WCW Halloween Havoc 1992 Review!

 

Hello and welcome to another edition of Seanomaniac Wrestling Reviews, the only wrestling review series on the internet that asks the question: Who better than Kanyon? It’s time for WCW Halloween Havoc 1992, a card that centres around Jake Roberts vs Sting in a match that we will know the stipulation of when we have the spinning of the wheel! Other big matches on the card include Rick Rude challenging for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship against Masahiro Chono, Rick Rude picking a replacement to defend the United States Championship in his honour against Nikita Koloff, Ron Simmons defending his World Heavyweight Championship against The Barbarian and a tag team championship match! Decent card to be fair, one or two things might rub me the wrong way but we shall see as we make our way through this WCW PPV!

 

Michael Hayes/Bobby Eaton/Arn Anderson vs The Z-Man/Johnny Gunn/Shane Douglas

Not my idea of a hot opening match, Shane Douglas makes his return to WCW following the slow and painful death of The Dynamic Dudes. Anderson starts with Gunn, Anderson is over big time here with clubbing blows. Gunn leaps over Anderson and lands a dropkick, Eaton is knocked off the apron. Anderson is dropkicked off the apron by Zenk and Douglas dropkicks Hayes and none of the crowd want to see these young guys attack the veterans in Hayes, Eaton and Anderson. Gunn brings Anderson to his corner, tag to Zenk who lands a double axe handle. Anderson drop toeholds Zenk, right hand from Eaton who is in the ring now. Eaton and Zenk leapfrog and drop-down before a back body drop from Zenk and a massive dropkick.

 

Tag to Hayes, boot and chops from Hayes. Side headlock in the ropes, hip-toss by Zenk. Lock-up and tag to Douglas, axe handle from Douglas. Hayes grabs the hair for a side headlock, Douglas lands an arm-drag into the arm-bar. Eaton comes in and eats a back body-drop, head-scissors and a dragon screw. Tag to Zenk who wrenches the leg of Eaton, Anderson is tagged into the match. Sleeper from Zenk, Anderson lands a belly to back suplex to counter. Tag to Hayes who lands an elbow drop, fist drop and a reverse chin-lock. Elbows from Zenk, boot counter and a neck-breaker from Hayes for two. Tag to Eaton, Zenk fights back and nails Anderson and Hayes. Anderson is blind-tagged into the match, Zenk ducks a clothesline from Eaton but gets wiped out by Double A. Tag to Hayes, Zenk is thrown hard into the buckle. Camel clutch from Hayes, Zenk counters a suplex though.

 

Tag to Douglas while Hayes tags in Anderson, right hands to all the heels. Douglas wants a suplex, Eaton lands a chop-block behind the referee’s back. Anderson sees the damage is done and wrenches the leg, Douglas has his legs smashed into the mat. Anderson tags in Eaton who climbs high and lands a diving knee-drop onto the knee, Anderson poses for the fans. Eaton has the figure four, Hayes gives a little extra leverage from the apron. Anderson works the leg but Douglas gets in a shot and tags in Gunn for the hot-tag. Scoop slams and the match breaks down, Zenk back-drops Anderson to the floor. Johnny Gunn lands a Lous Thesz Press on Hayes for the win.

 

What? This random team beat Eaton, Anderson & Hayes? You are joking me? I don’t mind Hayes eating the pin but how did this team beat these established wrestlers? I am shocked to be honest, the heels are over big time here which kind of worries me going forward for the night. Might be a difficult night for the babyfaces of WCW but enough about that, the wrong team won here in my eyes and I am bitterly disappointed how quickly they have dropped the ball on my Dangerous Alliance boys.

 

Winners: Team Z-Man over Team Hayes via Lou Thesz Press!

 

Ricky The Dragon Steamboat vs Flyin’ Brian Pillman

Pillman had turned heel by taking out Brad Armstrong who was unable to compete against Pillman on the previous Clash. Steamboat looks like he is no longer Television Champion but maybe he does not have that championship as it is just a challenge match. The match starts with Pillman chopping Steamboat before Steamboat chops back and lands two shoulder blocks before skinning the cat and landing an O’Connor roll for two, Pillman shoves off Steamboat into the buckle and Pillman takes time to pose. Steamboat plays possum and drops Pillman to the mat and clamps on the arm-bar. Steamboat is pulled by the hair but lands shoulder blocks and two arm-drags into an arm-bar. Steamboat wrenches the arm, massive chop to the arm. Drop toehold counter from Pillman, no side headlock for Pillman as Steamboat slips out into an arm-bar.

 

Back body-drop and scoop slam from Steamboat, Pillman lands a headbutt and rakes the eyes. Pillman slams Steamboat to the mat hard by the head, Pillman chokes Steamboat with the top rope. Steamboat leapfrogs Pillman and lands a two-handed choke toss, Steamboat chops Pillman and sends Pillman to the buckle. Steamboat tries an Irish whip but Pillman collapses to the mat, Pillman lures in Steamboat to land a massive forearm. Steamboat’s face is rubbed into the canvas, Steamboat fights back but is caught with a head-scissors, Steamboat is choked over the middle rope again. Irish whip but Steamboat blocks for the backslide for two, Pillman slams Steamboat by the head to the mat. Pillman chokes Steamboat on the mat before wanting a superplex, Pillman is blocked and dropped face-first to the mat. Steamboat went for a diving chop but Pillman counters with a dropkick for two.

 

Steamboat is caught in a sleeper, Steamboat runs Pillman to the buckle twice and Pillman must let go. Pillman hot-shots Steamboat and climbs high, Steamboat lands a right hand and yanks Pillman off the top rope. Pillman begs for mercy and slides to the floor, Steamboat chops Pillman and throws him back in the ring. As Steamboat enters the ring, Pillman lands a massive knee-lift and chops. Steamboat does not fade though, massive chops from Steamboat. Pillman slides out again, Steamboat trips up Pillman who wanted the knee-lift again. Whip to the buckle, knee counter by Pillman. Diving crossbody by Pillman for two, Steamboat lands a back-breaker and Steamboat lands a diving sunset flip for two. Pillman and Steamboat trade covers and Steamboat manages to get the better of Pillman.

 

Very good wrestling match from these two, Pillman is finding his feet as a heel and has to work hard considering the size difference but Pillman is still flashy and tries a lot of heel tactics in this one which I appreciate for sure. Steamboat continues to be awesome since returning to WCW, I have confused as why we did not get a conclusion to Steamboat vs Rude and I also thought we would have Stunning Steve Austin on the card also against Ricky The Dragon Steamboat but as long as Steamboat has good people to work with, I will be a happy man and Pillman will live to fight another day.

 

Winner: Ricky The Dragon Steamboat over Brian Pillman via Roll-Up!

 

(WCW United States Championship No DQ Match) Vader © vs Nikita Koloff

Clean-shaven Rick Rude is a disturbing thing to look at but as you see written above, why is Vader listed as champion for this match? Well, Rick Rude does not want to be double-booked brother as Rude will be challenging for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship so we have Vader taking on Nikita Koloff. They lock-up and Vader clubs Nikita, Nikita fires back and Vader is staggered. However, Vader turns the tide and roughs the shit out of Nikita. Whip to the buckle and Vader corner splash, massive lariat from Vader. Headbutt from Vader, Nikita is thrown to the floor but lands on his feet. Nikita clubs Vader and lands a forearm that rocks Vader, flying crossbody to the back of the head for two.

 

Reverse chin-lock from Nikita, Vader backs Nikita to the corner. Punch after punch but Nikita dodges a corner splash in the opposite buckle and schoolboys Vader for two, flying crossbody for two. Vader powders, Vader lures in Nikita and sends the challenger into the guardrail. Nikita is dropped on the guardrail and smacked with a chair to the back of the head. On the apron, Nikita tries a sunset flip and Vader sits down crushing Nikita. Massive lariat from Vader, Nikita fights back though. Eye-rake from Vader, rough-looking chokeslam. Vader is on the middle rope, massive splash but Nikita kicks out at two. Reverse chin-lock from Vader, Nikita suplexes Vader which looks more like a brainbuster. Nikita fires up and lands right after right in the corner, shoulder blocks by Nikita. Flying shoulder block for two, scoop slam for two. Elbow drop for two, clothesline to the floor. On the floor, Nikita misses the sickle on the ring-post. Vader clubs the arm and lands a Vader Hammer, elbow drops from Vader. Powerbomb and it’s over.

 

Nikita takes so many moves awkwardly, it’s impressive he didn’t mess himself up in that ring. Anyways, Vader and Nikita do fine here, I am sure if the match was clipped it would flow a little better. Regardless, I love Vader throwing around people and Nikita does his best to give it right back to Vader so I am happy with how things worked out.

 

Winner: Vader over Nikita Koloff via Powerbomb!

 

(NWA/WCW World Tag Team Championship Match) Barry Windham & Dustin Rhodes © vs Stunning Steve Austin & Dr. Death Steve Williams

Well can Dr. Death have a good match in WCW since returning is the big question here but also my boys Windham and Rhodes have captured the championships, this is shocking to me I thought their moment had passed but I imagine The Steiners will be in the WWF soon enough. However, they are saying that Rhodes and Windham have been having trouble as a team, are you serious?

 

Williams and Rhodes start, side headlock by Rhodes. Shoulder block has no effect on Doc, Doc starts talking trash to Rhodes. They run at each other and neither go down, this looks a little stupid but Doc leapfrogs Rhodes and lands a clothesline followed by two chop-blocks but Rhodes answers with a massive lariat of his own. Rhodes works the arm and tags in Windham, Doc shoves Windham to the ropes. Knee to the rib but Windham holds onto the arm, Doc shoves Windham to the ropes again. Massive chop, side headlock and shoulder block by Doc. Windham leapfrogs and lands a dropkick into the arm-drag, arm-bar from Windham. Doc pulls the hair, Rhodes comes into the ring and lands a dropkick but Doc tags in Austin. Rhodes grabs the headlock and tags in Windham, right hands by Windham. Austin lands a boot and a thumb to the eye, Windham meets the buckle.

 

Knees by Austin, dropkick from Stunning Steve Austin. Snap-mare for two, Windham manages to land a massive right hand and in comes Rhodes on the reset. Side headlock from Rhodes, Rhodes uses his speed to baffle Austin before Austin slows it down with a boot. Austin trips up Rhodes and stretches the leg, elbow to the back of the head. Rhodes is whipped to the buckle and counters with an elbow, two for Rhodes. Austin counters with a boot, Rhodes wants a monkey flip but Rhodes shoves off Austin and lands his flying lariat. In comes Windham for a flying lariat for two, Windham misses a flying lariat on Doc and it’s babyface-in-peril time. In comes Austin with a boot and a middle rope elbow, suplex by Austin. Two for Austin, tag to Doc who tries to wrestle and pin Windham on the mat.

 

Tag to Austin who works the arm, hammerlock from Austin. Doc is tagged in, shoulder block to Rhodes who is irate on the apron, headbutt and stomps from Doc on Windham. Irish whip into the powerslam for two, rear-naked choke from Doc. Jaw-breaker from Windham, tag to Austin who knocks down Rhodes. Austin wants the superplex on Windham, Windham fights back and knocks Austin back and Windham lands a diving lariat for two. Drop-downs and a leapfrog later, Austin and Windham bang heads. Rhodes gets the tag, Bulldog on Austin but Doc makes the save, Pier-Six Brawl before Windham has to leave the ring thanks to the referee and Doc lands a clothesline on Rhodes with Austin pinning for two.

 

Tag to Doc, Doc lands a massive forearm to the spine. Rhodes is in trouble now, Doc clubs the kidneys over and over. Rhodes fights back with massive right hands, Boston crab from Doc. Austin is in and trade pin-fall attempts with Rhodes before Austin lands a clothesline for two, Doc comes in and trade shots with Rhodes but Doc shoots for the leg and tags in Austin who uses his foot and knee to choke Rhodes. Rhodes starts trading shots with Austin, Austin catches Rhodes before the final blow and Austin poses for the fans. Two for Austin, tag to Doc. Snap suplex with the float-over for two, Doc tags in Austin who clubs down on Rhodes.

 

Snap-mare into the reverse chin-lock, powerslam from Austin but Austin misses the elbow drop. Small package by Rhodes for two, tag to Doc. Stomp by Doc, double-arm suplex for two. Windham receives the tag but the referee misses the tag, Rhodes is the legal man but Windham is pinned but another referee counted the pin but the original referee says that will not count. Rhodes lands an O’Connor roll for two but the timekeeper jumps the gun and it is an all-round clusterfuck at this point. The time comes up for the last two minutes so that all but tells you where we are going, Rhodes tombstones Austin. Ends as a draw.

 

Well that was rough to watch, Doc since coming to WCW has been rough along with Gordy, the tag matches with Steiners and Windham & Rhodes have not delivered. Here we have Windham and Rhodes wanting to have a good match but the finish given is a time-limit draw which means two babyface in peril parts to the match. The first 15 minutes are good, the match probably should have stopped when Windham made the tag to Rhodes but it goes on and while I like Rhodes a lot, I was starting to wish the match was over at that point. The referee bump with the false finish at the end gets all messed up with the timekeeper messing up but they work hard and Austin is doing better regardless of his haircut and no knee-pads look but the match just dragged by the end for me. Also, the reason given for Gordy’s suspension is dropping out due to loyalty Giant Baba which is curious considering they had no problems winning the championships.

 

Time-Limit Draw!

 

(NWA World Heavyweight Championship Match) Masahiro Chono © vs Ravishing Rick Rude

Chono is one of New Japan’s Three Musketeers of the 90s along with Keiji Mutoh and Shinya Hashimoto, Chono is your champion and we have two officials here as we have Harley Race as a referee and Kensuke Sasaki as a referee. What is curious here also is that Paul E. Dangerously degrades Madusa and says she is no better than a street-walker, Madusa beats down Dangerously but here she is still associating with Rick Rude. There is a coin toss and Harley Race is your referee for this match, Chono and Rude lock-up and we have a clean break from Rude. Chono turns the tide in the corner, a clean break? Yes we have another clean break, eye-rake and clubbing blows from Rude.

 

Rude poses in the middle of the ring, Chono comes back with an arm-drag. Side headlock from Rude, Chono counters with a massive belly to back suplex. Rude has his arm worked by the champion, hammerlock from Chono. Rude counters for his own before Chono drop toeholds Rude into an arm-bar. Rude counters for the reverse chin-lock, Chono counters for a hammerlock. Rude is on the floor and Madusa massages her man but Chono catches Rude on the apron, suplex into the ring. Boston crab attempt from Chono, Chono applies the hold. Rude makes it to the ropes, Chono yanks Rude to the centre of the ring. Rude begins to fight back with elbows, throat thrust from Rude. Sunset flip attempt from Chono, right hand by Rude. Rude poses, suplex for two.

 

Reverse chin-lock from Rude, Rude lands a shoulder block but Chono lands a drop toehold but Rude blocks the STF. Rude is covering up and refusing to gift Chono his chin. Rude fights back and lands a piledriver, Chono reaches the ropes for two. Rude climbs high, Madusa and Sasaki are having words on the floor. Chono avoids a diving axe handle but gets caught in the reverse chin-lock, Irish whip into a sleeper from Rude. Something happens in the crowd, cannot blame then for being more interested in that because this match is brutal so far. Chono charges Rude after a missile dropkick misses for Rude, Race is bumped to the floor. Rude Awakening but no referee, Rude misses a diving knee drop and Chono applies the STF for the win. Race wants to disqualify Chono for the bump to the floor.

 

This was rough, no heat to it and the fans turn immediately on the match. They go through the motions if I am honest, Rude does nothing here that makes me want to see Rude as world champion and its frustrating, so frustrating because I fall for the gimmick, I fall for the promos and he gives me an Iron Man Match with Steamboat that kicks all sorts of ass but then I have matches like this to sit through. Chono’s charisma would come later with his neck injury and his Yakuza like gimmick so Chono’s lack of connection with the crowd is understandable, does not have the offense of Hashimoto nor the connection with the fans like Muta so it was always going to be tough but Rude does Chono no favours here.

 

Winner: Rick Rude over Masahiro Chono via DQ!

 

(WCW World Heavyweight Championship Match) Ron Simmons © vs The Barbarian W/ Cactus Jack

So Teddy Long is back with Simmons? Not sure why but ok, also wasn’t the build supposed to be Simmons vs the ghost from his past aka Butch Reed? Why is he facing Barbarian for the championship? Whatever, Simmons winning the championship came out of nowhere and felt forced despite the company showing they wanted to push Simmons and do things with him.

 

Lock-ups and stalemates before a little shoving, side headlock by Barbarian. Shoulder block by Barbarian, Simmons shoulder blocks back. They collide, Simmons wins that exchange with a shoulder block, dropkick and forearm. Barbarian locks up and brings Simmons to the corner, knees and forearms from Barbarian. Barbarian lands an elbow drop after taking a breather, Simmons is tossed to the floor. Barbarian sends Simmons into the ring-post, clothesline against the ring-post. Irish whip and sunset flip from Simmons for two, seated cobra-clutch from Barbarian. Simmons sends Barbarian to the buckle but Barbarian maintains control with a throat thrust and scoop slam. Barbarian misses a diving elbow drop, right hands by Barbarian but Simmons slugs it out. Irish whip reversal, Spinebuster from Simmons for two. Clotheslines by Simmons, scoop slam and Cactus is on the apron. Flying shoulder block on Barbarian, Cactus is punched off the apron.

 

Barbarian boots Simmons to the floor, Cactus just throws Simmons back into the ring. Diving Headbutt connects from Barbarian for a close two, clothesline from Barbarian for two. Barbarian runs the ropes but runs into Simmons’ Powerslam and the match is over.

 

This was barebones, I cannot believe that was a World Heavyweight Championship match on PPV, this card is fading fast. This does not scream world championship calibre and it’s so obvious to everyone in attendance. Really bad stuff from WCW, probably time to take the championship off of Ron Simmons.

 

Winner: Ron Simmons over The Barbarian via Powerslam!

 

(Coalminer’s Glove Match) Sting vs Jake The Snake Roberts

So Jake Roberts came into WCW and took out Sting, Roberts continued to get heat by defeating Sting in the eight-man elimination match prior to the PPV on the previous Clash. Roberts is in the ring and Roberts looks terrible in my opinion, Roberts was never one for a great physique but Roberts really does not look good here. Sting is here looking for revenge, the coalminer’s glove is on a pole so you must climb the pole to use the glove.

 

Match starts with scoop slams from Sting, Roberts yanks Sting off the buckle. Forearm to the spine from Roberts, they lock-up. Roberts has the side headlock, leapfrog from Sting but Sting misses a dropkick. Knees to the spine from Roberts, stomp to the groin from Roberts. Sting is tossed over the top rope, Sting sends Roberts into the buckle. Sting sends Roberts by the shoulder into the ring-post, Sting goes for the glove. Roberts chases Sting, belly to back suplex from Roberts. Sting manages to work the arm before Roberts hip-tosses Sting to the floor, Roberts goes for the glove but Sting crotches Roberts on the rope. Roberts holds onto the leg of Sting, The Snake does not want Sting reaching that glove.

 

Sting wrenches the arm, arm-bar from Sting. Roberts pulls Sting to the outside, right hands from Sting and a chair across the back from Roberts. Roberts uses his wrist-tape to choke out Sting, Sting turns the tide briefly but misses the Stinger Splash. Short-arm clothesline from Roberts, Roberts calls for the DDT. DDT plants Sting, Roberts goes for the glove but Sting swings around the pole and smacks Roberts with an elbow. Sting grabs the glove, Roberts is handed a snake by Cactus Jack though. Sting smacks Roberts in the ribs and the snake bites Roberts. Pin for Sting and its over.

 

You know the pythons that Roberts usually had? The massive looking snakes? Yeah Roberts pulls out a snake that looks like a toy in this match and the crowd shits all over it appropriately. This was not main event level, it was not an interesting match by any stretch of the imagination. All that build-up for that finish? That’s your big match? Horrific WCW, horrific stuff.

 

Winner: Sting over Jake The Snake Roberts via Coalminer’s Glove to the ribs!

 

WCW’s Halloween Havoc 1992 was brutal no hiding that fact. We open up with a six-man tag that has the crowd eating the babyfaces alive and to top it off, they walk away with the win if you can believe that. Steamboat vs Pillman is good, two great workers and they pull off an entertaining match. I think there is still so much potential to Steamboat in WCW, so much that the man can do and I hope he continues to steal shows that I watch because I feel like I need him more than ever. Vader vs Nikita was alright too, they moved around and hit one another hard, can’t ask for more from two big tanks. The card falls apart then with one bad match after another, the tag team championship match goes about 12 minutes too long, should have ended after the Windham hot-tag to Rhodes. Rude vs Chono is abysmal, they did nothing to make that feel like a world championship match, one of the worst title matches for a major title that I have seen in a long time. Things do not improve with Simmons vs Barbarian, an average match if I have ever seen one that is not helping Simmons in his run on top and we finish with Sting vs Roberts which is absent of the psychology and mind-games that makes Roberts fun to watch and we also have a flat finish. Incredible how 1992 started so well and by the end of 1992, it feels like every other year in this company, one step forward and two steps back. Thanks for reading and remember: there’s always another night!