10 Reasons WCW Spring Stampede 2000 Was Wrestling’s Most Over-Booked PPV Ever

7. Russo Turned Opener Into A Handicap Match

Miss Elizabeth Ric Flair Lex Luger
WWE Network

Emerging in street clothes, Ric Flair looked fired up for his tag-team match alongside Lex Luger. Facing The Mamalukes at the Semi-Final stage of the WCW Tag Title tournament, the match had some potential. That was all ruined when Vince Russo showed up and booked a Handicap Match instead.

The Harris Boys made their way to the ring and suddenly the bout was now 4-on-2. The very first match on the show quickly became an overbooked mess, one it would never recover from. In the end, Team Package went over anyway, so the writing calling for them to be outnumbered felt redundant.

Worse, during his promo Russo referred to The Mamalukes as 'rookies'. This made them look like morons, rather than an effective team who could stand up to the veterans. Wasn't that the purpose of The New Blood, to get the younger guys over? 

This match didn't achieve that, it was a baffling display of throwing things at a wall to see what might stick.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.