Written by: Bob Colling
World Wrestling Federation presents Heat
Date: 12/31/2000
From: Nashville, TN
Matches:
1.) Steve Blackman defeated Crash Holly
2.) Tazz defeated Taka Michinoku
3.) K-Kwik defeated D’Lo Brown
4.) Perry Saturn defeated Hardcore Holly
5.) Billy Gunn defeated Val Venis
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Blackman works over Crash with strikes as soon as the bell sounds. Blackman drops Crash with a savant kick. Crash goes to the floor to regroup and runs into a chop. Blackman drops Crash over the railing followed by more chops. Blackman kicks Crash and drives Crash face first down to the mat. Crash head scissors Blackman to the floor and hits a slingshot crossbody to the floor. Crash heads to the top rope and hits a crossbody for a two count. Blackman plants Crash with a spinebuster. Blackman continues with a snap suplex for a near fall. Blackman drives Crash down with a backbreaker and locks in an Indian death lock. Crash takes Blackman down with a backslide for a two count. Blackman drives Crash down to the mat gut first. Blackman goes back to work with a chin lock. Blackman slams Crash and misses a splash as Crash got his knees up. Crash nails Blackman with an elbow shot. Crash ducks a clothesline, but Blackman nearly wins with another spinebuster. Crash dropkicks Blackman after sending him chest first into the corner. Blackman blocks a bulldog attempt and locks in a dragon sleeper to win the match. (*1/4. This had a weird flow to it for me. They were just doing moves and it didn’t feel like it had good pacing for me. The crowd felt rather dead, too.)
2.) Prior to the next match, Taka tells Tazz that he needs to prepare to die tonight.
3.) Tazz tries for a dragon sleeper early on, but Taka reaches the ropes quickly to break the hold. Tazz takes Taka down with a side headlock, but Taka reaches the ropes again. Taka drops Tazz with a few strikes and another snapmare. Taka dropkicks a seated Tazz and plays to the crowd. Tazz takes Taka over with a belly to belly overhead suplex. Tazz continues to work over Taka, but Taka gets a sunset flip for a two count. Tazz runs over Taka with a clothesline and taunts Taka. Tazz scoop slams Taka, but Taka delivers a few kicks. Tazz blocks a kick and hits an overhead belly to belly suplex. Taka connects with a spinning heel kick. Taka savant kicks Tazz and heads to the top missing a moonsault. Tazz locks in the Tazz Mission to win the match. (*1/2. There was never a doubt here. It worked well to see Tazz toss Taka around for a bit. I wish they did more with Taka.) After the match, Tazz speaks but the voiceover guy speaks Japanese. That was bizarre.
4.) Tiger Ali Singh cuts a promo saying he refuses to acknowledge people tonight. Singh will speak to only D’Lo Brown and his people. He does so in their native tongue, until K-Kwik cuts him off.
5.) Brown attacks Kwik as he’s rapping. Kwik ducks a clothesline and heel kicks Brown. Kwik head scissors Brown followed by a scissors kick for a two count. Brown plants Kwik with a spinebuster to gain the advantage. Brown drops Kwik with a right hand and a clothesline. Brown dumps Kwik through the ropes to the floor. Singh gets a few cheap shots in on the floor. Brown drops Kwik chest first over the railing. Kwik hammers away on Brown and boots Brown in the corner. Brown heel kicks Kwik leading to a near fall. Brown scoop slams Kwik, but Kwik plants Brown with a Flatliner. Kwik takes Brown over with a standing hurricanrana and an elbow strike. Kwik powerslams Brown for a near fall. Brown powerbombs Kwik and taunts the crowd. Brown scoop slams Kwik and goes to the top rope missing a swanton bomb. Kwik connects with a front suplex to earn the clean win. (*1/2. That’s an upset victory for Kwik. D’Lo Brown’s career has really fallen off a cliff since he’s association with Singh and it’s too bad that’s happened.)
6.) Holly shoulder blocks Saturn and tosses Saturn across the ring for a two count. Holly takes Saturn down with a suplex before going to the top, but is crotched by Saturn with a kick. Saturn stomps on Holly to keep control of the contest. Saturn drives Holly into the corner back first. Saturn splashes down onto Holly’s leg over the ropes. Saturn splashes down onto Holly’s knee over the middle rope. Holly fights back with a few kicks, but Saturn leg sweeps Holly and locks in a leg lock to keep control for a moment. Saturn dropkicks Holly on the left knee. Saturn plants Holly with a back suplex for a two count. Saturn controls Holly with a standing leg lock, but doesn’t get a submission. Holly powerslams Saturn followed by a few clotheslines. Holly low blows Saturn with a kick across the ropes. Holly dropkicks Saturn, but Terri distracts Holly on the ring steps. Saturn superkicks Holly and wins the match. (*1/4. They both felt a little off here and the match was a little sloppy. The finish was rather weak, too.)
7.) Gunn chases Venis around ringside but Venis works over Gunn with strikes. Venis rams Gunn into the corner face first and continues with stomps. Venis works over Gunn with stomps in the corner and chokes Gunn. Gunn drops Venis with a few clotheslines. Gunn elbow strikes Venis and hits the Fame-Asser for a two count. Gunn misses a clothesline and tosses Venis over the top to the floor. Gunn comes off the apron with an axe handle. Gunn rams Venis face first into the railing and drops Venis chest first over the railing. Venis sends Gunn knee first into the ring steps. Venis keeps Gunn on the mat with a knee lock, but doesn’t get a submission. Venis splashes down onto Gunn’s knee a few times. Venis continues to stomp on Gunn’s knee and wraps Gunn’s leg around the ring post. Venis scoop slams Gunn and misses a middle rope elbow drop attempt. Gunn backdrops Venis followed by a splash in the corner. Gunn hits a vertical suplex for a near fall. Venis elbows Gunn in the corner and has his feet on the ropes, but the referee saw that. Gunn plants Venis with a sleeper neckbreaker while Venis was distracted by the referee. After the match, Gunn attempts to piledrive Venis, but Venis is able to escape after the referee stopped Gunn. (*1/2. That was a rather uninspiring match for the most part. I felt the finish was poor, too. The finishes on this show felt really forced and it didn’t really flow with the action.)
Final Thoughts:
To close the year for Heat, the action here was lackluster and disappointing. We got another upset victory with Kwik prevailing over D’Lo. Gunn/Venis has a decent feud going on and the match just didn’t deliver entertainment. Hopefully 2001 freshens up Heat and we get some better matches soon.
Thanks for reading.