83 Weeks - Uncensored 2000 [Show Notes] (Patreon)

Uncensored 2000

Uncensored 2000 took place on March 19th, from the American Airlines Arena, in Miami, Florida. It drew just 2,543 paid for $97,925 (which was less than the paid tickets ECW did the previous week for their ppv, Living Dangerously 2000 in Danbury, CT but for a slightly higher dollar amount)

It did a 0.13 buy rate for $605,000 

Uncensored 1999 drew 15,930. It did a 0.77 buy rate for $3.69 million 

This was the 6th and final Uncensored pay per view, it started in 1995.

We covered SuperBrawl 2000, which took place in February. Quite frankly, not too much had been going on in WCW since then, except more losses to Raw on Monday Nights and seemingly more fans tuning out of WCW programming each week.

This would be the last pay per view before you returned to WCW and started working with Vince Russo. Had you begun talking to WCW at this point?

Meltzer reported - There were rumors flying all week about potential management changes. As of press time, nothing has happened. The locker room talk was that Eric Bischoff was going to be taking over from Bill Busch. Bischoff had denied it to everyone, but the fact that meant nothing to quelling to rumors said something for Bischoff's credibility, but then again, nobody has credibility in this business. 

One thing as it regards Bischoff that nobody has figured is his potential to make the racial discrimination lawsuit disappear because of his long-time friendship with Sonny Onoo. Bill Goldberg strongly backed Busch, who according to various sources among the wrestlers had anywhere from 50% to 80% favoritism among the wrestlers as compared with Bischoff, although Vince Russo is right now seemingly the most popular among the wrestlers, with the exception of Goldberg. Of course the company is experiencing record low ratings and the last two buy rates were embarrassing beyond anyone's wildest imagination and ticket sales over the past few weeks and for upcoming shows are scary 

We also covered the March 8th Nitro a few weeks ago, so go catch that episode if you want to get caught up on what's going on, heading into this pay per view.

March 1999 vs March 2000

Estimated average attendance 3/99 7,934

Estimated average attendance 3/00 1,896* (-76.1%)

February 2000 3,567

Estimated average gate 3/99 $178,720

Estimated average gate 3/00 $46,931* (-73.7%)

February 2000 $85,372

Percentage of house shows sold out 3/99 21.1

Percentage of house shows sold out 3/00 0.0*

February 2000 0.0

Average Monday night rating 3/99 4.09

Average Monday night rating 3/00 2.59 (-36.7%)

February 2000 2.90**

Meltzer reported - Add Diamond Dallas Page and Kevin Nash to the list of wrestlers whose pay has been cut in half with the new WCW policy regarding wrestlers on the D.L. The reality of this new policy is twofold. 

First off, it does encourage wrestlers who are taking more time off than they need to economically to return to work. That's good.

The bad is that it also encourages wrestlers who are really hurt to return as quickly as possible, or not to miss any time at all while injured, which encourages injuries not healing properly and is guaranteed to make the drug situation in the company worse for that very reason

Page is expected at this point back in early April. Nash should be back imminently. Hall is on the D.L. and there is expected to be some form of punishment delivered to him once he's back on the active roster.

About a week or so before Uncensored, WCW did a UK tour and actually did pretty big numbers for the year of 2000. 

Birmingham drew 11,812 paying $383,976. London drew 10,450 paying $375,411 and Manchester drew 16,318 (which had a few thousand empty seats which were technical holds so the building itself was sold out of available seats) paying $447,436.

Bret Hart was clearly the biggest star on the tour, getting huge reactions for interviews in all three cities, with loud chants for both himself and Owen Hart. Hart received a standing ovation in London, talking about his 1992 match in Wembley Stadium with Davey Boy Smith which he said was his best match of his career, and strongly hinted on the final night that this would be his last appearance ever in the U.K. and was visibly choked up about it. 

Hart in Birmingham talked about his 1997 match in the same building against Undertaker. In Birmingham he said that he was advised not to fly, but had waited three years to come back to England and said he would wrestle if there was any way he wouldn't be putting himself at serious risk by doing so. 

He then said he didn't want to wind up like Muhammad Ali or not be able to remember all the good times he's had throughout his career. He actually brought up his memory losses from his latest concussion and how it scared him into reality and ended by saying this may be goodbye forever, getting a hue standing ovation.

Bret was a huge star internationally. In hindsight, do you think guys dropped the ball when he came in and you didn't run Canada and places like the UK and Germany more often, with him headlining? All of those would've done huge business

Knobs shaved Wall's eyebrow and some of Flair's eyebrow while both were out of it during the England tour 

Speaking of Bret, Meltzer wrote - Bret Hart taped an interview for "Off the Record" on 3/14 which will air on 4/4. Nothing major other than Hart responded to the comments made about him by Vince McMahon on McMahon's July appearance on the show. Hart made headlines in the 3/20 Calgary Sun and Calgary Herald when he said at an autograph session that he might be forced to retire, which is actually something he had hinted at for weeks including on Calgary radio interview a week earlier. 

Hart is suffering from bad headaches, slurred speech and occasional loss of memory and losing his train of thought. Hart said even if he does come back, he won't take anymore shots to the head. 

As part of the media tour for his book (which is your basic coffee table photo book, he is working on a more in-depth book as we speak), he appeared on 3/17 on the Bynon show. Hart seemed bitter on the show at Goldberg because he said Goldberg closed his eyes and never looked at his direction which is why he kicked him so hard and Hart said he would never hit someone while his eyes were closed.

In the Herald, he said he holds no bitterness at all to Goldberg saying, "The kind of accident that happened with me is somebody was just a little too real with his kicks." The Canadian Post on 3/21 reported that Hart might be considering a career in Canadian politics. From what we're told, there is zero of substance to this. The newspaper reported that few were taking him seriously, including a quote from brother Bruce, who said, "If you're having head problems, I guess politics is a good option." Bret Hart was quoted as saying, "The wrestling profession is in the toilet. 

I am looking forward to running as far away from it as fast as possible. I look forward to a day not only when I can wash my hands of it completely, but never have anything to do with any aspect of it." Bret Hart appeared with Geraldo Rivera on 3/20 on CNBC to talk about "Beyond the Mat," but admitted from the start he couldn't comment much on it because he hadn't seen the movie. Rivera was very negative about wrestling and dismissed his book saying it would make a good "door stopper" (this remark may have been off the air but Hart heard it) because it was about wrestling 

Meltzer reported - Jay Haseman, who headed the PPV division, was fired. There had been heat on him ever since he was the one who got the blame for the screw-up at Havoc in 1998 when WCW increased the show to 3:30 from the usual 2:47, and somehow most of the cable companies never got the word, leading to most of the companies cutting off the Goldberg vs. Page title match 

Meltzer reported - The tentative idea for Goldberg's in-ring return is now May. He will appear on 4/10 in Denver for the Nitro show, but it will only be for the live house since they have a decent advance and about the only market that can claim that right now, and Denver is the home city of WCW promoter Zane Bresloff. Goldberg won't be appearing on television that night. 

Alex Marvez on wrestlingobserver.com spoke to Goldberg who said he was annoyed by internet reports that he wasn't supportive of Bill Busch and the current creative team. 

He said the only reason his return is being delayed is that he dropped 27 pounds due to his injury and thinks he needs six weeks of training to get his "look " back. Goldberg will also be doing a major press tour for WCW starting 3/31 to promote "Ready to Rumble," will be on the Kids Choice Awards on Nickelodeon on 4/14 and has cover shots upcoming for both "Muscular Development" magazine (the current issue uses Torrie Wilson on the cover and there was a funny line in the story about Wilson about how WCW ratings are sure to be going up now that they signed her) and "Sports Illustrated for Kids." 

That takes us to Uncensored

The show started with some video packages.

Sting vs. Lex Luger for the last time ever

Sid vs. Jeff Jarrett for the WCW heavyweight championship

And Hulk Hogan vs. Ric Flair in the yapapi strap match

From there, we cut backstage where 'Team Package' (Luger, Flair and Miss Elizabeth) were shown entering the arena, all geared up about tonight's show.

Elsewhere, WrestleMania 8 opponents Hulk Hogan and Sid Vicious were seen talking about how they had each other's backs tonight, while Jeff Jarrett was shown entering the arena with The Harris Brothers.

Ron or Don asked Double J about his mystery 'insurance policy' which, sure enough, led us to a shot of an ominous black limousine pulling up outside of the arena.

Out in the arena, pyro exploded, the fans roared, and Tony Schiavone welcomed us to the 2000 edition of WCW Uncensored before sending it to the ring for the opening contest. 

Artist retained the WCW cruiserweight title pinning Psicosis in 7:22. To show elementary lack of planning, in the pre-match clips to build the match, they showed a finish where Psicosis was pinned by Kaz Hayashi as opposed to the match where he beat Hayashi. Before the two locked up, the music played and Chris Candido came out and he'll be called "Hard Knox" Chris Candido. He got no reaction past the first two rows of ringside. Unfortunately for him, he was immediately buried by being type-cast as a cruiserweight at a time when that division still has the jobber perception. 

Candido did bring up, without mentioning her name, Tammy Sytch saying they wouldn't let his valet come out with him. Since that was an approved line, that means they must still have her in their plans even though they nixed her coming in at the moment. The match was very sloppy and probably the worst Psicosis match ever on PPV. At one point Juventud Guerrera was getting his ass kicked by Paisley with Mark Madden screaming "catfight," so WCW is now coming down to being the company that spoofs ECW. Psicosis did his legdrop off the top rope but Paisley distracted him before he made the cover. Artist climbed the ropes and HIT THE MOVE AGAIN. That's three in a row. 1/2*

in the back, Mean Gene Okerlund interviewed Bam Bam Bigelow about his upcoming match with The Wall. Bam Bam had been revealed as The Wall's mentor and the man responsible for bringing the big guy to WCW, despite the fact that Wall had originally debuted with Berlyn. 

Norman Smiley & KISS Demon beat Lane & Rave in 3:41. Lane & Rave are now called XS. Horrible. Demon and Rave can't work at all. Lane & Rave's mic work gets no reaction. Miss Hancock, who gets a reaction, came out and announced she was managing Los Fabulosos. Smiley ended up giving this match a mercy killing using the chicken wing on Rave. XS blamed her for the loss and tried to kidnap her. To her acting credit, she didn't even make the slightest attempt to act concerned or fight the kidnapping. Smiley & Demon saved her and brought her into the ring to dance. Somehow that spot gets over a lot better in WWF rings. -*

In the backstage area, a fired up Booker T told Billy Kidman that if he was going to have his back tonight, he should have it, if not, to basically go away. 

David Flair and Crowbar were seen sporting neckbraces after taking a beating at the hands of The Wall on Thunder. David made Daffney promise that she wouldn't "go out there" when The Wall was in the ring. She promised, but then, after Flair and Crowbar left, she revealed that she'd had her fingers crossed the whole time. 

Bam Bam Bigelow beat Wall via DQ in 3:26. The highlight was Wall splitting his pants. They brawled to the back where Wall choke slammed Bigelow through a table for the DQ. DUD

After the match, David Flair and Crowbar both attacked Wall. They carried Bigelow out on a stretcher after a choke slam through a table which is a transition spot on an ECW show. Wall and Crowbar ended up on the top of the entrance way, approximately 13 feet in the air and Wall choke slammed Crowbar off into what appeared to be a gymnastics pit covered by a blanket. At least they did the spot fully prepared and with the safety of the performer as the prime concern.

In the back, Brian Knobs yelled to Mean Gene about how Crowbar and Bam Bam Bigelow were two of the gutsiest performers he'd ever seen. Knobbs dedicated his upcoming Hardcore title match to The Wall's latest victims. 

Brian Knobs won the hardcore title from Three Count in 6:51. This was a three-on-one and Knobs had to pin all three men, so naturally, all credibility aside, he killed them. Knobs dedicated the match with Bigelow and Crowbar. I guess they died in valor. Crowd popped for the garbage can shots. Helms, wrestling with a broken nose and a nose protector (he's supposed to be out of action a few more weeks), did a splash off the top of a seven-and-a-half foot ladder. Karagias followed with a corkscrew off the ladder and Moore did a senton off the ladder.

That should kill the average mortal, but not Knobs, who got right up as they celebrated and sprayed them all with a fire extinguisher and pinned Helms by putting a chair on his head and smashing the chair with a broomstick in 3:00. Knobs power bombed Karagias over the top rope through a table and pinned him on the floor in 4:15. They did a false finish where Helms dropkicked Knobs off the top rope and they were supposed to go through another table, but that didn't happen and Knobs was pinned while he was all over the ropes. They re-started and Knobs got the pin holding a garbage can to his chest and splashing Moore off the ropes. *1/2

Backstage, Mean Gene stood by with Harlem Heat 2000. By now, the team was a four-man crew consisting of Stevie Ray, Big T (Ahmed Johnson), J. Biggs (Clarence Mason) and Kash (4x4 of the No Limit Soldiers), the latter of whom had joined them at last month's Superbrawl 2000. 

We then saw  a brief shot of the mysterious limo that had arrived earlier, he was seen in the back, hanging out by a ladder and surrounded by lighting. Vampiro said things like "I think about bad things and I don't want to do bad things" 

Booker & Billy Kidman beat Harlem Heat in 6:59. This was probably the greatest match the New Harlem Heat will ever have. They mainly got heat on Kidman. Big T tried to hurdle the guard rail and clothesline Kidman and almost made it. Finish saw Kidman do a sunset flip off the top rope on Big T, but couldn't pull the guy over so Booker used a side kick and T went down and was pinned. *1/4

Vampiro pinned David Finlay in 8:38 of a falls count anywhere match. The crowd seemed to enjoy this more than any other match. Vampiro's selling early wasn't good but he took a good bump over the guard rail. From that point, they brawled into the concourse area, nearly went into a women's bathroom, and ended up in a men's bathroom. It was your basic hardcore match stuff, with one creative spot of Vampiro coming off the top of the door of a stall and being hit with a garbage can. Mark Madden gave the line of the year when he said in the bathroom that somebody should do a "uranage." 

They teased that Finlay would throw Vampiro off the balcony. Hey, Giant survived it. Vampiro took a backdrop in the concourse area and at least one fan too close to the action took a bump. Vampiro used the nail in the coffin for the pin. After the match, Finlay put Vampiro over in his interview. **1/4

 in the back, Mean Gene interviewed WCW tag team champions The Mamalukes and their manager, The Disco Inferno. 

Ron & Don Harris won the WCW tag titles over Big Vito & Johnny the Bull in 8:45. This match was back by popular demand after what a rousing success it was in England. Either Disco Inferno or Mark Madden made mention about how one of the team members was a guy just out of the Power Plant, which is true, but I thought he was a mob guy working for Chuck Zito's family. A boring mess. Disco hit Ron with the title belt but he kicked out. Ron then hit Disco, Vito and Johnny with the title belt and used the H-bomb on Vito for the pin. 1/2*

We then saw another shot of the mysterious limousine, Fit Finlay cut a backstage promo in which he claimed that Vampiro had finally earned his respect, effectively settling their feud once and for all.

We then saw Mean Gene interviewed Luger and Flair. With Elizabeth looking on, the two promised to destroy their upcoming opponents, Hogan and Sting. 

Then, after a video package which recalled the rivalry between Terry Funk and Dustin Rhodes, we went back to Okerlund for an interview with Dustin. Rhodes claimed that this was Funk's retirement match and promised to end Funk for good

Dustin Rhodes pinned Terry Funk in 9:01 in a bullrope match. Funk came out and said the only difference between Dustin and his father was that his father was fatter. This led to Funk being booed since Dusty Rhodes' hottest city for much of his career was Miami. Funk worked real hard, but the crowd wasn't buying it. They actually didn't have the bullrope tied up until 4:00 in. Rhodes bulldogged Funk on the cowbell. A guy in a chicken suit ran in, which took whatever seriousness there was in the match away. 

Rhodes knocked out the chicken with a cowbell. They played clucking noises as Rhodes was pounding and chasing the chicken. Clearly this was either the idea of someone who wasn't a wrestling fan, or someone who simply wanted to make sure this match didn't get over. Funk said he was changing it to an I Quit match. Funk then knocked out ref Billy Silverman. After a million cowbell shots, with no juice, Rhodes quit. Of course there was no ref to hear it. Rhodes then hit Funk with a million cowbell shots and piledrove him on the bell for the pin. *

In the back, WCW Champion Sid Vicious gave a promo in which he told Gene Okerlund that he was ready for the challenge of Jeff Jarrett.

This was followed by a brief look at the rivalry between Sting and Lex Luger. The two had already been feuding for a while when Luger broke Sting's arm back at Starrcade 1999. The Total Package had then gone on a bone-breaking spree, breaking the arms of many WCW wrestlers and officials.

Sting pinned Lex Luger in 7:01 in a lumberjack match. The idea was all the lumberjacks would have casts. The first group of lumberjacks were the wrestlers Luger had done the broken arm trick to, including Doug Dillenger and Jimmy Hart. Hulk Hogan wasn't there, because of the divine powers of Hulkamania (and of having creative control), his arm had already healed to he had no need for the cast, not to mention he's smart enough not to dilute his character by being a lumberjack. Luger then brought out a bunch of guys like Hugh Morrus and Harlem Heat wearing casts. Nothing happened in the match. 

Tank Abbott came out, and decked Dillenger. On WWF, Vince McMahon does a one punch knockout of HHH. On WCW, the master of the one punch knockout never uses it on anyone higher on the food chain than Dillenger. And they don't understand why nobody gets over. All the lumberjacks started brawling to the back in one of the most unconvincing brawls you'd ever see, particularly watching the former Ahmed Johnson with nobody to brawl with, just walk to the back. 

Vampiro and Jimmy Hart stuck around. Ric Flair and Liz came out. As Flair interfered and took some bumps for the cause, Liz hit Sting in the shoulder with the bat. Hart dragged Elizabeth away. Luger racked Sting, but Vampiro hit Luger with the bat and Sting scored the pin with the scorpion death drop. This match did have one redeeming value in that Sting and Vampiro came together at the end and were treated as equals, so it should make Vampiro a player. 1/2*

Sid Vicious retained the WCW title pinning Jeff Jarrett in 7:36. Jarrett did as good a job as humanly possible with Sid at this stage and it really wasn't bad early on. Jarrett got a near fall after a belt shot, which seems to be the most overused cliche finish in both WWF and WCW these days. After a low blow, Jarrett beat up ref Nick Patrick, which made perfect sense since he then laid out Sid with a guitar shot and there was no ref to count. 

Mark Johnson ran out to count with Hogan limping behind him. Hogan saved the day, beating up Jarrett and the Harris twins (who were interfering frequently) before giving Jarrett the leg drop and putting Sid on top for the pin. After the match, Scott Steiner came out and cracked a guitar on Hogan's back. *1/4

Hulk Hogan pinned Ric Flair in a strap match in 14:28. Flair came out immediately after Hogan got conked to start the match. Hogan sold for all of 40 seconds the beating from Steiner before making his comeback. Flair juiced. Flair's work in this match was the best it's been in a long time, but because his body is showing his age, people aren't taking him seriously. Seriously, when he took the bumps for Sting wearing the t-shirt he looked cool. 

His work is good but he's got to wear a t-shirt now or fans can't get past the body and dismiss him at first sight. Hogan whipped Flair with the belt. They traded hard chops. Hogan's offense wasn't good. Luger hit Hogan with a chair and Hogan bladed. They traded more belt shots. They made the announcers look like fools as the announcers were told the only way to win was to drag the opponent to all four corners. 

So they went for near falls and the ref counted and the announcers (who actually were the stars of the show, particularly Madden's line about Sting comparing him to Alicia Silverstone, which reportedly was actually a Kevin Nash line) looked like idiots trying to explain it. To make things worse, they explained it by saying it wouldn't count, unaware that the finish was going to be a legdrop and a 1-2-3.

Hogan did the high kicker on Luger just before the finish. Just to make sure everyone realized everyone in the company is back jobbing for him again, Hogan dragged Flair after the match to all four corners. **1/4

Did you watch this ppv since you were coming back soon?

Did it give you any ideas of what you wanted to do when you came back?

How would you rank it?