In the annals of professional wrestling, few matches are as gloriously over-the-top as WCW’s Chamber of Horrors bout at Halloween Havoc 1991. Held on October 27 at the UTC Arena in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the event promised “An Evening of Terrifying Destruction!”—and the opening match delivered exactly that, though not quite in the way WCW intended.
The Chamber of Horrors was an eight-man “tornado tag” cage match featuring two teams of heavy-hitters:
The good guy team was Sting, El Gigante, and The Steiner Brothers (Rick & Scott). While the bad guy team was comprised of Abdullah the Butcher, Cactus Jack (Mick Foley), The Diamond Studd (Scott Hall), and Big Van Vader
The twist? After a few minutes of standard cage brawling, a smaller cage descended into the ring, housing a full-sized electric chair. The objective was simple: strap an opponent into the chair and pull a comically oversized lever to “electrocute” them.
The match was pure chaos. Weapons were strewn across the ring, referees wore helmet cams (dubbed “Refer-Eye” cameras), and the electric chair loomed ominously in the center. At one point, the switch controlling the chair visibly flipped on and off by accident, revealing the illusion before the big moment.
The climax came when Cactus Jack, in a moment of confusion, pulled the lever while his own teammate, Abdullah the Butcher, was strapped into the chair. Sparks flew, lights flickered, and Abdullah convulsed theatrically as the crowd watched in stunned amusement.
Despite its horror-themed ambition, the match quickly became infamous for its absurdity. The electric chair gimmick was never used again, and the Chamber of Horrors was quietly retired. But for fans of wrestling’s weirdest moments, it remains a cult favorite…a perfect storm of spooky spectacle and creative chaos.
Today, the Chamber of Horrors is remembered less for its wrestling and more for its sheer audacity. It’s a snapshot of early ’90s WCW: bold, bizarre, and unafraid to swing for the fences, even if it missed. For fans who love their wrestling with a side of camp, it’s a Halloween Havoc highlight that still sparks conversation.
Be the first to comment