WWE War Games: WCW's Most Notorious Matches DVD Review

War Games: WCW's Most Notorious Matches is now available on DVD (£19.99) and Blu Ray (£22.99) from www.wwedvd.co.uk and other fine DVD and Blu Ray retailers.

Here's the intro to the War Games DVD: http://www.cult-labs.com/clips/war-games-wcws-most-notorious-matches-intro

Here's a list of the content that can be found on the DVD.

Disc 1

Creating the War Games

War Games Match
Dusty Rhodes, The Road Warriors, Nikita Koloff & Paul Ellering vs. Ric Flair, Lex Luger, Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard & J.J. Dillon
NWA Great American Bash 4th July, 1987

Great American Bash On Tour

War Games Match
Dusty Rhodes, The Road Warriors, Nikita Koloff & Paul Ellering vs. Ric Flair, Lex Luger, Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard & The War Machine
NWA Great American Bash 31st July, 1987

A Different Type of Animal

Tower of Doom Match
The Road Warriors, “Dr. Death” Steve Williams, Ron Garvin & Jimmy Garvin vs. Kevin Sullivan, Mike Rotunda, Al Perez, Russian Assassin & Ivan Koloff
NWA Great American Bash 10th July, 1988

Brutality

War Games Match
Dusty Rhodes, Lex Luger, Nikita Koloff, “Dr. Death” Steve Williams & Paul Ellering vs. Ric Flair, Barry Windham, Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard & J.J. Dillon
NWA Great American Bash 16th July, 1988

Live Events

War Games Match
The Road Warriors, The Midnight Express & “Dr. Death” Steve Williams vs. The Fabulous Freebirds & The Samoan Swat Team
NWA Great American Bash 23rd July, 1989

Disc 2

Getting Replaced

War Games Match
Ric Flair, Sid Vicious, Barry Windham & Larry Zbyszko vs. Sting, Brian Pillman, & The Steiner Brothers
WCW WrestleWar 24th February, 1991

Talent Change

War Games Match
Sting’s Squadron (Sting, Nikita Koloff, Dustin Rhodes, Ricky Steamboat & Barry Windham) vs.The Dangerous Alliance (Arn Anderson, Bobby Eaton, Steve Austin, Larry Zbyszko & Rick Rude)
WCW WrestleWar 17th May, 1992

The Almighty Dollar

War Games Match
Sting, Davey Boy Smith, Dustin Rhodes & The Shockmaster vs. Sid Vicious, Vader & Harlem Heat
WCW Fall Brawl 19th September, 1993

A Really Special Night

War Games Match

Dusty Rhodes, Dustin Rhodes & The Nasty Boys vs. Terry Funk, Arn Anderson, Bunkhouse Buck & Colonel Robert Parker
WCW Fall Brawl 18th September, 1994

Disc 3 

Pride in Their Product

War Games Match
Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Lex Luger & Sting vs. Kamala the Ugandan Giant, The Zodiac, The Shark & Meng
WCW Fall Brawl 17th September, 1995

Glimmer of a Fire

War Games Match
“Hollywood” Hulk Hogan, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash & A Mystery Partner vs. Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Lex Luger & Sting
WCW Fall Brawl 15th September, 1996

Pulling Out Every Stop

War Games Match
Kevin Nash, Buff Bagwell, Syxx & Konnan vs. Ric Flair, Steve McMichael, Chris Benoit & Curt Hennig
WCW Fall Brawl 14th September, 1997

The Talent Made The War Games

WCW World Heavyweight Championship Number One Contenders War Games Match
Diamond Dallas Page, Roddy Piper & The Warrior vs. “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan, Stevie Ray & Bret Hart vs. Kevin Nash, Sting & Lex Luger
WCW Fall Brawl 13th September, 1998

The End of the War Games

WCW World Heavyweight Championship War Games 2000 Match
Sting, Booker T, Goldberg & KroniK vs. Kevin Nash (C), Jeff Jarrett, Scott Steiner & The Harris Brothers
WCW Monday Nitro 4th September, 2000


The Main Event

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War Games: WCW's Most Notorious Matches is a match compilation set that showcases on of WCW's unique match types the War Games. It is presented by WWE Hall of Famer and veteran of War Games, "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes. It's always interesting to listen to what Dusty has to say and it's clear throughout that he has a deep passion for this match type, having created the idea back in 1987. For the most parts the stories that Dusty tells are relevant to the match we are about to see, however he does occassional go off on tangents, talking about Cody Rhodes and Goldust in the 2013 Royal Rumble springs to mind. At times, Dusty begins to sound a little bitter about how the match evolved, at points justifiably so, War Games 2000 anyone, but earlier on the DVD you kind of getting the idea that Rhodes is just annoyed he was no longer involved in the matches.

Watching this set, you instantly begin to see patterns in the War Games that will crop up in almost every single match on the set. Firstly, the heels will win the coin toss. I think this happens in every match up until WCW starts toying with the format. It makes sense to have the heels out number the faces, but it defeats the object of the coin toss idea. Secondly, there will always be a weak link on the heel side. You can pretty much guess who is going to end up submitting during the match from the very start, the likes of J.J. Dillon, Larry Zybsko and Colonel Robert Parker are clearly only in the match to keep everyone else looking strong at the finish. The faces always win, up until the time of the NWO and the era of the "cool" heel, every single match is won by the face team, obviously because War Games was originally booked as a way to end feuds and the good guys should always come out on top.

Personally, I'm not a massive fan of the War Games concept, it's way too predictable as has been mentioned above, and without any kind of back story given for the rivalries involved in each match on the set, all you really see is guys getting thrown about the cage for twenty minutes before an anti-climactic ending, with the first submission seen in the match ending in victory. The matches do progress in technicality as the set progresses and better stories are woven throughout as you go on, up until the first NWO involvement and then it get's pretty bad from then on in, with some appalling booking in the last couple of matches.

My favourite thing about War Games on DVD is that you get to see the development of the NWA and WCW as you go a long. Not only new stars turning up in the matches, but how the matches are performed in the ring and how they are booked as well. The original matches play pretty much completely of the spectacle of the two rings, whilst as you move further into the set, the matches become a lot more interesting to watch as you have a clear story to follow in the matches. As you head towards the end of the set it becomes clear why WCW eventually went out of business. There is some awful concepts added, with the three way War Games match especially standing out for me. It could have been an interesting match but unfortunately with whoever gets the pinfall becoming Number One Contender, the teams are pretty pointless as it basically becomes a nine man free for all and the entrance of the Ultimate Warrior is simply mind blowing, but not in a good way.

My Top Three Matches

1. “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash & A Mystery Partner vs. Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Lex Luger & Sting. WCW Fall Brawl 1996


2. Ric Flair, Sid Vicious, Barry Windham & Larry Zbyszko vs. Sting, Brian Pillman, & The Steiner Brothers. WCW WrestleWar 1991

3. The Road Warriors, The Midnight Express & “Dr. Death” Steve Williams vs. The Fabulous Freebirds & The Samoan Swat Team. NWA Great American Bash 1989

Five Questions With... J.J. Dillon

After last week's interiview with Leah Von Dutch, it's time to get all Hall of Fame, with James J. Dillon.

Ring Name:  James J. Dillon (also J. J. Dillon)

Age: 70

Hometown: Trenton, NJ (currently reside in Smyrna, DE)

Height: 6' 0"

Weight: 250lbs

Promotions Worked For:

World Wrestling Federation
National Wrestling Alliance
Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
All Japan Pro Wrestling
Championship Wrestling From Florida
St. Louis Wrestling Club
Central States Wrestling
Continental Wrestling Association
Maple Leaf Wrestling
American Wrestling Association
World Championship Wrestling

Championships and Accomplishments: WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2012, Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame Class of 2013, PWI Manager of the Year Award 1982, 1983 and 1987, NWA Florida Heavyweight Champion, NWA Macon Heavyweight Champion, NWA International Heavyweight Champion (Amarillo Version), NWA Florida Television Champion, NWA Western States Television Champion, NWA Florida Tag Team Champion, NWA Central States Tag Team Champion, ESA International Heavyweight Champion, ESA North American Heavyweight Champion, ESA International Tag Team Champion,

Wrestlers Managed: The Four Horsemen (Ric Flair, Ole Anderson, Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard), Abdullah the Butcher, Buddy Landell, Waldo Von Erich, The Long Riders (Ron Bass & Black Bart), Ox Baker, Moondog Mayne, Brute Bernard, The Mongolian Stomper

1. When did you first get into wrestling and what drew you to the sport?

I started as a wrestling fan at about age 15.  I was a referee in Eastern PA and NJ for about eight years.  I started to wrestle part-time 1968-1970.  In 1971, I started full-time as a wrestler in Charlotte, NC, months before turning 29.  I managed the Mongolian Stomper in October of 1975.  I continued to manage and wrestle until I retired from the ring in January of 1989, though best remembered as The Leader of the Four Horsemen (certainly the highlight of my career), I had over 3200 actual wrestling matches during my career including holding several titles.

2. You experienced a number of different roles within the wrestling business how did you enjoy each role and what was your particular favourite?

I enjoyed all aspects of the business.  Because I was a fan, I was able to step in and referee one night when no referee showed up.  During the time I continued to referee, I was the third man in the ring for many of Bruno Sammartino's epic championship battles. That experience helped me be a better wrestler when I was given the opportunity.  I think I was a better manager because I had been a referee and wrestled.  When I retired I continued my career at the executive management level because of all the years I had been a referee, wrestler and ringside manager.  The combined experience over a lengthy career gave me a foundation to be involved and successful in creative and talent relations for the two major wrestling promotions.  Though my years with The Four Horsemen would be hard to top, my initial dream was to become a professional wrestler and maybe someday to appear myself in MSG (Madison Square Garden) where I had gone as a fan.  In 1984, I had one match in MSG, so, I lived my dream.  I guess for that reason it had to be my favorite moment.

  

3. If you were managing talent today, who would you like to be involved with and why?

The business has changed so much, that there really hasn't been a role for the typical manager.  That changed with the arrival of Brock Lesner.  Brock would be the only one that I would have had interest in managing because he is a real monster.  However, Paul Heyman is doing an excellent job as Lesner's manager.  I have the utmost personal and professional respect for Paul Heyman.  Paul and Brock have a lengthy relationship and are friends, and I doubt that I could have done as good a job as Paul is doing right now.

 4. How does the wrestling scene of today, compare to the wrestling scene you were involved in?

Wrestling has changed.  I was a product of the regional territory days were we appeared often weekly in small population centers compared to only the major arenas these days on a sporadic basis.  Wrestling today has in many ways become a novelty attraction much like the Harlem Globetrotters are to basketball.  Yet, the WWE has become a successful global brand.  It is hard to argue with success.  At the same time the current product doesn't seem to have the diverse characters that were a big part of the success of wrestling in the day.  There was more attention to logic and continuity with a lot of emotion ... much like an ongoing athletic soap opera.  The NWA World Heavyweight Championship was very prestigious and when the title changed hands (which didn't happen very often) it was big news.  Those were great times and I cherish those memories.

  

5. Where can our readers catch you next and will you be making your way across the pond to the UK anytime soon?

I suggest that everyone check out www.jjdillon.com which is my personal website.  There are lots of pictures and information including details about my autobiography and how a fan can obtain a signed copy of the few that remain.  I am an active lifetime member of Cauliflower Alley Club and I am on the board of the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum. Which is a one of a kind place for the preservation of our history.  I still make the occasional personal appearance and in August I will be a guest of the Mid-Atlantic Legends Fanfest in Charlotte, NC.  It has been a number of years since I last visited the UK.  I would love to come back one of these days.  I enjoy any opportunity to visit with wrestling fans.  Without our great fans there would never have been a J. J. Dillon, Four Horsemen or professional wrestling.  I never miss an opportunity to say 'Thank You' one more time!

We'd like to thank J.J. Dillon for spending the time to answer our questions, we hope you enjoyed this interview as much as we did conducting it. 

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