WCW Week of July 3, 2000 - Go-Home to Bash at the Beach

Nitro

We go to a recap of the World Title shenanigans last week,plus Dale and Vamps's crap, and Steiner and Awesome's issues from Thunder. Then we see Cat on the phone with Bischoff, and we find out he suspended Steiner for a week for using the Recliner again and again. Bischoff apparently points out how Cat broke his own no interference rule but Cat claims the ref was sick. Awesome walks in and asks if Cat made the call, and when Cat assures him he did, Awesome says he'll need "them" when he's finished around there tonight...? I didn't get any of that. Oh we cut outside to four ambulances having arrived at the arena, so I guess that's what "them" is.

We're live from the Charleston Civic Center in Charleston, West Virginia for this episode of Nitro. Schiavone welcomes us to the show as Tank comes out with a 3 Count shirt. He walks over to the DJ booth to take over to try and hype up the crowd, and vows to give them the best. He introduces the greatest rock and roll back in the world, 3 Count, and out they come. Helms tries to talk on the mic, but Tank tells him to just shut up and sing. 3 Count do their routine as Tank dances along, but Jung Dragons finally interrupt to get to our first match of the night.

3 Count vs Jung Dragons

Dragons are sent off the ropes, duck clotheslines, two hit hurricanranas while the other trades blows with Helms. then tosses him to the floor. Jamie sends Evan off the ropes into a drop toe hold. Helms I guess is hurt and down comes Tank to take his place as the Dragons gang up on Evan. Yang sent off the ropes into a dropkick from Evan. Yang with rights, Evan sent off the ropes and hits Yang with a wheelbarrow facebuster. Shannon tags in with a front suplex and covers for two. Yang reverses off the ropes, Shannon tries for a wheelbarrow but Yang counters with a facebuster of his own.

Kaz tags in with Evan and hits a spinning heel kick, but sends himself shoulder first into the ring post. Evan with a springboard crossbody to the outside, then Jamie with a springboard moonsault, and Shannon dives over the ropes onto Jamie. Yang tries to follow up with a dive of his own but he's blocked by Tank on the apron, who then enters the ring. Yang delivers some body shots that do nothing, then gets clocked by Tank. Shannon covers for the win in 3:27.

Tank calls for a performance as Helms rejoins his partners, and Tank joins along too.

We see Nash arriving at the arena, and a staff member mentions something he's going to like up next.

Then to Cat talking with the Dragons and liked what he saw, and has some kind of proposition for them.

Goldberg arrives into commercial.

Awesome is seen yelling at some guy backstage and Awesome Bombs him through a table.

We get a video package for the Outsiders, but we soon see Goldberg walk into the production truck telling them to turn it off, bullying the production guys into turning it off. Nash is seen looking on and he leaves his locker room.

Goldberg makes his way out now, and he wants us to know he's seen and heard enough of the Outsider crap that he can stand, calling Hall and Nash two of the biggest pieces of garbage in the business, and it's about time someone stood up and told everyone what the story was. He says that as soon as they got there, they tried to undermine and destroy WCW, and what gets him is the idiot fans have cheered them week in and week out. He says he carried the company on his back for two years, gave the people someone to believe in, gave them a hero, and they spit on it. He reminds us what he did to Duggan the week before, and we can imagine the hell, pain and torture he's going to put Nash through. He wants everyone to realize that it's his time, and their blood is on the fans' hands. Out comes Nash with a mic and has four words for Goldberg: My time, why wait? So Nash walks down to the ring but of course securit rush in, and out comes Cat to send it to commercial.

We get a replay of what happened before the break, and during the break as the locker room came out to pull them apart. Awesome also powerbombed a security guy on the padding around ring side, and he's seen being driven out in an ambulance.

Cat is seen on the phone with Bischoff again and voices his frustration with trying to keep Nash and Goldberg apart. 

Funk walks up to Johhe Bull backstage. Johnny apparently has an opponent, who Funk says is someone real tough, and suggest Johnny gets himself a nearby trash can. Funk cracks him over the back with a chair as he goes to grab it, so I suppose this is the match.

Hardcore Match: Terry Funk vs Johnny the Bull

Funk and Johnny fight their way out to the arena, with Funk nailing a trash can shot to the head, then a second time. Funk with a right hand and Johnny is whipped into the guard rail, then Funk with another chair to the back, and a second time. In the ring now, Funk with a chair to the back again then the head. Funk wedges the chair in the corner before slapping Johnny in the corner, then some rights, then sends Johnny face first into the chair. Johnny tossed to the outside now as Funk grabs yet another chair, throwing it at Johnny and hits him in the back of the head. Johnny face first off the announce table, then the guard rail, then a chair to the head yet again. Johnny finally kicks the chair back into Funk's face. 

Johnny with the chair now throws it into Funk's face, then a shot to the head. Funk is tossed into the crowd as Johnny follows with a chair, and we can't see a damn thing , until Johnny delivers a piledriver onto the chair. Another chair shot to Funk's head sends him over the barricade to ringside, and Funk's cheek has been cut. Johny with a suplex to the floor before... Oh god no, I know what this is. Johnny lays the chair over Funk's face, then gets in the ring and hits a springboard leg drop onto Funk... and I'm pretty sure Johnny breaks his ass doing this, he does seem to land ass first on the chair and Funk's head. Back in the ring.... Oh yeah, Johnny's hurt. Chair to Funk's head. Johnny manages to get back in the ring, ducks a chair shot, Johnny with a small package for two. Johnny with a chair shot to Funk's head, covers but Funk kicks out. DDT onto the chair to Funk, cover, Funk tries to kick out but is too late, Johnny wins in 6:25.

Funk is back up first and he can barely stand, nearly hits himself with a chair as he throws it in the air. He helps Johnny back up.

Over to commentary who recap a few things, plus we learn Booker T will face Douglas tonight, and something with Dale and Vamp,  We see doctors carrying Johnny backstage, then we go to footage from earlier in the day.

Dale and Asya are apparently rehearsing a new entrance and fire pyro is set off right beside Asya, which knocks her off the stage, and she's in the hospital. Dale is seen arriving and the light start flickering, and someone hands him his demon outfit. It's someone in a Sting mask, but this time it's Vamp. We also see another hooded figure in the background as we go to commercial.

Cat walks into Goldberg's locker room and it seems his strategy is to fool Goldberg into thinking Nash has been scared and left.But Goldberg doesn't give a damn what Bischoff wants, and wants Cat to give him Nash's ass on a silver platter tonight. Cat leaves.

#1 Contenders Match for the WCW Tag Team Championship: Sean O'Haire & Mark Jindrak vs General Rection & Cpl. Cajun (w/ Major Guns)

Pre-Match: For some reason Jindrak and O'Haire are in baggy pants rather than their usual trunks, not sure why.

Jindrak and Cajun start it off, trading shots until Cajun iss ent into the corner, ducks a clothesline and hits rights and a clothesline. Rection tags in as Jindrak's up in the corner and eats a splash, then one from Cajun, only for O'Haire to take out Rection with a heel kick. O'Haire tags in, Rection sent off the ropes, double leapfrog into a dropkick and covers for two. O'Haire witha boot to the head before he goes up top but he's cut off and thrown to the mat by Rection, then tosses Cajun off the top with a splash, covers but Jindrak breaks it up. Double suplex on Cajun, cover and Cajun kicks out. 

Jindrak tags back in, Cajun sent to the corner for double boots, then a double team hip toss across the ring. Jindrak with an elbow and covers, but Rection breaks it up. Cajun sent off the ropes, ducks a clothesline and hits a headscissor on Jindrak. O'Haire in to pull Cajun away before he can tag, but he gets Jindrak with a small package but Jindrak kicks out. O'Haire in, Cajun sent off the ropes, popped up by Jindrak but forearms O'Haire, tagging Rection back in.

Rection with rights and clotheslines, spinning heel kick on Jindrak and covers but O'Haire breaks it up. Cajun tackles him out of the ring as Rection goes up top, but he's caught in an electric chair by Jindrak. O'Haire goes up top on the other side of the ring and dives across with a splash, covers but Cajun breaks it up. Rection sends O'Haire to the outside, Cajun with a sitout slam on Jindrak as Rection goes up top with the moonsault to win in 4:06. Pretty good match all things considered, though I question MIA going over considering Jindrak and O'Haire just debuted the week before.

Perfect Event out immediately to attack MIA and Jindrak and O'Haire with Lex Flexers, the rest of MIA come out to try and help but they're laid out too. MIA stand back up about a minute later along with Jindrak and O'Haire to beat them up before tossing them out of the ring. Then MIA all play dead for mouth to mouth from guns.

Cat tries his same routine with Nash now and tries to give him the night off, but much like Goldberg, he wants a match with him tonight into commercial.

Awesome puts another random crew member through a table backstage.

Then to Cat in his office on the phone with Eric about his problems with Nash and Goldberg. Cat thinks they should just be fired but Eric's clearly having none of it, but Cat seems to get some idea to solve his problems.

Out comes Jarrett now, and despite Hogan being around for none of this build, he's still set to defend the title against him at the PPV. Chosen One, greatest world champion ever, blah blah blah. He came out for only one reason, and that's to make a simple statement. He knows some will be in a state of shock when he says this, but he says that Hogan is the man. He remembers when he was just a little Slap Nut and sat on his grandad's knee, and told him about how he paid to see the great Hulk Hogan wrestle, and as he grew older he trained like there was no tomorrow, said his prayers, took every vitamin he could find, and here he is on the eve of Bash at the Beach, where he'll personally put the great Hulk Hogan out to pasture, because Hogan might be the man, but Jarrett is a god. He says that even though Hogan isn't worth the nickel his grandfather used to pay to see him, he's still gonna show him respect, give him a hell of a send off, so he's going to give us a preview of what's to happen on Sunday, and calls down the "fat ladies".

They're really milking this "make the fat lady sing" thing, as out come tree ladies dressed like vikings. Jarrett says he's a man of his word, and if he said the fat lady's going to sing, that's exactly what he's going to give. The ladies have a hard time with their outfits getting in the ring. He holds a Q&A session first, and his first question is who will walk away champion. They all say "The Chosen One". He's promised them the buffet table in the back if they do a good job, so they start singing "Na Na Hey Hey Goodbye" or whatever. Then who we're told to be a representative from Standards and Practices comes out to put an end to this. Jarrett's mic is killed and Jarrett grabs his guitar to smash it over the guy's head. Jarrett poses in the corner as his music hits. What the hell was the point of that?

Well now out comes Cat, and announces he's giving Goldberg and Nash what they want and putting them in the ring together, only with 18 other guys in a Battle Royal, and can do whatever they want to each other if they can get through them.

We see Booker and Douglas walking backstage, their match next.

We see the earlier crew member being driven out in an ambulance before Jarrett bumps into Cat backstage and there's just a bunch of yelling and talking over each other before Jarrett leaves.

Footage from Thunder of what happened between Kanyon and Bagwell, plus Booker helping out Bagwell before our next match.

"The Franchise" Shane Douglas vs Booker T

Pre-Match: Booker is attacked from behind by Kanyon as he makes his way out, sending Booker into the guard rail, then drops him chest first onto it before tossing Booker in the ring.

Booker sent off the ropes into a back elbow, then a front suplex. Douglas with his reverse snapmare, then a seated snapmare. Boots in the corner by Dougals before choking Booker with his boot. Booker face first into the corner, then sent off the ropes slides under a kick and out of the ring to drop Kanyon. Douglas attacks from behind and sends Booker into the guard rail before tossing him back in the ring. Douglas choking Booker some more, then some shots in the corner, before whipping Booker across the ring, he goes up and over into a roll up for two, only to be clotheslined by Douglas. 

Booker sent off the ropes, ducks a clothesline and a back elbow and hits a forearm. Douglas reverses a whip, then gets reverses himself for a knee into a scissor kick and a spinaroonie. Booker with the Harlem Side Kick. Kanyon hops the apron and Douglas inadvertently knocks him off, allowing Booker to roll him up again for two. Booker goes for the Book End and Douglas botches it, but Booker covers anyways for the win in 3:06. It was fine.

Kanyon in the ring to attack Booker immediately with vicious rights to the face, then a low blow leg drop. Douglas sets Booker in position for a top rope leg drop and Kanyon continues to attack as Page's music hits.

Demon is seen backstage sitting on some kind of throne into commercial.

Cat walks into the locker room where the New Blood are and wants them to help keep Goldberg and Nash apart in the Battle Royal. Douglas wants to know whose idea this is and Cat confirms it's his own. Kanyon wants to give Nash the Kanyon Cutter and Cat doesn't care what he does. Disco wants to know if there's a reward for the extra work and he promises bonuses for them all as long as they do a good job.

We see footage of what happened last week between Vamp, Dale and the presumed Sting in the boiler room, then Sting appearing on Thunder, and another replay of what happened to Asya earlier in the day, plus Vamp handing Dale the demon stuff and the mysterious hooded figure behind him. This leads to the next match.

Vampiro vs The Demon

Vamp stomps away as Demon slides into the ring, rights and chops by Vamp and a headbutt. Snapmare by Vamp and a kick to the back, then a shot to the top of the head. Demon tries to fight back but Vamp rakes his eyes, before Demon is sent off the ropes, but catches Vamp with a kick, only to walk into a heel kick. Vamp goes up top and misses a leg drop. Vamp sent off the ropes into a spinning back elbow, then more rights by Demon. 

Suddenly a bunch of people in Sting masks with bats walk down the ramp as Vamp goes back up top with a flying clothesline, and the Stings surround the ring, much to Vamp's confusion. All the Stings point their bats at Vamp as Demon hits a half nelson slam for the win in 2:40.

Demon leaves the ring as the Stings rush the ring, encircling Vamp and the lights go out. Then Vamp disappears much to their confusion.Vamp's music hits as they leave the ring.

Smooth the limo driver is talking to the Filthy Animals backstage for a strategy meeting into commercial.

Cat walks into the babyface locker room and calls Kidman a virgin and he's here to give the same talk as he did to the heels. Also lack of continuity as despite the fact he went to the hospital earlier, Johnny the Bull is sitting there in plain view. He says he'll fire them all if Nash and Goldberg touch each other tonight. Goldberg rightfully points out they all want their hands on Goldberg esepcially after what he did to Duggan the week before and kicks Cat out.

Daffney has dyed her hair blue as she's talking with David backstage and he's still two-timing her and she's still falling for it and he's trying to talk her out of fighting Hancock, who's made her way out to the ring in a wedding dress. Hancock has a mic and says that this isn't what she'll be wearing at the PPV, as she can't decide if she wants to wear something special underneath or nothing at all. Since she'll definitely be tearing clothes off at the PPV, she's here to give the fans what they want to see right now.

Well she does her usual strip tease routine but out comes Crowbar with a chair for some reason and starts getting into it. David fakes a stomach ache to get rid of Daffney and Crowbar has a shaver out to use on Hancock, holding her hostage. He says David has two strikes, one for trying to scalp and shave him bald, and the other for messing around on Daffney, and if David doesn't come out by the time he counts to 10 it's strike three and Hancock's bald.

David is there in a split second and then out comes Daffney with Pepto Bismol and a low blow, before pouring the stuff on him. Hancock shoves Daffney down and... Oh Daffney had a wig on. Crowbar pulls Hancock off Daffney and she beggs him off, which allows David to nail him in the back with the chair, then the head. David holds up Daffney and Hancock begins shaving away her hair, so so much for the ruse I guess. I guess Daffney was supposed to be unconscious during that because David plants the shaver in Crowbar's hand with a clump of her hair still stuck to it. He tries to explain to her what happened and she's just distraught, but as Schiavone points out, this is all on live TV into commercial.

We see footage from during the break where Crowbar was trying to reason with Daffney, and he gets put through a table by Awesome as she runs off.

We see Crowbar in the middle of getting loaded into the ambulance but he's trying to fight off the paramedics, and Awesome comes back to finish the job, sending him out in the ambulance.

Cat is watching all this go down and in walks Smooth and Tygress. Tygress is here to seduce him for... reasons.

Out come Disco and Konnan, oh joy. They're here to do an interview with two of the hottest young stars in WCW, Storm and Kidman. Well out come Rey and Juvie dressed like Kidman and Storm. Konnan asks "Kidman" what it's like to team with the ultra charismatic Storm. "Kidman" asks for Torrie.... Yeah, where the hell has Torrie been now that they bring it up? Konnan says he's heard Kidman wasn't serving her right, and wants to know, when he and Lance aren't helping Richard Gere count his gerbils, what they do in their spare time. Well that doesn't date this show at all. "Kidman" says they just watch Mysterio and Juicy's videos because they need to know how to wrestle. Disco asks "Storm" where in Canada he's from, and.... I guess this is supposed to be an impression of Lance's promos? "Storm" says he's from Calgary, and in Canada they don't yell to prove their point. Finally the real Storm and Kidman run down to end this for a match.

Rey Mysterio Jr. & Juventud Guerrera (w/ Konnan & Disco Inferno) vs Lance Storm & Billy Kidman

All but Rey are tossed out of the ring as Storm corners him with rights, Rey whipped into Kidman, slides through the legs, only to be popped up and caught by Storm for Kidman to dropkick. Kidman goes up top for a moonsault, covers but Juvie breaks it up. Juvie with chops now and picks him up for a powerbomb, only to flip him forward and face first into the mat. Kidman sent off the ropes, Storm tags himself in, Juvie lands on his feet off a German from Kidman only to eat a standing side kick from Storm. Juvie reverses a whip off the ropes, some counters and chops by Juvie off the ropes, press slammed but Storm is dropkicked by Rey, Juvie lands on top for a cover and two.

Rey tags in, snapmare by Juvie and a running low blow dropkick from Rey, covers for two. Rey with a dropkick to the side of the head and Juvie tags in, Storm whipped across the ring and gets a boot up. Juvie off the ropes, his wheelbarrow is countered into a powerbomb attempt but that's countered with a hurricanrana. Juvie off the ropes and dropped throat first on the top rope on the way back.

Kidman and Rey in,spinebuster on Rey, back suplex on Juvie. Storm up top with a leg drop and a cover but Rye breaks it up. Kidman is caught in a wheelbarrow position by Juvie, as Rey goes up top and hits a facebuster, covers and Storm breaks it up. Juvie's powerbomb is countered with a facebuster by Kidman, and Storm catches Rey on his shoulders into a sitout powerbomb. Juvie takes Storm out of the ring as Konnan gets on the apron, Kidman up top but Disco tosses a chair to Rey. Rey goes up top to hit a bulldog onto the chair and covers for the win in 3:55. Pretty good until the bullshit started.

Animals gang up and attack the two post-match. 

Cat is back in his office, and missed the match, so of course they got away with the interference.

Pamela is backstage with Vamp, and he's pissed about the stunt he thinks Demon pulled with the Stings. He calls himself the master of the mindgames, and says this will end at the PPV in a Graveyard Match. Then commercial.

Pamela's now with Nash backstage. Nash says that while Sunday is for Hall's contract, tonight is for himself, and basically says he'll get his hands on Goldberg tonight. 

Footage from Thunder of what happened in Steiner's match with Awesome, then we see replays of Awesome's various attacks throughout the night. Steiner is set to defend the title against Awesome at the PPV, and speak of the devil, out comes Awesome. He starts to talk about how he had Cat line up the ambulances, but he sees a sign in the crowd and says he is not a mullet, calling the fan a mullet instead. He tells security to take the poster away, and says he's definitely not a mullet. There's a mullet chant now. He recaps his actions from tonight, but he didn't get the one moron he wanted to get, that being Steiner, and he wants him tonight. But Steiner is suspended. He calls for the bell anyways for... reasons and calls for a referee and wants a countout victory over Steiner. Awesome wins this match I guess?

Out comes Rick Steiner instead and they start fighting, Steiner with a slam and clotheslines Awesome to the outside. Awesome retreatsup the ramp, and tells Awesome to make sure neither of the Steiners are around next time. Rick stands tall as Awesome leaves.

Up next, it's the Battle Royal.

Cat is backstage with the 18 other people in the match and reiterates what he wants them to do, and off they go.

20-Man Battle Royal: Kevin Nash, Goldberg and various others

So this appears to be something akin to a Royal Rumble...? Because everyone doesn't come out at once. Rey and Juvie come out after Nash and the bell rings. They double team Nash but they bonk heads, Juvie is tossed out, then so is Rey. Next is Konnan and he tries to fight but he's also knocked out. Disco in, hops on Nash's back but he's slammed into the corner. Perfect Event out now to double team Nash, but he fights back. Chokeslam on Palumbo. Vito in with stick shots to the back of Nash but Nash low blows him and easily handles them all. Now Kanyon is in and the rest of the guys rush in, Booker, MIA, Kidman all rush down to fill out the rest of this match, plus Storm. Now Goldberg joins the match. Goldberg stalks around the ring as Cajun is eliminated. I guess everyone was eliminated during Goldberg's entrance, and he catches Nash with a sidekick. MIA try to stop Goldberg from hitting  a spear and he steps through the ropes to deal with them, and he's hit with a boot by Nash, which is an elimination for some reason. Nash wins in 3:42.

Security rush in to try and break them apart and that's how the show ends in a big clusterfuck.

OVERALL THOUGHTS

Yeah this show was mostly garbage. Few good matches, some of the usual bullshit, and mostly a waste of time for a go-home show.  With a run time of 1:33:07, there was a total 27:21 of wrestling.

Thunder

Recap of Nitro. Then cut to Jarrett and Cat arguing backstage earlier in the day, and Jarrett wants to retire Hogan tonight, he thinks that'll draw ratings. Cat insists the show needs karate while Jarrett spouts off his usual bullshit. and Cat promises to put him on the show tonight.

Broadcasting from the Columbus Civic Center in Columbus, Georgia for this episode of Thunder, Schiavone welcomes us to the show as Jarrett (of course) makes his way out. He takes credit for getting rid of standards and practices some time ago, but says things seem to have changed since then, that he was told that they had no time for the greatest blah blah blah when he got to the arena. He says he made sure he made time for the fans to bask in his glory, and is inviting Hulk to the ring tonight to retire his ass and not wait until the PPV.

Out comes Cat and clarifies that when he said Jarrett would be on the show, it wouldn't be to run his mouth. He says Jarrett is going to earn his meal ticket tonight,, and while Jarrett still thinks it's against Hogan, Cat tells him he doesn't book his show. He says Jarrett won't get away with bringing his fat ass family (his words) like he did on Nitro.  He touts being a badass karate guy, so he's putting on karate demo tonight for ratings, and will go out and find the baddest guys around to show how bad Cat is. He books a tag match between Kanyon,and Douglas, and Booker and Bawell for tonight,and whoever gets the pin will face Jarrett for the title tonight. He's going to make sure Hogan knows Jarrett might not be champion by the PPV, and Jarrett gives chase as Cat's music hits.

We learn from commentary that Disco, Rey, Kidman and Storm will be in a Four Corners Match later on, plus Awesome vs Rick Steiner, and Demon vs Vito for the Hardcore Title. We also learn that Johnny the Bull's been sidelined for several weeks, taking him out of his Hardcore Title Match with Vito, more on that later apparently. Nash and Goldberg were also told by WCW management not to show up to Thunder after what happened on Nitro.

We go to footage from earlier in the day, and commentary casually mention the arena has a tanning salon, as we see Perfect Event walking into the tanning room. For some reason they decided to wear their belts in the tanning beds, and Woody the production guy comes in to tie their tanning beds shut. and turns the beds on high into commercial.

Jarrett is throwing a fit backstage, and as a guy looks on confused, he eats a Kanyon Cutter out of nowhere. Jarrett tells him to cut the crap off.

Footage from Nitro of the Animals beating Kidman and Storm on Nitro, which leads to our first match.

Four Corners Match: Disco Inferno vs Rey Mysterio Jr. vs Lance Storm vs Billy Kidman

Pre-Match: So tag in/tag out rules for this, with the first to get a pin fall or submission winning the match for themselves. Disco and Rey attack Storm before Kidman makes his way out, Lance caught with a drop toe hold from Disco and Rey off the ropes with a running leg drop to the back of the neck. Double teaming to Storm and in rushes Kidman eventually to start this match. 

Kidman and Storm start with some quick back and forth, several pins and reversals, and eventually as Kidman tries to come off the ropes he's nailed from behind by Rey, and Disco runs in to attack Storm from behind. Rey tags himself in with a dropkick to the side of Storm's head then Disco tags in, Storm whipped into a back elbow from Rey, into a Russian leg sweep from Disco,  then sets Storm in position for a low blow leg drop from Rey. Inverted atomic drop sets Storm in position for a Bronco Buster but Storm gets his foot up to deliver a low blow, before tagging Disco in. Rey with a small package for two. Disco shoves him down and Rey hits  a DDT. Rey goes to the apron for a springboard move, but Storm tags himself in to hit Disco with a springboard clothesline, then covers but Rey breaks it up.

Storm sends Rey off the ropes but catches Storm with an elbow, laying him over the middle rope before going up top with a leg drop, then covers but Kidman breaks it up. Rey sent into the corner, ducks a clothesline and goes up top, tries for a hurricanrana but he's powerbombed by Kidman, who rolls him up only for Disco to break up the pin. Kidman sent off the ropes, then Disco hits a piledriver for a cover but Storm breaks it up. Disco whipped into the corner and catches Storm with a back elbow, only to run into the rolling half crab, and Disco taps. Storm wins in 4:11. Pretty good match, nothing to complain about here.

Okerlund is with Buff and Booker backstage ahead of their tag match later. Buff can't think of a better way to go into the PPV than with the World Title around his waist, staking claim to the title shot as he wishes Booker good luck, then leaves to get ready. Booker has decided to write his own book, since so many in the business have found success writing them, called "Positively Kanyon's Greatest Moments." Chapter One: Kanyon Sucks. Chapter 2: Kanyon Still Sucks. Chapter 3: Kanyon Sucks Again. Chapter 4: Sunday at Bash at the Beach, Kanyon Craps His Pants Like a Little Baby. Then walks off into commercial.

Catching back up with Perfect Event as someone comes in to turn down the tanning bed and cut the ties loose, and of course they're sunburned. The guy sells out Woody.

We see what happened with 3 Count and Jung Dragons on Nitro, and I guess Cat's proposition was this karate demo he's promised. He gets the mic and threatens to take on all the fans if they don't shut up after he's done with the Dragons, who make their way out. Dragons attack Cat from behind as he yammers on, Cat sent off the ropes into a spinning heel kick from Kaz. Snapmare by Yang and a kick right to the face by Kaz. Springboard spinning leg drop by Jamie-San. Cat whipped into a chop by Kaz but he ducks and slides out of the ring. Cat wants respect and yells at them, and they all bow, Cat nailing them all with side kicks. Yang with some kidney punches until Cat nails a throat chop, but it allows Jamie to hit a missile dropkick from the top rope as he turns around. Kaz has Cat almost in a full nelson until his foot is stepped on, and Cat nails Jamie with a standing side kick, then sweeps the legs of Yang. Kaz sent off the ropes, popped up into a low blow before throwing him over the ropes. Yang with a dropkick to the back only to get a standing side kick to the face, then tossed out to the floor. 

Cat gets the mic back to call an end to this and invite the Dragons back in and try to back them off, and calls for the crowd to give them a hand. He insults a woman in the front row saying she looks like Mike Tyson and Cat starts dancing. 

Perfect Event find Woody in the production truck, and they want Woody in the ring tonight. Woody accepts, I assume he has some kind of plan. Then commercial.

Cat is with the Dragons backstage and had a blast and pays them handsomely. 

We see what happened to Asya again, then Demon beating Vamp on Nitro, which brings us to our next match.

WCW Hardcore Championship: Big Vito (c) vs The Demon

Pre-Match: We cut to Vito backstage with his stick looking around for Demon, and he finds his entrance casket somewhere. He thins Demon is inside, but he attacks from behind to start this match.

Demon sent into the wall and Vito with rights as they fight their way to some dark area, then Demon off an equipment case. Trash can to the back of Demon and they fight out to the arena. Demon face first off a spotlight and whipped into the guard rail, and we learn Funk will take Johnny's place at the PPV. More shots by Vito before tossing Demon into the ring. Various weapons have been set in the corners of the ring as Demon goes face first off the turnbuckle, forearms to the chest and boots by Vito. He grabs a trash can lid and lays it between Demon's legs, then stomps down on it. Vito lays a wooden board over the top rope, then stiff forearms to Demon's chest, but he's set face first through the wooden board. Demon with boots before hitting a double underhook suplex. Demon to the middle rope with an elbow drop, then covers for two.

Vito sent off the ropes into a spinning back elbow and out comes Vamp with a shovel, Demon covers for two. Vito grabs a chair but misses, gets the char dropkicked back in his face. Vamp slides in and breaks the shovel over Demon's back. Vito looks ready to take on Vamp but Vamp takes his leave. Vito rolls over Demon to pin and retain in 5:04.

Vamp gets a mic and talks to the unconscious Demon. He says he let him live tonight, but on Sunday it's done. Then Vamp leaves.

Okerlund is backstage with Awesome, who's set to face Rick tonight. Awesome laughs at the idea that Rick thinks he can beat him, and claims to be 2-0 against Scott after the sham of a match on Nitro, which Okerlund takes offense to. Awesome calls him senile, and says he's got video proof that he beat Scott on Nitro, and they've edited in past footage of Scott with the ref counting him out. He says he's going to put the choke chain on Rick later, then leaves into commercial as Okerlund calls him a mullet.

Kanyon is talking to Douglas backstage to talk strategy, but there's a disagreement over who will get the pin.

We get a recap of what's happened between Perfect Event and Woody over the last couple of weeks. Out come the tag champions with  a mic in hand. Stasiak calls Woody a puke and calls his skinny, baldheaded, redneck carcass out to the ring. Well out he comes as promised in jeans and no t-shirt, before taking the mic to bring out his tag partner.

Perfect Event (WCW Tag Team Champions) vs Woody Kearce & Bryan Adams

Event of course try and get the jump on Adams with rights against the ropes. Adams sent off the ropes, ducks a double clothesline, then delivers rights of his own. Stasiak press slammed into Palumbo, then he's clotheslined over the ropes to the floor. Stasiak sent off the ropes into a big boot, then Adams goes for a chokeslam but Palumbo cuts him off from behind. Kick to the back of the legs take down Adams and the double team continues, and go for a double team suplex until Woody comes in to slap them on their sunburned backs. Adams with chops and rights and Woody with another back slap. Palumbo reverses a whip off the ropes but he's caught with the full nelson slam, then tossed out to the floor. Woody comes in to deliver High Time, and Woody covers for the win in 2:53.

Woody and Adams leave as Adams laughs.

Vito lies in wait around the corner backstage to nail Funk in the face with the Hardcore Title, then beats him down with his stick into commercial.

We see what Kanyon did to Buff on last week's Thunder, and Booker's win over Douglas on Nitro only to be attacked by Kanyon, which leads to the next match.

"The Franchise" Shane Douglas & "Positively" Kanyon vs Booker T & Buff Bagwell

Winner of the fall faces Jarrett for the World Title in the show's main event.

Booker and Buff start laying into Kanyon with rights before sending him off the ropes into a double team suplex. Booker starts the match properly for his match with shots in the corner, only to be whipped across the ring, but catches Kanyon in the face with his boot followed by a heel kick. Booker with the scissor kick and Kanyon quickly retreats to tag Douglas, but he leaps off the apron. Kanyon continues the match  but is sent off the ropes as Buff tags in with a crossbody, then covers for two. Kanyon sent off the ropes, ducks a clothesline but caught with a double-arm DDT.  Kanyon reverses a whip off the ropes and it allows Douglas to knee him in the back, and Kanyon hits a Russian leg sweep off the distraction, before covering for two.

Douglas still refuses to tag in, and Kanyon gets rolled up for two. Buff reverses a whipoff the ropes, his hip toss is blocked and Kanyon hits a swinging neckbreaker. Douglas wants to tag in now but Kanyon flips him off and continues the attack on Buff, his knee across the throat. Kanyon with spears in the corner before whipping Buff across the ring but runs into a back elbow, and a middle rope splash by Buff for a cover and a near fall. Buff goes to the middle rope again and hits the Blockbuster, then covers but Douglas breaks it up. As Douglas tosses Buff out of the ring, Booker tags himself in to hit the Book End for the win in 4:13. Ir was a fine match.

Buff slides in a second too late as he looks at Booker, but they shake hands and they strut together before posing in the corner.

There's a group huddle with MIA, and we learn that Loco is defending his CW Title against Juvie at the PPV, but tonight the battle plan is for Loco and Guns to face Juvie and Tygress.

We get a video package for the World Title match at the PPV, assuming Booker doesn't win tonight of course, then commercial.

We cut to see Crowbar arriving clutching his ribs, and Daffney is right behind him. Then we see Awesome go into Rick's dressing room, and he... does something to his sunglasses before leaving.

To the ring where Tygress and Juvie are already in the ring for the next match.

Major Guns & Lt. Loco (WCW Cruiserweight Champion) vs Tygress & Juventud Guerrera

The men start this match with some quick back and forth, Juvie with the upperhand with a headscissor. Juvie off the ropes caught with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Juvie reverses a whip into the corner and misses a splash,then an atomic drop by Loco. Guns slaps Juvie and Loco with rights and another backbreaker by Loco. Juvie retreats to tag in Tygress and she and Loco stare down a bit, then Guns tags in. Then Juvie tags back in and Guns rips her shirt off, only to hit a low blow. Tygress back in and a catfight breaks out as the men pull them apart, then they go back at it. Guns with a scoop slam. Juvie tries to slam guns but Loco hits an inverted DDT slam. Guns is tripped up by Tygress as she tries to go for... something, and starts to choke Guns. Loco pulls her off as Juvie gets the CW title to nail Loco for the win in 3:35. Well that was a mess.

Juvie and Tygress celebrate as Guns checks on Loco, Juvie leaving with the title as we go backstage.

Riick is in his locker room and gets his sunglasses and.... something is hurting his eyes and tries to wash it out as it goes to commercial.

Okerlund is with Booker again backstage. Booker never imagined in his wildest dreams that he'd walk into the arena and have a chance at the World Title. He says Sunday will be strictly business when he beats up Kanyon, but tonight will be his pleasure to walk into the ring, and beat Jarrett for the 1-2-3. Then he leaves.

We get a recap of Vamp and Demon's feud, plus added in shots of a hospital and an empty bed, alluding to Sting.

We're waiting on an update on Rick Steiner, but we're go to an interview shot the day before with Duggan and Tenay, Duggan's wife by his side. Tenay starts by asking for an update after the attack by Goldberg. Duggan says he's doing pretty good physically, that he had a few cracked ribs and a little internal bleeding, and the doctors took care of it relatively quickly. Emotionally though, he calls his experience with Goldberg almost like a life-threatening situation, and when he thinks of all the things he has to lose, like his kids and wife, there are still some bridges to cross emotionally.

Tenay brings up his battle with cancer and how Duggan ignored his own well-being just to stand up to Goldberg, and how his wife begged him not to do it, and his daughters were forced to watch it go down, and he asks what would possess a man to face a man like Goldberg despite all that. Duggan says there's never been a man he's afraid of his whole life, and has always said a man has to do what a man has to do,  especially when someone like Cat tries to intimidate him out of doing something. He also figured he's 6'3", 280 lbs, has been wrestling for 20 years and isn't a walk in the park for anybody, and wasn't about to back away from Goldberg or anyone else.

Tenay says that a lot think Duggan is the last of the good-hearted people in the business, a profession rife with politics, backstabbers, people like Russo and Bischoff and Goldberg, and asks if all that has affected Duggan's love for the profession. Duggan shakes his head and says he's always loved the sport and always will, and thinks WCW is just an extension of society today, with a lot of bad, evil people in everything, but there's also a lot of good people out there, and he's been in WCW before Russo got there, and will still be there after Russo's gone. 

As a final question, Tenay asks what Duggan has left to offer WCW and the fans. He says the fans are great and are the ones that make it all possible, have enabled him to wrestle for 20 years and helped him through the hardest and most traumatic time of his life, so there's no way on God's green Earth that he's going to let down the WCW fans and just walk away, and says we haven't seen the last of him. Then commercial.

Crowbar has a lead pipe and is looking for David backstage and finds him in a room with Hancock, fighting him down the hallway and Hancock follows with the lead pipe in hand.

Okerlund is with Jarrett backstage ahead of his title defense later. Jurassic Slap Ass gets in there. He says Booker can work to the top all he wants, but he isn't even a contender to his title. Jarrett admits he's completely overlooking Booker in his focus to end Hogan's career at the PPV, and wants Okerlund to tell Cat he's going to regret what he's put together, before leaving.

The trainer is checking on Rick's eyes in his locker room and Rick leaves to go after Awesome. 

We see footage of  what happened with this dumb love triangle story with David and Hancock and Daffney, and the frame job. Crowbar and David fight their way out to the stage and the bell rings, so I guess we have a match.

David Flair vs Crowbar

Crowbar with rights sends David tumbling down the ramp toward the ring, then into the guard rail before going into the ring. Crowbar with a slingshot splash into a cover for two. Chops and rights by Crowbar, David sent off the ropes into a back body drop. Crowbar goes up top, but David shoves the ref into the ropes to crotch him. David with rights and chops before he joins Crowbar up top and hits a superplex. David gets the figure 4 applied as Hancock comes down to the ring, sliding, using the pipe to give David extra leverage until the ref catches her and forces a break. David shoves the ref, who shoves back into a roll up from Crowbar for two. Crowbar and the ref do the same routine and David rolls up for two.

Crowbar chokes David down to his knees as Hancock comes in with the pipe, and David hits a low blow with the ref's back turned. Daffney tries to take the pipe away as she comes down and sends Hancock on her ass. Hancock takes her jacket off as Daffney has clippers but Hancock escapes as David gets between them. Crowbar nails David with the pipe and hits the Mindbender (sitout front suplex) for the win in 3:17.

Crowbar holds David in the ropes as Penzer comes in to hold the mic for him, and calls Daffney back out. Out she comes and Hancock's right behind her, and Crowbar is going to ask David two questions, and if he lies, he's going to knock David's head into the front row. David admits to shaving Daffney's head, but says Hancock made him do it, which appalls Hancock. Then he denies messing around with Hancock until Crowbar "persuades" him to admit to his affair. Hancock leaves pissed, and Crowbar goes to hit him, but he's slapped by Daffney and she leaves, then Crowbar tries to follow her. David comes to as he heads to the back.

Up next, Awesome faces Steiner.

Hancock is getting checked out by the trainer, or at least that's what she pretends to be there for, because she has him feeling up her leg. David walks in pissed at him and Hancock denies looking for treatment, so David clocks him and takes out the clippers to shave some of his head.

Footage from Nitro of Awesome "beating" Steiner, and Rick coming out to take him out, which leads to the next match.

Mike Awesome vs Rick Steiner

Awesome attacks right away as Steiner slides in, rights in the corner and shoulders, Rick whipped across the ring for a clothesline. Scoop slam by Awesome, then off the ropes with a splash for a cover for two. Rick sent off the ropes, ducks a clothesline, Awesome tries to leapfrog but he's flipped over to his back. Rick with a clothesline, then a belly to belly slam for a cover and a near fall. Awesome thumbs the eye before tossing Rick to the floor, and rakes the eyes before whipping Rick into the guard rail. Awesome pulls out a table and tosses it into the ring, setting it up in the corner. Rick slides in the ring but he's picked up for an Awesome Bomb, only to drive Awesome through the table. Rick leaves the ring to grab a chair but the ref takes it away. Awesome sprays something in Steiner's eyes, then hits a clothesline to win in 2:24.

Up next is the main event, as we Jarrett and Booker heading to the ring into commercial.

Footage of Booker beating Douglas on Nitro and leading the troops into the Battle Royal so to speak, plus his win in the tag match earlier, which brings us to the main event.

WCW World Heavyweight Championship: Jeff Jarrett (c) vs Booker T

Feeling out process before Booker hits a clothesline after sending Jarrett off the ropes. Jarrett though thumbs the eye before some more back and forth and Booker hits a dropkick, before sending Jarrett to the outside, plus an ax handle off the apon. Jarrett face first off the guard rail, then the announce table before returning to the ring. Jarrertt reverses a whip off the ropes and catches Booker with a sleeper, only to be caught with one himself. Jarrett counters though with a shin breaker into the figure 4. Booker's shoulders go down for two, and he manages to get to the ropes to force a break. Jarrett stomps at the leg before delivering rights, then poses in the corner. Booker sent off the ropes, ducks a clothesline and they take each other out with a clothesline.

Ref begins the 10 count, back up before the seven and Booker with rights, lures Jarrett into a knee and sets up the scissor kick and a spinaroonie, followed by a spinebuster and a cover for a near fall. Booker goes for the Harlem Side Kick but Jarrett ducks and Booker's leg gets caught on the top rope, sending him tumbling to the outside. Jarrett provides a distraction while Kanyon runs out with the Kanyon Cutter, before rolling Booker back in the ring, Jarrett covers for the win in 5:03. Fans are throwing a bit of trash but this was the right move, plus it was actually a fairly good match.

Jarrett poses in victory but then Cat comes out, to kick Kanyon out after his interference, and orders that the match restart. Jarrett leaves the ring to mouth off at Cat. Booker meets him on the ramp for some rights, and Cat tosses Jarrett back in the ring himself.

World Title Match continues

Booker rolls up Jarrett for two. Jarrett sent off the ropes, Jarrett tries for a sunset flip but Booker drops down for a pin and two. Jarrett sent into the corner and gets a boot up, caught with a powerslam. Booker goes up top with a missile dropkick, covers but Jarrett's foot is in the rope. Booker face first into the corner, then accidentally nails the ref. Booker with the Book End, covers but the ref is out. Cat takes the ref's shirt off to take his place and Booker nails a Harlem Side Kick, covers but only gets two.

Jarrett sent off the ropes, but catches Booker with a right. Jarrett grabs the guitar and sends Booker over the ropes to the floor, before smashing the guitar over Cat's head as he tries to take it away. Jarrett takes his title and leaves, referees come down and call for the bell. Booker presumably wins the match by DQ, and Jarrett retains in a combined 7:20. Again, result makes sense, Booker looks strong, and despite the bullshit, was a good main event.

Jarrett stands tall as Booker looks on and the show fades out.

OVERALL THOUGHTS

Well this show had a pretty good main event, and the tag match that led to it, plus the Four Corners Match, so at least this show wasn't all bad. The rest though was either a mess or just skippable. With a run time of 1:28:16, there was a total 32:57 of wrestling.

Match Card for Bash at the Beach

WCW Cruiserweight Championship: Lt. Loco (c) vs Juventued Guerrera

WCW Hardcore Championship: Big Vito (c) vs Terry Funk

Wedding Gown Match: Ms. Hancock vs Daffney

WCW World Tag Team Championship: The Perfect Event (c) vs Kronic

Positively Kanyon vs Booker T

WCW U.S. Heavyweight Championship: Scott Steiner (c) vs Mike Awesome

Graveyard Match: Vampiro vs The Demon

"The Franchise" Shane Douglas vs Buff Bagwell

Kevin Nash vs Goldberg Scott Hall's contract on the line.

WCW World Heavyweight Championship: Jeff Jarrett (c) vs Hulk Hogan