Sunday, September 13, 2009

Matches from thunder 3/22/2000



First match is Tank Abbot vs Fit Finlay. They first show clips of Tank Abbot knocking Doug Dillinger and Barbarian on Nitro. I thought it was a nice touch to show it took two punches to take out Barbarian. Abbot gets on the mic and issues an open challenge. Which brings out Fit Finlay. I miss Finlay's badass WCW theme. He gets in the ring and for about three or four minutes they have a really good hard hitting match. Finlay gets distracted by the ref for a second and get knocked down by Abbot. Just then Meng's music starts, Finlay has gotten to his feet and knocks Abbot out of the ring and Meng attacks Abbot. We then cut to Sid and Hulk Hogan brawling in the back. Gene Okerland comes to the ring to interview Finlay. Finlay says he will beat respect into Tank Abbot. Now Sid and Hogan are brawling to the ring. Security separates them and Sid slides into the ring. Finlay shoves Sid and is choke slammed for his trouble. Hogan and Sid go back and forth and im really impressed with how Sid is heeling it up here.

Hulk Hogan vs Dustin Rhodes


This is a match I had completely forgotten about. I have to say I really liked Hulk's run in late 99/early 2000 WCW. He was working as hard as he could to get guys over even if he was broken down. He could also be relied upon for a good brawl. This match is a good example. Dustin is working an American Nightmare gimmick.Which really suited Dustin. He did agreat job playing the slezy cowboy gimmick. He looked better than he had since returning to WCW. He had just finished a feud with Terry Funk that featured the chicken punch. Funk put his fist up a frozen chicken anus and would punch guys.

Dustin challenged Hogan earlier in the show for attacking him Monday. Hogan and Dustin work well together and if this had taken place a few years earlier it could of been really good. Dustin has some great looking punches as usual. Most of the match is him working over Hulk. Hogan finally gets the Hulk UP. Dustin slides under the big boot and hit a clotheline. He then grabs the cowbell and starts beating Hogan with it. He punches Nick Patrick for good measure. He leaves the ring content with the DQ. But Patrick refuses to give him the easy way out. He says if Dustin does not return by the count of ten he is suspended. Dustin runs to the ring only for Hogan to hit the big boot and leg drop which seemed really rushed. Which is odd for a taped show.


I think kevin Sullivan's 2000 tenure of booking WCW is underrated. Most people just talk about Big T. Most people forget hat the roster had been gutted hen Eddy, Malenko, Saturn and some guy left. Not to mention Rey Mysterio being injured and different guys awol or injured. I think by the time he was done he had gotten WCW back on the right track. He did a good job with what he had.
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