WCW Sin PPV Flashback
January 14, 2011 - 10 years ago
Top Ten Things To Know

(1) Significance: Next-to-last WCW PPV ever, with Greed to follow on March 18, 2001.

(2) Main Event: Scott Steiner pinned Sid to win a three-way match with Jeff Jarrett to capture the WCW Hvt. Title.

(3) Best Match: Jung Dragons (Kaz Hayashi & Jimmy Yang w/Leah Meow) beat Evan Karagias & Jaime Knoble. (****)

(4) Opening Match: Chavo Guerrero pinned Shane Helms to retain the WCW Cruiserweight Title.

(5) Nash & Page Tandem: Chuck Palumbo & Sean O'Haire beat Kevin Nash & Dallas Page to capture the WCW Tag Team Titles.

(6) You Knew WCW Was In Trouble When: Dwayne Bruce (Buddy Lee Parker) teamed with Goldberg vs. Lex Luger & Buff Bagwell in the semi-main event.

(7) Big Six-Man Tag: Lance Storm & Mike Awesome & Prime Time (w/Major Gunns) defeated Rey Mysterio, Jr. & Konnan & Kidman.

(8) Hardcore Title Match: Meng beat Terry Funk and Crowbar to capture the Hardcore Title.

(9) Anyone Currently In TNA: Scott Steiner, Jeff Jarrett, Daffney, Mike Tenay.

(10) Anyone Currently In WWE: Rey Mysterio, Chavo Guerrero, Billy Kidman (agent), Jamie Noble (agent).

***

WCW Sin
January 14, 2001
Indianapolis, Ind. at Conseco Fieldhouse
Report by Wade Keller, PWTorch editor

Tony Schiavone introduced WCW Sin as the first WCW PPV of 2001 and the beginning of a new era for WCW. Scott Hudson joined Schiavone on color...

(1) Chavo Guerrero Jr. pinned Shane Helms at 11:14 to retain the WCW Cruiserweight Title. Shane Helms and Shannon Moore shook hands backstage before the match. Schiavone referred to Helms's progress in recent months as the "coming of age of a superstar." Chavo Jr. hit Helms with two hard chops that popped the crowd. Chavo is carrying himself much more like a serious wrestler since leaving the MIA and holding the title. Chavo dominated through the first six minutes. The match was compelling not because of rapid fire reliance on highspots, but because they picked their spots. The match seemed competitive and the wrestlers seemed to be trying to win, and as a result the crowd was really into it. Helms made a comeback at 6:30 and scored a near fall which the crowd counted along with. In the end, despite a Chavo attempt to block, Helms hit his Nightmare on Helms Street, but Chavo kicked out. The announcers wondered if anyone had kicked out of that before. Helms postured long enough to give Chavo a chance to come back with a brainbuster suplex for the pin. (***1/2)

As Ric Flair got out of his limo in the arena parking area, Mike Tenay asked him who the mystery man was. Flair said the man's identity must remain a mystery. He refused to give him any hints. "This guy will rock Scott Steiner's world at the foundation," Flair concluded.

(2) Reno pinned Big Vito at 8:43. Vito worked to get the crowd on his side early in the match. At 3:30 they fought to ringside. Hudson stressed that these two were brothers beating on each other. Reno put Vito out with the Roll of the Dice. Nothing good really stood out in the match. Solid action, but it seemed to be a bit of a struggle at times for them to get through their spots. (**)

Backstage Mike Sanders talked to a shadowy Brian Adams. Sanders handed Adams an envelope as payment to do what he wants. Bryan Clark showed up with a wad of more money, which meant Sanders was outbid.

(3) The Jung Dragons (Kaz Hayashi & Yang w/Leah Meow) beat Evan Karagias & Jaime Knoble when Yang pinned Knoble at 9:25. At 1:00 the Dragons hit a nice double springboard moonsault from the top rope onto Knoble and Karagias on the floor. Hot opening couple of minutes of smooth highspots and stiff, hard-hitting action. Evan pressed Kaz and turned it into a spinebuster at 5:00 and scored a near fall; Yang broke up the pin. Kaz nailed Knoble with a great looking roundhouse kick after avoiding a pin attempt by Knoble. Yang hot-tagged in and cleared the ring of both Knoble and Karagias. Yang gave Knoble the legwhip and then went for a leglock, but Karagias intervened. Knoble surprised Yang with a Dragon Suplex for a two count. Chaos continued as Evan dove off the top rope onto Kaz at ringside. Knoble went for a huracanrana off the top rope, but Yang blocked it and turned it into a top rope powerbomb. Evan made the save. Evan hit a 450 splash on Yang for a two count. Kaz flew over the top rope and DDT'd Evan and applied an inverted Crossface. Knoble made the save. Yang missed a moonsault on Knoble. Yang surprised Knoble with an inside cradle for the pin. Evan and Knoble attacked the Dragons after the match. Great crisp, non-stop action. (****)

(4) The Cat (w/Miss Jones) pinned Mike Sanders at 5:45 to become undisputed WCW Commissioner. The crowd was into the early exchanges between the two. At 2:15 Cat took Sanders down with a series of strong kicks. He then punched Sanders in the corner ten times as the crowd counted along. At 3:45 Sanders went for a sunset flip, but Cat blocked it. When Sanders was going to use a chair against Cat, Jones kicked him and then grabbed the chair and chased him into the ring. Shawn Stasiak and Mark Jindrak attacked Cat at ringside. Kronik then attacked the NBTs at ringside. Clark shoved Sanders's money in his mouth. Cat nailed Sanders with a 360 spinning roundkick and scored the pin. Cat and Jones danced after the match. Should have been better. (3/4*)

Backstage Flair showed Goldberg footage of Buff and Luger arriving at the arena and discussing match strategy. Flair said he had an idea. He wanted to make the match no-DQ. Goldberg was all for it. Flair then introduced Goldberg to the teenage son of a friend of his. Goldberg posed for a photo. That was a bit awkward as they stayed with the photo op the whole time, but it played into the angle coming up later in the show.

(5) Lance Storm & Mike Awesome & Prime Time (w/Major Gunns) defeated Rey Mysterio Jr. & Konnan & Kidman (w/Tigress) when Kidman tapped out to Storm at 13:10. Special ref Hacksaw Duggan explained the rules before the match that if anyone cheated or interfered, a member of the team would have to go to the penalty box. He said if they didn't listen to him when he ordered them into the penalty box, he would stuff them in there himself. Throughout the match Duggan sent various participants to the penalty box. In the end, Awesome gave Rey an Awesome bomb as Storm applied a Maple Leaf on Kidman in center ring. Kidman tapped out. Some good spots, and the penalty box stip was mildly amusing, but overall the match seemed a bit disjointed and the finish came off flat. (**)

Tenay interviewed the entire NBTs. Palumbo said he and Jindrak are the future of the business because in five years when Nash and Page are gone, they'll be ruling. O'Haire screamed and Tenay awkwardly called him "a sicko"... Page and Nash were shown stretching backstage...

(6) Meng beat Terry Funk and Crowbar at 11:39 to capture the Hardcore Title. Meng came to the ring with the stolen Hardcore Title belt. As Funk approached the ring, Dafney threw a glass of water in his face. Funk dragged her over the railing. Crowbar attacked Funk and dragged him into a women's bathroom. They hit each other with plastic trash cans. The bathroom was empty. Meng then joined in. They continued to bash each other and ram each other into walls. No sustained selling, of course. Crowbar dove onto Funk with an impressive legdrop through a table. They cut to a close-up of someone's arm rather than show the move. They replayed it later from a good angle. At 6:20 Meng went to suplex Crowbar on the stage, but Crowbar blocked it. Meng sidekicked Crowbar. Funk hit Meng with a snowshovel from behind. Funk slammed Crowbar onto a security railing, snapping the railing in half. In the ring Crowbar put Funk's ankle in a chair and stomped on it. Meng dove off the top rope and splashed Crowbar as he figure-foured Funk. At 10:00 Meng beat on Funk as Crowbar struggled to rise to his feet. Funk and Crowbar took turns hitting Meng in the head with chairs as Schiavone laughed. Yes, he laughed. There's nothing funnier than a wrestler taking stiff chairshots. When Funk held Meng for Crowbar to hit with a chair, Crowbar hit Funk instead. Meng hit Crowbar, then applied the Tongan Death Drop on Funk for the win. (*3/4)

Backstage Flair told Cat he is looking forward to working with him in the future. Flair told Cat to take the night off and have a great time partying all night. Flair said it was on him. He seemed eager for Cat to leave.

Okerlund interviewed Sid. He did that whisper stuff at the beginning of the interview, then went into cheesy facial expressions and cliches, and finally that psycho laugh.

(7) Chuck Palumbo & Sean O'Haire beat Kevin Nash & Dallas Page when O'Haire pinned Nash at 11:20 to capture the WCW Tag Team Titles. The rest of the Thrillers walked to the ring. Flair came out with Doug Dillinger and ordered everyone but those in the match to return to the back. Page worked with Palumbo in the first two minutes. O'Haire and Nash both tagged in. Nash took early advantage, but O'Haire fought back and flipped off the top rope over Nash and flattened Nash with a sidekick. He then hot-tagged Palumbo. Nash caught Palumbo and gave him Snake Eyes over the top turnbuckle at 4:30. Nash tagged in Page who hit Palumbo with a flying clothesline. Thanks to O'Haire's interference, Palumbo took over offense. Page played the sympathy card as he struggled to get to his feet. The NBTs kept Page from tagging Nash. At 9:30 Page got a hot-tag to Nash, who cleaned house on both NBTs. Stasiak, Reno, Sanders, and Jindrak ran to the ring. Luger entered the ringside area through the crowd, too. Nash gave Palumbo a Jackknife. As WCW security tried to keep the NBTs away from the ring, Page went after Luger in the crowd. Nash then Jackknifed Palumbo. Buff Bagwell then entered the ring and KO'd Nash with a wrench. O'Haire hit the Seanton Bomb on the KO'd Nash for the pin. Good action. Nash wasn't in much, but wasn't a liability when he was in. Page was good when working, but his predictable sympathy routine working toward a hot-tag is a bit overdone. (**3/4)

Flair entered a white limo with a smile on his face, completely oblivious to the fact that his orders for the NBT to stay away from the ring led to Buff's ability to interfere in the previous title match. Flair said it was showtime, implying he was about to fetch his surprise.

(8) Shane Douglas beat Gen. Rection at 11:35 to capture the U.S. Hvt. Title in a First Blood Match. Before the match Douglas said the U.S. Title is his stepping stone to a shot at Scott Steiners's WCW Title. Douglas had a chain hidden in the crotch of his tights and the ref reached down and grabbed them. Douglas was upset with being found out. Predictable, somewhat plodding match. They interacted with the crowd well between spots which kept the fans into it, although not at the level that they were reacting to everything during the early matches. Near the end Rection set up a ladder center ring, climbed it, and grabbed the chain hanging from the ceiling. Douglas, though, tipped the ladder, knocking Rection to the mat and also knocking over the ref. Douglas pulled a second chain out of his boots and busted Rection open. The ref recovered, saw the blood, and called for the bell. Totally acceptable match even this high on the card, although nothing special. (**1/2)

(9) Lex Luger & Buff Bagwell beat Goldberg & Dewayne Bruce when Luger pinned Goldberg at 11:30. Goldberg beat up Luger for the first two minutes, then called for Buff to tag in. Buff didn't look especially eager. Goldberg let Buff kick and punch him and then suplex him, but popped right back up a la Road Warrior Hawk. Buff danced, but Goldberg kicked him and pressed him into the air for a big pop. At 3:15 Goldberg tagged in Sarge to continue his beating on Buff. At 7:55 Sarge suplexed Buff and crawled toward Goldberg's corner. Buff tagged Lex, then Sarge tagged Goldberg right after. Goldberg cleaned house on both Luger and Buff. Luger grabbed the kid backstage who Luger took a picture with. When Goldberg went to save him, the kid sprayed something in Goldberg's eyes. Goldberg yanked the kid over the railing, but collapsed in pain. Luger gave the kid a high-five. The kid remained at ringside. As Buff and Luger double-teamed Goldberg (legally, since it's a no-DQ match), Goldberg fought back. Luger caught Goldberg with a stiff chairshot (and given WCW's investment in Goldberg, and his history of concussions, that's one move I'd outlaw if I had stake in WCW's success). Luger put Goldberg on his shoulders and Buff delivered a Blockbuster off the top rope. Luger then scored a pin on Goldberg. The crowd stood and appeared to be in stunned silence. (3/4*)

(10) Scott Steiner pinned Sid to win a three-way match with Jeff Jarrett at 7:58. Flair ordered the match to begin without the mystery opponent present yet. Sid opened with an embarrassing punch to Steiner. Sid sideslammed Jarrett at 1:00, then threw a pair of horrible clotheslines at Steiner and Jarrett. Sid then punched Steiner in the corner with terrible looking punches. A few minutes into the match, backstage Flair opened the door to the white limo and a man in a black bodysuit and white hockey mask walked out. When they cut back to the ring, Sid was on the mat clutching his leg. Steiner showed off with some push-ups. He then put his boot up against Sid's neck. Flair's music then started. Steiner stopped in his tracks and the mystery man walked to the ring. He joined Steiner in attacking Sid. He stomped him once. Steiner then covered Sid and scored the pin. The man then unmasked as Road Warrior Animal. Hudson and Schiavone said that Animal was Flair's surprise, and he turned his coat on Flair. With all of the ambiguous hints throughout the show that Flair might be turning heel, the announcers didn't pick up on that. Bad match. (DUD)

[Torch art credit Grant Gould (c) PWTorch.com]

We suggest these recent related articles...

WWE FLASHBACK: Kane character debuts 18 yrs. ago today in first-ever Hell in a Cell match - Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels

HIAC FLASHBACK: Kane beats Undertaker in HIAC match 5 yrs. ago today, plus Randy Orton vs. Sheamus for WWE Title

ROH FLASHBACK: The aftermath of Joe vs. Kobashi 10 years ago today