Heading into Spring Stampede in search of new WCW champions we understood that quantity would outweigh quality on the pay-per-view. You can’t put on that many matches and expect all of them to be barn-burners. No dice there. What WCW did do is the next best thing. They made the main event bouts count and they threw in enough twists and turns to keep our eyes glued to the set for two hours plus. Coming off their best Monday Night Nitro in years, WCW — under the guidance of the returning Vince Russo and Eric Bischoff — finally has what they’ve desperately needed for so long: One clear focus. Everyone is on the same page. The broadcast reflected that fact.
When you come from ground zero to utterly blowing away the competing promotion’s flagship pay-per-view and weekly television show in one week’s time, you know you’re onto something good. WCW isn’t out of that black hole yet but there’s light at the end of the tunnel for the first time in a long time.
The first new champion to be crowned at Spring Stampede was Terry Funk, the logical choice to hold WCW’s Hardcore Title. While the WWF has made a mockery of their Hardcore Championship by pinning it on people like Crash Holly and The Road Dogg instead of respectable choices like Tazz and Saturn, WCW has brought prestige and a legacy to their title with Funk.
WCW also went the way of hardcore in determining their Cruiserweight Champion. Former ECW Triple Threat member, Chris Candido, captured the title with a little help from his main squeeze Tammy Sytch (aka: Sunny). Do we see a pattern here?
WCW’s pick for their World Tag Team Champions was also an indirect nod to ECW. Former ECW World Heavyweight Champion, Shane (The Franchise) Douglas, teamed with the non-stop posing machine, Buff Bagwell, to defeat Millionaire’s Club members Ric Flair and The Total Package in the finals of a night-long tournament. With Vampiro’s bizarre assist (see below for details), Scott Steiner re-claimed the United States Heavyweight Title by covering a shanghaied and bloody Sting.
Set-up as a match to decide which faction would control WCW for the time being, Diamond Dallas Page — representing The Millionaire’s Club — took on the New Blood’s chosen one, Jeff Jarrett. Though their close personal ties to Bischoff and Russo explained why they were in the Spring Stampede main event to begin with, Page and Jarrett proved to their critics that they did belong there. Best of all, Bischoff in the main event and Russo during the tag team championship match, didn’t put themselves over at the expense of the talent. The attention remained on the wrestlers where it should be.
During the finale of an excellently-booked and executed main event, Jeff Jarrett had the figure four locked on DDP. Struggling like a madman, Page got to the ropes and broke the hold. Each rolled the other up for quick two counts. Jarrett realigned Page’s dental work with a jaw breaker then headed for the top rope. Page recovered slamming Jarrett to the mat by the throat for another two count. As Jarrett snuck behind synching in a sleeper hold, Bischoff climbed onto the ring apron distracting referee Charles Robinson. Kimberly picked up Jarrett’s guitar and ducked into the ring. Kimberly turned on her hubby smacking him over the head with the guitar. Jarrett hit The Stroke winning the WCW World Heavyweight Title. Bischoff and Kimberly hugged as Russo, Bagwell, Douglas and Steiner hoisted Jarrett up on their shoulders.
Notable absences: No Sid Vicious. No Nitro Girls. No Tank Abbott.
The next WCW pay-per-view is Slamboree on May 7th.
WCW Spring Stampede 2000 Results
- The announcers tells us that Vince Russo and Eric Bischoff have told the officials not follow the rule book so closely and let certain infractions slide tonight.
Ric Flair, The Total Package Vs The Mamalukes, The Harris Boys (WCW Tag Team Tournament Match)
- Ric Flair is wearing street clothes to wrestle in. He claims that’s because he sees every match tonight as a street fight. In English that means someone lost Flair’s luggage.
- Vince Russo comes out as The Mamalukes and Team Package stand in the ring. He says that it is unfair for the veteran team of Flair and The Total Package to go against the “inexperienced” Mamalukes. He “evens the odds” by re-booking the match as four against two. The Harris Boys join The Mamalukes.
- Flair is beaten from pillar to post. The Disco Inferno is abducted by two strange men who are said to be “Sicilian looking”. What the heck does that mean? The Total Package is hot-tagged in. The fans stand as he lifts Johnny The Bull into the Torture Rack. When’s the last time anyone stood for the Torture Rack? The Bull taps out.
- Winners: Ric Flair and The Total Package at 6 minutes and 14 seconds.
- Match Rating: 5 / 10.
- In the Spring Stampede promo area, Mike Awesome’s interview is cut short by Bam Bam Bigelow. Triple B calls Awesome a “jabroni”. Awesome punks out Triple B.
Mancow Vs Jimmy Hart
- We could’ve done without this. Jimmy Hart brings his new find Hail, a large muscle man, with him. Chatter box is accompanied by his entourage consisting of Howard Stern rejects. Jimmy Hart is wearing a Stern shirt and calls Mancow a Howard Stern wannabe.
- Jimmy Hart (of all people) comes off the top rope. Mancow pulls the ref between them. The official is KO’ed. Hail heaves Mancow over the top rope. Mancow’s entourage breaks his fall. Mancow chair shots Hart to win the “match”. Billy Kidman lays a smackdown on Hart.
- Winner: Mancow at 7:11.
- Match Rating: 0 / 10.
- Russo confronts The Mamalukes and The Harris Boys backstage. He calls them “losers” for not “getting the job done”. He tells them to get out of his sight.
The Wall Vs Scott Steiner (WCW United States Title Tournament Match)
- Someone please give The Wall a new name. Skippy. Chip. Master Blaster. Anything will do. Steiner comes out to the ’80s Steiner Brothers entrance music….Steiner Line! Steiner Line! Outside the ring, Steiner pokes The Wall in the eyes and shoves the ref into his arms. The Wall chokeslams the official through the table. He is DQ’ed for it.
- Winners: Scott Steiner at 3 minutes and 53 seconds.
- Match Rating: 3 / 10.
- Mean Gene jaws to Ernest Miller. Miller says WCW is a redneck organization. Triple B clobbers Miller.
Mike Awesome Vs Ernest Miller (WCW United States Title Tournament Match)
- Triple B takes Miller’s place. The crowd chants ECW! ECW! At 2:50, The Cat enters the ring kicking Triple B in the chops sending him out over the top rope. Miller puts on his dancing shoes. Awesome ends Miller’s dance routine with a stiff clothesline. Awesome lands an impressive Frog Splash from the top rope to pin Miller.
- Winner: Mike Awesome at 3 minutes and 59 seconds.
- Match Rating: 6 / 10.
- In their office, Bischoff expresses his concern over Hogan to Russo. Russo tells Bischoff to relax. He’s got everything under control. Kidman and Torrie can’t keep their hands off of each other. Someone get them a hotel room.
Harlem Heat Vs Shane Douglas, Buff Bagwell (WCW World Tag Team Championship Tournament)
- Douglas and Bagwell win after Harlem Heat screws things up. Stevie Ray and Big T argue afterwards.
- Winner: Douglas and Bagwell at 2 minutes and 32 seconds.
- Match Rating: 2 / 10.
Booker Vs Sting (WCW United States Championship Tournament)
- Best match of the night with Sting and Booker putting on a great show. Sting beats Booker and heads out. Booker invites Sting back to the ring. Booker offers his hand to Sting. Sting leaves without shaking it.
- Winner: Sting at 6 minutes and 27 seconds.
- Match Rating: 8 / 10.
Vampiro Vs Kidman (WCW United States Championship Tournament)
- Despite seeing them do battle before, Kidman and Vampiro look fresh here. At five minutes in, a black Charger pulls into the backstage area. A bandaged up and REALLY ticked off Hulk Hogan gets out and heads to the ring. Hogan lays into Kidman throwing him into the steel ring post. Hogan pulls the ring stairs near the announce table, picks up Kidman, climbs the stairs and slams Kidman onto the announce table…which doesn’t break. Hogan slams Kidman again and this time the table snaps in two. Hogan rolls Kidman back into the ring. Vampiro gets the easy three count.
- Winner: Vampiro at 8 minutes and 28 seconds.
- Match Rating: 7 / 10.
- Hogan storms through the backstage area looking for Bischoff. Tables are overturned. People scatter. I don’t like Hogan but even I gotta admit this “out of control” Hogan is kinda cool…in a sick way. He kicks open the door to Bischoff’s office. Bischoff cowers in a corner. Hogan begins to choke him out. Russo arrives with police officers in tow. They draw their guns on the Hulkster. Hogan backs down as Bischoff yells at them to shoot him. The cops lead Hogan away. Terry Funk is seen searching for Norman Smiley. Terry Taylor bumps into Terry Funk outside Bischoff’s office. The Funker is told Smiley is hiding out in the food services area.
Terry Funk (challenger) Vs Norman Smiley (challenger) (WCW Hardcore Heavyweight Title Match)
- Funk walks into the food services area. There are people sitting at tables there. Funk asks where Norman is hiding. In a classic comedy bit, everyone points to the ladies bathroom. Funny stuff that. Funk drags Smiley kicking and screaming out of the bathroom shoving him onto a conveyer belt that leads into the kitchen. Funk and Smiley brawl through the kitchen into a hallway. Funk brains Smiley twice with a lap top computer. Smiley climbs a ladder and hangs from an overhead pipe for dear life. Funk sets-up a table underneath Smiley. He chair shots Smiley who falls off the pipe and through the table. Smiley chair shots Funk all the way back to the ring. Funk takes out a ladder from underneath the ring. Dustin Rhodes attacks Funk. Funk fights off Rhodes throwing the ladder over the top rope onto Smiley outside the ring. Funk gets the 1-2-3.
- Winners: …and new WCW Hardcore Champion…Terry Funk at 8 minutes and 12 seconds.
- Match Rating: 8 / 10.
- Russo chews out Booker backstage for losing to Sting. He demands Booker come with him to finish some business.
Mike Awesome Vs Scott Steiner (WCW United States Title Tournament)
- As Awesome climbs to the top rope, Kevin Nash labels him with a crutch across the back. Steiner puts on the Steiner Recliner. Awesome eventually taps out.
- Winner: Scott Steiner at 3 minutes and 14 seconds.
- Match Rating: 3 / 10.
- In a locker room, Russo says to Dustin Rhodes that the only time he was interesting was when he was Goldust and that he wrote all the words that came out of Rhodes’ mouth. Russo fires Rhodes on the spot. Rhodes flips out. Booker tries to calm Rhodes down. Is this the beginning of a new faction in WCW? I think so.
Vampiro Vs Sting (WCW United States Title Tournament)
- Sting and Vampiro’s work rate is off the chart tonight. Sting Death-Drops Vampiro. He could go for the cover but decides to inflict more punishment with The Scorpion Death-Lock. Vampiro submits.
- Winner: Sting at 5 minutes and 58 seconds .
- Match Rating: 7 / 10.
Crowbar (challenger) Vs Lash Laroux (challenger) Vs The Artist (challenger) Vs Juvie (challenger) Vs Chris Candido (challenger) Vs Shannon Moore (challenger) (Suicide Crusierweight Title Match)
- Three Count…well it’s just Helms and Moore so I guess that makes them Two Count…dance and sing. Crowbar and Lash end the inhuman torture. Daffney flubs her Hurracana attempt sending Crowbar for a loop. Tammy Stych pushes The Artist off the top rope. He lands on a steel chair and Candido covers to win the strap. Tammy and Paisley pull each other’s hair as they roll around on the mat.
- Winner: …and new WCW Cruiserweight Champions…Chris Candido at minutes and 58 seconds .
- Match Rating: 5 / 10.
Buff Bagwell, Shane Douglas (challengers) Vs Ric Flair, The Total Package (challengers) (WCW World Tag Team Title Tournament – Finals)
- Vince Russo comes to the ring with Douglas and Bagwell. He takes his position as a guest commentator at the announcer’s desk. Russo has his trusty baseball bat. Buff executes his Blockbuster on Douglas by mistake. Russo pulls Nick Patrick out of the ring stopping the count. Patrick and Russo push and shove. Brian Adams and Brian Clark hit the ring and double chokeslam The Total Package then split! Russo dons Patrick’s referee shirt and slaps the pinfall. Douglas and Bagwell win.
- Winners: …and new WCW Tag Team Champions…Shane Douglas and Buff Bagwell at 8 minutes and 28 seconds .
- Match Rating: 6 / 10.
Scott Steiner (challenger) Vs Sting (challenger) (WCW United States Title Tournament – Finals)
- Sting goes for the Stinger Splash. Steiner pulls the ref between them. He’s out cold. Steiner backs Sting into a corner. Vampiro bursts through the mat from under the ring and drags Sting into the hole! Minutes later, Vampiro shoves Sting back out. Blood is dripping from out of Sting’s mouth. A Steiner Recliner and Scott is your new WCW United States Champion.
- Winners: …and new WCW United States Champion…Scott Steiner at 5 minutes and 35 seconds .
- Match Rating: 7 / 10.
Jeff Jarrett (challenger) Vs Diamond Dallas Page (challenger) (WCW World Heavyweight Title Match)
- Winner: …and new WCW World Heavyweight Champion…Jeff Jarrett at 15 minutes even. .
- Match Rating: 8.5 / 10.
- Total Event Time: 2 hours and 45 minutes.
- Overall Event Rating: 7.5 / 10.