Yeah, you know...the WrestleCrap guy. Been here since before day 1, I have. You can hang out with me on Facebook. (I'm on there quite a bit) or follow my exploits on Twitter (I'm on there not quite so often).
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For Undertaker, I am sure you meant Survivor Series 1990, unless you put in 2000 for the mystery who took Undertaker’s pants and why he had to use those ridiculous-looking pants that night.
Odd. I was watching WCW at this time, but I never got the Pay Per Views. I have no memory of the mystery man or anything but the replay Sid’s nasty leg snap.
I remember reading the spoilers online as I was at University that day. I remember letting out an exasperated groan when I got the news that it was Animal. Why would anyone get excited to have a guy come back who was mostly known as a tag team wrestler and had never been in the running for the strap?
It all made sense to WCW creative!
Another mystery man that turned about to be pretty great, was on Raw in 1999 they had this countdown clock and it hit zero when Rock was in the ring. Sure, internet fans new it was going to be Jericho but it isn’t like that was a huge percentage of the audience.
Eddie Gilbert brought out a mystery partner in 1989 that ended up being pretty great and that same partner served as a mystery partner of Dustin Rhodes again in 1991. Although to be fair that would have just been a straight match with Rhodes and Barry Windham against the Enforcers. I speak of course of Ricky Steamboat.
All you really need to know about the final days of WCW is that Sid Vicious’ career basically ended because they wanted him to learn an aerial maneuver and came up with “BIG BOOT, BUT HIGHER UP.”
This pales in comparison to the Undertaker’s 1990 Survivor Series debut for sure but I liked when Owen Hart announced Yokozuna as his mystery partner for their match against the Smoking Gunns at Wrestlemania XI. Yes Yoko wasn’t getting any more nimble in the ring by this time but I liked the pairing as a tag team even if it meant Owen would be carrying them through every match.
Considering some of the duds Owen had to team with prior (Koko B. Ware, Jim Neidhart), the pairing with Yoko at least legitimized what seemed like a formidable tag team. Plus it would lead to Owen’s first two WWF championship reigns.
They kind of reminded me of the Colossal Connection which I also thought was an awesome tag team back in the day. Andre despite his declining health played to his strengths. Haku will never be confused with Owen Hart but if you have no respect for King Haku, then you have no soul.
I remember the rumor at the time was that the mystery man would be a returning Rick Steiner. Then we got Animal on the PPV and Rick made his return the next night. I always wondered if they intended the mystery guy to be Rick then changed it to surprise fans. No proof, just a thought as to why they would think it would be a good idea.
As far as past mystery partners go, who can forget No Way Out 98? The WWF Champion Shawn Michaels is replaced in the main event by Savio Vega. It was actually a fun match, but still, Savio for HBK?
Totally forgot about Animal’s run in WCW toward the end.. Great introduction as always.
In hindsight though, if WCW was going to do an mystery man angle around this time, who else could have they gotten? Not trying to play fantasy booker here, but outside of an ECW guy like RVD or Taz, I can’t help but feel WCW booked themselves in a corner.
I wish this angle ended with Animal taking the mask off and then reaching into his pocket and pulling out keys to a Hummer. Could’ve solved two mysteries at once.
Which Hummer though? At that point, WCW would have a green Hummer set up backstage as a get away for Animal and try to sell that as the Hummer in question.
Nothing against Road Warrior Animal, but this felt like #August1Warning. Low expectations that were too high. Animal didn’t feel like the guy that should go after The Belt.
Aww, I was hoping it was that angle i heard about where Rick Steiner got attacked by some guy in a ‘bumblebee costume’ and revealed that it was Rick all along…or WAS this that angle and I had Scott mixed up for Rick.
Because I remembered reading about it in the original ‘Death of WCW’ book 😛 Either way please clarify if I am wrong ^^
I was looking through old Nitro and Thunder results and it appears it’s actually Scott who’s inside the ‘bumblebee’ costume referred to in the ‘Death of WCW’ book. So the ‘bumblebee’ and the ‘mystery man’ are the same costume. Hopefully that clears up all the confusion.
Dec. 18, 2000 Nitro: Masked man brawls with Scott Steiner backstage at the end of the show
Dec. 20, 2000 Thunder: Masked man shows up to distract Steiner during a match with Ernest Miller
Jan. 3, 2001 Thunder: Masked man interferes in Jeff Jarrett vs. Sid match, attacks Sid, and reveals himself to be Scott Steiner (not Rick)
Jan. 8, 2001 Nitro: Masked man (and Sid) interferes in Jarrett vs. Scott Steiner match; is not unmasked during the segment
Jan. 10, 2001 Thunder: Masked man interferes in Scott Steiner vs. Sid match and attacks Sid; Sid unmasks the guy and it’s Jarrett
Jan 14, 2001 Sin PPV: Mystery man is revealed as Road Warrior Animal
This angle led to Ric Flair revealing he was behind the plot to get the belt off of Sid. He had been backing Steiner all along. He turned heel and formed a stable called the Magnificent Seven. The most confusing element to the story-line for me was the fact that there were alternately six or eight members.
I actually found WCW enjoyable for those last three months in 2001. I thought they were getting better, after I had to stop watching during 2000.
You’re not the only one. For the longest time, I thought I was the only person to realize this about the last 3 months of WCW. Then Bryan Alvarez mentioned that point on a Bryan and Vinny show right after the thing with TNA and Spike went down earlier this year.
yeah it was totally getting better, actually think sin was a good ppv besides the main event. so was superbrawl, not so much greed with all of the dusty stuff but yeah was good. Think they were trying to impress potential buyers, shame they got cancelled and it was all for naught.
Starrcade 2000 was also really good, but unfortunately by that time nobody cared enough to buy it and it drew one of the worst buyrates in WCW history.
Depends what you mean by ‘mystery man’. If you mean they’re actually booked based on an eventual surprise introduction then that’s a bit different from someone just showing up with no warning. For instance, Cena’s return at Royal Rumble 2008 was never hyped up as a possibility but Royal Rumbles often have surprise entrants so it blew the roof off before the smarks in the audience remembered they were supposed to be booing him. Same goes for Big Show at RR 2001, one of the most overlooked enormo-pops ever. But you could list the Undertaker’s return at Judgment Day 2000 as a booked return even though it was never stated the return would take place on that night, he just rode on down during the overbooked main event and everyone went nuts (at least when they recognised who he was). Same with Jericho in 1999. Also there have been occasions where clues have been given to a return or debut that frankly have been too obvious and given the game away ruining the surprise, yet still got a pretty good reception. I’m thinking Jericho’s WWE return in 2007 when everyone knew deep down it was him (in fact he’d had people chanting for him at No Mercy a month earlier when the main event needed a replacement for Cena, which ended up being Triple H) and to a much lesser extent Christian and Booker T’s debuts in TNA. However, one where TNA absolutely NAILED a surprise debut was with Kurt Angle. There wasn’t even any reports on discussions between them within the IWC, and then out of nowhere after a pretty mediocre Joe/Jarrett PPV main event (which most fans said shouldn’t have closed the show, but obviously this was the reason why) they played a video vignette hyping some guy we didn’t see for ages then suddenly it was revealed to be Angle. They didn’t even have him there in person that night but it was awesome, and ended up being pretty good for the company apart from derailing Joe.
I also really liked Lesnar’s introduction to WWE, he literally just ran in the ring with no fanfare and starting kicking the crap out of people. No promos, no nothing, you knew everything you needed to via his actions.
At least this Mystery Man wasn’t Ric Flair at the end, like the Black Scorpion
That was absolutely pointless. It has the feel of WCw Creative throwing up their hands and saying, “so got nuthin\'”.
That should say “We got nuthin\'”. Stupid autocorrect.
For Undertaker, I am sure you meant Survivor Series 1990, unless you put in 2000 for the mystery who took Undertaker’s pants and why he had to use those ridiculous-looking pants that night.
DOH! Fixed!
Hulk Hogan as the third man. Was that not a mystery partner angle?
Yes, that most definitely was a mystery man angle. I think R.D. forgot it because everything that happened as a result was kind of obscure.
Odd. I was watching WCW at this time, but I never got the Pay Per Views. I have no memory of the mystery man or anything but the replay Sid’s nasty leg snap.
Survivor Series 1990. not 2000.
🙂 Cheers, anyway!
Yep, fixed.
That last screenshot reads like WCW’s tombstone.
The Halloween Phantom/ Rick Rude was a pretty good surprise.
It wasn’t as good as Taker, but still a good surprise.
I remember reading the spoilers online as I was at University that day. I remember letting out an exasperated groan when I got the news that it was Animal. Why would anyone get excited to have a guy come back who was mostly known as a tag team wrestler and had never been in the running for the strap?
It all made sense to WCW creative!
Same deal with Devon for Aces and 8s!
Another mystery man that turned about to be pretty great, was on Raw in 1999 they had this countdown clock and it hit zero when Rock was in the ring. Sure, internet fans new it was going to be Jericho but it isn’t like that was a huge percentage of the audience.
Eddie Gilbert brought out a mystery partner in 1989 that ended up being pretty great and that same partner served as a mystery partner of Dustin Rhodes again in 1991. Although to be fair that would have just been a straight match with Rhodes and Barry Windham against the Enforcers. I speak of course of Ricky Steamboat.
All you really need to know about the final days of WCW is that Sid Vicious’ career basically ended because they wanted him to learn an aerial maneuver and came up with “BIG BOOT, BUT HIGHER UP.”
This pales in comparison to the Undertaker’s 1990 Survivor Series debut for sure but I liked when Owen Hart announced Yokozuna as his mystery partner for their match against the Smoking Gunns at Wrestlemania XI. Yes Yoko wasn’t getting any more nimble in the ring by this time but I liked the pairing as a tag team even if it meant Owen would be carrying them through every match.
Considering some of the duds Owen had to team with prior (Koko B. Ware, Jim Neidhart), the pairing with Yoko at least legitimized what seemed like a formidable tag team. Plus it would lead to Owen’s first two WWF championship reigns.
They kind of reminded me of the Colossal Connection which I also thought was an awesome tag team back in the day. Andre despite his declining health played to his strengths. Haku will never be confused with Owen Hart but if you have no respect for King Haku, then you have no soul.
Because he’ll find out and rip the soul right out of you.
I remember the rumor at the time was that the mystery man would be a returning Rick Steiner. Then we got Animal on the PPV and Rick made his return the next night. I always wondered if they intended the mystery guy to be Rick then changed it to surprise fans. No proof, just a thought as to why they would think it would be a good idea.
As far as past mystery partners go, who can forget No Way Out 98? The WWF Champion Shawn Michaels is replaced in the main event by Savio Vega. It was actually a fun match, but still, Savio for HBK?
What the mystery of The Higher Power wasn’t a great mystery, “It’s me Austin!!!!”
Aw son of bitch!
Totally forgot about Animal’s run in WCW toward the end.. Great introduction as always.
In hindsight though, if WCW was going to do an mystery man angle around this time, who else could have they gotten? Not trying to play fantasy booker here, but outside of an ECW guy like RVD or Taz, I can’t help but feel WCW booked themselves in a corner.
I wish this angle would have ended with Steiner taking the mask off. It would have made no sense, but at least it would have been funny.
I wish this angle ended with Animal taking the mask off and then reaching into his pocket and pulling out keys to a Hummer. Could’ve solved two mysteries at once.
Which Hummer though? At that point, WCW would have a green Hummer set up backstage as a get away for Animal and try to sell that as the Hummer in question.
I find it funny that the only mystery man angle that worked ended up giving us one of the most popular wrestlers of the last 24 years.
I remember marking out for Animal
So what did that all lead to?? I dont even remember this and i’m a ginormous Road Warriors fan.
It lead to the company going out of business.
Nothing against Road Warrior Animal, but this felt like #August1Warning. Low expectations that were too high. Animal didn’t feel like the guy that should go after The Belt.
Aww, I was hoping it was that angle i heard about where Rick Steiner got attacked by some guy in a ‘bumblebee costume’ and revealed that it was Rick all along…or WAS this that angle and I had Scott mixed up for Rick.
Because I remembered reading about it in the original ‘Death of WCW’ book 😛 Either way please clarify if I am wrong ^^
I was looking through old Nitro and Thunder results and it appears it’s actually Scott who’s inside the ‘bumblebee’ costume referred to in the ‘Death of WCW’ book. So the ‘bumblebee’ and the ‘mystery man’ are the same costume. Hopefully that clears up all the confusion.
Dec. 18, 2000 Nitro: Masked man brawls with Scott Steiner backstage at the end of the show
Dec. 20, 2000 Thunder: Masked man shows up to distract Steiner during a match with Ernest Miller
Jan. 3, 2001 Thunder: Masked man interferes in Jeff Jarrett vs. Sid match, attacks Sid, and reveals himself to be Scott Steiner (not Rick)
Jan. 8, 2001 Nitro: Masked man (and Sid) interferes in Jarrett vs. Scott Steiner match; is not unmasked during the segment
Jan. 10, 2001 Thunder: Masked man interferes in Scott Steiner vs. Sid match and attacks Sid; Sid unmasks the guy and it’s Jarrett
Jan 14, 2001 Sin PPV: Mystery man is revealed as Road Warrior Animal
Road Warrior Animal was picked for this angle because his brother took over booking duties during WCW’s dying days. Simple nepotism.
My internal monologue watching WCW in 2001 (to be read in the most bored voice physically possible):
Yep…
Yep…
Yep…
Yep…
This angle led to Ric Flair revealing he was behind the plot to get the belt off of Sid. He had been backing Steiner all along. He turned heel and formed a stable called the Magnificent Seven. The most confusing element to the story-line for me was the fact that there were alternately six or eight members.
I actually found WCW enjoyable for those last three months in 2001. I thought they were getting better, after I had to stop watching during 2000.
You’re not the only one. For the longest time, I thought I was the only person to realize this about the last 3 months of WCW. Then Bryan Alvarez mentioned that point on a Bryan and Vinny show right after the thing with TNA and Spike went down earlier this year.
yeah it was totally getting better, actually think sin was a good ppv besides the main event. so was superbrawl, not so much greed with all of the dusty stuff but yeah was good. Think they were trying to impress potential buyers, shame they got cancelled and it was all for naught.
Starrcade 2000 was also really good, but unfortunately by that time nobody cared enough to buy it and it drew one of the worst buyrates in WCW history.
Tazz as Kurt Angle’s mystery opponent at the 2000 Royal Rumble. Mystery Man, big payoff, yay!
Depends what you mean by ‘mystery man’. If you mean they’re actually booked based on an eventual surprise introduction then that’s a bit different from someone just showing up with no warning. For instance, Cena’s return at Royal Rumble 2008 was never hyped up as a possibility but Royal Rumbles often have surprise entrants so it blew the roof off before the smarks in the audience remembered they were supposed to be booing him. Same goes for Big Show at RR 2001, one of the most overlooked enormo-pops ever. But you could list the Undertaker’s return at Judgment Day 2000 as a booked return even though it was never stated the return would take place on that night, he just rode on down during the overbooked main event and everyone went nuts (at least when they recognised who he was). Same with Jericho in 1999. Also there have been occasions where clues have been given to a return or debut that frankly have been too obvious and given the game away ruining the surprise, yet still got a pretty good reception. I’m thinking Jericho’s WWE return in 2007 when everyone knew deep down it was him (in fact he’d had people chanting for him at No Mercy a month earlier when the main event needed a replacement for Cena, which ended up being Triple H) and to a much lesser extent Christian and Booker T’s debuts in TNA. However, one where TNA absolutely NAILED a surprise debut was with Kurt Angle. There wasn’t even any reports on discussions between them within the IWC, and then out of nowhere after a pretty mediocre Joe/Jarrett PPV main event (which most fans said shouldn’t have closed the show, but obviously this was the reason why) they played a video vignette hyping some guy we didn’t see for ages then suddenly it was revealed to be Angle. They didn’t even have him there in person that night but it was awesome, and ended up being pretty good for the company apart from derailing Joe.
I also really liked Lesnar’s introduction to WWE, he literally just ran in the ring with no fanfare and starting kicking the crap out of people. No promos, no nothing, you knew everything you needed to via his actions.
This website jumped the shark years ago
You ran out of stuff to write about, now you try to shoehorn decent angles and gimmicks to fit your books and website.
I can honestly say I was not expecting Animal at least. I was sure it was going to be Ralphus, I just didn’t know why.
Ricky Steamboat made a good mystery man when he came back to WCW.