This Day In Wrestling History - July 9

Date: July 9, 2000 (14 years ago)

Event: WCW's final Bash at the Beach PPV featured Vince Russo's infamous "shoot promo" on Hulk Hogan that was supposed to lead to warring factions in WCW. However, the plans fell through when Russo, Hogan, and Eric Bischoff were not on the same page. Fast-forward nine months and WCW was out of business.

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WCW Bash at the Beach PPV Report
July 9, 2000
Originally Published: Torch #611
Report by Wade Keller, PWTorch editor

Tony Schiavone, Mark Madden, and Scott Hudson introduced the program.

(1) Lt. Loco (Chavo Guerrero Jr.) beat Juventud Guererra at 12:05 to retain the WCW Cruiserweight Title. Juvi stalled outside the ring for a minute early in the match. When he tried to re-enter, Chavo backdropped him. They exchanged solid highspots for a few minutes. The Filthy Animals snuck to ringside wearing Halloween masks. The ref ordered them to the back. Juvi set up the People's Elbow at 10:00 for a two count. MIA came to the ring wearing Halloween masks. The ref was distracted as Juvi went for a pin. Chavo Jr. scored a very near fall after an inverted powerbomb. Juvi followed with a Juvidriver for a very near fall. Chavo Jr. then hit a tornado DDT for the pin. For some reason, Chavo's matches just don't seem to gain sustained momentum despite otherwise being well-executed. (***)

Backstage Jeff Jarrett confronted The Cat, wondering if Hulk Hogan showed up at the arena yet. Cat said if he didn't, he would find a new opponent for him.

(2) Big Vito beat Ralphus & Norman Smiley at 5:51 to retain the Hardcore Title. At 3:40, after the usual backstage prop fighting, Vito threw Norman into an elevator. Ralphus, bleeding from the forehead from some trash can shots, returned to the ring. Vito chased him and threw him into the ring. Vito nailed Ralphus with a cane and followed with a splash off the top rope through a table for the win. Okay for what it was. (*)

They showed Goldberg walking around with Hall's contract in his back pocket. Gene Okerlund interviewed Kevin Nash backstage. Nash got emotional as he talked about what was at stake in his match against Goldberg. Nash made a shoot comment about how after jackhammering him, he'll "conduct a survey since those seem to piss you off."

(3) Daphne beat Miss Hancock (w/David Flair). Hancock teased a stink face. They fought near the wedding cake to which Madden said he didn't know what he'd do if they got frosting on themselves because he was already excited. The women stripped both David and the ref of their pants. Hancock tried to strip Daphne of her dress. Crowbar entered the ring and beat up David, then dropped off his pants to his boxers to join in the fun, apparently. Hancock took off her wedding gown voluntarily, so Daphne won the match. Daphne then threw cake in the face of Hancock. All four got into a cake fight at ringside. David dragged Hancock to the back. An entertaining mess. (*)

Backstage Cat thought outloud about booking Jarrett against Ox Baker if Hogan didn't show up. The announcers acknowledged rumors of Hogan no-showing the event. Hudson said he lives close enough to walk to the event.

(4) Kronic beat Shawn Stasiak & Chuck Palumbo at 13:40 when Adams pinned Stasiak to capture the WCW Tag Team Titles. Palumbo escaped Clark's Meltdown and turned it into a DDT. These two teams exposed each other's weaknesses and failed to generate any chemistry. Lots of mistimed moves and almost no grace in any execution. It had rookie indy match written all over it from bell to bell. Adams and Palumbo were especially clumsy. If you want to get drunk quickly playing a drinking game, take a shot for every clumsy missed move in this match. Kronic gave Palumbo a High Time double chokeslam, then set up Stasiak for a top rope clothesline for the win. (DUD)

Jarrett threatened to start screwing with Cat's show. Cat heard Japanese music, then the Jung Dragons attacked him from behind.

(5) Positively Kanyon pinned Booker at 10:05. Booker found a brick in the book Kanyon brought to ringside. Later, Kanyon hit Booker with the Positively Kanyon book (minus the brick) for a near fall. The announcers had to explain that the force of Kanyon's strength was enough to knock out Booker since the camera showed the brick still sitting separately at ringside. Booker got up with the Spin-a-Roonie and then Booker hit Kanyon with a wheel kick (which the announcers continue to inaccurately, year after year, call a sidekick). Jarrett came out and nailed Booker with a guitar leading to the Kanyon Cutter off the second rope for the finish. Good action, but far from a stand-out match. (**3/4)

(6) Mike Awesome beat Scott Steiner at 9:23 by DQ and Cat stripped Steiner of the U.S. Hvt. Title. Solid, stiff, compelling action. Late in the match Steiner set up the Steiner Recliner, Cat stood on the ring apron and said, "Oh no you don't!" Steiner knocked Cat off the apron. Awesome took advantage of the moment and slammed Steiner to the mat and bridged into a two count. Awesome then went to the top rope and landed with a frog splash. He set up a powerbomb, but Scott powered out of it. Steiner threw a back elbow, but it knocked Awesome into the ref. Cat entered the ring to kick Steiner, but Steiner ducked and the kick KO'd Awesome. Steiner knocked Cat out of the ring, then went for the pin. Awesome kicked out. Steiner hit a belly-to-belly and again set up the Recliner, but Cat told Steiner he was going to strip him of the title if he applied the move. Cat ordered the ref to DQ Steiner. Cat took the U.S. Title belt with him. Scott hit Cat from behind, then returned to the ring and nailed Awesome with a back suplex. Steiner posed after the match. (***)

(8) Vampiro beat Demon (w/Asya) in a graveyard match at 7:00. Vampiro popped out of a tree. Schiavone established that the winner is whoever makes it back to the arena and survives the graveyard. At 3:00, when Vamp had Demon down, he dragged her away and said he gave her a chance to be saved. Demon got up and asked the ref where Vamp went. Demon went looking for Asya. He found her, but then Vamp came up out of the water and dragged Demon into it. Vamp again dragged Asya away. When Demon finally got out of the water, he chased after Asya. He found her knocked out next to a coffin. Vamp popped out of the coffin and spewed mist in his face. Vamp asked Demon, "Are you ready to live or die? Are you going to join me? You couldn't beat me; you should have joined me." He shattered a tombstone over his head. Vamp put Demon into a casket and then dumped into an open grave at 7:30. Barely entertaining for the novelty of it. [NR]

They then jumped right to an Okerlund interview with Shane Douglas with no transition, as if they couldn't wait to get past that momentum-killing (what momentum) match.

(9) Shane Douglas pinned Buff Bagwell at 7:55. Before the match, Douglas guaranteed a victory. At 5:33 Torrie Wilson came out and slapped Douglas. Bagwell rolled up Douglas for a nearfall. Torrie entered the ring and made out with Buff, but then when Buff turned around, Torrie kicked him between the legs from behind. Douglas laughed and gave Buff the Pittsburgh Plunge for a nearfall. Douglas was shocked he didn't win. Buff came back and gave Douglas a DDT for a nearfall. When Buff went onto the second rope for a Buff Blockbuster, Torrie interfered. Buff shoved her off the ropes. Douglas then gave Bagwell a jawbreaker variation for the pin. Douglas and Torrie made out after the match. (*3/4)

They showed Hogan backstage. The announcers proclaimed, "He's here! Okerlund interviewed Jarrett who said Plan A is on since Hogan was there. Jarrett said Hogan has made many enemies over the years so it's not hard to find allies.

(10) Hulk Hogan pinned Jeff Jarrett (w/Vince Russo). Jarrett's music played for over a minute and there was no sign of him. Instead, Russo made a surprise return to the ring. Jarrett then came out. Hogan's music played and he came out on cue. Russo paced at ringside doing his best Vince McMahon "serious business" impression. Hogan cut a pre-match promo. Jarrett stalled before entering the ring. When the bell rang, Jarrett lay on his back for Hogan. Russo held up the WCW Title and threw it into the ring, then walked to the back. "I think we are deviating from the norm here, deviating from the script," Madden said. "I hesitate to say that, but what the hell is going on?" Hogan asked for the mic. "Is this your deal, Russo?" Hogan said. "That's why this company's in the damn shape it's in because of bullshit like this." Hogan then put his foot on Jarrett's chest and the ref counted to three. Jarrett immediately rolled out of the ring without even making eye contact with Hogan and returned to the back. The announcers said that isn't something that they went over in the production meeting. "There are swerves and there are swerves," Schiavone said. "We've all been swerved."

The announcers discussed what happened. They went backstage where Vampiro walked right past Hogan without looking at him. Vampiro returned to the ring officially declare Demon dead. By returning to the ring, he apparently became the official winner. Fans chanted, "We want Sting." Vamp said, "I told you Sting is dead. I finished him!" The Druids came to the ring carrying a casket with them. A person popped out of the casket wearing a Sting mask. Sting's music played, to which Madden declared therefore it must be Sting. The mystery man hit Vamp with a baseball bat and then disappeared.

Vince Russo returned to the ring and said there is only one way for him to address what happened and that is to say what really happened. Russo said he left WCW three weeks ago because he was tired of dealing with the bullshit in the back. He said he has a wife and three kids and doesn't need to deal with this bullshit. He said he decided to come back for all the guys in the locker room who care about WCW, such as Booker T, The Misfits, and The Animals. He said Hogan is the worst of the politicians. He said he played politics with Hogan all day and is sick of it because Hogan kept playing his creative control card. He said Hogan has the belt, but it might as well be called the Hulk Hogan Memorial Title. He said Jarrett is still the official WCW Champion. He sang Jarrett's praises as working his ass off for the company. He said the fans were going to get their money's worth. He said Booker has been working his ass off for WCW for 14 years, so he would get a title shot against the still-WCW-Champion Jeff Jarrett later that night.

(11) Goldberg beat Kevin Nash at 5:15. At 3:00 Steiner came to the ring to cheer on Nash. He grabbed Hall's contract off the ringside table and showed it to Nash as inspiration. At 4:00 Nash came back with a side powerslam. Goldberg came back and attempted a spear, but Nash sidestepped him. Nash grabbed his shoulder and writhed in pain. At 4:55 Steiner entered the ring and attacked Nash. Goldberg then speared Nash and executed the Jackhammer and scored the pin. Goldberg ripped up Hall's contract. Steiner and Goldberg high-fived after the match. (*1/2)

Okerlund interviewed Booker backstage. Booker said Vince Russo gave him an opportunity and he is going to do his best to become WCW Champion. Hudson said Goldberg vs. Nash was supposed to be the final match of the night, but now there is another bonus match. Madden said Jarrett and Booker are the types of people who Hogan has held down and the winner of the match was going to be WCW Champion.

(12) Booker T pinned Jeff Jarrett at 13:36. At 3:15 they began touring the crowd, then returned to ringside 90 seconds later. Jarrett piledrove Booker on the table. At 6:30 in the ring Jarrett applied a sleeper. At 8:30 Jarrett went for the figure-four, but Booker small packaged him for a two count. Jarrett came right back and applied a figure-four. Jarrett still played the heel during the match, yelling at the crowd and using heel tactics. Booker came back with an axe kick (that barely grazed Jarrett) and a sidewalk slam for a two count. Booker went for another kick, but Jarrett side-stepped it. At 11:30 Jarrett reversed Booker into the ref in the corner. Jarrett went to hit Booker with the belt, but Booker ducked and knocked Jarrett down. The ref came to, but Jarrett kicked out. Jarrett got a chair and set it up in the corner, but Booker reversed Jarrett into it for another near fall. The crowd reacted to the nearfalls. Jarrett took out the ref and then got his guitar, but Booker reversed it and scored a pin on Jarrett. (***)

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

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