WCW Superbrawl 1999 Review

Hello and welcome to another edition of Seanomaniac Wrestling Reviews! Where are we? Oh, it’s WCW time once again as we get to see a once proud company self-destruct before our very eyes, Superbrawl 9 has the potential to be an entertaining affair like most pay per views with matches the fans want to see. Trouble is that WCW has a niche for screwing up the simplest of concepts and ideas so will this show be a hit or will WCW strike out again? Let’s rock!

Opening Promo

Torrie Wilson is on my screen, that is not a bad thing but what does this have to do with this pay per view? She sleeps with a stun gun? Anyways, she is going to Superbrawl. Interesting enough promo with rotating WCW champions and footage of top stars in action. New tag team champions will be decided tonight, Schiavone runs down the big matches on the card. We have a recap of the feud between Curt Hennig & Barry Windham vs Chris Benoit & Dean Malenko.

Disco Inferno vs Booker T

Disco had joined The Wolfpac as the lackey of Scott Hall, Disco had interfered in Hall’s match against Goldberg and now, Disco battles Booker T. Match begins with both men posing in the corners, Booker hypes the crowd. Lock-up, side headlock by Disco, hiptoss by Booker. Side headlock by Booker, Booker boots Disco in the head, forearm shots by Booker. Disco ducks a clothesline and scores with a swinging neckbreaker. Top wristlock by Booker into a hammerlock, elbow escape by Disco before Booker smashes Disco with a sidewalk slam. However, Disco kicks off Booker and lands a hiptoss.

Disco poses and Booker clotheslines Disco, back body drop by Booker. Chops by Booker and a forearm smash. Flying forearm by Booker for two, Disco comes back into the match with clubbing blows and a sleeper. Booker fights back, kick to the face but Disco catches Booker with a clothesline to the floor. Booker is rammed into the guard rail, Disco poses some more. Scoop slam, middle rope elbow by Disco. Eye poke by Disco, Booker says screw that and lands a huge spinning heel kick. Scissors Kick by Booker, Disco rebounds with a Manhattan drop. Disco attempts a middle rope axe handle but Booker drills Disco with a spinebuster.

Disco is Irish whipped off the ropes, Disco holds on and clotheslines Booker. Chartbuster is blocked, back suplex by Booker. Spinaroonie, Harlem Sidekick by Booker and Booker calls for the end of the match. Disco crotches Booker, Disco poses and Booker pushes off Disco. Harlem Hangover and Booker T wins the match.

That was a great opening match, I could not believe how hot this crowd was for this match. They reacted to every little moment and move in the match. Booker and Disco worked a fine match but the crowd made this at least a hundred times better. Disco was a fun heel for this match, I was shocked by how much the fans loved this match. This pay per view is off to a good start, where were these fans for the last few months?

Winner: Booker T over Disco Inferno via Harlem Hangover!

Chris Jericho W/ Ralphus & Scott Dickinson vs Perry Saturn

Return match from Souled Out, Dickinson screwed over Saturn with his crooked refereeing. Saturn is wearing eyeliner as part of his new persona and Dickinson is once again the referee for this match. Jericho grabs the microphone and calls Saturn ridiculous in his dress attire. Saturn clotheslines Jericho twice, back body drop with Jericho powdering to the floor. Apron clothesline by Saturn, Irish whip into the guard rail. Saturn dives into the crowd, brawling ensues with the fans loving every second of it. Saturn eats the guard rail after Jericho reverses an Irish whip, Jericho tosses Saturn into the ring.

Jericho blocks a dragon suplex but not an exploder suplex. Headbutts by Saturn and a t-bone suplex. Saturn catapults Jericho to the floor, plancha by Saturn. Saturn shoves Ralphus into the ring, Saturn rips the dress off Ralphus, Jericho dropkicks Saturn from behind. Suplex by Jericho, followed by a cocky pin. Saturn stops Jericho with a drop toehold before Jericho eye pokes Saturn, thrustkick by Jericho to the outside. Scoop slam by Jericho, Jericho misses a twisting splash. Superkick by Saturn, scoop slam and Saturn delivers a splash. Jericho misses a corner clothesline, right hands by Saturn.

Ten punches in the corner by Saturn, Jericho counters for The Liontamer. Saturn rolls through for a pin, two for Saturn. German suplex by Jericho, Jericho climbs to the top rope and knocks back Saturn. Crossbody by Jericho but Saturn rolls over for The Rings of Saturn. Jericho places a foot on the ropes to escape, Falcon’s Arrow by Saturn. Saturn misses a springboard moonsault, Lionsault by Jericho for two. Jericho eats a massive Death Valley Driver, the referee eats a Death Valley Driver too. Saturn walks away and it looks like this match is over with Jericho winning by disqualification.

Like the first match, the action was good and it warranted a reaction from the hungry fans in this arena. I cannot think of a whole lot else to say about this match, the ending was a shame because both men deserved to be moving onto bigger things during 1998 and it is sad to see that by 1999, it looks like these two are going nowhere fast.

Winner: Chris Jericho over Perry Saturn via DQ!

(WCW Cruiserweight Championship Match) Billy Kidman © vs Chavo Guerrero

Having been booked as a terrible babyface, Chavo has turned heel and looks to become champion. Chavo avoids Kidman in the beginning, taking control through cheap tricks and eye pokes. Kidman has none of it, gaining control through dropkicks and hiptosses, the match changes as Chavo pulls Kidman into the guard rail from the apron. Reverse chinlock by Chavo, Kidman fires up and Chavo stops Kidman’s momentum with an elbow. Tope con hilo by Chavo, Chavo boots Kidman in the face. Crossbody by Kidman for two, Chavo stops Kidman again with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker.

Kidman blocks a powerbomb with a back body drop, Chavo regains control with a back suplex. Kidman blocks a crossbody with a dropkick to the ribs. Weird looking bulldog pin by Kidman for two, Chavo drop toeholds Kidman into the middle turnbuckle. Chavo scores with a top rope hurricanrana for two, Kidman recovers for a spinebuster and two. Kidman is crotched on the top rope, Chavo looks for a tower of London DDT for two. Chavo tries for a powerbomb which of course, Kidman counters for a facebuster. Shooting Star Press and Kidman retains his championship.

That was a fast match, it felt so choppy in parts like it was edited together as they had little time to tell any sort of story. As a result, the match leaves no impact on me, it is simply there. It was a match and we can move on which is a shame because they have a pretty boy babyface in Kidman who has been booked well as the top star of his division. Unfortunately, Kidman does not have a lot of opponents to go through, hoping for something new to help Kidman take this reign to the next level.

Winner: Billy Kidman over Chavo Guerrero via Shooting Star Press!

(WCW Tag Team Championship Match) Chris Benoit & Dean Malenko vs Curt Hennig & Barry Windham

I cannot decide if I love Windham’s look or loathe it, all denim but he pulls it off…. Kinda. Anyways, this is the battle of The Four Horseman, two current members in Benoit & Malenko vs two former members. The finals of the tag team tournament, Windham and Hennig have won the first match in the series. If Benoit & Malenko wish to win the championships, they have to beat Windham & Hennig twice. Windham & Malenko begin, Windham is trying to wear down Malenko by sliding in and out of the ring.  Hennig and Benoit tag into the match, lock-up with Hennig pushing back Benoit. Benoit chops down Hennig, test of strength with Benoit out-wrestling Hennig.

Hennig looks for a break, elbows by Hennig. Couple of slaps before Benoit backs Hennig into the corner, huge chop by Benoit. Windham is legal, knees and chops by Windham. Chops by Benoit, back elbow by Benoit. Tag to Malenko, calf kick by Malenko. Hennig interferes to allow Windham to take control, suplex for two. Tag to Hennig, double clothesline for two. Jacknife cover by Malenko for two, Hennig backs Malenko into the corner. Windham chokes Malenko behind the referee’s back. Chops by Benoit, hard Irish whip by Benoit. Backbreaker by Benoit for two, Windham saves Hennig. Snap suplex by Benoit for two, tag to Malenko who stomps Hennig.

Back suplex by Malenko for two, Windham gets involved once more. Tag to Benoit, double back elbow. Clothesline by Benoit, cheap shot to Windham. Diving Headbutt by Benoit, Windham attacks Benoit. Tag to Malenko, referee misses Malenko’s pin, Hennig recovers to kick out. Malenko dropkicks Hennig to the apron, Hennig is slow to re-enter the ring. Low blow by Hennig, referee messes up by turning his back and seeing the low blow. We move along though to Windham receiving the tag. Gutwrench suplex by Windham for two, Benoit is with the referee while Hennig pummels Malenko. Chops and punches by Windham on the floor, cover for two. Tag to Hennig, knees to the head by Hennig.

Malenko escapes to tag Benoit, Hennig crumbles after huge headbutts by Benoit. Another clothesline by Benoit, drop toehold by Benoit. Hennig musters up the strength for an atomic drop, tag to Windham. Windham lands a superplex for two, Windham hammers away on Benoit. Double suplex by Windham & Hennig, Benoit eats knees to the head. Snap-over neckbreaker by Hennig for two, knee lift by Hennig. Hennig rips at Benoit’s face, tag to Windham. Back suplex for two, Malenko clubs Windham. Tag to Hennig, Hennig punishes Benoit with chops and chokes. Benoit slides out of a scoop slam for a German suplex. Hot-tag to Malenko, noggin knocker by Malenko.

Malenko rolls through a sunset-flip for a Texas Cloverleaf, Hennig saves Windham. Benoit has Hennig distracted and Malenko locks in The Texas Cloverleaf with Windham tapping out so now, Malenko and Benoit need one more pin-fall or submission to win the match. Second fall last thirty seconds as Windham & Hennig win the match after Windham chokes out Malenko with his belt.

Well, that was disappointing. The match started out slow with a patient build-up to a Malenko hot-tag, it picks up in pace with Malenko taking the first fall after The Texas Cloverleaf. I sit back and think to myself “Alright, this is going to kick into high-gear now, let’s see that epic second fall and end to the story”. Boy, did I look stupid as Windham choked out Malenko seconds later. That killed the match for me, Malenko & Benoit come off as total geeks following the first fall.

Winners: Windham & Hennig over Benoit & Malenko via Leather Belt!

Konnan & Rey Mysterio vs The Outsiders

Hall & Nash come out with Luger and Miss Elizabeth, Miss Elizabeth’s hair is on the line in this match for The Wolfpac while if Konnan & Mysterio lose, Mysterio will have to unmask. Lock-up, Hall shoves down Mysterio twice. Mysterio armdrags Hall and mocks the big man, drop toehold by Mysterio. Hall boots Mysterio in the ribs, Hall tries for a scoop slam but Mysterio slides out and delivers a dropkick. Springboard leg drop by Mysterio, springboard senton and a shot to Kevin Nash. Hall catches Mysterio mid-crossbody for the fallaway slam, tag to Kevin Nash.

Toss around the ring by Nash, Mysterio tries a sunset flip but Nash picks up Mysterio for a throat toss. Hall is legal, Hall boots Mysterio like a toddler, Hall is completely looking down upon Mysterio. Chest slap by Hall, corner clothesline by Hall. Hall calls for the end, Outsider’s Edge backfires as Mysterio tags Konnan. Konnan wallops Nash & Hall, Nash is on the floor after a clothesline. Nash cheap shots Konnan after an Irish whip from Hall, clothesline by Hall. Tag to Nash, elbows in the corner by Nash. Massive foot choke by Nash, cheap shot by Hall as Nash distracts the referee. Another tag for Hall, Hall and Nash put the boots to Konnan with the referee tied up with Mysterio.

Konnan fires up in the corner, Hall collapses to the mat. Hall ducks the rolling clothesline and we have double down with both men delivering a clothesline. Elizabeth takes something off of Luger’s wrist, Mysterio gets the hot-tag. Springboard dropkicks to Hall and Nash, Mysterio uses Nash as a springboard to nail Hall. Bronco buster on Hall, Luger trips Konnan and runs Konnan into the steel steps. Mysterio drops Nash with a corkscrew moonsault. Elizabeth is distracting the referee, Hall drops Mysterio with an Outsider’s Edge. Hall places Nash on top and Nash defeats Mysterio. Mysterio unmasks for a company that was not worth it.

It was a solid tag match, you have a lot of big personalities in this match that help make the match watchable. As usual, Hall and Nash dominate the competition. Was it right for Mysterio to unmask? Obviously not considering his greatest success would come in the WWE as the masked hero of many young fans. It is sad to see, this emotional moment went down but Hall & Nash are such comedic characters in the way they handle themselves in the ring that this had little to no impact on me whatsoever. I watched the match and went “Of course they did that”. Hall and Nash treated Mysterio like a joke throughout and they do not end up being wrong. Way to build sympathy for a babyface WCW, who would believe in Mysterio after this match?

Winners: Scott Hall & Kevin Nash over Konnan & Mysterio via Outsider’s Edge!

(WCW Television Championship Match) Scott Steiner © vs DDP

One of the matches going into this pay per view that is quite heated and peaked my interest, we have Big Poppa Pump taking on The Master of The Diamond Cutter. Why? Steiner had been harassing Kimberley Page, Freakzilla made advances toward the married woman and Steiner would not take no for an answer. This culminated in Kimberley being thrown from a moving car and injuring her neck, DDP is out for blood tonight. DDP storms to the ring as he should under the circumstances, DDP chases Steiner and unloads with huge right hands. Steiner is not able to run as DDP pummels Steiner, right hands and a clothesline deck Steiner.

Foot choke from DDP, Steiner tackles DDP with both men trading huge forearm shots to one another. Eye poke by Steiner, Irish whip into the corner. Steiner runs into a boot, DDP is shoved to the apron by Steiner and Steiner pushes DDP into the guard rail. DDP manages to hotshot Steiner and score with a flying clothesline, Buff Bagwell is here to help Scott Steiner who is bleeding on the floor. DDP calls for Bagwell and Steiner to enter the ring, Manhattan drops and a double clothesline by the challenger. Bagwell cheap shots DDP which leads to a clothesline by Steiner (How is that not a DQ with Bagwell blatantly interfering in front of the referee?).

Bagwell sends DDP into the guard rail, right hands by Bagwell. Clothesline and elbow drop by Steiner for two, Steiner chokes DDP using the ropes. Bagwell chokes DDP behind the referee’s back, foot choke by Steiner. Steiner places DDP in the tree of woe, Steiner pulls the neck back of DDP. Steiner poses, right hands by Steiner. Steiner chokes DDP with the bottom rope, more cheap shots from Bagwell. DDP pulls himself up and smashes Steiner before Steiner ends DDP’s control with a belly to belly suplex for two. Roll-up by DDP for two, Steiner jumps down on DDP. Ribbreaker, Bagwell distracts the referee while Steiner nails DDP with the chair. Bagwell exposes a top turnbuckle while DDP escapes a Steiner Recliner.

The referee ejects Bagwell, Steiner talks trash to the referee. DDP clotheslines Steiner to the floor, plancha by DDP. Steiner reverses an Irish whip and sends DDP into the steel steps, Steiner looks to finish DDP with a steel chair but the referee takes away the chair. DDP clotheslines Steiner hard, DDP climbs to the top rope but Steiner crotches DDP. Frankensteiner by Steiner for two, DDP counters an Irish whip for a DDT. Steiner shoves off DDP who tries The Diamond Cutter, DDP hits the exposed turnbuckles hard. Steiner powerslams DDP into the exposed turnbuckles three times. Steiner Recliner and DDP passes out.

The build was good, the match started out good with DDP like a mad man pursuing Steiner but the excitement fizzled out as the match went on, Steiner could not wrestle like he used to while DDP was not lighting the world on fire in WCW at this point. I was surprised at how quiet the crowd was for the match, the finish was at least clever with Bagwell setting up the finish minutes before it took place. I hope the feud can continue to a satisfying conclusion with DDP beating Steiner. So, not a great match but it is at least promising and has potential to be something more with future pay per view matches.

Winner: Scott Steiner over DDP via Steiner Recliner!

(WCW United States Championship Match) Roddy Piper © vs Scott Hall W/ Disco Inferno

Roddy Piper defeated Bret Hart for the championship thanks to Will Sasso on an episode of Nitro. This is Hall’s second match of the night so it looks like Hall does not give a damn about Piper nor fear him. Piper slaps Hall to begin the match, Piper covers Hall’s head with his skirt before hammering away at Hall. Huge ear clap and jabs from Piper, Piper slaps and kicks Hall to his feet. Swinging neckbreaker by Piper for one, Hall applies a top wristlock. Piper pulls down Hall by the hair, Piper decks Disco. Atomic drop by Piper, Manhattan drop by Piper. Hall pokes Piper but Piper pokes back Hall.

 Hall pulls Piper into the middle rope, Hall clubs Piper. Right hand by Hall, Piper asks for more from Hall. Piper battles back, blatant low blow in front of the referee, low blow by Hall and absolutely no disqualifications whatsoever. Hall places Piper in the tree of woe, Hall stomps on the champion. Disco chokes Piper as Hall deals with the referee, Piper unhooks himself from the corner. Abdominal stretch by Hall who uses Disco for leverage, Piper hiptosses out of the hold but misses an elbow drop. Hall props Piper on the top rope, Piper shoves back Hall for a Sleeper!

Hall edges his way towards the ropes, Disco is in the ring. Piper pummels Disco over and over, Nash enters the ring but Piper knocks back Nash. Hall drops Piper and uses the ropes for leverage, Hall is your new United States Champion.

What a crock of shit, you cannot call that a match. Low blows and interference galore but no DQ? Are you kidding me? This show has gone off a cliff after those first two matches, Hall hits Piper with a clothesline in the back which is enough to keep Piper down after Hall uses the ropes for leverage? Some champion Piper was, this was just poor garbage.

Winner: Scott Hall over Roddy Piper via roll-up!

Bam Bam Bigelow vs Goldberg

WCW’s renegade competitor Bigelow finally has an opportunity at Goldberg. Bigelow came in for this one moment, to face Goldberg and defeat Goldberg. That ECW run led to this so Bigelow should be thanking Paul Heyman for his next few years of employment. Goldberg continued to be over despite the Starrcade Sabotage. They had been teasing this match since World War 3 in November, it is show-time.

Lock-up and stalemate with the two awkwardly yelling at one another. Lock-up with Bigelow shoulder blocking Goldberg. Goldberg is up quick with a huge powerslam, Bigelow powders to the floor. Right hands by Goldberg, shoulder block. Firemen’s carry into a cross armbreaker, Bigelow reaches the ropes. Dropkick by Goldberg and clothesline, Bigelow is on the floor. Bigelow drags out Goldberg, elbow to the balls (No DQ referee? For the love of fuck, enforce the damn rules!). Bigelow works the leg before slamming Goldberg’s head off the steel steps. Ankle hold by Bigelow, reverse chinlock by Bigelow to keep down Goldberg.

Goldberg elbows Bigelow before Bigelow takes down the leg. Another chinlock, Goldberg counters for a back suplex. Scoop slam by Bigelow, diving headbutt by Bigelow for two. Bigelow was looking for a moonsault, Bigelow is pulled off the turnbuckle by Goldberg. Goldberg looks for The Spear, Bigelow powders smartly. Bigelow hotshots Goldberg and Irish whips Goldberg, Goldberg ducks the clothesline for The Spear. Goldberg Spears Bigelow again and with one Jackhammer, it is all over.

The crowd popped big for the finish, it is clear that Goldberg is the most popular man in the company. Bigelow did fine in his role but I do not think anybody believed in Bigelow as a main eventer. So, it was hard to get invested in Bigelow as the next man to face Goldberg. What they accomplished in this match could have been done in two minutes, we would not have missed anything.

Winner: Goldberg over Bam Bam Bigelow via Jackhammer!

(WCW World Heavyweight Championship Match) Ric Flair vs Hulk Hogan ©

Hogan is your champion, having defeated Kevin Nash on Nitro in a match dubbed “The Fingerpoke of Doom” Match. Flair has been at war with The NWO since 1996, Flair had defeated Bischoff for control of WCW and vowed to end The NWO. Hogan and The Wolfpac had whipped Flair’s son David at Souled Out after an atrocious tag team match, Flair has stated that this match is for his son David. Quite the gripping story with all that backstory but Flair vs Hogan was the match people wanted in 1992, not 1999.

Side headlock and shoulder block by Hogan, make it double. Jesus, you would swear Flair is the heel. Side headlock and hammerlock by Flair, chop by Flair. Hogan knees Flair in the corner, right hands by Hogan. Back body drop by Hogan, corner clothesline. Hogan gets two, right hands and chops in the corner. Flair turns the tide and chops Hogan, snapmare and a knee drop by Flair. Irish whip into the corner by Flair but Hogan explodes out of the corner with a clothesline. Flair Flip to the floor, Hogan smacks Flair’s head off the guard rail. Chair shot by Hogan (You are joking me at this stage), Flair is bleeding.

Hogan bites the head of Flair, suplex on the floor by Hogan. Hogan and Flair pummel one another, Flair begs for more. Chops by Flair, right hand by Hogan decks Flair. Hogan whips Flair with his belt, Flair comes back for more weathering the storm. Hogan spits on Flair, chops by Flair. Eye poke and low blows by Flair, Flair takes the belt and whips Hogan. Right hands using the belt by Flair, Hogan is bleeding. Ten punches and biting by Flair, Torrie Wilson is coming down to ringside. Torrie slaps Flair, Flair back suplexes Hogan. Flair suplexes Hogan, cover for two. Hogan bridges up with Flair crushing the referee.

Hogan elbows the referee, big boot by Hogan. Flair avoids The Leg Drop, a masked man is coming down to ringside. Figure Four by Flair, the masked man stuns Flair with the taser. Hogan covers Flair for the win and the masked man unmasks to reveal that it is David Flair.

Well, that makes no sense but hey, it is WCW so what did you expect? David Flair joins The NWO after The NWO beat the piss out of the boy at the last pay per view. Hogan is still champion, Goldberg is in the mid-card despite being the number one babyface, Benoit and DDP are losing matches that they should win, this pay per view and company is a lot of bollocks.

Winner: Hulk Hogan over Ric Flair via Stun Gun!

That was WCW’s Superbrawl of 1999, a show which perfectly fits the WWE narrative of WCW. The company had potential, they had lots of talent but they were not given the chance. It’s the same thing we have seen for two years at this point, The NWO crushes everyone and nobody gets over because of it. I was shocked at how lively the crowd were for the at first match. After Jericho vs Saturn, the show went on a steady stream of stupid matches and finishes. Match after match, the quality got worse and I cared less about the wrestlers in the ring. Then, that ending came on my screen with David Flair turning on his father. David Flair who had been beaten to a pulp by The NWO a month earlier, was now joining the villainous faction because.. fuck it reasons. This show was awful, do not watch it only if you are a nerd like myself. Thanks for reading and remember: There’s always another night!