Category: WWF/WWE (Pro Wrestling)

SUMMARY:    APPROX. RUNNING TIME (EDITED): 1 Hr., 38 Min.

On December 29, 1991, from the Norfolk Scope in Norfolk, Virginia, World Championship Wrestling (having separated from the National Wrestling Alliance) produced this annual Starrcade Pay-Per-View. 

For this particular Starrcade, there would not be any singles matches nor any title defenses.  Instead, WCW’s gimmicky ‘Battlebowl’ concept would first pair twenty random tag-teams by an open draw.  These makeshift teams must then prevail in one of ten qualifying elimination matches to enter the 20-man, two-ring battle royal main event. 

Starting in the first ring, nineteen ‘Battlebowl’ competitors gradually shift over to the second ring.  The first ring’s ‘winner’ remains behind awaiting the second ring’s last wrestler.  In order to claim the Battlebowl victory, these two last combatants will then face other in an over-the-top-rope showdown. 

This show’s on-screen presenters are Eric Bischoff, Missy Hyatt, and the inaugural ‘Battlebowl’ commissioner, Magnum T.A., as they draw and announce the tag team pairings.  Initially appearing in front of the backstage curtain, WCW’s roster is then seen being summoned from two opposing locker rooms.  At ringside are announcers Jim Ross and Tony Schiavone. 

The show’s 40-man roster consists of:

• WCW World Champion “The Total Package” Lex Luger (with Harley Race)
• WCW U.S. Champion “Ravishing” Rick Rude (with Paul E. Dangerously aka Paul Heyman)
• WCW World Television Champion “Stunning” Steve Austin
• WCW World Tag Team Champions Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat & “The Natural” Dustin Rhodes
• Sting
• Ron Simmons
• The Fabulous Freebirds: Michael “P.S.” Hayes & Jimmy “Jam” Garvin
• The Wild-Eyed Southern Boys: Tracy Smothers & Steve Armstrong
• Marcus Alexander Bagwell (a rookie “Buff” Bagwell)
• Van Hammer
• Big Josh
• Richard “Ricky” Morton
• Thomas “Tommy” Rich
• The Enforcers: Arn Anderson & Larry Zbyszko (with Madusa)
• El Gigante
• Jushin Thunder Liger
• Bill Kazmaier
• Mike Graham
• Diamond Dallas Page
• Terrance “Terry” Taylor
• Tom “Z-Man” Zenk
• “Flyin’” Brian Pillman
• Abdullah the Butcher
• Cactus Jack (Mick Foley)
• The Patriots: Todd Champion & Firebreaker Chip
• Buddy Lee Parker
• “Beautiful” Bobby Eaton
• Mr. Hughes (Luger’s on-screen bodyguard)
• The Steiner Brothers: Rick Steiner & Scott Steiner
• Big Van Vader
• Nightstalker (Bryan Clark), as a substitute for Scott “Diamond Studd” Hall (also present)
• Johnny B. Badd
• Arachnaman (aka Brad Armstrong)
• “Rapmaster” P.N. News.

Notably absent are Barry Windham and Nikita Koloff,  as is ex-WCW World Champion “Nature Boy” Ric Flair (whose abrupt dismissal mid-summer led him to join the World Wrestling Federation).  

Due to the show’s truncated video release, some matches appear in their entirety; several are highlighted; and one is inexplicably omitted.  However, including the competitors’ catwalk-like entrances, the main event is shown intact.

MATCHES:

1. COMPLETE MATCH: Hayes & Smothers vs. Garvin & Bagwell (12:45)

Winners: Garvin & Bagwell.

2. HIGHLIGHTS: Austin & Rude (with Dangerously aka Heyman) vs. Big Josh & Hammer (12:56)

Winners: Austin & Rude.

3. HIGHLIGHTS: Zbyszko & El Gigante (with Madusa) vs. Rhodes & Morton (5:54)

Winners: Rhodes & Morton.

4. COMPLETE MATCH: Liger & Kazmaier vs. Page & Graham (13:08)

Winners: Liger & Kazmaier.

5. OMITTED: Taylor & Zenk vs. Luger (with Race) & Anderson (10:25)

Winners: Luger & Anderson.

6. COMPLETE MATCH: Cactus Jack & Parker (with Abdullah’s interference) vs. Steamboat & Champion (7:48)

Winners: Steamboat & Champion advance.

7. COMPLETE MATCH: Sting & Abdullah vs. Eaton & Pillman (5:55)

Winners: Sting & Abdullah.

8. HIGHLIGHTS: Rick Steiner & Nightstalker vs. Vader & Hughes (5:05)

Winners: Vader & Hughes.

9. HIGHLIGHTS: Arachnaman & Badd vs. Scott Steiner & Firebreaker Chip (11:16)

Winners: Steiner & Chip advance.

10. HIGHLIGHTS: Simmons & Rich vs. News & Steve Armstrong (12:01)

Winners: Simmons & Rich.

MAIN EVENT: BATTLEBOWL (25:10).  The winner subsequently challenges the WCW World Champion at February 1992’s SuperBrawl II.

Note: On December 28, 1992, at The Omni in Atlanta, Georgia, Starrcade ’92: Battlebowl – The Lethal Lottery II included a similar format.

REVIEW:

In retrospect, Koloff, Windham, and Flair lucked out.  Even if they had participated, it would have made little to no difference bolstering Starrcade ’91’s bland content.  Ross and Schiavone invariably telegraph the main event’s build-up as yet another Sting cliché-fest — paralleling the WWF’s depiction of Hulk Hogan during that era. 

Despite some mild intrigue impacting the show’s oddball tag-teams, frankly nothing occurs that generates must-see viewing — even for a die-hard WCW fanbase.  Case in point: with only two more shows to go before his early 1992 WCW exit, Luger’s boredom as its World Champion is readily evident.  Supporting players, like Steamboat, Pillman, Simmons, Liger, Eaton, Rick Steiner, and even Garvin, at least, try to energize the audience – in spite of the lackluster in-ring action.   

The 20-man Battlebowl itself (which resurfaces on the WWE’s Best of Starrcade DVD set) is, at best, okay entertainment.  Some fun face-offs include: Sting vs. Rude; Steamboat vs. Anderson; Luger vs. Sting; Rude vs. Steamboat; Simmons vs. Luger; Austin vs. Sting; and even a rare Luger vs. Vader.  WCW’s considerable star power, otherwise, is squandered throughout an unremarkable Pay-Per-View.  Even Abdullah’s brutal assault on Parker before his tag match against Sting fails to muster interest.    

Further, a few eye-rolling gimmicks (i.e. Brad Armstrong’s ‘Arachnaman’ phase) mimicking the WWF looked stupid then and have aged even worse seeing them now.  The most tone-deaf offense is failing to include any surefire title match as an added attraction to help anchor this show.  It’s simply a gaping hole that WCW’s elite players can’t divert attention away from fans.  All this show does is wearily continue stirring the pot, so to speak, towards the Battlebowl’s ultra-predictable conclusion. 

Despite a veritable surplus of pro wrestling icons, Starrcade ’91 makes for quickly forgettable viewing.             

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                           4 Stars

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SUMMARY:                 RUNNING TIME: 26:17 Min.

It is unknown exactly when ICW World Champion “Macho Man” Randy Savage faced “One Man Gang” Ronnie Garvin in this early-80’s steel cage slugfest.  A best guess would either 1982 or 1983.  The same enigma applies to the arena, but this title defense likely occurred in proximity to ICW’s base in Lexington, KY. 

Somewhat foreshadowing their future WWF co-existence, Savage is the flamboyantly popular champion while Garvin (in villainous mode) conveys an icy thug.  The footage begins with quick summary profiles of these two combatants, in terms of their comparable sizes.  Of note, Garvin’s flat brown hair makes him near-unrecognizable (he resembles Dino Bravo at the time), as opposed to his spiky peroxide blonde look later that decade.  Savage’s glitzy ring appearance, meanwhile, is accompanied by the Fame movie theme.  Notably, neither wrestler is accompanied by any manager/valet or entourage.    

With this title bout captured on film (like 1970’s pro boxing), Savage’s unseen brother, Lanny Poffo, supplies voiceover commentary.  For instance, Poffo identifies George Weingeroff as the referee.  As to the post-match shenanigans, Pez Whatley, “Speed” Manson, and even Poffo himself make appearances. 

Note: Considering their father, Angelo Poffo, owned International Championship Wrestling (ICW), it’s no surprise that Randy Savage & Lanny Poffo were his promotion’s undisputed stars.

REVIEW:

Given this match is at least forty years old, its footage is well-produced and appears in surprisingly pristine condition.  Another terrific asset is Poffo’s low-key, articulate narration, which is reminiscent of an impartial TV news anchor.

Garvin’s brutally effective ground game limits Savage’s patented aerial tactics to one missed flying elbow drop.  Forced to play mostly defense, a bloodied “Macho Man” is unexpectedly dominated by Garvin.  Sporadic local cheers invariably favoring the champion help convey that Savage is the underdog against this formidable rival.  Ultimately, the winning maneuver: a makeshift piledriver off the second turnbuckle (presumably, a planned spot) is well-played.   

As opposed to their eventual WWF tenure – where their family connection isn’t acknowledged, Poffo’s commentary briefly (if not reluctantly) mentions at the end that he and Savage are brothers.  It is a nice set-up explaining his intervention to end a 2-on-1 beatdown against a defenseless “Macho Man.”  From a supposedly low-rent regional promotion, this no-nonsense title showdown is impressive work.    

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                         7½ Stars

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SUMMARY:     APPROX. RUNNING TIME: 12:32 Min.

After the NWA/WCW’s Chi-Town Rumble Pay-Per-View on February 20, 1989, “The Total Package” Lex Luger had become a two-time U.S. Champion at ex-partner Barry Windham’s expense.  This house show re-match has Windham (one of two Horsemen managed by Hiro Matsuda – the other being Ric Flair) seeking vengeance upon Luger. 

The specific date and location of this title match are unclear; one possibility is that it transpired on March 18, 1989 at the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland.  Ultimately, Windham departed the NWA/WCW in March 1989 once his contract expired. 

There is not an official match commentator.      

REVIEW:

As a kid-friendly, formulaic title defense, this Luger/Windham match-up delivers all the necessary goods.  Luger, in that regard, puts on a good show as one of the NWA/WCW’s elite ‘super-heroes.’ 

More so, this bout’s entertainment value readily surpasses Luger & Windham’s lackadaisical 1991 Great American Bash cage match for the vacant WCW World Championship.  Even if Windham was simply biding time days before leaving the company, his ‘average’ here is still better than most of his contemporaries.     

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                     7 Stars

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SUMMARY:        RUNNING TIME: 1 Hour, 56 Min.

In 1990 (as this show repetitively reminds viewers before each match with an UWF title card), Herb Abrams founded his short-lived Universal Wrestling Federation.  After the abject failure of 1991’s UWF Beach Brawl Pay-Per-View, this event held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, in Las Vegas, Nevada, was the promotion’s last gasp on September 23, 1994.  An estimated 300 to 600 fans were purportedly in attendance. 

Aired live on cable by the UWF’s financial backer, SportsChannel America, the Blackjack Brawl (projected as the first of a trilogy) would consist of eleven bouts.  Of them, nine are title matches – most of which were either vacant or newly created championships.

Stationed at ringside are commentators John Tolos and Carlo Gianelli, along with Abrams and the event’s namesake, “Blackjack” Mulligan, conducting post-match interviews.  Steve Rossi is the show’s long-winded ring announcer.  Of note, several WWF and WCW veterans provide the bulk of Blackjack Brawl’s in-ring talent. 

The card is as follows:     

1. “Dangerous” Dan Spivey vs. Johnny Ace (with Missy Hyatt) for the inaugural UWF Americas Championship (7:20).

2. Mando Guerrero vs. “Wildman” Jack Armstrong for the inaugural UWF Junior Heavyweight Championship (4:36).

3. Sunny Beach vs. Dr. Feelgood (with Missy Hyatt) for the vacant UWF SportsChannel TV Championship (5:26).

4. UWF Southern States Champion Bob Orton Jr. vs. Finland “Hellraiser” Thor {aka the WWF’s Ludvig Borga} (6:12).

Note: Exactly why a Southern States title is being defended in the Nevada desert is anyone’s guess.

5. Karate Kid vs. Little Tokyo for the inaugural UWF Midget World Title (7:33).

6. Sampson vs. Irish Assassin (4:13).

Note: Billed from ‘Greece,’ Sampson replaces ‘Hercules.’  It’s not specified if the UWF’s no-show ‘Hercules’ is the same wrestler previously employed by the WWF.

7/ Tyler “The Lion” Mane vs. Steve “The Wild Thing” Ray for the inaugural UWF MGM Grand Championship (7:25).

Note: Mane subsequently played Victor Creed/Sabretooth in 2000’s first X-Men film.

8. Tina Moretti {aka the WWF’s Ivory} vs. Candi Devine/Divine for the vacant UWF Women’s World Championship (3:26).

9. The Killer Bees: Jim Brunzell & B. Brian Blair vs. The New Powers of Pain: Warlord & Power Warrior (with David Power) for the inaugural UWF World Tag Team Championship (11:49).

10. “Superfly” Jimmy Snuka vs. Cactus Jack {aka Mick Foley}in a lumberjack match (9:03).

Lumberjacks: Among them are the Warlord; The Power Twins; the Killer Bees; Dr. Feelgood; Sunny Beach; & Steve Ray.

11. UWF World Champion “Dr. Death” Steve Williams (with Johnny Ace) vs. “Malicious” Sid Vicious (with Dan Spivey) (11:01).

Note: To clarify, Abrams’ UWF is unrelated to the same-named Mid-South/UWF promotion that Bill Watts owned the mid-80’s. Ironically, Williams was the final World Champion for both incarnations. 

REVIEW:

One might as well deem the UWF Blackjack Brawl as a pitiful Pay-Per-View wanna-be.  Case in point: the show’s dubious reputation in pro wrestling history demonstrates why upper mid-card big league stars will carry a glorified indie promotion only so far.  More so, the UWF’s ultra-cheap production values are left glaringly exposed in a ritzy venue like the MGM Grand Garden Arena. 

Aside from dreadful performances by long-time valet Hyatt and Abrams himself, the match quality is mostly just forgettable.   Specifically,

1. Spivey vs. Johnny Ace – with Missy Hyatt.

Rating: 4 Stars.  What stands out most is the match’s trifecta of bleached blondes.  Aside from a quirky twist finish, the back-and-forth ground game between two uninspired WCW veterans is a bore.

2. Mando Guerrero vs. “Wildman” Jack Armstrong.

Rating: 3 Stars.  Given how the unknown Armstrong contributes virtually nothing here, it’s a shame how Guerrero is disrespected.  Such mistreatment includes the commentators’ culturally racist jibes and even an on-screen typo badly misspelling Guerrero’s name.

3. Sunny Beach vs. Dr. Feelgood – with  Missy Hyatt.

Rating: 3 Stars.  Playing a trashy femme fatale, Hyatt’s lazy effort gives all wrestling valets a bad name.  This bout’s blah wrestling is only worsened by an amateurish post-match skirmish.

4. UWF Southern States Champion Bob Orton Jr. vs. Finland “Hellraiser” Thor.

Rating: 5 Stars.  With a bloodied Orton taking nasty blows, this brawl is somehow watchable.

5. Karate Kid vs. Little Tokyo.

Rating: 5 Stars.  One amusing sequence is inspired: specifically, one wrestler hides behind the referee while the other unknowingly continues their ring crisscross.  Bolstered by Karate Kid’s slick athleticism, this bout is better than expected.

6. Sampson vs. Irish Assassin.

Rating: 3 Stars.  In a rudimentary clash of anonymous powerlifters, this bout is instantly forgettable. 

7. Tyler Mane vs. Steve Ray.

Rating: 5 Stars.  Aside from Mane’s plushy lion’s head poncho, it’s a decent effort.  Vibe-wise, one may find Ray & Mane’s straight-forward choreography reminiscent of mid-80’s World Class Championship Wrestling.  Suffice to say, both young participants exhibit some raw star potential.

8. Tina Moretti vs. Candi Devine/Divine.

Rating: 6 Stars.  Despite the show’s shortest running time, Devine/Divine & Moretti (aka Ivory) efficiently execute their bout.  Their choreography, in that sense, is a throwback to the classy mid-80’s.  

9. Killer Bees (Jim Brunzell & B. Brian Blair) vs. The New Powers of Pain (Warlord & Power Warrior) – with David Power.

Rating: N/A.  Except for a clip found elsewhere of the Bees’ title win, no footage of this tag match could be located.

10. “Superfly” Jimmy Snuka vs. Cactus Jack (aka Mick Foley).

Rating: 4 Stars.  Only predictable ringside chaos keeps this slow-pitch brawl from being an utter disappointment.

11. “Dr. Death” Steve Williams – with Johnny Ace vs. “Malicious” Sid Vicious – with Dan Spivey.

Rating: 7½ Stars.  As Vicious counters the reliable Williams with a solid performance displaying actual wrestling, their slugfest delivers the necessary goods.  Spelled out by Abrams afterwards, the cheap finish is meant to provoke a steel cage rematch that never happened.  In general, this main event’s brawny star power easily surpasses the rest of the program.

The intriguing Williams/Vicious main event receives far too little help from the undercard – in other words, the finale is sabotaged by a prior overload of mind-numbing title matches. 

As middling as the UWF Blackjack Brawl is, one vital ingredient absent is the genuine spark emanating from a second and preferably game-changing thriller.  One could imagine the possibilities, if any two of these ex-NWA/WCW free agents had participated: Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat, “Ravishing” Rick Rude, Steve Austin, Nikita Koloff, Tully Blanchard, or Mulligan’s versatile son, Barry Windham. 

Presuming both players were both healthy and well-conditioned, any such match-up could have helped Williams & Vicious by igniting this show’s reputation with a second high-caliber showdown – without some meaningless championship at stake.  Instead, all fans get is a for-rent sales pitch from several journeymen seeking future gigs with either the WWF or WCW. 

Reminiscent of the fading AWA and World Class promotions of the Late 80’s, it’s inevitable that one good slugfest can’t save the UWF Blackjack Brawl from pro wrestling’s dustbin. 

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                    3½ Stars

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