell. (0.5/5)

After two pretty lackluster matches, we cut to a Dungeon of Doom video featuring the WCW debut of the Ugandan Giant, Kamala. I love these Network nuggets of awesomeness. (3.5/5)

Kamala vs. Jim Duggan is next. Nothing too special to see here, though, I am a bit confused as to why this match was booked so evenly – was the point to instantly make Kamala not seem like a legit threat to Hogan? The arrival of the ridiculous-looking Zodiac leads to the end of a forgettable bout. (1/5)

The next match is yet another one that the audience essentially groans through – Diamond Dallas Page (with Kimberly and Max Muscle) taking on Dave “Evad” Sullivan. I know I described Zodiac as “ridiculous-looking,” but DDP’s outfit is equally garish. Compared to the previous match, DDP at least brings energy, working hard to try to capture the crowd’s attention and leave an impression. Unfortunately, he’s just not that great a worker at this point and his opponent is one of the worst I know of. Half-point for being kept mercifully short. (0.5/5)

In what I believe is the first-of-its-kind in WCW, the next match is a Triangle Tag Team match for the WCW World Tag Team Championships held by Harlem Heat. Their opponents on this occasion are The Blue Bloods and the former champs, The Nasty Boys. While both the Heat and the Nasties get some cheers from the crowd, the Blue Bloods are the clear heels (and workhorses) – anytime they are in the ring, it is a better match than when they are on the outside. Overall, by-the-numbers and kind of boring. I did really like the finish, which featured the Nasties hitting back body drops on Booker T and Regal only for their sure-fire victory to be snatched from them. After the match, Harlem Heat and their manager, Sister Sherri, cut a decent promo. (2/5)

The Lifeguard Match (a Lumberjack match) is next, pitting Randy Savage vs. Ric Flair in a rematch from the previous month’s Great American Bash. I’m not usually a fan of lumberjack matches, but at least this one makes sense – these two spent an inordinate amount of time brawling outside the ring at The Bash. In this match, the lumberjacks do a nice job of sticking to their job. Savage and Flair go flying outside multiple times, but instead of this turning into a heel/face battle on the outside, everyone just joins in to toss the two competitors back in the ring. I like how much energy both guys show, though they might have even overdone it – at one point, there seems to be a miscommunication as Flair crashes down from the corner onto Savage and it looks like Flair should have a cracked jaw. As the match continues, neither guy slows down, but they also don’t bust out anything new or fresh, which prevents the match from reaching "epic" levels. When Arn Anderson sneaks in to cause interference, it is less dramatic than it should be - he’s been a non-factor for the rest of the match, making his interference seem like an idea they threw in just to get to the finish, which is good but almost too “easy.” Still, easily the best match of the night so far and further proof that these two, in the ring, against eachother, could really do no wrong. (4/5)

The cage goes up for tonight’s main event – WCW World Champion Hulk Hogan vs. Vader. For those keeping score at home, this show would mark Hogan’s 1-year anniversary as WCW Champion as he had defeated Flair for the strap at the previous year’s Bash At The Beach spectacular. Prior to the match, we get words from Vader and Hulk Hogan, who is joined by Dennis “Rod the Bod” Rodman, who (as a San Antonio Spur) had lost in the Western Conference Finals against the future champs, the Houston Rockets. Vader’s offense in this match is noticeably lighter than his work with others, but that doesn’t mean it’s a poor performance – his domination of the Hulkster is much more credible than anything Hogan does in retaliation. At one point Hogan adorns Vader’s helmet and it is almost awkward to watch such an out-of-touch performer try to get over with such a corny idea. When Vader hits a pair of Vaderbombs on Hogan, they look crippling, as does an awesome (but poorly shot) vertical suplex. Hogan, unfortunately, pulls out nothing new or exciting in this match, failing to live up to the intensity that Vader brings and, instead, sticking to his tried-and-true playbook. This leads to one of the worst finishing sequences in recent memory, starting with a botched big boot spot and leading to yet another appearance from the cartoonish Zodiac and Kevin Sullivan. The actual ending is an almost inexplicable burial job by Hogan where he hits Vader with multiple leg drops but, instead of pinning him, poses for the crowd until he finally decides to climb out. Post-match, Ric Flair shows up and gets in Vader’s face, blaming him for not ending Hulkamania, at least ending the show on an interesting note. Vader’s work here is great, but Hogan doesn’t go the extra mile and instead of giving the fans one for the ages, this one is just above-average. (3.5/5)

With an average match/segment rating of 2.12-out-of-5, Bash At The Beach 95’ is one of the worst shows I’ve had to slog through recently. While it doesn’t quite suck as much as SuperBrawl V, Starrcade 94’, or even the WWE InVasion PPV (stay tuned for my WWE 2001 PPV reviews!), it is very bad, saved only by one of the best lumberjack matches I’ve ever seen and a main event that shows just how good Vader was, even when his dance partner wasn’t willing or able to match his intensity. The rest of the card is a waste of time.

FINAL RATING - DUDleyville

WCW Great American Bash 95'

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

Great American Bash 95' - June 1995

Dayton, OH

COMMENTATORS: Tony Schiavone and Bobby Heenan

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Hulk Hogan is the reigning WCW World Champion, Vader was stripped of the United States Championship prior to the show and will be rewarded to a new champion on this show, Arn Anderson is the TV Champion, and the Nasty Boys are the recognized WCW World Tag Team Champions.

Brian Pillman returns to PPV in the opening match, taking on Alex Wright. This is easily Wright's best match yet, in no small part due to the energy and pacing that Pillman brings. Whereas other workers seemed eager to keep things mat-based, Pillman keeps things moving, the restholds are short breathers between all sorts of high-impact spots. Wright botches a surfboard, so the two wisely move on to a series of pinfalls, Pillman leading the match back onto the tracks and trying his best to engage the tiring audience, jarring them to life through much-needed borderline heel schtick. Later, Wright connects with a snap suplex to the outside that looks nasty, but arguably isn't sold long enough by the veteran Pillman, and follows it up with a cross body over the top. Then its Pillman's time to fly, though, nobody's home as he ends up driving himself into the guardrail in a great-looking spot. What I really like about this match is how well Pillman toes the line between fan favorite and crafty veteran heel. Pillman doesn't cut corners, but he uses his experience to his advantage multiple times, showing more toughness than Wright. The finish is well-executed and comes after a series of good exchanges, including Pillman catching Wright with a dropkick that looks awesome, even if it is a bit of a downer for the "homestate" crowd. Excellent match. (4/5)

A Diamond Dallas Page video is next. At this point, DDP was running an Arm Wrestling Championship, where, if you could beat him, you would win a date with the Diamond Doll, Kimberly. Good video package.

Dave "Evad" Sullivan is backstage with his bunny, Ralph. He speaks with "Mean" Gene and 60 seconds of my life are gone, never to come back.

It's arm-wrestling time! Diamond Dallas Page makes his way to the ring with the Diamond Doll and his hired muscleman, Max Muscle. His opponent, Dave Sullivan, arrives next, sans the "I Want To Be A Hulkamaniac" theme song. Page grabs the mic and builds more heat, telling Sullivan to hit the showers before he embarrasses himself. Page's over-the-top antics are the saving grace of this entire segment. (2.5/5)

…because "John Czawlytko" was taken.

"Hacksaw" Jim Duggan is out next, replacing an injured Marcus Bagwell, to take on Craig "The Pitbull" Pittman, a wrestling drill sergeant. Pittman is a relative newcomer, but kudos to him for bringing a ton of confidence to his gimmick and in-ring work, even if it is unwarranted considering how limited he is as a worker and how many miscues and timing issues spring up in this match. Duggan, a master of overly theatrical facial expressions, matches Pittman's intensity, but it is not enough to carry a poorly executed match anywhere near "good" territory. There are a number of cartoonish and illogical pratfalls on display and, to make matters worse, the bout runs at least 2 minutes longer than it should've. Half-point for effort.  (.5/5)

Bunkhouse Buck and “Dirty” Dick Slater take on the former WCW Tag Team Champions, Harlem Heat, in the next match. This one is pretty boring, though, Sensational Sherri and Colonel Robert Parker’s interactions at least provide a nice backdrop and reason for the bout to even happen. The finish is one I could get behind on paper – but the execution is muddled and it is hard to believe that someone would be able to lock in an inside cradle for what amounts to 10-15 full seconds without a kick out. (1.5/5)

Ric Flair is in the back and he spends a few minutes hyping up his match with Randy Savage, as well as the next major WCW show, which will be headlined by Vader vs. Hogan in a steel cage.

The Television Championship is on the line next, as Arn Anderson defends against The Renegade. The concept of the Renegade has been ridiculed for years, and for good reason - it was a terrible idea. The man behind the Renegade lacked any of the Ultimate Warrior’s presence, not to mention his physique. To be sure, Renegade had more agility than Warrior ever did, but he wasn’t more technically sound despite his attempts to apply some actual wrestling maneuvers. Anderson tries to build heat throughout, but the fans have little interest in rallying behind the one-dimensional Warrior clone, popping huge only for a vintage Enforcer spinebuster. There are moments when Renegade is out of position and Anderson just wills his way through the proceedings. Unsurprisingly, the finish does elicit a positive response (its not uncommon for any title change to get cheered). After the match ends, we get another glimpse of a young Giant, towering over the rest of the audience in the crowd. (1/5)

The Blue Bloods vs. The Nasty Boys for the WCW World Tag Team Championships is next. Before the match, Tony Schiavone reviews the rivalry and the Nasty Boys get some words in backstage with “Mean” Gene. From the start, this one is a straight-up brawl. The babyfaces take control early and the heels bump and sell like mad until they take control and its Knobbs (and then Sags) in peril. As the match wears on, there are peaks and valleys, but the contest never really steps into a higher gear. The finish, with its somewhat confusing shenanigans (who exactly did Harlem Heat want to win this match?), doesn’t do much but add a little spice to an otherwise decent-but-not-great match. (2/5)

A video package provides us with a recap of the United States Championship Tournament. It is really mind-boggling to see how many talents were involved, with everyone from Flair to Pillman to Steve Austin to Randy Savage vying for a chance to win the gold. We then hear from Colonel Parker and Meng, who will be challenging Sting in the finals.

Before the finals, though, we get a fairly ridiculous Bash At The Beach video promo. If it were a few minutes longer, I’d rate it (and probably highly), but its too short to leave much of an impression, unlike the “mini-movies” of years past.

Sting speaks next and it is time for action – Sting vs. Meng for the vacant United States Championship. Coming into this match, Meng had been protected pretty well and his offense does look devastating, leveling Sting with chops and kicks. Meng also shows his considerable strength, dishing out a shoulderbreaker and a sit-out powerbomb. Sting’s comebacks are spirited, but it’s his selling that really carries this match through and gets the crowd engaged. The final moments are good, though, I would’ve preferred a victory coming from an actual finishing move. After a string of “nothing special” matches, this one’s at least in the average-to-good range. (3/5)

Before we get our main event, we get a video package hyping the grudge match that will be closing the show– Randy Savage vs. Ric Flair. Randy Savage shares some thoughts, and then we’re back ringside. Flair arrives first, followed by Savage and his very special guest – his old man, Angelo Poffo. Like their WrestleMania VIII classic, this one is a true grudge match, a highly personal and physical battle of two men that just want to annihilate each other. Savage is in control for the first half, but soon enough Flair gets the upperhand and goes to work on Mach’s knee. There are a handful of very good spots involving the barricade that draw legit groans from the audience. The finish was well executed and entices the audience to want to see the next chapter of the story. I know others may disagree, but I feel like a few more false finishes would’ve made this one even better – though, with a match this personal, I’m not sure it was ever Savage’s goal to actually defeat Flair, which explains why he doesn’t go for any real pinfalls in the match. An excellent main event with great performances from both men. (4/5)

With an average match/segment rating of 2.31-out-of-5, The Great American Bash is a show with significant peaks, multiple dips, and a few valleys. Bookended by two strong matches, the middle of the show is where the problems lie. Dave “Evad” Sullivan has no place on any PPV card ever and neither tag team match is anything special. Oh well, its still an improvement from some of the Hogan-headlined shows of the previous few months. 

FINAL RATING - High Risk Maneuver

WCW Slamboree 95'

Slamboree 95' – May 1995

St. Petersburg, Florida

COMMENTATORS – Eric Bischoff and Bobby Heenan, with Gordon Solie

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN – While the United States Championship was vacant heading into the show, Hulk Hogan was the World Champion, Arn Anderson was in the midst of his second Television Championship reign, and the team of Harlem Heat were the proud holders of the WCW World Tag Team Championships.

Here we go with another edition of WCW's signature "Legends Reunion" show. Kicking things off is the WCW World Tag Team Championship match, as reigning champions Harlem Heat defend the gold against The Nasty Boys. This match is hyped as the Nasties last shot at the titles. The Nasties start off at a major disadvantage as Knobbs is injured in the locker room and Sags must compete in what is essentially a handicap match. In terms of in-ring work, though, this may be the best showing out of Sags I've ever seen - he seems to relish in the opportunity to work on his own, showing lots of spirit and playing to the crowd more than I've ever seen him do. Sister Sherri steals the show on the heel side of things, taking a number of great bumps, including a devastating bodyslam from Knobbs when he returns. Fans of Booker T will also enjoy his efforts, including a spinnerooni-into-a-jumping-heel-kick that makes Eric Bischoff mark out on commentary. Best of all, the match doesn't overstay its welcome and we even get a glimpse at the new number one contenders for the titles, the Blue Bloods. All in all, an excellent opener that really surpassed my expectations. (3.5/5)

Kevin Sullivan is in the back for a quick word before his next match and it is a loony one. His opponent tonight is none other than his former (and future) stablemate, the wrestler formerly known as the Butcher and now known as The Man With No Name. Watching the match, it seems like The Man With No Offense would've been a more fitting description. At one point, The Man hits a terrible-looking jumping chop before applying the worst piledriver I've ever seen. Sullivan tries hard - but it doesn't help. The finish is as absurd and weak as Ed Leslie's ring name. (0/5)

Fortunately, there is a bright side to this match -  the onscreen debut of The Master, aka King Curtis, who rambles on about something or other and calls for Sullivan to come find him. This segment, of course, led to the formation of Dungeon of Doom. Sweet golden Network nugget! (4/5)

Our next contest is a Legends' Match, which is signaled by the show going into black-and-white and Gordon Solie replacing Eric Bischoff on commentary. Slightly less noticeable is Bobby Heenan's shift from over-the-top joke-slinger to a slightly more serious, analytic style. Squaring off are Wahoo McDaniel and Dirty Dick Slater, who wrestle a very old school (read: No Big Spots) match with plenty of eye-pokes and chest chops. While I wouldn't call this a great match, the novelty of it, as well as the commentary, worked for me. (2/5)

The IWGP Championship is on the line in our next bout - Paul Orndorff challenging The Great Muta. A nice exchange of scientific wrestling holds starts this one off, putting Orndorff at an advantage according to Bischoff. As the match continues, and slows down, both men pull the crowd by utilizing some tried-and-true tricks of the trade (Orndorff chokes Muta on the outside with a camera cable, Muta turns a simple toss to the outside into a grandiose bump into the barricade). Still, the crowd is mostly indifferent for anything but the biggest spots. A sloppy finish hurts this one even further as the match just goes a bit too long, with a few too many stretches of generic action, to be considered good. (1.5/5)

Arn Anderson and Ric Flair are in the back with "Mean" Gene Okerlund and are quickly joined by Vader. Anderson speaks for a second about his match with Alex Wright before Ric Flair gets a chance to hype the main event later on.

The WCW Television Championship match is next up - Arn Anderson defending the strap against "Das Wunderkind" Alex Wright. After a string of subpar matches, I'm heading into this one expecting to see something good out of Wright as he takes on one of the company's most consistent performers. The first couple of minutes are all based on Wright maintaining a headlock on Anderson, which doesn't make for very engaging action, but at least a story is developed. Each time Anderson looks to take control of the match, Wright has his reversal scouted and comes up with a counter to the Enforcer's counter, effectively establishing Wright as a smart, determined competitor who did his homework. Anderson, meanwhile, plays the role of the veteran who underestimated his opponent and moves around in a half-beaten daze for a good portion of this match, his reputation of toughness being the only reason the fans recognize that, at any point, he could get the upper hand. As we get to the finish, Anderson gets some offense in, but it is Wright who really gets the spotlight in this match. The final seconds are well-executed and easily the best ending to a match on the show yet. (2.5/5)

Gary Michael Capetta announces the next match as a bonus match - Meng vs. Road Warrior Hawk. Hawk had a tendency to pop up in WCW in singles matches every now and then, so it is not too surprising to see him in action here. Tossed to the outside, the Road Warrior sells for a lengthy spell of time, leading to some interference by Colonel Parker. The rest of the match is fairly even sided and highly physical. The ending is nothing special, just an obvious attempt to keep both guys strong. Overall, a match thoroughly undeserving of a PPV spotlight and one whose best positive aspect is its brevity. (1/5)

Gordon Solie takes the stage for the annual Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. Compared to the WWE's current version, this is a very stripped down affair. We hear a little from the inductees (including the son of Big John Studd, who had passed away from cancer that year). The crowd is respectful, but you can tell that there is some audible indifference to the proceedings, even when Angelo Poffo tries his best to hype tonight's main event. Dusty Rhodes is the headliner, which is a high honor considering that he is joined by Wahoo McDaniel and Antonio Inoki, not to mention the Funker. What is extra cool is that Cody Rhodes joins him on stage for the ceremony and he also name-checks his new granddaughter, Dakota, the progeny of Dustin Rhodes and Terri "Marlena" Runnels. Dusty's speech is a bit short in my view - the fact is, the crowd wants to be revved up and Rhodes offers a somewhat somber, low-key speech. Fortunately, Dusty does save the day with the shocking announcement that Gordon Solie is also being inducted. Solie's speech is fun, though part of that comes the fact he's almost obviously feigning surprise - his speech is bit too well-timed and well-delivered to be off the cuff. Not the most interesting 15 minutes of this show, but certainly more watchable than some of the matches. (3/5)

Cody has kept the same haircut for 20 years.

Big Bubba vs. Sting in a "Lights Out" Match is next and while it does not get nearly as hardcore as it could've and probably should've, there are some heavy hits in this match, most involving a table. A few more minutes of action would've helped make this one seem more epic, as one really gets the sense that Sting and Bubba had another 4-6 minutes in them and that the fans were pretty hot, but not yet "peaking." This match is yet another example of how good Big Bubba could be when motivated. (3/5)

Main event time - Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage vs. Ric Flair and Vader. As Hulk and Randy Savage come down the aisle, we get our first glimpse of the Giant as he is seen standing by the curtain. At this point, all Bischoff can ask is "Who is that?" and "Did you see the size of that man?" but the seeds are planted that Hulk Hogan has someone on his tail. The Renegade also makes an appearance, charging down the ring and helping to clear the ring of the heels' henchmen. It takes several minutes for the action to start, but once it does, it's pretty good, with Ric Flair showing the most energy - this being his return to action after several months of pseudo-retirement. When Vader applies a resthold onto Hulk's knee, we get another look at the Giant, who shows back up at the entrance. In the ring, Vader and Flair begin dominating the Hulkster, at one point connecting with a big splash in the corner, followed by a powerful Vader Bomb. Soon after, Savage gets the hot tag and mixes it up with Flair, showing off their tremendous chemistry. The high spot of the match is Vader's moonsault on a prone Savage. While I would've preferred a different finish, one where the heels actually got a one-up on the heroes for once, to criticize that is a bit much. Like any match featuring Hogan in WCW in 94'-95', you know what you're getting and, minute for minute, this match delivers loads of action and several very good sequences. The post-match involvement of Angelo Poffo allows Flair to get some heat back too. This is likely the best match these 4 could've had, which isn't to say that it's an all-time classic, but it sure beats Savage and Hogan's matches against the Faces of Fear. (4/5)

With an average score of 2.45-out-of-5, Slamboree 95' is a mixed bag. Bookended by two very good matches, the rest of the show has its ups and downs. Sting/Bubba and Anderson/Wright are decent affairs, while Butcher/Sullivan and Meng/Hawk are significantly less than that. As a time capsule, this show contains several interesting moments, most importantly the on-screen debuts of both The Master and The Giant, but also the Hall of Fame acceptance speeches of Terry Funk and Dusty Rhodes. Thanks to these nuggets of Network goodness, Slamboree 95' is not a complete bore.

FINAL RATING - High Risk Maneuver