Hall’s WCW Uncensored 1997 Review

Uncensored 1997
Date: March 16, 1997
Location: North Charleston Coliseum, North Charleston, South Carolina
Attendance: 9,285
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Dusty Rhodes, Bobby Heenan

It’s time for the show with less than strict rules, though that can kind of go all over the place. This show can be a bit all over the place and it’s going to be even more complicated with the NWO running around. That’s the big main event in a gimmick match that was only done once. Let’s get to it.

The opening video runs down the card.

Commentary talks about the main event. It’s a three team, twelve man elimination match with the following prizes for the winners:

Team Piper: Piper gets a cage match with Hollywood Hogan
Team WCW: The NWO vacates all titles and can’t wrestle for THIRTY SIX MONTHS
Team NWO: The NWO gets “total access” to WCW events, which wasn’t entirely defined

While it’s not mentioned or referenced here (because obvious), Piper is teaming with the Horsemen after the all time train wreck that was him forming a team with John Tenta and two other guys. When WCW realizes they’re doing something really stupid and changes course, you know it’s an awful idea.

US Title: Dean Malenko vs. Eddie Guerrero

Guerrero is defending and this is No DQ. They shove each other to start with Guerrero taking him down as commentary talks about the animosity between them. Granted commentary doesn’t explain WHY there is animosity but why help the fans like that? Guerrero hammers away to start but Malenko takes over on the arm to send him outside. Back in and Malenko grabs a suplex and yells a lot before slapping Guerrero in the face.

Guerrero is back up to stomp him down in the corner but Malenko is back with a toss into the other corner. A belly to back suplex drops Guerrero again but we’re told something is going on backstage. The NWO has apparently attacked Rick Steiner (though they claim it was bad luck) and we come back with Malenko holding a half crab Liontamer. With that broken up, Malenko throws him over the top and grabs the belt, which is enough to get commentary to stop talking about the NWO.

A belt shot and a hard running clothesline give Malenko two but he charges into a swinging Rock Bottom. Guerrero gets a bit more serious and dropkicks the knee, followed by a top rope ax handle to the knee. A kneebar sets up an STF as we see Rick Steiner put on a stretcher. It took that long to get him help??? No wonder WCW went under.

Anyway they fight outside Malenko getting sent into the post and barricade. Another dropkick to the knee has Malenko in more trouble as Steiner is taken away in an ambulance. The Figure Four goes on and of course Guerrero grabs the rope because he can get away with it. Malenko pokes the eye for the break so Guerrero elbows him right back down.

A baseball slide knocks Malenko to the floor but the big dive crashes into the barricade for a nasty landing. Back in and Malenko works on the arm but Guerrero fights out of the Fujiwara armbar. The straps come down and Guerrero powerbombs him for two but Malenko kicks him low. A powerslam drops Guerrero and Malenko hits a frog splash of his own, only to pull Guerrero up at two. Heenan LOSES IT, as you can tell he’s into this one.

A tilt-a-whirl powerslam gives Malenko two and they slip up on a sunset flip attempt. Thankfully they make a nice save and go into a rollup for two on Malenko, who grabs a nasty German suplex. Back up and a tornado DDT out of the corner plants Malenko, with Guerrero grabbing a Texas Cloverleaf. Cue Syxx with his camcorder to grab the US Title, with Guerrero going to cut him off. Syxx throws in the camera, with Malenko knocking Guerrero cold for the pin and the title at 19:14.

Rating: B. This was a weird one as it was a technically sound match with the No DQ stipulation not meaning much of anything. The ending was more like a traditional interference finish, but it’s not like Malenko had to hide using the camera. I’ll certainly take these two going for nearly twenty minutes, but the match didn’t really match the stipulation.

After telling us to CALL THE HOTLINE, Gene Okerlund brings in an annoyed Roddy Piper, who says he has always been uncensored. He shouldn’t need to go through this to get Hollywood Hogan in a cage. Dennis Rodman wants to try on his kilt but he wants Piper in it still. Now he has Rick Steiner out and a bunch of Horsemen on his team. What is a Horseman anyway? He has to deal with Hogan and Dennis The Menace so here are the Horsemen for a pep talk.

Jeff Jarrett says the NWO are the marked men (a reference to Piper’s recent movie Marked Man). Mongo remembers Lex Luger crawling away at WarGames and he wants to get rid of the Outsiders too. Chris Benoit is ready to fight, as he always is. This was out there even by Piper’s standards.

Psychosis vs. Ultimo Dragon

Well, Ultimate according to the graphics, which also say “with Sonny Onoo”. The Dragon of uncertainty wrestles Psychosis to the mat without much trouble and grabs an armdrag. Psychosis tries to fight up but gets armdragged down again for a standoff. Dragon flips over him and fires off the alternating kicks to put Psychosis down again.

The kneebar has Psychosis in more trouble but he gets up for a clothesline in the corner. That just earns him the headstand in the corner (Rhodes: “That’s hard to do. I tried that.”), followed by an enziguri to drop Psychosis again. The camel clutch goes on, which Psychosis reverses into one of his own. With Dragon still down, a guillotine legdrop gets two (that always looked great) and a middle rope elbow (not so great) connects for the same.

Back up and a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker gets Dragon out of trouble as we hear about him being Bruce Lee’s protege (nonsense as Dragon was about six years old when Lee died but it sounds good). Psychosis gets a boot up in the corner though and a middle rope spinwheel kick sends Dragon outside. The required dive ensues, followed by a second, which leaves Psychosis limping.

Dragon elbows him down and hits the Asai moonsault (named after Dragon, the Asai in question). Onoo kicks him down, even breaking one of the horns on the mask in the process. Back in and Psychosis grabs a sunset flip for two, followed by Dragon’s la majistral for two.

Dragon avoids a charge in the corner and they go up top, where it’s a double gordbuster to bring them both crashing down. It’s Dragon up first with a slam but Psychosis catches him on top with a super hurricanrana. Dragon is right back with a running Liger Bomb into a super tornado DDT into the tiger suplex for the pin at 13:16.

Rating: B. These two were getting the chance to show what they could do and it worked rather well. Dragon is someone who has grown on me over the years as I never cared for him when I was younger and watching this live. On the other hand you have Psychosis, who was very talented in his own right but was stuck in there with so many other talented people that he never got the chance to shine. Rather good stuff here.

Here is Diamond Dallas Page for a chat. He’s asked about possibly taking over Rick Steiner’s spot in the main event but completely ignores it to talk about Randy Savage. Page still wants to face Savage, who won’t even acknowledge his challenge. If he’s that much of a savage, snap into this! Cue Savage and Elizabeth in the crowd, with Savage saying he respects Page.

They were walking through the airport today and Savage saw Playboy, which featured Kimberly, who happens to be Page’s wife. We see the centerfold, with some tasteful spray painting (making it censored on Uncensored). Cue Kimberly in person and she’s been spray painted as well.

Savage runs in to lay Page out before spray painting him as well. Kimberly even gets a second coat. It’s a shame that this feud was taking place in the same year as Hogan vs. Sting and the Border War in the WWF because it deserves a lot more credit. These guys had an outstanding rivalry and you could feel the energy here.

Glacier vs. Mortis

James Vanderberg (Sinister Minister/James Mitchell) is here with Mortis and this is billed as a Martial Arts match. Glacier kicks him around to start and hits a backdrop, only for Mortis to come back with some kicks of his own (you might want to get used to the word “kick” in this one). Back up and Glacier kicks him out to the floor, setting up a slingshot dive.

Glacier suplexes him on the floor but Vanderberg offers a distraction so Mortis can send Glacier into the barricade. Mortis drops him onto the apron and what would become known as a Buckshot Lariat gets two back inside. A Fameasser drops Glacier for two more but he’s back up with a rolling elbow to the face. Glacier kicks him down for another near fall so Mortis goes up, only to get crotched down again. The Cryonic Kick is loaded up so Mortis pulls the referee in the way, allowing Mortis to hit a heck of a superkick. Vanderberg offers a distraction but the Cryonic Kick finishes for Glacier at 9:02.

Rating: C+. For a Martial Arts match, there was pretty much nothing out of the ordinary here and that shouldn’t be a surprise on this show. The stipulation didn’t change anything and Glacier beating Mortis isn’t exactly a big shock. As usual, Mortis was doing some cool looking stuff, but it only got them so far.

Post match Vanderberg calls out…a rather big man who helps Mortis take Glacier out. That would be the soon to be named Wrath, who had been around WCW before.

We look at the NWO nearly murdering the Steiners with their car a few weeks ago.

Buff Bagwell vs. Scotty Riggs

Strap match (four corners variety), just in case their dull match at Souled Out wasn’t enough. Bagwell hides from the threat of a whipping and manages to strap him down. Riggs is able to catch him on top though and a top rope superplex lets Riggs send him outside. Back in and Bagwell takes over again, with more whipping ensuing.

A crotching with the strap has Bagwell in trouble and Riggs gets smart by tying him up for a drag around the ring. The momentum and streak are broken though and Bagwell is back with a hot shot. Bagwell declares himself beautiful and good before striking him down some more. That means Bagwell can declare his love for himself and then try for the corners.

That’s broken up with a grab of the ropes so Bagwell chokes away. Bagwell gets on the referee, who yells Bagwell down into the corner. The Blockbuster misses though and Riggs fires off some running clotheslines. Riggs gets in some whipping and a missile dropkick but Bagwell pulls him outside. Something like a Blockbuster to the floor has Riggs knocked silly and Bagwell chokes him for good measure. Bagwell touches all four buckles to win at 12:22.

Rating: D+. There just isn’t much that can be done here when Riggs and Bagwell have this much time in a match. Their feud wasn’t exactly good or big enough to warrant a pair of pay per view matches and while the gimmick wasn’t bad, the match needed about five minutes cut off. Riggs would thankfully move away from Bagwell after this, which couldn’t come soon enough.

The NWO is ready to win tonight, with Savage looking at the Playboy from earlier. They see Kimberly with the skirt off and now it’s time to see Piper without his on. And what is Dennis Rodman going to wear? This feels like a way to fill time.

Harlem Heat vs. Public Enemy

Sherri is here with Harlem Heat and this is a Texas Tornado match. Naturally that means weapons are included as well so it’s time for some trashcans to start. Booker and Rock pair off and we go split screen as Grunge hits Ray with a toilet seat. Everyone gets inside and Rock is backdropped out to the floor, where Sherri hits him with a trashcan lid.

Everyone heads outside, with Booker getting in a trashcan shot to rock Rock. Sherri adds another trashcan lid shot as Rhodes is still having SO much fun with this whole thing. Grunge and Ray fight on the floor and Rock knocks Booker out of the air with a pizza pain (Rhodes: “A PIZZA PAN! A PIZZA PAN!”).

For some reason Rock tries Old School and gets crotched down almost immediately. Sherri hits Ray with a trashcan by mistake and they all get back inside. They take turns hitting each other with metal sheets with Public Enemy getting the better of things. The fight goes outside again with Rock finding a woman’s purse but Ray gives him a side slam back inside.

A Rocket Launcher gets two on Rock, with Grunge having to make the save. Sherri goes after Grunge, who rams her into the barricade, which is quite the big crash. Ray is put on a table at ringside with both Rock and Grunge crashing through him. Cue Jeff Jarrett for a distraction so Steve McMichael (originally scheduled to team with Jarrett against Public Enemy) can blast Rock with his briefcase. The Harlem Hangover finishes for Booker at 13:16.

Rating: C-. This was WAY too long and that’s what hurt it a lot, as they had some dead spots which brought it down. If you get rid of those and have it be more action based, it’s that much better. As it is, it’s an ok hardcore brawl, which is about all you were going to get out of Public Enemy. Just trim it down and it’s that much better.

Gene Okerlund recaps the stipulations in the main event and brings in what is left of Team WCW. Scott Steiner wants revenge for his brother and the Giant promises a bunch of chokeslams. Granted Giant also says Lex Luger is the brains of the team so he might not be the brightest guy to listen to here. Luger wants to get rid of the NWO to fight for tradition. That’s been the battle cry of WCW since the NWO debuted and it just sounds worse every single time.

TV Title: Prince Iaukea vs. Rey Mysterio

Iaukea (picture the most generic Pacific Islander style wrestler you can ever imagine) is defending in a rematch. They go technical to start until Iaukea cuts off an armdrag and gives him something like an Angle Slam. Mysterio is sent out to the apron, where he snaps the neck across the top rope to take over. Iaukea muscles him up for a Razor’s Edge, which is reversed into a hurricanrana for two.

Mysterio sends him outside for a big flip dive but Iaukea knocks him outside for a dive of his own. A spinning crossbody off the barricade misses for Iaukea though, as they manage to take even more energy out of the crowd. Back in and Mysterio hits a split legged moonsault for two, followed by a figure four neck lock. Mysterio hits a Lionsault for two, followed by a sunset bomb for the same. Iaukea’s northern lights suplex gets two and you can hear the BORING chants start up.

Iaukea powerbombs him down for a delayed two but Mysterio dropkicks a springboard out of the air. Something that looks rather low sends Mysterio outside and they collide on dropkicks back inside for a double down. Back up and they trade rollups for two each and Mysterio hits a Whisper In The Wind for one as the fifteen minute time limit expires at 11:58 (likely out of mercy).

Hold on though as Iaukea agrees to give this more time and the crowd dies even worse. Mysterio hits some chops and a springboard enziguri gets two. The fans call it boring again as Mysterio grabs a super hurricanrana for two more. What would become known as the West Coast Pop is reversed into a sunset flip to retain Iaukea’s title at 15:02 all combined.

Rating: D+. This is a case where as dull as the match was (and it was indeed dull), I actually feel sorry for the wrestlers. WCW was trying with Iaukea but it was clear that the fans just did not care. Iaukea could do the technical side of things adequately enough but the lack of charisma killed him and that was very obvious. He shouldn’t have been out there and it’s on WCW for insisting that he get this spot when it just didn’t fit. The match isn’t terrible by any means, but the crowd is borderline eerie at times from being so quiet.

Spring Stampede is coming, with the awesome cowboy style vignette.

Team WCW vs. Team NWO vs. Team Piper

WCW: Lex Luger/The Giant/Scott Steiner
NWO: Hollywood Hogan/Kevin Nash/Scott Hall/Randy Savage
Piper: Roddy Piper/Jeff Jarrett/Steve McMichael/Chris Benoit

So the deal here is that it’s one member of each team coming in at a time (five minutes to start then two minutes each ala WarGames) with pinfall, submission or over the top rope eliminations, last team standing wins. If WCW wins, the NWO vacates all titles and can’t wrestle for three years. If the NWO wins, they get any title shot, anywhere, anytime. If Piper’s team wins, he gets to face Hogan in a cage…eventually.

With all of that out of the way, it’s Benoit, Hall and Giant to start, with Hall and Benoit brawling before Giant gets inside. Giant does indeed climb in and clotheslines both of them down. The big chops in the corner have Benoit in trouble so Giant LAUNCHES him with a beal. A two handed choke toss sends Benoit flying again and Hall gets shoved out of the corner as well.

Giant gives Benoit a running corner clothesline and then knocks Hall down as the dominance continues. Hall and Benoit wind up working together, with Hall grabbing a sleeper on Giant. That’s broken up and it’s a chokeslam to Benoit for…no count as Hall makes a questionable save. Hall gets shoved into the corner, where Giant misses a charge and crashes out to the floor for the first elimination at 5:04. The announcement tells commentary that it’s an elimination, because they don’t even know the rules of the match they’re calling.

Jarrett, Savage and Luger are in next with Jarrett of all people cleaning house. Luger gorilla presses Jarrett and sends Savage into the buckle but Hall breaks up a gorilla press. Jarrett blocks an Outsider’s Edge as McMichael, Nash and Steiner are in this time. Nash gives Jarrett Snake Eyes but it’s Steiner getting to clean house for a bit. The spinning belly to belly hits Nash (that’s a big bump for him) and Benoit saves Jarrett from the Outsider’s Edge.

Nash tosses Jarrett at 9:24 as commentary AGAIN doesn’t get the rules, with Heenan thinking either Hogan or Piper will be in next. McMichael is out at 9:55 as Piper comes in. Steiner is out at 10:21, leaving Luger alone for WCW. Hogan, with Dennis Rodman, comes in to complete the field (remember that Rick Steiner is injured so WCW came in down a man) and we get another clock, which isn’t supposed to be there, because WCW.

Piper and Savage fight on the floor (not eliminated) while Hogan hasn’t gotten inside yet. Schiavone asks about Rodman’s hair as everyone (I think) finally gets inside. The fans want Sting but have to settle for Piper being sent through the ropes (not out) to the floor and pulling Hogan out for a brawl.

Savage goes after Piper for the save and they get back inside. Back in and Rodman low bridges Piper out, leaving Luger and Benoit alone for their teams against the entire NWO. Hogan keeps beating Piper up on the floor, with Savage joining him. That leaves Luger and Benoit to fight the Outsiders, with Hall giving Benoit the Razor’s Edge. Benoit is tossed out to get rid of Team Piper at 16:35.

So Luger is alone against the NWO, who are so worried that they have a huddle with Rodman on the apron. Luger backdrops out of the Jackknife though and manages to rack Savage for the submission at 18:29. A clothesline gets rid of Nash at 18:37 and the fans are much more awake. The rack gets rid of Hall at 18:52 and we’re down to Luger vs. Hogan after an all time ridiculous comeback. Nash tries to come back in as Luger racks Hogan, only for Rodman to give Savage the spray paint. One good shot and Luger is out to give Hogan the final pin at 19:28.

Rating: C. Well, it’s certainly a unique match and I wouldn’t be opposed to having it brought back at some point in the future. Just get a commentary team who understands the rules and don’t make the winners so obvious. The NWO vacating the titles could have been a possibility, but no one was buying the team being basically kicked out for three years. Piper vs. Hogan in a cage is more of “so what?” result (and something we got later in the year anyway) and…well it’s not like the NWO was going to lose anyway.

Luger making the big comeback worked (even though they made it clear that it was the same ending as World War 3 back in November) but it was a big mess, with the finish pretty telegraphed. That’s not even factoring in the Rodman aspect, as they weren’t bringing in a big name like him (and he was indeed big in 1997) for a major NWO defeat.

Post match Rodman and the NWO get in their big beatdown…and STING repels from the ceiling. Sting explodes on the NWO, finally confirming that he is NOT on the team after leaving it unclear for months. Sting points the baseball bat at Hogan, who threatens to kill Sting if he puts the bat down. That’s exactly what Sting does so Rodman and Hogan head towards the ring, with Hogan actually getting inside.

Sting immediately drops him with the right hands and the Death Drop (Heenan: “HE CAN BEAT HOGAN!”) to send the fans further into a frenzy to end the show. Right there you knew who should take the title from Hogan and he did. Over nine months later. And after Luger did it too. But at least he did it! This was a red hot closing to the show as the fans finally had their hero after nine months of NWO dominance.

Roll credits (which are mostly just first names to go with the Uncensored theme in a nice try of an idea which didn’t really make sense here).

 

Results
Dean Malenko b. Eddie Guerrero – Camera shot
Ultimo Dragon b. Psychosis – Tiger suplex
Glacier b. Mortis – Cryonic Kick
Buff Bagwell b. Scotty Riggs when Bagwell touched all four corners
Harlem Heat b. Public Enemy – Harlem Hangover to Rock
Prince Iaukea b. Rey Mysterio – Sunset flip
Team NWO b. Team WCW and Team Piper last eliminating Lex Luger

 

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7.5

The final score: review Good

The 411

Your mileage on the main event may vary (it’s a weird setup but it’s never too complicated) but overall, this show works a lot more than it doesn’t. There is a rough stretch of three matches but if you skip that run (and Harlem Heat vs. Public Enemy isn’t bad), you have a pretty solid show here. It’s certainly better than some of the messes that WCW presented around this time so I’ll call this a nice surprise.