Thunder – January 24, 2001: The New WCW
Thunder
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January 24, 2001
Location: Lawrence Joel Memorial Coliseum, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Commentators: Mike Tenay, Tony Schiavone
Cruiserweight Contender Countdown
Yang is in at #5 (with a much more covered up Leia Meow) as we take a break. Back with Yang grabbing a neckbreaker across the top rope. A headscissors sends Kidman face first into the mat and Yang gets two more off something like an Iconoclasm. For absolutely no logical reason, Yang sits on the second rope to try and suplex Kidman to the floor. Instead Kidman hits a super Kid Crusher for the elimination.
Shannon Moore is in at #9 with something like a springboard Rough Ryder for an early two. A Whisper in the Wind misses but Shannon lands on his feet, only to have Rey trip him down into a bridging pin to get us down to the final two. Kaz Hayashi is in at #10 and kicks the winded Rey, because a gauntlet match causes you to be winded after four minutes in the ring. A helicopter bomb gets two for Kaz but Rey sends him shoulder first into the post. Rey takes it up top for a super sitout bulldog and the pin, giving him the title shot against Chavo.
Jeff Jarrett laughs at Hugh Morrus for losing on Monday and gets punched out. Laughing ensues.
Ric Flair has a master plan. Can we ever have a villain with just a plan? Why does everything have to be a master plan?
Norman Smiley vs. Mike Awesome
I could go for more of Major Gunns in black with the red maple leafs. No Glacier in sight and Norman looks a bit nervous. They run the ropes to start but stop. WIGGLE TIME! Awesome slowly pounds him down as the announcers discuss the improvement Awesome has undergone. Norman gets in a clothesline and loads up the Big Wiggle (Tenay: “Is he looking for Glacier?”), only to be run over again. Tony has to cut off Tenay from talking about the main event but a neck crank from Awesome pulls Tony into the 1997 style of commentary all over again.
Post match Glacier gets in the ring and tells Awesome to bring it as Mike leaves. Glacier does the post match karate demonstration and shoves Norman away.
Kronik says Animal and Steiner are going to get smoked tonight.
Jeff Jarrett vs. Hugh Morrus
Ron Harris vs. Crowbar
Rick Steiner is willing to beat up Bam Bam Bigelow to prove a message to Shane Douglas.
Rick Steiner vs. Bam Bam Bigelow
Ric Flair knocks out the Cat with brass knuckles. We also see Nash and Page laid out.
Kronik vs. Scott Steiner/Road Warrior Animal
Steiner comes back in with the pipe to beat Kronik down and end the show.
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