It is indeed time for another edition of This Week in Sid History. And folks, we have a special moment in Sid’s history to cover. This one is once again in WCW, but we have to go back 21 years. It’s the summertime and what better way to celebrate than with covering the Beach Blast pay-per-view main event tag team match between Sid and Vader versus Sting and the British Bulldog, a.k.a. Davey Boy Smith. Before I get into the action, I want to add this tidbit. Since the WWE Network was free for one week, this was the one show I chose to watch in its entirety.
I, unlike some of you with disposable incomes, don’t have the Network. This pretty much was my one chance to see if I would ever consider getting the Network in the near future. As nice as that library was, I’m not sure that I’ll be getting it anytime soon. While I was watching Beach Blast, the video player crashed a couple of times. Maybe this was on my end, but I don’t know.The one thing that annoyed me more was the fast forward/rewinding option. It shouldn’t necessarily be that hard to pick up where you left off. Maybe I’m probably the only person/fish in the world who has this problem, but it is still an issue for me. I don’t need the headaches. So... thanks, but no thanks WWE. I hope you get all the issues worked out. Until then, sorry I’m not interested. Thanks for the free preview, though.
Back to Beach Blast…
Yes folks, before there was Bash at the Beach, there was Beach Blast. WCW ran the PPV event with this title only twice. The event being covered took place July 18, 1993 at the Mississippi (Gulf) Coast Coliseum in Biloxi. First Wrestling Observer Newsletter tidbit: According to the July 26, 1993 newsletter, this event was part of a cross-promotion with a Mississippi casino. The casino reportedly paid $10,000 to WCW. So they did make some money out of this deal. The Beach Blast card featured four title bouts, including an NWA World Heavyweight title match between Barry Windham and Ric Flair. The card also featured Paul Orndorff vs. Ron Simmons, Lord Steven Regal vs. Erik Watts, Johnny B. Badd vs. Maxx Payne, 2 Cold Scorpio/Buff Daddy vs. whatever cowboy gimmick the Godwinns were going by in WCW, Dustin Rhodes vs. Rick Rude in a 30-minute iron man match and the Hollywood Blondes vs. the Four Horsemen variation of Arn Anderson and Paul Roma.
This might come as a shock to you, but the Sid/Vader-Sting/Bulldog match was one of the better matches on the show. Dave Meltzer gave this main event match 3 ¼ stars, the same as the Blonds/Horsemen tag match. The show itself received a thumbs down in close voting. However, they voted the main event match as the best on the show. I’ll tell you this, it pretty much was the best match on the show. The Blondes/Horsemen tag match was probably my favorite, though. But yes this Sid tag match was better than Flair/Windham, who have had a million matches that were better and longer. It was also better than Rhodes/Rude. And it was definitely better than Badd/Maxx.
Our heroes are joined by their respective managers: Vader was with legendary wrestler Harley Race and Sid was with Colonel Robert Parker. Parker, otherwise known as Robert Fuller (or Robert Welch), worked down in the Gulf Coast for years before joining WCW in 1993 with Sid, who was back after a stint in the WWF. Parker was in a tag team for years with Jimmy Golden, a.k.a. Bunkhouse Buck, a.k.a. Jack Swagger Sr. Sting and Smith made their way to the arena. They were both wearing Red, White and Blue. Obviously, those are the colors for America and Great Britain. This was pretty much the pre-Allied Powers or whatever they tried to do with Lex Luger in WWF.
All four combatants were in the ring and stared each other down. It was Sid and Sting who started the match. Sting took down Sid and punched the giant, after Sid shoved him. Sting did his patented bulldogs to try and keep the big man down. However, our hero responded with a one-handed/one-armed/one-something chokeslam. The Masters of the Powerbomb double-teamed Sting. Smith got in to help, but both men were thrown out of the ring. Neither Sting or Smith were down for long as they soon climbed the top rope and knocked down the giants. Both MotP members recuperated outside the ring. Sid got back on the ring apron, but was knocked back down.
After more action, Smith and Vader were tagged in. The two men fought with Vader gaining the advantage. Smith regained his composure and picked up Vader for a suplex. The comeback by Smith was halted when he was knocked down by Vader, who tagged Sid. Sid continued to work over Bulldog, beating him up and preventing him from getting the tag to Sting. The MotP tagged again and Vader continued to work over Bulldog. Out of frustration, Sting got into it with Vader, who proceeded to rip off his mask, leading to an audible gasp by myself. With Sting steaming in the corner, Vader and Sid continued to work over Smith. However, the Bulldog fought back, attempted a sunset flip and nearly got crushed by Vader. Smith moved out of the way just in time. Race got involved by getting on the apron and grabbed hold of Smith. As Vader approached, Smith got out of the way, knocking down Race. Terrible idea, in hindsight! Bulldog made his way back to the corner and tagged Sting and soon Sting became the Stinger and just destroyed everybody in sight.
Sting stayed hot for about a minute, but was soon blindsided by Sid. This gave Sid the opportunity to inflict pain on Sting, choking him out with his boot in the corner. MotP double-teamed Sting again and soon it was Vader’s turn to destroy. Vader soon had Sting on the top rope and ready to do a superplex when Sting bit Vader and pushed him off the middle rope. Yes, that is right Sting bit Vader. That was an actual form of defense to prevent a superplex. Sting got to his corner and tagged in Smith. But Sid got in and knocked down Smith, tagging in Vader afterward.
Vader worked over Bulldog and eventually did his Vader Bomb. Sting got into the ring quick enough to stop the three count. Sid grabbed Sting and threw him outside and the two fought back and forth on the elevated ramp. During this time, Vader did a moonsault, which amazed everybody. I’ll admit, I was kind of amazed too. Vader’s moonsaults were always awesome. With Vader having Smith out, he went for the pinfall, but OUT OF NOWHERE, Sting flew back into the ring and saved Bulldog. The final move of the match was Bulldog getting Vader down for a pinfall via a crucifix and that was that. Sting and Smith won and Sid and Vader lost.
Unfortunately, this match wasn’t on YouTube. Your best bet is to find it on the WWE Network. Now I’m sure some of you would like to to write something on the Beach Blast promo video. I’m planning to get to that next time.
I, unlike some of you with disposable incomes, don’t have the Network. This pretty much was my one chance to see if I would ever consider getting the Network in the near future. As nice as that library was, I’m not sure that I’ll be getting it anytime soon. While I was watching Beach Blast, the video player crashed a couple of times. Maybe this was on my end, but I don’t know.The one thing that annoyed me more was the fast forward/rewinding option. It shouldn’t necessarily be that hard to pick up where you left off. Maybe I’m probably the only person/fish in the world who has this problem, but it is still an issue for me. I don’t need the headaches. So... thanks, but no thanks WWE. I hope you get all the issues worked out. Until then, sorry I’m not interested. Thanks for the free preview, though.
Back to Beach Blast…
Yes folks, before there was Bash at the Beach, there was Beach Blast. WCW ran the PPV event with this title only twice. The event being covered took place July 18, 1993 at the Mississippi (Gulf) Coast Coliseum in Biloxi. First Wrestling Observer Newsletter tidbit: According to the July 26, 1993 newsletter, this event was part of a cross-promotion with a Mississippi casino. The casino reportedly paid $10,000 to WCW. So they did make some money out of this deal. The Beach Blast card featured four title bouts, including an NWA World Heavyweight title match between Barry Windham and Ric Flair. The card also featured Paul Orndorff vs. Ron Simmons, Lord Steven Regal vs. Erik Watts, Johnny B. Badd vs. Maxx Payne, 2 Cold Scorpio/Buff Daddy vs. whatever cowboy gimmick the Godwinns were going by in WCW, Dustin Rhodes vs. Rick Rude in a 30-minute iron man match and the Hollywood Blondes vs. the Four Horsemen variation of Arn Anderson and Paul Roma.
This might come as a shock to you, but the Sid/Vader-Sting/Bulldog match was one of the better matches on the show. Dave Meltzer gave this main event match 3 ¼ stars, the same as the Blonds/Horsemen tag match. The show itself received a thumbs down in close voting. However, they voted the main event match as the best on the show. I’ll tell you this, it pretty much was the best match on the show. The Blondes/Horsemen tag match was probably my favorite, though. But yes this Sid tag match was better than Flair/Windham, who have had a million matches that were better and longer. It was also better than Rhodes/Rude. And it was definitely better than Badd/Maxx.
Our heroes are joined by their respective managers: Vader was with legendary wrestler Harley Race and Sid was with Colonel Robert Parker. Parker, otherwise known as Robert Fuller (or Robert Welch), worked down in the Gulf Coast for years before joining WCW in 1993 with Sid, who was back after a stint in the WWF. Parker was in a tag team for years with Jimmy Golden, a.k.a. Bunkhouse Buck, a.k.a. Jack Swagger Sr. Sting and Smith made their way to the arena. They were both wearing Red, White and Blue. Obviously, those are the colors for America and Great Britain. This was pretty much the pre-Allied Powers or whatever they tried to do with Lex Luger in WWF.
All four combatants were in the ring and stared each other down. It was Sid and Sting who started the match. Sting took down Sid and punched the giant, after Sid shoved him. Sting did his patented bulldogs to try and keep the big man down. However, our hero responded with a one-handed/one-armed/one-something chokeslam. The Masters of the Powerbomb double-teamed Sting. Smith got in to help, but both men were thrown out of the ring. Neither Sting or Smith were down for long as they soon climbed the top rope and knocked down the giants. Both MotP members recuperated outside the ring. Sid got back on the ring apron, but was knocked back down.
After more action, Smith and Vader were tagged in. The two men fought with Vader gaining the advantage. Smith regained his composure and picked up Vader for a suplex. The comeback by Smith was halted when he was knocked down by Vader, who tagged Sid. Sid continued to work over Bulldog, beating him up and preventing him from getting the tag to Sting. The MotP tagged again and Vader continued to work over Bulldog. Out of frustration, Sting got into it with Vader, who proceeded to rip off his mask, leading to an audible gasp by myself. With Sting steaming in the corner, Vader and Sid continued to work over Smith. However, the Bulldog fought back, attempted a sunset flip and nearly got crushed by Vader. Smith moved out of the way just in time. Race got involved by getting on the apron and grabbed hold of Smith. As Vader approached, Smith got out of the way, knocking down Race. Terrible idea, in hindsight! Bulldog made his way back to the corner and tagged Sting and soon Sting became the Stinger and just destroyed everybody in sight.
Sting stayed hot for about a minute, but was soon blindsided by Sid. This gave Sid the opportunity to inflict pain on Sting, choking him out with his boot in the corner. MotP double-teamed Sting again and soon it was Vader’s turn to destroy. Vader soon had Sting on the top rope and ready to do a superplex when Sting bit Vader and pushed him off the middle rope. Yes, that is right Sting bit Vader. That was an actual form of defense to prevent a superplex. Sting got to his corner and tagged in Smith. But Sid got in and knocked down Smith, tagging in Vader afterward.
Vader worked over Bulldog and eventually did his Vader Bomb. Sting got into the ring quick enough to stop the three count. Sid grabbed Sting and threw him outside and the two fought back and forth on the elevated ramp. During this time, Vader did a moonsault, which amazed everybody. I’ll admit, I was kind of amazed too. Vader’s moonsaults were always awesome. With Vader having Smith out, he went for the pinfall, but OUT OF NOWHERE, Sting flew back into the ring and saved Bulldog. The final move of the match was Bulldog getting Vader down for a pinfall via a crucifix and that was that. Sting and Smith won and Sid and Vader lost.
Unfortunately, this match wasn’t on YouTube. Your best bet is to find it on the WWE Network. Now I’m sure some of you would like to to write something on the Beach Blast promo video. I’m planning to get to that next time.
