WCW Spring Stampede (April 11, 1999)
From Tacoma, Washington
This was one of the WCW PPV events during the beginning of their dying days, but surprisngly on paper, it doesn't sound that bad. Was it? We'll see. The main event is Ric Flair defending his WCW Title against Diamond Dallas Page, Sting and Hollywood Hogan in a Fatal Four Way Match. Now, you know something is wrong when the pay per view starts off with Mean Gene Okerlund plugging their WCW Hotline and their webshow rip off of Byte This. FINALLY, he ends his rant, and we're given some action.
- #1 Contenders Match
Blitzkrieg vs. Juventud Guerrera
The winner of the match would become top contender to the Cruiserweight Title the next night on Nitro. Juvi comes out, and he is full of energy. He slapped a fan's hand so hard, the thing damn near fell off. The people love him though, so I guess that's why he completely ripped off The Rock's schitck. The people belonged to The Juice... yeah, right. Match is pretty exciting and as much as I like TNA's X-Division, about half of them could take notes from this match. Whatever happened to Blitzkrieg?! He was damn good, hitting a Molly Holly elbow into a bulldog. 10 count from Blitzkrieg, and backdrops Juvi over the top, but Juvi reverses it and ramps Blitzkrieg's face into the turnbuckle pad for the 10 count. Schiavone sucks on commentary, by the way. Juvi hits a over the top rope suicide dive, as Schiavone calls it, and takes down his opponent. Juvi pulls out one of my favorite moves, the surfboard. I love that move. Doesn't get the win though. Blitzkrieg hits Juvi with a running backflip dropkick, then a standing dropkick sending Juvi to the floor. Blitzkrieg comes to the top rope and flies off, to the outside to get Juvi, but gets a dropkick for his efforts. Juvi chants break out. It's sad to think what his career has come to, comparing himself to legendary greats, and begging people for a job. Sad. Tenay calls Juvi "The Phenomenal" Juventud Guerrera, and lets us know that Blitzkrieg hasn't even had 100 matches at this point. Juvi gets a dropkick, but a two. I can't keep up with the action, but the match kicks all sorts of ass and the crowd loves it. Juvi takes him to the top and goes for a fallaway slam, but Blizkrieg reversed it into a body press. Blitzkrieg went to the top and missed the Sky Twister Press. Blitzkrieg hits a Victory Roll, but a two count again. Juvi wells out in spanish. I think he called him a bitch. "Pendejo?" Blitzkrieg takes him to the corner and pulls him to the second rope, but Juvi reversed it and hit the Juvi Driver from the second rope. He covered him and got the pin at 11:12! Great match, and very exciting. Awesome way to kick off the show. *** for a damn fine bout. Underrated match, IMO.
Winner and #1 Contender: Juventud Guerrera
- Hardcore Match
Bam Bam Bigelow vs. Hardcore Hak (w/ Chasity)
Enter Sandman. I don't see why they couldn't call him Sandman since at this point, I doubt ECW had copyrights. Oh well, who cares, right? Definately not me. Match starts off exciting, and Hak climbs the top of the stagecoach at ringside taking Bigelow out through a table. At ringside, the whore is throwing weapons in the ring, preparing. What a considerate slut she is. They're up, not selling injuries in this mock ECW match, and a bunch of brawling at ringside. Bigelow growls in the camera. Oh joy! Bigelow hits Hak with a crutch twice. Hak is already winded, and it shows because his lack of movement and heaving chest. He sets up a table set up and wedged between the ring apron and the guard rail, but gets clocked with a trash can. Schiavone is a fucking idiot, saying that it doesn't hurt. It's a Hardcore Match, idiot! Sell us your product and make us believe it, even if it is alluminum! Nimrod! A salad bowl comes in to play, and another trash can shot. Match is stale, and people haven't been into it at all. Hak gets a ladder, and dropkicked it on to Bigelow. The pointless brawling continues and he sets the ladder on Bigelow. To the top rope he goes and hits a Senton Bomb on to the ladder which crushes Bigelow. Tenay points out that there has been NO attempted pinfalls in this match. Anyway, after a few more minutes of shitty hardcore action, Chastity gets in the ring, but Bigelow sprays a fire extinguisher up her skirt. Hak hits him with a broom and hits the White Russian Legsweep. No cover, as Bigelow no sells. Bigelow climbs to the top rope, but he hits Hak with a Greetings From Asbury Park through a table off the top rope, makes the cover and gets the three count at 11:33. Schiavone says it's the most brutal match in WCW history. Lies. All lies! This really was not all that enjoyable, so I'll give it a *1/4 for the hell of it.
Winner: Bam Bam Bigelow
We get a clip of Juvi on WCW.com's radio/interview show. Chopped up English from Juvi and he calls himself Juice and wants the Cruiserweight Title. He's "going to geh teh bell bahk.". Um, okay?
- Scotty Riggs vs. Mikey Whipwreck
Riggs is using the Rick Rude gimmick, and fails horribly doing it. Fun Fact: Rick Rude died the day of this pay per view with absolutely no mention of him at all from WCW. How horrible. Anyway, Whipwreck comes out to no ovation, reaction or music at all. Nothing. That sets the tone for this match. It's an unadvertised special match, and it should have never taken place. A bunch of shitty moves, slaps and about 5 drop toe holds. Riggs gets in the camera ala everyone else in WCW and says he looks handsome, and Schiavone agrees. Whoopdie Doo!! Dropkick from Whipwreck takes Riggs out to the floor. Two minutes later, which means we're now six minutes into this shitty match with no reaction, we get a decent spot, but there's still no reaction. Whipwreck dives over the top rope and hits a hurricanrana. Silence. Riggs poses ala Rick Rude, and zero reaction... Even from the ladies. We finally get a chant from the crowd. BORING! BORING! My sentiments exactly, and I fully agree. Announcers opt not to address the chant, and still call the match to the best of their ability, which isn't saying much for Schiavone. The people continue to sit on their hands following a missile dropkick. Riggs wins the match and ends it (thank God) after hitting a Shawn Michaels flying forearm at 7:03. Yucky, horrible match. DUD, and that's being generous and not going into the negatives. It was truly that bad.
Winner: Scotty Riggs
Video package for the upcoming match between K-Dogg and Glen Gilberti.
- Grudge Match
Konnan vs. Disco Inferno
Funny sign in the audience mocking the lyrics of Konnan's theme song. "Oil Of Olay, All Day! Every Day!" Usual 10 year old schtick from Konnan, and Disco makes his entrance. Disco is underrated. I never understood the point of talking to the camera. It was stupid, yet everyone in WCW did it. Konnan calls him gay because he can't dress, and gets knocked down for his efforts. Konnan had lame trash talk. Disco Sucks chant from the crowd. Goodie, a chant after that horrible Riggs/Whipwreck match. Noise is a blessing after that snoozefest. Tenay calls Disco 'musically challenged'. This is a decent match thus far, but a bit on the slow and dragging side. Disco does more dancing than wrestling. More struts, dances and gyrates. I hate how the announcers kept calling him THE Disco Inferno. Ringpost toss from Konnan to Disco, but he no sells it. Schiavone wonders how he did it. It's called Hogan Syndrome, Tony. The crowd is now dead. Match started off exciting, but is no longer fast paced. Konnan busts out the rolling thunder, but Konnan hits the 187 aka Cradle DDT, but Disco kicks out somehow. Disco goes for the Chartbuster, but Konnan reverses it and hits himself and wins in 9:17. Konnan beats Disco Inferno with his own move. Konnan gets in the camera and says he's not tired. Hell, I wouldn't doubt it. He really did next to nothing the entire match. *1/4
Winner: Konnan
Video package for the Kidman/Mysterio Cruiserweight Title match. Not only are they tag team partners/champions, but they're exciting! Oooh, markage! Okay, maybe not but it should be good.
- WCW Cruiserweight Championship
Rey Mysterio, Jr. © vs. Billy Kidman
I pray that Mysterio isn't on steroids, but it's amazing how much larger he is compared to this particular match. He's so damn tiny. Girls go nuts for Mysterio and guys not so much. Pretty good opening sequence from Rey and Kidman, but Rey wins that round. While I'm at it, Kidman is tiny as hell too. Of course, he is a porker now, so it's all good. At least Rey is in shape. Kidman throws Rey over the top to the floor. HIGH SPOT COMING~! Plancha. Some spots, and Rey goes for a Asai Moonsault, but Kidman catches him. Rey reverses it though, and hits a hurricanrana, but his face hits the ring steps. He gets pissed and kicks the stairs. Poor Rey, he looks knocked loopy. Rey drops the dime before it got a name, but only gets a two count. Lionsault only gets a two count as well. Schiavone tries and rules the commentary and is a fucking bafoon. Loser. Kidman hits a running BK Bomb, but doesn't follow up until seconds later, only receiving a two count. He hits another BK Bomb, this time with more force, but Rey kicks out. If Kevin Nash, Bam Bam Bigelow couldn't beat him at this point, then how could Kidman? Kidman hits a Catatonic-esque move and goes for the cross body, but Rey hits a dropkick and gets a two count. Rey takes Kidman out of the ring, and springboards into a somersault and takes him down outside the ring. Kidman locks on a reak naked choke, and Rey finds time to adjust his wedding ring. I just had a random thought. Had WCW booked the Eddie Guerrero vs. Rey Mysterio feud in the Summer of 2005, they would have had a Dominick on a Pole match. Interesting (and sad) thought. Rey hits an inverted flying X-Factor, but Kidman hits ANOTHER BK Bomb and goes for the Shooting Star Press, but Rey is up. He starts a 10 count, but Kidman sunset flips over and just BARELY, Rey kicks out after two. Rey loads Kidman to the top and hits a flying bulldog, which supposedly is the move he won the title with. Rey drapes his arm across, but Kidman kicks out. Rey shows cockiness. Shame on him. Kidman hits a bulldog of his own, and gets a two. Rey fakes Kidman, spinning between the ropes which would eventually become a move called the 619. Rey hits a Guillotine leg drop, but no pinfall. Kidman hits a facebuster and goes for the Shooting Star Press, again. Fans go nuts, but Rey crotches him. He refuses to take that move, and I don't blame him. Kidman's SSP sucks. Rey hits the Hurricanrana with quickness and gets the win at 15:32. This was a damn good cruiserweight title match, but both men have done a lot better. Exciting nonetheless, and for that, I give it ***1/4.
Winner and STILL WCW Cruiserweight Champion: Rey Mysterio, Jr.
Feud recap of the Raven, Saturn and Horsemen feud and angle. That match is up next!
- Raven & Perry Saturn vs. Chris Benoit & Dean Malenko (w/ Arn Anderson)
This was about three months after Saturn had lost to Chris Jericho in a "Loser Must Wear A Dress" match, but it was only for 30 days, I believe. This was 3 and a half months later and he was still wearing it. Maybe Saturn can lend me some bread. The crowd is really into this match and it is indeed very intense. Raven, Benoit and Malenko is a good match. Saturn carries his end. Surprisingly, Anderson isn't getting involved. Benoit and Malenko handle the technical action and Raven takes it to them with the best brawling money can buy. Schiavone and Tenay question whether or not Charles Robinson will be fair in the middle of the match, but thus far he has been. Raven rolls up Malenko, but Robinson is trying to keep Benoit out of the ring. Saturn ducks Anderson and Benoit and hits a 10 count but Malenko forearm shots Saturn down. Raven and Saturn hit a Doomsday Device on Malenko and Saturn goes for the DVD, but Benoit hits a German but Raven spears Benoit out of the ring. Malenko powerbombs Saturn and locks in the Cloverleaf. Damn this is an exciting match, but Saturn gets the ropes. Saturn is up, loads up Malenko and hits him with the DVD. Almost has the three count, but Benoit hits the headbutt to break up the count. Benoit gets tagged in, and Saturn desperately needs a tag. Benoit takes Saturn out with some major chops. Saturn gets his own chant, surprisingly. Raven gets the hot tag to a HUGE pop from the crowd, and sends Malenko over the top rope. Anderson gets a chair and hits a drop toe hold to the chair. Should be a DQ, but nothing. Saturn loads Malenko on a table outside the ring and goes for a top rope splash, but Malenko rolls away and Saturn crashes and burns. Malenko is in the ring and Raven hits the Evenflow. Anderson sets the chair on Raven's face, and Benoit hits a headbutt on the chair, sacrificing himself. Malenko rolls over and gets the pin and the win at 14:11. Match dragged at times, but for the most part was damn entertaining. ***1/4. This version of the Horsemen were really good, but they were never really given the ball to run with. I think that's been said before.
Winners: Chris Benoit & Dean Malenko
Recap of Ric Flair stripping Scott Hall of the United States Title, and the announcement of the United States Title Tournament and how it came down to the two participants of our next match for the US Title. I dread this.
- WCW United States Championship
Scott Steiner vs. Booker T
Steiner spends about 10 minutes flapping his gums at everyone at ringside. A lady turns heel on her husband and starts rubbing Steiner's chest. Steiner says "notice your bitch is rubbing my chest and looking at me, not you". Lame as WCW timekeeper rings the bell, even though he's not in the ring. Steiner swipes a fan's hat, and the guy who was just talking shit shuts up. Schiavone says the fans had labodomies before they came to the show. Steiner FINALLY gets in the ring, even though the match has technically been underway for three minutes. They are JUST about to lock up, and Steiner hops out of the ring and over the guardrail to attack a fan. The guy runs and Steiner pokes fun. "RUN LIKE A LITTLE BITCH!" Match FINALLY begins and Steiner pounds away at Booker. Steiner was still watchable and able to move around this point, so it wasn't and hasn't been as bad as I expected. Booker focuses on technical wrestling and goes as far as arm dragging Steiner through the second rope to the floor. Booker T was so over at this point in his career. The fans love him. He needs to bring back the old school Harlem Heat tights and the little piece of nose tape. That shit owned. Schiavone is stupid saying if Steiner gets DQ'ed, Booker will become the United States Champion. Um, no? Fun Fact: Booker is also the Television Title. WWE should bring in a TV Title, and give it some prestige and meaning having it defended EVERY week with a 15 minute time limit. Regal, Benoit, Booker, Rey... let people like that compete for it. I digress. Steroids chant from the crowd. I love it. Steiner was at this point in his career, still able to be called a "talent". Proof of that is that he busts out a Frankensteiner from the top rope. Greatness, and seeing someone like him do it never ceased to amaze me until Kane did it in 2001. I dare Steiner to do it now. Booker got the Axe Kick, but a two count. He lifted up Steiner for a Suplex, but Steiner hit Booker in the throat with a rolled up foreign object. He makes the cover, and gets the win and the United States Champion at 15:57. Post match posing session from Steiner, and the crowd his now dead after pretty much building to a Booker T victory, but getting a Steiner screwjob. Pretty good match for these two, they always seemed to work well together. Surprisingly, this gets a **1/2 as opposed to me predicting to give this something less.
Winner and NEW WCW United States Champion: Scott Steiner
Up next we have a rematch from Starrcade, and I dread it. Video package hypes Goldberg/Nash.
- Starrcade Rematch
Goldberg vs. Kevin Nash (w/ Lex Luger & Elizabeth)
Fucking Luger. Elizabeth was hot, and he murdered her. The selfish son of a bitch, steroid abusing asshole. Nash, the heel, gets a huge ovation from the crowd. Nash cuts a brief promo. Lets us know that Wolfpac is in the HOUSE! I admit, Nash isn't the best wrestler ever, but you can't deny he was clever and entertaining at times. Anyway, there's not much to review on this match. Their match at Starrcade was a little better, but this wasn't amazingly horrible. Like Steiner, Nash was still considered a pretty good to decent match at this point in time. Nash had the upper hand for a bit, but Goldberg went for the Spear. Seemed to be over, but Nash leapfrogged it, and Goldberg got the referee. Nash went for the Jacknife, but didn't get it. In the end, Goldberg finally hit the Spear and Jackhammer. Grunted, growled and got the win at 7:44. By the numbers match, but nothing to awful and at least it was kept short. I'll give it a *1/2 just because Nash hit a leapfrog over Goldberg.
Winner: Goldberg
Video package for the Fatal Four Way Match.
- WCW World Heavyweight Championship
Ric Flair © vs. Hollywood Hogan vs. DDP vs. Sting
At this point, Hogan had a knee injury and needed time off, Ric Flair was the acting President of the WCW, and Sting had just made a return to WCW. Savage was the special guest referee for whatever reason I'll never know, and DDP was the only guy in the match to not be a former or current World Champion. Wrestlers make their entrances, and the match is on but it's pretty sloppy. I am tired of reviewing at this point. I'll just recap some of the major points of the match. Savage is the special referee, and he comes out with a hot cunt, Georgeous George and she serves no purpose except eye candy. Announcers remind us that Savage has had issues with everyone in the match. Hogan is taken out of the match early on with a ringpost Figure Four, which injures his knee. They do a mini shoot as Bischoff runs out, and tells the camera to cut off of him and he hasn't been seen in months. Go figure. Hogan was gone for months after this. Anyway, the action picked up with the orange roid abuser out of the way but not much. Like I said, this is a really sloppy figure four. Sting hits his usual spots on Flair as DDP looks on, but as soon as Sting went for a pin, DDP broke it up. High spots include a Flair Flop, and a triple sleeper into a triple stunner. Flair locked Sting in the Figure Four and was set to win, but that cheating wannabe rapper hit Naitch with the Sky Elbow drop for absolutely no reason at all, even though he said he was going to be impartial. That obviously broke up the move, and screwed Flair. In the end, Flair rebounded, but not for long. He went for a clothesline on Page, but he ducked it and hit Flair with the Diamond Cutter. He got the cover, and Savage counted the pinfall in 17:22. This match went about 5 minutes longer than it needed to be, and Hogan's little injury took up too much time. Coulda been a lot more effective as a 11 or 12 minute elimination bout, but oh well. For what we were given, I'll give it a ** for being decent, but nothing to call home about. Post match, DDP celebrates, and he is the champion for the first time, first time. Future title reigns would suck for him though.
Winner and NEW WCW World Champion: DDP
The Bottom Line: This is a pretty decent PPV. Three of the matches broke the three star barrier, two broke the two star barrier, and the rest was pretty meh. There's only one truly awful match worth fast forwarding through, but other than that, this is a totally watchable PPV. I used to watch it all the time, but as my video collection grew, it got lost in the shuffle. One of the last really good PPV events WCW had in it's dying days. I enjoyed it, and I bet others would to, so I give this a Strong Recommendation. Thumbs Up! As for the rating of this tape? I'll give it a ***1/4!