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This is a really bastardized version of the show. It was originally an hour-long when it aired on TBS but somehow it has been cut down to under 20-minutes. Having your main event feature Chris Benoit is a cause for this, I’m sure, as well as the usual cuts that are made to these shows. As a point of reference – this is shorter than 11 of the individual matches that were featured during January 2012’s Viewer’s Choice Month.
We start with a clip from Great American Bash with Bischoff asking Hall and Nash if they still work for WWE and they say they don’t before attacking Bischoff. Tony and Dusty are here and they can’t believe what happened at Great American Bash. Dusty calls Hall and Nash’s actions an “assassination on a company.” Dusty says they fired a shot of their own against Hall and Nash and WCW has chosen the three men and the battle ground to fight this war.
-The Taskmaster (w/Jimmy Hart) vs. Pat Tanaka-
Sullivan attacks early and dumps Tanaka. He hits him with a chair before sending him into the steel barricade. He sends him right through the entrance and to the outside where they are both counted out at 0:36. Well, that was terrible. DUD.
-Konnan(c) vs. VK Wallstreet for the US Title-
Konnan tells Flair to come and get his US title when they meet up next. Why would Flair want to go after the US Title? Konnan flips over Wallstreet and clotheslines him down. He is sent to the corner but jumps to the second turnbuckle to stop and gets a missile dropkick for two. He charges in the corner but Wallstreet blocks with raised boots. VK tosses Konnan to the outside where he gets in some shots. VK hits a flying clothesline in the ring for two. He goes to the sleeper, which usually isn’t too effective 2-minues into a match. Konnan’s almost out but Konnan manages to escape. VK goes old-school with an airplane spin and tries for a piledriver but Konnan rolls through it for the pinfall at 3:20. We get a quick cut to the next match so that no mention of Benoit is made.
-Harlem Heat vs. Fire & Ice-
Booker and Ice Train start this off though they do nothing of note. Norton tags in to face off Stevie Ray and Norton manages a big shoulderblock for two. He avalanches Stevie in the corner before throwing some chops. Norton is sent to the ropes where Booker knees him in the back. Norton knocks Booker off the apron but turns his back on his opponent. Stevie super-kicks Norton down and Harlem Heat takes control. Booker gets a super-kick of his own for two. Booker goes upstairs and tries a crossbody but Norton catches him with an atomic drop (which Schiavone calls a powerbomb and it is DUSTY who corrects him!) and he’s able to tag in Ice Train. Train gets a flying clothesline on Stevie Ray and follows with a powerslam. Norton wants the tag and Ice seems confused. Booker dropkicks Train in the back and Norton is sent off the apron. Booker gets his axe kick on Train and Stevie covers for the pinfall at 5:06. You know the Fire & Ice break-up was inevitable! Train had his hand on the ropes when he was pinned, too. This wasn’t terrible but I wouldn’t call it close to good, either. Train was too confused when Norton put his hand out for the tag and really made the match seem ridiculous. *.
-Madusa vs. Debbie Combs-
Madusa is of course famous for dumping the WWE Women’s Title into the garbage on Nitro, which probably permanently banned her from the WWE forever. I’ve never heard of Combs but I can tell you her flesh-colored outfit is awful. Debbie pulls Madusa down by the hair (I almost typed Blayze!) before bodyslamming her down for one. Madusa misses a dropkick from the second rope and Combs misses a splash from the second rope as well. Madusa manages a roll-up to end this at 1:35. This was worse than the Taskmaster match.
We go back to the Great American Bash where Bischoff asks Hall and Nash if they work for the WWE. Hall says they don’t but the two of them and their third partner will slice up WCW. Bischoff goes to asks Nash a question but Hall wonders who the three WCW guys are they will be facing. Bischoff says he’ll tell them tomorrow but that doesn’t sit well with Hall. He attacks Bischoff and Nash actually powerslams Bischoff through a table set up next to the entrance. The first shot was fired!
-The Bottom Line-
This was beyond awful and was only saved by the footage of the Bash and the beginnings of the biggest angle in WCW history. At least it went by quickly!
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