WCW Nitro 4/27 & 4/28/1998

Written by: Kevin Kindelberger

WCW Monday and Tuesday Nitro 4/27-28/98
Okay, there will be a lot to cover in the next couple of weeks. There is no Thunder so we can move along with some speed. They are taping on Monday and having it at a special time. Therefore the DX Invasion fallout will not happen for another week. More on Flair, there is a lot of misinterpretation as back in 98 not too many people knew how many shows he missed as most thought one or two. But it looks like to be three or more. EB wanted to reform the Horsemen with Luger and Greene and Goldberg….thank God that did not pan out. After Greene went back to football it would be Malenko taking his place. Flair did not know this was going to happen and was upset with how he was treated and who can blame him and EB will state he is out to get him and to make an example out of him. Savage was going to have surgery and is holding off, which is cool, as it helps the major storylines and perhaps that is part of the reason he lost the title so quick because no one really knew if he was going to make the PPV, so that could be part of the reason. Syxx was apparently fired and EB supposedly told Hall and Nash that he put a bullet between his eyes! But wanted to make amends, a supposedly kinder, gentler EB. But there was a powerplay as Hall and Nash tried to rally the boys against Hogan but you cannot kill Hogan the man is Keith Richards and emerged out all that with the belt! Nash is now being put more in the main event so that has to please him, but Eddie and Dean wanted to leave too as they were unhappy. Basically EB needs to straighten the ship as the WWF is surging and they are preempted. He needs to unify the locker room and not cause drama like a school girl. A lot happened last week but I read that WCW was not too panicked by RAW winning that night but so far it does seem they did. Last week’s title change was the most watched quarter hour in history to that time and prior to that was the Nash and Sting main event. But tonight RAW will make history with the largest rating a 5.7 as WCW on Monday will be under a 2 being on at Midnight and just under a three for the Tuesday show, which was not well advertised. Oh, they think Buff will be out 6 months to a year as he had his neck fused…

I did not have the DVD for the Monday edition, so thank God for YouTube.

Schiavone claims that the Scope has been sold out for months!

Goddammit that is awesome! Alex Wright comes out to dance with the Nitro Girls and they are not happy and security hauls him off!

The nWo music echoes but which half? Here comes Savage and Nash to a huge pop. Nash: “Hey yo” oh and Hall is in rehab and had shown up at an ECW event and Shane Douglas told him to beat it. Nash does his own survey and both get a decent pop. But there is a huge nWo chant. He goes after Sting and the fans cheer for Sting. He and Scott were challenged last week and Nash accepts and quotes Werewolves of London as to where Scott is (Trader Vics). He knows the crowd has been wondering what is going on with the nWo and Nash tells everyone that the Wolfpac is expanding and he tells us that Savage will speak in a moment. Nash warns Hitman that he will be his Huckleberry. Savage is not too happy with Bret Hart and tells him he will never get out of what he did. Hogan is not here right now and Savage loves that as he and Nash are where it is at. Nash again, and he tells Hogan that the first of many defections have arrived and here comes Konnan (crowd is indifferent). Catchphrase time! No response. Hogan is no icon or legend and he and Savage and Nash are boddie-boddie (sp) and I have no idea what that fucking means….but he and Nash sing a tune about Hogan.

Match 1: Chris Jericho (c) v. Chavo Guerrero for WCW Cruiserweight Title

Jericho sets up his Malenko picture and welcomes everyone to Monday Night Jericho. He mocks Juve for beating him and how he has become a shell of his former self and how he squealed when he was stuck in the Liontamer. Now to Dean Malenko and he asks the picture how it feels to be the number two wrestler in the world behind Jericho. He asks Dean how it feels to be the new line cook at a Burger joint. He makes fun of him being at home right now and that he should just live vicariously through Jericho.

Eddie is yelling at Chavo and Jericho runs at him and misses. Chavo back drops him and tears into him with a slam and then a dropkick. Jericho though lures him in and knocks him down, he shoves him into the corner where he chops and stomps away. Eddie is screaming at Chavo and essentially helping out Jericho. But Chavo dropkicks Jericho into Eddie and damn near gets the win after the roll up. Chavo tries to float over but is put in the Liontamer and it is over.

**1/2 Not bad.

Eddie is not happy with Jericho who tries to plead his case. He believes Jericho and screams at Chavo who pleads his case.

They show Buff injured.

Here comes Bischoff….I guess Hogan is here. Savage said he was not. The Disciple is there too. EB has one question for Hollywood and that is what he has left to do. Hogan knows that all his worshippers know he has done it all and that he will be it all too. He sees all the Black and White and his disciples all know what a joke Nash and Savage are. He calls Savage broken down and Liz too! They have one foot in the glue factory. There is no one left to conquer or promoter to break or one title match that he cannot win. He can take on the entire world of wrestling as he is where the power lies. He is not worried about K-Dog and if that is the best he has got then he is going to have his gardener go to Van Nuys and pick up many just like Konnan to pick his oranges! Hogan knows that everyone wants to know why Bret did what he did, and Hogan declares it is because he knows where the power lies.

Match 2: Scott Norton v. Goldberg (c) for WCW US Title

Goldberg gets in his face and lets him know how he feels. Norton responds by knocking him around and getting a two count. Goldberg gets right to his feet and yells at him; he grabs him and gives him a spinning neckbreaker for a one count. He and Norton take the fight to the floor and back into the ring just pummeling each other. Goldberg takes him down with his leg hold but Norton gets to the ropes and he and Goldberg exchange blows, Goldberg shoves him into the corner but is picked up and given the shoulder breaker. Norton gets one. He puts him in a cross armbreaker and in the moment Goldberg taps twice!! But he just keeps going trying to power out and the ref and announcers wisely ignore that! He gets to his feet and spears and Jackhammers Norton.

**1/2 Nice brawl. He kind of tapped I guess….but whatever he is green.

Here comes Bret Hart and Gene is waiting for him in the ring. He is happy to be in the house that Hollywood Hogan built. But first we all have to suffer for our crimes and there is no innocence in wrestling and that it is just a muddy trench and the good do not survive. If Savage is feeling bad about some things and he wants to know who is crying now. Savage never had the guts to face him and now he wants to and then calls Savage a half troll and half lizard who does not have what it takes to beat him and never had and never will. Gene thinks he is being evasive and wants some answers. Bret mocks the “Why Bret Why” and he has something to say to Hogan who is not here tonight but will be tomorrow night and he wants to tell Hogan and everyone else tomorrow night face to face. Gene thinks what he did to Savage was basically what happened to him in a rival promotion. Hart goes off on him and he was tired of sitting on the sidelines and now he made his presence felt.

Okay….I am just going to continue to the next one and rate it in its entirety.

They recap last week’s Nitro and Bret’s “betrayal.”

Match 1: Disco Inferno v. Chris Benoit

I will just start the match order over, seeing as Goldberg is wrestling again.

Benoit stares him down. Disco goes off the ropes and is sent down with a blow and now he follows up with some stiff chops. He stomps on him in the corner but Disco kicks him back only to miss a clothesline and Benoit sends him down. Benoit stomps on his head, picks him up and sends him crashing down with a back suplex. Benoit is slowly dismantling him; he gets a two count after a forearm shiver, hauls him up and gives him two snap suplexes. He wants a third one but Disco counters with a few knee lifts and an inverted atomic drop. Disco now stomps away on Benoit in the corner. He hits his swinging neckbreaker and gets a two count. Disco slaps him, a scoop slam and then goes up to the middle rope and hits him in the back of the head getting a two count. He applies a rear chinlock. Benoit powers out and rolls him up but Disco is at the ropes but Disco comes right back with a jawbreaker but Benoit is on the ropes and the ref calls for the break on the pin attempt. Disco is too slow in following up and is chopped with alacrity and then fucking spiked with a release German suplex and the fans erupt. Benoit goes up and crashes into him with a flying headbutt to the back. He is slow to cover and Disco gets his shoulder up so Benoit finishes him with the Crossface.

*** Actually a really enjoyable match.

Match 2: Chris Jericho (c) v. Psychosis

Jericho comes out to Dean’s music and acts like him as he comes out. He deepens his voice and says he is Dean Malenko and then whines that he wants to go home!

The first “Free Ric Flair” sign!! Yeah! The ref makes Jericho take off his belt and the fans chant that he sucks. The two circle around and lock up. Jericho puts him in a side headlock and Psychosis pushes him off but is run over. They go back and forth with Psychosis getting the upperhand and he nails Jericho with a stiff clothesline. Jericho though almost gets the Liontamer but Psychosis has a nice counter with a roll up and he gets two. Jericho though comes back with a vertical suplex and he gets a two count. Jericho gives him a backbreaker and holds it down. He breaks the hold and yells at the ref. He misses in the corner but Psychosis misses the dropkick and Jericho drops the elbow before getting a two count. Jericho slaps him after shoving him into the corner but off the whip into the other corner misses and flies to the floor. Psychosis gets a running start and leaps right into Jericho. He rolls back into the ring and grabs Jericho’s hair and tries to suplex him in but he floats over and then grabs him and snaps him back with a release German suplex. Jericho struts around and Psychosis nails him from behind hanging him up in the ropes. He goes up top and kills him with the guillotine legdrop but Jericho gets his shoulder up. Psychosis then takes him up top rope and Jericho grabs him, pulls him down and finishes him with the Liontamer.

***1/2 Great match. They went back and forth and hit some nice moves. Not much more for Jericho to do in the Cruiserweight Division.

Match 3: Barbarian v. Rocco Rock

After some back and forth Barbarian powerslams him. But Rock comes back and hits some double axe’s and dropkicks the knee. Hart trips up Rock and gets belted for his troubles. Rock is able to back kick him and work him over in the corner. Morrus runs in and hits him from behind and now Grunge runs in and uses the garbage can with alacrity on both Morrus and the Barbarian….ref makes it a tag match! There is all sorts of shit flying around and PE is blasting them with all sorts of objects. They double clothesline both men and Hart tries to attack them but he is hit with an atomic drop and he is set up on the table and Rock takes his time and Morrus gets in the way and both fly into the table as Barbarian saves Jimmy. Grunge has the can and gets it kicked back in his face and it is over.

*** I liked that change up but the wrong team went over.

Match 4: Juventud Guerrera v. Kidman

They shove each other and Juve spikes him with a great headscissor take over. He spinkicks him and gets a two count. Juve places him up top and goes up too and hits him in the head six times but is grabbed and fucking murdered with a spinebuster from the top rope. Kidman gets a two count and while he is slow to follow up he bodyslams him only to miss the slingshot guillotine legdrop. They go back and forth and Juve is sent to the apron and he slingshots into Kidman and gets a near fall. Juve is knocked back as he flies through the air and then nailed with a running lariat. Kidman sets him up top and goes up after him, and Juve crotches him onto the top rope and then Frankensteins him from the top rope and nearly gets the win. Juve Driver! The 450 and it is over.

***1/2 Great stuff.

The Flock comes in and dismantles Juve as the fans chant for Goldberg.

Gene calls out Alex Wright and the fans boo. Alex wants Gene to explain something and he starts by calling himself a superstar. He took a vacation in his beautiful home in Germany and he had to come back to his hole! He is bitter for being taken away by security and WCW is a bunch of morons like the fans. Security comes and hauls him off!

Match 5: Eddie Guerrero v. Booker T (c) for WCW TV Title

Eddie and Booker lock up and chants of “Eddie sucks” echo. They tussle back and forth and Booker runs him over and Eddie claims he had his hair pulled. Eddie uses the delay to regroup and he goes after the arm but Booker reverses and counters with a heel kick to the head. Eddie is sent for the ride, but he ducks and then trips up Booker. He follows up with a low kick to the head. He slams him and gets a two count and puts him in a rear chinlock. Booker fights to his feet and elbows free only to be dropped via forearm. Eddie steps on his head and rubs his heel across it and goes back to the chinlock. Eddie breaks the hold and stomps on the hand a few times, rakes the eyes but Booker ducks after the whip and then nails him with the forearm. Eddie comes right back to a kick to the head but he is grabbed and they roll each other up and Eddie tries to use the ropes for help. Chavo helped give him away and Eddie yells at him and he turns into the Sidekick and Booker finishes him with the missile kick.

*** This should have gone the ten minutes as Eddie needs some sort of momentum.

Chavo mocks him for losing and so he is slapped and shoved.

Match 6: Saturn v. Mary Jannetty

Saturn immediately rips into him with a flurry of kicks. He whips him into the corner where he sandwiches him. But off the whip to the opposing corner Saturn runs into an elbow and is clotheslined. He is knocked to the floor but back in the ring he back kicks Marty in the head and then takes him down again. Saturn drives his head over and over into the canvas. Saturn is sent into the ropes and after some back and forth Marty kicks him in the head and then nails him from the middle rope. But Saturn grabs him and has him over his shoulders and spikes him and gets the win.

**1/2 Short but non-stop.

Gene calls out DDP. Gene reminds him of cleaning house last week and calling out Raven. He wants Raven’s to experience DDP’s Big Bang Theory but he walked away so he had to get personal. He wants Raven to come down right now and feel the Bang! Here comes Kidman and Sick Boy instead. They are just the messengers for Raven who has a video for him. He goes after DDP’s family and how his mother must hate him. Raven tells him that their feud is over because he beat him. DDP is not happy and Sick Boy eats a Diamond Cutter and Kidman flees!

Kidman comes back to the ring and someone runs into the ring and nails him from behind before security tackles him.

Match 7: Jerry Flynn v. Goldberg (c) for WCW US Title

Goldberg runs him over and then picks him up and spikes him. Flynn is up and speared. Jackhammer and over.

** Squash.

Match 8: Scott Steiner and Konnan and Brian Adams v. Sting and the Giant and Lex Luger

So the nWo is still fighting together as Konnan is working for Nash and Savage but fighting with other members. They probably have not made their allegiance known yet.

Sting goes off and Adams gets mauled. He goes for the Deathlock but Adams rolls to safety and calls for a timeout. He confers with his friends and gets back into the ring. Sting tags in the Giant. Konnan is tagged in and he gets in the Giant’s face and shoves him but one push sends him to the floor. He gets back into the ring and runs around him and leaps into his arms and is slammed. Konnan goes up top and put in a bearhug. Luger and Scotty get in and they eye each other and the fans are going ape feces. They collide and neither moves as Steiner urges him on to try again and Luger drops him and then follows up with an inverted atomic drop. Konnan hits Luger but is decked. Luger turns around and is given a butterfly suplex. He taunts both Sting and the Giant. Luger is hammered some more but Luger takes him down and then Konnan too. Brian Adams walks and Scotty and Konnan are Stinger Splashed. They leave too and Vincent is brought into the ring and annihilated.

**1/2 Angle advancement but the crowd was fucking hot.

Gene is in the middle of the ring and calls out Bret Hart. Gene has been anxiously awaiting this and asks him why again and Bret tells him to shut up. Bret wanted to tell Hogan and then stutters over his next line and wants to hear his magic tunes. Gene wants Hogan to join us and it is a big thing to ask and cue the tunes! They take their time and Gene is getting impatient. They are here and Gene tells him so but EB wants Gene to call him Hollywood Hogan. Bret has waited a long time to say some things. Bret claims he has looked up to Hogan for a long time. Hogan is the highest paid wrestler in history and no one has made more money than he. He is the most visible wrestler of all time too. Hogan appreciates him for setting the record straight. The biggest reason that he wanted him to be champ and he starts to unzip his jacket and Savage comes in to the ring and yells at Bret and pops him and then gets dismantled by Hogan and Bret and the Disciple….

**** This was really good. I am really surprised. Heel Hart is far better than face Bret. I like the tease at the end and the matches were well above average and in fact had this been one show I may have rated it a bit higher. Sure it is the same package but it is wrapped different and it is something new right now. The fans were hot and overall they put on a great show despite being preempted. At least they are doing something with Bret Hart not that I fully agree with it yet but I am glad to see Savage still around.