Colling It In The Ring: WCW Superbrawl VIII 2/22/1998

World Championship Wrestling presents Superbrawl VIII
Date: 2/22/1998
From: San Francisco, CA

A video hyping up the Sting vs. Hulk Hogan main event is shown to kick off the pay per view.

Tony Schiavone, Mike Tenay and Bobby Heenan welcome everyone to the show. They hype up the Sting vs. Hogan main event, as usual. Savage vs. Lex Luger is also talked about briefly.

Opening Contest: WCW Television Champion Rick Martel vs. Booker T: Booker jabs Martel several times and follows up with a big back drop. Booker clotheslines Martel over the top to the floor. All because Martel wanted to shake hands! Martel knee lifts Booker several times up against ropes but Booker stops Martel with a short arm clothesline. Booker gets a near fall following a back elbow. Raven’s Flock has taken a few seats in the first row. Martel knee lifts Booker in the corner and puts the boots to Booker a few times. Martel misses a clothesline and is met with a spinning back kick from Booker! Booker comes off the ropes with a knee drop but only gets a near fall on a cover attempt. Booker nails Martel with a super kick but only gets a two count on another pin attempt. Booker rams Martel face first into the top turnbuckle and sends Martel into a corner back first. Booker hip tosses Martel across the ring and Martel hits his legs on the ropes (Martel legit blows out his knee here). Martel knocks Booker off the apron and sends Booker chest first onto the guard railing. Martel follows to the floor and sends Booker back first into the ring apron numerous times. Back in the ring, Martel works on Booker with several double sledge attacks and chops. Martel misses a splash in the corner and Booker begins to hammer away on Martel followed by a side slam. Booker misses a elbow drop but gets up quickly to nail Martel with a forearm shot. Martel stops Booker with a snap power slam but only gets a near fall on the cover. Booker with a flurry of right hands but Martel plants Booker with a spine buster. Martel gets the Quebec Crab locked in! Booker is close to the ropes and reaches the bottom rope quickly. Martel comes off the middle rope with a springboard cross body but Booker rolls through for a two count. Booker with another two count with a rollup but Martel recovers and connects with a clothesline. Booker comes off the ropes and knocks Martel down with a forearm smash. Booker nails Martel with a scissors kick and a nice spine buster of his own! Booker leaps off the top rope but misses a twisting cross body! Martel leaps off the middle rope but Booker nails Martel with a side kick and gets the three count! **1/4

Second Contest: WCW Television Champion Booker T vs. Perry Saturn: Saturn quickly enters the ring and has the Rings of Saturn on Booker but let’s go as Booker reaches the ropes. Saturn tries a series of rollups but Booker kicks out at two each time. Booker rolls Saturn up out of the corner but Saturn kicks out at two. Saturn kicks Booker to the floor to toss Booker back first into the guard railing. Saturn continues his attack by dropping Booker throat first across the guard railing. Saturn wraps Booker’s arm around the ring post as well. Booker fights back on the floor and is able to send Saturn back first into the railing. Saturn quickly gets up and attacks Booker again with right hands on the floor. Back in the ring, Saturn works on Booker with several chops and knee lifts in the corner. Saturn big boots Booker into a corner and continues his attack with right hands. Booker runs into a big boot but is able to power slam Saturn! Saturn knocks Booker over the top to the floor and takes Booker out with a slingshot cross body! Saturn springboards off the middle rope to splash down onto Booker on the floor! Booker ducks a clothesline and nails Saturn with a forearm smash. Booker misses a running attack in the corner and Saturn gets a near fall. Saturn drives Booker down to the mat with a top rope back suplex! Saturn crotches Booker on the top rope but Booker reverses and connects with a front suplex! Booker leaps off the top rope and nails Saturn with a missile dropkick! Booker hits Saturn with a standing spin kick. Saturn recovers by hitting a exploder suplex for a two count! Saturn gets another two count with a overhead belly to belly suplex. Saturn knocks Booker down with a nice springboard moonsault after blocking a backdrop attempt. Saturn chokes Booker in the corner for a few moments. Saturn slams Booker in midair as Booker attempted another twisting cross body. Saturn covers but only gets a near fall. Booker comes off the ropes only to collide chest first in the middle of the ring with Saturn! Saturn gets up to power slam Booker quickly. Saturn runs into a spine buster from Booker after missing a splash in the corner. Booker nails Saturn with the scissors kick and side slam. Booker heads to the top rope but misses the Harlem Hangover as Saturn moves out of the way! Saturn gets a near fall with a fisherman suplex and a German suplex. Booker lands on his feet out of a back suplex and hits Saturn with the Harlem Sidekick to win the bout! **1/2. Both the Booker/Martel and Booker/Saturn matches were decent bouts. I have to give credit to Martel for working a good portion of that match with a blown out knee. The crowd died out during the second bout because let’s face it, when you see a guy for thirty minutes doing the same spots, it gets old. Not a spectacular way to open the show but good enough as Booker is over huge with the crowd at this point.

Backstage, WCW Cruiserweight Champion Chris Jericho talks about taking Juventud Guerrera’s mask tonight.

Third Contest: Disco Inferno vs. LA Parka: Parka tosses a chair at Inferno to kick off the contest. Parka drops Inferno with a snap power slam and mocks Inferno. Inferno fights back with a snap power slam of his own for a two count. Inferno clotheslines Parka in the corner for a two count. Parka short arm clotheslines Inferno followed by a spinning heel kick which sends Inferno to the floor. Parka takes Inferno out with a corkscrew dive over the top rope to the floor! Parka sends Inferno into the guard railing back first and follows up with clothesline on the floor. Parka drops Inferno throat first across the guard railing to keep the advantage. Parka scoop slams Inferno but misses a top rope splash. Inferno throws Parka to the floor where Inferno sends Parka into the guard railing back first and drops Parka with a clothesline. Inferno also drops Parka throat first across the guard railing. Parka recovers on the apron to drop Inferno throat first across the top rope and gets a near fall. Parka drop toe holds Inferno and gets a two count with a cradle. Parka dropkicks Inferno chest first in the corner but only manages to get a two count. Parka misses a splash in the corner. Inferno back elbows Parka for a two count. Parka kicks Inferno directly in the face to block a backdrop attempt. Parka is able to slowly hurricanrana Inferno over the ropes to the floor. Parka follows up with a suicide dive through the middle rope onto Inferno! Parka covers Inferno back in the ring but only gets a two count. Parka runs into a big boot, twice and misses a spear hitting the ring post as a result. Inferno atomic drops Parka and connects with a clothesline for a two count. Inferno quickly comes off the ropes with a swinging neck breaker for a near fall. The referee gets accidentally poked in the eye, which allows Parka to ram Inferno face first into a chair. Parka sits Inferno on the chair but is crotched on the top rope. Inferno attempts a superplex but Parka shoves Inferno away and slaps Inferno in the face. Inferno tosses Parka off the top rope and Parka hits the chair face first. Inferno hits Parka with the Chart Buster and picks up the win. *1/4.I have no idea why Disco vs. Parka went over ten minutes. That really didn’t need to happen, at all.

Mean Gene interviews JJ Dillon regarding the future of referee Nick Patrick. Dillon announces that Patrick has been reinstated effective tonight. Dillon tells Patrick that he will not be the official for the main event tonight.

Fourth Contest: Goldberg vs. Brad Armstrong in a special bonus match: Goldberg dominates Armstrong, which is not surprising at all. Goldberg spears Armstrong followed by the Jackhammer to win the squash. NR. The announcers did a whole lot of hyping up for the bonus match which turned out to be a simple Goldberg squash. Pretty obvious that Goldberg was a huge asset for WCW at this point as well.

Fifth Contest: WCW Cruiserweight Champion Chris Jericho vs Juventud Guerrera in a title vs. mask match: Jericho refuses to take the championship off from around his waist. Jericho backs Guerrera into the ropes but backs away cleanly. Jericho chops Guerrera but misses a clothesline. Guerrera spin kicks Jericho in the midsection by hitting the belt. Jericho gives the belt to the referee as a result. Guerrera knocks Jericho off his feet with a spinning heel kick. Jericho chops Guerrera several times but Guerrera comes back with a head scissors takedown. Guerrera botches a springboard heel kick. Guerrera sends Jericho to the floor following a springboard head scissors! Jericho is playing possum on the floor and tries to get counted out. Guerrera goes to the floor and elbow drops Jericho. Guerrera chops away on Jericho in the ring but Jericho stops Guerrera with a clubbing blow. Jericho is able to drop a charging Guerrera throat first across the top rope. Jericho knocks Guerrera off the apron with a springboard dropkick. Jericho scoop slams Guerrera on the floor and positions the ring steps in front of Guerrera. Jericho leaps off the steps but Guerrera drops Jericho chest first across the railing. Jericho catches Guerrera on a springboard attempt and plants Guerrera with a tombstone pile driver. Jericho goes for the cover but only manages to get a near fall. Jericho knocks Guerrera down with a back elbow and goes for a cocky pin which gets Jericho a two count. Guerrera nearly wins the bout with a victory roll! Jericho kicks Guerrera in the head and flips out. Jericho continues his offense with a vertical suplex and a standing back splash for a two count. Jericho keeps control of Guerrera with a back breaker and acts like Guerrera gave up, but Guerrera didn’t. Jericho stops a charging Guerrera with a clothesline but only gets a near fall. Jericho places Guerrera on the top rope but Guerrera shoves Jericho away. Guerrera leaps off the top rope but Jericho catches Guerrera and drives Guerrera down with an electric chair slam. Guerrera recovers and dropkicks Jericho off the middle rope to the floor. Guerrera leaps over the top rope to take Jericho out with the Air Juvi dive! Guerrera catches Jericho in the corner and plants Jericho with the Juvi Driver! Guerrera leaps off the top rope to hit the 450 splash! Guerrera covers and gets the win! Wait a second; Jericho got his hand on the bottom rope. Jericho chop blocks Guerrera’s knee. Guerrera rolls Jericho up for a two count. Jericho quickly clotheslines Guerrera for another near fall. Guerrera counters a power bomb with a DDT but only gets a near fall! Jericho blocks a top rope hurricanrana but leaps off the middle rope only to be met with a atomic drop. Guerrera springboards off the rope connecting with a hurricanrana for a two count! Jericho drives Guerrera down to the mat with a reverse suplex but misses the Lion Sault. Jericho blocks a arm drag to go for the Lion Tamer but Guerrera rolls over and rolls Jericho up for a near fall. Jericho counters a hurricanrana attempt and has the Lion Tamer locked in right in the middle of the ring. Guerrera is forced to submit! ***1/4. Jericho/Guerrera was a good bout despite some botches on Guerrera’s part. The fans didn’t seem all that interested until the end, which is a shame because those two guys put on a good show. Guerrera does look like he is thirteen years old, by the way. I also liked the finish to the bout as Jericho added some extra torque to the move. Little things like that make for a good match.

After the match, Jericho celebrates the win and wants Guerrera to take off his mask. Guerrera is obviously very disappointed in himself. Guerrera unties his mask and Jericho rips it off. Guerrera’s face is revealed.

Backstage, Chris Benoit talks to the internet guys and says that he judges people based on their actions and not words. Benoit also says that Raven is very close to finding out why they call him the Crippler.

Sixth Contest: Steve McMichael vs. the British Bulldog: Bulldog hammers away on Mongo after a drop toe hold. Mongo quickly comes back with a twisting side slam and stomps away on Bulldog. Mongo scoop slams Bulldog but misses a leg drop. Bulldog manages to get the Sharpshooter locked in but Mongo reaches the bottom rope. Mongo back hands Bulldog and delivers a kick to Bulldog’s side. Mongo clubs down onto Bulldog and rubs Bulldog’s face into the mat. Mongo sends Bulldog to the floor where he continues to pound on Bulldog. Mongo rams Bulldog into the guard railing a few times. Mongo sends Bulldog shoulder first into the ring steps. Bulldog avoids a clotheslines and Mongo hits the ring post! Bulldog slams Mongo’s arm across the ring steps a few times. Back into the ring, Bulldog continues to work on Mongo’s arm. Mongo uses one arm to toss Bulldog flipping into a corner. Mongo football tackles Bulldog’s legs a couple times. Mongo tries for the tombstone but Mongo’s arm gives out on him. Bulldog has a arm lock on Mongo and wins the bout as Mongo gives up after refusing for several moments. *. A plain, boring match. I’ll just leave it at that.
After the match, Mongo shoves the referee down because he says he didn’t quit.

Seventh Contest: WCW United States Champion Diamond Dallas Page vs. Chris Benoit: They exchange wristlocks to open the bout. Page leg trips Benoit but only gets a one count. Benoit arm drags Page as Page comes off the ropes. Page nails Benoit with several forearm shots and side elbow strikes. Page sends Benoit hard chest first into a corner followed by a gut buster. Benoit knees Page in the gut before dropping Page across the top rope gut first. Benoit tries to get Cross face on Page but is unable to as Page rolls to the floor. Page gets the upper hand in a test of strength and they trade a series of near falls. Benoit chops Page a few times but Page knee lifts Benoit and sends Benoit chest first into a corner. Page connects with a back suplex before attempting the Diamond Cutter but Benoit bails to the floor. They trade slaps and roll around on the canvas trading right hands. Benoit knocks Page off his feet with a right hand. Page drives Benoit down to the mat with a wheel barrow suplex but only gets a two count. Benoit dropkicks Page on the right knee. Benoit follows up with a short arm clothesline and begins to stomp away on Page. Benoit keeps a sleeper hold on Page for several moments until Page battles to his feet. Page breaks free from the hold with a jaw breaker. Benoit chops and stomps away on Page in the corner. Page recovers and tosses Benoit into the corner. Benoit counters with a snap suplex but only gets a near fall. Page gets out of another sleeper hold but is chopped by Benoit. Benoit goes back to a sleeper! Page elbows Benoit and dumps Benoit to the floor. Benoit goes up top but is crotched by Page. Page heads to the top rope and brings Benoit back into the ring with a superplex! Page drops Benoit with a discus clothesline and signals for the Diamond Cutter but instead covers Benoit for a two count. Benoit sends Page to the floor but Page heads to the top and leaps off to clothesline Benoit for a two count, again. Benoit counters a suplex with the Cross face but Page reaches the bottom rope. They trade rollups out of a snap suplex position. Page drives Benoit down with a side belly to belly suplex but Benoit kicks out at two! Benoit gets a two count following three German suplexs! Page plants Benoit with a jumping DDT for a two count! Benoit attempts a backslide but floats over Page only to be met with the Diamond Cutter! Page covers and gets the three count! ***1/2. A good contest and the match of the night. I’ll always pick a hard hitting contest over a high flying contest as the match of the night because anyone will cheer for high spots.

Tony, Mike and Bobby talk about the Giant being unable to make the show due to flight issues. Tomorrow night on Nitro we will find out the update regarding Giant’s neck. A video of the Giant is shown. Not sure why that was featured on the show.

Eighth Contest: Lex Luger vs. Randy Savage in a no disqualification match: Luger has his ribs heavily taped up. Savage misses a running clothesline and is met with a right hand. Luger attempts a gorilla press slam but his ribs bother him too much. Savage kicks Luger in the ribs several times to get the upper hand. Savage tosses Luger over the top rope to the floor. Savage drops Luger chest first across the guard railing. Savage covers Luger in the ring but only gets a two count. Savage shoulder rams Luger in the corner for a two count on a eventual cover. Luger inside cradles Savage but only manages a near fall. Savage sends Luger to the floor again. Savage kicks Luger in the ribs several times. Savage sends Luger into the crowd where Savage nails Luger with a chair in the ribs. Savage sends Luger face first into the ring steps and guard railing. Luger sends Savage chest first into the guard railing but is kicked in the ribs again by Savage. Savage connects with a snap suplex but Luger quickly gets up and power slams Savage. Luger signals for the torture rack and gets Savage up. However, Elizabeth enters the ring and pokes Luger in the eyes. The New World Order runs down to the ring but both Luger and Savage fight them off. Luger gets Savage in the torture rack and Savage gives up as Hulk Hogan has come down to prevent the New World Order from helping Savage. ½*. I think it is safe to assume that at this point in his career, Luger has just given up on producing any kind of decent matches. That was one painful match to watch. I also didn’t think that Hogan should have come out to just hold back the troops. Just didn’t seem like he should have made an early appearance.
Before the next match, the Outsiders do their usual survey.

Ninth Contest: WCW World Tag Team Champions the Steiner Brothers vs. The Outsiders: Heenan really hints at Scott Steiner having some kind of attitude issue for this match. Rick and Hall start off the title match with Hall tossing a toothpick into Rick’s face. Hall attempts a shoulder block but that doesn’t work. Rick nails Hall with a clothesline followed by a side belly to belly suplex. Rick hammers away on Hall in the corner for several moments. Rick connects with a beautiful over head belly to belly suplex. Rick clotheslines Nash over the top to the floor. Rick circles the ring and crawls under Scott’s legs. Scott winks and double axe handles Rick! Scott hits Rick with a double under hook power bomb! Scott knocks Ted DiBiase off the apron and Dusty Rhodes sends DiBiase into the ring post. Hall covers Rick but isn’t able to get the three count. Rick fights out of a corner with right hands and clubs away on Hall. Nash clubs Rick over the back and Hall goes for the Outsiders Edge after a failed first attempt, Hall connects with it. Hall covers Rick and gets the three count. NR. Scott Steiner joining the New World Order is fine, I guess. Bobby Heenan pretty much gave it away that something was going to happen. By adding WCW guys to the New World Order at a seemingly weekly rate, it is hard to imagine WCW being able to keep up with the New World Order. I’d personally rather see Scott remain a baby face at this point and get a singles push. Oh well.
After the match, Scott Steiner hands over the tag titles to the Outsiders and celebrates the win for the Outsiders.

Main Event: Hulk Hogan vs. Sting for the vacant WCW World Heavyweight Championship: Sting runs into the ring but is met with several weight belt shots from Hogan. Hogan chokes Sting with the belt for a few moments as well. Hogan drops Sting with a couple right hands and goes back to choking Sting. Hogan begins to choke Sting with Sting’s own coat before dumping Sting to the floor. Hogan punches Sting several times on the floor and sends Sting chest first into the guard railing. Hogan chops Sting several times followed by right hands. Hogan atomic drops Sting on the floor and shoves Sting shoulder first into the ring post. Hogan also tosses Sting back first into the guard railing. Hogan keeps control of Sting in the ring with a test of strength. Sting gets to his feet but is kicked back down to the mat. Hogan backs Sting into a corner and begins to deliver several knee lifts. Hogan clotheslines Sting in the corner and taunts the fans. Hogan casually covers Sting but only gets a two count. Hogan scoop slams Sting followed by several elbow drops. Sting gets up to his feet and surprises Hogan in the corner with a flurry of right hands. Sting rams Hogan head first into the top turnbuckle and delivers a atomic drop. Sting takes Hogan’s weight belt off and begins to whip Hogan several times. Hogan bails to the floor but Sting follows with the belt and chokes Hogan on the aisle way. Sting sends Hogan over the guard railing into the crowd. Sting doesn’t do much in the crowd so he just dumps Hogan back to the ringside area. Sting misses a Stinger Splash and hits the guard railing chest first. Hogan whacks Sting over the back with a steel chair! Hogan punches Sting in a corner and bites Sting’s forehead. Sting is able to hit Hogan with the Stinger Splash! Sting gets the Scorpion Death Lock on but Hogan is too close to the ropes. Sting attempts another Stinger Splash but Hogan puts the referee in front of him! Hogan clotheslines Sting and delivers a leg drop. Hogan covers as Nick Patrick runs down but Sting kicks out at two! Hogan punches Sting until Patrick pulls on Hogan’s hair to call this match fairly. Hogan continues his offense with a back suplex but only gets a near fall. Sting gets to his feet but is unable to power out of a test of strength. Hogan stops on Sting’s fingers. Hogan has a chin lock on Sting for several moments but Sting isn’t going to give up. Hogan gets a near fall with a school boy and complains to the referee. Hogan tosses Sting to the floor, again. Hogan rams Sting chest first into the guard railing but Sting blocks an attempt. Sting rams Hogan into the guard railing a few times before going back into the ring. Hogan stops the momentum with a low blow! Sting isn’t affected by any right hands now and stares at Hogan. Sting hits the Stinger Splash two times in the corner! Sting plants Hogan with the Scorpion Death Drop but Hogan kicked Patrick! New World Order members run down to the ring but Sting decks all the members. Randy Savage has entered the ring and nails Hogan with a spray paint can. Sting turns around and pins Hogan to regain the championship. **1/2. The main event was a really average match in my opinion. Hogan controlled 75% of the contest, I thought. I’m not a fan of that at all. Sting has been built up as a unstoppable force to a certain extent but in a match with Hogan he gets dominated for a good portion of the match. I’d almost rather see Sting just win the bout in under ten minutes and remain strong. I strongly disliked the finish, as well. Why can’t Sting just get a clean pin fall win over Hogan for goodness sake? It doesn’t help Sting one bit if he always needs someone else’s help whether he realizes it or not.
After the match, Sting spray paints “WCW” on Hogan’s back to close out the pay per view.

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The 411: Overall, Benoit/DDP, Juvi/Jericho, Booker/Saturn and Hogan/Sting were all fine bouts. The show wasn’t a complete dud so I can’t in good conscious rate this a thumbs down. I’ll give it a thumbs in the middle. If you have some spare time one weekend, check out the event. Well, at least check out Benoit/DDP and Juvi/Jericho if you can.
Final Score:  6.5   [ Average ]