WCW Monday Nitro - Monday, 09/07/98

• "ER" was on before Nitro this week, instead of "Babylon 5," and
• It was my birthday yesterday.

• We also see Vincent talking about someone getting laid out, and an ambulance speeding off.
• Hogan then goes out to the ring, with the rest of nWo Hollywood (well, Bischoff, Giant, Disciple, and Vincent)
• Bischoff looks under the ring.
• Zbysko: "The revolution has begun." Viva Tenay! Viva Gorditas!
• Bischoff: "Where are you Warrior, you gutless piece of garbage."
• Hogan calls for the Random One.
• Hogan talks about Warrior attacking Norton and Adams from behind.
• Hogan says Bret Hart is off the team for Fall Brawl, Giant's on. Hogan is sick of Warrior, too.
• Hogan buzzword count: "God of wrestling, worship."
• Hogan says that Warrior couldn't get through Disciple (HA!!!!!) and Giant to get to Hogan.
• Tony: "I'll tell you where [Warrior] is, he's everywhere!" C'mon, Tony. Come back to the real world.....

• Today is Monday Nitro's 3^rd birthday!
• Tenay is shocked that Bret Hart may be out of Wargames....

• Wolfpac music brings out "The Wolfpac Undercarder", Konnan.
• The main event tonight: Malenko vs. Hennig in a cage.
• Konnan's opponent is already in the ring - it's Bull Pain.
• Pain has an . . . interesting ring garb.
• [INSERT EVERY KONNAN RING INTRO FROM THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS HERE]
• I assume that "Bull Pain" is no relation to indy star "Cham Pain."
• Konnan with a huge rolling clothesline, followed by some huge scratching.
• Konnan with the dropkick to a seated Pain.
• Tony mentions that Pensacola is where the infamous nWo "Arn Anderson parody" took place.
• Pain delivers a clothesline from the apron to the floor.
• The fans are looking at something....
• Pain goes up to the top, and delivers a splash for two!
• The announcers congratulate Mark McGwire on his 61^st home run.
• Pain goes back up top, walks the second rope, but misses an elbow.
• Konnan with chops, and the faceslam.
• Konnan locks on the Tequila Sunrise, and there's the match.

• Tony talks about the Warrior's little nWo Hollywood thingy.
• Zbyszko takes his bows.
• Tony talks about Hart getting kicked off the Wargames team.

• Can Warrior get any tackier? Or any more absurd?

• Dillon talks about Hogan signing a contract for Team Hogan at the Wargames.
• Dillon says the contract is for Hogan, Hart, and Stevie Ray, so that's going to be the team. No Giant.

• DDP makes his traditional entrance through the right side of the crowd. So if you want DDP to run past you, sit on the right side of the aisle.
• Gene asks if DDP is going to join the Red & Black!
• DDP asks Gene what he feels like when people tell him what to do.
• DDP wants a rewind - two years ago, Nash, Hall, and Hollywood "Scum" [Hogan] formed a group, and asked DDP as an afterthought if he wanted to join. DDP gave his answer then [makes Diamond Cutter sign].
• DDP fast-forwards to today.
• DDP talks about nWo ego, and says now Nash wants him to join.
• DDP says he sure as hell doesn't like to be told what to do, and doesn't like his attitude.
• DDP also doesn't trust Nash.
• Speak of the Nash, and he shall appear.
• Nash has his own mic. DDP slouches in the corner.
• Nash thanks DDP for the history lesson. DDP says "You're welcome."
• Nash says that DDP has been asked to be part of the elitest group in pro wrestling history.
  • What, the Horsemen are recruiting Page?
• Nash says that, come Sunday, if DDP isn't part of the Wolfpac, he's a target.
• DDP wonders how Luger or Sting can trust Nash.
• This brings out said Luger and said Stinger.
• Nash passes the mic to Luger.
• Luger thinks he can square this thing away.
• Luger says that he came out a couple months ago, and offered a slot to DDP then.
• Luger says that he and Sting came on board.
• Luger says that while DDP was out Karl Maloning it and Jay Lenoing it, they waited.
• Luger says they want an answer, so they know where he stands.
• DDP wonders if Luger really thinks that Nash wouldn't powerbomb Luger and Sting in a second to get a shot at Goldberg.
• Sting gets the mic, and says Nash has already powerbombed him once.
• Sting says he has bailed DDP out before.
• Sting says not to wait until Sunday, for Page to get Piper, and two Wolfpac members will take them on tonight.
• Page challenges Nash directly.

• Also, you gotta love cheesy local commercial for "Robbins Delaware Diamonds"

• Gene calls out Roddy Piper.
• My Piper Cheap Heat Sport Reference prediction tonight: Mark McGwire.
• Piper always looks so confused.
• Gene wonders if DDP speaks for him.
• Piper says that he isn't DDP's wife, midget, lapdog, etc.
• Piper says that DDP says he doesn't like ultimatums, and then gives one to Piper.
• Piper says there's no teams in Wargames. At least, not the bastardized version that they're putting on this year.
• Piper asks if DDP and he are the last two guys standing, is DDP going to walk out to give Piper the win? No, DDP will sneak up behind him and put the Diamond Cutter on him.
• Piper: "Diamonds are for women, and real men wear kilts"
• Piper says he's on no teams in Wargames.
• Piper says he'll tag with Page tonight, and they'll see how it flies.
• No sports reference tonight!

• Boiiiiing.
• Pointless, but fun.

• Yes!!! Lenny Lane!!!! Woo hoo!!!!
• I was wondering where that guy run off to!
• Oh boy, he's next on the Wrath Squash List.
• Man, Wrath is huge!
• And he can throw a mean glare.
• Lane with an armtwist, but Wrath powers him down by the hair.
• Lane gets thrown into the corner, and hit with some HUGE chops.
• A huge biel into the corner!
• Wrath stomps on Lane's hands, and rubs his face into the mat.
• Big tilt-a-whirl backbreaker from the big man.
• Wrath shouts something at the camera.
• Lane gets out of a gorilla press, slaps on a sleeper, but Wrath tosses him off.
• Wrath with a big diving shoulderblock.
• Wrath positively PLANTS Lane with the Meltdown, and gets the pin.
• Post-match, Wrath puts the boots to the fallen Lane.
• Huge work for Wrath, but Lane deserves better.

• nWo Hollwood music comes on?
• Curt Hennig, Vincent, and Stevie Ray (with new black-and-white tights) come out.
• Stevie: "I've got to set something straight with this sucka right now."
• The nWo huddles in the ring.
• Sting runs down with a baseball bat.
• The nWo flees the ring. Hart remains.
• Hart wants a high-five from Sting, but gets poked with a bat instead.
• Sting then hands Hart the bat, and turns his back.
• Hart throws the bat down, and Sting leaves the ring.

• Steiner talks about how Scott has changed inside, and ruined the Steiner name.
• Rick says that the nWo will use Scott and drop him like a bad habit, so Scott shouldn't call him when that happens.
• We see good old footage of the Steiners.
• Rick says Scott will have a chance to prove that he's the better Steiner brother.

• Evan $*!&#(@! (Karagias) comes out.
• Scott Steiner comes out with Buff, and sends Buff over to the announcer area.
• Steiner goes to the ring.
• Steiner grabs a mic:
• He says that he's out here because of the Rick interview.
• Steiner talks more about being the "real" Steiner Brother.
• Karagias is still hanging out in the ring. Not for long, I'd imagine....
• Steiner talks about the mindgames he and Buff have played.
• Steiner's veins are as big as municipal water pipes.
• Steiner says that Karagias' opponent is laid out in the back, and Karagias is in the wrong place at the wrong time.
• Steiner challenges Karagias, asking if he thinks he has what it takes to take on Big Poppa Pump. Karagias goes to answer, but Scott kicks him.
• Steiner beats down Karagias while still talking smack on the mic.
• Steiner with a corner shot, and a big clothesline.
• Huge gorilla-press drop from Scott.
• Scott with a double-underhook powerbomb.
• Scott locks on the Steiner Recliner, and Evan gives up.
• Scott bullies Nick Patrick post-match.

• Woah! Hector Garza is back!!! Haven't seen him in ages!
• He'll be facing Juventud in a "Battle of Guys With Cheesy Western Entrance Music"
• Garza has been out with knee surgery.
• Semi-handshake to start.
• Garza with a headlock.
• Garza shoulderblocks Juvi down.
• A long series, ending with a blown tilt-a-whirl from Garza.
• Juvi charges, and Garza connects with the move this time.
• Another tilt-a-whirl backbreaker from Garza.
• Garza's flipping around quite well.
• Juvi avoids a Garza corner charge, and hits a spinwheel kick, sending Garza over the top.
• Juvi goes up top, and flies onto Garza on the outside.
• Juvi throws Garza back in, and goes up top.
• Garza connects with a dropkick, though, as Juvi flies off the top.
• Garza with a modified spinebuster for two.
• Garza slaps on a Boston crab, and turns it into the Rocking Horse.
• Juvi turns it into a sunset flip for two, though.
• Garza connects with a big lariat.
• Garza with La Mahistral for two.
• Garza with a double-armlock.
• Some reversal spots, and Garza comes out on top with a big pickup-slam.
• Garza dropkicks Juvi in the back.
• Juvi goes up top, and hits a missile dropkick!
• Juvi puts Garza up top, tries a Frankensteiner, but Garza turns it into a top-rope powerbomb!
• Garza then hits a jackknife powerbomb.
• Garza with a bodyslam, but Juvi avoids a moonsault.
• Juvi then hits the JuviDriver for the pin!
• Tony, of course, talks about the nWo.

• Gene calls out Curt Hennig and Rick Rude.
• Gene talks about the cage match.
• Hennig calls Arn Anderson a coward for turning away from the Horsemen.
• Hennig says that he's shut the door on the Horsemen.
• Rude says that 15 years ago, the Horsemen were riding high, but Arn Anderson has been set out to pasture.
• Hennig calls Malenko a "Horseman wannabe."
• Hennig: "[Malenko] doesn't know which end of the horse he wants to be."
• Hennig: "After tonight, everyone will know that you're nothing more than a horse's ask Rick Rude."
• The two goof around with Gene before leaving.

• Kitty B. Badd comes out to continue this wek's "undeserved push."
• Kaos of High Voltage comes out, solo.
• They announce his name as "Kenny Kaos."
• Kaos tries a lockup, but Kitty spazzes out in some karate pose.
• Kaos with a hiplock, but Cat gets out of it with a legsweep.
• Kaos with an armlock, but Cat gets out of it with an armdrag. Cat then has his grand mal seizure.
• Cat fights, and then throws Kaos out of the ring.
• Cat poses, but gets met with a springboard lariat from the big man!
• Cat shoulderblocks Kaos, but gets hit with a cross-body.
• Cat begs off in the corner, but gets a cheap shot in.
• Cat is getting booed. Heel heat, or boredom?
• Kaos with a swinging neckbreaker, but avoids going for the cover.
• Cat hits a spinning kick, and gets the pin.
• Alright, I've got to say it: "Oh my God! Kitty B. Badd killed Kenny!"
• Cat wants us to cut the music.
• Kitty B. Badd says he's so good.
• Kitty says in the ring, we see a WCW rasslo, and a world karate champion.
• Cat says he doesn't know how to lose, and challenges anyone from the locker room.
• Nobody comes out, so Cat poses a bit more, and leaves.

• The trumpets bring out "Gentleman" Chris Adams, and his shiny shirt.
• Unfortunately, Adams has been beating up on Brad Armstrong at house shows recently. Bah.
• nWo Hollywood music comes on, and Stevie Ray comes out.
• Again, Ray has black-and-white "Harlem Heat-style" tights on.
• Stevie gives a really bug-eyed look to the crowd. He must go to Rocky Maivia's optometrist...
  
• Bobby Heenan has joined the announcer booth.
• Stevie has "Slap Jack" on the back of his tights.
• Stevie powers Adams away, then shoulderblocks him down.
• Adams tries a cross-bodyblock, but gets slammed.
• Adams avoids an elbowdrop, and hits a dropkick.
• Adams mounts the buckles, punches Stevie, but gets an inverted atomic drop after a couple of shots.
• Vincent gets his shoves in, too.
• Big "Vader Attack" from Stevie, who then challenges the crowd.
• Stevie locks on the 110^th Street Resthold.
• Adams has mounted little to no offense so far.
• Stevie with a bodyslam, and a kneedrop.
• Adams avoids a corner charge, and hits a belly-to-back suplex.
• Adams with an enzugiri.
• Adams takes Stevie down with a lariat, then deals with Vincent on the apron.
• Adams, however, gets met with a standing side kick from Stevie when he turns around.
• Stevie then applies the Slapjack for the win.

• They didn't show the "Nitro Nipple," so it wasn't a VERY special look.

• Riggs comes out.
• His opponent: Kanyon???
• Kanyon comes out with Raven, Lodi, and Lodi's Sign Guy.
• WTF? Riggs vs. Kanyon?
• Raven: "Oh look, it's Perry Saturn, the man who wants to set the Flock free."
• Raven tells Lodi to tell Saturn to face Riggs instead of Kanyon.
• Lodi orders Saturn to do it, and Saturn gets in the ring.
• Raven: "C'mon, Army Boy, it's all about honor."
• Riggs with a forearm to start, followed by a HUGE dropkick.
• Riggs works Saturn over in the corner.
• Raven berates Saturn over the mic.
• Lodi orders Saturn to fight back, and to entertain them.
• It's been all Riggs.
• Big clothesline from Riggs.
• Lodi sign: "Football fears Lodi"
• Riggs with another running forearm.
• Big "Lodi sucks" chant.
• Saturn ducks a lariat, and hits a superkick.
• Riggs charges, and gets met with a T-bone suplex.
• Saturn kicks Riggs in the head.
• Raven: "Are you going to set him free, or are you going to hurt him."
• Saturn goes mideval on Riggs in the corner.
• Saturn throws Riggs to the floor in front of Raven.
• Raven yells at Riggs to put up a fight.
• Saturn throws Riggs into the steps.
• He does it again.
• Lodi sign: "Johnboy Billy Duh-Huh"
• Riggs is out on his feet.
• Saturn delivers the Spicolli Driver, and gets the pin.
• Raven tells Lodi to tell Saturn to break Riggs fingers.
• Saturn doesn't want to. Raven says it'll be Saturn's broken honor if he doesn't.
• Raven then gives Saturn a choice...he tells Saturn to either break Riggs fingers, or let Raven break Saturn's.
• Saturn tells Raven to break his, and Raven does.
• The trainer comes out to check on Saturn, but Saturn pushes him away.
• I thought that was a really good heel segment from Raven.

• It's time for Monday Night Jericho!
• His opponent: "Mr. Verbosity" Jim Neidhart.
• Jim reveals the two words in his vocabulary: "Yeah Baby"
• Wait, he's got two more! He told someone to "Shut up"
• Jericho welcomes us to Monday Night Jericho!
• Jericho: "I am most definately the walrus: Goo goo ga joob."
• Jericho promises not to treat the Jericholics wrong just because he is better than each and every one of them.
• Neidhart sends Jericho to the floor.
• Neidhart with a big shoulderblock.
• Neidhart with a slam by the hair.
• Neidhart throws Jericho into the air.
• Jericho tries to fight back with chops.
• Neidhart tries a throw again, but Jericho dropkicks him.
• Neidhart goes to the apron, but Jericho floors him with a springboard dropkick.
• Jericho with a baseball-slide dropkick to Neidhart on the outside.
• The two brawl on the floor, and Neidhart sends Jericho back in.
• Jericho tries a bodyslam, but Neidhart's girth causes Jericho to fall.
• Jericho suplexes Neidhart.
• Jericho misses the Lionsault, and Neidhart floors him with a clothesline.
• Neidhart pulls the straps down, and whips Jericho from corner to corner.
• Jericho sends Neidhart to the floor.
• Jericho tries a pescado, but Neidhart catches him, and runs him back-first into the steel post.
• Neidhart goes to the second buckle, but Jericho avoids a splash.
• Jericho goes for the Liontamer.........
• Neidhart's fighting..................
• Neidhart powers his way out of it.
• Jericho tries again....
• Billy Silverman calls for the bell? It looks like Silverman thinks Neidhart tapped out, Jericho's tapping his wrist to signify time-limit draw, and the announcers are saying Neidhart's unconcious.
• Jericho gets the win somehow. That was a very strange finish.

• Eddy has a pencil with the "No circle-and-slash" over it on the front of his shirt.
• "Y'know, Uncle Eric, there's nothing I enjoy more than coming out and wrestling in WCW, since you won't let me wrestle anywhere else."
• Eddy says that he hurt his back against Adams last week, and his doctor won't let him wrestle until he gets an MRI.
• Eddy points to his back, where he has "Eric Please Free Me" written.
• Eddy says that in his contract, it says that Uncle Eric has to take care of him if he gets hurt in the ring.
• Eddy then says some more sarcastic comments about how much he respects Uncle Eric and wrestling for WCW.
• Eddy says he's going to do them both a favor, and give himself the night off.

• It's a cage with a roof.
• The cage starts sinking toward the ring.

• nWo music comes on, and Hennigrude comes out.
• Someone is throwing confetti.
• Hennig and Rude enter the cage through the door.
• Commercial.
• Malenko makes his entrance.
• Malenko throws the Evil Eye to the ring from the ramp.
• Hennig attacks as Malenko enters the ring.
• The cage door is shut.
• Hennig with the early beatdown.
• Malenko with a drop-toehold, and a beatdown of his own.
• Hennig goes to the eyes.
• Hennig talks to Rude, which gives Malenko the opportunity to hit a belly-to-back suplex.
• Malenko with his thigh kick.
• Malenko ducks too soon for a backdrop, and gets kicked.
• For some reason, Hennig tries to climb the roof of the cage. Malenko pulls him back down.
• Hennig avoids a corner charge from Malenko, who hits his head on the cage.
• Hennig back with the advantage.
• Hennig is working on the shoulder.
• Hennig tries to cage Malenko, but Malenko puts the brakes on.
• Hennig goes back to work on the right shoulder.
• Rick Rude is picking the lock on the door.
• Hennig with an armbar.
• The announcers completely avoid mentioning the fact that Rude is picking the lock.
• Malenko gets his feet up on the charging Hennig, but can't do any more.
• Malenko's right arm is useless.
• Hennig gets a foreign object, and uses it to hit a Heart Punch on Malenko!
• Hennig only gets two.
• Hennig goes back to the arm.
• This is great ring psychology that is probably lost on the casual fan.
• The two men butt heads.
• Malenko fights back with kicks, and starts punching with his dead arm.
• The advantage is short-lived, though.
• Hennig is still unable to cage Malenko.
• Hennig is slapping Malenko around, ordering him to fight back.
• "Four Horsemen" chant starting.
• Malenko starts a comeback.
• Hennig puts a stop to that with a two-count.
• Tony: "Almost a year ago, when there were two cages, and this year, there will be as well."
• Hennig with a kneelift.
• Hennig slaps on a cross-armbreaker.
• Hennig finally cages Malenko.
• Malenko comes back, and slingshots Hennig into the cage!!!
• Malenko cages him again!!!
• Malenko grabs the legs, but Hennig gets to the ropes.
• Hennig slams Malenko, and the ref gets bumped and is unconcious.
• Hennig goes for a spinning toehold, and Malenko kicks Hennig into the cage.
• Malenko applies the Cloverleaf!
• Bischoff comes out with a key, and opens the door.
• Rude runs in, breaks the Cloverleaf, and beats on Malenko.
• Rude cages the ref, and then counts a pin for Hennig.
• Stevie Ray and Rude move Malenko's head in the cage door.
• Hennig gets ready to replay Fall Brawl from last year and slam Malenko's head in the door.
• ARN ANDERSON RUNS OUT!!!!! HOLY SHIT!!!!
• Anderson gives a VICIOUS axehandle to Hennig! Another one for Rude!
  
• Anderson goes into the cage, where Stevie Ray is waiting.
• Ray pulls his shirt off, and Arn does the same!!!
• Stevie charges, but Arn runs him into the cage!!!
• Arn puts the beatdown on Stevie, who quickly hits the high road!
  
• In the ring, Arn and Malenko stand back-to-back and then share a look of mutual respect.
  
• Malenko clutches his shoulder, as Anderson glares at the nWo, and we fade to commercial.
  

• And, of course, we follow that up with a Scott Putski match.
• Putski is this week's World Title contender.
• Goldberg is 140-0.
• Goldberg gets his normal police escort.
• Jackhammer. Splat. Win. Oh wait, I'm supposed to wait until the match starts to do that.
• And there's the bell.
• Goldberg with a takedown, and a hiptoss.
• Putski avoids the gorilla-press powerslam.
• Putski with a snap-suplex that Goldberg no-sells.
• Goldberg hits the spear.
• Jackhammer. Splat. Win.
• Which is worse: A title that's never defended, or one that's defended weekly against jobbers?

• Main event time!
• Michael Buffer is in a garish blue tux.
• Wolfpac music brings out.....
• Lex Luger and Sting.
• Someone throws red and black confetti.
• Piper makes his entrance separately.
• Buffer: "[Piper is] respected worldwide for his sense of fair play and values..." Was he serious?
• DDP makes another entrance through the crowd.
• Piper and Page argue about who will start, as Luger picks confetti off of himself.
• It'll be Page and Luger to start off.
• A stalemate, but Luger still flexes.
• Piper forcibly tags in, and starts beating on Luger.
• Piper is stomping a mudhole in Luger.
• Piper runs Luger from corner to corner, and continues the beatdown. What's more amazing, Luger sells it!
• Piper is yelling "It's war!"
• The confetti in the ring makes it look like they're wrestling in a pile of leaves. Well, it is Fall Brawl....
• Piper tags Page, who continues the carnage.
• Page with a belly-to-back suplex.
• Luger hits the loaded forearm, and tags Sting.
• Sting with a bulldog faceslam.
• Sting with a leaping DDT!!!!
• Sting goes for a hiptoss, but Page hits a DDT of his own.
• Piper distracts the ref, allowing Luger to interfere.
• All four men brawl in the ring, and Page and Sting clothesline each other.
• Kevin Nash runs down to the ring.
• Nash posts Piper, and enters the ring.
• Nash grabs Page, and delivers the Jackknife, DQing the Wolfpac.
• Nash rips his shirt off, and drops it on DDP.
• We go to commercial, as Tony says there's more to come....

• Hogan comes out with a chair, and Giant comes out with him.
• Hogan is calling for Warrior.
• Giant has a mic.
• Hogan buzzword count: "nWo-ites"
• Hogan says that the Warrior doesn't have the guts to take on the nWo on one-by-one.
• Hogan says Warrior has to take on "the big man," to prove he deserves to be in the ring with Hogan.
• Hogan says that they'll put the cage down, so Warrior will have to come through the door.
• Hogan talks some more smack. He's repeating himself.
• Giant can touch the roof of the cage standing up.
• The cheap smoke effects fill the cage. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
• As the smoke clears, Giant is out, and Warrior is sitting in a chair in the middle of the ring.
• The cage door is shut and locked.
• This is so tacky.
• Warrior threatens Hogan with the chair.
• Bischoff runs down to unlock the cage door.
• Warrior takes his Coat of Many Colors off.
• Hogan avoids the Warrior's chairshot, and hits one of his own.
• Warrior has a seizure after the chairshot, and Hogan runs out.
• Hogan and Bischoff lock the Warrior into the cage, as Warrior shakes the ropes.
• The smoke starts to fill the cage again, and they switch to a camera angle that won't see the trap door.
• As the smoke clears, nobody is in the ring but Giant.
• And, as the great philosopher Tony Schiavone one said, "OHMYGODWEREOUTOFTIMESEEYOUONTHUNDER!"

Pre-Nitro Notes:

• It was not a sellout, several sections on the Camera Side were not used. But is was a big crowd, the best of the three Pensacola Nitros.
• No Dark Matches, before or after the show.
• Wildcat Willy did his normal routine, the Nitro Girls were introduced, one did a backward flip from the top rope to the canvas - not bad at all. Did get a real nice pop from the crowd.
• Huge Goldberg chant started when his match was announced before the show. If you think the sound is mixed in, it was live here in Pensacola.
• The fire from the ring posts puts out a lot of heat.

The Show:

• This is my fifth Nitro, third in Pensacola. The crowd is hot to start.
• The big screen TV comes on and we see the backstage actions of Hogan....not sure what is really going on, but do get the idea someone was taken off in ambulance but don't know who.
• Hogan and crew to the ring. Get good response - negative heat, but not as good as in the past. Hogan has received a lot more heat in Pensacola, but it is not there this time.
• First match - Bull Pain and Konnan.
  • Konnan is over big time with the crowd. Everyone is ready to go. The fans repeat all the Spanish sayings from Konnan - I don't they know what they mean, but they do repeat them. The match is short and quick but the fans are into it. Konnan with the Tequila Sunrise and it is over. Big ovation. The show has started up well, but it is about to slowly fiss for a bit.
• Mean Gene/JJ Dillion - Who cares, no one does, wasted time.
• Mean Gene/DDP - The security guards set up his approach route to the ring early. Several fans recognize this and make their way close to the path. My co-partner in crime for this event heads over. On cue, here comes DDP through the crowd. Serurity leading the way.
  • DDP has lost some of heat. He is not playing well with the crowd. He is not over like he was the last time in Pensacola. There are still a lot of fans but he is no longer the "Darling" of the crowd. Goldberg has eaten away at DDP fan base, I believe, plus he is lost in the shuffle.
• Big pop when Nash, Sting and Luger come out. This is Wolfpac country now.
• Mean Gene/Roddy Piper - Piper is dead. No reaction at all. The Hot Rod has never recovered from the "Debacle" at the Georgia Dome when he had tryouts for "Team Piper". I used to look forward to the Hot Rod, but no more.
• Match 2: Lenny Lane - Wrath (Bryan Clark)
  • How long has it been since we had a match, about 30 minutes, the spirit of the crowd is gone.
  • Bryan Clark does look mean in there, he is one of those guys that just looks bad to the bone.
  • The fans appreciate some of Wrath's power moves and chops but overall, dead match.
  • There did seem to me a little flare up from Clark toward Lane at the end but nothing to speak of.
• Match 3: Sorta - Hart vs ? - We had been told that there would be a US Title defense tonight before the event started. We are never sure who the opponent is suppose to be. It ends up moving the plot line along for Stint/Hart partnership some where down the line.
  • Wasted time - Hart is a good wrestler, let him wrestle....why bring him in to tease a match and barely move a plot line along. Sting helping him out after a match would have made more sense and entertained the crowd more.
  • The crowd felt cheated out of a match and you know what, they were.
• Match 4: Scott Steiner - Evan Karagias, the video of Rick Steiner was good, Scott Steiner was poor.
  • Without Buff Bagwell in the ring, Scott's interview skills are in trouble. I know Bagwell was in the booth and probably added something from there, but the crowd was dead from what Scotty was saying.
  • Match was not real good and the finish seemed a little off. It looked like the ref DQ'd somebody by the way he acted. But I presume that Steiner got the win.
• Match 5: Hector Garza/Juvi Guerrera
  • Hector is bigger than a cruiser, he has to be 245 to 250.
  • Good match, the crowd was not into real hot but did appreciate the better moves.
  • The first powerbomb by Garza on Juvi stunned Guerrera some. He did hit his head hard and seemed to have trouble with his arm for a while. Hector had to pull him up at one point on a pin. But it only lasted about a minute and then Juvi was back at it.
  • Everyone wanted to see the 450 but we had to settle on the Driver (Didn't someone say somewhere that he couldn't use this move any more because another Vampiro would be using it as his finisher?)
• Match 6: The Cat/Kaos
  • Can anyone tell me why?, the fans didn't care, the wrestlers didn't care, no one cared and then they let the Cat speak and challenge the locker room. Who did you think was coming out of the back - Glacier.
  • Waste of time.
• Match 7: Chris Adams/Stevie Ray
  • Another sleeper, and this is the Third Anniversary, boy, real big matches. My buddy is more impressed when I tell him that Adams trained Steve Austin and that Austin took Adams' wife away and caused a divorce between the two and Austin married the fomer Mrs. Adams.
  • Match is a bore. Fans know it is a bore.
• Match 8: Riggs/Saturn
  • Not sure on how this all came about, I think Riggs was supposed to face Kanyon but it ended up in a Saturn/Riggs match. The crowd did get back into it.
  • The guy about four people down from me hates Raven and keeps throwing ice at him (We are the first row, behind ringside seats).
  • Some good moves in match. Interesting twists at the end....came off pretty good live. The pop is back with the crowd. And Riggs spit on a woman in the front row, don't know why, but I saw it as Riggs was leaving the ring and it was real. Big one too. She was not real happy.
• Match 9: Jericho/Anvil Neidhart
  • Where did they dig up the "Anvil" for this show?
  • Jericho is pretty good and does have a following in the crowd.
  • The Anvil is red-faced in the first three minutes of the match.
  • The ending looked real weird to the live audience. Neidhart never submitted, the ref rings the bell, and Jericho is the winner?
  • Someone will have to explain this to me....is Vince McMahon paying off these officials too...
• Eddie Guerrero - Not as good as some of the other "Shoots" from Eddie, but I did chuckle under my breathe.
• Match 10: Hennig/Malenko in a Steel Cage
  • The most anticipated match of the evening.
  • Biggest question, would blood be allowed?
  • Good solid match, old style match, with Hennig pulling an "Anderson" on Malenko and working on one body part.
  • The end comes, no real blood, but as they begin to pull Malenko toward the door, you know someone is going to becoming down the aisle, the only question, will it be Flair or Anderson and it is Anderson.
  • The place does explode. The four fingers go up everywhere and I'm even yelling with four fingers up in the air - my only emotional outbreak of the evening.
  • Anderson cleans house and opens the door for the Horsemen and the return of Flair (If it happens, I would rather see Ric in the WWF, where he will be used better).
• Match 10: Goldberg/Putski
  • What can you say for about 3 - 4 minutes of pure energy from the fans?
  • The usual, but the fans were pumped. And then it is over.
  • And yes, the Goldberg chant was real.
• Match 11: DDP & Piper vs. Luger & Sting
  • Wolfpac comes out to big ovation, Piper nothing, DDP - So-so.
  • The match is not real good but could have been worse.
  • Here comes Nash. The place goes wild.
  • He powerbombs DDP and then the ref. The ref was a real surprise.
  • Sting didn't look too happy, Luger seemed to like it. You can see the breakup coming, War Games will be interesting.
• And then we see the locker room again, Brutus.....Disciple....whoever, has went down. Here comes Hogan and the Giant....you can smell the Warrior a mile away.
• The cage is lowered, Hogan has checked under the ring, sorry, but I don't remember that happening. Here comes the smoke. The Giant falls on his own, no one is near...it happened right in front of me. The smoke clears and the Warrior is there - the guy has spent four hours under the ring....sorry but there are no tunnels under the Pensacola Civic Center.
• Hogan with a chair shot, we see the Warrior of old, Hogan runs, the Warrior leaves by the Smoke Route again.
• After the show, the cage is lifted, the Giant finally wakes up, sees whose coat is draped over him, leaves the ring quickly. Show is over.
• Overall impression:
  • The first Nitro in Pensacola was better. This was not a good anniversary show. Needed a few better matches. Let Hart wrestle, let some of the other more talented guys get some time - but no, we get the Cat and Kaos, not very good.
  • Several fights did break out in the arena with several arrests.
  • The sign police was in full force, I saw at least 15 - 20 signs taken, before and during the show.
  • Idiot beer vendors were allowing minors to drink, this lead to several of the outbreaks. Nothing major, but some pushing and shoving.
  • Best signs of the night:
    • DDP is trailer trash.
    • Hogan fears Rogaine.
    • I don't have any underwear on.
    • Be fair to Flair.

That's my report. Not a great night, but not a bad night. Could have been better, but I have been at worse.