Johnny B Badd / Marc Mero... Time to Revisit his Career

[goodhelmet]

After watching the 1994 PPVs for the P2B podcast, we came out of the shows thinking Johnny B Badd was pretty freaking great. I'll make comments on all of the matches we watched for the project but I am going to jump into his 1995 content next starting with Fall Brawl 1995. I am really curious if he is a guy who was hitting his peak who couldn't live up to his former glory or if we just all overlooked the Badd Man!

[goodhelmet]

Johnny B Badd vs. Flyin’ Brian (Fall Brawl 1995)

- Early on, both guys are playing by the rules and it feels like a face vs. face match. I don’t know when it happened, but all of a sudden, Badd has blood on his face. Really pretty wrestling sequences, not unlike what Eddy and Dean were doing at the time with neither man gaining an advantage early on. However, at one point, Pillman just punches Badd in the face and takes over, using subtle heel mannerisms. Badd is able to turn the tide when he connects on his tilt a whirl backbreaker. However, he starts working on the leg and as Bobby Heenan pointed out, he should have stayed focused on the back. I like how Pillman is able to gain control again, even briefly, by punching Badd in the face again. During the stretch run, both guys throw out some big moves including a suplex to the floor and Badd’s dive to the outside. They really play up how evenly matches these guys are and the match plays that up with both guys knocking each other out forcing the ref to make some double counts. I actually like how both guys were willing to work in submission holds even though time was running down and realizing it wasn’t going to work so they had to switch strategies.

-

- The overtime period leads to dueling sleeper that makes complete sense because they are really playing how much energy these two have used up in the match. They use the final minutes to unload some great moves and counters including the super sunset flip, the crucifix countered into a samoan drop, and a Frankensteiner, Tornado DDT, PIllman thrown into the guard rail and this feels like a total war. The finish was awkward but this was a real great match in a year where great matches didn’t happen very often in WCW. I like the Regal matches more but that is because I think Regal is better at filling holes when working the mat or battling for submissions. I think somebody claimed that Badd was being led by Pillman but I don’t know how you would be able to tell because he looked as good if not better than Pillman.

[Timbo Slice]

Yeah, that match sold me on Mero as a worker. At some point in 94 or 95, Mero really turned it up a notch and had some pretty good matches. The story is Brian trying to show up the booking team by taking a "schlub" like Mero and leading him by the nose, but Mero was MORE than up for the task. Great, great match.

[goodhelmet]

Johnny B Badd vs. DDP (Halloween Havoc 1995)
- The build here is that DDP slashed Badd’s tires and Badd missed his US Title shot at Sting on TV. This is the old Austin Idol angle from Georgia that is an all time classic. DDP’s outfit is still horrendous. Great fast start as Badd sends DDP over the guard rail into the fans, puts a bucket on his head and rams him head first into the ring post. Badd works the arm early and I love how DDP keeps pulling Badd’s hair to try and break a wrist lock so Badd slams DDP down by the hair in retaliation to let him know he can play dirty too. DDP turns the tide with a great snake eyes when Badd tried to do some corner punches. DDP’s heat section needs work. They were more concerned with the Diamond Doll holding up the cards instead of punishing Badd. It’s times like these I miss Regal as he is so much better at doing small things to the opponent while getting heat. It isn’t bad work but you have to lower expectations when comparing DDP to Regal. They did build some good heat spots only for DDP to cut him off in a variety of ways. In the greatest spot in the match, DDP loosens his tape and does the old Memphis standard of using the tape to choke Badd while the ref is distracted. Awesome! Badd grabs momentum after an inverted atomic drop and a regular atomic drop but gets dropped by the Diamond Dream. This has turned into a really good match. Great nearfalls toward the end but the end with Maxx Muscle was lame. Still, these guys worked their asses off for a really entertaining match. Not as good as previous Badd matches but another thumbs up in the Johnny B Badd match collection.

[goodhelmet]

Timbo, who is the source of that story. By 1995, Badd had already proven himself as a worker. He had a great 1994.

[Timbo Slice]

John mentioned it during the DVDVR 90s poll in his WCW Pimping Post, talking about how Brian was getting frustrated with the booking and felt like he was getting "stuck" with Badd. Not sure what his source was, but considering Brian ended up joining the Horsemen at the next PPV, the match with Badd ended up being a great segue into his movement up the card.

[Loss]

It was also in the WON at the time.

[Matt D]

I found his 95 finishing sequence a little goofy though. I do think the feud with DDP is pretty fun.

[goc]

I thought he was fantastic in his heel run in WWE as Marvelous Marc. His "match" with Sable where he acts like he is going to lay down for her only to roll her up is one of the better douche bag heel moments I've seen.

[Loss]

My biggest problem with the DDP series is that some of the clever spots were repeated in every single match they had on pay-per-view. I love the way they built to Kimberly holding up the 10 for Johnny B. Badd at ringside, but it loses something when it happens in every match. They laid out one really good match and just kept having it over and over. That said, it was pretty well done.

[Timbo Slice]

I think that had more to do with Page having to lay out everything, though. That Pillman match was obviously called as it happened because they just started throwing bombs after the 10 minute mark. I wouldn't put that on Mero.

[Loss]

He got a rep for not really knowing how to work a match in the WWF, but he was from WCW and wasn't named Steve Austin, The Undertaker or Hunter Hearst Helmsley. So of course he did. He had some very good matches in 1996, so I don't think it's a fair opinion. I remember Cornette saying that the guys he worked with felt like all he knew how to do was his pat Johnny B. Badd match, whatever that means.

[Loss]

Also, I think the story was less that Pillman was frustrated, and more that the bookers put Badd with Pillman for 30 minutes in an attempt to embarrass him and show that he wasn't as good of a worker as he thought he was.

[rainmakerrtv]

^{I remember in one 1991 match with Rex King he broke out a cool reverse-gourdbuster that I have never seen him nor anyone else use again.}

[Hollinger.]

Mero always struck me as a guy that was more than capable of having a good match when he was in there with someone who could lead. When he was the worker in the match, it tended to feel samey. Granted, this is 20 years out, and I haven't revisited a ton of his stuff in probably 15. Definitely a guy I'll keep my eye on when I get around to working through 90s WCW PPVs on the Network.

[Johnny Sorrow]

I always liked Mero and never got why his peers said he sucked. It's one of those disconnects between watchers and workers.

 

Of course, a lot of it is probably " I tried to fuck his wife and she shot me down."

[funkdoc]

i've long felt like a big part of mero's rep came from him being 100% about the money and viewing wrestling as beneath him on some level. yall know how many of the boys are marks for Respecting The Business, and a lot of the biggest marks used to be the most respected voices among smarks sooooooooo

 

and don't forget that he was one of the most prominent figures calling out WWE in the national media following the benoit murders. that absolutely sealed it!

 

the WWF could've had something with mero in 96, it was ridiculous that the shooting star press wasn't the finish in his summerslam match with goldust. but with the injuries killing the high-flying stuff i don't know if he had much of a chance in the long run

 

oh yeah, was it true that he was supposed to beat rocky for the IC title at WM13? this is one of those scott keith chestnuts so i assume not - i know they did face vs. face quite a bit back then but seems weird for the IC belt.

[PeteF3]

They were starting the Mero heel turn when the injury happened. Rocky had come to the aid of Sable against somebody and Mero took offense and attacked him.

[goodhelmet]

Johnny B. Badd vs. DDP (World War III 1995)

- Starts off with the guys brawling, DDP attempting a punch but getting nailed by Badd. DDP tries to ram Badd into the ring post but eats metal instead. This allows Badd to control inside after a brief run by DDP. Nice way to start off the match.

- I like how they keep working the headlock into pins and breaks, something the Ascension guy could learn quickly.

- Nice transition out of the headlock into a hammerlock battle with DDP taking advantage by pulling the hair. They did the same thing in the Havoc match but I really love DDP using the hair for takedowns but Badd getting admonished for doing the same thing. Reminds me of the Murdoch-Nightmare match from Mid South with the punches.

- It really benefits DDP not to have Max Muscle out there because that guy was a detriment to the last match. Using the Diamond Doll as a shield and taking advantage is way better. DDP is moving much faster here also and his control segment is much better as a result. SSP also gives Badd enough hope spots to keep it from being boring.

- The stretch run is super with Badd breaking out a sit out powerbomb but Badd does a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. The tiltawhirl tombstone reversal that allowed Badd to hit his big finisher dive and a springboard leg drop finishes it.

- This is another one to put in the Johnny B Badd was Pretty freaking great. I don’t see how anyone would see this as the same match as Havoc. They did some call back spots but they also did some new moves and there were different twists that made it a completely different match. DDP also moved much faster and worked much harder here making the match more exciting. Also, I see that Mero was the Most Improved Wrestler in the Observer poll for 1995. He probably should have won it in 1994 but his 1995 has been pretty good on PPV. I need to watch the TV he was featured on during this time.

[goodhelmet]

Johnny B Badd vs. Mr. Saito

- Dusty and Heenan are really putting over Saito and his career. They even mention how tough Saito was when Heenan managed him in the AWA. Early on, Saito takes Badd down with some judo throws and they have a slap/chop fest ten years before Sasuke-Kobashi!!! Saito gains control with a thrust to the throat and him and Ono proceed to choke the shit out of Badd. Saito tries to put him away with a Back suplex and clothesline. When that doesn't work, he goes back to choking him. Nice. BAdd fights back and hits some top rope moves and Saito bows in respect and Badd nails him! Ugh, Ono interferes causing the DQ. This was shaping up to be a pretty good match but the finish sucked.

[kjh]

I always liked Mero and never got why his peers said he sucked. It's one of those disconnects between watchers and workers.

 

Of course, a lot of it is probably " I tried to fuck his wife and she shot me down."

 

I think he didn't have a ring style that meshed well with Mick Foley's, who was his most outspoken detractor. Also, it can be very hard to shake off a bad rep as a worker and when he debuted in 1991 as Johnny B Badd he was still very green.

[goodhelmet]

Watching the Foley stuff in 1994, I get that people love those matches but I enjoyed Badd more. Foley didn't just do reckless moves... He did them at the worst times that made no sense during the matches.

[Timbo Slice]

That was the Starrcade match, right? I remember liking it alright but they didn't want to give it nearly enough as the other matches in the series. It was almost a "throwaway" match. Plus, they basically missed Badd's somersault pescado after the DQ when they switched to the wide shot!

[goodhelmet]

It was the Starrcade match. It had its highlights but could have been much more.

[El-P]

I've been pimping Mero for years as an underrated worker. He did improve vastly to get to his 1995/96 level. That being said, I feel re-watching the DDP feud (which I enjoy quite a bit) recently that at this point he indeed had already reached his plateau level and I'm not sure he could go beyond that level, both as a character and as worker. The fact he was given a very nondescript character in WWF (the Wildman…. okay… what is so wild about him ?) really didn't help him either in term of evolving past that point.

 

From his all acount, Mero did had an ego back then. That + pre-planning his matches (which of course is okay if you're Savage but not if you're DDP or Mero, which is really laughable considering the way things work now) + first garanteed contract jump to WWF + Sable = heat.