WCW Nitro 7/24/2000

Credit to: http://www.pwwew.net
Match Write-up/Ratings/Thoughts: Written by Bob Colling

Monday Nitro
Cleveland, Ohio
July 24, 2000

Prior to the opening contest, WCW Canadian Champion Lance Storm has the Canadian national anthem play. The whole song is allowed to play this time around. Storm is upset with the lack of upset that the American fans have been showing him. He believed that the fans would jump at the chance to look up to him since he is a role model. He insults the American role models as not being as good as him. He announces that he be wrestling Mike Awesome on August 13th at New Blood Rising on pay per view. Storm issues an open challenge to kick off the show. WCW Hardcore Champion Big Vito answers the challenge. Vito says that Storm can’t beat him. Storm wants Vito to put his title on the line and he agrees.

Opening Contest: WCW Canadian Champion Lance Storm defeated WCW Hardcore Champion Big Vito to win the title: Storm cheap shots Vito with a right hand but Vito arm drags Storm followed by a scoop slam and a clothesline. Vito chops Storm several times in the corner but Storm ducks a splash and hits Vito with a spinning heel kick. Vito drops Storm face first across the top turnbuckle and stomps away on Storm several times. Vito grabs a traffic cone and baseball bat. Vito hits the cone with the bat into Storm’s groin in the corner. Vito tries to get a table from under the ring but isn’t able to yank it out. Storm backdrops Vito to the floor and rams him into the guard railing. Vito gets cut off on the top turnbuckle and is low blowed by Storm. Storm delivers a superplex but Vito kicks out at two. Vito kicks out of a roll up attempt. Vito connects with a over head belly to belly suplex and heads to the top rope. Vito leaps off and delivers a elbow drop but Storm kicks out at two! Vito plants Storm with a jumping DDT but still inst able to get the win due to a cocky cover. Vito grabs his kendo stick and smashes Storm in the head. They trade super kicks but Storm counters a go behind with the Canadian Maple Leaf to win the title! (**1/2. It was a good opener to the show as both Storm and Vito were getting good reactions. They kept things going, as there weren’t any rest holds and when that happens I’m always entertained it seems. This is a good start for Storm with two championships, though no one really cares about the Hardcore Championship.)

Interview: Booker T
The WCW Champion first told the fans that he would not be where he was without their support. Booker said that come New Blood Rising, he would show Jeff Jarrett why he was wearing the gold. Goldberg came to the ring, confronting the new champion about his attack last week. The former Falcon told Booker that the two of them would be going head to head later in the show. This prompted the commissioner to stroll to the ring and let them both know that Booker’s challenger would be determined by the fans via a voting process on WCW.com. When The Cat got mouthy with Goldberg, he was put up against the ropes, but Booker broke it up and a scuffle ensued until WCW Security arrived. Miller told Goldberg that he owed him one for laying his hands on the man in charge.

Billy Kidman joined Tony Schiavone, Scott Hudson and Mark Madden at the announcer’s table. Kidman said that it was Torrie Wilson’s birthday and for her, he brought a videotape of Wilson and himself engaged in some “extra curricular activities.”

Second Contest: Lieutenant Loco and Major Gunns defeated David Flair and Ms. Hancock: Long story short, Gunns pins Hancock after avoiding a body press.

Backstage, Jeff Jarrett asked The Cat why he was letting the fans decide the challenger. Miller told The Chosen One that if he didn’t like it, he could leave. When Jarrett started swinging his guitar, the commissioner told him he could have a title match — a tag team title match.

Pamela Paulshock Interview: Sting
Sting said that he was going to the main event to take the belt from Booker T. He told the booking committee that whether they liked it or not, he was removing the black hood from his face sometime in the show.

Mike Tenay Interview: Goldberg
Goldberg told Mike Tenay that he was confident that the fans would vote him into the main event. He did state however, that if it was someone else, he would make sure that they wouldn’t make it to the ring.

Backstage, someone laid out Brian Clark in the dressing room. It was presumed by the announcers to be Jeff Jarrett, as a broken guitar was left behind at the scene.

Third Contest: WCW World Tag Team Champions Kronik fought Jeff Jarrett to a no contest: Jarrett hammers away on Adams to start off the contest. Adams ducks a clothesline and delivers a back breaker for a two count. Adams plants Jarrett with a pile driver but Jarrett reaches the bottom rope. On the floor, Adams is sent shoulder first into the ring post after Jarrett avoided a power slam. Jarrett also sends Adams into the ring steps head first. Jarrett plants Adams with a pile driver on the floor as well. Jarrett covers Adams back in the ring but isn’t able to keep him down. Jarrett leaps off the middle rope with a double axe handle but Adams catches him. Jarrett comes off the ropes and plants Adams with a DDT for another near fall. Adams drives Jarrett to the mat with a full nelson slam and connects with a big boot for a two count. Jarrett jabs Adams in the throat with the handle of his guitar but Adams still powers out at two. Adams recovers with a gut buster out of a military press slam. Adams misses a middle rope knee drop as Bryan Clarke enters the ring. Clarke tries to hit Jarrett with the broken guitar but the referee prevents it. Instead, Clarke hits the Meltdown. Clarke wants to put Jarrett through the announcers table. The referee prevents that from happening and he is instead sent through announcers table! Poor Slick Johnson. Jarrett managed to bail through the crowd. (**. Honestly, the action between Jarrett and Adams wasn’t all that bad. Plus, the aftermath was done nicely, I thought. Surprisingly fun segment I thought.)

Backstage, Vampiro talks to the Cat saying he wants to take care of the Great Muta for the Cat. Eventually, Vampiro convinces Cat to be the special referee.

Pamela Paulshock Interview: “The Franchise” Shane Douglas and Torrie Wilson
When Pamela asked Torrie about the tape that Kidman brought and Shane told her he wanted the truth, Wilson walked away, upset about the situation.

Fourth Contest: Vampiro fought the Great Muta to a no contest: Guess what? It’s time for a swerve! Vampiro kicks Cat from behind and along with the ICP beat down Cat. However, Cat fights them off until the Great Muta kicks Cat. Muta, Vampiro and ICP end up beating down Cat. The Demon enters the ring and helps Cat to his feet only to hit a cobra clutch slam! Never trust a man wearing face paint, unless it’s Sting.

Pamela Paulshock Interview: Booker T
The WCW Champion said that it didn’t matter who the challenger was, T was walking out of the ring with the title.

Prior to the match, it is revealed that Sting won the fan voting to wrestle Booker T. However, Goldberg ends up attacking Sting on the aisle way. Goldberg hits Sting with a side kick and security runs over to break it up. Booker leaves the ring and tries to get at Goldberg but is held back by security guards. Goldberg gets on the microphone and says that even though Booker has the belt, he is still the man! He wants to beat Booker’s ass tonight! Booker accepts and enters the ring.

Fifth Contest: Goldberg defeated WCW World Heavyweight Champion Booker T in a non-title match: Goldberg wipes Booker out with a clothesline after Booker got a few right hands in. Goldberg body slams Booker and the champ bails to the floor. Booker kicks Goldberg on the floor but is sent shoulder first into the ring steps. Booker has been busted wide open as he is sent back into the ring. Goldberg locks in a cross arm breaker but Booker isn’t giving up. Booker reaches the bottom rope causing the hold to be broken. Stevie Ray comes out tossing a towel but Goldberg tossed the towel back at Ray. Ernest Miller comes out and gives the match to Goldberg. Miller can’t give the belt to Goldberg because it was a submission or pin fall win. (NR. I don’t consider this a match at all. The reasoning for not putting the title on Goldberg is ridiculous. The guy won, thus he should be champion. It’s called a TKO, right?)

Backstage, a bloody and battered Booker T told The Cat that he wanted Goldberg back in the ring or he was walking out of the company.

Sixth Contest: Buff Bagwell fought Positively Kanyon to a no contest: Well, Kanyon doesn’t actually show up, so I guess Bagwell wins by forfeit. Wait a minute, Kanyon was a cameraman! Kanyon drops his camera and attacks Bagwell. Judy smacks Kanyon a few times and Buff gets up sending Kanyon over the top to the floor with a clothesline. Kanyon returns to the ring and plants Bagwell with the Kanyon Cutter! Judy Bagwell backs away as Kanyon stalks her up the aisle way. Kanyon ends up putting her in the trunk of a car and drives away kidnapping Judy Bagwell.

Outside, Buff Bagwell jumped into his car and sped away, off to look for his abducted mother.

Pamela Paulshock Interview: Billy Kidman
Billy mentioned Tommy Lee and Pamela Anderson in comparison to the tape that he brought with Torrie and himself.

Seventh Contest: Mike Awesome defeated Shane Douglas: Awesome backs Douglas into a corner and rams him head first into the turnbuckle pads. Awesome leaps off the middle rope to hit Douglas with a back elbow and clotheslines the Franchise over the top to the floor. Awesome springboards off the top rope to take Douglas out with a dive on the aisle way! Torrie Wilson jumps on Awesome’s back on the floor and grabs his foot on the apron. Douglas drops Awesome throat first across the top rope and sends Awesome into the guard railing back first. Douglas front slams Awesome back in the ring and connects with a rolling neck snap. Awesome slams Douglas off the top rope and follows up with several clotheslines and a big splash for a two count. Awesome connects with a belly to belly suplex but Douglas kicks out at two. Awesome drives Douglas to the mat with a double leg slam and heads to the top rope but Torrie grabs his leg again. Douglas has a chain and punches Awesome several times in the ribs. Douglas gets distracted by the apparent sex tape being aired on the big screen. Awesome hits Douglas over the head with a weight and pins Douglas. (*1/4. Not an awful match, I just didn’t like the way it ended as it fell flat. Plus, the use of a weight was really odd to use as a weapon.)
After the match, Awesome avoids an attack by Lance Storm by connecting with a running powerbomb.

Outside, Shane Douglas destroyed a production worker for showing the tape.

Interview: Billy Kidman
Kidman said that he was not stupid and had made copies of the tape for the whole crowd and all the boys in the back. The Jung Dragons and Keewee were shown in the dressing room watching and enjoying the “show.”

In the production truck, Shane Douglas said that Kidman would pay for what he just did to Torrie Wilson.

Eighth Contest: General Rection/Corporal Cajun and Mark Jindrak/Sean O’Haire and The Perfect Event defeated Rey Mysterio Jr./Juventud Guerrera in a caged heat match: The only way to win this match, is by escaping. Apparently, the team that loses will not be able to challenge for the tag titles at New Blood Rising. Jindrak and O’Haire have escaped first as Rey and Guerrera beat them out of the cage. Rey and Guerrera themselves had an easy chance to escape the cage but simply walked away. Palumbo and Stasiak casually walk out of the cage as well. Palumbo returns to the cage and locks the door. Konnan ends up having a pair of bolt cutters. Rey and Guerrera grab a ladder from under the ring and look to escape through the top of the cage where Disco Inferno created a hole. Rection fights the Animals off and reaches the top of the cage. Rection fights off Inferno and Rey is nearly sent over the top of the cage. Rey tries to toss Rection off the top of the cage. The fans are really not interested in this at all. Konnan sets up a table on the floor as Rection and Rey brawl on the top of the cage. Rey prevents Rection from diving off the cage onto Guerrera who was on the table. Guerrera manages to send Cajun through the table. Rection climbs down to the ring and power bombs Rey as he tried to climb down as well. Rection leaves the ring and escapes the cage to make the New Blood Rising tag title match. (DUD. That was an awful match.)

Backstage, Goldberg threw Stevie Ray through a plate glass window as Ray tried to talk him out of fighting his brother again. Booker helped medical attendants get Stevie into the ambulance.

Main Event: WCW World Heavyweight Champion Booker T defeated Goldberg to retain the title: Booker attacks Goldberg from behind during his introduction but Goldberg recovers quickly and hammers away on Booker on the floor. Goldberg tries to enter the ring but Booker connects with a scissors kick! Goldberg big boots Booker in the corner and delivers a running clothesline. Goldberg catches Booker on a cross body attempt and power slams the champ. Goldberg hammers away on Booker with right hands as Jeff Jarrett runs down with a chair. Jarrett whacks Goldberg over the back with the chair. Goldberg gets up and spears Jarrett! The Cat nails Goldberg with the Feliner! Booker hits a leaping side kick on Goldberg. Booker hits the Book End and pins Goldberg in under three minutes! (1/2*. This is obviously a huge win for Booker and his title reign. However, why on earth would you book a three minute, over booked match with Goldberg being pinned? It becomes more obvious that WCW circa 2000 were focused on just ratings for television rather than money they would make on pay per view. There wasn’t any need to book this match at all.)
After the match, Goldberg spears Booker quickly and follows that up with the Jackhammer. Goldberg knocks down several security guys to close the show.

Final Thoughts: It figures that the show would open with a pretty good match and steadily get worse as the show goes on. We had three no contest matches, a lame caged heat match, a kidnapping, your top draw being beaten in under three minutes by pin fall even if there was interference. Russo needs to chill out on how much stuff he puts on to one show. Realistically, he could have done the Goldberg/Booker skits after NBR to lead into Fall Brawl and have their title match there. But no, he did all the skits in one night and had the blow off be a three minute clusterfuck with Goldberg losing. If you can’t tell already, I didn’t like this show all that much.

Thanks for reading.