- Allan E. chimes in:
Call me crazy, but I like the idea of Ric Flair and Dusty Rhodes opposing each other once again, as long as they let their teams do most of the work in the ring. They have the best mic skills of anyone in WCW. They're fan favorites. They definitely know how to work a crowd, and they certainly understand ring psychology. Let them renew their "personal" feud and teach the younger guys how its done. Look at it this way:
Ric and Dusty can be the managers and create two powerful camps with big men, tag team specialists and cruiserweights.
Ric gets Scott Steiner, Jarrett, Buff, Luger, Animal, Sanders and a couple cruiserweights (Chavo?)
Dusty gets Nash, DDP, Goldberg, Dustin Rhodes, Rick Steiner, Cat and a couple cruiserweights (Jung Dragons?)
If WCW mixes the formula right, you have the ingredients for a classic feud. Just a thought...
- Scott V. talks about the Dusty Rhodes segment:
The DDT Digest staff has always been right on when it comes to their reports, but this past Monday night had a few exceptions. I agree 100% that the Dustin Rhodes "surprise" was less than spectacular, the emergence of the American Dream was somewhat exciting. Looked like the crowd loved it, but what I don't understand is what kind of production tech fades from a in-ring fight in order to promote the main event??? Then, these same audio-visual morons ended the show as Steiner was still on the ramp. I know that suspense is building, but if they keep ending the show prematurely, people will continue to change the channel over to TNN.
The Dusty Rhodes thing is what saved the "contract signing" thing from being a total bomb. I wasn't overly excited that he showed, but WCW did something right there — they went to someone that NO ONE WOULD EXPECT (Dusty the father, not the son). Plus, it gets people talking about WCW without using the word "blows." That's what WCW needs to do, truly surprise the viewer and create a buzz factor that will get people discussing the product at the water cooler the next day at work.
WCW should definitely try to make something out of the Rhodes/Flair situation, but under NO CIRCUMSTANCES should there be ANY heel turns. That's what we WCW viewers expect after all of the Russotastic SwUrVeS that were heaved at us last year. After this dies down, I'd put Dusty back as a commentator. No, seriously. He can't call a match all that well, but no one ever said he was lazy on commentary.
As for fading from a melee to promote a main event, that's vintage WCW right there. With the way the announcers present the product, the feeling is that the only reason why we should watch their shows is for the main event. Perfect examples are during any week between late 1996 and 1998, where we were given awesome midcarder matches, but the entire emphasis of the show (and announcing) was based on the lead angle at the time, the nWo.
Finally, I couldn't tell you why every Nitro recently has been ending five minutes early. Usually it doesn't bother me all that much, but right after the show ended, I turned to TNN and I saw Triple-H begin to beat the stuffing out of Steve Austin during another "contract signing." That's just poor timing and was worthy of being noted.
- Flair and Nash get into a war of words, then Animal (wearing an nWo-ish LOD shirt) attacks Nash outside the ring.
- Nash easily disposes of Animal and hits the ring.
- Nash elbows Flair in the corner and threatens him.
- Nash whips Flair into a big boot.
- Meanwhile, Flair's troops exit a limo outside the ring and are notified of what's going on in the ring.
- Nash pummels Flair some more and threatens to strip Flair on national television.
- Flair tries some chops, but Nash no-sells.
- Nash makes good on his promise and strips Flair's jacket and overshirt off.
- Apparently, Flair wears purple boxers.
- Nash says what started off as funny is getting real pathetic.
- Nash says it's time to put a period on the end of this sentence.
- Before Nash can get the powerdrop off, the heels make their way out.
- Nash tells the villians to back off or he will break Flair's neck in the corner.
- Nash wants to know what the girls have to say.
- Scott Steiner says he'll break Nash's neck, but is told he's not in a position to negotiate.
- Steiner threatens an ass-kicking as Nash uses the boot choke in the corner.
- Nash wants to negotiate some demands, and Flair squeals in agreement.
- Nash says he has a negotiator with him tonight.
- The Cat and Ms. Jones (who somehow survived the mass-bloodletting of women days ago) enter the ring from the crowd.
- Cat tells Flair he's in charge.
- Nash puts Flair in a head vice as Cat tells the heels to back off.
- Cat plans to book the whole show.
- Cat asks Flair if he can take charge tonight.
- Flair burbles, which must mean yes.
- Cat tells Steiner that he's gonna work tonight. And not just one time, three times.
- Cat says that Steiner will work three times because he (the Cat) is a three-time karate champ.
- Cat asks Flair's for permission. Guess what the answer is.
- Cat books Steiner in a 4-on-1 Cruiserweight handicap match.
- <Star Wars>I have a bad feeling about this.</Star Wars>
- Cat says Steiner's next match will be against DDP, and Lex Luger can BARELY hold Scott back.
- Cat asks Flair if it's okay for DDP to go against Steiner.
- Flair refuses, but he QUICKLY changes his mind as Nash applies the neck vice some more.
- Cat says that Steiner will put his title on the line in the third match against...
- Kevin Nash.
- Cat says if Steiner loses, Ric Flair MUST resign his post at midnight.
- Cat says Nash can have a mystery partner in his match.
- Cat runs Steiner down some more, and the heels are having trouble holding him back.
- And as if we didn't know, Cat says he's in charge.
- Nash says The Cat has spoken.
- We see Steiner in street clothes in the ring.
- He will be facing...
- The Jung Dragons. So, that's two of the four.
- The other two will be Jamie Knoble and Evan Karagias.
- Kaz charges to the ring and gets thrown over the top rope.
- Knoble gets a powerbomb for his troubke.
- Karagias gets splattered, as well.
- Clothesline and an elbowdrop on Knoble, followed by the push-ups.
- Yang comes off top with a gullotine legdrop during mid-push-up.
- The four lighter guys punish Steiner with splashes from the top turnbuckle and dogpile him... for two.
- Steiner forgets about the damage inflicted on him, goes into no-sell mode and destroys his opponents in the ring.
- Steiner starts gorilla press-slamming the cruiserweights out of the ring one-by-one.
- Finally, it's Steiner and Yang, and he gives him a T-Bone suplex from the middle turnbuckle.
- Steiner covers and stops the count at two.
- The cannon fodder, err...cruiserweights. start to re-enter the ring.
- Fallaway suplex on Knoble.
- T-bone on Karagias.
- Belly-to-belly for Kaz.
- Steiner places three guys on top of one another and puts on a triple Steiner Recliner for the win.
- F*** You, WCW.©
- YOUR WINNER: Scott Steiner via triple Steiner Recliner in 3:02.
- Post-match, Scott Steiner acts like he hasn't even broken a sweat. I've heard of paying your dues, but that was ridiculous.
- Last week when something similar happened, I let WCW slide, but they're getting no love this week. One negative per person put in the Recliner.
- Douglas has a cast on his right forearm.
- Before Douglas can rant, Rick Steiner tells him to shut up from the back.
- Steiner enters the ring.
- Douglas bails and grabs his belt.
- Douglas shakes his head when Jamie Tucker tells him that the belt is on the line.
- Tucker asks to see the cast, but Douglas tries to hide it.
- Douglas and Steiner finally lock up, and Douglas knocks his foe out of the ring with the cast.
- Steiner gets smashed into the announcer's table.
- Douglas sends Steiner back inside and follows suit.
- Boot choke, and they go outside again.
- Steiner gets a one-way trip to the rail.
- Douglas grabs a chair and starts f***ing with him.
- Douglas charges, Rick evades but gets belted in the head anyway.
- Steiner gets his licks in as Tucker takes Douglas' chair away.
- Steiner has the chair.
- Tucker takes the chair away and both principles re-enter the ring.
- Steiner with a facelock, and they go outside AGAIN.
- Steiner runs Douglas into his title.
- Back inside, Douglas crotches Steiner on the middle rope.
- Neckbreaker by Douglas.
- Steiner tries to fight back, but Douglas goes to the facerake.
- Series of whips leads to an overhead suplex by Steiner.
- Steinerline followed up with a belly-to-belly suplex.
- Steiner goes up top but runs into the cast.
- The Franchiser connects, but Douglas rants some before covering, allowing Steiner to kick out before three.
- A bad sequence that was supposed to be reversals leads to a Douglas elbow.
- Douglas comes off the ropes into the Spicolli Driver for three!
- YOUR WINNER AND NEW U. S. CHAMPION: Rick Steiner via Spicolli Driver in 5:57.
- Post-match, Steiner puts his belt on and celebrates, but sadly doesn't run around the ring yelling "I BEAT YOU! I BEAT YOU!" while holding the belt up high.
- Steiner threatens Ric Flair with his catchphrase.
- So now, both Steiner brothers have the top two belts in the promotion.
- Match was really, REALLY bad, by the way.
- Rhodes gets a good pop from the Tupelo crowd.
- Rhodes says he's not finished stomping Flair's behind.
- Rhodes says "you can bet your butt on that."
- Rhodes tells Flair that he will never forget the name of Dustin Rhodes.
- Ric Flair appears on the TurnerTron.
- Flair says this is his WCW and that Rhodes will never work here.
- Flair fires Rhodes, thus wasting the copious amount of money spent on Dustin's theme music.
- Flair then goes nuts and says he doesn't want to see Rhodes anymore.
- We then fade...
- As DDP enters the ring we see clips leading up to DDP getting arrested last year.
- Here comes the champ. Wonder if the announcers will remember their past.
- Schiavone says that Steiner must go through six men tonight. Hmm, four from the opener, one here and two in the main. Must be that new math.
- DDP hits some punches and his discus lariat.
- Another slugfest leads to a urinage for two.
- DDP clotheslines Steiner out of the ring.
- DDP literally kicks the shit out of Steiner.
- Steiner makes the comeback and drops DDP throat-first on the rail.
- DDP comes back, gets Steiner in the ring and goes up top, but Midajah interferes.
- This allows Steiner to run DDP into the opposite turnbuckle and put him into a turnbuckle-assisted chinlock.
- Off the ropes, DDP tries a sunset flip but Steiner sits down for two.
- DDP rolls Steiner up for two.
- Steiner with a nutcracker and a cover for two.
- Steiner whips DDP into a clothesline.
- Steiner covers for two, but releases the pin and gets the push-ups in.
- Steiner with some offense in the corner.
- We see that Steiner is cut hardway on his mouth.
- That's about the most exciting thing about this match thus far.
- Steiner poses, allowing DDP to punish his opponent in the corner.
- Blind charge to the opposite corner leads to a boot.
- Ref gets bumped, and DDP gets the Diamond Cutter.
- However, the referee calls for the bell at 4:24.
- DDP runs into the crowd to celebrate, and a fan in the crowd attacks him.
- We pan in to see...
- CHRIS KANYON!
- And somewhere, Jarod is marking out.
- DDP gets helped out of the arena.
- In the ring, Steiner poses, but he actually sells a beating here.
- Another bad match, but KANYON'S BACK!
1/4
- El Nino rushes into the ring and shows some acrobatic ability not unlike Blitzkrieg from last year.
- Nino is a masked wrestler clad in black. Apparently, Ric Flair scouted him south of the border.
- He'll be facing Chavo.
- This is a non-title match.
- Nino looks at the belt, and Chavo bitches Penzer out for it.
- Nino looks to be a few inches smaller than Chavo (who is around 5' 10", according to WCW.com).
- Chavo overpowers his opponent with a shoulderblock.
- Chavo runs Nino into the corner and stomps away.
- Nino does the Bret Hart chest-first run into the corner.
- Chavo follows with a backdrop suplex for two.
- Nino gets out of a slam and tries a springboard bodypress.
- Chavo counters this with a backbreaker.
- Chavo covers for two.
- Chavo slugs away on the mat, releasing his inner rudo.
- Chavo whips Nino, who ducks under off the ropes.
- Nino back bodydrops Chavo onto the apron and elbows him to the carpet.
- Nino with a bodypress and he does the "Eric The Airplane" run around the ring.
- Nino charges at Chavo and ends up going over the rail.
- Chavo suplexes Nino back to ringside.
- Back inside, Chavo goes up top but gets cut off.
- Nino almost blows a frankensteiner but gets two anyway.
- Nino with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker.
- Blind charge allows Chavo to dump Nino under the bottom rope.
- Chavo with a European uppercut.
- They go inside, and Chavo covers for two.
- Chavo with a chinlock.
- Is it me, or are these two phoning it in?
- Chavo whips Nino, who has to have help in getting a victory roll for two.
- Chavo with a running lariat.
- Nino tries a springboard but Chavo catches him.
- Chavo tries to run Nino into the corner but Nino slips out and gets a headscissors.
- Nino gets two and is paid back with a double axehandle.
- Nino gets a body-scissors into a DDT in mid-ring.
- Nino goes to the apron and hits a Thesz Press off the ropes (with Chavo falling back to take the move) for the win.
- YOUR WINNER: El Nino via springboard Thesz Press in 6:42.
- Post-match, Nino unmasks as... Rey Mysterio, Jr.
- Chavo gets a Bronco Buster for his troubles and Rey leaves the ring.
- With all these blown spots, you'd think I was watching WOW.
1/4
- Awesome and Storm head to the ring.
- Storm reminds us that Ric Flair has the full support of Team Canada.
- Storm says come Superbrawl, we will have our first Canadian commissioner.
- The Cat interrupts the Anthem on the TurnerTron.
- Cat tells Storm that he's gonna work against...
- The tag champs.
- So, who's the face here?
- Anyway, we get word that this is a non-title match.
- Awesome and O'Haire start.
- Awesome whips O'Haire and they butt heads on the rebound.
- Chopfest in mid-ring.
- O'Haire reverses a whip and Awesome counters a clothesline with a NICE German suplex.
- Awesome dumps O'Haire, goes to the ropes and hits a dive to the outside.
- It's now Storm and Palumbo, with Storm in control.
- Great dropkick by Storm gets two.
- They run to opposite ropes, with Palumbo getting the tag to O'Haire.
- O'Haire runs Storm over and hits a European uppercut on the ropes.
- O'Haire with a wristlock.
- Kneelift.
- Storm tries a jawbreaker but O'Haire no-sells.
- Tag to Palumbo.
- The champs do a double-armbar faceplant for two.
- Palumbo punches Storm on the ropes but falls prey to an eyepoke.
- Off the ropes, Palumbo hits a powerslam for two.
- Storm counters a bodyslam with an inside cradle for two.
- Palumbo with a right.
- Palumbo taunts Awesome, allowing a double-team by the champs.
- O'Haire's in now.
- Storm gets out of a suplex and rolls O'Haire through for two.
- Storm gets rammed into the turnbuckle.
- Tag to Palumbo.
- Big right in the corner.
- Palumbo whips Storm to the corner and runs into a boot.
- Storm with a high knee and a tag to no pop.
- Awesome goes up top and hits a flying forearm for two.
- Palumbo hot-shots Awesome on the top rope and tags O'Haire.
- Nice doubleteam move where Palumbo holds Awesome at a horizontal base and O'Haire leapfrogs over his partner onto Awesome.
- Awesome makes the comeback and hits the frog splash from top for two.
- Storm knocks Palumbo out of the ring after the save.
- Series of reversals lead to a backdrop suplex by Awesome.
- Palumbo re-enters the ring to meet a sidekick by Storm.
- O'Haire with a kick of his own.
- They pair off into the corners.
- O'Haire with a side kick on Storm.
- Palumbo whips Awesome into Storm, who mistakenly puts the Canadian Mapleleaf on his own partner.
- Elix Skipper runs out to inform Storm of his gaffe.
- Storm gets clotheslined out of the ring.
- Awesome then falls from a Jungle Kick and gets nailed with the Seanton Bomb.
- O'Haire poses for a few seconds then pins Awesome with a lax cover while Palumbo celebrates.
- YOUR WINNERS: Sean O'Haire and Chuck Palumbo via Seanton Bomb in 7:38.
- That's GOT to hurt. Not only does Awesome job to the finisher, but the guy doing the move gets to pose between the finisher and the pin.
- Good match, though. The tag champs kept up with the vets quite well.
- Schiavone mentions that this match has a ten-minute time limit. Remember what time limit Schiavone said, for it comes into play later.
- Adams immediately connects with a back kick at the bell.
- Adams pummels Buff then admonishes the referee during a break, allowing Buff to take over.
- Adams whips Buff into a gorilla press gutbuster.
- Adams clotheslines Buff out of the ring.
- Buff tries to get back into the ring but Adams doesn't allow it.
- They go back inside, and Buff gets first strike with an axehandle.
- Adams barely sells, so Buff goes to the ropes and gets in a dropkick.
- Spinning neckbreaker by Buff.
- Scoop slam gets two, probably due to Buff jawing at a fan.
- Buff struts after a double axehandle.
- And we go to the chinlock.
- Buff tells Mickey Jay to "shut the hell up."
- Buff chokes Adams on the ropes with his right knee.
- Adams gets whipped to the ropes but manages a forearm.
- Buff comes back with a snapmare and another chinlock.
- Do the words "pre-match planning" mean anything?
- Adams breaks free and we do the double clothesline spot.
- Adams blocks Buff's punches and hits his own.
- Adams whips Buff into a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker.
- Adams hits a clothesline.
- Lex Luger walks out.
- However, Brian Clarke comes out of nowhere and beats the shit out of Luger.
- We miss what happens in the ring, including a Buff double-DDT for two.
- As Animal comes out to save Luger, Brian Adams gets the full-nelson slam...
- But Mickey Jay calls for the bell.
- The reasoning? Time limit draw. At 5:46.
- I wonder if whoever booked this went here before the show.
- Post-match, Luger racks Adams as Buff gets his shots in.
- Brian Clarke lies in pain outside.
- On the replay, we see that Animal, kind guy that he is, introduces Clarke to the steel steps.
- On top of the match sucking and blowing at the same time, they have the gall to say a six-minute match lasted ten-minutes. I reckon that was a common tactic back in the day, but the fans aren't as dumb now. So...
- This match is for the world title, duh.
- Earlier tonight, we see three guys submit to a rear chinlock.
- The wolf sound brings out Kevin Nash.
- So, who's the mystery partner? Tony Zane? "Iron" Mike Sharpe?
- Nash tells Scott Steiner that he picked his brother.
- The new U. S. champ walks out and high-fives Nash.
- Heel turn. I'm calling it now.
- The Steiners EXPLODE mid-ring.
- Rick blocks a belly-to-belly suplex and hits his own.
- Nash elbows Scott, and Rick follows with a Steinerline.
- Outside, Rick takes charge.
- Scott sends Rick over the rail, landing on his head.
- Scott grabs a chair but Kevin Nash interferes and brings Scott into the ring.
- Scott begs off, but Nash brings him into the corner.
- The usual offense follows until Scott gets in a low blow.
- Scott with a clothesline.
- Scott spits on his brother while dominating Nash.
- Scott puts on a surfboard. That should have been the finisher for the Dynamic Dudes.
- Nash makes the comeback, whips Scott but gets a shot to the back.
- Scott with a backbreaker for two.
- Scott goes to the ropes but runs into Rick.
- This allows Nash to get a side slam in.
- Nash picks Steiner up and gives him Snake Eyes.
- Nash whips Steiner into the big boot.
- Legdrop, three-count, whatchagonnadoobrutah... wait, wrong wrestler.
- As Nash drops the straps, Rick Steiner celebrates in the ring.
- Nash powerdrops Scott, and Rick overdoes his celebration. Gee, I wonder what's going to transpire.
- Nash covers, and Rick breaks the count with an elbowdrop.
- WE'VE BEEN SWERVED!!!!!!! * sigh *
- Scott gets the pinfall victory as a result.
- YOUR WINNER: Scott Steiner via pinfall in 5:04.
- Post-match, the Steiners hug and leave the ring.
- We get the credits, but DDP walks out with a chair.
- DDP charges, and we fade.