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KEEPING THE MEMORIES ALIVE: THE FINAL EDITION OF WCW NITRO

Hello readers and welcome to the ninth edition of “Keeping The Memories Alive“. In today’s edition, I will be reviewing the final edition of WCW Nitro. The event was dubbed “Night Of Champions” as every WCW Title was on the line. It was aired live on TNT from the Boardwalk Beach Resort in Panama City, Florida on March 26, 2001. Keep your requests coming.

The show opens with Vince McMahon! He is in front of the Raw interview fence. Vince reveals that he has bought WCW. He says that he is going to address WCW later tonight and their fate is in his hands.

We go to the Nitro video opening.

Pyro goes off and Tony Schiavone and Scott Hudson welcome us. Schivaone says “welcome to a landmark night in the industry”. This is perhaps one of few times Tony has been head on with his little comments. Hudson and Tony talk about this being the last edition of Nitro on TNT (Of course this would end up being the last WCW show altogether). Tony looks very upset when we see his face, I think he knew then and there he was out of a job. Schiavone also mentions that this is Spring Break Out 2001. How many nicknames is this show going to have?

Out comes “Nature Boy” Ric Flair, the WCW President. Flair asks…. “Did I just hear Vince McMahon say he was going to hold WCW in the palm of his hands?” Flair asks if that means he is going to hold Jack Brisco, Dory Funk, Harley Race, the Road Warriors, Sting, Lex Luger, the Steiner Brothers, Buff Bagwell, Ric Flair and Ricky Steamboat in his hands? Flair says he don’t think so. He goes on to say how WCW and its history is the greatest wrestling company of all time (his face and voice say differently). Flair also brings up the fact that in 1981, when Vince was a nobody, Vince’s father was on the NWA Board of Directors and voted for Flair to become NWA Champion. Flair closes by saying that Sting has been his greatest opponent in WCW and he challenges Sting for the main event tonight. “To be the man, you gotta beat the man. And Stinger, I am the man!” Ric Flair delivered an excellent promo here. Probably the best promo WCW had seen in years and his heart was not even into it as he stated years later.

Coming up next…. Booker T vs. Scott Steiner for the WCW Title and the WCW United States Title.

Commercial.

Match #1: “Big Poppa Pump” Scott Steiner (with Midejah) defends the WCW Title against Booker T and his WCW United States Title.

Tale Of The Tape: Scott Steiner (276 pounds, from Detroit, Michigan, 38 years old, on first reign as WCW Champion). Booker T (250 pounds, from Harlem, New York, 36 years old, on first reign as WCW United States Champion).

I wonder if either of these men thought in their wildest dreams that they would be in an nWo type faction in a wrestling company that features a six sided ring 8 years from now? Steiner takes early control, tossing Booker on the outside of the floor. Midejah gets her kicks in. Damn is Steiner testosterone fueled. Booker does the scissor kick, Schiavone calls it the ghetto blaster. Is Tony that stupid or did WCW call it that back then? Bad News Brown might have something to say about it. Steiner hit’s a northern lights suplex but only gets a 2 count. Booker counters out of a power bomb and nails the bookend for the win to become a 4 time WCW Champion.

We go to Cleveland, sight of tonight’s WWF Raw. Vince McMahon is backstage on the phone. He is telling someone how funny it is that WCW’s last show is in Panama Beach. I guess that’s a compliment to us Ohioans.

Match #2: The Jung Dragons (Kaz Hayashi & Yang) vs. 3 Count (Shannon Moore & Evan Karagias) vs. Billy Kidman & Rey Mysterio Jr.

Tale Of The Tape: Rey Mysterio & Billy Kidman (370 pounds, both are 26 years old. Kidman is from Allentown, Pennsylvania, 2 time WCW Tag Team Champion. Mysterio is from San Diego, California, 3 time WCW Tag Team Champion). 3 Count (407 pounds. Karagias is from Gastonia, North Carolina, 27 years old, former WCW Cruiserweight Champion. Moore is from Raleigh, North Carolina, 21 years old, former WCW Hardcore Champion). Jung Dragons (420 pounds, from Japan. Hayashi is 27 years old, Yang is 19 years old).

The winners of this match will get a shot at the WCW Cruiserweight Tag Team Titles later in the broadcast. Great action in this match, can’t even keep up with it. Kidman does a sick shooting star press onto the floor. Damn!!! The future “Resident Redneck”, Yang does a twisted moonsault on Kidman (they called it Yang Time) but Mysterio makes the save. Mysterio nails Shannon Moore with a springboard guillotine leg drop for the win.

Commercial: still to come, Ric Flair vs. Sting.

Back to Vince, backstage in Cleveland. Trish Stratus has now joined him. They start making out. Damn, how many divas has Vince got to kiss over the years? I wonder what Linda thinks of all this?

Match #3: “Sugar” Shane Helms defends the WCW Cruiserweight Title against Chavo Guerrero Jr.

Tale Of The Tape: Chavo Guerrero (215 pounds, from El Paso, Texas, 30 years old, former WCW Tag Team Champion). Shane Helms (215 pounds, from Raleigh, North Carolina, 26 years old, on first reign as WCW Cruiserweight Champion).

I often wondered what WCW had planned for Helms? They seemed to be pushing him pretty hard here, he looked great, awesome entrance. I’m sure Helms didn’t think he’d be spending the next 5 years with green hair and wearing a cape to the ring. Chavo looks like he does right now, just more hair. There’s actually good wrestling in this match, lots of suplex variations. Shane nails the sugar smack, following it up with the vertebreaker for the win. That move is dangerous as hell, no wonder WWE banned it.

Commercial: WCW Tag Team Titles on the line, next.

Booker T is seen standing in the entrance way with his 2 title belts. Booker says this is the end of this chapter but another one will soon begin in the BOOK. He basically says he is going to the WWF.

Lance Storm and Mike Awesome hit the ring. If Storm could be serious for a minute, its time for the Canadian National Anthem during this next commercial break…….

Back from commercial. Vince and Trish are snuggled up on a couch and then Michael Cole comes in. This was back when Michael Cole was playing Craig DeGeorge/Sean Mooney/Todd Pettengill/Todd Grisham (Vince loves the dark haired baby faced man as the interviewer). Cole wants to know if the WCW wrestlers will keep their jobs? Vince asks what Cole thinks of his job security and then tells him to get the hell out of here.

Tony and Scott wonder if this is really it. Schiavone, come on, you know.

Match #4: Chuck Palumbo & Sean O’Haire defend the WCW Tag Team Titles against Team Canada (“Canadian Killer” Mike Awesome & Lance Storm).

Tale Of The Tape: Team Canada (521 pounds. Storm is 31 years old, from Calgary, Alberta, 3 time WCW United States Champion. Awesome is 36 years old, from Tampa, Florida, 2 time ECW Champion). Sean O’Haire & Chuck Palumbo (550 pounds, on first reign as WCW Tag Team Champions. Palumbo is 29 years old, from Providence, Rhode Island. O’Haire is 28 years old, from Hilton Head, South Carolina).

Palumbo and O’Haire look pretty green here. Actually, as soon as they dropped the belts when they got to the WWF, O’Haire was sent to OVW until the spring of 2003. Sean O’Haire shows that all he can do is rip off Jeff Hardy, nailing Awesome with the Seanton bomb for the win.

Commercial.

We see a clip from last week where Bam Bam Bigelow challenged Shawn Stasiak.

Stacy Keibler makes her way out. She looks so innocent here, only 21 years old. Keibler asks the fans if they want her to take it all off? She says too bad, and then introduces Shawn Stasiak who gets on the mic but is interrupted by Bam Bam Bigelow’s music.

Match #5: Shawn Stasiak vs. “the Beast from the East” Bam Bam Bigelow.

Tale Of The Tape: Shawn Stasiak (245 pounds, from Hayward, California, 30 years old, 3 time WCW Tag Team Champion). Bam Bam Bigelow (370 pounds, from Asbury Park, New Jersey, 39 years old, former ECW Champion).

Bigelow came to the ring with a tattoo kit. If Stasiak loses, Bigelow gets to tattoo him. Bam Bam destroyed Stasiak early and hit the flying head butt but Keibler distracted the ref. Bigelow tries greetings from Asbury Park but Stacy grabs Shawn’s feet. Stasiak then nails the hangman’s noose for the win. This was the worst match of the night and Bigelow’s final televised wrestling match.

We go backstage to the WWF where Vince is with William Regal. Regal spent many years in WCW and calls it a “bloody awful place”. Regal says Vince shouldn’t want to own it. Vince says “thank you, but I’m on the case”.

Commercial.

Diamond Dallas Page is shown in a pre-tape somewhere on a beach. He thanks the WCW fans for letting Page Falkenberg become Diamond Dallas Page. He says his dream aint over yet. He says its time to take it to another level, pretty much confirming he is heading up north.

We see a nice video package that features loads of former NWA and WCW Champions over the years. Flair, Sting, the Funk’s, Brisco, Kiniski, Race, Vader, Hogan, everyone.

Commercial…. Cruiserweight Tag Title match is next.

Back to Vince, he is on the phone again and says “its just about that time”

Match #6: “Prime Time” Elix Skipper & Kid Romeo defend the WCW Cruiserweight Tag Team Titles against Billy Kidman & Rey Mysterio Jr.

Tale Of The Tape: Elix Skipper & Kid Romeo (403 pounds, on first reign as WCW Cruiserweight Tag Team Champions. Romeo is 25 years old, from South Beach, Florida. Skipper is 23 years old, from Atlanta, Georgia). Rey Mysterio & Billy Kidman (370 pounds, both are 26 years old. Kidman is from Allentown, Pennsylvania, 2 time WCW Tag Team Champion. Mysterio is from San Diego, California, 3 time WCW Tag Team Champion).

Another fast paced match, I actually miss the WCW Cruiserweight division. Tony Schiavone makes a comment about William Regal’s remarks about WCW. “Steve Regal, we HAD to put your ass over on TV”. Haha, that Tony, I miss him. These Cruiserweight tag straps were brand new at the time. Romeo and Skipper were the first champions, Rey and Kidman would be the last champions as the WWF never brought the titles in after the purchase. Kidman pins Skipper after escaping the play of the day and nailing the kid crusher and we have our last ever WCW Cruiserweight Tag Team Champions. Quite possibly the shortest title history of all time.

Backstage, Sting is standing in a room with a bunch of swinging baseball bats hanging from the ceiling. Sting had been off TV for 4 months at this point. He says that classic line “its show time folks”.

Commercial.

Vince McMahon is seen walking in the hallway in the Gund Arena in Cleveland.

Ric Flair makes his way out as we cut to the final commercial break.

Match #7: “Nature Boy” Ric Flair vs. Sting.

Tale Of The Tape: Ric Flair (242 pounds, from Charlotte, North Carolina, 52 years old, 2 time WWF Champion). Sting (255 pounds, from Venice Beach, California, 42 years old, 6 time WCW Champion).

Its so weird to see Flair wearing a shirt in a match. He is defiantly not taking this night seriously. Mean while, Tony puts him over like crazy, basically calling Flair Mr. WCW. Hudson calls Sting the most loyal wrestler in the locker room. Even Ric Flair jumped to the WWF but Sting has been with WCW ever since Bill Watts sold the UWF to Jim Crockett, some 14 years earlier. This is still true to this day as Sting is arguably the biggest star of this generation to never work for Vince McMahon. Flair and Sting are just having fun. Both realize this could be their final match together (and it was). Flair hits his trademark chops and knee drops, followed by the strut. Flair goes up to the top rope, we know what happens next (that only works in your final match Ric). Ric has now slapped on the figure four. Sting somehow counters out of it, hit’s a superplex and then the scorpion death lock for the win. Both men hug after the match as Schiavone says “this is what we are all about”.

That is the last of WCW we will ever see. We cut to Raw, commentated by Paul Heyman and Jim Ross. Heyman may be looking for a raise (or Bruce Prichard just whispered in his headset) as he refers to Vince as the winner of the Monday Night War and the star of Sports Entertainment. Vince says this interview is also being seen on TNN, Turner Network Television (I remember laughing my ass of at that one. The WWF was on TNN, WCW was on TNT. Vince is just to damn excited. All future clips of this interview edit that part so Vince just says Turner Network Television). Vince says he is the only one who can make history like this happen, by purchasing WCW. Vince reveals that he has only verbally agreed to buy WCW. He will finalize the deal this Sunday at Wrestle Mania 17 when Ted Turner comes to the ring with the contract. Vince says when you think about it, its amazing how the WWF came back and won this war. He says he did it all on his own with his effort and his money. He beat a billionaire by becoming one himself. Vince says that at Wrestle Mania, he wants Ted Turner to sit ringside and watch his match with his son Shane. In life, “you have to grab your competition by the throat and squeeze the life out of your competition”. Just like Vince did to WCW. Vince asks the fans of Cleveland what he should do with WCW. Should he just sit it on the shelf? Should he watch the video tapes of when WCW said they would bury the WWF? He says he would get a great deal of pleasure watching Hulk Hogan do his “ridiculous” poses (even though Vince himself invented that). McMahon says that maybe he could take WCW and make it successful. He then asks the fans what they think of several WCW wrestlers…. Hulk Hogan: no reaction at all (that sure changed the following year). Lex Luger: Nobody wants him. Buff Bagwell: People seem to want him, same with Booker T. Scott Steiner: biggest pop thus far. Crowd starts chanting Goldberg. Vince asks if they want Sting: he gets a small reaction. Vince asks about Goldberg and the crowd pops big for him (Then 2 years later they finally bring him in and the fans hated him). The Cleveland crowd appreciates Vince coming to the Gund instead of Florida. Vince says that everyone in WCW is fired!! He says WCW is buried and will remain buried just like anyone in the world who gets in his way. Suddenly, Shane McMahon’s music hits. The thing is, Shane isn’t in Cleveland. He is in Panama Beach! At the time, this was just an incredible moment if you grew up watching the WWF vs. WCW war. Shane reveals to Vince that the deal is finalized with WCW, only thing is, the contract says Shane McMahon! Shane says WCW kicked Vince’s ass in the past and it will again. Vince looks completely mind fucked.

The last thing ever shown on a WCW broadcast is a plug for Wrestle Mania 17.…. How fitting.

Final thoughts: First off, if you were a young kid back then who didn’t really know or follow the business, you will never understand how amazing this night was for a wrestling fan. I was watching the clock all day. It was so taboo for the WWF to even mention WCW and now Vince is on freakin Nitro! That’s not unlike WWE and TNA today but back then, the business was so popular. You actually cared about the matches, the wrestlers and the storylines. Everyone online found out on Saturday the 24 that the deal went down. When you went to both companies website, it had a picture of the WWF logo, underneath it was the word “purchases” and then underneath it was the WCW logo. I come to school on Monday (I was a Sophomore) and it was the talk of my entire school. I had been writing for some websites and my own newsletter for about 3 years at that time and everyone was coming to me asking about it, even teachers! The simulcast segment with Vince and Shane was supposedly an idea by Triple H. It will always go down as one of my all time favorite moments in wrestling.

I hope you enjoyed reading the ninth edition of “Keeping The Memories Alive”. In the next edition, I will be reviewing the twentieth edition of Wrestle Mania. Now I ask, what would you like to see reviewed? My complete collection can be found at www..freewebs.com/jbryan1984/. Email me your feedback and requests at jbryan21408@yahoo.com.