WarGames

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

This month 24/7 has ten WarGames matches in total. Here's a catch-all thread for discussion.

 

I watched '93 for the first time this morning. Definately a let-down. You want a double-cage blowoff match to be something epic. This went maybe two minutes after Ottman entered the ring, and the faces were never even threatened by then! Four heels standing at the end, none of them bloodied at all.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

God bless the family friendly blood free days of WCW.

 

Also, I think "WarGames" (capital G, no space) is the way the Matthew Brodrick film is spelled. Classic stuff there.

[cabbageboy 0]

Al, you mention the 1993 Wargames as being a letdown. You were expecting greatness out of a match involving The Shockmaster?

[Diamonddust 0]

Why watch '93 when you've got '92, '91, and '87 available as well?

[Drury37 0]

It is actually 1987, 1989, 1992 and 1993 this week. I watched all four of them last night. Starting with 1993 then watching 1987, 1989 and 1992 in that order. I think that is the order I would put them in from worst to best. 1993 was a total disaster. Sid botched moves, and everything seemed soft. 1987 was great for its time, but I thought it was too much all over the place. However, I loved the spiked wristband at the end. 1989 was a pleasant surprise. I knew it was good, but I did not know it was that good. Then 1992, while I have seen it a bunch of times it never gets old.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Al, you mention the 1993 Wargames as being a letdown. You were expecting greatness out of a match involving The Shockmaster?

Usually an eight-man Texas Tornado style tag match is the kind of event that lets you hide a guy's weaknesses.

 

Why watch '93 when you've got '92, '91, and '87 available as well?

Hadn't seen it before.

[franchise632 0]

Im a little pissed at Comcast here in St Paul....they pulled all the stuff that was done on 7/1 and I went in this morning to check out the new stuff and there isn't anything....so annoying

 

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

In a nice surprise, War Games 87 is actually War Games #2 (the 1987 rematch with War Machine instead of JJ Dillon). I say this is a surprise because War Games #1 is on the 4 Horsemen DVD and I just assumed they'd use that.

 

Check out Bill Alfonso as the outside referee in 87.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

In a nice surprise, War Games 87 is actually War Games #2 (the 1987 rematch with War Machine instead of JJ Dillon). I say this is a surprise because War Games #1 is on the 4 Horsemen DVD and I just assumed they'd use that.

 

Check out Bill Alfonso as the outside referee in 87.

The match on the Horsemen dvd is actually from 1988. The original has yet to hit dvd.

[Diamonddust 0]

In a nice surprise, War Games 87 is actually War Games #2 (the 1987 rematch with War Machine instead of JJ Dillon). I say this is a surprise because War Games #1 is on the 4 Horsemen DVD and I just assumed they'd use that.

 

Check out Bill Alfonso as the outside referee in 87.

 

So it's the one from the Orange Bowl?

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

In a nice surprise, War Games 87 is actually War Games #2 (the 1987 rematch with War Machine instead of JJ Dillon). I say this is a surprise because War Games #1 is on the 4 Horsemen DVD and I just assumed they'd use that.

 

Check out Bill Alfonso as the outside referee in 87.

The match on the Horsemen dvd is actually from 1988. The original has yet to hit dvd.

 

Ah... yeah, reading the 1987 match description, it didn't sound like it was from the DVD but somehow I thought they put the original on. I think about 7 years ago I rented a tape from the last video store in the city to carry old wrestling tapes (which quite sadly, went out of business a few years later and sold all their stock - wrestling tapes were all gone by the time I found out) called "War Games" which consisted only of the two 1987 matches.

[Darth Pipes 0]

War Machine was Big Bossman I believe.

 

I had forgotten that there was a 93 War Games. I guess because Vader wasn't in it. Looking forward to seeing the ones from 87, 89, and 92.

[Diamonddust 0]

Good Lord... I just watched '92 for the first time in a while, and I forgot how much blood was in that match. Windham, Rhodes, and Austin were gushing it.

[Darth Pipes 0]

I can't wait to check that out.

 

Just watched the 93 one a little while ago (start off with the worst and go to the best) and it really was a snoozer.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

War Machine was Big Bossman I believe.

 

I had forgotten that there was a 93 War Games. I guess because Vader wasn't in it. Looking forward to seeing the ones from 87, 89, and 92.

Vader was indeed in the '93 version, he went bell to bell.

 

We used to have a video store that carried the '87 Great American Bash tape. That had both Wargames matches from that tour, and several other good matches. The second Wargames is good, the first one is ***** territory.

 

The 1995 version wasn't bad at all, and in fact Sting and Shark starting off put on a good five minute segment.

 

1992 is an absolute classic, possibly the greatest match WCW produced in the 1990s.

[Lil' Bitch 0]

The only WarGames match I've seen was from 1998.

[Zack Malibu 0]

I actually converted my master copy of WrestleWar '92 to DVD a little while back and rewatched '92. I'd have to agree that it's one of the best matches WCW had ever put on in its history. That whole Dangerous Alliance era of WCW had some amazing stuff going on.

 

Appropriately enough for this thread, I just rewatched the War Games that is on the Horseman DVD yesterday.

[Guest]

1993 was just dull. Dustin bled buckets (no surprise), but that was the only thing notable. The finish sucked.

 

Sid's kicks were the funniest.

[PILLS! PILLS! PILLS! 0]

We used to have a video store that carried the '87 Great American Bash tape.

Those were they days. I loved walking ten minutes to the video store and having a wide range to choose from.

 

The only WarGames match I've seen was from 1998.

So you really haven't seen a wargames match yet. I'd suggest 87 and 92 to start.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

This is a great way for new fans to see what one of WCW's few genuinely great ideas was all about. I doubt the majority of these matches will ever land on DVD and the videos with the earliest matches on them go for big bucks, so this is really the only way newer fans are going to see them.

[PILLS! PILLS! PILLS! 0]

This is a great way for new fans to see what one of WCW's few genuinely great ideas was all about.

 

This predates WCW, but I know what you mean. From all accounts I hear that it was one of the ideas that Dusty had that turned out to be a home run.

[Gert T 0]

Yeah that 87 GAB tape was pretty sweet. The 2 War Games matches at the beginning and end of the tape. Plus the Jimmy Garvin-Flair match was good and it included the Koloff-Luger US Title change.

 

 

[cabbageboy 0]

Since I was familiar with the 1992 version I watched the ones I hadn't seen. I wish they would have put the original 87 one on here instead since it was at the Omni and was a much better match, or at least better filmed.

 

The 1993 match was fairly weak I thought aside from Dustin Rhodes taking his boot off and using it as a weapon and also bleeding big time. He was the only guy in it that seemed to know what the hell he was doing in a Wargames, but that should be expected.

 

1995 was actually quite fun considering the dubious talents of the heels involved. But man was it me or did Zodiac carry that match big time? I mean he sold for Hogan like there was no tomorrow, which is also to be expected.

 

The 1989 match is one I had mostly forgotten and watching it again made me realize why. It really isn't all that notable. No one bleeds, which is inexcusable for a 1987-92 era Wargames. Come on Bobby Eaton, you were the first man in there....tap an artery! It's the only midcard Wargames match.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

The best part of Wargames '89 was Paul attempting to shove his phone through the cage, panning out to see Tommy Young glaring at him. Terry Gordy and Steve Williams brawling against one another is notable too.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

You don't realize how crappy a 3rd generation recording of a show on VHS is until you see it on 24/7 in digital glory. In this case, I do own a tape of GAB 89, but the War Games match looked much better when I watched it last night. Now it's time to watch 92!

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

Heh, Paul giving Madusa the cell phone and having her go to the TOP of the cage to get it in, nice call back to 1989. Lots of colour too (as previously mentioned). So glad to finally see this match as - without actually watching 93, 94, or 95 yet - I'm pretty sure this is the peak of WarGames with sliding quality for the next 6 years (with some years better than others - I've never seen 1997's match but it's probably the best one between 93 and 98 just based on the participants).

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

Jesse: And who knows that kind of entrance he'll (Shockmaster) make! He could trip over and knock himself out.

Tony: That's true.

 

I forgot they turned his clumsiness into an angle.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

1995's version is kind of fun. It's 4 of the biggest stars of the late 80s/90s against 4 jobbers, but it's cool to have such star power on the face team. I like their camo gear too. Not great or anything, but not bad.

 

I hope they didn't need to pay Mike Buffer any royalties to keep his countdowns intact...

[TheSSNintendo 0]

Has the '95 WarGames shown up on anybody's listing yet? Only the '87, '89, '92, and '93 showed up on mine.

 

I did, however, see the '91 and '96 WarGames matches on 24/7 Online.

[shadylpete 0]

Nope, it's still missing here on Comcast. Along with the new ECW episode & the PYBO.