Souled Out ’99

(All screen captures are the property of World Wrestling Entertainment)

Souled Out

January 17, 1999

Charleston Civic Center

Charleston, West Virginia

News & Notes: Ric Flair challenged Eric Bischoff the night after Starrcade. He promised to retire if he lost. But if he won, Flair became WCW’s president for ninety days. Bischoff tried to run from the fight, but the Horsemen dragged him to the ring. Then the Giant interfered. A returning Randy Savage and his new girlfriend thwarted the plan. Flair defeated Bischoff and took control of the company. He relegated Bischoff to commentary, but Eric refused to speak. So Ric put him on the ring crew instead. Flair also rehired JJ Dillon and gave him his old job. Dillon then ordered the new WCW champion to defend his belt at SuperBrawl IX. However, I don’t mean Nash when I say the new champ.

Nash offered Goldberg a rematch at the Georgia Dome Nitro. He felt Goldberg deserved it after Scott Hall’s actions. But the police arrested Bill when he arrived at the building. Miss Elizabeth accused him of stalking her. Nash blamed Hogan for the ruse. He spotted Hollywood laughing as the cops detained Goldberg. Nash challenged Hogan instead. Liz recanted her story, but it was too late. Goldberg arrived in time to witness the ultimate swerve. Nash and Hogan faced each other. Hogan poked Nash in the chest, and Kevin fell to the mat. Hollywood then covered Nash to win the WCW Title. The nWo reunited after months of fighting. They attacked Goldberg, tased him, and spray painted the belt with red paint. (This was the infamous Finger Poke of Doom. Nash claims it was Hogan’s idea. He played his creative control card.)

Here is the rundown of other news. This unified nWo has two groups. The elite wears red and black. Then the B-Team wears black and white. Disco Inferno’s spot in these groups is up in the air. Nash told him to earn his colors. Meanwhile, WCW stripped Rick Steiner of the tag belts. They created a tourney for new champs, but the nWo protested it. The Outsiders believe they should have the gold. Also, Raven’s mom brought him home to get help. We met his sister Chastity and his neighbor Jim (Sandman). Kanyon came with him, but Raven wasn’t cooperating. Next, Jimmy Hart started a stable he calls the First Family. Meng and Barbarian joined him. Finally, Eddie Guerrero had a bad car accident over the holiday weekend. We won’t see him for a while.

They interrupt the broadcast for a special report from WCW’s president. Flair stands before us, humbled by this premiere event. WCW is in control. He thanks everyone who remained loyal. Flair calls WCW the strongest organization in wrestling. Hundreds of people stand behind him. He isn’t alone. Flair promises to persevere against the nWo. (He pronounces it peer-suh-veer. Was that the best take they had?) This time, WCW will reign supreme. WCW reunited, and it looks very good.

Tony welcomes us to the 1999 PPV season. Fireworks explode around the entrance. We see someone crossed out nWo on the logo. Then they discuss the biggest matches on the card. There is a Stun Gun Ladder Match between Goldberg and Scott Hall. Heenan thinks Hall needs to run for his life. Also, Ric Flair will team with his son David against Hennig and Windham. Tenay says David Flair is under a microscope, but Ric trusts him. Meanwhile, Jericho wrestles Saturn. The loser must wear a dress. Plus, the cruiserweights will compete in a Four Corners contest.

Next, Tony plugs the hotline, but a disturbance backstage interrupts him. The cameraman discovers Goldberg on the floor of his locker room. Bill holds his leg in pain. He sees the cameraman and tells him to leave. Goldberg throws a chair at the camera. It confuses the commentators. Was he attacked, or did he fall? Heenan wants more information, but it is time for the first bout.

Chris Benoit vs. Mike Enos

Notes: This has no build. Benoit helped the Horsemen against Hennig and Windham. He faced Windham, but Hennig cost him the victory. Then Benoit and Mongo teamed to fight Hennig and Windham. Hennig used a chair to cause a DQ. Meanwhile, Enos paired with Bobby Duncum Jr. and entered the tag tournament. The nWo ruined their first bout. Afterward, they postponed the tourney because of the nWo’s protests. But Enos and Duncum found success as a team.

The Match: They trade strikes and spit at each other. Benoit even shoots snot rockets. Chris then hits a dragon screw leg whip. Enos answers with a gut-wrench backbreaker and a powerslam. He continues with bear hugs, a Manhattan Drop, and a suplex. Benoit rallies with chops, a sunset flip, and pin reversals. But Enos cuts off his comebacks with eye rakes and headbutts. Benoit rebounds again with rolling Germans and a flying headbutt. So Enos uses a back elbow and a weak clothesline. (The fans boo him for it.) He tries another, but Benoit counters into a Crossface for the win.

Thoughts: It wasn’t bad, but this was pointless. Benoit gave Enos too much. The action became dull when Mike controlled it. This isn’t an established feud, and they aren’t pushing Enos. Having Benoit struggle with Enos doesn’t make Chris look good. However, the crowd still reacted well to Benoit’s moves. They like him, which is why he needs better than this.

Winner: Chris Benoit (10:34)

They recap the Hall/Goldberg feud. We see Hall using the stun gun on Goldberg at Starrcade and on Nitro. Goldberg calls it the worst mistake of Hall’s life. Then they show JJ Dillon announcing the Stun Gun Ladder Match. He does it in the most long-winded and awkward way possible. Goldberg tells Hall he’s first at Souled Out.

Then Norman Smiley enters the arena. He carries an urn filled with Pepe’s remains. Norman shows it to Penzer, who looks disgusted. Chavo spots it when he arrives and chases Smiley. Norman taunts him with the wood chips.

Norman Smiley vs. Chavo Guerrero Jr.

Notes: Smiley wrestled Chavo the night after Starrcade. Norman won by using Pepe as a distraction. But Chavo defeated Smiley in a rematch with a roll-up. An angry Norman hurled Pepe at Chavo. He then scored revenge by costing Guerrero a match against Disco Inferno. Norman taunted Chavo by giving Pepe the Big Wiggle. Later, Chavo threw a birthday party for Pepe. Norman crashed it, shoved Chavo into the cake, and stole Pepe. He rode the hobby horse around the arena until he found a wood chipper. Smiley tossed poor Pepe inside and destroyed him.

The Match: Norman stalls, regroups, and lures Chavo into a trap. Chavo answers with crossbodies and a springboard bulldog. After a hotshot in the corner, Norman takes it to the mat for various holds. He fends off Chavo’s rallies and twists him into different submissions. We see a surfboard, a bodyscissors, and a front chancery. Norman also adds a swinging neckbreaker and a double stomp. Chavo tries more pins, but Smiley returns to the holds. This includes a Gory Special to add insult to injury. Chavo rebounds with victory rolls, so Norman pokes the eyes. Then they block each other’s finishers. A frustrated Smiley grabs the urn and throws sawdust in Chavo’s eyes. The ref sees it and does nothing. It allows Smiley to do the Norman Conquest for a victory.

Thoughts: This was disappointing. I expected better. They started hot, but Norman slowed the pace. His usual submissions weren’t good. He seemed unsure what to do, so they looked sloppy. The crowd reacted well to his taunts. They like Norman and wanted to enjoy this. But he gave them little to work with. Plus, the finish made no sense. Why would the ref allow Smiley’s blatant cheating?

Winner: Norman Smiley (15:44)

Mark Madden interviews Konnan at the internet booth. (Where is Lee Marshall?) Madden reminds Konnan he once said the Wolfpac was forever. But Nash gave K-Dawg a beating that lasted forever. He can’t let it go unpunished! Konnan says he ran with Nash and Luger. They showed him love and offered him advice. He wants to know who ordered them to kick him out. Konnan promises to hunt them down. Tony says the Wolfpac stabbed him in the back.

Fit Finlay vs. Van Hammer

Notes: Here is another contest with no build. Finlay also entered the tag tournament with Dave Taylor as his partner. They won their first-round bout before the nWo halted the competition. In other news, Van Hammer changed his gimmick since leaving the Flock. He is a hippie. Hammer wears tie-dye and gives people the peace sign. That’s the character. It contains little depth.

The Match: Hammer gets some early offense, but Finlay answers with strikes. He also uses a short-arm clothesline, a jawbreaker, and a slam. Fit continues with hard uppercuts, elbows, and punches. Hammer rallies with a headbutt and grabs a leg grapevine. Finlay breaks it by ripping at Van’s face. Next, Hammer nails his own jawbreaker and a baseball slide. It leads to fighting on the apron. Finlay knocks Van down and snaps his head across the ropes. Then Finlay charges into the corner and crashes. Hammer capitalizes with a big boot and a powerslam. However, Finlay catches Hammer with a rolling fireman’s carry. He then finishes it with a Tombstone.

Thoughts: This was dull and meaningless. The crowd was dead. They don’t want to be. The fans showed energy during the first two bouts. But they’re trying to drive the life out of them. The PPV isn’t off to a good start.

Winner: Fit Finlay (7:54)

Next, they recap Flair’s issues with Windham and Hennig. Ric vowed to get a piece of them. David Flair offered to team with his dad, but Ric said he wasn’t ready. Arn Anderson disagreed. He said David knew what he was doing. Hennig accused Ric of sacrificing his kid’s well-being. Windham said Ric was leading him to the slaughter.

Bam Bam Bigelow vs. Wrath

Notes: Wrath issued an open challenge on Nitro. Bam Bam answered, but the match ended in a no contest. They brawled to the back before it began. Then Bigelow scored some squash victories until he faced Scott Hall. Wrath shoved Bam Bam off the top rope. It allowed Hall and Disco Inferno to use the stun gun on Bigelow for the victory. A furious Bigelow searched for Wrath backstage. He demanded a fight with him at the PPV. Later, Wrath wrestled El Dandy, but Bigelow interrupted it and scuffled with Wrath.

The Match: They shove each other around and trade strikes. Then Bam Bam regroups after Wrath nails a bicycle kick. Bigelow returns, but he misses a falling headbutt. Wrath answers with a facebuster and arm holds. He also surprises Bam Bam with a boot in the corner and a diving clothesline. But Bigelow takes control with headbutts, choking, and chinlocks. Wrath rebounds with a dropkick and a shoulder block. However, Bigelow lands a powerslam and a DDT. Next, we get a double down. When they reach their feet, Wrath uses corner clotheslines. He tries another, so Bigelow shoves him into the post. Bam Bam capitalizes with the Greetings from Asbury Park for the win.

Thoughts: I hoped for a good hoss battle, but this was slow and boring. Bam Bam did little, but he still blew up. His conditioning isn’t great. This was mostly punching, kicking, and chinlocks. Giving Wrath the Greetings was impressive, but the rest wasn’t. One vocal fan told Bigelow how much he hated this bout. It was the only amusing part.

Winner: Bam Bam Bigelow (9:23)

Next, Konnan arrives for what Tony calls a back-stabbing match. Konnan says Kevin and Lex started this. The Wolfpac is for life, but K-Dawg is a vato loco forever! He tells Luger to toss his salad and peel his potatoes. Heenan calls him the galloping gourmet. Then Luger has something to say. He feels unnecessary anger from Konnan. What Lex gave him was a love tap and a wake-up call. Konnan didn’t make the cut for the new nWo. He gives Konnan a chance to walk away, or he will beat his brains out. Konnan punches Luger.

Lex Luger vs. Konnan

Notes: Konnan defended the TV Title against Scott Steiner. Luger cost K-Dawg the match and the gold, but it seemed to be an accident. Konnan had a rematch, but Buff caused a DQ to preserve Scott Steiner’s reign. Then Luger bullied Rey Mysterio because Rey wouldn’t remove his LWO shirt. Konnan asked Luger to stop, so Nash and the nWo appeared. Kevin and Luger attacked Konnan and removed his Wolfpac gear. They kicked Konnan out of the group and Hall zapped him with the stun gun.

The Match: Konnan flusters Luger with strikes and a Manhattan Drop. Lex regroups, so they fight outside. When they return, they ram each other into the corner. Then Luger knocks Konnan to the floor again. He focuses on K-Dawg’s back. Lex uses axehandles, elbows, and bear hugs. An injured Konnan bails to recover. But Luger stops the ref’s count and brings Konnan back. However, Konnan rallies. He nails a crossbody, a rolling clothesline, and a seated dropkick. Konnan also puts Lex in the Tequila Sunrise. This draws Miss Elizabeth to the ring. The ref checks on Luger, so Liz sprays paint in Konnan’s eyes. It allows Luger to put Konnan in the Rack for the win.

Thoughts: Konnan’s selling was good in this. If Lex’s offense was more exciting, that might mean something. I liked Konnan’s performance, but the action wasn’t great. The only upside was the fans were hot for it.

Winner: Lex Luger (9:31)

Up next is Jericho vs. Saturn. The loser must wear a dress. Ralphus carries a paper bag to the ring. Heenan thinks it’s either his luggage or his lunch. Tony says it’s the dress. Heenan asks, “A paper dress!?” Tony says, “In the bag, moron!” Then Jericho tears up a fan’s Jerichoholic sign. Meanwhile, Tenay explains they changed the stipulation. The original rule only applied to Saturn. Now both men are in danger of wearing the dress. Also, Tony notices Scott Dickinson is the ref. He wonders why Dillon would allow this. They also talk about how Saturn and Dickinson trained and worked the indies together.

Loser Must Wear a Dress: Chris Jericho (w/ Ralphus) vs. Saturn

Notes: Saturn’s issues with referee Scott Dickinson continued. Perry wrestled Jericho, and Dickinson screwed him. He called for the bell while Chris had Saturn in the Liontamer. Then Jericho and Dickinson cost Saturn a bout with Ernest Miller. Saturn scored revenge by ruining Jericho’s chance to regain the TV Title. Perry pulled Dickinson out of the ring and performed the three count himself. Saturn complained about Jericho and Dickinson and demanded a match. Chris said Saturn cried so much he should wear a dress. Jericho would only agree to the contest if Saturn wore a dress when he lost. Saturn accepted it after some goading. Later, Dickinson counted a pinfall on Saturn after Jericho knocked him out with a snow shovel. Chris tried to put the dress on Perry, but he failed.

The Match: They trade strikes and takedowns. Dickinson admonishes Jericho for cheap tactics. Saturn scores kicks, a slam, and a springboard leg drop. Jericho answers with a hotshot, a triangle dropkick, and a plancha. He also uses suplexes and a cocky pin. After some chinlocks, Jericho performs a Lionsault. Saturn raises his knees. He then catches Jericho with a t-bone suplex and a sit-out flapjack. Jericho fights, but Saturn does a catapult and a flying splash. Then they exchange pin attempts and fight on the top rope. Later, Saturn blocks a Liontamer and hooks an inside cradle. However, Dickinson reverses the pin and does a fast count!

Thoughts: It was pretty good. They had some shaky moments, but it was still decent. I’m even fine with the finish. It fits the storyline and gives it a reason to continue. This wasn’t outstanding, but it was the match of the night so far.

Winner: Chris Jericho (11:44)

Jericho hands Dickinson the bag and shoves him. He tells Scott to give it to Saturn. Perry yanks it away from Scott. Heenan says Saturn is a man of his word, so he’ll put on the dress. Bobby also says the last time he saw a bald person in a dress was Okerlund’s sister. A reluctant Saturn puts the dress on, so Jericho jumps for joy. Then Saturn buries his face in his arms, so Dickinson tries to zip the dress. Perry chases him out of the ring. Jericho, Ralphus, and Dickinson laugh at Saturn as they leave. Tony thinks Dillon should reprimand and suspend Dickinson.

David Flair is in the internet booth. They let the other guy ask the questions this time. He says David will team with his legendary father against two former Horsemen. What’s going through David’s mind? David says he’s nineteen and not a wrestler, but he is there for his dad. Then they ask if David worries about injuries. David says if it happens, it happens. He only wants his dad’s respect.

Next is the cruiserweight Four Corners contest. They held a coin toss backstage to determine who starts the bout. Wrestlers can tag in at any time. Tony doesn’t know who won the toss. He corrects himself a few times. Tenay says Psychosis is the hungriest because he never won the title. Then we learn Kidman and Rey won the toss, but Juvi and Psychosis complain about it.

Four Corners Match for the Cruiserweight Title: Kidman (c) vs. Rey Mysterio Jr. vs. Juventud Guerrera vs. Psychosis

Notes: Rey and Kidman teamed to face the LWO. They lost because of miscommunications between Mysterio and Kidman. Then Kidman defended the Cruiserweight Title against Psychosis. Juvi caused a DQ. It almost started a brawl, but the nWo attacked everybody. This led to WCW booking a Four Corners Match for the belt. However, things changed after Eddie had his car accident. Ric Flair offered the LWO members fame and fortune if they laid down their LWO shirts. Everybody accepted the offer, except for Rey. He walked away. The nWo took exception to Rey keeping his LWO colors, so Luger confronted him. Konnan came to Rey’s rescue.

The Match: Rey and Kidman trade headscissors and takedowns until Juvi and Psych jump them. Then Kidman and Rey tag them and make them fight. (Tony doesn’t understand.) They exchange strikes and pin attempts until they reach a stalemate. Rey and Kidman won’t let them tag out, but everyone still fights. It leads to action on the floor. Juvi and Psych argue over who will dive off the apron. So Rey and Kidman do stereo sunset bombs. They also give Juvi a springboard Doomsday Device! Everyone breaks up pins and they head outside once more. They take turns doing dives. Psych does a swanton onto both Kidman and Rey! Later Juvi and Kidman scuffle while Rey deals with Psychosis. Kidman blocks a Juvi Driver and climbs. He watches Rey do a diving hurricanrana to Psych. Billy spots an opening, so he lands an SSP for the victory.

Thoughts: The action was fun and exciting, but the rules detracted from it. I don’t like Four Corners Matches. Why would you tag out and risk losing? Even the commentators couldn’t make sense of it. You could hear their confusion. However, this was enjoyable, despite the convoluted structure.

Winner: Kidman (14:25)

Booker T is at the internet booth, but he talks about Jericho vs. Saturn. He doesn’t like the way Jericho won. Jericho takes offense to this and has something to say, but Booker interrupts him. He calls Jericho’s win a tainted victory. He has the ref in his back pocket! Booker wants to do something about it. Jericho dares Booker to face him on Nitro. If he’s not careful, he’ll put a dress on him too! Jericho then calls him Mr. T. Booker tells him to bring it. Chris walks away and mutters it wasn’t his fault he got a three count on Saturn.

Now it is time for Hennig and Windham vs. The Flairs. Ric and David chase Hennig and Windham away when they arrive. Ric calls them Horsemen rejects. He dares them to enter the ring. Hennig promises to whip both their asses, but he wants the ref to remove Arn Anderson. The ref refuses. Ric tells them to stop stalling. He threatens to fire Hennig if he doesn’t get in there. He tells Curt to either go home or back to the WWF. They oblige, but Windham wants David to start the bout. Ric says no until David talks him into it.

Ric & David Flair (w/ Arn Anderson) vs. Curt Hennig & Barry Windham

Notes: Flair wanted to face Hennig and Windham alone, but David asked to team with his dad. Ric didn’t believe he was ready, so Arn vouched for the kid. Hennig and Windham accepted the challenge. Curt said Flair was leading his son to the slaughter. After all, Hennig once ended the Horsemen. Hennig promised to handicap David Flair. Then Hennig and Windham had warm-up bouts against the other Horsemen. They resulted in the typical nWo shenanigans. Ric wrestled Hennig on Nitro. Windham targeted David to distract Flair and caused a DQ. David handed his dad a chair to fend off the attack. He also came to Ric’s aid when the nWo jumped Flair. It backfired. Windham punched David and held him for a chair shot as the show concluded.

The Match: David surprises Barry with takedowns, headscissors, and a hip toss. Then Ric tags in and trades chops with Windham and Hennig. They also exchange eye pokes, but Hennig takes control. He uses a neck whip and sends Ric into the corner for a Flair Flip. Next, Hennig and Windham lure David in for ref distractions. They attack Ric, and Windham lands a superplex. Ric rallies, but Hennig targets the leg. He puts Ric in the Figure Four with leverage. Ric breaks free and scores pin attempts, but Hennig stops the rally. More double teaming leads to Hennig scuffling with Arn. He fends him off and returns to the double-teaming. David ends it with a low blow. He tags into the bout and everyone brawls. Hennig tries a Hennig Plex, but Arn decks him with a tire iron behind the ref’s back. David falls on Hennig for the pin.

Thoughts: It was fine. When Ric was in the ring, it was a typical Flair match. They kept David’s participation to a minimum, which is a good idea. The crowd was hot for it. This did what it needed to. I don’t mind them using David for the storyline, but it’s clear he doesn’t have his dad’s skills. It should have been a onetime thing.

Winners: Ric & David Flair (13:56)

The nWo B-Team arrives and jumps the Horsemen. Benoit comes to the rescue, but the numbers are too great. Then the elite joins the fray. They corner David and cuff Ric to the ropes. The nWo bullies David, and Hogan shoves him over a kneeling Buff Bagwell. They rip off David’s shirt and Hogan whips him with the weight belt. He then spray paints EZE on David’s back. Hogan taunts a crying Ric Flair. He says this was for Bischoff. After punching David, Hogan cuts a promo for the camera. He promises to rule America with an iron fist. Hogan also tells Bischoff he loves him. Next, Hogan tells Flair he’s lucky he allows him to live in his world. Finally, Hogan whips David again and leaves. Ric hugs his son with tears in his eyes.

They show a video package for the main event. It is grainy black and white footage of Scott Hall tasing a handcuffed Goldberg. They slowed the footage and the sound to make it dramatic. Then we see the nWo spray paint Goldberg. Afterward, Hall zapped Bill a few more times.

Then Buffer introduces the bout and explains the rules. The stun gun hangs over the ring. You win by grabbing it and zapping your opponent. This leads to Hall’s entrance. However, Tony continues talking about what happened to the Flairs. He says no one is safe from the nWo. When Hall enters the ring, he has good news and bad news. The good news is the fans get to watch him. But the bad news is there won’t be a match. Hall claims Goldberg wet his pants, slipped in it, and hurt his knee. Scott tells the ref to raise his hand, but Goldberg’s music plays. Buffer apologizes for Hall’s false announcement. Goldberg arrives with a brace on his knee. Randy Anderson hangs the stun gun on a hook, but Hall says it is too high.

Stun Gun Ladder Match: Goldberg vs. Scott Hall

Notes: After the Finger Poke of Doom, Scott Hall went crazy with the stun gun. He attacked anyone he could find. He even received help from Disco Inferno. Goldberg, Bam Bam, and The Giant were Hall’s biggest victims. Then Ric Flair reinstated JJ Dillon. One of Dillon’s first decisions was booking this encounter. It didn’t deter Hall from his antics. He returned the favor and helped Disco beat Super Calo. Scott zapped poor Calo. He then told Goldberg to rent tapes of his old Ladder Matches if he wanted to know what to expect. Goldberg vowed revenge. The streak was over. It wasn’t about who was next. The new question is who’s left.

The Match: The momentum shifts back and forth until Hall targets Bill’s leg. Then they fight over the ladder on the floor. Hall baseball slides the ladder into Goldberg and rams him into the steps. It busts Goldberg open. Hall continues with an elbow off the ladder. Goldberg answers with a back suplex off of it. Next, they use the ladder as a weapon on each other. Both men climb. Hall dropkicks the ladder to stop Bill. Goldberg pushes it over to thwart Hall. This happens twice, so Disco arrives to help. It allows Hall to grab the stun gun, but Goldberg fends off Inferno. He nails a sidekick, and the gun falls outside. Goldberg gets it. Hall backs off. Then Goldberg tosses it in the air. Goldberg uses the distraction to hit a spear and a Jackhammer. He then tases the downed Hall for the win.

Thoughts: It was pretty good. This was a Ladder Match between two big men, so you can’t expect crazy spots. They made up for it with good intensity and drama. Plus, I liked the finish. The blood also helped, but it’s a shame WCW wouldn’t show close shots of it.

Winner: Goldberg (17:45)

Bam Bam Bigelow storms to the ring and scuffles with Goldberg. Bigelow stomps him in the corner until Scott Hall recovers. He zaps both men with the stun gun and falls over. Tony says Goldberg won the match, but Hall got the vengeance.

The Good:

• The cruiserweight match was enjoyable.

• The Ladder Match was good.

• Jericho/Saturn was solid.

The Bad:

• Pointless matches.

• Smiley/Chavo was disappointing.

• The first half of the show was dull.

Observations:

(This is a new section where I’ll discuss various thoughts on the show and booking decisions.)

• WCW has two crooked ref stories happening, and they’ll add another in the coming months. Dammit, Nash!

• Why didn’t Scott Steiner defend the TV Title on this show? It would have been better than the pointless bouts.

• Was Rick Steiner injured, or did they give up on his angle? They stripped him of the tag titles after two months.

Performer of the Night:

I’m giving it to the participants in the Four Corners Match. It was exciting. They saved this from being a terrible show.

Final Thoughts:

The first half of this PPV was a slog. They filled it with dull action and meaningless contests. WCW only had three weeks to build this event, but that’s no excuse for this card. The final hour saved it from being terrible, but it was still a lackluster show. This isn’t a great way to begin the year. They are already hurting from the poor booking choices. It also doesn’t help the WWF is on fire.

Thank you for reading. My next review is the WWF’s Royal Rumble ’99. Look for it next Sunday.