WCW Superbrawl V Review!

 

Hello and welcome to another edition of Seanomaniac Wrestling Reviews, the only wrestling review series on the internet that makes less of an impact than Bobby Fish debuting in a new company! It’s time for WCW’s Superbrawl 1995 headlined by Hulk Hogan defending against Vader, a man who has been number one contender for many months and was sidelined by The Three Faces of Fear vs Hogan angle. However, we are going to see the two clash. Sting is teaming with Randy Savage to take on the newly minted heel Big Bubba Rogers who has aligned himself with Avalanche. We also have the continuation of Harlem Heat vs The Nasty Boys, Alex Wright is taking on Paul Roma and Hacksaw Jim Duggan is taking on The Bunkhouse Buck! Doesn’t seem like a great card at all, quite disappointing if I am honest. I have little faith in this undercard but I guess we will see how things goes!

 

Paul Roma vs Alex Wright

How the hell was Roma in The Horsemen? Every time I look at him I think how could this guy have been the man to fill that gap? Happy to see Wright continue to be featured, this match starts with Roma jumping Wright while Wright is dancing. Roma has a red and black singlet which covers his physique so not sure what he was thinking as it’s all he really had going for him, Roma is going for a military press and Roma lands an ugly one. Roma mocks Wright’s dance, good to see Wright struggling to be a babyface due to his dancing. Right hands by Wright but Roma uses the laces of his boot to take down Wright. Sunset flip counter by Wright for two, arm-drags by Wright into an arm-bar. Roma reverses and pulls the hair of Wright to maintain control. Arm-drag counter by Wright, we have babes at ringside. Why do we have babes? Another arm-drag by Wright, Paul Orndorff is coming down to ringside.

 

Wright looks concerned, Roma looks to his partner feeling a bit more confident. Roma escapes with big elbows, landing elbow drops and pulling down his singlet. Back-breaker by Roma, make it three. Wright is tossed to the floor, Orndorff watches on not interfering. Clubbing blows to the chest, Roma kicks Wright to the floor. Back in the ring, Wright tries a backslide and small package but Roma survives. Elbows and stomps to the head, Roma rakes the face of Wright. Reverse chin-lock from Roma, Wright fires up and escapes. Right hands but Roma holds onto the ropes and avoids a dropkick, Roma lands his massive elbow drop. Roma marks out for himself, Roma misses a corner splash. Wright lands European uppercuts, ugly looking hip-toss. Spinning heel kick. Wright lands a diving crossbody, Orndorff pulls off Wright to save Roma. Roma is jaw-jacking with the referee, Roma lands a scoop slam. Orndorff and Roma chat, Wright dropkicks Roma into Orndorff and rolls-up Roma for the win.

 

That felt long, not insulting but definitely on the long side, there was a reason Roma was in tags because nobody wanted to pay to see Roma in singles matches while Wright’s gimmick is probably not connecting the way WCW wanted but still Wright is building momentum. Definitely a tough spot but this was far too long for me.

 

Winner: Alex Wright over Paul Roma via Roll-Up!

 

Bunkhouse Buck W/ Meng & Colonel Robert Parker vs Hacksaw Jim Duggan

Yeah this is where I expected Duggan to be on the card but makes me sad for this stable considering how good Buck was in that match with Rhodes before they ran that shit into the ground. Hopefully this is brief, Duggan punches the shit out of Buck to begin the match. Right hands and forearms stagger Buck, Buck rakes the eyes. Irish whip and a hip-toss by Duggan, Duggan clotheslines Buck to the floor. Duggan is sent into the ring-post, Buck tastes a knee to the back of the head. Reverse chin-lock by Duggan, atomic drop and heavy right hand by Duggan. Another chin-lock by Duggan, Duggan bounces Buck off the buckle. Duggan is smashed in the throat with a rope by Buck behind the referee’s back. Duggan is thrown to the floor, smashing into the guardrail.

 

Duggan is caught in a reverse chin-lock from Buck, this is rough. Duggan carries Buck to the corner, gut shots by Duggan. Elbows to the ribs, Buck lands an elbow to stagger Duggan. A brawl breaks out with Duggan winning that war, Duggan begins to fire up and throws right hands before dragging Buck to the corner. Shoulder thrusts in the corner, back body drop by Duggan for two. Buck takes over with knees and back-rakes, Duggan is firing up though. Rights and lefts by Duggan, reverse chin-lock by Duggan. Duggan and Meng have words, Duggan scoop slams Buck and lands the Old Glory Knee-Drop for two.

 

Duggan applies another REVERSE CHIN-LOCK, why is the babyface dominating the match? Why is he leading this match? How am I suppose to cheer for Duggan when he’s kicking the ass of Buck? Ten punches in the corner by Duggan, Buck fights back with Parker getting knocked off the apron. Buck freaks out so Duggan lands The Three Point Stance Clothesline for the win. Meng superkicks Duggan’s head off after the match and a nerve hold is applied.

 

Sweet Jesus this was rough, recently wondering what the fuck they were thinking making Duggan go 12 minutes, it’s brutally long and if you weren’t already lukewarm on WCW in 1995, their first two matches on PPV in 1995 have done nothing to squash your fears, it is brutal.

 

Winner: Hacksaw Jim Duggan over Bunkhouse Buck via Three-Point Stance Clothesline!

 

(Special Grudge Match) Dave Sullivan vs Kevin Sullivan W/ The Butcher

Oh my God, WCW what are you doing to me? No longer in his Hogan gear, Dave is here to kick some ass, scoop slams and right hands by Dave. Irish whip and an elbow to the face, shoulder blocks by Dave before Butcher trips up Dave. On the floor, Sullivan sends Dave into the ring-post. Butcher stomps Dave behind the referee’s back. Sullivan continues to stomp and chop Dave, Dave begins to kick back at Sullivan but Sullivan is just chopping away at Dave. On the apron, Dave fights back. Two-handed toss by Dave, more chops by Sullivan. Leg across the back by Sullivan, Dave blocks the second attempt. Dave is smashing Sullivan, Butcher is on the apron. Dave is distracted, Sullivan sends Dave into Butcher and wins with a roll-up.

 

What a great grudge match right? Lots of hardcore spots and weapons etc right? Yeah absolutely nothing, Dave is horrific in the ring and Sullivan is laughable at times due to his size but their original match was horrific this was even worse so yeah, brutal kick off to this PPV.

 

Winner: Kevin Sullivan over Dave Sullivan via Roll-Up with Handful of Tights!

 

(WCW World Tag Team Championship Match) Harlem Heat © W/ Sister Sherri vs The Nasty Boys

This feud kicked off as Harlem Heat returned to WCW from wherever they went, they were missing for like a year on PPV and Clashes but anyways, they came back with a vengeance and had a secret weapon: that being Sister Sherri who helped them capture the championships.

 

Lots of stalling before Booker and Knobbs kick us off, clean break before Booker works the arm. Knobbs reverses, Booker goes to the ropes. Slap by Knobbs, eye-poke by Booker. Knees to the ribs, Booker misses his Harlem side-kick and has his balls smashed into the rope over and over. Sags lands a clothesline on the floor, shockingly we have Nasty chants in this match. Sags works over Booker’s groin. Sags and Booker wrestle for what seems like a millennium as nothing really goes on until Booker dropkicks Sags to the floor, Stevie Ray and Sherri gets some heat on Sags. Stevie Ray and Booker work over Sags who is getting his ass kicked here, Sherri taunts Sags while Knobbs is irate on the apron. Slap from Sherri, Booker has Sags in a reverse chin-lock before Booker nails a Harlem Sidekick. Stevie Ray comes in and roughs up Sags, Booker and Stevie Ray take turns battering Sags before Booker misses a middle-rope elbow. Powerslam by Sags, could we finally have a tag? Knobbs gets the hot-tag, clotheslines and right hands all around. Scoop slams too, Knobbs is fired up. Stevie is whipped to the buckle, corner clothesline. Double DDT by Knobbs, an actual reaction from the fans. Splash on Stevie Ray, Sags and Booker on the floor. Sherri cracks Stevie Ray with her shoe and Knobbs rolls-up Stevie Ray for the win but the referee has to reverse the decision because Sags threw Booker T over the top rope.

 

Fucking terrible, proper terrible. Could not wait for this match to end, it’s unbelievably bad. Anything with Nasty Boys that is not a brawl is brutal, this went 15 plus minutes, this was horrific. Easily on its way to becoming one of the worst PPVs I have ever recovered.

 

Winners: Harlem Heat over The Nasty Boys via DQ!

 

Blacktop Bully vs Dustin Rhodes

So the former Khrusher Kruschev, Smash and Repo Man is here as Blacktop Bully, Bully has been sitting ringside for months antagonizing the babyfaces before stepping over that guardrail and getting involved, Meng and Colonel Robert Parker cannot stay at ringside. Rhodes has unfortunately slid down the card with this horrific feud, Rhodes lands huge right hands on Bully. Bully comes back into the match but Rhodes will not be denied in this one, working over the arm of Bully. Scoop slam by Bully but Rhodes still has control over the arm. Rhodes uses his laces on Bully, Bully lands a knee and goes into a reverse chin-lock but Rhodes comes back with a hammerlock. Rhodes continues to work the arm, Bully whips Rhodes to the opposite buckle. Springboard elbow by Rhodes, Rhodes lands a roundhouse right on Bully.

 

Suplex by Rhodes, sunset flip by Rhodes for two. Bully misses a clothesline and tumbles to the floor, Rhodes slams Bully into the steel steps. Bully lands a clothesline in the ring to regain control, Bully lands a belly to back suplex for two and then grabs a reverse chin-lock. Rhodes tries a flying crossbody but cracks himself over the steel steps, Bully sends Rhodes into the apron. Stomps to the head from Bully, Bully turns to face the crowd. Rhodes trips up Bully and sends Bully into the ring-post but Rhodes misses an elbow drop in the ring.

 

Bully looks for a suplex, beautiful snap suplex. Bully goes to the middle rope, clothesline counter from Rhodes. Back body drop and Rhodes pulls the shirt over Bully’s head, inverted atomic drop by Rhodes. Bulldog by Rhodes, Parker places Bully’s foot on the ropes, Parker is caught by Rhodes. Suplex into the ring? Parker is planted and sells accordingly, Bully is up though and misses a clothesline. Bully is on the apron, Rhodes wants a suplex into the ring. Parker trips Rhodes and holds down his legs so Bully can win the match.

 

Another long snooze fest here which is so sad to see considering I am such a huge fan of Rhodes but this Parker feud has gone on far too long. Bully getting the win means this shit is going to continue and it’s just beyond stale at this point, they had The War Games match and the perfect blow-off but they just couldn’t let it go.

 

Winner: Blacktop Bully over Dustin Rhodes via Shenanigans!

 

Sting & Randy Savage vs Big Bubba Rogers & Avalanche

Are we to believe any of these guys are threats to Savage or Sting? At every corner, The Three Faces of Fear have failed and even with Big Bubba Rogers, they have an abysmal win and loss record. Why is Keiji Mutoh here?

 

Sting and Avalanche to start, Avalanche powers over Sting. Sting clotheslines and dropkicks Avalanche, Big Bubba attacks Sting on the apron. Gut shot by Big Bubba, Big Bubba lands a massive back-breaker. Big Bubba climbs high, Savage derails Big Bubba who lands on his groin and Sting lands a superplex. Sting getting the biggest reactions on the card right now, Big Bubba is bounced around by the babyfaces. Savage is here now, Big Bubba jumps Savage. Right hand by Big Bubba, Savage fights back from underneath. Sunset flip doesn’t work for Savage but Big Bubba misses the splash. Savage slaps Avalanche, Avalanche comes in. Another slap, Savage is tossed down like a scrub. Avalanche falls on Savage who tried a scoop slam, Avalanche misses a splash and is stuck on the top rope. Gut kicks from Savage and Sting, Sting kicks the knees of Avalanche, Scorpion Death-Lock time. Savage and Big Bubba are brawling, we have a pier-six brawl.

 

Stinger Splashes all around, Avalanche explodes out of the corner and throws down Sting, Avalanche misses a splash and Sting slams him but Sting is in the wrong corner. Big Bubba decks Sting but Sting falls on the crotch of Avalanche, hot-tag time? Savage is in the ring, diving axe handle to Avalanche. Clotheslines all around, we have another breakdown with Savage slamming Big Bubba. Diving Elbow Drop connects on Big Bubba, Sting is climbing to the top rope. Savage is with the referee, Sting lands a diving clothesline on Avalanche for the win.

 

Wait Sting was not the legal man? Like usually these breakdowns get complicated and it’s hard to tell but Savage clearly just got the tag, how did the referee lose track of that? Incompetent twat but anyways, this was easily the best match on the card, actual action and interesting wrestling.

 

Winners: Team Sting over Team Big Bubba via Diving Crossbody!

 

(WCW World Heavyweight Championship Match) Hulk Hogan © W/ Jimmy Hart vs Vader

Oh it’s time with Vader being out of the championship picture for at least a year at this point as Ric Flair would defeat Vader in that cage match at Superbrawl but now after being number one contender for many months, Vader gets his chance at Hogan.

 

They lock-up, we go to the corner. Clean break from Vader, right hands from Hogan but Vader does not even move, Vader just takes off his mask. Lock-up, slaps to the face from Hogan. Vader is just getting angry, corner clothesline and no effect. Hogan grabs the arm, elbows to the wrist. Vader sends Hogan to the corner, rights and lefts from Vader. The challenger is destroying Hogan, short-arm clothesline rocks Hogan. Corner splash by Vader, Vader chases Hogan on the floor. Vader is whipped into the crowd onto the lap of Flair, Vader is not happy. Hogan batters Vader in the ring, chops over and over. Ten punches and a clothesline knocks down Vader, big boot and clothesline sends Vader to the floor.

 

Vader Hammer floors Hogan, headbutt by the challenger. Rights and lefts and a short-arm clothesline by Vader. Vader sets it up, Vader Bomb connects! 1…2… Hogan kicks out! Vader chokes Hogan on the mat, Vader misses the Vadersault as Hogan dodges. Hogan grabs a chair, chair to the face from The Hulkster. No DQ? Hogan misses his clothesline, Vader chokeslams Hogan down. Elbow drop on Hogan, Hogan kicks out and Hulks Up! Right hands by Hogan, big boot by Hogan. Atomic Leg Drop and Vader kicks out at one, Vader knocks Hogan into the referee. Vader Powerbombs Hogan, cover but there is no referee. Ric Flair sprints into the ring and counts the three, referee is not able to count the three when needed. Splash by Vader, Hogan kicks out at two and sprints up. Clothesline to the floor, Flair chops Hogan and that doesn’t work. DQ.

 

Well when Vader was smashing Hogan it was electric, there was a feeling in that building that Vader would topple Hogan, both men do their best in this one and while the finish is weak, it’s still a seriously fun match. Vader no-selling everything is always great, Hogan rallying with the crowd is always good stuff so I don’t hate it as much as I have seen others hate it. Leaves it open to a rematch so that could be fun, I am optimistic surprisingly.

 

Winner: Hulk Hogan over Vader via DQ!

 

That was WCW’s Superbrawl 1995 and oh boy, that was WCW showcasing some of its absolute worst stuff on PPV. The first three matches are awful, horrific long matches that don’t do anybody involved any favours. Alex Wright is not looking great after that match, I never want to see Buck vs Duggan ever again after that match and The Nasty Boys are one of the worst teams to ever exist when it comes to putting together matches, they are horrible in that ring when it is not a brawl. Really disappointed with this stretched out feud for Rhodes vs Colonel Parker, it should have ended a long time before this but they continue to stretch it out, it’s beyond frustrating for me to see the downfall of Rhodes but that will end soon. Sting and Savage bring the crowd alive, they bring energy and a much needed passion/intensity to the PPV and have a solid match with two big men who can get the job done with the right opponents, the crowd stays with them for the main event also but this was so rough to get through, so boring at times I questioned do I really want to do this with my spare time but nonetheless, the last two matches are entertaining and watchable but everything else is horrific, avoid this like that cheap chipper on the way home after a rake of pints because you know that shit ain’t no good for you! Thanks for reading and remember: there’s always another night!