| Misfits in Action | |
|---|---|
| Stable | |
| Members | See below |
| Debut | 2000 |
| Disbanded | 2001 |
| Promotions | WCW |
The Misfits In Action (M.I.A.) were a stable in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) They were originally formed in 2000 from a group of wrestlers that Vince Russo considered too lazy to get over.[1] They hold the shortest reign for the retired WCW World Tag Team Championship, which was held by Corporal Cajun and Lieutenant Loco.
Contents |
The original Misfits stable was originally started on the April 17, 2000 episode of WCW Monday Nitro when Eric Bischoff berated a crew of wrestlers including Hugh Morrus, Lash LeRoux, Van Hammer, Chavo Guerrero, Jr., and Booker T. for not helping the New Blood dispatch their enemies known as the Millionaires Club.
On the April 26, 2000 episode of WCW Thunder, LeRoux, Guerrero, Morrus, and Hammer saved Booker T. during his match against Scott Steiner. The following week, Leroux, Hammer, and Guerrero made the save for Morrus on the May 1 Nitro to solidify their alliance. Immediately after the match, an enraged Bischoff fired Morrus and the three men who made the save.
Shortly after, the "released" wrestlers reappeared in WCW under their new M.I.A. names. Despite the obvious fraud, they signed new contracts with their new names, allowing themselves to evade Bischoff's firings.
The returning group initially consisted of Morrus as General Hugh G. Rection, Guerrero as Lt. Loco, LeRoux as Cpl. Cajun, and Van Hammer as Major Stash. They were given a valet in former fitness model Tylene Buck, who went under the name Major Gunns. The group mainly feuded with The Filthy Animals, Team Canada, and the Natural Born Thrillers. Gunns feuded with the Filthy Animals' valet Tygress. Other members were added as the group's popularity rose over the final years of the company. On the July 26, 2000 episode of WCW Thunder, The Wall would be added as Sgt. AWOL. On the November 13, 2000 episode of WCW Monday Nitro, Gunns eventually betrayed the group in favor of turning heel by joining Team Canada, when she threw in the towel on the behalf of Rection, costing him the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship against Lance Storm. The group disbanded in early 2001, with Chavo Guerrero turning heel.
The group conducted a promo as a parody of Team Canada which then consisted of "Prime Time" Elix Skipper, "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan, and Lance Storm. Lt. Loco portrayed Skipper as the "100 Ounces and Under Ex-Champion" Whine Time. General Rection portrayed Lance Storm, being deliberately stoic and serious in the promo. Sgt. AWOL portrayed Duggan as the oafish "Jigsaw" Jim Jughead. The whole skit was entirely reminiscent of those conducted by D-Generation X in the then-WWF, which were themselves entirely reminiscent the New World Order skit mocking the Four Horsemen.
Van Hammer was originally slated to be called "Private Stash" in keeping with the stable's theme of "toilet humor" names. He believed, however, he had worked too hard to be just a Private in a fictional army. Despite the ranks being meaningless and the name simply being a play on words, Van Hammer would not back down and eventually got his wish. His name was changed to "Major Stash" which effectively ruined the intended joke.