WCW Halloween Havoc Flashback Report - 15 years ago
October 29, 1995
Top Ten Things To Know!

(1) Context: Hulk Hogan was set to take time off after a teased heel turn, which would be saved for nine months later in July 1996 to start the NWO.

(2) Main Event: The Giant (Big Show) beat Hulk Hogan via DQ after the Monster Truck Challenge.

(3) PPV Most Remembered For: Hogan "throwing" The Giant off the roof of Cobo Hall after their Monster Truck Challenge.

(4) Traditional WCW Halloween Gimmick: The Yeti.

(5) Best Match: Johnny B. Badd pinned Diamond Dallas Page at 17:08 to capture the WCW TV Title. (***)

(6) Rough Night For Wrestling: Orndorff vs. Renegade (1/4*), Kurosawa vs. Hawk (1/2*), Randy Savage vs. Zodiac (1/2*), Lex Luger vs. Meng (1/4*), Luger vs. Savage semi-main event (*).

(7) When You Think WCW 1995, You Think: Lex Luger vs. Meng of Dungeon of Doom.

(8) Classic Four Horsemen Storyline: Ric Flair turned on Sting to rejoin Arn Anderson and Brian Pillman in the Four Horsemen.

(9) Anyone Currently In WWE: The Giant (Big Show), William Regal, Dean Malenko (agent), V.K. Wallstreet (Mike Rotunda, agent), Arn Anderson (agent).

(10) Anyone Currently In TNA: Hulk Hogan, Sting, Ric Flair, Sabu, Eric Bischoff, Jimmy Hart.

WCW HALOWEEN HAVOC '95
October 29, 1995
Detroit, Mich. - Joe Louis Arena
Report by Wade Keller, PWTorch editor

WCW LIVE MAIN EVENT

(A) Eddie Guerrero pinned Disco Inferno at 3:10. Guerrero hit a dropkick off the second rope to the floor and dominated offense early. He even mocked Inferno's dancing. Inferno though took over and choked Guerrero against the ropes. Guerrero put him away with a top rope frankensteiner. Too short to be very good. (*3/4)

Gene Okerlund was on the roof of Cobo Hall and showed the Giant driving around in his truck, but said there wasn't any sign of Hogan yet. They then recapped the Giant-Hogan feud. Okerlund was wearing a racing jacket.

(B) Paul Orndorff pinned The Renegade (mgd. by Jimmy Hart) at 11:89. Orndorff pouted on his way to the ring because his mirror broke a couple weeks earlier. Orndorff piledrove Renegade twice before pinning him. (1/4*)

(C) Chris Benoit & Dean Malenko beat The Blue Bloods (Steven Regal & Bobby Eaton) when Benoit pinned Regal at 8:51. A good match, but Regal didn't work as well as you'd expect with Malenko and Benoit. A couple of moves didn't come as planned, including an attempted superbomb by Benoit and Malenko. Malenko showed some great moves during the bout. Benoit tombstoned a flailing Regal, hit a top rope headbutt, and covered him but Eaton stopped the count. Benoit then gave Regal a top rope double underhook suplex. In the end, Malenko dropkicked Regal as Benoit had Regal in a full-nelson, so Benoit bridged into a German suplex for the pin. (**1/4)

(D) Craig Pittman pinned V.K. Wallstreet. Big Bubba interfered. While the referee was getting Bubba out of the ring, Hacksaw Duggan hit Wallstreet with a taped fist and knocked him out so Pittman scored the easy pin. (1/2*)

Okerlund was shown on the roof again as Hogan's monster truck showed up on the scene.

HALLOWEEN HAVOC PPV

Tony Schiavone & Bobby Heenan introduced the program. They announced that Brian Pillman & Arn Anderson attacked Ric Flair before the card and Flair's status was up in the air.

(1) Johnny B. Badd pinned Diamond Dallas Page at 17:08 to capture the WCW TV Title. They opened with high-intensity brawling. They brawled outside the ring and eventually made it back into the ring at 1:30. Badd went to an armbar for a minute. Page took over after a face-first drop of Badd onto the top turnbuckle. Page was cut above his eye. Max Muscle distracted the referee and Page choked Badd over the ropes. Page then went to a chinlock. Badd backsuplexed Page to take the advantage and hit two atomic drops followed by a left hook. He then hit a flying headscissors and top rope forearm at 13:42. Diamond Doll held up a sign giving Badd a "10" score for his moves. Badd then hit a powerbomb and scored a two count. Page began a comeback briefly, but Badd headscissored him over the top rope at 15:30. Badd then flipped over the top rope and landed on both Page and Muscle. As Muscle held Badd, Page went to hit him. Badd ducked and Page accidentally hit Muscle. Badd then rolled up Page for a very near fall at 16:29. Nice false finish. Then Muscle's inference backfired again when he double axe handled Page and Badd scored the pin. Good opener, although could have been a bit tighter with a slow part in the middle. (***)

(2) Randy Savage pinned Zodiac at 2:00. The highlight was a fan jumping in the ring in the opening seconds. While referee Randy Anderson heroically tackled the fan and held him, Savage and Zodiac left the ring and brawled at ringside. Savage quickly put away Zodiac with a top rope elbow. (1/4*)

Okerlund plugged that Jimmy Hart has been talking with a guy he used to manage and that there was a hot rumor about that on the 900 line. Okerlund said it, so surely it's either sleazy or inaccurate. Okerlund interviewed Badd who seemed genuinely excited about his TV Title win.

(3) Kurosawa pinned Hawk at 3:22. Hawk attacked Kurosawa at the bell and executed a neckbreaker at 0:20. Hawk then clotheslined Kurosawa over the top rope and then clotheslined Parker. Inside the ring, Kurosawa power backdropped Hawk and then seconds later covered Hawk for an upset pinfall win. Kurosawa did have his feet on the ropes, but it didn't appear to provide any real leverage. (1/2*)

Okerlund interviewed Savage. Savage made some crack about Okerlund's mustache being crooked, so Okerlund came back saying Savage's beard isn't so straight. Savage didn't seem to take the comment too well, then continued his intense interview saying that Hogan drew the line in the sand and he is just following up.

(4) Sabu (mgd. by The Sheik) pinned Mr. J.L. at 3:19. Sabu attacked J.L. at the bell and it was non-stop, no-transition action from then on. Sabu springboarded onto J.L. at ringside. knocking the Sheik over in the process (thus protecting Sheik's pride and creating an excuse for his limping at ringside). Sabu missed a dive, and J.L. hit a moonsault bodyblock and then a tiger driver. J.L. dropkicked Sabu off the ropes to the floor in one of the nicer moves of the match. Sabu, though, scored the pin. Sheik threw a fireball at J.L. although the camera missed the fireball making contact. A highspot clinic. (**1/2)

A "Dungeon of Doom" segment aired which was full of the usual numbing, ineffective mumbo jumbo. More talk about the Yeti.

A backstage interview aired with Hulk Hogan presenting the keys to a new Harley Davidson to the winner of the contest in a segment that went on too long.

A promo aired for WCW's November pay-per-view.

(5) Lex Luger defeated Meng (w/Kevin Sullivan) via DQ at 12:47 when Sullivan interfered. The first sign that Lex Luger might be turning was when Bobby Heenan on commentary said that the Dungeon of Doom never attacked Luger before, even though they had. Either Heenan was behind on the storyline or WCW was rewriting history to try to get the last second decision to turn Luger to make sense. The match itself wasn't good. Meng hit a piledriver at 6:38 for a two count after mostly mediocre at best action. The match dragged on another five minutes. Luger suplexed Meng into the ring at 11:33 followed by a backdrop by Luger and two clotheslines. The crowd was faintly interested in the action. Sullivan interfered in the end for the DQ. (1/4*)

(6) Sting & Ric Flair fought Brian Pillman & Arn Anderson to a no-contest at 17:00. Sting came to the ring without Flair because Flair was claiming to have been attacked by Pillman and Anderson earlier. Sting held his own, but was mainly on the defense without Flair. At 6:25 Flair came to ringside in street clothes with a taped up forehead. The fans went nuts for Flair as he ripped off his shirt. Flair played off the fans as they chanted "We Want Flair," a visual display worth a thousand words why Flair would probably be more effective as a babyface (especially because fans are going to cheer him anyway). Flair strutted on the ring apron several times, including an especially hyper active, high-speed strut. Sting reached to tag Flair, and Flair reached out to receive the tag several times. Flair chased Pillman at ringside while Anderson locked on an abdominal stretch at 10:20. At 12:40 Flair charged in the ring, but didn't officially tag and the ref returned him to his corner. At 14:00 Pillman cupped his ear and the fans booed. While in a leglock, Sting screamed for Flair. Flair said, "I'm right here." At 16:00 Sting made a comeback, rammed Pillman & Anderson together, and hot-tagged Flair. Flair looked to the fans, then bounced off the ropes and at the last possible second diverted his course and nailed Sting. After a minority pop from the Flair fans, the majority began to boo. A three on one attack followed. Flair ripped the tape off of his forehead revealing no cuts underneath. Sting appeared to be bleeding from the mouth. Entertaining. (**)

After the match, Okerlund interviewed Anderson, Flair, and Pillman. Okerlund seemed to be unable to control his rage. The video wall served as a backdrop to the interview as Sting was shown slowly getting to his feet. Anderson told called the fans "bloodthirsty" and said they wanted it, so now they have to deal with it.

Mike Tenay interviewed Lex Luger regarding his match against Savage. He told Savage, "It's the big boys getting it on and I'm gonna be all over you." Luger called Savage "Hogan's pal."

The monster truck roof challenge then took place (see "Headline Analysis," cover).

(7) Lex Luger pinned Randy Savage at 5:34. Jimmy Hart came to ringside for no apparent reason. Luger was more aggressive than usual in going after Savage. The announcers were preoccupied with the status of the Giant during the match. In the end, Jimmy Hart got on the ring apron and talked to the ref and Savage swung Luger toward the referee. The referee moved and Luger ran into Hart. Savage then climbed to the top rope and hit an elbow drop and scored the pin. (*)

(8) The Giant (mgd. by Kevin Sullivan) defeated Hulk Hogan (mgd. by Jimmy Hart) via DQ at 17:20 when Hart interfered. Hogan was dressed in black. After eight minutes of entirely acceptable action, Giant went to two successive bearhugs to slow the pace. Hogan made a comeback and had the Giant pinned before Hart interfered for the DQ (see "Headline Analysis," cover). (**)

***

PWTorch Newsletter Cover Story
-"Giant survives five story fall!" says Globe
-WCW's storylines perhaps strive to make tabloids with silly five story fall off roof
By Wade Keller, Torch editor

Who is the real immortal? Hulk Hogan or the Giant? Well, Hogan's beat up a lot of bad guys, but The Still Nameless Giant fell five stories off a building and survived - or says WCW's storylines.

Sunday night, Oct. 29 at Halloween Havoc, WCW pulled off their latest promotional technique meant to attract viewers to what has become a glut of pay-per-view options - a monster truck challenge match on the roof of a five story building.

WCW played up the monster truck match as being death defying (as opposed to "exciting," which was too far-fetched even for Gene "This Beach is Sold Out!" Okerlund). Thanks to trick camera work, it appeared Hulk Hogan and The Giant were actually in the two trucks maneuvering around the roof trying to shove each other outside of the circle, and as Eric Bischoff stressed, "maybe off the roof!" They locked the front bumpers of two trucks and showed footage of them shoving each other forward and backward, forward and backward. Finally Hogan's truck pushed the Giant's outside of the circle, and boy were Hulkamaniacs across the country ever brimming pride.

Hulk can drive a truck better than the Giant! Yipee! All in the world was good that night.

But the Giant didn't take his loss so well. In fact, he got out of the truck and yelled at Hogan. Hogan, being the sportsman that he is, walked away from the unsportsmanlike challenge... oh, wait. No, actually Hogan attacked the Giant, fighting to the ledge of the five story roof. Hogan inadvertently knocked the Giant off balance and the Giant flailed his arms and fell backward "five stories to the ground below." Hogan, rather than celebrate the demise of the man who tried on several occasions to literally twist his head off his body, looked over the ledge and acted as if a loved one had just fallen. He cried for help and ran from the scene.

Back in the arena Eric Bischoff, Bobby Heenan, and monster truck expert Bob Chandler discussed the tragedy. Chandler stoically, just as he had rehearsed earlier, obediently said, "That wasn't supposed to happen that way," as if to say (wink, wink) everything else is planned ahead. Heenan asked Bischoff if the Giant fell into the river or onto the street. Bischoff snapped back rather rudely, "River, street, it was five stories, what does it matter?!"

Sorry for asking, Eric.

Tony Schiavone then stepped in as Bischoff decided it would make sense to check out the situation himself because assuredly there would be a body to identify below or a river to search (ignoring the fact that the river is a good distance from the rooftop they were fighting on). Schiavone then came out and, as is par for the course for him and his inability to feign realism at anything WCW does (and can you blame him?), ended up moving the discussion from, "Is the Giant splatted dead on the street or drowning in the river?" to "Fans, we don't even know if Giant will wrestle for the main event," or something like that. Hey, Tony, the Giant's dead! Of course he won't wrestle. Well, unless you know something we don't know. And apparently he did.

Anyway, if you were willing to suspend your disbelief, increase your tolerance for really bad acting, and lose your preoccupation with the absurdity of the entire incident, it was actually quite entertaining to try to guess what would happen next.

Would the Dungeon of Doom produce The Nameless Giant's twin brother, who is even bigger and badder than the splatted one? Would the Giant disappear into the river, only to return two weeks later after being saved by a friendly fisherman and be mad that the Dungeon of Doom didn't bother to search for his body and thus turn babyface? Would there be a trial where Hogan would be declared innocent of the crime because the camera man who filmed the fall off the roof was a heel fan? Would the Giant have landed in a garbage truck and thus survived (hey, it happens all the time in the movies) but be too injured to compete so Lex Luger or Randy Savage would take his place and Hogan would wrestle as a heel and lose the title to one of them?

Despite the absurdity of the angle, speculating during the subsequent Lex Luger vs. Randy Savage match was quite fun.

But then, after Savage and Luger wrestled, it was time for Hogan's match against the Giant. Hogan came to the ring, reiterated that what happened wasn't planned, and said it was a terrible accident. Then all of a sudden the Giant's music played and The Giant (it's a miracle!) came out of the dressing room area with Kevin Sullivan. Not a scratch, dent, or cut on him. He wasn't even wet. Nothing. Perfect shape.

He came to the ring. The announcers sort of asked how that was possible and then moved to a description of the match without any explanation for what happened.

The Giant wrestled Hogan and did a remarkably good job for his first match (which shows George Burns might have the athleticism to wrestle Hogan's style of match). It was a typical shameless match ruined by Hogan's ego (or, conversely, his selfless dedication to leaving his fans happy) as in one fell swoop Hogan showed he could dispose of the Giant in a fair match, thus showing there is no need to wrestle any further matches. Hogan kicked out of Giant's chokeslam, made a superman comeback, gave Giant a boot to the face, legdropped him and went for the cover.

It would have been an apparent easy three count, par for the course, except Jimmy Hart would have none of it. As the referee moved to make the three count, Hart tripped him. Hogan got up, asked Hart what happened, and Hart said it must have been the wind or something. Hart then entered the ring holding the WCW Title belt and rammed Hogan in the back with it. Hogan, virtually unscathed, turned around. Hart denied doing it, but Hogan knew better. Hogan asked Hart why, but before he knew it, the Giant was up again and beating on Hogan.

Lex Luger and Randy Savage ran to the ring to make the save, but Luger surprised both Hogan and Savage by attacking them, putting them both in successive torture racks. The Giant put Hogan in a bearhug. Yeti then came to the ring wrapped up like a Mummy and joined in the bearhug, wrapping his arms around Hogan from behind and began to, well, satisfy his mummy desires or something.

Anyway, the announcer said The Giant was the winner by DQ at 17:20 because Hogan's manager, Jimmy Hart, interfered in the match. The Giant took the title belt and proclaimed himself new champion. Hulk Hogan struggled to his feet as the pay-per-view went off the air.

Afterward, WCW wrestlers and officials, many of them still getting over their pre-event celebration party on Saturday night, celebrated once again a job well done Sunday night.

The next night on the live Monday Nitro they failed to deliver on their promise at the end of Halloween Havoc to deliver answers to all of the lingering questions regarding the events on the pay-per-view. In fact, The Giant's fall off the five story building not only wasn't explained, it wasn't even acknowledged. Instead, they spent the hour teasing that they would have footage of the incident. In truth, it seemed as if they needed a week to come up with explanations for what, at least in retrospect, was a mess of a show in terms of storylines.

***

Keller's BBL Analysis
-Hulk Hogan achieves his goals and leaves WCW with a mess that they can't even explain

If you were looking for closure to feuds, you didn't find that at Halloween Havoc. It wasn't a good pay-per-view on many standards, but it was strong in at least one area - a lot happened. That said, nothing happened that took guts. No chances were taken in terms of angles or turns that might have really had major impact.

Until the night of the pay-per-view, no one knew for sure what Hulk Hogan was going to decide to do in the main event. Hogan has total autonomy over what happens in all booking matters that relate to him. He had batted around several ideas, and finally settled for the least compelling turn possible - Lex Luger - and a slightly more compelling turn - Jimmy Hart. He definitely backed down from his heel turn, a direction everyone in WCW were under the impression he was heading in, but that door is still open upon his return next year.

Hogan had three problems to deal with: (1) He needed to come through with a full-fledged turn of somebody so that Havoc had some major angle that gave fans their money's worth - but would that turn be Lex Luger, Randy Savage, or (gasp!) himself? (2) He was taking three months off from wrestling (with the possible exception of some taped interviews) and wanted to keep the WCW title belt active in the mean time; and (3) He needed to give Jimmy Hart something to do while he was gone.

He solved those three problems and thus in his mind devised and carried out a successful plan. He turned Lex Luger, finally taking a major step in what had otherwise been an ambiguous situation with Sting, Luger, Savage, and Hogan. He had the Giant steal the actual title belt without winning it, thus enabling the belt to be on television while Hogan is out of action. And he turned Jimmy Hart heel and put him with Luger.

Hogan is happy, but he's left WCW with a mess to deal with.

WCW was enormously happy on a whole with Halloween Havoc. Everything (except the Yeti's embarrassing dog-like mounting of Hogan) came off smoothly, especially Jimmy Hart's turn. But as the high from the actual three hour event wore off, WCW was left with problems to deal with...

-How to explain how the Giant survived a fall off a five story building (he actually only fell ten feet down to the next level of the roof and landed on a large airbag) and came back minutes later to wrestle. If they're going to claim he survived a fall into the river, then Giant should have been wet. The next day on Nitro they didn't bother to try to explain this, ignoring it instead.

-How to explain why Jimmy Hart abandoned Hogan after never showing any hints of a turn.

-How to explain away Hogan's absence from upcoming pay-per-views and overall title rematch picture.

-How to explain why Hogan was wearing paint on his forehead exactly like Kevin Sullivan, thus at the time hinting he was actually being controlled by Sullivan or turning heel.

-How to explain the alliance between Jimmy Hart, Lex Luger, and the Dungeon of Doom.

-How to explain how Sting is still considered a babyface after he spent several weeks assuring Hogan and Savage that Luger was trustworthy.

-How to explain what Luger's motivation was for turning (again) when he's now playing second fiddle to the Giant who has the actual title belt.

As a result of everything that was planned changing drastically between Friday and Sunday, now a lot of pre-taped television needs to be re-worked and re-formatted. Ten days of WCW WorldWide tapings at Disney begins on Thursday and now the booking crew has to spend all day Wednesday starting from scratch with all of their plans, mainly figuring out how to incorporate the Giant's holding the title for three months without being champion.

Yeah, but all the above doesn't matter to Hogan. He's just doing what he thinks is best... for him. But WCW can't be upset. They gave Hogan that power, now they have to deal with it.

[Torch art credit Grant Gould (c) PWTorch.com]

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