[2000-03-22-WCW-Thunder] Chris Candido vs Chavo Guerrero Jr

[Loss]

Candido is in WCW, which is a good place for him in theory, to the extent it can be a good place for anyone at this point. He mentions winning a handicap match against Lou Thesz and Karl Gotch in his pre-match interview with Gene Okerlund, which amused me. The match is going well until The Artist shows up and messes up his run-in. Not sure the purpose of jobbing Candido here, nor am I sure the purpose of putting him in the cruiserweight division when they really needed younger heavyweights who could work and talk.

[soup23]

This was more lively than I thought it would be going in. Chavo was looking good tonight and Candido seemed to be wanting to make a good impression. The run in was a trainwreck as Charles mentioned and Paisley on commentary didn't do much for me preventing this stand alone good match to hitting the good threshold for me aesthetically. **1/2

[GSR]

Pre-match interview from Candido with Gene Okerlund. He thinks that after his performance on Monday night WCW should’ve just handed him the Cruiserweight belt. He’s never been treated fairly thought, and if he has to go through Chavo to get to the Prince, that’s what he’ll do. He says he’s been going through ‘Hard Knox’ all his life, and tells a tale of wrestling Lou Thesz and Karl Gotch in a handicap match in Japan, although Gene is having none of it.

 

The Artist and Paisley are at ringside for the match. Candido with a go behind as the two of them jockey for position. Chavo with a side headlock and Paisley leaves her position to join Mike Tenay and Bobby Heenan at the announcing desk. Chavo reverses an Irish whip which ends with him giving Candido a high backdrop to over the top rope to the outside. Great bump with Candido taking it chest first and Chavo follows up with a crossbody off the top out onto him. Candido ducks a clothesline and a lovely overhead throw/suplex for a two. Great delayed vertical suplex for another two. Chavo starts to fire back and plants Candido with a spinebuster. He badly botches a floatover DDT and Paisley leaves her position at the announcing desk to head up on to the apron. The distraction allows Candido to schoolboy Chavo for a near fall. Candido with a scoop powerslam, and referee Billy Silverman is back trying to get Paisley down from the apron. Candido heads to the top turnbuckle but The Artist is out and shoves him off. He messes up the jumping DDT off the top and gets himself out of there. Chavo doesn’t seem to realise what’s gone on, but covers Candido and hooks the leg for the win. After the match Candido with a diving headbutt off the top for good measure.

 

Even though he wasn’t competing in the match, this felt like it was more about The Artist. Candido looked very good and Chavo was doing fine up until that awful botch on the floatover. Finish looked bad with Candido seemingly have to DDT himself because The Artist messed it up. Okay match but the lasting impression is that bad last minute or so.