Much to the relief of wrestling fans who’ve complained bitterly for the better part of two years, WCW has at long last turned that corner. The hiring of former WWF writers Vince Russo and Ed Ferrera has sparked a renewed excitement that has spread throughout the locker room as was evidenced by the work rate and careful planning that went into Sunday’s Halloween Havoc card from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. In signing Russo and Ferrera (referred to as ‘the powers that be’ throughout the broadcast), WCW has a guiding force which eliminates the rampant confusion that had decimated the organization’s product to the point where it became a hardship to watch.
The successful formula that Russo and Ferrera had employed in the WWF is re-emerging in WCW. More interview time. More backstage happenings. More coherent storylines. More scantily clad women. More colorful language. And buckets upon buckets of blood. Not counting ECW events, Halloween Havoc was the bloodiest pay-per-view to air this year. Sid spouted like a faucet. Flair hemorrhaged as only he can. You wanted blood. You got it.
That is not to say the card was flawless. The incident between Hogan, Sting and WCW management almost sent the entire pay-per-view into a tailspin. As reported in the wrestling media, either Hogan steadfastly refused to ‘job’ to Sting ever since the Havoc match was booked or Hogan didn’t like what Russo and Ferrera had planned for him. In any event, the incident at Havoc will go down as a black eye on the business for some time to come.
Hogan, who had been brutalized by Sting and his pal Lex Luger for weeks on end, was supposed to have a showdown for the WCW World Heavyweight Title at Havoc. Some match it was, if you can call it a match. Hogan’s entrance music played. The cameras showed Hogan fans in the crowd for minutes on end stalling for time but The Hulkster didn’t show. The producers cut Hogan’s theme switching to Sting’s. Sting made his entrance. Again, Hogan’s music blared over the speakers as red and yellow lights shone on the en trance way.
Ultimately, Hogan did come down to the ring. Wearing his street clothes (a T-shirt, jeans and black boots) Hogan had a conversation with Sting in the middle of the ring. Sting did not look pleased. When he had finished what he had to say, Hogan dropped to the mat on his back. Sting reluctantly fall over Hogan pinning him. The fans let out a chorus of angry boos. Sting shot Hogan a look of disgust as he left the ring. The announcers claimed not to known anything about what happened promising to explain the situation on Monday Night Nitro. The announcers quickly cut away to a Goldberg and Sid promo.
When the Goldberg and Sid match was over Sting came to the ring. “I didn’t come to Las Vegas for a night off. I came to Las Vegas for a fight,” said The Stinger challenging anyone in the back to face him after the upcoming DDP and Flair match.
Bill Goldberg, who had already beaten Sid and won the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship (see the Results below), answered Sting’s dare. The announcers made a point of saying the was a non-title bout. That declaration would come back to haunt them in the end. Sting and Goldberg waged war for just over three minutes. Sting gave Goldberg three Stinger Splashes in the corner. Goldberg countered with a Spear and The Jackhammer for the victory. Referee, Charles Robinson, awarded the WCW World Title to Goldberg. The broadcast team sounded genuinely baffled. Sting argued with Robinson. Robinson said the decision would stand. Sting Death-Dropped him onto the mat.
- The next WCW pay-per-view is Mayhem on November 21st.
Halloween Havoc 1999 Results
- It is announced that since Rey Mysterio Jr. had injured his leg and couldn’t defend the WCW World Tag Team Titles, that the Filthy Animals had been ‘stripped’ of the championship by the ‘powers that be’. The belts would be up for grabs in a 3-Team, Street Fight Match in which Harlem Heat, The First Family (Brian Knobs – Hugh Morrus) and The Filthy Animals (Kidman – Konnan) would compete.
Disco Inferno (champion) Vs Lash Leroux (challenger) (WCW Cruiserweight Championship Match)
- Lash Leroux is a star on the rise. Mark my words.
- Leroux fights a good fight. It’s not enough. Disco hits the Last Dance and get the three count. Leroux Power Bombs Disco on the belt.
- Winner: and still WCW Cruiserweight Champion…Disco Inferno at 7 minutes and 35 seconds .
- Match Rating: 6 / 10.
- Footage shot earlier in the day shows Benoit and Saturn arriving at the arena. Saturn tells the pair they are late. Benoit and Malenko tell Saturn to stick the Revolution up his behind.
Harlem Heat Vs The First Family (Brian Knobs – Hugh Morrus) Vs The Filthy Animals (Kidman – Konnan) (WCW World Tag Team Title – Falls Count Anywhere – Street Fight Match)
- Two officials are assigned to the match. Harlem Heat brains Knob Knobs with a Mummy prop to pin him backstage. Kidman pins Hugh Morrus in the ring as Harlem Heat and the ref head back to the ring. Kidman and Konnan are awarded the belts but not for long once the in-ring official realizes that Harlem Heat got the pin first.
- Konnan has to be helped out the ring. He’s hurt his shoulder.
- Winners: …and new WCW World Tag Team Champions…Harlem Heat at 5 minutes and 21 seconds.
- Match Rating: 3 / 10.
- David and Ric Flair walk through the backstage area. Ric’s got a tire iron. Oh-oh. That can’t be good.
- DDP and Shania Twain…I mean Kimberly cut a looong promo in the ring. DDP challenges Flair to make their bout a strap match. DDP uses many sexual innuendoes during his speech. How can we tell WCW is under new management? Hmmm.
- Goldberg is shown backstage looking for Sid.
Saturn Vs Eddie Guerrero
- This should’ve been a mat classic. It wasn’t. Both men appeared to be tired or having an off night. Guerrero gives Bobby Hennan the watch he stole from Flair to look after while he wrestles. At eleven minutes in, Ric Flair attacks Eddie with the crow bar. Kidman tries to help. He gets hit too. Flair steals a kiss from Torri. She likes it! She likes it!
- Winners: None. Match ruled a no-contest.
- Match Rating: 4 / 10.
- We go backstage. Goldberg is pounding on Sid. Sid is bleeding heavily. As Goldberg is dragged away by security, Sid shouts ‘Is that all you got!’.
- Buff Bagwell cuts a promo on Jarrett in the ring. Jarrett and Bagwell brawl outside and inside the ring. The Man Formerly Known As Lex Luger swings the guitar cracking Buff in the head.
- Backstage again. Paramedics are sewing Sid up. The Vicious One shoves them away yelling ‘Let it bleed!’.
- Eddie Guerrero is clutching his ribs on a stairway. He calls Konnan and Rey Mysterio Jr. on a cell phone telling them they’ve got ‘business to take care of’.
Brad Armstrong Vs Berlyn
- Alex Wright should give Disco some advice on how to change gimmicks. Wright rocks.
- Armstrong counters a neckbreaker rolling up Wright for a surprise win.
- Berlyn and his bodyguard punk Armstrong.
- Winner: Brad Armstrong at 4 minutes and 20 seconds.
- Match Rating: 5 / 10.
Chris Benoit (champion) Vs Rick Steiner (challenger) (WCW Television Title Match)
- Hard hitting match, however, like the Saturn and Guerrero bout, it falls far from it potential.
- Dean Malenko does a run-in with a steel chair at 11 minutes and 32 seconds. He busts Benoit over the head with it! Steiner wins the Television Title. Saturn congratulates Malenko in the entrance way. Malenko says to the camera, ‘Friends to the end, eh, Chris?’.
- Winner: …and new WCW Television Champion…Rick Steiner at 12 minutes and 49 seconds.
- Match Rating: 5 / 10.
The Man Formerly Known As Lex Luger Vs Bret Hart
- What’s with the goofy symbol on The Man Formerly Known As Lex Luger ‘s attire? I’d ask for a refund from the designers if I were him. The crowd is really behind the Hitman. Hart still has a sore leg from the bat attack on Nitro. He is walking with a limp.
- The Man Formerly Known As Lex Luger doesn’t mount any offence until three minutes into the match.
- Hart and The Man Formerly Known As Lex Luger both go over the top rope. Hart injures his leg some more. The Man Formerly Known As Lex Luger puts on a single leg crab. Hart taps out.
- Winner: The Man Formerly Known As Lex Luger at 7 minutes and 37 seconds.
- Match Rating: 6 / 10.
Hulk Hogan (challenger) Vs Sting (champion) (WCW World Heavyweight Title Match)
- Winner: …and still WCW World Heavyweight Champion, Sting at approximately 10 seconds .
- Match Rating: 0 / 10.
Sid (champion) Vs Goldberg (challenger) (WCW United States Heavyweight Title Match)
- Sid is wearing the ‘crimson mask’ before he even hits the ring. Considering the actual wrestling talent of both men, this bout is a very fun, old fashioned slugfest.
- Sid is bleeding so badly the official stops the match awarding the title to Goldberg.
- Rick Steiner helps Sid to the back. Sid thinks about returning to the ring to beat on Goldberg. Steiner talks him out of it.
- Winner: …and new WCW United States Heavyweight Champion…Goldberg at 7 minutes and 13 seconds .
- Match Rating: 7 / 10.
Ric Flair Vs DDP (Strap Match)
- A wild affair from start to finish.
- DDP is choking out Flair with the strap. Charles Robinson calls for the bell. DDP continues to strangle The Nature Boy. David Flair does a run-in with the crow bar. Kimberly kicks David in the privates and hands the weapon to DDP. DDP strikes Flair in the crotch with it. Flair is hurt bad. David comes to the rescue. DDP Diamond Cuts him twice and drops an elbow to the ‘lower abdomen’. Robinson and David cry over Flair as he is loaded onto a stretcher.
- The Filthy Animals commandeer and drive off with Flair in the ambulance. What are they going to do with The Nature Boy? We’ll have to wait until Nitro.
- Winner: …Diamond Dallas Page at 12 minutes and 57 seconds by referee’s decision.
- Match Rating: 7 / 10.
Sting (champion) Vs Goldberg (challenger) (WCW World Heavyweight Title Match)
- Winner: …and new WCW World Heavyweight Champion…Bill Goldberg at 3 minutes and 3 seconds.
- Match Rating: 4 / 10.
- Total Event Time: 2 hours and 45 minutes.
- Overall Event Rating: 6 / 10.
