Welcome to the FINAL look at the WCW/NWA version of WARGAMES here on UnWrest Focus. There will only be one more post after this, and it will be the WarGames from last year's NXT TakeOver WarGames. But before we get to that bit of awesomeness, we have to suffer through another change in WarGames. This time, WarGames will be in one ring, three cages stacked in a pyramid shape. The goal is to grab the championship from the top level and walk through the door at the bottom level to become the recognized WCW Champion. Got that? This isn't really WarGames, but they called it WarGames. So I'm reviewing it.
Let's just finish this.
WCW Monday Nitro
September 4, 2000
WarGames 2000- WCW World Heavyweight Championship
Team Russo (Kevin Nash, Jeff Jarrett, Scott Steiner, Vince Russo) vs. Sting, Goldberg, Booker T, and KroniK
Sting and Jeff Jarrett start us off here inside the Triple Cage. Sting and Jarrett go at it. Dropkick to Jarrett. Jarrett sent outside. Sting throws him into the big steel walls around ringside. Head against the steel steps now. Jeff is rolled inside. Sting gets a ladder. Sting sets it up in the corner. Jarrett gets the advantage, but Sting sends Jeff into the ladder set up in the corner a couple times.
HERE COMES SCOTT STEINER!!!! He nails Sting while he's trying to climb to the 2nd level. After three hits, Sting crashes onto the ropes and gets press-slammed by BIG POPPA PUMP. Steiner's wearing a nose guard for some reason. Sting gets sent into the ladder in the corner. Steiner drops an elbow on Sting. The count is on again. Sting gets sent back into the ladder again.
Here comes KroniK. Both Clark and Adams are apparently coming in at the same time. Steiner has gotten to the second level, and he's using bolt cutters to get out to the third level. But here comes KroniK. Adams gets up first and attacks Steiner. Both men are up there with Scott Steiner, and they're attacking Scott on a mesh roof of the first cage. That's not exactly great working conditions.
Here comes Vince Russo with The Harris Brothers. He's wearing a New Jersey Devils hockey outfit complete with a hockey stick and helmet on for God's sakes. Russo, the head of WCW at the time who basically turned WCW into a freak show in 2000, is now "wrestling" in WarGames. The Harris Brothers are climbing on the outside of the cage and get into the second level. KroniK and The Harris Brothers are going at it with weapons on the second level. Meanwhile Sting Stinger Splashes Russo in the corner. Mark Madden (on commentary): "That's a penalty. That's a penalty." Scorpion Deathlock on Russo by Sting. The tag teams continue to fight in the second cage. The Harris Brothers are NOT officially in this match. Therefore, they are basically just fighting off KroniK to be fighting off KroniK.
Here comes WCW World Champion Kevin Nash. Nash gets in the ring. He gets Stinger Splashed once by Sting into Steiner. But Steiner and Nash move out of the ring of the 2nd one, and Nash hits a big chokeslam on Sting. The Harris Brothers and Kronik have gotten off the cage and are fighting into the crowd. Nash is choking all of his partners in anger with each of the others trying to play peacemakers.
Here comes Booker T. Ax Kick to Jarrett. Another one for Scott Steiner. Russo attacks Booker. Booker gets one on him, and we get a SPINAROONI INTO A BIG BOOT BY KEVIN NASH! Jarrett gets a ladder set up in the ring to start climbing up the structure. However, he joins the others to attack Sting.
HERE COMES GOLDBERG! He nails everyone in sight except Russo who gets saved. DOUBLE CLOTHESLINE SPOT! But Russo nails Goldberg with a baseball bat. Booker T has climbed into the second cage. Nash stands by the door on the lower structure. To win the match, the man has to go through him. Booker goes to the outside of the second structure. Steiner stops him on the second level. Goldberg is tied up with handcuffs. Sting, Jarrett, Steiner, and Booker T are on the upper levels. Booker climbs the third level and grabs the title belt. Booker dropped the belt fighting off Jarrett who comes after him. Booker nails him with the belt. Steiner gets nailed with the belt too. Sting is handcuffed to the cage. Jarrett and Steiner double team on Booker on the second level inside the second cage. Guitar to the head of Booker T. Jarrett gets the title belt. Steiner drops the belt to the first level. Russo has the belt. Here comes The Cat and kicks the head off of Russo. Nash comes in, knees The Cat, and hits the Jackknife. Nash has the belt. Goldberg breaks the handcuffs and goes nuts on all the heels in the ring. He's got the belt now, and he drops it too. He starts going for the door. BUT Bret Hart slams the door in Goldberg's face. Steiner does something to knock out Goldberg. The belt is in Russo's hands. He gives it to Nash. They hug. Nash and the other heels walk out with smiles on their face.
Winner: Team Russo (Kevin Nash still WCW World Champion)
Match Grade: F--. And folks, we have a tie. This was not WarGames. This felt like an episode of American Gladiators or Nickelodeon's GUTS. There was no heat to this match. And again, Nash is involved in another screwy finish in a WarGames. On top of that, this was everything wrong with WCW in 2000: lackluster storylines, Russo's ego being stroked, and little regard for actual compelling storytelling.
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WarGames Ranked (Thus Far)
1. WarGames (1992)- The Dangerous Alliance vs. Sting's Squadron
2. WarGames (1988)- Horsemen vs. Dusty's Team
3. WarGames (1991)- The Horsemen/Zbyzsko vs. Sting, The Steiners, and Pillman
4. WarGames I (1987)- The Four Horsemen vs. The Dream Team
5. WarGames (1994)- The Rhodes and The Nastys vs. The Stud Stable
6. WarGames (1989) - Road Warriors/ Midnight Express/Dr. Death vs. Freebirds/Samoans
7. WarGames (1996)- Team nWo vs. Team WCW
8. WarGames II (1987)- The Four Horsemen vs. The Superpowers
9. WarGames (1997)- Team WCW/Horsemen vs. Team nWo
10. WarGames (1993)- Sid, Vader, Harlem Heat vs. Sting, Bulldog, Dustin Rhodes, and Shockmaster
11. WarGames (1995)- Hulkamaniacs vs. The Dungeon of Doom
(Tie)12. WarGames (1998)- Garbage
(Tie)12. WarGames (2000)- WarGames 2000
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Now, the WCW era of WarGames has ended. TNA would go on to do their own version of WarGames with varying degrees of success. But in 2017, the unthinkable happened. WWE brought back WarGames for its NXT brand. The result was actually really good. And on the final edition of UnWrest Focus WarGames (for now anyways), I will be reviewing NXT's WarGames match.
Until then, take care of yourselves. Spread some awesomeness.
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