What the World Was Watching: WCW Pro – February 18, 1995

-Future reviews of WCW Pro will usually be preceded by a recap of feature matches from WCW Prime, a new WCW television show that began airing on February 6. It would typically have matches from other WCW shows that were several weeks old – combined with one new feature match called the “Prime Match of the Week” – and the program aired Mondays on the Prime Sports Network. Eric Bischoff and Dusty Rhodes did commentary. Here is the feature match that aired on February 13:

–Prime Match of the Week: Johnny B. Badd (5-2) defeats Lord Steven Regal (3-0) with a schoolboy at 8:56:

Both of these men are closely tied to the Television Championship so it is odd to see them face off without that title factoring into the contest. Bischoff spends much time discussing WCW’s cooperation with Antonio Inoki and possibly sending talent to wrestle in North Korea later in the year. Regal uses his form of ground and pound, preventing Badd from going aerial with forearm strikes to the face and various takedowns, but Badd rallies after the commercial break with his exciting repertoire. The match ends out of nowhere when Badd surprises Regal with a schoolboy, and the right man goes over because Regal is being moved into the tag ranks with Bobby Eaton. Rating: **½

–And now we are on to WCW Pro, with Gordon Solie, Dusty Rhodes, and Larry Zbyszko doing commentary. This show was taped on in Shelbyville, Tennessee on February 17.

–Opening Contest: Brian Pillman (1-0) beats Tom Burton via submission to a modified octopus on the canvas at 3:35:

Burton gets some significant offense against Pillman, getting a near fall from a gutwrench suplex and working a chinlock. That is an indication that this recent push for Pillman is probably not going to go anywhere. Even Dusty complains that Pillman is not using a lot of aerial maneuvers in this squash. After things plod on for a while, Pillman wins with a weird octopus-like hold on the canvas that would probably not make an adolescent child submit. Solie is so confused he thinks the finish was via pinfall.

–The Butcher (w/Kevin Sullivan & Avalanche) defeats Todd Morton via submission to the sleeper hold at 3:00:

As has been the case with recent squashes featuring the Faces of Fear, they gang up on the hapless jobber behind the referee’s back. Morton tries to fight back anyway but the Butcher does not sell his punches and quickly puts him to sleep.

–Gene Okerlund provides the SuperBrawl Report since the pay-per-view takes place on Sunday. WCW Champion Hulk Hogan and Jimmy Hart deliver a promo about how Vader will become another notch in the ladder of Hulkamania.

–Call 1-900-909-9900 to find out what is going on with the Ultimate Warrior! Is a comeback imminent?

–Non-Title Match: Harlem Heat (WCW Tag Team Champions w/Sister Sherri) (7-0) defeat Mike Corey & Rick Keller when Booker T pins Keller after the Heatseeker at 4:52:

The Heat are all business, hitting the ring and taking the fight right to their jobber opponents. However, the squash just drags on and on, with the Heat having the chance to win the match several times but continually picking their opponents off the canvas. Eventually the Heat prevail as they head to SuperBrawl to face the Nasty Boys.

–A video package hypes the Hulk Hogan-Vader title match at SuperBrawl.

–Dave Sullivan comes out with his piggy bank to arm wrestle Diamond Dallas Page, hugging fans on his way to the ring. Page arrives with his right forearm bandaged up. Page says that he popped a muscle and cannot compete but that if Dave can beat Max Muscle that he will face him next week. However, Dave is told he has to put up the piggy bank against Muscle. Dave agrees but gets distracted by the Diamond Doll and quickly loses. The Diamond Doll urges Page to give Dave his piggy bank back but Page “accidentally” drops in on the arena floor and breaks it.

–Alex Wright (12-0) defeats Paul Roma (3-1) when he pins Bobby Eaton with an O’Connor roll at 6:45:

Although these two men are supposed to face off at SuperBrawl tomorrow, they are booked to face off here because Wright was mad that Roma attacked him on last week’s show after a squash match. The animus that both men have for each other is exposed throughout the contest as they exchange strikes, with referee Randy Anderson forced to stop Wright after he keeps hitting Roma from a standing position. It also looks like that part of the match goes on too long as Wright forgets what he needs to do next. He accidentally knocks Anderson down with his reverse flying body press finisher moments later and Bobby Eaton runs in for a two-on-one beatdown. Heel miscommunication sends Roma out of the ring, though, and somehow it makes sense for Wright to roll up Eaton for the win to remain undefeated. How does that finish even make any sense?!?!? Like, why not give Wright a victory by disqualification? Rating: *½

–The announcers close the show by hyping WCW Saturday Night and discussing their picks for the SuperBrawl main event.

The Last Word: The main event had promise and was going along nicely until the illogical finish but at least that prevented Roma from doing a clean job before SuperBrawl. Of course, that whole scenario could have been avoided altogether if the bookers did not make that match to begin with. Brian Pillman’s return is not clicking either as he has some outdated tights and is sporting the same “pretty boy” gimmick as Wright. The one bright spot of the show, though, was the ongoing interaction between Diamond Dallas Page and Dave Sullivan. The live crowds seem to be digging Dave’s quest for a date with the Diamond Doll and it is arguably the best midcard angle WCW has going at the moment.

Up Next: WCW Worldwide for February 18!