Whoever booked tonight’s WCW / nWo Fall Brawl broadcast out of Winston-Salem, NC., should be demoted to washing cars in the company parking lot if not fired. Appearing as if the storylines were scripted over breakfast that morning, Fall Brawl was a pathetic effort not worthy of the price tag or a live broadcast on pay-per-view television. Realistically, there have been Monday Night Nitro cards better than this slop.
Screw job endings smothering fan heat, wrestlers who at this point in their careers don’t deserve pay-per-view billing and satellite time squandered by senselessly drawn-out angles and footage seen before on television underscored the indifferent attitude of the shiftless WCW bookers. They had over a month to schedule the event and this is the best they could do? Someone please run a CAT scan on these bookers to see if there is any functional brain activity left.
The rules as confusing as quantum physics, the War Games main event to select a opponent to face WCW World Champion Bill Goldberg at Halloween Havoc was an unmitigated disaster from start to finish.
Bearing no likeness to the previous War Games matches, this year’s edition had more in common with a WWF Royal Rumble bout. Two wrestlers grappling for five minutes to start. Then, every two minutes thereafter another wrestler from the three teams (WCW, nWo Hollywood, nWo Wolf Pack) entered the double steel cage until all nine were accounted for. The winner would be the one to pin or submit any opponent at any time during War Games.
Bret (The Hit Man) Hart and Diamond Dallas Page were the first to lock up. DDP went for his patented Diamond Cutter early on. Hart countered it by clinging to the ropes. DDP was face-slammed and DDTed. A backbreaker, shot to the abdomen and a flying elbow spike from the second rope had Hart plotting a Sharp Shooter.
 Hennig begs Malenko for mercy. |
Stevie Ray entered the fray working on Page as Hart rested. Ray and Hart whipped Page off the ropes for a double clothesline. Page clotheslined them both. Ray reverse atomic dropped DDP then raced to cut off the next entrant.
Ray was no match for the Stinger. The Dark Warrior’s haymakers had Ray backpedaling. Sting leaped from the first ring to the second launching a flying body attack on the newest nWo Hollywood member. Two Stinger Splashes rocked the big man. Sting positioned Stevie Ray between the ring and the cage ramming his head into the cold steel. Meanwhile, Hart piledrived Page.
A wild man tearing up the aisle, Roddy Piper joined War Games throwing punches at the four other men. In the confusion, Hart grabbed Sting by the hair quickly releasing him once he realized who he had hold of. Sting stomped Ray into the gap between the two rings. DDP and Piper mixed it up.
Lex Luger battered everyone except Sting on his way in hoisting Hart into the Torture Rack. Piper slowed the powerhouse down with a sleeper hold. Kevin Nash roared in next directing his attack on Piper kneeing and elbowing him in a corner.
Before his two minute grace period had even expired, Hollywood Hogan got into the cage punking everyone unconscious (except Stevie Ray) with a lead black jack. Hogan and Ray teamed up trouncing nWo Wolf Pack leader, Kevin Nash. Hogan landed his Leg Drop finishing move but wasted valuable time playing to the audience and gloating over Nash.
Smoke filled the ring. Out popped someone dressed in the Warrior’s jacket. Hogan clotheslined him from behind. Another blast of smoke. When it cleared, Hogan stood holding the Warrior’s jacket. The impostor Warrior had disappeared. Thundering down the entrance way came the real Warrior. Warrior haymakered Hollywood throwing him into the steel cage. Hogan fled the cage leaving Stevie Ray behind. Ripping a part of the steel cage away, the Warrior chased Hogan and The Disciple up the aisle. Security separated the heated rivals.
Diamond Dallas Page planted Stevie Ray with a Diamond Cutter for the victory and earned a WCW World Title match at Halloween Havoc.
The next WCW pay per view is Halloween Havoc on October 25th.
WCW Fall Brawl ‘98 Results
: Fans chant “We want Flair!”.
: Footage of Ernest Miller having it out with WCW security.
: Chris Jericho interrupts Mean Gene’s commentary saying he’ll put up his title in a belt-for-belt match versus Goldberg tonight.
Disco Inferno / Alex Wright Vs The British Bulldog / Jim Niedhart
: Fans are on the side of the “Dancing Fools” shouting “USA! USA!”.
: Bulldog catches Disco in the Running Powerslam after a hard-fought battle.
Winners: The British Bulldog / Jim Niedhart at 11 minutes and 52 seconds.
Match Rating: 7 / 10.
: Scott Steiner and Buff Bagwell produce a doctor’s note backstage. J.J. Dillon dismisses the note ordering Steiner to compete against his brother or he’s banned from WCW for life.
Chris Jericho Vs Bill Goldberg (impostor)
: In a memorable bit, Jericho and his out of shape security crew blunder about backstage looking for the entrance way into the arena. Jericho stands ready for his fireworks display. Really small puffs of smoke erupt from the ignitors. Jericho throws a temper tantrum angrily kicking the ignitors.
: An impostor Goldberg mimics the champ’s ring entrance.
: Jericho makes short work of the impostor saying “Who’s next Goldberg?”.
Winner: Chris Jericho at 1 minute and 18 seconds.
Match Rating: 0 / 10.
: Footage airs of a ticked-off Ernest Miller punking the Armstrong Brothers as they do an interview about WCW’s “on fire” tag team wrestling scene. Bah. Ha. Tells us another one. Miller and Norman Smiley push and shove.
Norman Smiley Vs Ernest Miller
: Miller gives Smiley five seconds to beat his feet and forfeit the match.
: Smiley waits the full five seconds then punches Miller in the chops.
: A spinning roundhouse kick ends the match for Smiley.
Winner: At 4 minutes and 39 seconds, Ernest Miller.
Match Rating: 2 / 10.
Scott Steiner Vs Rick Steiner
: Excellent match…while it lasts.
: Rick Steiner gets Atomic Bomb pops whenever he pounds on Scott.
: Scott runs over the railing into the first row. Rick reaches over the railing to punch him one knocking Scott into the seats.
: At 4:23, Buff Bagwell stands on the ring apron distracting the ref. Rick grabs him by the neck and posts him. Bagwell falls stiff onto the canvass and doesn’t move.
: Seeing Bagwell injured, the ref calls the match. Fans react with “Bulls–t! Bulls–t!”.
: Rick says to Bagwell “You better not be lying to me.”
: The announce crew sells it as a real injury making reference to Bagwell’s recent accident.
: Fans boo a gurney as it is brought to the ring. Bagwell is loaded onto it. Scott and a distraught Rick trail it to an awaiting ambulance.
: Rick turns to head back into the building a look of dismay on his face as the ambulance doors close on Scott and Bagwell. Seconds later, the doors spring back open. Bagwell and Poppa Pump emerge to beat on Rick.
Winner: None. Match tossed out at 5 minutes and 23 seconds.
Match Rating: 4 / 10.
Silver King (challenger) Vs Juvie Guerrera (champion) (Cruiserweight Title Match)
: The crowd starts the “Boooring” chant.
: Juvie hits the Driver and 450 for the 1-2-3.
Winner: …and still Cruiserwieght Champion…Juvie Guerrera at 8 minutes and 55 seconds.
Match Rating: 3 / 10.
: Konnan and Scott Hall (acting drunk) argue at WCW’s Internet broadcast location.
 Saturn pins Raven setting The Flock free. |
Saturn Vs Raven
: If Saturn wins, The Flock is disbanded.
: If Raven wins, Saturn must forever be Raven’s servant.
: Kanyon is handcuffed to the ring post as per Dillon’s stipulation.
: Raven says “You’ve been an embarrassment. Tonight begins your indentured servitude.”
: Saturn answers back “This is about honor and you have none.”
: Saturn punches Raven off the ring to the steel fence. Lodi pulls Saturn off the ring to the fence.
: Lodi holds up a sign which reads: “Bill Did You Inhale?” Heh. Heh.
: At 8:33, The Flock comes out with a table. Kidman betrays Raven drop kicking him then runs out into the crowd.
: Both men kick out of each other’s finishing moves.
: The ref is knocked into dreamland. Kanyon steals the keys unlocking the cuffs.
: Kanyon Flatlines Saturn. Saturn kicks out at two. The crowd goes wild.
: Saturn drops Lodi with a Death Valley Driver on the table.
: Raven hits Saturn with the Evenflow DDT. Saturn kicks out. Raven falls to the Death Valley Driver.
Winner: Saturn at 14 minutes and 3 seconds.
Match Rating: 8 / 10.
: The announce team conveys a message from Jim Duggan’s wife. She reports that a malignant cancer tumor the size of a football was removed from his body. Duggan will be home soon to recover.
Slam! Wrestling wishes Duggan (Hooo!) a speedy and healthy recovery.
Curt Hennig Vs Dean Malenko
: Rick Rude ruins a fine match interfering and causing a DQ.
: Rude and Hennig team on a fallen Malenko.
: Arn Anderson rushes the ring. Rude and Hennig injury his arm.
: Fans yell “We want Flair!”.
Winner: Dean Malenko by DQ at 7 minutes and 40 seconds. .
Match Rating: 7 / 10.
Scott Hall Vs Konnan
: Hall is still play-acting he’s drunk carrying a drink with him to the ring.
: The crowd really pops big for Konnan.
: Match is a mega rest hold extravaganza.
: Hall takes sips from his drink during moments in the match when Konnan is on his back or in a submission move. Funny stuff that.
: Hall asks Vincent for his drink. Konnan kicks Hall in the face and slaps on the Tequila Sunrise.
Winner: Konnan at 12 minutes and 3 seconds. .
Match Rating: 4 / 10.
Team nWo Hollywood (Hogan, Ray and Hart) Vs Team WCW (Page, Piper, Warrior) Vs Team nWo Wolf Pack (Nash, Sting, Luger) (War Games Match)
Winner: Diamond Dallas Page at 20 minutes and 6 seconds.
Match Rating: 4 / 10.
Total Event Time: 2 hours and 45 minutes.
Overall Event Rating: 3 / 10.
