Written by: Kevin Kindelberger
WCW Monday Nitro 5/25/98
I am going to make this short and sweet until I get my feet wet again. Nitro has been off and on the past month. The hour program last week was solid. On the downside for WCW, this tie at a 4.2 will lead to a six week drought until July 6 as RAW will takeover.
Raven is in the ring with the Flock and he is upset with Mortis and threatens him. Now Raven reminds Saturn how he drove him to school and cured his broken heart after being dumped. He screams “What about me” a few times. He fires a bunch of the Flock and wants Saturn back. Lodi is upset and gets the Evenflow and Raven continues to beg for Saturn….good crowd response for him.
Glacier is turning heel as he talks about his hype and how good he was (pre-recorded comments). He is upset with Saturn for taking his kick, yes his kick. Perhaps he is not heel but edgy…..and lame. Holy shit that was overly long and jump off a cliff inducing!
Match 1: Fit Finley (c) v. Mike Enos for WCW TV Title
I think this is Enos; it has been awhile. Fit takes him down and has him in a chinlock. Enos gets up and then is snapped over. Enos tries to fight back but keeps getting taken down. Enos is laid over the apron and elbowed a few times. Enos finally gets some offense in and gets two. Now they exchange some headbutts, and Fit grabs him and slams him but is caught and tossed back in a fall away slam and Enos gets two. Enos goes for a powerslam and Fit lands on his knee. Enos sells it and Fit takes out the knee and hits the Tombstone for the win.
** Nothing great but nice to see him get a small push.
Match 2: Glacier v. Saturn
Saturn takes him down first and taunts him. Now they shove each other until Saturn is kicked in the head. The fans boo Glacier and cheer Saturn when he returns the favor. Saturn puts him in a side headlock and turns it into a hammerlock. Glacier shoves him into the corner and kicks and hits him a few times. He poses for some boos and Saturn takes advantage and kicks away in the corner. Glacier sends him into the corner but runs into a spinkick to the head, Glacier follows up with some boots and misses the foot to the face and is taken down. Raven comes down slowly as Saturn tosses Glacier. He follows up with a scoop slam and Saturn goes up top and leaps right into knees. Raven heads to the ring and gets belted by Hammer from behind. Hammer gets on the apron and Glacier kicks him in the head and Saturn uses the distraction to hit the Death Valley Driver for the win. Raven gives Hammer an Evenflow.
** Okay.
Saturn ignores as Raven keeps repeating his damn catchphrase….gives him the evil eye once and leaves.
Here comes the Giant with Sting. Giant has something to say to Nash and he gets booed. Giant asks for quiet, and calls Nash a yella-belly, and wants Nash solo and will take him right now. The Giant calls himself the original Big Sexy and if Nash is a man, and calls his little concussion BS and tells Nash to get on out here. He asks again….Sting is not there it is Brian Adams. Here comes Nash, solo, and he takes his time coming out. He asks if the Giant wants some of this and Giant does and tells him to bring it into the ring. Nash wants to take care of Hogan’s three little fluff boys and gets in the ring. Brian charges and gets knocked down and Vincent gets the boot. Nash and Giant move like molasses as they lock up and Giant starts to choke him. They start beating on Nash and here comes the Wolfpac troops with Luger in the lead. Luger has a chair, and Nash is baffled but Konnan reassures him and so after a delay and to the eruption of the fans is offered a Wolfpac shirt and he teases to put it on and then does so and the crowd loves it.
Match 3: Chris Jericho v. El Dandy
Jesus, Jericho is still facing off against jobbers. He assaults Dandy before the bell. Dandy kicks him and then slaps him in the face. Dandy connects with a spinebuster but misses the leap off the top and he is turned into the Liontamer and it is over/
* Squash.
He is dedicating this match for all his fans. He calls JJ fat, moronic and an imbecilic jerk. He comes out and Jericho backpedals and tells JJ that he looks beautiful. He shows JJ a roster of the people in the Battle Royal and there is no Dean. He reiterates that a few times and states that JJ in his infinite wisdom will see that. JJ goes over what was said at the PPV and how Jericho was ready for the winner of the Battle Royal. Jericho states that he was misconstrued and was not ready for Malenko. JJ shrugs that off and leaves with Jericho calling him a fat, pompous idiot but then runs after him begging for his belt.
Match 4: Konnan v. La Parka
Konnan is sent into the corner but Parka runs into a boot but he clotheslines Konnan. After a getting a two count he misses in the corner but so does Konnan and Parka is also sent into the damn corner…..Jesus. Konnan low kicks him in the back of the head only to be short clotheslined and then kicked in the skull. Konnan falls to the floor and Parka leaps and nails him but gets hit too. Back in the ring, La Parka leaps into feet and then is bulldogged. He goes after the knee and it is over….
*1/2 I really did not feel this match….
Kanyon in pre-recorded comments and he discusses the death of Mortis after getting a DDT into the ramp. He then reminds Raven of his revenge at the PPV and that he can get to him anytime and anywhere.
Gene calls out Hot Rod. Gene does not think Macho and Piper can act as a cohesive unit as the only thing they have in common is Hogan and Bret. Piper does his usual and makes very little sense. He will never have a bad hair day when he is with Savage and then makes fun of his voice. He makes Village People references about Savage being Macho. Here comes Macho and Liz tries to hold him back. Piper wants to know what his malfunction is. Savage and Piper jaw at each other, and the latter does not understand where Savage is coming from as he is mentally disabled. Savage reminds him of the PPV and the apology does not count. Piper states he reversed the decision and brings up RuPaul for no reason and they argue for a bit. Savage though is cool if they are partners. Piper babbles and here comes the Hitman! He calls Savage pathetic, and tells Piper to come clean. This is too much for Bret and tells Piper to tell the truth as the attack was planned from the beginning. The reversal was a plan too, and no one cared as they saw Bret won. Bret reminds Piper how close they are and his mom says hi. Piper is claiming it all a lie as Savage derails and tosses in a chair and Piper wants to fight. Piper is sitting in the chair and is willing to be his psychiatrist and tells Bret that he is lying, and at the end of the PPV if Macho wants a piece he can have a piece. Savage agrees.
Match 5: Kidman v. Juventud Guerrera
They lock up and both struggle for the upper hand as the push each other around the ring. They break the hold and exchange slaps. Juve leaps at him and gets a spinebuster for his troubles. Kidman chokes him out. Juve makes a comeback and they both go back and forth until Kidman is sent to the floor with a flying headscissors. Juve suicide dives into him and both men are down. Juve chops him a few times and rolls him into the ring. He misses a kick and is faceplanted and he gets a two count. Kidman chokes him out on the ropes, but Juve hits the sunset flip for two. Right after that Kidman crushes him with a huge dropkick. He puts him in a rear chinlock. Juve chops him a few times until his head is taken off with a vicious clothesline. Kidman gets two after a guillotine legdrop. Kidman whips him into the corner but misses and is clotheslined but Juve falls and runs right into a powerslam and now Kidman collapses after the move. Kidman crawls over for two and Juve rolls him up for two. Juve is sent for the ride but kicks Kidman only to be inverted plexed onto the apron where he lands on his feet and he nails Kidman and he gets a near fall after a plancha from the top. Kidman bulldogs him with authority and now he gets a near fall. He attempts a suplex but is blocked and he is sent over and then he grabs Juve and tosses him with an over the head suplex. Kidman takes too much time going up top and Juve catches him with a dropkick. Juve Driver! Juve is slow going up too but he hits the 450 and it is over.
***1/2 This was fun and the fans were really into it.
Did I miss a Thunder? I thought it was cancelled. Eddie is acting scared of Chavo. Chavo is willing to take his match and Eddie acts to hit him but backs down as Chavo gives him his cheek and has the fans chant for Eddie. Eddie acquiesces and Chavo holds open the ropes for him as he leaves.
Match 6: Chavo Guerrero v. Ultimo Dragon
Chavo starts an Eddie chant, not much of one and Eddie wants him to start wrestling. Dragon is a tad baffled. They go back and forth off the ropes and both miss moves and a leg sweep takes down Chavo. Headstand kick time and now Dragon walks on him but leaps right into a dropkick. Chavo connects with some kicks but is dropped with a dragon screw legwhip. Now Dragon is working over the leg. Chavo is up but is taken down and tied up. Dragon stiffly kicks him a few times and Chavo heads to the floor to slow things down. He gets back in and is snapped over and then kicked in the back. Dragon connects with a handspring back elbow. He places him up top and Dragon is up too but is knocked down. Chavo goes for a suplex but Eddie grabs his leg and Dragon counters with the Sleeper and Chavo does it right back with a jawbreaker and now chokes him out on the ropes and yells at Eddie that he is cheating. He finishes Dragon with the Tornado DDT.
*** Not bad and nice to see Chavo get a win and the angle advancing.
Chavo has snapped and wants Eddie to hit him and then shoves Eddie around a bit.
Gene is there and talks about Eddie creating a monster. JJ Dillon comes down and has created a match for the PPV, and it is Chavo v. Eddie. Eddie is worried as Chavo has lost it.
Match 7: Lenny Lane v. Dean Malenko (c) for WCW Cruiserweight Title
Lane is showing off his abs as he has some sort of ab buffer….Dean takes him down and puts him in a facelock. Lane gets to his feet and the go in circles for a bit. Dean pushes him into the corner and mauls the shit out of him with stomp after stomp. Dean though runs into a forearm and is briefly runs him pillar to post but is able to nearly beat him with a solid bulldog. He gets another two after a standing legdrop and goes to the chinlock. Dean is up and escapes but is knocked down. However, he trips up Lenny and has the leg but Lenny grabs the rope. Dean pops him in the chin and they tussle momentarily, Dean is kicked and Lenny goes up top and attempts a sunset flip but Dean rolls through and finishes him with the Cloverleaf.
**1/2 Average. Anticipating a Jericho match down the road.
Match 8: Goldberg lookalike v. Goldberg
The dude tries to look and act like Goldberg and here comes the actual Goldberg. A new entrance for Goldberg. The jobber has Attitude written on his trunks! He tries for a spear and bounces off and gets fucking demolished. He is speared into next week and the Jackhammer finishes.
** Fun little squash.
Match 9: Booker T v. Chris Benoit
A little jawing and shoving; they lock up and Booker pushes him into the corner and Benoit turns him around and chops him and this riles Booker who unloads on him. Booker crashes into him with a running forearm and Benoit bails to the floor. Back in the ring Benoit takes command, goes for the German but is rolled up and nearly pinned. Booker clotheslines him and Benoit retreats to the floor. He slowly gets back into the ring and Booker greets him with a knee and some chops. He whips Benoit into the corner but runs into a boot. Benoit goes for the Crossface only to be nailed with a sidekick. Booker slams him and gets two. Benoit comes back and hangs him over the top rope. Benoit knocks him to the floor. He kills Booker with a forearm smash and gets a two count. Benoit snap suplexes him and gets another two count. He puts him in a rear chinlock. Booker is taken down and Benoit knocks him around for a bit and puts him in a rear chinlock. Booker gets to his feet only to be thrown down. Benoit sets him up for a few chops. Booker is snapped over and put back in the chinlock. Booker is up but is dropped and nearly pinned and then side slammed. He takes an hour going up top and misses the diving headbutt. Fit has come out to watch. Booker is up first and it is spinebuster time (Fuck off Schiavone and get the call right) and then faceplants him. He misses the kick and Benoit hooks him and Booker escapes and it is axe kick time! Booker side slams him and the fans erupt as he goes up top. He misses the Hangover! Both men are down. Benoit finally makes a cover but Booker kicks out and Booker goes for a suplex and is grabbed, dropped and finished with the Crossface!
**** Slow start but it built the drama to a great ending! A great start to the best of seven.
Match 10: Giant and nWo Sting v. Sting and Luger
Okay there was a Sting earlier just a fake one. Here comes Luger….solo. OMG who will Sting side with!! Okay, sorry. Luger stops part-way down the ramp and looks back and cue the Sting music. Here comes Sting the Giant is still posing and the fake Sting is out. Giant is baffled but attempts clotheslines and Luger and Sting hammer him. Stinger Splash! Giant is clotheslined to the floor and the fake Sting is bitter. Giant is huffing and puffing. Fake Sting and real Sting are in the ring, and the fake one gets in some blows and drops him with a back elbow. The offensive does not last as Sting takes charge and tags in Luger and it is Luger offense time….no need to give a rundown as it is the same ol’ thing. Luger is sent to the floor where the Giant boots him in the head. Luger is rolled back into the ring as the fans tell the Giant that he sucks. Fake, his name now, drops him throat first onto the top rope. Giant is tagged in and he kicks Luger and then slaps the skin off with an overhead chop. He runs him over in the opposite corner. He squeezes Luger’s head in his legs and leaps, and then stands on him. Giant hits a big elbow and uses his boot to choke him out. Fake is tagged in and whips Luger into the corner and misses the running splash and Sting is tagged and he clotheslines him from the apron and it is Stinger Splash time. He hits the Deathdrop and it is over….Giant just gets off the apron.
*** Actually this was pretty damn fun.
Here comes the Wolfpac as Sting and Luger discuss. Luger does his thing with the Wolfpac and they have a shirt for him. Sting acts like he is leaving and then comes back into the ring and the fans go apeshit. Sting looks around as the Wolfpac dances around. Luger has the shirt and like a child waves it at him and then tosses it to him and they fade as Sting holds it!
*** or ***1/2 Not a great show. However, the last hour was great. There was some solid wrestling, at least three good matches and the main event was fun. There just seemed to be something missing. It just went through the motions and the first hour was quite dull. But it did steadily improve. I am not sold on the Wolfpac angle happening so quickly. Sting and Savage could have had a great feud until Savage left and then he and Bret could have had one for a couple of months and then start Sting and Luger and the Giant turning and joining the Wolfpac. While I do not dislike it; I just feel like it is being pushed too soon. Sting still has gas left in the tank and so did Bret as a face and the Giant. Oh well we will see what happens.