WWE 24/7

[Drury37 0]

Just got WWE 24-7 On Demand and I love it.

Thanks.

[tapout 0]

The main event for WCW Mayhem 99 was a very good match between Benoit and Hart. It could have been better without all the stupid interference that had no impact on the match.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

I'm in the midst of WCW Mayhem now. I don't want to say it's an awful show, but god Vince Russo was shit when it came to booking shows. Through ten matches, eight or nine of them had outside interference of some sort. Curt Hennig's career "ended" and Arn Anderson was crippled. (Hennig's retirement lasted weeks and Arn Anderson recovered.) One woman was beat up (Torrie), another was endangered (Kimberly) and a third (Elizabeth) was threatened. An "I Quit" Match lasted five and a half minutes (with no outside interference there!).

[King Kamala 0]

I'm in the midst of WCW Mayhem now. I don't want to say it's an awful show, but god Vince Russo was shit when it came to booking shows. Through ten matches, eight or nine of them had outside interference of some sort. Curt Hennig's career "ended" and Arn Anderson was crippled. (Hennig's retirement lasted weeks and Arn Anderson recovered.) One woman was beat up (Torrie), another was endangered (Kimberly) and a third (Elizabeth) was threatened. An "I Quit" Match lasted five and a half minutes (with no outside interference there!).

 

I haven't watched that show since it happened but I remember that show being awful outside of the two Benoit matches (which couldn't quite save the show).

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

That fan jabbing Dean Malenko with a hockeystick at Mayhem was bizarre. I'm so used to WWE not acknowledging that sort of thing (look for the jumper/streaker at Mania 23 to be edited off the DVD) that when I saw WCW's production focusing on this guy in facepaint, I assumed it was an angle.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

Just a note, 2 MNWs from now (1/13/97) is the semi-infamous "Robin Hood" episode.

[cabbageboy 0]

If I recall, Hennig literally came back the next night! He met with the Powers That Be, was forced to join, and thus got his job back. I actually didn't have a problem with that storyline though, since Hennig was forced to have that retirement match. It's worse when a guy comes back after voluntarily putting his career on the line.

 

Truth be told, I remember liking Mayhem pretty well. It might have been crazy Russo shit with 50 people running in, but that was still better than the dreck WCW churned out from May-October of 1999.

[King Kamala 0]

Call me crazy, but I liked the very brief period between Bischoff leaving and Russo arriving from about September to mid October. I haven't watched it since it originally aired but I remember Sting's heel turn and the aftermath were well done. It's just fans couldn't possibly hate Sting and the fans were tired of red and yellow Hogan at that point so hence heel Sting getting cheered over Hogan.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

That fan jabbing Dean Malenko with a hockeystick at Mayhem was bizarre. I'm so used to WWE not acknowledging that sort of thing (look for the jumper/streaker at Mania 23 to be edited off the DVD) that when I saw WCW's production focusing on this guy in facepaint, I assumed it was an angle.

The fan/Malenko deal was an angle.

 

Mayhem was just god awful bullshit with almost non-stop nonsensical booking.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

That fan jabbing Dean Malenko with a hockeystick at Mayhem was bizarre. I'm so used to WWE not acknowledging that sort of thing (look for the jumper/streaker at Mania 23 to be edited off the DVD) that when I saw WCW's production focusing on this guy in facepaint, I assumed it was an angle.

The fan/Malenko deal was an angle.

 

Mayhem was just god awful bullshit with almost non-stop nonsensical booking.

Seriously? What the heck point did that serve?

 

Just to clarify, this is during the Filthy Animals/Revolution match. A fan gets close to Malenko waving the Canadian flag, Malenko yells and the fan appears to jab at him with the flag.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

That fan jabbing Dean Malenko with a hockeystick at Mayhem was bizarre. I'm so used to WWE not acknowledging that sort of thing (look for the jumper/streaker at Mania 23 to be edited off the DVD) that when I saw WCW's production focusing on this guy in facepaint, I assumed it was an angle.

The fan/Malenko deal was an angle.

 

Mayhem was just god awful bullshit with almost non-stop nonsensical booking.

Seriously? What the heck point did that serve?

 

Just to clarify, this is during the Filthy Animals/Revolution match. A fan gets close to Malenko waving the Canadian flag, Malenko yells and the fan appears to jab at him with the flag.

It set up Malenko interfering in the main event dressed the same way as the fan was. The idea being that Malenko somehow managed to get the fan's gear, so when he showed up in the main event we'd think it was the same idiot fan again when it was really Malenko.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Ok. I'd like to know at what point Vince Russo stood up at the booking meeting and said, "Hey guys, I know how to make the Hart/Benoit match better!"

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

I'd like to know at what point Vince Russo stood up at the booking meeting and said, "Hey guys, I know how to make the Hart/Benoit match better!"

About one second after someone pointed out that just letting Hart/Benoit wrestle for twenty minutes with no interference would be the best possible main event to have.

[Guest Dolfan483]

FINALLY! Theres still 6 catagories but TV Classics and Legends have been added...guess my E-Mail to my SHITTY cable company paid off.

[cabbageboy 0]

Actually Russo did not book that Sting "heel" turn on Hogan in Sept. 1999. He was still with the WWF at that point. The first PPV Russo booked was Halloween Havoc 1999, though I think he did a Nitro right before it too. I think that Sting/Hogan angle was a makeshift team of Sullivan, Nash, and Dusty.

 

I must be one of the few people who enjoyed the initial Powers That Be angle. People tend to forget how horrendous WCW was in mid 1999. I mean we're talking the worst shows ever conceived by mankind. In the deepest area of hell Satan is likely torturing people by making them watch Nitro shows from the Summer of 1999.

 

Sure, Russo booked a lot of foolish crap when he arrived. But you know what? At least it moved and was sorta exciting and kept my attention. In fact I dare say I was more interested in WCW's product from that brief period of time more than the WWF (who had a heatless HHH main eventing, Austin injured, UT injured, Rock/Bulldog dogshit feud, and the Big Show vs. Bossman trash over Show's dad and also the world title). Of course by Dec. 1999 WCW started sucking again and just revived the NWO for the millionth time, and the HHH/Steph angle kicked into high gear.

 

But for a brief Oct/Nov. run in 1999 Nitro was a fun show.

[tapout 0]

Was it just me, or was the Albany NY crowd for Raw dead as hell? Nitro and Raw put on very good shows to close out 1996. Oh yeah, whoever let Debra McMichael, Steve McMichael and Jeff fucking Jarrett anywhere near the Horsemen should be thrown of the highest cliff. I hated it then and I still hate it to this day. I just cringe any time I here those three speak.

[Si82 0]

Just a note, 2 MNWs from now (1/13/97) is the semi-infamous "Robin Hood" episode.

"Robin Hood" episode?

 

Can you explain please?

[JHawk 0]

Just a note, 2 MNWs from now (1/13/97) is the semi-infamous "Robin Hood" episode.

"Robin Hood" episode?

 

Can you explain please?

Basically, TNT debuted some shittty Robin Hood series after Nitro that night, and to try to force people into watching it, they actually ended Nitro on time with the promise of "live" cut-ins to the Hogan-Giant match. The match lasted about eight minutes but was shown in such a way that the match appeared to people that didn't know any better to go like 45 minutes.

 

I'm curious as to how they handle it when they get to it.

[Black Lushus 0]

just got done watching Mayhem...yeesh, WCW was so horrible it's last couple of years. How can Russo still gain employment from wrestling promotions? Stop looking at the WWE's boom period and start looking at how he ran a top promotion into the ground, folks.

[Si82 0]

Just a note, 2 MNWs from now (1/13/97) is the semi-infamous "Robin Hood" episode.

"Robin Hood" episode?

 

Can you explain please?

Basically, TNT debuted some shittty Robin Hood series after Nitro that night, and to try to force people into watching it, they actually ended Nitro on time with the promise of "live" cut-ins to the Hogan-Giant match. The match lasted about eight minutes but was shown in such a way that the match appeared to people that didn't know any better to go like 45 minutes.

 

I'm curious as to how they handle it when they get to it.

Thanks for the info. I'd never even heard of that before.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

I don't recall Malenko interfering in the main event, but by that point I was reading about Bad News Allen in the WON and wasn't paying attention.

[Black Lushus 0]

yeah, he interferes and then at one point the Outsiders and Goldberg get involved...the best part? It has nothing to do with the final outcome of the match, as tapout mentions above. The interference is just so random it's utterly stupid.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

yeah, he interferes and then at one point the Outsiders and Goldberg get involved...the best part? It has nothing to do with the final outcome of the match, as tapout mentions above. The interference is just so random it's utterly stupid.

Which raises the crucial question; what was the point of any of the interference?

[cabbageboy 0]

The point: Russo booked it.

 

I've given my thoughts on this in the past. Russo's style of booking is exactly what WCW DID NOT need in late 1999. It provided amusing TV for about 2 months, but WCW's belts had all been severely devalued during 1999 that the last thing needed was 20 guys winning the world title and trading belts back and forth like props. WCW fans had already seen enough foolishness. What they wanted was solid fundamental booking with the faces chasing the heels down and finally prevailing in decisive form.

 

I watched that Raw from March 1999 that Russo booked, the one before WM. And to be honest, while it had some amusing bits like Austin spraying the Corporation with beer, the show sucked. It also debuted Big Show and simply jobbed him to Austin, which was amazingly stupid in the long run. But the WWF NEEDED that Russo touch, since in the mid 90s their shows were ungodly boring and lacking in action and hype. Raw needed a few matches where guys fought and fell into a flaming pit below the stage.

 

The reality of WCW's situation was thus: They had one hot angle with the NWO. And when that angle petered out they were left with the same cruisers fighting that had been fighting for years, the same uninspiring 4 minute TV matches that filled the bulk of programming even during the NWO Era, and now the NWO itself was stale and not drawing. Having watched the MNW shows on 24/7 I am shocked at how snooze worthy most of the non NWO content really was on Nitro, and also surprised that the Raw shows I thought were garbage back in 1996 were actually not too bad.

 

WCW had too much hubris. A more reserved Bischoff could have led them to consistently solid years, but by insisting on making fans choose between WCW and the WWF, he really caused WCW's ultimate demise.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

Looking ahead and skimming some 1997 results, it's too bad Owen's IC title win and Austin's ambulance ride ambush on Bret happened on non-competitive weeks (read: Won't be shown in the MNW sequence). I'm seriously looking forward to the Bret/Owen/Bulldog reuniting episode though - that one tugged at the emotions back in the day.

[strummer 0]

Was it just me, or was the Albany NY crowd for Raw dead as hell? Nitro and Raw put on very good shows to close out 1996. Oh yeah, whoever let Debra McMichael, Steve McMichael and Jeff fucking Jarrett anywhere near the Horsemen should be thrown of the highest cliff. I hated it then and I still hate it to this day. I just cringe any time I here those three speak.

 

 

I was at that RAW in Albany. Dead crowd? Wait till weeks 3 and 4 of the taping cycle. Complete silence. IIRC correctly the top guys weren't even getting heat and the crowd was pissed at the Shawn/Austin 10 second dark match "Main Event"

 

I also have to agree that Nitro wasn't as good as I remember it being during this time frame. People like to talk about all the "great matches" on Nitro during this time but they really didn't start taking place until late 97- 98 when for whatever reason the workers starting getting a lot more time.

[King Kamala 0]

Actually Russo did not book that Sting "heel" turn on Hogan in Sept. 1999. He was still with the WWF at that point. The first PPV Russo booked was Halloween Havoc 1999, though I think he did a Nitro right before it too. I think that Sting/Hogan angle was a makeshift team of Sullivan, Nash, and Dusty.

 

 

I was talking about how I liked that The Sting/Hogan angle was a part of the brief, booker by committee period from September 1999 to mid-October 1999 which I actually kind of liked. More than The Summer of '99 and Russo's era anyways.

 

 

As bad as Russo's first run in WCW was, it was a lot better than what Bischoff was doing and it was 10x better than Sullivan's booking reign. I still maintain that January-March of 2000 WCW was the worst wrestling I have ever watched. Worse than any of Russo's other runs in WCW, worse than '95 WWF. Just awful, awful stuff.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

I think a lot of people watching this show, though making valid points, are looking back and saying "wow that sucked that Jericho/Benoit only went 4 minutes" and how the idea that Nitro had better wrestling was a myth without realizing this is taking place a decade ago.

 

Yeah, a 4 minute Jericho/Benoit match is the sort of thing happening on Impact that we complain about now, but that match totally blew away every match on Raw the same week in terms of the work that was presented in that small amount of time. Flash Funk vs HHH was dreadfully dull and it lasted what seemed like 13 minutes.

 

For me, these shows are pure television nostalgia and should, for the most part, be treated as such. What is the statute of limitations on reviewing a show as "nostalgic fun" or a serious review? I know people hate hearing his name, but Scott Keith is giving decade old MNWs a 'serious' review with star ratings and as a result seems constantly down on them, but is giving 2 decade old NWA shows that seem to have an endless parade of squash matches a free pass.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Wrestling wise the Monday Night shows were a notch better, as you'd expect. NWA had better promo work. Watching both though, NWA had more compelling storylines. You had a few well-defined feuds and each week they did a good job of presenting and selling them. WCW had so many wrestlers under contract that too often matches existed simply to kill time.

[Black Lushus 0]

I have to admit, I had fun watching Paul Wight beat around the NWO and make Hogan cry during that last segment there only to get overtaken in the end.

 

back to Mayhem...I totally forgot about the whole "Mafia hitmen are coming after Disco Inferno" foolishness...gotta love that WCW in 1999. Didn't those guys end up being Vito and Johnny Stamboli? I forget...