JUNE 24TH — LAFAYETTE, LA — CAJUNDOME — LIVE
THE COWBOYS SING ‘RAP IS CRAP’
CONTEXT: Curt Hennig comes out with Bobby Duncum Jr., Kendall Windham, and Barry Windham to sing ‘Rap Is Crap’. Hennig talks about filming a music video for their new hit song this week. They dance a little bit on the stage. Hennig proceeds to blatantly lip sing, which is funny. They are mocking the concert that Master P did on Nitro.
Bob’s Take: I found this to be humorous and I can see how these guys could eventually get over as a babyface group, which they already may have achieved in some cases. They got some boos from the crowd here. 1 for 1
MATCH #1: EDDIE GUERRERO VS. PSYCHOSIS
NOTE: Proving that he’s one of the best, Tenay reminds us that the LWO guys took their shirts off and abandoned Eddie while he was hurt. So, Eddie is out for revenge.
FINISH: Guerrero hits a top rope frog splash onto the back of Psychosis to pickup the clean win. After the match, Eddie looks at the camera and says “I’m back, your leader. Remember me?”
Bob’s Take: This crowd is absolutely fired up and they were responding with great energy throughout the bout. They seemed to be quite excited for Guerrero’s returned compared to a rather lackluster response from the Nitro crowd. There is no denying that the crowd loves Eddie and they are thrilled to have him back. It’s quite a different energy and response than we saw at the Super Dome just a few days prior. I thought this was a really good match nearly on the same level as Rey/Juvi that has been on the show a couple times earlier in the year. It had a good competitive balance and a clean finish for Eddie. The crowd may make this show a lot more enjoyable with their energy being far batter than Nitro’s. 2 for 2
EVAN KARAGIAS MEETS WITH RIC FLAIR
CONTEXT: Ric Flair chats with Evan Karagias about being the most important person in the world. Flair introduces Karagias to his son, David. Ric thinks that David is going to break Goldberg’s record since David is 6-0. Flair puts over Karagias for having a better body than Lex Luger. Flair is going to make sure Karagias heads to the top. Ric needs Karagias to throw the match tonight to allow David to become 7-0. Karagias asks if Ric is going to do this his career. Ric tells Karagias he’s holding back all the young talent. Karagias tells Ric this is his shot. Ric threatens Karagias with a beating if he doesn’t do it. Karagias doesn’t sound as if he’s on board, but they kick him out of the office anyway.
Bob’s Take: I chuckled at the statement that David would defeat Goldberg’s undefeated streak. Could you imagine seeing that happen? Karagias doesn’t have anything going on and is a fine choice to be picked as the next ‘victim’ for David. 3 for 3
WCW WORLD CHAMPION KEVIN NASH PROMO
CONTEXT: Nash gets his cheap pop, and gets a shockingly huge ovation far bigger than he’s gotten in recent weeks. Nash talks about walking out of MSG a few years ago and showed up on Nitro where they were deemed the Outsiders. Nash still feels like an outsider even after three years and is the WCW World Champion. Nash doesn’t think WCW wants him to have the title. Nash believes Savage knows he can’t win by himself against Nash. Nash still thinks that even with Sid he can’t be beaten. Nash knows the deal and is confident that Sting is on their side. Nash accuses Sting that he drove the hummer and he does not trust Sting heading into Bash At The Beach. Nash isn’t going to give the title up so that Sting can win it. Nash proclaims that Savage will have to pry the title out of his cold, dead hands.
Bob’s Take: It’s an interesting time for Nash to officially accuse Sting as the driver and seemingly try to kill his babyface heat as the crowd seemed to be a bit against the idea that Sting can’t be trusted. It’s a fine promo if not a little bit repetitive for Nash. 4 for 4
MATCH #2: CHRIS BENOIT & PERRY SATURN VS. FIT FINLAY & DAVE TAYLOR
FINISH: Benoit hits a top rope diving headbutt and pins Taylor to win the match. Benoit was not the legal man. After the match, Steve Regal appears and tries to calm down things between Finlay and Taylor. The trio embraces. Regal is back in WCW!
Bob’s Take: A solid tag match and the crowd continues to be responding very well to the young guys tonight. I was not expecting to see Steve Regal return on Thunder of all shows, but I’m a huge Regal fan and he helps out the undercard quite well. 5 for 5
RIC FLAIR INTERVIEW, MAKING MATCHES
CONTEXT: Mean Gene interviews Ric Flair, who has Asya by his side. Gene notes that Flair always has a game plan. Flair apologizes for his appearance, but it is so hot there that he couldn’t wear a sports coat without sweating. Flair proceeds to insult the audience for being dumb and the women aren’t good looking. Flair claims to be the ruler and master who is not out there to entertain the fans. Flair announces a tag title match for Bash At The Beach where the WCW Tag Team Champions Triad will defend against Perry Saturn and Chris Benoit. Flair puts Dean Malenko and Buff Bagwell in a tag match tonight against Randy Savage and Sid Vicious. Flair agrees that nobody wants Nash as the champion. Flair has a surprise for Nash on Nitro in Chicago this coming Monday. Flair promises Nash will walk out of the United Center without the championship. Flair is losing his mind to end the segment.
Bob’s Take: The match announcements are not too bad, really. The tag title match for the PPV should be a good one. The tag match for tonight in the main event is a big one, but there’s no way we’re getting a clean finish there. Plus, now we have a little bit of interest for what could be the surprise for Nash on Nitro. An effective segment by Flair. 6 for 6
MATCH #3: CURT HENNIG VS. LENNY LANE
FINISH: Hennig is stomping Lane in the corner when Lodi came out and tossed a white towel into the ring to end the match. After the match, Hennig hits the Hennig Plex on Lodi.
Bob’s Take: There seems to be some kind of direction for Lenny and Lodi to explain why Hennig wouldn’t get a clean win and instead protect Lenny. It’s a squash and there wasn’t much to it. 6 for 7
TEAM MADNESS INTERVIEW
CONTEXT: Savage asks if Nash can feel the madness. Savage considers tonight a tuneup for July 11th at the PPV. Savage thinks the match at the PPV is the tag team match from hell. Savage believes they are the most popular group going today. Savage has the deck of cards and it is stacked against Nash. Savage suggests the driver of the hummer might be Scott Hall, or Sting, or both of them! Savage says Bash at the Beach will be Nash’s nightmare. Sid chimes in and says they are dealing the cards and they are going to set an example tonight with Malenko and Bagwell. Sid talks about when there’s a fire your body shuts down to avoid the pain, but they will not be that kind to Bagwell and Malenko. They will feel pain forever. Sid claims this is their world and people are stuck living in it. Savage finishes off saying there’s no way out for Nash.
Bob’s Take: Savage not suggesting Luger as a potential driver makes me feel more confident that Luger could be the reveal. This was a fine promo to promote the main event and PPV. 7 for 8
MATCH #4: DAVID FLAIR VS. EVAN KARAGIAS
FINISH: Late in the match, Asya distracts Karagias allowing David to get a taser and zaps Karagias with it. David locks in the figure four and wins the match by pin fall.
Bob’s Take: As you’d expect this was not good, at all. The bit that David could break Goldberg’s record is a funny one, but hopefully they don’t try and drag that out far beyond the point of being funny anymore. 7 for 9
MATCH #5: HUGH MORRUS VS. VAN HAMMER — HARDCORE MATCH
NOTE: Mike Tenay notes that on Saturday Night last week, Jerry Flynn joined the First Family.
FINISH: Late in the match, Ric Flair comes down and demands Jimmy Hart to stop the show. Flair claims there will never be another hardcore match in any arena that he’s in. Morrus says Flair hasn’t cared about him for years and tells Flair to get out of his match. Flair allows for hardcore and Hammer decks Morrus with a table. Apparently, the match is thrown out as Hammer suplexs Morrus through the table.
Bob’s Take: It looks like Morrus got busted open at some point in the match and they kept a wide shot to avoid showing the blood. The crowd was probably more interested in this because of the weapons being used. They popped for a ladder being introduced and a table at one point. Had this been a regular singles match, I don’t think people would have cared, at all. Flair banishing hardcore matches could be a good thing, but that also probably limits the usage of at least ten guys now. Could Hugh Morrus be a guy used in the young vs. old angle now? I wouldn’t hate that addition. The segment/match wasn’t bad, but it’s just mindless hardcore stuff. 7 for 10
MAIN EVENT: RANDY SAVAGE & SID VICIOUS VS. DEAN MALENKO & BUFF BAGWELL
FINISH: Late in the match, Savage accidentally forearms Madusa off the apron, which gets a big pop. Malenko puts the Texas Cloverleaf on Miss Madness, but is decked by Savage. Sid powerbombs Malenko and Savage teases for the elbow drop, but is stopped by the referee. Savage decks the referee and crotches the referee over the top rope. That’s a DQ, folks. After the match, Savage and Sid spike a second referee with a spike piledriver. Savage orders Sid to powerbomb the referee, and Sid does deliver a powerbomb.
Bob’s Take: The crowd popped big time for the women getting involved, which shows that their involvement seems to work. Savage is washed and can’t produce a quality match at this point. Sid is incredibly limited with his offense, so it’s a pairing that won’t put forth great in-ring wrestling. Malenko and Bagwell didn’t manage to get much momentum or shine throughout the match. The action isn’t good, but the aftermath was enjoyable to see Sid and Savage destroy helpless referees. 7 for 11
A lively crowd and some strong action in the first hour carried this show to being an enjoyable overall program. They had plenty of established names appear and it made Thunder feel as if it’s an important show. WCW is capable of putting on enjoyable programming if they focus on in-ring and put forth simple interviews and avoid doing angles similar to how WWF produces them because they will not be better than them at it.
Interested to see the surprise for Nash in Chicago. I can’t imagine there’s another wrestler debuting or returning to take out Nash, but anything is possible.
WCW Thunder 6/24 TV Rating: 3.3 (first time Thunder got a bigger rating than Nitro?)
Thanks for reading.