Uncensored '98

Legacy Review

Uncensored '98

March 15, 1998 from the Mobile Civic Center in Mobile, AL

Commentary: Tony Schiavone, Bobby Heenan and Mike Tenay

WCW World Television Championship: Booker T (c) def Eddie Guerrero (w/Chavo Guerrero Jr) in 11:08- Chavo is being forced to corner Eddie due to stipulations from events on Thunder (which means no one saw it). They're clearly not getting along during their entrance. Chavo reluctantly holds the ropes open, then Eddie leaps over them! Fantastic. Huge "Eddie sucks" chant at the bell and Eddie uses that to stall for a bit. After a few tries Eddie jumps Booker from behind. They have kind of a sloppy collision and Booker lays in some forearms. Backdrop and side suplex from Booker. Crazy Eddie sell on the last one. Clothesline that I'm not sure Eddie was expecting, then Booker clotheslines him 360 and out. Eddie stalls on the floor and barks at Chavo, who's parked it in a ringside chair instead of properly cornering his uncle. Eddie comes back in on his knees and offers a handshake. Booker takes it and gives Eddie a Greco Roman Hand Squeeze. Hook kick. Powerslam. Eddie runs away again. Booker chases and slams him in the aisle. Eddie tries to catch Booker coming off the ropes coming back in but Booker cuts him off with a back elbow. Press slam. Booker goes up top. Eddie dropkicks him and hits a superplex. Booker is quickly back up with forearms and a superkick. He goes for the scissors kick. Eddie rolls out of the way and hits a basement dropkick to Booker's knee! He stomps on the knee and starts to pick it apart. Eddie hooks the leg up and plays the rope leverage game with Nick Patrick. It goes on a bit too long before Patrick finally catches him. Corner reversal and Eddie hits a back elbow. Slingshot senton on the hurt knee for 2. Booker goes outside. Eddie almost slips off the ropes, recovers, and still comes off with a crossbody dive but clearly falls short. Saito suplex from Eddie back in for 2. Booker comes back with a flapjack into the spinaroonie. Scissors kick! Spinebuster from Booker. He goes up for the Harlem Hangover. Eddie gets on his feet. Booker switches gears and goes for a missile dropkick instead. Eddie dodges but Booker lands on his feet. Dodge in the corner from Eddie and Booker's wrapped up in the ropes. They both go up top. Booker fights Eddie off. Missile dropkick! That gets the pin! A few rough spots aside this was fine, though it felt more like a Nitro match than a PPV one and not nearly as good as it could have been, even this early in Booker's singles run. **1/2

Chavo tries to hide a smirk at Eddie losing. Eddie sees, gets pissed and they shove. Cooler heads prevail...until Chavo turns his back. Eddie jumps him from behind and knocks him around the aisle a bit.

 

Juventud Guerrera def Konnan in 10:21- Rare early show NWO match here. Juvy lost his mask to Chris Jericho at Superbrawl last month so this is his first maskless PPV match. Juvy jumps Konnan from behind before the bell with a heel kick, followed by some chops. Konnan dodges and hits a clothesline. Juvy walks up onto Konnan's shoulders, that goes nowhere so he gets back down, and hits a back elbow. A flying headscissors sends Konnan to the floor. Juvy teases a dive. Konnan pulls him down, drags him out and sends him into the stairs. He sets the stairs up but Juvy runs him into them. Juvy runs up the stairs with a flying kick. Springboard dropkick from Juvy back in for 2. Konnan blocks a tiltawhirl and drops Juvy on the top rope. He hooks on a reverse Indian death lock, then drags Juvy up and stretches him out in it. Big chop. HUGE Konnan release German suplex. He slingshots Juvy upside down into the corner and gives him a bit of bootwash. Konnan hooks on a Boston crab, grabs Juvy's arms and swings him back and forth, then drops Juvy right on his head. Full ugly neck scrunch there. Juvy has to roll out for a minute to recover and make sure everything still works. When he gets back in Konnan puts him in a fireman's carry and flips him over for 2. He puts Juvy up top and goes for a super German. Juvy flips over and Konnan gets stuck in the tree of woe. Kick from Juvy. Konnan does a super sloppy fall getting himself free. Speed run, Juvy tries to slide under but Konnan grabs him by the hair and hits a wheelbarrow German for 2. He lifts Juvy up for a powerbomb. Juvy counters into a DDT! He goes for the 450 splash. Konnan dodges but Juvy lands on his feet. Konnan wraps him up and hits the cradle DDT. Juvy kicks out! He counters a cover into a crucifix and pins Konnan! After the bell Konnan hits another cradle DDT and tosses Juvy out of the ring because his heat must remain intact, Konnan's a dick like that. It's a very low bar, but I've seen worse Konnan matches. *1/2

Mean Gene is with JJ Dillon. Dillon says the Giant has demanded Nash' jackknife powerbomb be reinstated tonight. After much consideration and consultation, Dillon has agreed but it will be for one night only.

 

WCW Cruiserweight Championship: Chris Jericho (c) def Dean Malenko in 14:42- At the start of this feud Jericho had the legendary "1004 holds" promo on Nitro, which wasn't appreciated as much at the time but is now looked back on as his first truly great career defining moment. He's got "1004" on the back of his tights tonight. Quick Malenko takedown into a facelock. Jericho tries to counter but Malenko is all over him. Again Malenko outmaneuvers Jericho into a wristlock. Jericho works into a hammerlock and shouts "This is number 643!". Another quick Malenko counter. Jericho works out of a hammerlock. Malenko hits a shoulderblock, turning things up a notch. Jericho has a hissy fit. Which hold number is that? They shove. Speed run, Malenko blocks a roll up, has a nice roll over, but Jericho cuts him off with an enzuguri. He goes for the springboard dropkick. Malenko dodges and Jericho goes to the floor. Jericho walks, going all the way up the aisle. Malenko stops the count and Jericho comes back. He walks right into Malenko chops and forearms. Jericho catches Malenko leapfrogging and hits a spinebuster! Then does a crazy mocking strut. Arrogant cover! Delayed suplex from Jericho for 2. He gives Malenko some mocking kicks. He tries a double chinlock for a bit. Snap suplex. Lionsault! Malenko gets a foot on the rope. Jericho backbreaker with a stretch. Malenko still won't give up and Jericho gets frustrated. He hits some chops. Malenko fires back. Back suplex for 2. Jericho hits a quick senton for 2. He wraps Malenko up in the corner and dropkicks him. While Malenko is down in the corner Jericho slaps him. That only wakes Malenko up. Off a whip Malenko dodges in the corner. Jericho flips over. Blocked suplex. Jericho flips out again and reverse suplexes Malenko. He goes for the Liontamer but Malenko immediately wraps himself up on the bottom rope. Malenko blocks a German into a cradle for 2. Backslide for 2. Jericho gets Malenko on the apron, then goes again for the springboard dropkick, but this time as he's bouncing off the ropes he punches Malenko off the apron! Nicely done. They maneuver up top. Jericho goes for a back superplex. Malenko rolls over onto him and covers for a long 2. Jericho flips out of an apron suplex. Another Liontamer attempt. Malenko fights before it's put on and gets to the ropes again. Again they both go up top. Malenko hits the super gutbuster! Slow cover and Jericho kicks out! Jericho blocks a leg lariat. The Liontamer is on! Malenko crawls over, but *just* before he can grab a rope Jericho pulls him back to the middle! He gets the Liontamer fully on! Malenko has to tap out. Good stuff with lots of great counter work, but still slightly below expectations. There were several dull stretches the first half of the match. ***1/2

Mean Gene crosses Jericho in the aisle. Jericho stops to talk but Okerlund walks right by him, blowing him off. He gets in the ring with Malenko, who's very clearly furious at himself. Okerlund lays it on thick, saying Malenko was the favorite and should have won this match. Malenko is showing more emotion than he ever has. Okerlund points out Malenko has now lost four straight PPV matches and straight up says he's a "bonafide loser". "Where does Dean Malenko go from here?". Malenko simply says "Home" and walks out to the confusion of Okerlund and commentary.

 

"The Total Package" Lex Luger def Scott Steiner in 3:53- Scott pulled off one of the better heel turns of the time at Superbrawl, turning on his brother Rick to join the NWO. I think it would have worked better without the NWO part and him flying completely solo, but it's late '90s WCW, every heel that wasn't a cruiserweight had to be in the NWO. Hogan doesn't let cruiserweights in the clubhouse. Scott's already got his Big Poppa Pump blonde hair and signature goatee coloring on. Luger takes FOREVER high fiving everyone on his entrance. Cool for the fans there but save it for the house shows. When he finally gets in Steiner jumps him before he's through the ropes. Belly to belly powerslam. Chokes and Steiner soaks up the boos. He tosses Luger out and we get the mandatory guardrail shot. Luger blocks an apron suplex and suplexes Steiner out to the floor. Whip and Steiner flips over the guardrail into the first row. Inverted atomic drop from Luger back in. Powerslam. He calls for the Torture Rack. Steiner grabs the ropes to block it and low blows Luger. Steiner Recliner! More than half of Luger is under the ropes or flat out of the ring but Nick Patrick still tries to get a submission out of him. Terrible officiating. Almost NBA referee level. When Luger refuses to give up Steiner goes out and gets a chair. Rick's here! Luger hits the distracted Scott from behind with the Forearm that Used to Be Loaded and gets the pin. While that was happening Scott Norton ran out and attacked Rick. Scott goes after Luger with the chair. Luger escapes. Apparently so did Rick off camera because he and Scott stare down in the ring. Scott charges and Rick backdrops him over the top to the floor. Having Scott lose right after his big turn is moronic booking, I don't care what they were planning for. 1/2*

 

Triangle Match for the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship: Diamond Dallas Page (c) def Raven and Chris Benoit in 17:09- Benoit and Raven had a great match at Souled Out, then Benoit and DDP had a fantastic match at Superbrawl, so we're throwing all three together and seeing if more magic can happen. In addition to regular triple threat rules this is also falls count anywhere. Yup, still taped up ribs for DDP. Three way lockup! I love it. Everyone gets a punch in and reset. Back to the triple lockup and everyone tumbles out of the ring while still being hooked up. DDP takes a stairs shot. Benoit clothesline on Raven for 2. Back elbow for 2. Benoit stomps Raven down while Raven's in promo position. DDP gets back in. He goes to suplex Benoit but drops him on the top rope instead. They go speed. Raven grabs DDP's boot from the floor. Benoit baseball slides Raven. DDP plancha onto both guys! DDP and Benoit get shots in on Raven. Benoit splash off the top rope on Raven. DDP/Benoit slugfest that goes to the floor. Raven flies over the top rope and crashes into both of them. He covers Benoit for 2, then DDP. All three guys do a knockaround with more covers and saves around the ringside area, then slowly work up the aisle. Benoit low blows DDP up close to the ramp and stage. Raven comes in with a trash can and hits Benoit with it. DDP puts the can on Raven. He and Benoit get crutches from somewhere and hit the can with them. Who has spare crutches lying around? More fighting over covers. Benoit gives DDP a crutch shot. And a can shot. Snap suplex on the ramp. Raven and Benoit decide to team up. They put DDP through the light boxes that make up one of the Uncensored stage signs! Again! It's a piece by piece sign demolition. Benoit hits Raven with....THE KITCHEN SINK! Yes! Always a favorite. I don't give a damn about the lack of logic of a sink being there, the "everything but the kitchen sink" gag always wins for me. They brawl over toward the commentary area. Raven drops a table on Benoit! He chokes Benoit with one of those velvet crowd ropes. Table set up. Benoit reverses the whip and Raven goes through the table! Not the best break or crowd reaction for that. Now Benoit does some rope choking. Yeah, my mind can't help but wander THERE when I see that. Anyway, the two of them head back to the ring while DDP's corpse is still in the light boxes. Raven hits a low blow in the ring and sets a chair up. Another whip reversal and Benoit drop toe holds Raven into the chair. Raven really should stop setting these things up, it never goes well for him. Benoit wedges the chair in the corner. We get a shot of DDP almost by his fingernails slowly crawling down the aisle back to the ring. Almost like the Doctor in Heaven Sent. Raven gets whipped into the chair and crashes hard out of the ring. DDP is still crawling. Benoit covers but Raven gets a foot on the rope. Should that be allowed in a match like this? One of Raven's eyes is swelling up from something earlier. Benoit hooks on a sleeper. DDP is back and he puts a sleeper on Benoit! Raven jawbreakers out and all three guys are down. Benoit cranks up the ROOOOOOLLING GERMANS on Raven. DDP stops it at two and Germans both Benoit and Raven! Benoit and Raven both punch DDP and again appear to have an agreement. Raven goes out and gets the giant "USE MY SIGN" sign from the Flock that's been visible all night. He nails DDP with it! That seemed way more solid than posterboard. Raven tears the sign off and there's a giant stop sign inside it! Another table gets set up in the ring. Raven sets DDP on it. As he does Benoit whacks him with the stop sign! Benoit sets Raven on the top rope. DDP shoves Benoit off. He goes up top. Superplex? No, he changes positions......SUPER DIAMOND CUTTER INTO THE TABLE! AND THE TABLE DOESN'T BREAK! It just falls over and Raven hit it straight ribs into corner! That HAD to have hurt. DDP falls on top of Raven and gets the pin! Hammer drags Raven out. Benoit is annoyed, but he helps DDP up, gives a little respect nod and leaves. This is the kind of match WWF normally excelled at in this period more than WCW, but this turned out pretty freaking awesome as these three continue to work together superbly. ****

 

The Giant def Kevin Nash by DQ in 6:36- To recap this feud so far: Nash was scheduled to lose to Giant in the #2 match at Starrcade, came over with an extreme case of jobophobia on the day and no-showed to not have to do it, then when they finally did have a match at Souled Out, naturally with the result changed, Nash dropped Giant on his head with a bad jackknife, injuring him and almost much worse. That led to the jackknife being (story only) banned before it was lifted earlier tonight "for one night only". Those are the kinds of antics that would normally get guys that weren't backstage politics savants into trouble. Giant comes out with a neck brace on. They stare down and both pose for the crowd after the bell before locking up. Nash escapes the corner and works Giant into a hammerlock. Giant turns and clotheslines his head off. Big elbow drop. Nash dodges a second one but Giant no sells. He 360 clotheslines Nash out. Tony mentions that as of a few weeks ago the over the top DQ rule is no more. Thank God. Even going back to the NWA days they never used that except when they needed to have a screwy finish in a title match. The worst rule in the history of wrestling. Giant takes a post shot and Nash goes into slow beatdown mode on his hurt neck with his usual goofy taunting. Corner boot choke. Nash hooks on a sleeper. Giant elbows out but Nash nails him in the neck again. Off comes the neck brace. Nash charges but Giant gets a boot up into his crotch/gut borderline. Size of Giant's shoe it could get both easily. Nash is still up first. Giant no sells a headbutt and hits his own, then some clotheslines. The strap is down and he calls for the chokeslam, but changes his mind and hooks up for a powerbomb. Brian Adams (former Crush), who had just debuted for WCW and joined the NWO, runs in and hits Giant with a bat for the cheap DQ. More NWO B team goons then run in. Giant has chokeslams for everyone and breaks the bat over his knee. Nash hits him with a bat remnant. Giant hulks up and the NWO guys bail. Remember all that hype about the jackknife being reinstated? Never even came close to hitting one. 1/4*

 

Bret "Hitman" Hart def Curt Hennig (w/Rick Rude) in 13:51- After Bret was inexplicably left off the last PPV (not even a *mention* on TV) at least they're getting him back in with another familiar opponent after having a good match with Ric Flair at Souled Out. Bret and Hennig, as Mr. Perfect, had two absolute barnburners in WWF: for the Intercontinental title at Summerslam '91, possibly my favorite Summerslam match ever, then in the King of the Ring tournament at KOTR '93. Of course the downside is unlike Flair Hennig is physically a shell of his former self at this point. Hennig's wearing the same gear as the Summerslam match, a nice touch. Also still really cool to see him and Rude paired up given their Heenan Family history. For his entrance Bret has on a jersey of the Calgary Hitmen hockey team he was co-owner of. After the bell Hennig hops out to confer with Rude. He goes to jump Bret from behind but then stops and says "I could have had you". Lockup stalemates. Bret works a headlock and Hennig hair pulls. Hennig tries to do a crazy flip sell off a Bret shoulderblock but just doesn't have it in him anymore. Hennig gets a few shots in but Bret goes back to the headlock. More hair pulls from Hennig. Speed run, Bret blocks a hiptoss and goes for his own. Hennig horribly muffs it and slides out pissed, possibly legit pissed. Rude calms him down. Rude grabs Bret's boot and Hennig hits him. Bret blocks a turnbuckle shot and gives it to Hennig. Hennig flips out of an apron suplex. Bret blocks a roll up. Sharpshooter! Rude comes in and punches Bret supposedly out of the ref's view to break it up. The ref asks Rude and he denies everything, Baldrick. Hennig attacks Bret's knee and starts to work it over. Rude also gets a couple of shots in when he can. Hennig tosses Bret across the ring by his hair. He slaps on a figure four, with added assistance from Rude. It goes on to the point you're wondering why it's still going when the ref *finally* notices Rude helping and breaks it up. Bret tries to punch back and Hennig low blows him. Another comeback is cut off with a kick to the bad knee. Hennig puts on a classic stepover toe hold. Legdrop to the gut. Hennig goes up top. Bret catches and crotches him. He kicks Hennig's leg out of his leg with Hennig needing the help of the ropes to get anywhere close to one of his classic 360 sells. Bret returns the hair toss and goes into FMOD mode. Perfect reverses a corner whip and we have a Bret bump. He hooks up for the Perfectplex. And hits it! Bret kicks out! Rude gets on the apron. Bret runs Hennig into him and rolls Hennig up. Hennig reverses it and grabs a handful of tights for 2. Sunset flip from Hennig. Bret rolls through it. The Sharpshooter is on again! Hennig taps out literally one second before Rude attacks Bret. Once again we have a postmatch beatdown tonight. Rude actually hits the Rude Awakening, the first time he'd done anything truly physical since his injury I think. Perfect works Bret over with a chair, the heels pose and they leave. Definitely a disappointing match, but given Hennig's physical and Bret's mental states it really shouldn't be too much of a surprise. They also tried to overcompensate with a ton of Rude interference which, as much as I'd love to see Rude properly in the ring again, didn't help any. **1/4

 

WCW World Heavyweight Championship: Sting (c) def Scott Hall (w/Dusty Rhodes) in 8:28- Now the World title situation has finally been settled Hall is getting the title shot he earned by winning the World War 3 battle royale. I appreciate WCW following through on that instead of sweeping it under the carpet and pretending it never happened like they would normally do. Hall grabs the belt from the ref and he and Sting have a small tug of war with it before Sting lays in some shots. Hall instantly starts doing his goofy ass selling. Reset with Hall cranking Sting's arm. Sting clotheslines out. Hall wants a test of strength, then eye pokes Sting. Hip toss blocks and Hall hits a chokeslam, He mocks Giant and doesn't see Sting pop back up. Faceplant. More ridiculous Hall selling. Sting dropkick and Hall flops out to the floor. He has a talk with Dusty. They hit the ropes and Dusty trips Sting. Hall clothesline. He seems to go for a leverage pin but can't find the ropes with his feet and gives up on it. Discus punch. Corner clothesline. Fallaway slam for 2. He slaps Sting around. Sting slugs back so Hall eye pokes him. Midring collision and Sting does his "accidental" crotch headbutt fall. Dusty gets on the apron and sneaks into the ring while Hall pulls the ref away. He drops an elbow on Sting and Hall covers for 2. Sting hulks up off Hall punches. Inverted atomic drop. Stinger Splash to Hall's back. Clothesline. He goes for the Scorpion Death Lock. Dusty gets on the apron and Sting takes him out. Corner whip reversals and down goes the ref. Dusty tosses Hall knucks and he waffles Sting with them. Cover. Sting kicks out! Hall goes for the Razor's Edge. Sting escapes. Scorpion Death Drop! It's over. Bleh. *1/4

 

Steel Cage Match: Hollywood Hogan and "Macho Man" Randy Savage (w/Elizabeth) no contest in 16:21- Naturally Hogan main events over the World title. This is the first ever NWO vs NWO match, the culmination of months of Savage causing friction within the group and even teasing allying with Sting. Of note here is Charles "Lil' Naitch" Robinson reffing his first PPV main event. It'll be far from the last. Hell, it's the fall of 2024 as I write this and he still is. I don't know if the stars on Savage's tights are a deliberate callback or not but I like them. Lockup while the lights try to decide if they're going to be off or on and we quickly go into normal Hogan beatdown mode. He uses his shirt to choke Savage. Back rakes! Big boot for 2. Corner clothesline. Savage blocks a cage shot but it's still all Hogan. The crowd is pretty pro-Savage, but I think that's because they hate Hogan more than anything else. Slam. Savage dodges elbow drops and finally starts getting some offense in. Hogan blocks a cage shot, eye rakes Savage, takes his weightlifting belt off and starts whipping Savage with it. Chops. Another slam. Savage dodges the legdrop. Now Savage gets some belt whips in. Cover for 2. Big belt shot with a huge pop. Hogan takes a couple of cage shots and Savage covers for 2. Hogan is busted open. Savage targets the cut. Running elbows to Hogan's head. Hogan backdrops Savage into the cage! Savage was flying into that. Hogan goes back to the belt whips. Back suplex for 2. Savage has scrapes on his side from where he hit the cage. Hogan puts Savage on his shoulder and runs him into the cage. Now Savage is bleeding and it's gushing pretty good. Or "injured" as Tony keeps putting it because Turner was so anti-blood. At least he doesn't have to call it international blood. The Hogan beatdown continues with Savage flopping all over the place. Hogan takes Savage to the door and tells the ref to open it. And the ref does? Hogan drags Savage out, gives him a couple of shots, then the ref says get back in the cage and they do, and then the door is locked again. What the hell was the point of that? Hogan takes another cage shot and both guys are down. Savage pops back up. He climbs all the way to the top of the cage. Double ax handle off the cage! Nailed it too, right on target. Cover for 2. Someone in the truck clearly said to go to a wide shot because of the blood because we're watching from somewhere in the middle of the lower deck now. Setup slam and Savage climbs up again, looking for the elbow. Hogan's new buddy that will soon be named the Disciple (Brutus Beefcake with a huge beard to cover his identity because lord knows he's never had a name or gimmick change before) runs in, takes the outside ref out, gets the key to unlock the door and gets in the cage. He takes Lil' Naitch out, then gets between Savage and Hogan and dares Savage to jump. Savage climbs back down. Everyone stares down. Sting comes down from the rafters! Man they got him up there quick. He gets on Savage's side and again everyone stares down. The refs leave so I guess the match is over. Who knows. Savage takes Sting out! So much for that. Piledriver on Sting. But then Savage spits at Hogan and leaves. Savage: "I don't like you, never will!". Hogan responds that Savage works for him and he's NWO whether he likes it or not. And, just like that, "we're outta time" and end show. Well. The match itself actually wasn't terrible. Savage was dipping into everything he had left in the tank to try to make it halfway decent. But you gotta knock a ton off of it for that atrocious non-ending. 1/2*

OVERALL SHOW THOUGHTS- A pretty typical B PPV with a couple of worthwhile matches and a ton of NWO crap. Almost every match having some kind of postmatch beatdown grated after a while too. It's very clear that Bret's WCW run is already in trouble, and Sting's title reign is pretty much DOA as the NWO will continue to be the center of WCW's universe.

OVERALL SHOW GRADE: C-

WrestleMania 2000 (16)

Legacy Review

WrestleMania 2000 (16)

April 2, 2000 from The Pond in Anaheim, CA

Commentary: Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler

I wonder what name they'll use for the real Wrestlemania 2000. They'll probably Madden 25 it and just use 2000 again. This is a bit of an odd WM as historically it's generally most known as the one before much more well remembered ones. The four years after this produced the greatest four year run in WM history (17, 19 and 20 in no particular order are my top 3 favorite WMs of all time, and while 18 isn't as good it is underrated). This is also the last of the regular size arena WMs before they get back to the large stadiums the next year for the first time in nearly a decade. The Pond in Anaheim joins the list of venues that have hosted more than one WM, WM 12 was also held here.

Everyone expected the main event of this show to be Triple H vs the Rock with Rock getting his long awaited first WWF Title win as a face. It seemed to be confirmed when Rock, the overwhelming favorite, won the 2000 Royal Rumble. However, it surfaced later that Rock's win was tainted by an apparent bad call, opening the door for Big Show to challenge Rock for the WM title shot at No Way Out. Show won that match thanks to the help of the returning Shane McMahon, throwing the whole WM main event into chaos. Everyone knew there was no way there would be a heel vs heel WM main event. Rock was forced to go through an additional gauntlet to be added back to the match, and was aided by the reemergence of Vince McMahon from exile in his corner. The McMahon-Helmsley regime then attempted to have the now triple threat match on weekly TV instead of WM but that was nixed by the also returning LINDA McMahon to get all the McMahons involved. She not only forced the match to take place at WM, she made it a Fatal Four Way. To keep the theme she needed her own wrestler to enter. Lacking any other options, Mick Foley was pressed back into service to get his dream WM main event slot after all, barely a month after losing a title vs career match to Triple H that was legitimately intended to be his retirement match. All that setup brings us the tagline for this year's WM, "A McMahon In Every Corner". For those of you sick of the McMahons, here's ALL THE MCMAHONS.

 

 

In-house singer Lillian Garcia starts us off with the National Anthem, one of the rare occasions a Vince-run WM didn't open with America the Beautiful. The future voice of Admiral Anderson in the Mass Effect trilogy (longtime character actor/voice artist Keith David) narrates the opening video. For the first time in the show's history there's been a full reworking of the WM logo. I prefer the original of course, but this one is pretty good and fits in with the "year 2000" theme. You kids have no idea how HUGE a deal that was before it happened. The stage is pretty good for an arena WM with what I think are some higher resolution video screens being used for the first time. But hold on....HOLD ON....BLACK RING ROPES! Yes! Their PPV debut. The best of all rope colors that should never have gone away for PPVs.

 

Bull Buchanan and The Big Boss Man def The Godfather and D'Lo Brown (w/Ice T and hos) in 9:08- Godfather and Brown's entrance has been completely cut off on the Network/Peacock copy. If I remember right from my old Anthology DVD set Ice T sang them to the ring so that saves some royalty money. This is during the period Brown was a mini Godfather or Godfather in Training. Buchanan (who had just returned from a "you suck, go down and work on it" remedial training stint in OVW) and Brown start. Back and forth start and Brown hits a leg lariat. Boss Man tries to come in but Godfather cuts him off with a clothesline. The faces do some double team work. Godfather wildly misses an elbow drop. Like Buchanan was out of town before he even leapt missed. Boss Man takes a Bret bump and clothesline in the back. Godfather hook kick for 2. Brown hits mounted punches on Buchanan. Buchanan responds with a springboard clothesline off the second rope. BM blind tags in and drop toe holds Brown into a double sliding uppercut. Big boot from Boss Man. Buchanan shows he watched some Booker T tape in OVW by hitting a scissors kick for 2. While Boss Man is dropping Brown on the barricade Godfather almost legit clotheslines the ref trying to get at Buchanan. Brown stays in peril for a bit. Bear hug from Buchanan. Well, where he's got his arms it's more like an ass hug. They do the arm drops, Brown escapes and runs into a back elbow. More heel double teams. Boss Man catches a Brown crossbody and hits a backbreaker. JR says "That's like an XFL fair catch. There isn't one" which is 1. super forced and b. as far as I can remember the first mention of the XFL on a PPV. Buchanan goes up top and Godfather shakes the rope to crotch him. Brown hits a hurricanrana! Tag to Godfather. Hot tag flurry. Boss Man gets hit by the Ho Train. Brown goes up top for the frog splash but Buchanan pushes him off. Brown lands on his feet and takes Buchanan out. Brown runs into a Boss Man Slam! That gets the pin. Not exactly a high octane opener. After the bell the heel team chases the hos off. *

In their private dressing room Triple H and Steph are admiring their belts and generally chilling without a care in the world. Steph had used her new power to maneuver herself into being women's champion so she'd have a belt too. After that we get footage from earlier today of ref Tim White laying down the rules for everyone in the upcoming Hardcore battle royale.

 

15 Minute Hardcore Battle Royale for the WWF Hardcore Championship- The rules of this match are it will go the full 15 minutes no matter what, full hardcore rules including falls count anywhere, if you pin the champion at any time in that 15 minutes you win the title, there can be an unlimited number of title changes during the match, and whoever's champion at the end of the time limit stays champion, at least until tomorrow when the 24/7 rule goes back into effect. Taking part in this are reigning Hardcore champ Crash Holly, Hardcore Holly, Tazz (already becoming just another body after a pretty high profile signing), Mosh, Thrasher, Faarooq, Bradshaw, Pete Gas, Joey Abs, Rodney, Viscera, Taka Michinoku and Funaki. There's toys placed all around ringside before the match. This is pure chaos all over the place so I'll recap as best I can. Generally TV stays focused on whoever's champion at the time so that helps. Everyone gets in the ring during entrances but as soon as the bell rings the brawl spills to the floor. Tazz gets a suplex on Crash and pins him to win the title. He goes down to the floor looking for a fight. Viscera posts Tazz's back and pins him. I love how Fink is announcing the new champion every time there's a pin. There's plunder shots happening all over. Among the more normal pieces of weaponry you'd see in hardcore matches there's also a large box fan and a phone. Sadly no kitchen sink. Gas and Rodney gang up on Viscera and others soon follow suit. Crash is already bleeding. The APA pound away on Viscera. It's separated out to where there's a whole bunch of little fights happening all around the ring. Bradshaw works everyone over with a cookie sheet. Hardcore gets a trash can lid shot on Viscera for 2. Mosh covers for 2. 10 minutes left and no one's been in the ring other than the first 30 seconds or so. More guys are bleeding too. Guys slowly start trickling back in the ring. Viscera has a cookie sheet and goes to town with it. The APA lay Kaientai out, then slam Viscera off the top rope! Faarooq breaks a 2x4 over Viscera. Tackle off the top rope from Bradshaw. The APA, instead of covering themselves, put Kaientai on top of Viscera to pin him! Funaki is announced as champion. His partner Taka punches him out! Funaki takes off running up the aisle! Everyone quickly follows as we go all the way to backstage. The APA toss Funaki into a stack of guardrails. Rodney pushes his teammate Abs aside and pins Funaki! Abs clothesline! He pins Rodney. Thrasher gets a pin on Abs. Everyone pounds on Thrasher as we move back out to the stage area. Gas gives Thrasher a fire extinguisher shot! Gas, covered in blood, gets the pin. All three of the Mean Street Posse have won the title in this match. Tazz drags Gas to ringside. 5 minutes left. Tazz suplexes Gas on the floor and pins him to win the title for the second time tonight. Hardcore tosses Tazz into the stairs for 2. We settle back into all around plunder brawl mode for a bit. Mosh gets some near falls on the floor. The Hollys push Tazz into the ring. They take turns pounding on Tazz and fighting with each other. Crash tries a cover on Tazz and Hardcore doesn't like that. 2 minutes left. Tazz tosses Crash with a suplex. Hardcore powerslam on Tazz. Both Hollys get 2. Hardcore throws Crash out of the ring. Dropkick on Tazz for 2. 1 minute. Tazz hits a belly to belly suplex and is in the ring alone. Crash runs in and whacks him with a cookie sheet! He pins Tazz! Tazzmission on Crash! Hardcore comes in and smashes JR's candy jar over Crash's head! He covers Crash. Crash doesn't kick out, but White pulls up before counting 3 and the bell rings after that. Everyone's confused. After a pause, Fink announces Hardcore as the champion. Crash leaves with the belt, but White takes it and gives it to Hardcore. They messed the ending up, the bell was supposed to save Crash and let him leave as champion but it came late. No big deal, it's just the Hardcore title, they can easily fix it tomorrow on Raw. Which is exactly what they did when Crash won it back. Botched finish aside that was a reasonably fun chaos brawl with all the pins and title changes helping make it more fun. **1/2

For those people that are statistically inclined like me, that was 10 title changes within that 15 minutes. Eat your heart out, DDT Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship.

We get a long video package highlighting the events at this year's Axxess. After that Al Snow promises Steve Blackman there will be absolutely no hijinks tonight no sir it's Wrestlemania I wouldn't do that. Pay no attention to the midget in the bathroom stall.

 

T&A (w/Trish Stratus) def Head Cheese (w/Chester McCheeserton) in 7:04- Head Cheese is the aforementioned team of Snow and Blackman. Snow is trying to teach Blackman how to find a sense of humor and in a bit of fourth wall breaking trying to find a gimmick that will get him over. I can't remember where the team name came from. Think it had something to do with Green Bay Packers Cheeseheads. After their intros Snow takes a mic and introduces the team's new mascot, Chester McCheeserton. Who is a midget in a cheese costume, with the ass cheeks cut out. This is most definitely one of those things that's only funny to one man. Unfortunately it's the man running the show. T&A are Test and Albert, who were mostly brought together because they really wanted the team Trish Stratus was managing to be called T&A for the double entendre. Speaking of Trish, she'd been in WWF barely a month and at this point, truth be told, she was little more than a hot blonde pair of boobs with zero indication of the legend she'd become. That's why you take shots on people like Dana Brooke or Maxxine Dupri, you never know. I have zero idea what the face/heel dynamic here is, both teams could honestly go both ways and the match doesn't help. Blackman tries to jump but Test is ready for him. Blackman hits a superkick. JR is having some bad headset trouble and goes off air for a bit. Snow takes shots from both directions. He slides out of a corner whip and hits a clothesline. Enzuguri on Albert for 2. Blackman and Albert take turns tackling each other. Sweep kick from Blackman and we're already donnybrooking. Albert presses Snow but Blackman clips his knee. Double clothesline on Albert for 2. Blackman headbutt off the second rope for 2 as Albert goes in peril. He manages to get a double underhook suplex on Snow. Both sides tag and Test gets the hot tag run. Everyone's in the pool again. T&A double powerbomb Snow. Blackman breaks the pin up. Snow asai moonsault to the floor on Albert! Head Cheese hit a decapitation device legdrop on Test but Albert breaks the pin up. Albert presses Test onto Snow. ANOTHER pin breakup. This is starting to feel like a tag match on 2K that you're desperately trying to end but the partner on the AI team keeps coming in and breaking pins up. A press slam/elbow off the top combination on Blackman mercifully finally finishes this off. No one cares. JR spent most of the second half of the match low key shitting all over it. 1/4*

Snow takes a mic and apologizes to Blackman, the mascot was a terrible idea after all. Cheeserton can't get in the ring so Snow has to physically lift him into it. Snow says "It's time to cut the cheese" and nails him with the mic, and gets a bad feedback pop from the audio issues they've been having. I think I figured out the whole reason for this absurdity. Vince wanted to get that "cut the cheese" line in really badly. The Head Cheese experiment wouldn't last much longer.

In their locker room Mae Young and the Kat do some Austin Powers style props covering nudity comedy. Fortunately it's Kat almost showing the goods, not Young.

 

Triangle Ladder Match for the WWF Tag Team Championship: Edge and Christian def The Hardy Boyz and The Dudley Boyz (c) in 23:30- Edge & Christian and the Hardyz had a fantastic genre defining ladder match at No Mercy. The Dudleyz and Hardyz had a really good and groundbreaking tables match at the Rumble. Now all three teams come together as the evolution continues. For the first time in a WWF ladder match there's not just one or two ladders, but a whole multitude of them all down the aisle. The Dudleyz come out last as champs, and as they do E&C jump the Hardyz from behind, then go out to meet the Dudleyz. After some aisle brawling they do a bit where a couple of guys do some speed stuff in the ring while the others brawl on the floor. Bubba Ray tears Jeff's shirt off and gives him some chops in the corner. Jeff hits Bubba Ray with a springboard corkscrew moonsault. Bubba Ray gets a backdrop and hits the Bubba bomb. Christian brings the first ladder into the ring. Everyone files in with another ladder. Ladders get tossed into the corners. The Hardyz hit Poetry in Motion into a ladder with Bubba Ray under it! D'Von gets slammed on a ladder. Matt gives him an elbow off the second rope and D'Von does a crazy spasm sell. Jeff DDTs Bubba Ray and sets him on a ladder, then goes up top. 450 splash! Bubba Ray dodges and Jeff crashes into the ladder! Bubba Ray hits a senton off the second rope onto a ladder with Jeff underneath. Think that hurt Bubba Ray more. Edge goes up top with a ladder and drops it down onto another ladder with Matt underneath. D'Von legdrops a ladder with Edge under. Bubba Ray puts the ladder necklace on and it's the everyone run into the spinning ladder time. They fall for it every single time. Edge dropkicks a ladder into Bubba Ray! E&C flapjack D'Von into a corner ladder. They set a ladder up on the edge of the ring. Christian crossbody off the ladder to the floor! Jeff sets a ladder up and climbs for the belts. Edge goes to the top rope and spears Jeff off the ladder! That was awesome. Matt pulls a climbing Edge down and gives him a Razor's Edge bomb. D'Von slams Matt off the ladder. Christian throws a ladder into a climbing D'Von. We get a trio of ladders set up in the ring. Christian and Bubba Ray climb. Solo 3D off the ladders! The Hardys pull the ladders into the corners, go up, and hit Bubba Ray with a splash/legdrop combo. E&C double superplex D'Von off a ladder! We're up to about 3 or 4 holy shit chants already and they're barely getting warmed up. E&C and the Hardyz fight up midring ladders. Twist of Fate on one end, Russian leg sweep on the other and everyone's down again. We get another triple ladder setup and everyone climbs. Christian and Jeff get dumped outside to the floor! Everyone else comes crashing down. The Dudleyz give Christian a ladder sandwich! 3D on Edge! Bubba Ray has that look in his eye. Here come the tables! They spend a bit of time setting everything up. The Dudleyz set two ladders back up in the ring, then put a table on top of them as a bridge. They start to climb but the Hardyz stop them. More tables get set up inside and out of the ring. Bubba Ray gets Matt up on the Spanish announce table. Jeff is on a table in the ring. D'Von comes off a ladder with a splash but Jeff dodges and D'Von goes through the table! Right after Bubba Ray powerbombs Matt through a table! Bubba Ray gets that post-table breakage euphoric trance-like look. Jeff tries to run the barricade but Bubba Ray throws a ladder at him! Bubba Ray goes to the aisle and gets a tall ladder. A very tall ladder. Ladies and gentleman, we have the first appearance of the Jeff Hardy Suicide Ladder. JR calls it 20 feet high. Bubba Ray then sets up another table next to it. He brings Jeff over and sets him up on the table. Christian charges in and nails Bubba Ray with the bell! Now Bubba Ray is on the table. Jeff fights Christian off. The shirt is off. Jeff climbs. And climbs. And balances himself right on the tippy top of the 20 foot ladder. SWANTON BOMB OFF THE LADDER PUTTING BUBBA RAY THROUGH THE TABLE! Both guys are presumably out for good and we return focus to the ring. D'Von is slow climbing with the table bridge still in place under the belts. Matt pulls him down. Twist of Fate! Matt climbs. Christian climbs the other side. They're on the table bridge. Edge sneaks up the ladder behind Matt. He pushes Matt down and Matt goes through the table set up in the ring! And absolutely shatters it! Edge and Christian are all alone, and get the belts to win! Seriously, how smart were they. They let the other two teams do all the crazy shit because they knew they couldn't resist, then swooped in and took the win. Brilliant. It's a strategy that will serve them well the next couple of years. The bar has been raised yet again with another incredible match. There's only one thing left to do: TLC. My only nitpick of this particular match is once the tables came out things slowed down a lot to set them up where they were needed. That's a kink they'll iron out in future matches. ****1/4

 

Catfight Match: Terri Runnels (w/The Fabulous Moolah) def The Kat (w/Mae Young) in 2:24- Here we have the very definition of a cool down match. It's old school women's battle royale rules here, you have to throw your opponent to the floor to win. Val Venus comes out first to be the special guest referee. The striped ref towel is a nice touch. I can't remember what it was that put Moolah and Young temporarily on opposite sides, but it's probably not worth remembering. Terri is the heel here and Kat the face, I don't expect anyone to know that off the top of their head. Terri is in her "horny little she devil" phase so Lawler can say horny a lot. Both women immediately start working Venus over with feminine wiles before the bell even rings. It quickly turns into a, well, cat fight. Venus physically picks Terri up off Kat. When he does Terri kisses him! Kat sees that and kisses Venus too. Back to the brawl. Young gets on the apron to do what she was completely obsessed with in this period, taking her ancient puppies out for a walk. Venus goes over to stop her and probably save lives, or at least eyesight, in the process. While he's doing that he doesn't see Kat throw Terri out to the floor. The olds get in. Young kisses Venus! Again he misses Terri getting tossed. JR: "Val's had enough! He's tapping out!". Moolah rolls Terri back in the ring and pulls Kat out. Venus finally gets himself free, sees Kat on the floor, and calls the match for Terri. Young takes Moolah out and gives her, as JR puts it, "The oldest bronco buster in captivity". Kat then pulls Terri's tights off to fully expose her ass for some reason. Speaking of ass, that's definitely what this was, but no one expected anything less and at least JR sounded like he was having fun with it. It's a real puzzler why no one took women's wrestling seriously back then. DUD

 

Too Cool and Chyna def The Radicalz in 9:38- It's Eddie Guerrero, Saturn and new WWF Light Heavyweight champ (yes that's somehow still around, the belt even still has the old WWF logo on it) Dean Malenko representing the Radicalz in this match. The entire story here is Eddie is trying to charm Chyna, the story that gave birth to Latino Heat. Before the bell Guerrero eyes Chyna across the ring and tosses his shirt at her. Watching this you still can't convince me Eddie's not Dom Mysterio's real father. Chyna ignores it all and Scotty starts with Guerrero instead. Nice speed run with Scotty getting a monkey flip and tiltawhirl backbreaker. Scotty moonwalks back and tags Chyna. Guerrero gets the hell out of town on his knees, tagging Malenko in. Chyna clotheslines him. Malenko hooks up for a powerbomb but very obviously sets himself up to be clotheslined by Scotty off the apron. Sexay and Chyna hit a double suplex and do some dancing. Malenko gets slammed and tags out. Scotty back suplexes Guerrero. Sexay goes up top for his legdrop but Saturn pushes him off. Saturn tags in, knocks Sexay around and puts his do rag on. Scotty tags in and Guerrero hot shots him. He stares Chyna down again. Slingshot senton from Guerrero and more gestures at Chyna. Sexay distracts the ref and Guerrero takes the opening to run Chyna into the turnbuckle! I guess that's one way to show a woman you like her. Sexay suplexes Guerrero out of the ring to the floor. Everyone runs in and Scotty hits a double worm on Malenko and Saturn. I like JR's sarcasitc "Not the double worm!". Guerero tries to hide behind the ref. While everyone else fights on the floor the ref stops Chyna from going after Guerrero in the ring because she's not legal. Things settle back in with Scotty in peril. Saturn hits an elbow off the top rope. Guerrero goes up top for the frog splash. Scotty crotches him and hits a superplex. Chyna tags in and Guerrero runs on his knees again. Chyna takes everyone out easily. Way too easily. Handspring elbows. Double low blow. Guerrero uses that to run in and hit Chyna. He hooks Chyna up for a powerbomb with a lot of bump and grind. Chyna lands on her feet and gives Guerrero a powerbomb instead. Greco Roman Nut Lock! Chyna press slams Guerrero. Sleeper into a kind of reverse DDT and Chyna gets the pin. Once again the Radicalz look like a bunch of geeks soon after coming over from WCW. I'm sure there were a few angry message board posts about this match. It was OKish. I still don't like the clash between Too Cool's "hit the big pop high spots" style and the Radicalz more technical based approach. **

We get a clip from earlier tonight on Heat where Bob Backlund reveals to Eurocontinental champion Kurt Angle he was the architect of the next match as a way to help Angle become the best he can possibly be. Angle thanks Backlund by putting him in his own crossface chickenwing.

 

Two Fall Triple Threat Match for the WWF Intercontinental and WWF European Championships: Chris Benoit and Chris Jericho def Kurt Angle (cc) in 13:48- One title is on the line in each fall in this unique matchup. It sounds like Angle's music has been replaced by...his regular music? Guess he had some special music here I'd forgotten about.

FIRST FALL (Intercontinental Title)- Benoit jumps Angle before he can get in the ring. We get some standard triple threat opening three way back and forth to start. Benoit gives Jericho some chops. Jericho dropkicks Benoit in the back, sending him out to the floor. Angle takes a dropkick. Jericho goes for the springboard dropkick but Benoit pushes him off the ropes. Angle and Benoit start fighting on the apron. Jericho springboard dropkicks them both off! Baseball slide on Benoit. Angle hot shots Jericho into the stairs. Belly to belly suplex from Angle in the ring. Benoit clothesline on Angle for 2. Jericho gives Benoit some chop receipts. Double underhook backbreaker on Angle. Jericho goes up top. Benoit charges and pushes Jericho off. Jericho flies all the way into the Spanish announce table! Snap suplex on Angle for 2. Back suplex for 2. Jericho dropkicks Benoit in the back again. Missile dropkick on Angle. Benoit backbreaker on Jericho. Angle snap suplexes Benoit. Jericho bulldog on Angle. Benoit and Jericho slug it out a bit. Canadian hockey fight. Angle gives Benoit a back suplex. Jericho comes off the second rope onto both of them. Camel clutch on Benoit. "Ask him!". Jericho hits Angle with a delayed suplex. Benoit pushes him away and covers Angle for 2! Jericho and Angle do a nice counter run with Angle hitting a belly to belly. Jericho tries a corner roll up on Benoit but Benoit stacks him up for 2. Angle dropkicks Benoit while he's down there. More Jericho/Angle counters. Angle puts Jericho in the crossface chickenwing! I wouldn't have hated if he'd kept that in his moveset, though the ankle lock is definitely superior once he starts using it. The ref starts arm drops but Benoit breaks it up before three. He tosses Angle out of the ring, then over the barricade into the crowd. Headbutt off the top on Jericho! Benoit gets the pin and wins the Intercontinental title! There's no celebration as we're right off into the next fall.

SECOND FALL (European Title)- Benoit immediately covers Jericho again but Angle breaks it up. Suplex on Benoit for 2. Setup slam. Angle goes up top. Jericho crotches him. Benoit makes it all three on the ropes. He back superplexes Jericho off. Angle is still up there. Moonsault! Benoit dodges and Angle splats! All three guys are down. Angle slowly drapes an arm over Benoit for 2. Jericho covers Angle for 2. Walls of Jericho on Angle! Benoit breaks it up. More three way back and forth. Jericho gets Benoit out of the ring and gives Angle the double powerbomb. Benoit gets back in, grabs Jericho and it's ROLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLING GERMANS time! He bridges on the third but Angle breaks the pin up. Benoit dragon suplex on Angle! They have a tough time getting in the right position for a near fall. Tim White counts anyway but that was pretty ugly. Benoit ducks and Jericho takes White out. Crossface! Jericho taps! But there's no ref. Walls on Benoit! Angle comes in with the IC belt and nails Jericho with it. He covers but Benoit makes the save. Another back suplex on Angle. Angle dodges the headbutt off the top! Jericho comes in with the Lionsault on Benoit! He gets the pin and wins the European title! It certainly wasn't anywhere near bad, but considering the talent in there, even with Angle still in his early months and learning, that was a disappointment. They had a hard time finding a rhythm, looked oddly off in places, and the crowd never got into it. Having Angle lose both titles without taking a pin was genius though. Perfect for his character. **3/4

 

Kane and Rikishi (w/Paul Bearer) def X-Pac and Road Dogg (w/Tori) in 4:00- Pac and Dogg are the last vestiges of the great institution that used to be D-Generation X, which at this point can't die soon enough. Well not die, but go away until the great 2006 nostalgia run with the guys that actually mattered. This whole Kane/Pac/Tori thing desperately needs to end too. They have a new version of DX's music tonight. Tori slaps Bearer before the bell. Bearer completely no sells it the misogynist. Kane goes out to help Bearer so DX jump Rikishi in the ring. I can't for the life of me remember how Kane and Rikishi ended up teaming. Rikishi is on loan from Too Cool. Pac saves Tori from Kane. Rikishi squashes Dogg in the corner and gives him the stinkface. Tori ends up in the ring. She sees Rikishi and backs off into the corner. Prime stinkfacing territory. Rikishi warms the ass cheeks up but Pac saves her. DX walks and are chased down. Once they get back in Pac leg lariats Rikishi and hits his corner kicks. Huge "X-Pac sucks" chant. Bronco buster. Dogg hits his dancing jabs and kneedrop. Rikishi hulks up off Pac shots. Faceplant and tag to Kane. Kane destroys everyone. Dogg gets 360 clotheslined to the floor. Corner clothesline on Pac. Kane indicates he wants Rikishi to give Pac his ass. Pac escapes the stinkface. Bearer puts Tori in the ring. Kane chokeslams Tori HARD into the corner! Damn. This time Tori gets the stinkface. Tombstone on Pac and it's over. Please please please let that be the end of this Kane/Pac feud that refuses to die. Pretty useless match, and the following angle will be longer than the match was. 3/4*

Too Cool come out and it's dance break time. Wait, it's the San Diego Chicken! Commentary immediately knows it's eternal Kane nemesis Pete Rose, who's been in that costume before. Kane sees the Chicken but seems content to contemplate rather than act. Rikishi's glasses go on and it's full Too Cool dance number time. The Chicken joins in. And does not dance like you'd expect Pete Rose to. They go through the whole dance number and finally Kane decides to strike. Goozle on the chicken! Hold on! Pete Rose runs in from behind with a bat! SWERVE! Rikishi grabs the bat to stop him. Chokeslam on Rose! Too Cool pull him into the corner. Stinkface on Rose! I'm pretty sure I saw Rose corpsing while taking that. Your score after three innings, Kane 3, Pete Rose 0.

The Rock has a two minute backstage promo that sets up and sells the main event better than any 10 minute long video package could.

 

Fatal Four Way Elimination Match for the WWF Championshp: Triple H (c) (w/Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley) def The Rock (w/Vince McMahon), Mick Foley (w/Linda McMahon) and The Big Show (w/Shane McMahon) in 38:00- Foley is wrestling as himself rather than any of his characters, and the way JR talks I'm pretty sure he's made it clear that this is absolutely, positively his last match no matter what. I assume if he won the title he would have retired as champion. He's still got the scars on his arm from getting scraped open from the bottom of the fence in the Hell in a Cell match. That was nasty. Everyone picks a corner to stare down from, then we get a 2 by 2 pair off based on the prior feuds: HHH and Foley, Rock and Show. Foley pounds HHH down like crazy in the corner and hits the running knee. Bang bang! Show double clotheslines Foley and HHH, then spends a couple of minutes tossing everyone around because he's big and strong. Side suplex on Rock. He hooks up to chokeslam HHH. Foley low blows Show to break it up. All three guys gradually team up to pound Show down. Triple stomp on Show while he's down, until HHH hits Foley. Cactus Clothesline on HHH! Show gets a big boot on Rock. Foley gives HHH a chair in the gut. Shane tries to trip Rock and fails. Foley chairshot to Show! Rock Bottom! Rock pins Show and Show is eliminated! The three remaining guys have a reset staredown in the ring while a ref gaggle gets Show and Shane out. HHH tries to negotiate a deal with Foley. Nothing doing. HHH turns and tries to negotiate with Rock! He was never into any of that Rock N Sock stuff anyway, right? Rock says yes, but as soon as he has a clear view of HHH's back Rock nails him! The Rock N Sock Connection will never die! HHH gets pounded around. Foley loudly (on purpose) calls a double clothesline spot and it hits. HHH gets tossed out and we get some floor brawling. Foley gets the bell and gives it to Rock. HHH ducks and Rock takes Foley out with the bell! While HHH is working Rock over Foley gets the barbed wire covered 2x4 out! HHH sees it and freaks out. Foley goes for a shot but HHH ducks it in the corner and low blows Foley. The 2x4 rebounded off the turnbuckle pad and just about hit Foley legit in the face. HHH gets the 2x4 and goes to use it. Rock cuts him off and the 2x4 ends up on the floor. Rock gets tossed over the top and out. Foley double underhook DDT on HHH! Socko is out! Mandible Claw! Rock comes in with the belt and hits HHH with it. HHH is laying in the middle of the ring. Rock takes the elbow pad off....CLAW ON ROCK! Foley took his opening! Not the first time he's done that to Rock in a match like this. HHH low blows both guys to break it all up. Vince puts a chair in the ring. Foley clotheslines Rock for 2. Double underhook DDT on Rock for 2. Foley takes the chair in the ring. Rock kicks it into Foley's face. DDT. Now HHH and Foley strike a deal to take Rock out then settle it between themselves. Double team on Rock for 2. Double suplex! HHH kneedrop for 2. They go to the floor again with the unlikely alliance continuing. Whip reversal and Foley crashes hard into the stairs. Rock chokes HHH with a TV cable. Foley runs the stairs into Rock's face! HHH sets Rock up on the Spanish announce table and tells Foley to go up. Foley does. Cactus Elbow! Foley comes up short and hits the table! The table doesn't break. HHH dives onto Rock from somewhere off camera and the table STILL doesn't break. Finally HHH climbs up on the barricade and comes straight down on Rock. The table turns over then slowly collapses. That was a mess. On the replay we can see Foley hit the corner of the table HARD. Back in the ring. Pedigree on Foley! Foley kicks out! HHH chairshot to Foley. Pedigree on the chair! Foley is done. Big boos for that. He takes a moment to raise his fist for the crowd and gets a nice little sendoff even though the match is still going on. Then he comes back! He hits HHH with the 2x4! One last shot. A last fist raise and Foley leaves. This really would be his retirement match, for a time. He'd work as Commissioner over the summer and fall with his famous gavel gimmick, then go off the road completely until his surprise return in the 2004 Royal Rumble to kick off his part time career. As always, wrestling retirement is like death in sci-fi or comics. Never permanent. We're down to the last two that were expected to be in this match by themselves. Rock slowly crawls over and covers. HHH kicks out! Slugfest and HHH gets 360 clotheslined out. They go straight up the aisle for the stage brawl portion of the program. HHH gets suplexed on the aisle. They do the crowd brawl as they come back to ringside. Rock picks the stairs up. HHH chairshots them into Rock, and then pummels them with more chairshots. Piledriver onto the stairs! Cover. Rock kicks out! Rock slugs back. HHH counters out of a Rock Bottom. Rock backdrops out of a Pedigree, sending HHH back to the floor. Crowd brawl 2 on the other side of the arena. Rock sets up the English announce table. He suplexes HHH onto it! This time the table does break on command. HHH drop toe holds Rock into the stairs. Vince hits HHH! Well here we go. This was inevitable. Shane returns, sneaks around and hits Vince from behind. He nails Vince with a TV monitor. Steph's shock face full in camera is one for the ages. She was definitely still learning this whole acting thing. Vince gets up and he's pissed. He pummels Shane down. Shane low blows Vince. Chairshot to Vince. Vince gets helped out as we finally turn focus back to the ring and the guys actually wrestling this main event match. Rock DDT for 2. Tiltawhirl slam for 2. Trips hits the facebuster. He gets the 2x4 and hits Rock with it! Shane gets in the ring. Rock counters a Pedigree and, never seeing Shane, slingshots HHH into him. Rock Bottom! Rock can't cover. Vince runs back in! He takes Shane out again. Vince gets a chair in the ring and....hits ROCK with it! WHAT? Swerve! HHH covers. Rock kicks out! Another chairshot from Vince. HHH covers again, and gets the win no one, I mean *nobody*, expected. Heel Vince is back. HHH becomes the first ever heel to walk out of WM the main event winner (if you count Yokozuna vs Hogan as the WM 9 main event). The match was overlong and overMcMahoned but overall came together pretty decent, though not what you'd expect from a WM main event. ***

Trash is being thrown into the ring like you never see on WWF shows. It's almost NWO levels. Steph gets in the ring. She and Vince hug! Just because Russo's gone it doesn't mean the nonsensical swerves are. There's no logic behind this, it's a turn for the sake of a turn. And to get Vince back heel I guess. Shane is there too and seems to be wondering if Vince hitting him was all part of the plan. He seems to have been left out. Rock runs back into the ring. Rock Bottom for Shane. Rock Bottom for Vince. He looks at Steph. Steph gets up and right in Rock's face. She slaps him! Rock Bottom on Steph! Steph takes the People's Elbow! Rock leaves and the McMahons put the pieces back together as we end the show. This is definitely a prime example of "it's all about the McMahons" syndrome.

 

OVERALL SHOW THOUGHTS- It's ironic that in the incredible year WWF put on in 2000 with great PPV after great PPV, the biggest show of the year is about the only one that doesn't rise to the occasion. The worst part is that for the most part it doesn't feel like WM, but just another PPV. That's something they'd definitely fix starting the next year. The whole McMahonified four way main event was likely overcompensation panic for Austin and Undertaker both being out with injuries. The triangle ladder match is by far the only thing on this show really worth going out of your way to watch, but even that is more a stepping stone to even greater things than a stand alone great match. It's not the *worst* WM, or even in the discussion for the truly worst, but it might be the most skippable.

OVERALL SHOW GRADE: C-

Superbrawl VIII

Legacy Review

Superbrawl VIII

February 22, 1998 from the Cow Palace in San Francisco, CA

Commentary: Tony Schiavone, Bobby Heenan and Mike Tenay

This is WCW's attempt to fix their giant frak up that was Starrcade '97, and I think by this point they'd realized they really did frak up. Not that they'd learn anything from it. The stage setup is pretty nice, one of the best of the era on the WCW side and worthy of a major show.

WCW World Television Championship: Booker T def Rick Martel (c) in 10:31- This was originally supposed to be Booker defending against Saturn. However, Martel's comeback was going so good he pulled the upset on Booker for the title on the go home Nitro, turning heel in the process. Now Booker is getting his rematch, and then the winner will defend against Saturn. After the bell Martel offers a handshake. Booker slaps it away and starts throwing fists. Martel gets huge air off a Booker backdrop then gets clotheslined 360 to the floor. Back in Martel aggressively takes control. Booker blocks a hiptoss and hits a clothesline. We get a shot of the Flock at ringside. Either that or it's a bunch of students from pretty much any San Francisco art college that got their parents to pay for ringside seeats. Martel lays in knees and kicks in the corner. Booker ducks and hits the spin kick. Snap mare/kneedrop combo for 2. They do an extended speed dodge sequence and Booker hits a superkick for 2. In between moves Booker's been focused on wearing down Martel's arm. Corner whip and Booker sends Martel clear across the ring with a hip toss. Martel backdrops Booker over the top in the corner out to the floor. Both on the floor and in the ring Martel goes into his usual back softening up work. Booker dodges in the corner and hits a side suplex. Missed elbow drop, spinaroonie back up and Booker hits a forearm. Powerslam from Martel. Spinebuster. The Boston Quebec crab is on! Booker is too close to the ropes and easily gets a break. Martel hits a springboard crossbody but Booker rolls it over for 2. Booker roll up for 2. Martel clothesline for 2. Booker hits a flying forearm and the scissors kick. Spinebuster. Booker goes up top. He comes off with a crossbody but Martel dodges and he splats hard on the mat. Martel tries coming off the second rope. He leaps right into the Harlem side kick! Booker gets the pin and the title back! The second of what would be a record six TV title wins. I have more to say, but as soon as the bell rung Saturn leaped into the ring to start the next match.... **3/4

 

WCW World Television Championship: Booker T (c) def Saturn in 14:20- Rings of Saturn! The ref rings the bell again to start the match. Booker gets to the ropes. Saturn small package for 2. More quick pin attempts as Saturn tries to put the tired Booker away quickly. After a bit more beating Booker leaps over in the corner and gets a roll up for 2. Saturn stomps him out of the ring. Booker is whipped into the guardrail and Saturn posts his shoulder. Reversal and now Saturn goes into the guardrail. Saturn is quickly back up with some ground and pound. Back in he gives Booker some arrogant kicks. Corner whip reversal and both guys go for kicks at the same time. Booker catch and powerslam. He's clearly exhausted but still fighting. Saturn 360 clotheslines him out. Plancha! Springboard splash to the floor. Saturn hurt himself on the landing. Back in Booker hits a flying forearm. Saturn dodges and Booker has a huge crash in the corner. Back suplerplex from Saturn. Booker blocks a regular superplex attempt and drops Saturn. Missile dropkick! Spin kick. Saturn gets a full nelson into a half and half suplex. Slow cover for a long 2. Saturn belly to belly suplex for 2. A springboard moonsault hits and Saturn does some more corner beatdown. Booker has some trouble keeping his footing while leaping up to the top rope, recovers nicely by putting one foot on the middle rope instead, but again misses the crossbody. He might want to rethink that move. Big head of steam on rope runs and we have a HUGE midring collision. Saturn hits a powerslam. Booker dodges in the corner and gets a spinebuster. Scissors kick. Side suplex. He goes for the Harlem Hangover but Saturn dodges it. Northern lights suplex for 2. German suplex for 2. Booker flips over another suplex attempt. The side kick hits! Booker gets the pin! Really well done for what was a completely improvised match with no prep time at all. See, Martel was scheduled to win the first match, but partway through he hurt his knee and the result had to be changed on the fly. In fact, he completely tore his MCL, which would end what had been a fantastic comeback. Still finished the damn match too. He'd work one more match for WCW after recovering (ironically against Stevie Ray), get hurt again and fully retire. Because of that change Booker and Saturn had to completely call this whole match in the ring not even knowing it was going to happen before it did. I'd say they did fine, though it would have benefited from being cut down a bit time wise. Booker looked like an absolute star in the making during these two matches, holding the whole thing together superbly. It may not have been the intended result, but it turned out to be the right one. **1/2

 

Disco Inferno def La Parka in 11:39- The Chairman of WCW has his chair with him. While the ref is trying to take it away Parka tosses the chair at Disco! It hit him with a glancing blow, which I'm not sure was supposed to happen or not. Lots of whip fumbling at the start. Parka hits a powerslam. He mocks Disco's dancing and hits a kick. Disco responds with a powerslam for 2. Corner clothesline for 2. Parka hits a short clothesline, then a spinning heel kick that sends Disco out to the floor. Parka corkscrew plancha! Parka does a run where he whips Disco into the guardrail, hits a clothesline, and drops Disco on the guardrail, but in between every move he goes back in the ring to do some more dance mocking. Back in Disco dodges a splash off the top rope. Parka goes to the floor, and Disco does the exact same rail whip/clothesline/rail drop sequence Parka just did. I'm getting deja vu. Parka snaps Disco over the top rope and gives him some kicks back in. Drop toe hold and magistral cradle for 2. More kicks. He uses the top rope to flip Disco out to the floor. Tope suicida! Back in Disco gets a boot up in the corner and Parka posts his shoulder. Disco inverted atomic drop and clothesline for 2. Swinging neckbreaker for 2. The ref inadvertently takes a shot in the eye from Disco. Parka takes advantage and gets his chair. He sits Disco in it and goes to the top rope. Disco gets up and crotches him. After some struggle Disco tosses Parka off the top and face first into the chair. The Chartbuster (a Stunner) hits and it's over. Total clash of styles that went twice as long as it needed to. 1/2*

Mean Gene is with JJ Dillon, who's here to settle the debate about Nick Patrick after his supposed relapse of evil at Starrcade. He calls Patrick out, then says he's got no evidence to support any of the charges against him, therefore Patrick is fully reinstated. Patrick does a crazy over the top celebration that pretty much means he's a heel again. He says he'll be fully vindicated when he refs tonight's main event. Dillon says hold on a second, I didn't say anything about you reffing the main event tonight, we've already got someone else scheduled. Which pretty much guarantees Patrick will end up working it. While ranting about that Patrick screams "What about my back pay?!" and chases after Dillon.

The next match is an unannounced bonus match. The reason for that isn't mentioned on TV: there was originally supposed to be a match tonight with NWO and Scott Hall nemesis Larry Zbyszko facing off against Hall flunkie Louie Spicolli. However, Spicolli died due to a drug overdose the week before the show. Anyone familiar with him or his career honestly likely wasn't too shocked.

 

Bill Goldberg def Brad Armstrong in 2:23- Kind of surprised to see Brad Armstrong still hanging around on the roster. He was a fairly underrated junior heavyweight/cruiserweight in the late '80s and early '90s and was the last WCW Light Heavyweight Champion, but for years now has been little more than a jobber with a name. On the other side, the mega push for Goldberg centered around his undefeated streak is on, though still in its early days. This is his first PPV appearance since it got going. Standing switch and Goldberg gets a leg takedown. He hits some knees and does a rolling takedown. Press powerslam. Belly to belly suplex. Armstrong gets some token offense in. His Russian leg sweep is no sold. Pumphandle suplex. Spear. Jackhammer. Good night. Goldberg squash. 1/2*

 

Title vs Mask Match for the WCW Cruiserweight Championship: Chris Jericho (c) def Juventud Guerrera in 13:27- During his entrance Jericho shows how much of a heel he is by ripping up an "I'm a Jerichoholic" sign. He doesn't want to take the belt off and insists on wrestling with it. Heenan says "It's his binky". Commentary goes on a nice riff about how Jericho NEVER takes the belt off in his normal life. Should have tried that with the AEW World title belt, it would never have been stolen. Lockup with the belt still on. Surprising clean break. They trade some arm wringers and escapes. Jericho hits chops. Juvy back kicks the belt! Jericho does a nice delayed sell of that shot. Then he decides, OK, go ahead and take the belt. I first watched this match on Jericho's first WWE DVD compilation set (remember those?) and the whole wrestling with the belt on bit amused me no end for years. Still does. Juvy hits a spinning heel kick. Jericho escapes a headlock and gets a knee to the gut. Another chop. Flying headscissors from Juvy. Springboard spinning heel kick! He springboard hurricanranas Jericho off the apron to the floor! Jericho decides to play dead on the floor, making it obvious by looking around then closing his eyes again, to take the countout. At about 8 Juvy realizes what he's doing and drops an elbow on him. The flaw in the plan. Chops from Juvy back in. Jericho hits forearms. Juvy flips out of a German suplex attempt but Jericho recovers to hot shot him. Springboard dropkick. Jericho slams Juvy on the floor. He sets the stairs up, runs up them, but Juvy counters and Jericho goes into the guardrail! Back in Juvy tries another springboard but Jericho catches him and hits a combination driver/tombstone for 2. Back elbow and arrogant cover for 2. Juvy victory roll for 2. Jericho gets a kick to the head and hits a delayed suplex. Senton and another arrogant cover for 2. Backbreaker with a stretch. Juvy hits some more chops but runs into a Jericho clothesline. Juvy goes up top for a hurricanrana. Jericho blocks it with Juvy on his shoulders and hits an electric chair. Juvy dropkicks Jericho from behind as he's climbing the ropes and he goes to the floor! HUGE Juvy springboard dive that goes all the way to the end of the entrance aisle! Back in Juvy hits a driver. The 450 splash hits! The ref counts 3 and the bell rings, but then the ref realizes Jericho had a hand on the rope and waives it off! While Juvy's arguing Jericho clips his knee. Juvy gets a roll up for 2. Jericho clothesline for 2. He goes for the powerbomb. Juvy counters into a DDT for 2. Jericho blocks a top rope hurricanrana but leaps down into an inverted atomic drop. Juvy springboard hurricanrana for 2. Bridge up spot and Jericho hits a reverse suplex. Lionsault...Juvy dodges! Jericho tries for the Liontamer but Juvy counters with a roll up for 2. He goes for another hurricanrana. Jericho blocks it and puts the Liontamer on in the dead center of the ring! Juvy has no choice but to submit! Clean as a sheet win for Jericho. Though it's good this match isn't *quite* as good as its reputation to me, but it's most certainly the match that really cemented how Jericho can be relentlessly entertaining even as a heel. ***1/2

After the bell Jericho takes a mic to brag and thank all the Jerichoholics for the win, then eggs Juvy on to take the mask off. Juvy gets it undone but hesitates pulling it off so Jericho rips it off his face. After some initial hesitation Juvy plays to the crowd, seeming to embrace his new maskless self. In the end losing the mask wasn't a career killer for him, just a transition from one phase to another.

"The British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith def Steve "Mongo" McMichael in 6:10- Bulldog returned to WCW in late January after leaving WWF immediately following the Montreal Screwjob and got right into a feud with Mongo. On a similar note, any particular reason Bret Hart isn't booked at all on this show? He's not even mentioned the entire show. Dropping the ball with him already. Mongo charges right into a drop toe hold. Bulldog hits some forearms. Mongo gets a spinny powerslam and goes into his usual kicky chokey offense. Slam from Mongo but the follow up legdrop misses. Bulldog kicks Mongo's leg a few times then checks the obvious thing off the match list and puts a Sharpshooter on because Montreal will be endlessly referenced. It's not quite as bad as the Rock's, but almost. Mongo slowly reaches out to grab a rope. He eye rakes Bulldog and we get more stompy chokey stuff. Bulldog gets tossed out and Mongo hits a double ax handle off the apron. He knocks Bulldog around the guardrail. Bulldog dodges and Mongo hits the ring post! For real. In fact, he legit broke his arm on that shot. An arm that Bulldog then proceeds to smash all over the ringside area and on the turnbuckle. Off a corner whip reversal Bulldog flops upside down into the corner. Mongo tries a 3 point stance but his arm won't take it. He hits the tackles anyway. He tries to lift Bulldog up for the tombstone but can't hold him. Bulldog hooks on an armbar. After an overlong fight the ref calls for the bell. Afterward Mongo argues with the ref that he never submitted and shoves him down. Typical awful Mongo match with Bulldog putting bare minimum effort in, but credit to Mongo for finishing the damn match after breaking his arm like the Hall of Fame football player he is. The injury would thankfully spell the end of Mongo's big push. He'd come back in the summer but never got to the same level again before leaving for good in the spring of '99. 1/4*

WCW United States Heavyweight Championship: Diamond Dallas Page (c) def Chris Benoit in 15:43- DDP STILL has taped up ribs. That really is part of his regular ring gear now. It's been nearly a year. They're healing slower than Cowboy Bob Orton's broken arm. Cross corner staredown into a Code of Honor hand slap as this is a face vs face match. Arm wringer tradeoff. Benoit does a rare cartwheel escape. That leads into a nice counter sequence and a stalemate. Speed run and Benoit gets an armdrag. DDP hits some corner elbows. Gutwrench into a gutbuster. Benoit fights a suplex attempt and drops DDP on the top rope. Now DDP blocks a suplex, so Benoit switches gears to go for the Crossface! DDP escapes to the floor and takes a minute to reset himself. Test of strength back in. Benoit does a nice fancy escape into some near fall tradeoffs. Chops from Benoit. DDP hits a back suplex. He goes for the Diamond Cutter! Benoit squirts free and takes his turn to go to the floor and regroup. He and DDP go nose to nose. Slapping! Slugfest! Full on mat brawl! It's completely broken down. Benoit gets a punch in over the ref trying to get a corner break. They go speed again and Benoit counters a monkey flip into a cradle. DDP counters that into a wheelbarrow slam for 2. Benoit hits a basement dropkick to DDP's knee. Short clothesline. Snap mare and Benoit wraps DDP up in a modified cobra clutch. After a bit DDP fights back up and jawbreakers out. Not a full Cutter. DDP pulls himself up in the corner and goes into comeback mode. Benoit cuts it off with a snap suplex for 2. Back to the cobra clutch. DDP escapes. Sleeper from Benoit! DDP tries to back suplex out but Benoit flips through that and puts it on again. Then DDP tries to ram him into the corner. No dice. Finally DDP just flips Benoit over the top rope and down to the floor! Back in DDP hits a discus clothesline. Another slugfest. DDP gets a takedown and calls for the Cutter. Benoit feels it coming and tosses DDP away so hard he goes all the way out to the floor. DDP pops right back up, goes up top and hits a clothesline off the top for 2. He hooks up for a suplex. Benoit counters into the Crossface! It's fully on! DDP barely manages to get a foot on the rope. Small package from DDP for 2, which Benoit then counters for 2. Benoit Bret bumps in the corner. DDP hooks up for a German suplex. Benoit flips out of it, but DDP uses that counter to counter the counter and hits a belly to belly suplex for 2! Standing switch and it's ROLLLLLLLLLLLLING GERMANS time! Benoit hits all three and bridges on the last one for a LONG 2 count! The crowd thought it was 3. DDP counters a hiptoss into a DDT! Nice. Another Cutter attempt. Benoit counters into a backslide. He can't get DDP down so Benoit flips over again. As soon as he lands DDP turns around and hits the Cutter! That gets the pin! That was a beautiful piece of wrestling right there with pretty tight psychology and amazing counter work the entire match, which we know Benoit could do but was also one of DDP's biggest strengths. ****1/4

Tony announces the injured Giant won't be here tonight due to flight issues. He'd been on the shelf since Kevin Nash legit dropped him on his head while trying to jackknife him at Souled Out. As a result of that, the jackknife has been (kayfabe) banned.

No DQ: "The Total Package" Lex Luger def "Macho Man" Randy Savage (w/Elizabeth) in 7:20- It's all NWO matches from here on out. First up is a rematch of the main event of Souled Out, this time with No DQ stips. Luger comes in with *very* taped up ribs after a Savage attack on Nitro. DDP's jealous. Savage charges but Luger's ready for him. He tries a press slam but the ribs give out. Big "Luger sucks" chant from the clearly pro-Savage crowd. Savage kicks the hurt ribs, then tosses Luger over the top and out. Luger gets dropped on the guardrail and Savage kicks his ribs some more. Savage spits on Luger before continuing the rib attack in the ring. He tries a slam but Luger counters with a desperation small package for 2. Back to the ribs and Luger gets tossed out again. More ringside knocking around, including into the crowd. Savage gets a chair and gives Luger's ribs a shot with it. Finally Luger gets a shot in, ramming Savage into the guardrail, but another kick to the ribs puts him right back down again. Suplex from Savage back in. Luger pops back up and hits a powerslam. He gets Savage in the Torture Rack! Elizabeth runs in and pushes Savage out of it! Here comes the NWO. Luger AND Savage both fight them off! The bell rings at this point but wasn't supposed to, causing some confusion. Luger gets Savage up in the Rack again. Savage submits and the ref calls for the bell for real. Hogan reforms the troops and leaves Savage to die, saying "I'm glad he got beat". This is all continued groundwork for the coming NWO civil war. On the plus side, the psychology was tight and Savage at least tried to bring some energy to it. On the bad side, pretty much everything else. *

A short recap of the recent journey of the tag titles: after being screwed out of the belts multiple times by Eric Bischoff early in '97, the Steiners finally beat the Outsiders to win the titles in October on Nitro. The Outsiders took the belts back on Nitro in January, then the Steiners retook them again on Nitro in early February. Now they're going at it one more time.

WCW World Tag Team Championship: The Outsiders (w/Dusty Rhodes) def The Steiner Brothers (c) (w/Ted DiBiase) in 4:14- This is definitely a very pro NWO crowd. No survey needed to confirm that. Tony hilariously turns heel on the crowd, saying there's more morons than usual out there. There's none of the hints before the match of the discontent that's been brewing between the Steiners for months, which means something is probably going to happen tonight. Rick and Hall start. Hall goofs around and Rick punches him. Shoulderblock standoff. Rick eye pokes and hits a Steinerline. Belly to belly suplex. Mounted punches from Rick despite Hall's repeated attempts to stop them. Another belly to belly that almost plants Hall on his head. Nash comes in and slugs it out with Rick. Rick Steinerlines him 360 to the floor. The Steiners hit their usual pose, but something about Scott seems off. While they're posing....SCOTT HITS RICK IN THE BACK! Tony: "What in the world did I just see?". Scott double underhook suplexes Rick! Then pops DiBiase! Too sweets all around between Scott and the Outsiders! Hall covers. Rick manages to kick out but it's academic now. Rick slugs out of the NWO corner. Nash gives Rick a shot from behind. Hall needs two tries to get Rick up for the Razor's Edge. He clearly needs to stop doing that. It finally hits and it's over. Scott hands the Outsiders the belts as Rick is hauled off. I'm not wild about it being yet another NWO turn, but that aside Scott's heel turn is fantastic and history shows was clearly the right move for him at this stage of his career. Not much of a match because it was all about the angle. 1/2*

Vacant WCW World Heavyweight Championship: Sting def Hollywood Hogan in 16:30- Here we go. "The biggest rematch in the history of our sport" per Tony. Buffer even throws a little extra Buffer onto the intros. The crowd seems a bit more 50/50 for this one. Sting charges in during his entrance but as soon as he hits the ring Hogan whips him with his weightlifting belt. More belt whips and a belt choke. It's already all Hogan. He puts Sting's jacket over his face and punches him, then chokes Sting with his own jacket. Back rakes! On the floor Sting takes some guardrail shots. Chops from Hogan. Sting takes a glancing blow on the post. Back in Hogan puts Sting in a knucklelock and grinds him down. Sting fights back up until a Hogan kick puts him down again. God forbid Sting gets any offense in this match. Hogan hits some corner knees. Corner clothesline. Slam and elbow drops. Hogan turns to the camera and Sting pops up behind him. Sting pounds away on Hogan in the corner. Inverted atomic drop. He takes Hogan's belt off and whips him back with it. Hogan tries to walk. Sting chokes him with the belt in the aisle. He goes for the Stinger Splash on the floor, but Hogan dodges and Sting crashes into the guardrail. Hogan goes right back to choking. Chairshot. He makes sure to get the weightlifting belt back on. Sting reverses a corner whip and hits a short Stinger Splash. Scorpion Death Lock! Hogan is right by the ropes and easily gets a break. Another Stinger Splash attempt. Hogan pulls ref Lil' Naitch in the way and he gets squashed. Another ref runs in. Of course it's Nick Patrick. Tony is aghast. Hogan legdrop. Sting kicks out! Hogan is shocked at Patrick. Hogan pounds on Sting and Patrick pulls him off! Hogan back suplex for 2. And 2. And 2. Sting uses the knucklelock to bridge up, but Hogan uses it back to grind Sting back down again. Hand stomp. Hogan gets a roll up for 2. He's still mad at Patrick for not fast counting. Sting gets tossed to the floor again and my eyes almost go out of my head I roll them so hard. If I have to type anything about a guardrail shot one more time on this damn show.... Way, way, way overdone. It's like WWF using shots into the ring steps to get that loud noise all the time around the same period, but ten times worse. Once they get done doing the same shit as every other time on the floor Hogan gives Sting a low blow in the ring because he'd been on offense for a whole ten seconds. Hogan clubbing blows wake Sting back up and he starts no selling punches. Sting flex and chest pound. Stinger Splash! A second one! He sets up for the Scorpion Death Drop. As he hits it Hogan kicks Patrick down! Of course. And right on cue here come all the NWO goons. While Sting's fighting them off Savage comes from behind and hits Hogan! Sting covers with no additional moves and Patrick counts 3. Sting FINALLY wins the title, and gets about a quarter of the reaction he would have if they'd had this match at Starrcade, which amazingly had even more bullshit than this one. The only thing the last two months of holding the title up accomplished was killing Sting's momentum stone dead and there was no getting it back. Also, I get the continued setup for the NWO civil war, but come on, can Hogan not take one clean loss to Sting? Is his ego too fragile for that? Anyway, Savage left a spraypaint can for Sting. Sting takes it, sprays WCW on Hogan, takes the belt from Dillon and leaves. Remember all those overwrought 10+ minute NWO celebrations that have closed so many PPVs the past year and a half? Sting get nothing close to that. He was already half out of the ring when he took the belt. Yet another trash NWO Hogan main event. At least Patrick turned out to be straight up after all. 1/4*

OVERALL SHOW THOUGHTS- Thre's one great and one really good non-NWO match, plus the whole TV title bit came off well thanks to Booker T. Scott's heel turn is a genuinely good moment, but outside of that it's the usual crap from the NWO side. That moment of Hogan laying in the ring with WCW painted on him really should have been the end of the whole thing, but it had become WCW's whole business model and they were either unwilling or unable to change gears.

OVERALL SHOW GRADE: C+