[2000-05-31-WCW-Thunder] Kevin Nash & Scott Steiner vs Rick Steiner & Tank Abbott

[soup23]

What a mess this is. Ernest Miller is treated as an authority figure and we get some piss poor action complied with a million run ins. Jarrett is shown walking to the ring backstage with purpose and then comes out five minutes later. Nash ends up getting the pin cementing himself as the #1 contender. Yippee. *1/2

[GSR]

Gene Okerlund walks Tank through a backstage interview, and this Monday he’ll be facing Goldberg on Nitro. Ernest Miller is out first and joins them at the commentary desk as he’s apparently taken over control from Eric Bischoff for the night. Just as the action gets underway, ‘The Cat’ announces over the house mic that the winner of this match will go on to face Jeff Jarrett for the World title at the Great American Bash. As Miller has done such a poor job explaining things (it’s a tag match afterall!), Tony Schiavone then clarifies that it’s the person who gets the pin will face Jeff Jarrett at the Bash. The cameras soon cut to an angry Jarrett backstage, not happy that ‘The Cat’ is giving away World tltle shots. He says that “there aren’t going to be no damn pinfalls, but there will be a DQ, you can bet on that”, before grabbing his guitar and presumably heading to the ring. Rick with a camel clutch on his brother, followed by an overhead belly to belly for two. Tank unloads with punches to the mid-section of Scott and Rick is back to that modified camel clutch. KO punch by Tank for another two. Scott with a low blow, a DDT and he’s able to make the tag to Nash. A sideslam on Tank and a clothesline (just about) sends Rick over the top rope to the floor. Big boot to the face of Abbott, and unlike the majority of Nash’s big boots, this one doesn’t look like pulled shit because Tank runs right into it. ‘Steiner recliner’ and here comes Jeff Jarrett who breaks the guitar over Scott’s back. He tells the referee to ring the bell and that it’s a DQ, however ‘The Cat’ says that he’s the boss, “no DQ” and he wants to see a pinfall. Rick clocks Nash with the title belt, while Midajah and Shakira just waltz into the ring to check on Scott (Bobby Heenan even refers to the match as a cluster as this point - you’re so right Brain!). Nash kicks out of the pin attempt and Jarrett then throws a steel chair to Rick. As he catches it, Nash with a boot that sends it clattering into Rick’s own face. ‘Jackknife’ powerbomb and ‘Big Sexy’ gets the title shot at the Great American Bash.

 

So the man who is standing in for the boss of the company for the night, is able to make the World title match for the PPV. Marvellous! Why the camera felt the need to cut to Jarrett in the dressing room after ‘The Cat’ had made that announcement I don’t know. It’s completely telegraphing the outcome and you can switch off because nothing meaningful is happening until Jarrett’s involvement. After how the past few months had been with copious interference, an abundance of weapons being used in matches, blood baths etc. Not too sure why ‘Double J’ would even think that would be a DQ anyway? Oh yeah, and we have the women just strolling into the ring as well while the match is still going on. Unbelievably this month has been even worse than the last one for WCW, hopefully it doesn’t continue in this vain for June.