SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 7:36 Min.
Recorded May 27, 1995, in Charlotte, NC, WCW Saturday Night offers this second-round battle in the WCW U.S. Title tournament pitting “Macho Man” Randy Savage vs. “Stunning” Steve Austin. Cigar-smoking manager, Col. Robert Parker, appears in his blond protégé’s corner. The question: will the WWF’s future “Stone Cold” legend end up eating one of “Macho Man” Savage’s patented flying elbow sandwiches?
Prior to the match, Dusty Rhodes & Eric Bischoff hype Savage’s feud with “Nature Boy” Ric Flair from Slamboree 1995. At ringside, the commentators are Tony Schiavone and Bobby “The Brain” Heenan.
Next up for the match’s winner in this title tournament is a clash with “Nature Boy” Ric Flair.
Note: Savage’s 1995-96 feud with Flair extended through seven WCW Pay-Per-Views: Slamboree, The Great American Bash, Bash at the Beach, the first World War 3, Starrcade ’95, SuperBrawl VI, and Uncensored ’96. Including four WCW World Title changes, their storyline would rage on-and-off through to the 1996 Great American Bash.
REVIEW:
It isn’t a shocker amidst WCW’s Hulk-A-Mania era that Savage’s dominating star power prevails against a brash Austin … regardless of the younger star’s prior WCW World TV and U.S. title reigns, etc.
What’s stunning (pardon the expression), however, is that this video’s meager length includes: 1. Rhodes & Bischoff’s introduction, 2. Austin and Savage’s ring entrances, 3. quick post-match highlights, and 4. Savage’s post-match interview with Schiavone. A fast-paced TV bout is somehow squeezed in, as its initially competitive fire gives way to a squash finish. Remarkably, Savage & Austin’s showdown is already finished with two minutes still to go in this video.
Still, there’s some good news. With a lithe Savage (close to his mid-80’s physique) and Austin sharing comparable size and compatible ring styles, this sampler is really more a glimpse of a tantalizing what-if. One can just imagine a mid-90’s feud between these immortal WWF/WWE Hall-of-Famers in a WCW ring. Hence, this 1995 flashback previews a fantasy Pay-Per-View showdown.
Of what little viewers get, Savage and Austin demonstrate terrific in-ring chemistry, though a game Austin is scripted to lose far too soon.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 4½ Stars
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