WCW Thunder 2/28/2001

Written by: Kevin Kildenberger

Let’s just get this ball rolling, not much I can say about Thunder that I can’t put on Nitro.

Recap of Nitro.

Match 1: Kwee-Wee and Mike Sanders v. Jung Dragons

Sanders is pissed that he has to team with Kwee-Wee.

Dragons are flying around dominating the match early on. Wee gets destroyed by a neckbreaker and then a low dropkick. Wee is worked over but he comes back and hammers Yang for a bit. Sanders gets the tag, gets chopped up but tries to counter only to lower his head and get caught. However, he turns it into a neckbreaker and shows some moves as he tussles with Yang. Sorry, put the kids to bed but watched. This is actually pretty damn good, as they all go at it. Sanders is showing that he has some serious Cruiserweight capabilities. Sanders blocks a suplex from Kaz and gets tripped up by Yang. Yang is up top and he splashes Sanders pinning him!

*** Good shit. Nearly ten minutes too.

Match 2: Booker T v.

Sorry he is giving an interview. He loves the fans and then rolls footage of what happened to him at Mayhem. Funny thing: It has been three months and they keep saying two. Oh well. He wants his title back and calls out Steiner. Steiner obliges and starts ranting at him with Flair trying to keep him calm to little avail. Flair tells Booker that he needs to start all over and cannot just show up off the streets and challenge the champ. Booker hints that Flair and Steiner are lovers and tells Steiner to bring it. Steiner wants a piece and a non-title match is set for tonight. Booker says something about want some, get some, big enough to take some or some shit like that.

Chavo has a proposition for some dudes and they follow him. Swinger was one of them.

Match 2: Sean Stasiak v. Johnny the Bull

Stasiak claims he is the Mecca of Manhood. Yes he just said that.

Bull comes down and right at the bell kicks him to the floor. Stasiak pulls him out and hammers him. He drives him into the side of the ring. Back in the ring, Bull gets in a couple of moves but Stasiak is controlling the match. Stasiak is pounding him but Bull comes back with a kick and a couple of guillotine legdrops. Two count. Bull kick shim into the corner but then misses the running kick after the whip into the opposite corner. Now Stasiak clotheslines him three or four times getting two. He hammers Bull but they collide and both are down. They are up and the fight spills to the floor with Bull whipping him into the railing a couple of times. He has a chair but the ref takes it away. Jindrak is in the crowd and pops Bull who is then posted….They pan to the back and Vito starts to head to the ring but runs into Rick Steiner and they start brawling….Back to the ring and Bull rolls him up but Stasiak kicks out. Stasiak hits a neckbreaker for the win right when the fans start to chant boring.

**1/2 Not bad. Not sure why Stasiak is getting a push.

He puts a signed photo on Bull’s chest.

Rick and Vito are separated and Rick is yelling his damn platitudes.

There is an ad to get your AOL mail my phone. Not smart phone.

Disco is shoved down by Palumbo as they have a match later. He complains about his back and calls for Coach.

Storm and Awesome are planning for their matches tonight. Awesome has Konnan.

Oh boy: Trailer for a movie called See Spot Run! With David Arquette. Looks horrific.

Jesus, they just praised AOL customer service. i remember trying to cancel with those fuckers. Fucking bastards.

Match 3: Johnny Swinger v. Shane Helms

The sounds from the arena sound canned.

Jesus, somehow that movie made its budget back!

Helms and Swinger are going back and forth. Swinger’s partner yanks Helms off the top rope and he is nearly pinned. Helms tries to come back but Swinger has the upperhand and he has been keeping Helms grounded. Helms comes back and leaps into the dude on the floor. Then he hits a crossbody on Swinger but the latter rolls through getting two. He misses a slingshot senton though. Lee runs in, Jason Lee, and he is nailed. Swinger tries to take advantage of the momentary distraction but the Vertabreaker ends it.

** Okay.

Chavo runs down and Shane is waiting and he beats his ass. After Shane leaves, Chavo beats up his two cronies who didn’t help him.

Konnan who disappeared during Nitro is walking in the back. Haire and Palumbo stop him and tell him that they’ve been banned from ringside. Konnan is fine with that and knows what he has to do.

Konnan comes out and does his thing. Fans kind of respond.

Match 4: Konnan v. Mike Awesome

Awesome charges down and pummels Konnan. He sandwiches him in the corner. They battle, and Awesome beats him on the floor, back in the ring he gets a two count. He poses for the crowd and gets another two count after a suplex. Another two count after a bridging suplex. He takes his time, taunting him as he puts the boots to him and then uses the boot to choke him out in the corner. Awesome will not release it as the ref had to force him. Back to the boots to the windpipe. He takes him down, covers him but Konnan wraps his arm around the ropes. Konnan tries to come back but he is clotheslined and hammered and then Awesome Bombed for the finish.

**1/2 Boy that was a pretty decisive win for Awesome.

Disco is wearing some sort of fur vest and he is asking Totally Buff for help as they make fun of him and his outfit. They plot some sort of nonsense.

Video Package of Booker winning the title. Also, his feud with Steiner.

Match 5: Disco v. Palumbo

Disco gets on the mic and just babbles about Palumbo being stupid or some shit.

Wow, Disco is getting in some serious offense as this match has been quite long. Totally Buff come out and just watch as Palumbo finishes him off. Then they pounce. Haire runs in to help save his partner.

*1/2

Rick Steiner has hit the ring and the heels dominate. Now Vito sprints down and he stomps a hole in Buff and Luger who can barely move is getting pasted.

Match 6: Big Vito v. Rick Steiner (c)

The match began during the break and Steiner has dominated the two or three minutes since. Vito comes back and strikes with a belly to belly but other than that Rick just destroys him for a minute, toys with him, and then finishes him off.

*1/2 A long squash.

A not so well done video package of the Cat and his problems with Kanyon.

Match 7: Scott Steiner (c) v. Booker T

Steiner goes right for him. They go at it, and Steiner retreats to the floor and Booker waits for him to reenter. Steiner kicks him, pushes him back into the corner and chops him up. Steiner is relentless as he mounts and pounds him in the corner. He drops him but pulls up on the pin to do some push ups. He gives him a backbreaker and then boots him in the skull. Booker tries to fight back but that is stopped with a belly to belly. After the near fall, Booker is pushed to the floor. He is able to kick him but is shoved into the railing and then back into the ring. After getting kicked some more, Booker knees him and then gets two after a Harlem Kick. He whips him into the ropes, Steiner stops there and sends Booker to the apron who hotshots him off the top. He goes up top but is crotched and hit. Steiner is up top with him. He hooks Booker but is punched off. Booker is perched and connects with the missile kick. Two count. Another one after a running forearm. Steiner comes back but is kicked and then axe kicked. Rick Steiner runs in and is kicked, and the match is tossed as he Book Ends Scott. Rick attacks but DDP runs down and Cuts both Steiners and flees when JJ and friends run down. DDP taunts them by saying he is still standing….

**1/2 Decent brawl. Kind of takes away from DDP being the last man standing….If anything Booker reappears after the PPV.

*** A great beginning with some good wrestling. But Thunder often does not have that spark. The crowd is a bit more listless, the canned noise. You get more nonsense like Disco Inferno. But at the same time they prepped for the PPV and WCW has been playing it safe. No filler or BS swerves etc. I said my piece on Booker returning, I know why they did it, I just don’t fully agree with it. Still, the PPV is looking good and for nearly two months I am looking forward to Nitro.