Ring Crew Reviews: WCW World War III 1998 (PT 1)

• Relevant Storylines: Bret Hart is feuding with four guys and his reasons for hating all of them are the same. Glacier invented the superkick. Stevie Ray is the Godfather of nWo B-Team. Juvy and Kidman want to wrestle in all three rings. And Scott, Rick, Hall and Nash decide they don’t really want to wrestle.

• Scheduled Card:
1. Glacier vs. Wrath.
2. Stevie Ray vs. Konnan.
3. Special Challenge: The Cat and Sonny Onoo vs. Kaz Hayashi and Saturn.
4. WCW Cruiserweight Championship: Kidman vs. Juventud Guerrera (c).
5. Special Grudge Match: Scott Steiner vs. Rick Steiner.
6. Scott Hall vs. Kevin Nash.
7. WCW Television Championship: Bobby Duncum, Jr. vs Chris Jericho (c).
8. World War III.
9. WCW United States Heavyweight Championship: Bret Hart vs. Diamond Dallas Page (c).

• Video package talks about DDP vs. Bret Hart and then quickly moves into a rock video about every other wrestler in the promotion with a mildly identifiable name. Lasts maybe 30 seconds.

• Meanwhile, Goldberg arrived earlier in a limo. I thought he drove muscle cars that Jericho covers in yellow paint?

• Brain, Tenay, and Tony are our hosts. Tony says Hollywood Hogan is not here and that’s weird. Will this be a PPV booked and marketed around a man that isn’t there and won’t be there due to running for president and putting on an all time shitfest against Warrior? TUNE IN!

• Mean Gene is next. He says he disagrees with the “experts” who are picking a big man to win WW3 and he’s going with a little man due to their “high, uh, moves and so forth.”

• Glacier vs. Wrath. Let’s hear it for Glacier curtain jerking 2 years in a row. Tony and Tenay don’t even bother to introduce him as they focus on the title shot that will not be at Superbrawl this time but at Starrcade for the WW3 winner. Tony says the locker room atmosphere backstage at this PPV is always different because normally they’d be playing cards together and such but they don’t this time because they could have to fight them later that night. That’s actually a REALLY cool little touch and Brain and Tenay pick it up. But I don’t think I’ve even heard Glacier’s name yet. Anyway, Wrath is on a winning streak here to rebuild him before he would job to Nash to end that.

• Crowd boos Glacier pretty loudly. They avoid a lock up as the crowd continues to shout down Glacier’s mild stalling tactics. They lock up and Wrath throws him to the floor. GLACIER SUCKS! GLACIER SUCKS! Wow, who knew Glacier was a heat magnet? Glacier hits a couple of kicks and ducks a clothesline to hit a dropkick. He poses but Wrath no sells and chops him down and Glacier again rolls to the floor. Glacier gets back to the apron and Wrath knees him to the floor to a pop. Glacier hits some stuff on the floor and Wrath no sells and whips him into the guardrail and over into the crowd. Glacier is bumping like hell and the crowd is RAUCOUS! Wrath with a chop and the crowd is loving it. Brain says Wrath is his pick to win the WW3 and Tony just abuses him like a red headed stepchild saying they have no place for his pick due to him changing his mind all the time. DAMN! Brain I’m sure will make him eat shit before the end of the night. Back in, Glacier gets sent into the turnbuckle and Glacier flips for a Wrath lefty lariat. Wrath boots away in the corner and the crowd is behind him. Wrath chokes as Tony and Brain talk about how WCW is the most popular wrestling in the world, even though they’d last won the ratings battle 5 months ago and would never win it again. Tony then segues into talking more about Hogan for no apparent reason. Wrath sends him into the turnbuckle and stalks about awkwardly. Wrath despite being somewhat of a veteran is still green as hell. He hits a clothesline and covers with the feet on the ropes for 2 which is COMPLETELY out of character for a monster heel. He chokes some more. Wrath shitcans him and chokes with a camera cord. This is looking like it might head for a DQ. Wrath with more choking with the cable in the ring and works him over in the corner. The ref pulls him away and gets the cord away. Wrath goes to a chinlock as the hot crowd seems to have simmered as Wrath whiffs in the corner and Glacier hits a hook kick and the superkick (he invented that, you know?). Glacier goes for the Frozen Spike as Wrath boots him and hits the Meltdown for a pop to end it at 8:25. Went on probably a couple minutes long for a squash plus Wrath despite being over is pretty limited. Though the crowd was into it and Glacier held up his end of the bargain. I’m cool with this even if it was ugly. **

• Meanwhile, we get a package on Bret Hart talking smack about Booker T, Lex Luger, Chris Benoit, and DDP. Despite cutting a promo on FOUR DIFFERENT GUYS and FOUR DIFFERENT SPASTIC FEUDS, Bret is able to make the whole thing seem logical and even like good storytelling. Good heel promo by Bret who calls himself a people’s champ.

• Stevie Ray vs. Konnan. This is white and black vs red and black. Konnan gets on the stick and cuts his generic promo that he always cuts before every match. Looking back, this had to be somewhat inspired by the New Age Outlaws shtick. Stevie Ray does the Snitsky pose a couple of times to boos and then Konnan taunts for his people. Stevie gets a cheap shot in the corner and the CLUBBINGBLOWS! He beats down Konnan and then shouts for n.W.o despite both being in it. Konnan gets the boot up in the corner and hits the rolling clothesline and a basement dropkick. Konnan goes to an ab stretch. Konnan hits some uppercut but Stevie avoids a backdrop with a kick that misses by a good 6 inches because of Konnan taking it with his hands. Stevie gets the Too Sweet hand signal with Vincent and hits an UGLY clothesline for 2 and then tosses Konnan so Vincent can work him over. This sucks. Back in, Vince with more choking and then Stevie goes to a chinlock. Konnan like a pro sells it like a sleeper but recovers on the third arm raise as Brain and Tony talk about Goldberg and WW3. Konnan with a back slide for 2 but Stevie clotheslines him back down. Stevie with a bodyslam and says that’s it but unfortunately he’s not wrestling Glacier. He tries a slow elbow drop and Konnan comes back with a kick and an X-Factor. Vincent distracts and Stevie pokes him in the eye. Vincent gets the slapjack but accidentally waffles Stevie and Konnan tosses him. Rather than cover, Konnan goes to the GnP but won’t break and the ref calls for the bell for a DQ at 6:57. What kind of shit finish is that? We have to protect STEVIE RAY?! Who’s paying money to see these guys wrestle ONCE much less twice? Let’s get out of here. DUD

• Post-match, Booker T comes out to protect his brother he’s on the outs with. Stevie’s pissed. Booker says his n.W.o brothers weren’t out there but Stevie doesn’t want to hear it and says it’s n.W.o for life. That’s actually a mildly compelling element to the brother/brother story even if no one much cared about Stevie Ray and I’m sure this thread was abandoned soon after.

• Special Challenge: The Cat and Sonny Onoo vs. Kaz Hayashi and Saturn. Tony says that everyone around the country in offices, at water coolers, etc. are talking about who is going to win WW3. Brain says in correctional facilities as well. Tony: “How do you know what they’re saying in correctional facilities around the country?” Brain: “Your brother-in-law told me.” Tony: “That’s a low blow, fella.” You knew Brain would get the best of him. Tony throws in the white towel and changes subjects. Onoo has his own corner men who are cooling him down with towels and water before the match. Pretty funny.

• Kaz and Cat to start. Cat tells him he’s got 5 seconds to leave. Kaz tags in Saturn and Saturn pounds him down and Cat takes a breather. Kaz back in and gets some chops before Cat bodyslams him down and poses. Cat with a back elbow, some stomps and the BLATANTCHOKE. Another slam and Onoo is in with some kicks. Kaz no sells and Onoo offers him monopoly money and Kaz waffles him. Cat and Saturn in. Saturn with some chops and an Exploder and a leaping back elbow. Cat comes back with an uppercut and sends him into the turnbuckle for some kicks and more choking. Saturn hits some kicks and tries another but Cat ducks and trips him up in a cool spot. Cat tags in the reluctant Onoo and Saturn quickly locks in an STF. Cat in and the faces hit a double dropkick. Cat cuts off Kaz by going to the eyes and distracting the ref so Onoo can kick him in the corner. Onoo tries a roundhouse but Kaz catches him in a suplex attempt only to be knocked down by Cat from behind in an ugly spot. Kaz cuts off Cat with a jawbreaker. Saturn in and immediately goes to a side headlock and hits a snap suplex. Kaz back in but Cat goes to the throat and chokes some more. HYAH! I’M THE GREATEST! Bout time to take this home. Onoo and tries some fistdrops but Kaz avoids and Saturn is in now. Onoo begs off and Cat interferes but he eats a suplex and some clotheslines. Kaz goes to attack Onoo but the ref breaks it up and Cat kicks Saturn down and Onoo covers for the dubious pin at 8:07. Saturn jobs to Onoo and Cat? I didn’t hate this but it wasn’t any good. Purely a vehicle to tease Onoo getting his ass kicked and then not deliver. *

• Next, Chris Jericho is with Lee Marshall and he says Bobby Duncum, Jr. better look out because he and Ralphus are the true killers of WCW.

• WCW Cruiserweight Championship: Kidman vs. Juventud Guerrera (c). WAIT A MINUTE! Mean Gene says Juvy has sold out because he sees the LWO t-shirt. Eddie’s here and he says Juvy sees the light. Rey’s pissed and suspects foul play and if this is why he didn’t get his title shot. Eddie says he’s got it all wrong. Life is about sacrifices and tonight he needs to make sacrifices for his family now. Rey’s still pissed but we’re still getting this match.

• Kidman goes to the arm until Juvy rolls through and snapmares him down for the Dragon Suplex. They use that as a transition move as Kidman sends him off but eats a shoulderblock. They counter some stuff and chop/forearm it out. Juvy tries a baseball slide but Kidman catches him and throws him back. They block some hiptosses but Juvy gets a Rocker Dropper. Juvy taunts and the crowd boos. Kidman tries a weak charge but eats turnbuckle and Juvy comes back with a flying headscissors. He gets a head of steam but Kidman counters to the Low Down powerbomb. Kidman with a Bulldog powerslam and a slingshot guillotine legdrop for 2. Juvy avoids a knee with a roll up for 2. Juvy comes back with an Alabama Slam and drops an elbow for 2. Juvy goes to a chinlock and then sends him into the corner for chops. Kidman counters a whip and gets a clothesline. Kidman puts him up top but Juvy boots him away and tries a Tornardo DDT but instead lands on the apron and switches to a Stun Gun. Cool. Juvy wants a crossbody but Kidman counters in midair with a dropkick for 2. Kidman shitcans him and follows out with a plancha. Back in, they get to the top rope and Juvy knocks him down to the apron and leaps into a huracanrana off the top rope to the apron and to the floor. That was awesome. Back in, cover gets 2 for Juvy. Juvy with a brainbuster for 2. Juvy goes to the chinlock and Kidman gets to his feet but Juvy dropkicks him back down. Juvy gets a springboard missile dropkick and Kidman rolls to the floor. Juvy follows out with a springboard plancha. Juvy sends him into the apron sloppily and back in hits his own guillotine legdrop. Juvy tosses him to hit a double springboard dropkick which sounds cool but he comes up a little short. Juvy’s been stalling the whole match as Kidman hits a Bluechipper dropkick and a back suplex for 2. Kidman tries a Stinger Splash but comes up dry. Juvy with an inverted atomic drop and more stalling. He heads up top as he switches corners for some reason but Kidman crotches him and then headscissors him from one ring back to the other. That was cool. Kidman then hits a crossbody from one ring to the other for a close 2. Juvy now backdrops him out of one ring and Kidman lands on the ropes in the third ring. Juvy follows with a double jump Frankensteiner off the top for a close 2. Juvy wants the Driver. Kidman counters to a gordbuster attempt but Kidman counters that back to the JuvyDriver. Double KO spot. Juvy up first and drags him to the corner. Juvy wants the 450 but Kidman rolls out of the way. Juvy lands on his feet and gets another huracanrana for 2 but Kidman never kicked out. Juvy’s pissed and argues with the crowd. Kidman counters a powerbomb to a facebuster for 2 for the millionth time of this career. Kidman gets a wheelbarrow suplex to a pop. He drags Juvy to the corner and wants the SSP and the crowd perks up big time but Juvy crotches him. Juvy tries a Frankensteiner off the top but Rey sneaks out and holds Kidman on the top rope to block. Juvy whiffs and eats it to the mat and that allows Kidman to get the SSP for the 3 at 15:28 to crown a new champ. The first good match of the night. For the first few minutes, they were moving pretty slow for a cruiserweight match even if the reversals were effective. The match really picked up with the ring to ring moves and the false finishes. Rey’s interference even made pretty sense due to the pre-match set up. Good stuff. ***1/2

• Post-match, Eddie and the LWO confront Rey. Rey tosses the shirt in Eddie’s face and Rey outruns all of them to the back.

• Next, we get footage of Hall looking to get thrown out of the n.W.o black and white before being “saved” by Nash only for Nash to challenge him to a match at WW3.

• Special Grudge Match: Scott Steiner vs. Rick Steiner. No, really, seriously, WE MEAN IT. You’re going to see this match finally. No more hiding behind the n.W.o and phony injuries. Scott has the Artless Dodger Buff complete with top hat and kneeling front double bi pose with him and an evil ref to make sure this thing is called right off the line. Tony says you won’t find a finer athlete than Rick Steiner. BUT WAIT! Rick is in the back being beat up by the B-Team like all fine athletes would be. Giant carries Rick to the ring and rolls him in. This is all part of the n.W.o’s evil plan you see, to dupe millions of people into paying for this. Buff and Scott double team for a little while before Rick comes back with lefts and lariats. Scott cuts him off with a low blow and goes back to rights. Buff chokes him and Steiner hooks in the Recliner. Tony laments on commentary that just once he’d like to see these guys go at it one on one for real and I’m sure that’s the least they could do after dragging this shit out for MONTHS and multiple PPVs with NO REAL MATCH. Anyway, Goldberg interrupts this charade to a big pop and he and Scott go head to head in a legitimately electric moment. Scott tries to pound him down and Goldberg gets the SPEAR and the crowd ERUPTS. Buff waffles him with a chair and Goldberg no sells. Buff and Scott take a walk as Goldberg press slams the ref to another big pop. Goldberg and Rick pose and bark. No contest at 3:20. Anytime you can fail to deliver on a advertised match for the third or fourth time in a row and tie up half of your tag champs and your world champ in a few minute schmooze on PPV in the process, you’ve got to do it. WCW was AWFUL about crap like this. The heels dominate PPVs, Nitros, segments for MONTHS and the faces only get to get their heat back for a few minutes a year in entertaining moments that are far outnumbered by the heel’s highs. Ordinarily, this kind of glorified Nitro moment would be a DUD but on a PPV it’s a travesty. -*

• Scott Hall vs. Kevin Nash. Scott’s accompanied by the B-Team and Giant. BUT WAIT! Bischoff comes out and gets the stick. He says it’s survey time and of course the B-Team jumps Hall and that brings out Nash. Nash and Hall clear the ring of the jobbers. Crowd chants for the Outsiders. Hall offers him the Too Sweet Wolfpac and Nash walks off to derision and confusion from everyone. YES! ANOTHER SWERVE! They be swervin’, Tony! Another Nitro segment on a PPV. -*

• WCW Television Championship: Bobby Duncum, Jr. vs Chris Jericho (c). This is Duncum’s PPV debut and I remember enjoying this feud with Jericho and was disappointed at how fast they seemed to lose interest in pushing Duncum. Jericho of course has Ralphus and Brain says Ralphus uses rope as dental floss. Duncum has the bullrope with him and I’m prone to ponder about where the gimmick-centric weapons have gone in wrestling, especially WWE. Hacksaw had the 2×4, Jake had the snake, etc etc on down the line. How hard is it to give a guy a signature weapon to fit with this gimmick? Of course, that would require guys having gimmicks first. ANYWAY, to the match.

• Lock up goes into the ropes and Duncum smacks him away rather than give a break. Duncum overpowers Jericho on the lockup and Jericho powders out to take solace in Ralphus’s arms. Back in, Duncum with a go behind but Jericho trips him up with the drop toe hold and hooks in the bow and arrow. Tenay and Brain speculate about Hogan’s absence and then with a straight face talk about how he would want to win the belt back from Goldberg heading into his political campaign. No, really. They say it without a TRACE of sarcasm. Jericho kicks him away and taunts. Duncum goes to the arm and Jericho tries to kip up but Duncum throws him down with a clothesline. Jericho bails to the apron and Duncum suplexes him back in for 1. Duncum goes to the chinlock. Jericho counters with a jawbreaker but Duncum boots him down and Ho Trains him into the ropes and then gets an awkward choke on the ropes. Duncum tosses him and wants the bullrope but the ref pulls it away so Duncum just kicks his ass the old fashioned way and sends him over the guardrail and into the crowd. Jericho throws a drink in his face and hits a springboard clothesline on the floor! YEAH! Back in, missile dropkick gets 2. I love throwing a drink in the face’s face. Jericho goes to the chinlock. Jericho mounts into a sleeper but Duncum runs him into the corner and then hits a shoulderbreaker for 2. Duncum goes to the arm and drives it down into the mat and goes to an armbar but Jericho gets the ropes. The crowd is kinda dead even though they are doing some solid stuff. Jericho gets a flapjack into the ropes on Duncum and then hits his springboard dropkick that sends Duncum to the floor. Jericho high fives Ralphus and sends Duncum into the stairs. Jericho with the C’MON BABY for 1. Jericho front facelocks him and goes to an anchor hold as the crowd is getting restless. Duncum gets to his feet but Jericho hits some more kicks and chokes in the corner. Jericho sends him into the corner but Duncum comes running out with a clothesline for 2 to crickets. Jericho with chops in the corner but Duncum reverses and lays the leather to him. Jericho ducks a clothesline but runs into a flapjack. Duncum with another clothesline for 2. Duncum sends him across but looks blown up. He walks into a boot from Jericho but comes back with the choke toss slam. Roll up gets 2 for Duncum. Jericho comes back with a jawbreaker, a clothesline and a Lionsault for 2. Jericho with a senton and blows a kiss to the crowd. Jericho heads up top but Duncum cuts him off and hits a superplex but more like a second rope brainbuster from not getting Jericho over enough. Jericho rolls through and goes for the Liontamer but Duncum leg whips him off to mild boos. Duncum with a sloppy World’s Strongest Slam and a Vader Bomb into an elbow drop for 2. Duncum tries a back suplex but Ralphus grabs his leg so Duncum just drops him on the fucking apron. Jericho waffles Duncum from behind with the belt and covers for the 3 at 13:24 to a pop. It’s obvious Duncum was green but he was a hoss, so to speak, and had some intensity and a longer series with Jericho really would have upped his game and produced good matches as they had some chemistry working here even if Duncum appeared a bit reckless. ***

• World War III: That’s right. WW3 is the semi main at the PPV of the same name. NEW RULES AGAIN! You can be eliminated by being tossed, being pinned, or submitted. What the hell? That HAS to play into the finish this year otherwise why change the rules. Once we’re down to 20 men, everyone gets in the middle ring for the end and the winner gets a shot at Goldberg. Jericho and Juvy are both selling injuries from their previous matches on the way to the ring. Nice little touch. Of course Stevie Ray, Konnan and Cat among others can’t be bothered to do that. Tony: “The luchadores may go far in this one, guys.”

• No split cameras this time. Scott Hall hides behind Mickey Jay the ref to start. Tony STILL is talking about Hogan not being in the match. Nash tosses Norman Smiley and Super Calo. Nash continues to clear Ring 3 with Putski as Silver King tosses Tokyo Magnum. Nash backdrops Silver King out. Van Hammer baseball slides Mike Enos out. Nash boots Hammer out and Ring 3 is cleared in less than 3 minutes. Psicosis comes off the top but Scott Hall catches him and snap ab suplexes him over the top to the floor in the spot of the match so far. Nash continues to wait in Ring 3. We focus on Ring 2 as nothing of note happens while Brain mentions that he used to manage Andre the Giant and Haystacks Calhoun and he’s never seen anyone clear a ring as fast as Nash. Kanyon and Kaz are tossed out. Horace and Disciple toss each other out for the B-Team reunion on the floor. Giant throws out Chavo and tries to dump Alex Wright but he hangs on. Now, everyone remaining in Ring 1 including Saturn, Eddie, Benoit, Disco, Wright and co gang up on Giant to a big pop. Somehow Chavo is back in the ring and Giant throws them off the back of his shoulders. Disco tries to unite the small guys to go against Giant again and Benoit isn’t having that and jumps Disco. So much for teamwork. Scott Steiner with a low blow on Juvy as Giant ChokeSlams Disco but doesn’t toss him. Scott tosses Juvy out. Nash is still resting in Ring 3 as Giant punches Cat across a ring. Mongo tries to toss Scott Hall but of course that aint happening this early. Rey Mysterio is tossed out and Saturn and Cat brawl on the floor and now we’re down to 20.

• 10 minutes in and we’re down to 20 guys and all get into Ring 2. We’ve got Giant, Hall, Nash, Luger, Konnan, Malenko, Benoit, Eddie, Kidman, Booker T, Scott Steiner, Stevie Ray, Alex Wright, Disco and some other guys. They need to clear the workrate to make room for the egos so Eddie, Alex, Kidman and Disco are gone and Chavo is dumped again. Giant and Nash square off and the crowd gets into it. Giant chops down Scott Norton as Steiner goes to a chinlock on Mongo. Steiner then hooks on a Rings of Saturn on Mongo as Brain says that’s a stupid idea in a battle royal and he’s right. It’s a good thing they tossed the cruiserweights out so these stiffs (outside of a few) could all stand on the ropes. Hall and Nash start teaming up on Giant as the crowd gets into it again. They try to toss him but he fights them off. Luger tosses Stevie Ray. Mongo backdrops Norton out and is promptly tossed by Nash. Bam Bam Bigelow jumps the guardrail an the entire ring jumps him. The Outsider angle with Bam Bam was another great angle that had a hot start but seemed to fizzle out once they didn’t know what to do with him. Security comes out to hold him off and the crowd chants for Goldberg. GOLDBERG HAS COME OUT! Bam Bam and Goldberg have a pull apart brawl and the crowd goes CRAZY for that! The battle royal basically stops for this except to eliminate Scott Steiner. Booker T is tossed out and Bam Bam and Goldberg are finally separated and pulled to the back.

• 20 minutes in and we’re down to Giant and Hall alone with Malenko and Benoit for the Horsemen and Nash, Luger and Konnan for the Wolfpac. Everyone other than Hall and Konnan jumps Giant. Giant fights them off as Konnan eliminates himself going for a Bossman attack on Hall. Nash calls them off and tells everyone to jump Giant. They go and the crowd erupts for that. They pound him down and all five are able to toss him. Malenko and Benoit jump on Hall as Luger and Nash let them. Luger and Nash now take out Benoit and Hall tosses Malenko. As if you didn’t see that coming. Brain says if he was Nash he’d suckerpunch Luger and shitcan him. The Wolfpac basically agrees that it’s every man for himself as they all take on each other. Luger hits the Bionic Elbow on Nash and another on Hall. Luger calls for the Rack and the crowd is sorta mild.

• He gets up Hall but Nash big boots Hall over the top and dumps Luger to win it at 23:30. As expected, no one was pinned or submitted so thanks for that rules change for no reason. Nash would actually go on to get his shot against Goldberg at Starrcade and of course we know how that ended. Nash had the book at this time for those that don’t know. This wasn’t as bad as the 95 but never had the highs of Luger taking on the n.W.o single handedly in 96 or n.W.o vs WCW in 97. This at least had a clean finish and was easier to follow mainly due to Nash tossing 19 guys inside of a few minutes, but that obviously begs the question of why use that many guys to begin with. The best parts of the whole match where the Bam Bam-Goldberg brawl and various times where many wrestlers took on Show and tried to toss him. **

• WCW United States Heavyweight Championship: Bret Hart vs. Diamond Dallas Page (c). I’m saving the full review for part 2 but I gave it ***.

The 411: Another borderline one with one of the worst undercards of all time and a better paced but still boring WW3 only redeemed by Juvy-Kidman and Jericho-Duncum. The dead crowd all night is the trump card and makes this one to miss, but again it's close.
Final Score:  5.5   [ Not So Good ]