[2000-11-26-WCW-Mayhem] Booker T vs Scott Steiner (Caged Heat)

[soup23]

Easily the best match we saw on this show and some of the better Booker T work of the year as he shows an aggression and ring command in reigning in the spastic Scott. Scott has a few awkward moments off of bumps but for the most part this is his crowning achievement and he plays his role super well. The tearing of the straightjacket spot could have looked really corny but it worked to show the strength and I liked Scott going back into the Steiner Recliner and Stevie Ray on commentary being in disbelief at what he was witnessing. This clearly seemed to set the long road leading to Goldberg vs Steiner. ***1/4 (6.4)

[GSR]

Main event equals Michael Buffer on ring announcing duties.  The straitjacket is attached to the roof of the cage, although to win the match you have to pin your opponent or make them submit, the jacket is not essential in that regard and is only there to help incapacitate your opponent.  It should also be noted that this is one of those cages that encloses the ringside area as opposed to just the ring itself.  Steiner is lay in wait and jumps Booker as soon as he enters the cage, but the whip on the floor is reversed and ‘Big Poppa Pump’ crashes into the steel.  He throws him into the ring steps as Tony Schiavone reminds us about his new attitude before searching for something under the ring.  Whatever it was he was looking for he couldn’t find and goes back to beating on the challenger.  Steiner blocks the suplex and then crotches Booker over the top rope.  Belly to belly for a two.  Booker catches a kick and boots Scotty in the mid-section but Steiner cuts off the axe kick with a Steinerline.  Samoan drop off the middle rope.  Bear hug into a reverse atomic drop as it looks like he’s trying to soften the back up in readiness for ‘the recliner’.  Booker ducks the clothesline and comes back with a flying forearm.  Missile dropkick for a near fall.  He make his way over to the corner to retrieve the straitjacket, however Steiner is up, right behind him and then dumps him with a second Samoan drop.  Scotty grabs the straitjacket although he’s really unsteady on the top turnbuckle.  Booker gets him in an ‘Electric Chair’ and Steiner lets go of the jacket which falls to the floor.  Harlem sidekick.  Stevie Ray is screaming at his brother to forget about the straitjacket and go for the pin.  He’s paying no attention though and locks Steiner in it before collecting a steel chair.  Two hard chair shots from ‘the Book’ as Schiavone says how this isn’t the Booker T that they know.  Stevie says that is the Booker he knows, though he just hasn’t seen him for a long time.  ‘Big Poppa Pump’ rips his way out of the straitjacket and after Booker whips him into the corner an almighty Steinerline turns the champion inside out.  ‘Steiner recliner’ as Mark Madden shouts “crank it big man!” He fights his way to the ropes but Steiner pulls him back into the middle of the ring.  Somehow Booker gets to his feet whilst still in ‘the recliner’ and with Scotty again in an ‘Electric Chair’ position he drops him across the top rope.  The challenger is back to his feet first but Booker plants him with ‘the Book End’.  That takes as much out of him as it does his opponent.  Steiner kicks out after a stiff clothesline with Mark Madden now thinking that he’s immortal!  FFS thaty guy is so annoyting.  He grabs a chair and cracks Booker in the head with it.  Scotty returns once more to ‘the recliner’ and this time Booker passes out from the pain as we have a new WCW World champion.  Stevie Ray isn’t happy about the result, noting that Booker didn’t tap and thinks that Charles Robinson may be on the take.  Steiner continues to assault Booker after the match, even cracking referee Slick Johnson over the head with a chair in the melee, the PPV going off air with Steiner brandishing that chair.