[2000-04-26-WCW-Thunder] Billy Kidman vs Horace Hogan

[soup23]

Kidman comes out and gives his promo calling anyone out. Out comes Horace Hogan to defend his uncle’s name. Tony halfway through this match called it Horace’s best match and while it certainly wasn’t spectacular, I have to agree. Kidman misses a big splash and Horace is actually showing some fire by teasing putting Torrie through a table. Just then, Bischoff grabs a chair and hits Horace and then Kidman gives him a bulldog from the ring through a table on the outside. Bischoff counts the cover and Torrie gives the kiss of death. **

[Loss]

Marc Mero is at ringside looking very Johnny B. Badd-like again. Kidman's pre-match promo has lots of venom and gloating over sidelining Hogan on Monday night. An interesting match. Horace is so unpolished and there are a few times he looks like he's about to kill Kidman with his sloppy execution, but his fire is really good and they cut a breakneck pace, which fits the storyline of him seeking to avenge his uncle. Give credit to Kidman for really putting on his working shoes in this one, flying all over the place and being a trooper. And give Horace credit for working super hard. Crazy finish with Kidman doing a bulldog from the inside turnbuckle to the floor on a table. I have liked everything Kidman has done since turning.

[AstroBoy]

Hey look at that. A fun sprint between Kidman and Horace. Horace worked here as a ball of energy and fight and Kidman bumped around to make him look competent in this setting. I will say that Kidman just isn't convincing during the pre-match interview but I've liked the way his character has physically come off during this time period. This was a nice little segment altogether.

[GSR]

Kidman has got himself another one of the Hulkster’s shirts to wear! He tears it off and then the camera cuts to Marc Mero watching in the front row. Kidman says that the legend is dead and no-one could put Hulk Hogan out of this business until Billy Kidman came along! He mentions how Hogan dogged him in interview after interview, said that he couldn’t draw in a flea market, but he’s the one drawing now as these people love him! Doesn’t sound like it mind! Hogan’s red and yellow ass is laid up in a hospital bed in Tampa and he’s the one who put him there. He issues an open challenge to anyone in the back and Hulk Hogan’s music plays, but it’s his nephew Horace Hogan answering the challenge. Guessing they played Hulk’s music so there wouldn’t be silence when Horace came out! Horace runs to the ring and Kidman attacks him as soon as he slides under the bottom rope. Whip to the corner is reversed, Kidman with a tip up, but Horace dumps him on the top rope crotching him before clotheslining him to the floor. He takes it to Kidman on the outside and drops him throat first across the guard rail. Back in the ring and Kidman slows Horace with a back elbow, but is then met with a big boot and another clothesline which sends him flying over the top rope to the floor. Horace whips Kidman into the guard rail, however he goes crashing into it himself when he moves as he charges him. Huracanrana and Kidman starts to unload on Horace. Snapmare and he heads up top only to miss the big splash. A ropey looking powerslam from Horace and Eric Bischoff heads out and down to ringside. Hogan just about gets Kidman up for a gorilla press and follows up with a powerbomb. Chair shot to Kidman’s injured back and Horace counters a sunset flip attempt with a chokebomb. Instead of making the cover though he sets up a table on the outside. Standing on the apron, he goes to suplex Kidman out the ring and through the table, but Torrie with a low blow to him. Although he lets go of Kidman it doesn’t seem to have any effect and he turns his attention to her. Bischoff is now in the ring and kicks referee Mickey Jay in the guts. Chair shot to the head of Horace, Kidman with a bulldog off the apron and through the table on the outside. He covers Horace on the arena floor and Bischoff fast counts the pin for the win.

 

The start of this was great with Horace’s aggressiveness and showing plenty of intensity as he tries to get some revenge for his uncle, while Kidman bumped and flew around for him. Some of Horace’s offense did look rough (powerslam, gorilla press), but Kidman was really good throughout. From the moment Eric Bischoff came out though you knew some sort of screwy, interference laden finish was coming. When did this match become ‘falls count anywhere’ though as I certainly didn’t see that. I should just forget logic and trying to make sense of things when it comes to this company now. Crowd were pretty dead for this although they came alive for Kidman missing the big splash off the top.