WCW Spring Stampede 94'

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

SPRING STAMPEDE 94’ – April 1994

Rosemont, Illinois

CHAMPIONSHIP BACKGROUNDS: Ric Flair is the reigning WCW World Heavyweight Champion heading into tonight’s show, while Rick Rude holds WCW International Championship. The Nasty Boys are the WCW Tag Team Titles, Steve Austin holds the US Championship, and Lord Steven Regal is the recognized TV Champion.

COMMENTATORS: Tony Schiavone & Bobby Heenan

Johnny B. Badd vs. Diamond Dallas Page is our opening contest and this match is far better than one might expect considering Page’s experience (or lack thereof) and the fact that Badd was mostly "miss" on the hit-or-miss spectrum in 93'. In this match, Badd doesn’t just rely on side headlocks and arm drags; he mixing things up by adding a crossbody-to-the-outside that looks great and some spirited selling. What really grabbed my attention, though, was the brisk pace that both workers cut as the action just never lets up. A believable, well-executed finish adds to what is one of the better openers I’ve seen so far in 94’. (3/5)

 Jesse “the Body” Ventura shows up, which surprised me as I thought he was gone by now.

“Flyin’” Brian Pillman challenges Steve Regal for the WCW Television Championship next. Pillman as a babyface is weird to watch after he had so convincingly played the villain as part of the Hollywood Blondes. From the very beginning, Pillman looks motivated to keep up with Regal’s energy, stiffness, and execution. Unfortunately, around minute 5 or 6, it becomes noticeable that Heenan’s headset isn’t working and Tony Schiavone has to fly solo for an awkward stretch of time, hurting the presentation of what is an otherwise very good match, especially if you’re a fan of watching Regal stretch a dude out with a variety of submissions. In fact, this is possibly Regal’s most impressive PPV bout yet and certainly Pillman’s best PPV match since 92’. There’s an awkward miscommunication in the final third of the match, but at least it leads to a nicely-executed “Regal Roll” (as Tony calls it). I’m not a huge fan of the finish, but in terms of quality wrestling, everything but the last 5 seconds is marvelous. (4/5)

Chicago Street Fight time is here – Cactus Jack and Maxx Payne vs. The Nasty Boys for the WCW Tag Team Championships. This one has a tremendous reputation today, but at the time, if you had kept up with the feud, you knew this one was going to be special. Early on, Sags nails Payne with a nasty chairshot very reminiscent of the one that happened at the Clash a few months earlier and then connects with one to Jack that sounds and looks like an absolute skull-crusher. In fact, all the hits that Foley takes here are incredibly violent and draw loud “Oohs” and “Aahs” from the crowd. As for the finish, well, what can be said aside from the fact that it comes across as absolutely legit, like the only way a match like this COULD end, after the punishment taken by its participants. In terms of hardcore matches, this absolutely stands the test of time as one of the most violent matches in US wrestling history. (4.5/5)

The United States Championship match is next, with Stunning Steve Austin defending against The Great Muta. This one suffers from a few things – first, it would be tough for anyone in any locker room to perform after that street fight. Second, the finish is a cop out designed to keep both guys strong but, unfortunately, just reminds viewers of WCW’s most infamous and inane rule. Between the bells, though, there is lots to love here, with the crowd rabidly behind a spirited and energetic Muta and Austin more than holding up his end of the match. Overall, a fantastic bout that suffers from an even more disappointing finish than the TV Title match from earlier. (3.5/5)

The WCW International Championship is on the line next with Rick Rude defending against longtime rival Sting. Before the match can get underway, Harley Race arrives to announce that his client, Vader, wants a title shot from whoever wins this match. When the bell rings, Sting nails Rude with rights and lefts, followed by a great suplex on the outside. I’ve written at length about Rude’s demise as an in-ring performer in 93’, but I still went into this one with high expectations as Sting was one of his best opponents in WCW. For the most part, it is a fairly back and forth contest, and Rude is still capable of getting great heat with his taunts, posing, and liberal use of reverse chinlocks. Sting, meanwhile, is so beloved that anytime he hits any offense, even when it looks mistimed or awkward, the crowd explodes. There’s a cool spot towards the end where Rude gets back-body dropped and nearly does a 450, but what really drew my attention was the way that Rude connected with a clip to Sting’s knee that was a not-so-subtle nod to a finish they used years earlier in a Clash of the Champions from 91' (I think). The execution of this match's finish comes off as clumsy and it makes practically no sense that Randy Anderson wouldn’t rule it a disqualification, but whatever, the crowd response is arguably bigger than any other victory in Sting’s career…and that includes Starrcade 97’. When a match like this one, probably Rude’s best PPV singles match in a year, is the worst contest of the night, you know you are watching a pretty good show. (3/5)

Dustin Rhodes vs. Bunkhouse Buck in a “Bunkhouse Match” is next. Buck may be recognizable to fans of 70s-era wrestling as Jimmy Golden, but this is his first match on a WCW PPV as far as I know. Coming on the same show as the Nastys vs. Payne & Jack, one would think that the quotient of hardcore matches had been met - if that was the case, nobody told these guys. This one is equally brutal, with Dustin Rhodes displaying a stomach-churning crimson mask by the end. Dustin’s ability to draw the crowd into his performance is tremendous and is on full display in this bout, the audience groaning each time Buck lays in another vicious belt shot. When the tide turns, the crowd goes bananas and Buck’s selling is absolutely fantastic, all leading to a masterful closing sequence that wisely incorporates a false finish and some feud-furthering involvement from Colonel Parker. Absolutely amazing stuff. (4.5/5)

On a card filled with excellent brawls, one might expect Vader vs. Bossman to be a low-point on the card, but from the very start, both guys seem committed to working a passionate grudge match that wisely plays on how evenly matched these two are in size. Vader sells for Bossman as an equal, something vastly different than what he did against Flair, Sting, and most others. Bossman, to his credit, gets lots of mileage out of his simple offense, though, he also throws in some new maneuvers to keep things interested. A nasty looking cut above Vader's eye adds an unexpected element of realism while Bossman expertly staggers around like he's concussed at times, which only helps get over his "hope spots.” Regarding that "never seen that before" offense from Bossman, he does go for things that just don't make sense - a DDT from the top is noticeably missed, followed by an equally botched "tornado" attempt - but when Vader gets back in control, the match makes its way towards a very satisfying ending and post-match brawl. I've never seen a Bossman match that made me want to say "It needed 5 more minutes to be a classic," but this one did. Great match and maybe the best Bossman match I've ever seen? (4/5)

Ricky Steamboat challenges WCW World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair in tonight’s main event. Unlike the hardcore brawls that made this show stand out, Steamboat and Flair work a very scientific contest at the start, exchanging classic wrestling holds to see who is truly the better grappler. Some fans might be bored watching Steamboat apply a headlock for minutes on end, but what I find engaging is the way the rest holds are broken up by swift, well-executed transitions that play off of how well these two know each other and never fail to solicit a reaction from the Chicago crowd. Of course, when you have these two in the ring, you know you are going to get something terrific, but it is important to consider that this match is both a part of and distinctly separate from the classics they produced many years earlier. Judging it as part of their collective body of work, it doesn't stand as the very best they ever did - but on its own, aside from a small number of sour moments (a 2-and-nine-tenths pinfall that seems even longer, the telegraphing of certain reversals), it is an incredible contest that shows just how much these two could still do when given ample time to tell a story. Today's main event players would be wise to revisit this match to see how one can build a story without relying on "finisher spamming" to pop the crowd. (4.5/5)

With an absolutely staggering average match rating of 3.88-out-of-5, Spring Stampede 94’ is the first time in a long time I can say I have thoroughly enjoyed a WCW pay-per-view from beginning to end. Not since 92’ has a show been so consistently good-to-great, but more than that, there is not a single match on this show that is so horrendous, so unwatchable that it earned less than an average. With an absolutely amazing FIVE matches earning scores of 4-stars or higher, there are very few shows I'd recommend more than this one.

FINAL RATING -  Curt Hennig Level