Starrcade '99

Legacy Review

Starrcade '99

December 19, 1999 from the MCI Center in Washington, DC

 

Commentary: Tony Schiavone, Bobby Heenan and Scott Hudson

 

We've got 13 matches on the card and still only 2:45ish to get it all in so lets get right to it. Crash TV waits for no man. I will point out that Scott Hudson is making his PPV debut in commentary tonight essentially as a second play by play man, which Tony looks absolutely thrilled with during the course of the show.

 

The Mamalukes (w/Tony Marinara) def Disco Inferno and Lash LeRoux in 9:00- The story here, as I understand it, is Disco borrowed $25K from the mob, couldn't pay them back, and now boss Marinara is sending his goons to collect or it's concrete galoshes time or something. Doesn't seem like the kind of thing that would normally be settled in a sanctioned wrestling match but whatever. Said goons, Big Vito and Johnny the Bull, would appear later along with Marinara in WWE as a slightly more subtle version of stereotypical Italians, the Full Blooded Italians. I said slightly. Everyone shoves in the ring and it's a good old Russo jump start. Disco manages to fly out of the ring and leave LeRoux to get pummeled. I have no idea why LeRoux is helping Disco here in the first place. I know it's not Disco's personality. Rookie hazing maybe. Vito spitting on LeRoux sets him off for a second before Vito puts him down again. LeRoux strings some moves together on Bull and Disco tags in. Inverted atomic drop and clothesline from Disco for 2. Russian leg sweep for 2. After some dodges Bull sweep kicks Disco to put him down. Commentary is spending all their time talking about Italian food that's been used as weapons or humiliation tools during the course of the feud. Really high brow stuff happening here. Disco goes in peril as the Mamalukes quick tag and double team him. They do such a great job keeping the ref distracted Marinara has to tell the ref to turn around and count at one point. Big double slam on Disco. Vito takes absolutely forever before trying a splash off the top rope, guaranteeing Disco will dodge. He does and tags out to LeRoux. Hot tag run and we're going full DONNYBROOK. Disco and LeRoux outmaneuver the Mamalukes. Disco and Vito fight on the floor (off camera) while LeRoux and Bull have a very sloppy exchange in the ring. Gorilla press from Bull. He hops to the top rope, just barely manages to keep his footing, and comes off with a legdrop that LeRoux dodges. LeRoux hits a neckbreaker to set Bull up. Disco hits a splash off the top rope. Vito breaks the pin up with an elbow off the top rope to the back of Disco's head, then rolls Bull on top of Disco. Ref saw all of that by the way. He counts anyway. LeRoux dives in to break that pin up. Vito gets free from a Chartbuster attempt, then pushes LeRoux to Disco's back. Disco unknowingly gives LeRoux the Chartbuster! Vito plants LeRoux with a DDT and gets the pin. See, that's what you get for trying to help Disco. They kept the pace up so it could have been worse. **

 

After the bell the Italians take Disco out, put him in a body bag and carry him away. Yes, an actual body bag. We follow them through the curtain to the back. They take Disco out of the bag (that was pointless) and stick him in the trunk of a car. Off to the river I presume. They'll be fishing Disco out of the Potomac tomorrow morning.

 

Chris Benoit's music hits and he makes his way to the ring in street clothes. He was scheduled to challenge Scott Hall for the US title tonight in a ladder match. However, Hall suffered a knee injury not long before this show. Or a "knee injury" to cover another rehab trip, either way. If it was a legit injury it'd be Hall's second one just this year. As a result, Benoit was awarded the US title and is coming into tonight as the champion. Benoit's not happy about being given a title, he wants to earn it and challenges anyone in the back to have that ladder match with him tonight. 

 

WCW Cruiserweight Championship: Madusa def Evan Karagias (c) (w/Spice) in 3:35- Intergender wrestling, another one for your Russo bingo card. Medusa was in a (story) relationship with Karagias before she realized the insane age difference and broke up with him to turn heel. I really think they're trying to pretend Madusa is half her actual age, which is hilarious. Spice is Karagias' new girlfriend, much more in his age category and honestly not bad looking at all. I had no memory of her whatsoever. Medusa hits a crossbody onto Karagias from the apron during his entrance and we're off. Crazy scorned woman ground and pound from Madusa. Karagias tries to throw her into the stairs but she either dodges or just didn't want to do it, then gives Karagias a stair shot. Reset in the ring. Madusa dares Karagias to hit her but he won't do it. Slap from Madusa. Punch from Karagias! Corner clothesline. Karagias hits a powerslam. He goes for a springboard moonsault but misses by a mile. Back kick from Madusa. Shotgun dropkick off the second rope. I just realized Madusa is wrestling barefoot. Karagias slams her off the second rope. Powerbomb from Karagias. Jackknife cover, then they fumble around forever before somehow actually pulling off the bridge up spot. Madusa just barely gets Karagias up and around for a powerbomb. Karagias snaps Madusa's throat over the top rope. Dive onto Madusa on the floor. Spice gets on the apron and decides she wants to get freaky in the middle of the match. Everyone should see what's coming. Madusa hits Karagias from behind. Spice is supposed to low blow him for the shocking Russo SWERVE, but she barely gestures in the direction of Karagias' nutsack. He sells it anyway. Madusa hits a German suplex and gets the pin to win, I kid you not, the Cruiserweight title. Remember when this title mattered and was often the show stealer on PPVs? Now it's part of a Russo carnie act. DUD 

 

WCW Hardcore Championship: "Screamin'" Norman Smiley (c) def Meng in 5:00- Unlikely hardcore ace Smiley comes out in full football gear, wearing a Champ Bailey jersey from the hometown Redskins (made by Puma, the good old days when not every NFL jersey was Nike shit). Even though he's in an official Redskins jersey his helmet is generic white. Kind of weird. He's got the usual cart of goodies with him, including a Surge container. Ah, Surge. That oh so '90s attempt to compete with how huge Mountain Dew had become. Meng rolls the cart and knocks Smiley down with it! Trash can shots for Smiley. They quickly go behind the curtain to the back. No time to waste tonight. Smiley gives Meng a chairshot and runs him through some standing girders. Trash can shot for Meng. No effect. Meng hits chops and a headbutt because that's as HARDCORE as any weapon. Smiley's, as his name says, screaming. They fight through what looks like might be the real catering area. Guess no one will need it anymore tonight. Meng slams Smiley onto a table that sort of breaks. Smiley dodges a tossed cinder block and sets off a fire extinguisher in Meng's general direction. Smiley sees Meng still stalking him and dives himself through the curtain separating off catering! Fit Finlay and Brian Knobbs come in and attack Meng. Knobbs goes through the stack of boxes that was begging to be bowling pins for someone. Meng shrugs off can and chair shots. Knobbs gets taken down with a Starrcade sign. Finlay finally hits Meng with a large pipe that finally puts Meng down and they leave, damage done. No 24/7 anyone can win the title rule in WCW. Smiley cautiously makes sure Meng is out, barely puts a finger over to cover him, gets the pin and gets the hell out of town. Meng then comes to and puts the Tongan Death Grip on Nick Patrick, fantastically sold. Smiley's antics bring a certain base level of entertainment value into these matches if nothing else. 1/2*

 

In the back, psycho David Flair is delivered a golden crowbar. I have no further comment. Elsewhere, the Misfits grab Oklahoma and drag him off. More on that later.

 

For the next match, Jim Duggan will have three mystery partners in an eight man tag match against the Revolution. Why is Duggan feuding with them? Because the Revolution declared themselves a "sovereign nation" (not how that works) and all-American Duggan wants nothing to do with that. In addition to that, Russo in his onscreen Powers That Be leader Dr. Claw persona has made Duggan, I'm not kidding, the company's janitor. He's wearing a full zip up jumpsuit and everything. So, the stipulations for this match. If the Revolution win, Duggan has to publicly denounce the US. If Duggan wins, the Revolution has to take over his janitorial duties. I mean, there's four of them so it would certainly be easier for them. After his entrance Duggan introduces his partners, the original Varsity Club! Mike Rotunda, Rick Steiner and Kevin Sullivan. Despite everything I really appreciate the old school throwback here. The Varsity Club was one of the top heel stables in the company at the end of the '80s, right in the same period where Turner bought out Jim Crockett. Rick turning face to leave the Club and feud with Rotunda over the TV title was one of the hottest feuds in the company when it took place and put Rick on the map just before Scott was fully trained and ready to go as a full time team. Rick's even got his Michigan jacket back out for this. "Dr. Death" Steve Williams was also in the group but he's otherwise engaged tonight.

 

The Revolution def "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan & The Varsity Club (w/Leia Meow) in 4:52- More intergender here by the way as Asya is wrestling with her Revolution teammates. If anyone's keeping note this is Meow's (Kimona Wanalaya in ECW) WCW debut and I don't think she has an official name yet. For this match she's the Varsity Club's cheerleader. Duggan and Malenko start, but Malenko and Saturn quickly swap in a scrum with no tag. Shane Douglas is officially a part of the match, but his arm is still braced to due an injury and he takes his usual place in commentary instead. Duggan tries to do some arm work on Saturn. Saturn gets knocked around by all the Club guys from the apron. Duggan lets Saturn tag out to Malenko. Malenko tries a floatover in the corner but Duggan catches him, then hits a back elbow and slam. 3 point stance down already and the clothesline hits. Saturn breaks the pin up. They eventually get Duggan caught in the heel corner. Three of the eight people involved are doing all the work in this match. Saturn hits a springboard kick for 2. Clothesline from Saturn as Duggan looks like he's completely out of steam already. Duggan dodges a Saturn moonsault but again doesn't tag out. Malenko hits him from behind with their flagpole and Saturn covers for 2. All three Revolution members corner clothesline Duggan. The Club finally run in and it's EVERYONE IN THE POOL time. Except Douglas, he's firmly planted in commentary. Why did they even make him an official participant in this match? Sullivan, naturally, takes the job of hitting the woman. She gets put in the tree of woe and Sullivan gives her the running knee. They help Duggan up....then the Club attack Duggan! SWERVE! Well they were heels. Mandatory low blow on Duggan. Now Douglas leaves commentary, covers Duggan and gets the pin. Guess that's why he was in the match. Duggan now has to denounce the US on Nitro tomorrow night. Whether he did or not, honestly I don't remember or really care. Utter garbage. It's little wonder Malenko and Saturn were halfway out the door to WWF at this point. DUD

 

Mean Gene is in a dark corner in the bowels of the arena, where the Misfits have Oklahoma in a cage. You can keep him in there for all I care. 

 

Vampiro (w/The Misfits) def "Dr. Death" Steve Williams by DQ in 4:58- If Vampiro wins he gets five minutes with Oklahoma. The Misfits roll Oklahoma out in the cage. Unfortunately for everyone, he's got a wireless mic and is still on commentary despite being locked up. Another crossbody into the aisle start to a match tonight. Vampiro went over the cage for that at least so that was nice. Williams backdrops out of a double underhook but then gets planted by a Vampiro kick. Into the ring with Vampiro still in control and Oklahoma being pretty much the only one talking on commentary. Slow back and forth slugfest and chop exchange. It occurs to me this is an amazing old school vs new school visual in this match, the very straight Williams opposite the very unique Vampiro. Williams hits a shoulderblock out of the corner, goes down and hits a couple of low tackles. Vampiro dodges in the corner and hits a back suplex for 2. Both guys climb up and slug it out on the top rope. Belly to belly superplex from Williams! The Misfits run in and Williams tosses them back out. They're a band, not wrestlers. That leaves an opening for Vampiro to hit a spin kick. He tries another but Williams grabs him and tosses him. Ground and pound from Williams and he tosses ref Lil' Naitch away. After that happens the second time Naitch calls for the bell, DQing Williams. Lame as shit finish (Williams apparently refused to do the job), and a horrible match before that anyway. Under better circumstances I'd be curious to see what Williams had left in the tank for a properly run company. DUD again and we're barely halfway

 

Williams continues the assault so security comes out to escort him from the ring. Once Williams is gone Oklahoma demands the cage be opened to he can take advantage of Vampiro still being hurt.

 

Vampiro (w/The Misfits) def Oklahoma in 2:52- The hat is off and Oklahoma hits a kick. He grabs Vampiro and hits a DDT! He's still got the wireless mic on and is still doing commentary by the way. He calls for and does the OKLAHOMA STOMP, which is a crappy version of the old Garvin Stomp. Vampiro gets up and chops the shit out of Oklahoma. He falls out of the ring and the Misfits roll him back in like lumberjacks. His mic has also mercifully come undone. Even better, he doesn't realize it and keeps talking into the void. Oklahoma ducks a kick and I guess kicks Vampiro back. It was fugly whatever it was. Greco Roman Nut Punch from Oklahoma. Vampiro plants Oklahoma with a uranage. All the Misfits come in and start gang beating on Oklahoma in full view of the ref. Isn't this supposed to be a proper match? Don't ask, it's Russo I guess. Vampiro hits Nail in the Coffin and gets the pin. I'm not bothering to rate this shit, but it was so bad even seeing Oklahoma getting his comeuppance wasn't satisfying. NR

 

In Dr. Claw's office, he's got nothing for his henchmen Hennig and Creative Control because "there's something big going down tonight" and he's distracted. Elsewhere, Harlem Heat bitch at each other before heading out for the match. Stevie Ray doesn't much care for Midnight apparently.

 

Creative Control & Curt Hennig (w/Shane) def Harlem Heat & Midnight in 8:00- Despite the fact this is a mixed 6 person match this is somehow for the #1 contendership for the WCW tag titles (the Outsiders are currently champs again and yes I had to look that up). You want more cheap Russo WWF mockery? Creative Control's names are Patrick and Gerald. Yes, Pat Patterson and Gerald Brisco. Then in case it wasn't obvious enough, Vincent's name was changed to Shane as their manager. I'll give you one guess what Shane he's supposed to be. Stevie Ray doesn't even come out, making this a default handicap mach. Creative Control wrestle in their business attire. Booker and....one of the CC guys start. They're twins (the Harris brothers) and I'm not even bothering trying to tell who is who, especially when commentary is going to do everything but call the match. Booker hits a side kick for 2 but quickly gets double teamed. Running forearm from Booker on CC guy #2, followed by some armdrags. He tags Midnight in. She holds an arm wringer and kicks before the CC guy backs her into the corner. Quickly back to the Midnight arm wringer. It's so obvious she's fresh out of basic training and out here way too soon. CC guy #1 pulls Booker out to the floor and the heels gang up on him down there. Hennig tags in and hits a kneelift. Big boot from one of the CC guys for 2. Booker hits the scissors kick and tags out. Midnight hits a dropkick but gets drug back up by Hennig. She knocks Virgil/Vincent/Shane off the apron, allowing Hennig to hit her from behind and send her to the floor. Another gang beatdown on the floor. Big chop from Hennig on Midnight. Commentary loses interest and starts talking about other angles going on tonight. We get the classic facelock fight and Midnight gets a tag that Nick Patrick doesn't see EVEN THOUGH HE WASN'T DISTRACTED AND WAS STANDING RIGHT THERE WHAT IN THE BLUE HELL. Ray is finally out but Booker tells him to piss off. The extended beating on Midnight continues and Booker saves a pin. Midnight dodges one of the CC guys trying a horrendous elbow off the second rope. Tag to Booker but this time Patrick was distracted for real, by Ray. Spinebuster from Booker. Hennig hits Booker with a knucks assisted punch. Booker gets pinned and it's over. The cavalcade of total trash tonight continues, but I'm desperate for some variety so I'm going to be very, very generous. 1/4* (yes that's generous)

 

I said in my Mayhem review I wanted to get into the crazy story of Dustin Rhodes' return to WCW and now I can. After playing Goldust and other equally weird characters in WWF for years, Dustin came back to WCW in October. To continue the weird trend, he was initially going to be a white face painted/masked character named Seven. Introductory vignettes were filmed with Seven stalking children's bedrooms. As soon as Turner execs saw this they immediately shut it down, rightly not wanting a straight up child molester character on their shows. So, when Dustin showed up in the arena for the first time, he had the full Seven gear on, but he then proceeded to bury the entire gimmick and reinvented himself as just plain old Dustin Rhodes. Russo never missed the chance to do some kind of work shoot or shooty work. Being Russo WCW, there were also shots at WWF and Goldust involved.

 

Bunkhouse Brawl: Jeff Jarrett def Dustin Rhodes in 11:18- Under better circumstances this could potentially be a really good match. The Bunkhouse Brawl was one of many creations of Dusty Rhodes in his long time as a booker, so it's appropriate Dustin gets it back out. Jarrett attacks Dustin during his backstage interview, since it's a Bunkhouse match I guess that means it's on. Dustin gets run into the table Norman Smiley broke earlier. Through the curtain and into the arena. The bell rings to officially start as they brawl around the stage area. Jarrett has a wheelbarrow full of....pieces of wood. Not kendo sticks, this is a southern match. Dustin gets knocked over the wheelbarrow. Jarrett takes a fan's drink and throws it in Dustin's face. Strangely that was a sign for Dustin to take control. He slams Jarrett into the wheelbarrow! Dustin picks up the gear in the wheelbarrow (the wood, a rope with a cowbell, and duct tape) and they both go into the ring. He breaks one of the small pieces of wood over Jarrett's back. He ties one end of the rope around Jarrett's wrist. Cowbell shot! They go back to the floor with more cowbell shots for Jarrett. Back in the ring Dustin goes in one of his jeans pockets, gets powder and throws it in Jarrett's face. Now he whips Jarrett with his belt. The ref tries to intervene and Dustin whips him! It's a Bunkhouse Brawl ref, get out of the way. Dustin uses the duct tape to tape the REF to the top rope! Well that's different. The ref won't shut up so Dustin tapes his mouth too. OK, that's funny. Hudson amazingly asks a logical question, how can the ref call for the bell and a winner in this state? Russo's probably laying into him on the headset for bringing that up. Jarrett back kick low blows Dustin to get some space. Curt Hennig now makes his way out and helps the ref get free. Hennig and Jarrett are both PTB golden children is the connection here. Jarrett puts the sleeper on just as Hennig gets the ref fully free. Arm drops and Dustin puts up a middle finger when he fights back up. You're not Steve Austin, son. Jarret gets the sleeper back on but Dustin lifts and tosses him to get free. Dustin slugs back and side slams Jarrett. Hennig pulls Dustin out of the pin. He stacks Jarrett up and this time Hennig punches him. Jarrett uses that to roll Dustin up and we get an excruciatingly long 2 count, like the ref doesn't even know the damn finish. He was even looking over toward the timekeeper's area during the count like he wasn't sure what to do. Dustin sets Jarrett up in the corner for what was called Shattered Dreams, punches Hennig aside and hits it. Hennig this time pulls the ref out. Dustin flips Hennig into the ring and gives him Shattered Dreams. Jarrett and Dustin totally fluff a spot where Jarrett was supposed to backdrop Dustin over the top to the floor. They fight back up the aisle to where they started. Dustin starts climbing the set girders, but only gets one step up before changing his mind and just kicking Jarrett away. A guitar has appeared out of nowhere. In a Jarrett match? I know, shocking. Hennig shows back up and Dustin bulldogs him on the floor. Jarrett climbs up the ladder for the later ladder match, comes off the ladder with the vintage Jeff Jarrett guitar shot, and that gets the pin. Well....it's better than most of the show has been. Still nowhere in the vicinity of the same zip code as good. *1/2

 

Crowbar on a Pole Match: Diamond Dallas Page def David Flair in 3:55- There's an off camera secondary pyro explosion after DDP gets in the ring that I'm not sure if it was intentional are not. While DDP does his usual post-entrance lounging in the corner crazy David comes in through the crowd and attacks him with his shiny new golden crowbar! Lil' Naitch takes that one away and points out the official crowbar on the pole. DDP is barely moving on the floor. Lil' Naitch calls David Penzer over. Penzer starts to announce that DDP can't continue and the match is awarded to David by forfeit. DDP says screw that, shoves Penzer aside mid announcement and gets in the ring. The bell rings to start for a second time. David attacks DDP in the corner, amazingly with his bare hands with no crowbar. DDP dodges in the corner and gets a quick roll up for 2. David is quickly back on him. DDP tries a slam but his ribs give out and David falls on top for 2. Sunset flip (!) from David. DDP blocks that, but David cradles him for 2. DDT from David for 2. DDP drags himself up on the corner and tries a comeback, but David cuts it off with a clothesline for 2. DDP spins and hits his own clothesline. Low blow from David. We were sadly overdue for that. David slams DDP, looks longingly at the crowbar, but then changes his mind and puts a figure four on DDP! DDP reverses it and David breaks. Now David decides to go for the crowbar and gets it. DDP ducks and hits the Diamond Cutter! Cover and it's over. Good job from DDP dragging the kid to something halfway decent. I will give it to David, he's making this psycho character work and his wrestling has improved since he first started. Still doesn't have any business being in the ring for a major company yet though. **

 

DDP gives David an avalanche Diamond Cutter to make sure he's good and dead FOR KIMBERLY. He then takes the crowbar and goes to smash David's ability to have kids once and for all. A woman runs in and covers David up to save him! Commentary has no idea who she is, but it's the one and only DAFFNEY! Yes, Daffney is here. One of the very few bright spots of the period.

 

Sting (w/Elizabeth) def The Total Package by DQ in 5:21- Sting vs Luger round #572. Elizabeth is in the center of all this. Since apparently turning on Luger at Mayhem with a misfired spray of mace, Liz has been trying to get away from him completely but is locked into one of those ironclad contracts. Because of that Luger's taken every opportunity to force humiliation on her. Apparently after tonight, her contract is up. While walking out Sting hands Liz a can that's presumably mace and says "This is the good stuff". As per Russo contractual obligation, Luger jumps Sting as he gets in the ring. After a bunch of stomping Luger tosses Sting out to the floor and gives him the usual ringside knockaround. Back in it's still all Luger with a slam and elbow drops. Buckle shots finally wake Sting up a bit. Luger sees it and hits a suplex. Sting pops back up. Liz is on the apron and they bounce Luger between them with slaps! Dropkick from Sting. Horrible double clothesline. Liz gets in the ring with the mace can Sting gave her. She has some words with Luger, then turns around into Sting. Liz tries to turn on Sting, but Sting for the first time ever in his life was ready for the betrayal and it's just a can of silly string! It was so obvious Liz was playing him even Sting saw it coming. He back elbows Luger down while jawing with Liz. Clotheslines from Sting on Luger. Big splash off the top rope for 2. Running faceplant. Stinger Splash! A second! He goes for the Scorpion Death Lock. Now Liz is in the ring with Sting's bat. Sting tells her to drop the bat and get out. She drops the bat, but when Sting turns around picks it back up and whacks him with it! That is so obviously a rubber bat too. That draws the DQ. Afterward Liz gets a chair and Luger uses it to Pillmanize Sting's arm. Shit match, but I'll give it a bit for amusing me with Sting finally seeing someone turning on him coming. *

 

Powerbomb Match: WCW World Tag Team Champion Kevin Nash def Sid Vicious in 6:58- This is the feud that gave us the legendary Sid promo "You are half the man that I am, and I have half the brains that you do". For some reason the second part is cut out of the recap video. Nash's Sid mask is something else too. The rules of this match are simple on the surface: both guys use a powerbomb as a finisher, so whoever hits the powerbomb first wins. Of course this is both Russo and WCW so you know it won't end up that simple. No jump start for the first time tonight. LOCKUP! It's all downhill from here. Nash gets the first shots in and quickly goes to the slow corner knees and elbows. Weird takedown clothesline from Nash for 2. Sid ducks under and goes for a powerbomb. Nash does the obvious low blow counter. Check that off for this match. Nash hooks up for a powerbomb on the floor. Sid powers out and pushes Nash into the ring apron. Sid does the usual Sid things on the floor, mixing in a soft chairshot to Nash's back for some variety. Clothesline from Sid back in, followed by a legdrop. Sid calls for a powerbomb, then hits a slam. I think he's confused. Nash eye pokes Sid, then gets whipped into the ref. While the ref's down Sid has a hell of a time getting Nash up, then does hit the powerbomb. Jeff Jarrett runs in and smashes his second guitar tonight over Sid. The ref's acting trying to look hurt in the corner is hilariously over the top. Tone it down a couple of notches. Nash tries to get Sid up for a powerbomb but his back gives out. Instead he drags the ref up, shows Sid lying on the mat, and says he powerbombed him. The ref....believes him and calls for the bell? Fire this ref. So much for "you can't call what you didn't see". In a match where you win by hitting your finisher, Nash doesn't bother to do the work and instead uses his political acumen to convince the ref he did the work. I can't think of more pure Kevin Nash thing to do. DUD

 

Ladder Match for the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship: Chris Benoit (c) def Jeff Jarrett in 10:14- It's really amazing how the second Russo took over WCW Jarrett was suddenly all over its programming. Even more amazingly, as soon as I typed that Jarrett's music hit and Tony went "Jarrett? AGAIN?". Freaking hilarious. Short promo from Jarrett on the ladder and we get a jump start in the aisle. Benoit takes over in the ring and hits a backbreaker. First chops from Benoit and he hits a superplex. After that Benoit steps out to get the ladder. The ONLY ladder. WWF was already stacking a bunch around the ring, but honestly I prefer only one and then pull the "backup" out when needed. Jarrett catches Benoit coming back in and baseball slides the ladder into Benoit. He slams Benoit on the ladder while it's hanging out of the ring! Ouch. Benoit got busted open somewhere in there. The ladder is propped up in the corner and Benoit whips Jarrett into it a couple of times. The second time Jarrett goes over the top to the floor. Benoit sets the ladder up and climbs. Jarrett lifts him off and drops him crotch first on the top rope. He drops the ladder a couple of times on Benoit. Tony mentions the way Benoit's bleeding he might have a broken nose, and he might be right. Jarrett puts the ladder in the corner and RUNS Benoit into it. After some counters Jarrett lifts Benoit up, wraps Benoit's leg inside the ladder, then pulls the ladder down with Benoit trapped in it! Very nice. Jarrett sets up and climbs. Benoit lifts him up, loses his grip, then goes again and ties Jarrett's legs in the ladder and lets him dangle in a tree of woe type situation off the ladder. Benoit climbs, but Jarrett uses his position to work the ladder closed and it collapses dropping both of them. Reset and both guys climb. Huge slugfest on the ladder. Benoit drops, then lifts the ladder up to drop Jarrett. Benoit climbs again and he really is covered nicely in blood. That's definitely not from his forehead or anywhere up there, a broken nose is a real possibility. Jarrett pushes the ladder down and Benoit crashes into the ropes. Benoit then returns the favor and Jarrett just about gets crotched on the top rope. Benoit climbs the ladder, but Jarrett climbs the top rope. Missile dropkick on the ladder, dropping Benoit! Off a whip Benoit rolls under the ladder, then dropkicks the ladder into Jarrett! Jarrett's out. Benoit climbs up and stands on the very top of the ladder. But he doesn't take the belt. He wants more damage. Diving headbutt off the top of the ladder! Benoit climbs again, and this time takes the belt to win! Finally, something worthwhile. That was easily the best match of the WCW Russo era so far. It's short for a ladder match and the ending could have been tweaked or extended a bit, but they crammed a ton into 10 minutes, including a lot of really creative stuff. It's an appropriate warm up for all the great ladder matches Benoit will have in WWF. ****

 

Was it really so hard for Russo to figure out that things like the last match was all we wanted? 

 

No DQ Match for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship: Bret "Hitman" Hart (c) def Goldberg in 12:30- This is one of those matches that's become infamous, but no one knew it for a while. Buffer's back for the first time in a while. Damn, I'd hoped Russo had let him walk. Any backstage issues aside this is a pretty money match on paper and not the worst way to go at Starrcade. We resist the Russo jump start. The ref gives instructions and we get a Code of Honor handshake before the bell as this is face vs face. Short jockey around and lockup. Goldberg unsurprisingly wins that and we get a clean corner break. Another lockup and Goldberg tosses Bret out. Bret takes Goldberg down with a headlock. Goldberg pushes out and plants Bret with a shoulderblock. Press powerslam. Bret tries to reverse a whip but Goldberg uses it to hit a short clothesline. Rolling takedown from Goldberg into a legbar. Bret tries to counter it into a Sharpshooter! Goldberg pushes free and Bret rolls out to rethink things. Goldberg follows and presses the attack on the floor. Everyone does some obvious positioning and Bret whips Goldberg right into the ref on the floor. Neither guy cares and keeps going. Lil' Naitch quickly comes in as the replacement ref as Goldberg knocks Bret around ringside. Big boot from Goldberg back in. Goldberg suplexes Bret and knocks Lil' Naitch down in the process. Bret dodges a spear attempt and Goldberg crashes in the corner. Ref #3 is in. Post wraparound figure four! Bret needs time to legit recover on the floor after hitting hard for real. Back in Bret gets back on the knee. Snap mare and Bret hooks on the proper figure four. After a bit of a fight Goldberg easily reverses and Bret takes a rope break. Goldberg fights a leg takedown and punches Bret down. Bret gets up and gets back on the knee. Then switches tacks and pounds Goldberg in the corner. Goldberg goozles Bret and reverses! Bret kicks the knee and eye rakes to get back in control. Ref #3 goes down because why not. After that the single most important thing in this match and on this show happens: Goldberg superkicks Bret. Doesn't sound like much right? Well, this was the kick that caught Bret flush in the head, concussed him, and gave him the head injury that would force him to retire, eventually causing Bret to have multiple strokes and become the bitter old man that will hate Goldberg for all eternity that we know today. Goldberg sets up to finish it. Spear! Goldberg realizes they've gone through all the refs. Wait a second. Roddy Piper is coming out, in a ref's shirt and looking not in any way interested to be involved in any of this. Bret clips Goldberg's knee and puts the Sharpshooter on. Piper calls for the bell without ever checking with Goldberg, takes the belt and leaves. Hudson: "This is Montreal all over again". It's only been two years but the constant Montreal references were beyond ridiculous at this point. Just, enough already. Bret follows the still completely disinterested Piper out and stops him on the stage. Piper sticks the belt in Bret's chest and gets out at quick as he can. End show. The match started promising enough, dragged a bit in the middle, then completely crashed and burned with that horrible Russo ending. **1/4

 

Sadly, this would be the final PPV match in the unquestioned all time great career of Bret Hart due to the aforementioned injury. He'd continue to try to wrestle as the damage wasn't fully apparent at first, with his last regular match taking place in mid January. He'd continue to sporadically appear for WCW in speaking roles after until his contract was voided (in pure WCW fashion, by mail) in October 2000 and would officially retire shortly after. In the immediate years after Bret made the odd appearance on the indy scene to say hi and sign autographs, but he wouldn't be seen again on a major show until his WWE Hall of Fame induction in 2006, then his larger WWE return in 2010 where he'd make an attempt to bury the hatchet with some people, mainly Vince and Shawn, and even work a handful of matches as best he could while supporting the family just starting to get traction in the company at that time- Natalya, Tyson Kidd and David Hart Smith AKA Davey Boy Smith Jr.

 

OVERALL SHOW THOUGHTS- Any vestige of hope that Russo might actually be able to fix WCW pretty much died with this show. Only the great ladder match keeps it from not only being among the absolute worst shows of all time, but from being the worst Starrcade of all time. '97 still keeps that "honor", especially when weighing expectations versus reality. As the year, decade, century and millennium come to a close I offer this comforting thought for WCW and WCW viewers: it's still going to get worse.

OVERALL SHOW GRADE: D- 

Vengeance '01

Legacy Review

Vengeance '01

December 9, 2001 from the San Diego Sports Arena in San Diego, CA

 

Commentary: Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler

 

Armageddon had been the name for the last couple of December PPVs, but with this show coming just months after 9/11 WWF decided the time wasn't right for that. Instead this will be the first PPV under the Vengeance name. Next year Vengeance will take over as the July PPV name, and Armageddon will be reinstated for December. Interestingly, the poster for this show features Triple H even though he was still a month away from his return. Jerry Lawler is back on commentary, taking back over from Paul Heyman on the Raw after Survivor Series. Lawler's absence from the company was completely unrelated to anything WCW, but having Heyman on commentary from the WCW buyout through the end of the Invasion angle really was perfect timing.

 

The Invasion angle wrapped up at Survivor Series, which also included unifying the midcard and tag titles on that show. But, that still left the top titles, which is what we'll be dealing with tonight. Just before getting on the on ramp toward the Royal Rumble and Wrestlemania season. Both the WWF Championship and the World Championship (rechristened from the WCW Championship) will be defended tonight in separate matches, then the winners of those matches will meet in the main event to determine the first ever Undisputed Champion. In addition, we have the new post-Invasion story of Ric Flair now being a 50/50 co-owner of the WWF alongside Vince, thanks to Shane and Steph selling all their stock to him to fund their ultimately failed WCW and ECW purchases. Where Flair got the money to buy all that stock despite all the alimony he's got to pay will forever remain an unanswered question.

 

I've lost track of how many of these "Freddie Blassie watching" openings we've gotten the past couple of years. Still, this one mostly works thanks to the incorporation of classic footage and the hook of crowning the first ever in wrestling history undisputed champion tonight (in WWF's mind, but at this point in time you'd be hard pressed to find another company that mattered worth a damn, especially in the US). Could have done without all the weird interpretive dance bits going on around him though.

 

Vince's music interrupts commentary's usual intro and he makes his way out to the ring. He had just started the Vince McMahon Kiss My Ass Club, forcing William Regal to become the first member in order to be reinstated into WWF after he jumped to the Alliance during the Invasion. On the SD before this show a group including Austin, Rock, Undertaker and, naturally, Rikishi and his ass got some revenge and Vince is none to pleased about it. After some ranting at the audience to respect him, including saying "You'll laugh when I tell you to laugh!" which feels like a shoot comment, Flair interrupts, says people came here to see a PPV, and tells the first wrestlers to come out. Vince storms off in a huff after Scotty and Albert get in the ring.

 

Scotty2Hotty & Albert def WWF European Champion Christian & Test in 6:12- Want some random teams? We got random teams. The last couple of months of the Invasion the Alliance largely turned into a vehicle to try to move Test up to the next level (again), but as usual with these things Vince had already lost interest. Big Attitude Era style jump start in the aisle. We settle in with Christian and Scotty in the ring, with the arena completely covered in smoke from the pyro. I don't know how the upper section can see anything. Scotty outwrestles Christian so Christian bails and tags Test in. Scotty dodges and also tags out. Albert does a Vader style tackle on Test and hits a big splash for 2. He doesn't appreciate Christian breaking the pin up and shoves him off the apron. Scotty tries mounted punches on Test but Christian pulls him down and Test clotheslines him. That sends Scotty in peril for a bit while JR and Lawler amuse themselves by trying to come up with team names for the Scotty/Albert combination. It's so good to hear the two of them together again. Heyman was clearly superior to Lawler in match analysis, the core function of the job, but JR and Lawler are such a great team that play off each other so well. Scotty goes into dodge mode on Test and manages to hit him with a superkick. Tags on both sides. Albert runs Christian over and jabs away on Test. He squashes both heels in the corner. Giant swing on Christian! OK, credit to him for getting that out. Dizzy Albert falls on Christian for a long 2 count. He fights off a heel double team with a double clothesline. Albert sets up for the Baldo Bomb but Test pulls him out to the floor. Scotty runs into a Christian reverse DDT and Christian does the mandatory heel attempt to do Scotty's worm. Albert breaks that up and we're in full on DONNYBROOK mode. Test big boots Albert but Scotty barely breaks the pin up. Christian gets backdropped over the top rope, Scotty drops Test in the drop zone and the W O R M hits. But, Test rolls out of the ring as soon as it's hit. Christian gets in and goes for the Unprettier on Scotty. Albert breaks that up, plants Christian with the Baldo Bomb, and gets the pin. Meh. *3/4

 

WWF Intercontinental Championship: Edge (c) def William Regal in 9:06- Nice rough lockup to start. The ref forces a break, but they go right back into it. Edge gets the first shots in and hits a missile dropkick off the second rope. Regal rolls out for a think, then throws Edge into the post. European uppercut from Regal back in. Edge comes back with a backdrop. Regal gets a straight right hand for 2. Knees to Edge's face and another European uppercut. Edge counters out of a full nelson and tries a sunset flip. Regal grabs Edge's hair to block it and drops a knee on him for 2. Edge gets a flash small package for 2. Regal running knee to Edge's head for 2. Suplex from Regal for 2. Edge blocks a kick and hits a swinging neckbreaker. Clothesline as Edge starts to build momentum. He hurricanranas Regal off the top rope for a long 2. Northern lights suplex for 2. A back elbow from Regal puts Edge back down. Edge uses his legs to leverage Regal over the top down to the floor. He tries coming off the apron but Regal dodges and Edge crashes into the stairs. Regal takes advantage of the ref checking on Edge to find the brass knucks he planted under the ring skirt. Sneaky place to hide them. Back in Regal covers and Edge just barely gets a foot on the rope just as 3 hits. Double underhook powerbomb from Regal for 2. Desperation enzuguri from Edge and both guys are down. Roll up from Edge for 2. Backslide for 2. Regal puts Edge back down with a forearm. Another double underhook powerbomb from Regal. A third. Edge kicks out again. Frustrated Regal stomps the hell out of Edge. He gets the knucks out of his tights. Spear outta nowhere! Edge gets the pin to retain! Just fine but no more. Edge, honestly, continues to underwhelm a bit early in his singles run. We know he'll get there eventually. **1/2

 

Kurt Angle storms into Flair's office and tries his best to rile Flair up, but Flair keeps agreeing with him on everything. Finally Angle has enough and leaves. Funny stuff.

 

Jeff Hardy def Matt Hardy in 12:30- Another big post-Invasion angle, the first of what would be many breakups of the Hardy Boyz. This one stemmed from Jeff choosing an adrenaline high over winning in the tag title match at Survivor Series. Not the last time Jeff would choose a cheap high over doing the right thing. Even though it was Jeff's screw up that started this Matt's the one being positioned as the heel, which will be common practice during all their feuds. It's also put Matt's girlfriend Lita in the middle of it all, and because of that she will be the special guest referee for this match. Lita's ref outfit is...unique. Jeff is still trying to make the baseball cap happen. Lockup into a nice basic start. Top wristlock fight into hammerlock reversals. Matt gets a leg takedown and walks over Jeff. That also knocked the cap off. Speed run and Jeff gets an armdrag into an ARMBAR. Matt tries to counter but Jeff rolls through and hangs on. Matt goes full heel by going to a hair pull and back elbowing Jeff. Slam/fistdrop combo from Matt for 2. Chops in the corner from Matt. Jeff reverses and hits his own chops. Eye poke from Matt and he drops Jeff on the top rope. Diving clothesline for 2. Matt hooks on a sleeper. Jeff escapes and puts on his own sleeper. Matt back suplexes out. Jeff dodges the legdrop off the second rope. Jawbreaker from Jeff. His legdrop off the second rope hits for 2. Jeff hops up top but Matt pushes him down into the tree of woe, then gets pissed at Lita for wanting to get Jeff down. That gets Matt some good boos from the crowd. Roll up from Matt for 2. He tries to toss Jeff over the top but Jeff lands on the apron. Matt tries for a sunset bomb. Jeff blocks it and hurricanranas Matt on the floor! Jeff flips over Matt back in the ring and hurts his knee on the landing. Matt sees the target and goes right for it. Chop block on Jeff and some more shots on the knee. Matt then changes tacks and goes for a piledriver. Jeff works free and hits a Russian leg sweep for 2. He ledgrops Matt's legs into a stack up cover for 2. Matt gets back on the knee and puts on a half crab. Jeff crawls over and gets a rope break. Matt goes for a figure four (on the wrong knee) but Jeff pushes him out to the floor. Jeff hobbles over to hit a baseball slide. He tries for a plancha but his knee can't take it. Matt grabs the leg again but Jeff gets a desperation kick. Stand up slugfest. Matt hooks up for the Twist of Fate. Jeff counters into the crotch legdrop and hits a back suplex. He drags himself and his bad knee up to the top rope. Matt catches him and slams him off the top Flair style. Another Twist of Fate attempt. Jeff counters and goes for a Twist of Fate. Matt counters that into a backslide for 2. They have a bit of trouble deciding where to go after that. Eventually Matt gets Jeff down and tries for a rope leverage pin, but it's blatantly obvious and Lita breaks it up. Matt didn't like that at all. That allows Jeff to get a roll up for 2. Jeff goes up top again but again Matt catches him. He goes for an avalanche Twist of Fate. Jeff blocks it. Swanton Bomb! Matt gets a foot on the rope, but Jeff pulls it off before Lita can see and gets the pin! Matt tries to argue after but Lita can't call what she didn't see. There were bits in there I really liked, especially them trying to do a more old school style match rather than the crazy spotfest you'd expect from them, but they didn't hold it together as well as they could have. The knee work reminded me of the Rock N Roll Express breakup match at Great American Bash '91, but this wasn't near the flop that one was. It also suffered from the crowd clearly not caring, especially after Edge & Christian already had a big breakup not long before this. It was too soon. They'd quickly realize that and the Hardyz would be back together by the first of the year. **1/4

 

WWF Tag Team Championship: The Dudley Boyz (c) (w/Stacy Keibler) def The Big Show & Kane in 6:50- For those keeping track this is the third time in recent months Show's tried to take either the WWF or WCW tag titles from the Dudleyz, and with his third different partner. He's clearly trying a new strategy, going from small guys Spike Dudley and Tajiri to Kane. D'Von tries to maneuver around Kane at the start but it doesn't work out for him. Kane easily takes out both Dudleyz. Show pounds on Bubba Ray and hits a powerslam for 2. Bubba Ray sees a goozle coming and grabs the ropes to stop himself. He wants to tag but D'Von refuses to tag back in! Bubba Ray eye pokes Show and now D'Von will tag. He walks right into a Show side suplex for 2. Corner squash from Show. Show whips Kane into corner clotheslines on both Dudleyz. Kane whips both Dudleyz into the same corner, then whips Show to squash them both. The Dudleyz go to the floor and Kane hits them both with a double clothesline off the top rope. For some reason Stacy gets in the ring to scream at the Dudleyz to get up. Show pulls her skirt down from behind, then puts her over his knee and spanks her! I'm not into the spanking part personally, but seeing Stacy in her underwear.....uh......yeah. Give me a second to refocus. After my mental cold shower the Dudleyz manage to hit Kane with the reverse 3D to finally get some offense going for the first time. Bubba Ray then takes Kane's knee out and the Dudleyz hit the Whazzup Drop. Double flapjack from the Dudleyz and they set up for the 3D. Kane big boots D'Von and clotheslines Bubba Ray to cut that off. Tag to show. Clotheslines for everyone. Big backdrop on D'Von. Corner avalanche on Bubba Ray. Goozle on D'Von. Bubba Ray chop blocks Show to stop the chokeslam. Everyone in the pool! The Dudleyz maneuver Kane into clotheslining Show from the top rope. Bubba Ray tries to cover but Kane tosses him out. Kane goes over to help Show and tries to apologize. Show doesn't want to hear it. The Dudleyz jump while they argue but easily get fought off again. Big boot from Show on Bubba Ray. Now Show accidentally knocks Kane off the apron. He goes for Stacy again but D'Von saves her. Bubba Ray takes a top turnbuckle pad off. Both Dudleyz lift Show up, drop him on the exposed buckle, and get the pin. JR: "It was not a pretty match". No it wasn't. The Dudleyz continue to struggle to have decent matches with any teams other than Edge & Christian or the Hardyz. 1/2*

 

The Undertaker's had an interesting ride since the Invasion ended. Vince creating the Kiss My Ass Club caused Taker to snap, because he saw himself as the biggest Vince ass kisser of them all and that embarrassed him. When Vince tried to force JR to join the Kiss My Ass club, Taker stopped JR and asked if he was really going to do it. When JR said "HELL NO!", Taker then asked "Why? You think you're better than me?" and attacked JR, turning heel. Since then Taker's targeted RVD as the new hot shot in WWF, constantly attacking RVD all while demanding everyone respect him.

 

WWF Hardcore Championship: The Undertaker def Rob Van Dam (c) in 11:08- The Hardcore title is a big come down for Taker, but that aside the feud makes sense. The crowd's pretty behind RVD. Good power vs speed stuff at the start. RVD does his backflip out of the corner but runs into a Taker big boot. Taker drops an elbow for 2. RVD gets a back elbow in the corner, hops up top and hits a super flippy senton for 2. Spinning heel kick for 2. RVD goes out of his wheelhouse and puts on a headlock. Taker uses that to drop him crotch first on the top rope and big boots him down to the floor. That leads to some back and forth ringside knockaraound. Oh yeah, this is right when JR started calling Taker "Booger Red". RVD clotheslines Taker over the barricade into the crowd. He tries to springboard off the barricade but Taker catches him with a gut shot. Some crowd brawl stuff follows. Taker takes a fan's Mexico flag and chokes RVD with it! RVD hits an asai moonsault off the hockey wall! Taker sends RVD flying over some spare guardrail pieces and stays in control as they fight to the side of the stage. RVD fires off a fire extinguisher and hits Taker with it. Trash can shot for Taker. That looked like a proper can, not one of the super thin ones they usually use. RVD then climbs the arena steps all the way up to the top of the floor entranceway. Crossbody dive onto Taker for 2! A ton of dust from something flew up where they hit. Now they work behind the stage and up the steps onto a side part of the stage proper. Taker crashes into some spare bits and bobs up there and RVD covers for 2. Through the curtain to the main entrance area. RVD hits a legdrop for 2. Taker scoops RVD up and runs him headfirst into one of the trons! He sets up for a Last Ride on the stage. RVD grabs the side of the tron to get free! Clothesline from Taker. Taker goes behind the curtain and comes back with a chair. RVD kicks it into Taker's face! Rolling thunder on the stage! That gets a 2 count. The Vandaminator hits for 2. Taker dodges another kick attempt and gives RVD some chairshots. Both guys look for something big near the edge of the stage, each countering the other. Eventually Taker wins, chokeslamming RVD off the side of the stage into a stack of tables below! Taker covers and gets the pin to win the Hardcore title! Good stuff. It's fun seeing Taker in the almost alternate Hardcore universe as that was something new for him. Pure RVD style match too, Taker let RVD lead for most of it and played along great. Being the Hardcore champ will give him even more license to earn respect the hard way. RVD can also check "jobbed to Taker" off his mandatory WWF to do list before even being considered to move up to the next level. ***

 

Jericho storms into Flair's office, annoyed at the world for thinking he doesn't have a chance in hell tonight. Flair's "If you can pull it off more power to you" response doesn't help any. 

 

WWF Women's Championship: Trish Stratus (c) def Jacqueline in 3:34- Lawler commends both womens' "well developed lungs". Oh yeah, he's back. Lockup and clean break. After a Trish shoulderblock Jacqueline gets a roll up for 2. She NAILS Trish with a couple of forearms and hits a backdrop. A "we want puppies" chant gets Lawler going like you'd expect while Trish hits a couple of kicks. She tries to follow up but Jacqueline shoves her away *hard*. One of Trish's kicks must have caught her flush. She also shoves the ref away, then plants Trish with a forearm and pummels her with some very straight stomps. Slams from Jacqueline. Trish takes advantage of Jacqueline dragging her up by the arm to hit a short clothesline for 2. Trish goes for a high kick but Jacqueline ducks and sweeps her other leg out, resulting in a nasty looking landing for Trish that gets a big gasp from the crowd. They're not chanting for puppies now. Trish dodges in the corner and tries for what looks like a sort of Gedo clutch, but neither of them can pull it off right. Clothesline from Jacqueline, once again very stiff. Another backdrop. Trish flips out of a suplex attempt and both women exchange chops. Trish goes for the Stratusfaction but Jacqueline pushes out. Basement dropkick to Trish's back for 2. Off a corner whip Trish flies back and they have an ugly looking collision. Backslide from Trish and that gets the pin! I don't know if they planned to work so stiff or it just happened out of mutual annoyance, but damn that part worked beautifully. They do have a handshake after the bell so it might have been the plan. When they tried wrestling moves it didn't go very well half the time, but the striking was on point and that absolutely got the crowd into it and respecting it as a proper wrestling match instead of just hoping someone's top came off. **

 

Now for the main part of tonight's proceedings, the mini tournament to crown the first ever Undisputed Champion. But before that is an extremely long video recap that shows just how far this whole "Kiss My Ass Club" thing has already gone. It's ridiculous and pure Vince McMahon humor. The whole pomp and circumstance leading up to the start of the title matches is really good, making this feel as much of a big deal as possible considering it's on the December PPV, traditionally a dead time on the schedule before getting into Rumble season.

 

WWF Championship: "Stone Cold" Steve Austin (c) def Kurt Angle in 14:55- Running back the main WWF Title feud from the Invasion one more time. Lawler mentions they attempted to get this "unified thing" done when he was AWA World champ, which is a nice callback, and true. Instead of Austin's usual jump start he and Angle go nose to nose in the middle of the ring while the crowd eats every bit of it up. Cautious start after the bell. Very cautious. Lockup! I can't remember the last time I saw Austin lock up. Neither guy will break in the corner and they roll across the ropes to the other corner. Finally we have an extremely slow, cautious break but no one tries anything. Another lockup and this time ref Mike Chioda forces Angle to break. Austin, far from upset, is happy at Angle showing so much fire. One more lockup and this time Austin lays in some strikes to crank things up a notch. Off a whip Angle grabs the ropes and slides out of the ring to pretty big boos from the crowd. Back in Angle gets a waistlock takedown and Austin quickly rolls out to rethink things. Coming back in Austin tells Angle he's #1 with both hands. Speed run and Austin catches Angle with a back elbow. Chops from Austin. Angle grabs a kick attempt. Austin quickly rolls to get free because he knew what Angle was going for. Angle ducks a clothesline and puts on another waistlock. Austin grabs Angle's arm to power free and twists into an arm wringer. Angle reverses into his own arm wringer and Austin quickly eye pokes him. Neither guy afraid to heel it up. He continue working on Angle's arm. Angle's clearly inspired Austin, it's great to see Austin the pure wrestler come out again as much as he was capable of anymore. More Austin chops in the corner. He momentum tosses Angle over the top to the floor. Austin follows and runs Angle's arm into the post. Angle catches Austin coming back in with stomps. Armbar slam from Austin! Cover for 2. Yet more chops from Austin. Austin ducks under and gets a waistlock. Angle counters and gets Austin down into the ankle lock! Middle of the ring! Austin crawls for the ropes but Angle drags him back. Austin tries again and this time gets a rope break. Angle charges but Austin backdrops him over the top rope to the floor. Spanish announce table shots for Angle. Angle maneuvers Austin across the ring and posts his knee! Now Angle hits some chops from the floor. Post wraparound figure four! Hi Bret Hart. Back in Angle puts the ankle lock back on. Austin rolls over and manages to kick free. Belly to belly suplex from Angle. Austin tries to chop back but Angle eye rakes him. He stomps Austin down in the corner. Austin comes back up slugging. Whip reversal and Austin Bret bumps into ROLLLLLLLING GERMANS. All three hit. Cover for 2. Angle goes up top. Moonsault! Austin dodges! Speed run. Austin Thesz press! Spinebuster for 2. Austin ducks under a shot and hits a German! Another! He goes for three but Angle back elbows out. Austin grabs him again and hits three! It wasn't pretty but he just got it. How about four? Five! Austin remembers Angle German suplexing him like 8 times in their Summerslam match. Austin covers and Angle JUST kicks out! They fight against the ropes and Angle hits a sneaky low blow. Angle Slam! Slightly slow cover and Austin just kicks out! Angle DEMANDS Austin get back up. Angle goes for a Stunner but Austin pushes free. Austin STUNNER! He covers and gets the pin to retain the title! Damn good stuff. Not on the level of their Summerslam match but still what you'd expect from these two. I can only imagine how great an Angle vs WCW era Austin match when he could still really wrestle could be. ***1/2

 

Cool down segment: Test pushes into Trish's locker room then virtually tries to force himself on her in a "walking the line toward sexual assault" way. He reminds Trish he can't be fired because he has IMMUNITY. Still? Trish doesn't care and rightly forces him out anyway. Creep. 

 

World Championship: Chris Jericho def The Rock (c) in 19:05- These two traded the WCW Title between them a couple of times during the Invasion and had built up a hugely personal feud, despite both being on the WWF side and both being faces, at least at the time. If tonight's crowd reactions are anything to go by you could probably officially say Rock's passed Austin as WWF unquestioned #1 star. Jericho's dyed the bottom part of his hair red, which will never not look weird to me. Not the red, the fact it's only on part. Lockup and Rock cranks a headlock. Nice extended speed run and Rock gets a couple of armdrags into an ARMBAR. Jericho does a flippy escape and works around into a headlock. Another speed run and this time Rock hits a clothesline. Jericho tries to escape but Rock pulls him back in. Another Rock clothesline. Spinning heel kick from Jericho and Rock goes out to the floor. Jericho hits the springboard dropkick and both guys trade shots around the usual ringside objects. Coming back in Jericho hits a flying back elbow off the top rope (after clearly signaling Rock "elbow" by patting his elbow) for 2. Suplex from Jericho and the old style ARROGANT COVER! No better indication than that Jericho's going back heel. Hebner doesn't even bother to count that. More speed and Rock hits a flying clothesline for 2. Back suplex from Jericho for 2. Clothesline for 2. They mistime a backdrop counter and Jericho kicks empty air. Rock sells it anyway. Kicked the air so hard the wind hit Rock. Snap belly to belly from Rock. Samoan drop for 2. Jericho hooks on a sleeper. Rock slowly goes down. Arm drops and Rock fights back up. Jericho cuts it off with a back elbow. He goes for the Lionsault, but sees Rock dodging and lands on his feet. Big right hands from Rock. Jericho counters with the misdirection bulldog. The Lionsault hits! Rock kicks out! Jericho is furious and has a little temper tantrum. Another confirmation he's a heel again. Snap suplex from Jericho and he goes up top. Rock catches him and gives him some chops while Jericho sits on the top rope. Jericho fights off a superplex attempt. Crossbody off the top, but Rock rolls through for a long 2 count. Jericho fires back with a clothesline and stomps. Rock dodges in the corner and Jericho FLIES over the top rope head first into the post! Jericho recovers quickly on the floor, dropping Rock on the barricade and slingshotting him into the post. Jericho then clears off the English announce table and drags Rock onto it. Rock fights off a Rock Bottom attempt on the table and DDTs Jericho through the table! Jericho grabs his head after impact in a way that looks like he caught it bad on something there. Jericho is extremely wobblelegged as Rock drags him up, but in a selling way, not truly loopy. Probably. Back in the ring Rock coils to finish it. Jericho fights the Rock Bottom off and hits a skull crushing finale. Senton from Jericho as he's clearly still trying to put himself together and still holding his head. Rock's in position, so Jericho decides to do his own People's Elbow. Rock grabs Jericho's legs and puts on the World's Shittiest Sharpshooter! Nice counter. Jericho counters that before it's fully on and puts on his own Sharpshooter. Even nicer counter. Rock tries to fight, slowly fades, then has one last push to the ropes. Jericho quickly goes for the Walls but Rock pulls him into a small package for 2. Rock Bottom! But Rock's too hurt and can't follow up. Oh great. Here comes Vince. Now Rock covers while Hebner's distracted. Rock punches Vince out. Spinebuster! Pad off. He goes for the People's Elbow, stops because Vince is on the apron and flips him back in, then finishes off hitting the Elbow on Jericho. But then Rock goes right for Vince again. Tactical error. Jericho low blows Rock and hits his own Rock Bottom! Cover and Jericho pins Rock with the Rock Bottom to win the title back! The overwhelming favorite to walk out Undisputed Champion is out. More Rock/Jericho goodness let down by the heavy distraction finish. ***3/4

 

As soon as the last match ends the glass shatters and Austin makes his way out for the main event, barely giving Jericho time to catch his breath. Austin's still limping from the ankle lock earlier.

 

Unification Match to Create the Undisputed WWF Championship: World Champion Chris Jericho def WWF Champion "Stone Cold" Steve Austin in 12:31- Jericho tries to hide in the ropes but Austin drags him out. Angle comes in and lays out Austin with a chair! Rock then comes in and plants Jericho with a Rock Bottom, then chases Angle off. Now the bell rings to officially start as we get our first look at the Undisputed Championship match graphic. Both guys are down and Hebner counts. The fans are chanting for Triple H, who WWF heavily teased possibly appearing on this show (as I mentioned he was on the poster) even though he wasn't ready yet. Jericho is up first and covers Austin for 2. Chops from Jericho. Running elbow to Austin and he does some ground and pound. Corner clothesline. Austin pops out of the corner with a spear! Not something you often saw from him. He pounds Jericho on the mat and gives him some buckle shots. He goes for a quick Stunner but Jericho escapes. Austin knocks him off the apron to the floor. Chops from Austin on the floor. Jericho gets run into the post. Austin pulls up the floor pad, exposing the floor. Jericho hits some shots and Austin bumps partially on the exposed floor while Jericho clears off the Spanish announce table. Fight on the table. Jericho blocks a Stunner and tries for the Walls on the table. Austin fights it and flips Jericho off back to the floor. He suplexes Jericho on the exposed part of the floor. Back in Jericho dodges in the corner and Austin goes shoulder first into the post. Jericho sees the target and runs it into the post again. Austin dodges a dropkick and slingshots Jericho into the corner. Clothesline from Austin for 2. Jericho uses that to counter into a Fujiwara armbar attempt. Not sure how well he's got it on. Jericho puts his feet on the ropes for additional leverage while Hebner desperately tries to make it look like he can't see. Finally he does and forces Jericho to break. Suplex from Jericho. Jericho tries coming off the top rope but Austin catches his coming down. More corner chops from Austin. He tries a backdrop, but Jericho rolls through it and hooks the Walls on! Austin slowly fights over and gets a rope break. Off a rope run Austin ducks and Jericho wipes out Hebner. The crowd starts chanting for Triple H again. Straight low blow from Jericho and he hits Austin with a Stunner. Vince is gesturing for someone to come out. It's former WCW and off and on crooked referee Nick Patrick, now a full fledged WWF referee. He straight up tells Jericho to cover Austin. Flair runs out, drags Patrick out of the ring and punches him out! Vince punches Flair and runs him into the post! Now Austin low blows Jericho. He sees Vince and immediately doesn't care about anything else but murdering Vince. Back to normal there. After getting back in Austin hits a Thesz press and elbow drop. Jericho tries for a missile dropkick. Austin dodges and puts Jericho into a Boston crab! Jericho's tapping but there's no ref. Now Booker T runs in! He's in street clothes and commentary specifically says he "doesn't work here anymore". He nails Austin the back of the head with the WWF Title belt and escapes back out through the crowd. Vince drags Hebner back in. Jericho covers, Hebner does the slow count, and Jericho gets the pin to win! The result no one, I mean NO ONE, expected. Jericho walks out the first ever Undisputed Champion. Forevermore it will be said that Jericho beat Rock and Austin in the same night to become the first Undisputed Champion. Never mind how he did it, which truly never gets mentioned. Jericho and Vince celebrate together as the show closes. The match is OK, but buried in crazy overbooking and even without that they never really hit high gear anyway, partially due to the overbooking and partially due to having already worked a match earlier. **1/2

 

On the surface Jericho was not an awful choice to win the title here as it should have finally gotten his career to the next level and cemented him as a permanent main eventer. The problem was the follow up, where Jericho was turned into the biggest weasel heel imaginable and was essentially a second fiddle joke of a champion to counter the massive face Triple H was after his return. Not to mention pairing Jericho up with his archnemesis Steph just because he was feuding with Trips.

 

OVERALL SHOW THOUGHTS- The undercard is nothing special, but once they got to the mini title tournament the matches mostly delivered. You also have the historical importance of the first ever world title unification in WWF, even if it's in a weird spot on a very B PPV. Those matches are also let down some by the bevy of interference and how bad the follow up will be, at least as far as the champion is concerned. The last PPV of 2001 closes the book on what turned out to be a very transitional year for both WWF and wrestling as a whole, with everyone coming to grips with the new normal of WWF being the ONLY show in town. 2002 will turn out to be no less historically significant for WWF, with huge returns, the buildup to huge departures, massive debuts, the first ever roster split and even the entire company being forced to change its name.

OVERALL SHOW GRADE: C+ 

Mayhem '99

Legacy Review

Mayhem '99

November 21, 1999 from the Air Canada Centre in Toronto

 

Commentary: Tony Schiavone and Bobby Heenan

 

Month two of the new Vince Russo administration brings more changes. Out is the World War 3 PPV name, along with its namesake 3 ring 60 man battle royale. Honestly it's a good move as that match was always little more than an overbloated mess. The new name for this month's PPV, Mayhem, fits right in with Russo's Crash TV approach. This is also the first ever WCW PPV to take place in Canada, an area in the past they hadn't really tried to compete with WWF in. It shows with the crowd. Always famously a "bizzarro world" wrestling crowd, the folks in Toronto tonight will pretty much cheer all the ex-WWF guys and boo anyone else, regardless of any face/heel associations.

 

The centerpiece of tonight's show is the semifinals and finals of a 32 wrestler tournament to crown a new World Heavyweight Champion. The Nitro after Halloween Havoc Sting was stripped of the title by the Powers That Be after losing a non-title match to Goldberg in the impromptu main event of that show. And/or for attacking ref Lil' Naitch after that match. Either way. Russo was never one to sweat details. Get used to that, the world title vacations are going to be coming fast and furious the next 6 months. 

 

World Heavyweight Championship Tournament Semifinals: Chris Benoit def Jeff Jarrett in 9:27- Jarrett was Russo's darling, both in front of and behind the cameras. I think it took Jarrett about 10 seconds to pack his bags out of WWF when he found out Russo was coming to WCW. He's currently known as the "favorite son" of the Powers That Be. Shoving after the bell and they go right into a basic exchange. Jarrett gets a drop toe hold and brags to the crowd. Benoit says screw that and levels him with chops. I think it goes without saying Benoit is the exception to the "only cheer for WWF guys" rule for this crowd, they're nuts for their native son. Benoit's even playing into it by having a maple leaf on the back of his tights. Tornado DDT from Benoit for 2. Inverted atomic drop into a neckbreaker for 2. Benoit hits an early superplex for 2. Jarrett rolls out and dodges a baseball slide, but Benoit is quickly back on him on the floor. Jarrett ducks a chop and runs Benoit shriveled steroids nads first into the post. I apologize for that imagery but I couldn't help myself. Took barely 10 minutes into the show for the first low blow of the night. Jarrett gives Benoit a couple of guardrail shots. Powerslam from Jarrett back in for 2. Delayed suplex for 2. Benoit tries a sunset flip that leads to a series of cradle exchanges, then Jarrett hits a clothesline for 2. Sleeper from Jarrett. Benoit goes down and we go to arm drops. After he fights back up and escapes he and Jarrett have an awkward shoulderblock collision that sends Jarrett wobbling around the ring in a way that I'm not sure if he's selling or not. Now Benoit hooks on his own sleeper. Jarrett quickly jawbreakers free. Benoit hits some comeback punches and a backbreaker, followed by more chops. ROOOOOOOOOOOOLING GERMANS! All three hit and he bridges on the last one for 2. The bald Powers That Be buffoons known as Creative Control (har har har) make their way out. Jarrett gives Benoit a hot shot that sends Benoit out to the floor. Jarret seems content with a countout win, then changes his mind and rolls Benoit back in. Crossbody off the top. Benoit rolls through it for a 2 count. Jarrett tries a roll up but Benoit stacks him up for 2. Bret bump from Benoit, but after he flips over and hits a back suplex. He calls for the end to a huge pop from the crowd. The headbutt off the top hits! Creative Control, to the shock of no one, pulls Benoit out of the cover, then beat Benoit down in the ring. Jarrett hits his new finisher, The Stroke. Because insider terms make us sound cool and edgy and stuff. While he does that Dustin Rhodes comes out! Yes, Dustin had also recently come back over from WWF. There's a whole crazy story there involving his original WCW character that I might get into at another time, no time now. Creative Control and Dustin fight on the floor while Jarrett's guitar ends up in the ring. Benoit waffles Jarrett with the guitar, covers and gets the win. As soon as the bell rings Creative Control beats him down again. Doug Dellinger and WCW security run in to break the fight up. Even with the usual interference finish they still managed to have a pretty fun and high octane match in front of a super hot crowd. ***1/4

 

The mic cuts out during Disco Inferno's promo backstage. We're probably better off. Then Jarrett attacks Disco as he's returning to the back! Clearly he's heard a Disco promo before and decided this was better. 

 

WCW Cruiserweight Championship: Evan Karagias (w/Medusa) def Disco Inferno (c) (w/Tony Marinara) in 8:00- Karagias (pronounced courageous) is, like Lash LeRoux in last month's CW title match, a fully trained WCW Power Plant product that was getting his initial push on TV. There's also $25K on the line in this match, all part of the crazy new story involving Disco being in trouble with the Mafia. Disco's new manager/Mob overseer Marinara (because he's Italian see?) has to drag his carcass out of Gorilla after Jarrett's attack, then Karagias smartly presses the advantage by attacking Disco in the aisle. Marinara doesn't even try to help and keeps walking toward the ring. Clearly he's a planning man, not a get his hands dirty man. In the ring Karagias hits a sloppy dropkick for 2. Meanwhile, Marinara joins commentary and drops a bunch of Italian accent cliches. Fuggitabatit. Disco comes back with an eye poke. After a long speed run Karagias hits an awful hiptoss (more Disco's fault than his) for 2. Snap suplex from Karagias followed by a springboard flying forearm for 2. Flying headscissors that pretty much drops Disco on his head. He goes for another one and Disco drops him back down in a really awkward way. Inverted atomic drop and clothesline from Disco for 2. Disco and Medusa make some eyes at each other after. Suplexes from Disco and he dances for Medusa. Karagias gets a crucifix but they fall right by the ropes, making it pointless. Another clothesline from Disco after. He tries a powerbomb but Karagias counters into a cradle for 2. Flying back elbow from Karagias for 2. Disco hits a Russian leg sweep and setup slam. Elbow off the second rope for 2. He momentum tosses Karagias over the top to the floor. Medusa goes over to help him up. Disco tries coming off the apron but Karagias dropkicks him in midair. Powerslam from Karagias for 2. He goes for a splash but Disco gets his knees up as some "boring" chants start to fire off in the arena. DDT from Disco for 2. He then says forget about the match and goes up to hit on Medusa. Medusa slaps him! Double ax handle off the apron from Karagias. Marinara gets off commentary and goes to creep on Medusa. He's apparently trying to buy her off somehow. Karagias goes out and gets in Marinara's face. Disco gets a chair, but Karagias ducks and Disco hits Marinara with it! Springboard crossbody from Karagias, and he pins Disco to win the title! And $25K that Disco apparently desperately needed to keep the Mob at bay. That will kick off the next stage of Disco's story. Like the CW title match at Halloween Havoc this is what you'd expect from an inexperienced wrestler vs Disco match, with a whole lot of other crap thrown in because Russo. 3/4*

 

In the back, Jarrett is getting read the riot act by the leader of the Powers that Be, which is Vince Russo himself but right now all we see is his hand and hear his voice. Like Dr. Claw. 

 

Inaugural WCW Hardcore Championship: "Screamin'" Norman Smiley def Brian Knobbs (w/Jimmy Hart) in 7:27- You'd expect the creation of a Hardcore title would be another thing on the obvious Russo bingo card after he took over and you'd mostly be right, but the old Bischoff regime actually did lay some groundwork for this earlier in the year. Knobbs comes out with the usual rolling cart of hardcore toys. The reinvention of very technical wrestler Smiley as the new face of the hardcore division was a pretty inventive move. WWF would have similar success the following year doing the same thing with Steve Blackman. Smiley comes out in a Maple Leafs jersey, plus goalie pads, to get the home crowd on his side, and it works. Knobbs was an ex-WWF guy, but I wouldn't exactly call him a memorable or beloved one. WCW also goofed a bit by having the Hardcore belt be a proper looking belt, rather than what WWF did with the hammered Winged Eagle. As soon as Smiley gets in the ring Knobbs is all over him with kendo sticks and trash cans. Smiley is SCREAMIN'. Well, it is his name now. Smiley dodges a Knobbs dive off the second rope with a trash can. Hart throws another can in the ring, but Smiley catches it and nails Knobbs with it. He puts Knobbs in the can and hits it with a hockey stick. Smiley tries to give Knobbs the wiggle but Knobbs fights it off. Knobbs hits more trash can shots, then takes one of Smiley's goalie pads off. Smiley gets a trash can lid and hits Knobbs with it. He goes to the floor and Hart bless his, well, heart tries to jump him but he's no match for Smiley. But that allows Knobbs to throw another trash can at him. They start working their way up the aisle. Ref Nick Patrick very clearly gives Knobbs some instructions and they walk behind the curtain to the back. Smiley jumps Knobbs with a chair and throws him into a sign. Broom shot for Knobbs, who responds with, guess what, a trash can. Knobbs sets a table up against the wall, then tosses Smiley through it. Smiley quickly shrugs it off and puts Knobbs on a rolling cart to roll him into some signs. Hart gives Knobbs a crutch and he nails Smiley with it. They're clearly going into the food storage area and Smiley gets thrown into some box stacks. Hart pours food onto Smiley! Hart opens an elevator door so Knobbs can throw Smiley into it. Knobbs runs into the elevator, but the door closes before Hart can give him a trash can! When the door opens again Hart hits Knobbs with the can! Smiley covers and gets the pin to win and become the first ever WCW Hardcore champion! Angry Knobbs tosses both Hart and Smiley into a rack of buns. WCW has yet to figure out the magic that made WWF's early Hardcore title matches so unique and fun. Not having the weapon being a trash can for 75% of the match would be a good start. Getting someone other than Knobbs would also be a really good idea. *

 

Mixed Tag Team Elimination Match: The Revolution (w/Shane Douglas) def The Filthy Animals (w/Konnan) in 10:55- It's Dean Malenko and Perry Saturn representing Revolution here along with new member, former Presidential era Ric Flair associate Asya. For the Animals, who are also the WCW tag champs, are Kidman and Eddie Guerrero joined by Kidman girlfriend and non-wrestler Torrie Wilson. The Animals charge the ring and it's on. Again we have a guest commentator, this time Shane Douglas. Things settle in with Guerrero and Malenko. They do some back and forth stuff then set themselves up to both tumble over the top to the floor. Saturn asai moonsault on both of them! Kidman takes out Asya then dives onto all of them. Malenko gets into it with a guy with a Canadian flag ringside. The fan tries to poke Malenko with the point of his flagpole! Security is immediately over to escort his dumb ass out of the building. That's the most violent use of the Canadian flag I've ever seen. Meanwhile Torrie and Asya are in the ring together and Torrie tries her best to make it look like she knows how to wrestle, but fails spectacularly. The guys quickly save her. Torrie apparently hurt her foot. Guerrero goes to help her out. Kidman then tries to come over, but gets rolled up by Malenko and eliminated. After that Kidman gets in Guerrero's face for Guerreroing on his woman. They get into a full on shoving match. Malenko and Saturn use that to jump Guerrero. Torrie is still in the corner holding her foot and at least needs to get out of the way. Revolution hit a decapitation device legdrop on Guerrero for 2 as we get a shot of Konnan walking out of the match and returning to the back. Torrie's also finally out of the ring. Asya tries to go Chyna on Guerrero, giving him a big delayed suplex for 2. Guerrero counters a Malenko suplex and works him into a hurricanrana for a pin. Malenko's gone. Saturn drops Guerrero on the top rope and hits a pumphandle suplex. Another go for Asya. She's just about got the look but she does not have the ability. She taps Guerrero with a clothesline that Guerrero collapses for. Guerrero ducks and Saturn superkicks Asya! Frog splash! Guerrero pins Asya to eliminate her. Saturn comes in with a northern lights suplex on Guerrero for 2. Sleeper from Saturn. Guerrero jawbreakers out. Saturn shakes it off and puts the sleeper back on. Guerrero reverses and puts his own sleeper on. Back suplex counter from Saturn. Saturn goes for a springboard something or other but Guerrero dropkicks him. Tornado DDT from Guerrero for 2. Saturn ducks under and plants Guerrero with the DVD! Guerrero kicks out! Saturn goes up top. Guerrero dodges the elbow drop. Guerrero crawls to his corner and thinks about a tag, then realizes how stupid that would be. He gets Saturn with a hurricanrana cradle for 2. Crossbody off the top from Guerrero. Saturn rolls through it and hooks on the Rings of Saturn! OK, that was good. Guerrero taps out! Well, it's down to Saturn and Torrie. This is as much a forgone conclusion as Canadian flag guy going on a WCW blacklist. Torrie tries to hide in the corner. Sorry, this is what you signed up for. She low blows Saturn! Cover for 2! Saturn low blows Torrie! And pins her. How......how was that even supposed to hurt her? That insane wrestling logic aside, the match was OK thanks to the overall level of talent involved. **

 

I guess no one in the back wants us to think about that finish either, because we immediately cut to the back where Jarrett and Creative Control are laying out Buff Bagwell in the locker room. 

 

Retirement Match: Buff Bagwell def Curt Hennig in 7:47- There's a story here as to why this is a retirement match, but honestly it doesn't really matter and you'll see why in a bit. Bagwell's music hits but Jarrett plus Creative Control come out instead. Now they attack Hennig! This this is the perfect place to drop a "don't ask, it's Russo". Bagwell runs out and chases them all off. Hennig then jumps Bagwell from behind as the match proper starts. Big chop from Hennig and he chokes Bagwell with his own necklace. That's what he gets for wearing one. The more WWF familiar Canadian crowd chants "Perfect" at Hennig as the fight goes to the floor. Bagwell pushes Hennig off the apron, sending him into the barricade. He runs Hennig's back into the apron. Hennig counters with a sneaky low blow on the floor. He's still dragging Bagwell around by his necklace. Again, you wear it in the ring, it should be fair game. Bagwell snaps Hennig's throat over the top rope. Back elbow back in from Bagwell that Hennig tries to do a bump off of but realizes the ropes are right there. Hennig gets Bagwell down and tries to put on what looks to be a modified STF. That would have been a new one. Bagwell gets to the ropes before it can be hooked on though. Instead Hennig does the low blow legdrop because Lord knows we haven't had enough low blows yet tonight. Sleeper from Hennig. Also been a lot of those tonight. There's some more "boring" chants as that's going on. These poor Toronto fans, not being a regular WCW territory they probably had no idea what they were getting into tonight. After the usual comeback and knee to the gut cutoff Hennig does some more necklace choking, then puts the sleeper back on. Another huge chop from Hennig. Scintillating slam/elbow drop combo for 2. Corner supposed clothesline from Hennig. Bagwell hits a low blow and eye rake that Hennig barely sells. Slam from Bagwell but Hennig dodges the dancing kneedrop. Hennig wraps up a small package for 2. Bagwell gets a boot up in the corner, hits the Blockbuster out of nowhere, and gets the even more out of nowhere pin. Then immediately finds the nearest camera to mug into because that's Bagwell. Afterward Hennig gets a polite little sendoff from the crowd. Peak Curt Hennig might have carried Bagwell to a decent match. This is nowhere near peak Curt Hennig. It also had that feel that a lot of matches involving Bagwell and a longtime veteran did, namely the veteran clearly not thinking Bagwell was worth expending any effort over. 1/4*

 

I mentioned the whole larger retirement match story didn't really matter. That's because Hennig's forced retirement would last like a week before he was back. Terry Funk had longer retirements. 

 

World Heavyweight Championship Tournament Semifinals: Bret "Hitman" Hart def Sting in 9:27- Bret gets the Canada pop. Not In Your House: Canadian Stampede level but still pretty good. He's wearing a Canadian national team Gretzky jersey. Gretzky had just retired the previous season. Sting is VERY much the heel here as far as the crowd is concerned. Sting's switched gear as well, he's going with more casual pants and a tshirt now. We get a very un-Russo like feeling out start complete with a LOCKUP. Clean break in the corner but both guys shove. Nose to nose jawing and more shoving. Sting tries the first punch but Bret blocks and gets the first real shots in to the delight of the crowd. He tosses Sting out to the floor for the first ringside knockaround portion of the program. Elbow drop to the head back in from Bret, followed by a headbutt to the gut. Inverted atomic drop. Sting embraces his heel role and eye rakes to get some space. After taking some punishment Bret comes back with a running punch and hits a suplex for 2. Straight up low blow in front of the ref from Sting. Of course WCW refs stopped caring about that long before Russo came along. Slam/elbow drop combo for 2. Sting grounds Bret with a sleeper that might as well be a chinlock. Knee to the gut from Sting and another elbow drop for 2. Back to the floor and Bret takes an announce table shot. Bret dodges a Stinger Splash attempt and Sting crashes into the table. Back in Bret gets a boot up in the corner and goes up top. Sting hangs onto the ref and when Bret comes off both the ref and Sting take it. Here comes Lex Luger, and Elizabeth. Luger's got the baseball bat. He hits Sting with it in the knee! Commentary's not shocked so I guess there's been another turn there, no surprise given who's in charge. Bret kicks Luger in the nads and hits him in the throat with the bat. Sharpshooter on Luger, like that's going to do anyone any good. The ref gets up and calls for the bell. Sting's been DQ'd for outside interference, but Bret's not happy about that. He wants the match restarted! The ref says fine. You don't say no to Bret Hart in Canada. Sting hobbles on one leg while Bret rolls down the FMOD list. Sting manages to get a boot up as Bret's coming off the second rope and puts the Scorpion Death Lock on. Bret hits Sting's bad knee to break it up, reverses into the Sharpshooter, and Sting quickly taps out. As Bret's leaving Sting calls him back in and they handshake it out. Potentially decent match let down by some very, very dumb overbooking. *1/2

 

In the back, Luger's already in a neck brace after the baseball bat shot from Bret. That's the quickest examination ever. The receptionist should still be looking for his name on the appointment list. 

 

Dog Collar Match: Vamprio (w/Jerry Only) def Berlyn (w/The Wall) in 4:57- Is it Jerry Only or Only Jerry? He wasn't a wrestler, he was in fact a member of the punk rock band The Misfits that was HUGE in certain circles in the '90s, which I remember very well. Berlyn still has that stupid frame rate filter on his entrance. After the wrestlers' entrances more music hits. It's the OU fight song. Oh hell. Hell no, please no. Ladies and gentlemen, I regret to inform you Oklahoma is here. For those that don't know, first off praise God for your ignorance, but if you must know this is Russo's writing partner Ed Ferrara doing a horrible parody of Jim Ross. Black cowboy hat, terrible accent, mocking JR's Bell's Palsy, carrying a bottle of barbecue sauce, no possible cheap hit is missed. WCW's also roped poor "Dr. Death" Steve Williams into being a part of this because he's also from Oklahoma. Oklahoma takes the third commentary spot that's been rotating all night and immediately makes what already would have been a tortuously horrible match even worse. "Vam-PI-row" indeed. Anyway, Berlyn refuses to put the chain on, decks ref Lil' Naitch, then all the seconds run in and fight with Wall beating on Vampiro in the ring while Berlyn and Only fight on the floor. Nick Patrick runs in to take over the match. Eventually Berlyn ties Only to the guardrail and helps Wall double team Vampiro. Wall then puts the chain around his own neck because fuck the rules apparently. Patrick is watching all of this not doing anything. All while Oklahoma makes fun of JR's propensity to talk about guys' college football history, one thing you could fairly mock JR about, while also yelling names and moves three times over and over. Wall chokeslams Vamprio and covers. Berlyn runs in and pulls him off and they argue with each other. Wall takes the collar off, tosses it at Berlyn, and leaves. I guess that partnership is done. THE BERLYN WALL HAS FALLEN! Sorry, I had to. Blame WCW for making that horrible pun to start with. That allows Vamprio to start beating on Berlyn, like anyone here cares a damn about the actual match. Vampiro slams Berlyn off the top rope. Double suplex by Vampiro and Only. I guess Only does know some wrestling after all. Vampiro uses the chain to wrap Berlyn up in a camel clutch and Berlyn submits. After the bell Doc Death decides to get in and attack. He gives Only the Oklahoma Stampede, then powerbombs Vamprio. An absolute travesty of a supposed match, made all the worse by Ferrara completely humiliating himself trying to score the cheapest of cheap shots possible on JR. MINUS FIVE STARS

 

The good news is after a perfunctory short feud with the Wall, Berlyn would completely disappear after this. When Alex Wright returned in 2000 it was under his own name again. Berlyn's three PPV matches constituted one of the absolute worst multi-month runs you'll ever see in all of wrestling history.

 

Meng def The Total Package (w/Elizabeth) in 5:23- Neck injury or no, the PTBs have ordered Luger to come out and wrestle this match. He comes out still wearing the brace and acting like he's seriously hurt. As soon as Meng hits the ring he smells blood and attacks. Luger eye rakes, hits a knee to the gut, and manages to hit a suplex. Meng no sells it all. They go out and Meng knocks Luger around ringside, all with Luger still wearing the neck brace. Luger comes back again in the ring and hits a clothesline, again no sold by Meng. Commentary points out the neck brace is to block the dreaded TONGAN DEATH GRIP. Meng beats Luger down in the corner and tries to choke around the brace. Another clothesline from Luger that Meng actually sells just a little bit. Powerslam from Luger for 2. Slugfest with half the swings barely coming within 6 inches of the target. Luger makes the mistake of trying to hit Meng in the head. Kicks and headbutts from Meng. Superkick from Meng for 2. Elizabeth is getting something out on the floor. She sprays something, but it gets in Luger's face! Meng finally decides it might be a good idea to take Luger's neck brace off. The Tongan Death Grip is on and it's over. What an unbelievably stupid match. Its only redeeming feature is it's not the last match. Nice to see Luger putting a young whippersnapper that needs the rub like Meng over. DUD

 

In the back, Bret is with Mean Gene and cuts a pretty generic Bret babyface promo. I only mention it because during it Luger storms into the background shouting for Elizabeth. Elsewhere, David Flair is polishing his crowbar. GUYS! It may be PPV and Russo but this is still supposed to be some level of a family show.

 

To lead into the next match, the recent journeys of WCW's secondary titles. Goldberg walked out of Halloween Havoc as the US champ. The very next night on Nitro, Bret defeated him in the first round of the World title tournament. Somehow that was a US title match as well, so Bret won the US title. A couple of weeks later on Nitro a four way ladder match took place for the US title, featuring Bret, Goldberg, Sid Vicious and the recently returned from injury Scott Hall. Ladder match expert Hall won that one to take the title. On to the TV title, which has been held by Rick Steiner most of the year now. However, Rick no-showed tonight (whether storyline or for real I have no idea), and per a previous edict by the PTBs because he did that he was stripped of the title earlier today. Instead of doing anything constructive with it, the PTBs just gave it to Hall to make him a double champion. Everybody got that? Good.

 

WCW World Television and United States Heavyweight Championships: Scott Hall (c) def Booker T in 6:04- Hall, like Nash, is still coming out to the Wolfpac music. He's got the full support of the pro-WWF Toronto crowd. Listening to Hall's usual prematch shtick I suspect he might not pass a breathalyzer test. Booker is a surprise opponent for Hall, and they goof by starting Booker's music, then killing it, then starting it up again. The crowd reactions only gives Hall more excuse to goof around instead of wrestle. We do get a lockup and Hall does his usual early match arm work. Booker tries to counter but Hall muscles him up and flips him over. Reset and Booker hits a side kick to big boos. Side suplex from Booker for 2. Hall backs off and wants some space, which Booker gives. When he comes back in Hall pulls him into the turnbuckle. Running forearm from Booker and Hall falls to the floor. Booker lets him get back in and Hall takes control again when he gets back in. Chokeslam for 2. Fallaway slam from Hall. He 360 clotheslines Booker to the floor. Back in Hall tries a leverage pin but can't find the ropes to pull it off. Discus punch for 2. Yet another sleeper tonight as Hall puts one on. Hell, here's Jarrett and Creative Control AGAIN. Booker hits the scissors kick, does the spinaroonie, and hits another side kick. Jarrett distracts Nick Patrick while Creative Control try to attack Booker, who easily fights them off. But that allows Hall to hit Booker from behind, hit the Razor's Edge and get the pin. Booker tried his best with the absolute crap hand he was dealt. 1/2*

 

The Jarrett/Creative Control group beat on Booker after the bell. The lights go out and a deep bell rings. The lights come back up and there's a woman in the ring now. It kind of looks like Jacqueline, but it's a former professional bodybuilder WCW was training that's going by the name Midnight. She helps Booker fight the goons off and they leave together.

 

That would turn out to be the last defense of the TV title on a PPV. A week later on Nitro Hall would hand the TV title over to his buddy Nash because he was done with it. As you might expect, no way was Nash bothering with something so piffling as the TV title and he tossed it in a trash can. 25 years of title history, done just like that. Blame Russo yeah, but that's also a 100% Kevin Nash thing to do. The TV title would vanish until February, when Jim Duggan found it in a dumpster on Nitro (I hope they were in the same town) and claimed it for himself. No one cared. Duggan would defend it on the C and D level weekly shows and house shows until it was formally deactivated in April 2000 as part of the WCW reboot. A sad end for one of the classic Jim Crockett/NWA titles, but small mercies for it I guess it got killed off before the end of WCW.

 

Meanwhile, Luger's wandering the back like Spinal Tap looking for Elizabeth.

 

Tony calls the next match a "marquee match" on camera and somehow manages to keep a straight face. 

 

David Flair and Kimberly Page no contest in 4:55- .....Kill me now. After the Ric Flair/DDP feud, the whole thing was turned upside down with David Flair now a psycho crowbar wielding stalker obsessed with Kimberly. Sadly it's the most convincing acting he's done yet. Kimberly's been ordered by Dr. Russo Claw to wrestle because she refused to dance with the Nitro Girls anymore. Kimberly is....not dressed to wrestle tonight. That top will not last. Not that I'd, you know, complain. Nick Patrick makes David put his binky crowbar down while Kimberly is doing some crazy stretching with her feet on the top rope. As soon as David gets close Kimberly kicks him in the nuts. David barely reacts, backs off and punches his own crotch I guess to show that he's wearing a cup. Either that or he's so nuts he doesn't feel anything. He gets the crowbar, waffles Patrick with it, and slowly stalks Kimberly. Kimberly gets on her knees terrified. David hesitates. Kimberly, on her knees, well, it's very clear what she's offering here. She puts a hand into David's pants....and pulls his cup out! She hits him in the head with it. Again David barely reacts. Clearly his edict was "horror movie monster that can't be hurt". Another kick to the nuts. That gets a reaction. More kicks on David while he's down. She takes the cup and puts it on David's face, then goes full slapfest on him, followed by some choking. David finally shrugs her off and slowly stalks her with the crowbar again. Former DDP teammate Kanyon runs in and saves Kimberly. He hits a Samoan drop on David. Now DDP gets in the ring and pounds on David. Diamond Cutter. Her comes Arn Anderson. He takes the crowbar from DDP to save his best friend's son. DDP carries Kimberly off and end scene. No! David attacks Arn with the crowbar because he's NUTS and he leaves through the crowd. NOW end scene. I think that was partially an attempt to have some kind of horror movie in the ring. That's clearly the inspiration for everything's David doing right now. I don't think the bell ever rang to start any kind of match so I'm not even going to try to rate this nonsense, but if I did I don't think I'd shock anyone by saying it wouldn't be good. NR

 

Arn does the backboard and stretcher job out of the ring. 

 

I Quit Match: Goldberg def Sid Vicious in 5:30- Goldberg beat Sid by ref stoppage due to excessive blood loss at Halloween Havoc, so Sid's demanded an I Quit rematch. Submission wrestling isn't exactly a strength for either of these guys so the finish should be interesting. Saying that is almost daring WCW to do something even more stupid than usual. Hoo boy, Toronto does NOT like Goldberg. If you ever doubted that WCW piped in Goldberg chants when they needed to, I present this show in evidence. Sid had a couple of extensive runs in WWF, including being WWF Champion at times in '96-'97, so he's got the crowd behind him by that rule. Sid jumps Goldberg on the apron and we're on. Goldberg ducks under a clothesline, hits a quick powerslam, and 360 clotheslines Sid to the floor. Goldberg knocks Sid around ringside while the crowd chants "Goldberg sucks". Sid catches Goldberg coming back in, puts on a cobra clutch and hits a cobra clutch slam to a small pop. OK, the crowd's not sure about Sid, but they're very sure about Goldberg. Sid hits some short jabs in the corner that put Goldberg down. Goozle and chokeslam from Sid. He lifts Goldberg up for another one. A second chokeslam hits. Sid then goes down and puts on a choke. I guess that's his idea of a submission hold. Goldberg counters and hooks on a cross armbreaker to huge boos. Sid gets a rope break. More "Goldberg sucks" chants as Goldberg hits short clotheslines. Goldberg sort of target's Sid's arm. Commentary certainly tries their best to make it happen but Goldberg's less focused. More boos from the crowd for Goldberg being in control. Now Goldberg hooks on a cobra clutch. Just like that Sid goes out and the ref calls it even though Sid never said I quit. Way too short for an I Quit match, but it's Sid and Goldberg so I really shouldn't complain too much. 1/2*

 

Mean Gene sticks the knife in Luger some more that Liz ran off on him after messing up during the match. 

 

Tournament Finals for the Vacant WCW World Heavyweight Championship: Bret "Hitman" Hart def Chris Benoit in 17:44- It wasn't pretty getting here, but in the end this is exactly the right match to main event and be the tournament final. Bret and Benoit, two men that have never won the WCW World title that absolutely deserve it, and on top of that in Canada. The kind of obvious booking even Russo couldn't screw up. These two have had multiple matches on Nitro, including the famous and wonderful Owen tribute match that might be the best match in Nitro's history, but this is their first ever meeting on PPV. Code of Honor handshake after the bell and we're off. Lockup and Lil' Naitch has to force a break in the corner. Another lockup and immediate armdrag from Benoit. He then tries to work on Bret's arm but Bret backs him into the corner. Reset knucklelock and now Bret gets some arm work in. ARMBAR. Speed run and Benoit hits either a clothesline or knee to the gut, that didn't come off as intended. They try again and this time Benoit clearly hits a knee to the gut. Snap mare into a chinlock. Bret quickly works around to try to roll Benoit up but Benoit grounds him again. Sunset flip from Benoit but it was with too much pep and they end up in the ropes. Both guys try for their signature submission holds but they're both countered and we get another rope break. Another respect handshake after that. Nice. Bret gets Benoit in the corner and hits a European uppercut. Benoit reverses a corner whip and we get a Bret bump. Oh bloody hell, that fan with the Canadian flag is back and he jumps the rail. Well, I'll give them credit, they fooled me into thinking he was a real fan being a moron earlier. He attacks Benoit with his flagpole. Already interference, in THIS match. This is why we could never have nice WCW things. He rubs his facepaint off and it's Dean Malenko! So who was the guy that attacked Malenko with the flag? Did he go back in time and attack himself? Security comes in and hauls Malenko out. Bret stays in control back in as I'm positive we haven't seen the last of the interference tonight. Bret his a piledriver and Benoit gets a foot on the rope to save a pin. Legdrop to the back of Benoit's head. Headbutts to Benoit's back. Benoit starts to chop back, putting Bret down. Backbreaker from Benoit. Backdrop. Back suplex for 2. Bret comes back and hits a DDT for 2. Benoit rolls through a tiltawhirl attempt and PLANTS Bret with a leaping tombstone! Benoit says that's it and goes up top. The headbutt hits! Oh hell, here comes Scott Hall staggering down the aisle. Along with Kevin Nash. Naturally they're late so Bret still has to kick out. The Outsiders take Lil' Naitch out. Hall fallaway slam on Benoit. Now here comes Goldberg. Spear on Nash! Hall has a chair and nails Goldberg with it. Bret inverted atomic drop and clothesline on Hall. Someone throws a roll of toilet paper in the ring. I completely agree. They got the matchup right, but of course it made too much sense to let two of the best wrestlers on the planet go at it in their home country with no extraneous BS. The Outsiders decide they've worked enough tonight and depart. Goldberg follows them and attacks, which gets all the camera focus instead of the WORLD TITLE MATCH. Finally they go split screen as Benoit is now working on Bret's bum knee. Security breaks up the outside fight and we go full focus on what matters again. Or not. Back to split screen as the fight continues in the back. Security tries again to stop it and we go back fully to the ring. Benoit is continuing to pick Bret's knee apart. Figure four! Bret gets a fairly easy rope break. Benoit stays on the knee. The ref backs him out of the corner, giving Bret an opening to slug back. Backbreaker from Bret on the good knee for 2. He puts Benoit up top and hits a superplex. Russian leg sweep for 2. Bret, being Bret, is still selling the knee all the time. He hits some more shots to Benoit's back. He scoops Benoit for a slam, but his knee gives out and Benoit falls on top for a 2 count. The kickout sends Benoit to the floor, giving Bret space to shake his knee off some more. Bret goes for an apron suplex. Benoit slips out and waistlocks. ROLLING GERMANS time! But Benoit only hits two, then switches to try a dragon suplex. Bret gets free, but Benoit keeps hold of the arm and goes for the crossface! Bret does a great escape to get free. Double leg takedown! The Sharpshooter is on! Another toiler paper roll is thrown in right on target. Benoit taps! Bret wins to FINALLY win the WCW World title! Credit where credit is due, Russo quickly corrected a massive Bischoff era mistake. When you get Bret freaking Hart, you put him on top. Pyro fires off as soon as the match is over and the Hart family comes into the ring to celebrate as Bret and Benoit hug it out. It's a genuinely great moment to end on, and I wish it was given more time to breathe. I'm torn on this match. When they were left alone it was fantastic, but a large chunk of the middle was pointless run ins that only messed up what was happening in the ring. The fact they got to finish clean is a big plus. So, really good, but not on the level of the Owen tribute match despite the moment of Bret finally winning the big one in WCW. ***3/4

 

OVERALL SHOW THOUGHTS- Believe it or not this show actually got some fairly positive reviews when it first took place, but time and reflection have not been as kind to it. The main event alone elevates it above a lot of other Russo era shows, and that fantastic ending is enough to bump the final letter grade up an increment. The most frustrating thing is, like some other WCW shows of the period, it could have been good with just a few minor changes. Cut out the bottom matches of the 12 match card, give more time to the good matches, and I'd say less interference crap but that was ingrained in both Russo and WCW of this era to start with. Another positive I'll say for Russo's style that he tried to work here is how all the backstage segments and storylines tried to interconnect and dovetail into one singular, somewhat logical whole. If only he cared as much about doing that long term across multiple shows.

OVERALL SHOW GRADE: C-