Written by: Kevin Kindelberger
WCW Thunder 3/26/98
Bischoff is in the back not wanting a videotape shown. He does not care who told the video guy to show a tape of the nWo. Bischoff claims he is the producer, and it is not Doug Dillinger. Dillinger comes into the video productions truck and escorts EB out. The video is shown from Nitro: Nash and Hogan having a tiff!
Eddie and Chavo come out, and Eddie has the mic and once again forces Chavo to admit that he has to do what Eddie says and he is still disappointing the family. He needs more seasoning and so instead of facing Booker T for the TV title tonight he has to face Benoit and Eddie will take his place in the title shot.
Match 1: Chavo Guerrero v. Chris Benoit
Benoit does not mess around and chops Chavo, and goes after a fleeing Eddie. Benoit stomps a hole in poor Chavo. Rick and EB take over the announce table. Benoit is still working over Chavo, and chops his chest off in the corner. Benoit gives him a backbreaker and stomps on Chavo, another backbreaker and another one. Chavo is able to duck a chop and take Benoit down. Now it is Chavo’s turn to stomp away. He sends him into the ropes and dropkicks Benoit, but the second whip attempt is reversed and down goes Chavo courtesy of a knee lift. He front suplexes him onto the top rope and Chavo escapes with a shoulder block, slingshots over the top and rolls him up for two. However, right after Benoit hops up and puts him in the Crossface and Chavo immediately taps.
**1/2 Could have been a lot longer but Chavo is still being portrayed as green….
Here comes Hogan and Bischoff. EB was whining about injustices via WCW and particularly Piper. EB starts that it does not take a college education to understand that Hogan has disciples all over the world. Also, that JJ Dillon and WCW is trying to create controversy. Hogan agrees and that WCW wants to create problems in the nWo that do not exist. They can show all the footage they want as it does not matter as there are no rifts within the nWo. He and his giant (Nash) are like brothers and then blames WCW for putting them in matches. However they laid waste to Sting and Savage and the Giant. Savage is nowhere around here and is probably hiding. He and Nash are teaming up at the PPV and he loves him like he loves himself. Here comes Nash. HOgan and EB point toward him. Nash gets quite the pop. Nash has the mic and since they are airing their dirty laundry, everybody knows who is pulling the strings around here, and in his best David Copperfield he shows that no one is pulling his strings. Hogan comes out as the self proclaimed leader of the nWo and claiming he is the man. But everyone knows the heart and soul of the nWo is the Wolfpac. He wants to know if Hogan is the leader then why doesn’t Syxx have a job or why isn’t Hall on live TV or is it because he is considered too dangerous for live TV (um he is on every week). Hogan answers that as for his little friend goes it is not his fault that he could not cut mustard and run with the nWo. Nash seemingly agrees with that. Hogan does not now where Hall is at and thought Nash knew. Nash does not. Hogan continues that they have more problems to deal with such as the PPV and that it is Savage who has caused all the issues. Nash replies that there are trust issues. Hogan responds that it does not matter who they beat up first as long as they get the job done. Hogan proclaims that he would partner with Nash anytime and be back to back with him and do so tonight. Nash mocking responds that it would be an honor “brother” and leaves a baffled and upset Hogan and EB behind.
Match 2: La Parka v. Prince Iaukea
Parka dances around and then slaps Iaukea; he charges right into a boot but Prince charges right into a powerslam, and Parka follows up with a rolling kick. La Parka is caught and sent to the floor, Prince leaps off the apron and nails him, rolls him back into the ring and telegraphs the back drop eating a knee. Parka covers him and gets two. He leg whips Parka, dumps him back into a Northern Lights suplex and gets the win.
*1/2 Huh? Prince is on a random winning streak….fodder for Jericho perhaps?
Schiavone brings out Lex Luger who has not done too much as of late. Tony claims that Lex gets better every time he gets in the ring (yeah right). Lex is giddy about the “love” shown between Nash and Hogan. He got real excited when Nash and Hogan wanted to team up, so he and his partner who is now busy getting his game face on, Sting are ready to accept the challenge.
Match 3: Disco Inferno v. Chris Jericho (c) for WCW Cruiserweight Title
Here we go and the crowd shouts in unison that “Jericho sucks.” They lock up and Jericho puts him in a side headlock, and off the shove off Disco is run over but he returns the favor and then clotheslines him. Disco kicks and stomps him in the corner. He snaps Jericho over, goes up to the middle rope and drills him with his fist getting two. Jericho counters by tripping him into the bottom rope, and then kicks him in the ribs and back. He pulls him up and it is vertical suplex time. Jericho gets two, jaws at the ref and Disco sends him into the corner, but he runs into a boot. Jericho charges at him and is spiked and given an atomic drop. He gets two and then follows up with a swinging neckbreaker for another two count. Jericho comes right back with a double underhook backbreaker, softens up the back and quickly finishes him with the Liontamer.
** Jericho continues his winning streak and soon will run out of Cruiserweights!
Jericho takes Disco’s headband as a trophy!
Match 4: Jerry Flynn v. Goldberg
Flynn gives him a little shove and gets hucked into the corner and then tossed with a belly to belly release! Flynn grabs the leg and Goldberg turns it around and has him in an ankle lock, Flynn grabs the ropes. Goldberg whips him and then back drops him. Flynn grabs him and has the arm but Goldberg picks him up and slams him. Flynn tries to hit him but is taken down and put in a cross armbreaker and Flynn counters and gets to the ropes. Goldberg misses the charge in the corner, Flynn kicks him and then sends him into the other corner where he spinkicks him. Flynn turns around and is speared and after the Jackhammer it is over.
**1/2 Squash but they showed off some more of Goldberg’s moves.
Match 5: Kidman v. Psychosis
Right at the bell Kidman blindsides him in the corner. Psychosis stumbles into the opposite corner with Kidman stalking him. Psychosis ducks two blows off the whip but is finally caught and nailed in the back with a couple of forearms. Kidman whips him and Psyschosis ducks and sends Kidman to the floor with a knee. Psychosis goes up top but Kidman shoves him off, and now Kidman tears into Psychosis, and after a series of moves nails him with a spinebuster and gets two. He puts him in a chinlock, Psychosis is up and Kidman goes for the powerbomb but Psychosis flips behind, and now he gets two after a clothesline. Kidman makes a comeback but stands on the ropes and stares at the crowd and this allows Psychosis to belt him from behind. Kidman is hung up on the ropes and given a guillotine legdrop and he gets a near fall. Psychosis takes him down again and goes up top but Kidman tosses him off. Sick Boy is on the apron and springboard’s in and Psychosis ducks and Kidman is nailed. Psychosis knocks Sick Boy to the floor and he goes back up top and this time connects with the guillotine legdrop and gets the win.
*** Not bad.
Schiavone is in the ring and out comes DDP. Schiavone gushes about DDP’s title match on Nitro. But he wants his feelings about Raven. DDP responds that he got a fax from JJ (fax!) and he claimed that WCW would do whatever it takes to get the belt back from Raven: DDP thanks him but wants to do it himself as that would be more fun. He stumbles talking about who helped train him and it was not Raven but Jake. He is sick to death of Raven’s incessant whining. Raven is at the bottom of the list of people he feels sorry for, but at the top of the list to get “Banged.”
Match 6: British Bulldog and Jim Neidhart v. Curt Hennig and Brian Adams
The four square off. Rude boots Marshall off the headset and takes his place. Davey and Adams start off. They lock up and Adams headbutts him twice but misses the boot, Davey drops down on him and gets a two count. Jim is tagged in and he works over the arm, bodyslams him, but he gets chopped in the throat. Hennig gets the tag and he works over the back, sends him into the ropes and Jim ducks a blow and runs over Hennig. Davey is tagged in and Hennig runs off with Davey giving chase. Brian decks him from behind, rolls him back into the ring and punches him a few times. Davey blocks and pops him in the head and then tags in Jim. Jim is sent into the corner where he is whacked by Curt and he stumbles into a piledriver and Brian gets two. Adams makes the tag and they double clothesline Jim but allow him to make the tag and Davey goes off on Curt. He mounts and pounds him and Adams comes into the ring and so does Jim and now all four are going at it. Davey falls over and Adams grabs the leg. Curt heads to the floor and Jim gives chase. Adams is dragging Davey to the back and they are brawling by the entrance.
** Um, that was a random ending as two were outside the ring when the bell rang and it could not have been a countout yet or a DQ. Someone fucked up there.
Match 7: Saturn v. DDP (c) for WCW US Title
DDP slides into the ring and is greeted with a knee to the back. Saturn telegraphs the backdrop and DDP goes for the sunset flip, but Saturns sits on him. DDP counters with a couple of roll ups, but is grabbed and is grabbed and dumped over Saturn’s head and he gets a two count. Saturn has him in an ab stretch and uses the ropes right in front of the ref! The ref finally notices and he knocks the hand off and this allows DDP to toss Saturn over and now he has the ab stretch hooked. Saturn counters right away and suplexes into a bridge and Saturn gets two. Saturn puts him in a rear chinlock, DDP is laid out and manages to get to his knees but is laid back down again. DDP starts to get his second wind and flails to his feet, and elbows free and they tussle for a move and DDP wins out with a belly to belly but Saturn is up first and he hits DDP. Saturn argues with the ref and DDP grabs him and shoves him into the corner and then clotheslines him. DDP goes over, grabs him and Saturn counters with a jawbreaker. Saturn goes up top and DDP falls into the ropes Saturn is crotched. Raven comes out and tells Page to come get the belt. Saturn leaps and is Diamond Cutted…..DDP does not cover him and runs after Raven.
**1/2 Why not keep Saturn strong and have DDP run off before the Diamond Cutter.
Match 8: Eddie Guerrero v. Booker T (c) for WCW TV Title
Booker has the mic and tells Chavo he had the chance to become TV champ. He tells Eddie to shut up, and Booker wants to know what is on his mind. Eddie takes the mic away and tells Booker that this is family business. Booker keeps telling Chavo he is going to show him how to deal with bullies. Eddie has knucks and Booker will not listen to Chavo’s warnings. Chavo leaves the ring and Booker turns right into a punch to the head and Eddie makes the cover but Booker kicks out. Chavo grabs the knucks and tosses them at Eddie and this causes a DQ and Eddie upset and makes Chavo use the knucks on Booker and then put the boots to him. Benoit runs down and forces the Guerrero’s to flee.
Angle advancement.
Match 9: Scott Norton v. Rick Steiner
Rick swats at Buff and Norton assaults him from behind. He uses his knee to choke him out. Norton runs him into the corner and Rick counters with a belly to belly suplex and goes after the leg and knee. Norton gets to his feet, and whips him into the ropes and Rick goes for an elbow and bounces off of him. Norton stomps on him and Rick bites his calf! Norton scoots away and stomps him. Norton chokes him out on the ropes, lures the ref away and Buff chokes him out until DiBiase walks towards him. Norton telegraphs the back drop and is kicked and given another belly to belly. Norton is clotheslined and Scotty comes down and tosses his dog collar into the ring and there is a cluster on trying to use it as they stop in mid swing. Norton goes for a back suplex and Rick uses the dog collar on the way down and gets the win and then chases off his brother.
*1/2 Nothing much.
Match 10: Kevin Nash and Hulk Hogan v. Lex Luger and Sting (c)
Hogan and Sting start off. They lock up and Hogan pushes him into the corner but Sting blocks the punch and sends Hogan reeling after a few punches. Sting puts him in a side headlock, runs over Hogan after being pushed off into the ropes. They lock up again and Hogan knees him twice, hits him twice more and then sandwiches him in the corner. Sting comes back and mounts and pounds him in the corner five times and then winds up and clotheslines him. Here comes Luger with a series of forearms; he bodyslams Hogan and then nails him with a hard right. He runs Hogan into the corner and he is thumbed in the eye. Hogan whips him into the ropes and then clotheslines him. He tags in a smiling Nash who is still wearing jeans. He does his typical offense in the corner, whips him into the other corner, sandwiches him and tags Hogan back into the ring. Hogan chokes him out and tags Nash back in. Hogan holds Luger for Nash who goes for the big boot and Lex ducks and down goes Hogan! Nash stares at him and turns into a running forearm. Luger makes the tag and he ducks a blow from Nash and unloads on him and gives him a Stinger Splash. Macho runs into the ring and attacks Sting from behind and tosses out the ref. Luger goes for the Rack on Nash but Savage kicks him. Hogan comes back into the ring and goes after Savage. Hogan and Nash push each other and argue and the rest of the nWo run down and they get cleared out of the ring. Hogan and Nash are arguing on the floor and Nash tells him he is right here and Hogan warns him.
** Angle advancement.
*** Decent show. Just basically continuing what happened on Nitro, which is what Thunder should do. There were a couple of decent matches. But more than anything else it expanded on the storylines, and now there are tensions with Nash and Hogan. Hopefully they do not spend months teasing it out as I said earlier something needs to happen within the next month or so.