Okay. It didn’t come close to Hall versus Michaels, Helmsley versus The Rock or any ECW ladder match. Hell, it wasn’t even Syxx versus Eddie Guerrero. Still, the Goldberg – Hall ladder match at WCW / nWo Souled Out ’99 was a superior pay-per-view main event to the absolute crap World Championship Wrestling was churning out last year.

Things are looking up for Bischoff and the boys in Atlanta. Nitro gets better every week. Hogan’s never-ending, coma-inducing sermons got the axe. Ric Flair is excellent in his new role. The absurd lWo and Guerrero’s stupid toy horse are history. The cruiserweights (Kidman, Mysterio, Guerrera, etc.) put in one jaw-dropping, eye-popping performance after another. WCW still has a long way to regain their credibility but there’s no doubt they’re on the right track.

Now if the fed could quit scheduling Thunder (Blunder?) bouts on pay-per-view, they’d rock heavy.

Back to the ladder match. Souled Out was an education for the main event combatants themselves and those who stuck their noses in where they don’t belong. Scott Hall and Disco Inferno learned an important lesson. You live by the taser. You die by the taser, my friends. Goldberg was taught that one never turns their back on a crafty Scott Hall and Bam Bam Bigelow should have known that no good could come from putting Hall’s head through a pop machine.

Cutting a promo after his ring entrance, Hall announced that Goldberg hadn’t been ambushed by the nWo at the start of the broadcast. He had wet his pants at the thought of wrestling Hall, slipped in it, hurt his knee and wouldn’t be wrestling tonight. Hall asked for the official to raise his hand in victory. Goldberg’s music cut Hall’s jubilation short. The former WCW champ walked to the ring wearing a knee brace.

Hall’s taser was put on a cable above the ring, the ladder left outside. As per the rules of the match, whoever could gain possession of the taser and shock his opponent first would win the match.

Hall and Goldberg locked up and each time the nWo’s Lone Wolf was thrown to the canvass. Hall cinched in a headlock. Goldberg muscled him into the ropes. A shoulder butt took Hall off his feet. Hall went for the eyes rocking Goldberg with a shoulder butts of his own. Goldberg reversed an arm-wringer clotheslining The Outsider.

The nauseating Tony Schivani hyping him as “the greatest athlete in professional wrestling”(Yeah. Right.), Goldberg powerslammed Hall of the ropes. The impact had Goldberg favoring his injured knee. Hall stomped on it, smashed it over the ring apron then wrapped it around a steel post. Goldberg fell out of the ring. When he got to his feet Goldberg was bleeding from his forehead. Hall carried the ladder into the ring.

Hall’s plan to nail Goldberg with a flying elbow off the ladder failed somewhat. Hall hit his target cleanly but the ladder fell on top of him. Goldberg foiled Hall’s attempt at snatching the taser by executing a belly-to-back suplex off the ladder. Hall rammed the ladder into Goldberg’s stomach and over his back. The Lone Wolf scaled the ladder once again. Goldberg pushed the ladder out from under Hall sending him falling onto the top rope. Hall ran at Goldberg with the ladder. Goldberg swatted it away clotheslining him. Propping the ladder up in a corner Hall tried to whip Goldberg into it. Goldberg reversed the throw. Hall kissed the steel.

Goldberg pummeled Hall with the ladder driving it into his head, stomach and back. “Da man” began his assent. Hall drop-kicked the ladder. Hall started his climb. Goldberg tipped the ladder over. Hall missed the planned crotch on the top rope hitting only one leg instead.

Goldberg went for the taser. Disco Inferno interfered toppling Goldberg and the ladder. Hall retrieved the taser. Goldberg and Hall had a tug of war over the electrified weapon. Goldberg mule-kicked Hall. The taser flew out of the ring landing on the floor. The race was on between Disco and Goldberg. Goldberg got to the taser first shocking Disco as he came around the ring post.

Goldberg threatened Hall with the taser in the middle of the ring. Hall begged off. Goldberg threw the taser into the air. Hall jumped for it. Goldberg hit the Spear and the Jack Hammer. As Hall lay stock-still, Goldberg shocked him in the chest winning the match. Bam Bam Bigelow jumped Goldberg. Hall recovered to electrocute them both.

The next WCW pay-per-view is SuperBrawl on February 21st, 1999.

WCW / nWo Souled Out ’99 Results


: The intro pegged as a “Special Report” has Flair giving a pro-WCW State Of The Union Address at a presidential podium.

: The announcers report on a backstage “disturbance”. Goldberg is shown on the floor in his dressing room holding his knee. The announce team suspects the nWo.

Mike Enos Vs Chris Benoit

: Mike Enos? Oh, boy. Aren’t we lucky. Surely there’s more appropriate competition for a wrestler of Chris Benoit’s caliber.

Winner: Chris Benoit with the Crippler Crossface at 15 minutes and 46 seconds.

Match Rating: 4 / 10.

Norman Smiley Vs Chavo Guerrero Jr.

: Is it Thursday night already and what’s with Smiley’s Peter Pan-wrestling booties? I think there’s a Fun Time Bowling missing a pair of shoes. Norman, do yourself a favor and get some new duds, pa-leeze.

: Smiley has a glass urn with Pepe’s ashes sitting in his corner. Heh. Heh.

: The saw dust (formerly the toy horse known as Pepe) is thrown in Guerrero’s eyes. Smiley slaps on the Chicken Wing submission deal.

Winner: Norman Smiley at 15 minutes and 46 seconds.

Match Rating: 3 / 10.

Fit Finley Vs Hammer

: Is it Saturday night already? Why do I feel like singing the “Frosted Lucky Charms” jingle every time I see Finley in those goofy, day-glo tights? Dude Love Hammer ain’t cutting it.

Winner: Fit Finley with the Tombstone Piledriver at 7 minutes and 54 seconds.

Match Rating: 2 / 10.

Wrath Vs Bam Bam Bigelow

: Wrath overshoots the turnbuckle. His head bongs the steel post. Bigelow drops him with the Greeting From Asbury Park.

Winner: Bam Bam Bigelow at 9 minutes and 23 seconds.

Match Rating: 3 / 10.

Lex Luger Vs Konnan

: Luger says Konnan didn’t have what it takes to join the new nWo. He pulls an Ernest Miller offering Konnan an easy way out. Konnan’s response is a haymaker to the jaw.

: Konnan has Luger in the Tequila Sunrise. Elizabeth comes out and sprays black paint into Konnan’s face blinding him. Luger lifts him into the Torture Rack.

Winners: Lex Luger at 9 minutes and 26 seconds.

Match Rating: 4 / 10.

Chris Jericho Vs Saturn

: Scott Dickinson is officiating the match. Not a good sign for Saturn.

: The fans start a Ralphus chant. In a large paper bag, Ralphus carries a leopard skin dress.

: Saturn has Jericho in a small package. Dickinson rolls Jericho on top of Saturn and slaps a super sonic three count.

: A man of his word, Saturn dons the dress. Jericho, Ralphus and Dickinson yuck it up.

Winner: Chris Jericho at 11 minutes and 45 seconds.

Match Rating: 8 / 10.

Kidman (champion) Vs Juvie Guerrera (challenger) Vs Psychosis (challenger) Vs Rey Mysterio Jr. (Four Corners – Cruiserweight Title Match)

: Another spectacular match from the WCW cruiserweight division. Whatever WCW is paying these guys, it isn’t near enough what they deserve.

: Match Of The Year candidate.

: Kidman splatters Guerrera with the Shooting Star press.

Winner: …and still WCW Cruiserweight Champion…Kidman at 14 minutes and 18 seconds .

Match Rating: 10 / 10.

: Jericho and Booker T. argue at the WCW Internet broadcast location. Booker T. challenges Jericho to a match on Nitro. Jericho accepts and calls Booker T….Mr. T. several times. Bah. Ha. Ha.

Barry Windham, Curt Hennig Vs Rick Flair and David Flair

: David starts things off against Windham and doesn’t show a lot of in-ring ability. He hits a flying head scissors and takes a few bumps. No biggie. The Nature Boy wrestles the rest of the match as David keeps distracting the official causing enemy double-teams on The Nature Boy. Man. Hasn’t this kid ever watched a tag bout before?

: Arn Anderson brains Windham with a tire iron. Windham pulls David on top of him for the pin fall.

: Hogan and the nWo handcuff The Nature Boy to a corner forcing him to watch as his son is whipped and spray-painted by Hogan. Hogan paints the letters “EZ E”on David’s back and says the beating was ordered by Bischoff.

: The crowd chants “We want Sting!”but the Dark Warrior doesn’t show.

Winners: The Flairs at 13 minutes and 51 seconds .

Match Rating: 5 / 10.

Scott Hall Vs Goldberg (Ladder – Taser On A Pole Match)

Winner: Bill Goldberg at 17 minutes and 41 seconds. .

Match Rating: 7 / 10.

Total Event Time: 2 hours and 55 minutes.

Overall Event Rating: 6 / 10.