WCW Monday Nitro - February 12, 2001

• Dustin beats the crap out of Rick and sends him out of the ring.
• Soon after, Ric Flair and his cronies come out.
• Ric does his usual "you're out of here" speech.
• As Ric distracts Dustin with his security guards, Rick pounds him out of the ring.
• As the security guards surround Dustin, Flair threatens to sue him.
• The guards finally lead Dustin out three minutes into the broadcast.
• Ric enters the ring and does his "most powerful man" speech to a round of jeers.
• The Cat comes out and says he used his commissionership powers to reinstate Dustin Rhodes.
• Flair books The Cat in a match against Lance Storm for the commissionership and announces the special referee as Mike Sanders.
• Flair gives Cat three minutes to get ready and tells his troops to leave Cat alone.
• No real match here, so no rating.

• Cat is already in the ring, thus Storm gets the second entrance.
• Cat lays waste to Storm and the referee (Mike Sanders).
• Storm tries a sunset flip but Cat gets out of it in the usual manner.
• Sanders comes to and helps Storm take out Cat.
• Cat takes Storm and Sanders out with a double-DDT.
• Cat covers Storm and uses Sanders' hand to count, but gets two.
• Cat gets another pinning predicament for three seconds here, but again Sanders is out and can't make the count.
• Storm gets a side kick in through all the mess and puts on the Canadian Mapleleaf.
• Sanders screws Cat out of the commissionership by calling for the bell before Cat submits.
• YOUR WINNER AND NEW WCW COMMISSIONER: Lance Storm via Canadian Mapleleaf. No opening bell sounded, but the match was no more than two minutes.
• Post-match, Storm and Sanders torment Cat some more.
• Ric Flair and his crew come out for more fun.
• Before anything can happen, Kevin Nash appears on the FusientTron.
• Nash says that Ric hasn't covered all the bases.
• Flair threatens Nash, until the camera pans back and we see Nash holding David Flair, who is gagged.
• Nash says he's in charge and will call the shots.
• Nash demands that Storm defends his commissionership title against The Cat at Superbrawl Revenge.
• Flair tells Nash to leave his kid out of it.
• Flair gives in to Nash's demand of the match.
• Nash demands that Dustin Rhodes gets a match with Rick Steiner tonight.
• Nash says if Rhodes wins, he will be reinstated, but flubs his line.
• Nash says that he will also get a shot against Scott Steiner tonight should Rhodes emerge victorious.
• Nash then yells at Flair's crew, saying that he'll get the belt and make things right in WCW.
• I said it before, I'll say it again. Nash actually looks like he gives a damn again during his monologues.
  

• Lash comes out to his Cajun theme.
• You think they'll give Lash the Cruiserweight belt at the New Orleans Nitro to put him over in his hometown?
• He'll be facing Yun Yang.
• Lash does his sideburn flick at the bell.
• Yang teases some kicks, prompting Lash to hit the ropes.
• Yang tries the Crane Kick, but Lash blocks.
• Lash can't evade an enziguri, though.
• The combatants end up outside.
• Yang re-enters the ring as Lash regroups.
• Lash elbows his way into the ring, but Yang gets some punches and chops in.
• Lash reverses a whip, and Yang tries a floatover, but becomes the recipient of a backdrop suplex as a result.
• Apparently, this match is for a spot in a six-man Four Corners Match at Superbrawl.
• Lash with his punches and Bourbon Street Blues, but Yang pokes the eyes.
• Yang does his reverse somersault kick (think Guile's "Flash Kick" from Street Fighter 2) but ends up on his back instead of his feet.
• They end up outside, and Yang hits an Asai Moonsault!
• Back inside, Lash whips Yang to the ropes and catches him on a floatover.
• Powerslam gets two.
• Lash goes up top but misses the frog splash.
• Headscissors by Yang.
• Since both men are down, referee Jamie Tucker begins the ten-count.
• Slugfest, which Lash wins.
• Yang tries another floatover after a whip and actually succeeds, headscissoring Lash out of the ring through the ropes.
• Lash uses a shoulder to the midsection to stun Yang, then hits a flying clothesline for two.
• Hudson points out the "ten-minute time limit."
• Series of reversals lead to a powerslam by Lash for two.
• Lash does a kneelift.
• Lash with a punch to the face.
• Lash whips Yang to the corner but hesitates before charging into Yang's boot.
• Snap suplex by Lash for two.
• Lash whips Yang to the corner again.
• This time, Yang hops the turnbuckle and hits a bodypress into a DDT.
• Lash gets up at the four-count and hits a dropkick.
• Lash with a pumphandle sit-out powerbomb!
• Lash picks up Yang and nails the Whiplash for... two!
• Lash hammers his opponent with punches, and gets rolled up for two.
• Lash elbows Yang to the mat.
• Yang gets out of a suplex and tries a waistlock, but Lash hits the Stunner (called a jawbreaker), sending Yang to the corner.
• Another corner whip by Lash leads to a moonsault by Yang (that connects with the knees) for two.
• In the opposite corner, Yang goes for the blind charge.
• Lash with a fireman's carry, but Yang counters with a roll-through slam.
• Yang goes up top and hits a corkscrew moonsault for the win!
• YOUR WINNER: Yang via corkscrew moonsault in 9:22.
• Blown stuff aside, but this was good. Since when do you see nine-minute matches on TV, anyway?
      

• This is a non-title match, but as explained earlier, Dustin Rhodes' future in WCW is on the line.
• Furthermore, if Rhodes wins, Kevin Nash gets a title shot later tonight.
• Thank God they didn't give Rhodes "The Natural" as a theme.
• Rick Steiner blitzes Dustin at the start.
• Dustin makes the comeback and floors Rick with a clothesline.
• Dustin sends Rick out of the ring.
• Back inside, Rick shoves the referee into Dustin, allowing a kick to the 'nads thanks to the distraction.
• Rick with a Steinerline for two.
• Rick has some choice words for Billy Silverman.
• Rick with a facelock in the corner.
• Rick kicks Dustin in the head.
• More punching.
• Rick sends Dustin through the ropes.
• Dustin reverses a whip to the safety rail.
• Dustin sends Rick into the ringpost.
• They go back inside, and Rick gets in a kneelift.
• Rick puts on a rear chinlock.
• Remember when Rick could do more than punching and restholds?
• Belly-to-belly suplex, which is the first non-resthold wrestling move of this match. Three minutes in.
• Anyway, it gets two.
• Rick pounds away on Dustin in the corner.
• As Rick puts on another facelock, we see Dustin is cut on his nose.
• Dustin makes the comeback and puts on a sleeperhold.
• Rick breaks out with a jawbreaker and chokes Dustin in the corner with his boot.
• Snapmare into another chinlock.
• Rick puts his feet on the bottom rope as Silverman isn't looking. Well, he's playing the heel role well at least. But if the heel controls the offense, Rick really needs to vary his moves.
• They do the "raise the arm three times" and Dustin hulks up.
• Dustin gets a backslide for two.
• Rick flattens Dustin with a Steinerline for two.
• Rick sends Silverman outside and has words for him.
• Dustin rolls Rick up, and Billy re-enters the ring for two.
• They fight in mid-ring, and Dustin gets sent to the ropes. As this happens, Silverman intentionally walks into the path of the wrestlers.
• The reason? So Dustin can leapfrog over Steiner into the ref for a bump.
• Bulldog, which would get three, but the ref is out.
• Animal makes his way out, but Dustin clocks him off the apron.
• Rick gets Dustin with a belly-to-belly suplex from behind.
• Shane Douglas appears on the apron to bean Rick with his cast.
• One DDT later, and Dustin Rhodes is reinstated.
• YOUR WINNER: Dustin Rhodes via DDT in 8:01.
• Post-match, Douglas taunts Douglas some more.
• As Dustin walks to the back, we see Rick put the beats to Douglas.
• Dustin returns to the ring as Steiner and Animal get ready to Pillmanize Douglas' good arm with a chair.
• Dustin gets thrown out of the ring by Animal.
• Rick goes up top and lands a stomp on the chair.
• Douglas sells his right arm as if it was about severed, which is a good thing.
• Note to WCW: Never let Rick Steiner carry a match.
  

• Haven't seen Elix wrestle in a while.
• Skipper comes out with a mic.
• Skipper reminds us that we are indeed in his house, that he built.
• Skipper plans to give us a taste of Primetime.
• Kidman walks out, and we are told that this is another match for a spot in the six-man Cruiserweight match at the PPV.
• Elix attacks Kidman from behind, sending him on the apron.
• Kidman takes over and hits a couple dropkicks.
• Punches on the turnbuckle leads to a headscissors, sending Elix out of the ring.
• Kidman with a variation of the baseball slide, finishing with a bulldog on the carpet.
• Kidman rolls Elix in and uses the ropes to assist in a guillotine legdrop for two.
• Elix takes over and hits a variety of stomps in the corner.
• Choking on the ropes.
• Kidman tries to fight back, but gets whipped to the ropes.
• Elix evades a bodypress, and Kidman goes between the ropes to the carpet as a result.
• Elix goes over the top with his own bodypress.
• Kidman gets sent to the rail.
• Elix whips Kidman into the apron.
• Elix sends Kidman outside and rolls in himself for a two-count.
• Kidman reverses a whip to the corner but misses the double axehandle.
• Elix mounts the turnbuckle and punches away, but Kidman counters with a sit-out powerbomb for two.
• Elix flips out of a backdrop suplex and nails a dragon suplex for two.
• Kidman goes behind and hits a reverse suplex for two.
• Skipper reverses a whip, goes behind and takes over Kidman. Cover gets two.
• Kidman blocks an attempted powerbomb and connects with a Michinoku Driver for two.
• Elix with an overhead suplex.
• After a "full armdrag and twist," Elix tries the Overdrive, but Kidman escapes, ducks a roundhouse kick and hits the Kid Krusher for the win!
• YOUR WINNER: Billy Kidman via Kid Krusher in 6:27.
      

Oh, here's a shocker. Gene says that in the locker room, Scott Steiner is looking for Kevin Nash.

• Tonight marks a historic night in that Chuck Palumbo gets to carry a match for the first time in his career.
• We go to a clip of the 1-3-2001 Thunder where the Natural Born Thrillers fought amongst themselves.
• Some smack-talking to begin.
• Anyone else thinks Palumbo looks a lot like the late Rick Wilson? (Renegade)
• Palumbo takes charge and sends Stasiak to the floor.
• Stasiak takes over as he gets back in.
• Palumbo recovers and gets a fallaway slam for two.
• Stasiak with "the best right in the business," according to Hudson. I'd make a Bob Cook comment, but someone else beat me to the punch months ago.
• Anyway, Stasiak gets in a gutwrench powerbomb for two.
• Standard heel stuff in the corner follows.
• The announcers say that Stasiak is a second-generation star, but do not mention his father by name (former WWWF champion Stan "The Man" Stasiak).
• As I typed that last sentence, the most exciting thing that happened was a back elbow by Stasiak.
• Stasiak chokes Palumbo on the ropes.
• Inside cradle by Palumbo gets two.
• Palumbo fights back, but Stasiak whips and clotheslines Palumbo into the corner.
• Bulldog by Stasiak. If this were a Sam Houston match, we'd be going to commercial, but it's not, so the pain continues.
• Reverse neckbreaker gets two.
• Palumbo tries a roll-up, but Stasiak runs him over after the two-count.
• Stasiak chokes out Palumbo.
• Y'know, why didn't they place Jindrak (who has some talent) as the heel opponent?
• Anyway, Stasiak whips Palumbo to the corner but runs into a double-boot.
• Stasiak counters a charge with a powerslam for two.
• Hudson namedrops Stan "The Man" finally.
• Palumbo gets a desperation suplex for two.
• The crowd could care less.
• Palumbo shoots Stasiak to the ropes and catches him on a floatover.
• Palumbo hits a "sidewalk slam" (read: spinebuster) for two.
• Palumbo goes up top and hits a flying elbow.
• Palumbo cues the band and tries the Jungle Kick, but Stasiak blocks.
• They then come out of the corner and do a REALLY embarrassing pinning sequence where Stasiak grabs the ropes in the ref's view and lets go.
• The ref then counts to 2½ anyway, and they try to improvise something out of it but fail miserably.
• Doesn't matter, though, as Stasiak rolls up his opponent and grabs the tights for the (impromptu?) finish.
• YOUR WINNER: Shawn Stasiak via pinfall in 7:59.
• Post-match, Stasiak gives a victory speech and leaves.
• Match was boring, but acceptable. Until the botched finish. Sheesh.
  

• DDP takes the interstate bypass route through the crowd en route to the ring.
• DDP's wearing a "Sopranos" t-shirt. Bah. I prefer Oz, myself.
• Typical DDP banter here about Jeff Jarrett.
• DDP asks "who's a bigger scumbag than Kanyon?"
• The crowd is supposed to say "nobody," but damned if I heard them.
• DDP talks about Kanyon's crime of gimmick infringement.
• DDP then lifts Kanyon's "anywhere, anytime" line and says he's gonna get him.
• This brings out Jeff Jarrett.
• Jarrett tells DDP to stop worrying about Kanyon.
• Jarrett must have gotten the "G-Rated" memo in the back, because he uses "butt" instead of the usual.
• DDP challenges Jarrett, who declines.
• Out of nowhere, Kanyon runs in but gets dealt with accordingly.
• Kanyon sacrifices himself to the Diamond Cutter so Jarrett can get in a guitar shot and Stroke.

• Nash drags David Flair out and shoves him into the ring.
• Nash then lays David out with one punch.
• Ric Flair walks out and says he's done everything that was required of him tonight.
• Ric asks for his son back.
• Nash puts David in powerdrop position.
• Ric screams as Nash delivers the move.
• Security runs in and pulls David out of additional harm's way.
• Steiner walks out and gets attacked on the apron.
• Nash sends Steiner to the post, falling to the carpet in the process.
• Back inside, Nash blocks a whip with a hip check.
• Nash with a short-clothesline for two.
• Crowd shares a series of signs saying BIGSEXY. Wonder what the Scrabble score on that would be with the triple word bonus.
• Nash is just manhandling Scott.
• Nash clotheslines Scott out of the ring.
• Out back, Ric Flair goes nuts and tells his troops to "kill Nash."
• Back to action, Scott sends Nash to the post after an attempted slam.
• They go back inside, and it's the usual match you see from these two when Scott Steiner is on offense.
• Lots of punching, kicking, choking and belly-to-belly suplexes.
• Y'know, if Scott Steiner would put more of an effort into his ringwork, I just might put more of an effort into calling his match.
• During a chinlock, Lex Luger and Rick Steiner try to run in, but The Cat and Kronic halt their advancement.
• Nash makes the Superman comeback. Side slam, big boot, you know the deal.
• Ric Flair makes his appearance known and hits a chop to Nash's shoulder. Nash no-sells, of course.
• The referee, thinking that Nash is in extreme danger from this type of run-in, calls for the DQ. Whew, thought Nash wouldn't be able to handle Steiner AND Ric Flair at once.
• YOUR WINNER: Kevin Nash via DQ in 5:15.
• Ric Flair gets the big boot treatment, but Steiner saves him from a powerbomb by nailing Nash with his trusty pipe.
• The heels work over Nash as we fade...
  1/4