WCW Monday Nitro (January 20, 1997)

Original Airdate: January 20, 1997

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

Randy Savage hops out of the crowd during the opening, claiming he's been blackballed, and he's not leaving the ring until he can talk to someone with 'some stroke.' Meaning not Eric Bischoff, who can kiss his ass. This is his first appearance since Halloween Havoc, and he's dressed in black instead of his usual flashy colors. I know a lot of people dug the nWo-era Macho Man look, but I'm a fan of the bright colors. So Savage takes a seat in the ring, but no one comes out. Eventually Chavo Guerrero Jr comes out because he's scheduled to wrestle Maxx Muscle, but he makes the mistake of getting in Macho's face, and you can guess how that works out. Maxx comes out next, same result, and the crowd is loving it. Seriously, they're popping for a dude sitting in a chair like it's the main event of WrestleMania. Savage takes out the referee as well, so Doug Dillinger comes out to try and talk him down, but Randy takes him out as well. Cue Alex Wright to get killed, and so both the Steiner Brothers and the Amazing French Canadians come out. Man, if it gets those four guys to unite, you know shit must be real. They try talking to Savage from a distance, until Sting shoots down from the rafters, and pushes past the other wrestlers and officials to confront Macho in the ring. He pushes him around with the baseball bat before passing it to him, but Savage doesn't hit him, instead returning it to the Stinger. That ends in both guys leaving through the crowd together in silence. This was a good segment, but it felt like it dragged on for a bit too long, and I prefer RAWs opening with Bret Hart storming the ring over it. Both were strong though

Chris Jericho v Alex Wright: They trade off on the mat to start, with Jericho dominating. He wins a criss cross as well, and a superkick gets him a two count. Into the corner for a chop, but a clothesline misses, and Wright throws a leg lariat, then puts the boots to him. Alex with a cross corner whip to set up a corner backelbow, but Chris fights off a Boston crab attempt, and hooks a victory cradle for two - reversed by Wright for two. And then Jericho just hooks another one for the pin at 2:25. Felt like they couldn't get on the same page here. This aired opposite a hot Hart/Bulldog v Furnas/LaFon tag match over on RAW, which is an easy point for the WWF. ¼*

Scotty Riggs v nWo Sting: I know it's part of his shtick, but Larry has used the word 'chess' about a dozen times in the first half hour alone, and he needs to chill. This crowd is still hot even for these goofs, which, wow. Riggs with a jumping backelbow and a pair of dropkicks to put Sting down for mounted punches, and he delivers a backdrop. Bodypress, but Sting catches him in a hotshot, and he puts the boots to the man. Sting with a backbreaker for one, and a cross corner whip sets up a clothesline in, but Scott blocks. Riggs with a 2^nd rope dropkick for two, but he gets distracted by Buff Bagwell in the aisle. That allows Sting a sneak attack, but Riggs fights him off, so the nWo just runs in on him for the DQ at 2:45. Not much here. Afterwards, they strong-arm the terrified ring announcer into naming Sting as the winner anyway. This aired opposite highlights of the Royal Rumble on RAW, give Nitro the edge. ¼*

nWo Souled Out t-shirt ad

Ric Flair is hanging out with Bob Probert of the Chicago Blackhawks, with Bob talking tough about the nWo. Okay then. This aired opposite Faarooq/Gunn over on RAW, call it a push

Eddie Guerrero and Jeff Jarrett v Arn Anderson and Steve McMichael: Tony notes that this is the biggest crowd to see any professional wrestling event in Chicago in 1997. It's January, just how many professional wrestling events have there even BEEN in Chicago so far? I think he's trying to throw shade at WrestleMania 13, but he just sounded dumb. Anyway, Mongo is over huge here as a former Chicago Bear, drawing 2002 Hogan level pops for simply shoulderblocking Guerrero. He tries a press-slam, but Eddie fights him off, and throws a dropkick. Charge, but Steve backdrops him over the top, and sends Eddie into the guardrail out there. Over to Arn to pound on Guerrero on the way back in, but Eddie manages a tag out to Jeff, and Roseanne Barr the door. The crowd is giving Jarrett nothing as he runs wild, and neither is Eddie, who gets distracted by Syxx, and chases him off. That allows the Horsemen to get the upper hand, and Arn puts Jeff in a Boston crab until Debra McMichael throws in the towel (or sash, in this case) on his behalf at 3:25. Another total nothing match, but at least they're building the storyline. Afterwards, Ric Flair, Chris Benoit, and Woman join the rest of the Horsemen to talk to Gene Okerlund, and it's just more of the same stuff we've been hearing for weeks now. This whole storyline just dragged on and on and on. Debra's 'Woman is a big hearted lady, with hips to match' diss is pretty funny, though. This aired opposite the super hot segment with Monsoon/McMahon/Austin over on RAW, and it's not even close. ¼*

Eric Bischoff is hanging out on his new motorcycle (which Hollywood Hogan bought for him, by the way), cutting promos on whatever's floating around his brain. The line about Randy Savage wanting both Miss Elizabeth and Bischoff's hair is pretty great, but this dragged on longer than necessary. This aired opposite more of the chaos over on RAW, into the Undertaker/Austin match, and the WWF's show was hotter

WCW Cruiserweight Title Match: Ultimo Dragon v Dean Malenko: The crowd chants 'ECW' here, which seems like a weird time to do that. I mean, I get that Dean worked there, but still. Malenko shakes off some kicks with a powerslam for two, and a snap powerslam is also worth two. Dean with a nasty brainbuster for two, and he grounds the champion in a chinlock, then cross corner whips him to follow in with a clothesline. Charge, but Dragon knocks him to the outside with a handspring backelbow, only to miss a plancha. Dean capitalizes with a whip into the guardrail, but Dragon reverses, and tries a sunset cradle on the way back in, but Malenko reverses for two - reversed again by Dragon for two. Dragon takes him up with a rana off the top for two, but a series of kicks backfire when Dean catches the leg, and sweeps him down. Dragon hides in the ropes to avoid a submission, so Dean tries a suplex, but Dragon counters with a magistral cradle at 4:15. Too short, but all action. And better than the Undertaker/Austin match over on RAW. ** ¼

WCW Television Title Match: Lord Steven Regal v Jacques Rougeau: Feeling out process to start, quickly interrupted when Robert Parker trips Regal up to give his man the advantage. It spills to the outside, where Rougeau smashes him into the apron, then back in for a backdrop, but Regal blocks. He tries a headlock, but Parker trips him up again, and Rougeau charges with a few axehandles. Parker tries coming into the ring to blatantly attack Regal from there, but it's in full view of the already suspicious referee, and there's the DQ at 1:53. This could have actually been kind of interesting, but it was way too short, and the horribly booked to boot. Like, it's one thing if this was meant to be a big face turn for Regal, but he continued to be booked as a heel after this, so it wasn't even that. DUD

Souled Out ad

Lee Marshall calls in the 1-800-COLLECT Road Report from Milwaukee Wisconsin

Kevin Sullivan v Chris Benoit: Benoit attacks during the entrances, and they brawl into the crowd before ever getting to the ring. They fight up the steps and out onto the concourse, and I love how chaotic it is compared to the modern WWE versions, with the cordoned off areas, and such. Like, they end up in the men's room, and there are fucking people in there! Also, eww. I mean, I try not to touch a thing when I go into a public bathroom, and here these guys are crawling around on the floor. It's a shame Dusty Rhodes isn't there to call this, though. So they fight out of the bathroom, and there's literally a mob of people there that they, their entourage, the referee, and the camera crew have to push through to get back out into the arena. Again, love the realism. So Sullivan beats Benoit down the steps back to the floor level, then finally into the ring to officially start the match. Chris gets control by throwing a drink into Kevin's face, and he hits a bodyslam. He takes Sullivan up for a side superplex, but Kevin fights him off, and delivers a turnbuckle smash ahead of a tree of woe. Unfortunately for him, Benoit escapes, and chases Kevin into the opposite corner with chops. Side suplex, but Sullivan uses a mulekick to block, and he delivers an atomic drop. Both guys end up down, and Benoit goes to the top for the flying headbutt drop, but Jimmy Hart passes Kevin the ring bell, and Sullivan uses it to block the dive and score the pin at 1:57 (bell to bell, 6:12 total). Not really my thing, but better than the bore fests we were getting in that first hour. ½*

Jim Duggan v Carl Ouellet: The nWo join us, taking over with Eric Bischoff, Kevin Nash, and Ted DiBiase doing commentary for the rest of the night. I'm honestly surprised Duggan never hurt anyone with his crazy flag waiving. Also, he's sporting purple tights, white kneepads, and gold boots tonight, which is the official WCW colors, but also a weird look for him. Jim dominates to start, so Jacques Rougeau helps with a distraction, and Carl takes over. He hits a 2^nd rope legdrop for two, and here come the Steiner Brothers to go after Jacques. They hit Ouellet as well in the process, and Duggan knocks Carl out for the pin at 2:02. Unless I missed it, Nash didn't even make a joke about Ouellet refusing to job to him in Montreal anywhere in here, which is disappointing. DUD

We take a look back at the whole Diamond Dallas Page/nWo saga over the last few months, though this time with the nWo giving their side on commentary, which is fresh

Masahiro Chono v Squire David Taylor: What the fuck is Taylor wearing? Nick Patrick takes over refereeing duties for the rest of the night here. Chono attacks from behind, and hits an inverted DDT, followed by a flying shoulderblock. David fires back with a sunset flip, but Patrick is 'out of position,' and Chono reverses for two. Backslide, but Taylor counters with a dropkick to send Chono to the apron, and David dives with a flying axehandle to knock him to the floor. Taylor with another axehandle from off of the apron, and he whips Chono into the rail. Inside, Taylor tries to keep it going, but Chono hits an inverted atomic drop, and puts it away with the STF at 2:34. ½*

Scott Hall v Booker T: Bischoff asks the fans to quit wearing nWo merchandise on the competitions shows, because they 'feel real bad about that.' That's pretty awesome. Hall throws the toothpick at him to start, which is a very bad idea. Booker slaps him around, so Hall takes things to the mat, and works the arm. Booker fights to a vertical base and throws a savate kick to shake Scott off, and a whip into the ropes sets up a backelbow, followed by the Harlem Sidekick for two. The crowd's pop for the spinarooni is getting bigger each week, but of course WCW never capitalized on it. Scott fights back with a fallaway slam, but Booker blocks a side superplex, and dives with a flying bodypress, but Patrick slow counts him to two. Booker goes after him, allowing Hall to attack, and the Outsider's Edge finishes at 2:49, while Buff Bagwell shows up to sexually harass Sister Sherri on the outside. Not much to this one, but it was energetic. ½*

nWo Hotline ad. There was an nWo hotline?

Lex Luger v Stevie Ray: Hopefully we don't have to watch Robin Hood to see how this one turns out. Patrick distracts Luger to allow Stevie a sneak attack (complete with Nick flashing the shit eating'iest of shit eating grins), but Lex fights Stevie off, and puts the boots to him in the corner. Stevie responds by dumping him to the outside, and Lex takes a ride into the rail. Sister Sherri gets in some cheap shots on the way back inside, where Stevie greets him with a clothesline. Again, but Lex ducks, and he catches Stevie with a powerslam on the rebound. Torture Rack, but Patrick has to call for the bell at 2:25. DUD

WCW World Champion Hollywood Hulk Hogan comes out for his usual self-aggrandizing interview to push Souled Out. That draws Giant out to go after him, but security cuts him off, and I think Giant is crying? What the fuck? Anyway, buy Souled Out to see if Hulk can make him cry again, I guess?

BUExperience: Wait, so nothing else about Randy Savage, then?

With a Clash special scheduled for the following night, and a pay per view that weekend, everyone had it in cruise control here, and it was obvious. RAW was far, far better, though Nitro continues to dominate the ratings war

Monday Night Wars Rating Chart

	1/20/97
Show	RAW	Nitro
Rating	2.2	3.7
Total Wins	17	47
Win Streak		30
Better Show (as of 1/20)	22	40