Nerd Watch Wednesday: WCW Spring Stampede 1999

Nov 20, 201923 min read

Updated: Jun 3, 2020

After our review of the recent AEW PPV Full Gear, we are heading back into the archives this week with Dom Van Dam plucking for what many consider the last genuinely good WCW PPV, Spring Stampede 1999.

Will it hold the test of time? Let's find out!

JUVENTUD GUERRERA v BLITZKREIG

By Dom Van Dam

G’day lads and welcome to another week of NWW and show choice by everybody’s favourite columnist. This week we are going to have a bit of a gander at about the only passable WCW PPV, as a whole, post 1997: Spring Stampede 1999.

As it’s my pick, I decided I’d best present myself for the frontline and walk you through the opener on this one. I’m already disappointed that this was not the Spring Stampede with the catchy country song as its theme. “Stools, punches, bottles, kicks. If you don’t watch out you’ll get all this.”

Number 1 contenders match for the WCW Cruiserweight Championship

First of all can we just give it up for Juvi’s entrance music? He’s like some luchadore matador, and it’s very fitting for the Spring Stampede genre. The Luchadore matador is entering the arena here, sans mask, about a year before being arrested in my home State of Queensland Australia, for walking naked through the Queen Street Mall. Word on the street (The Courier Mail) was that he may have gone a bit heavy on some substances which were a bit stronger than what he was used to, classic Juice.

Juvi’s opponent tonight, Blitzkrieg, probably doesn’t pose quite as big of a threat to Guerrera as a bad batch of Brisbane Bag, all I really know about Blitzy is that the man from the cosmos is Jack Evan’s favourite wrestler.

These lads are doing a bit here. Tilt-a-Whirl this, Headscissors that, Romero Special in the middle of the mat. I don’t know if it’s because Juvi is more diminutive than previously thought but Blitzkrieg looks like a bit of tank and is hitting moves that were fairly cutting edge for this period of time, especially for a dude with a bit of meat on the bone.

The Krieg comes from the top rope to the floor with a plancha that I’m naming “The Ballroom Blitz” but he is met by a well-placed dropkick to the ribs. A man at the back said everyone attack and that was stiffer than a wedding dick. Obviously there’s no selling though and pretty soon he’s back “Up on top” for an attempt at the Phoenix 450 Splash, again, no water in the pool.

There is a pretty cool looking Avalanche Prawn Hold from the masked man of mystery but Blitzkrieg just can’t get the shoulders down for the 3. So of course he hoists Guerrera to the top rope for the 87th time to try and juice Juvi once and for all. But it’s reversed in to a ridiculous Head Drop, Avalanche, Juvi Driver. DANGERRROOUUSSS! That’ll do, count to 3, 10, or tomorrow.

Drink lots of water; look after your mates.

Winner by Top Rope Juvi Driver and Number 1 Contender: Juventud Guerrera

WINNER - NUMBER 1 CONTENDER, JUVENTUD GUERRERA BY DANGEROOOUUUSSSS!

HARDCORE HAK v BAM BAM BIGELOW

By JCH

Bam Bam Bigelow vs Hak

I chose this match why?

Because Hak reads like Haiku

They are different

Hak out with table

Also wrapped in barbed wire

With him Chastity

Bam Bam with a cart

Full to the brim with weapons

Hak meets him in aisle

Hak up on stage coach

Swanton bomb on to Bam Bam

Goes through a table

Bigelow with crutch.

Hak throws a trash can at him.

Hak is in control

Hak sets up table

Bigelow swings baking tray

Hak is on the floor.

Weapon shots galore

Huge botch on a D-D-T

Ladder into the fray

Hak Dropkicks Ladder

Knocks Bigelow off his feet

Lots worse than Io’s

Ladder placed on Bam Bam

Hak swantons off the top rope

Shows lack of brain cells

Bulldog on Ladder

That looked actually decent

Crowd cares less than me.

Ring is getting full

Chastity sets up table

Bam Bam reversal

Hak falls from ladder

Through table on the outside

He gets up quickly.

Back in the ring now

This match seems never-ending

Bam Bam with guard rail

Stands there for ages

Chastity is late for spot

Extinguisher fails.

Bigelow sprays her

Greetings from Ashbury park

Through wood from the top.

Thankfully that’s it.

W-C-W

Is rubbish again.

WINNER -Bam Bam Bigelow

Greetings from Ashbury Park

Loser, me and crowd.

SCOTTY RIGGS v MIKEY WHIPWRECK

By Ross Casey

Tony Schiavone announces that this one is not a special attraction, but an unannounced, unadvertised match. The crickets that greet both wrestlers during their entrances show that perhaps the crowd were fine with this being an eight match card.

I completely forgot that Scotty Riggs did the handsome American Males type gimmick post Flock and I don't recall seeing much of Mikey Whipwreck in WCW, so I am looking forward to having fresh eyes on this non special attraction match.

Mike Tenay tells us that Whipwreck injured his heel in his debut match at Uncensored and has only just returned. Scotty Riggs gyrates to start the match, then bitch slaps Mikey in the corner before backing away and admiring his tanned and toned torso. He hits a perfect drop toe hold before literally walking on the back of Whipwreck, then straight to the corner where he tells the camera close up, 'God, I look good'. It's magnificent stuff, to be fair.

Mikey ain't having that and slaps Riggs, taking control with a flurry of moves that send his opponent to the floor is comical Flair like fashion. Whipwreck follows that up with a slingshot headscissors from the ring to the outside that pops me good.

He attempts a legdrop on the apron, but Riggs moves and then viciously sends Whipwreck crashing head first into the steel guardrail from the apron in a spot that pays tribute to Mick Foley, his former ECW Tag Champion partner. That looked fucking nasty.

How do we transition from that shocking scene? That's right, a Scotty Riggs Ax handle! He regains all the points by trying to pin Whipweck with one finger immediately after it. The crowd start to chant boring - ever wonder if that mad bump was worth it, Mikey? What a trash chant that is, by the way. STOP THAT.

Whipwreck has the match won with a Frankensteiner, but Riggs gets his leg on the ropes. They then Kriss Kross three times at some pace before Riggs lands a Tito Santana 'Flying Burrito' forearm as Jesse Ventura would call it for the win.

This was filler, and I feel they missed an easy win by not attacking the injured heel, but Riggs' character work was excellent and Mikey died for our sins on that guardrail spot. Man, I wish that the American Males had reunited during this era. Riggs was ready to go, but without Bagwell, the gimmick is kind of redundant.

WINNER - SCOTTY RIGGS BY THE FLYING BURRITO FOREARM

KONNAN v DISCO INFERNO

By Matt Brummitt

Alternative history has fascinated society for millennia. From Livy envisaging a surviving Alexander clashing with the Romans to more pulpy modern literature, where authors mainly named Stephen predict different fates for Hitler & JFK; the “what if” scenarios of history provide an infinite source of speculation & interest.

The nature of professional wrestling makes it prime “what if” material as the amount of variables (wrestlers, bookers, finances, fans, companies, injuries), as well as their unpredictable nature, give us limitless possibilities to bore our friends with or get downvoted on Wreddit.

This brings me to Konnan. After being one of the most popular wrestlers on the planet in Mexico, a just-turned-32 Konnan rocked up in WCW. He had it all. He looked great, was a cracking wrestler, & had bags and bags and bags of charisma. His gimmick also felt fresh. It capitalised on hip hop culture whilst also playing well with the Latino youth market. Unfortunately for him, just 6 months after his arrival, the nWo happened.

Let’s look at the WCW roster in early 1996 before the nWo forms. Out of the younger talent, you have talented but quiet wrestlers (Malenko & Benoit); good all rounders but dealing with demons (Regal & Pillman); & guys who will get there eventually (Booker T & Mysterio), but the only 2 that stand out as guys who could be the star of the company at that time are Eddie Guerrero & Konnan.

So let’s get to the “what if” itself: “What if the nWo never happens?” - Hall & Nash stay where they are. Hogan fucks back off to Hollywood. Turner keeps his cheque book in his pocket. Bischoff still wants to go with his more edgy vision of the company but this time without dickheads in his ear. I’d like to think in this timeline that Konnan could become one of the stars of his generation.

For those of you that saw Konnan’s WCW run, you’re probably screaming at me right now. And you have a point but my counter argument is that I believe Konnan saw that his place on the card was pretty fixed and by 1998, he was just phoning it in. With that said, his early WCW tenure was pretty good. His 1996 showings against Juvy (Fall Brawl), Liger (Slamboree), & Eddie (Uncensored) are all worth digging out.

This is a long way of saying I think Konnan’s career in the US was a disappointment. That’s not on him, he was just a victim of circumstance. Maybe if he was in WWF in the late 90s things could have been different but I’m not bothering you with any more “what ifs” for now.

Now to Disco Inferno. Disco Inferno first came to prominence with the Trammps in 1976 but didn’t really make it big until being included in Saturday Night Fever the following year. Disco’s next big appearance was, according to Wikipedia, with Tina Turner in 1993. Oh fuck, I should have clicked on “Disco Inferno (disambiguation)” instead. I have little to say about Glenn Gilbertti so let’s get to the match.

In the ring, Konnan calls Disco a scrub. WSBF don’t want no scrubs. Disco attacks him from behind & the match starts. “Disco sucks” chants. Disco doesn’t last long on top as Konnan hits a lazy floatover bulldog & a basement dropkick. A back elbow from Disco turns things round again. Disco has such a marvellous bread head. Next couple of minutes are pretty dull. Saying that, the chin locks have been the best executed Disco moves so far.

After some back and forth, they end up on the outside & Konnan pushes Disco into the turnbuckle. Konnan tries to re-enter the ring but Disco manages to get a boot in to regain control. Disco does some fun gyrations on the middle turnbuckle before going for the elbow drop but Konnan moves out of the way. They trade shots and Konnan hits the rolling lariat! Love that move. And then the 187! Another great move. Only a 2 count though.

Disco reverses a whip and hits a shitty floatover swinging neckbreaker. 2 count. He then tries for a Last Dance but Konnan hits him with one of his own! That gets a 3! It’s rare that you see a wrestler use his opponent’s finisher and get the win but there you go.

Summary: It started out lazy & sloppy but it had its moments. It’s a shame seeing Konnan at this point in his WCW career but the match didn’t overstay its welcome. I was hoping to see a Tequila Sunrise as it’s a great finisher but I’m not against the novelty of winning with your opponent’s finisher.

WINNER: KONNAN WITH THE LAST DANCE

WCW CRUISERWEIGHT MATCH: REY MISTERIO JR (C) v BILLY KIDMAN

By Daniel Wildash

Dan went to Cologne to sing terribly and instagram whilst drunk instead of doing this match. Tweet him @DanHadouken and tell him he's a terrible nerd.

WINNER - YOU, IF YOU DIDN'T HEAR DAN SINGING

CHRIS BENOIT & DEAN MALENKO v PERRY SATURN & RAVEN

By Matt Brummitt

The match I’m reviewing tonight features 75% of both The Radicalz & The Revolution but with Raven replacing Guerrero & Douglas respectively. It’s actually only a few months before the latter form, but right now, Malenko & Benoit are still with The Four Horsemen & Saturn was temporarily united with Raven.

I’ve waxed lyrical (as has Dom Van Dam) on my adoration of Raven on prior NWWs and at Spring Stampede 1999, I had just turned 14 so was in the middle of my love affair with him. For Raven historians, this is one of his “between stables” phases as The Flock had broken up by late 1998 & it was (thankfully) before the formation of The Dead Pool.

In February of 1999, WCW aired the infamous 4th wall breaking Raven-Kanyon vignettes of him as a rich kid living with his mother but now, 6 weeks later, that has been mostly brushed under the carpet, and the focus is now on him & Perry reuniting. As for Malenko & Benoit, they had only just dropped the tag titles to Rey & Kidman so are in a foul mood (not that they were ever hedonists).

So here we go… Horsemen out first accompanied by Arn & some banging entrance music. Raven & Saturn out next carrying a table. Match starts to audible “Horsemen suck” chants. Heenan, Schiavone, & Tenay are doing a good job selling the importance of this match, despite it no longer being for the titles.

Chain stuff between Saturn & Benoit to kick off but they’re on the outside pretty quickly & Perry hands out the whooping to both Horsemen. Raven tags in & some double team fun leads to a couple of early 2 counts.

Benoit regroups & dropkicks Raven out of the ring. Malenko and Anderson beat on poor Raven on the outside whilst the ref argues with Saturn for no discernible reason. Oh wait, the ref is “Lil’ Naitch” Charles Robinson which may account for pro-Horseman bias.

Back in the ring, the Horsemen isolate Raven and a vertical suplex from Malenko gets a 2 count. Raven eventually sneaks an inside cradle on Benoit but Robinson is distracted again! Matt Connolly just threw a Cody figurine at his TV.

Benoit gets back in control & has a couple of fruitless pin attempts. Malenko joins in on the fun & when Saturn tries to help his mate, Robinson cuts him off and remonstrates with him to loud boos. Connolly throws both Young Bucks figurines at his TV.

Malenko retains control but Raven eventually gets a couple of boots & a lariat in so he can make the hot tag to Saturn! Perry cleans house including a shot to Arn which gets a big pop. Malenko eventually cuts him off and puts him on the top rope but Raven sneaks behind him and gets him in the electric chair position so Saturn can hit a Doomsday Device variant.

Saturn signals for the DVD but Benoit puts a stop to it & the Horsemen hit a nice dropkick/German combo. Raven hits the ring & Benoit and him scuffle to the outside. Back in the ring, Malenko hits a double underhook powerbomb transitioned into the cloverleaf! Saturn looks in trouble but make it to the ropes!

Malenko gets Saturn up but Perry reverses a whip into a DVD. Perry goes for the pin but Benoit breaks it up pin with a diving headbutt! Malenko goes for a pin of his own but Saturn kicks out. Double A looks shocked. The match slows back down to a regular pace with the Horsemen on top. Raven tries to get involved but Charles Robinson stops him, not noticing Benoit has got into the ring without a tag & he just accepts him as the legal man. Connolly has thrown his entire Inner Circle figurine set at the TV.

Benoit hits Saturn with an Alicia Fox quality northern lights suplex but just gets a 2. Malenko roughs up Perry on the outside but then chucks him back for some more double team action. Perry manages to dodge a clothesline and hit a sunset flip on Benoit but Malenko is on him straight away. This is great tag team wrestling.

Malenko gets a rest hold in for a bit but Saturn reverses it into a back suplex. Both men down and crawling to their corners. Saturn makes it there first & it’s Raven’s turn for hot tag fun!! There’s a bit of a melee and someone (Saturn?) chucks a chair in for Raven to do his drop-toehold-into-the-chair spot. Why is that legal? I’m not going to admonish Charles again as this could be a Raven’s Rules match & I just missed it.

It’s all kicking off on the outside too as Malenko is on a table & Saturn is on the top turnbuckle. Saturn goes for the splash but only gets table because Arn dragged Malenko off. Malenko back in the ring but gets hit with an Even Flow DDT! Excellent finisher name. Raven goes for the pin but Arn Anderson comes into the ring with a steel chair. Robinson doesn’t DQ this and just lets Anderson toss the chair on top of Raven. Connolly throws his bronze life-size Tony Khan bust at the TV.

Benoit hits a diving headbutt to the chair on the back of Raven’s head, incapacitating both of them. Malenko throws his arm over for the pin and it’s good for the 3.

Summary: Ref cajoling aside, this was a cracking match. The pacing was well executed with the Horsemen staying in control for long periods without it getting dull. The hot tag & double team sequences were really effective too. It’s not an all time classic or anything but definitely a fun watch. Cheers Dom for the selection.

WINNERS: THE FOUR HORSEMEN WITH A CHAIR ASSISTED BENOIT DIVING HEADBUTT

WCW US CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: SCOTT STEINER v BOOKER T

By RJF

So here we are, the final of the WCW United States Heavyweight tournament, the winner will become the WCW United States Champion, that gives the World Cup tag turmoil a few weeks back a run for its money as the worlds longest name of a match!

Steiner out first. Not much love from the crowd. Now here comes Booker, same theme as always, what a classic, and he even gets some pyro. Booker trying to become a champ champ and hold 2 belts after this one as he is the current TV champion too.

Steiner getting in the face of everyone at ringside, get into the ring, Scotty so we can get this started... he even gives a fan a little slap before heading to the apron and into the ring.

Finally this one gets started. Oh no it doesn’t, Steiner heads into the fans to square off with some more guys in the crowd. Take two, here we go. Both men grapple on the canvas. Booker with a dropkick followed by an arm drag sends Steiner to the outside. Steiner slowly returns to the ring and works his way back into this one.

Booker throws Steiner to the outside again much to the fans delight as they taunt him by patting him on the back, he lashes out at a few fans again before returning to the ring and asking for a time out, Booker quite rightly, does not oblige.

Booker continues the onslaught with some big strikes before Steiner manages to buy sometime straddling Booker on the top rope. Now Steiner has the upper hand and starts to beat down Booker. Steiner smashes Booker in the back of the head with a chair twice, apparently the ref doesn’t deem that a disqualification....

Steiner mocks Booker by doing some push ups as Booker is on the canvas. More big rights from Steiner and Booker is struggling. Back breaker from Steiner for the 2 count. Huge “asshole” chants fill the arena. Belly to belly suplex for another 2 count and Steiner is all in the face of the ref. The ref is scared of Steiner, a low blow in front of the ref who - again - lets it go!?

Bear hug from Steiner on Booker and Booker is fading. Steiner follows up with another belly to belly suplex. Booker with a DDT from nowhere and both men are on the canvas! Now it’s a real slug fest as both men exchange rights before a spinning kick from Booker. But Steiner pulls the ref in between himself and Booker knocking out the ref. Booker with the x kick followed by a skittle spinneroonie, followed by the pin but the ref is still down.

The ref finally gets up before Steiner nails him and Booker at the same time! However, Booker keeps the upper hand with the side walk slam before heading up top. Steiner scouted it though and knocks into the top rope sending Booker down.

Huge Frankensteiner from Steiner, he wakes up the ref and assists the count. 1... 2... kick out at 2 and a half from Booker! Booker fights back with a suplex but Steiner knocks out Booker with a punch on the way down. Here comes a second ref to help the original ref back into the ring, Steiner with the pin. 1... 2... 3... and that is that.

Not much to write home about, not a ton of action, just a lot of heel work from Steiner to annoy the crowd. Then Frankensteiner was the difference. Oh wait what’s this, replays show an illegal object was used by Steiner during the Suplex, no wonder Booker was knocked out cold! Didn’t see that the first time around. Steiner really heeling it up tonight! Steiner is the new US champion!

WINNER - NEW US CHAMPION, SCOTT STEINER BY FOREIGN OBJECT PUNCH

GOLDBERG v KEVIN NASH

By Matt Connolly

This weeks viewing gives me a match that is going to be the definition of hit or miss. Two wrestlers I loved as a kid in Goldberg and Kevin Nash but two wrestlers whose output can be inconsistent. This match takes place in 99. Had it happened a year earlier I would of been way more intrigued but I'm hopeful still.

Nash out first to his banging Wolfpac intro. I use to have a Nitro ring as a kid and if you pressed the middle button it would do a 3 count and then play this music. Needless to say that my wrestling toy federation was always keen to put Nash over with his entrance cued up. Nash looks good here. Firstly, he's massive. Secondly he is donning the red Wolfpac attire of red leather trousers and black NWO vest with red lettering. Thirdly he has the best golden mane in the business. It's a hot look and the crowd are going bananas for him. He doesn't look like he gives a hoot. In tow are Miss Elizabeth and Lex Luger so I'm already getting a strong whiff of shenanigans.

Next out is Goldberg. The music we all know hits and the crowd start a chorus of his name. Not the loudest you will ever hear I must say but 99 had seen a little shine taken of Goldberg post first defeat. No Cops banging on his door either which is a major disappointment. He does still come with the usual pyro display and looks intense enough to make me believe he means business.

Bell rings and as it looks like we are going to get this under way Nash asks for a Mic. He says like 3 sentences but I can't hear any of it. I don't know if it's my copy or not but whatever it is it feels pointless as nothing changes in the set up of this match. The two men circle each other and do the stare down stuff these big men matches should always have. Makes a fight feel huge. Crowd sound like they are digging it. Early stages see Goldberg forced into the corner before huge knees and a couple big rights for measure from Nash. Then he gets that big leg up in a move that his quads would later not allow him to do. Looks impressive in this era though.

Nash dominates with a series of repetitive moves in the corner before Miss Elizabeth gets on the apron. This distraction allows Nash to hit a low blow on Goldberg. So far Big Bill hasn't landed anything and is now to the mat for the first time following the illegal shot. Nash continues on top. A side walk slam gets him a two and a half. Chants of "We Want Sting" start to appear. Something needs to break this because it's fairly plodding so far.

More strikes and chokes from Nash but eventually we do get a shoulder block from Goldberg after Nash misses a big boot. Is this the sea change this match needs? Goldberg hits a suplex. Impressive considering Nash's frame. Nash tries to swing at Goldberg but he evades before striking back with shots of his own, culminating in a stiff looking kick to the chin. The Crowd start to rise and become invested as Goldberg retreats to a corner and starts to stalk Nash with a spear in mind. Nash manages to leapfrog though and instead the ref gets speared out of his boots. Think we might be about to pull into Shenanigan City folks.

I was right. Luger enters and connects with a chair shot on Goldberg's back. Interestingly he holds the chair upside down so he cant get a proper swing and it does look a bit naff. Nash pulls down the straps on his top and a few of the female fans are audibly excited by the extra flesh we can feast our eyes on. As he looms over Goldberg this seems like it could be all over but Goldberg grabs his package! With real venom too. Luger enters but receives an atomic drop and big boot from Goldberg. Goldberg turns his attentions back to Nash and cuts him in half with a spear and the crowd sense a finish. Their noise levels increase dramatically post spear.

JACKHAMMER!!!! This one is over. Goldberg's music hits and we can all sleep tonight knowing the good guy won! It was fine. It didn't go long and any longer would of made this a drag but most Goldberg finishes are great even if I have seen them all before.

WINNER - GOLDBERG BY JACKHAMMMMMMER!

WCW CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: RIC FLAIR (C) v DDP v HULK HOGAN v STING

By Nineties Mike

I feel like I should begin this review with a bit of history regarding the rather large gaps in my wrestling knowledge. The very first time I saw any of what is now called sports entertainment was when my mate from school put on a video of Wrestlemania 6 at his house, and I was instantly hooked. Most weekends we would gather at his and watch the latest wrestling his older brother had taped and pretty soon the group got bigger and bigger.

I vividly remember Survivor Series 1990, with Undertakers debut and Bret Hart visibly shouting “Fuck” when the Million Dollar Man won the match for his team. However, we went to different secondary schools, drifted apart and my avenue into wrestling was suddenly removed!

After this, the only wrestling I saw was when the family across the street let us go and visit, and again I found a friend with an interest in these larger-than-life characters and their soap opera lives. Tragedy struck again when she moved away just after Wrestlemania 8 and I was again adrift, left with just the late-night WCW shows on ITV featuring Johnny B Badd and Van Hammer EVERY BLOODY WEEK.

I soon forgot about wrestling and concentrated on girls, beer and football. However, when a certain Lee Wezz started working at Virgin Megastores in 2006, we, for some reason, mentioned wrestling and suddenly I had another way into the business. Wrestlemania parties at my flat, joined by Brother Sam, involved the aforementioned beer, Smackdown on PS2 and late-night pops over numerous Mania moments.

Since then I’ve been firmly sucked back in, and I try whenever possible to fill in the gaps. The reason for this (probably overlong) intro is to explain that my cupboard of WCW knowledge is rather bare. Thanks to the likes of the Wrestlecrap and Death of WCW books, whenever I think of WCW PPVs, I shiver a little bit. Overbooking, repetitive match-ups, ancient old-timers, pick your poison. So, it is with a fair amount of trepidation that I approach the main event of Spring Stampede ’99. A four corners match between long-time headliners with a special guest referee? I think that’s WCW PPV bingo, no?!

Couple of bits of trivia (thanks internet): This was Savage’s first WCW PPV appearance since The Great American Bash 1998, and the first Sting appeared in WCW since Halloween Havoc 1998. It is also the first PPV event to utilise the new WCW logo. Ric Flair is walking into this match as champion, and for those counting, it’s reign No. 14!

Here are the introductions. The rules here are pretty simple: All four men in the ring at the same time, the first fall wins the WCW world title! Our special guest ref is out first, and Savage is joined by Gorgeous George, and she is GORGEOUS. Quips from Schiavone and Heenan about who they’re actually looking at, but Mike Tenay is all business and sells the match we’re all here for. Schiavone points out that Savage has been both friend and foe of all four men involved.

The champ is out next, and there is a smattering of boos for the Nature Boy, but he couldn’t give a damn as he strolls to the ring all smiles. DDP out next, and the master of the Diamond Cutter gets a pretty average response to be honest! Awhooo! Here comes NWO Wolfpac representative, Hollywood Hulk Hogan. I’m sure he should be getting booed, but it sounds like quite a good crowd reaction, until Sting walks out, and the crowd goes wild!

Savage signals for the bell and all four men go at it, swapping opponents, before Hogan sends Flair outside and DDP sends Hulk flying after him. Hogan crashes Flair’s forehead against the barrier, and Sting almost gets the Scorpion Death-lock wrapped on DDP, but he forces the rope break. Two battles going on makes this pretty hard to recap, but I’ll keep at it (for SEVENTEEN MINUTES).

The first pin of the match is by DDP on Sting for a comfortable 2-count. Hogan with chops, an eye rake, and now a weight belt shot on the outside, while Sting hits DDP with a clothesline on the ground and one from the top rope. Stinger Splash! It could be over, says Heenan… Flair in to break up the pin at 2. Now it’s DDP vs Hulk and Flair vs Sting. Big clothesline from Hulk. Sting launches Flair from the top rope and he comes crashing down, and Hogan takes advantage sneaking in a few rabbit punches. Now Sting and DDP are outside exchanging blows, with DDP getting the better of the exchanges. Flair with some vintage chops to Hogan, but Hogan has his belt out again, before a back body drop and clotheslines see the Hulkster firmly in control.

More punches and an Irish Whip and follow-up clothesline see yet more vintage Flair as he hits the deck. Hogan puts his weight belt back on, but that distracts him enough for Flair to get him with a thumb to the eye. Chops from the Nature Boy but Hogan is Hulking up! Punches big boot, leg-drop! Sting has DDP in the Scorpion Death-lock in the middle of the ring, though! He abandons the submission move to break up the pin, and he really had no choice there. Flair attacks Hogan’s knee and smells blood, weakening him in anticipation of the Figure Four Leglock.

DDP and Sting are a bit of an afterthought here as cameras focus on the two warring veterans. The Figure Four is on and Savage is checking. DDP and Sting seem oblivious as they kick seven shades out of each other on the outside. Hogan reverses it, but Page is finally in and breaks up the hold before several kicks to Hogan’s bad knee. DDP gets rid of Flair and continues the assault on Hogan’s leg, wrapping the Figure Four around the ring post!!!

Hogan is in trouble here. Sting, according to Schaivone, is trying to pull DDP off. Not sure that’s allowed in the rules?! The hold is broken eventually and Flair, back in the ring suddenly, wants to attack Hogan. Savage calls for the trainer and Hogan, they’re telling us, is done. I smell a rat. Bischoff out now to aid Hogan’s exit.

So, we’re down to a three-way, and DDP is just standing watching Flair and Sting exchange their big moves and wear each other out. Sting knocks Flair out of the ring and when his back is turned, DDP strikes and gets a big 2-count. Clotheslines and an elbow drop get another 2-count. DDP tries to stop Flair getting in, but fails. Spinning heel kick gets DDP another 2-count though and Flair rolls out. Page back to dominating Sting with big elbows in the corner, but sting reverses an Irish whip and hits another stinger splash.

Another reversal and DDP almost manages to hit the Diamond Cutter, but gets a faceplant for his troubles. Flair is back in the action momentarily, but DDP chucks him out, reverses Sting’s tombstone piledriver attempt into one of his own and that must be it… but Flair touches DDP and he rolls off. DDP launched by Flair into the barrier outside and thinks he’s going to have the upper hand on Sting, but Sting rallies and a HUGE super-plex leaves Flair writhing. The Stinger has taken a fair brunt of that and a very slow crawl to a pin only gets another 2-count.

A backdrop gets Flair a VERRRY slow 2-count from Savage. Oh god. Flair slaps a sleeper on Sting and DDP gets in on the action with a sleeper on Flair! Who will fade first? Double jawbreaker from Sting and everyone releases and has a breather. Ridiculously quick 10-count from Savage and all are wearily up at 8 ½. DDP and Flair team up with chops and punches to Sting’s chest and face before no-selling and hitting them both with a flying double clothesline!

Punches and chops are returned with interest by Sting, laying his opponents out. Faceplant to DDP and Stinger Splash to Flair. Scorpion Death-lock on the Nature Boy, but DDP clobbers Sting and goes for a suplex. Sting reverses though into a Scorpion Death-drop and all three are down again. Flair is up and attacks Stings legs before locking on the Figure Four. As Sting writhes in agony, DDP isn’t even looking at his opponents!

Heenan implores him to, but Sting tries to reverse the figure four, only for Flair to roll through like the wily veteran he is. Sting grabs the ropes but Flair refuses to relinquish the hold, so Savage drags them both (still tangled) into the middle of the ring! What’s going on? Heenan, Schaivone and Tenay demand to know, too! Savage is going up top! Vintage elbow-drop from the Macho One to Flair and the crowd has gone berserk! Randy lies on the top turnbuckle and then starts a ten-count as all three competitors are down and out. DDP is (kind of) up and the count is broken.

He goes after Sting and kicks leave him in the corner. Flair loiters, sneaks a thumb to the eye, goes for a chop, but DDP ducks and HITS THE DIAMOND CUTTER! Surely not? ONE, TWO, THREE! We have a new champ! Page pins The Nature Boy clean in the middle!

Macho Man hands him the belt and gets going. Page celebrates and leaves Flair and Sting wondering where it all went wrong in the ring. Odd that they never really showed DDP having a big celebration and ended the show abruptly. Well, it was hard to follow with four of them. The exit of Hogan, I felt, made the match more focussed, and they were able to tell their story.

Flair looked distraught after the match, and well he should be. He had Sting in the figure four only for our special guest referee to get himself involved and potentially cost Flair the title. This wasn’t as bad as I feared, but I was looking at the clock for the last five minutes willing it to end before they all got wiped out.

WINNER - NEW WCW CHAMPION, DDP BY DIAMOND CUTTER