WCW Sin

The event featured wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds and storylines. Wrestlers portrayed villains, heroes, or less distinguishable characters in the scripted events that built tension and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches.[4]

The main feud heading into Sin, was between Scott Steiner and Sid Vicious. This feud began in November, when Vicious made his return to WCW after a 5-month absence.[5] The feud began the weeks prior to Starrcade, when Vicious was announced as the number one contender for Steiner's WCW World Heavyweight Championship. In the main event at Starrcade, Steiner would retain his WCW World title against Vicious.[6] However, Vicious managed to earn another championship match against Steiner at Sin, in a Four Corners match pitting himself against Steiner, Jeff Jarrett, and a mystery fourth man. On the edition of January 10 of Thunder Vicious defeated Steiner by disqualification, in a match contested for the WCW World title, thus Steiner retaining.[7]

The secondary feud heading in to Sin, was between Goldberg and Buff Bagwell. This feud began at Mayhem, where Goldberg hit a spear on the referee by accident after Luger pushed him in his place. Although this would have resulted in a disqualification, Goldberg won the match after a jackhammer. Luger would claim that Goldberg had lost via disqualification, which led to his desire of ending Goldberg's undefeated winning streak. This feud carried over to Starrcade where Goldberg's career was on the line, as he would be forced to leave WCW if he had lost, although Goldberg was victorious.[8] Lex Luger and Buff Bagwell would then form the tag team of Totally Buffed in December 2000, where they got Goldberg's WCW Power Plant trainer, DeWayne Bruce, involved in the feud leading to a match between the two sides at Sin.[9]

Chavo Guerrero, Jr., who defended the WCW Cruiserweight Championship at Sin

The first match that aired was between Chavo Guerrero, Jr. and Shane Helms for the WCW Cruiserweight Championship.[10][11] A back and forth match between the two, as Helms would try to execute the "Nightmare on Helms Street" on Guerrero, while Guerrero would try to execute his brainbuster. After two consecutive reversals, Guerrero would successfully execute the brainbuster on Helms then covering him for the successful pinfall, thus retaining the WCW Cruiserweight Championship.[10][12][13]

A video aired from earlier in the day, where Mike Tenay asked then-WCW CEO, Ric Flair, who was getting out of his limo, on who the "mystery opponent" is in the four corners match later in the event. Flair responded by saying the identity of the "mystery opponent" had to be kept confidential and "will rock Scott Steiner's world".[11][12] Then Gene Okerlund interviewed The Mamalukes, followed by Reno and Big Vito discussing their match and how everything would be "finished once and for all".[13] The second match was between Reno and Big Vito. The match began in a brawl, leading to Big Vito in control. Reno attempted to hit his "Roll the Dice" on Vito, but was countered, leading to a successful second attempt where then after, Reno covered Big Vito for the victory.[10][12][13]

The third match was a cruiserweight tag team match between The Jung Dragons and Jamie Knoble with Evan Karagias.[11][12] The match started out fast with chops and Irish whips from both teams.[13] However the Jung Dragons took control of the match, until the climax of the match, where Karagias gave Yang a hangman's neckbreaker.[13] After Knoble delivered a piledriver to Kaz, Yang unsuccessfully attempted a corkscrew moonsault on Knoble, but ended up pinning Knoble with an inside cradle for the win.[14] After the match, Knoble and Karagias assault the Jung Dragons.[12][15]

The fourth match was between Ernest Miller and WCW Commissioner Mike Sanders, in a match where the WCW Commissionership and Ms. Jones' managing services were on the line.[10][12][13] Both Miller and Sanders gained control in the course of the match.[10][13] In the climax, the Thrillers came to interfere on Sanders behalf, but as they came to the ring, KroniK came after them interfering on Miller's behalf.[10][13] Miller then performed a Feliner on Sanders followed by the pin, winning the match, Ms. Jones, and the WCW Commissioner job title.[10][12][13]

Goldberg, who was (kayfabe) forced to leave WCW after losing a tag team match to Totally Buffed at Sin

Backstage, Goldberg and then-WCW CEO Ric Flair watched Totally Buffed's arrival followed by "Mean" Gene Okerlund interviewing Jeff Jarrett.[11][12] The fifth match then got underway between Team Canada (Lance Storm, Mike Awesome and Elix Skipper) defeating The Filthy Animals (Konnan, Rey Misterio, Jr. and Billy Kidman) with Jim Duggan as Special Guest Referee in a Penalty Box match, where if one broke a rule they were sent into the Penalty Box for one minute.[12] The match started off with Rey Misterio, Jr. in control as Elix Skipper and Mike Awesome were sent into the Penalty Box after breaking the rules of the match.[10][12][13] Midway though the match, Awesome and Lance Storm were sent into the penalty box after performing a double-team move.[10][13] But then after, Team Canada was in control of the match after Misterio and Kidman were sent into the Penalty Box, after Duggan thought they were about to perform a low blow on Awesome.[12] After Konnan, Awesome, and Skipper were sent into the Penalty box, Storm applied the Maple Leaf on Kidman forcing him to submit, thus winning for Team Canada.[10][12][13]

The sixth match was between Meng, Crowbar and WCW Hardcore Champion Terry Funk in a Triple Threat match for the WCW Hardcore Championship.[10][12][13] The match started out with Crowbar hitting Funk with a steel chair, and then dragging him backstage, where Meng joined the two men in the brawl using a variety of weapons.[13] In the climax of the match, Crowbar applied a figure four leglock on Funk which was broken up by Meng who was then attacked by Funk and Meng with steel chairs.[10][13] Meng then superkicked a chair into Meng's face followed by making Funk submit to the Tongan Death Grip to win the WCW Hardcore Championship.[10][13][14]

The seventh match was contested between Sean O'Haire, Chuck Palumbo and The Insiders (Kevin Nash and Diamond Dallas Page) in a WCW World Tag Team Championship match, with the stipulation of the Insiders able to make substitutions.[11][14] The match began with then-WCW CEO Ric Flair sending The Natural Born Thrillers backstage, banning substitutions in the match squashing Paulumbo and O' Haire.[14] In the climax of the match, Palumbo and O' Haire, double team on DDP.[10][13] Shawn Stasiak interfered in the match, keeping DDP busy on the outside. Buff Bagwell and Lex Luger then interfered in the match by hitting Nash with a wrench, leading to O' Haire hitting a Seanton Bomb on Nash and covering him for the win and the WCW World Tag Team Championship.[10][12][13]

Scott Steiner, the WCW World Heavyweight Champion entering Sin

The eight match was between Shane Douglas and General Rection in a First Blood Chain match for the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship.[10][12][13] The match began with Rection in control, as he and Douglas attempted to retrieve the chain.[12] Afterwards, Douglas worked on the legs of Rection for a period of time until Rection recovered and gained control.[10][13] In a turn of events, Rection was pushed off a ladder by Douglas, which knocked down the referee, and he pulled out a chain from his boots and attacked Rection with it. As the referee recovered, Rection began to bleed and was seen by the referee who called for the bell, declaring Shane Douglas the winner and new WCW United States Champion.[10][13][16]

The ninth match, and the main match on the undercard, was between Totally Buffed (Lex Luger and Buff Bagwell) and Goldberg with DeWayne Bruce in a No Disqualification tag-team match, where if Goldberg lost, he would be (kayfabe) forced to leave WCW.[10][12][13] The match started out with Goldberg against Bagwell, where Goldberg had full control of the match.[12] Bruce was then tagged in by Goldberg where he gained an early advantage over Bagwell for a short time, but was then double teamed by Totally Buffed.[10][13] Goldberg was then tagged in, where Bagwell gained the upper-hand. Luger then exited the ring and walked up to a fan, who asked for Goldberg's autograph earlier in the event. This distracted and lured Goldberg near the fan, who sprayed mace into Goldberg's eyes.[10][13] Luger then lifted Goldberg on his shoulders and Bagwell hit a Super Blockbuster. Luger covered him for the victory, thus ending Goldberg's undefeated streak of thirty-five victories and forcing him to leave WCW.[10][12][13][17]

The main event was between Sid Vicious, Jeff Jarrett, WCW World Champion Scott Steiner, and a "mystery opponent" for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship in a Four Corners match.[10][12][13] The match began with only three competitors, without the mystery opponent.[10][13] Vicious gained the advantage over Jarrett and Steiner in the start of the match, but was then double-teamed by Jarrett and Steiner. As Vicious was making a comeback, he attempted an aerial maneuver, which was unsuccessfully performed as he slipped on the turnbuckle, legitimately fracturing his leg.[18] (The footage of the injury has been edited out of the WWE Network version of this event.) Towards the end of the match, then-WCW CEO Flair announced the arrival of the "mystery opponent", who came out wearing a mask, hiding his identity.[12] He entered the ring delivering a couple of kicks to Vicious. Steiner then covered Vicious for the victory, thus successfully retaining the WCW World Heavyweight Championship.[10][12][13] After the match ended, the "mystery man" unmasked and revealed himself to be Road Warrior Animal, making his return to WCW after leaving with his longtime tag team partner Road Warrior Hawk in 1996.[14]

Sin was the third to last World Championship Wrestling (WCW) pay-per view, before the company was bought by rival promotion, World Wrestling Federation (WWF), two months later on March 23, 2001.[19] This was the last WCW pay-per view held north of the Mason–Dixon line, as the promotion began holding its events in southern states only, as a cost-cutting measure. Only two other televised events were held outside the south after Sin: the next two nights' Monday Nitro and Thunder, were both held in Fort Wayne, Indiana. After this event, Sid Vicious was unable to compete in professional wrestling regularly, as the injury he sustained was of a severe nature.[18]