Once again we gather together to watch some classic wrestling as part of the At Odds with Wrestling homework series. A series that will soon be heading to Patreon. You can still read my write ups here though. This week continues the theme of WCW from January to April of 2000, in between bookers. There is a ton of chaos happening and it won’t stop at the end of this show. Speaking of the end of the show, I thought it would never end. It took me three sittings to finish watching this pay per view. One of the worst experiences I’ve had watching wrestling. Right next to last night’s episode of AEW Dynamite. 

This event is live in Cleveland and our announce team for the night are Tony Schiavonnie, Mike Tenay, and Bobby “the Brain” Heenan. Tony announces that the card has changed. “As we learned” on a pre show. I don’t know if that was a free on PPV countdown show or if WCW Main Event was still on Sundays before the events. Bret Hart and Jeff Jarrett have concussions. Jarrett gets a concussion from Benoit headbutting him from the top of a cage, yet Benoit does not have a concussion. What a tenacious wolverine. Also “earlier tonight” Shane Douglas, Perry Saturn, and Dean Malenko attack Konnan. Kidman is the only Filthy Animal left standing and what was supposed to be Triple Threat Theater pitting Jarrett against Benoit for the US title is now Kidman vs members of the Revolution in three matches. With all of that explained, lets begin. 

Kidman vs Dean Malenko in a Dungeon match/catch as catch can as part of Triple Threat Theater. 

This is the perfect match to begin the night. As soon as the announcers explain that the rules of the match dictate you can’t leave the ring, Malenko rolls out of the ring. I get it. He forgot the rules. He can roll out of the ring in 99.99% of matches and he forgot for a moment. But it just sets the stage for the night. There is confusion but clearly he’s out of the ring so the referee calls for the bell. The fans cheer this non match. Honestly, there’s a world in which this could have been done to keep Kidman fresh for two other matches. 

Highlights of the Vampiro vs David Flair feud. Scott Hudson interviews Vampiro. Masahiro Chono shows up to cut a promo. Is he Vampiro’s partner? Mean Gene interviews Flair, Crowbar, and Daffney. 

David Flair and Crowbar (with Daffney) vs Vampiro. 

Vampiro decides he’s going to fight alone. Sure, this all makes sense. Chono is right back there plus a ton of wrestlers not on the card. Daffney distracts the referee a lot. Crowbar and Vampiro do most of the wrestling unless one of them has to put Flair into position for a spot. And when Flair isn’t doing a spot he is just standing there waiting for the next spot. It’s a fun Crowbar vs Vampiro match though. Crowbar has a great splash. David and Crowbar argue over who pins Vampiro. Flair attacks Crowbar. Daffney and David make out. Vampiro moves out of the corner, Flair splashes Daffney. Vampiro hits nail in the coffin for the win. Daffney is trying, Flair is clueless, while Vampiro and Crowbar are trying to do all the work. 

Mean Gene interviews the Mamalukes or whatever they were called at the time along with Disco Inferno and Tony Marinara who then doesn’t appear again. 

Harris Brothers vs Johnny the Bull and Big Vito (with Disco Inferno).

This might be where I stopped watching the first time. Johnny takes the beating. Disco is trying to not get involved. How are some fans loud for this match? Must be a cheap beer night at the arena. This is such a nothing match, I had already forgotten about it. Disco shoves Vito off the top rope but he lands on one of the Harris boys to get the pin. Was Disco helping or trying to hurt Vito? We may never know. We may never care. 

Medusa and Spice talk in the back. 

Oklahoma vs Madusa (Cruiserweight champion) (with Spice).

Medusa is wrestling barefoot here and I have to think it’s some reference to women being barefoot and pregnant and not her kickboxing skills. Medusa controls the match until Oklahoma hangs on to the ropes causing Madusa to crash. He takes advantage for a bit. Spice takes the BBQ away from Oklahoma. Aysa runs out to beat up OK with Spice. OK back in the ring and he pulls down Madusa’s skirt thing which distracts her and he gets the roll up win to become new Cruiserweight champion. Why is she upset over her gear showing? It’s not underwear. It’s cheerleader logic. We’ve already seen it while wrestling so what is there to now be embarrassed about and cover up? Anyways, Medusa and the girls get their revenge by dumping the BBQ sauce on OK. But he already beat her and won the title, so what does this do? The girls beat up OK. Madusa whips him with the title. Continuing her streak of showing respect for belts. 

Mean Gene interviews Brian Knobbs who says “tonight the student becomes the master”. Hasn’t he been wrestling for near 20 years already? Lots of people go to school for twenty years. Yeah, they’re called doctors. 

Norman Smiley vs Fit Finlay vs Meng vs Brian Knobbs (Hardcore champion) in a Four the Hard Way match. 

Finlay and Knobbs dress alike and also shop at the same store as the Dudleys. Smiley is the best part of this match. Smiley tries to run Knobbs into the ring but Knobbs just goes full dead weight and drops to the ground. Meng no sells trash cans and chairs to the head. Finlay and Norman have a brief fight in the crowd. Brain says “this is the best hardcore match I’ve ever seen.” I’m convinced he’s just phoning it in at this point. Knobbs catches Smiley off the top with a police shield and gets the win. Meng dumps Smiley. Knobbs celebrates with Finlay. I think this is where I took my second break. 

Kidman vs Saturn in the second Triple Threat Theater match – a Bunkhouse Brawl. I guess falls count anywhere here too. The crowd is dead quiet during this match but loud for the previous one. Cleveland has no taste. Maybe they are confused. Did anyone explain to the crowd all of the match changes to the show before it began? Were they offered refunds? Saturn hits an overhead suplex and tosses Kidman out of the ring, where he hits his head on the apron, and then crashes through a table but Kidman still kicks out. Back in the ring Kidman reverses what I guess was going to be a powerbomb and face plants Saturn to get the win. A very undramatic victory which seems to be the theme for Kidman this evening. 

We see footage of Stevie Ray in the hood because he hasn’t forgotten where he came from but Booker T has. Mean Gene interviews Stevie Ray. Booker says Midnight has his back, then immediately sends her to the back. 

Booker T vs Stevie Ray. 

What the hell is Booker wearing? I mean this gear is better than what he wore at the 2023 Royal Rumble. Don’t forget leg day Booker. The crowd is into this match. What an odd crowd all evening long. Booker is looking great and will most likely win. An unnamed Ahmed Johnson, later called Big T, comes out to attack Booker thus leading to the DQ. Midnight comes out to check on Booker but is too scared to get into the ring. This is now the “new and improved Harlem Heat”. It turns out to be neither. 

Mean Gene interviews Sid Vicious. 

Tank Abbot vs Jerry Flynn. 

Tank knocks Flynn out pretty quick. This looked close to a shoot. I don’t know what Tank would have been capable of doing at the time. Thankfully for everyone it’s over quick. 

We get a recap of the DDP and Buff feud. 

Buff Bagwell vs Diamond Dallas Page in a Last Man Standing match. 

I guess this arena is also used for hockey because I feel like I heard ten minutes of the announcers wondering if this fight is exposing the ice under the floor. These two have an intense brawl. Not a good one, but it is intense. They fight over to the WCW.com booth. When giant computer monitors collide! Buff climbs the WCW.com set and puts DDP through their table. Back in the ring the referee will start a 10 count, then there’s a move, then another 10 count, another move. Bagwell pulls out the Buff baton and I have no idea where it came from but there’s no way I was rewinding any of this to prolong the viewing. DDP can’t answer the 10 count as Kimberly finally comes out. Buff walks up to Kim and now DDP is back up to hit Buff from behind with the same baton. If Heenan was more invested I would have loved him to call “but whose side is she on?!” Much like his Bash at the Beach call when Hogan came out. Kim leaves with DDP but she doesn’t look happy about it. 

Kidman comes out for his third and final match, a cage match. Shane Douglas comes out to cut a promo. He calls Kidman a cock… roach. That’s right up there with calling someone a jock ass. Kidman’s mystery opponent will be… the Wall? That’s a let down all around. Kidman carries Wall throughout this match. Brain says he’s never seen a cage like this. Which means he hasn’t bothered to look up for the last 2 hours. The crowd is distracted by something else, which is always a good sign for a match. The Wall hits a chokeslam and pins Kidman. What? What good does this do anyone? Kidman doesn’t defeat Revolution for the Filthy Animals. The Wall isn’t part of Revolution, so they don’t get to claim a victory. There are no winners in WCW. 

Kevin Nash vs Terry Funk is about to start and the cage is still down which made me think something interesting was going to happen. I was wrong. Either Nash becomes commissioner or the nWo has to disband. The nWo which is now down to Nash and Steiner and Steiner is no where near this card. Right away they fight on the outside and Nash powerbombs Funk through the announce table. Nash gets in the ring and says if Funk can just make it into the ring he can still be commissioner. Funk crawls in and Nash reminds everyone he’s a liar. Nash hits a clothesline against the ropes and Funk slowly lands on his head. Slow chairshots. Slow DDT. I know Funk is a legend but this is bad. Nash powerbombs Funk across steel chairs and gets the pin. Arguably the worst match of the night and that’s saying something for this card. 

Arn Anderson cuts a promo about Terry Funk and the main event. 

Chris Benoit vs Sid Vicious for the vacant WCW world title. Arn Anderson is the special referee. 

Most of the wrestlers and other talent come out to watch this match. They’re trying for a big important feel. Credit for trying. Sid controls the early part of the match until Benoit takes out his legs. Benoit dissects Sid, and it’s reminding me of classic Bret Hart matches. Sid will hulk up for a moment but Chris knocks him back down. Benoit hits a diving headbutt and goes for the pin but Sid presses him off of his body. Probably Sid’s biggest move of the night. Sid goes for the pin but Benoit’s foot is under the ropes. Benoit locks on a crossface and Sid taps right away, but Sid’s foot is under the ropes. This seemed really rushed. 

Benoit celebrates. No mention is made of Sid’s foot under the ropes but I do remember WCW taking advantage of this the next night on Nitro. I wonder if it was a good accident or set up just in case. 

Mean Gene interviews Benoit, Arn congratulates the new champion. Nash says he’s going to mess with Benoit as the new commissioner. “From little turd to big turd.” Too bad Benoit left the next day, because that could have been a t-shirt. 

Honestly, one of the worst things we’ve ever watched for homework and that’s not a small feat.