WCW Nitro is life from Richmond, Virginia with a huge main event of Lance Storm defending his WCW World Heavyweight Championship against Sean O'Haire!
Andrew WK's "Party Hard" and pyro the standard opening welcome us to Nitro followed by the voices of Joey Styles & Jerry "The King" Lawler!
Lance Storm's music hits, and the World Heavyweight champion is on his way to the ring accompanied by Dawn Marie. Storm is in the ring and grabs a microphone. He says that for months he has reigned supreme as the champion of WCW, and has proven without a shadow of the doubt he is the best wrestler in the world. But the whole time he's been champion, he keeps having to hear about Foundations, Shane McMahon and Booker T's when everyone should be talking about him! Tonight, he'll prove, again, he is the best, when he defeats that "psycho" Sean O'Haire! Cue O'Haire's music as he comes out onto stage and stares down Lance Storm with intensity as Nitro heads to commercial.
The match was a fast-paced spotfest that showcased the athleticism of the cruiserweights. Karagias started hot with a springboard arm drag, but Kwee Wee slowed things down with a big Sitout Powerbomb for a two count, but he spent too much time arguing and posing for the fans. Karagias fired back with a spinning heel kick and a standing moonsault. After Kwee Wee missed a wild clothesline, Karagias planted him with a swinging neckbreaker and scaled the turnbuckle, nailing the 450 splash for the clean victory.
Cruiserweight Consistency! Don't know what else to say for these matches. Both guys do their job and put on a fine match, and slowly win over a crowd as the match goes on. Kwee Wee is maybe a bit underutilized, but I think you can often say that about a lot of lower card talent. Its nice to see Karagias getting some reactions.
Shane Helms comes out after the match to congratulate Evan Karagias. Helms grabs a mic and proclaims Karagias the next WCW World Cruiserweight Champion!
Backstage, Chavo & Kaz are watching on as Chavo begins to tell Kaz that as long as they stick together in the triple threat match, Chavo should be able to walk about WCW World Cruiserweight Champion. Chavo walks off leaving Kaz looking somewhat sheepish.
The Foundation looked like an absolute force here, effectively bullying Gas and Anderson from the opening bell. Mike Awesome started by nearly turning Pete Gas inside out with a shoulder block, while Kanyon picked apart CW Anderson’s limb work. Anderson managed a brief flurry of left hands and a spinebuster on Kanyon to tag in Gas, but the momentum was short-lived. Awesome entered and leveled both men with a double clothesline. Kanyon spiked Pete Gas with a brutal Flatliner, then held him in place for Awesome to soar off the top with a massive Diving Splash to end the squash.
Great tag team match here. Putting Kanyon & Awesome together in a tag team is an interesting choice, not sure if its something WCW is running with or just a random match. They are definitely good, but feel both could be better utilized as singles competitors.
Backstage, the Misfits In Action are standing around talking about going after the Full Blooded Italians and the World Tag Team Titles, when the FBI shows up1 Guido says they come in peace. Guido says they all know whats happening here, its not just some hatred between groups, its tension. Sexual tension. Guido looks the Blonde Bombshell up-and-down and says its time they admit their feeling for each other and go on a date. Bombshell seems confused. Guido says, think about it, and motions for The FBI to leave, which they all do, leaving MIA confused.
We are in Arn's Office now with Rob Van Dam & D'Lo Brown with Buff Bagwell in the background. RVD is signing something on Arn's desk and Anderson says its now official. At Fall Brawl, RVD vs. D'Lo Brown for the United States title.
Scott Hudson is with Shawn Stasiak & Stacy Keibler. They rant and rave about Joanie Laurer and Stacy says Joanie will never be Women's Champion. Stasiak says tonight the Mecca of Manhood won't fall to "some chick"
This was a classic clash of power. Stasiak used his size to ground Joanie early, hitting a heavy gutwrench suplex and keeping her trapped in a chinlock. Joanie showed great resilience, powering out and catching Stasiak with a series of shoulder tackles that finally staggered the Mecca. Just as Joanie was gaining the upper hand, Stacy Keibler hopped on the apron with the Women's Championship in hand. Stasiak went to whip Laurer into the rops so Stacy could smack her, but Joanie countered sending Stasiak crashing into Stacy and the Women's title bouncing off Stasiak's head! With Stasiak dazed, Joanie drilled him with a Powerbomb and the pin!
What can you say? They put on a pretty okay match, almost the best you can hope for out of Joanie Laurer these days. Stasiak did his part, and I don't think the loss hurts him. Joanie vs. Stacy at Fall Brawl is official, and I can't see Stacy escaping this one.
After the match, Stacy Keibler tries to attack Joanie Laurer, but Joanie manages to get her hands on Stacy and is looking for a Powerbomb. Stacy scrambles away frantically and in the process, loses her top to Joanie. Stacy covers up as she is left in a bra and skirt and runs to the back as Joanie celebrates holding Stacy's shirt above her head.
Hennig looked as smooth as ever, out wrestling the young Christian York from the start with expert technical exchanges. York had a cup of coffee in ECW towards the end of the company. However, as the match got going, Steve Corino strolled down to the commentary table, heckling Hennig through a headset. The distraction worked briefly, allowing York to catch Hennig with a missile dropkick and a Neckbreaker, but Hennig kicked out at 2. Hennig quickly snapped back into focus, hitting a picture-perfect dropkick to the face. He finished Reno off seconds later with the Hennigplex, never taking his eyes off Corino.
Watching Curt Hennig really is a treat. He's in that category of wrestler someone like Lance Storm is where everything just looks so crisp and tight it gives his matches, even squashes, a bit of a boost. Corino vs. Hennig builds!
After the match, Corino gets in Hennig's face and starts yelling at him, calling himself the King of Old School and the true Perfect man. Hennig smirks, spits his gum out which he's been chewing the whole match, and slaps it away, and then turns and walks up the ramp.
Backstage, Booker T is with Scott Hudson. Hudson asks Booker how he feels about possibly becoming WCW World Heavyweight Champion again at Fall Brawl. Booker T goes on a rant about how he got delayed dealing with business with the Foundation, and he isn't done yet, but its time he becomes a 5-Time WCW World Heavyweight Champion and that DDP and Lance Storm cannot stop the inevitable.
The main event was a thrilling contest of Storm’s technical precision against O’Haire’s raw, unpredictable power. O'Haire nearly shocked the world early with a huge spinning roundhouse kick that sent Storm reeling to the outside. Storm fought back by targeting O'Haire's leg, grounding the big man with a series of dragon screws. O'Haire made several fiery comebacks, even catching Storm mid-air for a powerslam that got a very close two count. The finish was pure chaos; O'Haire set Storm up for the Death Spiral, but Storm managed to slip out and blast him with a lightning fast Super Kick. While both men were down and Dawn Marie distracted the official, Diamond Dallas Page sprinted through the crowd, slid into the ring, and dropped O'Haire with a devastating Diamond Cutter. Page vanished as quickly as he appeared, leaving Storm to drape an arm over O'Haire to retain the gold.
Congratulations O'Haire, you just had your best match ever. Lance Storm looked phenomenal here, and while O'Haire made himself a very game broomstick, this was definitely a great match thanks to Storm carrying said broomstick to one. I wonder if this is O'Haire's coming out a party or just dumb luck, but I loved this match!
After the match, Diamond Dallas Page jumps back in the ring and begins to beat on O'Haire and nails him with another Diamond Cutter as Storm stands hugging his World Heavyweight title in the corner. Booker T runs out and begins brawling with Booker as O'Haire rolls out of the ring. Booker nails DDP with a Book End and stands up and eats a big Super Kick from Lance Storm! Storm stands above both his fallen challengers and begins staring back and forth at both of them. Storm grabs Booker's leg and looks like he's about to lock in the Canadian Maple Leaf, when he stops, looks at DDP, and instead walks over and locks DDP in the Canadian Maple Leaf to a big pop! DDP is tapping and screaming as Nitro goes off the air!