What's the story, patrons of parroting pummelling?
A rather difficult week for yours truly, it was a real challenge for me to find something I wanted to review this week. I lucked out after finishing The Lapsed Fan's Starrcade Memorial Tour (for the second time) and deciding that I'd dig around in some WCW classics for a review this week. Match one of a three match series (maybe a 3 week review series?) was my choice for the week, which proved to be pretty fun! Maybe not a bona-fide banger, but fun regardless!
Well, what are you waiting for? Read on and find out more!
 |
| WCW |
SCREENSHOT / QUICK NOTES
--
| Match | Show | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Diamond Dallas Page vs. Randy Savage - No Disqualification Match | WCW Spring Stampede 1997 | 04/06/1997 |
• • • • •
 |
| Will Savage cross the line? WCW |
Basic Breakdown
 |
| nW-oh no? WCW |
One of the more prominent storylines that was birthed by the formation of the New World Order (abbreviated nWo) in 1996 was "who will be the next to join?" angle. Part of the electricity of the nWo angle was finding out who would get pulled into it's gravitational pull. For Scott Hall and Kevin Nash to recruit WCW's Senior Vice President Eric Bischoff as well as Hulk Hogan was a huge coup, with the nWo ranks only growing as the weeks and months went on. Eventually, Randy Savage would go from being turned on to form the group to donning the black and white attire himself. It seemed like the allure of the nWo was too much, even for the most dedicated members of the locker room. So, surely, they needed to go for someone that would really hurt WCW.
Enter, Diamond Dallas Paige, or DDP. Starting his wrestling career later than most, Dallas was able to establish himself as a crowd favourite while in WCW. The "people's champion" years before The Rock adopted the phrase, Dallas carved out a path all his own in WCW, which logically led to the nWo coming 'a knocking. In one of the most shocking moments in all of WCW, Dallas looked to join forces with the dreaded faction, donning the black and white shirt, only to land his signature Diamond Cutter on Scott Hall, proving that he could not be turned to the darkside.
Taking issue with this, Randy Savage made it his mission to punish Dallas for turning down the nWo not just once, but twice. Prior to the match in question for today's review, at WCW Uncensored 1997, Savage called out Dallas' then wife Kimberly. Exposing her Playboy centerfold with the letters "nWo" sprayed across her, revealing that they were a married couple, pulling back the veil of kayfabe, as well as spray painting the nWo letters on Kimberly's dress on TV one week. It was safe to say, Savage was making things personal in a hurry, and DDP wanted his pound of flesh.
Bell To Bell
Savage and Elizabeth are out first, with Paige and Kimberly out not long after. Savage is, to no surprise, as serious as he is unhinged, with Paige focused as he makes his way to the ring. He rushes the ring during his entrance, with Savage darting to the floor to escape, not wanting anything to do with Paige just yet. Pacing inside the ring, he keeps his eyes focused on Savage, who borrows the mic from Michael Buffer, WCW's ring announcer. Keeping things short and sweet, Savage declares "you're going to be sadly disappointed! This isn't your big day, it's your last day on the planet Earth. Oooohh yeah!"
On the apron, Paige has backed himself into a corner, leaving his arms wide open, begging for Savage to join him inside the ropes so they can get to beating the snot out of one another. But Savage plays coy, resting on the top rope as he removes his sunglasses and bandana. His leg bouncing with anticipation, Paige watches Savage intently, charging him the moment he crosses the threshold, closing the distance in seconds. From one side to it's neighbour goes Savage, darting back through the ropes to the floor. Again, Paige backs up, but charges Savage when he gets on the apron. The tension is palpable between these two, with Savage trying to bait Paige into making some sort of mistake to grant himself an opening window.
Marching up the entrance ramp, Savage creates distance between he and Paige, but it's all for naught, with Dallas darting out the ring and giving chase, attacking him from behind and dribbling Savage's head and torso off the barricade. With this match being No DQ, brawling on the floor is not only legal, but encouraged. They're back inside the ring again, with Savage trying to flee, but Paige is on him quickly, grabbing his hair with Savage in the ropes, pulling him back to centre.
Back and forth they fight, with knees and heavy punches staggering each other. At one point, Paige gets Savage up for what looks to be an atomic drop, but Savage goes fully vertical upside down on the shoulders of Paige. It looks like Paige is going to backdrop him down, but Savage also has DDP's head hooked for a DDT, both men land knees first on the canvas with Savage looking to take the worst of the exchange and Paige not really selling anything. No idea what they were going for there.
 |
| Anyone got a name for this? WCW |
Trying to land his signature Diamond Cutter, Paige hooks Savage but he's too close to the ropes, holding on and allowing DDP to fall all on his own. Snapping the neck of a vertical, apron-side Paige, Savage sends his foe to the floor, quickly leaping obver the top rope and following him outside. Into the crowd they brawl, throwing punches as they carve a path through the arena. Tossing Paige into a heavy set of arena doors, Savage grabs a trash can and looks to crack Paige with it.
Leaking some sort of liquid the whole time, which has my stomach doing backflips, Paige manages to save himself from the foul assault, landing a boot in the gut of Savage. Snatching the bin for himself, he clobbers Savage, stalking him as they pair slip and slide through the foreign trashcan liquid. I really hope that was just somebody's Coke, like really hope that's all it was. Back into the crowd they brawl, with DDP using a camera cable to choke and weaken the wild Savage.
Back ringside, a desperate Savage snatches Kimberly and pulls her in front of him, halting Dallas' right hand before it can leave the chamber. Moving quickly, Elizabeth charges Paige, raking him across the back with her nails, distracting Paige long enough for Kimberly to be shoved into him and for Savage to jump him. It's bedlam on the floor with 4 bodies in the mix, with Paige finding himself being driven into the steel barricade by Savage. Groggy, Paige leans on the rail, with Savage ascending to the top rope! From miles above, Savage soars. In reality, he just kinda falls from the top, landing a double axe handle across the back of Paige. Regardless of how gravity overtook Savage, that had to hurt.
 |
| Straight from the Kingdom of the Madness! WCW |
Tossing DDP into the steps, Savage finds himself getting into a groove, stalking a wounded Paige around ringside. Into the next set of steps goes Paige, with Savage following him with no real urgency. Back inside the ring, Savage covers Paige with his feet on the middle rope for a tight two. Y'kn ow, you don't see the "feet on the ropes for extra leverage" think a lot anymore. At least, I can't recall that happening in the... 825 matches I've watched this year... man, I really need therapy.
Anywho, from pinning Paige to stalking Mrs. Paige, Savage jumps to the floor, his eyes locked on Kimberly. His attention shifts quickly, getting in the face of Michael Buffer sat ringside, demanding that he give up his chair for Savage. Not for sitting, of course, don't be silly! For assaulting his adversary! Cracking a Paige on hands and knees across the back, but referee Mark Curtis (Brian Hildebrand) takes the chair from Savage, regretting his decision quickly when Savage gets in his face. I'm not really sure why the referee cares, given that this is a No DQ match, but it's also WCW in the late 90's, nothing really makes sense.
Back to ringside, Savage goes to David Penzer now, slapping the time keeper and stealing his chair now! Tossing the chair inside the ring, only after landing a boot on the head of a downed Penzer, of course. Back inside the ring, Paige grabs the chair and tosses it at Savage, who catches it only to then catch Paige shoving the chair into his face to drop him to the canvas! Again, the ref gets rid of the chair and begins counting both men out, with Savage springing to his feet and Paige pulling himself up in the corner. Paige swings wildly as Savage approaches, but he ducks the shot and goes for the body, landing quick jabs on Paige in the corner.
 |
| Pummelling him! WCW |
Choking Paige against the top corner pad, Paige fights back with a thumb to the eye, turning Savage around and holding him against the corner now, laying heavy right hands into him over and over again. Shooting Savage off the ropes, Dallas gets reversed and sent across the ring instead. He ducks a clothesline and stops dead, perhaps looking for the Diamond Cutter, only to turn around into a lethal lariat from Savage, taking him off his feet! He rolls Paige over for a cover, but he survives at two.
Choking him on the top rope now, Savage stalks Dallas around the ring, catching a boot attempt and spinning the leg of Dallas to line up some sort of counter, but Paige is able to turn it into a discus lariat instead! With both men down again, they slowly stir on the canvas, able to make it to their knees. Savage is the first to lash out, landing a stiff right to the head of DDP, knocking him back down again. A triplet of bodyslams drill him into the canvas, with Savage going back to the floor for more plunder, or maybe just to toss David Penzer again. Regardless, he snatches the ring bell and begins to climb to the top, only for Kimberly to intercept! She snatches the bell from his hands, but Savage continues to climb, undeterred.
 |
| Not cleared for takeoff! WCW |
Standing high above, Savage points across the ring at Kimberly, clearly mouthing "bitch!" at her from miles away. Soaring off the rope, he goes for his signature elbow drop, but Paige gets both legs up, catching Savage in the chest! Paige struggles to his knees, unable to make it over for a cover, but forces himself to stand, calling for the Diamond Cutter. Spinning Savage around, he hooks the fa- no! Savage continues to twist, hooking Paige's arms for a backslide! They're standing in the middle, Paige's arms hooked by Savage, standing strong in the middle, refusing to go down!
Swinging for the fences, Savage throws his right leg back and catches Diamond in his jewels, dropping him to the canvas. The referee was not in a position to catch sight of this, but it also shouldn't matter, given that this is, again, No DQ. But, again, this is WCW in the late 90's. *shrugs shoulders* Savage goes for a cover, but Paige gets free. Unhappy with another 2 count, Savage gets in the face of the referee and slaps him, pulling him down and in for a stiff piledriver. Disrobing the poor guy, he takes off his belt and whips him across the back before tossing the dead weight out of the ring.
Back to the top rope goes Savage, soaring with his signature elbow drop and connecting flush with Paige's chest. He lays across him for a cover but, oh! Well, would you imagine that! The ref is dead! How did that happen?! Savage signals to the back, calling for the nWo's referee, Nick Patrick. Not only had the nWo convinced wrestlers and management to join their ranks, they also had their own personal referee! Admittedly, it's probably the worst referee they could have recruited, but they had someone in their pocket at least!
Patrick jogs his way down to the ring, overseeing the end of the match. Savage goes to bodyslam Paige and set him up for another elbow drop, but Paige slips over and through the bodyslam attempt, pulling Savage down for the Diamond Cutter! He got 'em! Slow to recover, he is able to pull Savage around to his back and cover him, with Patrick... counting the three? Oh! Well, that's interesting! DDP wins!
 |
| Shoulders back! Chest out! WCW |
Match Time: 15:38
I enjoyed this match! I won't say it was anything spectacular as I felt there were a few things that held it back from being a real 4 star, great match, but it has the skeleton of something that could be really great! Could have trimmed some fat and worked on a few spots to make them more robust to really pull this match up a few levels. Like, as an example, Mark Curtis insisting on Savage not using the chair, in a No DQ match. I get that it was to sow seeds of Savage getting fed up with the official, but he did that plenty by not counting three for him, that's easy "heat" right there. But given who was in the ring, this match was more than passable for both men. Enjoyable, not a chore to watch, and plenty of engaging moments, just could have been improved in a few areas.
• • • • •
Until next week. Be well, stay safe, and love one another.
cliffmorganwstl@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment