WCW Monday Nitro - Monday, 06/22/98 [/size]
- The show kicks off with a recap from last week's edition of WCW Monday Nitro, where Macho Man Randy Savage and Rowdy Roddy Piper both fought in the steel-cage main event, and was left unconscious from falling from the top of the cage as last week's show came to a close.
- The opening video package for WCW Monday Nitro airs, hyping up the starting of this edition of Nitro (obviously). We are LIVE from Jacksonville, Florida as Tony Schiavone, Larry Zbyzko and Mike Tenay run down the card and put over the closing of last week's show majorly. I appreciate the announcers doing something like that for once.
- The theme of Eric Bischoff begins to play as the nWo President begins to make his way out from the backstage area, a smirk on his face, wearing the nWo Black and White colors with his patented leather jacket and jeans. Bischoff walks to the ring on his own for once, as he climbs into the ring and gets the audience rowdied up. Bischoff is awesome. Eric says that tonight, apparently WCW President, James J Dillon has something to adress regarding contenders to Bret Hart's WCW World Heavyweight Championship. Bischoff jokes around and tells Dillon to make his way out here so he can drop his little bombshell because nothing will take down nWo Hollywood [he called it this, it's a better name than Black and White so I'm gonna start calling them that. Eric tells us that Bret will come out of it STILL the champion. James J Dillon then appeared to a decent reaction, not too major of one though as he stands near the stageway, announcing that starting tonight, eight participants will battle in a tournament to decide a new contender to the WCW World Heavyweight Championship at Bash at the Beach! Bischoff asks what he's doing but Dillon tells Bischoff he doesn't answer to shmucks like the nWo.
- Nitro Girls.
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Raven defeated Konnan in a WCW World Heavyweight Championship Contenders Tournament Quarterfinal match[/color] in 7:02. This was a pretty interesting match as Raven had never really been considered to be a main event player, and he'd pretty much stuck with the Flock and all but here, he hung with Konnan, maybe a push, since he's hanging with the nWo Wolfpack according to this match. Konnan had alot of offense. Lodi's sign said: "Lodi's Going Triple Platinum Baby". Scott Steiner came to ringside eventually and Raven turned Konnan around, planting him with the Evenflow DDT for the win.
- Raven celebrates as him as Lodi joins him in the ring, the duo celebrating, as Lodi had another sign reading 'Raven 4 WCW Champ'. Possibly. He was soon interrupted however as WCW World Television Champion, Saturn rushed down the aisle, running off Raven but he grabbed Lodi, connecting with a Spiccoli Driver before applying the Rings of Saturn! We cut to commercials.
- When we return from the commercials, Saturn still had the Rings of Saturn applied on Lodi as Raven was nowhere to be seen, and Kidman, Sick Boy and Horace Boulder stood around ringside. Riggs eventually chose to jump Saturn, the two trading blows. Officials clear the ring as only one is in there, who rings the bell.
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Saturn defeated Riggs to retain the WCW World Television Championship[/color] in 5:39. A slightly back-and-forth match here between two decent brawlers. Riggs tried his best but Saturn continued to plough through members of the Flock. Riggs gave Saturn a run for his money as Lodi was at ringside, sign-less unfortunately. The announcers are on their game tonight, actually putting over the match. Riggs almost picked up the win with a reverse russian-legsweep. Saturn eventually applied the Rings of Saturn for the win.
- Saturn began to celebrate with the WCW World Television Championship as Kanyon and Raven walked out to the aisleway, discussing something as Saturn tried chasing them.
- We hear the theme of Chris Jericho play into the arena as he wanders out to the arena to a nice reaction, he meets Gene Okerlund near the entranceway as Okerlund asks Jericho why he's arranged this meeting as Jericho tells Scheme Gene that he's arranged this interview to challenge a big Japanese star to a match at Bash at the Beach. Jericho tells Okerlund that last night, he sent an invitation to New Japan Pro Wrestling where he is a response for a match with the Great Muta! The crowd pop as Jericho walks down to the ring.
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Chris Jericho defeated Yuji Nagata[/color] in 6:27. This was a pretty good match as Yuji Nagata had some offense in, fighting back at Jericho, the audience were hot for Jericho. Nagata did some stiff action in there against Jericho, his spinning heel kick finisher looked so convincing it was unbelievable that Chris was able to lift his foot onto the bottom rope. Jericho eventually made Nagata tap out to the Liontamer.
- Chris Jericho began to celebrate, talking into the camera, yelling out 'accept me, Muta'.
- James J Dillon walked out to the aisle, reminding us of the main event for tonight, Kevin Nash teaming with Diamond Dallas Page for one night only to take on Hollywood Hogan and Scott Hall, plus one more quarterfinal match tonight followed by two this Thursday on WCW Thunder. Filling up airtime tonight.
- Nitro Girls.
- A video package sets up the debut of somebody for next week's edition of WCW Monday Nitro.
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Chris Benoit defeated Ernest Miller[/color] in 4:50. I heard this match came about because Ernest Miller was unsatisfied with WCW, and so the booking team decided to try and eliminate him through Chris Benoit's heel injuring gimmick. Stevie Ray and Booker T of Harlem Heat came out to observe. Miller had a few hard shots in and maybe a tackle and a crossbody from the second rope, but when Miller went for the diving crossbody from the middle rope a second time, Benoit locked in the Crippler Crossface and it was over.
- Chris Benoit released the hold this match, as EMTs rushed out to attend to Ernest Miller and they began to stretcher him out, Harlem Heat discussing a strategy for Stevie Ray come July 6th Nitro.
- Second hour pyrotechnics.
- We return from the commercial break as we see yet more footage from the closing of last week's show for anybody who missed it, Rowdy Roddy Piper and Macho Man Randy Savage injurying themselves after a fall from atop the fifteen-foot steel cage.
- Still to come, Hollywood Hogan was on Jay Leno's Tonight Show last Friday, stay tuned for footage.
- Nitro Girls...gone nWo? Gasp heel turn!
- We hear the theme of Eddie Guerrero play as the Latino cruiserweight began to make his way out to meet Gene Okerlund by the entranceway. Eddie begins to talk about Chavo Guerrero Jr and how much he dislike he had for him, Eddie called Chavo his bastard of a nephew, and refused to acknowledge him. But then, Chavo began to grow wise, and look where it got him. He had his uncle's support, his family's support, but even that he dumped to go even more insane, and now, Eddie will have to put down the animal he created at Bash at the Beach. Eddie went over to the announcers table.
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Chavo Guerrero Jrdefeated El Dandy[/color] in 5:20. This was a pretty competitive match, Chavo Guerrero Jr got a decent sized pop from this capacity crowd as they cheered him on against the heavyweight-looking El Dandy. Dandy did some stiff slaps in there, and cocked up on a springboard backward elbow, falling to the canvas. El Dandy hit a nice diving elbow at one point but even that didn't finish Chavo as the nephew of Eddie finished off Dandy with an STF.
- Chavo Guerrero Jr began to celebrate before rushing out of the ring and heading up the aisle, grabbing a nearby chair and swinging for Eddie Guerrero at the announcers booth, only to miss as Chavo slammed it into the metal scaffolding, Eddie hightailing it to the backstage area. Chavo follows in hot-persuit.
- We go to the announcers as they put over the family feud between Eddie Guerrero and Chavo Guerrero Jr before switching to a superior subject, the Tonight Show happenings with Hollywood Hogan, we go to the footage.
- We see Jay Leno seated on the set of The Tonight Show as he introduces his final guest for the evening, Hollywood Hogan, the former 'Rocky Balboa of professional wrestling'. Hogan sits down but questions Leno when he says 'former Rocky Balboa'. Hogan tells Leno he's in the prime position in the nWo Hollywood faction. Leno talks to Hogan about how recently, the tides seemed to have switched as now, Hogan has gone from the biggest babyface in professional wrestling history to being one of the most annoying features on WCW programming. Hogan begins to diss Leno, as he stands up and begins to get in a seated Leno's face. That's when Jay slaps Hogan across the face and Hogan dives at Leno, though Jay dodges him, security on hand to quickly stop it, it taking ten security guards to restrain Hogan, as the show came off the air.
- We hear Jimi Hendrix's 'Voodoo Chile' play into the arena as the 'former Rocky Balboa of professional wrestling' began to make his way out, there was numerous signs regarding the Jay Leno Tonight Show incident as Hollywood Hogan came down to the ring accompanied by the Disciple. Hogan climbed into the ring and told everybody in the arena that Hollywood was still the Rocky Balboa of professional wrestling. Hogan mentions that he's one of the biggest fanatics in professional wrestling and the greatest icon in wrestling, boasting that without him, the company up in New York would be still in gloomy house shows and sided with the National Wrestling Alliance as Hogan succeeded in being big in AWA instead. Hogan tells everybody that tonight and after tonight, he will prove this when he teams with Scott Hall to fight Kevin Nash and Diamond Dallas Page!
- Third hour pyrotechnics.
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Stevie Ray defeated La Parka[/color] in 6:22. This was a fairly okay match as Stevie Ray had alot of shots in, he's still a fairly good brawler. La Parka was back here tonight after a short absense form WCW television, and hadn't missed a step, dancing with the La Parka Polka dance routine. Stevie Ray had some difficulty with him, but not alot as soon later, Ray hit the Spinebuster for the win.
- Stevie Ray began to celebrate, climbing onto the top rope and raising his arms high in the air before Steve "Mongo" McMichael rushed down the aisle-way and jumped Stevie Ray to some boos and some cheers! Stevie Ray was nailed with a swinging rockbottom as he rolled out of the ring, Steve McMichael grabbing a microphone and yelling that he wasn't going to let Chris Benoit go in this battle with Harlem Heat alone! McMichael tells Booker and Stevie Ray to go back to the drawing board.
- Bret Hart's interview from WCW Thursday Thunder was reshown. Why?
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Kidman defeated Ultimo Dragon[/color] in 8:01. This was an amazing back-and-forth contest between two amazing cruiserweight superstars. Lodi didn't accompany Kidman tonight, Kidman has no fringe now, it's all on the sides of his face rather than covering his eyes as though he were an emotionally unstable child. Ultimo did some awesome stuff in there as did Kidman, Kidman reversed the Dragon Sleeper into a convincing rollup but that didn't do it. Kidman eventually hit an awesome german suplex before hitting the Shooting Star Press for the win.
- Kidman began to celebrate having gained contention to the WCW World Cruiserweight Championship as Lodi joins him in the ring, though at that moment, Ultimo Dragon gets back up and hits a spinning heel kick sending Kidman to the canvas, but Lodi begins to pound away at Dragon before one of Ultimo's students, Tokyo Magnum rushed down to the ring sporting Ultimo-esque tights as he does an Ultimo-like kick to send Lodi to the canvas, Tokyo applying the Dragon Sleeper. Ultimo claps on.
- An advertisement for WCW
Wednesday Thunder airs, featuring hype for Davey Boy Smith and Jim Neidhart to meet Public Enemy in a street fight, plus in the main event, Lex Luger to team with Konnan to battle Curt Hennig and The Giant in tag team action, for this special Wednesday night episode.
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Bill Goldberg defeated Scott Steiner in a WCW World Heavyweight Championship Contenders Tournament Quarterfinal[/color] in 8:27. This was actually a pretty decent match, has to be one of Bill Goldberg's best as Scott Steiner's too, these two had some chemistry. All of the good action is going on here in the third hour, I guess. This one was back-and-forth, I love how Goldberg is now having difficulty in beating superstars rather than just hammering people, and it seems like WCW are targeting placing Goldberg as WCW World Heavyweight Champion, now he's in the tournament. Goldberg did the Spear and that was it, 107-0. No Jackhammer, probs due to Steiner's 'bad role' in backstage booking.
- Bill Goldberg began to celebrate as the fans chanted his name, Scott Steiner rolling out of the ring and trying to get out easy, only for Lex Luger to nail him from behind with his running bicep shot! Luger pointed at Steiner, telling him he'll be sorry for what he did to Rick Steiner.
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Hollywood Hogan and Scott Hall fought Kevin Nash and Diamond Dallas Page to a no-contest[/color] in 14:04. This wasn't the best of matches, these two teams did some offensive stuff in the ring however, Hollywood Hogan and Scott Hall seemed to get along quite well as they fought in there against the one-night only alliance of Diamond Dallas Page and Kevin Nash. DDP still is not wearing the nWo Wolfpack shirt, by the way. Hall and Page started, DDP having more offense before Kevin Nash got the tag, but Hogan got the tag at that time, Hogan and Nash trading blows before Nash's setup for a Jackknife Powerbomb was taken out by Hall. Nash was worked over as Nash soon got to Page, Page went on a roll in there, taking Hogan out of the ring and up the aisle. That's when the non-Wolfpack theme of Sting played, causing the audience to scream out loudly. Nash and Hall at that time were in a grapple as Sting came down from the rafters, grabbing Hall and hitting the Scorpian Deathdrop on him! Sting high-fives Nash as Nash goes to pick Hall up for a Jackknife Powerbomb, but Sting strikes HIM with the baseball bat!
- Sting strikes Kevin Nash once again in the head as Sting grins in his white facepaint while Diamond Dallas Page looks on in shock from the aisle. Hollywood Hogan and Scott Hall meanwhile escape up the aisle as Monday Nitro goes off the air...
Quick Results[/color]
Raven defeated Konnan to advance into the WCW World Heavyweight Championship Contenders Tournament
Saturn defeated Riggs to retain the WCW World Television Championship
Chris Jericho defeated Yuji Nagata
Chris Benoit defeated Ernest Miller
Chavo Guerrero Jr defeated El Dandy
Stevie Ray defeated La Parka
Kidman defeated Ultimo Dragon
Bill Goldberg defeated Scott Steiner to advance into the WCW World Heavyweight Championship Contenders Tournament[/center]