Souled Out 1999 | WCW Sunday Night RetroView

After finally getting to the formation of the nWo in my last edition of WCW RetroView, I figured it was time to reset. Having already covered WCW in its glory days of the nWo (1996-1998) I figured it was time to look at the other end of the spectrum, WCW Souled Out 1999. 

Souled Out (1999) - Wikipedia
[Photo @ Wikipedia]
The period of time after the nWo had long run its course and look back ad see how WCW navigated those waters. So with that in mind, today’s WCW RetroView is Souled Out 1999. 

The Best and Worst of WCW Monday Nitro for January 4, 1998
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This was the first event after Goldberg’s winning streak was ended, and the infamous “Fingerpoke of Doom ” made it clear the best days of the nWo were long gone.

The show begins with a special news bulletin, and Ric Flair, the current President of WCW, is behind a podium addressing the media. 

He promises that WCW is unified in this ongoing fight with the nWo. Meanwhile, the camera continues to cut to someone watching the press conference. Tony Schiavone welcomes us to Charleston, West Virginia. 

He mentions the specter of the nWo still looms over everything in WCW and that Hollywood Hogan is once again WCW World Heavyweight Champion. Schiavone, Mike Tenay and Bobby “The Brain” Heenan discuss the main event Stun Gun Ladder Match between Goldberg and Scott Hall. 

The first match is won by Chris Benoit after he forces Mike Eos to submit. After the match, we get a hype video giving the back story to the Stun Gun Ladder Match. Obviously, Hall using the Stun Gun to cost Goldberg the championship serving as the main point. 

WCW Souled Out 1999
Norman Smiley vs. Chavo Guerrero

WCW Souled Out 1999 Review – TJR Wrestling
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Norman Smiley makes his way out carrying a red urn for some reason. Apparently, inside the urn are the chopped-up remains of Chavo’s stick horse, Pepe. 

Pro wrestling, ladies and gentlemen…

Chavo aggressively begins the match, something the announcers equate to his wanting revenge for Pepe. Both of these guys are super talented. Just kind of sad they’re saddled with this whole Pepe angle. 

Smiley shows off his submission skills to counter Chavo’s speed and agility. The biggest reaction from the crowd comes from Norman Smiley doing the big wiggle. In the end, Smiley gets the win with an old-school cross-face chicken wing. 

Winner – Norman Smiley

Before the next match, we get an interview with Konnan, and he’s asked about his falling out with the nWo Wolfpac. 

WCW Souled Out 1999
Fit Finlay vs. Van Hammer

WCW Souled Out 1999 Review – TJR Wrestling
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So this one is Finlay being the tough, no-nonsense veteran taking on the hippie, laid-back version of Van Hammer. 

This is a master course of Finlay absolutely brutalizing a guy. He gets the win with his version of the tombstone piledriver after about seven minutes. 

Winner – Fit Finlay

Schiavone leads us into a video breaking down the upcoming tag match between Barry Windham and Curt Hennig against Flair and his son David Flair. 

WCW Souled Out 1999
Bam Bam Bigelow vs. Wrath

WCW Souled Out 1999 Review – TJR Wrestling
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The commentary talks up the recent issues between these two and how their last match ended without a winner. Wrath hits a jumping big boot early to send Bigelow scurrying to the outside. 

An impressive diving clothesline from the middle rope by Wrath gets the first near fall of the match. Bigelow is mean and nasty like always. These two really put on a solid hard-hitting contest. 

After a double clothesline takes both men down, Bigelow gets the win with an impressive “Greetings From Asbury Park” on the bigger Wrath. 

Winner – Bam Bam Bigelow

WCW Souled Out 1999
Konnan vs Lex Luger

WCW Souled Out 1999
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Konnan comes out first, and it’s kind of weird seeing him enter without the red and black colors of the nWo on his chest. 

As always, the crowd is fully behind Konnan during his pre-match promo, where he tells Lex Luger to get ready to bow down and toss his salad.

Pro wrestling, ladies and gentlemen…

Luger comes out to the classic nWo Wolfpac theme and to this day I still hate seeing Luger and Sting with any nWo shirt on. They give Luger the mic and once again you see talking isn’t one of Luger’s strong points. 

Luger gives Konnan the option to leave, which is answered with a flurry of right hands from Konnan. The crowd is fully behind Konnan in this one. Konnan dominates the majority of this match and looks to have it won when he locks Luger in the “Tequila Sunrise”.

However, a distraction by Elizabeth (spray paint to the face) leading to Luger getting the win with the Torture Rack. 

Winner – Lex Luger

WCW Souled Out 1999
Loser Wears A Dress Match
Perry Saturn vs. Chris Jericho

WCW WorldWide — Chris Jericho vs Perry Saturn - WCW Souled Out...
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Saturn enters first and looks as tough as always. Once again, Jericho’s “Break Down the Walls” is dubbed in for Jericho’s entrance music, which I find super annoying. 

By Jericho’s side is his personal security Ralphus. Saturn is all business, and Jericho is in prime obnoxious mode. Schiavone points out that Saturn and referee Scott Dickinson have history and don’t like each other. 

These two have great chemistry together, and both pull off a bevy of impressive moves. Late in the match, Jericho gets a close two-count with a solid German Suplex into a bridge.

After a great sequence of counters between both men, Jericho gets the shocking win after Satur’s small package roll-up countered with an assist from Dickinson. A simple, fast count later, and Jericho is the winner. 

Winner – Chris Jericho 

After the match, Jericho forces Saturn to put the dress on. 

Pro wrestling ladies and gentlemen…

We cut back to the WCW.com setup where David Flair is being interviewed. You can tell the 19-year-old Flair is a ball of nerves heading into the tag team match. 

WCW Souled Out 1999
Four Corners WCW Cruiserweight Championship Match
Billy Kidman © vs. Rey Mysterio Jr. vs. Juventud Guerrera vs. Psychosis

Billy Kidman vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Juventud Guerrera vs. Psicosis - Fatal 4-Way WCW Cruiserweight Championship Match: Souled Out 1999 | WWE
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This is going to be a good one. Two men will start, and anyone can tag themselves in at any point. The first to score the pinfall or submission is the winner. Kidman and Mysterio start it off and immediately show their brilliant chemistry together. 

A midair collision brings in Juvi and Psychosis, and they put their boots to their downed opponents. Eventually, Kidman and Mysterio tag out simultaneously to a loud ovation from the crowd. 

As Psychosis and Juvi start trading moves, Tenay ponders if Kidman and Mysterio tagging out could be a mistake. The concept of the four corners gives this a unique feel for the Cruiserweight division at the time. 

It’s not the constant pace of your usual cruiserweight match; it’s a lot of action but at a slower pace. Kidman and Mysterio hitting power bombs on the ring floor mat is an early highlight. 

As expected the rules of the match break down, and all four men start flying around. One of the loudest reactions of the night comes when Kidman hits the shooting star press to get the win. 

Great match. 

Winner – Billy Kidman

Back at the WCW.com desk is Booker T and he’s talking about Chris Jericho and Perry Saturn’s match before he’s interrupted by Jericho. Booker T lays out the challenge, and of course, Jericho scurries away. 

WCW Souled Out 1999
Curt Hennig & Barry Windham vs. Ric Flair & David Flair

PPV REVIEW: WCW Souled Out 1999 ~ Retro Pro Wrestling Reviews
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Windham and Hennig coming out to the nWo theme is straight out of the Twilight Zone. The Flair’s are joined by Arn Anderson, and Ric stops the entrance to give David some words of encouragement. 

After some back-and-forth banter between Ric and his former friends, Windham challenges David to start the match with him. So we get Barry Windham and David Flair to start the match. 

David surprises Windham with an amateur wrestling-style takedown attempt. Another takedown into head scissors again surprises Windham. This inspires Ric to get in the ring and gyrate like only he can, and the crowd erupts. 

After a third failed exchange for Windham, the former Horseman gets serious with a punch to the gut and body slam. David Flair avoids an elbow drop before tagging in, dear old dad. 

Ric hits both men with a flurry of right hands and chops. Hennig briefly gets the advantage before Flair chops the living daylights out of him. As good as Flair is, he’s outnumbered in a sense, and Hennig and Windham steal control of the match. 

The dangerous duo have now cut Ric off from his partner. With each punch and hold the crowd grows more anxious for Ric to make the tag. The comeback begins when Arn Anderson interjects and pulls Hennig out of the ring while the ref is distracted by David. 

Ric begins fighting like crazy but is obviously exhausted. David Flair tries his best at an assist and hits Hennig with a low blow, but that just angers Hennig. However, the Flair’s get the win after Arn re-enters and hits Hennig with a tire iron. 

Winners – Ric Flair and David Flair

The WCW win brings out a handful of nWo members and the fight is on. Eventually, Hollywood Hogan, Kevin Nash, Scott Steiner, Lex Luger, and a whole host of nWo members come out. 

The bullies begin pushing David Flair around while Ric is handcuffed to the ring rope. After David Flair tries to fight back, the nWo begins to beat him down. 

Daddy's Boy Turned Psycho – Wrestling Recaps
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Ric is then forced to watch as David is held down for Hogan to whip him with his weight belt. Father and son are left beaten down after this segment went on for far too long. 

Pro wrestling, ladies and gentlemen…

After the ever-ending beatdown, we get a video package showing the recent beatdown the nWo with a newly joined Lex Luger gave to Goldberg. Scott Hall’s repeated stun gun jabs give the main event more gravitas. 

WCW Souled Out 1999
Stun Gun On A Ladder Match
Goldberg vs. Scott Hall

Goldberg vs. Scott Hall – Stun Gun Ladder Match: WCW Souled Out 1999 (Full Match) | WWE
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Michael Buffer does his best to hype up the ridiculous stipulation of the main event. He actually says the winner is the first man to zap his opponent with the stun gun. 

Pro wrestling, ladies and gentlemen…

Hall makes his way out first and hits the crowd with a “Hey Yo.” He’s got some good news and some bad news. The good news is the fans got to see him tonight, and the bad news is the former champ Bill Goldberg, was afraid to face him. 

Hall then claims there won’t be a match, and then Goldberg’s music hits, and the crowd cheers, but it’s not the undefeated streak cheers. Goldberg shows off his power early by shoving Hall to the mat a couple of times. 

After some back and forth, the ladder is brought into the match. Hall hits an impressive elbow drop from the ladder. Goldberg gets busted open midway through the match and hits a backdrop suplex on Hall from the ladder. 

Give credit to both men; they hit each other hard with the ladder a few times. Each man prevents the other from climbing the ladder in various ways. The roughest coming when Goldberg pushes the ladder over with Hall near the top. Hall’s lading is tough to watch. 

With Hall down, Goldberg climbs the ladder only to be interrupted by Disco Inferno (Random). The Inferno assist allows Hall to climb up and retrieve the stun gun. 

But Goldberg avoids getting zapped a handful of times before he nails a sidekick. The moment everyone had been waiting for comes when Goldberg grabs the stun gun. Disco Inferno gets zapped first before Goldberg tosses it in the air for Hall to grab. 

As soon as Hall jumps for it, Goldberg hits a massive spear. After a jackhammer, Goldberg tags Hall with the stun gun for the win. Before Goldberg can even celebrate, Bam Bam Bigelow is on the attack. The show ends with Hall zapping Goldberg and Bam Bam Bigelow. 


Well, the first WCW pay-per-view post FPOD is in the books. Not terrible, but the Flair beatdown just emphasizes that the nWo was past its expiration date by this point. Next time on my journey through WCW, I’ll be watching SuperBrawl IX.