Welcome to KB’s Previous College (and New College) Evaluations. I’ve been reviewing wrestling exhibits for over twelve years now and have reviewed over 6,000 exhibits. Each Monday, Wednesday and Friday, I’ll be posting a brand new overview right here on Wrestlingrumors.internet. It may very well be something from fashionable WWE to old style to indies to something in between. Observe that I price utilizing letters as a substitute of stars and I don’t price matches beneath three minutes as actually, how good or unhealthy can one thing that quick be?
Monday Nitro #284Date: February 26, 2001Location: Lakefront Enviornment, New Orleans, LouisianaCommentators: Tony Schiavone, Scott Hudson
We had a reasonably good present on Wednesday so perhaps we’re in for one thing a bit higher than standard this week. The massive story is Diamond Dallas Web page as the newest nice hope in opposition to the Magnificent Seven and at the very least the massive match ought to be higher than the mess of Steiner vs. Nash. Let’s get to it.
We open with Kronik having been specified by the again and Doug Dillinger accusing Completely Buff and Workforce Canada of being behind it. Ric is available in to inform Doug that he’s received this. Tony doesn’t appear satisfied.
Scott Steiner beats up a backstage employee for not realizing the place Diamond Dallas Web page is. As luck would have it, Web page is within the enviornment and calling Steiner out on the similar time. Steiner hits the ring and calls out Web page with some insults to the followers. Web page continues to be within the crowd and says he’s simply taking part in thoughts video games. A kind of guys Steiner beat up and put within the hospital is on his approach again right here tonight to get a chunk of the champ. Web page says there’s just some Cajun Crazies in between him and Steiner so come get him. Great things right here from Web page as he’s simply the very best of all the nice outdated boys at this level.
We get the brackets for the Cruiserweight Tag Workforce Title event.
Rey Mysterio Jr./Kidman
Johnny Swinger/Jason Lee
Evan Karagias/Shannon Moore
Jamie Knoble/Scotty O.
Elix Skipper/???
Air Paris/AJ Kinds
Jung Dragons
Kwee Wee/Mike Sanders
Cruiserweight Tag Workforce Title Match First Spherical: Rey Mysterio Jr./Kidman vs. Johnny Swinger/Jason Lee
Lee was a daily in OVW and HWA however by no means did something on the nationwide stage. Swinger was in a reasonably good tag crew with Simon Diamond in ECW. Mysterio and Kidman get jumped as they get within the ring with Lee getting two off a sitout Rock Backside. Kidman shrugs it off and feeds Lee into Rey however a Lionsault hits raised knees. Swinger poses over Rey and will get two of his personal off a swinging neckbreaker.
A collision permits the double tag to herald Kidman and Lee as the whole lot breaks down. The baseball slide low blow units up the Bronco Buster for 2 and Rey clotheslines them each off the apron. To not be outdone, Kidman hits a capturing star off the highest to the ground. Again in and the modified What’s Up into the Child Crusher places Lee away.
Score: C+. Completely watchable match right here, even when the ending was by no means doubtful. Kidman and Mysterio are the type of dream crew that ought to win this entire factor or at the very least make the finals earlier than an upstart heel crew cheats to win. Kidman appeared like his outdated self right here, which suggests he was probably the most entertaining issues round.
Right here’s a solemn Cat with one thing to say. Cat hates Kanyon for what he did to Ms. Jones final week and it’s going to take the whole lot to get to Kanyon with all of the individuals he has to cover behind. It doesn’t matter what it takes as a result of Cat will battle by way of everybody to get his palms on Kanyon. Subsequently he’s stepping down as Commissioner as a result of he can’t be accountable for what he does.
This brings out Aptitude (Which might solely consult with Ric once more since that entire “David is kidnapped” factor was dropped with none actual decision.) to say Cat is lastly getting it. Cat can’t beat them or be a part of them so all he can do is no matter Aptitude says. He can have Kanyon at Greed so Cat tells him to get away. Aptitude desires to cope with Cat himself and there goes the jacket. Cat hits some horrible wanting pictures to an space across the collarbone and knocks Aptitude to the ground. Ric makes Cat vs. Rick Steiner for tonight.
Konnan, speaking to somebody off digicam, is able to discover some troopers to battle the Magnificent Seven.
Sean O’Haire/Chuck Palumbo vs. Mike Superior/Lance Storm
Non-title. Earlier than the match, Sean accuses the Canadians of attacking Kronik. Storm and Superior aren’t afraid of the threats of homicide so we’re joined in progress after a break. Palumbo jumps over Sean’s shoulders to land on Superior’s ribs so it’s off to Storm, who’s thrown down with a fall away slam.
The Canadians are sensible sufficient to double crew Palumbo within the nook to take over however Lex Luger’s entrance music performs to distract them. Throughout the confusion, Kanyon sneaks in and hits a Flatliner on O’Haire. Heel miscommunication (with Storm leaving a leg lariat quick and touchdown at Superior’s ft) doesn’t trigger many issues as Storm grabs the Mapleleaf on Palumbo for the win.
Score: D+. Can Lex Luger simply go away? He wasn’t even right here and he’s nonetheless getting annoying. I’m unsure I perceive the place they had been going with this concept however I’m certain it’s going to result in some faction conflict as a result of that’s what WCW does today. At the very least O’Haire didn’t take the loss right here because it appears they’ve plans for him as a substitute of simply treating him like one other man.
O’Haire desires Kanyon tonight.
Aptitude tells Kanyon to go get him.
Earlier immediately, Web page mentioned Steiner isn’t taking his legs and talked about breaking Steiner down mentally.
Rick Steiner vs. The Cat
Non-title once more. Steiner clotheslines him down for an early two and so they head exterior to keep away from any extra of this wrestling stuff. Again in and Rick kicks him within the face earlier than hitting the chinlock. Rick rips away on the face till Cat hits some kicks and a legsweep for one. The referee goes down so Cat hits an enziguri to ship Rick exterior. Meaning it’s time for our hero to choke with a twine, drawing out Completely Buff for the save. As they need to as that was ridiculous dishonest. Hugh Morrus comes out for the save and a Feliner places Rick away.
Score: D. Of all of the individuals they might have put over Rick, they picked the Cat? I actually don’t get the love affair with the man as they appear to assume Cat is the best factor that has occurred to WCW in years. He’s good on the mic however in some unspecified time in the future it’s a must to have a great match. Not a terrific one, however you’d assume he would have at the very least cracked good within the years he’s been round right here.
Scott Steiner runs in for the beatdown and Web page’s save try fails. This brings out the returning Booker T. to go after Scott as the nice guys clear the ring. After some weak insults from Scott, Booker throws out a problem for a six man tag.
Booker T./The Cat/Diamond Dallas Web page vs. Scott Steiner/Completely Buff
Did Morrus simply dissolve? Aptitude jumps in on commentary as the nice guys management to begin. Issues quiet down with Cat uppercutting Buff within the throat and Web page getting two off a Batista Bomb. It’s off to Luger and Booker with the latter hitting a hook kick to the air subsequent to Luger’s face for 2. Cat comes again in (not a good suggestion) and Luger takes him down with the operating forearm.
The unhealthy guys take activates Cat, together with Scott getting in a chair shot to the face. We hit the double arm crank minus any precise cranking which units up missed tag. Cat lastly hits a leaping kick to Luger’s jaw and the new tag brings in Web page, who’s minimize off simply as rapidly. Luger’s powerslam getting two doesn’t agree with Aptitude. A double clothesline permits the true sizzling tag to Booker as the whole lot breaks down.
Scott and Booker have the massive slugout with Booker getting the higher of it and scoring with a missile dropkick for 2. We get the return of the Spinarooni however Completely Buff beats Booker down. Cat will get caught within the Recliner however there’s a Diamond Cutter to Steiner. Buff will get in a Blockbuster on Web page however he walks into the Bookend. A fast ax kick places Steiner away.
Score: B. Cat apart, this was a wrestling match which received time and stayed sizzling throughout your complete second half. It’s so uncommon to see the wrestling really being handled like one thing critical and organising a possible challenger to the World Title. I had fun with this match and Booker appeared sharp in his return.
Again from a break and Scott is furious, wrecking the whole lot he can discover.
The nice guys are pleased with their win.
We recap Dustin Rhodes vs. Jeff Jarrett which appears to be extra about Dusty Rhodes than anything. Dustin turned down a spot within the Magnificent Seven so the crew began going after him. This included Jarrett imitating Dusty in an unfunny phase final week to additional set Dustin off. They battle tonight.
Dustin is able to get his revenge.
Shannon Moore vs. Shane Helms
Evan Karagias is in Shannon’s nook. Shane begins very quick with a TKO onto the knee and a neckbreaker for no cowl. A operating sitout powerbomb out of the nook (dubbed the Sugar Bomb for a silly identify) will get two on Shannon however he kicks Shane to the ground for some low-cost pictures from Evan. Again in and a Whisper within the Wind will get two for Shannon however the Bottoms Up is countered into the Vertebreaker for the short pin.
Score: C+. This might have gone longer however the quick time compelled them to cram in the whole lot they might into only a few minutes. Shane is getting loads of effectively earned reward round this time however Shannon has been on a really sturdy roll of his personal. I might have performed with extra of this and fewer of Evan however we appear to be caught with him for some motive.
Chavo Guerrero Jr. comes out for the beatdown and leaves with Evan and Shannon.
Child Romeo continues to be coming.
Kanyon vs. Sean O’Haire
O’Haire sneaks in from behind and crossbodies Kanyon to the ground as this feels extra like a battle. Again in and Sean slowly hammers away till Kanyon hits him low within the nook. A center rope Russian legsweep places each of them down however O’Haire no sells a center rope Fameasser. Kanyon misses a high rope splash, solely to seize a sitout Alabama Slam for 2. O’Haire throws him up in a fireman’s carry and one thing like a reverse AA (O’Haire slammed him again down as a substitute of flipping him over. You may keep in mind it because the Widowmaker in his WWE run.), adopted by the Seanton Bomb for the pin.
Score: C+. Extra great things right here as this has been the most effective exhibits they’ve had in a very long time. O’Haire wanting good is a really sensible thought as WCW desperately wanted to arrange some guys for the longer term. Sean is likely one of the very best concepts as he has the look, the vitality and (most of) the in ring skill. It’s not like they’ve many different choices anyway.
The publish match replay exhibits Booker pinning Scott by mistake.
Dustin Rhodes vs. Jeff Jarrett
Ric is visitor referee and we get a fast Dusty impression from Jarrett earlier than Dustin comes out. Dustin is as mad as you’d anticipate him to be and knocks Jarrett to the ground to begin. Ric received’t permit some proper palms within the nook although and Jeff low-cost pictures Rhodes to take over. They head exterior with Dustin hammering away much more, adopted by a superplex for the sluggish two rely.
Ric low bridges Dustin to the ground and we get the sleeper reversal sequence to test that field off the checklist. Dustin’s powerslam units up a piledriver for the subsequent sluggish movement two. That’s lastly sufficient for Dustin who masses up Shattered Goals to Aptitude however has to dam the guitar shot. Ric hits Dustin low and the Stroke offers Jeff the pin.
Score: D. I wasn’t feeling this one with the outdated crooked referee stuff all through the match. It additionally doesn’t assist that Dustin vs. Jarrett is the least attention-grabbing story they’ve occurring the present proper now. I don’t know why I’m presupposed to care about Dustin Rhodes and the household feud with Aptitude once more however it’s actually not working, particularly with Dustin not precisely lighting the world on hearth.
Web page, Cat and Booker chase the villains off to finish the present.
Total Score: B. There’s a contemporary vitality right here and whereas I’ve zero motive to imagine it’s going to final, this was a very simple present to observe. The wrestling labored very effectively all through with the primary occasion alone holding it again. The cruiserweights had been on level all night time and the six man was one of many higher matches they’ve performed in a very long time. Good present right here and hopefully they will stick with it over the subsequent month.
Thomas Corridor has been a wrestling fan for over thirty years and has seen over 60,000 wrestling matches. He has additionally been a wrestling reviewer since 2009 with over 6,000 full exhibits lined. You will discover his work at kbwrestlingreviews.com, or try his- Amazon creator web page with 30 wrestling books
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