Written by: Kevin Kindelberger
WCW Thunder 10/1/98
Match 1: DDP v. Lodi
Lodi gets in a couple of offensive moves but he does not last long.
**Squash. DDP needed to get back in the ring.
Match 2: Jerry Flynn v. Mike Enos
Hard to get excited about this match. Flynn gets in some kicks and they have gone back and forth for a few minutes. Enos powerslams him and then slams him again. A drunken Hall staggers out. He thinks it is survey time and Flynn tries to tell him that it is not his match. Hall pops him with the mic. Enos tosses out Flynn and the ref and wants a piece of Hall. He shoves Hall who throws his drink in his face and gives Enos the Edge and Flynn too.
** Angle advancement. Never thought I would be happy to see this angle perpetuated.
Now it is truly survey time. Fans cheer for the Wolfpac and Hall mocks Nash and is willing to meet him in a match.
Match 3: Riggs v. Kanyon
Kanyon yells at Riggs for leaving the Flock as it was Raven who made him and made him interesting. Riggs has had enough of his taunting and attacks. They go back and forth. Riggs mounts and pounds him in the corner and the crowd is behind him but Kanyon drops down and Riggs’ head bounces off the top buckle. Kanyon sits on his head and bulldogs him from the top rope. Kanyon gets a two count after a swinging neckbreaker. He chokes him out on the ropes and Riggs tries to get up but is choked out instead by Kanyon. Riggs tries to fight back but is hit with Mero’s TKO. Riggs kicks out and Kanyon wants the bulldog from the corner again but is powerbombed instead. Riggs strikes with two running lariats. He pulls him up and and drives him into the corner and puts him in a chokehold but Kanyon runs into the corner and escapes and finishes him with the Flatliner.
**1/2 Not bad.
Match 4: Ciclope v. Wrath
Wrath is dominating. It is over.
* Squash.
Match 5: Chavo Guerrero v. Kidman (c) for WCW Cruiserweight Title
I have no idea as to why Chavo is in the match due to his losing streak. Tenay covers by saying that WCW does not think Disco’s wins are legitimate and they want to give Chavo the chance. But then why did Disco wrestle and he was supposed to square off against Juve. I am a bit confused. Still it should be a decent match.
They have been flying around the ring. Chavo has controlled quite a bit of the match and gets two after a guillotine legdrop. Kidman comes back with a dropkick only to get nailed and Chavo puts him in a headscissors. Chavo puts him in a rear chinlock, Kidman gets to his feet and is shoved into the corner then hung up on the top ropes.
Commercial.
Kidman is laid out and Chavo waltzes over putting him in a rear chinlock. Kidman counters out with a jawbreaker. Kidman hammers him and gets two after a sunset flip. But Chavo strikes with a spinkick knocking him down. Kidman comes back with a clothesline but Chavo strikes right back with a back suplex and he gets a two count. Chavo puts him in the camel clutch. Chavo releases the hold, and then works him over in the corner, stomping a hole in him. Chavo eats the corner, Kidman goes up top but is cut off and Chavo tosses him with a release superplex! Chavo lays across him getting two. Chavo pulls him up and unloads some chops, hurls him into the corner but Kidman moves off the charge; spinebuster and now the shooting star press. Match.
***1/2 Great match.
Match 6: Lenny Lane v. Van Hammer
A back and forth match. Hammer superplexes him and then finishes him off.
*
Raven is wallowing in a stairwell and is discussing Goldberg, stating that it was he and Saturn that gave him a run for his money.
Match 7: Damian v. Disco Inferno
Another short match. Disco wins. Juve runs down and knocks Disco to the floor and he retreats.
*
Match 8: Stevie Ray v. Konnan
Konnan unloads a series of kicks and punches. But Stevie has had enough and runs him over. Stevie wrenches the neck and then drops him with a clothesline. Stevie gets two and goes back to work on the neck. Konnan gets up but is knocked back down and finally he gets up again and Ray pushes him into the ropes allowing Vincent to choke him out. Stevie whips him into the corner and runs into a boot and is bulldogged. Konnan back kicks the knee and then face plants him again. Vincent is knocked off the apron and Stevie decides to knock out Konnan with slapjack. The match is tossed. Konnan is beaten up and Nash comes down, knocks Ray to the floor and powerbombs Vincent!
** Not bad as Konnan finally looked fairly strong.
Hall stumbles out and Nash waves him down. Hall stumbles around and then leaves.
DDP heads to the announce table.
Match 9: Raven v. Goldberg (c) for WCW Title
Goldberg shoves him down with ease and then puts him in a headlock. Raven shoves him off but is run over and he backs himself into the corner. Goldberg pursues him and knees him in the gut, picks him up and slams him. Goldberg misses in the corner and he flies over the top, crashes to the floor and Raven goes right after him and works over the back and then drives him into the post twice. He knees him in the head and Goldberg no sells going into the steps and then the other steps. Kanyon sets up the table and holds Goldberg. He moves though! Goldberg moves and Raven leaps into the table. Goldberg takes command and kicks his head off. Raven puts the ref in front and both he and the ref are speared. Kanyon whacks him with a chair. Raven Evenflows Goldberg. DDP comes down and gives Kanyon the DC but Raven decks him only to be grabbed and given a neckbreaker by Goldberg and the Jackhammer finishes him as he wakes up the ref. DDP and Goldberg jaw at one another.
** At least Raven was not chumped out. That worried me. Also, DDP got involved as they slowly build towards their match.
**1/2 Nothing great. A lot of filler but it did the job. They focused on some of the minor feuds. Built up Goldberg and DDP and gave the nWo and Wolfpac some time. Other than that not much was done. Kidman and Chavo had a great match and that adds a half star to the overall rating.