WCW Thunder - Thursday, 08/13/98

• Welcome to this week's edition of the Thunder report.  I will be filling in for Bill for this Thursday edition of the show.

• Don't forget to check out my Nitro report every Tuesday morning on the Unofficial Degeneration-X Homepage.  Here is my latest Nitro feature, the (joking) Top 20 Reasons to Watch WCW.  Next week, I will present a serious list that corresponds with the following:
1. because you love Ted Turner
2. Hulk Hogan
3. because Nitro has an extra hour over RAW is WAR
4. tradition
5. because there is no other league that has this many Luchadores
6. because there is no other league that wants this many Luchadores
7. Disco Inferno
8. Alex Wright
9. because of great angles, like Meng-Barbarian-Duggan-Morrus-Hart
10. to avoid the horrid vulgarity of the WWF
11. because of all the wonderful "special looks" at Goldberg
12. because of the wonderful tag team division, which features no genuine tag teams
13. wrestlers
14. because one of the annual PPVs coincides with a Harley-Davidson rally in the godforsaken hellhole--I mean wonderful state--called South Dakota
15. to listen to Tony Schiavone and Mike Tenay after nWo Hollywood attacks some "poor, innocent" victim
16. because "Dangerous Minds" no longer airs on Monday nights
17. so you won't have to filter through all this pre-card commentary in a Thunder report
18. because of better angles than #9, such as Chris Adams-Glacier-Saturn
19. to watch the Nitro Girls with the intensity of Larry Zbyszko
20. to watch Scott Hall in his trunks with the intensity of Mike Tenay
 
• Okay, now that I have completely bored you to death, on to the show...

• We are LIVE from Fargo--it's in North Dakota, for all you geographically-inflicted persons--for two hours of Thunder with Tony Schiavone, Bobby Heenan, and WCW's best TV announcer (seriously), Lee Marshall.

• The show opens with the Thunder theme.  Schiavone announces Hart v. Luger in a return bout for the US Title, Public Enemy v. Disco Inferno/Alex Wright, and Nash v. Hennig for tonight.

• Scott Hall comes out to nWo Hollywood music.
• "Hey-yo, Hall here, also known as Super Sexy, the Nash-Killer..."
• "It just wouldn't be Thunder if we didn't take a little survey..."
• WCW: moderate booing
• nWo Hollywood: heavy booing
• nWo Wolfpac: heavy cheering
• Same results as Monday...
 
• Commercial Break #1.

 
• Match 1: Scott Hall d. Konnan with the Outsiders Edge.
• Konnan does his little schtick as Thunder returns from the break.
• The two taunt each other in the ring.
• Hall executes an armdrag and twist and starts with his shoulderblocks.
• Hall picks up Konnan for a Spicolli Driver, but just press slams him instead.
• Hall smacks Konnan in the back of the head.
• Konnan counters with a drop toehold, and smacks Hall in the noggin.
• Sign: "Who Booked This Crap".  The guy that was holding it was running along the back of an aisle.
• Hall hits Konnan with an eye rake and a fallaway slam for a two-count.
• Hall kicks Konnan in the face several times and hits him with a series of chops.
• Hall runs Konnan into the corner with a lariat and then executes an abdominal stretch.
• Konnan eventually breaks the hold and counters with a hip toss.
• Konnan misses an elbow drop, but hits Hall with a reverse kick and a facebuster.
• Konnan executes his trademark rolling lariat, but Hall hits Konnan with a low blow.
• It seems that Hall fell head-first into the turnbuckle as he hit Konnan with the blow.
• Konnan rolls Hall up in a small package and gets a two-count.
• Hall hits Konnan with a lariat and mocks Goldberg.
• Hall executes the Outsiders Edge and scores the pinfall on Konnan.
 
• As the camera pans to the broadcast booth, the announcers talk about the nWo feud and Fall Brawl.

• Commercial Break #2.

• Match 2: Horace d. Raven (with Lodi) by disqualification.
• Raven says the Horace must suffer for letting Saturn interfere in their match Monday night.
• Raven attacks Horace as the bell rings.
• Raven kicks Horace in the head several times.
• Raven grabs Horace's STOP sign, but as he goes to hit Horace with it, Lodi grabs it from behind.
• Horace kicks the sign into Raven's face and gets a two-count.
• Horace scoop slams Raven.
• Finally, someone decided to use a real wrestling move.
• Horace connects with a splash off the top rope and gets another two-count.
• Horace hits Raven with the STOP sign.
• Horace scoop slams Raven.
• Horace connects with a splash off the top rope and gets another two-count.
• As the immortal Yogi Berra would say, "If a guy can't get sick on a day like this, he ain't healthy."
• Wait a minute...
• Having set the STOP sign up in the corner, Horace shoves Raven into the sign.
• Undaunted, Raven moves as Horace charges.
• Raven tosses Horace out of the ring and executes a Russian legsweep into the safety rail.
• Raven calls in the Flock to attack Horace, and ref Charles Robinson disqualifies the Flock leader.
• Whatever happened to "Raven's Rules"?
• Saturn runs in as Kidman, Riggs, and Sick Boy are stomping a mudhole in Horace.
• Saturn approaches Raven (slunk down, as usual, in his corner), but Horace comes from behind and nails Saturn with a forearm shot.
• Kanyon runs in and clears the ring, but Saturn goes after Kanyon.
• Horace attempts to attack Saturn again, and Horace gets suplexed for his efforts.
 
• Tony Schiavone interviews Stevie Ray at the ring entrance.
• Stevie Ray challenges the Giant to a match next week.
• I'm assuming that would be on Nitro...
• Stevie Ray will fight Eddie Guerrero later on tonight.
 
• Commercial Break #3.

• Match 3 (TV Title bout): Chris Jericho d. Chavo Guerrero, Jr. (with Pepe) by disqualification to retain the belt.
• Pepe has been heavily taped around his neck, due to Jericho's brutal attack Monday.
• Guerrero slaps Jericho, who responds with a full armdrag.
• Guerrero executes a hip toss and kicks Our Role Model in the corner.
• Jericho counters with a series of chops and a side headlock.
• Jericho nails Guerrero with a lariat, but Guerrero counters with a drop toehold.
• Chavo bites Jericho on the leg and throws him out of the ring.
• Chavo gets Pepe and gallops around the ring.
• As Jericho reenters the ring, Guerrero goes for more chops.
• Jericho counters with a Hotshot as we go to
• Commercial Break #4.
• Once again, to everyone's great surprise, the match did not end during the break.
• At least we know that the tape machines were rolling, should anything have happened to end the match during the commercials.
• Guerrero misses a dropkick, and Jericho connects with a Lionsault for a two-count.
• Jericho executes a vertical suplex and gets another two-count on Chavo.
• Jericho takes down Chavo with a snap mare and puts Guerrero in a surfboard hold.
• Guerrero breaks the hold, but Jericho pokes Chavo's eyes.
• Our Paragon of Virtue hits Chavo with a reverse spinning kick, and begins to choke Chavo.
• Jericho hits Guerrero with a series of chops and a boot to the throat.
• Guerrero blocks a charge from Jericho, but Jericho hits Chavo with a spinwheel kick for a two-count.
• Guerrero responds with a running lariat and a few punches to Jericho's midsection.
• Chavo counters with a springboard bulldog from the middle rope for a two-count.
• Jericho gets nailed with an atomic drop.
• In the corner, Jericho grabs Pepe and breaks him once again.
• Jericho proceeds to stomp Pepe, which distracts Chavo.
• Jericho rolls Chavo up, but only gets a two-count.
• Our Paragon of Virtue hits Guerrero with a running lariat that sends him out of the ring.
• Chavo reaches under the ring apron, and pulls out a baseball bat with a play-horse's head tied to it.
• Back in the ring, Chavo whacks Jericho with his new-found friend, disqualifying himself in the process.
• Commercial Break #5.
 
• Mike Tenay replaces Lee Marshall at the broadcast booth as Thunder returns.

• Stills from the Luger-Hart match from Nitro are aired.

• Bret Hart comes out to a steady stream of boos from the Fargo crowd.
• Hart complains about how the fans are against him.
• Hart says that he will prove tonight that he is the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be.
• Commercial Break #6.
 
• Match 4: The Dancing Fools (with Tokyo Magnum) d. Public Enemy when Wright executed a reverse neckbreaker on Grunge.
• Alex Wright starts out against Rocco Rock.
• Wright executes a side suplex on Rock, but gets a pair of knees after trying to come over the top rope.
• Rock hits Wright with an atomic drop.  Disco Inferno and Johnny Grunge are tagged in.
• Grunge hammers Disco with a series of punches in the back.
• Public Enemy hits Disco with a double body drop and a double clothesline.
• Wright is tagged in, and Grunge hits him with a tilt-a-whirl slam.
• Grunge sets Wright up against a table in the corner of the ring.
• Tokyo Magnum comes in and moves Wright out of the way, but gets hit himself with the charge from Grunge.
• Wright hits Grunge with a hangman's noose neckbreaker and scores the pinfall.
• Meng runs in, and puts the Tongan Death Grip on Wright, Disco, and Tokyo Magnum.
• The Barbarian and Jimmy Hart run in with a security guard.
• The Barbarian attacks Meng, who no-sells every move and puts the Barbarian in the Tongan Death Grip.
• Meng then puts the Tongan on the security guard and both members of Public Enemy.
• Commercial Break #7.
 
• Match 5: Kevin Nash d. Curt Hennig (with Rick Rude) by disqualification.
• Nash plays the crowd and invites Goldberg to join the Wolfpac.
• Commercial Break #8.
• Nash takes the early advantage with elbows and kneelifts in the corner.
• Nash tosses Hennig into the center of the ring, proceeding to throw him into the opposite corner.
• Nash chokes Hennig with his boot but misses a charge.
• Hennig works on the left leg of Nash with several cannonballs on to the knee.
• Mr. Perfect puts Nash in an anklelock, but Nash pulls him off by the hair.
• Nash throws Hennig into the ropes with a Hotshot and connects with a boot to the face.
• Rick Rude enters the ring, decks the ref, and beckons Nash to fight.
• Scott Hall comes from behind and nails Nash, and the three nWo Black & White members attack Nash.
• Luger runs in to make the save.
• Commercial Break #9.
 
• Match 6: Stevie Ray d. Eddie Guerrero with the Slapjack.
• I've got 10 bucks that says Chavo interferes in this match.
• Stevie Ray hits Eddie with a shoulderblock, but Guerrero counters with an armdrag takedown.
• Guerrero connects with a dropkick and a series of punches.
• Stevie Ray responds with a double-handed chokeslam and a bearhug.
• Scott Hall and the Giant have come out to the ring entrance to watch the match.
• There go the chances of Chavo interfering.
• Guerrero hits Stevie Ray with an eye rake, but the big man counters with a shoulderblock.
• Stevie Ray executes a Gorilla press slam and a front suplex.
• Guerrero leaves the ring by way of a kneelift from Stevie Ray.
• Back in the ring, Guerrero suckerpunches Stevie Ray and attempts a belly-to-belly suplex.
• Stevie Ray elbows Guerrero, and hits Eddie with a Nash-like boot to the face as Guerrero comes off the ropes.
• Stevie Ray executes the Slapjack and wins via pinfall.
• Commercial Break #10.
 
• Match 7 (US Heavyweight Title bout): Bret Hart d. Lex Luger with the Sharpshooter to win the belt.
• Hart puts Luger in a side headlock, but Luger breaks it and nails Hart with a running lariat.
• Luger puts Hart in a headlock, but Hart cradles Luger for a two-count.
• Luger retains the headlock on the Hitman, but Hart punches his way out of it.
• Hart scoop slams Luger and hits the Total Package with a leg drop for a two-count.
• Luger hits Hart with a kneelift, but Hart counters with a Hotshot.
• Hart punches Luger into a corner, and proceeds to kick Luger several times in the gut.
• Luger is knocked down via a headbutt.
• Hart works on the torso of the Total Package.
• The Hitman chokes Luger with his foot before going with a series of kneedrops.
• Hart nails Luger with a catapult maneuver and several elbowdrops.  Two-count.
• Hart executes a backbreaker, but misses an elbow drop from the middle rope.
• After having his head whipped repeatedly into a top turnbuckle, Luger turns the tables.
• The Total Package hits Hart with a pair of clotheslines and a forearm shot.
• Luger knocks Hart out of the ring with a clothesline.
• Hart grabs a chair from ringside, but Luger grabs it as Hart returns to the ring.
• Hart pushes Luger into referee Billy Silverman, who gets hit in the head with the chair.
• The Hitman DDTs Luger into the chair and goes over to revive the ref.
• Luger kicks out at two.
• Hart executes the Sharpshooter, and Luger passes out.
• New champ once again.
 
• That's a wrap from Fargo.  The fans seemed really into it tonight.  Two guys with ringside seats were dressed up as Hall and Nash, and two more were dressed up as vintage Ultimate Warriors.

• I will now conclude my second report for DDT Digest.  Support Ric Flair, and don't forget to check out my Nitro report every Tuesday morning at the Unofficial Degeneration-X Homepage.

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