To fully appreciate Halloween Havoc 1993s Texas Death match, known as the Last Man Standing match in WWE, one must jump into the DeLorean of their mind's eye and go back in time to simpler days. The kind of violence commonplace as of the mid-1990s was foreign to the mainstream wrestling world when Mick Foley started to catch on as a regular in WCW. He put his body on the line in a manner similar to Terry Funk, who did the most significant work of his career in the precursor to WCW, the NWA. Yet, Foley took the punishing style to an extreme not seen before. He was often a half step away from ending his own career just by living in the moment and allowing things to be done to him that nobody else would. In all honesty, Jack had several matches similar to this one during his tenure down south, but what set this match apart was his opponent. As much as Foley helped redefine what it looked like to absorb brutality, Big Van Vader mastered the art of dishing it out. He was an almost excessively aggressive talent. He would beat the tar out of his opponents in a normal match; add the lack of rules and all bets were off. Foley and Vader were a match made in Hardcore Heaven. Over the years, some have suggested that this match has "failed to stand the test of time." If compared to all the brawls that followed it, then that might make sense. Yet, to view it through 1993 glasses is to see fighting into the stands, utter disregard for self-preservation, the use of any and all available foreign objects, Foley rupturing a kidney, and a cattle prod to electrocute Cactus into finally being unable to answer a ten count. For sixteen minutes, they took it to each other and, for much of the viewing audience, it was like nothing that had ever been seen before.
"The Doc" Chad Matthews has written wrestling columns for over a decade. A physician by trade, Matthews began writing about wrestling as a hobby, but it became a passion. After 30 years as a wrestling fan, "The Doc" gives an unmatched analytical perspective on pro wrestling in the modern era. He is a long-time columnist for Lordsofpain.net and hosts a weekly podcast on the LOP Radio Network called "The Doc Says." His first book - The WrestleMania Era: The Book of Sports Entertainment - ranks the Top 90 wrestlers from 1983 to present day, was originally published in December 2013, and is now in its third edition.
Matthews lives in North Carolina with his wife, two kids, and two dogs.
