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[1997-06-15-WCW-Great American Bash] Randy Savage vs DDP


Loss

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  • 1 month later...

Good match, but this feels overly "scripted", thought out in advance and planned to a tee. Considering the reps of both guys, it probably was. I don't have a problem with that in theory, but it does seem like this match was just a little too "neat" and felt a little contrived as a result. I'd still call it a good match, but that practiced feeling is what keeps it from going to the next level. The weapons (and people, who were props for this match too) were a little too conveniently placed around the ring and on the set, and they seemed more like they were going to the next spot than reacting to each other. Scott Hall runs in and hits Page with the "NWO Drop" (that will never get old) and then Savage hits the big elbow for the win.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I thought it was the Outsiders Edge. I felt it was good also but I was totally feeling some of the staged elements of the match. Mark Curtis climbing up on the ropes while they are on the turnbuckle and he then gets beat up. They have this cheesy picnic area that’s there for them to use as weapons. There is a very aggressive photographer getting in the way trying to take pictures who is obviously going to get beat up by Savage. Still thought match was able to overcome it though and be entertaining enough.

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  • 2 months later...

I thought this was really damn good minus the picnic spot and the photographer spot which as everyone has mentioned felt like too much. The brawling here sustained a good pace and the hate was very stated mixing in some good bumps. I just watched Taker vs. HHH from WM 17 and this blew that match away as far as intensified crowd brawling. Macho picks up a win and good to see the NWO have his back.

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  • 7 months later...

It wasn't Benoit vs Sullivan, and yes some spots were too convenient, but I felt it was still a very good match. And since pro-wrestling has become totally scripted, in restrospect this looks a lot more organic than any modern WWE big match.

The picnic spot is too goofy and fun to bother me, actually it's too bad this match didn't take place at Bash at the Beach because they could have used more fun props. DDP vs Savage was without a doubt the top feud of the year in WCW in term of freshness.

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  • 9 months later...

I think it is a bit too easy to attack this match as "overly scripted" given who is involved. We know Savage and DDP liked to pre-plan their match, which was not the norm in this era so I think it is a bit of bias to levy that as the problem. We have seen Savage and DDP have other matches that feel totally organic, chaotic that are urgent and filled with struggle. I think they came in with a strong layout, but they just did not execute. Didn't Savage get legit hurt after Spring Stampede and this was his first match back. I feel like there was just not the same level of heat or just immediacy from their work. I liked the fact that DDP got more offense in this match and it showed progression. In the first match, Savage did not take the oldest rookie ever very seriously and took his time to attack others and get his licks in, but it cost him. Here we see DDP grow by really taking it to Savage and Savage responds by working harder to win the match. Plus DDP's infamous never healing ribs become a factor in the story and a focus of Savage's attack. I agree the BBQ pit was a lamer version of Benoit/Sullivan in the bathroom. The first match you take DDP seriously as a main eventer, this match cements it, but this time the NWO ensures a Savage victory thus leading to a series of Savage/Hall vs DDP/Partner, which was smart booking to extend the blowoff to Halloween Havoc. I think this is the weakest of the three Savage/Page matches, but yet finished highest in the Smarkchoice Poll, go figure.

 

“Macho Man” Randy Savage vs “Diamond” Dallas Page – No DQ Match

Great American Bash 1997

Liz is in quite the sequined, black jumpsuit, Savage is all business and it looks like he finally taking DDP seriously. You know how I can tell he licks his lips like an insane gecko. Tony expects that this fight will go all over the arena and given DDP’s limitations, I agree. “SELF HI-FIVE” over the speakers as the sexy as all hell Kimberly gives the Diamond Cutter signal in the entrance-way distracting the Madness. DDP sneak attacks the Macho Man, hell after Savage’s Wildman performance last time, DDP has some big balls just stepping in the ring with this Madman. Page has the infamous taped ribs, which would last approximately 2 years and would give his matches an instant sympathy card, while he looked like a million bucks in the fans’ eyes for fighting through the pain and gutting it out. It was like the reverse Cowboy Bob Orton arm injury. I think it was a good gimmick.

 

Early cutter attempt and Savage wisely takes a powder. Pescado over the top onto the floor by DDP wipes out the Macho Man, but Page hurts his ribs. The Brain questions the wisdom of the move given both the ribs and the fact he has never done such a high-risk move. Tony retorts this shows the guts of DDP and just the lengths he will go to hurt Savage. Savage right on the ribs because he smells blood, baby. Savage hides behind Liz, but this brings out DDP’s inner scumbag and tosses Liz out of the way and calls her a bimbo. B.I.M.B.O. B.I.M.B.O. B.I.M.B.O. and Bimbo was her name-o. I am getting a strong John McClane of Die Hard vibe from DDP, I am digging it, which Brain emphasizes that DDP is willing to take on the New World Order by himself and is a double tough man for it. Savage gets the eye-rake like a true Macho Man apparently how the ribs were injured was petite Liz slamming a car door on DDP’s side. Really, Liz was on the one to do that irreparable damage. Fear and adrenaline can do wild things for a woman, as we found out from Desperate Housewives. Now we take the tour of the arena with Savage in command until Page sends him into a brick wall in desperation. Dusty gets excited about the PLUNDAH~! (a crutch) And says that DDP is really rag-tagging him. What??? Savage gains himself a breather by sending DDP crashing ribs first into the ring steps. Then Liz gives Savage a mysterious white substance, *wink* *wink*. Before Savage can ride the white lightning to victory, DDP approaches so Savage tosses his “energy powder” into DDP’s face taking some sort of PLUNDAH from Page and breaking it over his head. Savage exposes the ribs as the announcers discuss the psychological affects, Dusty says now Savage is doing the rag-tagging. Fans chant for the everyone’s favorite recluse, “WE Want Sting!” to put an end to this inhumanity. Personally, I don’t think the Macho Man has even begun. Yep, I was right. Savage has a zero tolerance policy for the ref’s tonight. He spits on this one, decks him, tears his shirt off and piledrives him into next week. If this was Memphis, Savage would be in prison and that ref would be legally dead. DDP is kicking and clawing, even hitting a headbutt, I have never seen DDP do that. Savage tosses a second ref over the top. Story of the match: Savage is not fuckin around. DDP gets another flurry, but this is all Macho Man as he lariats him over the top rope.

 

Ruh roh, Savage catches sight of Kimberly and grabs her by the hair bringing her over the guardrail. This nearly causes a fuckin riot in the front row. Seriously everyone is yelling obscenities at the Macho Man and at least two guys are thinking about taking a swing at him. Heel Macho Man, everyone, that best in the business. Another ref and this one calms him down before anything he regrets happen. Classic Macho high-knee to DDP’s back as Page was trying to create separation up the ramp. They end up finding a gimmicked BBQ picnic area that some VIP fans are sitting at. DDP takes advantage of all this PLUNDAH~! Really turning the tide with it. Dusty desperately wants him to use the grill and pops like mad when it happens. I love Big Dust. DDP leads Savage back to the ring by choking him with his own shirt. Once back, he sets up Savage to go balls-first into the ringpost. Signals for the Cutter, so Savage hits the jawbreaker, he really should stop signaling for it. Savage removes the protective mats off the floor and looks to maim DDP by piledriving him on the exposed concrete. When the ref tries to stop him, Savage decks him. ZERO TOLERANCE. Savage, being an uber-dick, decides to physically intimidate a photographer at ringside. I have watched wrestling for 15 years and 99% of everything you see is choreographed. But when Savage goes on his rampages of attacking cameramen and other ringside attendants you just don’t know. I love that of feeling chaos.

 

This gives DDP enough time to get hold of a chair and waffle Savage. Savage counters with a low-blow. Page reverses a suplex attempt into the DIAMOND CUTTER~! WCW did such a good job putting over that finisher as deadly. Savage does his job and sells it like a champ. But the is NO REF, Tony. The crowd is going apeshit. Here comes Scott Hall (nWo member) with the WCW Tag Team title in tow. He is ineffective at first, but the numbers game catch up to DDP as Savage clobbers him with the belt from behind. Outsider Edge (Crucifix Powerbomb) by Hall on Page that almost ends up getting fucked up, but it was one of the better ones I have seen. Hall tells Savage to go up top and hit him with elbow. Savage, ever-present of trying to get just that much more heat from the crowd, goes to a different corner. Why? So he can kick the unconscious ref. It is the little things that make Savage the greatest. Big elbow and the pin is academic.

 

This time the New World Order and Savage don’t fuck around. There is no deliberate attacks from Savage and a true nWo member comes out to make sure that Savage gets the duke. ***1/2

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  • 6 months later...

Well, I thought this was absolutely awesome--the best Savage match since GAB '96 and it may even be better than that. And a great performance by DDP, who was working for like 6 here. After his opening flurry including a pescado (!!) I was drawn in for the rest of the match. They elevated things further by having DDP totally no-sell the Savage-hides-behind-Liz spot and throw Liz out of the way--an eye-opener through modern eyes but in context (well-explained by the announcers, with Liz having slammed the limo door on Page earlier) it works. There are some great teases and cut-offs of the Diamond Cutter all throughout the match. Finish is a little cheap but Savage constantly laying out the refs did feel like a strategic decision to set the run-in work, so that's a very minor complaint. Savage wins and we go off the air about half a second after the final 3-count. I'm guessing there won't be a better WCW main event than this in '97, and probably not until DDP/Goldberg in '98.

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  • 5 months later...

Just saw this match for the first time. I really liked their match from a month or two earlier (Spring Stampede?), but I wasn't sure what I'd get with this - Savage is one of those guys that I'm a mark for, but will readily admit, his resume is far from infallible.

 

I get the criticisms detailed above, but, man, I feel like this one works because it is just flat-out fun. Page sneak attacking Savage and going for the Diamond Cutter within the first 30 seconds? Savage destroying referees and a camera man? Dusty Rhodes commentary when they end up in the "VIP section"? Piledrivers galore, Macho attacking Page's injured ribs, all sorts of weapon shots and even an Outsider's Edge thrown in. When this match was over, I was ready to watch 10 more minutes of it.

 

I wouldn't call it a masterpeice, but I have no problem calling it a 4-star match based on just how entertaining it was.

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  • GSR changed the title to [1997-06-15-WCW-Great American Bash] Randy Savage vs DDP

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