IGW Rodman Down Under 7/30/2000

Written by: Bob Colling

Rodman Down Under
Date: 7/30/2000
From: Sydney, Australia

The show opens with Dennis Rodman attacking Curt Hennig after a recent match. Rodman did it again during a brawl between Road Warriors and Public Enemy at a press conference. The video promoting the feud is not bad, actually. The company name is I Generation Wrestling (IGW).

Curt Hennig comes out and calls out Dennis Rodman to come out to the ring. Rodman comes out to the aisle way and says that tonight Hennig’s ass is grass. Hennig leads a “Dennis sucks” chant. Rodman says that everyone came here tonight to see him wrestle and not Hennig.

Footage of Public Enemy attacking the Road Warriors at a press conference is shown.

Opening Contest: IGW Tag Team Champions Public Enemy vs. Road Warriors in a tables match: Rocco Rock and Animal start the match with Animal hitting a backdrop and a few clotheslines in the opening moment. Hawk decks Grunge from the apron with a right hand. Animal works over Grunge tagging in Hawk who comes off the middle rope with a right hand shot. Hawk hits a leaping shoulder block as well. Hawk avoids a backdrop whipping Grunge down to the canvas by his hair. Grunge tags out but gets a table out as Rock takes Hawk down with a swinging neck breaker. Rock goes to the top but Hawk stops him and hits a press slam to the canvas. Hawk power slams Rock but Grunge breaks up the cover. I thought this was a tables match so I don’t understand the cover attempt. Rock and Animal are legal trading blows until Grunge gets tagged in and Animal gets kneed by Grunge from the apron. Animal is knocked to the floor and Rock whacks Animal over the back with a chair.

Rock sends Animal into the guard railing back first and hits Animal with a water bottle. Animal is double teamed in the corner for a few moments. Rock chokes Animal across the middle rope but misses a splash hitting the ropes. Grunge enters and keeps control of Animal. Animal gets a sunset flip but Rock distracts the referee and Animal only gets a two count. Rock snap mares Animal and comes off the top only to be met with a big boot and lands on his face. Hawk gets the hot tag and runs over both Grunge and Rock with a clothesline. Hawk hits a neck breaker on both men, though the second one on Grunge was messy. Hawk misses a top rope splash and all four men are brawling. Grunge avoids Animal in the corner while Rock has Hawk on the table outside the ring. Rock hits a somersault dive and puts Hawk through the table! Rock tries to put Animal through one but Animal moves and Rock crashes through the table instead. Animal shoulder blocks Grunge and stomps away on the champ. Rock whacks Animal over the back with a chair and hits Hawk over the head. Grunge brings a second table into the ring. Animal spears both Rock and Grunge through a table in the corner. They won the tag titles. (1/2*. Oh boy, that match was not very good whatsoever. The finish was like watching something in slow motion. Road Warriors weren’t in the best of shape, either. The title change wasn’t a surprise with the Road Warriors being big names and possibly the biggest names on the show.)

Second Contest: the Barbarian vs. Brute Force (Brutus Beefcake) in a hardcore match: It looks really weird to see Beefcake coming to the ring with a shopping cart full of weapons. Beefcake starts the match hitting Barbarian with a trash can a couple of times. Beefcake chokes Barbarian with a broom in the corner. Barbarian stops Beefcake with a low blow. Barbarian continues to work over Beefcake with various weapon shots. They brawl around on the floor for a few moments. Eventually, they return to the ring where Beecake hit a piledriver for a two count. Barbarian big boots a trash can lid into Beefcake’s face as he came off the middle rope and that’s good enough for a three count. (DUD. It was just senseless weapon shots between two guys who probably be working this kind of match. I was surprised that Barbarian went over, though.)

Third Contest: Sweet Destiny vs. Brandi Wine: Destiny wins the match following a middle rope suplex which looked like a brain buster when it probably wasn’t supposed to be a brain buster. I’ll tell you this was one sloppy match and that is jut basing it off the replays of the action they showed after it was over with.

Fourth Contest: IGW International Champion Tatanka vs. One Man Gang: Gang attacks before the bell working over Tatanka with a few strikes and a clothesline. I have a feeling this match is going to be nothing but strikes and rest holds when something else happens I’ll let you know. Tatanka came back with plenty of strikes and a chop to send Gang rolling to the floor. Gang gets on the microphone and says he’s going to leave and gets a lot of trash thrown at him for teasing that. This is insane they are tossing a lot of trash into the ring and they are just standing there seemingly waiting for the trash to stop being thrown in. So, they cut to the crowd to stall it seems like. Late in the match, Gang hits Tatanka with brass knuckles and that is good enough for the win. (DUD. Pretty much what you’d expect and it was just bad attempt at entertainment.)

Main Event: IGW World Heavyweight Champion Curt Hennig vs Dennis Rodman: Rodman goes on the attack before the bell and hits Hennig with the championship. Hennig is already busted wide open and Rodman taunts the crowd showing off a bloodied Hennig. Rodman sends Hennig into the ropes and Hennig sells it by going over the top to the floor. Rodman rams Hennig face first onto the announcers table and continues to hammer away on the champion. Rodman doesn’t really follow up and is met with a broom stick to the midsection and thrown over the announcers table. Hennig hits Rodman with a trash can on the floor and rams Rodman into the table again managing to break the table. Hennig drops Rodman with a right hand and Rodman sends Hennig face first into the ring post. Hennig chops Rodman to maintain control of the contest. Hennig stomps on Rodman a few more times in the ring but is keeping the offense very simple. Hennig stomps on Rodman’s groin to keep control of the match before locking in a chin lock. Rodman punches Hennig to the floor and the fans jeer him for it. Rodman whacks Hennig over the head with a trash can but Hennig comes back with a punch to the throat. Hennig chokes Rodman over the guard railing and delivers another chop. In the ring, Hennig continues to chop Rodman until Rodman decides to head butt the referee. Rodman drops Hennig with a back elbow strike and a jumping elbow drop. Hennig literally had to pull the referee into the way for a spot. Rodman tosses the referee to the floor rather dangerously and the referee calls for the bell ending the match. (DUD. This settled nothing and Hennig was never going to carry Rodman to anything decent. Like everything on the show, this was a brawl of a match and nothing more.) After the match, Hennig decks the referee and a few other people at ringside.

Final Thoughts:
I have no idea how they were able to draw 10,000 people for this show. This is one of the worst shows I’ve ever watched and I don’t know why I was interested in watching it. A great example of stars of the past not being able to deliver anything of quality.

Thanks for reading.