|Date: October 27, 1990
|Venue: UIC Pavillion |City: Chicago, Illinois
|Attendance: 8,000 |Buys: 160,000
|tweet me: @BastionBlogger
There’s an animated opener to kick things off before Jim Ross and Paul E. Dangerously welcome us to the show. They throw to Tony Schiavone who is with Ricky Morton and Tommy Rich and they are fired up for their match with The Midnight Epress.
Ricky Morton and Tommy Rich vs. The Midnight Express (Bobby Eaton & Stan Lane)
Previous PPV matches: This is a first time match involving Tommy Rich and these three men.
Halloween Havoc PPV Record: The Midnight Express are 0-1, Tommy Rich is 1-0, Ricky Morton wrestles at this event for the first time tonight.
Match: Ricky Morton and Bobby Eaton kick things off. These two have been going at it for years. It’s a back and forth start to the match and we even get a criss-cross. There’s some double teaming from The Midnight Express to give them the advantage. Bobby Eaton knocks Ricky Morton out of the ring, goes up to the top and leaps to the outside and misses. Morton sells anyway. Jim Cornette even gets a cheap shot in with his tennis racket. The Midnight Express make quick tags and keep Ricky Morton from tagging in Tommy Rich. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a heel turn from Rich tonight. The Midnight Express hit a rocket launcher on Ricky Morton on the outside runway. There’s lots of action on the outside where it turns into a 3 on 1 against Morton. Eaton hits a top rope legdrop but they can’t keep Ricky down. Bobby looks for another rocket launcher but Morton gets his knees up before tagging out to Tommy Rich for the first time in this match. Rich picks up the pace before all four men go at it. Jim Cornette whacks Rich with his racket behind the referee’s back. The Southern Boys then walk out dressed up as Jim Cornette! All hell breaks loose and Tommy Rich grabs the racket before nailing Stan Lane with it and pinning him for the three!
Result: Ricky Morton and Tommy Rich win by pinfall.
Review: This was a good tag team match. Ricky Morton sold all match, getting beaten down for pretty much the duration. The Midnight Express are a really good tag team and have lots of chemistry with Morton. I was surprised to see Tommy Rich pick up the win in this match but it seems as though the match was being used to setup a future match between The Midnight Express and The Southern Boys.
Rating: 7/10
Tony Schiavone interviews Sting who is fired up for his match with Sid later. The Black Scorpion then shows up and grabs a girl, does some magic and disappears. He then appears at the other side of the stage. This was terrible.
Terry Taylor vs. Bill Irwin
Previous PPV matches: This is a first PPV match between these two men.
Halloween Havoc PPV Record: Both men wrestle at this event for the first time tonight.
Match: This match wasn’t on the WWE Network version of the event.
Result: Terry Taylor wins.
Rating: N/A
Brad Armstrong vs. J.W. Storm
Previous PPV matches: This is a first PPV match between these two men.
Halloween Havoc PPV Record: Both men wrestle at this event for the first time tonight.
Match: This match wasn’t on the WWE Network version of the event.
Result: Brad Armstrong wins.
Rating: N/A
The Southern Boys (Steve Armstrong & Tracy Smothers) vs. The Master Blasters (Blade & Steel)
Previous PPV matches: This is a first PPV match between these two teams.
Halloween Havoc PPV Record: All four men wrestle at this event for the first time tonight.
Match: This match wasn’t on the WWE Network version of the event.
Result: The Master Blasters win.
Rating: N/A
The Renegade Warriors (Mark & Chris Youngblood) vs. The Fabulous Freebirds (Michael “PS” Hayes & Jimmy Garvin)
Previous PPV matches: This is a first time PPV match between these two tag teams.
Halloween Havoc PPV Record: The Freebirds are 1-0 at Halloween Havoc, The Renegade Warriors wrestle at this event for the first time tonight.
Match: The Freebirds are joined by their roadie Little Richard Marley (Rocky King). Michael Hayes and Mark Youngblood kick off the match and it’s not long before all four men are going at it. Both men make tags, it’s a PPV debut for Chris Youngblood. The Renegade Warriors really frustrate The Freebirds early on. A cheap shot from Hayes gives his team the advantage. The Fabulous Freebirds make quick tags and wrestle a slow pace to keep Chris Youngblood from tagging in his brother Mark. Chris Youngblood counters a DDT attempt but Garvin tags in. Chris finally makes the tag to Mark but with the referee distracted by Little Richard Marley, Michael Hayes DDT’s Youngblood and Garvin hits a side suplex for the victory.
Result: The Fabulous Freebirds win by pinfall.
Review: This match was a much slower pace than the previous one. It wasn’t as good but it gives The Freebirds a win.
Rating: 3.5/10
Tony Schiavone is with Ric Flair, Arn Anderson and Sid Vicious. Arn and Flair have their eyes set on the tag team title whilst Sid says that he’ll be taking the World Heavyweight Championship tonight.
The Steiner Brothers (Rick & Scott) (c) vs. The Nasty Boys (Brian Knobbs & Jerry Saggs) – United States Tag Team Championship match
Previous PPV matches: This is a first time PPV match between these two tag teams.
Halloween Havoc PPV Record: The Steiner Brothers are both 0-1, The Nasty Boys makers their PPV debut tonight.
Match: The Steiner Brothers rush the ring much like The Road Warriors used to and all four men brawl around the ring. Scott hits Saggs with a belly to belly off the middle rope as Rick Steiner and Jerry Saggs battle on the outside. The match seems to officially get under way with Scott and Jerry and their respective partners on the aprons. Scott hits Saggs with a double underhook powerbomb. Scott then puts Saggs up on his shoulders and Rick comes off the top with a bulldog. As the referee gets Rick Steiner out of the ring, Brian Knobbs nails Scott with a steel chair but can only get a near fall. The Nasty Boys make quick tags to keep Scott Steiner grounded. It’s a slow, methodical pace from The Nasty Boys. Rick Steiner keeps getting involved to help his brother and the crowd absolutely love it. The Nasties hits a spike piledriver and as the referee gets Knobbs out of the ring it’s Rick Steiner with a steel chair to Saggs!
Saggs bleeds all over the ring so tags in Knobbs who stops Scott from tagging in Rick. Saggs tags back in and applies a Boston crab to Scott who powers out. There are lots of quick tags from Knobbs and Saggs. Scott avoids a splash in the corner and finally tags in Rick! All hell breaks loose, Scott pulls Saggs out of the ring, Rick hits a Steinerline on Knobbs and Scott follows it up with a Frankensteiner for the three!
Result: The Steiner Brothers retain the United States Tag Team Championships by pinfall.
Review: This was a fun match. I thought it was really well done, they had the crowd eating out of the palm of their hand. The crowd were really into it. All of the business with the chairs was ahead of its time. Really solid match here.
Rating: 7.5/10
After the match The Nasty Boys attack The Steiner Brothers. It calms down and Tony Schiavone interviews Scott who isn’t happy about what The Nasty Boys did to his brother. The Nasty Boys then attack Scott again!
The Junkyard Dog vs. Moondog Rex
Previous PPV matches: This is a first PPV match between these two men.
Halloween Havoc PPV Record: Both men wrestle at this event for the first time tonight.
Match: This match wasn’t on the WWE Network version of the event.
Result: Junkyard Dog wins.
Rating: N/A
Doom (Ron Simmons & Butch Reed) (c) vs. Ric Flair & Arn Anderson – World Tag Team Championship match
Previous PPV matches: This is a first time PPV match between these two teams.
Halloween Havoc PPV Record: Doom are 1-0, Ric Flair is 1-0 and Arn Anderson wrestles at this event for the first time tonight.
Match: Arn Anderson and Ron Simmons kick off the match and Ron out-powers Anderson. A cheap shot from Ric Flair allows Anderson to hit a suplex but Ron Simmons no-sells. Butch Reed then gets in a cheap shot. Two heel teams here. Flair goes after Theodore Long who slaps him in the face! Butch Reed and Ric Flair tag in. This is the first PPV in WCW/NWA history that has not been headlined by Ric Flair. Doom continue to use their superior strength to take control of the match. Butch Reed lays into Flair with multiple jabs. Ron Simmons is wrestling this match like a babyface. Arn applies a Boston crab to Simmons and Flair hits a kneedrop to the back of the head. Anderson hits his trademark spinebuster for a two count. Flair applies a figure four to Simmons who manages to reverse the hold but Flair tags out to Arn who breaks up the hold. Arn and Flair make quick tags, keeping Simmons from tagging in Butch Reed. Reed does eventually get the hot tag and picks up the pace. All hell breaks loose with all four men. Anderson hits Reed with a DDT but Simmons breaks up the cover. All four men go at it outside the ring and the referee counts them all out!
Result: Double count out.
Review: This was a decent match. The crowd weren’t into it as much as the previous match because they weren’t sure who to support. I did think that Flair and Anderson might have won the titles tonight. But we get a draw tonight which keeps everyone hot and teases a rematch in the future.
Rating: 6/10
Stan Hansen tells us he’ll be taking the United States Championship back to Texas tonight.
Lex Luger (c) vs. Stan Hansen – United States Championship match
Previous PPV matches: This is a first PPV match between these two men.
Halloween Havoc PPV Record: Lex Luger is 1-0, Stan Hansen wrestles at this event for the first time tonight.
Match: It’s a back and forth start to the match. Lots of striking between the two men. Luger hits a powerslam but Hansen slows down the pace with a headlock. It’s a real back and forth match with neither man gaining an advantage for a prolonged amount of time. It’s not a technical classic but it is a brawl with a sprinkling of wrestling moves. It starts to break down as Hansen shoves the referee out of the way. Dan Spivey then comes out from the back and throws Stan the bullrope. Lex avoids the shot with the cow bell and hits a bulldog but then runs into a lariat! Stan hooks the leg and gets the three!
Result: Stan Hansen wins by pinfall.
Review: I wasn’t expecting Lex Luger to drop the title tonight. This match was ok, it was back and forth and certainly not a mat classic. Stan Hansen leaves with the US title tonight.
Rating: 5/10
Tony Schiavone is with Theodore Long. He says that The Horsemen won’t be getting another title shot.
Sting (c) vs. Sid Vicious – World Heavyweight Championship match
Previous PPV matches: This is a first PPV match between these two men.
Halloween Havoc PPV Record: Sting is 1-0, Sid is 0-1.
Match: It’s a back and forth start to the match with both men doing a bit of no-selling. Interestingly it’s Sting that slows down the pace and frustrates his challenger. Sid uses more power moves, slams and backbreakers. Sid avoids a Stinger splash but doesn’t avoid a cross body. Vicious hits a powerslam outside the ring but Sting fires up, runs the length of the entranceway and hits a dive. Ric Flair and Arn Anderson make their way to ringside as Sid and Sting battle to the back. Sid and Sting return to the ring, Sting looks for a slam but Sid lands on top of him and the referee counts the 3! Sid wins! No, it wasn’t the real Sting! The real Sting comes back and rolls up Sid, gets the three and this time it will stand. Sting retains!
Result: Sting wins by pinfall.
Review: This match was decent and had a really fun finish. I liked the fake Sting stuff, that was really well thought out. Sid and Sting had a bit of chemistry, not loads. It made for a decent match but not a spectacular one.
Rating: 6/10
And that was Halloween Havoc 1990. It was a shame the WWE Network uploaded the VHS release of the event rather than the full show. It was a decent enough show though. The opener was a fast-paced match showcasing the rivalry between The Midnight Express and Ricky Morton. The Steiner Brothers and Nasty Boys put on a really good, hard-hitting, brawl of a match. These two teams had a lot of chemistry and I look forward to seeing more between the two of them. I wouldn’t have minded seeing The Nasty Boys win the titles tonight. I hated all the Black Scorpion magic show stuff, terrible and unnecessary. Doom and The Horsemen put on a decent match without a winner so that rivalry may continue but I could see Flair getting bumped up to the Starrcade main event so it may be Sid or Barry Windham that team up with Arn there. Stan Hansen won the United States Championship in somewhat of a shocking result there. He had some help from Dan Spivey. And then Sting retained against Sid in a match with a really fun finish. Will we find out who the fake Sting was? I’m guessing Sting will move on to The Black Scorpion now.
Overall Rating: 58.3/100 (ranked 7th out of 20 NWA/WCW PPV’s reviewed so far)
Match Of The Night: The Steiner Brothers vs. The Nasty Boys
Worst Match Of The Night: The Renegade Warriors vs. The Fabulous Freebirds
Surprise Of The Night: Stan Hansen wins the US title
Worst Booking Of The Night: The Black Scorpion magician stuff
Superstar Of The Night: Sting
Halloween Havoc Will Be Remembered For: Sting beating Sid and Stan Hansen winning the US title
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