[2001-03-12-WCW-Nitro] Booker T vs Lex Luger

[GSR]

Still no sign of the new owners as those reserved seats remain unoccupied.  Booker T is out and says that it feels real good to be back in WCW.  He came here tonight for one reason and one reason only, saying how he was concentrating too much on Scott Steiner and forgot about all the other  “Player Haters”.  As a result of what happened last week he’s making an open challenge to any of the Magnificent Seven and is staying in the ring until someone brings their ass out to get whupped.  It looks like Scott Steiner is answering, however he’s only the mouthpiece.  Before he’s able to introduce who his opponent will be, DDP’s music plays and he makes an appearance in the crowd.  Tony Schiavone calls him “the People’s Champion”, he’s far more fitting of that moniker than Lobo.  Page lets Steiner know that whatever they’ve got planned isn’t going down without him being here.  Steiner tells them that tonight he’s taking the night off and that Page is going to face his brother, additionally if DDP interferes in Booker’s upcoming match he’ll forfeit his World title match at Greed.  I guess we’re supposed to just assume Steiner has the power to make those rules because he’s in the same group as Ric Flair although the commentators should’ve stressed the point.  Booker is wanting someone, when through the crowd and from behind comes Lex Luger, Steiner informing him that is his opponent.

Lex with a big powerslam and he’s signalling for the Rack already, wanting to finish this early.  He gets him up and referee Mickey Jay arrives on the scene calling for the bell.  Luger releases him, celebrating his win, only as he raises his arms Jay pushes them down.  Haha, turns out that the bell never rang to start the match and when Jay called for the bell he was calling for it to start, not finish.  That’s pretty funny.  Luger’s furious and as he complains it’s giving Booker a chance to recover.  Booker ducks the clothesline and nails Lex with a flying forearm.  Side slam for a two.  Lex is on his knees begging off when he yanks Booker by the trunks through the ropes to the floor.  He follows him out and is already breathing heavy.  They return to the ring where Luger lands a vertical suplex before a bit of flexing.  Double arm stretch, a knee in the back at the same time, Lex obviously looking to eventually Rack him again.  Great roll up out of the corner by Booker, hooking his feet under Luger’s armpits and rolling backwards.  He blocks the suplex and counters with one of his own.  Axe kick, Harlem side kick, Book End and Luger’s singles match losing streak goes on.  Rick Steiner tries to jump Booker but he avoids his chair shot and lays him out with the scissors kick, which they’re calling the Ghetto Blaster.  In the moment he forgets about Luger who cracks him in the back with that chair.  Steiner Driver for ‘the Book’.  The Cat evens the fight, Kanyon then giving the heels the advantage once more.  Schiavone calls Kanyon “the sickest one of them all”.  Flatliner to Cat on the ringside mats.  DDP finally arrives through the crowd wielding a chair, he’s too late though, the damage done as members of the Seven get out of there.

One of the better Luger singles matches of recent months.