[1999-03-29-WCW-Nitro] Hulk Hogan vs DDP

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Loss]

It’s a Toronto crowd that possibly hasn’t seen Hogan since Wrestlemania VI so they love him. They work this like a pay-per-view main event and have a surprisingly good match, brawling all over the Nitro set and knocking stuff over everywhere, probably because they’re getting a new set the next week anyway. Flair is in DDP’s corner (which DDP didn’t want or ask for) and tries to run interference for him and Page ends up hitting him over it. Then things get back into the ring and Hogan locks on a cross armbreaker! He also starts doing some other nice looking wrestling. There are a couple of moments where they get their signals crossed, but they are minimal. Hogan wisely hulks up before Page gets a chance to do the Diamond Cutter, instead doing it when he’s setting the move up. Flair runs in with a chair and referee Charles Robinson goes out of his way pretending not to see it. The Hogan/Flair stuff is incredibly heated. Even after running Flair out, Charles Robinson refuses to count so Hogan punches him then the original referee revives and counts the pinfall. This had no business being this good. Major shocker!

[Tim Evans]

This is confusing, long and not bad. Hogan is a big time babyface and Flair is the heel. DDP attacks Flair for some reason. The ref doesn't DQ DDP for that. I didn't like it as much as Loss but it was good.

[soup23]

Wow, this was great. These two are probably my favorite pairing from the NWO era of main eventers at having consistently good matches on tv. This had a big brawl to it and then settled nicely with some good wrestling before the crazy finish. Hogan was working hard and him doing his babyface spots feels like a long time coming and gets the crowd behind him. WCW continues to have a lot of shit that misses but the action inside the ropes is still really good. ****

[Superstar Sleeze]

Hollywood Hogan vs Diamond Dallas Page - WCW Nitro 3/29/99

 

THE HULKSTER IS PUMPING UP! I watched the German TV version of this and when the announcer hit me with that out of nowhere I had to burst out laughing. I would say this is Hollywood Hogan's best match, but he was clearly wrestling face so it feels like it shouldn't count as a Hollywood Hogan match. DDP was on fire at this point and Hogan could still move around surprisingly well. I thought this match peaked early. I thought the beginning was really heated and really felt like Hogan was overcoming Page with his punches. The Toronto crowd of course loved Hogan. I guess turning Page was already in the cards, which is a shame. He is a great heel, but DDP working class hero is such a great character. They go out to the stage to topple over the WCW signs since they are getting a new entrance way the next week, which was a cool visual. I am big fan of belt whipping and loved Hogan whipping DDP only for DDP to punt him in the nuts to get the belt. I actually thought these cooled off from here. Hogan always tried hard in the matches I have watched and this is not different. He was on a mission to prove he could still be the top guy and was just kicking DDP's ass. I think they got their signals crossed on the cross armbreaker, I think Hogan wanted a proper one, but DDP did not know what was going on. Hogan with an inside cradle, that's cool. Overall, I thought they lost a bit of steam down this stretch. I think a DDP heat segment proper would have set up the big comeback better. Hogan ends up taking out Flair, Lil Naitch and DDP all in one fell swoop and the Canadian crowd laps it up. Not on par with some of the great DDP matches of this era, but this pretty damn good. I would be going bonkers if I got something as good as the Tag Title match and this main event back to back on RAW nowadays. ***1/2

[PeteF3]

Not feeling the love for this, especially considering these two had a much better match last year. I like the idea of trashing the set in anticipation of the new changeover, but I don't understand brawling all over the place and then settling into Hogan working scientifically. There are ways to make that thematic change work but they don't do it here. Dumb finish with Flair wacking DDP with a Lance Storm-level chair shot, then DDP being out for like a 10-count after Charles Robinson refuses to count, Hogan cold cocks him, and Mickey Jay wakes up to count instead. I can't accuse anyone here of not working hard but the psychology was all over the map and the finish was more overbooked than the WM15 main event. Watch the post-Bash at the Beach match instead if you want a good one between these two.

[xlynwoodx]

I was impressed with the effort from Hogan and he busted out some moves I didn't know he had in him.  Way too much fuckery at the end.  Maybe if I was watching more from '99 I would've enjoyed it, but dropping in alone, it was two old guys trying to brawl and be aggressive but working incredibly light.