With Valentines day upon us, Matthew Roberts takes another trip in the TWM Time Machine™ for a romantic trip back to February 14 2000 to a special Raw Vs Nitro Retro Review.
It’s tempting 21 years out to think of 2000 WCW as a complete washout. As if it was already “dead” and it was just killing time until one year later when Vince would snap up the trademarks, video library, and a raft of under-card guys for a pittance. Yet here we are on Valentines Day, in front of a crowd of over 8,000 at the Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale NY.
One hour of this show even got a 4.0 in the Neilsen’s and overall got to a 3.6 rating, it’s highest since September 1999. That it achieved this when it was unopposed by Raw (who thanks to the Westminster Dog Show would only air at 11 pm) is perhaps not a surprise. Neither is the fact that the juggernaut that was Raw still won the rating battle that night with a 4.4 for a show that didn’t finish in some time zones until 1 am. But we’ll get to Raw momentarily.
I don’ t have that many memories of Nitro at the time, beyond the fact that it was generally something of a mess. And that may be true of this show. But when watched in isolation twenty one years on (and not part of a contemporary week to week attempt to follow the promotion and it’s storylines) it’s would be difficult to say that this episode was without it’s odd charms.
WCW NITRO
WCW were six days away from Superbrawl and a couple of weeks beyond The Radicals jumping ship to the WWE (again, we’ll get to that). There’s actually a pretty hot crowd in attendance but that impression soon melts away when the show effectively opens with two recap packages that are exactly the same thing. We get an opening pre-intro montage, a welcome from Tony Schiavonie and Mark Madden and then a recap of the same events we’ve already just had a re-cap of.
You might be wishing for more recaps when you realise that the nWo are starting the show. And by the nWo I mean Jeff Jarrett and the Harris Twins. If anyone tries to tell you that Paul Roma (or Steve McMichael) being in the Four Horsemen was the biggest waste of a stable in professional wrestling history, don’t believe them.
In the first sign of excess, Jarrett is accompanied by four women who he immediately sends back to the locker room. The idea might be that “he means business” but there doesn’t seem much business sense about wasting money to have four women play such a perfunctory part on the show.
Watching this show in isolation I have no idea why Jarrett appoints himself acting commissioner or what authority Kevin Nash has to interrupt proceedings “via satellite”, accompanied by two women who I’m fairly certain are not the qualified nurses they claim to be.
Jarrett gets mad and demands the feed is shut down. It is, but Nash is in the arena anyway. He books Jarrett against World Champion Sid and Scott Hall in a three-way for Superbrawl and for good measure (and to help his buddy Hall presumably) Sid and Jarrett will meet in a non-title match tonight!
Lenny Lane and Norman Smiley vs 3 Count
Some random backstage stuff including Lenny Lane, Norman Smiley and 3 Count (the latter practising their dance moves, which shows what they think is more important minutes before a televised match) before Lane and Smiley take on 3 Count in a handicap match. The match itself is revealed to be utterly unimportant when Miss Hancock, who has been guesting on commentary, starts to do a striptease on the announcers desk. Hancock, of course, would find much larger fame as Stacey Keibler. I’m not even sure the match has an official finish given that Charles Robinson is so distracted.
Tank Abott Match and Backstage Shenanigans
A Tank Abbot squash is followed by an interview with the former UFC competitor. Somehow this results in a “leather jacket on a pole” match being booked for Superbrawl between him and “Big Al”. Note that this pre-taped interview airs after Abbott and Big Al have had words on the live show. Which doesn’t make a lot of sense.
Jeff Jarrett is on the phone demanding his match with Sid is for the title tonight and “The Artist Formerly Known as Prince” Iaukea (accompanied by Booker T’s wife Sharmell) cuts a promo for a Thunder match with Psychosis. Say what you will about Nitro in 2000, but it’s at least attempting to build matches up and not only those with the usual suspects.
Vampiro and Billy Kidman vs Iaukea and La Parka
Vampiro and Billy Kidman team up next and as they are scheduled to be fighting at Superbrawl, I presume anyway as it’s difficult to follow their feud, it will come as little surprise to learn that this is more of an angle than a match as Vampiro walks out leaving Kidman on his own. They face Iaukea (who didn’t seem to give this match much thought a few moments ago) and his surprise partner La Parka. Fans react more to Paisley (Sharmell) and Torrie Wilson having a cat-fight than they do for anything else. So that’s two out of three matches that have been overshadowed by scantily clad women.
In yet more signs of WCW Excess, for some reasons The Mamlukes have a wedding reception for Big Vito’s sister set up backstage. We never find out why this is such a surprise for Vito and why no one had bothered to tell him beforehand. Still, what must be 20-30 extras have got a payday out of this. Mid-carder Vito has enough money to give his sister enough bills for a downpayment on a house. Lucky he knew she’d be there really isn’t it?
Rhonda Singh vs Mona
Women’s action is next as Rhonda Singh (aka Bertha Faye from the WWE) and Mona (who would become Molly Holly in the WWE) battle. It’s abysmal largely because it’s a backdrop for Oklahoma (WCW Writer Ed Fererra taking the mick out of Jim Ross). Quite beyond it being pretty low “comedy”, the Oklahoma character is a sign of wrestling at its worse. Other than Fererra and Vince Russo does anyone watching WCW hate Jim Ross enough for this to have any point?
Terry Funk vs Lex Luger
In what would have been a good match circa 1989, up next is Terry Funk against Lex Luger. Luger looks ripped, Miss Elizabeth looks good and the opening where Funk interrupts Luger’s pose routine to attack him is classic stuff. The rest is pretty bad. Funk should not have been a “TV” wrestler in 2000 (he still had value six years later in WWE as a one-off performer) and Luger doesn’t really look interested either.
Mamalukes vs Harlem Heat vs Crowbar/David Flair
It’s no better or worse than the Three Way Tag Team Titles match between the Mamalukes, Harlem Heat (with Ahmed “Big T” Johnson not Booker T) and Crowbar/David Flair. Yes, it seems as if the wedding reception angle (which Crowbar, David Flair and Daffney interrupted) was all to build to a tag team title match that had already been booked. Nice. More time is spent on the whole wedding thing and the post match attack on the Mamalukes than the actual match.
Chris Kanyon, with two Nitro Girls, cuts a promo on Dustin Rhodes as well as hyping up the forthcoming Ready To Rumble movie (shudder) before Bam Bam Bigelow and The Wall clash in the usual Hardcore Title match. Brian Knobbs interferes post match and I’m relieved that I won’t be watching Superbrawl if Knobbs Vs Bigelow is going to be a match there. Dustin Rhodes, looking completely unmotivated, then beats Kanyon in about a minute. Pointless doesn’t even begin to describe it. Still, that’s better than Booker T Vs The Demon, largely because it appears that the Demon is only here so that the announcers can plug the upcoming “farewell” tour for KISS. As a side note, Booker T’s music is apparently from the “Leave it to Beaver” TV show because Stevie Ray has sued him for the Harlem Heat name and theme. Or something.
Hulk Hogan vs Ric Flair
We party like it’s 1994 next as Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair clash. It seems to be being billed as a big match because it’s in New York (sort of) and that’s WWE territory. It’s not great, and it ends in a DQ finsh. BUT if treated as some form of “greatest hits” performance it has it’s charm. After all, no-one goes to a Rolling Stones concert for anything they’ve recorded in the last thirty years do they?
Jeff Jarrett vs Sid Vicious
We end with the Jeff Jarrett/Sid Vicious match that was booked in the opening segment. Jarrett has got his wish for it to be a title match…but unfortunately for him it’s for his United States title not Sid’s World Title. They “wrestle” for all of about five minutes and after two people interfere, a belt shot, a guitar shot and a (second) cheating referee Jarrett actually gets the pin. Presumably now we’re all chomping at the bit for Sid to get revenge on Jarrett at Superbrawl on Sunday.
Review
As I said before, my opinion of this show would be a lot different if I was watching as part of an on-going contemporary company. As a one-off, it’s not very good either. But watching under these circumstances it does have a certain charm and even if most of it doesn’t work you have to admire to an extent the way that they are trying to give most people on the show storylines to work with. Not particularly good or effective ones, but at least they are trying.
RAW is WAR
As stated, Raw was pre-empted for the “Dog show”, airing at 11pm, but was aired live due to the time zone (it was 8pm in San Jose) and had a hot crowd of 13,300 on hand. With signs. Lots of signs. Many of which would probably be snatched away in the current era. If the current era was actually allowed fans at the moment, anyway.
The WWE are coming off the Royal Rumble PPV and heading into No Way Out where Cactus Jack would be forced to “retire”.
Cactus Jack would then be forced to come back three weeks later because Mick Foley was worried Vince wouldn’t pay him the PPV bonus money for the Rumble and No Way Out… Anyway, things kick off with the newly turned Radicals/z who two weeks in had already jobbed out all three matches in a series against DX where wins would have “won” them contracts and then turned from faces to heels at the behest of Triple H by attacking Mick Foley in exchange for contracts.
I’m no expert, but that was probably not the way for four undersized WCW grapplers not renowned for their promo’s or out of the ring charisma at this stage to get over. But hey, that’s life.
Of course given that the Radicals couldn’t cut WWE promo’s their appearance is only a lead in to the real stars of the show DX and Stephanie McMahon making their appearance. Steph is as annoying as ever (and not in a good, heat way) and we have the nWo style problem where the “leads heels” are far too popular.
Even when HHH is booking 75% of the upcoming show on the fly in an opening promo. He promises us Grandmaster Sexay against Road Dogg, Scotty 2 Hotty against Billy Gunn, Dean Malenko & Perry Saturn against Rikishi and, finally, Chris Benoit against The Rock. Naturally all the faces mentioned come out for a brawl.
Edge Vs D-Von Dudley Vs Jeff Hardy
The match action kicks off with Edge Vs D-Von Dudley Vs Jeff Hardy with the winner getting a tag team title shot for their team at the up-coming No Way Out ppv. All three teams would end up being legends of the division in WWE but it’s all a little bland here and the Dudley’s are still fairly new. It’s a short match only here so there’s logic to a PPV booked match so at least we can be thankful for that part of it.
Then, as we would be throughout the evening, we are treated to Mark Henry and Mae Young celebrating Valentines Day. They’re off to a hotel for some, erm, lovin’. I could quite happily never see these segments ever again but compared to some of the daft nonsense this pair would get up to these are by no means the worst of their partnership.
Road Dogg Vs Grandmaster Sexay / Steve Blackman and Al Snow Vs Godfather and D’Lo Brown
For this bout, Road Dogg and Grandmaster Sexay have something of a nothing match which is nevertheless fun in a harmless way.
Dogg wins clean because of course, he does. Al Snow tries to hypnotize Steve Blackman into being interesting and then Godfather offers Steve the, erm, use of his, erm, ladies prior to a tag team match pitting Father and D’Lo Brown against Snow & Blackman.
The pre-match bit with Blackman and the ladies is more over than anything that happens within it.
Next up is a still fairly new Kurt Angle, with his European title and tales of how the European economy is up and tourism is thriving since his title win whereas American is falling into a deep depression because Chris Jericho is the Intercontinental champion.
Naturally, Jericho interrupts (although he makes Angle wait so our Olympic Hero has to rant about Chyna being on the Tonight Show in a revealing low-cut outfit) and cuts the same type of promo he always did around this time. Oh look, he’s said a name wrong again for comedic effect.
How Wonderful! – Joking aside, both men display a fire here on the stick that we’d love to see from similarly placed mid-carders today.
We get a brawl, Chyna turns up to DDT Angle on the floor.
Whilst nothing of any real importance has happened in the last five minutes when all is said and done you feel like you’ve watched a good segment that has clearly defined each man (and woman’s) character.
The Rock Vs Chris Benoit
It’s WWE in 2000 so whatever hopes you might have for a Raw match between Chris Benoit and The Rock have to be tempered slightly by the almost certain knowledge that we’ll get shenanigans.
And yes, the Big Show (who is feuding with the Rock after a controversial Rumble finish) does prove to be the deciding factor in this one. But it’s a good TV match and it’s nice to see one of the Radicals actually win a match.
After an interlude where it’s revealed that Mae Young’s Valentines gift to Mark Henry is a pair of edible panties.
Scotty 2 Hotty picks up a fluke win over Billy Gunn which is rendered immediately even more forgettable as Gunn attacks after the match and they play the New Age Outlaws music anyway.
Crash Holly Vs Essa Rios
Crash Holly challenges new Light Heavyweight Champion Essa Rios (who had defeated Gillberg in his debut match for the title the previous night on Sunday Night Heat) in a match that is more memorable for Hardcore Holly on commentary and an early look at Lita at ringside.
Her hurrucanrana and moonsault moves aren’t exactly crisp, but they sure were a talking point at the time. Because Hardcore is so upset with Crash for besmirching the Holly name he promises to destroy Taz(z) in the next match.
That a man who debuted less than a month ago to a big fanfare (defeating Kurt Angle) is only booked to beat perennial mid-carder Hardcore Holly by DQ says all you need to know about the WWE booker’s opinion on ECW. And Tazz himself, I guess, Less than a month in it’s already over for the former ECW World Champion.
Rikishi Vs Perry Saturn and Dean Malenko
WCW isn’t rated either as Rikishi defeats Perry Saturn and Dean Malenko by DQ.
It’s clear that those two were picked up as part of the Radicals for one reason.
Purely because it was poaching them from WCW, rather than them being two guys Vince ever had any real interest in.
Triple H and The Big Show Vs Kane
It’s time for the main event as HHH and a mystery partner take on Kane in another handicap match.
Triple H picks The Big Show and we’re really just killing time, ethical debate from Lawler and JR about whether Kane should Tombstone Tori.
Thankfully, Cactus Jack does a run-in to even up the odds after DX interference and Kane pins The Big Show, earning him a match with X-Pac at No Way Out.
Review
It would hardly go down as one of the all-time great episodes of Raw but as a mid-way build up to a “B” ppv show it certainly had its moments.
Much like the Nitro from the same night, there are attempts to build storylines and characters and if everything doesn’t always work they are at least trying.
Rock/Benoit aside the matches are generally short and not all that good but by the same token that means that nothing seems to drag and certainly nothing is offensive as you watch.
The way that the DX/Radicals/Babyface interaction from the opening promo carried on throughout the show was a nice touch as well.
As annoying as having as heel dictates matches for the show might be, things tied together nicely and regardless of what the actual destination would be for a lot of these things (and WrestleMania 2000 was a catastrophic failure of Vince Russo booking when loads of on-going storylines were swerved at the last minute just to “shock”) watching this you would have been confident that there was at least a destination in mind beyond next weeks’ TV.
Photos courtesy of WWE.com and the WWE Network