Sunday, July 16th, 1995
The Beach
Huntington Beach, California
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Off The Grid, Volume 48:
Well, I'm getting close to starting to review Monday Nitro, so I guess this one makes sense for me to watch again. We get a Slim Jim/Randy Savage heavy opening and then get a Meng hype video. We then go to Mean Gene, who is with Meng's opponent, Sting. I dig Sting's color scheme here.
United States Championship Match
Meng vs. Sting
This is a rematch from Great American Bash, which I rated **. The beach atmosphere looks cool, but I can't imagine that it's that great for the live crowd or wrestlers. Then there's the fact that it's free. We get off to a slow start with Meng on offense. Sting's able to get Meng in the Scorpion Death Lock, but gets distracted by Col. Parker and that once again leads to Meng on offense. This match is dragging and hasn't really done its job as an opener. Now it's time for the abdominal stretch. It does feel odd with Sting as the United States Champion. Sting finally makes a comeback and hits a back body drop. He hits a chop block and a Thesz press for a 2 count. Meng catches a leaping Sting, but he turns it into a weak looking hurricanrana. Sting goes for a Stinger Splash, but Meng nails him with a big boot. That was undoubtedly the highlight of this match. Meng hits a top rope splash and Sting barely kicks out. Meng can't believe it and that allows Sting to roll him up for the victory. Meng attacks him after the bell and then out comes Road Warrior Hawk. He helps Sting to the back. This match stunk.
Match Rating: 3/4*
Mean Gene is with Renegade and Jimmy Hart. This is a real thing. Poor Jimmy.
Television Championship Match
Paul Orndorff vs. Renegade
It's pretty well documented how stupid this Renegade gimmick was and the fact that the performer wasn't good in general doesn't help. Orndorff is able to get off to a quick start and grounds his opponent. Renegade hits a back body drop and then two of the worst dropkicks I have seen. He then hits a powerslam. Renegade gets dropped outside the ring. Orndorff attacks him on his way back into the ring. Renegade blocks a vertical suplex and then picks up Orndorff for a back suplex and the victory. This was terrible. Orndorff hits a piledriver and then Renegade no sells it and hits a top rope crossbody. The crowd boos Renegade
Match Rating: 0 Stars (out of 5)
If that wasn't bad enough, here's the Dungeon of Doom. They bring out Kamala and then we go to Mean Gene with Hacksaw Jim Duggan. He yells some things.
Kamala vs. Jim Duggan
It just blows my mind that these two were wrestling each other in 1995. After some stalling, Duggan is able to knock Kamala down after a few blows. Kamala does his outdated offense, then Duggan makes his comeback. Kevin Sullivan gets on the apron and distracts Duggan, which allows Zodiac to run in and hit Duggan with Kamala's mask. The referee turns around and Kamala gets the win. This had no business being on pay per view.
Match Rating: 1/4*
Mean Gene is now with Macho Man and he's excited to be talking about Slim Jims.
Diamond Dallas Page vs. Dave Sullivan
Sullivan shoves some flowers in DDP's face that some "Hulkamaniac" gave Kimberly before the match. I remember reading the Pro Wrestling Illustrated Wrestling Almanac religiously and seeing Sullivan's name and just wondering who this guy was and why I knew nothing about him. Then I saw him wrestle and I immediately knew why. These last 3 matches are hardly worthy of being on WCW Saturday Night, let alone Bash At The Beach. DDP misses in the corner and Sullivan hits a clothesline. The crowd is getting into something that's going on, but it's not the match. Max Muscle distracts Sullivan and DDP hits the Diamond Cutter for the win. Awful stuff.
Match Rating: 1/4*
Sherri and Harlem Heat are here and are very purple.
Triangle Match For The WCW Tag Team Championships
Blue Bloods vs. Nasty Boys vs. Harlem Heat
I would say Steven Regal's music is one of the better WCW themes. We get a brawl early on and Regal gets the Pit Stop. Brian Knobbs then runs into a Booker T boot, but then hits him with a clothesline. I guess the idea of a triple threat tag match was still pretty new here and the announce team seems confused by it. We're kind of just getting a bunch of moves happening and the announcers not sure of what's going on. Sags hits a back body drop on Booker onto Regal. Knobbs then hits a splash on them and pins them. They then give the victory to Harlem Heat since he was the one on top of Regal. Yeah, I'm not buying that. The match was fine until the finish.
Match Rating: **1/4
Mean Gene is back with Harlem Heat again and he reminds them that Dick Slater and Bunkhouse Buck will get their chance against them. This just feels like they realized the show was running short and they needed them to fill some time.
Ric Flair is with Mean Gene and he talks about taking Elizabeth to Space Mountain.
Lifeguard Match
Ric Flair vs. Randy Savage
This is just a lumberjack match on the beach. Savage quickly starts unleashing right hands and then a back body drop. This is the type of match where the crowd hurts. They're into it, but not like they would be at an arena. Savage is able to suplex Flair over the top rope into the lifeguards. Flair does get some work in on the leg and eventually gets the Figure Four on. Savage is able to reverse it, but Flair quickly escapes. The lifeguards are just doing their job and haven't really caused any drama to the match. That's about to change. Savage goes up top and hits the double ax handle. An Anderson comes in and Savage knocks him down, which allows Flair to hit a thumb in the eye. Savage tosses him out of the ring and that distraction allows Arn to hit a DDT. Flair covers him and Savage kicks out at 2. Flair tries to go up top, but Savage press slams him. Savage hits the top rope elbow drop and picks up the victory. Savage was basically Undertaker throughout this match, with him not selling a whole lot and just essentially overcoming everything. The action was pretty good, but it still felt like a TV main event.
Match Rating: **3/4
They show Big Van Vader's "Roadkill Tour" that leads us up to the main event here. Vader then tells Mean Gene is about to show everyone what time it is. Did someone bet Vader that he couldn't say "brother" more than Hulk Hogan normally does?
They hype up Collision In Korea, which I still can't believe was a thing.
That leads to Hulk Hogan and Jimmy Hart with special guest Dennis Rodman. I don't know about you, but I find it hard to even focus during a Hogan interview during this era.
Steel Cage Match For WCW Championship
Vader vs. Hulk Hogan
Hogan goes right after Vader and uses his ripped shirt around Vader's neck. I will say that Hogan is showing a little bit more intensity here. Hogan then puts on Vader's headgear. Heenan wonders if it's made out of steel and Schiavone agrees. Sure. Vader comes back and hits two Vader Bombs, but Hogan kicks out. Vader misses with a splash and Hogan makes a comeback. Hogan hits the slam, but then Vader comes back with a second rope splash. Now it's time for Hogan to Hulk up. Out comes Zodiac and Kevin Sullivan, but Dennis Rodman grabs a chair and that scares them away. Sure. Hogan hits a leg drop and then tries to escape the cage. Vader meets him up on the top rope , but Hogan knocks him off with a right hand. Hogan climbs over and picks up the victory. I mean, this was far from great, but it also was pretty entertaining for a Hogan match. Both guys put in a good effort. As soon as the match over there is a huge mass exit from the crowd.
Match Rating: **1/2
After the match is over, Flair comes to the ring with Vader. Flair is upset at Vader, so Vader grabs him by the throat. Arn comes out, but escapes along with Flair. Vader then says he'll take both of them on. That's a weird ending.
I will say this wasn't quite as bad as I had remembered. Before the last 3 matches was horrendous. That section of the show would have been a terrible TV episode, let alone a pay per view. However, the last 3 matches were entertaining enough to not be bored. This is still a bad show, just not in the December To Dismember category.
Overall Rating: 33%
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