WCW SuperBrawl IV (1994) Review
Date: February 20, 1994
Location: Albany, Georgia, USA (Albany Civic Center)
Announced attendance: 7,600
PPV buys: 110,000 (down 4.3% from WCW Starrcade 1993's 115,000 buys; up 15.8% from WCW SuperBrawl III's 95,000 buys; down 45% from WWF's last PPV - Royal Rumble - 200,000 buys)
Hey, everyone. Welcome to my review of WCW SuperBrawl IV. After winning the WCW World Heavyweight Championship from Big Van Vader in an emotional Title vs. Career Match at Starrcade 1993, Ric Flair puts the gold on the line in a Thundercage Match in the main event against the former champion. WCW International World Heavyweight Champion Rick Rude is also in a Thundercage match, in a six man tag team contest against a trio led by Sting. The newly-formed team of Cactus Jack & Maxx Payne challenge The Nasty Boys for their WCW World Tag Team Championship. Lord Steven Regal defends the WCW World Television Championship against Arn Anderson, and much more.
Here is the list of WCW champions heading into SuperBrawl IV:
WCW World Heavyweight Champion: Ric Flair [55th day of his 2nd reign] - previous champion: Big Van Vader
WCW International World Heavyweight Champion: Rick Rude [154th day of his 1st reign] - previous champion: Ric Flair
WCW United States Heavyweight Champion: Stunning Steve Austin [55th day of his 1st reign] - previous champion: Dustin Rhodes
WCW World Television Champion: Lord Steven Regal [154th day of his 1st reign] - previous champion: Ricky Steamboat
WCW World Tag Team Champions: The Nasty Boys (Brian Knobbs & Jerry Sags) [119th day of their 2nd reign as a tag team; Knobbs' 2nd individual reign & Sags' 2nd individual reign] - previous champions: 2 Cold Scorpio & Marcus Alexander Bagwell
Title reign lengths are calculated as of the episode's air date
Note: in title matches, the names of the defending champions are underlined
Enjoy the review!
Your hosts are Tony Schiavone & Bobby Heenan
A video package airs hyping up tonight's biggest matches and showing Ric Flair's workout in preparation for Vader.
Johnny B. Badd comes out for the opening match against Michael Hayes. However, Hayes comes out in a wheelchair, which draws Mean Gene Okerlund and new WCW Commissioner Nick Bockwinkel to ringside. Hayes kisses Bockwinkel's ass, calling Nick the greatest world champion ever "from the bottom of my heart", and claims the freakest accident happened on his way to the arena: he fell down the stairs! Jimmy Garvin speaks at the same time and claims something else had happened, but thankfully Hayes has a doctor's letter with him to save him. However, Bockwinkel ends up booking Johnny B. Badd vs Jimmy Garvin for later.
Harlem Heat (Kane & Kole) vs. Thunder & Lightning
Note: Kole is Booker T while Kane is Stevie Ray. I’ll just call them by their more famous names to make it easier for everyone.
Booker starts with Lightning - Jeff Farmer, who'd later be nWo Sting in WCW. Lightning takes over and goes after Booker's arm. Lightning stays in control with a hiptoss, a dropkick and an armdrag. Thunder comes in off the tag and goes to work on Booker's arm. That lasts about one minute, but Booker escapes the hold and slams Thunder before making the tag to his brother. Stevie Ray tries to follow up and take control, but ends up eating a running shoulderblock from Thunder, as now Thunder & Lightning go to work on Stevie Ray's arm. Ray slams Lightning but ends up missing a double axehandle smash. Tag to Booker, who walks right into a hiptoss from Lightning. Thunder & Lightning double-team Booker, with Thunder hitting a running knee to the midsection for two. Thunder slams Booker, but gets distracted with Stevie Ray and that allows Booker to clothesline Thunder over the top to the floor. It happened right in front of the ref Randy Anderson, but he doesn't call for a disqualification. It's almost like the end of the match is pre-determined and this spot isn't it. Otherwise why did he ignore it?
Anyway, Stevie Ray throws Thunder into the railing and that finally allows Harlem Heat to take over. They double-team Thunder behind the ref's back (he probably wouldn't do anything anyway) and Stevie hits a clothesline for two. Booker hits a nice running forearm for another nearfall. Booker applies a chinlock while we see Ric Flair talking to Ricky Steamboat and Arn Anderson in the locker room. Booker misses a flying elbowdrop off the top rope, allowing Thunder to make the hot tag to Lightning. He takes it to both Booker and Ray with a slam and a horrible dropkick that missed by a mile. Lightning delivers a belly-to-belly, but Ray breaks up the pin and pandemonium breaks out with everyone fighting in the ring. Lightning rolls up Booker while the ref's still distracted, and Stevie kicks Lightning right in the head to give Booker the cheap win after 9:47.
Winners: Harlem Heat
Rating: A pretty basic tag team match since Thunder & Lightning didn't have a lot to offer and messed up a few moves here and there. It was boring but not horrible enough to be a DUD, like what Dave Meltzer gave it. At least not in my opinion. *1/4
Mean Gene is backstage and we learn that there are police officers between Ric Flair and Vader's locker rooms to prevent them from going at it before the main event.
The Equalizer vs. Jim Steele
Jim Steele starts off with a couple of armdrags and we get a stalemate. The Equalizer takes it to Steele and tries to ram his head into the buckle, but Steele no-sells and rolls him up for two. Equalizer goes to work on Steele's arm, and Steele gets out of that predicament with a monkey flip. Steele goes for another monkey flip, this time out of the corner, but Equalizer holds on to the ropes and Steele goes down. The Equalizer stomps away on Steele, slams him and follows it up with a legdrop. He then shoves Steele to the outside, with Tony Schiavone saying that would've been a DQ if he threw him over the top rope. Yeah, about that...
Equalizer brings it to Steele outside the ring and stays in control back inside the ring, hitting a backbreaker for two. Steele comes back from out of nowhere with a crucifix pin for a nearfall. Schiavone then has the balls to say SuperBrawl has always kicked off with strong matches and tonight has been no exception. Yeah, I see no differences between Equalizer vs Jungle Jim Steele or the opener and matches like Benoit vs Scorpio (1993) or Pillman vs Liger (1992)!! Equalizer throws Steele to the outside again, but Steele makes the comeback and wins with a Thesz Press at 6:31 to finally put an end to this sloppy mess.
Winner: Jim Steele
Rating: Now this was truly brutal. Both men looked awkward in the ring, they had absolutely no chemistry and the fans couldn't have cared less. This would've been better off on WCW Saturday Night. DUD
Ricky Steamboat is with Mean Gene and Nick Bockwinkel to let us know that he's next in line for a WCW World Title shot against the winner of the main event.
Terry Taylor vs. Diamond Dallas Page (w/ Diamond Doll)
Terry Taylor blocks a kick to start and unloads on DDP. Taylor hits a nice spinning wheel kick and slams DDP before going to work on the arm. Taylor applies a cross armbreaker, but DDP makes it to the ropes and stalls. However, Terry Taylor puts DDP back inside the ring and goes after the arm again. A nice pinfall reversal sequence gives both men several nearfalls before Taylor goes back to the arm. Clothesline by Taylor gets two and DDP turns things around with a big elbow smash. DDP brings it to Taylor in the corner with more elbows to the face. A suplex gets two. DDP stays in control with a gutwrench gutbuster followed by an elbowdrop for two, with Taylor putting his foot on the ropes to stop the count.
DDP hits a backdrop suplex for two. Page applies a headlock, Taylor escapes it but ends up running into a clothesline for two, and then DDP goes back to the headlock. Terry Taylor escapes yet again, this time with a suplex, and he takes DDP down with a dropkick. Taylor tries to make the comeback, but DDP cuts him off with a faceplant and gets two. Back to the headlock goes Page, with Taylor breaking it once again before hitting a crossbody for a nearfall. Taylor turns around, only for DDP to knock him out cold with a HUGE punch. That looked great! Page takes too long to cover though, so it only gets a two count. DDP spears Taylor in the corner. He goes for another one, but Taylor moves out of the way and rolls him up for the win at 11:45.
Winner: Terry Taylor
Rating: I'll try my best not to overrate this match after watching the first two matches, because this one felt like an all-time classic in comparison! Overall, it's a competent match with some great looking moves, but nothing more than that. DDP was still green and wasn't always aggressive enough when he was in control, although Terry Taylor did a good job selling for DDP. Having said that, this is the third match with people going to work on the arm. Somebody please go after another body part! **1/4
Spring Stampede is our next PPV and it's coming to us live on April 17.
Johnny B. Badd vs. Jimmy Garvin (w/ Michael Hayes)
They lock up to start but it goes nowhere, as Garvin spends the first two minutes of the match either stalling, "dancing" or talking with Hayes at ringside. Badd works a headlock to finally get the action going, which Garvin turns into a headscissors a few moments later. Johnny wrestles Garvin into a pinfall that gets two. That looked pretty good. Johnny goes to work on the arm, making it 4/4 tonight. I can't wait for Ric Flair's match so I can finally see someone working the leg for a change! Garvin fights out of the hold... and celebrates. Garvin gets caught though, and Johnny applies a wristlock. Garvin pulls the hair to escape the hold, asks for a time out and leaves the ring to talk some strategy with Michael Hayes.
Badd puts Garvin down back inside the ring, but misses a blind charge in the corner and Garvin kicks him in the head for two. Garvin rams Badd's head into the buckle several times and follows it up with a chinlock. Yes, after kicking his opponent in the skull and ramming his head into the turnbuckle time after time. Badd breaks the hold, but runs right into a knee to the gut. Garvin sets him up for a DDT, but takes too long and Johnny backdrops him. Johnny unloads on Garvin, hits a flying headscissors followed by a backdrop and now he's thinking Kiss That Don't Miss. Unfortunately for him, the Kiss Does Miss this time around... but a second one doesn't! Garvin is out of it, but Johnny goes to the top rope rather than going for the cover. He waits for Garvin to get up, and then comes off the top with a flying sunset flip for the victory at 10:45.
Winner: Johnny B. Badd
Johnny isn't done just yet, though. He still wants to go after Michael Hayes, but Jimmy Garvin attacks him from behind. Garvin beats up Badd in the ring using Hayes' boot and leaves him laying with a jawbreaker/Stunner.
Rating: It started off way too slow, but I actually enjoyed the finishing sequence and the brief post-match angle they did here. Plus, the fans were into it a bit more than in the previous matches, which definitely helped. While this didn't need to last more than 10 minutes from bell to bell, and I wouldn't necessarily call it a good match per se, it "sports entertained" me just fine and the finish was nice. Not as awful as some of the reviews I've seen. **
Meanwhile, Big Van Vader is seen breaking stuff in his locker room and he refuses an interview with Mean Gene.
WCW World Television Championship
Lord Steven Regal (w/ Sir William) vs. Arn Anderson
This one has a 30-minute time limit rather than the usual 15. Anderson refuses a handshake from the Lord before the bell. They take their time to start as Regal claims Anderson hurt his ear on a headlock! Anderson finally takes Regal down and twists the arm, with Regal kicking Arn right in the face before unloading with the uppercuts. Anderson keeps targeting the arm although Regal has his left leg taped up. Anderson rams Regal's arm into the post numerous times to wake up the crowd. Regal takes control back inside the ring and gets several two counts, but Anderson kicks Regal in the arm to turn things around. Gary Cappetta tells us there we're at the 15-minute mark and this is literally all that's happened. Anderson gets two with a backdrop. He applies a cross armbreaker and Regal escapes with a series of uppercuts. Anderson rams Regal into the turnbuckle and Regal stalls some more. Regal slugs away on Arn and Sir William adds a shot with the umbrella to Arn's throat. More uppercuts from Regal as we reach the final 10 minutes.
Regal has Anderson in control, but Anderson finally attacks the leg to escape. He tries to go for the figure four, but Regal kicks him off and Sir William hits Arn in the back of the head with his cane. However, Anderson attacks the leg once more like a shark smelling blood, but Regal doesn't allow Arn to do much damage and takes him down. We're now in the final minutes as they get into a slugfest. Anderson gets the better of that exchange and gets a nearfall. They get into a test of strength, Regal takes Arn down with a leg trip, but the veteran Arn catches him with a bodyscissors. Anderson with a sleeper. Regal tries to escape by ramming Arn's head into the turnbuckle, but Anderson smartly releases the hold and Regal ends up eating the buckle himself, allowing Arn to get a hot nearfall. Anderson gets two with an inside cradle as we enter the final minute of the match. Spinebuster by AA... but Sir William is there to prevent Arn from going for the pin. Regal tries to capitalize quickly, which really isn't that smart since he's literally seconds away from retaining the TV Title with a time limit draw, and Anderson ends up turning the tables. Anderson wants a sunset flip in the final 15 seconds while Regal does everything he can to avoid it. Sir William assists Regal by handing him the cane so Regal can grab it to sit on top of Arn and steal the win to retain the title at 29:54.
Winner & still champion: Lord Steven Regal
Rating: The final minutes were very good and I found myself enjoying the match, but the match dragged for the first 20 minutes or so and that simply can't be ignored. While the aggression was always there, they just spent way too much time on the mat and I even found myself distracted numerous times... and I'm usually a fan of mat-based wrestling. Still, they got the fans' attention (and mine) back in the last few minutes. This didn't need to last half an hour. **3/4
WCW World Tag Team Championship
The Nasty Boys (Brian Knobbs & Jerry Sags) vs. Cactus Jack & Maxx Payne
Brian Knobbs comes out with a guitar to apparently replace Missy Hyatt at ringside, who's not with the company anymore. Maxx Payne starts things off with a huge German suplex to Knobbs. Sags comes in as he wants some of Payne, onlly to get suplexed as well. The Nasty Boys bail and then Payne runs wild on both Knobbs & Sags with suplexes and a slam. Tag to Cactus, who delivers running shoulderblocks to The Nasties, followed by a slam and an elbowdrop to Knobbs. Sags breaks up Cactus' cover though, leading to a melee that ends with Cactus & Payne clearing the ring. The Nasty Boys double-team Cactus in their corner and think they finally have the advantage, but Cactus fights back immediately and hits Knobbs with a legdrop on the apron. Maxx Payne gets back in and hits a faceplant for two, but The Nasty Boys work together and finally take Payne down. The Nasties go to work on Payne's legs, with Payne himself making it worse by missing a legdrop while trying to fight back. Knobbs makes the mistake of going up top though, missing a flying legdrop and allowing Maxx Payne to tag out.
Cactus Jack brings it to both Nasties, taking Knobbs (and himself) out with a Cactus Clothesline. Sags jumps him from behind, however, and Knobbs exposes the concrete floor so that Sags can shove Cactus off the apron to the exposed concrete floor below. You just knew that had to happen... Foley is bleeding from his mouth after that sick spot, and he takes his time getting back up to his feet. The Nasty Boys go to work on Cactus' injured back and legs inside the ring, also double-teaming him behind the ref's back to boot. Cactus makes the tag to Maxx Payne, but the ref Nick Patrick missed it so he sends Maxx back to the corner. The Nasties try to capitalize quickly, but Cactus manages to hit both of them with a double DDT. Now he makes the legal hot tag to Payne, who gives Knobbs a SCARY overhead suplex before applying the Paynekiller submission. However, Sags grabs the guitar and absolutely destroys Payne's head with it to save the belts via DQ at 12:37.
Winners by DQ: Cactus Jack & Maxx Payne (still champions: The Nasty Boys)
Rating: I thought this was a pretty good match that told a nice story, felt different from everything else on the card so far and lasted the right amount of time. I liked how The Nasty Boys came in expecting a brawl and Maxx Payne surprised them by doing actual wrestling moves, making the crazy challengers feel even more unpredictable in the first seconds of the match. The DQ makes sense in this match because it felt like it was literally the only thing The Nasty Boys could do to remain champions. That overhead suplex near the end looked very dangerous, but aside from that this match was really good. ***1/4
Thundercage Six Man Tag Team Match
Rick Rude, Stunning Steve Austin & Paul Orndorff (w/ Col. Robert Parker) vs. Sting, Dustin Rhodes & Flyin' Brian Pillman
Rude and Sting start things off (there are tags in this match) and Sting sends Rude flying with a huge backdrop. All three heels take it to Sting while exchanging quick tags. Stunning Steve blows out his knee while doing a leapfrog, Sting goes for the Scorpion Deathlock immediately but stops once Orndorff enters the ring, and that distraction allows Austin to roll up Sting for two. Austin and Sting take the fight to the floor, and it doesn't take long for Austin to be sent into the cage. Pillman joins the party to give his former partner a chop, before Sting rams Austin into the cage once more. Sting puts Austin back inside the ring and makes the tag to Pillman. The former Hollywood Blonds go at it outside the ring, with Pillman delivering two NASTY chops to Austin's chest. Brian charges, but Austin catches him in mid-air and gives him a Stun Gun into the cage.
Brian is bleeding after that move and Rick Rude goes to work on the cut back inside the ring. Orndorff comes in off the tag and misses a blind charge in the corner, but eventually takes Pillman down with a backdrop suplex. Rude is back in and he comes off the top rope with a flying knee to Pillman's head. Austin comes in off the top next, only to take a missile dropkick from Pillman, who then finally makes the hot tag to Sting. He takes it to Orndorff with clotheslines before ramming Orndorff's head into the cage, who's also bleeding now. Dustin Rhodes finally gets tagged in and he runs wild with his father's comeback sequence, with the fans going crazy for it! Rhodes wants to finish Rude with the Running Bulldog, but Rude uses Dustin's momentum to send him flying into the top turnbuckle before bringing him down with a backdrop superplex.
Austin is tagged in but Dustin dropkicks him off the apron to the cage. Rhodes catches Austin with a springboard back elbow smash. Pillman gets some more of Austin and even gets rid of both Orndorff & Rude with a double dropkick. That leads to a brawl with all six men inside the ring. The faces clean house and then Sting slams Pillman on top of Austin for the pinfall win at 14:36. Meanwhile, the fight continues as Rude slams the door on Sting's face and delivers the Rude Awakening on the floor.
Winners: Sting, Dustin Rhodes & Flyin' Brian Pillman
Rating: A very exciting action-filled match from start to finish. The intensity was there as everyone had history with someone from the other team (Austin/Pillman, Rude/Sting and Orndorff/Dustin) and the crowd absolutely loved it. ***3/4
We see a recap of Vader destroying Ric Flair at the last WCW Clash of the Champions which forced WCW Commissioner Nick Bockwinkel to postpone the match since Flair was in no condition to wrestle. However, Flair himself asked for it to be reinstated after an angry Vader brutally assaulted Ricky Steamboat on WCW Saturday Night.
Main Event
WCW World Heavyweight Championship - Thundercage Match (Special Referee: The Boss)
Ric Flair vs. Big Van Vader (w/ Harley Race)
Vader tries to jump Flair as soon as the bell rings, but Flair moves out of the way and starts unloading on the big man. A running back elbow smash knocks Vader all the way to the floor, and Flair meets him there with a few chair shots to the face. Vader's mask is gone already as Flair takes it to him with chops, but ends up running into a clothesline from Vader. He follows it up with an elbowdrop on Flair, who's already selling like crazy. A slam sets up the Vader Bomb, which connects! Vader hits a huge clothesline and he goes up top again, this time to hit the moonsault. Flair is able to avoid it, but Vader lands on his feet and remains in control. Vader dumps Flair to the floor so Harley Race can choke him using the cage, and Vader drives his knee into Flair's eyes.
Flair shows some life back inside the ring, even choking and biting Vader, but the challenger rakes Flair's eyes and a clothesline knocks Flair all the way to the outside. Harley Race headbutts Flair and Vader delivers a big superplex (the move that injured Flair at Clash of the Champions) back in the ring. Flair moves out of the way of a couple of elbowdrops out of desperation, crawling out of the ring. Harley Race wants to get involved once more, but this time The Boss stops him and tries to handcuff Race's hand to the cage. Vader prevents that from happening by running over The Boss though, and the special referee is the one who ends up getting handcuffed! Now Harley takes the keys away from The Boss so he can enter the cage, while Vader steals the nightstick. Vader and Race beat up Flair in the ring together as The Boss does everything he can to free himself.
Meanwhile, Arn Anderson comes down to ringside but he can't get in! Vader hits Harley Race by accident, and that allows Flair to run wild on both heels in the ring as now Ricky Steamboat is trying to break the lock with a chair. Naitch also grabs a chair himself and uses it to attack both Vader and Race. The fans are so loud for this match! Flair eventually gets outnumbered by the heels... but Steamboat and Arn are still locked outside. However, The Boss breaks his cuffs (which the cameras completely missed...) and he makes the save! The Boss hits Vader in the knees with the nightstick, Flair applies the Figure Four and Boss calls for the bell at 11:32.
Winner & still champion: Ric Flair
Rating: This was pure chaos! While it wasn't perfect, with the cameras even missing what was literally the turning point of the match (The Boss breaking his cuffs), the match had a real sense of urgency to it with Harley Race finding a way inside the cage to double-team Flair. It was overbooked, it was wild and I had a great time watching it. ****
END OF THE SHOW
Final thoughts: I'm so mixed about this pay-per-view. The undercard was not fun to sit through at all, and I definitely felt like I was watching an all-time shitfest after the first three or four matches. Things got better in the second half of the show though, and the featured matches delivered. Still not enough for me to recommend this show... but it did look like it was going to be much worse! 5/10
WWE has uploaded the full SuperBrawl 1994 show on their "WCW" YouTube channel. Check it out here:
WCW SuperBrawl 1994 Review
Match Order | Match | Stipulation | Winner(s) | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Harlem Heat vs. Thunder | Tag Team Match | Harlem Heat | 9:47 |
2 | The Equalizer vs. Jim Steele | Singles Match | Jim Steele | 6:31 |
3 | Terry Taylor vs. Diamond Dallas Page | Singles Match | Terry Taylor | 11:45 |
4 | Johnny B. Badd vs. Jimmy Garvin | Singles Match | Johnny B. Badd | 10:48 |
5 | Lord Steven Regal vs. Arn Anderson | WCW World Television Championship Match | Lord Steven Regal | 29:54 |
6 | The Nasty Boys vs. Cactus Jack & Maxx Payne | WCW World Tag Team Championship Match | Cactus Jack & Maxx Payne by DQ | 12:37 |
7 | Rick Rude, Stunning Steve Austin & Paul Orndorff vs. Sting, Dustin Rhodes & Flyin' Brian Pillman | Thundercage Six Man Tag Team Match | Sting, Dustin Rhodes & Flyin' Brian Pillman | 14:36 |
8 | Ric Flair vs. Big Van Vader | WCW World Heavyweight Championship Thundercage Match with The Boss as the special guest referee | Ric Flair | 11:32 |
POINT SYSTEM
Wrestler | Result | Star rating | Main eventing | Extras | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ric Flair | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
Brian Pillman | 1 | 3.75 | 0 | 0.5 | 5.25 |
| 1 | 2.75 | 0 | 1 | 4.75 |
Big Van Vader | -1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 0.5 | 3.25 | 0 | 0 | 3.75 |
| -0.5 | 3.25 | 0 | 1 | 3.75 |
Terry Taylor | 1 | 2.25 | 0 | 0 | 3.25 |
Johnny B. Badd | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Kole | 1 | 1.25 | 0 | 0.5 | 2.75 |
| -1 | 3.75 | 0 | 0 | 2.75 |
Kane | 1 | 1.25 | 0 | 0 | 2.25 |
Steve Austin | -1 | 3.75 | 0 | -0.5 | 2.25 |
Arn Anderson | -1 | 2.75 | 0 | 0 | 1.75 |
DDP | -1 | 2.25 | 0 | 0 | 1.25 |
Jim Steele | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Jimmy Garvin | -1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Thunder | -1 | 1.25 | 0 | 0 | 0.25 |
Lightning | -1 | 1.25 | 0 | -0.5 | -0.25 |
The Equalizer | -1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 |
Thanks for reading. Don't miss the upcoming WCW & WWF reviews here on the blog. Take care!
Comments