Written by: Bob Colling
World Championship Wrestling presents Spring Stampede
Date: 4/19/1998
From: Denver, Colorado
Schiavone, Tenay and Heenan talk about Savage having his cast removed for the main event and that the Sting/Savage match is now a no disqualification match. They also hype up the bat match.
Opening Contest: Goldberg defeated Saturn: Goldberg tosses Saturn over with a pump handle and a big hip toss as the fans are going nuts for the guy. Goldberg grabs Kidman from the apron and tosses him onto Saturn on the floor! Saturn returns to the ring taking Goldberg off his feet with a leg sweep, a springboard leg drop and a top rope elbow drop for a two count. Goldberg reverses a vertical suplex with a twisting neck breaker. Goldberg follows up with a gorilla press power slam. Saturn drops Goldberg throat first across the top rope and connects with a slingshot body splash from the apron. Saturn continues with a super kick and a knee to the back sending Goldberg to the floor. On the floor, Saturn dropkicks Goldberg shoulder first into the ring steps and rams the steps into the shoulder. Saturn comes off the apron with a hurricanrana! Saturn botches a springboard moonsault as he slipped off the middle rope. Back in the ring, Saturn nails Goldberg with a spinning heel kick off the top for a two count. Saturn continues to work on Goldberg’s arm but Goldberg fights out of it rather quickly. Goldberg stops Saturn with a big side slam. Goldberg catches Saturn with another super kick followed by a short clothesline. Goldberg hits Saturn with the spear! Kidman distracts the referee which allows Saturn to low blow Goldberg to avoid the Jackhammer. Goldberg press slams Saturn off the middle rope! Goldberg fights off the Flock and spears Kidman. Saturn puts the Rings of Saturn on Goldberg! Goldberg powers out of the hold and hits the Jackhammer for the win! **3/4
Second Contest: Ultimo Dragon defeated Chavo Guerrero Jr.: Mat based wrestling to start the contest. Dragon gets the upper hand with a few kicks out of the corner and puts Chavo in a submission hold where he pulls his foot near his forehead. Chavo counters with an Indian death lock of sorts but Dragon reaches the bottom rope. Chavo takes Dragon over with a couple of head scissors takedown and a dropkick. Chavo keeps control with rather basic offense like a headlock and a head scissors on the mat. Chavo stops Dragon’s brief comeback with a clothesline for a two count. Dragon with a hurricanrana but Chavo rolls through for a two count. Dragon manages to crotch Chavo on the top rope by kicking his legs. Dragon also sends Chavo to the floor with a vertical suplex from the apron and takes him out with a springboard moonsault! Eddie Guerrero yells at Chavo on the floor. Chavo recovers first and barely hits Dragon with a somersault dive over the top rope on the floor. Back in the ring, both men go down following a double clothesline. Dragon kicks Chavo in the head but is met with a dropkick as he leaps off the top rope. Dragon appears to have been kicked in the groin, but Chavo will not take advantage of this, which pisses Eddie off. Dragon gets a near fall with an inside cradle. Chavo delivers a few uppercuts and drives Dragon down to the mat with a nice brain buster. Dragon counters a tornado DDT by putting the Dragon Sleeper on Chavo for the win. **
After the match, Eddie enters the ring to ask Chavo what he has to do to have Chavo win. Chavo tells Eddie that he will not cheat to win.
Third Contest: WCW Television Champion Booker T defeated Chris Benoit to retain the title: Booker comes off the ropes with a shoulder block which sends Benoit rolling to the floor. Booker misses a standing spin kick and is drop toe hold down to the mat by Benoit. Benoit works on Booker’s knee until Booker sends Benoit to the floor with another standing spin kick. Booker blocks a hip toss attempt by hitting Benoit with a clothesline for a near fall. Booker drops Benoit with a standing side kick for another two count. Benoit fights back with a flurry of stomps in the corner. Benoit big boots Booker in the corner but runs into a side slam from Booker who gets a two count. Benoit blocks a backdrop and drops Booker gut first across the top rope. Benoit punches the champ off the apron and Booker hits the guard railing. Benoit keeps control of Booker in the ring with several punches, chops and stomps in a corner. Benoit connects with a snap suplex for a two count. Booker avoids a dropkick by hanging onto the ropes but Benoit recovers with a drop toe hold. Benoit continues his attack with a back suplex before heading to the top rope. Benoit leaps off and hits Booker with the diving head butt but only gets a two count! Booker counters a snap suplex with a vertical suplex. Benoit stops Booker with a forearm shot as he comes off the ropes for a near fall. Benoit connects with another snap suplex but is still unable to put Booker away. Benoit drives Booker down across his knee with a back breaker for yet another near fall. Benoit ducks under a clothesline and delivers several German suplexs. Benoit places Booker on the top rope and hits a top rope back suplex! Benoit covers but Booker is able to kick out at two. Booker fights back with a spine buster! Booker comes off the ropes to hit Benoit with a leaping forearm smash as well. Booker continues by driving Benoit down to the mat with a flapjack. Booker goes for the scissors kick but Benoit pulls the referee towards him and Booker hits the referee on accident! Benoit puts the Crossface on Booker! Booker reaches the bottom rope but Benoit believes he has won the match. Booker leaps over the referee to hit Benoit with a leaping side kick to pick up the win. **1/2
Fourth Contest: Curt Hennig defeated the British Bulldog: Jim Neidhart and Rick Rude were handcuffed to each other, just like Chyna and Slaughter were at WrestleMania. Bulldog has the early advantage as he works on Hennig with several right hands and works on Hennig’s injured right knee. Hennig stops Bulldog with a knee lift in the corner but Bulldog still comes back with right hand. Bulldog puts Hennig in the Sharpshooter while Rick Rude steals a key from the officer, who turns out to be Vincent as he was grabbing Neidhart. Hennig pins Bulldog after he sends Bulldog into the ring post. DUD
After the match, Rude and Hennig beat down Bulldog. Neidhart has been handcuffed to the ring post.
Fifth Contest: WCW Cruiserweight Champion Chris Jericho defeated Prince Iaueka to retain title: Iaueka with a clothesline to gain the early advantage. He keeps control with a side headlock for a few moments. Jericho thinks he back suplexs Iaueka but is met with another clothesline instead. Iaueka really keeps to the same formula offense for several minutes. Jericho tries to skin the cat but is dropkicked to the floor by Iaueka who also takes Jericho out with a somersault dive off the apron! Back in the ring, Iaueka goes back to a freaking side headlock. Jericho manages to drop toe hold Iaueka throat first across the middle rope. Jericho connects with a vertical suplex for a near fall. Jericho scoop slams Iaueka but misses a top rope splash as Iaueka gets his feet up. Iaueka gets his babyface comeback with a slam and a somersault dive from the apron back into the ring. Jericho quickly puts Iaueka in the Lion Tamer but Iaueka reaches the bottom rope. Iaueka nearly wins the title by sitting down on a sunset flip attempt by Jericho. Jericho is shoved off the top rope by Iaueka, who also drops to the floor in what may have been a botch, but I don’t think it was. Back in the ring, Jericho rolls through a roll up looking for the Lion Tamer but Iaueka rolls him up for a two count. Iaueka connects with a northern lights suplex with a bridge for a near fall. Iaueka back elbows Jericho off the middle rope after being crotched on the top rope. Jericho rolls through another roll up and this time makes Iaueka tap out to the Lion Tamer. *1/4
After the match, Jericho puts on Iaueka’s skirt to add insult to the man he just defeated.
Before the next match, Bagwell and Scott Steiner try to get out of the match because Bagwell has a “broken hand.” However, this doesn’t work as JJ Dillon comes down to the ring and it is revealed that Bagwell doesn’t have a broken hand.
Sixth Contest: Rick Steiner/Lex Luger defeated Scott Steiner/Buff Bagwell: Bagwell attacks Rick in the ring while Luger clotheslines Scott on the floor. Luger keeps advantage of Scott on the floor by tossing him into the guard railing. Rick power slams Bagwell but is attacked by Scott who broke free from Luger on the floor. Scott legally tags into the match to choke Rick across the middle rope. Scott almost falls down while hitting Rick with a clothesline. Rick is double teamed until he backdrops Bagwell out of the corner. Scott enters the ring to stop Rick from tagging Luger, but Luger gets the tag and delivers several clotheslines. Luger tries for the Rack on Bagwell but Scott enters to prevent that from happening. Rick chases Scott to the backstage area. Rick returns to shove Bagwell off the middle rope while the referee was distracted and Luger makes Bagwell submit with the Torture Rack. ½*
Seventh Contest: Psychosis defeated La Parka: Considering this was an unadvertised match… I’m not going to go in-depth on this even though I am a La Parka mark. Psychosis wins following a guillotine leg drop off the top rope. NR
Eighth Contest: Hollywood Hogan/Kevin Nash defeated Roddy Piper/The Giant in a baseball bat on a pole match: Piper tries to quickly grab the bat but Hogan runs to catch him and rams Piper head first into the pole. Hogan drops Piper into the tree of woe so he can deliver a few boots. Nash enters and begins to hammer away on Piper’s lower back. Hogan quickly tags back in to deliver several punches but Piper is enjoying the punches. Piper hits Hogan with several jabs and an eye poke. Giant head butts a staggering Hogan. Piper is pulling Hogan’s hair out before head butting Hogan. Hogan recovers to whip Piper with his belt. Hogan tries to get the bat but Giant is tagged in. Giant begins to whip Hogan several times. Giant decides to literally spank Hogan over his knee until Nash enters, who is whipped by Piper. Piper gets a near fall on Hogan, despite not having gotten the bat. Hogan stops Piper with a low blow. Nash allows Piper to tag in Giant, which makes a lot of sense to want a bigger guy in the ring. Giant goes to work on Nash with a few knee lifts and a running clothesline in the corner. Nash stops a charging Giant with a big boot in the corner. Nash delivers a few knee lifts of his own in the corner followed by a back elbow and chokes the big man. Hogan also gets in on choking Giant while the referee is distracted by Piper. Nash drops Giant with a clothesline but Giant gets up quickly. They both attempt big boots and they both go down. Piper and Hogan both get tags and exchange several punches until Piper gets the upper hand. Piper fights off Nash with a low blow and all four men are in the ring now. Giant dropkicks Nash to the floor and Piper has put the sleeper hold on Hogan! Giant helps Piper grab the bat but Nash yanks Giant off the middle rope to the mat. Hogan is up and tosses the bat to the floor so he can beat on Piper. The Disciple has come down to the ringside are another bat and tosses Hogan a bat. Hogan whacks Giant over the back and tries to hit Piper but misses and instead hits Nash! Piper whacks both Hogan and Nash with the bat. The Disciple distracts Piper on the apron and tosses Hogan yet another bat. Hogan whacks Piper over the back and picks up the win. *1/2
After the match, Nash looks like he is going to attack Hogan but instead grabs Giant for a power bomb. As he tries for the power bomb, Hogan whacks Nash over the back with the bat! Giant is up and scares Hogan away from the ring.
Ninth Contest: Raven defeated WCW United States Champion Diamond Dallas Page in a hardcore match to win the title: Raven tries to hit DDP with the title but instead hits Sick Boy on accident. DDP works on Raven in the corner with several shots. DDP connects with a back suplex and sends Raven to the floor following a forearm shot. DDP takes out Raven and Sick Boy with a slingshot dive to the floor. DDP sends Sick Boy into the guard railing but is knee lifted by Raven as he stands on the apron. Raven nails DDP with a short arm clothesline but DDP sends Raven into a corner back first and follows up with a swinging neck breaker for a two count. Raven avoids the Diamond Cutter by bailing to the floor, but DDP follows him. Raven tries to get away by climbing up a wagon but DDP tosses him onto some hay. DDP leaps off the wagon and dives onto Raven on the floor! DDP sends Raven crashing through a wooden fence and begins to hit Raven with a trash can. DDP tries to suplex Raven through the WCW.com table, but misses the table and Raven hits hard on the concrete floor. Raven kicks DDP into the backdrop of the WCW.com station. Raven smashes a case over DDP’s head. Raven leaps off a railing to splash onto DDP but the table DDP was on doesn’t break. Raven begins to whip DDP over the back with a cow bell. Raven nails DDP over the back with a trash can as well. Raven decides to choke DDP with the cow bell for a moment. Raven drags the champ back to the ring and is given the kitchen sink. Raven hits DDP over the back with the sink for a two count. DDP fights to his feet while being chokes and manages to drop toe hold Raven onto the sink! Kidman misses a top rope splash as he hits Raven on accident. DDP covers Raven for a two count. Sick boy whacks DDP over the back with a crutch. Raven goes for the cover but DDP is able to kick out at two. DDP inside cradles Raven but isn’t able to get a three count. Hammer leaps off the top and accidentally hits DDP with a clothesline. DDP hits Hammer over the back with sink and covers Raven for a two count. Raven low blows DDP and calls for Reese. Reese slams DDP down to the mat but Raven only gets a two count on the cover. Lodi tosses Raven a stop sign, but DDP hits Ravne with the stop sign and hits the members of the Flock with it. DDP plants Kidman with the Diamond Cutter! A mystery man enters and hits DDP over the head with the stop sign. Raven drives DDP onto the kitchen sink with a DDT to win the title! ***
Main Event: Rand Savage defeated WCW World Heavyweight Champion Sting in a no disqualification to win the title: Savage works on Sting quickly with a few right hand before dumping the champ to the floor for a second only to return to the ring. Savage punches Sting with his injured right arm, which is still hurting him. Sting drops Savage with a right hand and dumps him over the top to the floor. Sting sends Savage into the guard railing a couple times. Savage walks up the aisle way but is stopped by Sting who tosses Savage into the wagon wheel and over the hay onto the concrete floor. Sting sends Savage crashing through the wooden fence. Sting drops Savage throat first across the wooden fence. Sting picks up hay and hits Savage over the head. Sting continues to work on Savage with a right hand. Sting sends Savage into the guard railing but misses a Stinger Splash, as usual. Savage sends Sting head first into the ring post. Savage covers Sting in the ring but only gets a two count. Savage gets another two count following a clothesline. Sting backdrops Savage but misses an elbow drop. Sting sends Savage over the top to the floor. On the floor, Sting connects with a vertical suplex. Sting chokes Savage on the apron before they enter the ring. The crowd is awfully dead for this. Savage low blows Sting in the corner to regain control. Savage tries to crotch Sting on the top rope but Sting falls to the apron. Savage covers Sting but only gets a near fall. Savage tries for a top rope double axe handle but is punched in midair by Sting. Sting delivers a few shots in the corner and goes for the Stinger Splash but Savage moves the referee in his place but Sting doesn’t hit him. Savage clotheslines Sting and the champ is backed into the referee. Savage hits Sting with a pile driver and goes up top but Sting is already up. Elizabeth enters with a chair and hits Sting to no affect. Sting accidentally splashes Elizabeth in the corner and Savage whacks Sting with a chair. He tries for the elbow drop but Hogan has come down and shoves Savage off the top. Sting counters a suplex with the Scorpion Death Drop! Kevin Nash has entered the ring and attacks Sting. Nash power bombs Sting and puts Savage on top of Sting! The referee is up and Savage has won the title! *1/4
After the match, Hogan is seen at the top of the aisle way saying that it is his World Championship to end the show.
Final Thoughts: I really enjoyed the Goldberg/Saturn match despite a few botches or awkward moments they may have had. It was nice to see Saturn get some offense and actually give Goldberg a challenge on pay per view. The finish was something very creative and quite impressive. The fans were really hot for Goldberg and that added to the match, in my opinion. It was a good start to the show.
I didn’t find the Dragon/Chavo match to be all that interesting. It seemed like the match was more of an afterthought anyway with the main focus being on the eventual Eddie/Chavo match.
Benoit/Booker was pretty disappointing overall. The last two or three minutes was pretty good but the match was quite repetitive. How many leaping side kicks can Booker deliver in one match? It was a decent bout, but not the hig caliber match you may expect, like I did.
Hennig/Bulldog was just awful.
Of all the cruiserweights the best one to put in a title match with Jericho is Prince Iaueka? Are you serious? I’m not even sure I would classify him as a cruiserweight to begin with. It wasn’t all that bad of a match, as Iaueka rarely ever put on a decent match. I guess Jericho had to kill some time before finishing his feud with Malenko.
They are really going to drag out the Rick/Scott Steiner feud. The tag match was pretty quick so no complaints there.
I didn’t care for the bat match all that much because I felt like it went on for far too long. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that it was a boring match considering the four men involved with it.
Raven/DDP was a fun little brawl that perhaps shouldn’t have had all the interference. I like Raven and think him winning the title is a great decision, but having him need help in his speciality match didn’t seem like the right thing to do. Oh well… it’s not like he would have the belt for long anyway.
I didn’t understand having two hardcore matches, essentially, booked right after another. The spots Raven/DDP did were seemingly in the Savage/Sting main event and the fans just didn’t care because they had already seen them. Some people want to complain that Sting shouldn’t have lost the belt so soon, but the real draw for the guy has always been the chase and not when he actually holds the belt. In both of his defenses the crowd was dead. I think they didn’t care about the guy once he got the belt. The actual match was a snooze fest to me.
Overall, aside from the opener and Raven/DDP there isn’t much to see here. That being said, I have to give a thumbs down to WCW Spring Stampede 1998.
Thanks for reading.