Throwback Thursday: The Best of WCW ‘Slamboree’ on WWE Network

From an annual “Legend’s Reunion”/Hall of Fame celebration to WCW’s “spring classic”, Slamboree was the event that helped shape the summer and early fall to come in World Championship Wrestling from 1993 to 2000, producing many of the company’s biggest and best matches.

This week Throwback Thursday takes a look back at 10 of the greatest matches from one of WCW’s most often overlooked events with the help (as always) of the WWE Network.

 
— “Legends Match” (WATCH – 54:41)
Special Guest Commentator: Johnny Valentine
Dory Funk, Jr. w/Gene Kiniski vs. Nick Bockwinkel w/Verne Gagne
WCW Slamboree ’93: A Legend’s Reunion ? May 23, 1993

The very first one-on-one “Legends Match” in Slamboree history turned out to be an old-school classic. Though both were past their prime (both men ended their full-time careers in 1987) this AWA versus NWA dream match used basic, timeless wrestling psychology to tell an ageless tale.

 
— WCW World Heavyweight Championship (WATCH – 2:24:15)
“The British Bulldog” Davey Boy Smith vs. Big Van Vader(c) w/Harley Race
WCW Slamboree ’93: A Legend’s Reunion ? May 23, 1993

By this time in 1993 Big Van Vader was on a tear. Be it Sting, Ron Simmons, Joe Thurman, or Cactus Jack, Big Van Vader was demolishing WCW. Davey Boy Smith, who had been released from the WWF after a failed drug test, found a second-wind in WCW with Vader. This match is an often overlooked gem in the vault of both remarkable careers.

 
— “Legends Match” (WATCH – 43:45)
Terry Funk vs. Tully Blanchard
WCW Slamboree ’94: A Legend’s Reunion ? May 22, 1994

This war marked Funk’s first match on WCW TV since the legendary “‘I Quit’ Match” from COTC IX in 1989 and Blanchard’s first since September 1988. While this was only the beginning for Funk, it would be the last WCW fans would ever see of Tully Blanchard. The Philadelphia crowd was largely an NWA-ECW crowd, including the usual suspects in the front row, which only seemed to inspire Funk, who took the “Legends Match” to the extreme.

 
— WCW World Heavyweight Championship (WATCH – 1:40:18)
Barry Windham w/Col Rob Parker vs. “Nature Boy” Ric Flair(c)
WCW Slamboree ’94: A Legend’s Reunion ? May 22, 1994

Col. Parker hinted that it would be Hulk Hogan coming to challenge Flair when in reality it was Windham, who had been off WCW TV since losing the NWA World Heavyweight Championship to Ric Flair at Beach Blast ’93 on July 18, 1993. This match, a minor classic, marked the end of an era. Due to injury Windham disappeared from WCW TV and wouldn’t be seen again by wrestling fans until September 9, 1996 when Windham debuted as “The Stalker” on a taped edition of Monday Night RAW.

 
— IWGP Heavyweight Championship (WATCH – 46:43)
“Mr. Wonderful” Paul Orndorff vs. The Great Muta(c)
WCW Slamboree ’95: A Legend’s Reunion ? May 21, 1995

This is a tremendous wrestling match between two all-time greats. Muta, who had just won the IWGP title for a 2nd time on May 3, 1995, hadn’t worked on WCW TV since Spring Stampede ’94. Though this match had little build it was one of the few matches that helped save Slamboree ’95, arguably the worst Slamboree ever.

 
— “Battle Bowl: Lethal Lottery – Round One” (WATCH – 47:35)
Diamond Dallas Page & Barbarian vs. Meng & Hugh Morris
WCW Slamboree ’96 ? May 19, 1996

The final “Battle Bowl” event in WCW history produced many memorable “Lethal Lottery” matches including this fun, stiff affair that actually pulls off a convincing double pin.

 
— Singles Match (WATCH – 39:20)
Rey Mystero, Jr. vs. Yuji Yasuraoka
WCW Slamboree ’97 ? May 18, 1997

This was Yasuraoka’s second of three matches in WCW. With very little build (the story started on the prior night’s Saturday Night, currently unavailable on the Network) Mysterio, Jr. and Yasuraoka put on a minor classic that lulled the fans in before hooking them.

 
— “Challenge Match: If Eddie Guerrero Loses Chavo Guerrero, Jr. Wins His Freedom” (WATCH – 1:23:24)
Ultimo Dragon vs. Eddie Guerrero w/Chavo Guerrero, Jr.
WCW Slamboree ’98 ? May 17, 1998

One of the scant few crusierweight angles at the time, Chavo had become, essentially, Eddie’s employee after losing an impromptu match on the March 13, 1998 edition of Thunder (currently unavailable on the Network). This match, which would have split the Guerreros up had Eddie lost, is a great, fast-paced contest.

 
— WCW World Tag Team Championship – “Tag Team Triple Threat Match” (WATCH – 4:51)
The Four Horsemen (Dean Malenko & Chris Benoit) w/Arn Anderson vs. Raven & Perry Saturn vs. Rey Mysterio, Jr.(WCW Crusierweight Champion) & Billy Kidman(c)
WCW Slamboree ’99 ? May 9, 1999

Though the last two years of WCW are generally considered to be a hot mess, moments of greatness, from time to time, did shine through. This truly classic match is one of those moments.

 
— “Grudge Match” (WATCH – 1:50:49)
Vampiro vs. Sting
WCW Slamboree 2000 ? May 7, 2000

The “Brothers in Paint” angle between Sting and Vampiro in early 2000 was one of the few highlights of WCW’s final year. Vampiro helped Sting defeat Lex Luger at Uncensored 2000 before turning on “The Icon” on the April 10, 2000 edition of NITRO (currently unavailable on the Network). At Spring Stampede 2000 Sting would defeat Vampiro in the U.S. title semi-finals before Vampiro cost Sting the title against Scott Steiner in memorable fashion, which led to this wild, chaotic battle that would only serve as the end of the beginning between two of WCW’s most enigmatic stars.

 
Final Thoughts

As these 10 matches illustrate, Slamboree was home to some of WCW’s most defining moments and important matches; an event as important to the legacy of WCW as Starrcade, Great American Bash, or Halloween Havoc.

That’s it for this week’s TBT – thanks for reading! Are you a WWE Network subscriber? If that’s a yes, check out these great matches for yourself, and let us know what you think below.

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Until next week, see ya at ringside!