Written by: Kevin Kildenberger
I guess the road to Starrcade begins. Like I said, pretty much twice, the PPV was pretty good. Some shit matches such as Flair v. Bagwell that just shows why the WWF is kicking its ass to some decent ones like Booker v. Steiner as they are two fresh faces in the main event. Kronik getting annihilated was fairly stupid, to be fair Goldberg was probably concussed but still….It should have been longer. Make Kronik look strong. I am still generally positive about where WCW is going as the shows have more pizzazz and less bullshit. Hopefully this continues and I am looking forward to Booker and Steiner going at it for another month. Nitro rose to a 2.5 with a 2.9 and 2.1 while RAW received a 5.0 with a 4.6 and 5.3.
I got a bit nervous but next week’s came first on the DVD….It spoiled something but oh well.
Match 1: Jindrak and O’Haire (c) v. Filthy Animals for WCW Tag Titles
Konnan is at the broadcast table (They also recapped some of Havoc). Rey is standing toe to toe with Jindrak and slaps him and gets decleated in response. Rey fires back and gets in some offense. Here comes Kidman and Haire and the former dominates for a moment but is grabbed. Rey got the blind tag and he springs into a sunset flip and gets one. He gets tossed and Haire press-powerslams him. Here comes Jindrak who taunts Rey as he clobbers him. Rey tries to fend him off but is powerbombed. Kidman makes the save and then Jindrak goes up top and crushes Rey and gets two. Rey dives free and works over Jindrak and Kidman helps out and they fly around the ring. Jindrak fires back but is tossed over the top rope. Haire flips over both men! He then clotheslines both. Jindrak misses the slingshot and he eats a short powerbomb. Rey goes up top and guillotine legdrops the nuts. Kidman covers him and the ref slowly counts. Disco and Wright come down. Rey springs into Wright but Kidman eats a Chart Buster and Jindrak wins.
**1/2 Nearly six minutes.
Konnan helps out his friends and the heels flee.
Sanders is choked by Steiner who then fist bumps Nash. He wants a match tonight and Sanders wisely agrees. Steiner leaves and Nash just shrugs.
Match 2: Kwee-Wee v. Reno (c) for WCW Hardcore Title
Kiwi is pissed and yells at Reno for hitting his finisher on Paisley and reminds him how he kicked his ass at the Power Plant. Here comes Reno and there goes Kiwi as he mauls the shit out of him. He knocks him around with trash cans and lids. He leaps up and off the railing, rolling up Reno getting two and he continues to bash the shit out of him. He hammers him on the floor and now back in the ring, Reno takes charge and for the next minute tosses him around the ring, running him from pillar to post. He has a Kendo stick and whacks him with it. Out on the floor Kiwi reverses the whip into the railing and then runs his head into the garbage can. He beats him up the ramp and then the Thrillers assault him and they beat him back to the ring and the tag champs toss him back over the top and Roll of the Dice ends it.
**1/2 Not as good as their Thunder match but another long match. It is clear also that he is mad for not being a part of the Thrillers and that is why he is upset too.
After the break Gene welcomes Rection. Not much of a reaction.He calls out the rest of MIA and takes off the Canadian sticker in front of everyone. Now some USA chants. He did it for the Kidman’s and Rey’s and the so-called “C” team. Now I like him. Gene gets everyone to clap and here comes the locker room and now the fans chant USA and get involved. This is cool. Booker comes out. The gimmick sucks but this is cool. Here comes Goldberg and he has the mic and he doesn’t want him to think that anything that he has done has been done in vain because he appreciates him as do the boys and the fans. Also, his streak had to start somewhere and they grin at each other. Storm is in the back and he taunts Rection and he tells him that he did not beat him and challenges him. Rection is already ahead him and has a contract to face him at Mayhem. It continues. Oh well. Rection will beat him. Storm responds that the Canadian title comes home. Goldberg wants him to shut this punk up once and for all and Rection tells him to kiss his Red, White and Blue ass.
David Flair comes down with the results and asks if the fans care. They don’t. He finds out that Bagwell is not the father and he stomps the paper and yells who is it over and over. Cue MI Smooth’s tunes. He told David that when he sold him the tape that he never said that Buff was the father and is upset with him.
Match 3: David Flair v. MI Smooth
David does not want to wrestle….I wish he wouldn’t but too bad as Smooth clobbers him. David is crushed.
DUD.
Boogie Knights are in the ring. Getting booed. Disco is not sure why they are out here but Sanders has something special for them. He thinks they are getting thanks for helping the tag champs and then he shows off his abs. Now about letting the dogs out. Goldberg comes out! He just tells them to get the hell out of the ring as this is his time. For awhile he did not know who Goldberg was but adversity introduces a man to himself and today as he stands here he knows who he is as does Kronik. As far as the record, it is just a damn number and he will break it. All the boys are next! He rips off his shirt and throws into the crowd.
There is a door in the back that says CEO and we will find out who it is and they show Flair’s face! It pans down quickly and they try to hide who it is! Classic. Jesus WCW.
Here comes Sanders after the break. He brags about kicking the Cat’s ass. He is still Commissioner and Steiner also kicked ass and he makes a Three Way for the title. The new CEO if there is one will get him his coffee and then get his ass out of WCW. Cue Flair! WOW what a “surprise!” He strolls down and introduces himself and he used to be a big star and now he is retired. He has enjoyed watching Sanders who has the gift of gab and is good in the ring but he has been running wild, so from here on out he will do what he says. Sanders claims he has called it down the middle. Flair responds that Sanders was ten when he won his first title. No more rule breaking or they will not wrestle and people will start wrestling. Sanders starts to leave after stating he had nothing to say. Flair stops him and tells him that he saw the match last night but he broke the rules and therefore he will face the Cat one more time without any interference. Sanders is not happy and storms off. How ironic that when Flair talks about how great WCW is and how they have problems but will fix them (Heard that before) and then he mentions Luger! He was supposed to watch out for his son but stepped over the line. He apologizes to Luger and then JJ interrupts but his mic does not work and Flair tells him that he cannot hear him. JJ blames him for the mic. JJ calls this a joke. JJ wonders why he keeps coming back and he never dies. Flair is his CEO and JJ can do nothing about it. JJ reminds him that things will be different and not like his dinosaur days and JJ ended one career and will do it again. Flair is retired and says that JJ is a great wrestler and then just walks down the aisle and reminds him that he is retired.
Here comes Luger. He claims that the true stars are back and are taking over again. What Flair promised him that if he took care of David Flair is that he would be reinstated. He did gain bodyfat as he went up to five percent. He brags about his accomplishments. He tells Buff that what happened was business and nothing personal. He challenges Goldberg and declares himself next. Buff interrupts and will kick his ass right here in Irvine. Luger is willing to make some arrangements and has his gear in the back and they can get the match sanctioned for later. Buff has a ref right now and comes down and the fight is on!
Match 4: Lex Luger v. Buff Bagwell
Buff knocks him around and Luger misses and is planted. Buff goes up to the middle rope for the Blockbuster. The ref is pulled in front and he is Blockbusted. Luger clotheslines him and Buff rolls to the floor. Luger goes after him and weakly pushes him into the railing and then drives a chair into him and then smashes it on his back. He puts Buff in the Rack and the ref gives him the win.
* Angle advancement.
Luger informs Goldberg that he is next.
Nash is with Event and Pamela and they are butt smacking each other and get Pamela involved (The Thunder incident where Stasiak was almost spanked with a Fraternity paddle).
Match 5: Kronik v. Perfect Event
The announcers are trying to claim that Kronik took a lot out of Goldberg. They really didn’t.
Kronik is pretty much dominating. There was a Hall chant. Stasiak is arguing with Nash and leaves. Palumbo is getting pummeled in the ring as Stasiak leaves. Palumbo spring kicks Clark to the floor but Adams hooks and then Full Nelson slams him. High Time!
*1/2 Angle advancement.
Nash and the Event are having words in the back. Thrillers were going after Stasiak and ignored Sanders when he talked about teamwork.
Booker is not happy that Steiner bullied his way into the match. He resorted to cheating after getting beat up last night and Steiner better be ready to get some tonight.
Match 6: Mike Sanders (c) v. Cat
Cat has the mic and claims he saw Madden’s fat ass in the shower! He yells about that. Sanders hopes to make amends and extends his hand and gets decked and then mounted and pounded in the corner. Sanders nails him in the nuts and dumps him to the floor. He goes after him and then kicks him in the ribs and kicks him a few times and gets blasted with a pop cup and then smacked around. Cat breaks the count and stands in the ring. Sanders is on the apron and rakes the eyes and gets in the ring and takes him down and holds in a chinlock. After a bit Cat is up and powers out and then drops the elbow. He dances and does the splits and then uppercuts him and then kicks his head off. Over.
** The Cat is fucking classic.
Douglas is holding Jones hostage and shows her on the Tron. She slaps him and so Shane kills her with a backbreaker. Um, Madden called her a fucked up bitch….It did not get fully cut off but Tony just keeps going.
Cat is checking on her and he challenges Douglas.
Pamela is with Awesome and brings up Steiner. Awesome is not happy but claims he and Booker will take him out.
Match 7: Scott Steiner v. Mike Awesome v. Booker T (c) for WCW Title
Steiner sees a beaten man who is carrying the title he beat him up and punked him out. He was more than Booker could handle and he screamed like a bitch. He does not need title to legitimize him or proves that he is the real deal. All he needs to do is kick his ass and he will do it again and there is only one genetic freak.
Booker comes out and he and Steiner go at it. Booker sidekicks him and then clotheslines him. Instead of covering him he pounds him instead. No Awesome yet as Steiner double-underhook slams Booker and then pummels him in the corner. He chops him up for good measure. He places Booker up top and continues to punish him. Here comes Awesome and he hooks and falls back with Steiner on his shoulders. Booker missile kicks him and then clotheslines Steiner over the top rope. Now Booker is getting hammered and is nearly pinned. Booker fires back and hooks him with a take down and goes for the pin. Steiner comes in and stops the cover and then covers both for two. Awesome is tossed to the floor. Steiner gets two after a belly to belly suplex. He tosses Booker around and does some push ups and gets nailed by a top rope lariat. Awesome sandwiches him in the corner and then stomps away. He goes up top and hits the frog splash but Steiner kicks out. He goes for the Bomb but Booker stops him and then he axe kicks Steiner and spins up right into a lariat from Awesome. Steiner hooks and T Bones Awesome. Steiner kicks Booker to the floor and goes after him and slams him onto the announce table and then jumps on him, kicks him off and sledges him. But he turns right into a chair shot from Awesome! Awesome whips him into the railing and back in the ring he drops the elbow and gets two. Steiner comes back and then uppercuts him in the nuts but is nailed with a thrust kick to the face but Steiner nuts him too. He places Awesome up top and goes up after him and with some help he Samoan drops him from the top rope. Booker makes the save and kicks Steiner in the skull getting two. Awesome clotheslines both but Steiner is up and T Bones him again and pulls him into the center of the ring and has the Recliner hooked but Booker kicks him and then kicks him to the floor. Book End on Awesome and match! Steiner tries to get back in but is knocked off the apron. He beats security up for good measure in order to take out his anger.
**** I loved this match! I wish it was not a three way but whatever it was the best Nitro main event in quite some time.
Booker wants the music cut and he is tired of getting attacked every night and demands Steiner get back out so they can finish this. He sees Steiner wants no more but in the near future they will meet up again and to not hate the player, hate the game and as we fade Steiner reenter!
*** A great ending. If Nitro could do this more often! A sold start too. The middle was not that great. Even the Flair moment was screwed up, but even then it should have been better. I was not really into it. It seemed phoned in. The MIA moment was cool despite me not being a big fan but DeMott has character, just gets bad gimmicks. They are keeping Goldberg safe, my guess is the concussion. But despite some setbacks the show was solid and continues to be so. Nothing spectacular but at least you know what you are going to get and that is some wrestling and some good moments mixed in some David Flair and Lex Luger shit…..Sorry, Luger but man, I just cannot get into you anymore.