WCW Monday Nitro - November 29^th, 1999

You get an almost full roster of the WWF, from the big names like Austin, HHH, and Big Show down to Prince Albert, Droz, and the Blue Meanie. All pre-defined characters have their real entrance music, as well as a brief (albeit low-quality) snippet of their TitanTron video. Several different taunts (four in the ring, celebration, top-of-the-ramp, walking-to-the-ring) add to the realism.

Disappointed with the belt modes in Revenge? Want something more? Well, the Road To Wrestlemania is sure to be the challenge you've been seeking. You pick your wrestler (a WWF guy or one you've created), pick a tag team partner, and start off in the undercard. You wrestle on RAW and Sunday Night Heat to start off with. Keep winning, and you'll get to wrestle on a Pay Per View like SummerSlam or the Royal Rumble. Earn title shots for all the WWF belts (Hardcore, European, IC, Tag, and World Heavyweight), and defend those belts in singles matches, triple threat matches, hardcore matches, and the nearly-impossible cage matches. Don't hog the glory or accidentally hit your partner in the tag matches, or he may turn on you!

You can create belts, with several different looks to them, and play for the belts in exebition matches, "King of the Ring" tournaments, and the Royal Rumble (same as the battle royale in Revenge, but with a countdown timer and entrance music). One of the few complaints I have about the game, though, is that the beltholders never wear the belts (either created belts or belts in the Road to Wrestlemania).

The thing that really sets this game apart from the other american games is its edit mode. You get to create your wrestler from the ground up. Height and weight, taunts, wrestling style, ratings in different areas, plus you get to assign every move they can do from a list of hundreds. And they don't just have the moves that guys in the WWF use. Want the Crippler Crossface off the ropes (like Benoit uses in Revenge)? It's in there. Want an unseen-in-America two-powerbombs-into-a-DVD move? It's in there. Suplexes, powerbombs, submissions, it's all in there. In addition, most of the taunts that WCW wrestlers used in Revenge are there, so you can recreate DDP, Hogan, Benoit, Hall, Nash, and more! You can even choose to give your wrestlers "ring clothes" to wear to the ring that they remove once they start wrestling, so you don't end up with a wrestler coming down to the ring with sunglasses on, then wrestling the whole match with them. You can even choose an ally to accompany your wrestler to the ring, and three rivals who will make their presence felt in your matches.

Doubleteaming is quite a bit easier than Revenge, which was one of my main gripes. It's a lot easier to do doubleteam moves in the ring. In addition, if you put your opponent up on your shoulders, your parnter (or the third man in triangle matches), will IMMEDIATELY run to the top rope to deliver a Doomsday Device.

The only real weakness of the edit mode is the lack of masks - there are only WWF-type masks (Kane, Mankind, etc.) in there, so if you want to recreate La Parka, Psychosis, Lyger, etc., you're out of luck. However, that's the only real complaint I have with the edit mode. But I've already been able to make great versions of Brad Armstrong, Norman Smiley, Chris Benoit, and Ric Flair, with Dean Malenko and Arn Anderson in the works.

A good site for templates of created wrestlers, as well as general WM2K information, is the Icemaster Wrestlemania 2000 site. Be sure to check it out. He's also got an Create-A-Wrestler template that will help you trade wrestlers with ease.

In summary, I can't recommend this game enough. It's the best pro wrestling game released in America, and a must-have for any wrestling fan, be it a WCW, ECW, Japanese, or WWF fan.

• Charlie from the often-imitated, never-duplicated DDT Digest Triple Threat of Chan, Charlie, and Matt, writes:

  Just thought that I would inform you of a classic Charlie booking idea that was stolen.... What do you and the millions....(and millions)...of The Wade's fans think on this subject?

  I had this brilliant booking idea 3 months ago. Ask Chan or Matt if you don't believe me, Chan thought I was insane and Matt thought I was a genius for this idea. Brace yourself...

  While WCW was slumping in the ratings, I found it valuable for Dusty Rhodes to take charge of the Mexican Alliance in WCW. He would command this band of Mexicans to dig a tunnel from the WCW headquarters, crossing under the border (The Mason Dixon Line in this instance) where they are safe from the fire of pellet guns, to the WWF headquarters where they would spy on the WWF booking meetings. Then pile into their El Dorado and make their way back to Dusty with a plethara of ideas to boost the ratings. Yes ladies and gentlemen, Mexican Espionage at its finest. I guess Matt was so enlightened by this idea that while attending Oglethorpe University in Atlanta he spilled the info and while cooking up beans at the school, El Dandy (my personal hero) heard of this idea and presented it to Dusty. Recognizing the genious of this idea, he had the Mexican Alliance make the trip to Conneticut and bring in Russo and Ferrera to boost the ratings. Russo originally vetoed the idea, but felt threatened when the Mexicans promised to make him get sick off Tequila and guacamole faster than Mexican water running through a first time tourist.

  Coincidence...I think not. My idea was stolen and I want credit, yeah that's it. Stolen my ass, I just wanna see Mexican espionage.

• Drew asks:

  We all know that La Parka is obsessed with Skeletor from He-Man. But, after watching the He-Man movie Saturday night, there is a part where Skeletor is also looks like Psychosis. Could the "Greyskull Connection" be preparing to win the WCW Tag Team Titles?

• Nath writes to tell us that angles can be found in our everyday lives:

  Just thought I'd let you in on a humourous ad I saw on tv during a cricket ad break. The ad talked about a new flea powder for cats and dogs called "Revolution." I suppose this product will put an end to "Filthy Animals."

• Pete notes an irony in Goldberg's escorts:

  I used to wonder why Goldberg had security escort him to the ring; no other wrestler has a security escort (unless you count the Ralphus/Jericho tandem). I used to say, "Is Goldberg that much of a wuss that he fears the other wrestlers?" Yes, I said, that must be it. So I resigned myself to the stupid walk to the ring every Monday with the midget...oops...security escort.

  But then during last Monday's show Curt Hennig jumps Goldberg on the way to the ring and what does security do???? Not a damn thing they just stand and watch! So what freaking purpose do these losers have?! Must not be protecting Goldberg.

  I realize WCW isn't exactly known for cohesive storytelling but please Wade, please, tell us all what the purpose of Goldberg's security escort is besides standing around and watching Hennig beat his ass.

• After a 20-minute walk to the ring, Goldberg gets on the stick.
• Goldberg: "Here we are again, Denver."
• No, John Denver is dead.
• Goldberg mentions The Outsiders, and the crowd (or the heat machine) boos.
• Goldberg asks if he looks like the kind of guy to mess around with.
• Goldberg talks about the Outsiders trying to entertain people with a little bit of comedy, but not tonight.
• He says he liked the chairshot.
• He says he's here to put an end to their childish games.
• Goldberg warns Hall to stay away during his match with Nash tonight.
• He has two words for Nash: "You're next".
• Wolfpac music hits, and Nash and 2-Gold Alkieho make their way out.
• Hall says the Outsiders are here to bring the comedy, since Goldberg seems upset.
• Nash says that they have five words for Goldberg: "Don't sing it, bring it."
• The Outsiders walk toward the ring as Goldberg waits.
• Sid's music hits.
• Sid: "Hey, yo, Outsiders."
• Sid: "There's a new babyface in town, and his name is Sid Vicious."
• Sid hits the ring, and he and Goldberg brawl with Hall and Nash until security separates them.

• Nash vs. Goldberg
• Hall vs. Sid for both belts
• Hart vs. Meng
• All matches are no-DQ, no-countout.
• Also, Sting vs. Jeff Jarrett vs. Chris Benoit, Jerry Only vs. Steve Williams in a cage, and mud wrestling.
• Mud wrestling. Sigh.

• Piper makes the requisite lame jokes.

• Must have been up in Connecticut on an interview today.

• Bagwell makes his way out.
• His partner in this tag team match, Booker T.
• Hennig's styling with his suit jacket and blue jeans.
• I can't tell CC apart. One guy's a little bigger.
• One of them has his shirt untucked. We'll call him Patrick.
• Pat opens up on Bagwell to start.
• Buff off the ropes with a cross-body and a dropkick.
• Gerald tags in as Buff raises the roof and tags Booker T.
• Wait, Gerald's got his shirt untucked, too.
• Booker with a Harlem Sidekick.
• Pat gets a knee to Booker's kidneys, and Jerry takes advantage.
• Gutwrench by Jerry, and Pat tags in.
• Booker lands the Axe Kick.
• Jerry and Buff tag in.
• Swingingn neckbreaker on both Jerry and Pat.
• Bagwell covers Pat, the illegal man, and all four men get in.
• Double-clothesline between Booker and Jerry.
• Buff horribly blows the Blockbuster on Jerry, but Curt Hennig has the ref distracted.
• Pat comes in with a chair, and nails Bagwell.
• Buff gets pinned to give CC the win.
• The lights go out, and the clock strikes.
• Midnight is in the ring, and dropkicks one of the CC out of the ring.
• Midnight dropkicks the other one.

• Russo says that if Juvi can beat Lyger for the IWGP Light-Heavyweight title, Russo will take care of Juvi's visa problems.
• Russo says he doesn't think Juvi can do it, but he has a plan.

• Liz says she'll do anything if TP will drop the suit.
• TP will think about it.

• He says for $3 million a year, he'll wait.

• I guess they'll be mud wrestling.

• The flowers are for Symphony.
• They're from the Maestro, and have a little love letter.

• Jarrett calls Tenay "Slapnuts".
• He says he's the chosen one.
• He also doesn't care about Dustin Rhodes.
• Tenay says that he's fallen out of favor with the Powers.
• Jarrett busts a guitar on Tenay's melon.
  
• Ouch!

• Knobbs says he lost at Mayhem to a woman for the Hardcore title.
• The woman was Screamin' Norman Smiley.
• He says that if Norman has a set, he should get out and fight him.
• Norman is in the back, and says he can't go out, because he doesn't have his stuff.
• Fit Finlay walks by, and Norman hides under a table.
• Finlay comes down to the ring with a bag.
• Finlay comes out with two kendo sticks.
• The throws one to Knobbs, blocks Knobbs' kendo stick shot, and unloads on him.
• Finlay dumps some stuff out of the bag.
• Finlay drops a leg on Knobbs.
• Finlay has scissors.
• Finlay cuts Knobbs' hair.
• Finlay then beats on Knobbs some more.
• Finlay: "He wants to be a soldier, he can look like a soldier."

• They invite Gene out on the town with them.
• They offer to take Gene to a Gentleman's club.
• Gene says you only live once, and leaves with them.

• They have their shades on. Russo asks "Am I the Omega man? Take off your sunglasses."
• Hennig dresses down CC, and says he'd have beaten up Midnight.
• Russo says that Hennig will face Midnight tonight.

• Both men are in the ring to start.
• Brad "Buzzkill" Armstrong comes to the ring area.
• Acrobatic stuff to start, and Juvi hits the Rube Goldberg bulldog.
• Buzzkill rambles about a government conspiracy.
• Buzzkill is high on life.
• Juvi sends Lyger to the floor, and springboards to the floor on him.
• Buzzkill wants Juvi and Lyger to channel their agression into something more positive.
• Lyger goes up top, but gets caught.
• Lyger shoves Juvi off, and hits a frog splash for two.
• Lyger catches a boot to the gut charging Juvi.
• Tilt-a-whirl backbreaker from Lyger.
• Juvi is really favoring his elbow.
• Buzzkill: "Bobby the brain Eaton?"
• Lyger applies a surfboard to Juvi.
• Lyger with a SWEET belly-to-belly for two.
• Juvi flips out of a powerbomb into a series of near-falls.
• Armstrong is being random.
• Juvi avoids a dropkick, goes to the apron, and delivers a Stunner over the top rope.
• Juvi with a legdrop from the top rope.
• Juvi signals for the JuviDriver.
• Lyger escapes, and German suplexes Juvi out of his boots.
• Buzzkill distracts the ref and Lyger.
• Juvi gets a bottle of tequila from a leather jacket on the ring apron and smashes Lyger over the head with it.
• Juvi covers Lyger, and wins the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title!

• Chavo is here to sell us excitement, as well as a complete set of fine china for only $39.95.
• He talks to Dr. Death and Oklahoma.
• They talk about beating the tar out of Jerry Only.

• Once again from the Maestro.

• Chavo finishes a spiel about a home security system.
• Chavo asks Hall that, since his match tonight is for the US belt, when will he start defending the TV belt?
• Hall says he didn't get free TV dinners, didn't get to meet any TV stars.
• Nash tosses the TV belt into a trash can.
• Somewhere, Arn Anderson shakes his head sadly.

• They stand on the American flag.
• Douglas says that the Filthy Animals are no more. Gonnad and Rey-Rey are injured, and Kidman and Eddy will be fighting their way out on Love Connection.
• Douglas says they worked the Animals from the inside.
• Douglas says that they're pissed that the fans cheered a foreigner (Hart) when he won a piece of American gold, and they booed the Revolution.
• Malenko says while he beat a Canadian, the fans booed him. He says, "America, love it or leave it."
• Malenko says the Revolution is declaring themselves a soverign nation. He spits on the American flag.
• Malenko says that he will be The Python, Douglas will be the Rattler, Asya will be The Boa, and Saturn will be....
• Saturn grabs the mic, and says he'll be "Trouser. The most sought-after snake in the world."
• Janitor Jim Duggan comes to the top of the ramp, and leads a USA chant.
• Jimmy One-Eye waxes poetic about America.
• Duggan takes out the Revolution with a FOAM 2X4!!!! HA!!!
• The "2X4" bends and twists noticeably. Oh man, that's too much!
• The Revolution recovers to beat up Duggan, and does an "Iwo Jima" pose over Duggan's prone form.
  
• Chris Benoit runs out to clear the ring.

• He talks about The Block
• Two men enter, one man leaves. It's just fists.
• He makes an open challenge for The Block.

• Piper says he has to take a "Vince Russo", and he'll be there when he damn well pleases.

• Hall and Nash make their way out first.
• Sid follows.
• Kevin Nash joins the announce team.
• Hall attacks as Sid enters the ring.
• Sid with a big clothesline.
• Sid lands a big boot as Nash tries to get his headset working.
• Sid with a running kick to the gut in the corner.
• Nash says when he saw Sid and Goldberg last week, it gave him a gas bubble.
• Sid signals for the powerbomb, but Hall goes to the eyes.
• Hall lands an avalanche clothesline, and hits the fallaway slam!
• Hall signals for the Edge, but Sid escapes.
• Sid chokeslams Hall, but the ref gets bumped.
• Sid sets up for the powerbomb, and hits it on Hall.
• Nash hits the ring, but accidentally elbowdrops Hall.
• Sid with a big boot on Nash.
• Sid sets up to powerbomb Nash, but Jeff Jarrett runs in and hits Sid with the guitar.
• Jarrett pulls Hall on Sid, and revives the ref.
• The ref counts three.
• Goldberg hits the ring and delivers the spear and jackhammer to Jarrett.
• Goldberg helps Sid up.

• There will be a colossal battle between two women in a mud wrestling match, and Roddy Piper will be the ref.

• One of the mud wrestlers watches.
• Security pulls the two Nitro girls apart.
• The mud wrestler starts to choke.
• Juvi runs in and gives her the Heimlich.
• Juvi calls for help.

• The Misfits make their way down for this cage match.
• What I believe is the Oklahoma fight song brings out Dr. Death and Oklahoma.
• To win the match, you have to escape the cage.
• Williams catches Only with a powerslam.
• Only avoids a corner charge, and hits a decent cross-body off the cage.
• Only can't hit the ropes properly.
• Williams with an avalanche clothesline in the corner.
• The Misfits and Vampiro beat up on Oklahoma on the outside.
• The Misfits baptize Oklahoma with his own BBQ sauce.
• In the ring, Williams hits the Oklahoma Stampede.
• Williams tosses Only out of the cage, apparently giving Only the win.
• The Misfits lock Williams in the cage.

• Hart says they don't come any tougher than Meng.
• Hart hits his catchphrases, and leaves.
• Chavo says that the shine of Hart's hair is due to his new hair care products.

• Meng comes out.
• Hart gets the second entrance.
• They lock up, and Hart takes the advantage in the corner.
• Meng reverses and unloads with sumo slaps.
• Meng hits a running clothesline.
• Meng fights off some Hart punches (but not heart punches), and takes over.
• Hart eats some turnbuckle as the crowd chants "Let's Go Bret"
• Meng with an avalanche clothesline.
• Meng with a NICE piledriver on Hart for two.
• Meng lands a HUGE shoulderbreaker for two.
• Meng with a series of double-chops to the neck, but Hart avoids a somersault senton (!) from Meng.
• Hart grabs the legs, and hits an atomic headbutt.
• Russian legsweep, second-rope diving elbow, but only gets two.
• Hall and Nash come down.
• Hart goes for the Sharpshooter, but Meng kicks him off. The ref gets bumped.-- Meng applies the Tongan Death Grip to Hall.
• Nash comes in and hits Meng with a kendo stick about 10 times.
• Nash crotch-chops, and Jackknifes Meng.
• Hart is on the floor recovering.
• Chris Benoit makes his way out, steals the Kendo stick, and beats up on the Outsiders.
• Hart makes his way back in the ring, sees the unconcious Meng, and applies the Sharpshooter.
• Meng is out, so the ref calls for the bell. Hart wins.

• She talks about finishing the job she did on Spice.
• Spice comes in with Tygress' ripped costume.
• They fight, and Spice beats up Tygress, tossing her into a shower.

• Madusa says she needs a title shot at Starrcade.
• Evan dreamily accepts.

• TP substitutes Liz into the mud wrestling match.

• Liz comes to Sting with her sob story. Sting isn't impressed.

• Benoit makes his way out first.
• Dubba-J is out second.
• Sting is third.
• Commercial.
• This match will be first-fall, not elimination.
• Jarrett and Sting start off, Sting gets dumped, and it's quickly Jarrett and Benoit.
• Snap-suplex on Jarrett.
• Sting with running clotheslines on Jarrett. Benoit saves.
• Benoit with a small package on Sting for two.
• Jarrett comes off the top with a cross-body on Sting for two.
• Jarrett avoids a Benoit elbowdrop.
• Sting and Benoit play ping-pong with Jarrett.
• Jarrett pulls Benoit into a Stinger Splash.
• Benoit blocks The Stroke with the Crippler Crossface, but Sting breaks the hold.
• Liz runs down, and distracts Sting.
• TP runs down and chairs Sting.
• Jarrett nails Benoit with the guitar.
• Jarrett covers.
• Dustin Rhodes runs out of the crowd, grabs the ring bell, and nails Jarrett with it.
• Dustin pulls Benoit on top of Jarrett.
• The ref counts one...two....THREE! Benoit wins!
• Benoit gets a title shot after Starrcade.

• Torgo rants for a while, and tells Symphony to open the piano.
• She opens it, and sees the Maestro gagged unconcious inside the piano.
  
• Symphony screams as we cut to the ring.

• Nash makes his way down.
• In the back, Goldberg gets jumped by Hall.
• Hall and Goldberg fight in the hallway.
• We see Sid's dressing room door, and the door's locked.
• Nash goes to the back.
• Sid kicks his door down, and runs to help his bald buddy.
• All four men brawl, and make their way out into the arena.
• Goldberg and Nash finally make it into the ring, and the bell rings.
• Sid and Hall fight on the floor.
• Hall comes in and chairs ref Johnny Boone and Goldberg.
• Hart runs in for the save.
• Goldberg spears Nash.
• A second ref runs down as Goldberg Jackhammers Nash.
• Goldberg covers, and gets the win!

• They challenge Sid and Goldberg to a cage match at the end of the show.

• Referee Piper makes his way out.
• Creative Control comes out.
• Yep. They'll end up in the mud before the night's over.
• Bump & Grind music brings out Rhonda Singh, the large lady.
• Her opponent, announced as Elizabeth.
• TP and Liz argue in the back.
• Liz says she doesn't care about the lawsuit, and walks away.
• Back in the ring, Rhonda pulls Piper into the mud.
• She slaps Piper a couple of times.
• Piper drop-toeholds her into the mud, and rides her like a horce.
• Patrick and Gerald go into the mud, and Piper and Rhonda doubleteam them.

• Arn talks about building WCW.
• Hennig says that his spot is with the Powers that Be.
• Arn leaves, saying he's not stupid.

• Chae comes down and catfights with Skye.

• Flynn is waiting in The Block.
• The Wall accepts his challenge.
• Generic brawling. If you want "Fight Club", go watch "Fight Club." If you want to go to sleep, watch Jerry Flynn and The Wall fight.
• By the end, the two guys are wheezing like they're fighting for the World Emphysema Title.
• You can hear the bored crowd booing in the background.
• Berlyn comes in with a lead pipe and hits Flynn.
• Berlyn orders Wall to leave.
• Wall has the pipe, and wheezes to a stand.
• Wall grunts, and chases Berlyn with the pipe.

• Chavo says it looks like Piper's not afraid of getting down and dirty.
• Piper talks about Chavo's dad and grandpa had guts.
• Piper says he's fighting the Powers.
• Piper tells Chavo to stand up for himself.
• Chavo says he's making money.
• The Outsiders walk by, and the muddy Piper attacks.
• Security restrains him.

• He says he needs a job.
• Hennig says he's got some business to take care of, then he'll help him.

• Russo says he has egg on his face.
• He wants TP to come up with a plan.
• TP gurantees that Liz will be covered with mud before the night's over, even if he has to carry her himself.

• Midnight makes her way out to a combination of her clock gong and Harlem Heat's music.
• Midnight's removed the piercing from her bottom lip.
• Hennig comes down to face the femme fatale.
• Midnight appears to have the height advantage.
• Hennig with a side headlock takedown.
• Midnight kips up.
• Both fall down on a shoulderblock.
• Midnight with a leapfrog, right-hand-punch, and a snap-suplex.
• Booker T is barred from ringside.
• Hennig unloads on Midnight in the corner.
• Hennig slaps Midnight around.
• Mark "Slick" Johnson is the referee.
• Hennig with a big bodyslam.
• Hennig locks on an abdominal stretch, and slaps Midnight on the breasts repeatedly.
• The lights go out.
• When they come back on, Stevie Ray is in the ring.
• Stevie beats on Hennig, and the lights go out again.
• When they come back on THIS time, Curly Bill is in the ring.
• Bill holds Stevie as Hennig hits them.
• The lights go out YET AGAIN, and when they come back on, Arn Anderson is in the ring!!!
• Arn stomps a mudhole in Bill.
• Horseman music hits as Hennig and Bill hit the floor.
• Arn pulls the thumb across the throat.

• The girls want an appatizer, and lead the two guys to the bedroom.
• The girls tie the guys to the bed.
• The girls call for "the boys."
• Disco Inferno and Lash LeRoux come out and dump the spaghetti and sauce on the guys.
• Disco calls the mob bosses to come get those two, and he and Lash leave.

• Liz slaps TP.
• TP tosses Liz into the mud.
• TP removes his suit jacket, and tosses a bucket of mud on Liz.
• TP starts to disrobe.
• Sting comes out and pushes TP into the mud.
• TP tries to get at Sting, but keeps getting hit back into the mud.
• TP takes the shoes and suit jacket that TP had saved from the mud.
• He tosses the shoes into the mud, then the jacket.
• Liz gets out of the mud, and legit slips hard. She gets up and gingerly makes her way over to Sting, who helps her walk.

• The cage is down again for this match.
• Special referee Roddy Piper makes his way out, muddy as all get-out.
• The Outsiders get the first entrance.
• The Canadians next.
• Goldberg and Sid bring up the rear.
• I doubt if I'll be able to call the early part of this match.
• Sid tries to escape the cage first, but Benoit blocks it.
• Everyone's pretty much teaming up on the Outsiders.
• Nash Hulks up and starts beating the mess out of everyone.
• More generic brawling.
• Jeff Jarrett rolls down a cart full of guitars.
• He opens the cage doors
• It kinda ruins the illusion of cage matches to just be able to open the door on command.
• Jarrett guitars Piper and Goldberg, and hits Hart in the head with handcuffs.
• He gives the cuffs to the Outsiders, who shackle Hart to the cage.
• Benoit and Sid are left alone to fight the Outsiders.
• Benoit climbs the cage.
• Benoit comes off the top of the cage with the headbutt on Hall!!!!
• Benoit covers as Piper slowly recovers.
• Piper counts one....two....three!!!
• Jarrett comes in with a guitar shot on Benoit.
• Goldberg throws Jarrett into the side of the cage so hard that it breaks.
• He does it again.
• Hall comes up from behind and delivers the Outsider Edge to Goldberg.
• Nash Jackknifes Sid.
• Jarrett delivers The Stroke to Benoit.
• Jarrett shakes hands with the Outsiders.
• Goldberg slowly makes his way up, but gets beaten down again.
• The Outsiders and Jarrett leave as we fade to black....