Fall Brawl 2000

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

Fall Brawl

September 17, 2000

HSBC Arena

Buffalo, New York

News & Notes: Russo told the Cat to redo the #1 Contender match after New Blood Rising, but Nash didn’t understand why. If Scott Hall wouldn’t get a second chance, neither would Steiner. Nash threatened to disrupt the show if he didn’t receive his shot. However, Steiner attacked Booker with a pipe when Booker came to meet with Nash. Then, on Thunder, Rick Steiner tried to fight Nash for an opportunity. This time, Goldberg jumped Rick backstage, so the contest never happened. It seemed we would get Nash vs. Booker, so the two men shook hands, but Nash beat up Booker. Booker had disrespected Russo, so Russo, Nash, Steiner, and Jarrett formed an alliance. Afterward, Russo gave Nash the shot on Nitro, and he made Jarrett the ref. This caused apparent dissension because Jeff wanted the belt, but it was a ruse. Russo’s boys helped Nash win the gold.

Elsewhere, we had some relationship drama in WCW. Miss Hancock revealed she was pregnant, so David proposed, but the wedding unfolded like most wrestling weddings. First, Russo had Ric Flair arrested because Russo put a restraining order on him. Then Stacy admitted David wasn’t the father of the baby. She left David at the altar, which sent him on a downward spiral. Everyone wondered who the father was. Tenay even asked Ric if he was the father, but this offended Ric. In other news, Crowbar didn’t make his move, so Daffney met her admirer. His name is Ozzy, and he looks like Crowbar! She said he is everything she was looking for in a man. But not everyone had bad luck with women. The Filthy Animals gave the Cat a new assistant. Her name is Miss Jones, and she got along well with Miller.

Now for a rundown of some extra storylines. Carl Ouellet joined Team Canada, so Storm handed him the Hardcore title. This didn’t last because Norman Smiley won the belt by accident. The problem is, Norman didn’t want to be the champion, but he couldn’t get rid of it no matter how hard he tried. Next, Madden wanted a rematch against Mean Gene, and he got his wish. During the bout, Vito and Pamela helped Gene defeat Mark. Then we have the Jung Dragons. Leia Meow approached them and offered to discipline them. If they lose a match, they have to lick her boots. But if they win, she might let them lick hers. Finally, Mike Tenay developed quite the attitude toward women in wrestling. He thinks they should know their role, and he didn’t mind saying this to Midajah during a sit-down interview.

The opening video mixes clips of the two main feuds with scenes of action figures recreating the drama. Goldberg and Steiner both crossed the line. Now Steiner will need more than a pipe to stop Goldberg because he’s a cyborg, a one-man assault team, and a monster! Meanwhile, Nash and company tried to injure Booker’s knee. They wanted to soften him up, but Booker told them, “Don’t hate the player. Hate the game!” This is Fall Brawl!

Then fireworks explode as Tony welcomes us to the show. While they discuss the match card, we get the entrances for the first bout.

Cruiserweight Title Match: Elix Skipper (c) (w/ Major Gunns) vs. Kwee Wee (w/ Paisley)

Storyline: Elix Skipper joined Team Canada by helping Lance Storm defeat Mike Awesome, and Storm handed Skipper the Cruiserweight title as a reward. Then Elix successfully defended the belt by using his Grey Cup ring as a weapon. The ring came from his time in the CFL. Meanwhile, Kwee Wee beat Lt. Loco to receive this championship shot. He also ditched Papaya and made Paisley his new valet, but this led to problems with Major Gunns. Kwee Wee and Paisley jumped her after a mixed tag encounter, which started a feud between Gunns and Paisley. But that wasn’t Gunns’ only problem. Storm defeated A-Wall in a POW match and took Major Gunns as his prisoner. Team Canada tried to turn her into a Canadian, but she doesn’t want to be one. Finally, Gunns appeared on Awesome’s Lava Lamp Lounge. When Elix interrupted them, Awesome press slammed Skipper through the set.

The Match: They exchange arm wringers, arm drags, and armbars before screwing up a leapfrog spot. Next, they fight on the apron, and Elix scores suplexes and a chinlock. Elix holds onto the lock, despite Kwee Wee’s attempts to escape. Once he breaks free, a crossbody sends both men outside. Now Elix lands an Asai Moonsault that wipes out a cameraman! Back inside, Skipper attempts the Overdrive, but Kwee Wee turns it into a powerbomb. While this happens, the Natural Born Thrillers arrive to watch. Next, Elix and Kwee Wee brawl outside, so Mike Sanders whacks Kwee Wee’s leg with a stick and runs. This allows Elix to perform a flying crossbody, which Kwee Wee counters for a two. Afterward, Kwee Wee fights back, but Elix does a Matrix bridge to avoid his attack and nails the Overdrive for the win.

Thoughts: This was a strong opener. There were a few shaky moments early on, but they recovered well. These men came to impress and wrestled with a purpose. My only gripe is Sanders’ interference almost didn’t factor into the finish. It’s a recurring issue in WCW. They use these interference spots, but they don’t amount to anything. WCW desperately needed someone who was good at crafting finishes. (On a side note, Elix Skipper isn’t Canadian and he never played in the CFL. They made it up for the storyline.)

Winner: Elix Skipper (11:03)

Misfits in Action (Cpl. Cajun, Lt. Loco, & Sgt. A-Wall) vs. 3 Count

Storyline: Tank Abbott finished writing his new song and made 3 Count record it with him, but he thought 3 Count’s performance was terrible. The song was called “Ain’t Nothing But a Tank Thing”, and Tank performed it on Thunder. Then he fired 3 Count for making him look bad. However, Tank still had issues with the Dark Carnival and needed their help. Tank forced them to team up against the Carnival, but 3 Count had enough. They attacked Abbott with baseball bats and left. Later, KroniK interrupted a 3 Count performance, so 3 Count got cocky. They took up the bats again and challenged KroniK to a match. During the bout, the Harris Brothers brawled with KroniK, which gave 3 Count a count out win. They celebrated with a dance, but Tank sneaked into the ring and knocked them out.

The Match: The MIA controls things early with strikes and takedowns until Moore lands a springboard moonsault. Next, Cajun gives Evan a press and drop, and A-Wall nails a spinebuster on Helms. Nonetheless, 3 Count takes control with double-teaming. They use a double neckbreaker and a suplex/crossbody combo. Plus, Moore hits the Showstopper (Rocker Dropper) before Helms does the Free Fall (flying sunset flip). This lasts until A-Wall makes a hot tag and cleans house. Now they head outside, and everyone performs dives. Afterward, 3 Count knocks Wall onto a table! With him down, Moore dives off the top rope, but Loco turns it into a powerbomb. It only gets a two, so 3 Count fights back. They attempt a triple suplex before settling on a double DDT. Unfortunately, A-Wall recovers and pulls Evan and Shannon outside. This allows Cajun to end it with the Whiplash 2000.

Thoughts: This contained some nice action and cool spots, but it was a little messy, especially toward the end. However, I can’t fault them. They got good reactions from the crowd, despite the lack of a build for this bout. This did its job, so it was fine. (On a side note, WCW finally released Van Hammer, so there is no more Major Stash.)

Winners: The M.I.A. (10:25)

Nash, Jarrett, and Scott Steiner are walking backstage when a kid asks them for an autograph. Jarrett tells him to get lost, and Steiner wants to meet his mom to see if she’s hot. Only Nash stops, but he wants money for the autograph. The kid says he only has $1.50, so Nash tells him to buy a soda instead. This disgusts Tony, but the kid looks like he’s about to laugh. (He’s corpsing! Send for the man!)

Now it’s time for KroniK vs. The Harris Brothers in a Chain Match. Adams has a microphone when KroniK arrives. He says the Harris boys look pretty confident for a couple of sheep heading to the slaughter, so Adams ups the ante. He wants to add a First Blood stipulation to the bout. The Harris Brothers agree, so the referee attaches the chains.

First Blood Chain Match: The Harris Brothers vs. KroniK

Storyline: These teams brawled with each other and cost each other victories, so they put them in a House of Pain Match. However, the cage broke and chaos ensued, including an altercation with a fan. Then the Harris Brothers jumped KroniK at a pool hall and smashed a glass pitcher over Adams’ head. Later, KroniK qualified for War Games 2000, but the Harris Brothers interrupted the bout and brawled into the stands with KroniK. Afterward, the teams prevented each other from winning the tag titles. This led to chain attacks, which escalated until the Harris Brothers used a chain-wrapped bat to knock out Brian Adams.

The Match: Clark and Big Ron fight outside while Adams and Heavy D scuffle in the ring. We see chain-wrapped punches and choking. Then all four men brawl into the crowd. They make a half circle around the fans before spilling back to ringside. Next, Clark introduces a chair to the melee. The Harris Brothers stop this attack by targeting Clark’s leg. They also choke him, but Clark rams Ron against the announce table to end the flurry. After more chain-wrapped attacks, the ref goes down. He doesn’t notice Ron is bleeding because of this, so Ron gets the chain-wrapped bat. He knocks out Clark and goes after Adams. Now Heavy D punches Adams until he’s bleeding. The ref wakes up and sees him, so he calls for the bell.

Thoughts: This was okay for a mindless brawl. I didn’t dislike it like I expected, but it wasn’t great. The finish was the most interesting part. It was a good way to give the Harris Brothers the win without making KroniK look weak. Also, I’ll give them credit for keeping it at a decent length.

Winners: The Harris Brothers (6:37)

The Harris Brothers celebrate, but KroniK recovers and clears the ring. Then KroniK gives Billy Silverman the High Times out of anger.

Next, Pamela interviews the Misfits in Action. She says General Rection has a chance to bring home both the U.S. title and Major Gunns. Rection says he has been waiting a long time for this. Tonight, he will prove to Lance Storm the USA is still the greatest country in the world. Rection claims there are thousands of Americans who would die for this country, despite Lance Storm’s lies and hate. He promises to bring the U.S. title and Gunns back where they belong, and that’s America, not Canada. Also, Rection has a surprise for Storm. The surprise is Jim Duggan. He enters the scene and says the Cat made him the special enforcer for the bout, so there won’t be any Canadian rules.

This leads to Lance Storm’s entrance. He wants to be serious for a moment. Lance can’t believe the people in Buffalo haven’t packed up and moved to Canada. They live so close to the greatest country in the world! But Lance says tonight is their opportunity. After he beats Rection in front of Duggan, he will invite everyone to follow them to Canada. After saying this, they play the Canadian national anthem while Gunns looks bored.

U.S. Title Match: Lance Storm (c) (w/ Major Gunns) vs. General Rection

Storyline: The Cat didn’t like Lance Storm, so he had Carl Ouellet’s work visa revoked. Plus, Cat made Storm defend his belt against Rection and Awesome. Team Canada tried to manipulate Rection and Awesome to get them to fight. It didn’t work, but Skipper helped Storm win. Then the POW Match happened, so Rection dared Storm to put both the US belt and Gunns’ freedom on the line at the PPV. Meanwhile, Jim Duggan announced his retirement, but Team Canada mocked him, so Duggan cost Storm a victory over Rection. This led to Rection & Duggan vs. Team Canada for Gunns’ freedom. However, someone jumped Duggan backstage. He tried to come to the ring, but he was too late to save Rection from tapping out. Afterward, Rection said this would be the last time he and Storm fought, but he promised to bring home the gold and Major Gunns.

The Match: Rection shakes off Storm’s strikes and makes him regroup. He also counters Lance’s crucifix into a Samoan Drop. Next, they fight on the top rope until Rection lands a superplex. Nevertheless, Storm scores a low blow and a superkick. He continues with a springboard crossbody to the outside and a jawbreaker inside the ring. Now Rection answers with a powerslam and a sit-out bomb. When Rection looks for more, Storm escapes and does a dragon screw leg whip. A Maple Leaf attempt follows, but Rection shoves him away and nails a release German. Afterward, Rection sends him outside, so Duggan rolls Storm under the ropes for more. Then Rection climbs for the moonsault while the ref argues with Major Gunns. Rection reaches the top rope, but Duggan whacks him with the 2×4! He falls, and Storm puts the unconscious Rection in the Maple Leaf for the win.

Thoughts: This was good until the ridiculous finish. No one wanted to see a Jim Duggan heel turn, especially in the year 2000. It’s another swerve for the sake of a swerve, and it made little sense. When you couple this with the tiresome jingoistic nonsense, it’s hard to enjoy this. This is a shame because Storm and Rection put on a decent performance underneath the shenanigans.

Winner: Lance Storm (6:46)

Duggan rips off his referee shirt to reveal a Canada t-shirt. He also fends off the M.I.A. with his 2×4. Hudson damns Duggan to Canada and wonders why Jim sold out.

Next, Gene interviews the Natural Born Thrillers. Mike Sanders mocks Konnan’s catchphrases, so Gene compliments his impression of K-Dawg before calling Sanders a prick. He also labels the other Thrillers as piss ants and tells O’Haire to blow it out his ass. This almost causes a fight, but Sanders calms his teammates. Mike says he already got suspended for beating up a bitter old man, so Gene better watch it. With that said, Sanders calls the Thrillers the most genetically jacked superstars in WCW. They worked long and hard and busted their asses. Now they will kick ass. Sanders says he is a betting man, and it doesn’t look good for the Filthy Animals.

Afterward, we see the Animals get out of a limo. They have a mystery man with them, but he has a towel over his head. While they enter the arena, Rey and Juvi show off their tag team titles. (They won them the night after New Blood Rising with Sting’s help.) Meanwhile, the Thrillers arrive. Stasiak goes to commentary, despite being in this bout. He says he still has an injury. As he says this, Konnan introduces the surprise. It’s Paul Orndorff!

(On a side note, Disco Inferno started spelling his name as Disqo. It’s a reference to the singer, Sisqo.)

Elimination Match: The Filthy Animals (Konnan, Rey Mysterio Jr., Juventud Guerrera, Disqo, & Tygress), Big Vito, & Paul Orndorff vs. The Natural Born Thrillers (Mike Sanders, Mark Jindrak, Sean O’Haire, Chuck Palumbo, Shawn Stasiak, Reno, & Johnny the Bull)

Storyline: The Natural Born Thrillers are a group of disgruntled Power Plant graduates. They felt Paul Orndorff mistreated them during their training. It started with Jindrak, O’Haire, Reno, and the Perfect Event. Then Sanders tricked Disqo and the Animals into thinking he wanted to join them, but he sided with the Thrillers and became their mouthpiece. Afterward, Stasiak arm wrestled Orndorff, but he made him use his bad arm. Plus, the Thrillers invaded the Power Plant and attacked Mike Graham and Orndorff. Meanwhile, Vito started trouble with the Thrillers because Reno was involved. This led to Johnny the Bull’s return, but he attacked Vito and joined the Thrillers! All the while, the Animals wanted revenge, but Disqo’s poor attempts to help made things worse. He kept booking the Animals in matches that they didn’t want. This even put Tygress in danger when Disqo made her team against Jindrak & O’Haire!

The Match: Jindrak and O’Haire fend off Rey and Juvi’s quickness with power moves. Then Disqo tags himself in. Disqo scores a neckbreaker, but he tags Konnan once he gets in trouble. The problem is, Disqo doesn’t leave the ring. O’Haire shoves Konnan into Disqo, who gives Konnan the Last Dance, thinking it was O’Haire. It causes Konnan’s elimination, so none of the Animals want to tag Disqo. This allows Reno to pin Disqo after hitting Roll the Dice. Now Vito and Reno face off with weapons, but Johnny nails Vito with a Kendo stick, and Reno eliminates Vito with another Roll the Dice. Afterward, Rey and Juvi retake control. They use a Juvi Driver and a Nutcracker Suite to take out Reno, but the fun doesn’t last. O’Haire pins Juvi after a Seanton Bomb.

Now Orndorff enters the fray. He cleans house until Johnny hits Orndorff with the Kendo stick. It doesn’t work. Orndorff takes the stick, returns the shot, and gets rid of Johnny with a piledriver. Paul also fends off double-teaming from Jindrak and O’Haire and evades Jindrak’s crossbody. Another piledriver follows, but something goes wrong. Paul lies on the mat in pain, so O’Haire covers him for a three. While they check on Orndorff, Rey and Tygress buy time by doing Bronco Busters to Jindrak. Unfortunately, Charles Robinson realizes something is very wrong and calls off the match.

Thoughts: This was a fun match until the unfortunate injury. They shouldn’t have put Orndorff in there. I’ll give him credit for trying, but this almost crippled him. It’s uncomfortable to watch this. With that said, you can’t place the blame on anybody. No one botched a move. He suffered a stinger while doing the piledriver because it jarred his spine, so no one could have seen this coming.

Winners: No Contest (16:34)

The EMTs work on Orndorff while the commentators try to figure out what went wrong. Once they load Paul onto the stretcher, the fans give him a standing ovation.

Backstage, Pamela interviews Kidman and Madusa. She says they are competing against one of the most dangerous matches, a Scaffold Match. (How do you compete against that? What is she talking about?) Kidman ignores the ridiculous comment and sends well-wishes to Orndorff. Then Kidman says he knew it would take crap like this to end his war with Douglas and Torrie. Billy asks Torrie if she’s ready for this. After Kidman throws Douglas off the scaffold, imagine what Madusa will do to that bitch! When Kidman finishes saying this, Madusa goes from zero to sixty in one second. She yells, “Bitch is an understatement!” Madusa promises to demoralize that bitch because she’s sick of the bimbo’s crap! Madusa also wonders what Douglas is on. The last time Shane sees them will be when they throw him off the scaffold.

This leads to the entrances, and Shane Douglas has a mic. Shane says Kidman made statements his ass can’t back up. Plus, he says Kidman will join Orndorff in the hospital. (This earns him groans from the fans.) With that said, Shane promises Madusa won’t touch Torrie, and he reminds everyone he offered refunds if he doesn’t win. But he says he will win, and that’s a fact, jackass! Once everyone arrives, they raise the scaffold, which is attached to the entrance set. Kidman wants them to go higher, much to Douglas’ annoyance. (On a side note, you have to throw your opponents off and climb down to succeed. I’m unsure why it requires both.)

Pittsburgh Plunge Scaffold Match: Shane Douglas & Torrie Wilson vs. Billy Kidman & Madusa

Storyline: Douglas used his connection to Reno to his advantage. He had the Thrillers jump Kidman and injure him. While Kidman was gone, Shane wanted to make a statement. He challenged Kidman to a Pittsburgh Plunge Scaffold Match. Then Shane threw Crowbar off a balcony and onto a table to send a message. But he wasn’t done. Shane issued an open challenge, which Goldberg answered. This led to Shane vs. Goldberg for a spot in War Games 2000. The Thrillers tried to help, but Goldberg won. Later, Shane faced Crowbar, and Douglas’ crew attacked Daffney and Ozzy. However, Madusa came to the rescue. She said Russo had her train Torrie Wilson, so she needed to teach Torrie a lesson. Madusa dared Torrie to join the Scaffold Match and make it a mixed tag. Finally, the teams brawled, and Torrie almost fell off a balcony, but Kidman saved her.

The Match: Douglas and Kidman exchange strikes while Madusa scuffles with Torrie. Then Kidman and Madusa attack Shane, but Douglas puts Madusa in an STF. When Kidman pulls him off her, Shane gives Kidman a powerslam and looks for a piledriver. Billy reverses it into a backdrop, so Shane answers with a Manhattan Drop. This leads to more counters before Kidman scores a Rydeen Bomb. While this happens, Madusa climbs down the ladder. However, Shane meets her and kicks Madusa until she falls onto a crash pad. Now Kidman and Shane resume fighting, but Torrie gives Kidman a low blow. This allows Shane to throw Billy off the scaffold and onto the other pad. Afterward, Shane and Torrie slowly descend the ladder to win.

Thoughts: This was awkward, and it didn’t have clearly defined rules. What was the point of having them climb down to win if they already threw their opponents off the scaffold? Also, WCW didn’t even attempt to hide the crash pads. The WWF at least puts some effort into disguising theirs with gimmicked wood. You could hear the fans groan when they landed. It killed any heat the match might have.

Winners: Douglas & Torrie (5:01)

Backstage, Gene interviews Sting. He says Sting finally has a chance to end his feud with the Dark Carnival when he fights Vampiro and Muta tonight. However, the outcome won’t have any bearing on Sting’s title shot tomorrow on Nitro. Sting says this is right. He goes back a long way with violent matches against Muta and Vampiro. Once he deals with them, he will regain the world title. As Sting says this, Jeff Jarrett jumps him. Jeff beats up Sting and says Sting didn’t beat him. Jarrett promises to prove it and get his rightful shot.

Meanwhile, Tenay is at David Flair’s house. He knocks on the door, but David won’t open it until he knows Tenay is alone. Once Mike assures him he is, David opens the door. After declining a seat in the messy house, Mike questions David’s mental stability. He also asks him if he has any suspicions about the father of Stacy’s baby. Instead of answering, David runs to the window to see if anyone is outside. When he sits down, he tries to light a cigarette, so Tenay reminds David he doesn’t smoke. Next, David claims Reid might be the father, but Tenay calls that ridiculous. However, Mike thinks Ric might be the father. Ric evaded his question when he interviewed him. Before David can answer this, he spots the mailman outside. David attacks him and puts him in a Figure Four, so Mike pulls him off, and David runs away.

Afterward, we get the entrances for Sting vs. Vampiro vs. Muta. The ICP is with Vampiro, and they take over the commentary table. Madden stays to call the match, but Tony and Scott give up their seats.

3-Way Dance: Sting vs. The Great Muta vs. Vampiro (w/ The Insane Clown Posse)

Storyline: The Demon had enough of Vampiro. He turned on the Carnival during a Four Corners encounter and left the group. Demon also helped save Sting from a bat attack by the Carnival. Meanwhile, Vampiro won the ICP’s Juggalo Championship Wrestling title and defended it on WCW TV. Plus, the ICP even got a WCW tag team championship shot, but they lost. Later, the Carnival attacked Sting again and pulled him behind the Nitrovision screen for a beating. Afterward, Russo made Sting face Vamp and Muta for a spot in War Games 2000. Unfortunately, Muta hit Vampiro with the mist by mistake. This caused an argument between Vampiro and Muta. Finally, Sting fought Vampiro in a No Holds Barred contest, and Muta got involved. He pulled Sting out of the ring and spat mist in Violent J’s face, so there was dissension in the Carnival.

The Match: They brawl around ringside and drag Sting through the crowd before they head to the announce table. Now Muta uses a chair on Sting, but he fights back. This doesn’t last because the ICP hands Vampiro a Kendo stick. Later, they enter the ring, but Vampiro and Muta shove each other. This allows Sting to almost rally, so Vamp cuts it off with an eye rake. Next, Muta evades a Stinger Splash and throws some kicks. Plus, Vamp nails a flying clothesline, and Muta does a snap elbow drop. After some more shoving between Vamp and Muta, Muta scores a backbreaker and a moonsault. However, Vampiro pulls him off the pin, which causes an argument. The ICP leave the announce table to make peace, but this enables Sting to grab his bat. He hits everybody and ends it with Death Drop on Muta.

Thoughts: This was disappointing given the people involved. If this is the end of the Sting/Vampiro feud, it’s as much of a letdown as everything that came before it. The rivalry did nothing for either man.

Winner: Sting (5:12)

Vampiro and the ICP have enough of Muta. They attack Muta, and the ICP attempt to dive onto him, so Sting pulls Muta to safety.

Then we see footage from earlier in the day. Pamela greeted Mike Awesome by his bus. He called her Double P and invited her to make some whoopee in the love machine. Sadly, Pamela put Mike in the friendzone before continuing her interview. She asked him about his Bunkhouse Brawl with Jarrett, so Mike asked if she was trying to break his groove. Mike wasn’t worried about Jarrett because he had a surprise, and the surprise was Gary Coleman! Mike called him his favorite star from the 70s, but Gary corrected him. He’s from the 80s. This didn’t deter Awesome. He asked Gary to say his catchphrase, but Gary said he didn’t do that anymore. A confused Pamela asked, “What you talking about?” This was enough for Awesome. He walked away happy, but Gary said it was a shame. He wanted Pamela until she said that.

This leads to the entrances for Jarrett vs. Awesome. Jeff wears a Titans jersey to get heat, and it works. The Buffalo Bills players at ringside yell at Jarrett, so Jeff goads them. He brings up the Music City Miracle and tells them to quit crying. With that said, Jarrett promises to beat that 70s guy, Mike Awesome. His career will be as dead as the 70s.

Bunkhouse Brawl: Mike Awesome vs. Jeff Jarrett

Storyline: Awesome changed his gimmick again. Now he wears leisure suits and calls himself That 70s Guy. He even drives the Partridge Family bus. Plus, he has his own interview segment. The new Mike Awesome teamed with Rection against Jarrett and Storm with the US title on the line. However, Jarrett’s guitar shot ensured neither man won, so they both blamed each other for ruining it. Then Jarrett challenged Awesome to this match. Later, Jarrett came to Nitro with a truck full of guitars, but Awesome slammed him into the pile. Afterward, Jeff disrupted the Lava Lamp Lounge and gave Awesome the Stroke on a table. He also had the Thrillers jump Mike and steal his bus. To make matters worse, Jarrett terrorized Pamela, Miss Jones, and Penzer with guitar attacks. Finally, Jarrett wrestled Sting in a #1 Contender bout. Sting won, but it was a questionable finish.

The Match: They fight with a wheelbarrow, brooms, rope, a leather belt, and a branding iron. Then they have a chair duel, which Awesome wins. Afterward, he grabs a table and they scuffle on the top rope. Awesome blocks a superplex, but Jarrett also avoids an Awesome Bomb. Next, they tussle around a table covered in barbed wire, and Mike rams Jeff into it twice! This leads to a pop-up powerbomb, but Mike misses the Awesome Splash. Now Jarrett taunts the Bills again, so they jump the guardrail and shove him. It opens the door for Mike’s sit-out bomb, but he can’t score an Awesome Bomb. After another low blow, Jarrett grabs the guitar, so Gary Coleman appears and gives him a low blow. Unfortunately, this earns Gary a guitar shot. However, Sting comes for revenge. He hits a Death Drop on Jeff and Mike covers for a three.

Thoughts: This was good silly fun, and it got a great reaction. I know some won’t like it, but I enjoyed this. This show needed some levity and entertainment, so this did its job. The only thing I would have changed is the placement. They could have used it as a breather between the next two matches. Other than that, this was fine.

Winner: Mike Awesome (9:04)

Backstage, Gene interviews Scott Steiner. Gene says they are moments away from a clash of the titans. It’s Godzilla vs. King Kong, and there are no disqualifications! Scott says tonight he will prove he is the only genetic freak in WCW. He has the largest arms in the world! And ever since Goldberg fractured his face, he left Bill lying. Scott says he only kept Bill alive so he can beat his ass tonight. He only cares about his freaks and his peaks, so he’s going to the hotel after he wins. Scott says he’s a loaded sex pistol, and he’s ready to explode!

Afterward, Steiner enters the arena. He also goads the Buffalo Bills. Then Scott dons his protective face mask. He wears it because of Goldberg’s pipe attack.

No DQ Match: Scott Steiner vs. Goldberg

Storyline: Brad Siegel wouldn’t let Russo fire Goldberg, so Russo vowed to make Goldberg’s life hell. Goldberg responded by coming after Russo’s guys. He attacked Jarrett. Then Goldberg got Steiner’s attention by putting Midajah through a table with a Jackhammer, so Steiner retaliated. He cuffed Goldberg to the ropes and placed Goldberg’s girlfriend in a Steiner Recliner. Afterward, Goldberg broke Steiner’s orbital bone with a pipe attack. Goldberg also tried to bury Russo in the desert, but Bret Hart stopped him! Bret wanted revenge for Starrcade, so he prevented Goldberg from winning War Games 2000. All the while, it appeared Steiner and Nash were having issues because both men wanted the WCW title. It was a ruse. They suckered Goldberg in, cuffed him to the front of Awesome’s bus, and attacked him with a pipe. Undeterred, Goldberg showed up to Thunder on a motorcycle and jumped Steiner.

The Match: Goldberg makes Steiner regroup after a shoulder tackle and a press powerslam. Then they exchange strikes until Steiner scores suplexes. Goldberg answers with another powerslam, but he misses a spear. Now Steiner tries a crossbody, but Goldberg catches him for a third powerslam! This makes Steiner regroup as Midajah appears with the pipe. Back in the ring, Steiner bloodies Goldberg with a chair, lands more suplexes, and puts Bill in a tree of woe. He also grabs the pipe, but Goldberg spears Steiner. Unfortunately, Vince Russo arrives and hits Goldberg with a bat!

It only earns a two, so Scott takes Goldberg outside and slams him on a table. Afterward, Scott locks Goldberg in the Recliner, but he reaches the ropes. Scott doesn’t break the hold, so Goldberg lifts him onto his shoulders and dumps him on the ropes! Next, Russo and Midajah use more bat and pipe shots before Steiner nails a super belly-to-belly. It still isn’t enough, so Scott goes back to the Recliner. This time, Goldberg crawls toward the ropes and slings Scott to the outside. When Scott returns, Goldberg hits a rolling neckbreaker and blocks Russo’s bat attack. Nevertheless, Steiner gives Bill two whacks with the pipe and puts him in a third Recliner. Goldberg is out, so the ref calls for the bell.

Thoughts: This was great. You would think they would have a clash of styles, but this was easily one of the best matches of both men’s careers. They blended good intensity and storytelling. I’m even fine with all the interference. It fit the storyline.

Winner: Scott Steiner (13:50)

Steiner celebrates with Russo, and Vince leaps into Scott’s arms. Vince also rips off his shirt and poses over Goldberg. Madden says Russo looks good after his brain surgery. (They said he had to get it because of a blood clot from his three concussions.) Once Russo and Steiner leave, the Bills players help Goldberg out of the ring.

Next, they show a commercial for Halloween Havoc. It promises Sting will be reborn and unveil a new version of himself. They must have made the commercial before they knew when Sting would return. This makes no sense now.

After a recap, Pamela interviews Booker T. She says he will step into a cage against Kevin Nash. Booker says this cage match comes after everything Nash put him through, but Nash made it worse for himself. He always said Nash would have to kill him to take his title, and that’s what he did. But you don’t start none if you don’t want none! Booker says Nash stepped waist-deep into a pile of crap. He promised to win back his gold, and he will. So don’t hate the player. Hate the game!

Now Michael Buffer introduces the main event. Nash enters first and messes with a turnbuckle while Buffer speaks. (On a side note, they originally announced this as a Caged Heat encounter, but they changed it to a regular cage.)

Cage Match for the WCW Title: Booker T vs. Kevin Nash (c)

Storyline: After Nash won the title, Russo gave Booker a chance to get it back. All he had to do was win War Games 2000: Russo’s Revenge. They held it in the triple cage. The winner was the one who retrieved the belt and escaped. Booker, Sting, KroniK, and Goldberg faced Nash, Jarrett, Steiner, and Russo. Nash waited at the bottom and let his team help him win, but the Cat wouldn’t let this stand. Miller engaged in a power struggle with Russo. He made this bout a Caged Heat encounter to keep Russo’s goons out. Cat also pitted Nash against Steiner to create dissension. He appointed Booker and Goldberg as the ref and the enforcer, but Nash’s crew had a surprise. The Thrillers drove Awesome’s bus into the arena, and Nash put Booker through the windshield.

The Match: They exchange strikes and corner offense until Nash slows things with a standing surfboard stretch. When that doesn’t work, Nash removes the loosened turnbuckle pad and looks for Snake Eyes. Booker avoids it before shoving Nash into the buckle. He follows this with a Harlem Sidekick, an axe kick, and the Spinaroonie. Booker also attempts the Book End, but Nash blocks it and nails a chokeslam. Next, they ram each other into the wall and the exposed corner until Nash is bleeding. When Booker sees the blood, he grates Nash’s face against the cage, but Nash throws a low blow. This leads to a Jackknife attempt, which Booker stops. A missile dropkick follows, but Nash prevents a sidekick and hits a clothesline. Plus, Nash does another low blow and tries the Jackknife again. This time, Booker lands on his feet and ends it with a Book End.

Thoughts: This wasn’t bad. They had a decent fight, but it was a little disappointing for a main event, especially after Steiner/Goldberg. However, the outcome was good, and the fans reacted well to the finish. So this was fine.

Winner: Booker T (New Champion) (9:02)

The Good:

• Steiner vs. Goldberg

• Awesome vs. Jarrett

• The Elimination Match before Orndorff’s injury.

• Skipper vs. Kwee Wee

The Bad:

• Orndorff’s injury

• Duggan’s heel turn

• The Scaffold Match

Observations:

• The Natural Born Thrillers are a prototype of the Nexus. They’re rookies who felt the company treated them unfairly.

Performer of the Night:

I’m giving it to Scott Steiner and Goldberg. I didn’t expect their match to be this good. They surprised me. Plus, Steiner cut an awesome promo.

Final Thoughts:

This wasn’t a bad PPV. In fact, the final three matches turned it into a decent event. It’s no match for the WWF, but this was good by WCW 2000 standards. The only problem was the bad booking decisions detracted from the action. This is another example of WCW getting in their own way when they almost have something good.

Thank you for reading. My next review is the WWF’s Unforgiven 2000. Look for it next Sunday!