WCW Mayhem 2000 - Sunday, November 26, 2000

• Chris came down with the flu, so I'm a last-minute fill-in. Unfortunately, I wasn't prepped for the report, so this one will probably be somewhat brief. However, I hope you'll still find it satisfying and that I convey the essence of what goes on. If you aren't pleased with what I come up with, you can always ask for your money back.

• In the preview, the one significant story development was Booker T edging closer and closer towards heeldom, threatening to "punk Tenay out" when Booker T didn't like the line of questioning.

• We are live from Milwaukee for Mayhem.

• "Earlier today", we see Booker T signing autographs for the fans on the way in, and we see Scott Steiner destroying the security table when he was supposed to be signing into the building.
      

• Video packages.

• The announcing team will be "Our Patron Saint" Stevie Ray, Tony Schiavone and Mark Madden.

• We go to "Moments Ago", with CEO Ric Flair in the ring promising the fans a good show tonight.

• Match #1: World Cruiserweight Champion "Above Average" Mike Sanders vs. Kwee-Wee w/Paisley
  • Sanders has a mic and makes fun of the way Kwee-Wee is dressed and bee-yotch-slaps him.
  • Kwee-Wee becomes Angry Allen and pummels Sanders and eventually pitches him from the ring.
  • As Sanders regroups on the outside, the NBT come out.
  • While the ref is distracted, Jindrak hits Kwee-Wee with a clothesline.
  • The NBT pummel Kwee-Wee outside the ring and biel him from the floor into a powerslam by Sanders in the ring!
  • That brings out Meng, with Paisley with a HUGE afro (they were watching The Game Show Network in the back), and Meng takes on the entire NBT by himself.
    
  • That brings out Flair with security to get rid of all the extra characters.
  • Back to the ring, there's a match going on.
  • Sanders is choking Kwee-Wee on the ropes, into a snapmare, a kick, a knee to the head.
  • Two-count by Sanders.
  • Comeback by Kwee-Wee and a sunset flip for a two-count.
  • Sanders comes back with a Cobra Clutch.
  • Stevie Ray and Madden are arguing.
  • Kwee-Wee is taking apart Sanders in the meantime.
  • WOW! Kwee-Wee tries to sunset flip from the APRON, and Sanders headscissors Kwee-Wee.
  • Back in the ring, Paisley hits the double springboard elbow, and Kwee-Wee uses her afro wig as a foreign object.
  • Sanders comes back and hits Kwee-Wee with the 3.0 and gets the pin.
  • YOUR WINNER: Mike Sanders via pinfall.
      

• Post-match, Ric Flair is interviewed and says there will be no more interference tonight. Only wrestlers/managers/valets involved in the matches will be allowed on the floor.

• Disqo and Das Wunderweiner make a deal with Kronic for tonight's match. The Boogie Knights only have enough money to pay Kronik for 7½ minutes.

• Okerlund interviews Knoble and Karagias (get it?). Come to find out, Karagias played Knoble's sister in college.

• Crowbar is with two lovely ladies in the back. Someone "will be watching".

• Match #2: Two-Count vs. Jang and Kaz w/Leia Meow (w/very hot outfit) vs. Knoble and Karagias
  • Two-Count try singing and practically get booed out of the building.
  • Complete spot-fest with no psychology. Unfortunately, it's too fast to keep track of everything.
  • The most bizarre thing about this match is that, theoretically, there should be one man in every corner as there are supposed to be two legal men in the ring, but there are usually like two men from opposing teams in one corner.
  • As the match comes to a close, everyone starts hitting their respective finisher, and the cover is broken up by someone before the ref and count to three.
  • Train wreck outside the ring.
  • Leia Meow ditches the boots, and dives into the pile.
  • As the action goes back into the ring, a ladder miraculously appears from underneath the ring.
  • Big schmozz in the ring, and "Scott James" has lost control and lost track of the legal man.
  • Two-Count finally hit an airplane spin into a double neckbreaker for the pin on Yang.
  • YOUR WINNER: Two-Count via pinfall.
  • Lots of spots, lots of effort, but no psychology whatsoever.
      

• In the back Bigelow is standing over an already-laid-out Mike Awesome. A-Wall runs in to make the save. Presumably, A-Wall will wind up wrestling in place of Mike Awesome, who suffered a shoulder injury earlier this week.

• During a Pamela Paulshock interview, we are reminded that The Boogie Knights have Kronic's services tonight for exactly seven minutes and thirty seconds.

• Okerlund interviews Jimmy Hart, who's on crutches. Okerlund doubts the legitimacy of Hart's injury.

• The NBT are in disarray in the back.

• Match #3: Jimmy Hart vs. Mancow
  • Mancow grabs the mic and puts himself over. According to him, since this is a "non-sanctioned match", he is allowed to bring his entourage.
  • Hart comes out on crutches.
  • Hart attempts to beg off, and Mancow uses a bunch of topical political references in an attempt to be funny.
  • Hart hits Mancow with a crutch, entourage attacks Hart, Two-Count makes the save.
  • Lame match continues, Mancow removes the cast, and clotheslines Hart with it and gets the pin.
  • YOUR WINNER: Mancow via pinfall.
  • F*** you, WCW. ©
          

• Crowbar is with the medics in back, asking about the injury to Awesome.

• Flair wants a word with A-Wall.

• Lance Storm is talking to Bigelow.

• PP interviews Kidman, Misterio and Tygress.

• Match #4: WCW World Cruiserweight Champion Crowbar vs. Reno vs. Big Vito
  • Oddly enough, the referee calls for the bell before Crowbar gets introduced or comes out.
  • Typical slow-motion hardcore match.
  • The highpoint of the match is Vito going to work on both of his opponents with an obviously foam baseball bat.
  • Broomsticks, garbage can lids, traffic cone...etc.
  • Match is pretty even...Vito, if anyone, keeping most of the advantage.
  • And, as I type the previous line, Crowbar and Reno start teaming up on Vito.
  • Reno then starts going to work on both of them.
  • Reno and Vito start fighting their way to the back, behind the curtains. Hopefully, we'll see David Flair going for some fruit back there.
  • The three combatants continue to battle in the back.
  • Reno powerslams Vito through a buffet table. As Reno is about to continue the attack, Maria appears and tells Reno to leave Vito alone.
    
  • This allows Crowbar to chair Reno and pin him.
  • YOUR WINNER: Crowbar via pinfall on Reno.
    

• In the back, Bagwell's looking for the equipment truck.

• Nash and DDP are hanging out. Page "shoots" and tells us that SOL means "Shit out of luck".

• Okerlund interviews The Cat and Miss Jones. The Cat says that if he loses, he'll kiss someone's (Madden's?) dirty feet and leave the country for thirty days.

• Match #5: Alex Wright and The APA Kronik w/Disqo Inferno vs. Kidman and Misterio w/Tygress in a handicap match.
  • Basic Gist: Kronik takes Ricky Morton Rey Misterio apart, with Alex Wright tagging in at opportune moments when Misterio is down.
  • And, the big "surprise" ending...at the seven-and-a-half-minute mark, Kronik leaves and Kidman and Misterio go to work on Wright...including the Bronco Buster.
  • Wright makes a comeback against the two of them until Kidman hits a sitdown powerbomb and Kidman and Misterio hit the Nutcracker Suite.
  • YOUR WINNER: Kidman and Misterio via pinfall.
      

• The NBT are going to take care of business.

• Okerlund interviews Big Poppa Pump and Midajah.

• Match #6: Shane Douglas w/Torrie Wilson vs. The Cat w/Ms. Jones
  • The announcers say that Awesome has been taken to the hospital.
  • Does anyone know what Ms. Jones' background is? Let me know.
  • The Cat goes right to work on Douglas.
  • Outside the ring, Douglas grabs Ms. Jones, and she kicks him in the face.
  • Outside the ring, Cat slams Douglas into the announce table, and Cat attacks Madden.
  • Back in the ring, Cat is distracted by Torrie, and Douglas goes to work.
  • Douglas starts to dismantle Cat, but Cat makes a comeback.
  • Douglas methodically goes to work on the Cat...the Cat keeps making comebacks, but Douglas' experience keeps coming through.
    
  • Hey...the Cat is wrestling barefoot. Does he always do that?
  • The Cat hits the Feliner, but waits too long to go for the cover and only gets two.
  • Torrie goes after Ms. Jones, and Ms. Jones proceeds to freakin' destroy Torrie.
  • While all this is going on, Douglas gets the chain out of his trunks.
  • Douglas nails Cat and tosses the chain to Torrie, goes for the cover, but Cat has a foot on the ropes.
  • While Douglas complains to the referee, Cat schoolboys Douglas for two.
  • Moves are exchanged, and Ms. Jones puts the red shoe on The Cat.
  • Meanwhile, Torrie tosses the chain back to Douglas, but she tosses it too high.
  • Cat nails Douglas with the red shoe and gets the pin.
  • YOUR WINNER: The Cat via pinfall.
      

• Backstage, Jarrett finds all of his guitars destroyed. The crew tells Jarrett that Buff did it.

• PP interviews the MIA. Rection says he is taking no prisoners.

• Oh...my...God!!! A "Blood Runs Colder" promo for Glacier, with a "Glacier Returns To WCW" graphic. All three announcers start screaming in agony, and then start burying Glacier. Pretty funny, actually.

• Match #7: Bam Bam Bigelow vs. Mike Awesome
  • Bigelow says that since Awesome went to the hospital, Bigelow wins by forfeit.
  • Flair's music plays, and he comes out and says Bigelow has to earn his money tonight. That brings out A-Wall.
  • Punch, club, punch, club.
  • It's like two drunk fat guys duking it out at a Labor Day picnic.
  • Finally, A-Wall reverses the Greetings From Asbury Park into a set up for a Scorpion Death Drop, and A-Wall supposedly delivers a heart punch, putting Bigelow down.
  • A-Wall brings in a table. No DQ from the ref, of course.
  • A-Wall goes to put Bigelow through the table, but Bigelow turns it into the Greetings from Asbury Park, hitting it (A-Wall's head was about a foot away from hitting the mat) and getting the pinfall.
  • YOUR WINNER: Bam Bam Bigelow via pinfall.
  • Bigelow seems to be hurt after the match. The EMTs come out.
    

• Okerlund interviews Bagwell, who talks about his "cervical dick...disk". His lack of concern for Bigelow was distressing.

• Back into the ring, they are administering oxygen to Bigelow. Bigelow is moving, which is a good sign.
  

• Match #8: WCW U.S. Heavyweight Champion Lance Storm w/Major Gunns vs. General Rection
  • As mentioned about 100 times during the broadcast thus far, this will be the last U.S. Title match between these two combatants.
  • Lance does his mic work, and the anthem plays.
    
  • As Rection comes to the ring, Bigelow jumps off the gurney and attacks Rection. HAH!!!
    • I don't know about you, but I had forgotten about Storm's conversation with Bigelow earlier. Also, I guess the fact that the "EMTs" tending to Bigelow were the same ones "tending to" Awesome...several hours earlier, probably.
  • [Bill's computer crashes]
  • Great, my computer crashes during what will probably be the best match of the night.
  • Long story short, Storm controls most of the match, Rection gets busted open, Rection sets up for the moonsault and Gunns knocks him off, Rection hits it on the second attempt and gets the clean pin.
  • YOUR WINNER: Rection via pinfall. He is your new WCW U.S. Heavyweight Champion.
        

• Sanders tells Dellinger to send WCW Security home, as the NBT will handle security for the rest of the evening.

• Starrcade promo.

• Match #9: Jeff Jarrett vs. Buff Bagwell
  • Jarrett starts off with the mic, and says that Bagwell's plan won't work, as he (Jarrett) is always prepared. In a funny miscue, Jarrett refers to himself as a "stupidstar". Heh.
  • Jarrett and Bagwell trade their standard moves in the ring.
  • Outside the ring, Bagwell hits Jarrett with a fan's foam guitar, and Bagwell chokes Jarrett with a microphone cord until Jarrett hits a back kick to the jimmy.
  • Jarrett works on Bagwell with a chair outside the ring.
  • Back in the ring, Jarrett continues the punishment.
  • Jarrett continues working on Bagwell's bad neck.
  • Jarrett with a sleeper.
  • Two arm drops, but not a third.
  • Bagwell returns the favor with a sleeper of his own, but Jarrett turns it into a belly-to-back suplex.
  • Bagwell gets a foot up on a fistdrop attempt by Jarrett.
  • Jarrett gets crotched.
  • Lariats by Bagwell.
  • Double-arm DDT by Bagwell.
  • Bagwell sets up for the Buff Blockbuster.
  • Bagwell completely misses when Jarrett ducks! I don't think I've even seen Bagwell completely miss the Blockbuster before.
  • Crowd: "Jarrett sucks!"
  • Jarrett eats foot on a charge, and Bagwell hits a Tornado DDT. New move for him, I think. Two-count only.
  • Ref bump and Bagwell gets pitched from the ring.
  • Jarrett gets a chair in the ring, and David Flair runs in and DDTs Jarrett on the chair. (Uh, I thought there wasn't going to be any interference tonight.)
  • Bagwell crawls in and gets a two-count only.
  • Bagwell goes for another Blockbuster, Jarrett ducks, so Bagwell hits a flying body press instead. Jarrett rolls through on it, grabs the tights, but only gets 2½.
  • Bagwell hits a Scorpion Death Drop. Another two-count.
  • Missed flying body press sends Jarrett out of the ring, where he finds a gee-tar conveniently under the ring.
  • He nails Bagwell with the guitar and gets the pin.
  • YOUR WINNER: Jeff Jarrett via pinfall.
      

• Page/Nash vs. NBT video package.

• Match #10: WCW World Tag Team Champions The Perfect Event vs. "Diamond" Dallas Page and "Big Lazy" Kevin Nash
  • Sanders joins the announce table.
  • Contrary to what I expected, Nash and Page come out first. I figured their egos would have caused them to send out the champions first.
  • The Perfect Event comes out with the rest of the NBT...Sanders says that the NBT can be out here even with Flair's ruling, because they are now official security.
  • Nash vs. Palumbo to start. Nash goes for a powerbomb five seconds into the match...just when you thought he couldn't get any lazier.
  • Palumbo and Nash start really mixing it up with punches in a nice exchange.
  • And, to ruin my good mood, Nash hits the framed elbow.
  • Snake Eyes by Nash.
  • Bossman Splash by Nash, but Nash gets nailed by Stasiak.
  • Page clotheslines Palumbo out of the ring, and almost breaks Palumbo's nose in the process.
  • The NBT start hitting the ring, being fought off by Page and Nash. This brings out Flair and Dellinger to take the NBT to the back. Dellinger and Company can't take Sanders out, as he displays his official manager's license.
  • Back to two-on-two.
    • Isn't it interesting how there is always something to make it so Nash does as little work as possible?
  • NBT double-team Nash.
  • Stasiak hits a swank DDT and neckbreaker on Page.
  • Double slingshot suplex on Page by The Perfect Event.
  • Page hits a desperation discus lariat on Palumbo, but Stasiak makes the save.
  • Page goes for a sunset flip, and Page pulls Stasiak's tights down in the back.
  • The Perfect Event keep working on Page.
    • How much is Nash making for this?
  • Palumbo and Stasiak are doing a great job of "cutting the ring in half" at this point, at one point stopping Page from getting across the ring by drop-toe-holding him.
  • Page finally makes the tag, but the ref misses it. You know, if Nash just walked around to the other side of the corner...
  • Page finally gets Palumbo down, and they're both down.
  • Nash finally gets the hot tag.
  • Side suplexes by Nash.
  • Big foots by Nash.
  • Jackknife powerbomb on Stasiak by Nash, diamond cutter on Palumbo by Page.
  • The ref counts and Sanders pulls the ref out at the last moment.
  • Diamond cutter on Sanders outside the ring by Page.
  • The ref rolls back in and counts again, this time making it to three.
    
  • YOUR WINNER: "Diamond" Dallas Page and Kevin Nash via pinfall to become the new WCW World Tag Team Champions.
    
        

• PP interviews Luger. Luger insults PP and says he is going to win.

• Luger/Goldberg video package.

• Match #11: Goldberg vs. "The Total Package" Lex Luger
  • Buffer introduces the main event. They must have had to get Buffer to get Luger to agree to do the job.
  • You can always tell by the pissed-off look on Luger's face when he has to job.
    • I first noticed this when he had to job to Bagwell a couple years ago on a PPV.
  • Goldberg with the usual entrance.
  • Goldberg with "full armdrag and twist", and Luger goes to the ropes. (I think it was an armwringer, actually.)
  • Lockup, more armwringers, suplex by Luger which Goldberg no-sells.
  • Luger pokes Goldberg in the eye, clothesline by Luger. Punches in the corner.
  • Goldberg pops right back up and starts clubbering Luger in the corner.
  • Goldberg whips Luger into the corner, but Goldberg runs into a boot.
  • Luger with a clothesline to send Goldberg out of the ring.
  • Luger goes to work on Goldberg outside.
  • Luger tosses Goldberg back in.
  • Luger continues to work on Goldberg's back.
  • Goldberg reverses a whip into a powerslam and punches to the head on Luger.
  • Goldberg sets up for the spear on Luger, and Luger pulls Mickey J. in front to eat half the spear.
    
  • Goldberg jackhammers Luger and another ref counts the pinfall.
  • YOUR WINNER: Goldberg via pinfall.
  • Huh...Luger didn't do a clean job. What a shocker.
    

• Booker T/BPP video package.

• Match #12: WCW World Heavyweight Champion Booker T vs. Scott Steiner w/Midajah w/Lead Pipe in a cage/straightjacket match
  • Steiner attacks as soon as Booker T enters the cage, and the two start fighting it out outside the ring.
  • Booker T chases Midajah around the ring, and goes back to work on Steiner.
    • Since when are managers allowed inside the cage for a cage match? Doesn't that defeat some of the purpose?
  • In the ring, Steiner goes to work on Booker T, but eventually eats a boot.
  • Harlem Side Kick by Booker T. Two-count.
  • Steiner blocks a vertical suplex twice and crotches Booker T on the top rope.
    • When was the last time you saw a heel block a vertical suplex?
  • Booker T is sent into the cage.
  • Steiner with the elbow and some push ups.
  • Steiner with a side backbreaker.
  • Kick by Steiner. More kicks.
  • Punches and reverse knife edges by Steiner in the corner.
  • Belly-to-belly suplex by Steiner.
  • Surfboard by Steiner.
    
  • Booker T catches the leg, looks to the fans, and gets clotheslined by Steiner.
  • Belly-to-back suplex by Steiner from the top rope.
  • Bear hug by Steiner. Booker T tries to fight his way out, and Steiner atomic drops and clotheslines him.
  • Kick and running elbow by Booker T.
  • Booker T hits a missile dropkick. Two-count only.
  • Booker T goes for the straightjacket, but Steiner drops him on his head.
  • Steiner gets the straightjacket and Booker T returns the favor.
  • Harlem Side Kick by Booker T.
  • Booker T could pin Steiner, but he's trying to put the straightjacket on Steiner. The announcers are playing it up as a huge mistake to not go for the pin, and the straightjacket is just serving to distract Booker T. I would agree with them.
  • Booker T's got Steiner partially in the jacket, and he waffles Steiner with a steel chair twice.
  • Steiner proceeds to rip the straightjacket off himself, and he hits Booker with a big clothesline.
  • Steiner puts on the Steiner Recliner, but Booker T gets to the ropes.
    
  • Over-the-head suplex by Steiner.
  • Steiner comes off the top, but Booker catches him in the Bookend. Two-count only!
  • Kicks and clotheslines by Booker T. Another two-count and a kick out with authority.
  • Axe kick by Booker T!
  • Steiner crawls over to the chair.
  • Spinerooni, and Steiner whallops Booker T with the chair.
  • Full nelson slam by Steiner.
  • Steiner Recliner!! Booker T. is out!!! Scott Steiner is the new WCW World Heavyweight Champion!!!!
    
  • YOUR WINNER: Scott Steiner via submission to become the new WCW World Heavyweight Champion.
    
  • Wow...no outside interference whatsoever. Not a scientific contest by any means, but it was exactly what it was sold as...two guys who hate each other trying to kill each other. It ruled.
          
  • Steiner starts slamming the chair repeatedly on Booker T's legs.
  • The referees attempt to stop him, and Steiner waffles referee Mark Johnson. As the broadcast fades, Steiner's still working on the knee.

• And, on a comical note, this is the graphic that stays on the screen after the show as we await the replay.
  

• The Good: The Booker T/Steiner match was great. In my humble opinion, it had all the elements.

• The Bad: My computer crapping out during the Rection/Storm match.

• The Ugly: Mancow. I wouldn't even want to see a "radio personality" that I knew and his entourage in the wrestling ring. So, why put one in there that I lot of us couldn't even care less about? That truly sucked.

Paul sends the following arena report:

Hello! Just got back from Milwaukee, where I saw Mayhem. Since I enjoy your site so much, thought I'd fill you in on what you didn't see: not much.

Flair came out before it started, thanked us all for coming, and promised that they were going to put on the best show they could, and that they were going to try to keep improving with time. In other words: "We know we've sucked lately, thanks for sticking with us". We thought that was pretty cool.

The crowd was nowhere near the capacity crowd they claimed, but there was a pretty good crowd. It was dead for the early matches, but Hugh Morrus got a really good reaction when he won the belt back. Surprisingly, the Hart/Mancow crapfest got a great reaction from the crowd. Apparently, Mancow is really popular in Milwaukee. I think thats the only reason they did it, was to get the live crowd fired up. The crowd was REALLY behind Steiner, to our surprise.

The only other thing to note was that the crowd was really confused about the whole Bam Bam Bigelow injury, since we had no commentating to help us out, and from where we were sitting, we couldn't see Bigelow get up and attack Morrus at first. Oh, the live crowd was as mortified by the Glacier thing as everyone else. Nothing happened once the cameras went off.