Just a few weeks ago, I talked about the importance of celebrity in the wrestling world and this is the apex of it for 1997. We’ve been building up to this since March and it’s finally here.
There’s something magical about wrestling being able to capture the mainstream’s attention by convincing someone at the forefront of the zeitgeist to slum it in this crazy world. Muhammad Ali, Mr. T and Lawrence Taylor were the most prominent examples to this point and it is open season now that two companies are at war with one another.
Dennis Rodman is an interesting addition to that lineage because he was just as famous for his antics and extracurriculars than he was for his role on the greatest basketball team at the time (and possibly all time). On the surface, he fits like a glove with his charisma, attitude and athletic ability. That doesn’t necessarily mean that the glove fits (thank goodness we never got OJ at WrestleMania XII).
Can the show rise to the occasion of so many eyes being on them thanks to the Worm?
PAY PER VIEW NUMBER 136: WCW BASH AT THE BEACH 1997
Written on 12/5/22
HOW WE START: Some very poor audio and clips of the Giant and Lex Luger cutting promos on Hollywood Hogan and Dennis Rodman are interspersed with a beatdown and spray painting they suffered. This is some weak shit for such a big show. We go live in Daytona Beach and I always love their themed sets. Tony Schiavone, Bobby Heenan and Dusty Rhodes (the latter the only one not in a Hawaiian shirt) preview the show. They list Curt Hennig, Raven, Larry Zbyszko and Sting as options for DDP’s mystery partner. Rodman gets the rest of the talk.
MATCH NUMBER ONE: Mortis and Wrath w/James Vandenberg vs Glacier and Ernest Miller
BEFORE THE BELL: The Trio of Terror have a dubbed theme for some reason. Why not just add Mortis’ back that we’ve been hearing? Mike Tenay joins the team as The Cat walks out alongside his partner. The crowd seems positive so far. Opening the show helps. The heels jump the faces before the bell.
WHAT STANDS OUT
-Punches and a crotching by Glacier are pointed out as different for him. Miller hits a nice springboard kick.
-Cat’s strikes look great, but Wrath’s offense does as well in response. The faces hit a double dropkick.
-The heels take over with a senton off the apron and a sick UNPROTECTED superkick into a chair and Glacier’s head into the post by Mortis.
-Wrath is the first MVP again with some strikes that just pop the crowd and an energy I never saw as Adam Bomb. The powerbomb/neckbreaker combo from the heels is awesome as is the reverse Boston Crab and second rope leg drop combo.
-The hot tag on a missed moonsault is stopped and Miller just comes in and kicks like a motherfucker with spins and power anyway.
-With all four men in the ring, Glacier hits a DDT and Vandenberg puts a chain on Mortis’ boot. Glacier hits the Cryonic Kick on the manager, but Mortis hits his own with the weapon and the Cat is too late to save the streak.
HOW DOES IT END:
Mortis and Wrath win in 9:47 when Mortis pins Glacier with a superkick with a chain on the foot
FINAL WORD: Is it rose-colored glasses? Nah, that ruled. It sounded like the crowd liked it, too!
THE STUFF IN-BETWEEN: James and his boys have a great package and talk shit in the camera after the match and before the replay. Bobby is the first LVP just for sounding bored so far. DDP talks to someone called I Love Cows on AOL and he has his dad with him as well. Only in 1997.
MATCH NUMBER TWO: CRUISERWEIGHT TITLE MATCH- Ultimo Dragon vs Chris Jericho (Champ)
BEFORE THE BELL: Dragon gets a lot of loud pyro. Jericho is the next champ and I did not remember his sweet teal gear with colorful designs. Add it to the list! He gets a very good response. This is an early face vs face match.
WHAT STANDS OUT
-Even in 1997, Tye Dye Guy is trying to get noticed on the hard cam. There’s some tit for tat wrestling and counters and the crowd is respectful.
-A double powerbomb by Jericho turns this up a notch until the crowd randomly chants “We Want Sting” loudly. The speed and pace are so good in this. The announcers finally mention Ric Flair vs Roddy Piper on this show as well as Chris Benoit vs Kevin Sullivan. What a fucking card.
-Chris tries a top rope dropkick on a top rope Dragon and he falls to the floor in possibly a botch. It doesn’t matter because he hits a dive to the floor to cover. Dragon retaliates with a mid-air dropkick on the floor to a diving Jericho.
-Two dive teases into an Asai by the challenger. Both of them are smooth as all hell.
-Dueling La Magistral cradles, dueling roll ups and double pins mean this is just a duel. It’s better than Spielberg’s (how about a director’s first movie reference challenge?) The champ is Asai dropkicked in the dick.
-The Dragon Sleeper is botched and the crowd loses a little bit for this as it gets choppy. After a moonsault to a face, a hurricanrana is rolled through and they take it home.
HOW DOES IT END:
Chris Jericho retains in 12:55 with a sunset flip
FINAL WORD: Because of the style they are wrestling, there were some natural issues, but the rest was so damn inspired and good.
THE STUFF IN-BETWEEN: The two men shake hands after the bell. Mean Gene, wearing a lei, pimps the hotline and walks the aisle to interview Rave and Stevie Richards sitting in the front row. Boy, this company is spending money. Raven stands up and cuts a very meandering poetry-laden promo. He talks about his childhood and frustrates Gene with his gibberish. Me too, so here’s an LVP for Raven. Stevie interrupts and wants to mention an announcement on Nitro and he gets whacked.
MATCH NUMBER THREE: Masahiro Chono and Great Muta vs The Steiner Brothers
BEFORE THE BELL: nWo Japan has the B-Team music. The Steiners were duped into this match instead of their promised tag title shot. Dusty is distracted by some busty girls in the crowd (yes, again) as the Steiners enter. Here’s another match where the heels get the jump at the bell.
WHAT STANDS OUT
-A double top rope clothesline causes the heels to bail early. Muta’s facepaint is so iconic. He officially starts with Scott while the commentators mention that Eric Bischoff is considering this show the New World Order’s birthday party. Scott eventually hits a Tiger Bomb and press slam to get the advantage.
-Rick tags in and barks/acts weird enough for Muta to scratch his head on the floor. Chono tags in and hits a big Mafia kick. He’s so much better as a heel than he was as a face five years prior.
-Okay, Tye Dye Guy is an LVP by always standing up and wanting the camera’s focus. Scott takes the heat and Chono loves talking trash to one fan in the front row. After a second rope belly-to-belly suplex cut off, Rick tags in and hits even more overhead belly-to-belly suplexes. All four are in the ring and Muta hits his own Frankensteiner and sick Dragon Screw leg whip.
-Muta gets hit with the Frankensteiner and Chono pulls the ref off the count. That distraction allows for a super double team move and his partner enduring more punishment.
HOW DOES IT END:
The Steiner Brothers win in 11:38 when Rick Steiner pins the Great Muta after a Doomsday DDT
FINAL WORD: This match was like the whole show thus far: firing on all cylinders.
THE STUFF IN-BETWEEN: Chono sure looked silly by standing and watching all of this. After a replay, we aren’t wasting anymore time.
MATCH NUMBER FOUR: Juventud Guerrera, Hector Garza and Lizmark Jr vs Villaino IV, Psychosis and La Parka w/Sonny Onoo
BEFORE THE BELL: Garza has switched companies within six months, I see. According to Mike Tenay during the heel team entrance, Onoo is also representing La Parka now.
WHAT STANDS OUT
-Lizmark and Psychosis start and Tenay explains rudos, technicos and luchadores as Heenan makes hokes. I thought we were past this. Garza is ALL OVER the place and Lizmark is shaky early.
-Juvi sets up too mich and it’s so weird seeing a thin La Parka. Sonny kicks and errantly hits his new man and has to show him money to calm him down. Lizmark is an LVP by always seeming out of place and causing confusion. Guerrera hits a crazy springboard stomp onto all three heels, then all the faces hit stereo dives.
-Absolutely disgusting Code Red from the second rope by Psychosis dropping Juvi right on his neck.
-The rowboat/star spot features a La Parka backbreaker in the middle of it. This is too jokey for me. Everybody misses top rope splashes. A double Doomsday set up leads to dropkicks over the top and a decent Lizmark dive and Parka corkscrew. Juvi joins the MVP hunt with a catapult off of Garza, who hits a Sky Twister Press afterwards. This is impossible to keep up with.
-Villaino V runs out and swaps places with his brother. Of course, he fucks it up for his team.
HOW DOES IT END:
Juventud Guerrera’s team wins in 10:08 when Hector Garza pins Villaino V with a standing moonsault
FINAL WORD: These are always wild, but this was too much of a good thing.
THE STUFF IN-BETWEEN: Everyone just stands around until Tenay handles the replay and Heenan takes credit for it.
MATCH NUMBER FIVE: Career Threatening Match- Kevin Sullivan w/Jimmy Hart and Jacquelyn vs Chris Benoit
BEFORE THE BELL: Talk about the other end of the spectrum from the last bout. Sullivan is specifically not billed as the Taskmaster anymore. He almost fights with Jackie in the aisle. Benoit is without Woman, but not without a good pop.
WHAT STANDS OUT
-Fisticuffs breaks out right away including a suplex over the top by a really tan Sullivan. They use the rail and Jackie whips Benoit into it. She gets monkey flipped, but still uses clotheslines. She’s picked up and thrown onto Kevin for a pop. Kevin, in turn, just beats her up.
-Benoit is thrown through the surfboard hut and takes two UNPROTECTED shots with one of the boards. Jimmy Hart is pushed off the lifeguard tower into the bushes. Sullivan takes an UNPROTECTED lawn chair to the dome.
-After a piledriver on the floor, Jackie sneaks in an elbow before a double stomp and UNPROTECTED trash can lid to Benoit’s head. They finally get back in the ring. I feel like Dusty knows the future by saying “ain’t nothing funny about this situation.” He isn’t kidding.
-Raven is emotionless when a crotching takes place right in front of him. It’s more of the same brawling with these two. The rules are also fairly ambiguous. Dueling biting gets a big pop. Sullivan won’t quit in the Crossface.
-This prolonged Crossface spot takes too much time. It almost seems like they are trying to turn Sullivan face here? He starts no selling chops and comes back, but the crowd isn’t about it. 3 strikes in the Tree of Woe and Jackie gets a wooden chair. She wants to hit Benoit, but isn’t allowed. Instead, she hits Sullivan UNPROTECTED. Dusty and Bobby are upset. The tone and story are so odd.
HOW DOES IT END:
Chris Benoit wins in 13:10 with the flying headbutt
FINAL WORD: This was the Aliens 3 of this trilogy: it’s okay in retrospect for the overall story of the director, but there’s better work before it (and we have one more reference to go)
THE STUFF IN-BETWEEN: Hart is upset and the announcers analyze the moment. Benoit gets a great pop when exiting. Bobby sincerely thanks Sullivan during the replay. He gets a little moment after the bell with Jimmy yelling at him and pushing him down. The commentators give him more props before it’s time to move on with more Horsemen music.
MATCH NUMBER SIX: US TITLE WINNER TAKES ALL MATCH- Steve McMichael w/Debra vs Jeff Jarrett (Champ)
BEFORE THE BELL: There’s a hilarious moment with a kid in a Horsemen shirt in the front row that has an adult yell into his spot and he gives him a death look. Jarrett is the fucking champ now and I miss Dean Malenko already. Mongo grabs the title and trips on the rope to pose with it. That’s a bad start.
WHAT STANDS OUT
-Big “Jarrett sucks” chant with some real vitriol behind it. After one win during a wrestling hold exchange, Jeff struts and Tye Dye does as well. I feel yucky. Mongo answers with a chop block. Three minutes have passed.
-A brawl on the floor leads to the steps and cord being used. Back in the ring, Mongo hits a poor press slam and forceful powerslam. He misses a knee in the corner and takes some three-point stances.
-Debra gets on the apron and sneakily hands Jarrett the case. After one shot to the arm and one UNPROTECTED to the head, this one is thankfully done quick.
HOW DOES IT END:
Jeff Jarrett retains in 6:56 with a Halliburton shot to the head
FINAL WORD: That was kept short, but not sweet.
THE STUFF IN-BETWEEN: Debra applauds on the floor and hugs Jarrett after the bell. She says “I love being bad” and it’s so cringe. Gene talks about the main event and the mystery partner for the hotline before a Road Wild commercial. Yippee. Then, it’s Hogan and Rodman promo time in black-and-white backstage. They are really trying to get “Rod the Bod” over. This is drugs personified. I’m less excited for the main event now. Rodman has nothing but visual presence and Hulk is speaking his usual nonsense.
MATCH NUMBER SEVEN: Scott Hall and Randy Savage w/Elizabeth vs DDP and Curt Hennig w/Kimberly
BEFORE THE BELL: The nWo music keeps rolling for Hall, Savage and Liz. The Bad Guy noticeably has both tag belts. The La Parka bit was last Nitro amazingly. Kim leads DDP out and Tony laughs at a sign that reads “Savage: Hogan’s Bi*ch.” Page is followed by Curt Hennig amid smoke and pyro. He’s “in the best shape of his life” AKA bloated really bad from steroids. DDP has his perpetually taped ribs now. I just realized this is 75% of the Survivor Series 1992 tag match.
WHAT STANDS OUT
-Dallas and Macho naturally start. Page frustrates him and it looks like something green was thrown into the ring. The former AWA tag champs square off and Perfect’s gut is pointed out by Hall. There’s a toothpick versus gum battle. Curt is not over at all.
-Hall has to be an MVP threat by making an LVP, past his prime Hennig look decent early. Page is caught with a blindside and Hall does a big “suck it” and takes over. He takes a good beating and sloppily tags Curt in.
-They fuck up an errant rope pull spot and Hennig hits Page hard in the back. He walks to the back with big heat and DDP takes both finishes and a one-foot pin.
HOW DOES IT END:
Randy Savage and Scott Hall wins in 9:35 when Savage pins DDP after the flying elbow
FINAL WORD: What an overall letdown of a segment punctuated by some sad LVP work from Hennig.
THE STUFF IN-BETWEEN: The commentators analyze while the heels celebrate. Kim helps Page to the back and he’s barely gone before we’ve moved on.
MATCH NUMBER EIGHT: Roddy Piper vs Ric Flair
BEFORE THE BELL: There’s a quick New World Order theme blip before the bagpipes bring Roddy out wearing the I.C.O.N shirt. He almost flinches to his big pyro. Flair follows and Tony and Bobby do a great job of building this up and saying “tradition” 600 more times on this show.
WHAT STANDS OUT
-Piper has AWESOME energy on a tackle and brawl early. Flair sells it well by bailing. It’s a chop war that Piper wins when Flair gets back in the ring. Punches in the corner, a flop in the corner and an apron clothesline makes Piper an unbelievable MVP.
-They even make an eye poke matter. Piper turns his back with the ref and gets chop blocked. There’s leg work and an early Figure Four. Piper powers up, no sells some slaps and has a wild look in his eye when he reverses the hold. The crowd is HOTTTT. Nice neckbreaker counter by Roddy for two.
-Tye Dye makes a low blow selling motion. Flair sells Roddy’s boxing shots much better. After a brief brawl on the floor, Flair counters the sleeper with a jawbreaker. He tries a pin with feet on the rope like four times, but there’s no three.
-Flair goes up top and gets CAUGHT and thrown before Piper locks in the Figure Four himself. Flair looks to the back and gets almost pinned before making it to the ropes and retrieving a foreign object. Piper uses it instead on him.
-The Horsemen run out and Benoit hits the flying headbutt on Flair accidentally. Mongo manages to Tombstone Piper and referee Mark Curtis is inept for once. Piper somehow kicks out at two.
-A chop is no sold and a slugfest turns into the sleeper fully locked in. Flair fights, but eventually fades. The arm goes up and down.
HOW DOES IT END:
Roddy Piper wins in 13:27 with the sleeper
FINAL WORD: What a throwback. Both men dug deep and went back 15 years to hit an absolute home run.
THE STUFF IN-BETWEEN: Heenan is off the LVP list with his work in this match. Michael Buffer is now in the ring and wearing all white again.
MATCH NUMBER NINE: Lex Luger and The Giant vs Hollywood Hogan and Dennis Rodman w/Randy Savage
BEFORE THE BELL: Buffer claims tens of millions of people are watching across the world. There’s Cody levels of pyro. Michael Bay wishes he blew that much stuff up making Bad Boys (and we’re done). Giant and Lex enter first. Buffer calls the finish “the rack of doom” and says something bad able mangled bodies from the Giant. Macho Man accompanies Rodman and Hogan. There are tons of media with camera along the aisleway. Hulk is hilariously announced second as if he’s why people are interested in this. I’m not sure what Dennis’ face paint is supposed to be. That’s probably the point. There are “Luger” chants as things get ready to start.
WHAT STANDS OUT
-The bell never rings. Lex and Hulk start. Even Hogan is doing crotch chops. DX created nothing. Andrew Gulotta is shown in the crowd for too long. You have to do something for all of this stalling, I guess.
-Luger is hilariously overdoing all of his flexing and yelling every time he knocks Hulk down. The crowd chants for Rodman during pedestrian action. He finally tags in after five minutes.
-Trash is thrown and more stalling as the crowd turns to boos and “Rodman sucks” chants. He hits one arm drag and the place goes nuts like it’s the biggest thing ever. Boy, we are spoiled with Logan Paul, Pat McAfee and Bad Bunny nowadays. Rodman takes two arm drags (better than the two Hogan takes) and his bandana and glasses come off.
-The Worm does a leapfrog and tackle. All I can see is Tye Dye Guy. One too many leapfrogs and Dennis is clotheslined down. Giant finally tags in to a huge reaction. People are just as into this as Canadian Stampede, but I’m not sure why. Giant beats him Hulk, does the chokeslam taunt and more time is killed with a bail.
-Hogan takes an atomic drop and tags back out. Rodman is almost as tall as Giant and hurts his aura. Rod is caught in a bearhug and atomic drop of his own. Giant spanks him, but his leg is hit from behind to turn the tide. There are frequent tags and a double hip toss/cover/kickout to tag Lex.
-Luger is a house of fire and he even hits Macho before Dennis blindsides him. Lex kicks out of the Hogan leg drop. Rodman delivers good corner elbows and a boot squish in the corner.
-The ref misses a Giant tag, but Giant just moves him out of the way and beats up both heels. “Sting” walks slowly down the aisle; the ref is bumped and it is obviously Kevin Nash in a mask. He hits Giant with the bat and the commentators have to act stupid.
-Hollywood hits Rodman on accident and gets stuck in that rack of doom. Nick Patrick runs out and calls for the bell. That’s a huge moment historically.
HOW DOES IT END:
Lex Luger and the Giant win in 21:20 when Luger submits Hollywood Hogan with the Torture Rack
FINAL WORD: That still worked despite being overbooked and carefully put together to a fault.
BUT WAIT THERE’S MORE: Rodman is racked after the bell as well as Macho. Lex being the focus and hero is great considering his story up to this point. The nWo leaves and Lex checks on Giant. Tony signs off as Hulk claims he was the illegal man in the camera, says the winners are left laying and Too Sweets his boys before the credits roll.
THE LAST IMAGE: Hollywood Hogan, Dennis Rodman and Randy Savage
THE WRAP UP
FINAL MVP of PPV: It’s funny that Roddy Piper rose the occasion on a night that Hollywood Hogan is once again teaming with a monster superstar. He worked his best match in a decade without being cutesy or a lame badass that he craves to be.
FINAL LVP of PPV: I really want to give it to Tye Dye Guy, but he wasn’t hyped like Curt Hennig and proceeded to show up and barely do anything but be horribly out of shape.
MY FAVORITE MATCH: Roddy Piper vs Ric Flair
MY LEAST FAVORITE MATCH: Jeff Jarrett vs Steve McMichael
FINAL THOUGHTS: WCW is at the peak of its powers, but this wasn’t as good as Canadian Stampede or even last year’s Bash at the Beach. It was damn close, however. The main event scene still largely underdelivers, but not really on this night when the crowd was ready for every little thing. The show really felt like a victory lap. There wasn’t that much bad and a whole lot of good or even great. MULLET RECOMMENDS
NEXT TIME: There’s no celebrity, but there’s plenty of news for better or worse at SummerSlam: Hart and Soul. Tuck your heads.