Welcome Message:

Whatya gonna' do...brother?

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

NWA/WCW Big Event Project #47: SuperBrawl II (Turner Home Entertainment Edit)

-2/29/92

-From Milwakuee, WI

-Hosts are JR & Jesse Ventura

-CUT FROM THE HOME VIDEO: Marcus Bagwell def. Terry Taylor, Ron Simmons def. Cactus Jack, Van Hammer & Tom Zenk def. Richard Morton & Vinnie Vegas

-Match 1 for the Light-Heavyweight Championship: Jushin Thunder Liger [c] VS Brian Pillman

-Small smattering of boos for Pillman during his entrance. Jesse is pumped to see Liger in the flesh. Liger dumps Pillman outside, and follows up with a somersault off the top to the floor. Pillman comes back with Air Pillman, then suplexes Liger over the ropes, to the outside, somehow not getting DQ'd for it. Jesse already declares it the greatest airial match he's ever seen before Pillman hits a dive off the top to the floor. Pillman goes for a dive off the apron, but misses and eats the guardrail.

Back in, Liger flies off the top, but Pillman counters with a dropkick. Pillman hits a big powerslam for two. Liger hits a bridged German suplex for two. Pillman fights off a superplex, dumps Liger, and hits a crossbody off the top for a close near-fall. Pillman lowers his head too early, and Liger hits a powerbomb for two. Pillman hits a spike DDT for two. They run the ropes, and both go for a crossbody, causing them to smack heads in mid-air.

Liger shakes the ropes to crotch Pillman, and hits a superplex for two. Liger misses a diving headbut, and Pillman rolls him up for the pin and the title. Show of sportsmanship after the pin. Excellent opener. Crowd was going nuts the whole time. Pretty much the prototype for RoH main events.

-Tony Schiavone & Eric Bischoff react to the opener, then send it to Missy, who is with the Taylor-Made Man. Taylor's suit looks like a really cheap version of DiBiase's. Taylor was going to show Marcus Alexander Bagwell how to be a winner, but now he's going to show him how to be a loser.

-Match 2: Larry Zybyszko & Television Champion Steve Austin (w/Madusa) VS Barry Windham & Dustin Rhodes

-Jesse goes into Jerry Lawler mode, commenting on how great Madusa's chest looks. Match immediately breaks down, and the babyfaces dominate the first few minutes. Windham throws Austin in Austin's corner on purpose, so Austin will tag Larry. Larry kicks Windham onto the ramp, but Windham counters a piledriver with a backdrop, then floors Larry with a clothesline. Back in, Windham hits a flying clothesline, but then pulls Larry up at two.

Dustin gets in, and goes after Larry's hand and arm. Windham hits a gutwrench suplex. Windham goes for a piledriver, but Austin breaks it up with a clothesline. Windham gets throws over the top, and Larry crotches him on the guardrail. Austin works Windham over, and avoids a flying clothesline, which sends Windham out over the top, where Larry can do more damage.

Larry gets in, and hits a swinging neck breaker, which causes Dustin to get in to make the save. Windham plays the face-in-peril as Jesse and JR discuss college football, with Jesse getting a nice shot in at Oklahoma, stating that it's the one place where players take a pay cut to go from college to the NFL. Windham finally makes the tag. Dustin hits Austin with an inverted atomic drop, dropkick, and an elbow drop for two. Larry & Windham fight on the ramp, and Dustin does a Jannetty flip off an Austin clothesline.

Dustin hits a flurry on Larry, but lowers his head and takes a DDT for two. Madusa slaps Dustin across the face. Dustin chases her, allowing Austin to hit Dustin with a clothesline on the ramp. Dustin fights out of an Austin chinlock and hits a crossbody, but is again knocked for a flip by an Austin clothesline. Dustin manages to get a small package on Austin, but Nick Patrick is with Windham, and the delay allows Austin to kick out at two.

Match slows down as Austin works another chinlock. Dustin gets out, hits Austin with an awkward hot shot, and makes the hot tag to Windham. Larry blocks a superplex and dumps Windham, but Rhodes knocks Larry off the top, and Windham finishes Larry with a flying clothesline off the top. Great tag match, with only a small lull when Austin was working the chinlock.

-Tony & Eric (now in a Michigan jacket) discuss the tag title match. Missy tries to get an interview with Ricky Steamboat. The Ninja, who is guarding Steamboat's locker room, allows her in when Steamboat sets something on fire, and they leave. Madusa tries to get past the Ninja, but he refuses. Madusa slaps the Ninja, and he gives chase.

-Match 3 for the World Tag Team Championship: Arn Anderson & Bobby Eaton [c] (w/Paul E. Dangerously) VS The Steiner Brothers

-Before the match starts, it is announced that Kip Frye has banned Paul from ringside during this match in top of banning him from the U.S. title match. As Paul is pulled away, Jesse demands an investigation of the University of Michigan, since Rick Steiner is too dumb to have passed any SAT requirements or pass his classes. Can't say I argue with that. Madusa takes Paul's place.

Scott out-wrestles Bobby to start. Bobby manages to hit a swinging neck breaker and goes up top, but Scott catches him with an overhead throw on the way down. AA gets the tag, and talks Scott into tagging Rick in. Cute spot as AA drops down, and Rick drops down beside him before kicking AA in the head, causing Arn to slide into the ring post. Rick hits a big powerslam, and AA slides into his corner to regroup. Scott gets in and powers out of an overhead wrist lock from AA, and the Steiners clothesline the champions out over the top.

Jesse and JR have a political discussion as Scott drops Bobby with a clothesline on the floor. Scott almost gets AA in Dragon sleeper position, but gets backed into the champions' corner. Scott and Bobby go to the ramp, where Scott hits a tilt-a-whirl slam. Scott locks in what would years later become the Steiner Recliner, but here it's just a transition move that allows Scott to make the tag. Rick catches Bobby as Bobby climbs the turnbuckles, and the Steiners hit a modified Doomsday Device with Scott walking the second rope to deliver the clothesline.

Rick flies off the top, but Bobby catches him with an inverted atomic drop on the way down that was pretty slickly executed. Bobby gets two off that, and now Rick is the face-in-peril. That doesn't last long as the Steiners turn the tide. Scott gets in, and AA rams Scott's head into Bobby's to regain control. Scott becomes the face-in-peril. Champions get Scott on the ramp, where they hit a Rocket Launcher.

Scott makes the tag. Champions get Rick in Doomsday Device position. Rick is supposed to catch Bobby with a slam as he goes for the clothesline, but he blows the spot. Rick hits AA with a top rope bulldog for two. Madusa blinds Rick with powder, and Rick suplexes the referee. Match completely breaks down, and Scott pins Bobby with a Frankensteiner with a second ref making the count, After the pin, three referees conference, and the decision is changed to a DQ win for the Dangerous Alliance. Match was really good before the Dusty Finish.

-Backstage, Missy is outside Steamboat's locker room, where the Ninja is posted again. Steamboat exits for the match. Tony & Eric preview the U.S. title match. Eric picks Steamboat while Tony picks Rude.

-Match 4 for the United States Championship: Rick Rude [c] VS Ricky Steamboat (w/The Ninja)

-HUGE heat for Rude, who takes four attempts to go through his pre-match spiel because the boos are so loud. Steamboat hits a series of arm drags and a choke lift. Steamboat crotches Rude with the ring post, which insenses Jesse. Rude lands a series of forearms, but Steamboat goes right back to work o Rude's arm with a hammerlock slam. Steamboat hits another arm drag and locks in another arm bar.

JR & Jessie argue over whether The Ninja is actually protecting Steamboat from anyone while Rude fights out of an overhead wristlock. Rude goes for a crossbody and they're supposed to fall over the top, but they can't make it over the ropes. Rude works Steamboat over as Jesse tells JR he should wear a cowboy hat. Heh. Rude hits a big clothesline, but it's with the injured arm, and Rude sells the injury well. Rude uses the injured arm again, and can't flex while he swivels his hips.

Rude starts working on Steamboat's neck, including a piledriver for two. Rude hits a belly-to-back suplex for two. Steamboat counters a side headlock with a shinbreaker and locks in a figure 4. Rude grabs the ropes to escape, then kicks Steamboat into the turnbuckles before hitting a clothesline from behind. Rude hits a couple axe handles off the top and a right-armed clothesline for two.

Rude locks in a rear chinlock, which Steamboat counters with an electric chair drop. They run the ropes and both go for a leap frog at the same time, colliding in mid-air. Steamboat fights out of a sleeper and locks in one of his own, but Rude counters that with a chin breaker. Rude goes up top, but Steamboat kicks Rude's leg out from...his leg, and crotches Rude. Steamboat hits a superplex for two.

Awkward moment as Steamboat is apparently supposed to hit a series of three clotheslines, but pauses before hitting the third, instead hitting an enziguiri that catches Rude in the back. Steamboat swivels his hips to mock Rude. Steamboat hits a flying chop and goes up top for another, but then the Ninja suddenly attacks Steamboat with a mobile phone, knocking Steamboat off the top, and Rude gets the pin off that. Awesome match. A completely different world than their match at the '89 Royal Rumble. Jesse speculates that the Ninja isn't Paul, and that Steamboat didn't pay the Ninja enough money.

-Eric & Tony react to the U.S. title match. Missy tries to get a word with Rude and gets into the Dangerous Alliance locker room, where Paul is changing out of the Ninja outfit. Missy is SHOCKED that the Ninja was Paul.

-Jesse gives JR credit for being right about Paul as the Ninja, and they preview the main event.

-Match 5 for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship: Lex Luger [c] (w/Harley Race) VS Sting

-Crowd loses their shit for Sting, who gets a smoke and pyro entrance. JR & Jesse speculate on how Luger bulked up a lot in 30 days. The two have a conversation and a shoving match to start. Luger roughs Sting up early. Luger misses an avalanche. Sting hits a Stinger splash, but Luger no-sells and floors Sting with a clothesline. Luger hits a powerslam and goes for the torture rack.

Sting flips out of the rack and hits a release German suplex. Sting locks in the rack. Luger struggles with it, and it pretty much turns into an inverted TKO. Luger sets too early, and Sting hits a leaping DDT, causing Luger to bail. Sting gets caught up with Handsome Harley. Luger tries to take advantage, but Sting fights him off. Sting hits a backdrop for two. Sting goes for the Scorpion Deathlock, but Luger immediately makes it to the ropes.

Luger pokes Sting in the eye, and gives him a rope burn. Sting locks in a blatant choke, and while Nick Patrick tries to pull him away, Luger hits a low blow. Luger hits the Attitude Adjustment, but Sting kicks out at two. Luger pounds away, but Sting hulks up to turn the tide. Sting gives Luger a rope burn. Sting dives at Luger, who ducks, which sends Sting over the top. Harley tries to piledrive Sting on the floor, but Sting backdrops Harley, and hits Luger with a crossbody off the top to win the title and send Luger to the WBF. Decent main event, but it was missing a big finishing sequence.

-FINAL THOUGHTS: Can't say anything about the whole show with so much cut out, but the home video is awesome, with only the main event falling below great.

No comments:

Post a Comment