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Views from the Hawke’s Nest: Starrcade – The Essential Collection – Disc 2

March 7, 2015 | Posted by TJ Hawke
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Views from the Hawke’s Nest: Starrcade – The Essential Collection – Disc 2  

 

Match #19
Chicago, Illinois
November 26, 1987

Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard (w/JJ Dillon)© vs. The Road Warriors (Road Warrior Animal & Road Warrior Hawk) (w/Paul Ellering) [NWA World Tag Team Championships]
This could be awesome.

The Road Warriors obviously completely dominated for a while. Arn eventually chopped down Hawk’s left knee, and the champs picked the knee apart for a while. Animal escaped after a few minutes. Animal ran wild for a hot second until Tully tripped him from the floor. The match broke down, and there was a ref bump. DOOMSDAY DEVICE TO ARN: 1…2…3!

Dusty Finish time: the injured ref recovered and ruled that since Arn went over the top rope, the champs retained via disqualification.

AWFUL finish. The highlight of the match was the Road Warriors throwing the champs around for a few minutes as you would expect. The heat segment was logical, but there was no payoff to the legwork. Then the finish happened. A disappointing match for sure.
Match Rating: **

 

Match #18

Nashville, Tennessee
December 29, 1996

Rey Mysterio, Jr. vs. Jushin Liger
Mike Tenay said this was the first meeting between these two. Liger was in control to start the match. Mysterio eventually sent Liger to the floor with a hurricanrana and then did a feint 619. Mysterio went to suplex Liger back into the ring, but Liger just reversed it and suplexed Mysterio to the floor. Liger then powerbombed Mysterio onto the floor. Ouch. Back in the ring, Liger locked in the Mexican Surfboard. Mysterio came back with a German suplex and a standing moonsault. Mysterio hit a springboard missile dropkick. Mysterio went for another one, but Liger blocked it with a standing dropkick. Liger hit a koppou kick, but Mysterio came back with a spinning heel kick and a headscissors takedown. Mysterio sent Liger to the floor and hit an Asai Moonsault. Back in the ring, Liger got hung up in the ropes. Mysterio then hit a springboard legdrop: 1…2…NO! Mysterio went for a springboard backsplash, but Liger avoided it. Liger then hit a diving headbutt: 1…2…NO! Mysterio went for a springboard hurricanrana, but Liger blocked it. Liger then hit another koppou kick and a Liger Bomb: 1…2…3

I knew this match was considered a disappointment going in, but I was still surprised by how unremarkable the match was. Liger and Mysterio have to be considered two of (if not) the most important junior heavyweights in the history of wrestling, but this match really didn’t show it. It’s such a cool matchup that it’s worth watching, but you should keep your expectations relatively low. The match never got into a rhythm, and it felt like just a collection of moments. It’s not bad, but it’s not memorable at all.
Match Rating: ***

Watch this match here.

 

Match #17
Chicago, Illinois
November 26, 1987

The Midnight Express (Bobby Eaton & Stan Lane) (w/Big Bubba Rogers & Jim Cornette) vs. The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson) [Scaffold Tag Team Match]
In order to win, you have to send both of your opponents to the mat before the other team does it to you.

Big Bubba attacked Morton in the ring, while everyone else climbed up on the scaffold. Gibson got worked over by Eaton and Lane. Ricky hit Bubba with the tennis racket and then made the save on the scaffold. Eaton and Gibson were busted open. Eaton and Lane used salt to throw in Gibson’s eyes. The teams battled more on the scaffold for a while. Lane took a fairly safe bump to the mat while hanging on the rungs. So, he was the first person eliminated. Eaton tried to hang on, but he was eventually kicked to the mat.

Cornette ordered Big Bubba to climb the scaffold after the match. Bubba got hit in the crotch though, and the Rock ‘n’ Roll Express climbed down. They then stole Bubba’s hat and coat. Jerks.

They dragged out the first elimination too long, but this far exceeded my expectations. It should be noted though that I thought it would be awful. Instead, it was a mildly entertaining affair!
Match Rating: **3/4

 

Ric Flair did a kayfabe interview putting over his Starrcade 1988 match with Luger. Flair phoned this promo in. I think WWE fears the world will end if they ever present Lex Luger’s contributions to Crockett/WCW in a positive manner.

Match #16
Norfolk, Virginia
December 26, 1988

Ric Flair(c) (w/ JJ Dillon) vs. Lex Luger [NWA World Heavyweight Championship]

Flair will lose the title if he’s disqualified.

They took their time. Luger got firm control after he started going after Flair’s left arm. Flair avoided an elbow drop and then went to work on Luger. Luger was eating some chops, and then decided to no-sell everything. Luger then applied a sleeper. Flair reversed it into a back suplex. Luger got a big nearfall with a superplex. Liger applied the figure four for some reason. Flair got to the ropes. Flair threw Luger over the ropes behind the ref’s back. If the ref saw that, Luger would have won the title. Luger maintained all the momentum. A JJ Dillon distraction allowed Flair to hit Luger’s left leg with a steel chair. Flair then went after that leg. Luger escaped a figure four. Luger made a comeback but his leg was giving him issues sporadically. Luger went for the Torture Rack. His leg buckled though, and Flair pinned him with his feet on the ropes: 1…2…3!

Flair and Luger were so awesome in the ring together, and I love re-watching their matches from this time period. Luger obviously had his best matches with the really great workers of his time, but I do not think he gets his due for being as good as he was in the ring. I’m not saying he was a great in-ring worker, but he did what did very well.

Match Rating: ****

 

Match #15

Nashville, Tennessee

December 27, 1995
Eddy Guerrero vs. Shinjiro Otani (w/ Sonny Ono)

Eddy got the first advantage after some brief back and forth action. Otani came back and hit a springboard plancha. Otani was then in control. He hit a springboard spinning heel kick. The crowd does not care about this one at all. They woke up a little bit after Eddy hit a Frankensteiner. Otani survived Splash Mountain and then applied an ankle lock. Eddy came back and hit a scoop slam on the floor. He followed it up with an Asai Crossbody. Back in the ring, Otani defeated Eddy after keeping him down for a three count first during a pinning combination sequence.

There were some solid sequences and movez, but this was a very underwhelming overall. There was nothing keeping the match together, and the crowd never seemed to get invested.

Match Rating: **1/4

 

Match #14
Norfolk, Virginia
December 26, 1988

The Road Warriors (Hawk & Animal) (w/ Paul Ellering) (c) vs. Dusty Rhodes & Sting [NWA World Tag Team Championships]

Sting and Dusty had a fair amount of success early on. Sting even took out Animal with a plancha. Dusty finally got cut off and then worked over. Sting eventually made a hot tag. It was not the best hot tag. There was a very labored setup and poor camerawork for a DQ finish (Ellering attacked the challengers in front of the referee).

This seemed to have the potential to be a really hot match. The finish was very bad and poorly executed on top of that.

Match Rating: **1/2

 

Match #13
Atlanta, Georgia
December 28, 1992

Sting vs. Big Van Vader (w/ Harley Race) [King of the Cable Tournament Final]

Sting was having no success until he hit a koppou kick to take Vader down. Sting was building momentum and even took out Vader and Race with a pescado. Sting was flat-out running through Vader. Sting went for a Stinger Splash on the floor, but he crashed into a barricade. Vader then worked over Sting after that. Sting had a couple of failed comebacks during this period. Sting finally was able to make a successful comeback after no-selling some punches and then hitting some big punches to the face. Vader was able to come back after a Race distraction. Vader hit one big splash. Sting reversed a second attempt into a powerslam: 1…2…3!

I really cannot get enough of these two working together. Vader was such a dominant force that Sting was one of the few wrestlers that looked believable in the ring against him. I loved this match, and it reminded me that I really need to go back and watch of their big matches in order.

Match Rating: ****

 

Match #12
Greensboro, North Carolina
November 24, 1983

The Brisco Brothers (Jack & Gerald Brisco) vs. Ricky Steamboat & Jay Youngblood [NWA World Tag Team Championship]

Steamboat and Youngblood had a lot of success early on. Steamboat promptly got cut off by Gerald just as I typed that out. Steamboat basically gave Gerald a Rampage Powerbomb in order to escape the beatdown. Youngblood made a hot tag. Youngblood got cut off though, and Jack worked him over. Steamboat made the proper hot tag. Steamboat and Youngblood used a double team combination to pin Gerald and win the match.

The Briscos initiated a big brawl after the match. The new champs won that, too.

In my ignorance, I did not recognize Angelo Mosca as the referee for the match.

This was well-executed formula. The Briscos were nefarious heels, and Steamboat/Youngblood were dynamic babyfaces. I can watch NWA tag matches for a long time despite their tendency to end before they have a chance to truly peak.

Match Rating: ***1/2

 

Match #11
Atlanta, Georgia
November 28, 1985

Ric Flair© vs. Dusty Rhodes [NWA Heavyweight Championship]
Flair and the Andersons had broken Dusty’s ankle at one point in this feud.

The crowd loves Rhodes, and they HATE Flair. Well, Flair had some fans, but most of the crowd hated him. Flair got control of the match for a brief period of time. Dusty made a comeback and the fans went wild. Dusty went after Flair’s right leg. Dusty called for the figure four, but Flair kicked him off. Dusty injured his ankle. Flair called for the figure four twice, but Dusty avoided it both times. Rhodes got a nearfall on a diving crossbody. The referee was out of position and was late to count the pinfall. Dusty hit a number of elbows. Flair flop. Flair avoided a kick from Dusty, and Dusty reinjured his left leg when he accidentally kicked the ringpost. Flair went after the injured leg. Flair got the figure four! Dusty turned over, and they managed to get to the ropes. Dusty made a big comeback. Ref bump to the floor. Dusty got the figure four!!! Arn Anderson ran in. Dusty knocked him down. Ole Anderson attacked Dusty from behind. Flair covered him. New referee: 1…2…NO! Ole checks on Arn. Dusty gets a small package on Flair: 1…2…3!!!!

Everyone comes out to celebrate with Dusty. I love parties.

My original analysis from the Ultimate Ric Flair Collection: I really enjoyed this match. Dusty was not the most technically savvy wrestler ever, but he knew how to fucking work. He was over, and the dynamic between these two worked so well with this crowd. The only thing about this that I didn’t like was that this was the original “Dusty Finish.” Because the match had interference, Dusty’s win was taken away from him a week later. The NWA title history counts this as Flair winning by disqualification. Very weak.

New Analysis: This was fairly boring.

Match Rating: **1/2

 

Match #10

Washington, DC
December 28, 1997

Eddy Guerrero(c) vs. Dean Malenko [WCW Cruiserweight Championship]

This started out surprisingly physical. Malenko was able to catch Eddy is a series of movez early and then properly cut him off with a gourdbuster hot shot. Malenko then worked him over. Eddy fought back by going after Dean’s left leg. Dean put a stop to Eddy’s momentum with a wheelbarrow German. Eddy went for something goofy, but Dean caught him with a backbreaker. Eddy came back with a missile dropkick on the injured knee and then hits a frogsplash on the injured knee: 1…2…3!

Whoa, I liked this one a lot more than the first time I saw it! I’d actually put this match over *some* of their other matches just for the consistency in tone throughout. It was a physical match all the way through, and they managed to organically work in some floor brawling and high spots. Eddy’s work on Dean’s left leg eventually being his key to victory also obviously played into my tastes.

Match Rating: ***1/4

Watch this match here.

 

Watch some WCW for free!

Hulk Hogan & Ric Flair vs. Lex Luger & Sting

Eddy Guerrero vs. Rey Mysterio

Goldberg vs. Bam Bam Bigelow

Goldberg & Ric Flair vs. Hollywood Hogan & Kevin Nash

Bret Hart vs. Lex Luger

Blitzkrieg vs. Juventud Guerrera 

Blitzkrieg & Kaz Hayashi vs. Silver King & Psicosis

Chris Jericho vs. Alex Wright

Eddy Guerrero vs. Chris Jericho

Eddy Guerrero vs. Dean Malenko

Eddy Guerrero vs. Chavo Guerrero

Eddy Guerrero vs. Rey Mysterio

Rey Mysterio vs. Jushin Liger

Scott Steiner vs. Mike Awesome

Booker T vs. Curt Hennig

Diamond Dallas Page vs. Curt Hennig

6.0
The final score: review Average
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