Original Airdate: December 1, 1997
From Knoxville, Tennessee; Your Hosts are Tony Schiavone and Mike Tenay, with Larry Zbyszko (hour one) and with Bobby Heenan (hour two)
Gene Okerlund brings Eric Bischoff out (“please welcome… no, don’t welcome him”) to talk about Larry Zbyszko, but Eric clarifies that he never actually accepted Larry’s challenge for a match at Starrcade. His acceptance was for a match right then and there, and since that didn’t happen, we’re done. But Eric doesn’t want to disappoint all the fans, so he’ll agree to the match only if the stakes are control of Nitro. But, you know, unfortunately Larry doesn’t have the authority to make that deal, so I guess no match. What a shame, shucks
Rey Mysterio Jr v Juventud Guerrera: WCW Cruiserweight Champion Eddie Guerrero makes a surprise appearance to do commentary for this one. Bit of a feeling out process to start, dominated by Rey. Headscissors takes Guerrera down, but Juvi counters a rana with a hotshot, as Eddie sounds like he’s been hanging around the deep south for too long. Guerrera with an elbowdrop for two, and he works a grapevine, then dropkicks the leg when Rey refuses to quit. Guerrera with another grapevine, but Rey gets to a vertical base with a leg-feed enzuigiri, and he uses another headscissors. Vertical suplex, but Guerrera crotches him across the top rope to block, and then brings him off with a rana for two. Crisp execution on that one. Guerrera with a suplex, but Rey blocks, and they do a reversal sequence ending in Guerrera delivering a sitout cradle brainbuster. Corner dropkick misses, however, allowing Rey an electric chair, and an unbelievably crisp springboard flying rana into a cradle finishes at 5:38. They were in cruise control with this one. *
Wrath v Hugh Morrus: Wrath attacks before the bell, as Raven leads his Flock out to their ringside seats. You’d think he, of all people, have seen enough Wrath matches for one lifetime. Hugh with a 2nd rope clothesline, but he gets distracted by the manager, and Wrath big boots him over the top. Wrath dives after him with a somersault senton from the apron, and a flying clothesline connects on the way back in. Uranage looks to finish, but Mortis wants to get a shot in - only to hit Wrath. That allows Morrus to go up with the flying moonsault at 2:49. I didn’t get much out of this, but Wrath seemed to be trying. ¼*
WCW World Champion Hollywood Hulk Hogan joins us, and he’s all worked up about all the fans wearing their (clearly planted) Sting masks at ringside. Are we sure they aren’t all just Kevin Nash fans?
Prince Iaukea v Yuji Nagata: The announcers spin a wild theory about Hogan having the plan for the nWo before even coming into the promotion in ‘94, and that it was all hatched over jealousy of Sting being the ‘franchise’ of WCW at that time. That’s certainly… a theory. Prince with a trapping suplex for two, and he works a headlock, but Nagata side suplexes his way out of it, and dumps him. Sonny Onoo is right there with his cheap shots, and Nagata hammers him once they’re back inside. Toehold wears Prince down, and a half-crab looks for the submission, but Prince nears the ropes, so Nagata abandons it. Chops, but Prince responds in kind, so Nagata rakes the eyes, and Onoo swipes with another cheap shot. Prince recovers with a superkick and a dropkick, but walks into an overhead suplex. That allows Nagata to try a superplex, but Prince shoves him off the top, and dives with a flying bodypress at 4:46. This was kind of boring, but competent. ¾*
Nitro Girls put us in the holiday mood. What the hell kind of holidays were they having at the Schiavone house?
Harlem Heat v The Faces of Fear: The Flock hold up signs at ringside, and Tony complains that we still don’t know the name of one of the guys (Lodi). “But he stands up a lot. He’s there,” notes Schiavone. Really hard hitting journalism there, Bernstein. He also mentions that we’ll likely run long again tonight, but that they’ll stay with things until the ‘bitter end.’ I like Tony, but no wonder everybody was making fun of him by the late 90s. The Heat dominate Barbarian in the early going, but he fights Booker T off, and passes to Meng. Meng with chops and a shoulderblock, but he loses a criss cross when Booker pulls out a spinkick. Axekick follows for two, and both guys tag - Stevie Ray eating a big boot from Barbarian for two. Bodyslam sets up stereo headbutt drops for two, but Stevie comes back with a powerslam, and that’s enough for the tag to Booker - Roseanne Barr the door! Harlem sidekick on Barbarian gets two, and a victory roll puts it away at 4:10. ½*
Disco Inferno v Scott Hall: Tony’s in rare form tonight, now telling us to ignore all the fans cheering for Hall during his ‘little survey,’ since they’re all wearing the Sting masks they got for free at the door, and thus really support WCW. Just ignore your eyes and ears, and trust us. Meanwhile, Kevin Nash handles the ring introductions, introducing Disco as “the guy that lost to the chick.” Funny, but man, these guys were like Uncle Junior in season one - not only do they eat alone, they don’t even pass the salt. Disco tries taking it to him in the corner, but Hall turns the tables, and adds a corner clothesline for good measure. Chokeslam sends Disco to the outside for Nash to abuse, and Scott delivers a fallaway slam on the way back inside. Outsider’s Edge finishes at 2:49. Pretty sure Hall worked this exact same squash on Superstars in 1993. DUD
Nitro Girls do their thing
Gene brings JJ Dillon out to ask him about the Zbyszko/Bischoff situation, and JJ thinks he has a solution: sure, let’s put Nitro on the line. Eric comes out to protest since he still doesn’t want the match, but it was a verbal contract: Eric will step into the ring with Larry at Starrcade for control of Nitro
Ultimo Dragon v Psychosis: Psychosis tries a running dropkick at the bell, but Dragon sidesteps him. Criss cross allows Psychosis a koppou kick, so Dragon unloads a series of his own kicks to try and keep control. Psychosis dumps him to the outside for a slingshot legdrop on the floor, and he rolls Dragon in to cover for two. Corner whip sets up a corner dropkick, but Dragon fights back with a rana. Powerbomb, but Psychosis finds a cradle for two, and a reversal sequence ends in Psychosis reversing a cradle for two. Psychosis with a magistral cradle for two, and a bodyslam sets up a dive, but Dragon crotches him on the top to block. Dragon brings him off the top with a rana, and the Dragon sleeper finishes at 3:55. This was a rather awkward bout. ¾*
This week’s Nitro Party winner are some rednecks who chant “deport Eddie” whenever Eddie Guerrero is on screen
Chris Benoit v Kidman: Raven is scheduled to wrestle here, but sends Kidman in instead. Meanwhile, Tony is still very concerned about who Lodi is. Benoit blasts him with an elbow right away, and a backdrop follows. Chris with a chop and a brutal matslam, and a spinebuster sets up an elevated crab. More chops as a taunt at Raven, but Kidman wins a reversal sequence with a headscissors. Bulldog follows, and they spill to the outside, where Chris gets control again, unloading more hard chops. He was slapping him like he just made a GI Jane joke, or something. WCW Television Champion Perry Saturn assists with a cheap shot, allowing Kidman a shooting star press from the apron, and a bodyslam sets up a slingshot legdrop for two on the way back inside. Kidman with a corner whip to set up a clothesline on the rebound for two, and a snapmare sets up a chinlock. Benoit uses a side suplex to escape, and a guillotine backbreaker finds the mark. German suplex, but Kidman blocks, and throws a few chops of his own - only to get taken down in the crippler crossface at 5:51. Fun match, with Benoit absolutely wrecking him with crisp stuff, and Kidman game to sell it all. Afterwards, the Flock beat him down. **
Nitro Girls are back! In POG form!
Lex Luger v Buff Bagwell: More fun with Tony: calling the match where Luger beat Hogan to win the title ‘one of the greatest matches ever.’ We get a posedown to start, naturally. Lex knocks him around, and a clothesline sends Bagwell over the top. Lex follows, so Bagwell sends him into the guardrail, as the old lady fan at ringside tries to attack Buff. I believe that’s the famous Beulah Boshers, one of the greatest superfans of all time, and who made a number of memorable WCW appearances, always seated in the same spot whenever they’d come through Knoxville. Buff takes him in for a chinlock, but Lex escapes, so Bagwell uses a chincrusher to set up a clothesline for two. Bagwell with a pair of corner whips and a corner clothesline, but a second charge hits boot, and Lex side suplexes him. Luger makes a comeback, so Vincent tries attacking, and the referee disqualifies Bagwell at 7:29 (despite Luger fighting the interference off). Oddly, the referee never actually called for a bell there, the timekeeper just kind of took matters into his own hands. “Can you feel the momentum of World Championship Wrestling,” wonders Tenay. ¼*
Video package of the nWo beating Diamond Dallas Page up a bunch of times
WCW United States Title Match: Curt Hennig v Diamond Dallas Page: Much like the WWF Intercontinental title, that version of the US belt looks like it was made for Hennig. I bet the early 90s version would have been amazing on him as well. Page knocks him around at the bell, so Hennig decides to walk out on the match, before changing his mind. I was thinking they were building up to the ‘champion comes back or loses the title’ bit, but nope, Curt just changed his mind. Inside, Page unloads, so Hennig uses a mulekick. Curt catapults his challenger under the bottom rope, as Tenay calls DDP ‘Page Falkinburg.’ Somersault necksnap finds its mark, as the poor referee goes down from something. I’m not sure what happened there, but I think a fan might have thrown something meant for Hennig, and ended up clocking the poor official. That’s the promotion’s own fault, they were way too forgiving with fans throwing things at the wrestlers during this period. Hennig wisely grounds things with a sleeper to give the referee time to recover, and we hang out in that for a while. Curt puts the boots to him, but loses a criss cross, and Page comes back with a discus clothesline. Pancake piledriver follows, and the Diamond Cutter looks to finish, but Rick Rude pulls the referee out at two. That allows the nWo to run in, and I assume Page wins by DQ at 6:51, though no decision is actually announced and no bell rings. Guess the timekeeper wasn’t feeling frisky anymore. DUD
BUExperience: Both shows were pretty weak this time, but I’d give Nitro a very slight edge. But that’s less because it was good than just because RAW was so bad. At least Nitro was just killing time with their extended Starrcade build, RAW was supposed to be the go-home show for a PPV, and it didn’t work at all.
Monday Night Wars Rating Chart
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