WCW Monday Nitro - "Season Finale"
March 26, 2001

Here's what we know according to WWF.com:

The WWF has bought WCW from Time Warner, thus ending the Monday Night Wars once and for all. In addition, the WWF gets access to the WCW tape library, among other things. WCW programming is expected to air on TNN in the not-so-far future, and there are even talks of cross-promotion between the two brands.

In addition, various other sites are reporting that certain wrestlers are being offered WWF contracts, while others may have theirs renegotiated. In addition, some unlucky souls are getting no options but to either sit out their contract or have Time Warner pay it off at a reduced rate, because the WWF doesn't want them. But I'm sure everyone knows this by now.

My thoughts? I just hope that there is some use for WCW in the McMahon empire, because if the WWF is the only game left in town, then the fans will be left without a choice in terms of nationwide wrestling. And that's not a good thing.

• Martin S. thinks he knows who the cameraman is:

  Just wondering if I'm the only one who noticed the "obvious" man behind those camera shots. One, there are two — the guy Buff hired and the guy who lays people out. The guy who lays people out is "hard and tough" as described by the Magnificent 7. And, if you paid attention to one segment (I've lost which one — either Luger laid out, or Jeff/Flair talking), the cameraman says "I don't need to see this" — and it was Goldberg's Voice :-)

• Dale K. asks:

  I was just wondering if you know if [DDT Digest] will be covering WWF shows after this Monday's Nitro? I'm just curious that's all.

  I'll explain my thoughts after the show.

• Bob R. waxes poetic on the early years:

  I'm married, relatively normal, have a six month old daughter, and am a middle manager for the 4th largest company in the world. And I love WCW. The thought that it may very well end soon is rather difficult to take. You see, I've been watching WCW for years. Too many years.

  It was probably around 1978 or 1979 when I first started watching. Georgia Championship Wrestling/World Championship Wrestling was part of the NWA. Ric Flair was the NWA World Champions, but, he only came around every couple of months to fight one of the show regulars. The main champion of the promotion when I first started watching was "The Branding Bull" Paul Orndorff. No, he wasn't Mr. Wonderful. He had a major feud going on with The Russian, Ivan Koloff, who always resorted to cheating with his loaded kneepad.

  The biggest feud was Tommy "Wildfire" Rich (before he was Italian) and the late "Maddog" Buzz Sawyer. They fought each other through every televised taping and all around the arenas. This finally culminated in "The Last Battle For Atlanta" They would finally settle the feud with one last match at the Omni. After this, they would never be permitted to wrestle against each other again. You know, I never did hear who won. This was before the internet, before they told you who won and who lost. As a sidenote, the two did go into the ring together one more time, this time not as enemies, but, as partners. Tommy substituted for Brett Wayne Sawyer in an "Australian Rules" tag team match against someone. Brett had managed to turn his brother Buzz into a good guy.

  Ole Anderson and Stan "The Man" Hanson had a very potent tag team themselves. Though they rarely wrestled together on TV.

  Tito Santana had not yet become a matador.

  Chick Donovan seemed always on the verge of making a name for himself.

  "The Dean" Gordon Solie used words that I did not know the meaning of.

  I saw a very young Brad Armstrong win what I believe to be his first title (pre-curse of course.) Was it the TV Title? He was in a mask pretending to be the "Masked Mr. R" whom everyone thought was Tommy Rich. Brad beat Ted Dibiase (apparently not a millionaire yet) when he turned around to see Tommy (who had lost a "loser leave town" match a few weeks prior) standing near the announce podium. Brad rolled up Ted for the win.

  I Remember Mr. Wrestling II and his "million dollar kneelift." Was THAT ever a finisher? I remember Paul Ellering as a wrestler, not a manager. I remember Killer Brooks beating someone for the National Title and selling it to Larry Zbyszko which spawned a title tournament. How much did he sell it for? I seem to remember about $15,000 or $20,000.

  I saw the debut of the Road Warriors. They were unbeatable for such a long time. I'm curious as to their record. They probably eclipsed Goldberg's.

  The Iron Sheik vs. "Captain Redneck" Dick Murdoch was a tremendous feud. The US vs.Iran. The Iranian Club swinging over the head thing was pretty cool.

  This is a big part of my teen years. Every Saturday night from 6:05 to 8:05. If it really is over. If this all comes to an end. It's time for Loser Leave Town. I wonder if they'll come back under a mask?

  <All in the Family>

  Those... were... the... DAAAAAAAAAYS!

  </All in the Family>

  Sad, ain't it?

  I started watching around late 1985 or so (when I was a spry nine years of age, so I don't remember a whole lot). I used to cheer the villians and boo the good guys, just because. Although I did like the Rock 'N' Roll Express, Magnum T. A., and for some strange reason, Ronnie Garvin.

  It was a great time to be a fan, what with Magnum and Nikita Koloff feuding over the U. S. Title (and the honor of Magnum's mother, who the Koloffs mocked during a contract signing), the Horsemen running roughshod on everyone and pissing off crowds at TV tapings by cheating to save their titles, the emergence of a young power grappler named Lex Luger (who was actually a good wrestler in the '80s), and the RnR's with feuds involving the Midnight Express AND the Horsemen. To this day, I still remember an image of Ric Flair wiping Ricky Morton's bloodied face into the locker room cement. Just awesome.

  Just remember this. No matter what becomes of WCW in the future, they can't take away the memories.

• Bobby speaks on WCW and The Night of Champions:

  Pretty Good Nitro report this week. This will be truly a sad day if WCW does in fact go under. But I also think that if WCW listened more to people like you, and other fans on the web, WCW wouldn't be in the funk that they're in right now. What I think led to WCW's ultimate demise is inconsistancy. Its not the storylines that were bad, its the fact that every time there was a regime change, the storyline from the previous regime would be dropped. I actually liked the "Powers That Be" angle from the first Russo era, but I don't think it ever really had the chance to take off because once Sullivan (I believe that's who it was) took over from the first Russo regime, the angle was eventually dropped.

  Thanks for the kind words. As for WCW, I think the thing that began the downward spiral was the wrestlers taking over the asylum.

  In 1994, Hulk Hogan entered WCW and pretty much insisted on going over all the top heels, including Ric Flair and Vader. This despite the fact that although Hogan was the most recognized wrestler at one time, he was pretty much a new face in the WCW locker room. I'm sorry, but if I was an upper echleon employee of one company for ten years, then I quit for another and demand that I be promoted faster than the other people, some of which put in more time than I have in the field, that doesn't fly.

  However, it got much worse later on. The nWo hit it big, and WCW was riding high. Unfortunately, none of the nWo guys wanted to job to the WCW guys, so the result was decisive nWo victories anywhere and anytime, thus making WCW look stupid. In addition, you had haphazardly booked stuff such as the Steiner Brothers needing six months to gain a tag title shot, yet go on defense 90% of the title match and end up winning by DQ despite only getting sixty seconds or so of offense. In addition, certain wrestlers refused to elevate others because they felt the guys needing elevating were too small and weren't on their level. And even if they were big guys, same thing. You had Kevin Nash basically killing Wrath's (Bryan Clarke of Kronic) chances at singles stardom by squashing him on Nitro for no reason. I won't even get into Goldberg, although he, too, suffered from "main eventer disease" around this time.

  The storyline issues, as you stated, did make a negative impact, though. On a semi-related note, another thing that didn't help was the fact that many of the WCW characters/angles were direct ripoffs of what the rival WWF did a year before. You had the Filthy Animals as DX using the Kidcam (G-TV), Madusa/Spice as Chyna/Miss Kitty, Asya with a similar role, Ed "Oklahoma" Ferrera as Jim Ross, Shawn Stasiak as Mr. Perfect (okay, so Perfect was late 80's-early '90s but still, let's be original), referees going on strike, the list goes on. You end up pissing off the fans who watch WCW because they don't want to watch the WWF and/or a product with a lessened emphasis on action and more on sports entertainment. Although you MIGHT gain new fans by switching to an entertainment-based product, if you piss off enough people you merely trade audiences to ZERO net effect.

  Also with this "Night of Champions" next Monday, who do you think will show up? Do you think any former champions currently with the WWF will show up in WCW next week for their final show? Do you think Hogan or Macho Man will show up? anyway, I'm looking foward to reading your final Nitro report this Monday.

  As for the Night of Champions thing, I alluded to what I thought would appear in the report. Even with the new ownership, I wouldn't expect to see guys such as Chris Benoit or The Big Show. But I wouldn't be surprised to see Diamond Dallas Page make a return. Hulk could be a possibility but he's gone on record saying he's done with WCW. However, he also said that he would retire in late '98, so take the above comment with a grain of salt. Furthermore, I don't think Randy Savage has been with the company for a while, despite his Slim Jim ads appearing during "Promotional Consideration" bits. So, don't expect the Macho Man, either.

• Vince explains to us that he owns WCW.
• Vince says the fate of WCW is in his hands and that we'll find out what it is in a special simulcast with RAW later tonight.
• I guess that's the direct approach.

• The announcers suck up to Flair saying that he is WCW.
• Ric talks about Vince McMahon saying that he holds WCW in the palm of his hands.
• Ric namedrops some former and current NWA/WCW greats.
• Ric (in reference to VKM's comments): "I don't think so."
• Ric notes that a backstage worker told him not to cry about this being the last Turner show.
• Ric says he was a fourteen-time champion of the greatest wrestling organization in the world.
• Ric namedrops some more workers, including Arn Anderson and the Four Horsemen.
• Ric says WCW has run neck-and-neck with VKM's company for years.
• Ric notes that when VKM was an announcer in 1981, his father (Vincent J. McMahon, on the board of directors) voted Flair to be world champion.
• Ric puts over his boys and says no one is going anywhere.
• Ric asks VKM when was the last time he wrestled for over an hour, bled for 45 minutes, travelled from town to town, etc.
• Ric tells VKM that he can't control WCW.
• Ric says his greatest opponent of all-time in the company was Sting.
• Ric challenges Sting to a match tonight, saying this is gonna be the last chance he'll have to beat the man (in order to be the man, of course).

• Kind of an odd choice for the opener.
• As a remember, ALL titles are being defended tonight.
• The referee is Nick Patrick.
• Lock-up, Booker with a headlock.
• Booker tries to go behind but gets blasted with a right.
• Off the ropes, Booker ducks a Steinerline and hits a Harlem Sidekick for two.
• Steiner chops Booker in the corner.
• Steiner whips Booker cross-corner.
• Steiner charges and eats elbow.
• Booker covers... two.
• Booker assaults Steiner in the corner with punches on the turnbuckle.
• Steiner counters with a pinning powerbomb attempt for two.
• Steiner dumps Booker from the ring.
• Midajah attacks Booker with a slap, then Steiner drops an axehandle from the apron.
• Steiner grabs the pipe and takes a swing but misses.
• In the ring, Steiner does his clothesline/elbowdrop/push-up combo.
• Steiner chops and punches in the corner.
• Booker tries to fight back, but Steiner belly-to-belly suplexes him for two.
• As Steiner puts on a surfboard, Hudson notes both participants have *32* title reigns between them.
  
• Booker makes the comeback, but gets popped when he telegraphs a back bodydrop.
• Booker recovers with a dropkick.
• Booker with rights and a whip.
• Booker with a lariat, then to the ropes for an axe kick.
• Flapjack off the ropes into the spinerooni (called by Hudson).
• Harlem Sidekick, Book-end, but Steiner blocks and hits a Northern Lights Suplex for two.
• Booker flips out of a powerbomb attempt and Book-Ends Steiner for the win and both titles!
• YOUR WINNER AND NEW WORLD CHAMPION: Booker T. via Book-End in 5:08.
  
• Kind of rushed for a world title match, but it was solid and ended decisively.

• This is for a cruiserweight tag title shot later in the show.
• Kaz, Shannon and Kidman start.
• Kidman tries something on Kaz but gets rolled up by Shannon.
• Evan and Yang end up in the ring.
• Yang dropkicks Evan, and Rey comes in from behind.
• We get the great trainwreck spot outside.
• Kidman even breaks out his Shooting Star Press from the top rope! (renamed the Kidmankaze)
• Back inside, Yang plants Rey on the turnbuckle jaw-first.
• Yang goes up top and hits Yangtime, but Kidman saves.
• Kidman tries his finisher, but Shannon interrupts with Bottoms Up for two.
• Jung Dragons set up Shannon for a double-team powerbomb/suplex from top.
• Evan hits a 450 from top on Kaz but Kidman saves.
• Everyone outside but Rey and Shannon.
• Rey tries the Bronco Buster in the corner but lands on a raised leg.
• Rey gets whipped, but does the Fake Out.
• Rey gets Shannon hung on the ropes and goes up top for a gullotine legdrop. This gets the win.
• YOUR WINNERS: Kidman and Rey Mysterio, Jr. via gullotine legdrop in 3:37.
• Total spotfest. If a two-hour show means rushed matches like the last two, why didn't they bring back the three-hour Nitro for this occasion?

• I just noticed that David Penzer is in a Hawaiian shirt.
• Chavo runs Helms into the corner to start.
• Helms fights back and tries a cross-corner whip, but it gets reversed.
• Helms comes off the ropes and puts Chavo in a fireman's carry, then drops him face-first on the knee.
• Neckbreaker gets two.
• Chavo dumps Helms and brings him back in.
• Chavo with a backdrop suplex.
• Chavo mounts Helms on the turnbuckle but gets thrown off.
• Helms with a sunset flip for two.
• Off the ropes, Chavo hits a clothesline for two.
• LOUD chop by Chavito.
• With Helms on the apron, Chavo tries a suplex but can't get it off.
• Helms runs Chavo into the turnbuckle, then goes up top for a splash. Gets two.
• Chavo with a T-bone suplex for two.
• Helms fights out of a suplex, and they do some reversals.
• Chavo with a Northern Lights Suplex for two.
• Helms whips Chavo, who does a baseball slide.
• Chavo gets in a sunset flip, but Helms rolls over for two.
• Sugar Smack is evaded.
• Helms reverses an inverted suplex, shoots Chavo into the corner and nails the Sugar Smack.
• Helms calls for the Vertebreaker but Chavo breaks.
• Helms slips out of the brainbuster and lands his finisher for the win!
• YOUR WINNER: Shane Helms via Vertebreaker in 4:38.
• That's 3 for 3 for the good guys thus far.
• Immediately after the win, we go to commercial. Some things never change.

• The Canucks get the first entrance.
• Storm calls for the Anthem, and we go to commercial.
• Back from commercial, we get Michael Cole (in a Wrestlemania X-7 jersey) interrupting a VKM celebration.
• While Cole talks about WCW fans and wrestlers fearing their brand of entertainment is at an end, Vince asks Cole about HIS job security.
• And why didn't they explain who Trish Stratus and Michael Cole was to the fans?
• We go to the two-shot. Wasn't there a match?
• The champs make it to the ring.
• Storm with a headlock, but O'Haire with a one-arm takedown.
• Palumbo in, he catches Storm off the ropes and hits the fallaway slam.
• Storm recovers and tags Awesome.
• Storm sets Palumbo for an Awesome bodysplash. Gets two.
• In the corner, Palumbo floats over a charging Awesome after a whip.
• Into the other corner, Awesome hits a flying elbow from the second turnbuckle off a charge.
• Storm back in, he gets sent to the corner jaw-first and rolled up for two.
• Tags to O'Haire and Awesome.
• O'Haire with kicks on the heels.
• Awesome to the ropes but he gets caught in a DVD for two.
• All four men in the ring, with the heels cleaning house.
• Double-whip on Palumbo.
• O'Haire trips Storm and drags him outside as Awesome sets up Palumbo for the Awesomebomb.
• Palumbo breaks the move and hits the Jungle Kick.
• O'Haire goes up top, hits the Sean-Ton Bomb and gets the win for his team.
• YOUR WINNERS: Sean O' Haire and Chuck Palumbo via Sean-Ton Bomb in 3:20.

• If Bigelow wins, he gets to tattoo Stasiak.
• If Stasiak wins, then, well... uhm...
• Stacy makes her way out first.
• Stacy teases dancing but changes her mind.
• Thankfully, Bigelow makes his way out before Stasiak can speak.
• Bigelow threatens to hit Stasiak with his tattoo kit, but Stacy gets shoved into the way.
• The ref tries to grab the kit, allowing Stasiak to get the first strike.
• Stasiak controls for the first 30 seconds but misses a flying body splash.
• Bigelow goes up top and hits the diving headbutt, but Stacy distracts the ref.
• Stasiak swings, but Bigelow grabs Stasiak for the Greetings.
• However, Stacy grabs Stasiak's legs, allowing Shawn to break free and give his opponent the neckbreaker for the first heel win of the night.
• YOUR WINNER: Shawn Stasiak via neckbreaker in 1:24.
• Wow, that SUCKED. Poor Bigelow.

• The champs get separate entrances that each last fifteen seconds TOPS.
• Gee, I wonder why the entrances (and everything else not related to guys in Connecticut) are being cut short.
• Tony takes a cheap shot at "Steve" Regal.
• Anyway, match.
• Elix whips Kidman into a belly-to-belly suplex.
• Tag to Romeo, who does an assisted senton on Kidman.
• Kidman gets sent to the corner, but raises boot.
• Romeo with an overhead release suplex.
• Tag to Elix.
• Series of ropes runs leads to a Kidman bodypress for two.
• Tag to Romeo.
• Romeo goes up top but Kidman counters whatever with a dropkick.
• Tags to Rey and Elix.
• Rey with a Thesz Press on Elix.
• Rey with a Tornado-style DDT on Romeo but Elix saves.
• Double-team whip by the heels leads to a headscissors over the ropes on Romeo.
• In the corner, Rey uses Kidman as a springboard for a flying fist.
• Kidman with a baseball slide on Elix's nuts.
• Bronco Buster, but Romeo makes the save.
• Romeo goes to finish but gets two.
• Rey with a powerbomb and a diving headbutt from the top rope but Elix saves.
• Elix and Rey grapple, with Elix lifting Rey on his shoulders and dropping backward. This gets two.
• Rey and Romeo exit the ring, leaving Kidman and Elix, which ends in a Kid Krusher.
• YOUR WINNERS AND NEW CRUISERWEIGHT TAG CHAMPIONS: Kidman and Rey Mysterio, Jr. via Kid Krusher in 4:43.

• I should point out that there has been NO mention of the Magnificent Seven or who laid them out on tonight's show at all.
• The announcers play this up as Flair's final match.
• Commercials.
• Sting makes his way out, and the announcers talk about Sting never jumping ship to the WWF.
• Give this ten minutes and I'll be a happy man.
• Ric starts with a WHOOOOO!
• Kind of funny to see Flair in a black shirt and blue tights.
• Sting shoves Flair out of a lock-up.
• Flair and former compadre Charles Robinson get into a shoving match.
• Ric tries some shoulderblocks but Sting no-sells.
• Sting with a wristlock.
• Into the corner for the Ric Flair Special.
• Wait, Sting turns it around.
• Biel by Sting, followed by a dropkick.
• Flair bails out.
• The wrestlers pause as the crowd chants for Sting.
• Lock-up, Flair heads to the ropes and connects with a shoulderblock.
• Flair backs off from a leapfrog and stalls in the corner.
• Flair comes off the ropes into a Sting gorilla press.
• Sting with punches on the turnbuckle.
• Flair Flop!
• Sting no-sells a chop and grabs his throat.
• Flair hits the Great Equalizer.
• Flair snapmares Sting and hits his rolling kneedrop.
• Flair struts a little for old time's sake.
• Sting tries a comeback but Flair thwarts it with a snapmare.
• Flair goes up top, but comes down his usual way.
• Clotheslines galore!
• Sting tries a dropkick but Flair hangs onto the ropes.
• Flair takes Sting to school with the figure-four!
• Flair uses the ropes as Robinson tends to Sting.
• Sting pulls Flair to the middle of the ring and gets ready to turn the move over, much to Flair's chagrin.
• Figure-four is reversed, and Flair escapes.
• Flair chops. All revenues have ceased.
• Chops in the corner.
• Flair gets whipped to the corner but doesn't quite get the Flair Flip all the way.
• Sting with a superplex!
• Scorpion Deathlock applied! Sting wins!!
• YOUR WINNER: Sting via Scorpion Deathlock in 7:19.
• Post-match, Sting and Flair embrace and shake hands. What a great moment. Honestly, at this point, I'm tearing up from watching the two true franchises of WCW square off for what could be the last time.
• Damn. That was SO awesome. No matter what you think about wrestling, this was a great way to finish up the WCW legacy, with two legends squaring off in a well-worked match with all the classic bits thrown in.

• What follows is a Vince McMahon dick-stroking where McMahon says he'll sign the Time Warner contract with Ted Turner walking down the aisle.
• Vince explains what he'll do to Shane McMahon on Sunday.
• Vince talks about what he'll do with WCW and jokes about watching Hulk Hogan doing his arm-shaking thing.
• Vince then asks the crowd to approve or disapprove various WCW wrestlers in his plans.
• Vince says he could gloat over his accomplishment (admitting is the first step) or he could go to Panama City and give every WCW wrestler a piece of his mind.
• Vince makes fun of the Spring Break atmosphere.
• Vince wants to look all the WCW stars in the eyes and say "You're fired."
• Vince proceeds to say that WCW is buried and will remain so.
• Vince says that everyone who gets in his way will be buried.
• Vince protests the "Asshole" chants.
• Vince rants for a bit, but "No Chance In Hell" plays.
• We see Shane McMahon walking out on the TitanTron, but it turns out he's in Panama City!
• There's a one-second delay between the audio and video.
• Shane talks about how Vince wanted Ted Turner to come to WM X-7 and finalize the WCW deal.
• Shane says the deal is finalized with WCW, and the name on the contract does say McMahon — Shane McMahon.
• Shane says that WCW kicked Vince's ass in the past and it will again.
• The show ends with Vince looking puzzled and a promo for tonight's WWF main event on TNN.
• No credits, no "Thank You For Watching Monday Nitro on TNT," etc.
• Whatever.

What I can NOT live with, however, is the fact that after Sting and Ric Flair wrestled a great match as the TNT finale, their celebration was abruptly cut after thirty seconds or so with the WWF feed. I know that Vince McMahon saw WCW as a threat, but the least he could have done was let the promotion have it's final day in the sun before The Great Changeover. Instead, he proceeds to shit on all the hard work shown by the WCW contingent by making himself the focal point of Nitro and basically pissing on two legends of the sport, turning what could have been joy for Flair and Sting riding off in glory into anger for taking WCW's farewell show and turning it into one big McMahon love-fest / pay-per-view ad.

I understand that many of you will probably differ from my stance because tonight's show could have been viewed as a change instead of an ending. However, ask yourself — was Vince McMahon on your TV every other segment interacting with other WWF personalities beneficial to what would happen in WCW weeks or months from now? Wouldn't it been better had McMahon surprised us after the match? In addition, how would you feel if at your retirement party, your successor cuts you off and brags about how he's #1?

In closing, I guess I should answer an e-mail in the mailsack asking about the future of DDT Digest. I can't vouch for the website, although I'd imagine Bill will talk about it in his next report.

As for me, however, I don't think I can go on. I know I should have seen this coming, but seeing the ending of the Turner Era used to promote someone else's agenda doesn't rub me the right way, and neither did the last few shows this month. In addition, I've felt that the quality of my reports has been heading south. Thus, I'm calling it a career here at DDT Digest.

There are four persons/groups of people I'd like to thank:

1. Bill: For giving me the opportunity to write reports for what was once the best wrestling promotion on the greatest website on the internet;
2. Everyone in the DDT Digest staff: For the great conversations and the suggestions you have made to improve my style;
3. Former Nitro Reporter Wade: For getting me this gig, and finally;
4. You, the DDT Digest reader: For being an audience and providing me feedback, be it positive or negative.

If there's anything positive to be learned from all of this, it's that we are all marks in some way, shape, or form. I know I am.

Anyway, thank you for reading. To borrow from the late, great Gordon Solie, so long from the Sunshine State.