WCW Nitro 9/4/2000

Written by: Bob Colling

World Championship Wrestling presents Nitro
Date: 9/4/2000
From: Dallas, TX

Matches:
1.)WCW World Tag Team Champions Rey Mysterio Jr. & Juventud Guerrera defeated Insane Clown Posse
2.)Sting defeated Vampiro & the Great Muta in a handicap match
3.)Booker T defeated Stevie Ray
4.)Kronik defeated The Cat in a handicap match
5.)Goldberg defeated Shane Douglas
6.)The Natural Born Thrillers defeated Big Vito in a Gauntlet Match
7.)Kevin Nash won War Games 2000 to retain the WCW World Heavyweight Championship

Angle Developments/Notes:
1. Rey and Juventud use their speed advantage early on to get the upper hand on the ICP. The champs deliver a dropkick and heel kick. Rey is able to hit the Bronco Buster as well. Violent J got some offense in hitting a gorilla press slam, but that was about it. Juventud holds Violent J down long enough for Rey to hit a guillotine leg drop to retain the titles. (*1/2. For a quick match, this wasn’t offensive.)

2. Team Canada is forcing Major Gunns to do exercises since she is now part of the group. Naturally, men are happy to see a big breasted blonde girl do some exercise and get sweaty. At least Vince Russo can get one thing right, I guess.

3. Vince Russo and the Natural Born Thrillers provide us with the first long winded promo of the night. They are inside the triple cage, which will be used tonight for War Games 2000. Russo gets some heat after making fun of the Cowboys and Troy Aikman. For the War Games tonight, the wrestler needs to get the championship at the top of the cage and walk out through the door to win the match. Russo says if Goldberg wins a qualifying match, he will get rid of the waiver that would allow Goldberg to get his hands on Russo. Russo decides to predict that he will win the match and championship. WCW World Heavyweight Champion Kevin Nash comes out and asks what Russo has been smoking to come to that conclusion. Nash tells Russo he only defends the belt once a month, but Vince reminds Nash who is in charge. Nash threatens Russo until Sting appears. Sting just tells us he is going to win and chases Russo to the top of the cage after Russo gives him the Up Yours signal. Jeff Jarrett and Scott Steiner climb up the cage as well. Booker T and the Cat brawl with the Thrillers. Russo gets away from Sting but sees Goldberg and runs to the backstage area.

4. The Harris Brothers show a video of them in a bar starting trouble with Kronik.

5. Sting dominates Muta and Vampiro in the handicap match, as per usual. Sting plants Vampiro with a Scorpion Death Drop to win the match. (DUD. Just a squash match here, really.)

6. Backstage, Major Gunns continued to work out to become a Canadian. Also, Vince Russo tells Stevie Ray. Plus, Jeff Jarrett asks Kevin Nash to work the match tonight.

7. Russo has forced Stevie Ray to wrestle his brother, which wouldn’t have been a big issue eight months ago when they didn’t like each other. Booker absorbs a pre-match attack and hits an axe kick. Booker counters the Slapjack with a backdrop and soon hits the Book End to win the match. (DUD. As if there was any kind of doubt here.)

8. Backstage, Kronik attacks the Jung Dragons after they don’t understand the questions about the Harris Brothers.

9. Kronik destroys Three Count by hitting three High Times. Clarke and Adams also hit their singles finishing moves and want the Harris Brothers. Instead, they get the Cat. Cat tries to kick his way to victory but ends up suffering the High Times. This means Kronik will be in the War Games. Vince Russo didn’t think that one through.

10. Douglas tries to work over Goldberg on the floor by ramming Goldberg into the ring steps. In the ring, Goldberg drops Douglas with a clothesline and goes for the spear but the Thrillers come out. Goldberg takes out the Thrillers rather easily. Goldberg ends up hitting the spear and Jackhammer on Douglas for the win. (DUD. Yeah, just an easy win for the top babyface.)

11. Backstage, Kevin Nash listens to Vince Russo beg him to work together but Nash says he has the agenda to walk out as the champion and not Russo.

12. Team Canada toss Pamela into the pool and are attacked by the Misfits in Action who toss Team Canada into the pool as well.

13. Backstage, Arn Anderson is interviewed. He tells Pamela the soaking wet look is good on her. Arn proceeds to think why someone with a six figure income would want to get married. He leaves to pick up Ric Flair for his sons wedding.

14. Big Vito is dominated by the Thrillers as each member is able to hit their big moves on Vito. Reno and Palumbo even hit a 3D on Vito. Palumbo would hit a top rope shoulder block and Jindrak hit a moonsault. O’Haire hit a top rope swanton bomb and that allowed Mike Sanders to casually pin Vito.

15. Sting and Jeff Jarrett start off the main event. Anyone can grab the belt whenever they want. They don’t have to wait for everyone to enter. Sting starts off with a dropkick and clotheslines Jarrett to the floor where he tosses Jarrett into the cage. Sting slams Jarrett face first into the ring steps. Sting sets up a ladder but Jarrett cuts him off with a series of right hands. Sting tosses Jarrett onto the ladder a few times in the corner. The third entrant is Scott Steiner. Steiner runs down and prevents Sting from climbing to the second level. Jarrett and Steiner ram the ladder into Sting’s side and he falls down. Steiner press slams Sting and gets another ladder. Jarrett sends Sting into the ladder in the corner. Sting is being dominated by the heels. Kronik makes their way out as the next entrants. Steiner climbs to the second level and uses the bolt cutters to break out of the second level. Steiner is cut off by Brian Adams and Clarke have reached the second level. Kronik press slam Steiner back first into the top of the cage. Vince Russo is the next entrant. Russo also has the Harris Brothers with him. Sting had the Scorpion Death Lock on Jarrett. Kronik and the Harris Brothers are hitting each other with weapons on the second level. Sting splashes Russo in the corner much to the delight of the fans. Sting puts the Scorpion Death Lock on Russo. Kevin Nash is the next entrant. Sting splashes Nash into Steiner, but misses a second splash. Nash choke slams Sting! Nash grabs Russo and teases a choke slam. Nash continues to tease choke slamming Russo, Jarrett and Steiner. Booker T is the next entrant. Booker hits a scissors kick on Jarrett and the same for Steiner. Russo tried to attack Booker, but he is dropped with a scissors kick. Nash drops Booker with a big boot. Nash teases a powerbomb on Russo, but here comes Goldberg. Goldberg cleans house with a few strikes until Russo whacks Goldberg over the back with a baseball bat. Booker has gotten to the second level. Nash is standing at the door while Goldberg has been handcuffed to the ropes. Steiner is working on Booker, while Sting is on the second level as well. Steiner nails Sting over the back with a pipe. Booker has made it to the third level. Booker has grabbed the championship but needs to come back down with it. Booker nails Jarrett with the championship and does the same to Scott Steiner. Sting has been handcuffed on the second level. Jarrett smashes a guitar over Booker’s head. Booker has been handcuffed as well. Russo picks up the championship that Steiner drops. The Cat runs out and kicks Russo in the head! Nash powerbombs Cat! Goldberg breaks the handcuffs and knocks the heels out. Goldberg drops Russo with a right hand. Goldberg has the championship and just needs to walk out. Goldberg is close to walking out but the cage gets closed in his face. That was Bret Hart! Steiner nailed Goldberg with the pipe. Russo gets the championship. Russo gives it to Nash after they embrace and Nash walks out to retain the championship. (**3/4. Well, it was by far the best match on the show but it was also annoying. I hate the involvement of Bret Hart. The guy can’t ever wrestle again so lets tease an angle with Goldberg. Whatever, Russo. WCW with another swerve, the story of the promotion over the past two years it seems like. Goldberg fails again at winning the championship, and the crowd begins to care less about him.)

Final Thoughts:
Not a good episode of Nitro this week. The show was dedicated to War Games, which was a decent match, but the swerve and just bad booking in general hurt the match. It’s a frustrating time in WCW, that’s for sure.

Thanks for reading.