[2001-02-07-WCW-Thunder] Sean O'Haire vs Norman Smiley

[GSR]

Norman Smiley has been doing some angle with Glacier, the gist being that Glacier is his hero.  Heaven knows why?  It’s not on the footage I watched, but earlier in the evening Glacier was taken out in the dressing room by Chuck Palumbo & Shawn Stasiak.  That’s doesn’t sound right considering they’re facing each other at Superbrawl, it was more likely Sean O’Haire, but that is what Mike Tenay said.  O’Haire in long tights for a change, which I don’t think suit him at all.  Smiley gets the better on the wrestling front although is struggling to deal with his opponents size advantage.  Wristlock, leg trip by Smiley, but O’Haire with a kip up back to his feet.   After being whipped to the corner Smiley raises a boot as O’Haire comes charging in, however that boot is grabbed and O’Haire drills him between the eyes.  A couple of cool arm drags from ‘Screamin’ Norm.  Tip up over the incoming tag team champion before slamming him to the mat.  As he sets himself for the Wiggle, he looks out to the entrance way expecting to see Glacier .  There’s no sign and a short arm clothesline floors Smiley.  Seanton bomb and it’s over.  As O’Haire celebrates the win, Mark Jindrak makes his way out.  I don’t know if O’Haire has seen him, but from the opposite side of the building through the crowd comes Shawn Stasiak.  WCW are overdoing that spot recently.  O’Haire gets the better of Stasiak, though when Jindrak involves himself the two-on-one odds are too much.  The challengers throw him over the top rope however he lands on the apron.  Not sure what went on as we spend a few seconds looking at some fans giving it the thumb down.  I’m guessing O’Haire slipped on a springboard and they cut away on the edit, we return to see him land a double dropkick.  The numbers game is again one too many before belatedly Chuck Palumbo arrives on the scene to help his partner out.

The brief bits of Norman Smiley’s wrestling we see are real nice, shame we see so little of it.  As impressed as I have been by O’Haire recently, this singles match goes to show he’s still got some way to go.  Flaws which aren’t evident in tags are more pronounced here, and this wasn’t even a long match either.