Halloween Havoc is in behind us and The Foundation is fully gilded as WCW Nitro is LIVE from the La Crosse Center from La Crosse, Wisconsin! Let’s get the party started as “Party Hard” from Andrew WK’s hard rock opens the show and we are welcomed to the show by Joey Styles & Jerry “The King” Lawler!
As soon as the pyro stops, the music of The Foundation blares through the loudspeaker, and here comes the group that is draped in gold. The WCW World Heavyweight, WCW World Cruiserweight and WCW World Tag Team Champions make their way to the ring with smiles and high fives all around. Diamond Dallas Page has a mic and the music cuts out. DDP goes on to brag about being a modern-day Nostradamus, and he told everyone this would happen. The Foundation of WCW is the Foundation of this entire business, and they have the gold, the money, and the success to prove it. No one can touch them, no one is on their level, and everyone who was ready to forget them now has no choice but to look them in the eyes and call them the greatest of all time! Kanyon grabs the mic and has his turn to gloat “Who Betta Than Kanyon… and Mike Awesom? NOBODY!” Kanyon & Awesome are the top of the mountain, where they’ve both always belonged and nobody can knock them down! MIA thought they were betta, and now Cajun is out with a “broken bum” which causes The Foundation to break into laughter.
“Here Comes The Money!” The boss of WCW is on his way out! Shane McMahon stands on the stage with a mic and congratulates The Foundation on their success. He says this business is about backing up what you say, and so far, he has to hand it to the Foundation, they have done just that. They may have attitudes, they may even take shortcuts, but Shane knows the best of the best are in WCW and that includes the Foundation. But, part of being at the top is fending off every challenge that comes your way, and, there’s a challenge coming DDP’s way, tonight! Shane says that Kanyon made a good point, Corporal Cajun sadly was injured last night and cannot compete for a few months, but, General Rection does have a rematch clause in his contract. So, since his partner is injured, Shane has had a great idea. Tonight, General Rection will have a shot at bringing gold back to the Misfits In Action, when he goes 1-on-1 with Diamond Dallas Page for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship, TONIGHT!
The Foundation’s smiles have turned to sneers and DDP yells that Shane can’t do that as Nitro goes to commercial.
The bell rings and the two immediately lock up in a collar-and-elbow tie-up. Hennig transitions into a side headlock, but Storm shoots him off the ropes, on the rebound, Hennig connects with a crisp dropkick that sends Storm into the turnbuckle. Storm battles back, catching Hennig with a series of stiff European uppercuts before executing a big sidewalk backbreaker. Storm follows up with a second backbreaker over his knee, focusing his attack on Hennig’s lower back. Hennig finds an opening and hits a snap mare followed by a rolling neck snap, but Storm manages to get his foot on the bottom rope at the count of two. As the pace quickens, Hennig hooks the arm for the Perfect-Plex, but Storm floats over the top, lands behind him, and kicks the back of Hennig's knee. Storm immediately follows with a chop block to the hamstrings and transitions into the Canadian Maple Leaf. Hennig attempts to reach for the ropes, but Storm drags him back to the center of the ring, forcing Hennig to tap out.
A great match here to no ones surprise. We’ve seen this one a few times now in WCW, and it seems to get better every time. Storm gets the much needed momentum as Hennig seems to be quickly approaching gatekeeper to the stars status.
After the match, Lance Storm gets on the microphone and demands another shot at Rob Van Dam. Storm says he and everyone knows that he is the best wrestler in the world and RVD got lucky at Halloween Havoc. Rob Van Dam comes out on the stage and simply points his thumbs at himself as Storm looks angry in the ring.
Chavo immediately takes control by grabbing a side headlock and transitioning into a hammerlock, forcing Shark Boy down to one knee. When Shark Boy attempts to stand, Chavo drives a knee into his gut then executes a rolling trio of suplexes, for a 2-count. Shark Boy tries to create space with some quick elbows to the gut, then with a springboard crossbody off the middle rope, but Chavo catches him and drops him across his knee with a gutbuster. Chavo hoists Shark Boy into Gory Special position, then plants him with the Gory Bomb for the 3!
That was a fun little match. Chavo showed a bit of a mean streak in this one and, similar to Storm, seems to be in a spot to rebuild some momentum.
After the match, Chavo grabs a microphone and says he comes from a long tradition of Lucha Libre, and explains the importance of masks to some Luchadors. He berates Shark Boy saying he is no Luchador and just some punk playing dress up. The Guerrero’s never had to hide their faces behind a mask, because everyone knew who the best of the best is in Lucha Libre! Chavo is abruptly cut off by a weird noise and an image of several masks flashing on the screen.
Back from commercial we are greeted by The Real Stuff of Buff Bagwell & D’Lo Brown on their way to the ring. Buff grabs a mic and says he has head all the rumors and talk of issues with The Real Stuff, and they can promise you that there is no issues. They have not had the success Buff Bagwell is used to, but with a little help, D’Lo Brown will get to his level and they will dominate WCW! D’Lo looks at Chavo with a wide eyed expression. Bagwell continues that tonight, they begin their rise as they have challenged BG James to find anyone in the back to tag with him and The Real Stuff will prove who the real top players of WCW are! BG James is on his way to the ring now, and he pauses half way down the ramp and points to the stage. “Vertebreaker!” Here comes Shane Helms and it looks like the tag match is now!
The match begins with Helms and D'Lo trading fast-paced counters, but whenever Bagwell tags in, the momentum stalls as he spends more time posing than wrestling. As BG James clears the ring with a series of heavy right hands, the frustration on the heel side boils over. Bagwell gets trapped in the corner and, after taking a beating, starts screaming at D'Lo to "up his game" and do his job. When D'Lo hesitates, Bagwell delivers a stinging slap across his face. The arena goes quiet as D'Lo stares him down, then explodes, catching Buff with a thunderous Sky High Spinebuster. D'Lo looks at his fallen partner with disgust and walks up the ramp, leaving Bagwell alone. Shane Helms seizes the opportunity, leaping off the top rope to connect with a Nightmare on Helms Street to secure the victory while BG James keeps watch.
This match was mostly about the collapse of The Real Stuff, and D’Lo Brown’s face turn. I’m not sure what to make of the James & Helms team, as I think it’s a real weird pairing. Match itself was fine and BG James continues to impress in WCW, showing he is capable of being a consistent upper card player.
Backstage we are in Arn’s Office. Arn Anderson is trying to do some paperwork when Tommy Dreamer comes in. Arn thanks Dreamer for coming and says he called him here to ask him to up his game. He says when Arn & Shane recruited Dreamer to the new WCW, they wanted the extreme Tommy Dreamer, so get extreme. Dreamer nods solemly and says he just needs to find himself again. Dreamer turns and sees Kwee Wee standing in the doorway acting. Kwee Wee-ish. Dreamer simply walks past him and out the door. Kwee Wee starts to approach Anderson’s desk and The Enforcer simply shouts “Get out!” causing Kwee Wee to squeal and run out of the office.
This is a total demolition from the start. The FBI jumps their opponents before the bell, and the match is over almost as soon as it begins. Chuck Palumbo levels Conrad Kennedy with a Super Kick, Johnny Stamboli follows up by hoisting Jayson Reign into a Gorilla Press before dropping him into a Snap Powerslam. With the ring cleared, Guido Maritato stalks Derrick King, catching him with a Tornado Single Arm DDT directly into a Fujiwara Armbar and King taps instantly.
The FBI has been directionless, and I can’t for one see what they are going to do now. Guido isn’t going after Kidman for the Crusierweight title, and the FBI won’t be going after the Foundation for the Tag titles unless WCW makes the FBI faces, which I don’t see happening. This squash was fine to get them on TV, but otherwise pointless.
Backstage we have Scott Hudson with Steve Corino & Jazz. They brag about their victory over Joanie Laurer & Tommy Dreamer at Halloween Havoc, and Jazz says she’s coming for championship gold next.
We cut to a gym where Joanie Laurer is working out with her Women’s title on display. She says she is sick of Jazz & Corino’s games. If Jazz want’s to wrestle her like a real woman, she will learn what the 9th Wonder is really capable of.
The match begins with the traditional lock-up, but Rection quickly overpowers the champion, shoving him into the corner and unloading with heavy handed shots. Rection sends DDP flying with a back body drop out of the corner, and follows it up with a running clothesline that sends Page tumbling over the top rope to the floor. Outside, DDP hides behind Billy Kidman to create some space. As DDP climbs up into the ring, he grabs Rection’s head and hotshots him across the top rope.
DDP takes control, targeting Rection’s midsection with a series of shoulder thrusts in the corner and a neckbreaker. Page slows the pace with a leaping elbow drop and covers for a 2-count. Rection eventually finds an opening, catching a charging DDP with a big Bossman Slam. He mounts a comeback with a vertical suplex and a big boot, then drills DDP with a thunderous Gutwrench Sit-Out Powerbomb that nearly crowns a new champion, but Page gets a shoulder up just before the three. Rection heads to the top rope, signaling for the No Laughing Matter moonsault, but DDP rolls across the ring to the opposite side. Rection leaps and eats nothing but mat, he stumbles to his feet and eats a thunderous Diamond Cutter. Page hooks both legs and secures the clean pinfall to retain the gold.
A perfect main event for Nitro. I don’t see Rection turning into anything above a US title guy, but this I the type of main event that keeps weekly television interesting. And DDP winning clean only helps solidify him and doesn’t hurt Rection at all, and avoid EVERY heel always cheating to win. Fun main event.
After the match, DDP & Kidman celebrate as Kanyon & Mike Awesome join them. They see Bombshell tending to Rection in the corner and begin to surround her menacingly. Before anything can happen, the music of Booker T blares through the arena and here comes Booker! He immediately begins brawling with The Foundation and General Rection is now on his feet to help out. The Foundation’s numbers appear to be too much but here comes BG James?! The Doggfather has joined the fight, and it looks pretty even for a bit, but the numbers game still appears too much. Here comes the difference maker as Sean O’Haire runs down to ringside. It’s a wild brawl between The Foundation, Booker T, Sean O’Haire, BG James and General Rection as Nitro fades to black!