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Event: | Halloween Havoc |
| Date: | 25/10/98 | |
| Location: | Las Vegas, Nevada | |
| Opponent: | Hollywood Hogan |
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An undercard marginally better than its last few pay-per-views outings, World Championship Wrestling sought to re-invent the magic that was the Hogan-Warrior WrestleMania 6 showdown at this year's Halloween Havoc. A retiring Hogan dropped the title cleanly to the Warrior eight years ago. That was the eighties. This is the nineties. In the process of reviving his image, the Warrior doesn't have the stroke or the drawing power he once did. Meanwhile, Hollywood Hogan's has an unbreakable stranglehold over WCW booking. These elements combined spell doom for the Warrior. He goes down but not as hard as others who've mounted an "ultimate challenge" to Hogan's coveted WCW limelight.
Smartly positioning himself as the true main event downgrading Goldberg's title reign, Hogan walked out calmly, a Ric Flair-like feather boa around his neck. Turning back the clock to 1990, the Warrior sprinted to the ring, shook the ropes and posed for the crowd. Hogan hit the floor. "Why don't you get in the ring?," bellowed the Warrior inciting a ‘Hogan Sucks!' chant. The leader of nWo Hollywood stepped through the ropes waving the Warrior off. "I'm gonna kick your butt," Hogan yelled in the Warrior's face. The Warrior answered the taunt by punching Hogan in the face. The Warrior reversed an arm-wringer sending both men into the ropes. A shoulder tackle knocked Hogan to the canvass. Frustrated and embarrassed, Hogan stepped out of the ring. "Come on, Hogan. Right here!," said the Warrior baiting Hogan into a test of strength. Hogan muscled the Warrior into a corner pounding and choking him to his knees. Warrior powered out of a knuckle lock. Hogan and the Warrior traded slams but a running clothesline sent Hogan over the top rope to the floor where they brawled; the Warrior fencing and posting Hogan. Former nWo referee, Nick Patrick, was punked by Hogan landing knee drops on the fallen official. Hogan summoned the nWo troops from back. Hogan held the Warrior wide open as The Giant interfered. Warrior broke the hold and The Giant's kick hit Hogan sending him sprawling. Warrior cleaned house braining Vincent, Stevie Ray and The Giant. Warrior covered Hogan but Patrick was still snoozing. As the Warrior revived Patrick, Hogan blasted him with a sledgehammer blow to the back and a reverse suplex for a two count. Hogan took off his weightlifting belt tanning Warrior's hide. Hogan hit air with two elbow drops in succession. The Warrior goofed a body splash. Warrior doubled over Hogan with rapid fire punches removing his weightlifting belt. Warrior whipped Hogan repeatedly wrapping the belt around his fist and haymakering the nWo Hollywood ringmaster. Hogan begged off to a corner while Patrick reprimanded the Warrior. Pulling a baggie out of his trunks, Hogan fashioned a ready-made fire ball. Hogan fouled up throwing the fireball and the Warrior countered with two axe-handles from the top rope. Hogan began to bleed from his forehead. Hogan low-blowed Warrior hitting a leg drop as Horace Boulder came to ringside carrying a steel chair. Hogan missed the second leg drop attempt. The Warrior grabbed the ropes starting his comeback seizure. Hogan's blows to his back had no effect and Warrior clotheslined him. Eric Bischoff jumped on the apron incapacitating Patrick in a headlock. Horace entered the ring striking the Warrior in the back with the steel chair from behind. Hogan pinned Warrior. "You passed the test," said Hogan to Horace as he hugged him. Horace poured lighter fluid on the Warrior. Just as Hogan was about to light the Warrior on fire WCW security interceded Winner: Hollywood Hogan at 14 minutes and 20 seconds |