WCW Monday Nitro (January 6, 1997)

Original Airdate: January 6, 1997

From Monroe, Louisiana; Your Host is Tony Schiavone with Larry Zbyszko (hour one) and with Mike Tenay and Bobby Heenan (hour two)

Glacier v Bobby Eaton: Glacier takes him down with a legsweep to start, but Eaton fights off the follow-up, and takes it into the corner. Glacier fights back with a hiptoss, and an armdrag puts Bobby in an armbar. Bobby whips him into the ropes to escape, but a leapfrog gets botched, and Glacier suplexes him. Glacier with a kick to the head, and he uses a bodyslam, followed by a spinkick for two. Superkick then finishes at 1:56. Looked like they were having some communication issues here. This aired opposite the hot start to the Owen/Mankind match on RAW, so an easy point for the WWF. DUD

Mexican Strap Match: Big Bubba Rogers v Konnan: Not sure what makes it 'Mexican' this week, but sure. But, hey, at least Bubba isn't too busy taking a shit, or whatever kept him from wrestling last week. Konnan comes at him with right hands at the bell, but Bubba fights him off pretty quickly, and unloads with the strap. Konnan fights him off on the ropes and uses the strap as well, but then Bubba slugs him down. If this play-by-play is making anything about this match sound even the least bit interesting, I apologize. Bubba goes for the corners, but only gets three before Konnan chokes him with the strap, so Bubba starts punching, and ends up knocking Konnan into four corners at 5:48. This was pretty horrible, and I'd give the WWF the edge with the highlights of Shotgun Saturday Night, plus the tag match. The tag match was boring, but not outright horrible like this was. –¼*

Gene Okerlund wants to show Kevin Sullivan some tapes of Chris Benoit and Woman canoodling together, which seems like a ridiculously insensitive idea, even by his standards

Okerlund brings the Four Horsemen out for an interview, though Benoit and Woman are not with them this week. That gives Debra McMichael a chance to get plenty catty, noting that she's seen Woman in the dressing room without her makeup on, and she's "as ugly as grandpa's toenails." Give it to these Southerners, they have the best expressions in the world. So Jeff Jarrett shows up to make his case for being a Horsemen again, and it's, like, dude, back off already. How desperate are you? But at least we get a few more Southern expressions. He makes the mistake of disrespecting Arn Anderson, though, and the Enforcer kicks his ass down to the ring for an impromptu match

Arn Anderson v Jeff Jarrett: Jeff's already in trouble as the bell sounds, and Arn continues to beat him all around the ring. Jeff makes a brief comeback with right hands, but Anderson dumps him to the outside, and Jarrett eats steps. Back in, but Jeff is too quick for him, and a swinging neckbreaker (complete with leveraged pin) is enough at 1:06. Afterwards, the rest of the Horsemen descend, but Debra wants them to give Jeff a break. Ric Flair was such a tryhard during this period, and really became a parody of himself around this time. This aired opposite mostly recaps of stuff over on RAW, so give Nitro the point. DUD

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WCW Television Title Match: Lord Steven Regal v Jim Duggan: Regal stalls a bit to start, as Eric Bischoff, Kevin Nash, and Syxx show up to take over the announce position. Duggan unloads as they get going, as the nWo guys announce that Diamond Dallas Page has joined up with the group. Regal manages to fight Hacksaw off in the corner, and Jim ends up on the outside, allowing Regal to stomp him from the high ground when Duggan rolls back in. Cross corner whip, but Duggan reverses, and he hits a backdrop when Regal rebounds. Steven ends up on the outside for more stalling, and it's a shame the nWo chased Larry off, because this is just his kind of wrestling. Back in, Duggan works a standing side-headlock, with Regal's escape attempts all going badly for the champion. Bodyslam gets Jim two, but he telegraphs a backdrop, and Regal boots him in the face. That allows the champion to get some traction, but Duggan quickly starts no-selling him, so Regal takes it to the mat. He holds Duggan in a chinlock then a full-nelson, but Jim fights free, and both guys collide when coming out of the corner for a double knockout. Duggan tapes up his fist as they recover, and he knocks Regal out, but the ten minute time limit expires at 8:14 before he can score the pin. That's some very liberal time keeping this week. RAW was airing a Sid interview and the Hart/Vader match (complete with antics from Shawn Michaels) opposite this, and that was much more entertaining than watching Regal try to get a match out of Duggan. ¾*

Hugh Morrus v Jim Powers: Morrus throws a knee to win the initial lockup, and he pounds Jim into the corner, but Powers reverses a cross corner whip. He hits a bodyslam and a clothesline, but another charge ends badly, and Morrus pounds him back into the corner. Cross corner whip works this time, but an avalanche doesn't, and Powers dives off the middle with a clothesline for two. Kneelift follows, and Powers adds a dropkick. Maybe go for a cover in there somewhere, Jimbo. Bodypress, but Morrus catches him in a slam, and the No Laughing Matter finishes up at 1:40. This was pretty energetic, but also aired opposite the hottest part of RAW (with the finish of the Hart/Vader match featuring Steve Austin attacking Hart, and Sid attacking Pete Lothario), so easy point for the WWF. ½*

Rey Mysterio Jr v Psychosis: Rey tries grabbing a headlock at the bell, but Psychosis wants to criss cross, ending in Rey taking a hiptoss over the top. Psychosis tries diving after him with a slingshot moonsault press on the floor, but he badly botches it, nearly crippling himself in the process. On the bright side, they don't pretend the move worked. Rey rolls him in for a springboard flying bodypress, but Psychosis is ready with a dropkick to knock him out of the air, and he chops Mysterio into the corner. Big clothesline sends Rey spiraling, and Psychosis dives with a flying spinheel kick for two. Psychosis with an inverted guillotine legdrop to send Rey back to the outside for a baseball slide, but a dive off the top misses, and Psychosis eats guardrail. Rey responds with a springboard somersault senton on the outside, and they slug it out on the apron, with Rey using a monkeyflip back in to win the exchange. Mysterio follows him in with a slingshot moonsault for two, and a victory roll is worth two. Snapmare puts Psychosis down for a headscissors hold, but he escapes, and uses a bodyslam to set up a flying legdrop for two. Psychosis with a brutal powerbomb for two, but Rey counters another one with a sunset flip for two, so Psychosis quickly puts the boots to him. He's rattled though, and a dropkick ends up missing, allowing Rey to dive with a springboard flying rana into a cradle at 6:41. Hot match here. *** ½

Kevin Sullivan v Chavo Guerrero Jr: Sullivan attacks before the bell, blitzing Chavo to kick start the bout. Sullivan dumps him to the outside, but Guerrero hustles to the top rope, and dives at Kevin with a missile dropkick. They slug it out, with Sullivan able to turn the tide back in his favor, and he chucks Chavo back to the outside. They time Kevin stays on him for some abuse with the steps, post, and rail, and he takes Guerrero back inside for a tree of woe, followed by the double stomp at 2:18. ¼*

Last week, the nWo kicked the crap out of Roddy Piper

WCW United States Title Match: Eddie Guerrero v Alex Wright: Eddie is the champion, but has no title belt, since Syxx stole it at Starrcade. Well, at least it was leading somewhere this time, as opposed to when Giant stole the belt, and then nothing came of it. Feeling out process to start, and Wright takes control with a few headscissor takedowns, followed by a dropkick to put the champion on the outside. Eddie regroups out there, and he manages a hammerlock on the way back in, before taking Alex down for a chinlock. Wright escapes, and he tries a headlock, but Guerrero quickly counters to a waistlock, and they end at a stalemate. Lockup ends with a clean break in the corner, but Eddie gets the better of a criss cross with a leg lariat, and a bodyslam sets up a slingshot somersault senton splash for two. He goes to the mat with an armbar, but Wright wrestles to a vertical base, so Guerrero throws uppercuts on the ropes. Irish whip, but Wright reverses, and he clotheslines the champion down for two. Chinlock, as Syxx shows up with a ladder - hanging out in the aisle to taunt Guerrero. Eddie sees him out there as he escapes Alex's hold, and the distraction allows Wright a schoolboy for two. Dropkick leads to a bridging vertical suplex for two (you rarely see that suplex get bridged - I like it), and a backbreaker is worth two. Wright goes back to the chinlock so we can all pay attention to Syxx's bullshit, and then a dive with a flying sunset flip for two. German suplex, but Guerrero blocks, so Wright goes with a belly-to-belly for two instead. Charge in the corner misses, however, allowing Eddie a saito suplex. Irish whip, but Wright reverses, and nails the champ with a spinheel kick. Flying axehandle connects, and a bridging northern lights suplex is worth two. Stop cutting to fucking Syxx! Wright goes upstairs, but Guerrero follows with a vertical superplex, and the Flying Frogsplash finishes at 9:06. And then Guerrero takes off after Syxx as soon as the bell sounds, but the kid gets away before Eddie can catch him. This heated up into a hell of a match by the end, good stuff. ***

Lee Marshall joins us from New Orleans Louisiana with the 1-800-COLLECT Road Report

Harlem Heat v The Amazing French Canadians: Big brawl right away, with the Heat dumping Carl Ouellet to the outside, and hitting Jacques Rougeau with a tandem vertical suplex. Dust settles on Stevie Ray giving Jacques a front-powerslam, and it's over to Booker T to throw a spinkick. He adds the Harlem Sidekick, so Robert Parker distracts him from the apron, and Carl is able to sneak in a cheap shot. Booker ends up on the outside for some abuse, and the heels cut the ring in half on him as they take it back inside. Miscommunication with the flag pole allows Booker to get the tag to Stevie, and a powerbomb/flying elbowdrop combo quickly polishes Jacques off at 4:07. Not a lot to it, but it was mostly fine. ¾*

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Back at Starrcade, Sting ear fucked by Lex Luger and Giant

Lex Luger v Meng: Luger remains one of the more over guys on the whole roster, despite rarely doing very much. Meng unloads on him to start. And not even really 'to start,' as he just goes to town on Lex with kicks and punches for the first two minutes. Shoulderbreaker gets two, and a piledriver is worth two. Lex fights him off and hits a jumping forearm smash, and it's comeback city. Backdrop works, and a powerslam gets two. Meng gut-punches him to buy some time, but a corner splash misses, and Lex slaps on the Torture Rack. The referee gets bumped while checking for the submission, however, and here comes Barbarian. Lex fights him off and puts him in the Rack, and the recovering referee gives Luger the submission victory anyway at 4:51. I get that the idea there is that the official was too dazed to notice that Lex had the wrong man in the hold, but it's still a stupid finish. Like, if you don't want to book Meng to submit, then come up with a different fucking finish. DUD

WCW World Champion Hollywood Hulk Hogan and the nWo come out for their weekly rally, but here's Giant to get in Hogan's face. He's met with the full force of the nWo, but they're too stupid to all rush him at once, instead deciding to try it one at a time like a bunch of action movie idiots. So Giant destroys them and isolates Hogan, prompting Bischoff to try and make the save. That goes as well as you'd expect, but the distraction allows Hulk to recover with a chair, and the rest of the gang rushes in to help subdue Giant. They beat on him for a while before chasing the announcers away so they can rant a little more, and while they're doing that, Sting shows up in the ring. The nWo claim he's their man, but Sting points the baseball bat at them, drops it, and walks out without incident. The nWo send Vincent down to get the bat, but the sleeping Giant wakes up, and kills him with the Chokeslam. This was far too long for what it was, but continuing to tease Sting as a distant protector of WCW is a good angle

BUExperience: Nitro had two matches better than any on RAW this week, and things picked up a lot during the second hour, but RAW felt like an easier watch. The thing is, Nitro doesn’t quite have enough firepower for a two hour show every week. Sometimes they do, but most weeks it feels like they’re padding and stretching one hour’s worth of material into two, rather than having a really hot sixty minute broadcast. And that hurts them more than it helps, but of course there would be no putting that genie back in the bottle, and by the time the arms race was over, they’d be doing three hours every Monday – the results of which we’re still feeling twenty years later.

Monday Night Wars Rating Chart

	1/6/97
Show	RAW	Nitro
Rating	2.1	3.0
Total Wins	17	45
Win Streak		28
Better Show (as of 1/6)	21	39