WCW Monday Nitro - Monday, 05/25/98

By Bill

Hey, remember me? Chan and Charlie both had commitments tonight, so I'm covering for them. I'll be out of town again this Thursday, so Big Mike will be covering for me. I won't be back until late Friday, so don't bother looking for the Thunder report until then.
Trivia Question: What name did/does Eddie Guerrero use when wrestling under a mask in Japan? (Answer at bottom of report.)
Yesterday, I did a phone interview with Adrian Lynch, an independent wrestler from the Chicago area. I should have the interview online in about a week or so.
I was in a magazine store this weekend, and it had a "This is your life" feature on a number of wrestlers, with pictures of them as a kid. Sunny, Rey Misterio Jr., and Larry Zbyszko were featured. The best, however, was Chyna. The funny thing was that you'd think you could only get a face like that as an adult, but when she was three years old, from the neck up she looked exactly the same as she does now.
The mailbag:
- Doug from Mesquite, TX, sends in the following report on Arn Anderson's and Ric Flair's appearance in Baton Rouge, LA:
  AA and Flair did a radio show at 9:00 am CDT in Baton Rouge. I caught most of the show except for the few minutes that I was passing under power lines on I-10. Most of the callers addressed questions to Flair regarding his current legal situation. Flair responded that he expects to return to WCW in the future.
  At around 10:10, Ric and Arn arrived at the Baton Rouge Hilton to a wide series of "WHOOOOO!!!"s by the 300+ fans waiting in line for autographs and pictures. The line moved pretty quickly. When I finally arrived in the autograph room, Ric and Arn were sitting at a raised table giving autographs for the fans. I got in the picture line and it took only a few minutes before I was standing between Ric and Arn getting my picture taken. I shook both of their hands. A very memorable moment for me. I am about 5' 11'' and both Ric and Arn are about the same height, maybe an inch or two taller. The autograph session continued until around 12:15.
  At around 12:45, Arn's agent played a video highlighting AA's career. He then introduced Arn to the crowd gathered at the luncheon. Arn came in and spoke about his career and family. Arn also talked about the meaning of the four fingers in the Four Horsemen.
  After Arn finished his speech, Ric came to the podium. Ric talked about his feelings for Arn and how he believes Arn is in the top five professional wrestlers of all time and why. Ric talked about how upset he was with the parody that the nWo did on Nitro about Arn's retirement. He mentioned that he hopes to be back in WCW soon. He also mentioned that he was happy with the success of the Baton Rouge event and would like to do more of them across the country.
  Ric and Arn appeared at a local restaurant at 6:00 pm for autographs and pictures. The crowd was not as large as the earlier session and, as a result, those who attended had more time with Ric and Arn.
  I'm glad I made the trip. I met two legends of wrestling. I can't think of any other wrestlers in history that I would have made the trip for. I think the quote of the day happened when Flair said that if he ended up in the WWF that he would be beating Austin within an inch of his life within a matter of minutes.
  In the end, there is nothing earth-shattering to report. It was just a good time for fans of the Four Horsemen.

The show opens with the Nitro Girls.
We are live from Roberts Stadium in Evansville, IN.
Schiavone says Nitro will be on its regular schedule from now until the end of the year.
Tonight's feature bout is (nWo) Sting and the Giant defending the titles against Sting and Luger.
Schiavone seems to be acting like the nWo Sting idea has never been seen before.
Larry Z. takes a bow to the cheering crowd.
Wow, they really are pretending that the nWo Sting is a new idea. I can't believe they are acting like they've never seen him before.
They replay the Giant/Sting angle from last Monday and the Giant/Luger/nWo Sting angle from last Thursday.
Raven comes to the ring with his riot squad. A "Raven sucks" chant erupts. Lodi (wearing an ankle brace) has a "Raven Is My Hero" sign. Raven says in his own unimitable way that he will get even with Mortis. Raven claims a childhood friendship with Saturn and does his "What about me?" bit. Raven offers to fire the Flock to get Saturn back. Lodi: "What do you mean, boss?" Lodi gets Evenflo'd. Break for commercial.
- Boy, Lodi really is the human punching bag.
A Glacier promo with him talking about how great he is. *yawn* Glacier sets up a feud between him and Saturn.
More Nitro Girls.
Replay of Stevie Ray's reappearance.
Schiavone announces Benoit and Booker T. will be having a best-of-seven series to see who faces Finley at the Bash for the TV Title.
WCW World Television Champion Fit Finley defends his title against "Mean" Mike Enos.
- Finley starts dismantling Enos.
- Enos gets an advantage when he steps out of the way of a Finley charge and Finley goes into the iron post.
- Security takes a big beach ball away from the crowd.
- Roll-through slam by Finley as he makes a comeback.
- Enos catches Finley for a fallaway slam.
- Enos is definitely the crowd favorite tonight.
- Enos attempts a backbreaker but his knee gives out.
- It's academic at this point...tombstone and a pin and Finley is still your champion.
Okerlund hawks his crappy hotline. No interview...just an advertisement.
Saturn vs. Glacier
- Larry Z. says his little brother won the over-40 Karate championships in California.
- Schiavone makes a big deal about how a wrestler can't claim an existing move for their own. Interesting how that rule only came into existence once Glacier became a heel.
- Saturn looks much better bald.
- Glacier with the first leg sweep and talks trash. Saturn returns the favor.
- Kicks traded. The crowd's definitely behind Saturn.
- I wonder if Glacier is seeing the Renegade in his nightmares.
- Rapid fire kicks by Saturn in the corner.
- Saturn and Glacier trade more kicks.
- Glacier and Saturn take each other down on a dual flying cross-body block.
- Raven appears in the entranceway.
- Glacier gets the knees up on an attempted splash from the top by Saturn.
- Hammer comes down the ramp and nails Raven from behind and beats on him.
- Hammer goes up on the apron and Glacier hits him with a kick as Raven holds Hammer's ankles.
- Saturn hits Glacier with a Spiccoli Driver and gets the pin.
- Raven hits Hammer with an Evenflo on the arena floor.
- Saturn: "What are you looking at?" Larry Z.: "What about the earrings in your eyeballs?"
- Raven gives Saturn a "What about me?" speech as Saturn goes back to the locker room.
nWo Hollywood appears...well, Giant, Brain Adams and Vincent, anyway.
- Giant: "Hey, yo..."
- Giant tells the crowd to shut up. He challenges Kevin Nash to come out and face him one-on-one right now.
- Giant says he's the original Big Sexy.
- Giant says Nash has no guts. Crowd: "We want Nash...we want Nash..."
- Ask, and you shall receive.
- Nash: "Nothing I'd like better tonight than taking care of Hogan's three fluff boys".
  - Nice.
- Nash goes into the ring, gets a momentary advantage, and then Giant, Vincent, and Adams start to stomp a mudhole.
- The Wolfpack, Konnan, Hennig, Savage, and Luger (??!!) run out to make the save.
- Hogan's fluff boys get pitched from the ring.
- The Wolfpack on one side, Luger on the other.
- Konnan takes off his shirt and gives it to Luger.
- Luger asks the crowd what to do, and they pop for him to put the shirt on.
- Luger puts the shirt on and hugs all around.
So, who's left in WCW? I guess Bischoff learned a lesson from Abe Pollin, owner of the Washington Wizards. Want to sell more shirts? Just change the name of the team.
"Paragon Of Virture" Chris Jericho vs. El Dandy and his feared right hand.
- Jericho comes out holding a "Conspiracy Victim" sign.
- In a match that lasts less than a minute, El Dandy misses a flying head scissors from the top turnbuckle and Jericho turns it into a Liontamer and El Dandy submits.
- Jericho calls out Dillon.
- Jericho shows Dillon the list of participants in the Battle Royale and says Malenko isn't on it.
- Sign: "I Like Potato Salad"
- Dillon says that unless Jericho can show him a precedent, the decision stands.
- Dillon leaves and Jericho throws a tantrum.
Seeing as RAW just came on, I'm going to pretend you asked my opinion, even though you didn't. No way a 53-year-old man who's never wrestled a match is going to go in the ring and take the bumps. I don't think he'll ever wrestle a real match. That's my opinion.
La Parka vs. Konnan
- A little song, a little dance, a little seltzer down your pants...
- La Parka gets clocked doing his dance to begin the match.
- Match goes back and forth. La Parka hits a high risk move on the floor.
- La Parka goes for another move off the top but Konnan gets his feet up.
- 187, Tequila Sunrise, and La Parka submits.
Nitro Girls are in the announcing booth.
A home video from Mortis is shown. Mortis is dead and Kanyon has been reborn.. He's got it in for Raven. He can come after Raven anytime as anyone.
- I'm really looking forward to Mortis getting in the ring again. Every time he wrestled, you'd see a move you'd never seen before. I thought that was so cool.
Okerlund interviews Roddy Piper in the ring.
- Okerlund asks Piper how he's going to get along with Piper.
- Piper, as usual, drops local references to get himself over.
- He makes fun of Savage to get himself over. It's not working.
- Okerlund asks Piper if he trusts Savage. And...here comes Savage...and Elizabeth.
- Piper and Savage go nose-to-nose.
- Just when they agree to be a tag team, Bret Hart comes out with a microphone.
- Bret Hart claims this whole thing's been a collusion between himself and Piper against Savage.
- Hart tells Savage that Roddy should level with him.
- Hart leaves.
- Savage challenges Roddy to a fight and throws a chair into the ring. Piper sits in the chair in the center of the ring and plays psychiatrist.
- Piper says they will be a team and then Savage will get a piece of him.
- Piper: "Hart and Hogan...two h's. Just like hemorrhiods. But hemorrhoids are less annoying".
- Savage agrees.
Juventud Guerrera vs. Kidman
- Shots traded to start and Kidman hits...well, a powerbomb.
- Juvi levels Kidman with a clothesline and rips Kidman's shirt off.
- Incredible flying head scissors by Juvi.
- Incredible suicide dive by Juvi.
- Lodi gets involved with no real effect.
- Nice dropkick by Kidman.
- Headlock by Kidman. I haven't seen one of those on TV in about six months.
- Another nice clothesline by Kidman.
- Legdrop by Kidman. Two count only.
- Kidman misses a splash in the corner and Juvi connects with a clothesline of his own.
- Powerslam by Kidman.
- Lodi's sign: "Hoo Hah"
- Inverted suplex attempt out of the ring by Kidman but Juvi lands on his feet on the apron.
- A series of near falls.
- Juvi lands a dropkick as Kidman comes off the top.
- Juvi driver in the corner.
- 450 splash, 1-2-3, it's over!
- Great match for Nitro. Pay-per-view quality.
More Nitro Girls.
Another lame Nitro Party video.
Supposedly Scott Steiner is in Hollywood looking for parts. Rick Steiner is injured and will be out for a few months.
Ultimo Dragon vs. Chavo Guerrero, Jr.
- Chavo is trying to hug Eddie and Eddie wants nothing to do with him. Eddie doesn't know what to do with him.
- Chavo grabs the mic and he wants the match. Chavo invites Eddie to slap him.
- It's all backfired on Eddie.
- Chavo tries to start an "Eddie" chant.
- Rapid exchange of impact moves.
- Some crazy submission hold by Dragon.
- Another one.
- Stiff kicks by Dragon.
- Handspring back elbow by Dragon.
- Eddie attempts to help Dragon but Chavo turns the tables.
- Chavo: "Eddie! I'm cheating to win!"
- Tornado DDT and Chavo cleanly pins the Ultimo Dragon!
- Chavo invites Eddie to hit him again.
- J.J. Dillon comes out to announce that Eddie vs. Chavo has been signed for the Great American Bash.
WCW World Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko vs. Lenny Lane
- Lenny Lane oils himself on the way to the ring to set himself up as a heel.
- Sign: "Malenkoholic"
- Oh, it wasn't oil...it was "ab polish".
- Holds traded and Lane goes to the eyes. After every move, Lane points out his great abs.
- Malenko and Lane take turns going into the turnbuckles.
- Bulldog by Lane. Two count only.
- Malenko with a leg trip and attempt at a submission with an ankle lock. Lane gets to the ropes.
- Malenko reverses an attempted sunset flip by Lane into the Texas Cloverleaf and he uncles Lane.
WCW United States Heavyweight Champion Bill Goldberg vs. Johnny Attitude
- Attitude imitates Goldberg during his ring entrance. He's even shaved his head to get squashed.
- According to the announcers, Karl Malone wants a shot at Goldberg.
- Heenan: "I'd take Goldberg over Godzilla".
- Goldberg stands in the middle of the spraying fireworks for his entrance.
- Attitude attempts the Goldberg spear and that gets a collective laugh from the crowd.
- Spear. Jackhammer. 1-2-3. It's over.
- 90-0
"Crippler" Chris Benoit vs. Booker T in the first of the best-of-seven series to determine the number one contender to face Fit Finley at the Great American Bash for TV Title.
- Benoit misses the flying headbutt.
- Finley strolls down the entranceway with his belt.
- Pancake by Booker T, breakdance.
- Big ax kick.
- Booker T misses the hangover.
- Benoit goes for what looks like an Irish Whip, but turns it into the Crossface.
- Booker T's too far from the ropes! He taps out!!!
- Your winner: Benoit. He leads the series 1-0
- Awesome match.
Given the events of this weekend, if Steve Regal was still in WCW, would he start teaming with Fit Finley? :-)
Luger and Sting vs. Giant and Stink
- Stink and Giant (wearing two belts) come out first.
- OK, so obviously this isn't a title defense...I think.
- Luger comes out to the nWo music, wearing his nWo Wolfpack shirt, giving the nWo "handshake" to the crowd.
- Sting comes out to his own music.
- Luger's all into it, Sting's expressionless and won't make eye contact.
- Luger and Sting immediately pitch Stink and go to work on the Giant, rag-tagging him.
- They dump Giant from the ring and Stinger gives his yell.
- Schiavone claims that friendship often runs deeper than blood. What an idiot.
- It's Sting vs. Stink.
- Sting squashes Stink, tags in Luger, and Luger squashes him.
- Stink chucks Luger out of the ring and Giant gives him a big boot.
- Stink goes to work on Luger.
- Crowd: "Giant sucks...Giant sucks...".
- Giant is tagged in. He starts taking Luger apart.
- Giant rings Luger's bells. Big elbow drop by Giant.
- Stink comes in and misses the Stinker Splash on Luger.
- Luger tags Sting. Sting splashes Stink. Scorpion Death Drop and Sting pins Stink.
- The Wolfpack comes to the ring with a shirt for Sting.
- Is he going to put it on? We wait...we wait...Oops, we're out of time!!!
As Xavier Doom would say...Er, that's it.
After Nitro went off the air, Sting would look to the crowd for what to do, and they wanted him to join the Wolfpack. So, he put on the shirt to a deafening roar from the crowd.

Trivia answer: Black Tiger.
See you again for a full report a week from Thursday. Also, I'll have an arena report from the June 1^st Nitro next Monday at the MCI Center in Washington, DC.
Oh, one last thing. I learned an important lesson this weekend. If you ever have dinner with Arn Anderson and Ric Flair, don't ever balk at picking up the check. Otherwise, this is the result.

WCW Monday Nitro - Monday, 05/25/98

By Bill

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