WCW Nitro (Week 3, August 2001)
It's the "go home" show to 15th annual Great American Bash. Jeff Jarrett is already in the ring as the show starts.
Jarrett calls out Eric Bischoff who makes his way out. He tells Bischoff what Rhodes did at the end of Nitro last week was attempted murder and he wants him banned from this company for life. Bischoff breaks into laughter as he responds. "What I saw was you having plenty of time to get away. I think whoever was behind that wanted to strike fear into you. And that's exactly what they did. Couldn't happen to a nicer guy." With that, Shane Douglas come out and repeats Jarrett's demands, wanting Dustin out of the company and the US Title match for the Bash cancelled. Bischoff says the first thing he needs to do is prove it was Dustin.
Dustin Rhodes comes out, standing down the aisle and denies being behind the wheel. He tells Jarrett "My dad made a lot of friends in the business. And you've made a lot of enemies. Now, I'm smart enough to get my revenge in the ring and not put my career in jeopardy. But it sounds to me like there's someone else who doesn't have as much to lose. I'll see you on Sunday, Shane Douglas. And I'll see you tonight, Jeff Jarrett. And until then... you just worry about who's lurking around every corner you walk by."
When we return from break, we see Kanyon's mom sitting in the front row as Mike Sanders is introduced for his match. He gives her a kiss before getting in the ring.
Mike Sanders vs Johnny The Bull
In his first match since returning from injury Mike Sanders defeated Johnny the Bull by pinfall with a 3.0.
Winner: Mike Sanders in 6:24
After the match, Sanders goes out to kiss Kanyon's mom again as she raises his hand. A younger kid in a hood next to her suddenly stand up and throws powder in Sanders' face! He takes the hood of. It's Kanyon. As his mom yells at him, he jumps the barricade and attacks Sanders before throwing him in the ring and grabbing a chair while yelling "I told you I'd finish you off for good!" He puts the chair around a blinded Sanders' ankle and steps out to climb the turnbuckle. His mom climbs in the ring and tries to take the chair off before just laying over Sanders' leg, protecting it. After Kanyon yells at her to move for a bit, he starts to climb the turnbuckle anyway just as referees and road agents come out to stop him. Schiavonne and Lawler curse Kanyon, questioning whether he was just about to hit his mother.
Lex Luger (w/ Torrie Wilson) vs Disqo
Lex Luger makes somewhat short work of Disqo in his first match since being freed from Midajah with Torrie in his corner. He makes Disqo submit to the torture rack.
Winner: Lex Luger in 4:28
After the match, Luger gets on the mic and tells us how it feels so good to be a free man and to have outsmarted his ex partner and manager with the help of the beautiful Torrie Wilson. Midajah comes out pulling Bagwell behind her by his hair. She tells Luger that he didn't outsmart her. He simply outsmarted Buff by taking advantage of a... weakness he has. But she'll make sure he is prepared to make Luger pay this Sunday and show him who the real star of her clientele always was. "Tonight, Buff will show the world what he can do when he beats Fit Finlay." Buff doesn't look pleased about the match that's been set up for him.
Billy Kidman and "Sugar" Shane Helms vs The Jung Dragons
Kidman and Helms defeated Jung Dragons in a competitive match when Billy Kidman defeated Yun Yang by pinfall with a Shooting Star Press.
Winners: Kidman and Helms in 11:02
Konnan and Chavo come out post-match. Konnan tells Kidman he made the wrong move. Helms has him brainwashed into thinking he's a friend to protect that title. But not only will Konnan show Kidman some tough love and beat sense into him on Sunday... but his true family, Chavo will make Helms pay by taking the Cruiserweight Title from him.
Gene Okerlund is in the ring and introduces Diamond Dallas Page. Page talks about the triple threat this Sunday and his issues with Booker T, whom he calls out. Booker and Page exchange words over the issue of Page accusing Booker of being afraid to face Page alone last week. Page says he's thought about it and while he stands by what he said. He shows the clip of Booker kicking Page and costing them the match two weeks ago. Booker tells Page he doesn't have any doubts he can beat Page and in fact, he might just take Jarrett out of the equation so he can pin Page and prove his point. Page welcomes it and tells Booker he plans on leaving no doubt by pinning Booker for the title. The two men shake hands while staring each other down to end the segment.
The Road Warriors vs Elix Skipper and Kid Romeo
Animal and Steiner (in Road Warrior makeup and spikes under his "Road Warrior Gremlin" name) fight as The Road Warriors for the first time. In a quick match, Skipper and Romeo get disqualified after Skipper, while retreating to the outside and begging off, takes a pair of handcuffs out of his tights and suddenly cuffs Gremlin to the ring post. As Animal comes out for the save, Lance Storm and Mike Awesome attack.
Winners by DQ: The Road Warriors in 1:59
Awesome, Storm, Skipper and Romeo beat down Animal in the ring as Gremlin watches on helpless. Storm shakes Skipper and Romeo's hand, thanking them for the help. Storm goes out to get a table and sets it up in the ring as Awesome goes to the top and Storm picks up Animal to put him in position for an Awesome bomb from the top through the table. Suddenly Gremlin is able to summon the strength to snap the chain of the cuffs and break free! He gets in the ring and makes a b line for Storm and Awesome but they drop Animal and run from the ring. This leaves Skipper and Romeo to get destroyed by both Road Warriors and both men end up getting slammed through a table as Awesome and Storm look on.
The Natural Born Thrillers make their way out and to the announce table where they'll be for the following match.
KroniK, Shawn Stasiak and Mark Jindrak vs America's Most Wanted, Norman Smiley and Kwee Wee
The Thrillers discuss the rumors after last week that KroniK and Stacy's team have formed a union to take out NBT and then fight for the titles themselves. Those rumors gain more credibility after the teams work together to destroy their opponents with KroniK hitting a double chokeslam on Smiley to finish them off.
Winners: KroniK, Shawn Stasiak and Mark Jindrak in 4:03
All four men stand together and look down on the Thrillers, having sent a clear message. The Thrillers acknowledge what this means but make it clear they have every intention of overcoming the odds.
As we come back for our next match, Fit Finlay is making his entrance but is attacked from behind by Buff Bagwell. Bagwell uses the barricade as a weapon to choke Finlay, tosses him head first into the ring post and simply lays waste to him while Midajah coaches him on before Luger can run out to make the save and chase him off.
Gene Okerlund is backstage with Dustin Rhodes where he asks him about his upcoming match with Jeff Jarrett and his US Title Texas Bullrope match with Shane Douglas in 6 days. Rhodes says he's been talking to his dad every day throughout his recovery and he knows he's gonna make him proud on Sunday when he takes the US title from Shane Douglas. But tonight isn't about a title. Tonight is about revenge. He holds the blood-stained bullrope up for the camera to see and tells us his goal tonight is to have Jarrett's blood on his hands.
Jeff Jarrett vs Dustin Rhodes
Before the match starts, a car similar to the one from last week backs into the arena and stops next to the stage. After a staredown from across the ring, the ref rings the bell. Dustin runs for Jarrett and Jarrett jumps out of the ring, doing everything he can to escape the rage Dustin has had bottled up for weeks now. He tries to run down the aisle only for DDP to come out and stop him. He turns back and Dustin is there to meet him with right hands. Jarrett gets thrown back into the ring and Dustin unloads an offensive flurry as Jarrett seems content to just try to find a way to escape as opposed to fighting back. Eventually, Dustin gets the bullrope and, ignoring the referee, chokes Jarrett with it until the ref has to call for the bell.
Winner by DQ: Jeff Jarrett in 6:18
Shane Douglas makes his way out from the crowd with a steel pipe and goes to hit Dustin with it but Dustin sees him and grabs it just as he swings, pulling it away from him. Douglas looks on frozen for a second before he ducks out of the ring as the distraction allows Jarrett to stumble away as well. Both men back down the aisle, having forgotten what's waiting for them at the top of the ramp. Jarrett suddenly pushes Douglas into Page and tries to run past him only for Rhodes to catch him. Douglas escapes Page and runs through the crowd, watching the scene from afar as Jarrett tries to beg off Dustin before being thrown off the stage and through the back window of the car! The car slowly pulls forward, allowing Jarrett to slide off in a motionless heap and drives away. Rhodes looks down at the scene with a smile and then looks over to Shane Douglas, pointing to him and giving the throat slash gesture as he clutches his US Title. Jerry Lawler and Tony Schiavonne wonder out loud who car and if Jarrett will even make it to the Bash this Sunday now as the show goes off the air.
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Show Rating: 50 (Lost popularity in 10 regions. Not enough interesting storylines going on. The lack of starpower is hurting but I've got a lot of guys who have been gaining popularity steadily over the past two months so the future looks promising.)