31 Days of Vince Russo "Special Matches" in 1999/2000 WCW - #11: 1-on-12 Gauntlet Match (Kevin Nash vs. 12 members of the New Blood) on the 6-5-2000 episode of Nitro
The 11th entry of this 31-day series features Kevin Nash vs. 12 members of the New Blood in a "Prisoner of War" Table Match from the June 5th, 2000 episode of Nitro.
Here is a link to the Gauntlet Match, in poor quality. A clip of the match is also available on the WWE Network here, starting at the 1:35:49 mark.
On the June 5th, 2000 episode of WCW Monday Nitro, Kevin Nash (member of the Millionaire's Club) faces off against 12 members of the New Blood in a Gauntlet Match. The 12 members of the New Blood were Disco Inferno, Chris Candido, Johnny the Bull, Big Vito, Rey Mysterio Jr, Konnan, Juventud Guerrera, Mike Awesome, Chuck Palumbo, Shawn Stasiak, Shane Douglas, and Vampiro.
The rules for a normal gauntlet match as listed in Wikipedia are "a quick series of one-fall one-on-one matches. Two wrestlers begin the match and are replaced whenever one is eliminated (by pinfall or submission). After a predetermined number of wrestlers have competed in the match, the last person standing is named the winner." This being a Vince Russo booked show, this is not a normal Gauntlet Match of course.
In this particular Gauntlet Match, it's actually Kevin Nash vs. the members of the New Blood. If any member of the New Blood pins Kevin Nash, or if any member of the Millionaire's Club helps Kevin Nash, Kevin Nash loses the match. Nash will also lose his shot at the World Title against Jeff Jarrett at the Great American Bash PPV the following Sunday.
Before I get into the match itself, here’s some brief context:
This is part of the feud between the Millionaire's Club and the New Blood. Eric Bischoff and Vince Russo lead the New Blood, and New Blood member Jeff Jarrett is the current WCW World Champion. Kevin Nash and Hulk Hogan are the co-leaders of the Millionaire's Club. The Millionaire's Club consists of Nash, Hogan, Ric Flair, Lex Luger, Sting, DDP, and Sid Vicious...but not Bill Goldberg (remember that little nugget for later).
The New Blood are trying to take out the Millionaire's Club. This is the same feud in which Hulk Hogan "put over" Billy Kidman (don't ask). This is also the same feud where Vince Russo beats Ric Flair in a cage match in yet another way for WCW to embarrass and humiliate Ric Flair (don't ask).
Vince Russo and the newly-crowned WCW Hardcore Champion Eric Bischoff (don't ask) have stacked the odds greatly against Kevin Nash in this main event.
BTW, Russo and Bischoff also booked their New Blood member Jeff Jarrett to defend the World Title against Sting on this episode. The match segment ended with Jeff Jarrett getting in an ambulance after he lost the match and the title to Sting only to have Bischoff come out right after to say it was actually a non-title match. Way for Russo to book his current WCW Champion.
Now, onto the match itself.
The segment starts with the announcing team. There is still a speck of blood red liquid on a corner of the camera lens. Scott Hudson is trying to make sense of Vince Russo beating Ric Flair in a cage match right before this match to about to start. Tony Schiavone looks like his brain hurts. Kevin Nash's music plays and he walks down the ramp. Nash gets in the ring, as Vince Russo's music starts to play.
Russo comes out with Disco Inferno, Johnny the Bull, Chris Candido, and Big Vito with other members of the New Blood joining him at the entrance right after. Vince Russo is drenched from the blood red liquid which fell from the ceiling during his cage match with Ric Flair earlier (don't ask). Russo says if Nash gets pinned by any member of the New Blood, Kevin Nash loses his shot at the Great American Bash. If any of the Millionaires attempt to help Nash, then Kevin Nash will lose his shot at the Great American Bash.
Disco Inferno walks down to the ring. The match starts with Disco kicking Nash and riding him with a sleeper hold. Nash grabs Disco and slams him onto the mat. Kevin Nash pins Disco for a fast 1-2-3 count by the ref (I think they are having to hurry to get everything in before the show goes off the air). Disco Inferno is out of the match.
Chris Candido gets in the ring and eats the Big Boot of Doom from Kevin Nash. Nash powerbombs Candido as Johnny the Bull enters the ring. Nash goes toward Johnny the Bull as the ref sees Candido's shoulders to the mat and counts to 3 without Nash attempting to pin Candido. Yes, you read that right. Candido was pinned for the 1-2-3 without Kevin Nash even attempting to pin Candido. #LOLWCW
Nash powerbombs Johnny the Bull. Kevin Nash does not go for a pin, yet the ref sees Johnny the Bull's shoulders down on the mat and counts 1-2-3. Johnny the Bull is out of the match. Yes, you read that right again. What the actual Hell?
Big Vito enters the ring. Kevin Nash gets Big Vito down. Nash sends Big Vito to Powerbomb City. The ref sees Big Vito's shoulders on the mat and counts 1-2-3. Nash actually puts his foot on Big Vito's stomach between the 2 and the 3. Big Vito is out of the match. Tony Schiavone then says, "He doesn't have to cover him. That's it. 1. 2. 3."
Rey Mysterio, Jr. enters the ring. Rey Mysterio (a 5-time WCW Cruiserweight Champion and a former WCW Tag Team Champion) runs at Nash and eats the Big Boot of Doom. Nash doesn't even powerbomb him, but he actually pins him with a foot for the 1-2-3.
Juventud Guerrera was on the apron, but nopes the F out of this situation. The rest of the New Blood then come down to the ring. Vampiro, Stasiak, Awesome, Konnan, Palumbo, Shane Douglas, and Juventud conduct a 7-on-1 attack on Kevin Nash.
Bill Goldberg's music hits, and Goldberg lightly jogs down to the ring. Goldberg enters the ring and spears Palumbo and Stasiak (the reigning WCW World Tag Team Champions). Nash and Goldberg clean house. Goldberg lifts up Shane Douglas and throws him onto Chris Candido. Goldberg's music plays again, and Nash and Goldberg embrace in the ring. This match is thrown out or is a no contest...I guess? Goldberg helped out Kevin Nash, but since Goldberg is not in the Millionaire's Club, Kevin Nash does not lose the match.
Eric Bischoff, the man who beat Terry Funk tonight to win the WCW Hardcore Title, appears at the entrance with a microphone. Bischoff tells Goldberg he will suspend him...at Thunder on Wednesday. Goldberg tells Bischoff that if he is suspended, then Bischoff's ass is next. Fireworks then come out of three of the ring turnbuckles.
And...scene.
This might be the blatant gluttonous example of Kevin Nash being made to look strong. This was garbage. Can you guess how long this segment took from the moment Kevin Nash's music started playing before the match to the end of the segment? You're probably wrong. The entire segment lasted about 5 minutes and 20 seconds.
Previous entries:
Day 1: 11-15-1999 Nitro - House of Pain Match: Saturn/Dean Malenko vs. Eddie Guerrero/Konnan
Day 2: 11-8-1999 Nitro - Texas Tornado Ladder Match for the U.S. Title: Bret Hart vs Goldberg vs Scott Hall vs Sid Vicious
Day 3: 1-16-2000 Souled Out PPV - Catch-As-Catch-Can Match: Billy Kidman vs Dean Malenko
Day 4: 10-2-2000 Nitro - Tag Team Ladder Match for Disqo Duck: Rey Mysterio, Jr/Konnan vs Disqo/Alex Wright
Day 5: 8-16-2000 Thunder - Kamloops Street Fight: Gene Okerlund vs Mark Madden
Day 6: 7-9-2000 Bash at the Beach PPV - Graveyard Match: Vampiro vs The Demon
Day 7: 7-9-2000 Bash at the Beach PPV - Wedding Gown Match: Stacy Keibler vs. Daffney
Day 8: 8-13-2000 New Blood Rising PPV - Canadian Rules Match for the US Title: Lance Storm vs Mike Awesome
Day 9: 7-24-2000 Nitro - 4-Way Tag Team Caged Heat Match: Filthy Animals vs MIA vs Perfect Event vs JIndrak/O'Haire
Day 10: 8-28-2000 Nitro - "Prisoner of War" Table Match: Lance Storm vs General Rection
Posted Dec 11, 2018, 6:44 PM UTC · edited