The Great American Bash 1995: Flair and Savage Drag WCW Back Toward Respectability

Alex Wright and Brian Pillman give the pay-per-view exactly the kind of opener WCW should have built around more often in 1995. The match is competitive without requiring a blood feud, and both wrestlers gradually increase the pace instead of sprinting through disconnected moves. Pillman uses veteran timing and a little edge, while Wright keeps answering with athletic counters and enough poise to justify the push. The closing stretch feels earned because neither man dominates for long. CAGEMATCH currently has the match at 7.43, with the Observer at three-and-three-quarter stars. Michael Fitzgerald rated it three-and-a-half. This is excellent opening-match wrestling and the easiest thing on the card to recommend.

Jim Duggan against Sgt. Craig Pittman has a simple idea that never develops beyond the first sentence. Pittman attacks with believable military aggression and works the Code Red as his obvious threat, while Duggan sells enough to keep the match from becoming pure noise. The problem is movement. The action is slow, the transitions feel mechanical and the finish is another disqualification because Pittman refuses to release the hold while Duggan reaches the ropes. CAGEMATCH currently sits at 2.10, one of the show's lowest matchguide scores. Fitzgerald gave it one star. Pittman's character has more potential than the wrestling demonstrates, and Duggan cannot drag the match into a higher gear.

Harlem Heat against Dick Slater and Bunkhouse Buck is not terrible, but it never feels like an event-level match. The managers' tension supplies most of the story, with Sister Sherri and Colonel Parker turning a pre-show confrontation into a quick rivalry. Booker T is easily the standout because his movement and charisma give the babyface side life whenever he is involved. Stevie Ray is quieter, while Slater and Buck work a familiar southern-heel style that is competent without being exciting. CAGEMATCH currently has the match at 4.19, and Fitzgerald rated it two stars. The finish gets a reaction. The match itself belongs comfortably on television.

Arn Anderson versus The Renegade is historically fascinating for all the wrong reasons. Anderson structures the match carefully, feeds simple openings and does almost everything possible to make the inexperienced challenger look credible. Renegade has energy and a marketable silhouette, but the offense is loose and the rhythm never feels natural. Then he wins the Television Championship, a decision that instantly exposes how heavily WCW is trying to force the Ultimate Warrior imitation. CAGEMATCH's current guide is 2.71, and modern reviewers regularly cite the title change as one of the show's worst choices. Anderson deserves credit for professional effort. The match and booking still belong in F territory.

The Nasty Boys against the Blue Bloods is an odd stylistic combination that becomes more useful than it sounds. Regal and Eaton work measured heel control, cut the ring off and create actual tag-team rhythm, while Knobbs and Sags eventually pull the match toward the brawling and crowd-pleasing offense that suits them better. Regal's reactions add comedy without undercutting the title stakes. The finish becomes messy as Harlem Heat appear and the teams begin colliding around ringside, but the match has already done enough competent work to survive it. CAGEMATCH currently sits at 5.72. Fitzgerald gave it two-and-a-half stars. It is too long, but mostly functional.

Sting versus Meng has a clear purpose: crown a new United States Champion after the tournament structure was altered by the Flair-Savage chaos. Meng controls much of the match and is presented as almost impossible to move, which creates a problem because Sting is physically large enough that some of the helplessness feels exaggerated. Still, Sting sells well, the crowd understands the comeback and the closing stretch finally creates urgency. A DDT and splash finish the match without much ceremony. CAGEMATCH currently rates it 6.19, while Fitzgerald gave it two-and-a-quarter stars. The title change is satisfying and the wrestling is solid, even if the monster story does not always fit the bodies involved.

Ric Flair versus Randy Savage is the clear main event and the match that rescues the show from being remembered as a collection of midcard curiosities. The feud feels personal because Flair's attack on Angelo Poffo gives Savage a reason to wrestle with anger rather than strategy. Flair responds by doing what he does best: stretching the match, cheating at the edges and making every Savage comeback feel urgent. The finish is overbooked enough to remain unmistakably WCW, but the intensity survives it. CAGEMATCH currently has the match at 7.67, the best score on the card, and the Observer gave it four stars. Fitzgerald called it excellent. It is a strong grudge match between two masters.