Category: Digital Movies & TV

SUMMARY:                             RUNNING TIME: 19:00 Min.

Recorded live on September 17, 1995, for WCWs Fall Brawl ’95 PPV in Asheville, NC, this showdown pits these four-man squads against one another:

• The Hulk-A-Maniacs: The Mega-Powers (WCW World Heavyweight Champion Hulk Hogan & “Macho Man” Randy Savage); Sting; & “The Total Package” Lex Luger, with Jimmy Hart.

vs.

• The Dungeon of Doom: Zodiac (aka WWE’s Brutus Beefcake); Kamala; Meng (aka WWE’s Haku); & Shark (aka WWE’s Earthquake), with manager “Taskmaster” Kevin Sullivan.   

Back in 1987, Dusty Rhodes is generally credited with devising the War Games gimmick: a two-ring, roofed double-steel cage street fight.  The teams pit their initial two combatants in a five-minute one-on-one brawl.  Occurring off-screen, a coin toss then determines a handicap advantage, as the other participants enter at two-minute intervals.  Hence, one side maintains a repetitive handicap advantage until all eight combatants are in. 

In the “Match Beyond” (featuring all eight wrestlers), there’s no escape, as the losing squad is forced to either submit or surrender.  Supposedly, Hogan will get a solo skirmish with Sullivan, should the Hulk-A-Maniacs prevail –even if they do, that footage is excluded.  The commentators are Tony Schiavone & Bobby “The Brain” Heenan.      

In 2013, the WWE released this match as part of a collection of War Games matches (in DVD and Blu-ray formats) entitled WWE War Games: WCW’s Most Notorious Matches.    

Note: For more fun-and-games, there’s the 1996 WCW Uncensored’s Tower of Doom stacked triple-cage camp classic.  The legendary Mega-Powers go two-on-eight vs. the so-called ‘Alliance to End Hulk-A-Mania:’ Meng/Haku, The Barbarian, “Taskmaster” Kevin Sullivan, “The Enforcer” Arn Anderson, Z-Gangsta (aka WWE’s Zeus), “The Total Package” Lex Luger, WCW World Champion “Nature Boy” Ric Flair; & The Ultimate Solution (aka “Jeep” Swenson).   A newly corrupted Miss Elizabeth, Woman (aka Nancy Benoit), and Jimmy Hart accompany the villains.  Long derided as a mid-90’s WCW low, its comic strip choreography is still worth some laughs. 

REVIEW:

This underwhelming sluggish-fest falls short of fan expectations. In Saturday morning cartoon fashion, WCW devises its low-grade mayhem as a live-action rip-off of G.I. Joe-Meets-Challenge of the Super-Friends. Had this match occurred in 1988 against worthy opposition (i.e. The Four Horsemen), WCW would have scored the mega-coup of the industry’s Top Four ‘super-heroes’ in their prime teaming up.

Come September 1995, the rare Hogan-Savage-Luger-Sting quartet still exuded considerable star power, presuming all the players involved were on their game. The only detriment would then be the eye-rolling ‘forces of evil’ scraped together to face them. Sadly, only Savage & Luger’s brewing mistrust is what keeps this War Games from utterly stinking up the cliché factory.  Sting, undeservedly demoted to semi-main events due to the Hulkster’s presence, gets stuck taking the most lumps. 

Yet, what inevitably sinks Team Hulk-A-Mania is the it’s-all-about-me WCW World Champ himself.  The Hulkster, per his WCW norm, lazily contributes the least amount of work in exchange for the most self-entitled glory.  Considering the non-existent audience pop, wary fans are clearly resisting WCW’s ham-fisted efforts programming them to worship Hogan, as if it were still the mid-80’s. 

Rescued from unemployment, the buffoonish ex-WWE villains-for-hire (no surprise) phone this one in.  Even efforts from Heenan and Schiavone trying to bolster the one-dimensional script doesn’t help much.  For instance, pushing another of his all-too-stupid WCW personas, the ex-Brutus Beefcake contributes a putrid performance.  Other than showing up surprisingly svelte (at least, for them), Kamala and The Shark merely play sinister C-list henchmen.  It’s left to Meng/Haku to be a formidable threat – to his credit, consider it mission accomplished.   

As for the dubious in-ring work, the sole highlight is Sting and Shark amusingly trading ‘can you top this?’ between-ring leaps. Otherwise, this reviewer has witnessed far better choreography from his six-year-old playing with action figures. It’s no wonder why the 1995 War Games presents a prime example of Hogan’s WCW consistently pitching crummy main events for a fast buck.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                        2 Stars

IMAGE NOT AVAILABLE

SUMMARY:                    RUNNING TIME: 25:25 Min.

Recorded live on September 18, 1994, for the WCW’s Fall Brawl ’94 Pay-Per-View in Roanoke, VA, this showdown features these four-man teams:

• “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes; “The Natural” Dustin Rhodes; & The Nasty Boys: Brian Knobbs & Jerry Sags,  

vs.

• Terry Funk; Bunkhouse Buck; “The Enforcer” Arn Anderson; & Col. Robert Parker, with bodyguard Meng (aka the WWF’s Haku) stationed at ringside.

Dusty Rhodes returns to the gimmick he devised back in 1987: a two-ring, roofed double-steel cage grudge match.  This time, it’s booked for eight wrestlers instead of ten.  Per “Mean” Gene Okerlund’s recorded voice-over explaining the rules, the teams pit their initial two combatants in a five-minute one-on-one brawl.  A coin toss then determines a handicap advantage, as the other participants enter in two-minute intervals. 

Hence, one side will have a repetitive handicap advantage until all eight wrestlers are in.  For the subsequent “Match Beyond,” there’s no escape, as the losing squad is forced to either submit or surrender.  Tony Schiavone and Bobby “The Brain” Heenan are the ringside co-commentators.    

In 2013, the WWE released this match as part of a collection of War Games matches (in DVD and Blu-ray formats) entitled WWE War Games: WCW’s Most Notorious Matches.   

Notes: The match’s in-ring camera operator is Jackie Crockett. Also, the Rhodes faction here is a family affair, as Sags is actually Dusty’s brother-in-law.

REVIEW:

Resuming old-school War Games formula (i.e. a Rhodes & Anderson square off first for the umpteenth time), this mid-card slugfest is quickly forgettable. Yet, some moments aren’t half-bad.  For one thing, an ode to good taste unexpectedly occurs, as there’s no bloodshed.  Only a supposedly loaded boot and a makeshift pair of straps are scrounged up as weapons.  There’s also an effort towards humor, such as: Funk (intentionally or not) falling between rings, Dustin Rhodes spinning around an upside-down Anderson like a post-hole digger between rings, and lamely exaggerating Parker’s cowardice. 

Still, these players can only do so much, even with a fun commentary boost from Heenan & Schiavone.  If there is a MVP, it’s Dustin Rhodes for putting in the most resilient effort.  As for an unofficial MVP, that’s the menacing Meng/Haku, who would likely wipe out Dustin, Dusty, & the Nastys by himself.

This War Games is decent viewing, but purchasing it outside the DVD or Blu-ray set doesn’t make much sense. 

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                          4 Stars

IMAGE NOT AVAILABLE

SUMMARY:                           RUNNING TIME: 21:30 Min.

Recorded live on September 19, 1993, for the WCW’s Fall Brawl ’93 Pay-Per-View in Houston, TX, this showdown features these four-man teams:

• WCW World Heavyweight Champion Vader (with Harley Race); Sid Vicious (with Col. Robert Parker); & Harlem Heat: Stevie Ray & Booker T (aka Kole),

vs.

• Sting; WCW U.S. Champion “The Natural” Dustin Rhodes; “British Bulldog” Davey Boy Smith; & The Shockmaster (aka WWE’s ex-Typhoon/Tugboat).

Back in 1987, Dusty Rhodes is generally credited with inventing War Games: a two-ring, roofed double-steel cage ten-man grudge match concept.  Now reduced to teams of four, the initial two combatants in a five-minute one-on-one brawl.  A coin toss then determines a handicap advantage as the other participants enter in two-minute intervals.  Hence, one side enjoys a repetitive handicap advantage until all eight men are in.  In the so-called “Match Beyond” (featuring all the combatants), there’s no escape, as the losing squad is forced to either submit or surrender.  Tony Schiavone is the commentator.

In 2013, the WWE released this match as part of a collection of War Games matches (in DVD and Blu-ray formats) entitled WWE War Games: WCW’s Most Notorious Matches.    

REVIEW:

In theory, there’s sufficient star power – at least, until the untalented Shockmaster enters the fray.  The fact that this supposed slugfest was meant to redeem his jaw-dropping WCW debut — the most laughably botched promo in pro wrestling history – inevitably dooms this War Games to failure.  In fairness, playing up his ‘injured’ ribs, Dustin Rhodes (who wrestles nearly twenty minutes without a boot after it’s turned into a makeshift weapon) does his best. 

Rhodes, unfortunately, gets too little help, as the other players, on both sides, are merely phoning it in.  Much to his own chagrin, in minimal screen time, future WCW World Champion Booker T/Kole gets shafted having to sell the ‘mighty’ Shockmaster (in clunky construction worker garb, no less) to unimpressed fans.  Hence, watching this battle’s finish is the equivalent of being stuck with the punchline to a pathetic joke.

A dubious bonus is the inclusion of some post-match complaining by the losers.  Ironically, hapless viewers can relate – they’re the ones who paid to watch this dreck.

Note: Industry nepotism might explain Shockmaster’s unlikely WCW push: he is an an in-law of the Rhodes clan.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                    2½ Stars

IMAGE NOT AVAILABLE

SUMMARY:     RUNNING TIME: Approximately 25:00 Min.

Recorded live on May 17, 1992, for WCW’s WrestleWar ’92 Pay-Per-View in Jacksonville, FL, this showdown features these five-man teams:

• Sting’s Squadron: WCW World Heavyweight Champion Sting; Barry Windham; “The Russian Nightmare” Nikita Koloff; “The Natural” Dustin Rhodes; & Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat,

vs.

• The Dangerous Alliance: WCW U.S. Heavyweight Champion “Ravishing” Rick Rude; WCW TV Champion “Stunning” Steve Austin; “The Living Legend” Larry Zbyszko; “The Enforcer” Arn Anderson: & “Beautiful” Boddy Eaton.  Wielding his ever-present cell phone, wily manager Paul E. Dangerously (Paul Heyman) and a glamorous “Madusa” Miceli are at ringside.    

Back in 1987, Dusty Rhodes is generally credited with devising the War Games gimmick: a two-ring, roofed double-steel cage ten-man grudge match.  The teams pit their initial two combatants in a five-minute one-on-one brawl.  A coin toss then determines a handicap advantage as the other participants enter in two-minute intervals. 

Hence, one side enjoys a repetitive handicap advantage until all ten men are in.  In the so-called “Match Beyond” (featuring all the combatants), there’s no escape, as the losing squad is forced to either submit or surrender.  Jim Ross is the sole commentator, as colleague Jesse “The Body” Ventura’s voice has been omitted for contractual purposes.

In 2013, the WWE released this match as part of a collection of War Games matches (in DVD and Blu-ray formats) entitled WWE War Games: WCW’s Most Notorious Matches.    

REVIEW:

While this slugfest sticks to reliable formula, some fresh twists (i.e. neither Anderson nor a Rhodes start off) are welcome.  Significantly, new recruits, such as Austin, Dustin Rhodes, and Steamboat, push themselves hard to entertain fans.  Bolstering the mayhem are reliable veterans Windham, Eaton, and Koloff, who know exactly how to play up their roles. 

Anderson & Zbyszko don’t contribute much, but Anderson’s presence deliberately instills some Four Horsemen nostalgia.  Last, but certainly not least, Sting and Rude exude their considerable star power at the right moments.  A brief stand-off between Madusa and Sting atop the double-cage is an added attraction, along with Paul E.’s shady cell phone antics. 

Yet, the match’s shock value belongs to the three Texas boys (Austin, Windham, and Rhodes) and their bloodshed.  Stars like Sting, Koloff, and Rude get off easy doing their schtick in limited screen time, but this Texan trio, by comparison, comprises nothing short of a gore-fest.  Windham’s bleeding will seem mild, as compared to a crimson-stained Rhodes.  Far worse off is Austin, whose considerable blood loss is jaw-dropping. 

Why WCW condoned such carnage on live TV straight through to its scripted finish is hard to fathom – a referee ordering stoppage would have been plausibly sane.  It’s a matter of pushing macho theater too far; more specifically, the match borders on unrepentant sadism.    

Still, considering how gutsy Austin appears, his level of grisly pride is a precursor to the brutal WrestleMania XIII bout he had against Bret Hart in 1997.  If not for the ridiculous bloodletting, this match is, otherwise, a gritty masterpiece.  More so, it’s a sign that WCW could move past the shadows of Ric Flair, and (to a lesser degree) Lex Luger – after these ex-World Champions had departed for the WWF/WWE.

Note: Consider this irony: only a few years before, WCW (or maybe it was really Ted Turner’s TBS) fired Dusty Rhodes for pushing excessive gore on television.  Go figure. 

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                             8 Stars

IMAGE NOT AVAILABLE

SUMMARY:                               RUNNING TIME: 24:00 Min.

Recorded live on February 24, 1991, for the WCW’s WrestleWar ’91 Pay-Per-View in Phoenix, AZ, this showdown features these four-man teams:

• The Four Horsemen: WCW World Heavyweight Champion “Nature Boy” Ric Flair; Barry Windham; Sid Vicious; & “The Living Legend” Larry Zbyszko (as Arn Anderson’s injury substitute) — with Arn Anderson at ringside,

vs.

• Sting; Rick Steiner; Scott Steiner; & ‘Flyin’ Brian Pillman.  El Gigante appears briefly to second their team.  

Back in 1987, Dusty Rhodes is generally credited with devising the War Games gimmick: a two-ring, roofed double-steel cage ten-man grudge match – this time, it’s only eight men.  The squads pit their initial two combatants in a five-minute one-on-one brawl.  A coin toss then determines a handicap advantage, as the other participants enter in two-minute intervals. 

Hence, one side enjoys a repetitive handicap advantage until all eight men are in.  In the so-called “Match Beyond” (featuring all the combatants), there’s no escape, as the losing squad is forced to either submit or surrender.  Rhodes & Jim Ross are the commentators, with Tony Schiavone as the ever-present time-keeper.

In 2013, the WWE released this match as part of a collection of War Games matches (in DVD and Blu-ray formats) entitled WWE War Games: WCW’s Most Notorious Matches.   

REVIEW:

For the first time since 1988, Ric Flair’s Horsemen are back in War Games – no wonder why this brawl’s entertainment value should have been a given.  Yet, the choice of such squeaky clean opposition (including no Road Warriors or other gritty wrestling heroes associated with cage matches) makes this slugfest forgettable about 75% of the time.    

Among the few highlights are a showdown pitting Rick Steiner vs. a bloodied Flair, and a tenacious Brian Pillman, in spite of a hyped shoulder injury, firing back vs. a very-bloodied Barry Windham, Sid Vicious, and Flair.  Recycling his patriotic 1990 Great American Bash attire (when he won the WCW World Title from Flair), Sting is in excellent form, as are Windham and Rick Steiner. 

Given the least screen time, it’s not surprising that neither Larry Zbyszko nor Scott Steiner do anything remotely impressive. As for the one-dimensional Vicious, simply put — his limited arsenal as a monster heel is on full display, including his sadistic ‘dismantling’ of the far smaller Pillman.

While the choreographed mayhem appears average (there’s only a few memorable maneuvers), its claim to immortality stems from the most plausible finish (take that for what you will) in War Games history.  Post-match comments from Ross, Rhodes, and referee Nick Patrick smartly add depth in a sharp deviation from this gimmick’s established formula.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                   4 Stars

IMAGE NOT AVAILABLE

SUMMARY:                                RUNNING TIME: 34:00 Min.

Recorded live on July 23, 1989, for the NWA’s Great American Bash ’89: Glory Days PPV from Baltimore, MD, this showdown begins with pre-match promos from both sides.  The combatants are:

• The Road Warriors: Hawk & Animal, with manager “Precious” Paul Ellering; “Dr. Death” Steve Williams; and The Midnight Express: “Sweet” Stan Lane & “Beautiful” Bobby Eaton, with manager Jim Cornette,

vs.

• The Samoan Swat Team: Samu & Fatu, with manager Paul E. Dangerously (aka Paul Heyman); & The Fabulous Freebirds: Terry “Bam Bam” Gordy and WCW World Tag Team Champions Jimmy “Jam” Garvin & Michael “P.S.” Hayes. 

A few notable changes are made re: this two-ring, roofed double-steel cage ten-man grudge match.  First, the supposed coin toss occurs off-screen beforehand, so it’s announced which side will have the handicap advantage going in.  There’s also now an inside-the-ring camera, which proves a big boost to viewers. 

The teams still pit their initial two combatants in a five-minute one-on-one brawl before more teammates enter at two-minute intervals.  Once all ten men have entered the double-cage, there’s no escape, as the losing squad is forced to either submit or surrender.  Tommy Young is the main referee while Jim Ross & Bob Caudle serve as the co-commentators.      

In 2013, the WWE released this match as part of a collection of War Games matches (in DVD and Blu-ray formats) entitled WWE War Games: WCW’s Most Notorious Matches.    

REVIEW:

This battle is worth the wait after lengthy pre-match promos, particularly with a grouchy Hayes mouthing off seemingly forever.  To its credit, WCW gambles on a mid-card War Games, and, considering the players involved, this underrated slugfest proves near-flawless.  One doesn’t have to stomach any gory blood-letting this time, and even some villainous humor is thrown in for good measure.

Another welcome element, along with the cool in-ring camera work, the match’s chemistry/heat/choreography is so remarkably good that its actual plotting seems much less predictable.  Part of that quality is attributable to long-time enemies Road Warriors and Midnight Express teaming up, let alone shifting the defunct UWF’s Williams/Gordy rivalry to War Games.  Some obnoxious tidbits from perennial motormouths Heyman & Hayes (along with a little straight-faced help from Tommy Young) add a touch of comedy to the constant mayhem.

Lastly, don’t turn click off the remote prematurely – as there’s a post-match beatdown.  Yet, considering one can’t get past a blocked cage door or climb in over-the-top, viewers might wonder why, in order to quickly save their pal, the irate teammates don’t storm the cage through the door on the other side.  Even if that idea is left unexplained, this segment concludes a well-played gem meriting re-discovery by wrestling fans.       

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                     8½ Stars

IMAGE NOT AVAILABLE

SUMMARY:                             RUNNING TIME: 25:30 Min.

Recorded live on July 16, 1988, for a NWA Great American Bash house show in Greensboro, NC, this showdown features these five-man squads:

• “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes; “The Russian Nightmare” Nikita Koloff; “Dr. Death” Steve Williams; “The Total Package” Lex Luger; & the Road Warriors’ manager “Precious” Paul Ellering,

vs.

• The Four Horsemen: (NWA World Heavyweight Champion “Nature Boy” Ric Flair; NWA U.S. Heavyweight Champion Barry Windham; NWA World Tag Team Champions Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard) and manager J.J. Dillon.

Rhodes is generally credited with devising this two-ring, roofed double-steel cage ten-man grudge match.  The teams pit their initial two combatants in a five-minute one-on-one brawl.  A coin toss then determines a handicap advantage as the other participants enter in two-minute intervals. Hence, one side will enjoy a repetitive handicap advantage until all ten men are inside the two-ring cage . 

During the so-called “Match Beyond” (featuring all ten combatants), there’s no escape, as the losing squad is forced to either submit or surrender.  There isn’t a commentary track, as Tony Schiavone serves only as an ever-present time-keeper.    

In 2013, the WWE released this match as part of a collection of War Games matches (in DVD and Blu-ray formats) entitled WWE War Games: WCW’s Most Notorious Matches. 

Notes: This match occurs after the first Great American Bash PPV, which was held on July 10, 1988, at Baltimore, MD.  Also, just as a heads-up: Anderson throws an obscene finger gesture at fans just before entering the cage.

REVIEW:

While heavily relying upon War Games formula (i.e. Rhodes & Anderson square off first yet again), the absence of the Road Warriors is an intriguing risk.  Courtesy of fresh recruits Windham and Williams, this War Games brawl still ends up as entertaining as its predecessors. 

The supposed vendettas pitting Rhodes vs. ex-protégé Windham and ex-Horseman Luger vs. his former cronies offer high-caliber NWA storytelling.  The same idea applies to putting an energetic “Total Package” out there as a Hulk Hogan-like hero (without cartoony mannerisms).  In a way, this battle epitomizes evil wrestling technicians vs. charismatic powerhouses – it’s a can’t-miss cliché for 80’s pro wrestling.  

Beyond holding their own, what’s impressive is how the Horsemen sell signature impact moves from the likes of Luger, Koloff, and Williams.  The fact that, along with veteran bleeder Rhodes, these Horsemen are willing to take a grisly pounding to make War Games appear ‘real,’ demonstrates pride in their heel craft.  Also, given a high-profile opportunity, rugged ex-UWF Champion Williams is the underrated factor, as he solidifies himself as a big-league star.  Only an over-confident Dillon gleefully hams it up, which telegraphs this slugfest’s likely finish.

Ultimately, these NWA icons bust tail to satisfy fans with nearly a half-hour of steel cage mayhem.  The unusual lack of commentary (short of Schivaone’s annoying time-elapsed reminders) lets this slugfest speak for itself — in short, this match can ideally be watched on ‘mute.’

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                          7 Stars

IMAGE NOT AVAILABLE  

SUMMARY:                                        RUNNING TIME: 27:00 Min.

Recorded live on July 10, 1988, for the NWA’s Great American Bash ’88 – “The Price for Freedom” Pay-Per-View (PPV), from Baltimore, MD, this Tower of Doom showdown features these five-man squads:

• The Road Warriors: Hawk & Animal (with “Precious” Paul Ellering); “Dr. Death” Steve Williams; Ron Garvin; & “Gorgeous” Jimmy Garvin (with his real-life wife/valet, Precious),

vs.

• Kevin Sullivan & Mike Rotunda of ‘The Varsity Club;’ Al Perez (with Gary Hart); & The Russians: Ivan Koloff & the masked  Russian Assassin –Vladimir Petrov (with Paul Jones).

Lifting this high-concept gimmick from the Von Erichs’ World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW), this 40-foot high, triple stacked-cage match requires the ten combatants to first climb a ladder to the top.  The much-smaller top two cages means close-quarters combat above a standard-size bottom ring.  Participants must enter through a trap door atop the highest cage before then fighting their way down.  At two-minute intervals, the trapdoors between cages open. 

The first complete team to exit the ground-level cage through the door wins.  Enigmatically ‘torn’ between husband Garvin and psychotic stalker Sullivan, Precious holds the keys unlocking the last cage.  The ringside commentators are Jim Ross and Tony Schiavone.

In 2013, the WWE released this match as part of a collection of War Games matches (in DVD and Blu-ray formats) entitled WWE War Games: WCW’s Most Notorious Matches.   

Notes: Ronnie Garvin’s heel turn on this same PPV was so ill-received that he finished up the 80’s in the AWA and later the WWE.  In another Tower of Doom showdown, WCW’s 1996 Uncensored pitting the legendary Mega-Powers (Hulk Hogan & Randy Savage) vs. eight villains (including Ric Flair, Lex Luger, Arn Anderson, and even the WWE’s ex-Zeus) is an unintended, anything-goes camp classic.

REVIEW:

Judging by the lengthy pre-match footage, it’s no wonder how convoluted this Tower of Doom is — especially as referee Tommy Young is shown forty feet up methodically cinching the trap door pulley.  It comes down to the wrestlers entrusted to make such a gimmicky concept work. 

Considering this particular cast, it’s hard to say if anybody could overcome its reality game show-style logistics — short of some trusted WWF main-eventers (Randy Savage, Curt Hennig, Bret Hart, Rick Rude, Haku, etc.), if there had been a Tower of Doom had in a late-80’s Survivor Series.

Shocking no one, this wonky bout struggles to impress from the get-go.  While the Jimmy Garvin & Precious vs. Kevin Sullivan feud is well-played (aside from a cheap ‘damsel-in-distress’ post-match angle), everyone else merely hop aboard for an awkward ride.  Even the Road Warriors’ magic only extends so far – particularly when opponents must clumsily pass through trap doors.  It’s akin to watching wobbly wrestlers struggling to maintain their balance during a scaffold match.    

While the makeshift action is decent, its sheer lack of impact is attributable to a quintet of sluggish bad guys.  Aside from Mike Rotunda’s knack for making ‘dull’ seem nefariously cool, these particular heels exude the least amount of charisma imaginable.  Had Rick Steiner and/or virtually anybody else been substituted in for the sleep-inducing ‘Russians,’ this match’s watch-a-meter might have soared (i.e. some worthy opposition for the Road Warriors). For instance, one could imagine the Powers of Pain (Warlord & The Barbarian) would have participated, had they not previously left for the WWF.

If anything, this Tower of Doom’s best asset is possibly settling the Garvin vs. Sullivan feud.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                          4 Stars

IMAGE NOT AVAILABLE

SUMMARY:                                  RUNNING TIME: 22:00 Min.

Recorded live on July 31, 1987, for the NWA’s Great American Bash outdoor house show at Miami’s Orange Bowl, the heated rematch from War Games # 1 features these two squads:

• The Super-Powers: (“The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes & “The Russian Nightmare” Nikita Koloff) and The Road Warriors: (Hawk & Animal) & manager “Precious” Paul Ellering,

vs.

• The Four Horsemen: (NWA World Heavyweight Champion “Nature Boy” Ric Flair; Arn Anderson; NWA World TV Champion Tully Blanchard; and NWA U.S. Heavyweight Champion Lex Luger); & the masked War Machine (aka Ray ‘Big Bubba Rogers’ Traylor).  Manager J.J. Dillon and Blanchard’s then-valet, ‘Dark Journey,’ are stationed at ringside.

Rhodes is generally credited with devising this two-ring, roofed double-steel cage ten-man grudge match concept.  The teams pit their initial two combatants in a five-minute one-on-one brawl.  A coin toss then determines a handicap advantage, as the other participants enter in two-minute intervals. Hence, one side will enjoy a repetitive handicap advantage until all ten men are in. 

During the so-called “Match Beyond” (featuring all ten combatants), there’s no escape, as the losing squad is forced to either submit or surrender.  Tony Schiavone is the commentator.

In 2013, the WWE released this match as part of a collection of War Games matches (in DVD and Blu-ray formats) entitled WWE War Games: WCW’s Most Notorious Matches.   

Notes: 1. At the time, Rhodes & The Road Warriors were NWA World Six-Man Tag Champions.  2. Prior to this rematch, Luger had vanquished an ‘injured’ Koloff for the U.S. Title inside a steel cage during a Bash house show.

REVIEW:

As the primary U.S. rival to Vince McMahon’s WWF, the NWA/WCW (essentially, Jim Crockett Promotions) again goes all out to please fans with this gritty entertainment.  While there aren’t high-tech graphics (let alone, cartoony antics) comparable to the WWF, this match’s nice video quality speaks for itself.  Minus the substitution of a masked Ray Traylor (aka the WWF’s future Big Boss Man) for an injured Dillon, this second War Games virtually replicates the first War Games. Suffice to say, the implied gory finish is nastier than its predecessor.      

In fairness, there was likely no necessity to change the match’s script much, considering its crowd-pleasing success the first time.  Besides, only those present at the Atlanta house show would have sensed any déjà vu re: recycled plotting.  Other than predictable bleeding by Rhodes and Flair, among others, the ten players ensure that loyal fans get their money’s worth in the form of steel cage mayhem. 

Above all, this rematch rewards wrestling buffs who recall these NWA icons in their prime.  This video is a wrestling time machine to an era when fans had an exciting alternative to the WWF.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                        7½ Stars

IMAGE NOT AVAILABLE

SUMMARY:                                      RUNNING TIME: 23:00 Min.

Recorded live on July 4, 1987, at the NWA’s Great American Bash house show in Atlanta, GA, this ten-man slugfest features these teams:

• The Super-Powers: (“The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes & NWA U.S. Heavyweight Champion Nikita “The Russian Nightmare” Koloff) and The Road Warriors: (Hawk & Animal) & manager “Precious” Paul Ellering,

vs.

• The Four Horsemen: (NWA World Heavyweight Champion “Nature Boy” Ric Flair; Arn Anderson; NWA World TV Champion Tully Blanchard; and Lex Luger); & manager J.J. Dillon.  Blanchard’s then-valet, ‘Dark Journey,’ is also at ringside.

Rhodes is generally credited with devising this two-ring, roofed double-steel cage ten-man grudge match concept.  The teams pit their initial two combatants in a five-minute one-on-one brawl.  A coin toss then determines a handicap advantage, as the other participants enter in two-minute intervals. Hence, one side will enjoy a repetitive handicap advantage until all ten men are inside the two-ring cage. 

During the so-called “Match Beyond” (featuring all ten combatants), there’s no escape, as the losing squad is forced to either submit or surrender.  Jim Ross and Tony Schiavone are the co-commentators.

In 2013, the WWE released this match as part of a collection of War Games matches (in DVD and Blu-ray formats) entitled WWE War Games: WCW’s Most Notorious Matches. 

Notes: 1. At the time, Rhodes & The Road Warriors were NWA World Six-Man Tag Champions.  2. For the videotaped July 31^st rematch, Dillon is replaced by Ray “Big Bubba Rogers/Big Boss Man” Traylor as the masked ‘War Machine.’ 

REVIEW:

Competing against the popularity of Vince McMahon’s WWF, the NWA/WCW (aka Jim Crockett Promotions) delivers the goods for fans with this macho entertainment.  There aren’t flashy graphics comparable to the WWF, but this match’s video quality is still plenty good.  The ringside blow-by-blow coverage from Ross & Schiavone is an extra treat.    

Aside from predictable bleeding by multiple players and an obscene finger gesture by Rhodes, this intense first War Games establishes an entertaining formula.  Specifically, this excuse for wrestling violence relies on basic storytelling – as in the ruthless Horsemen must stand and fight this time vs. ganging up on outnumbered foes and/or getting a cheap DQ to escape a title loss.  Not surprisingly, in order to appease fans, the no-holds-barred War Games heat locked in a repetitive booking scheme for the follow-ups over the next eight years – except for 1991’s plausible twist ending. 

Still, this battle’s gritty novelty and spot-on choreography will reward long-time fans who still remember these NWA icons in their prime.  It’s a wrestling time machine where seeing the mid-to-late 80’s NWA again becomes a nostalgic gift. 

Note: Watch for Ellering’s pugnacious effort challenging Flair (it also happens in War Games # 2 and, briefly, # 3).  Just for chuckles, one can only wonder why he never got his own World Title shot against “The Nature Boy,” as seemingly everyone else did. 

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                   8 Stars

IMAGE NOT AVAILABLE