Kevin’s Random Reviews: nWo Souled Out 1997

nWo Souled Out 1997
January 25th 1997 | Five Seasons Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa | Attendance: 5,120

With the nWo angle riding high, the WCW took a gamble on this show. It was the first PPV presented by the nWo. The group had grown to include lame people like VK Wallstreet and Big Bubba by this point, so things were already getting bloated. A show based around a heel stable with pro-nWo signs and such is an interesting idea but would be tough to pull off. Can WCW do it? It is the first Souled Out event.

The nWo arrive in the back of garbage trucks and limos. This is all shown in black and white of course. The intro video is great, with random cuts and some nWo propaganda footage and promos. The stage has a cool setup with steps and a podium for Eric Bischoff to talk. Bischoff and Ted Dibiase are on commentary.

Chris Jericho vs. Masahiro Chono
The WCW guys get no music and the nWo voiceover guy gives them nothing. Jericho’s introduced as Chris “should’ve stuck with hockey” Jericho, while Chono gets called “one of the baddest men on the planet.” Dibiase rightfully shits on WCW for claiming Jericho got the first big win over the nWo when he beat Nick Patrick. Nick is the official here. Chono and Jericho exchange heated words and Jericho’s dumped outside. Harlem Heat, the Four Horsemen, the Faces of Fear and other WCW guys arrive and take seats in the stands. Chono’s typically good, but he’s moving slowly here and not interested in giving Jericho too much. Jericho’s left knee becomes a target. The fans get bored and chant “USA”, which makes no sense since Chono is Japanese and Jericho’s Canadian. Jericho hits a German and Patrick gives the slow count. They try a weird camera angle as Chono hits a reverse DDT. Chono and Jericho make a huge mess of a top rope spot. After a table is setup outside, Jericho is shoved through it. Chono finishes with the Yakuza Kick at 11:08. Jericho tried and brought fire. Chono didn’t care though. [**]

Eric and Ted go over some of the women who wanted to be in the Miss nWo pageant. A few of the girls who made it in are interviewed but barely speak.

Mexican Death Match: Big Bubba vs. Hugh Morris w/ Jimmy Hart
With his tie-dye shirt, Morris looks like Big Dick Dudley. This match is happening because Bubba left the Dungeon of Doom for the nWo. He had some horrible TV matches with Konnan about it. Bubba hits several early low blows, which Jimmy complains about. Also, Patrick threatens to DQ Morris, which makes no sense since it’s a goddamn death match. A chain comes into play, giving Morris the advantage. They again threaten to DQ Morris for not playing by the rules. I get it’s an nWo favored show but it just makes for a strange match. They fight to the stage and Bubba tries running him over with a motorcycle. He fails at going up the ramp a bit but finally succeeds. Morris gets counted out (Patrick counted slow each time Bubba was done) and that ends it at 9:03. I mean, it was better than the Bubba/Konnan matches and had a creative finish, so points there. [¾*]

They talk to the Miss nWo hopefuls again and it’s awfully awkward. I’m just not even gonna cover these anymore.

Jeff Jarrett vs. Michael Wallstreet
I don’t remember his name being changed from VK to Michael. The cameras cut to Mongo and Debra in the crowd a bunch. These guys stall a bunch, centered around Nick Patrick’s shenanigans. Jarrett has the upper hand until taking a guardrail bump. Debra is concerned, which leads commentary to debate if Mongo should be worried. Jarrett takes another big guardrail bump, trying his hardest to make Wallstreet interesting. Since the match has to go a while and Wallstreet has nothing in his arsenal, he goes to rest holds. Jarrett comes back with the figure four but Wallstreet gets the ropes with Nick’s help. Debra hops the rail and pleads with Mongo to help Double J. They trade abdominal stretches with the ropes and Mongo cracks Wallstreet with the briefcase. Patrick doesn’t want to, but he counts the three at 9:24. Boring, plodding match. Jeff was never too interesting and Wallstreet was dire and full of boredom. [¼*]

Buff Bagwell vs. Scotty Riggs
THE AMERICAN MALES EXPLODE! I always felt like Buff and WCW believed he was a bigger star than he was capable of being. As typical with the show, the nWo guy stalls a bit. Whenever Riggs gets in trouble, the PA guy says “LOSER.” The guardrail is a popular spot tonight as Riggs is thrown into it a bunch. Bagwell being in control just does not make for an interesting match. The Riggs comeback gets almost no reaction and he eats a powerbomb anyway. Bischoff says the crowd is restless but they seem more bored as Bagwell works a camel clutch to kill time. Buff wins with the debuting Blockbuster at 13:49, which felt more like an hour. Way too long for these guys. They had no clue what to do with it and the crowd sat on their hands. [½*]

Diamond Dallas Page vs. Scott Norton
If they’re both motivated, this has potential to be the best thing on the show, though the bar is set very low. DDP takes it easy, stopping to smoke a cigar. Norton brings the power, so DDP wants to wear him down but fails. The fans come alive because STING is in the rafters. Finally, something to get them off their feet. DDP’s shoulder gets messed up and he’s sent into the steps. Inside, DDP rolls to avoid Norton attacks and it looks terrible. DDP hits a flying clothesline and a mess of a DDT. As he calls for the finish, Buff, Wallstreet and the rest of the nWo B-Team come out. They still want him to join. Why not do this BEFORE the match? DDP agrees and puts the shirt on. BUT WAIT! DDP pulls Norton into a Diamond Cutter, fights off the nWo and escapes through the crowd. He’s counted out at 9:30. The match was nothing, especially since Norton didn’t care, but the moment at the end was cool. [*¼]

WCW World Tag Team Championship: The Outsiders (c) vs. The Steiner Brothers
Finally, something involving some top stars. This starts well enough. The teams trade offense and the Outsiders look motivated. Hall catches a jumping Rick in a fall away slam for the first highlight. Scot one ups that with a belly to belly on Nash. Rick kicks Nash’s ass too and powerslams him. It’s impressive. All the fun drains out as Rick takes a heat segment. The Outsiders move at a snail’s pace. This goes on forever. Scott comes in hot and does his thing but ends up taking the Outsider’s Edge. Patrick took a bump, so there’s no one to make the cover. Rick comes off the top with a bulldog on Hall. Randy Anderson jumps the railing from his seat in the crowd and makes the cover, giving us new champions at 16:40. It started well and the pop for the title change was big. Everything else lacked. The heat segment was dull and the screwy finish wasn’t good. Bischoff would reverse the decision on Nitro. [**]

WCW United States Championship Ladder Match: Eddie Guerrero (c) vs. Syxx
Eddie’s PA announcement calls him a “Mexican jumping bean.” 1997 was a different time. Syxx has possession of Eddie’s title, leading to this match. Early on, Eddie dives onto Syxx and it looks like the kind of move that could concuss someone. I mean, Syxx had a bunch so it’s possible. They move quickly inside before another big bump where Syxx suplexes Eddie off the apron outside. The ladder comes into play and Eddie uses it as a weapon. Syxx turns things around though the ladder isn’t used for many spots. We get the biggest spot yet when Syxx does a one legged dropkick, knocking both men off top. They fight down low and up top again. Eddie hits Syxx with the title to knock him off the top. The belt falls and he retrieves it at 13:47. Not the classic I’ve heard people consider it. It’s still a good match with a few creative spots and an interesting finish. [***¼]

WCW World Heavyweight Championship: Hulk Hogan (c) w/ Dallas Cowboys and Vincent vs. The Giant
Giant won World War III while with nWo. He wanted his shot but Hogan avoided it, so Giant left the group. Giant’s wearing stupid wristbands. Hogan stalls a fair amount in between the two men trading punches. Giant’s size and power is too much for Hogan, who keeps taking breathers. Giant hits a backbreaker and climbs up top but misses the big elbow. A “Hollywood” chant breaks out before Hogan hits a horribly weak slam. The leg drop connects but Giant gets right up. Giant hits the chokeslam and Patrick only counts to two despite Hogan not kicking out. He keeps saying Hogan did, even after Giant holds the shoulders down. Patrick takes a chokeslam, as does the interfering nWo members. Bischoff brings Hogan a guitar and he uses it a ton on Giant. Hogan was Jeff Jarrett before it was cool. There’s no closing bell, so we’ll just call it 11:00. Like their Hog Wild match, this sucked. The shitty finish made this one worse. [DUD]

The crowd chants “we want Sting” and throw garbage while the nWo celebrate. They also spray paint the Giant to close the show.

2.0

The final score: review Very Bad

The 411

What a shit show. I can commend them for trying something new though. This show felt different than most others and for that, it’s worth checking out but don’t expect a lot of good. The only thing worth checking out is the ladder match, though there are plenty of better ones out there. Lots of matches with little no to heat, filled with shenanigans and bad finishes. Not a recipe for a good show.