WCW Nitro 7/31/2000

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

Monday Nitro
Cincinnati Ohio
July 31, 2000

The show opened with a ten-bell salute to legendary wrestling announcer Gordon Solie, who passed away on Thursday.

Outside the arena, Booker T’s wife tried to talk him out of entering the building due to his injuries, but the champ would hear nothing of it.

Interview: Booker T
Booker said that even though the fans didn’t get their match last week on Nitro, they would see him fight Sting later in the show. He told the Stinger to lock and load and prepare for a war. Jeff Jarrett came to the stage, stating that there would be no match with Sting, since he was the number one contender. Within moments, tempers flared and the two were going at it in the ring. Jarrett slammed Booker with a chair to the knee and the head, before applying the figure four leglock. A man wearing the black hood ran in to make the save. He removed the hood, revealing Sting, in his usual black and white face paint. Sting told Booker that if he were up to it later in the show, he would accept the title match. Jarrett told the both of them that he would give them a show right there, pulling Booker’s wife over the railing and smashing his guitar over her back. Booker and the Stinger both looked concerned as paramedics took her from the arena. Outside the ambulance, Sting told Booker to go to the hospital and let him take care of Jarrett.

Opening Contest: Big Vito defeated Buff Bagwell: Bagwell shoulder blocks Vito to open the bout. Bagwell hip tosses and dropkicks Vito followed by a swinging neck breaker. Bagwell is focused on keeping his eye on his mother. Vito drops Bagwell chest first across the top rope and stomps away on him. Vito hammers away on Bagwell with right hands but is stopped with a few clotheslines. Bagwell leaves the ring and goes after a security guy, thinking it was Kanyon. Bagwell is met with a super kick by Vito back in the ring. Vito heads to the top rope but is crotched by Bagwell after he wiggled the ropes. Bagwell hooks Vito up and connects with a superplex for a two count. Bagwell plants Vito with a double arm DDT but isn’t able to keep Vito down. Bagwell leaves to get the camera guy but Judy assures him she is okay. Vito counters a sunset flip by sitting down and wins the bout with a rollup. (*1/4. I liked the touch of Bagwell leaving the ring to see if Kanyon is lurking around. It’s also a pretty good win for Vito who has been becoming more and more popular with the fans, it seems. The match wasn’t special but it was decent for what it was.)

Backstage, Quee Wee demanded a match against The Artist for later in the evening.

Pamela Paulshock Interview: Positively Kanyon
Kanyon told Pamela that he would win Judy Bagwell’s services at the New Blood Rising PPV. When Pam took exception to the way he treated women, DDK went for the Kanyon Cutter, but was stopped by Mean Gene, who took the move instead.

Backstage, when Buff Bagwell saw Mean Gene out on the floor, he attacked Kanyon down the hall, dropping him on the concrete with a double-arm DDT.

Backstage, Sting walked the halls with a baseball bat looking for Jeff Jarrett.

Second Contest: Quee Wee defeated The Artist: They brawl on the aisle way where Artist sends Wee into the guard railing. Artist leaps off the middle rope hitting a leg drop for a two count. Wee takes Artist down after being slapped and hammers away on Artist several times. Wee clotheslines Artist followed by a dropkick and a back drop. Artist blocks a rollup but Wee still takes him down for a two count. Artist head butts Wee in the groin. Artist slams Wee down by the hair but Wee fights back with a flurry of right hands and a back elbow strike. Artist nearly wins the bout with a German suplex but Wee comes back with a back suplex for a two count of his own. Wee wins the bout following a tilt a whirl face buster. (*. I thought Quee Wee actually looked pretty good in the ring for being a rookie. While, Artist who has been wrestling since 1997 for WCW still isn’t any good.)

Backstage, Scott Steiner attacked a man in the hallway after getting directions to The Cat’s office. Big Poppa stormed into the commissioner’s office, demanding to wrestle on Nitro for the WCW Title.

Backstage, Kevin Nash arrived to the arena.

Backstage, Norman Smiley tried to hit on Midajah, but was destroyed by Big Poppa and his lead pipe.

Pamela Paulshock Interview: The MIA
General Rection once again gave the troops their instructions, telling Loco that he would face Lance Storm, and pumping Gunns for her hardcore bout against Ms. Hancock.

Prior to the bout, Lance Storm renamed the WCW Hardcore Championship. Saskatchewan Hardcore International Title, which Madden notes that they can’t use the initials for that belt. Storm wants to rename WCW, World Canadian Wrestling as well. MIA cut off the Canadian national anthem.

Third Contest: WCW Canadian Champion/WCW Hardcore Champion Lance Storm defeated WCW Cruiserweight Champion Lieutenant Loco to win the title: Loco springboard clotheslines Storm followed by a scoop slam and back breaker. Loco takes Storm over with a head scissors but is back dropped to the apron. Storm manages to dropkick the champ to the floor and taunts the fans. Storm and Loco trade right hands back in the ring with Loco getting the upper hand with chops and uppercuts. Loco plants Storm with a tornado DDT, followed by a dropkick and a flapjack for a two count. Loco appears to injure his leg following a flip out of the corner and Storm begins to kick Loco in the leg. Loco rolls Storm up for a two count but is stopped with a chop block to the leg. Loco nearly wins by countering the Maple Leaf with a rollup. Storm counters a hurricanrana attempt and wins the title with the Canadian Maple Leaf! (**. It becomes more and more apparent that Lance Storm is a bright spot on WCW television. He continues to have fun matches with restricted time. He and Loco kept things going very well and the match was quite entertaining.)
After the match, Kevin Nash comes out to the ring and tells Storm to leave but the triple-crown winner refuses. Nash ends up big booting Storm to the floor. At least Storm didn’t have to get power bombed, I guess.

Interview: Kevin Nash
Nash said that he and Goldberg have worked themselves into a shoot. He talked about playing basketball, but mentioned that he only remembered the football players padding each other on the asses. Big Sexy told Goldberg that he had better watch out at the PPV, and told the WCW brass that he would not let up on his quest to get Scott Hall his job back. Big Poppa Pump arrived, cutting Nash off, mid sentence. Steiner told Kevin that they were not waiting for New Blood Rising, as the two started exchanging fists before security broke it up.

Backstage, Jeff Jarrett made his way to the ring.

Backstage, Kevin Nash told the commissioner that he wanted a match against Scott Steiner, and wasn’t taking no for an answer. Miller told Nash that he and Big Poppa would meet in a Straight Jacket Match later on Nitro.

Prior to the match, Jeff Jarrett calls out Sting to the ring for their match.

Fourth Contest: Sting defeated Jeff Jarrett: Jarrett works on Sting with several right hands but Sting quickly comes back with a face buster but misses a splash in the corner. Sting clotheslines Jarrett over the top to the floor. Sting rams Jarrett into the guard railing chest first a few times. Sting grabs a chair and jabs Jarrett in the midsection several times. They are at the top of the entrance way where Sting continues to hit Jarrett with a chair. Jarrett manages to low blow Sting with the middle rope as Sting returned to the ring. Jarrett wraps Sting’s leg around the ring post and smashes a chair against his knee around the ring post. Jarrett wraps Sting’s legs around the bottom rope and locks in the figure four! Jarrett taunts the fans before going back to work on Sting’s left knee. Sting blocks being rammed into the corner head first and begins to punch Jarrett. Jarrett accidentally low blows the referee but whacks Sting with a chair over the head. Jarrett covers but Sting kicks out at two. Sting counters a suplex attempt by hitting the Scorpion Death Drop and gets the win. (*1/2. It wasn’t all that bad, but I just don’t like Jarrett losing clean here. I always get annoyed when guys involved in a top title feud are jobbed out to guys on the undercard. I know it’s Sting but he is feuding with Vampiro for goodness sake. Hell, I don’t even know why they wrestled this week and not next week. I wish they would drag things out, sometimes.)

Outside, Terry Taylor told the returning Booker T about what Sting had done to Jarrett.

Fifth Contest: WCW World Tag Team Champions Kronic defeated The Great Muta & Vampiro and Mark Jindrak & Sean O’ Haire to retain the titles: O’Haire slams Vampiro on the floor before Vampiro and Muta are slid into the ring. All six men brawl in the ring until Vampiro and Muta are dumped to the floor, again. Jindrak and Clarke start off the match legally with Clarke knee lifting Jindrak in the corner followed by several chops. Clarke takes Jindrak over with a butterfly suplex. Clarke shoulder blocks a charging Jindrak. Jindrak is able to dropkick Clarke but is stopped with several strikes. Vampiro sneaks in the tag while Clarke drops Jindrak with a cobra clutch slam. Vampiro leg drops Clarke as he tries for a cover. Muta tags in and stomps away on Clarke. Muta drops an elbow and stomps away on Clarke. Vampiro leaps off the top rope to hit a clothesline after several seconds of Clarke just staring at Muta, who motioned for Clarke to actually move. Clarke is sent into a corner and collides with Vampiro as he stumbles out. Muta and Adams are tagged in with Adams cleaning house. Adams full nelson slams Muta and press slams Vampiro onto Jindrak. O’Haire side kicks Adams and Muta dragon leg whips Adams. Clarke whacks Muta a chair but Vampiro kicks a chair into Clarke’s face. Jindrak connects with a nice top rope hurricanrana and O’Haire hits the swanton bomb and covers Vampiro. Adams has covered Muta and there is a double pin, with the referee counting Adams. (*. I’m not sure how a double pin works since there can only be two legal guys. The match was pretty lackluster as all six men just didn’t seem to be on their best game, especially Vampiro.)
After the match, Vampiro and Muta beat down Kronik, with Muta spitting mist into Adams eyes.

Backstage, The Cat told Shane Douglas that he was wrestling Billy Kidman in a Viagra on a Pole Match. The Franchise got mad, but Torrie pulled him out of the office.

Backstage, Booker thanked Sting for taking care of Jarrett and asked the former champion if he still wanted the title shot. The Stinger agreed that it was what the people wanted.

Pamela Paulshock Interview: Mark Jindrak and Sean O’Haire
The rookies told Kronic that they were ripped off in the ring moments ago, and would not be taken advantage of.

Sixth Contest: Shane Douglas defeated Billy Kidman in a Viagra on a pole match: Kidman head scissors Douglas to kick off the match but Douglas stops him with a knee lift. Kidman backdrops Douglas over the top to the floor and baseball slides Douglas into the guard railing. Kidman also sends Douglas into the guard railing. Kidman heads to the top rope hitting a cross body back in the ring for a one count. Torrie trips Kidman which allows Douglas to hot shot Kidman over the top rope. Douglas stomps away on Kidman before hitting a rolling neck snap. Douglas connects with a series of snap suplexs followed by a delayed vertical suplex. Douglas press slams Kidman and goes for the Franchiser but Kidman gets out of it and clotheslines Douglas a few times. Douglas manages to plant Kidman with the Pittsburgh Plunge after countering a back drop attempt. Douglas goes to get the bottle but is power bombed by Kidman off the middle rope. Douglas stops Kidman with a back suplex. Kidman plants Douglas with a bulldog out of the corner. Kidman counters a back suplex with the Kid Krusher! Kidman grabs the bottle of Viagara! Kidman turns around and is met with the Franchiser! Douglas grabs the Viagra and the referee gives him the match! (*1/4. I hate the stipulation to this match. It figures that a heated feud would be given a stupid stipulation.)
After the match, Kidman gets Viagra pills shoved down his throat.

Seventh Contest: Ms. Hancock defeated Major Gunns in a hardcore match: This apparently starts backstage where Gunns gets Hancock, well, wet by shoving her in the shower. They head over to a catering table and use several foods. Back in the ring, AWOL and David Flair are fighting. I don’t understand how they got out there. The girls reach the ring where Hancock sends Gunns into a table set up in the corner. Hancock pins Gunns following a scoop slam. That was really unnecessary.

Backstage, Kidman’s consumption of the Viagra pills was evident to the Nitro Girls, who asked Billy if they could go to his hotel room with him.

Prior to the next match, Scott Steiner cuts a promo on Goldberg and Kevin Nash saying that he is going to beat both men up at New Blood Rising.

Eighth Contest: Scott Steiner defeated Kevin Nash in a straight jacket match: Nash side slams Steiner and goes for a cover but this match can’t be won by pin fall. Nash elbows Steiner several times in the corner. Steiner’s freak distracts Nash allowing Steiner to low blow Nash. Steiner connects with a belly to belly suplex and taunts the fans. Steiner drops Nash with a clothesline and elbow drops Nash before doing a few pushups. Steiner kicks Nash in the ribs a few times. Steiner sends Nash into the guard railing side first as they brawl on the floor briefly. Steiner continues to beat down Nash in the corner but runs into a big boot. Nash mounts Steiner delivering several right hands. Nash delivers another big boot as Steiner comes off the ropes. Steiner is dropped face first across the top turnbuckle after jumping onto Nash’s back. Nash choke slams Steiner and is hit with a chair by Steiner’s freak incredibly softly. Nash actually power bombs a woman! Nash goes to power bomb Steiner but Rick Steiner runs down only to be stopped with a big boot. Nash goes to power bomb Rick but is hit with a chair by Scott. Scott puts the Steiner Recliner on Nash while Rick puts the straight jacket on Nash. Nash is tied up in the straight jacket. (*1/2. I guess it was alright for what it was.)

Main Event: WCW World Heavyweight Champion Booker T defeated Sting to retain the title: They shake hands before the bell. Booker shoulder blocks Sting but is hip tossed by Sting, followed by a running clothesline. Sting big boots Booker in the corner and turns the champ inside out with a running clothesline. Sting goes to lock in the Scorpion Death Lock but Booker reaches the bottom rope. Sting stomps away on Booker’s injured right knee and goes for the Scorpion Death Lock again but Booker reaches the ropes and slides to the floor. Booker kicks Sting in the gut but Sting sends Booker into the guard railing. Sting heads to the top rope and attempts a big splash in the ring but Booker gets his knees up to block it! Booker knee lifts Sting and hits the scissors kick! Booker covers Sting but isn’t able to get the three count. Sting comes off the ropes and hits a cross body. Booker apparently hit Sting with one as well, and Sting rolls to the floor. Sting is pulled underneath the ring by the Demon, but the announcers act like they don’t know who it was. Sting is shoved back to the ringside area and has been busted wide open. Sting back elbows Booker several times in the ring. Booker botches a rollup out of the corner for a two count. Sting ducks a side kick and plants Booker with a DDT for a two count. Sting counters a suplex looking for the Scorpion Death Drop, but Booker wiggles free and hits the Book End for the win! (**. I disliked the interference as it was unnecessary. I thought it was an okay match, but Booker should’ve just won the match cleanly and saved the interference for afterwards or something.)
After the match, Sting grabs Demon from under the ring and attacks him. Vampiro and Muta run down to attack Sting. Jeff Jarrett runs through the crowd with a chair to smash Booker over the back with the chair several times. Jarrett has a rope hanging from the ceiling and ties the rope around the champs ankle. Booker is pulled up into the air! Sting has been put into the Demon’s coffin at the top of the aisle way and spits fire onto coffin lighting it! Jarrett has a guitar and smashes it over Booker’s knee to close the show!

Final Thoughts: I don’t get why Russo feels the need to do so many outlandish things. I think he puts too much thought into the entertainment aspect. I’m really starting to dislike the product since its more geared entertainment rather than simple wrestling. The only bright spot of the shows nowadays seem to be Lance Storm, Booker T and Scott Steiner. Those three guys usually bring entertainment. I would have said Mike Awesome a few weeks ago as well, but he was given a dumb character as a fat chick thriller. That’s a perfect example of dumb writing. Anyway, some of the wrestling here was decent. I did like the opening segment with Jarrett attacking Booker’s wife, as they provides some serious heat for the feud. In my opinion, Jarrett/Booker has been written fairly well. I should add Jarrett to the list of wrestlers that entertains me. I can’t sit here and say this was an awful show, because it wasn’t. They did some good build up towards New Blood Rising. I’ll say it was an average show with hit and miss stuff.

Thanks for reading.