Hall’s WCW SuperBrawl IV Review

SuperBrawl IV
Date: February 20, 1994
Location: Albany Civic Center, Albany, Georgia
Attendance: 7,600
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Bobby Heenan

So this is an interesting show as it’s the fallout from Starrcade 1993, but also a show that was for some reason never released on home video. Odds are the reason why is likely “because WCW” but I don’t remember it being that bad. The main event is a Thundercage match between Ric Flair and Vader, which is one of two matches in said structure on the card. Let’s get to it.

The opening video previews the card, which looks ok enough. We also get a training montage from Ric Flair, involving him running a bunch of stairs.

Commentary previews the biggest matches.

Johnny B. Badd vs. Michael Hayes

This is fallout from Hayes turning on Badd during a tag match. Hold on though as here is Hayes in a wheelchair (with Jimmy Garvin, in a suit, pushing him), with a story of an accident. Garvin and Hayes’ stories don’t quite line up though and he doesn’t have a doctor’s release, with Commissioner Nick Bockwinkel giving them a great “I’m sure” smile.

We have a note from a doctor but Garvin makes the mistake of saying he could beat Badd with one hand tied behind his back. Bockwinkel says that Garvin can wrestle in Hayes’ place, with Garvin saying that he’s retired but that doesn’t seem to matter. Bockwinkel says do it or they’re both fined and suspended (I’m not sure what difference a suspension/firing makes for someone retired but oh well). So we’ll be doing this later.

Heenan is not pleased and Schiavone finds it amusing.

Harlem Heat vs. Thunder & Lightning

Kole (Booker T.) works on Lightning’s (the future NWO Sting) arm to start until Lightning reverses into one of his own, followed by a hammerlock. Back up and Lightning takes him down by the arm before Thunder (who never did anything) comes in to work on the arm as well. Kole fights up and brings in Kane, who gets dropped with a flying shoulder, allowing Thunder to go after the arm again.

It’s already back to Kole, who gets elbowed into another armbar. A cheap shot cuts Thunder off though and it’s back to Kole for the big clothesline. An elbow connects for Kole and we hit the chinlock, which doesn’t last all that long. It’s back to Kane for an ax handle but Kole misses a top rope ax handle. Lightning comes back in to clean house but a cheap shot cuts him off to give Kole the quick pin at 9:46.

Rating: C. It wasn’t a bad match, but it did feel like something that belonged on Main Event. Thunder & Lightning had an ok look, but they felt like they felt about as indy level as you could get. Harlem Heat would wind up being ok, though it would take some time and better opponents.

Equalizer vs. Jungle Jim Steel

Steel (who is kind of a cross between Tarzan and the Ultimate Warrior) is from the jungles of….Florida. Steel snaps off some armdrags to start so Equalizer stars with the clubbing forearms. A big right hand misses and Steel grabs a rollup for two. Back up and Steel works on the arm as Heenan thinks Equalizer’s furry boots might be Hair Jordans. Schiavone displays his mastery of time by saying that all of Steel’s matches have been about 3-4 minutes, is in the longest match of his time in WCW at about a minute and a half.

Steel’s…something out of the corner is broken up and Equalizer gets to hammer away even more. They head outside with Equalizer sending him into the apron and the bearhug doesn’t last long back inside. Equalizer chokes a lot and rakes the eyes on the top rope as Heenan talks about Hulk Hogan being at Disney the other day and getting a lot of attention. The neck crank goes on for a bit before Steel gets in an atomic drop. A terrible looking dropkick and a not so great clothesline have Equalizer down. They can barely do a whip into the ropes before the Steel Trap (Thesz press) finishes for Steel at 6:30.

Rating: D-. Where do you start here? The biggest issue is the most obvious one: this was on pay per view instead of some indy show in front of 25 people. It felt like a match in a movie made by people who had seen wrestling thirty years ago and wanted to put into the script. That’s on top of Equalizer being pretty horrible in the ring while Steel was only there because he was in great shape. Awful match and nothing that should have been close to a pay per view.

CALL THE HOTLINE!

Nick Bockwinkel brings out Ricky Steamboat for a chat. Steamboat wants the shot at the winner of tonight’s World Title match. Ric Flair has already agreed and according to Bockwinkel, Vader is going to give him a shot whether he wants to or not. Apparently Vader is breaking a bunch of stuff as he’s getting ready for his match.

Diamond Dallas Page vs. Terry Taylor

This is fallout from Page hitting him with a box full of bricks (that’s rather intense). Page hides behind the Diamond Doll and tries a cheap shot, which fails miserably as the bell rings. Taylor strikes away to knock him down and hits a kind of standing backdrop for two. Some cranking on the arm has Page in more trouble so let’s talk about Vader. A cross armbreaker has Page slowly crawling over to the rope and it’s time for a breather on the floor.

Back in and Taylor takes him down by the arm again for even more cranking. Page reverses into a pinfall reversal sequence and Taylor is right back on the arm. That’s broken up and they trade kickoffs until Taylor knocks him down for two more. You can hear commentary praising Page for staying in this and he knocks Taylor down with a shot to the face. Page hammers him in the corner and grabs something like a snap Jackhammer for two. The cobra clutch goes on, with the fans getting behind Taylor as he gets up.

Page uses the hair to pull him back into a chinlock as things slow way down. This time Taylor suplexes his way out of trouble and gets in a nice dropkick. That’s too much action though as Page pulls him right back down into another chinlock. Back up again and Page drops him with a heck of a shot to the face for a VERY delayed two (even Heenan freaks out over how long he waited). Page misses a charge into the corner though and a quick rollup gives Taylor the pin at 11:45.

Rating: C-. I was digging this one to start but it wound up being way too long and boring. Page had some skills in there but he didn’t have the abilities to go on for such a long match. Taylor looked pretty nice as well and it’s kind of surprising that he didn’t stick around doing much more than he did. He was in his late 30s but was still totally acceptable and better than a lot of the people in WCW.

Gene Okerlund talks to the German announcer, who is happy to be here. Okerlund won’t make a pick in the main event.

Johnny B. Badd vs. Jimmy Garvin

Garvin again wheels Michael Hayes to the ring and it’s so weird to see Garvin wrestling with short hair. Badd easily wrestles him down to start and Garvin heads to the ramp for the stalling. Back in and it’s a headlock takeover to put Garvin down again, with Hayes saying he’d love to get in there and knock Badd out again. Badd works on the arm and Garvin yells at the referee for asking if he wants to give up.

Garvin backs Badd into the corner for the break and we even get some mock clapping. Badd is on the arm again but Garvin finally pulls him down by the hair for an escape. That earns Garvin a knock out to the ramp for more consultation with Hayes (who probably recommends a snazzy hat).

Back in and, of course, it’s back to the arm. Garvin FINALLY gets to the corner and raises a boot to cut off a charge to take over. Naturally this means a sleeper goes on as Hayes and Heenan start talking to each other (Hayes: “Now there’s a compassionate guy!”) while Schiavone realizes he’s in over his head. Badd gets up but charges into a knee to the ribs for two. The DDT is broken up and Badd gets in a not so great headscissors. Badd’s big left hand and the top rope sunset flip finish at 10:50.

Rating: D+. This wasn’t the worst match and Garvin did look ok for his first match in the better part of two years but then you realize that it’s just a bunch of arm cranking on a replacement opponent. What else can you really get out of something like this? The dead crowd would suggest that the answer is “not too much”.

Post match Badd goes after Hayes and Garvin is up to beat him down and hit a Stunner that he dubs 911. Well what in the world was the point of that?

Vader throws a chair at Gene Okerlund for daring to try to get an interview.

TV Title: Arn Anderson vs. Lord Steven Regal

Anderson is challenging (and gets a heck of a nice reaction) and Regal has Sir William with him. Regal is also coming in with a taped up leg and adds in an amazing sneer at Anderson’s offer of a handshake. Commentary mentions that Anderson and Ric Flair are cousins (good luck keeping track of the Anderson family tree) as they fight over a top wristlock. Anderson hits him in the head and Regal backs off to yell at the crowd before it’s time to fight over the arm again.

Regal stalls over in the corner and even Schiavone calls him out for wasting time. The test of strength goes on with Regal taking over but Anderson powers up to get Regal down for a change. That earns him a kick to the face and Regal gets to go after the arm some more. Regal takes him down into something of a crossface but Anderson is back up with a hammerlock slam. Anderson goes after Regal’s arm (ignoring the BIG TAPED UP LEG) with a variety of cranking, including around the post.

Regal bails over for a chat with William and comes back in with a cravate. Anderson can’t even slam his way out and Regal gets to crank even more. This includes the fifteen minute call (out of thirty) a few minutes early and Anderson goes back to work on the arm again. Back up and Regal uppercuts him against the rope, where William gets in a bumbershoot shot. Regal grabs a half crab and the rope, with the referee catching the second to break up the first.

Something close to the Regal Stretch has Anderson in more trouble but he gets out and goes for the leg. The threat of the Figure Four remains a threat without actually becoming a Figure Four as Regal kicks him outside into Johnny B. Badd’s leftover confetti. Anderson slams the leg onto the apron and ties it up back inside (Heenan: “IT DOESN’T BEND THAT WAY!”).

We get the five minute call as Regal fights back and slowly grinds away with a chinlock. That’s broken up so Anderson wins a slugout for two before Regal tries to drive the arms down. We have two minutes to go and Anderson grabs a bodyscissors of all things. Regal can’t reverse into a Boston crab and Anderson gets two off a small package with less than a minute to go.

The spinebuster plants Regal but William grabs Regal’s arm for the save. Anderson tries a sunset flip of all things but Regal grabs the umbrella (bumbershoot for you Americans who want to sound British, or you humans who realize how fun that is to say) and gets the pin at 27:33 (29:52 by the official time).

Rating: C. This is a great example of knowing what they’re going for and the idea being good but the execution not really working. The problem here is this match could have been cut in half to make it WAY more interesting, as otherwise it’s just a bunch of laying around and stalling. They’re working and it’s a technically sound match, but there does come a point of HURRY UP ALREADY!

We look at Cactus Jack/Maxx Payne fighting the Nasty Boys at Clash Of The Champions to set up their Tag Team Title match.

Tag Team Titles: Cactus Jack/Maxx Payne vs. Nasty Boys

The Boys are defending and bring in their own guitars to annoy Jack and Payne, which feels rather dumb. Payne easily waistlocks Knobbs to start and the champs already need a breather on the ramp. Sags comes in and gets wrestled down as well so let’s take another break. Back in and a swinging Rock Bottom drops Knobbs and there’s a World’s Strongest Slam to Sags as this is one sided thus far.

Jack comes in to clean house and shrugs off a kick to the head. The champs bail again as commentary realizes Sags and Knobbs are in trouble. Back in and Jack isn’t having any of this getting beaten up thing so it’s back to Payne for two off a faceplant. Knobbs finally goes after the knee to take Payne down and Sags cranks on the leg. Said leg is fine enough for Payne to slam Knobbs but a legdrop (that’s not smart) misses.

Knobbs’ middle rope legdrop (or elbow) misses as well though and it’s back to Sags vs. Jack. Everything breaks down and Jack is dropped from the apron onto the exposed concrete (GEEZ), which earns him a head first ram into the barricade. Naturally he’s able to get back inside and Knobbs grabs a Boston crab so Payne comes in to hit…Sags.

Payne’s brilliance continues as he DRAGS JACK OVER TO THE CORNER WITHOUT BREAKING THE HOLD. Jack finally breaks out and hits a double DDT (Schiavone: “He’s either nuts or he’s Superman!” Heenan: “No he’s nuts!”), allowing the tag to Payne. The Payne Killer (Fujiwara armbar) but Sags comes in with the guitar to knock Payne silly for the DQ at 12:30.

Rating: B-. I had a good time with this as it was rather entertaining, with Jack being a human pin cushion and Payne being something of a crazy wrestling savant. The DQ likely sets up another big title match and that should include that much more violence. Good stuff here and easily the most entertaining thing on the show thus far.

Post match the replay shows that Payne injured his arm during the match. I’m curious if that resulted in the sudden ending.

Ric Flair, with Ricky Steamboat, is fine with the idea of Hulk Hogan coming to WCW but tonight is all about Vader in the Thundercage. Steamboat still wants the winner and Arn Anderson comes in to say Flair needs to remember what Vader did to him.

The Thundercage (basically the Cell but without a roof) is lowered.

Paul Orndorff/Steve Austin/Rick Rude vs. Sting/Brian Pillman/Dustin Rhodes

In the Thundercage and Colonel Robert Parker is here with the villains. Sting and Orndorff start things off….or actually we’ll go with Rude, who hammers away but gets backdropped (with a heck of a bump). Some clotheslines have Rude in more trouble and it’s back to Orndorff to take over on Sting’s arm. A knee to the arm lets Austin come in to stay on said arm but seems to bang up his own knee on a leapfrog attempt.

Sting tries the Scorpion Deathlock with Orndorff making a save. Austin’s leg seems to be ok as Sting sends him outside for a whip into the cage. Pillman comes in and shoulders Austin down, only to get sent outside. Austin launches him into the cage though and Orndorff does it as well, with Pillman busted open (just a bit). They get back inside and Pillman cuts off a charging Orndorff, who gives him a NASTY belly to back suplex.

Rude’s top rope knee gets two and Austin drops a big elbow for two. Austin goes up again but gets dropkicked out of the air. Sting comes in to clean house, including sending Orndorff into the cage. Back in and Rhodes gets to come in for a change and fire off the elbows. Rude blocks the bulldog with a big toss into the corner and even Schiavone has to admit that was good.

A bearhug has Rhodes in more trouble and it’s back to Austin, who gets LAUNCHED into the cage for scary landing. That’s enough for Pillman to come in and make the rather fired up comeback as everything breaks down. Sting throws Pillman onto Austin for the pin at 14:36.

Rating: B+. This was a hot match with the cage actually adding a few things, if nothing else increasing the danger factor. The incredible levels of talent involved make this even better and it wound up being a heck of a match. You could have done pretty much any combination here and it would have been great, which makes the team effort that much less surprising.

Post match Rude lays Sting out again, setting up their match at Spring Stampede (one of the last big ones of Rude’s career, as he would be injured on May 1 and be done).

We recap Ric Flair vs. Vader. Flair won the title from Vader at Starrcade and Vader injured him in a tag match in January. Vader wanted a rematch and attacked Ricky Steamboat to get the match made, with Flair taking the bait. This explanation takes a good bit longer than necessary as Flair had to get a medical release and…well he just did. The Boss (Big Boss Man) is guest referee despite feuding with Vader as well.

WCW World Title: Ric Flair vs. Vader

Vader is challenging in the Thundercage with Harley Race in his corner and the Boss as guest referee. Boss puts the key around his neck and the bell rings with Flair going off on Vader to start. A chair shot has Vader in more trouble and Vader actually does a Flair Flip in the corner. Flair charges at him though and that goes rather badly, as tends to be the case to anyone who runs at Vader.

Some big shots put Flair down but Vader misses the moonsault…and kind of sticks the landing anyway, allowing him to drop Flair again. Race gets in some choking from the floor and Vader hammers away, only for Flair to choke Vader in the corner. That’s cut off almost immediately and Race gets in another cheap shot. There’s the top rope superplex, which put Flair on the shelf coming into this match, but Vader misses some elbows.

Flair is busted open so Race goes for another cheap shot, earning a near handcuffing from the Boss. Vader cuts that off and instead it’s the Boss getting cuffed to the cage. Race takes the keys from Boss and gets inside to help Vader with the destruction. Arn Anderson and Ricky Steamboat come out to try and break in but can’t get through the door.

Flair fights back with a chair and beats the fire out of Vader and Race but gets dropped by Vader in the corner. Steamboat tries beating on the lock with a chair as Boss apparently breaks the cuffs to escape. Boss hits Vader in the knee with a nightstick and the Figure Four retains the title at 11:31.

Rating: B-. This got more than a big nuts in the end, though it was more about all of the insanity than the match itself. Granted that makes sense, as not only was it in a cage but Flair already beat Vader clean in a straight up match anyway. It was nowhere near as good or memorable as their first match, but Steamboat smashing at the cage door was quite the visual. He could get fired up when he needed to and it worked here.

Heenan screams that Vader never gave up and Boss just gave Flair the win.

Some bolt cutters are brought down to break into the cage and Flair leaves. Vader is livid and Heenan looks terrified to end the show.

Roll credits.

 

Results
Harlem Heat b. Thunder & Lightning – Boot to Lightning
Jungle Jim Steel b. Equalizer – Steel Trap
Terry Taylor b. Diamond Dallas Page – Rollup
Johnny B. Badd b. Jimmy Garvin – Top rope sunset flip
Lord Steven Regal b. Arn Anderson – Rollup while holding an umbrella
Cactus Jack/Maxx Payne b. Nasty Boys via DQ when Sags used a guitar
Sting/Dustin Rhodes/Brian Pillman b. Rick Rude/Steve Austin/Paul Orndorff – Splash to Austin
Ric Flair b. Vader – Figure Four

 

 

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5.5

The final score: review Not So Good

The 411

The last three matches are a big improvement and Regal vs. Anderson might be up your alley, but my goodness there is some dull stuff in the first hour plus of this thing. I can also see how there wouldn’t be much interest in having it released on home video, which might have had something to do with it never being put in stores. It’s far from the worst show, but it took those two tag matches to save it, with some of the other stuff just being horrible. Watch the Tag Team Titles and first cage and maybe the main event, but skip the rest.