Written by: Bob Colling
World Championship Wrestling presents Nitro
Date: 7/10/2000
From: Jacksonville, FL
Nitro opens up with a video recapping Booker T’s career. Last night at Bash at the Beach, Booker defeated Jeff Jarrett to win his first WCW World Heavyweight Championship! After the video, Tony, Mark and Scott talk about Booker’s big win.
New WCW World Heavyweight Champion, Booker T, makes his way down to the ring for an interview. Booker came out to speak from the heart tonight. He says that he has only one regret and that is his mother not being here to see him and he proceeds to point to heaven. He believes that if there weren’t any fans, there wouldn’t be Booker T. The champ tells all the player haters in the back to “don’t hate the playa, hate the game.” He turns his attention to Goldberg who Booker believes is a mark for himself and for the wrestling business! Booker introduces his wife who is brought into the ring. Stevie Ray, Booker’s brother, makes his way down to the ring as well. Ray tells Booker that he wants the champ to listen to him. Ray ends up telling Booker that he is proud of him and loves him. Scott Steiner’s freak comes out and says that there is only one real man in WCW, Scott Steiner. Steiner ends up entering the ring and attacks Booker and Ray. He also threatens to harm Booker’s wife, but nothing happens.
Backstage, Pamela interviews Jeff Jarrett. She tells Jarrett that a match has already been booked for Booker T. That doesn’t sit well with Jarrett. To make things worse for Jarrett, he is attacked by Scott Steiner!
Opening Contest: Shane Douglas defeated Crowbar: Douglas works on Crowbar with a few right hands before they exchange a series of near falls with rollups. Douglas tosses Crowbar over the top but he hangs on and knocks Douglas to the floor where Crowbar takes him out with a cross body. Crowbar has a chair but Torrie Wilson protects her new man. Douglas is able to drop Crowbar throat first across the top rope and connects with a rolling neck snap. Douglas continues his onslaught with a series of suplexs until Crowbar counters with a northern lights suplex for a near fall! Wilson trips Crowbar as he comes off the ropes but Douglas is back dropped over the top to the floor. Crowbar baseball slides Douglas into the guard railing and sends him back first into the railing before crotching Douglas on the railing and delivers a few chops. Daffney grabs Wilson and hits Douglas! Crowbar connects with a somersault leg drop from the apron for a near fall back in the ring. Crowbar gets another two count after a springboard moonsault. Douglas stops Crowbar with a side Russian leg sweep for a near fall. Douglas hits the Franchiser and earns the clean in. **
After the match, Buff Bagwell runs down to the ring and attacks Douglas by delivering an atomic drop and clothesline. Bagwell plays to the fans to end the segment.
Backstage, Pamela interview Billy Kidman. Kidman calls Torrie Wilson a skank and claims that Douglas is getting his sloppy seconds. Kidman is more focused about his career, but is cut off by Jarrett who comes into the picture saying it his time. This leads to Kidman attacking Jarrett. Also, we see Three Count and Tank Abbott getting out of a car with a gold record. Cat announces that he has booked Jarrett vs. Kidman for later on in the night.
Three Count and Tank Abbott come down to the ring with a cold record and a ladder is set up as Abbott says they are going to celebrate by hanging the record up in the arena. Evan Karagias is on the ladder hanging the record up until the Jung Dragons come down to the ring. Karagias gets knocked off the ladder. Three Count get taken care of until Tank Abbott enters the ring and goes to work. Well, that is until the Great Muta comes down and spits green mist into Abbott’s eyes! Kaz Hayashi takes the record before heading to the backstage area.
Backstage, Pamela interviews Kanyon who acts like Diamond Dallas Page. We also see Goldberg walking.
Second Contest: Jeff Jarrett defeated Billy Kidman: Kidman with a head scissors take over but is hip tossed over the top to the floor by Jarrett. Jarrett sends Kidman back first into the guard railing and follows up by dropping Kidman throat first across the railing. Kidman is rammed head first into the ring steps as well. Kidman dropkicks Jarrett several times back in the ring and counters a scoop slam attempt with a roll up for a two count. Kidman back elbows Jarrett in the corner and hits a cross body but Jarrett rolls through for a two count. Kidman plants Jarrett with a sit out spine buster but isn’t able to get the win. Kidman clotheslines Jarrett over the top to the floor. Torrie Wilson has come down to ringside area and ends up having to punch Douglas but is low blowed by Wilson. Douglas plants Kidman with a DDT on the floor and rolls Kidman back into the ring. Jarrett covers back in the ring but Kidman manages to kick out. Kidman nearly wins with a quick roll up but Jarrett delivers a boot and attempts a power bomb but Kidman manages to hit a face jam, though it was botched, and gets a two count. Jarrett counters a bulldog by hitting the Stroke to earn the win. *1/2
Backstage, Scott Steiner decides to attack Kanyon. Mike Awesome is talking to Rhonda Singh until the Cat tries to award him the WCW United States Championship. Awesome declines the offer because he wants to earn the championship the right way.
Third Contest: WCW World Heavyweight Champion Booker T defeated Mike Awesome to retain the title: Awesome delivers several right hands to get out of a side headlock and knocks Booker off his feet with a shoulder block. Booker nails Awesome with a standing side kick and Awesome rolls to the floor. Awesome back elbows Booker but is met with another standing side kick. Booker continues his offense with several right hands in the corner. Awesome misses a splash in the corner and ducks a leaping side kick. Awesome turns Booker inside out with a big clothesline. Awesome gets a two count following a short arm clothesline. Awesome tosses Booker to the floor where Awesome hits Booker with a busted chair over the back. So, Awesome uses another chair to inflict more damage to Booker. Awesome sends the champ into the guard railing and follows up with another running chair shot. Awesome gets a near fall following a slingshot body splash back into the ring. Awesome delivers a double leg slam before heading to the top rope and hits a body splash but Booker kicks out at two on the cover! Awesome goes under the ring to grab a table and sets it up on the floor. Awesome returns to the ring to hit Booker with a right hand. Awesome sets Booker up for a power bomb but Booker breaks free and backdrops Awesome onto the apron. Booker forearms Awesome off the apron and Awesome crashes through the table! Booker knee lifts Awesome and connects with a scissors kick and a leaping side kick! Awesome runs into a spine buster but kicks out at two. Booker goes up top and leaps off to hit Awesome with a missile dropkick but isn’t able to get the three count! Booker ducks a wild right hand and plants Awesome with the Book End to win the bout! ***
After the match, Scott Steiner storms the ring to attack Booker. Steiner puts the Steiner Recliner on Booker. Awesome pulls Steiner off of Booker and essentially turns babyface.
The Cat is standing in the ring after a commercial break and calls out Scott Steiner. Steiner comes out and demands he gets a title shot and if he doesn’t he is going to shove the microphone up his ass! Cat calls Steiner a stupid bitch before attacking Steiner but is quickly choked out. Booker, Kanyon and Jeff Jarrett enter the ring to brawl with one another. Cat books a three way between Steiner, Kanyon and Jarrett with the winner facing Booker at New Blood Rising. Oh wait, here comes Goldberg who wants to make it a four way. Cat agrees with the request so now it is a four way dance.
Backstage, Norman Smiley and Ralphus prepare for their upcoming hardcore match against Big Vito.
Fourth Contest: WCW Hardcore Champion Big Vito defeated Norman Smiley to retain the title: Long story short, Smiley hits Vito with a chair, but Vito lands on top of Ralphus which gives him the win.
Backstage, the Cat fights off the Jung Dragons. We also see Paisley in the back looking for someone to iron the Artist’s shirt before his match. The camera turns to a man dressed in all pink with apparently glitter on himself saying that his name is Kiwi and you do not talk to him the way she was. After saying that, Paisley appears to have fallen in love with him.
Lenny Lane is shown in the crowd with a “Use Me” sign. Mark Madden chats about Lenny Lane and how he should be working.
Before the next match, Storm shows his true colors of being a heel by forcing the fans to listen to the Canadian national anthem.
Fifth Contest: Lance Storm defeated The Artist: A pretty simple match to get Storm over here. Storm gets the submission win with the roll through half Boston crab.
Outside, Vampiro is setting up a hearse which has a coffin inside.
Sixth Contest: WCW World Tag Team Champions Kronik defeated Hugh Morrus/Lash LeRoux to retain the titles: Morrus and Adams start off the title match with a standoff after a shoulder block attempt by Morrus. Adams plants Morrus with a full nelson slam but the MIA plant Adams with a double DDT giving Morrus a two count. LeRoux tags in and connects with a slow swinging neck breaker for a near fall. Adams comes off t ropes and both he and Morrus go down following a double clothesline. Rey Mysterio and Juventud Guerrera get attacked by Jindrak and O’Haire on the floor as LeRoux missile dropkicks Adams for a two count. Morrus splashes Adams in the corner and LeRoux leaps off Morrus’s back with a splash of his own. Morrus misses a elbow drop off the top and Clarke gets tagged in. Clarke big boots LeRoux and follows up with a half nelson slam. Clarke beats down Morrus with several boots but Morrus comes back with a spinning heel kick. Morrus goes up top and connects with a moonsault but only gets a two count. Morrus atomic drops Adams and tags in LeRoux. LeRoux jabs Clarke several times but is stopped with a tilt a whirl back breaker. Adams hits LeRoux with a gut buster and drive LeRoux down to the mat with the High Times for a two count as Morrus breaks up the count. Morrus is shoulder blocked to the floor. Kronik horrible botches the finish of a power bomb/top rope clothesline combo. That was quite horrible. *
After the match, the Perfect Event attacks Kronik with their flexors.
Vampiro comes down to the ring with a coffin, which Demon gets out of. He talks about Demon’s soul is his. Vampiro demands that Demon chokes his girlfriend, Asya. The lights go out and a mystery man wearing a mask delivers several Stinger Splashes and baseball shots. The man drops Vampiro with a Scorpion Death Drop to end the segment. It’s pretty obvious who that was.
Main Event: Jeff Jarrett defeated Goldberg, Kanyon and Scott Steiner to earn a world title shot at New Blood Rising: Steiner and Kanyon start off the main event. Steiner stalls by yelling at fans in the front row. Steiner knee lifts Kanyon several times before delivering several chops in a corner. Steiner stops Kanyon from coming off the ropes with a clothesline and gorilla press drops Kanyon. Steiner tosses Kanyon over the top to the floor where Steiner sends Kanyon into the guard railing and hits Kanyon over the back with a steel chair. Steiner connects with a side belly to belly suplex before going for the Steiner Recliner but is met with a big boot from Goldberg. Kanyon leg drops Steiner in the groin and connects with a sit out double leg slam but Goldberg prevents a three count. Jarrett tags in and works on Steiner with several boots before taunting Goldberg who misses a wild swing. Steiner gets a two count after a tilt a whirl slam on Jarrett. Kanyon tags back in to work on Jarrett but is stopped by Steiner with a exploder suplex. Jarrett covers Kanyon but Goldberg stops the cover again. Kanyon hits Jarrett with a swinging neck breaker and goes for the Kanyon Cutter but Jarrett shoves him away. Goldberg tags in as Jarrett comes off the ropes and spears Kanyon after he hit the Kanyon Cutter. Goldberg connects with the Jackhammer but Steiner enters to break up the cover! Goldberg has a stare down with Steiner and they begin to trade right hands! They both fall to the floor and Jarrett returns to the ring to cover Kanyon for the win. **
After the match, officials try to keep Steiner and Goldberg apart on the floor. Jarrett celebrates his win as the show comes to an end.
My Take: First off, I think it is great that Booker T has won the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. The guy is extremely talented and has always been over with the crowd. I just feel that he got the belt way too late. Imagine if he would have gotten the belt back in 1999. That is when the Radicals were still in WCW. The matches he would have with Benoit, Guerrero, Saturn and even Malenko would’ve been great. Realistically, Benoit would’ve been the only guy of the bunch to get title matches.
I don’t understand turning Scott Steiner back to a bad guy. Sure, he is far better as a heel but the fans were starting to really like him as babyface it seemed. With constant changes of attitude, the fans won’t have any reason to cheer for a guy if he is going to turn on them after a month or less. Decent way to possibly start an angle between Booker and Steiner I thought.
Douglas/Crowbar was a fairly entertaining bout. I like Torrie Wilson being with Douglas as she could be the WCW version of Francine for him.
Jarrett/Kidman could’ve been really good if they were given more time to actually do something and not have to be rushed. I also believe there was no reason for outside interference. Jarrett is a main event guy and should be able to defeat lower mid-card babyfaces without needing help. He needs clean wins sometimes.
I enjoyed the Booker/Awesome match as I thought it was a fun bout. Awesome is being turned into a comedy character who likes fat chicks. First Tank Abbott likes a boy band and now Awesome likes fat chicks. I suppose Scott Steiner can be the only heel badass on the WCW roster.
Glad to see Lance Storm is playing the heel role.
The botched finish for the tag title match was horrible. I don’t know why Kronik attempted to do a move that they have no business doing whatsoever. The match itself was pretty bland and uninteresting.
Decent main event match but I didn’t think Jarrett would win. Kanyon beat Booker last night, so that could’ve been a good choice to go over. Steiner literally attacked him earlier in the show and could easily feud with him. Goldberg seemingly never wins matches that have a number one contender stipulation attached to it but is still quite over. Jarrett winning makes sense and is the easy choice, I just hope that Kanyon gets some kind of angle with Booker since he did actually beat him. There wasn’t any mention of the win, by the way.
Overall, I thought this week’s show was actually pretty good. There was some good wrestling like the opener, world title match and the main event. I can’t really complain about this show, though there was that whole Demon/Vampiro thing. Aside from that, quality show!
Thanks for reading.