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JULY 17 IN HISTORY: Hulk Hogan makes his WCW debut 20 years ago, defeats Ric Flair in WCW Title "dream match"

Jul 17, 2014 - 12:54:40 AM
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This Day In Wrestling History - July 17

Date: July 17, 1994 (20 years ago)

Feature: Hulk Hogan made his in-ring debut for WCW and won the WCW Title from Ric Flair at the Bash at the Beach PPV...

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WCW Bash at the Beach PPV
When: July 17, 1994
Where: Orlando, Fla. - Orlando Arena
What: WCW's fourth pay-per-view of 1994
Est. Attendance: 15,000 (near full house)
Report by Wade Keller, PWTorch editor


It was the dream match of the decade - Hulk Hogan vs. Ric Flair - and some would argue it took place a decade too late. That notwithstanding, a near packed Orlando Arena cheered and booed every move in the main event of WCW's "Bash at the Beach" pay-per-view event.

In the end, Hogan pinned Flair as expected and became the WCW Heavyweight Champion for the first time. The scene was almost a flash back to Hogan's days in the WWF, paralleling some of the WWF's major events on pay-per-view and NBC. In fact, looking back to Feb. 23, 1990 when the WWF aired a live one-hour Main Event special on NBC, the parallels to this show are astounding.

Sunday, Ric Flair played Randy Savage's loud-mouthed, popular heel role; both were managed by Sensational Sherri. A smaller, aging Hogan replaced a roided-up, younger Hogan. NBA star Shaquelle O'Neal replaced then-boxing champion Buster Douglas. A full-looking Orlando Arena replaced Joe Lewis Arena.

It was almost like WCW stole the WWF's Feb. 23, 1990 script. In 1990, Gene Okerlund held the mic for Savage and Sherri. Sunday, he held the mic for Flair and Sherri. In 1990, before the match, Buster Douglas held the title belt high in the air. Sunday, O'Neal held the title belt high in the air. In 1990, Sherri took one bump after another. Sunday, she did the same. In 1990, Douglas chased Sherri back to the locker room for interfering in the match. Sunday, Mr. T carried Sherri to the locker room for interfering. The script of each match had many similarities and in the end, as in most Hogan matches, Hogan mounted a superman comeback, gave Flair the big boot to the face and a legdrop for the three count.

What set this match apart from the match against Savage in 1990 and many of his other matches was the anticipation many fans felt in seeing the two top drawing cards of the 1980s and two competing world champions finally square off on national television. What also set this match apart was its length - almost 20 minutes.

While WCW was elated with the enthusiasm of the fans and the pretty television pictures the post-match celebration created, they were even more happy when early buyrate estimated came in around a 1.0, considered on the high-end of likely scenarios. Originally, Hogan and Flair hoped for a higher buyrate than 1.0, but recently everyone came to accept a 1.0 figure a success.

The Bash's undercard was largely uneventful, perhaps by design, as to save the fans's energy for Hogan.

MATCH-BY-MATCH METANALYSIS

After introductions and a replay of the Hogan-Flair-Sherri angle from July 9, the event began. Tony Schiavone and Bobby Heenan called most of the event. Jesse Ventura replaced Heenan for matches two and three.

(1) Lord Steven Regal (mgd. by Sir William) defeated Johnny B. Badd at 10:47. After various lock ups and brief mathold exchanges, Regal retreated. At 9:30, after more inconsequential exchanges, Badd went on an offensive flurry, so Regal escaped to ringside. Badd hit Regal with a top rope crossbody block. Badd sunset flipped Regal on his way into the ring, but Regal held onto William's umbrella. Referee Nick Patrik kicked Regal's hands off of the umbrella and Badd rolled through for a two count. Regal then reversed the roll-up for the three count. After the match. Badd stomped on William's hat. (**)

Gene Okerlund introduced New Japan's Antonio Inoki and awarded him a plaque and talked about Inoki's character as a man, mentioning he was a member of Japan's Diet. Regal interrupted and protested the attention Inoki was receiving because he was a member of England's Parliament. Inoki chased Regal out of the ring setting up their match at the Clash.

(2) Vader (mgd. by Harley Race) defeated The Guardian Angel by DQ at 8:05. After solid back-and-forth action, Vader attempted a second rope sunset flip on Angel, only to have Angel sit on Vader for a two count. Angel then played to the crowd, as he did often throughout the match. A few minutes later, Vader gorilla splashed Angel to set up a top rope moonsault. Vader landed on Angel, but appeared to be as hurt as Angel as a result. Race climbed to the top rope but was press slammed by Angel. Angel then clotheslined Vader over the top rope and threw Race through the ropes. Angel slid out of the ring and hit Vader and Race and returned to the ring. He then suplexed Vader into the ring. Angel charged Vader, who backed into the referee. Race gave Vader a cane, but Angel stole it and played to the crowd. A revived referee saw Angel with the cane and called for the DQ. (**3/4)

WCW announcer Chris Cruise and WCW hotline host Mike Tenay crossed paths with Terry Funk in the locker room area. A recap of the Funk & Bunkhouse Buck vs. Dustin Rhodes feud aired.

(3) Bunkhouse Buck & Terry Funk (mgd. by Col. Robert Parker) defeated Dustin Rhodes & Arn Anderson at 11:33 when Anderson turned heel on Rhodes. Anderson began the match, but before the lock-up, tagged out to Rhodes after Buck challenged Rhodes. Funk then tagged in and took some good bumps. At 4:30, Funk rammed Rhodes into the railing and Arn showed up late to make the save. At 9:30, Rhodes made a comeback and backdropped both heels and rammed their heads together. After a bionic elbow to Funk, Rhodes hit Parker. Rhodes tagged in Anderson, who immediately turned and DDT'd Rhodes. Funk covered Rhodes for the three count. The camera cut away from Anderson's DDT just as he executed it to show Meng moving toward the ring apron. It wasn't until replay that viewers saw what Anderson did. After the match, Okerlund interviewed Anderson briefly.

Schiavone & Heenan talked with Hank Aaron.

(4) Steve Austin defeated Rick Steamboat to retain the U.S. Heavyweight Title at 20:06. This was a pure wrestling match without any of the theatrics that dominated the main event. Both wrestlers were never spectacular, but solid throughout in an entertaining match. At 18:19, Austin backdropped Steamboat over the top rope, but Steamboat slid back in and rolled up Austin for a two count. He then attempted another roll-up and a bridge-flip for successive two counts. In the highlight of the match, Steamboat rebounded out of the corner and attempted a tombstone piledriver, but Austin reversed, then Steamboat, then Austin, and then Steamboat finally executed it. Austin shoved the referee as Steamboat came off the top rope. The referee was going to DQ Austin, but Steamboat begged the referee not to. The referee agreed not to, so Steamboat charged Austin and pummelled him with punches. Austin reversed a whip into the corner but missed a clothesline. Steamboat hit a bodyblock but Austin rolled through for a two count. Austin then put his feet on the ropes for leverage and scored a three count. (***1/2)

The 900 number was plugged as Cruise and Tenay interviewed Pretty Wonderful. Okerlund entered the heel locker room celebration of Anderson's turn. Buck popped a champaign cork as Anderson sat on a couch surrounded by three women. Okerlund interviewed Anderson.

(5) Pretty Wonderful defeated Cactus Jack & Kevin Sullivan to capture the WCW Tag Team Titles at 20:20. Jack barely got medical clearance to wrestle in this match and as a result did not do much of anything. At 19:17, Jack got a hot tag and DDT'd Paul Orndorff. Paul Roma tripped Jack coming off the ropes. With Jack's legs half way out of the ring and as Roma held his legs, Orndorff covered Jack for a three count. (*1/2)

(6) Hulk Hogan pinned Ric Flair at 21:53 to capture the WCW Heavyweight Title. Nick Bockwinkle was introduced before the match. Shaquelle O'Neil, who got a big pop on his ring introduction, held the title belt in the air before the match and shook his head at Flair and then nodded at Hogan. The pop for Hogan was spectacular.

The bell rang and a staredown began, with Hogan mouthing off to Flair. Flair responded with a shove. After a criss-cross, Hogan blocked Flair to the mat. Flair backed Hogan into a corner but Hogan shoved Flair across the ring. Flair regrouped. Flair challenged Hogan to a test of strength, but when Hogan accepted, Flair ducked out of the way and strutted. Jimmy Hart spoke to Hogan, who then pulled the same trick on Flair and did a mock-strut afterward. Flair locked on an armbar, which Hogan reversed into an arm extension. Flair escaped and retreated. When Hogan followed, Flair put Sherri in front of himself to fend off Hogan. Hogan chased Flair back into the ring.

At 5:13, Hogan took Flair to the mat with a drop toe hold. Flair charged Hogan, but Hogan used his momentum to throw Flair into the cover. Hogan then charged the corner with a clothesline and Flair retreated outside the ring, using Sherri as protection again. Hogan shoved Sherri aside and chased Flair into the ring. Flair gained the advantage and chopped Hogan in the corner.

At 7:10, Hogan hit Flair 10 times in the corner and followed by ramming Flair's head into several turnbuckles. Hogan gestured to Sherri, who in response tripped Hogan coming off the ropes. Flair charged Hogan from behind with a knee and then chopped him over the top rope. Sherri was about to ram Hogan with a chair, but Hart grabbed the chair from her. Flair rammed Hogan into the railing.

At 9:35, Flair hit Hogan with a kneedrop. Hogan blocked a Flair punch and rebounded with a series of chops and punches. At 11:06, they took the first break in the match with a two-minute chinlock. At 13:20, Hogan made his comeback, hit Flair with two shoulderblocks, and whipped Flair who did the flip into the corner. As Flair ran along the ring apron, Hogan clotheslined him off the apron. Hogan pursued Flair and belly-to-back suplexed him on the ringside mat. Sherri helped Flair back into the ring.

At 14:39, Hogan suplexed Flair into the ring. At 14:50, Hogan missed a legdrop. Flair responded by going for the figure-four leglock, which Hogan turned into a small package and a two count. Flair went for the figure-four again, but Hogan kicked him away. Flair then executed a suspended vertical suplex. Hogan rose to his feet right away and Flair begged off. Hogan hit Flair with a solid boot to the face and then covered him. As referee Randy Anderson hit the two count, Sherri dragged him by the legs out of the ring and rammed him into the ringside railing. Hogan turned his attention to the ringside activities, so Flair clipped him from behind. . Flair then held Hogan's legs as Sherri splashed him from the top rope.

Nick Patrik replaced Anderson with Bockwinkle's approval. Flair yanked Hogan's leg and then applied the figure-four leglock at 17:00 and the fans rose to their feet. At 18:00, Hogan reached the ropes. Flair continued to attack Hogan's leg. At 19:30, Hogan began his comeback, but charged right into a Flair elbow. At 19:53, Sherri's top rope splash missed. Hogan pressed Flair off the top rope, clotheslined him and hit Sherri in one charge, and clamped on the figure-four. Sherri tossed Flair a foreign object just before Mr. T grabbed her and carried her to the locker room. Flair hit Hogan with the object, but Hogan kicked out at the last second. Hogan then began his superman comeback, gave Flair a boot to the face, legdropped him, and scored the three count for a huge pop. After the match, Hogan posed in the ring with O'Neil. (****)

During Hogan's post-match interview, he was joined by Hacksaw Duggan, Brian Blair, and Brutus Beefcake. Brian Pillman and Bill Shaw were in the background. Schiavone and a depressed Heenan closed the show.


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