-Today we look at Halloween Havoc '94 from WCW.
-Halloween Havoc 1994 was shown on PPV on October 23, 1994 from the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, MI. There were 14,000 in attendance.
-Story about this show.
-Intro highlighting the Hulk Hogan/Ric Flair cage match.
-Tony Schiavone, Bobby Heenan, and Mean Gene Okerlund welcome us to Halloween Havoc. They run down the card and Heenan says Hulkamania dies tonight.
-T. Graham Brown sings the National Anthem and does a great job. Muhammed Ali is shown in the crowd.
-WCW World Television Championship Match. Johnny B. Badd vs. The Honky Tonk Man: Badd is incredibly over with the fans. The bell rings, and they circle each other. HTM goes to the ropes. He makes Badd get away. They trade holds. HTM back to the ropes. Badd with an atomic drop. All Badd so far. HTM comes back and runs Badd into a turnbuckle. He attacks Badd. Back and forth. HTM with a back elbow. HTM with a headlock. Badd tries to get out. He does, but HTM hits a high knee. HTM with a choke hold. Badd comes back with a sunset flip. HTM with a chin lock. Badd with some scoop slams. They trade blows and HTM goes back to the chin lock. Badd reverses a Shake, Rattle, and Roll attempt with a backdrop. HTM gets a two count. Three minutes left. Badd thrown outside. HTM with a double ax handle. He follows it up with a snap mare. Two minutes left. HTM goes back to the chin lock. Badd tries to get out. He does and runs HTM into the turnbuckle. One minute left. Badd with a high knee. HTM with a belly to back suplex. They choke each other. 15 seconds left. Badd with a small package as time expires. It is a draw. They fight after for a minute until HTM bails.
-Flashback to the masked man attacking Hulk Hogan at the Clash and on the Main Event. They then show video of Ric Flair and Special Guest Referee Mr. T coming out of Michael Jordan's restaurant in Chicago.
-WCW World Tag Team Championship Match. Stars and Stripes The Patriot and Marcus Bagwell vs. Pretty Wonderful Paul Orndorff and Paul Roma: Second Halloween Havoc in a row where Bagwell has won the tag titles shortly before the event. Pretty Wonderful comes out looking all business. Stars and Stripes is very popular with the crowd. Orndorff and Patriot start. Lock up and drive to the ropes and break. Patriot takes Orndorff down and all four men in. Patriot and Orndorff fight to the outside. Patriot throws Orndorff in and hits a top rope chop. Orndorff is selling for both members of Stars and Stripes. Roma tagged in. Bagwell also tagged in. He gets a top wrist lock on. Roma with a slam and a top rope fist drop. Bagwell comes back with a crossbody. Patriot tagged in. He keeps the wrist lock on. Bagwell tagged in and hits a sunset flip for a two count. Orndorff tagged in and Bagwell hits him with a drop toe hold. Bagwell with a wrist lock. Bagwell with a couple of slams and Orndorff clotheslined out. Orndorff with a side headlock takeover. Roma tagged in. He attacks Bagwell with kicks. Pretty Wonderful double team Bagwell. Patriot tagged in. He hits a corner whip and clothesline. Patriot with a hammerlock. Bagwell tagged in and gets a wrist lock. Orndorff tagged in and beats Bagwell down. He drops an elbow on Bagwell. They trade shots. Roma tagged in and he and Bagwell go at it in a corner. Roma drops an elbow for a two count. Roma hits a backbreaker. He gets a one count. He hits a dropkick. Bagwell with a sort of reverse crossbody from a corner whip for a two count. Orndorff tagged in and hits a dropkick and an elbow to Bagwell. He gets a front face lock. Bagwell fighting it. Pretty Wonderful double teaming Bagwell. Bagwell blocks and reverses a suplex and gets a two count. Bagwell with a sleeper. Roma makes the save. All four going at it in the ring again. Referee Randy Anderson tries to get Patriot out as Bagwell hits a Fisherman's suplex, but Roma drops an elbow on Bagwell. Orndorff covers to get the pin, and Pretty Wonderful regains the Tag Team Championship.
-Mean Gene talks to Ric Flair and Sensuous Sherri. Flair says they are planning the biggest celebration of all time because he is getting rid of Hulk Hogan and regaining the World Championship.
-Tony and Bobby talk about the Main Event.
-Flashback to what led to the next match. Brother vs. Brother. Kevin Sullivan vs. Dave Sullivan: Dave attacks Kevin as soon as Dave gets to the ring and knocks Kevin to the outside with a back elbow. Dave takes off after Kevin, who attacks Dave. He hits a dropkick. Dave runs Kevin into a turnbuckle. He clotheslines Kevin. Kevin lures Dave and dumps him to the outside and attacks Dave. He runs Dave into the ring post. Back and forth in the ring. Kevin gets his boot up on a Dave corner charge. He runs Dave into a corner. Kevin grabs a Hulk Hogan bandanna and shoves it down Dave's throat. Kevin with a gut stomp. Another double stomp. Kevin goes up top, but gets caught and slammed off. Dave hits the big boot. Kevin lures Dave in with the Hogan bandanna. He nails Dave, and they fight on the outside. He runs Dave into the ring post, but Kevin doesn’t get back in the ring in time, and Dave wins by count out.
-Tony and Bobby talk more about the Main Event and flashback to what led to the next match.
-Arn Anderson with Col. Parker and Meng vs. Dustin Rhodes: Thomas Hearns is shown in the crowd. The bell rings, and they lock up. Anderson with a side headlock. They trade moves. Anderson with a hammerlock. Rhodes gets out. They lock up again. Rhodes with a huge slap to Anderson. Rhodes with an atomic drop and a lariat. Rhodes goes up top and gets caught. Rhodes blocks a suplex attempt and headbutts Anderson off. Rhodes with a top rope clothesline. Back and forth. Anderson with a back elbow. Anderson drops an elbow. Anderson attacks Rhodes' leg, and Rhodes kicks Anderson to the outside. Rhodes follows him out. Anderson goes to hit Rhodes, but Rhodes ducks, and Anderson hits the ring post instead. Rhodes runs Anderson into the post again. They get back in the ring, and Rhodes runs Anderson into the corner for a two count. Rhodes with a wrist lock into an arm bar. Rhodes with an inverted atomic drop. He goes for the lariat, but Anderson ducks, and Rhodes flies to the outside. He lands out on the aisle. Rhodes gets to the apron, and Anderson knocks him down again. Anderson gets a series of two counts. Rhodes catapults Anderson into the bottom rope. They trade shots. Rhodes hits a running boot and a lariat for a two count. Rhodes with an Irish whip drops his head, and Anderson goes for the DDT, but Rhodes holds on to the ropes and gets a two count. He guillotines Anderson on the top rope. He goes for a knee drop on the arm, but Anderson moves. Anderson grabs the ropes after a sunset flip, but gets caught as referee Randy Anderson was counting the pin. Rhodes with a roll up to get the pin. Anderson attacks Rhodes after the match.
-Mean Gene interviews Hulk Hogan. He has Jimmy Hart and Brother Bruti with him. Hogan says he's going to slam and pin Ric Flair to stay champion. Gene talks about Mr. T. Hogan says T is going to call it down the middle. Tony and Bobby then talk about the interview.
-Flashback to what led up to the next match. WCW United States Championship Match. Jim Duggan vs. Steve Austin: Austin comes out looking determined. Duggan gets a massive ovation when he comes out. The reaction from the crowd would be different if it was just a few years later. Austin attacks Duggan as soon as he gets to the ring. He beats Duggan down in the corner. Duggan comes back with clotheslines. They trade shots. Duggan with a sleeper. Austin kicks Duggan down. He goes for a hold, but Duggan kicks him off. Duggan gets a two count from a roll up. Austin goes to come down on the leg, but Duggan moves. Austin atomic dropped to the outside. He gets back in and offers his hand to Duggan. Austin backs to the ropes. Duggan with a side headlock. Duggan pushes off a shoulder block. Austin with a boot to the gut and a double ax handle. He hits a second one. He gets caught with a clothesline on the third one. Austin with a mule kick to Duggan. Austin keeps up the assault. Austin chokes Duggan on the second rope. Austin gets a two count. Austin misses a top rope knee drop when Duggan moves. Duggan with a backdrop. Duggan goes for the three-point stance, but Austin backdrops Duggan over the top rope and gets disqualified. Austin continues the assault after the match. Duggan grabs the 2X4 and Austin bails.
-Mean Gene talks about the hotline and brings out Sting. Sting says he is going to ringside to watch what's going to happen.
-Flashback to what led to the next match. The Guardian Angel vs. Vader with Harley Race: Angel gets escorted to the ring by members of the Guardian Angels group. Vader and Race booed heavily when they came out. Angel clotheslines Race when Race gets in the ring. Vader complains to referee Randy Anderson. The bell rings. Vader yells at the crowd. They lock up. Angel slaps Vader. Vader beats Angel in the corner. Vader clotheslines Angel to the outside. Angel runs Vader into the barricade. Race gets in the ring, and Angel slams him again. Angel then slams Vader on Race. Angel headbutts Vader. Angel blocks and then reverses a suplex. He hits a big boot. Vader's headgear comes off. Vader beats Angel down with stiff jabs. Angel with a power slam off a splash attempt by Vader. Angel gets a two count from a headbutt. Vader clotheslined to the outside. Vader clotheslines Angel. This is a stiff match. Vader with a slam. He hits a Vader bomb for a two count. Angel gets his knees-up on a second Vader bomb and gets a two count. A sidewalk slam gets Angel another two count. Angel with a spike slam, but Race gets up on the ropes. Angel takes off after Race. Angel suplexes Race in from the apron, but Vader takes advantage to splash Angel and get the pin.
-Mean Gene brings out Thomas Hearns. He says tonight is a big fight between Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair. Hearns says that has to go through their minds is that this is for their careers. They discuss the next match and what led up to it.
-The Nasty Boys Brian Knobbs and Jerry Sags vs. Terry Funk and Bunkhouse Buck with Col. Robert Parker and Meng: The Nasty Boys bring out a Jack O'Lantern and Beavis and Butthead masks. They start brawling as soon as the Nasty Boys get in the ring. They fall out to ringside. The heels regroup with Parker. Knobbs and Funk start as Heenan does a Beavis and Butthead impression. Funk goes out and grabs a chair. Referee Nick Patrick gets it away. Sags tagged in, and the Nasty Boys double team Funk. Sags with a snap mare. They do the pit stop on Funk. He curses them. Heels beat Sags down in the corner. He fights out and tags Knobbs in. Buck tagged in, and the Nasty Boys beat him in the corner. Funk corner whipped into Buck and beat down. Heels roll out and Funk starts beating himself down with a chair. He crawls over into the crowd. He gets back in with Sags. They tie up in the corner. They fight to the outside. Funk throws Sags in, and Sags takes the heels down, and Knobbs tagged in. He clotheslines Funk. Back and forth. Funk grabs Knobbs for Buck to hit. Buck takes something out of his pocket to put on his hand, but Patrick sees it. While he is distracted, Meng gets up on the apron. Sags grabs the pumpkin. Knobbs ducks, and Meng hits Funk. Sags piledrives Funk on the pumpkin and Knobbs covers to get the pin.
-They do a presentation to Muhammed Ali for the Muhammed Ali Foundation. Tony and Bobby talk about the Main Event again. They have really given this the big fight feel presentation.
-WCW World Heavyweight Championship Match. Title vs. Career cage match. Hulk Hogan with Jimmy Hart and Brother Bruti vs. Ric Flair with Sensuous Sherri: Mr. T is the Special Guest Referee. Michael Buffer makes the introductions. Flair and Sherri out first, and he gets his share of cheers. Hogan out, and it is mostly cheers, but there are boos as well. The cage lowers. Tony Schiavone runs down the history of the two men. The bell rings, and they circle each other. They battle in the corner. Hogan with a corner whip and a backdrop. Corner mounted punches to Flair. T stops it. Flair with an eye poke. Hogan blocks being run into the cage and runs Flair in. Hogan punches Flair. Flair goes after the injured leg. He beats on Hogan in the corner as a Hogan chant goes out. Hogan ran into the cage. Flair drops the knee on Hogan. Hogan with a corner whip and clothesline. He runs Flair head first into the cage and chokes Flair. Flair with a double ax handle to Hogan. Flair continues the assault on the leg. He hits a suplex and gets a two count. Hogan comes back. They climb the cage and fight on the ropes. Flair crotched on the top rope. Hogan with a corner whip, but Flair gets his foot up on the charge. Hogan gets a roll up on a Flair figure four attempt. He gets a two count. Flair ran into the cage. Hogan then runs Flair's head across the cage. He gets a two count. Flair tries to climb the cage, but Hogan stops him and runs Flair into the cage. Hogan chops Flair, and Flair falls on the top rope again. Flair with a pair of knee drops. He attacks Hogan's leg and takes the bandage off. He pushes T off when T tries to stop it. Flair drops down on the leg again. Flair gets the figure four on. Hogan falls back and Heenan is yelling for Mr. T to count the shoulders down unlike his friend Gorilla Monsoon failed to realize at KOTR. I'm sorry, I'm a little salty about it. Hogan turns the figure four over. Flair breaks the hold. Flair goes after the leg again. Hogan goes for a shoulder block, but Flair pulls Mr. T in the way of the blow. Flair with a belly to back suplex. He revives Mr. T. Hogan kicks out at two so forcefully, that Flair lands on T and then starts kicking T. Sherri climbs the cage. Hart climbs and grabs Sherri and ripAs her skirt off, revealing thigh highs and a garter belt. Something for the men, I assume. Sherri drops down and runs Hart into a cameraman and climbs again. Sting comes in and grabs Sherri. The masked man comes from under the ring and attacks Sting and Jimmy Hart with a pipe. I recently learned that this was Steve Keirn under the ring. Sherri climbs up and hits Hogan with a double ax handle from the top of the cage. Sherri handcuffs T to the ropes. The masked man climbs the cage and holds the pipe for Flair and Sherri to run Hogan into it. The masked man takes off. Flair suplexes Hogan, who stands up. Hogan with a double clothesline to Sherri and Flair. Hogan hulking up. He hits the heels with clotheslines. He slams Sherri down. Hogan runs Flair into the cage. Sherri hit with the big boot. Flair chops Hogan. Big boot to Flair. Hogan drags Flair over to T, hits the leg drop, and gets the pin. The crowd celebrates. They raise the cage. Doug Delinger un-cuffs Mr. T. Muhammed Ali presents Hogan with the title. Heenan is inconsolable. Flair and Sherri leave. Hogan must pose. The masked man comes back and goes to attack Hogan, but gets caught. Hogan knocks the masked man down and it's Bruti. Heenan says that man butchered a friendship. Kevin Sullivan and John Tenta come out, and Tony says it's rumbling like an avalanche. They are just connecting all the dots, aren't they? They beat Hogan down. Tenta splashes Hogan several times. Sting comes in and hits a crossbody on the heels. They take off. Sting checks on Hogan as the crowd chants Hogan. Tony, Bobby, and Gene recap the night and sign off from Detroit.
-End Credits.
-Final Thoughts: Flair temporarily leaves as the Hogan show really begins.