WWE Vintage Collection Report: September 25th 2011
By Shaun Best-Rajah.com Reporter
Hosted by: Mean Gene Okerlund
This week, we start the first of a two part series looking back at the best of “WCW Fall Brawl.” Apologies for my absence last week. The show was pre-empted to a later day and timeslot, plus I was out of town. With that out of the way, let’s crack on with today’s show!
September 17th 2000:
3 Count (Evan Karagias, Shane Helms & Shannon Moore) vs Misfits In Action (Lt. Loco, Sgt AWOL & Cpl. Cajun)
A dubious offering starting us off to say the least. No-one should be surprised that the MIA was the brainchild of Vince Russo and featured other members such as Hugh G. Rection, Major Stash, G.I Bro (Booker T look away) and Major Gunns. For the record, Loco is Chavo Guerrero, AWOL is the (now deceased) Wall and Cajun is Lash LeRoux. Both teams cut a fast pace early going back and forth until the Wall press slams Helms into a huge spinebuster. Karagias trips LeRoux, who then takes a samoan drop/neckbreaker combo. Moore delivers a fameasser then holds LeRoux in a suplex position for a Karagias cross body. Karagias hits a powerslam and Macho Man elbow, but can’t get the proverbial 3 Count.
Back from commercials and LeRoux manages to avoid a corner charge and catch Moore with a springboard faceplant. The Wall tags in, and hammers away until Helms slows him down with a low blow. The match breaks down as everyone takes turn diving over the top rope onto each other. Last to try is Helms, but the Wall grabs him by the throat on the apron. 3 Count prevent a chokeslam before Helms superkicks Wall through a table, which is conveniently placed at ringside. Helms accidentally wipes out Karagias with an errant superkick meant for Chavo. Lt. Loco nearly snatches the win after powerbombing Moore in mid-air. The finish comes after 3 Count fail with a triple suplex attempt. Karagias plants Chavo and LeRoux with a double DDT. The Wall pulls Karagias and Moore out of the ring to leave Helms at a disadvantage. Chavo quickly feeds Helms into LeRoux who delivers the Whiplash 2000, aka Chris Sabin’s cradle shock piledriver for the 1-2-3. Winners: MISFITS IN ACTION. The gimmick may have been loopy, but this was a fun spot filled opener.
September 12th 1989 – Clash of the Champions VIII (Fall Brawl ’89)
The Road Warriors w/Paul Ellering vs The Samoan Swat Team w/Paul E. Dangerously
Fall Brawl was a subtitle under the Clash of the Champions moniker until it became a stand-alone event from 1993-2000. The SSTs would later become famous as the Headshrinkers in the WWF. Animal brushes off a Fatu superkick to come back with a powerslam. A clothesline sends Samu packing to the outside. Hawk briefly takes over on Samu, before Fatu comes in to eat a Road Warrior tackle and clothesline. The momentum shifts when Hawk posts himself on a charge and Samu crotches him across the guardrail. After a Fatu powerslam, Hawk feels the squeeze with a bearhug. Samu distracts the referee, making sure he misses seeing Hawk tag out. The SSTs take advantage to land a backbreaker/flying elbow combo. Hawk gets his feet up to prevent Air Fatu. Animal gets the hot tag and all four men quickly become involved. Fatu posts Hawk on the floor. Paul E tosses in his Zack Morris phone, but Hawk makes the save for his partner, taking out both SSTs. Ellering gives the phone back to Hawk, who with his back to the referee turned puts in a call to Fatu. The Doomsday Device finishes things as Samu is too groggy to break up the pin. Ellering takes out Paul E off-camera then stamps the phone to pieces after the bell. Two-for-two so far this week in terms of entertainment. This was a typical brawl between two smash-mouth teams. Winners: THE ROAD WARRIORS.
September 17th 1995:
Flyin’ Brian Pillman vs Johnny B. Badd
The winner of this faces Sting for the U.S title. The match has a 20 minute time limit so gives a clue as to how it’s going to go. This was the opening match on a card that featured Team Hogan vs Dungeon of Doom in a War Games match, hence the need for two rings being set up. Badd is already busted open as we join the match in progress. Pillman escapes a side headlock then releases a Boston Crab to resort to cheap shots. Pillman designates himself as the heel as he taunts Badd by yelling “who’s the bad man now?” Badd comes back to land a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker and modified surfboard, but Pillman makes it to the ropes. Pillman opts to take a walk.
Pillman extends a hand, but Badd doesn’t go for it, so Pillman tosses him to the floor. Badd comes back with a springboard legdrop. Pillman escapes a chinlock, before both men collide mid-ring. Pillman kicks Badd to the floor. Badd reverses a suplex from the apron then hits a plancha. Badd goes high risk one time too many as Pillman catches him in mid-air with a dropkick.
As we enter the final three minutes, the two exchange a powerbomb and piledriver. Badd throws off a tornado DDT attempt and locks in an armbar. Pillman reverses it into an armlock of his own. Badd nearly passes out, but makes sure his arm doesn’t drop for a third time. 30 seconds remain! Badd connects with a faceplant and the Tutti Frutti punch, while Pillman lands his patented springboard clothesline. Time beats both men, but referee Nick Patrick informs Michael Buffer there must be a winner!
Into overtime we go as both men counter each other’s high risk moves. Badd manages to hit a top rope hurracanrana. Pillman blocks a second, and lands the tornado DDT he attempted earlier. Badd backs into the ropes to crotch Pillman, then launches him from the top rope into the guardrail. Pillman gets his knees up to derail a springboard legdrop. Pillman suplexes Badd onto the ropes and hits a suicide dive through the ropes. Badd ducks to avoid a springboard dropkick as Pillman gets mangled in the ropes. Both duck clothesline attempts, then hit simultaneous cross bodyblocks. Badd is first to cover and he gets the pin. Phewph! Both men certainly left it all in the ring. Winner: JOHNNY B. BADD. Shenanigans and a flat tyre courtesy of DDP would ultimately cost Badd his title opportunity a short time later. Ironically, Pillman would fill in for him, but get defeated by Sting.
Three strong matchups this week with three decisive clean finishes. Okerlund promises a War Games offering next week, when we conclude the Fall Brawl retrospective. Let’s hope it isn’t the Hulk Hogan/Dungeon of Doom bout as that aired on this show almost two years ago and I’d rather not see that one again.
Any comments or discussion points drop me a line at shaunmb1@hotmail.com.
Follow me on Twitter @Shaun_Best.
