Uncensored 2000

Legacy Review

Uncensored 2000

March 19, 2000 from the American Airlines Arena in Miami, FL

 

Commentary: Tony Schiavone, Mike Tenay and Mark Madden

 

Are you ready for rock bottom, folks? I hope so, because like it or not here it comes. No one knew it at the time, but tonight marks the start of the final 12 months of WCW PPVs, and appropriately it will be a significant one on the run to the end of the company.

 

Everybody's WALKING into the arena! Honestly it's not an unsimilar start to a TKO era WWE show.  There's also a BLACK LIMO arriving that no one knows who it is. I wonder if Vince McMahon has finally arrived to accept Bischoff's challenge from two years ago. After that there's barely any ballyhoo from commentary before intros for the first match as WCW finally starts mixing up what used to be very plodding PPV intros. We know the shit's coming, lets' go ahead and get it over with.

 

WCW Cruiserweight Championship: The Artist Formerly Known as Prince Iaukea (c) (w/Paisley) def Psychosis (w/Juventud Guerrera) in 7:20- I'm trying to figure out what belt Iaukea is wearing because it doesn't look like the normal Cruiserweight belt. Did he get a custom belt? I don't remember. I can't see how WCW could afford something like that at this point. It would fit his character though. Psychosis has lost his mask since the last time he was on PPV. That was definitely a WCW trend. Any lucha wrestler that lasted any real time in WCW lost their mask at some point. Both guys stall and play to the crowd after the bell, then some music starts up. No one knows what's going on. Then Chris Candido comes out, apparently making his WCW debut. This is what passes for a big name signing for WCW at this point. He goes over to commentary and joins them. I remind you, AFTER the bell has rung to start the match. Psychosis then eye pokes Iaukea to finally get going and they do some back and forth stuff. Flying headscissors off the top rope from Psychosis and he 360 clotheslines Iaukea to the floor. Crossbody off the top to the floor from Psychosis. Back in Iaukea takes over with the usual dull heel Iaukea stuff. He puts Psychosis in the tree of woe and hits a running knee on him. With Kevin Sullivan still holding the head booker position I bet he demanded someone do that. Simple snap mare for 2 and Iaukea pulls Psychosis' hair. Superkick and Iaukea poses before covering for 2. He tosses Psychosis out to the floor. Paisley gets in his face and slaps him. Corner clothesline from Iaukea back in. Another snap mare into more straight hair pulling. It's like an '80s women's match. Legdrop for 2. Sunset flip from Psychosis for 2. Iaukea comes back up with a clothesline. Psychosis sets Iaukea up top and hits a hurricanrana for 2. Falcon arrow from Psychosis that about drops Iaukea on his head. He goes up top again but Paisley distracts him. Juvy comes over and kisses Paisley to distract her! That sets her off, slapping Juvy and pulling his shirt off. Then she goes for his belt! Um, let me get this straight. He kissed you, so you're tearing his shirt off and going straight to undo his belt. And we're supposed to think the kiss made you MAD? Anyway, Psychosis hits a legdrop off the top rope. Paisley distracts him while he's trying to cover in a very awkward looking sequence. Iaukea hits the DDT off the second rope and gets the pin. Mostly competent, which might be better than anything else we get tonight. Scary, I know. *

 

Norman Smiley & The Demon def XS in 3:42- XS (pronounced excess) are Lenny (formerly Lenny Lane) and Rave (formerly Lodi from the Flock days) looking like some corporate Turner suit's idea of what the cool kids are into nowadays. Before Smiley and Demon make their entrance Miss Hancock (Stacy Keibler) comes out and takes spot #4 in commentary. Madden just looking at her makes me uncomfortable, like he instantly needs a restraining order. Funny bit on the entrance where Smiley comes out of the Demon's casket. He's even wearing full Demon face paint and the robe! It's a shame Smiley's stuck in 2000 WCW during this run because he's turned into a great comedy wrestler. Not on the level of an R-Truth, but not far below that. The Demons do some goofing around and the heels attack them. After a near fall on Rave, XS double team and toss Demon out to the floor. Smiley then comes from behind and knocks Rave to the floor. Rave knocks Demon around ringside while Smiley and Lane do some goofy stuff in the ring. Norman basically stands around and lets Rave attack him, but then goes into dodge mode and gets a tag to Demon. XS manage to get Demon down with some double teams. Keibler does not at all sound comfortable talking yet over on commentary. She'll learn. Suplex from Rave on Demon for 2. They do some awful three way clothesline where Lane looks like he trips over Demon after the other two go down. Tag to Smiley. He easily cleans house. Lane gets Smiley around into a skull crushing finale for 2. Tony is practically begging Keibler to talk. Smiley gets the Norman Conquest on Rave and Rave taps. Way to make XS look like complete goofs, which honestly they don't deserve any more. 1/4*

 

After the bell XS jump right out and try to take Hancock with them, but the Demons save her and bring her back to the ring to show off her assets. Smiley even lets her Wiggle him, which what guy wouldn't.

 

Video recap of the Wall annihilating David Flair and Crowbar, both of whom are in neck braces tonight. I only mention it because it will play into the next match. 

 

Bam Bam Bigelow def The Wall by DQ 3:35- The story here is Bigelow was Wall's mentor, but has gotten disgusted with Wall trying to take people out and injure them rather than just beat them in matches and is trying to knock some sense into him. Probably some shoot comment in there somewhere. Bigelow attacks Wall as soon as he's in the ring, leading to some back and forth slugging. Corner clothesline from Bigelow. Short clothesline from Wall, followed by his own corner clothesline. Bigelow responds with another clothesline. It's clotheslinepalooza. Bigelow breaks the trend with a setup slam and goes up top. The headbutt off the top hits for 2. Wall escapes another slam attempt and hits a big boot. Running high knee for 2. Bigelow counters a backdrop attempt with a leaping DDT for 2. Wall Cactus clotheslines Bigelow (that Bigelow launched early for). They do some weak brawling up the aisle. Wall chokeslams Bigelow through a table with a couple of computers on it that I guess is supposed to be the WCW.com desk. The tiny little sparks that shoot out of the computers after that are *hilarious*. The ref calls for the bell since this is supposed to be just a normal match. 1/2*

 

As soon as that happens David and Crowbar attack Wall. Wall fights them off and takes Crowbar's neckbrace off while the EMTs come in with a stretcher for Bigelow. Wall and Crowbar keep fighting back through the stage, then the camera focuses on Bigelow being loaded up on the stretcher for a long while. We hear Daffney screaming so something must be going on. Crowbar and Wall have climbed up the Generic WCW PPV Stage and are still fighting up there. Wall chokeslams Crowbar down through the "stage"! WCW saw WWF having success with long falls and finally decided to try to keep up. The problem is, unlike WWF, we aren't being given any real reason to care about the guys being thrown down these ridiculous heights. Which that one was only about the equivalent of maybe halfway up the Hell in a Cell cage. Commentary acts like they just saw someone murdered.

 

Gauntlet Match for the WCW Hardcore Championship: Brian Knobbs def 3 Count (c) in 6:58- In one of the sillier twists of WCW 2000, all three members of 3 Count are somehow collectively the Hardcore champion thanks to a triple pin on former champion Knobbs. During his entrance Knobbs turns around and runs to the back for some reason. Maybe 3 Count scares him that much. No, he's getting an extra large cart of goodies. Knobbs throws a whole bunch of stuff into the ring, but based on past WCW hardcore match experience I know all he'll use is the trash can. Helms (who's wearing one of those face protector masks tonight because of a broken nose, real or story who knows or cares) takes the mop Knobbs threw in and comes off the top rope onto Knobbs with it to get things going. Commentary says that to win the Hardcore title back Knobbs has to beat all three members of 3 Count. So he's not wrestling them one at a time then. In the ring Knobbs comes back with, what else, the trash can. Karagias does get a chairshot for variety. Then right back to the trash cans. All three guys take that Nasty Boys classic the pit stop. Helms then nails Knobbs with the chair. They whip Knobbs into a ladder propped up in the corner. 3 Count then sets the ladder up and Helms hits a splash off it onto Knobbs. Twisting splash off the ladder from Karagias. Then Moore with a swanton bomb attempt that Knobbs dodges. Knobbs gets the fire extinguisher and sprays down all of 3 Count. He breaks the mop over Helms' back, then puts a chair over Helms' face, hits it with a broom, and pins Helms. I guess he's out? Who knows? Knobbs attacks the other two on the floor. He gets a table out from under the ring. Knobbs brings Karagias into the ring, powerbombs him down through the table, and pins him. One left. Helms then attacks Knobbs so I guess so much for those rules. It's HARDCORE baby! Knobbs cuts off a Moore chairshot and hits Moore with it, then gets another table out. He sets the table up, with difficulty, in the ring. He picks Moore up. Helms missile dropkicks Moore in the back, sending Knobbs over the table! Moore covers and gets a pin, but then Nick Patrick says Knobbs' foot was on the rope and waves it off. IT'S A HARDCORE MATCH. How is there a rope break? Knobbs flat throws the ladder from the ring onto Karagias on the floor. Freaking hell that had to have hurt. Moore tries to give Knobbs the belt. Knobbs kicks it in his face. He goes to the second rope with a trash can, comes down on Moore with it, and gets the final pin to get the title back. Pretty much a complete squash. 3/4*

 

BREAKING NEWS: The limo is still outside and no one knows who it is. It's the mysterious locked door from Superbrawl all over again. After that, Vampiro rambles backstage. I mean literally rambles. Completely nonsensically. 

 

Booker & Billy Kidman (w/Torrie Wilson) def Harlem Heat 2000 (w/Cash and J Biggs) in 6:57- We get yet another guest commentator, this time J Biggs (Clarence Mason). Brothers Booker minus the T and Stevie Ray start off with Ray quickly putting Booker down. Arm crank and side kick from Booker. Kidman tags in and hits a dropkick. Ray catches Kidman on a crossbody attempt and slams him. Big T (former Ahmed Johnson) tags in and does one of the worst attempts at a "bump" off a dropkick I've ever seen. Booker works around Big (not difficult mobility wise but very difficult distance that needs to be covered wise) and hits him with a side kick, then takes out Ray trying to run in. Somehow even larger than Big T Cash tries to come in and takes a Booker scissors kick. Russian leg sweep on Big T. Kidman comes off the top and taken out by Ray when he was almost already past Ray. Double weak ass bicycle kick by HH 2000. Big T hits his version of a side kick and Ray covers. Torrie gets on the apron and breaks the count up. During the argument about that Cash grabs Kidman and works him over. Big T tries to dive over the guardrail onto Kidman and belly flops right down to the floor! What the freaking hell was that. Godwaful, that's what that was. Commentary tries to say he hit Kidman when he was closer to landing on the first row of the crowd. And that's where he leaped from. Back in Big hits a spinebuster and Booker breaks the pin up. Kidman works Ray into a Dudley Dog style bulldog out of the corner. Tag to Booker. Book End on Big. Ray breaks the pin up. Book End on Ray. Big sucks in some wind and attacks Booker from behind. Double spinebuster on Booker. Big T puts the straps down. Please put them back up. Kidman tries to get back in and Ray tosses him right back out. Kidman runs Cash into Ray on the floor. Sunset flip off the top rope from Kidman on Big T, Booker gives an assist and Kidman gets the pin. It's a Harlem Heat 2000 match. 1/2*

 

Falls Count Anywhere Match: Vampiro def Fit Finlay in 8:46- Before the match we get a medical update on Bigelow and Crowbar. Basically they have everything but anal bleeding. Shoutout to those of you that get that reference. Both Finlay and Vampiro, like half the damn roster, have casts on their arms thanks to Lex Luger attacks. That was completely out of hand. Doug freaking Dellinger had one on earlier, that's how insane that got. It's all Finlay early. Vamprio comes back with a couple of rapid fire kicks. Spinning heel kick off the top rope for 2. I like, in an amused but I know it's awful way, how Finlay keeps trying eye pokes and Vampiro just completely ignores him. Eventually Finlay runs Vampiro into the corner to take control back and hits a rolling slam. Finlay hops out and gets a chair. He puts it on Vampiro but ref Lil' Naitch takes it away. Finlay snatches it back, and Vampiro kicks it into his face! Good thing that chair had a lot of padding. Floor brawl time. Finlay gets the edge back by the announce table. Vampriro whips him into the guardrail, then Finlay backdrops him over into the crowd. And up into the stands they go. All the way up the midsection and back into the arena. Hey, it's bathroom time! A WCW falls count anywhere tradition. Finlay closes a stall door on Vampiro's head. Madden says someone should use a uranage in the bathroom. There's his one decent line for the night. Vampiro CLIMBS UP THE STALL DOOR and tries a dive but Finlay cuts it off with a trash can. A proper one. And we're out of the bathroom back into the waiting crowd. They go out the doors all the way outside. Finlay lifts Vampiro up and teases tossing him all the way down. After that they decide the weather's not good and come right back inside. What's with the red light? Is that the way the arena is normally lit? Makes me think Kane is going to do a run in. They continue to brawl as well as they can with all the people around them. Vampiro manages to take a backdrop, then runs Finlay into a pillar. He slams Finlay on the floor and I assume gets a pin, between the crappy light and all the people we can't see a damn thing. Still, that's sadly the best thing that's been on the show so far. *3/4

 

No DQ: WCW World Tag Team Championship: The Harris Brothers def The Mamalukes (c) (w/Disco Inferno) in 8:45- The Harriseses come out to NWO music so I guess they're part of NWO 2000 with Jarrett. I've long given up trying to keep track. Remember '89-'90 when WCW had the most stacked tag division in the history of wrestling? Now it's the Harris Brothers, the Mamalukes and Harlem Heat 2000. But don't worry, Kronik is coming. OK, Vito kissing Nick Patrick before the bell was pretty funny. Oh great, Disco is getting on commentary again. I think the only way I could groan harder is if AEW era Don Callis somehow went back in time and crashed commentary. Quick Vito start on one of the Harrises and he rolls out to regroup. A Harris literally falls down while trying to hit Bull. Bull responds with a powerslam. A Harris visibly positions himself to take a Mamaluke double team. Vito hits a Japanese armdrag and a slam. More double teams from the Mamalukes on a Harris. The other Harris distracts from the apron and now Bull goes in peril. Bull comes back with a leg lariat, but it goes nowhere as the Harises keep him down. Double clothesline and tag to Vito. "Hot" tag run and DONNYBROOK. Vito hits the elbow off the top but the Harris kicks out. Hart Attack style clothesline. The other Harris breaks the pin up. Double flapjack on Bull for 2. Double slam and Bull breaks the pin up as even commentary gets confused on what move is what. Disco gets in the ring with a belt and takes a Harris out with it. Vito covers but the Harris still kicks out. As if anyone wanted this match to keep going. The Harrisi hit all the Mamalukes with the belt. The H Bomb hits on Vito and the Harrises win the tag titles to the total apathy of what crowd there is. Just what you'd expect from these teams. 3/4*

 

Commentary keeps asking who's in the limo. But my question is, what are they doing in that limo that is keeping them in there for so long? 

 

Bullrope Match: Dustin Rhodes def Terry Funk in 8:59- I think they paired Dustin with Funk last month just to break them up. It's the Rhodes family vs the Funk family, there's only one way to do it. It's the modern Earps vs Clantons. It's hilarious hearing everyone say "You can't retire Terry Funk". Oh how true that was. I don't care if he's passed away now, I'm still not sure he's not still wrestling somewhere. Funk is using a chicken as a puppet, saying it's Dustin's papa. Then he says "I've also got your baby brother here". Are we going to get a Cody sighting? Nope, it's a guy in a chicken suit. He annoys Dustin in the ring and Dustin chases him around, right into a....chicken shot. I'm not kidding. Most vicious use of a chicken since the Monty Python's Flying Circus knight. In the ring Funk hits some jabs, then whips Dustin with the bullrope. So I have some logical questions. I know, 2000 WCW, joke's on me. But, isn't a bullrope match supposed to be like a strap match with both guys attached to the rope? Is it touch all four corners rules or pin rules? Apparently I'm the only one that cares to ask so I guess we'll find out. Funk puts the rope back aside and hits some incredibly weak looking mounted punches, then gives Dustin a swinging neckbreaker for 2. Clothesline from Funk and he finally gets the rope again. He hits Dustin with the cowbell on the rope and covers. The ref says Dustin's arm is under the rope or something. Again, enforcing a rope break in a match with no traditional rules. Dustin uses the opening of Funk arguing with the ref to hit a low blow. Dustin slowly wraps the rope around Funk and tosses him across the ring. Funk gets himself caught in the ropes to do that see saw bit off more cowbell shots. On the floor Dustin does the rope tie up and pull bit again. Back in the ring, finally Dustin puts the rope ends around his and Funk's wrists. "Kind of after the fact now" says Tony. DDT from Dustin for 2. Slam out of an atomic drop position from Dustin for 2. Dustin hits a bulldog onto the cowbell for 2. That guy in the chicken suit comes back in to try to annoy Dustin. I'd say attack but annoy is clearly the best he can do. Dustin takes him out and gives him a shot with the cowbell. On the floor the chicken gets run into the barricade. Even commentary sounds completely fed up with this shit. Funk grabs Dustin coming back in the ring and bounces him crotch first on the top rope, then hits another low blow in the ring. Funk asks for a mic and says he's changing the rules, it's now an I Quit match. When the ref argues Funk hits him with the cowbell. Another cowbell shot for Dustin. He tries to get Dustin to say I quit. More cowbell shots. Dustin says he quits, but it's not legally binding since it's not an I Quit match. The revived ref explains that to Funk. Funk then turns around into another cowbell shot. Yet more cowbell shots from Dustin. This has got me almost wishing for some trash can shots. Dustin piledrives Funk onto the cowbell and gets the pin. Unbelievably sad. I love Terry Funk, but 2000 WCW Terry Funk had nothing left to give. DUD

 

The fight continues after the bell until Dustin, supposedly the face, runs off. 

 

Lumberjack Match: Sting def The Total Package (w/Elizabeth) in 6:57- Sting vs Luger round ad infinitum. They are billing this as one last time, and other than one random indy legends show this would in fact be their last singles match, so a bit of history here. Every single guy working as a lumberjack in this match is wearing a cast courtesy of Luger. Even non-wrestler Doug Dellinger is out there because Luger broke his arm. Seems biased to me. After his entrance Luger takes a mic and says he's got his own lumberjacks too. Well that's all right then. Every one of them are also wearing casts, but clearly just put on as they've all wrestled earlier tonight. Says a lot about the state of the WCW roster that nearly all the lumberjacks are pulling double duty, and there's not very many of them. Luger jumps Sting as soon as he gets in the ring. Sting slugs back and Luger rolls out. His lumberjacks let him chill, then the other ones force him back in. Usual lumberjack stuff, but at least this time the lines are clearly defined. Inverted atomic drop from Sting and he does some exciting punchy/stompy stuff. Slam/elbow drop combo for 2. Sting rings Luger's bell and tosses him out to his lumberjacks. They attack and the others run over to save Luger. If nothing else Dellinger being in the middle of the scrum trying to attack is hilarious. Luger begs off and tights pulls Sting out into the heel lumberjack group. Oh joy. Tank Abbott is coming out. Castless, for those keeping track. I hope he's not going to pull a knife out and threaten to murder someone, because that'd be a bit much even for PPV. Abbott punches Dellinger out! Then he turns, smiles, and leaves. Um, OK then. Anyway, Luger clotheslines Sting in the ring while the big lumberjack brawl has started in the entrance aisle. They all run back through the curtain and are gone. Oh, Vampiro's still here. Yay. Ric Flair and Elizabeth then make their way out, Flair carrying a chair. Vamprio tries to cut Flair off. In the ring Sting faceplants Luger. Flair comes in and chops Sting. Classic Sting no sell. Stinger Splash on Flair. Hiptoss and dropkick. Luger ambushes Sting after that. Stinger Splash on Luger. Liz hits Sting with the baseball bat. Vampiro takes the bat away and Jimmy Hart runs Liz off by threatening her with Hogan's weightlifting belt. Too many potential lines to choose from for that. It's total chaos out here. Luger covers Sting for 2, then calls for the Torture Rack. He gets Sting up. Vampiro comes in and hits Luger with the bat. Scorpion Death Drop and Sting gets the pin. What a mess. DUD

 

After the bell Sting and Vampiro get pally with each other. A new team is formed based on mutual love of facepaint. So, what, 3 weeks until Vampiro turns on Sting? Max.

 

The limo door is being opened! And we cut away before we see who's in it. Milking every moment for all it's worth. Then commentary says the "format has been changed" and Sid has to be hustled to Gorilla because he didn't expect to be up yet. Guess we're trying to make things look spontaneous or something. It's pointless, and as soon as the next match starts it's never referenced again. 

 

WCW World Heavyweight Championship: Sid Vicious (c) def WCW United States Heavyweight Championship Jeff Jarrett (w/women) in 7:35- Second straight PPV Jarrett is challenging for the World title instead of defending the US one. Jarrett tries to jump before the bell but Sid was ready for him. He dodges Jarrett trying to get clever in the corner and hits some mounted punches. Goozle. Jarrett eye pokes free, but Sid quickly recovers and 360 clotheslines him to the floor. Jarrett gets gently slammed onto the announce table. WCW can't afford to break them anymore. He tosses Jarrett over the barricade and it's crowd brawl time. They slowly work over to the stage area. Completely predictably the Harris Brothers come in and attack Sid, then bring him back into the ring. Nick Patrick takes a chair away from Jarrett while the Harrisi wail away on Sid in the ring. Jarrett then gets back in and tries to pick the bones. He leaps on Sid's back and hooks on the sleeper. Sid very slowly fades down. Arm drops and Sid fights back up. Jarrett gets a boot up in the corner. He tries coming off the second rope but Sid low blows him on the way down. Big boot from Sid. The Harrises distract again. One of them has the belt. Sid runs Jarrett into the belt and covers. Patrick was distracted and Jarrett's able to kick out. Sid goozle. Jarrett low blows out of a chokeslam. He "inadvertently" elbows Patrick during a corner scrum, then runs Patrick into a turnbuckle for good measure. Here comes the guitar. Guitar shot for Sid. Jarrett celebrates, then calls someone out. Here comes Jarrett's paid off ref. He gets in the ring in a position that makes it so obvious someone's going to pull him out, his feet are dangling off the apron and he's miles away from the wrestlers. Yup, here's Hogan to pull him out. And punch him out. Hogan gets in and punches Jarrett out. Big boot on Jarrett. The Harrises get taken out. Legdrop on Jarrett. Hogan drags Sid on top of Jarrett and Sid gets the pin. I can't believe they've found a way to make Sid of all people look like a weak as hell champion, but here we are. DUD, again

 

"Broke ten thousand guitars, never drew a dime". That line from the WWE produced "Rise and Fall of WCW" documentary has always resonated with me. 

 

As soon as the bell rings someone runs in and hits Hogan with the backup guitar. It's Scott Steiner! Back from injury. Pretty decent return, I'll give him that. I guess we'll assume he was the guy in the limo. Sid takes out the Harrises to save Hogan and everyone leaves with Hogan laying in the ring. Flair comes in with a strap, tears Hogan's shirt off, and we immediately go into the next match with no intros. 

 

YAPPAPI Indian Strap Match: Hulk Hogan (w/Jimmy Hart) def "Nature Boy" Ric Flair in 13:22- This is the second straight year Flair and Hogan have main evented Uncensored with a train wreck gimmick match. Despite the incredibly silly name, one of the famous early Botchamania gags ("APPLE PIE!"), this is just a normal strap match. Flair puts the strap on while Hogan's still down and commentary confirms this is touch all four corners rules. Flair whips Hogan with the strap and stomps away on him. Jimmy Hart is now out to corner Hogan. On the floor Hogan takes control, choking Flair with the strap. Flair chops back and Hogan no sells. Flair begs off. Guardrail shot and chops for Flair. Back in Hogan continues the strap chokes. There's still guitar pieces all over the ring. Corner clothesline from Hogan. Flair untangles himself from the strap and FLAIR FLOP. Another beg off and Flair eye pokes Hogan. More strap whips and choking. Hogan gets a back kick low blow in the corner that Flair actually sells like a low blow. There's so many now most everyone just shrugs them off. Now Hogan changes things up by whipping with his weightlifting belt instead of the strap. Flair hits some rapid fire chops in the corner that again have no effect. Clothesline from Hogan. Flair rolls back out and Hogan follows. He uses the strap to pull Flair down. Coming back in Flair begs off again. He's having a tough time navigating the strap. Not a match he's used to. Mounted punches and bite from Hogan. Flair collapses out of the corner and goes outside again. Hogan pulls him back in with the strap. Punch from Hogan as commentary says Flair is bleeding. I wouldn't be surprised but I don't see it yet. OK, yes he is. Finally got a good angle. Flair does some super sized begging in the corner, then gets another eye rake. He goes up top just so Hogan can slam him off. Back on the floor Hogan hits a running clothesline. He calls Hart over and lets him get some strap whips in. Yet again Flair shots on the floor are no sold. This has been completely one sided the entire match. Hogan punches Flair down on the entrance ramp. Luger comes in and hits Hogan with a chair! Flair finally goes on the attack after that. Chops have effect this time. Flair slowly pounds Hogan around the ringside area. More rapid fire punches on Hogan in the ring. Hart has enough, getting in and pulling Flair off. Flair decks him and gives him a chop. Now Flair finally goes for Hogan's taped up knee. One shot, but still. Flair starts going for corners. He gets up to 3 but Hogan wraps up on the ropes. Flair tries to drag him away but can't. While the ref checks on Hogan, Flair gets his classic knucks out of his kneepad, waffles Hogan with him, and puts them back away. Now Flair covers Hogan. And the ref counts. I thought this was touch all four corners rules? Hogan kicks out and Hulks Up. They did that just so Hogan could Hulk Up. Point, three punches, big boot, and Hogan decides to go for corners. Like the rules say. 3 corners easy. As he's going for 4 Luger runs in again. Big boot for Luger. Hogan legdrops Flair, then instead of hitting the last corner covers and pins him and the bell rings. THEN HOGAN TOUCHES THE FOURTH CORNER! HAHAHAHAHA what the fuck man. This match did drugs or something. Still, somehow it's better than their main event last Uncensored. And better than Hogan's other Uncensored strap match with Vader. Not that either says much. 1/2*

 

This show was so bad (shout from the crowd "How bad was it?") that the entire creative team was immediately fired. No joke. Kevin Sullivan's three month return as head booker, done. Vince Russo was allowed to come back from the kiddie table to the head seat, but this time to try to get some kind of restraint on him WCW also hired back Eric Bischoff to be his creative wingman. The first real thing they did- reboot the entire company. Things had gotten to that point. But more on that next time.

 

OVERALL SHOW THOUGHTS- Uncensored always had a checkered history. The first one in '95 was one of the absolute worst major company shows ever. '96 featured what might be the worst match I have ever seen, the Hogan & Savage vs Alliance to End Hulkamania Tower of Doom disaster. Last year's edition gave us that horrendous Flair/Hogan steel cage match. It's appropriate that the final Uncensored keeps the tradition alive by being so atrocious it got the creative team behind it sacked and caused the company to completely reset from scratch.

OVERALL SHOW GRADE: F