WCW Nitro 11/29/1999

Written by: Kevin Kildenberger

I was here! Denver CO. The arena was packed and the crowd was hot. Those were real Goldberg chants. Fucking thing echoed throughout the arena. I remember loving the show. I was hammered…..There is something strangely alluring about the Russo Era. I am actually enjoying it. I never thought I would. I might be stoned for it….Oh well. It is not great and it has serious issues. But it is entertaining. Some shows are far better than others but they seem to be finding their groove. Still it would be nice to see more and better wrestling. The Cruiserweights get more time. FA too. Revolution as well. The stipulations and interference is irksome but for some reason no Hogan makes it better. The focus on some of the younger guys, even if some of it is smoke and mirrors is great. Goldberg is hotter than he has been in over a year. Hart is awesome…sure Sting could do more. Savage would be a great addition. I think part of the reason I like the Russo Era more than others is that I watched it with no preconceptions and no idea of politics at the time. Also we all got together every week and partied during the show, so nostalgia plays a huge role, something that I am obviously big on. We will see what happens. Nitro started strong with a 3.8 but fell to a 2.8 across the board for a 3.1 while RAW got a 6.5.

Goldberg comes out ASAP and the Goldberg chants are like I remember. The place is fucking rocking! He is even a bit taken aback. He knows the Outsiders are in the back watching and listening. Does he he look like the kind of guy to mess around with. He is not! But week after week they bring their high school butts out here and entertain the people with a little bit of comedy. He liked getting hit with a chair….missed that last week. He is in Denver tonight to put a stop to their childish games. This is his world! He does not play around and does not make threats and a bearer of a little bit of reality of what is going to happen. If Hall comes near the ring when he is kicking Nash around then he will show him what a little heavy metal is all about. Nash is next! Cue Outsiders. They get a great pop too! They wave at Goldberg who takes off his shirt and challenges them. Hey yo! Hall mocks Goldberg about being serious. He thought it was funny hitting him with the chair. Nash has the mic and they have five words for him and it is” Don’t sing it, bring it. They march to the ring and Goldberg is ready. Cue Sid. Sid screams that it is not going to be that simple and the fight is on! Hall and Nash are getting mauled! Security swarms.

Crowd is still chanting for Goldberg!

Piper helps out some ugly girls outside the arena. Ronda Singh…..?

Luger is wearing a suit and walking.

Mamalukes are on the phone and they will take care of business.

Match 1: Buff Bagwell and  Booker T. v. Creative Control (c)

Buff take one of them down and hammers him. Here comes Booker. He is met with some punches but CC runs into an elbow and now a sidekick. But Booker is shoved into the other guy and now he is doubleteamed with some help from Curt. He is slammed and the tag is made. Booker kicks him in the head and gut off the duck by CC. Now an axe kick. Buff gets the tag and goes off on both members and he strikes with a swinging neckbreaker. He gets two. Now all four are in the ring. One CC is backdropped to the floor but Booker is down. Buff lies in wait and it is Blockbuster time. Ref is distracted and Buff is waffled by the chair and it is over.

** Not bad. Crowd was hot!

CC unloads on them after the match with help from Hennig. Midnight time.

Juve is told if he can beat Liger Russo will take care of his VISA issues.

Luger informs Liz that she has an exclusive contract with him. She is willing to do anything. He will think about it.

Piper is waiting for PTB and for the price they are paying him, he will wait.

The fat girls are checking out their clothes and think they are sexy. Showing off their skimpy outfits….

Ryan Shamrock is now with Maestro. Someone gave her flowers.

Tenay is talking to JJ about Dustin Rhodes. After tonight JJ can be the number one contender after Starrcade. Tenay is called Slapnuts and JJ yells that he is the chosen on. Tenay informs him that he is out of favor so JJ kills him with a guitar shot! Heenan quips: Tenay, always laying down on the job!

Here comes Knobs and he tells everyone to shut up! Knobs is pissed that he lost to Norman and demands he get out here. Norman is scared and Fit further scares him under the table!

Match 2: Brian Knobs v. Fit Finlay

Fit is laying waste to Knobs. He knocks him silly and dumps a bag full of material. He is cutting his mullet! About damn time….Not a match I guess.

Mamalukes talk about getting the job done and getting paid. They run into Gene and act like he is a Paisan. They are trying to convince Gene to party and he is in and they leave. Johnny the Bull is worried about the job.

Russo is mocking CC for getting beat by a woman. Curt would have went right through her as he never gets embarrassed. Russo books Curt for the match!

The fatties are putting on makeup.

Piper is still waiting.

Match 3: Juventud Guerrera v. Jushin Liger (c) for IWGP Title

They are flying all over the place. The fight spills to the floor and Juve dives out on top of him. Both are down. Juve makes his way back into the ring. Jushin is up top and pushes Juve off and hits the big splash and he gets two. Liger gives him a spinning backbreaker and it is surfboard time! Juve is able to get free but he is wallowing. Jushin stomps on him and then whips him into the corner but Juve tries to float over but he is fucking crushed with a belly to belly suplex and nearly pinned. He goes for a powerbomb but Juve rolls free and he is rolled up but Juve bridges up and he gets two after a backslide. Juve is whipped into the ropes and Jushin misses the dropkick. Liger gets his throat bounced off the top rope. Juve slingshots into a guillotine legdrop but he is spiked. Buzzkill has been down and now he has the sign….Jushin is baffled and Juve takes his Tequila bottle and shatters it over his head and wins.

**1/2 Ah, forgot about the controversy here. Japan refused to recognize this. Rightfully so. The Tequila part is a bit much and stereotyping. The interference was pretty bad. But the match was good and honestly I cannot say I care….

OK is with Chavo who is now the interviewer and Death is eating BBQ sauce. Someone will pay. I think it is Vampiro.

Ryan Shamrock. Not her name anymore but whatever. She is given another present.

Sid is screaming by himself in his locker room.

Gene is drinking with the Mamalukes.

Chavo is selling a security system. He is with Hall and Nash. He asks about the TV belt and is told that they get nothing and did not meet Turner because of it. They slam dunk it into the trash. Nash does. Segment was actually funny. Chavo is classic.

The Revolution has come out. Shane is bragging that the FA are no more. Shane is pissed that the fans cheered a foreigner last week and dared boo the four greatest athletes. The Revolution. Dean screams about America and how they will leave it. They are now a sovereign nation among themselves. They stand on the US flag. Malenko with be known as Python. I kid you not. Asya and Shane as some lame ass names. Saturn screams that he wants to be known as trouser the most sought after snake! Cue Duggan and he has a snake for them. I want to point out that the board is wobbling in his hand. It is squishy. Saturn runs at him and the board is bent with one shot! He tries to hide it but gives up. I remember this debacle and they beat him and still use the bent board! Classic. Now they take the flag and do the Iwo Jima stance on top of Duggan and Benoit charged down and clears the ring.

Outsiders are walking.

Russo wants Piper brought in.

Chavo is making a deal. He talks to Flynn about the Block. Two enter and one leaves.

Hennig tells Piper Russo is ready. He calls Hennig a kiss ass and then says he has to shit first!

Match 4: Scott Hall (c) v. Sid Vicious for WCW US Title

Nash is at the announce table as Sid destroys Hall. He crushes him with a big boot. Sid hammers him but Hall mounts a comeback and he goes for the Edge. He has him up but Sid slides free and Hall knocks the ref down and it is chokeslam city! Now a powerbomb. Nash runs in and drops the elbow but hits Hall. Now Sid goes for a powerbomb on Nash but JJ waffles him with a guitar and wakes up the ref. It is over.

*1/2 Overbooked but has to be leading somewhere.

Goldberg charges down and spears JJ and now a Jackhammer! He helps up and makes out with Sid.

Now Piper is ready and he is telling CC and Hennig they could not survive on the road with him.

Death talks about football tickets with OK and they yell Boomer Sooner.

Gene is drunk and dancing.

Piper talks about Russo’s sore (toothbrush). Piper will ref that woman’s match. He is not happy but will do it. Mud wrestling match…

Nitro Girl’s are eating and now they are bickering and calling each other names. The redhead squirts mustard on her. Talking about mother’s and now potatoes and coleslaw are shoved into their tops. Food Fight! A random girl comes back and starts to choke. I think it is Rhonda’s friend and Juve tries to give her the Heimlich….How do you spell that? It looks like he is doing her doggy style. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

Match 5: Misfits v. Dr. Death

This is in a cage. What a waste of a cage. Death is wasting the guy. It is just one dude. But it was introduced as all. Misfits assault OK and douse him with his BBQ sauce! Death was locked in the cage and Jerry Only, the dude escapes.

* Um…yeah.

Juve is ecstatic and talks about saving the girl with mouth to mouth. He is giddy and told to leave.

Luger is watching from a monitor and has an idea.

Chavo asks Bret about Meng who is beating everyone and how Bret can stop him. Meng is great but has not been in the ring with Excellence of Execution. Chavo notices the sheen in Bret’s hair and it is because of a product he sold him!

Match 6: Meng v. Bret Hart (c) for WCW Title

Crowd erupts. I remember them going nuts. Love you Bret! Meng unloads on Bret and down he goes. Meng stands on his throat and then pulls him up and drops him right back down with a lariat. Meng is stomping the Hades out of him and then runs his head into the turnbuckle. He whips him into the opposing corner where he sandwiches him. Bret topples. Now he pulls him up and a chop sends him down and Meng gets two.  Piledriver and another near fall. Meng works him but after the whip misses and Bret takes him down. Bret drops the head and shoots him into the ropes where he gut punches him and strikes with a Russian sweep. He goes up to the middle rope and drives the elbow into him and gets two. He keeps after him. Here comes Hall and Bret sees him and goes for him but Meng is there so Bret is wary but he takes him down and goes for the Sharpshooter. Hall gets in the ring and Bret flies back and down goes the ref. Bret falls to the floor. Hall eats a Deathgrip and Nash comes in with a Kendo stick and he unloads on Meng who will not stay down. Finally they wear him down. Hall pokes Bret with the stick and Benoit comes down and takes it and beats down Hall. Bret gets in and applies the Sharpshooter and gets the win….

**1/2 Bret was not touched again….Hmmmmm.

Another delivery for Shamrock. It is a teddy bear.

Luger has a ratings idea and CC is checking with Russo.

Chavo is with Spice…or Tigress. She is going to buy ten of something. She talks smack about Jazz. AC comes in and had ripped Tigress’ costume. They fight and Tigress is shoved into a shower and she turns it on. Chavo has towels for sale.

Madusa and Evan will have sex if she gets a title shot at Starrcade. He agrees and she turns off the lights.

Luger promises Russo that Liz will fight in the mud match and save the night because the one choked.

Chavo is with Sting but not before talking about a deal. Liz comes up and whines about the match. Sting asks if Chavo needs a manager and he does not so Sting shrugs and leaves.

Match 7: Chris Benoit v. Jeff Jarrett v. Sting

All three are going at it. Mostly JJ and Benoit as they hammer one another. Sting takes out JJ and Benoit stomps away in the corner and Sting splashes him in the back as JJ pulled Benoit in. JJ knocks Sting to the floor. JJ goes for the Stroke but he is put in the Crossface and Sting makes the save, tossing him to the floor. Sting wails on Benoit but Liz comes down and Sting falls for it. Luger knocks him out with a chair shot. JJ uses the guitar on Benoit and Dustin runs down and takes him out with the ring bell. Benoit wins.

** What a clusterfuck.

Mamalukes are macking on two blond twins.

Shamrock goes to the special place. It is David Flair at the piano and is pissed that it is not playing. She makes him open it and Maestro is bound and gagged in it. Her name is Symphony.

Match 8: Kevin Nash v. Goldberg

Hall ambushes Goldberg but gets the worst of it. Sid’s door is locked. Nash has run back to help Hall and they work him over. Sid breaks down the door and now all four are going at it. The fight heads to arena and onto the aisle. Sid is pummeling Hall and Goldberg punches Nash into the ring and the bell finally rings with Goldberg in command. Hall takes out Sid and comes in with a chair. The ref is waffled and so is Goldberg by numerous chair shots. Here comes Bret and he takes the chair. Hall leaves and Bret does hit Nash once. Sid hits him too. Another ref comes in and Goldberg Jackhammers Nash and wins!

** I liked the opening brawl. Really not to bad.

Piper is walking in the back and he is screaming about mud.

Chavo is with Hall and Nash and Nash is rubbing his hair and wants Goldberg in a cage match tonight. Outsiders v. Goldberg and Hart! And I think Sid and JJ….

Here comes Piper! Mud time. CC comes out.

Match 9: Rhonda Singh v. Liz

Liz is refusing. Luger is threatening her. Rhonda does not like being touched. She tosses Piper in and slaps her! Now Piper is irate. She slaps him again. He trips her and then rides her! He pulls CC into the mud! Piper pinned somebody. He wins!

Mamalukes is back in a room with the ladies. I love the wifebeaters that they are wearing. They are cooking up a storm. They are coaching each other up and hug each other.

Arn has arrived!

Arn enters Russo’s office. He is upset for being fired for trying to help David Flair. Russo is trying to run a show. Arn calls Hennig a stooge and he is told to leave by Curt.

Chavo is with Sky and wants to get the full story. Chae or someone comes in as Sky explains and the fight is horrible but hot.

Flynn is in the Block. The Wall has arrived.

Match 10: Jerry Flynn v. the Wall

They are tearing into each other. Flynn mounts and pounds him. Wall is up and fights back and hammers him with chops to the throat but he is tackled and beaten some more. Flynn tries to apply cross armbreaker but Wall is able to power out but he is stomped. Wall gets back up and Flynn yells at him and Wall misses a kick and hits the door and Flynn just unloads on him and the Wall slowly crumbles. Wall though gets a second wind and tees off. He chops, punches and kicks. He runs his head into a boiler and misses a kick again. Now Flynn fights back and knees him over and over and Wall stumbles. Berlyn hits him with a lead pipe. Flynn is down. Wall is trying to get up. He does and is not happy….

**1/2 Not bad.

A muddy Piper is screaming at Chavo for what he has become. Outsiders arrive and Piper and them fight.

Curly Bill talks to Hennig and would like a favor. Curt will listen to him but he has a match first.

Russo is not happy with Lex and claims he has egg on his face. Luger is thinking. He has a plan.

Match 11: Midnight v. Curt Hennig

Midnight is giving as good as she is getting. He puts her in an abstretch and actually smacked her boob. It was about three minutes. The lights go out and Stevie Ray appears and attacks Curt. They go out again and here comes Curly Bill! He is helping Hennig. The lights are out again. AA comes in and makes the save.

Luger is carrying Liz.

Food time with the Mamalukes. The ladies say they are the main course. They shove them on the bed and look saucy. The girls are tying them up. Disco and Lash arrive and dump the food all over them. Disco calls Tony and tells  him to come and get them….It was probably Tony.

Luger has Liz and she tries to escape but is tossed into the mud! Luger is taking off his coat for some reason. Maybe to help her out. Sting shoves Luger in and his shoes…He puts on Luger’s jacket! Liz gets out and she huddles against Sting.

Benoit and Hart are walking. So are the Outsiders. Sid and Goldberg are the last team.

Mamalukes are still on the bed. Vito, the bald one refuses to talk. Bull wonders if he is in trouble.

Match 12: Bret and Benoit v. Outsiders v. Sid and Goldberg

Piper is the ref. All six are finally in and they are all going at it. Benoit is hammering Hall. Goldberg is working Nash. Sid tries to escape but Benoit pulls him back down. Not great camera work as they are just huddled around with some punches thrown and some choking done. Bret is working Nash. Goldberg is mauling Hall and Benoit is doing the same with Nash. Bret is chilling on the middle rope. Nash assaults Sid and leaves him reeling in the corner but he runs into the buzzsaw that is Goldberg and is worked over. Bret chokes out Nash with his boot. Sid tries to climb again but is stopped. Sid is just holding Hall and finally runs his head into the cage. Goldberg and Hart take turns choking Nash. Benoit is milling about as Sid and Hall clothesline each other. Benoit and Goldberg are now stomping a downed Nash. JJ wheels down a car filled with guitars! Hall is now double teamed. Goldberg has Nash and Sid slowly rises up. JJ takes out Piper and then Goldberg with a guitar. Bret ignores him for some reason and he bashes Hart over the head and now they are shackling him to the cage wall. JJ is finally shoved to the floor by Benoit. Benoit goes at Hall and Sid attacks Nash. Benoit beats on Hall and he climbs all the way up top and crushes Hall with the headbutt and there is no ref. But Piper recovers and makes the count….Before Goldberg I guess. Benoit gets a guitar broken over his head. Goldberg is now up and he flings JJ into the cage causing it to wobble. Hall is up and gives Goldberg the Edge! Sid is powerbombed by Nash. The faces are cooked! Benoit eats the Stroke and JJ celebrates.

*** Not great but ten minutes long after intros. I cannot complain. I love how Benoit is getting a push.

**** Yup, I am going to rank it this high. I wanted to give it higher for nostalgia reasons but cannot. Still what a start to the show. It was hot. One thing about Russo is that he knows how to script moments. Goldberg is finally being used right as are Benoit and Hart. Even the Outsiders. Sting is still floating around. Hart needs clean wins but what happens later makes it make sense. JJ is actually fairly damn good though I believe I am in the minority on that. The show just had a flow to it that worked for me. The backstage shit was a bit much. The first cage match was terrible. The Midnight match was unnecessary and it seemed as if they booked a month of stuff in one night but it made sense and was fairly well paced. So much happened and it did detract from the overall show. There should have been more wrestling but at least there was some and some of it was decent. The Cruiserweights seem to be done for. I do not think the TV title should have been trashed. Give it to Saturn and have him wrestle ten or fifteen minute matches every week. I thought the Block match was decent too. The rubber board? Or whatever the fuck that was….well, that is best not talked about. What a debacle! And whatever happened with the Revolution? Come on. They used them and the FA a lot and now they are taking a big back seat as the uppercard guys are getting more and more time and I am not sure I dig that. The feud was strong but the last couple of weeks it has been terrible and the Animals have been portrayed as jokes, not good. The IWGP switch was recognized in 2007 and Liger wins it back next week. I just remember having a blast at the show and it evokes a lot of memories. Still I thought the show had plenty going, too much, but at the same time it was damn entertaining.