Written by: Kevin Kindelberger
WCW Thunder 1/15/98
The second edition of Thunder. The first apparently broke all cable records for a debut. They are also having what seems like a good main event on paper tonight with DDP and Lex battling Savage and Nash. Nitro went by really quickly and was really well paced, and so far there is no over saturation as they segued from Thunder to Nitro quite well and kept the storylines entertaining. Not everything is perfect such as the Steiners and Flair’s recent booking but things are still looking up.
After a recap of Nitro here comes the Giant and Schiavone interviews him. Giant is not unhappy about Starrcade as things happen, but he just wants him in the ring and he has a present for him and it is on his wrist, connected to the arm and elbow and it is the Chokeslam! Lodi has a sign that states Nash is the real Giant. Giant excuses himself and grabs the sign, tears it and then pulls Lodi into the ring and chokeslams him and now he takes the entire Flock (not Raven) apart. Even Saturn gets a piece and they are all tossed out. Nash enters the ring and jaws at him, trying to get him to hit him. He tosses coffee into his face and the Giant is really pissed but still leaves as Nash continues to jaw at him as they head to the back.
More Nitro recapping, this time Savage and the nWo.
Match 1: Black Cat and Gedo and Ohara v. Steiner Brothers and Ray Traylor
Apparently DDP was mugged on Nitro (in the parking lot). Ray is teeing off on one of the Japanese wrestlers. I think it was Black Cat who makes the tag and he is shoved into the wrong corner and now Rick tears him into him. He bodyslams him and puts him in a headlock. Ray is tagged in and he winds up and hits him.
Commercial.
Rick is straddling someone and gets hit from behind. Ray is tagged in and he works him over for a bit. Scotty gets the tag and goes off on Black Cat and smashes him with a belly to belly. Cat tags in Ohara and he is tossed back and then planted upside down in the corner in the Tree of Woe. Rick wants the tag and does not get it as Scotty shoves him into the corner, so he can tag in Gedo who is powerbombed. Rick wants to do their finisher but nope he is finished with the Steiner Screwdriver.
Squash.
Rick does not look too happy as Scotty celebrates. He shoves the ref as his partners depart.
Match 2: Yuji Nagata v. Ernest Miller
Miller karate chops him and then kicks him down. Sonny kicks him in the back off the whip and Yuji slams him and then mounts him, pounding on him. Nagata is in command as he hammers him. Nagata gives him a weak piledriver for a two count. Miller leg sweeps him but is grabbed and pushed into the corner. Nagata is whipped sternum first into the corner and then kicked in the head, now he follows up with front kicks and a big lariat. Miller is whipped into the corner and then elbowed, Yuji chokes him out and the ref breaks it and as Nagata argues Miller uses his strength to pulls himself to the top and he finishes him with a spinning kick.
The fans pop for that and Sonny tries to kick him but it is to no effect and he is sent out.
Schiavone is with JJ Dillon. The audio is all fouled up but it is about DDP getting mugged and DDP comes out on a crutch. DDP made the match on Nitro and when he says he is going to do something he is going to do it. There are liability issues and JJ needs a medical certificate. DDP is not going to sue and JJ calls it the 90s and it is a fact of life and the fans chant DDP as he states that he does not sue, and will sign a release taking WCW off the hook.
Match 3: Louie Spiccoli v. Scott Hall
Hall is wearing both belts (the fake and real). “Hey yo” it is survey time. The nWo wants to know if they are with us or against us. WCW gets a nice pop the nWo chant is drowned out. Hall calls it close but it is one for the bad guy. Hall tells Louie he looks like a good guy and asks how old he is. Louie is 26 and will be 27 next month and Hall asks who came to see and Louie states that Hall is his hero. Larry comes down to give the young lad a pep talk and claims Hall is afraid. Hall tells Larry to bring it and tosses the toothpick at him as Larry gets in the ring. Louie blindsides Zybszco and Hall charges only to be back dropped over the top. Louie turns into a front kick to the gut and out he goes as the crowd chants Larry.
Recap of what Jericho did on Monday.
Match 4: Chris Jericho v. Eddie Guerrero
The winner faces the winner of the Juvie/Rey match at the PPV. Jericho has the mic as the crowd boos. This past week people have been wondering what happened between him and Rey. Jericho was talking to his legions of fans and he was leaving when Rey came in. However, Rey muttered under his breath about Jericho’s family and being the paragon virtue that he is he took care of it.Oh, it will never happen again.
Here comes Eddie, poor guy was really over as a heel…..Jericho wants to shake, and Eddie ducks a clothesline and gives one of his own. Eddie nails him with a running elbow and then low dropkicks him in the head. They block suplex attempts, Eddie rolls away but is launched onto the top rope and then is press slammed getting a two count. Jericho chops him and goes for a back suplex but Eddie lands on his feet and dropkicks him. Now Jericho is chopped and he sags against the ropes getting chopped some more. Eddie puts him in an ab stretch. Eddie is warned as he uses the ropes for leverage, breaks the hold and is whipped into the ropes and then face planted. He goes for a powerbomb but is rolled up and Guerrero gets the near fall. Eddie pulls back on him with the knees firmly planted in the back and the arms spread wide. The hold is broken and Eddie spikes him back on his head. Chris is placed up top and Eddie is shoved off, Eddie blocks the double axe and now they go back and forth and Eddie has him in a hurracarana and it is turned into the Liontamer and victory.
Solid match. Poor Eddie; they get over and WCW buries them.
Tons of audio issues as they recap the Anvil incident.
Match 5: Chavo Guerrero v. Disco Inferno
Disco is dancing around and Chavo is baffled. Disco wants the music cut, and declares that no one came to see Chavo wrestle, the crowd came to see Disco dance and he gets a pop. Chavo grabs the mic and tells him that he cannot dance and this is not even his match. Chavo gets personal and tells him he cannot dance or wrestle and the fans know it, the back knows it and deep down Disco knows it. He tells him to get his polyester self out of there and back to the Copa Cabana. Disco agrees to leave and Chart Busts him from behind. Out comes Goldberg as it is his match and he spears Disco and then Jackhammers him…..the video is now all fucked up, they are just showing the arena and saying it is live.
Here comes Hollywood and Bischoff. EB can think of 1.5 million reasons to be thankful to Hogan. Hogan responds that when it comes to money it is no big deal. What is a big deal are the lies perpetrated by others. Hollywood tells a story about being in Venice Beach and being told he is the real champ. They went to Federal Court, and the judge agreed with them or something. Hogan beat Sting, and JJ Dillon has two choices and that is either to give him the belt on Nitro or run for his life. EB agrees and that the people want to see Hogan as the champ. Hogan claims that wherever he goes the focus of pro-wrestling goes and he made wrestling etc. (and he really believes it). The fans need to worship him and the nWo is intact, and after he gets his hands on Sting the fans will never see him again and the nWo is too sweet.
Match 6: Rey Mysterio Jr. v. Juventud Guerrera (c) for WCW Cruiserweight Title
They go to shake and Rey clubs him with a couple of forearms. They go back and forth, countering German suplexes until Juvie is taken out with a flying headscissors. Rey slingshots over the top and lands on Juvie. He rolls him back into the ring. Juvie makes a comeback and out goes Rey and now Juve planchas out on him. Rey is rolled back into the ring and nearly pinned after a super guillotine legdrop. Rey is kicked in the chest and hammered in the corner. He is placed up top and Juvie has him bent behind him and then drops down and gets two as Rey grabs the rope. Juvie has him up for a vertical suplex and turns it into a brainbuster. He gets a two count and applies a rear chinlock. Rey is whipped into the ropes and is nearly pinned again after a spinkick. They are out on the apron and Juvie chops him but is sent into the post via a catapult and Juvie sells the knee as he writhes on the floor. He is up and pulls Rey half out and then yanks him out the rest of the way. Juvie slingshots on him but his leg is left stiff, and that had to hurt. Juvie runs an elbow into his chest and Juvie jaws with fans. Rey is rolled back in and nearly pinned again after a springboard dropkick. Juvie is getting flustered as he kicks and stomps him. Juvie is whipped into the ropes and Rey slides down and uses his legs to whip him into the ropes but Juvie comes back by tripping him into the corner. Juvie wags his tongue at the fans! He now chops Rey down to size and now in the corner. Rey is whipped into the corner but dodges a flying Juvie and now they exchange shot after shot. Rey face plants him and he gets a two count. Juvie tries to roll him up and now they go exchange roll ups, Juvie has him and pounds the back and goes for a powerbomb and Rey counters by dropping down on top of him. Rey hauls him up and is up top, goes for the rolling DDT but is put on the apron, he climbs back up and Juvie has him hooked but is front suplexed off and Rey calls for his finisher and leaps right into a powerbomb! Now Juvie calls for his finisher and climbs up and lands on his feet off the 450 and then Rey hits his finisher for the win.
Good match. This is what Nitro needs, a nice long match. Not much offense from Rey but still solid.
Match 7: Kevin Nash and Randy Savage v. Lex Luger and DDP
Savage comes out first, alone. Nash is standing in the back as Savage points at him heading towards the ring. He points at Nash as he and Hogan arrive ringside and Hulk is still trying to smooth things over.
Luger comes down and tells DDP to stand back and he enters the ring. Hulk uses the crutch on DDP as Savage attacks Luger. He tosses him out and then leaps on top of him. Lex is rolled back and Savage roughs up an official, Savage refuses to tag in Nash as Hogan yells at him. Savage continues to put the boots to Nash and finally Savage tags him in and Nash refuses. Savage goes back after Lex and Nash tosses Savage out and Hogan holds Savage back. Luger rolls up Nash for a near fall. Nash is doing his thing to Luger in the corner. Hulk wants Nash to tag Savage and instead wallops him upside the head and Nash leaves the ring and Hogan runs interference. Savage goes up top and looks to leap but Luger pulls him off and now it is bionic forearm time and Nash gets back into the ring and he gets it too. Hogan gets in the ring and he is Racked, Nash runs over and he too is Racked. Savage leaps on top of Lex as he stupidly let go of Nash! Savage is unsure of whom to go after and decides to go after Lex and Savage weakly holds Luger for Hogan to kick him and of course Lex ducks and now Savage and Hogan are eye to eye. The Giant comes down and looms behind and Hogan is chokeslammed. Now the nWo comes down and so does Sting and the brawl is on. WCW clears the ring and stands tall.
Final Thoughts: Another good WCW show. There was some solid wrestling and the friction within the nWo continues. Too bad Bret Hart no longer runs out to help WCW stars and that makes ZERO sense. Get him out there, the guy is over and makes me wonder if politics has taken over or EB is clueless or both. His feud with Flair is fine but come on. Anyway, DDP gets murdered again by Hogan but Sting made an appearance and Luger looked strong. Too bad about the video/audio as it nearly ruined what was a good show.