Orndorff injured at Fall Brawl

Fall Brawl was a big surprise for WCW. Looking at the card beforehand nobody would have ever thought the annual pay-per-view would be as good as it was. World Championship Wrestling still has some kinks to work out — like maintaining uniform angles and breaking out of the put-everyone-in-a-gang mentality that led to the WWF’s downfall in the nineties (Anyone remember The Nation, D.O.A. and Los Boricuas?) — but if they repeat the approach they had last night across the board, the future of WCW could be very promising.

The depth of dedication from the bookers to the wrestlers was encouraging. Even Kevin Nash, not known for having the best work rate in the business, bladed in his WCW World Heavyweight Title cage match against challenger Booker T. Will wonders never cease?

Casting a shadow over WCW’s accomplishment was an injury sustained by wrestling legend and World Championship Wrestling employee, Paul “Mr. Wonderful” Orndorff. Orndorff was the surprise tag team partner of The Filthy Animals in their elimination match against The Natural Born Killers. Ushered in with a towel over his head to conceal his identity, Orndorff was the perfect choice based on the beat-down the Killers gave him in the Power Plant on WCW television. For the majority of the match, Orndorff stayed on the outside. Once the Filthy Animals were behind in numbers, a fired-up Orndorff tagged in.

It seemed as if the bout’s angle was shaping up to be that the “old-timer” would led the way to victory against what appeared to be insurmountable odds. Mr. Wonderful used his skills as a veteran to foul up the Killers’ planned moves and put away Johnny The Bull with his trademark Piledriver maneuver. Orndorff was about to do the same to the 6’6″ Mark Jindrak. Orndorff couldn’t get Jindrak up on the first attempt. On the second he did but either his back gave out or Jindrak’s weight was more than he could handle as Orndorff dropped to the mat hard finishing the move. He didn’t get back up laying motionless.

The match went on with the wrestlers side-stepping Orndorff not realizing he was legitimately hurt. Eventually, a trainer and EMTs were called to the ring and the match was declared a No Contest. The pay-per-view came to a halt as they assessed Orndorff’s condition. Rey Mysterio Jr. assisted the EMTs and kissed the cross hanging around his neck. Orndorff was stretchered out of the ring to the back and appeared to be in great pain. The respectful crowd in Buffalo, New York, gave Orndorff a standing ovation and cheered his name to show their concern and support. In his promo with Madusa, Kidman sent out his best wishes to Orndorff for a speedy recovery.

Later on in the broadcast, the announce team imparted the news that Orndorff has suffered a “stinger”, a sharp blow to the back or neck which can cause temporary of permanent paralysis to the body. It was reported that Orndorff was talking to medical personel and that he was able to move his legs which is always a good sign that the paralysis could be a transient state. WCW promised to provide a full update on Orndorff’s condition on tonight’s edition of Nitro from Kitchener, Ontario.

In the Fall Brawl main event, Booker T. defeated Kevin Nash in a passable cage match by reversing Nash’s Jack Knife Powerbomb into his Bookend finisher.

The next WCW pay-per-view is Halloween Havoc on October 29th. The ads for the show hype a new Sting will be unveiled at the pay-per-view. We hear it is a return to the eighties look Sting had.

Fall Brawl 2000 Results

Kwee-wee (challenger) Vs Elix Skipper (champion) (WCW Cruiserweight Title Match)
For some reason the Natural Born Killers are watching this match from the entrance way. While the ref is distracted, Mike Sanders punks Kwee-wee with a stick to the knee. Elix’s Overdrive demolishes Kwee-wee.
Winner: …and still WCW Cruiserweight Champion, Elix Skipper at 15 minutes and 3 seconds.
Match Rating: 6 / 10.

Three Count Vs M.I.A.
Great tag team action as the underrated Three Count (WCW’s answer to the Hardy Boyz) showcase some really innovative moves. After being put through a table, A-Wall rules the roost. Corporal Cajun hits the Whiplash in the confusion.
Winners: M.I.A. at 10 minutes and 22 seconds.
Match Rating: 7.5 / 10.

Kronik Vs The Harris Brothers (chain match)
Brian Adams dares the twins to make the match a First Blood contest. They agree.
Standard, uneventful brawling until Ron Harris pulls out a baseball bat with a steel chain wrapped around it. Ron (who is already busted open but the official is knocked out and can’t call it) hits a double braining both Adams and Clark. Ron hides the bat under the ring. Billy Silverman wakes up just in time to see Adams bleeding and awards the match to The Harris Brothers. Kronik level Silverman with High Time.
Winners: The Harris Brothers at 6 minutes and 28 seconds.
Match Rating: 3 / 10.

Lance Storm (champion) Vs General Rection (challenger) (WCW U.S. – Canadian Heavyweight Title Match)
Lance Storm invites the Americans in the crowd to drive to Kitchener with him so they can experience Canada. Storm bets none of them would want to return to the U.S. after that.
Scott Hudson says…I thought the Canadian national anthem was Freewill by Rush. Rock on, Scott! The man has exceptional musical taste.
Hacksaw Jim Duggan is the special ringside enforcer. As Rection goes up for his No Laughing Matter finishing move, Duggan whacks him over the back with his 2/4! Storm makes Rection submit to the Maple Leaf.
Hacksaw rips off his referee shirt revealing a T-shirt underneath with a red Canadian maple leaf on it. Wicked! Could Hacksaw really be a spy infiltrating Storm’s Canadian Alliance? We’ll soon see.
Winner: …and still WCW U.S. – Canadian Heavyweight Champion…Lance Storm at 6 minutes and 45 seconds.
Match Rating: 7 / 10.
Mean Gene is getting feisty as he interviews The Natural Born Killers. He calls one of them a “prick” and tells another to “blow it out his ass”. Wow! Gene continues to spew forth rude comments in his subsequent Fall Brawl interviews. He’s finally living up to his nickname. A very hilarious and imaginative turn of events.

The Natural Born Killers Vs The Filthy Animals (Tag Team Elimination Match)
Well booked non-stop action. Disqo is dazed and accidentally hits the Last Dance on Konnan booting him at 5:23. Reno Snake Eyes Disqo at 6:15. Reno does the same to Vito at 8:04. Rey Mysterio leg drop-to-the-crotches Reno at 10:08 and the pony-tailed one is gone. Juvie is given the heave-ho by O’Haire at 11:31. Orndorff shows Johnny The Bull to the showers at 12:52. Orndorff is injured and the match is called a No Contest at 16:00.
Winners: None. Declared a No Contest.
Match Rating: Unrateable.

Billy Kidman, Madusa Vs Shane Douglas, Torrie (Scaffold Match)
Slow, boring and a waste of time. Still, it’s kept short. Everyone is grounded and guarded by the gimmick match. The scaffold is actually a part of the metal rigging on hydraulics. It is stationed in front of the Nitro Tron, twenty or so feet in the air. Unlike other scaffold matches where you must throw your opponent off to win, all someone has to do in this one is climb down a ladder to the floor. Douglas kicks Madusa off the ladder. She falls on the stage (air bag) below. Strangely enough, Kidman and Madusa don’t win. Douglas hurls Kidman off the scaffold. He lands like Madusa did. Douglas allows a visibly nervous Torrie to climb down the ladder and ensure victory.
Winners: Torrie and Shane Douglas at 6 minutes and 17 seconds.
Match Rating: 1 / 10.
Sting cuts a promo saying he has a world title match against either Booker T or Nash on Nitro tonight. Jeff Jarrett attacks Sting disputing his claim. Mean Gene calls Jarrett a “crazy bastard”. Bah. Ha. Ha.
Mike Tenay interviews David Flair in his home about who might be the father of Ms. Hancock’s baby. David’s place is a mess. He is paranoid and delusional. David claims to see the father walking up his front lawn. A mailman happily greets David. David clotheslines him and slaps on the Figure Four before Tenay can calm him down. An amusing, absurd skit.

Sting Vs The Great Muta Vs Vampiro
Muta attempts a cover. Vampiro pulls him off. ICP and Vampiro take it to Muta. Sting retrieves his baseball bat and clobbers them. A Scorpion Death Drop on Muta ends the match. ICP and Vampiro once again attack Muta. Sting pulls his nemesis out of the ring and saves his hide.
Winner: Sting at 5 minutes and 7 seconds.
Match Rating: 7 / 10.
Mike Awesome arrives with Gary Coleman from Different Strokes fame.

Jeff Jarrett Vs Mike Awesome (Bunkhouse Brawl Match)
Jarrett (wearing a Tennessee Titans jersey) harasses the Buffalo Bills players at ringside [what, it wasn’t enough that the Bills lost to the Jets Sunday?]. A table with barbed wire wrapped around it, chairs, tables, broom sticks and a strap are worked into the match. Fed up with Jarrett’s taunts, the Bills climb up on the apron surrounding it all on sides. Coleman does a run-in low-blowing Jarrett. In a moment that matches up with Bundy splashing Little Beaver at WrestleMania 3, Jarrett breaks a guitar over Coleman’s head. Bah. Ha. Ha. From out of nowhere, Sting Scorpion Death Drops Jarrett so Awesome can get the easy cover.
Winner: Mike Awesome at 9 minutes and 3 seconds.
Match Rating: 7 / 10.

Scott Steiner Vs Bill Goldberg
Goldberg’s best match ever. It is a hard-hitting, stiff contest as most would have thought. Goldberg breaks The Steiner Recliner twice. Vince Russo and Midajah hit Goldberg with a bat and a steel pipe. Goldberg bleeds. Steiner clocks Goldberg with a steel pipe to the head and slaps on the Recliner. Since Goldberg is out, the ref drops his hand three times and Goldberg doesn’t answer the count. Russo rips off his shirt and stands triumphant on Goldberg’s chest.
Winner: Scott Steiner at 13 minutes and 52 seconds.
Match Rating: 8 / 10.

Booker T. (challenger) Vs Kevin Nash (champion) (WCW World Heavyweight Title – Steel Cage Match)
Winner: …and new WCW World Heavyweight Champion…Booker T. at 9 minutes and 3 seconds.
Match Rating: 6 / 10.
Poll Results: We asked, ‘Who’ll be World champ after WCW Fall Brawl?’ Results: BookerT 36%; Kevin Nash 21%; and Someone unexpected 43%.
Total Event Time: 2 hours and 45 minutes
Overall Event Rating: 8 / 10.