When I started this project, one of my main goals and purpose was to watch the history of PPVs as the WWF wanted me to see it. I knew there was going to be potentially biased when the Monday Night Wars began or with editing that would change the narratives. I think that is going to be 99% from the directive of the head honchos in the WWF.
I believe that this show is not one of them.
Halloween Havoc 1990 was one of those shows I watched constantly as a child for no particular reason. It was a fun show that I didn’t understand as being particularly notorious later on for the Black Scorpion saga and the WrestleCraptastic ending. Like many of the PPVs from this era, the undercard was filled with random matches that have no real barring on anything.
Apparently, the NWA felt the same way when the VHS was released because the show is truncated from three hours to two hours. Three matches are omitted: Brad Armstrong vs J.W. Storm, The Master Blasters vs the Southern Boys and Junkyard Dog vs Moondog Spot. On paper and in reality, you’re missing nothing there. On the WWF Network, the VHS version lives on. That’s crazy to me because you’d have to think they have the ability to have the full show. We’ve seen technical issues with NWA shows previously, but this isn’t the case.
It pains me in this project. I’m taking meticulous records of multiple things like records and appearances and I’m missing out on so much there. Just from those matches, I’m losing out on a rematch from the Wrestling Classic, the existence of Candyman and the first ever PPV match of Kevin Nash.
I could find the full version elsewhere, but I won’t. I intended on doing this according to the WWE Network and that’s what I will do. The question now is this: does the shortest PPV I’ve seen thus far make it an easier and better viewing experience?
PAY PER VIEW NUMBER 34- NWA HALLOWEEN HAVOC 1990
Written on 6/5/2020
THE FIRST THING YOU SEE: The Halloween music accompanies a spooky house, trees and a gargoyle statue. Ghostly images of Sting, Sid Vicious, Stan Hansen and Lex Luger follow. We are live in Chicago with Jim Ross who welcomes us with NOT BOB CAUDLE PRAISE THE LORD. We’ve gone from the doghouse to the penthouse as Paul E. Dangerously is his partner. JR is dressed like a gangster and Paul is dressed like a vampire.
-Tony Schiavone is dressed like the Phantom of the Opera on the ramp with Ricky Morton and Tommy Rich. Morton says hi to Robert Gibson recovering at home and he claims that he’s going to put Badstreet under Bad Construction. I think I can see the Black Scorpion contraption behind them. The faces walk to the ring and Morton’s hair isn’t the usual mullet we see. I LOVE the orange ropes and black middle rope to add to the Halloween theme.
-The Midnight Express get a great pop and they are without the U.S. Tag Titles. I’m almost positive that this is their swan song thanks to Jim Herd. Cornette makes a Bela Lugosi reference I don’t understand. Paul wisely gives context as to why Rich is teaming with Morton and details the Freebirds taking Gibson out.
MATCH NUMBER ONE: Ricky Morton and Tommy Rich vs The Midnight Express w/Jim Cornette
-Paul asks if rednecks and Oklahomans can rock and roll. This is a good start.
-Bobby Eaton and Ricky Morton start and Eaton gets a rare advantage to start with some hip tosses.
-Great back and forth sequence between Eaton and Morton with leapfrogs, criss-crosses and ultimately a Morton headscissors.
-Eaton does a great catapult of Morton into Lane who powerslams Ricky. They are still innovating!
-I like Nick Patrick’s sneakers.
-Eaton flies from the top in the ring over the post onto Morton on the floor with a flying nothing. Morton, who is still legal, also takes the end of Cornette’s racket to the throat.
-Morton is slammed on the floor and the ramp. Then…Eaton hits the Rocket Launcher from the ring to the ramp on Morton! That’s an early MVP once more for Bobby Eaton.
-Morton takes a neckbreaker wrong, but it turns out looks like a cutter. Eaton then hits a slingshot belly to backbreaker. This just strengthens his MVP case.
-We get some early Latino Heat psychology when Stan Lane throws Morton over the top behind the ref’s back, then sells on the mat. Eaton is sent HARD into the post on the floor and Morton does a fucking hurricanrana.
-AMAZING elevation on the Alabama Jam. Eaton may go wire-to-wire. He doesn’t go for the pin, but tries for the ten count instead?!?!
-Morton gets the knees up on a second Rocket Launcher and Tommy Rich is finally tagged in after 13 minutes in the ring. The crowd is muted because Rich is just not over. His Thesz Press is broken up. Tommy goes to the top and Cornette slams his back with the racket.
-The Southern Boys come out dressed like nerds/Jim Cornette to distract the heels. They attack Cornette, Morton throws Eaton out and Tommy Rich borrows the racket.
WINNERS: Ricky Morton and Tommy Rich at 14:00 when Tommy Rich pinned Stan Lane after a tennis racket shot.
FINAL WORD: Screwy ending? Yes. Bobby Eaton is the man? You bet your ass.
-The replay starts, but it edits into Schiavone and his DSLs as the Phantom interviewing Sting. He doesn’t have his title with him. Sting is too excited and fucks all of his words up about Sid while trying to talk about the Black Scorpion. This is a rare LVP worthy promo for Sting. He definitely did coke before this. Speaking of coke and LVP cases: Ole Anderson’s voiceover starts as the Black Scorpion appears onstage and kidnaps a woman to show his black magic powers. Sting is held back from helping after doing nothing at first anyway. They disappear from the preconstructed contraption and pyro goes off. The Scorpion and woman appear on the stage Sting and Schiavone were on.
-The woman jumps into Sting’s arms and the Scorpion scurries off. This is BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD theater and the crowd doesn’t give a fuck. Paul tries his best saying “that ain’t right” and “you can’t be two places at once!” JR also tries to put over this as a serious occurrence. I can’t help but think of Vince McMahon in Beyond the Mat here: “we make movies.” Here we have our reference challenge!
-GMC introduces the Renegade Warriors: Chris and Mark Youngblood in brightly colored Native American outfits. This is their PPV debut (and farewell) together. The Freebirds enter with their number one roadie and best friend, Little Richard Marley. What the fuck? Is that D-Ray 3000? Never mind that: did JR just call him Rodney King?!?!?!?!?!?! Oh, thank god: his name is ROCKY King. Whew. He’s just some jobber apparently. He’s wearing Robert Gibson’s tights and mocking his injury with crutches and wearing face pain of the Ultimate variety for some reason.
MATCH NUMBER TWO: The Renegade Warriors vs The Fabulous Freebirds w/Little Richard Marley
-Michael Hayes’ hair is pink and the Renegade Warriors’ gear could be much better. They need to get better gear, get some abs (man, this Beyond the Mat challenge is easy.)
-Speaking of JR, he gets so flustered by Paul E and it’s so refreshing versus his relationship with Caudle and others. JR is good here as he defends Robert Gibson, calling him a friend and being legitimately mad at the Freebirds. Paul doesn’t let up either.
-The commentators keep talking about some guy named Iron Eagle as Chris Youngblood seems sloppy. He takes a straight punch from Hayes and the Birds take over.
-Michael Hayes looks like Mil Mascaras in the 1997 Rumble. He’s bumping just as little as well.
-Hayes chokes Chris very oddly on the ropes. It’s like he’s teabagging his neck and sitting on his head. The crowd chants for the DDT.
-The edit on this show is substantial. 15 minutes are announced as gone by at 8 minutes. You couldn’t really tell where this match was edited. It honestly might be for the best with this boring affair.
-JR calls Paul Jon Lovitz with a pathological liar line and Paul does a pitch perfect “that’s the ticket!” More like that’s the MVP!
-Chris tags Mark and the crowd is totally silent for these two after seemingly done nothing wrong but being bland. Some double corner punches and Marley is brought into the ring. He distracts the ref breaking up the pin.
-All that build and that DDT sucked.
WINNERS: The Fabulous Freebirds in 12:37 when Jimmy Garvin pins Mark Youngblood after a Michael Hayes DDT.
FINAL WORD: No wonder why we never see the Renegade Warriors again.
-There is a separate entrance and exit. This isn’t a baseball stadium! The replay shows an awful angle of the DDT that JR still tries to sell.
-The Horsemen are interviewed by Tony Schiavone. Arn Anderson puts over the upcoming Doom/Horsemen match beautifully by laying out the “no bad guy or good guy” scenario. Ric Flair yells nothing of note. Sid Vicious yells even louder with this gem: “It’s Halloween and the trick is making it out alive!” Okay, that’s good. I’m shocked he didn’t fuck that up.
-A one-hour time limit is announced as the Nasty Boys walk out. That’s the funniest thing of all time!!! They are the number three ranked team and they are wearing shiny black leather jackets. This is the thinnest they’ve ever been. The Steiner music I’m used to plays and that’s where the U.S. Tag Titles are! Why can’t I see them versus the Midnight Express on PPV? The Steiners get in the ring and the fight starts.
MATCH NUMBER THREE: U.S. TAG TITLE MATCH- The Nasty Boys vs The Steiner Brothers (Champs)
-Knobbs and Rick Steiner are laying it in! Saggs is sent into the post by Scott Steiner. The crowd is hot, hot, hot. Sags hits a dangerous and UNPROTECTED chair to the back of Scott’s head as he lays on the floor while the ref is preoccupied in the ring.
-Sags tries a superplex and Scott gets out in amazing fashion before hitting a top rope belly to belly. The coordination in this spot makes me look up how old the Nasty Boys are here. Knobbs is 26 and Sags is 25!!!!
-The match finally settles into a regular tag match. Scott hits a sitout Tiger Bomb and he’s the best in the world in this moment.
-A Doomsday bulldog and the Steiner Brothers are the best in the world in this moment. I love the Midnight Express, but nobody touches Rick and Scott right here. Knobbs hits Scott in the back with a chair behind the ref’s back and it gets a believable two count.
-Sags hits a knee from the apron to the floor on Scott. The announcers put over Scott taking a bad beatdown during the contract signing.
-Sags hits the first pumphandle slam I’ve ever seen. I wonder if Headbanger Thrasher is backstage thinking of stealing it like a Mike Modest move (told you this Beyond the Mat challenge was easy). Sags also hits a gutwrench slam. Jerry Sags is creeping into the MVP race! What a world!
-The Nasties cheat on an abdominal stretch and Rick breaks it up with a stiff shot to Knobbs’ face.
-Scott breaks a long bearhug with a classic belly to belly.
-Rick hits a leaping Steinerline on Knobbs, then misses a big dive of sorts. Scott takes a spike piledriver, but Knobbs distracts the ref afterwards for some reason. Rick hits Sags in the back with a chair and Sags is now bleeding on the top of his head. He takes a belly to belly right on top of the dome and now he’s bleeding everywhere.
-Some good cutoffs as Scott still gets beat down. He powers up with his arms out of a Boston Crab.
-15 minutes have gone by at 12 minutes. That’s a little better. JR talks about Brad Armstrong upsetting J.W. Storm earlier and I’m not upset I missed that.
-Rick finally gets tagged in and destroys the Boys with Steinerlines and belly to belly suplexes. Sags throws Scott hard over the top as he was taking corner punches. Rick hits a double Steinerline from the top rope in retaliation.
-The Nasty Boys are resilient and bounce Scott off of the floor with a double body slam. Scott rebounds by throwing Sags into the post.
-No tag, don’t care! Another Steinerline, a call for it and Knobbs gets over for it.
WINNERS: The Steiner Brothers in 15:22 to retain the titles when Scott Steiner pinned Brian Knobbs with a Frankensteiner.
-They try to go to the replay, but the Nasty Boys jump Rick with one of the belts, then they beat up Scott. Sags throws the ref down and they are a great, unstable presence. Rick is thrown into the post shoulder first twice very hard. It’s a shame they will get neutered in WWF soon. The replay finally shows Knobbs landing right on his forehead with that Frankensteiner.
FINAL WORD: That match RULED in every way.
-Tony Schiavone interviews Scott Steiner who promises blood and guts. A concession guy walks up behind him and it’s Sags in a wig and costume. Scott takes an UNPROTECTED tray shot right to the head. There has to be some time passed here, right? A match was edited out or Sags is the quickest change artist this side of Broadway. Knobbs joins the beatdown and Sags is a legit MVP threat. He even said “popcorn” and pretends to be a real worker before attacking Scott. Knobbs cuts a quick promo claiming this beef isn’t over and Paul laughs his ass off before putting over NYC against Chicago.
-Time for ANOTHER tag match. Not 2001 and not the cool Horsemen music leads Arn and Ric to the ring. It’s so weird to see Ric taking such a step back here. The “Godfather of Wrestling” Theodore Long presents Doom with some weak fireworks. This is a very interesting dynamic. Paul blames the carnage of tonight’s show on naming it “Havoc” instead of “Party.”
MATCH NUMBER FOUR: NWA TAG TITLE MATCH- Arn Anderson and Ric Flair vs Doom w/Teddy Long (Champs)
-Arn Anderson and Ron Simmons start. It’s a spinebuster battle! A series of headbutts send Arn to the floor and Doom is seemingly the faces to the crowd and in the match.
-Funny commentary here: JR talks about FST and Ron Simmons and Paul claims Bobby Bowden is a big fan of hi. JR, in a great tone, says “Bobby Bowden’s never heard of you!” Paul says they are going to fight later. These two are the most underrated duo ever.
-Ron shows his breakout face potential with a double clothesline after a 2 on 1. Flair chases Long who gets in the ring and slaps him in the face. The crowd reacts big and so does Paul. Long gets a good pop dancing on the floor.
-It’s Butch Reed vs Ric Flair now. Flair is methodical with chops and punches, but Reed is fired up and hits a series of strikes. Stereo military press slams for the Horsemen and it seems to be a missed opportunity to not turn Doom for good, it seems.
-LOUD chop by Flair and a quick straight jab back by Reed knocks Flair down three times somehow.
-I just have to LOL: Flair takes a punch, tries to tag out and does the Flair flop just missing it. Then, he takes his buckle bump and knocks the camera down before still taking a clothesline on the apron/ramp.
-The Horsemen rope a dope a little bit to take over on Ron. Arn disappoints me with a sloppy spinebuster on Ron and he forcefully kicks out.
-Flair does some leg work and slaps the Figure Four on. Arn cheats behind the ref’s back multiple times behind the ref’s back. In all seriousness, Butch object three separate times in a row, making it worse each time.
-Arn tags in and the same shit happens with a leg lock this time.
-Ric Flair is the greatest comedy wrestler of all time. He runs the ropes and attempts a shoulder tackle on Ron Simmons and just takes a bump on it.
-20 minutes are announced at the 16-minute mark. I think the timekeeper’s watch is dead. Ron hits a nice facebuster on Arn and gets the hot tag to Butch. Reed hits some dropkicks and shoulder blocks before all four men begin brawling.
-Reed hits a big top rope shoulder block on Arn that Ric breaks up for a good near fall. Arn hits the DDT on Reed that Ron breaks up for a good near fall.
-This one really starts breaking down. All four men are on the floor and they begin heading up the exit. You hate to see it.
WINNERS: Double Countout at 18:21
FINAL WORD: A mix of styles and heels that somehow worked. We are batting .750 with these tag matches.
-Stan Hansen cuts a promo backstage with a tiny pumpkin that represents Lex Luger. He has disgusting chaw hanging out of his mouth. I once called Michael Whidden Stan Hansen and I’d like to formally apologize.
-Hansen is now entering the arena with some pyro and he is one crazy man, flailing around with his bullrope and yelling at people. The skulls on his vest make him look like Stone Cold Version 1.0.
-Lex Luger gets the girls shrieking as he enters with the U.S. Title. It’s nice that he coordinated his tights to match the event. Hansen hits the floor with more yelling and rope shit. It’s either too much or just enough, I’m not sure.
MATCH NUMBER FIVE: U.S. TITLE MATCH- Stan Hansen vs Lex Luger (Champ)
-Hansen gets knocked out of the ring early. You can just tell he’s as blind as a bat.
-They brawl on the floor as it seems that all Stan can do is maul. Paul puts over his past of breaking necks well, but doesn’t mention Bruno by name.
-JR calls Lex Luger the “thinking man’s wrestler” because he had a 3.7 GPA. I can’t even with that because the five-minute call was just made two minutes in.
-I haven’t mentioned the ring mat yet. Is that burgundy?
-Stan takes a big tumble over the top running into the corner and Lex dodges him.
-Some back and forth action and some actual wrestling moves like a suplex, slam and elbows by both men.
-The announcers put over Stan’s dangerous history, being banned and fined all over and referees refusing to work his matches. That’s much more important than his college career.
-Ten minutes have gone by after six minutes. Did wrestlers not know their cues any other way?
-A second rope elbow is missed and Lex hits an impressive dropkick.
-Stan back elbows the ref while hitting Lex in the corner. He tries for the lariat, but Lex hits his own instead.
-Dan Spivey, called Stan Hansen’s protégé in Japan, enters to give Stan the rope and cowbell. Lex avoids it and hits a facebuster. I’m proud I avoided the Walken joke there.
-Lex calls for the rack and he never gets it because he just lost fucking clean.
WINNER: Stan Hansen in 9:31 to win the title with a lariat.
-The replay shows how dangerous and sloppy the lariat is as it hits upside Lex’s head and I love it. The crowd is pretty indifferent to this.
FINAL WORD: A best case scenario match with these two and another mindnumbing booking decision that goes against ole Lexy.
-How does Tony Schiavone look increasingly stupid as the Phantom throughout the night? He interviews Teddy Long holding both tag titles. All he really does is rip off “Homey don’t play that” from In Living Color.
-JR talks about the night of upsets as Paul talks on his phone. Missy Hyatt is with them now. Both Paul and Missy predict Sid to win the main event. That’s odd.
-Sid Vicious enters somehow looking badass in black leather stirrups and a vest. He is billed from “anywhere he darn well pleases.” This match has a one-hour time limit and I imagine what that version of hell looks like. Sid gets a very good reaction, but Sting’s is better and he gets much more pyro. Sting has a nice robe and his classic pink tights. Remember those pink tights.
MATCH NUMBER SIX: NWA TITLE MATCH- Sid Vicious vs Sting (Champ)
-They go nose to nose and taunt the crowd to begin. Sid catches Sting off a cross body, gives him a backbreaker that Sting no sells and then immediately goes for the Scorpion, but Sid bails. This is already better than I was thinking.
-They brawl on the floor and Sid is sent into the post. Everything he does looks so planned, like he’s trying to remember the steps.
-Sting launches into some weak looking offense on Sid’s arm. The camera focuses on the fans more than the match itself. JR and Paul get into a good debate about Sting’s inspiration and mindset in the midst of the Black Scorpion drama.
-Sid nips up and clotheslines Sting right in the nipples. Just like the Nasty Boys, I gotta know Sid’s age here and he is about to turn 30. Not a surprise.
-Paul is really pushing his MVP case by putting over Sid’s recovery from a punctured lung and it being just as big an injury as Sting’s knee. He is so damn natural and smooth on the headset.
-Sid hits a powerslam for a two count and Sting sells Sid’s follow up chokes poorly. There’s still no one else as LVP.
-A missed Stinger Splash, but Sid doesn’t do much to follow up but turn his back to taunt and he takes a top rope cross body for a one count.
-Both men miss elbows, get up and talk about what they are going to do next. It looks like they decide on Sting giving Sid a facebuster. Sid gets a big boot on his next attack and they brawl on the ramp.
-Sting runs up the ramp and barely makes it over the top rope with a diving clothesline. He also barely clears the top rope on a dive to the floor.
-The Horsemen are out and Sid and Sting fight up the exit. Here we go…
-Sting and Sid are back in and Sting tries a bodyslam, but Sid falls on top of him and pins him at 11:48. The bell rings and the place is in a tizzy. You may be wondering why Sting looks taller, heavier and his paint isn’t as messed up.
-Pyro goes off and Paul celebrates as Sting comes back out with a shitty rope tied around him. He gets in the ring and hits Sid with the title belt as BALLOONS are dropped and popped in the crowd. One more splash and the bell rings again.
WINNER: Sting in 12:37 with a small package
FINAL WORD: What a confusing fucking mess…and that’s BEFORE the fake Sting shit.
-The crowd still reacts to all of this. The replay shows 2 Stings in the aisleway. JR blurts something out about it possibly being Barry Windham. There are 30 seconds left on the PPV and JR asks how Sting is doing in another lackluster promo. He calls him “Rossy” twice. Paul is mad as hell and more fireworks blast as JR signs off. The credits roll and end with information on how to order the official Halloween Havoc 1990 shirt. Right, so I can never forget this shit.
THE LAST IMAGE: A wide shot of the arena
THE WRAP UP
FINAL MVP of PPV: It was too close to call between Bobby Eaton and Jerry Sags, so I have to give it to the man that made the show more enjoyable throughout, made his partner better and gave actual great anaylsis: Paul E. Dangerously.
FINAL LVP of PPV: It sucks to say, but Sting swung and missed in his first headlining show as champ. His match was uninspiring, his acting was atrocious and he cut two plain bad promos.
MY FAVORITE MATCH: The Steiner Brothers vs The Nasty Boys
MY LEAST FAVORITE MATCH: The Fabulous Freebirds vs The Renegade Warriors
FINAL THOUGHTS: I’m thinking this edited version is a good thing because it was short, sweet and filled with good matches. Everything Sting and Black Scorpion drags it down a bit, but it doesn’t change my overall feeling. MULLET RECOMMENDS
NEXT TIME: One show. Two characters debut. Survivor Series 1990. Relive one of the most important and infamous shows of all time with me. I’ll bring the oversized eggs.