WCW Thunder 4/26/2000

Credit to: http://www.pwwew.net

WCW Thunder
Syracuse, New York
April 26, 2000

After DDP’s stunning title win over Jeff Jarrett on Nitro this past week, the Chosen One resorted to desperate measures in order to gain his revenge. As Thunder hit the air from the On Center in Syracuse, we found out that those measures did not exclude kidnapping, as Jarrett ad Eric Bischoff held David Arquette captive. As DDP accepted a tag team challenge that would give the WCW Title to the first man to score a pinfall, when the dust settled, Hollywood was preparing itself to welcome home its new WCW World Champion … David Arquette.

Interview: Jeff Jarrett and Eric Bischoff
Outside, Eric Bischoff, Kimberly and Jeff Jarrett entered the building, holding David Arquette hostage. They brought him into the ring and demanded that DDP come out. As Page and Kanyon came to the aisle, Jarrett challenged the WCW Champion to team with Arquette against Bischoff and the Chosen One, with the winner of the fall taking home the WCW title. Jarrett told Page to turn around and look at the New Blood insurance policy on the stage, where The Franchise and Buff Bagwell waited. What the tag team champions didn’t know was that Team Package had approached from behind. With a fight underway on the stage, DDP charged the ring, but Jarrett and Bischoff got away with Arquette. After Kim slapped Page across the face, he teased a DDT, but chose to let her go and walk away. As he did, Mrs. Page delivered a low blow and left the ring.

Interview: Ernest “The Cat” Miller
The Cat blamed Mean Gene for Bam Bam Bigelow’s attack at Spring Stampede. He told Gene to get out so he could have more room to dance.

Backstage, Jarrett and Bischoff held Arquette in the boiler room of the On Center, awaiting DDP’s answer to the challenge.

Ernest “The Cat” Miller d. Bam Bam Bigelow
Miller told Bigelow that the reason he attacked him on Nitro was to gain revenge from Spring Stampede. He insulted the Beast From The East, and the match was on. Miss Hancock sauntered to the ring, will all eyes focusing on every step. The Cat caught Bam Bam with his patented kick for the win. Miller danced after the match for the Syracuse crowd.

Backstage, Billy Kidman and Torrie Wilson arrived at the arena.

Backstage, DDP walked the halls, trying to find where Jarrett and Bischoff had Arquette hidden.

In the boiler room, Eric Bischoff told Arquette he was free to go, but Jarrett stopped him as Eric laughed out loud.

Chris Kanyon d. The Perfect One Shawn Stasiak
Curt Hennig joined the broadcast table for the match, wanting to get an up close look at the Perfect One, Shawn Stasiak. After every maneuver, Stasiak gloated toward the table, trying to get under Hennig’s skin. Curt held a pair of brass knuckles, telling the world he would not use them. Moments later, Hennig clobbered Stasiak with the knucks, setting up Kanyon for the Flatliner. After the match, Mike Awesome attacked Kanyon, powerbombing him through the announcer’s table. DDP entered the ring and delivered a Diamond Cutter to Stasiak, as Awesome left the ring. Page accepted the challenge for the main event.

Mark Mero and his trainer Ray Rinaldi were shown sitting in the crowd.

Billy Kidman and Torrie Wilson d. Horace Hogan
Kidman told Hogan that as he was lying in a Tampa hospital bed, the Syracuse fans were cheering on their new hero. Torrie said she was looking to give the kiss of death. Hogan’s music played and Hulk’s nephew, Horace came out to exact revenge for his uncle. Hogan took it to Kidman outside the ring, running him into the metal guardrail. Billy brought Horace down with a huracanrana, but missed a big splash off the top rope. Bischoff made his way to ringside, looking concerned over what was taking place in the ring. Hogan set up a table on the outside, but was stopped by Torrie with a low blow. As he struggled with the blonde bombshell, Bischoff kicked Mickey Jay and smashed a chair over Hogan’s head, setting Kidman to drop Horace from the apron with a bulldog to the outside, destroying the table on contact. Eric counted the pinfall, and Torrie gave Hogan the kiss of death.

Interview: Tank Abbott
Tank told the Syracuse crowd to stop chanting because their hero, “Ghostberg” was nowhere to be found. In search of his next victim, Abbott approached Mark Mero and his trainer. After Rinaldi shoved Abbott, he entered the ring, challenging Tank. Mero intervened and scuffled with Abbott, before security broke up the ruckus.

Backstage, Sting arrived at the arena, still covered in blood from Monday night.

In the boiler room, DDP found a beaten Arquette, who said he was ready for the fight. Page took him for medical help.

Table Match
Sting d. The Wall
Sting, still covered in red from the “bloodbath” he received on Monday, sent The Wall over the top, following him to the floor where they continued the fight. Stinger went for a sunset flip to the outside, but slipped off. After several attempts, he finally brought The Wall down, powerbombing him through a table for the win. Vampiro attacked after the match, but Sting fought him off.

Backstage, Sting walked down the back hall and out the door of the On Center.

Interview: The New Blood – The Franchise, Buff Bagwell and Vince Russo
Russo ran down the crowd, telling them they were not really part of the “real” New York. Buff told Luger he was ready for Slamboree. As Douglas ran on about Ric Flair, Team Package came to the stage. Russo placed security in front of the ring, protecting them from any possible attack. Flair said Hogan was the man and told Kidman he should have some respect. The Nature Boy told Russo he was a mark for wrestling, and a mark for the Millionaire’s Club. He let Douglas know that the only way they would face off at Slamboree was if Russo agreed to face Flair in the ring for five minutes if he interfered in the match, to which Russo accepted. Vince said he was going through the WCW contracts this past week, and found out that Package did not own Elizabeth’s contract, WCW did. He sent security up the ramp, but they were dropped by Team Package, who charged the ring. Russo got away and grabbed Liz, taking her to the back.

Paisley with The Artist d. Tammy with Chris Candido
Tammy told the crowd she was going to show them what all the guys came to see. She disrobed, wearing only a sports bra and leather shorts, much to the delight of every healthy, American male. Both Candido and The Artist got involved in the fight, each trying to help their respective lady. In the end, it was Paisley who countered Tammy and pinned her for the 1-2-3. After the match, Candido and Tammy attacked, leaving Paisley and The Artist lying on the mat.

Interview: Booker T
As Mean Gene started his interview with Booker, a beautiful blonde woman entered the dressing room, wanting to know what Booker was going to do with Mike Awesome later in their match. He said that if Awesome played it straight, there would be no problems.

Mike Awesome d. Booker T
Big Poppa Pump and his ladies came to the ringside table to add their vocal expertise. Booker and Awesome went toe to toe, with both men exchanging power moves. Outside the ring, Awesome took a chair over Booker’s back, taking control of the contest. After a scissors kick, Booker went to the top rope, looking for victory. Steiner knocked him off the rope with the US title belt, sending him crashing to the mat. One running Awesome Bomb later and Mike Awesome chalked up another win. After the match, Poppa Pump cinched on the Steiner Recliner until Lash Leroux, Van Hammer, Chavo Guerrero, Jr. and Hugh Morris came in for the save, running Steiner and Awesome from the ring.

Interview: Bret Hart
In an interview taped on Tuesday, Scott Hudson spoke with Bret Hart from his home in Calgary, Alberta Canada. Hart said that he hit Hogan with the chair last Monday because Hogan held him back early in his career, stopping him from attaining his ultimate goals. Hart said he came to WCW with the sole purpose of finally facing Hulk Hogan, but Hogan ducked him time and again. The Hitman spoke of his injury, suffered in a match against Bill Goldberg at Starrcade. He said the head injury has affected his speech, his memory and has given him many serious headaches. When Hudson asked Hart what he would do if he couldn’t return to the ring, Bret said that no matter what happened, Hulk Hogan would pay.

World Title Match
Diamond Dallas Page and David Arquette d. Jeff Jarrett and Eric Bischoff
When there was no referee for the match, Jarrett waved someone out from the back. Kimberly walked out, decked out in the smallest referee shirt ever made. Bischoff and Arquette fought to the back at the start, as DDP took it to Jarrett inside. Every time Page went for a pinfall, Kim would take here time, stalling as she counted the fall. When Jarrett would cover, however, she suddenly remembered. Bischoff made his way back to the ring, where he joined the Chosen One in annihilating Dallas. As Page dropped the two with a double clothesline, Arquette came back to the ring. With Kimberly in the corner after being kissed by Page, Arquette speared Bischoff as Jarrett dropped Page with the WCW belt. Referee Mickey Jay slid into the ring and counted Bischoff’s shoulder’s down, crowning David Arquette the new WCW World Heavyweight Champion.