WCW Sin 2001 Review

Hello and welcome to another edition of Seanomaniac Wrestling Reviews, the only wrestling review series on the internet that is sent home from European tours for going into business for itself! It is WCW time once again, only two more to go after this pay per view and we kick it off with WCW Sin 2001. No real clue as to the shape of the company by this point, they were throwing everything at the wall with the hopes of something sticking at the end of the day. The company needed to be put to rest but somehow, against all odds it continues to falter along and give us many terrible looking matches. Let’s just do this!

(WCW Cruiserweight Championship Match) Sugar Shane Helms vs Chavo Guerrero ©

Chavo got serious leaving the Misfits in Action even though it was left up in the air after the last pay per view. Thankfully, they cleared up that mess and Chavo is a full on heel by this point. WCW saw that Karagias was not the star of the cruiserweight division or Three Count and that Helms was the member of the group that could shine to his fullest potential. We have this match after Helms defeated Shannon Moore for the right to be the undisputed number one contender. Helms takes Chavo down with an armbar, Chavo takes the back with Helms whipping Chavo off the ropes, Chavo tries an armbar but Helms rolls through and Chavo reaches for the ropes.

Chavo kicks the gut and chops Helms, armdrags from Helms. Helms stays on the arm, Chavo fires back before a headscissors from Helms. Huge facebuster from Helms, Chavo clotheslines Helms to the floor. Helms pulls Chavo to the floor, Chavo is sent into the guard rail. Roll-up from Helms for two, Chavo is rolled up a few more times, right hands from Helms. Chavo counters a powerbomb for an Alabama Slam, knee to the groin. Forearms to the face by Chavo, Chavo covers for two. Helms kicks Chavo but Chavo scores with a huge dropkick for two. Reverse chinlock from Chavo, Helms nails an atomic drop and a huge neckbreaker.

Two for Helms, right hands to the face of the champion. Chavo hammers back but Helms nails a German suplex for two, superkick by Helms but Chavo places his foot on the ropes. Chavo throws Helms to the floor, Chavo dives to the floor wiping out Helms. Two for Chavo, Helms blocks a suplex but Chavo clubs down Helms. Helms escapes and hiptosses Chavo to the floor, crossbody by Helms to the floor. Sunset flip for two, Samoan drop by Helms for two. Vertebreaker is blocked, Helms nails Nightmare on Helms Street for two. Chavo knees Helms in the face, Helms blocks the tornado DDT but eats a massive brainbuster with Chavo retaining the championship.

My main thought was this was an awkward match, awkward in the sense that Chavo is very bland as a character, awkward in the sense that the crowd had no idea who to cheer between the two, they favoured Chavo when that was not the intended goal. As well as that, we have two cruiserweights doing mat wrestling for a majority of the match where the fans want to see high flying manoeuvres, you had these two wrestling a style that does not differ from the heavyweights with two wrestlers who have not found their feet when it comes to character in the ring. So, I thought it was more awkward than anything else, it left no real impression on me.

Winner: Chavo Guerrero over Shane Helms via Brainbuster!

Mamalukes Promo

Big Vito and Reno were partners, they were brothers but swerve! Reno turned on Vito and Marie to rejoin The Natural Born Thrillers. Stambol has been kicked out of The Thrillers so he stands by Vito’s side.

Vito vs Reno

Reno enters to the theme of backstage assault which always makes me laugh, that may be the worst wrestling game of all-time. Anyways, this feud has been on and off for months, neither were exactly stars or good in the ring so I would put them in the bracket of MIA and Natural Born Thrillers, I have seen far too much of them for my liking. Reno powerslams Vito, Vito is stomped to the floor. Vito fights back with chops, Reno slams Vito into the guard rail. Reno hammers Vito in the corner, Vito explodes out of the corner with a clothesline. Vito sits Reno on the top rope, throat thrusts from Vito. Superplex from Vito for two, enzuigiri by Vito.

Back suplex by Vito, Vito misses a spear and hits the ringpost hard, Reno stomps all over his brother. Reno sends Vito into the guard rail, Reno shuts down any Vito comebacks. More stomping, Vito fires up but eats a clothesline. Sunset flip by Vito, Reno kicks out and continues the punishment. Mafia kick by Vito, throat thrusts by Vito. Clothesline by Vito, double underhook suplex. Vito is on the top rope, elbow by Vito for two. Reno fires back, dropkick by Reno for two. Vito blocks the roll of the dice for a northern lights suplex. Vito cannot nail the DDT, exploder suplex by Reno.

Reno picks up Vito, right hands by Reno. Vito comes back, they begin to brawl with no real rhyme or reason. Reno escapes a suplex and nails The Roll of The Dice for the finish, Reno has beaten Vito again.

I never needed to see those two go that long inside the ring, it was very average with nothing of real note about the match apart from its length. We would all be better off if these two never touched in the ring again.

Winner: Reno over Vito via Roll of The Dice!

Sanders Hires Kronik

Kronik get money from Sanders but Kronik have been paid by two people, what could they possibly mean? Do I care? No, not really.

The Jung Dragons vs Jamie Noble & Evan Karagias

Speaking of people facing one another way too much, we have seen every variation of this match, it is a continuation of Three Count vs The Jung Dragons, they had some great chemistry and had good ladder matches but this is beyond a joke now, do they not have anybody else to face? Kaz murders Noble and Karagias, we see headscissors, German suplexes and a double Asai moonsault in stereo by The Jung Dragons. Yang clotheslines Noble, beautiful sequence from Noble and Yang which leads to Noble sending Yang to the floor. Kaz is crotched on the top rope by Karagias, Karagias is kicked off by Kaz but recovers with a dropkick.

Sidewalk slam/leg drop combination for two as Yang saves Kaz, Karagias misses a splash but nails a powerslam. Tag to Noble, low dropkick to Kaz. Back suplex by Noble for two, corkscrew forearm by Noble for two. Noble nails a German suplex and a clothesline on Kaz. Karagias nails a huge spinebuster on Kaz, Yang saves Kaz for a second time. Springboard moonsault by Karagias misses, Kaz does not make the tag as Noble nails Yang. Elbow to the face of Kaz, sunset flip by Noble but Kaz rolls through for a huge kick to the head.

Hot-tag to Yang, dropkicks and punches all around. Dragon screw leg whip to Noble, Karagias saves Noble. Yang runs up Karagias’ chest before waffling Karagias with punches. German suplex by Noble on Yang, Kaz saves Yang. Karagias dives to the floor on Kaz, Noble has Yang on the top rope. Yang counters a hurricanrana for a powerbomb, Karagias saves Noble. Neckbreaker by Karagias, 450 splash by Karagias as Kaz saves Yang. Slingshot DDT by Kaz into a butterfly lock before Noble tombstones Kaz, Yang saves Kaz. Yang nails a firemen’s carry into a corkscrew moonsault that absolutely misses, Noble improvises for an inside cradle.

So, all that has changed is that the babyfaces are now The Jung Dragons and Noble and Karagias have become heels? Ok, it was a fun match, it should have opened the show. They were moving a million miles a second and the psychology was not there but it was a lot of fun. Shame about the finish, Yang missed by a mile which led to the quick inside cradle, poor reaction from the crowd and The Jung Dragons too. They won the match, it was not the planned finish but damn it you won, celebrate like you won.

Winners: The Jung Dragons over Noble & Karagias via Inside Cradle!

Mike Sanders vs The Cat W/ Ms. Jones

Ms. Jones and the commissionership is on the line as we have a rematch from Halloween Havoc, Sanders jumps The Cat. Right hands by Sanders, The Cat is choked on the mat. Right hands by Sanders, shoulder block and mounted punches by The Cat. Sanders powders, The Cat chases which leads to Sanders stomping The Cat. The Cat fires back with right hands before an eye rake, Sanders chokes The Cat some more. The Cat comes back with kicks to the head of Sanders, low blow by Sanders to stay alive in the match. Huge kick to the face, two for Sanders.

Reverse chinlock by Sanders, The Cat rallies and is back on his feet. Sunset flip by Sanders but The Cat punches Sanders and elbows Sanders. Huge jawjacking punch, Sanders pulls The Cat to the floor. Sanders has a chair, Ms. Jones kicks Sanders. Jindrak and Stasiak attack The Cat, Kronik attack The Thrillers. Feliner by The Cat and this match is over.

That was fun, Sanders is the only member of that group that I gave a damn about, Sanders was annoying, had a punchable face and gets on your nerves. The Cat is loads of fun too and the Kronik twist was a lot of fun too. It was a nice break from the same type of matches that you could see any week on WCW, it breaks up the rhythm of this terrible show.

Winner: The Cat over Mike Sanders via Feliner!

Team Canada vs The Filthy Animals

Lance Storm has recruited Mike Awesome who has gone through a many gimmick at this point in his WCW career. This a six man tag team match, Duggan is the special referee who was screwed over by Team Canada. They are penalty boxes on the floor to contain those who break the rules, Mike Awesome is in magnificent shape. Storm and Mysterio begin, springboard headscissors by Mysterio. Storm crotches Mysterio on the top rope, chop by Storm. Skipper comes in like an idiot and attacks Mysterio, Skipper is in the penalty box. Awesome is put in the box for touching Duggan, Storm is alone. Mysterio nails a hurricanrana on Storm, slingshot leg drop by Kidman who is legal after the tag.

Tag to Konnan, clothesline by Konnan. Corner clothesline by Konnan, Skipper and Awesome are out of the box. Springboard splash by Mysterio for two, hurricanrana by Kidman. Storm knees Kidman and nails a leg drop, tag to Skipper. Corner headscissors by Kidman, back suplex by Kidman. Awesome gets caught cheating as well as Storm, Skipper is all alone in the ring. Konnan gets the tag, roll-through clothesline. Big submission from Konnan, tag to Mysterio. Springboard leg drop, tag to Konnan. Skipper dropkicks Konnan but Konnan elevates Skipper to the apron. Matrix from Skipper but Konnan lays a huge reverse DDT for two.

 Skipper drop toeholds Konnan, missile dropkick and tag to Awesome. Backbreaker for two, headscissors by Konnan. Tygress and Major Gunns have words, Duggan catches Kidman and Mysterio double teaming Awesome. Kidman and Mysterio are in the penalty box, powerslam by Awesome for two. Konnan is isolated, Tygress hoses down Major Gunns, the two girls begin rolling around on the floor. Skipper puts the boots to Konnan, springboard leg drop by Primetime for two. Reverse chinlock, tag to Awesome. Awesome nails a flying clothesline, The Filthy Animals are out of the box.

K-Factor by Konnan on Storm, hot-tag to Kidman. Back drop and dropkick on Storm, Sky High by Kidman for two. Storm is sent to the floor, Kidman dives onto Storm. Storm and Mysterio are left in the ring, Tygress nails a bronco buster on Storm. Mysterio nails Storm with a springboard leg drop for two, Storm superkicks Mysterio to the floor, Kidman nails Storm with The Kid Krusher but Awesome saves Storm. Awesome Powerbombs Mysterio, Storm has Kidman in The Maple Leaf. Kidman taps out and Team Canada win the match.

Meh, not exactly as fun as it could be, Awesome throwing around people can be great, Mysterio and Kidman flying around can be awesome but all three of those men stayed inside the penalty box for most of the match. That makes for a boring match when I have to watch Konnan or Skipper in the ring for the most part, thought this could have been a potential show stealer if it was just Kidman and Mysterio vs Awesome and Storm.

Winners: Team Canada over The Filthy Animals via Maple Leaf!

(WCW Hardcore Championship Match) Terry Funk © VS Meng vs Crowbar

Daffney attacks Funk, Crowbar smacks Funk with the chair. Funk and Crowbar are in the bathroom, brawling with Meng nowhere to be seen. Crowbar is knocked into toilet doors multiple times, Meng enters out of nowhere. Meng batters Funk and Crowbar with ease, Meng is buried under a pile of tables to slow his momentum. Funk is laid out on a table, Crowbar climbs some scaffolding and nails a massive leg drop through the table. Meng and Crowbar brawl on the stage, Meng chops Crowbar over and over. Crowbar fights back before an eye rake, Crowbar eats a superkick from Meng.

Funk smacks Meng with a shovel, Funk grabs a guard rail. More shovel shots for Meng, Funk slams Crowbar through the guard rail. Chair to the back of Crowbar, Funk continues smacking the bejesus out of Crowbar. Crowbar places the chair on Funk’s ankle, Crowbar steps all over Funk’s ankle. Slingshot splash on the ankle, Crowbar slaps Funk. Funk smacks around Crowbar, Crowbar attacks the knee, figure four by Crowbar. Meng is on the top rope, splash by Meng on Crowbar. Piledriver by Meng, Funk saves the match to hammer Meng. Headbutt to Funk, Funk is slammed. Splash on Funk, Crowbar makes the save. Crowbar and Funk beat Meng with chairs, DDT by Funk on Meng. Crowbar whacks Funk, Meng awakens to Tonga Death Grip Funk for the win.

Fun match, there have been a lot of hardcore matches in WCW that I would roll my eyes out, I have seen ECW alumni doing what made them famous on a grander scale, I have seen Bigelow and Brian Knobbs stink up the joint with terrible action but this was quite fun. Meng is such a fun character while Funk is batshit crazy, it makes for an entertaining match.

Winner: Meng over Everyone Else via Tonga Death Grip!

(WCW Tag Team Championship Match) The Insiders © vs The Natural Born Thrillers

Yay, more rematches as if it could not get any more dull in this company. The Natural Born Thrillers were a stable that just will not die at this point, a bunch of wrestlers who are as green and as generic as one can be. Luckily, they have broken up Stasiak and Palumbo and O Haire and Jindrak to form a super team of interesting members despite their inexperience in the ring. Sanders brings out more of The Thrillers despite losing his position of power. Sanders throws his weight around before Flair comes down to the ring, Flair escorts Sanders and The Thrillers out of the arena, did I need to see this on pay per view?

DDP and Palumbo brawl, DDP wins the war of fists. Clothesline by DDP, uranage slam by DDP for two. Palumbo is knocked to the floor, Nash and O Haire are in the ring. Nash slams O Haire, side headlock by O Haire. Big boot by Nash, O Haire floors Nash with a superkick. Tag to Palumbo, the challengers put the boots to Nash. Right hand by Palumbo, Nash drops after multiple punches from Palumbo. Nash snake eyes Palumbo, leg across the back from Nash. Clothesline and tag to DDP, diving clothesline for two. O Haire smacks DDP off an Irish whip, Palumbo takes control with a huge superkick for two. Tag to O Haire, more double teaming by the challengers.

Tag to Palumbo, slingshot suplex for two. Palumbo hangs up DDP Macho Man style, tag to O Haire. DDP is thrown to the corner, double clothesline by the challengers. DDP fires up and nails Palumbo with a tombstone, tag to Nash. Nash cleans house with sidewalk slams, boots by Nash. Here comes The Thrillers and Lex Luger, Nash Powerbombs Palumbo. O Haire roughs up Nash, DDP is dealing with Luger in the crowd. Buff nails Nash with a monkey wrench, O Haire nails a Swanton Bomb and we have new tag team champions.

What a crock of crap, an overbooked mess that follows the same format that we have seen for three pay per views straight now. It does not matter if you swap O Haire for Stasiak, we get a carbon copy match from the last two pay per views, The Thrillers are beyond stale at this point and I just cannot wait for the end of this whole saga.

Winners: Natural Born Thrillers over The Insiders via Swanton Bomb!

(WCW United States Championship Match) General Rection © vs Shane Douglas W/ Torrie (First Blood/Chain On A Pole Match)

Must we continue with General Rection as champion? Stopping the momentum of Lance Storm in its track for a feud that had a blowoff that went out like a whimper as opposed to a bang. Douglas who had been entertaining for the majority of his tenure in the company was finally surpassing the bullshit angles to become not only a great talker we all knew he could be but someone who could be relied on for quality matches. Douglas had a signature weapon in the chain and had busted open Rection so the stipulation makes sense, it plays into the feud and here we go!

Douglas hammers Rection to begin before a huge throat toss by Rection, Rection grabs the arm and stomps Douglas. Rection stomps and chokes Douglas, shoulder blocks by Rection. Right hands by Rection, Douglas rakes the eyes and pummels Rection in the face. Rection shakes it off and chops Douglas, low blow by Douglas. Rection recovers for a diving clothesline, Douglas stops Rection from nailing his moonsault, stomps to the head by Douglas. Shin breaker by Douglas, more knee work by Douglas. Figure four by Douglas, Rection elevates Douglas to the floor. Douglas sends Rection into the crowd, Douglas dives onto Rection. Douglas wrenches the legs of Rection using the ringpost.

Douglas re-enters the ring, snapmare into a reverse chinlock. Rection rallies due to the crowd, Rection nails a huge military press slam. Rection is on the floor and pulls out a ladder, Rection nails Douglas with the ladder. Rection pulls down the chain, Douglas tips over the ladder which knocks over the referee. Douglas pulls out a chain he hid in his kneepads, Rection is cracked open and the referee is on his feet seconds later to declare Douglas as the champion.

Thank God for the end of Rection’s reign, thank God for the end of this match. First, it was called a chain on a pole match, there was no pole. As well as that, it was not clear whether the chain was even needed to bust open your opponent. Douglas worked the leg of Rection, why? Why was the ladder not introduced until the end of the match if there was such an urgent need for the chain? It was an awful fucking match, it was a load of shit and boring beyond belief, unnecessary referee bump and psychology that did not match the stipulations set for the match.

Winner: Shane Douglas over General Rection via Shenanigans!

Goldberg/Sarge Dewayne Bruce vs Totally Buffed

Luger returned to WCW as a heel, Luger challenged Goldberg and was swiftly defeated on two separate occasions. Bagwell turned heel as he was doing nothing except saving his mother from Kanyon or stopping David Flair from taking his blood samples, stellar stuff Mr. Bagwell but you were a big star right? Anyways, Bagwell and Luger combined to take down Goldberg, they have not done much, rather they attack Goldberg’s trainer Sarge or Bruce depending on what you want to call him. It leads us to this match where Goldberg’s career is on the line in a tag match.

Goldberg and Luger begin, Goldberg tosses Luger to the corner. Right hands by Goldberg, knees to Luger. Shoulder block by Goldberg, double underhook suplex. Bagwell is in, right hands and a suplex to Goldberg. Goldberg no-sells it, military press into a powerslam and a tag to Bruce, Bruce has a cast on his broken arm. Bruce hammers Bagwell, back elbow and a shot to Luger. Scoop slams, back suplex and a middle rope elbow for two. Clobbering blows by Bruce, Luger is decked for a second time. Jawbreaker by Bagwell, Luger hotshots Bruce. Luger tags in, right hands to Bruce. Bagwell sends Bruce into the guard rail, Luger distracts the referee.

Clothesline by Luger for two, tag to Bagwell. Bagwell and Luger continue to punish Bruce, huge forearm from Luger for two. Bagwell eats a suplex from Bruce, tag to Goldberg. Kicks and punches in a sloppy fashion follow, pumphandle slam for Bagwell. Luger starts on a fan, Goldberg murders Luger but the fan sprays mace in Goldberg’s eyes, Luger attacks Goldberg with a chair. Luger paid off the fan, Bagwell eats a clothesline from Goldberg. Luger smacks Goldberg with a chair, massive Blockbuster by Bagwell and Totally Buffed pin Goldberg for the finish.

What the fuck was that? They pinned Goldberg? Luger and Bagwell did not beat the Sarge for Goldberg’s career? Goldberg took the fall? I am in total shock, I cannot believe that. This whole angle is so absurd, the fan turns heel where is the possible payoff in that? This might be one of the worst shows I have ever seen, there is no big going away angle for Goldberg? I am looking at Schiavone and Hudson, no fanfare and no goodbye for Goldberg? This looks awful, Hudson and Schiavone are trying so hard to make it serious but the camera work and the crowd are not helping. Those mothefuckers cut away before Goldberg can even say goodbye? DUD!

Winners: Totally Buffed over Goldberg & Sarge via Super Blockbuster!

(WCW World Heavyweight Championship Match) Scott Steiner © W/ Midajah vs Mystery Man vs Sid Vicious vs Jeff Jarrett

Steiner was the man, Steiner was walking tall and kicking ass. Steiner had beaten Sid in a terrible match at Starrcade, had problems with  his supposed one friend Jarrett and wanted to destroy everyone in his path including Ric Flair and this mystery man. Flair comes out and says there is no mystery man just yet, Jarrett is talking to Steiner. Steiner and Jarrett are having words, the two are battling Sid. Sid is kicking all sorts of ass, sidewalk slam for Jarrett. Clotheslines for both Steiner and Jarrett, Sid pummels Jarrett.

Steiner belly to belly suplexes Sid, Steiner chokes Sid. Clothesline and elbow by Steiner for two, Sid is thrown to the floor. Sid is smashed into the guard rail, Steiner whacks Sid with the championship. Sid shakes off Steiner, right hands for Jarrett and Steiner, Steiner saves Jarrett from a powerbomb. Sid double suplexes Jarrett and Steiner, Sid clotheslines both. Big boots to both, Jarrett eats a Chokeslam but Steiner saves the match. Sid nails a cobra clutch slam on Steiner, Jarrett is clotheslined to the floor. Jarrett is whipped into the crowd, Flair unveils that the mystery man has arrived.

Oh, it cuts away as Sid dives off the top rope for a kick to Steiner, Sid’s leg has been twisted and broken as Sid’s leg has collapsed under his weight. Sid lays in a heap, Steiner stalls for time and Jarrett is on his feet. Here comes Flair with the mystery man who is revealed to be none other than Animal. Steiner pins Sid instantly in the most disappointing finish in the history of wrestling.

Well, it was certainly not a great match before the injury but it went to motherfucking hell when Sid broke his leg. Steiner and Sid was not lighting the world on fire, the work was sloppy, the match was sloppy, you just did not need these kind of matches at this time when the WWF was putting on The Rock vs Kurt Angle or Triple H vs Stone Cold in the main event, there is no question who the fans would rather watch. As for the ending, more swerves what is new? Animal attacked Steiner, now they are best friends. Great wonderful I am blessed with this for the millionth time. DUD!

That was WCW’s Sin of 2001, one of the very worst shows that I have seen from WCW. By all means, the product has been terrible for well over two years by this point but I think I reached my breaking point following all these rematches and pointless match finishes. The mid-card, the tag division, the cruiserweight division are all beyond stale. These returning faces like Animal, Sid, Luger is doing nothing for business, they are not moving the numbers. It was so in the toilet, WCW needed to die and luckily for me, there are only two more pay per views left to watch. Thanks for reading and remember: There’s always another night!