- Dan S. sounds off:
Hey man,
Something hit me while watching Nitro and, for once, it wasn't stinky stuff coming out of Tony Schavonie's mouth. Now that Hogan is back to yellow and red, can the return of Ed "The haircuttinglivingdeadmannamelessbootyshakinghellbentforleatheronewarriornationalumnus lackey" Leslie to his side be far behind?
God help us all.
Keep up the great writing.
- David Blazina speaks out:
Did you notice is Sid's post-match spiel when he mentioned the guys he was going to take out (Sting, Hogan, Goldberg), he also mentioned Nash?
And it's really something how Shane Douglas can go from seeming so charismatic and impressive in ECW to looking *very* unimpressive in WCW in a matter of months. Maybe it was the atmosphere in ECW that made him seem like a big fish in a little pond, but he's basically just another guy in WCW now. That tag match from Thunder last night was brutal.
- Edward J. Allota pontificates:
Back when I was watching the WWF in the mid-90s, Mr. Backlund was by far my favorite wrestler. I went f'n nuts (in a happy way) after he beat Bret Hart for the title. Of course, it was quite upsetting when he had to job out to Diesel in 7 seconds.
I need to run, but I just wanted to write and tell you that your angle idea is kick ass.
- Finally, Jeremy Franklin, member of the DDT Digest Alumni, says:
Don't know if you remember me from my brief time as a fill-in at DDT Digest about a year ago, but anyhow...
I have just recently started watching wrestling again, and I'm already pissed off at WCW. It seems that they are finally starting to produce a decent product, bringing back the old Hogan (who I still hate, don't get me wrong), reuniting Harlem Heat, trying to push Benoit over, etc.
But they have to screw everything up with these pointless musical gimmicks! Why do I care to see Master P, Chad Brock, or even KISS? There are several other networks I can turn to if I care to get my share of music (although MTV is now at the end of WWF Week). As for live music, well, I live within easy driving distance of several major concert milieus (Raleigh, Greensboro, and several major college campuses).
What I'm trying to say, although I personally am unable to say it without wasting many valuable words, is that I turn on Nitro or RAW to watch wrestling. Yet it seems that both federations (WCW especially so) are trying so hard to bring in fans with gimmicks and non-wrestling entertainment, that the only place to find real wrestling is by shelling out $30. And why do I want to shell out $30 for a pay-per-view if there are very few solid matches (and, subsequently, angles developed) to lead up to the event?
If they aren't going to show actual matches that last longer than five minutes, the least they can do is to stick to wrestling-related television. The Jericho-Rock bit on RAW Monday night was the highlight of the night for me, even though I'm a big football fan, and seeing the Browns back in action was quite emotional. But WCW fails again here--they bring out one of the most repulsive people that has appeared on television, Dennis Rodman.
I was thinking about ordering Road Wild this Saturday, but I'm still convinced that WCW will find some way to screw it up: the rerererereformation of the nWo, screwing Benoit over (AGAIN), screwing Harlem Heat over (AGAIN), a live performance by Boy George, etc. So I think instead I'll wait until Sunday morning to read the report at DDT Digest. And if I'm wrong, so be it, and maybe by Fall Brawl things will be looking up again. If nothing else, though, I can watch my favorite baseball team, Texas, play on FX for free.
Thanks for the good columns.
- Apparently, Sid's winning streak is at 61 now. Not counting house shows, of course. :)
- Silver King comes out.
- He'll be facing Psychosis!
- The pessimist in me smells a Sid run-in. Hopefully, one of these guys can get a clean win tonight.
- King misses a double leg dive, but hits a swinging DDT moments after.
- King tries a double leg dive in the corner but misses and gets hung in the ropes.
- Psychosis goes to the apron and hits a springboard legdrop.
- Psychosis mounts King on the turnbuckle, goes to the ropes and hits a weak dropkick that King doesn't sell.
- King gets sent out of the ring with a spin kick, and Psychosis follows with a suicide dive over the top rope.
- Back in, King with the advantage.
- King whips Psychosis into a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for two.
- King lands a right.
- King whips Psychosis, who counters with a sunset flip for two.
- King hits a running clothesline.
- King whistles the "Charge" tune and scoop slams Psychosis.
- King delivers a front kick and does a weird dance.
- King goes up top but misses the double springboard moonsault.
- Psychosis goes up top and...
- Cripes. Sid Vicious makes his way out.
- Psychosis leaps off the top turnbuckle into a Sid powerbomb.
- YOUR WINNER: Psychosis via DQ in 3:39.
- Sid thrashes King soon after.
- Sid gets a mic.
- People have been asking Sid, "Why the devastation?"
- Apparently, the main reason is because of Goldberg. Or could it be that the men Sid powerbombs have more talent in their body than he does in his pinky finger?
- Sid thinks his name will be spoken with Michael Jordan and Babe Ruth.
- "... Millenium Man ..."
- Sid says when his streak is 76, he's gonna shake all over.
- That was... pointless. Like I said before, it's an insult to the guys in the ring when Sid comes out for an ego session.
- Al Greene comes out.
- He'll go up against Shane Douglas, who somehow gets Dean Malenko's music.
- From facing guys like Taz and Sabu to squashing jobbers. Sad.
- Amazingly, Douglas gets a pop when he plays to the crowd.
- Lockup, Douglas gets in a wristlock.
- Greene tries a wristlock, but Douglas turns it into a hammerlock.
- Greene pushes Douglas to the corner and hits some rights.
- Greene chokes Douglas and whips him cross-corner.
- Greene runs into a double boot.
- Douglas hits a rolling snapmare.
- Douglas applies a delayed vertical suplex.
- Douglas applies a chinlock on the ropes.
- Douglas drops Greene throat-first on the ropes.
- Greene tosses Douglas outside.
- Greene tries to send Douglas to the rail, but he reverses.
- Both men back in.
- Douglas goes up top and hits a cross bodyblock for two.
- Douglas snapmares Greene into a chinlock.
- Greene hits some elbows and whips Douglas to the corner, but Douglas hits a running clothesline.
- Greene whips Douglas to the corner and sandwiches him.
- Douglas blocks a vertical suplex and gives Greene a gutbuster.
- Douglas then hits the Pittsburgh Plunge for the win.
- YOUR WINNER: Shane Douglas via Pittsburgh Plunge in 4:30.
- Tenay has the gall to call this a "big win for Douglas."
- Next Monday, the West Texas Rednecks will premiere their next video. Sorry, Wade.
- As for the match, our own Xavier Doom says this:
I just finished watching the Douglas-Green match.
Man, Shane really has to get into shape. He blew up so early into that match I didn't think he was going to make it.
Dean Douglas was always in tip-top shape.
Hey look -- a new Texas Rednecks video! A real reason to watch Nitro!
- Oh man, this doesn't look good on paper.
- Gene talks about the challenges that go out to Steiner.
- Apparently, members of the Revolution want shots at the title.
- Steiner calls the Revolution little girls and says he'll take them out one-by-one and will beat up their mothers.
- Steiner says no one can out-think, out-smart or out-wrestle him.
- Steiner plans to take the Revolutions' heads off.
- Steiner talks about going to the ring for an open challenge to any member of the Revolution.
- Rumor has it that Ray Lloyd (Glacier) was to be repackaged with a coach gimmick. This character looks like Lloyd, but sports a beard now.
- Stern basically goes over some rules with some athletes.
- Rule #1 is that Stern makes the rules.
- Rule #2 is that if in doubt, see rule #1.
- Well, that sucked.
- This is a six-man tag.
- Man, we're really scraping the bottom of the jobber barrel with this one.
- Oh well. At least Regal's in this match.
- Your referee is Charles "Who's Ric Flair?" Robinson.
- Regal and Burkhead start.
- Regal goes behind and whips Burkhead into the corner.
- Regal hits a back elbow and tags Taylor.
- Taylor hits an European uppercut.
- Taylor follows with a vertical suplex.
- Tag to Adams.
- Adams and Regal double-team while Taylor distracts Robinson.
- Burkhead grabs Adams' leg but gets enziguried out of the ring.
- Taylor assaults Burkhead with the Union Jack.
- Back in, Adams hits a backdrop suplex.
- Tag to Regal.
- After some European uppercuts, Blaze gets tagged.
- Regal has his way with Blaze, as well.
- Regal whips Blaze, who tries a sunset flip.
- Regal holds on to his partners for leverage.
- Robinson forces Regal to let go, and Blaze gets two.
- Tags to Taylor and Byrd.
- Taylor with some rights and a whip.
- Taylor connects with a European uppercut.
- Taylor does a scoop slam.
- Taylor gets Robinson to go to the face corner for the doubleteam.
- Tag to Adams.
- Adams with a snapmare and a kneedrop.
- Tag to Regal.
- Adams holds Byrd for a Regal kick.
- Regal with a European uppercut.
- Regal does an arrogant knee choke while he tags Taylor.
- Taylor applies a double underhook and brings him into the corner.
- Taylor with some more European uppercuts followed by a boot choke in the corner.
- Tag to Adams.
- Blaze distracts the ref as Adams punishes Byrd some more.
- Adams drops a leg in the midsection.
- Tag to Taylor.
- Taylor with a gutwrench slam for two as Blaze makes the save.
- Blaze is trying to get at Taylor and knocks him down.
- Meanwhile, Byrd is getting his rear kicked outside while Blaze stalls Robinson.
- Crap. Sid Vicious and Rick Steiner come in.
- The heels vacate as Sid powerbombs all three jobbers.
- YOUR WINNERS: Bobby Blaze, Adrian Byrd and Dave Burkhead via DQ in 6:46.
- Sid covers Byrd and Burkhead as Robinson makes the count.
- Steiner levels Blaze with a belly-to-belly suplex.
- Sid rants on the mic some more.
- Apparently, Sid wants to stand side-by-side with Steiner.
- Sid powerbombs Burkhead as Steiner commentates.
- Sid pins Burkhead as Robinson makes another count.
- Sid powerbombs Blaze and pins him for good measure.
- Steiner compares the bodies to Goldberg, Hulk Hogan and Sting.
- This is really starting to piss me off. Despite the lack of star power there, the match had a good workrate and I was enjoying it. Well, I was enjoying it until Scissor-Man and Neck-Breaker Deluxe had to step in.
- Douglas goes for the cheap heat right off the bat.
- Douglas asks the crowd if they agree with his squad that it's time for a change in WCW.
- The crowd responds positively.
- Douglas says the people in the back are shaking in their boots over the Revolution.
- The crowd pops as Douglas says his members are the real deal.
- Perry Saturn says to Steiner that the Revolution doesn't back down from a challenge.
- Saturn says he's not gonna bite Steiner, but beat him.
- Saturn: "Out with evolution, in with revolution."
- I guess we have a TV title match tonight.
- Apparently, Lenny has dropped his last name.
- This will be a return match for the Cruiserweight Title. You mean that's still defended nowadays?
- Lenny gets the mic but Rey steals it from him.
- Rey says that Lenny was crying and whining about another title shot.
- Rey wants Lenny to tell his boyfriend to ride down that Hershey highway all the way to the funny farm.
- Johnny Boone is sending Lodi to the back.
- Rey attacks Lenny from behind.
- Rey floats over a slam attempt and goes behind Lenny.
- As Lenny dances, Rey kicks him in the rear.
- Rey comes off the ropes with a nice headscissors takeover.
- Lenny goes outside and Rey follows with a suicide dive.
- Rey goes to the apron for a springboard but Lenny blocks with a dropkick for two.
- Lenny whips Rey, who tries a body-scissors.
- Lenny counters with a face-first powerbomb for two.
- Lenny with a standing shoulderbreaker and a front slam for two.
- Lenny punches Rey to the corner and chokes him with his boot.
- Lenny prances around and does a knee choke.
- Lenny whips Rey, who gets in a sunset flip for two.
- Lenny clobbers Rey with a running lariat.
- Lenny puts on a facelock on the bottom rope.
- Rey gets some comeback offense before Lane stops him.
- Lenny whips Rey cross-corner and covers for two.
- Lenny gives Rey a fireman's carry airplane spin slam.
- Lenny sells the move on himself before covering for two.
- Lenny dumps Rey out of the ring.
- Lenny sends Rey to the apron chest-first.
- Rey goes back in and Lenny follows.
- Lenny does a scoop slam and a legdrop for two.
- Rey slides under Lenny, who gets in an inverted atomic drop.
- Lenny goes up top but gets wobbly.
- As Lenny leaps off he lands on Rey's knee.
- Lodi comes back to ringside.
- As Lenny whips Rey to the corner, Lodi comes in.
- Lodi charges at Rey but hits Lenny.
- Lenny and Lodi gab as Rey hits a dropkick on Lenny from behind.
- Off the ropes, Lenny tries a leg dive, but hits the ropes.
- Rey hits the Bronco Buster on the rope.
- Lenny goes outside, and Rey connects with a legdrop.
- Lodi tries to interfere but gets sent to the rail.
- Rey drop toe-holds Lodi, who falls head-first into Lenny's crotch.
- Rey gets sent to the corner, but Lenny runs into a boot.
- Lenny hits a variation of a reverse Russian Legsweep for two.
- Rey rolls up Lenny but Lodi goes on the apron.
- Rey goes to the ropes and runs into Lodi.
- Lenny then rolls-up Rey for the win! YES!!!
- YOUR WINNER AND NEW CRUISERWEIGHT CHAMPION: Lenny via pinfall in 7:03.
- Eddie Guerrero and Kidman run in to console Rey.
- Great match, with some ballsy booking.
- Horace and Norton will job to...
- Harlem Heat!
- Just how in the world did Horace and Norton get title shots?
- Stevie Ray looks like a man possessed.
- We start off with Booker T and Norton.
- Norton shoves Booker into the corner during a lockup.
- Norton shoves Booker again, who responds with a slap and a side kick.
- Booker tries an armbar, but Norton slams him.
- Booker tries a hammerlock but gets elbowed to the mat.
- Norton with a cross-corner whip but misses the charge.
- Booker scoop slams Norton twice.
- Tag to Stevie Ray.
- Horace gets slammed.
- The heels have control as we go to...
- Commercials.
- Horace suplexes Booker for two.
- Horace tries to run Booker into Norton's leg, but Booker counters.
- Booker hits an axe kick until Norton comes in with a running clothesline.
- Stevie has some words with Nick Patrick as Horace manhandles his partner outside.
- Norton drags Booker in the ring.
- Norton does a short-arm clothesline.
- Norton comes off the ropes with an elbowdrop.
- Norton with a double cross chop.
- Tag to Horace.
- Horace lands a chop. Whoo!
- Horace whips Booker to the corner.
- Horace charges and Booker sunset flips him for two.
- Horace rakes Booker's face.
- Tag to Norton.
- Norton whips Booker into a shoulderblock.
- Norton with a cross-corner whip and a charge.
- Tag to Horace.
- Booker mounts a comeback but gets his eyes raked.
- Horace climbs on Booker's back in the corner.
- Horace hits some knees.
- Horace whips Booker, who hits a cross bodyblock.
- Tag to Norton.
- Booker slips out of a powerbomb and rolls Norton up for two.
- Booker eats a double sledge to the back.
- Horace and Norton miss a double clothesline.
- Booker hits flying forearms on the heels.
- Tag to Stevie Ray.
- Stevie Ray is a fruit-booty on fire.
- Stevie hits a powerslam.
- The teams pair off. Horace and Stevie are inside, Norton and Booker fight outside.
- Horace hits a side slam.
- Horace hits a body splash, but Patrick is looking at the action outside.
- Booker goes up top as Horace whips Stevie to the ropes.
- Stevie reverses the whip and Booker follows with the missile dropkick for the win.
- YOUR WINNERS: Harlem Heat via Booker T's missile dropkick in 11:09.
- Jimmy Hart and the entire Family make their way out.
- Brian Knobbs has a bandage on his forehead from Monday night.
- Gene talks about the reception this group is getting. Uhh, Gene, the crowd is pretty much silent.
- Hart says the Family has one goal: to take the tag team titles off of Harlem Heat.
- Jerry Flynn says the First Family needs no introduction.
- Hugh Morrus rants challenges Harlem Heat.
- Barbarian gets the mic and says something that I cannot comprehend for the life of me. He sounded kind of like Adolf Hitler, though.
- Knobbs does his Barry Darsow impression and tells the crowd to shut their stinkin' mouths.
- Knobbs offers a challenge to Harlem Heat to face him and Morrus for the titles on "next week's show."
- Well, we already had one title change tonight, so I don't have high hopes for Saturn tonight.
- I'm predicting Saturn by DQ, though.
- Some water flies by the camera and Steiner yells for security to get a fan out of the arena. I wish these idiots would stop throwing their drinks.
- Steiner rants on the apron and asks Saturn where the rest of his boys are.
- Steiner tells the people to shut up.
- Charles Robinson is the referee.
- Lockup, Steiner lands some punches at the ropes.
- Steiner whips Saturn into a Steinerline.
- Steiner chokes Saturn at the ropes.
- Steiner whips Saturn to the ropes.
- Saturn ducks a clothesline and hits a cross bodyblock off the second rope.
- Saturn with an atomic drop and a clothesline, sending Steiner outside.
- Steiner makes his way back in.
- Saturn whips Steiner cross-corner.
- On the charge, Steiner runs Saturn into the corner.
- Steiner picks up Saturn and drives him stomach-first into the turnbuckle.
- Steiner with another blatant choke.
- Steiner tosses Saturn outside.
- Steiner sends Saturn to the rail.
- Steiner shoots Saturn to the steel steps.
- Commercials.
- Steiner still has control.
- Steiner rakes Saturn's face.
- Steiner tries to ram Saturn to the turnbuckle but he counters.
- Steiner hits a DDT on Saturn.
- Steiner makes a slow cover for two.
- Steiner applies a standing surfboard.
- Saturn gets to his feet, comes off the ropes and hits a neckbreaker.
- Saturn tries a whip but Steiner reverses.
- Saturn hits a side kick.
- Saturn applies a T-bone suplex for two.
- Saturn gets ten punches in the corner.
- Sid makes his way out.
- As Saturn goes up top, Sid pushes him into a Steiner belly-to-belly suplex for the DQ.
- YOUR WINNER: Perry Saturn via DQ in 8:05.
- Steiner gets some punches in before Benoit makes the save.
- Benoit gets a mic and challenges Sid and Steiner to a tag team match with him and Saturn "next week."
- Sid accepts the challenge for the team.
- Steiner says that Saturn couldn't get it done.
- Steiner says that when Sid is by his side, Benoit and Saturn don't have a chance.
- Sid and Steiner charge the ring, but get pummeled on the apron and retreat.
- Benoit says the Revolution motto.
- Sid says he will pile Benoit and Saturn two-high and will have Robinson count twice.
- With that, we end the show.