WCW Bash at the Beach PPV Flashback
July 9, 2000
Top 10 Things To Know!


(1) Relevance In 2010: TNA's Bound for Glory PPV tonight takes place at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, Fla., where this PPV took place.

(2) Context: Vince Russo cut a "shoot promo" on Hulk Hogan during the live PPV broadcast, with the segment hoping to spark WCW's business. WCW eventually went out of business nine months later.

(3) Main Event: Booker T beat Jeff Jarrett to become new WCW Hvt. champion.

(4) Best Matches: All three-stars - Chavo Guerrero beat Juventud Guererra to retain the WCW Cruiserweight Title, Mike Awesome beat Scott Steiner via DQ, Booker T pinned Jeff Jarrett.

(5) Worst Match: Kronic beat Shawn Stasiak & Chuck Palumbo, Vampiro beat Demon (w/Asya) in a graveyard match (DUD and N/A).

(6) Match You Could Still See In 2010: Hulk Hogan vs. Jeff Jarrett.

(7) Wrestlers Currently in WWE: Chavo Guerrero.

(8) Wrestlers/Talent Currently in TNA: Hulk Hogan, Vince Russo, Jeff Jarrett, Kevin Nash, Sting

(9) WCW PPV Announcers: Tony Schiavone, Mark Madden, Scott Hudson.

(10) When You Think "WCW 2000," You Think: Daphne beat Miss Hancock (w/David Flair).

***

WCW BASH AT THE BEACH PPV REPORT
July 9, 2000
Daytona Beach, Fla.
Report by Wade Keller, PWTorch editor

As Cat got out of his limo, the Jung Dragons attacked him. He fended them off. 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. (***)

(7) 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.

(8) 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 near fall. 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 near fall. Douglas was shocked he didn't win. Buff came back and gave Douglas a DDT for a near fall. 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…

(9) 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.

(10) 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.

(11) 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. (***)

***

PWTorch Newsletter Cover Story
HEADLINE: Hogan's WCW future in question after dispute
SUBHEADLINE: The scenario, which most believe is a work, could lead to a new "rival" promotion of WCW on TBS come fall
By Wade Keller, PWTorch editor

Was it a work or a shoot? It seems getting people to ask that question is among the top goals of Eric Bischoff and Vince Russo. Bischoff attempted a number of times to fool fans, reporters, and his own wrestlers and staff, most famously with the Brian Pillman "bookerman" incident where he refused to wrestle Kevin Sullivan on PPV. Russo, having been around first-hand for the 1997 Survivor Series incident where Vince McMahon swerved Bret Hart out of the WWF Title, has since wanted to be the mastermind behind a similar controversy.

Sunday they succeeded in creating such a situation. Wrestling insiders everywhere are wondering what exactly happened Sunday, how much of it was planned (all, some, or none), and what the implications will be. The mainstream wrestling fans, however, were not enthralled with the situation. The Nitro rating the day after the PPV drew a 2.6, down 0.2 from the June 26 rating. (Last week's 2.3 rating was unusually low due to the July 4 holiday weekend.)

At the PPV, when the Jeff Jarrett title defense against Hulk Hogan was about to begin, Jarrett dropped to his back. Hogan stood over him and looked confused. Russo climbed up the ring apron and yelled for Hogan to go ahead and pin Jarrett. Hogan laughed, as if to show disgust with Russo's unexpected attempt to show him up. Russo threw the belt into the ring and stormed to the back. Hogan asked for a mic, and one was handed to him. He said, "That's why the company's in the damn shape it's in because of bullshit like this." Hogan then put his foot on Jarrett's chest and indicated the ref should count to three. The ref did, and then he awarded Hogan the title belt. Jarrett rolled out of the ring immediately without making eye contact with Hogan and returned to the back.

They cut to the announcers who discussed what just happened. They threw out terms like "real life" and "deviating from the script." Then a camera backstage showed Vampiro approaching the entryway for his match. Conveniently, Hulk Hogan, accompanied by his son and his son's friends, walked past Vampiro presumably on their way out of the building.

After a Vampiro angle, Russo came out and gave an impassioned speech (see sidebar). He cut a promo on Hulk Hogan, blaming him for giving him headaches and holding back more deserving talent. Goldberg then wrestled Kevin Nash, then Booker T defeated Jarrett for the WCW Title.

If the incident was a work, it appears only three people were in on it: Russo, Hogan, and Eric Bischoff. Here is the elaborate scenario those three appear to have devised to get this angle over as being a "shoot."

The ostensible "plan" was for Hulk Hogan vs. Jeff Jarrett to take place. Hogan was booked to dominate Jarrett, bloody Jarrett, and powerbomb Jarrett through a table. Then, Scott Steiner was going to interfere on Jarrett's behalf. Jarrett would be DQ'd as a result of the interference. Rather than restart the match, or order a rematch that night, Jarrett was going to be forced to wrestle Booker T as punishment later that night. Booker T was scheduled to win the title either way.

All afternoon Hogan met with Russo and Bischoff in his bus. First he met with Bischoff alone, then with Russo alone, then with Bischoff alone, then with both of them. The "shoot storyline" is that "difficult negotiations" were taking place all afternoon among those three.

The turning point of the "negotiations" was supposedly when Hogan asked Russo what he had planned for him after the PPV. Russo told Hogan he had no plans for him, but he would figure something out. Hogan got upset because he gets paid per appearance on Nitro. Hogan, upset with Russo's lack of respect for his star-stature and value to WCW, invoked his "creative control" clause in his contract. He ordered WCW to let him win the WCW Title as revenge for them not having plans for him after the PPV. After all, if he won the PPV match, they'd have to come up with plans to use him.

Russo and Bischoff got upset with Hogan's powerplay, so goes the story, and then devised the plan to have Jarrett lie down in the ring for Hogan to pin him. Russo and Bischoff worked Jarrett into a lather by talking about how Hogan wasn't willing to do anything for Jarrett other than annihilate him and not give him any offense other than when Steiner interfered, and Jarrett went along with the plan to spite Hogan's selfishness.

Jarrett was on the "WCW Live" internet audio show after the PPV and said there may be more to it than meets the eye, but if there is, he doesn't know about it. He said it reminded him of the Survivor Series finish. He gave the impression that he was not part of any work. The backstage impression was that the angle was a shoot, but everyone had reserved skepticism. As time went on the next couple of days, people began piecing together elements of the story that made them believe it was a work, and that Russo, Bischoff, and Hogan were the only three in on the work.

If it was a work, sometime between the blow-up with Russo and Bischoff a few weeks ago and the PPV last night, a plan was devised to take advantage of the "publicity" and recreate a Survivor Series Bret Hart-Vince McMahon type scenario. Russo was part of the Shawn Michaels collapse on Raw, he was part of the Bret Hart swerve at the Survivor Series, and he has tried several such supposed shoot incidents since joining WCW. Sunday night's was considered the closest to replicating the Survivor Series '97 incident.

Hogan went on the Bubba the Love Sponge radio show on Monday morning and detailed what happened. He said what happened was a shoot and if he could, he would show up on Raw that night. Hogan said Russo didn't have any ideas for him, but still wanted him to put over Jarrett. Hogan said he agreed to a DQ win or even a job in the middle, but he would only do so if he knew plans that involved him for Nitro or the next PPV. Hogan said Russo stumbled for answers and said he was too old and didn't have any legs left. Hogan said Vince McMahon is 55 years old and tearing down houses. Hogan said he asked to get out of his contract in exchange for doing a job, and at that point Russo blew his top and left. Bischoff then met with Hogan and offered him a creative finish that Johnny Ace came up with.

He said when he went to the ring, he felt things weren't right. He said he cupped his ear to the crowd just to piss off Russo. Then when Jarrett went to his back when the bell rang, Hogan said he asked Jarrett to get up, but Jarrett said he had to do what the boss said. Hogan said he put his foot on Jarrett because he always preached to other wrestlers to do what is best for you and your family. When Hogan got to the back, he asked some of the other wrestlers where Russo was. None of them knew. Doug Dillinger then escorted him out of the arena. Hogan said he wanted to send his son and his friends to his limo and then confront Russo. When the host asked Hogan why Bischoff would go in on such a scenario if they have 50/50 power, Hogan said apparently Russo proved he has a bit more; he added he didn't know what Bischoff's deal was.

Hogan said he'd like to get a release and go to the WWF because Vince McMahon always knew how to use him. He said Kidman should be a big star since he jobbed to him, but Russo fed Kidman to Juventud Guerrera right after the Hogan feud, killing any momentum. He said Kidman was in over his head and he only got heat by being with women.

Despite being largely well-executed, and despite many people within WCW thinking it just might have been a "shoot," the popular theory within WCW paints a picture of an Eric Bischoff/Hulk Hogan masterplan that has been in the works for the past month. It's a plan that will lead to a separate promotion from WCW in September that will air on TBS and "compete" with WCW. It would likely begin with Bischoff, Hogan, and perhaps Hall, Nash, and others invading Nitro in September.

Here are two facts that lend credence to the September Invasion Theory: (1) Starting this week, Vince Russo has been put in charge of booking Nitro and the PPVs, while Ed Ferrara has been put in charge of writing Thunder. Terry Taylor, who is currently on vacation, will presumably help out in the writing of both shows. (2) Thunder, though, will be scaled back to a B-show for the next two months. Fewer big names will be on the show which will lead to a decrease in ratings.

The ostensible reason for the downshift in focus on Thunder is so Russo can totally concentrate on getting Nitro's ratings up and more competitive with Raw, plus use Thunder to give the younger wrestlers a chance to shine without being overshadowed by the bigger names. The suspected real reason for the change is that it will make it easier for Bischoff and Hogan to look like heroes come September when their "rival" promotion takes over the Thunder timeslot. In essence, Thunder is being sabotaged for two months in order to set the bar low for when Bischoff and Hogan take over the show in September. Bischoff and Hogan can show corporate suits the surge in ratings when they took over Thunder. Few corporate suits will dig deep enough to realize that the ratings were manipulated downward for the previous two months.

Bischoff made his big splash by signing away top stars from the WWF and turning Hulk Hogan heel and riding the NWO wave. Come September, WCW believes the WWF will be vulnerable because of the channel shift from USA to TNN. As a result, the theory is they are planning a major invasion angle of WCW similar to the Hall and Nash invasion of WCW Nitro.

The end result will be, perhaps, Brad Siegel making a storyline decision to give "the ratings-starved Thunder" to Bischoff and Hogan so they can do what they want and avoid butting heads with Russo. Then, Siegel will reason, Russo can do his thing without interference from Hogan and Bischoff. Or, perhaps Thunder will shift to Bischoff and Hogan's control as a result of a big match on Nitro.

The wrestlers who may be part of a Bischoff/Hogan-led faction/promotion have been, one-by-one, disappearing from WCW in recent days and weeks, such as Dallas Page, Kimberly, Lex Luger, and Elizabeth. At Sunday's PPV, the groundwork was laid for Hall and Nash to be part of the Invasion. Goldberg beat Nash which meant Hall's WCW contract was ripped up. The official line out of WCW is that Hall "will never work for WCW again." Nash, meanwhile, was nowhere to be seen on Nitro on Monday. Perhaps wrestlers who have been shelved in recent months such as Brian Knobs, Roddy Piper, and Dustin Runnels will also show up in September.

The gameplan may be that every week or so a new wrestler will jump from WCW to the new Bischoff-Hogan group, and the hope is that it will recreate the type of tense "who will jump this week?" anticipation that was the trademark of Bischoff's glory days (e.g. Hall, Nash, X-Pac, Jeff Jarrett, Ted DiBiase, Mike Rotunda, etc.).

The official stance behind the scenes in WCW has been silence ostensibly due to a "legal gag order" from Siegel and WCW's legal department. The gag order is convenient because it provides an excuse to ignore the controversial situation rather than having to explain it - and lie about it to keep the "secret" in tact.

Meanwhile, Bischoff is back home in Phoenix, Ariz. and was not at TVs this week. He has not spoken officially since walking out of the arena after the Hogan incident at the PPV on Sunday. WCW announced Tuesday night that Bischoff is "taking some time off to allow Russo room to work." WCW needed a reason that Bischoff wasn't around until September. "Giving Russo room to work" seems plausible enough.

The September "Bischoff/Hogan invasion" scenario is just an educated theory based on nothing more than WCW personnel putting pieces together, but it is the most popular belief behind the scenes right now. Some believe it is the plan, without question. There are still many who believe there is a chance the situation may have actually been a "shoot" - to one degree or another - and not part of a larger scheme.

Vince Russo is at TVs, and he is insisting that this is not a work (it's actually possible Russo was worked and that Hogan and Bischoff have manipulated Russo knowing his temperament and predictability).

Hogan is "demanding a release from his contract" as a result of what happened Sunday and, as was the case with the Brian Pillman-Eric Bischoff orchestrated worked-shoot years ago, lawyers are sending legitimate legal letters to WCW concerning what happened.

Meanwhile, according to multiple trusted sources, the WWF considers the WCW situation a total storyline and did not officially even broach the subject at any production meetings at Raw on Monday. They are not preparing to negotiate with Hogan, and Hogan has made no official contact with anyone in the WWF.

If Hogan does indeed leave WCW, he will have the opportunity to put up or shut up regarding his boasts about big money offers from Fox to start his own promotion. Or, perhaps, we'll see Hogan vs. Vince McMahon at WrestleMania 2001.

***

Vince Russo "shoot promo" transcript

The following is a transcript of Vince Russo's speech at Bash at the Beach:

"There's only one way for me to do this, and that is for me to tell it like it is. You know, three weeks ago I left WCW and quite frankly I didn't know if I was going to come back. And the reason I didn't know whether or not I was going to come back is because from day one that I've been in WCW I've done nothing but deal with the bullshit of the politics behind that curtain. The fact of the matter is I have a wife and three kids at home and I don't need this shit. But let me tell you the reason I did come back. I came back for every one of the guys in that locker room who week in, week out bust their asses for WCW. I came back for the Booker Ts, I came back for every single guy in MIA, I came back for the Animals, I came back for Jarrett, I came back for the guys behind the curtain who give a shit about this company.

"And let me tell you who doesn't give a shit about this company, that goddamned politician Hulk Hogan. Because let me tell you people what happened out here in this ring tonight. All day long I'm playing politics with Hulk Hogan because tonight Hulk Hogan wants to play his creative control card. And to Hulk Hogan, that meant tonight in the middle of this ring, when he knew it was bullshit, he beats Jeff Jarrett. Well, guess what, Hogan got his wish. Hogan got his belt and he went the hell home. I promise everybody, or else I'll go in the goddamned grave, you will never see that piece of shit again.

"Nobody is going to be ripped off tonight. Hulk Hogan now has the WCW belt. And Hulk, let's refer to that as the Hulk Hogan Memorial belt because from here on out, that belt don't mean shit. Because there will be a new WCW belt and, as far as I'm concerned, that belt still belongs to the one guy who busts his ass week in and week out in the middle of this ring. You people can love him or hate him, but he doesn't screw anybody back there, and that's Jeff Jarrett. Now hold on a minute, Jeff Jarrett is still the official WCW champion, but he will defend that title in this ring tonight against the son of a bitch back there who for 14 years has been busting his ass in WCW and can't get a goddamn break because of the (sic) Hulk Hogan. I'm talking about Booker T. Booker T and Jeff Jarrett are the two reasons I'm in this damn stinkin' business to begin with. So tonight in this ring for the WCW Title, two deserving guys, Jarrett and Booker, will compete for the WCW Title and tear this goddamn house down. And Hogan, you big bald son of a bitch, kiss my ass."

[Torch photos credit Wade Keller (c) PWTorch.com]

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