We’re back to discuss this crazy era in WCW history for this week’s homework assignment. Each and every week without a major wrestling PPV, the hosts of the At Odds with Wrestling podcast assign each other something wrestling related to watch and discuss. This week we continue to watch the tumultuous era of WCW in between Vince Russo’s booking regimes. Constant title changes. New faces. Anything goes. 

We open with highlights from the Sid Vicious vs the nWo feud. Some of this goes back to before the era we’re watching. A lot has happened in a short amount of time. 

Tonight’s show is from the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas. The announce team for the evening is Tony Schiavone, Mike Tenay, and Scott Hudson. “Caged Heat” – WCW’s version of Hell in a Cell is shown above the ring. What crazy things will happen tonight? 

Mean Gene is in the ring and he introduces the WCW World Heavyweight champion, Sid Vicious. Sid just won the title, finally, decisively, on Monday Nitro which was yesterday because this show was recorded on Tuesday night. The Peacock music edit for Sid isn’t the worst, but sounds like a lesser known 80s hair metal band. Something like Autograph. Gene says he celebrated Sid’s win by sipping a bit of the bubbly. Chris Jericho is somewhere taking notes. Sid says he won’t be happy until he has an unconditional victory over the nWo. This brings the nWo out – Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, Scott Steiner, Jeff Jarrett, the Harris Brothers, and this week’s ladies of the evening including some new and some familiar faces. Nash plays a video of the wrong Harris Brother being pinned on Nitro, which means Sid did not win that match, which means he should not have been able to face Nash for the vacant title. Nash also plays a clip that did not air on Nitro (maybe it took place during the commercial break) of the Harris Brothers explaining to the referee that the wrong twin was pinned. The referee restarts the match, and counts Sid out, thus the Harris brother wins and Nash should have been named champion. This was never mentioned or shown on Nitro. Yet the live audience would have seen it. So what did they think when the title match took place later in the show? Sid has to give the title up to Nash. Nash makes the main event of Sid vs Nash and the unpinned Harris boy in the cage. The powerbomb is outlawed, and Sid has to pin Nash to win. 

We get match graphics which must be a difficult job with so many last minute changes. 

Mean Gene interviews the Maestro and Symphony. The Maestro says Las Vegas is his town. 

The nWo is turning their locker room into a private casino. 

Maestro vs Screamin Norman Smiley. 

Norman comes out with a flock of Vegas showgirls. He’s also wearing a great looking white suit. Here’s a guy putting some money into his look. More on that later. Everyone gets in the ring to wiggle. ‘Stro jumps Norman and apparently this is a hardcore match. The guys fight at ringside and all of the girls stay in the ring where it’s safe and there’s no chance of any action taking place inside the ring during a wrestling match. These showgirls really aren’t doing it for me. I’ll have to ask one of my Vegas obsessed friends if there are levels of showgirls depending on which casino they work at. There’s a ring crew girl getting the coats and robes from the wrestlers and she’s cuter than any of the showgirls. Anyways, the fight goes backstage. Norman falls into the KISS casket, awakening the Demon. Norman faints allowing Maestro to get what I have to assume is one of his few pinfall victories in WCW. 

The nWo casino is fully operational. 

Elizabeth and Total Package are backstage showing off their weapons. Liz calls Package Lex. Was she not there at WCW Saturday Night when he asked to be called the Total Package from now on? She might not remember that, but she does remember that Sting and Buff Bagwell are good friends. Oh sure. I remember all of their tag team matches and stories together. 

The Artist formerly known as Prince Iaukea (with Paisley) vs Kid Romeo as part of the tournament for the vacant Cruiserweight title. 

The first match of this two hour wrestling show begins 23 minutes in. It’s like I’m watching modern WWE. Ms Hancock comes out to take notes. Standards and Practices ditches her. This is possibly the longest running storyline WCW has. Paisley interferes and breaks up Romeo pinning the Artist. The Artist takes advantage and hits Paisley Park for the pin. This wasn’t a bad match for rookies. Perfectly fine NXT 2.0 match. 

Back at the nWo casino and Norman’s showgirls have joined them. “Wayne Newton” is brought in to perform. 

How has Sid’s music changed on Peacock but KISS hasn’t?

The Demon vs Terry Funk.

Funk falls out of the ring but forces the Demon to move so it looks like an offensive move. Funk swings at the referee. What is going on here? Is Funk not in the right state of mind? Is the Demon that bad that Funk has to do these theatrics to cover for him? Funk locks on an abdominal stretch and rolls with it into a pinfall. This is the oddest match not only on this card, but maybe since we began this era of WCW. Odd booking decisions are one thing, but this feels like Funk being in some sort of altered state. Very odd. 

Vampiro vs Kidman (with Torrie Wilson).

We’re getting a rematch of their previous bad match. This is much better than that one though. Not great, not perfect, but much better. Vampiro controls most of the match and maybe that’s the difference? Kidman won’t give up though and keeps kicking out. The match is a matter of respect. Vampiro comes off the middle ropes with the Nail in the Coffin for the pin. Again, much better. The announcers, myself, and probably Adam were distracted by Torrie multiple times throughout the match. Arguably she tops the grease rankings of the evening. 

Lex and Liz are walking. Buff is also walking. 

The nWo casino is raided for “unregulated gambling”. Nash tosses Wayne Newton to the cops and blames him for it. 

Total Package (with Elizabeth) vs Buff Bagwell. 

This isn’t terrible but I could have taken a nap during this match. It doesn’t hold up in 2023, and it definitely didn’t in 2000 either. Too many elbow drops. It’s a fine 1980’s match between two name talents. The referee pretends to not see Lex hit a low blow. You know, the atomic drop is really a forgotten move that you can have a lot of fun with. No one sold them like Rick Rude. I wonder if anyone could really bring it back today. Either their own move, or their opponent always hits one and it’s a signature sell. Anyways, Buff hits a Blockbuster but Liz jumps in and hits Buff with the bat. The referee sees this one and calls for the DQ. Lex attacks Buff with the bat and teases using the chair but never does. The referees and security remove Lex from the ring. 

Let’s go to see 3 Count at the Nitro Grill. No one wants their autographs. Disco Inferno and the Mamalukes show up to make fun of them. They fight at the Grill and this leads to the next match. 

I wonder if AEW will ever open a themed restaurant in Vegas. They have so many gambling themed things already it would probably be a good fit. Although that themed restaurant era has passed. Planet Hollywood, anyone? 

3 Count comes out to dance and the Peacock music edit ruins everything. The Mamalukes interrupt and the match is on. We know what a mamaluke is now thanks to the “WCW research and continuity division”. Adam, I know you’re reading. Let me talk directly to you. Let’s update our resumes to include our times working for the WCW research and continuity division. I’ll put you down as my former supervisor, you do the same for me. We worked there from 1998-2001 until shut down. Who’s going to prove it? This match is all power moves vs flippy moves between two teams that are technically all heels. Johnny the Bull pins Shannon Moore and Tony says the Mamalukes won because they’re bigger. Well that is just some all time great commentary. Right up there with “good point Excalibur”. 

Terry Funk and Arn Anderson walk backstage. They want to show Sid their support. “Hey Vicious.” Very odd segment. 

The nWo casino is closed down. Nash quotes Animal House. 

Booker T (with Midnight) comes out to face Jerry Flynn but Flynn jumps him in the aisle. The bell rings before either man is in the ring so I guess this match is official. Flynn is trying his best and doesn’t look terrible but we all know he has no chance. Booker hits his signature kicks but then slams Flynn and just flips over for a quick roll up pin. Very odd. Tenay says it’s so Booker can show off his skills. Sure. 

Anderson and Funk talk to Sid. 

Ernest “the Cat” Miller comes out again to dance and insult the crowd for no reason. 

Mean Gene talks to Kimberly. Damn. Grease rank #2 for the evening. Kim says everything is cool and leaves with DDP. 

Nash talks to the Harris Brothers, one of which says “let’s beat the shit out of this guy” and the line goes through uncensored. 

Fit Finlay tells Brian Knobbs to stay in the back. Knobbs wants “a hug for good luck” but Knobbs picks the wrench out of Finlay’s pocket.

Bam Bam Bigelow vs Fit Finlay. 

What is wrong with Bam Bam at this point? He looks like he’s living out of his car. Compare him coming to the ring to Norman. Compare him coming to the ring to him coming to the ring in WWF, or even ECW. I know there’s miserable times in WCW but there’s also look like a star and you’ll be treated like a star. The winner of this match gets a shot at the WCW Hardcore title currently held by Knobbs. Apparently he would rather face Bigelow than Finlay. Bam goes for a headbutt but misses. Finlay grabs for the wrench but realizes it’s not there. Bigelow hits Greetings from Asbury Park for the pin. Knobbs appears on the big screen holding the wrench and laughing, which is sure to upset Finlay. 

The cage is lowered. 

Sid walks. 

Nash and a Harris brother walk. 

Sid Vicious vs Kevin Nash (WCW champion) and the unpinned Harris brother in a Caged Heat match. 

There’s maybe 10 minutes left of the show. Nash and Harris beat down Sid on one side of the floor against the cage for half of that time. Nash goes for many pins, Harris gets on top for a double pin or two, but Sid will not stay down. Sid chokeslams the Harris brother. Sid gets Nash in a crossface – Benoit’s finisher from not even a month ago – and Nash quickly taps out. Sid is champ once again for the second time in 24 hours. There’s a grand celebration in the ring. Ric Flair comes out on the ramp to clap, point at Sid, and disappear once again. 

I’ve definitely watched worse shows. This feels like a show full of potential. Certain talent needs to get to better spots either in their stories or in their ring work and this show helps them get in the reps. The title situation is just absurd and doesn’t get any better when Russo comes back. Did you know all 5 of Booker T’s title reigns take place in just over one year’s time? That’s why he was showing off his skills in his match tonight. As a B show, it’s fine. As a show from a company that was number one not that long ago, it’s an embarrassment.