Today in Wrestling History (January 16th)

2000 - Chris Benoit defeated Sid Vicious to win the vacant WCW World Heavyweight Title at the Souled Out PPV in Cincinnati, Ohio. 

Souled Out 2000

Today January 16th 2000 WCW held its first PPV of the 21st century and last installment of Souled Out.


Held at the Firstar Center in Cincinnati, Ohio this featured as the main event for the WCW World Heavyweight Title Chris Benoit vs Sid Vicious.


Here are the full results and see the entire PPV below:

- Billy Kidman defeated Dean Malenko in a Catch-as-Catch Can match, when Malenko accidentally touched the floor. The rules stated that a competitor could not only lose by pin or submission, but also by touching the floor
- Vampiro defeated David Flair (with Daffney) and Crowbar in a Triple Threat match, by pinning Flair after a Nail in the Coffin.
- Big Vito and Johnny the Bull (with Disco Inferno) defeated The Harris Brothers (Ron and Don Harris), when Vito pinned Ron.
- Oklahoma pinned WCW Cruiserweight Champion Madusa with a roll-up to win the title.
- WCW Hardcore Champion Brian Knobbs defeated Fit Finlay, Meng and Norman Smiley in a Fatal Four-Way match, by pinning Smiley after hitting him with a police shield.
- Billy Kidman pinned Perry Saturn in a Bunkhouse match after a Bulldog.
- Booker T (with Midnight) defeated Stevie Ray by disqualification, after Big T made his debut and attacked Booker. Big T (Anthony Norris) was previously known as former WWF Intercontinental Champion Ahmed Johnson.
- Tank Abbott defeated Jerry Flynn by knockout.
- Buff Bagwell defeated Diamond Dallas Page in a Last Man Standing match.
- The Wall (with Shane Douglas) pinned Billy Kidman in a Steel Cage match after a chokeslam.
- Kevin Nash pinned Terry Funk in a Hardcore match after a Jacknife Powerbomb onto a steel chair to become the new WCW Commissioner.
- Chris Benoit defeated Sid Vicious by submission with the Crippler Crossface to win the vacant WCW World Heavyweight Title. Arn Anderson was the guest referee for the match. Benoit was stripped of the title the next night on WCW Monday Nitro when it was shown that Sid's leg was under the rope when he tapped out to the Crossface. In reality, Benoit had left the company in frustration, and would debut in the WWF two weeks later.

WCW Souled Out 2000

Today in 2000, WCW held its fourth and final edition of Souled Out from Cincinnati Ohio.

Bret Hart had vacated the WCW World Heavyweight Title a few days before this event due to a severe concussion received at Starrcade and this left WCW to move Chris Benoit into main event against #1 contender Sid Vicious for the WCW World Title.
Arn Anderson was the "Special Guest Referee". WCW would strip Beniot of the belt the next night on Monday Nitro when he submitted to the crippler crossface. In reality Beniot had quit WCW out of frustration with Bischoff and others "in charge" and would debut in the WWF within the next few weeks.