WCW Thunder - Wednesday, November 1, 2000

By King Leo of King Leo's Wrestling Palace

Hello. I'm King Leo, one of the few major WCW recappers who recaps sober, and we are less than 24 hours removed from Halloween, which was more of an excuse to paint my face a la Vampiro than anything. As an added bonus, I have a bag of candy from trick or treating.

Not that I went trick or treating. I just accompanied four girls between the ages of 19 and 21 while they went. It's a hard job, but somebody has to check the apples for razor blades. Of course I had to take my share of candy, too.

Trivia Question: Against whom did Van Hammer make his WCW debut? (answer at end of report)
My good friend Allen says he found a girl in one of his classes who watches wrestling and even records it when she can't watch it the first time. What more can you ask for?
On a more sad note, I found out last week that the UPN affiliate in Utah is changing to a station that we don't get. Now I'll need to get a real life on Thursdays.

Thunder's rated TV-14 this week.

The replay is rated TV-PG, though.

When we last left WCW, Ric Flair was announced as the CEO, Lex Luger was reinstated, and Booker T wrestled Scott Steiner and Mike Awesome.
There's a car with a New Jersey "tag" on it in the parking lot. They don't know what it's doing there.

Where I'm from, they're called license plates, though.

Match #1: 3 Count vs. Jung Dragons.

3 Count is in the ring to begin the show. I haven't seen them for a while.
Shannon Moore starts to say something, but Evan Karagias cuts him off.
Shane Helms complains about all of Karagias's talking.
Where 3 Count is, the Jung Dragons must be also.
They take a special look at Leia Meow.

One of the special looks was a gratuitous shot of Leia in a thong.

Hayashi and Yang hit Asai moonsaults onto Helms and Moore.
Jamie-San attempts a senton splash to the outside, but hits his partners.
Somebody executed a spectacular new move, but I missed it.

Luckily I caught that match on the replay. It was Evan Karagias with a reverse DDT type move.

Shannon Moore hits Yung Yang with a senton.
Jamie-San tags in and slams Moore.
The announcers make a big deal about how Karagias hasn't been tagged in despite the fact that only one tag has been made during the whole match. Sounds like a desperate ploy for a quick breakup to me.
Jamie-San misses a springboard legdrop.
Moore hits a tilt-a-whirl move.
Karagias tags in.
They wrestle, then Sugar Shane makes a blind tag because suddenly there is dissension among the ranks of 3 Count.
Yung Yang tags in and hits a Three Stooges eyepoke.
Jamie-San hits Yung Yang with a clothesline accidentally.
Moore and Helms hit a 3D-type move on Jamie-San and Karagias makes a blind tag to get the pin.
Your Winners: 3 Count
Post-match, Leia Meow yells at Jamie-San while Moore and Helms decide that after this one night they need to get rid of Karagias.
Meow sends Yang and Hayashi to dismantle Jamie-San.
Leia Meow takes Jamie-San's mask revealing that it's not really Jamie-San at all, but Jamie Howard in a mask.

If they were really trying to keep it a secret, they should have come up with a better name than Jamie-San.

Post-melee, Karagias and Jamie look at each other cautiously suggesting the possibility of three tag teams rather than two three man teams.
They just don't make tag team breakups like they used to. I was crushed for months after the Rockers split up. I was also almost in tears when Earthquake squished Damien, so maybe it was just back in a time when I became too emotionally attached to storylines.

Mean Gene talks to Kevin Nash and Chuck Palumbo.

Tonight, Shawn Stasiak will face Palumbo.
Palumbo says that Stasiak couldn't cut the mustard and couldn't cut it in the Thrillers.

Crowbar is wasting time--waiting for an attack from behind no doubt--with Doug Dillinger when Bam Bam Bigelow attacks from behind.

Bigelow says he's back.
Welcome back, Bam Bam.

Match #2: "Prime Time" Elix Skipper vs. Lt. Loco

Elix Skipper comes on down.
This is the house that Skipper built.

And this is the rat that ate the malt that lived in the house that Skipper built.
And this is the cat that killed the rat that . . . wait a minute. This is neither the time nor the place for nursery rhymes.

Skipper wants Lt. Loco tonight because of the parody that I missed seeing by one segment a couple of Nitros ago.
Chavito comes out with Maj. Gunns.
Mike Tenay will "shoot" with Shawn Stasiak tonight.
Chavo with a clothesline followed by a dropkick.
Chavo with another clothesline.
The announcers talk about the tribute to Gen. Rection on Monday.

I haven't seen a tribute like that anywhere since the house fell on the witch in that one movie.

Chavo with a tilt-a-whirl slam.
Chavo hits a pumphandle-type suplex for 2.
Skipper bridges a clothesline.
Outside the ring, Skipper whips Chavo into the safety rail.
Skipper with a slingshot corkscrew bodydrop.
Back in the ring, Chavo hits a floatover DDT.
Chavo with a belly-to-back suplex.
Chavo kicks Skipper in the corner.
Gunns goes for the kick to the groin despite the fact that the ref is watching.

The funny part is that it looked like the ref was desperately trying to not look, but just gave up because he knew he'd break it up anyway.

Skipper puts his ring on and goes to punch Guerrero, but Major Gunns grabs his hand.
Chavo tries for a sunset flip, but Skipper hits him with the ring and gets the pin.
Your Winner: "Prime Time" Elix Skipper.

Numerous people informed me that Tom Green is in Charlie's Angels because he's involved with Drew Barrymore, proving once and for all that there's someone for everyone.

You may ask what that has to do with anything. To that, I respond that since they advertise the movie during wrestling, at least a few wrestling fans must be interested.

Match #3: "The Event" Chuck Palumbo vs. "PerfectShawn" Shawn Stasiak

Back from the break, Coach Kevin Nash comes out.
Nash is joining on commentary.
Palumbo is going to take care of Stasiak once and for all tonight.
Stasiak may be kicked out of the Thrillers, but he still gets an entrance video, so life's not all bad for him.
Shawn Stasiak looks just like a younger version of his father Stan Stasiak.
Palumbo's music plays, but he doesn't come out.
In the back, we see that Palumbo has been laid out.
Nash gets up, and looks at Stasiak. Stasiak just shrugs.
Stasiak paces in the ring as we go to another break.
Your Winner: I guess it's a no contest.

We come back to see a trainer attending to Palumbo as the Thrillers say threatening things directed at Stasiak.
Mean Gene talks to Bam Bam Bigelow.

Bigelow says he's been gone for 5 months without even a phone call from WCW.
Bigelow wants Goldberg.
Crowbar attacks Bigelow as officials separate the two.

For some reason they just happened to have a handy lengthy video package for Goldberg vs. Bigelow.

Remember when Meng showed up for the sole purpose of jobbing to Goldberg and they showed the lengthy video package?

It looks like Scott Steiner will be prominently featured at Mayhem.

Once again something will happen that we won't believe until we see it live.

Was there anything that we wouldn't believe that happened at Halloween Havoc? Didn't think so.

Match #4: Filthy Animals vs. Boogie Knights.

Next week, Thunder will start earlier.

At that moment, panic began to set in for our hero King Leo.
Joyfully for all, it starts five minutes earlier from now on.
It's about time that TBS conforms with the rest of the stations.

Konnan comes out and does his usual pre-match speech.
Kidman calls out the Boogie Knights.
I just noticed that Our Patron Saint is absent tonight.
Wright and Kidman start out.
Kidman and Wright get a good series of moves ending with a flying headscissors by Kidman.
Misterio and Disqo tag in.
I guess Alex Wright had a good week by the way the announcers are talking.
In the ring, Disqo is stomping away on Kidman.
Disqo tags in Wright.
Alex works on Kidman's back.
Alex Wright has never looked better, is awesome, has come to perform, and saves the world from evil on a regular basis.
Disqo tags in.
Disqo punches Kidman in the corner.
Disqo hits a reverse DDT-type move.
Wright tags in and hits a kneedrop to the lower back.
Wright hits the first surfboard I've seen for quite some time.

Schiavone wonders how you can tap out of a surfboard despite the fact that you don't have to tap out to submit, dagnabbit.

Wright with an abdominal stretch with leverage by Disqo.
Rey tags in with a springboard guillotine legdrop.
Rey with a pin attempt thwarted by Wright.
Kidman clotheslines Wright over the top.
Kidman throws Rey into a dropkick which Kidman follows up with a baseball slide to the groin, which Misterio follows up with a bronco buster.
After more moves that weren't boring, but really don't matter, Kidman hits the Kid Crusher for the pin on Wright.
Your Winners: The Filthy Animals.

Mean Gene talks to Crowbar.

Crowbar demanded Bam Bam earlier tonight, so it looks like he'll be the sacrificial lamb.
We can't even tell Crowbar is a 70's Guy except he's got a Star Wars shirt.

Match #4: Sgt. A-WALL vs. Meng

Sgt. A-WALL comes out with a table.
Here comes Lance Storm.
Storm says he's found a suitable opponent for A-WALL . . . THE MONSTER MENG!

Speak of the devil. I swear I didn't know he was going to be on when I wrote the previous Meng statement.

There's some good brawling to start out. I suppose there will be more brawling by the time this match gets done.
Schiavone claims that Meng eats steel chairs.
Meng has a chair and hits A-WALL with it knocking him out.
Meng throws a table into the ring.
A-WALL gets up and pounds on Meng.
A-WALL chokeslams Meng through the table for 3.
Your Winner: A-WALL in a HUGE upset.
Storm gets in the ring and says that Meng failed.
Meng hits the Tongan Death Grip on Storm.
I'm still not the biggest fan of A-WALL, but he's really improving and could have potential.
Maybe Rikishi should have run over some people in WCW instead.

Mean Gene talks to Vampiro and Jeff Jarrett about tonight's match.

To be honest, I really didn't hear the whole interview because I was occupied but from what I heard, it's your typical pre-match trash talk.
Vampiro's dressed oddly.

Are we going to have a very special interview this week? Is the Pope Catholic? Do Mike Tenay and Shawn Stasiak shoot in the woods?

Apparently so, because they're in the woods somewhere.
This was filmed "yesterday" . . . whatever that means.
Stasiak mentions that he really didn't train at the Power Plant and mentions that he wrestled for "another organization."
Stasiak says he was never accepted as a member of the Natural Born Thrillers.
Stasiak talks about growing up in the business.
Stasiak lies and calls Kevin Nash a great talent.
He says Nash has always been involved in a group.
Stasiak talks about a "big surprise" for Palumbo at Thunder. We'll see what it is.

The weird part is that we've already found out.

He talks about the Perfect Event when they won the Tag Team titles.
Stasiak is on a quest to show the world that he's a superstar and greater than the Thrillers.
Stasiak says he'll become the first ex-Thriller to become WCW World Heavyweight champion.

Sounds like an awfully lofty goal to me. Not to say that it's impossible because you can do anything you think you can; you'll never accomplish more; and if you're afraid to try, there is little for you in store. Failure comes from the inside first; it's there if you only knew it; you can win, though you face the worst if you just believe you can do it.

I learned that in Mr. Lewis's 7th grade science class. Why? I don't really know, but it seemed to fit here as well as it did back then.

Match #5: Lance Storm vs. Screamin' Norman Smiley

Lance Storm comes out still selling the effects of the death grip.
Storm can't even talk, so they skip right to the Canadian National Anthem.
Norman Smiley's music cuts off O Canada provoking a glare of doom from Storm.
Storm and Smiley start out with the feeling out process.
Storm with a full nelson which Smiley reverses which Storm reverses.
The crowd is chanting "Power Ranger."
Smiley avoids some kind of move on an Irish whip and celebrates with a Big Wiggle that Madden refers to as "lascivious."
Smiley hits a sunset flip that they roll around and reverse for various one counts.
Smiley hits a back bodydrop over the top, but Storm lands on the apron and responds with a hot shot.
Madden keeps referring to lascivious.
Storm hits a backbreaker for two.
Madden says that Stevie Ray is probably off being lascivious.
Outside, Storm hits Smiley's face into the rail, then rolls him in.
Smiley with a back elbow for two.
Storm with a clothesline knocking Norman down.
Storm hits a vertical suplex.
Storm with a side Russian legsweep.
Storm locks Smiley in a submission hold that Smiley reverses with a leglock.
Smiley hits a double underhook slam for two.
Smiley with a back elbow from the second rope.
Smiley hits a baseball slide dropkick.
Smiley with a rollup for 1, then goes for the Big Wiggle.
Storm hits a jawbreaker.
Smiley blocks a northern lights suplex attempt, but doesn't block a second one for two.
Smiley and Storm each get a two count on a rollup and reversal.
Smiley with a "very unique pinning combination" for two.
Storm with a mule kick.
Storm attempts a piledriver, but doesn't hit it and Smiley gets a back bodydrop.
Storm with two two counts.
Storm locks on the Canadian Maple Leaf to get the submission.
Your Winner: Lance Storm.
Post-match, Storm refuses to let the Maple Leaf go until Meng comes out to help.
Storm begs off, then hits a superkick, which doesn't bother Meng at all.

So Meng's a monster, but not so much a monster that he can't job to A-WALL.

That match was a little off, but it would have been an excellent match back in the 50's. It was just more scientific than most matches.

Match #6: Bam Bam Bigelow vs. Crowbar

Bam Bam Bigelow once again walks the aisles of WCW and the world is just a little better for it.
Bigelow punishes Crowbar in the corner.
Bigelow hits clothesline.
Crowbar with a dive onto Bigelow on the outside.
Crowbar whips Bigelow into the safety rail.
Bigelow whips Crowbar into the safety rail.
Schiavone mentions that it looks as if Crowbar's wrist might be hurt and Madden makes light of it.
There will be a big announcement for Mayhem later on.
Crowbar hits a missile dropkick.
Crowbar with four Punches of Doom in the corner.
Bigelow signals for the Greetings from Asbury Park, but doesn't do it.
Crowbar hits a DDT variation for a two.
The match has progressed to the point where Tenay mentions that the longer the match goes, the more it favors Crowbar. The announcers seem to have run out of things to talk about.
Bigelow hits the Greetings from Asbury Park for the pin, so really it doesn't matter who has the advantage if the match goes long.
Your Winner: Bam Bam Bigelow.
At first the reports said that Bigelow was injured saving children from a fire. Then WCW magazine said it was just an Internet rumor that he was saving children. Now Madden alludes to the children thing again. The odd part about all this is that I read the children thing on WCW.com. Maybe they just need to ask Bigelow about it.

Mean Gene speaks to Booker T.

The Champ says he went to hell and back twice with Steiner this week.
Booker says that he doesn't deserve to be champion because he never pinned Big Poppa Pump.
Booker challenges Steiner to a rematch at Mayhem and even says Steiner can pick the stipulations.

Match #7: Jeff Jarrett & Vampiro vs. Mike Awesome & Sting

Jarrett comes down the aisle.
The Halloween Havoc replay is still available if anyone cares.
Jarrett complains about Ric Flair being CEO.
Jarrett names Ric Flair the new Jurassic Slapass.
Madden wonders where that will leave Mean Gene.
Schiavone announces that Goldberg will face the Total Package at Mayhem.
Jarrett will team with Vampiro tonight.
Mike Awesome makes his entrance.
Awesome's too good of a wrestler for this stupid gimmick. At first it was amusing, but now it gets in the way.
The announcers talk about the Vampiro/Awesome match on Sunday causing Schiavone to say "high spot."
Madden acts like he doesn't know what a high spot is.
Sting will come out after the break.

The local cable company shows an ad for Mayhem then they immediately play the same ad again as part of Thunder.

Sting is just coming out as we come back.
For the sake of all present at the arena, I hope Sting's lights weren't flashing during the whole commercial period.
They remind us that Thunder starts at a new time next week.
Vampiro starts out against Awesome.
Awesome dives on Awesome outside the ring.
Now Jarrett is in the ring with Sting. I don't think there was a tag, but I don't remember hearing the bell either.
Sting with all ten Punches of Doom on Jarrett.
Vampiro hits Sting from behind.
Awesome and Sting knock down Jarrett and Vampiro causing both heels to leave the ring for a breather.
Vampiro comes back against Sting, but Jarrett hits Sting from behind prior to the feeling out process.
Vampiro tags in Jarrett.
Sting misses a Stinger splash.
Vampiro tags in.
Vampiro blocks a splash and tags in Jarrett.
Jarrett hooks on a sleeper.
Sting lifts his hand on the third hand lift check.
Jarrett and Sting hit a clothesline at the same time.
Schiavone calls Sting the Franchise.

Makes more sense than calling Shane Douglas "The Franchise."

Awesome and Vampiro tag in.
Awesome with a wheelbarrow suplex.
Awesome hits a frog splash for two.
Awesome sets Vampiro up for a running Awesome bomb, but Jarrett has a guitar.
Sting taps Jarrett from behind with the bat, then Sting blocks the guitar shot with the bat.
Meanwhile, Awesome hits the running Awesome bomb for three.
Your Winners: Mike Awesome & Sting.
Post-match, Awesome celebrates.

The Good: The main event was excellent. I like the way they're pushing some of the underlooked talent like Mike Awesome.

The Bad: My man Lance Storm looked a little off tonight. It's not that he looked sloppy, it was just slow. In fact, Greg informed me that Storm apologized in advance for the match on his website. I hate seeing my favorites wrestle matches they aren't pleased with.

The Ugly: A-WALL vs. Meng.

Trivia Answer: Terry Taylor.

WCW Thunder - Wednesday, November 1, 2000

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