Souled Out 99 Review
Post Fingerpoke Of Doom, we are into the countdown to Armaggeddon for WCW. First a press conference by short tenured Ric Flair then we go to the dressing room where Goldberg is laying on the floor with a hurt knee. Heenan, Shiavone and Tennay on commentary.
Match #1
Singles Match
Chris Benoit Vs Mike Enos
Enos used to be Blake of the Beverly Brothers in the WWF, into his 3rd year with wcw and starting to get somewhat of a push here. They trade chops and Benoit does the farmers hankerchief. Benoit is trying to skin Enos with these chops. Crowd is hot for Benoit. Benoit puts his head down and gets kicked, but grabs Enos arm and goes for the Crossface. Enos blocks and reverses to a nice backbreaker for two. Enos has got bruising on the chest. Enos takes control with a bearhug, but Benoit comes back with the suplex, swan dive, and Crippler Crossface for the submission at 10:22. Pretty good opener, I liked it. 2 1/2 stars.
Match #2
Singles Match
Chavo Guerrero Jr Vs Norman Smiley
Norman controls the match with some submission stuff, then gets a big pop by finally doing the dance. Chavo comes back, and then Norman gets another pop by setting Chavo up for an Ocean Cyclone Suplex and then doing the dance on Chavo. That wasn't gay looking at all, but it gets a pop from the crowd. Norman goes for the Norman Conquest and Chavo blocks, Chavo goes for the Tornado DDT and Smiley blocks, and then Norman tosses Pepe's ashes (in an urn at ringside) into Chavo's eyes, blinding him long enough to slap on the Norman Conquest for the submission at 15:28. Another good match?? 2 1/2 stars.
Match #3
Singles Match
Bam Bam Bigelow Vs Wrath
After weeks of running in as an outsider, BBB is now signed to WCW. Wrath owns most of it until Bigelow takes over with a chinlock. Wrath fights out and more stuff happens, Wrath goes headfirst to the post and Bigelow hits Greetings from Asbury Park which looks pretty fake and gets the pin at 9:21. 1 star.
Match #4
Singles Match
Lex Luger Vs Konan
Konan got the boot when both NWO factions reunited and is in the midst of a boring feud with Luger. Luger beats on Konan outside and backs him into the ring apron then back inside with a bearhug. Konan fights out of it and mounts the comeback then Elizabeth makes a run in and sprays paint in Konans eyes letting Lex get the torture rack at 9:32 for the submission. Meh, 1 star.
Match #5
Loser Wears A Dress Match
Chris Jericho w Ralphus Vs Saturn
Ralphus models the dress at ringside to psych out Saturn. Jericho keeps control until Saturn comes back with the usual combination suplexes. Saturn with the frog splash for a two count. Series of pinning combos for some two counts. German suplex from Jericho for two. DVD attempt reversed by Jericho, into a Liontamer which is reversed by Saturn. Saturn smallpackages Jericho and referee Scott Dickinson finally confirms he's a Jerichoholic by rolling them over for the Jericho pin at 11:42. Saturn puts on the dress and they actually turned it into an angle for him. 2 stars.
Match #6
Four Corners Cruiserweight Championship Match
Kidman Vs Rey Mysterio Jr Vs Juventud Guerrera Vs Psychosis
No more LWO and Eddie was involved in a car accident. Hot sequence from Rey and Kidman, they decide to tag Juvy and Psycho who don't want to get in the ring and the logic is non exsistant. They are heel buddies at this point and don't wanna fight eachother. Another sequence from Juvy and Psycosis. Kidman and Rey refuse to tag in and then a big brawl erupts. Fans hardly cheer anything the heels do but pop for everything Kidman and Rey do. Lots of setting people up and jumping over ropes to splat on them. Kidman hits a somersault splash off the top rope onto Psychosis on the floor. Juvy follows with Air Juvy, using Rey as a stepping stone, onto both guys outside, then Rey does his highspot, jumping over the ref but getting only Kidman, he looks disgruntled. Juvy gets the driver but only a 2 count. They go through the series of finishers and saves. Psycosis with a suicide dive on Rey and Kidman. Kidman eventually gets the shooting star press on Juvy for the pin at 14:15. 2 1/2 stars.
Match #7
Tag Team Match
Ric and David Flair Vs Curt Hennig and Barry Windham
I thought Hennig was out of the NWO at this point but he's using the theme music here. Both sides blow smoke up eachothers asses and Flair makes an ironic statement about Hennig having to go look for a job with the WWF after this match. Takes a good talker like Flair to convince the people in attendance that WCW was better than WWF at this point. David sucks, like a less talented Shane McMahon and I don't like Shane either. The heels take over. Arn and Hennig are having words as Flair plays Ricky Morton. goofy moment as Flair's knee gets snapped on the second rope and he instinctively pops up and slaps Windham before doing the Flair Flop. Hennig with a long figure four on Flair (the wrestler) David looks like a tool. Flair gets the figure four on Windham as Hennig takes out AA. David clips Hennig and gets dragged in for it. Arn runs in with the tire iron and nails Hennig, and David pins Hennig at 13:33 As I fight back the bile. NWO run in and lay waste to the Horsemen and Beaver. 1 1/2 star. Hogan wipes the mat with David in front of Flair.......which naturally leads to David joining the NWO in two months and Flair becoming the heel. 1 1/2 star.
Match #8
Tazer Ladder Match
Goldberg Vs Scott Hall
Goldberg is wearing a knee brace. Hall works on the knee and Goldberg ends up outside the ring and blades, because Hall attacked his leg??? The crowd is not into it and at this point in time it's the weakest laddermatch ive seen. Hall goes for the tazer slowly until Goldberg knocks him off, then whallops him with the ladder. Goldberg does the slow climb and falls off. Scott does the slow climb again and gets pushed off by Goldberg and crotches on the top rope. Goldberg gets to the ladder and then Disco runs in and pushes him off. Scott gets to the top and grabs the tazer, but Goldberg superkicks him. Goldberg has the tazer and stuns Disco, then we get a staredown as Goldberg threatens him with the tazer. And threatens for almost 30 seconds. Finally he throws it in the air and Hall goes to grab it and Goldberg does the spear and jackhammer, then zaps Hall to get the win at 17:33. Bam Bam Bigelow runs in to beat up Goldberg, and Hall zaps both of them as we finish. Dumb aftermath. I didn't like it much at all and it stunk for a main event. 1 1/2 stars. Would of gone for 2 but Hall getting the last laugh was bad.
Overall Opinion: Started out decent but went downhill after the first two matches and never really recovered. Benoit/Enos is my fav from this show.
Final Score: Im gonna stamp it with a 3.6 out of a perfect 10.0. Nothing post Summerslam 98 from WWF or WCW broke into the 4 star range. They all pretty much suck.