- Sanguinia
- Jan 1, 2012
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~Everybody wants to be a cat~
~Because a cat's the only cat~
~Who knows where its at~
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I made a graphic. Hopefully it doesn't suck.
I also did the write up mostly by myself. As you might guess, this means it's really long since nobody kept me in check or took over any segments. Hopefully you'll all enjoy it despite that. I did my best to keep it readable with section breaks and bolding.
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It's the long awaited report on WCW Spring Stampede, live from the Pittsburg Civic Arena! This may be the best PPV so far this year!
To start the show the announcers run down the card. Schiovani informs use that tonight we will bear witness to the first ever Elimination Chamber match, and six of WCW's best will compete for the gold! Ventura and Tenay discuss their picks for the winner, with Tenay betting on Flair to retain and Ventura throwing his support behind the Flawless Diamonds. Beyond that, Schiovani reminds us of the other matches. He says that this has been a month of intense conflict in WCW. Disputes over honor, over business, over personal hatred, over titles, and over mysterious forces that mere mortals can barely comprehend. But regardless of how they started, they will be settled in the ring! Schiavone needs a gimmick change
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Our opening contest is scheduled for one fall, Rick Steiner vs the Shark! Bobby Heenan is at ringside and he is very vocal in his orders for Shark to destroy Steiner. The big man eagerly throws his weight around in the early going, using sheer size to stymie Steiner's usual offensive style of suplexes and clotheslines. Shark unloads with an atomic drop and a power slam, throwing Steiner around like a ragdoll. The Dog-Face Gremlin is dazed but adjusts his strategy, throwing out a flurry of punches, knee-lifts and a monster headbutt. The strikes are enough to make Shark stall out for a moment, but he fights back by locking Steiner into a bear hug! Rick struggles, striking Shark's head relentlessly with fists and elbows, but his opponent seems barely phased while Steiner is rapidly having the life drained out of him. Heenen practically dances with joy at Steiner's helplessness.
Once Steiner seems to be out, Shark sets him on the mat and backs up for the Shark Bomb, but Steiner gets his knees up and turns it into a backstabber! On the mat Shark's advantage is gone, and Steiner gets his second wind, mounting him for a ten-count of head punches, following up with a running elbow, then showing off a little matwork with an STF. Shark drags the smaller man on his back and makes his way to the ropes, forcing the break, but the damage seems to be done. Steiner signals the crowd as Shark staggers to his feet, and Heenan is screams a warning, but it's too late: Rick Steiner hefts the Shark up onto his shoulders, huffing and puffing at the strain, and finally hits the Steiner Driver! Steiner hooks the leg and picks up the win. Shark was getting tired by the end
Bobby Heenan and Meng are interviewed by Dusty Rhodes after the match. The Weasel seems livid over Sharks failure but he quickly calms himself. He may have been looking forward to some personal satisfaction, but what's most important is the Championship! "I've been trying for decades to find the one man who I can lead to a World Championship. I've been behind some of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, and none of them had what it took to capture the gold! But Meng changed everything! He's bigger and meaner than a giant! Even King Kong is a harmless circus chimp compared to Meng! I've tried to lead all sorts of men to a World Title, but comparing any of those men to Meng would be like comparing Ice Cream to Horse Manure! Because you see, Meng has one quality that no other man I've managed before had: he will do ANYTHING I tell him to if it means victory. And inside that Chamber.... there is no limit to the carnage a man like Meng can inflict." Meng smiles an evil smile as Heenan declares the interview over.
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Next was Wrath vs Glacier! Glacier engages Wrath cautiously, knowing he's been overpowered by the man on several occasions, and his caution proves to be wise as Wrath comes out ahead of every exchange. Every attempt at grappling leaves Glacier thrown to the mat, and every attempt to trade punches sees him beaten into a corner. Growing desperate, The Iceman starts what can only be called a suplex contest, and he and Wrath unleash volley after volley of power moves on each other. Glacier shows impressive stamina, but Wrath seems to be totally unphased even after he suffers a vicious gut wrench suplex. Soon Glacier starts to falter, no longer able to quickly recover from his opponent's onslaught, and Wrath begins to dissect him with strikes to the joints and submission holds.
In desperation, Glacier hits a big lariat that sends Wrath to the floor, and follows up with a suicide dive over the top rope! This finally seems to do some damage, and the two brawl on the outside for a few minutes with Glacier seeming to get the upper hand by making use of Irish whips into the ring steps. Knowing Wrath won't remain vulnerable for long, Glacier rolls him back into the ring, and sets up the Cryon Bomb... but before he can execute it the lights go out. There is an eerie flash of green, and when the light returns MORTIS STANDS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RING! Glacier is stunned at the sight of his nemesis, which is all the time Wrath needs to counter the Cryon Bomb and nail the Ice Man with a surprise Death Penalty! Wrath hooks the leg for the 1-2-3 as Mortis laughs.
With Glacier dazed after the pinfall, Mortis and Wrath fall on him like animals, stomping him into submission. Wrath nails Glacier with another Death Penalty, and then Mortis drags the Ice Man to his fit and locks him into the Backbreaker Rack! Things look bleak until a heroic guitar riff hits and Shinya Hashimoto makes the save! Hashi clocks Wrath out of the ring with a spinning heel kick and then immediately goes after Mortis, hitting him with a belly to belly suplex and then setting him up for the Jumping Spike DDT! Mortis manages to block the attack, and Mitchel orders the two men to retreat. Hashimoto attends to the wounded Glacier as Wrath and Mortis seethe.
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"Macho Man" Randy Savage invites a stray cameraman into his locker room, and puts his face close to the lens so he can send a private message to his fans. "You know, this match is kind of funny to me, yeah. Its funny because my opponents think they're only fighting 5 other men, you see? But they're missing a key factor! Something they've been blind to all along, hiding like a chameleon in plain sight that their EYES CAN'T SEE, YEAH! You all know the key, you comprehend it: When you face Randy Savage you've also gotta take on the LEGIONS that make up his Extended Family! That cage is gonna have two horsemen yeah! It's gonna have one big Diamond, YEAH! But they're taking on Millions! ALL THE STARS OF THE NIGHT, BURNING THROUGH THE DARKNESS, BATHING THE MACHO MAN IN THE COLD FIRE! So I ask you all, how can Randy Savage possibly lose? A diabolical structure such as the Elimination Chamber could leave me a BROKEN SHELL. But my mind has the Madness and my HEART BEATS with all those who share it! YEAH! With you, I'm the man who can do anything! And that's the most dangerous man on Earth! THAT'S THE WCW CHAMPION! DIG IT!
After Savage is done, we're treated to King Steven Regal vs Road Warrior Hawk! Regal shows a fresh streak of viciousness from the get go, apparently taking his execution sentence on Hawk quite seriously. He hits a number of uppercuts, chops, knees lifts and finally a vertical suplex to put Hawk on the ground right out of the gate. Fortunately for the Road Warrior, Regal takes a moment to taunt the crowd. Hawk recovers and when Regal turns he explodes off the mat with a Spear! He forces Regal into the corner and hits him with a few big shoulder blocks, then scales the turnbuckle to hit His Majesty with a 10-Count Punch... but at 7 punches Regal fights back by dragging Hawk off the ropes and hitting a Power Bomb! The King capitalizes on his attack with some rest holds and other mat work, keeping the Road Warrior from recovering and weakening his neck.
Hawk eventually manages to force his way out of a headlock on a surge of adrenaline and crowd clapping, and makes a last ditch effort to bring Regal down with an impressive display of power moves that leaves his opponent reeling. He hits a big vertical suplex and climbs the ropes to set up the Flying Clothesline to put Regal away... but Regal counters the finisher with a perfectly timed mid-air drop kick! King Regal and Hawk both seem out and the ref starts to count, but Regal recovers just enough to drag himself over to the fallen Road Warrior and lock in the Regal Stretch! In the center of the ring and with no energy left, Hawk is forced to tap out. Regal wins by submission!
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Curt Hennig comes out to the ring to cut a promo. "Tonight the Flawless Diamonds will win the WCW Championship. This isn't a threat, it's a simple fact. Since we revealed ourselves we have proven that our talk of controlling wrestling and being unstoppable were not idle threats either, but simple facts. We have dominated everything we have touched. And the fact of the matter is, there is nothing any man in the back can do about it. None of the forces your so-called heroes have brought to bear against us have presented a challenge, not even the mighty Four Horsemen. And when Kevin Nash destroys Ric Flair tonight, your last hope will just be one more footnote in the history books we write for this company. In ten years time, when we decide to conquer a new organization, one of us will carry the WCW Championship as a trophy of conquest, to remind everyone that the Flawless Diamonds are the strongest force in all of professional wrestling. Just as I carry the AWA Championship now."
Hennig's speech is interrupted with a simple question: CAN YOU DIG IT, SUCKA!? Booker T comes down the ramp and grabs a mike. "You know dog, you got a lot of the boys in the back scared. You been taking WCW over, there's no denying it. But as far as I'm concerned, you ain't nuttin' but another punk who thinks he can talk big and take over the neighborhood without a fight! I been dealin' with trash like you my whole life, and there's only one way to deal with you. So you and me, we're gonna have a fight right now! And if you think you're so untouchable, put that AWA title on the line!" Hennig hesitates for a moment, but the Flawless Diamond won't risk losing face after his speech and agrees. "NOW CAN YOU DIG THAT? SUUUUUCKAAAAAAA!"
Bonus Match time! Curt Hennig vs Booker T, AWA Championship on the line! Booker takes it to Hennig right from the start with a flurry of punches and high kicks, keeping the champ on the defensive. Hennig seems surprised, but soon fights back by catching a roundhouse kick and pulling Booker into a half-crab. Before he can lock the move in, Booker rolls through and boots Hennig into the corner, following up with few big shoulder blocks! Hennig forces his way free, clearly growing frustrated, and nails Booker with a German to take some wind out of his sails. The Flawless Diamond controls the match for a few minutes, targeting Booker's knee with a few submission holds, a kneebreaker, and then drapes his leg over the bottom rope to land a seated senton. Ventura speculates he's trying to remove Booker's speed, high flying and his Scissor Kick and Harlem Hangover finishers in one fell swoop.
Booker seems to be in agony as Hennig is relentless and methodical in his attack, but when Hennig starts up a spinning toehold he finally sees his opportunity and explosively launches himself off the mat to land a temple kick! Booker drags himself up the ropes while Hennig is stunned, then hops over on one leg to pull out a miracle Book End! Hennig is down and out, but Booker collapses in agony, clutching his knee. The ref starts up the ten count as both men slowly drag themselves to their feet, and while both get there before ten, Hennig is able to strike first with a vengeful vertical suplex. With his hurt leg Booker can't hope to counter, and Hennig rolls through to deliver a second vertical, then taunts the crowd for a moment before hooking the leg and delivering the Hennigplex to finish the sequence. The three-count is academic, and Curt Hennig retains his title.
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Sting & Lex Luger are in the Four Horsemen locker room, where Sting coaches his tag team partner. "Lex, I knows that you've been on edge, and that you're worried about Flair and Savage after Nitro. But tonight you needs to focus on two things. Stopping Nash has to come first, but after that comes winning the title for yourself. Trust me, chances at the championship don't come along every day. You have to take this one." Luger promises Sting that no matter how much he cares about Ric, and how much he respects Savage, he won't let them get in the way of what needs to be done, and swears that Nash will never be WCW Champion.
Next, Ron Simmons vs. Too Cold Scorpio. Scorpio starts flying immediately, knowing from experience how dangerous Simmons can be if he can control the pace of the match with his power offense. He runs the ropes and uses slingshot offense to keep Simmons off-balance and keep himself from being grappled. While Simmons does land the occasional hard-hitting move, Scorpio proves impossible to keep locked down. Too Cold keeps his momentum up with high-risk maneuvers off the turnbuckle, culminating in a big second-rope moonsault, which leaves Simmons exhausted. Bill Alfonso blows his whistle while Teddy Long tries to will his client back to life.
Scorpio uses a scoop slam to set up Simmons for the Diss that Don't Miss, but just when he reaches the third rope Aaron Muhammad jumps up on the apron and starts shouting at the ref. The official goes over to clear him out, and Scorpio soon jumps down from his perch to join in the shouting match. Simmons uses the distraction to go into his tights and take out a hidden weapon, a pair of brass knuckles! He grabs Scorpio while the ref's back is still turned and decks him, then tosses the weapon to Long before dragging a completely limp Scorpio up for a Dominator. Despite Alfonso screaming about Simmon's cheating ways, the ref counts the three and the Nation of Domination claims victory.
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James Mitchell cuts a promo in a darkened room backstage. While Mitchell talks, Muta is practicing brutal temple kicks and elbow strikes on five wooden training dummies in the background under a dim light. The dummies feature decorations like a long brown haired wig, a fancy robe, a colorful cowboy hat, a Polynesian tribal necklace, and cartoonish inflatable arms flexing their muscles. "Friends, at last the clock has struck my hour! The forces at my command have reached their peak. Glacier has fallen and only escaped his doom by a slim margin. Mortis has returned from the world beyond. Wrath remains undefeated and unchecked. And now the way is clear of all obstructions: The Great Muta will enter the chamber and unleash his inner darkness upon all our enemies. He will be WCW Champion, and the world will bow before it's new masters! I may be wrong... but I doubt it."
Next up, Bobby Eaton vs. V.K. Wallstreet for control of Eaton's Wieners! VP Chris Kanyon is at ringside to cheer on his boss, and as the two lock up the announcers remind us that if Wallstreet loses, Wallstreet Enterprises will be sold for charity! The two businessmen seem evenly matched at the outset, trading big punches, until a shot to the nose knocks Wallstreet into the ropes and he comes firing back out with a lariat. He checks his nose for blood before taunting the crowd, giving Eaton some time to recover and blast him with a slingshot backbreaker! Eaton controls the action for a while, playing to the fans with a display of his flashiest moves, culminating when he disables his opponent with a boot to the gut and tears off his suspenders!
Eaton is on top of the world as Wallstreet begs off and retreats to his corner, and while he waves his trophy over his head and tosses it to the crowd, Kanyon dabs at his boss's forehead with a monogrammed towel and then gives him a fresh pair of suspenders. When Wallstreet comes back into the ring, it's with a vengeance, and he unloads a chain of suplexes that leave Eaton absolutely crushed. Wallstreet asserts his dominance with chinlocks and sleeper holds, but Eaton manages a huge counter when he blocks a Belly-to-Belly and hits a DDT! Eaton climbs the ropes looking for the Tower of London... but Wallstreet recovers, follows him up and knocks him off the turnbuckle with big right hands! Wallstreet shouts and gestures for Eaton to stand from his perch, and when Bobby turns around he tastes a Write-Off from the top rope. Wallstreet picks up the pinfall, and him and Kanyon celebrate their newest hostile takeover.
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The Flawless Diamonds meet in their headquarters. Hall and Nash congratulate Henning on his victory. Hennig seems bothered by how hard his opponent fought and how close the match was. Despite everything he's accomplished, the spirit of WCW hasn't been broken yet. He says that tonight marks a critical juncture for the Flawless Diamonds. If they capture the WCW title, their plan to control the company will reach it's final phase, and opposition will wither and die. He has complete faith in Nash, and Hall vouches for his partner and looks forward to carving WCW up. Nash tells Hall and Hennig that he looks forward to proving once and for all that no one in WCW can stand up to the Diamonds. He's facing the best the company has in that Chamber, and when he's the only one that walks out with the title on his shoulder, no one will dare stand up to them again.
Next up was the match of the night! The Megabusters vs. the Giant and Chris Benoit! There is some debate about which men are going to start the match, as Benoit wants to get his hands on Arn while Giant is trying to keep his teammate calm. Hogan decides that he's going first when he nails the big man with a multiple double axehandles from behind. Hogan presses his advantage on Giant, unloading with big right hands and a clothesline, but Giant refuses to fall. Hogan pulls him into an Irish Whip and goes for an early big boot, but his target grabs the ropes to stop himself, leaving the Hulkster with a foot raised in empty air. Hogan seems outraged by this, and starts shouting at Giant for not accepting his defeat with dignity. Giant responds with a shove that sends Hogan tumbling into the corner, and a running tackle! Hogan is crushed by the 500 pound body, and Giant tells the crowd to hush so that the follow-up chest slap can echo through the arena. Two or three more chest slaps follow, but Hogan finally breaks free by raking the eyes, using his opponent's bulk to hide the attack from the ref. Giant reacts with rage, nailing Hogan with a jumbo-sized body slam... which Hogan no-sells by Hulking Up! He shrugs off Giant's punches and batters him into the corner, then tags in Arn while still pumping his arms and legs on the apron to keep the Hulk Up going! He and Anderson do a few rapid tags to keep Giant in check.
As Arn work's Giant over with some big chops, Hogan finally gives the YOU point... to the audience! He turns back to the ring AND HIS FACE MEETS GIANT'S FIST! In the few seconds he had turned away, Giant put a boot into Arn's stomach then turned around with fist cocked to blast Hogan off the apron with the WMD. Hogan is out and Arn is wounded, but Giant is spent and far from Benoit, who is begging for the tag. Slowly the big man crawls across the mat, but Arn has recovered by the time he gets halfway and slaps on the Figure Four! Giant is in visible agony but refuses to tap. He uses his tremendous strength to drag himself AND Arn across the mat. Arn intensifies the hold, unable to keep Giant in place but still hoping to make him tap before he reaches Benoit... but Giant's enormous arms give him too much reach! Benoit tags in and strikes, slingshoting onto the third rope, jumping and nailing the still leg-locked Anderson with a big splash!
Benoit stays tangled with Anderson, and the two roll around the ring punching and kicking in an almost subhuman display of hate. Finally they separate and Benoit starts a predatory series of attacks on Arn's neck and shoulder, hitting neckbreakers, elbow shots and his triple-German Suplex. Arn fights back by driving Benoit into the corner and battering the Crippler all the way up the turnbuckle in order to hit a superplex! Arn signals for the end of the match and stalks Benoit for the Double A Spinebuster. Benoit shakily climbs to his feet, Arn picks him up and BENOIT COUNTERS, GRABBING ARNS HEAD AND TURNING THE MOVE INTO A SELF-INFLICTED DDT! Benoit rolls out from under Arn, kips up and mule kick's a still groggy Hogan back off the apron before locking Arn into the Crippler Crossface! Anderson screams defiance, but Hogan cannot help him and he has no way to reach any rope. Arn taps out to Benoit, though Ventura blusters that the only reason it happened is because the power of his Spinebuster was turned against him.
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The Turnertron queues up Ric Flair on a pre-taped promo, intercut with highlights from some of his recent major matches, such as his handicap match with the Outsiders, Benoit in the submission match, World War 3, Arn at Starrcade, and Hogan at Superbrawl. "In the last year, I've faced insurmountable odds. I thought nothing could be more dangerous than Arn Anderson, and then I thought that nothing could make the Outsiders worse than they already were. Shows what I know. The Flawless Diamonds changed everything. Except for one thing, the most important thing: Ric Flair is the champ. It's my duty to protect WCW and stand tall, for every man in the back making the show happen, for every man in the locker room fighting for his shot, for every man in the stands who comes to this show counting on me to fight. So I'll gladly walk into that Elimination Chamber! I'll face every opponent in there, be they friend or foe. Regardless of the pain, regardless of the danger, regardless of a ton of steel ready to break my body, I WILL stand tall! Tonight Ric Flair stops Kevin Nash. I stop the Flawless Diamonds! And I remain WCW Champion! WOOO!"
The final bout before the Main Event: Alex Wright vs Heavy Metal for the Cruiserweight Championship! Heavy Metal fights hard out of the gate, intent on proving to Wright that he deserves to be in this match. High-flying offense is the order of the day, with drop kicks, corner splashes, planchas from the apron and a variety of springboard attacks put on display. Wright is barely able to cope with the high-flying maneuvers, and Metal looks to secure a quick upset when he hits a headscissors takedown and moves to lock in the Heavy Metal Cradle! But Wright is too mat-savvy and counters the finisher into a legbar, which he rolls into a boston crab. Wright shows off his ground game, keeping Metal down with chain wrestling, moving from hold to suplex and back again without giving the luchador time to breath.
The match seems to be in the palm of the champ's hand until Metal fights back by locking in his arm for a surprise arm-wrench roll-up, the La Casita! Wright kicks out on a 2.9 count, and Metal comes back to life, matching the champ blow for blow. Metal targets his opponent's shoulder with some acrobatic arm-wrenches and elbow strikes, planning to put the champ away by locking in the cradle one last time. But when Wright reverses and Irish Whip the upstart's hops are put to a decisive end with a brutal tilt-o-whirl backbreaker. Metal is limp as Wright drags him back to his feet and debuts a new finishing move, a hangman's neckbreaker. Ventura puts the move over as the Jager Breaker, and it secures the pinfall. Alex Wright retains the Cruiserweight Championship
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A Video Package leads in to the Main Event. It recaps the events that lead to the Elimination Chamber. Eric Bischoff smugly narrates about his brilliance in conceiving the match and Rick Rude's wisdom in booking it as scenes of the qualifying bouts and the six competitors are intercut with clips of the structure itself under construction. Stats about the miles of chain and the weight of the steel in it's construction are mentioned, as are possible changes as the match progresses, like shifting alliances and how the match can flow from singles to triple threat to fatal fourway to all-out-brawl. Bischoff concludes by saying that the six men who enter this chamber will never be the same, that their careers might be ended and their memories haunted by the experience. But if any man can survive this ultimate test, he will have earned the ultimate prize: the WCW Championship!
The Following Contest is an Elimination Chamber Match for the WCW Championship There is a fairly lengthy introduction as the Chamber is lowered into place. Schiovani and Tenay are astounded by the brutal nature of the structure: the hard metal floors surrounding the ring, the chain walls of the cage eager to tear flesh from bone, the tiny glass cages where four of the competitors have to watch the horrors those in the ring will unleash on each other, and the closed ceiling ensure no routes of escape. Ventura tries to stay analytical and discuss the tactics a wrestler might use in a structure like this and how it differs from a standard cage or War Games, but even he has trouble staying composed. Once the cage is in place, the wrestlers start to enter, starting with Meng and Heenan, then Lex Luger, then the Macho Man, and lastly Kevin Nash. Each of the four take time to examine the structure, testing the surfaces and walls before being locked in their pods. Once they are locked inside The Great Muta and James Mitchell make their way down the ramp. Muta crouches in a corner while Mitchell joins Heenan outside the cage. Last but not least, the WCW Champion Ric Flair comes down the ramp in one of his most flamboyant robes, pyro erupting in his wake.
The bell rings and Flair invites Muta to lock up, but Mitchell's Demon elects to knock Flair to the mat with a leg sweep instead. Muta falls on him like a rabid beast and starts mauling him with open hand strikes, but Flair rolls through and forces Muta into an armbar. They both stand and Flair whips his captive into the ropes, but whatever move he planned is spoiled when Muta handsprings off the ropes and nails a back elbow to the face! Muta rolls through and clambers up the turnbuckle, looking for a moonsault, but Flair rolls away and he eats canvas. When they get to their feet the two finally lock up and engage in dueling keylocks until Flair counters with a Snapmare into a Sleeper, but Muta responds in impressive fashion by grabbing Flair's head, bridging to a standing position, and then dropping back to the mat to deliver a jawbreaker with his own skull! Flair stumbles into the ropes, and Muta capitalizes by climbing over the Nature Boy and locking in the Tarantula! Flair howls in pain and the commentators remind us that there are no rope breaks or DQs in the chamber, only pinfalls or submissions. Things look bleak for Flair until the arena lights dim and the four pods starts to flash, signaling the first new entrant... AND THE LIGHT STOPS ON LEX LUGER!
Luger charges out of his pod and immediately comes to Flair's aid by booting Muta in the head until he releases the Tarantula. The Total Package briefly checks on Flair, then presses his attack by bulldogging Muta onto the steel floor. Muta rolls back into the ring to avoid taking more damage from the cage, but Luger pursues and hits a running elbow drop. Flair recovers and joins his fellow Horseman, dropping his own elbow on Muta on a few times before joining Luger in a double team Irish Whip/Flapjack combo. Luger and Flair play to the crowd for a moment while Muta is incapacitated, enjoying a little pose-and-strut and throwing the four fingers... but they quickly return to business and stare each other down. Luger offers his hand for the Test of Strength, and Flair accepts, making it clear that they're opponents for the rest of this match.
Luger and Flair struggle in the Indian Knuckle Lock. The Total Package's massive arms dwarf Flair's but the Nature Boy refusing to back down. They are so engrossed in their contest that they completely fail to notice Muta scale the turnbuckle and hit them BOTH with his Moonsault! The three of them are laid out just as the pods start to flash again, the finally land on Kevin Nash!
Nash strolls into the ring almost casually and starts mud stomping all three of his competitors. Once he's satisfied with his work, he drags Luger to his feet and begins beating him, unloading right hands and then shoving him into the corner to work his ribs. Meanwhile, Flair and Muta take their fight to the outside where Flair applies his patented knife-edge chops. Nash backs up and builds up a head of steam, but Luger ducks out of the way then schoolboys Big Sexy, earning himself a two. As Muta begins to grind Flair along the cage chains, Luger and Nash tee off, trading rapid punches and then locking up and fighting for a vertical suplex. Nash wins the contest and then takes advantage of the no DQ rules by stepping on Luger's neck.
Muta throws Flair back into the ring and the two heels swap out, letting Nash beat on the hurt Flair while Muta drags Luger up and gives him a nasty dragon suplex. Nash beats Flair down to one knee, and in response Flair nails him with a low blow... but when Nash falls out of the way Muta torpedoes across the ring and nails the Shining Wizard! Muta covers Flair, 1, 2, LUGER SAVES THE CHAMP. Luger covers Nash, 1, 2, NASH KICKS OUT! THE LIGHTS DIM AND A FEW MOMENTS LATER MENG'S CAGE LIGHTS UP!
Meng enters the Chamber like a storm, immediately leveling Muta and Luger with big headbutts before making Flair his target. He drags the champion to the outside and begins a slow, agonizing journey around the cage. Flair is body slammed onto the steel floor, ground against the chain, slammed head first into the glass pod containing Randy Savage, and crushed by the door of one of the empty pods. Back in the ring, Nash and Muta are working over Luger, but the Total Package comes back from a double Irish Whip flying through the air and nails both opponents with a double flying clothesline! Luger gains his second wind starts suplexing Muta into oblivion, while Nash rolls away and takes a breather.
Flair desperately tries to fight back, giving Meng his own taste of the Steel with a drop toehold into the outer wall, but the monster seems barely phased and gives Flair a Samoan Drop onto the steel. The Nature Boy bleeds profusely but fights on with a a few knee lifts, and then a desperation dropkick to the knee! Meng staggers, and Flair pulls out another drop kick to the head! Meanwhile, Luger applies a military press slam to Muta and flexes for the crowd only to be caught off guard by a big boot from Nash. Big Sexy again targets Luger's ribs with punches and kicks before getting impressive height nailing him with a snake eyes. Meng locks in the Tongan Death Grip and drags Flair back into the ring by his throat as Schiovani reminds the audiences that pinfalls and submissions MUST take place inside the ring. The Death Grip chokes the life out of Flair, and it's effects are only sped up by his blood loss and a potential concussion from Muta's finisher. The Champ looks doomed as Meng lays him onto the mat... until he puts his leg to Meng's neck and clamps on a triangle choke! Meng immediately releases his grip and starts flailing, trying to get Flair off of him before he passes out, but Flair won't budge an inch no matter how much Meng struggles. He begins to slow... his knees start to slip out from under him... but Kevin Nash steps away from Luger and stomps on Flair's chest, shaking him lose. Flawless Diamond Steel has picked his moment perfectly: the last of Flair's strength is gone and nobody is in a position to interfere. He pulls Flair into position... and hits the Jackknife Powerbomb in the center of the ring. Cover, 1, 2... 3! KEVIN NASH ELIMINATES THE WCW CHAMPION RIC FLAIR!
The other participants seem stunned, unable to believe the Champion is out of the running, and the announcers are equally stunned... except for Ventura, who shouts joyfully that he knew it all along. And just then the lights dim one final time: The Macho Man is finally unleashed!
As Luger and Muta gather themselves to take on Nash, Savage starts his efforts by climbing the outside of his pod. Tenay is confused... until he lines up on the near-unconscious Meng and points his fingers toward the sky. IT'S AN ELBOW DROP FROM THE TOP OF THE CAGE, AND IT CONNECTS! Savage hooks the leg, 1, 2, 3! RANDY SAVAGE ELIMINATES MENG AFTER LESS THAN A MINUTE IN THE MATCH!
Nash, Luger and Muta barely seem to notice as they've been locked in a brutal three-way battle, trading kicks and forearms. The three men seem evenly matched after taking so much punishment. Nash moves to hit Muta with a big boot... but the Minister's Beast catches the leg and nails Nash with a dragon screw, taking him down! Luger attempts to capitalize with a running splash pin, but only secures a two. Savage joins the brawl, nailing Muta with a lariat as Luger picks Nash up and hits an impressive double underhook suplex. Muta delivers a viscous kick to the Macho Man and follows up with a swinging neckbreaker, but is caught by surprise when Luger grabs him from behind and sets him up for the Torture Rack! However, Luger is unable to life Muta into position! The ribs that Nash had been weakening the whole match cause him too much pain!
Muta rolls off Luger's shoulder and Irish Whips him away, but it proves a miscalculation when The Total Package comes charging back with the Running Forearm set to hit. Hit it does... at the exact moment that Muta unleashes his Green Mist! Luger clutches his eyes in pain... and by pure luck manages to fall on top of Muta's unconscious body. Luger squirms but stays on top of his opponent, and the ref counts the three! LEX LUGER ELIMINATES THE GREAT MUTA... only to be completely defenseless mere seconds later when Nash picks him up and drops his second Jackknife of the night! Nash plants a boot on Luger's chest for the 1-2-3. KEVIN NASH ELIMINATES LEX LUGER!
Savage gets back to his feet, and the final two square off with the title in the balance. After a tense staredown Nash and Savage lock up... and Nash shoves the Macho Man to the mat with little effort. Savage seems surprised for a moment, but grits his teeth and charges back in, getting in under Nash's guard for a jumbo belly-to-belly suplex! The two men start fighting in earnest, trading punches and blocking attempts at power moves, and the fight soon spills out onto the steel. Nash gleefully makes use of the chain walls, but Savage isn't afraid to do the same. Both men are bleeding in short order, and there is little art left in their offense as they simply try to destroy each other using the Chamber. It is a brutal display and soon red stains the glass of all four entry pods and both men are struggling to even move. They start to trade slow, obvious haymakers, waiting to see who's body gives first... and it seems to be Savage as he swings wide and stumbled into Nash's arms. The half-dead Big Sexy acts on pure instinct and pulls Savage up to Jackknife him onto the steel... but Savage counters! Strait out of his match against Terry Gordy, Savage turns the Powerbomb into a Huricanrana and drive's Nash's forehead strait into the metal!
Savage knows this is his last chance, and he rolls Nash back into the ring and scales the entry pod once again.... but at the top he pauses, and then slides his fingers between the chains. He climbs higher, going hand-over-hand like a kid on the monkey bars until he is squarely above Nash's body, hanging in mid-air by his fingertips on the highest part of the cage. And then he lets go. Savage delivers the single biggest Elbow Drop of his life strait to Kevin Nash's heart, driving any remaining life out of his opponents body. Savage cannot even move to hook the leg, but that doesn't stop the referee's count. 1...2...3. HERE IS YOUR WINNER, AND THE NEEEEEEEW WCW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION, THE MACHO MAN, RANDY SAVAGE!
Savage accepts the belt and leans on the ref so his hand can be raised. For the first time in what seems like forever, The Macho Man is in his rightful place as Champion. He salutes his Extended Family in the crowd, and hoists the Big Gold Belt for all to see as Spring Stampede comes to a close.
This was an incredible show with a ton of great matches, there were almost no bad segments... but something about the Main Event was just SLIGHTLY off. I have to give the show a B- overall.
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Sep 23, 2014 03:16
ECW team, if you can pop into the IRC today that would be great 
