WCW Halloween Havoc 1991 Review!

 

Hello and welcome to another edition of Seanomaniac Wrestling Reviews, the only wrestling review series on the internet that teases you more than a 2K22 update video! It’s WCW’s Halloween Havoc 1991 and sweet Jesus what is this card? Halloween Phantom? No Barry Windham? Chamber of Horrors Match? Main event of Lex Luger and Ron Simmons is two out of three falls match? Who would have though that was a good idea? Lots of matches on this card that would be right at home on The Clash so I am more than a little shocked by this card. We will see how we go but this is not looking good from the very start!

 

(Chamber of Horrors Match) Team Cactus Jack (Cactus Jack/Abdullah The Butcher/Diamond Studd/Vader) vs Team Sting (Sting/El Gigante/The Steiner Brothers)

So you have to put someone in the electric chair to win this match? Ok pretty wild but what is even wilder is the teams. How did we get from people stalking Sting to this match including El Gigante, Vader and The Steiner Brothers? Why are The Steiners not facing off against The Enforcers? Why is The Diamond Studd in here? Why is Vader here?

 

Everyone starts brawling around the arena, Gigante and Vader have to work with one another which is fun stuff. Sting batters Abdullah and Cactus with a kendo stick, did Scott Steiner just attack a random person from a casket? Apparently so, why? Vader chokes Sting in the middle of the ring while Gigante knees Studd over and over. Lots of choking going on inside and outside the ring currently, Sting kicks and dropkicks Vader before landing a clothesline. Diamond Studd is trying to escape but Gigante says no way amigo, Cactus Jack is planted with the assisted DDT by The Steiners. THE CHAIR OF TORTURE HAS BEEN LOWERED INTO THE RING.

 

It is massive and takes up the whole ring, I hope this match is not going to go much longer because nobody can work with this giant inconvenience in the middle of the ring. Vader almost puts in Rick Steiner but Rick Steiner kicks away Vader and lands a Steinerline. Sting drops the casket lid on Cactus’ head and Cactus is bleeding, brawling galore here. Lots of brawling and not a lot of drama but eventually, Abdullah tries to put Rick Steiner in the cage and Cactus is oblivious as Rick places Abdullah in the chair and Cactus electrocutes Abdullah and Team Sting win.

 

People will tell you this is one of the most horrific matches they have ever seen and like a lot of things on the internet about wrestling, it’s not accurate. It’s hard to follow and with the cage taking up so much of the ring, all they can do is walk around and brawl but it was not a horrific match like people would have you believe, I would consider a Mike Rotunda match more torturous than this.

 

Winners: Team Sting over Team Cactus via Electrocution!

 

Big Josh & PN News vs The Creatures

Are they a legit team or just to fit the theme of the PPV? Big Josh starts and attacks Creature 1, Creature peppers Big Josh in the face before Creature 2 comes into the ring. Clubbing blows all around, Big Josh boots back Creature 2 and reverses an Irish whip. PN News corner splashes Creature 2, Creature 1 eats a dropkick from PN News. Boot by Creature 1 and an eye-rake, tag to Creature 2. Fist to the head, PN News body blocks Creature 1. German suplex by Big Josh on Creature 1, chops in the corner. Creature 2 rakes the eyes and Creature 1 tees off in the corner. Big Josh turns the tide, back body-drop by Big Josh. PN News lands a headbutt, big slam by PN News.

 

Whip to the buckle, Creature 1 dodges the splash. Creature 2 does not receive the tag though until Big Josh makes it happen, belly to belly suplex for two. Creature 1 spears Josh to the corner, The Creatures rough up Big Josh. Big Josh lands a powerbomb, double axe handle and Northern Exposure before The Rap-Master Splash for the win.

 

Not sure why we needed to see an extended squash with these two, I am not even sure why these two are a tag team but Lord knows I don’t want to see them competing for the tag team titles.

 

Winners: PN News & Big Josh over The Creatures via  Rap-Master Splash!

 

Beautiful Bobby Eaton vs Terrence Taylor

A steady push is in place for my boy Bobby Eaton which is fine with me, Eaton has slimmed down and looks in good shape while having very good matches with whoever is in the ring with him.

 

Taylor begins with his usual shtick of annoying the babyface while being a chicken-shit, they lock-up and Eaton pushes Taylor to the corner. Another clean break as Taylor shoves Eaton in the face, Eaton is daring Taylor to strike him but Taylor is wiser on this occasion, nice arm-drag by Taylor. Eaton sells that arm very well, lock-up with the same result. Taylor slaps Eaton on the arm, Taylor continues to taunt Eaton. They lock-up again, Eaton blocks the arm-drag and drills Taylor with two arm-drags and a clothesline sends Taylor scrambling to the floor. Taylor backs Eaton to the corner, right hand but Eaton’s right hand floors Taylor. Taylor has Eaton on the floor, Eaton meets the guardrail but Eaton sends Taylor into the crowd. Massive right-hand from Eaton, Taylor rolls into the ring but gets caught and eats another right-hand.

 

Eaton applies a hammerlock and works the arm of Taylor, arm-drag into the hammerlock from Eaton, Eaton drives the knees into the arm to further punish Taylor. Jaw-breaker from Taylor and Eaton is shoved to the mat, Eaton atomic drops Taylor and slams him on the ramp, Eaton climbs high and lands a diving knee-drop from the turnbuckle to the ramp. Taylor is punched back into the ring and begs for mercy, Taylor lures in Eaton and sends Eaton to the floor. Eaton is on the apron and is sent back-first into the ring-post before Taylor runs the ropes and knees Eaton to the floor. In the ring, Taylor lands a running clothesline and knee-drop for two, Eaton fires back with right hands to the ribs and face before Taylor side-steps Eaton and tosses Eaton to the ramp.

 

Dr.Bomb on the ramp! Sick manoeuvre from Taylor! Taylor will take the ten-count victory if possible, Eaton tries re-entering the ring and Taylor knees the spine of Eaton again and again. Scoop slam and Taylor climbs high, diving splash connects for a close two. Reverse chin-lock from Taylor, Eaton escapes but Taylor goes back to the weak spot which is Eaton’s spine. Eaton lands a sunset flip for a close two, Taylor lands a stuff clothesline and another knee-drop to the face. Reverse chin-lock again but Eaton escapes before a sleeper is locked in by Taylor, jaw-breaker by Eaton. Taylor blocks a splash with his knees, Taylor is on the middle rope and misses a splash as Eaton blocks with his knees.

 

Eaton blocks Taylor’s punches and lands a massive right, Taylor tries running but we have a back body-drop by Eaton. Ten punches in the corner, Eaton blocks the inverted atomic drop and nails a suplex for two, Taylor ducks his head off an Irish whip reversal, swinging neck-breaker from Eaton. Eaton climbs high, Taylor crotches Eaton on the top rope. Taylor wants the superplex, that right hand connects and Eaton lands The Alabama Jam for the win!

 

This was a very solid performance from both men, Taylor is very old-school when it comes to his psychology and Eaton has that silent charisma about him and I just love the way his finishes come together, I love that his right-hand is so important and is knocking people around left, right and centre and that Alabama Jam is a thing of beauty. Great way to set it up, great drama involved in this one and the fans are with it every step of the way, probably Taylor’s bet performance while being in a WCW ring.

 

Winner: Bobby Eaton over Terry Taylor via Alabama Jam!

 

Johnny B. Badd vs Jimmy Garvin

Garvin looks to have aged a lot with that moustache he has going on, Badd lands a big shot to the ribs before Garvin sends Badd to the floor, left-hand from Hayes to rock Badd. Shoulder block by Badd, powerslam by Garvin. Massive forearm from Garvin, Badd powders. We reset and Garvin works the arm, arm-bar for Jimmy Jam. Eye-rake from Badd, clubbing blows from Badd. Middle rope choke, flying clothesline from Badd. Garvin is caught with a boot to the face and Badd lands his diving sunset flip which is extremely ugly. Badd gets lucky and does not break his neck, diving elbow drop from Badd for two. Scoop slam and Badd is climbing high, Garvin lands a punch to the ribs to stop the diving axe handle.

 

Garvin sends Badd to the floor, Badd is yanked into the ring. The fan calls for the DDT, Garvin misses an elbow drop. They bang heads after a drop-down, Badd misses his left and Garvin plants Badd with a DDT. Teddy Long distracts the referee so Badd recovers and lands his Left Hook for the win as Teddy Long kicks the foot of Garvin off the rope.

 

Pretty boring match here, cannot believe that we have Freebirds as babyfaces now when they look ancient and have been a joke for so long. Garvin’s DDT was tasty looking though, I will give him that.

 

Winner: Johnny B. Badd over Jimmy Garvin via Left Hook!

 

(WCW Television Championship Match) Stunning Steve Austin © W/ Lady Blossom vs Dustin Rhodes

Rhodes takes a hammerlock and elbows Austin, Austin is not happy with this turn of events. Austin takes down Rhodes and works the leg but Rhodes counters into a half-crab. Austin scrambles to the ropes, shoulder block from Stunning Steve. Shoulder block again by Austin, massive clothesline and dropkick from Rhodes. Side headlock from Rhodes, head-scissors from Austin. Side headlock from Rhodes, Austin lands a kick to the ribs but Rhodes continues to counter Austin but Austin counters back. Shoulder block by Rhodes, hip-toss by Austin. Elbow misses for Austin, Austin blocks the O’Connor roll but Austin is clotheslined to the floor.

 

Austin reverses a side headlock with a belly to back suplex, two for Austin. Austin lowers his head off an Irish whip, knee by Rhodes. Rhodes tries for the bulldog, Austin shoves off Rhodes but Rhodes applies a side headlock. Rhodes escapes and lands a crossbody followed by a side headlock takedown before Austin pulls the hair to apply the head-scissors. Rhodes tries a flying crossbody but Austin ducks and Rhodes crashes to the floor, Austin lands right hands to the head of the challenger. Rhodes is a bloody mess due to the right hands of the champion, diving axe handle from Austin. Rhodes lands a massive right hand, Austin rakes the eyes of Rhodes.

 

Gut-wrench suplex from Austin for two, Austin applies a reverse chin-lock and uses the ropes for leverage. Massive right from Rhodes, two stagger Austin. Whip to the buckle, Austin stops the monkey flip and almost decapitates Rhodes with a clothesline for two. Rhodes applies a small package for two, they trade small packages before Rhodes lands a clothesline for two. Irish whip but Austin avoids the dropkick, Austin covers for two. Middle rope choke, Lady Blossom slaps the face of Rhodes. Rhodes avoids the leg of Austin, atomic drop and clothesline by the challenger for two as Austin places a foot on the ropes. Rhodes sends Austin into the ring-post, Austin is bleeding. Powerslam for two, snap-mare into right hands from Rhodes. Bionic Elbow for two.

 

Rhodes needs to seal the deal as there is one minute left, ten punches in the corner. Bionic Elbows to the head from Rhodes, Austin collapses to the mat. Irish whip, Austin eats a number of rights and a monkey punch for two. Rhodes climbs high, diving clothesline for two and the time expires.

 

Good match, solid from two young stars in the company. Austin and Rhodes both know what they are doing inside of that ring and I would not mind seeing more of these two tear it up inside of the ring. Loved the use of blood in this one, Rhodes had great colour and it was the first time we saw Rhodes get colour in WCW so it made the match mean something. Happy with how this went for both, leaves it open for rematches and I am happy to see where it goes from here.

 

Time Limit Draw!

 

Oz vs Bill Kazmaier

Two people who are not knowing for their great matches at this point in their career, I am not sure Kazmaier will ever deliver but at least Diesel/Kevin Nash would have his matches and moments. Shoulder blocks and power theatrics all around, clothesline and scoop slam by Kazmaier. Its just really slow with kicks and punches before Kazmaier hits a clothesline and nails The Torture Rack, you know the finish of the world champion of the organization for the win. Shite!

 

Winner: Bill Kazmaier over Oz via Torture Rack!

 

Van Hammer vs Doug Somers

Van Hammer is an ugly son of a gun, no idea why the girls are going wild and we have a botch seconds in for a clothesline, powerslam by Hammer. Forearms from Hammer, back body drop. Elbow drop, leg drop too. Hammer gets the Queen clap going, slingshot suplex for the win. Hammer nearly fucks it up and brainbusters Somers. SQUASH CITY!

 

Winner: Van Hammer over Doug Somers via Slingshot Suplex!

 

(WCW Light Heavyweight Championship Tournament Final) Flyin’ Brian Pillman vs Richard Morton

They are talking trash to start, Morton asks for some space. Morton backs Pillman to the corner, both men dodge one another with Morton continuing to talk trash. Arm-drag by Morton, Morton slides through the legs of Pillman and continues to dodge and frustrate Flyin’ Brian. Pillman blocks and slams Morton before landing a spinning heel kick. Morton eats a diving axe handle for two, side headlock takedown from Pillman. Morton slows things down with a head-scissors, Pillman escapes and lands a Japanese arm-drag before applying a side headlock takedown again. Pillman regains control after briefly losing the control, Morton escapes and lands a massive inverted atomic drop. Morton goes to work on the arm, elbows and knees to the arm.

 

Pillman almost rolls up Morton but Morton kicks out at two and lands a clothesline for two, reverse chin-lock from Morton. Morton transitions to the arm, Morton sends Pillman to the buckle but Pillman responds with a clothesline. Morton begs for mercy, eye-rake from Morton. Belly to back suplex from Morton for two, Pillman counters Morton and lands an enzuigiri. Back body-drop from Pillman, Morton is begging for mercy. Morton tees off with rights and lefts, Pillman is in big trouble. Chop from Pillman, Pillman chops and chops Morton. Shoulder block with both men collapsing to the floor, Pillman is sent shoulder-first into the ring-post. Morton is not paying attention, Diving Crossbody for the win.

 

That was bad, not hurting my feelings bad but still for a tournament final, that was poor. I would have had Badstreet in there with Pillman, that style would have worked wonders like it did at The Clash but Morton is just not cutting it as a heel. His style is very slow, he is very small so it’s a tough sell and it is not working but soon, SMW would be on the radar.

 

Winner: Flyin’ Brian Pillman over Richard Morton via Diving Crossbody!

 

The WCW Phantom vs The Z-Man

The Phantom comes in and destroys Zenk with fists and a clothesline. Scoop slam by The Phantom, eye-rake by The Phantom. Irish whip and knee to the ribs, gut-buster and Phantom is feeling it now. Elbow to the back of the head, Zenk lands some right hands. Irish whip and a dropkick, Phantom survives the onslaught and nails a Neck-breaker for the win. A squash but it will have some importance later!

 

Winner: The WCW Phantom over The Z-Man via Neck-breaker!

 

(WCW World Tag Team Championship Match) The Enforcers © vs The Patriots

Is this a fucking joke? The Patriots are the United States Tag Team Champions? Not The Young Pistols? Freebirds? Steiners? Big Josh & PN News? These two goofs, that is shocking. Chip and Zbyszko to start, headlock from Chip. Shoulder block by Chip, abdominal stretch from Zbyszko but Chop returns the favour. Chip continues to trip up and scoop slam Zbyszko, backslide from Chip for two. Anderson and Chip are in there now, Anderson takes down Chip who scrambles to the ropes, side headlock and shoulder block by Chip. Champion is legal now, diving axe handle to the arm.

 

Anderson backs Champion to the corner, left hands and stomps from Anderson. Champion is pulled back into the ring, knee-drop to the head. Champion and Anderson are on the floor, Anderson is back-dropped onto the floor. Champion lands a bearhug in the ring, Zbyszko and Anderson double team Champion but Champion lands a massive clothesline. Zbyszko blind-tags Anderson, Champion is dumped illegally over the top rope. Zbyszko sends Champion into the guardrail, Anderson applies a snap-mare into a knee-drop. Neck-breaker by Zbyszko for two, Champion fires back with massive right hands. Atomic drop on Anderson but Zbyszko was legal, massive diving axe handle to the head.

 

Rib-breaker from Zbyszko, reverse chin-lock. Champion blocks the suplex and suplexes Zbyszko, hot-tag to Chip who scoop slams and dropkicks his way through everything. Ugly powerslam for two, match breaks down with all 4 in the ring. Shoulder block by Champion, Chip and Zbyszko bang heads and Anderson lands The Spinebuster for the win.

 

This went 9 minutes? How did these two schmucks have a PPV match with The Enforcers for this long? What is going on with this company? Honestly, it baffles me at times as some things can be so good and so bad during the one period in this company.

 

Winners: The Enforcers over The Patriots via Spinebuster!

 

Rick Rude Debuts!

Paul E. Dangerously was suspended by WCW and came back with a vengeance to take out Sting and he needed a centrepiece to do so. Dangerously brought in Madusa and Madusa found the man to take out Sting. The next WCW United States Heavyweight Champion will be Rick Rude! Funny how they brought in someone to go after the secondary championship instead of the world championship. Rude kills it on the microphone proving that Rude should have been in there with Hogan in the WWF.

 

(Two out of Three Falls WCW World Heavyweight Championship Match) Lex Luger © W/ Harley Race & Mr. Hughes vs Ron Simmons

Why is Dusty Rhodes in the corner of Ron Simmons? Would they have had Simmons take on Ric Flair? Questions and questions, what a year 1991 has been for this company. They lock-up, clean break as both are giant power bastards.

 

Side headlock by Luger, takedown by the champion. Head-scissors from Simmons and Luger stalls, hammerlock from Luger but Simmons reverses and Luger quickly grabs the ropes. Luger backs Simmons to the corner, Simmons avoids the right and drills Luger before the challenger misses a dropkick. Luger decides to go to work on the ribs, elbows and knees to the ribs. Simmons fires back with kicks and right hands, Luger ducks his head and Simmons lands a face-buster. Clothesline by Simmons, powerslam by Simmons. Spinebuster and Simmons takes the first-fall!

 

Luger stalls and stalls to recover, Simmons blocks a suplex and drills Luger, Irish whip to the buckles and a back body-drop. Luger is begging for mercy, Simmons has a thumb planted in his eye. Whip to the buckle, Simmons reverses with a boot and lands a bulldog for two, Luger begs for mercy and attacks Simmons in the ribs. Small package from Simmons for two, Simmons is dumped to the floor. Slingshot sunset flip for two, clothesline for two. Simmons tries another clothesline and Luger side-steps the oncoming Simmons, Simmons lands hard on the floor. Luger lands a powerslam and kicks to the ribs, Luger boots away Simmons and lands a clothesline for two. Reverse chin-lock from Luger, Luger uses the ropes for leverage.

 

Simmons comes back to life, right hands by the challenger. Luger sends him to the buckle, Luger misses a corner splash and Simmons applies a schoolboy for two, backslide from Simmons for two. Shoulder block rocks Luger,  Harley Race grabs the leg of Simmons. Rhodes takes down Race, Simmons has his eyes raked and Luger tries a crossbody. Luger goes over the top rope as Harley Race holds onto Simmons so the referee makes a judgment call and says Simmons sends Luger to the floor so we are tied.

 

Simmons opens up Luger and Luger loses control and batters Simmons but Simmons fires the fuck up and lands ten punches in the corner, a motherfucking clothesline for two. Whip to the buckle, back body-drop from Simmons for two. Luger headbutts Simmons in the ribs, inverted atomic drop from Simmons. Superplex for two, powerslam from Simmons. Simmons lands a Diving Shoulder Block, Luger rolls to the floor. Simmons sends Luger into the guardrail, eye-poke and Simmons runs shoulder-first into the ring-post. Attitude Adjustment Piledriver for the win by Luger!

 

That was rough in parts, no flowing contest between these two. WCW has been built upon heels that the fans will pay to see get their asses kicked and Luger is now a heel and champion due to Flair’s departure and I do not think it is going to work out, that championship needs to be around the waist of Vader or Rick Rude as soon as possible. Credit to Simmons who looked like he gave it all in his first main event for WCW, bigger things would be in Simmons’ future but this was not a PPV calibre main event and it has been a poor year for main events in general for the company.

 

Winner: Lex Luger over Ron Simmons via Piledriver!

 

That was WCW’s Halloween Havoc 1991, another bad PPV for WCW in the year of 1991. It’s a sad sight because everything seems to be off in the company at the time, The Enforcers have no Steiners to work with so we are treated to The Patriots. We have Luger in a role that has worked in the past but I am not sure people are buying heel Luger in 1991 while Ron Simmons has a lot of potential but was a tag team wrestler at the start of the year, Simmons is not ready for that main event spotlight. Rick Rude joining the company is a big deal for sure but there are so many rough edges on the card, I wonder will it make a significant difference? The world championship scene needs a major change but with Sting tied up with Rude seemingly, who will be stepping up at Starrcade? The rest of this card beyond the main event is quite uneventful, Eaton and Taylor work a solid match and I like Rhodes vs Austin but beyond that, there is an awful lot of bad here like Pillman’s crowning moment coming after a flat match with Morton, the squash matches that I really don’t care for and feuds like Jimmy Garvin vs Johnny B. Badd definitely don’t help. 1991 is coming to a close, hopefully WCW can end on a high. Thanks for reading and remember: there’s always another night!