This is announced by Michael Buffer as a grudge match FROM HELL. He also lets us know Bret is wearing black and purple which doesn’t sound right, although neither does “The Hitman” Breeeeeeeeeeet. It’s just a strange announcement. Special referee Roddy Piper is introduced second. Savage is the last man out and is wearing the black and red which is a cool look for him. We start with a strange moment as Piper promises it’ll be a fight, then immediately stops Savage from chasing Bret outside and throws Bret into the ring himself.

Savage goes to the eyes but Bret punches out of the corner. Tony Schiavone talks about Piper being at a disadvantage, which, and I can’t stress this enough, makes NO SENSE BECAUSE HE’S A REFEREE. Bret throws some nice body shots to walk Savage into the corner then chokes him. Piper applies the five count and he and Bret shove each other. Savage grabs Bret and sends him into the turnbuckle before kicking the chest and choking. Piper keeps yelling “Fight! Fight!” and also applying five counts, which is just strange.

Savage throws jabs and a cross in the corner before standing on Bret’s throat. Piper keeps count to two and then stopping, so Savage slides to the outside and elbows Hart in the chest before choking some more.  Bret gets up, Savage kicks him again, and then Bret rakes the eyes and throws a headbutt to put Savage down. He drops a leg and Savage scrambles to the ropes.  Bret suplexes him over the top and back into the ring before dropping a headbutt to the stomach. Savage rolls to the floor, Bret taunts and Piper stops him from taunting and tells him to FIGHT.

Bret follows Savage to the floor and runs him into the post. He tries squishing Savage with the ring steps but Savage dodges and hits Bret with the steps. Bret dumps Savage into the front row and then follows him with an axe handle. Savage sends Bret into the hockey boards in the crowd and follows with punches. He walks Bret back to ringside and throws him over the guardrail before following with an axe handle of his own. Savage slams Bret on the floor before rolling him back into the ring.

Bret regains the advantage with kicks to Savage’s bad knee. As Bret works over the knee the announcers are so focused on the match that they let us know that Scott Hall has showed up for the main event over two hours into the show. Bret drapes Savage’s leg over the middle rope and pulls on the leg. Bret works the leg without any real intensity and then hits a Russian legsweep and wanders around the ring again. Savage tries punching his way back to his feet but Bret just rakes his boot across the face and maintains control. Bret hits a nice piledriver, covers with a knee, then argues with Piper.

Bret picks up Savage, hits a DDT, wanders around the ring then pins him for another two count. This has more waiting around than the Raven/DDP match where that was actually a part of the match. Bret throws some good punches and kicks in the corner and then hits the backbreaker. Bret misses a second rope elbow drop and Savage is up, bouncing on one leg. Savage hits a cool elbow drop and a vertical suplex and gets a two count. Savage goes to the top rope and hits the elbow drop but can’t cover. Eventually he crawls over and Bret manages to kick out at two.

Savage tries pulling Bret up, but Bret sweeps the leg and drops another headbutt. Bret puts on the Sharpshooter and Elizabeth runs to ringside. Savage powers out and counters into a Sharpshooter of his own, but Bret is in the ropes. Elizabeth climbs into the ring and starts arguing with Piper. Savage and Piper shove each other and Bret goes low while Piper argues with Elizabeth. Bret hits Piper in the back with brass knuckles. Savage gets them and Bret begs off. Hulk Hogan comes down to the ring, trips up Savage, and rams his leg into the post. Hart locks in Sharpshooter, Piper takes the knuckles off Savage and gives Bret the win by DQ.

Final Thoughts: The ending of this match was awful, but it’s not like it took away from a great match. Savage got beaten on for fourteen minutes, hit a suplex and an elbow, and the whole thing limped to an end with Liz’s interference and the DQ ending where neither guy looked good. Bret’s offense was technically fine, Savage’s selling was fine, the whole thing just lacked any real sense of urgency as Bret just focused on the leg and Savage laid there and wasn’t able to show any anger or character. *1/2- This was a let down given the names involved with the usual bad WCW main event finish, but the worst part was just how little fire the whole thing had.

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