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
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