Written by: Kevin Kildenberger
I was going to watch SmackDown but I gots to know! I think the fact that Russo may have the belt absolutely fucking asinine, but I want to know what happened. Still, WCW had a chance to woo viewers from RAW and it is clear they tried with Goldberg v. Steiner, blowing that one on free TV. I know I said I would never bitch about that but that was still a bad idea. Save it for the PPV but they refuse to give Goldberg a long feud. The last one was Sid a year ago. They dropped the Tank one quickly to turn him heel and he has been running in circles since his return four months ago. It is clear that they will not give him another match against Steiner. Stupid. Also the bikini shit was just plain bad. WWF 99 bad and now WCW 2000 bad. Then they had the cage match….Fine, but the ending. Also, I stated what they should have done and they did not do it. I think they had a chance but instead they overbook shit and Russo puts himself front and center. Thunder was better but it was amusing to see Luger not be able to Rack Morrus like he used to be able too. Hopefully they do not fuck this up. I am sure they will….But I want to see what happens. Guess what? Ratings fell to a 2.6 off a 3.1 and 2.2 while RAW stayed at a 5.4 but had a low 4.8 start but increased to a 5.9. Football is getting bigger and wrestling is slowly fading.
Goldberg arrives on his motorcycle.
Konnan comes down with the duck and calls Disco sick as he shows a hole in the bottom of it! He puts it on a pole and challenges him. Here comes Disco with Alex Wright and they are called the Boogie Knights.
Match 1: Filthy Animals v. Boogie Knights
They start brawling and Wright hits a missile kick. Rey is tossed to the floor and Wright drives the ladder into Konnan. He sets up the ladder and Rey springs into him only to be caught and powerbombed. The ladder is placed over Konnan who is wallowing in the corner. Disco whips Wright into it. Rey leaps on top of the ladder and Thesz Presses it down on top of a charging Disco! Wright is down and it is Buster time! Disco has the ladder on top of him and Konnan bashes it with a chair and now Wright is sandwiched inside of it and the ladder is opened and closed on top of him. Rey goes up and he has the chair and guillotine legdrops on top of both with the ladder on top of them! Wright is crushed and tossed to the floor. Rey springs into him. Konnan and Disco are in the ring going at it and Disco hits the Chart Buster! Disco sets up the ladder and both he and Rey climb up beating on each other. Rey sunset flips over and powerbombs him off!! Wright comes in and cuts off both Animals. He starts to climb and Konnan hooks him and slams him down on top of Disco. Konnan is climbing and Rey holds the ladder and then hurracarana’s Wright to the floor and that allows Konnan to grab it. After the match Wright and Disco beat them down with chairs and take the duck.
*** Barely five minutes so I cannot rate it higher but it was a great start to Nitro.
Flair has arrived with a guy in a mask and is leading him into the arena.
Russo is in the back with JB and both are wearing Yankee uniforms. He is reading a statement that states he proved that he could win the title at anytime. He is not an athlete and he has no business being in the ring, and so being the man he is he will relinquish the title. JB rubs his shoulders and Russo tells him to stop. The top contenders will be JJ and Steiner. Now to Goldberg who is a coward for attacking a helpless victim. He is lucky that Russo did not file charges. He goes off some more. I missed what he said but here comes Goldberg, down to the ring as Russo watches from his office….He was on the Tron. Goldberg tells him he is here and waiting. Russo claims he does not sweat him and has big plans for him. Russo leaves his desk and Goldberg wants him to hurry up and take it like the woman that he is. Russo comes down in a glass bubble on top of a car. Goldberg beats his guards and then Russo stops him. He informs Goldberg that he has to recreate his winning streak of 176 or he will not only lose his status but he will be out of WCW. Goldberg is fine with that and kicks the car window and JB flees. He takes the keys of the car and taunts Russo. Meng comes out of nowhere and nails Goldberg and applies the Deathgrip.
After the break, Russo tells Meng to take care of Goldberg and then puts Sanders in charge with JB watching everyone.
Chuck Zito is at the announce table. He is on Oz and HBO show about prison.
Match 2: A-Wall v. Reno for WCW Hardcore Title
They are tearing into each other using weapons. About two minutes or so. Reno takes charge but Vito comes down and nails him while his on the top rope and Wall chokeslams him through the table.
*1/2 I guess it is angle advancement as Vito and Reno are having a feud but why not give someone a clean victory. I guess it is a Hardcore match.
Sanders comes out with his crew and he is reversing the decision for Vito not following the rules and they get Reno out of there.
Paulshock tells us that the Cat stated that Booker was out first and the top contenders are Booker and Sting and not the other two….Why not Goldberg? He beat Steiner.
Flair’s kidnapped dude is trying to get free but Flair yells at him and then slaps him.
Here comes Douglas and Torrie. Bathroom break!
Match 3: Shane Douglas v. Mike Awesome
Oh, damn I missed Douglas’ promo. I am sure it was the same thing he has said for months. But he did call out Awesome.
Franchise attacks but is clotheslined and knocked to the floor. Awesome is relentless and makes him eat the railing twice and then drops him throat first on top of it….Luger is in the crowd. Awesome grabs the table and puts into the ring. Douglas is in the ring and he is nailed and set up for the Bomb. Torrie distracts him by showing off her bra. Franchise hits the Franchiser and wins.
*1/2 Way too short. I am sure it sets up a Havoc match. They just announced Wall v. Reno there.
Tigress comes in and she is about to get taken out but Konnan makes the save.
JJ and Steiner are barking orders to Sanders to change the match. Nash tells them that Sanders is with him and they leave.
Goldberg is getting ready for his match.
Nash gives Sanders a pep talk and he goes into the Cat’s office. JB is locked out.
Meng promo about how big and bad he is.
Meng interview. Nope it does not make sense but I think he does not like Goldberg.
WCW will be in Australia!
Sanders leaves the office and he has good news. He and Russo want ratings and he booked a match. Nash asks what it is and Sanders says that they need to watch Goldberg’s match as he is SOL.
Match 4: Meng v. Goldberg
Sad to say that the Cow Palace is dark….I mean the lights are darker than usual and they only show a few fans holding signs! Very few. Probably only a couple of thousand there. Sad.
They fight right at the bell. Meng pounds him but is fended off and knocked back. Spear! Jackhammer! Match.
* Squash. This should have been longer.
Kronik attacks Goldberg from the rear.
Sanders is telling Steiner and JJ the plan and they have to team up with a face and go against each other, and the winning team will face off. I think. They are pissed and muss up his collar.
Flair is still torturing the dude as he sobs. He dumps a bucket of water on top of him….Odd that it was there but the guy wanted a drink.
Match 5: Jeff Jarrett and Booker T v. Scott Steiner and Sting
Steiner has the mic and he reminds us that he is the only Genetic Freak. And tonight he is going to kick both JJ’s and Booker’s ass.
Sting and JJ start off with JJ getting hammered. Stinger Splash and he gets two. JJ fights back and both men make the tag. Steiner and Booker circle one another. They are still circling warily. Fans chant for Booker T and Steiner goes to the floor and taunts the fans. He gets back in and they circle some more and finally lock up and Steiner pushes him into the corner and then forearms and knees him over and over. He shoves him out of the corner and clubs the back and runs him down. Booker leapfrogs off the whip and Harlem kicks Steiner down and the fans love it. Steiner rolls to the floor in order to regroup. Steiner tags in Sting and they circle now. Sting kicks him after the lock up and then hiptosses him. Booker rises up and stares at Steiner who spits on him. Booker is not happy. They lock back up and jockey for the advantage. Booker is sent into the corner, gets the foot up and then elbows him down. Sting whips Booker into the ropes and Steiner lowers them and out goes Booker. Sting hits him anyway! He goes out after Booker and JJ stomps away on Steiner but is taken down. Sting hammers Booker, rolls him back in and Steiner nails him with a backbreaker. Booker is whipped into the ropes and clotheslined. He drops the elbow but does push ups instead of covering him. Steiner works him over and shoots him into the corner. Booker tries to float over but is caught and slammed into the corner but Steiner misses and is elbowed after they both go off the ropes. Booker hits the spinebuster and here comes JJ and he pounds on Steiner but runs into a boot and is crushed to the canvas with a belly to belly suplex. JJ nuts him and here comes Sting and Sting goes to work. But Booker is in and down goes Sting and Steiner runs in and he is axe kicked and then Harlem kicked! JJ has the guitar and he nuts Booker and then Steiner tackles Booker and JJ breaks the guitar over Sting and wins!
*** Another good match tonight and about ten minutes too!! WOW!
Thrillers are conferring in the back and all happy.
Skipper comes out and he is pissed that Nash called Beetlejuice Elix! I missed that last week as I could not hear what he called him. Skipper is pissed and calls Nash the Jolly Green Giant. He was to face Sanders tonight for the title. Nash comes out and he tells Skipper that he had to apologize to Beetlejuice for calling him Elix. Sanders makes a handicap match and the winner has to powerbomb the opponent first and Team Canada cannot intervene. Nash bops Skipper on the head with the mic and….
Match 6: Elix Skipper (c) v. Kevin Nash and Mike Sanders for WCW 100 Kilo and Under Title
Sanders goes for the powerbomb but is backdropped. Skipper spinkicks him and then decleats him with a clothesline. He headscissors him over and makes the cover but he has to powerbomb Sanders and the ref will not count. Skipper is whipped into Nash and nailed. Sanders clotheslines Skipper. Nash is in and has the mic and talks about the young guys trying to take an old timer’s spot. They do all this top rope stuff and Nash cannot remember the last time someone did that in a bar fight. Skipper missilekicks Skipper and hammers him and then goes after Sanders. Skipper is ambushed by Nash and dropped. Nash also does not like the fact that his American paycheck goes so far in Canada and then powerbombs him and Sanders pins him.
** Angle advancement. So much for Team Canada. Why not have Rey face him in a fifteen minute match. Hopefully, Sanders and Skipper have a good match down the road.
Goldberg is leaving and informed that he is next in a match. Nope: They are next! Ohhhh, play on words I get it!
Nash and the Thrillers are celebrating in the back and Team Canada attacks! It is finally broken up.
Match 7: Harris Boys v. Goldberg
One is down in seconds and so is the other one….
* Squash. I will say that the guys he is beating are low on the totem pole but the Harris’ came back and were considered strong as they faced Kronik….Austin is killing midcard and top midcard guys. Still, both methods are pretty lame. Make the match longer.
Sanders is in the back and yelling in a door about something. I think it is the Cat’s door.
Flair is with his guy again.
Schiavone informs us that the title match is a 49ers Match with four boxes. Three have weapons or shit and the fourth the belt….WHY? Even the announcers are baffled. Fucking idiots WCW.
Flair brings his prisoner down. The guy wants the cuffs off and he will swear to tell everyone that he is the father. He was nodding as Flair yelled at him. It is Buff Bagwell and he kicks the shit out of Flair. His house was kind of crappy….
Match 8: Jeff Jarrett v. Booker T for WCW Title
Jesus Russo, just have them fucking wrestle. How fucking hard is it? JUST WRESTLE. No one is going to tune in to see a gimmick match, and a stupid one at that…..They just want wrestling.
They square off and finally start after some random delay. They fight and spill to the floor where Booker is thrust into the railing and then hit with a chair. Bakc in the ring, JJ is whipped into the corner and down goes a box….JJ drops Booker and grabs the box and it is a blow up doll. Fuck me. Booker takes advantage of the slight delay and hammers him and then sideslams JJ. He gets the other box and it is a picture and Booker shatters it over him and then knocks him to the floor. Booker goes up for another box but he is ambushed and tossed to the floor. Booker is hit in the head with the box and then dumped throat first onto the railing. The box is broken over his head. JJ has him up on the announce table and goes for a powerbomb or piledriver but he cannot get him up and so Booker nails im and piledrives him onto the announce table. Booker heads into the ring. JJ takes a swig of water and Booker grabs a box and it is a pair of gloves. A Coalminers glove. Booker puts it on. It is one glove but he is pulled down and into the post crotch first and JJ does it again. Now JJ has the glove and he measures Booker and clocks him. He poses for the crowd and once Booker staggers to his feet JJ nails him again. He has a broken box and is perched on the second rope and leaps, breaking the box over his head. Booker is up and tries to fight back after some back and forth and Booker misses the dropkick as JJ hooks the ropes. Both nail each other and both are down. JJ is up and sends him into the ropes and misses twice but hooks him for the sleeper. Booker topples. Booker is down and the ref checks and raises his arm and after two flops, Booker keeps the arm up. Booker up and back suplexes JJ! Both are down. The ref counts and JJ goes up top and leaps and is caught and Book Ended! Both are down again. Booker slowly climbs up but he is caught and kicked and they battle and JJ goes for the Stroke but he is shoved off, kicked and now it is axe kick time! Spinarooni! JJ hops right up for the Harlem Kick to connect. Booker makes his way to the box but again JJ is up quickly and stops him. Booker goes for another Harlem Kick but JJ slides under the ropes and Booker is hung up. JJ goes for a guitar but cannot pulls it out. He gets back in and hooks a climbing Booker and suplexes him. He still cannot get the guitar and stops and decides to climb and Beetlejuicd comes out of nowhere and hits him in the nuts three times and Booker kicks JJ to the floor and Juice tackles him. Booker grabs the belt box and of course it falls to the floor and he grabs it and wins….The show ends. No celebration or my DVD cut out.
*** I have to take a half star off due to the egregious overbooking. Also, just give Booker a clean win for crying out loud. Still it was decent.
***1/2 I will say this. I was worried and it did not turn out as bad as I feared but I will say that it should never have happened. I am sure they just wanted some suspense and to try and hook some viewers. I think. It did not work. I will say it did add suspense and kept me watching but there were so many different avenues to take and that was not the right one. Russo puts himself over and then leaves. Oh well….The main event was unnecessarily overbooked too. That being said we got three long matches. Or at least two long ones and a great opener. No overlong promos besides the Russo one and that was not great and it is clear that they have no clue of what to do with Goldberg so they set him on this Streak. He jobs out guys of course but at the same time they are lesser guys….for now and it will only get worse as they will clearly not do anything with him. Oh well, at least Booker won and we get to the Steiner feud as JJ will feud with Sting. Overall I enjoyed the show. Sure there was a lot of nonsense but I was entertained and hopefully they will add more wrestling and keep that up and lessen the nonsense part.