I apologize for not having a review posted in a long time. In between tests and reading for college and working hard for the speech and debate team at my university time flies by. However, I did get to sit down and watch a little bit of wrestling this week and the winning tape to be reviewed is WCW Starrcade 1998. Enjoy!
Event Details:
Location: MCI Center in Washington D.C.
Hosts: Tony Schiavone, Bobby “the Brain” Heenan, and “Iron” Mike Tenay
Reported Attendance: 23,000
-WCW QVC Promo. Okay, who in their right mind starts off a wrestling pay-per-view telecast with a QVC promo. Isn’t that what Nitro and Thunder were for to promote this commercial crap?
-Gene Okerlund says Steve McMichael has been removed from the MCI Center. Okerlund then of course plugs the WCW Hotline. CALL NOW!
-WCW Cruiserweight Championship Triangle Match: Billy Kidman (Champion) vs. Rey Mysterio Jr. vs. Juventud Guerrera:
Guerrera shoves both Kidman and Mysterio to start so they discuss strategy in the corner and pound on Juvi. Guerrera knees Kidman in the gut, but Mysterio gets a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker on him. Mysterio and Kidman then stomp away on Guerrera who just can’t seem to get a break in this match. Mysterio whips Guerrera to the corner, but blind charge eats boot, but Kidman with a dropkick to Guerrera. Kidman then whips Mysterio to the corner and he gets a Bronco Buster on Guerrera. Mysterio whips Guerrera to the corner, but Guerrera goes over Mysterio, but gets put in a Kidman waistlock, BUT Guerrera moves out of the way of a Mysterio forearm and Kidman takes the blow. DOH! Kidman then is all like “why’d you do that?” to Mysterio and then doesn’t wait for a response as he nails him and gets fists abound. Guerrera encourages the fighting in a funny bit so Kidman and Mysterio double-clothesline him then resume their fisticuffs. Kidman with punches for everyone. Kidman sets Guerrera on the top rope, but when he attemps something, Mysterio jerks him off and when Mysterio goes for a move Kidman places him on his shoulders, but Mysterio ducks a Guerrera bodypress and Kidman rolls up Mysterio, but Mysterio powers out of a pinning predicament, BUT Kidman splashes him on top of Guerrera. Sorry too much action to call and so little time to type it coherently. Mysterio gets two out of that, but Kidman breaks it and covers, but Mysterio pulls him off at two. Guerrera gets a kick to Mysterio’s gut and gets a springboard double-bulldog on both opponents. Awesome move there. Guerrera then taunts and covers both men for two. Knife-edge chops by Guerrera to both men and Guerrera taunts some more. Guerrera whips Mysterio into Kidman, but Mysterio goes over Guerrera and pushes him into the corner. Guerrera goes over a back suplex but gets a running clothesline via Kidman and then Mysterio nails Kidman with a facebuster for two. Mysterio then covers Guerrera for two in a desperate attempt to get a pin on someone. Guerrera then covers Kidman for two. Triple KO spot now occurs as Guerrera clotheslines Kidman outside and then backdrops Mysterio outside on top of Kidman AND THEN Guerrera gets a springboard plancha on both on the floor. Mysterio rolls in and Guerrera rolls Kidman in to resume battle inside the ring. Back in, Guerrera tries whatever off the top and gets double-dropkicked by Kidman & Mysterio. Mysterio catches Kidman’s slide under his legs with fists to the back of the head but Kidman rises with Mysterio and his shoulders and Guerrera gets a splendid springboard hurricara for two before Kidman interrupts. Kidman then covers Guerrera for two. Kidman goes over a Guerrera suplex, gets some elbows to the head, and an Acid Drop-like bulldog on Guerrera while he kicks Mysterio with his feet on the way down for two. See, it’s special things like that which make such a strong impression on me as a fan. Triple KO spot #2 follows. Announcers talk about Kidman’s injured rotator cuff as he gets a sidewalk slam on Guerrera, but a top rope splash eats knees and Mysterio gets a springboard moonsault onto Kidman for two before Guerrera interrupts. Triple KO spot #3 results. Mysterio with fists to Guerrera and he drops him on the apron via a suplex, gets several fists, and then a hurricara to send Guerrera to the floor. Mysterio gets on the apron and Kidman suplexes him in and gets a second rope legdrop for two. Kidman nails Guerrera with punches and gets a diving powerbomb for two before Mysterio breaks with a dropkick. Mysterio with a fist to Kidman and they fight over a series of flips and turns resulting in a Mysterio bulldog for two before Guerrera breaks. Tenay then tells everyone at home that this match has had “25 near-falls.” I’m not so sure about that Mike. Guerrera with an over the shoulder backbreaker off the ropes for two before Kidman breaks and hurls Guerrera to the floor. Inside, Kidman whips Mysterio into the ropes which he turns himself around in and ducks a Kidman dive which sends Kidman to the floor. Mysterio then gets an Asai moonsault to both Guerrera and Kidman. Mysterio rolls Guerrera in and gets a springboard hurricarana, but no cover. Guerrera reverses a whip into the ropes and catches Mysterio with a Juvi Driver after he goes over his shoulder for two before Kidman breaks with a clothesline. Guerrera slugs it out with Kidman and perches him on the top rope, getting a knife-edge chop but Kidman kicks Guerrera away. Mysterio charges Guerrera and he backdrops Mysterio into Kidman and Mysterio turns that into a top rope hurricarana for two before Guerrera saves. These sorts of matches I must say I enjoy, but they frustrate the hell out of me because I have to keep pausing & rewinding to make sure I get all the play-by-play in. Kidman goes over Guerrera on a Juvi Driver attempt and gets a sitdown powerbomb for two before Mysterio breaks. Mysterio with a forearm to Guerrera and tries another springboard hurricarana, but Guerrera catches it, BUT Mysterio ends up huricarranaring him to the floor. Then, Kidman gets a top rope Shooting Star dive onto Guerrera and Mysterio on the floor. Kidman rolls Guerrera in and suddenly Eddie Guerrero wanders down to ringside. Inside the ring, Kidman backdrops Guerrera to the apron, but Guerrera gets a stungun and attempts a sunset flip inside, but Kidman reverses that to a pinning combination but no referee as referee Charles Robinson is checking on Rey Mysterio’s condition allowing Guerrero to run in and push Kidman over turning the pin in Guerrera’s favor. This pinning combination gets two before Mysterio hits Guerrera with a dropkick and Kidman hangs onto the move, rolls the pin in his favor, and hangs on for the win at 14:54. Whew, that’s over with. Afterwards, Guerrero berates Guerrera about the match and then berates Mysterio for losing to a “sissy boy like Kidman.” Guerrero then challenges Kidman to an impromptu title match and it’s accepted. ****
-Impromptu Cruiserweight Championship Match: Kidman (Champion) vs. Eddie Guerrero
Guerrero nails Kidman early and gets some mudhold stombing in the corner. “This looks like two construction workers fighting on a lunch break” -Heenan. Guerrero then gets a clothesline off the ropes and gets a powerbomb for two. Guerrero with a small package for two. Guerrero with knife-edge chops to Kidman and then Guerrero dumps Kidman on his chest. Guerrero with an abdominal stretch and gets leverage by grabbing Juventud Guerrera’s hand on the floor, but Rey Mysterio Jr. breaks that up. They repeat the sequence and Guerrero goes outside to push and yell at Mysterio demanding to know why he’s preventing him from winning the match. Back in, Kidman with a shoulder thrust and springboard headscissors, but Guerrero with more blows to take over. Schiavone wonders if facing three men is a pay-per-view record. Well, evidently Schiavonne has never watched WrestleMaina IV or maybe previous WCW pay-per-views like the Lethal Lottery. See, that’s what I always hated about WCW: dumbass comments by the announcers. It just really ruined the product. Kidman gets a dropkick off the ropes to try to turn the tide again. Kidman with punches and stomps to Guerrero. Outside, Kidman whips Guerrero into the rail on a reverse, but Guerrera grabs him and Guerrero gets a fist and rams Kidman into the post. Guerrero then rolls Kidman inside. Back in, Guerrero stomps Kidman. Kidman reverses a whip into the corner and gets a running bulldog. Kidman with the ten punch count in the corner and gets a sleeper but Guerrero with a jawbreaker to break that up. Guerrero slaps Kidman but that revives Kidman as he gets off a series of fists. Kidman clotheslines Guerrero in the corner, but Guerrero takes off his boot and nails Kidman when he charges a second time. Guerrero then calls time-out so he can put his boot back on and then decides to just throw it at Mysterio instead in a funny bit. Guerrero then covers Kidman for two. Guerrero with a brainbuster and goes to the top but Kidman nails him and gets a superplex. Double KO spot and Kidman rolls over to cover for two. Guerrero dropkicks Kidman’s knee, drops an elbow on the knee, and then gets a bridged leghold for two using the ropes for leverage, like a good heel, until Mysterio uses the boot Guerrero tossed at him to break the hold in another wisely comedic bit. Leghold gets a one-count as Mysterio uses the boot this time to hit Guerrera on the floor and Guerrero’s hands again when he grabs the ropes for leverage. Guerrero and Mysterio argue outside as Guerrero kicks Kidman and gets a springboard hurricarana. Guerrero goes for another powerbomb, but of course you simply CAN’T powerbomb Kidman NAH SIR and Kidman gets his facebuster reversal spot in and pounds away on Guerrero. Kidman whips Guerrero into the corner, gets a kick, slam, and springboard legdrop from the apron for two. Kidman with a forearm, but Guerrero holds on during a Kidman top rope hurricarana and Kidman crashes to the mat. Guerrero places Kidman on the top buckle, but Kidman pushes Guerrero the mat this time, but Guerrera crotches Kidman on the top rope as an LWO cronie argues with the referee. Meanwhile, Guerrero goes back up top but this time, Mysterio crotches Guerrero and he falls to the canvas, knocking Guerrera to the floor as well and Kidman takes advantage to nail a Shooting Star Press for the pin at 10:47. Nice match between the two and just shows you how WCW had no idea what to do with Guerrero, but it’s just too bad the crowd didn’t care. ****
-Kevin Nash-Bill Goldberg Video Package
-Norman Smiley vs. Prince Iaukea:
Now how did this Nitro-filleresque match get on pay-per-view? Smiley gets a chinlock to start (what a great opening move, eh?), but Iaukea turns it into a hammerlock and schoolboy for one. Smiley with some knife-edge chops to Iaukea’s back and chest. Iaeuka with a dragon screw and dropkick to send Smiley to the floor. Iaeuka then gets a somersault dive onto Smiley on the floor and then rolls him in and covers for two. Iaukea with a suplex for two. Smiley with an eye rake and slaps Iaukea’s chest. FEEL THE OFFENSE! Small back and forth brawling bit between the two and Smiley gets in a kick and Euro uppercut. Smiley with an armbar takedown to cover for one. Smiley with stomp and armbar as the crowd is absolutley DEAD at this point. Iaukea gets out of that and kicks sosme more. Iaukea with fists and some knife-edge chops in the corner, but Smiley pushes Iaukea down and suplexes him onto the top rope. Smiley then dances for the crowd and slams Iaukea for two. Smiley with a head vice, but Iaeukea fights up and gets a sunset flip for one. Dang, Iaukea can’t even get a two-count on anything he tries. Smiley with a snapmare and kneedrop before laying in more of a beating to put me to sleep. Smiley pushes Iaukea down off the ropes and gets a double stomp. Smiley with an abdominal stretch into a rollup for one and then to an armbar. The announcers have lost all interest in what is unfolding here and decide to use this time of course to hype the main event. Iaukea with some palm thrusts to Smiley and gets a clothesline in the corner. Iaukea with a kick to Smiley’s mid-section but Smiley reverses a suplex to one of his own and taunts. Smiley with a delayed double-underhook suplex for two as Iaukea puts his foot on the ropes to continue this horrible match and the CROWD BOOS. Smiley with a cross armbreaker for one and Iaukea with more palm thrusts to turn for one and gets some more to break. Iaukea slaps Smiley’s back and gets a knife-edge chop. Iaukea with shoulder thrusts to Smiley in the ropes but Smiley with an arm wrench to a drop toehold. Smiley then dances AGAIN for the crowd because unfortunately that is the only effective part of his offense. Iaukea with a Northern Lights suplex for two. Smiley with a shoulder thrust into Iaukea, gets a thrust, and goes to an armbar and leghold. Smiley then gets another cross armbreaker to get two one-counts. Smiley with a double stomp and more stomps into Iaukea. Iaukea with fists and thrusts and then delivers an elbow to Smiley’s legs and Smiley bails. DEAR GOD GET THIS MATCH OVER WITH! Outside, Iaukea rolls Smiley in and then kicks Smiley, but Smiley with a thrust and face rake. Iaukea wins a brief slugfest and takes Smiley to the buckle. Iaukea whips Smiley in and a blind charge misses, but Iaukea stops before taking a post bump which looks weak, but Iaukea with more fists and a shoulder thrust in the corner. Iaukea with a snapmare and a springboard bodypress is reversed by Smiley for two. Iaukea with palm thrust (how many times has he used that move now?), but Smiley turns a hiptoss into a backslide attempt and they fight over that before Smiley gets a chicken wing that Iaukea manuevers out of and gets some fists. However, Smiley turns a whip into the ropes into a chicken wing, but Iaukea resists for a while, but Norman Conquest wins it at 11:31. UGLY MATCH in every sense of the word. DUD
-Scott Hall comes out and says 1999 will be his year. Uh huh. Meanwhile, sign of the night: “Shut up and wrestle.” AMEN BROTHER!
-Clips of Nitro three-way dance between Bam Bam Bigelow, Nash, and Goldberg
-Ernest “the Cat” Miller (w/Sonny Ono) vs. Perry Saturn:
Miller gives Saturn five seconds to leave and Saturn decks him to start. Miller then rolls outside and jaws with the fans. Miller teases getting in, but just stalls which I have no tolerance for because of the last awful match I just had to sit through. Miller decides to leave as Saturn has his back turned talking to the ref and then suddenly decides to run back in, but his slide inside just misses Saturn in a funny bit and Saturn stomps him. Saturn with then ten punch in the corner and Miller rolls out to the apron. While there is some stalling let me just say that all wrestlers should use the ten punch count in the corner or the “take your opponent to the buckle ten times” spots because it gets the fans involved. This advertisement has been paid for by Logan Scisco. Anyway, back to the action where Miller bows and begs off, but Saturn kicks away only to get a rake to the eyes and a legsweep. Miller then chokes Saturn and stomps. How original. Miller chokes Saturn on the top rope as the crowd is dead of course because nothing of note is happening. Miller stomps again and covers for two. Saturn gets a butterfly pin for two. Wrestling takedowns yeild three two-counts as Miller rolls to the floor to stall yet again. Geez, is it really too much to ask for hardly ANY stalling at WCW’s biggest pay-per-view of the year? Back in, Saturn goes under a Miller clothesline, but Miller goes under a Saturn knife-edge chop and levels him with a superkick. Miller then taunts and covers for two. That’s always a bad sign for the heel. Miller with a double chop and more chops, but Saturn with fists. Miller with a knee off the ropes, but Saturn with a side suplex. Miller reverses a whip to the buckle, but blind charge eats foot. Saturn then gets a clasped suplex for two. Saturn with a swinging neckbreaker, but a top rope axehandle misses and Miller with another superkick. Double KO spot results and Miller then rolls over and covers for two. Miller stomps but Saturn ties him up in a T-Bone suplex, but Miller elbows out and gets ANOTHER thrust kick. Any other offensive moves for us Ernest besides those damn kicks? Miller covers but gets up and calls Sonny Ono into the ring in yet another stupid move. Ono gets in, takes off his jacket as Miller holds Saturn, but a running kick nails Miller when Saturn moves and Miller kicks Ono. This allows Saturn to take advantage in catching the distracted Miller with the Death Valley Driver and that gets the pin at 7:05. Awful match #2 tonight. DUD
-Okerlund welcomes out “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair who rants away on Eric Bischoff because he’s the NATURE BOY
-Flair-Bischoff Video Package
-Buff Bagwell and Scott Steiner berate Konnan saying the “Black & Red” is dead. Can’t say I disagree with them on that and Lex Luger intervenes to prevent conflict. Oh, how sweet.
-Bryan Adams & Scott Norton (w/Vincent) vs. Fit Finlay & Jerry Flynn:
Okay, this looks to be crappy match numero three of the evening and why are all these matches with no buildup being booked for this pay-per-view. Better yet who is booking this garbage? Oh yeah, I remember, good ol’ Kevin Nash. Schiavone announces Nash-Goldberg will be no-disqualification which is no surprise considering they’ll need to cheat to end Goldberg’s streak tonight. Adams and Finlay start. Lockup and Finlay with a kick to the mid-section, but Adams with a boot off the ropes. Adams whips Finlay into the corner, but blind charge eats boot and Finlay with a clothesline. Finlay with an elbowdrop for two. Finlay with two European uppercuts and gets a butt splash, but blind charge makes Finlay hit the post and Adams tags in Norton who nails Finlay with a brutal clothesline. Norton with another clothesline, but Finlay kicks him when he ducks his head on a whip which, of course, Norton no-sells and Finlay gets a poke to the eyes. Finlay with fists, but Norton catches him off the ropes with a powerslam, but Flynn breaks up the pin before a count is made. Tag Flynn and he tries a double-clothesline with Finlay, but Norton goes through it and clotheslines both men down. Way to progress the match by just having Norton bowl over everyone. Norton with some knife-edge chops and he whips Flynn to the corner, but blind charge hits buckle and Flynn with spinning kick to Norton in the corner. Tag Adams and he offers a test of strength and Flynn gets a kick to the mid-section and three knife-edges to knock Adams down. Adams whips Flynn into the ropes and Vincent nails Flynn in the back of the head allowing Adams to get a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for two. Adams stomps and Flynn goes over on a suplex attempt, blocks punches, and gets a standing spin kick before tagging in Finlay. Finlay with a shoulderblock and a kneedrop. Finlay with forearms and a body avalanche for two. Finlay goes to a reverse chinlock and elbows Adams on the bridge of his nose and shoulder. OUCH. Finlay with a fist, but Adams gets a piledriver when Finlay ducks his head on a whip and tag Norton. Norton with a DDT and gets a head bend and neckbreaker for two. Norton with a knife-edge chop, whips Finlay into the corner and gets an avalanche to send Finlay to the floor. Outside, Norton distracts the referee and Adams gets an elbow off the apron and knife-edge chop to Finlay and rolls him in. Back in, Norton with a forearm to the back. Norton with a short-arm clothesline and gets another knife-edge chop. This is becoming quite a stiff matchup. Norton with a running (and I use that term loosely) reverse shoulderbreaker, but only gets two out of it. Tag Adams and a double-elbow knocks Finlay to the floor. Back in, Finlay with a chinbreaker to Adams and a DDT gets two. Finlay tries a second rope whatever and gets a foot to the face for his efforts. Well, that’s what you get when you jump straight down on your opponent’s leg area. Adams with a gorilla press stomachbreaker (BIG OUCH) and he jumps on Finlay’s back twice, but on a third try Finlay’s knees go up and we get the double KO. Hot tag (?!?!) Flynn and tag Norton. Flynn kicks Norton to the corner and delivers a flurry of kicks there. Flynn with an enzeguri (called a “front leg back kick” by Schiavone) and Adams attacks from behind. Flynn runs in to save we have the pier-four brawl. Flynn and Finlay double short-arm clothesline Adams. Finlay then kicks Vincent off the apron, but Norton catches him with a clothesline when he turns around. Norton then gets his powerbomb, which is scarily very sloppy, for the pin at 8:54. Little crowd reaction for this one and I can’t say I’m not surprised. DUD
-Okerlund brings out Eric Bischoff and what is with all these damn promos on a pay-per-view? He says “hi” to the first family and apologizes to Ric Flair’s family for the pain and to wrestling fans around the world. He says Flair is pushing himself beyond his physical abilities. He gives a nice satire of how Flair is broke and needs the money. Pretty good promo.
-Jericho-Konnan Video Package
-Television Championship Match: Konnan (Champion) vs. Chris Jericho (w/Ralphus):
Jericho cuts a brief promo in the ring about how he doesn’t understand Konnan’s language and gypes himself with lots of streaming adjectives. Funny stuff. By the way, Jericho is wearing the television title belt here. Interesting note: a woman carrying a resemblance to Stacy Kiebler is shown in an NWO red & white t-shirt in the audience…could it be her? Lockup to start and Konnan with fists. Jericho with a kick and knife-edge chop. Jericho with a headlock and Konnan whips out, but Jericho with a shoulderblock. Jericho tries a monkeyflip, but Konnan puts on the brakes and stomps before dropkicking Jericho in the face. Jericho gets a jumping kick to put Konnan down on a charge, but he misses whatever off the top rope. Konnan then clotheslines Jericho the floor. Outside, Jericho moves out of the way of a Konnan apron dive and Konnan goes to the guardrail. Jericho moves the steps closer to him on the outside and gets a fist, but Konnan dose-does on a whip and Jericho goes into the guardrail. Blind charge by Konnan eats foot and Jericho takes him to the post before rolling him in. Back in, Jericho taunts to be a prick and gets a suplex. Jericho pin gets two. Jericho with a reverse chinlock into a chinlock, but Konnan elbows out only to get hit with a Jericho kneelift off the ropes. Jericho stomps away and pushes Konnan to the corner where he delivers some knife-edge chops before choking Konnan with his boot and the referee doesn’t even bother to count. Jericho slams Konnan, but a top rope whatever (yet again) hits boot. Jericho wasn’t watching that last match evidently and my explanation of not jumping straight down in your opponent’s leg area. Konnan with a rolling clothesline, a move I always enjoyed, but that doesn’t make me a Konnan fan by any means, and whips Jericho into the corner. Jericho tries to float over, but Konnan grabs him and slams him down hard on the mat before cradling him for two. Jericho, though, gets a chinbreaker, clothesline, and Lion Sault for two. Jericho stomps and jaws with the referee as Konnan rolls out to the floor. Jericho tries a second rope dive onto Konnan on the floor, but Konnan sidesteps and Jericho hits the steps. OH THE IRONY I FEEL IT IN MY HEART! Konnan with palm thrusts and rolls Jericho in for two. Konnan with a back kick to Jericho, but Jericho with a double leg takedown and tries the Lion Tamer, but Konnan blocks so Jericho slingshots him into the ropes which is a nice touch to the move when your opponent doesn’t want to cooperate. Blind charge at Konnan in the corner misses and Konnan gets kicks and he inadvertently nails the referee. As Konnan attends to the fallen referee, Jericho picks up the TV title belt and nails Konnan, slapping the referee awake, but only gets a two-count. Jericho throws a small temper tantrum at the events that have just transpired and slaps Konnan. Konnan, though, goes over a Jericho backdrop, gets a facebuster, and then hooks in the Tequila Sunrise as Jericho taps at 7:28. This shows you how messed up WCW was because of the time allocated to this match. *
-Lee Marshall (remember that guy?) interviews the Giant in the WCW.com booth
-Grudge Match: Eric Bischoff vs. “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair:
Flair charges the ring to start and Bischoff bails. Flair chases Bischoff around the ring, catches him, and dumps him against the rail and gets a knife-edge and punches away. Flair rolls Bischoff inside and Bischoff begs, but Flair with a knife-edge in the corner and stomps him down. Flair then chokes Bischoff and pounds away. Flair struts and gets more punches to Bischoff in the corner. Flair with a knife-edge and a running kneedrop. Flair with a headlock punch and he gets some stomping in the corner onto Bischoff. As you can tell this match is continuing our dragging pace of the evening. Bischoff argues that his knee is hurt so Flair lays in some kneedrops on it. Flair drapes Bischoff’s leg over the second rope in the corner and kicks it, but the referee pulls him away and Bischoff gets a kick to the back of Flair’s head to send him out to the floor. Outside, Flair goes to the guardrail and blades and Bischoff taunts some more. Back in, Bischoff gets some kicks in. If I remember correctly when WCW Revenge came out on N64 years ago and Eric Bischoff was a playable character, but the only thing he was capable of was kicking. That seems to be the general direction of this match. Just thought I’d bring in an added parallel. Bischoff with some mounted punches, but Flair powers up only to get drilled with another Bischoff kick. Flair, though, being the dirtiest player in the game gets a low blow and then does it again. Flair then knees Bischoff in the groin and takes off Bischoff’s shirt. Flair with some knife-edge chops in the corner and then decks the referee with an elbow. Flair with a fist and knife-edge chop as Bischoff’s legs are spread in the corner and Flair gets his version of Shattered Dreams. Flair with a side suplex and a vertical suplex. Flair applies a figure-four, but no referee is in sight so Curt Henning runs down to the ring and gives Bischoff a foreign object that Bischoff uses to nail Flair and get the pin at 7:05. Afterwards, Henning drags Bischoff to the backstage area. What a crock of you-know-what. DUD
-Diamond Dallas Page-Giant Video Package
-The Giant vs. Diamond Dallas Page:
Page was called the “People’s Champion” at this point in his career and I was hoping that during the Invasion angle they would play that up and have he and the Rock duke it out for the title with that as the central issue, but it never occurred so I’ll just have to live with it. Spitting galore to start and Page uses his quickess to get in some fists and then shoulder thrusts out of an arm wrench. Page goes for the Diamond Cutter, but the Giant pushes him into the ropes. Page, however, gets more fists and clotheslines Giant to the floor. Giant pulls Page outside and out there Page gets fists, but Giant gets a clothesline and headbutt that sends Page into the crowd. Giant tries to hit Page with a fist, but somehow Page lifts a garbage can to block the blow and nails Giant with it. However, a Page whip into the steps gets reversed and Page takes the blow instead. The Giant then pulls Page into the post, twice. Page tries a fist but it hurts him and the Giant gorilla-presses Page back inside the ring. Back in, Giant drops two elbows onto Page’s left leg and then drops a knee on it. Page tries to kick the Giant away, but Giant stomps him down. Giant with another elbow to Page’s leg and attaches a toehold that gets four one-counts. Page rakes the Giant’s eyes to break, but the Giant slaps Page’s chest and intimidates the referee. Page tries to choke the Giant, but Giant pushes him into the corner and avalanches him against the buckles. Page tries a fist to the gut, but Giant gets a headbutt and then a bearhug. Well that just docked the match a lot in my book because I HATE that maneuver with a passion. “Nowhere to go here guys” -Shiavone. You better believe it my man. Giant breaks the hold for no reason and tries a whip into the ropes, but Page with an elbow, but when he tries another Diamond Cutter, the Giant pushes him into the ropes and gets a powerslam for two, but he pulls Page up. Why after all these years do heels continue to pull the man up at the count of two? It makes absolutley NO SENSE! Pin ’em while you can is what I always say! The Giant shoves Page with his foot and Page tries some shoulder thrusts, but Giant with a fist to stop that plan. Giant with a raised bearhug (as if the last just wasn’t enough), but Page’s arm only goes down twice and he boxes the Giant’s ears three times and bites to break. Page comes off the ropes and tries a crucifix that turns into a sunset flip attempt, but the Giant gets a raised choke by reversing and uses a modified chokeslam into a backbreaker with no cover. WHAT?!?!! The Giant pushes Page into the ropes and gets a chokeslam. Giant pushes Page into the ropes again, but Page gets a Diamond Dream DDT for the Double KO spot. Page then covers for two and the powerful kickout by the Giant hurts the referee when Page lands on top of him (BS). Bret Hart then runs into the ring with a chair (as if the last thing we need in this match is a timed run-in), but Page ducks a shot with the object and Giant takes the blow and then Page low blows Bret. Page then covers but only gets one on the Giant. Page with a flying clothesline off the top rope twice as he signals for the Diamond Cutter. Page tries a top rope whatever and it misses which allows the Giant to catch him in a chokeslam, but Page gets a low blow, but the Giant holds on and tries to chokeslam Page off the top rope, but Page turns the move in mid-air into a Diamond Cutter in a cool spot (coupled with a PRICELESS Page reaction) and it gets the pin at 12:43. *
-Nash-Goldberg Video Package
-No-Disqualification Match for the WCW Championship: Goldberg (Champion) vs. Kevin Nash:
Michael Buffer has the ring announcer duties. Nash earned this match by winning the disastrously stupid third incarnate of the World War 3 60-man battle royal. Goldberg signs an autograph on his way to the ring just so we can see what kind of focus he has going into this match. At this point Goldberg was like 174-0 or something in his crazy streak and both wrestlers at this point were faces, mind you. Nash and Goldberg taunt to gauge the crowd which gives roars for both to emphasize my point. Lockup and Goldberg works Nash into the corner until Nash pushes him away. Another lockup that turns into a Nash headlock. Goldberg tries to punch out, but when that doesn’t work he just opts for a side suplex. Nash then rolls to the outside as the announcers can’t believe that last move. Well geez guys what did you think of DDP’s Diamond Cutter a while earlier? Back in, more stalling and Nash with a knee and fists and elbows galore, what fun. Nash with knees in the corner to Goldberg and gets in lots of fists. Nash works in the measured elbow spot and chokes with his boot, but Goldberg pushes him down and pounds away and chokes, but Nash turns it over into an armbar, but Goldberg fights up and gets a legdrop onto Nash’s leg that turns into a front anklelock, but Nash gets to the ropes as Heenan talks about what a great contest this is when only FOUR FREAKIN’ MINUTES HAVE TRANSPIRED! Goldberg with a knee, fist, and elbow in the corner. Goldberg pounds away to floor Nash, but Nash jerks him into the turnbuckles. Nash with a fist in the corner and chokes with his foot. I know, I’m just as excited watching this match as you’d think. Goldberg, though, goes under a Nash big boot off the ropes and gets the spear. Goldberg tries the Jackhammer, but Nash gets a low blow as he’s being raised off the canvas. We get a Double KO spot now even though we are just six minutes in which show us that this main event isn’t going to last too much longer. Referee in a dumb spot starts counting both men out which makes absolutely no sense if this is no-disqualification because that usually means no-countout and that SOMEONE has to be the winner. Nash slings Goldberg into the corner and gets a sidewalk slam for two. Nash knees Goldberg in the head and gets an elbowdrop off the ropes for two. Nash chokes Goldberg on the ropes and jumps on him as he’s draped over the second rope for two. Nash pushes Goldberg into the ropes and gets a forearm to the back twice, but on a third try Goldberg gets a back kick and puches. Nash reverses a whip into the ropes and single underhook suplex gets two. Goldberg with a superkick and a modified powerslam for two. Goldberg with a fist and spinning kick to Nash as he’s coming off the ropes. This is degenerating into a big Toughman contest now that I think about it. Disco Inferno runs out to the ring and jumps on the apron, but Goldberg simply kicks him in the head, hiptosses him into the ring, and spears him. Bam Bam Bigelow then runs in, but Goldberg no-sells his punches and gets his own punches, a kick, and clotheslines him to the floor. As the referee is distracted by Bigelow, Scott Hall (dressed as part of the “event staff”) jumps on the apron, zaps Goldberg with a taser, and Nash then Jackknife’s Goldberg and gets the win at 11:18. *
