This Week In The WCW
This Week In The WCW
WCW Monday Night Nitro - Monday, 06/09/97
- In dark matches, Ice Train beat Damien and Glacier beat Mortis, only to be attacked by Wrath soon after.
- Oh great, Nitro starts off with a taped promo for Rodman and Hogan at Bash at the Beach. Supposedly, they have not chosen their opponent yet.
- Piper and Flair will be fighting the Outsiders in a non-title match in the main event tonight! Man, gotta love these WCW/WWF Monday Night Wars! We are definitely the winner.
- Savage's limo pulls up. Page kicks the window in! Page pulls the door open and Elizabeth slams the door on Page's back and ribs. The limo speeds off with Page rolling around in pain on the floor.
- Ultimo Dragon, Super Calo, and Juventud Guerrera def. Psychosis, Silver King, and La Parka in a Lucha Libre match when Ultimo Dragon made Psychosis submit with a Dragon Sleeper.
- At one point, every guy in the match had done a suicide dive out to the arena floor and all the wrestlers were laid out. It looked like the living room at the Heaven's Gate house.
- After the match, for no apparent reason, La Parka attacked Super Calo with a chair.
- Scheme Gene interviewed Luger. Luger said his and Giant's name are on an open contract to meet Hogan and Rodman at Bash at the Beach. Luger also announced that J.J. Dillon had decided that since Hogan had not defended his title since February, he must defend it tonight against Luger. I must admit, it's working. WCW is keeping me from changing the channel to RAW.
- A clip from earlier today with Tenay interviewing Flair and Piper. Piper immediately talks about how the rumors of problems between him and Flair are not true. Hmm, I bet Piper doesn't win much money playing poker.
- "Das Wunderheel" Alex Wright pinned Chris Jericho using the ropes on a reverse of a flying bodypress
- Man, Wright dancing in the middle of the match kills me.
- Uh oh, someone in the crowd ran by with an "Austin 3:16" sign. They're going to get thrown out.
- There were some "Boring" chants. I don't know why. I thought this match was very well worked.
- Big boo from the crowd when security took away a beach ball that was being bounced around in the crowd. WCW security really is fascist. I've gotten numerous e-mails from people who attended Nitros that have said that.
- WCW Women's World Heavyweight Chamption Akira Hokuto pinned Malaia Hosaka following a brainbuster set up by Ono distracting Hosaka.
- After the match, Hokuto gave her another brainbuster for good measure.
- Madusa did a run in to make the save and gave Hokuto three German suplexes. Madusa was then supposed to go after Ono. Only problem was, Ono was right in front of her. Madusa then ran behind the referee and made as if she were going after Ono and the ref was in her way. It looked silly.
- Schiavone announced that the Luger/Hogan match would not be a title match. What's happening here? Luger refusing to job? No way!
- Scheme Gene attempted to interview the Steiner Brothers. It was interrupted by Harlem Heat and Sister Sherri. Harlem Heat said they didn't want to wait to Sunday night. Sooo...pandemonium, in my living room. They fought for while until some referees separated them.
- Harlem Heat looks big enough in their ring attire. They are huge in street clothes.
- Konan and Mongo was a no-contest as ruled by Nick Patrick. As Mongo came to the ring for his match with Konan, Kevin Greene jumped Mongo from behind with Debra actually taking a minor bump. Mongo dropped Greene across the safety rail and tried to get to the ring. Greene jumped Mongo from behind again (yeah, real gutsy, Kevin). Finally, the refs and that crack WCW security pulled Greene back to the locker room. Meanwhile, back in the ring, Konan is laid out unconcious in the ring with a broken broomstick next to his head. The assailant is nowhere to be found. Hmmm, who could it be?
- The WCW security reminds me of the police force in the TV show Batman.
- In a non-title match, Lex Luger racked Hulk Hogan and made him submit in a clean job!!
- Hogan came out wearing an nWo/Syxx shirt and said he refused to wrestle Luger.
- The Heavyweight belt still has Giant's name on it. You'd think ten months is enough time to change the nameplate.
- Hogan told Luger that he was a Hogan wanna-be. Bischoff then started in on Luger. Luger pushed Bischoff down and hit Hogan and then Randy Anderson called for the bell to start the match. nWo came to ringside to watch Hogan's back.
- At one point, they were about to go to commercial and then didn't. When they finally did, I switched to RAW which was also in commercial. I wonder if Nitro was being timed to only go to commercial when RAW is already in commercial. (Note that the day after I posted this, I got an e-mail which said: "I was planning on watching the rebroadcast of Nitro so I thought I would flip back and forth during commercials. Everytime Nitro went to
commercial, Raw was two seconds into commercials."
- Immediately preceding the finish, the nWo tried to interfere and Luger cleared them from the ring. Since Luger was in control for the entire nWo run in, Randy Anderson showed why he is a such a great referee, and did not call for the DQ.
- After the match, with the nWo's help, Hogan gave Luger multiple Leg Drops Of Doom and then did some posing.
- Supposedly, this was going to be the match that Sting was supposed to interfere and cost Luger his title shot as "payback" for the three titles that Luger cost Sting over his career. Methinks that the fact that this was so widely reported was responsible for the last minute booking change to a non-title match and the clean win by Luger.
- J.J.Dillon came on to say that Savage is being fined $50,000 for last week's actions. However, they are not going to suspend him because that would play into Savage's hands. However, there will be added stipulations at the Bash. It will be an unsanctioned, lights out, no DQ, falls count anywhere match. Savage and Liz appeared in the crowd and Savage said he has decided to spend another $50,000 and he was going to come down and knocked Dillon out again. Page and Kimberly came to the ring. Page challenged Savage to come down and face him now since he is psyched to beat someone up. Savage agreed and went to the ring. And, instead of letting them fight, the Keystone Cops broke it up.
- Jeff Jarrett made "The Man of 1,000 Holds" Dean Malenko submit to the figure-four leglock to win the WCW U.S. Heavyweight Championship.
- For some reason, Debra came to the ring late.
- When both Malenko and Jarrett were laid out, Eddie Guerrero came out of the crowd with a sling on. He removed the sling and gave Malenko a frog splash and left the sling on Malenko's face. That set Malenko up for the finish.
- Jimmy Hart and Meng and Barbarian came out. Jimmy Hart said he was ready to show Benoit the mystery test. It is...Kevin Sullivan (with a tan)! (You were expecting Raven / Scotty Flamingo / Johnny Polo, maybe?) Sullivan said there is no way Benoit can take him in his hometown. Benoit comes out and they go at it like hockey players trading punches. Jacqueline jumps on Benoit's back and Meng pulls her off. Meng puts Benoit in the Goozle and Sullivan pulls Meng off. Then, they all start mudholing Benoit. Then, cut to commercial. So much for having Raven debut...
- "Nature Boy" Ric Flair and "Rowdy" Roddy Piper def. The Outsiders via DQ when Syxx interfered.
- In case you were wondering who has the "NWO" license plate in New Hampshire...whoever he/she is, they were at Nitro showing their plate to the camera.
- Flair got drenched with a soda on the way to the ring. He was not pleased.
- Flair and Piper came to the ring separately, not looking happy.
- Good closeups of signs saying "McMahon, we're taking over Boston" and a nice shot coming back from commercial on a "WWF Sucks" sign. The kid holding out was around eight years old. Nice.
- Piper was sleepwalking through this match. I've never seen him work that poorly before. It was very disappointing.
- This match was definitely fuel for the coming Flair/Piper split and was not even subtle. When Piper desperately needed a tag, Flair was outside the ring battling Syxx.
- Eventually, the Horsemen came out to make the save on Flair. Then, the nWo. Then, Kevin Greene. Then, Harlem Heat. For the next five or so minutes, every wrestler in the building, except one, came out and was fighting their arch-enemy...even Glacier, Mortis, and Wrath.
- Savage eventually came out as did DDP, wearing a long coat.
- A cameraman took away a big "RAW IS WAR" sign from someone in the front row during the brawl.
- With the crowd chanting "We want Sting", Sting finally descended from the rafters to protect DDP who had taken a worked bad bump outside the ring.
- Why are six guys so afraid of one white-faced freak with a bat? Why don't they all attack him at once or drop a net on him like they do to Batman
- Why was DDP wearing a long coat? I'll tell you. Sting fended off the nWo and hooked DDP up and they both went back up to the ceiling to end the show.
- I thought Luger, who was the only wrestler who didn't come out, would have been better than DDP in that spot. He must be afraid of heights...or of sharing the limelight.
- It is odd that Luger didn't show at the end especially given the seeming last-minute booking change. I guess after those vicious LDODs, he couldn't move.
- So much for Raven. Nevermore!
- M.C. sends these tidbits from the arena:
- After Sting got up into the rafters, arena workers placed a plank across the rafters to walk out and get Sting. However, because DDP was hooked at the waist, it was hard for him to reach the arms of safety, he flailed around for a few panicky minutes before they finally reached him.
- After the final melee, Piper picked up ALL the belts--the tag straps and Hogan's--then smiled and walked back to the dressing room with the belts over his shoulder, ala The Ultimo Dragon.
- A friend of mine got backstage and talked to Sullivan. Sullivan mentioned that they would be coming back to Boston this year, maybe for a PPV. My friend also talked to DDP, Kim, and Madusa (who I love, implants or no!).
WCW {Pro} Wrestling - Sunday, 06/08/97
WCW {Pro} Wrestling was preempted by baseball this week
WCW Saturday Night - Saturday, 06/07/97
- I got an e-mail from Roger Williams pointing out that Marty Jannetty was at Nitro wearing an nWo t-shirt on 6/2. It didn't seem to be part of an angle or anything. He was just a paying customer in the crowd. Supposedly, Syxx acknowledged him while escorting Hall to the ring.
- Today's obituaries noted the passing of game show host Dennis James on June 3rd at the age of 79 of cancer. Among a number of other firsts in his career, Dennis was the first TV wrestling announcer.
- Public Enemy def. Jerry Flynn and Mark Starr when Rocco Rock pinned Jerry Flynn after a drive by onto a table, right in the center of the ring, right in front of the referee.
- Next week, Public Enemy is brining a machete to the ring and beheading their opponent before pinning them. Might as well since it seems as though the ref won't DQ them.
- Additional Great American Bashes: Psychosis vs. Ultimo Dragon in a respect match (stipulations unknown), Harlem Heat vs. Steiners (winner to face Outsiders for the title at Hog Wild), Hugh Morrus vs. Konan.
- Personally, I'm not looking forward to Hog Wild. Being a motorcyclist myself, I have nothing against bikers. However, a pay per view audience comprised of a bunch of guys who are not wrestling fans is a bad idea. Last year, Benoit and Malenko had a great match that went into two overtimes. The bikers booed when the overtimes were announced rather than cheering. Also, hardcore bikers are not known for their racial tolerance. During the Harlem Heat / Steiner Brothers match, the crowd went nuts everytime Harlem Heat took a bump. The positive crowd response to black guys taking a beating was not at all subtle.
- Hector Garza pinned Billy Kidman with a reverse splash from a standing moonsault.
- In this match, Billy Kidman did something I've always wanted to see. Kidman was slumped in the corner and Garza came from the opposite corner with a handspring and a cartwheel to do a reverse splash ala The Renegade. Kidman, given the 15 seconds warning it takes to execute the entire manuver, simply moved out of the way.
- Lee Marshall interview Sonny Ono and Akira Hokuto. WCW has conveniently dropped the angle of Madusa supposedly having won it a couple of weeks ago. I have it on pretty good authority that WCW had to back off Madusa having won the title when word got out that the match in Japan where it supposedly happened never occurred.
- Ultimo Dragon made Damien submit with the Dragon Sleeper.
- Ultimo Dragon looks lost coming out without Sonny Ono.
- Psychosis watched the match from ringside.
- An up close and personal feature with Madusa. Where'd Madusa take her acting lessons from, Justine Bateman?
- Buff Bagwell pinned Rick Fuller following the Buff Blockbuster.
- Rick Fuller has a great backhand chop. I think it's as loud as Flair's.
- Bagwell makes a great heel. I think he will be a main eventer someday.
- Harlem Heat def. The Power Company when Booker T. pinned the one without the tattoo following the Big Apple.
- Okay, even though they don't seem to have names, I have found a difference between the two guys in the Power Company. Only one of them has a tattoo on his left bicep.
- After the match, Harlem Heat continued the beating and the Steiner Brothers did a run-in and chased Harlem Heat off.
- "Diamond" Dallas Page pinned Konan via DQ following a Diamond Cutter when Hugh Morrus did a run in to beat on Konan.
- The decision by Randy Anderson actually kind of made sense. On paper, one would think Page should have been disqualified. However, since he was just about to pin Konan, the decision did kind of make sense.
- When Morrus began to beat on Konan, Page gave him a Diamond Cutter for his trouble. When Konan recovered and went after Morrus, Page chased him off.
- No Sunday {Pro} tomorrow. See you all again Monday night.