[1992-06-06-WCW-Saturday Night] Barry Windham vs Arn Anderson

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Loss]

Barry vs Arn has historically not been a very good singles match. The 1987 and 1993 matches between the two are disappointing. But this is different and is worth checking out. I expect it to be a polarizing match, because there's plenty to love and plenty to not like so much. But I do expect most people who see this to easily agree that this is the best singles match these two have ever had.

 

This is really worked like a 1970s-style match much of the way. They work holds and stay on the mat for most of this, which for a 30-minute match may seem a little worrisome, but the holds are worked so well and build so logically that the slower pace is not only fine, but in some ways a breath of fresh air. There's a real focus to most of the work -- Barry starts off by going hard after Arn's arm, Arn responds by targeting Barry's leg. In the second fall, Arn works over Windham's back for several minutes to set up a spinebuster pinfall. Arn in particular steps out of his comfort zone a few times, doing a great bodyscissors and even trying the figure four, which isn't a move he normally does. Windham doesn't step out quite as much as Arn, but he does do a cradle piledriver which is kinda cool, even though I've never really been a big fan of that move.

 

The booking has some issues. The DQ finish of Austin running in as Windham prepares Arn for a superplex really feels anti-climatic considering how much time the match was given to the match. But Arn was being groomed as an interim challenger to Sting and Windham was the TV champ, so neither was really in a good position to lose at this point. Paul E.'s act is also a little annoying. He has his good moments at ringside, but there are so many times when it seems like he's doing something silly to put the focus on him instead of the match.

 

This is really worth seeing. Anyone who likes body part work will really like this. It is a bit dated for 1992 WCW, but would have been a tremendous match in the late 70s or early 80s. I loved it, but I'm curious to hear what other people think about something that's really well-worked, but is missing flash.

[Dylan Waco]

The first time I saw this I thought it was a very good match that danced around the periphery of being great without ever quite getting there. I'm hoping to pick this set up soon and will watch this with a close eye because on first watch I actually preferred the Slamboree sprint/brawl they had from 93 which is a position you seem to think is pretty off base.

[Frankensteiner]

I generally love this match but the ending was such a rip-off that I didn't want to watch any WCW for a month. I can't believe they went 30 minutes only to end on a run-in. I also have to disagree with Barry and Arn not being a good singles match up. Next to Tully, I think Arn is Barry's best opponent. I like all of their matches, and they have really strong matches in 4 different years.

 

My personal favorite is the '91 match from Pro. This is one is really good too and builds on the '91 match.

[Tim Evans]

I would have liked this more if they actually sold the weakend body parts for more than 1 fall. For example, Barry spends about 10+ minutes going after Arn's arm but by the 2nd fall, Arn's arm seems to be fine. Same thing with Barry's back in the 3rd. If his back was so injured like Ross put over on commentary, why would Barry go for the superplex. Plus the finish was just a cop out. I wasn't feeling this match too much.

[KB8]

I loved this when I watched it last year.

 

http://whiskeyandwrestling.blogspot.com/20...-of-day-10.html

[shoe]

I thought this was tremendous. Two guys given 30 minutes who can work. They work body parts and just work. Nothing fancy but just some good meat and potatoes match. Their wasn't 20 false finishes. Just smart work.

[El-P]

Terrific TV match, maybe my favourite of the year thus far. This is very much the equivalent of the Bret vs Backlund match from Superstars in 1992, in that it was a very technical, bodypart working, mat oriented match, with few highspots, but every one of them mattered. I agree the finish is kinda cheap, although it protect both Arn and the superplex.

[Kevin Ridge]

Thought it was good for the most part. Barry took a big bump to the outside off a missed clothesline attempt. Looked like he was going to get counted out. As mentioned by others that disqualification ending was poor after investing so much time watching the first two falls. Don't like the third fall being decided by DQ like that. Better off just having the one fall if you are trying to protect both guys from a loss.

[Superstar Sleeze]

Great, great TV match that focused on my favorite thing in wrestling body-part work. Things like Windham beating on AA's left arm while he was in the leg lace was really good. Actually thought, Anderson's leg work in the first fall was really good and felt like he was really trying to twist Barry's leg off. Barry for his part was trying to take Arn's arm home with him. Barry has some swete punches. My favorite thing about classic wrestling is how much a closed fist means. Whether it is a heel short cut or a fired-up babyface dishing out some punishment. Flying clothesline is a good finish. Barry came right out back on the arm in the second fall, but tumbles over the top and injures his back. So that makes sense why Anderson shifts his attention to the back. Two things I really like about 2 Out Of 3 Falls: 1. Secondary Finishers can win falls 2. You can add wrinkles like no babyface comebacks. If a babyface comback doesn't happen in a match, then in my book that is definition of a squash. The way this was structured, Arn could take his back work to the logical conclusion of a spinbuster and picking up a fall. If that was justa one fall match, I would be scratching my head and saying why did Barry get squashed. I wouldn't have liked the match all that much, but by doing it in the context of 2 out of three falls, it doesn't necessiate a babyface comback in each fall. The first two falls were tremendous.

 

The 3rd fall was good and was building to a hot Barry comeback, but it hard to separate that work from the shitty finish.

 

I didnt really get the booking of this as I don't understand why you needed to protect Arn plus JR just spent a minute or so saying Dangerously does NOT want a DQ b/c the title cant change hands via DQ. I get they wanted to setup Windham/Austin for the following week, but just do a post-match brawl rather than that.

[WingedEagle]

Jim Ross promoting an Omni show as a a major event is how you spell minor leagues. I enjoyed this and can see why some others thought very highly of it, it didn't register as anything that special for me. Arn's bumping and stooging were typically great and the extended focus on body parts was also well done. This just felt like going long for the sake of doing so without any focus or conflict pushing things. It never had the sense of desperation I'd expect in such a long war. The finish was also garbage.

 

**3/4

[PeteF3]

This was a better version of Arn vs. Big Josh--better setting, better heat, and Windham is a more dynamic opponent. Plus the body part work paid off better--even Windham's flying lariat to end the first fall was indirectly set up by his leg giving out as he was climbing the turnbuckle. Full credit to them for not losing a crowd through 30 minutes of work. But that third fall ending...fuck. If they were going to go 30 minutes, they could have easily just went to the time limit draw and saved the Austin run-in for afterward.

[MikeCampbell]

A very good match from two good workers. It's not exactly state of the art for the time period, but they pull it off very well. Terrible finish though.

[JerryvonKramer]

Okay, well I accidentally reviewed this for last night's WTBBP (thinking it was the 11/2/91 match) and gave it a ****3/4 rating. You can hear my thoughts on it on WTBBP #70.

 

But right now I have this down as Arn's career singles match and really loved it. I'm actually really surprised not to see it in Loss's Top 100 for 92. Thought this was just awesome.

[BigBadMick]

Parv, there's a Windham v Arn match from late '87 I thought was phenomenal. Looking at the Horseman set listings, I think it's Sep 12th. Might be worth a look for comparison.

 

EDIT: Ok, upon rewatch, phenomenal was overstating it a bit. Still, very good match. Both worked hard before a very vocal crowd.

[BigBadMick]

.....and I watched this one tonight. Very good, but I agree with some of the complaints about the finish and the fact that these 2 out of 3 falls matches in mid 92 seemed to go long just for the sake of going long. It's a testament to them that they kept in interesting throughout.

[The Russian Daydream]

I enjoyed this a lot. I was losing interest in the early going and almost gave up on it, but I'm glad I stuck with it. The second fall really was excellent, with Barry's oh so graceful bump over the ropes and then the very well done work on the back, finishing up with the spinebuster. I understand why it went to a non-finish but it really disappointed me. If it had been a ten minute effort then that would be one thing but I'd invested half-an-hour in watching this and it felt very flat to end the way it did. I also agree with BigBadMack that they seemed to do these long Saturday Night matches for the sake of it during this period.

Honestly I liked it, but if they'd done a better finish or at least did a time-limit draw, or else shortened it by 10 minutes it would have been really, really good. As it ended up though,I just can't follow JvonK in rating it as an all-time great match.

[garretta]

First fall: Was that four fingers that Arn was holding up just out of camera range as he walked to the ring? I loved how JR tries to pass it off as Arn telling Barry that he was going to be the television champion for the fourth time. You know that at least some of the trash talking had to be Horseman-related, but that group isn't supposed to have ever existed, at least for the next year. At the same time, JR freely acknowledges their former tag team, which is at least a step in the right direction.

 

Paul and Arn complain about the taped fist until Barry unloads on Arn with it once or twice, which is a bit weird. (I think the complaining stopped after the second punch.) JR talks like the taped fist is an instrument of payback against the DA, which is only logical, since the broken hand which caused it in the first place should have been healed long ago.

 

I like the dueling limb work which defines the fall: Barry attacks Arn's left arm, which is standard operating procedure for wrestlers but contains added drama here since Arn's a lefty. In return, Arn works over Barry's leg. Arn's the better seller, as every move he tries is somehow affected by the bad arm. JR points out that his blows don't have the effect they normally would, and that there are times when Arn would ordinarily use his left hand on offense, but can't now. Even as Arn punishes Barry's leg, a few shots to the arm and shoulder area back him off.

 

Barry's bad leg plays into the finish, as he's too slow to hit the move he was going for, but not too slow to push Arn off as he's going for the superplex (!), then set himself and hit a flying lariat for the win and a 1-0 lead.

 

Most Incongruous Trash Talk by a Manager: Heyman, for supposedly asking Barry to let up on Arn's arm. I think that was JR having a little fun, as I've never known Heyman to be the beggar type unless his own health was in danger.

 

Second fall: The story here is Barry's back. He injures it taking a fall over the top rope early on, and of course Arn senses the kill, pounding it and applying submission holds for the rest of the fall. The best Barry can do to counter is a few right hands, but even with the tape they don't really have much juice behind them.

 

Heyman doesn't get physically involved often, but when he does it means something. He not only assists Arn with some extra leverage from the outside on at least two occasions, but clobbers Barry in the spine with his phone. The visual of the fall is him jumping up to the apron right after that and carrying on a conversation as if nothing had just happened.

 

JR's really on top of his game throughout here, putting over strategies and maneuvers as only he can while still mixing in shills for all of WCW's upcoming big events and his radio show. He outdoes even himself, though, when Arn applies a bodyscissors and he namedrops Joe Stecher, who used the hold when he was champion at least sixty years before. It's at times like this that you can see shy many people were calling JR the best announcer in the business at this time, and he does it working solo here, which has to be a huge relief after some of the dim bulbs he's had to carry the last few weeks.

 

Arn's spinebuster gets the clean win, and we're tied at one fall apiece.

 

Third fall: This fall only gets about five minutes, most of which Arn spends working on Barrry's legs again. His primary weapon is a Heyman-assisted figure four, which doesn't get the submission. Eventually Barry fights back, and has Arn on top and ready for the superplex when Austin interferes for the DQ. I've never been a big fan of that finish when a heel is challenging for a belt, because it makes it seem like the heel in question doesn't care about winning the title as much as he does beating the hell out of the champion with the one who interfered and keeping from getting beaten himself. It's a finish as old as the sport, though, so I've gotten used to it.

 

Heyman was very active verbally on the fall, yelling to Arn loudly enough so the camera could pick it up. He's very good at that, and it puts over his character as a strategist reather than just as an annoying loudmouth with a weapon in the mold of Jimmy Hart.

 

I liked how Heyman started to call for a DQ on Barry when Arn went over the top, only for JR to remind us that that's the last thing he wants because Barry keeps the title. I don't know if Paul heard JR or not (I doubt it), but the complaining stopped almost as soon as it started.

 

This was probably the best two-out-of-three fall match in the WCWSN series so fat, as both guys went at it hammer-and-tongs with no letup for the whole time. It was definitely the most physical of the matchups, as JR himself noted, and it could have led to a great rematch if Austin hadn't beaten Barry for the belt the following week.

[Superstar Sleeze]

WCW World TV Champion Barry Windham vs Arn Anderson - WCW Saturday Night 6/6/92

The match made famous by the most hilarious gaffe in podcast history when Parv reviewed the wrong Windham vs Anderson. I am still laughing all these years later. 

First Fall: I love, love Anderson vs Dustin from earlier in the year and I thought this was very reminiscent of that, but I did think this is a notch above. As I stated in my previous review (five years ago now!), I love how much a closed fist means in traditional, Southern pro wrestling. That very first exchange where Windham armdrags Arn and Arn pops up only to sit his ass back down when he sees Barry's fist cocked is terrific pro wrestling. Add a layer remember Windham's fist is taped because Arn & Larry Z crushed in the car door in October of '91. So Arn really does not want to get punched. JR does a good job pointing this out notice how Arn is always looking to break Windham's rhythm early on by powdering. That is great heel work. Puts over the babyface offense and the heel's cowardice. I love that when Windham gets that first sweet, sweet closed fist how Arn sells it and powders. It is tremendous. The meat of the first fall is also great featuring double limb psychology. Arn gets a little bit of an advantage and looks to strike BW up against the post, but instead his left arm wraps the post. The heel is foiled and is forced to meet the steel. It also gives Barry an opening without forcing him to do anything heelish. Barry does a great job working the arm. These two put on a clinic of how to work holds and create movement in and out of holds. The lynchpin here is Arn. He takes to struggle and fight back. He does this forces them out of the hold. Once out of the hold due to his weakened arm, he cannot capitalize. In process, this creates movement which generates excitement and Barry will use an armdrag to re-establish the hold. It creating loud-soft dynamics with an pro wrestling match using struggling, earning and movement. What allows Arn to finally get on offense in an appreciable way is a jawbreaker out of sleeper. This is a headshot and this rocks BW. Arn decides to yank Barry over and wrap his leg around the post. Arn gets a modicum of revenge for what happened early and debilitating Windham. I love when Arn had Barry in a leg lace that Barry hitting strong forearms to Arn's bad left shoulder. Really smart wrestling. They battle on top and BW shoves him off and hits a flying lariat for a very satisfying conclusion to a tremendous fall. Lets see what they have in store for us in the next two falls.  

Second Fall: Wow, ok so I know the finish of this match is shitty, but I cant remember what it was. Based off this work in the first two falls, this is one of the greatest matches of all time. Arn misses an elbow drop out of the gate and we are right back to working over the bad left arm of the southpaw Arn Anderson. Love it. They pick up the thread from the first fall and escalate as now BW is hitting suplexes and slams (a hammerlock slam out of the Anderson family playbook). Then the match completely shifts gears when Windham takes a massive tumble over the top rope to the floor. Windham hits his back on the apron. Barry Windham is one of the greatest bumpers of all time. It is impressive given how tall he is. The back work here is awesome. Good action outside the ring with Dangerously getting the brick phone shot to the back to a chorus of boos. In the ring a nice assortment of holds with Windham peppering in hope spots. Arn has always been great at selling punches, but this maybe his greatest performance ever. I can remember three distinct times I was popping because of Arn's staggered, drunk selling. Barry Windham has one of the sweetest rights in history. This is like peanut butter & jelly. SPINEBUSTER! 1-2-3! This is why I love 2 out of 3 Falls matches. You can work the body part to its logical conclusion. In a conventional one fall match in order to have the full story arc you have to have the babyface comeback. In 2 out of 3 falls, you can have mini-climaxes that crescendo to the finale. 2 out of 3 Falls are infinitely preferable to One Fall matches in my mind as they make for more versatile and interesting storytelling. Really tremendous thus far and Parv is looking like a genius.

Third Fall: This is more spotty than the previous two falls. It is more of the bomb throwing portion of the match. WIndham starts with the ten punches in corner, but Arn interrupts looking for atomic drop but Windham counters and nails him with a final right. Arn is money right now. Arn goes back to the leg and applies a figure-4. It feels like they are just doing all the big Southern wrestling spots rather than building on the groundwork they laid. They are building to a Windham comeback with the climax being a Superplex, but Austin interferes to setup their rematch and triggering the DQ. 

What I liked about this match so much was that it was all about payoffs. In the first two falls, all the work was paid off. The third fall was a pretty big letdown because they did not lay that much groundwork and the work they did was not paid off. The first two falls is MOTYC level stuff, but the third fall does drag it down. Always a hard position for rating. Lets go ****1/4, but dont let the rating fool you, watching the first two falls is must-see for any dyed in the wool wrestling fan. 

[dawho5]

I was stoked that JR would get to call this match himself.  I thought he did an amazing job and it was another match that he was perfect as commentator for.  Did WCW look at Barry as a main event guy at the time?  Because he was seriously over with this crowd.  Windham busting out the hammerlock bodyslam was awesome.  And I don't know how often this happens in televised matches, but Arn actually hit a top rope move in the second fall.  I liked how JR showed a lot of respect for Arn as a wrestler even if he was a heel. 

The finish pissed me off.  Great match with a ton of heat built up and you have a run-in?  With better booking WCW could really have gained on the WWF at the time.