The revisionist history that we experience due to the WWF’s stranglehold on the wrestling narrative was one of the biggest reasons why I kicked this off project when the Network launched. There have been times where I have definitely seen the changes that they have made and they’ve felt unjust. There have also been moments that were actually undercut in the grand scheme of things.
While next year’s Halloween Havoc is largely viewed as the beginning of the end for WCW based on the main event getting cut off for the PPV audience, it’s actually the previous year’s event that stands out to me as being the first straw to break the camel’s back. In this show, you have one of the greatest matches of all time-a showcase for the incredibly athletic style that is the future of the business and should be celebrated and promoted. You also have two legends resting on their laurels and stinking the joint out to leave everyone in a bad mood by the end of it all. It’s not the first time this has happened, but it’s definitely the most jarring and obvious.
It's the most WCW thing and it’s not going to be the first time. What does that equate to in terms of the an overall show’s worth? Let’s see.
PAY PER VIEW NUMBER 144: WCW HALLOWEEN HAVOC 1997
Written on 2/14/23
HOW WE START: Roddy Piper and Hollywood Hogan are fighting…again. This time, it’s in a cage. So, they were doing this no matter what the results of Uncensored were. Slim Jim is still trying to get their money’s worth by sponsoring this show live in Las Vegas. The set is iconic with the graves and logo. Tony Schiavone calls the main event the biggest cage match ever. Bobby Heenan and Dusty Rhodes (who seems like he wants to be anywhere else) join him and it’s a lot of nothing talk early.
MATCH NUMBER ONE: Yuji Nagata w/Sonny Onoo vs Ultimo Dragon
BEFORE THE BELL: Yuji’s entrance attire looks like two car mats posing as a D-Lo Brown chest protector. He’s far away from being Rip Camilucci’s Blue Justice boy here. I missed this match when the show aired live for some reason, so this will be a first time viewing. Dragon gets a great pop. Bobby calls him “Yogi” and that means I’m thankful Mike Tenay joins the team.
WHAT STANDS OUT
-I’m not sure who looks shockingly younger: Nagata or Charles Robinson. Great speed by Dragon and power by Yuji early.
-Submissions and suplexes by Nagata to put him on top early. The crowd is distracted by something amongst them already. Yuji catches Dragon slingshotting to the floor with a loud kick.
-The Flock is shown in the audience hence the distraction earlier. Kidman, Saturn and Riggs are now in the mix. I’m not sure if the chant is “Dragon” after an Asai moonsault or “Raven.” Good powerbomb out of the corner and sunset flip by the first MVP, Dragon.
-Yuji is all over the injured elbow, but applies a patented leg lock instead. It’s answered by a Dragon Sleeper.
-More great kicks and a Dragonrana lead to another sleeper, but it’s countered very quickly and it’s an immediate tap.
HOW DOES IT END:
Yuji Nagata wins in 9:52 with a Fujiwara armbar
FINAL WORD: WCW openers always satisfy. According to the Barenaked Ladies, that means they are like Snickers. There’s our reference challenge!
THE STUFF IN-BETWEEN: Dusty is very funny talking about “bone chips” as Yuji and Sonny continue the attack after the bell. Sonny gives his charge an envelope with money. Mark Madden is shown online interviewing the improbable TV Champ, Disco Inferno. He’s wrestling Jacquelyn tonight because he got fired for refusing to wrestle her months ago. She interrupts the interview and tries to beat him up, naturally making Dusty lose his mind.
MATCH NUMBER TWO: Gedo vs Chris Jericho
BEFORE THE BELL: This is an unadvertised match. Gedo looks like Ken Leung’s character in Rush Hour or an AJPW women’s wrestler. Schiavone says his name like “ghetto” and Bobby questions it. Jericho enters to Break the Walls Down (grrr) and he’s all smiles and babyface before this. Stevie Richards is shown with a sign in the crowd.
WHAT STANDS OUT
-Gedo looks like a Fire Pro copy of a real wrestler. Commentary talks about Larry Zbyszko before focusing on the newcomer’s background and name dropping Jado. Tenay does a great job making him seem like a big deal mentioning wins over Chris Benoit and Syxx.
-The match is a lot of nothing action because Gedo like “1970s Southern style” wrestling. Dusty wakes up, but still becomes an apathetic LVP.
-Gedo sandbags on the double powerbomb. A super Frankensteiner is botched and Jericho lands DIRECTLY on his head. It’s a miracle he’s fine. I’m not sure whose fault that was.
-Gedo joins the LVP hunt with a convoluted kneebuster and a badly missed dropkick that leads to the timely finish before Jericho gets hurt any worse considering he has a bloody nose and mouth.
HOW DOES IT END:
Chris Jericho wins in 7:18 with the Liontamer
FINAL WORD: Everyone lived and had productive careers afterwards. That’s not a total loss.
THE STUFF IN-BETWEEN: Mean Gene interview Debra backstage and she seems to be more in control of her character while teasing her husband’s mystery opponent. It’s definitely not Jeff Jarrett as he’s gone already. Mongo interrupts and asks for his credit cards and jewelry back. Mean Gene just wraps it up and they mug like a sitcom. We thankfully move onto THE match of the evening.
MATCH NUMBER THREE: CRUISERWEIGHT TITLE VERSUS MASK MATCH- Rey Mysterio Jr vs Eddie Guerrero (Champ)
BEFORE THE BELL: Rey gets big pyro and has a determined look while rocking the iconic Phantom gear. Eddie has his cool heel theme now and oozes charisma with the title over his shoulder and all the mean mugs. I will try to keep up here.
WHAT STANDS OUT
-Big “Eddie sucks” chants at the bell. It’s an impossible pace for the first 45 seconds leading to a pull off the apron and sick bump to the floor for Rey before getting thrown into the steps. Tenay puts over Eddie’s previous ruthlessness and references the When Worlds Collide PPV that I wish I could’ve covered.
-Guerrero is the MVP here, running things and keeping a wild Rey mostly in check. A handspring into a belly-to-back is one example as is a sick brainbuster and tilt-a-whirl backbreaker.
-Eddie’s mask is pulled and ripped. Then, it’s the motherfucking backflip DDT. The crowd goes nuts as they should. It’s right into an okie-doke spot with a dropkick on the floor by the champ. He’s smooth as fuck.
-Eddie applies a Camel Clutch and fully rips and almost exposes Rey’s face. Tenay is also an MVP by calling this match. Guerrero is crotched on the bottom of the ring post and Rey dives over the same post onto him. There’s a great false finish off a quick hurricanrana.
-There’s a 619 inside out headscissors and THEN the over-the-top somersault headscissors. You can tell Heenan is legit into this match. A corkscrew attack back in the ring gets a two count.
-Sickening powerbomb for another two count and Eddie listens to the chants and misses a corner attack. He manages to turn a West Coast Pop into a backbreaker for full control.
-Both men battle up top and the Splash Mountain is turned into an amazing finish.
HOW DOES IT END:
Rey Mysterio Jr wins the title in 13:52 with a top rope hurricanrana counter
FINAL WORD: Bar none, the greatest lucha libra match in PPV history.
THE STUFF IN-BETWEEN: All the commentators put over the win and war well. Rey tries to talk into the camera, but Eddie attacks him and throws him out of the ring. Mean Gene makes a gambling joke to Schiavone onstage and pimps the hotline before cutting to a Eric Bischoff and Hollywood Hogan promo in the black and white now locker room. They claim an unsafe working environment. Hulk probably legit tried this. He doesn’t want to work tonight unless it’s agreed that Sting won’t show up. It’s a calculated, but subdued and bored, promo by Hulk about feeling bad for the fans and wanting to beat Piper up. He loses his words a couple times and joins the LVP list. This takes up a lot of time and still ends abrupt as hell.
MATCH NUMBER FOUR: Steve McMichael vs Alex Wright w/Debra McMichael
BEFORE THE BELL: The commentators are aghast as Mongo enters to his own theme. Debra follows with Alex Wright to go away heat. In other words, this is not a good surprise. Raven is shown almost asleep and Stevie has a Tom Jones sign.
WHAT STANDS OUT
-All of the talk is about Hogan initially. Mongo tries to keep up with the wrestling, but then tries to wave off the crowd chanting a gay slur at Wright. He’s complicated then!
-Four minutes in, Mongo is still running the ropes silly and starts bumping. Tony finally pays attention instead of discussing the Hogan shit for like 30 seconds, then diverts back.
-The Mongo Spike is countered with a botch, but fixed and lands. GOLDBERG appears out of position and the ref has to act so obliviously to the spear and Jackhammer happening behind him while Debra provides the distraction.
HOW DOES IT END:
Alex Wright wins in 6:33 after a Goldberg Jackhammer
FINAL WORD: I wonder what Hollywood Hogan thought about it. He’s the only thing that mattered this whole time anyway.
THE STUFF IN-BETWEEN: Debra gives Goldberg Mongo’s Super Bowl ring and he knocks Wright out anyway with a spear and Jackhammer. The crowd already digs him, but he’s talking too much and gets too amped. The replay showed Little Naitch turning around, then back to ignore the interference. I was thinking of something to track for Goldberg, but nothing sounded good, so I’ll pass. Never mind, Macho Man and Elizabeth cut their own black-and-white promo. Liz is beautiful and Randy hits all of the Slim Jim buzzwords on DDP about their rubber match. He lets Liz speaks and I see why she normally doesn’t. It is a classic Madness promo and he becomes an MVP walking out and still talking gambling and nonsense.
MATCH NUMBER FIVE: NON-TITLE MATCH- Disco Inferno vs Jacquelyn
BEFORE THE BELL: I’m surprised at the pop Disco’s music gets and still more surprised that he’s the TV Champ. He’s got more orange than Garfield’s butthole. This is non-sanctioned and non-title because of athletic commission BS. Dusty went to the back for info about the Hogan situation and adds nothing. Jacquelyn gets a good reaction and even some pyro. Why is this happening? Couldn’t Disco have just taken that shot of cum in the mouth like usual?
WHAT STANDS OUT
-I’m not making this up: the match starts with four complete minutes of stalling and random “Disco sucks” chants. Jackie finally gives chase and hits a sunset flip for two. He hits a drop toe hold and she comes out of her top temporarily, making Dusty go nuts even though you couldn’t see anything. She is close to a boom anime babe that makes you think the wrong thing, though (one more reference to go).
-Even more stalling and racing and the crowd starts to lose patience. I never had it. She finally gets Disco and beats the shit out of him with punches. He tries to leave and gets stopped.
-When you run spots and try to put on an actual match, it doesn’t look great and I can’t tell who to blame. A suplex on the floor looks nice, though.
-A float over DDT gets a great pop. Yeah, anything bad is Disco’s fault. There’s a cross body counter for two, Inferno turns his back and you can go ahead and bury the TV Title now.
HOW DOES IT END:
Jacquelyn wins in 9:39 with a roll up
FINAL WORD: Progressive in mindset, but regressive in execution
THE STUFF IN-BETWEEN: Some committee member was supposed to come out and make an announcement, but nothing happens and we just move.
MATCH NUMBER SIX: US TITLE MATCH- Ric Flair vs Curt Hennig (Champ)
BEFORE THE BELL: The new US Champ enters wearing one of Flair’s robes with the sleeves cut out. Flair’s music hits and he runs down and wastes absolutely no time.
WHAT STANDS OUT
-Flair is a madman chopping, kicking and punching like a man possessed. Curt is trying to bump like the old days. He’s still wearing the robe. Ric tries to hit Curt’s leg with a chair, but misses.
-Ric puts the robe on, chops and struts. He looks really weird without sleeves compared to Hennig. The Nature Boy is putting in another MVP effort and he’s finally cutoff. My god, I want this Hulk thing resolved because it’s totally ruined the commentary and mood of the show despite good in-ring action. Dusty finally calls it out.
-Hennig focuses on Ric’s leg, but he keeps fighting back. This one plays the hits and it’s fine. It was much better five years ago and they are trying to match the level of the feud from before, but it’s still good.
-The decapitation shot is attempted again with a chair, but Ric moves and catapults his rival into the post. The champ tries to leave, but gets prevented and takes knees in the aisle. Back in the ring, the PerfectPlex is attempted on the belt, but it’s blocked. Flair tries a suplex on it, hits it, but mostly misses the title.
-Hennig is trapped in the Tree of Woe and has the belt wrapped around his face. Flair stomps it, the bell rings and the ref gets punched. Okay then!
HOW DOES IT END:
Curt Hennig retains via DQ in 13:51
FINAL WORD: Considering who they are now in 1997, that was fun and it keeps the feud going.
THE STUFF IN-BETWEEN: Other refs, Konnan and Vincent come out to push Flair off and Hennig covers his face in agony. Backstage, Macho Man is messing up plenty of words answering Mark Madden’s online questions. Mean Gene talks to JJ Dillon at the entranceway, returning from a previous Nitro attack by Hogan. He insists the main event will take place as advertised and Bischoff sneaks up and talks trash. JJ produces a document EB wanted and I never noticed how much Dillon resembles Drew Carey. He does a good job here and has a good line about Sting only being present in their nightmares. Bischoff throws out a final line about Nitro becoming the nWo’s show.
MATCH NUMBER SEVEN: LARRY ZBYSZKO AS SPECIAL GUEST REF- Scott Hall w/Syxx vs Lex Luger
BEFORE THE BELL: Larry gets a good pop. Hall is next with Syxx and Dusty is off the LVP list asking to get on with business now that the Hogan things are settled. Big pyro and pop for Lex. Hall throws the toothpick at Larry before the bell.
WHAT STANDS OUT
-Lock ups and forced breaks on both sides early. This goes on for three minutes. Even as a ref, Larry is the king od squeezing time out of nothing.
-The highlight of the first five minutes is Tony mocking Dusty’s ask to not be contradicted and Bobby summarizing the show they’ve missed not paying attention thus far. It sure isn’t this long arm stretch spot.
-Larry counts to five on a choke in the ropes, but he doesn’t ring a bell. He catches Syxx about to cheat. Hall doesn’t like the count cadence. Lex battles out of a weak sleeper.
-A shoving match develops between Hall and Zbyszko and it leads to Hall being backdropped over the top. Eric comes out and gets kicked off the apron. Luger is a house of fire until Syxx sneaks a kick behind a distracted Larry’s back. Hall hits the Outsiders Edge and Larry begrudgingly counts to three with much hesitation. It appears to be over…
-BUT WAIT! Larry wants to see the replay! He looks at the screen and sees the interference and orders the match to continue. Hall yells in his face and gets pushed into a Torture Rack.
HOW DOES IT END:
Lex Luger wins in 12:42 with the Torture Rack
FINAL WORD: Another storyline over match for Hall and Luger. It’s pretty much perfect for them at this point.
THE STUFF IN-BETWEEN: Syxx attacks right away and gets put in the dreaded Guillotine choke, but Bischoff attacks along with Hall. After a karate kick, Hall counts Larry out. Syxx sells excellently on the way out. A post-apocalyptic World War 3 commercial airs.
MATCH NUMBER EIGHT: LAS VEGAS SUDDEN DEATH MATCH- Randy Savage w/Elizabeth vs Diamond Dallas Page
BEFORE THE BELL: New World Order music AGAIN means it’s glorified Last Man Standing time (the only way to win is keep your opponent down for the count of ten). I have to give a shout out to the guy with the Papa Shango airbrushed shirt and the kid who painted a Hulk Hogan wrestling buddy like Hollywood Hogan. DDP is officially in his jeans and taped ribs era.
WHAT STANDS OUT
-A brawl starts on the floor and Macho focuses on the ribs. Page fights back and I’m surprised how heatless this is so far.
-A slingshot to the floor by Dallas is answered by a top rope axe handle to the floor by Randy. Dallas is knocked into the crowd in front of Raven and crew. I notice a guy in the crowd taking off his shirt as the fight passes him. He has a history of it or losing it at the very least (the reference challenge is done).
-Savage is whipped into gravestones and slammed onto a coffin box. An object is shattered over his head UNPROTECTED and Dusty loses his mind because he “wobble legged him!”
-DDP is sent into the rail and steps a bunch. Savage steals a camera and gets it kicked into his face. Liz uses her own tray to break UNPROTECTED over Mickey Jay’s head, then choke Page with a cord. Kimberly comes out and the worst hair pull catfight develops. It sucks that Elizabeth might be an LVP.
-The crowd is fully invested now and Nick Patrick comes down as the new ref for DDP’s comeback, but has the Diamond Cutter blocked. Randy barely gets air on the flying elbow and they sell exhaustion very well.
-Page barely gets up, then hit with it again. He gets up right before 10. The ref is bumped off a counter and the Cutter lands. Both get counted down, but get up and a low blow send Dallas to the floor.
-A stupid distraction in a match without DQ and a “Sting” that doesn’t even fool the announcers strikes DDP in the ribs. That ends the feud in a clunk.
HOW DOES IT END:
Randy Savage wins in 18:08 after a bat shot to DDP’s ribs
FINAL WORD: That was taxing in both good and bad ways. The feud lost steam at the end, but it was still good overall.
THE STUFF IN-BETWEEN: Savage attacks Patrick and the trainer so he can hit DDP one more time. Despite fighting off the help, Page is stretchered out. Macho is back to hit him while strapped to the gurney. That’s overkill.
MATCH NUMBER NINE: NON-TITLE CAGE MATCH- Hollywood Hulk Hogan vs Roddy Piper
BEFORE THE BELL: The commentators discuss the cage match even more before it starts. What a novelty at this point. Michael Buffer takes over and someone with a headset sneezes. That moment was better than Buffer’s BS script. He claims there might not be a survivor in this match. Dusty reveals that it was Tony that sneezed on accident and asks if he’s okay. A really big cage is lowered during MORE nWo music and Hogan walking out sans title and any other person. It’s the Thunderdome cage, so they are able to walk outside like Hell in a Cell, but there’s still no roof. Piper is out next with the WCW Title. I wish I knew why. Hulk tries to escape when Piper taunts him and gets ready. A chase ensues and Piper catches him during a climb and bites his butt. I guess we’ve started?
WHAT STANDS OUT
-More biting. Then, more biting! They finally get in the ring and the bell never rang. Hulk oversells an eye poke amidst mostly silence. The lack of ref is pointed out. So, what’s the point?
-The slowest attempt to leave happens and both men spill out and just keep fighting outside. The door is slammed in Piper’s way off camera, then Hulk missed badly on camera. These are the two biggest stars of the 1980s and they look like drunken neighbors.
-Hulk tries to leave and another bad Sting impersonator stands in his way, giving Roddy time to attack. Back in the cage, there are more awful saves as both men climb and awkwardly punch each other. ANOTHER Sting comes out. This is laughable. They climb to the tippy top of the cage only to slowly kick one another and climb back down. Shawn Michaels just fell off of one of these fucking things!
-They’ve totally lost the crowd, so Hulk whips Roddy with his weight belt. Hollywood is bleeding from nothing and tries to leave again. “Sting” prevents it and Hogan returns to a punching Piper. A third and fourth Sting, one of which is in the crowd, appear. Mild boo birds grow as the fifth Sting appear. This is just two old men being slow in the air. I’ve officially lost count of Stings.
-Hogan hits Piper with the title belt basically UNPROTECTED and drops the leg and wants the ref to count. He hits a second one as the ref gets in the cage, but Piper kicks out. FUCKING WHAT!?!? WHY?!?!?! HOW!?!?!?! Macho Man runs down, climbs the cage and delivers the DUMBEST BUMP maybe ever. He was never the same after Hogan basically refused to catch or help him here. Goodbye, knees!
-After Macho is dispatched, the sleeper is applied and that’s another rare, clean loss for the Hulkster.
HOW DOES IT END:
Roddy Piper wins in 13:33 with the sleeper
FINAL WORD: I’m not going to lie: that might be an all-time top 10 worst match ever. It was embarrassing and miles worse than the fucking novelty man versus woman match from earlier.
BUT WAIT THERE’S MORE: Savage beats up Piper and Bischoff beats up a Sting to get in. They are unmasked and revealed to be nobody. Loud “WE WANT STING” chant rings out as Piper is cuffed to the cage. Really? Want more? We’ve had enough!!! Hogan puts a Sting mask on and a fan climbs the cage. Dusty cheers him on and he gets all the way in before a fake Sting stops him. Is this a worked shoot because Hogan is throwing worked punches and Savage holds him as security tries to take him away. This is an all-time HORRENDOUS ending. The crowd is so confused. Piper is still cuffed. The fan is without a shirt now and he’s removed as Tony says we are out of time while shit is still going on. Music just starts and the credits roll.
THE LAST IMAGE: Roddy Piper and Hollywood Hogan
THE WRAP UP
FINAL MVP of PPV: After this rewatch, it’s evident how jittery Rey Mysterio Jr was and how masterful Eddie Guerrero is in making that match a classic. He is heel and action personified while being a cool MF’er all at once.
FINAL LVP of PPV: There was no effort in Hollywood Hogan’s talking and there certainly wasn’t an effort in the ring either. His overall influence hurt the whole show so much.
MY FAVORITE MATCH: Rey Mysterio Jr vs Eddie Guerrero
MY LEAST FAVORITE MATCH: Roddy Piper vs Hollywood Hulk Hogan
FINAL THOUGHTS: Last week, I said that one match can’t force a recommendation from me. Another single match compared with one ending make this one such a dichotomy. Overall, this is a prototypical WCW show: the undercard is hot, it’s good overall and the main event and its booking is total BS and leaves a rotten taste in your mouth. I’m going to skew towards a negative review because the permeating negativity from the “Hogan won’t wrestle” story killed the middle of the show. The wheels are falling off, yet there is hope that we will never fully get. MULLET DOESN’T RECOMMEND
NEXT TIME: We have reached our ninth recap AKA the Flairiod. 1997 has been a wild ride, so who are the winners and losers? Read all about it next week!