HALLOWEEN HAVOC (October 24, 1993)
In previous weeks, WCW's championship committee granted Ric Flair a rematch with Rick Rude for the International title. This drew the ire of Barry Windham who says this only validates the complaints he had for months about Flair's return.
Rude said he doesn't care, Flair, Windham it didn't matter. He'd beat whoever faces him.
The decision was made to have Flair and Windham wrestle with the winner fighting Rude later in the night.
Also tonight, Cactus Jack finally get his chance for revenge on Big Van Vader, challenging the big man for his WCW World title in a Texas Death Match, where a wrestler after being pinned, has a 10 count to get back to his feet.
Arn Anderson pinned Paul Roma with the DDT in 10:30.
Rating: ** 3/4
Anderson and Roma faced off to settle their differences after their partnership imploded. Anderson got the win, but after the match, Roma’s new partner, Paul Orndorff, ran in to help Roma beatdown Anderson.
Harlem Heat (Stevie Ray and Booker T) defeated Davey Boy Smith and Johnny B. Badd when Booker pinned Badd after the the Harlem Hangover in 7:53.
Rating: ** 3/4
While Smith and Badd are great individual wrestlers, their chemistry as a team was lacking and they couldn’t stop the well-oiled machine Harlem Heat is becoming.
Ricky Steamboat pinned Lord Steven Regal with the Flying Cross Body Press in 18:08.
Rating: ****
(Ricky Steamboat won the WCW TELEVISION TITLE.)
In a return match from last month, Steamboat this time got the best of Regal to become the new TV champion. But he still apparently didn’t earn Regal’s respect.
After the match, Steamboat, much like after his loss last month, offered his hand to Regal. Instead, Regal spat in Steamboat’s face, then sucker punched him again.
Dustin Rhodes pinned Steve Austin after a roll up in 15:48.
Rating: *** 1/2
(Dustin Rhodes retained the WCW UNITED STATES TITLE.)
[Paul E. Dangerously interfered against Dustin Rhodes.]
Old rivals met again with Rhodes this time holding the US title. Austin had his tag team partner Brian Pillman by his side, but Pillman made a critical mistake, grabbing Austin’s foot when he tried to grab Rhodes’ foot after a reversed whip into the ropes.
Austin yelled at Pillman for screwing up, allowing Rhodes to roll up Austin to get the win.
After the match, Austin brutally attacked Pillman for his mistake costing him the title.
The Nasty Boys (Brian Knobbs and Jerry Sags) defeated 2 Cold Scorpio and Marcus Alexander Bagwell when Sags defeated Scorpio via pinfall in 10:52.
Rating: ** 1/4
(The Nasty Boys retained the WCW WORLD TAG TEAM TITLES.)
The new pairing of Bagwell and Scorpio was certainly a fan-favorite and presented an interesting contrast of styles match against the powerful Nasty Boys.
At the conclusion of a mele that saw all four men in the ring, it looked as if Scorpio would win the titles for his team after hiting a somersault splash on Sags. But as the ref was busy trying to get Bagwell out of the ring to restore order, Brian Knobbs grabbed a TV camera, and came in and clocked Scorpio with it.
Sags rolled over on Scorpio and got the 3 count.
Sid Vicious defeated Sting by disqualification in 11:51.
Rating: ** 3/4
Sting has had enough of being on the wrong end of cheap shots and sneak attacks.
Harley Race attempted to give Sid a boost in the middle of his match by sneaking him a chair to use, while Race distracted the ref.
Only problem was, Sting got hold of the chair instead of Sid and started repeatedly using it on the big man. The ref saw Sting using the chair and called for the DQ, but Sting pretty much adopted an “Oh Well” mindset and continued to chase Sid to the back with the chair.
Ric Flair pinned Barry Windham after a small package in 21:16.
Rating: ****
Former stablemates Flair and Windham faced off with the winner set to challenge Rick Rude for the WCW International title (formerly known as the NWA World Title) later in the night.
Windham, a former 2-time world champion in his own right, showed he’s come a long way from when he used to be a Four Horsemen member, serving and protecting the legendary Flair.
But despite that and a size and strength advantage, Windham couldn’t put Flair away. Windham grew increasingly frustrated at being unable to secure the pin.
In a moment of weakness, Flair saw an opening and took it, catching Windham in a small package to get the pin.
Windham was shocked after the bell rang. As Flair offered his hand to Windham, the Texan hit Flair with a vicious clothesline, then set him up and delivered a vicious superplex before leaving the ring to a chorus of boos.
Flair wasn’t quite back on his feet yet when Rude, with Woman by his side, came down demanding their match start now.
Rick Rude pinned Ric Flair with the Rude Awakening in 13:11.
Rating: ***
(Rick Rude retained the NWA WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE.)
Rude thought he had Flair right where he wanted and went for a quick pin, but the Nature Boy kept showing the perseverance he’s been known for, refusing to stay down.
But unlike Windham, Rude kept his cool and eventually took advantage of a worn down Flair, hitting the Rude Awakening and retaining his title.
Death Match
No DQs, No Countouts, Falls Count Anywhere
Cactus Jack pinned Big Van Vader in 12:15.
Big Van Vader pinned Cactus Jack after a Vaderbomb in 16:34.
Cactus Jack pinned Big Van Vader after an elbow drop in 21:02.
Big Van Vader pinned Cactus Jack after a powerbomb in 24:56/
Cactus Jack did not answer the 10 count.
Rating: ****
(Big Van Vader retained the WCW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE.)
[Harley Race interfered against Cactus Jack.]
This was as brutal and as violent as one would expect. It’s said that no one takes a beating quite like Cactus Jack, and although he took quite a beating, he showed he can dish one out just as much.
It was Jack who actually scored the first pin of the match, diving off the rope with a chair striking Vader. But to win the title, Vader had to stay down until the count of 10, and unfortunately for Jack, and the thousands of fans cheering him on, Vader made it back up by 7.
Vader’s size and strength began to take over the match and he got a pin of his own with a Vader bomb, but Jack wouldn’t stay down, just beating the 10 count.
Vader continued to pummel Jack but the wild man from Truth or Consequences, New Mexico stormed back. The fight spilled to the floor and Jack used everything he could find around the ring to hit the champ with. This paved way for Jack to hit a diving elbow off the ring apron to get yet another pin on the champ. It looked for a moment it might be enough to get him the title, but with Harley Race encouraging his meal ticket, Vader narrowly got back to his feet.
Jack went back after Vader trying to put him away, but Vader countered a big move by Jack. Eventually, Vader took back control and set up Jack for a powerbomb on the rampway. But Harley Race shouted “No!” to Vader. The champ looked confused, but then Race pointed to the floor below the ramp. Vader moved closer to the edge, then powerbombed Cactus Jack to the floor below.
Vader went down, got the pin, and this was one Cactus Jack couldn’t get back up from.
