SHOW REVIEW: OCTOBER 2001
WCW Halloween Havoc Results LIVE October 28, 2001 On Pay-Per-View
POSTED BY DYLAN DRAMA | OCTOBER 28, 2001

WCW’s spookiest PPV is back with Halloween Havoc coming to us live from the CoreStates Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania!

Match 1: 3 Count (Evan Karagias & Shane Helms) vs. Primetime Players (Elix Skipper & Kid Romeo)

The broadcast begins abruptly with 3 Count already halfway down the ramp, no video packages or pyrotechnics we usually expect. Joey Styles and Jerry Lawler remain completely silent for the first several minutes of the contest as the action starts in an eerily quiet arena. Despite the confusion, Helms and Karagias put on a clinic against Skipper and Romeo, utilizing some double team moves and hitting a few big dives to get the crowd going. Skipper shines with a series of bridging suplexes, but the momentum shifts when Kid Romeo misses a big dive of his own to Karagias on the outside. Helms capitalizes immediately, hooking Skipper in the arms and planting him with a Vertebreaker to secure the pinfall.

Winners: 3 Count
Rating: 5.8 / 10

Fine little match, but a confusing start. Seems they were maybe pausing for time? Was fine for what it was, but I’m not sure what it was supposed to be.

We now get a video package set to “Get Me Through” by Ozzy Osbourne highlighting a bunch of the feuds and storylines leading up to Halloween Havoc. We get a big pyro opening as Joey Styles & Jerry “The King” Lawler are now in the ring and run down the show as has become standard for WCW PPV’s.

Match 2: WCW World Tag Team Championships - Misfits In Action (Corporal Cajun & General Rection) (c) w/Blonde Bombshell vs. The Foundation (Kanyon & Mike Awesome)

The Foundation wastes no time, jumping the champions before the bell. Kanyon and Awesome systematically dismantle Corporal Cajun, isolating him in their corner and utilizing frequent tags to keep him grounded. Cajun takes a tremendous amount of punishment, nearly reaching his corner several times before being dragged back. Eventually, he makes the desperate hot tag to General Rection, who enters the ring and clears house with massive clotheslines and a pair of powerslams. Rection begins to isolate Kanyon and drills him with a Powerbomb, and signals to the ropes like he’s going to go for a No Laughing Matter Moonsault, Mike Awesome slides out of the ring and pulls Cajun off the apron before delivering a Awesome Bomb through the announce table. Awesome then turns his attention to Blonde Bombshell, backing her against the barricade. The sight of his partner being destroyed and his valet threatened causes Rection to lose focus. As he leans over the ropes to yell at Awesome, Kanyon strikes from behind with stunning foremarm shot, then turns Rection around and plants him with a Flatliner for the three count.

Winners and New WCW World Tag Team Champions: The Foundation
Rating: 5.7 / 10

Everyone in The Foundation has gold now! I actually liked the cruiserweight tag match a bit more, but this was fine too. Cajun really seems lost sometimes in matches and isn’t on the level of everyone else here. Curious where MIA and the Tag division in general go from here since Awesome & Kanyon seem to be on a different level to almost everyone in the division outside of Rection how gets big reactions and can wrestle well when he wants.

Match 3: Intergender Tag Team Match - Joanie Laurer & Tommy Dreamer vs. Jazz & Steve Corino

Tommy Dreamer steps out as the mystery partner to a massive ovation from the Philadelphia faithful, bringing an immediate ECW energy to the match. The contest starts with the women as Jazz and Joanie Laurer circle and lock up, where Laurer utilizes her power to gain the upper hand early on. Jazz manages to weather the storm and finds openings to mount her own offense, hitting a series of stiff strikes and a DDT that nearly catches the champion off guard. The momentum shifts as the men tag in, leading to a heated back and forth between Corino and Dreamer. After a series of counters, Dreamer whips Corino hard into the ropes and catches him on the rebound, hoisting him high for a Spicolli Driver. However, Dreamer didn’t see Jazz get the blind tag. Before Dreamer can execute the driver, Jazz jumps into the ring and delivers a sharp low blow to the "Innovator of Violence." Jazz quickly rolls up Dreamer with a School Girl. Joanie Laurer and tries to get into the ring to break up the count, but Steve Corino holds her back just long enough for the referee to count the three.

Winners: Jazz & Steve Corino
Rating: 6.6 / 10
Match 4: Booker T vs. Billy Kidman

The match begins with a psychological game as Kidman repeatedly bails to the outside, refusing to engage with Booker T at all. Once the action finally settles inside, Booker T dominates the opening minutes, tossing Kidman across the ring with a massive hip toss and a series of heavy handed chops in the corner. Kidman only manages to find a window of control after a blatant eye rake and getting a quick roll up on with a handful of tights for a 2 count. The contest goes on with Kidman desperate to stay ahead of the veteran, hitting a Tornado DDT and following up with a low dropkick to keep Booker on the backfoot. However, Kidman’s moments of offense are fleeting, as Booker T’s resilience shines through. Booker catches Kidman midstride with a flapjack onto the top rope, then hits his signature spinning heel kick to send the "Cornerstone" reeling. Kidman tries to fight back in desperation and goes for a Tornado Bulldog off the ropes, but Booker counters it, spinning Kidman around midair into a Book End! Cover! 3!

Winner: Booker T
Rating: 7.7 / 10
Match 5: Kaz Hayashi vs. Chavo Guerrero Jr.

This is a showcase of technical cruiserweight wrestling, featuring a series of intricate mat exchanges and counters. Hayashi targets Chavo’s arm throughout the match, while Chavo focuses on wearing down Hayashi with some veteran savvy. The pace quickens near the end with several near falls for Hayashi. However, Chavo catches Hayashi in a Gory Special position. Rather than the traditional submission, Chavo hooks Hayashi’s legs and sits down, causing Hayashi to smash his face into the mat. Joey Styles called it a “Gory Bomb” and it looked devastating. Guerrero with the pin and the win!

Winner: Chavo Guerrero Jr.
Rating: 6.5 / 10
Match 6: WCW United States Championship - Rob Van Dam (c) vs. Lance Storm w/Dawn Marie

The contest opens with a tense standoff that quickly erupts into a technical exchange, bringing the Philly crowd to their feet from the opening bell. Storm and RVD go counter for counter like its RVD vs. Jerry Lynn at ECW Living Dangerously, and end in a tense standoff as the crowd goes nuts. Lance Storm takes control with surgical precision early on, utilizing a series of dragon screws and a leglock to systematically target Rob Van Dam’s legs. Van Dam sells the injury beautifully, hobbling through the early portions of the match, but he finds an opening to fire back with innovative offense.

Storm nearly secures the gold after catching RVD in mid-air and transitioning into a sit-out powerbomb, then immediately locking in the Canadian Maple Leaf in the center of the ring. Van Dam manages a desperate rope break. After a grueling twenty-minute war of attrition, RVD finds a final burst of energy; he counters a Lance Storm suplex with a German Suplex of his own, then scales the turnbuckle and connects with a picture-perfect Five Star Frog Splash for the victory.

Winner and Still WCW United States Champion: Rob Van Dam
Rating: 9.4 / 10
Match 7: BG James vs. Buff Bagwell w/D’Lo Brown

A standard back-and-forth contest that sees Bagwell attempting to showcase his "Stuff" while James relies on his signature brawling style. D’Lo Brown remains at ringside, but the communication between him and Bagwell seems strained throughout the match. As Bagwell prepares for a Buff Blockbuster, James dodges the move, catches a staggering Bagwell, and hits the Pumphandle Drop to secure the win.

Winner: BG James
Rating: 6.5 / 10
Match 8: WCW World Heavyweight Championships - Sean O’Haire vs. Diamond Dallas Page (c)

Sean O’Haire utilizes his massive size and strength advantage early, overwhelming Diamond Dallas Page with a gorilla press slam and a big stalling suplex. DDP, ever the crafty veteran, survives the initial onslaught and takes down O’Haire with a chop block, systematically working over the knee. O’Haire eventually powers through the pain, leveling the champion with a spinning wheel kick. O’Haire then signals to the top rope, and yells “Seanton Bomb!”. As O'Haire reaches the top rope, Mike Awesome, Kanyon, and Billy Kidman appear at ringside. The distraction is enough to make O’Haire hesitate. As he finally leaps for the Seanton, DDP rolls out of the way, causing O'Haire to crash and burn. DDP catches him with a Diamond Cutter to steal the pin and retain the gold.

Winner and Still WCW World Heavyweight Champion: Diamond Dallas Page
Rating: 7.1 / 10

After the match, DDP & The Foundation celebrate, when O’Haire attacks the entire group! The numbers overwhelm him until Booker T, Shane McMahon and BG James run out to even the odds. The 8-men brawl as Halloween Havoc leaves the air!

Overall Show Rating: 7.8 / 10
DYLAN'S FINAL THOUGHTS: I loved that show, mainly for Rob Van Dam vs. Lance Storm, but everything else was good too. The two tag matches that opened the show were the weakest, but overall a great show. WCW’s storytelling is leagues above and makes me want to tune in every week.