wrestling / Video Reviews
Leighty’s Retro Review: WCW Slamboree ’94
Image Credit: WWE
Loading...-The wrestling world lost Kevin Sullivan yesterday. As I have gotten older is has become increasingly sad seeing the men and women I grew up watching as a child pass away. I wanted to find a way to paid tribute to Mr. Sullivan and figured the best way was to review this show as it contains not only my favorite Sullivan match, but one of the favorite matches of all time. RIP sir! Let’s get to it!
-Announce Team: Tony Schiavone, Bobby “The Brain” Heenan or Jesse “The Body” Ventura
-Philadelphia, PA
-May 22, 1994
-Attendance: 4800
-PPV Buys: 105,000
-Mean Gene Okerlund welcomes us to the show and brings out the Legends: Ole Anderson, The Assassin, Penny Banner, Red Bastien, Tully Blanchard, The Crusher, Don Curtis, Verne Gagne, Terry Funk (no show and that would mean something later), Hard Boiled Haggerty, Larry Hennig, Killer Kowalski, Ernie Ladd, Wahoo McDaniel, Angelo Mosca, Harley Race, Johnny Weaver, Mr. Wrestling II, and Tommy Young.
-Tony and Bobby are ringside with Nick Bockwinkel, who announces that Rick Rude has been stripped of the WCW International Championship. He brings Sting out, and wants to name him Champion, but Sting doesn’t want to win it that way. He wants a match against Vader tonight to be for the International World Title.
WCW United States Championship: “Stunning” Steve Austin (c) (w/ Colonel Parker) vs. Johnny B. Badd
-Two years later these two men are wrestling in WWF in a match that helped change history. Funny how things work out! Badd gets a side headlock, but gets backed into the corner. Steve offers a clean break and pats Badd on the chest to mock him. Badd takes it to the mat and gets a hammerlock, but Austin spins out to escape. He hooks a sleeper, but Badd drops down with a jawbreaker and I believe that is the move that two years later, split Austin’s mouth causing him to leave and get stitches. Tony and Bobby point out Sherri sitting at ringside and Heenan notes she is stalking her next man. COLONEL PARKER! Austin and Badd continue to battle over arm control and Austin uses the hair to keep taking Badd down. Badd gets a drop toe-hold and hooks an armbar. Austin tries to break with a slam, but Badd holds the arm and rolls through to maintain control. Badd with a cross-body and right back to the arm as I notice ECW Hat Guy in the front row getting on Parker’s case. Badd switches to a hammerlock as the crowd is starting to get a little restless. Austin is able to get a knee, but Badd with a quick roll-up for two and then back to the armbar. Austin goes to the hair and then waffles Badd with a double axe to the face! Austin drops a knee and uses the shin to choke as he holds the ropes. Austin pulls the ref away so Parker can choke Badd on the middle rope. Badd starts to fight back, but Austin uses the tights to pitch Badd to the floor. Austin brings Badd back in with a suplex and then drops a knee for a two count. Reverse chinlock from Austin, which isn’t what this match needs. Austin comes off the ropes but gets caught with knees. Badd with a slam! Austin drops an elbow and fires off some chops in the corner. Badd comes out of the corner and gets a backdrop. He runs out of the corner with a clothesline and gets another slam. Dropkick from Badd! Knee-lift! Parker is on the apron as Badd gets a roll-up, so no ref to count. Austin accidentally hits the Colonel and Badd gets a roll-up for two as the bell prematurely rings. Badd with a sunset flip for two! Austin goes to the eyes and we get a really awkward ending as Austin kicks off the ropes to block a belly to back suplex and lands on top for the pin at 16:15.
Winner and Still WCW United States Champion: “Stunning” Steve Austin via pin at 16:15
-The last few minutes got really good and got the crowd rolling, but it took a while to get there. The ending was kind of anti-climatic as well, which sucked. **1/2
-Gene plugs The Hotline and then interviews Wahoo and Ernie Ladd! Wahoo tells Heenan he made need a great Indian blanket to bury himself in when he dies. Okay!
-Dusty Rhodes cuts a pre-taped promo from Hollywood! You know it’s Hollywood because the green screen behind him has the Hollywood sign.
Legends Match: Tully Blanchard vs. Terry Funk
-Terry Funk was here thanks to a deal WCW and ECW worked out where Arn Anderson and Bobby Eaton worked an ECW show a few weeks earlier. Gordon Solie is on commentary with Bobby “The Brain” Heenan and I wonder if that was the only time they worked together? Funk is immediately in the crowd and is posing with Hat Guy. They start brawling on the floor before the bell rings and are laying into each other hard. Cool! Blanchard with a suplex in the ring and Funk sells it by falling through the ropes. A pair of crutches get thrown into the ring. Funk gets an atomic drop that sends Blanchard into the railing. Funk threatens to slap a cameraman. Neckbreaker from Funk back in the ring gets two. They fight up the ramp and Funk knocks him off the ramp and to the floor. Funk tears a piece of paneling off the side of the ramp and hits Blanchard in the head. PILEDRIVER ON THE PANEL! The fans wants to see a moonsault. Back to the ramp and Funk gets a DDT. The ref yells for them to get back in the ring as he is starting his count. I assume Funk knew what Foley and Sullivan were going to do later and wanted to make sure he went out on his Hardcore Shield as well. Philly wants blood as Punk hits a piledriver in the ring. The place pops as he heads up and comes off with the moonsault, but Blanchard is able to roll out of the way. Blanchard with a kidney punch and then chops in the corner. Funk fires back but Blanchard buries a series of knees in the gut. Whip is reversed and the ref gets knocked down. Funk smells blood and gets a chair from ringside. Blanchard is bleeding! Funk actually tries a piledriver from the top onto the chair, but that doesn’t go as planned. Funk is sitting in the chair and just starts throwing punches. Kick to the face from Blanchard as we get a faint “ECW” chant. The ref gets decked again as Funk blasts Blanchard with the branding iron. The ref calls for the bell at 7:11.
No Winner via Double DQ at 7:11
-Fun brawl that the Philly crowd ate up. Not having a winner was weak, but I assume Blanchard didn’t want to JOB in a Legends match and they didn’t want Funk losing as they had plans for him. ***
-Jesse “The Body” Ventura interviews Ric Flair. They had been teasing that Parker was bringing a 6’7” former World Champion to face Flair. They wanted everyone to think it was Hulk Hogan. Flair doesn’t care who is under the mask as he is The World Champion and stays ready for any kind of action.
Larry Zbyszko vs. Lord Steven Regal (w/ Sir William)
-Regal is The TV Champion, but this match is non-title. Some fan has a sign: “WCW Rules. WWF Stinks,” and Tony just shouts “oh boy.” Oh, the war was coming and it was glorious! Hey, it’s Regal vs. Zbyszko, so there is a lot of stalling to start. If you had over 2 minutes before they make contact you win. Larry gets a trip and then more stalling! Larry with another leg trip as he is trying to embarrass Regal. More stalling! Lockup and Regal gets a side headlock. Larry hits a spin kick to the gut and Regal bails to the floor to stall, I mean regroup. Back in the ring, Larry gets arm control, but Regal rolls to counter. Larry with a roll-up for two and then hooks an abdominal stretch. He uses the ropes behind the ref’s back as he can cheat with the best of them. The ref catches him on the third time, and Regal gets a hip toss to break. Larry with an armdrag and to the armbar, but Regal gets to the bottom rope to break. Larry back to the arm and another leg trip to get the armbar on the mat. He rolls into a short arm scissors, but Regal gets his boot on the bottom rope to force a break. Larry yells at Regal that he isn’t good enough. Larry is kind of a dick here and I am waiting for Regal to punch him in the face. Regal does get Larry backed into the corner and unloads with a series of forearms. European Uppercut gets a two count! Regal lands a back elbow and gets another two count as Larry gets his foot on the bottom rope. Regal works a submission as the crowd starts a “boring” chant. Sir William gets a stomp on the apron. Uppercut is blocked, but Larry can’t get a backslide. Regal bends Larry over his knees for a submission. He releases and they start trading strikes. Sleeper from Larry! He pushes Regal into the corner and gets the sleeper again. Jawbreaker from Regal to break and Williams decks him with the umbrella. Regal with a butterfly suplex, but Larry turns that into a pin as Regal can’t bridge up to escape at 11:35.
Winner: Larry Zbyszko via pin at 11:35
-Not much to this one as we get a lot of stalling and then some mat wrestling. The crowd was quiet for most of it, but popped for the upset win. *1/2
-Mean Gene mentions he has an interview with Hulk Hogan this Saturday. Then he brings Terry Funk into frame for an interview. Funk notes he is The Legend in the most hostile city in the United States. He notes he is a hardcore wrestler and they are live, so he can say and do anything he wants. He brings up Dusty Rhodes and calls him an Egg Sucking Dog. He threatens Dustin and promises to beat him up tonight. I mean, the man is calling his shot here!
-WCW Hall of Fame Ceremony! Harley Race, The Crusher, Ernie Ladd, The Assassin, Ole Anderson, and Dick The Bruiser (represented by his family). Good stuff! I always like seeing the history of wrestling honored.
Bull Rope Match: “The Natural” Dustin Rhodes vs. Bunkhouse Buk (w/ Colonel Parker)
-Buck charges in and gets punched in the head a few times before falling to the floor. Dustin uses the rope to choke and pulls Buck to the apron and then back into the ring. Elbow from Dustin! Dustin continues to choke as Buck still isn’t hooked by the wrist yet. Dustin gets an armbar and gets the rope strapped to Bunk’s wrist, so we are official now. Another elbow from Dustin and then he stomps on Buck’s balls. Buck gets caught with the rope between his legs and takes another dick shot. Dustin uses the cowbell to pound away on Bunk’s knee, which would suck. Heenan is pretty funny on commentary making fun of farmers and cowboys. Philly: “We Want Blood.” Dustin with an atomic drop followed by a lariat for a one count. Dustin wraps Buck’s knee around the post as this has been an ass kicking. More cowbell shots to the knee! Back in the ring Dustin continues to work the knee with the cowbell. Buck gets resourceful and pulls Dustin’s shirt over his head and then blasts him with the bell. Buck removes his belt and starts whipping Dustin as Brain makes more jokes. To the floor and Dustin gets sent into the ring post and it made one hell of a sound. Buck ties Dustin around the post and starts unloading with right hands. I appreciate how this isn’t some touch the corner version of the match and instead if just a match where they are beating the snot out of each other until one man is left standing. Dustin is able to get another shot to the balls to buy some time. Tire of using the bell on the knee, Dustin just hits Buck in the head with it and we get another “We Want Blood,” chant. Heenan: “Oh that’s Philadelphia. You hear that every day. My waitress told me that when she brought me my omelet.” Dustin with the mounted punches in the corner as the fans count along and then finishes with an elbow. The ref gets sandwiched between Bunk and Dustin to take him out of the match. Dustin with a suplex and Parker decides to get in the ring. He backs off and Buck hits Dustin from behind. Full Nelson, but Dustin kicks Parker away and hits a home run swing with the bell to the face to get the win at 12:47.
Winner: Dustin Rhodes via pin at 12:47
-Dustin lost the Bunkhouse match the previous PPV, so he needed to get one back here. The crowd was into this one and again, I enjoyed that they just beat the snot out of each other for nearly 13 minutes. There was nothing fancy and they also avoided using any weapons outside the rope and bell. **3/4
-Remember earlier when Terry Funk promised to do whatever he wanted and mentioned Dustin, well he is out with a clever disguise of a towel over his head and he splits Dustin open with the branding iron. There’s the blood Philly wanted! “Terry” chant from the crowd. Heenan tries to put over that the branding iron was hot, but that’s silly.
-Gene plugs the hotline and talks to Ray Stevens and Red Bastian.
WCW World Heavyweight Championship: Ric Flair (c) vs. Barry Windham (w/ Colonel Parker)
-Jesse is on commentary with Tony for the next couple of matches as Heenan gets a break. Parker is out by himself and tells Buffer to take a seat so he can introduce his surprise and as mentioned, it is Barry Windham. Tony immediately brings up that Windham lost his World Title to Flair and then points out a Hogan sign in the crowd and mentions they will talk about that later. Anyone really expecting Hogan was dreaming, as no way they would have that as a surprise. You have Hogan, then you advertise the shit out of that and get the biggest rating, gate you can. As far as a surprise to throw Flair off, this doesn’t work much as Flair knows Windham and what to expect from him. Windham is a little on the pudgy side here as well. Tony gets back to Hogan and mentions Gene will be in Orlando this week. I am sure Jesse was biting his tongue as he had to listen to that and knew his days were numbered. The mat is still soaked with Dustin’s blood and it is kind of fitting to have Flair and Windham beating on each other with Rhodes blood all over the place. They fight to the floor and Windham sends Flair into the railing. Suplex from the apron brings Flair back into the ring. Windham drops a big leg. I see what he did there! Chop and Barry no sells. Windham hooks a reverse chinlock and puts his feet on the ropes for extra leverage. Flair would do the same! Flair gets a reverse in the corner and throws some chops, but Barry sends him to the opposite corner and Flair gets upside down and to the floor. Parker lays in the boots as Barry has the ref. Atomic drop on the floor, but Flair just turns around and fires off a chop. Barry with another suplex from the apron and back inside. Barry gets caught in the corner with an inverted atomic drop. Flair heads up, but we know the deal and Barry punches him. Superplex from Windham gets two! They start trading blows and Flair wins with chops. Flair Flop from Windham! Flair with a suplex and he quickly gets the figure-four. Not even a kick to the knee to set it up? Windham makes the bottom rope as Parker gives a little push. Flair goes for it again, but Windham rakes the eyes. Flair goes for it and gets it again, but Barry is right next to the ropes. Flair heads up and comes off with a punch to the head. He drops a knee to the face for two as Barry gets his foot on the ropes. Chop! Barry punches back, so Flair gets a cross-body and both men tumble over the top to the floor. Hat Guy gets more screen time! Chop from Flair and then back into the ring. Flair is throwing hands and Barry backs off in the corner. Big right hand drops Barry and Flair gets a roll-up for two. Barry with a head-butt to the ribs and he pitches Flair to the floor. Colonel over, but Flair decks him. Flair with a sunset flip, but Colonel holds Windham so he can get a two count. Flair completes the move for two. Colonel gets decked again to take him out of the match. Barry sends Flair to the corner and this time he is able to flip over, run the apron and comes off the top with a crossbody for the pin at 13:23.
Winner and Still WCW World Heavyweight Champion: Ric Flair via pin at 13:23
-These are two pros and while not close to what they did in the past it was fine. Barry didn’t seem motivated and I can see why as he was just thrown out there as challenger of the month while everyone waited to see what Hogan would be doing. This was Flair’s last real hurrah as face of the company before everything changed. **1/2
-Bash at The Beach commercial! Hope they have a dream match main event to provide the biggest buy rate in company history (to that point) planned.
-Gene is with more legends: Don Curtis and The Crusher!
-Dave Schultz, former enforcer for the Flyers, cuts a promo as he is the special ref for our next match.
WCW Tag Team Titles: Broadstreet Bully Match: The Nasty Boys (c) vs. Cactus Jack and Kevin Sullivan
-Buffer mentioning The Flyers won the Cup nearly 20 years ago makes me laugh as they are still waiting. 39 years and counting! Have you seen The Flyers win The Cup? Sidney Crobsy owns you! Sorry, sorry. Dave Schultz is your special referee. Cactus had been teaming with Maxx Payne and they had a wild brawl at Spring Stampede with The Nasty Boys. Payne got injured, so Sullivan is taking his place as The Nasty Boys put his brother, Dave on the shelf. I have seen this match a ton as I owned this PPV on VHS when I found it at our local National Record Mart (yes, I am old). Spoiler: This is one of my favorite matches of all time, so you can pretty much guess the rating. Let’s Go! Sullivan is wearing a Phillies version to suck up and I can’t talk crap on them as I am a Pirates fan. We do have Skenes though! The name of the match is just a different way of saying Street Fight. THE BRAWL IS ON! All four men go at once and it’s chaos to start. Sags and Cactus immediately beat on each other with chairs and fight through the crowd. Sullivan uses a crutch on Knobbs, who then grabs a chair and decks Sullivan in the head. Sags and Cactus start to fight towards the back while Sullivan and Knobbs get in the ring. A fire extinguisher gets dropped on Cactus’ back. Sullivan hits a piledriver on the ramp. Jack back with a trashcan to the head of Sags. Running trashcan shot to Sags as the Philly crowd is loving every second of this. All four men brawl on the ramp as Jesse and Tony are just in awe of the carnage. Cactus comes off the middle rope with an elbow to the floor, but Knobbs moves and Cactus flattens the trashcan. Knobbs wildly swings it and bounces it off Cactus’ head. Just sick, unprotected head shots with whatever they can find. Some fans camera gets broken over Cactus. Knobbs gets the remains of the can thrown at his face. Chair shot to Cactus! Sullivan picks up the chair and fires it at Knobbs’ face. Sags goes crazy with the flattened can as Tony calls this the damndest thing he has ever seen. Cactus with a clothesline on Knobbs to send him back in the ring as the crowd erupts. Sags and Cactus fight up the ramp and Cactus gets tossed off the ramp and through a table. Hey why not use a light stand? Sags abuses Cactus with that, but gets tripped. CACTUS SUPLEXES THE TABLE ON SAGS! Chair shot from Sullivan to Knobbs. Sags picks up a piece of the table and breaks it over Cactus’ head. Sullivan and Knobbs head to the entrance to join the other two. A trash can lid gets put to good use by Sags. Somewhere a fire extinguisher gets set off by Cactus, who is tucked under the stage. Sags is choking on the smoke from the extinguisher. Cactus and Sags head back towards the ring as we still haven’t anyone go for a pin, which is cool touch. Knobbs with a lid shot to Sullivan. Cactus is bleeding all over the place as Sags comes off the top with his elbow. Instead of going for the cover, he pushes Schultz and goes for his hockey stick. Schultz stops that and the crowd erupts as they get into a fight. Schultz wins the hockey fight and Cactus decks Sags with the hockey stick for the pin at 9:38.
Winner and New WCW Tag Team Champions: Cactus Jack and Kevin Sullivan via pin at 9:39
-I love this match so much! Just total chaos from the opening bell and it didn’t need to be a 20 minute drawn out brawl. There was only one pin attempt and it was the one that ended the match. It also gave Payne and Dave a chance to get their revenge while blowing off the feud for good. I didn’t know of ECW and this was basically my introduction as Jack and Sullivan were masters of that style and you could see the influence. Jesse and Tony only added to it, and I think Jesse on commentary worked better than Heenan as I think Bobby would have been trying to cut too many jokes. Obviously this may seem tame 30 years later to people who have watched what has been done in recent years, but for me this match still holds up as an all time classic. *****
-We are don’t yet! Sags attacks Jack after the match and beats on him with the stick. That brings out Maxx Payne for his revenge and he hits THE GREATEST GUITAR SHOT OF ALL TIME on Saggs to bring the house down. That was beautiful! Knobbs is still up and starts to retreat. Dave Sullivan hobbles down and gets his revenge by breaking a crutch over Knobbs chest. The Champs, the ref, and their friends all celebrate on the ramp as the crowd goes crazy.
-Back to Gene who is with Lou Thesz and Verne Gagne. Both of them are rather shocked by the Tag Match that just happened.
WCW International World Heavyweight Title: Sting vs. Vader (w/ Harley Race)
-As mentioned earlier, Sting lost the Title to Rude in Japan, but Rude got injured in the match. They came up with the story to reverse the decision because Rude cheated. Originally, this was supposed to be Rude defending against Vader. Now we get Sting vs. Vader for the vacated Title. Was there ever an explanation for Buffer calling Randy Anderson, “Randy Peterson,” all those years? Still bothers me today! Hey, there’s Vlad wearing a Sting shirt. His WWE documentary was finally released and my recap of that can be found here. These two have faced each other numerous times and they always seem to deliver. Vader backs Sting into the ropes, offers a clean break, and bows. Mind games from Vader! Sting is very cautious here which shows he has learned from his previous matches against Vader. Philly: “Sting must die.” Vader tries to give them what they want as he boxes Sting’s ears in the corner. Sting covers up to try to let Vader punch himself out, but instead he just eats a few that get through and ends up on the ground. Heavy clothesline from Vader! Sting ducks a second clothesline and starts unloading with right hands. He punches Vader down and lands a kick that sends Vader through the ropes and to the floor. Vader removes the head gear and seems frustrated. Sting tries a suplex and he actually hits it which floors Heenan. Both men collide and neither gives an inch. Another go and this time Vader mauls him and then drops an elbow. Vader: “How does that feel punk?” Vader stands on Sting’s head because why not? VADER BOMB gets two! Tony is all about the history as he mentions Vader broke Sting’s ribs in April of 1992. Another Vader Bomb, but Sting is able to grab the bottom rope. Vader hooks a knee-bar as Sting screams in pain. Vader rolls over and puts the point of his elbow in Sting’s kidney area. He then stretches his arm as well. Head-butt from Vader and then some ground and pound. Sting is amazing at taking a shit kicking from a monster. He has had enough and gets a flurry out of the corner. He drops an elbow and both men are down as Heenan questions if that was the last bit of energy Sting had in him. Vader is up first and drops an elbow to the back. Another elbow gets two. Sting gets dirty and goes to the eyes, but Vader ducks a clothesline and the ref gets wiped out. Chokeslam from Vader, but there is no ref to count. Harley Race gets up on the ramp with a chair and accidentally decks Vader. That was a weak chair shot from Race. He would have slapped someone if they hit him like that. Sting with a DDT for two. Sting with a suplex from the apron and then a clothesline sends Vader to the floor. Vader walks back in and Sting gets a Stinger Splash, but Vader catches him and gets a powerslam. Vader pulls off the cover though which looked really weird. He tries the top rope moonsault, but Sting moves. Sting covers, so Race tries a top rope headbutt, but Sting moves and Vader eats the headbutt. Anderson pushes Harley out of the ring and Sting comes off top with a splash for the pin and Title at 13:52.
Winner and New WCW International World Heavyweight Champion: Sting via pin at 13:52
-The usual good match between these two, but not top level like some of their other matches. They just mesh so well together, and I think this was hurt a little by the fact they were just thrown together after the injury to Rude. Still a good ending to the show and a way to send the crowd home happy. ***1/2
-A pissed off Vader terrorizes Schiavone and Heenan as they wrap up the show.
-I always thought is was weird as a kid that WCW had credits at the end of their shows. I hope that Bischoff character has a good idea to justify being EVP.
-Thanks for reading!
