It’s time for the next WCW Sunday Night RetroView as I continue my stroll through an interesting time of World Championship Wrestling, 1999, and WCW SuperBrawl IX.
Beginning the show is a towel-clad Torrie Wilson in a hotel room speaking to someone about ordering room service. The mysterious person hands her a plane ticket and a ticket to SuperBrawl before the show intro video package begins.
Tony Schiavone welcomes us to the show and immediately talks about how big the World Heavyweight Championship Match between Ric Flair and Hollywood Hulk Hogan is.
Schiavone is joined by Bobby “The Brain” Heenan and Mike Tenay, and they discuss how Flair has a chance to become a 14-time World Champion. Tenay mentions how personal the feud is between Hogan and Flair.
After a highlight video explaining the Tag Team Title Tournament finals, Mean Gene Okerlund plugs the WCW Hotline before we head to the first match.
WCW SuperBrawl IX
Disco Inferno vs. Booker T
![WCW WorldWide — [This Day in WCW History] Booker T. vs Disco...](https://25.media.tumblr.com/a3868b93b400daa098e8f30fbdd6ae7f/tumblr_n1ddqkCC751sg99p0o1_1280.jpg)
Booker T comes out, and you can just tell he is on the cusp of becoming one of WCW’s top singles stars. The crowd reacts big time to Booker T.
Early on, you can really tell that Booker T is on a whole other level than Disco, but to his credit, Disco Inferno gets a lot of jeers and “Disco Sucks” chants.
Disco gets a few offense moves in throughout, including a vicious clothesline that turns Booker T inside out. However, in the end, Booker T is just too good and he finishes off the Wolfpack member with an impressive Harlem Hangover for the win.
Winner – Booker T
WCW SuperBrawl IX
Chris Jericho vs. Perry Saturn
This is a rematch from Souled Out the month prior, where Saturn lost and, per the match stipulation, had to wear a dress.
Sidenote: WCW Jericho coming out to a dubbed over “Break the Walls Down” is still super annoying.
Jericho comes out with Ralphus in a dress and referee Scott Dickinson, who had issues with Saturn before this match.
Before the match starts, Jericho grabs a mic and tells Saturn how ridiculous he looks and that he’s embarrassed for the Jerichoholics having to see a grown man in a dress.
Saturn doesn’t take kindly to Jericho’s words and hits him with a massive clothesline to start the match. This match quickly spills out into the crowd as Saturn delivers a flurry of right hands.
Once they get back to ringside, Jericho steals the momentum by throwing Saturn into the steel guard rail. The momentum for Jericho doesn’t last long; once back in the ring, Saturn continues with the hard-hitting offensive attack.
A slingshot into a cross body over the top rope to ringside by Saturn is a middle-of-the-match highlight. With Jericho down, Saturn brings Ralphus into the ring before ripping the personal security guard’s dress.
Saturn hits a beautiful frog splash before signaling for the Death Valley Driver, but Jericho avoids the maneuver with a quick roll-up. Eventually, Saturn locks in the Rings of Saturn, but Jericho is able to get his legs to the rope in order to break the hold.
Saturn looks to have the match won after he hits the Death Valley Driver, but instead of pinning Jericho, he hits Dickinson with a Death Valley Driver. Pleased with his actions, Saturn walks out of the ring leading to a count-out victory for Jericho.
Winner – Chris Jericho
We cut back to the WCW internet area, where Rey Mysterio Jr and Konnan are talking about Mysterio’s mask being on the line in the upcoming tag match against the Outsiders.
Following the brief interview is a highlight package of the Diamond Dallas Page and Scott Steiner match coming up later on the show.
WCW SuperBrawl IX
WCW Cruiserweight Championship Match
Billy Kidman © vs. Chavo Guerrero Jr.
These two were teammates in the Tag Team Title Tournament, but struggles led to their split. The chemistry between these two, like most of the WCW Cruiserweight division during this time, is apparent early on.
This is a good mixture of high-flying, high-risk maneuvers and hard-hitting fisticuffs. Chavo hits a thrilling suicide dive over the top rope onto the outside midway through the match, impressively landing on his feet.
The pace doesn’t let up throughout this match, with both men hitting counters at the most opportune moments. Chavo tries his best, but nothing he does can keep Kidman down, something Schiavone attributes to Kidman’s tenacity.
The finish comes when Kidman hits the prettiest shooting star press in the game for the one, two, three.
Winner – Billy Kidman
After a highlight video of the upcoming grudge match between Goldberg and Bam Bam Bigelow, we get the two out of three falls match for the vacant WCW Tag Team Championships between Curt Hennig and Barry Windham against Chris Benoit and Dean Malenko.
A match won through nefarious means by Curt Hennig and Barry Windham. Following the tag title match is the highlight package for the upcoming Scott Hall-Roddy Piper United States Championship Match.
WCW SuperBrawl IX
Hair vs. Mask Match
“The Outsiders” Scott Hall & Kevin Nash vs. Rey Mysterio Jr. & Konnan
For this one, Mysterio’s mask is on the line against Elizabeth’s hair. Kevin Nash, Hall, Lex Luger, and Elizabeth come out first to a loud ovation. Mysterio and Konnan come out second and receive an even bigger ovation.
Hall and Mysterio begin the match, complete with Hall taunting Rey for being short before tossing his toothpick into Rey’s face. Of course, Hall uses his size to toss Mysterio around the ring in their couple tie-ups.
Mysterio uses his speed and high-flying moves to get Hall off balance until Hall catches him in midair and hits his patented fallaway slam. Nash gets in and throws Mysterio around some more before tagging Hall back in.
After some more offense from Hall, Mysterio is able to make the hot tag to Konnan after escaping the Outsider’s Edge attempt. Konnan briefly has the momentum before the Outsiders take back control.
Eventually, all four men find themselves in the ring, and Konnan and Mysterio fly around the ring. As per usual with nWo matches, the numbers advantage is too much as Luger and Elizabeth both get involved.
A ref distraction from Elizabeth allows Hall to hit the Outsiders Edge after Mysterio seemingly had Nash defeated. A simple three-count later and Rey Mysterio Jr. has to remove his mask.
Winners – Kevin Nash and Scott Hall
With a stunned crowd watching on, Mysterio rises to his feet and begrudgingly removes his mask per the match stipulation. Thus beginning the weird phase in WCW when Rey Mysterio no longer had his mask.
Nash and Hall acting like Mysterio should be the mask back on because of his looks is hilarious. Then Schiavone ponders how losing the mask will affect Mysterio’s career going forward.
WCW SuperBrawl XI
WCW Television Championship Match
Scott Steiner © vs. Diamond Dallas Page
Steiner, in full Big Poppa Pump mode, enters first. He pulls a scantily clad woman from the audience into the ring with him and proclaims he has the hook-up.
Steiner also tells DDP it’s not his fault that DDP’s wife Kimberly wants him. DDP comes out to a raucous ovation. It’s crazy just how over “People’s Champion” DDP was with the WCW crowd.
Steiner tries to run, but Page follows him to the ringside area, and the brawl is on. Page’s anger and determination helps him control the early portion of the match, and it’s not until Steiner’s BFF Buff Bagwell comes out that the nWo Wolfpack member takes control.
Throughout the match, we get multiple holds from Steiner, along with distraction attacks from Bagwell. Page plays the hero in peril perfectly, and the crowd awaits his comeback.
Unfortunately, this time around, the comeback never accumulates for Page, and he is defeated after Steiner slams him into the exposed turnbuckle four times. Once Steiner locks in the Steiner Recliner, it isn’t long until Page passes out in the hold.
Winner – Scott Steiner
Selling just how vicious the beatdown was, Page is carted off on a gurney. We get a segment with Bam Bam Bigelow in the internet area, and he’s asked about his upcoming grudge match with Goldberg. Bigelow claims he isn’t afraid of Goldberg and will finish him off tonight.
WCW SuperBrawl XI
WCW United States Championship Match
Roddy Piper © vs. Scott Hall
This is the third match in a row that we are getting nWo Wolfpack shenanigans. Disco Inferno, the Wolfpack lackey, comes out before signaling Hall’s arrival. The odd pairing slowly makes their way to the ring.
Then the bagpipes hit, and Roddy Piper, to a boisterous ovation, slowly walks to the ring. Not one to hold many championships in his career, Piper looks great with the US Title around his waist.
Much like the match before, Piper takes control early, hitting Hall with a bevy of right hands and old-school wrestling maneuvers. It’s not until Disco Inferno intervenes that Hall steals the momentum.
This is a pretty slow and clunky match, and Pipe eventually locks in his patented sleeper hold. This brings Disco Inferno to the apron to distract the ref. Meanwhile, Kevin Nash has made his way down and hits Piper allowing Hall to get the rope-assisted victory.
Man, the nWo had really worn out its welcome by this point and time.
Winner – Scott Hall
After the match, Piper begrudgingly relinquishes the US Title before narrowly avoiding a beat-down attempt by the Wolfpack.
WCW SuperBrawl IX
Bam Bam Bigelow vs Goldberg
![Full Match] Goldberg vs. Bam Bam Bigelow - WCW SuperBrawl IX, February 21, 1999 : r/WCW](https://external-preview.redd.it/mjlMxXEMlS_XGvvHTJF7QMJc3-zSpfhF_p-1DomHUmE.jpg?format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c2389d18219b01f22afcf055ec1655d87c3eda3a)
Bigelow enters first, and Schiavone comments about his cockiness being at the highest level at this point. Tenay mentions that Bigelow has had one goal since coming to WCW, destroying Goldberg.
Da Man enters next to a chorus of Goldberg chants. Always the intimidating entrance, Goldberg was something else. Sadly, WCW kind of fumbled everything with him after the streak ended.
The crowd is super into this one, giving it a big fight feel as the two circle the ring before engaging in some face-to-face trash talk. After some early stalemates, Bigelow hits Goldberg with some right hands and a clothesline, in which Goldberg immediately pops up from.
A body slam from the former NFL player sends Bigelow reeling to the outside. Back in the ring, Goldberg continues to shrug off Bigelow’s strikes before hitting him with a power slam followed by an arm bar attempt.
Bigelow finally takes control via nefarious means and works on wearing Goldberg down around the ringside area. As with most Goldberg matches, the brief period he is down at the expense of his opponent eventually ends before he finishes them off with the spear and jackhammer.
Hitting the jackhammer on a guy the size of Bigelow, even in a bit of a struggle, is an impressive feat to earn Goldberg the win.
Winner – Goldberg
WCW SuperBrawl XI
WCW World Heavyweight Championship Match
Hollywood Hulk Hogan © vs. Ric Flair
As per usual, Michael Buffer rings in the main event only like he can. It always gives the WCW main event a little more gusto when Buffer announces the competitors.
Hogan enters first to the Wolfpack music clad in red and black, which is beyond weird at this point. Also, I thought it was so cool when the nWo spray painted the World Title with the black nWo letters; red letters on the big gold belt, not so much.
Flair enters to his usual pomp and circumstance, complete with a beautiful silver and black robe. Hogan immediately leaves the ring when Flair enters. Interesting dynamic seeing these two in reversed roles of who the guy is and who the bad guy is.
This is like an old dance between these two legends. Hogan plays up his power and strength, while Flair is wily as ever. Early on, Hogan takes to fight to Flair, but it’s not long until the Dirtiest Player in the Game takes control.
From here, it’s your usual Hollywood Hogan match. Lots of rest holds, some brawling outside, and Hogan doing everything in his power to be the bad guy.
As expected, a couple of chair shots bust Flair open, and the Nature Boy bleeds like only he can. Late in the match, Hogan breaks out the weight belt and whips Flair with it, which enrages the 13-time World Champion (at the time).
The Flair comeback is fantastic, as he does it while wearing a crimson mask. He pays Hogan back by using his own weight belt against him, which gets a solid reaction from the crowd. Hogan comes out of this assault, bleeding just as much as Flair.
Torrie Wilson, who Schiavone mentions, is the unknown woman that has been on Thunder and Nitro recently. She slaps Flair after he taunts her on the ring apron. Flair continues his assault until Hogan inadvertently takes out the ref.
With the ref down, Hogan hits the big boot but misses on the leg drop attempt. From her, a masked man in a black leather coat makes his way ringside. Heenan thinks it’s Eric Bischoff.
The masked man enters the ring and pokes Flair with a stun gun, allowing Hogan to get the slow three count for the win.
Winner – Hollywood Hogan
After the match, the masked man enters the ring with Hogan and Torrie Wilson and removes his mask, revealing the newest and probably most lackluster member of the nWo, Ric Flair’s own son, David.
Talk about ending the show with a whimper and not a bang.
Not a terrible show by any means, but SuperBrawl XI once again showed that the nWo expiration date had passed long ago.
