Over the years, I’ve noticed a trend where certain reporters, or observers, if you may, have taken wrestling companies to task over having goofball matches for specific holidays. To those of you who may fall into this camp I can only say…what on earth is wrong with you? Who doesn’t like holidays? More specifically, who doesn’t like Halloween? It’s a goofy day where you can dress up like whatever the heck you want while others do the same. It’s a day designed around this concept called “fun”.
Are there really people out there who don’t like fun? If so, congrats – the rest of the calendar is filled with days that ignore such frivolity. Let everyone else who knows how to smile enjoy October 31. Don’t worry, frowny puss – the utter doldrums that are January through March are just around the corner.
Pretty much since I can remember, wrestling companies have been all about the holidays and for that I thank them. Looking back, Survivor Series was at one time known as the “Thanksgiving tradition”, and even took place on turkey day itself. There have been Seasons Beatings events in various promotions and the Great American Bash has celebrated American Independence Day in both WCW and WWE. Heck, to this day I will argue that Halloween Havoc is the best name for a wrestling show ever – you could air that thing on April 9th and I’d be totally onboard with it.
Naturally, there have been countless individual matches commemorating the spookiest day of the year as well. To that end, we’re inducting a match that took place on Smackdown just a couple days before Halloween in back 2015. Dubbed a “Trick or Treat Street fight” (why they didn’t call it the far better “Trick or Streetfight” I’ll never know), the bout featured Dolph Ziggler and his opponent…
…The Miz. In case you are confused as to who might be the babyface here, this would be the tell: Dolph gently patted the Jack o’ Lanterns lining the apron on the head as he came into the ringside area. Total good guy move. The Miz would be the heel, because, well, he’s the Miz.
He’s also somehow got this woman to marry him. Screw the riddle of the Sphinx, Miz bagging Maryse, who seems to get better with age, is truly the world’s greatest mystery. And therefore I kinda hate him. No way I am the only one.
So Zigs and Miz get in the ring and proceed to have a more or less traditional wrestling match. Holds are exchanged, punches are thrown, and…
…we get whatever the heck this was supposed to be. I think Dolph was trying the old skin the cat move, but got tangled in the ropes and gave my pal Maffew more material for Botchamania. Yikes.
Perhaps fueled by the desire to redeem himself, Dolph grabs a kendo stick as Miz gets a toy lightsaber. I remember this being a big spot on indy shows at the time, as two guys would pretend to be Luke and Darth and have phony force battles. Miz looks thrilled at the prospect, and raises his saber on high. Meanwhile, Ziggler whacks him in the nards. Not sure that’s a Jedi tactic, but I approve of it.
Soon enough, the guys go outside and seeing a wayward bucket with water and apples, Dolph dunks Miz into the tank in a cute spot. I do have to ask however…IF THIS WERE REAL, why was that out there? Was there an actual apple bobbing contest scheduled? And didn’t they do that on a Saturday Night’s Main Event back in the mid 80’s? I have visions of Elizabeth dressed as Jane for some reason stuck in my head for some reason.
The merriment and mirth continues as Dolph takes a giant Jack o’ Lantern and puts it over Miz’s head. A tremendous sell job follows, with Miz seemingly utterly baffled as to what is going on.
Somehow Miz is able to regain his faculties enough to roll back inside the ring, only to get superkicked right in the noggin, with pumpkin parts flying all over the place. Screw Okada vs. Omega, THIS match should have broke the ******* scale!
The match continues a bit longer, with Miz getting the upper hand. Pardon my language, but SCREW THAT GUY for no selling his pumpkin head exploding. If you’re not going to sell that, you got no business in this sport! Still, Dolph is able to roll him up for the pin as the kids all get to jump up and down and celebrate Halloween.
Before we head out though, I have to say something. You know all the folks that hate Kevin Dunn’s production with all the unneeded zooms, cuts, and shaking camera angles? I mean, I do too, but even I have to give him mad props for this bit, where that Jack o’ Lantern looks on in awe at the finish. That shot alone makes me understand why he’s kept his job all these years (despite otherwise being so obviously terrible at it).
And with that, I say GO HAVE FUN THIS HALLOWEEN SEASON! It’s only October once a year you know. And to continue the celebration, I’ll be back in two weeks for one more super spooky induction!