[2000-01-08-NWA Wildside-TV] Rukkus vs White Trash vs Q-Sic vs Damian Steel vs Toad (Hardcore Rumble Elimination)

[Loss]

These guys are all a bit green, but this still had its moments. I think White Trash just about died on that German suplex near the end of this. Good Lord. There was a little too much going on to know what to follow, but the announcers did as good a job as could be expected of calling it and it was an interesting look at some guys I had absolutely no idea existed. Not sure if any of them were repackaged as people we know well or not. Rukkus is a big muscle guy who does moves from the top rope, which tells me had WCW stayed in business, he would have ended up there eventually. Fun time capsule if nothing else.

[Bierschwale]

White Trash just about died in every match. His great legacy will be introducing Tank to the promotion.

[soup23]

Learned today there are two black wrestlers going by Rukkus around this time. I know this seems like an odd point considering we are cherry picking what to watch from 2000 but I did think watching this how now we are entering an era seemingly where less full shows are being watched. I think that has to do with the ease of availability. As a result, workers like the ones displayed here may never get seen or discussed under that measure. None of these guys looked like stars but more your typical utility players to fill out a card. Q-Sic actually impressed me the most here based on size and charisma. The finish was pretty rushed and results in a singles match between Rukkus and Toad in the upcoming show. **

[Tim Evans]

I'm not sure what to think of this. So much was going on that it wasn't boring as they were going into the crowd without barriers. It was a typical 2000 WWF hardcore title type match. Rukkus looked impressive and stood out. The other guys looked indie as hell. It's a good snapshot of 2000 indies but It's not a good match.

[Laney]

This wasn't that good. Rukkus looks like someone that had potential to become something bigger. There was a lot going on and the camera didn't catch all of it. It's annoying when the commentators are calling moves and the camera is focused on something else. Commentary is pretty awful in this too. This match is 11 minutes long and it seems like at every minute they mention that you are watching Wildside and you can catch their shows live on the first and third Saturday of every month. It was a bit excessive.

 

*1/2

[cramerjason87]

White Trash's camo shorts just falling down as he was taking a move was hilarious. The match itself was a mess and felt way longer than 11 minutes.

[Moonsault Marvin]

This match wasn't good, but it was chaotic enough to stay interesting throughout. Guys were knocking over the crowd barriers as they brawled outside the ring. Rukkus had the best look, but he was struggling on some of his moves in the ring.

[Ship Canal]

So. Many. Crap. Nu. Metal. Themes.

Really not my thing, although given I was 15 in 2000 I may well have dug it had I chanced upon it back then.

Genuinely thought Rukkus was going to kill that poor lad with his pump handle slam. Q Sick took a nasty bump against a wall from a seemingly standard irish whip.

That's about the extent of my comments tbh.

[goc]

This wasn't good but was chaotic enough to keep you interested. The editing was really bad and they'd be showing you a big move or spot getting set up and then switch the camera angle when it actually happened which I guess was them covering up for botches considering this was a taped show but it was also annoying. It made no sense that guys were breaking up pins in this especially since they just rushed the 3 eliminations right at the end including the overly complicated final ending with Rukkus kind of going to break up the pin only to get it himself anyway.

 

I will echo everyone else saying Rukkus looked like he could have possibly turned into a star but I never even knew he existed before seeing this match and the CZW Ruckus definitely ended up achieving more fame (and it's not like even he ended up being a big name )

[GSR]

A ‘Hardcore Elimination Rumble’ where the final two participants will face off at Y2Kaos. You forget how much ‘hardcore’ was a thing circa 2000 with seemingly every promotion doing the gimmick (although the weapon shots were kept to a minimum here). This is a tricky one as I have a feeling it is a match that came across better live than on TV. The match was structured so that two of the five would be in the ring wrestling, while the other three would be fighting on the floor. As a result you had a lot going on and it was a struggle to keep an eye on everything (not helped by shaky camera work that was jumping between the action). Steel with a facebuster off the top on Q-Sic, Trash then nails Steel in the back with a stop sign and makes the cover himself to eliminate Sic. Steele with an immediate release German suplex to Trash and he’s next to go. Toad with a downward spiral onto Steel, Rukkus (who’s not the CZW guy) with a diving headbutt off the top, Toad moves and he hits Steel, gets the three and Toad and Rukkus advance to Y2Kaos. Not a fan of the rapid fire eliminations; they go over ten minutes without one, then all three take place in just 50 seconds. The Steel elimination also looked bad as Toad was blatantly delaying making the pin in order to allow Rukkus (who was in no hurry to get to the other side of the ring) to get into position for the diving headbutt. He’s then late on delivering the headbutt and the referee has to just stop when counting the Toad pin on Steel. With Toad and Rukkus advancing anyway, they should have called an audible and had the referee continue the count.

[Stiva]

I've really liked these glimpses into the indy scene of 2000 and this whole concept is, maybe, the indiest of the bunch. But, I do LOVE the name Y2Kaos for a show. Kind of wild seeing Toad just straight up lift a gimmick from X-Men but there's something very endearing about it. This was chaotic and I felt pretty bad for the small camera crew and announcers tasked with following it but it seemed to work live.

[Edwin]

This wasnt very good... All 5 guys just brawled and hit each other with weapons for the sake of hitting themselves with weapons and then they began hitting some moves and eliminations were rushed.

 

Not as bad a garbage match as the previous Ian Rotten vs. Mad Man Pondo fiasco from earlier in the month though.