A new generation.....a new attitude?

lieon02 · September 10, 2019

Preview for WCW Thunder: Week 3, January 1998

Lex Luger vs. Shawn Michaels

Comments:

The Rock & Curt Hennig vs. The Forgotten

Comments:

Blitzkrieg vs. Hayabusa

Comments:

The Road Warriors vs. Lance Storm & Lord Steven Regal

Comments:

The Samoan SWAT Team vs. The Mystery Attackers

Comments:

Kid Kash vs. Scott Taylor

Comments:

Sid Vicious vs. John Nord

Comments:

Scotty Riggs vs. Hugh Morrus

Comments:

Preview for ECW Hardcore TV: Week 3, January 1998

Matches From ECW Cyberslam 1998

Tommy Rich vs. Terry Funk

Comments:

PG13 vs. The Dudley Boys (Dances with & Chubby)

Comments:

Super Nova vs. Val Venis

crackerjack · September 11, 2019

Lex Luger vs. Shawn Michaels

Comments: Is - is Lex a secret JTTS (jobber to the stars)?

The Rock & Curt Hennig vs. The Forgotten

Comments: Miscommunication at all - I think they beat my beloved Forgotten

Blitzkrieg vs. Hayabusa

Comments:

The Road Warriors vs. Lance Storm & Lord Steven Regal

Comments:

The Samoan SWAT Team vs. The Mystery Attackers

Comments:

Kid Kash vs. Scott Taylor

Comments:

Sid Vicious vs. John Nord

Comments:

Scotty Riggs vs. Hugh Morrus

Comments:

Preview for ECW Hardcore TV: Week 3, January 1998

Matches From ECW Cyberslam 1998

Tommy Rich vs. Terry Funk

Comments:

PG13 vs. The Dudley Boys (Dances with & Chubby)

Comments:

Super Nova vs. Val Venis

Comments: I don't think I commented on Venis popping up - I thought it was a clever way of debuting someone who I wasn't expecting to see in this universe. Plus the bWo are corny enough to make sure such a gimmicky character works.

Stevens150 · September 11, 2019

Preview for WCW Thunder: Week 3, January 1998

Lex Luger vs. Shawn Michaels

Comments: I hate Lex Luger. That is all

The Rock & Curt Hennig vs. The Forgotten

Comments: The charisma on this side..

Blitzkrieg vs. Hayabusa

Comments: FALCON ARROW!

The Road Warriors vs. Lance Storm & Lord Steven Regal

Comments: Road Warriors are old, and I am enjoying this dynamic you’ve put in between the French-Canadians and the Brits

The Samoan SWAT Team vs. The Mystery Attackers

Comments:

Kid Kash vs. Scott Taylor

Comments: I had to look up Scott Taylor to find out it was Scotty 2 Hotty

Sid Vicious vs. John Nord

Comments:

Scotty Riggs vs. Hugh Morrus

Comments:

Preview for ECW Hardcore TV: Week 3, January 1998

Matches From ECW Cyberslam 1998

Tommy Rich vs. Terry Funk

Comments:

PG13 vs. The Dudley Boys (Dances with & Chubby)

Comments: D-Von continues the abuse after the match is done with

Super Nova vs. Val Venis

Comments: Botched BWO interference

Also question, how are you booking the events matches and then the legitimate matches for Hardcore TV? Is Hardcore TV tour highlights or are you just doing angles to fill the gap

Or is the show not happening at all and you’re just pulling match ratings from events? I am super curious as to what’s going on

to4sty · September 11, 2019

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Stevens150" data-cite="Stevens150" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="43289" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Also question, how are you booking the events matches and then the legitimate matches for Hardcore TV? Is Hardcore TV tour highlights or are you just doing angles to fill the gap Or is the show not happening at all and you’re just pulling match ratings from events? I am super curious as to what’s going on</div></blockquote> Well......it’s a slightly convoluted system, but the best I could come up with to try and mimic how Hardcore TV was set up. Basically write down the segments that will be booked (so X vs. Y, Angle between X,Y,Z etc) then book and run the event (Cyberslam etc) as an unaired show since ECW have no PPV deals set up yet. Then I take the event and split it up into 4 weeks worth of shows and rebook them week by week. So, basically all the matches aired on Hardcore TV are actually the second time those matches have been booked, but for the sake of the diary they are actually highlights of the event.....it sounds incredibly complicated but in all actuality it’s actually a pretty easy way to book a months worth of tv, since I literally just have to book one event and split it up, then add in the odd backstage angle to keep the story’s flowing. It’s as close to replicating the original Hardcore TV (which was basically a show featuring matches from the most recent event) as I can get with TEW, although maybe a suggestion for TEW 2025 could be to book “highlight shows” or something along those lines. I hope that makes sense

Satyr24 · September 12, 2019

Preview for WCW Thunder: Week 3, January 1998

Lex Luger vs. Shawn Michaels

Comments:

The Rock & Curt Hennig vs. The Forgotten

Comments:

Blitzkrieg vs. Hayabusa

Comments:

The Road Warriors vs. Lance Storm & Lord Steven Regal

Comments:

The Samoan SWAT Team vs. The Mystery Attackers

Comments:

Kid Kash vs. Scott Taylor

Comments:

Sid Vicious vs. John Nord

Comments:

Scotty Riggs vs. Hugh Morrus

Comments:

Preview for ECW Hardcore TV: Week 3, January 1998

Matches From ECW Cyberslam 1998

Tommy Rich vs. Terry Funk

Comments:

PG13 vs. The Dudley Boys (Dances with & Chubby)

Comments:

Super Nova vs. Val Venis

Comments:

Kijar · September 12, 2019

Glad to be back predicting on this diary, I must say. Gotta commend Sir To4st, for keeping up the quality long-a$$ write-ups week-in and week-out. Very diversified characters in this thing.

Element · September 13, 2019

Lex Luger vs. Shawn Michaels

The Rock & Curt Hennig vs. The Forgotten

Blitzkrieg vs. Hayabusa

The Road Warriors vs. Lance Storm & Lord Steven Regal

The Samoan SWAT Team vs. The Mystery Attackers

Kid Kash vs. Scott Taylor

Sid Vicious vs. John Nord

Scotty Riggs vs. Hugh Morrus

Preview for ECW Hardcore TV: Week 3, January 1998

Tommy Rich vs. Terry Funk

PG13 vs. The Dudley Boys (Dances with & Chubby)

Super Nova vs. Val Venis

Blodyxe · September 14, 2019

Lex Luger vs. Shawn Michaels

Comments: Good main event for Thunder

The Rock & Curt Hennig vs. The Forgotten

Comments: Rocky and Hennig will not win together

Blitzkrieg vs. Hayabusa

Comments: That's a cool match

The Road Warriors vs. Lance Storm & Lord Steven Regal

Comments: DQ maybe?

The Samoan SWAT Team vs. The Mystery Attackers

Comments: Losing on your debut will not help with this mystery thingy

Kid Kash vs. Scott Taylor

Comments: Coin toss for me

Sid Vicious vs. John Nord

Comments: Eeasy-peasy win

Scotty Riggs vs. Hugh Morrus

Comments: First Family shenanigans

Preview for ECW Hardcore TV: Week 3, January 1998

Tommy Rich vs. Terry Funk

Comments: Funker all the way

PG13 vs. The Dudley Boys (Dances with & Chubby)

Comments: If Dudley Boyz had any other combo, I would choose them

Super Nova vs. Val Venis

Comments: I wonder if Val will drop some sleazy-cheesy lines about explosions and stars

Leohunter · September 14, 2019

Lex Luger vs. Shawn Michaels

The Rock & Curt Hennig vs. The Forgotten

Blitzkrieg vs. Hayabusa

The Road Warriors vs. Lance Storm & Lord Steven Regal

The Samoan SWAT Team vs. The Mystery Attackers

Kid Kash vs. Scott Taylor

Sid Vicious vs. John Nord

Scotty Riggs vs. Hugh Morrus

Preview for ECW Hardcore TV: Week 3, January 1998

Tommy Rich vs. Terry Funk

PG13 vs. The Dudley Boys (Dances with & Chubby)

Super Nova vs. Val Venis

Nobby_McDonald · September 16, 2019

Preview for WCW Thunder: Week 3, January 1998

Lex Luger vs. Shawn Michaels

Comments:

The Rock & Curt Hennig vs. The Forgotten

Comments:

Blitzkrieg vs. Hayabusa

Comments:

The Road Warriors vs. Lance Storm & Lord Steven Regal

Comments:

The Samoan SWAT Team vs. The Mystery Attackers

Comments:

Kid Kash vs. Scott Taylor

Comments:

Sid Vicious vs. John Nord

Comments:

Scotty Riggs vs. Hugh Morrus

Comments:

Preview for ECW Hardcore TV: Week 3, January 1998

Matches From ECW Cyberslam 1998

Tommy Rich vs. Terry Funk

Comments:

PG13 vs. The Dudley Boys (Dances with & Chubby)

Comments:

Super Nova vs. Val Venis

to4sty · September 16, 2019

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Week 4, January 1998

Frank Erwin Center (Austin, Texas)

ATT: 14,000

TV: 28.85

Announce Team: Tony Schiavone, Dusty Rhodes and Larry Zbyszko

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It's Thursday Night.....we're three days away from our Souled Out event, but while he doesn't have a match scheduled for Sunday night.....tonight, on TBS's New Tradition, the Total Package Lex Luger is making his way out, and he doesn't look to be in a good mood.....

.....as Lex is making his entrance, the monkeys in the back show a quick recap of Luger promising his friend Sting that he would be there for him Monday night on Nitro should he need him, before then showing the scene that Gene Okerlund walked into.....Luger flat on his back in the locker room, with the words "Clique Rules" spray painted on the wall behind him......

.....back inside the ring and Luger takes a microphone, cutting right to the chase as he tells Shawn Michaels and Jean Paul Levesque that while THEY deserved every bit of the ass kicking they received on Monday Night, HE should have been there to ensure that the same fate didn't befall the WCW Champion ("and my best friend") Sting.....

".....so here I am.....instead of jumping me from behind in the locker rooms, why don't you come out here right now and face me head on like a man....."

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.....ask and thee shall receive.....because here comes Shawn Michaels.....and he's not coming alone, because Jean Paul Levesque is right there by his side.....

.....the pair strut their way down the aisle (looking rather cocky for a duo that had their asses handed to them by the Titans of Wrestling this past Monday Night) and climb into the ring with Luger, where they stand and laugh at the Total Package, as Shawn Michaels tells him that he really is as stupid as he looks.....

".....because if you think for one second that WE had anything to do with you getting your ass kicked on Nitro, then you are very much mistaken.....see Lexy, as much as you might think you're the Total Package, but to us, you're not even a blip on our radar....."

.....Shawn tells Luger that he could think of about a thousand other things he has to do that are more important than kicking his ass.....things like.....getting audited.....getting a colonoscopy.....watching a 'best of Disco Inferno' compilation on repeat.....in fact, pretty much anything would be more worthy of his time than slapping Lex Luger around in the locker room would be.....

.....Lex isn't buying it though, telling Shawn that everyone knows that he and his little pal JPL think of themselves as a clique.....and the 'clique rules' graffiti on the wall was enough to tell Lex exactly who jumped him from behind like a coward.....

".....Luger.....let me say this one more time.....slowly.....so that even your one functioning brain cell can follow it.....we....no.....punchy.....you............Shawn.....no.....slappy.....Lex.........JPL.....no......kicky.....Luger.....but I'll tell you what, you keep running your mouth and I'll kick your teeth down your throat right here, right now.....

.....so Lex, do yourself a favour.....go and crawl back into Sting's shadow.....leave the fighting to the grown ups.....because unlike you, WE actually have a match Sunday night.....and WE are going to do what you and all of your little dubbya see dubbya 'rasslers couldn't.....WE.....are going to take out the Titans of Wrestling....."

".....hold on, hold on.....I hate to interrupt.....but......"

<img style="max-width:15%;
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.....but apparently, Eric Bischoff has something to say.....

.....he walks out onto the entrance way and tells Shawn Michaels that yes, he and Jean Paul Levesque DO have a match at Souled Out with the Titans of Wrestling.....BUT.....after their actions on Nitro.....after cheapshotting Lex Luger.....and, for generally bad mouthing this great company.....he (Shawn Michaels that is) also has a match tonight.....

".....against that man, the Total Package Lex Luger....."

.....Shawn shakes his head at that, asking Bischoff who died and made him think he's worth a damn around here.....

".....because YOU are the face of the Championship Committee.....and unless my baby blues deceive me (which I highly doubt they do) the only thing around Lugers waist is baby oil.....so why don't you walk your Ken Doll looking ass back to your little committee, because guess what jack, that doesn't work for me brother....."

.....Bischoff smiles at that, telling Shawn that yes, usually he's only out here on Championship Business, while Vince Russo is the one to make the day to day match bookings......

.....but Vince Russo ain't here.....

.....which makes Eric Bischoff the highest ranking official.....

.....which means Eric Bischoff has the power to book matches outside the realms of Championship bouts.....

".....which means YOU Shawn Michaels.....WILL face the Total Package here tonight.....you WILL face him head on.....and you WILL face him alone.....because if JPL steps so much as one foot out from behind this entrance while your match is taking place.....your match with Randy Savage and the Warrior on Sunday Night.....it WILL be cancelled......best of luck....."

.....Shawn is far from happy about this development.....and neither is Levesque.....Luger is delighted though.....and he quickly rolls out of he ring (telling Michaels that he'll see him later tonight) as we roll a promo package for Souled Out.....

.....and as the graphic along the bottom of the screen warns us......this card, is subject to change.....so perhaps JPL would be wise to take Bischoffs advice.....

.....and stay in the back out of the way.....

Rating: A*

<img style="max-width:15%;
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.....and we're back.....just in time for an epic opening contest between perennial loser Scotty Riggs and WCW's (or rather Jimmy Hart's) latest acquisition.....Hugh Morrus.....

.....considering the fact that this match was really nothing more than a showcase for the newest member of the First Family (with Morrus dominating pretty much the entire match) the announcers take the opportunity to inform us of the current rivalry between the Laughing Man and Konnan, which will see the two men clash at this Sunday's Souled Out event.....

.....then Hugh Morrus finished his opponent off with the 'No Laughing Matter' Moonsault for the one, the two, and the three.....

Winner: Hugh Morrus
Rating: C-

<img style="max-width:15%;
"src="https://i.imgur.com/7Yb8Gwz.jpg"><img style="max-width:15%;
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.....Meng and The Barbarian make their way out during the replay, and Mike Tenay joins Jimmy Hart and his First Family in the ring.....not to shill the hotline (he's the Professor after all, such things are above him) but rather to discuss to upcoming Souled Out event, where Hugh Morrus will be facing Konnan, while the Faces of Fear will be going up against Mike Awesome and Gideon Cain.....

.....Tenay says that this First Family was victorious this past Monday.....a fact which must fill them with confidence for their upcoming Souled Out matches? Jimmy just laughs his trademark laugh at that, telling Tenay to look at his Family.....

".....look at them baby.....there's nearly one ton of toughness right here Tenay, I'm ALWAYS confident baby, ha ha ha ha ha....."

.....Jimmy says that Sunday Night, that bimbo Missy Hyatt is going to find out what happens when she pits her two boys against two men.....the Faces of Fear.....Meng and The Barbarian.....and as for Konnan, he's going to regret turning down Jimmy Hart.....because NOBODY turns down Jimmy Hart.....not if they know what's good for them.....Hugh Morrus squashed Konnan on Nitro, he'll squash him again at Souled Out.....and then, then it's time for the First Family to grow.....grow in members? Grow in Titles? I guess everyone will find out, when Jimmy Hart WANTS them to find out.....

Rating: B

<img style="max-width:15%;
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.....we cut to the announce desks there, where Tony Schiavone tells us we have received footage from an unknown source, which apparently Eric Bischoff has authorised to air.....although, as the footage begins (and it clearly features the Titans of Wrestling's Totally Awesome Trinity) Larry Zbyszko questions why it is that we're giving airtime to these 'three idiots' willingly.....

.....the grainy footage (obviously shot from a hand held camera) shows the Trinity (from the viewpoint of Christian, who's obviously filming) travelling in the back of a Titan Limo.....the trio are laughing and joking.....well, duo.....Copeland and Cage are laughing and joking, while Traylor (aside from cracking the odd smile) mostly sits there stone-faced.....

.....the former tag team champions were clearly amused by the beatdown that the Titans unleashed on Sting, Shawn Michaels and Jean Paul Levesque this past Monday Night, before they turn their attention to a beatdown of their own that they recently delivered.....a beatdown to the Pitbulls, which ended in Copeland and Cage muzzling Madusa.....

.....Copeland says that they totally whipped the Pitbulls like the stray mongrels that they are, and they'll totally do it again on Sunday Night.....that's IF they even turn up.....but if they do, the Trinity seem to have something special planned.....

.....Cage bangs on the blacked out glass that separates the Trinity from their driver, asking if they're there yet.....

.....apparently the answer is yes, because the limo comes to a halt a few moments later, and when it does, Cage turns the camera to face the street, where we see that we've stopped directly outside of a pet store.....

.....Copeland tells 'Ray-Ray' to go and get the stuff.....which is exactly what Traylor does, dragging his considerable girth out of the car door and heading into the store.....and the moment the door closes behind him, the limo (much to the confusion of Copeland and Cage) pulls off and begins driving away, leaving Traylor behind.....

.....Cage and Copeland are banging and hollering on the divider that separates them from the driver, basically asking what the hell is going on, until the vehicle comes to a rather abrupt stop.....there's the sound of the drivers door opening.....and then suddenly both doors at the rear of the limo are swung open.....

.....from there it's rather unclear what has happened, because Cage lets out a loud "HEY!" before he drops the camera on the floor of the car.....

.....we do still have sound though.....

.....and it SOUNDS like someone is getting the living sh!t kicked out of them.....there are thuds and bangs, crashes and shrieks, cries of pain and then silence.....

.....as a hand reaches into shot and grabs the camera, pulling it outside.....and turning it on themselves.....

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.....to reveal Madusa (dressed in a chauffeur's outfit) and the Pitbulls, Antony Durante and Gary Wolfe.....

.....obviously a ruse all along, Madusa dropped Traylor off to even up the odds, then drove Copeland and Cage to meet their makers here tonight.....

.....the Pitbulls are crap on the mic (which is why they have Madusa as their manager) but sometimes a good shouty promo is all you need.....and they're VERY shouty here.....in fact they're practically spraying all over the lens of the camera as they scream that it's time to take this Titan Trash out once and for all.....it's time to go back to their roots.....

.....they turn the camera around to show Adam Copeland and Christian Cage, all beaten and bound up with nowhere to go.....bound up by a pair of leather dog collars attached to chains that are currently wrapped around their necks.....

.....Madusa turns the camera back on herself, saying that she may have been muzzled, but she will NOT be silenced.....

".....Souled Out boys.....you're already facing my Pitbulls.....but lets up the ante......you want to treat us like mutts.....let's make it a Double Dog Collar match.....that's IF you're up to it.....MAYBE we'll see you there......"

.....with that, the camera again turns to show the (heavily) beaten Copeland and Cage, before turning into a snow-screen of static.....

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.....and we go back to our announce team.....who are now reviling in the Titans of Wrestling's misfortune, saying that not only is it clear now why Eric Bischoff wanted this clip playing, BUT (in the absence of Vince Russo) he IS making that match official.....

.....Sunday Night.....Souled Out......The Pitbulls vs. Adam Copeland and Christian Cage.....Double Dog Collar Match.....

Rating: A*

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.....next up we have Sid Vicious in action.....and his mood doesn't have improved any since his last appearance on Monday Nitro just three days ago.....

.....his opponent tonight may not be as impressive in stature as The Giant, but he is still a very large man.....the former Berzerker, John Nord hasn't really been relevant in Wrestling in at least five years though.....which is probably why Sid finished him off with the Chokeslam in short order.....

Winner: Sid Vicious
Rating: C

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.....Sid barely broke a sweat in that one, and Mike Tenay is quickly in the ring to try and get word from the unstable seven footer.....

.....Mike cuts straight to the chase (hotline schmotline, the prof don't shill for no one Gene-O) telling Sid that the last time they saw him on WCW tv, it was exiting the arena early this past Monday night after a confrontation with the Giant.....at the time, Sid cited that if he didn't leave the arena he would do something that EVERYONE would regret.....is that still the case?.....

.....Sid tells Tenay that the only regret he has now, IS leaving last week.....he says that WCW was where he made his mark in wrestling.....he's had his wars with Sting over the years, but Sting IS World Championship Wrestling......and World Championship Wrestling IS Sid Vicious.....had he been there at the close of Monday Nitro, then he WOULD have been out there to stop the Titans (and maybe shut Shawn Michaels mouth up too) and he WOULD have shoved his fist down The Giant's gullet, and ripped his tongue out by the root.....

".....and Giant.....if I see you get in my face again, then that's exactly what I will do.....because you may be the giant of World Championship Wrestling.....but I....am Sid Vicious.....and I am the Master.....and Ruler.....of the World....."

.....Sid says that whether Giant wins at Souled Out or not.....whether Giant is the WCW Champion come Souled Out or not, it doesn't matter any more.....because now the Giant has a giant problem of his own.....and Sid Vicious is going to tear him apart.....

.....Sid might not be the best at verbalising his feelings.....he certainly ain't great on the stick.....but his promo's get by on pure intensity, and right now.....Sid is very, VERY intense.....

Rating: B+

<img style="max-width:15%;
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.....speaking of intense.....we go from Sid Vicious to a package involving another gentleman who is intensity personified, the current WCW Television Champion.....Bill Goldberg.....

.....of course, if he wants to REMAIN the Television Champion, then he needs to get a little thing called medical clearance, and he needs to do it in the next 20 days.....we're shown now another shot of Goldberg's rehabbing routine, and while this undefeated rookie isn't exactly known for showing when he's in pain, he's clearly not at 100%......yet......

......but with the clock ticking, we have another few words from his physician, who tells us that 20 days to be medically cleared from this separated shoulder is certainly cutting it fine, but in his personal medical opinion, he thinks that we are going to be seeing Mr. Goldberg back in the ring very, very soon.....

......twenty days soon?......

.....well, that remains to be seen.....

Rating: A

<img style="max-width:15%;
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.....if WCW Monday Nitro was to be classed as an 'A' Show, then I would personally consider WCW Thunder a 'B+' show.....not as important as a Nitro, but certainly more relevant than a WCW Worldwide or (1998) Saturday Night.....just enough marquee matches and storyline development to make it necessary viewing, but also somewhere you can give some of the lesser seen stars some much needed exposure.....

.....hence our next match.....

.....we are showcasing the Cruiserweight division, and its Kid Kash facing off against relative newcomer Scott Taylor.....both men very capable in the ring, but unless they were in the middle of a Cruiserweight Championship programme, unlikely to be featured predominately on Nitro.....

.....of the two, Kid Kash (some personality issues no withstanding) is the more likely to one day hold that. Cruiserweight gold.....the former David Jericho, who's passing resemblance to the cult hip-hop/rap-rock star Kid Rock (who's becoming more of a household name after signing a new deal with Atlantic Records last year) garnered him not only a new name, but an entirely new (cocky) gimmick still has some way to go to reach his full potential, but in this junior division he has star written all over him.....

.....which was why he won.....

.....it was a decent enough match, with both men looking good, but in the end Kash picked up the pinfall with an Double Underhook Piledriver that he's christened the Moneymaker.....

Winner: Kid Kash
Rating: C

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.....we air a brief promo package next, highlighting the recent attacks that have been inflicted upon the Samoan SWAT Team of all people, by a number of as yet unknown assailants, ending in Gary Hart's challenge last week, for the attackers to meet the SST right here tonight in Tag Team action.....

....from there we come back live to the arena, where the Samoans have made their entrance, and Hart once again has a microphone.....he says that his team is here as promised, but after weeks of sneaking around and jumping people from behind, where are these mystery men?.....

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.....ask and you shall receive.....because it doesn't take long for two black clad figures (masks and all) to emerge from the crowd and climb into the ring.....I guess we have a tag team contest next.....

Rating: C+

<img style="max-width:15%;
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.....the SST were somewhat void of direction in WCW until the re-emergence of their one time manager Gary Hart, who's set these Wild Samoans back on the winning track, with presumably ambitions of Tag Team gold.....

.....more recently however they have been somewhat distracted by the arrival of these mystery men....sometimes one.....sometimes two.....occasionally three.....but no matter how many the number, the result has usually been the same.....the Samoans have been left laying.....

.....that's perhaps why they are wilder than usual tonight, going after their masked opponents with savage intent.....they look to have the advantage too.....and surely it's only a matter of time before they both defeat and unmask these mystery men, particularly when the action spills to the floor......

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.....which is when a further two men emerge.....one who leaps over the crowd rails, one who knocks the rail down to get to ringside (because he's HUGE.....there's no way he's climbing over anything) and once again the SST are the victims of an assault.....this time four on two.....and this one is over.....

Winner(s): The Samoan SWAT Team (via disqualification)
Rating: C

<img style="max-width:15%;
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.....but the assault is not.....as these four masked men continue to assault these (now near helpless) Samoans.....

.....they use the ringside environment to their advantage as they crash Fatu and Samu into ring barriers, steel steps, ring posts and aprons, before they finally roll the duo back into the ring.....

.....the three (slightly) smaller attackers continue to stomp the downed SST, while the larger man (who is clearly the ringleader) leans back in the corner and watches, gesturing silent orders with his arm motions.....

.....finally with Samu and Fatu down, two masked men make their way to the top rope, where they come flying with duel splashes, that completely finish off their opponents.....

.....the larger man walks to the centre of the ring as his three generals surround him, and in one fluid motion, all four men slowly remove their masks.....

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"src="https://i.imgur.com/N9nIuAu.jpg">

.....and Tony Schiavone is shocked (shocked I tells ya) when it reveals four more Samoans underneath.....one of whom we know VERY well, because he is former WWF Champion (and former Son of Samoa) Kokina.....

.....Dusty says that he knows these Samoans.....he says that he and the SST go wayyyyy back daddy.....he says that these men aren't just Samoans, they're family.....in fact those two at the back (Ekmo and Smooth) are as family as family can be.....because Ekmo is the brother of Fatu, while Smooth is Samu's brother.....

.....not that family seems to mean much right now.....because all four gentlemen are currently standing over the SST with a look close to disgust on their faces.....

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"src="https://i.imgur.com/RSPIUo7.jpg">

.....which is when (a very wary looking) Mike Tenay climbs into the ring with a microphone.....asking these Samoan's one simple question.....

.....why?.....

.....is it a simple answer? Maybe, but apparently not an answer we are getting today.....Kokina is apparently the mouthpiece of the group, but he just tells Tenay that the sins of the fathers are not about to be visited on the sons, but rather the sins of the savages are about to be visited on themselves.....

".....things change, times change.....the world turns.....and nothin stays the same.....you either change with it, or watch your past be destroyed by your future....."

.....not a simple answer at all then.....or any answer at all really.....let's go to commercial.....

Rating: B

<img style="max-width:15%;
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.....Lance Storm has been on anything BUT a one man campaign to take humiliate the American Patriot, Hacksaw Jim Duggan.....in fact, its regularly been a three, four, even six man campaign, with the Amazing French Canadians and (more recently) The Blue Bloods getting in on the fun.....

.....of course, we ARE predominantly in America.....and while Jim Duggan is an American Patriot, the Road Warriors are American Originals.....and they took Storm's USA bashing VERY personally.....

.....hence this match tonight.....

.....not Hawk and Animal vs. Earl Robert and Duke Douglas......not The Road Warriors vs. The Amazing French Canadians.....no, instead, these American Originals want the two heads of State.....the leaders of their nations.....so tonight, it's The Road Warriors, Hawk and Animal, against Lance Storm and Lord Steven Regal.....

.....this is WAY out of Storm and Regals comfort zone.....you're talking about two technical, mat based wizards here.....Hawk and Animal are big, burly, bar-room brawlers, who quite possibly don't even know how to tell the time, let alone know a wristwatch from a wrist lock.....which is why they completely dominate the opening portion of the match......

.....Storm and Regal (do cheat) but finally manage to isolate Hawk, cutting off the ring and isolating the body part.....it doesn't look as though it's going to be enough though.....or at least not until the Amazing French Canadians AND the Blue Bloods get involved, with Jacques Rougeau tossing Lance Storm a (Canadian Original) Hockey Stick, which he uses to wrap around the back of Hawks head, giving him the one, two, and the three.....

.....it's not a clean victory.....

.....but a victory it is none the less.....

Winner(s): Lance Storm & Lord Steven Regal
Rating: A

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.....the Storm and the Canadian, as well as the Blue Bloods stand over the fallen Hawk for a moment, before shaking hands with one another like the civilised servants of Her Majesty that they are.....

.....although they're clearly not THAT civilised.....because it looks as though they are about to deliver a six on two beating.....and Storm still has that hockey stick in hand.....

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.....he's not the only one who's got wood though.....because here comes Hacksaw.....and before the dastardly heels even know he's arrived, he nails Storm across the back with that 2x4......Hoooooooooo.....

.....he starts swinging wildly then.....and (once the Road Warriors get back to their feet) it's not long before Her Majesties Mercenary's bolt from the ring and rush up the aisle out of harms way......

.....Hacksaw grabs Old Glory and waves it high in the air, as Road Warrior Hawk snatches a microphone up from ringside.....he tells Storm and Company (rather loudly) that this is nowhere near over.....he says that one way or another, they're going to war.....and with Hacksaw on board, the three of them want three of ANY combination of the six of them.....and they want them next week on Monday Nitro.....

.....what a rush indeed.....

Rating: B+

<img style="max-width:15%;
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.....the Cruiserweight Division is showcased again now, this time as the current Number One contender, Hayabusa faces off against another masked man, the extremely agile Blitzkrieg.....

.....Hayabusa is clearly no slouch either.....and as well as agility, he possesses something that Blitzkrieg doesn't.....presence.....there is clearly something special about this young man, something that James Vandenberg is going to exploit in an effort to bring home the Cruiserweight Championship, and FINALLY eradicate Jeff Hardy once and for all.....

.....of course, that might be easier said than done, because if Jeff Hardy has proved anything as of late, it's that he possesses a never say die attitude, and he's developed quite the knack for overcoming the odds.....and if Monday night is anything to go by, he's also riding a huge wave of confidence after managing to defeat Mortis on Nitro.....

.....but enough about Jeff Hardy, this is about Hayabusa.....and Hayabusa soundly defeated Blitzkrieg rather easily here, finishing him off with an impressive Phoenix Splash.....

Winner: Hayabusa
Rating: B-

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.....Vandenberg (and the rest of his congregation) join Hayabusa in the ring, where this somewhat sinister minister grabs a microphone, to deliver the message that Jeff Hardy so rudely interrupted on Monday Night.....

.....he says that Mortis may have fallen at the final hurdle on Nitro.....Tajiri may have failed him at Starrcade.....Shinzaki might have come up short in his efforts to liberate the Cruiserweight Championship from the clutches of the un-pure.....but Hayabusa.....Hayabusa is set to be his avenging angel.....his fiery sword.....his purifier.....

".....young Jeffery, I applaud your spirit.....and was it not for the fact that you appear unable to rise above the need for the approval of these moronic fans, maybe it could have been YOU at my right hand.....but be it naivety.....ego.....or plain stupidity, you are determined to position yourself in my way.....so be it.....because at the aptly named Souled Out, my angel of death will finally irradiate YOUR soul.....as we bring the Cruiserweight Championship home, to the Vestibule of Vandenberg....."

Rating: B

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.....from there we go backstage, where Mike Tenay is standing between two men who are in action next.....Tag Team action that is, when they face off against the Forgotten combination of Bam Bam Bigelow and Big Van Vader.....Curt Hennig and The Rock.....

.....Tenay says that this past Monday night, things got a little heated between the two of them following Curt Hennig's defeat to Lord Steven Regal......TONIGHT, they will absolutely have to be on the same page if they want to have any chance of defeating their opponents.....because Vader and Bigelow are two big, big men, who will utilise ANY miscommunication to their advantage.....have they put that tension behind them?.....

.....Rocky fields that question....telling Tenay that he better than anyone knows exactly what the Forgotten are capable of......

".....see this ain't the Rock's first rodeo with the Forgotten Mike Tenay.....no, no, no, no, no.....The Rock, he's faced the Forgotten before.....he's gone one on one with the Crypt Keeper Kevin Sullivan.....The Rock beat the cobwebs out of his beard and shoved a pentagram up his candy ass.....The Rock, he's stepped into the ring with Bam Bam.....slapped him so hard upside his head that he put those stupid flames out.....the only thing left on Bam Bam's skull now is the Rock's handprint.....

.....but Pebbles there.....the big man.....the bigger man.....Big Van Vader.....see the Rock, The Rock didn't beat Vader.....sure the Rock kicked his candy ass.....The Rock bounced him around that ring and left him laying like the big sack of brontosaurus crap that he is.....but the Rock didn't win, and the Rock didn't win because of one man.....Eddie Guerrero....."

.....Rocky says that he and Vader have some unfinished business, but it's about to be finished tonight.....because he's going to hit Bam Bam with the People's Elbow.....he's going to drop Vader with the Rock Bottom.....and then at Souled Out, FINALLY, The Rock will lay the smack down on Eddie Guerrero's Candy Ass, to become the NEW WCW United States Champion.....

"......IF YA SMELLLLLLLLLL......"

".....hold on there 'Rocky'....."

.....hold that thought.....because Curt Hennig has something to say.....

".....because believe it or not, it's not ALL about you.....YOU'RE going to do this.....YOU'RE going to do that.....YOU'RE going to beat the Forgotten.....YOU'RE going to become the United States Champion.....maybe YOU should remember, that YOU only have that US Title shot to begin with, because I made sure that Chavo Guerrero didn't interfere in your match again.....

.....maybe YOU should remember, that this is a TAG TEAM match tonight.....and maybe.....maybe the next time you leave me out there to get my ass jumped by Eddie Guerrero.....maybe YOU should remember, that the special enforcer in YOUR US Title match at Souled Out......is ME....."

.....Hennig tells Rocky that he might think that this is HIS show.....but if the so-called 'Great One' isn't there for Curt Hennig tonight, then maybe Curt Hennig will have to rethink his priorities at Souled Out.....

.....so I guess (in answer to Tenay's initial question) it's safe to say that the tension between The Rock and Curt Hennig is still very much there.....

.....let's get to the match.....

Rating: A*

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.....talk about the wrong team to be facing when you're already having 'difficulties'.....The Rock and Curt Hennig would have a hard enough time defeating Big Van Vader and Bam Bam Bigelow on any other given day, let alone on a day when tensions between the two are somewhat high.....

.....realistically, this is a match that neither The Forgotten nor The Rock can afford to lose.....after all, Vader and Bam Bam are just three days away from their first title match in over six months (when they face DDP AND Chris Benoit for the WCW Tag Team Titles) while The Rock, he's got his United States Title rematch with Eddie Guerrero coming up.....picking up a loss here would seriously derail the losing man's momentum.....

.....The Rock touched on it a minute ago, but he also has the added pressure of the fact that he has never defeated Vader.....a fact which has clearly ignited a fire under the People's Champ.....

.....for what it's worth, Hennig and Rocky actually work pretty well together.....especially in the opening moments of the match.....neither man is exactly what you would call a Cruiserweight, but both are considerably quicker than Vader and Bam Bam and they use that speed advantage to take control of the match.....

.....eventually however, it's Rocky that gets to play the face in peril, as The Forgotten (with a little help from Kevin Sullivan) gain the advantage and cut the ring in half.....

.....to his credit, Hennig clearly wants the win here tonight, and he frantically cheers his partner on from the corner (in between breaking up pinfall attempts) and when Rock DOES finally make the hot tag, he hits the ring like a house of fire.....

.....he somehow manages to fend off both Vader and Bammers long enough for Rocky to get back into the fray.....and then a four way brawl breaks out as the match spirals out of control.....

.....finally the baby faces seem to garner the upper hand, with Rocky sending Bammers flying through the ropes, as Hennig looks to be going for the impossible.....he's hooking Big Van Vader for the Hennig Plex.....

<img style="max-width:15%;
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.....which (as Sullivan hops up onto the apron to distract the official) Eddie Guerrero slips into the ring behind Rocky, and launches his Souled Out opponent into the back of Curt Hennig, just as Curt was about to drive Vader to the mat with the Hennig Plex.....

.....Eddie quickly rolls out of the ring (and hides out of sight on the floor) as Hennig turns around.....and Curt is furious that The Rock appears to have broken up his Hennig Plex attempt, asking what his problem is, before shoving Rocky in the chest.....

.....Bigelow hits the ring now and takes out Rocky from behind, as Curt shrugs his shoulders at his partners current predicament, instead turning back to face Vader.....

.....who kicks him in the gut.....

.....and Powerbomb him to the mat.....

.....for the one, two, three.....

.....the Forgotten win.....

Winner(s): The Forgotten
Rating: B+

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.....and they don't stick around either.....with their victory in the bag their work here is done, so Sully leads his men to the back, presumably to begin working on their game plan for Sunday night.....

.....Hennig drags himself back to his feet using the ropes, as Rocky rolls back into the ring.....and Curt's mood right now is anything from perfect.....

.....he again shoves the Rock in the chest, wanting to know why he stopped him from going for the Hennig Plex.....was it because the Rock's ego didn't want anyone other than himself getting the victory?.....Rock doesn't like the shove in the chest, but he still protests his innocence, telling Curt that it was Eddie Guerrero that caused the problem.....

.....Curt smiles at that, before theatrically searching the ring, telling Rock that unless Eddie Guerrero has suddenly mastered invisibility, he has a hard time buying that (because Eddie is indeed nowhere to be seen) before again shoving Rock in the chest, telling him that he warned him about this.....Rock can only take so much though, and he shoves Hennig back.....

.....and then things get a little heated.....

.....because Curt slaps Rocky in the face.....

.....and Rocky slaps him right back.....

.....and then the pair begin trading blows.....

.....as security rushes the ring to separate them.....

.....and the camera catches sight of Eddie Guerrero smirking in the crowd (cleverly disguised with a fans hat hiding his mullet) as we go to the back.....

....although as Tony Schiavone points out, The Rock might want to request a different enforcer for Souled Out.....

Rating: A*

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.....where Shawn Michaels and Jean Paul Levesque are in the locker room, as Shawn puts the finishing touches on lacing up his boots.....

.....the two men are discussing their upcoming match this Sunday with the Titans of Wrestling.....with Shawn telling Levesque that no matter what, make sure he stays in the back tonight.....

".....because I don't want ANYTHING coming between me, and me kicking Randy Savage's teeth.....especially that match being cancelled because of Lex Luger.....after all, I shouldn't have ANY trouble in finishing off old Flexy Lexy....."

.....both men laugh at that, before Levesque taps Shawn on the shoulder conspiringly, telling him that he can level with him......DID he lay out Luger on Nitro?.....

".....because, well.....I know it wasn't me....."

".....well it wasn't me....."

".....well it certainly want me....."

".....I'm telling you, it wasn't me.....have I ever told a lie in my life?....."

.....the two men laugh again at that, as Shawn stands up and slips on his entrance jacket, telling Paul not to worry.....he'll be right back after he's kicked Lugers teeth down his throat.....

.....and with that he struts out of the room, leaving the announcers with one question.....

.....was it Shawn Michaels that assaulted Lex Luger on Nitro?.....

.....our main event is next.....

Rating: B+

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.....and it's a main event that's kinda been coming for a few weeks now.....ever since Shawn Michaels Superkicked Lex Luger in the face a few weeks back on Monday Nitro.....

.....sure the pair have faced off in Tag Team competition since then, but that match was kind of inconclusive considering the fact that the Titans of Wrestling interjected themselves into it.....since then they've teamed together (which didn't go so well) and just three days ago on Nitro, Luger was found unconscious in the back, with the words "Clique Rules" conveniently spray painted on the wall behind him.....

.....now, both Shawn Michaels and Jean Paul Levesque have denied responsibility for this attack.....but neither man has been particularly convincing, nor were they overly concerned when they heard that Luger had been taken down.....all in all I'd say this match has been a long time coming.....

.....Luger is straight up on fire for this one too.....he's put in some strong performances in the last few months has our Lex and tonight is no exception, as he runs through Michaels with a series of clotheslines.....it's clear that Michaels thought that he would take Lex out in no time tonight, but he's soon finding out that The Total Package isn't anybody's pushover.....and with Jean Paul Levesque barred from ringside, Michaels could be in real trouble here.....

.....speaking of Levesque, we cut away to shots of him watching the match on a monitor intermittently through the contest, and he's clearly frustrated that Shawn isn't putting Luger away quite as easily as they both thought he would.....with a no holds barred match against Randy Savage and The Warrior on the horizon in just three days time, he could do without his partner taking too much of a beating here.....and as Luger sets up what looks to be the homeward stretch, he bangs his hand on the table in frustration, snatches something up from the floor.....

.....and storms out of the room.....

.....not to ringside I hope.....

.....back in the ring Luger picks up a near fall after nailing Michaels with that trademark forearm, before signalling to the approving crowd that he's going t po go for the Torture Rack.....

.....and that's when the Turnertron switches to a shot of the production area, where JPL has a video technician by the scruff of his neck, telling him to "play the damn tape I just gave you".....

.....which he does.....

.....the tape in question? Well, it appears to be CCTV footage from outside the locker room of Lex Luger, which (from the time and date stamp) looks to be from this past Monday Night.....it shows Luger entering his locker room, followed a few moments later by the Titans of Wrestling's Buff Bagwell, who pauses at the doorway, peeks inside.....places a black bag on the floor (out of which he pulls a bat) and then rushes into the room.....

.....there's no shot of what happened INSIDE the room, but I'm sure we can draw our own conclusions.....especially as a few moments later, Buff re-emerges from the room.....puts the bat back inside the bag.....and pulls out a can of spray paint.....

.....back inside the ring Lex Luger completely taken his eye off his opponent to watch this footage.....and as the Turnertron flicks off (taking with it any doubt that Shawn Michaels WAS in fact an innocent man) he turns back around.....

.....and gets kicked right in the mouth.....

.....Michaels drops down on top of Lex.....

.....the official counts three.....

.....and this one is all over.....

.....Jean Paul Levesque may have been barred from ringside, but it looks as though he still found a way to influence the outcome of this match.....and as Shawn gives (the still flat on his back) Luger the Crotch Chop, he rolls to the outside, where he's met by JPL.....and as the two friends exit stage left (loudly informing a nearby camera that they TOLD us they were innocent) they let Savage and Warrior know that they're going to take them out for good at Souled Out.....

.....meanwhile in the ring, Lex is only just coming around.....it's a kind of good day/bad day scenario for The Total Package.....on the one hand, he just lost a pretty high profile match.....but on the other hand.....

.....he at least now knows who to direct his anger at.....

.....Buff Bagwell.....

.....we'll see you Sunday fans.....

Winner: Shawn Michaels
Rating: B

Final Rating: B

ssjbeefcake · September 16, 2019

Is Rikishi playing 2 characters in WCW? If not who is "Fatu"?

to4sty · September 17, 2019

Is Rikishi playing 2 characters in WCW? If not who is "Fatu"?

No it’s not Rikishi, it’s his brother Sam Fatu. He was the Tonga Kid in the WWF, also went by Tama and the Samoan Savage. He was in the SST back in the day too when they ran as a trio

to4sty · September 21, 2019

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"src="https://i.imgur.com/KHIBBqF.jpg">

Week 4, January 1998

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It's time for the Hardcore Revolution to continue.....and while we have a little event called House Party 1998 on the horizon, we're not quite there yet.....so for now, you're going to have to make do with a series of events that happened in the ECW arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.....and as usual, your host for the evening, the Voice of Extreme, Joey Styles.....

.....Joey tells us that while House Party is upcoming, there was a party of a different type down at the ECW arena this week.....before sending us down to ringside.....

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.....where these three idiots are making their way out.....Dancing Stevie Richards, The Blue Meanie, and Super Nova.....

.....the trio spend a few minutes annoying the crowd, before Stevie tells his adoring fans that he's out here for one reason and one reason only.....

".....actually.....WE are out here for one reason and one reason only.....and I say WE, because I was going to come out here alone, but everybody knows that as far as Jenna Jameson is concerned......the more men the better.....

.....so Jenna.....take a minute to climb down off whoever you're currently 'entertaining', because the Three Musketeers have a little something to get off their chests.....and if you want to bring your meathead boy toy with you, then the more the merrier....."

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.....they don't have to wait long.....and Jenna (who OBVIOUSLY gets a good pop from this predominantly male Philly crowd) makes her way out, along with the co-star to her latest 'movie', Val Venis.....

.....Stevie can be a pretty obnoxious guy at times, and he's at his best here, telling Jenna to ditch the Zero and come over to the heroes.....because everyone knows that Jenna Jameson likes nothing more than a hardcore three way dance.....

".....and honey, they don't come more hardcore than Dancin' Stevie Richards....."

.....Jenna outright laughs at that, telling Stevie that no matter how 'hardcore' he THINKS he is, he's just not man enough to handle a woman like Jenna Jameson.....so how about the "Three Musketeers" head to the back and play with each other's swords, and leave her out here with the REAL man.....Val Venis.....

.....as for that 'real' man.....it seems that Val has something to say too.....because he takes the microphone from Jameson, telling Stevie that he and his boys need to take a little lesson from Philadelphia's own, Rocky Balboa.....

".....see the Big Valbowski, he's got a thing or two in common with Rocky.....like Rocky, you can't keep this big guy down.....because just last night, Jenna here, she gave me blow after blow after blow.....and the Big Valbowski was standing UPRIGHT by the count of ten.....

.....like Rocky, The Big Valbowski always enters vertical.....leaves them horizontal.....he starts strong.....goes the distance.....and he ALWAYS finishes last.....but then Stevie.....in a lot of ways, YOU'RE a lot like Rocky as well.....because The Big Valbowski saw the three out you out back earlier today.....beating your meat and calling out 'Paul E's' name like a Rocky training montage....."

.....Val tells Richards that if he wanted to see just how hardcore Val Venis can get, they only had to ask.....in fact....they can find our right NOW.....

Rating: C-

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.....and Val punches Stevie right in the jaw.....

.....Richards quickly bails from the ring.....for all the tough talk he's obviously not keen on the idea of getting in there with Venis right now.....instead he sends Nova to do his dirty work, so it looks like we have a match after all.....

.....Nova jumps Val from behind (so he at least gets SOME offence in here, unlike his match last week against Taz) but it's not long before Val gets back into the swing of things, taking full control of the match.....

.....this being ECW, the official cares little about things like outside interference.....so Stevie and Meanie get in on the action too.....unfortunately, Val is ready, and he drops Dancin' Stevie with a DDT.....

.....Stevie is flat on his back, but his henchman is there straight away, and Meanie stands over his fallen leader protectively.....

.....until Jenna climbs into the ring behind him.....

.....drops to her knees.....

.....and nails him right in the balls.....

.....Meanie clutches at his little blue guy in agony, before toppling forward and landing flat on his face.....

.....or rather, his face lands right on Stevie's crotch.....

.....69 style.....

.....and as Stevie and Meanie lay there enjoying a little 'meal for two', Venis heads up top and crushes the life out of Nova with a splash that's been christened "The Money Shot".....

.....classy.....

.....Val Venis wins.....

Winner: Val Venis
Rating: D+

<img style="max-width:15%;
"src="https://i.imgur.com/5c8SYaj.jpg"><img style="max-width:15%;
"src="https://i.imgur.com/CKGxraU.jpg"><img style="max-width:15%;
"src="https://i.imgur.com/R0GaQhR.jpg">

.....from there we cut to some pre-taped words from AFTER the match.....where Richards, (a surprisingly happy) Meanie and Nova are huddled in the back.....

.....Stevie says (in between gargling with mouthwash) that this isn't done.....not by a long shot.....

.....he tells Val that his little pre-paid girlfriend is only going to be able to protect him from the Three Musketeers for so long.....he may have taken out Nova, but there's still the matter of Stevie and The Blue Meanie to contend with.....Stevie slaps Meanie on his ample chest, telling Val that Big Blue here will show him what a REAL Blue Movie looks like.....

".....ain't that right Meanie...........Meanie?............MEANIE!?.........what the hell are you smiling at?....."

.....Meanie just rubs his hands together and does a little jig on the spot, as he tells Stevie that.....

".....she touched it Stevie.....she touched my little Meanie....."

.....ugh.....obviously Meanie enjoyed that low blow a little bit too much.....

.....let's get out of here.....

<img style="max-width:15%;
"src="https://i.imgur.com/kPbwgcK.jpg">

.....and head over to Mr. Confident, Rob Van Dam.....

.....RVD is perched (split-legged) on two steel chairs, as Bill Alfonso paces behind him.....he tells us that at Cyberslam, the whole of the USA got that little bit better, because (fresh off spending a year in Japan) Rob Van Dam came home, and he came to ECW.....

.....for now.....

".....I mean c'mon.....don't get used to seeing me in these bingo halls for too long.....everybody knows that Rob Van Dam is going straight to the top.....but don't worry, because even when I'm gone, you'll all still get to see your favourite superstar.....every Monday night.....for either WCW or the WWF.....whoever offers (the soon to be) Mr. Monday Night the best deal....."

.....RVD tells both companies that he can be reached through his business manager.....Bill Alfonso.....so direct all their calls to him.....

.....speaking of Fonzie.....he's not a happy guy right now.....and after blowing his (f###ing annoying) whistle a few times, he screams at the screen that before Rob Van Dam goes ANYWHERE though, he's going to do one thing for Bill Alfonso.....he's going to take out that good for nothing, orange, son of a bitch......Taz......

.....Van Dam shrugs his shoulders, telling Fonzie "whatever" and clearly not intimidated by the threat Taz poses......Fonzie says that Taz took his man Sabu and he broke his freaking back.....he took his meal ticket, and snapped it in half.....well, when RVD is done with him, it's going to be TAZ that's broken and busted in half.....

<img style="max-width:15%;
"src="https://i.imgur.com/UgQUgF7.jpg">

.....before we GO to Taz.....who's sat in a dark room (like the miserable son of a bitch that he is) with a tatty black towel over his head.....and the Human Suplex Machine might just be an afterthought to Rob Van Dam, but it seems as though RVD is front and centre on the mind of Taz.....

.....he tells Van Dam that he needs to check his mouth at the door the next time that they're together in an ECW arena.....because while RVD might be planning on using this company as a stepping stone to the top, Taz is planning on strapping this company on his back and TAKING it to the top.....

".....you might have spent most of last year in Japan Rob, so I don't know if anyone's told you.....but this is EC 'F##king' W.....this is EXTREME CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING.....this ain't a stepping stone.....it's a god damn proving ground.....and if you CAN'T prove yourself here.....if you DON'T want to be here.....then you don't belong here.....go up North, go and join the WWF's plastic attitude adjustment.....go down south and PLAY with WCW's big boys.....go wherever the hell you want, but just go....."

.....Taz tells him to go.....and go quickly.....because if he sticks around here (and more importantly) if he insists on aligning himself with Bill Alfonso, then Taz is going to hurt him.....Taz is going to bend him.....Taz is going to BREAK him.....and while Alfonso is looking out for a meal ticket, just like Sabu, Taz will snap him in half.....and the only way that RVD will survive.....will be if Taz LETS HIM.....

Rating: C-

<img style="max-width:15%;
"src="https://i.imgur.com/PpKvS93.jpg"><img style="max-width:15%;
"src="https://i.imgur.com/VSN8erh.jpg"><img style="max-width:15%;
"src="https://i.imgur.com/Eh85fRt.jpg"><img style="max-width:15%;
"src="https://i.imgur.com/LHYTIFp.jpg"><img style="max-width:15%;
"src="https://i.imgur.com/3BLNboC.jpg">

.....we go back to some in ring action now, with the debut of another set of new faces here in ECW, this time in the form of Wolfie D and JC Ice.....the team of PG-13.....

.....these pair may be new to the land of extreme, but they're certainly not new to the sport, having been a mainstay in the USWA for close to five years now, winning countless Tag Team Championships along the way.....

.....their opponents?.....

.....have never won a tag team title.....nor (on the evidence of this display) are they ever likely too.....it's Dances with, it's Chubby.....it's the Dudley Boys.....

.....obviously these aren't the most capable of Dudleys.....in fact, you could argue that Big Dick alone would have had a better chance of success here tonight.....but at least they're not out on their own....because Buh Buh is out there.....Sign Guy is there.....the aforementioned Big Dick takes up residence on the outside......and yes, old Grumpy Dudley himself, D-Von is out there too.....

.....it's safe to say that D-Von has been less than complimentary about his brothers as of late.....berating, insulting, and generally calling them a disgrace to the Dudley name.....

.....so as you can imagine.....he wasn't best pleased when his brothers lost again here, after Dances with got taken out by a Whirlybird from Wolfe D.....

Winner(s): PG-13
Rating: E+

<img style="max-width:15%;
"src="https://i.imgur.com/cf64mRq.jpg"><img style="max-width:15%;
"src="https://i.imgur.com/jYEyr2I.jpg"><img style="max-width:15%;
"src="https://i.imgur.com/aRJz2us.jpg"><img style="max-width:15%;
"src="https://i.imgur.com/LHYTIFp.jpg"><img style="max-width:15%;
"src="https://i.imgur.com/Oj11tW9.jpg"><img style="max-width:15%;
"src="https://i.imgur.com/3BLNboC.jpg">

.....and he was straight into the ring (as the victors head to the back) to once again berate his brothers.....

.....now this being ECW, the language and the action can get a little bit.....colourful.....at times.....considering we have just seen PG-13 leave however, this segment is certainly rated TV-MA.....because D-Von cusses up a storm.....

.....he tears into both Chubby and Dances, loudly calling them both "f###ing disgraces to the Dudley name", before slapping both men across the face.....

.....I don't know what it is about D-Von, he's considerably smaller in stature than both Buh Buh and Big Dick.....hell, even Chubby outweighs him (although Chubby outweighs most folks.....he is, in D-Von's own words, nothing more than a fat f##k) but it's clear that half of his brothers are terrified of him (hence Sign Guy's sign of the day....."Don't hit me D-Von") while the other half just don't know how to act around him.....

.....he continues to berate the two losing Dudleys, before finally punching them both in the mouth (giving them a kicking while they're on the mat) and heading outside for a steel chair.....

.....he stands over Chubby and raises the chair, poised to strike.....

.....but then Buh Buh snatches the chair out of his hands.....

.....D-Von looks at Buh Buh for a moment with a look of annoyance, before finally smiling, telling his buh-buh-brother that at least he's finally growing some balls.....

".....so what are you going to do with that?.....you gonna hit me?.....hit me then.....come on, hit me mother####er.....do it.....

.....you either hit me (but you'd better hit me so god damn hard that I don't get back up again) or you hit THEM.....because if you DON'T hit them, then I'm going to hit them.....and I'll hit them a hell of a lot harder than you would.....so do it....."

.....oh Buh Buh really wants to hit D-Von.....that's plain from the look on his face.....and he clearly DOESN'T want to hit either Chubby or Dances.....but can he hit D-Von hard enough to keep him down? Clearly he's not sure, so to be on the safe side he just tosses the chair down to the mat.....

.....again D-Von looks disappointed.....at this point he would even be happy to see Buh Buh crash that chair over HIS head if it meant he was developing a bit more of a killer instinct.....

".....but this.....this is just pathetic....."

.....D-Von throws his microphone down on the still flat on his back Dances with Dudley, gives Big Dick the finger.....slaps Buh Buh in the mouth.....and shoves Sign Guy down to the mat.....before telling ALL the Dudleys that they're nothing more than a bunch of p###y's.....before finally heading to the back, leaving his shell shocked Brothers in the ring.....

Rating: C+

<img style="max-width:15%;
"src="https://i.imgur.com/c3OlByw.jpg">

.....and as we leave the Dudleys in the ring, we head off to the command centre, where Joey Styles is standing by.....

.....he recaps the events of Cyberslam, which saw Shane Douglas not only take the ECW Television Championship from Tommy Dreamer (less than a week after he won the title himself from 911) but he also committed the heinous act of driving Beulah into the mat too with the Franchise's patented Belly to Belly.....

.....remarkably, it was the man that Tommy Dreamer defeated to win the ECW TV Title that made the save.....when 911 made his way out from the back to put a stop from the attack, and potentially Chokeslam Douglas through the mat.....

.....except he did t get a chance.....because before he'd climbed into the ring. The Franchise had already bailed.....

.....Joey says that he's seen Tommy Dreamer since then.....he's spoken to Tommy Dreamer since then too.....and with the mood Tommy is in, may god have mercy on Shane Douglas' black soul when Tommy Dreamer finally catches up with him.....

".....and if you don't believe me, watch this....."

Rating: N/A

<img style="max-width:15%;
"src="https://i.imgur.com/6GmTMRr.jpg"><img style="max-width:15%;
"src="https://i.imgur.com/oUdDGeT.jpg">

.....with "this" being footage from an ECW live event....Fan Cam footage to be precise, in which Shane Douglas put the Television Title on the line against House of Hardcore graduate, Chris Chetti.....

.....we don't see the whole match (which was already in progress when we joined it) but we see enough to realise that this is no run of the mill squash match.....Chetti may be a relative newcomer, but Heyman obviously sees something in him, because he's taking Douglas to the very limit here.....in fact, it's perhaps only the interference of Francine that stopped us from having our second Television Title change in as many weeks, as she raked the youngsters eyes long enough for Douglas to connect with the Belly to Belly.....and retain his championship.....

.....with the win in the bag, Douglas grabs the house mic to tell Chetti to come back in a couple of years and maybe.....maybe.....he'll have a chance at beating the Franchise.....

".....but probably not....."

.....because Chris Chetti just found out the same thing that Tommy Dreamer found out.....that 911 WILL find out if he sticks his nose in Shane Douglas' business again.....and the same thing that Beulah found out first hand.....

".....and that's that you don't get up from the Belly to Belly....."

<img style="max-width:15%;
"src="https://i.imgur.com/OODEH1M.jpg">

.....Douglas and Francine get a good laugh from that.....but they're not laughing when Tommy Dreamer suddenly comes rushing down the aisle.....

.....he slides into the ring and dives for Douglas, but the Franchise manages to avoid his grip, scurrying under the bottom rope and down to the floor.....

.....not to be deterred, Dreamer rolls right out after him, and a brief cat and mouse chase ensues.....Shane is a slippery son of a bitch though, and try as he might Tommy simply can't catch hold of the Television Champion, who finally retreats up the aisle, taunting Dreamer as he goes.....

<img style="max-width:15%;
"src="https://i.imgur.com/Fo86UOx.jpg">

.....at least until he backs right into the huge form of 911.....

.....the former Television Champion snatches at Douglas, looking to wrap his hand around the throats of the Franchise, but with his exit blocked and Tommy Dreamer back in the ring, Douglas does the only thing he can.....

.....he bails through the crowd.....

.....not that the crowd are happy about it, but Douglas charges his way through until he reaches the eagles nest position, where (safety resumed) he continues to taunt both Dreamer AND 911, until we finally go back to Joey Styles.....

.....Shane Douglas man.....what a prick.....

Rating: B

<img style="max-width:15%;
"src="https://i.imgur.com/XZwD5oR.jpg"><img style="max-width:15%;
"src="https://i.imgur.com/Eh85fRt.jpg"><img style="max-width:15%;
"src="https://i.imgur.com/QrnBC5X.jpg">

.....Joey spends a few moments again basically calling Shane Douglas a piece of sh!t, before sending us to our final match of the evening.....and we're rolling back the years here, as two former NWA World Champions collide in Tommy Rich and Terry Funk.....

.....that probably makes this sound like a more grandiose affair than it actually was.....because when you bear in mind that Rich held the ten pounds of gold for all of four days, then it takes the shine off the "former world champions clashing" tag just a little bit.....

.....these days Tommy Rich is better known for his alliance with the Full Bloodied Italians, where he serves as "The Big Don".....the head honcho.....the main made man if you will.....and his foot soldiers are right there with him, because Little Guido and Tracy Smothers accompany him to ringside.....

.....as you would expect, aesthetically this was hardly the best looking of matches.....it WAS however a wild brawl and everyone knows how much these ECW fans like a wild brawl.....so obviously, this was pretty well received.....

.....the two elder statesmen brawled all over the arena (with Smothers and Guido getting involved on more than one occasion) but it wasn't the FBI that made the difference here.....

<img style="max-width:15%;
"src="https://i.imgur.com/NYvjWHL.jpg">

.....rather, the FORMER member of the FBI, JT Smith.....

.....Smith had previously tried to involve himself in the Full Bloodied Italians affairs (presumably in an effort to return to their good graces) but in typical Smith form, he botched the help and cost the FBI the match.....

.....he won't make that mistake twice though right?.....

.....wrong.....

.....because he runs down the aisle (steel chair in hand) and goes to swing the weapon at Funk.....

.....unfortunately he trips over his own feet as he enters the ring and winds up accidentally nailing The Big Don in the back of the head with the steel.....

.....Funk tosses Smith back out of the ring, drags a groggy Rich back to his feet.....

.....piledrives him to the mat.....

.....and makes the cover for the one, two, three.....

.....silly JT Smith.....Terry Funk wins.....

Winner: Terry Funk
Rating: C

<img style="max-width:15%;
"src="https://i.imgur.com/XZwD5oR.jpg"><img style="max-width:15%;
"src="https://i.imgur.com/2zlMfHd.jpg"><img style="max-width:15%;
"src="https://i.imgur.com/JLrJDTk.jpg">

.....the FBI head to the back (with Smith apologising all the way) while Funk grabs a microphone.....

.....he tells the crowd that he came here tonight to fight, and he ain't done fighting yet.....so either that "fat, beer swilling sweat hog, The Sandman" gets his ass out here, or that "jumped up little pissant, Justin Credible" comes down to the ring, because one way or another, Terry Funk isn't finished with EITHER man.....

.....he wants The Sandman's ECW Title.....he wants to shove his boot past Justin Credible's yellow buck teeth.....

".....hell.....I just want to fight.....so come on boys.....unless you don't got the balls to pick a fight with the Funker....."

.....copyright be damned.....because this building erupts as Metallica's "Enter Sandman" begins to play.....and it gets even louder when The ECW Champion himself emerges in the crowd, guzzling down a cold one.....

.....then Justin Credible cracks him in the back of the head with the Kendo Stick.....

.....Funk might be looking for a fight, but the fight at the minute is taking place in the crowd, as Credible tosses Sandman down a flight of stairs, before commencing to lash him with cane shots across the back.....

.....The Funker isn't happy to wait for the fight to come to him, so he throws himself over the guardrail and makes his way through the crowd to where the action is.....

.....by the time he gets there though, Credible has finished his assault.....and as Funk gets within ten feet of the brash young upstart, Credible gives a good old fashioned (KLiQ approved) Crotch Chop, along with the obligatory "Suck It old man", before delivering one final shot to The Sandman and disappearing back to wherever the hell he came from.....

.....Terry Funk wanted a fight.....he's not getting one......

.....Sandman is down, Justin Credible has gone.....and as Terry stands there looking frustrated in the crowd, Joey Styles signs off.....but not before calling Justin Credible a punk.....

.....we'll see you next week, with results from House Party 1998.....

Rating: B+

Final Rating: C-

to4sty · September 21, 2019

Lex Luger vs. Shawn Michaels
Comments: Is - is Lex a secret JTTS (jobber to the stars)?

I'd like to think not, but he does seem to do a lot of jobs doesn't he.....Lex to be fair has been a useful member of the roster (even if his match with Shawn was terrible) I guess we'll have to see how Flexy fares in the future, but as it stands his current position suits me.....

.....that didn't really answer the question did it.....

The Rock & Curt Hennig vs. The Forgotten
Comments: Miscommunication at all - I think they beat my beloved Forgotten

A lot of people seemed to think the same.....never doubt The Forgotten, they aren't facing the tag champs for nothing

Super Nova vs. Val Venis
Comments: I don't think I commented on Venis popping up - I thought it was a clever way of debuting someone who I wasn't expecting to see in this universe. Plus the bWo are corny enough to make sure such a gimmicky character works.

Val has been whining about being stuck in developmental for about a year now, but I had no need or desire to call him up yet. ECW seemed the perfect place to test the new gimmick out given their Extreme nature (and our clandestine working agreement)

The Road Warriors vs. Lance Storm & Lord Steven Regal
Comments: Road Warriors are old, and I am enjoying this dynamic you’ve put in between the French-Canadians and the Brits

Hawk and Animal are getting up there in age, but believe me they're still over like rover (especially in tag team terms) and have pulled some great grades with some surprising opponents.....A's with Awesome and Cain, Copeland and Cage, Storm and Regal right here.....in fact, their worst grades were against people you'd think they'd pull easy grades with Hogan/Savage for example (a paltry B grade) The Road Warriors definitely still have a place on the roster.....

.....but yeah, they still lost here.....

Kid Kash vs. Scott Taylor
Comments: I had to look up Scott Taylor to find out it was Scotty 2 Hotty

It is indeed.....pre Scotty 2 Hotty, pre Too Hot Scott Taylor, he was just Scott Taylor, jobber extraordinaire

Glad to be back predicting on this diary, I must say. Gotta commend Sir To4st, for keeping up the quality long-a$$ write-ups week-in and week-out. Very diversified characters in this thing.

Glad to have you back brother.....and thanks.....I do try to condense my write ups regularly but it never seems to happen, I just can't write a short show.....although I gotta be honest, those hour long ECW shows are a treat to write after a Raw/Nitro

Lex Luger vs. Shawn Michaels
Comments: Good main event for Thunder

The match grade says otherwise

The Rock & Curt Hennig vs. The Forgotten
Comments: Rocky and Hennig will not win together

See Crackerjack.....Blodyxe knows.....and you call yourself a Forgotten fan

The Samoan SWAT Team vs. The Mystery Attackers
Comments: Losing on your debut will not help with this mystery thingy

Depends on the type of loss

Super Nova vs. Val Venis
Comments: I wonder if Val will drop some sleazy-cheesy lines about explosions and stars

I.....god damn it.....if the show wasn't already written when you posted this then he would have, how did I miss such an obvious play on words

to4sty · September 21, 2019

<img style="max-width:50%;

"src="https://i.imgur.com/CTShvmm.jpg">

WCW Championship Match

Sting © vs. The Giant

Comments:

WCW United States Championship Match

Eddie Guerrero © vs. The Rock

Comments:

WCW Tag Team Championship Match

Diamond Dallas Page & Chris Benoit © vs. The Forgotten (Bam Bam Bigelow & Big Van Vader)

Comments:

WCW Cruiserweight Championship Match

Jeff Hardy © vs. Hayabusa

Comments:

Anything Goes Match

Shawn Michaels & Jean Paul Levesque vs. Randy Savage & The Warrior

Comments:

Double Dog Collar Match

The Pitbull's vs. Adam Copeland & Christian Cage

Comments:

Lex Luger vs. Buff Bagwell

Comments:

Mike Awesome & Gideon Cain vs. The Faces of Fear

Comments:

Konnan vs. Hugh Morrus

Comments:

Kijar · September 21, 2019

Haha the way you write ECDub is sublime! Can't get enough

WCW Championship Match

Sting © vs. The Giant

Comments:

WCW United States Championship Match

Eddie Guerrero © vs. The Rock

Comments: EG is the OG and Curt gets involved?

WCW Tag Team Championship Match

Diamond Dallas Page & Chris Benoit © vs. The Forgotten (Bam Bam Bigelow & Big Van Vader)

Comments: Love my guy Benoit, but these are monsters

WCW Cruiserweight Championship Match

Jeff Hardy © vs. Hayabusa

Comments:

Anything Goes Match

Shawn Michaels & Jean Paul Levesque vs. Randy Savage & The Warrior

Comments: 2 words for ya

Double Dog Collar Match

The Pitbull's vs. Adam Copeland & Christian Cage

Comments:

Lex Luger vs. Buff Bagwell

Comments:

Mike Awesome & Gideon Cain vs. The Faces of Fear

Comments:

Konnan vs. Hugh Morrus

Comments

ElectricX · September 21, 2019

WCW Championship Match

Sting © vs. The Giant

Comments:

WCW United States Championship Match

Eddie Guerrero © vs. The Rock

Comments:

WCW Tag Team Championship Match

Diamond Dallas Page & Chris Benoit © vs. The Forgotten (Bam Bam Bigelow & Big Van Vader)

Comments:

WCW Cruiserweight Championship Match

Jeff Hardy © vs. Hayabusa

Comments:

Anything Goes Match

Shawn Michaels & Jean Paul Levesque vs. Randy Savage & The Warrior

Comments:

Double Dog Collar Match

The Pitbull's vs. Adam Copeland & Christian Cage

Comments:

Lex Luger vs. Buff Bagwell

Comments:

Mike Awesome & Gideon Cain vs. The Faces of Fear

Comments:

Konnan vs. Hugh Morrus

Comments:

Satyr24 · September 22, 2019

WCW Championship Match

Sting © vs. The Giant

Comments:

WCW United States Championship Match

Eddie Guerrero © vs. The Rock

Comments:

WCW Tag Team Championship Match

Comments:

WCW Cruiserweight Championship Match

Comments:

Anything Goes Match

Shawn Michaels & Jean Paul Levesque vs. Randy Savage & The Warrior

Comments:

Double Dog Collar Match

The Pitbull's vs. Adam Copeland & Christian Cage

Comments:

Lex Luger vs. Buff Bagwell

Comments:

Mike Awesome & Gideon Cain vs. The Faces of Fear

Comments:

Konnan vs. Hugh Morrus

Comments:

crackerjack · September 22, 2019

WCW Championship Match

Comments: As much as I love Sting being the chaser, not the champ, I think he has to keep it until he gets Shawn or Hogan (probably Hogan)

WCW United States Championship Match

Comments: This one might surprise me. Sure, it seems like Goldberg/Eddie is set in stone. But I'm not sure if it's the best look for Rocky to fail again against Eddie - even if he gets screwed.

WCW Tag Team Championship Match

Comments: This is a tough one - but I feel like C&C will make themselves known here.

WCW Cruiserweight Championship Match

Comments: Eh, I just think Mitchell's trio is cool

Anything Goes Match

Shawn Michaels & Jean Paul Levesque vs. Randy Savage & The Warrior

Comments: Let's see how this goes with creative control...

Double Dog Collar Match

The Pitbull's vs. Adam Copeland & Christian Cage

Comments:

Lex Luger vs. Buff Bagwell

Comments: I see what you mean re: Lex, never has the skills to be pushed, but always is over enough to not be buried. I like Buff, but I think there's more value in keeping Lex strong

Mike Awesome & Gideon Cain vs. The Faces of Fear

Comments: Sniffing a subtle turn here - does Gideon join The First Family? Doesn't really help Mike if he's stuck in a job team...

Konnan vs. Hugh Morrus

Comments:

Nobby_McDonald · September 23, 2019

WCW Championship Match

Comments:

WCW United States Championship Match

Comments:

WCW Tag Team Championship Match

Comments:

WCW Cruiserweight Championship Match

Comments:

Anything Goes Match

Shawn Michaels & Jean Paul Levesque vs. Randy Savage & The Warrior

Comments:

Double Dog Collar Match

The Pitbull's vs. Adam Copeland & Christian Cage

Comments:

Lex Luger vs. Buff Bagwell

Comments:

Mike Awesome & Gideon Cain vs. The Faces of Fear

Comments:

Konnan vs. Hugh Morrus

Blodyxe · September 25, 2019

So you know that I love the diary and follow it closely, but man I'm having trouble making predictions here. I think I'll make a lot of blunders

WCW Championship Match

Comments: I think Giant will be ok, if he's protected in this match. Dirty finish maybe?

WCW United States Championship Match

Comments: Swerve? Rocky will prevail, even though I understand that keeping the title on Eddie would also be a great choice. And maybe Goldberg nullifies Curt

WCW Tag Team Championship Match

Comments: Can't really see Benoit and DDP being a long-time unit, Sullivan will interfere for the win

WCW Cruiserweight Championship Match

Comments: Jeff is probably too big for the CW title now, and Hayabusa is amazing

Anything Goes Match

Shawn Michaels & Jean Paul Levesque vs. Randy Savage & The Warrior

Comments: "DX" has more to offer at this time

Double Dog Collar Match

The Pitbull's vs. Adam Copeland & Christian Cage

Comments: I mean, the stipulation favors the Pitbulls, but they are still no Awesome Twosome

Lex Luger vs. Buff Bagwell

Comments: Lex should probably pick up a win here. Gotta beat someone

Mike Awesome & Gideon Cain vs. The Faces of Fear

Comments: Gideon is a weird name, that's all I have to say here

Konnan vs. Hugh Morrus

Comments: Morrus won on TV, that's enough

So yeah, I am not confident in my predictions, but I am looking forward to the show

lieon02 · September 27, 2019

WCW Championship Match

Comments:

WCW United States Championship Match

Comments:

WCW Tag Team Championship Match

Comments:

WCW Cruiserweight Championship Match

Comments:

Anything Goes Match

Shawn Michaels & Jean Paul Levesque vs. Randy Savage & The Warrior

Comments:

Double Dog Collar Match

The Pitbull's vs. Adam Copeland & Christian Cage

Comments:

Lex Luger vs. Buff Bagwell

Comments:

Mike Awesome & Gideon Cain vs. The Faces of Fear

Comments:

Konnan vs. Hugh Morrus

Comments:

James Casey · September 29, 2019

WCW Championship Match

Comments: B level pay per view? Champion's first defence? Burgeoning issues with a bigger name than the Giant? There'll be an excuse for Giant's loss, but Sting's not losing here.

WCW United States Championship Match

Comments: Guerrero retains by lying, cheating, stealing, assault, battery, robbery, homicide, genocide, suicide...

Tangents aside, Eddie keeps his belt, Curt Hennig and Rock continue to have issues, and Goldberg's back.

WCW Tag Team Championship Match

Comments: I've not forgotten the Forgotten. After all, we're talking about two former WCW World champions (I think Bigelow had the belt during WCW's dark times, pre Russo?) but it's hard to take any team seriously when they're being managed by Kevin Sullivan post-Alliance to End Hulkamania.

WCW Cruiserweight Championship Match

Comments: Hardy wasn't your first choice, and Hayabusa would be a neat way of getting the belt back where it was meant to be. Plus, it's Hayabusa!

Anything Goes Match

Shawn Michaels & Jean Paul Levesque vs. Randy Savage & The Warrior

Comments: Hardest one to call, but I give the Neo Titans the edge over Titans Classic, just because it seems to play better into Sting/HBK coming soon. Picking against Warrior is hard, and not something I do lightly, by the way...

Double Dog Collar Match

The Pitbull's vs. Adam Copeland & Christian Cage

Comments: Genuinely my favourite feud in the diary, and full credit to C&C and Madusa for that.

Lex Luger vs. Buff Bagwell

Comments: I won't lie, there's very little anyone could do to make me care about these two in a match together. I figure Bagwell wins because it seems too easy for Lex to get revenge just yet when there's not much else for him to do right now and SuperBrawl's still to come.

Mike Awesome & Gideon Cain vs. The Faces of Fear

Comments: I figure that the First Family needs a win or two this early in their... reformation? However it's termed, it makes sense for them to beat WCW's #4ish team.

Konnan vs. Hugh Morrus

Comments: A win, but not a clean one - DQ through First Family mugging, at a guess.

to4sty · October 5, 2019

<div style="text-align:center;"> <img style="max-width:50%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/CTShvmm.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/CTShvmm.jpg"></a> Week 4, January 1998 Greensboro Coliseum (Greensboro, North Carolina) ATT: 30,000 PPV BUY: 1.96 Announce Team: Tony Schiavone, Dusty Rhodes & Bobby "The Brain" Heenan <blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="43289" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div> <img style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/EDFQF6Q.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/EDFQF6Q.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/WRVcv2k.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/WRVcv2k.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/6hUfwC7.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/6hUfwC7.jpg"></a> This may not be the first Pay Per View in the year of 1998, but it is the first WCW Pay Per View in the year of 1998, it's the ONLY Pay Per View you need to watch in the month of January.....and you can take it from me folks......World Championship Wrestling.....is Souled Out..... .....the show opens at the announce position, where Tony Schiavone welcomes us to a historic event..... ".....because fans, with Sting defeating Hollywood Hogan last month at Starrcade, bringing the WCW Championship back where it belongs in the process, this event tonight marks the first Pay Per View in over twelve months NOT to feature the Titans of Wrestling in the main event....." ".....that's right daddy.....the Stinger man, he showed everyone just why he's the franchise of WCW baby, when he sent Hollywood Hogan running back to those Hollywood Hills, if you will.....but Bobby Heenan, he may have slain the Corporate Giant last month, but he's got an honest to goodness real life Giant tonight Brain.....like Godzilla daddy....." ".....Sting.....you beat Hogan.....you did, and no one can take that away from you.....but tonight, you're not ready for the Giant.....you've been preoccupied with Shawn Michaels and Jean Paul Levesque.....off having tag team matches here, brawls around the arenas there.....you've been concentrating on anyone BUT the Giant.....well tonight, you've got an angry, seven foot plus man across the ring from you.....you'd BETTER be giving him your full attention....." .....speaking of Shawn Michaels and Jean Paul Levesque.....they haven't been winning many friends around here lately, nor do they want to.....what they WANT is to take out the Titans of Wrestling once and for all, and they'll have the opportunity to do so tonight.....in an anything goes brawl with Randy Savage and The Warrior.....although when anything goes, you've got to favour the Titans.....because they rarely go about their business without a little backup..... .....but that's all later.....right now it's time to go down to ringside, for our first match (and title match) of the evening..... Rating: N/A </div><div style="text-align:center;"></div><div></div></blockquote> <blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="43289" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div><div style="text-align:center;"></div> <img style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/G9blWo1.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/G9blWo1.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/JjTal3v.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/JjTal3v.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/QvkDvk8.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/QvkDvk8.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/miG15RN.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/miG15RN.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/iMTTL4m.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/iMTTL4m.jpg"></a> .....and it's the tag team titles on the line, as Diamond Dallas Page and Chris Benoit put the gold on the line, against two men that (Kevin Sullivan claims) refuse to be forgotten anymore.....Bam Bam Bigelow and Big Van Vader..... .....it's difficult to believe that anyone could "forget" these two mammoth men.....both men huge in stature.....both men around (and over in Vaders case) the 400lb mark.....both men former WCW Champions.....but as Kevin Sullivan (perhaps rightly) pointed out to them, two men that have been pushed to one side, neglected.....Forgotten.....in favour of the latest influx of former Titan Sports employees.....for Vader that's nothing new.....Big Van Vader dominated WCW though most of the early 90's, crushing even such fan favourites as our CURRENT world champion, Sting.....but that all came to a screeching halt when a certain red and yellow express (along with his whole host of friends) came crashing into World Championship Wrestling..... .....Hulk Hogan walked through the doors.....and Vader was Forgotten..... .....fast forward two years, and Bam Bam Bigelow did the unthinkable.....a decade in the business and a decade of failing to live up to his potential, Bigelow finally won the big one, defeating The Nature Boy Ric Flair to become the WCW Champion.....but while he thought his Cinderella story was just beginning, the reality was that the clock was ready to strike midnight, and his coach was already getting ready to turn back into a pumpkin.....because less than three months after winning it, the red and yellow express was about to turn black and white..... .....Hollywood Hogan walked through the doors.....and Bigelow was Forgotten..... .....from there, between the formation of the Titans of Wrestling, the war between them and WCW (not to mention the influx of new faces after a mass WWF exodus) took centre stage, and Bam Bam Bigelow and Big Van Vader meekly shuffled off into obscurity.....two huge, mean monsters, cast in the role of fan favourites when they SHOULD have been almost unstoppable machines.....two former World Champions without a SINGLE title opportunity between them in over a year now.....miscast, misused, missing.....then it all changed..... .....Kevin Sullivan walked through the doors.....and he refuses to let Vader or Bigelow be forgotten..... .....contrary to that, their opponents tonight have spent the last six months trying to prove themselves.....trying to break through that fabled glass ceiling, out of middlecard mediocrity, and into the main event scene where they feel they belong.....and they did just that.....even in losing efforts to Hollywood Hogan, to Randy Savage, to The Warrior, they both looked every bit the main event player they were claiming to be.....and then at Starrcade, they struck the first blood in the night long battle of WCW vs. The ToW, capturing the WCW Tag Team Titles from the Totally Awesome Twosome, Adam Copeland and Christian Cage..... .....opportunity walked through the doors.....and Chris Benoit and Diamond Dallas Page answered..... .....which brings us to tonight..... .....there's been a bit of a reoccurring theme in WCW as of late.....the theme that involves people not focusing on the matches they have upcoming, but rather being more preoccupied with the actions (or words) of Shawn Michaels and Jean Paul Levesque.....and our tag team champions tonight are just as guilty of it.....which is perhaps why Chris Benoit is coming into this match at certainly less than 100%, after not only getting Powerbombed on the steel entrance way on Nitro, but also going on to compete against Shawn Michaels just a few short moments later, when he really shouldn't have..... .....because of that, it's perhaps no surprise that it's the (half crippled) Canadian Crippler that has to play the face in peril role tonight..... .....to be fair, the champions start out very strong.....they may be at a size disadvantage, but they're certainly quicker than their opponents and they use that to control the opening portion of the match.....both men duck and weave, dip and dive, and when Bigelow charges at Benoit, the Canadian grabs hold of the top rope and drops down, leaving Bam Bam to tumble over the top and down to the floor..... .....Vader clubs Benoit from behind, but Page joins his partner and the two of them hammer on the huge mastodon, before finally sending HIM tumbling over the top too with a huge double clothesline..... .....advantage champs right?..... .....not for long..... .....because Benoit decides to leap over that top rope himself, looking to crash down onto Vader.....problem with that is that he former World Champion was waiting.....catches him in mid-air, and then drives him (injured) back first into the ring post..... .....that puts the challengers firmly in control, and they use all of their considerable girth to punish Chris Benoit..... .....with Kevin Sullivan barking orders from the floor they systematically cut the ring in half, keeping Benoit firmly in their corner.....and IN that corner they crush/splash/cuff/club/beat and headbutt the tag team champion, until Benoit is a broken mess..... .....but as the Titans of Wrestling know, putting Chris Benoit down and KEEPING Chris Benoit down are two entirely different things.....and as Bigelow comes off the top with that Diving Headbutt, Benoit rolls to one side, leaving Bammers to crash face first on the mat, as he rolls towards his corner to make the hot tag..... .....Page storms the ring and cuts off Bigelow before he can tag in his partner, sending Vader flying off the apron with a running shoulder charge, before turning his attention back to the still dazed Bigelow..... .....Bam Bam isn't quite the size of Vader, but he's a huge man none the less, and he's able to reverse an Irish Whip attempt before knocking the wind out of Page with a standing body splash on the return.....his diving headbutt didn't work last time, but he's going for it again here, scaling the turnbuckles for the second time this match..... .....unbeknownst to the Beast from the East though, DDP isn't even the legal man anymore.....because Benoit made the blind tag during that Irish Whip attempt, and he rushes across the ring, throwing himself at the ropes, leaving Bammers to lose his footing and crotch himself on the top turnbuckle..... .....and with Bam Bam perched up top, Page climbs up to the second rope and hooks the head....lit looks like he's going for the Super Diamond Cutter to the Super Heavyweight..... .....I mentioned that Kevin Sullivan is at ringside right? Because it's relevant.....Kimberly Page is there as well.....that's relevant too.....because as Page hooks Bammer's head, Sullivan grabs Kimberly by the hair on the outside, and Dallas quickly relinquishes the hold to rushes to the aid of his wife on the outside..... .....unfortunately that leaves his partner alone..... .....Benoit looks to pick up where his partner left off, scaling the ropes to deliver what looks to be a superplex to Bigelow, but Vader cuts him off..... .....drags him to the centre of the ring..... .....and then Powerbombs him straight into the mat..... .....Bigelow comes off the top a few seconds later (finally connecting with the headbutt) before making the cover.....and as an oblivious Page chases Sullivan around on the floor, the official counts one.....two.....three..... .....and we have brand new WCW World Tag Team Champions...... Winner(s): .....and New WCW Tag Team Champions.....Bam Bam Bigelow & Big Van Vader Rating: A </div></blockquote> <blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="43289" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div><div style="text-align:center;"></div> <img style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/NintiQC.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/NintiQC.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/1hv1duI.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/1hv1duI.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/iMTTL4m.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/iMTTL4m.jpg"></a> .....the official hands The Forgotten their (ill-gotten) gold, and as Kevin Sullivan enters the ring to congratulate his men (with microphone in hand) Dallas Page helps his partner to the back..... .....Sullivan tells the crowd that his prophecy has been fulfilled, as the forgotten monsters have once again infiltrated themselves into the forefront of WCW..... ".....forgotten by the office, forgotten by the fans, forgotten even by the boys in the back.....but not forgotten by me....." .....Sully says that Diamond Dallas Page and Chris Benoit are a shining example of what happens when you forget that Bam Bam Bigelow and Big Van Vader are walking, talking warheads.....although Tony Schiavone doesn't agree..... ".....because if you ask ME Brain, the only thing that DDP and Chris Benoit 'forgot' tonight, was that Kevin Sullivan will sink to any depths to get what he wants....." ".....well they didn't used to call him the Gamesmaster because he likes to play Checkers on his days off you know Schiavone.....they called him the gamesmaster because he knows how to play the game.....and if Doofus Dallas Page and the Crippled Canadian Chris Benoit had been doing their homework and focusing on their opponents (instead of forgetting about them to worry about Shawn Michaels and JPL) then MAYBE they could have come in with a game plan of their own.....one that DIDN'T involve Kimberly being at ringside.....and MAYBE they would be walking out of here tonight with the tag titles still around their waists.....but then what do I know, I'm only The Brain Schiavone....." .....Sullivan says that everyone had better either sit up and take notice, or pack their bags and leave.....because any team that wants to have the privilege of calling themselves the WCW World Tag Team Champions are going to have to go through these two men.....and honestly, whether it's DDP and Chris Benoit, Shawn Michaels and Jean Paul Levesque, the Titans of Wrestling, the Public Enemy, the Faces of Fear.....the list goes on and on..... ".....because it doesn't matter WHO comes after these belts.....come one, come all.....because The Forgotten WILL be remembered.....and The Forgotten REFUSE to fade into insignificance again.....you want these belts, go ahead and try to take them....." .....yeah, and by the look on the faces of Vader and Bammers, good luck with that.....let's go to the back...... Rating: B+ </div></blockquote> <blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="43289" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div><div style="text-align:center;"></div> <img style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/3mOVwsH.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/3mOVwsH.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/AAhTSYz.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/AAhTSYz.jpg"></a> .....where Mike Tenay is standing by with the current WCW Cruiserweight Champion, Jeff Hardy..... .....Tenay says that Jeff only won this Championship four short weeks ago at Starrcade, but in that time he's not been shy about defending IT, and the Cruiserweight Division as a whole.....as his challenge to Randy Savage a few weeks back will demonstrate..... ".....but tonight you're facing (once again) a member of James Vandenberg's twisted congregation.....you turned back Tajiri.....you turned back Jinsei Shinzaki.....you even recently defeated Mortis.....but this Sinister Minister seems determined to keep knocking at your door.....tonight you face Hayabusa.....is tonight the night that Vandenberg's men finally break you down?....." .....I think I've mentioned before that his mic work is not exactly Jeff Hardy's strong point.....it's improved, don't get me wrong.....but he's still hardly a wordsmith.....fortunately he keeps this short and sweet..... .....he tells Tenay that Vandenberg can keep knocking all he likes, he ain't getting in, and he ain't getting his grubby little hands on this Cruiserweight Title..... ".....I've been fighting to prove myself since the day I walked through the doors here in World Championship Wrestling.....and I ain't a Shawn Michaels Mike Tenay, I'm PROUD to be here in WCW, and I'm PROUD to be the WCW Cruiserweight Champion..... .....James Vandenberg, he keeps going on about 'cleansing' this and 'purifying' that.....this title, it ain't here to be clean or pure.....it's here to be fought for.....blood, sweat and tears.....this title is here for all the guys that are willing to put their bodies on the line for the HONOUR of wearing it.....now, Hayabusa, he might be willing to risk it all.....but just like I ain't Shawn Michaels, Hayabusa..... .....he ain't Jeff Hardy....." .....looks like our Cruiserweight Title match is up next.....let's go down to ringside..... Rating: B+ </div></blockquote> <blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="43289" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div><div style="text-align:center;"></div> <img style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/nieEfiZ.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/nieEfiZ.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/OylBAgj.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/OylBAgj.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/QPFbiE5.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/QPFbiE5.jpg"></a> .....so it's our second match of the evening, and our second TITLE match of the evening.....although Jeff Hardy will be looking to have more success in defending his championship than our champions in that previous match did..... .....this is certainly going to be a faster paced affair than our Tag Team Championship Match was, with both men keen to utilise their aerial abilities.....because of this, the match wasn't set out like your usual 'babyface shine, heel heat spot, babyface comeback' formula.....instead it was about as back and forth a match as you are likely to see..... .....Hardy said earlier that the Cruiserweight Title wasn't there to be pure.....it was there for the Cruiserweight's that were willing to put their bodies on the line to claim that top spot....l .....both men MORE than put their bodies on the line in this one.....in fact, they spend more time in the air than they did on the mat..... .....Hardy connected with a one man poetry in motion, as well as a whisper in the wind, while Hayabusa took out the Champion with a series of splashes from the top, as well as a spectacular standing springboard moonsault (from the apron down to the floor) taking out Hardy in the process.....Jeff even sent James Vandenberg flying off the apron, with a dropkick that sends him crashing down to the concrete..... .....unfortunately, Vandenberg isn't the only one that Hardy has to worry about..... .....in all honesty, Jeff Hardy shouldn't even BE the Cruiserweight Champion right now.....he was SUPPOSED to put Yoshihiro Tajiri over at Starrcade, but the (severe and serious) injury to Tajiri quickly put a stop to that..... .....an audible was called, and Jeff Hardy became Champion.....but since he was never supposed to be the Champion in the first place, does it really come as much of a shock that he doesn't leave here tonight with that gold belt around his waist?..... .....Vandenberg may have gotten taken out, but there is still Shinzaki and Mortis to contend with.....and they BOTH come into play here......because as Hardy mounts the top rope, looking for that Senton Bomb (and with Jinsei distracting the official) Mortis comes up onto the apron to crack Jeff in the back of the head with that Jester Cane, leaving the Cruiserweight Champion to crash to the mat..... .....Hayabusa quickly takes up the space on the top rope that Jeff previously occupied, before nailing the half unconscious Hardy with a spectacular looking Phoenix Splash that's enough for the one, the two......and the (tainted) three...... .....and FINALLY the WCW Cruiserweight Championship is in the possession of James Vandenberg's Flock of Freaks..... .....it's not been a good night thus far for the champions of WCW..... Winner: .....and New WCW Cruiserweight Champion.....Hayabusa Rating: B </div></blockquote> <blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="43289" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div><div style="text-align:center;"></div> <img style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/0VzCRml.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/0VzCRml.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/8El8DGj.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/8El8DGj.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/2o5c9e1.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/2o5c9e1.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/jMg73vi.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/jMg73vi.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/Xt1F5zG.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/Xt1F5zG.jpg"></a> .....we air the replay of the ending of the match (leaving no doubt in anyone's mind that Jeff Hardy was robbed) and when we come back to the live show, Mean Gene has joined Vandenberg, Mortis, Shinzaki and the new Cruiserweight Champion Hayabusa in the ring..... ".....and I don't mind telling you fans, that from my vantage point, YOU James Vandenberg, you just stole that title belt from a very deserving champion....." .....oh, it's testy Gene that we have tonight.....someone didn't get their scotch on the rocks.....Vandenberg just laughs at this statement however, and as Shinzaki straps the Title belt around the new champions waist, Vandenberg points at Hayabusa, telling Gene that "that man right there, is the ONLY deserving champion in WCW today" because Hayabusa is the ONLY champion that lives his life by the good word of James Vandenberg..... ".....I heard a lot of talk tonight.....talk about my followers knocking at the door of Jeff Hardy.....well Young Jeffery, James Vandenberg is nothing if not a patient man.....and yes, there was knocking.....OPPORTUNITY was knocking for Mr. Hardy.....and Mr. Hardy chose to ignore that knock.....now look at him.....and look at the man who relished the opportunity to learn at the feet of this Misunderstood Minister....." .....Vandenberg says that this was the first step on the road to the purification of the Cruiserweight Division.....and the cleansing of WCW.....close the book on the story of Jeff Hardy, because the next chapter in his Ministry's tale begins....now.... .....to the back we go again..... Rating: B+ </div></blockquote> <blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="43289" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div><div style="text-align:center;"></div> <img style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/Otmasnl.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/Otmasnl.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/xHBTSHS.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/xHBTSHS.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/CscfWXe.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/CscfWXe.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/IlgGAK6.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/IlgGAK6.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/KMoemF3.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/KMoemF3.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/bo3WUqu.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/bo3WUqu.jpg"></a> .....where things are a little more civilised than they currently are inside the ring, because we go to the locker room of Lance Storm.....a locker room that Mr. Storm is currently sharing with a group of gentlemen that he has been spending a lot of time with.....fellow Canadians Jacques Rougeau and Carl Oulette, His Lordship Steven Regal......Earl Robert Eaton.....and The Duke, Douglas Williams..... .....the six men appear to be having a good old chuckle at the jolly good thrashing they gave to the Road Warriors on Thunder, with his Lordship claiming that it's no wonder that two men with class, elegance and style were able to overcome two brutish thugs such as Hawk and Animal..... ".....in fact, the only real surprise was the fact that those two knuckle-dragging neanderthals want a rematch tomorrow night.....AND that they're bringing that red, white and blue waving imbecile, James Duggan.....especially after the thrashings that you yourself have delivered to him Mr. Storm....." <img style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/AAhTSYz.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/AAhTSYz.jpg"></a> .....speaking of which, Mike Tenay joins in the party.....and HE wants to know if the challenge to face Hawk, Animal and Jim Duggan tomorrow night is going to be answered?..... .....Storm cuts Tenay off, telling him that first of all, he should know better than to interrupt a nobleman of LORD Steven Regal's stature (to which Regal agree's, muttering under his breath about the rudeness of these Americans) before confirming that yes.....yes the challenge is accepted..... ".....three of us, against the three of them.....and once more we will demonstrate the civilianised worlds superiority against the Arrogance of America....." .....ok, good to know.....but Tenay is now curious as to WHICH three of "them" it will be that Faces the Road Warriors and Hacksaw tomorrow night on Nitro, but Regal cuts him off at that..... ".....because not only did you have the audacity to waltz into this room (uninvited none the less) but you waltzed straight into an Embassy of the British Empire.....because make no mistake sunshine, wherever Lord Steven Regal is, he's doing Her Majesty's work and is governed only by the rules of the Sovereignty.....you don't get to call the shots OR ask the questions in here unless WE allow it..... .....you want to find out which three of Her Majesty's servants will be answering the challenge, well then I suggest you bloody well tune in tomorrow night, because you will be finding out who at exactly the same time as those three meandering morons.....now I suggest you sod off, before you feel the back of my hand....." .....I guess you don't have to tell Mike Tenay twice, because he quickly exits the (so-called) "Embassy", before signing off and sending us back down to ringside..... Rating: B+ </div></blockquote> <blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="43289" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div><div style="text-align:center;"></div> <img style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/pmtBgnZ.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/pmtBgnZ.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/JeH6Xzy.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/JeH6Xzy.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/TFVQgbO.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/TFVQgbO.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/pM1SjBC.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/pM1SjBC.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/zy1WWUY.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/zy1WWUY.jpg"></a> .....where it's time to batten down the hatches and bolt the stable door.....because we're about to have a hoss fight.....because it's Missy Hyatt's Mike Awesome and Gideon Cain squaring off against two members of Jimmy Hart's (newly reformed) First Family.....the Faces of Fear, Meng and The Barbarian..... .....this mini feud came about following a Faces of Fear beatdown to Mike Awesome, that was only thwarted by the return from (kayfabe) injury of Awesome's partner, Gideon Cain.....since then the two sides have been pretty even.....Meng has defeated Awesome, but Cain has defeated The Barbarian.....time to see who is going to take the advantage in this Tag Team encounter..... ....."bowling shoe ugly" is probably one term that a certain black hat wearing announcer might use to describe this one.....and that's not to say it was a bad match (in fact far from it, because for what it was it was very good) but it was far from pretty, that's for damn sure..... .....Awesome and Cain have been quietly going about getting themselves over (and in Cain's case, quietly improving at a steady rate thanks to the tutelage of Bobby Eaton) and are now comfortably on the same level as (if not slightly above) the Faces of Fear.....granted that doesn't sound that impressive, but when you consider the fact that Meng and The Barbarian have been consistent upper-midcarders for a decade now, while Awesome was a virtual unknown eight months ago and Gideon Cain WAS an unknown (no virtual about it) fresh out of the Powerplant..... .....the four men club, thump, punch, kick, headbutt and slam their way through a decent enough match, that sees both sides getting plenty of chance to shine.....in the end though, Jimmy Hart's First Family don't get off to the best of starts, after Cain finishes off The Barbarian with the East of Eden for the one, two, three. Winner(s): Mike Awesome & Gideon Cain Rating: B+ </div></blockquote> <blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="43289" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div><div style="text-align:center;"></div> <img style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/TsqOuMQ.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/TsqOuMQ.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/RiYc4ii.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/RiYc4ii.jpg"></a> From there we have some pre-recorded footage from earlier in the evening, before this event went live.....footage of WCW.com's Mark Madden, stopping Curt Hennig as he enters the building, clearly looking for an exclusive for the (still in its infancy) website..... .....he asks Hennig whether he's going to remain impartial here tonight? After all, he and The Rock have hardly been on the same page in these last few weeks, and in fact this past Thunder saw them out and out go at it.....so I guess the question ".....Curt Hennig, should The Rock be worried?....." .....Curt doesn't even break stride as he makes his way though the arena, but he does stop when he hears that question, before looking at Madden like he's a moron..... ".....should The Rock be worried?.....what a stupid question little man.....of course The Rock should be worried.....he's facing a man in Eddie Guerrero, that even I couldn't out-cheat in three tries.....he's facing a man in Eddie Guerrero that he's already lost to once.....The Rock should unquestionably be worried..... .....but not about me.....I may be scheduled to be there at ringside later this evening, but I'm there purely in an Official Capacity.....I'm there to enforce the proceedings.....I'm there SOLEY and ONLY to make sure that The Rock gets a fair shot at that United States title, without any outside shenanigans.....other than that, I'm JUST there as a spectator like everybody else.....so if you'll excuse me, I need to go and get ready....." .....although quite WHAT Curt needs to get ready for is anyone's guess.....after all, other than keeping Chavo Guerrero Jr at bay, all he has to do is sit back and enjoy what should be a great match.....at least we know that Mr. Hennig is going to be an impartial advisor..... .....apparently..... Rating: A </div></blockquote> <blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="43289" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div><div style="text-align:center;"></div> <img style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/dICBV2c.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/dICBV2c.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/o5VxOZB.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/o5VxOZB.jpg"></a> .....we come back live to the feed, and we head straight to the back, where Mean Gene is standing by with the Titan's of Wrestling's own Buff(y the Icon Slayer) Bagwell..... ".....and Buff Bagwell, it would seem to me that the last time you were backstage at a WCW show, you caused quite the bit of trouble....." .....Gene is referring of course to the assault inflicted upon The Total Package Lex Luger, who was left laying this past Monday Night, with some rather convenient graffiti on the walls which suggested that perhaps Shawn Michaels was responsible..... .....Gene says that Lex Luger certainly believed that Shawn Michaels and/or Jean Paul Levesque had something to do with the assault, leading him to challenge Shawn Michaels to a match this past Thursday Night on Thunder.....unfortunately for Luger (as he found out during said match, distracting him long enough for Michaels to kick his head off his shoulders) it turned out to have been Buff who did the deed, in an obvious frame up..... .....which leads us to tonight..... .....because Lex Luger has officially challenged Buff to a match tonight, a fact which Bagwell finds hilarious..... .....he tells Gene that Flexy Lexy might want to try and work out that old grey matter between his ears instead of flexing his sub-par pecs for hours on end, because he is clearly stoopid (with a double o).....stoopid for thinking that Michaels and Levesque even care enough about a bum like him to beat him up, and stoopid for not realising that it was an obvious set up..... ".....and even stoopider still if he thinks he can beat The Stuff here tonight.....I'm Buff Bagwell Mean Gene.....I am a Titan of Wrestling.....and Buff Daddy has already proved to the world that there ain't no-one I can't beat....and if you don't believe me, ask Rowdy Roddy Piper..... .....oh wait.....you can't.....because I drove his crippled old ass out of WCW once and for all....." .....Buff has a great laugh at that, telling Gene that when he's done with Luger, he's just going to be another has-been from the 80's, put out to pasture by the biggest....the baddest.....the best.....Buff "The Stuff" Bagwell..... Rating: B+ </div></blockquote> <blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="43289" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div><div style="text-align:center;"></div> <img style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/OvbHblE.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/OvbHblE.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/TFVQgbO.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/TFVQgbO.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/jbKPHuH.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/jbKPHuH.jpg"></a> .....ok, so after facing (and losing to) the supposed "culprit" of his Monday Nitro assault on this past Thursdays Thunder, Lex Luger now faces the ACTUAL culprit of his Monday Nitro assault, Buff Bagwell..... .....Buff has had a run of good form in recent weeks.....in fact, he's had a run of good form for the last few months, ever since he hooked up with the Titans of Wrestling back around July time of 1997.....he's gone from habitual midcarder, forming an unlikely team with Samu of the SST, to solid upper-mid (occasional main event) star, holding victories over the likes of DDP, Chris Benoit, and even genuine Icon's like Rowdy Roddy Piper..... .....granted, most of those wins were dubious, but still, a win is a win..... .....Lex Luger on the other hand has NOT had the best of luck recently.....he's lost to the Giant, he's lost to Shawn Michaels, he put on a tremendous showing in the Mayhem Match (lasting almost an hour) but ultimately lost.....and now his best friend is the World Champion.....so where does he go from here?..... .....I guess a win against Buff Bagwell would be a good place to start..... .....of course, whether he gets one remains to be seen, but for what it's worth, in the opening moments of this match, you would be excused for thinking you were watching a bodybuilding contest, as these two oiled up men flex at each other like their opponent will spontaneously submit if they pump their biceps hard enough..... .....obviously that doesn't happen.....what DOES happen, is we have a decent enough match between two men that are comfortable enough in their roles to perform well (even if it's not a mat classic)..... .....Luger is at his shouty best as he runs through Buff with clothesline after clothesline, while Buff is at his cocky (but ultimately chickensh!t) best as he tries to escape from the wrath of Luger..... .....The Total Package is on fire as he dominates the opening portion of the match, but that fire gets the better of him as he recklessly charges into the ringpost, wrapping his shoulder around the steel when Bagwell moves out of the way of a clothesline attempt on the floor..... .....Buff takes control from there, as he works over Luger (in between poses) taunting him all the way.....he's pretty fundamental in the ring our Buff, but his limitations are masked somewhat by the fact that this crowd love to hate him, and they pop big when Luger is able to dive out of the way of a Blockbuster attempt, which sees Buff crash and burn onto the mat..... .....from there Luger rally's back, absorbing every blow that Buff can deliver, before finally letting out a big battle cry as he hits Bagwell with a double bicep pose, before nailing him in the face with a right hand..... .....right hand, right hand.....back to the corner, Irish whip to the turnbuckles.....running charge, corner clothesline.....Luger is on fire, and he tops it off with an impressive Military Press, slamming Bagwell back down to the mat before signalling for the Torture Rack..... .....he racks him too.....but as he does, Bagwells trailing leg takes out the official, meaning there is no one there to call for the bell as Buff furiously submits..... .....Luger finally tosses his opponent to the mat in frustration, and goes over to revive the official.....so Bagwell drops him with a low blow..... .....the official is still down, and now so is Lex.....so Bagwell does what any self respecting Titan of Wrestling would do, he heads outside and gets a steel chair, then stands over The Total Package, weapon raised..... .....as the Bagpipes begin to blare..... <img style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/UwnugQL.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/UwnugQL.jpg"></a> .....and Rowdy Roddy Piper comes walking out from the back..... .....actually, 'walking' is a tad generous.....limping is a more realistic word, because it's only been a month since we last saw the Hot Rod, and it the crutch under his arm is any indication, he's still not at 100%..... .....Buff laughs that up too, mocking Piper as he hobbles down the aisle, telling him to watch this, because he's about to finish Luger, just like he finished Piper..... .....except Piper ISN'T finished.....far from it actually.....because he slides into the ring behind Bagwell (does a little Muhammad Ali shuffle to show us all that actually, his leg is fine) then waffles Buff across the back with the crutch..... .....Piper rolls back out of the ring, just as the official is coming to his senses to see Luger hoist Bagwell up in the Torture Rack.....and this time there's no mistaking Buff's cry of surrender..... .....your winner (by submission) The Total Package..... Winner: Lex Luger Rating: B+ </div></blockquote> <blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="43289" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div><div style="text-align:center;"></div> <img style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/kW3wVGX.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/kW3wVGX.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/phb9Ny4.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/phb9Ny4.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/wJS2C6J.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/wJS2C6J.jpg"></a> .....Piper climbs into the ring (and raises Luger's hand) as Bagwell scurry's away to the back with his tail between his legs, before snatching up a microphone to tell the crowd (and Bagwell) that the rumours of his demise have been greatly exaggerated..... ".....Buff Bagwell.....you've been going around here thinking that you're something special because you beat Roddy Piper at Starrcade.....the way I see it, all you proved at Starrcade, is that a one legged man ain't no good in an ass kicking contest.....but guess what?....." .....Piper jogs up and down on the spot for a moment, before telling Bagwell that this man has got two good legs now, and he's going to use them to kick Buff right in the Stuff..... ".....I mean, I know you Titans think you're pretty special.....but special enough to put ME down? Ha.....I don't think so.....Greg Valentine couldn't do it.....Jimmy Snuka couldn't do it.....Mr. T certainly couldn't do it.....not even the 'great Hulk Hogan' could keep me down.....so trust me when I say, that an oiled up dumbbell like Buff Bagwell, is sure as HELL not going to keep me down....." .....Buff isn't happy about the insult there, telling Piper that he'll come down there now and gimp his other leg if he doesn't watch his mouth.....but Piper just smiles..... ".....see, that's why I like you Buff.....and I do like you.....people have said for years that I have no taste, but I like YOU.....you remind me a lot of a young Roddy Piper.....all you're missing is some talent, some good looks.....and a slightly smarter mouth.....slightly smarter everything actually.....you're living proof that man can live without a brain, because you must be a moron to think that I'm even NEARLY done with you..... .....you wanna run with the Titans Buff then you got to be prepared for what's coming your way.....you think hanging out with Hogan and Savage and Warrior is going to get your name up in lights? You wanna be famous kid? You wanna be seen in "Who's Who?"......when I'm done stomping on your face, the only thing you're going to be featured in is "What's That?" because you'll be so mangled that even Momma Bagwell won't recognise you....." .....Bagwell is seething on the entrance way.....and looks as though he's contemplating suicide by heading back to the ring where Luger and Piper are waiting..... .....in the end though he doesn't.....because Big Ray-Ray (The Enforcer, Ray Traylor) walks out onto the stage and persuades him to head to the back..... .....which is exactly where we're going now, leaving Luger and Piper to celebrate in the ring..... Rating: A* </div></blockquote> <blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="43289" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div><div style="text-align:center;"></div> <img style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/DJt4Wpa.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/DJt4Wpa.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/BClB1EX.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/BClB1EX.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/AAhTSYz.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/AAhTSYz.jpg"></a> .....and IN the back we go to a (somewhat smirking) Mike Tenay, who's standing by with two thirds of the Totally Awesome Trinity (and half of the Freaking Awesome Foursome) Adam Copeland and Christian Cage..... .....Tenay says that the world saw (this past Thursday) on Thunder, that Copeland and Cage perhaps bit off a little bit more than they could chew.....because their match with The Pitbulls tonight has been changed to a Double Dog-collar Match..... ".....and well, to put it bluntly gentlemen, these two Pitbulls look to be just about ready to take a bite out of YOU....." ".....SHUT UP MIKE TENAY!!....you think this is funny? I can see you smirking there.....this isn't funny.....this totally sucks....." ".....that's right.....we totally beat the Pitbull's about a gazillion times already.....but Eric Bischoff (in a total abuse of power AND a miscarriage of justice) went and just changed this match to a dog collar match? Do we look like animals to you Tenay?....." ".....SHUT UP MIKE TENAY!!.....I'll answer that for you.....the correct answer is no.....no we don't.....we look like two Totally Awesome....." ".....and devastatingly handsome....." ".....totally devastatingly handsome.....guys.....GUYS!!!.....I am not an animal......SHUT UP MIKE TENAY!....." <img style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/w52KdTn.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/w52KdTn.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/qU3eLUn.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/qU3eLUn.jpg"></a> .....and then there were four.....as Big Ray-Ray drags an irate looking Buff Bagwell into shot, after finally getting him away from Piper..... .....Traylor doesn't do much talking anymore, not now he's got his two totally charismatic mouthpieces by his side.....he doesn't talk here either.....he just stands there looking menacing while Buff joins in on the ranting..... .....the trio continue to talk trash on their respective opponents, with Buff telling Piper that he should have stayed out to pasture where he belongs (but promises that the next time Buff takes him out, it will be for good) while Copeland and Cage promise to neuter the Pitbulls once and for all.....in their own match none the less..... ".....because those totally dumb mutts forget one thing.....in this stupid Dog Collar match, there's no disqualifications.....and Big Ray-Ray, he's totally ticked off....." ".....that's right.....because he was left standing at that dumb pet store for hours waiting for us to come back and get him.....he thought we'd abandoned him....." ".....we'd never abandon you Big Ray-Ray....." ".....we'd totally never abandon you.....but tonight Pitbulls, we're totally going to take you out.....c'mon Ray-Ray....." Rating: A </div></blockquote> <blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="43289" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div><div style="text-align:center;"></div> <img style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/nriUVsq.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/nriUVsq.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/FQLifWf.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/FQLifWf.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/TFVQgbO.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/TFVQgbO.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/Jg2T62p.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/Jg2T62p.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/CXQGLDZ.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/CXQGLDZ.jpg"></a> Double Dog Collar Match .....well this wasn't a feud that I was expecting to still be happening two months down the line from their Mayhem tag team encounter back in November..... .....honestly, The Pitbulls were supposed to have been a one and done, paint by numbers Title defence for the (then) WCW Tag Team Champions, problem was, I actually had a lot of fun with the little program and well, here we are..... .....it's a Dog Collar match now, but it's only BEEN a Dog Collar match for the last three days, after Eric Bischoff took advantage of Vince Russo's regular absences from WCW's Thursday night show, Thunder to make a few changes here (as the highest ranking official below Vinnie Ru) and Copeland and Cage are clearly not happy about that stipulation..... .....and nor should they be.....because The Pitbulls kicked the living sh!t out of the..... .....the announcers inform us (as Copeland is Tethered to Pitbull #1, while Cage and Pitbulls #2 are chained together) that this is gong to be a one fall to a finish match, with Texas Tornado rules.....no tagging in and out, all four men are legal.....no count outs, no submissions, no rules at all, other than you're literally chained to your opponent..... .....obviously this wasn't the best match of the night, but the crowd ate it up as the four men brawled from ring to ringside, to aisleway and back again, leaving Copeland and Cage covered in red welts where they have tasted the chains courtesy of the Pitbulls..... .....Big Ray-Ray did indeed join his Totally Awesome Team Mates out there.....and he interjected himself on more than one occasion, finally resulting in the official ordering him from ringside (much to his, Copeland and Cages displeasure) and at that point it was a far more even affair..... .....the finish of the match saw Copeland down and out on the floor near ringside, as Pitbull #1 used the slack from the Dog Collar to slide into the ring and set up a table, just as Pitbull #2 drags Cage over to the turnbuckles, as they get ready to perform that assisted Superbomb straight through the wood..... <img style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/qU3eLUn.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/qU3eLUn.jpg"></a> .....but not if this man has anything to say about it.....as Buff Bagwell slides into the ring and crashes a steel chair across the back of Pitbull #2..... .....Big Ray-Ray might have been ejected but Buff Daddy is here, and after being embarrassed by Roddy Piper earlier, he ain't happy.....and after nailing #2, he cracks #1 between the eyes, knocking him senseless and leaving Copeland to yank hard on that dog collar, sending his opponent flying off the turnbuckles and straight through that table...... .....Copeland drags the man to his feet (as the other two keep Pitbull #2 at bay) and drives his skull into the mat with the Impailer DDT for the one, the two and the three..... Winner(s): Adam Copeland & Christian Cage Rating: B+ </div></blockquote> <blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="43289" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div><div style="text-align:center;"></div> <img style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/nriUVsq.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/nriUVsq.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/FQLifWf.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/FQLifWf.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/Jg2T62p.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/Jg2T62p.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/CXQGLDZ.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/CXQGLDZ.jpg"></a><img style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/wYulN53.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/wYulN53.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/wJS2C6J.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/wJS2C6J.jpg"></a> .....not happy with that though, The Enforcer re-emerge's from the back, to join Copeland, Cage and Bagwell in the ring..... .....Big Ray Ray unhooks his Boys from their collars, while Buff slides out of the ring to pick up a second wooden table.....Pitbull #1 has already been for the ride, looks like it's time for table spot number two, on Pitbull number two..... .....the Totally Awesome Trinity put the boots to the Pitbull for a minute (while Buff sets up the wood) and then Traylor mounts the middle turnbuckle..... .....Copeland, Cage and Bagwell do the heavy lifting, hoisting the man up and onto the shoulders of Ray Ray, who then sends the man straight through the table below with the Pitbulls own Superbomb manoeuvre..... .....it's safe to say that the Pitbulls are DONE.....so are these Titans now, they've made their point, so the Freaking Awesome Foursome stand tall with their arms raised..... .....as we go to the back..... Rating: A* </div></blockquote> <blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="43289" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div><div style="text-align:center;"></div> <img style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/jXXWvcr.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/jXXWvcr.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/AOaJBm0.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/AOaJBm0.jpg"></a> .....where Vince Russo and Eric Bischoff are standing beside a monitor that's showing a replay of the Foursome's destruction of the Pitbulls.....and while Vinnie Ru looks particularly happy by that display, Easy E does not..... ".....see bro, this is what happens when you mess with things outside of your pay grade.....you walked into Thunder thinking you were the big man, then tried to flex your authority and position to make decisions that you just don't have the power to make..... .....YOU just did that to the Pitbulls bro, not us.....YOU made that a no dq Dog Collar match.....now I could have changed it back with a click of my fingers, but I didn't, because YOU need to learn your place.....now go back to your little "committee", and leave the decision making to the grown ups....." .....Bischoff tells Russo to laugh it up.....because the last time that he checked, those so called "Titans" of his didn't have a single title between them..... ".....and since it is the Championship Committee that decides who merits the title opportunities (you know, the Championship Committee that I am the face of) you might want to dial it down a little bit.....because after THAT display, I don't see and Title shots coming your way......and that.....is Totally Awesome....." .....Bischoff chuckles at his own joke, before turning to walk off.....Russo stops him though, telling him that if he wants to see what the Titans of Wrestling are capable off, he should watch what Randy Savage and The Warrior do to Shawn Michaels and Jean Paul Levesque later tonight.....although again, Bischoff chuckles..... .....he says that for ONCE, he's more than happy to sit back and watch what carnage the Titans can unleash..... ".....because with Shawn Michaels behaviour and Jean Paul Levesque attitude lately, I really don't care if the four of them kill each other.....I'll see you on Monday.....got number one contenders to decide....." Rating: B </div></blockquote> <blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="43289" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div><div style="text-align:center;"></div> <img style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/QPEZk7O.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/QPEZk7O.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/TOSv1cI.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/TOSv1cI.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/kyW8IHC.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/kyW8IHC.jpg"></a> .....with that over with, we air a recap package highlighting the surprisingly long history between US Champion Eddie Guerrero and Peoples Champion, The Rock..... .....Rocky debuted back in September of last year, some four months back, and he instantly locked verbal horns with the Papi of Perfection, that you would have thought would have meant that these two were destined to clash imminently..... .....they didn't..... .....instead, The Rock became embroiled in a feud with the Forgotten, while Guerrero found himself in a multi-month war with Curt Hennig.....in fact, the two didn't really cross paths again until Novembers Mayhem event, with another War of words resulting in Eddie costing Rocky the Mayhem Match, leading to them FINALLY stepping into the ring at Starrcade..... ....where the debuting Chavo Guerrero Jr. cost The Rock the chance at becoming United States Champion..... .....which brings us to tonight, and the special ringside enforcer (Curt Hennig) who is there to negate the possibility of outside interference, which (given Hennig and Guerrero's history) gives The Rock a huge advantage..... .....except, Rocky and Hennig haven't exactly been getting along recently either.....let's see what happened shall we..... .....it starts out quite positively actually.....Chavo makes his way out alongside his Uncle, but Curt is there in a flash and instantly evicted him from the match.....Eddie is furious, but there's little he can do about it other than get on with the match..... .....it was a great match..... .....it really was too.....this six month reign as US Champion has really elevated Eddie Guerrero to another level.....main event level.....and this match could have easily closed any show..... .....the two had an incredibly heated contest, and in credit to him, Curt Hennig "enforced" things perfectly equally, without showing favour to any man.....although truthfully he didn't have much to do..... .....not until the closing moments of the match anyway..... .....because as the official took the obligatory 'ref bump', Chavo again made his way out from the back, and as Hennig went to work keeping him out of the match, Eddie booted The Rock right in the People's Balls, then snuck to the outside to collect the US Title belt..... .....he's going to lay Rocky out with it too..... .....fortunately before he can strike, Curt Hennig slides into the ring and snatches it out of his hands.....not today Eddie..... .....Eddie is a wily little bastard though, and as Curt turns to exit the ring, the Papi of Perfection grabs the standing (but doubled over) Rock, and whips him straight into the back of Hennig..... .....Curt turns and sees that (in his eyes, for the second time in three days) The Rock has just clocked him in the back again.....and he's not happy..... .....in fact, he's SO unhappy, that he nails the Rock right between the eyes with the US Title..... .....Rocky goes down like a sack of sh!t, just as Eddie scales the turnbuckles, before flying off with a Frog Splash that crushes the air out of his opponent..... .....Hennig boots the official in the ribs to rouse him from his slumber, and as the ref counts the one, two, three, Eddie Guerrero has once again SOMEHOW escaped here with his US Title in tact.....your winner, the Papi of Perfection..... Winner: .....and Still WCW United States Champion.....Eddie Guerrero Rating: A </div></blockquote> <blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="43289" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div><div style="text-align:center;"></div> <img style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/6KhMoDA.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/6KhMoDA.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/WH2bm4L.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/WH2bm4L.jpg"></a> .....Hennig tosses the US Title into Guerrero's waiting arms (who quickly scurries away up the aisle, celebrating hugely with Chavo) before standing over the defeated Rock, loudly telling him that "you don't mess with me.....I'm Curt Hennig you stupid punk" before leaning down and slapping the man in the face..... .....Curt turns to leave to a chorus of boo's and a loud "Rocky" chant, which obviously gets under his skin, because he pauses and tells the crowd that if they want something to boo, he'll give them something to boo, before turning back to the Rock, dropping down and mounting him, then unloads with a barrage of right hands straight to the People's Champs skull..... .....Rocky is in no condition to defend himself, a fact which soon becomes clear as Hennig once again slaps him across the face, calling the man pathetic..... .....Hennig gets back to his feet and gives The Rock a few parting stomps, before turning and heading to the back, as our announcers (mainly Dusty and Tony.....Bobby found it quite amusing) discuss what a cheap shot that was by Curt Hennig, who should be ashamed of himself..... .....he doesn't look ashamed of himself though.....let's go to the back as well..... Rating: A* </div></blockquote> <blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="43289" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div><div style="text-align:center;"></div> <img style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/cKW9eGw.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/cKW9eGw.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/DJEyYKG.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/DJEyYKG.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/i3UTPrR.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/i3UTPrR.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/isSRl4K.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/isSRl4K.jpg"></a> .....where the (now) former WCW Tag Team Champions, Diamond Dallas Page and Chris Benoit, are looking rather downtrodden alongside Sid Vicious, as Mean Gene stands by on the stick..... .....he first addresses Sid, asking the Big Man if he's going to be watching our main event closely this evening? After all, it involves the Giant, a gentleman that he's clearly had some tension with as of late?..... .....Sid whispers through gritted teeth that the ONLY thing that's stopping him from tearing the Giants head from his shoulders right now, is the fact that he MIGHT walk out tonight with the WCW Title around his waist.....and if he does, Sid Vicious (the Master and Ruler of the World) wants to be right there ready to take it from him..... ".....see Sting, I hope you win.....I do.....but if you DON'T.....and if The Giant walks out tonight with that Championship Belt around his waist.....(Sid pauses for a moment to give that little silent muttley laugh).....Giant, you can look into my eyes right here and right now.....if you walk out tonight with that Championship Belt around your waist, you should know that you're only going to have it for a SECOND.....because Sid Vicious will take it from you just like THAT....." .....Gene turns to Page and Benoit, asking the duo where THEY go from here.....how do they bounce back from a devastating loss like that?..... .....Page says that's simple, they do what they've always done.....what they've been doing for months now.....they get back to their feet, they dust themselves down..... ".....and then we get right back into the fight.....yeah we lost tonight, and maybe it was our own fault.....maybe we weren't solely focused on our opponents, and maybe that cost us..... it if we were the type to let one loss hold us down, we wouldn't be where we are today.....but I can guarantee you this Gene, those Forgotten Monkey's.....they will Feel the Bang....." .....the interview comes to a bit of an abrupt stop there, as the sound of clapping cuts Page off..... <img style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/uR0ugeC.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/uR0ugeC.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/M1o4aHM.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/M1o4aHM.jpg"></a> .....and the (rather sarcastically) applauding pairing of Shawn Michaels and Jean Paul Levesque walk into shot, with Michaels theatrically wiping a tear from his eye..... ".....thank you guys, that was great.....it's a wrap.....and THAT ladies and gentlemen was your public service announcement of the day.....never give up, get back up when you get knocked down.....be the little engine that could, and ONE day, you might be just like Diamond Dallas Page here...... .....a loser....." .....both Michaels and Levesque crack up at that, before Shawn stops dead, looking a little confused..... ".....wait.....they look different.....something's changed....." ".....is it the hair?....." ".....no, the hair looks as ridiculous as always....." ".....they been hitting the gym? Gained a few pounds?....." ".....no.....no, actually they look like they lost a few pounds.....especially around the middle there.....they're, they're missing something....." ".....talent?....." ".....no.....well, yes......but they never had that to begin with....." ".....looks?....." ".....again, they never had it to lose it....." ".....charisma?....." ".....WILL YOU JUST BE SERIOUS!....you know they don't have any charisma, don't embarrass them....." .....Page stops the pair right there, asking them if this is going to take all night? Dallas tells them that he'll save them all the effort.....he and Benoit lost the tag titles ("so laugh it up monkey")..... .....Michaels and Levesque indeed DO laugh it up.....in fact they're practically in hysterics until Big Sid Vicious gets right up in their faces.....Shawn doesn't like that..... ".....woah, woah, woah.....back it up there Frankenstein.....don't you have a beanstalk to be guarding?.....you keep snorting all over me like that and I'll have to kick your head off your shoulders.....you know, like I did the LAST time you got in my face.....so back it up big boy....." .....Levesque wiggles his fingers (Scott Hall style) at Big Sid, before saying that they're just passing through on their way to get ready for their match, so if these three want to get back to their little pep rally, then they'll just leave them be.....for now..... ".....but I tell you what boys, there's a monitor right there.....why don't you give it a watch, you might learn a thing or two about winning matches..... .....or not.....in fact probably not, because let's face it, the last thing Fee Fi Fo Dumb here learnt, was how to go pee-pee in the big boy toilet.....and judging by those piles of stained tighty-whities he leaves all over the locker room floor, he hasn't even mastered that yet..... .....again Levesque and Michaels laugh it up, and Sid looks like he's about to rip BOTH their heads off their shoulders, but as the pair walk off Page and Benoit keep the big man grounded, telling him that he'll get his chance at them sooner or later..... .....but Sid doesn't strike me as a patient man..... .....let's go back down to ringside..... Rating: A* </div></blockquote> <blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="43289" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div><div style="text-align:center;"></div> <img style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/I9lnbBk.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/I9lnbBk.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/TFVQgbO.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/TFVQgbO.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/KziTNSK.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/KziTNSK.jpg"></a> .....where Konnan is about to clash with the newest member of Jimmy Hart's First Family, Hugh Morrus..... .....of course the newest member of Jimmy Harts First Family COULD have been Konnan, he was offered the opportunity a few weeks back on Thunder.....Jimmy Hart obviously didn't take the rejection very well, because just a week later the Mexican Star was assaulted from behind by the returning Morrus, and so here we are..... .....this match was what it was.....it was never going to be amazing, nor did I expect it to be.....not that either man is bad in the ring, but neither has been particularly high on the totem pole (in either company) as of late.....it was decent though, and after a solid bout, Hugh Morrus found himself trapped in the Tequila Sunrise, with little to do but submit..... .....oh, that wasn't the end of the match though..... .....yeah, Morrus was furiously submitting, but unfortunately for Konnan the official was otherwise occupied with the Mouth of the South, who had hopped up onto the apron and was currently jumping up and down like the energiser bunny..... <img style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/BgLPWdN.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/BgLPWdN.jpg"></a> .....while this man, VK Wallstreet climbs into the ring and nails Konnan in the back of the head with a briefcase, before rolling Morrus on top of his opponent..... .....Hart turns the officials attention back to the ring, and three seconds later, the First Family have their first Pay Per View victory..... Winner: Hugh Morrus Rating: B- </div></blockquote> <blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="43289" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div><div style="text-align:center;"></div> <img style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/utXogrQ.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/utXogrQ.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/AAhTSYz.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/AAhTSYz.jpg"></a> .....with a new arrival to the family, we leave Hart, Konnan and Wallstreet to celebrate in the ring and head to the back, where Mike Tenay is standing by with the man who will be challenging for the WCW Championship later this evening.....The Giant..... .....it's not a groundbreaking promo, but it does serve a purpose, that being that Giant tells Tenay that he is one hundred percent focused on Sting, and one hundred percent focused on capturing the WCW Championship..... ".....we've already seen tonight what happens to champions that aren't making preparing for their next challengers their top priority.....Sting, he's not been taking me seriously.....look at me Tenay.....I'm a walking, talking, real life giant.....but all Sting is worried about, is that little pipsqueak Shawn Michaels and his life partner Jean Paul Levesque.....ask Page and Benoit how that worked out for them....." .....Giant says that he doesn't care about Michaels.....he doesn't care about Levesque.....he doesn't care about the Titans of Wrestling.....all he cares about, is becoming the World Champion....and if he gets to pop Sting's head like a pimple in the process, then all the better..... .....Tenay changes the subject, asking Giant what he thinks about the fact that Sid Vicious seems to have taken umbrage with the Giants comments as of late, but the big man just brushes it off.....he asks Tenay if he was even listening to him a moment ago.....all he cares about, is becoming the WCW Champion of the World.....Sid, he's nothing but an irritation, but if he wants the Giant to squash him like a bug too, then the big man will be happy to oblige..... ".....AFTER I take care of business tonight.....now get out....." .....with that the camera pans over to the other side of the room, where (on a monitor that's been placed within the locker room) highlights of Sting wronging the Giant are being played on a loop.....bat shots, matches cost, his elimination from the Mayhem Match, more bat shots.....basically, every wrong that the Giant perceives Sting to have inflicted upon him..... .....clearly the Giant is one hundred percent focused on Sting..... .....clearly the Giant is one hundred percent focused on becoming the WCW Champion..... .....for Stings sake, I hope he's focused on the Giant too..... Rating: B+ </div></blockquote> <blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="43289" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div><div style="text-align:center;"></div> <img style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/XaRFzNT.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/XaRFzNT.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/LZspeNS.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/LZspeNS.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/TFVQgbO.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/TFVQgbO.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/uneZrHv.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/uneZrHv.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/2EPs81y.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/2EPs81y.jpg"></a> Anything Goes Match .....there's been somewhat of a re-occurring feature in recent weeks surrounding a number of matches this evening.....it was addressed during our opening contest, and the Giant referenced it a few moments ago.....that being that a number of tonight's competitors have been more focused on Shawn Michaels and Jean Paul Levesque than they have their own opponents.....well now, it's time to see if Shawn Michaels and Jean Paul Levesque are focused on their OWN opponents, because they are about to step into the ring with rivals Randy Savage and The Warrior..... .....and anything goes..... .....now Michaels claims that he's going to tear down the Titans of Wrestling singlehandedly (singlehandedly with JPL apparently, I'll leave you to work that one out for yourself) not because he's out to defend WCW, not because he's looking to take out the status quo so that the next generation of star can shine through.....no, not for anything as noble as that.....he's going to take out the Titans of Wrestling because they beat him up a bit, made him bleed and (because he wanted revenge) forced him to sign with this little second rate 'rassling company..... .....wait, so who are the good guys here?..... .....well bizarrely enough (in the eyes of the crowd anyway) it's Savage and Warrior that they choose to rally behind.....after all, the Titans have been running roughshod in WCW for about a year now, but they have been running roughshod IN this company.....not badmouthing it.....sure, they think they're bigger and better than every other person in the back, but they at least WANT to be here.....plus, y'know.....it's Randy Savage (and to a lesser extent, The Warrior) it's incredibly easy to slip back into cheering for your childhood hero's..... .....so with that being said, you know where the crowd are at.....what about the match?..... .....it started out intense.....it started out fast.....and it didn't slow down until the final bell rang..... .....the four men went straight for each other from the get go.....this is a blood feud, there's no tie ups here, just four men flying at each other with fists swinging as a brawl ensues in the middle of the ring....not that it stays in the ring for long..... .....Michaels splits off with Savage, while Levesque and Warrior renew their previous battles, and the two pairs brawl on opposite sides of the ringside area, with Levesque getting busted open early (to match the pace of the match) when the Warrior drives his skull into the steel ringpost.....I don't know if I've described Warrior's Titan look recently, but it's quite reminiscent of both Hollywood Hogans and Randy Savages, long black tights complete with thick leather weightlifting belt, which Warrior removes here to wrap around his fist, pummelling the stiff leather into JPL's open wound.....he grabs Levesque in a side headlock and begins gouging the edge of the belt into his bleeding face, but Levesque manages to muster up the strength to reverse that into a back suplex, right out there on the floor..... .....there's no real period of dominance for any team here, just a lot of back and forth carnage.....with Levesque busted open across the arena floor from him, Michaels manages to return the favour to the Macho Man, having enough time (after reversing a piledriver attempt into a backdrop onto the concrete) to pick up a steel chair, which he uses to crack Savage right between the eyes, giving HIM the proverbial crimson mask..... .....Michaels takes the time to make friends with the fans in the front row, jawjacking with some, flipping off some others, before turning back around, where Macho is waiting with the ring bell, which he uses to split MICHAELS skull open.....they're about ten minutes into this match, and three out of the four competitors are busted open..... .....hard chair shot by Levesque outside on Warrior, as those two brawl all the way up the aisleway and onto the entrance ramp.....he doesn't bust him open, but he DOES obviously rattle the man, because he's then able to capitalise with an Arn Anderson-esq Spine Buster right there on the steel entrance way..... .....meanwhile, a Bloodied Savage and Michaels have made their way up to the entrance way too, but they don't stop at the ramp, they continue brawling all the way to the back, disappearing out of sight..... .....unfortunately, while this IS and Anything Goes match, it's NOT a Falls Count Anywhere match, and thus far no one has been near enough to the ring to even think about making a pinfall attempt.....the good thing about this being a tag team encounter, is that while the live crowd no longer have Michaels and Savage to watch, they do still have Levesque and Warrior.....and it looks like JPL is attempting to rectify the fact that Warrior is the only man not leaking plasma, bouncing his head off the announce desk as Schiavone, Dusty and (a terrified sounding) Bobby Heenan scatter..... .....there's nothing we like more here in WCW than a little picture in picture action.....so while we have the action that's unfolding in front of the live crowd on the screen, we also have a shot of the action that's happening in the back, as Savage and Michaels brawl their way through the building and straight into a half full locker room, where Savage tosses Michaels straight into Big Sid Vicious..... .....back in the ring, Levesque is in form control.....he hasn't been able to bust him open (the power of the Warrior doesn't blade brother) but he has got him in that double undertook position, ready for the Pedigree.....Warrior powers out of that though and then runs through Levesque with a clothesline..... .....in the back it's all kicking off.....Sid Vicious (who's already p!ssed with Michaels following him comments earlier) obviously doesn't take too kindly to him landing straight onto his lap, and he begins pummelling the former WWF Champion with big right hands (while Savage takes a breather) before the bloody Shawn Michaels finally wriggles free, as he and Savage once again brawl their way through the back, until they find themselves on the entrance way, where they drop off the ramp and begin brawling around the production area..... .....back inside the ring, Levesque continues to get the better of The Warrior, and again slams him hard to the mat with a spinning spinebuster, before getting back to his feet psyched up, shaking the ropes Warrior style before giving his opponent the crotch chop, telling him to "Suck It" and then dragging him to his feet..... .....Savage and Michaels are pummelling the life out of each other down in the production area, with both men bleeding heavily now, Shawn finally gets the upper hand and crashes a steel chair over the head of the Macho Man, which leave Savage (conveniently) positioned, flat on his back on top of some production tables.....mirroring his partner in the ring, the bloody Michaels whips his head back (moving his hair out of his eyes and revealing that crimson mask) before giving Savage the crotch chop and climbing back up onto the stage..... .....Michaels looks down at Savage, clearly planning to dive onto the prone Macho Man, before he leaps though something catches his eye.....he looks to the side of him and sees the production equipment stacked up even higher still..... .....he climbs up a further 6-8 feet, and with Tony Schiavone telling us that Michaels is 15 to 20 feet in the air, he gives himself the sign of the cross, shrugs his shoulders..... .....and leaps off..... .....driving Randy Savage through the tables with a variation of the Macho Man's own Flying Elbow, that leaves both men a bloody and broken mess on the floor..... .....Levesque has positioned Warrior (again) for the Pedigree, but he pauses long enough to watch Michaels deliver the blow that has surely taken BOTH men out of the match.....and with Shawn giving the ultimate sacrifice for the team, he decides to end this right here and now, driving Warriors face into the mat for the one.....two...... .....and a half..... <img style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/Jg2T62p.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/Jg2T62p.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/CXQGLDZ.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/CXQGLDZ.jpg"></a><img style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/wYulN53.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/wYulN53.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/wJS2C6J.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/wJS2C6J.jpg"></a> .....because before the ref can strike the mat a third time, the Freaking Awesome Foursome hit the ring, with Copeland barely dragging Levesque off in time..... .....JPL is already busted wide open (and taken quite a bit of punishment) but he's about to take some more, because these four men beat the snot out of Levesque and there's not a damn thing that the official can do about it..... .....Bagwell moves over to help the Warrior to his feet, as Traylor hands Copeland and Cage a couple of chairs.....the bloodied Levesque pulls himself wearily back to his feet, only to be met with a wicked Con-Chair-To from the former tag champs that puts him right back down, face first on the mat..... .....the Foursome clear a path as an exhausted Warrior runs the ropes, before delivering a (frankly unnecessary) running splash, before rolling Levesque over and making the cover.....and with Michaels out of commission and unable to do anything to the contrary, this time the referee DOES strike the mat three times...... .....and NOW, this one is over..... Winner(s): Randy Savage & The Warrior Rating: A </div></blockquote> <blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="43289" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div><div style="text-align:center;"></div> <img style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/sv6aBUY.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/sv6aBUY.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/fQ6nEEh.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/fQ6nEEh.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/wpn2fWf.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/wpn2fWf.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/pPaq6sS.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/pPaq6sS.jpg"></a> .....the rest of the Titans head to the back (scraping up Randy Savage as they go) and they've barely made it through the curtains before the Giants entrance music hits..... .....the number one contender strides down the aisle confidently (not even registering the existence of a battered and bloody JPL who is on route to Shawn Michaels still downed form) before grabbing a microphone and climbing into the ring..... .....he cuts right to the chase, he's waited long enough, the circus is over, everyone's favourite distraction (Shawn Michaels) is a bloody mess over there somewhere, let's get this giant sized ass kicking over with, so he can claim what's his.....the WCW Championship..... ".....so Sting, no more hiding behind your bats, no more hiding in the rafters, no more worrying about Shawn Michaels and his little buddy there.....all you have to worry about now, is this seven foot giant standing in the middle of this ring.....so get your ass out here, and bring MY title with you....." .....ask and you shall receive, because it only takes a few seconds for the arena to dim, the lights to flicker the illusion of lightning.....and for that ominous music begin to play.....Sting is here, and he DOES have that WCW Title with him..... .....it's wrapped right around his waist..... .....in the midst of all this, JPL has revived Shawn Michaels, and the two men are on their feet beside the entrance ramp.....Sting walks a few feet down the aisle until he's level with them, then turns to look down at the bloodied and defeated pair, his usual blank expression giving way to a look of almost satisfaction as he gives the pair a little taste of their own medicine..... .....a crotch chop, followed by a "WCW says, you can Suck It", before continuing on his way.....it looks as though our main event is happening right now.....and even if Shawn Michaels or JPL wanted to do something about it, they're really in no condition to..... .....on with the introductions Buffer..... Rating: A* </div></blockquote> <blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="43289" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div><div style="text-align:center;"></div> <img style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/OAG1jFB.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/OAG1jFB.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/tRUJF2n.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/tRUJF2n.jpg"><img</a> style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/TfYwFGH.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/TfYwFGH.jpg"></a> .....this is it then.....the final match of the evening and it's for all the marbles, as Sting puts his WCW Championship on the line, against the biggest challenge of his career, the biggest man on the roster......the biggest man in wrestling.....The Giant..... .....this seven foot tall, 450lb monster would be enough of a challenge on the best of days, but THIS giant, he's been waiting for a chance to get both a shot at the WCW Championship, AND Sting inside the squared circle for months now.....tonight, he gets both wishes in one..... .....Giant might believe that Sting hasn't been preparing for him (instead getting distracted by the antics of Michaels and Levesque) but you wouldn't know it by the opening moments of this one.....Sting certainly knows well enough to stay out of the grips of the much bigger man, and he ducks and weaves, striking when an opening presents itself, while generally staying out of arms reach..... .....you can see the challenger getting more and more frustrated too, a fact which Tony Schiavone says can only be in the Champions favour, because frustrated people get impatient, and impatient people make mistakes..... .....as if to prove Schiavone's point, Giant chooses that exact moment to charge towards Sting (who's just ducked and weaved his way into the corner) with a running splash, but the Champion sidesteps at the last second, leaving Giant to collide sternum first into the turnbuckles.....Sting follows that up with a huge Stinger Splash to the back of the challenger (again driving his sternum into the turnbuckles) and a second.....then a third, which finally sees the challenger topple backwards like a big redwood in the forrest, landing flat on his back in the middle of the ring..... .....looking to finish the man off Sting mounts the turnbuckles, then comes flying off with a top rope splash.....he makes the cover, but the Giant kicks out and kicks out with force, propelling Sting all the way off him..... .....the two men get back to their feet, with Sting going straight back to the duck and weave tactic that's been working for him so far.....and again the Giant charges into the corner (this time back first) and AGAIN the WCW Champion goes for that Stinger Splash.....Giant has it scouted this time though, and as Sting takes flight he lifts one big leg up in front of him , and the Stinger's head is almost taken completely off his body as he connects face first with that Big Boot..... .....now the big man is in control.....and he slows the pace right back down to his level, as he slowly and methodically uses his considerable size to punish the Champion.....The Giant can (and quite often does) display some astounding feats of athleticism for a man of his size, but he doesn't bother with any of that here, instead it's all heavy hitting, high impact offence, and if Sting WASN'T fully focused on the Giant, the big man certainly gets his attention when he steps on his chest with all of his considerable weight..... .....Sting has faced his fair share of big men over the years (including two men we have seen tonight, Big Van Vader and Sid Vicious) so he knows better than most what it takes to defeat man man much bigger in stature than himself. In a match like this, it's a case of weathering the storm and picking your spot....and the spot in question here, comes off the back of a Chokeslam attempt.....Giant wraps his hand around the Champions throat, hoisting him up high in the air.....unfortunately he's too close to the ropes and Sting is able to shift his momentum in mid air, shaking himself free and landing feet first on the apron, where he grabs the Giant by the head and drops to the floor, driving his opponents throat across that top rope..... .....Giant snaps his head back and stands there teetering, giving Sting enough time to slide in back under the bottom rope and hit an (extremely) impressive bodyslam, before beating his chest with a big "Owwwwww" to this capacity crowd..... .....from there Sting begins to fire back.....he went through a hell of a lot to get to the position he's in today, and Giant or not, this big man is going to have to practically kill him to take this title away from him..... .....although from the look of things, the Giant doesn't have a problem with that.....he also doesn't have a problem with cheating, because after Sting mounts his big comeback, he's able to catch a breather when he drops the charging Stinger with a big boot.....from there Giant heads to the outside to collect Sting's baseball bat, a pretty stupid move according to Tony Schiavone, who points out that if Giant uses that foreign object, he not only loses the match, but he loses the opportunity to become the World Champion too..... .....which is probably why he gives the bat up without a fight when the official snatches it from him.....although as the referee turns away to remove the weapon from the ring, Giant quickly rips the corner padding off the top turnbuckle, exposing the steel beneath..... .....that whole "bat" scenario may well have been a cunning ploy..... .....it backfires though, because after a back and forth tease, which sees Sting almost hit that steel on a number of occasions, Giant hoists Sting up onto his shoulder "Snake Eyes" style and runs towards that exposed corner..... .....again Sting is able to wriggle free however, landing behind Giant and uses the big man's own momentum to drive that giant skull into the exposed steel..... .....Giant slumps forward into the turnbuckles, clearly dazed, so Sting mounts the second turnbuckle, grabs that big head in his hands, and throws himself backwards, driving the back of The Giant's skull into the mat with a modified Scorpion Death Drop.....and as he makes the cover, the official registers the one.....the two.....and the three.....and Sting retains his WCW Championship, against giant odds..... Winner: .....and Still WCW Champion.....Sting Rating: B+ </div></blockquote> <blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="43289" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div><div style="text-align:center;"></div> <img style="max-width:15%; "src="<a href="https://i.imgur.com/OAG1jFB.jpg" rel="external nofollow">https://i.imgur.com/OAG1jFB.jpg"></a> .....the bell rings and the official raises the hand of Sting, before handing him his Title belt..... .....Giant looks as though he's contemplating carrying on the fight (if not the match) but when Sting collects that black bat too, he soon changes his mind, deciding instead to head to the back as pyro erupts in celebration..... .....Sting stands tall as the show comes to a close (with this crowd certainly going home happy) but not before he gets up close and personal with the camera man, staring directly down the lens to let everyone at home (and everyone in the back) know that HE is the WCW Champion..... ".....and this belt, it ain't going nowhere.....because THIS, is all that matters.....not the Titans of Wrestling.....not the Giant.....nobody.....this is history.....this is tradition.....and Shawn Michaels, this goes out directly to you pal.....because you can talk a big talk but at the end of the day, tonight.....you lost.....I won.....and no matter how big you THINK you are.....without THIS, when it comes to World Championship Wrestling.....when it comes to these great fans.....you're nothing more than just another name on the roster, so how about you suck that....." .....we're out of time fans.....we'll see you tomorrow night.....on WCW Monday Nitro..... Rating: A* Final Rating: A </div></blockquote> </div>

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