WCW Monday Nitro (October 16, 1995)

Original Airdate: October 16, 1995

From Albany, Georgia; Your Hosts are Eric Bischoff, Steve McMichael, and Bobby Heenan

Over the weekend on WCW Pro, Sting agrees to be Ric Flair's tag partner in his war against Arn Anderson and Brian Pillman, but threatens to 'leave (Flair) for dead. Dead, dead, dead' if he 'swerves' him. Hell of a segment here, actually

WCW Television Title Match: Diamond Dallas Page v Johnny B. Badd: Or, well, in theory anyway, as Page attacks him with the title belt before the bell, and the match is called off. Badd was over huge here. This was airing opposite the HHH/Doink match on RAW, and you'd think a match would automatically a better segment then a bait-and-switch, but then you'd be wrong. It's also kind of funny to hear Bischoff shoot it to commercial break, and promising us 'more great action' when they come back. More?

Halloween Havoc promo

Eddie Guerrero v Chris Benoit: Chris snaps off an armdrag right away, but gets caught in a side-headlock, and shoulderblocked down. Eddie wrestles him down, but Chris escapes with an impressive rana, so Eddie responds with a quick headscissors to put Benoit on the floor, then dives after him with a breathtaking flying bodypress. They try to bring it back in, but both end up crashing right back out off of a reversed side suplex, and Eddie takes a shot into the post out there. Back in for real this time, and Benoit plants him with a side suplex, then corner whips him to setup a crisp dropkick. An equally crisp hammerlock northern lights suplex follows, and then a snap suplex. Tilt-a-whirl, but Eddie blocks, and springboard DDTs him for two. The arm gives him trouble, allowing Benoit a short-clothesline, and he tries another hammerlock suplex, but Eddie counters into a bodyblock for two. Chris cuts him off again with some chops and a bodyslam, then slaps on a wristlock on the mat. Eddie tries using a monkeyflip to escape, but Chris blocks, so Guerrero turns it into a springboard rana for two, then kills him with a side suplex. Brainbuster sets up the Frogsplash, but Chris lifts the knees to block, and destroys him with an absolutely brutal powerbomb for two. Eddie's done but doesn't know it, and tries a sunset flip, but hurts his arm again, and Benoit hits a bridging German suplex for the pin at 8:36. This was just fantastic stuff, with both guys looking unbelievably crisp, and far, far ahead of pretty much everyone else in North America at this point. Too short to really be anything, but excellent nonetheless. Bischoff immediately capitalizes on the hot match by announcing the creation of a cruiserweight division. Hmm, that may go well, we'll see. This was airing opposite the Smoking Gunns defending the tag titles against PG-13, and obviously this was leaps and bounds better, though the Gunns were more recognizable stars at this point, and were defending titles. *** ¼

Gene Okerlund brings The Giant and Kevin Sullivan out for an in-ring interview to hype Halloween Havoc, BUT FIRST, call the hotline now for info regarding a top WWF star getting into a parking lot brawl with a fan, and coming out on the wrong end of the stick. I think we all can guess who that was

Disco Inferno joins us to show off his premium dancing

Jim Duggan v Meng: Meng attacks during the entrances, and hammers him in the corner, but misses a charge, then misses a 2^nd rope bodypress as well. Duggan slugs back, and bodyslams him, but spends too much time playing to the crowd, and walks into a superkick, then finished with the Tongan Spike at 1:59. This was airing opposite a Dean Douglas squash on RAW, and despite this being a star/star match, I'd have to give the edge to RAW - if only because the announcers were discussing the Shawn Michaels Syracuse incident the whole time, which was more interesting then anything going on here. DUD

Halloween Havoc promo

Hulk Hogan is still wearing black, and calls himself the 'Don Corleone' of wrestling, who can 'make promoters drop to their knees.' Okay, then. Also, he slammed Giant's 'dad' in front of '94,000 people,' and he's going to do the same to his 'stinky, wart infested' son at Halloween Havoc, then 'bury him right next to his father.' Well this was... something. It didn't really make me want to buy the pay per view, but it did work as an anti-drug PSA, that's for damn sure

Halloween Havoc promo

Ric Flair and Sting v Arn Anderson and Brian Pillman: Sting doesn't actually bother to show up for his new partner, however, so this is a Handicap match. Ric starts with Pillman, and wins a chopfest, then gives Arn a taste as well. Crowd is really into the Nature Boy here. Out to the floor, Flair knocks them both into the rail, before the dust settles on him and Arn in the ring. Figure Four right away, but Brian breaks it up with a flying splash, so Flair gives him his own Figure Four. Flying axehandle on Arn, but a cheap shot from Pillman allows Anderson the spinebuster to take over, and suddenly here comes Sting - nearly blowing the roof off the place in the process. That was a hell of a reaction, and it's worth noting that the Hogan/Giant stuff wasn't drawing anywhere NEAR that kind of response from the crowd. Anderson and Pillman cut the ring in half on Flair, but he fights off Pillman long enough to make the tag. Sting is a house of arson, and it's multiple Stinger Splashes all around. Sting cleans house with ease, and Arn and Brian are counted out at 7:03. It's worth noting that Flair didn't at all participate in the four-way brawl, just adding another layer to this terrific angle. This was airing opposite the Hart/Yankem cage match over on RAW, and while that was a more complete match (as opposed to this, which was just an angle), this was a really hot angle. *

Gene Okerlund joins Sting and Flair in the ring for an interview, and Sting explains that he only came down because he saw that Flair was really fighting, and now believes that he's for real with this deal

BUExperience: RAW did a much better rating number, but Nitro delivered a far better show – not only with better overall wrestling and star power, but amped up with the benefit of a hot live crowd, instead of the fourth-week-of-a-taping zombie crowd RAW had

Monday Night Wars Rating Chart

	10/16/1995
Show	RAW	Nitro
Rating	2.6	2.2
Total Wins	3	1
Win Streak	1	n/a