We haven’t gone Into the Vault in a while, folks. That’s when we find some older event or PPV—usually on the WWE Network—and go through what’s worth watching and what you can skip. Since we’re in March let’s check out WCW Uncensored 1995!
You might be thinking “WCW in 1995? I don’t know…” WCW between 1995 and 1998 was actually not that bad and had years where TV and the PPVs were actually solid or better. I say it’s because the company had the strongest undercard in the U.S at that time. Just compare WCW’s undercard to WWE’s in 1995 or 1996.
It’s the main reason most of Nitro was worth watching. Sure, you wanted to see what the nWo was doing that episode. Would Sting return? What about DDP? Fans wanted to know all of that but that alone wasn’t going to keep Nitro interesting just like if RAW just ran their undercard talent, you’re pretty much watching two hours of Shotgun Saturday Night.
Anyway, let’s get into WCW Uncensored 1995.
Trash Tier
Meng took on Jim Duggan in a skippable martial arts match. This bout wasn’t lousy or anything, it just wasn’t worth sitting through since it’s Duggan against Meng—which could’ve just taken place on TV. If it had to be on PPV, it should’ve been first. That’s right, this wasn’t the second bout on a card with lots of special stipulation matches. It just wasn’t the best one on the card.
Savage against Avalanche (or the Shark, whichever) just wasn’t an interesting match on paper or on screen. Avalanche was solid and played the super heavyweight menace well and Savage was Savage. It was just a match you could skip or that you wouldn’t remember was on the card if someone asked: “What was the card for WCW Uncensored 1995?”
Mid Tier
The boxing match between Johnny B. Badd and Arn Anderson wasn’t bad at all. It was actually a solid match. I liked the B. Badd character and Arn is the man. He’s like a less flamboyant, smooth Ric Flair who looked like the head mechanic at a car shop but man could he sell. Arn came off as dangerous and could make an opponent look dangerous as well. That’s what made this match.
Sting vs. Big Bubba Rogers could be skipped. The story going into this wasn’t even that interesting. However, these two worked well together. As a matter of fact, Big Bubba was scarily consistent while in WCW, it just seemed like he should’ve never moved into the upper reaches of the card because of where WCW was heading at the time. Very solid bout but not essential.
The King of the Road match. I tell ya, I love an over-the-top gimmick match that a company had to invest time and money into. This was such an unnecessary match but I loved it. Basically, Dustin Rhodes and The Blacktop Bully (Barry Darsow/Demolition Smash/Repoman) had been going at it on WCW television for a bit. So, The Blacktop Bully—who is a truck driver—managed to get Dustin into a match where opponents fight in the cage-trailer for livestock.
There are barred supports with a wired cage around them. That’s not all! This cage is on the back of a moving semi-trailer truck. It’s just going down the road with the police(?) behind it. Actually, it had to be the police, this match would’ve choked Sunday traffic. The match itself was a brawl and nothing special but it was extremely fun.
Exotic Tier
The semi-main and the main event are two must-watch bouts. Harlem Heat took on The Nasty Boys in a falls count anywhere bout. It might not look like anything special but trust me, a WCW brawl featuring these two teams is good at the minimum. They mix it up well with the Nastys being a rough brawling team and the Heat being athletic brawlers themselves.
On top of that, these two were stiff and fought everywhere. The production team that handled the mics for WCW Uncensored 1995 definitely deserved a raise. These plastic trashcans had a sicker impact than the tin ones used in matches now. Just a dull “THUD” sound with each hit. This match was a bit on the short side but it was violent and furious so it worked perfectly.
Another match that worked was Hogan taking on Vader! These guys had a strap match that was also a brawl. Then again, strap matches or chain matches tend to end up being a contest of slapping leather anyway. Vader and Hogan basically worked the style they would’ve normally and things spilled outside the ring.
You almost forget about the strap until its used or the commentators bring it up. Vader was dope in the main event and I would’ve loved more Hardcore Hogan in WCW. He was extremely enjoyable in this match.
WCW Uncensored 1995 Verdict: 6/10
Not a bad show, really. Only two “Meh, who cares” matches, two matches worth watching, and a nice sized mystery bag of bouts. The first Uncensored was enjoyable as a whole but falls significantly short of being a must-watch show. This show is in solid territory so don’t expect a lousy viewing.
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