Mike Reviews – WCW Thunder #99 (9th February 2000)

Happy Wednesday Everyone!

I did an episode of Thunder last week and realised that the following weeks show was uploaded to a certain video streaming website, which meant it would have the real music and what have you seeing as it was the original airing from 2000 as opposed to the edited and dubbed one on the WWE Network, so I decided to give it a watch as some of the matches sounded interesting.

Let’s see if those matches are indeed interesting or if this show is an utter disaster like Thunder usually was during this timeframe.

The event is emanating from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (BOOMER SOONER) on the 9^th of February 2000

Calling the action are Mike Tenay and Bobby Heenan

We open up with a video package, showing that acting WCW Commissioner booked WCW Champ Sid Vicious against Scott Hall as well as Terry Funk Vs David Flair. Funk ended up clobbering David, whilst Ric Flair refused to help him. Total Package Lex Luger attacked Jimmy Hart to get to Hulk Hogan. Terry Taylor made the Sid Vs Hall match a Title match, which led to Jarrett screwing Hall and then demanding the other nWo members choose which side they’re on.

Jarrett arrives at the arena with the Harris Brothers, which suggests that they took his side in the dispute. Scott Hall arrives on his own by comparison.

We see the brackets in the tournament. Psicosis will be wrestling The Artist Formerly Known As Prince Iaukea in the other semi-final.

Opening Match
WCW World Cruiserweight Title Tournament Semi Final
Lash LeRoux Vs Shannon Moore w/ Evan Karagias and Shane Helms

Moore, Karagias and Helms are the boy band 3 Count, whilst LeRoux is the Rajun Cajun, so he should be well supported here in a former Mid-South/UWF stronghold you’d think. LeRoux gives Heenan some beads to start, which of course leads to Heenan biting them to check their authenticity, because Bobby Heenan was amazing. They have a decent fast paced match here that the crowd is mostly in to.

Both men were still quite young here, but they have that impetuous desire to go out there and have a good match, which was sometimes in short supply in WCW at this time. 3 Count tries to use their superior numbers to help Moore gain an advantage, but LeRoux manages to fight them off and gets Moore with a school boy roll-up for the three count.

WINNER: LASH LEROUX
RATING: *1/2

This was fine, just too short

3 Count tries the Heel beat down following that, but Nor-MAN Smi-LAY runs down for the rescue as he’ll be facing all three of 3 Count at the SuperBrawl pay per view event on the 20th of February.

Mike and Bobby ponder what will happen with the nWo tonight. If the past four years are anything to go by they’ll just squabble with one another and nothing will advance. Tonight we’ve got Bam Bam Bigelow Vs The Demon, Stevie Ray Vs Booker and Ric Flair will also be in the building.

Jeff Jarrett and The Harris Brothers join us in the ring for some promo time. Jarrett says that he hit Scott Hall with his guitar on Nitro (whilst likely not drawing a dime in the process) because Hall was getting ideas above his station, as the World Title is reserved for Jarrett and Jarrett alone. He reiterates that he’s going to make sure WCW World Champ Sid gets worn out in the build up to SuperBrawl, by making Sid team with Terry Funk against The Harris Brothers later on. Scott Hall joins us (with the Wolfpac theme) and points us towards the video screen, where WCW Commissioner Kevin Nash is waiting. Nash says “I can’t leave you kids alone for 5 minutes” and regains control of the show from acting commissioner Jarrett. Nash books Jarrett against Hall tonight, with the winner getting Sid at SuperBrawl. Hall likes that, but Jarrett does not. Hall makes sure to take a survey before leaving to establish himself as the babyface in the feud with Jarrett, even though Hall and Nash are both technically still Heels here due to being nWo and all. This wasn’t a bad segment and set the Main Event up well.

Jarrett and The Harris Brothers are furious backstage following that.

Match Two
WCW Hardcore Title
Champ: Bam Bam Bigelow Vs The Demon

Bammer had won the belt from Brian Knobbs on Nitro after Fit Finlay had cheated Knobbs whilst being guest referee. This was eventually revealed as some sort of training from Finlay in order to teach Knobbs something about adversity or some such nonsense. This match lasts mere seconds, as Bigelow attacks Demon as he’s coming out of his coffin with a weapon for the instant three count.

WINNER AND STILL CHAMPION: BAM BAM BIGELOW
RATING: N/A

I remember watching this back in the day and even in my younger days I thought it was counterproductive to make Demon look like such a chump

Brian Knobbs tries to attack Bigelow but Bammer fends him off pretty easily. I’m guessing the previous angle went long so they had to make this particular match shorter to compensate?

Mean Gene Okerlund is interviewing Terry Funk and WCW World Champ Sid backstage. Sid says he wouldn’t want anyone else backing him up other than Funk. Funk says he’ll deal with Ric Flair at SuperBrawl, but he has someone for Flair tonight.

Mr. Biggs shows up with Big T and Stevie Ray. Biggs says that Booker is still in prison following Biggs getting him arrested on Nitro. Big T decides to go and grab some food seeing as Stevie and Biggs have everything under control.

Crowbar is backstage listening to a KISS CD.

Match Three
Booker w/ Midnight Vs Stevie Ray w/ Mr. Biggs

The story here was that Booker and Stevie were fighting over the rights to Harlem Heat, meaning that Booker has lost the “T” from his name and his usual entrance music. Stevie thinks he’s going to win by forfeit tonight due to Booker not being in the arena. However, Booker does indeed show up, although he’s in ripped and torn clothes. Booker actually sends Midnight (a muscular woman not unlike Chyna) to the back and then cuts a promo on Stevie. Booker tries going after Biggs, but Stevie attacks him and the match is on. Booker ends up laying both Heels out, including a chair shot to Stevie, before storming off.

NO CONTEST
RATING: N/A

This was more an angle than a match. Booker looked good at least

Hall and Nash are talking on the phone and decide to book Fit Finlay against Total Package.

nWo 2000 video to hype up SuperBrawl. That would have meant more if the group wasn’t now broken up.

Mean Gene is backstage with Ric Flair. Flair is sick of people talking about the likes of Hulk Hogan and cuts a promo on Terry Funk to hype up their match for SuperBrawl. This was a Ric Flair promo, so it was good.

Match Four
Crowbar w/ Daffney Vs Billy Kidman w/ Torrie Wilson

Crowbar attacked Kidman on Nitro because Kidman had the temerity to defeat Demon in a match, because we established earlier that Crowbar likes KISS. Well, as far as reasons for a match go, it certainly is one. This is a decent match, as they quickly take it to the floor so that Crowbar can give Kidman a pump splash off the metal railings.

Kidman counters a cross body block with a dropkick back inside the ring though and gets a bulldog for two. Both men counter big moves from the other and share out some near falls, with both men’s offence looking good. The crowd is mostly into the match as well, especially the women when Kidman is on the offence. Crowbar tries to use a metal pipe, but Kidman thwarts that and gets a rana off the top for three.

WINNER: KIDMAN
RATING: **

I would have liked to see them get more time as this was a fun match for the time they had

Crowbar flings himself into the ring steps to punish himself for losing.

Sid/Funk and The Harris Brothers get ready for their match.

Match Five
WCW World Champ Sid Vicious and Terry Funk Vs The Harris Brothers (Big Ron & Heavy D) w/ Jeff Jarrett

Jarrett jumps in on commentary here to complain about the Scott Hall situation. Sid opens things up by giving one of the Harris Brothers some of the worst punches in the corner that I’ve ever seen. Honestly it made Giant Baba look like Stan Hansen it was that light. The Harris Brothers eventually get some heat on Terry Funk, and he sells that well, because he’s Terry Funk. The Harris Brothers were a solid enough brawling tag team but they usually worked to the level of their opponents, so when Funk is in there the match is decent and when Sid is in there it’s awful.

Sid eventually gets the hot tag and runs wild, getting a Choke Slam on one Harris and a Cobra Clutch Slam on another. Funk gives one Harris a piledriver on the floor, but that distracts the ref and that allows the other Harris to clock Sid right in the Eudy’s to put a stop to his rampage. A table gets introduced to things, as Funk tries to moonsault a Harris through it, but Jarrett clocks Funk with the guitar (likely not drawing a dime in the process) and that causes Funk to take a Nestea Plunge through the table. Sid chases Jarrett away whilst The Harris Brothers pin Funk in the ring.

WINNERS: THE HARRIS BROTHERS
RATING: *1/2

When Funk was in there this was okay. When he wasn’t then it was pretty bad

Ric Flair is hyping up The Total Package, setting them up as an alliance. They plot to go after Hulk Hogan together. This all leads to Flair saying he’ll fight Hogan on Nitro whilst Package will fight Funk. Package didn’t even show up on screen there, it was all Flair talking to an invisible man, which he managed to make entertaining.

Match Six
Fit Finlay Vs The Total Package w/ Elizabeth

This match could potentially be entertaining if Package has his working boots on tonight. Package and Hogan was the feud at the time, with them due to wrestle one another at SuperBrawl. Package cuts a promo before the match starts, saying that he will agree to work with Flair in order to take Hogan and Funk out on Nitro. He also calls SuperBrawl “SuperBall”, thus starting a trend of him being unable to confirm shows with that name. Good job the show wasn’t being held on Saturday or it would have been even worse…

Finlay works over Package’s arm to start, with Luger selling it in his usual manner of yelping like a scalded dog. However, before the match can really get going, Liz attacks Finlay for the DQ. That’s a shame as I was actually kind of interested to see if they could have a good match together.

WINNER BY DQ: FIT FINLAY
RATING: N/A

Too short to rate

Package stomps chair on Finlay’s arm to “break” it following the bout. Knobbs then comes out to attack it further as payback for Finlay costing him the Hardcore Title.

Mean Gene is with Lane and Idol, who say they are winning the tag belts tonight because they don’t have a gimmick anymore. Lane says the rats at the club are now recognising them again as well, which causes Gene the Lecher to chuckle.

Match Seven
WCW World Tag Team Titles
Champs: The Mamalukes (Big Vito & Johnny The Bull) w/ The Disco Inferno Vs Too XS (Idol & Lane)

Too XS jump the Champs during their entrance and work them over, although the crowd doesn’t really seem to care that much. Miss Hancock joins us though as she’d been feuding with Lane and Idol at the time and leaves a memo with the commentators before leaving. Meanwhile, the match breaks down, with things getting really sloppy, leading to Idol colliding with Disco so that Vito can get a DDT for three.

WINNERS AND STILL CHAMPIONS: THE MAMALUKES
RATING: ½*

Not much of a match

Crowbar and Daffney steal the tag belts following the match

Jarrett and The Harris Brothers seem to be arguing backstage for some reason even though Jarrett helped them win earlier.

Mean Gene is with The Cat. Gene asks where James Brown is and Cat makes up a tall tale about how Brown was here earlier. We get a SEND FOR THE MAN moment, as Cat cracks Gene up and they don’t cut away in time, so we get to see both of them laugh.

Ric Flair is walking to the ring whilst a mystery man watches on.

Ric Flair joins Mean Gene in the ring for some more promo time. Flair rants about guys like Babe Ruth and Michael Jordan being ranked above him on the list of great athletes, before moving on to a WCW magazine who have a list of the Top 100 wrestlers of the century. Flair is #2 on the list whilst Hogan is #1, so Flair drops an elbow on the magazine! That was great. The definite highlight of the show. Dustin Rhodes joins us following that, saying that he was disgusted by Flair allowing David to get battered on Nitro. Dustin adds that he thinks David is more man than Ric is for having the guts to fight Funk on Nitro when Flair didn’t. Dustin challenges Flair to fight right now. That was a good promo from Dustin, as it felt real when he talked about Dusty abandoning him in his younger days. A fight starts up and Charles Robinson joins us to start the match.

Semi-Main
Dustin Rhodes Vs Ric Flair

Robinson immediately takes a bump, meaning there is no one to count when Dustin gets a bulldog. Flair catches Dustin right in the Terri’s following that, but Dustin replies with a figure four. Flair clocks Dustin with his Rolex whilst Robinson is still recovering though, which is enough for three.

WINNER: RIC FLAIR
RATING: N/A

Sadly we didn’t get to see much of a match there, but it was entertaining whilst it lasted

Flair and The Total Package leave both Dustin and Terry Funk laying following that.

Nash has ordered food for the Main Event.

Main Event
WCW World Heavyweight Title #1 Contender Match
WCW United States Champ Jeff Jarrett w/ Big Ron and Heavy D Vs Scott Hall

I’m hoping that they’ll actually get some time here, because if they do and Hall is both motivated and in condition to perform then this could be an entertaining match. Hall works this as a straight babyface, pin-balling Jarrett around to start, with Jarrett taking some nice bumps for it. The Harris Brothers help Jarrett cut Hall off though leading to the heat segment. It’s fun action for the most part and the crowd is into Hall, getting behind him when Jarrett slaps on a Sleeper Hold at one stage.

Hall makes the comeback following that, with the crowd enjoying that and Jarrett doing a great job bumping and feeding for it all. The ref ends up taking a stray boot to the face from Jarrett on the Razor’s Edge though, which means there is no one to count for Hall when he gets the move. Jarrett manages to get The Stroke on Hall, and then makes the cover for a three count from replacement ref Mark Johnson. For some reason the first ref Mickey Jay decides to keep the match going, even though Jarrett seemed to win it fair and square, and thus we keep going.

Jarrett clocks Hall with a microphone whilst the ref deals with The Harris Brothers, but Hall kicks out at two. When Jarrett tries the same trick again with the US Title belt, Hall dodges and uses the belt himself for a two of his own when Johnson pulls Jay out of the ring. Sid joins us after that, as this match is getting way overbooked, and that leads to Hall giving Johnson a Razor’s Edge whilst Sid powerbombs Jarrett. Jay throws the match out following that.

NO CONTEST
RATING: **

This was overbooked to heck and back, and it ultimately took away from the match in my opinion. If they’d just let them do a straight match with a clean finish then it would have been rated higher, but they just had to WCWify it up and it ended up making the match lesser

The commentators ponder what happens now. The answer was a triple threat match at SuperBrawl.

In Conclusion

It’s funny because I always associated the short matches with terrible finishes period of WCW mostly just to Vince Russo, but there was plenty of it going on here as well. I think there was around 20 minutes of actual wrestling on this whole show. Now, I’m not saying the whole show has to be just wrestling matches, but maybe you could give us a little bit more than 20 minutes you know?

Not a recommended show