WCW Great American Bash 97'

The Great American Bash 97' - June 1997

Moline, Illinois

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Hulk Hogan is the WCW World Champion at this time, but does not defend the title (or even appear on the show). The United States Champion is Jeff Jarrett, but he also does not defend his title on the card. Nor does WCW TV Champion Steven Regal. Or Cruiserweight Champion Syxx. The WCW World Tag Team Champions, the Outsiders do, though. As does WCW Women's World Champion Akiro Hokuto. 

COMMENTATORS: Dusty Rhodes, Bobby Heenan, and Tony Schiavone

The show kicks off with an awesomely cheesy video juxtaposing great American things with great WCW wrestlers. What I really like about these stage-setting videos is that they're corny, but unknowingly so - this is not "tongue-in-cheek" meta-humor, this is WCW's cruddy graphic department and copy writers legitimately trying to tie patriotism into a DDP/Savage feud. Unlike WWE, who go all out to make this connection, WCW does it so half-handedly that it is a sight to behold every time (for another example, check out any time Maxx Payne kicked off a 94' pay-per-view by ripping the Star-Spangled Banner on a Flying V). (+1)

Ultimo Dragon vs. Psicosis in a Respect Match is our opening contest. Psychosis is excellent here and the crowd is, surprisingly, very hot for this match, but this one could be Exhibit A as to why Ultimo Dragon is considered by some to be one of the most overrated talents of the 90s. At seemingly every turn Dragon does something to expose the match, positioning himself for spots that, while tremendous (Psicosis hits a plancha over the ring post that might be one of the coolest moves I've ever seen), come off as glaringly choreographed due to Dragon's annoying tendency to pause, brace himself, and take the move like a boxer's punching bag. On the plus side, Psicosis' heeling is a breath of fresh air and shows that there was real potential for him as a character beyond just being an opening match, spot fest worker. With some awesome moments, but too many spots blown by Dragon blatantly positioning himself for the next one, it's hard to recommend what would otherwise be an excellent contest. Towards the end, even Schiavone has to try to cover Dragon's ass for anticipating the finish. Disappointing. (2/5)

The Steiner Brothers challenge The Harlem Heat next in what is a battle to be named the Number One Contenders to the Outsiders' World Tag Team Championships. Stevie Ray and Scott Steiner start things off and it's interesting to see how much more willing the Steiners were here to sell and bump for the Heat than they seemed to do a few years prior. Again, the crowd is surprisingly hot for this, even once Rick Steiner starts getting beaten down and the Brothers Huffman take over on offense (usually cause for the audience to get pretty bored pretty quickly). While far from a great match, all four men work hard and bring a level of intensity to the match that makes things matter more than they would on paper. A screwy non-finish deflates the crowd, but at least points to a future series of matches for both teams (even if I'm not super excited about what those matches would be). As good a match as one could've wanted or expected out of these two teams. (2.5/5)

A grudge match follows, Konnan taking on his former stablemate and tag team partner, Hugh Morrus. The match starts off solid, but the longer it goes, the slower it gets, with Konnan and Morrus spending more and more time on the mat. Konnan's submission skills are respectable - the way he transitions from a headscissors to an arm bar and the extra twist he adds to it by pulling Morrus' hair and stomping him in the face are nice touches. Unfortunately, they're not enough to hide the fact that Konnan and Morrus are completely gassed by the end of the match and have lost the crowd's interest. Not a total dud, but not far from it. (1.5/5)

"Mean" Gene Okerlund is joined at the stage by Public Enemy, who are (thankfully) not booked on tonight's show. Public Enemy take umbrage with the fact that Harlem Heat have been named the number one contenders to the WCW Tag Team Championships. 

Mike Tenay is back at the desk for our next contest - Wrath (accompanied by James Vandenburg and Mortis, who will be handcuffed at ringside) taking on Glacier. I was a big fan of the Glacier/Mortis match from a few months back, Mortis showing off an impressive array of offense, but I was less hopeful about what we'd get in this one. Wrath loses control of things early on, Glacier using his martial arts strikes to get him onto the arena floor where the brawl continues. Glacier is able to whip Wrath into the stairs, but it's an ugly, awkward spot (and not in the good sense) due to Wrath's size as he essentially has to drop to his knees to shoulder block it. Back in the ring, Glacier continues on offense, but ends up in the corner where Mortis is chained and gets distracted, allowing Wrath to hit him with a powerbomb-into-a-throat-first drop on the top rope (that Tenay bizarrely refers to as a "steel cable"). Wrath dominates for the next stretch and connects with an impressive somersault off the apron as well as a respectable lariat off the top rope. When Wrath misses on an elbow drop, Glacier is able to get some offense in, but is ultimately cut off by a big side suplex. After a big superplex spot, Glacier gets distracted by Mortis again, allowing Wrath to hit a back suplex, the match stretching well beyond the time frame I thought it would. Mortis tosses a chain in, but it ends up landing closer to the babyface, who uses it to knock out Wrath. Vandenburg grabs the keys out of Nick Patrick's pants and Mortis is freed from his cuffs. The post-match scene is well-executed and comes across as more vicious than one would think, especially considering the lack of blood. It also garners a fair amount of heat from the crowd, proving that as much as the Glacier gimmick is laughed at 20 years later, it is not as if it was a black hole of indifference - as a midcard act, it worked for at least a little while. (2.5/5)

Akira Hokuto defends the WCW Womens' Championship next against Madusa, who is putting her career on the line here. Hokuto hits her with a stiff slap to the face to kick things off, then begins with the hair tosses. Hokuto's viciousness is excellent and, again, the crowd is noticeably more alive for this than most of the audiences had been at previous shows. Hokuto lands a devastating piledriver, thoroughly dominating the 1988 PWI Rookie of the Year. Madusa bounces back, though, connecting with a pair of missile dropkicks and hitting Hokuto with jabs in the corner. Moments later, Hokuto is back on offense, landing a textbook snap suplex. Madusa won't stay down, even after Hokuto starts targeting the American's damaged knee, applying a perfect surfboard after an even more purposeful kneebreaker. Remarkably, Madusa is able to withstand the pain and even hit Hokuto with a powerbomb, all the while selling the knee damage. Hokuto takes control again with a superplex and an ankle submission, Madusa desperately working to get to the ropes. After Hokuto misses a dropkick from the top, Madusa nails a german suplex, but Sonny Onoo's interference on the outside keeps her from scoring a pinfall. Hokuto continues attacking Madusa's knee, going as far as to stand on the thing using the ropes for leverage. Minutes later, Hokuto lands a devastating brainbuster and, in a genuine shocker, Madusa's career comes to an end. If this is not the best Madusa match ever, it's really close, her valiant effort and selling lifting this match beyond any of the prior bouts I'd seen out of her. The emotional post-match ending is marred a bit by an unnecessary afterword where "Mean" Gene shows up to get a word out of Madusa as she tries to walk to the back. (4/5)

The night's Return Death Match is next - Chris Benoit taking on Meng in a rematch from Slamboree.  As Meng is getting some final words of advice from Jimmy Hart, Benoit comes flying out of the ring with a plancha through the middle rope. Benoit stomps on him on the outside, rolls him back into the ring, and hits a headbutt from the top, attempting to end the match quickly with the crossface. Meng, in a considerable show of strength, lifts Benoit up and places him on the top rope, tossing him across the ring. Benoit ain't out of gas yet, though, putting Meng back on the mat and reapplying the crossface the first chance he gets. Meng is too tough, though, fighting his way to the ropes and knocking out the Crippler with a big kick to the side of the head. Benoit uses his speed and agility to stay in the fight, but Meng, the powerful veteran, is eventually able to take control via a nasty back kick to the face in the corner. After a brilliant flurry of attacks from Benoit in the early going, Meng slows things down, hitting the Crippler with a bodyslam and then crushing him with a huge splash from the top rope. Benoit gets up at the count of 8 and is immediately dropped back to the mat with a superkick. Benoit rolls to the outside and, in a show of desperation, has to rely on the guardrail to help him gain the upperhand against Meng. Back in the ring, Benoit hits a german suplex, but Meng is only out for 7. Benoit follows it up with yet another vicious german suplex, again knocking Meng out for 7. After trading some blows in the middle of the ring, Meng locks in the Tongan Death Grip, but Benoit gets out of it by slipping outside the ring. Miraculously, Benoit shows some life, coming at Meng with chops and strikes, but can't sustain the energy for very long, falling prey to a headlock and yet another mule kick to the skull. The fight continues with both guys trying their best to put their opponent out of commission via their finishing maneuvers, the commentators doing a nice job of showing their amazement at how much punishment Benoit has taken, noting that this is how desperate he is to get his hands on Kevin Sullivan again. Benoit locks in the Crossface for the fourth of fifth time in the match and Meng, after what seems like an eternity, is finally downed for good. A great story that gets over the toughness and ability of both men and, maybe most importantly, puts over a younger talent that was deserving of a push. The biggest knock against it might be that it didn't really live up to the brutality one would expect out of a "death match." Extra half-point for the post-match scene, futher putting over Benoit and establishing that there is a new Toughest Guy Around in WCW. This is how you pass a torch. (4/5)

If you were to tell me that Mongo McMichaels vs. Kevin Greene was a better match than just about any featuring Psicosis, I wouldn't believe you - but Great American Bash 97' offers proof of it. From the very start, Greene is completely pumped up about this one and, because the commentary team hasn't spent all night hyping it, the match comes across as an undersold attraction match that deserved more of a spotlight than it got. Mongo is one of my least favorite workers, but whoever helped him and Greene put together this match did a phenomenal job of presenting a match that accentuated the positives (keeping things high-energy by focusing on big impact offense and fun diversions like involvement from Greene's mom) and limited anything that would've bogged things down or bored the crowd (restholds, an overly complicated finishing sequence). With help from the commentators, who do a nice job of highlighting the fact that this match actually has history dating back to even before the previous month's Slamboree (remember, it was the turn on Kevin Greene at the last year's Bash At The Beach that led Mongo to becoming a Horseman), Jeff Jarrett, and a producer who wisely keeps things under 10 minutes, the audience is treated to a perfectly acceptable match-up between two relatively inexperienced but undeniably gifted and amped-up athletes. (3.5/5)

Backstage, Madusa is getting her knee worked on by a WCW physician. Schiavone notes, "I know her career is over, but that'll put you out for months." Not sure what the purpose of the segment was.

The nWo is here - The Outsiders, with Syxx in tow, arriving to defend their WCW World Tag Team Championships against Roddy Piper and Ric Flair. Flair gets the stuffing beaten out of him early on as the Outsiders gloat, eventually costing themselves a sure victory by allowing Flair to hit a low blow and make the hot tag to Piper. Piper is able to lock in a sleeper on Hall, but on the outside, Flair and Syxx start brawling and end up backstage, turning this match into an unfortunate 2-on-1 situation. Piper fights valiantly, but the numbers game can not be denied, Hall and Nash not even bothering to tag eachother in as they dismantle the Rowdy Scot. Barely a match, you at least get to see an Outsider's Edge. Still, considering the war that these two teams might've been able to put together (especially if Piper and Flair were in their prime), this is not worth the short amount of time it takes to watch. (1/5)

Main event time - Diamond Dallas Page vs. Randy Savage in a Falls Count Anywhere match. I adored their match at Spring Stampede, but with Savage, you never quite know what you'll get - he's always entertaining, but he's not always perfect, a guy that, like Hulk Hogan, has been involved in just as many all-time terrible matches as all-time great ones. Savage comes out first, but it's Page who gets the first shots in, sneaking into the ring from the crowd and jumping Savage from behind. Page goes for the Diamond Cutter early, but Savage sneaks out, only to get hit with a huge crossbody over the top that ends up costing Page (and his injured ribs) just as much as it knocks Savage out. From here, we get all sorts of cool (but admittedly cartoonish) weapon spots, Savage going ape on some poor members of WCW's staff, and a variety of cool visuals and sequences that make this match, while not as good wrestling-wise or even story-wise as their Spring Stampede match, still one of the funnest 15 minutes of action I've seen in a long time. Earlier this week I reviewed Undertaker and Lesnar's first Hell in a Cell match from No Mercy 2002, and while I enjoyed that bloodbath in all its gory glory, I almost enjoyed this one more for keeping things PG but still coming across as a highly personal, highly dangerous encounter. I won't give this one the same accolades as the Lesnar/UT (a bona fide MOTYC in its day), but this is definitely a must-see watch for anyone who likes Randy Savage. The Madness runs wild in this match and it's a pleasure to watch. (4/5)

Plenty of shows have earned scores in the 2.8-2.9 range: Fall Brawl 94', Hog Wild 96', Hell in a Cell 2015, WrestleMania XVIII, so Great American Bash 97' earning a "watchability" score of 2.89 is not going to help anyone decide whether or not this show is worth checking out. As mentioned in the Championship Rundown, this is not a card to watch for any significant title matches. It's not a card to watch for any particularly legendary match or segment (if you're looking for those, the previous year's Great American Bash has a few of them). No, what this card offers is a showcase of some of the more underappreciated elements of WCW that revisionists tend to overlook when they lazily claim that the company's only shining stars were Hogan, Sting, and underutilized talent like Rey Mysterio and Chris Jericho (none of whom are on the card). In this show we get one of the best and most emotional women's matches I've ever seen in Madusa/Hokuto, an intense slugfest between two of the toughest workers ever in Benoit vs. Meng, some surprisingly strong work out of Mongo McMichaels and Kevin Greene, and an incredibly fun main event in Page vs. DDP. While this show ain't perfect (Morrus/Konnan and Steiners/Harlem Heat are average at best), it's not a slog to get through either thanks to one of the more watchable second-halfs I've watched on my quest through WCW in the 90s.

FINAL RATING - Watch It...With Remote in Hand

WWE No Mercy 2002

WWE No Mercy 2002 - October 2002

North Little Rock, Arkansas

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Brock Lesnar is the WWE's Undisputed World Champion coming into the show, Triple H holds the less prestigious World Heavyweight Championship, Kane is the Intercontinental Champion, and Jamie Noble is the Cruiserweight Champion. The newly-created WWE Tag Team Championship will be contested tonight in the finals of a tournament, while the World Tag Team Championships are held by RAW's Christian and Chris Jericho. The Womens' Champion is Trish Stratus.

COMMENTATORS: Michael Cole and Tazz (SmackDown), Jerry Lawler and Jim Ross (RAW)

Backstage, Kane and the Undertaker start the show with a bit of comedy, Kane asking the Deadman, "So, how was your weekend?" and getting a weird look from the Phenom.

Cut to a video promo hyping tonight's Triple H/Kane match, built on the notorious Katie Vick angle where the Big Red Machine was painted as a murderer. Considered the low watermark for WWE Creative, the storyline, dubbed "The Necrophilia Angle," is fortunately swiped over pretty quickly before the video package transitions to hyping the show's true main event, Taker vs. Lesnar in a Hell in a Cell match.

Chris Jericho and Christian defend their WWE World Tag Team Championships against Booker T and Goldust in the opening contest. Jericho and Christian are natural tag partners, wisely using any trickery they can to cut the ring in half and keep Goldust from making the hot tag to Booker T. The crowd is firmly behind the face camp, which adds some pep to the match and makes the nearfalls matter. Not a great match, but at least a little bit of fun due to the unexpected ring break towards the end that forced the teams to improvise a bit. (2.5/5)

At the previous show, Unforgiven 2002, I criticized the WWE for the shameless HLA storyline, but what they ran with the next month was no better - the deplorable Al Wilson/Dawn Marie angle, in which Dawn Marie attempted to seduce Torrie Wilson's real-life father. Thus, we get to our next match - Dawn Marie vs. Torrie Wilson. Surprisingly, Wilson and Marie put together a solid match. The crowd is engaged and there are actual at least 300% more wrestling moves than I expected to see, including a snap suplex out of Torrie Wilson and some decent submissions by Dawn Marie. While this one isn't without it's awkward pauses, one must give some credit to these two for delivering a match that went beyond the usual hairtoss and Lou Thesz presses of the era. (2/5)

Backstage, Jonathan Coachman speaks with Rob Van Dam about his upcoming match with Ric Flair. As RVD walks off, The Coach tries to catch a word with the heels passing him by - Paul Heyman, Brock Lesnar, and Tracy Dali, who had revealed on SmackDown that she'd had an extramarital affair with the Undertaker. The Coach is brushed off, though, and we head back to the ring.

Ric Flair vs. Rob Van Dam was next, this match coming together based on Flair screwing Van Dam in his World Heavyweight Championship match against Ric Flair at Unforgiven. Despite their considerable differences in style, they show some decent chemistry at times, Flair seeming eager to prove that he can keep up with RVD's speed and stiffness. While far from a classic, the match does deliver a satisfying clean finish and doesn't needlessly overstay its welcome or rely on blood and table spots to keep the crowd engaged. (3/5)

Backstage, the Big Show complains to Stephanie McMahon and Eric Bischoff how he has been kept off PPV since July and is long overdue for a main event match. 

We go to an Enya-soundtracked video package detailing the history of the Intercontinental Championship, which will be getting unified with the World Heavyweight Championship tonight in the Triple H/Kane match. 

Tajiri is up next, challenging Jamie Noble for his Cruiserweight Championship. Had the crowd been more interested in this one, I could see it being a Match of the Night contender. Honestly. There are a number of good sequences, Tajiri's offense really is ahead of its time, and Noble takes great bumps and knows how to draw heel heat with his expressions. Unfortunately, the match just doesn't seem to capture any of the crowd's attention save for a few high-impact spots here and there. While technically superior than Flair/RVD in almost every way, that match at least seemed to matter, which is ironic because this is a title match and the prior bout wasn't. (2.5/5)

Pretty funny backstage segment featuring Eddie Guerrero, Chris Benoit, Chavo, and Angle.

A video package prefaces our next contest - the "Winner Takes All" battle Intercontinental Champion Kane and World Heavyweight Champion Triple H. The idea of Kane, who had won the IC strap from Jericho in an emotional contest on RAW weeks prior and was as over as he possibly could've been (he'd only recently returned to TV in September after 5 months gone), challenging the World Heavyweight Champion in his first high-profile crack at the title in well over a year should've sold itself...but Creative couldn't help themselves from tacking on a ridiculous storyline based on Kane murdering his girlfriend. It is important to note, however, that by this point in the feud, it did not yet include that infamous "necrophilia" flavor (that would get added on the next night's RAW), but it was still a dumb story to lead into a match that didn't really need the extra hook. Anywho, the match begins with Kane and Triple H trading blows, Triple H trying to bump his way into this match being worth watching. As things continue, it gets a touch more interesting as we get some ref bumps and all sorts of interference, as well as a special appearance from Triple H's trusty sledgehammer. I prefer the bells-and-whistles in this match over sticking to a straight storyline, but this isn't the best version of that kind of match either. Better than the storyline around it deserved, but ultimately an inessential match. (3.5/5)

Backstage, Stephanie invites Tracy Dali into her office. She tells Ms. McMahon that she had a relationship with the Undertaker (who she refers to as "Mark") in the past, but that Paul Heyman convinced her to say "whatever had to be said to get Mark back." The Deadman appears (via a door, not a plume of smoke), calls her a "lying bitch," and there you have it, the end of the Tracy Dali angle. I'm glad I wasn't watching this in real time. 

For the first time ever, SmackDown gets its own World Tag Team Championships - Edge and Rey Mysterio taking on Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit in the tournament's finals. The build-up to this match was all about "The SmackDown Six," as Los Guerreros were heavily involved in the tournament's final round and the "odd couple" pairing of Angle and Benoit, who arrive first. When the bell rings, Mysterio and Angle start things off, Angle overtaking Rey with his strength and wrestling know-how, demanding that he tag in Edge. Rey refuses to back down, though, outwitting Angle with his quickness and agility, hitting him with a hurricanrana, a drop toe hold, and some slaps before taking a breather out of the ring and letting the frustrated Angle lose his cool in the ring. Edge comes in and, soon after, Benoit steps in for his team. The reversals on display are lightning-fast and snug, Edge holding his own against the far more experienced Crippler. Edge takes control for awhile, but interference from Kurt Angle slows his momentum and allows the heels to start dishing out some punishment of their own. One would've expected Mysterio to be the face-in-peril, but where this match really shines is that it both meets the expectations one would have and also pleasantly subverts them. For example, the amount of "finisher spamming" in the last act would normally turn me off of a match as I find the practice a bit lazy and uncreative these days, but as the nearfalls stacked up, I found myself getting more and more pulled in. In another example of pleasant surprises, the build to this match played up the fact that Angle and Benoit are a solid team, but not necessarily trusting of each other based on their position as rivals over the previous year. In this match, they not only save each other a number of times, but there are some great moments where they show remarkable teamwork, attacking the same area of their opponent, cutting the ring in half, and wrestling with an attention to detail that you wouldn't expect out of two guys who are most known for their work as singles competitors. On the face side of things, when Edge and Mysterio put together their double-team efforts, they are breathtaking and vastly different than anything Edge did with Christian, showing that he might be one of the more underrated tag workers of not only his era, but any. With all four men giving their all, it's hard to find much to criticize about the match, as good a tag bout as I've seen in a long, long time. (4.5/5)

In a segment I can guarantee you wouldn't see in 2016, the Undertaker is backstage demanding that one of the WWE's doctors give him a shot directly into his injured hand so that he can make it through his Hell in a Cell match.

The WWE Women's Championship is on the line next, Trish Stratus defending the strap against Victoria. A "We Want Puppies" chant starts up within the first minute of this match, really showing just how little patience or respect the WWE audience had of the female talent 15 years ago. The action isn't too bad, either, Victoria hitting some respectable moves including a well-executed fireman's carry into the barricade and a follow-up legdrop into the ring. There's a botched monkey flip moments later, but it's not an egregious error and the women recover quickly, especially the more that Victoria takes control as she was obviously the ring general in this one. Unfortunately, the clunky finish (and Trish's offense leading up to it) is a bit harder to overlook in rating the match as it is clear Stratus still had a ways to go towards being the division's ace. (1.5/5)

Michael Cole and Tazz are at the desk, hyping Rikishi's appearance at the WWE's restaurant, The World. They air a clip of Rikishi getting tossed off the cage at Armageddon two years earlier, one of the more overlooked "craziest spots ever" in WWE history. Rikishi predicts that the Undertaker will be victories tonight as the match stipulation favors the Deadman.

Main event time - Brock Lesnar vs. The Undertaker in a Hell in a Cell with the Undisputed World Championship on the line. Early on, Lesnar shows some of his inexperience, trying to outwrestle Taker but not utilizing the cage for his benefit. The wise veteran, though, turns the tables and immediately starts taking advantage of everything he can - including using the cast on his right hand, busting Lesnar open. Meanwhile, on the outside, Heyman gives himself laryngitis, doing some masterful manager work well before he was getting called a top 5 greatest manager of all time. The action from here is just awesome - Undertaker tossing Lesnar to and fro on the outside, hitting him with a perfect guillotine legdrop on the apron and following it up with a huge knee from the top rope, and Paul Heyman getting lacerated from a big boot and getting pulled face-first into the steel wall by his necktie repeatedly. When Lesnar takes over, things get even better, the Beast turning a corner mid-match by starting to embrace the brutality of his surroundings, attacking the Phenom's injured right hand with some violent chair shots. Lesnar is relentless in his attack on Taker's damaged right hand and the injury is sold well for the remainder of the match, too, a touch that is too often lacking in the epics of today. Lesnar's dominance of Taker is incredible - not only because of the Deadman's mythos, but because of how effortlessly and easy it comes across, as if Lesnar himself didn't know what he was capable of until he found himself on the Undertaker's home turf. Lesnar finally utilizes the cage, hanging from it to hit some big kicks before ultimately falling prey to a low blow. The fight goes to the outside and the violence amps up even higher, with Lesnar bashing Taker's head in with two staircase blasts. The bladejob Undertaker pulls off here is stomach-churning, more akin to what you'd see in a horror movie than in a pro-wrestling match. The action moves back into the ring and one would expect the finisher-trading to begin, but in this match, everything is earned, both guys pulling out counters in order to deliver what they both know will be the final blow. There's a great nearfall from the Last Ride, but the best spot in a match full of best spots is Lesnar's reversal of the tombstone, a counter he performs swiftly without a single second of readjustment. While one might find a few flaws here and there in this match, including its obvious reliance on extreme gore to raise drama and the fact that at no point does Brock attempt a submission when forcing Taker to submit from the punishment he suffers to his broken hand would make plenty of sense, it is also hard to find a match more gloriously brutal in the WWE canon. (4.5/5)



No Mercy 02' would be the best SmackDown-exclusive pay-per-view ever if it was a Smackdown-exclusive pay-per-view. With a fairly strong score fi 3.00-out-of-5 on the ol' watchability meter, No Mercy offers the best wrestling action WWE would offer on PPV since the stellar SummerSlam show and, prior to that, the last year's No Mercy show (which earned an identical 3.00). While the show starts off a bit slow, things pick up with the first title match, considerably more watchable and entertaining than I would've expected based on my not-so-hidden dislike for Trips and Kane. The second half of the card is nearly perfect, though I would've flipped the women's matches as Wilson/Dawn Marie, with its abbreviated running time and the respectable amount of heat it garners, is shockingly better than the Stratus/Victoria title match. The tag match and Lesnar/Taker cage bout are Match of the Year-caliber efforts, well worth seeking out.

FINAL RATING - Watch It...With Remote in Hand

WWE Roadblock

WWE Roadblock - March 2016

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into tonight's show, Triple H holds the WWE World Championship, Kevin Owens is the reigning Intercontinental Champion, Kalisto holds the United States Championship, and Charlotte is the WWE Divas Champion. The New Day are the reigning WWE World Tag Team Champions, while Dash and Dawson, the Revival, are the NXT Tag Team Champions (which I only mention because they defend the titles on the show).

COMMENTATORS: Michael Cole, Byron Saxton, and JBL

Unfortunately, unlike the Network special from Japan this past summer, tonight's looks and feels like most other programs the WWE produces. The shows kicks off with The New Day (with their Booty-O cereal) defending the WWE Tag Team Championships against the League of Nations' Sheamus and Wade Barrett. A good-not-great match is had, a bit too by-the-numbers to leave much of an impression beyond the usual "New Day is really fun" and Barrett and Sheamus are pros, but obviously not super enthused about where they have landed on the WWE totem pole. (2/5)

Chris Jericho arrived next to some expected cheers (the show being held in Canada and all), but proceeded to rundown the crowd with a trollish promo. After bashing Toronto and stating that he is embarassed to call himself a Canadian (at one point even telling the crowd, who began chanting for the Hitman, that "Bret was never coming back"), one would expect the WWE to trot out a popular Canadian talent to make him eat his words - but Tyson Kidd's injured, Edge and Christian are retired, and it's no longer the early 2000s (when it felt like you couldn't swing an upside down American flag without hitting a grappler from the Great White North). Instead of opting for the next best thing and having a popular babyface come out - like a Neville or Goldust - they went with the All-American American, Jack Swagger, guaranteeing that the fans would be completely disinterested for the duration of the contest (save for Pavlovian chants of "We The People" whenever Swagger put his hand to his chest). While Jericho and Swagger worked hard, it didn't amount to much. While making this match competitive would, on paper, seem like the right idea not to bury Swagger, having them wrestle a competitive match that goes too long just made it seem like a time-filler. Like the opener, passable but even less important (and the crowd treated it as such). (1.5/5)

Finally, a match in which all the participants seemed energized and eager to steal the show - Dash and Dawson (aka The Revival) defending the NXT Tag Team Championships against Enzo and Big Cass. This isn't the teams' first meeting and I'm not even 100% positive it was their best match, but it was interesting to watch them present this match in front of a crowd not made up of NXT die-hards and they did an excellent job of cleary defining their characters, the importance of the stakes, and the intense heat between the two in a relatively small window of time. Dash and Dawson did a number of little things excellently, particularly Dawson shoulderblocking face-in-peril Enzo out of the ring at one point and dishing out two particularly awesome double-team moves (one on the arena floor, no less). Big Cass may not be the most fundamentally gifted athlete on the NXT roster, but he's solid in his role in the team, coming in to hit the big offense on hot tags. Enzo reminds me of a less cheesy, more watchable Scotty 2 Hotty, which may not seem like a compliment but really is one. Easily the match of the night up to this point and the first one I'd ever want to give a second look to. (3/5)

The WWE Divas Championship was on the line in our next contest, Charlotte defending against Natalya. The match began with some solid mat wrestling, Charlotte and Natalya trading submissions to try to get an early advantage, but the crowd didn't seem to care too much. Things picked up a step once Natalya started landing some more hard-hitting offense, Charlotte showing in her selling why she shouldn't be overlooked as the most important diva on the roster right now. I really liked the pace of the match as well, both women doing something the guys seem hesitant to do - mainly, slowing things down so that the high spots (which weren't over-the-top, "This Is Awesome"-baiting daredevil moves) actually had impact. As the match progressed, Natalya continued to tease the Sharpshooter and showed some real toughness by refusing to lay down or tap to Charlotte's Figure 8, including one particularly good sequence in which Charlotte had the finisher locked on and eventually added some extra punishment by keeping it locked in as she found her way to the outside. This led to a nice nearfall when Charlotte followed it up with her running neckbreaker (I forget what Cole called it). Natalya eventually landed a big powerbomb that may have been performed at half-speed compared to what the male wrestlers do, but had a greater significance because of it. By this point, the crowd was engaged and the requisite "This is Awesome" chant started. I wouldn't necessarily say it reached the level of awesomeness that would make me want to chant that, but giving credit where it's due, this was the most smartly worked singles match of the evening thus far. I would've preferred more interference out of Naitch to lead to the finish, but I did like to see Charlotte get the victory with a cheap pin. These two have great chemistry and I'd love to see them expand the program this summer. To be honest, I'm not sure there is as much of a rush to get Sasha involved when Charlotte is progressing so nicely as a dominant champion who can beat you clean, dirty, or something in between (like in this match). (3.5/5)

Brock Lesnar vs. Bray Wyatt and Luke Harper was next. Wyatt cut a meandering promo to start things off, which helped explain why Luke Harper was involved (noticeably absent were Erick Rowan and Braun Strowman). Lesnar came out to a huge ovation and the match began with Lesnar and Harper coming to blows, Harper landing a nice bit of offense that Lesnar sold well without ever actually looking like he was in much danger. If Harper was more over and credible, I'd love to see these two wrestle a more competitive match, but I'm not surprised that this was essentially a squash once Lesnar took control. Bray Wyatt slunk his way backstage the whole time, refusing to step into the ring against the Beast as he tossed Harper around with suplex after suplex. I usually enjoy the Lesnar squashes a bit more, maybe because they typically seem to matter more. His match in Japan this past summer, for example, came across as funner in that more unique setting, while this one lacked a hook to make it a "must see" bout. Points awarded because of Lesnar's initial selling of Harper's impressive superkicks and clotheslines as well as the Beast's always-impressive suplexes, but I'd call this the least consequential match of his second WWE run. (2/5)

Sami Zayn was up next, taking on Stardust. Like the Swagger/Jericho from earlier, this one was just a bit off, the crowd politely cheering for some of the better moments, but definitely not riveted by the action. I'm a Cody Rhodes fan and, in the right context, I can get behind Stardust to at least some degree, but this was just the wrong match, at the wrong time, in front of the wrong crowd. As much as I like Zayn, this is an unfortunate example of him not quite being as good as his biggest supporters would want the rest of the world to believe. The fact is, while it's a tall order, he didn't elevate this one even to a "TV worthy" level. At close to 15 minutes, this one overstayed its welcome and underwhelmed a crowd that seemed amped to see something more special out of NXT's "Heart and Soul." (1.5/5)

Main event time - Triple H defending the WWE World Championship against Dean Ambrose. For some reason, the Champion entered first, something the WWE has been inexplicably doing lately. I recently completed a ballot ranking the Top 100 Wrestlers Ever at a message board I spend (too much) time on. Now, I kept my list to performers I had seen a considerable amount of footage on - meaning, despite their accolades, I didn't include guys like Bruno Sammartino, Buddy Rogers, or really anyone from the world of puroresu and luche libre. This explains why Triple H and Ambrose both made the list (at #52 and #60 respectively), but it also shows that I'd put 50-60 guys above them in terms of delivering quality matches consistently. They both can be great, but they can also both be grating. Triple H put forth good effort and showed no signs of ring rust, but he also succumbed to his usual and unfortunate habit of trying to deliver an "epic" whereby he shows little vulnerability and doesn't necessarily wrestle with a clear purpose. For example, was he trying to escape with the title here? Was he trying to embarrass Ambrose? Was he trying to prove that he was still the Cerebral Assassin? What effect would it have had to have him bully the ref a little considering that Triple H is essentially the poor sap's boss? Wrestling the match in a "straight-up" fashion added nothing new to either guy's character or momentum heading into WrestleMania. Similarly, Ambrose fought valiantly and did mix it up (by attacking Triple H's leg), but then seemed to go against his own strategy by trying high-risk maneuvers when, in the first half of the bout, it was clear that his purpose was not to necessarily punish The Game, but wrestle the title away from him cleanly. While this lack of purpose didn't make the match unbearable (in fact, it was still above-average), I don't see how anyone would be eager to revisit it. (3.5/5)

With an overall rating of 2.43-out-of-5, it is hard to recommend the wholly inconsequential and generally underwhelming Roadblock to anyone but the most avid WWE viewer. While Roadblock wasn't a pay-per-view, there's no reason it couldn't have hit the same peaks as the NXT show from London earlier this year or Brooklyn last summer. Instead, through some head-scratching booking decisions (having Jack Swagger defend Canada's honor against Jericho, booking Sami Zayn to take on the ice-cold Stardust in his first spotlight match since returning, the false advertising of Wyatt/Lesnar), the show just seemed to hit one pothole (err..roadblock?) after another. While I could understand the live crowd enjoying the show for what it was (a glorified house show), viewers at home were treated to repetitive video packages between matches and little else to keep them glued to their seats. With only the fresh and energetic Natalya/Charlotte match really standing out to me as something worth seeking out, picking out this show's rank was fairly easy...

FINAL RATING - High Risk Maneuver

WWE SummerSlam 89'

 

SummerSlam 89' - August 1989

East Rutherford, New Jersey

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into tonight's show, Hulk Hogan is the WWE World Champion, "Ravishing" Rick Rude holds the Intercontinental Championship, and the Brainbusters, Tully Blanchard and Arn Anderson, are the reigning WWE World Tag Team Champions.

COMMENTARY: Tony Schiavone and Jesse "The Body" Ventura

After a fairly excellent video package splicing wrestling action with traditional summertime tomfoolery (kids eating ice cream cones, a babe in a bikini), it is time for our opening contest, a non-title clash between The Hart Foundation and the reigning Tag Team Champions, Tully Blancard and Arn Anderson, The Brainbusters. This is a match where the "little things" add up to a sum far greater than the whole, as all four men do a tremendous job of throwing in extra snugness, extra pep, and extra energy to lift this match from being just average to being something significantly above it. From the very first sequence, one can tell that the Harts are coming in guns blazing, Bret working hard to out-wrestle the wily Blanchard and refusing to give his opponents a window to breathe. Referee Joey Marella doesn't take the night off either, cutting off various Brainbuster tags when he's not sure they're on the up-and-up, a nice twist to the formula of heels using trickery to get an advantage. Speaking about twists, unlike a traditional "face-in-peril" tag match, this one is all about showing the dominance of the Hart Foundation, who aren't above bending the rules themselves to maintain their advantage. Bret Hart is the star for his team thanks to the impressive variety of offense he delivers, but Neidhart keeps the momentum going and plays his role well. The real MVPs, though, are Anderson and Tully, bumping like mad, selling a ton, and doing the character work necessary to get over the fact that they are in over their heads against a fired-up face team. I do wish we saw more involvement out of Heenan and the finish seems a little bit lackluster (I would've loved to see the heels utilize something just a touch more sneaky to get the win - maybe a loaded boot?), but there's so much to love about this match that it certainly deserves a watch. (3.5/5)

There are all sorts of tracking issues on this for some reason, making me think maybe the WWE needed to transfer this over from the VHS copy that collected desk at the Flicks Video Rentals I went to as a kid. It kinda makes it funner to watch, though.

After some words from Dusty Rhodes backstage, it's time for him to hit the ring for his match against the Honky Tonk Man. The crowd is pumped for this, counting along with each punch Dusty plants in the corner. Rhodes applies what has to be the laziest ankle hold I've ever seen as the camera zooms in on his polka-dotted rear for some reason. A distraction from Jimmy Hart allows Honky to hit Rhodes with the megaphone behind the ref's back, the crowd's excitement effectively deadened. Honky applies a headlock, giving the Dream an opportunity to raise the crowd's enthusiasm again with his wiggling and calls for fan support. A nice, high impact ref bump wakes the crowd back up and leads to a good, if not unpredictable, ending. Not awful, but certainly nothing to search for. Bonus half-point for Honky's post-match promo and the Sean Mooney appearance. (2/5)

Demolition and "King" Jim Duggan are backstage, ranting and raving about how they plan to take down the incredibly large team of Andre The Giant, Big Boss Man, and Akeem.

The undefeated Mr. Perfect is already in the ring awaiting his challenge tonight, "The Red Rooster" Terry Taylor. Perfect is pretty brilliant here, not only in the execution of his wrestling, but in the way he mocks Taylor, getting over his cocky prick character with taunts and facial expressions every chance he gets. To his credit, Taylor is a very capable foil - jobbing, for sure, but throwing enough personality into it that it makes this more than just a squash match. I would've liked a bit more back and forth, personally. (2/5)

"Mean" Gene is backstage with Rick Rude and Bobby Heenan. I'm a sucker for these two on the mic, but it's just too short a segment to earn a bonus point.

The Rockers and Tito Santana take on The Fabulous Rougeaus and Rick Martel next. The Rougeaus' entrance theme is killer and Ventura calling Santana "Chico" at every opportunity helps this match start with at least a half-point bonus before the bell even rings. Martel and Jacques Rougeau are tremendous here, doing everything you'd want heels to do in a multi-man match, pulling out double-teams behind the ref's back, cutting the ring in half, doing blind tags, taunting their opponents and antagonizing the crowd every time they have the upperhand - and it all comes across so natural. Tito is very good as the face in peril, but his hope spots wouldn't rally the crowd so much if it wasn't for how vicious and calculated the heels' offense is, hitting him with more than a couple maneuvers that teams like The New Day should be cribbing right now. When Shawn Michaels finally gets tagged in, the crowd goes bananas, not so much because it's future Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels, but because they want to see Martel get his comeuppance and Tito has fought so valiantly to reach the corner. Pandemonium ensues in the ring, a surefire sign that the faces will likely get screwed, but there are enough twists and turns in the last 30 seconds that it totally works. Really fun match and, in my opinion, a touch better than the opener. (4/5)

A video package highlights the lengthy rivalry between The Ultimate Warrior and "Ravishing" Rick Rude. It closes off with a clip of Andre The Giant bringing Warrior to his knees on an episode of Superstars. This segues into a very brief promo out of the Warrior that is completely insane. (+1)

The Intercontinental Championship is on the line next, with "Ravishing" Rick Rude defending against The Ultimate Warrior. Rude's intro is always great and he does not disappoint here, revealing an incredible pair of tights featuring the Warrior's face on them. The ovation for the Warrior is tremendous, though, one could argue that they were just hype for Dusty Rhodes and even for the finish of the previous match. What starts as a squash match becomes something great as it continues and Rude, after taking a severe beating, ends up gaining the upperhand. The most praised aspect of this feud has always been Rude's selling, but what is not given enough credit is the clever ways the matches are laid out to keep Rude looking tough and keep Warrior's flaws well hidden. The finish, with its awesome and unexpected run-in, only suffers because the Warrior's finishing maneuver has always been a bit lackluster, an unworthy imitation of Hogan's legdrop. Thoroughly entertaining match that shows just how hot you can get a crowd without having to load up a match with three dozen high spots and just sticking to some basic-but-well-executed staples like piledrivers, a ref bump, and some out-of-the-ring brawling. (4/5)

After a small sampling of promos out of Rude and Heenan, Mr. Perfect, and Hot Rod, as well as a brief intermission, "Mean" Gene welcomes us back to the show and cues up a video package promoting tonight's main event. Excellent video recap showcasing the debut of Zeus and his unholy alliance with Sensational Sherri and "Macho Man" Randy Savage.

6-man tag action is next, Jim Duggan and Demolition vs. The Twin Towers and Andre The Giant. Like so many other bouts on tonight's show, what is a fully unspectacular match is raised by a passionate crowd and equally passionate announcing from Tony Schiavone. This is not a must-see contest by any stretch of the imagination and it certainly isn't a go-to match for fans seeking to understand the draw of Andre the Giant, but it doesn't eat up too much time and the finish keeps the crowd happy without hurting the 8th Wonder's credibility as the heaviest hitter of the bunch. (1.5/5)

Ted DiBiase is in the back to cut a promo about his match against Jimmy Snuka later in the show.

Back in the ring, "Rugged" Ronnie Garvin, who had been banned from wrestling and working as a referee, takes over for the Fink as guest ring announcer. He welcomes Hercules and then verbally bashes his opponent, Greg "The Hammer" Valentine for comedic effect. A wrestling match, but not much of one, ensues, Valentine distracted the whole time by Garvin on the outside of the ring. Nothing much to say about this one, which is passable, but not "PPV worthy." (1/5)

Backstage promo from Sensational Sherri, "Macho Man," and Zeus. 

Back in the ring, Ted DiBiase is awaiting his opponent, Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka. Snuka comes in and immediately goes on offense, forcing DiBiase to take a break on the outside. DiBiase comes back in and locks on a super tight headlock, but the action takes a noticeable dip when there is an obvious mistiming on a leap frog. Superfly remains in control until DiBiase is able to land a huge stun gun, giving the Million Dollar Man an opportunity to capitalize with a follow-up suplex. DiBiase misses out on his patented back elbow from the second rope and Snuka takes over with some big fists and a headbutt, then attempts a diving headbutt from the second rope. Instead of making the pin, though, Snuka heads to the top rope for a big splash, but before he can launch himself, Virgil distracts him on the outside. DiBiase lands an axehandle on the arena floor and tosses Snuka into the ring post leading to a pretty lackluster finish that I'm not entirely sure was 100% kosher. Snuka leaping back on screen for the post-match is a tremendous visual, though, pushing this match slightly higher than it would deserve based on what goes on strictly between the bells. (1.5/5)

Here's a nice surprise - "The Genius" Lanny Poffo has a poem for us! Sadly, it is one of the least remarkable ones I can recall him reciting. Poffo even mentions Miss Elizabeth, spoiling the surprise that Hogan had alluded to in his pre-match promo (as if there was any doubt what "special surprise" he had in store for the heels).

Main event time - "The Macho Man" Randy Savage and Zeus, with Sensational Sherri, taking on Hulk Hogan and Brutus Beefcake. The previous year had seen Hogan and Savage take Andre the Giant and Ted DiBiase in a match I respected for being a spectacle, if not a mat classic. This one will need even more smoke and mirrors to keep me engaged as Zeus was an untrained performer and if Beefcake was trained, he should've asked for his money back. Before the match starts, Howard Finkel is informed by Hulk Hogan that he needs to welcome Hogan's special guest, the First Lady of Professional Wrestling, Miss Elizabeth (looking absolutely radiant here, by the way). The match begins and within the first minute it is obvious how limited Zeus is as a performer, busting out nothing but chokes and bear hugs while Savage provides the actual excitement via a flying axehandle and some menacing facial expressions. The crowd gets behind the Hulkster quickly, though, when Savage locks in a sleeper, drawing strength from their support. Surprisingly, Zeus gets tagged back in moments later. Unsurprisingly, he ties up Hogan in yet another bearhug and keeps him in it for a minute or so before tagging out so Savage can give the match some actual movement. The crowd pops big for Hogan escaping Savage's assault and making the hot tag to Brutus, who ends up on the receiving end of a loaded purse shot from Macho and having to face off with Zeus. Zeus lays in some more chokes, but at least throws in a press slam onto the top rope to mix it up before Savage tags in. A double clothesline spot leads to Hogan getting the tag and, though the Hulkster takes control initially, he ends up eating an elbow drop from Macho Man. Hogan no sells it, though, and we finally get our big showdown - Zeus and Hogan toe-to-toe in the center of the ring. This leads to a ridiculous sequence involving Zeus staggering and the return of the loaded purse, concluding with a crowd-pleasing post-match scene that ends like nearly every other pay-per-view from this era. While this match is decent fun (especially seeing Miss Elizabeth getting physically involved to give Sherri her comeuppance), the key word is probably "decent." Again, the spectacle and the spirited performances out of Savage and Hogan raise this one above where the in-ring action would put it on its own. (2/5)

With an overall rating of 2.5-out-of-5, SummerSlam 89' is actually more watchable than its score would indicate. The opening contest, the Rockers and Santana vs. Quebecers and Martel 6-man, and Intercontinental Championship matches are good-to-great and are given adequate time, while the underwhelming Snuka/DiBiase, Rhodes/Honky Tonk Man, and main event may not be too good, but they don't overstay their welcome. Mr. Perfect is fun to watch in a cameo squash and, helping to keep the show going, are vignettes and promos between every match that work far better than trying to script out convoluted scenes and segments (or, more likely, overloading the Network specials with the same advertisements ad nauseum) like we get on today's shows. While I wouldn't recommend this to every fan (it certainly helps if you have a nostalgic appreciation for late 80s/early 90s WWE), there are far worse shows to find on the Network.

FINAL RATING - High Risk Maneuver

WCW Slamboree 97'

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

WCW Slamboree 97' - May 1997

Charlotte, North Carolina

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan is the WCW World Champion, Ultimo Dragon holds the Television Championship, the United States Champion is Dean Malenko, and Syxx holds the WCW Cruiserweight Title. The WCW World Tag Team Champions are The Outsiders, Hall and Nash. 

COMMENTATORS: Tony Schiavone, Dusty Rhodes, and Bobby Heenan

Slamboree 97' kicks off with a video package hyping tonight's double header of NFL-related 'rassling action. Building a show around one match featuring famous football players would be special, but WCW went big here. Wisely, they have local sports star Kevin Greene of the Carolina Panthers in the main event, with Steve "Mongo" McMichaels squaring off against Super Bowl XXXI star (and future NFL Hall of Famer) Reggie White of the Packers in another football fan-baiting "grudge match."

Ultimo Dragon defends his WCW Television Championship in the opening match against Steven Regal (no longer "Lord" according to Schiavone). Mike Tenay joins in on commentary. Regal and Dragon open the match with scientific wrestling and, while Regal doesn't look to be in the best shape of his career, his technique remains a notch above remarkable. Throughout the match, Regal executes an astonishing array of stretches and submissions, keeping Dragon grounded for the most part. Unable to execute his usual repertoire of high-flying tricks and high-impact suplexes, Dragon is forced to fight Regal's game, locking in a respectable number of submissions of his own and delivering more than a couple super stiff kicks. Slowly, the audience begins to support Regal, though he doesn't do much to court their approval (save for signaling his Regal Stretch at the end of the bout). The attention to detail on Regal's part and Dragon actually having to slow down his usually overly flashy style to tell a story where he has to show some fatigue and fight a bit from underneath makes this an overlooked classic in my book. I feel like I've said that about quite a few of Regal's TV Title matches in WCW, from the early 90s to this. (4/5)

Lee Marshall replaces Mike Tenay for this one, a grudge match pitting Madusa vs. Luna Vachon. Luna takes control early, hitting Madusa with a slingshot under the bottom rope, but failing to maintain her dominance which allows Madusa to get some offense in and rev up the crowd. Vachon locks in a bizarre-looking tummy squeeze, then a textbook suplex, which Madusa bridges out of. Madusa gets in some chops in the corner, eventually connecting with a huge clothesline that looks like it could be a career-ender for Vachon. While the women bust out more maneuevers and the finish is particularly sharp, there's too many disjointed moments, times when it is obvious that Madusa is slowing herself down to accommodate for Vachon. Not the worst womens' wrestling match I've ever seen, but far from the peaks being reached by some of today's female talent. (2/5)

On the ramp, "Mean" Gene is joined by Randy Savage and Miss Elizabeth, the nWo's MVP in my eyes. Savage grabs the mic and makes his way towards the ring. As Savage begins to gloat about the punishment he's inflicted on DDP, Page shows up out of the crowd with a bent crutch in his hands. Macho hightails it out of the ring as DDP grabs the mic and calls him out. Vincent, Bischoff, and Buff show up to support their man, but Page ain't afraid - instead, he mocks the Macho Man by calling him a Hulk Hogan ass-kisser. The crowd breaks into a "DDP" chant and a fired-up Savage opts to make his way down the aisle after all to go toe-to-toe with the master of the Diamond Cutter. Page wails on him with the crutch and ends up taking out everyone he can, including Bischoff, before Scott Norton gets the upperhand and exposes Page's damaged ribs. The New World Order gets in some stomps, but The Giant shows up to a huge applause to clean house. Very good segment that has woken up the audience in a big way. The WWE would be wise to book moments like this on their own Network Specials. (+1)

Mike Tenay is brought back for our next bout, Yuji Yasouroka vs. Rey Mysterio Jr. In a match that, like the opener, offers a unique battle between two international talents. Yasouroka has a clear height advantage, trying his best to keep Rey on the mat at the start but not necessarily doing a great job of it as Mysterio ends up in control, locking in some innovative submissions before falling prey to Yasouroka's strength advantage and bodyslams. Yasouroka tries his best to pull the crowd into it, but as this is only his second bout in the company, the audience doesn't react to anything he does in the early going, snapped back into the action by a classic Mysterio spot - the somersault plancha over the referee's back. From here, Rey locks in a camel clutch, showing a bit more viciousness than usual. Mysterio makes the mistake of attempting a springboard moments later, Yuji countering with a heel kick to the gut. Mike Tenay mentions that Yasouroka's longtime tag partner is Lance Storm, which leads the Brian to make the comment that Lance Storm sounds like a weatherman in Omaha. The back-and-forth continues for the next few minutes with Mysterio selling a ton and WCW's camera crew missing some of the bigger spots, including a Yasouroka splash to the outside and a split-legged moonsault from Rey. There's a good victory roll sequence followed by a rare powerbomb out of Mysterio, but Rey uncharacteristically wastes time by going for a big splash from the corner, giving Yasouroka the chance to hit a double-arm DDT for a nearfall. There's a glaringly mistimed moment, but it works in the context of the match as both guys seem absolutely spent, essentially attempting every single maneuever they can to put their opponent away. A very good counter to a Yasouroka splash leads to an excellent, believable finish. Solid match that would've benefitted from a hotter crowd. (3/5)

As a kid, I really disliked the Mortis/Wrath/Glacier storyline, but reliving it, I have to say, I kinda dig the kitsch and how the angle offers something different on the card. Tonight's installment is a rematch from the previous month's show - the still undefeated Glacier vs. Mortis. Before the bell rings, they come to blows, with Mortis hitting Glacier with some kicks and stomps in the corner. After attacking Glacier's knee, Mortis calls out for Wrath, who marches down the aisle while Glacier, selling a damaged knee, tries his best to take out  Mortis. Wrath comes into the ring and instantly gets Glacier the DQ win by attacking him with James Vandenberg's staff. The crowd chants "Bullshit" for a minute, obviously disappointed at not getting an actual match. In a pretty cool spot, Mortis drives Glacier's head into the steps with his thighs and then tosses him back in the ring for more punishment. Out of nowhere, a "fan" comes into the ring and karate kicks the heels out of the ring. Schiavone ponders "Is that Ernest Miller?" WCW Security arrives to escort Miller out and, there you have it, we have the debut of The Cat, hyped as the World Champion of Tournament Karate. As this is more of an angle than a match, it is hard to rate it, but I thought it was fine for what it was. (2.5/5)

The familiar sound of country music heralds the arrival of Jeff Jarrett, tonight's challenger for Dean Malenko, the reigning WCW United States Champion. There's a "Jarrett Sucks" chant early on as Dean goes to work on Double J's leg, hitting him with a variety of submissions and strikes. Unfortunately, the minute Jarrett gets on offense, he doesn't sell any of the damage Malenko inflicted. A lengthy abdominal stretch hold leads to what appears to be a botched reversal in the ropes and Jarrett rolls to the outside for a breather. A second "Jarrett Sucks" chant breaks out, but Malenko does nothing to keep the crowd fired up, sternly sticking to his Iceman gimmick even when the crowd wants to rally behind him. Jarrett comes back in and applies a wristlock, but Malenko is able to escape and land a back suplex. Jarrett comes back with a swinging neckbreaker and calls for his Figure Four, but Malenko fights back and goes for the Cloverleaf. Jarrett rolls into a small package for a 2 count and the crowd comes alive. Adding even more drama, they head to the outside where Jarrett showcases some brutality, dropping Malenko neck first onto the guardrail. Back in the ring, the counters pile up, both guys locking in sleeper holds at one point with Jarrett eventually locking in his figure four dangerously close to the ropes. After bonking their heads, Malenko and Jarrett both appear knocked out, which leads to a run-in from Mongo McMichaels, who tosses Jarrett from the arena floor back into the squared circle before taking off with Debra. A decisive, clean finish wraps up a match that I don't see getting nearly enough credit. Like Dragon/Regal, Jarrett's over-the-top character offers a nice contrast to Malenko, a technically proficient but somewhat bland personality that couldn't always get the crowd to connect to the stories he was telling. (3.5/5)

Death Match time - Chris Benoit vs. Meng in a continuation of Benoit's seemingly never-ending feud with the Dungeon of Doom. What's cool about this match is that, while Meng certainly wasn't a credible talent in the kayfabe sense, his reputation as a legitimate tough guy makes this far more interesting than just what would otherwise be a "WCW Saturday Night"-level match. Benoit connects with a nasty German suplex early, but Meng isn't down for long. Benoit tries his best to maintain control by hitting some chops, but Meng doesn't show any pain, hitting the Crippler with some stiff blows and stomps. Jaqueline shows up, but only distracts Woman. Back in the ring, Meng locks in a half crab, a surprising maneuver from Meng (let alone in a Death Match). Meng eventually releases the hold, allowing Benoit a moment to recuperate, but then plants him back down with a big piledriver as the crowd begins to rally behind the Horsemen. Benoit is able to fight back and strap in the crossface, but Meng has too much energy, clawing his way to the ropes where Benoit releases the hold. Meng rolls out to the floor and the fight continues, Meng dishing out some clubbering blows, including a flurry of rights and lefts that look stiffer than a 2-dollar steak. Benoit shows incredible fighting spirit and demands more punishment not once but twice, taunting by Meng by refusing to stay down. Benoit capitalizes on a minor mistake to hit his opponent with a two more big German suplexes before miraculously locking in the Crossface for a second time. Again, Meng forces Benoit to release the hold by sliding to the outside of the ring, but the Crippler goes for broke and launches himself through the ropes with a lightning fast suicide dive! Meng tries to hit him with a fireman's carry from the top, but Benoit counters by hitting him with yet another German suplex, this one from the bottom rope! A flying headbutt is countered by Meng's Tongan Death Grip, but Benoit refuses to tap out, signaling Woman not to throw the towel in. Had this not been promoted as a Death Match, a completely unnecessary stipulation when you consider what these two actually did in the ring without the use of a single weapon or relying on a lengthy brawl outside the ring, I think this one would go down as one of the better bouts in 97' and maybe even have been considered a "hidden gem" in WCW history. Is this the best Haku/Meng singles match in history? I wouldn't be surprised to learn that it is. (3.5/5)

The Steiners take on Hugh Morrus and Konnan next. As one might expect, Scott Steiner dishes out some nasty suplexes early on and Rick Steiner gets the crowd engaged, but maybe the most enjoyable aspect of the match is watching the 300-pound Morrus bounce and bump around like someone half his size. Konnan tries to get fancy, but ends up eating a stiff clothesline from the Gremlin and then a dangerously snug German suplex as well. The Steiners lose control when Jimmy Hart pulls Poppa Pump's leg when he's running the ropes and Morrus takes the opportunity to land an impressive press slam onto the top rope. The heels dominate for awhile before Scott Steiner reverses the flow of the match with one of the laziest counters to top rope axehandle I think I have ever seen. I mean, it is just a laughably bad spot. The Steiners get back on offense and a Frankensteiner later and this one is over. Nothing more than filler that is salvaged by some suplexes and the hard work of Morrus. In a post-match sequence that draws practically no response (because who would care about it?), Konnan attacks his partner and leaves Jimmy Hart behind. (1.5/5)

The familiar sound of the Horsemen theme song signals the arrival of Steve "Mongo" McMichael with Debra McMichael for his match against NFL star Reggie White. What's interesting about this match is that Mongo, having only been in WCW for roughly a year, is being relied onto carry the untrained Reggie White and is actually somewhat capable to do so, starting the match off with some schtick he'd obviously cribbed from watching Flair and countless others work over the previous 12 months. He leads White through a typical, but not poorly done, headlock sequence, but overplays his hand by attempting what seems to be some sort of "Flair flop-esque" fall after a Reggie White shoulder block. As one might've predicted, they each take a 3-point stance, but Mongo clips White's leg, sending him to the mat in a respectable bump. They repeat the spot again, but this time, White gets a surprising amount of height on a leapfrog and Mongo eats the turnbuckle. McMichael tries to escape the match, but one of White's teammates forces him back into the ring (where he gets hit with one of the worst dropkicks I've seen since the days of Erik Watts). Mongo locks in an arm bar, but White is able to club his way out with his second (and equally clumsy-looking) big clothesline of the match. Back in the ring, McMichael is able to get the upperhand for a brief spell by clipping White's knee and then delivering a sidewalk slam, but ultimately falls prey to a nerve pinch out of White that he can only escape through a low blow unseen by the ref. Mongo continues working on White's knee with some stomps and a half-crab and, at this point, one has to wonder if giving them so much ring time was the best strategy. Uncharacteristically, Mongo attempts a figure four and gets kicked off, then tries to follow it up with a high-risk maneuever from the top rope and gets launched into the middle of the ring. White connects with a series of clotheslines and inverted atomic drop, eventually clubbing Mongo out of the ring and bringing the fight to the outside. Once these two find their way back between the ropes, White lands a textbook suplex and.a splash, but is too distracted by Debra to catch interference out of everyone's least favorite Horsemen, Jeff Jarrett. Considering that White was untrained, Mongo had only been competing for a year, and the match was given far too much time, this one isn't a total dud and is probably more entertaining than the previous contest due to its novelty if not its action. (2/5)

Main event time - Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, and Syxx vs. Ric Flair, Roddy Piper, and Kevin Greene. After the heels make their entrance, the Carolina crowd goes absolutely bonkers for Panthers star Kevin Greene, beloved icon Piper, and hometown hero, making his first in-ring appearance in Charlotte in 8 years (according to the commentators, at least), "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair. While this one isn't worked perfectly (there's one noticeable botch when Syxx and Flair have to redo a spot off the ropes), there are more good sequences than bad. Kevin Greene's shortcomings are hidden really well (as are Piper's) with Flair getting such tremendous reactions that every time he is involved, you can't take your eyes off the screen. For the heel side of things, Syxx and Hall carry the match with their quality work, obviously raising their games to provide the crowd with a worthwhile main event. Nash is featured far less and probably sells a tad too much for Greene, but this one was more about pleasing the hometown crowd than it was about building the credibility of the nWo or of any individual performer. A surprisingly solid bout that hits all the right notes and does it better than the match that came before it. (3/5)

With a reasonably good 2.89-out-of-5 on the ol' watchability rating scale, Slamboree 97' is a solid, but not quite great, show. On the plus side, you have some very good matches featuring Chris Benoit, Regal, Rey Mysterio, and Ric Flair. On the negative side, not a single match comes off as particularly meaningful and there are several that scream "filler" (the Steiners tag and the Womens' Championship bout). Even the main event, which I'd say is an above-average match thanks to the "feel" that the crowd gives it, seems like it was designed more to please the live audience than anyone sitting at home waiting to see the next chapter in the nWo storyline (the fact that Sting and Hogan are nowhere to be found anywhere in the show is further evidence that this was a "B-level" pay-per-view). I'd recommend a rewatch for fans of the era and of the particular stars featured on the show, but if you're looking for the best possible WCW pay-per-view to watch from 97'-98', this wouldn't make the shortlist.

FINAL RATING - Watch It...With Remote in Hand

WWE Saturday Night's Main Event (May 1987)

WWE Saturday Night's Main Event - May 1987

South Bend, Indiana

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into tonight's show, Hulk Hogan is the WWE World Champion, Ricky Steamboat holds the Intercontinental Championship, and the Hart Foundation are the World Tag Team Champions.

COMMENTATORS: Vince McMahon and Jesse Ventura

Main Event opens with some very brief promos out of some of tonight's key figures - "Macho Man" Randy Savage, Hulk Hogan, the Hart Foundation, and Andre the Giant with Bobby Heenan. They hype tonight's card, which features two title defenses and a lumberjack grudge match between Savage and George "The Animal" Steele.

McMahon and Ventura welcome us to the show before airing a video showing Ken Patera injuring Bobby Heenan's neck in an angle from earlier in the day. This explains why Heenan is wearing a neck brace earlier (in actuality, Heenan had suffered a major neck injury in Japan in 1982 but continued taking bumps for years following until, in the early 90s, he became strictly a "broadcast journalist").

Jake Roberts vs. Kamala is our opening contest. This is pretty much exactly what one would expect out of these two. Kamala's moveset is limited to chops and kick, while Roberts spends the majority of the match selling. As good as Roberts' character work is here, his offense is unimpressive and very little action takes place. Saving this from dud territory is the finish and post-match, a well-executed, storyline-furthering scene that continues Roberts' program with Honky Tonk Man. (1.5/5)

Next up we get a lumberjack match pitting George "The Animal" Steele against "Macho Man" Randy Savage. The catalyst for this match is Steele's involvement in the WrestleMania III finish as the Animal played a role in costing Savage his Intercontinental Championship against Ricky Steamboat. We get a few pre-match promos, but they're not things of legend. Like the previous bout, the action in this one is bottom-level basic, Steele's entire offense consisting of clubbering blows, chokes, and the occasional biting. Savage provides motion to the affair and he even lands an almost-impressive snap suplex at one point, but the match comes off more like a reason to get a dozen bodies ringside for brawling than to actually build and tell a meaningful story. The lumberjack stipulation allows for more fuel to be added to the heated rivalries between Honky and Jake as well as the Hart Foundation and the British Bulldogs, so, this match is not without its merit from a storyline perspective, but as far as hunting this down to watch and enjoy, I'd pass. (2/5)

Backstage, "Mean" Gene Okerlund sits with Bobby Heenan and the "rightful" WWE World Champion, Andre the Giant. Heenan claims that Andre pinned Hogan early in their match at WrestleMania III, but the video evidence clearly shows the Hulkster getting his arm up. The Brain is fired up and articulate in his argument, but that doesn't make this a must-watch segment.

Finally, some actual wrestling holds - The British Bulldogs (with Matilda and Tito Santana) challenging the Hart Foundation for their WWE World Tag Team Championships. If one were to watch this match in isolation, I'm not sure it would be nearly as impressive as when you watch it in contrast with the bouts that came before it. Where those matches were fought at a sluggish, stuck-in-molasses speed with the occasional wrestling move lazily thrown in between stomps and punches, Davey Boy and Bret show off some athleticism, take some big bumps, and dish out suplexes, backbreakers, and other bona fide wrestling moves. Nothing they do would be remarkable compared to today's work, but at the time, they were delivering more action in the first five minutes of their match than the previous two bouts had done combined. This one is fought under 2-out-of-3 falls rules, which leads to an unexpected and rather unsatisfying conclusion, but that's not to say it's a total waste of time. The crowd is electric and the heel tactics of the Hart Foundation are the kind of thing sorely lacking in today's product, where the referee can't be made to "look stupid" even when doing so helps rally the audience behind the babyfaces. Dynamite Kid getting his nose busted adds an extra element of drama to an otherwise solid contest, but I must admit to being just a tad underwhelmed with this match considering that I've seen it rated pretty highly in the past. (3/5)

After an interview with Hulk Hogan, it's time for our Intercontinental Championship Match, Ricky Steamboat defending against Hercules. Steamboat is pretty awesome here, fearlessly taking the fight to the muscular Hercules and even hitting him with an atomic drop on the outside. Hercules gets the upperhand and Steamboat eats the ring post while a "talking head" bubble shows Randy Savage cheering for Steamboat (ostensibly so he can win back the title in a rematch). Hercules is surprisingly good here, looking considerably more spry and spirited than anything I saw from him in his WCW run years later. Steamboat lands a swinging neckbreaker and Ventura chastises him for not going for a cover, allowing Hercules to lock in his full nelson. This leads to Savage making a shocking run-in and saving the Dragon, though the match continues. After hitting him with a scoop slam, Hernandez ends up on defense as Steamboat fights back with a series of big chops and fists in the corner. Hercules strikes back with his own inverted atomic drop, but instead of continuing to go toe-to-toe with the champ, Heenan tosses his client a lengthy chain and he uses it to choke out the Dragon (and get himself DQ'd in the process) as Savage watches from the outside. While I found myself enjoying the first 2/3rds of this match, the finish made absolutely no sense as Hercules wasn't really in enough trouble to make him want to get himself disqualified (and cost him a rare opportunity to capture the IC strap). After the match, Savage hits a beaten Steamboat with an elbow from the top, gloating in the corner as the crowd boos. Not a bad match, but I would've preferred an ending that actually followed some logic. (2/5)

"Mean" Gene gets some thoughts from "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan on the outside before our main event - The Can-Am Connection vs. Nikolai Volkoff and the Iron Sheik (with Slick). Volkoff begins singing the Russian National Anthem in the center of the ring, inspiring Duggan to come in and clean house with his two-by-four, grabbing the mic and leading the crowd in a rowdy USA chant. After a commercial break, the match begins with Martel landing a big dropkick on Sheik and then tagging in Tom Zenk for a little double-team action. Sheik gets control, though, tossing the Minnesotan (I think) into a Volkoff boot in the corner. Sheik lands an impressive vertical suplex for two before Nikolai comes in and hits Zenk with a pretty nifty stomp off the ropes. Sheik is back in and he lands a respectable belly-to-belly suplex before locking in an abdominal stretch on the future Z-Man. The heels are able to get in some cheap shots on the outside moments later, but Duggan won't stand for it, getting into the ring and disqualifying the Sheik for long enough to give the Can-Am Connection the upperhand. Like nearly every other match from tonight's show, there's a wild brawl in the post-match. (1/5)

At just a bit over an hour and created to help pull in casual viewers and drive pay-per-view and ticket sales, Saturday Night's Main Event shows are not going to hold up to the same scrutiny as actual 3-hour pay-per-view events. Still, there are plenty of better ways to spend an hour than watching this show and its average match rating of 1.9-out-of-5 makes that clear. The Bulldogs/Hart Foundation match is the best on the show but is hardly must-see unless you're a Davey Boy Smith completist and don't mind screwy finishes. Hercules/Steamboat is pretty strong, but suffers from an ending that makes little sense. Giving the main event even 1 point seems almost too complimentary. None of the extraneous segments seem important. I'm hoping there are better episodes than this I can enjoy in the future.

FINAL RATING - DUDleyville