Written by: Bob Colling
World Championship Wrestling presents Spring Stampede
Date: 4/11/1999
From: Tacoma, Washington
Opening Contest: Juventud Guerrera defeated Blitzkrieg: They start off with some mat work where they counter each other’s move attempts. Juvi gets a couple of near falls on his roll ups. Blitz stops Juvi after several counters with a tilt a whirl back breaker for a near fall. Juvi comes off the ropes with a head scissors takedown to regain the advantage. Blitz hits Juvi with a handspring back elbow in the corner and follows up with several right hands in the corner. Juvi fights Blitz off from the apron by ramming him head first into the top turnbuckle. Juvi springboards off the top rope to missile dropkick a kneeling Blitz, who rolls to the floor. Juvi dives over the top rope to take Blitz out with a suicide dive! Juvi drives Blitz head first down to the mat with a brain buster for a two count. Juvi puts a surfboard on Blitz, but Blitz escapes and nearly pins Juvi. Blitz drops Juvi with a jumping back kick and dropkicks Juvi to the floor. Blitz leaps off the top rope to the floor but is dropkicked in midair! Back in the ring, Blitz arm drags Juvi to counter a tilt a whirl. Blitz springboards off the top rope to take Juvi out with a moonsault on the floor! Blitz counters the Juvi Driver, but Juvi recovers to connect with a modified reverse neck breaker. They completely botch a top rope overhead suplex, it looked like. Blitz misses a springboard 450 splash. Blitz counters the Juvi Driver with a roll up for a near fall. Blitz comes off the top with Juvi on a twisting roll through of sorts for a two count. I have no idea what that was. Juvi counters an offense attack off the top and leaps off the middle rope to plant Blitz with a super Juvi Driver for the win! **3/4
Second Contest: Bam-Bam Bigelow defeated Hak in a hardcore match: Bigelow rams his cart into Hak but Hak returns the ramming before hitting Bigelow over the head with a trash can. Hak sets a table up on the floor near the top of the aisle way and sets Bigelow on it. Hak climbs the top of the wagon and leaps off hitting a swanton bomb onto Bigelow and through the table! Bigelow nails Hak with the broken table and sends him into the guard railing. Back to the ringside area, Bigelow sends Hak back first into the cart. Bigelow breaks a crutch over Hak’s back as well. They have returned to the ring, where Hak slams Bigelow head first into a chair a few times. Hak bridges a table on the apron and guard railing. When he returns to the ring he is met with a trash can shot from Bigelow. Bigelow hits Hak over the head with a cookie sheet as well. Bigelow punches a salad bowl over Hak’s head followed by another trash can shot. They botch a simple vertical suplex. Hak goes to the floor to bring a ladder into the match. Hak dropkicks the ladder onto Bigelow. Hak heads to the top rope and leaps off to hit a swanton bomb onto the ladder which was on top of Bigelow! Hak continues his offense by driving Bigelow face first onto the ladder with a running bulldog. Hak tosses a table into the ring and a piece of guard railing. Hak smashes Bigelow over the head with a trash can. Hak sets the ladder up and climbs up a few rungs. Bigelow tips the ladder over and Hak flips over the top and crashes through the table on the floor! Bigelow tosses Hak flipping into the ladder in the corner. Hak fights back with a few crutch shots before placing Bigelow on the guard railing. Hak leaps off the top but misses a leg drop and crotches himself on the guard railing. Bigelow sends Chastity to the floor but is attacked by Hak who connects with a side Russian leg sweep! Bigelow grabs Hak on the top rope and manages to hit the Greetings from Asbury Park off the middle rope through a table for the win! **1/2
Backstage, Juventud Guerrera cuts a difficult to hear promo regarding his WCW Cruiserweight Championship match on Nitro tomorrow night.
Third Contest: Scotty Riggs defeated Mikey Whipwreck: Well, this is an unadvertised match. I would have to think if it were advertised people would’ve bought the pay per view just for this. Who doesn’t love Scotty Riggs? Riggs is starting to do a Narcissist type of gimmick. Long story short, Riggs wins the bout following a leaping forearm shot, very similar to how Luger would win his matches in the WWF circa 1993. NR
Fourth Contest: Konnan defeated Disco Inferno: Inferno attacks Konnan once he turns his back and stomps away on Konnan in the corner. Inferno is dressed similar to Konnan wearing army like pants. Inferno drops Konnan following a rolling clothesline. Inferno heads to the top rope but Konnan gets up and taunts him. Konnan plants Inferno with a bulldog and hits a dropkick. Inferno regains control with several right hands. Inferno’s offense doesn’t last long as Konnan is able to arm drag Inferno after leaping off the middle rope. Inferno charges out of the corner with a running back elbow. Inferno taunts the crowd before connecting with a swinging neck breaker. Inferno nails Konnan with a short arm clothesline and comes off the middle rope with a forearm drop for a two count. Konnan battles back with a hip toss but is dumped to the floor by Inferno. Konnan shoves Inferno head first into the ring post. Konnan continues to beat on Inferno by sending him into the guard railing. Back in the ring, Inferno hits Konnan with a fist drop for a two count. Inferno scoop slams Konnan but misses a middle rope elbow drop. Konnan connects with a flurry of right hands and a rolling clothesline. Konnan plants Inferno with a cradle DDT but only gets a near fall on the cover attempt! Inferno comes back with a float over neck breaker for a two count. Inferno blocks a face buster attempt but Konnan counters the Last Dance to hit Inferno with his own finisher for the win! *1/4
Fifth Contest: WCW Cruiserweight Champion Rey Mysterio Jr. defeated Billy Kidman to retain the title: Rey shoulder blocks Kidman to open the bout and they counter each others for a few matches just like the opening match. Rey takes Kidman over with a head scissors takedown. Kidman slingshots over the top rope while on the apron to hit a head scissors of his own and backdrops Rey over the top to the floor. Kidman proceeds to take Rey out on the floor with a cross body. Rey tosses Kidman back first into the guard railing but is dropped throat first across the railing. Kidman slingshots over the railing to hit Rey with a leg drop and gets a two count back in the ring. Rey head scissors Kidman to the floor and leaps off the apron looking for a moonsault but is caught by Kidman. Kidman is instead rammed into the guard railing. Rey looks for a head scissors on the floor but actually hits his own head on the ring steps. Rey springboards off the top to hit Kidman with a Thez Press for a two count. Rey follows up with a springboard moonsault for another near fall. Kidman counters a hurricanrana attempt by hitting a power bomb for a two count. Kidman delivers a back breaker followed by a side slam for a two count. Kidman connects with a sit out power bomb but Rey kicks out at two. Kidman tosses Rey under the middle rope to the floor. Kidman leaps off the apron to hit a Shooting Star Press on Rey on the floor! Kidman power slams Rey back in the ring and heads to the top rope. Kidman leaps off but is dropkicked in midair and Rey nearly wins the bout. Rey leaps off the top rope with Kidman to hit a bulldog but Kidman kicks out at two! Rey nails Kidman with a spinning heel kick. Kidman backdrops Rey but runs into a big boot in the corner. Kidman connects with a snap power slam for a two count. Rey clotheslines Kidman over the top to the floor. Rey springboards off the middle rope to somersault over the top onto Kidman on the floor! Kidman clotheslines Rey in midair as Rey leaps off the top rope and gets a two count. Rey comes off the ropes to hit Kidman with a hurricanrana for a two count. Rey misses a spear in the corner and hits the ring post. Rey manages to comeback with a face buster after being lifted into the air and gets a two count. Kidman plants Rey with a sit out pedigree and heads to the top rope but Rey cuts him off. Kidman connects with a sunset flip power bomb for a near win! Rey leaps off the middle rope with Kidman to hit a wheelbarrow bulldog but Kidman pops his shoulder up at two! Kidman springboards off the middle rope with a bulldog but Rey kicks out again. Rey leaps off the top rope to hit a guillotine leg drop followed by a standing moonsault for a two count. Kidman counters a power bomb with a face buster. Kidman heads to the top rope looking the Shooting Star Press but Rey crotches Kidman on the top rope! Rey connects with a top rope hurricanrana for the win. ***1/4
Sixth Contest: Chris Benoit/Dean Malenko defeated Raven/Saturn: Benoit and Saturn open the match with Benoit dumping Saturn to the floor. Saturn manages to fight off both members of the Horsemen on the floor and tags Raven in back in the ring. Raven and Saturn connect with a clothesline/leg sweep combo. Raven slams Benoit to the mat as Saturn connects with a big splash off the top for a two count. They continue to double team Benoit effectively for a few moments. Benoit dropkicks Raven to the floor where he is attacked by Malenko and Anderson. Raven is driven down to the mat by the Horsemen following a double spine buster. Malenko connects with a vertical suplex but Raven kicks out at two. Malenko follows up with a spinning heel kick and tags out to Benoit. Raven rolls Benoit up but the referee is distracted. Benoit connects with a back suplex for a two count on Raven. Benoit gets another near fall after delivering a clothesline. Malenko clotheslines Raven in the corner and Benoit gets a cheap shot in as well. Raven big boots Malenko a couple of times in the corner and follows up with a clothesline out of the corner. Saturn gets the hot tag and cleans house with right hands and a suplex on Malenko. Saturn is stopped by Malenko with a right hand. Raven puts Malenko on his shoulders to hit an electric chair slam/top rope cross body combo with Saturn. The Horsemen hit Saturn with a German suplex/dropkick combo. Raven and Benoit fall to the floor. Malenko has put the Texas Cloverleaf on Saturn but Saturn reaches the bottom rope! Saturn drives Malenko down with the Death Valley Driver but Benoit leaps off the top with a diving head butt to break up the win. Malenko recovers to cover Saturn but only gets a two count. Benoit works on Saturn with a few chops. Raven gets a two count after hitting a backbreaker on Saturn. Malenko enters to hit a dropkick on Saturn and gets a two count after hitting a knee drop. Saturn struggles to get out of the sleeper hold as Malenko drops to the mat. Raven enters and kicks Malenko in the head. Benoit knocks Raven off the apron to the floor. Benoit covers Saturn for a two count. Benoit takes Saturn over with a northern lights suplex for another near fall. On the floor, Malenko kicks Saturn in the ribs. Malenko makes the save with a dropkick as Saturn rolls Benoit up. Saturn drives Malenko down to the mat with a back suplex. Raven gets the hot tag and cleans house. Raven prevents Benoit from using a chair. Raven drop toe holds Benoit face first onto the chair. Saturn misses a top rope splash onto Malenko and crashes through a table. Malenko returns to the ring to hit Raven with a chair. Raven recovers by hitting Malenko with a DDT but Anderson enters to put a chair onto Raven’s head. Benoit dives off the top to deliver a head butt onto Raven and Malenko covers Raven to get the three count. ***
Seventh Contest: Scott Steiner defeated Booker T to win the vacant WCW United States Championship: Steiner stalls for a few minutes as he talks trash to several fans in the front row. They start off with mat wrestling orientated offense. Booker nails Steiner with a quick dropkick and an arm drag which sends Steiner to the floor. Steiner returns to the ring and works on Booker with several right hands and back elbow shots. Booker comes off the ropes with a forearm smash and connects with a side kick. Booker dumps Steiner to the floor and leaps off the apron hitting Steiner with a clothesline. Booker sends Steiner into the guard railing a couple of times. Steiner asks for a timeout back in the ring but Booker doesn’t give it to him. Steiner runs into a big boot in the corner and Booker delivers several right hands in the mount position. Booker clotheslines Steiner in the corner a few times. Steiner stops Booker by dropping him groin first on the top rope and Booker is sent to the floor. Steiner sends Booker chest first into the guard railing. Steiner works on Booker with a steel chair by hitting him over the back. Steiner clotheslines Booker back in the ring and does a few pushups after dropping an elbow. Steiner maintains control by choking Booker and taunts the fans. Steiner delivers a backbreaker as the fans begin to chant steroids towards Steiner. Steiner takes Booker over with a big belly to belly suplex but only gets a near fall and threatens the referee. Steiner low blows Booker right in front of the referee and taunts the fans. Steiner keeps a bear hug on Booker for a few moments. Steiner connects with a over head belly to belly suplex. Booker gets out of a vertical suplex attempt and plants Steiner with a DDT! Booker knocks Steiner off his feet with a leaping side kick and several clotheslines. Booker ends up accidentally splashing the referee on a clothesline attempt. Booker checks on the referee but manages to connect with the scissors kick! Booker flapjacks Steiner followed by a leaping side kick but the referee is still down as Booker tries for the cover. Booker helps the referee up but Steiner clotheslines the referee from behind. Booker catches Steiner with a big spine buster! Booker heads to the top rope but is crotched by Steiner. Steiner heads to the top rope and connects with the Frankensteiner but Booker kicks out at two! Steiner has gone into his tights to get brass knuckles and hits Booker in the ribs as Booker had Steiner set up for a vertical suplex. Steiner gets the referee and covers Booker to win the title. **1/4
Eighth Contest: Goldberg defeated Kevin Nash: Nash backs Goldberg into a corner and delivers several knee lifts for the early advantage. Nash chokes Goldberg for a brief time before continuing to deliver right hands. Nash back elbows Goldberg in the corner as well. Nash low blows Goldberg as the referee was distracted by Miss Elizabeth. Nash gets a near fall after hitting a short arm clothesline. Nash continues to dominate Goldberg early on with a side slam but only gets a two count. Nash jumps on Goldberg’s back as Goldberg was hunched over the middle rope. Nash misses a big boot and Goldberg knocks Nash off his feet with a leaping shoulder block. Goldberg connects with an over head suplex. Goldberg hits Nash with a side kick and sets up for the spear. Nash manages to jump over Goldberg and Goldberg spears the referee! Luger gets on the apron to whack Goldberg over the back with a chair. Goldberg avoids the power bomb by grabbing Nash’s groin. Goldberg takes care of Luger with a big boot and spears Nash. Goldberg tries for and connects with the Jackhammer to win the match. *1/4
Main Event: Diamond Dallas Page defeated WCW World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair, Hollywood Hogan, and Sting in a Texas Tornado match to win the title: Randy Savage is the special referee. Hogan clotheslines Flair to the floor and they brawl while Sting works on DDP in the ring. Sting quickly goes for the Scorpion Death Lock but DDP reaches the ropes. DDP hits Sting with a swinging neck breaker for a two count. Sting comes back with a clothesline and leaps off the top with another clothesline. Sting connects with the Stinger Splash but Flair breaks up the pin. Hogan and DDP trade rights while Sting power slams Flair off the top. Hogan clotheslines DDP, who dumps Sting to the floor to brawl. Flair works on Hogan with right hands and a chop. Hogan begins to whip Flair with his weight belt. Flair comes out of the corner but is back dropped by Hogan. Sting splashes DDP against the railing. Hogan clotheslines Flair in the corner but is poked in the eyes by the champ. Hogan no sells several chops by Flair. Sting puts the Scorpion Death Drop on DDP and Hogan leg drops Flair. Sting breaks up the pin and lets go of the hold on DDP as a result. Flair chop blocks Hogan’s right knee and goes to work on the knee. DDP sends Sting into the guard railing chest first. Flair puts the figure four leg lock on Hogan! Sting splashes onto DDP against the railing again. Sting tries for another splash but DDP moves out of the way. Hogan has reversed the figure four back in the ring. DDP breaks up the hold by stomping away on Hogan’s injured knee. DDP clotheslines Flair over the top to the floor. DDP wraps Hogan’s legs around the ring post and puts a figure four on Hogan around the ring post! Sting chokes DDP until he breaks the hold. Sting checks on Hogan, who is really holding his knee and a trainer run down. Hogan is helped to the backstage are and the fans aren’t happy about Hogan bailing on the match. Hogan says “oh my god, he snapped it.” Eric Bischoff shows up at the top of the aisle way to check on Hogan. Back to the match, Flair and Sting trade blows while DDP waits in the corner. Sting avoids an atomic drop by Flair and hits a clothesline dropping the champ to the mat. Sting no sells chops from Flair. Sting clotheslines Flair on the apron but turns around into a clothesline from DDP who gets a two count! DDP scoop slams Sting followed by an elbow drop for a near fall. Flair returns to the ring but is met with a discus clothesline from DDP. Sting hits DDP with a Stinger Splash. Sting tries for a scoop slam but DDP almost counters with the Diamond Cutter, but Sting ends up connecting with a bulldog. Flair is sent to the floor and DDP counters a tombstone attempt by Sting with one of his own for a two count. Sting brings Flair back to the ring from the top with a top rope superplex but only gets a near fall on the cover. Flair fights back with a back suplex for a two count. Flair puts a sleeper hold on Sting but DDP comes from behind to put a sleeper on Flair! Sting drops down to deliver a jaw breaker to both men. Sting is double teamed with rights and chops by DDP and Flair. Sting ends up no selling the shots and clotheslines both men! Sting takes out both men with several shots. Sting drives DDP head first into the mat with a bulldog and splashes Flair in the corner. Sting locks in the Scorpion Death Lock but DDP clubs Sting from behind with a right hand. Sting plants DDP with the Scorpion Death Drop as he reverses a suplex attempt! Flair breaks up the pin attempt and low blows Sting several times. Flair puts the figure four on Sting right in the middle of the ring. Sting manages to reach the bottom rope, but Savage drags Flair back to the middle of the ring to deliver a top rope elbow drop! DDP gets up to work on Sting’s knee briefly and ends up hitting the Diamond Cutter on Flair seconds later for the win. **
After the match, DDP celebrates the huge title win while Flair and Sting are laid out in the ring.
Final Thoughts: The rating for the opening match might be a little generous because I enjoyed it despite it being pretty sloppy and having a few botches.
Bigelow/Hak was actually one of the better hardcore matches I can remember seeing. Some of the spots were quite impressive if I am being honest. The finish would have been better if they didn’t have a rather similar finish in the first match, minus the table.
Riggs/Whipwreck was just a way to get Riggs over on pay per view. Decent filler for what it was, I guess.
I’ve enjoyed the Konnan/Disco feud but the match didn’t deliver. The crowd was dead for it and those two couldn’t get them back into it. I prefer Disco over Konnan here, but whatever.
You might be surprised to know that during the Rey/Kidman match the fans were actually quite dead for it. It was a really good match, and was match of the night in my opinion.
Horsemen/Raven & Saturn was a damn good tag team match. Full of action and some nice double team moves throughout. It’s a shame that those four guys didn’t get better from WCW.
Booker/Steiner was a decent bout. I don’t really have much to say about it because it was really, really average.
Nash/Goldberg was as expected, lackluster. I was surprised that Goldberg was dominated so much as he really only hit like five moves or so. Fans exploded for the final thirty seconds but didn’t seem to care much for the first seven minutes of Nash working over Goldberg.
The main event had a hot crowd right until Hogan left the match. Once that happen, the fans were heavily behind Sting but instead DDP wins. Remember, DDP is a babyface entering the bout but it was pretty obvious during the bout that DDP was turning heel. He did blow out Hogan’s knee and helped Flair work on Sting several times throughout the match. If DDP had won the belt last year, I’m sure the fans would’ve exploded for him but I think WCW waited too long. I think the match would have been a lot better had Hogan actually stayed in, which is something I never thought I would be saying.
Overall, aside from the Riggs/Whipwreck and Konnan/Inferno there isn’t anything that is all that bad. I think Spring Stampede is a good show with some quality wrestling and excitement even if the fans don’t necessarily give off that impression. That being said, I’m going to give this a mild thumbs up.
Thanks for reading.