It’s the official debut of a new pay-per-view concept in this Halloween Havoc 1989 review, and it’s one that has provided some entertaining moments throughout history.
Of course, it also gave us one of the weirdest matches ever, even if the craziness fit the main event feud here.
Let’s jump right into Blake’s Halloween Havoc 1989 review.
- Date: October 28, 1989
- Location: Philadelphia Civic Center in Philadelphia, PA
BACKSTAGE: Gordon Solie welcomes us and previews the guys he’ll be talking to throughout the evening.
BACKSTAGE: Chris Cruise is new on the scene and he runs down his guests for the evening.
Mike Rotunda vs. The Z-Man
The main camera angle for WCW shows during this time period always made things look dark but damn does this show feel extra dark. I’ll go glass half-full and say that the company did it to further the Halloween theme. Yeah, right. Zenk’s debut at Clash VIII was underwhelming to say the least, so let’s see if things get better. Zenk in control early, and the crowd makes sure everyone knows how much Syracuse sucks.
Rotunda can’t find any offense and retreats to the outside so that he can better hear the “Syracuse sucks” chants. He finally gets back in and is able to regain an advantage with a thumb to Zenk’s eye. Rotunda then heaves Zenk through the ropes to the outside. Zenk on the apron, and he flips over Rotunda to get a two count. JR then informs us that Zenk was excellent in the PUNT, PASS, AND KICK COMPETITION as a youngster. More technical work from both men as Zenk locks in the modified arm bar.
Rotunda now goes to the head scissors for a bit and uses the ropes for leverage. GET YOUR EYES UP YOUNG NICK PATRICK. He finally sees it and Rotunda breaks the hold. Zenk goes to the side head lock and some boring chants are audible. Irish whip and Rotunda counters and throws Zenk through the ropes with brute force. Rotunda slams Zenk’s face on the ring apron and the Philly crowd is BOOING THE GOOD GUY AND CHEERING THE BAD GUY. Zenk spends some time regrouping before Rotunda suplexes him back in the ring for a near fall.
Abdominal stretch from Rotunda and he once again uses the ropes for leverage. JR says “good officiating from Nick Patrick” after it takes him 35 minutes to see Rotunda holding the ropes, so I’d politely disagree with good ‘ol JR there. Now Rotunda goes with the reverse chin lock. Zenk gets out and Rotunda misses a dropkick. Zenk slings Rotunda into the corner, which leads to Rotunda jumping on the ropes and hitting the flying cross body. However, the momentum allows Zenk to roll him over and score the pin at 13:23. That match happened, and it was not good. The crowd was vocal but there were just too many rest holds.
• Rating: *1/2
BACKSTAGE: Cruise with Bruno Sammartino. Bruno talks about refereeing the Thunderdome match.
The Midnight Express and Dr. Death Steve Williams (w/Jim Cornette) vs. The Samoan Swat Team and Samoan Savage (w/Sir Oliver Humperdink)
Samoan Savage is the former Tonga Kid and Tama in the WWF. And Humperdink’s official name is THE BIG KAHUNA, so there’s that. Both teams go face to face on the outside as the crowd is wanting a full-on brawl. Lane and Savage start in the ring, and Lane sends him outside quickly. Eaton decks Savage and all six men face to face again. More back and forth inside and for the third time, we’ve get all six men teasing a massive brouhaha.
Samu chops Eaton silly but misses a splash to the corner, which allows Williams to come in and clean house on everyone. Huge shoulder block from Williams to send the Samoans retreating. They come back in and Williams is shoulder blocking the shit out of Fatu.
Lane eventually gets in and gets beat on for a few minutes until Williams gets the tag. He takes some chops from Samu before delivering a hard clothesline in the corner. Eaton in now and these dudes are partaking in some stiff shots on each other. No surprise given the participants.
These two teams just keep going back and forth. Savage counters Eaton’s offense and racks him in the corner. He then sends Eaton flying outside and the Samoans rack Eaton again on the steel rail. The Samoans celebrate for a bit until order is restored but that leads to Eaton getting hip tossed onto the non-padded floor in the aisle way. The thud was extremely loud. Back in the ring where the Samoans dissect Eaton. We get a camera shot to THE BIG KAHUNA and let me tell you that those are eyes that only a mother could love.
Samoans pretty much destroy Eaton for quite a while until he gets the knees up on a Savage splash. Eaton makes the hot tag to Williams, who delivers the clothesline before slamming all three men and throwing Savage onto Samu and Fatu. Lane back in and he hits a rough looking neck breaker that didn’t exactly go according to plan. Another miscommunication after that, which leads to JR covering it by saying “boy, this is really getting unorthodox.”
Craziness ensues after that as Cornette nails Humperdink with the tennis racket. That leads to Lane getting distracting, and Savage dropkicks him into Cornette and then covers Lane for the victory at 18:23. This had a ton of heat, but felt eight minutes too long.
• Rating: **1/2
BACKSTAGE: Solie with Terry Funk and Gary Hart. Funk quotes Winston Churchill and says they’re gonna start a new dance called the “10,000 Watt Boogie.” Funk is a national treasure.
The Cuban Assassin vs. Tommy Rich
This does not feel like a pay-per-view match, but maybe I’m wrong. The crowd immediately starts chanting “Tommy Rich sucks” which is always a good sign when trying to to get a guy over as a babyface. And now the crowd is booing a few minutes into the match.
More rest holds from Rich and this is absolutely terrible. The crowd hates this with a passion. Rich finally hits the Lou Thesz Press and wins it at 8:29 to a loud chorus of boos. You can go ahead and put this in the running for one of the worst PPV matches of the year.
• Rating: DUD
BACKSTAGE: Solie with Michael Hayes and Jimmy Garvin. They yell for a little while and hype their title match.
The Dynamic Dudes (w/Jim Cornette) vs. (c) The Fabulous Freebirds
JR spends a few minutes pushing the importance of education and telling us all about Shane and Johnny’s college experiences. That should help them in this professional wrestling title match. The Philly crowd is loving the Freebirds approximately 874 percent more than they did Tommy Rich.
Shane with a nice neck breaker early, and we work to Garvin and Johnny in the ring. Johnny’s run as the RAW GM was great and all, but if he had the mullet, it would’ve been a run that topped Hulk Hogan in terms of popularity. Chants all over the place for the Freebirds as the two teams go back and forth. The Dudes hit a few double team moves and send the Freebirds retreating to the outside.
Massive chants now for the Freebirds, and I assume somewhere in an alternate commentary, Michael Cole is talking about this being a bizarro crowd that cheers the bad guys and boos the good guys. Dudes clear the ring again as the Freebirds talk strategy. Garvin takes control and the knee lift sends Johnny all the way to the railing. Hayes then cheap shots Johnny right after that. Garvin then destroys Johnny with a few knees. Holy shit they are destroying this guy.
Johnny finally gets back in and he fights off some punches from Hayes before running into the double team. Crowd goes wild thinking that Hayes is about to hit the DDT but Johnny reverses and makes what was supposed to be a hot tag to Shane. Zero reaction to the tag and the crowd is booing the Dudes out of the building. Dudes go for the double team but Hayes manages to reverse it and pushes Garvin on top for the pin to retain at 11:28. Enormous pop for the champs. This totally exceeded expectations and was very fun thanks to the crowd.
• Rating: ***1/4
BACKSTAGE: Cruise with the Steiners. Rick rambles along incoherently.
The Steiner Brothers vs. Doom (w/Woman)
This is officially a HOSS FIGHT. Rick and Scott both hit belly-to-belly duplexes right off the bat. Then we get clotheslines over the top to Reed and Simmons. Back inside and Scott goes to work before Rick tags in and clotheslines the hell out of both bad guys to send them reeling again to floor. Miscommunication from Rick and Reed on an Irish whip spot and eventually Reed takes control before tagging in Simmons.
Simmons goes for a suplex but Rick blocks it, which leads to Scott tagging in and hitting a clothesline off the ropes. Simmons hits a Stone Cold Stunner-esque move on Rick and then hits a clothesline of his own. Scott comes back in and hits a face-first suplex on Reed for a near fall. Simmons back in the mix but Scott delivers a brutal belly-to-back suplex for a two count. Woman is not happy.
Cheap shot from Reed on the apron gives Doom control as they double team Scott. Shenanigans from Simmons on the outside and both Doom members throw Scott’s face off the railing. More double teaming from Doom inside for a couple of two counts on Scott. Doom continues to whip Scott’s ass for several minutes before Scott flips over from the apron and gets a two count. Finally the hot tag to Rick but referee Nick Patrick is a buffoon and didn’t see it. Doom hits another double team for a two count. Scott being put over pretty well here.
Scott hits a kick and now we get the official tag as Rick goes wild. All four men brawling on the inside as Scott and Simmons work to the floor. Patrick goes outside with those two and Woman hops on the apron. Naturally, Rick taunts her and may or may not have did some gyrations with his crotch. Rick gets occupied with Simmons, which allows Woman to put something in Reed’s mask. Rick turns around into a loaded headbutt and Reed pins for the win at 15:26. This had its moments but overall didn’t pack much of a punch.
• Rating: **
BACKSTAGE: Solie with Lex Luger. He hypes the upcoming match with Brian Pillman.
Brian Pillman vs. (c) Lex Luger – NWA United States Title
Both of these dudes were certainly rising fast at this point in time. Luger gets a bit of offense in early and then Pillman goes apeshit and spears Lugers halfway to New Zealand. Pillman then unless a vicious chop before chasing after Luger on the outside. Luger slides in to regain control. Cross body off the top from Pillman gets a two. More back and forth as Pillman goes back to the arm drag.
Luger hits a few shoulder blocks before Pillman hits a hip toss and a dropkick to go back to the arm drag. Crucifix pin from Pillman for another near fall and it’s arm drag time yet again. Luger is great here as he’s yelling at fans while stuck in the hold. He gets out and slings Pillman to the corner but catches a knee to the face. Pillman up top for a splash but Luger gets out of the way. Huge press from Luger off the Irish whip and then he throws Pillman neck-first off the ropes.
Clothesline from Luger as he keeps taunting the fans. Pillman catches him with chops before Luger hits a massive clothesline. And then for good measure, he hits a clothesline to the back of Pillman’s head. Luger choking Pillman out with the boot, and then he nails the standing vertical suplex before giving the throat slash. LEX “UNDERTAKER” LUGER, FOLKS. Pillman tries to fight back but Luger throws him through the middle ropes to the outside.
Sunset flip from Pillman gets a two count. Luger then misses a clothesline and goes flying over the top. Pillman gets Luger in the corner for punches but Luger picks him up for a wacky looking atomic drop. Luger sits Pillman on the top turnbuckle and goes for the superplex but Pillman pushes him off. Pillman gets a sunset flip for a near fall and then goes over and nails the flying clothesline off the ropes, but Luger gets the foot on the ropes at two. Pillman up top for the dropkick, and Luger gets out of the way at the last second. Hot shot from Luger and he pins to retain at 16:48. Excellent closing sequence, and it was hard to dislike a Luger match at this stage of his career.
• Rating: ***1/2
BACKSTAGE: Cruise with the Road Warriors and Paul Ellering. They hype the match with the Skyscrapers.
The Skyscrapers (w/Teddy Long) vs. The Road Warriors (w/Paul Ellering)
Hoss clothesline from Animal on Spivey, with the latter trying to go over the top rope but being unable to. So instead, and he falls down and goes under the bottom rope. Hawk comes in and a few shoulder blocks do nothing to Spivey, so he proceeds to basically fly and shoulder block him to the outside on the third try. Sid makes his way into the fold and a sloppy clothesline sends both men resetting. Double team from the Road Warriors sends Sid to the mat but he comes right back. More miscommunication on an Irish whip spot and Animal hits a flying shoulder block of his own to send Sid reeling.
Test of strength between Hawk and Sid leads to Hawk overtaking the big man and clotheslining him in the corner. Spivey into the fold and Animal clotheslines him before tagging in Hawk. Helicopter slam from Sid to Hawk and Spivey comes in to hit the side slam for a two count. Spivey knocks Hawk out of the ring and Sid nearly decapitates him on the guard rail. Spivey with a vertical suplex for another near fall. Double team from the Skyscrapers as they dominate the action.
Hawk eventually hits a suplex to try to get out of there but Sid prevents the tag. Hawk makes the hot tag but for the second time this evening, Patrick didn’t see it. This match is pretty much the exact same as the Steiners/Doom match earlier. Animal gets the official hot tag and he goes to work before all four men brawl inside. Long gets in and tosses the metal key to Spivey to hauls off and forces the DQ at 11:39. Hawk destroys everyone with the key afterward and that’s that. Nothing of note in this one. Typical power team match.
• Rating: *1/2
BACKSTAGE: Cruise with Ric Flair, Sting, and Ole Anderson. Apparently Ole isn’t throwing in the towel. There’s a lot of yelling and screaming because THUNDERDOME is next.
The Great Muta and Terry Funk (w/Gary Hart) vs. Sting and Ric Flair – Thunderdome Match w/special referee Bruno Sammartino
In true WCW fashion, part of the cage catches on fire as it lowers to the ground. So, to further himself as a true badass, Muta sprays out the fire with his mist. Simply incredible. Reminder that the only way to win the match is to have the other team’s manager throw in the towel. Flair and Funk get us going. IT’S CHOP TIME. Sting comes in and he rams Funk into the cage. Double team from Sting and Flair leads to an insane chop from Flair. Muta comes into cause chaos and he’s next for the chops.
Funk and Muta get pissed at Bruno, and Sting doesn’t like that. He presses Muta and then suplexes him. Flair back in and he hits the atomic drop on Muta. We get to Sting trying to put Muta through the cage, and naturally Funk climbs like a madman. Flair goes at him as Muta and Sting go back inside. Muta works his offense as JR reminds us that there are no pins. IT’S ALL UP TO THE DESIGNATED TERMINATORS. All hell breaks loose as Funk chokes Sting on the floor. Flair and Funk then go at it again. Muta suplexes Sting inside and Funk comes in to drop the knee. They go back and forth in attacking Sting before Flair tosses Muta outside.
Sting regains control and he and Flair go for the double team. Sting goes for the Scorpion Death Lock but Funk breaks it up. Bruno tries to regain control but realizes that Funk is a maniac and that it won’t work. Flair and Funk both on the cage and Flair sends his face into the steel. Muta starts climbing the cage and Sting follows. Muta gets “shocked” and Flair is climbing the cage again. Now Flair and Funk are near the top of the cage and Flair is sending in vicious chops. Flair grabs the swinging rope as we see Sting press slams Muta. Meanwhile Funk is hanging upside down from the cage. Muta slips under the ring as Funk keeps climbing.
Muta back out as he slams Flair into the cage before the two exchange chops. Sting now using the swinging rope to attack Funk who is still hanging off the cage. Flair locks in the Figure Four on Muta as we see Tarzan flying in the background. Actually that was just Sting. Muta catches Flair from behind and Sting’s swinging efforts go south as Funk grabs him. Now Muta locks in the submission on Flair. JR then realizes that Sting is tied on the cage, which leads to Ole helping. Funk goes in the ring and hits the spike piledriver on Flair. Sting is still going nuts as Ole can’t do anything to untie the rope. Finally Sting gets out and he flies from the top of the cage onto Funk in the ring. That was certainly a move well ahead of its time.
Muta climbing the cage as Sting is swinging on the rope again. Flair working on Funk’s knee inside. All four men make their way back into the ring and Muta gets racked on the post. Flair locks in the Figure Four on Funk as Sting goes up top and hits the splash on Funk. And there’s another splash from Sting. Muta is pissed so he comes back inside and nails Bruno, who isn’t taking that shit and cold-cocks Muta to send him outside. Hart gets in and Ole knocks the shit out of him, which sends Hart’s towel flying at Bruno to give Flair and Sting the victory at 21:55. JR and Caudle play up the controversy angle since Ole’s punch caused the towel to fly.
I didn’t like this as much as I thought I would. You would’ve expected the blowoff match between these four to be better but it had a lot to do with the THUNDERDOME gimmick. It was fine for what it was but it isn’t all that memorable in the grand scheme of things.
• Rating: ***
SHOW SUMMARY
This was a mixed bag with Luger/Pillman and the crowd’s insane love for the Freebirds being the highlights. The main event felt disappointing, but again, that had more to do with the match type than the actual performers.
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