WCW Monday Nitro - Monday, 08/17/98

By Wade

Eddie Guerrero makes the mistake of getting
in between Monica Lewinsky and Bill Clinton

Let's see what the Mailbag has to offer....
- Grimace writes about Flair and Hart....
  
  I've had an opinion on Ric Flair for a lot of years now, and that is that the only thing that makes Flair a "heel" or a "face" is who he is "feuding with" at the time. When he was after Tommy Rich in the early 80's he was the heel. Then later he's after some heel and he's the good guy all of a sudden. He never changes his attitude, he's always been a bit of a p*ick, and he's damn good at it.
  He's a lot like Piper, never playing any different to the fans, just being the same guy all the time, and *ucking with whomever gets in his way.
  You gotta love that. Not too many guys get away with that.
  What the hell? A year ago the Barbarian was a heel, a month ago a face (as far as the Barbarian can be a face), and now on his way to heel-ville again. Maybe he should bring back the mohawk and facepaint?
  
  Good point. Flair is probably the ultimate "chameleon wrestler," able to smoothly transition from "face" to "heel" depending on who he's facing.
- The Xpiredsoul grimaced, hit the spear and the Jackammer, looked into the camera, and growled:
  
  I must point out that at Road Wild, if you noticed there was only one wrestler in the Battle Royal that Goldberg didn't attack or didn't **beat** I must also add that this wrestler happened to also give Goldberg the big boot in the head. The wrestler? Big Sexy of course. This and with what happened on Nitro this week bring me to believe that Kevin Nash will in fact be the first to beat the one named Goldberg.
- Speaking of Jackhammers, Michael Spencer said:
  
  Didja notice on Monday Billy Gunn's "suplex powerslam" aka a VERY obvious jackhammer (right down to the hang time at the top)?? And it only got a 2 count? Why is it he couldn't keep a man down 10 seconds and when He (God-berg) does it they're down for, like, 20 minutes?? Is the spear really THAT damaging?
  
  Much like Disco Inferno using the "Chartbuster," my guess is that the WWF is taking a dig at WCW by taking the top guy in the other promotion's finisher, and giving it to a lower-card wrestler to use as a semi-to-ineffective "normal" move. What goes around, comes around....
- George writes:
  Just thought of something that WCW could do for a Nitro when RAW is preempted. Knowing how the fans just go crazy of Sting of Goldberg just show up, here's the three hour show:
  - 8:00 - 8:15 - Dean Malenko comes out, tightens wrists, doesn't smile
  - 8:15 - 8:30 - The Warrior grabs the ropes and shakes vigorously
  - 8:30 - 9:15 - Ric Flair puts up both hands with the 4 Horseman sign, walks around in his robe, saying "Wooo" and "Mean Gene" over and over
  - 9:15 - 9:30 - Scott Hall says "Hey Yo" over and over
  - 9:30 - 9:45 - Lex Luger does his bird imitation and "flies"
  - 9:45 - 10:15 - Sting is lowered and raised from the rafters, holding his bat and finally, of course...
  - 10:15 - 11:00 - Goldberg stands in his fireworks, scowls at the camera, smacks his head, and does his neck twist.
  Of course, this will have to be on a day Hogan WON'T be in attendance, because he just couldn't deal with no TV time.
  "Smells like ratings to me!" The only problem is that you forgot to throw a Brad Armstrong job, possibly to the midget Hollywood Hogan from The Tonight Show, in, just to show that there is absolutely no justice in the world.
  Speaking of "da man," does anyone know what Armstrong's doing these days? If so, let me know!
- Mark, along with the rest of the world, wonders:
  I am still somewhat dumbfounded about what occured last night on Nitro during the World Title match. Obviously, everyone knew that Goldberg would win, but what is perturbing me is that Meng had the Tongan Death Grip on Goldberg, had him pinned, and then let go of it for no reason. Of course once that happened, we knew what would happen next. Its not that I dislike Goldberg, or like Meng, but that was one of the dumbest finishes to a match that I've seen. What do you think?
  Indeed. It's made even more ludicrous by the fact that, during Meng's week-long push to title contender, the very way they got him over as a badass was that he WOULDN'T LET GO OF THE DEATH GRIP! Security, etc., would run in, and the only reason he'd release the hold on one guy was to put it on another! So what happens when he gets it on the champ? HE LETS GO?!?!
  Now, I have no real problem with Goldberg getting over by breaking out of his opponent's finisher, but, sheesh, at least let the guy break out, don't have Meng all of a sudden go against the entire way his character has been developed. It just doesn't make any sense.
  Some ten years ago, the exact same thing happened on Saturday Night's Main Event with Hulk Hogan and Hercules Hernandez in a World Title match. Hercules had Hulk up in his backbreaker, a hold which no one had ever escaped from, and inexplicably dropped Hogan and claimed victory before Hogan had a chance to submit. And, as you might guess, Hogan came back and rallied for the win.
- Barry, curator of The Lodi Page, suggests:
  
  On the latest Nitro report, you said the Nitro Girls got "jiggy" with it. Shouldn't that be "jiggly". Anyway, I think you should have a poll: which is your favorite Nitro Girl?
  I couldn't do that, because I'd then have to rig the results so that Spice won by a sizable margin.
  Mmmmm.....Spice.....
- Mark Polishuk asks:
  Did you ever notice the WWII undertones in the Dancing Fools? Alex Wright (German), Disco Inferno (part Italian) and Tokyo Magnum (Japanese)?
  
  Hmmm...."The Dancin' Axis Powers" - I like it!
To Warrior, or not to Warrior, that is the question.....
All signs are pointing to our favorite incomprehensible new-age nut The Ultimate Warrior showing up tonight. Now, while this has been rumored to be going on for about the last year or so, even Warrior himself "said" so on his website, and the rumors have been fairly consistent, so I'm giving pretty good odds on seeing him. Now, the question is, "will fans care?" The other question is "What will he do?"
Speaking for myself, I won't really care, but I freely admit that I probably don't represent the average fan. And, if I remember correctly, Warrior has been a big crowd draw, so we'll have to see. As to what they may have him do, I'd have him come in as a face, because there aren't many who aren't affiliated with an nWo faction.
Bill Clinton will be addressing the nation tonight at 10pm. Nitro and RAW will also be on at the same time. So fans will have to choose between talk, sex, and talk about sex.
America - what a country!
Hogan's music comes on to start the show
- Tony says this is the only live pro wrestling program on the air tonight.
- And we're LIVE from Hartford, CT, with three hours of WCW Monday Nitro!
- Eric Bischoff flies out like an airplane, Hogan flexes, and Disciple looks useless.
- Giant is there with them, too.
- Tenay: "No videotape here." They're really pushing that.
- Giant carries Bischoff like a groom with his bride. Hmmmmm...
- Big crowd tonight.
- Sign: "Nitro Parties Suck."
- Bischoff gets the mic, and says that Hartford really loves Hogan.
- Sign: "Big Sexy Is A Big nWo Pantload"
- Hogan talks about when the fans were little teeny nWo-ites, and they still love Hollywood. Veiled references to being in WWF home territory.
- Hogan says: "No more games with the media, no more games with those preliminary punks in the back, I'm calling out Goldberg. Hollywood is going to get his belt back tonight."
- Hogan says that there is not one man he hasn't beaten. Not so coincidentally, Hogan never beat the Warrior.
- Decent "Goldberg" chant.
- Hogan says that Giant will do the dirty work for Hogan, and then give the belt to Hogan.
- So we're apparently looking at Giant/Goldberg tonight.
We now get the normal Nitro opening sequence.
Here tonight: Mongo, Disco/Alex, Scott Norton, Raven, etc.
Mean Gene is out with JJ Dillon
- Gene plugs Fall Brawl. The War Games this year will be three teams of three men in the two-ring cage.
- Dillon says he was puzzled that Hogan says that there's nobody he hasn't beaten. Warrior tease.
- Dillon announces the captains for the three three-man teams: Hogan, DDP, and Nash. Three men will start, and every three minutes, a new man will enter. The winner of the Wargames will get a shot at the World Title at Halloween Havoc.
We see footage from WCW Saturday Night, with Dean Malenko asking Arn Anderson to resurrect the Horsemen.
The Nitro Girls are in the ring, in long T-shirts, which are quickly gone.
- Boiiing.
The Nitro Party winner - some Jaycees in Louisiana.
- There's one really fat guy dressed like Giant.
Match 1: Sick Boy (w/o The Flock) vs. Steve McMichael
- Mongo walks to the ring, waving the four fingers.
- Sick Boy is already in the ring.
- Tony: "Our competitors will be taped, and we can tell you that their World Title bout will only last about 10 seconds."
- Tenay: "So, in other words, when WCW promises a World Title match, we deliver."
- Sick Boy takes the advantage on Mongo.
- Mongo tries a comeback, but Sick Boy with a thumb to the eyes.
- Sick Boy with a bodyslam.
- Sick Boy nearly connects with a dropkick, but Mongo sells it anyway.
- The announcers talk about Raven vs. Saturn at Fall Brawl - if Saturn wins, Raven must set the Flock free; if Raven wins, Saturn must be subservient to him.
- Sick Boy with a nice running clothesline.
- Sick Boy hits a fistdrop.
- The two men fight on their knees, but Sick Boy goes back to the eyes.
- Sick Boy tries a suplex, and ends up just dropping Mongo. I couldn't tell if it was blown or not.
- Sick Boy misses an elbow, and gets hit with a football tackle.
- Sick Boy escapes a suplex, but gets kicked in the gut, and dropped with the Mongo Spike. Mongo! Mongo your winner!
Zbyszko takes his bows, and the announcers talk about Giant/Goldberg.
Mean Gene is back in the ring, and calls out DDP
- DDP goes through the crowd. Very energetic entrance for him tonight.
- Gene wants to know who's on the DDP team.
- DDP says he got out his Rolodex, and flew out west, and told this guy about his plan, his guy got real jacked.
- DDP says that the guy he got out west, Hogan is 0-1 against. [cough]Warrior[cough].
- DDP says he can't get how the nWo beat him down before his match with Bret Hart out of his mind.
- Hart, his own self, walks down to the ring with the US belt.
- Hart: "Gene, the details of my life are quite inconsequential." Nice Dr. Evil reference.
- Hart says DDP is just making excuses, and tells DDP to stop whining.
- DDP: "Back up, Jack."
- DDP says he ain't crying, and Hart should prove how good he is tonight.
- Hart talks about how he's injured Piper, Savage, Benoit, and Booker T.
- Hart says he looks forward to giving Page a shot at the belt, and says that Page is the scum of the Earth.
- Hart goes to the back, and DDP exits through the crowd.
Mean Gene calls out Raven
- Sign: "Get Drunk."
- Horace comes out with his Stop sign.
- Horace says that Raven makes Horace sick to his stomach.
- Horace says he's been watching Raven's back, and Raven hasn't done anything for him or the Flock.
- Horace says he wants Raven one more time, to beat some sense into Raven's crybaby head.
- Raven says it'll be a tag match tonight: Horace and Kanyon vs. Raven and Saturn.
- Kanyon and Saturn roll out, and Saturn says that he's not going to team with Raven.
- Raven implies that Saturn is scared.
- Saturn says that if Raven reaches for a tag, Saturn will slap his head off.
- Dillon says that if anyone causes their partner to lose, they'll be suspended for 90 days.
- Also, the match can only end on a pinfall or submission.
Match 2: High Voltage vs. Disco Inferno and Alex Wright
- Yes! High Voltage! Jobber Twin powers - activate!
- Aldo D. says "Form of - Bill Mulkey! Shape of - Randy Mulkey!"
- And it's Disco, too! Yes!
- Alex Wright makes his entrance, as well.
- Wright with an armlock on Rage, who reverses it, and flips the poor technodancers right over.
- Wright with a dropkick, and a dance.
- Rage hits a powerslam.
- Rage with a gorilla-press.
- Tony says (again) we're live, and unlike a taped program, we're not going to have a 10-second main event.
- Disco tags in, and gets met with a clothesline.
- Kaos tags in, and Disco hits a sunset flip.
- Meng runs out, and applies the Tongan Death Grip to Wright on the outside.
- Meng goes into the ring, and starts decimating the others in the ring.
- Disco gets a Death Grip, Kaos gets one, too.
- Of course, Rage can't get left out of the party.
- Billy Silverman joins the party, too.
- Random security guy parties as well, with Meng pausing before each one to give the crowd a chance to encourage him to do it.
- Another random security guy maces Meng, but Meng just Death Grips him, too.
- Carnage in the ring! Bodies everywhere!!!
Eddie Guerrero comes out in jeans, a shirt, with a suitcase????
- This is supposed to be Eddie Guerrero vs. Konnan
- Eddie tells Production not to go to commercial.
- Guerrero asks if he's got Bischoff's attention now?
- Guerrero says he doesn't give a you-know-what if Bischoff fires him.
- Guerrero says he's been coming to work for a year, and is just mistreated and unappreciated by Eric.
- Guerrero says he gives his 100%, and Bischoff doesn't give him the time of day.
- Guerrero says Bischoff has a lot of young talent, and he just holds the young talent down at the expense of the high-paid guys.
- Guerrero says he doesn't care about anything anymore.
- Guerrero says he's tired of getting held down.
- Guerrero wonders what Bischoff has against him, that he keeps him down.
- Guerrero says he's speaking his mind for the people who are being held down.
- Guerrero says that Chavo Jr. is one reason he hasn't said anything earlier, and he has a wife and kids to support.
- Guerrero says he wants out of his contract, no matter what it takes.
- Guerrero throws coffee on himself, even though the "coffee" in the cup is obviously a clear liquid, and tells Bischoff to take his job and shove it up his you-know-what.
- Unexpected! But I doubt it was a "shoot", what with him bringing out a wheelie suitcase.
- The entire transcript, thanks to Marq E. from the Fabulous Las Vegas, NV:
  "Yeah, that's right, unscheduled interview. Hey, Production don't even think about going to a commercial. If not, I may say my piece on another show. That's right Eric, do I get your attention now Eric Bischoff? I can't get it in the back. Huh? I try and go in there and try and talk to you about business and I get screamed at and kicked out. Well if this is what I got to do to get your attention Eric Bischoff then this is what I am going to do. Fire me, do whatever it takes, I could give a you-know-what. Eric Bischoff, time in and time out for one whole year I have been coming here to work just to be mistreated by you, and very much unappreciated, Eric. On the road, on TV, I give you 100%. I give these people my 100% whether they like me or whether they don't. I give you the best show there is and you know it. And you can not give me the time of day in the back to listen to what I have to say to you Eric.
  "Well, I could give a damn. Cause you know what? I don't care anymore Eric Bischoff, You got a lot of young talent here in WCW and all you do is hold us down for the people you pay a lot of money to and you have way up here (points upwards). Well I don't care, Bischoff, anymore. Eric you have driven me to that. Eric Bischoff, this has nothing to do with you people (pointing to crowd), this is personal between me and you Eric. I come to work with my heart and all you do is step on it. And I'm tired of it. You hold me down, you've held me down. And from now on Eric, see I don't know what it is. I don't know if it's something personal you got against me? Whatever it is Eric. I don't know. What is it about me that you have against me that you keep me from stepping up the ladder in this profession? What is it about me? I mean you got me tied down Eric, my contract. And I could give, I'm telling you this right now, OK? And I am saying this for any other guy that wants to come out here and speak his mind that's being held down. If you got the you know what, come out here and say it like I am.
  "Eric Bischoff, I'm telling you this face to face because I can't get your attention. Wait, not face to face, let me say on national television in front of all these people. I'm coming out. And the only reason I haven't come out any sooner is because of two reasons: Chavo Jr. I love you man, you're my blood and I'll never let that go. Your one of the reasons I haven't (choked up) said anything about it, what I'm doing tonight. And the other reason is because I have two kids and a wife that I have to support.
  Well you know what? If losing my dignity means having to put up with WCW nWo red, black or white, I don't care. So ,Eric Bischoff, I'm telling you this right now. I want out of my contract no matter what it takes, who I got to speak to, or what it is. OK. And let me save you some time Eric Bischoff. (Pours coffee on himself) I've thrown the coffee on myself. As far as I'm concerned Eric Bischoff you can take this job and shove it up your you know what."
We're back with Hour Number Two!
Match 3: Kanyon and Horace vs. Raven and Saturn
- Kanyon's music comes on. He's got one of the best music intros in WCW.
- Horace follows Kanyon to the ring.
- Tenay says that the internet has been rife with speculation about a major surprise tonight at Nitro.
- Raven comes out to his music, and signals for Saturn to follow him.
- Saturn doesn't look happy.
- Tony: "We don't want to speculate, much like the Internet does all the time...."
- Kanyon rolls up Raven, and Saturn makes the save.
- Raven force-tags Saturn, and Saturn yells at him.
- Kanyon tries the Fisherman Neckbreaker, but Saturn turns it into a belly-to-belly.
- Horace comes in the ring, and gets T-boned.
- Saturn attacks Kanyon on the apron, but gets met with a big boot from Horace.
- Horace flapjacks Saturn, and Kanyon hits a swinging neckbreaker.
- Kanyon works on Saturn in the corner.
- Kanyon with a running backbreaker for two.
- Kanyon goes up top, but Raven crotches him on the top.
- Saturn starts pointing at Raven, and Raven slaps his hand to tag in.
- Raven with three rolling Russian Legsweeps on Kanyon.
- Tony talks more smack about the WWF's ten-second main event.
- Raven stares Horace down.
- Saturn tags in cleanly, and works Kanyon over in the corner.
- Kanyon's getting his rear handed to him.
- Clean tag to bring Raven in.
- The crowd, and the wrestlers on the apron, are looking at something. Must be a fight in the stands.
- Raven gets a chair, puts Kanyon on the top, and tries to Diamond Cut Kanyon from the top onto the chair.
- Kanyon blocks, and ends up taking Raven face-first into the chair.
- Horace gets the hot tag, and hits an avalanche clothesline.
- Belly-to-belly from the Human Stop Sign.
- Horace with a bodyslam, goes up top, and hits a splash. Saturn makes the save.
- Kanyon comes in to beat on Saturn.
- Kanyon and Horace send Saturn and Raven into each other
- Raven falls on his back, and Saturn accidentally headbutts him in the nads. Kanyon goes for the cover, but Saturn makes the save.
- Horace and Kanyon hit the powerbomb/neckbreaker combo on Saturn for two. That was Wrath/Mortis's finisher.
- Saturn can barely stand.
- Kanyon puts Saturn on his shoulders, and hits the facebuster.
- Horace gets the stop sign, Kanyon holds Saturn, but Saturn moves and Kanyon eats the sign.
- Saturn then delivers the Spiccoli Driver for the win!
- The Flock comes in, and Raven Evenflows Saturn.
- Raven tells the Flock to pick Saturn up. Sick Boy and Riggs hold Saturn up.
- Kidman tries to stop the carnage, but gets a DDT as well.
- Horace stops Raven, says he wants Saturn, and delivers a full-nelson slam to Saturn.
- Raven then DDTs Horace. Exciting stuff!
The Wolfpac - Sting, Konnan, Nash, and Luger - walk to the ring
- Luger (!?!?!): "Hartford, CT, the Wolfpac is most definately in the house!"
- Sting: "Ooooooowwwww!!!!"
- Sting says War Games is coming up, and he's looking forward to doing it again.
- Konnan wants to speak on dis.
- And he does.
- Nash: "Sweet to be back in Connecticut!"
- Nash predicts that War Games will be the end of the black-and-white as we know it.
- Nash says that the Wolfpac is just too sweet.
Bobby Heenan has joined the booth.
Match 4: Scott Norton (w/Vincent) vs. Scott Putski
- The Most Useless Man In Wrestling brings out Scott Norton.
- His victim: Scott Putski.
- Putski inherited Steve Regal's robe when Regal left WCW.
- Norton attacks while Putski is taking his finery off.
- Norton tries the Flashback, but Putski flips out of it with a neckbreaker.
- Putski with a dropkick, but gets floored with a clothesline.
- Norton hits a powerbomb, and gets the pin.
- That lasted a little bit longer than 10 seconds.
Footage from Curt Hennig talking smack to Dean Malenko on WCW Saturday Night.
nWo music comes on, and Bischoff, Hogan, and Disciple come out.
- Bischoff gets the mic.
- Hogan says it would be an honor to take out the Wolfpac and WCW.
- Hogan says he's going to be the man who takes wrestling into the new millenium. The really scary thing is that he probably will. Bah.
- Hogan says that DDP doesn't bring any new tag team partners in.
- Hogan wonders who is out there that Hogan can't handle.
- Hogan: "There's not a warrior in the world I can't beat to get my belt back."
- The lights start to flicker, and finally go out.
- Some voice starts talking, storm sounds come over the mic, and a shadowy form comes down the ramp.
- He's backlit, so we can't see who it is.
- Hogan is acting scared.
- It is, indeed, the Ultimate Warrior!
- Warrior: "Talk to me, warriors!"
- Warrior: "Feel the real power, Hogan!"
- Hogan: "I thought you were dead!" That was funny.
- Big "War-ri-or" chant!
- Sign: "Welcome back Warrior"
- Warrior wonders who holds absolute power now.
- Warrior: "It seems as if no formal introduction is going to be necessary."
- Warrior: "In fact, it even seems that there are those who anticipated my arrival."
- Hogan takes off his nWo shirt, and offers it to Warrior.
- Warrior: "What is that smell? You might want to use that to clean up the mess you just made all over yourself."
- Warrior says he has watched for years while this industry, with Hogan at its helm, has tried to recreate what is un-recreatable.
- Who wrote Warrior's speech, Rain Man? I bet Warrior's an excellent driver.
- Warrior: "History tells us, Hogan...."
- Crowd: "Hogan sucks!"
- Warrior: "Let's talk about something he doesn't know."
- Warrior says Hogan has misplaced pieces of his history.
- Warrior says that Hogan was once heroic, but he never beat a warrior, and certainly not the Ultimate one.
- Warrior: "Let me introduce myself to those two fools who stand behind you."
- Warrior (pointing at Disciple): "This dude must be your barber." Nice!
- Warrior (pointing at Bischoff): "Who are you, little man?"
- Bischoff says he runs this company, and wonders who invited Warrior.
- Warrior says he came of his own accord, and when his business here is done, he will be sending Bischoff a bill.
- Warrior talks about his destiny to be the next superhero.
- Warrior says that the evilness that Hogan embodies and portraies sucks, and that Warrior has the power to destroy him.
- Warrior: "I come here not to beat you up tonight, Hogan. Beating you means nothing anymore - everybody already has."
- Warrior: "Your mind became weak - Hulkamania became boring."
- Warrior says that next week, he will launch a revolution.
- The ring fills with smoke, the lights go out, and when the lights come back on, Warrior is gone.
- A "Warrior" sign is projected on the walls. It looks like the freakin' bat signal.
- Just got an email from George Notel saying "I can't believe Hogan lost to Joseph and his amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat! I can't believe that jacket the Warrior had..." Ha! Warrior's jacket was colorful, to say the least.
We take another look at Warrior vanishing.
And, to keep the tension level high, the Nitro Girls dance.
Match 5: Curt Hennig (w/Rick Rude) vs. Dean Malenko
- Curt Hennig and Rick Rude come out, for a rare WCW Saturday Night rematch.
- Malenko makes his entrance.
- Hennig jaws at Malenko.
- Hennig and Rude talk strategy.
- Commercial.
- As we come back, Malenko is bringing Hennig into the ring by the hair.
- Malenko kicks Hennig down in the corner.
- Hennig pulls Malenko outside, and chops him.
- They come back into the ring, and Hennig kicks at him.
- Malenko comes back with some offense, and hits his "hip attack."
- Hennig goes to the eyes.
- Hennig with a clothesline.
- Hennig with a chinlock, and a headtwist.
- Rick Rude gets his shots in on the apron.
- Hennig with an eartwister.
- Malenko tries to fight back, and backdrops Hennig.
- Hennig begs off, but Malenko will have none of it.
- Malenko is in control, with kicks to the gut.
- Malenko with a Russian Legsweep for two.
- Malenko eats boot as he charges the corner, and Hennig sets up for the Hennigplex.
- Malenko gets out of it, and hits a suplex of his own.
- Malenko with a belly-to-back suplex, and grabs the legs.
- Hennig makes it to the ropes, as Rick Rude distracts the ref.
- Malenko pounds on Rude.
- Rude knees Malenko in the back, and Malenko rolls to the outside.
- Rude hits an axehandle on Malenko on the back.
- Rude rolls Malenko back in, and Hennig gets the Hennigplex for the win.
We're back with Hour Number Three! (ten minutes late)
nWo music brings out Scott Steiner in a half-body-cast, Buff Bagwell, and some weird-looking doctor.
- Bagwell tells the crowd to sit down and shut up.
- Scott says that the crowd is sad that Big Poppa Pump is hurt.
- Scott says that the crowd doesn't understand why he's taped from his elbow to his knee.
- Scott says that two weeks ago, Rick hit him in the elbow, and everyone knows that your elbow bone is connected to your shoulder bone is connected to your neck bone is connected to your knee bone, and that's why his leg hurts.
- Scott brought his doctor, Cecil Schwartz, who says "Right on!"
- Scott says he could beat Rick with a half a body, but he won't go against doctor's orders.
- Buff tries to get Scott to hold his arm up, but Scott "can't."
- Buff asks Dr. Schwartz if Scott will be ready by Fall Brawl - Dr. Schwartz says "Right on!"
- Rick comes out barking.
- Rick says that he's sick of Scott and his girlfriend, and he's going back to Detroit to train for his match against Scott, and he'll beat the hell out of Scott at Fall Brawl.
- Scott poses with his good arm.
The Nitro Girls dance again.
Match 6: Triangle Match - Chavo Guerrero Jr. (w/Pepe) vs. WCW World Television Champion Chris Jericho vs. Stevie Ray
- Chavo comes out, with the original Pepe!
- He'll be facing the Paragon Of Virtue!
- Tony says that this will be a triangle match.
- Stevie Ray will be the third participant.
- Chavo and Jericho are about as big as Stevie's thigh. Combined.
- Stevie stalks Jericho, who tries talking to Chavo.
- This is a title match.
- Jericho gets Chavo to attack with him, but Jericho stops, and Chavo gets the shoulderblock.
- Jericho is letting Chavo get the tar beat out of him by Stevie.
- Stevie press-slams Chavo over the top rope onto Jericho.
- Jericho gets brought into the ring with a choke, and Chavo hits a flying bodypress on Stevie. Jericho breaks the pin.
- Chavo dropkicks Jericho, and starts beating on Jericho.
- Stevie breaks up a Chavo pin.
- Stevie clotheslines both men.
- Chavo and Jericho hit a double-missile-dropkick!
- Stevie bumps the ref.
- Stevie KO's Jericho with a foreign object. Chavo jumps on Stevie's back, but gets knocked out, too.
- Giant runs in, and chokeslams Stevie.
- All three men are out, and Mickey Jay is counting.
- Chavo is moving, stands up, but falls down as Jericho grabs the ref.
- Jericho gets up, and Mickey Jay hits the ten-count on Stevie Ray, and awards the match to Jericho.
Much like the silicone reserves from Sable's plastic surgeon's supply closet, we see Warrior "vanish" again.
Match 7: WCW U.S. Heavyweight Champion Bret Hart vs. Diamond Dallas Page
- Bret Hart comes out.
- Commercial.
- DDP makes another entrance through the crowd.
- DDP does his "corner lean."
- DDP opens up with his shoulderblock armbar.
- DDP with a belly-to-belly.
- Hart flees to the safety of the outside.
- DDP follows him, and rolls Hart back in.
- Hart backs off, but gets an elbow to the jaw.
- Tony is continuing to talk smack about the WWF's short main event.
- DDP breaks out a suplex on Hart for two.
- Page mounts the corner for some punches, but gets a low blow. Hart then hotshots Page on the turnbuckles.
- Hart starts choking Page.
- Hart gets agressive in the corner.
- Hart tries a suplex, but Page rolls him up for two.
- Hart with an eyerake.
- Hart continues the Russian Legsweep trend tonight.
- Hart with the side-backbreaker.
- Hart mounts the corner, and hits the elbowdrop for two.
- Page starts to fight back, but gets a facerake.
- Hart with a hard Irish whip to the corner.
- This is kinda random, but whatever happened to the concept of the tag rope?
- Hart with a vicious piledriver!!!
- Hart beats on DDP some more.
- Page hulks up out of the corner, and starts beating on Hart.
- Page with his discus clothesline.
- Page goes up top, and hits a flying clothesline. Hart kicks out at two.
- Page with the DDPancake.
- Hart whips Page into the ref, and puts his knucks on.
- Hart brains Page with the object, puts the object in Page's trunks, and flips Page on top of him.
- Hart kicks out.
- Hart beats on Page, tries the Sharpshooter, drops an atomic headbutt, and turns the Sharpshooter over.
- Page is trying to fight it off, and makes it to the ropes!
- Hart works on the back a bit more.
- Hart tries a suplex, but DDP hits the Diamond Cutter!
- Hart has his foot under the ropes to break the count.
- Page signals for the Diamond Cutter again.
- Hart says that page hits Hart with something, and stuffed it in his trunks.
- The ref checks down DDP's pants, finds the knucks Hart stuffed in his trunks, and DQ's Page.
- Page is incensed as Hart leaves with the belt.
- I haven't seen that finish in a long time, actually.
Match 8: Giant (w/Disciple) vs. WCW World Heavyweight Champion Bill Goldberg
- Michael Buffer checks to see if we're ready to rumble, or something like that.
- Tony says that unlike their competitor, WCW is going to deliver what they promised. And their competitor's match didn't last longer than Buffer's introduction.
- Disciple accompanies Giant to the ring.
- The champ gets the second entrance.
- The crowd chants "Daaaaaaaryl! Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaryl!"
- Wait, my bad. "Goooooooooooooldberg."
- We see Goldberg getting a police escort to the ring.
- Goldberg's security entourage is bigger than Elvis'.
- Giant attacks early with a corner attack.
- Goldberg tries to fight back, but gets slammed by Giant.
- Goldberg hulks up as Giant signals for the Chokeslam.
- Goldberg slams Giant, and Mark Curtis almost has a heart attack at the sight.
- Giant gets up, and he's not happy.
- The two men stare down.
- Giant wins the lockup, and starts pounding on the champ.
- Giant with what amounts to the eighth Russian Legsweep of the night.
- Giant with a headbutt.
- Giant throws Goldberg to the outside.
- Disciple tries to attack, but Goldberg handles him.
- Giant tries to run Goldberg into the post, but Goldberg slips off and posts Giant.
- Giant goes back in.
- Giant suplexes Goldberg back in, but Goldberg pops right back up for the second time tonight.
- Goldberg spears Giant.
- This brings in Disciple, leading to a DQ.
- Goldberg spears Disciple, and Jackhammers him.
- Scott Hall runs in to beat on Goldberg.
- Kevin Nash runs in, takes out Giant, and pulls Hall off of Goldberg.
- Goldberg goes to spear Hall, but he moves, and Goldberg ends up spearing Nash instead.
- Hall leaves the ring.
- Nash pops up, and gets in Goldberg's face.
- The two go nose-to-nose as we fade to black........
- Y'know, I wouldn't mind so much the announcers talking about how they deliver while the competition doesn't if they didn't have their two main events end in screwjobs. Maybe it's just me. But hopefully this sets up a decent Goldberg-Nash feud, whilst Hogan is busy with Warrior.
All in all, a decent show, but it started to drag a bit at the end. The Raven/Saturn/Kanyon/Horace match was good, as was Hart/DDP. And it'll be interesting to see where this Warrior thing goes. Until next week!

Jim D. sends the following arena report:

Hey Bill, I went to the Nitro last Monday in Hartford, and got to witness first-hand the return of the Warrior.
Don't know if you've heard from anyone else who was there, but his entrance was ten times better in the arena than it came off on TV.
There were a lot of fireworks going off in the top of the place, exploding all around the rafters, and most of what went on wasn't even shown on TV. One surprise I saw on the tape was the "Warrior signal" at the end of the segment. I don't think anyone in the crowd even knew it was there.
But probably more importantly was the crowd's reaction to the Warrior. I'd say he got maybe the fifth or sixth biggest pop of the night. The few of us who recognized and/or knew he was coming spent a while explaining it to everyone else. In my section there was one guy sitting next to me who knew what was going on. Everyone around us was just asking "Who's that supposed to be?" By the time he left everyone was more or less clued in, and his exit got his biggest pop.
All in all, Hartford was rockin' for the first hour, died for the second hour (until Warrior), and came back into it for the Goldberg main event. They tried to pump in the Goldberg chants at the beginning but it didn't last. The Larry chants were real, loud, and persistent. The biggest pop of the night was for Penzer when he came out at 7:45 and asked if Hartford was ready for Nitro.
When Hogan's music came on at the beginning of the show the boos were absolutely deafening. Unbelievably loud. It's amazing how quiet it comes out on TV. When the Wolfpack music came on the place exploded, Konnan and Nash were especially over. The Goldberg chants were big, but not as big as Hogan's boos, or even Buffer's pop.
When Buffer walked out during commercial the place erupted. If I was a wrestler I'd be pissed that Buffer gets one of the biggest pops of the night just for showing his face.
During the Raven tag match there was a fight on the floor, and about ten security guys came over to break up two guys.
Every chop was followed with a pretty good "Whoo!" and every time a former Horseman came out a decent "We want Flair" chant would start.
During the DDP-Hart match I think you can hear a "DDP" chant, which was actually a "Show your tits" chant that started in one end of the arena and got picked up by the other side as "DDP."
Anyway, it was truly a great show, and for my first Nitro I was really impressed. The lights and pyro are a spectacle all by themselves. It was a great show, a big crowd, and a lot of fun. I'll be first in line next time they come to Hartford.

Kenneth J. sends the following arena report:

Just want to fill you in on some things I witnessed live in person in Hartford for Nitro.
The crowd was amazing, very much into the whole scene. Flair,Goldberg,and WolfPac chants were in full gear hours before the show. While waiting to enter the Civic Center I saw a guy carrying his girlfriend around in the torture rack.
Our section got the loud Warrior chant going and the "Hogan sucks" chant too during the Hogan/Warrior face off in the ring. We also got a great Whalers chant going. The Whalers were Hartford's former NHL hockey team that made their home at the Civic Center.
Everyone was on good behavior, I only saw one person being thrown out during the Horace/Raven/Kanyon/Saturn match for fighting.
This show was way better than the Raw I attended at MSG last year. The crowd was more into the matches and interviews than at the Raw I mentioned. I hope this fanatic crowd shows WCW that they need to come to McMahon's backyard more often.
After the cameras cut off, Nash and Goldberg went nose to nose as Scott Hall and The Giant circled the ring. Hall hit the ring and was speared by Goldberg, the Giant entered again and was clotheslined over the ropes by Nash. The pop for Nash and Goldberg tore the roof off the sucker. Then they both held each others arms up in victory as Hall and the Giant hightailed it out of there. Nash and Goldberg left the ring together, with Goldberg stopping on the ramp to raise up the title and make that crazy constipated face he does so well.

WCW Monday Nitro - Monday, 08/17/98

By Wade

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