WCW Thunder - Thursday, June 10, 1999

A total of 27 readers responded to the poll. Each respondant selected four men from each team, although a few readers only gave picks for one of the two teams. Without further ado, the results:

The Young Whippersnappers

Wrestler	Votes
"The Canadian Crippler" Chris Benoit	21
"The Man of 1,000 Holds" Dean Malenko	15
Marcus "Buff" Bagwell	13
Raven	11
Perry Saturn	9
(Billy) Kidman	8
(Bill) Goldberg	7
"Lionhart" Chris Jericho	6
Disco Inferno	4
Rey Mysterio, Jr.	4
Sting	2
Seven people tied with...	1

As you can see, the youth squad, which would probably be the face team, would consist of Chris Benoit, Dean Malenko, Buff Bagwell and Raven. This is somewhat of an interesting team, as Raven has had issues with Chris Benoit since 1997 and more recently with Dean Malenko. (Malenko did make a run-in save for Benoit, battling Raven's Flock during Souled Out '98, however.) Bagwell has no real history with the other three teammates.

Saturn and Kidman barely missed out on joining their former Flock leader in battle. Goldberg and Jericho got a surprisingly good amount of votes considering their M.I.A. status from WCW television as of late. Disco and Mysterio also had a small showing of fans, as did Sting, who cannot really qualify as young at his stage of the game, but hey. Sting's the proverbial fan favorite, so why shouldn't he get votes?

Among other nominees: Kevin Nash, Blitzkrieg, Kanyon, Konnan, Lodi, Scott Norton and The Cat. It would be interesting to see Norton and Miller get along. I'd also love to see Malenko give Konnan an ice-cold stare as he runs through his catchphrases.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars

Wrestler	Votes
"The Nature Boy" Ric Flair	23
"The Macho Man" Randy Savage	17
"Diamond Dallas" Page	16
"Hollywood" Hulk Hogan	13
Bam Bam Bigelow	8
"Rowdy" Roddy Piper	7
"Big Sexy" Kevin Nash	4
Curt Hennig	3
Scott Hall	3
Six people tied with...	1

If the young guys are the faces, then the veterans would be heels. As far as voting goes, there were no real surprises here. The majority of you went with Ric Flair, Randy Savage, Diamond Dallas Page, and Hollywood Hulk Hogan. All four of these men have a history with each other, so it would be interesting to see how they would cooperate. Fun fact: Of these four, Page is the only wrestler that did not actually wrestle in the WWF. I read somewhere on the 'net that Page did make a non-wrestling appearance on an older WWF pay-per-view, but I cannot confirm.

The voting for the veterans was not nearly as spread out as it was with the youngsters, as fifth-place Bam Bam Bigelow missed out by five votes. Roddy Piper got his share, but thankfully will not be unveiling a new catch phrase this September. Kevin Nash made a better showing here than in the youth department, but keep in mind he can play a face and a heel well, so it would be hard to tell what side he would be on. Had Curt Hennig and Scott Hall acquired more votes, they could have done a reprise of their tag-team days in the AWA.

The following received one vote: Arn Anderson, Lex Luger, Asya, Bret Hart, David Flair and Kanyon. I could honestly see young Davey fumble the blade after getting rammed into the cage, pick it up and blade ON CAMERA... cutting his shoulder. Heck, Asya could win WarGames herself by looking at people and turning them to stone. I mean, we've had two guys go over eight sometime in '95, why not a chick over seven guys?

Keep in mind, this is just a scientific survey of what several DDT Digest readers think would happen if the Young-Against-Old feud really took off and involved a WarGames match-up. There is no real way to tell what can happen with exception to waiting until the actual WarGames occurs. We can be assured of two things, however:

1. The heels will win the coin toss, and;
2. Blading will be minimal or non-existent.

• Speaking of which, there was a hellacious thunderstorm in Orlando while the show was aired, thus tonight's report comes to you from the UCF computer lab.

• Savage commands the limo driver to stop the vehicle because he sees Kevin Nash on the side of the road.
• Savage goes to the man standing next to his wrecked car and attacks him.
• What Savage thought was Nash was actually Brian "Thumper" Adams.
• Savage and Thumper exchange some unpleasantries.
• What's funny is that while this was recorded, it was bright as day outside. Here in the Orlando area, it was just getting dark. Orlando and Syracuse share the same time zone. But, heavens, would I dare think that this wasn't live, no siree!

• Buff gets some cheap heat by asking Syracuse what's up.
• Gene says Roddy Piper has great news for all of us. Unless Piper is retiring for good, shut up, Gene.
• Gene says that Buff will face Disco Inferno at the Bash and excitingly say that he "got the ball." What a maroon.
• A displeased Buff says to the camera that he deserves a chance.
• Buff mentions how in the eight years he's worked for WCW that a thumb has been placed over his head.
• Buff tells Piper not to hold a thumb on him.
• The Cat makes his way out.
• Cat says he deserves to hold the ball.
  • I'd like to see The Cat receive a kick in the balls.
• Buff says that Piper wanted someone to carry the ball, not fumble it.
• Cat calls Gene "bird legs." Yes!
• Gene tries to get Sonny Onoo to stick for him.
• Onoo responds by saying Gene is old. Good job!
• In a flash of brilliance, Buff says that this isn't Tae Kwon Do, it's wrestling.
• Buff makes a challenge to The Cat in Syracuse.
• Cat obliges and actually gets away with using the word "ass" without the censors blocking it.

• Looks like some Lucha tag action to start us off. Watch my play-by-play go to shit here.
• Hmm. Konnan. Well, if he stays in the ring, I might be able to keep up.
• ThugLife, Jr. tags along for the fun.
• Catchphrases.
• According to Tenay, Ric Flair pulled a Dusty Rhodes and gave the belts back to Page and Bigelow because Perry Saturn wasn't the legal partner.
• Rey gets in on the cheap mic action by doing a lame "Release the houuuuunds."
• It will be Rey and Psychosis to start.
• Some stalling by Psychosis.
• We get a lock-up 45 seconds in.
• Psychosis breaks in the corner.
• Lock-up, Psychosis applies a wristlock.
• Rey counters this with an armdrag takedown.
• Lock-up, Psychosis puts on a side headlock.
• Psychosis runs to the ropes and hits a shoulderblock.
• Psychosis goes off the ropes and slaps Rey in the chest.
• Psychosis tries a hammerlock.
• Rey counters with an armdrag takedown.
• Psychosis goes to the ropes, leapfrogs over Rey and hits a legdrop as Rey telegraphs a back bodydrop.
• Psychosis sends Rey to the corner and lands a forearm to the back of the head.
• Psychosis tries this again and runs into a boot.
• Konnan gets tagged in and cleans house.
• Rey hits a leg drop.
• With Psychosis in the corner, Rey does his Bronco Buster.
• The heels flee the ring.
• Back in, Villano matches up against Rey.
• Rey shoots Villano to the corner.
• Rey does a body scissors but gets crotched on the top rope.
• Tag to Psychosis.
• Psychosis lands a corkscrew leg lariat, affectionally known as a spinning flying body attack.
• Psychosis whips Rey to the corner but misses the leg dive.
• Rey ducks a clothesline and dropkicks Villano.
• Tag to Konnan.
• Konnan does a rolling shoulderblock.
• Konnan applies a bulldog on Psychosis.
• Rey uses Konnan as a springboard to hit a frankensteiner on Psychosis.
• Konnan goes to the ropes and applies a headscissors takeover on Villano.
• Rey whips Psychosis to the ropes.
• Konnan leaps over a running Psychosis and hits his mule kick.
• Konnan then administers the shittiest-looking facebuster I have ever seen.
• Rey then lands the springboard frankensteiner for the win.
• YOUR WINNERS: Konnan and Rey Mysterio, Jr. via springboard frankensteiner in 5:22.
• Not a good match to kick things off with.

• DDP and Kanyon come out with the tag team belts.
• DDP calls Syracuse a dump.
• Gene tells DDP to respect the wrestling tradition in Syracuse.
• DDP tells Gene not to worry about Bigelow.
• DDP mentions something about a tryout.
• "Two-time, two-time, two-time" -- N-42.
• DDP refers to Kevin Nash as "Fabio."
• DDP mentions Chris Benoit and Perry Saturn.
• Gene says that Saturn beat DDP.
• DDP claimed it never happened.
• Crowd: "You suck!"
• DDP says he never needed the fans. The exception to this rule is when the fans cheer for the heel DDP.
• Kanyon: "I got something to say!... What he said!"

• While the entrances take place, Disco Inferno goes to the announcers booth and rants.
• Disco promises a good old-fashioned Brooklyn-style tushy-kicking.
• Zbyzsko tells Disco to wrestle Buff to determine who gets the ball.
• Cat starts off with a kick and some fist-oriented attacks.
• More kicks by The Cat.
• Cat scoop slams Buff.
• Cat then does his rip-off of the People's Elbow, but he only charges to one set of ropes and drops an open palm.
• Buff whips Cat into an armdrag takedown.
• A dropkick and clothesline follow.
• Buff gets in eight punches in the corner before Cat uppercuts him in the balls. The actual shot was miles off, though.
• Cat drops Buff on the top rope.
• Cat gets in a blatant foot choke.
• Buff falls out of the ring and gets beat on by Onoo.
• Cat brings Buff back into the ring.
• Cat hits a double-cross chop.
• Cat applies a foot choke in the corner.
• Cat puts on a chinlock.
• Buff hits some elbows but an eye rake turns the tide.
• Cat with a scoop slam.
• Cat misses the Meow Mix Chop.
• Buff lands an inverted atomic drop.
• Buff then does a standard atomic drop.
• Buff whips Cat into the five-arm, the finishing move of former teammate Scotty Riggs.
• Onoo distracts Nick Patrick, allowing Cat to get the crowbar.
• Cat misses and Buff gets the crowbar.
• Buff punches Cat with his free hand and nails Onoo with the crowbar.
• Patrick calls for the bell. Damnit.
• YOUR WINNER: The Cat via DQ in 4:36.
• Scott Norton enters the ring, ducks a clothesline by Cat and chops him to the mat.
• Norton clotheslines Cat out of the ring.
• Disco enters the ring and gives Buff The Last Dance.
• Disco dances over Buff as we fade.
• Pointless overbooking.

• I wonder what Vampiro is doing now.
• Gene mentions Ric Flair.
• Benoit had absolute respect for Flair at first but now refers to it as "once upon a time."
• Benoit tells Flair to watch his back.
• Benoit: "They say payback's a b[MUTE], you better be ready to meet the b[MUTE] from hell."
• Saturn says he will take the belts from Page and Bigelow as well as their dignity.
• Saturn says he and Benoit don't have to like each other.
• Saturn calls Benoit a winner.
• Saturn threatens to stretch Kanyon.
• As Gene rambles, Dean Malenko stands on the ramp.
• Malenko walks off as Gene mentions him.

• Be very proud of Jerry Nadeau, because he scored a "top 30" finish in a race that involved 43 cars to start.

• 'Sup, Mach? Ohhhh, no!
• Savage has six, err three friends to accompany him for this bout.
• Savage gets the mic.
• Savage compares the Bash to taking candy from a baby.
• Savage says Nash doesn't want any of "this."
• Savage says he will be the future world heavyweight champion.
• Thumper and TMUMIW come out.
• Sign: "Ted Turner Is Gay."
• Savage tells Thumper he doesn't know how much he looks like Nash.
• Savage calls this match a tune up.
• Thumper gets the mic.
• Thumper tells the girls that after he's through with Savage, he and the black-and-white will show them who the real macho man is.
• The ladies begin circling the ring.
• Vincent distracts Johnny Boone, allowing Savage to get off the first shot.
• Savage comes off the ropes with a clothesline.
• Thumper lifts Savage by his neck and throws him down.
• Thumper whips Savage into a backbreaker.
• Thumper sends Savage to the corner and runs into a back elbow.
• Savage clotheslines Thumper out of the ring.
• Thumper no-sells a kick by Madusa.
• Savage comes up from behind with a double-sledge.
• Savage sends Thumper to the steps.
• Savage shoots Thumper to the rail.
• Savage yanks Thumper's face.
• Savage sends Thumper to the steps and enters the ring.
• Savage goes back outside and lands a right.
• Thumper comes back with a punch and a headbutt.
• Thumper gorilla-presses Savage and hot-shots him on the rail.
• The hoes bring Savage to the apron.
• Savage delivers a jawbreaker on the top rope.
• Inside, Savage puts the boots to Thumper in the corner.
• Savage applies a boot choke.
• Thumper whips Adams into a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker.
• Thumper no-sells Madusa's kick and grabs her by the throat.
• Thumper gorilla-presses Madusa but Savage clips his knee.
• Madusa falls on top of Thumper and Savage goes up top.
• Vincent gets a chair but the hoes hold him as Savage hits the elbowdrop for the win.
• YOUR WINNER: Randy Savage via elbowdrop from the top turnbuckle in 5:36.
• Post-match, Horace comes in and gets served.
• Mona hits her missile dropkick at one point.
• Horace eats the flying elbowdrop by Savage.
• The hoes then beat Vincent, Horace and Boone with a belt.