Death of WCW Part 1

Join Mr. Beverly Hills and the Dirty Dawg Darsie of Main Event Status Radio as they find their “new office” in the CNN Towers as they start of the Death of WCW series by reviewing chapter one by RD Reynolds and Bryan Alvarez, the 1988-1996 years!

Some of the things the dudes talked about was how WCW tried to rewrite history and tie themselves to the National Wrestling Association and the National Wrestling Alliance, the Jim Herd days, what Kip Frey did to try to turn WCW around, the start of the Monday Night Wars, bringing in your buddies with Hulk Hogan, Ole Anderson, and Dusty Rhodes, and so much more!


Death of WCW Part 1

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Could the WWE Network Devalue the WWE World Heavyweight Championship?

Could the WWE Network Devalue the WWE World Heavyweight Championship?

By Eric Darsie

One of the biggest moves the WWE has made in the last decade has to be creating the WWE Network. On the opening day, I subscribed to the Network, excited to watch older pay-per-views from World Championship Wrestling and from mid-90s World Wrestling Federation. Another thing I’m thrilled about being a subscriber to the WWE Network is getting the current pay-per-views for free (technically it’s included with the $9.99 a month).

The pay-per-view name is starting to be phased out and the term “special events” are being used over the traditional pay-per-view name, since cable providers aren’t carrying the cards as pay-per-views anymore. After WrestleMania XXX, I’m starting to be concerned with how these “special events” will be booked.

First off, I find the “special events” name to be silly because I grew up with the pay-per-view name and loved the “supercard” name that was thrown around whenever I watched 80s WCW or WWF television. Whenever there’s a title match on Monday Night Raw or Friday Night SmackDown, those matches should be seen as something special, because it’s not usual to see championship brawls on television.

I feel if WWE booked these “special events” like they did for traditional pay-per-views or old Saturday Night’s Main Events, current fans and old-school fans who bought the Network off of the classic programming would tune in to watch the monthly “supercard.”

But with how the booking, in my opinion, hasn’t been as good as it once was over a decade ago, I’ve been in-and-out interested on the current product the last five or so years, depending on what storylines are a-happenin’ on the television every week. The Shawn Michaels-Chris Jericho feud from 2008, or the 400+ day WWE title reign of CM Punk, or the rise of Daniel Bryan and the Yes Movement, feuds and storylines like such are a few things that peaked my interest in WWE since WrestleMania XXV.

Secondly, and the biggest problem I have with the WWE Network is the WWE World Heavyweight Championship being devalued with the “special events.” The reason why I’m concerned that the WWE World Heavyweight title will be devalued is I’m concerned that the WWE Creative Team would consider the “special events” as an extension of Raw’s and SmackDown’s that they write for every week. Since the buyrate of the pay-per-view doesn’t matter anymore, why should they build-up storylines and have them climax once a month or why should they book a storyline that ends with a plot twist or an ending to the story once a month?

I am sure I am overreacting on my concern, since WrestleMania XXX was the only pay-per-view to be offered on the Network and only way we would know the pay-per-views/“special events” are simply an extension to weekly television once a month is waiting for WrestleMania 31 and see how things were booked between WrestleMania’s, but I feel like this is something that should be a concern for WWE and for the fan of the WWE product.

What would I suggest WWE Creative to do with my concern? I hope they prove me wrong by booking these Network pay-per-views like they had before when they were still offered on cable providers and deliver on the “special events,” making people want to turn into Raw every Monday night and SmackDown every Friday night and keep subscribing to the Network for they can continue watching to see what’s next for the following “special event.”

Yes, I am saying the Creative Team inside the WWE should do what they’re hired to do and give us angles and storylines that brings us back every week and give us a reason (or better yet, reasons) to give up our hard earned money to see what they have next week-in-and-week-out, and more yet, month-in-and-month-out. I guess, in the end, I don’t have much faith in the WWE Creative Team. They have put on awesome shows the last three months with the Royal Rumble, Elimination Chamber, and WrestleMania. The build for Evolution versus the Shield for Extreme Rules. The beat-down that Kane gave to WWE World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan on Raw on Monday, April 21st.

I am looking forward to seeing how the six-man tag match will climax at the Extreme Rules pay-per-view and I am excited to see how Daniel Bryan retains the WWE World Heavyweight strap in a Extreme Rules match against the Big Red Machine. I hope the Creative Team keeps this trend up because if they do, my faith will be built back up in them and they’ll bring me back into the current product.

So, could the WWE Network devalue the WWE World Heavyweight Championship? As a whole, I don’t think so. But the Creative Team can by how they book pay-per-views. That’s with any champion and any era. I feel like the WWE Network could help bring value back to the WWE World Heavyweight title, and any other title the Creative decides to put value back in. Like said above, I hope the Creative Team keeps up with how they’ve been booking feuds and storylines so far this year, things are slowly starting to look positive.

WCW Starrcade 1993

WCW Starracde 1993 Review

28_Ric-Flair-Starrcade-93_articleMonday, December 27th, 1993 – Independence Arena – Charlotte, North Carolina – A show that I used to rent a lot when I was younger, I wanted to review was this very show, World Championship Wrestling’s Starrcade 1993!  Starrcade 1993 was tenth anniversary of WCW’s WrestleMania and what better way than put the biggest star in the main event in his home town?  Let’s get into the tape!

A piano music track plays when the pay-per-view opens, showing up the history of Ric Flair, the challenger in the main event of the card. Then we see the WCW Champion, Vader, with some heavy metal rifts. Pyro goes off and our announcers welcomes us to the show, Tony Schiavone and Jesse Ventura! To my surprise, “the Body” Ventura’s in a suit! Looking pretty good for the future Minnesota Governor!

Tony and Jesse show us a video of Vader and his manager Harley Race making it early to the arena to train. Vader’s is in a awesome leather jacket and sweat pants and Race is in a suit. I guess it’s a good thing McMahon wasn’t booking WCW in 1993, if so, Vader may have been fired for being the World Heavyweight Champion and not wearing a suit.

When the show opened, Ric Flair hasn’t arrived at the arena. “Mean” Gene Okerlund was sent to “the Nature Boy”’s home to get him (pretty much) and Flair was telling his family “goodbye’s” with a side of hugs and kisses. A babyface Flair is always a great thing in my eyes.

The main event sees Ric Flair putting his career on the line for Vader’s WCW World Heavyweight Championship. Okerlund put that over with Flair on their limo ride over and Flair’s pretty calm, telling “Mean” Gene that he knew what he was getting into when he signed the contract for the card.

2 Cold Scorpio & Marcus Bagwell (with Teddy Long) versus Pretty Wonderful (Paul Orndorff & Paul Roma) (with the Assassin)

After Scorpio and Bagwell got into the ring with Teddy Long, Long was given the 1993 WCW manager of the Year award. Great work, playa, I’m hoping you’ll get the 2012 WWE General Manager’s Assistant award.

When Pretty Wonderful entered the ring, the four men started to brawl, not starting the match until referee Nick Patrick can gain control of the competitors.

One thing I appreciate about the two teams in this match is, each guy has matching attire to his tag partner. Scorpio and Bagwell are wearing bright orange and black full tights and Pretty Wonderful are wearing black trunks with words written in red on the back. Matching team attires are always a must in tag team competition!

The crowd seemed pretty into Orndorff and Roma, chanting “Paula!” at Roma, I’m assuming to give him a hard time for having a girl’s first name. Reading his body language whenever the crowd chant it, I can’t blame him for hating his name.

Off and on the crowd’s pretty quiet for this match and at times they’re into the match. More times than not they’re quiet. I have to say not the greatest way to open the card this Monday night before 1994.

The end of the match seen Teddy Long distracting Nick Patrick, allowing the Assassin to put something in his mask, headbutting Scorpio, and Mr. Wonderful picking up the pinfall!

Winners: Pretty Wonderful with a wonderful victory!

We go back to the limo ride with Okerlund and Flair seems un-Flair like they put over that this very December night in 1993 could be the last time we see “the Nature Boy” in a professional wrestling match. I have a feeling that this might be Ric Flair’s last match (of course, adding in scarcasm with that sentence).

Awesome Kong (with King Kong) versus the Shockmaster

A big man versus another big man match, which means we’ll see a lot of high-flying and a lot of techincal wrestling for this match! Yes!

When the Shockmaster got in the ring, King Kong and Awesome Kong attacked the Shockmaster. A few minutes passed and Randy Anderson gained control of the match and forced the one-on-one rules. Thanks Randy Anderson!

The match was a short-match, around ninty seconds. Big body slam was how it ended.

Winner: the Shockmaster and the Natural Disasters for a huge earthquake happened after the body slam.

We go back and see Ric Flair and Gene Okerlund arrive at the arena and a faint “Wooooo!” from the fans. “Mean” Gene told Ric “good luck” with his main event match.

WCW World Television Championship match :: 15-minute time limit :: Ricky “the Dragon” Steamboat versus Lord Steven Regal (champion) (with Sir William)

I remembered that for most of his career, William Regal wrestled under the first name of Steven. Both first names sounds classy, especially how good of a wrestler Regal is, and how well he comes across, he’s a great heel.

Nick Patrick is back and shows the belt to Steamboat and Steamboat shows off the belt, and the fans cheer. Patrick grabs the title back and shows off the belt and the bell rings.

Ventura tells us that being the challenger in the time-limit championship match, he has to be the aggressor if he wants to capture the belt. Thanks Jesse for the proverb!

The match is very slow paced with a lot of holds. For a wrestling fan like I who’s a smark, I appreciate the technical wrestling and appreciate European chain wrestling. Story-telling at it’s finest whenever Steven Regal’s showing off his technical skills.

Ventura was mentioning that Steamboat needs to pick up the pace if he wants to win the match and capture the Television title from Regal. Can’t argue with “the Body” with that statement, you have two people to beat in the TV title bouts, the champion and the clock.

When Gary Michael Cappetta (the ring announcer) announced that there was three minutes left in the match, Steamboat started to pick the pace up, trying to ware Regal down more to capture the Television gold. Come on Steamboat!

After each minute, the fans get more into the match when Cappetta announces that another minute goes and the pace picks up in the ring. The crowd cheers when Steamboat flew off the top rope when Cappetta counts down the last ten-seconds. Sorry Ricky “the Dragon,” you didn’t win the gold on this December night.

Winner: the time limit yet the smarks are the real winners.

Schiavone and Ventura talks more about the WCW Title main event and Tony tells Jesse that he’s concerned for Flair, that he might retire tonight. Ventura mentions that retirement isn’t as bad as people think it is, heck, Ventura mentioned, look at him, he became a successful color-commentator, Flair can strive to be like Jesse after he lost to Vader.

Tex Slazenger & Shanghai Pierce versus Cactus Jack & Maxx Payne

I just relized, Tex Slazenger would finish 1990’s in the WWE as Mideon! I never knew Mideon wrestled in WCW, especially when Mick Foley was there in the early ’90’s!

Schiavone and Ventura tells us a 1993 history lesson where on a Saturday Night taping in April, Vader put Cactus Jack out of action and Ventura helped Jack onto a streacher and, according to Schiavone and Ventura, no one thought he’d come back. Vader must of put a huge beating down on Cactus for the announcers to think that.

For the size of the guys in the match, I’m not surprised that the crowd isn’t into the match, unless Cactus does his signature moves. Along with that, I’m not surprised these four men aren’t any good in the techical skills, but that’s okay, right? Everyone has to wrestle a different kind of story, but the only thing bad about this match is, the crowd seems to not care for the match.

The match ends when Cactus hit the double arm DDT for the win.

Winners: Cactus Jack and Maxx Payne! I suppose as well as Cactus’ cacti ights.

“Mean” Gene Okerlund welcomed Kyle Petty, a NASCAR driver back in ’93, and interviewed him on the “Mean Gene” position. Okerlund asked him about retirement because Petty’s father retired recently. Petty said that it’s a shame if someone has to retire at the top of their game and hopes that Flair doesn’t have to retire during his prime.

WCW United States Championship match :: Two-Out-of-Three Falls match :: “Stunning” Steve Austin (with Col. Robert Parker) versus “the Natural” Dustin Rhodes (champion)

I watched the WWE Fully Loaded 1998 pay-per-view last weekend and the WWE Intercontinental title was also in a two-out-of-three falls and both Triple H and the Rock went to the full time limit. I hope, for a second weekend, I don’t see another draw (especially when we seen a draw already on this very card).

Both Rhodes and Austin do a lot of ground-chain wrestling, which is great to see. I wish the fans at the arena in 1993 and fans in 2012 would appreciate seeing chain wrestling, as well as technical wrestling. Wrestlers nowadays aren’t anything like they were during this time period.

A funny conversation that Ventura and Schiavone were discussing Parker’s cigars. Ventura questioned Schiavone, wondering why Col. Parker’s cigars are never lit when he’s ringside and having one in his mouth. They talked some politics, which doesn’t surprise me coming from one of my Governors.

Rhodes had a taped right fist for the matched and the announcers kept mentioning it and Ventura, as usual, questions why Rhodes has to have a taped fist. I think that’s a conspiracy Jesse!

Austin went for an easy cover, not hooking a leg or anything, and got a two count. Ventura mentioned that if he would of hooked a leg or the head or a half nelson, he would of picked up the first fall. I can see Ventura’s logic, if he would of hooked something, he’d have a better chance of scoring a fall, but not necessary that fall.

Col. Parker jumped up on the apron to distract Rhodes and Rhodes threw Austin into him, giving Austin the first fall. How? During this time in WCW, if you tossed someone outside the ring, that’s a disqualification.

Austin – 1

Rhodes – 0

Those two men brawled outside the ring and Rhodes left Austin in a pool of beaten mess. Rhodes threw him into the ring to start the second fall and when this happened, the lights went out and the crew had to pull out some spot lights for the match. During this time, Austin’s been busted wide open.

Austin was being pumpled in the corner and pushed Rhodes off and covered him, grabbed the tights, and picked up the second fall.

Austin – 2

Rhodes – 0

The announcers were surprised that Austin won two straight falls.

Winner: Steve Austin and the disqualification rule that WCW had in place. Thanks!

The British Bulldog was suppose to be Rick Rude’s challenger for the WCW International title but couldn’t compete, so the Boss was bumped into the Bulldog’s spot. I find that funny cause of the whole UFC 151 situation that went down recently. I guess Dana White didn’t watch much of WCW in 1993, or he didn’t take any notes.

WCW International Heavyweight Championship match :: the Boss versus Rick Rude (champion)

When the Boss was coming out, Schiavone said, “He’s one big guy.”

“With one big stick!” Ventura mentioned. That made me laugh, thinking of how dirty that comment is that Jesse “the Body” uttered.

Rick Rude did his pre-match pose down and before he posed, he grabbed the mic and told the fans that he’s the “Undisputed World Heavyweight Champion!” To be honest, I would love if he, in his prime, could face Chris Jericho during his prime. They would have had great promos with one another and would have had great matches too.

A fun fact: the Boss in WCW did the same character the Big Bossman played in the WWF. Oh wait, the Boss is the Big Bossman! Go Bossman! Win the WCW International title!

An odd note I picked up on for this match: the Boss was portrayed to be the babyface and wore black for this match and Rude is the heel and has the colorful tights.

Ventura mentioned Rick Rude’s history before wrestling, being a tough man bouncer in bars in Robbinsdale, Minnesota, before becoming pro. He also is undefeated, to what Jesse knows, at arm wrestling, and that’s a tough thing to do in arm wrestling in Minnesota bars.

Boss is one of the better big men wrestlers and Rick Rude is known for putting on great matches with guys who aren’t the greatest wrestlers, yet this match isn’t the best. It could be the quiet crowd, but I feel like the Boss and Rude don’t have any chemistry together in the squared circle.

Both the champion and challenger got into the center of the ring and the challenger locked in a bear hug. Rude got out of the hug by biting the Boss’s nose. Minnesotans always fight dirty!

After a mistake by the Boss and a sunset flip, Rude retains the title after scoring the pin!

Winner: Ravishing Rick Rude and the whole state of Minnesota!

He’s simply ravishing with that victory!

World Tag Team Championship Match :: Sting and Road Warrior Hawk versus the Nasty Boys (champions – Missy Hyatt)

When Sting and Hawk came out, Ventura and Schiavone put over odd team, saying that the only way they’ll lose is if they defeat themselves.

After the bell rang, the Nasty Boys were taunting the fans and the crowd was booing and Schiavone got after the champions, and Ventura got after Tony, asking him if he expected anything different.  One thing I love about watching old tapes, having Jesse Ventura on color commentary, since he called it the way I often see it whenever I watch the old tapes.

For the start of the match, both teams kept the pace pretty slow.  Knowing the Nasty Boys and knowing Hawk, those three men are brawlers and their fights don’t last too long, so milking the crowd for as long as they can, I have to give them props.

Several minutes into the match, the crowd didn’t seem too interested into what the four competitors were doing in the ring.  To be honest, I really can’t blame them.  This being the seventh match in, the crowd didn’t seem to care much on what’s going on.  Maybe bad placement for the match?  I believe so.

The crowd seemed to get into the match when on the floor; Missy Hyatt smacked Hawk with her whip.  Ventura and Schiavone seem to get excited when she used it, as with the fans.

When Knobs had Hawk in a rest hold and Hawk slapped the man, trying to get the fans to cheer him into countering the hold, no one cared.  Wow, was the crowd that burnt out, or did they simply not care for the match?

A spot that got the fans into the match was when the Nasty Boys, along with the beautiful Missy Hyatt, tried to walk out and get a count-out loss, but the challengers ran out and brought them back to the ring.  Smart thinking on both teams.  If I were a wrestler, that’s how I try ending each match, if I can’t lose the title by being counted out, why not get counted out?

Each time I hear Gary Cappetta tell us how much time we have left for the time-limit title match, I couldn’t wait for the match to end, since I started to battle sleep half-way through this match.  I’m sorry, but these four men didn’t and couldn’t make me care for this match.

The match ended in a disqualification, meaning that the Nasty Boys retained the titles!  Thank you whoever had time limits in WCW back then, since this match was hard to keep paying attention during!

WCW World Heavyweight Championship :: Vader (champion – with Harley Race) versus Ric Flair

Vader came out first, which I found to be odd, but this being Ric Flair’s home town, I can handle the challenger coming out second.  After Vader and Race came to the ring, Vader walked over to Ventura and barked at him to get comfortable, since he’s about to give the challenger the beating of his lifetime!

When the challenger came to the ring, the crowd all jumped to their feet and remained on their feet during the introductions by Michael Buffer.

For the match, Vader put his championship up on the line if Ric Flair put his career on the line.  During this time, career stipulations were rarely done, so this seemed legit.

The first few minutes of the match were pretty slow, doing a slow build for the finish of the match.  Flair had Vader chase him around the outside the ring, which the crowd ate up.  Once both men got into the ring, Vader got the upper-hand on Flair, making sure the fans were sitting on the edge of their seats.

One thing I love about Vader during this time was whenever he had the advantage, he’d yell at the fans.  At Starrcade 1993, he often yell at the fans, asking them, “Who’s the man?”  Yes Vader, walking into Starrcade, you’re the man!

A mistake that the champion took that got the fans to cheer was when Vader stood on the bottom rope and tried to splash the challenger.  A bad landing for the champion when Ric Flair rolled out of the way, causing Vader to eat canvas, to the cheers of the hometown crowd.

Within moments, Vader got the upper hand again and when Vader had Flair on his shoulder, the champion yelled at the crowd, “Huh?,” waiting for them to boo him out of the building.

When Cappetta announced that 15 minutes of this 45 minute match passed, it surprised me how well these two men paced this match better than the World Tag title match just before this.  It didn’t feel like 15 minutes and I wished this match could have gone longer.

The end of the match saw when Race tried to interfere by jumping off the top rope onto Flair, but Flair rolled out of the way and hit his own man, Vader.  Randy Anderson, the ref for the match, kicked him out of the ring and moments later, Flair rolled Vader up and scored the pinfall victory!

Winner: Ric Flair, the new World Heavyweight Champion!

tumblr_m98kkzO4rl1ql0k28o1_500Dave Meltzer said on January 3rd, 1994 edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (can be found here) that “Ric Flair’s 11th (or 10th, or 12th, depending on what you consider a world title and what you’re willing to accept and ignore when it comes to wrestling history) world title victory was easily the most memorable of all his title wins, and created a unique emotional moment almost foreign to American wrestling.

In what was easily the best job of build-up for a single match in the five-year history of WCW, Starrcade ’93, by virtue of a horrible situation that took place two months earlier in England, was switched from the planned Vader losing the WCW title to Sid Vicious, to Vader losing the title to Flair in a match where Flair put his career on the line.”

Meltzer also gave this match a four-and-three-quarter-star rating, which I cannot argue with.  I also wrote about this match at CamelClutchBlog[dot]Com (which can be found here).  A great match, but not so much for a whole show.  So if you can find the match (which shouldn’t be too hard to find), go out of your way and watch it if you hadn’t seen it before.  If you have a few hours and wanted to spend watching some old school wrestling, take time and watch it.

WWF Fully Loaded 2000

WWF Fully Loaded 2000 Review

By Dirty Dawg Darsie

Fully Loaded LogoSunday, July 23rd, 2000 – Reunion Arena – Dallas, Texas – A few months after WrestleMania 2000, we see the Rock defend the WWE Championship against a guy who won the WCW Championship in his last night in World Championship Wrestling (and never lost, by the way), along with two other main events for the evening, Kurt Angle and the Undertaker, and a Last Man Standing match with Chris Jericho and Triple H.  The Rock won the WWE title at the King of the Ring a month prior when he won it in a six-man tag team match against Triple H (former champion), Shane, and Vince McMahon.  The Rock’s tag partners were the Undertaker and Kane.

Jerry Lawler and Jim Ross are our English announcers!  Yes!  My favorite announce team!  I can’t wait to hear them call the next three hours of my life!

Six Person Intergender Tag Team Match: T&A and Trish Stratus versus the Hardy Boyz and Lita

One of few pay-per-views that we see T&A!  No, not Total Non-stop Action Wrestling Impact TNA, Test and Albert!  After T&A came out, we see a video of the build-up on how this match came to be.  The build-up was around Trish and Lita, so why not have those two have a women’s match?  Only guess I have is Trish wasn’t a women’s wrestler by this PPV.  At least we can see her now.

When the Hardyz and Lita came out, they got huge pops!  I wish those two men never got themselves in trouble with drugs and the law.  I wish Lita never did what she did with Edge, but at least that thing helped get Edge into the main event scene.  Talking about drugs, I wish Test never did drugs either.  He was a whole lot better when he was in WWE’s ECW brand before his sad passing.

One thing I fell in love with was Trish was tagged in and Matt Hardy rolled her up in a school boy and almost scored the victory, but he pinned her right by her corner, which gave T&A a chance to stop the count.  Lita was tagged in then Trish ran off like a little “coward” and both ladies tagged in their respected male partners.

Another thing that I often wonder about whenever I watch a Hardy Boys match is: why do Matt and Jeff always take their shirts off?  If they are gonna take their shirts off, why put them off for the match?  I understand the cheers when they take them off by the ladies but why a easy pop like that?  Can’t they get over by another way?

Test is very much underrated.  How?  He bumped greatly when Lita jumped off the top rope and gave him a Hurricranna.  Test gave her a Powerbomb and let Trish tag in and gave her the early version of the Stratusfaction Bulldog but only got a two-count!

The ladies fought some for a few more minutes, the men got involved, and Lita scored the victory with a moonsault.  Before the Hardy brothers and Lita had a chance to celebrate, Test, Albert, and Trish did a number on all three, continuing this feud.  The thing I didn’t want to see (or hear) was when Trish was whipping Lita with a leather belt.

Winners: Hardy brothers and girlfriend

Mick Foley, WWF Commissioner, was talking to some random person backstage and Edge came up and told him that Christian is sick and has food poisoning and Mick said he doesn’t believe him.  Mick said that he’ll send a doctor to see if his story is correct.

The Undertaker arrived on his bike and asked for Kurt Angle.  He spotted him and chased him down with his bike.  Thankful for our American Hero, Kurt found a kitchen and jumped a half-way, saving his body from the Dead Man.

Tazz versus Al Snow

Jim Ross told us that since Tazz came back from something (‘something’ wasn’t explained the greatest, or I didn’t catch it. Either way…) and had been attacking random superstars, taking his rage out on them.

After the match started, JR told us that Tazz is dangerous and was out due to a bicep injury.  I’m happy at least the reason came out on why Tazz was off television for a while (especially after being brought up and this match is only happening because Tazz was kicking booty and taking names).

The crowd wasn’t that into the match, which is hard for me to get into the match as well.  Bryan Alvarez from the Wrestling Observer website said on one of his podcast in the past month or so (as of me writing this) that one thing he takes into consideration in match quality is the crowd interaction.  If he was writing his newsletter back in 2000, I would look to see what he rated this match.  Sadly enough, he wasn’t writing his “Figure Four Weekly” newsletters back in 2000.

One thing I always enjoy about Tazz is the many number of suplexes he pulled out of his move-set.  That man is small is height but made up for it in suplexes and kicking butt.  Even now I wouldn’t want to encounter him in a dark alley.

Tazz locked in the Tazzmission and scored the victory.

Winner: Tazz

We go backstage “hearing” Christian puking in the toilet and Foley and a doctor came and checked him out.  The doc said that he doesn’t think Christian should compete.

Then we go backstage with Triple H and Stephanie cuddling on the couch.  Harvey Wippleman showed up with flowers.  Triple H questions Stephanie on where did she get these flowers.  Triple H thought it was from Chris Jericho.  Guess what?  It wasn’t from him but from Kurt Angle!

WWF European Championship match: Eddie Guerrero (champion) with Chyna versus Perry Saturn with Terri

Right before the bell, Chyna ran out and took out Saturn and chased down Terri.  Like a normal heel woman, Terri ran away from Chyna and high-tailed it.  In ways, I don’t blame her.  I would run away from Chyna if she came and chased me, even nowadays.

I agree with Jerry Lawler when he said that he thought the Radicalz were unstoppable.  I think it was stupid on breaking them up.  In my WWF Survivor Series 2000 review for Camel Clutch Blow (dot) com, I mentioned there that if booked right, the Radicalz could have been McMahon’s Four Horsemen (even the Horsemen of the 2000’s).

Random ponder: why is Latino Heat wrestling in a shirt?  Only reason I can think of is he wasn’t in as good of ring-shape as he would like.  Or could be a new shirt WWE put out of his and he’s trying to advertise.  I’m going with the first.

This match is a good match that got the crowd back into cheering and booing.  A good mixture of high paced action when Eddie was in control and slow paced when Saturn was in control of the match.

With Saturn taking out Chyna, Terri coming out and low blowing Guerrero, Saturn was able to pick up the victory on his former tag partner.

Winner: Perry Saturn, the new European Champion

We go backstage with Edge and Christian packing up and they saying they swerving Foley but Foley walked in and seen that he was faking his sickness and told them that they will defend their Tag Team championships later.

Michael Cole is backstage interviewing the Undertaker.  The Dead Man said that Kurt Angle will need a doctor to remove the Dead Man’s foot from his rear end.  We see Kurt trying to start Taker’s bike and Undertaker chased him off.

WWF Tag Team Championship match: Edge and Christian (champions) versus the APA

Edge grabbed a mic when they came out and ran down Dallas.  Right before Edge was able to announce that he and his brother were going to give us a five second pose, the APA came out because they were all out of beer.

I don’t know what’s worse for Christian…getting his butt grabbed by Bradshaw or being hit by a second-rope fallaway slam by Bradshaw.  Either way, both would hurt, a lot!

When Edge and Christian were in control of the match, the crowd was chanting “USA! USA!”  Great way for guys who aren’t from the country to make shots at us, to get cheap heel heat.  I’m happy that not many heels take jabs at towns they’re wrestling in anymore because this does get old though, rather fast.

Edge got himself disqualified when Ron Simmons had Christian beat and hit him with one of the tag title belts.

Winners: APA by disqualification

We go to the WWE’s old restaurant, the WWF New York, seeing the Big Boss Man questioning fans if they’re old enough to drink beer and he’ll kick them out.

We go back live to Dallas and see Triple H and Stephanie back in their locker room with Triple H pissed off, saying that he has enough on his plate with Chris Jericho and their match and now has to deal with Kurt Angle sending his wife flowers.  Steph told her husband that if has a problem with Angle sending her flowers, he should go ask her why he’s sending his wife flowers.

Next thing we see was Angle still running from the Undertaker and Taker got tired of chasing Angle and Angle sneak attacked him with a huge wrench on the knee he attacked on Thursday’s Smackdown.  Great job Kurt for working on the Undertaker’s bad wheel.

Steel Cage match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship: Rikishi versus Val Venis (champion) with Trish Stratus

Val Venis became the Intercontinental Champion two weeks before this pay-per-view when Tazz attacked Rikishi when he was defending the title on Smackdown.  Also, Val Venis is a lucky man for having Trish as his manager.  I want to become a wrestler now just for Trish Straus could be my manager.

Val tried to climb out of the cage right away and Rikishi grabbed him and started to do a number on the champion.  Come on champ, that’s a dumb move, no matter if you can out run your challenger in a cage match!

One thing I enjoy about this match is both men go back and forth with one another and when they are in control; they would throw his opponent into the side of the cage, gaining the upper hand.

Rikishi hit the Banzai drop and only got a two-count because Val put his leg on the bottom rope to break the count.  When Rikishi was going to escape out the door, Trish hit the door onto his head, giving Val a upper hand in the match.

Later in the match, Lita came out and attacked Trish for what she did to her in their match, chasing Trish with a leather belt backstage, leaving the Intercontinental title match one-on-one, as billed.

Rikishi climbed to the top of the cage and looked down onto Venis, walked a little over, about half way across the cage, and splashed Venis from top of the cage!  A huge pop from the fans a huge pop from the announcers!

Right when Rikishi was about to walk out of the cage to win back the Intercontinental title, Tazz came back out and hit Rikishi in the face with the cage door.  Venis crawled over and scored the pin fall and victory over the big man, retaining the title.

Winner: Val Venis, retaining the Intercontinental Championship

We see a clip of what Angle did to the Undertaker and we see him limping around backstage.

Triple H is storming around backstage, trying to find Kurt Angle.  Harvey showed Triple H where Angle’s locker room was and the Game entered and a few second later, Jericho came out after giving Triple H kicked the poop out of Triple H.

Shane McMahon’s theme hits and he came out to the ring and asked for a mic.  Shane-O-Mac said that he’s out to the ring already because he wanted to prove to the fans that he isn’t a pussy.  To prove it, he came out to call out the People’s Champ, to go one-on-one with him.  Another minute later of smack talking the Rock and told the Rock to “just bring it.”

The Rock came out and Shane ran out of the ring.  Rock grabbed the mic that Shane had and said that the fans aren’t wrong and indeed Shane’s a pussy.  Rock said that he’s being set up and asked where Benoit is, knowing that Benoit is somewhere and is about to attack him from behind.  Rock said he doesn’t care and will face Benoit early.

Benoit came on the big screen and said that he’ll make the Rock tap out but because the Rock is out in the ring, he’ll rip apart the Rock’s “GQ” clothes and pour gas upon it.

Then we get a video package building up the Kurt Angle-Undertaker match up.  It all started when Angle cost the Undertaker a tag team title match, then went to when Angle trashed the Dead Man’s bike.  That’s one thing you don’t want to do, that’s piss off a biker.  You don’t know what they’ll do to you.

Kurt Angle versus the Undertaker

JR said that Angle has to pay the piper now when he came out to the ring.  I didn’t know the Undertaker was the “Hot Rod.”  Before Angle even got to the ring, the Undertaker drove his bike out while Angle’s theme was playing.

Right away they brawled into the fans; which made the fans’ night and the price of the ticket worthwhile.

The Undertaker had the three but pulled Angle up and hit the stalling suplex and pulled Angle up again at a count of two.  Come on Undertaker, you had Angle beat twice!  Does this match have to be a squash match?
Angle was able to get the upper hand on the Undertaker and put on the sleeper on the Undertaker.  The Taker outsmarted our Olympic Hero and rammed his back into corner and gain control of the match.  I still don’t know why the Undertaker didn’t finish the match when he had the chance.

After a while, it was nice to see the match go back-and-forth and see Kurt having a step-over-toe-hold on the long legs of the Undertaker.  When the Dead man broke out of the leg submission, the crowd popped.  I don’t blame them for seeing their favorite break out of the submission.

A one-arm chokeslam and the fans jumped to their feet.  The Undertaker signed to the fans that the Last Ride is about to come for Angle.  After Angle went on his last ride, the Dead Man scored the fall and Kid Rock’s “American Bad**” plays throughout the arena.

Winner: The Undertaker

We see a video of the Rock seeing the carnage that Benoit did to his shirts and ran off, all pissed off.

Last Man Standing match: Triple H with Stephanie McMahon (WWF Women’s Champion) versus Chris Jericho

Before I go further, if you want to see this match, I find this match (the full length) on YouTube.  Here’s the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHlp1ZIMkuo

This match is a match that I hear a lot about putting Chris Jericho over as a main eventer.  I find it odd because Triple H was put over as a main eventer, in my eyes, a half a year earlier by Cactus Jack at the WWF Royal Rumble 2000 when Triple H defeated him in a Street Fight.  So, in turn, Mick Foley’s putting over Chris Jericho as WWF Commissioner.

Right from the start Jericho has control of Triple H, being quicker of the two, taking him from in-ring brawling, to the outside, back in.  But no surprise, Triple H got the upper hand within minutes of the match, making the match go back-and-forth between the two.

The video package for this match, we see how Jericho injured his ribs.  After a few minutes of having control of the match, Triple H started to go after the hurt ribs and take off the injury wrap that Jericho had on, wrapped around his ribs.

One move I know would hurt, no matter how much they script it is when Hunter hit a suplex on Y2J on the carpeted concrete ramp-way.  Why would two men put themselves through that, no matter what?  For our enjoyment and entertainment, I know, and I’m thankful for taking years off their bodies for us fans.

After a major beating, Jericho beat the ref’s count at nine.  Jim Ross was pleading with Y2J to stay down and fight another day.  Thanks to JR and the King on helping Triple H putting over Jericho as a main eventer in our eyes and in the eyes of the father-in-law.

Triple H hit a huge Pedigree and pointed at Jericho, telling him to stay down.  The Game lay down on the top rope in the corner when the ref started to count Y2J out.  Jericho got up at a nine count and once up on his feet, Triple H nailed him in the stomach and on the back with a steel chair.  Hunter dropped the chair in the middle of the ring and called for the Pedigree on the chair and the ref got in the way.  The Game pushed him out of the way and Y2J hit a low blow, which got the Game away from him.  Y2J grabbed the chair and hit a home run onto Triple H’s face, busting wide open the Game.  Yes!  We got blood!

A few moments later we see a bulldog onto the chair from Jericho to Hunter and we got a five count.  When the ref got to five, Jericho broke the count to do more damage to the Game.  I guess Y2J’s showing the Game a thing or two on how to be played.

Triple H tried to hit a Pedigree on the ring steps outside but Jericho countered and back dropped him onto the mats.  With that, we hear Stephanie yell to Hunter, trying to encourage him.  Sorry Steph, you only hurt our ears when you yell.  Please stop.  Thank you.

Both men beat the double count after hitting each other with the monitors from the Spanish Announcers Table.  When both men rolled in the ring, Jericho hit Hunter in the Walls of Jericho and the Game taps and taps and screams and got to the ropes, but the hold wasn’t broken because there are no rules, Y2J doesn’t have to break.  So Jericho brought Hunter back to middle of the ring and Mrs. Game ran in to break the hold.  Y2J slapped on the Walls on her and the crowd went wild!  So did JR and the King!  Poor Stephanie.  Triple H saves his wife, and all rights, he should.

Triple H grabbed the sledgehammer and tried to hit Y2J and Jericho ducked.  Moments later, Jericho grabbed the hammer and hit him in the stomach with it.

Moments later, Triple H back dropped Jericho through the English Announcer’s Table and the ref started to count both men out.  Will we see both men get counted out?  Come on, someone please move!

Triple H starts to move at eight and up a split moment before the ten and went right back down, winning the match for him, yet putting over the beating both men put each other through.

To be honest, this match was a lot better than the first viewing of the pay-per-view I had a year ago.  I see why people have great feelings for this match.  Thank you Triple H for helping put Chris Jericho over in this match, yet winning at the end.  Who says you won’t put more people over in this decade?  In the decade of 2000 to 2009, this is one of the top matches of the decade for me.  The other two are: Triple H and Cactus Jack from the Rumble 2000 for the WWE Title in a Street Fight and Angle and Shane McMahon in a Street Fight at King of the Ring in 2001.

WWF Championship match:  Chris Benoit with Shane McMahon versus the Rock (champion)


We are told that if the Rock gets himself disqualified, he’ll lose the WWF Championship to Chris Benoit.  Will we see Benoit win the WWF title at Fully Loaded 2000?

Just like the previous match, I found a full length match for this match on YouTube, and you can see it right here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMD2cryDvls&feature=related

Lucky for the Rock, he had his trunks on when Benoit went through his locker room because his tights were fine.  Also, the Rock had the WWF title with him, which he didn’t have when he came out earlier when Shane called him out.  If I were Benoit, I would have grabbed the WWF title if Rock didn’t have it with him when Shane called him out.

Shane snuck into the ring to attack the Rock but he seen it, which gave Benoit an opening to jump him from behind.  They went outside and Shane tried to attack and Rock chased him around the ring.  Such a cluster at the beginning of the match but following the last man standing match, I don’t blame the Rock and Benoit starting the match as a fast-paced cluster, capturing the fans attention and bringing them into their match.

For the first few minutes of the match, it was fast-paced.  I hope these men start to slow it down for they won’t burn themselves out and burn the fans out from the match prior and their match.

Shane-O-Mac distracted the ref when Benoit grabbed the WWF belt and nailed the Great One’s face with it and only got a two-count.  A snap suplex and another pin attempt and a two count.  Sorry Benoit, it will take more to put out the Rock.

Like the match prior, Benoit and Rock go back and forth, which brings a smile to my face.

In a normal match, Rock would have got himself a disqualification when he and Benoit were outside and picked up Benoit in a atomic drop and low blowed him with the post.

Both men rolled in and Shane distracted the ref again when Rock had Benoit in a figure four leg lock.  Thankfully for Benoit for training at the Hart dungeon, he was able to get to the ropes to get out of the hold.  Beside the point, he ran with Ric Flair in WCW in the Four Horsemen, so he had the double the smarts to break out of the submission.

A spinebuster by the People’s Champ and the crowd went bananas!  The People’s Elbow and a pin attempted by the WWF Champion and Shane was distracting the ref, which we saw a clear victory by the Rock.  When the ref came back, Rock only got a two count.  Still face paced match by this point of the match.

Moments later Benoit hit a superplex off the top rope to the Rock, which lead to both men being counted out.  If both men do get counted out, the Rock would have the advantage because it would end a draw and the champ always walks out retaining the title if a draw.

Shane sent a chair into the ring and when the ref went to push Benoit and the chair out; Shane brought in another chair and hit the ref.  Rock chased Shane out and put Benoit in the Crippler Crossface and was tapping out.  The ref called for the bell and gave the match to Benoit, via disqualification, thinking that the Rock hit him with the chair, meaning Chris Benoit won the WWF Championship!  A Dallas Screw Job!  No way!

Half way down the ramp, Commissioner Foley came out to the ring, looking pissed off with what went down.  He walked over to the ring announcer and grabbed a mic, saying that the title will change hands on a disqualification and he and the fans in Dallas didn’t see a disqualification, and there wasn’t one, meaning that he’ll restart the match because we seen a screw job!  Thanks Mick!  You’re an awesome Commissioner!  Vince McMahon should bring you back!

When Benoit came back, he hit Rock with three German suplexes and on the third, he bridged it for a pin and only got a near fall.  Facial expressions on Benoit’s face, we can easily see that he’s frustrated with Foley’s call.

Benoit got the Crossface on the Rock in the center of the ring.  Rock got to the bottom rope, which pissed Shane off.  Can’t blame Shane for being upset with the call.

Rock jumped up, hit the Rock Bottom, got the victory, and the crowd to jump onto their feet, to retain the title.  Good job, Rock, through the screw job attempt.  Thank you, Foley, for the right call.

Winner: the Rock, retaining the WWF title

One of the better pay-per-views that the WWE has put on.  After watching Fully Loaded 2000, I can easily see why the WWF was red hot and why they won the Monday Night Wars and put WCW out of business.  I highly suggest watching the last two main events that I linked up with this review.  I would highly suggest you going out and buying this off of EBay, Amazon, or finding a full length of this event on YouTube, because this has to be one of the better pay-per-views that I’ve seen that the WWF put on.

As a whole, I have to give this pay-per-view a **** and ¼*.  I was entertained for the most part during the event.  The parts I was bored, I’m sure you can easily notice with the review I gave each match.  The last two matches really pulled up the show all together, even though the fans were out of in the first few matches and the squash match between Angle and the Undertaker.