Hall’s WCW SuperBrawl: Revenge Review

SuperBrawl Revenge
Date: February 18, 2001
Location: Nashville Municipal Auditorium, Nashville, Tennessee
Attendance: 4,395
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Scott Hudson

What could go wrong? This is the last SuperBrawl and the next to last WCW pay per view as the company is so dead in the water that this show barely matters. The main event is Kevin Nash challenging Scott Steiner for the World Title. This might be more interesting if it hadn’t headlined this week’s Nitro. Let’s get to it.

The opening video looks like a serial killer cutting up a magazine to make a ransom note. Well I guess that could be about revenge. Or a bunch of other things. Sounds perfect for WCW.

Road Warrior Animal has attacked Billy Kidman, who is out of the six way elimination match.

Shane Helms vs. Evan Karagias vs. Jamie Noble vs. Kaz Hayashi vs. Shannon Moore vs. Yun Yang

Yes it’s these six again (these guys seemed to be WCW’s version of Edge And Christian/the Hardys/the Dudleys, minus the titles or any chance of being elevated) and this one is under elimination rules (two in, four on the apron to start) for a Cruiserweight Title shot at Greed. Moore spins away from Noble to start but gets planted down for two. Helms tags himself in to powerbomb Noble but Yang and Hayashi (because this is a glorified three way tag) double team Karagias to take over.

The double Asai moonsaults connect and we go back inside with Karagias dropkicking Yang. An escape from a hiptoss doesn’t exactly work so Karagias hits a full nelson slam and then…I have no idea, as Karagias moonsaults onto Yang but only grazes him and then falls off to the side in pain. I’m guessing Yang didn’t move in time and it just looked bad all around. Helms comes in to run the ropes, setting up a neckbreaker/Samoan drop combination for two on Yang.

Hayashi comes back in to clean house as everything breaks down again. We get a parade of misses off the top, followed by a string of connections, with Noble hitting a heck of a flip dive to take out Moore and Helms on the floor. Back in and Karagias gives Hayashi a spinning spinebuster for two. A springboard missile dropkick/powerbomb combination hits Hayashi but Noble and Karagias argue over the pin.

Yang jumps Karagias from behind and, after doing it a few times because Karagias doesn’t notice, Yang misses a springboard….something. A belly to back piledriver finishes Karagias at 10:22. Noble tombstones Yang for the pin at 10:57 and we’re down to four. Moore is sent crashing to the floor and Noble knocks Helms down inside. Moore is back in though and hits Bottoms Up (Fameasser) to pin Noble at 12:05.

That leaves us with Moore/Helms (a regular team) vs. Hayashi as commentary has to remember that this isn’t a tag match. A backslide/middle rope legdrop combination hits Hayashi and the Samoan drop/neckbreaker combination gets…well no cover. Helms loads up the Vertebreaker but gets hit with Moore’s Bottoms Up. For reasons of utter insanity, Hayashi kicks the referee to break up the cover as Helms gets up to stomp away on Moore.

Hayashi is back up for a backbreaker to Helms and tries a moonsault, only for Moore to switch places with Helms and move out of the way. Helms breaks up Bottoms Up and hits the Nightmare On Helm Street to pin Moore at 15:12. Hayashi and Helms are left one on one with Hayashi kicking away at the leg. Another Nightmare On Helm Street is countered into a German suplex for two. A TKO onto the knee and a neckbreaker combine for two on Hayashi, who kicks Helms in the head for two more. Helms is right back up with the Vertebreaker for the winning pin at 17:26.

Rating: B-. Well, they tried. The problem here was they had run some combination of these six for months on end and it stopped feeling even remotely special. Helms was absolutely looking like the breakout star at this point and would become a singles star soon enough. There were just so many bad botches here and it felt like they forgot the rules a few times. Cut the time down a bit and add anyone fresh into these matches and it would be better. For now though, just a bunch of spots from a group of people who were trying and were never going to be able to get up the card despite their talents. And Evan Karagias.

A security video shows Chavo Guerrero talking to Ric Flair and Animal just before the match. So he’s the reason Billy Kidman was attacked.

Hugh Morrus talks about how General Rection helped the Wall so many times when the Wall needed it. Rection was the one who was betrayed, but tonight it’s the Laughing Man again. I have no idea why Morrus was looking off to the side of the camera here.

Ric Flair brings Scott Steiner an envelope, which has something to do with his match against Kevin Nash tonight and possibly Nash’s career being on the line. I have no idea why the camera was around waist high and looking up at them.

Kronik arrives and Commissioner Lance Storm says not so fast. Bryan Clark has to be medically cleared (though he insists he is) before he can be in the match. Brian Adams can go get ready because he’s already cleared.

Hugh Morrus vs. The Wall

This is fallout from the Wall turning on him. It’s a grudge match between two guys in the midcard so let’s talk about Ric Flair and the Magnificent Seven trying to take over WCW before the new owners come in instead. Morrus drops the steps onto Wall a few times (the referee is fine with this), followed by a heck of a top rope elbow.

Instead of covering, Morrus tells Wall to get up, which is exactly what Wall does. A choke in the corner is broken up so Wall knocks him off the top, only to miss a top rope legdrop. Wall hits a spinebuster but gets caught with a hot shot, followed by a flapjack. They slug it out from their knees and Morrus gets the better of things, with No Laughing Matter (moonsault) connecting for the pin at 9:25.

Rating: C. I actually didn’t hate this as it actually felt like a match between two guys who wanted to beat each other up. Morrus was decent as a big man and the moonsault always looked good. If nothing else, it was nice to see him getting his better name (yep) back and he did feel like a bigger deal. As for the Wall…well….yeah it didn’t work despite him looking like a great giant.

Post match Morrus hits another No Laughing Matter for a bonus.

Konnan doesn’t like what Animal did to Kidman and a brawl ensues. That lasts all of five seconds before it’s broken up.

We recap the battle of the Natural Born Thrillers. They came in as the new young team but then got in a fight. Tonight they fight for the titles.

Tag Team Titles: Sean O’Haire/Chuck Palumbo vs. Mark Jindrak/Shawn Stasiak

O’Haire and Palumbo are defending. Before the match, Stasiak mocks the Tennessee Titans, with O’Haire promising a beating. The brawl starts fast with O’Haire taking over on Jindrak as commentary says Konnan has been thrown out of the building. Palumbo comes in for the big right hand and a sleeper but Jindrak is right back with a running clothesline. The comeback doesn’t last long for Palumbo as Stasiak cuts him off and pokes him in the eye.

Jindrak is back in with another clothesline and Palumbo is sent into the corner a few times. The chinlock goes on as Stasiak yells at O’Haire from the apron. Jindrak puts his feet on the ropes, which is more than some more experienced veterans would do. O’Haire’s save doesn’t work as Stasiak is right back with some shots to the arm of all things.

The double teaming keeps Palumbo in trouble but Stasiak takes forever going up and misses a top rope splash (which overshot Palumbo by a few feet anyway). O’Haire comes back in to clean house as everything breaks down. Palumbo gives Stasiak the Jungle Kick (superkick) and the Seanton (Swanton) Bomb retains the titles at 11:27.

Rating: B-. The first thing I thought when I was watching this match, at least in comparison to the opener, was how big these guys were. You had four big, muscular, and in the case of O’Haire and possibly Palumbo, intimidating looking people. They look like pro wrestlers and that is something you need on occasion. At the same time, you have O’Haire looking like a killer and that’s the great thing, as he feels like an awesome star and someone who could be something in the company’s future if the company did in fact have a future.

A hard to hear Dustin Rhodes is not happy with Ric Flair’s regime and is ready to draw first blood by winning he US Title from Rick Steiner.

Cruiserweight Title: Rey Mysterio vs. Chavo Guerrero Jr.

Guerrero is defending and the two of them have been feuding for a bit now, with Mysterio disguising himself to annoy Guerrero earlier in the month. Mysterio slugs away to start and hits a running clothesline. A dropkick sends Guerrero outside and Mysterio snaps off a headscissors on the floor. Back in and Guerrero is fine enough to drop him ribs first across the top rope and take over for the first time.

Guerrero crotches him on top for the Tree Of Woe but the running charge only hits the post. A sunset flip gives Mysterio two but he gets caught in the Gory Special, into the Gory Bomb. Mysterio tries to fight up until he gets dropkicked out of the air. Naturally Schiavone is worried about Mysterio’s spleen, which is likely made worse in an STF.

Mysterio gets out and is sent to the floor for quite the crash as the momentum is cut off instead. Guerrero sends him knee first into the steps and we hit the chinlock back inside. That’s broken up and Mysterio grabs a super hurricanrana before headscissoring him out to the floor. With nothing else working, Guerrero grabs the belt but misses the shot, only for Mysterio to slip on a Lionsault attempt (I’m not sure if that was planned or not but Mysterio grabbing his knee was a great cover if it was a botch.).

Mysterio is back up with a springboard hurricanrana out tot he floor and a springboard splash gets two more. The running DDT plants Guerrero and there’s the Bronco Buster. Mysterio grabs a chair that Guerrero brought in but has it taken away, allowing Guerrero to use another chair to the head. The brainbuster retains the title at 15:52.

Rating: B+. There were not many bright spots in the dying days of WCW but Guerrero was near the top of the list. He was doing probably the best in-ring work of his career and looked completely smooth in everything he was doing. That was on display again here as these two had a very good match, with Guerrero outsmarting Mysterio throughout and winning in the head. Guerrero might not have been a big star, but performances like these over his career are why he stayed around for decades: he’s really rather talented.

Lance Storm tells Brian Adams that he’s on his own tonight and Bryan Clark isn’t cleared. He’s also not appearing.

We recap Dustin Rhodes challenging Rick Steiner for the US Title. Rhodes is trying to find his place as the basic Texan and wants to face Steiner. Ric Flair and company are fine with that because they haven’t been able to get rid of Rhodes just yet. And that’s about it.

US Title: Rick Steiner vs. Dustin Rhodes

Rhodes is challenging and jumps him at the bell. A running clothesline puts Steiner on the floor, where he sends Rhodes hard into the barricade. The Steiner Line gets two and we get to what Steiner does best: stomping and chinlocking while telling people to SHUT UP. It works so well that he does it again, only for Rhodes to come back with a lariat.

The bulldog sends Steiner outside and it’s time to grab a chair. The distraction lets Steiner take a turnbuckle pad off and Rhodes hammers away, only to be dropped onto the buckle to knock Rhodes rather silly. A rollup with feet on the ropes is enough for Steiner to retain the title at 9:15.

Rating: D. Remember how I said Guerrero was one of the big bright spots in this era of WCW? Well Steiner was one of the dark spots, as he was pretty terrible in every aspect and kept running over people as US Champion. That’s probably mostly due to his brother being the company’s star but it doesn’t make things much better. Pretty awful match, which isn’t on Rhodes.

Post match Steiner beats him up some more but Rhodes fights up and gives him Shattered Dreams.

Ric Flair tells Lance Storm that he wants Dustin Rhodes, and everyone else not on their team, gone after the match. Oh and the winners of Totally Buff vs. Kronik gets a Tag Team Title shot.

Diamond Dallas Page gives the Cat a pep talk.

Totally Buff vs. Kronik

For a future Tag Team Title shot and before the match, Lex Luger brags about getting rid of Goldberg. Oh and since Bryan Clark isn’t cleared, Brian Adams can wrestle on his own. Cue Kronik but Bagwell chairs Clark down, with the chair staying over Clark’s head (right). Adams fights them both off until a low blow cuts him down. A suplex gives Luger two and they head outside, with Adams being sent into various hard objects.

Clark is still down (the medics are fine with this) as Luger grabs a camel clutch. The crash down onto the back hits raised knees though and Adams gets in a powerslam for the breaker. The Doomsday Blockbuster is broken up though…and here is Bryan Clark coming down the ramp. The downed Clark is revealed to be Mike Awesome, who lays Adams out. The Blockbuster gives Bagwell the pin at 6:45.

Rating: D+. The more I see from Luger past around 1998, the sadder it gets. He was just a shell of his former self and it was pitiful watching him out there trying to act like a big star when it was clear he had nothing. Bagwell wasn’t much better, but at least he had some charisma. On the other hand, you have half of Kronik because….well how else are you supposed to buy Luger and Bagwell beating them?

Post match commentary has to recap how we got here and yeah that might be a bit more complicated than it needs to be.

In the back, Lance Storm tries to throw Kronik out and gets beaten up.

Lance Storm vs. The Cat

For the Commissionership. Storm wrestles him down to start but Cat is back up with an arm wringer. Some kicks to the cheat put Storm on the floor but he gets in some cheap shots. Cat hits him with a drink to the face and chokes with a cord, only to have the knee wrapped around the ropes.

Back in and Storm cranks on the leg, followed by a hard kick to take it out again. Cat pulls him off the top but Storm wraps the leg around the post a few times. Another comeback is cut off with the Canadian Maple Leaf, with Cat tapping for no apparent reason. Instead he breaks it up by getting the rope so here is evil goon Mike Sanders. Miss Jones cuts him off and the Feliner gives Cat his job back at 8:08.

Rating: C. For a match between two people who are fighting to be the secondary boss behind crazy old man Ric Flair, this was about as good as it was going to get. The Cat had a weird charisma to him and it oddly worked most of the time. On the other hand you had Storm who could always wrestle at least a perfectly fine match. That’s what you got here and it could have been far worse.

Post match Ric Flair has Cat (who isn’t Commissioner until midnight) out of the building.

We recap Jeff Jarrett vs. Diamond Dallas Page. They’re feuding. The end.

Jeff Jarrett vs. Diamond Dallas Page

Hold on though as Jarrett comes out and shows a clip of Page saying he would fight Chris Kanyon anywhere, any time. Cue Kanyon and let’s do this instead.

Chris Kanyon vs. Diamond Dallas Page

It’s a slugout to start and they’re quickly on the floor, where Kanyon hits a Fameasser onto the steps. Back in and an apron superplex gives Kanyon two on the bleeding Page, who charges into a boot in the corner. A fireman’s carry is escaped though and Page hits the discus lariat.

Another clothesline puts Kanyon down but he’s right back with a sitout Alabama Slam for two. Page’s sitout powerbomb gets two so Kanyon gives him the Kanyon Cutter for two. Cue Jarrett with the Stroke to Page as the referee is bumped, meaning it’s a Flatliner to give Kanyon the pin at 8:14.

Rating: C+. Kanyon had a good collection of offense and it was nice to see him getting a bit of a showcase here. Granted it helps to have Page, who could work well with just about anyone, across the ring. End this with the Kanyon Cutter rather than going on for a few more minutes and this was even better.

Post match Kanyon brags about his win and sends in Jarrett for the originally scheduled match.

Diamond Dallas Page vs. Jeff Jarrett

Jarrett comes in to slug away and takes it straight out to the floor. The brawl heads into the crowd, where Page takes over by slugging away. A clothesline puts Jarrett down and Page DDTs him (kind of) onto the announcers’ table. The Diamond Cutter is blocked though and Jarrett takes over. Back in and Jarrett stomps away but gets caught with the discus lariat. Jarrett gets the sleeper and Page is down, only to fight up and reverse into one of his own (yep it’s a Jarrett match all right).

Page plants him down again and starts slugging away, with a belly to back suplex getting two. The belly to belly gets two more, as does Page’s pancake. Cue Kanyon for a distraction, allowing Jarrett to chair him in the head for a rather near fall. The guitar hits Kanyon by mistake though and the Diamond Cutter gives Page the pin at 8:28.

Rating: B-. There are a lot of things to complain about with Jarrett’s time in WCW, but he is more than capable of wrestling a fine match. That’s a running theme from this show and it’s nice to see the talented wrestlers getting to do their stuff so well. It worked well again here and they had a fine match with a story throughout the last few segments. Good stuff here, which shouldn’t be a surprise. See how much better it is when Jarrett isn’t in the World Title picture?

Ric Flair joins commentary.

WCW World Title: Scott Steiner vs. Kevin Nash

Steiner, with Midajah, is defending but there is no Nash. Therefore, we hear from Steiner about all of the people he has ended, including Sid Vicious….so let’s see him breaking his leg again, multiple times! Flair isn’t done either as he has a special stipulation: the loser LEAVES WCW! FOREVER! The referee starts counting but here is Nash, albeit in a wheelchair. Nash leaves the cast in the chair though (Schiavone: “It’s a gimmick leg!”) and sneaks up on a posing Steiner for a belt shot. The bell rings and Nash wins the title in four seconds.

Flair makes it a 2/3 falls match though and we see Diamond Dallas Page getting beaten up in the back. A clothesline gives Nash two on the bleeding Steiner and they go outside. Steiner finds a pipe to knock Nash silly and then orders that Flair make it falls count anywhere, allowing him to tie it up at 3:55.

Back in and Steiner hammers away before a spinning belly to belly gets two. More stomping ensues and a backbreaker gets another near fall. Nash fights up and hits the always good looking side slam to leave them both down. Cue Midajah with the brass knuckles but Steiner uses the distraction to chair Nash down (Schiavone: “He’s dead.”) but Nash breaks the Recliner.

A chokeslam gives Nash two as Midajah grabs the referee. There’s the Jackknife but Midajah does the same thing she did thirty seconds ago. Then Flair pulls the referee as well, allowing Steiner to get in a low blow. The big chair shot sets up the Recliner and another referee comes in to say Nash is out as Steiner retains at 12:08.

Rating: D. I don’t have to say this very often, but Vince Russo did it better. This was as blatant of a ripoff of the Over The Edge 1998 Dude Love vs. Steve Austin match and believe it or not, it wasn’t quite as good. The point here was to have Steiner get over like a monster again but Nash had to get in his stuff and be treated as some kind of a hero. That’s fine in theory, but it doesn’t really work when Nash is hardly at the peak of his trying days here. Just horrible and you could see everything that was going to happen about ten seconds after the bell rang.

Commentary is devastated to end the show.

 

Results
Shane Helms b. Evan Karagias, Kaz Hayashi, Jamie Noble, Shannon Moore and Yun Yang last eliminating Hayashi
Hugh Morrus b. The Wall – No Laughing Matter
Sean O’Haire/Chuck Palumbo b. Mark Jindrak/Shawn Stasiak – Seanton Bomb to Stasiak
Chavo Guerrero Jr. b. Rey Mysterio – Brainbuster
Rick Steiner b. Dustin Rhodes – Rollup with feet on the ropes
Totally Buff b. Kronik – Blockbuster to Bagwell
The Cat b. Lance Storm – Feliner
Chris Kanyon b. Diamond Dallas Page – Flatliner
Diamond Dallas Page b. Jeff Jarrett – Diamond Cutter
Scott Steiner b. Kevin Nash 2-1

 

Head over to my website at kbwrestlingreviews.com with thousands of reviews from around the world and throughout wrestling history.

6.0

The final score: review Average

The 411

This….actually wasn’t that awful? There are some terrible matches and moments on here, but there were also some rather good matches which were worth a look. Granted it means absolutely nothing as they were out of business in five weeks but at least they had a less than horrible show here. As usual, WCW did have good wrestlers who were trying, but there was only so much that can be done with the same old people doing the same old stuff and dragging things down. That’s what killed them for years and it’s a big part of the reason they died. Anyway, not good, but there are far worse shows from this era.