[2000-11-08-WCW-Thunder] Crowbar vs Reno (Hardcore)

[soup23]

Maybe I am softening my stance on these hardcore matches as I thought this match was perfectly acceptable and sort of felt like comfort food viewing. I do think the WCW Hardcore presentation is better than WWF around this time. This utilized the plunder well and Crowbar acting like it was a big deal to win the Hardcore title really added to the stakes. Could have done without the Vito interference but it does advance the feud between Vito and Reno. **1/2

 

[GSR]

Reno is the current Hardcore champion, something that has completely passed me by.  Crowbar is still dressed like a pimp and sprints down the aisle eager to make the most of this title opportunity.  Perhaps he should’ve taken things slower as he’s met by a Kendo stick swinging Reno, a shot to the chest sending him backwards over the top rope and to the floor.  Crowbar blocks having his head rammed into the ring post and slams Reno’s into a trash can that is hanging from the corner.  He collects a ladder from under the ring and lays it on top of his opponent.  Slingshot splash onto the ladder that Crowbar follows with a Lionsault, again to the ladder as Reno is sandwiched underneath.  Northern Lights suplex for a two.  Reno reverses the whip to the corner and launches Crowbar with an overhead belly to belly; Crowbar catching his ankle on a ladder that had been previously propped up there.  As he looks for the ‘Roll the Dice’, Crowbar grabs hold of an aluminium tray bashing it over Reno’s head before digging his finger’s into his eyes and getting a unique pinfall attempt out of the situation.  After dumping him chest first across the top rope Crowbar launches a trash can at Reno and he falls to the floor.  He sits him in a chair at ringside, applies a sleeper and then comes off the apron with a lariat, clotheslining him out of the chair.  Reno makes his way towards the back to try and buy himself some time, but Crowbar is in pursuit and the two start fighting it out at the back of the arena in front of the Thundervision.  Big Vito shows up and a Mafia kick knocks Reno off the stage.  Crowbar with a splash and he gets a three to become the new Hardcore champion.  A big deal is made of the win as Gene Okerlund interviews him backstage while he celebrates with the likes of Mike Awesome and the M.I.A.  He says that all the big bumps, all the high risk manoeuvres, all the blood, the sweat and the tears, this makes it worth while.  The standards have now changed forever and he plans to take the Hardcore division to a new level.

Crowbar certainly brings something fresh to the Hardcore division, someone who’s prepared to innovate, push the bar as opposed to those who just hit each other with weapons.  Very surprised to see the big deal made about his win, I wonder if that’s a sign of possible added focus for the division now that he’s the champion?