NOTE: First appearance of my cat, Crush Girl, in these writings?

A brief disclaimer: company arrived during the Disco/Konnan main event, so I
didn't watch closely enough to be able to say much about the match one way or
the other.

What Worked

Kaz Hayashi brings the noise against Lash LeRoux. Some mat stuff from Lash
starts off, countered by some of Kaz's luchaesque M.Pro offense. LeRoux looked
a bit tentative on offense, but did some nice stuff (double underhook into a
side slam, e.g.,), that balanced out some dead spots. Kaz was Eddylike in
places with his tilt-a-whirl backbreaker and a lovely German suplex, among
other spots. Kaz finishes off with a phat Top Rope Senton that made Togo's look
like some Eaton thing, and I shed tears for the misused Hayashi even as I
realize that the rather emerald LeRoux needs matches like this desperately to
become a worker and a man.

So Jerry Flynn faced Prince Iaukea in the Rasmussen Classic. Stiff front kicks
in the corner by Lightning Foot countered by Prince's athletic, generic
moveset. Flynn wins out of nowhere in about 2 minutes with a cross armbar that
made me think of Craig Pittman, and I wonder if Nakkimaki got hurt or something
that mighta made them rush an ending, but I don't wonder enough to go back and
rewatch. In this column for the aforementioned Flynn flurry and the somewhat
surprising outcome.

Lizmark, Garza, and Super Calo against Juvi, La Parka, and Silver King was
predictably solid and ***1/2 with fluid work from everyone here (trios match,
but very US southern tag in the various heat building devices and the use of
Lizmark as FIP who's beaten and beaten until ... he jobs), but the obliteration
of all character development that the LWO angle established just leaves me
convinced that the luchadores will be nothing more than afterthoughts in WCW
forever and ever amen. Hudson and Tenay sell it like "everyone got what they
wanted, so it's every man for himself," but they knew what a lame bunch of crap
they were pushing. Why is Hector Garza tecnico here? Because WCW says so? Rest
assured, when Erik Watts comes in, his storylines will not fall by the wayside
as he beats Chris Benoit with an elbow smash. Oh, no. WCW takes care of the
bookers' boys, yes they do.

Vince and Damian was a squash, but an energetic one, as Vince is all jacked up
over actually getting some spotlight on Thunder last week.

What Didn't Work

Gangsta Charlie comes out to have the crowd suck his dick and to get challenged
by DI. Konnan shoots on DI, talking about Disco being the Wolfpack's gofer. I
generally like these two's mic work, but this segment seemed flat, contrived,
and obvious.

Johnny Swinger and Van Hammer was as exciting as sex with a CPR dummy. Slow,
plodding, pointless crap. Swinger kicks like my eight week old kitten. All of
Hammer's moves came out of nowhere, and I'm really getting tired of that crap.

Expecting Bull Pain and Kenny Kaos to follow the trios match is like topping a
bowl of chili with a used tampon. And so much for that Eaton/Kaos team and for
that rootin' tootin' angle with Rage. Selah.

Scott Norton tried to carry El Dandy, even almost selling a move for one
second, but Norton's only a man for God's sake. Scott Norton's so strong. He's
like a monster... a MonsterMeng!

Bobby Duncum gets some spotlight against Booker T, and the announcers compare
Junior to Stan Hansen and Dick Murdoch, but even the rubes aren't buying that.
Duncum's punches are so loose they could be considered foreplay and he sells
Booker's Axe Kick for about a second and a half before he starts whaling away
on Mr. T as if the kick had never happened. Chump.