WCW 1994: A Column

[Michrome 0]

Going into Starrcade in 1993, WCW was horrible. It was god-awful. The angles were embarrasing, and the promotion was rapidly going to hell in a handbasket. However, in an incident that turned the company around, Sid Vicious attacked Arn Anderson with a scissors, earning himself a bright pink slip.

 

WCW, now without their top babyface to face Vader at Starrcade was in a true bind, and it looked like disaster loomed. Who did they turn to? Ric Flair. Then, at Starrcade, Flair and Vader one of the most amazing, emotional main events in WCW history. Flair had done it, he saved WCW. From there onwards, WCW was surprisingly great. People like Cactus Jack and Steve Austin were getting pushed, main events were great, Steamboat was back having great matches, etc. It all ended at Clash 27, at the belt Unification match between Flair and Sting (***3/4), as Hulk Hogan had joined the company.

 

All of the goodwill WCW had built up with the fans over the few months in the beginning of 94 was gone, Hogan was in. They rushed a Flair heel turn in order to do Hogan-Flair at Bash At The Beach, where Hogan treated Flair like a total jobber (just like Halloween Havoc), and from this point on, until the NWO, WCW *sucked*. Immediately following the big buyrate for Hogan-Flair, the buyrates plummeted. Hogan brought in all of his shitty friends, the matches sucked, the great workers were buried, Cactus and Austin were phased out, and Flair became a parody of himself. Hogan went on to destroy Vader's credibility as a monster forever (in a shitty match), and eventually, the fans turned on Hulk Hogan. Oh yes, there was another *way* over babyface in all of this that was just left behind, and completely forgotten. His name was Sting. Sting and AJ Styles, two people I never thought I'd compare.

 

I caught the second hour of tonight's TNA show at a friend's house when I heard he had ordered it. I wanted to see if they would finally turn Punk heel, and maybe bring in Terry Funk to face Jarrett. Instead, as I feared, it ended up being Jim Duggan. All of Hogan's friends are coming, and they're destroying everything good about TNA. And those that love(d) the TNA product are happy about it, cheering this on, because it will spark a good buyrate. I agree, it will spark *A* good buyrate. But after that, what's next?

 

Some will point to the WCW turnaround in 96 and huge boom in business as proof that Hogan can do it again. Well, unless Mantell has defectors from WWE and a huge angle planned soon that will reinvent Hulk Hogan again, I can't see it happening.

 

Next week it's Jarrett vs. Sting, which should do well buyrate-wise when it comes to weekly buys, but really, where is this going? Welcome to WCW 1994, where all that is good is gone, and all that is shit is king. Except this time, it's worse: Hogan-Jarrett isn't nearly as big of a draw as Hogan-Flair was, and Jarrett can't hold 1994 Ric Flair's jockstrap. After the surprise being Duggan tonight, even you diehard TNA defenders have to see the writing on the wall.

[Guest Choken One]

Yeah but Guess what?

 

WCW became *Something* because Hogan came in and guess what? TNA was on a decline before Hogan even sniffed at tna.

[Michrome 0]

I don't see how you figure they were on a decline. They had a bunch of good shows in a row, during late Summer and September.

[Corey_Lazarus 0]

TNA was on their usual slump after a string of excellent shows. I'm used to TNA being even more cyclical than the industry itself. But bringing in Hogan, getting rid of Russo COMPLETELY, and having Mantel book the shows like it's Memphis in 1985? No, sorry. Not a draw.

 

The live crowd was DEAD tonight, as they have been for the past month or so. Even at TotalNonStop, THE most pro-TNA place I've encountered, many were voicing their disgust with last week's product and this week's preview, and did not order. They were lucky, for they didn't have the addiction I do.

[Slayer 0]

Hogan did initially boost WCW at first, but by late '94, the decline was evident in WCW. The main event pushing of his friends like Duggan and Leslie as well as (temporarily) "booting" Flair out of the promotion did not help things, although it's been well established that 1995 was just an all around bad year for wrestling on both sides, whether WCW (Uncensored, Flair beating up Savage's dad, Monster Truck Mayhem) or WWF (Nash as non-drawing champion, King Mabel)

 

Although that did allow ECW to sneak up from behind (as that's the year I found it and considered it a wonderful alternative to the shit the big two were piling out then)

 

(I know this isn't about TNA, but I wanted to chime in on that)

[Guest Man Of 1,004 Modes]

How did Hogan kill Vader's credibility? I'm opening a can of worms here, but I don't see how it happend.

 

I Will say Vince Russo killed whatever credibility Vader had LEFT in WWF 97-98, but thats a different story.

[Michrome 0]

By not selling for him at all and basically humiliating him during every encounter. Check out the Superbrawl 95 match where the crowd just totally turns on Hogan, who no-sells Vader's offense like a prick. Prior to Hogan coming to WCW, Vader got clean big wins over top babyfaces all the time, he was a true fucking monster, and he also had great matches.

[Guest Man Of 1,004 Modes]

By not selling for him at all and basically humiliating him during every encounter. Check out the Superbrawl 95 match where the crowd just totally turns on Hogan, who no-sells Vader's offense like a prick. Prior to Hogan coming to WCW, Vader got clean big wins over top babyfaces all the time, he was a true fucking monster, and he also had great matches.

To Be Fair.

 

a.) Vader no sold Hogans Hulk-up bullshit and kicked out before ONE count at Superbrawl. Hogan was already turned on by the fans. DON'T BE PERVERTED. Vader lost by DQ, so he wasn't pinned.

 

b.) uncensored. Hogan obviously got in way too much offense, but again, Vader wasn't the one jobbing, as he kept his credibility. Of course, it was the most retarded finish, but that didn't hurt Vader.

 

c.) Vader, Flair, Double A beat the shit out of Savages' father at Slamboree. More heel heat.

 

The only time Hogan could have REALLY kiulled his heat was the Cage Match at either GAB or BatB.

 

And really, that was the blowoff to a feud. So it doesn't really hurt Vader that much.

[Slayer 0]

By not selling for him at all and basically humiliating him during every encounter. Check out the Superbrawl 95 match where the crowd just totally turns on Hogan, who no-sells Vader's offense like a prick. Prior to Hogan coming to WCW, Vader got clean big wins over top babyfaces all the time, he was a true fucking monster, and he also had great matches.

I forgot about that too

 

Hell, by late '95, it was clear Hogan was getting major "Get the fuck out of the ring" heat from fans, hence the vacation in Spring '96 before the nWo turn

[Slayer 0]

The only time Hogan could have REALLY kiulled his heat was the Cage Match at either GAB or BatB.

It was at BATB, that was actually held at the beach.

 

What pissed me off more about that match was that Hogan resurrected the (as I said elsewhere) retarted "escape = win" cage match rule for that, the only time I can ever remember WCW using it.

[Guest Man Of 1,004 Modes]

The only time Hogan could have REALLY kiulled his heat was the Cage Match at either GAB or BatB.

It was at BATB, that was actually held at the beach.

 

What pissed me off more about that match was that Hogan resurrected the (as I said elsewhere) retarted "escape = win" cage match rule for that, the only time I can ever remember WCW using it.

So Vader was never pinned clean/at all by Hogan in WCW? Wow. Even Andre let Hogan pin him at WM III.

[Michrome 0]

The Vader no-selling of the hulkup was a planned thing to build up the Uncensored match as a big blowoff, but during both of those matches Hogan made Vader look like a total jobber by never selling a goddam thing. Somehow, I really doubt *that* was planned.

[Guest Man Of 1,004 Modes]

The Vader no-selling of the hulkup was a planned thing to build up the Uncensored match as a big blowoff, but during both of those matches Hogan made Vader look like a total jobber by never selling a goddam thing. Somehow, I really doubt *that* was planned.

I haven't watched SBrawl in a while but from what I remember Vader laid a shit kicking in Hogan for most of the match.

 

and news flash:

 

HOGAN DOESN'T SELL! Intentional or not, he just either sucked at it or did LOD Selling by selling for 2 seconds then not hurting for the rest of the match/

[Michrome 0]

I know he doesn't sell, and that's why he made Vader look like an assclown. After Hogan beats Jarrett, I bet his next match will be against a strongly pushed Abyss, so he can kill off a giant. And I bet he won't sell there, either. Anyways, this is all besides the main point, which is that TNA with Hogan influence blows chunks.

[Guest Frank The Tank]

I'm shocked how nobody mentioned how after Vader powerbombed Hogan, Hulkster got up and no sold it thus killing Vader and the power bomb's credibility.

[Michrome 0]

I was alluding to that with regards to no-selling, but yes, Hogan just got up from the move that was billed as one of the most dangerous in the world.

[Guest Man Of 1,004 Modes]

I know he doesn't sell, and that's why he made Vader look like an assclown. After Hogan beats Jarrett, I bet his next match will be against a strongly pushed Abyss, so he can kill off a giant. And I bet he won't sell there, either. Anyways, this is all besides the main point, which is that TNA with Hogan influence blows chunks.

The last Monster Hogan faced was Brock.

 

And he put him over cleaner than possible.

 

Sure, he wanted the job back, but really, Brock never paid his dues, so he should have done it considering he lost to the fucking BIG SHOW TWICE!

[Guest Man Of 1,004 Modes]

I'm shocked how nobody mentioned how after Vader powerbombed Hogan, Hulkster got up and no sold it thus killing Vader and the power bomb's credibility.

Hogan ALWAYS did that.

 

I remember a match v. Savage where he got RIGHT UP the second after Savage connected with it.

[Slayer 0]

Okay, now as much as how I hated what happened to Vader in 1995, now I have to play the other side for some reason

 

Hasn't Hogan made a career out of no-selling people's finishers? From Orndorff's piledriver to Andre slamming him to Savage's elbow to Flair's Figure Four to etc.

 

Wasn't Hogan's match template up to that point almost always:

Balanced match -> Heel gains edge -> Heel beatdown with Hogan mildly overselling -> Heel finisher -> 2 count -> Hulking up complete with no-selling -> Boot wham legdrop pin

 

So really, how could you have expected that his match with Vader was going to go over any differently

 

I loved Vader as much as any heel mark in 1995, but I did see the Hogan match template coming from a mile away as well

 

Just some thoughts

[Guest Frank The Tank]

I'm shocked how nobody mentioned how after Vader powerbombed Hogan, Hulkster got up and no sold it thus killing Vader and the power bomb's credibility.

Hogan ALWAYS did that.

 

I remember a match v. Savage where he got RIGHT UP the second after Savage connected with it.

If anyone killed Savage's elbowdrop it's Warrior, I mean Savage does 5 flying elbowdrops on him and Warrior still gets up.

[Guest Man Of 1,004 Modes]

I'm shocked how nobody mentioned how after Vader powerbombed Hogan, Hulkster got up and no sold it thus killing Vader and the power bomb's credibility.

Hogan ALWAYS did that.

 

I remember a match v. Savage where he got RIGHT UP the second after Savage connected with it.

If anyone killed Savage's elbowdrop it's Warrior, I mean Savage does 5 flying elbowdrops on him and Warrior still gets up.

Savage returned the favor by being the only man in history to kick out of the press slam/splash combo. And he kicked out before TWO! At least Warrior waited til the last possible tenth of a second.

 

And besides...IT WAS BOOKED THAT WAY!

 

Both men wanted to win/keep their career so badly they went the extra mile.

[Guest Frank The Tank]

I'm shocked how nobody mentioned how after Vader powerbombed Hogan, Hulkster got up and no sold it thus killing Vader and the power bomb's credibility.

Hogan ALWAYS did that.

 

I remember a match v. Savage where he got RIGHT UP the second after Savage connected with it.

If anyone killed Savage's elbowdrop it's Warrior, I mean Savage does 5 flying elbowdrops on him and Warrior still gets up.

Savage returned the favor by being the only man in history to kick out of the press slam/splash combo. And he kicked out before TWO! At least Warrior waited til the last possible tenth of a second.

 

And besides...IT WAS BOOKED THAT WAY!

 

Both men wanted to win/keep their career so badly they went the extra mile.

Oh Shit, I forgot about that. I haven't seen the match for a couple of years.