WCW World War 3 98
November 22, 1998
Auburn Hills, MI
Reviewed on March 1, 2014
Background: 1998 was the beginning of the end for WCW (it was probably really Starrcade 97…but whatever). With the WWF having their best year in probably 10 or 11 years, they had turned the tide and had been winning the Monday Night ratings war. This was still before WCW was dead in the water though, and they certainly still had the talent to overtake the WWF.
WCW had just been relieved of one of its biggest talent acquisition failures as The Warrior had just finished up. Hollywood Hogan also would be gone at this point…running for president!
I’m not sure what the official story is, but it is accepted that Kevin Nash was the booker at this point. Watching this show, I understand why (although I don’t actually think the booking of Nash is that awful here).
Even the card itself though…showed that WCW would probably never regain the lead. For example, Goldberg. WCW’s 1998 cash cow. He’s not on this Pay-Per-View. In fact, Chris Jericho ran an entertaining angle against Goldberg for months, hoping to put on “the greatest squash match of all time”. Jericho’s wrestling Bobby Duncam Jr. here.
It is also interesting to point out that one of WCW’s calling cards was that they had great action in its undercard, then big names in the main event. You see at this point, that while some of the undercard is solid, it isn’t nearly at the level as 96 or 97 (or even earlier in 98) WCW.
Also, the main event is in fact not the World War 3 Battle Royal…but a US Title match between Bret Hart and Diamond Dallas Page. Just a quirky decision there. I get putting Page in the main though, he has been in every main since Bash At the Beach.
The Card
The opening is something I would expect for a WCW Playstation game. That’s not a bad thing though.
Here comes a limo!
Oh, Goldberg’s here? I’m so confused since he isn’t on the match card.
Tony Schiavone, Bobby Heenan and Mike Tenay are your announcers.
Talking about Hogan not being here…and perhaps we’ll see him on Nitro! Already advertising Nitro.
Mean Gene Okerlund: WCW HOTLINE!
Wrath vs. Glacier
Sub-Zero vs. Smoke match coming up.
I like Wrath’s theme. I’m guessing this is post-Vandenberg Wrath, as he doesn’t even have that cool entrance attire.
I guess Glacier is the heel?
Wrath shoves Glaicer out of the ring. Crowd says that yeah, Glaicer is the heel.
Glacier hits some kicks. I’m sure Glacier is a legit martial artists, but he really never learned how to use those skills in professional wrestling. Glacier always looks really stiff before doing any martial arts moves and it usually takes away from his matches. Steve Blackman was really good at this.
Mike Tenay tells us that Wrath is going to be on the Mortal Kombat TV show. Shocking.
Wrath actually looks pretty good here. Surprised Vince didn’t give him a bigger run when Wrath was Adam Bomb. Not saying it would have been successful, but his size makes him seem like a WWF guy.
Glacier just did this terrible hook spin kick. Looked horrible.
Wrath pins Glacier in 8:22. Wrath blocks Glacier’s thumb spike submission and hits the generic big man finisher…the Pump Handle Slam! (The Meltdown). Best Wrath and Glacier match I’ve ever seen. Wrath actually looked solid. This was a glorified squash.
Bret Hart promo video. I always thought Bret Hart was at his best playing a bitter heel. He talks trash about guys like Lex Luger, Chris Benoit and DDP. Anyone who says Bret Hart can’t talk stopped watching him after 1996.
Stevie Ray vs. Konnan
NWO music! At this point it could mean anyone, and in this case its Stevie Ray. I guess this is a NWO B Team vs. Wolfpac B Team match?
I always thought Konnan had some unique moves…but I never saw any psychology from him whatsoever. His rolling clothesline is something you didn’t see a lot of guys do.
Stevie Ray’s offense usually includes a lot of clubbing blows and the random kick. And that’s what we get here.
A lot of rest holds 5 minutes in.
I never liked how often WCW would talk about other storylines and ignore the match in the ring. Right now they are talking about Bam Bam Bigelow vs. Goldberg. Hey, why isn’t that match on this card?
Stevie Ray defeated Konnan by DQ at 6:55. Vincent accidentally hits Stevie Ray with the slapjack. Konnan does some punches, than hits the ref out of anger or something to cause the DQ. Then Booker T comes out to save him, which angers Stevie Ray because he’s tough and doesn’t need help. Boring match, stupid finish.
Ernest Miller and Sonny Oono vs. Perry Saturn and Kaz Hayashi
How the hell did Perry Saturn get involved in this? Wasn’t he just fighting Raven?
The Kaz Hayashi-Perry Saturn theme mash-up is just strange.
Is there a weirder team out there for a PPV match than Perry Saturn and Kaz Hayashi?
Some time killing early on. Ernest Miller tells Hayashi to leave in 5 seconds then turns his back on him. Kaz tags in Saturn. Funny I suppose.
Miller beats up Kaz, and then tags in Oono. Hayashi no-sells Oono’s offense and Oono offers him money. I guess this is a comedy match then?
Saturn vs. Miller is pretty good. Saturn always had a good array of suplexes. Also a nice legsweep by the Cat when Saturn went for a side kick.
Cat sends Oono in to fight Saturn and of course Saturn gets the advantage.
This match has no flow whatsoever…and way too much Sonny Oono.
Oono just missed three chops to the ground and let Hayashi tag in Saturn. Looks a lot worse than it reads.
Ernest Miller and Sonny Oono def. Perry Saturn and Kaz Hayashi when Oono pinned Saturn in 8:04. Saturn is about to suplex Oono, and the Cat hits him with a kick to the throat. Oono lands on him to get the win. Match had no flow or chemistry whatsoever. Also, was the point to make Saturn and Hayashi look awful? Because that’s what it did.
Chris Jericho and Lee Marshall!
WCW Cruiserweight Championship
Juventud Guerrera© vs. Billy Kidman
This should be good!
Both Kidman’s and Juvi’s themes are awesome.
I guess Juvi is part of the LWO! Eddy Guerrero comes out to explain that Juvi is in the LWO!
Rey Mysterio Jr. comes out with a LWO t-shirt to say that he should have the Cruiser title shot, but because Juvi is champ, Rey shouldn’t have the shot. Guerrero explains that you need to make sacrifices for family.
Early rocker dropper form Juvi. He then hits a flying headscissors which Kidman sells like a million bucks.
Juvi is now a full blown heel after the LWO thing.
Top rope legdrop from Kidman. I really thought Kidman was going to be a star in pro wrestling watching him in 1998.
The Kidman vs. Juvi battles (and there are a bunch of them in 1998) is really a representative of the last great days of the WCW Cruiserweight division.
Kidman hits a perfect dropkick as Juvi was coming off the top. Great timing.
Juvi hits a perfect top rope hurricanrana to the outside! Very nicely done.
This match seems slow-paced compared to their Bash at the Beach 98 encounter. Maybe to put over that Juvi is a heel now?
Wow. Juvi tosses Kidman into a 2nd ring, and then does a double springboard dropkick! He kinda falls on the second jump, but it was still impressive enough.
Wow again. Kidman sends Juvi from one ring to another with a hurricanrana, then leaps ring to ring with a cross bodyblock. Great innovation with the two rings.
More double ring action. Juvi does a springboard hurricanrana…sending Kidman into a different ring again!
Juvi misses the 450…but he lands on his feet. Hurricanrana for a really close two count! (Looks like Kidman didn’t kick out in time). Juvi slaps the ref…but doesn’t get DQed.
Billy Kidman pins Juventud Guerrera in 15:27 to win the title. Rey Jr. holds Kidman on the top rope and Juvi crashes to the mat on a hurricanrana attempt. Kidman hits the Shooting Star Press for the win. Great match. Great spots from ring to ring.
Eddy Guerrero tells Rey Jr. to make a choice, in the LWO or out? Rey Jr. says no and runs from the LWO members in the ring.
Rick Steiner vs. Scott Steiner
Buff Bagwell and some guy dressed as a NWO referee come out with Scotty Steiner.
The NWO is beating down on Rick Steiner in the back. The Giant drags Rick out to the ring. Scott Steiner and Buff Bagwell beat down on Rick Steiner.
Rick manages to make a comeback, but he’s selling the attack from the NWO.
Tony Schiavone mentions that it would be nice to see the Steiners go at it 1 on 1. I couldn’t agree more. Almost like they should save it for a PPV or something.
Scott Steiner and Rick Steiner wrestled to a no contest. Hey it’s DA MAN. Goldberg’s here to make the save. The World Champ makes the save on a middle of the card match. Not like he should be defending the title or anything.
Kevin Nash vs. Scott Hall
Hall comes out with various NWO members.
Eric Bischoff is out here before Nash comes out.
Bischoff orders the NWO members to beat the crap out of Scott Hall. Nash runs out to make the save!
Big Outsiders chant breaks out. Hall makes a peace offering, but Kevin Nash leaves Hall in the ring. So I guess we aren’t getting the match?
Kevin Nash vs. Scott Hall was cancelled.
WCW TV Championship
Chris Jericho© vs. Bobby Duncam Jr.
Of all the wrestlers in WCW, why does Bobby Duncam Jr. of all people get a TV title shot?
Ralphus is a stroke of genius.
Gotta be honest, you can tell Jericho doesn’t want to be there. The nixing of the Goldberg angle was the straw that broke the camel’s back for Jericho and a WCW run.
Jericho busts out one of my favorite submissions, the crossbow surfboard.
Bobby Duncam Jr. feels like the homeless man’s Curt Hennig.
Jericho is doing all he can to make the match entertaining. Jumps off the railing with a clothesline. Missile dropkick. I just don’t see why anyone should care about Duncam.
Jericho goes for the Lion Tamer and the crowd erupts. They boo when Duncam breaks it.
Chris Jericho retains when he pinned Bobby Duncam Jr. in 13:19. Jericho nails Duncam Jr. in the back of the head with the TV title for the pin. Jericho tried, but Bobby Duncam Jr. offered a whole lot of nothing. Match was pretty boring.
World War 3: The 60 Man 3 Ring Battle Royal
Winner gets a WCW World Title match at Starrcade!
I’m going to just name some random guys here.
Apparently you can be pinned in this match too. How about that.
Alex Wright is out first!
Barry Darsow!
Bobby Blaze!
Chip Minton!
I swear they should have hyped Chris Adams as Stone Cold’s trainer.
Hogan, Horace Hogan brother!
BARRY HOROWITZ!
Other than Jericho, so far Juvi has been the best heel on the show.
Wow The Renegade was really out of shape at this point.
Super Calo!
Villiano V…but not IV!
Kendall Windham!
I see most of the top WCW guys in this, only missing Sting and Ric Flair. I know Randy Savage was injured.
It’s hard to keep track of anything in these. Breakdown: 60 men, 3 rings. 1 WAR!
I’m rooting for Horowitz.
Normal Smiley was the first to go!
Kevin Nash is practically dumping his entire ring out.
Scott Putski is gone. WWF almost built their Lightheavyweight Division around him!
You can eliminate anyone by just throwing them from the ring. Over the top rope doesn’t matter.
Kevin Nash took out his whole ring in like 3 minutes. He stands there awaiting the other two rings.
We’re down to 35 people. 1 person in ring 3 (Nash).
We’re fighting down to 20 men for 1 ring.
The Giant begins to dump some, but then the entire ring jumps on him!
In WCW terms, Wright/Both Guerreros/Benoit/Saturn/Disco/ vs. The Giant is a huge advantage for the Giant.
Rey Jr. is the last man eliminated before we come down to 1 ring!
I like all the hype about Nash’s strategy. All he did was just dump people as fast as possible.
Saturn and Miller eliminate one another and go at it, bad blood from earlier! Down to 18.
So long Alex Wright and Chavo!
And there goes Eddie! And Disco Inferno!
And Kidman! Down to 13 just like that.
Nash and The Giant go at it. I predict those will be the final two. Or Nash and Hall.
Outsiders double team the Giant. Crowd gets into it.
Lex Luger dumps Stevie Ray.
Mongo dumps Scott Norton and Nash dumps Norton.
Nash, Giant, Hall, Booker, Benoit, Malenko, Wrath, Luger, Konnan and Scott Steiner left.
Bam Bam Bigelow shows up, and Goldberg comes out to attack Bigelow! It’s almost like they should have had a match or something.
8 guys left. I lost count somehow, but Scott Steiner is gone.
Oh, Wrath is gone too.
Booker T is gone, 7 left.
Konnan, Nash and Luger for the Wolfpac. Benoit and Malenko for the Horsemen. Giant and Scott Hall in there as well.
Konnan eliminates himself trying to get rid of Hall.
Nash becomes the ring general to 5 on 1 the Giant, which the crowd erupts for.
They do it! Giant is gone!
Luger and Nash get rid of Benoit, while Hall gets rid of Malenko. Luger vs. Nash vs. Hall. 3 WWF 94 mainstays.
Kevin Nash wins the 60 Man Battle Royal, last eliminating Lex Luger at 22:31. Luger tries to rack eliminate Hall, but Nash hits a big boot and both Luger and Hall go over the top. Weak ending as Luger didn’t go over the top well. I don’t particularly like the World War 3 Battle Royal in general as there are way too many guys who don’t have a chance in hell, but I do actually like the way this was booked, which I’ll explain later in the conclusion of this review. Short version, if you are going to want Nash to be strong for Goldberg, dominating the Battle Royal was a good way to make it happen.
WCW US Championship
Diamond Dallas Page© vs. Bret Hart
Michael Buffer is out to announce the main event!
DDP is wearing the US Title upside down….
DDP dives over the top rope on to the Hitman to get this thing going.
Bret does subtle small things as a heel that he doesn’t do as a face. I like how Bret wrestles with a sense of arrogance as a heel, like a “it’s obvious I’m better than you” style. Hard to explain.
I do like that the Diamond Cutter can be done at any point. It makes for a lot of great fakes and can suddenly get the crowd into it.
This match has been pretty disappointing so far. I think it is a combo of DDP not being a great wrestler, and WCW Bret Hart just not being the same Bret Hart.
Bret going for a tombstone and DDP reversing it into his own tombstone was a nice spot.
Match is picking up. Nice belly to belly from Page. DDP then busts out this weird piledriver-pedigree spot. A pancake maybe?
I actually like DDP’s version of the sharpshooter, the going down to one knee part of it. Looked kinda of cool.
The Figure Four around the ring post is one of my favorite moves in wrestling ever. Such an effective visual.
Bret continues to methodically work on the leg of Page. For whatever reason, this is missing the mark. It’s the standard Bret Hart match, but the crowd just can’t get into it.
DDP just busted out the post figure four. Turnabout is fair play!
DDP has a chair! Charles Robinson tries to grab it, and Bret shoves Page into Robinson, knocking him out.
Diamond Dallas Page pinned Bret Hart to retain the title in 18:31. NWO ref from earlier comes back. Bret nails Page with brass knucks and locks in the Sharpshooter, to which the NWO ref calls for the bell and awards the US title to Page (NWO ref has authority then?). WCW ref Mickie Jay says no, and Page nails Bret with the Diamond Cutter. 1…2…3. Finish is okay I guess. To be honest, match was lacking. It looked like two guys just going through the motions.
Very up and down card. Opener was better than it had any right to be, but I wouldn’t call it good.
Konnan vs. Stevie Ray was whatever and had a crap finish.
Miller and Oono vs. Hayashi and Saturn was non-sensical and stupid. And it buried Saturn. Why not just do Saturn vs. Miller?
Cruiser Title match was very very good. Juvi’s heel turn was great and he played it well.
Now here is where I have a lot of issues with the show. I’m sure both Scott Steiner vs. Rick Steiner and Kevin Nash vs. Scott Hall were big matches for this show. Both didn’t happen. Both were non-matches. And to be fair, that’s pretty bs.
Chris Jericho vs. Bobby Duncam Jr. was a waste of space. Poor Jericho. 13 minutes too!
60 Man Battle Royal was what it was. I only really like one version of this match (the first one, 1995). That being said, it is booked rather well. While we can debate till we are blue in the face about Nash being the man to eventually beat Goldberg and all, if that is the route they are going, then Nash needed to dominate this match. And he did. I think Nash last eliminating the Giant on his own would have been a better finish, and the actual finish was a bit weak, but it was doable. Nash was also mega over here.
Nash being mega over makes me wonder why the World War 3 Battle Royal didn’t close the show. It would have made perfect sense.
The US Title Main Event was a bit lackluster and felt like both men was just going through the motions. The finish is okay I suppose. Unfortunately I think Bret Hart had been booked into oblivion at that point and he’s not cared for as a heel, even though he plays it quite well. I do think Hart vs. Page could have been a main event feud for WCW, and I guess this is the closest they’ll get.
A lot of stupid crap was a foreshadowing of WCW’s future. It’s an okay PPV at best. Undercard really needed some work and the main events were passable…but that’s it.
Final Grade: C