SirSmellingtonofCascadia

Show #24 - 12th February 1996 "The one with that big, stinky Giant Lochness" SuperBrawl was alright, though the double main event was uneven. Savage/Flair was solid and had the Miss Elizabeth turn, which was pretty well executed (particularly with the interference fakeout from Woman and her packet of powder before Elizabeth and Liz's high heel (2-0) put an end to the proceedings). Unfortunately, Hogan/Giant wasn't great, and not because of LE GEANT~. The undercard was uneven as well; WCW still hasn't figured out how to book that undercard in a way that gets the crowd hyped, but they will soon. We're in Hulk Hogan's backyard of Tampa, which has a downtown that Bischoff describes as "beautiful," ahahahaha, I see we got jokes tonight, Bisch. George Steinbrenner is here and has something to do with using the State Fairgrounds in Tampa for the show or something, I guess, sure, lt's get Steinbrenner on here. I'd prefer Larry-David-as-Steinbrenner to actual Steinbrenner, but I'll take what I can get. Anyway, stills from SuperBrawl are up first. After that, we have our first match: Hugh Morrus, the Laughing Man wanders out to the ring verrrrrrry slowly to face off with Randy Savage. This match is indicative of Savage TV matches against midcarders at this point, and in a case like Hugh Morrus or other midcarders that he faces (Kurosawa, Scott Norton), it's really helpful to the midcarder, who gets to do all of their cool offense and look beastly while Savage sells beautifully from underneath. Anyway, Savage comes out looking shook and maybe a bit nutty. Savage comes out swinging, but he's still selling his hurt arm from weeks ago and the cumulative beatings he's been taking and Morrus struggles his way on top soon enough. Morrus needs to use this control to do more cool shit, tbh, like a lot of other guys did in this spot. Anyway, there's a bit of back and forth after Morrus's control segment, but a Morrus whiff on a No Laughing Matter leads to a Savage flying elbowsmash. Savage is so heated, though, that he's more about punishment than getting three, and he hits another one before taking the victory. He thinks about hitting another one, but Morrus wisely bails. Savage then gets on the mic and calls out Flair. This dude is mad over with the Tampa crowd, and he deserves to be. Watching Savage in 1996 I think makes me feel like he doesn't get enough credit in general. I feel like Savage with the tassels and cowboy hat was the point at which people generally argue that he fell off, but he's so good at filling this role here as a fighting veteran babyface who gets guys over as dangerous while still finding ways to win, and it's 1996. I get that maybe his career is sullied by 1999 valet-punching, super-roided, immobile Savage, which, look, it was patently awful and I can't defend it. But he was so good in so many roles and situations before then. He's got to be one of the tippy-top best wrestlers ever, at least in Canada/the United States. I can't imagine that anyone could legitimately leave him off a top-25 list, and I genuinely would look at someone who leaves him off their top ten a bit funny. Motorsports shit yawn zzzzzzzzz snore. Scotty Riggs is here to face get beaten up by Giant "Lochness Monster" Haystacks. Heenan refers to Lochness's distinctive aroma, which was confirmed as TRUE in Bret Hart's book. You know, I enjoy watching UK wrestling, but I really haven't seen him work in the UK. Like, most of what I know of his work is here, and he was only around for a short time before going back home. Did he have a cancer diagnosis while in the U.S. or shortly after he left? Anyway, Riggs throws the arsenal at Haystacks, who wobbles and then drops Riggs on what is supposed to be a catch and powerslam. Two elbowdrops later, and it's over. Man, it's painful watching Haystacks move and get up from the mat to some degree. The Hogan/Haystacks match that was teased and that never happened would have been a mess. Woman and Liz are here to talk to Gene Okerlund. Flair's there, too, in a suit on a gurney, but let's circle back: Liz has gone full slutty MILF, and it is glorious. Look, hey, some things that you first experienced from your teenage days are impactful with you forever. I'm gonna settle down, Smellynetico and all that, at least somewhat. Flair rants, but honestly, I wasn't really paying attention to what he was saying. Elizabeth talks, and honestly, I get her point. Flair lets her talk and shit and doesn't cut her off and she can express herself. That's why she left. Then she botches a bit, but yeah whatever, and Flair is going to step in and speak for her. But she's got this, Flair! God, that's why she left Savage. Don't tell her what she's trying to say! Anyway, Liz recovers. She likes taking Savage's wealth because of the abuse she's suffered, which is so based in reality that is Savage the heel, sort of? It's worth considering! Devon Storm comes out for his Nitro debut, pre-Crowbar of course. He'll face off with Konnan, the current U.S. Champ. I feel like Storm/Crowbar was pretty fun? I want to see if my memories are based in any truth. He's out here doing dives and using all the available equipment and getting powerbombed on the mat and while the crowd as a whole is slow to get into it, the side of the ring that this happens on is definitely feeling the proceedings. That was pretty fun fast-paced junk wrestling. They get back in the ring and continue to cut a decent pace. I feel like this stuff in 1996 United States should be getting more of a pop? Part of the crowd chants for Konnan, but I expected a bigger reaction. The camera cuts to Steinbrenner in the front row, looking utterly confused at what the shit is happening in front of him. The match meanders a bit after Konnan slows things down with a submission hold on the mat. Bischoff has to apologize for some joking hotline comments about some WWF show losing power, and he does so while speaking in low tones and at the pace of the Micro Machines ad guy. Then he's like, "FUCK YOU, IT'S FUNNY." Meanwhile, Devon Storm's top-rope hurricanrana gets reversed into a powerbomb from the top rope for three. There were enough powerbombs to make that whole match worth the while. Tonight's main event: Arn Anderson versus Hulk Hogan. Arn only comes down with Woman. Brian Pillman has mysteriously fucked off somewhere after respecting the bookerman the previous night at SuperBrawl. Bisch plays that up a bit. Hogan comes out, beats up Arn, does a bunch of back rakes and throat thrusts like he's Hollywood already, and really looks like he's in control of the match. Arn really needs an equalizer. He tries to piledrive Hogan on the mats outside the ring, but nope. That's not the equalizer that Arn is looking for. Meanwhile, Hollywood Hogan chokes Arn with tape while Bobby Heenan points out that Hogan has done whatever he's wanted with no pushback. Is Hogan the heel? Yes. Yes, he is. Arn's still looking for an equalizer as Hogan assaults him. Is raising a boot at a charging Hogan the equalizer? Nope. Steinbrenner enjoys Hogan scraping Arn's eyes with a boot. That seems about right. AXE BOMBAH from Hogan, who is pretty much meeting no resistance from Arn. Arn does get an elbow up on a corner charge. He then tries a high-risk top-rope move. Is that the equal-nope, Hogan immediately cuts him off. Arn does do some work on Hogan's injured eye, though, which his elbow opened up. Still, he needs a true equalizer - wait, whose music is that? It's Liz's high heel! Also, Liz and Flair are escorting it to the ring. Meanwhile, Arn's spinebuster gets two and Hogan's Hulking Up. He's got Arn in the Figure Four, and when Flair jumps in, Hogan pins Flair at the same time that Arn is still in the Figure Four. Woman runs a distraction with a powder attack that actually works. Then, the equalizer: Liz's high heel (3-0) finds a way to intervene and help Arn get the pinfall. What a beast. Liz's high heel (3-0) should be number one contender to Flair's title, or Konnan's, at the very least. Anyway, Hogan sits up like the Undertaker and gets all his heat back, whew, good move there, Hogan. You would have lost way too much shine after *checks notes* visually pinning Flair and submitting Arn and only losing by multi-pronged interference. Flair eats a chair from Savage, who has come to join the party. The crowd is hot for it, though! Flair goes over to the set, takes Bischoff's headset, yells at Mongo, and rants a bunch. It's entertaining. Arn talks about how he beat Hulk Hogan. He claims that he can do it again. Then Hogan ruins that by running over, scattering everyone, and threatening Bobby Heenan. He also yaps Mach's catchphrase once again and says something about Pee-Wee Herman, I think? Man, this dude SUUUUUUUUUCKS. There'll be a rematch next week. Time for Liz's high heel to dominate. Hogan is bad. Everything else is pretty good! This show needed more Sting, but it still gets 3.75 Stinger Splashes out of 5.

I am probably reasonably informed about the UK for an American, and I know that energy and food prices are so bad that deaths are up and people are worried about what the country will look like next winter if costs don't come down. Wales is not the wealthiest country, either. Those ticket prices are bananas.

How easy is it to get to London from Cardiff or Swansea or anywhere in Wales? They should maybe tour and run a building actually in like Swansea or something (and do a stadium show in London at Craven Cottage if they think they can fill it). How popular is AEW in the UK, anyway?

They seem fairly stable to me, tbh. Long-term TV/streaming deals, the leadership of the company is in no danger of being bought out unless they want to, no hostile takeover bids, etc. It's turmoil for the grunts, but that's how it is everywhere.

Sell it to Disney, Disney merges the whole thing into the MCU. That sounds both terrible and like something that I want to exist, even if I would never actually want to watch it.

Like we get it man, you hate Sasha.

LOL, that company is a company full of marks for themselves, not that I put much stock in anything Meltzer or Alvarez have to say. But even if it is true, those pots can absolutely meet the kettle.

Sure, sure, but I still think modern monetary policy for currencies that are not pegged to gold (there's only like one or two anymore, I think) is based on tangible things - GDP, for example, is actual production of goods and services, which is definitely a thing. When money is "created" out of thin air, it's very broadly based on assumptions about current and future economic production. I don't even think crypto has that going for it.

I think that gold having actual valuable use makes gold-backed paper a little bit different than "the value is in the blockchain, MANNNNNNN" shit like crypto. I'm not saying that paper money is without shadiness, mind you! I do think that crypto is considerably shadier, though.

To me, she clearly has that extra star power. I could see her presenting, doing acting jobs, etc. It might be worthwhile for her to just go do that stuff instead, especially if it turns out that Disney likes her and she can find ways to do work for Disney/ESPN/etc. Save your body, make dollars, and come back to wrestling later if you want to.

Has Sasha done anything other than a bit part on The Mandalorian? There is so much need for content to feed the streaming beast that it's quite reasonable a decent agent could find her consistent work outside of pro wrestling.

Transposition is a hallmark of African-American Vernacular English, dammit! I love how in Futurama, the AAVE pronunciation of the work "ask" became the standard pronunciation for all English speakers (or at least the ones in New New York).

Weird Al has us pedants covered! I'm reading so much out there about the Sasha/Naomi thing, and while none of it is verified yet, the stuff I'm reading has me ready to hate on Bruce Prichard.

Monty Brown also had the bad luck of going to WWE and getting an exceptionally shitty name from the generator. Marcus Cor Von? What the fuck? The "Marcus" part is fine, but it goes rapidly downhill from there.