Written By: Bob Colling
World Championship Wrestling presents Nitro
Date: 5/22/2000
From: Grand Rapids, MI
A video from Thunder where their was some friction within the New Blood. Filthy Animals apparently left the New Blood, Abbott and Rick Steiner were tossed onto the Goldberg monster truck by Scott Steiner. Kevin Nash saved Ric Flair from a beating, but Flair suffered a legitimate injury and WCW has made an angle out of it.
Outside, Miss Elizabeth, Vince Russo (with World title), Jeff Jarrett and David Flair show up to the arena acting sad about what happened to Ric Flair on Thunder.
Nitro opening video
Tony Schiavone, Scott Hudson and Mark Madden welcome everyone to the show and hype up the funeral of Ric Flair’s career thanks to the New Blood.
Opening Contest: Ernest Miller defeated Booker T in a weapons match: Booker ducks a kendo stick shot and spin kicks Miller. Booker tosses Miller to the floor but Miller throws a drink into Booker’s face and hits Booker with a chair before going back to the ring. Miller has a pair of sticks and beats Bookers down to the mat where Miller also chokes Booker briefly. Miller chops Booker with the sticks in the corner and goes back to a choke. Booker is sent into the ropes and met with a stick shot to the throat. Booker no sells a stick shot and delivers a few right hands but is stopped by a low blow from Miller. Miller goes back to work on Booker with the sticks. Miller jabs Booker with a kendo stick several times. Booker blocks a kendo stick shot and Book Ends Miller! Booker follows up with a leaping sidekick and a spine buster. Booker grabs the kendo stick and whacks Miller several times until Shawn Stasiak enters the ring and hammers away on Booker. Booker fights back with a scissors kick on Stasiak but Miller ends up kicking a chair into Booker’s face and wins the match. *¼
After the match, the MIA storm the ring and clean house on Stasiak and Miller. Stasiak is pulled out of the ring by Miller after being splashed three times in the corner. Eric Bischoff and Kimberly make their way out to the entrance ramp. Bischoff says he came out to talk to MIA and Booker T. Bischoff mentions some kind of business in California that went very well. Bischoff is one phone call away from changing WCW and the New Blood forever. Bischoff wants to start off tonight with a clean slate. Bischoff is giving them a chance to step on over to the New Blood side. Their response after a meeting is “kiss our ass” and Major Gunns pulls down her pants. Bischoff says that they just signed their death warrant.
Outside, DDP, Sting, Hulk Hogan and Lex Luger arrive to the building where Hogan mentions Nash is running late again. Sting says its “their gimmick”.
Backstage, Eric Bischoff tells Booker T that he is unemployed.
Backstage, Vince Russo and the New Blood are hanging over by the casket with Ric Flair’s robe and acting like he is crying.
Outside, Terry Taylor and Reid Flair have arrived to the building.
Tony Schiavone, Scott Hudson and Mark Madden hype up what we have seen and go over what will be seen later on. Terry Funk will be apparently retiring from the ring. Terry Funk had a press conference about announcing his retirement later. That makes a lot of sense, or not.
Before the match, Daffney says she is mad that Crowbar is acting like a big baby over the WCW Cruiserweight Championship, which is hers, by the way.
Second Contest: WCW Cruiserweight Champion Daffney defeated Crowbar to retain the title: They start off with a fucking thumb war and go to a rock, paper, scissors contest. Daffney plants Crowbar with a DDT after a Indian rub burn. Crowbar crotches Daffney on the top but doesn’t go for the hurricanrnaa. Daffney gives Crowbar a wedge and leaps off the top connecting with a hurricanrana for a near fall. Crowbar fights back with a slingshot body splash. Crowbar checks on Daffney until he is attacked by Chris Candido. Tammy Sytch and Daffney brawl briefly. Crowbar takes Candido over with a release German suplex. Tammy goes to hit Tammy with a chair but Tammy leaves and Candido dropkicks the chair into Crowbar’s face. Candido with a nice modified tombstone pile driver. Daffney checks on Crowbar but instead pins Crowbar to win the title. DUD
Backstage, Torrie Wilson is giving Horace Hogan a body rub. This was captured with the Kid Cam.
Outside, Booker T tells the MIA to stay tune next week to find out what he is going to do.
Outside, Norman Smiley and Ralphus are washing cars for money.
Backstage, Billy Kidman flips out at Eric Bischoff as he wants to know where Horace Hogan is. Kidman ends up finding Torrie Wilson and Horace. Kidman tells Wilson to be the special referee. Kidman has attacked Horace in the locker room and they brawl towards the ring.
Third Contest: Billy Kidman defeated Horace Hogan: Kidman rams Horace into the guard railing but Horace sends Kidman into the apron and railing back first as well. Horace misses a clothesline and hits the ring post. Kidman springboards off the ring steps to bulldog Horace on the floor. Kidman ducks a clothesline in the ring and dropkicks Horace. Kidman runs into a back elbow in the corner and a super kick from Horace. Horace choke slams Kidman and heads to the floor to set up a table in the ring. Hulk Hogan makes his way down to the ring as Kidman counters a power bomb with a face jam. Horace is on the table as Hulk crotches Kidman on the top rope. Hulk punches Kidman before tossing Kidman off and onto Horace crashing both men through the table. Hulk grabs Torrie and tells her to count for Kidman, who gets the three on Horace. ½*
After the match, Torrie runs to the backstage area as Hulk gets a microphone. Hulk thought Eric Bischoff was a cool guy for a long time. Hulk calls Bischoff a piss ant and says he is going to beat Kidman at the Great American Bash and earn a title shot at Bash at the Beach in July.
Backstage, Vince Russo and company are still poking fun at Ric Flair.
Backstage, Terry Taylor asks if Reid Flair is okay with everything, which Reid says he is.
Outside, Norman Smiley and Ralphus are washing cars for a dollar. The Filthy Animals arrive to the building as the MIA look on from the backstage and poke fun at them.
WCW Hardcore Champion Terry Funk makes his way down to the ring for a huge announcement. Terry introduces his daughter who is standing in the front row. Funk says that his daughter and wife have been wanting to hear this announcement for a long time. Bischoff tells the New Blood to go to the ring. Funk told all of his family members to watch the show. Funk is cut off by Shane Douglas’s music and is told by Douglas to make the damn announcement already. Funk’s major announcement is that he is… a grandfather! Douglas flips out and wants to hear Funk to say he is retiring. Funk announces that he is retiring June 1st, 2001 because his contract has been extended one more year! Douglas is not a happy camper about this. Douglas and the New Blood gang run down to the ring to get the WCW Hardcore Championship. Funk fights Douglas off at first but the numbers are too much for him as Funk’s daughter watches from the front row. Douglas plants Funk with a pile driver on a steel chair as Funk’s daughter runs into the ring to beg Douglas to stop attacking her father. Candido DDT’s Funk as Funk is being destroyed as his daughter watches. Funk is spiked with a spike pile driver. Candido counts Funk out as Douglas pins Funk to win the WCW Hardcore Championship, I guess.
Outside, MIA switch out the water bucket that Norman Smiley and Ralphus were using to wash the Filthy Animals car.
A video of the injured Chris Kanyon talking about his injury suffered at WCW Slamboree where Mike Awesome tossed Kanyon off the triple cage and through the ramp way. Kanyon says his career is in jeopardy and just wants to be able to walk again.
Before the next match, Mike Awesome comes to the ring mocking Chris Kanyon by coming to the ring with a wheelchair and a neck brace. Awesome says he is hurt from being crippled. Awesome continues to mock Kanyon until the Wall comes down to the ring for the match.
Fourth Contest: Mike Awesome defeated the Wall in a tables vs. ambulance match: Awesome clotheslines Wall to open the contest but runs into a big boot from Wall moments later. Wall power slams Awesome and sends Awesome into a corner. Wall punches Awesome in the corner until Awesome low blows Wall and goes for a power bomb, which Wall gets out of. Wall charges towards Awesome but is back dropped over the top and crashes through the table, which gives Awesome the win. DUD
After the match, Wall just completely no sells that and brawls with Mike Awesome until Shane Douglas come out with a lead pipe and hits Wall with it. Douglas and Awesome beat down Wall and bring him to the backstage area where Douglas beats Wall up with the pipe some more. DDP pops out of the ambulance and attacks Awesome and Douglas with a chair. DDP tosses Awesome into the back of the ambulance while Wall is now getting the upper hand on Douglas.
Backstage, the New Blood (including Awesome and Douglas) are carrying the casket towards the ring.
Outside, Ralphus and Norman Smiley are now washing the Filthy Animals car with some paint.
Funeral music plays as Vince Russo and the New Blood make their way to the ring, which doesn’t include Shane Douglas and Mike Awesome. Russo says they are here tonight to celebrate the death of Ric Flair’s career. We see footage on Thunder where Flair couldn’t gain his balance due to a real injury. Russo tried to tell Ric Flair that he was too old to compete and says that Ric Flair suffered a brain aneurysm. Russo ends up awarding the WCW World Heavyweight Champions back to Jeff Jarrett. Jarrett claims he has proven to be the chosen one, once again. Russo has Flair’s watch which he will be burying with Ric Flair’s career. Russo goes over to the casket and when he opens it up, Kevin Nash pops out of the casket. Nash shoves Russo away and enters the ring. Nash big boots David Flair and punches Jarrett. Jarrett runs into a big boot as well. Nash grabs the WCW World Heavyweight Championship and taunts Russo on the floor.
Backstage, Vince Russo tells Kevin Nash that he has forty five minutes to give the belt back to him. Russo says if Nash doesn’t return the belt, Nash will fight Jeff Jarrett in a no holds barred match.
Before the next match, WCW United States Champion Scott Steiner cuts a promo about his days living in Michigan. As usual, Steiner references his sexual abilities. Steiner introduces a new cell, which is the asylum. The cage is a circular cage which their isn’t any way out of once you get into the cage. Rick Steiner answers the challenge.
Fifth Contest: WCW United States Champion Scott Steiner fought Rick Steiner to a no contest in a asylum match: Rick clotheslines Scott and stomps away on his brother as the cage comes down. Rick connects with a belly to belly suplex and continues to hammer away on Scott. Scott sends Rick into the cage and tosses Rick to canvas. Scott continues to toss Rick into the cage and tosses Rick over his head with a overhead suplex. Scott goes for the Steiner Recliner as Tank Abbott makes his entrance with Goldberg’s music. Abbott has bolt cutters with him as Scott keeps the Recliner on Rick Steiner. Abbott failed to cut through the cage so he knocks the referee out to get the cage up. Abbott and Rick beat down Scott Steiner until Kevin Nash once again comes out with the WCW World Heavyweight Championship and nails both Rick and Abbott with the championship. DUD
Backstage, Pamela interviews Kevin Nash after we see Russo and Jarrett watching what happened on a television. Nash says if he kicks Jarrett’s ass tonight he becomes the champion.
Backstage, Terry Taylor is talking to Reid Flair.
Sixth Contest: Chuck Palumbo defeated Diamond Dallas Page: Palumbo intimidates DDP with a few poses but is met with a few right hands and a side headlock. DDP shoulder blocks Palumbo and connects with a side belly to belly suplex for a near fall. DDP clotheslines Palumbo and follows up with a sit down power bomb for a near fall. Palumbo low blows DDP and nails DDP with a super kick. Elizabeth slaps Palumbo which allows DDP to roll Palumbo up for a near fall. Double clothesline sees both men knocked down in the middle of the ring. Kimberly walks out and whacks Elizabeth with a baseball across the back. Page with a suplex on Palumbo as Awesome enters the ring and hits DDP with the steel halo. Palumbo has the Torture Rack on DDP and wins the match. ½*
After the match, Lex Luger checks on Elizabeth and goes to enter the ring but is stopped by Kimberly. Luger is nailed in the face with a pipe by Palumbo. Luger lays on the floor holding a towel over his face.
Backstage, Terry Taylor and Reid Flair are walking towards the ring.
Outside, a bloody Lex Luger is being put into a ambulance.
Backstage, Kimberly tells Elizabeth that she has caused all of this. Elizabeth had no idea what happened to Luger.
Terry Taylor and Reid Flair make their way down to the ring. Reid Flair calls out David Flair, three times because he didn’t say it loud enough the first two times. David Flair comes down to the ring with Daffney. Reid Flair apologizes to David Flair for whatever he and the family did. Reid tells David that they need him especially with Ric’s injury. Daffney nails Terry Taylor with the statue of liberty, statue. Reid low blows David and has a side headlock on David. Well, that doesn’t last long as David punches Reid in the gut and locks in the figure four, briefly. Officials run down to save Reid who manages to quickly get up and stand on his own power as David and Daffney leave.
Seventh Contest: Vampiro defeated Hulk Hogan: Vampiro stomps away on Hogan followed by a few kicks and chops in the corner. Vampiro kicks Hogan to the floor and leaps off the apron connecting with a double axe handle. Vampiro nails Hogan with a chair and super kicks Hogan. Hogan fights back with a chair shot of his own. Hogan sends Vampiro into the guard railing and delivers a flurry of right hands, which causes Vampiro to flip over the announcers table. Back in the ring, Hogan whips Vampiro with his weight belt a few times. Hogan scoop slams Vampiro back in the ring and drops a few elbows. Hogan clotheslines Vampiro in the corner and plays to the crowd. Hogan turns Vampiro inside out with another clothesline and low blows Vampiro. Hogan big boots Vampiro and connects with the leg drop but doesn’t cover Vampiro. Hogan mounts Vampiro with right hands and is distracted by the referee until Billy Kidman comes in and whacks Hogan with the blow torch. Vampiro is laid on top of Hogan and wins the bout. 1/2*
After the match, Sting slides into the ring and plants Vampiro with the Scorpio Death Drop! Vampiro is whipped by Sting with Hogan’s weight belt.
Outside, the Filthy Animals attack Norman Smiley and Ralphus for ruining their car. MIA run over and brawl with the Filthy Animals. MIA return and Major Gunns is told to do mouth to mouth on Ralphus. Gunns refuses at first but ends up going for it until Ralphus sticks his tongue out! Gunns slaps poor Ralphus.
Main Event: WCW World Heavyweight Champion Jeff Jarrett defeated Kevin Nash in a no holds barred match to retain the title: Vince Russo comes out and is the special referee for the match. Nash catches Jarrett in the corner and snake eyes Jarrett. Nash jumps onto Jarrett’s back across the middle rope and side slams the champ. Nash goes for the cover but Russo taunts Nash and refuses to count. Jarrett whacks Nash with a steel chair but Nash pretty much no sells and clotheslines Jarrett over the top to the floor. Nash drops Jarrett across the apron and covers again bur Russo taunts Nash before sliding back into the ring. Jarrett whacks Nash with the championship back in the ring and beats down Nash with right hands. Nash knee lifts Jarrett and goes for the power bomb but Russo maces Nash and Jarrett hits Nash with the Stroke. Scott Steiner runs down and attacks Jarrett until Russo maces Steiner as well. Security handcuffs Steiner to the middle rope on the floor. Back in the ring, Nash forces Russo count Jarrett down but Jarrett kicks out at two. Nash fight off security on the floor. Nash goes to power bomb Russo on the floor, but red liquid drops the rafters (which misses Nash) and Jarrett smashes a guitar over Nash’s had. Jarrett covers Nash and wins the bout. *½
After the bout, Jarrett and Russo celebrate the win. Bischoff comes out and tells Nash that he hasn’t seen anything yet. Russo tells everyone to “bite us.” Jarrett tells Nash to choke on the fact that he is the Chosen One.
End of show
My Take: I’m not surprised that Vince Russo turned Ric Flair’s injury into an angle. That seems like something he would do. Which, in my opinion is a tasteless move. If its not scripted and it’s a negative thing, don’t just “roll with it”. But, whatever.
The weapons match was pretty bland, for a weapons match. Booker T is getting some very good crowd reactions, so it only makes sense to job out to a guy that hardly appears in a wrestling role on television. Then, you go ahead and “fire” the guy. Just some dumb booking with Booker T.
Daffney retaining the WCW Cruiserweight Championship is just a joke. That title match was just a comedy match and greatly killed any kind of prestige the championship had. Remember when Juventud, Rey, Eddie and Kidman would have classic bouts for that title? Yeah, neither do I.
So, Horace Hogan isn’t apart of the New Blood now? I have no fucking idea what is going on with that.
The Terry Funk segment was actually mildly entertaining. I’ll assume that Douglas will now step up to go after the WCW Hardcore Championship. Which, depending on their freedom, could produce some good stuff. But, that is wishful thinking at this stage.
Really poor production by having Awesome and Douglas appear in the segment where the New Blood walked the casket to the ring backstage. Who seriously misses that sort of thing? The funeral segment was rather quick, considering most Russo segments last twenty minutes. Fairly predictable that Nash would show up in some form. My questions is, how in the world did the New Blood not notice the casket get heavier? Suspend your disbelief, I guess.
The asylum match and the Reid/David segments were just dumb. Reid Flair shouldn’t be on television, let alone being attacked by his brother. How tasteless and dark can this show possibly get? Russo must have a really dark soul considering the shit he is producing for television.
Vampiro going over Hulk Hogan in any way was actually shocking. The post match beat down that made Vampiro look like an idiot, was not.
Norman/Ralphus are pretty funny and the only time when I laughed during the show when it was suppose to be funny and not because it was a horrible segment.
Jarrett/Nash was a giant clusterfuck with a extremely stupid ending that was botched. Seriously, why are they still using the red liquid to knock out the baby faces? Just thinking about it causes me to shake my head in disbelief on how dumb that is.
Overall, the cons outweigh the pros by a long shot on this show. Horrible show.