WRATH VS. GLACIER

“The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes, Bobby “The Brain" Heenan, Mike Tenay, and Tony Schiovane are on commentary for this match. James Vanderburg and Mortis come down to the ring with Wrath. Mortis is handcuffed to the ringpost on the outside.

GLACIER VS. WRATH

WCW Great American Bash 1997 (15th June 1997)

(C) WWE

The bell rings and they lock up as Tenay says Glacier will have to avoid that corner as much as possible. Wrath immediately backs Glacier into that very corner, striking him with elbows as the referee counts for the break. Wrath kicks Glacier and lights up his chest with a chop. Glacier avoids a right, shifting out of the corner and fires away with palm strikes. Wrath reverses an irish whip sending Glacier across the ring. Glacier rolls under a kick attempt, weakly kicking Wrath and hitting another strike but he gets sent across the ring. Wrath leapfrogs with impressive reaction times but Glacier stops his momentum. Glacier strikes first, with the combination knocking Wrath out of the ring. Glacier slingshots out of the ring with a plancha and mounts Wrath, more martial arts strikes. James Vanderburg distracts Glacier, but Glacier decides against getting too close to Mortis.

Wrath is on his feet but he's still groggy. Glacier kicks him in the mush and gets back in the ring. Glacier goes back out, not wanting Wrath to be counted out and gets cut off. Wrath sends his head into the guard rail before setting up the ring steps. Mike Tenay says this is common for Wrath and co against Glacier but Glacier counters this time, sending Wrath into the steps head first. That looked too forced to be anything. Glacier drops off the apron with a chop to Wrath and rolls him back in the ring. Glacier covers but Wrath gets his foot on the rope as Mike Tenay tries to sell us the Mortal Kombatesque origins of these characters. Glacier works over Wrath in the corner and finally pulls off an irish whip, but Mortis shoves his partner out of the way from ringside. Glacier crashes into the corner on a Stinger Splash attempt. Glacier kicks at Mortis, but the distraction allows Wrath to set up for a powerbomb. Glacier tries to punch his way out but gets dropped across the top rope. Tony Schiovane credits Vanderburg for throwing the idea out there.

Wrath gets to his feet first, kicking at Glacier in the corner. Wrath snapmares Glacier out of the corner into a chinlock. As Glacier gets to his feet Tenay and Heenan are trying to make the Mortal Kombat storyline seem legitimate. Bless their hearts. Glacier is tripped as he gets to his feet. Glacier gets to his feet for the second time as we see Mortis at ringside trying to break free of the handcuffs. Glacier elbows free from Wrath. Glacier is sent across the ring, ducking a back elbow and a clothesline, Wrath ducks a cross body attempt and Glacier rolls out of the ring. Wrath goes out to the apron and hits a cannonball from the apron to the floor. Wrath takes it back in the ring and hits a flying clothesline from the top rope. He places his foot over Glacier's chest for the cover but only gets 2. Wrath stands over Glacier, slapping him in the face but Glacier grabs him by the throat and gets to his feet before Wrath cuts it off with a knee to the gut. Wrath hits a rib breaker but takes too long setting up the elbow drop from the middle rope, allowing Glacier to roll out of harm's way. Glacier trips Wrath to turn the tide and sends him off the ropes into a backdrop, a spin kick sends Wrath into the ropes and Glacier hits a back elbow shot for a nearfall. Wrath cuts him off with a sidewalk slam and climbs to the top rope but Glacier accidentally knocks the referee, crotching Wrath on the top rope. Mortis gets on the apron as the referee starts to count, Glacier drops him with a right hand but it gives Wrath time to hit a back suplex leading to a double-down. James Vanderburg distracts the referee on one side of the ring as Mortis throws a chain in the ring for Wrath, but it goes over his head. Glacier grabs the chain and hits Wrath, who stumbles but just stays standing. We miss the second chain shot as we see Vandenburg and the referee instead, but it gets Glacier the victory.

WINNER: GLACIER

Licensing deals, business deals within the same umbrella. Are they a good idea? From this match, no they are not. The match looked like a badly animated videogame at times, where they rushed the cutscenes. I don't know how much the gimmicks limited these guys, but even as a martial arts fan I couldn't get into the match. The heels' cheating went against them and good prevails in the end I guess..– WORKRATE: 2.75/5 PERSONAL ENJOYMENT 1/5 OVERALL 3.75/10