Slobberknocker Central Monday Night Recap #251 September 4th, 2000 The Opening Word: With no RAW or NFL to go up against it, Nitro saw a nice jump in their ratings last week. That was the good news. The bad news was that RAW, airing two hours later than usual, still did a big rating, not only beating Nitro, but showing that WWF fans can find the show when it's not where it's supposed to be. That's good news for the WWF when they jump to TNN in three weeks. Even better news was the strong rating SmackDown! did on Thursday. It's a sign that the WWF can rely on that show as a foundation while viewers get adjusted to the new channel for RAW. WCW had hoped that they would have closed the ratings gap by now, using the TNN jump as a window of opportunity to pull even or ahead of them when the time came. Unfortunately WCW didn't close the ratings gap, and now the WWF has shown signs that they won't be as vulnerable as previously thought. WCW is going all-out this week for this final chance to chip away at the WWF's fanbase. They've announced that they'll be doing a Wargames match on Nitro, albeit with modified rules and in the wrong cage, featuring eight men battling for the WCW Heavyweight Title currently held by Kevin Nash. Scott Steiner, Jeff Jarrett, Vince Russo, Goldberg, Booker T, Sting and the Cat are the other competitors. Recent statement from WCW indicate that they're committed to building to a Nash/Booker T title match at the next PPV; however, with WCW defenders going out of their way to bring up the Vince McMahon WWF Championship win last year, Vince Russo winning the match and WCW Title is a possibility which can't be discounted (the match is, after all, being billed as "Wargames 2000: Russo's Revenge"). Whatever happens, it'll be interesting to see if WCW can break from their usual form and deliver a match which earns positive reviews. In other Nitro action, the Insane Clown Posse will get a shot at the World Tag Team Titles held by Rey Mysterio, Jr. & Juventud Guerrera, and Bret Hart may appear on the show as well. The WWF is expected to counter with a loaded show which will apparently include the return, in some way, shape or form, of "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. We'll also see Chyna vs. Kurt Angle for the Intercontinental Title, Chris Benoit vs. Kane to determine the #1 contender to the WWF Championship, Edge & Christian defending the WWF Tag Team Titles against the Rock & the Undertaker, the RTC adding a new member, and Triple H speaking out on his run-in with the police last Thursday. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- WCW Monday Nitro: Live/Taped: Live. Length: Two Hours+. Location: Dallas, Texas. Hosted By: Tony Schiavone, Jeremy Borash & Mark Madden. HOUR ONE: - Video package hypes the Wargames match. Buzzwords: "The Band is Back Together," and "Russo's Revenge." - "Earlier Today" footage shows the cage being constructed. Back live Russo leads his boyz into the building. - Hey, they have a new opening! Included are lots of shots of Russo, Goldberg and Steiner. Not as well represented: Natural Born Thrillerz, Filthy Animalz, or any of the other New Blood. - Jeremy Borash replaces Scott Hudson tonight, whose wife has gone into labor. Borash actually got this gig as part of a publicity stunt whereby he'd have his head shaved if Nitro did above a certain show-opening quarter hour rating last week. Since the number they picked was fairly low, it was all but assured that he'd have his head shaved. The point of the stunt was to get WCW Live listeners to think their interest in the wager caused WCW's ratings to go up. - This show marks the beginning of the sixth year of Nitro. I myself am about nine weeks away from that milestone in regards to writing this Recap. - DARK CARNIVAL vs. THE FILTHY ANIMALS The Insane Clown Posse are billed by the above name, even though neither Vampiro nor Muta are with them. Violent J does a bodyslam--the only offense the ICP get in. The other three minutes of the match are Mysterio & Juvi doing high spots, while Konnan and Disco Inferno badmouth the clowns on commentary. Mysterio pins Violent J after a legdrop to the nuts. That was short and pointless, but it was the right outcome. Lance Storm has Major Gunns working out on a treadmill. Something about making her fit enough to be an honorary Canadian. The Cat, Miss Jones and Booker T climb into a limo. At the hotel? The cage suspended over the ring moves an inch, allowing Schiavone to start yelling his head off. - Russo leads the boyz out. He talks a lot, but says little, other than introducing the terms "babyface" and "heel" to the regular fans (did he call his group the "babyfaces?"). He announces that an "injunction" has been placed on the Cat's commissioner position, therefore Ernest Miller has no power tonight. Also, all the good guys have to qualify for the cage match tonight. Russo guarantees a victory tonight. Out comes Kevin Nash, pissed at Russo for putting *his* title on the line in this match. Nash says he only has to defend the belt once every 30 days, and only intends to do so at the PPV. Russo acts all tough, saying he calls the shots. Nash says Russo may be the boss, but *he* is Russo's Big Daddy in the ring. The fans seem to buy this sudden turn by Nash about as much as they bought Jeff Jarrett's turn last week. Cue Sting's music, as he crawls up through the mat. Man, they're going to use ALL the gimmicks tonight, aren't they? Russo orders Nash to attack, but Nash just walks out. So for the next few minutes we see Sting chase Russo all the way to the top of the cage, as Steiner, Jarrett and the Thrillerz come in to block off Sting's exit. Booker T & the Cat then come out and beat up all the Thrillerz. Russo gets all the way to the top then climbs down the outside of the cage, easily making his escape. Out comes Goldberg, but Russo just jumps off the ramp and runs away. Meant to hype the match, this segment instead showed what a mess it's going to be, and how easily Russo could escape without a scratch if he wants to. - Jeremy Borash: sounds like Mike Tenay, looks like the Blue Meanie. - The Harris Twins come out and demand a video be played of them beating up Kronic in a bar. I liked this bit ... the first few times I saw the ACOLYTES do it. - Shane Douglas demands a match with Goldberg. He wants some of the Thrillerz as his partners, but Torrie Wilson tells them to beat it because they're such screw-ups. Russo books the match, then after Douglas leaves he tells the Thrillerz to keep an eye on him. - STING vs. VAMPIRO/THE GREAT MUTA I see WCW's strategy this week, like the week they did the U.S. Title Tournament, is to put all their top guys in multiple matches. Christ, I barely finished typing the previous sentence when Sting pins Vampiro with the Scorpion Deathdrop. Sting qualifies for the Wargames match. Tensions flare within the Dark Carnival, as the ICP come out to keep Vampiro and Muta from going after each other. Now Storm has Gunns working on a weight machine. SWEATY BOOBS! Stevie Ray is upset at who Russo wants him to wrestle. - Jarrett tries to calm down Nash, who is still whining about Russo screwing him. How can you tell which way the wind is blowing? Mark Madden takes Nash's side. - BOOKER T vs. STEVIE RAY Oh yeah, *this* is the match we've all been waiting for. Stevie dominates for the first minute with some clotheslines and such. Booker battles back with an axe kick and SPINNEROONI, SPINNEROONI, SPINNEROONI. Stevie battles back, but falls victim to a Book End moments later. Booker qualifies for the Wargames match. He asks why Stevie Ray fought so hard. Stevie says Booker always has to be looking out for himself. The brothers hug. Kronic asks the Jung Dragons if the Harris Twins are in the building. The stereotypical performance of the Dragons here make Kaientai look nuanced. - 3 Count are about to do their song when they're laid out by Kronic. Then Jarrett comes out, then the Cat, and hell, stuff is happening so fast in this show, we somehow end up with-- KRONIC vs. THE CAT The Cat goes down quickly to a double High Times. That means Kronic are now in the Wargames match instead of the Cat. That's not necessarily an improvement. Backstage, Scott Steiner chews out Russo, because instead of getting to beat the Cat up in the cage, they now have to fight Kronic. HOUR TWO: - SHANE DOUGLAS (w/ Torrie Wilson) vs. GOLDBERG Douglas & Torrie kill some time on the mic so this match will seem longer than the squash it's sure to be. Goldberg's lengthy entrance follows. The two quickly battle to the floor, where a forearm shot to the post softens Goldberg up enough for Douglas to sneak some offense in. Goldberg rallies, only to be attacked by the Natural Born Thrillerz. Goldberg clotheslines Mark Jindrak & Sean O'Haire, waits for Chuck Palumbo to turn around so he can kill him, easily takes care of Reno, then hoists Mike Sanders up for a slam. Douglas comes in with a chain-wrapped fist, but Goldberg drops Sanders and spears Douglas. Jackhammer, pin. Russo cries. - Promo for "The Way of the Gun." - Russo apologizes to Nash. Nash says his agenda is to walk out with his strap, and to keep Russo from walking out with it. - Now Gunns is swimming laps. BIKINI BOOBS! Pamela Paulshock threatens to call security, so Storm and Elix Skipper toss her in the pool. They are then jumped by the Misfits in Action. - Russo gives the Thrillerz one last chance to prove themselves. - Pamela--hey, she's still wet--interviews Arn Anderson. Arn basically confirms that he and Ric Flair will show up for David Flair's wedding to Miss Hancock next Monday. - Vito calls out Russo. The Thrillerz come out instead. Sanders says Russo made Vito. He talks about them being "genetically jacked." Vito says they pump each other in the shower. Okay, that's enough of that ... BIG VITO vs. THE NATURAL BORN THRILLERZ Six-on-one stomping, with Sanders pinning Vito after O'Haire drops the Seanton Bomb (Vito kindly scootching into position to receive the move). Everyone gets ready for the main event. That match notwithstanding, anyone who says the matches here tonight were any good are either on peyote or cashing a WCW paycheck. - Another promo for "The Way of the Gun." - Pamela gets comments from Booker T, Kronic & Sting. - WARGAMES 2000: "RUSSO'S REVENGE" Jeff Jarrett is the first man in, followed by a commercial. Sting comes out to face Jarrett. Everyone else will come out at two minute intervals. Originally the Wargames, contested in a large cage set over two adjoining rings, would see two teams of four or five men battle until everyone was in. Only then could the match be won, by submission. Here we have a different cage, and anyone can win the match at any time if they climb to the top cage and retrieve the suspended title belt. A clock pops up about ten seconds before the two minutes are up--a nice touch. Scott Steiner is the next man out, wearing a protective face mask. Little happens before Kronic comes out--both members. People start climbing to the second cage (via ladder inside the cage, entering through a trapdoor) when Russo comes out, accompanied by the Harris Twins. The twins go up to the second level, which is filled with weapons. Russo, meanwhile, stays below, where he's attacked by Sting, who gives him the Stinger Splash, then puts him in the Scorpion Deathlock. Russo sells it like he sold the Figure Four from Ric Flair. Kevin Nash comes in and ignores Sting, opting to go after Scott Steiner instead. Sting splashes him from behind. Things start happening fast now, with Nash threatening to hit Russo, Kronic and the Harris Twins somehow being "eliminated" by getting out of the cage, and Booker T coming in. Booker goes down quickly, and Nash works over Sting as Russo directs traffic and Jarrett sets up a ladder. Here comes Goldberg. He clotheslines Jarrett and Steiner. Russo whacks him with a bat, then handcuffs him to the ropes. Nash is just standing around, doing nothing. Steiner, Sting and Jarrett get back up to the second cage, while Nash continues to just stand there at ringside. Booker makes it on top the third cage and retrieves the belt, but he doesn't win the match until he gets back to the floor. He enters the second cage. Sting has been handcuffed to the cage wall. Steiner and Jarrett jump Booker. Nash and Russo are STILL down below, watching ... waiting. Russo ends up with the belt and gets to the ring. Here comes the Cat. He drops Russo with a kick to the head. Nash then Jackknifes him, but is himself speared by Goldberg, who snaps the cuffs holding him to the ropes. Goldberg lays out Jarrett, Steiner then Russo. Then, just as he's about to exit the cage-- --Bret Hart slams the door in his face. Steiner comes over to finish him off, as Jarrett tosses the belt back into the ring. Russo grabs the belt, but before I can find if I have a picture of a rat to put up for him on the Champions Page, he's confronted by Nash. Ah, but the two hug, Schiavone saying we've been swerved again. Russo, Jarrett and Steiner celebrate as Nash counts to three and steps out of the cage, winning the match and retaining his title. - This Wednesday: Nothing announced. - Next week: Flair/Hancock Wedding. Comments: Terrible match, and overall show to boot. If you're going to spend 90 minutes hyping a match, tying in every other match on the show into deciding the competitors of that match, then that match had better be good as a payoff. Sorry, WCW, but this wasn't. No fan of any of these wrestlers could have been impressed by their performances. Goldberg spent the few minutes he was in handcuffed to the ropes. Nash just stood around. Kronic and the Harris Twins did nothing. Russo got beat up for a few seconds, not selling any of it, and he came out on top again by pulling off another "swerve" everyone saw coming. Sting, Steiner, Booker and Jarrett carried the match--as usual--with Sting and Booker getting beat up most of the time. All of the action on the second level looked bad because of the poor footing, the ceiling of the bottom cage sagging under their feet so badly. And Bret Hart put in another token appearance at the very end of the show. So what did WCW prove tonight? * Vince Russo is a "genius" incapable of being made to look bad. * Kevin Nash is the laziest, yet smartest, man in WCW. * Booker T doesn't deserve to be champion. * Neither do Sting, Jarrett or Steiner. * Goldberg isn't the machine he once was. * The New Blood/Natural Born Thrillerz are all pussies. * Mike Awesome? Lance Storm? Who are they? So what was the point of Russo's "swerve" anyway? It's not like they used it to their advantage. They didn't lull any of the other wrestlers into a false sense of security, or trick them into an alliance which came back to haunt them. All it did was "fool" the fans, and hell--you think it really fooled anyone in that building? It's like the thing with Jarrett last week. It would have made sense if Booker T lost the title to Nash because he'd been tricked into thinking Jarrett had turned on Russo, but that's not what happened. All it did was make a disappointing finish even more disappointing to the fans. I could see something like that drawing some extra heel heat, but not when Russo does it every show, because the fans aren't buying it. It's shows like this that get fans asking how anyone can ever win a match clean (much less compete in a decent match) if Russo is willing and able to go to such great lengths to win matches? Russo can pick referees, make and change stipulations at will, screw the babyfaces over at the slightest whim, etc. It simply isn't feasible that Booker T can beat Nash at the PPV, or Goldberg beat Steiner, because Russo can do whatever it takes to tilt the odds in favor of the heels. They can try to make up for this in the upcoming storylines by having the Cat get his power back and putting Russo in his place, but that won't make up for this depressing show. In other words, they have to set up another power figurehead, whether it be the Cat or the return of Eric Bischoff or whatever, meaning the stories move further and further away from seeing satisfactory finishes in the ring. Heaven forbid WCW put eight wrestlers in a cage and let them do what they do best and have a decent match, with the winner being the guy who looked the best. No, Russo has to cheapen yet another gimmick match, making everyone else look bad, pushing himself as a genius, and giving the win to the guy who did the least. Forget what the WWF would have done, just look at what WCW itself has done in the past. There have been some pretty bad Wargames matches, but there have been some really good ones too. This one had to rank amongst the worst. On the plus side, Jeremy Borash did an okay job. The camera work during the cage match was pretty good (though they did miss some stuff). And the crowd did get into it, at least when they though Goldberg was going to win. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- WWF RAW is WAR: Live/Taped: Live. Length: Two Hours+. Location: Lexington, Kentucky. Hosted By: Jim Ross & Jerry "The King" Lawler. WWF RAW: - Video package highlighting what happened last week. - Triple H & Stephanie come out. This kicks off our opening TWENTY-FIVE MINUTE interview (OUCH!) in which Triple H questions who may have called the cops on him last week. Commissioner Mick Foley comes out to play amateur detective. Our suspects: The Wife: Foley dismisses her because the scheme called for cleverness and cunning, neither of which she has. The Husband: Foley thinks Triple H might have called the cops on himself to gain sympathy. The Other Man: Kurt Angle is the obvious suspect. It's true, it's true. The Other Woman: Maybe Chyna did it to get back at Stephanie. The Other Woman's Man: Perhaps Eddie Guerrero did it. Foley lets the crowd play jury, with them picking Angle as the culprit. Before Foley can turn Angle in for making a false police report, though, out comes Test and Trish Stratus. Test admits he was the one who dropped the dime on Triple H--retaliation for The Game stealing his bride Stephanie at the altar last November. So Foley books a match between the two (accidentally calling Triple H the WWF Champion). Test says payback is just like Stephanie ... "a BITCH!" Triple H charges, but he's blindsided by Angle. Officials swarm in to keep everyone apart. Another interesting twist to this story, but this whole thing ran waaaaay too long. - KANE vs. CHRIS BENOIT The Rock sits in on color commentary. Nothing match, which gets thrown out when the action spills to the floor and Kane grabs the Rock. Benoit hits Kane with a chair, at which point the ref calls for the bell. - THE DUDLEY BOYZ vs. THE ACOLYTES (w/ Kaientai) Another quick match--what, Russo book this show too? Mere seconds into the match the Dudleyz give Faarooq the headbutt to the nuts. They then grab a table, but Bradshaw puts a boot into it, knocking both Dudleyz down. He sets up the table, then starts to work over D-Von in the corner, but Buh-Buh Ray ducks beneath him, grabs, and powerbombs him through the table, winning the match. The Acolytes lay out Taka & Funaki afterwards. Eddie Guerrero tracks down Commissioner Foley and asks to be allowed to protect Chyna in her match against Kurt Angle. Foley decides to add him to the match, making it a three-way. He then goes back to throwing darts at a picture of Al Snow. - The "SmackDown Your Vote" campaign has registered 50,000 people to vote. Minnesota Governor Jesse "The Body" Ventura has apparently volunteered to moderate if Presidential candidates Al Gore and George W. Bush accept the invitation to debate on "SmackDown." - CHYNA vs. EDDIE GUERRERO vs. KURT ANGLE I might as well face up to the fact that there's going to be no good matches this week. Chyna and Angle go at it here for a few minutes, with Angle eventually using the IC belt to knock Chyna out. Eddie stops the count, then suplexes Angle from the ring. Seeing Chyna laid out he thinks things over, then lays on her--ostensibly to revive her, but in reality earning the three count and becoming the Intercontinental Champion. Eddie makes sure to grab the belt before leaving, making sure Chyna doesn't see him carrying it. Cute angle--nothing match. The finish killed the crowd. Test whoops it up with Albert & Trish. Triple H orders Stephanie to stay backstage during his match. - Eddie has some 'splaining to do to a tearful Chyna. WWF WAR ZONE: - TEST (w/ Albert & Trish Status) vs. TRIPLE H Triple H nearly gives Trish a Pedigree at the start, before Test stops him. Stephanie is watching the match in the back, and at one point Kurt Angle sneaks up behind her to be near her, without her knowing it. *Blink!*--the match is over, Triple H pinning Test with a Pedigree. Albert comes in and eats one too. Foley chides Mideon for his running into the ring bare-assed on Heat and SmackDown!. - Right To Censor makes its way to the ring. Cutting to the chase, Steven Richards says they've found someone else to join them in their crusade to clean up the WWF: Val Venis. Venis comes out and says Richards is crazy, that he doesn't share a thing in common with them. Richards finds that hard to believe, what with Val dumping the porn star gimmick, dumping Trish Stratus as his manager, switching to white tights, etc. Val repeats he's not on their side and, umm, that's it. The point of this segment was what, again? The Big Bossman continues his hazing of Crash Holly. Dean Malenko and his ladies come to Crash's assistance. - Edge & Christian try to think up an excuse to get them out of their match with the Rock & the Undertaker. Commissioner Foley drops in on them and says they'll be stripped of the belts if they don't show for the match. - THE BIG BOSSMAN vs. STEVE BLACKMAN The crowd is on life support at this point. The action quickly spills to the back, where the Bossman is hit with a garbage can by Malenko. Crash then splashes hot coffee in his face. Blackman covers for the pin, then lays out Malenko & Holly for interfering in his match. Blackman rules. Tazz demands matches against Chris Jericho and Jerry "The King" Lawler. Foley offers them both at once, in a tag team match where he'll give Tazz a partner who's held multiple titles in the WWF. Tazz seems rightfully dubious. - RIGHT TO CENSOR vs. VAL VENIS/ROAD DOGG Say, this wouldn't be a MASSIVE SWERVE to trick Road Dogg, would it? No, surprisingly. Road Dogg scores a quick pin on Bull Buchanan, only to be laid out by him and the Goodfather afterwards. Val Venis, who was DDT'ed on the floor, is then dragged outside to a waiting van. - CHRIS JERICHO/JERRY "THE KING" LAWLER vs. TAZZ/??? "Real American" starts, and Ross plays it up like it could only be You Know Who. Turns out to be Mideon, wearing his small black short with big pouch. Lawler rolls Tazz up from behind and gets the pin. Either they're trying to run him out of the company, or he's accumulating points for the biggest push we'll ever see. - "During The Break" Tazz jumped Lawler from behind and choked him with a strap. - Rikishi's Ho's are at WWF New York. - Ross announces that "Stone Cold" Steve Austin will make a statement on SmackDown! I'd call that a bait-and-switch, though the WWF did announce the change this evening on their website before RAW started. It sounds like it'll be a taped interview conducted by Ross. The crowd pops when they see Austin's picture on the Titan-Tron. - EDGE/CHRISTIAN vs. THE ROCK/UNDERTAKER Kane comes out to join Ross on commentary. I thought he cut a good promo on Heat this past weekend. Hard to tell if the Rock or Undertaker gets the bigger pop coming out. The Hardy Boyz are shown watching the match in the back. The Rock starts the match for his team, but quickly tags in the Undertaker. There follows a LENGTHY heat segment on the Taker. The house goes nuts when the Rock finally tags in. Chris Benoit runs out at that point, but the Undertaker heads him off, and we don't see any more of Benoit after that. Rock Bottom on Christian, but Edge comes in and breaks up the count. Edge then hits Rock with a chair, as Christian has the ref tied up. Christian covers, but the Rock kicks out. The Undertaker leans in for the tag, but instead of taking it, the Rock puts Christian down with a spinebuster. He then covers, but before the ref can hit three he's pulled out by Kane! The Undertaker comes over to battle Kane. In the ring, Edge & Christian waffle the Rock's head between two chairs (the camera in a bad position, showing the chairs mostly missing him). Christian covers for the pin. The crowd isn't happy with the decision. Ross calls Edge & Christian the two luckiest guys alive. Decent main event--maybe the best match put on by either fed tonight. - This Thursday: "Stone Cold" speaks. - Next week: Nothing announced. Comments: Whereas the WWF put on a strong show last Monday, and a great installment of SmackDown! last Thursday, they really seemed to slip into cruise control this week. The storyline stuff was okay, but the pacing was poorly suited for the show being two hours later than usual. And the matches, they took a big drop in quality. I'd compare this to a two hour version of Sunday Night Heat, but Heat usually has better matches than this! I was hesitant to call this an outright bad show, but that bit with Tazz and Mideon gave it the push needed to achieve suck-dom. The main event was good, but too little, too late (literally) It was disappointing that the WWF, finally after ten months, put Test back into the Stephanie/Triple H storyline, only to take him back out of it following a three minute match. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Bottom Line: Early reaction to Nitro and its cage match has been mostly positive, putting me in the minority in my opinion. Not to say I'm right and everyone else is wrong, but I'm wondering what exactly that positive reaction is being based on? The "wrestling" during the match was--at best--mediocre, closer to terrible most of the time. Russo didn't sell, Nash didn't work, Goldberg did nothing, Hart did the "slam-the-door-in-their-face" spot we see in every cage match these days, Russo pulled off another bogus "swerve" ... so where's this great match I missed. Yeah, it was "booked well" ... if the intention was to let the biggest stars half-ass it, while the guys the next step down worked hard, carried the match, but were made to look like wimps in the process. The entire match was built up as a battle of ego between Russo and Nash, and who won? Both of them. Ah, hell, whatever, let people claim this was a great match. A week from now we'll have all forgotten it. The only thing noteworthy to come out of it was another brick being laid in the foundation of a Hart/Goldberg match, which may or may not take place many months down the road. If they keep it up and that match actually takes place then yeah, that's fine. Knowing Hart, though, and his career thus far in WCW, I'm not holding my breath. Not a good showing from either promotion this week. I'm almost tempted to say WCW put on the better show, just because they had a focus--a highly hyped main event--and built up to it. RAW, its main event didn't mean anything. It was a good match, but there was no reason for it or build-up to it. WCW went all out but, in my opinion, missed the mark. The WWF, they held too much back. So who do I give the lower marks too? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Slobberknocker Central" and "Monday Night Recap" are copyright 2000 by John Petrie, and all opinions expressed therein are his own, and not those of "USLink". Check the "Slobberknocker Central" main page for info on how to receive the "Recap" free via E-Mail every week. Volume One, Number 251 of the "Monday Night Recap", September 4th, 2000.