[2000-05-22-WCW-Nitro] Hulk Hogan vs Vampiro

[soup23]

This was actually a pretty fun match while it lasted as Hogan gives a bit to Vamp and is still working his hardcore style. Kidman runs in as a receipt for Hogan's interference earlier and we get another pinfall over Hulk Hogan this time with Vampire making the cover. *3/4

[GSR]

The commentators are still referring to Hulk as Terry Bollea at times during this. Vampiro jumps Hulk before the bell, and a spinning kick backs him up in the corner where he just unloads on him. A knife edge chop sends Hogan through the ropes to the outside, and Vamp with a double axe handle off the apron to the floor. Chair shot to the back followed by a superkick, but Hogan with the eye rake as he starts to fire back. Chair shot across the back of Vampiro before whipping him into the guardrail. He rams him head first into the announcer’s table, turning that over in the process. They return to the ring and Hogan uses his leather belt to whip and choke Vamp with. Scott Hudson says that “this is the new WCW, the referees are letting it go for as long as they can”, to which Madden chimes in ”you might see phoney DQ’s somewhere else, you might see clusters somewhere else, you won’t see them here!” He really is a fool! I’m struggling to remember a match in the Russo/Bischoff era that hasn’t been a cluster! Clothesline in the corner, Vamp falls face first to the canvas and then takes a spin bump off an ‘Axe Bomber’. Big boot, legdrop, but Hulk doesn’t go for the pin, instead getting on top of Vamp and raining down punches on him. Billy Kidman is out and nails Hogan in the back with Vampiro’s blow torch. He drags Vamp over to cover him and Hogan goes down for yet another three. Kidman passes Vampiro the gas can, no doubt with intentions of burning the Hulkster alive, but before such treachery could occur Sting makes the save and they clean house leaving Vamp laying.

 

This was okay, but standards are so low for good matches in this promotion you take what you can get at the moment. A shock seeing Hogan jobbing yet again to someone different, and Mark Madden really needs to engage his brain before opening his mouth.

[AstroBoy]

I didn't enjoy this very much. Hogan gives some to Vampiro to start the match, sure, and then after being beaten on for a few minutes Hogan just eye rakes Vampiro and takes over, mauling him for the entire match before the screwy finish. Hogan has a nice edge here and that helped but I just couldn't get into it much after he shook Vampiro off like nothing.

 

*1/2