WCW Thunder (February 4, 1999)

 

Original Airdate: February 4, 1999 

From Providence, Rhode Island; Your Hosts are Tony Schiavone, Mike Tenay, and Bobby Heenan

Backstage, Arn Anderson is on the phone with Ric Flair, who says that David Flair is at home, okay, and was never accosted by Hollywood Hulk Hogan on Monday after all

Earlier today, the nWo B-team rode around in this limousine 

Chris Jericho v Scotty Riggs: Riggs wins a criss cross with a dropkick right away, and Jericho stops to regroup. Riggs grabs him for a catapult over the top, and he dives out after him. Inside, Jericho outmoves him, and hits a senton splash for two. Chris grabs a chair, but gets it dropkicked back in his face, and a flying bodypress gets him two. Chris with a dropkick to shake him off, and he bootchokes Riggs in the corner. Chris with a backbreaker, and he holds it into a submission, but Riggs shakes it off, as the announcers debate whether the nWo is ‘okay’ with them holding a tag title tournament. Riggs with a Samoan drop for two, but a criss cross results in a double knockout spot. Riggs recovers first, and lands a dropkick for two, then an atomic drop. Ten-punch, but Chris blocks, and tries for the Liontamer, but Scotty is close to the ropes. Riggs recovers with a high knee for two, but a flying dropkick misses, and Jericho gets the Liontamer on at 12:33. This wasn’t terrible, but it felt like they were just going through the motions. *

Lex Luger and Miss Elizabeth are very excited about the Wolfpac 

Disorderly Conduct v Konnan and Rey Mysterio Jr: The announcers note that it might not be so bad if Rey loses his mask at SuperBrawl, since look what it did for Juventud Guerrera’s career! Rey with a rana at 4:46. Good energy from Konnan and Rey here.  ¼*

Earlier, the nWo B-team arrived, but Vincent was late - and in his own, private limo - leading to clash

Backstage, the nWo B-team prepare for their tag tournament match, but Stevie Ray and Vincent again clash over who is in charge of the group

Norman Smiley v Disciple: More crazy shit from the announcers, as they put over Disciple’s progress since leaving the nWo. He’s barely been on TV, and hasn’t had a single program, but sure, let’s go with that. Disciple with a snapmare into a chinlock, but Norman escapes. Norman tries a backdrop, but Disciple blocks, and drops an elbow to the groin. That allows Disciple a bootchoke, but Smiley gets going again, so Disciple tries a waistlock. Norman escapes, and snapmares Disciple into an armbar, and a bodyslam follows. Disciple tries fighting back, but gets caught in a crossface chickenwing at 6:32. ¼*

Backstage, Disco Inferno is looking for Vincent

WCW World Tag Team Title Tournament Quarterfinal Match: The Faces of Fear v Brian Adams and Horace: Barbarian starts with Horace, and they slug it out. Barbarian gets the better of that, so all four guys come in, and the Faces of Fear clean house. Inside, the Faces continue to casually dominate, until the nWo manage to get control on Barbarian. Things break down, and everyone brawls, with Vincent whacking Barbarian with a slapjack to allow Horace the pin at 15:30. This was long, and not especially interesting. ¼*

Backstage, Stevie Ray goes through his bags, and realizes his slapjack is missing. It took seven years, but Bobby is finally proven right about Virgil!

Bam Bam Bigelow v Jerry Flynn: Flynn tries some submission stuff early, but Bam Bam isn’t really having it, so Jerry tries sticking and moving. Bigelow with the over the shoulder tombstone at 4:46. ¼*

Backstage, the B-team break up a fight between Stevie and Vincent in the bathroom

Diamond Dallas Page v Glacier: Page is all hot and bothered about what happened to Kimberly on Nitro, and takes it out on Glacier here. The Diamond Cutter finishes at 3:08. Total squash here. DUD

WCW World Tag Team Title Tournament Quarterfinal Match: Curt Hennig and Barry Windham v Mike Enos and Bobby Duncum Jr: Curt and Enos start, and they criss cross around. Tag to Barry, but Enos hiptosses him, and passes to Duncum. Bobby comes off the top with a flying axehandle, but Windham fights him off, and holds a wristlock. Bobby fights free with an inverted atomic drop, and a pump-elbowdrop gets him two. Henning and Windham get control on Enos and go to work, until Duncum gets the tag, and Curt takes a bulldog for two, then a Russian facebuster for two. Rollup, but Barry nails him, and puts Hennig on top at 9:49. Hennig has had some renewed energy since partnering up wih Windham, and it’s been wonderful to see. *

BUExperience: The nWo B-team dominated the show, which feels oddly appropriate since Thunder has increasingly become the stage for secondary storylines and filler matches. It wasn’t a bad episode by any means, but it was the kind of show you could skip without feeling like you missed much.