WCW Halloween Havoc 1995 Review!

 

Hello and welcome to another edition of Seanomaniac Wrestling Reviews, the only wrestling review series on the internet with less consistency than HHH’s booking! It’s time for WCW Halloween Havoc 1995! Headlined by Hulk Hogan vs The Giant, the son of Andre for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship! We also have Lex Luger vs Meng, Randy Savage vs The Zodiac and Ric Flair and Sting teaming together to take down Arn Anderson & Brian Pillman. Other matches that round out the card include Mr. JL vs Sabu and Johnny B. Badd challenging for the WCW World Television Championship. Could it be a good PPV from WCW? Let’s find out together eh?

 

(WCW World Television Championship Match) Diamond Dallas Page © W/ The Diamond Doll & Maxx Muscle vs Johnny B. Badd

Kimberley is getting over huge and it’s no surprise, she is gorgeous. DDP won the championship from Renegade which ended his big push, Johnny B. Badd was meant to challenge Sting for the US Championship. I imagine that happened and Badd lost so now he challenges for this championship, DDP is looking for Badd but Badd takes out DDP with a high knee and Muscle bangs heads with DDP on the floor courtesy of Badd. DDP is in the crowd now, DDP is whipped into the guard rail. Badd has a bucket and slaps it and runs DDP into the ring-post. In the ring, DDP clubs Badd but Badd lands a hip-toss and a drop toehold into an arm-bar. DDP cannot escape the clutches of Badd, DDP pulls Badd down by the hair but Badd kips-up and returns the favour.

 

Badd lands another hip-toss and a dropkick, ten punches in the corner is blocked as DDP lands a flapjack into the turnbuckle. DDP talks trash and kicks the ribs of Badd, forearms by DDP and an elbow to the face. DDP sends Badd into the buckle and lands a belly to back suplex. DDP wants a 10 and The Diamond Doll supplies the 10. Pancake by DDP for two, reverse chin-lock by DDP. DDP brings his weight down on Badd to do extra damage. DDP whips Badd who blocks, backslide in the middle of the ring for two. DDP lands a massive clothesline for two, DDP looks for a cover and gets two before Badd counters with a roll-up for two. DDP regains control with a boot, scoop turning slam by DDP for two. Reverse chin-lock by DDP, DDP calls for Badd to get up but DDP lands elbows to the back of the head.

 

Muscle is on the apron, DDP uses his wrist-tape to choke Badd behind the referee’s back. Reverse chin-lock again, Diamond Doll is frustrated with the cheating ways of DDP. Badd fires up, DDP calls for Muscle but Badd lands a belly to back suplex. Inverted atomic drop and atomic drop by Badd, jabs from Badd. Right haymaker and a flying head-scissors, diving axe handle by Badd. Badd looks at The Diamond Doll and Badd gets a 10! Two count for Badd, sit-out powerbomb for two. Diamond Dream by DDP, two for DDP. Diamond Cutter is blocked as Badd holds onto the ropes, DDP smacks his head off the mat. Badd covers for two, Badd is fired up again and wants those ten punches. Badd moneky flips DDP to the floor, Badd lands The Badd Day. Sling-shot splash for two, Badd calls for The Kiss that don’t Miss! Muscle grabs Badd, DDP tries to hit Badd but Badd dodges, dropkick and Badd almost schoolboys DDP for the win.

 

On the floor goes Badd who has been thrown there by DDP, Muscle is sent into the ring-post. In the ring, DDP grabs Badd and Muscle clotheslines DDP by mistake, big left hand by Badd on Muscle and Badd pins DDP for the win.

 

That was a fun match to kick off the show, the simplicity of DDP being a dick to Kimberly has connected with the fans and Badd is back on top in WCW working with someone who can make him look good. They have a good opening match that the crowd are invested in and it’s everything these two could hope for when opening a pay per view. Odd though how it looked like DDP was going to have some big wins coming his way and now, it’s all been swept away. I am sure the feud will continue between the two but DDP’s odd story in WCW continues.

 

Winner: Johnny B. Badd over DDP via Clothesline!

 

The Zodiac vs Macho Man Randy Savage

What a waste of a PPV match, I mean really? This would be a good Clash match but an actual WCW PPV match? Anyways, Savage goes right after Zodiac, who the hell is this in the ring though? We have a fan in the ring who is trying to get close to Zodiac and Savage, Savage expertly takes the match to the floor away from the fan as security beat the shit out of the fan presumably. Zodiac sends Savage into the ring-post, they talk about Kamala originally being in the match, perhaps payment issues? Savage lands his Flying Elbow Drop on Zodiac after re-entering the ring.

 

That was it? Really? Well, I guess that’s the best thing I could have hoped for between these two.

 

Winner: Randy Savage over Zodiac via Diving Elbow Drop!

 

Kurasawa vs Hawk

Kurasawa tried to break the arm of Hawk at a previous Clash, Hawk comes down to the ring and hits clotheslines, his neck-breaker and vicious chops and right hands. Classic Hawk, Hawk whips Kurasawa to the buckle and misses a corner spear hitting his shoulder. Hawk recovers and gut-wrench suplexes Kurasawa. Powerbomb by Hawk, Colonel Parker grabs the foot of Hawk. Scoop slam by Kurasawa, diving elbow drop misses. Hawk clotheslines Kurasawa to the floor, Hawk is on the apron and clotheslines Parker. Hawk is sent into the ring-post, fallaway slam and Samoan drop and with the help of Colonel Parker, Kurasawa pins Hawk.

 

Another short one, what is going on with this show?

 

Winner: Kurasawa over Hawk via Samoan Drop!

 

Mr. J.L. vs Sabu W/ The Sheik

There is only one Sabu ladies and gentlemen and unfortunately it would not work out for Sabu in WCW but Sabu is one of the most innovative wrestlers of the 90s and the world would eventually fall in love with Sabu. Sabu eats an enzuigiri with J.L. missing a baseball slide, Sabu lands an Asai Moonsault on Sheik and JL. JL lands a diving crossbody to the floor after Sabu misses a running splash, Sabu misses a moonsault. JL is on the top rope, moonsault connects for two. JL lands a sit-out powerbomb for two, JL whips Sabu to the corner but JL misses a splash. Sabu lands a sling-shot Arabian Face-buster for two, Sabu tries climbing the top rope but JL lands a German suplex for two. JL is on the top rope, Sabu stops JL and lands a victory roll from the middle rope for two. Sabu climbs high, springboard dropkick by JL knocks Sabu to the floor. Sheik is not happy, Sabu hot-shots JL. Springboard moonsualt and it is over and Sheik throws a fireball for good measure!

 

Another short match, that’s 3 in a row now what is going on with this PPV? Anyways, crowd seems indifferent to their efforts but soon they would go wild for this high-flying style.

 

Winner: Sabu over Mr. J.L. via Springboard Moonsault!

 

Meng W/ The Taskmaster vs Lex Luger

Meng must take out Luger, Luger starts the match by bashing Meng’s head off the buckle. Meng is staggered, side headlock by Luger. Meng shoves off Luger and wants a monkey flip but Luger stops that and kicks Meng low, Luger catapults Meng into the buckle. Meng has his eyes raked across the top rope but Meng kicks out at Luger, Luger reverses an Irish whip but Meng kicks Luger in the head and small packages Luger for two. Meng whips Luger to the buckle, boot counter by Luger and Luger clotheslines Meng to the floor. Luger shoves Meng into the ring-post, Luger pulls the arm into the top rope. Meng fights back with that injured arm, Meng bites the head of Luger. Chop to the neck, Luger blocks the second right hand and tees off on Meng. Meng to the buckle, Luger misses the splash but attempts the belly to back but Meng lands on top of Luger for a close two. Shoulder-breaker by Meng, Meng begins to work the right arm of Luger.

 

Meng kicks the ribs of Luger and chokes him with his boot, piledriver from Meng. Two for Meng, Meng chokes Luger over and over. Reverse chin-lock from Meng, Luger lands elbows to the ribs and escapes and lands a flying crossbody for two. Meng is still too powerful, Luger is kicked into the corner. Belly to back suplex by Meng, two for Meng. Meng tosses Luger to the floor, Sullivan talks trash to Luger who is not doing too good right now. Meng continues to kick down Luger and Sullivan continues talking to Luger, Sullivan is making the referee stop his count and Sullivan does not want Meng to come down on Luger on the floor. The commentators wonder if Luger could be recruited by The Dungeon of Doom. Meng continues to kick the ribs of Luger, Luger is using the ropes to pull himself up.

 

Irish whip by Meng and Meng looks for a dropkick but Luger holds onto the ropes. Meng is elevated over the top rope and onto the ropes, Luger suplexes Meng into the ring. Meng tries an Irish whip but Luger kicks Meng in the head, three clotheslines and Meng is down. Irish whip and back body drop by The Total Package, clotheslines by Luger. Luger lands a powerslam and Luger calls for the rack, Meng pulls something out of his boot. It’s the Golden Spike and Luger is knocked out, Sullivan does not like that and kicks Luger so that Luger wins by DQ. Meng is upset with this but Sullivan continues to explain his devious plan.

 

Well, it was a match and they worked but not sure these two were ever going to set my world on fire, they are two wrestlers who can be fun but this was just a match in the middle of the card. The story is definitely interesting though as Luger was going to be WWF’s next Hogan with his American gimmick and all and I like the idea of Luger going up against Hogan but we will see how the story develops as we know the summer of 1996 will lead to another group forming.

 

Winner: Lex Luger over Meng via DQ!

 

Arn Anderson & Brian Pillman vs Sting & Ric Flair

The Horsemen have reformed but without Ric Flair? Impossible but it has happened and before the match, Ric Flair has been assaulted by Anderson & Pillman. Flair is not really in condition to wrestle on this night so Sting comes to the ring alone, looking for Flair to appear but it looks as if The Stinger will be going alone in this one. Anderson & Pillman cannot help but smile as Sting is all alone, Sting is ready to whip ass though and it looks like Anderson & Pillman are going to be pin-balled around that ring.

 

Anderson & Sting to start, lock-up and side headlock into a hammerlock by Anderson but Sting reverses the hold. Anderson is in the ropes, Anderson goes low and attacks Sting. Anderson has a full-nelson, Pillman wants a shot but Sting reverses the hold and kicks Pillman. Anderson pulls Sting down by the hair, Sting pops-up and leapfrogs before landing a face-buster. Shots to Pillman too, Sting is on fire in this one. The Horsemen decide to talk strategy on the floor, Pillman comes in and eats a military press slam. Sting wants Anderson, Anderson is a little reluctant to get it on with Sting. Pillman & Anderson talk strategy again, Sting trips Anderson and catapults him into Pillman who was on the top rope. Sting tosses Pillman into the guardrail and now, Sting begins to jab Anderson.

 

Anderson goes low with a shot and throws Sting into Pillman’s head, gut-shot from Anderson. Flair is here! Flair is in a shirt and jeans but Flair is ready to go, Sting is tossed to the floor and Pillman sends Sting into the guardrail. Flair is firing up the crowd, the crowd is all over this. Anderson chokes Sting with his boot in the ring, Anderson tags Pillman. Chops by Pillman, Sting is firing back with chops and rights but a drop toehold allows Anderson to be tagged and Anderson kicks the crap out of Sting. Reverse chin-lock by Anderson, Flair is irate and wants in bad but Anderson lands a scoop slam. Tag to Pillman, Pillman looks for the rocket launcher but Sting blocks with his knees.

 

Sting crawls and crawls but Anderson lands a belly to back suplex for two, Anderson tries to force Sting’s hands to the mat but Sting is fighting back. Anderson is crotched by Sting, Sting is on his feet and almost makes the tag. Pillman distracts Flair, Sting cannot make the tag. Abdominal stretch by Anderson, Anderson uses Pillman for leverage. Tag to Pillman, Pillman bites the head of Sting. Tag to Anderson who applies a camel clutch, tag to Pillman who kicks Sting hard in the ribs. Pillman cannot pin Sting who continues to kick out, Anderson is in now and attacks Sting, Flair attacks Pillman briefly and Sting begins to fire back at Anderson. Spinebuster by Anderson for two as Flair makes the save, tag to Pillman.

 

Pillman lands an elbow to the knee and grape-vines the leg. Wishbone-split and Anderson is in there now with an elbow on the legs. Flair and Sting are talking to one another, the audio is clean and a lot of emphasis on it because the crowd is dying for it now. Almost at a fever pitch, Anderson has a bearhug. Sting escapes but Pillman is tagged and lands an elbow, chops by Pillman. Snap-mare into a seated abdominal stretch variation, Sting is in the heels’ corner but fights out and makes Pillman bang heads with Anderson. Flair is fired up now, the crowd can feel that tag is finally coming. Sting begins to stir and makes his way over, Sting tags in Flair and Flair runs in the ring and waffles Sting. What is this about? Why has Flair turned his back on Sting?

 

Sting is fighting back, irate as Flair has double-crossed him! Flair is back together with The Horsemen, where is Randy Savage? Where is Hogan? Where are Sting’s friends? How could this happen? Flair even attacks a referee, Sting has been beaten down, what a shocking display from The Nature Boy.

 

Classic tag team match wrestling right there, Anderson & Pillman shine up Sting here and they build like crazy for that hot-tag, Sting puts on a great babyface-in-peril act here and when that hot-tag comes and Flair double-crosses Sting, it is like poetry in motion. Crowd is shocked, fans are going there is no way this could happen but damn, that was a good angle. Sting has 3 great talents to work with now and I am sure the matches will be great like always, very happy with that as at least, Sting has a stand alone feud now. Is it a bit repetitive and make WCW look desperate? Possibly but I think it is the best thing for all involved because anything without Hogan is going to be gold in my books.

 

No Contest!

 

(Monster Truck Sumo Match) Hulk Hogan vs The Giant

Hogan and Giant are in giant monster trucks and both trucks are pushing one another, the way to win is push the other outside of the enormous circle like a Sumo Match. I am impressed by the customized Monster Trucks but that must have cost a fortune, I wonder what the view is like for those inside the arena. It is a bit difficult to describe in vivid detail considering how repetitive it is but they are pushing one another back and forth, Giant continues to push Hogan’s truck close to the edge multiple times. After a lot of Hogan almost losing, Hogan pushes Giant out of the ring. Giant is not happy and decides to fight Hogan on the roof, Hogan is backing up. Giant misses a clothesline, Giant chokes Hogan. Both are on the roof of the building, Hogan shakes off Giant and murders him by having him fall off the roof into the darkness below.

 

I like that Hogan tried to catch a 500 pound man with one arm and seems distraught at the fact that he has committed murder. Well it was an angle and it’s done, not sure how it helps Giant to come back from the dead.

 

Winner: Hulk Hogan over The Giant via Shove of Death!

 

Macho Man Randy Savage vs Lex Luger

Savage breezed past Zodiac in minutes while Luger struggled against Meng, advantage is in the corner of Savage. Savage and Luger talk trash before Savage boots Luger in the ribs. Luger explodes out of the corner with a clothesline, Luger stomps Savage in the corner. Jimmy Hart is here, dressed in black. Savage is fighting back from his knees, kicks to the ribs from Luger. Luger knees Savage to the floor, axe handle from the apron by Luger. Savage sends Luger into the guardrail and steel steps, Savage sends Luger into the guardrail again and again. Clothesline to the back of the head, Savage went for a diving axe handle but Luger lands a huge shot to the ribs. Jimmy Hart is on the apron, Savage whips Luger to the corner. Luger kicks Savage and has a roll-up using the ropes but Jimmy Hart has the referee distracted, Savage whips Luger into Jimmy Hart and Savage lands his Diving Elbow Drop for the win.

 

Like the match prior, it seems this is more of an angle than a match. It is often forgotten how good Jimmy Hart was as a heel manager in Memphis so I am excited to see what Jimmy Hart can do as a heel because the black suit and shades is such a giveaway you just know it’s coming.

 

Winner: Macho Man Randy Savage over Lex Luger via Diving Elbow Drop!

 

(WCW World Heavyweight Championship Match) Hulk Hogan © vs The Giant W/ The Taskmaster

Hogan is here in an early version of his NWO gear, dressed in all black with his lightning tights. Hogan is also clean-shaven and looks utterly bizarre. Hogan looks upset, not happy to be here possibly at the idea that he murdered someone. Hogan apologizes calling it an accident? Giant is here, not a scratch on him and Hogan is utterly shocked, the greatest challenge Hogan has ever faced. We really built up that cliff-hanger didn’t we?

 

Hogan rips a black shirt to reveal another black shirt, classic. Hogan rips off his bandana to showcase his darkside Hogan warpaint. Hogan lands right hand after right hand but nothing is working to knock this man off his feet, Hogan wants the slam but Giant is too big. Clotheslines and back-rakes, Irish whip and boot by Giant. Massive elbow to the back of the neck, more axe handles and chops. Hogan is choked in the corner, Hogan is staggering around the ring. Foot choke from Giant, Hogan is trying to fight back but Giant continues to take down Hogan. Giant lands a massive scoop slam, Giant takes a run-up and misses a leg-drop. Hogan hulks up! Right hand after right hand, Giant meets the buckle. Make it two, ten punches in the corner from Hogan. Hogan bites the head of Giant, back-rake from The Hulkster. Hogan clotheslines Giant and sends him to the floor, Sullivan and Giant talk strategy.

 

Hogan bangs the heads of Giant and Sullivan, eye-poke by Hogan. Hogan runs into a choke but an eye-rake saves Hogan again. Hogan bites the head but Giant rakes the eyes, back-breaker by Giant. Two for Giant, Hogan reaches out the crowd. Bearhug from Giant, Hogan escapes but gets slammed once more. Axe handles and a bearhug from Giant, Hogan escapes but runs into a choke, Chokeslam from Giant! Crowd is reacting huge to Giant! 1…2…. Hogan kicks out! Here comes the punches, the boot and Hogan calls for the slam. Scoop slam! Hogan lands The Atomic Leg Drop! The referee is down though, Jimmy Hart took out the referee but Hogan has no idea, Jimmy Hart nails Hogan with the championship. Of course, Hogan no-sells this act of treason. Giant has a bearhug and we have Luger and Savage here. Jimmy Hart takes down Savage, Luger turns on Savage. The Yeti is here, Yeti and Giant bearhug the fuck out of Hogan. Luger has Hogan in The Torture Rack! Luger racks Hogan! The referee is just giving the championship to The Giant? Wait, where was the DQ? Jimmy Hart hitting the referee makes Giant the winner? Ok fair enough.

 

For a first match, you can’t go wrong with being carried by Hogan. Giant looks competent in there apart from waiting there to be lifted for the scoop slam but yes, Giant had the perfect dance partner for his first wrestling match and there was nobody like him. Well, except for The Yeti who they bring out which is comical for multiple reasons but I think the one that sticks out to me the most is how they built up Giant as the son of Andre, this man who is referred to as Giant and in his first match, you debut someone who is taller than a man who his whole shtick is “Look at how big he is, he is literally named Giant”. Anyways, I always thought Giant became champion in his first match but he loses by DQ here so I guess that’s a Mandela Effect thing for me. Luger turning heel is a good call because of the top heavy babyface land of WCW where Sting has to play second-fiddle to Hogan & Savage. The Yeti is a ridiculous gimmick and WCW in 1995 is very cheesy.

 

Winner: The Giant over Hulk Hogan via DQ!

 

That was WCW’s Halloween Havoc 1995, a whole lot of nothing at the end of the day. WCW has a lot of big names coming into the company but the match quality and the overall intrigue is quite low for me. We begin with DDP vs Badd, two wrestlers who work well with one another and can garner attention from the crowd whether it be DDP’s mistreatment of The Diamond Doll or Badd’s high-flying manoeuvres, they can kick off a show and be a safe way to get the fans into the card. DDP losing the championship so soon after winning it isn’t a great look for him or his push but Badd has been handled so poorly despite his popularity and appeal that I am in favour of Badd continuing with the championship. Things take a turn as we have Savage running over Zodiac in no-time and Hawk does little to make the world fall in love with Kurasawa, both matches were not worth the PPV price and added nothing to the show or my enjoyment of the show.

 

Sabu vs Mr. JL was a showcase for Sabu who would soon leave the company so not much to say there, Sabu obviously didn’t get to do his most reckless acts that would become his signature but they still worked a much faster pace than anyone on the card with multiple dives and ranas giving us a glimpse of what the cruiserweight division will be like in the coming year. Meng vs Luger is middle of the road, nothing particularly interesting to note apart from Luger’s possible friendship with The Taskmaster. The Horsemen tag match is a masterful manipulation of the audience who fall hook, line and sinker for Flair and Sting working together. Flair is back in The Horsemen and Sting has great opponents to keep him away from this Hogan horseshite which makes me a happy man. We come to Luger vs Savage which is an angle much like Hogan vs Giant in the sumo match before we get to the main event which is a terrific first-outing for Giant and a standard possibly uninspired Hogan performance that was typical in his WCW days. The match is often remembered for the ridiculous end but I am more hurt with Giant not winning the match despite all the turns and betrayal but The Dungeon of Doom finally after months of being decimated have gotten one over on Hogan. I would only recommend the show for The Horsemen vs Sting match. Thanks for reading and remember: there’s always another night!