Original Airdate: May 11, 1998
From Kansas City, Missouri; Your Hosts are Tony Schiavone and Mike Tenay, with Larry Zbyszko (first half) and Bobby Heenan (second half)
Gene Okerlund brings Bret Hart out to start things off, and he snapped Randy Savage’s knee with the Sharpshooter last week, and he’ll snap his courage at Slamboree. Bret can be a great heel, but you could tell his heart just wasn’t in it here, and he feels like a guy playing a character
Nitro Girls
Disco Inferno v Barry Horowitz: Disco schools him a little early on, but Barry lands a chincrusher to stun him, and a full nelson facebuster follows. Barry with an inverted DDT neckbreaker two, and a kneedrop is worth two. Another kneedrop, but Disco dodges, and delivers an atomic drop ahead of a swinging neckbreaker at 1:35. Horowitz looked fine here, and if he didn’t have such a jobber stink on him, he might have actually gotten a push. ¾*
Randy Savage comes out, and it’s kind of weird that they’re selling the match with Hart as their first ever meeting anywhere when they’d already wrestled on Saturday Night’s Main Event. I get glossing over their match in Japan, or their house show match from 1990, since no one outside of the live crowds saw them, but the SNME one was pretty well known. Anyway, he’s still fuming at the Hitman. But he doesn’t like Hollywood Hulk Hogan either, and challenges him for the WCW World title for tonight
Juventud Guerrera v Kidman: A criss cross ends in Guerrera using a nice headscissor takedown to send Kidman to the outside, and Juvi dives after him with a springboard flying bodypress into the aisle. He cracks his own head on the landing, but still manages to get Kidman back inside for a slingshot legdrop that gets two. Kidman tries coming back with a powerbomb, but Guerrera counters with a facebuster, though they sell it like Guerrera took the move. That was weird. I even went back to rewatch it, and it’s clearly Guerrera countering, but both guys sell the opposite. Guerrera makes a comeback, and a springboard flying bodypress gets him two. German suplex, but Kidman reverses, only for Guerrera to land on his feet. That leads to a pinfall reversal sequence, and Guerrera hits the scoop sitout brainbuster for two. Cue Reese to sneak in (somehow) for an attack on Guerrera, and Kidman capitalizes with a flying shooting star press at 3:49. I enjoyed the match, but that finish was terrible. I mean, how are we supposed to buy that the referee somehow missed a seven foot tall guy coming into the ring and delivering a chokeslam? **
Eric Bischoff joins us, since we haven’t had enough talking yet. I mean, we’re some forty five minutes into the hour, and we’ve had less than six minutes of actual wrestling. Bischoff goes on a weird rant aimed at Sean Waltman (in response to Waltman’s own rants on RAW), but Eric knows that Sean is just a puppet for Vince McMahon. And so Eric challenges Vince to come and fight him this Sunday at Slamboree. What a weird angle, considering Eric is the biggest slimeball heel in the promotion that everyone hates. So, what does that make Vince, the babyface? And the announcers realize it too, kind of puttering around since they can’t cheer Bischoff on, but they also can’t make Vince look like the hero without making their own promotion look stupid. Just a miss from every perspective
Nitro Girls, with special appearance from Alex Wright
Yuji Nagata v Scott Norton: Norton blitzes Nagata, and hits an avalanche right away, then a powerslam. That actually draws applause from Sonny Onoo, in a weird take. Norton tries another avalanche, but Nagata dodges, and suplexes him. Not that Norton actually sells any of it. Nagata with an enzuigiri, but a whip into the ropes gets reversed, and Scott steamrolls him with a jumping shoulderblock. Nagata comes back with another suplex, but Scott again no-sells, and uses a shoulderbreaker at 1:46, as Onoo applauds again. This was too short to really go anywhere, and Norton’s constant no-selling didn’t help. ½*
Hugh Morrus v Jim Powers: Jim attacks before the bell, and manages some fire in the corner, but a cross corner whip gets reversed, and Morrus powerslams him. Morrus goes upstairs from there, and the flying moonsault finishes up at 0:28. DUD
Kevin Nash and Konnan storm through the crowd, and now it’s his turn to take shots at Hogan (his of the Viagra variety). Both Nash and Savage were swinging dangerously stiff shots at Hulk this week
Ultimo Dragon v Johnny Swinger: Dragon wins some reversal sequences, and a 2nd rope bodypress finds the mark. Dragon tries a wheelbarrow bulldog, but Swinger counters with a wheelbarrow facebuster for two, and then adds a side suplex for two. Swinger with a sidewalk slam, as Chavo Guerrero Jr makes his way down. Swinger goes upstairs, but Dragon brings him down with a rana, and hooks the Dragon Sleeper at 2:03. Afterwards, Chavo comes in to cheer Dragon on, so Eddie Guerrero runs out to put a stop to it, but Chavo shoves him! Dragon puts him in the Sleeper, but that’s a step too far for Chavo, who breaks it up. That allows Eddie to attack Dragon, but Chavo breaks that up as well, and Eddie storms off. ¼*
Dusty Rhodes comes out to throw his two cents in on the divide in the nWo
WCW United States Title Match: Bill Goldberg v Len Denton: Really lining up the prime challengers for Goldberg here. Len tries a chincrusher, but Goldberg ignores it, and brutalizes him on the mat. Spear, Jackhammer, good night at 0:53. DUD
Gene brings JJ Dillon and Raven out to discuss Raven’s issues with Diamond Dallas Page. And Raven wants protection in addition to his Flock, and so he’s got a SWAT team now. Well, I think we all know where this is going. Then they call Saturn out since he was turfed from the Flock last week, but apparently they’re forgetting that, and they all punk out Hammer instead. Okay then
Saturn v Jerry Flynn: Flynn runs in to kick start the match, and hits a kick for two. Jerry with a kneedrop, but a criss cross ends in Saturn suplexing him, and Saturn lands a clothesline. Corner whip, but Flynn reverses, and follows in with a corner spinheel kick. Kidman helps with a distraction, however, allowing Saturn a death valley driver at 1:05. They’re just blowing through these matches tonight. DUD
WCW Television Title Match: Fit Finlay v Robbie Rage: Rage powers him around, and a whip into the corner sets up an avalanche from the challenger. Rage with a right hand, but Finlay uses a drop-toehold into an STF. Fit with a somersault firemans carry slam, so Kenny Kaos trips him up from the outside to buy Rage time. Rage capitalizes with a powerslam, and a bodyslam follows. That allows Rage a flying splash for two, so Kaos tries to interfere again, but Booker T cuts him off. That allows Finlay to recover, and a tombstone retains at 3:08. This was practically an iron man compared to the rest of the stuff tonight. ¼*
Diamond Dallas Page v Lenny Lane: Lane with some armdrags early, but he gets cocky, and Page slaps him around. Page with a tilt-a-whirl slam, but Lane fights him off by snapping his throat across the top rope, and he chokes Dallas down. A bulldog gets him one, but he argues the count, and Page schoolboys for two. Lane kicks him in the ribs to try and keep control, but Dallas powers through for a comeback, and the Diamond Cutter finishes at 2:36. This had some mojo, but ultimately didn’t really have much behind it. Afterwards, Page calls Raven out, but Raven just stares at him from the entrance. ¾*
nWo Hollywood come out so Hulk Hogan can get his bullshit in. He calls Nash out, and Nash obliges, giving as Hulk and Kevin trading middle school insults. So a brawl breaks out, and Giant suddenly shows up in an nWo Hollywood shirt to beat Nash down himself. Wait, so he’s nWo now? Aren’t he and Sting challenging for the tag titles at Slamboree? Some of these turns are getting harder to understand and weirder by the week
Gene has WCW Cruiserweight Champion Chris Jericho out to do his usual mocking of Dean Malenko, but JJ Dillon shows up to announce that at Slamboree there will be a top contender’s battle royal, with the winner getting a shot the same night. And then Joe Malenko (Dean’s brother) shows up, Jericho initially tries to beg off, but then attacks from behind when Joe turns his back
Earlier today, Glacier complained that other people have been using his finisher (the superkick), and he’ll be going after them if it continues. At least the announcers are putting this over as stupid (since it’s a common move), as opposed to acting like he’s got a valid point
Glacier v Sick Boy: They’re replaying Bischoff’s challenge to McMahon between literally every segment, and it’s getting super annoying. Also, hearing Mike Tenay continually refer to the original nWo as the ‘white and black attack’ is very much that ‘hello fellow kids’ meme come to life. Glacier pounds him down early, but Boy hits a springboard backelbow to buy time. Corner splash, but Glacier dodges, and tags him with a pair of superkicks that end up bumping the referee in the process. Glacier with a third superkick, but there’s no referee, so Saturn runs in to take Glacier out with a superkick of his own. He puts Boy on top, but it only gets two (though the bell rings). Glacier with a superkick to finish at 2:04. It doesn’t help Glacier’s case that Saturn’s delivery is a million time better than his. Afterwards, Saturn drops him with a death valley driver, leaving Glacier looking up at the lights to end the segment. The match itself was a total mess, and though I’m not really feeling the angle, it’s good to see them do something with the midcard guys as opposed to just letting them drift, so points for that. DUD
Gene brings Lex Luger out, and he’s furious at what the nWo did to Rick Steiner last week, so he wants Brian Adams at Slamboree. And you know he’s serious because he recommends that Adams use his cell phone to get the match booked, back before unlimited plans. He probably didn’t even have nights and weekends yet
#1 Contender’s Match: Booker T v Chris Benoit: Winner gets a TV title shot at Slamboree. They were doing a great job of making that title mean something during this period. Benoit pounds him down right away, but Booker blocks a cobra clutch, countering into a savate kick. Booker uses a backdrop, and a press-slam follows, so Chris bails. Booker drags him back in, but loses the high ground in the process, and Benoit nails him. Benoit delivers a German suplex, followed by a snap suplex for two. Into the corner for chops, but a cross corner whip gets reversed, and Booker uses a powerslam. Booker with a backelbow for one, but the Harlem sidekick misses, and Booker ends up crotched on the top rope. Benoit capitalizes with a backbreaker for two, but Booker blocks a German suplex, so Chris turns it into a side suplex instead. Chris goes upstairs for the flying headbutt drop, but it only gets two. Backelbow, but Booker ducks, and nails him with the axekick. A spinebuster follows, as does a flapjack. Spinkick, but Benoit ducks. That allows Chris to get the Crippler Crossface on, and Booker taps at 6:42. It started off a little all over the place, but turned into a really good match by the finish. **
WCW World Title Match: Hollywood Hulk Hogan v Randy Savage: Macho goes at him with jabs at the bell, and he uses Hogan’s own shirt to choke the champion down. Hulk begs off, but Macho shows no mercy, so Hogan goes to the eyes to buy time. Hulk with a corner clothesline ahead of a bootchoke, and they spill to the outside, where Hollywood posts him. Inside, Hulk delivers a clothesline to set up an elbowdrop, but he dives down with a choke instead of making a cover. Hulk with a catapult under the bottom rope, and the big boot sets up the legdrop, but Savage dodges. Savage with a bodyslam to set up the flying elbowdrop, but Disciple shoves him off the top rope to block. Randy keeps control, so Bret Hart runs in to whack him with the title belt, and Hulk scores the pin at 6:06. It must have been killing the artist in Bret to be playing second banana to the level of workers Hulk and Randy were by 1998. Afterwards, Kevin Nash comes in to chase the nWo off, and then Roddy Piper shows up, deciding to award the match to Savage by DQ. And he declares himself the special referee for the Hart/Savage match at Slamboree. DUD
BUExperience: The angles are becoming increasingly nonsensical, and the runtime is punishing, but I still kind of enjoyed this more than the opposing RAW. Not a blow away, but I’d give Nitro the slightest of edges this week.
Monday Night Wars Rating Chart
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