Vince Russo's WWF and WCW Pole Matches

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When wrestling fans think of pole matches, they usually think of Vince Russo. While heading creative in both the WWF and WCW (and even TNA), Vince Russo booked quite a few pole matches and this video aims to look at every one.
A wrestling pole match usually has two variations; you can win by grabbing whatever item is hanging from the pole, or you can use the item hanging from the pole to help you score a pinfall or submission victory. The earliest examples of Russo pole matches happened in the WWF with the Hart Foundation competing in Flag Matches (grab the flag, win the match) but when Russo moved over to WCW in 1999, Pole matches on television became way more frequent (3 happening in the space of 1 month). From "guitar on a pole" to "Judy Bagwell on a pole", nothing was off limits. Superstars such as Sting, Bret Hart, Booker T, Al Snow, Scott Steiner and Jeff Jarrett have all competed in pole matches booked by Vince Russo.
00:00 - Introduction to Pole Matches
03:11 - Hart Foundation Flag Matches
04:33 - Guitar on a Pole / Pepper on a Pole
06:54 - Eddie Guerrero vs Saturn "Key on a Pole"
08:41 - Piñata on a Pole
10:34 - Malenko vs Benoit Flag Match
11:45 - Crowbar on a Pole
12:45 - Kanyon, Bigelow & Tank Abbot Pole Matches
16:08 - Billy Kidman vs Shane Douglas Pole Match
18:28 - "Judy Bagwell on a Pole"
19:54 - "San Francisco 49ers Match"
21:22 - Wrap up
#WCW #WWF #Wrestling

[@rockajabroni5975]

If WCW had survived, there would've been a PPV called 'Pole Position', where every match is a pole match

[@timtate4105]

🤣🤣🤣

[@MrFredson91]

That sounds like a perfect name if Russo opened strip club

[@stewiegriffinfan123]

I reckon if he was still booking wwe instead of the money in the bank ladder match he of had it as the money in bank pole match

[@kylehughes329]

And nitro girls dancing around more poles. =D

[@Hoovie9596]

You like poles

[@MrBeardsley]

As ridiculous as the whole “pepper steak” segment was, Al Snow standing up and the chair being inexplicably stuck to his butt is a truly priceless moment.

[@WildDanHibiki]

Lol I noticed that too

[@brianmcdonald7017]

It really was

[@joepayne7068]

It was stuck on his belt 🤣🤣

[@Gamingniqqa]

I don’t get it

[@josephcrouch3946]

I never noticed that lol

[@gonzalogca4907]

"New Blood Rising" sounds like the aftermath of the Viagra on a Pole match 😂😂😂

[@Error-gc1rr]

Very well said sir

[@yousmel9330]

this comment got me rolling 🤣

[@abelaldrich8015]

that is funny lol

[@theclownicon]

Funny enough, I hear Vince Russo doesn't like strip clubs. He doesn't like that there's nothing for the strippers to fight for on the poles.

[@ricstormwolf]

Jim Cornette needs to see your comment 😂😂

[@rondoughhowell6442]

@@ricstormwolf indeed

[@davidmiles4678]

Hahaha!

[@cromwandelure9901]

What do giants and strippers have in common? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . They both grind men's bones to make their bread.

[@dustinmichel7608]

Ok listen bro. Why would I go somewhere bro thats has poles and they ain't even fighting bro. I mean c'mon bro, they should all fight bro to see who is the toughest of the strippers bro. All shoot fights bro. Vince Russo probably

[@RolfWrenWalsh]

The Scott Hall photo NEVER gets old, and to me the single most hilarious moment in wrestling history. WCW for Life!!

[@pleaseshutup7053]

Did not expect that. And wasn’t Scott hall out the company already?

[@TheFlock83]

The look on Booker’s face is still priceless.

[@helenajiang1786]

Wcw 4 ever!!!!

[@brettrossi034]

Lmao it is quite funny I will agree. Plus Judy Bagwell on a pole was quite comical

[@solascripturaPR1517]

"Davey Boy Smith was there to help Al Snow, because...he's called 'the British Bulldog'. ...idk" 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@TheFazer1992]

I mean that sounds like russo logic to me

[@digdugdat2847]

Take a moment at 6:17 to appreciate that in kayfabe, Bossman put a little artistic flair on not only writing "Doggie Bag" so well but put a little red shadow on the lettering to give it more depth. That makes me smile that he had stealth artistic skills apart from culinary skills.

[@Anomaly188]

In reality, he probably had Jerry Lawler do it for him since Jerry does art as a hobby.

[@PeterHowe228]

That spot with Tank Abbot losing the grip on Big Al while climbing the ropes is terrifying and could have been a true disaster.

[@HBKStyles]

Dude, Russo booking WCW was a disaster. Some genius 👍

[@Eidenhoek]

I stopped breathing when I saw it. Duuuude.

[@mattmaverick3602]

What was even more horrifying was what happened AFTER the match.

[@veka114]

Russo had nothing to do with that spot.

[@mattmaverick3602]

@@veka114 That's why it was so horrifying

[@tomsimmons7673]

"A little bottle of Blue Bombers." Now I'm picturing a bottle filled with MegaMan 1-ups. 😂

[@retrocysper3709]

ROFL LMFAO XD

[@hectorrico8661]

Even sadder because the week before. They planted the seeds for Hogan vs Billy Kidman. It looked so promising then they just burried it dead with that stupid stuff.

[@FishJesus420]

20:29 this will never not be funny. The way Booker reacts and turns the picture around was too perfect.

[@ribonucleic]

Judy Bagwell booked as eye candy was the best laugh I’ve had all week. Thanks, mate.

[@dustincongello5802]

I love how when the boss man told Al snow he was eating his dog and he was all upset and dropped to his knees the chair stuck to his ass for a minute

[@davidmiles4678]

I always wonder why that happened and if Snow could feel it

[@dustincongello5802]

@@davidmiles4678 the back of the chair hooked on the waist of his pants for a quick second.

[@raymaaf7516]

Al Snow’s reaction was priceless!..He just immediately accepted it and dropped to his knees and was so devastated! No denial, no questioning, just straight up acceptance that the deed had undoubtedly been done to his dog.

[@dustincongello5802]

@@raymaaf7516 Al Snow was very underestimated I had conversation with them at the Westchester County Center White Plains New York after ECW event. I talked to him for like an hour and a half understood the business like no one I spoke to before if he was given the chance easily been a Main eventer but unfortunately for him he was in the WWf around this time they changed WWEand the writers had more control over the wrestlers characters... if she was given full creative control over his character you would have seen some very interesting storylines

[@raymaaf7516]

@@dustincongello5802 Yeah, I believe you. And that’s true that wrestlers should have more control over their characters. Many times these writers end up destroying excellent wrestlers’ careers.

[@moycorbin4750]

I love the expression of Booker T when he found Scott Hall's photo

[@cultofpersonality123]

"that's it I've had enough"... we need you to cover Katie Vick. The reactions while narrating what is going on is hilarious.

[@Dave-mu3xv]

Vince Russo... Absolute legend and more entertaining than most on screen too.

[@PapaTaurean]

I guarantee you that if someone told Russo they liked those Pole Matches, he would say "Bro, those were totally my idea and they would have worked"

[@zlinedavid]

17:48 I’ve actually said this as a joke before, but I had no idea Russo actually booked a pole on a pole match.

[@owenlindkvist5355]

It's just a prank, bro

[@brianmcdonald7017]

Lol

[@jb888888888]

Scott Putski on a pole?

[@ichigome5554]

Russo on a Pole Match.

[@tyrone5969]

I doubt "being cut by a bottle of Viagra" is one of the injuries most wrestlers worry about. But, here we are.

[@HereForAStorm]

Pole matches WITH a swerve? Now that's Russo.

[@rustykuntz94]

“You ain’t seen nothing if you haven’t seen Jim Dugan vs Hercules Hernandez in Sam Houston Coliseum 1984 in a Coal Miners Glove match.” Jim Cornette 😉

[@DyspotikOriginal]

Looking it up for end of video. Ty!

[@gumdeo]

A true classic.

[@rondoughhowell6442]

Way better than seeing Bagwell's mother on a pole match

[@dr.lipschitz3982]

@@rondoughhowell6442 I thought it was a "on a forklift" match?

[@nalidhardstyle8551]

Hot take: if most of the "on a pole" matches were "retrieve a weapon and be allowed to use it", with the occasional wacky idea, it would have been an alright gimic match. The issue was that they made it wacky to soon, and never really established the match type as one worth watching

[@bengibson3298]

Vince Russo Was The Teddy Long of Pole Matches

[@jefferyjones8399]

Every time you asked “Who is Big Al” I lost it. Also, I just realized how many weird gimmicks Kanyon had in WCW.

[@JohnSmith-sk6dg]

I remember watching even at 16-17 anytime wcw said there was gonna be a "pole match" you knew it was gonna be a train wreck

[@elihollett]

I was at Monday Night Raw in Halifax, NS the night they had the flag match in 1997. I was 11 years old and on top of the world at that show!

[@Steeldragon493]

That's sick - fellow Haligonian, I hear stories from people who went to that show and am so envious

[@voltron983]

I wonder if Impact Wrestling will try a "Cardboard Cutout of Rocky Balboa on a pole" match someday. The Cutout's comeback would be a sure way to boost ratings 😂

[@zlinedavid]

Half the people reading this are thinking “That’s still on the air?” 🤣

[@wrestlingwithart]

Saturn was so underrated. The Eliminators are one of the greatest tag teams ever.

[@hectorrico8661]

I remember that one ECW ppv where Bubbha Dudley got on the mic. He was listing off all the guys the Dudleys beat. "...The Eliminators", and nowadays Perry Saturn is wearing a dress.", the audience went ape chit.

[@kazam3527]

Saturn had an awesome moveset and he could do it all - Mat-Wrestling but also High-Flying maneuvers. Such a shame he never got used right.

[@slavaukraini1991]

My turning off point when I was younger was when all the belts were vacated and two new stables of the New Blood and whatever the other one was were created. It was really hard to tune into any of it at that point and I'd always watch Nitro/Thunder up until around 1999.

[@marcespinoza6068]

19:37 Say what you will about Arquette, but I've never seen anyone sell a Diamond Cutter better.

[@SteRDLK]

Undertaker's wife took it good

[@matthewcowan9324]

When you see “… on a pole match” I immediately think of Judy Bagwell on a pole.

[@jeffreyriley8742]

RIP Dafney.

[@johnlegrano4723]

Woo hoo wrestling BIOS. 🤘🤘 best part of the day.

[@makaveli4205]

A big reason modern wrestling sucks. Girls took over way to much. Why can't they get their own show? Probably would get very low ratings

[@makaveli4205]

A big reason modern wrestling sucks. Girls took over way to much. Why can't they get their own show? Probably would get very low ratings

[@KingLex87]

@@makaveli4205 1. You’re wrong on so many levels my G … 2. They do have their own show it’s called WOW (Women Of Wrestling) and it’s making its return next year with AJ Lee as Executive Producer and Commentator

[@TheKaydenMonroe]

Seeing Daffney. . . I miss her, I thought she was so cool. She was the archetype of the "Anti-Diva," I loved her style and personality in the ring. I would kill for a Daffney retrospective in her memory

[@Dr-Alexander-The-Great]

I always thought she was hot

[@vintage3262]

@@Dr-Alexander-The-Great Super

[@JobberBud]

There's a certain strange beauty about that famous picture of the Hindenburg blowing up and going down in flames...I think that's the same reason I love 2000 WCW.

[@PhilLeotardosGhost]

David Penzer was the 1st to grab the WCW title during that San Francisco 49er, Gold Rush, 4 corner pole boxes match. He should have been crowned WCW Champion. He was robbed. "First person to grab the title." It fell out on Booker T, hit the floor, Penzer grabbed it. David Penzer's name belongs up there with the pantheon of great WCW Champs like David Arquette and Vince Russo 😆.

[@creoleDJ]

The football helmet on a pole matchup between Butch Reed and Jim Neidhart in Mid South was my all time favorite

[@madagrar7265]

Bulldog was there not to 'help' Snow but because he was also feuding with Boss Man in the Hardcore division.

[@Brawnald]

I wish there had been a ladder on a pole match just to reach the greatest heights possible

[@floyd2386]

Better yet, a pole on a ladder match where you have to climb the ladder and then the pole to retrieve something on the end of the pole. After many failed attempts to climb, someone just knocks the ladder on it's side and grabs the item that way, only to get disqualified in a no DQ match.

[@artsydoodler29]

@@floyd2386 this is genius in so many levels!🤣😂🤣😂 This needs to happen XD

[@pimpharold1]

The best pole match ever is Nidia vs Torrie in a paddle on a pole match

[@retrocysper3709]

I wish you'll do videos on Vince Russo's Career and name it "Vince Russo: A Comprehensive History" and have it in many parts.

[@IggyStardust1967]

The only match that never happened: "The Vince Russo pole" being held by Vince Russo on a pole match.

[@T-Bag13]

I watched the FRIENDS episode with Tank Abbott in the other day.

[@pleaseshutup7053]

What a surprise Bret is involved in a match and it’s great

[@tonicmix]

I'm so shocked that I never saw Vince Russo on an episode of To Catch A Predator.

[@criminalmindsgirl2936]

Vince Russo probably said "Bro, believe me. The fans are gonna love the Viagara on a pole match, bro..."

[@dstcoyote22rants]

Crown Jewel presents “Suicide Vest on a Pole Match” Mansoor Open Challenge

[@Sjlastbeerc]

Russo’s writing for The Rock and Mankind in 98 is some of the best ever

[@guillaumelemieux3754]

It's so impressive that he is just 1 guy but he is the best wrestling channel on KZbin love your videos

[@tyrone5969]

Isn't it? Brilliant content.

[@gilbertolopez5906]

Perfect show for a rainy day. 👍👍

[@NorthStarBlue1]

This really made me realize that ladder matches are basically a higher risk version of a pole match: both involve climbing up to retrieve something hanging high above the ring, the main difference is that in a ladder match the thing you climb up on isn't secured to a fixed spot, and it's much easier for someone else to get up there and fight you directly or just knock it out from under you. That's probably part of why most pole matches just fall flat in execution, they don't have that same feeling of danger like a ladder match does.

[@kylestoddart]

Can we just focus on Torrie Wilson in a cage. Hot damn!

[@The_Hero74_]

Bro these viagra jokes got the best of me when they shouldn’t have 😂

[@DManDoyle]

It must have been hard not to gag.

[@gewitterhund3164]

We need a Vince-Russo-On-A-Pole-Match. Seriously.

[@crazyparanormalinvestigato2007]

The one match nobody would even try to win or even come to the ring for lol they'd just leave him up there

[@surrenderfleet]

6:47 that's a hilarious reference lmao

[@greatheightsu]

This was the wrestling bio I've been waiting for. Thank you.

[@solascripturaPR1517]

"Judy Bagwell was there for.... eye candy". 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@askashik]

Another awesome video!

[@daviderk9556]

20:33 Booker T's Expression says it all!!😂😂😂

[@dragonfurry69]

Imagine going to a dentist and he says, "Only 7 of my 700 clients have died in the chair! 1%! Does that mean I'm a murderer? F off!"

[@leonarddillon256]

- WCW Management: Russo! WWF has ladder matches. Can we book ladder matches? - Russo: No, bro. We have ladder matches at home, bro. * Books nonstop pole matches

[@michaelspikes1506]

Amazing episode

[@bigjoeofthe707]

Listen bro. This was a great video bro. Excellent bro.

[@philrobinson255]

Instant like. Brilliant idea for a video, bro.

[@jvharbin8337]

Boss Man vs Nails is one of the very first ppv's I ever saw as a child.

[@neildarr]

Had a good laugh over it . Didn’t realize there were so many of these kinda matches . Guess I didn’t watch much wcw at the time

[@jb888888888]

6:50 BBD's first match back from WCW he won the Hardcore title and then just handed it to Al Snow afterwards. They had some kind of connection that I don't recall ever being explicitly spelled out.

[@socalkylex]

The video I never knew I needed

[@dylanthomas9907]

I remember at least one more pole match in the WWF after Vince Russo left. January 2000 on Raw Mankind and Rock had a pink slip on a pole match where whoever got the pink slip kept their job while the loser got fired

[@future8772]

It's a good day when wrestling bios uploads

[@leandrofranca5943]

An unbiased video about russo without the stupid bashing!!!!! What a concept!!!!!!

[@WingsofHistory]

“I could Fuckin kill you!” Tank after retrieving a knife from the jacket on the pole XD

[@awentimes]

The video I never knew I needed to see.

[@jonnyfecesbook1086]

Informative and funny. Good job man.

[@martynodonnell8467]

Another awesome upload from the greatest wrestling channel on the planet! The early “flag on a pole matches” with The Hart Foundation were decent and did fit the storyline. However from there they got increasingly more bizarre and silly. I wonder what Russos fetish with pole matches was all about?? I mean they’re hardly the most interesting or captivating of match types 🤷‍♂️

[@UndergroundSkat2000]

"Fire Russo!" when something stupid happens, is classic

[@smokininsight7620]

7:40 Perry Saturn is forklift certified

[@TunerisFire]

BRO, THEY GONNA LOVE IT!

[@azapro911]

That Scott Hall picture was actually a decent pop.

[@ReclaimingRob81]

20:45 David Penzer, Uncrowned WCW Champion!

[@mr83]

The only time I am happy about Sunday night's is when I get my weekly WrestlingBios notifications!

[@rogueprince1341]

Can we all agree that the jump the shark moment for Pole matches was the Judy Bagwell on a Pole match?

[@chrismurray5982]

Bro! Bro! Bro! This video is awesome…..we need a pole match!

[@FlyingSharpshooter]

Had a lot of fun xD xD The Bossman Nailz match is an all time Classic by the way

[@BlueNoseParaCanoe]

Have to say glad I was there for the flag match in Halifax

[@ZJP]

The 49ers match is my favorite match of all time.

[@shirleyrougely427]

22:37 is that another one WB's remixes or a song from a wrestling game?? Sounds great!

[@Mr92094]

I’m trying to ID it too. It sounds familiar as hell

[@shirleyrougely427]

@@Mr92094 Just found it while listening to a mix: it's Adrenalin V.1 by Purity, and apparently it was part of WCW Mayhem's soundtrack. There's three versions of the song, but I think the first version is used in the outro, albeit edited.

[@Thor-Orion]

Vince might be known to most as Pole Bro Russo, but to me he’ll always be more infamous for Judy Bagwell on a Forklift!

[@natsureings2894]

You know what I found a page (with a lot of wwf, wcw , and wwe ppv) and watching this matches were one of the funniest things ever lol

[@Steeldragon493]

19:20 "there she is, on a forklift" 🤣

[@dravenswiftbow1025]

I was at that Monday Night Raw in Halifax. The flag match was awesome. After the show went off the air there was a dark match Casket Match with The Undertaker vs Vader.

[@andrewparker7110]

Fun fact this is the boss man second night stick on a pole match. His first one was against Nails.

[@DJDoubleCee]

I crack up when I hear about the Viagra on a pole match 😆

[@zlinedavid]

That was a hard match to pull off.

[@thebest12700]

lol i missed that episode!

[@rogermorris9696]

All it needed was for the poll to droop during the match .

[@constantincebuc229]

This man had the most insane type of matches in his mind

[@funknasty4486]

13:31 ok but that sell was pretty wild tho

[@petertr2000]

Absolutely dying Judy Bagwell on a pole hahahahaha

[@jvharbin8337]

Davey boy Smith used to bring a dog named Matilda to the ring with him back in the early days. You know this Brother!

[@chadhoganlive]

This is still more entertaining than RAW today!

[@jfoxxbrowning]

There was a Flag Match back in the day between Hacksaw Duggan and Nickolai Volkoff on an episode of SNME

[@aceitaliano88]

Judy Bagwell and eye candy should never be said in the same sentence.

[@Smart-Towel-RG-400]

We need a Vince Russo on a pole match