When wrestling fans think of World Championship Wrestling in 2000 there is often the opinion of it being one of the worst years or a wrestling company in the history of the business. After all, WCW lost 60+ million dollars during the year. The crowds were dwindling but they still had hefty contracts to pay for. Pay per view buy rates went to all time lows. Often times, Nitro and Thunder just didn’t make any sense.
In April 2000, WCW cancelled Saturday Night, which was a staple but the company built around for over twenty years. Once the Monday Night Wars began, Saturday Night was regulated to being the C-level show to showcase mid card talents or young talents looking for TV time.
However, there was one show that held on. That show was Worldwide. Worldwide was the syndicated show for WCW that was similar to Saturday Night, but in the early 90s there would be huge matches on the show. By the late 90s, it was flooded with Vincent, Roadblock and other comical wrestlers competing on the hour program.
By the time 2000 came along, there would be several oddball matches. Whether it was between goofy characters, or sometimes there would be young unknowns competing against WCW veterans. As you’ll see in this series, those unknowns would go on to have successful careers in other companies.
I made a list of matches that I’ll cover and I’m going to break them up into five matches at a time. Largely to save my brain from turning into mush. I hope it’s enjoyable and informative on some level. For each match, I’ll provide a reason for choosing the match. Lets get started, shall we?
Match #1: WCW Tag Team Champions David Flair & Crowbar vs. The Texas Outlaws
Date: January 15th, 2000
Reason Reviewed: The Flair/Crowbar duo was one of the more wacky characters that WCW produced at the time. It actually made Flair interesting. Plus, a title match to kick off this series is too good to pass up, right? I don’t even know a time when the Texas Outlaws won a match to warrant a title opportunity, but that doesn’t matter in WCW! Everyone gets title shots!
The Texas Outlaws are a masked duo. They are attacked from behind by the champions are are knocked out on the floor. Well, guess what. This match isn’t even going to happen because the Outlaws are knocked out on the floor. Well, that a great start to this, isn’t it?
Match #2: The Barbarian vs. Tracy Smothers
Date: January 29th, 2000
Reason Reviewed: I’m kind of interested to see how the styles here work between these two. Barbarian is the typical power wrestler while Smothers is/was capable of high risk moves. I’m also a sucker for SMW alumnus in matches, so, there’s that, too.
Smothers quickly gets the crowd behind him by just clapping his hands. Barbarian tosses Smothers to the canvas and plays to the crowd managing to get a response. Barbarian clobbers Tracy in the corner with several strikes but soon runs into a double boot. Smothers dropkicks Barbarian followed by a leaping forearm. Barbarian attempts a slam, but Smothers counters only to be knocked away. Smothers almost wins with a rollup. Barbarian counters a hip toss with head butts and an overhead belly to belly suplex. Barbarian continues with a side slam for a two count. Barbarian misses a splash in the corner and Smothers delivers a few kicks. Smothers goes to the top and hits a forearm drop, though he said “stand up” but Barbarian didn’t want to, I guess. Barbarian finishes Smothers off with the Kick of Fear! (**. Well, this was actually non-stop and they managed to get a crowd reaction. Smothers bumped well for Barbarian, who also displayed some good work here. I enjoyed this more than I should have, I think.)
Match #3: Shannon Moore & Shane Helms vs. Yun Yung & Jamie Howard
Date: February 26th, 2000
Reason Reviewed: It’s the new era of Cruiserweights in WCW. All four men would go on to have rather successful careers outside of WCW. This is basically the start of their careers in WCW, I believe. Howard is known as Jamie Noble. Yun Yung is Jimmy Yang. Also, I like high flying matches so this will hopefully accomplish that. This was taped during a Thunder taping.
Moore and Helms go on the attack but they are dropkicked quickly sending Helms to the floor. Howard nearly pins Moore with a northern lights suplex. Howard nails Moore with a forearm shot for another two count. Yung tags in and quickly dropkicks Moore followed by a leg drop from Howard. Yung continues with a swinging neck breaker for a two count on Moore. Howard gets hit by Helms on the apron and Moore connects with a sleeper hold drop. Helms enters and drives Howard down with a delayed vertical suplex. Helms continues with a gut wrench slam and a leg drop on Howard. Helms drives Howard down with a back breaker and taunts the fans. Helms slams Howard and Moore enters to hit a somersault splash with help from Helms for a two count. Howard tries to get a rollup but Moore kicks out at two. Moore slams Howard and does a dance move before hitting a leg drop. Helms comes off the top to nearly pin Howard with a sunset flip. Helms slams Howard allowing Moore to hit a springboard moonsault for a near fall. Howard stops Moore with a neck breaker to get momentum in his favor. Yung gets the tag and so does Helms. Yung cleans house with strikes and dropkicks. All four men are in the ring with Yung and Howard getting the better. Evan Karagias caused a distraction on the apron allowing Moore to hit a hurricanrana and Helms hits a top rope frog splash fro the win! (**1/2. A perfectly solid match between four young talents in a division that badly needed a reboot. The finish was nicely done, too.)
Match #4: Sherri Martel vs. Mona
Date: March 11th, 2000
Reason Reviewed: In the year 2000 Sherri Martel is competing in a match? I don’t even know the last time she wrestled prior to this, to be honest. Wait, let me check…. Oh, it was actually a Thunder on January 18th 2000. Okay, but before that it was 1999 for the AWF. Mona is better known as Molly from the WWE, by the way.
Mona is walking to the ring when Sherri Martel just comes from behind with psycho look to attack Mona before the match starts. Sherri chokes Mona with her skirt. Oh, this is a no disqualification match. Sherri flips Mona into the ring from the apron. Sherri works over Mona in the corner with knee lifts. Sherri splashes Mona in the corner and delivers a few back rakes. Sherri clotheslines Mona to maintain the advantage. Mona comes off the ropes to hit a cross body for a near fall. Mona chops Martel followed by an elbow strike. Mona stomps on Sherri in the corner and hit a handspring back elbow. Mona avoids Sherri in the corner and wins with a rollup. (*. As expected, it was a rather quick match, but they kept it interesting. I was shocked to see Sherri actually competing. Mona is another talent that WCW let slip away, but it’s not often remembered considering how many talents WCW had lost through the years.) After the match, Sherri has a confrontation with Madusa at ringside.
Match #5: WCW Tag Team Champions The Mamalukes vs. Silver King & El Dandy
Date: March 11th, 2000
Reason Reviewed: If given the chance to review an El Dandy match, you gotta take it, right? It’s an intriguing match since I oddly enjoyed the Mamalukes as a kid and the Cruiserweights should make for a good match to highlight the tag champions. Also, hopefully this actually a title match and not just some false advertisement like the first match! C’mon Dandy win some gold!
Dandy and King take the champs out with dives to start the match as the champs were posing on the floor! Dandy and Bull legally start the match though Bull gets double teamed by the challengers. Vito saves his partner as King had a cover. Bull holds King and allows Vito to come off the ropes to hit a clothesline. Dandy gets knocked off the apron as the champs drop King with a double forearm strike. Vito works over King with a throat thrust and clotheslines King before playing to the crowd. Bull delivers a big boot and Vito follows up with a swinging neck breaker for a two count on King. Vito and King trade some shots until Vito cuts King off with an eye rake. King gets met with a super kick after a rollup on Vito. King backdrops Vito to the floor and Bull gets double teamed in the ring with duo kicks by the challengers for a two count. All four men are in the ring with King and Dandy getting power bombed out of the corner at the same time! Vito plants Dandy with a jumping DDT and that’s good for three. (**. Again, some consistent action on Worldiwde and a good title defense for the champions. Dandy never won gold in WCW. Though, I don’t recall many title shots for the guy.) After the match, the Harris Brothers storm the ring and attack everyone involved with H-Bombs to hype up their match with the Mamalukes at UnCensored. I never liked the Harris Brothers.
Match #6: The Barbarian vs. Fit Finlay
Date: March 18th, 2000
Reason Reviewed: I mean, the first match in this series wasn’t even a match, so I have to follow through with my five match promise. Two stiff guys probably going to beat each other up. Seems like a good way to end the first installment to me.
Finlay is sporting a cast on his arm thanks to a recent Lex Luger attack with a chair. Barbarian works over Finlay with several strikes and chokes Fit in the corner. Finlay battles back with a few shots and staggers Barbarian. Barbarian scoop slams Finlay and delivers a boot scrape. They have a standoff as this is just a fight between two tough dudes. Finlay brings Barbarian to his knees with a nerve hold but they soon go to the floor to brawl. Finlay rams Barbarian back first into the apron. Barbarian sends Finlay back first into the railing and slams Fit’s arm onto the steel steps! Barbarian stomps on the arm in the ring and connects with a scoop slam. Barbarian goes to the top rope to hit a flying clothesline for a near fall. Finlay blocks a backdrop attempt with a kick to the face. Finlay was going to use his cast, but the referee got in the way. Barbarian nearly wins with the Kick of Fear but Finlay actually kicked out! Finlay ducks a clothesline and pins Barbarian with a rolling fireman’s carry. (*. It’s what you’d expect, really. They did some decent brawling, but that finish was kinda weak. I was hoping for the tombstone, honestly.)
Alright, that wraps up the first installment of WCW Worldwide 2000 fun. I decided to go with this format since Worldwide is mostly a recap show and they don’t have any sense of storyline, so it’s not vital to review each show or anything. Here’s what to look forward to in the next installment:
– Silver King and El Dandy return to take on La Parka and Chavo Guerrero Jr. in cruiserweight tag action!
– Hugh Morrus battles Screamin’ Norman Smiley
– New Harlem Heat take on Disorderly Conduct
– Jimmy Hart’s new protege Hail in singles action
– Stripper turned wrestler, not Buff Bagwell, but Kid Romeo battles Chavo Guerrero Jr.!
Any feedback or suggestions? Leave them below or send an e-mail!
Thanks for reading.
Who are you to doubt El Dandy?