[1996-02-11-WCW-Superbrawl VI] Brian Pillman vs Kevin Sullivan (Strap)

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Loss]

The infamous fake shoot. "I respect you, bookerman." Believe it or not, they edited the word "bookerman" out of the commercial release! Anyway, they worked really stiff and this was well done, even if it did go over the heads of most people. What gets forgotten is Arn coming in and taking Pillman's place and the crowd popping big for that until Flair comes down and convinces them to stop fighting.

[El-P]

Really a nothing match with a rather idiotic shoot angle, which fascinated Vince Russo and we probably owe a good part of his absurd "swerve-shooty shooty" booking to this match. If at least it led to something. Pillman's Loose Cannon gimmick didn't age very well, it felt a bit forced.

[Jkeats]

Yeah Pillman's character does seem more forced in hindsight but I thought his performance in this was really good. The shots between he and Sullivan were really stiff and Pillman looked legitimately pissed off leading to the walkout. If I'm not mistaken, Arn wasn't in on the deal at the point he was sent out.

[Kevin Ridge]

It is rather confusing for Pillman to walk out like that after a brief couple minutes of him and Sullivan laying into each other. Sullivan has urned his respect. Arn takes over for a few before Flair runs down to put an end to things. Ric would rather they focus on Hogan and Savage.

[Zenjo]

Reminds me of the Meltzer guidelines when wondering if something in wrestling is a shoot.

[El-P]

Really, this "genius angle" was pointless in the grand scheme of things. The "bookerman" comment got totally over the head of the audience, got no heat and really was Pillman jerking off to work the guys in the back. I guess it worked since he got his release and showed up in ECW a few days later. The most insignificant "historical" moment of those storied years. Of course, Russo, who's an idiot, thought it was revolutionnary despite the fact it led to nothing and didn't draw a dime.

[PeteF3]

Yeah, I never, EVER understood what the endgame of this was supposed to be. This is a fake shoot, Japanese-style angle in a world where that sort of thing simply didn't exist. (Okay, you had the Michaels collapse not long before, but it wasn't kayfabe-breaking the way this one was). Then Bischoff and Sullivan can talk about how they worked all the boys (amusingly, Disco Inferno was reported as being the one guy in the locker room who smelled work), but it doesn't do anything to draw money. If Pillman doesn't get into a car wreck and doesn't jump ship, what the hell next? Pillman comes back and...wrestles Sullivan again?

 

I will say that the announcers did a very professional and admirable job in the wake of some unprecedented, bizarre circumstances. And that the action in *both* matches is really good. For as short as it is, Pillman/Sullivan has a very Lawler/Snowman-esque vibe that I was rather enjoying before they felt the need to start booking to the Internet crowd ten years before that was a viable option. And they had the decency to have Arn wrestle in his golf outfit rather than magically be in his ring gear. It's a notable moment but more than anything it's an excuse for 3 guys to jerk off.

[soup23]

I understand the shortcomings of where this could lead and the stupidity of the bookerman line but as a stand alone event on a PPV, I liked this a good deal. I think Pillman walking out makes sense in the f'd up way his mind was working at the time. Ditto for Arn to come out and step up into his place to maintain Horseman honor. Those red golf shorts fighting is a glorious visual.. Flair is eventually able to calm everyone down. *

[tim]

Awkward, inexplicable angle and segment -- a portent of things to come for WCW. The beginning when Sullivan and Pillman are going at it was pretty great actually, made me want to see the match.