WCW Week of July 31, 2000

Nitro

Show opens with a 10 bell salute and graphic for the passing of Gordon Solie. Then we go to a package putting over Booker as a fighting champion and the countless times of overcoming the odds, and we see what happened on Thunder when Jarrett injured his knee, and questions how much longer Booker can hold out.

Then we go to footage from earlier today, where Booker and his wife arrived at the arena, Booker with a noticeable limp as she tries to talk him out of it.

Then we go live to the FirstStar Center in Cincinnati, Ohito for this episode of Nitro. Speaking of Booker, he's out to start the show as we're welcomed by Schiavone. He says that fans probably think he's crazy, bad knee and all, and some say he won't last or survive including his wife, but as he's said before they're gonna have to kill him before they take the belt from him. He talks about guys in the back who were never given chances, because maybe others had their lips wrapped around the boss's ass, says they might never get a chance in WCW but he did. He says WCW couldn't not listen to the voices of fans any longer.

That brings him to the week prior, when the fans wanted Sting and got something else, but were so rudely interrupted by Goldberg, but that won't happen tonight because the people will get what they want to see. He asks if they want to see Booker vs Sting for the title tonight, and of course they do. The fans have spoken, and he says they'll get that title shot tonight, and tells Sting to lock and load, because they're going to war.

Of course Jarrett is out next. He declares that there won't be a title match between Booker and Sting, says it's between himself and Booker, and at the PPV he's putting the title back where it belongs around his waist. Booker tells Jarrett that if he wants the title to save the drama for his mama, and doesn't want to wait, so he and Jarrett go at it. Jarrett into and onto the guard rail. Jarrett is tossed into the ring, Jarrett sent off the ropes into the Harlem Side Kick, but with the bad knee, which allows Jarrett to nail him in the head with a chair that he'd brought in the ring with him. Jarrett stomps away, then puts Booker in the figure 4 in the ropes much like he did on Thunder.

Sting's music and lighting hits and out he runs, with rights on Jarrett. Jarrett sent into the corner for a Stinger Splash, then tossed out. Sting pulls off the ski mask to reveal that his face is perfectly fine and was never damaged at all before he grabs a mic. He tells Vamp that he's going to save the mind games for later, then helps Booker to his feet, and tells him that if he's still up for it at the end of the night to consider it showtime. Jarrett gets a mic and promises Sting a show, Slapnuts Theatre. So he pulls Booker's wife over the guard rail and smashes his guitar over her back as she falls over. Jarrett runs tot he back as Sting and Booker go out to check on her and goes to commercial.

Replay of what just happened, and his wife loaded out on a stretcher. We see Sting and Booker getting his wife in the ambulance and Sting insists he go to the hospital with her and take care of things, promising to get Jarrett tonight and walks off.

Over to commentary to talk about what's happened and Tony suggest Jarrett run the hell away.

Buff Bagwell vs Big Vito

Judy Bagwell on commentary.

Pre-Match: So even though it was never said as such on Thunder, Hudson says that Kanyon vs Bagwell at the PPV will be Judy Bagwell on a Pole, so that's official now. Oh joy.

Quick back and forth to start, Buff gets the advantage with a hip toss and dropkick, then a swinging neckbreaker before some strutting. Buff distracts himself as he looks out at Judy and it allows Vito to get some shots in, then sent off the ropes and drops Buff throat first on the top rope. Buff face first in the corner for some chops and rights, then Buff sent across the ring, up and over and hits some clotheslines. Buff gets paranoid and goes out of the ring to shove a crew member, since Kanyon was a cameraman last week, but it's a false alarm. Vito meets him outside and goes face first into the apron before getting tossed back in. 

Mafia Kick by Vito who goes up top but gets crotched. Buff joins him up top and delivers a superplex, then drapes the arm for two. Buff with a double-arm DDT and a cover for two. Buff gets paranoid again as a cameraman gets right in Judy's face but once again it's a false alarm. Buff with a slingshot sunset flip by Buff is countered as Vito drops down and hooks the legs for the win in 3:10. It was a fine match.

Vito celebrates like he's won the World Title.

Kwee Wee has appeared in Cat's office with his own theme music and he wants a match with Artist tonight. Kwee Wee goes into a rage as Cat laughs at him and Cat gives him the match. So I guess he's got like a Jekyl/Hyde gimmick going, because his stereotypical male stylist persona disappears when he goes into his rage.

Pamela is backstage with Kanyon and his book, and she asks why he wants Judy as his new Kimberly. He calls Judy an old battle axe and says she doesn't know her role in wrestling, which is why he made the match Judy Bagwell on a Pole, so that when he beats Buff she becomes his, does everything for him that Kimberly did for Page, and might even make her a Nitro Girl if she does a good job. If she doesn't like it, he says she better be ready to feel the BANG! She takes offense to him Kanyon Cutting women, so then he prepares to give her a Kanyon Cutter, and Okerlund of all people makes the save, but he gets an off-screen Cutter instead into commercial.

Buff is walking by and Pamela sends her in Kanyon's direction, who didn't go far. Buff plants him with a DDT onto the floor.

Sting is walking with a bat elsewhere looking for Jarrett.

The Artist (w/ Paisley) vs Kwee-Wee

Pre-Match: Artist is out with a new look. Hudson: "Did he join the Village People?" That actually made me laugh a bit, I don't know why.

Artist attacks Kwee-Wee mid-entrance to start this match, Kwee-Wee sent into the guard rail in the aisle before being tossed in the ring. Artist to the middle rope with a leg drop, then covers for two, then again for two. Artist slaps him, then Kwee-Wee with a Thesz Press and vicious rights, then a running clothesline. Artist sent off the ropes into a dropkick, then again into a back body drop that's almost botched. Kwee-Wee goes for a sunset flip but Artist holds the top rope, and delivers a right to the face to cut him off. Artist with a low blow elbow drop, then an elbow to the back of the neck. Snapmare by Artist, then yanks him up and down by the hair. Kwee-Wee with more rights, Artist sent off the ropes into a back elbow, then a drop toe hold and some clubs to the head. Artist sent into the corner and gets a boot up, then a bridging German for two. Back suplex by Kwee-Wee and a cover for two. Artist sent off the ropes into a tilt-a-whirl faceplant for the win in 3:17. Not sure what to make of this one. Kwee-Wee no sold most of it when he got into his rage, and made for an odd match.

Paisley is liking what she sees as Kwee-Wee gets a mic. He tells the boys in the back not to make him angry, they won't like him when he's angry. Kwee-Wee leaves.

Steiner arrives with Midajah and asks some guy where Cat's office is. Steiner throws him into a wall even though he answers, and he takes a pipe from Midajah as they head to the office. Midajah suggests he knock first and he does, with the pipe, storming into the office. He threatens to shove the pipe up Cat's ass if he doesn't get a title shot tonight. Cat informs him that Booker's not their but Steiner doesn't care, and even if he shows back up he's got a match with Sting. Steiner says Cat's not running things as much as he thinks he is, because Booker's got a Pipe Match in the back of the building with him tonight. Then he leaves. Fucking Steiner is awesome.

Nash has arrived into commercial.

Cut to backstage. Norman: "Hey Midajah, you wanna get freak with the Wiggle tonight?" Steiner's right behind him and kicks him out of the building.

Pamela is with MIA. Tonight they're declaring war on Canada. Rection tells Storm that Loco will rip off his cajones so he can't reproduce, and can't contaminate the rest of the world. Loco leaves after putting on his war face. Rection turns to Guns, who has a Hardcore Match with Hancock because... fucked if I know. He reminds her that what doesn't kill her makes her stronger, and she will drop the bomb on Hancock. Then they fall out.

Lance comes out for his match, and as always wants to be serious for a moment and has to address a few things. He reminds us that he won the Hardcore Title last week, but when you're from Calgary, hardcore wrestling is considered a bunch of garbage. To bring respect to the title, he's renamed it the Saskatchewan Hardcore International Title.  Also, with his current dominance in WCW, he thinks it appropriate during his matches that the company be renamed World Canadian Wrestling. He says it's not his fault that Canadians have dominated the sport, that he's defeated the fans' champions with relative ease, and tells them to blame themselves rather than Canada. Then he has everyone rise for the anthem, but of course it's interrupted by MIA.

Lance Storm (WCW Canadian Heavyweight & SHIT Champion) vs Lt. Loco (WCW Cruiserweight Champion) (w/ Gen. Rection & Cpl. Cajun)

Lance kinda just stands there like an idiot as he watches Loco springboard into a shoulder tackle to start this match. Scoop slam by Loco and a tilt-a-whirl backbraker. Chops in the corner by Loco, then sent off the ropes and delivers a tilt-a-whirl headscissor, only to be sent out to the apron with a back drop. Storm hangs him up on the top rope and dropkicks him to the floor into the guard rail. Loco into the guard rail before returning to the ring. Loco face first in the corner, then they trade shots and chops in the corner. Loco with uppercuts until Storm thumbs the eye, then Loco counters some move with a DDT and delivers a dropkick. Flapjack by Loco and a cover for two.

Loco with boots and chops in the corner, then Loco's sent across the ring, goes up and over but hurts his leg on the way down. Lance with shots to the knee but Loco gets a roll up for two, only to be dropkicked in the knee. Lance goes for the Maple Leaf but Loco blocks it and turns it into a roll up for two. Loco with an elbow, then ducks a clothesline, but Storm avoids a back suplex. Loco tries to counter a powerbomb with a hurricanrana but he's caught with the Maple Leaf for the submission victory in 3:23.

Oh wait this was a title match? Not once was it ever explained that the Cruiserweight Title was on the line. So Storm is now a triple champion. Storm celebrates but he's soon interrupted by Nash who makes his way out. Nash gets a mic and asks Storm to leave, who gets in Nash's face, and gets sent off the ropes into a big boot for his trouble, leaving the ring with his titles into commercial.

Nash says there's a saying in the business, when two guys exchange words and say they worked themselves into a shoot. He says he watched the comments that Goldberg made on Thunder the week before, says he's been doing this for 12 years, and in that time there was only once where he wasn't a professional in the ring. He talks about a Canadian guy when he was in the WWF (he just flat out name drops WWF) that decided it wasn't his night because they were in Montreal and it was his hometown. So, in Quebec City the next night, he says he beat his ass and beat him in the middle. Apparently this is referring to a documented incident between Nash and Jean-Pierre Lafitte, thank you Google. 

He talks about how he played basketball and when he was done with that career, he bounced in Detroit, Atlanta and lots of places in between, and a lot of nights, NFL players would come in and have some suds and they'd have to kick their asses. He says he's not a wrestler, a football player, he's a fighter, he doesn't lose fights. He says he can't guarantee he's going to be professional at the PPV, and one thing about his old, beat up knees is when Goldberg bends down to charge him, one of his rickety ass knees might jam Goldberg's nose into his brain. He tells the WCW brass that he won't stop on his quest to get Hall back no matter what anyone says.

This brings out Steiner and Midajah, along with his lead pipe. He says that at the PPV he doesn't give a damn about Nash or Goldberg, and the only reason he's not shoving the pipe up Nash's ass right now is because they're both from Detroit. He says tonight they're not waiting until the PPV and calls Nash a piece of shit. They start fighting and out rushes security immediately for a pull apart.

Jarrett is walking backstage into commercial.

Replay of what happened with Nash and Steiner.

Nash wants a match with Steiner tonight. Cat says they're going to have a Straightjacket Match as he pulls one out, and tells Nash to put it on Steiner and beat his ass until he gets tired, saying that's how you win. Nash leaves. So the match ends when one of them feels like it's over?

Jarrett comes out and gets a mic. He heard Sting's in the back looking for him, and since he's sent Booker's wife out on an ambulance, he'd be happy to do the same to Sting. He says he can come down the ramp, rappel down, or fly in like Superman, Jarrett doesn't care.

Jeff Jarrett vs Sting

Jarrett gets the jump with rights, then sent off the ropes and caught with a bulldog. Stinger Splash misses but Jarrett is clotheslined out to the floor. Jarrett into the guard rail, then across the floor into the rail again, then back across. Sting gets a chair and gets Jarrett in the ribs and they fight up to the stage. Chair to the back of Jarrett, then the ribs and they make their way down the ramp and back into the ring. 

Jarrett pulls up the middle rope to low blow Sting as he climbs back in the ring, then wraps his knee around the ring post. Jarrett gets a chair to slam it into his leg into the post. Jarrett back in the ring with the chair, and puts Sting in the figure 4 in the ropes like he did earlier. Ref forces a break eventually when Jarrett refuses to let go. Jarrett with boots to the leg and a kick sweeps Sting down, then Jarrett taunts the crowd in the corner. More boots to the bad leg, but Sting starts to hulk up so to speak. Rights to Jarrett then a clohesline. Jarrett low blows the ref as he gets his chair and nails Sting with the chair in the head. Jarrett covers but Sting gets the shoulder up. Jarrett places the chair in the middle and goes to suplex Sting onto it, but he counters with the Scorpion Deathdrop onto the chair for the win in 4:40. Man I miss when these shows had less bullshit in their matches.

Sting celebrates and limps to the back. Doctors check on Jarrett as it goes to commercial.

Replays of what just happened, and Jarrett has been loaded and sent out in an ambulance presumably, though we don't see who's in it. Booker returns to the arena and Terry Taylor tells him what happened to Jarrett, since Booker's looking for him. Booker goes off to find Sting now.

WCW World Tag Team Championship: Kronic (c) vs Mark Jindrak & Sean O'Haire vs The Great Muta & Vampiro

Perfect Event on commentary.

The two challenging teams start fighting at ringside and Vamp is sent into the guard rail, then O'Haire gets him with a powerslam before tossing Vamp and Muta into the ring. Muta and Vamp are tossed back out, then Kronic and the other two stare down. Clark and Jindrak start it out, Jindrak shoved into the corner, then sent off the ropes, through the legs, then caught with a butterfly suplex. Clark sent into the corner and hits a shoulder block off the rebound. Jindrak sent off the ropes but connects with a dropkick, then covers for two.

Clark with a throat shot, then Jindrak sent off the ropes, Vamp tags himself in as Clark hits Jindrak with a Uranagi. Clark covers not having realized Vamp tagged in, who comes off the ropes with a leg drop to the back of Clark. Clark with rights and a headbutt, and Muta tags in, with boots to the back of Clark. Snapmare and an elbow drop, and chokes Clark. Vamp goes up top with a clothesline. Vamp with rights, then a spin kick to the chest. Clark sent off the ropes, but Vamp is caught with a kick. Clark sent into the corner, then Vamp with chops then Clark is sent across the ring and their heads collide.

Adams tags in as does Muta, a right turns Vamp inside out, then a full nelson slam to Muta. Gorilla press slam to Vamp into Jindrak, then O'Haire catches Adams with a superkick. Muta with a dragon screw and heel hook to Adams, but Clark breaks it up with a chair to the back, but gets it knocked back into his face with a spin kick from Vamp. Vamp scoop slams Jindrak, then goes to the middle rope but he's cut off. Jindrak leaps right to the top rope to hit a Frankensteiner and O'Haire follows with the Seanton Bomb. Adams though makes the cover on Muta about a second before O'Haire pins Vamp and the bell in rung in 5:18.

Kronic win the match obviously but there's confusion at first. Jindrak and O'Haire aren't happy, so Kronic lay them out with the titles. Muta mists Adams, then Clark. Vamp and Muta pose with the titles as Kronic writhe on the mat.

 Douglas and Torrie are in Cat's office. Cat really enjoyed Thunder the week before, so much that he's booking Douglas in a match tonight with Kidman, Viagara on a Pole Match. Douglas is ready to kill him as Cat laughs but Torrie pulls him off. Douglas leaves as does Torrie. Fucking christ.

Booker and Sting are talking backstage and Booker's appreciative of what he did to Jarrett earlier. They're both up for the title match into commercial.

Pamela is backstage with Jindrak and O'Haire. Jindrak says that while they're new, they're not dumb, and what Kronic did tonight was a bunch of crap. O'Haire says they're all about paying dues, but no one takes advantage of them, and vows this isn't over by a long shot.

Now here's a heavy sigh.

Viagara on a Pole Match: The Franchise (w/ Torrie Wilson) vs Billy Kidman

Pre-Match: Douglas gets a mic and bets the Cincinnati morons thinks this match is cute. He doesn't blame Cat, he blames "that stinkin' son of a bitch" Kidman. As far as he and Torrie are concerned, this sextape bullshit has gone long enough, so tonight Kidman gets his, and the fans get a lesson in getting their asses franchised. Schiavone explains that when one of them gets the bottle, they can use it on their opponent. Huh? What? Run that by me again?

Some quick back and forth and Kidman with a headscissor, then sent off the ropes into a knee lift by Douglas. Kidman is sent over the ropes to the floor, then Kidman with a baseball slide. Douglas sent into the guard rail, then into the ring. Kidman goes up top  with a crossbody. Kidman sent off the ropes and Torrie trips him up, then dropped throat first on the top rope. Douglas with boots and stomps, then his inverted snapmare. A pair of back-to-back snap suplex followed by a Falcon Arrow. Douglas with a rear chinlock until Kidman fights out, off the ropes into a gorilla press slam. Douglas goes for the Franchiser but Kidman headbutts free, Douglas sent into the corner for a clothesline, then another and a back elbow and a dropkick. Kip up by Kidman, then Douglas sent off the ropes but connects with the Pittsburgh Plunge.

Douglas goes for the Viagara but he's powerbombed by Kidman back to the mat. Kidman now goes for the bottle but he's caught with a back suplex by Douglas. Douglas now sets his eyes back on the bottle but he's caught with a step up bulldog out of the corner. Torrie distracts Kidman, then Douglas goes for a back suplex, but Kidman counters with the Unprettier. Kidman now goes up top and takes down the Viagara. He's caught with the Franchiser though as he hops down and the bottle just shatters into a million pieces, the only thing intact is the label. Since the ref was busy with Torrie while all this went down, Douglas has grabbed the label, so the referee awards him the match in 5 minutes flat. The real highlight of this match was Madden talking about all these Viagara on a Pole Matches that the greats had, at least in his mind, and eventually Schiavone just has enough and tells him to shut up over and over. 

Douglas holds up the label in the corner as he and Torrie embrace. Douglas attacks Kidman and they rub his face into the Viagara, and Douglas holds her back. Kidman has a bunch of the pills in his mouth for some reason. 

Guns is getting ready backstage, as is Hancock, then commercial.

Still to come, Nash faces Steiner in a Straightjacket Match, both are seen getting ready.

Hancock finds Guns backstage, then they start fighting into a bathroom, so I guess this match is on.

Hardcore Match: Major Guns vs Ms. Hancock

Guns turns the shower on her. They fight out of the room to the backstage and she shoves food into Hancock's mouth. Hancock pours liquid over Guns' head then hits her in the head with something. Cake to the face of Guns, then fruit to Hancock. Now David and AWOL are fighting in the ring for some reason. Hancock drags Guns out to the ring as AWOL pulls out a table and slides it into the ring. Guns and Hancock make their way out eventually now with a ref as AWOL sets the table up in the corner. AWOL and David go out to the floor, then Hancock with chops in the corner, only to be whipped into the table that doesn't fully break. Hancock with a scoop slam, then covers for the win in about 2:34.

Hancock dances over Guns and rips off her shirt, but AWOL is back in the ring, staring down Hancock and scares her off, she runs to the back. AWOL helps Guns to the back.

Booker is seen getting ready, as is Sting, then commercial.

Kidman is seen backstage hitting on some ladies and they suggest he take them back to the hotel. He jokes he's been having a bit of a hard day and they can tell. He asks if they want a ride and they do, and they all leave.

Straightjacket Match(?): Scott Steiner (w/ Midajah) vs Kevin Nash

Pre-Match: Steiner is here to tell Goldberg and Nash that the difference between them and himself. He says the highlight of their night at the PPV will be beating the hell out of each other, but the highlight of his will be leaving the show, because he never goes home alone because he's hung like Holmes, that's why all his freaks know there's nothing finer than doing the 69er with Scott Steiner. Also it's confirmed that this match only ends when one guy has had enough of beating the crap out of the other in the straighjacket. Actually there isn't even a referee, so is this even a match?

Steiner sent off the ropes into a sidewalk slam, and Nash goes for a cover because... reasons. Nash with rights and knees in the corner, then elbows to the head. Nash chokes him with his boot in the corner, until Midajah gets a handful of hair and Steiner low blows Nash. We're also told Thunder will feature a sitdown interview with Russo, oh joy. Spinning belly to belly by Steiner. Nash sent off the ropes into a clothesline, then an elbow and some push-ups. Stieiner with a boot to the ribs, then the head, and again. Nash is tossed out to the floor.

Nash sent into the guard rail and nearly into a crew member, then Nash is tossed back in. Steiner chokes Nash down in the corner. Boots in the corner by Steiner, then Nash sent across the ring and gets a boot up. Mounted rights by Nash, then Steiner sent off the ropes into a big boot. Scoop slam is countered into a sleeper but Nash drops Steiner with Snake Eyes, then Nash delivers a chokeslam. Midajah comes in with a chair and barely hits Nash in the back with it, and Nash doesn't sell it. Nash gives her a jackknife, though he doesn't give nearly the full power.

He goes to give it to Scott but out runs Rick, who's sent off the ropes into a big boot. Nash tries to jackknife him but he's nailed by Scott in the back with the chair. Scott puts Nash in the Recliner and Rick puts him in the straightjacket, Scott releases the hold so they can lace up the jacket. Scott and Rick lay into him and Scott checks on Midajah, who hasn't moved. Then there's commercial. So Scott wins this in about 6:08, barely did anything while Nash was in the straightjacket, so what exactly was the point of this?

Replay of what happened in the match and Scott carried Midajah to the back, and now it's time for the main event.

WCW World Heavyweight Championship: Sting vs Booker T (c)

Booker and Sting shake hands before a lock up into a bit of chain wrestling, then some back and forth, and Booker's caught with a hip toss and a back elbow. Sting sent into the corner, gets a boot up and turns Booker inside out with a clothesline. Sting already tries for the Scorpion Deathdrop but Booker gets to the ropes before he can fully lock it in. Sting goes after the bad leg with kicks to the knee, then goes for the Deathlock again and Booker gets tot he rope again, rolling out to the floor. Booker gets in some shots and gets sent into the guard rail, then tossed back in. Sting goes up top with a splash but Booker gets the knees up. Booker pulls back on an Irish whip to set up for the scissor kick and he connects, then makes the cover for two.

Sting sent off the ropes, ducks a clothesine and the take each other out with crossbodies, and Sting rolls out to the floor.. Arms are seen poking out from under the apron and they grab hold of Sting to pull him under. The ref is looking around in confusuion and Sting is rolled back out, busted open now. Sting rolls back into the ring, gets Booker with some back elbows. Booker sent into the corner, goes up and over Sting into a roll up for two. Booker misses a Harlem Side Kick and Sting delivers a DDT, who covers for a near fall. Booker sent off the ropes, catches Sting with a kick, goes for a suplex, Sting tries to counter with the Deathdrop, but it's countered with a Book End for the win in 5:13. What exactly was the point of pulling Sting under the ring to be attacked? He practically no sold it and didn't even play into the finish. This match could have been fine with out it.

Sting rolls out and goes back under the ring, pulling out Demon. Sting lays into him with rights, Demon into the guard rail, then again, then the steps. Out come Vamp and Muta, Vamp into the guard rail and now Jarrett comes through the crowd as this is all going down. Jarrett nails Booker in the back with a chair as he was fighting with Muta, then to the ribs. Sting is pulled up the ramp by the other three and he's being triple teamed. Jarrett has some kind of rigging hanging from the rafters, and it's been hooked around Booker's ankle, and he starts pulling him off the floor. Sting has been put in Demon's coffin on the stage and he blows fire onto it with a torch. Jarrett smashes the guitar over Booker's knee again and that's how the show ends.

OVERALL THOUGHTS

I think this show broke me. I mean it's not like it was all bad, some of the action was good, but I think every match on this show involved some dumb bullshit, with the exception of Kwee-Wee vs Artist. You had a potentially good main event ruined by garbage, a bunch of shit happening at once in the closing segment, not to mention the Viagara on a Pole Match, this show gets a thumbs down. Awful. With a run time of 1:35:49, there was a total 38:43 of wrestling.

Thunder

Broadcasting from the Hullman Center in Terre Haute, Indiana for this episode of Thunder, welcomed to the show by Schiavone, joined by Tenay and Stevie Ray, before Storm makes his way out. He wants to be serious a moment, and welcomes us to World Canadian Wrestling, and says though the company's tried to keep him down he's risen above it, bringing honor and dignity to the titles he holds. Much like the other two titles, he's renaming the Cruiserweight Title, in accordance with the Canadian metric system, now called the Canadian 100kg and Under Championship. He says it's not his fault the fans don't understand the metric system, or that the greatest wrestlers come from Canada, or that he's the greatest technical wrestler on the face of the Earth, and tells the fans to blame themselves.

Now out comes Cat. He calls Storm a Canadian chump and since he's such a bad man, Cat suggests he put all three titles on the line tonight, in three separate matches. He announces Storm vs Juvie for the 100kg and Under Title, Storm vs Smiley for the SHIT Title, and Storm vs Cat for the Canadian Heavyweight Title for tonight. Storm goes to leave but Cat says he's got his first defense now. Filthy Animals make their way out as Penzer is handed a pamphlet by Storm and he and the ref go over it. According to Canadian rules, he says that all matches in this division are to be contested in a scientific environment, meaning no other parties are to be present at ringside, and the ref has barred the Animals from ringside.

Canadian Rules Match for the WCW 100 kg and Under Championship: Lance Storm (c) vs Juventud Guerrera

Storm with a cheap shot from behind and a backbreaker to Juvie as the Animals leave, then Juvie sent off the ropes, popped up and hits a dropkick, then a spinning heel kick. Juvie sent off the ropes and catches Storm with a headscissor. Thumb to the eye by Storm, but he's caught with the Juvie Driver, and Storm rolls out to the floor. Juvie with a somersault over the ropes onto Storm, then some chops before returning to the ring. Juvie up top and misses a crossbody. Storm with boots and Juvie face first into the corner, then Juvie sent off the ropes, through the ropes and delivers chops, off the ropes with another headscissor to Storm. Storm hung up on the top rope and Juvie with a springboard splash into a cover for two.

Storm set on the top rope and Juvie with a Frankensteiner and a cover for a near fall. Storm sent into the corner, but Juvie misses a splash. Storm goes for a German but Juvie lands on his feet, and follows with a wheelbarrow bulldog. Juvie goes up top calling for the 450 but lands on his feet as Storm moves out of the way. Death valley driver by Juvie and a cover for a near fall. Juvie sent off the ropes, rolls up Storm's shoulders, then slammed down to the mat. Storm gets him in the Maple Leaf for the submission win in 4:16. Good opening match with no bullshit, can't complain.

Storm celebrates with titles in hand and heads to the back.

Stevie Ray has a noticeably large bandge on his head as we go over to commentary, I suppose from Goldberg throwing him through a window. Gist of the conversation is that Stevie is now contracted as a commentator and has told WCW brass that he won't interfere in any more matches after he pissed them off last week. Then we see what happened at the end of Nitro to Booker, and we see a big brawl that happened off the air as Kronic came out to make the save and free Booker from the harness. As a result, the main event for the show is an 8-Man Elimination Tag, pitting Booker, Sting and Kronic against Jarrett, Vampiro, Demon and Muta. Actually sounds like it could be a hell of a match, but I expect a ton of bullshit. Commentary talk about what shape Booker will be in. 

Cut to MIA in the back. Rection tells them to wipe the look of disgust off their faces, and though they lost the battle on Nitro, they haven't lost the war. He assures Loco he'll get a shot at the former CW belt again some day. He tells AWOL that he has a chance to annihilate David tonight, and he basically calls AWOL a 6'10" pile of crap and there's an AWOL chant among them.

Booker arrives with a limp into commercial.

Smooth finds Skip in the back and he's impressed with what he's seen, says Skip has a ton of potential, but there are some things missing, particularly his name. They go for a walk together.

David Flair (w/ Ms. Hancock) vs Sgt. AWOL (w/ Gen. Rection, Cpl. Cajun, Lt. Loco & Major Guns)

Pre-Match: Commentary bury whoever gave Skip his name, and Smooth for having his name. Alright then. Hancock has a mic and asks the men if she looks like the kind of girl who wants to roll around in the mud with Guns at the PPV, and of course they cheer for it. She calls them sickos and says she's not some bimbo at the corner bar that takes a dollar to jump in mud. She says though that if she has to treat Guns like the pig that she really is, so be it, and who knows, maybe after she's stripped Guns of her camo and throw her into the mud pit, maybe the mud will do some good for her nasty face. She calls for her music but instead MIA's music hits and out they come.

AWOL and David go forehead to forehead until David's backed to the corner, then caught with a powerslam. David sent into the corner and gets a boot up, then chops AWOL back into the corner before strutting and turning around to a big boot. David is tossed out to the floor. David grabs a chair but it's punched back into his face. AWOLpulls out a table and slides it into the ring, setting it up in the middle. David catches him with a shoulder to the ribs from the apron before going up top but he's caught midair and chokeslammed through the table.for the win in 1:49.

MIA celebrate.

The same ladies we saw leave with Kidman on Nitro are backstage, and Douglas is right behind them. Then some random guy asks where one of them was on Monday and she says she was out with the girls but he's not hearing any of it. Douglas starts to leave though he comes back because he knows where she was,  so he pulls the guy away and they walk down the hallway. Once this guy hears where she was she and the other girls run away and Douglas calms him down.

Terry Taylor walks into Skip's locker room and passes Terry a note of some kind. Skip says tonight's his big chance and wants to get it right from the get go. Terry says they'll make it happen into commercial.

Jarrett is with Vamp backstage talking about having Booker where he wants him and that he won't even make it to the PPV, much less the tag match tonight. Also it seems like Sting has Demon and Muta and Vamp have Kronic before that, and Jarrett has Booker? Huh? Vamp is taping up his wrists seemingly ignoring all this and Jarrett leaves.

Tank walks into 3 Count's locker room. He says he wrote a song while he was at the bar the night before and says it's going to be huge, bigger than Thriller, but they have to go tape it now while they still have the record contract. They all leave.

Billy Kidman vs "Primetime Player" Elix Skipper

Kidman once again proving how terrible a babyface he is by hitting Elix with a baseball slide as he's making his entrance before being tossed in the ring. Elix gets some forearms in on Kidman on the apron but he's sent face first into the corner, then Kidman with a slingshot headscissor and a back suplex. Kidman sent off the ropes, ducks a clothesline and Elix ducks into a crabwalk to duck a crossbody. Elix is backdropped over the ropes but he hangs Kidman up on the top rope as he goes down, then follows with a headscissor of his own. Elix up top is caught with a dropkick to the face mid air.

Out comes Douglas and Torrie, Kidman sent off the ropes and gets Elix with a Baldo Bomb. Out comes that random guy from backstage earlier from the crowd, we're told his name is Reno by commentary, and as Torrie distracts the ref, Reno hits Kidman with... well Cross Rhodes, then mounts with vicious rights. Douglas comes in to pull off Reno and kick him out, then leaves. Elix hits the Overdrive for the win in 2:02.

Douglas and Torrie leave, as does Elix as Kidman writhes on the mat.

Cat is with Awesome and one of his ladies, and Awesome asks what becomes of his title shot if Cat wins tonight. Cat assures him he'll still get it, then Awesome leaves with his lady into commercial, apparently her name is Heidi.

Torrie, Douglas and Reno are walking backstage. Douglas thanks Reno and shakes his hand, commending him on a job well done, then Reno splits up. Douglas bumps into Judy and calls her a redneck ho. She says she can whoop his butt, and Buff attacks from behind, then security rush in to pull Buf off. Douglas gets cheap shots in until security pull him away.

Shawn Stasiak vs Sean O'Haire (w/ Mark Jindrak)

Chuck Palumbo on commentary.

Stasiak gets some shots in driving O'Haire into the corner, then face first into the adjacent one. Jindrak tries to join commentary but Palumbo tosses the extra headset aside and it breaks, while O'Haire leapfrogs a charging Stasiak and hits a standing side kick. Stasiak is pulled face first into the middle turnbuckle and Stasiak stomps away, then a club to the back. O'Haire choked over the top rope, then more boots and clubs to the back, followed by a sidewalk slam and a cover for two. O'Haire sent off the ropes into a spinning back elbow, then more boots. Suplex is blocked and countered by O'Haire, only to walk into a clothesline. Stasiak gets shots in and O'Haire goes face first in the corner, then sent off the ropes, goes for the F5 but O'Haire counters with a DDT.

Stasiak sent of fhe ropes into a clothesline, then a scoop slam and some rights. O'Haire off the ropes with a front kick to the chest, only to be pulled through the ropes to the floor. O'Haire is sat down in a chair beside commentary as Palumbo says he's going to "chop his head off" with the Lex Flexer, but Stevie gets a handful of Palumbo's hair, then drops him on his ass with a right hand. Back in the ring, Stasiak with the bridging fisherman's suplex but O'Haire gets the shoulder up. Jindrak causes a brief distraction and allows O'Haire to hit a spin kick, then goes up top with the Seanton Bomb for the win in 5:10. Match started out alright but became a bit of a mess near the end.

Jindrak and O'Haire celebrate while Stasiak and Palumbo stare them down.

Gene is backstage in a neckbrace after the Kanyon Cutter on Nitro, and he's interviewing Judy and Buff. Gene wishes him luck in his PPV match. Buff is nice enough to ask how his neck is, and Gene's apparently been in conference with lawyers over the attack. Buff says if Kanyon wants this Kimberly he's looking for so bad, he suggests he look at an escort service, taking a shot at Kanyon's looks. There's also a masturbation joke. Right now though, Buff's got a problem with Douglas after what happened earlier and challenges him to a match tonight "if he's up for it." 

Gene asks for a comment from Judy after a good laugh. She tells Douglas to kiss her ass, she's tired of the shit he's been dishing out, and tonight her son is gonna kick his ass. She also calls Torrie a bitch and warns her not to get in her way, because she's got five reasons she shouldn't (holding up her fist). All of that was pretty much bleeped and Buff says she can't say all that, then they leave.

Storm is walking backstage and gets a drink from a cooler into commercial.

Booker is getting ready backstage, and Kronic and Sting are watching Booker on a monitor.

Canadian Rules Match for the WCW Saskatchewan Hardcore International Title: Lance Storm (c) vs Screamin' Norman Smiley

Big Vito on commentary.

Pre-Match: Storm wants to be serious for a moment as always, but will make it quick knowing he has three matches tonight. He calls for everyone to stand for the anthem, but it's cut rather abruptly, before Norman makes his way out with an American flag. There's also a wheelbarrow with a few weapons at ringside. Storm has another pamphlet for Penzer. According to the Canadian rulebook, the SHIT is to be defended with no outside materials coming into play, man to man combat only, and you can only win by submission.

Bit of chain wrestling to start, and commentary bring up how Norman is actually a technical wrestler, having held gold in CMLL before. Also not even 2 minutes in and we're already not following the rules laid out, we have roll up and pinfalls exchanged and counts being made. Sigh. Norman catches Storm with a back elbow, then plays to the crowd a bit which allows Storm to catch him with a jawbreaker and a dropkick right to the face. Norman counters a suplex with one of his own, then gets Lance in a heel hook until Storm gets to the rope. Uppercuts by Norman until it's countered into a backslide, then countered into a double underhok slam, but a splash off the ropes is countered as Storm gets the knees up. Norman face first in the corner, then Lance is sent across the ring into a scoop slam. Norman goes for the Wiggle but he's caught with a back elbow. Storm retreats to the corner and gets a boot up, which sends Norman into the referee. Storm grabs the American flag Norman brought out and hits him in the back of the knee. Maple Leaf for the win in 3:46. Could have given this a pass if they had followed their own damn booking.

Storm refuses to break the hold until Vito rushes the ring and scares him off. Storm takes his titles as Vito stares him down, and checks on Norman.

Back to Okerlund who's now with Douglas and Torrie for a response to Buff's challenge. Douglas isn't shaken in the slightest and says he'll remind Buff what a franchise is all about, and franchise his ass one more time. Then he turns to the old "bag" Judy, he says Torrie is more than just a pretty package and she'll be on Judy's ass if she sticks her nose in the match. Okerlund asks if she can hold her own with Judy, but she says she doesn't fight, she's a lady, and does all her best work with her man. She says if that trucker Judy doesn't keep her distance, she'll sue. Douglas hasn't forgotten about Kidman though, says the PPV is around the corner, and tells Kidman to count the days, minutes and seconds that he has to breathe air, because like Buff tonight, he will get his ass franchised. Then commercial.

Buff Bagwell (w/ Judy Bagwell) vs The Franchise (w/ Torrie Wilson)

Douglas gets in a cheap shot followed by rights and clubs to the back, then Buff sent off the ropes, ducks a clothesline and hits a swinging clothesline before some strutting. Buff with mounted rights in the corner, only to be sent across the ring, gets Douglas with an elbow followed by a Vader Bomb and a cover for two. Buff sent off the ropes and tripped up by Torrie, Douglas with an inverted atomic drop and a clothesline. Rights and elbows from Douglas, then a pair of snap suplexes and a Falcon Arrow, then a cover for two.

Buff with rights, then Douglas sent off the ropes into a back elbow, then a pair of clotheslines. Buff sent off the ropes into a snap powerslam and a cover for two. Douglas with the Pittsburgh Plunge into a pin for two. Torrie gives Douglas a chair and Buff is on the apron with Torrie. Kidman comes in out of nowhere to dropkick the chair back into Douglas' face while the ref is busy with the ladies, and Buff hits the Blockbusrter for the win in 3:46.

Judy shoves Torrie to the floor as Buff and Judy celebrate. Buff leaves but Torie gets her hands on Judy and they start fighting. Kanyon attacks Buff from behind and sends him into the guard rail. Douglas pulls Judy's neckbreace off and backs her into the corner. Buff is sent into the rail again, then Torrie sits in the earlier chair. Kanyon and Buff come in as Douglas and Torrie trap Judy in the corner, Kanyon with a Kanyon Cutter on Buff into the top edge of the chair. Awesome rushes in for... reasons, and Douglas and Kanyon escape with Torrie. Judy and Awesome check on Buff who's out cold, commentary bringing up the surgically repaired neck then commercial.

We see Buff was loaded onto a stretcher during the break, then we see Buff refusing medical attention by the ambulance back in real time. Awesome says he'll take care of Kanyon and tells Judy to take care of Buff, then he leaves. 

Sting takes a seat with Booker in the locker room. Sting says everyone's worried about Booker and insists that Booker doesn't have to do this. Booker says he does though, 1) for the people who demand it, and 2) because he has a chance to get his hands on Jarrett after Nitro, and he's going to do just that, vowing to take him out of the game. Sting just nods in agreement.

So we're supposed to have that interview with Russo, and Schiavone even sends us to the footage, but instead it cuts to black and we go to the next match. Not sure what the hell happened there, as far as I can tell WCW just decided not to air it. I mean I'm not complaining, just why did Tony send it to the footage and then not air it? Whatever.

Mike Awesome (w/ Heidi) vs Positively Kanyon

Pre-Match: Awesome has a mic. He says we know who he is and what he likes, so if you're pleasantly plump, large and in charge, the Fat Chick Thriller is here to give a dose of the old Vitamin P... and he looks down at his penis as he says that.... oh it stands for passion, not penis. Sure. Sigh. He tells the fans to be proud of anyone calls them fat, because as far as he's concerned they're just bursting at the seams with love. Now he turns to Kanyon, says he stick his nose in the wrong place before, and Awesome made a promise to that lovely Judy, and calls Kanyon out to fight.

Awesome gets the jump on Kanyon with rights, then some back and forth, Awesome takes the advantage with a clothesline. Yet more weird that commentary is talking about this shoot interview as if it actually aired as Awesome hits a leg drop and covers for two.  Awesome with rights in the corner, then Kanyon sent across the ring for a splash. Mounted rights in the corner by Awesome until Kanyon delivers a low blow, gets Awesome up on his shoulders and plants him on his face, then covers for two. Kanyon leaves the ring and grabs a chair, but the ref takes it away. Awesome goes for the Awesome Bomb but Kanyon gets free and delivers a sitout Alabama Slam into a pin attempt for two.

Kanyon bullies the ref in the corner and Awesome takes advantage with a roll up for two. Awesome sent into the corner and gets a boot up, then goes up top only to be cut off. Kanyon delivers a draping neckbreaker from the top rope with a nasty landing, then covers for a near fall. Kanyon drops the ref with a right hand and hits a ringside photographer with a Kanyon Cutter. Then he makes his way over to commentary, then hits another photographer. Then a grip. Kanyon attacks the first photographer until Judy nails him with her handbag with a brick in it. Awesome pulls Kanyon back in and delivers the Awesome Bomb for the win in 4:13. I wanted to hate that but honestly watching Kanyon Cut random people is still funny, and the action in the match was still pretty good.

Awesome celebrates.

Storm I think is at the same water cooler we saw him at earlier, then heads to the ring, as well as Cat, their match next.

WCW Canadian Heavyweight Championship: Lance Storm (c) vs The Cat

Pre-Match: Lance gets a mic and calls for the anthem, but Cat cuts it off. He says the only song the fans are going to hear is his foot banging on Storm's ass. 

Cat gets the jump as Storm slides in, rights by Cat until Storm hits a back elbow, Storm sent off the ropes into a side kick to the chest. Storm rolls out visibly rocked, then Cat with more rights. Storm with knees drive Cat into the corner until he rakes the eyes. Mounted rights in the corner by Cat until Storm delivers an inverted atomic drop, followed by a dropkick and covers for two. Low blow by Cat, then rights. Throat shot, then Storm face first in the corner, then the adjacent corner. Storm sent off the ropes, goes for a sunset flip but he's caught with a right, then an elbow into a cover for two. 

Storm is tossed out to the floor, only to whip Cat into the guard rail and caught with a standing side kick. Back in the ring, Storm with a springboard dropkick and a cover for two. Storm sent chest first into the corner and nailed with a roundhouse to the chest, but he also knocks down the ref as Storm falls back. Cat covers but it's no good with the ref out. They trade kicks until Muta catches him with a dragon screw, Cat writhing on the mat. Storm clips the knee. Cat tries an enziguri but it's ducked and Storm stomps his knee into the mat. Storm locks in the Maple Leaf for the immediate tap out and the hat trick in 3:53.

Commercial almost immediately after the bell rings.

Okerlund is with Booker, Sting and Kronic backstage. Booker says their opponents tonight wanted a war and they've got one, calling them all playa haters. He says he's got backup like nobody's business, even though they think he's crazy for going through with this. He says if he can get his hands on Jarrett it will all be worth his while. Adams says the bottom line is that the games are over, he dares them to bring the guitars, and the face paint, and since Muta wants to spit something, he vows that he'll be spitting teeth tonight, and they'll all be feeling chronic pain. Sting says it sounds like they've got a Kronic problem from here on out with the four of them. Whether they're called Dark Carnival or Juggalos or whatever, they tried to throw him in the coffin and torch him again, but not even human combustion can stop the Stinger. It's showtime!

Before that though, we have a hype package for the ROTC Match because... reasons.

Cut to somewhere dark where Muta, Vampiro and Demon are all standing. Vamp tells Demon to show the world what he's all about, tells him to take care of Sting and says he doesn't have his back at the PPV. Tonight though, the Dark Carnival have come to play, and tells Jarrett to stay out of his face and not worry, they've got his back. 

Okerlund is now with Jarrett backstage. Jarrett calls him a brokeneck slap nut, and says it's bad enough he has to babysit a bunch of freaks and jokes about Halloween. He says his partners' job is to take care of Sting and Kronic, period. As far as Booker goes, he wonders how the bad knee is holding up, but after tonight he says he may need a wheelchair to even get to the PPV. Then he leaves. The 8-man tag up next.

Eight-Man Tag Team Elimination Match: Booker T (WCW World Heavyweight Champion), Sting & Kronic (WCW World Tag Team Champions) vs Jeff Jarrett, The Demon, Vampiro & The Great Muta

All eight start going at it until Booker and Jarrett are left alone, Jarrett sent off the ropes, ducks a clothesline but runs into a side kick. Booker with rights, Jarrett sent off the ropes but ducks a spin kick. Muta in with a snapmare and an elbow off the ropes. Everyone else is fighting at ringside, but Adams comes in with a full nelson slam on Muta, then turns Vamp inside out with a clothesline. High Time to Muta, then covers for an elimination.Demon dropkicks Adams out of the ring, then boots at ringside. Cat comes out with a leather strap as Muta's heading to the back and begins choking him, dragging him to the back.

Kronic try to put Demon through the announce table with High Time but Jarrett makes the save, so they try to put him through it instead, but once again the ref stops them for reasons unknown, I think it's the same one as last time too, so they put the ref through the table instead. Another ref has appeared out of nowhere and is disqualifying Kronic as other refs rush down to check on the one that was laid out. Sting gets triple teamed as Booker's sent to the apron. Jarrett sends Sting face first into the corner, then sets him over the middle rope and drops the leg over his back. Demon tags in, then Sting sent off the ropes into a back elbow. Vamp back in with rights drives Sting into the corner. More rights, then Vamp is sent across the ring and take each other out with a clothesline.

Booker gets the tag, rights to Vamp and Demon, cloptheslines and a Harlem Side Kick. Demon gets him from behind, but he's pulled back on an Irish whip for a scissor kick. Jarrett comes off the top rope, caught midair for a Book End but Demon makes the save. Jarrett retreats to the back and now all 4 are going at it, Vamp caught with the Deathdrop and Booker with the Book End on Demon, both cover and ref makes a double count, and despite the fact Jarrett hasn't been eliminated or counted out, Sting and Booker are declared the winners in 6:08. What did I tell ya, bunch of bullshit.

Barely any time to celebrate because the show fades out about 10 seconds later.

OVERALL THOUGHTS

Well this show automatically gets a thumbs up for not airing the Russo interview. Storm had two good matches, even if one didn't follow it's own rules, I enjoyed Awesome and Kanyon, and Stasiak/O'Haire was fine. Nothing on this show was particularly crap except for Awesome's gimmick, the rest was just typical WCW, even the main event was nothing we haven't seen before. That said, with a run time of 1:19:31, this show had a total 35:03 of wrestling.