Flair vs Hogan Bash at the Beach 94

[Guest wildpegasus]

Flair vs Hogan Bash at the Beach 94

 

For whatever reasons this is the biggest match I've ever seen that doesn't have people talking about it. It seems to slip through the cracks. Considering it was Hogan's first match in WCW, HOgan and Flair's biggest match against each other and the fact it signalled WCW's determination to climb over the WWF juggarnaut I think it deserves some discussion. Back in 1994, I dreaded this match. I was a WCW mark since they were more about wrestling and was absolutely petrified that Hogan's victory over Flair would turn the WCW into the WWF. I wanted Flair to win so badly but just knew that HOgan would. I was upset at everything from having the match in Florida to Hogan getting a title shot on his very first match. All of this just reeked of WCW becoming less sportish and more entertainmentish which made me queasy to the stomach.

 

Enough backstory for now. It was years later that I saw this match. It was in clipped form but from what I saw it was very exciting and perhaps the most exciting atmosphere I've seen for a Hogan match. The match seemed to be booked very well to generate that excitement level and both wrestlers had their working boots on. Heenan was priceless in the commentary he brought to the match while Schiavone who I'm a fan of more than most people brought the goods too. This match truly felt like an epic encounter. Moreso than most big title matches I've seen. Overall, a nice way to spend some wrestling time even though there's always that bad taste left in my mouth because to me this wasn't just Hogan vs Flair. It was WCW vs the WWF and on that day and for a definite while afterwards "the WWF" won.

 

Anyone have any thoughts on this match?

[JoeDirt 0]

I actually have never seen this match - though I want to.

 

Does it have the typical "Hulk up, punches, big boot, leg drop" finish to it?

[EdwardKnoxII 0]

WCW was doing fine before Hogan came in. Then after he came in and had to get jobs for all his old friends that pushed WCW back for sometime till the NWO came around.

[snuffbox 0]

It doest get talked about often because the entire idea was horrible. The match itself was decent enough and the Halloween Havoc rematch was quite good actually, but WCW fans loved Flair and didnt particularly care about Hogan. When the Hulkster arrived at WCW that summer they held a parade for him...the audience showered him with apathy. His debut match was for Flairs title and he went over clean...not really what the WCW marks wanted at the time.

 

WCW had been doing well enough and improving constantly with Flair at the top. The Hogan regime pushed them back to a deep 2nd place behind Vince, their fans never truly embraced face Hogan. It wasnt until they develpoed the NWO angle and a new excting product that they took the #1 spot.

 

But as far as the Bash goes, their fans didnt care at the time so why should anyone now? OK match, but totally meaningless in hindsight really. And that entire 94 card has been completely overshadowed by Bash96(good card, wrestling, and the shock ending).

[Papacita 0]

WCW was doing fine before Hogan came in. Then after he came in and had to get jobs for all his old friends that pushed WCW back for sometime till the NWO came around.

I'm glad someone else shares this sentiment. When Jim Duggan came in and beat Austin for the US belt, I was pissed. Plus, I didn't like them turning Flair when they did. He had *just* come off the feud with Vader where they built him up as this big inspirational wrestler and was very over as a face before Hogan came in. Hogan just seemed to mess everything up for me.

[snuffbox 0]

WCW was doing fine before Hogan came in. Then after he came in and had to get jobs for all his old friends that pushed WCW back for sometime till the NWO came around.

I'm glad someone else shares this sentiment. When Jim Duggan came in and beat Austin for the US belt, I was pissed. Plus, I didn't like them turning Flair when they did. He had *just* come off the feud with Vader where they built him up as this big inspirational wrestler and was very over as a face before Hogan came in. Hogan just seemed to mess everything up for me.

Exactly. The marks then were into the WCW product - face Flair, heel Austin, etc etc. Hogan never got over as a face because it wasnt what the crowd wanted.

 

Just because a person is famous/popular doesnt mean he will work well for every product.

 

Example- Chicago Bears sign Kordell Stewart, a famous quarterback. Stewart does not fit the Bear's scheme at all and flounders about all season. Popular guy, but inherantly wrong for that system.