I could’ve sworn I did this before, but I can’t find the article, so I’m reworking the idea. One of the biggest issues with Hulk Hogan’s arrival in 1994 was how he was used. The powers that be rushed him into a feud with Ric Flair and ultimately blew the Starrcade event in the process. Due to the rushed feud with Flair, Hogan would face his good friend Ed Leslie (the Butcher) at the event in one of the worst major event main events of all time.
We need to fix that, and in turn, WCW’s awful 1994. I have some ideas on how to do that, but to fix it, we have to go back to the beginning, Hogan’s debut. Here are the ground rules:
1. We can only use the roster that’s available to us.
2. We can’t change history. If a wrestler leaves or retires, they leave and/or retire. This is applicable to everyone but one key player*.
3. We have total control of the narrative. No one can say no to our ideas, because our ideas are perfect.
4. We can change anything up as we see fit, just prior to or directly following the start of the rebooking.
Build up to Bash at the Beach
We know that Hulk Hogan made his first official WCW appearance via the infamous Disney MGM parade, and that’ll still be the case. However, following the parade, the former Brutus the Barber Beefcake, now just Beefcake, and Jimmy Hart pop up on WCW Saturday Night to lay the groundwork for Hogan’s arrival. In doing so, Beefcake and Hart get jumped by Hogan’s eventual debut villain, Kevin Sullivan.
Kevin Sullivan and his brother, Dave Sullivan, just betrayed Cactus Jack and became the new WCW Tag Team Champions. Dave is not the hapless simpleton he once was, but is now a monster heel, every bit as evil and twisted as his brother. The duo dub themselves the Taskmasters tag team and showcase their brutality in every tag match they’re in.
To bolster Hogan’s arrival, we’re building a match that we’re dubbing the All-Star Tag Match. In this, we get Ricky Steamboat and Sting teaming up with NJPW’s Antonio Inoki, and they’re taking on Ric Flair, Steven Regal, and Arn Anderson. Regal and Inoki would meet at Clash of the Champions, which is off now. Instead, Inoki will wrestle at an upcoming Clash of the Champions against a bigger name. The US title is no longer with Steve Austin. Instead, Johnny B. Badd has defeated Austin and is the new champion, resulting in Vader gunning for Badd. Austin, though, would enter a feud for the TV title, with Brian Pillman the current champ.
This is a major angle for Austin and Pillman and is only the next chapter in their long-storied history. Two names on the way out are Cactus Jack and Terry Funk, and so we’re going to move forward with making their exits mean something.
Terry Funk, a member of the Stud Stable, would take issue with how his good friend Cactus Jack lost his spot as a tag team champion. He feels Cactus has lost his fire and tries to goad the old Cactus Jack out. The pair square off in a Bunkhouse Brawl match. Dusty and Dustin Rhodes reunite due to Dustin’s ongoing feud with Robert Parker. They fend off Buck and Meng of the Stud Stable and are booked for the PPV. Lastly, DDP and Larry Zbyszko get added as part of a TV title contender match, while Stars and Stripes take on Harlem Heat for a future Tag Title match.
Bash at the Beach
- Singles Match
Diamond Dallas Page vs. Larry Zbyszko - Tag Match
Harlem Heat vs. Stars and Stripes - WCW Television Title
Steve Austin vs. Brian Pillman (c) - Tag Match
Dusty and Dustin Rhodes vs Bunkhouse Buck and Meng - Bunkhouse Brawl
Terry Fun vs. Cactus Jack - WCW World Tag Team Titles
Hulk Hogan and the Beefcake vs. The Taskmasters (c) - WCW United States Championship
Vader vs. Johnny B. Badd (c) - All-Star Tag Team Bout
Sting, Antonio Inoki, and Ricky Steamboat vs. Arn Anderson, Steven Regal, and Ric Flair
Results: We’re building up DDP because we can see what he could be, so he goes over Larry Zbyszko, as the Living Legend is on his way out. He gets a clean win via the Diamond Cutter. Likewise, Harlem Heat is a great tag team, and so we have them going over clean on Stars and Stripes. We have long-term plans for Steve Austin and Brian Pillman, so we have Pillman retaining his WCW TV title with a rollup. The Rhodes are a tag team we like, and since Dusty Rhodes isn’t doing anything after his original booking, we’re going to keep him around. A win over the Stud Stables tag team is guaranteed.
Cactus Jack “brings out his true self” against Terry Funk, earning Funk’s respect. Hulk Hogan and The Beefcakes defeat the Taskmasters (Kevin and Dave Sullivan) to win the WCW World Tag Team Titles. Johnny B. Badd survives with a last-second rollup to beat Vader. In the main event, Antonio Inoki pins Steven Regal to give the victory to the faces.
Build Up to Fall Brawl
Heading into Clash of the Champions XXVIII, Harlem Heat targets Hogan and Beefcake for the tag team titles, while Steamboat and Flair reignite their feud following their Bash at the Beach main event.
For Fall Brawl, we’re going full bore. Cactus Jack and Johnny B. Badd will compete in a No. 1 Contenders bout at the upcoming Clash event, with the winner going on to Fall Brawl. Cactus wins and sets up for a match with Flair at Fall Brawl. Alex Wright also defeats Steven Regal for a future TV title match.
Sting and Inoki will get a specialty match at the event, ending in a 15-minute draw.
Clash of the Champions XXVIII
- WCW World Heavyweight
Ricky Steamboat vs. Ric Flair (c) - Singles Match
Alex Wright vs. Steven Regal - No. 1 Contenders Match
Cactus Jack vs. Johnny B. Badd - Singles Match
Sting vs. Antonio Inoki - WCW World Tag Team Titles
Harlem Heat vs. Hulk Hogan and The Beefcake (c)
Results: Ric Flair taps out Ricky Steamboat thanks to Arn Anderson. The pair tease a reunion. Alex Wright outwrestles Steven Regal, granting him a TV title match in the future. In the No. 1 contender’s match, Cactus Jack defeats Johnny B. Badd with a piledriver. Sting and Antonio Inoki go to a 15-minute draw, with Inoki shaking and raising Sting’s hand post-match. The Stud Stable’s Arn Anderson (and later Meng) interferes and attacks Hulk Hogan, as Harlem Heat pins The Beefcake to win the WCW World Tag Team Titles.
Heading into Fall Brawl, Cactus Jack challenges Ric Flair to an Outlaw Rules match (hardcore). The only way Flair agrees is if Cactus puts his career on the line, to which Cactus agrees. Terry Funk, who’s teasing a face turn, tries to talk Cactus out of it, but can’t.
Hulk Hogan rallies his friends against two forces of evil, the Stud Stable and The Taskmasters. Both groups set their eyes on Hogan at the behest of Ric Flair. Despite Flair siding with Hogan’s enemies, the two will not face off for months. To help with Hogan and Flair being kept apart, Hogan gets ‘laid up’ for a few weeks heading into Fall Brawl. Jimmy Hart rallies and gets one of Hogan’s “best friends,” Hacksaw Jim Duggan, to stand in and fight alongside The Beefcake. The pair ropes in The Guardian Angel to help stay off the Taskmasters. The Sullivans, meanwhile, rope in Vader to help with their path of destruction.
The Rhodes and Sting, meanwhile, unite to take the fight to the men who hurt Hogan, The Studd Stable, setting up Fall Brawl’s War Games bout.
Steven Regal would go on a string of wins and earn the right to face off with Johnny B. Badd for the US Title, while The Nasty Boys earn their shot at Harlem Heat. Wright, having won at Clash of the Champions, gets a shot at Brian Pillman’s title.
Fall Brawl
- Tag Match
Stars and Stripes vs. Pretty Wonderful - WCW Television Title
Alex Wright vs. Brian Pillman (c) - 6-Man Tag
The Taskmasters and Vader vs. The Guardian Angel, The Beefcake, and Jim Duggan - WCW United States Title
Steven Regal vs. Johnny B Badd (c) - WCW World Tag Team Titles
The Nasty Boys vs. Harlem Heat (c) - WCW World Title
Cactus Jack vs. Ric Flair (c) - War Games
Team Hulkamaniacs (Hulk Hogan, Sting, Dusty Rhodes, and Dustin Rhodes) vs. The Stud Stable (Terry Funk, Arn Anderson, Robert Parker, Bunkhouse Buck)
Results: Stars and Stripes get the win over Pretty Wonderful to set the pace of the show. Brian Pillman is able to fend off Alex Wright. Vader and the Taskmasters pin the Guardian Angel after Vader takes control of the bout. Duggan, post-match, brawls with Vader, refusing to stay down despite Vader’s best and biggest moves. Johnny B. Badd retains over Steven Regal, while Harlem Heat eeks out a close win over The Nasty Boys. Cactus Jack is made to submit thanks to the interference from Arn Anderson, allowing Ric Flair to retain. Terry Funk comes out to tend to Cactus Jack, with the two Stud Stable members (Funk and Anderson) showing tension. The War Games sees Team Hulkamaniacs get the win, after Hulk Hogan, dealing with a leg injury he sustained previously that had him off TV, drops the leg on Bunkhouse Buck five straight times. Arn Anderson attacks Hogan’s already injured leg post-match. Terry Funk saves Hogan, setting up a face-turn as he drives the Stud Stable from the ring.
Build Up to Halloween Havoc
Heading into Halloween Havoc, Terry Funk is irate over Cactus Jack being driven from WCW and the fact that Arn Anderson is siding with Flair once again. So he beats up Arn Anderson and calls out Ric Flair. Funk is willing to give up his career for a shot at Flair, and Flair grants him that, in a No Rules bout, but if Funk loses, he has to follow Cactus out of wrestling.
WCW’s decision makers are wary of Flair’s behavior. They grant Hulk Hogan his desire to fight Arn Anderson at Halloween Havoc and decide to punish Ric Flair by making the winner of their bout the number one contender for Starrcade.
Alex Wright runs afoul of The Nasty Boys, who start bullying the rookie. Sting arrives to defend the youngster, and the four men are booked for a tag match at Halloween Havoc. Steve Austin, raging at former tag team partner Brian Pillman’s success, gets a winning streak going and earns a shot at the WCW United States title. He and Mero cut promos on one another’s history with the other.
The Guardian Angel is named Brian Pillman’s TV title challenger for Halloween Havoc, as a reward for his ability to take a beating from Vader. Speaking of Vader, he and Jim Duggan were booked for a one-on-one encounter at Halloween Havoc following Duggan’s relentless ability to take a beating from the Mastodon. The announcers talk about how not even Sting or Hulk Hogan could’ve taken the beating Duggan took and still been able to get up to keep fighting.
Beefcake runs afoul of a debuting Honky Tonk Man, who is here in WCW to help Ric Flair and The Taskmasters tear down Hulkamania once and for all. Honky Tonk Man says he has a friend who’s showing up, and the pair want Beefcake at Halloween Havoc. Beefcake recruits Diamond Dallas Page to partner with him.
The Rhodes, having won a few tag matches over former champions on Saturday Night, get the number one contender spot against the red-hot Harlem Heat, who themselves are on a 20-match winning streak.
The Taskmasters demand a final shot at Hulk Hogan and his “goons” and are told that they can get Hogan one more time before Starrcade if they can get the pin over Stars and Stripes and Pretty Wonderful. The other two teams would go to Starrcade for the tag titles if they win.
Halloween Havoc
- Triple Threat Tag Match
The Taskmasters vs. Stars and Stripes vs. Pretty Wonderful - WCW Television
The Guardian Angel vs. Brian Pillman (c) - Singles Match
Honky Tonk Man and [debuting] John Tenta (Tellus) vs. The Beefcake and DDP - No Countout – Singles
Vader vs. Jim Duggan - WCW United States
Steve Austin vs. Marc Mero (c) - Tag Team Match
The Nasty Boys vs. Alex Wright and Sting - WCW World Tag Team
The Rhodes vs. Harlem Heat (c) - Starrcade No. 1 Contenders Bout
Hulk Hogan vs. Arn Anderson - WCW World Title – No Rules
Terry Funk vs. Ric Flair (c)
Results: The Taskmasters win a triple threat match and, with the win, are granted a final match with Hulk Hogan at Clash of the Champions XXIX. The Guardian Angel is about to get the win until Steve Austin hits him with a nightstick, unbeknownst to Brian Pillman, who pins and retains. John Tenta, now going by Tellus, debuts with Honky Tonk Man and single-handedly defeats The Beefcake and DDP. Steve Austin, thanks to an errant shot from Brian Pillman, is able to beat Johnny B. Badd to win the WCW United States Championship.
Alex Wright and Sting defeat The Nasty Boys after Wright stretches Knobbs to get the submission win. The Rhodes get the upset win over the red-hot Harlem Heat after Dustin Rhodes gets the upset win over Stevie Ray.
In the semi-main event, Arn Anderson works over Hulk Hogan‘s legs as the announcers put over that no one has ever done this kind of damage to Hogan before. Hogan is able to Hulk-Up and get the win, but he can’t celebrate as Arn again attacks Hogan. Arn is banned from the arena for the main event for his post-match beatdown.
Ric Flair makes Terry Funk pass out in a sleeper hold to win a bloody brawl. Sting, Wright, The Rhodes, and a few other faces come out to escort Funk to the back, celebrating the legend’s “last match in WCW.”
Build up to Starrcade
We have a pit stop to Clash of the Champions in late November, and Ric Flair is begging The Taskmasters to end Hulk Hogan once and for all at the event. The bout gets made with The Taskmasters recruiting Vader and the Stud Stable’s Bunkhouse Buck and newly recruited Blacktop Bully (Barry Darsow). Hogan and Beefcake recruit The Rhodes’ to help them, while also getting an unexpected assist in the return of Mr. T.
Meanwhile, the Stud Stable has taken umbrage with Arn Anderson’s split allegiances, so to punish Anderson, Robert Parker has gotten a title match for Meng at Clash of the Champions, and Anderson will have to finally pick a side.
The Nasty Boys and Stars and Stripes are booked in a number-one-contender’s match for Starrcade. Sting runs afoul of Tellus, who, after assaulting the face of the franchise, gets booked to face him at Clash of the Champions XXIX.
Clash of the Champions XXIX
- WCW World Title
Meng (w/Robert Parker) vs. Ric Flair (c) - Tag Team Match
The Nasty Boys vs. Stars and Stripes - Singles Match
Tellus vs. Sting - Hulkamaniacs vs. The Taskmasters and Stud Stable
Hulk Hogan, Beefcake, Mr. T, Dusty and Dustin Rhodes vs. Vader, The Taskmasters, Bunkhouse Buck, and The Blacktop Bully
Results: Meng proves a hard out for Ric Flair, who’s been going through the toughest men WCW has had to offer. In his formal WCW in-ring debut, Meng brutally assaults Flair, who does every dirty trick possible to stay alive. Eventually, Arn Anderson interferes, and Flair gets a cheap win. The pair leave, with Anderson finally establishing whose side he’s on.
The Nasty Boys defeat Stars and Stripes and are then introduced as the newest members of the Stud Stable. Sting gets the win over Tellus by DQ after Tellus attacks Sting before the start of the match. He delivers several Earthquake Splashes after the bell rings, but when the ref tries to check on Sting’s condition, Tellus’s attack doesn’t relent, leading to the referee disqualifying Tellus.
In the main event, Hulk Hogan finally dispatches Kevin and Dave Sullivan, pinning both men at once after several well-deserved leg drops. Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan finally come face-to-face for the first time in a ring to close out Clash of the Champions.
Heading into the rest of the build-up, Sting nurses his ribs, as he’s announced to be part of the Starrcade Cup, with the winner getting a world title shot early in 1995. Tellus was set to be part of the tournament, but due to his actions, was removed and replaced with Jean Paul Levesque. Sting struggles but eventually beats JPL, moving on in the tournament to Starrcade.
Elsewhere in the tournament, Vader costs Jim Duggan a win against Honky Tonk Man. Duggan returns the favor, helping Alex Wright score a massive upset over Vader. Duggan and Vader are then booked for a Last Man Standing match at Starrcade. Elsewhere, Arn Anderson is able to get a sneaky win on Johnny B. Badd to advance to Starrcade.
Subsequently, the losers of the tournament and several select “all-stars” are added to a Battle Royal at Starrcade. More on this later. After winning the US title, Steve Austin feels a sense of inferiority toward his ex-partner Brian Pillman and gets Pillman to face him at Starrcade in a title-for-title match, but not before trying to shave Pillman’s luxurious locks of hair. Due to this match guaranteed to crown a double-champion, the previously mentioned battle royal will be for a title shot of either the TV or US title.
The rest of the participants for the Battle Royal are announced as Booker T, Stevie Ray, Kevin Sullivan, Dave Sullivan, The Beefcake, DDP, and the Starrcup Cup losers, Jean-Paul Levesque and Johnny B. Badd. Tellus gets added after WCW execs were impressed by his outing with Sting. Same with Meng, who the commentary put over as being a World Champion in waiting after his outing with Ric Flair. Mr. T has also been added for his outing against the Taskmasters and Stud Stable. Finally, a mystery man is announced for the battle royal.
The Nasty Boys, representing the Stud Stable, lay into the Rhodes, continuing the feud between the Rhodes’ family and the Stud Stable. Lastly, Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan finally sit down for their contract signing with Ted Turner, with everyone talking about how this is the biggest match not in WCW history but pro wrestling history. Antonio Inoki and Muhammad Ali are announced as special guest referees to help maintain law and order in the match, though neither will serve as an in-ring official.
*Note: Because Honky Tonk Man quit after a fight with management and seeing as I’m now management, I can ensure that Honky shows up for Starrcade at the very least.
Starrcade
Starrcade Cup – WCW Saturday Night Opening Round
Sting vs. Jean Paul Levesque
Johnny B. Badd vs. Arn Anderson
Vader vs. Alex Wright
Jim Duggan vs. Honky Tonk Man
- Starrcade Cup Semi-Finals
Sting vs. Arn Anderson - Starrcade Cup Semi-Finals
Honky Tonk Man vs. Alex Wright - No. 1 Contender for the TV or US Title
Booker T, Stevie Ray, Kevin Sullivan, Dave Sullivan, Tellus, The Beefcake, Johnny B. Badd, Paul Levesque, Mr. T, DDP, Meng, ??? - Last Man Standing
Vader vs. Jim Duggan - WCW United States vs. WCW Television
Steve Austin (c) vs. Brian Pillman (c) - Starrcade Cup Finals
Sting vs. Alex Wright - WCW World Tag Team
The Nasty Boys vs. Dusty and Dustin Rhodes (c) - WCW World Title (w/Muhammad Ali and Antonio Inoki as special guest referees)
Hulk Hogan vs. Ric Flair(c)
Results: To open up the event, Sting is able to eke out a win on Arn Anderson, who spends most of the bout trying to hit spinebusters and bear hugs on Sting’s injured ribs. Alex Wright outpaces Honky Tonk Man and gets a convincing win. In the battle royal, Scotty Studd is added to the bout, with the announcers wondering why he was the special addition announcement the company teased. Beefcake, DDP, Mr. T, and Tellus are the final four, and Tellus eliminates all three, with Mr. T going out last. As Tellus celebrates, the ring announcer announces the real final participant – MACHO MAN RANDY SAVAGE. Savage slides in and takes it to Tellus. The big man overcompensates and, in an attempt to quickly toss out the fresh Savage, goes end over end to the floor, allowing Savage to win his debut.
In the death match, Vader is able to put down Jim Duggan, but not before the referee is forced to restart the match. Vader and Duggan knock each other out, forcing the ref to restart. Vader is then able to outlast Duggan and pull himself up at the last moment to win. In the title for title match, Steve Austin finally ends Brian Pillman‘s run as TV champion and celebrates as a double champion. His celebration is short-lived as Savage comes out to taunt Austin. Alex Wright shows the world what he’s capable of, taking Sting to the absolute limits of exhaustion, but Sting is still able to get the win, highlighting just how talented the Stinger is. Sting raises Wright’s hand post-match. The Nasty Boys are able to get the win on Dusty Rhodes, securing the tag titles for the Stud Stable. Dusty leaves dejected, with Dustin trying to convince him he’s still got it.
In the main event, Hulk Hogan is able to outlast Ric Flair to win the WCW World Title. Hogan survives nearly two minutes in the Figure Four, and Flair kicks out for the Atomic Leg Drop, but ultimately Hogan is able to hit a few more to get the win. Anderson tries to run in but is stopped by Ali and Inoki.
Hogan closes out the show celebratig.