WCW Thunder - Wednesday, March 8, 2000

By Aldo

I had to work last Wednesday, so I was unable to cover Thunder a week ago. Many thanks to Jarod of ChrisKanyon.com for filling in during my absence.
I'm not going to bother you with a mailbag this week. So, let's just get right to the report.
WCW Logo and opening clips. Could sometime tell me why Oklahoma performing a second-rope elbowdrop is in this montage?
We are in Winston-Salem, NC tonight. Tonight's announcers are Mike Tenay and Bobby Heenan.
Match #1: WCW Cruiserweight Champion TAFKA Prince Iaukea (w/ Paisley) vs. Psychosis (w/ Juventud Guerrera)
- Is it possible for a show that hasn't started to come to a screeching halt?
- Psychosis gets his chance for the belt tonight.
- Juvi does his horrendous Rock impersonation.
- Juvi getting a personality is good. Juvi having to rip off the rival promotion's top star is not.
- Juvi forces himself into the announcer's booth.
- Rey Mysterio, Jr. makes his way out for color commentary!
- Juvi is having a fit at the table.
- Rey gives Juvi a smug look as he arrives at the booth.
- Psychosis jumps Iaukea from behind.
- Psychosis hits a pair of dropkicks on the champ.
- Psychosis whips Iaukea cross-corner.
- Iaukea bails, and Psychosis follows with a plancha from the top turnbuckle.
- Juvi gets his shots in on Iaukea as Charles Robinson is distracted.
- Iaukea re-enters and gets his punch-and-kick offense in.
- Iaukea whips Psychosis cross-corner but misses a charging fist.
- Psychosis goes up top and hits a missile dropkick for two.
- Psychosis whips Iaukea into an abdominal stretch as Heenan accuses Rey of "goldbricking," saying that Rey is scared of the competition. I'd be scared of being booked to job to Iaukea, as well.
- Iaukea pulls Robinson into Psychosis, drawing a ref bump.
- Psychosis floats over a slam and rolls up Iaukea.
- Juvi enters the ring and counts to three.
- Psychosis and Juvi celebrate but Robinson gives the belt back to Iaukea.
- YOUR WINNER: Prince Iaukea via DQ in 3:01.
- Bad, bad finish. But at least Psychosis was made to look good this time around.
We go to the announcing booth.
- Jeff Jarrett defends his U. S. Title against Vampiro.
- The Mamalukes defend their tag team titles against Harlem Heat, Booker/Kidman and "the freshly paroled" Harris Brothers in a four-way elimination match.
Bam Bam Bigelow apologizes to the Badlanders (David Flair, Crowbar and Daffney) for what happened on Monday Nitro. As a side note, David and Crowbar are sporting neck braces.
The Total Package (to be called Lex Luger later in this report) tries to convince Ric Flair that Arn Anderson is dead weight. Flair promises to deliver Arn to Team Package tonight.
Match #2: The Demon vs. Idol (w/ Lane)
- The Demon's casket has trouble opening for ten seconds or so. That about says it all.
- From Nitro: The Demon cleans house of Lane and Idol.
- Demon will be facing off against Idol, who has Lane with him tonight.
- Lane poses with a hot blonde at ringside.
- Demon kicks Idol, goes the ropes and delivers a boot.
- Demon whips Idol and tries a kick but gets his foot caught.
- Demon with an enziguri.
- We see Ms. Hancock arrive at ringside.
- Lane denies Hancock the opportunity to table dance.
- Idol takes control and gets a kick and suplex in.
- Idol rams Demon into the corner.
- Idol whips Demon to the corner and powerslams him for two.
- Demon reverses a whip but gets DDT'd.
- Hancock motions for Idol to come to the apron.
- Hancock grabs Idol and kisses him full on the lips. I wouldn't mind his job. :-)
- Unfortunately, this spells doom for Idol, as he is given the cobra clutch slam and pinned.
- YOUR WINNER: The Demon via cobra clutch slam in 2:11.
- Post-match, Lane jumps Demon and gives him the Memory Lane (full nelson legsweep).
- Idol gets a DDT in.
- Norman Smiley comes in and cleans house for a moment.
- Idol whips Smiley into the corner.
- Lane uses Idol as a springboard as he dives on Smiley.
- The heels do an uninspired beatdown on Smiley.
Curt Hennig says that he has doctor's orders not to wrestle tonight but plans to take out The Total Package on Nitro.
Bam Bam Bigelow is walking.
Buff Bagwell tells us to leave the rough stuff to the pros.
Promo for WCW Uncensored.
Jeff Jarrett and the Harris Brothers talk strategy.
Bam Bam Bigelow comes out with a mic.
- From Nitro: The Wall smacks Bigelow into a table.
- Bigelow says he is a man of action.
- Bigelow says that things have been going down that he cannot stomach anymore.
- Bigelow calls out David Flair and Crowbar (not by name) and sets a couple chairs in the ring for them.
- The Badlanders make their way out.
- Bigelow holds the ropes for David, Crowbar and Daffney, the latter of which has been silent all night thus far.
- Bigelow says that Crowbar was grabbed by his throat and launched ten feet into the announcer's table during his last match.
- Bigelow mentions that David Flair stuck up for his partner and met the same result.
- Bigelow says it's all his fault and that he takes the blame.
- Bigelow says he was the one that broke The Wall into the business.
- Bigelow says he taught The Wall how to wrestle. Bigelow didn't do a good job, apparently.
- Bigelow says that The Wall isn't man enough to apologize.
- Speaking of which, The Wall makes his way out.
- Bigelow has a gab session with The Wall and gets decked.
- Wall clotheslines Bigelow out of the ring.
- Wall kicks Crowbar out of his chair and knocks David out of his.
- Wall sets up a table outside as Daffney screams.
- Wall puts Bigelow on the apron and chokeslams him through the table.
- David Flair tries to swing at Wall with a crowbar but Wall blocks.
- Wall takes off David's neck brace and hammers the back of his neck.
- Wall beats up Crowbar and gives him a chokeslam as well.
- With David on the apron, Wall sets up for another chokeslam, but Bigelow brings David outside.
- Wall then stalks to the back.
- Not a bad segment, actually. I have to question why WCW chose The Wall for a mega-push, but at least they are building someone up. I cannot ask for more than that.
- To be honest, though, I was expecting Bigelow to turn heel on the Badlanders, perform a vicious beatdown and make Wall his protege. It would serve to actually give Bigelow something to do besides jobbing. Plus, The Wall could learn from one of the better big men in the business by teaming with Bigelow.
Promo for some WCW videos.
Tenay runs down the main event for tonight.
Moments Ago, The Wall turned on the guy who broke him into WCW.
Paramedics load David Flair onto a stretcher as Daffney looks on.
We go to an 80's style Hulk Hogan interview, where he promises to strap Ric Flair. No comment.
Match #3: The Maestro (w/ Symphony) vs. The Cat
- The Maestro has gone from looking like Buddy Landel to looking like Albert Einstein.
- From Nitro: Maestro gets the win thanks to THE BOOM BOX OF DEATH.
- Maestro calls out The Cat.
- The Cat comes out to different music from before.
- Cat ducks a clothesline and levels Maestro with a right.
- 11 Days Until Uncensored, if you care.
- Cat takes down Maestro and throttles him in the corner with his RED SLIPPER OF DOOM.
- Cat slams Maestro and tries the James Brown Elbowdrop but misses.
- Cat tries to grab the boombox from Symphony.
- Maestro charges at Cat but gets met with a mule kick to the privates.
- With Nick Patrick's back turned, Cat smashes the boombox on Maestro's head and covers for the win.
- YOUR WINNER: The Cat via pinfall in 1:31.
- Post-match, Cat throws Maestro out of the ring and cuts a rug.
- Maestro has a pissed off expression at Symphony due to the outcome of the match.
- Remember the good old days when Thunder matches would go ten minutes or more?
Vampiro throws things around in the back.
Road Report sponsored by some long distance company that I refuse to dignify this week.
For Uncensored: Dustin Rhodes vs. Terry Funk.
In the back reaches of the arena, Vampiro has words for Jeff Jarrett.
Gene Okerlund speaks to Lash LeRoux.
- As Lash finishes up, Dustin Rhodes jumps him from behind and brings him to ringside area.
Match #4: Dustin Rhodes vs. Lash LeRoux
- Apparently, this is a match.
- Both men do cross bodyblocks on each other, with Lash falling on top for two.
- Lash with a back bodydrop.
- Lash with punches in the corner but Dustin comes back with a ballshot.
- Dustin hits a forward backdrop.
- Dustin whips Lash to the corner and bulldogs him for the win.
- YOUR WINNER: Dustin Rhodes via bulldog in 1:08.
- Post-match, Terry Funk enters the ring and batters Dustin with a chicken several times.
- And the crowd goes mild.
- Dustin makes a comeback and gets some shots with the chicken, sending Funk out of the ring.
- Funk and Dustin head into the crowd for further battery.
- Nice way to build up Lash, by the way. Why not just do a Funk/Rhodes match and have it end in a double-countout, instead? It would have saved LeRoux the burial.
Team Package is walking.
WCW Thunder Ringside Release.
For Uncensored: Hulk Hogan vs. Ric Flair in a Strap Match.
Team Package makes their way out.
- We see clips of Lex Luger breaking arms.
- Flair tells Winston-Salem to stand up and recognize the fact that Team Package has been formed.
- Flair does his "...best thing going today." comment, working a fat-boy reference in.
- Flair says he wants to make an apology to the greatest physical specimen in sports today.
- Flair wants Arn Anderson to come out, be subservient to him, apologize for making him look bad and serve Team Package.
- Arn makes his way out. Sit down, Bill. :-)
- Luger gives the Four Horsemen sign for old time's sake.
- Arn asks about being subservient.
- Arn says he's been subservient for so long that he forgot how to stand up to him.
- Arn just wants to talk to Flair and that's it.
- Flair tells Arn to shake Luger's hand.
- Arn says that Flair is his best friend and he's going to say some things that Flair might not like.
- Arn talks about Ric's son having a 21^st birthday last Monday.
- Arn runs down Flair's material possessions.
- Arn says that he and Flair are not good fathers or husbands due to their schedule.
- Arn tells Flair that he has a chance to be a good father to David.
- Arn says that three years ago, his career ended, and it's going to be the same for Ric soon.
- Arn talks about the pressure David goes through for being Ric's son.
- Arn says he's standing up to Ric because David can't.
- Arn says that Luger was a Horseman, an egomaniac and one of the finest wrestlers alive.
- Arn says that Luger cares about Luger and that it's not Team Flair, it's Team Package.
- Arn tells Ric to be a man and a father by giving David a hand. Bravo!
- Flair talks about the foreword in Arn's autobiography.
- Flair tells Arn that he went back home and raised his children.
- Flair says that he's done being a father and wants to ride again.
- Flair basically says that David is on his own.
- Flair tells Arn to be Double-A again.
- Arn says that he's got one or two fights left, but plans to reserve them because in the good old days, he's walked over Luger to better fights.
- Luger says that Arn's words are misty-eyed gibberish.
- Luger says that he's giving Flair one more chance.
- Luger says he's going to face Hennig on Nitro.
- Luger tells Flair that he has two strikes. After the third strike, Flair and "the broken down pick-up truck" are out.
- Flair tells Arn to make it right on Nitro as he wants to be part of Team Package.
- Flair rants some more as Arn walks away.
- Excellent interview segment. It's kind of ironic, though. While Flair is telling Arn to be subservient to him, he's currently sucking up to Luger.
Vampiro jumps Finlay in the back and beats up some security workers.
Luger and Liz get into a car.
Match #5: Meng vs. Fit Finlay
- From Nitro: Meng argues with J. J. Dillon.
- If Finlay was balding without hair and possessed a thinner build, he could bear a resemblance to Vern Schillenger from Oz.
- Now, all we need is a fruity Power Plant guy to play Tobias Beecher. :-)
- Standard punch-and-kick stuff for the opening half minute.
- Meng with a big boot.
- As Meng sets up for the Tongan Death Grip, Tank Abbott runs in and charges Meng about forty seconds in.
- Security hits the ring and gets beat down by the three wrestlers.
- Meng headbutts a security worker.
- Doug Dillenger tells Finlay to clear the area.
- Pointless. This advanced nothing.
From last week's Thunder: Kidman accidentally hits a missile dropkick on Booker.
Booker, Kidman and Torrie Wilson argue.
This Week In WCW Motorsports.
WCW Saturday Night promo.
Gene Okerlund interviews The Mamalukes.
We go to the announcer's booth. In this four-corners tag team match, anyone can tag anyone in at any time. If a team member is pinned, both guys are eliminated. But, you knew that, right?
Match #6: WCW World Tag Team Champions The Mamalukes (w/ Disco Inferno) vs. The Harris Brothers vs. Harlem Heat (w/ Cash and J. Biggs) vs. Booker and Kidman (w/ Torrie Wilson) in a Four Corners Elimination Match
- From Nitro: More H-Bombs by the Harris Brothers.
- The Mamalukes attack the Harrises before the bell.
- As the four men fight, Harlem Heat make their way out.
- It's just a big brawl in the ring.
- Booker enters next.
- Booker hits a urinage on Johnny The Bull.
- Booker with the axe kick on Big T.
- Stevie and Big beat down Booker.
- Kidman charges the ring and clotheslines Disco on the way out.
- Kidman hits a top-rope crossbody on Vito.
- Kidman dropkicks Johnny and gives a tornado DDT to a Harris.
- We're back to Big T and Booker in the ring.
- Big tags Stevie.
- Booker fights back with rights but Stevie gets a shot to the eyes in.
- Stevie with a side kick.
- Stevie tags Big T.
- Big comes off the ropes as Stevie holds Booker. Guess what happens.
- Booker hits a side kick and Russian Legsweep on Big and then gets the pin at 3:25.
- Harlem Heat is eliminated from this match, leaving three teams. That's good, as there are now two less talentless lugs that need to be on my screen.
- We go to break as Johnny and Kidman are in the ring.
- When we come back, Harris #1 pummels Vito in the corner.
- During the break, Booker accidentally sidekicks Kidman, which results in an H-Bomb for the elimination.
- It's now down to the Harrises and the tag team champs.
- Vito and Johnny stomp the daylights out of Harris #1.
- Johnny gets whipped to the ropes and pulled out of the ring by Harris #2.
- Back inside, Johnny gets worked over.
- A Harris hits a slam on Johnny.
- Johnny gets decked to the mat.
- Tag to Harris #2.
- Double-whip leads to a pair of elbows.
- Johnny ducks a clothesline off the ropes and hits a spin kick.
- Tags to Harris #1 and Vito.
- Vito hits a series of clotheslines and kicks on the Harrises.
- Vito slams a Harris and goes up top.
- Vito hits the diving elbow, but a Harris makes the save.
- Vito gets dumped from the ring.
- Johnny gets whipped to the ropes.
- Johnny ducks a clothesline but gets met with the H-Bomb.
- Before the Harris Brothers get the pin, Disco Inferno comes in and nails a brother with a tag team belt.
- Johnny gets draped over a Harris for the win.
- YOUR WINNERS: The Mamalukes via pinfall in ~7:58 aired.
- Post-match, Johnny gets sent out of the ring.
- The Harris Brothers deliver an H-Bomb to Disco.
- Vito clears the ring of the Harrises.
- One nice thing about four-way matches is that resting is kept to an absolute minimum. This I liked.
- But, if WCW is trying to build on a Booker/Kidman break-up, the least they could have done was shown the sidekick gaff in its entirety instead of delegating it to "Moments Ago" clips.
Gene Okerlund talks about the "disappointing performance" of the new Harlem Heat. Stevie Ray then yells at Gene and says it was a two-count. Stevie challenges Booker and Kidman as he continues the riot act.
Promo for Positively Page.
We see a clip from Diamond Dallas Page's appearance on The Late Late Show.
We get a long-form promo for the Jeff Jarrett vs. Sid Vicious match at Uncensored with voiceover.
Gene Okerlund interviews Brian Knobbs, who has The Dog with him. The Dog does a slobbering act at the end of the interview. OK, so he's rabid and on a leash, why should I care about this guy?
Jeff Jarrett walks with his three women.
Promo for WCW Magazine.
Match #7: WCW U. S. Champion Jeff Jarrett (w/ women) vs. Vampiro
- From Nitro: Jarrett defeats Vampiro.
- Tenay says that Hulk Hogan and Sting will be at next Monday's Nitro.
- As Jarrett asks the girls if they want to get freaky and flash Vampiro, I notice all the empty seats in the lower tier.
- Jarrett says "not a damn chance" and tells the women to go back to the dressing room.
- Vampiro ducks a clothesline to start and goes to the ropes.
- Vampiro hits a clothesline.
- Vampiro clotheslines Jarrett out of the ring.
- Vampiro slingshots himself into a crossbody on Jarrett outside.
- Vampiro rams Jarrett into the broadcast table.
- Back inside, Vampiro hits a punch from the top rope for two.
- The Harris Brothers make their way out.
- This distracts Vampiro, allowing Jarrett to dump him out of the ring.
- The Harrises work over Vampiro.
- Jarrett tries to bring Vampiro in but he floats over.
- Vampiro with a waistlock.
- Vampiro tries to get a sunset flip in, but Jarrett blocks and lands a running clothesline.
- Vampiro wiggles out of an attempted slam off the ropes and rolls Jarrett up for two.
- Vampiro gets sent outside again.
- As the Harrises bring Vampiro in, the Mamalukes deal with the Harris Boys.
- Vampiro with an enziguri and a urinage but Nick Patrick isn't there to make the count.
- Jarrett brings a chair in the ring, but Patrick takes it away.
- Jarrett with a DDT for two.
- Jarrett tries a spinning toehold but Vampiro does an inside cradle for two.
- Vampiro with another rollup for two.
- Vampiro accidentally bumps Nick Patrick, knocking him cold.
- Jarrett with a snap suplex.
- Jarrett gets the championship belt from outside.
- Vampiro intercepts Jarrett in the ring and catapults him to the turnbuckle.
- Vampiro gets the belt and nails Jarrett with it off the ropes.
- The new red-headed referee (Jamie Tucker) runs in and makes the count, but Patrick pulls him out.
- Jarrett applies The Stroke on the belt and Nick Patrick comes in to count the pinfall.
- YOUR WINNER: Jeff Jarrett via The Stroke in 4:57.
- It's probably unintentional, but that finish reeked of the "Nick Patrick Favors the nWo" angle then did in early 1997.
- The Harris Boys deliver an H-Bomb to Vampiro.
- A spraypainting follows as we end the show.
- While I would have liked to see Vampiro win, Jarrett needed to go over here to keep his status as a threat to Sid alive.
- That would have been a bit higher had the Harrises and Mamalukes not stepped into the match.
The Good: The interview segment between Ric Flair, The Total Package and Arn Anderson as well as the last two matches. Also, pushing The Wall as a bad-ass (despite sucking) and Vampiro as a title contender are signs that WCW is making an attempt to prepare for the future instead of relying solely on the Jurassic Era.
The Bad: Other than the interview segment mentioned above, the show really dragged until the final thirty minutes.
The Ugly: I think that Al Greene is wishing that the WXO didn't fold.

WCW Thunder - Wednesday, March 8, 2000

By Aldo

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