Hello and welcome to another edition
of Seanomaniac Wrestling Reviews, the only wrestling review series on the
internet that works itself into a shoot every time brother! It’s Halloween
Havoc 1990, the year of 1990 is coming close to an end in WCW and they look to
put on a banger of a show with Halloween Havoc. So what do we have to offer
this time tonight? Sting is defending his champion against Sid Vicious, where
is The Black Scorpion? No idea but we also have Stan Hansen challenging for The
United States Championship held by Lex Luger which should be hard-hitting for
sure, we also have The Nasty Boys vs The Steiners for the US Tag Team
Championships and Doom vs The Horsemen for the World Tag Team Championships?
Certainly a lot of matches that I did not see coming on this card but then
again, this company shocked the hell out of me at the last show.
The Midnight
Express W/ Jim Cornette vs Ricky Morton & Tommy Rich
Morton has a very different hairstyle
going on here that makes him seem much older, Robert Gibson is not here so we
have Tommy Rich with Morton which is a bizarre one. Big change here though as
we have Paul E. Dangerously on commentary and we also have a red ring canvas
which makes for quite the few too, looks quite cheap to me for some reason.
Morton and Eaton to start, this should be solid. Lock-up and to the corner,
clean break from Eaton. Lock-up and in the corner again, Eaton tosses Morton
across the ring. Eaton is talking smack in this one, another lock-up. Morton is
tossed again, Eaton is in firm control in this one. To the corner and a right
hand from Eaton, whip to the buckle and Morton runs into an elbow.
Eaton climbs high but Morton sees it
coming and lands a right, shoulder blocks to Eaton. Leapfrogs and criss-cross
before a slide-through and a back body-drop. Hurricanrana from Morton and elbow
from Rich, Eaton powders to recover. Morton gets drilled by Stan Lane with a
powerslam off a blind tag, hot-shot by Lane and a clothesline. Drop toehold
into an elbow drop from The Midnight, two for Eaton. Morton sends Eaton to the
buckle but Morton meets the buckle with his shoulder. Morton is on the floor,
Eaton comes down with an axe handle. Cornette smacks Morton in the throat with
the racket, Cornette struts around the ringside area. Clothesline on the floor
and choking from Eaton, Lane is the legal man now. Massive kick to the ribs,
Eaton breaks up a sunset flip by Morton. Morton’s face is raked across that top
rope, Lane pulls Morton to the floor. Lane slams Morton hard on the floor
before a Rocket Launcher onto the ramp!
Midnight are in firm control, Morton
is tossed into the ring as Lane dances around the ring. Jacknife cover from
Lane for two, Morton has an O’Connor roll but Lane tagged Eaton. Neck-breaker
and slingshot back-breaker for two, Eaton was so close to winning this match.
Lane lands big kicks before Cornette lands another racket shot to the throat.
Lane slams the head of Morton into the mat, Rich is still outraged. Lane tosses
Morton over the top rope, Eaton misses a clothesline and Morton lands a
hurricanrana on Eaton. Cornette lands a kick to slow down Morton, Lane is
caught in a small package for two. Dog headbutt from Lane, tag to Eaton. Scoop
slam by Eaton, Eaton wants that Alabama Jam. Morton survives being TKO-ed, Lane
lands shots to the ribs of Morton.
Kicks in the corner from Lane, Morton
is all roughed up. Morton sends Lane to the buckle before Lane turns the tide,
Morton starts to fire up with rights and lefts but Lane catches the foot..
Scoop slam and Rocket Launcher does not connect as Morton blocks with his knees.
Rich gets the hot-tag, right hands all around. Scoop slam and Thesz Press on
Lane for two, Morton and Eaton are brawling. Rich is climbing high and Cornette
waffles Rich with the racket. The Wide-Eyed Southern Boys are here in drag.
Cornette is down, Rich waffled Lane with the racket for the win.
The final time I will see The Midnight
Express on PPV in WCW, they have been a joy to watch. Whether it was the
Fantastics, The Horsemen, The Rock “N” Roll Express or The Wide-Eyed Southern
Boys, The Midnight Express always delivered and have been part of some of the
best tag team matches that I have ever seen, they have been a joy to watch
inside of that ring and I am sure they will be sorely missed as I continue to
watch tag team wrestling in WCW. This performance is no different from any of
the others, Lane and Eaton are fantastic here while Morton sells as he always
does. Rich was out of the match for 90% of it but the fans loved this and I
will miss by boys for sure.
Winners: Tommy
Rich & Ricky Morton over The Midnight Express via Racket To The Head!
The Renegade
Warriors vs The Fabulous Freebirds W/ Richard Marley
Richard Marley? Where is Buddy
Roberts? Hayes and Garvin look as flamboyant as possible, hoping that this
match is shorter than their entrance. The Renegade Warriors seem like another
tag like Maximum Overdrive that should not be on my screen but looks like I do
not have a choice. Mark and Hayes to start, back body-drops and chops before
Chris lands a double clothesline. Hip-toss by Mark, Mark chops everything in
sight. Chris and Garvin now, hip-toss and side headlock by Chris. Garvin rakes
the eyes, O’Connor roll by Chris which leads to a lethal left from Hayes and a
belly to back suplex from Garvin. Chris is tossed to the floor, Garvin
antagonizes Mark. Hayes chops Chris on the floor, Little Richard attacks Chris.
Snap-mare into a reverse chin-lock, Hayes
comes in and lands a scoop slam and a fist drop. Reverse chin-lock from Hayes, Garvin
and Hayes continue tagging and cheating to wear down Chris. Scoop slam by
Garvin, loud DDT chants from the fans. Garvin stomps all over Chris, in comes
Hayes. They brawl but Hayes sends Chris to the buckle, snap-mare into a reverse
chin-lock. Chris escapes but Hayes almost lands a DDT, Chris back-drops Hayes
and Hayes tags in Garvin. Garvin rams Chris into the buckle and to the floor,
Hayes lands a stinging left to Chris again. Elbow drop and reverse chin-lock
from Hayes, Chris escapes and lands a crossbody for two before Hayes clamps on
another chin-lock.
Garvin uses his knee to hurt Chris,
Hayes calls for the DDT. Chris gets up to his feet and rocks Hayes who is on
the top rope, Mark gets the hot-tag and starts back-dropping both Freebirds.
Tomahawk chops, noggin knocker and double clothesline by Chris. Stereo right
hands, Lil’ Richard is in the ring. A scuffle is going down as we have an
O’Connor roll but Hayes slips into the ring and lands a DDT while Garvin covers
for the win.
Nothing like babyfaces being shat all
over by the audience, never heard of The Youngbloods so I imagine they never
went anywhere and I know for sure that I won’t be missing them anyways. Crowd
ate them alive and all we heard throughout the match was DDT. Freebirds are
kings of stalling so not fun stuff at all as we get into the mother of all
chin-locks and it just ends after that.
Winners: Fabulous
Freebirds over The Renegade Warriors via DDT!
(NWA United
States Tag Team Championship Match) The Steiner Brothers © vs The Nasty Boys
The hot new team in WCW takes on the
premier team in the division, we start with a brawl. Ring-posts and guardrails
are used, Scott meets the guardrail hard courtesy of Saggs. We have a
chair-shot to the head from Saggs while Knobbs and Rick are brawling ringside.
Saggs wants a superplex, Scott escapes and belly to belly suplexes Saggs. Crowd
is going mental for Scott, Knobbs interrupts the count and Saggs starts beating
down Scott. Scott is roughed up on the ropes, Scott catches Saggs though and
lands a massive Tiger-Bomb. Rick knocks Knobbs to the floor, Steiner Bulldog
from Rick that wipes out Saggs. This crowd is going bananas before Knobbs
cracks Scott with a steel chair, Knobbs and Saggs trade places, 1…2.. Scott
kicks out! Sidewalk slam from Knobbs, powerslam by Knobbs. Two for Knobbs, Saggs
lands a knee-drop to the head.
Saggs lands a pump-handle slam and a
headbutt to the spine, Scott is in serious trouble. Gut-wrench suplex from
Saggs, Rick makes the save. Knobbs trades places and roughs up Scott. Abdominal
stretch from Knobbs, Rick breaks up the submission but Saggs trades places with
Knobbs. The challengers are staying fresh and roughing up Scott, bearhug from
Saggs. Scott escapes the bearhug and suplexes Saggs. Scott is crippled over in
pain, Knobbs attacks Scott so Rick hits the mother of all Steinerlines before
missing a crossbody and falling to the floor. Spike piledriver on Scott, Knobbs
has to leave the ring as Rick drills Saggs with a chair. Belly to back suplex
from Scott, Knobbs stops the hot-tag. Knobbs applies the bearhug, Knobbs lands
shoulder thrusts and forearms before Scott boots down Knobbs. Knobbs tags Saggs
who comes in and pisses off Rick.
Saggs is bloody from the chair-shot, Saggs
applies the Boston crab in the middle of the ring. Saggs tags in Knobbs who
applies a camel clutch, Scott stands up and drops Knobbs but Saggs is tagged in
and works Scott again with knees to the head. Scott begins to fight back,
inverted atomic drop from Scott. Tag to Knobbs, Knobbs misses a corner splash
and Scott lands a Steinerline on Saggs. Tag to Rick, right hands to both Nasty
Boys. Steinerlines, noggin-knockers. Belly to belly suplex on Knobbs, Saggs
makes the save. They pair-off in corners before Saggs sends Scott to the floor,
Rick is dumped to the floor too. The Nasty Boys celebrates, Rick lands a diving
clothesline on both Nasty Boys. Scott is down again, Scott is slammed on the
floor. Rick continues to fight both Nasty Boys.
Scott drips up both Nasty Boys and
takes Saggs to the floor, Rick lands a massive Steinerline and the crowd is
going nuts because we see a beautiful FRANKENSTEINER FOR THE WIN!
The Steiner Brothers continue to be so
much fun to watch inside of that ring, Rick and Scott are so physical and so
tough and when they hit those suplexes, the crowd eats that shit up. I do too
because it is tremendous and The Nasty Boys do a decent job here against The
Steiners, Scott’s shine is ridiculously fun especially The Steiner Bulldog.
These two are tremendous together and The Frankensteiner is incredible with the
crowd giving them all the love that they deserve.
Winners: The
Steiner Brothers over The Nasty Boys via Frankensteiner!
(NWA World Tag
Team Championship Match) Doom © W/ Teddy Long vs The Four Horsemen
Definitely was wondering what would be
next for Ric Flair and The Horsemen, having Sid challenge for the championship
and these two go after the tag team championships was not what I thought of at
all. Sid is green still and to put Sid in there with the new babyface world
champion in Sting who is not all that experienced himself is a shock for sure.
Here we also have heels vs heels which is never a good idea, we shall see how
this works out.
Simmons and Anderson to start, Simmons
shoves down Anderson twice. Anderson brings Simmons to the ropes, cheap-shots
from Anderson but Simmons reverses and suplexes Anderson into the ring.
Headbutts from Simmons, Flair wants to get involved but Reed does not let that
happen. We reset, lock-up. Side headlock by Simmons, Flair lands a knee while
Anderson lands a suplex but Simmons is right back up and Simmons decks Anderson.
Powerslam from Simmons, Reed is with the referee as Flair and Anderson go to
work on Simmons but Simmons survives and clotheslines both Horsemen. Teddy Long
slaps Flair, we have babyfaces in Doom by default.
Reed and Flair to start, Flair winds
up Reed to begin this exchange. Flair lands a kick and a right hand to Reed, Reed
shakes off the chops and Reed lands massive lefts before a stinging right.
Military press slam by Reed, Simmons does the same to Anderson. Ten punches by
Reed in the corner, massive toss to the other side of the ring and a
clothesline from Reed. Flair begs for mercy, eye-rake from Flair. Chop does not
work, Reed chops back at Flair. Flair is decked by two jabs, rights and lefts
from Reed as Flair flops down. Whip to the buckle, Flair flip and Simmons takes
down Flair on the apron. Flair is terrified of Simmons, Simmons decks Flair.
Eye-rake from Flair, Simmons sends Flair to the ring while Reed hammered
Anderson. Reed lands a high-knee on Anderson, double clothesline takes down
Anderson for two. Simmons continues to batter Anderson, Simmons ducks his head
off an Irish whip and Anderson lands an elbow to the neck.
Boston crab and knee-drop combination
from the challengers, spinebuster from Anderson for two. Simmons powers out, tag
to Flair. Reed is not happy as Flair goes after the knee of Simmons,
shin-breaker from Flair and a tag to Anderson. Anderson drops his weight on
that leg, Simmons is in big trouble. Stomps to that left knee, Simmons is being
worked pretty hard. Belly to back suplex from Flair, Flair wants that Figure
Four and uses Anderson for leverage. Simmons reverses the hold but Anderson is
right back into the ring, rights and lefts from Anderson. Simmons reverses an
Irish whip and tries a dropkick, not a good idea as Anderson holds onto the
ropes and Simmons crashes into the mat. Anderson tries to force the pin on
Simmons but Simmons blocks Anderson with his knees. Flair is tagged in though,
more stomping to the knee of Simmons.
Flair tries a shoulder block, not a
good idea. Simmons cannot make the tag though, Anderson is in the ring and
Simmons is tossed to the floor. Simmons sends Flair into the guardrail, eye-rake
from Flair as Simmons had a sunset flip on Anderson. Simmons lands a massive
clothesline to break the Horsemen’s dominance. Anderson whips Simmons who lands
a massive face-buster, Reed gets the hot-tag. Match breaks down, Flair meets
the guardrail again. Reed is on the top rope, massive Diving Shoulder Block
from Reed. Simmons and Flair are on the floor, Anderson lands a DDT on Reed for
two. Four men brawl in the ring, Reed and Flair are in the ring. Reed
clotheslines Flair, Anderson sends Simmons to the guardrail. They all brawl
before the double count-out!
Really fun tag team wrestling match,
hard to get into at first with Doom being heels just like The Horsemen but
Flair and Anderson work their magic and the crowd comes alive for Reed &
Simmons as the match progresses, Simmons and Reed do a good job but Flair and
Anderson put this over the top making the duo look fantastic as it goes on. The
heat segment on Simmons is really good stuff too, all around quality leading to
that hot-tag and the shoulder block followed by the DDT during the finishing
stretch was great stuff, the count-out is disappointing for sure but I guess we
are going to Starrcade to pay this off.
Double Count-Out!
(NWA United
States Heavyweight Championship Match) Lex Luger © vs Stan Hansen
Bringing in Hansen from AJPW to add
credibility to WCW’s upper mid-card scene is a great move. Hansen roughed up
Luger at the previous Clash, Luger elbows Hansen to start. Hansen powders
before Hansen comes back and out-powers Luger. Snap-mare into an elbow drop,
Hansen sends Luger to the floor. Hansen sends Luger into the buckle, Luger
fights back and scoop slams Hansen. Kick and knee to the head from Hansen, knees
and clubbing blows from Hansen. Side headlock takedown from Hansen, Luger
escapes the hold and starts pummelling Hansen. Right hands stagger Hansen,
stomps to the ribs. Hip-toss and elbow from Luger, Hansen lands a snap suplex
and elbow drop on Luger for two. Scoop slam and knee-drop for two, Luger begins
to fire back at Hansen.
Headbutt from Hansen, running bulldog
for two. Luger fights back with ten punches in the corner but Hansen slams down
Luger. Scoop slam and Hansen goes to the middle rope, Luger dodges the diving
elbow drop. Luger drills Hansen and lands a dropkick, elbow drops by Luger.
Suplex by Luger for two, Hansen sends
Luger to the corner and lands a clothesline. Clubbing blows by Hansen, the
referee is down. Hansen calls for the lariat, Luger lands a massive
clothesline. Danny Spivey is here, no longer a Skyscraper but a partner of
Hansen. Hansen has the cowbell, Luger ducks and back-drops Hansen. Bulldog and
now Luger calls for the rack, Luger runs off the ropes and runs into The Lariat
for the win! New Champion!
Pretty poor, thought Hansen would have
the skills to help Luger brawl with him and have a fun and competitive match,
the match was worse than I was expecting but maybe this is just to set up Luger
winning back the championship at Starrcade? Not sure what was the point of
Spivey interfering if it was not going to be the finish, why not even use the
cowbell? Why not protect your babyface in Luger? A clean finish was not what I
was thinking but hey it’s WCW I am sure they have some sort of plan here right?
Winner: Stan
Hansen over Lex Luger via Western Lariat!
(NWA World
Heavyweight Championship Match) Sting © vs Sid Vicious
Black Scorpion and Sid, Sting has not
been a lucky boy when it comes to booking. Sid lands a back-breaker but Sting
no-sells it, rights and lefts by Sting. Sting chops at the legs of Sid, Sid
powders. Sid re-enters the ring and clubs Sting before Sid misses a clothesline
and lands on the floor. Sting meets the guardrail but Sid meets the ring-post.
Sting works the arm, Sid is angry at this development. Sid shakes off Sting but
Sid misses a corner shoulder block, the arm is the target now. Sid escapes and
applies a side headlock before Sting uses a head-scissors to briefly ground Sid
who kips-up and clotheslines Sting. Staggering blows from Sid, Sting is choked
on the top rope. Sid whips Sting, sunset flip does not work as Sid punches
Sting in the head. Sting tries again and succeeds, two for the champion.
Clothesline by Sid, two for Sid.
Shoulder claw from Sid, Sting clubs
his way out of the hold but Sid lands a powerslam. Sid covers for two, choke
and clubbing blows from Sid. Sid clubs Sting, Stinger Splash misses in the
corner and Sid dumps Sting to the apron. Sid lands a clubbing blow, Sting is
stretched across the top rope. Sid poses while Sting climbs high, diving
crossbody for one. Sid clubs down Sting, Sid lands a clothesline to Sting who
was on the apron. Two for Sid, a reverse chin-lock from the challenger. Sid
misses an elbow, Sting misses an elbow. Choking but Sting fires up and lands a
face-buster, Sid manages to boot Sting. They are now on the ramp, Sid
clotheslines Sting. More choking, they fight up the ramp. Sid slams Sting hard
on the ramp, Sid celebrates in the ring so Sting runs the length of the ramp
and lands a splash. Plancha from Sting, The Horsemen are ringside. Sting tries
slamming Sid, Sid falls on top and Sid wins the championship! However, this is
not right as we have 2 Stings? Maybe? Stinger Splash in the corner after a
championship to the head, Sting small packages Sid for the win.
Confusing as hell because we do not
see the two Stings on the screen at the same time? JR and Dangerously talk
about how there was another Sting but we have no clue, we only see a camera
shot after the finish. They met on the ramp, camera did not even go to the
shot? Absolutely ridiculous from WCW, not a good idea for these two to battle
in a PPV main event but even worse they thought that would be an acceptable and
not at all confusing finish.
Winner: Sting
over Sid Vicious via Small Package!
That was WCW’s Halloween Havoc 1990, a
mixed bag from WCW. Kicking it off with a solid tag team performance from The
Midnight Express, a team that deserved so much better considering how good they
were inside of that ring, this would be it for a team that thoroughly deserved
to be mixing it up with the likes of Doom & The Steiner Brothers, they
showcase their best work here during this match. The Freebirds match is a bore
to chug through, the babyfaces are not established and the fans just want the
DDT which makes the match a tough-sell, does not do the job for me. The
Steiners vs Nasty Boys is quite good, The Steiners are exploding in popularity
and are killing it each and every night, two very young superstars is what WCW
has on their hands in Rick & Scott Steiner. Tag team action continues to be
the standout on the card as The Horsemen make Doom look like beasts and
babyfaces in a fast-paced tag team match with great psychology and those twenty
minutes fly by, a lot of fun to watch. Luger vs Hansen is utterly
disappointing, a finish that does not help Luger and interference from Spivey which
goes nowhere makes this a disappointing match while Sting vs Sid is so barebones
and with one of the most confusing finishes of all time, it is quite the
disaster run for Sting and the world championship but Starrcade is on the
horizon so let’s see if WCW can pull it together. Thanks for reading and
remember: there’s always another night!
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