RetroView fans, it’s the scariest time of the year and with that in mind, we are reviewing something truly terrifying. Today we look at one of WCW’s final pay-per-view, WCW Halloween Havoc 2000. The show begins with the final version of the WCW logo displayed in all its hideous glory.
WCW Halloween Havoc 2000
WCW Tag Team Championship Triple Threat Match
The Natural Born Thrillers (Mark Jindrak & Sean O’Haire) © vs The Filthy Animals (Rey Mysterio Jr. & Billy Kidman vs The Boogie Knights (Disco & Alex Wright)
Disco and Wright enter first and this isn’t the Alex Wright of old, this is bald Alex Wright dressed in black.
Side Note: Not five minutes into the show and Mark Madden is already annoying on commentary.
Jindrak and O’Haire come out next followed by Mysterio and Kidman. Forgot how much I disliked Rey Mysterio during his Filthy Animals time. Kidman, Wright, and Jindrak begin the match. Wright and Jindrak take turns putting the boots on to Jindrak. Watching this makes me appreciate the potential Jindrak and O’Haire had.
Physically they were spectacular, crazy that neither found main event success. Disco and Mysterio get their opportunity to team up on O’Haire as the pace of this match is continuously frenetic. A triple vertical suplex between Wright, Kidman, and Jindrak elicits a loud ovation from the crowd.
This was well before that became a common spot in multi-man matches like in today’s wrestling. The end comes when O’Haire hits a beautiful Swanton bomb to earn the victory.
Winners – The Natural Born Thrillers
WCW Halloween Havoc 2000
WCW Hardcore Championship Match
Reno © vs Sgt. AWOL
Awol, part of the Misfits in Action, comes out before the tag match competitors leave the ring and starts getting all types of weapons ready. Reno, who I have no recollection of comes out with a kendo stick. Fifteen seconds into the match and Awol is slammed through a table.
This is your run of the mill 1990’s hardcore match featuring two guys not many could name if they had to. After fighting around the arena, Reno gets the win with his Roll of the Dice (think Cody Rhodes Cross Rhodes) onto a table.
Winner – Reno
After the match, Reno is joined by Shawn Stasiak and Chuck Palumbo to administer more punishment. This leads to Chavo Guerrero (Lt. Loco) and Lash LeRoux (Cpl. Cajun) coming out to make the save. Schiavone gives us an update on Goldberg’s injury he suffered on the previous episode of Thunder. This leaves the announcers wondering if Goldberg will be able to make it for the main event handicap match with Kronik.
WCW Halloween Havoc 2000
The Perfect Event (Shawn Stasiak & Chuck Palumbo) vs The Misfits in Action (Lt. Loco & Cpl. Cajun)
Chavo and LeRoux get the early advantage utilizing their speed and athleticism. The big story of this match is the tension between Chuck Palumbo and the group he’s in.
Side Note: Listening to Schiavone, Madden, and Stevie Ray on commentary makes me miss the days of Schiavone, Heenan, and Rhodes.
An errant superkick by Palumbo hits Stasiak leading to The Misfits in Action getting the victory.
Winner – Misfits in Action
WCW Halloween Havoc 2000
Mixed Tag Match
Shane Douglas & Torrie Wilson vs Konnan & Tigress
Wilson and Douglas enter first. Seeing Shane Douglas with a woman on his side not named Francine, just doesn’t look right. Douglas gets on the mic and insults Konnan and Tigress. He proclaims himself and Torrie as the first couple of pro wrestling. Tigress makes her way out alone looking for a fight. The dastardly duo use the numbers advantage to get the upper hand on Tigress.
Before too much damage can be done, Konnan runs in, still recovering from an earlier attack by the Natural Born Thrillers. With the numbers evened, Douglas and Torrie get their well-deserved comeuppance. Konnan and Tigress hit a double facebuster on Douglas for the win.
Winners – Konnan and Tigress
We cut to the back and David Flair being interviewed by Mean Gene Okerlund. They talk about the upcoming DNA Match with Buff Bagwell. Apparently, this is to figure out whether Bagwell is the father of Stacy Kiebler’s child. Man, WCW was bad in its dying days.
WCW Halloween Havoc 2000
First Blood DNA Match
Buff Bagwell vs David Flair
Basically, this is a First Blood Match, but Flair wants Bagwell’s blood for a DNA test. Buff comes out first and makes derogatory comments about David Flair. Crazy to think that Charlotte got all of her dad’s wrestling skills and David Flair got very little. This really is a bad match that thankfully has gotten lost in most wrestling fans memories. Bagwell hits the Blockbuster after Flair had been busted open getting him the win.
Winner – Buff Bagwell
After the match, Lex Luger randomly returns and apparently turns on Bagwell, something that Schiavone points out on commentary.
“How many times is Lex Luger going to turn on people.”
Luger’s attack on Bagwell leaves him with a bloody lip, allowing Flair to gather a sample of his blood. Ugh, dying days of WCW. Before the next match, we get a Scott Steiner promo. He babbles on about being the genetic freak and beating Booker T for the WCW Championship.
WCW Halloween Havoc 2000
Kickboxing Match
Mike Sanders vs Ernest Miller
Sanders, with Polumbo and Stasiak by his side, comes out first. He cuts a promo about how he’s been training and that he’s ready to defeat The Cat. Miller, fully into his James Brown homage persona, comes out ready to whip Sanders ass.
This is another example of how bad WCW was in its dying days. Miller dominates the match displaying his actual martial arts skills. After the second round, Shane Douglas comes out to distract Miller leading to the Cat being counted out. The win apparently makes Sanders the new WCW Commissioner.
Winner – Mike Sanders
Mean Gene interviews Kronik about whether Goldberg is going to be able to compete.
WCW Halloween Havoc 2000
Mike Awesome vs Vampiro
That 70’s Guy Mike Awesome comes out first. Man, has there ever been a waste of talent like the way WCW used Awesome? Vampiro comes out second and is more goofy looking than spooky.
Before the match, Vampiro challenges Awesome to put his future title shot on the line and Awesome agrees. Awesome hits an impressive dive over the top rope onto the outside early in the match. From there the two brawl around the ring and into the crowd.
The best part is when a random fan gives Awesome a head butt, which he’s then mauled by the big man and Vampiro.
When they get back in the ring they have a chair duel. This leads to the most unimpressive dropkick of a chair to someone’s face in history by Vampiro. After an old-school brawl, Awesome gets the win following an Awesome Bomb off the top turnbuckle. A move Schiavone absolutely loses his mind over, proclaiming he killed Vampiro.
Winner – Mike Awesome
We cut to Mean Gene interviewing General Rection (Hugh Morrus) about his handicap match with Lance Storm and Jim Duggan.
WCW Halloween Havoc
WCW United States Championship Handicap Match
Gen. Rection vs Lance Storm & Jim Duggan
Storm, Major Gunns and Jim Duggan come out to the Canadian National Anthem. To see how bad the final year of WCW was, look no further than Hacksaw Jim Duggan wearing Canadian gear. General Rection comes out with the American flag and a look of determination on his face. Not only is the U.S. Title on the line in this match, but also the services of Major Gunns.
After a flurry of offense by Rection to start the match, the numbers advantage comes into play. It’s just weird watching Duggan not only in Canadian gear, but also playing the heel. After ten minutes of a terribly slow paced match, General Rection gets the win with his No Laughing Matter moonsault. After the match Rection and all the MIA reunite with Major Gunns in the ring.
Winner – General Rection
WCW Halloween Havoc 2000
Sting vs Jeff Jarrett
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The fight immediately goes to the outside where Sting goes on the assault. After a pair of Stinger Splashes a man dressed as surfer Sting comes out. The real Sting quickly dispatches the imposter with a Scorpion Death Drop on the entrance ramp. The announcers play it up like it’s Sting fighting with his past… eye roll emoji.
Sting and Jarrett begin to battle in the crowd, where another Sting imposter comes out. This time in his pink gear he won the world title in the firs time. As with the first imposter, this one is dispatched quickly. Once Sting gets back to the ring, the NWO Wolfpac music hits. Out comes a guy dressed as red and black Sting.
He is violently dispatched by the real Sting and his baseball bat. The distraction allows for Jarrett to utilize the baseball bat to his advantage. From here these two ring veterans put on a typical match for both men. Each getting in their usual bits of offense. Sting looks to have the match won when he puts Jarrett in the Scorpion Deathlock, only for another Sting, this time dressed as the Crow Sting, comes up from under the ring and pulls Sting down with him.
They aren’t under there long as Sting brings the bloodied imposter out before throwing him out of the ring. Turning his focus back on Jeff Jarrett, Sting looks for the Scorpion Death Drop only for the lights to go out. When they come back on another imposter Sting descends from the rafters.
This one, embarrassingly loses his wig before getting Scorpion Death Dropped through the announce table. Back in the ring, Sting locks Jarrett in the Scorpion Deathlock but is hit in the head with a guitar by the first fake Crow Sting. Unaffected, the real Sting takes out the fake Sting before Jarrett hits him with his guitar for the win. Talk about a convoluted mess.
Winner – Jeff Jarrett
Booker T gets his interview time and addresses Scott Steiner, telling him to come get some. He also offers to have his title match right now to give Goldberg more time to rest up for his match.
WCW Halloween Havoc 2000
WCW World Heavyweight Championship Match
Booker T © vs Scott Steiner
Michael Buffer does his usual intro for the match, but even he seems to be going through the motions. Booker T enters first and the big gold belt always looks fantastic on him. Steiner, after choking a member of the production crew because he’s not in the main event, comes out second.
Side Note: Unhinged, out of control Scott Steiner is the best Scott Steiner.
As with most Steiner matches at this point in his career, this is a slow early pace. His offense leaning towards power moves and strikes. Booker T gains the advantage when he gets his speed skills working at full cylinder.
At one point, Steiner goes into the crowd to intimidate the fans. A chair is brought into the fray by Steiner when the fight spills to the outside. Once again, much like a few of the matches before it, this fight briefly spills into the crowd. Steiner clumsily slams Booker T through the replacement announcer’s table before talking trash to Booker’s brother Stevie Ray.
As the match progresses, Steiner’s frustration grows, with him eventually being disqualified for hitting Booker T with a led pipe.
Winner – Booker T
After the match, Steiner beats up three referees and a handful of security guards before making his exit.
WCW Halloween Havoc 2000
Handicap Elimination Match
Goldberg vs Kronik
Kronik makes their way out first and it has to be said, they are an intimidating-looking duo. However, that immediately loses all merit after they are defeated by Goldberg in under four minutes.
After getting final clearance to wrestle, Goldberg comes out to a solid ovation. Da Man makes quick work of Kronik, first eliminating Bryan Clark with a spear through a table. He followed that up with the spear and jackhammer combination on Brian Adams for the win and like that Kronik lost all credibility.
Winner – Goldberg
This event truly was a depiction of the issues with WCW in its final year. While they had a surplus of young talent, the storylines and booking left a lot for the imagination.
Until next time, RetroView fans.
