WCW Nitro 8/17/1998

Written by: Kevin Kindelberger

WCW Monday Nitro 8/17/98
They are in Connecticut and the ratings hit a near 5.0 for the entire show the biggest in quite some time with two 5’s and a 4.9 while RAW hit lows of a 3.9 but bounced up to a 4.4 for the final hour for a 4.2 total. It is clear that the Warrior helped, now I am sure the Internet leaked some but then again the first hour was really strong and he will probably show up later, and WCW was on the uptick. Ultimately, we will see what the Warrior adds to Nitro and if he can bring up the ratings and keep them there. WCW has been doing fine without him with Goldberg and the nWo v. Wolfpac but then again it is going to keep Hogan at the top of the card despite not having the belt.

Speak of the Devil. Here comes Hogan with the Giant carrying Bischoff and the Disciple in tow. This is the first time WCW has been in CT and Hulk declares that nothing has changed as they still worship him like they did nine years ago. He is the power of the wrestling world, no more ga ga or games with the media and the guys in the back. He is calling out Goldberg tonight and is going to get his belt back tonight. There is no one he can’t beat and he is losing his voice and yells about leading a lamb to slaughter. He chuckles and then yells that the Giant will do the dirty work and beat Goldberg and then give Hulk the title back. Hogan has his back tonight and they are all his disciples. EB wants the crowd to tell Hollywood how much they love him.

Gene is with Jo Jo who finds it amusing that Hulk claims that he can beat anyone and has the Giant do his dirty work. Jo Jo tells us what to expect at Fall Brawl and there will be three teams with Hogan, DDP and Nash as captains and the winner will face Goldberg at Havoc.

Match 1: Steve McMichael v. Sick Boy

Schiavone is knocking the WWF and how they do not deliver on matches and promises us a long title match. Meanwhile Sick Boy is hammering Mongo. Works him over in the corner as the fans chant that they want Flair, a few anyway. After a two count Sick Boy chokes him out. Sick Boy grazes him with a dropkick but Mongo sells it and Sick gets two. Sick Boy knees him in the corner a few times, sends him to the opposite corner and clotheslines him. Mongo is barely slammed and the fans boo but he misses the elbow drop from the middle rope. Now Mongo gets in some offense and goes for a suplex but Sick Boy lands on his feet only to get kicked in the gut and it is over after the Tombstone

*1/2 Sick Boy dominates 95 percent of the match and loses after a kick to the gut….

Gene is in the ring and here comes DDP! Gene wants to know who his partners will be. He flew out West to invite one guy in person to face off against Hollywood Scum Hogan. The person he is calling out has beaten Hogan before and he is jacked for the PPV but that is in September and this is August. DDP reminds us that he was beat down before fighting Bret Hart and here he comes. Gene does not like this development and lets him know. Bret ignores him. Bret yells that DDP has nothing but sorry ass excuses and that DDP needs to show up and fight. He should not blame anyone except himself as he always needs to be ready in WCW. DDP counters that he was not finished yet and wants a fight tonight. Bret responds that the US title means the world to him (sad) and that he will become the best US champ ever. Piper, Savage, Benoit and Booker are at home crippled because of him and Luger would be too if he was not Sting’s friend and he departs.

Horace is with Gene and Raven. Horace wants a rematch tonight to beat some sense in him. Raven agrees and is picking the partners. Kanyon will partner with Horace and Saturn with Raven. Saturn and Kanyon come out and Saturn slurs out that he will not be his partner and Raven asks if he is scared and so he will hit his head off when Raven tags. Jo Jo is out and states that anyone who attacks their own partner will be suspended for 90 days and the match can only be won via pinfall or submission.

Match 2: High Voltage v. Alex Wright and Disco Inferno

Wright hammers Rage but runs right into a powerslam. Disco is tagged in and he get hammered and Kaos gets the tag and continues the punishment. Disco fires back but is bulldogged from the top as Disco goes for a sunset flip. Meng comes down and puts Wright in the Deathgrip. Meng gets in the ring and starts destroying everyone.

NR They should have waited for he and Goldberg to have a match in a couple of weeks. Keep building up Meng. The ref gets it too and so does security. The fans love this. Meng is maced and he is just even more riled and that dude with a mop for hair is getting the Deathgrip too.

Match 3: Raven and Saturn v. Horace and Kanyon

Saturn is getting dismantled by Horace and now Kanyon. Kanyon gets two after a swinging neckbreaker. Saturn makes a comeback and tags in Raven who stomps on Kanyon and then strikes with three Russian sweeps. Raven walks over and taunts Horace. Saturn is tagged in and he unloads on Kanyon in the corner, connects with some stiff chops and drops him with some kicks. Saturn makes the tag and Raven snaps Kanyon over and then drops the elbow. Raven grabs the chair, sets it up in the ring and puts Kanyon up top and wants to bulldog him into the chair but Kanyon blocks it and counters and Raven gets his head driven into the chair. Horace gets the tag and he whips Raven into the corner where he sandwiches him. He powerslams him and gets two. He bodyslams him and goes up and connects with the splash and Saturn makes the save and all four are in. Kanyon is hammering Saturn and Raven is thrown into him and then again where Horace sandwiches both. Saturn falls on Raven’s nuts. Kanyon goes for the pin but Saturn makes the save. Saturn gets a double neckbreaker and spiked, or some shit. Horace covers him but he is just able to kick out. Saturn is pounded and Kanyon lifts him straight up and then slams him down facefirst with a flapjack. Horace has the stop sign and Saturn ducks and there goes Kanyon and Saturn finishes Horace with the Death Valley Driver.

***1/2 Good stuff, not sure who the fuck the legal man was….

Saturn gets the Evenflow as does Kidman. Horace stops him and tells Raven he wants to do it. He full nelson slams Saturn only to get the Evenflow too!

Here comes the Wolfpac and only three can go to War Games. The crowd is riled. Sting is hyping it up and loving the idea of doing it again. What makes it sweeter is that he is running with the Pack and Red and Black for life. Now Konnan does his thing. Nash is happy to be back in CT and the fans agree. Holy fuck is he over. He is going to make a prediction and that War Games will be the end of the Black and White as we know it. If they do not run with the Pack be prepared to be hunted by the Pack.

Match 4: Scott Norton v. Scott Putski

Norton squashes Putski in the corner after some chops. Putski is able to drop him with a neckbreaker. But Vincent distracts him and Norton hits him. Putski drops him again but barely budges him with a lariat and Putski goes down after one. Norton powerbombs him and it is over.

** But they will not do anything with him…..

Here comes Hogan again. EB recognizes a sign that tells him to run for president and he tells everyone that he already is the president. Hogan is still sick of the games, and Jo Jo playing politics. He wants to get rid of yesterdays garbage like Nash and DDP. Hogan is going to be our champion no matter what and take us into the next millenium. He continues that he can beat everyone and no one can stop him from getting his belt back and there is not a warrior that he cannot beat. The lights flicker and dim and now thunder and heavy guitar riffs blare. There are some words and enter the Warrior! Hogan’s jaw has dropped. The fans chant Warrior and Hogan thought he was dead! That was classic. Fans are going apeshit. Hogan is still stunned as Warrior paces around the ring and look out at the crowd soaking it in. Warrior bellows that no formal introduction is necessary and that his arrival was anticipated. Hogan makes an offering with the nWo shirt and Warrior responds by saying he needs that to clean up the mess he made. Warrior is going into nonsense mode about Hogan being the wrestling figurehead and uncreatable and that something Ultimate or Warrior is going to reappear and welcome to the reappearance. He just told us what noun is and Hogan is witnessing them right now. The fans chant that Hogan sucks repeatedly and Warrior wants to tell him something he does not know. Warrior is using big words to discuss their past and how Hogan was once great and heroic. Hogan is not the ultimate one, what he remembers about his past or some shit. Warrior reminds him that he beat him, that is what he was discussing. Warrior beat what was once unconquerable or indomitable. Hogan was great that day but he was ultimate. He is going to introduce himself to the two fools right behind him and the Disciple, he calls him dude, and he must be Hogan’s barber. He wants to know who the little man is. EB is angry and tells him that he knows who he is and that this is his company and no one invited him. Warrior responds that he invited himself and that EB better not stick his nose in his business and that he will send him a bill. He has waited patiently as have his Warriors. He is going to fulfill a destiny set all those years ago and a destiny that beckoned the next super hero. Warrior rambles a bit and then declares that he has not come to beat him up as everyone already has. That is too easy, Hogan feels guilty about who he was and HulkaMania grew boring. Next week the Warrior will start a revolution that Hogan cannot control and he will see him next week at the same Warrior Place, Time and Channel. The lights dim and smoke is in the ring and when they pop back on the Warrior is gone. There is a Batman type sign for Warrior.

Match 5: Curt Hennig v. Dean Malenko

Hennig is playing grabass out on the floor so Dean grabs him by the hair and pulls him into the ring. Dean kicks him numerous times but Curt grabs him by the leg and pulls him to the floor where he unleashes some chops. Dean is rolled back into the ring where he is kicked and chopped. Dean turns it around and then gets two after a spinning heel kick. Curt rakes the eyes and works him over in the corner. Malenko is down and after some kicks is getting his head twisted. Curt breaks the hold and Rude punches Malenko. Curt puts Dean’s head between his legs and spins, but Dean fires back and backdrops him. Dean hammers him in the corner and the ref wants him to stop and gets shoved. Dean is relentless and keeps after him with punches, chops and kicks. Now a two count after Russian sweep. Curt is whipped into the corner and he gets his foot up only to be kicked in the gut four times and suplexed. Curt tries to fight back but is back suplexed. He goes for the Cloverleaf but Curt gets to the ropes. Rude is on the apron and Dean beats him up but Rude hits him and staggers him. Dean is whipped into a knee from Rude and he leaps off the apron nailing him. Dean is rolled back into the ring and Rude tells a fan that he sucked his old lady’s dick! Curt finishes him with the Plex.

** I would think this match would be better. They had a match on Saturday where Rude interfered too. Dean deserves better.

Scotty is in the ring with Buff and a dude dressed as a doctor, a hippie doctor. Scotty is begging off the PPV match. He calls the fans idiots. He is going over his injury to his elbow and how it hurt his knee too. He asks the doctor who agrees with a “right on” and Scotty stumbles over his words as he discusses how good he looks. He could beat his brother with half his body but will not go against his doctor’s orders. Buff does a test where he arm flops and tells a fan to sit down and calls him fat. He asks the “greatest” doctor in the world if he will be ready on the 13th and he asks if it is this year and just says “right on.” Rick starts barking and he is tired of Scotty and his girlfriend talking trash. He has been getting ready for the match at PPV and he will beat the hell out of you. Buff challenges him right now, but Scotty yells that he will show him who the better brother is and how he made them famous….so the match is on.

Match 6: Chavo Guerrero v. Stevie Ray v. Chris Jericho (c) for WCW TV Title

Jericho tries to set up a plan with Chavo who does not comprehend what is going on. Chavo runs into clotheslines and Jericho is booted and then tossed to the floor on top of Chavo. Ray has Jericho up in a chokeslam but he rakes the eyes. Chavo goes up top and hits a flying crossbody on Ray and covers him. Jericho makes the save and wants to doubleteam Ray. Chavo dropkicks Jericho and unloads on him. He nails a big bulldog and Ray makes the save. Now Jericho clips the big man but Ray is up and clotheslines both and he goes for a double suplex but he is the one suplexed. They both go up top in the same corner! They argue but leap and connect with a double missile kick. Chavo covers Ray and Jericho throws him to the floor. Ray chokes out Jericho and sends him for the ride and he leapfrogs Ray and Ray runs into the ref. Jericho lets everyone know how smart he is. Ray has a blackjack and pops him with it. Chavo leaps on Ray and puts him in a sleeper hold. Giant comes down and chokeslams Ray and now all three are down. Not sure what happened to Chavo. Chavo is up as the count hits eight…..but Jericho falls on the ref and Chavo stumbles to the foor and Jericho is up and gets the win. I guess he does not have to cover Ray.

** I bit overbooked, okay a lot and I am fucking confused. I need to read up rules on three ways, with girls of course!

Match 7: Bret Hart (c) v. DDP for WCW US Title

They lock up and DDP has the arm and runs him over. He grabs Bret and gets two after a belly to belly. He goes for the Cutter and Bret rolls to the floor. DDP goes right after him and runs him into the railing not once but twice. Back in the ring Bret is stomped and then whipped front first into the corner and after suplex he gets two. DDP mounts and pounds him in the corner but is nutted and then dropped down headfirst onto the top buckle. Bret’s turn to stomp on him and then chokes him out. He headbutts the gut as he slowly picks him apart. Bret kicks and punches him in the corner and the ref tells him to back off. He pulls DDP to the other corner and rubs his face across the top rope. He goes for a suplex but is cradled and nearly pinned. DDP is hit and down he goes again. Time for a Russian leg sweep and he gets two. Hart slams him and he goes up to the middle rope and drills him with the elbow. After the two count DDP gut punches him a couple of times but Bret stops that offensive flurry with a shot to the head and then uses all of the five count while choking out DDP on the ropes. Bret whips him with some velocity into the corner and down goes DDP. Bret poses for the crowd before going over to choke out Page with his boot. Bret is pulling him up and DDP tries to fight free but he gets crushed with a piledriver. Bret gets two and argues with the ref but goes back over and stomps away on DDP, choking him out with his boot. DDP is up and he goes off, tossing Bret into the corner where he unloads on him. The ref pulls him off but DDP comes right back with a DDT. DDP goes up top and leaps striking with a flying clothesline. He gets two and then pancakes him but Bret did not sell it that well. DDP gets two and jaws with the ref. Bret off the double reversal whips DDP into the ref. Bret has the knucks and knocks out DDP. He covers him and then pulls DDP on top of him and kicks out at two. He put the knucks in Page’s trunks. He rabbit punches DDP and stops the Sharpshooter and drops the head on the nuts and then puts him in the Sharpshooter but the positioning sucks and DDP gets to the ropes. Bret finally breaks the hold and uses the ropes to leap on DDP, or I guess a super stomp. Hart pulls him up and eats a Diamond Cutter! But he is slow to cover and Bret’s leg is under the rope. Nick Patrick pulls him back as Bret is in the corner and Bret claims DDP hit him with something and demands the ref checks and DDP obliges and he finds the knucks and Bret gets the win via DQ.

**** Now we will see if there is a rematch. Great match, Bret played the heel great and made DDP look great. The best he has looked since his feud with Savage and Raven.

Match 8: Giant v. Goldberg (c) for WCW Title

Shit Schiavone has been shitting himself claiming this will not be a ten second main event and it will be barely two minutes according to the time left. Giant unloads on him but Goldberg fires back, only to be headbutted and bodyslammed. Goldberg gets right to his feet and bodyslams the Giant. Giant is back to his feet rubbing his back as the fans chant for Goldberg. They stare at one another and they finally lock up. The Giant knees him and hammers the back with big over hand blows. Now Goldberg gets crushed with knees to the gut in the corner. Now he strikes with a Russian leg sweep. Giant tosses Goldberg to the floor after some more shots to the body and head, and the Disciple is right there but he gets hammered.

There is more than two minutes left….my bad. The YouTube show ran out so I am going to my DVD.

Giant comes out and helps out the Disciple. Giant picks him up and is going to run him into the post but Goldberg slips behind and shoves him into the post. Giant fights back and gets into the ring and suplexes Goldberg into the ring and he just pops up and spears the Giant. Before he can try the Jackhammer the Disciple runs in and there is a DQ. Disciple gets speared and he is Jackhammered! Hall runs down and hits Goldberg and Nash comes in and tosses the Giant out and grabs Hall. Goldberg gets a head of steam and goes for the spear and Hall moves, so he hits Nash again. Nash no sells it and is up after a moment and all fired up and he and Goldberg start shoving and jawing at one another and we are outta time!

**1/2 Giant did not look like a total loser…..

****1/2 Damn fine show. You know I am not a big fan of the Ultimate Warrior but I am all for the big moment and this worked. I have read for years that he rambled nonsense and that the fans got bored. While he did ramble and it was long it was not too long compared to some segments in the WWF. The fans were totally into it and it worked, at least for me. Now the future may not be so great with the Warrior but the start was solid. They did a great job of setting up the PPV and had some great wrestling with Hart and DDP. Also, the main event was not too bad and it kept the Giant not looking like a total chump, just kind of one. The Nash thing is working for me. Nash is super over and it sets up something down the road. I must admit this is one of the better shows in some time for both WCW and WWF. WCW is on a roll and people tend to forget how over Warrior was and judging by his response tonight he is still really over. Great stuff. However there were some parts that should have been better such as the Malenko match and minor pushes with the likes of Norton and Meng that will probably go nowhere.