-Today we look at Halloween Havoc 1989 from the NWA and WCW.
-Halloween Havoc 1989: Settling the Score was shown on PPV on October 28, 1989 from the Philadelphia Civic Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. There were 7,300 people in attendance.
-Opening Credits.
-Jim Ross and Bob Caudle welcome us to Philadelphia. Gordon Solie announces that he will be interviewing different people tonight. Jim and Bob talk about Thunderdome. Chris Cruise says he will also be interviewing wrestlers.
-Gary Michael Cappetta welcomes us and announces the participants for the first match:
-Mike Rotunda VS. Tom Zenk: Slow to start. Feeling out process. Syracuse sucks chant goes out. Rotunda goes outside to play mind games with Zenk. They put together a nice string of moves. Rotunda keeps throwing Zenk out. Zenk gets a 2 count on a sunset flip. Rotunda has a head scissors on Zenk. Zenk thrown outside. Rotunda breaks the count to inflict more pain. He gets the abdominal stretch near the ropes and uses them for leverage. Rotunda hits a high crossbody, but Zenk rolls through to win.
-Chris Cruise interviews Bruno Sammartino about his role as the referee in the main event. He says his role is to be the mediator as a ref and to stop it when the towel for one team is thrown.
-Six Man Tag Match: The Midnight Express Stan Lane and Bobby Eaton and Steve Williams with Jim Cornette VS. The Samoan Swat Team Samu and Fatu and The Samoan Savage with The Big Kahuna Sir Oliver Humperdink: Humperdink is the new Samoan manager, replacing Paul E. Dangerously, who was fired by the SST at the last Clash and fired by WCW two days later after he incurred the wrath of booker Ric Flair over an interview he did. Ross says Humperdink is a long way from Wall Street, throwing some subtle shade toward the area. Ross then talks about the MX success in Philadelphia, since they won the world tag team titles there the year prior. He then covers the greatest hits of Williams’ college career if you’re drinking at home. Lane takes on the Samoan Savage. The faces have the early advantage. The teams then go back and forth. Williams cleans house and the fans love it. The Samoans take over. The crowd only seems to be into it when Williams comes in. Samoans throw Eaton out and injure him on the guardrail. It breaks down outside. Eaton continued to be punished back in the ring. The heels can’t get the three count though. Eaton gets the knees up when the Savage goes for the splash. Williams tagged in and does some damage. Lane then comes in. It breaks down. All 6 go at it. Humperdink climb’s up on the apron and Cornette climbs up to and hits him with the racket. Lane is pushed into Cornette and hits the racket and Savage pins Lane.
-Gordon Solie talks to Gary Hart and Terry Funk. They say there is no quit in the J-Tex Corporation.
-The Cuban Assassin VS. Tommy Rich: Assassin jumps Rich to start. Rich comes back. Tommy Rich sucks chant goes out. We are in Philly, folks. Caudle and Ross talk a lot about Cuba. They plug Starrcade during the match. Rich wins with the Thesz press.
-Gordon Solie talks to The Fabulous Freebirds. They say they are always overlooked, but they are still the champions.
-NWA World Tag Team Championship Match: The Fabulous Freebirds Jimmy Garvin and Michael Hayes VS. The Dynamic Dudes Shane Douglas and Johnny Ace with Jim Cornette: The Freebirds don’t have the belts when they come out. The Dynamic Dudes look good in this match. Freebirds selling big time. Freebird chant goes out. Even JR has to acknowledge it. Johnny Ace hits both Freebirds with a headlock/leg scissors combo and the crowd boos. You suck chant goes out at Johnny Ace. Hayes hits Ace with a right hand from the apron and the crowd cheers. Freebirds have become the fan favorites during the match with the crowd. DDT chant goes out. Hayes goes for it to a big pop, but Ace pushes him off. Dudes start a comeback to a chorus of boos. Dudes go for the Wipeout, but Hayes pulls Ace’s foot, allowing Garvin to fall on Douglas for the pin.
-Chris Cruise interviews the Steiner Brothers. They say they have no strategy against Doom, it’s just reckless abandonment. Wow, is Scott Steiner not good on promos yet. Rick says if he gets Woman, he’s going to give it to her. OKAY.
-The Steiner Brothers Rick and Scott VS. Doom Butch Reed and Ron Simmons with Woman: Steiners jump Doom before the bell. The crowd loves the Steiners. Steiners are stiff with their shots. Doom takes over. Scott comes in and powers through. Back and forth. Announcers are trying to sell that they don’t know who Doom are. JR talks about the Steiners College Athletic careers if you’re drinking at home. Doom in control. Scott thrown out. Steiners powering back, but Scott is hit with a stuff piledriver. Scott then kicks out. Rick tagged in. Scott hits a Frankensteiner, and the crowd pops huge. The referee is distracted and Woman sneaks up and puts something in Reed’s mask, who then hits Rick and pins him.
-Gordon Solie interviews Lex Luger, who is in full Lex Luger interview hand gestures mode. He says no more exhibitions for Brian Pillman, it’s all on the line tonight.
-NWA United States Championship Match: Lex Luger VS. Brian Pillman: Brian chant goes out even before he comes out. Then a Luger chant goes out. Philly fans are something else. Of course, JR will bring up both men’s athletic backgrounds even before they lock up so you will be drunk at home. Luger taunts Pillman, who fires up and the crowd loves Pillman. This is a good match between the two. Pillman controlling most of the match, but Luger is selling well. A couple of close pinning situations. Luger takes over. He wastes time and Pillman fights back. Luger misses a clothesline and goes outside. Crowd behind Pillman, they want a new champion. Luger hits a quick hot shot to pin Pillman.
-Chris Cruise interviews The Road Warriors. They say people build skyscrapers, and people tear them down.
-The Skyscrapers Dan Spivey and Sid Vicious with Theodore R. Long VS. The Road Warriors Hawk and Animal with Paul Ellering: Crowd may like The Skyscrapers, especially Vicious, but they love The Road Warriors. Pure power match. Road Warriors use double team quick hits on Vicious, who no sells it. Hawk and Vicious just beat each other. Road Warriors do quick tags. Both Skyscrapers beat down Hawk. Hawk starts to fight back. Animal tagged in. It breaks down. Spivey hits Hawk with Long’s big key that he carries for the disqualification. Hawk gets the key and clears the ring.
-Chris Cruise interviews Ric Flair, Sting, and Ole Anderson, who is the “designated Terminator” for the Main Event. Anderson says he won’t throw the towel in. Flair says this is the big time and he and Sting stand together.
-Gary Michael Cappetta introduces special guest referee Bruno Sammartino who gets a nice pop.
-Thunderdome Cage Match Main Event: The Great Muta and Terry Funk with Gary Hart VS. Ric Flair and Sting with Ole Anderson: Anderson and Hart are the “designated Terminators” who are the only ones who can stop the match by throwing the towel in. Part of the wrappings at the top of the cage catches fire and Muta sprays his mist to put it out. Flair and Funk go at it. Funk thrown on the floor. Sting runs Funk into the cage. Flair hits Funk and Muta. JR again throws shade by saying Sting has progressed more than his former partner in The Blade Runners, The Ultimate Warrior. Sting tries to push Muta through the cage. Flair opens up the Chop House on Funk. Flair and Funk battle on the cage. Muta and Sting also fighting on the cage. Muta gets shocked. Flair chops Funk who is hanging on the cage. Muta goes under the ring. Flair puts the figure four on Muta when he comes out. Funk tries to tie Sting to the cage. Muta puts Flair in a grapevine/face lock hold. He and Funk do a stuff piledriver on Flair. Sting hits Funk with a shoulder tackle from the cage. Flair puts Funk in the figure four. Sting hits him with a couple of splashes. Muta tries to chop Sammartino, who then punches Muta. Hart climbs up, but Anderson hits him and Hart’s towel goes flying into the ring and Sammartino calls the match for the faces.
-The announcers explain what has happened. Bob Caudle surmises that things aren’t over between Flair and Funk. The announcers then review the night and push Starrcade again before signing off from Philadelphia.