Hulk Hogan stepped into a live edition of the Dungeon Of Doom
We moved on to what would turn out to be one of the last few Clash Of The Champions shows - as WCW evolved into a monthly PPV entity, they'd be all but done by 1997. As cards go this was a bit of a strange one, Hulk Hogan was in the building and was wrestling - but on the live edition of Main Event that aired prior. The show itself would be headlined by Vader taking on Ric Flair and Arn Anderson in a two on one handicap match.
Hogan's involvement in the Clash itself was actually a "live" edition of the Dungeon of Doom. Yep, this angle got silly enough that WCW wanted us to believe one of three things: 1) The Dungeon of Doom was in Daytona Beach, 2) The Dungeon Of Doom was actually located solely inside the back of a truck (presumably Blacktop Bully's) or 3) that the entrance to the Dungeon is actually a portal. Genuinely, the third seems most plausible.
Meng & Kurasawa (w/ Col Robert Parker) vs Sting & Road Warrior Hawk
Sting's status as WCW's second most popular act doesn't have see him involved in the opening match of shows - this the second in a row after Bash At The Beach. Too much Hawk, really, who by this stage isn't really anyone who you can rely on to have a passable match. Eventually Sting holds up Kurasawa, Hawk flies in for a clunky as all hell clothesline and the faces win. By the end of the month Meng would be part of the Dungeon Of Doom. WCW really missed something here with him. After the match Kurasawa does a very swift arm submission on Hawk who is taken away by medical staff. This segment is funnier when you realise that Nick Patrick calls for the medics before Kurasawa even applies the hold.
Diamond Dallas Page (w/ The Diamond Doll) vs "Das Wunderkind" Alex Wright
Wright still has enough inertia to get onto television, even if his push is plummeting - so much show he didn't even get entrance music (although that seemed more of a technical error). This was actually pretty good - Wright is settling down into a decent routine that by current WCW standards is electrically fast. He hits a tope onto Page on the outside - but attempts a second one later in the match and crashes and burns, enough for DDP to pick up the win. The more Wright improves, the more his push decreases. DDP, as close buddies with Eric Bischoff, is one of the few non-WWF guys getting momentum these days.
Paul Orndorff vs The Renegade (C) (w/ Jimmy Hart) for the WCW World Television Title
Renegade is still awful, no matter how many different ways you look at it. He starts off quickly, unloading on Orndorff before he's even got his title belt off - hitting a lovely bodyslam. Orndorff twice throws him to the outside, before far too much stalling. Eventually Renegade hits a slingshot crossbody from the apron for the three count.
Bunkhouse Buck, Dirty Dick Slater (C) and Col. Robert Parker vs Harlem Heat (Booker T and Stevie Ray) and Sister Sherri in a six person tag match. If the Heat win, they get a title shot at Fall Brawl.
We never really got to the bottom of who was supposed to be the babyfaces in this feud. The Heat and Sherri are still playing the same characters as before, and there's no redeeming features about Parker, Slater and Buck. Dull, uneventful match until we get near the end with Sherri and Parker in the ring - which the crowd come alive for. Sherri eventually goes for a splash from the top, misses Parker and "knocks herself out". When she comes to, she jumps into Parker's arms and kisses him. Parker collapses under the weight - and shock - and Sherri inadvertently pins him. After the match Sherri chases him back up the aisle way - Parker isn't so keen any more!
We get a hype package for WCW Monday Nitro. Nothing massively excessive, they're giving away a Harley Davidson and will be announcing the winner on the debut show. A low key first promotion for the new TV product. Hulk Hogan name drops "The McMahons" during his promo, before he goes into the Dungeon of Doom - and it's live.
Hogan tells Taskmaster to bring every weapon he's got. The Giant comes from behind and attacks Hogan, followed by Kamala, The Shark and Zodiac attacking him in a horridly cartoonish segment complete with some camera work that's probably too close. Eventually Vader comes out and cleans up, confronting The Giant. In one of the promos for Fall Brawl, you see Vader as part of the eight men that flash up very quickly for the main event (he and Meng are the two guys both featured in the ad that haven't really been assigned teams yet - but the ad moves too quickly for it to be much of a criticism.
Vader vs Ric Flair and Arn Anderson in a handicap match
This was very good. Basically we had Flair on the apron idling while Anderson wore the brunt of the damage from Vader. Everytime Flair tagged in with the advantage he'd always lose it. Anderson gets an early pop for a lovely spinebuster on the now face Vader - who's essentially playing exactly the same character. Vader later escapes a figure four, sends both men to the mat before hitting a gutwrench powerbomb on Anderson for the win. We tease the breakup of Flair and Anderson, but despite quite rightly not doing it here WCW then decide to do it on Saturday Night two weeks later. Would have been better here or at Fall Brawl, rather than in the middle.
Score Rating: 5/10
Go Back And Watch: Not a bad show, in all honesty, but there's very little here you're going to remember a few months down the line. Wright vs Page is decent, as is the main event, and there's some other noteworthy segments - but don't hold your breath. Legitimately cannot remember the last WCW show I properly enjoyed - might have to go back to Bash At The Beach or the fantastic Spring Stampede (both from 1994 and before Hogan could do any damage to the product). Boy has WCW evolved a lot in 12 months. Austin, Steamboat, Cactus Jack and co feel a lifetime ago.
Hogan's involvement in the Clash itself was actually a "live" edition of the Dungeon of Doom. Yep, this angle got silly enough that WCW wanted us to believe one of three things: 1) The Dungeon of Doom was in Daytona Beach, 2) The Dungeon Of Doom was actually located solely inside the back of a truck (presumably Blacktop Bully's) or 3) that the entrance to the Dungeon is actually a portal. Genuinely, the third seems most plausible.
Meng & Kurasawa (w/ Col Robert Parker) vs Sting & Road Warrior Hawk
Sting's status as WCW's second most popular act doesn't have see him involved in the opening match of shows - this the second in a row after Bash At The Beach. Too much Hawk, really, who by this stage isn't really anyone who you can rely on to have a passable match. Eventually Sting holds up Kurasawa, Hawk flies in for a clunky as all hell clothesline and the faces win. By the end of the month Meng would be part of the Dungeon Of Doom. WCW really missed something here with him. After the match Kurasawa does a very swift arm submission on Hawk who is taken away by medical staff. This segment is funnier when you realise that Nick Patrick calls for the medics before Kurasawa even applies the hold.
Diamond Dallas Page (w/ The Diamond Doll) vs "Das Wunderkind" Alex Wright
Wright still has enough inertia to get onto television, even if his push is plummeting - so much show he didn't even get entrance music (although that seemed more of a technical error). This was actually pretty good - Wright is settling down into a decent routine that by current WCW standards is electrically fast. He hits a tope onto Page on the outside - but attempts a second one later in the match and crashes and burns, enough for DDP to pick up the win. The more Wright improves, the more his push decreases. DDP, as close buddies with Eric Bischoff, is one of the few non-WWF guys getting momentum these days.
Paul Orndorff vs The Renegade (C) (w/ Jimmy Hart) for the WCW World Television Title
Renegade is still awful, no matter how many different ways you look at it. He starts off quickly, unloading on Orndorff before he's even got his title belt off - hitting a lovely bodyslam. Orndorff twice throws him to the outside, before far too much stalling. Eventually Renegade hits a slingshot crossbody from the apron for the three count.
Bunkhouse Buck, Dirty Dick Slater (C) and Col. Robert Parker vs Harlem Heat (Booker T and Stevie Ray) and Sister Sherri in a six person tag match. If the Heat win, they get a title shot at Fall Brawl.
We never really got to the bottom of who was supposed to be the babyfaces in this feud. The Heat and Sherri are still playing the same characters as before, and there's no redeeming features about Parker, Slater and Buck. Dull, uneventful match until we get near the end with Sherri and Parker in the ring - which the crowd come alive for. Sherri eventually goes for a splash from the top, misses Parker and "knocks herself out". When she comes to, she jumps into Parker's arms and kisses him. Parker collapses under the weight - and shock - and Sherri inadvertently pins him. After the match Sherri chases him back up the aisle way - Parker isn't so keen any more!
We get a hype package for WCW Monday Nitro. Nothing massively excessive, they're giving away a Harley Davidson and will be announcing the winner on the debut show. A low key first promotion for the new TV product. Hulk Hogan name drops "The McMahons" during his promo, before he goes into the Dungeon of Doom - and it's live.
Hogan tells Taskmaster to bring every weapon he's got. The Giant comes from behind and attacks Hogan, followed by Kamala, The Shark and Zodiac attacking him in a horridly cartoonish segment complete with some camera work that's probably too close. Eventually Vader comes out and cleans up, confronting The Giant. In one of the promos for Fall Brawl, you see Vader as part of the eight men that flash up very quickly for the main event (he and Meng are the two guys both featured in the ad that haven't really been assigned teams yet - but the ad moves too quickly for it to be much of a criticism.
Vader vs Ric Flair and Arn Anderson in a handicap match
This was very good. Basically we had Flair on the apron idling while Anderson wore the brunt of the damage from Vader. Everytime Flair tagged in with the advantage he'd always lose it. Anderson gets an early pop for a lovely spinebuster on the now face Vader - who's essentially playing exactly the same character. Vader later escapes a figure four, sends both men to the mat before hitting a gutwrench powerbomb on Anderson for the win. We tease the breakup of Flair and Anderson, but despite quite rightly not doing it here WCW then decide to do it on Saturday Night two weeks later. Would have been better here or at Fall Brawl, rather than in the middle.
Score Rating: 5/10
Go Back And Watch: Not a bad show, in all honesty, but there's very little here you're going to remember a few months down the line. Wright vs Page is decent, as is the main event, and there's some other noteworthy segments - but don't hold your breath. Legitimately cannot remember the last WCW show I properly enjoyed - might have to go back to Bash At The Beach or the fantastic Spring Stampede (both from 1994 and before Hogan could do any damage to the product). Boy has WCW evolved a lot in 12 months. Austin, Steamboat, Cactus Jack and co feel a lifetime ago.
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