Orndorff injured at Brawl
By JOHN POWELL -- SLAM!
Wrestling
Medical personal attend to Paul "Mr. Wonderful" Orndorff as he lays hurt in the ring.
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Fall Brawl was a big surprise for WCW. Looking at the card beforehand
nobody would have ever thought the annual pay-per-view would be as good as
it was. World Championship Wrestling still has some kinks to work out --
like maintaining uniform angles and breaking out of the
put-everyone-in-a-gang mentality that led to the WWF's downfall in the
nineties (Anyone remember The Nation, D.O.A. and Los Boricuas?) -- but if
they repeat the approach they had last night across the board, the future
of WCW could be very promising.
The depth of dedication from the bookers to the wrestlers was encouraging.
Even Kevin Nash, not known for having the best work rate in the business,
bladed in his WCW World Heavyweight Title cage match against challenger
Booker T. Will wonders never cease?
Casting a shadow over WCW's accomplishment was an injury sustained by
wrestling legend and World Championship Wrestling employee, Paul "Mr.
Wonderful" Orndorff. Orndorff was the surprise tag team partner of The
Filthy Animals in their elimination match against The Natural Born Killers.
Ushered in with a towel over his head to conceal his identity, Orndorff was
the perfect choice based on the beat-down the Killers gave him in the Power
Plant on WCW television. For the majority of the match, Orndorff stayed on
the outside. Once the Filthy Animals were behind in numbers, a fired-up
Orndorff tagged in.
It seemed as if the bout's angle was shaping up to be that the "old-timer"
would led the way to victory against what appeared to be insurmountable
odds. Mr. Wonderful used his skills as a veteran to foul up the Killers'
planned moves and put away Johnny The Bull with his trademark Piledriver
maneuver. Orndorff was about to do the same to the 6'6" Mark Jindrak.
Orndorff couldn't get Jindrak up on the first attempt. On the second he did
but either his back gave out or Jindrak's weight was more than he could
handle as Orndorff dropped to the mat hard finishing the move. He didn't
get back up laying motionless.
The match went on with the wrestlers side-stepping Orndorff not realizing
he was legitimately hurt. Eventually, a trainer and EMTs were called to the
ring and the match was declared a No Contest. The pay-per-view came to a
halt as they assessed Orndorff's condition. Rey Mysterio Jr. assisted the
EMTs and kissed the cross hanging around his neck. Orndorff was stretchered
out of the ring to the back and appeared to be in great pain. The
respectful crowd in Buffalo, New York, gave Orndorff a standing ovation and
cheered his name to show their concern and support. In his promo with
Madusa, Kidman sent out his best wishes to Orndorff for a speedy
recovery.
Duggan is a real Canadian, tough guy.
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Later on in the broadcast, the announce team imparted the news that
Orndorff has suffered a "stinger", a sharp blow to the back or neck which
can cause temporary of permanent paralysis to the body. It was reported
that Orndorff was talking to medical personel and that he was able to move
his legs which is always a good sign that the paralysis could be a
transient state. WCW promised to provide a full update on Orndorff's
condition on tonight's edition of Nitro from Kitchener, Ontario.
In the Fall Brawl main event, Booker T. defeated Kevin Nash in a passable
cage match by reversing Nash's Jack Knife Powerbomb into his Bookend finisher.
The next WCW pay-per-view is Halloween Havoc on October 29th.
The ads for the show hype a new Sting will be unveiled at the pay-per-view.
We hear it is a return to the eighties look Sting had. For the Halloween Havoc promo, click here. (Quick Time Movie - 1.3 MB).
Fall Brawl 2000 Results
Kwee-wee (challenger) Vs Elix Skipper (champion) (WCW Cruiserweight
Title Match)
For some reason the Natural Born Killers are watching this match from
the entrance way. While the ref is distracted, Mike Sanders punks Kwee-wee
with a stick to the knee. Elix's Overdrive demolishes Kwee-wee.
Winner: ...and still WCW Cruiserweight Champion, Elix Skipper at 15
minutes and 3 seconds.
Match Rating: 6 / 10.
Three Count Vs M.I.A.
Great tag team action as the underrated Three Count (WCW's answer to
the Hardy Boyz) showcase some really innovative moves. After being put
through a table, A-Wall rules the roost. Corporal Cajun hits the Whiplash
in the confusion.
Winners: M.I.A. at 10 minutes and 22 seconds.
Match Rating: 7.5 / 10.
Kronik Vs The Harris Brothers (chain match)
Brian Adams dares the twins to make the match a First Blood contest.
They agree.
Standard, uneventful brawling until Ron Harris pulls out a baseball
bat with a steel chain wrapped around it. Ron (who is already busted open
but the official is knocked out and can't call it) hits a double braining
both Adams and Clark. Ron hides the bat under the ring. Billy Silverman
wakes up just in time to see Adams bleeding and awards the match to The
Harris Brothers. Kronik level Silverman with High Time.
Winners: The Harris Brothers at 6 minutes and 28 seconds.
Match Rating: 3 / 10.
Lance Storm (champion) Vs General Rection (challenger) (WCW U.S. -
Canadian Heavyweight Title Match)
Lance Storm invites the Americans in the crowd to drive to Kitchener
with him so they can experience Canada. Storm bets none of them would want
to return to the U.S. after that.
Scott Hudson says...I thought the Canadian national anthem was
Freewill by Rush. Rock on, Scott! The man has exceptional musical
taste.
Hacksaw Jim Duggan is the special ringside enforcer. As Rection goes
up for his No Laughing Matter finishing move, Duggan whacks him over the
back with his 2/4! Storm makes Rection submit to the Maple Leaf.
Hacksaw rips off his referee shirt revealing a T-shirt underneath with
a red Canadian maple leaf on it. Wicked! Could Hacksaw really be a spy
infiltrating Storm's Canadian Alliance? We'll soon see.
Winner: ...and still WCW U.S. - Canadian Heavyweight
Champion...Lance Storm at 6 minutes and 45 seconds.
Match Rating: 7 / 10.
Mean Gene is getting feisty as he interviews The Natural Born Killers.
He calls one of them a "prick" and tells another to "blow it out his ass".
Wow! Gene continues to spew forth rude comments in his subsequent Fall
Brawl interviews. He's finally living up to his nickname. A very hilarious
and imaginative turn of events.
The Natural Born Killers Vs The Filthy Animals (Tag Team Elimination
Match)
Well booked non-stop action. Disqo is dazed and accidentally hits the
Last Dance on Konnan booting him at 5:23. Reno Snake Eyes Disqo at 6:15.
Reno does the same to Vito at 8:04. Rey Mysterio leg drop-to-the-crotches
Reno at 10:08 and the pony-tailed one is gone. Juvie is given the heave-ho
by O'Haire at 11:31. Orndorff shows Johnny The Bull to the showers at
12:52. Orndorff is injured and the match is called a No Contest at 16:00.
Winners: None. Declared a No Contest.
Match Rating: Unrateable.
Billy Kidman, Madusa Vs Shane Douglas, Torrie (Scaffold Match)
Douglas, Kidman, Torrie and Madusa fight atop the scaffold.
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Slow, boring and a waste of time. Still, it's kept short. Everyone is
grounded and guarded by the gimmick match. The scaffold is actually a part
of the metal rigging on hydraulics. It is stationed in front of the Nitro
Tron, twenty or so feet in the air. Unlike other scaffold matches where you
must throw your opponent off to win, all someone has to do in this one is
climb down a ladder to the floor. Douglas kicks Madusa off the ladder. She
falls on the stage (air bag) below. Strangely enough, Kidman and Madusa
don't win. Douglas hurls Kidman off the scaffold. He lands like Madusa did.
Douglas allows a visibly nervous Torrie to climb down the ladder and ensure
victory.
Winners: Torrie and Shane Douglas at 6 minutes and 17 seconds.
Match Rating: 1 / 10.
Sting cuts a promo saying he has a world title match against either
Booker T or Nash on Nitro tonight. Jeff Jarrett attacks Sting disputing
his claim. Mean Gene calls Jarrett a "crazy bastard". Bah. Ha. Ha.
Mike Tenay interviews David Flair in his home about who might be the
father of Ms. Hancock's baby. David's place is a mess. He is paranoid and
delusional. David claims to see the father walking up his front lawn. A
mailman happily greets David. David clotheslines him and slaps on the
Figure Four before Tenay can calm him down. An amusing, absurd skit. (For the video clip, click here. Quick Time Movie - 994 K.)
Sting Vs The Great Muta Vs Vampiro
Muta attempts a cover. Vampiro pulls him off. ICP and Vampiro take it
to Muta. Sting retrieves his baseball bat and clobbers them. A Scorpion
Death Drop on Muta ends the match. ICP and Vampiro once again attack Muta.
Sting pulls his nemesis out of the ring and saves his hide.
Winner: Sting at 5 minutes and 7 seconds.
Match Rating: 7 / 10.
Mike Awesome arrives with Gary Coleman from Different Strokes fame.
Jeff Jarrett Vs Mike Awesome (Bunkhouse Brawl Match)
Jarrett (wearing a Tennessee Titans jersey) harasses the Buffalo Bills players at ringside [what, it wasn't enough that the Bills lost to the Jets Sunday?]. A table with barbed wire wrapped around it, chairs,
tables, broom sticks and a strap are worked into the match. Fed up with
Jarrett's taunts, the Bills climb up on the apron surrounding it all on
sides. Coleman does a run-in low-blowing Jarrett. In a moment that matches
up with Bundy splashing Little Beaver at WrestleMania 3, Jarrett breaks a
guitar over Coleman's head. Bah. Ha. Ha. (For the video clip, click here. Quick Time Movie - 771 K.) From out of nowhere, Sting
Scorpion Death Drops Jarrett so Awesome can get the easy cover.
Winner: Mike Awesome at 9 minutes and 3 seconds.
Match Rating: 7 / 10.
Scott Steiner Vs Bill Goldberg
Goldberg's best match ever. It is a hard-hitting, stiff contest as
most would have thought. Goldberg breaks The Steiner Recliner twice. Vince
Russo and Midajah hit Goldberg with a bat and a steel pipe. Goldberg
bleeds. Steiner clocks Goldberg with a steel pipe to the head and slaps on
the Recliner. Since Goldberg is out, the ref drops his hand three times and
Goldberg doesn't answer the count. Russo rips off his shirt and stands
triumphant on Goldberg's chest.
Winner: Scott Steiner at 13 minutes and 52 seconds.
Match Rating: 8 / 10.
Booker T. (challenger) Vs Kevin Nash (champion) (WCW World
Heavyweight Title - Steel Cage Match)
Winner: ...and new WCW World Heavyweight Champion...Booker T. at 9
minutes and 3 seconds.
Match Rating: 6 / 10.
Poll Results: We asked, 'Who'll be World champ after WCW Fall Brawl?' Results: BookerT 36%; Kevin Nash 21%; and Someone unexpected 43%.
Total Event Time: 2 hours and 45 minutes
Overall Event Rating: 8 / 10.
