Doubleshot #3: Part Two – WCW Slamboree 1995

Doubleshot #3 Part Two
Slamboree 1995
Featuring Mark Adam Haggerty & Gary Mastriano

"The Monster Maniacs"
Written by Mark Adam Haggerty

Once again I am tasked with the dubious responsibility of reviewing a World Championship Wrestling pay-per-view. While the last �Doubleshot' forced me to salvage the sinking ship known as WCW 2001, this time I am pleased to report on an era with far more promise and an ensemble cast of household names. By 1995 Hulk Hogan was in firm control of who came through the doors of WCW, and lobbied for long-time associates such as the "Macho Man" Randy Savage to prosper at the top of the card. The main event this month would feature two former WCW World Heavyweight Champions going head to head with two former WWF World Heavyweight Champions, one of whom was also the current WCW title holder. Much the same as the WWE, World Championship Wrestling had its own Hall of Fame. But instead of inducting its honorees over the course of Wrestlemania weekend, members of the WCW Hall of Fame were treated to their own special pay-per-view once-a-year called "Slamboree." This was the third in the yearly tradition that would last until 2000 just before the company was sold to Vince McMahon. In addition to wrestling excitement courtesy of the WCW roster, Slamboree featured an extended induction ceremony, special guest appearances, and a "Legends Match."

My favorite era in WCW was the period in which Ric Flair was signed to the WWF. This not only allowed for undercard talent to move up to the main event, but put a greater emphasis on work-rate throughout the rest of the card. However by 1993 the "Nature Boy" was back on his home turf, and come '94 would be joined by the "Immortal" Hulk Hogan. Now a company that once lacked in star-power had more than enough name brand talent to sway lifelong WWF fans to this new and improved brand of wrestling. I thought this was a perfectly fine event, but don't take me at my word without letting me first explain why I feel that way…

The show is off and running from St. Petersburg, the site of several WCW events over the years, and home to some of the most faithful NWA fans in the country. The first faces we see are those of Eric Bischoff, Bobby the "Brain" Heenan, and Tony Schiavone. They introduce tonight as a special event where the stars of today and yesteryear commingle under the same roof.

WCW World Tag Team Championship
Harlem Heat (c) vs. The Nasty Boys
Has anybody ever really cared about the Nasty Boys? I'm not asking to be snarky or condescending regarding what Brian Knobs or Joey Sags have contributed to this great sport, but were they ever anyone's favorite tag team? The reason I ask is because while I went into this match without any sort of opinion on the Nasty Boys, I walked away with a newfound appreciation for a team I dare say belongs in the WWE Hall of Fame. The match begins with the deck stacked as high as it can be against Joey Sags, whose partner Brian Knobs is nowhere to be seen. Knobs suffered an injury that keeps him from competing so Sags is stuck contending with both members of Harlem Heat. In addition to the highly developed tag team champions, Jerry must also deal with the insatiable Sherri Martel who's stationed at ringside to ensure Booker T and Stevie Ray walk out of St. Petersburg victorious. The brothers billed from 110th Street take every shortcut imaginable in dismantling their overburdened competition, beating Jerry within the count of three on numerous occasions. They implemented a variety of double team maneuvers, which allowed for "Sister Sherri" to attack Sags whenever the official was caught reprimanding Harlem Heat. The match continued much in this same one-sided way until all hope was lost for the Nasty Boys as new tag team champions. That's when Brian Knobs made the save for Sags. He hobbled out to ringside with his ribs taped-up, ready to make the tag and keep his team in contention for WCW gold. Reunited again, the Nasty Boys make quick work of Harlem Heat as well as Sister Sherri who tries to get involved, only to be tossed onto Stevie Ray on the outside of the ring. With a final powerslam by Knobs and a Flying Elbow courtesy of Jerry Sags, Slamboree opens with new tag team champions.

After the bell sounded the Nasty Boys celebrated inside the squared circle, as the Blue Bloods made their way halfway to ringside, perhaps to scout the new champions. The Nasty Boys proceeded to give an impassioned promo to Eric Bischoff about how they did exactly what they said they were going to do. Jerry Sags walked away by saying, "It's time to find out what color blood's really running through the Blue Bloods."
Winner: The Nasty Boys – 10:52
Rating: 2 Stars

Backstage Kevin Sullivan is standing with "Mean" Gene Okerlund who is curious to get the "Taskmaster's" take on his upcoming encounter with the "Man Formerly Known as Butcher" AKA Brutus Beefcake. Sullivan stumbles into frame and wanders around as if having trouble finding Gene's microphone. Sullivan's grievance with the Butcher is based on his undying affinity for Hulkamania, which is the greatest evil in the world according to Kevin Sullivan and the Dungeon of Doom. Sullivan attempts to leave in the wrong direction, and makes a comment that it's cold, when Gene insists that it's not. I guess we're supposed to believe Kevin Sullivan is crazy because he has trouble gauging temperature.

Kevin Sullivan vs. The Man with No Name
This was one of the worst matches of the night. Kevin Sullivan and Ed Leslie are both fully capable workers inside the ring, each with a wise sense about the business. But this match was oversaturated with supernatural storytelling and a "personal" vendetta that nobody seemed to get behind. The match ended in less than five and a half minutes with Sullivan coming out on the winning end. Following the contest a slew of silly special effects had Sullivan spooked, and when a mysterious unnamed figure called out from beyond the television monitor, the "Taskmaster" retreated into the crowd.
Winner: Kevin Sullivan – 5:24
Rating: 1 ВЅ Stars

Backstage "Mean" Gene Okerlund is on hand with Jimmy "Mouth of the South" Hart, ready to conduct an interview with Hulk Hogan and the "Macho Man" Randy Savage. Gene had sort of a checkered run during his World Championship Wrestling tenure, where by 2001 his on air persona wasn't doing much more than making dirty jokes and hitting on the female talents. But the Gene Okerlund of 1995 was still fresh off his extended stay with the WWF, and working alongside familiar faces from New York made for the same "Mean" Gene many of us grew up watching. If you think my explanation of Gene Okerlund is long-winded, wait until you see this incredibly drawn-out segment. By this point Hulk Hogan had been in the WCW for about a year, and now with his friend Randy Savage by his side, Hogan seemed to have more stroke backstage than ever. Perhaps that's why it took Hulk and Macho three minutes and twenty-four seconds to say, "We're going to beat Vader and Flair tonight. And oh yeah, congratulations to Randy's dad who's going into the WCW Hall of Fame." Instead the Hulkster tells us that they were late tonight, because the Macho Man was dog-paddling from Clearwater Beach, and his "daddy" Angelo Poffo was doing the backstroke. Macho Man backs up the claim that he and his father swam to the arena; he says he saw "sharks, man-of-wars, submarines and red-tide" on his way into St. Petersburg. I guess maybe they're from a different generation or something, I just can't imagine what kind of fan that sort of pointless pandering appeals to. The team of Hogan and Savage are the "Monster Maniacs," an obvious play on the numerous WWF super teams of the past such as the Mega Maniacs, Ultimate Maniacs, and Mega Powers. I really love WCW but the era spanning '94 to '96 was nothing more than recycled WWF from the 1980s, right down to the fake Ultimate Warrior. Hogan and Savage continue to take up Turner's time by discussing the "new vein" in Hulk Hogan's left arm—a hose running up and down the "pythons" that makes Hulk Hogan feel like a "747 coming in for a crash landing." What does that mean? It was at least entertaining hearing the Immortal Hulk Hogan drone on about how he and Savage can't lose their match because they've got "Dangerous" Angelo Poffo in their corner, teaching them everything he knows. Uh—then Hogan makes Macho Man breathe right into his nose because he "wants to smell that Slim Jim breath." The final seconds were priceless as everyone immediately realized they'd spent way too much time talking about nothing, which prompted Hogan to close with an exceptionally quick rendition of: "What'chu gonna do when the Macho Man, Jimmy Hart, and Hulk Hogan run wild on you!" Before the action can resume, the father of Randy Savage, Angelo Poffo expresses his sincere gratitude for the honor of being added to the WCW Hall of Fame.

Legends Match – Contested in Black & White
"Dirty" Dick Murdoch vs. Wahoo McDaniel
The next match is a "Legends Match" where semi-retired wrestlers "Dirty" Dick Murdoch and Wahoo McDaniel are set to engage in an old school exhibition in honor of the upcoming Hall of Fame ceremony. Legendary ringside commentator Gordon Solie joins Bobby the "Brain" Heenan on headset, while the multicolored picture fades to black and white. I have to admit, as a fan of classic cinema and "I Love Lucy," I was kind of keen on the B&W aspect. What I didn't enjoy was how damn condescending Gordon Solie was throughout the entire match. Bobby Heenan makes a joke at the onset, warning viewers at home not to "adjust their TV," as the match is intentionally being broadcast in black and white. I guess Ol' Gordon thought that was clever because he proceeded to do the same thing from bell to bell. In addition to needless reminders about the presentation, Solie spoke almost professorially to Heenan as if working in the WWF was a detriment to his knowledge as a broadcast journalist. The match was a real snoozer, although I don't want to say it was bad . Solie kept making remarks such as, "this is how it used to be, nothing fancy," presumably referring both to the colorless contest as well as the slow-paced action. The biggest moves of the match were corner-based chops and the occasional standing power offensive. I've studied wrestling from the 1950s through the �70s and while there were certainly a litany of non-athletic, barrel-chested brawlers, I have to assume the quality of this match suffered due to both competitors' advanced age. And once again, Gordon Solie—what a dick! I can see how people might consider him the greatest broadcaster in wrestling history, but much of that honor is owed greatly to nostalgia and his prominent role during the dying days of the territories.
Winner: Wahoo McDaniel – 6:18
Rating: 1 Star

"Mean" Gene is back with another interview, this time he's joined by the former law enforcer from Cobb County George, now rocking a jacket and tie—Big Bubba Rogers. Bubba said that he's beaten Sting before, and tonight he'll do it again: "Just because I'm big enough, just because I'm bad enough, and just because I can." A really cool, very intense promo by a talented individual who might not have ever received the credit he's been owed. Another potential WWE Hall of Famer one day?

IWGP Heavyweight Championship
The Great Muta (c) vs. "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff
One of my absolute favorite things about the WCW and NWA has always been their strong connection to New Japan as well as other promotions across the "Land of the Rising Sun." The next match at Slamboree 1995 features one of the main eventers from the inaugural Wrestlemania challenging for the highly prestigious IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff is another exceptional wrestler that the WWF might have dropped the ball with, although that's only because he was never the champion. He still worked with Hulk Hogan and Roddy Piper on the top of the card during the "Rock �N' Wrestling" era. But much the same as other former WWF Superstars, Mr. Wonderful utilized his time in World Championship Wrestling to display the technical side of his repertoire. The Great Muta is highly revered in Japan as well as stateside thanks to his work with the NWA, where his battles with Ric Flair and Sting are regarded by many as the stuff of legends. This once-in-a-lifetime meeting between a former WWF headliner and an NWA icon should have been promoted much more than it was, but it certainly had its share of pomp and circumstance. The Great Muta was "played" to the ring by traditional Japanese drummers wearing a dark veil over his presumably painted face. This match was a clash of styles, whereby the old school traditionalist Paul Orndorff was forced to cater his style to the much more innovative Keiji Mutoh. Bischoff is a martial arts junkie and does his best to explain the moves and motives of Muta, while Bobby Heenan was under the firm belief that "Mr. Wonderful" might win the IWGP title with his combination of hammer locks and double axe handles. The match became more one-sided once Orndorff successfully fought the champion to the ground, but Muta quickly returned with lightning fast intensity. As the last moments of the match approached, it appeared the dastardly Paul Orndorff could be within reach of the IWGP title, as he persisted in his quest with a string of headlocks, snapmares, and vicious kicks. But it was a misconceived piledriver attempt by Orndorff that would be his undoing, allowing Muta to transition his finishing hold into a back body drop and capitalizing with a gymnastic offensive of strikes and aerial maneuvers. The Great Muta landed an astonishing Moonsault from across the ring, earning the victory and retaining the greatly-prized IWGP world heavyweight championship.
Winner: The Great Muta – 14:11
Rating: 3 Вј Stars

"Mean" Gene is earning his paycheck, back again but this time alongside the dubious opposition to the Monster Maniacs—Big Van Vader and the "Nature Boy" Ric Flair. While Flair talks to himself and laughs about nothing in the background, Vader paces back and forth attempting to look as tough as possible. "The Enforcer" Arn Anderson appears between the two former world champions, and tells Gene that Alex Wright had better get ready for their TV title match tonight. "There's a reason boys your age call me Mr. Anderson," Arn warns just a few short years before both "The Matrix" and Ken Anderson. Mr. Anderson goes on to say he earned his television championship, and that he didn't get it in a bubble gum machine. Even for 1995 that seems like a dated reference, although it's still tougher than anything we've heard from Roman Reigns. Ric Flair tells Gene Okerlund that he's going out tonight: "Why should I put on my wrestling attire when I'm going to the ring with Vader?" Ric Flair says he's going to "turn the big man loose, stand back, and give praise." Vader shakes as he struggles to both flex and talk at the same time: "Hulk Hogan! You are looking at the most powerful wrestler in the world today!" Then just like Hogan, Vader started talking about how impressive his arms are. That needs to come back—there needs to be a match at Wrestlemania 31 about the size and vascularity of both competitors' arms. Vader calls his arms "Itsy" and "Bitsy," even stopping to specify the right is "Itsy" and the left is "Bitsy." Both of Vader's arms are apparently PYTHON EATERS, and they'll be coming out to the ring with him. You heard it here first: "Vader will be competing with his arms at Slamboree 1995."

WCW World Television Championship
"The Enforcer" Arn Anderson (c) vs. "Das Wunderkind" Alex Wright
The continued mention of 1995 being "Das Wunderkind" Alex Wright's rookie year is making me feel really old, so I can only imagine how Arn Anderson feels looking back on matches like these. Alex hits the ring first to the worst music I've ever heard; I don't remember Alex Wright's music being that bad and I think maybe the WWE might have redubbed the original. Arn Anderson makes his way to ringside wearing an awesome embroidered "Enforcer" jacket that I would legitimately trade my kidney for. I've always been a fan of Arn Anderson, so it goes without saying I was excited to see what he could do just a year or so before he was forced to the sidelines. I've always been iffy on Alex Wright and I think the biggest thing anybody remembers about "Das Wunderkind" is the way he danced—even as Beryln, Alex Wright was always dancing. From the beginning Alex Wright has no trouble keeping in step with the wily veteran whose waist deep in one of his most diabolical runs since the Four Horsemen broke Dusty Rhode's arm. The well-developed young athlete from Deutschland offered up his own signature brand of offense to correspond with the highly ground-based television champion. Near the nine minute mark is when the match deteriorated into a slugfest, the likes of which only a brawler like Anderson could win. A spiked spine buster later and it was just a matter of how much longer Anderson would torture the younger Wright. Though a last reserve of adrenaline would keep Wright in the action with a fury of dropkicks, one of which from the top rope, the ruthless ring psychology of Anderson was too much to take. Alex Wright hit the ropes and was caught by a kick, and thus subsequently drilled to the canvas by the "Enforcer's" DDT. Arn Anderson is still WCW World TV Champion.
Winner: Arn Anderson – 11:36
Rating: 3 Stars

Meng vs. Road Warrior Hawk
This was a "Special Surprise Bonus Match" that came together earlier in the night before Slamboree went on the air. Meng was still new to World Championship Wrestling, another Hulk Hogan crony brought on board to reinvent the same wheel Vince McMahon used back in 1987. The former "King Haku" is described as being banned in numerous countries, and while that might not be true, the "Man Behind Meng" is a legit tough-guy, once responsible for tearing out the entire bottom row of someone's teeth during a drunken bar brawl. Hawk on the other hand was not at his best, personally and professionally. Meng gave the crowd a decent enough five-minute match, but Hawk was slow to react to most spots and couldn't stack up to his somewhat superior adversary. I've never been a fan of the Road Warriors—I think they're incredibly overrated, essentially the tag team equivalent of the Ultimate Warrior or Hulk Hogan. During the mid-90s Hawk went rogue and aligned himself with other partners aside from Animal, and as we saw at Slamboree, even tempted his fate in terms of singles action. Hawk missed a splash and rolled to the outside, which was basically the name of the game in this match: Hawk misses a spot and rolls out of the ring. As the war waged, the bell rang when both men were counted out. The fight continued leading WCW higher-ups and C-level superstars to hit the ringside area to manage the mayhem.
Winner: Double Count-out – 4:41
Rating: 2 Stars

My favorite announcer Gordon Solie is back, this time to induct six legendary athletes into the now-defunct WCW Hall of Fame. I really like the way WCW honored its alumni by dedicated an entire pay-per-view to their legacy. I think the WWE does a really phenomenal job with their Hall of Fame, regardless of what you may think of the criteria one needs to meet in order to be inducted. I also think the WWE goes about the event in a respectful manner, with a separate ceremony the night before Wrestlemania, along with a group unveiling on the "Grandest Stage of the Them All." But should the WWE ever actually open a physical Hall of Fame, the likes of which is already being discussed, I think it's within reason to consider moving the event to another time of year. Maybe I'm crazy but I think it'd be rather interesting to see the WWE combine an event like Night of Champions with the Hall of Fame, booking the show in close proximity to the Hall of Fame building, probably somewhere in Central, Florida. That would allow for a brighter light to shine on the inductees; it would create breathing room between events during the jam-packed Wrestlemania weekend schedule; and it would help elevate a pay-per-view that I think deserves the "rub." Enough WWE talk, because that's Gary's job this week, I just wanted to point out how Triple H could potentially borrow a pretty cool WCW concept that worked really well. Gordon Solie doesn't aggravate me half as much as he did earlier, but still speaks in a pretentious tone that almost says, "I was the voice of the NWA—that was real wrestling. I don't know what this WCW shit is, but it's not wrestling." He speaks very highly of all of the inductees, giving an admittedly heart-warming speech before each alum accepts his honor. The inductions begin with Wahoo McDaniel, the Native America former football player who walked away victorious earlier in the evening against fellow Hall of Famer Dick Murdoch. Up next is Terry Funk who said earlier that he's humbled to be among such icons, and as we all know continues to work inside the squared circle today—20 years later. The third inductee is the Guinness Record sit-up champion of the world, and father of both "Macho Man" Randy Savage and "Leaping" Lanny Poffo, Angelo Poffo. The next honoree is a former WWF Champion, the founder of New Japan Pro Wrestling, and a politician who is currently (in 2015) entertaining ideas of running for Governor of Tokyo. Of course I'm talking about wrestling icon and hero to the Japanese people, Antonio Inoki. Following Inoki was the posthumous induction of Big John Studd, who I was fortunate enough to meet just weeks before his passing, at an autograph signing in Englishtown, New Jersey. Last but most certainly not least was the "Head of the Class," who also headlined the WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony in 2007, the "American Dream" Dusty Rhodes. Following the inductions, the aforementioned superstars waved whilst giving their thanks to the adoring crowd.

Sting is talking about his match coming up against the former "Big Boss Man," Big Bubba Rogers. They're about to embark on an adventure that's referred to as the "Lights Out Match," so without doing any research and going into the contest blindly—no pun intended—I assumed that perhaps it was a blind-fold match? But Sting cleared up the confusion; I forgot WCW liked to nickname all of the "No DQ" contests, so this was going to be more or less a no holds barred match. For what it's worth, Sting had a hell of a lot more to explain than Hogan and Savage, but spent a sixth of the time talking. That's the mark of a company man.

Lights Out Match
Sting vs. Big Bubba Rogers
It's time for the "Lights Out Match"—a strange name for a no disqualification match. Big Bubba Rogers enters the area and walks through the ropes dressed to impress, then disrobes and wrestles like a "Dick Tracy" villain. Sting is the second participant to be introduced, and walks into the arena carrying a folding table over his head with a cold stare on his face. The match is off to a slow start where Bubba tries to scare Sting, but proceeds to back away before any tie-up can be achieved. Sting sends the big man outside the ring, where Bubba remains so that he may catch his breath. The action is back between the ropes and Big Bubba uses his own wardrobe to his advantage, choking Sting with his tie. The hero fights back and the match remains a back-and-forth affair until the carnage spills out onto the outside where Bubba introduces the Stinger to the steel steps. The folding table becomes involved, but collapses before anybody can go through it. Sting has trouble assembling the seemingly broken table, and props it up alongside the ring apron. Bubba blows some sort of talcum powder in the eyes of Sting and sends the temporarily blinded "Icon" into the table. They head into the ring where Bubba maintains control until Sting finds it in himself to overcome the odds and fight back using a well-timed series of reversals and signature moves. Bubba resorted to another tactic from his attire, whipping Sting with the belt. But the underhanded tactics would prove to be of no use to Big Bubba Rogers. Sting soared off the top rope nearly fifteen feet in the air and across the ring, splashing Rogers on the mat below. Sting finished the already beaten Bubba by first laying him out beneath a table, which he then double foot-stomped. Stinger wasn't through—he grabbed the legs of Rogers and snapped him into the Scorpion Death Lock. He howled in pain but it was only a few seconds before it became too much. Sting walked away with the victory by submission, thus getting his retribution on Big Bubba Rogers.
Winner: Sting – 9:29
Rating: 2 Вѕ Stars

Tag Team Main Event
"The Nature Boy" Ric Flair & Vader vs. "The Macho Man" Randy Savage & Hulk Hogan
The main event has been continuously hyped throughout the night, because if there's one thing WCW does well, it's gloss over the undercard in favor of the top-drawing talent. Hulk Hogan and the "Macho Man" Randy Savage are set to go head-to-head with the "Nature Boy" Ric Flair and Big Van Vader. By this point three of the four participants have held the world heavyweight title, including the current champion Hulk Hogan. Later that year Randy Savage would win the World War 3 60-man battle royal to become world champion, joining the ranks of his fellow combatants. This match is billed as a battle of the biggest stars in wrestling, in fact the generic WCW narrator describes the impending confrontation by saying, "Tonight, WCW is where the stars are." Well what does that mean exactly—that any other night is less star-studded than what you'd be getting from say, Vince McMahon and the WWF? Michael Buffer is the ring announcer, and provides quite a bit of exposition for this rivalry, as well as the majority of other matches he's introduced over the years. This must have been the year of main event tag team action on pay-per-view, because the WWF also had some monthly events headlined by two-on-two competition. I always think back to Hogan and Mr. T against Piper and Orndorff at �Mania One—really, a tag team match? I guess I'll never understand it and still today we'll get a random show with a questionable multi-person main event. I guess it helps prolong storylines without putting the belt up for grabs each night, but as we've learned with Brock Lesnar, there are ways to work around the title.

Vader and Flair mount a considerable offense on the "Monster Maniacs," with Vader's brute-tenacity and Flair's criminal-timing melding well enough to fend off the super team of Hogan and Savage. Standing at ringside is the "Enforcer" Arn Anderson, who keeps a watchful eye over the action, while also focusing on the Renegade, standing in the opposite corner. A leg injury would hinder the forces of Hulkamania, but evil would never vanquish the Vitamins of the Hulkster, nor would it slay the Slim Jims of the Mach'. The former WWF champions succeeded in coming back from the brink of defeat, but were soon thwarted by Anderson on the outside who tripped Hogan before he could finish Flair. Hogan's leg was once again compromised, but just as sure as his blood kept flowing, Hulk would continue fighting, rising from his knees to a standing position. He punched Flair with lefts and rights, gripping his long blonde hair and pointing in the face of the former champion: " YOU! " Arn Anderson attempted to join the action to stop the Monster Maniacs from succeeding but instead struck his fellow Horseman, leaving Flair down on the ground and ready for the Big Leg Drop. Hulk Hogan covered Ric Flair—one, two, three!

The Monster Maniacs won the battle, but the war was far from over. The fans at ringside rejoiced as the Renegade and Jimmy Hart joined the winners inside the squared circle. As the fireworks flew off into the air up on the Slamboree stage, Tony Schiavone yelled, "Whoa, whoa wait! This one's not over!" Vader fought Hogan to the ringside area, while Arn Anderson and Ric Flair double teamed Randy Savage inside the ring. The "2 Horsemen" did away with the distraction of Jimmy Hart as well as the referee, and the no holds barred onslaught continued. Newly inducted Hall of Famer Angelo Poffo stormed the ring from his seat at ringside in an attempt to stop Flair and Anderson from their unfair assault on his son. The record-setting Poffo was soon proven outmatched by the prime conditioning of the "Nature Boy" and the "Enforcer." As Savage struggled to stand, Flair applied the Figure Four Leg-Lock while Anderson stomped the 70-year old WCW Hall of Famer. Before long, Hogan and the Renegade were able to subdue Big Van Vader, and chased the depraved Horsemen out of the ring, but not before the damage was done on Angelo Poffo. The segment ended and the event went off the air with Randy Savage losing his mind in the ring, hugging Hulk Hogan while screaming, "Please get an ambulance!"
Winner: Savage & Hogan – 11:36
Rating: 3 Stars

It's really weird how WCW pay-per-views ended with credits, just the same as any other television program. I thought this was a really cool show, and not at all what I would have expected from WCW during this time period. As previously stated, the Creative forces at the time were moving in the direction of a watered down WWF, so I was surprised to see such an emphasis on NWA Stars so late as 1995. My overall reaction to the show after watching it a few times has been positive and I recommend it to anyone curious to see a hybrid of early 90s WCW and late 80s WWF. The match of the night was the IWGP Heavyweight Championship bout between "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff and the Great Muta, with special consideration going to both the main event and the TV title match featuring Arn Anderson and Alex Wright.

When the scores are tallied and the star-ratings applied by both myself and Gary are averaged based on the number of matches, WCW Slamboree comes out on top with an overall 2 ВЅ Stars. While WWF In Your House would prove to be a groundbreaking monthly concept, the debut from Syracuse, New York fell short with just 2 Stars. Your winner for the month of May 1995 is World Championship Wrestling.

We began our �Doubleshot' series with the pay-per-view events of March 2001, so you might be confused about why we're all-the-sudden covering May 1995. In an effort evade monotony, we decided to "book-end" our study by starting on one side, and alternating back and forth until we've finished somewhere in 1998. Look for the next installment of our series as we see how WCW Superbrawl: Revenge stacks up to WWF No Way Out. Until then, this has been Mark Adam Haggerty and Gary Mastriano with "Doubleshot: 2-in-1 Wrestling Reviews."

CHECK OUT DOUBLESHOT #3: PART ONE – WWE IN YOUR HOUSE #1