RATING LEVELS:
Curt Hennig – A
“GOAT” show, as Perfect as possible
Watch It – A
consistently good show worth watching in its entirety
Watch It…With Remote
in Hand – 3 or more above-average ratings
High Risk Maneuver –
Mostly filler, inessential, but 1-2 good matches
DUDleyville –
Zero redeeming qualities, chore to watch
HALLOWEEN HAVOC 94’ –
October 1994
Joe Louis Arena,
Detroit, Michigan
CHAMPIONSHIP
BACKGROUNDS: Hulk Hogan is the reigning WCW World Heavyweight Champion
heading into tonight’s show, having defeated Ric Flair at Bash at the Beach in
July. The team of Stars N’ Stripes are the WCW Tag Team Champions, Jim Duggan is
the reigning US Champion, and Johnny B. Badd is the recognized TV Champion
after ending Steven Regal’s reign.
COMMENTATORS: Tony
Schiavone & Bobby Heenan
After some words from our announce team, a weird looking
dude sings the National Anthem. Personally, I preferred when Maxx Payne would
do it with his 6-string, but the oddly-dressed man who they got to do it on
this night is tolerable.
And its time for our opening match - The Honky Tonk Man challenging WCW Television Champion, Johnny B. Badd. The action here is considerably less athletic/serious than what Badd was doing with Regal, but the crowd is alive for it. Honky's selling is cartoonish and his offense noticeably limited, to the point that when Gary Michael Capetta announces there are only 5 minutes left, it is genuinely surprising considering how little of note has happened. When the clock reads 3 minutes left, Honky tosses Badd to the outside - a strange move for the challenger to make considering the title doesn't change hands on a count out (or a DQ, depending on if that rule was still play). When Honky gets Badd back into the ring, he goes right to the same chinlock he'd spent the previous 7 minutes working, another illogical decision for the challenger to make. The final minute is not any better than the first 9 and, though I won't spoil the ending, I will say that it is an odd one. (1/5)
Prior to the next match, we get a recap of the Flair/Hogan rivalry, starting with the Masked Man's attack on Hogan at the Clash of the Champions several months prior. That same night, Hogan ended up returning to the ring to face Flair, but was again attacked by the Masked Man (in this instance, it was obviously Arn Anderson). In October, a new wrinkle was added to the plot when Hogan, who was in the process of unmasking the Masked Man, was attacked by a SECOND Masked Man. To add even more drama to the main event, Ric Flair and tonight's special guest referee, Mr. T, were seen hanging out in New York City, raising the question of whose side Mr. T would be on.
The WCW World Tag Team Championship match is next with the challengers (and former champions), Pretty Wonderful, taking on the team of Stars n' Stripes (who defeated them for the belts back in September). There's more to like about this match than hate, but it isn't a classic. In fact, I think I enjoyed their encounter at Fall Brawl a bit better just because of the extra elements Orndorff brought in on the outside of the ring. Roma does more of the heavy lifting here, while Bagwell continues to play the lead for Stars n' Stripes. The finish makes the Patriot look like an absolute doofus. Nothing great here, but also nothing atrocious. (2/5)
Ric Flair and Sensational Sherri cut a brief promo from backstage, followed by a recap of the Kevin Sullivan/Dave Sullivan feud, which revolves around Kevin Sullivan being bothered by his dyslexic's brother's love for Hulk Hogan. Now, I mention the term "dyslexic" specifically because anyone who knows of dyslexia knows that it does not necessarily correlate with cognitive disability (aka mental retardation). The WCW writers didn't seem to know that because Dave Sullivan is played as a "Eugene" type character, the thoroughly offensive, disgusting "joke" being that "Evad" can summon "retard strength" feuled by Hulkamania. With this terrible thought in mind, let's get to the action - Kevin Sullivan vs. Dave Sullivan. Kevin dominates for most of the match, mocking the Hulkster at times but only occasionally doing anything to play into the idea that his opponent is his blood relative, which, if executed correctly, could have at least added some interesting drama to the proceedings. Throw in an anticlimactic finish and you have one of the biggest filler matches I've ever seen. Half-point awarded for reminding me of the existence of the "I Want To Be A Hulkamaniac" song. (0.5/5)
Dustin Rhodes takes on Arn Anderson in the next contest and, easily, the first one of the evening that I'm actually excited for. Rhodes and Anderson's feud was months-long at this point as the Enforcer had turned on the Natural earlier in the year after agreeing to help him in his ongoing rivalry with the Studs Stable. The early going is back-and-forth, with both guys showing some crisp offense and calculated maneuvers, including Dustin attacking Double A's arm after he inadvertently clotheslined the ring post. As the match continues, it gets more and more personal, with Dustin taking a huge spill to the outside that helps take this match to a higher level at just the right moment. This match highlights how good these two were as "all-arounders," effortlessly mixing a nice variety of brawling, reversals, and high-impact spots (Dustin flying to the outside, Anderson missing a DDT, a well-executed stun gun). Unfortunately, this match goes nowhere, ending anticlimactically and all too quickly, a match on its way to becoming an A before its cut short to a C. (2.5/5)
In a rematch from Fall Brawl 94', "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan defends his US Championship against the former champion, "Stunning" Steve Austin. Duggan gets a fairly loud pop for his entrance and, to his credit, looks to be in good shape. Austin attacks him right at the bell, showing lots of urgency, but Duggan's offense cuts him off quickly and this one turns into a competitive back-and-forth battle - something their last match didn't offer. Austin pulls out some classic heel schtick, nothing truly original, but paired with Duggan's charisma, the crowd is engaged throughout and, based on everything I recall from his 90s career, I'm not sure there's a better Duggan match that year. Unfortunately, like the previous match, you get a finish that doesn't live up to the hard work that these guys put into this bout. (2.5/5)
Sting cuts a bizarre promo next, saying that he is looking forward to watching the main event and learning who will lead professional wrestling into the 90s…in October 1994…and the options are two guys synonymous with 1980s wrestling.
The Guardian Angel vs. Vader is next. Their previous PPV matches were quite good, setting the bar pretty high for this match. The Guardian Angel takes multiple opportunities to attack Harley Race, which is a cool way to introduce a slightly different story to this match than their previous encounters. Vader goes out of his way to sell for the Bossman, taking some respectable bumps while getting in some great offense himself. There's a noticeable botch/miscue when it seems like neither man is sure what spot was called off the ropes and Bossman ends up flat on his back, eating a Vader Bomb. Coming back from the brink of defeat, Bossman connects with an awesome spinebuster before hitting his finisher. Unfortunately, his focus on Harley Race ends up leading to his defeat. While not their best match, this is one that Vader fans will enjoy. It is also noticeably more hard-hitting and enjoyable than most of what Bossman would do moving forward from this feud. (3/5)
"Mean" Gene Okerlund welcomes Tommy "The Hit Man" Hearns to the show, who keeps it pretty simple, stating pretty plainly that he's looking forward to the fight. Meaningless segment that was at least kept short.
The Nasty Boys vs. Buckhouse Buck and Terry Funk is next and I had decently high expectations for this based on nothing other than the fact that these four know how to brawl and do it viciously. Early on, the Nasties do some comedic moves that the crowd goes wild for and Funk's selling of having his face stuck in Brian Knobbs' armpit is outstanding. From there, Funk hits himself with a chair a half dozen times and does crowd work, raising the entertainment value up to a level it almost shouldn't be able to attain without blood. If you're looking for a slobberknocker at the same level as the Nasty Boys' bouts with Cactus Jack and Maxx Payne, this will not suffice, but for what it is, this one delivers plenty of laughs and entertainment. (3/5)
After a pretty lame and depressing segment with Muhammad Ali, it is time four main event - Ric Flair vs. Hulk Hogan, in a cage, with Mr. T (last seen in a wrestling pay-per-view at WrestleMania 2, a whole nine years earlier) as the guest referee. Unlike Hogan's appearance at the last pay-per-view, he is not met with boos, which makes sense considering the Hulkster's historic achievement in Detroit at WrestleMania 3. Fireworks go off as the cage lowers over the ring looking particularly flimsy. Enjoyment of this match lies in how much poor officiating you can stand from Mr. T, who constantly interrupts legal maneuvers by Hogan for no explicable reason and then just basically watches the match from the best seat in the house, making non-dramatic counts now and then. Flair works extra hard, but the bulk of this match is just a stringing together of standard cage spots. When Flair starts attacking the knee, it seems like he's wasted time getting to this strategy instead of building up to it throughout the contest. Bobby Heenan puts in an amazing effort, nearly losing his voice from all the anti-Hulk vitriol he spews. When Mr. T is taken out, the match and the crowd's involvement reaches its highest point, in no small part due to Sensational Sherri's involvement. The Mystery Man, a pair of handcuffs, and Sting all make appearances while Hogan stops selling any leg pain, the match ending in a fashion that can only be described as equal parts overblown and predictable. The fact that this was a Retirement match is almost completely ignored, but that almost seems better than the alternative of having a moment of actual gravitas tied to a match so cartoonish. (3/5)
Following the match, the Masked Man returns, but is beaten down and unmasked by Hulk Hogan. So, who was behind the attacks on Hogan? His best friend - Brother Bruti! Kevin Sullivan arrives on the scene and he's not alone as we also get the WCW debut of John "Avalanch" Tenta. Sting makes the save, cradling a beaten down Hulkster on the outside of the ring as "Mean" Gene and Tony Schiavone talk up the heels. Again, some would say that this segment takes away from the fact that an 11-time World Champion had just been retired from the sport, but I don't mind that - Flair's days in the sun were over the first time Hogan defeated him and it was time for Hogan to start working with a new dance partner. Was the best choice Brutus Beefcake or John Tenta? Probably not...but its not like this segment is laughably bad or poorly executed. It just is what it is. (2/5)
And its time for our opening match - The Honky Tonk Man challenging WCW Television Champion, Johnny B. Badd. The action here is considerably less athletic/serious than what Badd was doing with Regal, but the crowd is alive for it. Honky's selling is cartoonish and his offense noticeably limited, to the point that when Gary Michael Capetta announces there are only 5 minutes left, it is genuinely surprising considering how little of note has happened. When the clock reads 3 minutes left, Honky tosses Badd to the outside - a strange move for the challenger to make considering the title doesn't change hands on a count out (or a DQ, depending on if that rule was still play). When Honky gets Badd back into the ring, he goes right to the same chinlock he'd spent the previous 7 minutes working, another illogical decision for the challenger to make. The final minute is not any better than the first 9 and, though I won't spoil the ending, I will say that it is an odd one. (1/5)
Prior to the next match, we get a recap of the Flair/Hogan rivalry, starting with the Masked Man's attack on Hogan at the Clash of the Champions several months prior. That same night, Hogan ended up returning to the ring to face Flair, but was again attacked by the Masked Man (in this instance, it was obviously Arn Anderson). In October, a new wrinkle was added to the plot when Hogan, who was in the process of unmasking the Masked Man, was attacked by a SECOND Masked Man. To add even more drama to the main event, Ric Flair and tonight's special guest referee, Mr. T, were seen hanging out in New York City, raising the question of whose side Mr. T would be on.
The WCW World Tag Team Championship match is next with the challengers (and former champions), Pretty Wonderful, taking on the team of Stars n' Stripes (who defeated them for the belts back in September). There's more to like about this match than hate, but it isn't a classic. In fact, I think I enjoyed their encounter at Fall Brawl a bit better just because of the extra elements Orndorff brought in on the outside of the ring. Roma does more of the heavy lifting here, while Bagwell continues to play the lead for Stars n' Stripes. The finish makes the Patriot look like an absolute doofus. Nothing great here, but also nothing atrocious. (2/5)
Ric Flair and Sensational Sherri cut a brief promo from backstage, followed by a recap of the Kevin Sullivan/Dave Sullivan feud, which revolves around Kevin Sullivan being bothered by his dyslexic's brother's love for Hulk Hogan. Now, I mention the term "dyslexic" specifically because anyone who knows of dyslexia knows that it does not necessarily correlate with cognitive disability (aka mental retardation). The WCW writers didn't seem to know that because Dave Sullivan is played as a "Eugene" type character, the thoroughly offensive, disgusting "joke" being that "Evad" can summon "retard strength" feuled by Hulkamania. With this terrible thought in mind, let's get to the action - Kevin Sullivan vs. Dave Sullivan. Kevin dominates for most of the match, mocking the Hulkster at times but only occasionally doing anything to play into the idea that his opponent is his blood relative, which, if executed correctly, could have at least added some interesting drama to the proceedings. Throw in an anticlimactic finish and you have one of the biggest filler matches I've ever seen. Half-point awarded for reminding me of the existence of the "I Want To Be A Hulkamaniac" song. (0.5/5)
Dustin Rhodes takes on Arn Anderson in the next contest and, easily, the first one of the evening that I'm actually excited for. Rhodes and Anderson's feud was months-long at this point as the Enforcer had turned on the Natural earlier in the year after agreeing to help him in his ongoing rivalry with the Studs Stable. The early going is back-and-forth, with both guys showing some crisp offense and calculated maneuvers, including Dustin attacking Double A's arm after he inadvertently clotheslined the ring post. As the match continues, it gets more and more personal, with Dustin taking a huge spill to the outside that helps take this match to a higher level at just the right moment. This match highlights how good these two were as "all-arounders," effortlessly mixing a nice variety of brawling, reversals, and high-impact spots (Dustin flying to the outside, Anderson missing a DDT, a well-executed stun gun). Unfortunately, this match goes nowhere, ending anticlimactically and all too quickly, a match on its way to becoming an A before its cut short to a C. (2.5/5)
In a rematch from Fall Brawl 94', "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan defends his US Championship against the former champion, "Stunning" Steve Austin. Duggan gets a fairly loud pop for his entrance and, to his credit, looks to be in good shape. Austin attacks him right at the bell, showing lots of urgency, but Duggan's offense cuts him off quickly and this one turns into a competitive back-and-forth battle - something their last match didn't offer. Austin pulls out some classic heel schtick, nothing truly original, but paired with Duggan's charisma, the crowd is engaged throughout and, based on everything I recall from his 90s career, I'm not sure there's a better Duggan match that year. Unfortunately, like the previous match, you get a finish that doesn't live up to the hard work that these guys put into this bout. (2.5/5)
Sting cuts a bizarre promo next, saying that he is looking forward to watching the main event and learning who will lead professional wrestling into the 90s…in October 1994…and the options are two guys synonymous with 1980s wrestling.
The Guardian Angel vs. Vader is next. Their previous PPV matches were quite good, setting the bar pretty high for this match. The Guardian Angel takes multiple opportunities to attack Harley Race, which is a cool way to introduce a slightly different story to this match than their previous encounters. Vader goes out of his way to sell for the Bossman, taking some respectable bumps while getting in some great offense himself. There's a noticeable botch/miscue when it seems like neither man is sure what spot was called off the ropes and Bossman ends up flat on his back, eating a Vader Bomb. Coming back from the brink of defeat, Bossman connects with an awesome spinebuster before hitting his finisher. Unfortunately, his focus on Harley Race ends up leading to his defeat. While not their best match, this is one that Vader fans will enjoy. It is also noticeably more hard-hitting and enjoyable than most of what Bossman would do moving forward from this feud. (3/5)
"Mean" Gene Okerlund welcomes Tommy "The Hit Man" Hearns to the show, who keeps it pretty simple, stating pretty plainly that he's looking forward to the fight. Meaningless segment that was at least kept short.
The Nasty Boys vs. Buckhouse Buck and Terry Funk is next and I had decently high expectations for this based on nothing other than the fact that these four know how to brawl and do it viciously. Early on, the Nasties do some comedic moves that the crowd goes wild for and Funk's selling of having his face stuck in Brian Knobbs' armpit is outstanding. From there, Funk hits himself with a chair a half dozen times and does crowd work, raising the entertainment value up to a level it almost shouldn't be able to attain without blood. If you're looking for a slobberknocker at the same level as the Nasty Boys' bouts with Cactus Jack and Maxx Payne, this will not suffice, but for what it is, this one delivers plenty of laughs and entertainment. (3/5)
After a pretty lame and depressing segment with Muhammad Ali, it is time four main event - Ric Flair vs. Hulk Hogan, in a cage, with Mr. T (last seen in a wrestling pay-per-view at WrestleMania 2, a whole nine years earlier) as the guest referee. Unlike Hogan's appearance at the last pay-per-view, he is not met with boos, which makes sense considering the Hulkster's historic achievement in Detroit at WrestleMania 3. Fireworks go off as the cage lowers over the ring looking particularly flimsy. Enjoyment of this match lies in how much poor officiating you can stand from Mr. T, who constantly interrupts legal maneuvers by Hogan for no explicable reason and then just basically watches the match from the best seat in the house, making non-dramatic counts now and then. Flair works extra hard, but the bulk of this match is just a stringing together of standard cage spots. When Flair starts attacking the knee, it seems like he's wasted time getting to this strategy instead of building up to it throughout the contest. Bobby Heenan puts in an amazing effort, nearly losing his voice from all the anti-Hulk vitriol he spews. When Mr. T is taken out, the match and the crowd's involvement reaches its highest point, in no small part due to Sensational Sherri's involvement. The Mystery Man, a pair of handcuffs, and Sting all make appearances while Hogan stops selling any leg pain, the match ending in a fashion that can only be described as equal parts overblown and predictable. The fact that this was a Retirement match is almost completely ignored, but that almost seems better than the alternative of having a moment of actual gravitas tied to a match so cartoonish. (3/5)
Following the match, the Masked Man returns, but is beaten down and unmasked by Hulk Hogan. So, who was behind the attacks on Hogan? His best friend - Brother Bruti! Kevin Sullivan arrives on the scene and he's not alone as we also get the WCW debut of John "Avalanch" Tenta. Sting makes the save, cradling a beaten down Hulkster on the outside of the ring as "Mean" Gene and Tony Schiavone talk up the heels. Again, some would say that this segment takes away from the fact that an 11-time World Champion had just been retired from the sport, but I don't mind that - Flair's days in the sun were over the first time Hogan defeated him and it was time for Hogan to start working with a new dance partner. Was the best choice Brutus Beefcake or John Tenta? Probably not...but its not like this segment is laughably bad or poorly executed. It just is what it is. (2/5)
With an average match/segment-rating of 2.17-out-of-5, there are not many things to praise about Halloween Havoc 94'. The main event is fun and the crowd is electric from beginning to end, but it is not the best match these two had in 94' and, considering it was built as a retirement match for the loser, definitely doesn't come off nearly as important as it should. Elsewhere on the card, Terry Funk, Dustin Rhodes, Arn Anderson, and Vader do solid work, while Honky Tonk Man, Dave "Evad" Sullivan, and "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan bring the cheese factor and prevent this show from any level of respectability. Considering how strong WCW's pay-per-views were 5 months earlier, Halloween Havoc is a really bad sign of how much the company was falling from a creative standpoint.
FINAL RATING - DUDLeyville
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