The Magnus Analysis- WCW Pro 9.23.95 & 9.30.95
Posted by Magnus Donaldson on 04.25.2008
Highlights include Sting taking on Earl Robert Eaton and Harlem Heat battling Bunkhouse Buck and Dick Slater
Right, this is actually the second time I've had to review these two episodes, and that will be the case for the next 8-10 of my reviews. Blame a certain Mr Csonka for that: I was in the middle of copying my reviews across and combining them, when he deleted them all without my consent. Based upon this, I may have the join the 411 FwR fed and challenge him to a match to "gain revenge for my lost reviews".
Anyway, seeing as I am doing these all again, and they are combined, I've decided to just concentrate on matches here: I'm not going into angles or interviews as that is not my field.
Your announcers are Chris Cruise, Dusty Rhodes and Larry Zbyzko.
23/9/95
Match 1
'Hacksaw' Jim Duggan vs Mike Khoury
This was just a squash for Duggan, nothing less and nothing more. The jobber tried a few punches that Duggan no selled, then he went through many of his signature moves before getting three with the Three Point Stance- n/r
Match 2
The Armstrong Brothers (Scott and Steve Armstrong) vs American Males (Marcus Bagwell and Scotty Riggs)
An enjoyable little tag match here. The Armstrong's are always good with the right opponents, and they helped put the Males over here. The Males utilised a lot of quick tags and a solid if basic double team moves, while the Armstrong's showed their wrestling skill with some great mat wrestling sequences and some strikes. The Males eventually pulled out the win with a Double Dropkick that got three- **1/2
Match 3
Mark Starr vs 'Nature Boy' Ric Flair
Just an extended squash for Flair, but a very good one and exactly what a match like this should be. Flair just took Starr to school and outwrestled him in every single way, but at the same time Starr came out looking great in defeat: that's the skill that Flair had. Flair made Starr tap to the Figure 4- **
Match 4
Harlem Heat (Stevie Ray and Booker T) vs Dick Slater and Bunkhouse Buck
Good enough main event here, but the ending was a little perplexing. Slater and Buck just striked and beat away on their opponents, and weren't afraid to take a few shortcuts. Harlem Heat made a good few tags and tried to ground their opponents with submissions and power. Somehow, Col Parker knew that Buck had the key to Sister Sherri's locker room (how would he know if he hadn't seen him hiding it or locking the door), so he took it out of his shoe, then Stevie Ray hat him with the shoe and that got three- **
30/9/95
Match 1
Alex Wright vs Joey Maggs
A good, competitive opener that helped make Wright look really good but also saw Maggs coming out looking competent as he kept up with Wright on the mat. Wright mixed technical wrestling with high flying, while Maggs used some mat wrestling of his own and some strikes. Wright would get three with the Missile Dropkick- ** (it'd get a slightly higher rating if part of the match wasn't cut off with a look at Nitro)
Match 2
Kurusawa vs The Italian Stallion
A squash for Kurusawa, with it designed to keep him looking strong, but didn't have the problem of going on too long like the last squash did. After overpowering and using a good few strikes on The Stallion, he got the submission with the Crowbar- n/r
Match 3
Meng vs jobber
The jobber tried to jump Meng at the bell, but that was the worst thing he could do. Meng killed the guy, including pulling him up after a Piledriver and a kick to the side of the head, then made him tap to a Nerve Hold- n/r
Match 4
Disco Inferno vs Dave Young
Dave Young is no relation of David Young, although if he was it'd be kind of ironic with David Young and Glen Gilberti's stable in TNA. Dave Young wasn't too good, even for a jobber (not to mention his attempts to dance were quite awful), and his offense was poor. This did what it needed to do however by making Disco look good. He got three with the Swinging Neckbreaker- *
Match 5
Earl Robert Eaton w/Steven Regal vs Sting
A good main event match, with Regal's antics at ringside early on being a highlight. The two exchanged mat holds and punches early on, then Regal's continuous interference got him sent to the locker room (Regal threatens to call in The Embassy: where's Prince Nana when you need him). Eaton took control after that, trying everything to keep Sting grounded, but could only keep him down for a few short minutes before Sting fought back, and got three with a Backdrop with the ropes used as an assist (on the Backdrop, not the pinfall)- **1/2
The 411: Some good stuff on these two shows. The first show had a few very competent matches: the American Males vs The Armstrong Brothers being the best (and for me one of the american Males better matches). On show, there were three throwaway squashes, but two good matches as well. So two solid show overall.
