House Show Results from Memphis, TN, Tuesday, May 25th, 1998
House Show Results from Memphis, TN, Tuesday, May 25th, 1998
- Just wanted to send in my report on the WCW house show from Memphis on Tuseday. Unlike the WWF show last December, which featured no Austin and Shawn Michaels walking out after being hit with a bottle, WCW really stacked the card with a triple main event to make up for a lackluster undercard. They'd been hyping this card for weeks, so I was really looking forward to the show.
- I arrived at the Mid-South Coliseum (hereafter referred to as The Round House) around 6:45, and immediately got in line to buy a Wolfpack shirt - which would prove to be a shrewd buy as I would later find out. Twenty minutes later, I made my way to my seat on the 8th row, three seats from the aisle where the wrestlers walked out to the ring. David Penzer incites the crowd with WCW's three rules for conduct: no throwing things into the ring (like they're really going to be able to enforce that one!), no jumping the guardrail, and no laser pointers (yes, there was one!).
- Match #1: Yuji Nagata WITH Sonny Onoo v. The Cat
- Yes, Sonny Onoo did show up for the show.
- You know, there are times when both wrestlers work their asses off and the crowd just doesn't care. This was one of those times.
- Several boring chants, which was very appropriate, even for the wacky Memphis marks.
- WINNER: The Cat with a non-top rope Feliner.
- Match #2: The Barbarian WITHOUT Jimmy Hart v. Kaos
- Lowlight of the night: Memphis' own Mouth of the South was not in the building.
- Another ho-hum match, as both guys got heel heat from the crowd.
- WINNER: The Barbarian with the Kick Of Fear.
- Match #3: Hugh Morrus v. Konnan
- It's amazing what associating with Kevin Nash can do for a career. A month ago, no one would have cared about Konnan - now he's getting decent-sized face pops.
- Plenty of missed spots by Konnan, but it was really no secret who was going to win the match.
- WINNER: Konnan with the Tequila Sunrise.
- Match #4: Rage v. The British Bulldog
- Apparently, Bret Hart has some stroke with the front office, as Davey Boy was able to get to The Round House just in time for the show.
- Rage gets the mic, and rips the Memphis fans, saying they're on welfare and food stamps. Then he says DBS is from Canada. (???)
- DBS gets the mic, corrects Rage, and then says the fans paid good money tonight to see him kick Rage's ass! HEY! You can't say that, this is WCW! Wait a minute, we're not on TV. OK, you can get away with it.
- Another nothing match, with a botched ending: DBS goes for his suplex, but Rage doesn't hold his legs straight up, so DBS has to suplex him quickly, and then gets a quick pin. No stumbling powerslam tonight.
- WINNER: British Bulldog with a simple suplex.
- Intermission time! as David Penzer tells us to go buy souvenirs and drinks, all the while reminding us to watch Thunder tomorrow night for the 354th time. Good thing he didn't mention that Thunder is in Nashville, or else he might've been drowned right out of the Round House. (Hint: Memphis hates Nashville. Although we got the last laugh - Nashville is stuck with the Oilers now! HAHAHAHA!!!)
- Match #5: Saturn v. Goldberg
- Saturn takes his sweet time making Goldberg wait from him, but every time he gets back in, Goldberg blasts him.
- Finally, Saturn gains the advantage, but after hitting one of his awesome suplexes, Goldberg no-sells it.
- Spear, JackHammer, 1-2-3. Sing along.
- WINNER: Goldberg with the JackHammer.
- I should point out here that Goldberg got only the 3rd biggest pop of the night. Here comes #2!
- Match #6: (Advertised) Kevin Nash v. The Giant
- Nash comes out and does a nWo Hollywood v. nWo Wolfpack survey, which is deafeningly in favor of the Red & Black Attack. Yep, this was the second biggest pop of the show. Then Nash says that due to doctor's orders, he won't be able to wrestle tonight, due to the concussion he received at Slamboree. He makes a crack about the doctor's name being "Bischoff". Nash then announces that the newest member of the Wolfpack will wrestle the Giant: Lex Luger!
- Luger gets a great pop, and looks happy to be wearing Wolfpack colors. I guess so - his career wasn't going anywhere before, why not try it?
- Giant gets a large round of boos, and comes out wearing both tag belts.
- Typical Luger match, with him being beaten down, and coming back with 3 clotheslines. He goes for the Rack, Giant blocks it. Giant goes for the ChokeSlam, Luger low-bridges him.
- Luger then hits his clotheslines, and then the loaded forearm!
- 1-2-3!!! WOW!!!
- WINNER: Lex Luger with the loaded forearm? That was a big surprise.
- David Penzer comes out to announce the main event. A huge main event,
and an honor for Memphis to host this monumental event. The very FIRST
match between these 2 superstars of the sport - and this time it's true
about being their first match, unlike the previous debacle I'd rather
not mention, for fear of upsetting Bill some more.
- Match #7: Bret "The Hitman" Hart v. Sting
- Bret gets huge heel heat, while my man Sting gets a great pop - plenty of Sting fans in Memphis tonight.
- Bret comes out and says to Sting that they don't have to wrestle tonight. Bret says he has the utmost respect for Sting, and says that he was backing Sting at Starrcade. This leads to Bret handing Sting a nWo Hollywood shirt. Sting considers it for a minute, and throws it in Bret's face. Thus the match is started.
- Bret controls the action, with brief flurries by Sting. Bret works over Sting's knee, to set up the SharpShooter.
- Sting comes back, and applies the Scorpion Deathlock. Bret reverses it into the Sharpshooter, but Sting grabs the ropes.
- Bret goes for a suplex, but Sting reverses it into a Scorpion Death-Drop! 1-2-3! Sting with a clean win over Bret Hart! (See, Hogan, that's how it's done!)
- WINNER: Sting with the Scorpion Deathdrop.
- Sting celebrates, but Giant runs in, and he and Bret double-team Sting. While they are beating on him, Luger, Nash, and Konnan run in and chase off Bret and Giant. While Luger tends to Sting, we see it - Konnan has a Wolfpack shirt! Nash styles the shirt, smoothing it out, displaying it to the crowd, and then hands it to Sting. Sting looks to the crowd, and this is where we get the biggest pop I've ever heard in the Round House!
- Sting finally puts on the shirt, and celebrates with his new teammates, as the roof is about to explode off the Round House! Sting gets a mic, and does the "When you're nWo Wolfpack..." as the crowd finishes with a huge "4 LIFE!!!" And with that, the show ends, Sting, Nash, Luger, and Konnan celebrating in the ring, and the crowd still going nuts!
- All in all, a mediocre night of actual wrestling, but with the great mic work, the huge pops for Goldberg, Nash and Sting, and just the fact that WCW sent out most of their top draws for a house show, I'd say this had to be one of the most fun wrestling shows I've ever been to.
Editor's Note: After Nitro had gone off the air the previous evening, Sting had already joined the Wolfpack.