[2001-01-08-WCW-Nitro] Mike Sanders vs Chuck Palumbo vs Sean O'Haire vs DDP vs Kevin Nash (Minnesota Massacre)

[GSR]

Mike Sanders is on his way down to the ring carrying an envelope.  He milks the boos before going onto welcome everyone to the first ever ‘Minnesota Massacre’.  In the envelope are the names of the “randomly” selected participants and he hands it over to Dave Penzer to read them out.  The first three names are Mike Sanders, Chuck Palumbo and Sean O’Haire, leading Scott Hudson to question what are the odds that “randomly” selected we’d have three Natural Born Thrillers in a row?  The commentary team speculate this is just away for ‘the Thrillers’ to get some payback on Big Vito and Kwee Wee, and when Penzer announces the fourth name as Diamond Dallas Page, Sanders’s shocked face indicates that they were probably right.  His plan goes from bad to worse when the fifth and final participant is Page’s partner in ‘The Insiders’, Kevin Nash.  Sanders clocks ‘the Insiders’ with one of the belts giving ‘the Thrillers’ the advantage. Palumbo and O’Haire throw some quality looking punches at Page who stays up through every one.  Page ducks the double superkick, Palumbo and O’Haire wiping each other out, and leaving Sanders as the only man left standing.  DDP low blows him and now everyone is down.  Hudson must’ve been watching his OVW tapes as he too wonders what would happen should Billy Silverman reach the count of ten with no-one back on their feet?  Like in OVW though, that’s not an issue.  Nash clotheslines Sanders over the top rope to the floor who then, despite earlier claiming that anyone whose name isn’t in the envelope is banned from ringside, starts calling for some help.  The rest of ‘the Thrillers’ don’t get very far, intercepted by Vito, Kwee Wee and Paisley who keep them at bay.  In the ring Page with a ‘Diamond Cutter’ on Palumbo, Nash jack-knifes O’Haire and Silverman just calls for the bell to end the match, clearly forgetting that he needs to count to ten for one and that this is also a ‘Last Man’ not ‘Last Men’ Standing.  Good on Disco who questions the lack of a ten count although Schiavone quickly shuts him down.

The match is nothing and does no favours for ‘The Thrillers’ who come across as chumps when they’re the guys the promotion should be getting behind. 

[soup23]

This is a Minnesota Massacre match. Mike Sanders comes out to announce the 4 participants in this match.  We are told repeatedly that this is a “random” selection and if your name is not called, you are barred from ringside. Sanders does have his gear on in a good bit. Sanders is the first representative and he looks shocked.  Participant #2 is Chuck Palumbo and Sanders is shocked at that too. Hudson says they should check for dangling chads. #3 is Sean O’Haire and finally Disco is suspicious. This was supposedly a set up for Kiwi and Vito to be beat up form earlier in the night. The fourth contestant is DDP to the surprise of sanders. #5 is Nash.  We did see a clip earlier where the envelopes were switched. Nash/DDP are happy with themselves and Sanders mouths to them that this is bullshit. Pier six to start and Sanders uses the tag title to slam it against Nash and take the advantage. Disco talks about a feature in WCW Magazine where Page was doing yoga. Palumbo and O’Haire hit each other and Sanders is the last one standing until DDP gets a low blow sending him down. Everyone is back up at 7 and DDP hits a nasty floatover DDT on Palumbo. The Thrillers come out but here is Vito and Kiwi to keep them away. Diamond Cutter and Jacknife combo and Silverman calls for the bell without even putting a 10 count on. Disco asks that. ½*