Opening Video Package A video package detailing the events of the last few weeks, from the short-lived formation of the Two-Man Power Trip between Steve Austin and Triple H and HHH's subsequent IC Title loss to Kane at Backlash, to the build-up and reveal of the Draft after WrestleMania, to Vince McMahon, desperate to be the dominant power in the Brand Wars, announcing he's going to kill the WWF from the inside out. And now... Rating: 74 |
The show kicks off as the familiar voices of WCW welcome everybody to the rebirth of World Championship Wrestling: Tony Schiavone, Mike Tenay, and "American Dream" Dusty Rhodes. The set for WCW is a brand new look (Editor's Note: for those visualizing it: It's the 2003 SmackDown set but Thunder). Out comes Booker T, to his new theme, holding both the WCW World Heavyweight Championship and the WCW United States Championship. He enters the ring and says how proud he is to be holding both titles here on the revival of WCW. He mentions that he has a WCW Desire tribute video for all the WCW fans from him and shows it, called "Lonely Road of Faith". Once the tribute video finished Booker T says he plans on carrying WCW into the future as a double champion, when suddenly... Out comes Triple H, who interrupts Booker and flat out tells him he doesn't give a damn about the old WCW. Hunter says it's a whole new ball game now that Trips runs the show. Booker has a small chuckle. Booker T: Well, Sucka, I get that you married the boss's daughter, or rather, the boss now, but tell you what, Hunter. I got friends in high places too. J.J. Dillon comes out to the music of his old group, the Four Horsemen, and the crowd is shocked to see someone who isn't even with WCW, ECW, or WWF. Dillon stands on the stage while Triple H looks more mildly annoyed than surprised. JJ Dillon: Booker, Hunter, I got here as fast as I could. Now I know what you're wondering Hunter, what the hell am I doing here? The answer's simple. I'm the representative of Turner Network. They sent me to keep, as it were... the balance of power in check. So Triple H, I'm gonna have to ask you to slow your role, son. TBS is, as it stands, worried about the powers that be for WCW and will have me make sure your biases will not run this show into the ground as long as it is on Turner Network. Booker T tells Hunter if he's feeling "froggy", Booker isn't doing anything tonight "sucka". Triple H retorts that he would, but unfortunately for him, he's busy... Triple H: But, you know what? I ran into an old friend the other day who's looking to kick the crap out of somebody from Houston. I think he'd be interested in giving you a good beatdown. Trips starts to leave as Dillon announces the match is official, to which Booker T tells Triple H, "Don't hate the playa, hate the game, sucka." Triple H mouths the words "I am the Game." Rating: 66 |
Stephanie McMahon arrives at the arena and finds Teddy Long hanging around. Steph asks Teddy if he's seen Test around, which Teddy replies he hasn't, but he's gotta be around. Before Steph leaves, Teddy Long tells Steph that JJ Dillon is here. Rating: 44 |
Edge and Christian are talking to each other backstage about Christian's Backlash match. Edge quips that the Radicalz totally reek, but not of awesomeness, but of crap over on ECW. In comes Kurt Angle, who's moping about and complaining about Chris Benoit, who beat him at Backlash. Edge and Christian ignore him, to which Angle takes offense and accuses them of siding with another Canadian instead of their buddy the Gold Medal winning Olympian. Edge and Christian, visibly annoyed, tell Angle to quit his bitching and do something if it bothers him so much. *So* uncool. Rating: 71 |
After the Commercial Break, Kurt Angle comes out and starts complaining about Benoit cheating at Backlash, how Benoit tapped after the match and that he should have been given a rematch. While he can't get his hands on Chris Benoit, he challenges one of Benoit's friends tonight. Rating: 77 |
Kurt Angle vs. Perry Saturn w/ Terri In a match that had good wrestling and a solid reaction from the crowd, Kurt Angle beat Perry Saturn via submission in 6:52. During the match Saturn was seemingly dropped on his head and dazed, and after tapping out attacked Kurt Angle and put him in the Ankle Lock, Angle's finisher. Terri convinces him to let go of the hold, afterwards Saturn asks where his gold medals are, confusing Terri. Saturn says he's an Olympic Gold Medalist, and after finding "his" gold medals, gives them to Terri. Kurt Angle looked especially good in this match. Rating: 70 |
Chyna arrives at the arena in a fancy ride, carrying the WWF Women's Championship. She asks Teddy Long where Stephanie McMahon is, and Long responds that Steph is out looking for Test but should be in her office later. Chyna thanks Long and leaves. Teddy Long, out of the corner of his eye, spots two very familiar faces... Kevin Nash and Scott Hall, The Outsiders. Teddy Long stops them from entering and asks what exactly they're doing here. Scott Hall: Hey-yo, didn't you know? Vince sent us here to kill it. You didn't see Vinny's promo, Teddy-baby? Vince said he was gonna inject the WWF with a lethal dose of poison than letting his kids get a hold of it. Kevin Nash: Now Stephanie may have gotten WCW, *and* she may have drafted us to get us in her good graces, but come on, dawg. That don't mean it wasn't the plan all along! Hell, I heard JJ Dillon isn't the only cat Stephanie McMahon's got to deal with; I hear there's a man in this building that Linda sent. He runs the shiz-ow! and we Outsiders want a *little* bit of the pie, if you know what I'm saying, Teddy. Now, we've got to go see this man, because I got some game changing news for the Outsiders, the nWo, and all of WCW. I think I'll tell our friend to clear a few minutes of the show. Nash and Hall walk past Teddy Long as he stands in surprise. Rating: 59 |
Gene Okerlund interviews Booker T and asks about the pressure of being a double champion, especially with tough competition like Triple H, Kevin Nash, Sting, and others. Booker talks about the immense pressure weighing down on him to perform as a double champion but says he's intent on carrying WCW into a new era and a new millennium. He echoes what Ric Flair said months ago, about hating the fact WCW is in the hands of a McMahon, and he isn't sure JJ Dillon can keep them in line for long, but... Booker T is intent on keeping the Power Trip from defiling WCW. He'll fight whoever wants to step up, because he wants to knock them all down. Rating: 59 |
Edge w/ Christian vs. Sean O'Haire w/ Chuck Palumbo In a match that didn't have much heat but decent wrestling, Sean O'Haire defeated Edge in 6:40 after Palumbo and Christian fighting outside distracted Edge. The finish saw Christian thrown into the ring just as Edge was about to win, distracting Edge and giving O'Haire enough time to hit the Widow Maker. Rating: 62 |
JJ Dillon and Stephanie McMahon stand in the TBS office and discuss how the arrangement of those two will work. They're interrupted by a knock on the door. Chyna enters still carrying the WWF Women's Championship, and talks to Stephanie. Chyna asks why exactly she's on WCW right now when she's a WWF superstar. Steph, with biting snark, tells her that she's courting Chyna and the Women's title for tonight. Chyna rolls her eyes and tells Stephanie point-blank that working on WCW would be suicide for her career given the obvious between them. Stephanie retorts that as much as she'd love to pound Chyna into the dust, JJ Dillon is here to see to it that her biases don't take control. There'll be no problems here. Chyna still says no and explains that it was Vince who made her a star, not Stephanie. Stephanie, laughing, tells Chyna that Vince doesn't care about women and that he didn't even draft very many women. She'd have more competition on ECW than WWF. Chyna snarkily aks what competition there is on Thunder? She'd *spank* her roster of women. Stephanie, seeing an opening, challenges Chyna to defend her title, since if Chyna is so confident, she shouldn't be afraid to put her title on the line. Chyna tells Steph she'll fight anyone, "bring it on babe." Steph tells Chyna she's on and tells JJ Dillon to finish setting up the match while Steph looks for Test. Rating: 56 |
We cut backstage to Christian apologizing profusely to a somewhat frustrated Edge. Christian does say that he didn't complain so much when he lost the European Title match, which calms Edge down more. Edge tells Christian he's still due a singles match at Slamboree and he wants it solo. In comes Kurt Angle, confused about his match earlier, complaining that first Benoit, now Saturn steals his gold medals, what the heck is going on? Edge tells Angle that Saturn isn't hard to find, and that he frankly doesn't care anymore. Angle storms off as Christian and Edge sneer. Christian jokes to Edge that the gold medals must really mean something and Edge just tells him to shut up, he doesn't wanna hear it. Rating: 74 |
Stephanie McMahon finally finds Test, who's hanging around backstage, and complains to him that he had no right interfering in family business the way he did at Backlash. Test smirks and tells Steph that he's actually glad he doesn't *have* to be involved in her family business since Trips did him a solid and married her. Steph, offended, tells Test that he wishes he was married to Stephanie, and that tonight he'll eat his words when he faces Triple H tonight. Rating: 53 |
Chyna is leaving the TBS office when in comes Trish Stratus, who asks what JJ Dillon wants with her. Dillon tells Trish that her win against Ivory has moved her up the ranks her on Thunder and that he is going to give her an opportunity to prove herself. JJ tells Trish that Stephanie believes she has earned the right to face Chyna tonight for the WWF Women's Championship. JJ implies that he believes Trish has earned the shot, but also hints that Steph is doing this as a grudge against Trish. Rating: 57 |
Triple H is talking to a mystery person in the locker room. He tells the person that while he won't be able to get his hands on The Undertaker, he does have the next best thing, a loudmouth double champion from Houston. He tells the man to imagine it's Taker and eviscerate him with his size advantage. Rating: 80 |
Booker T is in the ring awaiting Trips to reveal the mystery opponent to him when out comes somebody no-one saw coming. Triple H and Rikishi standing side by side. Triple H tells Booker T that Rikishi is back and ready to decimate him. Rating: 76 |
Rikishi w/ Triple H vs. Booker T In a decent match, Booker T defeated Rikishi when Triple H interfered and caused a disqualification. While the match was short, it was noted that Booker T and Rikishi had great chemistry working together. Rikishi controlled the pace until the interference and the two of them commit to beating the everloving dog-shit out of Booker. Trips cuts a promo on Booker telling him the Power Trip ruling this business isn't over since Austin runs WWF and that it's destiny for Booker to lose to Triple H. He then tells Booker that he can always find new "friends" such as Rikishi. The Power Trip is the most dominant force in the wrestling business. The match officially solidified Booker T's face turn, the crowd behind him 100% of the way. Rating: 68 |
We cut to the back where the APA and X-Factor are playing a game of poker in the APA offices. The game so far is somewhat friendly except for the fact Albert is losing his cool, and his hands. After losing another hand, Albert has enough, tosses the table, and accuses the APA of cheating. X-Pac agrees with Albert and says he's pissed that the Dudley Boyz skipped town so they couldn't get humiliated. He asks if the APA want to have a match tonight; Farooq laughs and asks Bradshaw if he's got the stones. Which Bradshaw replies: Damn straight. Rating: 55 |
The APA (Farooq & Bradshaw) vs. X-Factor (X-Pac and Albert) In a solid match without much heat to it, The APA defeated X-Factor via DQ in 7:19. During the match... Kevin Nash joined the commentary desk and had a good time with Dusty Rhodes. He continually gestures to X-Pac to throw up the wolf-sign, which continually distracts him and leaves him open to attack from the APA, particularly a Clothesline from Hell by Bradshaw. Albert is less than pleased with X-Pac being distracted and Nash's presence. Farooq starts jaw-jacking with Nash and leaves himself open to a Bicycle Kick by Albert. Albert then pulls X-Pac out of the ring to keep him from being pinned. Suddenly Nash rushes the ring and attacks Bradshaw, hitting the Jacknife Powerbomb and shouting that that was for his boy, causing the DQ. Albert looks on with Pac in his arms, slightly confused and disgruntled by the situation. During the match the Natural Born Thrillers could be seen watching by the monitors in back. Rating: 67 |
Triple H is talking to Stephanie and tells her that they need to set the standard tonight when dealing with Test. He tells Steph that he has his end covered and not to worry. Stephanie, still not pleased, tells Trips to tear his ass apart. Nash: Speaking of torn asses... In comes Kevin Nash, grinning, and wishing Triple H the best of luck in his match against Test tonight. Before Trips and Steph leave, Nash tells Trips to throw it up for old times' sake. Rating: 77 |
Triple H w/ Stephanie McMahon vs. Test In a short, but fast paced match, Test defeated Triple H when he got intentionally disqualified. Rating: 70 |
Triple H grabs a chair and commences beating down Test until he is a crumpled heap of flesh and bones. He throws test outside and spots the announcing table, which he powerbombs Test through. Booker T comes out to make the save but it is far too late as Trips and Steph leave Booker T to tend to Test. Rating: 69 |
Following the commercial break, Triple H could be seen entering The Outsiders' dressing room, upset. Rating: 80 |
WWF Women's Championship Trish Stratus vs. Chyna (c) In a short match, Chyna defeated Trish Stratus easily. Following the Match, Chyna cuts a promo on how there's just no competition here on WCW. Stephanie McMahon comes out and reminds Chyna that she'd take on any and all comers, which leads to... Another woman to come out of nowhere and attack Chyna, hitting a massive spear on her to the surprise of everyone. Rating: 64 |
WWF Women's Championship Jazz vs. Chyna (c) In a short match, Jazz surprises everybody in the building by defeating Chyna to become the NEW WWF Women's Champion. Chyna and Jazz seemingly clicked despite never having wrestled each other before. They looked to have had good chemistry. Following the match, Stephanie declares that Jazz is not the WWF Women's Champion... but the NEW World Championship Wrestling Women's Champion! Rating: 55 |
Backstage we see Kevin Nash tell everybody in the locker room to stay there. He's got business to take care of. Rating: 80 |
Kevin Nash comes out to the roar of the crowd. He gets in the ring and starts talking. He says that normally, surprises fall a little flat after their reveal. He promises that this surprise is worth the hype. It's not his return to the ring, no no, with Scott Steiner out of the picture, he's free to be back any damn time. It's not Scott Hall coming back either, with Goldberg gone, he's free to come back too. It isn't the fact the band's back together, although everyone knows Nash is nWo 4-Lyfe. He says he heard Hunter say his new "clique" is the most dominant force in wrestling. Nash says that he's gotta remind Trips who the original clique is, and who the Wolfpac is. So... with all that out of the way, Kevin Nash reveals the mystery and the secret he's been talking about all damn night. It's Shawn Michaels! Shawn Michaels is on Thunder and he is wearing an nWo hat! Shawn's theme hits and he struts down to the ring to the literal roar of the crowd, who are so excited to see Shawn Michaels back. Shawn hits up Nash with the wolf-sign and "2 Sweet" as the Two Dudes with Attitudes are back in business. We cut to the back to the APA watching the entire thing go down, Farooq pulls out his cigar and angrily throws down his cards, shouting "Well, I'll be DAMNED!" We then cut to Triple H and Stephanie McMahon who both have grins ear-to-ear. Triple H can be heard muttering, "The son of a bitch really did it, didn't he." Booker T, also watching, has his eye popping out of his head in surprise and shock. "Tell me, I didn't just see that..." We cut back to Nash and Shawn posing like only they can... when the lights begin to flicker... From the rafters, up in the sky, it's him. Sting watches Nash and Shawn, who decide it's best time to turn and leave Sting to his bird's eye view. After they turn tail and run, from out of nowhere comes a man nobody thought they'd see. "WHO BETTER THAN KANYON!" shouts Kanyon, as people saw people better than Kanyon. Kanyon demands that Sting quit hiding up in the rafters and come down and face some real talent and to not worry about some losers. Rating: 81 |
Sting vs. Kanyon In a solid match designed to send the fans home happy, Sting defeats Kanyon in 6:34 with the Scorpion Deathlock Rating: 70 |
Really well put together show, love how everything built up to the final segment
Team ECK is gonna be a hoot to write for and so is Saturn in his angle. Should be a blast.E&C and Angle were my favorite part and I'd be shocked if they weren't my favorite parts going forward bc they are always GOLD together
Good question. Teddy's a 5, JJ's like a 40 or something. Gene a 39. Every segment I had a backstage personalty was killed.that's so disrespectful to Teddy who made this mod
It might be me not getting TEW, but I don't see why him being in a segment for 15 seconds drags the whole thing down by 15 points.
Just because I haven't updated the OP doesn't mean I didn't see.
