Andrew Lutzke
WCW Monday Nitro January 3rd 2000:
We open with J.J. Dillon in the middle of the ring with “Mean” Gene. Dillon announces that due to abuse of power, excessive vulgar segments being produced and supporting the New World Order in their latest incarnation, that the WCW Board of Directors had no choice but to suspend the “Powers that Be” indefinitely.
Secondly Dillon announces that the Board has named a new WCW commissioner (Himself)in order to try and wring in the nWo as well as keep the rest of the wrestlers in line.
Thirdly, as his first act as commissioner, JJ is suspending the “Lethal Lottery” Tournament for the vacant WCW Tag titles, because having random teams selected against their will, competing for a prestigious title reflects poorly on WCW’s “stacked” tag division. The “Lethal Lottery” is just another sign of the “Powers that Be” ruining a good thing, so to rectify this, starting on Thunder there will be a 8 team tournament, the semifinals will be on next week’s Nitro – and the finals will follow that Sunday at the Souled Out on PPV.
“Lastly, and most seriously, I need World Champion Bret “Hitman” Hart to come out to the ring, as I know he has some terrible news to share with all of you, information he already supplied to me…”
Bret’s music hits and it’s his own theme, not the “nWo Elite” theme – a point the announcers catch onto and speculate about.
Bret says he took an opportunity last week to join the nWo Elite and with their help, became WCW champion. However the day before, at Starrcade Bret suffered a concussion during his match with Bill Goldberg. The full side effects of which weren’t fully realized until late last week when Bret realized he needed to see a doctor. Bret called Nash up and asked if Nash would drive him from his hotel to the doctor, since he didn’t want to drive with a brain injury – and maybe – just maybe Bret wanted a little moral support from his new found friends. Since Bret called him on December 31st…Let’s just say Nash and the rest of the nWo were starting their New Year’s Eve festivities a bit early and Nash couldn’t and wouldn’t help Bret out. Subsequently, that party is still on going somewhere and the rest of the nWo aren’t here yet.
Bret covers the “traumatic brain injury” that he suffered and due to that injury, Bret will miss action for at least a few weeks, including the Souled Out PPV, and thus Bret and the WCW Board of Directors mutually came to an agreement for Bret to forfeit the WCW title, with the condition of Bret receiving a title shot whenever his health once again clears up. “And after the lack of camaraderie that Nash and the rest of my…”friends” showed….I don’t think the nWo is very elite and I may have to leave the silver and black behind and focus on number one, the pink and black, Bret Hart…The best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever WILL BE!”
Bret leaves and Dillon announces that tonight there will be a 20 man battle royal and the last 2 men left standing will meet in the main event tonight to decide the next World champion. Also, since the battle royal is next, it appears the nWo’s Jeff Jarrett, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash and Scott Steiner won’t be involved, since they have apparently chosen partying over working tonight.
Battle Royal features: Dustin Rhodes, Saturn, Shane Douglas, Dean Malenko, Eddy Gurrero, Chris “Champagne” Kanyon, Billy Kidman, Vampiro, Tank Abbott, “Dr. Death” Steve Williams, The Wall, Booker T, Stevie Ray, Sid Vicious, Lex Luger, Chris Benoit, Buff Bagwell, Bam Bam Bigelow, Diamond Dallas Page and Curt Hennig.
Harlem Heat are at odds and end up being tossed out while entangled with each other.
Kanyon and Buff both have beefs with DDP so he has to fend both off. Vampiro gets caught in the middle of these 3 and Buff and Kanyon tosses him.
Tank and Dr. Death have a face off as both men are big bulls with legit backgrounds. They brawl until the Revolution trio (Saturn, Douglas, Malenko) dump them. – later on, on Nitro a match w/ Tank vs Doc is signed for the following week.
The Wall tosses around everyone who comes near him, so everyone gangs up to toss him.
It comes down to the Revolution trio of Dean, Shane and Saturn and DDP and Benoit. Page and Benoit align long enough to eliminate the trio and then shake hands before exchanging words.
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Hall, Nash, Steiner and Jarrett arrive and their stooges Ron and Don Harris give them the heads up. A clearly buzzed Nash marches them to the ring where they interrupt a match and send the participants to the concrete in order to cut promos:
Nash says Bret proved he wasn’t nWo for life because he didn’t play by New World Order rules…. Nash reminds us that last year he gave up his World title to Hulk Hogan in order to make peace in the nWo and tonight Bret should have picked one of the men you see in the ring to keep the belt in the “family” with. There’s no room in the nWo Elite for fair play and if and when Bret recovers from his “boo boo” then he can expect the New World Order to send him right back to the hospital…if not the morgue.
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Cruiserweight champ Madusa vs. Eddy Gurrero… Oklahoma distracts Madusa right away by standing on the apron. Eddy punches him off and Madusa tries a roll up that Eddy reverses into a pin in 0:43. Madusa challenges Oklahoma for Thunder to settle this crap once and for all. (Had to get that belt off her somehow!)
WCW Agent Arn Anderson is shown in the back excitedly telling Dillon “This is the moment we have waited four years for! The nWo is on the ropes and we need to take them out NOW. Let me make a phone call…I have an idea who can do it…”
Crowbar (Devon Storm) is in the back looking for David Flair, who has been absent all day. Crowbar and Flair are given a slot in the tag tourney for Thunder.
Hardcore Champ Norman Smiley vs. Meng vs. Terry Funk…match full of plunder…Meng is handcuffed to a ring post allowing Funk to pile drive Smiley on a pile of chairs and win the title. Meng breaks the cuffs off and chases after Funk.
Funk gives an emotional interview talking about being a champion in the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s and now 2000’s. “Have I earned the name “Hardcore Legend?”
Meng vs. Funk is announced for Thunder
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The nWo confront J.J. in his office about them missing out on the Battle Royal. JJ appeases them by giving The Harris Boys and Hall and Nash slots in the tag title tournament and once Jarrett reminds JJ that being United States Champ makes him the number one contender by default, then Jarrett is awarded a match with whoever is World champ come Souled Out in 13 days. The nWo then are pulled back to their limos by a bevy of strippers.
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Christopher Daniels debuts and beats Psicosis. He’ll get wins on for the next few weeks to build him up on all 3 TV shows.
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Main Event is DDP vs. Benoit for the vacant WCW title. They go 15 mins. Kanyon and Buff attempt to interfere but Vampiro fends them off. A Diamond Cutter is reversed into a Crippler Crossface and DDP taps to give Benoit the belt. They hug afterward.
WCW Thunder January 6th2000
We open with new World Champion Chris Benoit. He says that Monday night was like a fairy tale. My lifelong dream was realized, and there was only one thing missing…I traveled the roads with one guy for many years, we were in ECW together, Japan together, WCW together, We were Horsemen together… Dean Malenko… We shared this dream for a long time. We knew we had the talent, no matter who tried to hold us down…but now that I made it to the pinnacle… the mountaintop…and you weren’t there to share the moment with me. Dean you and I weren’t sure if we would ever get the chance at the World title, but now that I have succeeded in winning it, I want to share this feeling with you. Dean, I want you to be my first title defense…tonight! Keep your misguided Revolution buddies in the back and you and I can do what we do and tear this place down…Jarrett…you better watch this, because the rabid Wolverine is at the peak of career and I will eat you up at Souled Out, AFTER I finish with Malenko tonight!
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Rd 1 Tag Tourney: Hall and Nash vs. Crowbar and ….. Dillon comes out and says David Flair is still AWOL and so Billy Kidman will be the sub for Flair tonight. Hall and Nash toy with the guys until Kidman and Crowbar start to hit some flying moves and rock the bigger nWo guys. Crowbar’s instability catches up with he and Kidman and Nash pins him after a powerbomb.
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Terry Funk vs. Meng – Hardcore title match: Meng no sells most of Funk’s plunder shots, and gets the Tongan Death Grip on Funk, who launches a FIREBALL in Meng’s face and rolls him up for the pin. A blinded and enraged Meng stumbles to the back.
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Rd 1 Tag Tourney: Mamalukes vs. Fit Finlay and Brian Knobbs… Brawl all over the place. Disco Inferno and Tony Mamaluke interfere and the numbers game win it for the Mamalukes.
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Madusa squashes Oklahoma…We never speak of this again.
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Stevie Ray brings out Tony “The Thug” Norris (Ahmed Johnson) as his new posse. Booker T and Midnight watch on nervously. Ray vs. T is announced for Souled Out.
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Tank Abbott knocks out Barry Horowitz with 1 punch. Dr. Death starts to come down to the ring, but security stops him.
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Rd 1 Tag Tourney: Buff Bagwell/Kanyon vs. Perry Saturn/Shane Douglas… Vampiro and DDP watch on. Kanyon tries to use a champagne bottle for a weapon and DDP takes it way. Kanyon and DDP argue as Buff comes out to try and get Kanyon focused. Vampiro walks down to ringside and he and Page distract Kanyon and Buff long enough for them to lose via count out.
DDP/Vampiro vs. Buff/Kanyon is announced for Souled Out.
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The Wall squashes a jabroni, then Berlyn insults America.
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Mean Gene and Dillon discuss rumors that somebody from Bret Hart’s past is planning on appearing on Nitro to defend Bret’s “honor” in the face of the nWo’s threats of violence.
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Rd 1 Tag Tourney: The Harris Boys vs. Rick Steiner and Mike Rotundo… Mike is caught with the double choke slam for the pin before Steiner can even tag in. Rick attacks Rotundo and storms off.
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Arn Anderson confirms with Dillon that “He’s coming back Monday! For (* makes hand gesture*) sure!
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World Champ Chris Benoit vs. Dean Malenko…they go 15 hard minutes, Malenko is forced to tap to the crossface and both men lay on the mat completely exhausted as the nWo come in and attack both men. Revolution comes in and fends off the New World Order with chairs long enough to get Malenko out of the ring. Benoit eats a powerbomb and is put in the Steiner Recliner until a dazed Malenko stumbles back toward the ring and basically forces Shane and Perry to back him up… the Revolution and the New World Order have a standoff as the show goes off the air…
WCW Saturday Night January 8th 2000-
Christopher Daniels, Chuck Palumbo, Mark Jindrak, and Elix Skipper win separate bouts to help establish the next generation of WCW stars.
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Tank Abbott beats Al Green with 1 punch. Issues threats to Dr. Death.
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Jim Duggan denounces his “janitor” gimmick and promises to keep defending America.
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The KISS Demon is seen “rocking out”. “Heavy Metal” Van Hammer walks in and joins him.
Chris Benoit interview – promises Jarrett and the nWo will pay, and in order to prove he’s a fighting champion, he’ll defend his belt on WCW Saturday Night next week, 24 hours before the PPV.
WCW Monday Nitro January 10th 2000
The nWo is shown arriving in a limo. The driver turns out to be former WCW wrestler Ice Train.
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Terry Funk vs. Brian Knobbs – Hardcore title match: Meng charges in and lays into both guys. The Barbarian comes in and joins him in the beat down…Fit Finlay comes to Knobbs’ aide…Kevin Sullivan charges in on behalf of the Faces of Fear…Jerry Saggs comes in from the audience and helps Fit, Funk and Knobbs clear the ring. A shocked Knobbs hugs Saggs. Finlay looks a bit disgusted.
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Booker T goes out to the limo and asks Ice Train why he quit wrestling. He invites Ice Train to be in his corner this Sunday to help counteract Tony Norris in Steve Ray’s corner.
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Semi Finals Tag Tourney: The Mamalukes vs. Saturn and Douglas – the announcers tell us that Dean Malenko’s performance on Thunder against Benoit has made the championship committee name him Eddy Guerrero’s challenger for this Sunday’s Souled Out PPV. Malenko keeps Disco and Mamaluke at bay and Saturn pins Johnny the Bull after a DVD.
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Christopher Daniels beats Kid Romeo
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The jubilant Nasty Boyz announce that they and Finlay will team to face The Faces of Fear and Sullivan in a Tornado tag match at Souled Out.
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Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart comes to the ring with a cattle prod and tells Kevin Nash and the New World Order that Bret’s brain injury is serious and if the nWo wants to pick a fight, make it with somebody who’s 100% and not afraid of getting in the face of bullies. Nash strolls down with Scott Steiner, Jarrett, and Hall. Nash goes in the ring while the nWo take 3 sides of the ring. Nash insults Bret’s manhood for not fighting his own battles, concussion or not. Neidhart questions Nash’s manhood for needing 3 men to back him up. Nash slugs Jim into Steiner’s arms, they take away the cattle prod and beat him down, shock him and tag him with graffiti. The Revolution come on to the stage and reveal they have already beaten up Nash’s cronies Ron and Don Harris in the back, so Hall and Nash won’t have to face the Harris Boyz tonight, and now The Revolution is guaranteed to get Hall and Nash’s asses in the ring for the tag titles, this Sunday at Souled Out.
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Tank Abbott vs. “Dr. Death” Steve Williams… The bulls circle each other, then shove each other around, Tank suddenly catches “Dr. Death” with a 2 punch combo that KO’s Williams, just like Tank’s other opponents…
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Terry Funk is informed that Norman Smiley will receive a rematch at Souled Out. Mean Gene then shows Funk a fax sent “from Philadelphia” that says Funk will find out who the real “Hardcore Legend” is this Sunday…
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Bret Hart calls in and says he’s going to do everything in his power to make his doctor clear him to travel to Souled Out and confront the nWo after the disgusting attack we saw earlier.
JJ Dillon comes out after this and says that Bret and the New World Order are banned from physical contact under the threat of heavy fines and/or suspensions, until Hart is medically cleared.
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Berlyn and The Wall bash America – Jim Duggan comes out and a scuffle breaks out. The Wall vs. Duggan is made for Thunder.
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DDP vs. Buff is a schmozz as Kanyon and Vampiro get involved almost right away.
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Main Event Interview: Arn Anderson introduces Ric Flair, (who brings a sedated looking David Flair in an ill-fitting suit in tow with him) who as hinted will reform the 4 Horsemen TONIGHT WOOOOO! If the nWo can have an “elite” version, the maybe this should be considered the Four Horsemen “Elite”. Flair beings out his first member… “The Total Package” Lex Luger (w/Liz)…then Sid Vicious….suddenly Chris Benoit’s music hits. He comes to ringside and asks if Flair really thought he’d join back up with the Horseman after the way Flair used him and Malenko as pawns to do his bidding during the last Horsemen run…Benoit shows his title off and reminds Flair that he didn’t need any help to earn this or to keep this. He then challenges Flair to a match on Thunder, for the title. Winner faces Jarrett at the PPV. This draws out the nWo and Nash and Flair squawk back and forth, Jarrett then talks shit to Benoit, and tries to get in his face, which causes Benoit to slug Jarrett. This leads to a 8 way brawl between the men, with the Revolution coming down to get their licks in on Nash and company as well as the show goes off the air.
Thunder January 13th 2000
Ice Train and Booker T are seen arriving at the arena together
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Dillon announces he’s banned the nWo from Thunder tonight and fining them for their attack on Jim Neidhart on Nitro.
Tank Abbott vs. El Dandy… 1 punch KO win. The announcers mention that “Dr. Death” quit WCW on Monday after his KO loss.
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Rick Steiner vs. Mike Rotundo… match barely gets started as Luger, Flair, and Sid attack Steiner and “break his arm” with a chair. A warning shot to Scott Steiner and the nWo.
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Fit Finlay vs. The Barbarian…after some stiff shots back and forth, The Nasty Boyz and Meng and Sullivan all brawl and the match is tossed out.
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Crowbar tries to get into the Horsemen dressing room to see David. He gets laid out with a “Lex Flexer” and then power bombed by Sid through a table.
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Booker T (w/ Ice Train) vs. Curt Hennig… Stevie Ray and Tony Norris cut a promo interlay during the match. T wins clean with Harlem Hangover.
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Buff Bagwell vs. Dustin Rhodes… DDP and Vampiro come in through the fans…Kanyon runs in…dueling promos…
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Eddy Guerrero vs. Silver King… Eddy wins a warm up match for his bout with Dean.
Revolution comes out after and promise to beat The Outsiders and Eddy and earn all the gold.
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The Wall vs. Jim Duggan… Wall no sells most of Duggan’s offense. 3 chokeslams and a pin. Berlyn takes Duggan’s flag and covers him with it.
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Chris Benoit vs. Ric Flair – World title match: Before the match we see Scott Steiner going nuts outside the building, screaming for the Horsemen’s head after what happened earlier with Rick. Flair and Benoit go ten minutes until a masked man who is oddly enough shaped a lot like Jeff Jarrett jumps in the ring and attacks Beniot and Flair. Luger and Sid run and run him off.
Beniot chases after him and tries to unmask him. Flair promises to get back at the nWo for costing him the match.
WCW Saturday Night Jan. 15th 2000
More squashes from Jindrak, Palumbo, Eli Skipper, Daniels.
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Tank Abbott vs. Rick Fuller – 1 punch KO finish.
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The Maestro is shown playing piano, when The KISS Demon and Van Hammer come in and do a jam session right on his piano lid.
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Benoit comes out for his promised title defense against Bam Bam Bigelow. After a few minutes, Jarrett runs in and lays Benoit out with the guitar. Jarrett poses with both the US and World titles as the show goes off the air.
Souled Out PPV January 16th 2000
Eddy Guerrero successfully defends his cruiserweight title against Dean Malenko via a frog splash at the 18 minute mark.
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Terry Funk vs. Norman Smiley ends with Funk moonsaulting Smiley through a table and getting the pin. Afterwards the lights go off and SABU appears in the ring and attacks Funk, sending him through a table as well.
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DDP/Vampiro vs. Buff/Kanyon… Kanyon hits a Diamond Cutter on DDP for the surprise win. Kimberly sprays Buff in the eyes with hair spray post match, while he tried to hit on her. Kanyon is blasted with a face full of champagne from Vampiro.
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Booker T (w/ Ice Train) vs. Stevie Ray (w/ Tony “The Thug” Norris)… Ice Train turns on T, leading to Ray pinning his brother. Shortly thereafter, Ray announces that this trio “ain’t Harlem Heat…We Harlem Street”.
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Finlay/The Nasty Boyz vs. Kevin Sullivan/Faces of Fear – 6 way Tornado Tag match. All Plunder. Meng is accidentally hit with the Barbarian’s “death kick” and the faces all pile on him for the 3 count.
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The New World Order promo. Steiner promises that the Horsemen are marked men and they are lucky that they aren’t here tonight. Nash calls out Bret Hart. Mean Gene reminds the men that any physical action will cost them huge money. Bret and Nash have a war of words, when suddenly Tank Abbott comes down and hits Bret in the skull with his KO punch. Bret is down and convulsing. EMT’s rush the scene and even the nWo look like they know they went too far.
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Shane Douglas and Saturn vs. Hall and Nash… Malenko and Steiner at ringside. Finish sees Scott about to crack Douglas with a chair when the Horsemen music hits. Steiner goes nuts and charges to the back. Horsemen ambush him. Nash sees this on the screen and runs toward the back. Hall gets DVD’d and pinned. Security breaks up the Horseman/Steiner before Nash can get there.
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Hall, Nash and Steiner take off in a hijacked car to chase the Horseman’s Limo that is driving off.
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Chris Benoit vs. Jeff Jarrett – World title: Benoit wins clean via crippler crossface after 22 mins, thanks to no nWo being around to interfere.
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Notes for the next few weeks:
David Flair is kidnapped by the nWo the next night and left with a broken leg in front of Ric Flair’s limo.
The Revolution realizes they need more guys to combat the New World Order and Horsemen, among others, and pick up Chris Candido into the group.
Adrian Byrd joins the “Harlem Street Posse” as a gopher.
The Wall and Berlyn’s anti-American talk leads to Hulk Hogan returning on Nitro and battling the Wall for a few months (to keep him out of the title picture and feed him a monster to slay). Jimmy Hart brings in Emory Hale to take Hogan out after wards.
A TV title tournament would run for the next month…probably let Kidman win it.
Finlay lets Knobbs know that he doesn’t want to be a third wheel of the Nasty Boyz and Fit takes up Steven Regal as his new partner.
The Demon and Hammer feud with Maestro and The Artist Formerly Known as Prince Iaukea on WCW Saturday night. La Parka joins in the jam sessions with Hammer and Demon, eventually dragging Disco Inferno and the Mamalukes into this music themed mess.
Tank is revealed to have taken a payoff to KO Bret, but he isn’t in the nWo. Either Benoit or Goldberg can slay him eventually.
Funk and Sabu have a couple of wild matches, leading to a blow off at Uncensored in 2 months.
Probably have Bret come back in a limited capacity in a few months, being part of a multi-man tag against the nWo.
Horsemen will have to find a suitable fourth member.
Christopher Daniels will beat Eddy for the Cruiser belt sooner than later.
