Souled Out 2000

Legacy Review

Souled Out 2000

January 16, 2000 from the Firstar Center in Cincinnati, OH

 

Commentary: Tony Schiavone, Bobby Heenan and Mike Tenay

 

Welcome to the start of the final full year of WCW's existence. As the calendar turns to the new millennium change is once again underway in WCW. The kick from Goldberg that would end Bret Hart's career happened at Starrcade, and while no one knew how bad it would be yet and he had been trying to wrestle through it until just before this show, Bret was now out due to the concussion and was forced to vacate the World title. Little did anyone know he'd already wrestled his last proper match (his 2010 WWE matches don't count). In a small bit of karmic penance, Goldberg also suffered a major injury soon after Starrcade on Nitro when he punched through a limo window that turned out to be real instead of gimmicked, severing an artery in his arm and putting him in the hospital. He would be out for several months. In addition, US champ and Russo booking binkie Jeff Jarrett was also out with a concussion suffered only a week before this show.

 

Changes were also once again taking place behind the scenes. Due to the spate of injuries the top of the card had to be completely reworked, and Russo's initial idea was of all things to have MMA ringer Tank Abbot (their Dollar General Ken Shamrock who hadn't even wrestled a PPV match yet) win the World title in a battle royale, then lose it quickly after. That was the last straw for Turner brass, who were already not happy with what they'd gotten from their high profile Russo investment. Russo was temporarily suspended from duty, and wanting an experienced hand they brought Kevin Sullivan back in to lead the booking committee, a job he'd held off and on during Bischoff's era. However, that was not a popular move in the locker room. One positive thing you could say about Russo was he tried to give everyone something do to, while the perception was Sullivan was only interested in pushing his friends. In particular, the group later known as the Radicalz were so unhappy with the move they wanted out right now. Particularly Chris Benoit, who had a longstanding personal beef with Sullivan. Because of that, when the card for this show was restructured it was done trying to keep that group happy and willing to stay in WCW.

 

There's no intro video at all, probably due to all the last second card changes. The show intros are getting more WWF-like than ever. Mike Tenay returns to the booth for the first time since before Russo took over. They blame Jarrett's concussion on....Benoit hitting a diving headbutt off the top of a steel cage? That clearly hit Jarrett in the gut and not in the head? Your logic does not resemble our Earth logic. We then get footage of the Revolution taking out Konnan backstage during the preshow, because what this company needs is more injuries. The match graphics for this show are HILARIOUS. They're ripped right off the DVD release of some indy promotion.

 

Catch As Catch Can Match: Billy Kidman def Dean Malenko (w/Shane Douglas) in 2:11- Filthy Animals member Kidman is taking on all three members of the Revolution in three separate matches with three separate stipulations. First up is Malenko in a "catch as catch can" match, which in a nutshell is supposed to be amateur style wrestling with strictly enforced rope and corner breaks, with the added rule that if you go out of the ring and your feet touch the floor you automatically lose the match. Remember that last part. Basic start with Malenko doing some nice chain wrestling and hiding in the corner when things don't go right. He holds Kidman in a headscissors. Kidman slowly escapes and charges fists flying, but Malenko hides in the corner again. Malenko dodges a dropkick and tries a jackknife cover. Kidman rolls through it and lays in some ground and pound. Malenko, instinctively, rolls out to the floor. Commentary: "The match is over isn't it?". No one acts like it and Malenko gets back in the ring like everything's normal and still going, until Lil' Naitch calls for the bell. That's it, it's over. No one looks happy about that. In fact both wrestlers look very upset as they leave. I don't think that was the planned finish, but they'd backed themselves into the corner with the rules and had to stick with them. Which honestly is unusual for WCW so I guess give them some small credit there. Still a completely stupid match and situation though. 1/4*

 

More evidence things did not go as planned- commentary has to vamp while the video package for the next match is loaded up. During Vampiro's promo Masahiro Chono randomly interrupts and says something in Japanese. WCW had just sent a few guys over to work the January 4th Tokyo Dome show, then still called Wrestling World (which I have reviews of all of elsewhere on the blog, shameless plug), reopening the WCW/New Japan pipeline for the first time in a couple of years.

 

Three Way Dance: Vampiro def WCW World Tag Team Champions David Flair & Crowbar (w/Daffney) in 10:28- David Flair still has his crowbar, and now has a new partner named Crowbar. It's a crowbar overload. Crowbar looks a bit like Kanyon but it's a completely different and much smaller guy. Jump start with Vampiro dodging a golden crowbar shot. Double faceplant on both heels. David rolls out and Vampiro pounds on Crowbar for a bit. Crowbar maneuvers into hitting a northern lights suplex for 2. Vampiro lands on his feet off a monkey flips and back kicks Crowbar to the floor. Tope suicida on Crowbar. Daffney distracts the ref but it doesn't do much of anything. Hell, she can distract me. She's nuts but she's still hot. I've dealt with crazy before. Anyway, Vampiro still easily stays in control on both guys. David and Crowbar do this ridiculous grappling dance with each other to get in position on the floor to take a Vampiro baseball slide. Crowbar does a somersault dive over the top to the floor that takes out both David and Vampiro. That allows the heels to finally get control for the first time. Big splash by Crowbar off the apron onto Vampiro on the floor. Chops from David in the ring. Vampiro easily reverses and tosses David out. Crowbar comes from behind and German suplexes Vampiro. Slingshot legdrop for 2. Vampiro puts Crowbar up top and hits a superplex for 2. Crowbar gives us our first crotch shot of the night. Russo's definitely been pushed back if it's taken this long. Crowbar slams David onto Vampiro for 2. Suplex from David for 2. The ref in this match is counting super slow for some reason. Crowbar and Vampiro completely fuck up a powerbomb. After that Vampiro says fuck it and goes back on offense. Uranage on Crowbar that David takes FOREVER to break up even though he was standing right there. Big splash off the top rope from Crowbar, but he doesn't bother to cover. He wants David to put the figure four on. He just about manages to do so. While in the figure four Crowbar big splashes Vampiro again and covers. David pulls Crowbar off and they fight! They're NUTS, see. Daffney tries to make peace but David back suplexes Crowbar, then decides it's time for some nookie with Daffney. Crowbar rolls David up for 2. Vampiro powerbombs Crowbar. Daffney gets back in and Vampiro attacks her. Dodge and charging David squashes Daffney in the corner! Vampiro hits Nail in the Coffin and pins David while Daffney stands right there and doesn't do anything. Sloppy as hell. I'm pretty sure they had to cover the time the last match lost which didn't help any. 1/2*

 

The Mamalukes (w/Disco Inferno) def The Harris Boys in 9:31- With Russo taking a back seat Creative Control, along with the whole "Powers That Be" crap and Russo playing Dr. Claw, is no more and the Harris Brothers are just the Harris Brothers again. Er, the Harris BOYS. Close enough. Quick start by one of the Harriseses, the no logo shirt one. Bull fights back and No Logo Harris rolls out. Back in Vito gives No Logo a hiptoss and the Italians double team. They call for Discos help but Disco makes like he can't hear them. Heenan: "Disco doesn't want to be here! Like me!". Unintentional shoot comments for the win. Or possibly not that unintentional. The Mamalukes stay in control on Logo Harris. Vito drops an elbow right on Logo's crotch. The Harrises use a shot from the apron to turn the tide and take control. A predictably dull heat sequence follows. Though I have no idea who's supposed to be face or heel in this match, if anyone. Some "boring" chants start to echo out. Bull manages a sunset flip but they roll so far they end up in the ropes. Vito's Italian temper finally overflows and we go full on DONNYBROOK. Disco shoves his own man Vito off the top rope, but somehow Vito ends up on top of one of the Harrisi and gets the pin. Total backfire by Disco. A technically competent wrestling match in the strictest sense of the term, but it's impossible to give the slightest shit about any of these guys. *1/2

 

WCW Cruiserweight Championship: Oklahoma def Madusa (c) (w/Spice) in 2:55- Hoo boy. We're really doing this. Oklahoma's gone from fighting the freaks to the misogynist fighting the women to prove men are superior. He comes in wearing the belt after stealing it from Madusa on weekly TV. How does he even qualify for the Cruiserweight division? Because shut up. Madusa comes out wearing a Bucs jersey. #66 Blackman, zero memory for me. Commentary says he used to play for the Bengals but now is with the Bucs. I thought she's supposed to be the face here. Don't ask, it's almost Russo I guess. Plus, '99-2000 Bengals, that's when they were still the joke of the NFL so no one gave a shit anyway. Shoving match that Oklahoma wins. Madusa lays in some kicks, and she's wrestling barefoot again. Back kick and Oklahoma does a .3 Flair Flop off the ropes. Oklahoma goes right to the hair pulling. What a man. Real tough guy. He does the '80s women's wrestling hair snap mares. More kicks from Madusa, then chops. Oklahoma ducks in the corner and Madusa hits the top buckle, then falls head first into Oklahoma's crotch in the most obvious set up way. Madusa tries a kick off the second rope but doesn't hold her balance well and barely gets it. Off the other side she hits a better missile dropkick off the second rope. She misses a dropkick in the middle of the ring that Oklahoma was nowhere near going into. Horrible timing there. Oklahoma hits a leaping DDT and drags Madusa into the corner. He gets his bottle of BBQ sauce which, believe it or not, he's been using as a weapon during the feud. That's being taken seriously. Spice grabs the bottle away. Asya comes out and takes out Oklahoma! All the women are teaming up. Back in the ring Oklahoma pulls down Madusa's skirt thing, rolls her up and pins her. Fucking hell THAT'S the finish? As if the rest of the match wasn't bad enough. DUD

 

While the other women hold him Madusa pours the BBQ sauce down Oklahoma's tights for revenge. Please let us never speak of any of this again. Fortunately this would pretty much be the end of the Oklahoma character. He'd vacate the title on the Nitro after this show because he was so very obviously over the weight limit. 

 

Four Way Match for the WCW Hardcore Championship: Brian Knobbs (c) def "Screamin'" Norman Smiley, Meng and Fit Finlay in 6:08- Knobbs just defeated unexpected hardcore ace Smiley for the title on the Thunder before this show. Which means no one saw it. Smiley's gimmick gear for tonight is police riot gear. Not the worst idea. It's a four way, but there's a tight alliance between Knobbs and Finlay, and a much looser one between Smiley and Meng. Jump start as Knobbs is still walking in. Trash can lids immediately start flying around. Smiley holds a trash can forever waiting to get someone to hit, then finally tries Meng. As expected, no effect. Meng kicks the can into Smiley's face and Norman's SCREAMING. The Knobbs/Finlay team gangs up on Meng. Smiley hits Knobbs with a pipe or nightstick or something. Everyone goes to the floor. Knobbs completely muffs Smiley trying to run him into the ring apron. Meng chops Smiley and he screams again. I won't lie, it's chuckle worthy. As usual for WCW the trash cans are still getting thrown around. They can't seem to understand you can use things other than that in a hardcore match. Finlay finally gives us some variety when he uses Smiley's riot gear helmet as a weapon. He and Knobbs then get a table out. They then team up to crotch Smiley on the post. Tony: "Now he's Cryin' Norman Smiley". Well done. He and Finlay brawl into the crowd but then immediately come right back. Side thought: Meng's afro should be illegal. His head's hard enough already and now it has all that extra padding. Smiley cautiously approaches Knobbs behind his riot shield, then drops a low blow and gives us some wiggle. He tries coming off the second rope but Knobbs hits him coming down with his own riot shield! That gets Knobbs the pin to retain. Dull match, decent finish. *

 

Bunkhouse Brawl: Billy Kidman def Perry Saturn in 10:03- Kidman vs the Revolution match #2. Everyone's in their regular gear here, rendering the Bunkhouse Brawl part half meaningless. All Saturn early as he blocks a hiptoss and hits a clothesline, then press slams Kidman. Kidman gets a tiltawhirl flying headscissors and dropkick, then lays in some mounted punches. Misdirection clothesline for 2. There's a lot of high pitched shrieks going on for Kidman out there. I don't really get it but whatever. He tries for some kind of flying bulldog but Saturn crotches him on the top rope, then hits his crazy springboard flying clothesline that sends both of them to the floor. That move is so legit dangerous. Then Saturn covers on the floor for 2. Since when were Bunkhouse Brawls falls count anywhere? Saturn stays in control in the ring, wrapping Kidman in something like a Mr. Salty (shoutout to Joey Styles wherever he is now). Kidman turns a suplex attempt into a cradle for 2. Saturn quickly kills him again with a clothesline. Springboard legdrop for 2. Saturn suplex drops Kidman over the top rope for 2. Another Kidman comeback attempt is cut off with a superkick as this is turning into legal murder. Saturn uses the remnants of Kidman's shirt to flip him across the ring. Saturn goes under the ring and gets a table. While he's doing that Kidman goes for a plancha that barely hits the target. Kidman then finishes setting the table up himself. Heenan says something about he and Tony using the table. Tenay: "Under the table I'm sure if you're involved Heenan". OH SHIT. Totally intentional shoot comments for the mega win. It's well known that Heenan, disgusted with being stuck in WCW, was often drunk during shows. Heenan even responds with an over the top "Thank you Mike!". Back in the ring it's Saturn killing off a comeback attempt once again. Elbow off the top rope for 2. Kidman again flips over into a roll up for 2 and again gets killed by a clothesline after. Saturn then does the impossible, hitting Kidman with a powerbomb for another 2. Kidman dodges a moonsault off the top rope and finally strings some offense together, hitting a bulldog and spinebuster for 2. Saturn grabs Kidman near the ropes and belly to belly suplexes him over the top rope through the table on the floor! DAMN. Saturn covers on the floor but Kidman kicks out. Saturn drags Kidman back in and calls for the Rings of Saturn. Then goes up top. Maybe not. Kidman goes up with him, they take forever trying to find their footing, and then Kidman flips Saturn down to the floor. I don't think they were able to pull off what they really wanted. Once again it's Saturn up first. He goes for another powerbomb but that's sure as hell not going to work twice. Kidman does his usual faceplant counter and gets the pin! Mostly solid but way too long for what they were doing. Saturn dominated the entire match until the shock comeback win. **1/2

 

Booker T (w/Midnight) def Stevie Ray by DQ in 6:29- Harlem Heat explodes!....Again. What's funnier is commentary says "we never thought we'd see this" even though this is the second time in two years they'd broken up. Hell, they only got back together so they could break up again! Booker's got new gear with straps on it. Thankfully that won't last. Both guys come out to Harlem Heat's music. Booker sends Midnight to the back before the match starts. After some jawing Booker lays the first shots in and hits a side kick. Ray rolls out but Booker follows and stays on him. Back in they do about the weakest "speed" run ever and Booker hits a flying forearm for 2. Ray responds with a back elbow and hits a clothesline with a 360 Booker sell. He then tosses Booker over the top back to the floor. Both guys swap guardrail shots. Back in Ray hits a powerslam for 2. Ray keeps Booker grounded with a chinlock and some punches. Snap mare and elbow drop for 2. Ray hits a horrible backdrop that the camera cuts away from. I wonder if that was live or a later edit. WWE has never really cared about leaving WCW botches in because, why should they. Booker comes back with a kick combo. Scissors kick. Spinaroonie! Book End! Wait, someone's running in. It's AHMED JOHNSON! Or the artist formerly known as, Tenay says "I know who that is" without ever saying his name. Johnson attacks Booker, drawing the DQ. Midnight runs back out but doesn't do anything as Ray plants Booker with the Slapjack, then Johnson hits a powerbomb. Ray takes a mic, calls Johnson "Big T", and says say hello to the new Harlem Heat. Um, Booker T to Ahmed Johnson I'd call a massive downgrade. 1/2*

 

Tank Abbott def Jerry Flynn in 1:39- Full on Antonio Inoki special pseudo MMA "shoot" fight here, the kind that Inoki will go to more and more the next few years and almost put New Japan out of business in the process. Abbott attacks Flynn in the corner and flips him back out of the corner. After a reset Flynn hits a kick and tries a cross armbreaker that Abbott fights out. Eventually Abbott lifts Flynn up and tosses him. He then swings a punch that completely misses Flynn's face and Flynn doesn't react to it at all. Another punch connects. The ref does arm drops, WHILE TENAY SAYS THERE'S A 10 COUNT, gets three and calls for the bell. I'm not bothering, I dealt with enough of this crap while reviewing the Inokism era January 4th Tokyo Dome shows. NR

 

Remember after watching that, Tank Abbott is the guy Russo wanted to put the WCW WORLD TITLE on. 

 

Last Man Standing Match: Buff Bagwell def Diamond Dallas Page in 11:40- After the full Inokism match, we get a full Val Venus feud special, as this is all wrapped up around rumors that Buff is boinking Kimberly. Can we get confirmation that there will be a 10 count in this match before it gets going? Lots of jawing and pointing after the bell that leads into a slugfest. The fight goes to the floor as Bagwell gets whipped into the guardrail, then DDP flips him over and they fight up into the crowd. They go through the hockey bench area or penalty box into a tarped off section. Coming back in DDP manages to balance on the guardrail and pose. Back in DDP turns a blocked hiptoss into a swinging neckbreaker. Bagwell fights out of a Diamond Cutter attempt and hits his own swinging neckbreaker. DDP turns a kick block into a clothesline. Cactus Clothesline from DDP! Now they work their way up the aisle over toward the internet desk WCW was still using. Jawbreaker from DDP. They both swing computer monitors at each other and take each other out! DDP then hits Bagwell with a keyboard. Bagwell hits DDP to get him on the desk and climbs up the WCW.com sign. Bagwell dives off and puts DDP through the desk! Bagwell walks back toward the ring and DDP limps after him. Did the ref even try for a 10 count on DDP there? Back in the ring Bagwell low blows DDP. Bagwell starts feeling it and struts around. That sets DDP off. He slides under in the corner and crotches Bagwell on the post. Corner elbows from DDP as a big "DDP" chant starts up. Bagwell gets a back elbow in the corner and hits a Vader bomb. The ref counts both guys down. They're both up at 8. DDP hits a ripcord back elbow but both guys are down and counted again. This ref is really playing into the crowd chanting the count with him. It's not about you ref. Back up and they're slugging it out again. Nice series of counters and Bagwell hits a DDT. Both are up at 9 again. Bagwell grabs DDP and hits a half and half suplex that he also flips over and lands like a powerslam. Look at DDP actually dragging some effort out of Bagwell. He calls for the Blockbuster. And it hits! DDP drags himself up at 8 or 9. Bagwell then attacks DDP with a baton he brought with him. DDP drags himself up by the ropes again. Diamond Cutter! Here comes Kimberly. While she's walking out Bagwell gets up at 9 but DDP doesn't, giving Bagwell the win. Good match showing again how good DDP had gotten dragging this out of Bagwell, but with a pretty flat finish. ***1/4

 

While Bagwell's looking at Kimberly DDP attacks him with the baton. Kimberly leaves with DDP but gives no real indication how she really feels about any of this. 

 

Caged Heat Match: The Wall (w/Shane Douglas) def Billy Kidman in 4:59- The finale of the Kidman/Revolution trio as Kidman looks for the clean sweep. Caged Heat is essentially WCW's ripoff of Hell in a Cell, it's a similar size cage. It's making its debut tonight as commentary is shocked at how big it is. Talk about zero fanfare for something that should get at least a little. Wall is a mystery opponent announced by Douglas as the newest member of the Revolution. Reminder he got his name because he was originally partnered with Alex Wright's disastrous Berlyn character and WCW wanted the pun. As Wall gets in Kidman dropkicks him into the cage! Kidman gets a chair from under the ring and hits Wall with it, until Wall ducks a shot and punches the chair into Kidman's face. Back in Wall tries coming off the top rope but Kidman dropkicks him and covers for 2. Both guys do some dodges and Kidman runs into a big boot. Wall presses him and tosses him into the cage. Back in Wall goes into his usual dull kicky/chokey offense. Clothesline for 2. Kidman fights off a superplex and hits a sunset bomb for 2. Wall responds with a Samoan drop. Kidman counters a suplex attempt into a DDT for 2. He's getting more offense in than he did the whole Saturn match. Goozle from Wall, but Kidman uses his usual powerbomb counter to hit a hurricanrana. He sets Wall up in the corner. Wall does not play along by getting right to his feet. Kidman tries coming off the top rope anyway, flies into a goozle, Wall hits the chokeslam, and gets the pin. That was pretty pointless. 3/4*

 

To set up the next match- Terry Funk, now 55 years old, made his return to WCW at the start of the year. His last major WCW run in 1989 he was already "middle age and crazy", I guess he's more middle age now. Funk was immediately made the new WCW Commissioner, and kicked off a feud with the newly reformed NWO (Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, Bret Hart and Jeff Jarrett as NWO 2000 with silver and black colors).

 

Hardcore Match: Kevin Nash def Terry Funk in 7:55- Funk's commissionership is also on the line in this match. Nash jumps Funk in the aisle and we're on. Both guys try to stick and move and they slug it out back and forth around the ring. Nash hits a couple of chairshots and Funk says "Come on you fucking chump!". Nash jackknifes Funk through the announce table! Well that was sudden. How do you go up from that this early in the match? Nash takes a mic, says Funk has a ton of heart but no common sense (honestly Funk would probably agree), then says if Funk can crawl back in the ring he can keep his commissionership. Funk staggers around and slowly drags himself back in. Nash: "I'm a lying son of a bitch". We know. Nash hits his usual corner shots and Funk staggers around. Being dropped through the table back first busted him open on his forehead by the way. Wrestling logic. Must have been a stray piece of wood. Nash clotheslines Funk 360 back to the floor with Funk doing a crazy dangle off the ropes before going down. While going around the ring Funk grabs a chair and tosses it in the ring, joining the one Nash already had. Back in Nash hits more chairshots. Funk cuts off another with with a gut punch and gives Nash some chairshots back. DDT from Funk for 2. I guess Turner's gone blood paranoid again because we stay in wide shots away from the ring and the only ringside camera shots show Funk's back. Headbutt from Nash. Funk tries to swing more shots but Nash gives him more chairshots in the head with Funk doing more classic Funk wobblelegged selling. Return chairshot from Funk and he sets both chairs up in the ring, then gets a third. Nash hits a low blow, jackknifes Funk through the chairs, and gets the pin to become the new WCW Commissioner. Old man Funk gave it all he had left but Nash vs a legend is never a good idea, you know he's not interested in showing respect or letting the legend get much in. Still can't believe they blew the big announce table spot right at the start of the match too. *3/4

 

I can't remember if the original plan for the main event was a Benoit/Bret rematch, but I do know it was going to be Benoit vs Jarrett for the vacant title before Jarrett's injury. Sid Vicious his replacement. Arn Anderson is the special guest referee for this match. Arn's prematch promo does a great job of selling the main event as a big deal better than anything or anyone else has.

 

Vacant WCW World Heavyweight Championship: Chris Benoit def Sid Vicious in 14:50- Kind of hard to believe but this is face vs face as both guys are faces, and in fact have been "good friends" the last couple of months per commentary. Didn't know Sid had friends. In a new move, Buffer does his usual overly long intros after both guys are in the ring in super special ring announcing style, only letting him unnecessarily eat up even more time. Lockup! Rough but clean break in the corner. Off another corner break Benoit ducks around to a waistlock but Sid back elbows him down before he can do anything. Sid then helps Benoit up in the corner, showing this is an honorable fight. Saturn and David Flair have both shown up in the entranceway. Why are they both here? Even more relevant, why are they together? Shoulderblock from Sid and he pushes Benoit over the top to the floor. It's not just Saturn and David after all, half the damn roster has now shown up to watch the match from this side of the curtain. Reset in the ring and Sid gorilla presses Benoit. Front drop suplex from Sid. Benoit ducks a clothesline and basement dropkicks Sid's knee. There's the strategery. He starts picking Sid's knee apart. He sets Sid up on the floor, then dropkicks the stairs into Sid's knee! Damn that always looks vicious. Sid tries to fight back on the floor but Benoit chops him back down, rolls him back in and covers for 2. Figure four! Sid fights and manages to turn it over. Benoit takes a rope break. Another chop from Benoit and he basement dropkicks Sid in the head while Sid is on his knees. He wraps Sid's knee around the middle rope and goes after it again. Dragon screw! More chops in the corner. Snap suplex/elbow drop combo from Benoit for 2. Sid tries another comeback and Benoit kicks the bad knee to get him back down. Benoit puts on a half crab, then locks the leg and bridges back into a full on Mutalock! Sid refuses to submit and Benoit eventually lets go. More punishment on the knee. A baseball slide sends Sid out to the floor. The crowd gets behind Sid and he starts hulking up in the ring. Open hand slap to Benoit! Benoit ducks a clothesline and dropkicks the knee again. ROLLLLLLLLLLLING GERMANS! No, Sid elbows out after just one! Powerslam from Sid for 2. Benoit does a rolling leg takedown into a legbar. Sid uses the crowd to fight back up again and gets a rope break. Another Benoit German suplex and he calls for the finish. The headbutt off the top hits! Sid kicks out! HUGE kickout that flung Benoit across the ring. Goozle! Sid hits the chokeslam! Benoit just barely gets a foot under the ropes to keep from getting pinned. The crossface is on! Sid taps out! Benoit, FINALLY, wins the WCW World title! Now, I should point out that unnoticed by commentary, Sid's leg was also under the ropes when he tapped out. That was an important out they gave themselves they will need later. As for this match, it was as good as it possibly could have been. Benoit shows he's a miracle worker by carrying Sid to a good main event. The layout really helped as it was very smart, Benoit controlling most of the match and saving Sid's offense for short comeback spots. A clean finish is also very much appreciated, especially with all the wrestlers standing at the entrance stage seemingly on standby to interfere. ***

 

Benoit heads to the back to have some words with Mean Gene. New Commissioner Nash interrupts and promises to make Benoit's life a living hell starting tomorrow. He'd never have a chance to fulfill that promise. Despite WCW's hail mary attempt to keep them happy, the next day before Nitro began all the Radicalz again asked for their release and this time it was granted. From reports we've gotten since it seems like they went over the heads of anyone in WCW right to Turner brass to get them. They'd all debut for WWF in short order, before the Royal Rumble. That action got the Turner corporate guy that replaced Bischoff as the true head of WCW, Bill Busch, fired and replaced by another Turner suit, Brad Siegel. The WCW World title would be vacated once again and in a fit of spite Benoit's title win was even erased from the history books. It wouldn't be recognized until after WWF's buyout. In fact the title would go on another convoluted journey between here and the next PPV, but I'll get into that next time.

 

OVERALL SHOW THOUGHTS- It's not the *worst* WCW PPV they've put on recently or anywhere close to how bad 2000 would get later, but that's not saying much. There was a calmer feel around the whole thing with Russo having less control, which was appreciated. It's also hugely consequential in that the entire sequence of Sullivan's return to the head booker chair and the subsequent departure of the Radicalz, especially Benoit right after winning the title, and another change in WCW's corporate leadership are more important signposts on the road toward WCW's ultimate end.

OVERALL SHOW GRADE: D+