WCW Spring Stampede '98

Hosted by Tony Schiavone, Bobby “The Brain” Heenan, and the “Iron” Mike Tenay

Will Sting retain the World title? Can DDP do the same? Who will win the bat match? How will Booker T fare against Benoit with no time limit? What else could happen? Let’s crack the code and see what’s inside!

BREAKING NEWS: According to Tenay, Savage’s CAST is OFF, and the World title match will be no-DQ.

Tenay mentioned that Goldberg was 73-0.
When Saturn attempted an abdominal stretch, Goldberg suplexed his way out of it.
He fed Saturn a belly-to-belly suplex and applied an ankle lock.
Since Saturn couldn’t reach the ropes, Kidman assisted him.
Goldberg grabbed Kidman and tossed him atop Saturn on the floor.
As Saturn re-entered the ring, he scored with a thrust kick.
He dealt Goldberg a springboard leg drop, mounted the second turnbuckle, and delivered a big elbow for 1.
After Saturn gave Goldberg a cross corner whip, he followed with a back elbow.
Saturn attempted a vertical suplex, but Goldberg countered with a swinging neckbreaker.
While Goldberg gorilla-pressed him, he powerslammed Saturn.
Saturn guillotined Goldberg with the top rope, tripped him, and hit a springboard splash.
When he delivered a T-bone suplex, Saturn landed a superkick.
He sent Goldberg down to the floor and subsequently into the steps.
From the apron, he hooked a huracanrana to Goldberg on the floor. Nifty!
He made Goldberg HIT THE POLE but botched an Asai moonsault. Yikes!
Back in the ring, Saturn mounted the top turnbuckle and launched a spinning heel kick for 1.
Saturn applied a cross arm breaker, but Goldberg escaped.
As Goldberg sandwiched him in the corner, he gave Saturn a cross corner whip but ate boot on his follow-through.
Goldberg rebounded with a sidewalk slam, but Saturn dropkicked him.
After Goldberg reversed an Irish whip, he unleashed a thrust kick.
He clotheslined Saturn and followed with a spear.
While Kidman distracted referee Nick Patrick, Saturn blocked a Jackhammer with a shot down I-25 SOUTH.
Saturn hoisted Goldberg atop the top turnbuckle and joined him.
When Goldberg slammed Saturn down to the mat, members of the Flock tried to interfere but got rebuffed.
Kidman entered the ring to save Saturn but ate a spear.
As Saturn secured a Rings of Saturn, Goldberg stood up to break it.
From a fireman’s carry, Goldberg shifted and drove Saturn down with a Jackhammer.
1-2-3.
Goldberg won at 8:10.

Summary: Although Saturn carried him, Goldberg looked sharp and clever for the most part. Goldberg is 74-0.

Should Chavo win, he’ll be free of Eddie; however, if he loses, he’ll be worked “twice as hard” by Eddie. Somewhere Chris Robinson was smiling.
As the Denver faithful informed Eddie that he, indeed, “sucks,” Dragon gave Chavo a cross corner whip.
Dragon charged, but Chavo vaulted him into a headstand on the top turnbuckle.
When Dragon mule-kicked him, he followed with a series of kicks.
Dragon applied a Stump puller, but Chavo wouldn’t submit.
After Chavo hooked a Muta lock, Dragon made the ropes to escape.
Chavo reversed an Irish whip, leapfrogged him, and took Dragon down twice with a pair of flying headscissors.
While he dropkicked Dragon, Chavo slammed him.
He dealt Dragon an elbow drop for 1.
As Dragon secured a surfboard, Chavo escaped.
Dragon attempted a handspring, but Chavo caught him.
When Dragon trapped him in la magistral cradle, Chavo escaped again and clotheslined him for 2.
Chavo backdropped him, but Dragon landed on his feet and scored with a huracanrana for 2.
After Chavo countered with a sunset flip, he got 2.
Dragon gave Chavo a cross corner whip but ate a back elbow on his follow-through.
While Chavo mounted the second turnbuckle, Dragon joined him.
Chavo returned him to the mat and mounted the top turnbuckle.
Unfortunately for Chavo, Dragon crotched him on the top rope.
Dragon joined him again, but Chavo knocked him down to the apron.
As Chavo tried to suplex him into the ring, Dragon blocked it and suplexed Chavo down to the floor.
Dragon unleashed an Asai moonsault, and Eddie lambasted his nephew.
When Chavo rammed him face-first into the apron, he delivered a corkscrew tope. Wow!
Back in the ring, a double clothesline put both wrestlers down on the mat.
Dragon uncorked an enziguri, mounted the top turnbuckle, and leaped.
After Chavo dropkicked him in mid-air, referee Charles Robinson prevented Chavo from following up due to the inadvertent shot to the mini-Dragon. Eddie was PISSED.

So pissed that Eddie slapped Chavo twice.
While Chavo dropkicked him, he attempted a vertical suplex.
Dragon countered with an inside cradle for 2.
As Eddie sulked with a towel over his head, Chavo unfurled a brainbuster in his honor.
Chavo attempted a tornado DDT, but Dragon countered with a Dragon sleeper.
When Chavo submitted, Dragon won at 11:50.

Summary: This could have been rated higher, but the Denver faithful only cared about Eddie.

At the wcwwrestling.com table, “Stagger” Lee Marshall interviews DDP. This would not be the last we see of Lee.

Match 3 for the World TV title (no time limit): Booker T (champion) versus the “Crippler” Chris Benoit

Each wrestler attempted a hip toss, but Booker T clotheslined Benoit for 2.
When Booker T landed a leg lariat, he got another 2.
Booker T reversed a cross corner whip but ate boot on his follow-through.
As Booker T fed Benoit a backbreaker, he got 2.
Benoit hung him out to dry on the top rope and nailed Booker T causing him to taste the steel railing. It must have tasted like the 303 Green Chile Relleno Burger at the Cherry Cricket.
After Booker T returned to the ring, Benoit snap-suplexed him for 2.
Benoit missed a dropkick but rebounded with a belly-to-back suplex.
While he mounted the top turnbuckle, Benoit dealt Booker T a diving head butt for 2.
He attempted another snap suplex, but Booker T blocked it and suplexed Benoit.
When Benoit connected with a back elbow, he got 2.
He suplexed Booker T for another 2.
As he delivered a backbreaker, Benoit couldn’t get 3.
Since they’ve passed ten minutes, Schiavone declared OVERTIME.

Booker T missed a clothesline, so Benoit snapped off a series of German suplexes.
After he hoisted Booker T atop the top turnbuckle, Benoit hit a top rope belly-to-back superplex. Amazing!
Referee Mickey Jay reached eight before Benoit made the cover for 2.
While Booker T reversed an Irish whip, he destroyed Benoit with a spinebuster.
Booker T scored with a flying forearm and followed with a flapjack.
When he celebrated with a spinaroonie, Booker T attempted an Axe kick.
Benoit pulled Jay in front of him knocking him OUT COLD.
As Benoit applied a Crippler Crossface, Jay couldn’t recognize the submission.
Benoit resuscitated Jay, but Booker T demolished Benoit with a Harlem side kick.
1-2-3.
Booker T retained at 14:12.

Summary: A title change! My kingdom for a title change! I understand the lack thereof makes Booker T stronger, but with a PPV, a sudden title change could tell a different story.

Match 4: Curt Hennig (w/ “Ravishing” Rick Rude) versus the “British Bulldog” Davey Boy Smith (w/ Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart)

Stipulations stated that Rude and Neidhart would be handcuffed together.
As Smith attacked Hennig’s knee, a head butt got him a 2-count.
Rude tried to intervene, but Neidhart pulled him back. HA!
When Smith dealt Hennig a ten-punch count-along, he attempted a Sharpshooter.
A member of Denver’s finest confronted Neidhart but to no avail.
After Rude removed his handcuff and locked it to the turnbuckle, Hennig made Smith HIT THE POLE.
1-2-3.
Hennig won at 4:49.

Summary: What in the blue hell was THAT? This could have been eons better than it could have been.

After the match, the officer was identified as Vincent, so the fix was on from the beginning. Rude and Hennig double-team Smith, and Rude chokes Smith and Neidhart with a nightstick to a chorus of boos.

Match 5 for the WCW Cruiserweight title: “Lionheart” Chris Jericho (champion) versus Prince Iaukea

When the Denver faithful advised Jericho that he “sucks,” their nemesis ate a clothesline.
He attempted a belly-to-back suplex, but Iaukea landed on his feet and clotheslined him again.
As Iaukea leapfrogged Jericho, he followed with a dropkick.
Iaukea sent Jericho over the top rope, but Jericho tried to skin the cat.
After Iaukea dropkicked him to the floor, he dealt Jericho a somersault plancha from the apron.
Iaukea reversed an Irish whip, leapfrogged Jericho, but got guillotined on the second rope.
While Jericho delivered a vertical suplex, he displayed an arrogant cover for 2.
Jericho slammed him, mounted the top turnbuckle, leaped, but ate toe jam.

When Iaukea fireman-carry-slammed him, he hit a springboard somersault senton for 2.
Iaukea attempted a victory roll, but Jericho countered with a LionTamer.
As Iaukea grabbed the bottom rope, Jericho argued with referee Billy Silverman over his purported victory.
Iaukea reversed a cross corner whip but ate boot on his follow-through.
Meanwhile, the Denver faithful couldn’t care less.

Jericho mounted the second turnbuckle and attempted a sunset flip.
After Iaukea knelt to block, he got 2.
Iaukea smacked him with a back elbow, mounted the top turnbuckle, but Jericho caught him.
While Jericho joined him, both wrestlers lost their balance and crashed to the floor.
CALL AN AMBULANCE!
Back in the ring, Jericho blocked a second victory roll and attempted another LionTamer.
Iaukea countered and rolled up Jericho.
Do we have a new champion?
1-2-NO!
When Iaukea secured a Northern Lights suplex, Jericho grabbed the bottom rope to save his title.
Jericho hoisted Iaukea atop the top turnbuckle, joined, but got elbowed down to the mat.
As Iaukea leaped from the top turnbuckle with a sunset flip, Jericho escaped and trapped him in a LionTamer.
Jericho retained at 9:56.

Summary: No one west of the Mississippi and south of the Canadian border was awake during this match because NO ONE expected Iaukea to win. Pure bathroom break match.

Back at the wcwwrestling.com table, Raven quotes Shakespeare. Perhaps he’s a ham rather than a Hamlet.

Match 6: Big Poppa Pump & Buff Bagwell versus the “Total” Package Lex Luger & the “Dog-Faced Gremlin” Rick Steiner (w/ Ted DiBiase)

As Bagwell emerged with BPP, he wore a “cast” on his right hand.
Bagwell grabbed the microphone and requested the match be cancelled.
When “Mean” Gene Okerlund along with JJ Dillon approached the ring, he mentioned that Dr. Michael Capello from Atlanta, an orthopedic surgeon, flew in for the PPV.
Capello began to unwrap the “dressing,” but Bagwell cringed in pain before accosting Dillon.
The jig was up, so the match started.
After Rick sprinted to the ring to grab his brother, BPP hit the floor to escape.
Luger clotheslined him on the floor and rammed BPP back-first into the steel railing.
While Rick powerslammed Bagwell, he followed with a Steinerline.
BPP tagged in and fed his brother a Steinerline.
As Bagwell tagged in, he slammed Rick and got 2.
BPP tagged in, slammed Rick, and followed with an elbow drop for another 2.
When Bagwell tagged in, Rick reversed a cross corner whip.
Rick ate boot during his follow-through, so Bagwell charged but ate a back drop.
After Luger distracted referee Nick Patrick, BPP tried to prevent Rick from tagging out.
Nevertheless, Rick made the HOT TAG.
Luger cleaned house and WALLOPED Bagwell with a flying forearm.
While BPP thwarted a Torture Rack attempt, Rick OBLITERATED Bagwell.
Rick confronted BPP who hightailed it to Colorado Springs in a jiffy.
As Bagwell slammed him, he mounted the second turnbuckle.
Rick shoved Bagwell down to the mat, and Luger trapped him in a Torture Rack.
Therefore, Luger and Rick won at 5:58.

Summary: Crowd was hot for Luger, and the tag formula kept the match flow in place. Otherwise, it wasn’t worth more than a fluffernutter.

At the entrance, Okerlund shills the hotline and subtly hints that Scott Hall may be returning.

Since Schiavone promoted this match as “unadvertised,” the Denver faithful flocked to the concession stands for more Coors.

La Parka vaulted him to the apron, but Psicosis responded with a flying headscissors.
When La Parka vaulted him to the top turnbuckle, Psicosis uncorked another flying headscissors.
La Parka sought refuge outside the ring, but Psicosis launched a tope con hilo. Woohoo!
As La Parka clotheslined Psicosis, he got 2.
From the apron, La Parka used his legs and momentum to send Psicosis to the floor.
La Parka uncorked a split-legged moonsault from the apron down to Psicosis on the floor.
After La Parka suplexed him, he got 2.
He gave Psicosis a cross corner whip but ate boot on his follow-through.
While Psicosis vaulted him, La Parka landed face-first into the top turnbuckle.
He hoisted La Parka atop the top turnbuckle but got kicked down to the floor.
When Psicosis crotched him on the top rope, he joined La Parka atop the top turnbuckle and launched a super huracanrana for 2.
Psicosis dropkicked La Parka to the floor, mounted the top turnbuckle, and delivered a corkscrew moonsault. Yippee!
As he tossed La Parka back into the ring, Psicosis remounted the top turnbuckle.
Psicosis missed a flying splash, and La Parka got 2.
After he splintered Psicosis with a spinebuster, La Parka got another 2.
Each time, he pulled up Psicosis.

While La Parka attempted a powerbomb, Psicosis countered with a huracanrana for 2.
Psicosis dropkicked a showboating La Parka hooking his legs in the ropes.
When Psicosis mounted the top turnbuckle, he unleashed a guillotine leg drop.
1-2-3.
Psicosis won at 7:01.

Summary: None of the acrobatics of lucha libre could rob the Denver faithful of either their nap or their Coors. I guess this match answers why they don’t fight one another from my Thunder reflection. Perhaps they should have flip-flopped this match with Goldberg/Saturn.

Match 8 (bat on a pole): “Hollywood” Hogan & “Big Sexy” Kevin Nash versus “Rowdy” Roddy Piper & Giant

Immediately, Piper headed for the bat, but Hogan joined and made him HIT THE POLE.
He tied Piper to the Tree of Woe and tagged in Nash.
As Nash carried Piper away from the corner, Hogan tagged in.
Piper no-sold Hogan’s offense and rang his bell.
When he headbutted Hogan, both wrestlers hit the deck.

Hogan removed his weight belt and lashed Piper with it.
After Hogan climbed up the pole, Giant stopped him.
He spanked Hogan with the weight belt and with his massive paw. HA!
While Piper lashed Nash with the weight belt, the Denver faithful was ELECTRIC.
Piper clotheslined Hogan with the belt and got 2.
As Hogan took Piper on a trip downstairs, Nash tagged in and requested that Piper tag out.
Giant tagged in, and the battle of the giants was ON like Donkey Kong.
When he gave Nash a cross corner whip, Giant exploded with a corner clothesline.
He gave Nash another cross corner whip but ate boot on his follow-through.
After Piper distracted referee Billy Silverman, Hogan manhandled the Giant in a neutral corner. SNEAKY!
Nash clotheslined Giant, and a double boot but both giants down on the mat.
While Piper tagged in, he clotheslined Hogan.
The Denver faithful advised Hogan that he “sucks,” so Piper gave him a ten-punch count-along.
As Piper clotheslined Hogan again, Nash came in but fell victim to Piper’s trick knee.
With all four wrestlers in the ring, Giant dropkicked Nash over the top rope to the floor.

Piper applied a sleeper to Hogan who fell in his empty corner to break.
When Piper mounted the top turnbuckle, Giant assisted him in reaching the bat.
Nash yanked Giant down to the mat, and Hogan pulled Piper down while discarding the bat.
Uh, guys…
Regardless, Disciple came to ringside with a bat.

He tossed it to Hogan who CLOBBERED Giant in the back.
After Nash primed Piper for Hogan to nail him in his repaired hip, Hogan inadvertently walloped Nash.
Piper grabbed the bat and chased Hogan from the ring.
While Piper hammered Nash with the bat, Disciple jumped on the apron and tossed the other bat to Hogan.
Disciple and Piper played tug-o-war with one bat, but Hogan slugged Piper in the back with the other.
1-2-3.
Hogan and Nash won at 13:24.

Summary: No wrestling to speak of, but the Denver faithful ate up all the bat shenanigans as if they were at Coors Field.

After the match, Nash objects to Hogan’s whacking him with the bat. Hogan encourages Nash to powerbomb Giant yet BELTS him when his back is turned. Devious! Giant intimidates Hogan from the ring and breaks the bat in half over his knee. Giant assists Piper while Nash is OUT COLD.

Winner of the match will defend against Goldberg tomorrow night on Nitro.
When Sick Boy grabbed DDP from behind, Raven tried to clobber DDP.
Instead, Sick Boy got the brunt of it.
DDP gave Raven a double cross corner whip followed by a belly-to-back suplex.
As he nailed Raven with a forearm, DDP picked up the 7-10 split with a plancha onto both Raven and Sick Boy.

DDP dispatched Sick Boy into the steel railing, but Raven denied him re-entry into the ring.
After Raven dealt him a short-arm clothesline a la Jake Roberts, he attempted an Even Flow DDT.
DDP backed him into the corner to counter and fed Raven a swinging neckbreaker for 2.
While DDP tried a Diamond Cutter, Raven sought respite on the floor.
DDP joined, and both wrestlers climbed a stagecoach.
When DDP yanked Raven down, he took down referee Mark Curtis as well.
DDP climbed atop the stagecoach and CREAMED Raven with a double axe handle.
Since falls didn’t count anywhere but the ring, DDP sent Raven reeling into the wooden railing.
He crowned Raven with a trash can lid and pounded him with a trash can.
As he launched Raven into another wooden railing, DDP suplexed Raven onto the wcwwrestling.com table. Even Lee Marshall was impressed.

Raven destroyed a plastic pan over DDP’s head and placed him atop the VIP table.
After he climbed into the first section, Raven decimated DDP’s injured ribs with a flying double axe handle.
He grabbed a bull rope and SMACKED DDP with the cowbell.
While Raven smashed a trash can on DDP’s back, he dragged DDP with the bull rope to the ring.
When Sick Boy handed him a kitchen sink, Raven pegged DDP with it for 2.
The Denver faithful chanted his name, so DDP reversed an Irish whip and fed Raven a drop toe hold into the kitchen sink.
As Kidman launched himself from the top turnbuckle, he mistakenly splashed Raven.
DDP pounded Kidman out of the ring and got 2.
After Sick Boy jumped onto the apron, he crushed DDP with a returning Lodi’s crutch.
Raven attempted a pin but only got 2.
While Raven tried a vertical suplex, DDP countered with an inside cradle for 2.
Hammer jumped on the apron, mounted the top turnbuckle, but inadvertently clotheslined Raven.
When DDP CLOCKED Hammer with the kitchen sink, he got another 2.
Raven saluted DDP from the bottom of the Jersey shore, and Reese stepped into the ring.
As Reese turned a standing choke into a slam, Raven got 2.
Lodi tossed Raven a STOP sign, but DDP made Raven taste it. Mind you, it tasted NOTHING like the steel railing.
After DDP crowned Reese with it, Hammer got demolished too.
He tossed the sign to Sick Boy on the apron and sent him flying.
While Kidman jumped on his back, DDP delivered him a Diamond Cutter.
Some ham’n’egger in a trucker hat cracked the sign over DDP’s back, and Raven followed with an Even Flow DDT upon the sink.

Do we have a new champion?
1-2-3!
WE HAVE A NEW CHAMPION!
Raven won at 11:51.

Summary: Very ECW-flavored match with tons of weaponry and interference. DDP didn’t stand a chance.

Match 10 for the WCW World title (no-DQ): Sting (champion) versus “Macho Man” Randy Savage (w/ Elizabeth)

Buffer rumbled.
As Savage ambushed him before the bell, he tossed Sting over the top rope to the floor.
Savage joined and made Sting taste the steel railing. It must have tasted like the Sam I Am at Bad Daddy’s.
When they returned to the ring, the bell rang to begin the match.
Savage nailed Sting but winced in pain due to his recently broken arm.
After Sting rebounded by sending him over the top rope to the floor, he joined and made Savage taste the steel railing. Waiter, could you give the raspy-voiced wrestler a Western Buffalo?
Sting fed Savage a second helping, so Savage sought respite in the aisle. Perhaps he wanted some of Kim’s Honey Chicken.
While Sting joined him, he rammed Savage into a wooden railing.
Sting shot Savage over the wooden railing onto a wagon wheel and into another section of wooden railing.
As Sting guillotined him with another wooden railing, he crowned Savage with a bale of hay.
He toured the ringside area with Savage in tow and dealt him a third helping of the steel railing. Housemade potato chips, anyone?
With Savage laid against the railing, Sting attempted a Stinger splash but Savage moved.
Savage made him HIT THE POLE and tossed Sting into the ring for 2.
When he clotheslined Sting, Savage got another 2.
Savage attempted a piledriver, but Sting countered with a back drop.
After Sting missed an elbow drop, he tossed Savage over the top rope again.
Sting joined and suplexed Savage on the floor.
While Elizabeth assisted Savage back into the ring, he popped Sting down by the river.
He crotched Sting on the top rope and got 2.
As he mounted the top turnbuckle, Savage leaped but ate a shot to the midsection.
Sting tried a Stinger splash, but Savage placed referee Charles Robinson in his path.
When Sting avoided turning Robinson into a minced meat sandwich, Savage clotheslined him knocking down Robinson anyway.

Savage piledrove Sting and mounted the top turnbuckle.
After Sting rose to his feet, Elizabeth jumped into the ring and rattled Sting in the back with a steel chair.
Sting no-sold it and tried another Stinger splash.
This time, Savage pulled Elizabeth into the line of fire, and she got BURNT.

Nonetheless, Savage tattooed him in the back with the chair and mounted the top turnbuckle.
Hogan approached ringside and shoved Savage down to the mat.
While Elizabeth got carried out, Savage attempted to suplex Sting.
Sting countered with a Scorpion death drop, yet Robinson remained OUT COLD. Gee, if someone needed medical attention, it’d be him more than Elizabeth. Sorry, female RSG-ites, it’s not misogyny. It’s common sense.
As Nash entered the ring, Sting earned a false count.
Nash hammered him, he followed with a jackknife powerbomb to Sting.
When he placed Savage atop Sting, he also plopped Robinson back into position.
1-2-3.
WE HAVE A NEW CHAMPION!
Savage won at 10:10.

After the match, Savage holds his right knee in severe pain, and Nash pulls Robinson to his feet. Groggy, Robinson awards Savage the belt. While Nash assists Savage to his feet, Hogan and Disciple emerge through the entrance. Hogan protests with “That’s my belt. Nash can’t do that!”

Conclusion: Like a whimper, Sting’s title reign has ended. WCW did a piss-poor job of placing him on a pedestal during his reign and concentrated on Hogan versus Savage or Hogan versus Nash. With Savage being so injured, how long could he remain champion?

As for the rest of the show, the bat match was better than I expected. Raven attained the US title belt for real, but for how long? Booker T bested Benoit in a great match, Dragon-Chavo was damn good, and Saturn made Goldberg look like a million bucks.

Since Sting is still wrestling occasionally here in 2021, don’t feel too bad for him. His days aren’t numbered. WCW needs a strong program on top throughout 1998 to make sure theirs aren’t either.