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As we creep ever closer to Souled Out, we open tonight (as we often do) with a promo…..not surprising in itself…..what IS surprising however is the fact that it’s NOT the Titans of Wrestling out here (as they do like to monopolise these opening segments) and what’s doubly surprising, is that after saying nary a word for close to five month, the WCW Champion, Sting is out here again, microphone in hand, for the second week in a row….. …..the Stinger says that while he’s been somewhat quiet in recent months (understatement and a half there) there is something that he needs to get off his chest and it partakes to tonight’s main event….. …..Sting says that he came out here last week to let out a rallying cry…..a cry to unity…..a cry to ultimately put an end to the Titans of Wrestling once and for all…..he says that the Titans are already imploding under the pressure, they’re in the casket…..all it takes now is for WCW to finally drive a steak into their black heart….. “…..all of WCW…..together…..because no one man, no matter how big his ego is, is enough to kill this disease off….. …..Shawn Michaels, you might think yourself the Icon of professional wrestling because you had a little bit of success elsewhere, but you can take it from me, this is WCW, and no matter how good you THINK you are, until you’ve proved it in front of these WCW fans, you’re nothing more than a big mouth with a lot to say…..” …..Sting says that he’s seen (and heard) Shawn Michaels’ disparaging remarks about World Championship Wrestling since his arrival back in the tail end of October, and every word out of his mouth is an insult, not only to every single wrestler in the back there, not only to every man that’s worn (or competed for) this title around his waist, but to every single fan that pays their hard earned money to watch WCW….. …..the Stinger tells Michaels that he may well have not wanted to sign for WCW (“but ya did”) and the WCW roster might not be too happy that you’re here either (“but you are”) so instead of badmouthing World Championship Wrestling…..instead of trying to big league everyone else…..instead of kicking people in the face when they’re out there helping you…..instead of working AGAINST people……try working WITH people, and you might find your stay here in WCW that little bit more tolerable….. “…..then again, you can keep running that mouth of yours…..and sooner rather than later, someone’s going to shut you up….permanently……”
…..you’d think perhaps that those words would bring out Shawn Michaels himself to deliver a retort of sorts….. …..you would be wrong….. …..who it DID bring out however, is the man who’s set to challenge Sting for the WCW World Title at Souled Out……The Giant….. …..the big man walks down the aisle and confidently climbs into the ring, where he tells Sting that he doesn’t want to concern himself with Shawn Michaels, the Titans of Wrestling, or anyone else…..all he needs to be concerned about is the fact that in a few weeks time, he’s got to step into the ring with the Giant, with the WCW Title on the line….. …..Giant says that the Titans of Wrestling will be the least of his concerns come Souled Out, because the Giant has been wanting TWO things these last six months…..taking the World Title from whoever has it at the time…..and wrapping his big hands around Stings throat…..and at Souled Out, he gets to do BOTH….. “…..so the Titans don’t matter…..Shawn Michaels is insignificant…..the only thing you need to worry about, is what I’m going to do to you when that bell rings…..” “…..insignificant?…..”
“…..the only thing that’s insignificant around here is this god damn company and their second rate ‘Rassler’s…..” …..apparently Mr. Ego, Shawn Michaels didn’t like being referred to as ‘insignificant’ by the Giant, as he too now comes marching out from the back….. …..he climbs into the ring and gets right in the Giants face, telling him that the only reason he has that World Title shot at Souled Out, is because Shawn Michaels is allowing it….. “…..but if you refer to ME as insignificant again…..well, let’s just say that you wouldn’t be the first giant I’ve kicked in the mouth…..big man…..” …..Giant smirks at that, clearly far from intimidated, as Michaels turns his attention to Sting…..he tells the WCW Champion that he thought he’d been pretty clear about things…..HE is going to tear down the Titans of Wrestling…..HE is going to break them down one by one…..and HE does NOT need any help from WCW and their second rate ‘stars’….. “…..so what I suggest you do Crow Boy, is take your second rate ass back up to the rafters, take your second rate title with you…..and get ready to face this second rate Andre the Giant wannabe at Souled Out…..because I gotta be honest, you’re really starting to p!ss me off about now…..” …..Sting cracks a rare smile at that comment, before unhooking his title belt, placing it on the mat and telling Michaels to “make me”, before shoving him right in the chest…..
…..it looks as though these two are about to get into it…..or it DID…..until Lex Luger and Jean Paul Levesque come rushing out from the back to get between them….. …..Luger tells Sting he has bigger things to worry about…..quite literally…..because the Giant is 100% focused on the WCW Champion, while Sting is focused on anything but the (very real) threat that waits for him at Souled Out….. …..Levesque tells Michaels much the same thing…..they have an anything goes war lined up with Randy Savage and The Warrior to worry about, without adding any more adversary’s to the equation….. …..Michaels is a little bit of a hothead, but if anyone can talk him down in tends to be Levesque, which is exactly what he does here…..Shawn finally relents and begins to exit the ring, just as Lex Luger tells JPL that he might want to put a leash on his boy before his mouth gets him in even more trouble….. …..and Shawn Michaels doesn’t even miss a beat, turning straight back around and clocking Luger straight in the mouth with some Sweet Chin Music….. …..Lex drops like a sack of sh!t as Michaels tells Sting loudly to “Suck It” followed by an obligatory crotch chop, as a clearly frustrated Jean Paul Levesque physically removes his friend from the ring and shoves him up the aisle to the back, telling him that he needs to “stop this sh!t” as they go….. …..Sting watches them leave, his usually blank expression clearly one of anger as he crouches down to check on his friend….. …..which is when The Giant grabs him by the back of his head by the hair, dragging him back to his feet….. …..Giant warned Sting to concentrate on him and him alone…..Luger warned Sting that the Giant was focused on him and only him…..he perhaps should have listened…..because the big man wraps one huge hand around the neck of his Souled Out opponent, hoists him high in the air…..and then Chokeslam’s him right back down to the mat beside Luger….. …..damage done, The Giant picks up the WCW Title from the mat and holds onto it for a beat, before finally dropping it down onto the prone body of the Champion, telling him that next time, maybe he’ll take the Giant more seriously….. …..let’s go to a promo package advertising Souled Out, while we sort this mess out….. Rating: A* |
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WCW Television Championship Match Bill Goldberg (c) vs. Rikishi Fatu
Our first match this evening is a championship encounter, and one that comes with a big question mark…..can the undefeated rookie sensation Bill Goldberg, get the 400lb Rikishi Fatu up in the Jackhammer?….. …..this was a pretty good match up to be fair…..these two men might both be fan favourites, but they do like to fight…..neither man is exactly known for their finesse or technical prowess…..what they ARE known for, is power and high impact, which is exactly what we get….. …..Bill Goldberg’s matches are getting that little bit longer the higher he moves up the card, and Rikishi isn’t exactly an opponent that is going to be squashed without getting some offence in, so the Television Champion does have a fight on his hands here….. …..at least until he almost Spears Rikishi back to Samoa….. …..from there the crowd erupts in anticipation…..and (in an incredibly display of strength) when Goldberg DOES get the huge man up for the Jackhammer, the place absolutely erupts…..as he drives him back down to the mat for the one, two, three…..and to take his undefeated streak to 59-0. Winner: …..and Still WCW Television Champion…..Bill Goldberg |
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From there we go down to the parking lot, where the Titans of Wrestling are making a later than usual entrance…..interestingly enough, there are two separate limousines arriving, each one more than large enough to accommodate the entire Titan group twice over…..so why are Randy Savage and The Warrior travelling and arriving in their own vehicle, while Vince Russo, Buff Bagwell and the Totally Awesome Trinity arrive in another? And perhaps more importantly than that, where is Hollywood Hogan?….. …..the commentators are wondering the exact same things, and take great pleasure in speculating that all does not appear to rosy in the Titan of Wrestling camp…..will we get some answers tonight? I guess time will tell…..but as Savage and Warrior join up with their stable mates, the atmosphere is decisively icy…..let’s go back down to ringside. Rating: B+ |
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Gideon Cain (w/Missy Hyatt) vs. The Barbarian (w/Jimmy Hart) Last Monday Night, Meng defeated Mike Awesome (albeit with a little help from the Barbarian) and the Faces of Fear proceeded to continue the assault after the bell….. …..at least until Gideon Cain made his return….. …..this past Thursday Night, on the debut edition of Thunder, Missy Hyatt officially challenged the Faces of Fear to meet her men at Souled Out in a tag team encounter, as well as challenging The Barbarian to face Gideon Cain here tonight in singles action…..and, as the commentators inform us, BOTH challenges have been accepted, which is why we have this match right now….. …..for the record, this one was bowling shoe ugly…..and I knew it would be….. …..to be fair, Gideon Cain is still pretty green out there (although he is vastly improving under the guidance of Bobby Eaton) and really relies on his opponent to lead the match….. …..his opponent tonight was The Barbarian, so I guess you can figure out how well that went….. …..don’t get me wrong, Barb’ is a veteran and an utmost professional, but while his work is solid enough, he’s no psychology major himself, so the match did drift in places….. …..fortunately there was enough of a dog and pony show going on right now at ringside to compensate for any snafu’s, because not only were Missy Hyatt and Jimmy Hart out there, so were each man’s respective partners, as Meng and Mike Awesome lurk about on the outside….. …..there was interference on both ends, but in the end it was Gideon Cain who came out on top, after Awesome tripped Barb from the outside, causing him to stumble straight into the East of Eden for the one, two, three. Winner: Gideon Cain |
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We come back from commercial break and we air a quick vignette highlighting the newly minted WCW Cruiserweight Championship…..our newly minted WCW Cruiserweight Champion Jeff Hardy…..and a quick overview of the difficulties Young Jeff has been having with one James Vandenberg and his twisted ministry…..from Mortis’ initial attempt to purge WCW of Hardy, to Tajiri turning on him….we see Jeff winning the Cruiserweight Championship at Starrcade (without showing Tajiri breaking his neck) as well as the reveal of the newest member of Vandenberg’s parish, Jinsei Shinzaki….. …..following that, we head up to the announce desk as they inform us that our Cruiserweights are coming up next, and with no formal #1 contender yet being announced, the winner of this next match between the Mexican Madman Super Crazy and young Kid Kash, could well give the victor a strong argument as to why THEY should be facing Jeff Hardy….. …..it’s Super Crazy that makes his way out first, coming bursting out of the back like a man possessed as he poses on the entrance way……
…..which is when Randy Savage parts the curtains, steel chair in hand…..and absolutely waffles the loopy luchador with a hard shot across the back….. …..Savage is wild eyed and exactly that…..savage…..as he lays into poor Super Crazy, nailing a further two times with the chair before diving on top of him and unloading with a series of rapid fire right hands, before dragging him to his feet by his hair and slamming his head into the safety rail….. …..I don’t think this Cruiserweight contest is going to be happening…..Super Crazy is in no condition to complete right now, while Kid Kash would have to be pretty stupid to come out here with the mood Randy Savage is in…..and anyway, it doesn’t look like Savage is going anywhere anytime soon, as he grabs a microphone and climbs into the ring….. …..he says that last week, he rounded up the troops in a show of unity, to take WCW and all the naysayers apart…..to silence all the suggestions that the Titans of Wrestling were in trouble…..to show that the Titans of Wrestling were still the dominant force in WCW and the world, and every single Titan showed up to fight….. …..except one….. …..the same one that doesn’t seem to be here tonight actually…..the FORMER world champion, Hollywood Hogan….. “…..you weren’t there brother…..you ain’t here now neither…..so what I really, really, really, really, really want, yeah….is for Vince Russo to come out here, and tell the Macho Man exactly why that it…..
…..he doesn’t have to wait for long (which is probably a good thing given Savage’s mood) before a rather uncomfortable looking Vince Russo comes walking out from the back….. …..Russo instantly attempts to placate the crazed Savage, but Macho isn’t interested in anything the boss is saying, the only thing that he wants to know, is where is Hogan?….. …..Vinnie Ru (rather sheepishly) tells Macho that after finding out that he wouldn’t be getting his WCW Title rematch at Souled Out, he left to do the one thing he had been putting off as World Champion…..Hollywood, has GONE to Hollywood…..he’s filming a brand new blockbuster movie….. “…..gone to Hollywood? Or just gone full stop, yeah…..see maybe Mr. Hollywood thought that when the going gets tough, the not so tough go to Hollywood…..” …..Macho says that maybe the Titans need to stop worshipping the ground that Hogan walks on, and start taking matters into their own hands…..starting tonight…..the Two Totally Awesome Titans of Wrestling got off to a good start last week, but they didn’t finish the job and The Pitbulls were left standing….. …..Savage says that it’s time the Titans started finishing the job….no more Mr. Nice Titan…..maybe it’s time the Titans showed Shawn Michaels…..Jean Paul Levesque…..Sting…..Lex Luger……showed the world…..maybe it’s time the Titans showed Mr. Hollywood, Hollywood, exactly who the true force around here is….. “…..and maybe it’s time that YOU, Mr. Russo bossman, maybe it’s time you closed your eyes…..because you don’t want to be accountable for what WE do……tonight……” Rating: A* |
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While Randy Savage attempts to fire up the Titans of Wrestling in the ring, we head backstage, where Shawn Michaels is preparing himself for his upcoming match with Chris Benoit….and while Jean Paul Levesque is right there with him, the former Titan isn’t particularly enamoured with his friend right now….. …..Michaels is still b!tching and moaning about the roster interfering with his plans to destroy the Titans of Wrestling, and the company as a whole, citing that this second rate promotion should be thanking him for raising their prestige simply by being here, before asking just who the hell Chris Benoit thinks he is thinking he can hang with Shawn Michaels in the first place, telling Levesque that he should stick to hanging around in the middle of the card defending his tag team titles like the good little tag team wrestler he is….. …..Levesque listens…..and listens…..and listens some more…..and finally he’s heard enough, loudly telling (a shocked looking) Michaels to “SHUT UP!”….. …..JPL asks Michaels if he knows who he sounds like right now?…..“just a tag team wrestler brother…..not good enough to be in the ring with me…..he should stay down in the midcard dude”…..Levesque tells Shawn that this is the exact same conversation that the Hulk Hogans and The Warrior’s of the world had about Shawn Michaels ten years ago…..he says that this is the exact thing Shawn heard about himself for years, the exact reason he’s had that chip on his shoulder, and the exact thing he spent a decade proving wrong….. …..he tells Michaels that he needs to cut the high and mighty, better than anyone else crap, because honestly, JPL is sick of apologising for his actions, his comments and his god damn presence in the company….. …..running down WCW might be amusing to Michaels, but it’s not funny to the people that work here…..that CHOOSE to be here…..that WANT to be here…..people that bleed WCW like Sting…..people that CHOSE to jump over to WCW from the “so-called bigger company” like Lex Luger…..people that are grateful to finally get a chance to showcase their talent on a big stage like Chris Benoit….. “…..people that have made WCW their home…..like ME…..” …..Levesque tells Shawn that he’s so determined to put an end to the Titans, that he can’t see that he’s no better than them…..kicking Chris Benoit in the face last week…..Lex Luger tonight…..Shawn Michaels doesn’t have many friends in the business as it is, and the way he’s going, soon he won’t have any at all….. …..JPL tells Michaels to get his ego in check, because there’s a roster full of talent here…..talent that he should be helping to build, not bury…..and as for tonight…..as for his match with Chris Benoit…..Shawn Michaels is on his own, because Jean Paul Levesque is leaving….. …..with that Levesque snatches up his bag and storms out of the room (presumably heading for his car) leaving a rather shell shocked (and p!ssed off) looking Shawn Michaels speechless for once. Rating: B+ |
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The Pitbulls (w/Madusa) vs. Mike Enos & Wayne Bloom Back to the action now, and it’s tag team action as Madusa’s Mutts, The Pitbulls face the former Brothers Beverly, Mike Enos and Wayne Bloom….. …..I know most people will probably remember Enos and Bloom predominantly from their WWF run (and perhaps perceive them as somewhat of a jobber team because of that) which is a shame…..I personally enjoyed the Beverly Brothers, but regardless of that one gimmick, Enos and Bloom were/are a really good team…..decent look, really solid in the ring, had enough charisma to get by and could (somewhat) cut a promo…..they could have been a real plus to WCW’s questionable tag team division…..unfortunately that didn’t happen….. …..could it happen here?….. …..no….. …..probably not….. …..they did put on a decent showing here against the Pitbulls though…..just not good enough….. …..the Pitbulls still have some unfinished business with the Two Totally Awesome Titans to attend to (and have challenged the pair to a match at Souled Out) so with Copeland and Cage looming on the horizon, this duo can’t be losing to a couple of ham ‘n’ eggers like Enos and Bloom…..which is why they pick up the victory here, after taking out Mike Enos with that Superbomb from the second rope. Winner(s): The Pitbulls |
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Mean Gene makes his way out next for his first assignment of the evening, and he’s looking to get word from Madusa and The Pitbulls…..he spends a few minutes plugging the hotline (1-900-909-9900…..that’s 1-900-909-9900 and for just $1.49 a minute you can hear all the news and rumours from around the wrestling world) before turning his attention to Madusa….. …..in between not-so subtle glances at the leather clad Madusa’s ample chest (you dirty old man Gene) he tells Madusa that twice the Pitbulls have faced the Totally Awesome Trinity, and twice they have fallen to the Totally Awesome Trinity….. “…..so with all due respect to you Madusa, why will this time be any different?…..” …..Madusa says that whether her Pitbulls win, lose or draw this match, it doesn’t matter…..Copeland and Cage have nothing to offer but their suffering now that they no longer hold the Tag Team Titles…..the Pitbulls are going into this match with only one mission…..take the Titan Twosome out…..permanently……
…..hold that thought…..because this Totally Awesome Twosome are actually a Totally Awesome Trinity, and all three men dive into the ring from behind right now, crashing into the pair of Pitbulls….. …..both Pitbulls have felt the force of Ray Traylor’s nightstick in the past…..and they both feel it now too, as Gary Wolfe takes a shot in the back of the head, while Copeland and Cage work over Anthony Durante, before the Trinity swap places, so that Durante can taste the nightstick while Copeland and Cage give a beating to Wolfe….. …..Gene is long gone (as is often the case during moments of conflict like this) but Madusa is still there, shrieking at the Totally Awesome Trinity, although as Copeland and Cage each drop to the outside to collect a steel chair a piece, it looks as though her shrieks are falling on deaf ears….. ……the former tag team champions each position themselves on either side of Gary Wolfe, raising those steel chairs in anticipation of what looks to be another one of those devastating Con-Chair-To’s that put the Pitbull on the shelf once before….. …..Wolfe is in no position to defend himself, while Durante is in no condition to help…..looks like game over for Gary Wolfe as Copeland and Cage draw back those chairs….. …..only to pause….. …..because Madusa is screaming at them at the top of her lungs not to do it, and as Cage drops his chair to pick up Mean Gene’s discarded microphone, it looks as though her shouts are really putting him off….. “…..you know what Madusa, you’re totally hot (in a weird ‘your neighbour’s hot mom’ kinda way) but your voice is totally annoying…..” …..Copeland agree’s, saying that he wished they had a way to do something about that…..before he and Cage both smile and each slap themselves on the forehead in a eureka moment….. “…..the thing…..” “…..the thing…..” “…..we’ve got the thing…..” “…..we’ve totally got the thing…..” “…..Ray-Ray, we’ve totally got the thing, right?…..” …..Traylor nods his head once, before reaching inside his flack jacket, while Copeland continues to talk…..he tells Madusa that she comes out here screeching and totally ruining their mojo, she comes out here making disparaging remarks about the Trinity…..she comes out here making threats…..making challenges…..she really needs to totally shut up….. “…..you totally need….. …..a muzzle…..” …..which is exactly what Ray Traylor pulls out of his jacket…..a muzzle fit for a Pitbull….. …..or in this case, a Pitbulls manager, as a laughing Cage and Copeland tell Madusa to turn around so that The Enforcer can shut her mouth once and for all….. …..obviously Madusa is reluctant…..after all, who wants to be muzzled? Talk about degrading…..Copeland tells her that’s fine, she doesn’t want to wear the muzzle then he and Cage can always make a little music with these steel chairs to drown her noise out, as the two Canadians again position themselves over Gary Wolfe, poised to strike with a Con-Chair-To, which is when Madusa finally relents….. …..she turns around and faces away from the Trinity so that Ray Traylor can strap that muzzle right around her mouth…..and if that wasn’t bad enough, when he is finished, he shoves the young lady right down on the mat beside her clients….. …..Randy Savage put the order out earlier…..he wanted the Titans of Wrestling to make an impact tonight, and with The Pitbulls down and out, Madusa completely humiliated, and Copeland, Cage and Traylor standing tall, the Totally Awesome Trinity have certainly done that….. …..and on that note, a completely disgusted Tony Schiavone sends us to commercial….. Rating: A* |
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…..we’re back, and we go TO the back…..Mean Gene has obviously decided that the ring isn’t a particularly safe place to be, choosing to conduct his next interview in the locker room….. …..he’s with the United States Champion Eddie Guerrero and his nephew Chavo Guerrero Jr…..Gene wants to get word with the younger Guerrero and his thoughts on his upcoming debut match with Curt Hennig….. …..unfortunately, Eddie Guerrero has other idea’s and every time Gene turns his attention to Chavo, Eddie diverts the conversation back onto the subject of HIM and HIS “streak” of championship defences, until Gene has finally had enough….. …..he can get a bit salty at times our Mean Gene, and after having his interview constantly disrupted he eventually snaps at Eddie that the only streak worth anything around here, is Bill Goldberg’s UNDEFEATED streak…..he tells Eddie that he may have held on to the belt every time, but he did NOT win every match….. “…..in fact, Chavo Guerrero’s opponent tonight, Curt Hennig, holds TWO victories over you alone…..” “…..yeah, but who’s the Champion esè?…..” “…..but it can hardly be considered a streak when you didn’t win all the matches…..” “…..who’s got the US Title holmes?…..” “…..well I for one don’t think th…..” “…..IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT YOU THINK VÀTO…..” …..Eddie chuckles at his blatant theft of The Rock’s catchphrase there, before telling Gene that the ONLY thing that matters, is who HAS the gold and who DOESN’T have the gold…..and Eddie Guerrero for six months now, has had the gold….. “…..well by my reckoning, Bill Goldberg has an undefeated win streak AND he has the gold, so make of that what you will…..” …..Eddie is clearly frustrated now, asking Gene who he beat…..who has Goldberg defeated that’s worth a damn?…..Gene fires straight back that he defeated Rikishi Fatu just tonight….. “…..pfttt, Rikishi, big deal esè, I beat him…..beat him so bad that little Rocky had to come to his defence…..and then I beat him too holmes…..” …..Eddie says that until Bill Goldberg has beat a man of Eddie Guerrero’s standard…..until he’s defeated a Papi of Perfection….he ain’t defeated nobody esè…..just like Curt Hennig ain’t defeating nobody tonight…..just like Rocky ain’t defeating nobody at Souled Out….. “…..because Chavo Guerrero’s streak, that starts tonight…..and my streak…..THE streak…..that keeps on keeping on at Souled Out esè…..c’mon Chavo…..” …..I guess that means that it’s Chavo Guerrero Jr. vs. Curt Hennig…..next….. Rating: A |
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Curt Hennig vs. Chavo Guerrero Jr. (w/Eddie Guerrero) This is Chavo Guerrero Jr’s debut match here in WCW since making the switch from the WWF…..obviously family ties had some sway on Chavo’s defection, but you’ve got to believe that the World Wrestling Federations decision to abandon their light heavyweight devision must have been a big part of that jump too….. …..similarly, while this is Chavo Guerrero’s first match in WCW, it’s Curt Hennig’s first match back in quite some time too, his last outing being in a losing effort to Eddie Guerrero back in November of last year….. …..in fairness to Curt, he did defeat Guerrero in two of their three meetings…..unfortunately those were Count-Out and Disqualification victories, which meant the US Title didn’t change hands either time…..speaking of hands, Curt actually had the United States Championship in his hands at the culmination of their US Title Ladder Match, retrieving the Championship from the top of the Ladder meaning he SHOULD have left WCW Mayhem as the new US Champ…..it wasn’t to be though, because the referee was incapacitated when Hennig retrieved the title, and when he DID regain his senses, it was Eddie Guerrero that he saw holding onto the gold….. …..with that being said, who do you chose to lose a match like this…..the returning star?…..the debuting worker?…..obviously the fact that Eddie Guerrero has accompanied his nephew to the ring puts the debuting Guerrero at a big advantage, after all, Eddie isn’t averse to bending the rules…..and he interferes in the match….. …..a LOT…..
…..or he DID….. …..until The Rock came out from the back to even up the odds on the outside….. …..he heads over to physically stop Eddies constant interference, but the Papi of Perfection hightails it before Rocky can place so much as a finger on him, disappearing to the back and leaving Chavo Guerrero high and dry and all alone….. …..after that it really didn’t take long for Curt to do his thing and he quickly finished off the youngster with the Hennig-Plex right there in the middle of the ring. Winner: Curt Hennig |
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Next up we should be seeing Diamond Dallas Page facing off against Buff Bagwell…..before we get to that however, we have the arrival of The Forgotten to contend with….. …..Kevin Sullivan leads his two beasts of bedlam out from the back and grabs a microphone from ringside as the trio climb into the ring….Tony Schiavone informs us that this was SUPPOSED to be an interview segment scheduled with Mean Gene, but following the Mayhem in his earlier in ring interview, coupled with the bloodlust of Kevin Sullivan and The Forgotten in recent months, apparently Gene has declined to come out….. …..it doesn’t really matter, this wasn’t an especially long segment, and it was really only to make things official….. …..Sullivan says that the Forgotten assaulted WCW Tag Team Champions Diamond Dallas Page and Chris Benoit at Starrcade…..they assaulted them last week on Nitro…..they assaulted them on the debut edition of Thunder…..obviously they want the Tag Team Champions attention…..but more specifically, they want Diamond Dallas Page and Chris Benoit’s ChampionSHIPS….. …..Sully says that you would think the match would have already been booked…..it hasn’t…..so consider this an official challenge…..Souled Out, the Forgotten want Diamond Dallas Page…..the Forgotten want Chris Benoit…..and most importantly, the Forgotten want a WCW Tag Team Championship match….. …..Sully says that DDP and Chris Benoit are the very epitome of what the Forgotten despise…..two men that claim to have been “Forgotten”…..overlooked…..held down…..held back…..and yet in six short months, they have BOTH had World Championship opportunities…..they have BOTH had United States Championship opportunities…..and they have obviously had World Tag Team Championship opportunities….. “…..not bad for two guys that are supposed to be “Forgotten”…..not bad for two men being held back…..held down…..you know how many Championship opportunities WE have had in that same time?…..Zero…..None…..Nothing…..so go ahead and bleat about just how forgotten you two boys really are…..” …..Sully says that at Souled Out, Dallas Page and Chris Benoit are going to find out first hand, that he…..that Bam Bam Bigelow and Big Van Vader…..they’re not going to be forgotten anymore…..and anything they want…..they’re just going to take…..and they’re starting with the WCW Tag Team Titles….. Rating: A |
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Diamond Dallas Page (w/Kimberly) vs. Buff Bagwell …..I guess we’d better get on with the show now that the challenge has been made, although I don’t know if the Forgotten are waiting for an answer or scouting one of their possible opponents, but they’re still out here as Bagwell and Page make their entrances, and they don’t seem to be in any rush to leave either, remaining right there on the outside even after the official rings the bell….. …..don’t worry about them though…..I’m sure they won’t play a part in the finish of the match at all…… …..Tony Schiavone does question just why the official is allowing The Forgotten to remain at ringside, but Bobby Heenan has the answer to that….. “…..do you want to go down there and tell Big Van Vader to go to the back?…..” “…..no I do not Brain…..” “…..and neither does the humanoid in the ring…..” …..good point well made Brain…..anyway, the match…..interestingly enough, both this match AND our next match came about following the conclusion of last weeks Buff Bagwell/Shawn Michaels main event…..this match, because DDP was one of the men to come out and stick their nose in Titan business, while our main event came about because Shawn Michaels apparently took offence to the help offered to during that “Titan Business”…..kicking Chris Benoit in the face with some Sweet Chin Music….. …..Diamond Dallas Page has progressed a hell of a long way in the last six months in terms of popularity…..back when he began his war with the Titans of Wrestling, Hollywood Hogan kinda had a point, that being that midcarder Dallas Page perhaps DIDN’T deserve to share a ring with Hollywood…..six months down the line though and midcarder Dallas Page is long gone, replaced with Main Event Dallas Page, who is more than worthy of sharing a ring with most anyone….. …..Buff Bagwell hasn’t done too badly for himself either since joining up with the Titans…..sure he’s eaten a loss here and there…..sure, if the Titans need to put someone over brother it’s probably going to be Buff doing the honours, but he’s also had victories over former World Champions like Lex Luger and genuine icons like Rowdy Roddy Piper, so I don’t think he minds the occasional loss….. …..he’ll be happy tonight too….. …..because while no member of the Forgotten actually physically interferes in this match up, their mere presence is a constant distraction to Page, who completely takes his eye off the ball (and off his opponent) long enough to jaw jack with Sullivan and long enough find himself rolled up from behind for a surprise one, two, three….. Winner: Buff Bagwell |
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…..Buff is delighted with that victory, and he struts and poses all the way to the back as DDP looks on frustrated…..the Forgotten briefly surround the ring and it looks like Dallas is going to have another fight on his hands, but instead of stepping between the ropes, Sullivan withdraws his troops, telling Page to accept their challenge…..accept his fate…..before disappearing to the back….. …..Kimberly joins her man in the ring and hands him a microphone, with which he first of all tells Buff Bagwell that he better go buy a lottery ticket, because his luck is clearly in, before calling out the face of the Championship Committee, Eric Bischoff….. …..it doesn’t take long for Mr. Bischoff to make his appearance and Page gets straight to the point…..he says that Bischoff has seen the Forgotten’s actions as of late, he’s heard the Forgotten’s words tonight…..at Souled Out, he’s going to make the Forgotten feel the bang….. “…..so go ahead and make the match Mr. Championship Committee…..” …..Bischoff doesn’t really have to think twice about it, telling Dallas that it would make for a fantastic match…..if he’s sure that he wants to face The Forgotten that is….. “…..you bet your ass I’m sure…..” …..then we have it…..Souled Out…..Diamond Dallas Page and Chris Benoit vs. Bam Bam Bigelow and Big Van Vader…..for the WCW World Tag Team Titles…..that’s assuming Chris Benoit has no problems with that?….. …..DDP says that Chris Benoit never backed down from a challenge in his life, but why don’t you go ahead and ask him yourself, since he’s in action next anyway…..
…..and the Crippler’s music begins to play, as the other half of the World Tag Team Champions makes his way out, fully dressed to compete, because his match with Shawn Michaels is coming up next…..
…..not that he gets far….. …..because The Forgotten come rushing out from the back to ambush the man, sending him crashing into the steel WCW letters positioned on the entrance way….. …..Dallas Page dives out of the ring and rushes up the aisle, but with Benoit already down, this is basically a three on one affair, and Dallas has already competed once this evening….. …..Page suffers the same fate as his partner, getting launched into the steel WCW letterings, before Vader drags Chris Benoit back to his feet, walks him to the middle of the entrance way….. …..and positions him for a Powerbomb….. …..the announcers are horrified at this (well, Tony and Mike anyway) screaming from their position that someone needs to stop this before the Forgotten inflict permanent damage….. …..and that’s right when Shawn Michaels music begins to play…..
…..and as Tony Schiavone exclaims that he has finally seen the error of his ways, the former WWF Champion comes walking out from the back…… …..straight past Vader and Benoit….. …..and marches cockily down the aisle and to the ring…..clearly he’s just making his big entrance for his main event match….. …..the Forgotten (warily) watch Michaels pass, until he is in the ring and it’s clear that he’s not here to stop their fun…..at which point Vader goes right ahead and lifts Benoit up….. …..and Powerbombs him right there on the entrance way….. …..as Doug Dillinger and his crack security team FINALLY make an appearance, putting a stop to the carnage…..and we go to commercial, because our main event is next…..although judging by the look of Chris Benoit….. ….maybe not….. Rating: A* |
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…..well we’re back…..and while Shawn Michaels is still in the ring, Chris Benoit is not…..because the Crippler is still flat on his back on the entrance way, getting checked over by medical personnel, while DDP hovers over him with a concerned look on his face….. …..Dallas abruptly stands up and marches over to the commentary position where he picks up a microphone, angrily asking Shawn Michaels just what the hell that was?…..Shawn being Shawn, is at his annoyingly arrogant best, telling Page that he’s “not 100% sure…..but I think……THINK…..it was called…..a Powerbomb” before breaking out in an obnoxious laugh….. …..Page says that he knows damn well what he means…..has Michaels got no balls? He’s just gonna walk by the Forgotten and do nothing as a man gets Powerbombed out here on the steel?….. “…..balls?…..BALLS?…..it ain’t about balls little man……I told everyone, a thousand times over, I’m here in this godforsaken company for one reason and one reason only…..I’m not here to make friends…..I’m not here to kiss babies…..and I’m sure as hell not here to hold your hand when you’re getting your asses kicked…..I’m here because I’m going to singlehandedly tear Randy Savage, The Warrior, and all the rest of the so called Titans of Wrestling apart…..so send your little buddy down here, let’s get this match over with, so I can get back to doing what’s important around here jack…..” …..Page asks Michaels if he’s a dumb as he is annoying?…..he says that there’s no way that match is happening, Chris Benoit just got Powerbombed onto a goddamn steel entrance way…..although this doesn’t seem to bother Shawn, who simply shrugs his shoulders, tells the official to ring the bell, count Benoit out, and they can all get out of this dump of a town….. …..that probably would be the smart thing to do…..but despite his partners pleas, Chris Benoit is dragging himself to his feet and staggering towards the ring….I guess this match is about to take place after all….. Rating: B+ |
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Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Benoit …..although it really shouldn’t…..Chris Benoit is really, REALLY in no condition to perform…..he’s going to though, and Shawn Michaels has no problem in taking advantage of his opponents weakened state….. …..Chris Benoit sells like his life depends on it here, and Michaels is on the offence from the get go, focusing on the back area of the Tag Team Champion, but god damn, nothing that the former Heartbreak Kid does will keep the Crippler down…..and Shawn Michaels is getting incredibly frustrated by that….. …..Page hasn’t gone anywhere, and he’s come right down to ringside to cheer his partner on, obviously keen for someone to knock Mr. Ego down a peg or two, and honestly, the longer this match goes and the more frustrated Shawn Michaels gets, the more chance we have of that happening, because despite Chris Benoit being on the defence for practically all of the match, Shawn Michaels begins to make little mistakes……and slowly but surely, Chris Benoit begins to pull himself back into this one….. …..Michaels might think that he’s bigger and better than WCW and bigger and better than the WCW stars, but Chris Benoit might be about to change his mind with his never say die attitude…..especially when he begins to light his chest up with a series of blistering knife edge chops….. …..and from there, it’s Shawn Michaels time to sell…..and he does…..tremendously….. …..he bounces around the ring from pillar to post…..he gets suplexed out of his boots…..he hits the Ric Flair up and over in the corner off an Irish Whip, gets propelled from the apron to the guard rail on the outside with a running charge, then eats the guard rail again when Benoit comes sailing through the ropes with a spectacular (considering his current physical condition) running dive, before getting tossed back into the ring as Chris Benoit goes up top, looking for that Diving Headbutt….. …..which he unfortunately doesn’t connect with….. …..and as he groggily pulls himself back to his feet, he gets his head knocked off with some Sweet Chin Music….. …..he’s taken a Powerbomb from Big Van Vader on the steel entrance way, kicked out of everything that Shawn Michaels could dish out, and STILL taken the former WWF Champion to his very limit…..but that final Sweet Chin Music was one hit too many, as Chris Benoit FINALLY goes down for the one, two, three….. Winner: Shawn Michaels |
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…..oh dear…..Shawn Michaels may have just won that match, but it looks as though he, Page and Benoit might still have their work cut out for them this evening…..because after putting out the rally cry earlier this evening, Randy Savage is leading out the Titans of Wrestling, for what may well be a big six on three beatdown….. …..or rather six on one….. …..because as the Titans reach the ring, Dallas Page reaches under the bottom rope and pulls Chris Benoit to the outside, giving Shawn Michaels the universal “up yours” arm gesture, telling him (and pretty much echoing Michaels own words from earlier) that this ain’t their fight, as they walk right back up he aisle way, coming to a halt on the entrance way, where they stop to watch the action….. …..it’s about this time that Shawn Michaels could have used the help of Jean Paul Levesque, it might have helped a LITTLE bit…..but as the six Titans climb between the ropes, the announcers remind us that (in a little jab at the early HBK character) JPL has left the building…..and Shawn Michaels is all alone…..
…..oh hey, it’s Lex Luger…..maybe he’s here to help….. …..oh…..no, apparently not…..because he too comes to a halt on the entrance ramp right next to Benoit and Page…..he’s here to watch too…..but then, after Shawn Michaels kicked him in the face earlier, why WOULD he help him out here?….. …..there’s plenty to watch as well, because once they’ve established that no one is making the save, the Titans pounce on Shawn Michaels as one, punching, kicking and stomping Michaels to the mat….. …..one by one (as the assault continues in the ring) members of the WCW roster walk out on the entrance ramp to join the trio already there…..WCW wrestlers who have no doubt also had just about enough of Shawn Michaels running their promotion down…..from a Disco Inferno and an Alex Wright, to The Road Warriors, Mike Awesome and Gideon Cain…..there are old faithfuls like Brad Armstrong…..trio’s such as The Blue Bloods…..and even more recent arrivals like Jeff Hardy and Lance Storm….. …..and they’re all standing by and watching as the Titans of Wrestling beat down the loud mouthed Shawn Michaels…..
…..until the large group on the entrance way suddenly part like the Red Sea, as the WCW wrestlers clear a path…..for the WCW Champion himself to make his way out….. …..and much like the rest of the WCW crew, Sting comes to a halt up there…..and he too stands by and watches as the Macho Man scales the turnbuckles, before placing the final blow on a very prolonged beat down by hitting that patented Flying Elbow, right to the heart of the completely finished Shawn Michaels….. …..which is exactly how this weeks edition of WCW Monday Nitro comes to an end…..with To y Schiavone telling us that after weeks and weeks of subtle (which turned into not so subtle) jabs from the former Heartbreak Kid, WCW has just delivered some “tough love” of its own, standing by and doing nothing to halt the attack of the Titans of Wrestling….. …..maybe that elbow drove some humility into the arrogant Shawn Michaels….. …..then again, maybe it didn’t….. …..I guess we’ll find out in coming weeks….. …..goodnight fans….. Rating: A* Final Rating: B+ |
A New Generation.....a new attitude? 