***BTB of the Month*** - WCW/ECW 2001 and Beyond - The Alliance Lives

[RDT]

WCW Monday Night Nitro
December 10, 2001
Nassau Coliseum
Long Island, NY

We begin NITRO backstage with Shane McMahon (with Test), who looks to have an announcement on hand.

Shane McMahon: “Hello everyone. I hope everyone’s excited about Starrcade in three weeks as WCW World Heavyweight Champion Stone Cold Steve Austin defends against “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair. Tonight, as a bit of a warm-up, Stone Cold will take on Booker T. Now, there’s something sure in it for Booker T. If Booker T can pin or make the WCW World Champion submit, he will be the #1 contender, and will get a title shot at Souled Out against whomever the WCW Champion is at that time. Everyone at home, sit back and enjoy the show!"

Scott Hudson lets us know that we’re going to kick off the action with some of the youngsters of WCW.

Lash LeRoux vs. Shannon Moore

LaRoux and Moore circle one another before they lock-up. Armdrag from Moore, but LeRoux quickly comes back with a dropkick. A second dropkick sends Moore to the outside…and suddenly we have Kurt Angle coming out here! LaRoux tries to follow up on Moore, but Angle waistlocks him and slams him down with a German suplex! Moore runs at Angle and takes a shot to the face. Angle calls for a mic.

Winner: No Contest via interference in 0:58

Kurt Angle: “Booker T huh? He gets lucky in one tag match and suddenly he’s getting shots to be the #1 contender? That doesn’t work for me. I deserve to be the #1 contender and quite frankly I’ll beat the hell out of anyone in front of me to prove it! It’s absolutely ridiculous! It’s absurd!”

Shannon Moore gets back up and becomes Angle’s target.

Kurt Angle: “Hey you. Yeah you. You want a chance to be #1 contender? Apparently all that you have to do is get one lucky three count and you’re there! Come on. Let’s go! I’ll even put the [United States] title on the line!”

Shannon shakes his head yes…

WCW United States Championship
Kurt Angle © vs. Shannon Moore

As soon as Moore accepts Angle ferociously attacks, punching and kicking Moore in the corner, then throwing him across the ring with a belly to belly! Angle starts shoving Moore around, and Moore fires back with some punches. Angle takes him right back down with a vicious headbutt. Angle covers, 1…2…Moore kicks out. Angle whips Moore around and flips him over his head with a fireman’s carry, then locks in the headlock and brings Moore to the canvas. Angle then elbows Moore in the head when releasing. Angle looks out at the crowd, shaking his head and indicating that he wants the WCW World Championship. Angle turns back to Moore, and Moore surprises him with a dropkick! Moore comes off the ropes and Angle misses the clothesline…and Moore gets a flying headscissors! Moore runs at Angle one more time and Angle levels him with a big clothesline! Big release German suplex! Angle quickly locks on the Ankle Lock, and that’s it for Moore, who taps out immediately. Angle holds on for a little while longer before Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley comes out, and she tells Kurt she wants to talk.

Winner: Kurt Angle via submission in 3:27 (Retains)


::COMMERCIAL BREAK::


We come back to Nitro and a limousine arrives. The crowd erupts though as Arn Anderson opens the door…and it’s Ric Flair! Flair tells Double A that it’s great to see him again, and that he’s here to talk to Shane about Starrcade.

Stephanie McMahon Helmsley is now backstage with Kurt Angle.

Kurt Angle: “I hope you have something good for me Stephanie.”

Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley: “Just an idea here Kurt. You know I’ve always been your biggest fan. Now I can’t do anything about WCW but I know Paul [Heyman] would love to have you around on Thursday for RISE, it’s gonna be right in mid-town Manhattan. He’s going to announce who’s facing off with Rob Van Dam for what I feel will be the top championship in this business, the ECW World Championship!”

Angle doesn’t directly answer, but gives Stephanie a bit of a positive headshake.

***

Mike Tenay joins Scott Hudson and Diamond Dallas Page at the commentary table, as he excitingly talks about Essa Rios, who’s about to make his WCW debut!

WCW Cruiserweight Championship
Billy Kidman © vs. Essa Rios

Kidman and Rios tie-up and move all around the ring before they just start firing at one another. Kidman gets the side headlock, but Rios sends him off the ropes. Leapfrog follows by Kidman leaping over a monkeyflip attempt and rolling through. Kidman goes for the hip toss, but Rios tries his own, only to get blocked. He kicks Kidman instead and then gets a leg on him, but Kidman flips him over, just for Rios to land on his feet! Rios still has Kidman’s arm though and springboards three different times off the top rope, armdragging Kidman on the way down! Rios runs at Kidman and gets a flying headscissors! Cover, 1…2…Kidman kicks out. Essa Rios punches away at Kidman in the corner and tries to Irish Whip him to the opposite corner…only Kidman counters. Kidman runs after Rios, but Rios floats over and goes for a German suplex! Kidman counters though, but Rios tries to go low and roll Kidman up. Kidman uses some surprising strength and dumps Rios with a wheelbarrow suplex as a result! 1…2…Essa Rios just kicks out!

Kidman tosses Rios to the outside. He picks him up for a powerbomb, but then drops him throat first onto the barricade! Kidman heads onto the apron and flies at Rios, but Rios moves out of the way and Kidman crashes into the barricade. Kidman stumbles right into a backdrop on protective mats. Rios has complete control as he brings Kidman back into the ring. He props Kidman on the top rope and then punches away, but Kidman counters with a top rope spine bomb! Kidman tries for the cover but can’t get his weight on him, 1…2…but Rios just kicks out. Kidman tries a slam, but Rios rolls that into a pinning combination, 1…2…Kidman kicks out, then levels Rios with a dropkick! Kidman heads to the top rope and waits for Rios to get up…but when he comes off the top Rios gets him in the midsection with a dropkick of his own!

Kidman slowly gets to his feet and Rios knocks him back down with a spinning heel kick. He says that’s it and sets Kidman up for a powerbomb, but Kidman counters that into a facebuster! Kidman covers, 1…2…Rios just kicks out again. Kidman hooks the headlock for the springboard bulldog, only Rios pushes Kidman in midair over the top rope and onto the floor! Rios waits for Kidman to get up, then slingshots over the top rope with corkscrew crossbody to take out Kidman once again! Rios lands on his feet and has the crowd all fired up as he’s looking to put Kidman away. He props Kidman on the top rope and springboards in with a hurricanrana! Rios points to the top rope and heads there…and he goes for Kidman’s own move, the Shooting Star Press…only Kidman moves out of the way! Kidman slowly gets up and heads to the top himself, and he hits his own Shooting Star Press! 1…2…3! An impressive debut, but Essa Rios just falls short of winning the WCW Cruiserweight Championship in his debut.

Winner: Billy Kidman via pinfall in 12:48 (Retains)

Essa Rios gets some cheers as he heads off. While Kidman celebrates his victory…he’s attacked by Jerry Lynn! Lynn came from the crowd and stomps away on Kidman before setting him up in the middle of the ring. Cradle Piledriver! Lynn grabs the WCW Cruiserweight Championship, indicates that he wants it, then throws it on Kidman’s fallen body!


::COMMERCIAL BREAK::


Ric Flair and Arn Anderson walk into Shane McMahon’s office, where Shane, Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley and Test welcome them in. Shane tells Test that he can calm down.

Ric Flair: “Shane McMahon baybay! The Nature Boy is here! Kiss-stealing, wheeling-dealing…”

Shane McMahon: “Ok, ok, we’re excited Ric for sure, but we gotta talk business a little bit.”

Ric Flair: “Whatever it is, I’m ready! WOO! Give me Austin right now for all I care! Starrcade, 17-time…17-time brother! It’s gonna happen.”

Shane McMahon: “Again, we’re all definitely excited. But, we have Steve Austin wrestling Booker T tonight, and I think it’s only fair you have a match before Starrcade as well, let’s say next week on Nitro.”

Ric Flair: “Bring it on! Who ya got for me! Who ya got for the man! Who ya got for the WOOO! NATURE BOY!”

Shane McMahon: “Well, I think it’ll be more exciting if we reveal it next week on Nitro as well.”

Arn Anderson: “Now hold on a second there Shane. This is Ric Flair you’re talking to, and there should be more resp….”

Ric Flair: “Double A, don’t worry about it brother! I waited nine months for this chance. I knew when we made our arrangement you’d come away with a stronger WCW, and boy it doesn’t get any stronger than Stone Cold Steve Austin! Mystery opponent next week! I’m in the best shape of my life! Bring it brother! Now I have a main event to watch, WOOO!”

***

WCW World Tag Team Championship
The Dudley Boyz © w/Stacy Keibler vs. Sean O’Haire and Chuck Palumbo

Palumbo and O’Haire surprise the Dudleyz by attacking right away. Bubba Ray and Palumbo become the legal men after an early four man brawl, and Palumbo takes Bubba Ray down with a big dropkick. Big discus punch sends Bubba Ray flying once again. Big powerslam and a cover, 1…2…D-Von breaks it up. Palumbo tags in O’Haire and they both slam Bubba Ray into the corner. O’Haire misses the clothesline though, and Bubba Ray takes him out with his own. In comes D-Von and Bubba Ray holds up O’Haire’s legs and D-Von comes flying in with a headbutt off the top! Another kick tag and the Dudleyz hit O’Haire with a double flapjack! Bubba Ray covers, 1…2…Palumbo runs in to break it up.

Bubba and D-Von pummel O’Haire in the corner. D-Von’s back in and continues those punches, then hits O’Haire with a neckbreaker.D-Von whips him off the ropes and goes for the backdrop, but O’Haire leaps over and gets a sunset flip! 1…2..kickout from D-Von. O’Haire leaps to tag in Palumbo. Palumbo knocks Bubba off the apron to prevent the tag, then whips D-Von off the ropes. Palumbo criss-crosses D-Von as he runs the ropes as well then levels D-Von with a clothesline! 1…2…D-Von just kicks out. Palumbo slams D-Von and then tags in O’Haire, who heads up top! Stacy Keibler gets onto the apron…and has gained the attention of Palumbo…and Bubba Ray shoves O’Haire off the top and he crashes onto the canvas. Palumbo turns around and gets hit with 3D! 1…2…3!

Winners: The Dudley Boyz when D-Von pinned Palumbo in 6:05 (Retains)

KRONIK…the fans go wild as Brian Adams, Bryan Clarke and Steven Richards heads down to the ring! The Dudleyz look ready to fight…before they hightail it out of there as soon as Kronik hit the ring. Adams and Clarke make the belt motion at their waists as the Dudleyz head to the back!


::COMMERCIAL BREAK::


Jeremy Borash is backstage with Booker T.

Jeremy Borash: “Booker T, you are minutes away from perhaps the biggest match of your career. Tonight, if you beat the WCW World Champion Stone Cold Steve Austin, you get a chance to fight either him or Ric Flair for the title at Souled Out in January.”

Booker T: “Josh, for a year, despite that I am the five-time WCW World Champion, people tell me that I beat no one to win those titles. Every night I get into that ring, in the squared circle, in my zone and I beat whoever’s in front of me. Just look at what happened to Kurt Angle last week. He’s out here, telling people he deserves to be #1 contender, well I’m out here earning it. I’ve beaten him for the WCW title and I beat him last week. Kurt Angle, non-factor sucka. People who want to say I beat no-one, even though it’s not true, when I beat Steve Austin tonight, and then when I beat Austin or Flair next month, I will be the six-time WCW Champion, and no one, no one is gonna be able to say nothin. Now can you dig that…SUCKA?!”

***

Tajiri w/William Regal and Torrie Wilson vs. Christian

Christian quickly twists the arm of Tajiri, who counters with his own arm twist and then into an armbar. Christian gets out and gets a headlock, but Tajiri sends him off the ropes and goes for a hip toss. Christian counters into his own, but Tajiri lands on his feet. Christian misses the clothesline and Tajiri decks him with a back kick to the face. Tajiri hooks Christian’s arms under his legs for a pinning combination, 1…2…but Christian kicks out. Christian fights back with forearms to Tajiri before booting him down. Falling reverse DDT from Christian, 1…2…Tajiri just kicks out. Christian goes for a suplex but Tajiri lands on his feet, then back kicks Christian again! Tajiri comes off the ropes and Christian looks to get him up for a powerbomb, but Tajiri gets the frankensteiner instead! 1…2…Christian kicks out as we almost had an upset! Tajiri goes for the Irish Whip, countered by Christian, but Tajiri comes flying back with the handspring back elbow! 1…2..Christian again just kicks out!

Christian gets a shot to the midsection to slow Tajiri down. Christian sends Tajiri into the corner, but misses the ensuring avalanche…which leads to the Tarantula by Tajiri! William Regal and Torrie Wilson begin arguing on the outside as Regal is telling her to get out of the way, and Tajiri sees this when having Christian locked in! He let’s go and yells at Regal, then hits Regal with the green mist! Christian rams Tajiri into the ringpost and then rolls him back in. Unprettier in the center of the ring, 1…2…3!

Winner: Christian via pinfall in 5:58

Regal berates Tajiri despite not being able to see, and yells at Tajiri that this is all Torrie’s fault. DDP on commentary: “If it comes to Torrie Wilson if I were Tajiri I’d kick Regal right in his face!” Dejected and probably angry, Tajiri helps Regal to the back.

***

We see Booker T doing some final stretches before his match with Stone Cold.


::COMMERCIAL BREAK::


We come back to Nitro backstage as Regal is still yelling at Tajiri as he (Regal) tries to wash the mist off his face. When doing so, Stone Cold Steve Austin walks right by them (and Torrie) with a disgusted look on his face, to which Regal and Tajiri both comically shut up. Austin takes a quick look, then decides to just continue walking to the ring.

***

Scott Hudson and Diamond Dallas Page go over the main event and discuss the importance of the WCW World Championship. Ric Flair and Arn Anderson make their way out as Flair sits besides Hudson at the desk. When Stone Cold makes his way out, he flips Flair off, drawing a laugh from Flair.

If Booker T Wins, He Gets a WCW World Title Match at Souled Out
Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Booker T

Austin and Booker stand face to face as Austin takes off the vest and title.. Booker unfortunately makes the mistake of turning his back to walk back to the corner, and Austin hits him with the WCW Title, sending him to the outside. Austin continues his attack, heading to the outside and firing away at Booker. Booker fires back to the delight of the crowd, then rolls back in. Austin follows up and Booker is now the aggressive one, hitting and kicking Austin on his back. Booker sends Austin off the ropes and knocks Austin down with a flying forearm! Booker slams Austin into the turnbuckles, and as Austin stumbles out, a savate kick knocks Austin down and out of the ring! Austin uses this to catch his breath as the referee counts.

Flair: “You see, this is why Austin’s a smart man, he takes his time when he needs to. He just doesn’t realize I know.”

Austin gets back in and Booker T fires away, but Austin gets the advantage with punches of his own. Austin whips Booker off the ropes and gets the Lou Thesz Press…then punches away at Booker. Booker counters though and ends up punching away at Austin! They roll around to the outside where Booker gets some more chops. Booker tries to whip Austin into the steps, but Austin counters, and leaves Booker lying on the outside. Austin rolls in and tells the referee to count Booker out. Booker makes his way back into the ring, and Austin pounds away. Booker fires back and hits the ropes, but Austin catches him with a sleeperhold. Booker tries to fight out, but slowly loses energy and looks like he may be out.

Flair: “He’s wearing the man down. Austin’s definitely proving why he’s the best right now, but I got something for this!”

Austin has Booker on the canvas, but Booker starts to fight back. Booker gets back to a vertical base and elbows his way out! Booker comes off the ropes and runs right into a spinebuster from Austin! Cover, 1…2…Booker kicks out. Austin hits Booker with multiple forearms before locking him back into the sleeper. Booker is quick to fight out this time, and when he goes he punches and chops Austin into the corner. Booker backs up then runs at Austin, who counters by hitting Booker with a stun gun into the top turnbuckle! A cover by Austin, and he puts his feet on the ropes, 1…2…referee sees it and kicks Austin’s feet off! Austin starts yelling WHAT? over and over again at the referee, sending the referee to the outside.

Flair: “I gotta say I like the move, I wouldn’t be the dirtiest player in the game if I didn’t!”

Austin turns his attention back to Booker, who pops up and nails Austin with a Harlem Sidekick! Austin gets back up and Booker gets another one! Austin gets up and gets nailed with a third Harlem Sidekick! Austin retreats to the corner and Booker T fires away, alternating chops and punches. He sends Austin across the ring into the turnbuckles, and Austin stumbles out into a flapjack from Booker! Booker T pops up with a SPINAROONI! Booker kicks Austin and comes off the ropes, but misses the Scissors Kick! Booker turns around into an Austin kick and it’s the Stun…no, Booker pushes him off! Austin comes back off the ropes and Booker catches him into the Book-End! 1…2…Austin just kicks out at the very last second and Booker T can’t believe it!

Flair: “That’s why he’s the best. But keep going Book don’t let him up!”

Booker picks Austin off the canvas, but Austin fires some shots, still showing some life. Booker gets a kick though and drops Austin with a DDT. Booker drags Austin to the corner and then tries to get the crowd into it. Booker T heads to the top rope, but Austin kicks the referee into the ropes and Booker gets crotched on the top rope while the referee crashes to the floor! Austin hooks Booker up on the top rope…superplex connects! Both men are down but Austin slowly gets to his feet. Austin picks Booker up and goes to for the kick to set up the Stunner, but Booker catches it and roundhouse kicks Austin! There’s a commotion in the crowd…and it’s because Kurt Angle is running down! Booker kicks Austin and again goes for the Scissors Kick…and Angle blasts him with the WCW U.S. Title belt as he came off the ropes!. Austin kicks Booker and drops him with the Stunner as Angle gets out of there through the crowd! Referee slowly makes his way back in, 1…2…3!

Flair: “That was total bs man! That ain’t gonna happen to me in three weeks I can tell you that!”

Winner: Stone Cold Steve Austin via pinfall in 17:11

Austin makes his way up the ramp and stops at the announce desk to face off with Flair. Like last week, Nitro goes off the air with Flair and Austin locking eyes!


::END SHOW::


Quick Results

Lash LaRoux and Shannon Moore wrestled to a no-contest

WCW United States Championship
Kurt Angle made Shannon Moore submit to retain the title

WCW World Tag Team Championship
The Dudley Boyz defeated Chuck Palumbo and Sean O’Haire when D-Von pinned Palumbo to retain the title

Christian pinned Tajiri

If Booker T wins, he gets a WCW World Title shot at Souled Out
Stone Cold Steve Austin pinned Booker T

Champions

WCW World Champion
Stone Cold Steve Austin (Awarded On 12-3-01)

ECW World Champion
Vacant (Vacated by Rhyno on 12-6-01)

WCW United States Champion
Kurt Angle (Defeated Rhyno on 10-22-01)

WCW World Tag Team Champions
The Dudley Boyz (Defeated The Hardy Boyz on 10-26-01)

WCW Cruiserweight Champion
Billy Kidman (Defeated X-Pac on 10-9-01)

Roster Updates

Arn Anderson – Where there’s Ric Flair, there’s likely Arn Anderson watching his back.

Essa Rios – Left the WWF in August. There’s a new Cruiserweight division to be built making Rios an exciting signing for the new WCW.

Jeremy Borash – Had a run as a Vince Russo stooge late in WCW 2000, will be mostly a backstage interviewer here.

Lash LaRoux – For former Corporal Cajun was part of the “WCW 24”.

Shannon Moore – Also a member of the “WCW 24”, former 3 Count member.​

 

[RDT]

ECW RISE
December 13, 2001
Hammerstein Ballroom
New York, NY

The Hurricane: “Hello fellow extreme residents and civilians. Tonight, I, The Hurricane, comes to the land of extreme to deal with some evil-doers. Total Impact, your crimes against Tommy Dreamer and Spike Dudley will not go unpunished. And while the Mighty one is not with me here tonight, I warn you now I do not come alone! Lance Storm, Mike Awesome, Justin Credible, your time is almost up!”

***

The theme of ECW plays, then we cut to a clearly in disbelief Joey Styles.

Joey Styles: “Hello everyone welcome to RISE…and did we just open the show with The Hurricane threatening Total Impact? Nonetheless the format does say that Total Impact is in action tonight. They will be facing Tommy Dreamer, Spike Dudley and a third partner yet to be named at Starrcade in an ECW rules six-man brawl! Now speaking of the format I was expecting a match to take place here, we were getting the return of Mikey Whipwreck to kick things off…and, what? That’s…that’s Kurt Angle?!

Kurt Angle makes his way down to the ring, no music, no nothing. The crowd makes it known he’s not welcome with a “get the fuck out” chant!

Kurt Angle: “So this is the big time ECW huh? You know all week I heard fans tell me I was being too cocky because I had a chance to work for ECW in 1996 and after one show said screw this and left. And by the looks of things nothing’s changed! No wonder Stephanie wanted me here, this place is piece of garbage! Now if I understand correctly there’s a chance to…perhaps be a #1 contender to a World Championship around here and quite frankly you couldn’t. pay me enough otherwise to be here. You know when I joined The Alliance I didn’t do it for the ECW side of things. I certainly didn’t do it for these homeless pieces of trash in New York City that Paul E. probably paid to be here. I mean seriously who wants to be in New York City anyway? Jeff Van Gundy just walked out on you guys! Anyway, I did it for me and to become a World Champion again. I did it because I feel WCW was where the most prestigious championships are. So if I gotta prop up ECW a bit I gladly will clean up the promotion as your World Champion! Man what a joke this place is. I can….”

The ECW faithful roars though…as the music of Tazz plays! Angle looks bewildered as Tazz approaches the ring. “IT’S TAZZ! IT’S TAZZ!” yells Joey Styles, “I thought he went with the WWF?”

Tazz: “Kurt Angle, let me tell you why I came to ECW tonight. I had a feeling you were gonna come here tonight, disrespect the toughest fans here in New York City, and run your mouth. So I came here to shut you up! I choked you out right across the street In Madison Square Garden two years ago, I’d I’m about to do it again!”

Kurt Angle: “Oh really? Two years ago? Who even cares! This time around I’ll snap your ankle and make you quit like how everyone else quits on ECW and New York City!”

Tazz: “How about this, you want to fight? You want to go? How about you put that US Title on the line and we’ll go right now!

Angle says “bring it” and here we go!

“Fuck em’ up Tazz fuck em’ up!”​

“Fuck em’ up Tazz fuck em’ up!”

WCW United States Championship
Kurt Angle © vs. Tazz

Tazz slides into the ring but Angle catches him with stomps and kicks. Angle slugs away at Tazz in the corner, then cockily nods to the crowd like Tazz is nothing. Tazz explodes out of the corner with a big clothesline! Angle gets up quickly but walks into a belly to belly suplex! Tazz goes for a T-Bone Tazz-plex, but Angle gets a knee, then hits a bridging German Suplex of his own. 1…2…Tazz kicks out. Angle locks Tazz in a front facelock, wrestling him down to the mat. Angle punches Tazz in the face with the facelock still in, then floats over and starts slapping Tazz in the face in a sign of pure disrespect. They get back to their feet, but Angle wraps Tazz up in a belly to belly suplex. Someone’s coming from the crowd though…it’s Booker T! Angle doesn’t see him…Booker grabs the US Title, runs in and whacks Angle in the back of the head with it! Angle stumbles around and Tazz locks in the Kata ha jime, the Tazz-mission! Angle tries to break free, but it’s only a matter of seconds before he passes out in the hold! The crowd pops huge as we have a NEW US Champion!

Winner: Tazz when Angle passed out in 4:02 (New Champion)

Booker T runs through the crowd, and Angle sees him and goes after him! Meanwhile, the new United States Champion grabs a mic.

Tazz: “What did I say?! I choked Angle out two years ago, and I did it again tonight. For anyone back there, Tazz is back! BEAT ME IF YOU CAN….SURVIVE…”

…and the crowd finishes…“IF I LET YOU!”​

::COMMERCIAL BREAK::​

We come back to RISE in Paul Heyman’s office, and owner Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley walks in.

Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley: “What the hell was that? I invite Kurt here and he gets attacked by someone who I didn’t even know we had under contract?”

Paul Heyman: “Stephanie I had no idea either!”

Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley: “How can you not know? I’m not even gone one week and already the inmates are running the asylum! You better have something good for tonight…”

Christian walks in to the surprise of both Heyman and Stephanie.

Christian: “Am I interrupting? I know Kurt got the personal invite and all and that’s fine, but I think I’m deserving of a main event match at Starrcade if I should say so myself. I for one didn’t get pinned by Rob Van Dam a couple weeks ago nor did I frankly just get beat in 3 minutes earlier tonight, so I think I’m deserving.”

Paul Heyman: “Christian, you know it…it is somewhat of a bad time. Here is a pass, I’m announcing the ECW World Championship match for Starrcade at the end of the show. This will get you into one of the box seats.”

Christian smiles, and Stephanie gives Heyman a stern look.

***

Joey Styles: “Is Christian getting a free pass for an opportunity for the ECW World Championship? Tonight’s already been insane. We already had a title change. Tazz is back. What else can happen? Oh god..oh god Hurricane’s actually coming out here…

The Hurricane: “Hello again residents of the extreme! It is time to reveal my partners in fighting for justice. Tonight we will stop the tyranny that is Total Impact. Reveal yourselves!”

“Intergalactic” by the Beastie Boys plays as Nova and The Blue Meanie make their way out to the ring!

Joey Styles: “You’ve gotta be kidding me, they’re going to get killed…”

Total Impact (Lance Storm, Justin Credible and Mike Awesome) w/Dawn Marie vs. The Hurricane, Nova and The Blue Meanie

Meanie tries to dance with Dawn Marie…and he gets cracked in the head with a kendo stick from Justin Credible as a result! Storm and Awesome attack Hurricane and Nova…and the beatdown is on! Credible grabs a chair and hands it to Awesome, who wallops Meanie and Nova! Hurricane dropkicks the chair into Awesome’s face, sending him to the outside, but Credible and Storm take him down quickly. Storm locks in the Maple Leaf, and Credible continually bashes Hurricane in the head with a kendo stick! Hurricane has no way to protect himself! A dazed Meanie tackles Credible and Nova manages to force Storm to break the hold, but Storm superkicks Nova right in the face as a result. Credible cracks Meanie in the head with a kendo stick, busting him open. Storm smacks Hurricane with a super kick and Hurricane stumbles right into Justin Credible, who lays him out with That’s Incredible! Mike Awesome comes flying off the top rope with a splash, 1…2…3!

Winners: Total Impact when Awesome pinned Hurricane in 3:59

The beatdown continues as Awesome grabs Nova and…Awesome Bombs him over the top rope through a table!

Joey Styles: “OH MY GOD!”

Storm and Credible continue to beat down Meanie and Hurricane when Tommy Dreamer and Spike Dudley run in for the save! Dreamer gets a DDT on Storm and Spike drops Credible with the Dudley Dog! Dawn Marie tries to get them both to stop, but Dreamer grabs her by the hair and threatens to spike her to the canvas! Unfortunately this allows Awesome to smash both Dreamer and Spike with a steel chair! Storm and Credible come to and get their shots in, and Dreamer, Spike, Hurricane, Meanie and Nova are all left lying!

Joey Styles: “Damnit! Well I guess we shouldn’t have expected anything less. Total Impact, I may not like them, but their ability can’t be denied. I mean that’s two former ECW World Champions and perhaps the best technical wrestler in the entire world. Anyway, I’m being told now that we have a message from..Raven?”

Raven: “You know everyone thinks that what’s happening in ECW right now actually matters. But it doesn’t. Sure the likes of Rob Van Dam are contending for the ECW World Championship, and Tazz is back and there are apparent superheroes out there. But it all stands to face the path of irrelevance. All of them feel that they are kings, queens, rooks, knights, bishops in this game. But what about me? What about Raven? Well I’ll tell you about Raven. I’m not a piece at all. I’m the orchestra conductor. All of them are pawns being orchestrated by me. Van Dam, Dreamer, Stasiak, hell even if it’s Paul Heyman or Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley, they will all soon see they are pawns in my brilliancy. It is I who determines who makes it across the board. It is I who determines who becomes a rook or a knight. All of them are a fragment of my bigger masterpiece. Quote the Raven…Nevermore.”​

::COMMERCIAL BREAK::


Raven vs. Mikey Whipwreck

Raven sits in the corner, and Whipwreck shows fire by flying in with a dropkick! Whipwreck stomps away on Raven…getting in some 20 stomps! Raven ends up between the 2nd and 3rd rope, and Whipwreck flies over the top rope and hits a guillotine legdrop! Raven falls lifelessly to the outside and Whipwreck sets up a table! He puts Raven on top then heads to the top rope…but elbowdrop misses and Whipwreck crashes through the table! Raven picks up what’s left of Mikey and his a Russian legsweep into the guardrail! Raven tosses Mikey back in and goes for the cover, 1…2…Whipwreck just kicks out, showing some life! Raven picks Mikey up, and gets caught in a small package! 1..2..Raven just avoids the upset with a kickout! Oklahoma Roll from Whipwreck, 1…2…another kickout from Raven. Backslide attempt from Whipwreck, but Raven counters into his own, 1…2..Mikey kicks out this time!

Whipwreck fires off a dropkick that takes Raven down. Whipwreck sets a chair up in the middle of the ring. Raven reverses an Irish Whip though and gets the drop toe hold leading to Mikey crashing face first into the chair! Raven goes to finish with the Evenflow, but Mikey pulls out another small package, 1…2…Raven kicks out again! Whipwreck looks to finish off Raven and he comes off the ropes, but he’s tripped up by Shawn Stasiak! Stasiak poses to the crowd, and Whipwreck dives over the top and takes him out! Whipwreck rolls back in, but Raven is waiting with a boot to the midsection and spikes Mikey with the Evenflow DDT! 1…2…3!

Winner: Raven via pinfall in 6:36

Raven orders Stasiak to take Whipwreck with him as they head back up the entrance way.​

::COMMERCIAL BREAK::


We come back to RISE with Christian taking his seat. ECW fans surprisingly seem positive towards him, even as he mocks them. Christian seems to believe that he’ll be Rob Van Dam’s opponent at Starrcade for the ECW World Championship.

Paul Heyman then walks out with a huge, unknown blonde wrestler.

Joey Styles: “Who the hell is that…”

Paul Heyman: “Ever since I had to tell the assets of Extreme Championship Wrestling I’ve been asked almost every god damn day, ‘Paul, how could you have saved ECW? Paul, could you have gotten back on national TV?’ and so on and so forth. And quite frankly we would have made it. After Vince McMahon and Eric Bischoff raided every star I created I almost made it to the line where a whole new batch of talent awaited. But I needed a bridge, just one star to get me there. So, despite what you may hear on the internet or on the radio or whatever gossip sheet let me set the record straight. ECW fell apart not because of ‘bad management’ or ‘Paul being a bad businessman’. ECW didn’t make it without the help of Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley because Rob Van Dam gave up on us! ECW didn’t make it because Rob Van Dam never pushed himself to be the man! He was a great Television Champion, the greatest we ever had. But we needed him to step up. And then by the end of 2000 he barely even showed up at all and left me hanging. But I can get past that. See while Rob Van Dam was weighing his other options, I started scouting and scouting like I always did to find the most exciting talent out there. And one night I’m watching Ohio Valley Wrestling and I see this one guy throwing the WWF’s Mark Henry around like he’s nothing. A few months later during InVasion at a couple of live events a few weeks before Survivor Series he beat the living hell out of Tommy Dreamer and beat him clean! Hell, he wrestled Kanyon in some events in October and beat him up so badly that Kanyon has been injured ever since! I knew, I knew when ECW was reborn that I needed something better than Rob Van Dam. I’m a fair man, I’ve given Rob Van Dam the opportunity and maybe he’ll prove me wrong and a part of me hopes he does. But truthfully, I don’t think so. Ladies and Gentlemen, at Starrcade for the ECW World Championship, it will be Rob Van Dam one-on-one with the 1998 Junior NCAA Amateur Wrestling Champion and 2000 NCAA National Heavyweight Champion. Six Foot-Four Inches tall, 285 pounds. Making his Extreme Championship Wrestling debut at Starrcade is this man, Brock Lesnar!”

Fans boo the introduction loudly with a “you sold out” chant, but then erupts as Rob Van Dam makes his way out to the ring! We also get a shot of Christian, who clearly looks disgusted at not being chosen. RVD sizes up Lesnar.

Rob Van Dam: “Brock Lesnar huh? What, was Brakus sick this week Paul?"

Joey Styles: “Don’t give him any ideas Rob!”

Rob Van Dam: “You say Rob Van Dam gave up on you? Well I gotta be honest with you Paul. First of all, myself and everyone else in that locker room busted our ass to make ECW last as long as it did, and a hell of a lot of us worked for free way longer than we should have. As for grabbing the brass ring? Maybe had I gotten a chance at it I would have won the ECW World Championship. We all know no one was hanging with me and that’s why you tried to push me aside!”

Joey Styles: “He’s damn right!”

Rob Van Dam: “Brock Lesnar, you better appreciate what you’re getting handed here kid. I worked my entire life to get what you’re getting right now. I’m going to win the ECW World Heavyweight Championship at Starrcade. And you’ll learn Brock that I’m the whole fuckin’ show!”

Lesnar and RVD stand face to face…and RVD pie faces him! Lesnar immediately tackles RVD and the brawl is on, even knocking down Heyman! Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley runs out with security and officials to loud boos from the crowd to break them up. There isn’t much success…until Lesnar surprises everyone by heaving RVD over the top rope and onto the floor! RVD looks surprised himself, but not fazed, as he’s held back while the show goes off the air!


::END SHOW::


Quick Results

WCW United States Championship
Tazz made Kurt Angle pass out to win the title

Total Impact defeated The Hurricane, Nova and The Blue Meanie when Awesome pinned Hurricane

Raven pinned Mikey Whipwreck

Champions

WCW World Champion
Stone Cold Steve Austin (Awarded On 12-3-01)

ECW World Champion
Vacant (Vacated by Rhyno on 12-6-01)

WCW United States Champion
Tazz (Defeated Kurt Angle on 12-13-01)

WCW World Tag Team Champions
The Dudley Boyz (Defeated The Hardy Boyz on 10-26-01)

WCW Cruiserweight Champion
Billy Kidman (Defeated X-Pac on 10-9-01)

Roster Updates

Brock Lesnar – As Heyman said, NCAA 2000 Champion has been working in OVW since late 2000. Uses a Triple Powerbomb and an airplane spin front face slam (called the F5) as finishers. Is said to also be capable of a Shooting Star Press.

Nova – Former ECW regular.

Mikey Whipwreck – Another former ECW regular (and ECW World Champion) who also had some shots in WCW.

Tazz – Choked out Paul Heyman the SMACKDOWN! before Survivor Series and competed in the Immunity Battle Royal. Clearly, he’s made his decision on where he wants to compete.

The Blue Meanie – Former ECW regular has had a WWF run before.​

 

[Sky]

Bork time

 

[RDT]

WCW Worldwide
December 15, 2001
McKenzie Arena
Chattanooga, TN

Scott Hudson and Mike Tenay welcome us to the show. Hudson recounts what happened on Nitro between WCW Cruiserweight Champion Billy Kidman and Jerry Lynn.

Jerry Lynn vs. Christian York w/Joey Matthews

Lynn gets the early arm ringer, but York quickly rolls through to get his own. Lynn counters with an arm drag. Lynn and York trade hammerlocks, and Lynn gets the better of York again with a fireman’s carry. Headlock by York, but he gets sent off the ropes. York gets a leapfrog, but walks into another arm drag from Lynn. Hiptoss is blocked however, and York gets one of his own on Lynn. Lynn swats away a dropkick and gets a headlock takeover on York. York gets out with a headscissors, but he runs in and Lynn trips him up, 1…2…quick kick out from York. Snapmare takeover from Lynn, but York lands n his feet! York gets some applause from the crowd, but then gets slapped in the face by a frustrated Lynn.

Lynn hammers away on York. Backbreaker from Lynn. York tries to fire back, but Lynn is in complete control, getting a snapmare successfully this time. Lynn wears York down with a headlock. Lynn goes back to stomping then brings York over to the corner and chops away. Irish Whip is reversed though, but Lynn blocks the impact at the turnbuckles. York goes for a dropkick but Lynn stops short and it misses. Lynn tries to catapult York into the corner, but York lands perfectly on the bottom rope and comes down with a legdrop on Lynn! York sends Lynn off the ropes, but Lynn counters a hip toss again, and sends York face first into the mat with an inverted double leg slam.

Lynn goes back to punching York, and York still has some life, punching back. Lynn sends York into the corner, but York gets his foot up when Lynn comes charging in. Springboard back elbow off the 2nd rope from York connects! 1…2…Lynn kicks out! York goes for a modified hangman’s neckbreaker, but Lynn kicks his foot back and gets a low blow! No call from the referee, and that draws Matthews to the ring apron. Lynn blasts Matthews and Matthews goes flying into the barricade! Spinning heel kick from York hits the distracted Lynn, 1…2…Lynn just kicks out, we almost had an upset there! York heads to the top rope facing outwards, maybe for a moonsault, but Lynn stops him. Lynn slams York back with an electric chair drop! Lynn makes the cover, 1…2…York just kicks out!

Lynn sets up for the Cradle Piledriver, but Matthews is on the apron again! Lynn turns his attention to him and York dropkicks Lynn into him (Matthews)! York is momentarily distracted by his partner lying on the floor, but turns back to Lynn. He goes for a frankensteiner, but Lynn counters with a powerbomb! 1….2…York kicks out! Lynn gets a boot, and this time he plants Christian York with the Cradle Piledriver! 1…2…3!

Winner: Jerry Lynn via pinfall in 11:34


::COMMERCIAL BREAK::


Scott Hudson introduced Joey Styles to the broadcast booth, and they go over what took place on RISE, where Tazz confronted Kurt Angle and walked away with the WCW United States Championship. Styles says that this Tazz looks as dangerous as he’s ever seen him. Hudson tells the fans that Tazz is expected to be at NITRO this Monday Night.


Hudson then hypes up the main event for Starrcade, WCW World Champion Stone Cold Steve Austin defending against Sixteen Time World Champion Ric Flair. Hudson and Tenay go over what happened on Nitro, and that he’s (Hudson) has heard that Kurt Angle will face Booker T at Starrcade as well. Hudson also hypes up the in-ring return of Ric Flair for the first time since the last TNT Nitro and wonders who the opponent is.

Lastly, Hudson and Tenay tell the fans that the next two weeks Worldwide will no air, but that ECW Hardcore TV takes over the slot. The week after that is a special Starrcade Preview Show.


::COMMERCIAL BREAK::


Kronik vs. Air Raid (AJ Styles and Air Paris)

Notably, Kronik is without Steven Richards. Adams and Clarke hit big boots on Styles and Paris, taking them both out right at the start. They grab Paris and send him into the turnbuckles, and take him out again with a double big boot. Styles fires a springboard forearm at Clarke and hits, but Adams grabs him and plants him with a full nelson slam! Clarke recovers and Kronik nail Paris with a Total Meltdown, looking similar to the Doomsday Device. They both grab Paris by the neck and hit High Times, the Double Chokeslam! Clarke pins Paris for the academic 1..2..3.

Winners: Kronik when Clarke pinned Paris in 1:47

Scott Hudson has one more hype job left for Nitro, as he tell us that Kronik will take on Sean O’Haire and Chuck Palumbo on Nitro to determine the #1 Contenders for the WCW World Tag Team Championship!


::END SHOW::


Quick Results

Jerry Lynn pinned Christian York

Kronik defeated Air Raid

Champions

WCW World Champion
Stone Cold Steve Austin (Awarded On 12-3-01)

ECW World Champion
Vacant (Vacated by Rhyno on 12-6-01)

WCW United States Champion
Tazz (Defeated Kurt Angle on 12-13-01)

WCW World Tag Team Champions
The Dudley Boyz (Defeated The Hardy Boyz on 10-26-01)

WCW Cruiserweight Champion
Billy Kidman (Defeated X-Pac on 10-9-01)

Roster Updates

Air Paris – Other half of Air Raid​

 

[RDT]

WCW Monday Night Nitro
December 17, 2001
Gaylord Entertainment Center
Nashville, TN

Scott Hudson and Diamond Dallas Page welcome us to the show as WCW Cruiserweight Champion Billy Kidman makes his way to the ring! He reminds us what happened last week on Nitro, when Jerry Lynn attacked Kidman after his match with Essa Rios.

Billy Kidman and Essa Rios vs. Chavo Guerrero Jr. and Jerry Lynn

Kidman stares down Lynn and wants to start, then gets into a small argument with Rios about starting the match. Lynn and Chavo run at them, and they get a double armdrag! Lynn gets out of there as this naturally causes Rios and Chavo to start. Rios gets a dropkick and then a spinning heel kick on Chavo. Arm wringer from Rios, and then he jumps up to the top rope, does a triple springboard and then jumps back down and powerslams Chavo! Tag to Kidman who knocks Chavo down with a clothesline. Kidman goes for a 2nd one, but Chavo ducks and then goes for the belly to back suplex, but Kidman lands on his feet. A surprised Chavo misses the clothesline and Kidman gets an atomic drop! Chavo falls towards his teammate though and tags in Lynn.

Kidman and Lynn lock up, and Kidman sends Lynn to the corner. Lynn blocks and tries to jump over a charging Kidman, but Kidman catches up and gets a gutbuster! Kidman follows up with an enzugiri! Kidman comes off the ropes and goes for the frankensteiner, but Lynn slams him straight down with a sit out powerbomb! 1…2…Kidman kicks out. Lynn stomps away then sends Kidman off the ropes and hits a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. In comes Chavo who locks Kidman in a headlock, before picking him up and locking him into the Gory Special! Chavo releases Kidman’s arms and Kidman slams to the canvas face first. A cover, 1…2…Kidman kicks out again. Chavo hooks Kidman’s head and goes for the Tornado DDT, but Kidman shoves him off, sending Chavo across the ring. Chavo tags in Lynn, but Kidman rags Rios back in as well!

Rios takes out Lynn with a spinning heel kick then follows up with a dropkick. Flying headscissors! Rios dropkicks Chavo off the apron, then heads to the top rope…and hits a moonsault onto Chavo on the outside! Rios comes back in and goes for another flying headscissors, but Lynn turns that into a tilt-a-whirl facebuster! Kidman gets the tag back in and heads to the second rope, and hits Lynn with a missile dropkick! Cover, 1…2…Lynn kicks out! Crossbody connects into a pin, 1…2…Lynn kicks out again! Kidman misses the avalanche into he corner, crashing into the corner. Lynn pulls Kidman by his hair and gets an inverted DDT. Lynn tags in Chavo, and Kidman tags Rios back in.

Chavo ducks a dropkick and elbows Rios. Vertical suplex takes Rios down. Chavo heads to the top rope but Rios catches him. Rios tries for the superplex, but Chavo counters and shoves him off. Chavo follows with a Frog Splash, but Rios just moves out of the way! Rios quickly jumps to the top rope, moonsault! 1…2…3! Lynn runs in and he and Kidman go at it, before Rios double dropkicks both of them to the outside, and follows up with a springboard plancha! As Rios walks up the ramp, he indicates he wants the Cruiserweight title!

Winners: Billy Kidman and Essa Rios when Rios pinned Chavo in 11:29

***

Jeremy Borash knocks on Shane McMahon’s door. No one answers, but as Borash is about to leave Shane McMahon, Test and Commissioner William Regal comes out of the office.

Shane McMahon: “Did I startle you? You alright?”

Jeremy Borash: “I’m good Shane, we all want to know what your thoughts are on what took place on ECW RISE last week, where Tazz choked out Kurt Angle thanks to some help from Booker T…do you think this Angle/Booker T thing has gotten out of hand?"

Shane McMahon: “Out of hand? Things are fine Jeremy. I think both Angle and Booker have made their points. And, since we don’t have someone set up to face Stone Cold Steve Austin or Ric Flair after Starrcade, I think it’s time to figure out that situation once and for all. At Starrcade, it’ll be Booker T against Kurt Angle, winner will get the WCW World Championship match at Souled Out in January. Now, I’m pretty sure these guys aren’t going to be able to wait thirteen days. So, as I was just discussing with the Commissioner here, it’s going to be Booker T and the new United States Champion Tazz against Angle and Mr. Regal himself. And William, if you want to teach Tajiri something, bring him out there and have him watch.”

William Regal: “Yes Shane.”

Jeremy Borash: “How about the opponent for Ric Flair’s return to Nitro tonight? We’ve all been spec…”

Shane McMahon: “You just want to know everything, don’t you. Don’t worry, you’ll all see the perfect surprise we’ve got cooked up tonight soon enough.”


::COMMERCIAL BREAK::


We come back to Nitro and we’re with Kevin Kelly, who’s found “Nature Boy” Ric Flair and Arn Anderson.

Kevin Kelly: “Ric Flair, perhaps in thirteen days you face perhaps your greatest challenge in WCW World Heavyweight Champion Stone Cold Steve Austin. Ric, are you prepared…”

Ric Flair: “Am I prepared? Kevin Kelly who do you think you’re talking to? Prepared? WOO! I’m that limousine-ridin’, jet-flyin’, kiss-stealing, wheelin’ son of a gun! Hell yeah I’m prepared! Do you know what happens at Starrcade when The Nature Boy…WOOO! Is in the main event? 1983. First Starrcade. Steel cage. Ric Flair wins the World Title beating Harley Race baby! Ten years later, career on the line..one on one with the monster Vader. And I came out on top again! Two years after that, right here in Nashville, Tennessee! I beat Lex Luger, Sting and Randy Savage all in the same night and became champion. I’ve been at the big matches. I’ve fought the big matches. And I’ve won the big matches. I’m prepared baby!"

Kevin Kelly: “How about tonight? We still don’t know who you will be facing in the main event.”

Ric Flair: “That’s ok that’s ok that’s ok, it’s the main event! First match on Nitro in nine months! I’ve sweated this business for thirty years Kevin Kelly. Every War Games, every PPV, every Nitro, every Starrcade, I fought, partied and got up and did it all again the next day! A little mystery opponent ain’t going to shake me! But, my o’ my, who is this?”

A woman catches the eye of Flair mid-promo, and then a familiar voice calls for her.

Unknown Voice: “Alexis, wait up. Come over here for a second.”

Flair sees who it is and has a smile on his face, shaking his head positively.

Ric Flair: “Well, well, well, do my eyes deceive me?”

Curt Hennig walks into the shot, and he’s quick to the point.

Curt Hennig: “No they don’t “Nature Boy”. You rattled off a list of guys who you beat at Starrcade, all impressive. But let’s talk about another night. Let’s talk about January 25, 1993. That’s right. The reason you had no choice but to go back to WCW was because one night, as great as you were, I was perfect. I beat you then. I’ve beaten you in WCW. And I’m gonna beat you tonight. And then maybe we’re going to talk about a different main event at Starrcade.”

Ric Flair: “Is that right? I’ll see you out there brother.”

***

#1 Contender for the WCW World Tag Team Championship
Kronik w/Steven Richards vs. Sean O’Haire and Chuck Palumbo

Adams and Palumbo lock-up, and Adams shoves Palumbo right down. They lock-up again though, and Palumbo sends Adams off the ropes and shoulderblocks him down, evening the score! Palumbo comes wildly off the ropes at Adams, only for Adams to sidestep him and toss him over the top rope! Adams argues with O’Haire, allowing Clarke to flip off the apron and crash right into Palumbo! Clarke sends Palumbo back into the ring, but Adams misses an elbow and Palumbo gets the tag to O’Haire. Adams gets the advantage quickly though, hitting forearms and punches. He sends O’Haire to the corner, but O’Haire jumps to the top rope and backflips off! Adams turns around and O’Haire is waiting for him with a jumping spin kick! O’Haire gets some shots in, but Adams hooks a clothesline and locks in a Full Nelson, turning it into a one arm Full Nelson slam! A cover, 1…2…but O’Haire kicks out.

Adams tags in Clarke and Clarke pounds and kicks away at O’Haire. Clarke whips him off the ropes but O’Haire puts on the brakes and gets an uppercut before falling back and getting the tag to Palumbo. Big shots from Palumbo, but Clarke fires back and sends Palumbo off the ropes. Clarke plants a boot, then gets a double underhook suplex. Cover, 1…2…kickout from Palumbo. Clarke looks to finish with a Meltdown, but O’Haire runs in to try to break it up. Clarke sees it coming and ducks, then gets a big boot on O’Haire. Palumbo gets a jungle kick on the distracted Clarke though, 1…2..Adams runs in to break it up! A brawl breaks out, and Adams knocks O’Haire out of the ring with some big blows. Palumbo goes for another kick on Adams, but Clarke lays him out with a big clothesline. Kronik sets Palumbo up, High Times double chokeslam! Adams again knocks O’Haire off the apron as Clarke gets the cover, 1…2…3!

Notably, Kronik leaves Richards hanging when Richards tries to celebrate the win.

Winner: Kronik in 8:00 when Clarke pinned Palumbo

***

Jeremy Borash is with Kurt Angle. Angle is watching last week’s RISE on a monitor, specifically Tazz calling him out.

Jeremy Borash: “Kurt…”

Kurt Angle: “Let me guess! You’re going to ask me how I feel about that right? How I feel about Tazz using a chokehold that’s illegal anywhere else in the world to take away my United States Championship? Yeah? Listen, Shane McMahon finally did something right here. If I even let Booker T make it out of tonight I’m going to snap his ankle in two at Starrcade! And Tazz? One day you can tell your grandkids you got one on Kurt Angle. You’ll be telling them from your hospital bed after I permanently cripple you tonight!”


::COMMERCIAL BREAK::


We come back to Nitro as Christian is talking to Test outside Shane McMahon’s office when Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley looks to enter. Christian stops her and Test walks into the office (clearly no desire to see Stephanie there).

Christian: “What was that last week Steph?”

SMH: “…don’t call me Steph. Look, I didn’t know what Paul had planned last week, but to tell you the truth, I thought it was exciting.”

Christian: “What does that do for me? Why did I come to RISE for? I’m a main event guy and I came to the Alliance for main event opportunities!”

SMH: “I get it. And I will tell you right now, you got it. I believe in Christian. Come to Starrcade, and I promise you that you’ll have a main event level match.”

That’s all Christian wanted to hear, as he thanks Stephanie and pretty much giggles as he walks away.

***

Kurt Angle and William Regal w/Tajiri and Torrie Wilson vs. Tazz and Booker T

Angle and Booker T fire away at one another to start the match! Angle is obviously angry, but Booker T isn’t letting up either. Angle wildly misses with a punch and Booker sends him to the outside! Booker follows up and the brawl continues. Regal is watching, and Tazz sneaks up on him and gets him with a T-Bone Tazz-plex! Tazz gets a kick and then punches away at Regal. Tazz tries for a German suplex, but Regal elbows out then catches Tazz with a kneelift. Regal gets form forearms in the corner, but Tazz reverses an Irish whip and then catches Regal with a belly to bello suplex after Regal stumbles out of the corner! Angle slams Booker into the steps, then runs in and levels Tazz!

Angle drags Regal to the corner and makes the tag, then stomps away on Tazz. Flawless German suplex from Angle with a bridge, 1…2…Tazz kicks out. Angle continues to stomp away at Tazz. He picks Tazz up and just takes him down with a clothesline. He props Tazz up in the corner and fires away, but Tazz counters and has Angle trapped in the corner and kicks away. He whips Angle across the ring into the corner, but Tazz runs into an Angle boot when he runs in. Angle runs at Tazz though and gets caught and catches Angle with a belly to belly suplex! Cover, 1…2..Angle kicks out! Tazz runs at Angle, who catches Tazz with a belly to belly suplex of his own! Angle goes for the Anklelock, only for Tazz to roll through and escape…and tag in Booker T!

Booker T comes in like a house of fire, knocking Angle down multiple times and knocking Regal off the apron. Harlem sidekick and then a boot to the midsection. Booker misses the Scissors’ Kick and Angle goes for the Angle Slam, but Booker lands on his feet and roundhouse kicks Angle down! Booker sends Angle off the ropes, where Regal makes a blind tag, and catches Angle with the set-up for the Book-End! Regal comes in and breaks it up though with a shot to Booker. Booker falls towards Tazz though and Tazz makes his own tag and he fires away at Regal! Booker and Angle come to blows on the outside as Tazz calls for the Tazz-mission! Regal blocks it though, and almost gets his hook neckbreaker. Tazz counters that though and locks in the Tazz-mission! Regal tries to break out and they fall close to the ropes, but Tazz holds onto the hold as Regal taps out!

Tazz doesn’t let go of the hold though, and Tajiri catches him with the green mist, surprisingly helping Regal escape!

Winners: Tazz and Booker T when Tazz made Regal submit in 10:35


::COMMERCIAL BREAK::


Backstage Regal tells Tajiri that he did a good job and makes a match for Starrcade.

William Regal: “You [Tajiri] and Tazz at Starrcade! Win the title from that miserable toerack Tazz, and I’ll leave you and Torrie Wilson alone!"

Tajiri and Torrie get excited, but Regal has one more thing to add.

William Regal: “Lose, and I will make sure of it that Torrie Wilson never steps foot in WCW again!”

***

We then change things up backstage, where we are with WCW World Champion Stone Cold Steve Austin.

Stone Cold Steve Austin: “What?”

What?

What?

Here’s a story of a man’s man, a champion among champions, a man named Stone Cold Steve Austin.

The last few weeks I’ve went to a bar each and every night and every night when the bartender gives me a beer, they mention to me, ‘hey, did you hear that Ric Flair is back? Yeah, Ric Flair’s back and he’s going to be the World Champion again. I’m so excited. I’ve been watching Flair since I was a kid!’ And obviously you know how well that went with Stone Cold Steve Austin. So after I get done beating the bartender’s ass, it’s the same thing the next town. And the next! And the next! What? What? What? What? What?

So after the fifth or sixth town, I’m sick of hearing about Ric Flair. He done nothing for The Alliance. WCW exists today because of Stone Cold Steve Austin. That is why I am the WCW World Champion. So in the sixth town the bartender tells me about Ric Flair. Apparently Ric Flair parties at this bar. So he’s telling me how Flair was up all night drinking and partying and the next night he was in the ring fighting for an hour. And I told the poor son of a bitch, because he didn’t know he was about to catch an ass whipping, I told him that he needs to remember those days as long as he can, because after Starrcade there will be no more Ric Flair partying. What? No more long nights. What? No more Ric Flair matches. So after I beat this bartender’s ass I remind him that Stone Cold Steve Austin is the new face of WCW and the WCW World Champion, and that’s the bottom line.. What?...Cause Stone Cold Said So!”

***

Scott Hudson and DDP talk about the Austin vs. Flair match for Starrcade, when randomly Jamie Noble comes into the ring?

Jamie Noble: “That’s right we made it to the big time! Everyone told me the last couple months to go it slow and ask for matches for Worldwide and I ain’t about that! I’m the future of WCW and I challenge anyone in the back right now so that I can make a name for myself on Nitro! Come on!”

Scott Hudson mentions how this was totally unexpected as the main event should be starting soon, but Noble gets his challenge answered as Meng has arrived. Noble looks as scared as you can imagine.

Jamie Noble vs. Meng

Noble literally runs into Meng and crashes into the mat, not even moving the monster. Noble tries again, only to get hit with a quick uppercut that sends him flying. A dazed Noble gets up and walk right into the Tongan Death Grip, and that’s it for Noble’s debut.

Winner: Meng when Noble passed out in 0:32


::COMMERCIAL BREAK::


Shane McMahon: “Ladies and gentlemen, I’m here to excitedly announce that WCW has acquired a major star who was currently officially a free agent after Survivor Series. Myself and Test will personally watch as he makes his re-debut in WCW at Starrcade!”

***

Ric Flair w/Arn Anderson vs. Curt Hennig w/Alexis Laree

Flair starts off aggressively, chopping away at Hennig in the corner. He fires more shots and doesn’t give Hennig a break. Another punch sends Hennig to the apron, and Flair comes off the ropes and knees Hennig off the apron and into the barricade! Flair goes right out after him, firing more chops and then sending Hennig back into the ring. More chops in the corner. Flair sends Hennig to the opposite turnbuckles, but Hennig explodes out of the corner with a clothesline. Flair tries to get up, but Hennig quickly snaps the neck of Flair, folding him like an accordion! Flair gets back to his feet and fires chops at Hennig, but Hennig takes him down with a hard chop of his own. Stone Cold Steve Austin comes out onto the stage and stands at the entranceway, watching the match.

Hennig has slowed the pace down and in a bit of a reversal of what we expected, goes to work on Flair’s knee. He drops all his weight on it twice, before dragging Flair to the post and slamming his knee against it! Spinning toehold from Hennig, and Flair is in pain. Flair works his way back to a vertical base and gets some chops, but he misses an elbow and Hennig takes him down with an elbow of his own! Hennig sends Flair into he corner and the momentum sends Flair flying over the top rope and onto the floor! Hennig meets Flair on the outside and slams him into the barricade. Hennig comes back in and asks the referee to count Flair out, but Flair makes it back rather quickly. Hennig was ready though, hanging Flair throat first on the top rope. Hennig then hooks Flair and suplexes him back into the ring. Cover, 1…2…Flair kicks out.

Flair fights his way back up again with punches and chops, and knocks Hennig down with a shoulderblock. Flair comes off the ropes again, but he gets tripped up by Alexis Laree! Flair turns his attention to her for a moment, but then walks right into a sleeperhold from Hennig. Hennig tries to bring Flair to the canvas with the sleeper, but no luck as Flair counters into a back suplex! Now Flair works on the knee, stomping away at it and dropping as his weight on it. Flair hooks Hennig’s legs and catapults him into the turnbuckles, only Hennig goes high enough here it looks like his head hit the post! Flair chops Hennig and Hennig goes down, then he calls for the Figure Four! Figure Four locked in! Hennig is close to the ropes, and Alexis Laree pushes the rope closer to him so he grabs it. Arn Anderson chases Laree off, which distracts Flair. Flair whips Hennig off the ropes and goes for the backdrop, but Hennig puts on the brakes and hits the Hennig-Plex! 1…2…Flair just kicks out to Hennig’s shock! Hennig sets him up for another one, but Flair rolls him up, 1…2…3!

Winner: Ric Flair via pinfall in 12:15

Stone Cold Steve Austin attacks Arn Anderson on the outside and slams him into the barricade! Austin stomps away until Flair sees this and chases Austin off through the crowd as Nitro goes off the air!


::END SHOW::


Quick Results

Essa Rios and Billy Kidman defeated Jerry Lynn and Chavo Guerrero Jr. when Rios pinned Chavo

#1 Contender for the WCW World Tag Team Championship
Kronik defeated Chuck Palumbo and Sean O’Haire when Clarke pinned Palumbo

Tazz and Booker T defeated Kurt Angle and William Regal when Tazz choked out Regal

Meng made Jamie Noble pass out

Ric Flair pinned Curt Hennig

Champions

WCW World Champion
Stone Cold Steve Austin (Awarded On 12-3-01)

ECW World Champion
Vacant (Vacated by Rhyno on 12-6-01)

WCW United States Champion
Tazz (Defeated Kurt Angle on 12-13-01)

WCW World Tag Team Champions
The Dudley Boyz (Defeated The Hardy Boyz on 10-26-01)

WCW Cruiserweight Champion
Billy Kidman (Defeated X-Pac on 10-9-01)

Roster Updates

Alexis Laree – Young female talent from MCW. In an alternate timeline, the future Mickie James.

Curt Hennig – Hennig had left WCW back in 2000, but he’s been active on the independent scene and in the fledging XWF. This likely represents one last run at the top for Hennig.

Jamie Noble – A mainstay for the younger guys who were around at the end of the previous WCW.

Kevin Kelly – Has worked for the WWF since 1996, has been moved to WCW.

Meng – Had left WCW back in 2001 when he made a surprise appearance in the Royal Rumble as Haku. Another veteran looking at one last run at the top.​

 

[RDT]

ECW RISE
December 20, 2001
McKenzie Arena
Chattanooga, TN

Tazz: “Yoshihiro Tajiri, you and I go back my friend. I know more than anyone else, more than McMahon, more than Regal, just how dangerous you are. The way I see things we’re even brother. ECW Heatwave 1999, I choked you out. At InVasion earlier this year, you got me with the mist. It’s rubber match time and while I know you got a lot on the line, I don’t plan on losing this WCW US Championship belt that I choked Kurt Angle out for. But here’s the challenge. You’re an ECW guy, I’m an ECW guy. I know this belt says WCW on it, but for old times sake let’s do it, no rules, anything goes. Let’s see what kind of man you are Tajiri! Beat me if you can…SURVIVE…if I let you!”

***

The theme of ECW plays, then we cut it to Joey Styles…but before he says a word we see The Wall beating the hell out of someone in a parking lot, it looks like Shannon Moore, and throwing him into the trunk of a car! The Wall drives off…

Joey Styles: “Did anyone see that? Hello everyone welcome to RISE, I can’t say I have any idea what the hell was that, hell I don’t even know why we are showing The Wall. He’s not from ECW? Is he? Anyway we have two big matches schedule tonight, assuming no one shows up to ruin them and make their own like last week. Our main event tonight Paul Heyman has decided that Rob Van Dam deserves to be punished for starting the fight last week. I mean are you kidding me Paul? Van Dam will have to take on Total Impact’s monster and former ECW World Heavyweight Champion Mike Awesome. And what we’re about to start here is a match to determine the opponent for WCW Cruiserweight Champion Billy Kidman as we have Chavo Guerrero Jr. against Essa Rios and Jerry Lynn in a triple threat, meaning the first fall will take it.

#1 Contender for the WCW Cruiserweight Championship
Chavo Guerrero Jr. vs. Essa Rios vs. Jerry Lynn

All three men feel each other out, but then Chavo and Lynn attack Rios at the same time. Rios fights out, sending Chavo to the outside and firing away at Lynn. Arm wringer turns into a springboard armdrag on Lynn from Rios. Chavo comes back in and gets a monkey flip on Rios, only for Rios to land on his feet! Rios gets blasted by Lynn though and gets knocked to the outside. Chavo leapfrogs Lynn, only to run into an elbow as Lynn came back at him. Rios tries to get back into the ring, but Lynn guillotine legdrops him on the 2nd rope! Lynn pins Rios, 1…2…Chavo breaks it up. Flying headscissors by Chavo onto Lynn, and then a dropkick sends Lynn to the outside. Rios leaps over Chavo and takes Lynn out with a suicide plancha!

Essa Rios is back in, but Chavo gets him with an elbow. Rios counterattacks with a backwards jump kick which gets Chavo square in the face! Rios goes for a flying headscissors, but Chavo turns it into a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker! Cover, 1…2…Rios just kicks out. High angle back suplex from Chavo. Another cover, 1…2…another kickout from Rios. Chavo locks in the Gory Guerrero Special, but Rios quickly counters it into a victory roll, 1…2…Jerry Lynn breaks that up with a basement dropkick that gets Rios right in the face! Lynn stomps away at Rios in the corner, and Chavo comes up from behind going for a German Suplex. Lynn blocks and gets a German suplex with a bridge! 1…2…Rios breaks that one up. Spinning heel kick knocks Lynn to the outside again.

Rios sets Chavo up and powerbombs him in the middle of the ring! He heads to the top rope, but the 450 splash misses as Chavo moves out of the way! Chavo gets an arm on Rios, 1…2…Rios kicks out. Chavo hooks Rios up for a suplex, but Rios counters with one of his own! Rios heads to the top rope again, but Lynn blasts him with a chair and Rios goes crashing into the steel guardrail! Lynn goes for a top rope legdrop on Chavo, but Chavo moves out of the way. Chavo hooks Lynn and goes for the Tornado DDT, but Lynn stops the momentum and turns it into a Northern Lights Suplex! 1…2…Chavo just kicks out. Chavo and Lynn trade rights, and Chavo sends Lynn off the ropes for a backdrop, only for Lynn to put on the brakes this time…which lets him spike Chavo with the Cradle Piledriver! 1…2…3!

Winner: Jerry Lynn when he pinned Chavo in 10:30


::COMMERCIAL BREAK::


We come back to RISE and Jerry Lynn is about to talk to Joey Styles, but Billy Kidman attacks him from behind with a chair! Retribution for a couple weeks ago on Nitro! Kidman gets a couple of shots in before Paul Heyman and officials break them up, drawing boos from the crowd. Kidman escapes through the crowd!

Joey Styles: “As you can see anything can happen here in ECW! That was a receipt! That was a receipt for Jerry Lynn showing up on Nitro a couple of weeks back. What the hell is going on now? Oh god, it’s the Dudley Boyz. Who’s that they are dragging along? Is that Steven Richards?!

Bubba Ray Dudley: “Okay punk (talking to Richards). This is how it’s going to go down. You’re going to get on your hands and knees and beg for those two big goofy pieces of trash to save your ass!”

Steven Richards: “They, they aren’t here! Please!”

D-Von Dudley has brought a table into the ring, setting it up. The crowd only seems to care about one thing though…

“WE WANT STACY! WE WANT STACY!”

Bubba Ray Dudley: “You pieces of garbage out there in the crowd and in TV land don’t deserve Stacy!” Steven Richards, if your boys aren’t here tonight, then I guess me and my brother D-Von just have a message to send then! At Starrcade, we’re not defending the WCW World Tag Team Championship in any regular match. By god it will be a tables match. Let us provide an example!”

Steven Richards: “No! No!”

D-Von pummels Richards and Bubba Ray heads to the 2nd rope. Bubba Ray picks Richards up and powerbombs him through the table! The Dudleyz leave Richards lying and walk off as Richards is helped through the back.

Joey Styles: “Even though it’s Steven Richards I am sick and tired of the Dudley Boyz bullying whomever they feel like it. It’s ridiculous! I hope Adams and Clarke give them what they deserve!”

***

As Styles is talking the car we saw earlier being driven by The Wall is shown in a remote location, where Shawn Stasiak, Mikey Whipwreck and Raven all await. Raven orders Wall, calling him Malice, to pull Shannon Moore out of the trunk. He does so and beats him down a bit.

Raven: “Very good Malice. All of you need to understand that you’ve all been chosen. As the path goes brighter it also goes darker. I will be your guide down agony’s path. I am the nightmare in your dreams. But do not be afraid. You can take this nightmare, and you can all become stronger with it as you fight beside me in this war. And I promise you, Raven’s War is coming. You are the first fighters. The pawns in my elaborate design. And so it is written, and so it shall come to pass. Any of you that betray the Raven will have to deal with Malice. Quote the Raven…Nevermore!”


::COMMERCIAL BREAK::


Rob Van Dam vs. Mike Awesome w/Lance Storm, Justin Credible and Dawn Marie

RVD and Awesome lock-up, and Awesome shoves RVD into the corner. RVD cockily shrugs this up and they lock-up again. Awesome pounds away on RVD. He traps RVD in the corner and gets several shoulder thrusts into the gut. He props RVD on the top rope, but RVD kicks Awesome away, then gets a diving jump kick off the top rope! Quick spinning legdrop from RVD, 1…2…Awesome kicks out with power. RVD keeps his distance as Awesome gets back to his feet. Another tieup and RVD sends Awesome off the ropes, but a spinkick misses and Awesome counters with a bridging German suplex! 1…2…RVD kicks out. Awesome gets in several shots, but RVD counters a kick into a windmill kick of his own! Somersault legdrop misses. RVD backs up into the corner and Awesome runs right into him with a vicious avalanche!

Joey Styles: “Oh my things just got worse for Rob Van Dam as Brock Lesnar has come down to ringside!”

Awesome throws RVD over the top rope…but when he tries to follow up with a suicide dive RVD moves out of the way and Awesome crashes into the barricade! RVD doesn’t get a moment to rest though as Lance Storm takes him out with a superkick! Storm rolls RVD back into the ring, and Justin Credible helps Awesome back in as well. Credible slides in a chair for Awesome as well. RVD pops up and spin kicks Awesome, who staggers into the corner. RVD takes the chair and places it in the center of the ring. He goes for a monkey flip, but Awesome catches his legs and we get a double leg slam on the chair! Cover, 1…2…RVD just kicks out. Awesome heads to the apron and waits for RVD to get to his feet, and takes him out with an over the top rope shoulder block! Awesome says that’s it and sets RVD up for an Awesome Bomb, but RVD wriggles free and lands on his feet. He hits the ropes, but Awesome sends him flying over the rope…only RVD has complete control of his body and takes out Lesnar with a tope con hilo!

Awesome comes out to get RVD and they brawl on the outside, and RVD gets a springboard off the railing jump kick right into Awesome’s face. Total Impact get involved again though as Credible and Storm attack RVD and slam him into the steps. They roll RVD in and Mike Awesome heads to the top rope. Awesome Splash! 1…2…RVD kicks out and the crowd goes wild! Awesome takes the steel chair and heads to the top rope, waiting for RVD to get back to his feet. Awesome comes off the top with the chair…and RVD gets the Van Daminator!

Joey Styles: “OH MY GOD!”

RVD is about to go for the cover, but Justin Credible tries to hit him with a kendo stick. RVD moves out of the way and Credible nails Awesome! Spinning heel kick knocks Credible out of the ring, and then RVD backdrops the running Storm over the top rope as well. Brock Lesnar is in…he smashes RVD with a clothesline so hard RVD around and lands face first! Lesnar is destroying Rob Van Dam! RVD tries to fight back, but Lance Storm catches him with a superkick. Here comes Tommy Dreamer and Spike Dudley! Dreamer and Spike attack Storm as Lesnar and RVD brawl to the outside and up the entrance aisle!

Winner: No Contest

Tommy Dreamer and Spike Dudley are punching away at Lance Storm. Spike goes for the Dudley Dog, but Awesome clotheslines him off of Storm. The Dudley Boyz run in too and Dreamer and Spike are in trouble. What started as a save for Rob Van Dam has turned into a brutal five on two assault! The Dudleyz spike Dreamer with 3D!

Joey Styles: “Someone needs to stop this damn thing! Every time Tommy Dreamer and Spike Dudley try to help out they get the crap kicked out of them and it’s ridiculous! I’m sick of Total Impact and I’m sick of these damn Dudleyz. Wait a minute! We’ve lost power now. Could this be someone to help? Maybe?”

*
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*
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*

STAND BACK…THERE’S A HURRICANE COMING THROUGH!

Joey Styles: “Sigh, I guess not.”

Hurricane, Blue Meanie and Nova hit the ring, and while they do even the odds a bit Awesome levels all three of them with steel chairs. This is a massacre…but the power goes out again!

*
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*
*
*

The ECW crowd goes crazy as “ENTER SANDMAN” plays!

Joey Styles: “IT’S THE SANDMAN! THE HARDCORE ICON! Finally someone has come to put a stop to this!”

The Sandman makes his way to the ring through the crowd, Singapore cane and all. Storm and Credible seem ready for him, but Dreamer gets a double low blow and the Sandman cracks them both with the cane! The Dudley Boyz bail, leaving Mike Awesome, and he wants to fight! Storm and Credible look to retreat though, and Awesome reluctantly goes with them. It looks like Dreamer and Spike have found their partner! The shows goes off the air with the crowd singing “Enter Sandman”!


::END SHOW::


Quick Results

#1 Contender for the WCW Cruiserweight Championship
Jerry Lynn defeated Essa Rios and Chavo Guerrero Jr. when he pinned Chavo

Rob Van Dam and Mike Awesome wrestled to a no contest

Champions

WCW World Champion
Stone Cold Steve Austin (Awarded On 12-3-01)

ECW World Champion
Vacant (Vacated by Rhyno on 12-6-01)

WCW United States Champion
Tazz (Defeated Kurt Angle on 12-13-01)

WCW World Tag Team Champions
The Dudley Boyz (Defeated The Hardy Boyz on 10-26-01)

WCW Cruiserweight Champion
Billy Kidman (Defeated X-Pac on 10-9-01)

Roster Updates

Malice – Better known as the Wall in WCW, Jerry Tuite has used the name Malice a few times on the independent scene in 2001…and Raven seems to prefer that

The Sandman – Multi-time ECW World Heavyweight Champion and known as the Hardcore Icon, it was inevitable that the Sandman would return to ECW. Was the previous ECW World Champion before Rhyno​

 

[RDT]

ECW Hardcore TV
December 22, 2001
Arthur Ashe Athletic Center
Richmond, VA

Joey Styles: “Welcome everyone to ECW Hardcore TV! If you were expecting Worldwide do not change the channel as the Alliance provides both WCW and ECW action on Saturdays! Tonight, you will see the WCW United States Champion Tazz in action! Also we do behind the scenes of last Thursday’s RISE to show you what happened with Rob Van Dam and Brock Lesnar. Coming up first, a rivalry that really heated up at the end of the previous version of Extreme Championship Wrestling…”

Danny Doring and Amish Roadkill vs. Christian York and Joey Matthews

Doring and Matthews start. Lock-up and they trade hammerlocks and headlocks. Doring takes Matthews down with a shoulderblock. Matthews comes off the ropes and gets a flying head scissors. Matthews comes off the ropes again, but Doring counters by lifting Matthews up by his sides and then low bridging him with a kick! Front Russian Legsweep! Doring tags in Roadkill, but Matthews escapes to get York in. York gets the early advantage with a side headlock, but Roadkill sends him off the ropes and knocks him down with a shoulderblock. York surprises Roadkill with a pair of armdrags, but Roadkill blocks a dropkick. Catapult into the corner, but York catches the ropes and comes down on Roadkill with a legdrop! York gets a little cocky and runs at Roadkill for a bodypress but Roadkill catches him and plants him onto the canvas! Matthews runs in but Roadkill is waiting and catches him with a sidewalk slam! He covers York, 1…2…York kicks out.

York and Matthews look to recover on the outside. Doring leaps off Roadkill’s back over the top rope, but York and Matthews move and Doring crashes onto the concrete floor! Roadkill goes out to check on Doring, allowing Matthews and York to hit stereo suicide dives! They drag Doring back in and get a modified double powerbomb, but Roadkill is waiting on the top rope and takes them both out with a double clothesline! Barnburner TKO to York and a powerbomb to Matthews. Roadkill tags in Doring, who comes off the top rope onto York with a legdrop. 1…2…3!

Winners: Doring and Roadkill when Doring pinned York in 6:37


::COMMERCIAL BREAK::


Joey Styles: “Last Thursday on RISE, while we saw the return of the Hardcore Icon, The Sandman; who will be in action later tonight, we missed the fallout between the #1 Contenders to the ECW World Championship Brock Lesnar and Rob Van Dam. As the fight went on in the ring, Lesnar and Van Dam continued to brawl all the way outside. Van Dam found a chair and started whaling away at Lesnar over and over. It looked like Van Dam was going to get the best of Lesnar here, but the rookie monster came out of nowhere to level Van Dam and slam him into a pillar in the parking lot. From there, Lesnar powerbombed Van Dam onto a car before things were broken up. By all accounts Rob Van Dam is okay and will be at the go home RISE before Starrcade!”

We cut away from Joey Styles for a quick interview with Jerry Lynn.

Jerry Lynn: “Billy Kidman, when I got this opportunity to be a part of World Championship Wrestling again, I told myself I was going to take full advantage. First step for that is to make sure I win the gold. It’s nothing personal Kidman, you’re just in the way. At Starrcade I will be Cruiserweight Champion. And when I become champion, I am going to take the Cruiserweight division to new levels. Don’t believe me? Just watch me!”

***

Tazz comes out to the ring for his match with his cousin, Chris Chetti. Tazz has something to say though.

Tazz: “What the fuck happened to you? Three years ago I trained you in the House of Hardcore and the moment I left ECW you started to dance your potential away. So tonight Chris, I’ll give you a chance to get serious. Right here, right now, I’m going to slap the shit out of you, but if you can live up to that potential for one damn night, you’ll be able to take home the WCW United States Championship!”

WCW United States Championship
Tazz© vs. Chris Chetti

Chetti looks like he wants no part of his cousin and steps onto the apron. Tazz looks to grab the mic, but Chetti goes for a double springboard moonsault. Only problem is he lands on his feet right in front of Tazz, who locks him into the Tazz-mission! Chetti quickly taps out and Tazz tells him how pathetic he’s become.

Winner: Tazz when he choked out Chetti in 0:09


::COMMERCIAL BREAK::


We come back to Hardcore TV with “Enter Sandman” playing. Raven and Malice have joined Joey Styles on commentary.

Raven: “Joey! It’s great to see you!”

Joey Styles: “Shouldn’t you be paying attention to your guys in there?”

Raven: “Joey they’re getting their ass kicked either way. Consider it battle training. Come on, relax!”

The Sandman, Tommy Dreamer and Spike Dudley vs. Mikey Whipwreck, Shawn Stasiak and Shannon Moore

Whipwreck, Stasiak and Moore all attack right away, but Sandman cracks Whipwreck with the Singapore Cane and Dreamer plants Stasiak with a Death Valley Driver! Moore and Spike trade shots, but Spike goes low…Dudley Dog to Moore! Cover, 1…2…Whipwreck makes the save. Whipwreck throws Spike to the outside, but gets cracked again by a Singapore Cane shot! Dreamer drops him with a DDT, 1…2…3!

Winners: Sandman, Dreamer and Spike when Dreamer pinned Whipwreck in 0:57

Raven: “Nowhere else to go but up Joey.”


::END SHOW::


Quick Results

Amish Roadkill and Danny Doring defeated Christian York and Joey Matthews when Doring pinned York

WCW United States Championship
Tazz made Chris Chetti submit to retain the title

The Sandman, Tommy Dreamer and Spike Dudley defeated Mikey Whipwreck, Shannon Moore and Shawn Stasiak when Dreamer pinned Whipwreck

Champions

WCW World Champion
Stone Cold Steve Austin (Awarded On 12-3-01)

ECW World Champion
Vacant (Vacated by Rhyno on 12-6-01)

WCW United States Champion
Tazz (Defeated Kurt Angle on 12-13-01)

WCW World Tag Team Champions
The Dudley Boyz (Defeated The Hardy Boyz on 10-26-01)

WCW Cruiserweight Champion
Billy Kidman (Defeated X-Pac on 10-9-01)

Roster Updates

Amish Roadkill – ECW House of Hardcore graduate. Regularly teams with Danny Doring

Chris Chetti – ECW House of Hardcore graduate. Cousin of Tazz

Danny Doring – ECW House of Hardcore graduate. Regularly teams with Amish Roadkill​

 

[King Kota]

Taz as us champion is great 01 is a time where he should of had nice push. I could def see in this timeline where you could see a Taz/Berg feud if you keep both men's push going

 

[RDT]

WCW Monday Night Nitro
December 24, 2001
Baltimore Arena
Baltimore, MD

As Nitro kicks off on Christmas Eve we see Shane McMahon and Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley arriving to the arena, and they walk into a discussion involving William Regal, Christian and Test.

Shane McMahon: (To Test): “Don’t you have a match in a minute?”

Christian: “Hey Steph any hints on my opponent for my main event match at Starrcade?”

Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley: “Do you want to keep that match? What did I say about you calling me Steph?”

Shane McMahon: “Look, guys, it’s a busy night tonight. We have the Stone Cold-Ric Flair contract signing tonight. I need to finalize some details with the new signing this Sunday. Test, get out there. William you and Tajiri good to go tonight.”

William Regal: “We are…but…”

Shane McMahon: “Not tonight. Me and Stephanie have to get everything set for Sunday. Whatever the problem is, just take care of it. We need to get home for Christmas too you know.”

***

Scott Hudson introduces us to some clips from ECW RISE last week featuring Hurricane, Blue Meanie and Nova.

Test vs. The Hurricane

Test whacks Hurricane with a back elbow before hitting some more in the corner. Test runs at Hurricane in the corner but Hurricane gets a kick to the face. Hurricane works on the arm, but Test quickly overpowers him with a knee to the midsection. Full nelson turns into a one arm slam! 1…2…Hurricane kicks out. Test continues to fire away and beats Hurricane down. Massive clothesline in the corner has Hurricane gasping for air. Test follows it up with a second one, and Hurricane crumbles to the canvas. Test takes his time, and this lets Hurricane get some shots in. Test stops that with a boot to the midsection and goes for a powerbomb, but Hurricane counters with a victory roll, 1…2…Test kicks out!

Test gets another boot and sets up another powerbomb, only for it to be countered into a frnakensteiner! Hurricane suddenly has momentum and kicks away at the legs, then gets a jumping clothesline. Test is staggering and Hurricane heads to the top rope! Hurricane went for a blockbuster neckbreaker, but no one was home as Test moved out of the way. Test goes for the Pump Handle Slam, but Hurricane lands behind him…and grabs the throat! No luck though as Test hits a hard elbow to break it…then levels Hurricane with the Big Boot! 1…2…3!

Winner: Test via pin in 4:57

***

William Regal is backstage with Tajiri and Torrie Wilson.

William Regal: “Tajiri, tonight we’re going to take on Chuck Palumbo and Sean O’Haire as a warm up for that miserable peasant Tazz. We need to be focused (Regal shoots a glare at Torrie) and not distracted!”


::COMMERCIAL BREAK::


We come back to Nitro and for the second straight week…Jamie Noble has come out to the ring…

Jamie Noble: “Ok look, look! Last week was a fluke! I’m trying to make a name for myself here! So I want another chance! Anyone but Meng! I can do it! Come on boy anyone!”

To Noble’s horror, the same music from last week plays…

Jamie Noble: “No way! I said anyone but him! I already fought him!”

The difference is this time it’s not Meng, but his Faces of Fear teammate The Barbarian who makes his way down to the ring (with Meng behind him).

Jamie Noble: “This isn’t right! I’m trying to make a name for myself here!”

The Barbarian vs. Jamie Noble

Noble tries to run, but literally runs into Meng on the outside and falls down as a result. Retreating from Meng, Noble slides back into the ring and ducks a big boot from Barbarian! Barbarian chases Jamie all around the ring, but Noble does everything he can to avoid physical contact. A Noble dive away from a lock-up has him face to face with Meng, which Noble screams and then runs into a Claw from Barbarian. Noble submits immediately and Barbarian tosses him aside.

Winner: Barbarian by submission in 1:03

***

Jeremy Borash is with Bryan Clarke and Brian Adams.

Jeremy Borash: “We’re six days away from Starrcade, do you have an answer to the challenge laid out by The Dudley Boyz and is Steven Richards ok?”

Bryan Clarke: “What about Steven Richards? We don’t care about him. Richards tried to make a big deal out of himself and didn’t realize that it’s all about Kronik. Me and Adams, we’re a well oiled machine. An ass-kicking machine. The Dudley Boyz are gonna find out that it’s all about Kronik 4:19 and they don’t have a minute!”

Brian Adams: “When we showed up a couple of weeks ago, not just the Dudleyz, but the whole locker room was scared. That’s why they want their match, a Tables Match, at Starrcade. Well we’re not just an ass-kicking machine. We’re a table breaking machine. And at Starrcade, and Dudley Boyz, you’re gonna find out why it’s all about Kronik.”

***

WCW United States Champion Tazz makes his way on stage and joins Scott Hudson and Diamond Dallas Page on commentary.

William Regal and Tajiri (w/ Torrie Wilson) vs. Sean O’Haire and Chuck Palumbo

Tajiri starts with Palumbo. Palumbo misses an early clothesline, and Tajiri gets in a rush of kicks that sends Palumbo to the mat. Palumbo gets back to his feet and Tajiri hits a basement dropkick to the knee. Tajiri comes off the ropes, but Palumbo catches him with the clothesline this time. He sends Tajiri off the ropes and catches him with a big elbow. Palumbo picks him up and slams him down before tagging in O’Haire. O’Haire picks Tajiri up and we get a running scoop slam from O’Haire. Tajiri tries for the tag to Regal…only for Regal to not have his arm out. Regal yells at Tajiri to keep fighting as O’Haire stomps away. Tajiri gets back to his feet and fires back with chops, only for O’Haire to get an elbow and send Tajiri back into the corner. O’Haire comes running in though and Tajiri counters with the Tarantula! But Regal yells at Tajiri that hold is illegal and tells the referee to break it! Tajiri looks frustrated, then asks Regal for the tag, but Regal tells Tajiri to keep going.

Tazz: “What the hell is Regal doing? If he’s not careful Tajiri’s gonna kick his head in!”

O’Haire blocks a kick and counters with a leg sweep and a stiff kick to the back. Snapmare leads to another stiff kick to the back, then O’Haire tags in Palumbo. He comes off the ropes and Tajiri leaps at him, only to catch Tajiri and get a powerslam! 1…2…Tajiri kicks out. Tajiri again reaches out for Regal, but Regal still isn’t interested in tagging in. Tajiri tries some defensive kicks at Palumbo, but Palumbo catches one and levels Tajiri with a clothesline. Belly to belly throw sends Tajiri flying across the ring! 1…2…Tajiri kicks out yet again, and Palumbo locks in the headlock. Tajiri fights his way out and Palumbo sends him off the ropes, but Tajiri comes flying back with a springboard elbow! Tajiri again crawls to Regal, but for the third time Regal denies the tag.

Tazz: “This is bullshit Hudson.”

Tazz makes his way to the ring and argues with Regal. Palumbo has retaken control of the match and gets…and holds Tajiri up in a vertical suplex, but Tajiri lands on his feet and then kicks Palumbo in the face! Palumbo falls toward his partner and gets the tag into O’Haire…but Tajiri lunges at Regal and tags him in! O’Haire brings Regal in the hardway before both he and Palumbo double team Regal. Tajiri yells at Tazz in Japanese, to which Tazz responds “the hell you mad at me for”. This distracts the referee, allowing Regal to get the “Power of the Punch” (Brass Knuckles) and knock out O’Haire. Referee is fully with Tajiri now and Tazz slides in…and he locks in the Tazz-mission on Regal! Referee turns around and calls for the DQ!

Winners: William Regal and Tajiri by DQ when Tazz interfered in 11:14

Tajiri comes into the ring, and once Tazz breaks the hold again he becomes the victim of the Green Mist! Tajiri then brings Tazz to the corner and locks him in the Tarantula! Tajiri refuses to let go and Tazz is screaming in pain (a sight not often seen)! Tajiri let’s up and out of rage almost accidentally buzzsaw kicks Torrie! Tajiri, with a wild look in his eye, grabs the WCW United States title before tossing it at Tazz! Even Regal looks afraid of him!

Scott Hudson: “What was insane. It looks like Tajiri has lost it!”

Diamond Dallas Page: “I hope Regal is happy with what he’s done. I think Tajiri’s snapped bro. Had he hit Torrie I would have had to go up there and bro, even I’m not sure I could have dealt with him!”


::COMMERCIAL BREAK::


We come back to Nitro, Kevin Kelly is with Christian.

Kevin Kelly: “Christian you are six days away from a match that may your biggest yet, but you still don’t know your opponent. What strategy do you have coming into Starrcade?”

Christian: “I know one thing Kevin. My strategy is not to be a loser like the people here in Baltimore. I plan to earn my wins no matter who I’m facing. One thing I don’t plan to do is steal my win from someone else like the Baltimore stole the Browns then pretended to that their Super Bowl win was theirs! I’m not about that. Whomever I’m facing at Starrcade in the main event, just know that I’m going to cap off the greatest breakthrough year for any wrestler ever by winning. And then after that I’m coming for Austin or Flair or whomever. Then after that comes the money! Whoever it is at Starrcade, sorry about your luck. You’re just in the way of greatness!”

***

Non-Title
Kidman vs. Kaz Hayashi

They lock-up and Hayashi gets an early headlock. Kidman sends him off the ropes, but Hayashi knocks him down. Kidman is quickly back up as Hayashi hits the ropes. Leapfrog from Kidman and then Hayashi tries a spinning heel kick which misses the mark. Kidman gets a flying headscissors and a cover, 1…2…Hayashi kicks out. They lock-up again and Kidman gets a knee to the midsection and goes to work. Forearm to the back knocks Hayashi down and Kidman continues with some stomps to the back. Hayashi reverses an Irish Whip that sends Kidman to the corner, but Kidman catches him with another headscissors when Hayashi tries to charge in. Hayashi runs into an arm drag, then Kidman drops kicks him which sends Hayashi to the outside.

Kidman doesn’t waste anytime and gets the crossbody block over the top rope. Kidman brings Hayashi back in and comes over the top with a legdrop! 1…2…Hayashi kicks out. Kidman goes onto the apron and looks to suplex Hayashi to the outside. Hayashi counters, but Kidman lands on his feet and gets an elbow. Hayashi though backdrops Kidman over the top rope. Hayashi comes flying over the top rope with a twisting suicide dive, nailing Kidman! Hayashi has control now, looking to upset the Cruiserweight Champion. Hayashi brings Kidman back in and chops away. Kidman fights back, but a hard Hayashi chop knocks Kidman back down. Hayashi sends Kidman off the ropes and gets a knee to the midsection. Hayashi locks in a chin lock but slams his knee into Kidman’s back, wearing him down.

Kidman fights out, but when both men get to their feet Hayashi knocks Kidman right back down with a clothesline. Hayashi slams Kidman, then comes onto the apron and dives back in right on Kidman. Cover, 1…2…Kidman kicks out. Hayashi continues to kick away, but Kidman fires back and sends Hayashi into the corner! Kidman goes for a big avalanche splash but Hayashi moves out of the way and Kidman slams into the turnbuckles! Backbreaker from Hayashi, and then he heads to the top rope! Moonsault…but Kidman moves out of the way! Kidman sends Hayashi into the corner and then clotheslines him off the ricochet. Kidman hooks the head and we get a tornado bulldog! 1…2…Hayashi just kicks out!

Kidman sends Hayashi off the ropes and goes for the hiptoss. It’s blocked by Hayashi, but Kidman kicks him and then uses his head to flip backwards. He then grabs Hayashi’s legs and takes him out with a double leg slam. Kidman drags Hayashi to the corner and heads up top for the Shooting Star Press…but Hayashi quickly is up there with Kidman. Kidman punches away and Hayashi falls back, but Hayashi quickly recovers again to stop Kidman. Hayashi gains control and hits a jawbreaker off the top rope! Hayashi says that’s it and sets Kidman up…brainbuster! 1…2…no, Kidman just kicks out! Hayashi heads to the top rope…but when he comes flying off Kidman catches him with a dropkick!

Both men are slow to get to their feet. Kidman waistlocks Hayashi and goes for a German suplex, but Hayashi backflips and lands on his feet! Frankensteiner from Hayashi, 1…2…so close to the upset there! Hayashi follows up with a bridging German Suplex, 1…2…and another Kidman last second kickout! Hayashi goes for a powerbomb, but Kidman counters into a facebuster! Kidman up top, Shooting Star Press connects! 1…2…3! What looked to be a warm-up for Starrcade ends up being a thrilling back and forth contest! Kidman helps Kaz Hayashi to his feet and they shake hands.

Winner: Billy Kidman via pin in 14:43

***

Kevin Kelly: “Kurt Angle, you’ve been pining for weeks to become the #1 Contender to the WCW World Championship and you are just six days away from facing Booker T for that right. Are you ready for not only that match, but tonight’s six man tag with The Dudleyz against Booker T and Kronik?”

Kurt Angle: “Are you kidding me? Am I ready? What do you think? You think I’m worried about Booker T? You think I’ve forgotten what happened on ECW in New York? I’m sure Booker T is feeling confident but that’s because he can still walk. After tonight he’ll be lucky to make it to Starrcade with both ankles intact. And then you can do ask him if he’s ready. Am I ready? What a joke of a question. Of course I’m ready. I’m a damn Olympic Gold Medalist! I perform in big time situations. Something tells me you wouldn’t know anything about that Kelly. Back to Booker T. We’ll see what he’s got tonight. So yeah, to answer your question, yeah I’m ready.”


::COMMERCIAL BREAK::


Booker T and Kronik vs. Kurt Angle and The Dudley Boyz (w/Stacy Keibler)

Booker looks ready to start with Angle, but Angle lets Bubba start. They lock-up and jockey for position but get nowhere. Bubba gets a headlock and knocks Booker down with a shoulder block. Bubba comes off the ropes and Booker leapfrogs him, and then gets a side kick to the face on Bubba’s way back. Bubba tags in D-Von who gets some shots in on Booker, but Booker gets him back with an elbow. Big chops and punches from Booker knock D-Von down. Booker points to Angle saying he wants him in. Booker tags in Adams, who punches away at D-Von. He military presses D-Von over his head, but Angle runs in and chopblocks Adams! D-Von comes over and then tags in Angle, who immediately goes to work on the leg of Adams.

Angle taunts Booker, who tries to come in and the referee stops him. This lets Angle bring Adams over to the corner where he gets triple teamed. Angle belly to belly suplexes Adams out of the corner, then locks in a front chancery. Adams gets back to a vertical base, and then sends Angle flying to break the hold! Adams tags Booker back in, but Angle runs to tag Bubba Ray. Booker and Bubba Ray trade shots and Booker wins the exchange by hitting a knee to the midsection. Bubba reverses an Irish Whip and sends Booker into the corner and follows up with some big shoulder thrusts to the mid section. Booker explodes out of the corner with a clothesline, but Bubba catches it and hits Booker with a Bubba Bomb! Now that Booker is down, Angle wants in, and Bubba obliges.

Angle disrespects Booker by slapping him in the back of the head, before wrapping his legs around Booker’s hips and squeezing. Angle combines this with a headlock, and yells as Booker “this is the pain you’re looking forward to on Sunday!” Angle lets up just to get Booker with a fireman’s carry. Angle plays to the crowd a bit, and Booker surprises him with a jumping Harlem Sidekick! Booker goes for a roundhouse kick, only for Angle to catch it and turn it into the Anklelock! Kronik runs in to break it up, and the Dudleyz run in as well as a pier six brawl ensues! Referee seems to get control of it and Clarke tags himself in. Clarke sets Angle up for the Meltdown, but Angle escapes and tags in D-Von. Booker pulls Angle off the apron though as the brawl really hasn’t ended. Clarke gets D-Von with a big boot, and Stacy Keibler gets on the apron. Clarke is distracted by her, and D-Von gets a low blow! Bubba runs in and they get Clarke with 3D! D-Von with the cover, 1…2…3!

Winners: Kurt Angle and the Dudley Boyz when D-Von pinned Clarke in 11:30

We get a replay of what took place last week on Nitro, where Stone Cold Steve Austin attacked Arn Anderson during the Ric Flair-Curt Hennig match.

We see Shane McMahon preparing to head to the ring for the contract signing. He gets a phone call and seemingly confirms that the big signing will be at Starrcade.


::COMMERCIAL BREAK::


We come back to Nitro, with the ring set up for a contract signing. Shane McMahon (with Test) introduces WCW World Champion Stone Cold Steve Austin. Austin makes his way to the ring and glares at Shane before taking his seat. Shane introduces Ric Flair next, who comes out without Arn Anderson.

Shane McMahon: “Gentlemen, you and your lawyers have read the contract and it’s all about the final signature. I’m hoping we can just get this done and we can be on our way.”

Stone Cold Steve Austin: “Let’s just wait a damn second. Stone Cold has found some problems with the contract and I ain’t signing any piece of paper before they get fixed!”

Shane McMahon: “Why didn’t you say anything earli…”

Stone Cold Steve Austin: “Shut up! I am Stone Cold Steve Austin, WCW World Champion, a man’s man and a champion of champions! I do not deserve to have unfair contracts thrown at me to sign! I don’t deserve to be treated like this! What? I said I don’t deserve to be treated like this!”
Shane McMahon: “So what is it huh? What do you want fixed?”

Stone Cold Steve Austin: “First thing’s first, what’s the deal with this referee? It says here, referee Charles Robinson. What a load of crap!”

Ric Flair: (Audible laughing) “Charles Robinson’s always been a fair and impartial referee from what I’ve seen.”

Stone Cold Steve Austin: “A complete load of crap! The guy changed his hair to look like you! Where’s the referee of the Alliance Nick Patrick?

Ric Flair: “The man’s a cheat I think we all know that.”

Shane McMahon: “Ok fine, I’ll fix the referee situation. It won’t be Charles Robinson and it won’t be Nick Patrick.” But we’ll have someone."

Stone Cold Steve Austin: “Ok fine. Now I want to know how Ric Flair got this title shot in the first place. All summer long Stone Cold Steve Austin led the Alliance! Battle after battle after battle Stone Cold Steve Austin led the Alliance to victory. Now Ric Flair, complete absent during InVasion. What? Man completely no shows the whole damn thing then BOOM, all of a sudden first Nitro and he’s declared to be the #1 contender. It’s a damn conspiracy against Stone Cold Steve Austin.”

Shane McMahon: “Well Steve…”

Ric Flair: “I think I’ll answer this one Shane. How do you think Shane and Stephanie got the money to buy WCW and ECW? They came to me and said “Ric, we’ll make you a deal, we will sell you our WWF stock so we can buy WCW and ECW, and when we win, we’ll make sure to do WCW right and put you in on top again”. And I went for it. Not only did I make a lot of money selling the WWF stock back to Vince, but now I’ve got one more chance baby. Wooo! One more chance to become a SEVENTEEN TIME World Champion. Don’t come in here trying to downplay what I’ve done for WCW. You never sat in a room listening to your boss wanting to change your name to Spartacus! You never sat back there when a renegade group let by Hulk Hogan tried to destroy everything you’ve created! You never sat back where getting your pay cut in half when everyone else was getting the big bonuses! So don’t sit there and tell me I did nothing to get WCW where it is today! You had your chance in WCW. And you couldn’t cut the mustard brother. Because I know! I was there! I shared the ring with you! And here’s the difference now brother! I’ve beaten you before, so I know I can do it! But you only think you can beat me!”

Stone Cold gets up from his chair as does Flair, and both men stand face to face…

Stone Cold Steve Austin: “One thing that I know is that you’re talking about how Stone Cold couldn’t cut the mustard and all, well something you need to understand son that it’s not 1994 anymore! I ain’t a Hollywood Blonde! And I ain’t Stunning Steve Austin. Yeah you beat those guys, but you never, absolutely ever wrestled anyone like Stone Cold Steve Austin. And when I look at those little beady eyes, you know as well as I do, that I can and I will whip your ass this Sunday at Starrcade! And if you aren’t sure about that, I’d go ask your little friend Arn Anderson.”

Ric Flair: “You’re lucky I don’t punch you right in the mouth about what you did last week! You know I thought about it, and I wondered, why Arn? Why hasn’t the ‘legendary Texas Rattlesnake’ put a hand on me yet? Why am I so special? And then it hit me! Just as I’m sure when you did all that bar hopping and drinking and had every bartender tell you about Ric Flair. It made you realize something. Yes it’s not 1994. And over the past five years you changed wrestling forever. You became the biggest star in wrestling. But you never did become The Man! Because you know deep in that stone cold heart of yours that you NEVER BEAT THE MAN! WOOO! And that’s why you haven’t laid a finger on me. Because you need to beat me straight up and you know it. For you to be the man, you need to beat me without injury, interference, nothing! Well you’ll have your chance. You think you can beat the Man! But I KNOW I can beat Stone Cold!”

Stone Cold Steve Austin: “Quite frankly I’ll whip your ass when I feel like it!”

Flair takes off his sports coat and Austin looks like he’s about to fight…

Stone Cold Steve Austin: “…just not tonight…”

Austin slides under the bottom rope, flips off Flair, then heads up the stage with Flair waiting to fight in the ring as Nitro goes off the air!

Quick Results

Test pinned The Hurricane

The Barbarian pinned Jamie Noble

William Regal and Tajiri defeated Chuck Palumbo and Sean O’Haire by DQ when Tazz interfered

Non Title: Kidman pinned Kaz Hayashi

Kurt Angle and the Dudley Boyz defeated Booker T and Kronik when D-Von pinned Bryan Clarke

Champions

WCW World Champion
Stone Cold Steve Austin (Awarded On 12-3-01)

ECW World Champion
Vacant (Vacated by Rhyno on 12-6-01)

WCW United States Champion
Tazz (Defeated Kurt Angle on 12-13-01)

WCW World Tag Team Champions
The Dudley Boyz (Defeated The Hardy Boyz on 10-26-01)

WCW Cruiserweight Champion
Billy Kidman (Defeated X-Pac on 10-9-01

Roster Updates

The Barbarian - Meng's monster Faces of Fear teammate in WCW​

 

[RDT]

ECW RISE
December 27, 2001
Arthur Ashe Athletic Center
Richmond, VA

Jamie Noble comes out to kick off RISE? Noble looks almost afraid coming to the ring.

Jamie Noble: “Look, look, I’m trying really hard to get myself set up here! I tried this on Nitro and these two monsters just came out and that’s not what I’m about! I just want a real opportunity! A real chance! I can prove myself! I need to stand up for myself. So I’m ready! Come on this is ECW right! I’m ready to get my chance! Come on anyone!”

To perhaps everyone’s surprise…Luna Vachon comes out to answer the challenge!

Jamie Noble: “A woman! I can do this! Let’s ring the bell and let’s get extreme! Come on let’s go!”

Luna Vachon: “I’m sure I could rip you apart if I wanted to right now! Pain! Mayhem! Violence! As much as I want to give it to you right now…I’ve got someone who might be better!”

“BAM BAM!”

Joey Styles: “That’s Bam Bam Bigelow! Get out of there Jamie you’re going to get killed!”

Jamie Noble: “No wait, no..no..not again!”

Bam Bam Bigelow (w/Luna Vachon) vs. Jamie Noble

Jamie somehow gets the courage to run at Bam Bam and gets taken out with a dropkick! Bigelow presses Noble over his head and throws him into the steel railing on the outside! Luna takes a steel chair and smashes Noble right in the head, busting Noble wide open! Luna rolls Noble back in and Bigelow is on the top rope…Bam Bam Moonsault squashes Jamie! 1…2…Bigelow picks up Noble himself, wanting to finish him off his way. Greetings From Asbury Park! 1…2…3!

Winner: Bam Bam Bigelow via pin in 1:11

***

The crowd goes wild, chanting “Bam Bam” the entire time! We get a cut to the intro of ECW, and then we get to Joey Styles.

Joey Styles: “Oh my god what a start to the night, I can’t believe that Bam Bam Bigelow was here! There’s helping Noble out now and quite frankly they need to send him to the hospital. My god. Anyway we have two matches tonight on the go home show before Starrcade. Tonight it’s Jerry Lynn vs. Chris Chetti as Lynn prepares for his WCW Cruiserweight Championship match against Billy Kidman this Sunday, and Tajiri takes on Nova!”

“One of a Kind” plays through the arena and here comes one of the top two contenders for the ECW World Heavyweight Championship, Rob Van Dam!”

Rob Van Dam: “Alright, I can call it like it is. Last Thursday night ended up being a bad night for Mr. Pay-Per-View. I had a pretty brutal match against Mike Awesome, and I had it in hand but when Brock showed up I couldn’t just let him stand there to try to intimidate me. I needed to make sure he knew this isn’t some local gym in the Midwest. This is ECW. But, gotta be honest, he surprised me a bit. And, well, I got powerbombed on a windshield and I was picking glass out of my back for days. Gotta admit Paul, this boy, this one’s tough.

But hey, I’m still ready. He hasn’t broken my spirit. The glass in my back? Nothing a little 420 can’t handle! Yeah, maybe it was a mistake to brawl with you like that. But in this ring? You’re gonna learn that I’m the Whole Fuckin’ Show! You’re going to find out what it’s like to have twenty thousand people raising the spirit of Rob Van Dam and you have no idea what you’re walking into! Everything they’ve invested, everything I’ve invested over the years. It’s coming down on you Brock Lesnar!”

Brock Lesnar makes his way down to the ring with Paul Heyman begging him to stop! “Think about the match Sunday! Think about the match Sunday!” Lesnar grabs a chair and gets into the ring, but Van Dam doesn’t back up one inch.

Rob Van Dam: “Are you kidding me right now? Is that supposed to scare me?”

Brock Lesnar: “Whole fuckin’ show huh? I’m going to tear you apart on Sunday!”

Rob Van Dam: “Whoa this one talks! That’s cool man. Let me make it clear to you right now to make sure you heard me. I’m gonna kick your fuckin’ ass this Sunday!”

Lesnar takes a swing with the chair, but RVD ducks and Lesnar nearly hits Heyman! Heyman sighs in relief when Lesnar comes up just short of hitting him…but then yells in horror when RVD hits Lesnar the Van Daminator! RVD up top…Five Star Frog Splash! RVD escapes through the crowd as Lesnar feels the effects of both of RVD’s big moves! Heyman yells to “cut to a commercial!”


::COMMERCIAL BREAK::


Jerry Lynn vs. Chris Chetti

They lock-up and Chetti gets the headlock. Lynn sends him off the ropes and goes for the hip toss, but Chetti counters it and follows up with a little dancing. Lynn runs in, but Chetti gets a drop toe hold and floats over with a front facelock. Lynn powers out and sends Chetti off the ropes, and Chetti gets a dropkick that sends Lynn to the outside. Chetti comes flying over and gets Lynn as well! Chetti sends Lynn back in, then follows up with a springboard clothesline! 1…2…Lynn kicks out. Chetti comes off the ropes and goes for a flying headscissors, but Lynn counters into a tilt-a-whirl facebuster! Having finally slowed Chetti down, Lynn locks Chetti in a STF, wearing him down and maybe looking for the submission.

Chetti finds his way out and surprises Lynn with a low kick, and then a high kick to the side of the head! Chetti trips Lynn then hits a running legdrop, 1…2…Lynn kicks out! Chetto climbs up to the 2nd rope, but Lynn has recovered faster than he expected and stops him up there with a shot to the face. More shots, then Lynn climbs up too and gets a bulldog off the second rope! 1..2…Chetti just kicks out to the surprise of Lynn. Lynn quickly sets him up and gets a release Northern Lights suplex where Chetti slams into the turnbuckles upon release! Chetti tries to get through the ropes to create some space from Lynn, but Lynn guillotine legdrops him on the second rope! Chetti falls to the floor and Lynn stays on the apron…cannonball off the apron connects! Lynn gets back into the ring and makes the belt motion at his waist, referring to his match with Kidman at Starrcade surely.

Chetti makes it back into the ring, and Lynn quickly sets him up for the Cradle Piledriver…but Chetti powers out. Lynn goes for a clothesline, but Chetti counters by lifting Lynn on his shoulders and nails Amityville Horror! 1…2…Lynn kicks avoids a major upset and kicks out! Chetti can’t believe it, but heads to the apron. Double Springboard Moonsault misses! Lynn just moved out of the way. Lynn quickly sets Chetti up for a suplex, but Chetti lands on his feet…only for Lynn to turn that into a neckbreaker! Cover, 1…2…Chetti kicks out yet again! Chetti pops up with a frankensteiner! He sets Lynn up for Amityville Horror once again, but this time Lynn drops back and gets a reverse DDT. Lynn wastes no times and sets Chetti up…Cradle Piledriver! 1…2…3!

Winner: Jerry Lynn via pin in 10:32

We quickly kick it to a set of interviews, with quick cuts happening in between each one.

Luna Vachon: “Hahaha tonight you saw and Jamie Noble felt the wrath and misery I look to spread all over WCW and ECW! No longer am I waiting in the shadows! Many warriors have come, and many will fall as The Beast From the East is back and will destroy them all! You tell them Bam Bam!”

Bam Bam Bigelow: “To me it’s not important whoever wants to take on the challenge of Bam Bam Bigelow. I always stand up to whatever challenge is in front of me. Just understand this. Whoever stands in my way. I’m putting your ass through the ring. Someone wants to use Bam Bam Bigelow as a stepping stone? Bring it on. I won’t be satisfied until I rip your heart and smash it in my hand!”

*
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Lance Storm (with Dawn Marie, Justin Credible and Mike Awesome): “People are asking who the biggest star will be at Starrcade, but the real question should be who will have the most impact? And you’re looking at Total Impact. The original Impact Players and arguably the most impactful ECW World Champion in history in Mike Awesome. We have so much momentum, that it’s going to take three of ECW’s longest tenured and most loyal and hardcore wrestlers to try to stop us. But there isn’t anybody stopping us. Our momentum started a long time ago.”

Justin Credible: That’s not just the coolest. That’s not just the best. That’s justin…credible!”

*
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Tommy Dreamer (with Spike Dudley and The Sandman): “This whole resurrection of ECW..the RISE of ECW, it all came together when Rob Van Dam and myself jumped over the guardrail and started the InVasion. I didn’t give up on ECW then, just like I didn’t give up on ECW throughout my career. I’ve broken my back, I’ve broken my neck and I’ve met my wife and I’ve had my kids because of ECW. And then people like The Dudley Boyz, like Mike Awesome. Lance Storm. Guys who jumped for a bigger payday well guess what. I’m not done defending ECW. The name may read Starrcade, but it’s going to be an all out war like old times. And I’m bringing the best damn fighters with me. Myself, Spike and the Sandman, we’re going to beat the impact out of Total Impact and represent ECW on the big stage!”


::COMMERCIAL BREAK::


We come back to RISE and see Raven and his still unnamed group watching the show in the rafters…

Tajiri (w/Torrie Wilson) vs. Nova

Tajiri gets the quick advantage with a basement dropkick to the knee. He follows up with a rush of kicks that downs Nova immediately. 1…2…Nova kicks out. Tajiri is showing an aggressiveness we haven’t seen from him in a long time. He continues to kick away at Nova, who escapes to the outside. Tajiri doesn’t let up and flies over the top rope with a somersault senton, taking Nova out! He brings Nova back up to the apron and locks in the Tarantula, and refuses to let go! Nova refuses to submit and after a good fifteen seconds Tajiri finally releases the hold. Tajiri sets Nova up in the Tree of Woe and continues to kick away. He then charges in, but Nova sits up in the Tree of Woe and gets a cutter!

With Tajiri downed Nova stomps away. He then gets Tajiri back to a vertical base and hits a sledge-o-matic! 1…2…Tajiri kicks out. Tajiri tries a victory roll out of nowhere, but Nova turns that into a face-first powerbomb! 1…2…Tajiri kicks out again. Nova seems a little frustrated and heads to the top rope. Senton bomb misses, and Tajiri comes off the ropes and catches Nova with a handspring back elbow. Tajiri goes for a frankensteiner, but Nova turns it into a sitout powerbomb! 1…2…Tajiri kicks out again. Nova has Tajiri set up for the Kryptonite Krunch, but Tajiri fights out and gets back to his feet and levels Nova with a roundhouse kick! Tajiri gets Nova up and plants him in the middle of the ring with a brainbuster! Tajiri gets Nova back up and hooks the arms for a dragon suplex! 1…2…3!

Winner: Tajiri via pin in 7:01

Joey Styles: “Tajiri looks ready for this Sunday at Starrcade…oh my god it’s Tazz! Tazz is here!”

Tazz comes to the ring through the crowd and faces off with Tajiri. The two immediately come to blows as Paul Heyman comes down to try to break it up. Tajiri then accidentally hits the Green Mist on Torrie to his horror! Tazz takes down Tajiri and continues to go at him as the show goes off the air!


::END SHOW::


Quick Results

Bam Bam Bigelow pinned Jamie Noble

Jerry Lynn pinned Chris Chetti

Tajiri pinned Nova

Champions

WCW World Champion
Stone Cold Steve Austin (Awarded On 12-3-01)

ECW World Champion
Vacant (Vacated by Rhyno on 12-6-01)

WCW United States Champion
Tazz (Defeated Kurt Angle on 12-13-01)

WCW World Tag Team Champions
The Dudley Boyz (Defeated The Hardy Boyz on 10-26-01)

WCW Cruiserweight Champion
Billy Kidman (Defeated X-Pac on 10-9-01)

Roster Updates

Bam Bam Bigelow – Former ECW World Heavyweight and Television Champion looks ready to make one more last splash

Luna Vachon – Dangerous woman who’s wrestled all over the world, in AWA, WWF, WCW and ECW
​

 

[RDT]

WCW/ECW Starrcade 2001
PREVIEW

Mean Gene Okerlund: “Hello everyone, welcome to the special weekend Starrcade 2001 preview. I will run down the matches on the side of World Championship Wrestling, while we will send it over to Joey Styles who will cover the matches for Extreme Championship Wrestling. And if it’s in the middle, we’ll figure it out as we go along. While tickets are sold out for Starrcade at the MCI Center for this Sunday, cable companies are still standing by. For $34.99 you can see perhaps the biggest wrestling Pay-Per-View in quite some time."

WCW Cruiserweight Championship
Kidman © vs. Jerry Lynn

Mean Gene Okerlund: “From the land of extreme Jerry Lynn came onto Nitro on December 10th and attacked our Cruiserweight Champion Billy Kidman. They’ve each went at it since and Lynn won the right on an edition of ECW RISE to become the #1 contender. Lynn has a history in WCW and it’s been a long road for him, but Kidman was one of the rising stars throughout the late 90s and 2000. This is a man who’s pinned Hulk Hogan. It could go either way.”

Six Man Tag – No DQ
Tommy Dreamer, The Sandman and Spike Dudley vs. Lance Storm, Justin Credible and Mike Awesome

Mean Gene Okerlund: “I’m going to send this one to Joey Styles.”

Joey Styles: “Thank you Mean Gene!” This six man tag is a story that’s been built up for years and years. Over that time, Tommy Dreamer, The Sandman and Spike Dudley have personified ECW and fought against everyone and anyone. They’ve dealt with the Impact Players before, but adding in Mike Awesome is a tall task. It’s going to be a wild one!”

WCW United States Championship – No DQ
Tazz © vs. Tajiri

Joey Styles: “It’s for a WCW title, but screw it, Tazz wanted to fight Tajiri under ECW rules, and Tajiri accepted on Worldwide! These two have history going back to 1999, when Tazz choked out Tajiri at ECW Heatwave 1999. Tajiri did get his revenge, pinning Tazz at InVasion earlier this year! I think Tazz has a fire in his eye we haven’t seen in quite some time and he has all the momentum. He choked out – again – Kurt Angle in New York City on RISE on December 13th to win the US Title in the first place. But if Tajiri wins the title, William Regal promised to stay out of he and Torrie Wilson’s relationship. That’s quite the carrot to dangle and Tajiri’s looked focused this past week.”

Special Challenge
Christian vs. Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley’s Selected Opponent

Joey Styles: “I don’t know if this falls under the banner of ECW. Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley is the owner of ECW and Christian did come to RISE only to see him be passed over for the ECW World Championship Match. That being said, this could be anybody! Christian wanted a main event slot, I don’t know if he knows what he’s gotten into.”

Mean Gene Okerlund: “That’s right Joey. It could be one of the hardcore warriors of ECW. It could be a former WCW Champion of some kind. Maybe someone else. Only one way to find out, and that’s at Starrcade.”

WCW World Tag Team Championship – Tables Match
The Dudley Boyz © vs. Kronik

Mean Gene Okerlund: “This one I am especially looking forward to. Kronik are one of the most dominate tag teams I’ve ever seen in professional wrestling. Brian Adams and Bryan Clarke are two monsters, but they take on the only team to ever win the WWF, WCW and ECW World Tag Team Championships, the Dudley Boyz. The Dudley Boyz were able to make it their match too, the Tables Match, but I can’t imagine that hurting Clarke and Adams too much either. It should be a great brawl. I also understand there will be a live performance by the band Saliva, and they will have a special theme for the Dudley Boyz."



Mean Gene Okerlund: “Speaking of which, the official theme song for Starrcade is “Superstar” by Saliva. We thank them for providing us with this great song."

Special Signing
Shane McMahon Announces new signing for WCW

Mean Gene Okerlund: “Rumors are playing all over the internet for this one. I have it on good authority that it’s a big one. Anytime you’re taking up valuable Pay-Per-View time to announce a signing, it’s always a big deal. Now, we have three major matches headlining Starrcade, let’s go back to Joey Styles.”

ECW World Championship
Rob Van Dam vs. Brock Lesnar

Joey Styles: “Before the sale of ECW went down, Rhyno had won the ECW World Championship at Guilty as Charged. Unfortunately in fighting for The Alliance, Rhyno injured his neck and isn’t expected to return until sometime at the end of next year. Rhyno vacated the ECW World Championship on the debut episode of RISE and Paul Heyman announced there would be a match to determine the new champion. The first half of that equation is Rob Van Dam and rightfully so. Not only is Rob Van Dam easily the greatest ECW competitor to never win, hell, never get a chance at the ECW World title, but he beat his rival Jerry Lynn on that same episode of RISE. Now I know I am supposed to be objective, I get it. But I can’t agree with Heyman inserting a rookie, Brock Lesnar into the match without even having one ECW match! I understand he tore apart the NCAA and Ohio Valley Wrestling but this is ECW and Heyman should know better. I don’t know if this is to impress ECW Owner Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley or whatever the case. Now, don’t get me wrong, Brock Lesnar looks like the scariest beast I’ve seen in wrestling in quite some time and he powerbombed Rob Van Dam on a car windshield. I get it, the guy’s a badass. But Rob Van Dam earned this match and I gotta go with him for that reason. That’s it for the ECW side, let’s send it back to Mean Gene to finish this off and I’ll see you at Starrcade!”

#1 Contender to the WCW World Championship
Kurt Angle vs. Booker T

Mean Gene Okerlund: “Thank you Joey. Now, this is a match where these two guys just don’t like one another. Both men felt they deserved to be the challenger to the WCW World Championship at Starrcade. Booker T because he was there for the start of InVasion and came into InVasion as the WCW World Champion. In fact, he and Kurt Angle traded the title on back to back shows in the midst of InVasion. Kurt Angle felt his deflection to the Alliance and his role in making sure WCW and ECW survived InVasion is why he deserves the title opportunity. In my opinion, both men’s arguments have merit. Now, Booker T had his chance on the December 10th edition of Nitro, but due to the actions of Kurt Angle, Booker lost to WCW World Champion Stone Cold Steve Austin in a match that would have made Booker a top contender to the title. Booker T got his revenge just three nights later when he showed up on ECW RISE and cost Kurt Angle the WCW United States Championship. These guys have been going back and forth, but we will get a definitive answer to the #1 contender this Sunday!”

WCW World Championship
Stone Cold Steve Austin © vs. Ric Flair

Mean Gene Okerlund: “This is the big one. The one for all the marbles. On the rebirth episode of Nitro, December 3rd, Shane McMahon awarded Stone Cold Steve Austin the WCW World Championship as he was forced to return the WWF World title back to the WWF. But Shane already had plans for Starrcade, introducing Ric Flair the same night to be the top contender to the title. There’s a lot of history here. When Steve Austin was an up and coming WCW superstar in 1994, he couldn’t quite get past Ric Flair. Austin would move on, and he and Flair wages a cold war of sorts as both men were perhaps the top ratings draw for their respective companies during the Monday Night Wars. Ric Flair is looking for a record extending 17th World Championship. Steve Austin is looking to continue a streak of perhaps being wrestlings top wrestler and lead WCW to 2002 as the World Champion. I wouldn’t want to miss this one. We will see you at 7:00 PM EST at Starrcade Sunday night!”

Note: As this is a repost, there will be no prediction contest for this.​

 

[RDT]

WCW/ECW Starrcade 2001
December 30, 2001
MCI Center
Washington, D.C.



Scott Hudson: “Welcome everyone to the biggest event of the year, it’s Starrcade 2001! I’m Scott Hudson alongside Diamond Dallas Page. It’s an exciting night for sure. I’m going to send it over to our ECW announcer Joey Styles, as ECW will be kicking off the show!”

“ENTER SANDMAN” begins to play…

Joey Styles: "Thank you Scott. We kick things off with a no holds barred six man tag!"

Tommy Dreamer, Spike Dudley and the Sandman vs. Total Impact (w/Dawn Marie)

Sandman and Storm kick things off and Sandman hasn’t let go of the Singapore Cane he brought to the ring. Sandman does give it up to the referee, and Storm quickly tags in Mike Awesome who runs Sandman over! Sandman gets up and fires away at Awesome, then takes the cane from the corner (referee clearly didn’t do a good job) and whacks Awesome over the head with it! Awesome tags Storm back in, and Sandman lets Spike get a chance. Storm piefaces Spike, who comes right back with a low blow! Spike punches away and sets Storm off the ropes, but Storm leapfrogs Spike and takes him out with a perfect dropkick! Storm tags in Justin Credible, who kicks and stomps away at Spike in the corner. Credible then gets a spinning DDT and a cover, but Sandman whacks Credible with the cane to break it up immediately!

Mike Awesome comes in and again levels The Sandman, then sends Dreamer flying into the barricade from the apron! It’s only been a few minutes but the sense of the tag part of the match looks over as we have a full out brawl! Storm and Credible double team Spike, but Spike gets a double low blow to stop that assault! Sandman sets a table up on the outside and cracks Storm a couple of times in the head with the cane before putting Storm on it. Sandman runs the ropes, but his crazy over the top rope dive misses as Storm moves out of the way and Sandman crashes through the table. Awesome and Dreamer have brawled into the ring, and Spike gets a dropkick on Awesome to help. Spike goes for the Dudley Dog…but Awesome sends him flying over the top rope and Spike crashes onto the floor! Dreamer smashes Credible with a chair, then gets Awesome in the back as well. Despite his opponents being down, Dreamer controls the match at the moment.

Or he did, as Storm takes him out with a superkick. Storm locks Dreamer in the Canadian Maple Leaf, looking for the submission. Dawn Marie gets on the apron to cheer Storm on, but Sandman comes in and grabs her by the hair! Storm superkicks Sandman in the back of the head to break that up. Dreamer is back up and fires away at Storm, but Awesome comes off the top rope and smashes Dreamer with a chair! Spike slides back in, but Awesome grabs him with no issue and Spike is Awesome Bombed from the ring through a table on the outside! Sandman whacks Credible with the Singapore Cane, but Sandman gets taken out by another Storm superkick. Mike Awesome then comes flying off the top rope with an Awesome Splash! A cover, 1…2…Dreamer musters enough energy to break it up. Storm stomps away on him as Awesome grabs another table. It’s set up in ring and Storm helps Awesome set him up…Awesome Bomb off the top rope through the table! Cover by Awesome, 1…2…3! Complete annihilation from Total Impact!

Winners: Total Impact when Awesome pinned Dreamer in 10:12

Joey Styles: “What carnage we just saw! It looks like The Sandman is the only one walking out from the Dreamer/Spike/Sandman team. Spike is being helped out by Sandman and we have some doctors and officials working on Dreamer and helping get him out of the ring. Mike Awesome is a dangerous man as it is, but to combine him with the skill and brash confidence of Lance Storm and Justin Credible, well, well they may just run over ECW! Anyway, ECW’s own Jerry Lynn is going to be wrestling Billy Kidman and it should be great one. Off to you Scott!"

***

Scott Hudson: "Thank you Joey. Jerry Lynn appeared on Nitro on December 10, attacking Billy Kidman. He earned his way to a title shot, and were we go!"

WCW Cruiserweight Championship
Billy Kidman © vs. Jerry Lynn

Kidman and Lynn circle one another before they lock-up. Lynn gets an arm ringer, but Kidman counters and then gets a forearm smash to the arm. Turns into an armlock, but Lynn gets back to his feet and gets a forearm to the face. Lynn locks in the headlock and Kidman sends him off the ropes, only for Lynn to shoulderblock him down. Kidman goes for a rocker dropper, but Lynn stands up and Kidman flips over, but lands on his feet. Kidman comes off the ropes and gets a flying head scissors, sending Lynn across the ring. Lynn rolls to the outside to catch a breather. Lynn gets back on the apron and gets a shoulder thrust. He goes for a sunset flip back into the ring but Kidman just walks away and Lynn crashes onto the canvas. Kidman comes off the ropes but Lynn ducks the clothesline, then catches Kidman with a stungun, but in the midsection and Kidman crashes onto the floor.

Lynn brings Kidman back in the hard way with a suplex. Lynn follows up with a back suplex. First cover of the match, 1…2…Kidman kicks out. Kidman crawls back onto the apron, and Lynn jumps off the 2nd rope and dropkicks Kidman off the apron…causing Kidman crashes into the barricade. Lynn comes off with a cannonball of the apron taking Kidman out! Lynn clotheslines Kidman over the barricade, then gets a full head of steam and dives over the barricade and takes Kidman out again! Lynn runs back into the ring and tells the referee to stop counting as he wants to beat Kidman in the ring. Referee still counts, but the distraction is enough for Kidman to crawl back to ringside and roll back into the ring. Lynn props Kidman on the 2nd rope and goes for a guillotine legdrop, but Kidman moves and Lynn legdrops the apron! Lynn tries to get back into the ring and Kidman gets him with his own guillotine legdrop! 1…2….Lynn kicks out. Kidman heads to the top rope, and he gets the back elbow! 1…2….Lynn kicks out again!

The pace picks up as Kidman sends Lynn face first into the corner, then rebounds off the ropes and nails the clothesline. Inverted suplex from Kidman! 1…2…Lynn kicks out again. Lynn stops Kidman by hitting a dropkick. Lynn goes for a suplex, but Kidman counters by landing on his feet, only for Lynn to drop and get a neckbreaker! Lynn heads to the top rope, but Kidman recovers to meet him up there. Kidman sets Lynn up…top rope superplex connects! Kidman can’t take advantage though as both men are motionless on the mat. Both men slowly get to their feet, and surprisingly Lynn has the advantage with a boot to the midsection. Lynn goes for the powerbomb, but Kidman turns it into a facebuster! Now Kidman heads to the top rope, but Lynn pushes the referee into the ropes and Kidman gets crotched! Lynn heads up to Kidman and gets a frankensteiner off the top! 1…2….Kidman just kicks out! Lynn says that’s it and sets Kidman up for the Cradle Piledriver, but Kidman grabs Lynn’s legs and turns it into a BK Bomb! 1…2…Lynn kicks out! Kidman dropkicks Lynn which sends him to the outside. Kidman gets a full head of steam and hits a springboard Shooting Star Press! Kidman rolls Lynn back in and heads up top, Shooting Star Press connects! 1…2…3!

Winner: Billy Kidman via pin in 13:11 (Retains)

Scott Hudson: “We just saw a tremendous contest! Billy Kidman showed tonight that he plans to be a big part of WCW’s future as a champion!”

Diamond Dallas Page: “Special props out to Kidman for sure! But hey Scott, I’ve really got my eyes on this next match.”

***

Scott Hudson: “WCW United States Championship, no Disqualifications, champion Tazz against Tajiri!”

Diamond Dallas Page: “Both of these guys can fight that’s for sure, but I gotta be honest with you Scott, Tajiri’s had that look in his eye the past couple weeks and I don’t want to see Torrie get hurt or something.”

Scott Hudson: “It’s going to be a dangerous atmosphere that’s for sure. Both of these men are from the land of extreme, so we’re going to send it over to Joey Styles!”

Joey Styles: “One interesting thing about this Tajiri-Tazz rivalry over the years is back in 1999, Tajiri found a weak spot in the unstoppable Tazz, which is an early career broken neck. And to be honest, until recently when Tazz exploded and won the US Title, I’ve felt that Tazz really hasn’t been the same since that 1999 encounter. Nonetheless, Heatwave 1999, InVasion and now Starrcade 2001. Who’s going to win the rubber match? Who’s going to walk out champion?!”

WCW United States Championship
If Tajiri wins William Regal Will No Longer Interfere in Tajiri and Torrie Wilson’s Relationship
Tazz © vs. Tajiri (w/Torrie Wilson)

Tazz shows no mercy off the bat and punches Tajiri with fist after fist after fist. Tazz misses the clothesline, and Tajiri gets a spinning heel kick that knocks Tazz down. Standing moonsault! Quick cover, 1…2…Tazz kicks out. Hard chop from Tajiri. And another one. Tazz stops this with an angry man clothesline! Tazz sends Tajiri into the corner, and when Tajiri stumbles out Tazz throws him across the ring with a belly to belly suplex! Cover, 1…2…Tajiri kicks out. Tajiri fires back with rapid punches and kicks, but Tazz lays him out with another big clothesline! Tazz stands over Tajiri and then crossfaces him with huge punches. Tazz waits for Tajiri to get up, but misses another clothesline and falls through the ropes, landing on the floor. Tajiri is quick to get on the apron and kicks Tazz…then hits a springboard Asai Moonsault!

Tazz crawls back into the ring and Tajiri is waiting by stomping Tazz on the back of the neck. Tajiri hooks Tazz up and gets the Tarantula! There’s no DQ, Tajiri doesn’t have to let go as Tazz screams in pain! It could be over here, but Tazz is able to free his legs and get a Red Hook (Alabama) Slam! Torrie yells at Tazz but immediately shows fear as soon as Tazz faces her. It’s the distraction Tajiri needed though as he kicks Tazz right in the head! Cover, 1...2…Tazz just kicks out! Tajiri goes for another karate kick, but Tazz catches it and wraps Tajiri up…T-Bone Tazzplex! 1…2….Tajiri just kicks out. Tazz props Tajiri on the top rope…overhead belly to belly suplex off the top! Tazz calls for the end, but Tajiri hits a back kick that low bridges Tazz! Buzzsaw kick to the head! A second one! Tajiri comes off the ropes and gets a basement dropkick right to the face of Tazz! 1…2…Tazz just kicks out and Tajiri is in shock!

Tajiri yells at Torrie to get a table, to which, while frightened, she does so and slides it into the ring. Tajiri sets it up in the corner. Tajiri then kicks Tazz, and Tazz takes it, and goads Tajiri into doing it again. Second kick gets caught, and Tazz T-bone Tazplex’s Tajiri through the table! William Regal comes down to ringside to check on Tajiri and Torrie is on the apron tending to him. Tazz sends Regal into the ringpost! Tazz grabs a steel chair and calls for the end of Tajiri. Surprisingly Tajiri still has life and kicks the chair right back into Tazz’s face! Tazz struggles to get to his feet, and Tajiri goes for the handspring springboard elbow off the ropes…but he knocks Torrie Wilson off the apron! Tajiri realizes what happened…and he backs right into the Kata Ha Jime, the Tazz-mission! Tajiri tries to fight out, but eventually he passes out! Tazz has beaten Tajiri!

Winner: Tazz via submission in 9:59 (Retains)

Joey Styles: “What an unfortunate series of events for Tajiri. He might have had Tazz beat, but Torrie was still on the apron from when she was checking on him after Tazz spiked him through a table.”

Surprisingly, Regal is checking on Torrie as Tajiri comes to. Perhaps even more surprisingly, instead of checking and helping Torrie, Tajiri yells at Regal and then walks off. Regal walks away from Torrie and goes with Tajiri. Diamond Dallas Page leaves the commentary position and helps Torrie to the back.

Joey Styles: “Man I hope Tajiri realizes it was an accident. Even Regal felt bad! Anyway, I’m done until the ECW World Heavyweight Championship match later tonight. It looks like the boss is heading down to the ring nonetheless!”

***

Shane McMahon and Test make their way down to the ring and Shane has a contract in-hand.

Shane McMahon: “Washington D.C. how are you enjoying your night?!”

“Tonight, I’m excited to announce that the World Championship Wrestling/Extreme Championship Wrestling Alliance has signed one of the all-time great WCW World Champions! We have a lot left tonight, so I’m not going to waste your time with this. Ladies and gentlemen, returning to WCW, the WINNER of the Immunity Battle Royal…The Big Show!”

Big Show makes his way down to the ring to a previous WCW theme song, as opposed to the traditional “WELL IT’S THE BIG SHOW” theme.

Shane McMahon: “Welcome big man!”

Big Show grabs the mic from Shane, prompting Test to approach. Show gives Test a smirk before starting…

Big Show: “First thing’s first. In three years I did everything there was to do in the WWF. Former World Champ. Main evented Wrestlemania. And when it came time to decide what I wanted to do with the rest of my career, I decided I had some unfinished business to attend to. It was a good three year run for Big Show, but Big Show’s done. At this point, Shane, and everyone else, you will address me for who I am. From this point forward I am to be addressed as The Giant! Have I made myself clear?”

Shane McMahon: “Yeah sure, I mean if you…”

The Giant: “Good.”

“Point number two. A reminder that I won the Immunity Battle Royal at Survivor Series and I eliminated his ass on the way to doing so (*pointing to Test*). So I don’t really care if you don’t like my attitude, or who I beat up or anything else. You signed me to a big contract, that one you are holding in your hands, so I’m telling you now, this is how it’s going to be. You can’t even think of firing me.”

“And the last point.”

The Giant gets really close to Shane…

“Any match I want, at anytime, you will give me. I know you’ve got this #1 Contender match later for the world title going on later tonight, and that’s great and all. But I don’t really care. I’m coming for that title, and I better be in line for a shot when I want it. And that’s going to be soon. So Austin, Flair, Angle, Booker, whomever, you better be ready. And if there’s a problem with this Shane, there won’t be any words. I will break you in half. And if this guy here (*again points at Test*) tries to stop me, I’ll break him in half too.”

Test shoves The Giant away from Shane McMahon…and gets hit with a massive headbutt in response! Shane runs out of the ring as if his life was on the line! Giant headbutts Test again…then grabs him by the throat…CHOKESLAM!

The Giant: “If anyone wants to know what happens when you cross The Giant…take a look at Test here.”

The Giant walks back up the rampway just as Diamond Dallas Page returns. DDP and The Giant nod at one another.

Scott Hudson: “Unbelievable, The Giant has returned to World Championship Wrestling! DDP, seems like you might be the only guy in the world he likes!”

Diamond Dallas Page: “Me and the big man we go way back! Giant is straight with you. You do good by him, there’s no problems. But if you cross him oh man are you in trouble!”

***

Scott Hudson: “He talked about the WCW World Championship, and I don’t know how Shane McMahon is going to handle that because we have a #1 Contenders Match about to happen next! Kurt Angle and Booker T have been gunning for that title match every since Nitro returned on December 3rd!”

#1 Contender for the WCW World Championship Match
Booker T vs. Kurt Angle

Angle quickly tries to hook Booker in some kind of hold, but Booker counters by blasting Angle with shots to the face! Booker almost punches Angle all the way down to the canvas, but then Angle surprises Booker with a front facelock. Booker fights out with shoulder thrusts, then rams Angle into the corner. Hard chop! A second hard chop! Angle turns things around and gets shoulder thrusts of his own, then a European uppercut takes Booker down. Angle picks Booker up, just to keep hitting European uppercuts. Snapmare takeover puts Booker on the canvas, and Angle locks in a headlock. Booker fights out and sends Angle off the ropes, and Booker gets the hip toss! Booker follows up by kicking Angle in the corner. Booker then hangs Angle throat first across the top rope. First cover, 1…2…Angle kicks out.

Booker gets Angle with his own snapmare, then follows up with a knee to the back. Angle begs off for a moment, but then surprises Booker by taking him down by his leg. Booker escapes the ankle lock attempt by rolling through and sending Angle through the ropes onto the floor. Booker goes outside and fires away at Angle, but Angle reverses a whip and Booker goes flying into the steps! Booker tries to stay on his feet after crashing into the steps, but Angle chopblocks him! Angle rolls Booker back in, then knees Booker right in the face! Angle follows up with another knee lift, and he draws blood from Booker’s mouth. Point of the elbow gets Booker right in the throat, and Angle goes for a cover, 1…2….Booker kicks out. Angle hooks Booker and gets a vertical suplex with a floatover for another cover, 1…2…Booker kicks out again. Angle quickly switches to the body scissors as he tries to suck the life out of Booker.

Booker once again fights his way out. Booker gets back to a vertical base and hits Angle with chops and punches, but misses a jumping Harlem sidekick and ends up getting tangled in the ropes! Angle gets a belly to back suplex, 1…2…Booker just rolls his shoulder up! Hard punches to the midsection from Angle, and then he gets a vicious European uppercut once Booker was bent over dealing with the midsection pain. Backbreaker from Angle, and then Angle once again gets a body scissors to really work on that middle and back. Booker once again is able to get to a vertical base, and gets a back elbow to break the hold. Huge chop. Booker comes off the ropes and Angle misses the clothesline and Booker catches him with a heel kick! Booker has some momentum and he comes off the ropes again…and he catches Angle with a flying clothesline! Snap suplex from Booker! Cover, 1…2…Angle just kicks out! Angle tries to grapple with Booker to slow him down, but Booker dodges and then gets Angle with a straight kick to the face! 1…2…Angle just kicks out again!

Booker is feeling it…and he pops up with a SPINAROONI! Angle explodes with a clothesline but misses, and Booker catches Angle with a Harlem Sidekick! He kicks Angle and comes off the ropes…but the Scissors Kick misses…and Angle gets a German suplex! Angle hold on…and we get a second German! Then a third with a bridge, 1…2….Booker just kicks out, and Angle looks frustrated! After jawing with the referee, Angle walks into a small package, 1…2…Angle just kicks out! Booker gets some shots, but another kick attempt gets caught, and Angle spins Booker around and goes for the Angle Slam…but Booker lands on his feet. Booker gets an elbow then comes off the ropes for a Harlem sidekick, but Angle catches this one too…and turns it into the Ankle Lock! Booker tries to reach the ropes, but Angle’s got him good! Booker refuses to give up, and manages to roll through. Angle holds on, but the roll allowed Booker to get close to the ropes and he grabs the bottom! Angle holds the full five seconds before letting go.

Angle punches Booker, who’s limping now, in the corner. Booker fires back with a chop, but a headbutt stops Booker. Angle looks to whip Booker across the ring, but Booker counters…and gets Angle with the BookEnd! 1…2…Angle just kicks out to Booker’s shock! Now Booker is the one arguing with the referee, and Angle gets under Booker for the Angle Slam…but Booker lands on his feet and gets a kick…then hits the Scissors Kick! Booker huts his ankle doing the move though and doesn’t quite get the quick cover…1…2…Angle is just able to get the shoulder up! That delayed cover likely cost him! Booker calls for another Scissors Kick, but this time Angle moves…and gets the Angle Slam! 1…2…Booker T kicks out and Angle pounds the canvas in frustration! Angle goes for another Angle Slam, but Booker avoids it, but he hurts his ankle again. Angle strikes and grabs the foot, and locks in another Ankle Lock! Booker does everything he can to get out of the hold, but Angle grapevine’s the leg, and there’s no where to go for Booker. Booker T taps out and Angle wins a hard fought contest!

Winner: Kurt Angle via submission in 21:03

Angle is too worn out to even celebrate the win…but helps Booker T to his feet. After what these two did to one another the over the last month, it may have been expected for Angle to take out Booker one more time…but Angle extends his hand…and Booker accepts it. Surprising show of sportsmanship between Angle and Booker!

Scott Hudson: “I gotta say DDP I didn’t expect that handshake at the end. A show of sportsmanship from Kurt Angle!”

Diamond Dallas Page: “Heh, me neither. Maybe Kurt knows what he’s doing, but he was on such a mean streak this month, he’s going to have to keep it to beat Austin or Flair. Oh jeez. Look who’s coming out now. I wasn’t even sure we were really doing this.”

***

Christian makes his way out to the ring, still as cocky as ever.

Christian: “You know I’ve been waiting all night to get some information about my big match tonight and still nothing. Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley told me to be here. And I’m here. And I don’t feel like I’ve been treated with the appropriate statue that a wrestler of my caliber deserves. So I’m out here to ask, right here on Pay-Pew-View, who my opponent is for this main event? And I’m not leaving until I know!”

Diamond Dallas Page: “He’s going to be lucky if I don’t go down there and kick his ass right now!”

Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley comes out to the stage…

SMH: “You know Christian you’re right and I apologize. I thought maybe we’d do this near the end of the show, but I can tell you’re eager and ready and keeping you waiting wasn’t the right thing to do. So without further wait…your opponent Christian is…in his first match in six months…my husband…TRIPLE H!”

Scott Hudson: “Wait…what?!”

The crowd roars as Motorhead’s “The Game” blasts through the MCI Center….Triple H has returned! Christian’s jaw has dropped, and suddenly he looks to back out. Notably Triple H has his left leg entirely taped up. That being said, there’s no backing out for Christian now!

Christian vs. Triple H (w/ Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley)

Christian doesn’t seem to know what to do…before he runs at HHH. HHH takes him out with a hard right! HHH punches away at Christian as the crowd eats up every strike! He sends Christian off the ropes, high knee to the face! Christian stumbles to his feet, and HHH clotheslines him over the top rope and then finishes with his trademark taunt! Christian tries to walk out as he heads up the stage, but HHH doesn’t let him and rolls him back in. Christian stomps away at HHH when he gets back into the ring though. He sends HHH off the ropes and goes for the back bodydrop, only for HHH to counter with a facebreaker to the knee! Cover from HHH, 1…2…Christian kicks out. HHH props Christian up in the corner and fires with some hard shots, but Christian kicks HHH right in the left leg, which stuns him. Has HHH fully recovered from his quad tear? Christian basically tackles HHH in the left leg and HHH goes down!

Christian now has a smirk on his face as he continues to stomp away on the leg. As HHH struggles to get to his feet, Christian jumps onto the second rope, then gets a diving sunset flip, 1…2….HHH powers out! Christian heads to the top rope, clearly eyeing the biggest win of his career, and hits a missile dropkick! Christian again heads to the top rope, even poses to the crowd, and hits a flying crossbody! 1…2….HHH kicks out again. Christian says that’s it, and he sets HHH up for the Unprettier! HHH counters by backdropping Christian over his head. Christian lands on his feet and kicks HHH…and sets HHH up for his own Pedigree! HHH powers out again and sends Christian off the ropes, and gets a big spinebuster! Christian looks dazed…and HHH boots him….Pedigree connects! 1…2…3!

Winner: Triple H via pin in 7:26

Backstage, we see WCW World Champion Stone Cold Steve Austin looking at a backstage monitor, clearly not happy that Triple H has come to WCW.

Scott Hudson: “My god. Triple H? The Giant? Suddenly the roster is becoming full of big names all over!”

Diamond Dallas Page: “Man, when I get back in there I’m definitely going to have a long road to the top.”

Scott Hudson: “Oh? You’re coming back?”

Diamond Dallas Page: “Sooner than you think Scott.”

***

Scott Hudson: “Nonetheless, we’re going to sit back and enjoy a special concert from Saliva! We’d like to thank Saliva again for providing “Superstar” as the theme for Starrcade!”

SALIVA CONCERT

Make me a superstar, (Yeah!)
It don't matter who you are (Yeah!)
Make me a superstar, (Yeah!)
No matter who you are (Superstar)



Get the tables
As soon as you realize that you can never survive
And when you cross us, you're gonna get the tables
It's called getting it live (Get the tables)
Until the end of time (Get the tables)
And you can never survive (Get the tables)



As Saliva changes to “Turn the Tables”, the Dudley Boyz and Stacy Keibler make their way to the ring!

WCW World Tag Team Championship – Tables Match (Both Must Go Through a Table)
The Dudley Boyz © (w/Stacy Keibler) vs. Kronik

Four man brawl kicks things off! Big boot from Adams knocks D-Von to the outside. Adams and Clarke then pummel Bubba Ray in the corner before doing a double toss that sends Bubba across the ring! Adams hooks Bubba and get a huge Full Nelson slam! Adams heads to the outside and gets D-Von with a backbreaker. Adams slams Bubba and heads to the outside and sets up a table! Kronik sets up for High Times, but Bubba gets out there and saves his partner. Clarke brings D-Von back in and gets some big kicks in the corner. Adams slams Bubba into the steps and then slides the table in. This time they set D-Von up for High Times…and smash D-Von through the table! Bubba comes in with a chair and nails both members of Kronik. Adams ends up on the apron, and Bubba knocks him off, sending him flying through a table at ringside! The score is 1-1!

Bubba has Stacy slide in another table as the Dudleys double team Clarke in the ring. Bubba slams Clarke, and D-Von comes flying off the top with a flying headbutt to a very sensitive spot! They set the table up and send Clarke off the ropes, but Adams grabs his partner’s legs and slides him to the outside. The Dudley head to the outside and we get another brawl, and D-Von gets posted. Kronik brings a table and Bubba into the ring, and sets him up for High Times to win...but Stacy Keibler gets up on the apron to lend her assets. Both Clarke and Adams can’t help but look, and D-Von cracks both of them with a chair! The table is set up, and the Dudleyz 3D Clarke through the table for the win!

Winners: The Dudley Boyz in 6:13 (Retains)

Scott Hudson: “Big win for The Dudley Boyz…although they did get a little assistance.”

Diamond Dallas Page: “While I can’t blame Clarke and Adams…you gotta keep your eye on the ball and Kronik didn’t do that.”

***

Scott Hudson: “All we have remaining are our World Title matches, let’s send it back to Joey Styles!”

Joey Styles: “Thank you Scott. This perhaps the biggest match I’ve ever had the pleasure to call in my career. I’m excited to see Rob Van Dam have his chance to finally be ECW World Heavyweight Champion! As I’ve stated before though, I don’t agree with Paul Heyman’s decision to just put Brock Lesnar in the match without even wrestling in ECW. It’s unheard of! So while I will try to be unbiased the best I can, I’m going to just say it right now, I want Rob Van Dam to finally win what I believe he’s deserved his entire career. Look, here comes Paul now.”

Paul Heyman comes down to the ring with the ECW World Championship. He holds it up in the ring, then sits at ringside.

ECW World Championship
Brock Lesnar vs. Rob Van Dam

Lesnar jogs in place trying to get in RVD’s head…but RVD gives it right back to Lesnar doing the “Rob…Van…Dam” pointing to himself taunt. They lock up and Lesnar immediately shoves RVD down. Lesnar misses a big right though, and RVD fires away with forearm shots to the face. Lesnar quickly stops that with a fireman’s carry that slams RVD hard onto the canvas. Big kick from Lesnar, then a shot to the back drops RVD back down to the canvas. Lesnar throws RVD into the corner, but RVD quickly fires back with quick punches and kicks. Lesnar whips RVD into the corner, but RVD dodges the incoming Lesnar by flipping over him, then rolling out back to his feet! Lesnar runs right at RVD and RVD gets a drop toehold into the corner for good measure! Jumping spin kick sends Lesnar to the outside. Heyman seems to look concerned, asking Lesnar if “he’s all right”…and RVD comes flying over the top rope with a somersault plancha that takes out Lesnar! RVD points at Heyman and the ECW title before doing the RVD taunt again.

RVD rolls Lesnar back in, and Lesnar gets to his feet quickly and gets RVD with a hard shot. RVD fires back though by tripping Lesnar! Standing moonsault connects, 1…2…Lesnar kicks out. RVD runs at Lesnar, but Lesnar military presses him over his head and crotches RVD on the top rope! Lesnar comes off the ropes and hits a massive clothesline that sends RVD crashing to the floor! Lesnar wastes no time coming after him and looks to ram RVD into he post, but RVD slides out and shoves Lesnar into the post! Lesnar is stunned and RVD looks to get a big head of steam, but Lesnar catches him and gets a belly to belly suplex into the barricade! Lesnar presses RVD over his head again, and drops him face first right on the steel steps! Lesnar then picks up RVD and gets a running powerslam onto the floor! Lesnar rolls back in and goes back to jogging in place as Heyman slides a chair into the ring.

RVD takes too long to get back in for Lesnar’s tastes, so Lesnar brings him back himself. Lesnar follows up with a gutbuster and nearly breaks RVD in half. Lesnar lifts RVD high up above his head again before planting RVD with a second gutbuster! Lesnar takes the chair Heyman slid into the ring and puts it in the corner between the middle and top ropes. Lesnar props RVD in that same corner and goes for huge shoulder thrust, but RVD jumps away and Lesnar crashes into the chair and falls to the outside! RVD takes the chair and whallops Lesnar, who ends up somewhere in the first or second row of fans. RVD then heads to the top rope…and hits a somersault plancha off the top into the crowd onto Lesnar!

Joey Styles: “OH MY GOD!”

A “holy shit” chant breaks out as well! RVD places Lesnar on the barricade and heads to the apron, but Lesnar moves out of the way from the dicing spinkick and RVD crashes into the barricade! Both men struggle to get into the ring. RVD slowly climbs to the top rope as Lesnar gets to his feet in the ring…and RVD hits the flying jump kick! RVD comes off the ropes, Rolling Thunder connects! 1…2…Lesnar just kicks out and Heyman looked like he was about to pass out! RVD comes off the ropes, but Lesnar ducks the spinning heel kick and RVD nails the referee! Lesnar takes RVD out with a clothesline. He gets Rob on his shoulders, but RVD counters the F5 with a DDT! RVD heads up top! Five Star Frog Splash misses as Lesnar moves out of the way!

Lesnar picks up the steel chair and looks to finish RVD off, but RVD jumps up and hits the Van Daminator! RVD heads up to the top rope again…Five Star Frog Splash connects! We have no referee…and RVD yells at Paul to come in and count! Paul acts like he doesn’t know what to do, then goes to try to revive the referee to RVD’s dismay. RVD yells at Paul again to count Lesnar out, but when RVD turns around Lesnar boots him and hits him with a vicious powerbomb…then uses his strength to lift RVD up again and hit a second powerbomb…and then combines that with a THIRD powerbomb! Heyman has the referee up, to which the crowd boos loudly, and Lesnar makes the cover, 1…2…RVD kicks out! Lesnar goes ballistic, but Heyman tells him to calm down and finish RVD off. Lesnar picks RVD up and hits him with a F5 right in the middle of the ring. 1…2…3!

Winner: Brock Lesnar via pin at 19:22 (New Champion)

Joey Styles: “Dammit, just dammit! Why didn’t Paul count?!”

Paul Heyman presents Brock Lesnar with the ECW World Championship, and as they walk to the back RVD slams the mat in frustration.

Joey Styles: “Rob Van Dam had the match won! He had it won. And Paul didn’t count. He’s allowed to count for a referee! Absolutely ridiculous. Anyway, that’s it for me. Off to Scott and DDP. Dammit!”

***

Scott Hudson: “Man what a match that was. Okay, Diamond Dallas Page. You know both of these men well. WCW World Championship is on the line. Stone Cold Steve Austin. Ric Flair. Who you got?”

Diamond Dallas Page: “You know I don’t know. Stone Cold’s been the man for a while, despite what Ric Flair says. But it’s Ric Flair you know? I think Steve has been waiting for this a lot longer than anyone realizes though and I gotta go with him.”

Scott Hudson: “Ok we’re going to go to Michael Buffer for the match announcements for the main event!”

Michael Buffer: “It is now time for the Starrcade 2001 main event of the evening. And now ladies and gentlemen; two of the biggest superstars in professional wrestling are about to face each other in this ring for the Heavyweight Championship of the World! Are You Ready? Washington D.C., Are….You….REEEEEEEEADY?! For the thousands in attendance, and the millions watching around the world, ladies and gentlemen, LET’S GET READY TO RUMBLLLLLLLLLLLLLLE!”

The theme from 2001: A Space Osyssey, “Also Sprach Zarathustra” plays as Ric Flair comes out…and Stone Cold’s wife Debra is accompanying him to the ring!

Michael Buffer: “Making his entrance to the ring, wearing red and standing 6’1”. Weighing in at 243 pounds. From Charlotte, North Carolina. One of the greatest, if not the greatest superstars in the history of the sport. Tonight, he looks to capture his seventeenth professional wrestling world championship. Ladies and gentlemen, here is, the sixteen time heavyweight champion of the world! The Nature Boy Riiiiiiiiiiic FLAIR!”

“Venomous” plays as the WCW World Champion Stone Cold Steve Austin makes his way to the ring. He’s clearly spotted Debra as well, and he doesn’t look happy.

Michael Buffer: “His opponent, wearing solid black and standing 6’2”. He weighs in tonight at 252 pounds. From Victoria, Texas. He is the biggest draw in the history of professional wrestling. Tonight he looks to claim the title of “The Man” by way of victory. He is the seven time heavyweight champion of the world…and the current reigning and defending WCW Heavyweight Champion of the world…Stone Cold Steeeeeeeeve Austin!”

Michael Buffer: “Ladies and gentlemen I have just been informed. By order of WCW Owner Shane McMahon, a special referee has been assigned for the match. Ladies and gentlemen please welcome your special referee, Curt Hennig!”

Curt Hennig makes his way down to the ring in a referee shirt and leaves Alexis Laree at the commentator’s desk. Austin nor Flair seem to know what to make of that.

WCW World Championship – Special Referee: Curt Hennig
Stone Cold Steve Austin © vs. Ric Flair (w/Debra)

Austin shoots a look at Debra and Flair fires a punch. Austin shrugs that off, takes Flair down and punches away at him! They roll around the ring, and then under the bottom rope. Flair chops Austin, but Austin shrugs that off and hits a hard chop to Flair that knocks him to the floor. Austin stomps Flair all around ringside before sending Flair back into the ring. We get a lock-up in the ring and Flair grabs the headlock, and Flair turns it into a wristlock. Austin tries to counter, but Flair gets a drop toe hold. Flair let’s out a “Wooo”, but Austin just slugs him in the mouth. Austin then flips Flair off as Flair rolls to the outside. Austin chases Flair around the ring, but then Flair hides behind Debra. Flair tosses her aside and tries a cheap thumb to the eye, but Austin blocks and sends Flair into the steps. Austin then argues with Debra, and Curt Hennig sends Debra to the back.

Scott Hudson: “I’ve got to say DDP, the dynamic of this match has been way different than I expected. It looks like Flair is going for all the cheap tactics! And what’s Curt Hennig’s agenda here? He wanted to be in the match!”

Austin follows Flair back into the ring and gets a waistlock, but Flair low blows him with a back kick undetected to Hennig. Flair gets Austin in the corner and chops away at the Rattlesnake. Austin misses the punch to fire back, and Flair gets more chops. Flair gets a thumb to the eye, temporarily blinding Austin, then sends Austin to the outside. Flair follows and gets some more chops, then tries to send Austin into the post. Austin blocks, then gets chops of his own. Flair gets another thumb to the eye, but Austin must have somewhat blocked it because he backdrops Flair onto the floor with no problem! Austin gets back into the ring, then brings Flair back in the hard way with a suplex! 1…2…Flair kicks out. Austin punches away at Flair in corner, then stomps a mudhole in him! Flair gets back to his feet, and again Austin punches away. Hennig gives him the five count, but Austin won’t stop. Hennig blocks one of Austin’s punches, and Flair kicks Austin low again! Not sure if Hennig caught that one!

Flair starts kicking the knee, then puts Austin’s foot on the bottom rope then drops all his weight on it! Kneebreaker from Flair. More kicks to the knee, with a chop thrown in from Flair. Austin fires a shot, but Flair gets another kick to the knee that sends Austin down. Flair drags Austin into the middle of the ring…and locks in the Figure Four! Flair gets his hands on the ropes for extra leverage, and there’s just no way Hennig doesn’t see this! Austin refuses to submit. Austin uses all the strength he has to turn the hold over and reverse the pressure! Flair gets in the ropes though and Hennig immediately breaks them up. Flair heads up to the top rope, but Austin catches him up there and throws him off! Flair pops up and comes off the ropes, and Austin backdrops him! Flair gets up again…but then falls on his own face first into the canvas. Austin covers, 1…2….Flair kicks out. Count seemed okay, but Austin glares as Hennig thinking it was three.

Scott Hudson: “I know Flair is the dirtiest player in the game and all, but his actions and how Hennig is refereeing here just doesn’t sit well with me.”

Alexis Laree: “You need to stop with this Hudson! It seems fine by me!”

Austin stomps away on Flair some more. He hits the ropes and goes for the Lou Thesz Press, but Flair moves and Austin takes out Hennig! Austin gets some shots in on Hennig before realizing who he’s punching…then keeps punching anyway. Arn Anderson runs down, but Austin sees him and slugs him off the apron, but he slid Flair a tire iron! Flair tries to hit Austin with it, but Austin ducks, kicks…and hits Flair with a Stunner! Austin makes the cover, but Hennig hasn’t gotten back into the ring. Instead, Hennig is trying to send Anderson to the back. Austin slides out and gets Hennig’s attention, then flips him off! Austin rolls back in and kicks Flair again. Stunner…no Flair catches the leg and takes Austin down, locking in another Figure Four! Austin sits up though and punches his way out! Flair grabs the tire iron though and blasts Austin right in front of Hennig! Cover, 1…2…Austin kicks out to both Flair and Hennig’s surprise! Austin is now cut open, and Flair looks to hit Austin again, but Austin punches away at Flair again. Hennig tries to stop him, and Austin slugs Hennig! Flair low blows Austin for the third time and rolls him up…feet on the ropes! 1…2…3! Hennig counts out Austin and Flair has won the title!

Winner: Ric Flair via pin in 21:05 (New Champion)

Stone Cold is furious with what’s happened, as Hennig and Flair go up the ramp with the WCW World Championship. A”bullshit” chant breaks out.

Scott Hudson: “I didn’t expect how this went down tonight. I didn’t think I’d be appalled that Stone Cold would get cheated out of the WCW World Title by Ric Flair but that’s indeed what happened tonight! Shane McMahon has a lot of explaining to do with the choice of Curt Hennig as the referee! Thank you everyone for watching tonight! We will see you on Nitro!”​

::END SHOW::


Quick Results

Lance Storm, Justin Credible, and Mike Awesome defeated The Sandman, Spike Dudley, and Tommy Dreamer

WCW Cruiserweight Championship
Billy Kidman pinned Jerry Lynn (Retains)

WCW United States Championship
Tazz made Tajiri pass out (Retains)

The Giant made His Return to WCW

#1 Contender for the WCW World Championship
Kurt Angle made Booker T submit

Triple H pinned Christian

WCW World Tag Team Championship - Tables Match
The Dudley Boyz defeated Kronik (Retains)

ECW World Championship
Brock Lesnar pinned Rob Van Dam (New Champion)

WCW World Champion
Ric Flair pinned Stone Cold Steve Austin (New Champion)

Champions

WCW World Champion
Ric Flair (Defeated Stone Cold Steve Austin on 12-30-01)

ECW World Champion
Brock Lesnar (Defeated Rob Van Dam on 12-30-01)

WCW United States Champion
Tazz (Defeated Kurt Angle on 12-13-01)

WCW World Tag Team Champions
The Dudley Boyz (Defeated The Hardy Boyz on 10-26-01)

WCW Cruiserweight Champion
Billy Kidman (Defeated X-Pac on 10-9-01)

Roster Updates

Debra – Stone Cold's wife has history in the WWF and WCW

The Giant – Former WCW and WWF World Champion has reverted to his WCW persona and is looking to make a huge run

Triple H – The Game's connection with Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley has clearly landed him in WCW...hasn't been seen since he tore his quad teaming with Steve Austin in May​

 

[Bobby Barrows]

RIC FLAIR RIDES AGAIN

 

[RDT]

WCW Monday Night Nitro
December 31, 2001
The Scope
Norfolk, VA

A highlight package of the main event of Starrcade, Stone Cold vs. Ric Flair is shown…with Flair cheating the whole way and walking out the WCW World Champion for the seventeenth time.
*
*
*
*
New WCW World Champion Ric Flair arrives in a limousine (to a mixed reaction at best). Flair has Arn Anderson with him as well.

Scott Hudson and Diamond Dallas Page welcome us to the New Year’s Eve edition of Nitro!

Scott Hudson: “It’s the night after Starrcade! We will hear from new WCW World Champion Ric Flair. Also, Triple H, who debuted as the opponent of Christian last night will be here as well. It looks like we’re kicking things off with the new WCW World Championship #1 Contender, Kurt Angle! Hey, look at this, he’s got his head shaved.”

Diamond Dallas Page: “New year, new look?”

Kurt Angle: “Let’s get to the elephant in the room right away. Yeah, I shaved my head. Time for a change in 2002.”

“First thing is first. Booker T, I’ve pretty much hated your guts the past month. But a great match is a great match. You pushed me to my limit. I’m sure when I win the WCW World Championship, our paths will cross again and I look forward to it.”

“So yeah, time for a change. So all I have to say is *seriously*? Ric Flair? Talk about living in the past. And what a shocker. He pulled the rug over everyone’s head again, trying to be this good ol’ good guy for one more run, and then he cheats the whole damn way to win the title. Are about to go to 2002 or 1987? And really, this isn’t the way to get to the new year. I say, let’s forget Souled Out. I say let’s do it right now, Kurt Angle vs. Ric Flair!”

No one responds…

“Come on! Yeah, what a shock. Gets the belt and now he’s a damn coward. Typical Ric Flair.”

“WOOOO”, Ric Flair makes his way out to the stage…

Ric Flair: “Kurt Angle…I don’t know what your problem is man. I went out last night, in the big match at the big show, and once again showed that I’m the man! Now you’re out here criticizing how I did it? But I know what you’re trying to do. You’re trying to goad me into putting the title on the line tonight. And, look you’re great and all and we’ll have our match at Souled Out, but tonight? Look I know you most likely lost all your hair just thinking about coming out here and challenging the Nature Boy! But it’s not going to happen man.”

Kurt Angle: “Yeah, well I can’t say your answer surprises me. What a shocker that you stole the championship and now you’re a coward. You’re supposed to be the man right? Well I think you’re missing a couple things that makes that true!”

Ric Flair: “Hey, Hey! Hey! No disrespecting Space Mountain baby! You think you’re a big man being out here? Huh! I’m THE MAN! WOOO! So fine, this is what you want to do? Fine! But no Souled Out match, no other match. This is your one shot! You think you can beat the Man? We’ll find out tonight! And then when I’m through with you Angle…it’s time to ring in the New Year! WOOOO!”

Scott Hudson: “Wow, Flair vs. Angle for the title tonight!”

Diamond Dallas Page: “Oh man..I think Kurt might have gotten to him there!”

Scott Hudson: “Hey, look at this, Triple H has arrived at the Scope!”

Triple H is shown walking into the Scope, and askes a production assistant where Steph is.


::COMMERCIAL BREAK::


Stone Cold Steve Austin is shown backstage, arguing with Debra.

Stone Cold: “I still don’t understand what the hell you were doing coming out with Flair last night!”

Debra: “Well you never ask me to come to ringside anymore! I got to make a living too!”

The argument continues as we go back to the ring…

Non-Title
Billy Kidman vs. Jerry Lynn

A rematch from last night, but non-title. Kidman and Lynn circle one another before they lock-up. Lynn gets an arm ringer, but Kidman counters and then gets a forearm smash to the arm. Turns into an armlock, but Lynn gets back to his feet and gets a forearm to the face. Lynn locks in the headlock and Kidman sends him off the ropes, only for Lynn to shoulderblock him down. Kidman goes for a rocker dropper, but Lynn stands up and Kidman flips over, but lands on his feet. Kidman comes off the ropes and gets a flying head scissors, sending Lynn across the ring. Kidman comes charging in, but Lynn backdrops him onto the apron. Lynn jumps onto the second rope and dropkicks Kidman to the floor.

Lynn looks to bring Kidman back in the hard way with a suplex, but Kidman counters and gets a stunner on the top rope. Kidman tries to come back into the ring but he gets nailed with a chair by Malice! Suddenly Raven’s Warriors are all here and they pound away on Kidman (referee has thrown this out). Raven then spikes Kidman with the Evenflow DDT! The Warriors leave through the crowd, leaving Kidman lying!

Winner: Kidman by DQ when Raven’s Warriors interfered in 3:54

***

Backstage, Jeremy Borash is with Booker T.

Jeremy Borash: “Just 24 hours after Starrcade, Booker your thoughts on last night?”

Booker T: “My thoughts? What the hell you think? I’m pissed off! Last night I had a chance to get back in the race to become the WCW World Champion and I lost. Respect to Kurt Angle. I don’t like that punk, but he beat me straight up so I gotta give it to him. But there’ll be another night, another dance, and Kurt Angle ain’t winning next time. As for tonight, I’m taking out my anger on whoever I feel like, whoever’s in that ring whenever I go out there. Now Can you Dig That? Sucka?”

***

Triple H finds his way to Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley’s office for the night.

Triple H: “Hey, you called and said we had to talk about this.”

SMH: “Right. So once again, thank you for last night. I know the leg is still healing and it was a little early. But, not that you’re here, I just want to make sure we’re on the same page.”

Triple H: “All that not mixing business with pleasure stuff?”

SMH: “That’s right. I’m here running ECW. I was able to get you here, and I know you want the WCW World Championship. I wish you the best of luck. But no favors, no nothing like that. As long as we’re at work, you go your way, I go mine.”

Triple H: “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”


::COMMERCIAL BREAK::


Non-Title Match
The Dudley Boyz (w/Stacy Keibler) vs. Nova and The Blue Meanie

Bubba and D-Von attack Nova and Meanie right away. Bubba tosses Meanie to the outside, then the Dudleyz send Nova flying into him. Meanie get sent into the steps and D-Von rolls Nova back into the ring. Bubba Bomb, then Bubba heads to the 2nd rope. Bubba squashes Nova with a huge senton! D-Von comes in and hits a big reverse DDT. The Dudleyz go for 3D, but Meanie gets back in and takes out Bubba, while Nova gets a DDT on D-Von. Bubba knocks out Meanie with big punches, then elbows Nova. This time they hit the 3D on Nova, and Bubba makes the cover, 1…2…3!

Bubba Ray Dudley: “Any team any time!”

Winner: The Dudleyz when Bubba pinned Nova in 1:22

We see Torrie Wilson backstage, taking a deep breath, and she’s clearly nervous, most likely about the situation with Tajiri and William Regal.

Scott Hudson: “DDP, you were with Torrie last night after she got knocked off the apron. What can you tell us about her mindset about her role in Tajiri’s loss to Tazz.”

Diamond Dallas Page: “I was just making sure she was okay, because for some reason Tajiri didn’t. She was just checking on Tajiri before the accident happened, it wasn’t her fault he lost. Tajiri needs to man up.”

Scott Hudson: “I’m sure we will address that later tonight…here comes Stone Cold Steve Austin!”

Stone Cold makes his way down to the ring, obviously pissed off about last night.

Stone Cold Steve Austin: “Let me tell you right now Ric Flair, Kurt Angle, you’re both lucky I have respect for the title because Flair’s ass belongs to Stone Cold the first chance I get!”

“And let’s make something else perfectly clear. Curt Hennig. I see you at any point tonight, I will whip your ass all over the Scope! Shane McMahon you better have a damn good answer about how the hell Hennig got to referee the biggest damn match of the year!”

“What?”

“What?”

“I said, Shane McMahon, you better have a damn good answer about how Curt Hennig got to be referee last night!”

“So everyone tonight is talking about Triple H and his big return. Normally, I wouldn’t give a damn but I’ve got two problems with Triple H. First one…”

“The Game” by Motorhead plays and Triple H interrupts the Rattlesnake! HHH slowly makes his way to the ring, water spit and all…

Triple H: “Go ahead. Don’t let me coming out here interrupt your promo.”

Stone Cold Steve Austin: “You damn right! You come back like nothing’s wrong, like you and Stone Cold don’t have problems we need to resolve.”

Triple H: “Why don’t you jog my memory.”

Stone Cold Steve Austin: “Jog your memory? Seven months ago! Two Man Power Trip! Stone Cold and Triple H on top! We beat everybody. But then you messed it up and we lost. And then you went away to recover cause you broke your leg or whatever. Well…”

Triple H: “You mean when I carried your ass right? I tore my damn quad and I still fought to my last breath and you blame me for not getting the job done? Well that’s all fine and good. We’re not a team anymore. I don’t need to carry your ass anymore. But I sure am ready to beat your ass!”

Stone Cold Steve Austin: “What? What Wha…”

Triple H: “What the hell is wrong with you. What’s with this what garbage? What the hell happened to you?”

Stone Cold Steve Austin: “I promise you Triple H, nothing is wrong with Stone Cold. But all that history, all that, as you call it *carrying Stone Cold’s ass*, I can forgive all that. But then it’s said that you want the WCW World Championship, and well that’s where you and I are going to have more problems.”

Triple H: “Well you had the title. Not my fault you couldn’t beat old man Flair. I’m back, I’m ready and I will be WCW World Champion the first chance I get! And since you’re telling me now you’re going to be in the way of that, I guess we need to take care of that right now!”

Stone Cold Steve Austin: “Yeah? You want to go son? Right now? What? Man to man? What? Mano-e-mano? What? A match? What? That sounds like a great idea to Stone Cold!”

Triple H: “Yeah, come on, let’s go!”

Triple H takes off his denim jacket, looking ready to fight, but Stone Cold adds one more thing…

Stone Cold Steve Austin: “Just not tonight…”

With that, Stone Cold leaves the ring and the crowd roars it’s disapproval. Triple H continues to goad Austin to get back into the ring, but Austin flips him off and continues to walk to the back. Suddenly, Triple H is attacked from behind as he’s chop blocked right into the injured quad…by Christian! Christian stomps away on Triple H’s leg as the crowd chants Austin! Austin! to help Triple H! Austin stops for a second…but then walks to the back as Christian elbowdrops Triple H’s leg! Christian takes a chair and slams it on the quad, leaving Triple H lying in pain!


::COMMERCIAL BREAK::


We come back to Nitro and during the break Triple H is helped out of the ring by officials and Shane McMahon. Triple H tells Shane “to make sure Christian is at Nitro next week!”

We see Christian leaving in a car as Shane McMahon chases him asking him what the hell was that. He says if HHH can walk it’s HHH vs. Christian next week on Nitro!

***

Jamie Noble makes his way out to the ring.

Jamie Noble: “Come on now, Shane McMahon told me if I get a win I have a job full-time! I need someone easy! I don’t know how many chances I’m gonna get! Someone, come-on, come out here and let me get a win!”

“CAN YOU DIG IT….SUCKAAAAAA!” It doesn’t look like Noble is getting that easy win…here comes Booker T!

Jamie Noble: “Wait a minute Book! I know you’re pissed off but come on man don’t take it out on me! I don’t have many chances left!”

Booker T vs. Jamie Noble

Booker punches Noble right in the face and Noble goes flying! Booker traps Noble in the corner, and hits punches and chops and punches and chops and punches and chops…until Noble just falls flat onto the canvas. Booker picks up Noble, and gets him good with an axe kick. Cover, 1…2…Noble surprisingly kicks out. Booker sends Noble off the ropes, but Noble ducks the flying clothesline. Noble tries to take advantage by stomping away on Booker, but Booker takes him out with another shot to the face. Noble gets to his feet, but is immediately met with the Scissors Kick! 1…2…Booker stops the count himself, picking up Noble and planting him with a Book-End! 1…2…3!

Winner: Booker T via pin in 1:36

***

We see a replay of the ending of the United States Championship match between Tazz and Tajiri at Starrcade. Specifically, Tajiri going for his trademark handspring elbow and accidentally knocking Torrie Wilson off apron…which led to Tazz choking Tajiri out…

We come back live, and Torrie Wilson is in the ring.

Torrie Wilson: “I’ve come out here just to say that I’m sorry Tajiri. I didn’t mean what happened last night at Starrcade. I was just trying to help and I’m sorry! I know things with Regal will be awkward and I didn’t mean it.”

Torrie looks to be on the verge of tears, and it doesn’t help when William Regal and Tajiri make their way out to the ring.

William Regal: “What did I tell you Tajiri? She’s no good for you! All she wants to do id ride your success and as a result, besmirch you! I’ve looked out for you ever since you got here! Just look what happened last night!”

(To Torrie) “Now we require, NAY, we demand you leave us alone for good you little wrench!”

Torrie begins crying and looks to leave, but Tajiri stops her. For a moment, it looks like Tajiri is going to stand with Torrie…but when he gets that look in his eye. Just like that, Torrie backs her way into the corner, scared for her life, and Tajiri slowly approaches!

Scott Hudson: “My god! He’s going to kick her head off!”

Diamond Dallas Page: “Like hell is that going to happen!”

Diamond Dallas Page runs down to the ring and knocks Tajiri through the ropes. Regal attacks DDP and goes for his neckbreaker, only for Page to counter and drop him dead with the Diamond Cutter! DDP dares Tajiri to come back into the ring, but Tajiri doesn’t, instead he yells in Japanese and then collects Regal, who has rolled to the outside. DDP walks to the back with Torrie!

Scott Hudson: “Thank goodness for Diamond Dallas Page. I guess I’m on my own the rest of the night?”


::COMMERCIAL BREAK::


Chuck Palumbo and Sean O’Haire vs. The Faces of Fear

Meng starts off with a hard kick to O’Haire. He follows up with some big shots, O’Haire fires back with a dropkick. Meng stays on his feet, but O’Haire follows with an elbow to the midsection and a knee to the face before tagging in Palumbo. Meng fires at Palumbo with some big punches, but Palumbo catches a kick and gets a clothesline from it. Cover, 1…2…Meng kicks out and tags in the Barbarian. Barbarian gets a boot to the face that staggers Palumbo. Barbarian props Palumbo on the second rope and gets a belly to belly suplex! 1…2…O’Haire breaks it up, and we have a four man brawl going on. Meng dumps O’Haire, and as a result the Faces of Fear double team Palumbo. Double falling headbutt connects. Barbarian makes another cover, 1…2…Palumbo just kicks out.

Barbarian tags in Meng, but Palumbo surprises him with a super kick! Palumbo tags O’Haire back in and O’Haire gets a sunset flip on Meng, 1…2…kick out from Meng. Bug European uppercut from O’Haire, but Meng shrugs it off and gets a thrust right to the throat! Meng tags Barbarian back in. Meng gets an atomic drop and holds it, and Barbarian takes O’Haire out with a big boot! Cover from Barbarian, but Palumbo breaks it up right away and we have another brawl. Palumbo superkicks Meng out of the ring. Palumbo gets Barbarian with a belly to belly, and Sean O’Haire climbs to the to rope for the Sean-ton Bomb! 1…2…3!

Winners: Sean O’Haire and Chuck Palumbo when O’Haire pinned Barbarian in 6:03

***

Backstage Shane McMahon and Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley are discussing something…

SMH: “He’s [Triple H] is ok right?”

Shane McMahon: “He’s fine. He told me specifically to keep you out of it though. I take it you two talked?”

SMH: “Yes, but I want to punish Christian anyway!”

Shane McMahon: “Well if you talked then you know you can’t and he wouldn’t want you to anyway. Besides, next week it’s Triple H vs. Christian, a rematch from Starrcade. He’ll take care of it himself. Remember, it’s fairness or family. We agreed it can’t be both if he came here.”

SMH: “I know, I know.”

Shane McMahon: “It’ll be fine. Now…”

Curt Hennig walks by them both, wearing a referee’s shirt.

Shane McMahon: “What the hell do you think you’re doing? Hell what do you think you were doing last night? I need an impartial and fair referee and you pull that?”

Curt Hennig: “What do you mean? I thought I was fair and impartial last night? Sometimes it’s difficult to see from a referee’s angle.”

Shane McMahon: “What are you kidding me? You trying to put one over on me Curt? Hey…HEY…STOP!”

Stone Cold comes out of nowhere and starts beating the hell out of Curt Hennig! He punches and stomps the hell out of him, shoves Shane into Stephanie, then takes a chair and whallops Hennig over the head! Officials and security guards stop Austin before he can do any more damage!

Shane McMahon: “GET HIM OUT OF HERE! You okay Steph?”


::COMMERCIAL BREAK::


During the break we see that Curt Hennig is busted wide open and needed medical attention. Austin took out two security guards before getting handcuffed and removed from the building! He’ll likely be spending New Year’s in jail.

***

Scott Hudson: “What a crazy night this is, and we still have the WCW World Championship on the line! Next week though, it may not only be crazier, but it’ll be bigger as Shane McMahon’s newest signing, The Giant will be at Nitro!”

WCW World Championship
Ric Flair © (w/Arn Anderson) vs. Kurt Angle

Flair asks the referee where Curt Hennig is, and the referee tells him that Austin got to him.

Angle tries to tie-up with Flair, but Flair pulls back, then fixes his hair and struts. As soon as he lets out a “WOOO” though, Angle is all over him, punching away in the corner! Flair counters with chops, but Angle headbutts him, putting a stop to those. Belly to belly suplex out of the corner, 1…2…Angle almost won the title right there! Angle pulls Flair to the ringpost and crotches him. Angle then slams Flair’s leg right into the post! He does it again! Arn Anderson looks to intervene, but Angle takes him out with a hard shot and then slams him into the barricade! Flair crawls back into the center of the ring and Angle heads back in…and Flair slows Angle down with a blatant low blow. Flair begs the referee to call the DQ, but the referee doesn’t.

Flair gets a wristlock, then trips Angle up to get Angle to the mat. Angle counters into his own hammerlock, then turns that into a lying abdominal stretch, which allows Angle to slap Flair in the face a few times for good measure. Flair gets out of this with a thumb to the eye, then stomps away at Angle when he gets to his feet. Flair picks Angle up and gets an eye rake, another cheap shot, then sends Angle to the outside. Flair follows and sends Angle right into the steps! Flair struts a little bit on the outside, then chops away at Angle. Angle completely shrugs them off, then belly to belly suplexes Flair on the floor! Now Angle sends Flair into the steps! With Arn Anderson unintentionally distracting the referee, Angle takes the top of the steps and slams them on Flair’s ankle!

Angle tosses Flair back into the ring and keeps stomping on Flair’s ankle! Angle keeps going nonstop until Arn Anderson gets onto the apron. Angle slugs him off, and turns into a small package from Flair, 1…that’s it! Angle kicks out immediately. Flair limps toward Angle and Angle backdrops him and calls for the end. Angle Slam! Cover, 1…2…Anderson drags the referee out of the ring! Angle takes a steel chair and heads to the outside…and blasts Anderson, but Anderson falls into the referee as well! Angle slides the chair in, but Flair gets a rake to the eyes again as Angle gets back into the ring. Flair follows that up with a low blow! Flair grabs Angle’s feet and drops a knee into the groin! Flair realizes there is no referee, and then calls for Arn, before realizing there’s no Arn!

Flair props Angle back up into the corner and chops away, but Angle seemingly gets stronger for every chop! Angle fires back with punches, then ducks a chop and hits a German suplex! Angle keeps the waistelock and gets another German! Then a third! Angle grabs the chair and slams it against Flair’s ankle! Angle does it again and again…he’s tying to cripple the man! Angle then puts Flair’s ankle in the chair and heads to the second rope…and comes down with all his weight with a stomp on the chair! This might be the end of Flair’s career! Angle drags Flair into the center of the ring and lets out one loud yell! Ankle Lock applied! We still have no referee…but Flair is tapping out like crazy. “Help me. It’s broken! I give up! I give up! Ahh! For the love of god somebody help me!” A referee runs down and calls for the bell, declaring Kurt Angle the winner and new WCW World Champion!

Winner: Kurt Angle by submission in 14:13 (New Champion)

Kurt Angle celebrates as the NEW WCW WORLD CHAMPION as medical assistance arrives for Ric Flair…who by the looks of things may never walk again…


::END SHOW::


Quick Results

Non-Title: Billy Kidman defeated Jerry Lynn by DQ when Raven’s Warriors interfered

Non-Title: The Dudley Boyz defeated Nova and the Blue Meanie when Bubba Ray pinned Nova

Booker T pinned Jamie Noble

Chuck Palumbo and Sean O’Haire defeated the Faces of Fear when O’Haire pinned The Barbarian

WCW World Championship
Kurt Angle made Ric Flair submit to win the title

Champions

WCW World Champion
Kurt Angle (Defeated Ric Flair on 12-31-01)

ECW World Champion
Brock Lesnar (Defeated Rob Van Dam on 12-30-01)

WCW United States Champion
Tazz (Defeated Kurt Angle on 12-13-01)

WCW World Tag Team Champions
The Dudley Boyz (Defeated The Hardy Boyz on 10-26-01)

WCW Cruiserweight Champion
Billy Kidman (Defeated X-Pac on 10-9-01)

Roster Updates

None​

 

[RDT]

ECW RISE
January 3, 2002
Hara Arena
Dayton, OH

Raven: “Billy Kidman, you remind me of myself as a young man. A time that was supposed to be a time of bliss. Good looking, popular, having all the girls, having a good time. You remind me of myself during the times I envied everyone else around me. I wanted to be what you are Kidman. I wish every day for those memories to be glorious, but instead it remains as a hideous scar that refuses to fade. But I remember Billy, at one time you enrolled in my classroom, learning the ways of the Flock. But you failed out that time. But there’s a new lesson, a new goal to strive for. I will enroll you into learning the ways to become one of my pieces. The first chapter is learning how to survive without your blessings. Tonight will be the first step when Mikey Whipwreck takes your Cruiserweight title. Only then will you be on the path to graduation. So it is written. So it will be done. Quote the Raven….nevermore!”

***

The theme of ECW plays, and then we are ringside with Jamie Noble on his way to the ring.

Joey Styles: “Happy New Year everyone. It looks like Jamie Noble hasn’t learned a thing, especially after getting killed by Bam Bam Bigelow last week!”

Jamie Noble: “Look, guys. Paul Heyman and Shane McMahon both told me that I’m running out of chances! I need just one win and I’m begging someone. Anyone from the crowd maybe. Come on let’s fight so I can get a win!”

Tazz’s music plays, and the crowd in Dayton erupts!

Joey Styles: “Oh my god this might actually be worse for Jamie than last week!”

Tazz: “I’ll tell you what Jamie. Despite the fact that you’re crying every single time you come out to the ring, I respect that you keep coming out here knowing someone’s going to kick your ass! So, Not only will I give you the chance to get your big win, I’ll even give you the chance to be a champion!”

Joey Styles: “He’s going to put the US title on the line against Jamie Noble?!”

Jamie Noble: “Ok…ok, let’s go…”

WCW United States Championship
Tazz © vs. Jamie Noble

As soon as Tazz puts the title down in the corner, Noble attacks him from behind! Noble hits punches, forearms, everything you can think of to the back of the neck of Tazz. Noble gets Tazz down to his knees…and sets Tazz up for a piledriver! Tazz counters though lifting Noble up by the legs and slamming him down hard with a Red Hook (Alabama) Slam! Tazz throws Noble with a belly to belly suplex, then hooks Noble for a T-Bone Tazplex! Noble somehow makes it up, only to get locked in the Kata ha jime, the Tazzmission! Noble wildly submits immediately!

Winner: Tazz via submission in 1:32 (Retains)

Joey Styles: “Look out Tazz, it’s Tajiri! It’s Tajiri! And Regal’s with him!”

Tajiri nails Tazz with a kick right to the knee which sends Tazz to his knees. Tajiri comes off the ropes and hits a basement dropkick right to the face! Tajiri and Regal stomps away on Tazz, but to everyone’s surprise Diamond Dallas Page is here on RISE! DDP runs in, but Tajiri and Regal get out of there before DDP can attack! DDP helps Tazz up and they walk to the back.


::COMMERCIAL BREAK::


Billy Kidman: “I gotta be honest, I really don’t want to deal with this Raven stuff anymore. It was three years ago, it’s in the past. Raven, you wanna fight? Let’s just fight. Your Flock, your Warriors, your chess pieces, whatever I don’t want to deal with it. I’m not interested. I’m here to defend by Cruiserweight title. That’s it. If you’re a man Raven, you and your sheep won’t get involved when I face Mikey Whipwreck tonight.”

***

Joey Styles: “Well I understand new ECW World Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar is due to be out here in a second. But while I have the time I want to go over how I saw Starrcade. In my opinion, Rob Van Dam had Brock Lesnar beat. Van Dam had caught him with the Van Daminator, then hit the Five Star Frog Splash, but there was no referee. Okay. That happens, fine. But Paul Heyman is an official of the Alliance. Usually you have to wait for a referee or something. But Heyman’s sitting right there! He can make a three count! You can even see him like he’s looking for an excuse to be anywhere else. And then, and then he goes to tend to the official who was hit by an errant heel kick from Van Dam earlier. Now I would be okay with that if that’s what he did in the first place. But no, he waits until AFTER Van Dam has the match won to do something. And that stinks. I’m sorry I know I am supposed to be objective. But that stinks. If Paul wants to throw me off the air, go ahead! Seeing DDP here means Nitro needs a new commentator anyway! The whole thing stinks Paul and I hope you’ll make it right. Well just on time, here the new champion and Heyman is with him!”

Paul Heyman comes out to the ring to huge boos, with new ECW World Champion Brock Lesnar.

“YOU SOLD OUT!”
“YOU SOLD OUT!”
“YOU SOLD OUT!”

Paul Heyman: “I assure you that it isn’t I who sold out. Since 1993 I’ve given you, the ECW fans exactly what you want. The only difference now is that you’ve forgotten what that is! If there’s anyone who knows what you fans want better than yourselves, it’s me! And now, let’s do some educating. I said from the first edition of RISE, Extreme Championship Wrestling needed a champion who would take the brand through the next century, the next millennium! And here he is! NCAA HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION BROCK LESNAR. The invincible Brock Lesnar! The invulnerable Brock Lesnar. The indestructible Brock Lesnar! The impervious to pain Brock Lesnar! The EXTREME CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD BROCK LESNAR. And he didn’t get his title handed to him like they do on Nitro. He went out and beat Rob Van Dam in the center of the ring! 1…2…3! No help, n….”

Clearly Rob Van Dam has heard enough as “One of a Kind” plays and he comes out. He gets right in the face of Brock.

Rob Van Dam: “You know what, I’m not going to make any excuses. I’m not even going to come out here and claim I should be champion or anything. You’re one hell of a beast Brock Lesnar. I can respect that. But I’m not going to sit in the back with Paul gushing all over you about how you can’t be hurt and indestructible and all that. Because whether you like it or not, you know it, and I know. And Paul knows it. I had you beat in that ring Sunday Night! So no, I’m not going to say I deserve to be the champion. But I do think that entitles Rob…Van…Dam (with taunt!) to a rematch!”

“ROB VAN DAM”
“ROB VAN DAM”
“ROB VAN DAM”

Before Brock Lesnar or Paul Heyman responds, Jerry Lynn makes his way out to the ring!

Jerry Lynn: “Typical Rob Van Dam. Thinks the whole promotion revolves around him. You had your chance. It’s time for the New F’N Show to get his ECW World Title back!”

Rob Van Dam: “You’re going to have to get in line. Didn’t I beat you to get the shot in the first place? And weren’t you in a title match at Starrcade? Where’s your belt?”

RVD and Lynn come face to face, but suddenly Lesnar explodes and takes them both out with a double clothesline! Lesnar tosses Lynn at RVD and both go flying over the top rope as a result!

“BAM BAM!”

Joey Styles: “Oh my god you want to talk about a beast?! The Beast From the East Bam Bam Bigelow is coming out here!”

Bam Bam Bigelow and Brock Lesnar stand face to face! Brock tries a shoulder tackle, but goes down when he runs into the girth of Bigelow! Bam Bam sends Lesnar flying over the top rope with a big clothesline! Now here comes Total Impact! Lance Storm, Justin Credible, Mike Awesome, all three of them! They attack Bigelow, and then RVD and Jerry Lynn get back into the ring and we have a six-way brawl! Lesnar heads back to the dressing room area, and Heyman yells at every security guard and then even the locker room to come out and break this melee up!

Once the melee is broken up, Heyman grabs the mic.

Paul Heyman: “I’m a fair man! And I’ve already been told that Brock Lesnar will be defending the ECW World Championship at Souled Out! So this is going to be how it goes. Rob Van Dam. Lance Storm. Justin Credible. Jerry Lynn. Mike Awesome. Bam Bam Bigelow. Next week, all six of you at the same time! First fall gets the title shot!”

Joey Styles: “Oh my god is Heyman out of his mind? Can you imagine the mayhem in a match like that?”


::COMMERCIAL BREAK::


We come back to RISE, and we see two people from a distance with a bunch of tables in a parking lot. At first it looks like one of them is Bubba Ray Dudley, but upon zooming in we see it’s not…

Rocco Rock: “Yo Johnny, can you believe that The Dudley Boyz are doing the table deal too? They even got a sexy girl and everything.”

Johnny Grunge: “La Di Da Di, man we need to get her to party with us man.”

Rocco Rock: “Yeah. But man they’re soft. They copied us and thought because we weren’t in the spotlight that we were just going to ignore it. Now they calling people out like everyone’s scared of them.”

Johnny Grunge: “People say we’re the imitators and duplicators too? Well enough of that shit. Dudley Boyz. You boys think you’re the king of the tables? Well we invented that shit. We’re the mack daddys of violence. Next week. RISE. Put those belts on the line. And we gonna see who the king of the tables really are!”

Rocco Rock: “Safe money is on the Public Enemy!”

***

Joey Styles: “We’re losing control everyone. We got the Public Enemy, former WCW and ECW World Tag Team Champions themselves challenging the Dudley Boyz for next week. We have this insane six pack challenge to determine who gets to face ECW World Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar at Souled Out.” I don’t know how we’re going to contain all this next week. Maybe the Dudley Boyz will say no. Who knows really! We still have a Cruiserweight Championship Match left tonight!”

WCW Cruiserweight Championship
Billy Kidman © vs. Mikey Whipwreck

Raven stands at the entrance once the match begins. Kidman and Whipwreck tie-up and Whipwreck gets some punches to the back of Kidman’s head. Whipwreck gets the headlock, but Kidman sends him off the ropes. Leapfrog from Kidman. Whipwreck knocks him down with a shoulderblock. Kidman hits the ropes again and Whipwreck gets him in a tilt-a-whirl, but Kidman lands on his feet. Whipwreck comes off the ropes though and gets a flying headscissors on Kidman! They lock-up again, and Kidman goes for a rocker dropper, only to flip over backwards but land on his feet. Kidman ducks the clothesline and dropkicks Whipwreck, and Whipwreck rolls to the outside. Kidman sends Whipwreck flying into the steel railing! Kidman brings Whipwreck back in and Kidman gets a flying bodypress off the top rope, 1…2…Whipwreck kicks out.

Kidman tries to clothesline Whipwreck over the top rope, but Whipwreck dodges and gets a leg lariat that sends them both to the floor. Whipwreck now sends Kidman into the railing. He sends Kidman into the apron stomach first, then picks Kidman up and wheelbarrow slams Kidman onto the railing face first! Whipwreck sends Kidman back in and goes for the cover, 1…2…Kidman just kicks out. Whipwreck wraps up Kidman’s legs and gets an Indian Deathlock! Whipwreck then adds to the pressure by locking in a chinlock at the same time! Unique submission move from Whipwreck, but Kidman is able to free his head and escape. Kidman crawls to the ropes, but Whipwreck comes over the top and guillotine legdrops Kidman! 1…2…Kidman kicks out again and Whipwreck just shakes his head.

Kidman counters an Irish whip into the corner and catches Whipwreck with a clothesline as he stumbled out. Kidman tries the same rocker dropper flip over as earlier, but Whipwreck catches him and powerbombs Kidman to the canvas! 1…2…again Kidman just kicks out. Whipwreck goes for the backbody drop, but Kidman kicks him in the face then clotheslines him over the top rope. Kidman goes for a springboard bodypress to Whipwreck, but Whipwreck throws a chair that catches Kidman midlfight! Whipwreck bashes Kidman in the back with the chair, then drapes him on the steel guardrail. Mikey Whipwreck heads to the top rope…but Kidman moves and Whipwreck crashes into the guardrail! Kidman runs at Whipwreck but Whipwreck backdrops Kidman into the crowd! Whipwreck goes for his own over the railing flying attack, but Kidman ducks and Whipwreck crashes onto the concrete floor! Now Kidman slowly tries to bring Whipwreck back into the ring, but Whipwreck surprises with a drop toehold and Kidman goes face first into he steel steps! He rolls Kidman back in, 1…2…Kidman kicks out again!

Whipwreck punches away, clearly fatigued. Kidman reverses the Irish Whip into the corner, but Whipwreck moves and a Kidman corner splash misses! Whipwreck tries to send Kidman off the ropes, but Kidman counters and gets the BK Bomb, 1…2…Whipwreck kicks out. Whipwreck finds a quick swinging neckbreaker to stop Kidman in his tracks. Whipwreck heads to the top rope, and catches Kidman with a flying clothesline! 1…2…Kidman just kicks out yet again! Kidman flips over Whipwreck and then kicks him, leading to a double underhook facebuster! 1…2…Whipwreck kicks out! Whipwreck gets an elbow and props Kidman on the top rope. Whipwreck hooks Kidman and gets a belly to back suplex, sending Kidman over his head! Cover, 1…2…and Kidman kicks out again and Whipwreck just can’t believe it! Whipwreck goes for a powerbomb, but Kidman counters into a facebuster. Kidman heads up top, Shooting Star Press connects! 1…2…3! Mikey Whipwreck gave Kidman everything, but Kidman retains the title!

Winner: Kidman via pin in 15:01 (Retains)

Raven is shown just staring down Kidman from the entrance as RISE goes off the air!


::END SHOW::


Quick Results

WCW United States Championship
Tazz defeated Jamie Noble by submission (Retains)

WCW Cruiserweight Championship
Billy Kidman pinned Mikey Whipwreck (Retains)

Champions

WCW World Champion
Kurt Angle (Defeated Ric Flair on 12-31-01)

ECW World Champion
Brock Lesnar (Defeated Rob Van Dam on 12-30-01)

WCW United States Champion
Tazz (Defeated Kurt Angle on 12-13-01)

WCW World Tag Team Champions
The Dudley Boyz (Defeated The Hardy Boyz on 10-26-01)

WCW Cruiserweight Champion
Billy Kidman (Defeated X-Pac on 10-9-01)

Roster Updates

Johnny Grunge – One half of the legendary ECW team, Public Enemy

Rocco Rock – One half of the legendary ECW team, Public Enemy​