Saturday May 12, 2001| Duluth, Georgia
A video package airs of memorable moments in WCW history with dramatic music playing in the background. Goldberg winning the WCW World Title, Ron Simmons beating Lex Luger, Hogan joining the nWO, the numerous Sting and Flair battles. A voice over comes over the video and says "Boys become men. Men become giants. Giants become heroes. And the heroes become legends. Tonight World Championship Wrestling thanks you the fans, and on this journey, we will not let you down. The tradition will never fade. Because as heroes get remembered, legends will never die. This is our genesis. This is our future. This is our wrestling."
The clip switches to show a graphic of "WCW Forever" flashing...
Commentary brings the show in as they announce that this is the biggest night in professional wrestling history. Commentary sells the excitement of the cruiserweight division and how tonight we will have a special WCW Cruiserweight Championship ladder match. Commentary then switches gears to the huge WCW World Heavyweight Championship main event. As Heenan builds up Jeff Jarrett as the "chosen one" in WCW, Schiavone and Tenay build up how Terry Funk is coming out of retirement and he not only has momentum in his favor, but he will have the entire arena of WCW fans standing behind to become the new world champion.
Eric Bischoff comes out and cuts a promo that this is the new WCW and this is a new era for World Championship Wrestling. Bischoff announces that tonight will be the first night of the WCW United States Championship Tournament. Bischoff continues on hyping up the crowd about the new WCW, when Scott Hall is shown coming through the crowd. Hall jumps the barricade and security quickly goes to take him away, but Bischoff screams for them to stop and let him speak.
Hall grabs a microphone and gets in the ring face to face with Bischoff...
and starts pleading with Bischoff to give him his job back. Bischoff explains to Hall that he is not going to let anyone ruin WCW, and between him and his buddies, they killed WCW. Hall humbly looks down and shakes his head, still pleading with Bischoff to change his mind. The direction of the conversation quickly changes when Bischoff looks up at the fans with a smug smile on his face and begins to cut a vicious shoot style promo on Hall for no-showing events and playing politics to keep him and his friends on top. Eric digs deep bringing up how him and Kevin Nash both are the biggest scum bags in the history of this industry. As Bischoff continues on and on about the death of the old WCW, Hall slowly looks up at Bischoff with a smile on his face and tells him that whether he likes it or not, "they" are coming to WCW. The disgusted Bischoff looks at Hall as he screams for security to come and escort Hall out of the building. Before security can get in the ring though, Hall peacefully hops through the middle rope and follows security to the back, but not without screaming several times that he will be here next week and he is not coming alone.
Commercial Break
Jeff Jarrett is shown arriving at the arena as commentary builds up the huge WCW World Heavyweight Championship match and Heenan continues to sell Jarrett as "The Chosen One".
Eric Bischoff is backstage pacing back and forth nervously as Booker T storms into his office. Booker T upset that he is not the WCW World Heavyweight Champion, cuts a promo on Bischoff that he shouldn't have to prove himself anymore, because he never lost the title. Bischoff dismisses it and tells Booker that he has bigger issues right now, but if Booker T is the fighting champion he says he is, then he should have no trouble staying the champion after the Fatal 4 Way Elimination match tonight.
WCW Cruiserweight Championship
Ladder Match
Chavo Guerrero defeated. 2 Cold Scorpio, "Sugar" Shane Helms, and Disco Inferno
This match was full of nothing but high spots through out the entire match with each individual getting their fair share of offense in. Lots of near "grabs" until finally Chavo Guerrero leaped from one ladder to the other when Helms pushed the first ladder over, grabbing the title and becoming the new Cruiserweight Champion.
After the match Chavo rolled out of the ring frantically and held the title up taunting at the other men in the ring as commentary builds up the exciting cruiserweight division in WCW.
Buff "The Stuff" Bagwell is backstage posing and hyping himself up in front of the mirror with a smug look on his face. Commentary builds up the huge WCW United States Championship tournament and how we will see Bagwell taking on Douglas next in the first tournament match.
Commercial Break
Scott Steiner is shown walking into the locker room where Terry Funk is sitting down on the bench getting ready. Steiner quickly gets in Funk's face and starts screaming at him that he isn't going to let him come out and take his spotlight. Funk laughs and gets in Steiner's face and tells him that tonight the old man is going to prove everyone wrong. Steiner then goes on to cut an extremely vicious shoot style promo on Terry Funk about how when he was growing up and when he got in the business he respected Terry Funk and what he had done in this business. But what Terry Funk is right now absolutely makes him sick. Steiner gets face to face with Funk and tells him that tonight he is going to end the legacy of Terry Funk and send him into permanent retirement for good. The crazed Terry Funk then starts hitting his head against the lockers screaming that Terry Funk is forever and he will rise up through the ashes again. Steiner eventually takes Funk's head and slams it into the locker himself and kicks at Funk every time he tries to get up. Steiner spits on the carcass of Terry Funk and ends the segment by telling Funk to stay out of his way because he will be the next WCW World Heavyweight Champion.
WCW United States Championship Tournament
"The Franchise" Shane Douglas w/Kimberly defeated. Buff "The Stuff" Bagwell
Shane Douglas controlled most of the match with Bagwell getting limited offense in, but it slowly was taken down by Shane's usual heel cheap shots. Commentary builds up how Dallas Page is still going through turmoil knowing that his ex wife Kimberly left him for Shane Douglas, and how they are not sure how focused Page will be tonight in his tournament match because of it. Commentary builds up the heel tactics of Douglas as Douglas finally gets the fall over Bagwell when he low blows Bagwell under the referee's eye and ends it with a devastating "Franchiser" (Shoulder Jawbreaker).
After the match was over, Douglas celebrated with the boasting Kimberly on his arm, smugly smiling and laughing at the camera, screaming "Mrs. Kimberly DOUGLAS". The scene switches over to show Dallas Page in the backstage area with his hands crossing fuming about Douglas before he storms out of the room, kicking the chair out of the way in the process.
Commercial Break
Gorgeous George is backstage with "Double J" Jeff Jarrett. Gorgeous George asks Jarrett how he feels about Terry Funk coming out of retirement to face him for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. Jarrett looks down at Gorgeous George shocked that she would even asks that question, and passes it off that the real storybook ending is when "Double J" Jeff Jarrett is named the new World Champion. Jarrett cuts a typical heel-ish promo basically summing up that he is the chosen one in WCW. Jarrett ends his promo by saying that tonight is a dawning of a new era in WCW, and the new era can be summed up in two words, Jeff Jarrett.
WCW United States Championship Tournament
Raven defeated. "Diamond" Dallas Page
The match turned out to be a pretty back and forth match, but each time Page would slowly start getting an advantage, he would get distracted, as commentary builds how he must be getting distracted by the Kimberly and Douglas situation. However, as each time Raven hits a high spot and goes for a pin fall, Page seems to somehow kick out of it. Towards the end of the match Page slowly starts making a comeback and is about to hit the Diamond Cutter on Raven, before Shane Douglas comes out onto the stage with his new beau, Kimberly. Page quickly gets distracted and starts staring intensely at the smiling Shane Douglas and Kimberly. Douglas swiftly grabs Kimberly, who seems to like it, and proceeds to kiss her right in front of the irate Page. Page quickly goes to leave the ring, but is turned around swiftly by Raven who hits the Raven Effect (Even Flow DDT)
After the match, commentary builds up how Page would've had this match won and how sick it is for Douglas and Kimberly to be doing this to Page. Page jumps out of the ring and storms to the back screaming for Douglas.
The scene opens up to show a man walking in an abandoned warehouse, where cameras just show his feet, while dramatic music plays in the background. Edgy clips of wrestlers lying motionless in the middle of the ring are shown. The vignette continues showing clips of utter chaos as Tony Schiavone's voice is heard, "He is your world's champion!" and Mike Tenay "The man is a legend in his own time!" building up the suspense of who it actually is. The scene ends as the shadowy figure busts through a set of swinging doors and words are shown flashing on the doors "AN ICON IS REBORN"
Commercial Break
DDP is shown backstage punching walls and screaming for Shane Douglas to show his face, obviously shaken by the kiss that Douglas and Kimberly exchanged. Eventually, Douglas walks out from behind a corner with Kimberly, both with smiles on their faces laughing as Page stands there with wide eyes. Douglas taunts at Page and cuts a promo on him telling him that Kimberly had to pick "the better man" and how it's a shame that he couldn't perform in the bedroom like "The Franchise". Kimberly with a sick smile on her face looks at Page and tells him that she has to call the kids to tell them that her and "their daddy" are coming home. Right then the frantic Dallas Page immediately runs at Douglas screaming, while Douglas and Kimberly both hop in a white Corvette and speed off laughing, as Page is unable to get to Douglas before he has fled the scene.
WCW World Tag Team Championship
Lethal Fusion (Mike Awesome/Sean O'Haire) w/Jim Cornette defeated. The Filthy Animals (Billy Kidman/Rey Meysterio Jr.) w/Torrie Wilson
The match was very evenly match through out the entire bout as each time Lethal Fusion would go for a pin on one of the Filthy Animals, Torrie would rally the crowd up to motivate them to kick out at the count of two. Cornette on the outside of the ring with his trademark tennis racket screams at the crowd to "shut up!" as Awesome and O'Haire show their brute strength by hitting several power moves on both Meysterio and Kidman. The tide slowly starts to turn when Kidman is able to hit a shooting star press on Awesome, but the pin is eagerly broken up at the count of two when O'Haire interferes. The match comes to an end when Cornette on the outside of the ring gets in the face of Torrie and starts screaming at her, before he pushes her down on the ground. As Torrie falls to the ground, Kidman quickly jumps out of the ring to tend for Wilson, and the referee yells at O'Haire to get back. With the referee with his back turned, Cornette swiftly jumps into the ring and hits Meysterio with his infamous tennis racket right into a devastating power bomb from Mike Awesome.
After the match, Cornette grabs the titles from Michael Buffer excitedly and holds them up in the air, celebrating with both Awesome and O'Haire, as Kidman continues to tend for his girlfriend Torrie Wilson. Kidman slides in the ring and goes to attack Lethal Fusion, but they make a quick get away and taunt at the fans with their new titles.
Commercial Break
Jeremy Borash is able to catch up with the new WCW World Tag Team Champions and their manager Jim Cornette. Cornette cuts a promo that he came out of retirement to give Lethal Fusion that extra rub they needed, and now they are the new WCW World Tag Team Champions. Cornette continues on by saying that Lethal Fusion is a force to be reckon with and how there is not one team in WCW that can stop Lethal Fusion for dominating this industry. Cornette ends his promo by looking into the camera intensely and whispering "This is our time now boys. Our time."
Bischoff is shown in his office still distraught about the Scott Hall situation, screaming into his cell phone that they must find a way to stop Scott Hall and "whoever the hell is coming with him next week". Bischoff tells the person on the phone that he wants security at every single entrance of the arena next week.
Raven is shown backstage with a man on his knees and with a black hood over his head. The man tells Raven that he had a great match tonight, but Raven quickly dismisses it and screams at the man only to speak when spoken to. Raven continues to demoralize the man, scramming at him that he is worth nothing without the master of Raven, and that he is a puppet on the end of his strings.. The mood quickly grows demented when Raven pulls out a leather belt and starts whipping the back of the man viciously, while continuing to scream at the ma continuously "QUOTE THE RAVEN NEVER MORE! QUOTE THE RAVEN NEVER MORE! QUOTE THE RAVEN NEVER MORE!!"
Commercial Break
The Gangstas (New Jack/Stevie Ray) are shown in the middle of the ring already, as New Jack holds a microphone in his hands. New Jack begins to cut a promo about how it is no coincidence that WCW shafted them not only from the WCW World Tag Team Championship match, but shafted them from even being on the re-debut show of WCW Saturday Night. Jack continues to drone on about how WCW and the powers to be are racist and are wanting to keep him and Stevie Ray down because they know that there is no one in WCW that can touch them. The Harris Brothers come out and get face to face with them and a brawl ensues, when Ron Harris calls Jack "boy" and tells him that they were just afraid that they may get their "little wanna be gangster asses kicked by a couple of real men." The angry Stevie Ray spits in the face of Don Harris, and The Harris Brothers immediately leap at The Ganstas and exchange blows.. The brawl is quickly broken up by officials as The Harris Brothers have to be physically carried out of the arena, while The Gangstas continue to taunt and scream at them.
Booker T is shown backstage warming up in front of the mirror, slapping his chests and pulling his gloves tight as commentary builds up how huge of a match this is going to be, and how none of these four men can afford to lose this match.
The scene switches to show Terry Funk wrapping himself up and stretching. While Tenay and Schiavone sell Funk as the miracle Never Say Never story, Heenan in a heel fashion continues to bash Funk and refer to him as a "has been".
Commercial Break
WCW World Heavyweight Championship
Fatal 4 Way Elimination Match
"Double J" Jeff Jarrett defeated. "The Hardcore Legend" Terry Funk, Booker T, and "Big Poppa Pump" Scott Steiner
The match quickly turned into nothing but a glorified brawl with all four men beating the hell out of each other. The first fall came when Booker T and Steiner were brawling in the corner of the ring, and
Jarrett came up from behind Booker and rolled him up into a small package, using the ropes for leverage...BOOKER T ELIMINATED!
Commentary builds up the opportunist Jeff Jarrett, stating that Jarrett has just eliminated the last WCW World Heavyweight Champion. The irate Booker T tries to jump back in the ring but is restrained by security and the referees trying to pull him back to take him backstage. As the furious Booker T is being forced out from the ring, Jarrett taunts at Booker T laughing and making mimicking "cry baby" motions to him. The next elimination comes when Terry Funk hits a vicious missile drop kick from the top rope onto Scott Steiner, and then proceeds to Piledriver Steiner's head off the top of the mat.
Funk makes the pin and eliminates Scott Steiner....SCOTT STEINER ELIMINATED!
Funk and Jarrett continue to brawl through out the ring as the referee is bumped after a. While the referee is knocked out, Scott Steiner slides back into the ring and proceeds to hit Funk with a unforgiving steel pipe. Scott Steiner, obviously being upset, starts screaming "NO ONE PINS BIG POPPA PUMP! NO ONE PINS BIG POPPA PUMP!" Steiner grabs the lead pipe and starts choking out Terry Funk as Jarrett lies beaten down on the other side of the ring. Steiner finally jumps back out of the ring and screams at Funk that he should be champion, as the referee starts coming back to his senses. Jarrett then slowly rolls over to Funk and goes for a pin, but Funk is able to kick out at the count of two! The shocked Jarrett makes it back up to his feet and goes to pick Funk up, but Funk desperately starts trying to battle back. But the momentum is quickly crushed again as Jarrett is able to reverse a Pile Driver from Funk, and reverse into a running DDT.
Funk obviously still feeling the effects of the Steiner beat down cannot break this count, as Jarrett makes the pin, 1-2-3! "Double J" Jeff Jarrett is the new WCW World Heavyweight Champion!
After the match is over, Jarrett slides out of the ring, unable to stand up, as he is handed the WCW World Heavyweight Championship belt. The shocked and ecstatic Jeff Jarrett looks down at the title belt and then up at the ring with wide eyes and a big smile on his face celebrating with the title in his arms, as commentary sells how Terry Funk should be the new World Champion, except Bobby Heenan who in his own heel status builds up that Jeff Jarrett is the epitome of a champion. Once Jarrett is able to make it up to his feet, he kisses the title belt and holds it up in the air as cameras come to a close.
-End of Show-
::Quick Match Results::
Jeff Jarrett def. Booker T, Scott Steiner, Terry Funk via pinfall at 16:10 to become the new WCW World Heavyweight Champion
Lethal Fusion (Mike Awesome/Sean O'Haire) def. The Filthy Animals (Billy Kidman and Rey Meysterio Jr.) via pinfallfall at 10:15 to become new WCW World Tag Team Champions
Raven def. Diamond Dallas Page via pinfall at 7:43 to advance in the WCW United States Championship Tournament
Shane Douglas def. Buff Bagwell via pinfall at 5:02 to advance in the WCW United States Championship Tournament
Chavo Guerrero def. 2 Cold Scorpio, Shane Helms, Disco Inferno via climbing up ladder at 12:12 to become the new WCW Cruiserweight Champion
Dark Matches
AJ Styles def. Jamie Noble via pinfall at 9:03
Samoa Joe def. Christopher Daniels via submission at 11:37
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