Starrcade ’99

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

Starrcade

December 19, 1999

MCI Center

Washington, D.C.

News & Notes: I have a lot of extra storylines to discuss, so let’s begin. First, Hall and Nash played a game of basketball with the TV Title belt and threw it in the trash. Elsewhere, some commentators grew tired of the powers. Zbyszko rebelled. He attempted to oust the powers by facing Hennig, but Larry lost his job instead. So Juvi replaced him on commentary while out with an injury, but Guerrera buried everyone. Meanwhile, the powers made La Parka their literal chairman. He attacked their enemies with a chair when the powers gave him the signal. Also, the powers employed what they call the power of the remote control. When something they don’t like happens, the lights go out, static plays on the screens, and an unseen person attacks the wrestlers.

Now I’ll mention a few new characters and gimmick changes. Jerry Flynn declared himself the master of The Block. This means he fights people in the boiler room until one man can’t continue. However, Tank Abbott took exception and came looking for a fight. Next, Chris Kanyon returned from filming Ready to Rumble with ladies on his arm and a bottle of champagne. He now calls himself Chris “Champagne” Kanyon. Plus, he brought his agent and legal advisor, J. Biggs (Clarence Mason). This drew the attention of Rhonda Singh (Bertha Faye). She tried to join the Nitro Girls to impress Biggs. In other news, Prince Iaukea adopted a new persona based on Prince. He dubbed himself the Artist Formerly Known as Prince Iaukea. Iaukea even has a valet named Paisley (Sharmell). Finally, Brad Armstrong started a Road Dogg parody named Buzzkill. He plays a hapless stoner.

The show once again opens with two video packages. In the first one, Scott Hudson gives brief explanations for every feud. Since I will discuss those in detail, I won’t repeat the information here. Then the second package focuses on Nash vs. Sid and Bret vs. Goldberg.

Afterward, we go straight to the entrances for the opening contest. We hear the commentators welcome us to the show, but they don’t show them yet.

Big Vito & Johnny the Bull (w/ Tony Marinara) vs. Disco Inferno & Lash LeRoux

Storyline: Tony Marinara brought the boys to Nitro as he promised. Their names are Johnny the Bull and Big Vito. Marinara told them to put Disco in a body bag and bring him to Tony’s father. So they attacked Disco while he wrestled LeRoux, but Lash helped Disco fend them off. Now Disco and Lash were their targets, but they outsmarted Vito and Johnny at every turn. Vito and Johnny became distracted by women at the club and playing strip poker with the Nitro Girls. This allowed Disco and Lash to tie Tony to a chair and tar and feather him. Next, Disco and Lash stole Vito’s car to escape. Finally, Vito fought Lash in a Body Bag Match. Lash won with Disco’s help, but the goons jumped Lash and stuffed him in the bag. However, Lash escaped while Vito and Johnny searched for the car.

The Match: Everyone brawls until Vito takes control of Lash. Vito and Johnny whip him around the ring, hit suplexes, and use double-teaming. Then Disco tags and fires back with a Manhattan Drop and Russian Leg Sweep. But he falls victim to more double teaming. Johnny and Vito lure Lash in for a ref distraction and wishbone Disco’s legs. Their onslaught lasts until Vito misses a frog splash. This leads to a hot tag and a wild brawl. Disco and Lash clean house with clotheslines, a backdrop, and a dropkick. Plus, Disco nails a facebuster and Lash does a modified Russian Leg Sweep. Afterward, the teams trade flying splashes and pin attempts. Since Disco and Lash are still in the ring, Vito shoves Lash into Disco. Disco thinks it’s Vito, so he gives Lash the Last Dance, and Vito covers for the win.

Thoughts: This was a solid tag team bout. It wasn’t flashy, but it told a decent story. Plus, Vito and Johnny had good chemistry as a team for two guys WCW threw together. Vito came from ECW, and Johnny was a Power Plant guy. As far as I know, they never teamed before now.

Winners: Big Vito & Johnny the Bull (9:40)

After the bell, Vito and Johnny attack Disco and hold him in place. Then Tony tweaks Disco’s nose before pouring ether on his face. With Disco unconscious, they stuff him in a body bag and carry him backstage. Disco shows life, so they pull him out of the bag. Vito throws Disco into the trunk of the car and they drive away.

Now they head to the announce desk. Scott Hudson is the newest member of the PPV team. They discuss the marquee matches, but one of them won’t happen. Scott Hall suffered an injury, so they stripped him of the US Title and gave it to Benoit by forfeit. Hudson calls Scott Hall Mr. Last Call, which feels like a cheap shot. He says it multiple times during the broadcast.

As if summoned, Benoit walks to the ring with the US gold in hand. Chris doesn’t like getting the belt this way. He says you win a championship in the ring. Chris also gives us a quote. He says you sweat more in peacetime and bleed less during wartime. He came to kick some ass, so Chris makes an open challenge for later. If someone wants it, they have to climb over the crippler in a Ladder Match.

Cruiserweight Title Match: Madusa vs. Evan Karagias (c) (w/ Spice)

Storyline: Madusa sweet-talked Evan into giving her a Cruiserweight Title shot, but Mona took exception. She wanted a chance as well, so the powers booked Evan vs. Madusa vs. Mona with Madusa’s shot on the line. Madusa convinced Evan to go to commentary and let her handle it. But when Evan tried to help Madusa, she rolled him up for the pin. Next, the powers gave Rhonda Singh a Cruiserweight Title opportunity as a joke. This angered Madusa, and she had them change it to her vs. Rhonda. Then Madusa used Evan to score the victory. Later, Evan flirted with Spice and got caught, which led to Madusa vs. Spice. When Evan cost Madusa the win, she attacked him. As a result, Evan brought Spice with him when he wrestled the Artist. But Madusa caused a loss and slapped Evan.

The Match: Madusa surprises Evan with a crossbody off the apron. It leads to brawling on the floor. They ram each other into the steps before heading inside. There, Evan scores a powerslam, but he misses a springboard moonsault. So Madusa capitalizes with a spin kick and diving dropkick. Next, Evan slams Madusa off the top rope and hits a sit-out bomb. When he covers, Madusa bridges out if it and tries a powerbomb. Evan almost lands on his head when he slips out of her grip! Thankfully, he recovers and they fight on the apron, where Evan gives her a hotshot. He follows with a flying plancha and rolls her inside, but Spice gets his attention. She distracts Evan with a kiss, so Madusa clubs Evan’s back and Spice throws a nut punch! This opens the door for Madusa’s bridging German and a three.

Thoughts: This was short, sloppy, and forgettable. The fans reacted to Madusa winning, but they hated the rest. This even received a small boring chant, despite its length. Plus, this was WCW’s answer to Chyna winning the Intercontinental championship. So this crowd saw right through it.

Winner: Madusa (New Champion) (3:32)

The commentators say Spice and Madusa set Evan up, and he fell for it. Heenan claims women always do this. (If Russo ever claims he put the belt on Madusa to empower women, remember this. They immediately insulted her for her win. It’s counterproductive.)

Gene interviews Norman Smiley about his Hardcore Title defense. He accuses Smiley of being afraid of Meng, so Norman corrects him. Smiley is cautious and wary, but he isn’t frightened. With that said, Norman screams. Gene tells him to relax. It was only a producer counting him down. So Norman says the producer shouldn’t make sudden moves. He’s a coiled spring waiting to explode! And tonight, Meng will learn this. Afterward, Norman asks if they are off the air. When Gene lies and says yes, Norman asks Gene to check if he soiled his pants. Gene tells Norman he did.

Then Norman enters the arena in Washington Redskins gear. He pushes a trash bin full of weapons and tosses a can into the ring. But Meng launches it at Norman’s head.

Hardcore Title Match: Norman Smiley (c) vs. Meng

Storyline: Finlay wanted to wrestle Norman for his Hardcore belt. Smiley didn’t have his protective gear, so he hid under a table. As a result, Finlay fought Knobs instead. After winning, Fit cut off Knobs’ mullet. Then Finlay took Brian under his wing and trained him to be a soldier. With them out of the way, Norman issued an open challenge. To his surprise, Rhonda Singh answered the call. Norman won after she crashed through a table. Unfortunately for Norman, WCW announced he would face Meng at the PPV. So Smiley hid in Vito’s body bag and Jerry Flynn’s block. The latter led to a wild brawl between Meng, Flynn, Norman, and Tank Abbott. Norman used the chaos to escape. But Meng almost caught Norman while he faced David Flair. So Norman used David’s teddy bear as a distraction and ran screaming into the night.

The Match: Meng hits Norman with the cart and bounces trash cans off his head. So Smiley leads Meng on a chase backstage. When Meng walks through the curtain, Norman meets him with ineffective chair shots. He also rams Meng into pieces of the entrance set. Then they head into the catering area. Smiley’s cookie sheet attacks only anger Meng, and he flips the tables. Next, Meng hurls a cinder block, so Norman sprays him with an extinguisher and hides under a table. As he does this, Finlay and Knobs jump Meng from behind. They hit him with everything they can find, but Meng puts a Death Grip on Brian. Nothing works until Finlay bends a pipe over Meng’s head. With Meng down, they leave, and Norman comes out of hiding. He nudges Meng with his foot before placing a hand on him for the three.

Thoughts: What we got was great fun, but it was far too short. They could have given this five more minutes. Despite heading backstage, you still heard the crowd reacting well to it. Even they wanted more. So I have to consider this disappointing.

Winner: Norman Smiley (4:29)

Nick Patrick checks on Meng, but Meng wakes up and puts the Death Grip on Nick!

Meanwhile, a delivery man knocks on David Flair’s locker room door. David opens the door and screams in his face. He asks what the man wants, so the man hands him a gift and leaves. David opens it to find a gold crowbar, which pleases him. Heenan points out David didn’t tip the man.

Elsewhere, Oklahoma and Dr. Death talk strategy and yell boomer sooner. Oklahoma also tells Steve he will wear a microphone and do live commentary on his match. Then Oklahoma leaves the dressing room, but the Misfits grab him and drag him away.

Next, Tenay interviews Duggan. He says Jim will defend America’s honor, but who are his partners? Jim won’t tell him because it would spoil the mystery. But he assures Mike they are true blue Americans. With that said, Duggan excuses himself to go defend the country.

This leads to the Revolution’s entrance. Shane Douglas promises to give Duggan a revolutionary ass beating. But Shane and company bail when Duggan arrives. Once he clears the ring, Duggan starts a USA chant while Hudson tries to talk over him. He stops, so someone must have told him to hush. Then Duggan introduces his partners. It’s the Varsity Club! Kevin Sullivan, Mike Rotunda, and Rick Steiner come to the ring with the former Kimona Wanalaya. She wears a cheerleader outfit, but the announcers don’t know her name. They will later call her Leia Meow. Also, Shane goes to commentary, despite being in this bout.

The Revolution (Shane Douglas, Saturn, Dean Malenko, & Asya) vs. Hacksaw Jim Duggan & The Varsity Club (Kevin Sullivan, Mike Rotunda, & Rick Steiner) (w/ The Cheerleader)

Storyline: Duggan’s janitorial woes continued. Jim ate Luger’s laxative brownies and clogged the powers’ toilet. So they made Duggan clean it with a toothbrush. Meanwhile, the Revolution felt America turned on them by cheering for a Canadian (Benoit). So they declared themselves a sovereign nation and disrespected the American flag. As you can imagine, this angered Duggan. When he came after them, Shane suggested a match. The Revolution would fight Jim and any partners he found. If Duggan wins, they will do his janitor’s job. But if he loses, Duggan must renounce his loyalty to America. Later, the Revolution thwarted Duggan’s attack. While he was down, they stuffed hot dogs and apple pie in his jumpsuit and covered him in mustard. But Duggan fought them again. This time, Aaron Neville helped him clear the ring.

The Match: Jim and the Varsity Club pinball Saturn with strikes. Plus, Duggan fends off Dean and Asya. When Malenko enters, he gets more of the same. Then Duggan nails his running clothesline and decks Saturn. But the rally ends when the Revolution double team him in their corner. Saturn hits a springboard dropkick and tries a moonsault. It misses, but Dean clocks Duggan with the Revolution’s flag. At this point, the commentators notice Jim isn’t trying to tag his partners. So the Varsity Club gets in the ring and causes a brawl. They put Asya in a tree of woe for Sullivan’s running knee. Afterward, Rotunda helps Jim to his feet—and nails him with a clothesline! This allows everyone to stomp Duggan and give him a low blow. With Duggan down, Douglas enters the ring and pins him.

Thoughts: This was a mess and a waste of time. I don’t like the storyline. Then the mystery partners were a disappointment. When you promise a surprise, people expect something good. You could hear a pin drop when Duggan introduced the Varsity Club. No one cared. Also, why lump Rick Steiner in with a nostalgia act? I know he was part of the Varsity Club, but he’s a current competitor with an ongoing angle.

Winners: The Revolution (4:53)

The result angers the commentators. They can’t believe Duggan must denounce America. Tony wonders if the Varsity Club turned on Jim because he wouldn’t tag them. As he says this, Douglas tells Duggan he has 24 hours to give up his American citizenship. Then they drape the Revolution’s flag over his body.

Elsewhere, Gene interviews the Misfits. They have Oklahoma locked in a cage, so Gene asks how and why they did this. Jerry Only says they wanted to make sure Oklahoma lives up to his end of the bargain. If Vampiro beats Dr. Death, he gets five minutes alone with Oklahoma. And they won’t let him run.

Afterward, they wheel Oklahoma’s cage to ringside. Oklahoma apologizes for everything he said and begs Schiavone for help. Tony says he has no stroke, so he can’t do anything. But Tony tells Oklahoma his family says hi. Tony also mocks Oklahoma by telling him about Dr. Death’s football history. When Williams arrives, Vampiro dives off the cage onto him.

Vampiro (w/ Misfits) vs. Dr. Death Steve Williams

Storyline: Vampiro finished his feud with Berlyn when The Wall had enough of Berlyn and left. Afterward, Vampiro and Jerry Only sought revenge on Oklahoma and Dr. Death. So Jerry Only faced Williams in a cage. During the fight, the Misfits poured BBQ sauce on Oklahoma. Plus, Jerry won when Dr. Death threw him out of the cage. Later, Vampiro and Jerry wrestled Oklahoma and Williams. Oklahoma wore a headset and did live commentary while fighting. Then he pinned Vampiro after hitting him with a cowboy boot. So they booked this match. If Vampiro wins, he gets five minutes with Oklahoma. This led to Vampiro and Dr. Death interfering in each other’s fights and causing losses. As a result, Williams powerbombed Vampiro on the floor and covered him in BBQ sauce.

The Match: They brawl outside until Williams backdrops Vampiro on a suplex attempt. Then they enter the ring and exchange chops. Next, Dr. Death scores a shoulder block and chop blocks, but he misses a corner charge. So Vampiro answers with a back suplex. This leads to fighting on the top rope, and Williams lands a release superplex. Sensing trouble, the Misfits swarm Dr. Death, but he fends them off. Oklahoma cries foul about their interference. Once Williams clears the ring, Vampiro nails a spin kick and does a wheel kick. However, Williams catches him in a back suplex. Wild punches follow, so the ref tries to stop it. But Williams shoves him twice and gets disqualified.

Thoughts: The action itself wasn’t bad. In fact, we were on our way to a decent brawl. But two things ruined this. Oklahoma’s running commentary was annoying. Plus, they had a disappointing finish. I felt bad for Williams and Vampiro. They had to work around this nonsense. Hell, I even felt bad for the Misfits’ involvement in this.

Winner: Vampiro (by DQ) (5:02)

Oklahoma freaks out when he realizes what happened. He says that shouldn’t count as a DQ. But once he sees Williams attack Vampiro, he gains confidence. As security tells Williams to leave, Oklahoma asks someone to open his cage so he can get Vampiro. Since Dillinger takes too long, Oklahoma calls him dumpy.

Vampiro (w/ Misfits) vs. Oklahoma

The Match: Oklahoma enters the ring and nudges Vampiro with his foot. Once he’s sure Vamp can’t retaliate, Oklahoma throws kicks and hits a DDT. Then he does the Oklahoma Stomp (Garvin Stomp). But Vampiro fires back with chops, and Oklahoma bails. He can’t get far because the Misfits roll him back inside. Plus, Oklahoma loses his headset. So Oklahoma throws a desperate low blow. It isn’t enough. Vampiro responds with an uranage, and the Misfits enter the ring. They pinball Oklahoma between them before Vamp ends it with a Nail in the Coffin.

Thoughts: I hate how Vamp had to sell for any of Oklahoma’s offense. Sure, Vamp won, but it does nothing for him. This is the story of Vampiro’s entire run in WCW. Even when they put him in bigger feuds, they still make him seem weak.

Winner: Vampiro (2:52)

Vampiro does his best to make the fans react, but they couldn’t care less. So Vamp celebrates with the Misfits instead. Tony wonders if this will end Dr. Death’s association with Oklahoma.

Backstage, Hennig, Shane, and Creative Control meet with the powers while La Parka watches over them. Hennig asks for any last-minute instructions, but it falls on the deaf ears of the distracted powers. They ask what Hennig is talking about. Curt reminds them about their match, so the powers tell him to go out there and win. They’re worrying about more important things. The powers have something big coming tonight.

Next, Tenay speaks with their opponents, Harlem Heat and Midnight. Mike says they could become #1 Contenders to the tag titles tonight, but what about their recent friction? Booker T says everything is fine, but Stevie interrupts him. He asks his brother to tell it like it is. They were fine until this overbearing and hard-headed grandstander joined them! This comment angers Midnight, so she asks why Stevie won’t say it to her face. But he ignores her and speaks to Booker. Stevie says they rose to the top together, but he won’t have Booker’s back tonight. With that said, Stevie walks away, and Booker tells him to come back.

This leads to Booker’s entrance. Then the lights go out and the bell tolls before Midnight appears in the ring. However, there is no Stevie Ray. The ref starts the bout without him.

Tag Team #1 Contender Match: Curt Hennig & Creative Control (w/ Shane) vs. Harlem Heat & Midnight

Storyline: After Mayhem, Hennig salvaged his career by siding with the powers. He tried to convince Arn Anderson to do the same, but Arn refused. However, Curly Bill took the offer. He even changed his name to Shane to amuse the powers. Afterward, the powers booked Hennig vs. Midnight to punish Midnight for attacking Creative Control. During the fight, there were multiple run-ins. Arn, Shane, and a returning Stevie Ray all interfered. So the powers had Creative Control and La Parka attack Harlem Heat. Then they created this six-person tag. It was almost for the tag titles because Creative Control held them for a short time. Unfortunately, Harlem Heat has another problem. Stevie Ray doesn’t like Midnight. His callousness toward her caused friction with Booker. Also, the powers punished Paul Orndorff for training Midnight. They made him fight Creative Control and fired Paul.

The Match: Booker uses heel kicks and a jumping forearm, but the twins control him with double-teaming. Even Midnight falls victim to their attacks. Soon, the action spills outside, where Hennig throws cheap shots. Next, the Twins beat on Booker and lure Midnight into the ring for distractions. But Booker scores an axe kick and tags Midnight again. She hits a dropkick and fends off Shane, but Hennig’s team triple-teams her. Because of the chaos, the ref misses Booker’s tag, and the onslaught continues. So Stevie has enough. He comes to the ring, but Booker asks him to leave. Afterward, Booker tags and lands a Harlem Sidekick and 110^th Street Slam. However, Stevie distracts the ref. This allows Hennig to punch Booker with a weapon and pin him.

Thoughts: I liked the story they told with this match. This wasn’t thrilling, but it was technically sound and advanced the angle. Also, I want to give Midnight credit. Everything I’ve seen from her has been good. I’m shocked the WWF never hired her after she left WCW. She has a great look.

Winners: Hennig & Creative Control (7:52)

After a recap, Tenay interviews Dustin Rhodes. Mike says Dustin will defend his family’s honor in a match his dad invented. Then Dustin says he arrived to find his dad was no longer with WCW. They told him it was only business, but Dustin calls this bad business. Jarrett bad-mouthed his father from day one, but it stops tonight. As Dustin says this, Jarrett attacks him from behind, and the fight begins. (On a side note, I want that Dusty Rhodes t-shirt Dustin wore.)

Bunkhouse Brawl: Jeff Jarrett vs. Dustin Rhodes

Storyline: Since the powers ended Jarrett’s favors, Jeff took matters into his own hands. He aligned with the Outsiders. Plus, Jarrett went crazy with attacks on Madusa, Bret, and even Mike Tenay! The latter caused Tenay to seek legal action. Meanwhile, Rhodes, Sid, and Benoit banded together to fight Jarrett and the Outsiders. So Jarrett challenged Dustin to a match his fat daddy made famous. It’s a Bunkhouse Brawl. Afterward, Jarrett scuffled with Benoit and faced Chris in a warm-up Bunkhouse Brawl. Rhodes tried to aid Benoit, but it backfired, and Jarrett hit Dustin with the guitar. Later, Rhodes wrestled Hennig. During the bout, Dustin tried to give Shattered Dreams to Shane. However, Seven’s music played, which distracted Dustin. Someone in Seven’s outfit floated to the ring. It was Jarrett. Jeff hit Dustin with another guitar and gave him the Stroke.

The Match: They brawl into the arena and find a wheelbarrow full of weapons. Dustin slams Jeff into the wheelbarrow before dumping him again. Next, Dustin ties a bull rope to Jeff’s arm and decks him with the cowbell. After dragging him around, Dustin throws powder into Jeff’s eyes. He also removes his belt and whips Jarrett. When the ref complains, Dustin tapes him to the ropes and covers his mouth with tape. So Hennig arrives to help. He passes weapons to Jeff, frees the referee, and breaks up pins. But Dustin has enough and pulls Curt inside. This leads to Shattered Dreams for Hennig and Jarrett. Later, they fight at the entrance and Dustin climbs, but he changes his mind. So Hennig attacks him and receives a bulldog for his trouble. As this happens, Jarrett climbs a nearby ladder and ends it with a flying guitar shot.

Thoughts: This could have been a fun brawl, but it had a few things working against it. This needed some blood. Plus, some parts of it made no sense. Why did Dustin tape the ref to the ropes? There were no disqualifications. I wanted to like this, but it didn’t click with me.

Winner: Jeff Jarrett (11:18)

Meanwhile, David Flair admires his gold crowbar under some surgical lights. (Is he in an operating room?) He also uses it to smash the remains of his teddy bear.

This leads to an interview with DDP. Gene says Page’s problems with David Flair come to a head tonight. The first superstar who reaches the crowbar can use it on their opponent. Then DDP says he’s tired of hearing about David’s problems. Any guy who comes after him and his wife with a crowbar has problems! Tonight, his hands will hold the crowbar because he’s the King of Bada Bing, Bada Boom, and Bada Bang!

With that said, DDP enters the arena. He sets off his pyro twice, and the second one startles some fans. While they recover, David jumps out of the crowd and attacks Page with his gold crowbar. Tony says it’s smart. David brought his own crowbar to the ring. Since Page is out on the floor, Charles Robinson tries to award the bout to David. Penzer even announces the decision, but Page shoves him and enters the ring.

Crowbar on a Pole Match: Diamond Dallas Page vs. David Flair

Storyline: WCW announced David Flair would face DDP with a crowbar on a pole. But DDP was still nursing his injury. Plus, David found someone else to terrorize. He went after the Maestro’s valet, Symphony (Ryan Shamrock). Amidst all the chaos, an obsessed fan named Daffney Unger sent David a headless teddy bear as a gift. It became David’s prized possession. Anyone who touched it felt David’s wrath. Then DDP came back and gave David a Diamond Cutter. But DDP had other issues. Kanyon returned from Hollywood with a new attitude and turned on the Triad. Next, DDP had an altercation with Buff Bagwell while doing commentary. Also, Luger roped DDP into his drama with Sting. Luger dressed like Sting and attacked DDP, which caused a fight between Sting and Page. So David Flair used the distractions to hit Dallas with the crowbar.

The Match: They trade strikes and pin attempts until DDP pokes the eyes. He also blocks a sunset flip, but David counters with a DDT. After arguing with the ref about the count, David chokes Page. Next, they fight in the corner until DDP scores a discus lariat. But David recovers and goes for the crowbar. When DDP stops him, David answers with a low blow and a Figure Four. However, Page reverses it. While Page recovers, David gets the crowbar and swings at Page. It misses, so DDP nails a Diamond Cutter for the win.

Thoughts: If you can pin your opponent at any time, what’s the point of the crowbar? In fact, it didn’t even factor into the finish! The other problem is, DDP and David had two interactions on TV since Mayhem. Both men had other storylines going. So why should anyone care about this contest? The only good takeaway from this feud is Daffney. But seeing her again is bittersweet.

Winner: DDP (3:53)

After the bell, DDP gives David a super Diamond Cutter and grabs the crowbar. He lifts it to attack, but Daffney runs to the ring and shields David from harm. She embraces him until DDP backs down. Afterward, Daffney pulls David to the floor and gives the camera a maniacal smile. A frustrated DDP almost gives Charles Robinson a Diamond Cutter, but he leaves. The events confuse the commentators until Heenan realizes Daffney is the obsessed fan from the video on Nitro.

Next, they recap the Sting/Luger feud before Luger’s entrance. Plus, we see Sting and Elizabeth walking backstage. Sting asks Liz if she brought her mace. She says yes, but Sting hands her a bigger can. He says it’s super high octane mace. Sting convinces Liz to throw the other one away and take his. But when they reach the ring, Luger attacks Sting.

Sting (w/ Elizabeth) vs. The Total Package

Storyline: Luger claimed he owned Liz’s contract, so he forced her to face Rhonda Singh in a mud pit. Plus, Luger locked Liz in a shark cage. Afterward, Liz turned to Sting for protection. He didn’t trust her, and her poor attempts to help Sting made things worse. So Sting told her to pick a side. Meanwhile, Luger tried to avoid a match with Sid until the powers changed it to a #1 Contender bout. Luger attempted to sway Liz to come back, but she refused. However, she helped Lex get a title shot by accident. But Luger lost to Bret when Sting and Liz distracted him. Later, Sting challenged Lex. If Sting wins, he nullifies Liz’s contract. Plus, Sting wanted to fight Luger on Thunder. During the melee, Lex bumped into Liz, and Sting checked on her. This allowed Luger to escape in his car.

The Match: They brawl to the floor and Luger rams Sting into the apron and the rail. Back inside, Luger shoves him into the corner and lands a suplex. But then Liz climbs on the apron to distract Luger. Sting and Liz bounce Luger back and forth with slaps and punches until Sting nails a dropkick. Afterward, Sting and Luger go down to a double clothesline, and Liz enters the ring. However, she checks on Luger. As this happens, Sting rises behind her and waits. Liz turns and sees him, so she tries to spray Sting with mace, but she discovers it’s Silly String! Sting laughs and tells her to get out. Then Sting hits Luger with a facebuster, flying splash, and Stinger Splash. Plus, he attempts the Scorpion Deathlock, but Liz returns and whacks him with the bat. It causes a DQ.

Thoughts: You could see the swerve coming from a mile away after the segment beforehand. Plus, the action was pedestrian. They filled time between story beats. The only credit I will give this is Liz’s bat attack. She got him good with it. It looked and sounded nice.

Winner: Sting (by DQ) (5:31)

With Sting down, Liz places a chair on Sting’s arm, and Luger stomps it. He also nails the chair and Sting’s arm with the bat. The officials arrive to stop him, but Luger did his damage. Luger leaves after threatening Doug Dillinger. Once he’s gone, the trainers help Sting out of the ring. However, they carry him in a way that puts all the weight on his broken arm. This makes them look like morons!

Powerbomb Match: Kevin Nash vs. Sid Vicious

Storyline: With Jarrett and the Outsiders running roughshod, Goldberg joined Sid’s campaign against them. They teamed together against the Outsiders, but Hall pinned Sid after Nash attacked him. Then they faced the Outsiders in a cage, but Jarrett used guitars on Sid and Goldberg. Afterward, Nash took offense because Sid called himself the Master of the Powerbomb. He challenged Sid to a Powerbomb Match. Nash threatened to powerbomb Sid to Hell. Sid claimed he would powerbomb Nash to the Earth’s core. Later, Sid won a Suplex vs. Powerbomb encounter with Dr. Death. However, Nash gave Sid a Jackknife after the bell. As a result, Sid and Benoit asked for a fight with the Outsiders. Since the Outsiders already had a match, the powers told Sid and Benoit to wrestle each other or face suspension. But Sid and Benoit called their bluff and brawled with the powers’ goons.

The Match: After a long lock-up, Nash hits his corner offense. Next, he evades a powerbomb before they fight outside. There, Nash attempts a Jackknife, but Sid stops it. This leads to brawling with a chair and the guardrail. Back inside, Sid nails a clothesline and leg drop, and he tries to rally the crowd. This allows Nash to recover and poke Sid’s eyes, but Sid reverses Nash into the referee. While the ref recovers, Sid kind of hits a powerbomb, but it looks bad. So Jeff Jarrett runs to the ring and smashes a guitar over Sid. Once Jeff clears the evidence, he helps Nash to his feet and leaves. The problem is, Nash’s back keeps giving out when he tries a Jackknife. So he revives the ref and tells him he powerbombed Sid. The ref buys it and awards the win to Nash.

Thoughts: This was ridiculous. The action was already dull, but then they added an insulting finish. Sid didn’t do enough to Nash’s back to warrant the ending. They built it as a marquee encounter and gave the fans this! The fans booed both men after the debacle.

Winner: Kevin Nash (6:58)

Afterward, Tenay interviews Benoit about his open challenge. He says it’s time, but who is Chris’s opponent? Benoit doesn’t know, but he says they will have to go through The Crippler to reach the prestige. They will learn what silent but violent is all about.

During Benoit’s entrance, Heenan calls him a fool. Bobby says you wouldn’t turn down $1000 if someone offered it to you on the street. So why didn’t Benoit take the title? However, Tony says Benoit has integrity, like Bret Hart. As he says this, Jeff Jarrett’s music plays. It surprises the commentators, and they sing Jeff’s praises for wrestling twice. Jarrett grabs a mic and says he already kicked one ass tonight. Why not make it two? Jeff also claims he will cripple and handicap Benoit when he’s done.

Ladder Match for the U.S. Title: Chris Benoit (c) vs. Jeff Jarrett

Storyline: After Mayhem, Benoit faced Jarrett and Sting in a triple threat. Benoit won when Dustin Rhodes attacked Jarrett and pulled Benoit on top of him. Then Benoit & Bret joined the cage fight against the Outsiders with Piper as the ref. Benoit pinned Hall following a flying headbutt off the cage. Afterward, they booked Hall vs. Benoit in a Ladder Match. Hall told Benoit to rent old WWF tapes to see what Hall can do. After all, Hall claimed he invented the match. Next, Benoit wrestled Nash while Hall did commentary on top of a ladder. Hall saved Nash from a loss by hitting the ref, and he tried to give Benoit an Outsiders Edge on the ladder. However, Sid saved Chris. This led to more altercations with the Outsiders and Jarrett. Finally, on the go-home Thunder, someone jumped Hall in his locker room and injured him.

The Match: Benoit scores a backbreaker and superplex before going for the ladder. But Jarrett kicks the ladder into Benoit’s face and drops him on it. It leaves Benoit bloody. Next, Jeff stops Benoit’s climb. He also crotches Benoit on the ropes and the ladder, before pushing the ladder over. However, Benoit fights and puts Jarrett in a ladder of woe. As Chris climbs, Jarrett shakes the ladder until it falls. After more back and forth, Benoit climbs again, so Jarrett dropkicks the ladder. Benoit crashes, but he recovers and shoves the ladder into Jarrett’s face. This allows him to climb to the top, except Chris doesn’t grab the belt. Instead, he does a flying headbutt from the top. With Jarrett down, Benoit reaches the belt.

Thoughts: This was great. It wasn’t long, and it didn’t focus on too many high spots. But it was hard-hitting. Plus, Jarrett competed in two rough gimmick matches in one night. It’s impressive. This also made Benoit look amazing. And the fans loved the finish.

Winner: Chris Benoit (10:15)

Tenay interviews Bret Hart before the main event. He says tonight we find out who is the best. Then Bret says he is a man of his word. He promised Bill would lose. Plus, Bret knew he would have to face Goldberg ever since he became champion. But tonight, he will prove he is the best there is, was, and ever will be. It will happen whether Goldberg likes it or not.

Meanwhile, Michael Buffer returns after missing a few WCW shows. He even changed up his catchphrase. Buffer says we are ready to rumble. Once he says this, the champion enters first. (Boo!) Next, Goldberg headbutts his door and draws blood before entering the arena. When he arrives, Goldberg shakes Bret’s hand.

No DQ Match for the WCW Title: Bret Hart (c) vs. Goldberg

Storyline: Bret offered Goldberg a WCW Title shot after Mayhem. Then Bret aided Goldberg, Rhodes, Sid, and Benoit in their fight. However, the Outsiders helped Bret defeat Meng for unknown reasons. Bret never saw their interference. Meanwhile, the powers demoted Piper to being a referee. They declared all referee decisions were final, but they told Piper to do the right thing. Instead, Piper helped Bret and Goldberg defeat Creative Control for the tag titles! Since Piper was defiant, the powers made him referee his own I Quit Match with Creative Control. Plus, they put Piper in a Chair Match with Hennig. Later, the Outsiders captured the tag gold when someone jumped Bret backstage. This led to a House of Pain encounter between the Outsiders and Bret & Goldberg. Piper tried to officiate, but it became chaos. The Outsiders and Jarrett cuffed everyone and used pipes and guitars on them.

The Match: Bret tries to take it to the mat, so Goldberg does a rolling leglock. When Bret almost turns it into a Sharpshooter, Bill shoves him away. Then things break down. They wipe out multiple refs in their battle. During the chaos, Bret uses the ring post Figure Four. He also does a regular Figure Four after attacking the leg. Goldberg’s escape only leads to more leg work. The problem is, they clip the ref again. While the ref is down, Goldberg gives Bret a legitimate kick to the head! Plus, he scores a spear, but there is no ref. So Piper arrives with a somber look on his face. When he reaches the ring, Bret puts Goldberg in a Sharpshooter. But Piper calls for the bell before he finishes and walks away with the belt.

Hudson says it’s Montreal all over again. A confused Bret chases Roddy down the aisle, so Piper hands him the title and leaves.

Thoughts: This had the makings of a good contest until you add in the infamous kick and stupid finish. The WWF already reused the Montreal ending. WCW didn’t need to do it too. It’s sad this was Bret Hart’s final PPV. (Yes, I know about 2010, but you understand what I mean.) I won’t belabor the point about the kick. Bret did that enough over the years. It was unfortunate, but Goldberg didn’t do it on purpose. The big problem is, Bret continued working for two more weeks. He didn’t realize the severity of his concussion. Bret was one of the wrestlers who hooked me on wrestling, so this is sad.

Winner: Bret Hart (12:07)

The Good:

• The Ladder Match was great.

• The opener was solid.

• Norman Smiley was entertaining as always.

The Bad:

• The main event and Bret’s injury.

• Oklahoma

• The Powerbomb Match.

• Duggan & The Varsity Club vs. The Revolution.

Observations:

• It took WCW two weeks to forget about David Flair’s crowbar attack on Arn Anderson. Arn returned to TV fine with no explanation.

• Apparently, WCW keeps random shark cages backstage for—reasons.

• I didn’t mention this in the opening section, but Russo reused the referee protest/strike storyline on TV. He waited two and a half months to bring it back.

Performer of the Night:

I’m giving it to Jeff Jarrett. He impressed me by wrestling in two hard-hitting gimmick matches.

Final Thoughts:

This event contained some nice stuff, but the bad overshadowed the good. You could use this PPV as exhibits A through Z of everything wrong with WCW at the time. On top of the insulting finishes and bad gimmicks, we also had a career-ending injury! It will only get worse because there are a few more injuries on the horizon. Plus, WCW is about to get buyer’s remorse with Russo.

Thank you for reading. Now you’re probably expecting the Best of the 90s Part 2 entry next. However, I discontinued the series. They were my least-viewed articles. So it’s not worth the extra time. Therefore, my next review is ECW’s Guilty as Charged 2000. Look for it next Sunday.