WCW Monday Nitro (January 27, 1997)

Original Airdate: January 27, 1997

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

Eric Bischoff and The Outsiders are out to review the tape of the finish from the tag title match at Souled Out, where they lost the belts to the Steiner Brothers when WCW referee Randy Anderson jumped out of the crowd to count the pin. Bischoff calls Randy (or, as he refers to him, 'that little redneck mutt') over, and gets him to admit that he got a comped ticket to Souled Out, and since it's against company policy to accept such gifts, his ass is fired. For Eric's next act, he calls out the Steiner Brothers (whose outfits are seemingly getting more ridiculous by the minute), and forces them to return the belts to the Outsiders, since they never legally won them anyway. This was a pretty great segment, and I didn't mind the shenanigans since they flat out told you the decision wouldn't stand during the pay per view telecast itself. And, as far as Dusty finishes go, it just works, and makes you want to root for the Steiner Brothers even more. This aired opposite some highlights from various weekend shows as well as the bulk of the Ahmed/Crush match over on RAW, and we'll give Nitro the edge there

The Steiner Brothers v The Faces of Fear: The Steiner's are understandably pissed off over having to give back the belts, and clean house to start. But, it's the fucking FACES OF FEAR, so the celebration doesn't last too long for them, and Scott Steiner gets killed. Dust settles on him and Barbarian, but Scott fights out of the corner with a belly-to-belly suplex, and both guys tag. Slugfest is won by Rick Steiner, but a criss cross goes Meng's way with an inverted atomic drop, and the Faces hit Rick with a backdrop/powerbomb combo for two. The way they just casually can do a spot like that with a guy the size of Steiner is impressive. Vertical suplex/flying splash combo gets two (complete with Meng nearly killing Rick due to Rick being out of position), and Barbarian adds a running powerslam for two. Stereo flying headbutt drops get two, so Meng unloads with chops, and Barbarian takes Rick upstairs for an overhead superplex, but Steiner topples him for two. Boy, that looked nasty. Rick adds a suplex of his own to allow the hot tag to Scott, and Roseanne Barr the door! Scott with a butterfly powerbomb on Meng for two, so Meng tries a vertical suplex, but Scott counters to an overhead version for the pin at 5:56. This had its moments... power matches are always fun. This aired opposite the Shawn Michaels portion of the main eventer interview segment, and I'd give WCW the edge again. * ½

Giant v Roadblock: Roadblock attacks before Giant can even get into the ring, and the stupid referee actually calls for the opening bell during it. Man, Bischoff fired the wrong guy. Roadblock tries a bodyslam, but he can't pull it off, and Giant reverses. Roadblock keeps coming with clotheslines, but Giant responds in kind, and wins that exchange as well. Running dropkick knocks Roadblock over the top and through a table, and Giant drags him back in for the Chokeslam at 1:48. Any longer and it would have been a mess, but it was a pretty fun quickie. Afterwards, Giant calls out WCW World Champion Hollywood Hulk Hogan, challenging him to a match tonight, if he's 'got any manhood at all.' Well, Giant, that all depends on whether you're asking Hulk Hogan the character, or Hulk Hogan the person. This aired opposite the rest of the interview segment on RAW, and give Nitro the edge. ½*

WCW United States Title Match: Eddie Guerrero v Jeff Jarrett: That US belt looks so big on Eddie that it's at risk of falling off of him at any moment. Is Jeff's dark/light outfit tonight some sort of bizarre tribute to Roddy Piper at WrestleMania VI? They feel each other out to start, with Eddie getting the better of a criss cross with a dropkick for two, but walking into a swinging neckbreaker. Jeff tries a backdrop, but Guerrero blocks, and hooks a small package for two. Jarrett cuts him off with a clothesline for two, and manages to add a vertical suplex, followed by a straddling ropechoke.  Criss cross allows Eddie to come back with a bodypress, so Jeff forces another criss cross, and we have a double knockout spot. Sidewalk slam, but Eddie counters with a headscissors takedown, and he adds an inverted atomic drop. A big uppercut floors Jarrett, and a brainbuster sets up the Flying Frogsplash, but Jeff pops up before the champ can dive. Jarrett brings him off the top with a vertical superplex, but Eddie blocks the Figure Four, so Jeff takes him into the corner for a ten-punch. Guerrero reverses, but then Steve McMichael just shows up and hits Jarrett with his briefcase for the DQ at 4:33. Apparently Debra wanted him to hit Eddie, but he went rogue. 'That's why you should keep 'em in the kitchen,' notes Larry. Dear God, he's lucky Twitter wasn't a thing yet in 1997. I remembered that Jarrett's angles were all shit around this period, but had forgotten that he was actually pretty motivated in the ring most of the time. This was a decent little match, but the finish was terrible. This aired opposite the Bulldog/Furnas match on RAW, and we'll give WCW the edge for better ring work. **

Tony attempts to finally show the long promised footage of Roddy Piper beating Hulk Hogan at Starrcade, but of course the tape cuts out just before we can see the finish. Turns out it was Bischoff, and he comes out to destroy the tape so no one can ever see it again. Knowing WCW, I'm surprised they didn't accidentally give him the real master to destroy. This aired opposite the finish to the Bulldog/Furnas match, along with the post-match shenanigans between Davey and Owen on RAW. Point for Nitro

nWo Souled Out t-shirt ad. I guess they had a lot of those left over

Ultimo Dragon v Billy Pearl: Pearl looks like your average 70s undercard guy, down to the gear and hairstyle. He wins a test-of-strength against Dragon at the bell, but takes a monkeyflip out of it, so Billy throws a dropkick. That staggers Dragon for a moment, but he quickly regroups with a standing headlock, and a criss cross ends in Dragon unloading kicks. Bodyslam sets up an elbowdrop for two, and a cross corner whip leads to a handspring backelbow, but Pearl dodges. Billy uses a bodyslam to set up a dive, but Dragon blocks with a dropkick, and he uses a fallaway slam to set up a flying moonsault, followed by a bridging tiger suplex at 2:43. Dragon probably shouldn't have been giving Pearl that much from a career perspective, but it made for a solid little cruiserweight match. This aired opposite highlights of not-so-important stuff that happened over the weekend, and I'd give WCW the edge. *

Gene Okerlund brings the Four Horsemen out again for their weekly snipe session. I remember them spinning their wheels with these various internal turmoil storylines forever at the time, and it's even worse than I remembered. It's just the same talking points every damn week, with nothing new ever coming out of it. This aired opposite the Godwinns facing Vader and Mankind on RAW, and we'll give the WWF the advantage

Lex Luger v Ron Powers: Speaking of guys who keep doing the exact same thing every week, here's Lex Luger out for his weekly squash. At least the crowd is still really into him, though. Lex with a bunch of clotheslines and the Torture Rack at 1:18. Afterwards, Luger offers to watch Giant's back in his fight against the nWo, which feels like its setting up a heel turn, but even they weren't stupid enough to go there with Lex in the middle of this babyface renaissance of his. This aired opposite the rest of the tag match on RAW, and we'll give the WWF the edge. DUD

The Amazing French Canadians v Arn Anderson and Steve McMichael: How did Schiavone get away with wearing fucking sweats on national television every week? Man, the 90s must have been a great time to adult. Jacques Rougeau starts with Arn, but Carl Ouellet runs in with a cheap shot before they can even make contact, and the Enforcer gets dumped to the outside for abuse right away. Back in, the heels corner Arn for a double team, and cut the ring in half with combos. Arn dodges Carl in the corner long enough for the tag to Steve, and the crowd is hot for him. He runs wild on the Canadians, so Carl grabs the flag pole, but the referee cuts him off. That allows Steve to whack Jacques with the briefcase for the pin at 4:22. This was effectively Arn's last match (save for a pair nothing matches involving David Flair on Thunder a few years later, with total bell-to-bell time of, like, three minutes), and a fitting ending it was - Arn working hard, while everyone pays attention to a bigger star (in this case Hogan, who the announcers spent the entire match talking about). ½*

Lee Marshall is in Memphis Tennessee with the 1-800-COLLECT Road Report

WCW World Tag Team Title Match: The Outsiders v The Extreme: These guys look like they just stepped out of a revival of Lost Boys, and are on their way to one for Dudes. Scott Hall attacks Ace Darling, and launches him with a hiptoss, followed by a fallaway slam. He forces a tag to Devon Storm, and then immediately no-sells his meek attempts at punches, before passing to Kevin Nash to murder him with a sidewalk slam. Back to Hall for the Outsider's Edge, complete with a foot-to-chest pin at 2:00. Nothing as a match, but pretty funny as a dismissive squash. DUD

Kevin Sullivan v Joe Gomez: Another squash, as Sullivan charges in, dumps him to the outside for some quick abuse on the floor, and takes it back in for the double stomp at 0:43. Hey, less is more with Sullivan. DUD

WCW World Champion Hollywood Hulk Hogan is out to accept Giant's challenge for tonight, while Sting and Randy Savage appear in the rafters to watch, which I believe is the first time we're seeing Sting come for Hogan, even from a distance. Suddenly lots of security everywhere tonight, did they have an issue with fans attacking the workers during this period? This was a real nothing segment

WCW Cruiserweight Title Match: Dean Malenko v Jerry Flynn: I'll buy a lot of things, but Flynn as a cruiserweight? His hair alone looks like it weighs more than the limit! Dean looks pissy tonight, but then, when didn't he? Flynn wins a reversal sequence with a savate kick, and he takes the champ into the corner to unload on with strikes. Cross corner whip sets up a corner spinheel kick, but Malenko quickly recovers with an overhead suplex for two. Dean starts targeting the leg from there, but gets the tables turned on him while unloading in the corner. Jerry with a sidekick and a powerslam for two, but another kick gets caught, and countered into the Texas Cloverleaf at 2:35. Nothing to sink your teeth into here. ¼*

A police officer hand delivers a telegram to Tony from the WCW Championship Committee, and Schiavone literally jumps up with excitement upon silently reading it. He grabs the house microphone so he can share it with the live crowd as well, and announces that Hogan will have a rematch with Roddy Piper at SuperBrawl VII - this time for the title! This was nicely done, making the announcement seem important, and Tony did a great job of getting over the enthusiasm

Hugh Morrus v Chris Benoit: Morrus shoves him right into the corner, but misses a charge, and Chris starts flipping the fuck out while unloading. You know, one might think that Benoit guy is a bit unbalanced. Cross corner whip, but Morrus keeps blocking, and he puts Benoit on his ass with a clothesline. Press-drop follows, and Morrus punishes him with a bootrake on the mat. Into the corner again, but Chris fires off chops to get out of trouble, and a clothesline gets two. Hugh fights back with a powerslam, and he goes up for the No Laughing Matter, but Benoit dodges. That allows him to go up with the Flying Headbutt, but an unnamed woman has jumped out of the crowd, and is getting in the woman named Woman's face. That distracts the referee, allowing Kevin Sullivan to come in and hit Chris with a chair, and Morrus hits the Matter at 3:07. Afterwards, this unnamed woman (Jacqueline, in her WCW debut) walks out with Sullivan, so Okerlund cuts them off in the aisle to find out what's going on. Apparently, she was his girlfriend before Woman, and she's back because she doesn't like how he's being treated by his wife, and wants to give him 'comfort.' This wasn't a great debut, but it was effective enough. ¾*

WCW Power Plant ad

WCW World Title Match: Hollywood Hulk Hogan v Giant: I'm not really sure if this is for the title, or not. WCW was often bad about clarifying during this period. Not that it really matters anyway, they've already announced Hogan/Piper for the title at SuperBrawl anyway. Funny moment during the entrances, as Vincent gets left hanging by everyone on an nWo high five, and tries to look like he wasn't going for one anyway. Smooth, bro. Giant rushes in and fights off Vincent to get Hogan alone, and it's turnbuckle smash time. Into the corner for a bootchoke, so Hulk goes to the eyes, and hits a corner clothesline. Irish whip sets up a clothesline, but Giant ducks, and chops the champion down. Backbreaker gets two when Vincent puts Hulk into the ropes, so Giant beats him up to keep things fair. That draws Eric Bischoff in, but his attacks are little more than a mild distraction for Giant. It does however allow the Outsiders to run in, and they attack Giant for the DQ at 2:53. They start beating him down, but Lex Luger runs out to tease a heel turn, only to stand side-by-side with Giant as he promised earlier. They actually did a nice job with that bit, as Lex ran out wearing a Nitro t-shirt, which you'd think might be signaling him revealing an nWo shirt underneath, but they played it straight instead. DUD

BUExperience: Pretty squash heavy and uninteresting this week, but at least some stuff happened, which is more than you can say for the opposing RAW.

Monday Night Wars Rating Chart

	1/27/97
Show	RAW	Nitro
Rating	2.2	3.6
Total Wins	17	48
Win Streak		31
Better Show (as of 1/27)	22	41