wrestling / Video Reviews
Hall’s WCW Spring Stampede 1998 Review
Image Credit: WWE
Loading...Spring Stampede 1998
Date: April 19, 1998
Location: Denver Coliseum, Denver, Colorado
Attendance: 7,428
Commentators: Bobby Heenan, Tony Schiavone, Mike Tenay
It’s a strange time for WCW as the WWF has closed the gap in the Monday Night Wars, having won a battle on Monday night for the first time in nearly two years. That means WCW might be looking for something new to fight back. It was clear that something needed to change or at least get upgraded so maybe they’ll do it here. Let’s get to it.
The opening video looks at the issues between the NWO, which saw some people not being happy with Hollywood Hogan’s leadership. This includes Randy Savage, who is challenging Sting for the World Title.
We get a special announcement: Randy Savage will NOT be wearing a cast on his arm in the main event, which will now be No DQ. This warranted its own announcement.
The set is AWESOME, with an old west theme including horse carts, hay and a big barn (or something close to it). Dang they didn’t do much right but this was way up the list.
Saturn vs. Goldberg
Saturn, with Kidman (and hair), is in the Flock and Goldberg is rapidly launching up the charts, even set for a US Title shot tomorrow night. Goldberg suplexes him a few times to start and throws Kidman onto Saturn for a bonus as the fans are very pleased with what they’re seeing. Back in and Saturn sweeps the leg into a springboard spinning legdrop for one before striking away in the corner.
Goldberg counters a suplex into the swinging neckbreaker though and it’s a gorilla press powerslam to drop Saturn again. Another legsweep cuts Goldberg off again and Saturn hits a slingshot splash. A running knee to the back sends Goldberg crashing to the floor as Tenay points out that this is already one of Goldberg’s longer matches so it’s messing with him a bit. And that’s why Tenay was good at his job. Saturn tries an Asai moonsault but slips down and crashes instead, thankfully with Goldberg there to catch him.
Back in and Saturn grabs a Fujiwara armbar as he’s keeping things mixed up. Saturn (kind of) hits a dropkick so Goldberg drops him with a superkick. Tenay: “How do you defense a move like that?” Heenan: “Leave.” The spear connects but Kidman offers a distraction, allowing Saturn to get in a low blow. That’s shrugged off so here comes the Flock, who are taken out as well. Saturn manages to use the distraction to get in the Rings Of Saturn….and Goldberg muscles him up into the Jackhammer for the pin at 8:19.
Rating: B-. This wasn’t about someone breaking the Streak, but rather Goldberg having to pass a tougher than usual test. Saturn can do that rather well, but there was pretty much no way Goldberg was going to lose the day before he was fighting for the US Title. This was good storytelling throughout and the ending looked really nice as a result.
Chavo Guerrero Jr. vs. Ultimo Dragon
Chavo is under Eddie Guerrero’s (in his corner) control against his will due to losing a match to Eddie. Naturally the fans are all over Eddie, because the story is more about him than anything else. Chavo takes him to the mat to start and works on the leg before Dragon is back up for a legsweep. The handstand in the corner lets Dragon do his rapid fire kicks as the embarrassed Eddie is hiding underneath a towel.
We’re already off to the chinlock and double arm crank, followed by a stump puller as Dragon keeps up the submission sequence. That’s reversed into a Muta Lock of all things, which doesn’t last long before Chavo snaps off an anklescissors. Chavo grabs a chinlock of his own, which is reversed into a camel clutch sleeper. La majistral is blocked and Chavo hits a hard clothesline for two.
Dragon is able to crotch him on top and Chavo is sent outside, setting up the Asai moonsault. Chavo is right back up and hits a big flip dive to leave them both down. Back in and the clothesline each other before Chavo dropkicks him out of the air, which looked rather low. Eddie is VERY pleased but Chavo wants to do the whole noble thing, sending Eddie into a crazed rant on the floor. That’s enough for Eddie to slap him in the face, causing Chavo to grab a brainbuster. The tornado DDT is loaded up but Dragon reverses into a dragon sleeper for the submission at 11:51.
Rating: B-. This was a rather nice technical match (shocking I know) but it went on too long for how little Eddie was involved. He was the focal point of the story and he just wasn’t a factor for a long stretch of the match. That being said, I can absolutely go for watching these guys, as Dragon is great and Chavo is very underrated for what he can do in the ring. Good match, but it needed more Eddie.
Post match Eddie yells at Chavo, who says he won’t cheat to win.
Diamond Dallas Page is on the internet and is ready to beat Raven, just like he beat Randy Savage last year.
TV Title: Chris Benoit vs. Booker T.
Booker is defending. They take their time to start until Benoit gets knocked outside. Booker is smart enough to stay inside, which even Heenan thinks is a good idea. Back in and Booker misses a kick to the face and Benoit sweeps the leg to start in on the leg. Said leg is fine enough to come back with a spinning kick to the chest and Benoit heads outside again.
Back in again and Booker pulls him into an armbar, which just brings Benoit up to unload in the corner. Believe it or not, the intensity actually wakes the fans up for a bit, only for Benoit to charge into a backbreaker for two. We’re right back to the armbar as things die right back down. Benoit shoves him outside and brings it back in for the chinlock with a knee in the back.
That’s broken up and Benoit misses a dropkick but drop toeholds him down. This lets commentary talk about the main event even more, as this match apparently means absolutely nothing. The Swan Dive hits Booker for two and the hard elbow to the face gets the same. Benoit’s rolling German suplexes knock Booker silly and a top rope belly to back superplex makes it even worse. They’re both down for a good while until Benoit gets a VERY delayed two.
Booker is back up with a spinebuster and the flying forearm, followed by a flapjack to put Benoit down again. The referee gets kicked down by mistake though and Benoit gets the crossface for….well it might have been a tap but he might have been reaching for the rope. Benoit gets up to help the referee, allowing Booker to get up and hit a kick to the face to retain (as counted by another referee) at 14:15.
Rating: B-. Much like the previous match, it was a technically sound match and it worked while it lasted, but at the same time, it was pretty boring. There were long stretches where they were just on the mat in holds and while it might make sense, it needed a bit more spice. You can absolutely do mat work and holds, but they need to do something else to keep the interest going. Maybe commentary will even pay attention to the match next time.
Post match the referee has to be taken out…and the replay shows that Benoit pulls the injured referee into the way of the kick. Well that’s interesting.
British Bulldog vs. Curt Hennig
Jim Neidhart and Rick Rude are here too and have to be handcuffed together. It takes forever to get them locked up, which is pretty normal, but it does make you wonder why this much time is being spent on Jim Neidhart and Rick Rude in 1998. The bell rings and Bulldog hammers away before starting on Hennig’s braced knee. They go outside, where Neidhart holds Rude back, and then head inside again for more pounding on the knee. Speaking of injuries, let’s talk about the main events again!
Bulldog kicks away with those weird jumping stomps (Lance Storm did those too) and we hit a rather weak hold on the leg. Heenan suggests a figure four but Bulldog opts to ram him into the buckle instead. With Hennig in trouble, Neidhart gets in an argument with one of the cops, allowing Rude to get the handcuff key and cuff Neidhart to the buckle. Hennig sends Bulldog into a buckle and gets the pin at 5:02.
Rating: D. I’m not completely sure why these people are fighting, but I’m sure that it wasn’t a good match in the slightest. Bulldog worked on the knee for a bit and then they did everything with the handcuffs. This belonged on Thunder or something like that and I have no idea why it was on pay per view.
Post match it’s revealed that the cop is Vincent, which explains how Rude got the key. Neidhart and the Bulldog are beaten down with nightsticks.
Cruiserweight Title: Prince Iaukea vs. Chris Jericho
Jericho is defending as WCW is still trying to make Iaukea a thing. He also dedicates the match to Dean Malenko and wants the fans to want….him. Iaukea grabs a headlock takeover to start as commentary goes on about the NWO. Again. Jericho fights up and gets dropkicked right back down, meaning it’s back to the headlock on the mat. That’s broken up and Jericho sends him throat first into the rope and MY GOODNESS there are a lot of empty seats.
Jericho grabs a chinlock of his own until Iaukea fights up and dropkicks him out of the air as well. Iaukea’s springboard flip dive takes Jericho down but he’s right back with the Liontamer. It’s right next to the rope though and Iaukea grabs a rope, followed by a rollup for two. They both go up and crash back down to the floor, with Jericho holding his knee. Back in and the Liontamer is countered into a rollup for two, followed by a northern lights suplex for the same. Iaukea goes up for a super sunset flip but Jericho rolls into the Liontamer to retain at 9:55.
Rating: C-. The match was acceptable enough, but sweet goodness Iaukea was not interesting. He was fine in the ring, but his complete lack of charisma killed any interest he might have. That didn’t stop WCW from trying with him for years and while it almost kind of worked a few years later, this was a rough sit as Iaukea just didn’t have it.
Also, commentary deserves some attention here and not in a good way. This is the second title match where commentary ignores everything going on to talk about the NWO. It was clear that was the only story that mattered and it played a big role in why WCW collapsed. If you make it clear that one and only one thing matters, that story is going to make or break your promotion. The NWO fell apart and as a result, the fans had nothing to care about.
Post match Jericho steals the blue wrap that Iaukea wore to the ring.
Raven, with the stolen US Title, promises to make Diamond Dallas Page feel the Even Flow.
Rick Steiner/Lex Luger vs. Scott Steiner/Buff Bagwell
Hang on though as Bagwell’s wrist is in a cast (and not very well, continuing his history of questionable injuries). Bagwell says he can’t wrestle and the match is canceled but here is WCW boss JJ Dillon, who brings out a doctor. The annoyed Bagwell grabs Dillon and the wrist is fine so the match is on, ending this waste of time before the scheduled match takes place. Luger jumps Scott on the floor while Rick beats on Bagwell, as we wait for the pairings the match is built around. Rick’s powerslam plants Bagwell but Scott jumps Rick from behind.
We settle down to Scott choking Rick on the ropes before handing it back to Bagwell, who keeps up the fake injury because that’s still a thing. Bagwell’s headbutt between the legs sets up a chinlock (as we’re about three minutes in), followed by the same thing from Scott. Rick fights up and gets in a backdrop to Bagwell, allowing the needed tag off to Luger. Everything breaks down and Rick Steinerlines Bagwell before chasing Scott to the back. The Blockbuster is loaded up but Rick shoves Bagwell down, setting up Luger’s torture rack for the win at 5:59.
Rating: D+. Well that accomplished pretty much nothing, as the big draw was Rick vs. Scott and outside of a few chinlocks, it didn’t happen. The injury stuff before the match felt like it was there to stretch things out, which is quite the move when you have about six minutes bell to bell. Just a dull match as they drag things out for another pay per view.
CALL THE HOTLINE!
La Parka vs. Psicosis
Bonus match. Schiavone immediately starts talking about the main event, explaining the stipulation to people just tuning in…an hour and a half into a not even three hour pay per view. Parka fires off some hard chops to start and does his dance as Psicosis goes down. Back up and Psicosis gets in some chops of his own, followed by a headscissors out of the corner.
A top rope hurricanrana sends Parka outside and there’s the big running flip dive to take him out again. Parka manages a few kicks on the way back in, followed by a hard clothesline for two. A catapult sends Psicosis outside again for a split legged moonsault (Heenan: “Another thing I would never think of trying.”) and two back inside.
Commentary switches to talking about the main events as Psicosis crotches him on top for a super hurricanrana and another near fall. Psicosis’ big dive to the floor takes Parka down again but he avoids a top rope splash. For some reason Parka pulls him up at two and gets hurricanranaed for two more. Psicosis ties him in the ropes for the guillotine legdrop and the pin at 6:15.
Rating: C. Nothing much to see here, which isn’t the biggest surprise as the two of them were thrown out there to fill in time. There was no story or anything more than two guys being sent out there to do moves. It was fine, but with some of the matches already being short, which didn’t make things much better.
For about the tenth time, commentary confirms that yes, the main event will be No DQ. How many times could we possibly need to hear this? This turns into some weird explanation involving Randy Savage being a wounded dog. Then they talk about the upcoming bat match. I’m wondering if someone was injured and a match got cut short, as this is a ridiculous level of filler.
Hulk Hogan/Kevin Nash vs. The Giant/Roddy Piper
Baseball bat on a pole. There’s definitely a backstory here, but commentary doesn’t bother to explain it because everyone is apparently watching the show. This is of course different from the main event stipulation, which we’ve had to hear about all night. Piper goes for the bat at the bell but Hogan cuts him off with a ram into the pole. Hogan ties Piper in the tree of woe and kicks away before handing Nash in…for an argument.
Nash holds Piper up for a right hand from Hogan but a back rake wakes him up. The right hands have Nash and Hogan staggered, with Giant headbutting Hogan down from the apron. More headbutts leave Hogan down but Piper hurts himself to put him down as well. Hogan is up first and whips away with the belt before going up for the bat. Giant isn’t having that and whips Hogan with the belt, followed by a spanking for a bonus.
Piper cleans house with the belt and Giant….stands there, rather than going for the bat when he has the chance. Even Heenan is wondering what Giant is waiting on. We settle back down to Hogan hitting Piper low and it’s back to Nash, who wants the Giant. That’s just what he gets, including some knees to the ribs in the corner. Hogan chokes Giant from the apron before Giant and Nash both hit big boots at the same time.
Piper comes back in and gets taken into the wrong corner but Piper hammers Hogan in the bat corner. A low blow cuts Nash off and everything breaks down, with Piper sleepering Hogan down. As assist from Giant lets Piper get the bat but Nash is there to take it away. Hogan gets the bat…and throws it away, because here is the Disciple with his own bat. Giant is batted down but Hogan hits Nash by mistake, allowing Piper to bat both of them. And here is Disciple again to give Hogan another bat, which knocks Piper out for the win at 13:24.
Rating: D. The bat on the pole barely mattered and the ending was more about “haha Hogan wins again”. The idea of the NWO having internal problems is far from interesting but it’s feeling like the biggest story in the company at the moment. The action was the usual slow motion stuff between these guys, which really isn’t going to be enough when you have the WWF’s roster out there doing their thing with so much fire. Awful match.
Post match Nash is mad at Hogan, but they make up as Nash goes to powerbomb Giant. Then Hogan hits Nash with the bat and Giant breaks it over his leg, sending the villains running off.
US Title: Raven vs. Diamond Dallas Page
Page is defending and anything goes. Sick Boy (Flock member) grabs Page to start but Raven hits him with the belt by mistake. Page fights back and knocks him to the floor for a slingshot dive, taking out Sick Boy in the process. Back up and some running knees to the (eternally bad) ribs knock Page off the apron but it’s way too early for the Even Flow. The Diamond Cutter is broken up as well so they go up to the stage.
Raven is sent into a bale of hay and Page dives off a stagecoach to knock him down again. A trashcan to the back puts Raven down again and he gets suplexed through the website area. Raven is back up to send Page through it as well and it’s time to go into the crowd. A splash crushes Page on (not through) a table and Raven grabs a bullrope. They come back to the ring with Raven whipping out a kitchen sink and then using the bullrope to choke. Page fights out and drop toeholds him onto the sink for a double down.
Kidman tries to come in with a splash, which hits Raven by mistake for the big crash. Sick Boy’s crutch shot to Page gets two and here is Van Hammer, whose top rope clothesline accidentally wipes Raven out. Cue the rest of the Flock but Page gets a stop sign and manages to clean house, including an awesome swinging Diamond Cutter to Kidman. Cue a guy we don’t recognize in a crew shirt to hit Page with the stop sign. The Even Flow onto the sink gives Raven the pin and the title at 11:53.
Rating: B. Wild match here, which is exactly the point of something like this. Page is someone who can get the crowd behind him like few others and the comeback against the Flock worked so well. It’s nice to see Raven getting a title, though he has Goldberg waiting on him tomorrow, which can’t go well.
Replays shows that the man in the crew shirt was (the unnamed) Horace. That’s twice in one night that someone has been in a disguise at ringside.
Commentary hypes up the main event. Again.
WCW World Title: Sting vs. Randy Savage
Sting is defending, Elizabeth is here with Savage, and in case you’ve gotten up to get 57 tunas on white, it’s No DQ. Savage jumps him from behind to start fast and sends him into the barricade. They get back inside for the opening bell but comes up favoring his now-unbandaged arm. Sting fights back without too much trouble and sends him over the top as this is already feeling like a main event brawl.
They head into the crowd, where Sting sends him into a bale of hay. Sting sends him through a wheel and onto a wooden fence, followed by some hay to the face. Schiavone then has to sell the hay being abrasive as they head back to ringside, because that’s the best thing he could think of for a bale of hay to the head. Sting misses the splash against the barricade to give Savage two but a piledriver is broken up.
That’s enough wrestling so they go outside again for more brawling. Savage gets dropped on the floor and sent into the barricade for the big crash. Back in and Savage knocks him off the top for two but Sting cuts off the top rope ax handle. The referee gets bumped in the corner and Savage hits a piledriver.
Sting pops up so Elizabeth chairs him in the back, only for the Stinger Splash to hit Elizabeth by mistake (Savage may have pulled her in the way). Cue Hollywood Hogan to break up the top rope elbow so Savage tries to pick Sting up, only for his knee to give out. The Scorpion Death Drop plants Savage but here is Kevin Nash to powerbomb Sting, giving Savage the pin and the title at 10:06.
Rating: D+. I’m really not sure how smart it was to put the hardcore style matches back to back like this, as Raven vs. Page was a good bit better than this. This was more about the NWO drama, which wasn’t interesting in their first match tonight and then got even messier here. At the same time, things aren’t going well for Savage, as his knee giving out was a torn ACL. Since it’s Savage, he would be in the ring again the next night.
Hogan and the Disciple come out to complain, with Hogan saying Nash can’t do that because that’s his belt. It would indeed be his belt again the next night, after a bunch of shenanigans.
Results
Goldberg b. Saturn – Jackhammer
Ultimo Dragon b. Chavo Guerrero – Dragon sleeper
Booker T. b. Chris Benoit – Side kick
Curt Hennig b. British Bulldog – Ram into the turnbuckle
Chris Jericho b. Prince Iaukea – Liontamer
Rick Steiner/Lex Luger b. Buff Bagwell/Scott Steiner – Torture rack to Bagwell
Psicosis b. La Parka – Guillotine legdrop
Hollywood Hogan/Kevin Nash b. Roddy Piper/The Giant – Bat shot to Piper
Raven b. Diamond Dallas Page – Even Flow onto a sink
Randy Savage b. Sting – Jackknife
