10 Times Stipulations Ruined Wrestling Matches
2. Junkyard Hardcore Invitational - WCW Bash At The Beach 1999
WCW's hardcore division was an odd and transparent attempt at capturing the zeitgeist that had eluded the promotion since the nWo lost track of the mainstream pulse, and it started well enough. The Sandman, as Hak, waged an awesome war with Bam Bam Bigelow at Spring Stampede 1999 - but the good form could not continue throughout the year.
The Junkyard Invitational, a multi-man anything goes weapons match set amid a unique backdrop was a decent idea, on paper, making use of the more limited (Horace Hogan) and legitimately tough (Fit Finlay) members of the roster. Promoted as a violent war, the stipulation should have substituted talent for non-stop pseudo violence - but the notoriously inept promotion predictably ruined it.
As the referee blew a foghorn to initiate proceedings, the camera panned out to reveal...very little. The match was filmed under cloak of darkness. "Obviously, you can see guys like Brian Knobbs out there," said Tony Schiavone, optimistically. He must have had X-ray vision because it was impossible to make anybody out.
"Would you look at this?" he continued. It was more a question of "Can you?". The area was so expansive and dimly-lit that a litany of crazy bumps were not captured. WCW did attempt to compensate for this, by filming part of it from a helicopter, but Jerry Flynn et al. just looked like ants.