WCW Fall Brawl 1995
Asheville Civic Center
Asheville, North Carolina
Sunday September 17th, 1995
This will be my first WCW PPV review in my series that began with the first Monday Nitro and led me here. With only two Nitros prior to this, I am not familiar with the in depth details of each feud, but, being that it is WCW, I am sure I can figure them out.
The pre-show video goes over the War Games main event and concept. Team Hogan (Hogan, Savage, Sting, and Luger) will face The Dungeon of Doom (Shark, Kamala, Meng, and Zodiac.) Vader is AWOL (aka fired and never ever coming back,) and now Lex Luger has taken his place, after returning “from behind enemy lines!”
We go live to the broadcast team of best friends, Tony Schiavone and Bobby “The Brain” Heenan. Heenan was not an especially big fan of Tony, and vice versa. They worked together pretty well on occasion, but you could hear the irritation in both their voices through mid-1997 and beyond.
They inform the audience that during the pre-show (was it WCW Main Event at that point?) The Giant (didn’t even know he had shown up yet, hadn’t been mentioned on Nitro once) has run over Hulk Hogan’s prized and cherished Harley Davidson motorcycle with his monster truck!
That particular vehicle was a “gift from the fans,” according to Schiavone. I actually think it is more believable that someone who refers to himself as “The Giant” owns his own monster truck, than it is that the fans took up a collection to get Hogan a motorcycle.
Man, WCW loved multi-ring shows. It is something Vince never did, so they did it at least twice a year after the Monday Night Wars began (Fall Brawl & World War 3) and used to do it more than that, when they would tour War Games all over the country. Basically, WCW was engaged in a dick measuring contest with Vince without his knowledge. He has one ring? We will use two! No, three! He uses a cage? We are going to stack three cages up! And so on…
Winner is #1 contender for Sting’s United States Championship
“Flyin” Brian Pillman vs. Johnny B. Badd
It is noted that these two are “friends.” I suppose they could be, since they are both sorta babyfaces, but I don’t recall them associating or teaming. Badd does a very Randy Savage like spin to show off in the ring, while wearing a similar robe/shiny jacket deal, which looked like a Macho Man accessory from 1987.
Heenan believes they are close to Mayberry, to which Tony comically retorts, this is “nowhere near Mayberry!” I gotta be honest, Badd is shockingly over. We’ve been conditioned by WWE DVDs and books to believe that Johnny B. Badd/Marc Mero was a total piece of shit in the ring and was never worth anything, but I don’t believe that is the case. He is over here, he was over in the beginning of his run in WWE, and he isn’t a bad worker. He was also very athletic, as we will see in this match.
Michael Buffer does the intro, for what reason I do not know, but I can literally smell his net worth grow. Just as Badd is over, Pillman gets himself some scattered boos, just by looking sort of smug. A heel turn is probably imminent, that’s all I’m saying. Pillman takes control early, working a headlock takeover, and the two men do a dropkick standoff.
Badd hits a kind of goofy flip into an arm drag. Both of these guys are clearly game to open the show, and have great chemistry already. Schiavone mentions The Giant’s presence, and Heenan says he saw some footprint out back that “looked like they were made by a Yeti.” Boy, I hope WCW doesn’t get an idea from that.
Pillman attempts to control the pace, by slowing Badd down with a headlock takeover. Heenan and Schiavone begin to hype the Arn Anderson vs. Ric Flair match later on, as it’s their first ever meeting. Badd hits a nice Japanese armdrag. Schiavone comments that Sting trained that “youngster.” “So Badd is Sting’s pet?” asked Heenan. Pillman rolls Badd up with a bridge, and hits the chinlock again.
From here, there is a pretty consistent pattern, chinlock, spots, chinlock, spots. Don’t get me wrong, these two guys were pretty entertaining, but I can only type chinlock, dropkick, headscissors so many times, before you, the reader, totally blanks out.
“New stars and surprises,” are promised by Schiavone, as Pillman cinches in a Boston Crab. After it’s broken, Pillman uses a closed fist as the “friendship” begins to splinter. Badd recovers by hitting a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker, but works Pillman’s leg after, much to the Brain’s confusion. A shoving match ensues between the two, as things get more heated. In the corner, Pillman drills in a very heelish back elbow. Badd begins to comeback with jabs and body shots, and Pillman powders to the outside. When he regains his composure, he rolls back in and tries for a handshake. The crowd is not buying Pillman’s sincerity.
Badd takes over, and hits a nice slingshot legdrop. With Badd back on the apron, Pillman attempts to suplex him in, but takes a suplex out to the floor. It’s a spot I don’t remember seeing that often until ECW, but apparently it was used a lot in NWA/WCW stuff. Badd than hits a beautiful plancha. Again, despite his reputation, Badd was a very talented guy. He may have needed some coaching, but he could deliver the goods.
It’s at this point that I make the note “long, good match,” as I figured we would be nearing its conclusion. However, it was only about halfway done. Back into the ring, Badd hits a top rope dropkick. They begin to comment about how the time limit may be close to up, as Heenan quips “I don’t think Badd can tell time!” Badd hits a Ligerbomb for two. Pillman comes back with a tombstone piledriver for two. This is the point where these two are hitting each other with finishers, and they all only result in two counts. It makes for an exciting opener, and it’s definitely revving the crowd up, but from the old school point of view, they may be going a little overboard.
Badd hits a series of moves at the culmination of the match, hits a slingshot clothesline and a backslide, but the time limit does expire. However, there must be a winner to determine the top contender to Sting’s United States Championship. They begin to brawl on the outside, with Badd being whipped into the guardrail. Pillman goes up top, takes too long, and Badd counters with a dropkick.
Pillman again slows things down with a sleeper, and some likely coaching in Badd’s ear. He sets up a superplex, but Badd pushes him off, and comes off the top with a sunset flip for two. They exchange moves and Pillman winds up on the floor, where Badd comes over the top with a somersault plancha. Again, it was almost perfect.
Back into the ring, Badd’s slingshot splash is countered by Pillman’s knees. “We’re gonna be here all night!” says Heenan. I feel the same way, as my notes say “A little too long now!” Don’t get me wrong, it’s been great, but I feel like it is going to take away from the rest of the card.
It’s also interesting tonight, that while these two are given thirty minutes to showcase every trick they know, they will both be in the WWF by the summer. In the ring it comes to a crescendo, as the two men collide in a double cross body, but Badd gets the cover, and gets the three count!
Result: Johnny B. Badd wins by pinfall, and earns a United States Championship match against Sting. This was damn excellent, and is probably one of the best openers of all time, but it was a little long. I think once they were pulling out the Ligerbombs and tombstones and tornado DDTs, it should have ended somewhere around there.
Schiavone and Heenan hype the War Games main event, Renegade vs. DDP, Buck & Slater vs. Harlem Heat and they go over the Sherri and Col. Parker romance. Heenan blames Hogan for all of the tension that has led to the blow up between AA and Flair, and their match tonight.
Ric Flair is backstage for an interview with Gene Okerlund. Flair talks about how he and Arn Anderson have bled, sweat and cried together. He and Arn had both come from difficult background, one adopted, one from a broken home, and they had become best friends. They were the Horsemen, and the masters of War Games, but tonight Arn must finally face greatness.
Cobra vs. Sgt. Craig Pittman
Cobra comes to the ring to a series of Morse Code beeps. The man who played Cobra is named Jeff Farmer. Is he the same “Jumping” Jeff Farmer whose promo is well known amongst internet fans? I’m not sure but there is a definite facial resemblance, although that Farmer looked about thirteen years old.
Cobra gives out his dog tags to a ringside fan, as I wonder whatever happened to Craig Pittman. Quick research reveals he had some wins in MMA after leaving WCW, but nothing else really. I just remember from flipping through channels that he seemed to get a push, but it just sort of vanished. Another man in uniform begins to walk towards the ring in uniform, he kind of resembles Prince Iaukea. As Cobra is distracted, Pittman repels from the ceiling, and does a creepy marine crawl towards him. He chokes Cobra down with his bullet strip, then totally misses a move from the apron. Cobra posts him and rolls him back into the ring. Cobra goes up top, and misses a splash. Pittman hooks his Code Red arm bar, and gets the submission. I’m pretty sure this ended their angle, not that anyone would really notice or care.
Result: Pittman wins by submission. Short, and pretty heatless.
Schiavone and Heenan begin to discuss Paul Orndorff, who had lost his confidence following a loss to Randy Savage. They show a terrible segment with Orndorff arguing with himself in a mirror, as Gary Spivey (Psychic Hotline) arrives to convince him that he is indeed “Mr. Wonderful.” It’s one of the worst things I’ve ever seen involved with pro wrestling, and that is covering a shit ton of ground.
World Television Championship Match
The Renegade © w/ Jimmy Hart vs. Diamond Dallas Page w/ the Diamond Doll and Maxx Muscle
It’s weird for me to see Page come out without his “Self High Five” music. He is still be under his gimmick where he won the lottery or whatever, as Heenan refers to him having money, etc. Renegade is still with Jimmy Hart, so he is still an associate of Hogan’s.
Page starts the match in control, and looks good. He’s almost working the match by himself. He winds up posting himself as they brawl outside, and he falls right into the front row. I notice that while his face is painted, Renegade had nowhere NEAR the build that the Ultimate Warrior did. The poor guy was set up to fail.
Back in the ring, Renegade misses a cross body wildly, and hits his face on the top rope…ouch! Page hits a neck breaker, as I think about how glad I am that WCW never tried to copy Undertaker as they did with the Warrior. Good God…well I suppose you could make a case to say they did that a little bit with Vampiro down the line, and of course, it was mostly a disaster.
Speaking of disasters, who what and why is a Maxx Muscle? I know the name, I just have no idea what he is doing there. And why is he bodyguarding Page, who is bigger than him? In the meantime, Renegade is hitting some atrocious chops, but Page definitely has heat. He may have been a huge babyface for WCW, but he was naturally a very good obnoxious heel. It’s noted that this is Renegade’s longest match so far. He attempts some sort of kick, which misses, and Page bumps, but takes control back after a jawbreaker. Renegade gets sent off the ropes, and Page hits a nice float over DDT. What a great move, and Page really looked good for just having a few years in the ring, and for his age.
Clueless Maxx tries to start a “Dallas” chant. Renegade blocks the initial Diamond Cutter attempt. Muscle tries to interfere, but it backfires, and Page gets powerslammed. Instead of going for a pin, dullard Renegade dives out of the ring onto Maxx. When he comes back into the ring, BAM, Diamond Cutter, and DDP is the new TV Champ.
Result: Page wins by pinfall and becomes the new WCW World Television Champion. Sweet little win for Page, and I am sure many thought this title win would be his high point. He looked good out there, even though he was saddled with Renegade.
We go back to The Brain and Tony at the announce position, which I notice they had not upgraded yet to the set that is most identified with WCW during the Nitro era. They go over the Sherri and Col. Parker angle. Apparently Sherri has fallen for him after a head injury. Heenan wonders what their children would look like, sending Tony into tremors of laughter.
WCW World Tag Team Championship Match
Bunkhouse Buck & “Dirty” Dick Slater © w/ Col. Parker vs. Harlem Heat (Booker T & Stevie Ray) w/ Sherri
Harlem Heat’s music is definitely in the top five songs that WCW used. After the champs enter, there is a shoving match between both sides. Buck and Slater both look pretty old. I wasn’t expecting much from this. The WCW Hotline comes up, and there is news of a major defection…if you call, you can hear all about it!
Man, Dick Slater looks like a hard partying son of a bitch. I was pretty sure he had passed away, but apparently he is still alive. A Google search shows not only is he alive, but he doesn’t look that much different…in his mug shot. He apparently assaulted a girlfriend, and blamed pain medication. I also read a story that claimed he returned to the ring three weeks after being accidentally shot once.
Buck has great personality and presence on the apron, as Booker and Slater start the match. Booker sends Dick down with a hard clothesline. I could see this one getting a little ugly. Stevie gets tagged in and hits a big body slam. Booker and Buck get tagged in, and Buck takes Booker down with a front facelock, and hits some stiff kicks to the ribs. Booker backs Buck into the Heat corner, and Stevie comes back in to choke Buck down. Heenan calls Heat slowing the pace down “respect for their opponents.” Buck started a little comeback, but gets leapfrogged by Booker and hip tossed. Both men tag out, and Slater and Stevie slug it out, with Stevie getting the advantage, and hitting the ten punches in the corner.
“Dirty” Dick comes back however, and hits a nice swinging neckbreaker for two. Stevie didn’t like that however, nails a headbutt, and chokes Slater down. He works the chinlock, as Parker is caught making eyes across the ring at Sherri. She is not too distracted however, as she helps her guys double-team Slater. Heenan claims to Schiavone that he heard Hogan had his entire War Games team take lie detector tests. Slater hits a big piledriver in the ring for a two count. During a distraction, Buck comes in and throw Booker over the top rope to the floor. Back in, and Buck hits a big boot on Booker, and drops into a chinlock.
This is another match that seems a little too long for its own good. It’s not bad or anything, but it would be better if it were cut a little shorter. Slater comes back in, and Booker starts a comeback, but misses an attempted dropkick in the corner, and lands badly on his head. “Dirty” Dick takes advantage, and nails a back suplex. I’ve just realized that this may be the first Dick Slater match I’ve actually sat and watched. Buck is back in, and a real miscommunication takes place as a slam nearly hurts both men. Slater comes in to hit another neckbreaker, and puts on a Boston crab. Stevie Ray interferes to make the save.
Buck gets tagged back in, and Booker begins a comeback with a beautiful Scissor Kick. The tag is made to big Stevie, who cleans house on both men. This leads to all four men brawling, as Sherri and Parker meet up in the second ring. The Nasty Boys come down to interfere, as there is some serious making out going on. “If he got any closer, he’d be behind her!” – Heenan. Apparently Slater cost the Nasty Boys their match to the American Males earlier, and this was their receipt. After they interfere, Slater gets pinned, and Harlem Heat regains the tag team titles!
Result: Harlem Heat wins the match by pinfall, and regain the WCW World Tag Team Championship. There was nothing wrong with the match, a little slow at times, but I think both teams meshed well.
Backstage, Arn Anderson is with Gene Okerlund to discuss his match with his best friend, Ric Flair. This is a promo made pretty famous by Arn’s book. It is preceded by a video showing the dissension that led to this match, including a handicap match loss to Vader, which you’d think would be edited out. Flair left him high and dry a few times, and here we are.
My recap couldn’t do Arn’s promo justice, so here is the video. It’s well worth a watch.
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmcUTUKO5-Y">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmcUTUKO5-Y</a>
“Nature Boy” Ric Flair vs. “The Enforcer” Arn Anderson
Another classic match that I have never seen. Arn comes out first to cheers, with his badass WCW music that he would use up until his retirement. Flair comes out, as Heenan notes he has a much more serious demeanor than usual. Bobby also again blames Hogan for all of this. He’s driven Flair crazy, and it’s driven he and Arn apart.
Watching the match from the crowd are Big Bubba Rogers, Marcus Bagwell, Scotty Riggs, Brian Pillman, Eddy Guerrero, Alex Wright, and Col. Parker.
The match begins with the men circling each other, and Arn takes over initially with a drop toehold, and he slaps Flair around a little bit. They get face to face, and Flair whips Arn off the ropes, which is a big mistake, as Arn barrels right through him. Flair gets into his face again, and Arn slaps him down to the mat. Flair looks shocked, and leaves the ring.
As they lock up again, Arn takes back over with an armbar on the mat, and he kneedrops and stomps Flair’s arm. Just a few minutes in, and I am already enjoying the hell out of Arn’s work. I know he’s an agent for WWE now, and he advises guys, and sets up/helps with finishes, but I really wish he worked at NXT or an independent wrestling school. Rather than teaching guys great stuff, like how to work a body part and stick with it, as they are beginning, he gets to guys after they’ve already been around a while, in most cases.
Flair tries to take over with a front facelock, but Arn reverses into a hammerlock on the mat, and stomps the arm. Heenan refers to the fact that Arn has never been World Champion, but then wonders why he didn’t ever ask Ric for a shot? Flair gets to his feet, and chops Anderson down to the mat. Arn went down like he got hit with a shotgun blast. Flair begins to work the leg. Arn gets to the corner, elbows his way out, and locks on a sleeper hold. Flair tries to counter his way out, Arn knees him in the back, and hits a hammerlock slam to continue working the arm. Flair begins to beg off, and Arn locks in a hammerlock on the mat, and tries to turn it into a pinfall.
Flair begins a comeback with a couple of chops, but Arn grabs a wristlock, and takes him down by his hair to a big ovation. Arn rolls out of the ring, and threatens to post Ric’s arm, who begs Arn to please reconsider. He does no such thing, and he whips his arm around the post twice.
Back in the ring, Arn nails an armbar takedown. A whip into the corner, Flair does his flip to the apron, and in a cool spot, Arn charges him, but Flair anticipated it, and Arn goes diving over the top rope to the floor. Flair ascends the top turnbuckles and hits a double axe handle on Arn, who is still out on the floor. I don’t recall Flair ever doing that before.
With Arn hanging on the guardrail, Flair chops and punches away. He rolls Arn back in, who uses the ropes to get back to his feet, and Flair responds with a neck snap over the top. Brilliant. He gets back in the ring to stomp away, and hits a classic Flair knee drop for a two count.
Arn begins to fire up, hits several big comeback punches, and a huge backdrop for a two count. Flair hits a semi low blow, and a big kick to the ribs. They wind up on the outside again, where Arn rakes the eyes. Flair feigns blindness, and ends up running right at Arn, who backdrops him on the floor.
They brawl around, punching each other. Arn goes for a suplex, but Flair blocks it, and hits one of his own on the concrete. Back in the ring, both men are down and exhausted. When they return to their feet, Flair chops Arn right down again. Irish whip by Flair, and Arn goes for a sunset flip! Flair tries to punch out of it, Arn moves, and the “Nature Boy” slams his fist into the mat. Arn whips Flair into the corner, and we get another Flair flip, but he drops into the Tree of Woe. Arn choked him down and signaled for the DDT. As he attempted it, Flair held the top rope, and Anderson slammed himself hard into the mat. Flair makes his usual mistake and goes up top, and who would know that better than Double A?! Boom, slam!
Now Arn himself tries a 2nd rope move, and Flair catches him, and locks in the figure four. Heenan is mortified that Ric may break his own best friend’s leg. Flair spits at Arn, who is infuriated! He uses his rage to turn it over, and Flair has to release it. As soon as Arn gets to his feet though, Flair nails a chop block. He goes for another figure four, but Arn reaches up for a small package and gets a two count. Arn gets to his feet, and Flair chop blocks him again. He nails a series of chops and punches, and Arn’s leg buckles. All of the sudden, Brian Pillman is on the apron! Flair argues with him, and Pillman throws a punch! Flair reciprocates, down goes Pillman, but as Flair turns, Pillman hits an enziguri like kick. Naitch walks right into Arn’s DDT and AA gets the win!
Result: Arn Anderson wins by pinfall. This was a classic match. Actually, unlike the previous two long matches, I think this one could’ve used and deserved more time. I have no idea why Buck & Slater vs. Harlem Heat went so long when 3-5 minutes of that could’ve went to this match. I am not sure if they ever worked again, but if they do, I’d really like to see it.
A creepy Kevin Sullivan video airs. Sullivan has noted in interviews that the reason he put the Dungeon of Doom together was to make Hogan feel secure and happy in WCW, as Hogan’s formula always involved him conquering big monsters. By putting himself as their figurehead, however, Sullivan ensured always working with Hogan and always being near the main event; this means he is one of the best “workers” of all time, because he worked Hogan and got in on all the big paydays.
Another War Games video airs, that suggests without Vader on the team, Hogan brought on a “specialist” in Lex Luger. I mean, that’s not too ridiculous I guess, as I am sure Luger has been in War Games matches in the past, especially when he was involved with and against the Horsemen.
A backstage promo airs with Team Hogan, which is just a cluster. All the guys are just tripping over each others words in an effort to get their shit in. It is really just a mess, that’s all I need to recap about it. Hogan wants his five minutes with Sullivan, blah blah blah.
WAR GAMES: Team Hogan (Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Sting & Lex Luger) vs. the Dungeon of Doom (Shark, Kamala, Meng & Zodiac)
Michael Buffer is doing the announcing, and what a colossal waste of money this guy was over the years for WCW. There’s an interesting fireworks show on the top of the cage, as Schiavone puts War Games over as “The Match Beyond,” and a NWA/WCW staple since 1988.
Hogan and his team come out in camo and war paint, which is a little corny, but hey it’s red and yellow Hogan, and corny is what should be expected. Without blood, and with Hogan slopping around the ring with a couple of fat guys and untrained Ed Leslie, it just isn’t War Games though.
Sting and Shark start the match, as Heenan wonders where the logic is in sending your biggest man in first. You and me both, Bobby. Shark starts in control, but misses a corner splash, and Sting slams the big man. He goes for another one and can’t hold him up. Shark locks in a bear hug, as the crowd goes mild. I’m left wondering why Jimmy Hart is waving an American flag. Is it the USA vs. Uganda? USA vs. Tonga? USA vs. Shark Week? It’s just a really bad, cartoonish situation, and it’s so far removed from where the company with be in less than a year, that it is mind boggling.
Sting fights his way out, and winds up in the other ring. Shark tries to dive from ring to ring, and gets caught hanging on the ropes. Sting kicks him in the stomach a few times, and goes for a Stinger splash, but gets caught, and just tossed by Shark in a cool visual. Zodiac comes in, Sting gets on the offense, and Zodiac sells like a complete asshole. Did Brutus Beefcake just totally deteriorate after the boating accident, or was he always just ass terrible? I was a kid when he was “The Barber,” and I certainly haven’t gone out of my way to watch any of his matches. But past accomplishments regardless, he fucking stinks here.
Shark takes back over on Sting, and drops a leg on him. He and Zodiac double clothesline Sting. At this time Sullivan and Meng have climbed the cage, to do whatever, but it totally winds up blocking the hard camera’s view of the match. The heels try for another double team, and Sting hits a double tackle, and Zodiac goes down, but Shark doesn’t. Sting is thrown into the cage, as Savage enters and goes nuts on both heels. I am already wondering if this is the shortest War Games ever (not that that’s a bad thing.) Another part of this story that stinks to me is that this is Hogan’s fight against the Dungeon, yet he sends all his teammates in before him, so they are basically lackeys. Why isn’t Savage getting paranoid and going “WTF brother! Why do you do the least amount of fighting?”
Savage puts a Boston Crab on Zodiac, but Shark quickly breaks it up. Sullivan and Meng are reaching in from under the cage to trip or hold the babyfaces down, thus rendering the whole concept irrelevant. All four men brawl, as Shark hits his trademark power slam on Sting. Kamala enters the ring, as Heenan says he is home now, “back in the jungle!” Shark saves Zodiac from Savage, and hits him with an atomic drop. Savage is getting double-teamed, as Sting and Kamala brawl. Lex Luger is next in for Team Hogan, as Hogan comes in last…of course!
Luger nails a double clothesline on Shark and Kamala. Zodiac gets thrown into the cage as Shark gets hit with a double axe handle from Savage. Luger is selling for Zodiac for some reason. He then gets up and goes to clothesline someone, and accidentally hits Savage from behind. A shoving match breaks out between Savage, Luger, and Sting now, and the heels take advantage and take over. Meng comes in and dominates everybody. He hits a real nice sidekick on Luger. Savage gets sent into the cage by Shark, and Hogan enters the ring, and throw some kind of powder in all the heels faces, the big cheater that he is. Schiavone plays Monsoon as its ok when Hogan cheats, because “this is war!”
He punches and bites Zodiac. The Mega Powers band together to attack Shark, then Hogan resumes play fighting with Zodiac. Meng gets sent into the cage by Sting. Savage chokes Shark, and Hogan gently whips Zodiac into the cage. He uses his devastating back rake on Kamala. By the way, Kamala looks really old here. They may have wanted to review his recent work before they brought him in for this. Zodiac gets caged again by Hogan and Luger. The faces are absolutely dominating now. Zodiac is thrown into the cage again by Hogan, who then applies a camel clutch on him for the submission and the victory.
Decision: Team Hogan wins by submission. This was a mess, and I am glad it is over. Totally the wrong type of wrestlers in that cage, except maybe Savage and Meng.
Hogan now gets his five minutes with Sullivan. I’ll give it this, the crowd does seem to want to see Hogan get his revenge for that whole being trapped in the cave where the water was cold and no Hulkamaniacs could be found. I hope the Taskmaster takes his medicine like a man, and doesn’t try to run…oh man, he’s running isn’t he?
The heartless, evil, violent, disciple of Satan, Kevin Sullivan is stopped from his retreat by Doug Dillenger and his assistant, who honestly appears to be handicapped. Why would Sullivan sell fear for these two? This was clearly not planned well. The referee joins this threatening pack as Sullivan backs away, but thankfully Sting intervenes to grab him and send him into the cage with Hogan.
Savage exclaims “OH YEAH!” into the mic as Hogan gets his hands on Sullivan, in an effort to make sure he is not forgotten in Hogan’s shadow, as usual. Sullivan is thrown into the cage repeatedly, as the Dungeon of Doom His face is raked into the cage, his head is rammed into the steel! No blood though, of course.
Hogan goes through his greatest hits, including the back rake, but the Giant is on his way to the ring. He enters the ring and jumps over both sets of ropes. He reaches Hogan and chokes him from behind as Heenan says “I’ve seen this before!” Man, Giant as “Andre’s son” is almost as bad as those Orndorff vignettes.
Giant no sells Hogan’s punches, and Hogan can’t believe it! Giant chokes him down, and breaks his neck! OK, appears to break his neck. Team Hogan comes in for the save finally, as Heenan is laughing, and Schiavone insists Hogan needs medical attention. Mercifully, this debacle is over.
