[2001-01-23-WCW-Nitro] Kevin Nash vs Buff Bagwell

[GSR]

Lex Luger thanks the fans for their warm reaction.  He informs everyone that he takes his role as an official referee very seriously and, despite their scepticism, will remain totally unbiased and will call this right down the middle.  Bagwell’s music starts for a second time, which I thought was some sort of snafu, but we’re just going to a commercial.  Luger at least now looks the part, putting on a black and white striped top during the break.  As much as I hate the whole concept of the “heel referee”, Lex is at least amusing with his selling and wincing while Nash pummels Buff in the corner.  He physically involves himself, dragging ‘Killer’ off him, Scott Hudson justifying it saying that Bagwell was in the ropes and Nash was using them for extra leverage.  Nash stalks Buff around ringside, Lex in pursuit, but as he steps over the rope back into the ring Luger grabs an ankle and he’s helpless as Bagwell unloads with punches.  Unlike earlier there’s no stepping in from our unbiased official when Buff uses the ropes to choke ‘Big Sexy’.  Reverse chinlock.  Nash works his way back to his feet and as Buff throws a bunch of rights, he remains standing through each one, unable to be dropped.  ‘Killer’ plants him with a side slam and we get a prime reason why I absolutely detest the “heel ref”, Luger holding his count up at two in order to give Bagwell additional time to kick out.   ‘Snake Eyes’ and more of the same, Lex claiming a shoulder was raised when it wasn’t.  Nash has had it with Luger but ends up on the receiving end of a mule kick.  Spinning neckbreaker by Buff and now he’s trying to fast count the pin.  Bagwell collects a chair from ringside, although surprisingly Luger snatches it away from him telling him that he can’t use it.  Oh, he’s conveniently holding it in front of Nash’s face for Buff to dropkick.  Lex lifts him up and carries him over to the corner for a ‘Blockbuster’ but Bagwell misses the target.  That looked real bad.  DDP shows up through the crowd and gives Luger a ‘Diamond Cutter’.  Tony Schiavone says that’s all well and good but wonders how he can count?  I think I know.  Jackknife powerbomb and then he slaps the unconscious Luger’s hand to the mat three times as he moves on to Superbrawl for the World title match.  Scott Steiner attacks Nash post-match which brings out Kronik, Road Warrior Animal, a returning Page and Jeff Jarrett as the show goes off the air with everyone going at it.  Tedious.

[soup23]

Best thing about this is Luger as referee. Buff sucks as a worker and Nash as the major face is very lol worthy. After years of playing the N W O numbers game to his advantage, it is tough to get too sympathetic about the deck being stacked against him. Finish is also sad as it is a light version of the Over the Edge 98 finish where DDP gives Luger the diamond cutter and by his own hand he makes the count. We get our big SuperBrawl Main Event but this is the worst ongoing stuff in WCW at the moment. *1/2