Since our last Flairiod, we have been through A LOT.
I’m sure other time periods in the future will have plenty of historic moments, but the constant state of flux and transition that takes place from April 1992-September 1993. Men who main evented the biggest shows of one company jumped to the other company before you knew it. Creative directions turned on a dime. Ideas swung for the fences and there was no middle ground; homers were hit or flies were killed with the whiffs.
I mentioned it last time, but I really mean it this go-around: this Flairiod will truly be the last of its kind. These next 16 shows (the period of time established for this recap in homage to Ric Flair’s world title reigns and Grantland) will encompass 14 months of shows. PPV production is ramping up. Sure, we are only covering 17 months in this edition, but it felt like 170 months. The wrestling business undergoes a lot of changes in the next period, but it’s nothing compared to the roller coaster we just got off of.
On that ride, who sat in the front row and who cried before getting on out of fear? I’m out of analogies, so let’s just get on with it.
Here is my Top 5 Overall MVPs for the Fourth Flairiod
1. Bobby Heenan- Nobody has more lifetime MVP awards than The Brain and it’s shocking that he only has five. With his wit, passion and character work (particularly around Mr. Perfect during this timeframe), he is perennially a threat to earn this honor. There will never be a better heel color commentator and this era proves it. (Ranked as number 3 overall MVP in Flairiod #3)
2. Bret Hart- The Hitman is done messing around; he’s putting every show on his back and carrying it like Barry Sanders did for the Lions in this era. Nobody sells better or comes up with more creative spots than the Excellence of Execution. Someone recently mentioned that he would not be out of place in the modern wrestling era and I believe it because of this stretch of events. (Ranked as number 5 uncrowned MVP in Flairiod #3)
3. Cactus Jack- Mick Foley didn’t wait until his WWF tenure to steal shows and take ungodly risks with his body. While most guys are just collecting checks in WCW, Mr. Bang Bang is making his opponents look like gold and starting to show the character work that will define his career. (Ranked as number 2 uncrowned MVP in Flairiod #3)
4. Big Van Vader- It’s so refreshing to see a monster heel world champion after spending most of this retro project being subjected to either cowardly bad guys on top or giants being set up to ultimately fall. It doesn’t hurt when you have a once-in-a-lifetime talent like Leon White busting out legendary performance over and over. (First Flairiod appearance)
5. Steve Austin- This spot almost went to Shawn Michaels, but the future Stone Cold ultimately got the nod because he’s doing more with less focus. One of my most underrated “what ifs” in wrestling is how much better the Attitude Era would have been if Austin was able to perform like he does here before his body betrays him. Stunning is an accurate word. (Ranked as number 5 disappointment in Flairiod #3)
Here is my Top 5 Overall LVPs for the Fourth Flairiod
1. Nailz- I never thought I’d have to print a retraction about El Gigante being the worst wrestler of all time, but Nailz seriously makes me consider it. He is so bad that I almost wish Vince McMahon choked him instead. (First Flairiod appearance)
2. Lex Luger- I have been rooting for him and apologizing for him this entire time. He finally let me down. The Narcissist thing sucked because he wasn’t into it and the Lex Express sucks because he isn’t good at it. He wasn’t even good at pretending to be a bodybuilder. This time give credence to the Total Package haters. (Ranked as number 5 overall MVP in Flairiod #2)
3. Steve Williams- I know he is a legend in Japan and college football, but he sure wasn’t one in WCW 1992. Crowds couldn’t care less and his sloppiness in the squared circle and on the microphone didn’t help matters. To quote Doc Gallows: “FUCK DR. DEATH!” (Ranked as number 2 disappointment in Flairiod #1)
4. Hulk Hogan- Oh, brother. If you ever want to see an icon openly go through the motions, derail upwards trajectory for an entire company and lose any credibility he had as a promo, just watch Terry Bollea’s few PPV appearances in 1992 and 1993. (Ranked as number 1 surprise in Flairiod #1 and ranked as number 3 disappointment in Flairiod #3)
5. Erik Watts- This spot almost went to Missy Hyatt, but then I thought of the level of nepotism at play here. The fact that he’s not as bad as people remember and he’s still number five on this list says something. Just close your eyes and picture those dropkicks. (First Flairiod appearance)
Here is my Top 5 Uncrowned MVPs for the Fourth Flairiod
1. Dustin Rhodes- You can never doubt that the son of a son of a plumber is going to give his absolute best. He’s come so close so many times and he’s always one of the few bright spots whenever WCW shits the bed. He works past the nepotism, almost in defiance of it. It didn’t take Goldust to make Dustin. (Ranked as number 4 surprise in Flairiod #3)
2. Razor Ramon- Replace everything lame about regular Scott Hall and Diamond Studd and you have the charismatic Bad Guy. He is so good at this character that you almost forget how talented he is between the ropes as well. Any time you are turned out of necessity means you are doing something right. (First Flairiod appearance)
3. Yokozuna- I foretold the era of the monster heel champion at the end of the last Flairiod and neither man disappoint. Booking aside, the master of the Banzai Drop has undoubtedly stood out with his demeanor, athleticism and aura. He earned every bit of the run he is on. (First Flairiod appearance)
4. Too Cold Scorpio- Talk about being ahead of your time! If Bret Hart could fit in nowadays, Scorpio would still be ahead of a large percentage of workers today. He’s groundbreaking in the best ways and cool in a very 1990s way. (First Flairiod appearance)
5. Paul Orndorff- It’s rare that a talent returns after a multi-year absence and comes back better than ever, but Mr. Wonderful did just that. The amount of heel heat he gets is almost equal to his technical prowess and ability to match his opponent’s strengths. (Ranked as number 4 uncrowned MVP in Flairiod #1)
Here is my Top 5 Uncrowned LVPs for the Fourth Flairiod
1. Marcus Alexander Bagwell- Remember what I said about Too Cold Scorpio? Think the opposite of his partner, the milquetoast future Buff one. Is he still called a rookie to explain why he isn’t getting better as a wrestler or a character? (First Flairiod appearance)
2. IRS- You can put suspenders on, get more mic time, a substantial push and a sillier name and you still won’t fool me, Mike Rotunda. You are not very good at professional wrestling. He is becoming the Susan Lucci of LVPs. (Ranked as number 1 uncrowned LVP in Flairiod #2 and ranked as number 5 uncrowned LVP in Flairiod #3)
3. Todd Pettengill- What a fucking boob. The fact that I’ll suffer through him for so long and that it’s just starting is like getting your first plate at a buffet and it’s covered in hair. That hair is specifically from a mullet. There may be an earring, too. (First Flairiod appearance)
4. Masahiro Chono- When you come in as a lauded international star, you better act like it. Chono acted like a nerdy loser way out of his element and elicited reactions that matched. I cannot foresee him becoming the Mafia boss we will see the next time he’s in WCW. (First Flairiod appearance)
5. Nick Patrick- It’s probably low hanging fruit to pick on a referee, but this is a long time coming from me. People praise him regularly, but I have no idea why. His counts are too quiet and he’s too noticeable in matches. That’s not the job of a referee. (First Flairiod appearance)
Here are my Top 5 Surprises for the Fourth Flairiod
1. Tatanka- I expected an underwhelming performer undeserving of his long-running winning streak. Instead, I’m left wondering why he wasn’t positioned even better. He got good reactions, had good matches, had good intensity. A lot of good equaled great in this era. (First Flairiod appearance)
2. Davey Boy Smith- The Bulldog is an odd case. At one point, I had him on every other list in this recap including the bad ones. I ultimately settled on this one because it can be considered as both a positive or negative. His power is unparalleled, but his promos are dreadful. He’s been part of some epic matches, but he’s always the other guy in them. Whenever I think I have him figured out, I don’t. That is the epitome of a surprise. (Ranked as number 2 uncrowned MVP in Flairiod #1)
3. Shane Douglas- It’s not just because I’m watching Mighty Ducks: Game Changers while I’m writing this, but I always thought the future Franchise was a cake eater. However, he showed real promise as a babyface tag wrestler. It’s too bad Ric Flair hated him and he’s gone already. He’ll be back and he’ll be a threat in a lot of other categories. (First Flairiod appearance)
4. Mr. Fuji- You always assume he’s the worst manager ever, but maybe it was because he was given the worst talent. Once Yokozuna became his charge, he seemed energized. His promos made sense, he actually seemed devious and he made me take notice of all the little things he does. (First Flairiod appearance)
5. Giant Gonzalez- There was really nowhere to go but up when I call you the worst of all time. The outfit is the shits and his selling is garbage, but his offense got better and his heel work made me take notice. I’m surprised he didn’t earn another LVP and that deserves recognition. (Ranked as number 1 overall LVP in Flairiod #3)
Here are my Top 5 Disappointments for the Fourth Flairiod
1. Jesse Ventura- I figured this was coming, but I was hoping that the Body rode his legendary momentum into his waning commentary years. Instead, he’s often offensive, abrasive and distracting. It doesn’t complete tarnish his legacy, but it does make me wish somebody else was on the headset. (Ranked number 3 overall MVP in Flairiod #1 and number 2 overall MVP in Flairiod #2)
2. Rick Rude- Another guy who has enjoyed massive success that has really phoned it in lately. His character work is redundant and his ring work is lazy. When I’m looking forward to your tights more than anything, that’s a problem. (Ranked as number 1 disappointment in Flairiod #1, ranked as number 1 uncrowned MVP in Flairiod #2 and ranked as number 2 overall MVP in Flairiod #3)
3. Randy Savage- Boy, this particular list is starting to depress me. This is strictly because of his commentary work. As much as I love listening to his insanity in an interview, it’s too much for hear it for three straight hours. (Ranked as number 1 overall MVP in Flairiod #1)
4. Big Boss Man- If you ever take a trip down to old wrestling PPVs, you better quell your expectations and expect some disorder because you’re going to serve some Hard Times watching this beloved wrestler get through his matches. (First Flairiod appearance)
5. Earthquake- More than anything, I’m disappointed that he’s not as explosive and dominate as he’s been in the past. Time will do that to you. I don’t just mean the passage of it; I mean the amount of which he had to spend with Typhoon. (Ranked as number 3 uncrowned MVP in Flairiod #2 and ranked as number 5 overall MVP in Flairiod #3)
Here are my Top 5 Favorite Matches during the Fourth Flairiod
1. Bret Hart vs Mr. Perfect at King of the Ring 1993
2. Sting vs Big Van Vader at Starrcade 1992
3. British Bulldog vs Bret Hart at SummerSlam 1992
4. War Games at Wrestle War 1992
5. Randy Savage vs Ric Flair at WrestleMania VIII
Here are my Top 5 Least Favorite Matches during the Fourth Flairiod
1. Nailz vs Virgil at SummerSlam 1992
2. Hulk Hogan vs Yokozuna at WrestleMania IX
3. Rick Rude vs Masahiro Chono at Halloween Havoc 1992
4. Sting vs The Prisoner at Slamboree 1993
5. Hulk Hogan vs Sid Justice at WrestleMania VIII
Here are the Top 5 Win Totals in Retro Diary History
1. Sting- 22
2. Hulk Hogan- 20
3. Rick Steiner- 19
4. Scott Steiner- 17
5. Ricky Steamboat, Randy Savage and Hawk- 16
Here are the Top 5 Loss Totals in Retro Diary History
1. El Matador- 17
2. Ted DiBiase, Arn Anderson and Hercules- 16
3. IRS, Bret Hart, Greg Valentine and Terry Taylor- 15
4. The Barbarian- 14
5. Jake Roberts- 13
Here is a quick recap of all the current percentages I’m tracking
Billy Gunn could easily have been Billy Bitchcakes 100% of the time.
You can predict what’s going to happen with Chris Benoit 100% of the time.
Ric Flair is 47% successful at coming off the top rope.
The Undertaker is 40% at appearing to kill his Tombstone victims (even though he’s only hit five of them all time)
Mick Foley has done a legitimately stupid physical thing 73% of the time.
There aren’t any new notable records with no wins or no losses. The unprotected shots to the head definitely reached the point where I need to report the insanity. Cactus Jack naturally leads the way with eight instances followed by Rick Steiner and Abdullah the Butcher with five. Big Van Vader and Sgt. Buddy Lee Parker have four and the rest of the list with multiple instances include Hulk Hogan, Brutus Beefcake, Scott Steiner, Randy Savage and Crush.
As I said earlier, these past 16 shows were nucking futs. There may never be another period of time like it. That fact makes me sad, but also puts me at ease. I’m sure once I look to see what’s on the horizon, I’ll change my tune.
Let’s see…we have the beginning of Jeff Jarrett’s torturously long tenure, the emergence of Owen Hart as a player, the introduction of the greatest gimmick match of all time, the increasingly kooky stories of the Undertaker, Ric Flair’s inspirational story and Hulk Hogan turning WCW into his own personal fairy tale.
Consider my tune changed.
CURRENT PPV RANKINGS (BOLD is recommended, * is from this Flairiod)
PPV Rankings
1. WrestleMania 3
2. Royal Rumble 1992
3. Survivor Series 1987
4. Great American Bash 1989
5. SuperBrawl 2
6. Royal Rumble 1993*
7. Survivor Series 1988
8. Starrcade 1986
9. Royal Rumble 1990
10. SuperBrawl 3*
11. Chi-Town Rumble
12. WrestleMania VI
13. WrestleWar 91
14. Starrcade 1983
15. Starrcade 1992*
16. WrestleWar 90
17. SummerSlam 91
18. Starrcade 1988
19. Halloween Havoc 1990
20. King of the Ring 1993*
21. WrestleMania VII
22. Great American Bash 1990
23. Survivor Series 1991
24. WrestleMania 2
25. Great American Bash 88
26. WrestleWar 89
27. SuperBrawl I
28. Survivor Series 1992*
29. This Tuesday in Texas
30. WrestleWar 92*
31. The Wrestling Classic
32. Starrcade 1987
33. Beach Blast 1992*
34. SummerSlam 1993*
35. WrestleMania VIII*
36. Royal Rumble 1991
37. SummerSlam 1988
38. SummerSlam 1989
39. Starrcade 1989
40. Survivor Series 1989
41. SummerSlam 1992*
42. Slamboree 1993*
43. Survivor Series 1990
44. Halloween Havoc 1989
45. Great American Bash 1992*
46. Beach Blast 1993*
47. Starrcade 1985
48. Bunkhouse Stampede
49. The Big Event
50. Royal Rumble 1989
51. SummerSlam 1990
52. WrestleMania V
53. Halloween Havoc 1992*
54. Royal Rumble 1988
55. Halloween Havoc 1991
56. WrestleMania 1
57. WrestleMania IX*
58. Starrcade 1991
59. Starrcade 1990
60. WrestleMania IV
61. Capitol Combat
62. Starrcade 1984
63. Fall Brawl 1993*
64. Great American Bash 1991