Welcome to the tenth, Tybo Talks 1995. We are continuing from WWF In Your House 4 and shifting gears from WWF to WCW with Halloween Havoc.
We have officially rolled into the ‘Monday Night Wars’ Era…
With the ease of access to pretty much all of WWE’s back catalog on the WWE Network I thought it would be cool to change it up a bit and do some classic reviews (with a twist). As some of you may know I have already done this with WWE in 2002 and 2003, but this time I’m doing it a little differently.
In the past, I have reviewed all the PPV (from the year) but watched all Raw and Smackdown episodes too. This time as it’s 1995 I’m watching all PPV but in between, I’m watching WWE Raw, ECW’s Hardcore TV, and WCW Nitro (when it starts in September)… Wish me luck!
The Opening vignette is (as you would expect) all about Hulk Hogan vs The Giant, and the fact that they are going to be fighting with monster trucks, for the first time ever in wrestling history. It’s worth noting it’s the only time ever in wrestling history.
The Halloween-style stage looks really cool even for the 90s, it’s full of tombstones and crypts.
Television Championship
Diamond Dallas Page (c) (w/ Diamond Doll & Max Muscle) vs Johnny B. Badd
The reason behind this match is very weak but here we are, Badd basically has an opportunity at the TV Title but lost it due to having a flat tire. It would turn out that DDP would be responsible, and we found out in a pretty funny segment on WCW Superstars.
The match starts off quick, with a great opening PPV pace, and they are brawling in the crowd right from the start. Although I have very limited WCW knowledge (which is what makes this series so fun) I was unaware that DDP had this gimmick. It’s a strange dynamic of him being a heel but Diamond Doll clearly being a face.
Does referee Nick Patrick look the absolute ringer of Danny McBride when he is playing Kenny Powers or is it just me?
Unfortunately for the second time, it feels like the opening match runs a little long, although the end really does pick up when Badd looks to be fighting off everyone when Max Muscle messes up and we have a new TV Champion.
Winner: Johnny B. Badd
The Zodiac vs ‘Macho Man’ Randy Savage
FunFact: This match was supposed to be Kamala vs Savage, but Kamala told Kevin Sullivan he was scared of Savage, so Sullivan beat him up and sent him back to Uganda. In reality, Jim Harris (Kamala) was annoyed about his pay and left the company.
The Zodiac is so clearly Brutus ‘The Barber’ Beefcake it’s madness. He could of at least got new gear? Savage’s pop could rival Hogan’s he is so over with the crowd.
This one is a blink and you miss it bout, the most interesting thing is a crazed fan trying to get in the ring. They start brawling, Savage hits the elbow of the top and this one is done.
Winner: ‘Macho Man’ Randy Savage
Backstage: ‘Mean’ Gene interviews Johnny B. Badd. Before that Gene teases someone from WWF making the jump, and phones the WCW Superstar line to find out who. Badd gives his best motivational speech about his big win. He looks genuinely happy to be champion, it’s hard not to be happy for him.
Hawk vs Kurasawa (w/ Col. Robert Parker)
This one goes back to when Kurasawa ‘broke’ Hawk’s arm. All I’m thinking here is where is Animal? I think this is the first time I have ever seen Hawk in a singles match. He is of course still in his classic Road Warrior gear, with spikes and all.
Hawk wastes no time getting into this match, and Kurasawa has zero offense. In fact, he does, maybe two or three actual moves, and literally gets the win out of nowhere with a role up and his feet on the ropes.
Winner: Kurasawa
FunFact: Kurasawa (Manabu Nakanishi) would return to NJPW in 1996 and go on to be a G1 Climax winner, IWGP Heavyweight Champion, and three-time IWJP Tag Team Champion.
Backstage: Mean Gean interviews ‘Macho Man’ Randy Savage. There is a story as to why Savage’s match was so quick, If both Savage and Luger win their advertised match they will face each other later in the show. This isn’t really talked about a lot, the main of the interview is Savage telling Gean that his mustache is wonky. It’s actually pretty funny.
Sabu (w/ The Sheik) vs Mr. JL
FunFact: This was Mr. JL’s WCW PPV debut. Who was Mr. JL? Well, he was the ultra-talented and legend Mr. Jerry Lynn.
This is straight high flying and spots from the beginning. There feels like there is a lot of mention of Sabu in ECW without actually mentioning ECW. This is not a long match at all, both Sabu and JL are working at a fast pace but are both seem to look gassed too.
After Sabu gets the win, The Sheik (who is noticeably not very mobile at this point) does a fireball spot on JL. I’m not really sure why, but it looked cool.
Winner: Sabu
FunFact: This was Sabu’s only WCW PPV appearance and his second to last WCW show before returning to ECW.
Tony Shivani and Bobby ‘The Brain’ Heenan (The Commentary Team) are chatting about The Giant’s origins. The story is, that Giant is the son of Andre The Giant, even though it’s documented that he never had children.
Although if you Google ‘Andre the Giant’s Child’ today, a picture of Paul White (The Giant) will pop up.
The Dungeon of Doom: We enter the actual dungeon… of doom. where we see The Taskmaster and King Curtis Iaukea, they cut a classic doom promo, about the universe and the sun and all sorts of crazy stuff. I think Ultimate Warrior would have fitted well in this promo.
Backstage: Mean Gene and Hulk Hogan are with a Harley Davidson competition winner. I’m mentioning this because Hogan deserves a medal for seamlessly intertwining a winner of a motorbike and his match tonight with The Giant.
Meng (w/ The Taskmaster) vs Lex Luger
So, the stipulation is that if Luger wins he gets to face Randy Savage later in the night, it’s, for this reason, it seems a given that Luger is winning.
The match starts off great, it’s quick and hard-hitting right from the start. Meng is a legitimate tough guy and looks like a real bad dude, every move looks like it really hurts. Although it’s clear that Luger is winning, he spends a lot of the match getting beat down. Then when he does make a comeback Sullivan makes the save but gets Meng disqualified.
Luger gets to face Savage, but Meng is clearly unhappy but Sullivan tries to explain… more on this later.
Winner: Lex Luger
Backstage: Mean Gene is interviewing The Giant. Giant is an actual monster, the look of him next to Mean Gene looks almost surreal.
Arn Anderson & Flyin’ Brian vs Sting & Ric Flair
There have been reports throughout the show that Flair might not be cleared to wrestle after Arn and Brian attacked him on the pre-show.
This is a small side note to most people but Sting is the United States Champion but doesn’t come out with the title, does this annoy anyone else?
The match starts as a two-on-one, with Flair being nowhere to be seen, but will he show up? I always thought it was strange to have Flair and Arn feuding, with them being so synonymous with each other.
Even in a handicap match, Sting is so good in the ring and the crowd absolutely loves him. Every move or pose or taunt gets a crowd pop. Eventually, Flair comes out, bandaged up and wearing suit pants and slacks. The crowd is chanting ‘We Want Flair’ like he is the ultimate babyface.
The match is really working to get over that ‘Sting can’t get the tag’. This match is a different caliber of wrestling and storytelling than anything else on the card so far. Everyone is doing great work, even the referee keeping Flair away from the tag.
Finally, Flair gets one of the hottest tags I have ever seen, the crowd goes absolutely insane, and Flair immediately lays out… Sting!
This match and moment completely suckered me in, I should have known better with Flair and Arn, but I was lost in the match. What a match it was. fantastic heel work from Flair.
Winners: Arn Anderson & Flyin’ Brian
Flair, Arn, and Brian say The Horsemen are back!
Backstage: Mike Tenay is interviewing Lex Luger, Luger cuts a promo that is far too long about being the ‘Total Package’.
There are a lot of stories that’s gone into the Giant vs Hogan feud, Giant only debuted about two months ago and hasn’t had a match yet. He is apparently the son of Andre the Giant (let’s just leave that one there). He has been alleged with the Dungeon of Doom, who have an actual Dungeon!
Hogan and Giant are set to ‘wrestle’ twice tonight. First in monster trucks and second in the ring.
Monster Truck vs Monster Truck
Hulk Hogan vs The Giant
Rules: Both axels need to be out of the circle before there is a winner.
This whole thing was set above Cobo Hall, Detroit. There is no denying the helicopter shots of this happening were pretty cool.
The trucks are welded to each other, and there are random changes in the circle that can go odd at any time.
On paper, this sounds like a shit show but with the look of both Trucks, and the back and forth, it’s actually a fun watch. Hogan and Giant are clearly not in the trucks but they do some clever cuts to pre-recorded footage of them in trucks, which isn’t terrible for 1995. In the end, it’s Hogan who wins.
FunFact: The reason for this Monster Truck match was that Eric Bischoff wanted to merchandise the idea. He thought if Hot Wheels would make a ‘WCW monster truck’ range of toys, it would be a goldmine (he isn’t wrong)
Giant gets out of his truck and starts brawling with Hogan, Giant ends up falling off the roof. Bischoff and Heenan acting like The Giant is dead.
Lex Luger vs Macho Man
As both won their scheduled matches, they could both have this match, Lex and Macho have had some issues since the first Nitro when Lex debuted. This one should be great as both guys are great in the ring. There are some hard-hitting moves right from the start.
Jimmy Hart comes out and seems annoyed the match is even happening. The match seems a quick one although no one seems bothered, with the commentary talking about Hogan vs Giant and if Giant is alive.
Winner: Macho Man Randy Savage
No one knows what’s going on with the main event, They are really hammering home that something has gone wrong. Booby ‘The Brain’ Heenan needs an Oscar with his voice breaking and how upset he is playing. Great acting.
Michael Buffer is in the ring, ready to introduce the main event match.
WCW World Heavyweight Championship
Hulk Hogan (C) vs The Giant
Hulk Hogan comes down the stage looking somber. He gets on the mic saying about the accident, and it wasn’t meant to happen. Outcomes Giant like everything is fine. They have been talking about Giant falling ten stories, then walking to the ring with no explanation?
Yes, WCW no sold Giant falling off an arena roof?!
Hogan shows his dark side with some Taskmaster paint. It’s insane to think Giant’s first TV match ever is against not only Hulk Hogan but for the World Heavyweight Championship. Every move he does looks painful. Giant is pure power and even makes Hogan look small.
Hogan is in all black, with maroon cowboy boots, this is not a great look even in 1995. There is some really good back and forth between the two. The crowd is all over Hogan, and loses it when the slams The Giant, although this was not quite the grand stage of ‘Mania 3.
This is where it gets messy. Jimmy Hart hits Hogan with the belt, so out runs Luger and Savage, only for Luger to immediately attack Savage. If that wasn’t enough, the now infamous Yeti comes out to double bearhugs Hogan with The Giant. This did not look great. Lex officially turns heel when he gets Hogan in the Torture Racks.
This is mental, and a lot to unpack considering it all happens in about three minutes.
Winner: The Giant (via disqualification) Hulk Hogan is Still Champion
Although The Giant didn’t win the WCW World Championship, he walks out with the title.
Overall
This was a crazy PPV but in a good way. There seem to be so many questions that need answering with what happened with Giant? Why did Hart turn on Hogan? Who is actually in Dungeon of Doom? It’s safe to say I was looking forward to watching Nitro.
As for the PPV, it was pretty solid throughout there were some good, some bad, and some madness, but I guess you can get away with a little more on a PPV centered around Halloween
Match of the Night: This would depend on what you’re looking for, Luger vs Meng was the best for pure wrestling. That being said, because of what happened and that they totally got me to believe Flair was a face, the best all-around match has to be Sting & Ric Flair vs Arn Anderson & Flyin’ Brian. There was great storytelling from all involved and fantastic heel work.
All in all a fairly solid PPV.
There is no denying this was leaps and bounds better than WWF In Your House 4.
3.5 / 5
Tybometer ’95
(1995 PPV’s scored out of a possible five)
WWF Royal Rumble – 4
WWF Wrestlemania – 2
WWF In Your House – 2.5
WWF King of the Ring – 0.5
WWF In Your House 2 – 3.5
WWF SummerSlam – 2
WCW Fall Brawl: WarGames – 2.75
WWF In Your House 3 – 3.25
WWF In Your House 4 – 1.5
WCW Halloween Havoc – 3.5
Look out for the next Tybo Talks 1995, where I shift back to WWF and review Survivor Series.
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