WCW Thunder (January 8, 1998)

Original Airdate: January 8, 1998

From Daytona Beach, Florida; Your Hosts are Tony Schiavone, Lee Marshall, and Bobby Heenan

Chris Adams v Randy Savage: Savage attacks before the bell, as the announcers get into a dumb debate about whehter or not Larry Zbyszko won Nitro back from the nWo, or just ‘secured’ it. Do they even hear themselves? Savage keeps wrecking him at will, and they go to the outside, where Macho drops him across the guardrail. Unfortunately for him, Lex Luger pops out with a chair, and he brains the Macho Man, then rolls him in for a lucky Adams to cover at 2:28. Wow, Savage supposedly wouldn’t agree to appear at Starrcade if he could ‘only’ pin Ray Traylor, but doing a job for Chris Adams is fine? DUD

Hollywood Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff join us, and they take about forty minutes just to walk down the aisle. They’ve been stretching time like crazy for the whole episode thus far, which makes sense, since it was originally scheduled as a two hour show, and then bumped up to three, so expect a lot of padding. Anyway, they gloat about how everyone is going to see that Hulk is still the rightful champion after we see the footage of the count from Starrcade later. And, honestly, they have a point. He pinned Sting fair and square, and should still be the champion

Mike Tenay brings JJ Dillon out, and he reverses the decision from the opening contest, awarding the bout to Savage by DQ. This promotion is increasingly becoming about fines, suspensions, and legal provisions. Luger comes out to respond, pissed that suddenly Dillon is reversing decisions, when the nWo has been running over the whole promotion for a year and a half without interference. Good showing from Lex here

Rick Martel v Louie Spicolli: Spicolli wears a shirt putting himself over as the inventor of the death valley driver here. Big criss cross to start, ending in Martel clotheslining him over the top. Back in, Rick with a hiptoss, and a pair of dropkicks send Spicolli back to the outside. Louie manages to take a shot as they come back inside, allowing him to turn the tide, as Raven’s Flock makes their way to their seats. Martel comes back with a bodypress for two, and he reverses a turnbuckle smash on Spicolli. Backdrop follows, but a dropkick misses, and Spicolli tries taking control again. Martel quickly fights that off, however, and a spinebuster sets up the Boston crab at 3:18. Really basic, but not terrible. ½*

Tenzan v Ohara: WCW debut for Ohara, though he only made two appearances for the promotion, both in early ‘98. Mike Tenay joins us on commentary for this one, noting that Ohara is the ‘Japanese equivalent of Ray Traylor.’ Not sure if Ohara would appreciate that comparison. Ohara pounds him down at the bell, but a slugfest goes Tenzan’s way, and he delivers a bodyslam. Tenzan lands a spinheel kick, so Sonny Onoo distracts him, allowing Ohara a hangmans clothesline. Powerbomb gets two, but a corner charge hits boot, and Tenzan dives with a 2nd rope axehandle. Shoulderbreaker sets up a flying headbutt drop, and that’s it at 2:56. This was kind of an uphill battle since the crowd didn’t know who either guy was. ½*

Ric Flair v Chris Jericho: Jericho offers another apology for his tantrums over the last few weeks. They criss cross a bunch to start, and Jericho gets control with a monkey flip, a spinkick, and a dropkick. Corner whip rebounds Flair into a backdrop, so Ric goes to the eyes, and pounds Chris down. Side suplex, but Jericho blocks. Rollup, but Flair blocks. Jericho manages a clothesline and a corner whip to flip Flair over the buckles, and Chris dropkicks him on the apron. Jericho with a vertical suplex back in, but the Lionsault misses, and Flair delivers a blatant low blow. He hammers on Jericho some, but Chris finds another backdrop, and another dropkick. Flying backelbow gets him two, but a flying dropkick misses, and Ric drops an elbow. Figure four finishes at 4:44. This was okay. *

Giant v Meng: Giant no-sells him to start, and hits a backdrop. That draws Jimmy Hart onto the apron to complain, so Giant chucks him at Meng, but misses an avalanche. That allows Meng to unload, and a dropkick to the leg takes Giant off of his feet. But then Giant just shrugs it off, and hits a chokeslam at 2:00. Not much, but the crowd came alive for Giant. DUD

Steve McMichael v Bill Goldberg: Mongo dives at him with a shoulderblock from the apron during the entrances, and he whips Goldberg into the steps out there. Inside, but Steve stupidly gives up the high ground, and gets nailed. Bill with a front-powerslam and a clothesline ahead of a grapevine, but Mongo has the ropes. Steve clips the leg after the break, and he dives with a 2nd rope shoulderblock for one. Three-point stance finds the mark, but he goes to the well again, and eats a spear. That allows Goldberg the Jackhammer at 2:23. This was a lot more effective than the crappy Starrcade match. ¼*

WCW World Tag Team Title Match: The Steiner Brothers v Konnan and Buff Bagwell: Tony notes that the Steiner’s are “a lot more smarter than people think.” Noted. Scott Steiner starts with Bagwell, and there’s posing galore! Hiptoss reversal sequence is won by Buff, but Scott comes back with a butterfly powerbomb. That draws Konnan in, but Scott clotheslines him, and the challengers bail. Dust settles on Rick Steiner and Konnan, and Rick pounds him down, then delivers an inverted powerslam into the turnbuckles. Bagwell takes a cheap shot to allow Konnan to turn the tide, and Buff takes in to deliver a badly botched neckbreaker for two. He tries a dive off the middle, but Rick catches him for a suplex, and he tags back to Scott. Rick sets up for the combo, but Scott decides to take Konnan to the top for a Frankensteiner instead, covering at 3:36. This was barely a complete match, with the heels not even getting a chance to cut the ring in half. I mean, literal jobbers were getting more in than they did here. ¼*

Control of Monday Nitro Match: Larry Zbyszko v Eric Bischoff: From Starrcade 1997. Bret Hart is the special guest referee for this one, and if Zbyszko wins, he gets a match with Scott Hall at Souled Out, in addition to saving Nitro. This is Larry’s first televised match since dropping the TV title to Steven Regal in June 1994, and Eric’s first match, ever. Bret, of course, last wrestled about a month ago - when he lost a world title in the most infamous finish in wrestling history - so he’s just refereeing. Lots of posturing to start, with ample stalling from Bischoff. Well, Larry really would have no place to complain about that. Eric lands a roundhouse kick once they finally engage, and Zbyszko goes down off of it. It fires him up, however, and he charges Bischoff - tackling him down, and grinding his face into the mat. Sleeper looks to polish him off, but Bret deems it a choke, and breaks it up. Zbyszko stays focused with a headscissors hold, but Hart again says it’s a choke, and intervenes. They’re just wasting zero time in having no idea how to book Bret, I see. Larry with a bodyslam to set up a standing figure four, but Bischoff has the ropes. Larry stomps the knee as he releases, and Eric wisely bails, going to the outside to strategize with Hall. Zbyszko doesn’t give him much of a breather, however, following to the outside to post Eric, as Hart gets in his face again. Zbyszko ignores him, and sends Eric into the steps, but another intervention from Bret allows Bischoff to strike Zbyszko down. Eric unloads on him, but Larry absorbs shot after shot, until Eric tires himself out. That allows Zbyszko to come back with a vertical suplex, and a swinging neckbreaker follows. Tree of woe, so Hall tries to interfere, but Zbyszko decks him. That triggers more protests from Hart, and as he argues with Larry, Hall loads Eric’s boot. Eric goes for a big kick, but the weapon goes flying out, though Zbyszko sells it like it was still there. Bret responds by flat out decking Bischoff (for no adequately explored reason), so Hall comes in, but Bret dispatches him (drawing the biggest reaction of the night thus far). Meanwhile, Zbyszko recovers from… nothing… and chokes Eric down until Bret awards him the win by DQ at 11:10. Yes, he couldn’t even get a real win, it had to be a DQ. But, I’ll take what I can get with this show. This was pretty bad, with neither guy looking good out there, perplexing booking throughout, and a big botch for the big spot. And then the idiots actually replay the kick with the weapon flying out! -¾* 

Tenay brings Larry Zbyszko out to talk about his match with Scott Hall at Souled Out. Larry cuts a strong promo here, bringing up his history with Hall, and sounding like a high school gym teacher. Larry as a commentator is not my favorite, but his self-aggrandizing is a better fit as a worker

Ray Traylor v Scott Hall: Traylor gets a few shots in early, but Hall takes him down, and grabs a wristlock. Ray fights him off and delivers a ten-punch in the corner, then cross corner whips him to set up a corner splash. Hall bails, but Traylor is on him, and Hall eats apron. Inside, Ray slaps on a bearhug, but the referee somehow gets bumped in the process. That allows Hall to grab his bootleg tag team title belt to blast Traylor with, but it only gets a two count as they head back in! I was sure that was the finish there. Scott stays on him with a corner clothesline, and a 2nd rope bulldog is worth two. Frustrated, Hall grabs a chair, but Larry is back to put a stop to it, and the distraction allows Traylor a scrapbuster at 4:16. Night of upsets here. I’m surprised Hall was willing to put Traylor over, considering Savage didn’t even think Ray was high enough on the totem pole to pin at Starrcade. ¾*

WCW Cruiserweight Title Match: Ultimo Dragon v Juventud Guerrera: Feeling out process to start, and Guerrera gets control with a takedown, allowing him a springboard flying spinheel kick for two. Into the corner for chops, and a cross corner whip sets up a corner splash, but the champ dodges. Dragon puts the boots to him, but misses a handspring backelbow, and Guerrera takes him upstairs. Unfortunately for the challenger, Dragon dumps him to the outside before he can do anything, and the champion dives with a flying moonsault press on the floor. He doesn’t really connect, and sells hurting his leg on the landing. Inside, a reversal sequence allows Guerrera a German suplex for two, but a flying bodypress gets blocked with a dropkick from the Dragon. Powerbomb, but Guerrera counters with a DDT, and a scoop sitout brainbuster sets up a flying 450 splash at 4:19. Both guys felt like they were just going through the motions with his one. Apparently a lot of the cruiserweights were miserable around this period, and it shows in their recent performances. ¾*

Tenay brings Bret Hart out so Bret can tell us all about how he’s a five time WWF Champion. That brings Ric Flair out, since any mentions of world title counts cause him to materialize. I’m surprised to know how much these two disliked each other at this point, because they both look like they’re having the time of their lives working together. And it’s another great segment between them. They’re doing a good job of getting this angle over, and it’s probably the most interesting thing going in the promotion at the moment. Just two great wrestlers whose egos demand to know who’s the better man - no legalese and authority figures required 

Lex Luger v Scott Norton: Norton knocks him to the outside with a blitz at the bell, and Lex eats the post out there. Inside, Norton delivers a backbreaker, and he pounds Luger with chops in the corner. Avalanche, but Lex sidesteps, and makes a comeback. Cue Buff Bagwell to allow Norton to recover, and Lex takes a shoulderbreaker for two. The announcers make a big deal about Luger kicking out of it, but I don’t remember them ever building it up as a huge finisher. Lex makes another comeback with a jumping forearm, and the torture rack finishes at 2:03. This was another nothing match. ¼*

We get a clipped version of the Hollywood Hogan/Sting match from Starrcade, and they show the ‘fast count’ in video form, as promised. It’s still not remotely fast, however

We get the missing footage from the Sting/Hogan rematch on the December 29 episode of Nitro (which went off the air without showing a finish). We went off the air with Sting hitting a Stinger Splash, and he puts Hogan in the Scorpion Deathlock after going dark. The referee was bumped, so Nick Patrick ran out, and allowed Hulk to sneak up with a schoolboy, with Patrick counting (another non-fast) three. He wants to award Hogan the title, but the original referee awards it to Sting, and no one knows what’s going on. Oh my God, this promotion is becoming a mess. So the entire nWo runs in on Sting, until Bret Hart leads out a bunch of the WCW crew to make the save. So, after a year of building it up, they put the belt on Sting in controversial fashion, and then add even more controversy the next night. No wonder the WWF started beating them not long after this

Tenay brings JJ Dillon out to settle the controversy, and he asks Sting and Hulk Hogan to join them. Hulk leads the entire nWo out with him, and Sting walks out alone. So Hulk expects the title to be returned to him (and rightly so, he was totally screwed at Starrcade, as we just saw earlier), but instead JJ announces that the title is held up. Sting surrenders the belt, but then tells Hogan that he’s a ‘dead man’

WCW United States Title Match: Diamond Dallas Page v Kevin Nash: This is Nash’s first match since September. Page works the arm to start, but Nash fights him off with a punch, and he unloads in the corner. Nash with a sidewalk slam, and he works Page over in slow, dull fashion. Snake-eyes, but Page counters to the Diamond Cutter, so Hollywood Hogan attacks for the DQ at 6:32. This was terrible, with Nash looking really bad and lazy. -¼*

BUExperience: New shows are always fun, and I enjoyed this enough, but a second three hour WCW show in the same week is going to get old real fast, and there was a ton of very obvious padding here to make it work. But that’s the least of the issues, as the entire promotion’s direction is a mess.