WCW Nitro 5/31/1999

Written by: Kevin Kindelberger

WCW Monday Nitro 5/31/99

I find it interesting that they are doing a stripped down version of the New Blood v. Millionaires Club that we will see next year. Some of the younger talent is displeased with their treatment from the vets. I loved Malenko’s comments about having to be 45 to get a push. I will give Bischoff credit; he is able to blur reality with fiction on his shows and is willing to put off air issues on the air. However, they rarely translate into anything. WCW floats around some great ideas and begins to implement them and then…..nothing. The execution more often than not sucks. Already Bagwell and the Cruiserweights look like chumps as they get their collective asses kicked on a weekly basis. WCW is shifting away from the cruiserweights and that is disappointing as they provided some damn good matches, but the division has been weak since Eddie and Jericho beat everyone in 1998 and now you really just have Kidman and Rey. The rest have not been marketed as legitimate players or given any legitimate storylines. Some may not be that marketable and WCW is trying to market as much as possible, so I do not blame them there. But the lWo was aborted, Eddie was injured but it could have lived on. Also, the Lucha’s provide some serious entertainment. Kidman v. Rey with Juve thrown in at times just gets a bit tiresome. I think I mentioned this before, but Nash and Savage apparently wanted to be a part of the younger group. Not sure why but players like them and Hogan will never willingly give up their spot. Hogan’s promo last week was surreal as he spoke the truth about being the master of politics and then decried others for trying to do it. The problem is that Hogan never saw or cared about the long-term consequences of the “me” only attitude and I would argue that he played a key role in the decline of WCW. The more story oriented focus of Nitro helps the product remain tighter and better paced. They have not forgotten about putting on solid matches but last week was a step backwards. If anything this is the time to build up some new stars: Goldberg is out, either for shoulder surgery and/or filming Universal Soldier 2 (the last victim of what looked to be a return of Bret Hart’s great late 98 heel run), Hogan is out, Hall is out. Flair and Piper are in a diminished capacity (great feud and easily Piper’s best since his the run up to Starrcade 96 but he will soon be gone as he has only specific dates on his contract). It will be interesting to see what happens in a summer that many call WCW’s worst and helped precipitate their decline and eventual fall. The ratings dropped back down a to a 3.3 with a 3.7, 3.1 and 3.0 while RAW received a 6.3 off of a 5.8 and 6.7.

Raven is walking around outside somewhere. He is blindsided and destroyed by Bam Bam.

A long ass recap of the past couple of weeks.

Eddie Guerrero! He is back and at the announce table. They show photos of the car accident. Damn. He had reconstructive surgery on his shin and ankle. Sadly that will lead to dependency issues….He is happy to be back and Tony calls him one of the greatest. Tony is about to say something and is interrupted in the headset and he is baffled so they pan off and now Hak comes out….

Match 1: Hak v. Kidman

They circle one another and they exchange waistlocks and Kidman takes him down and has him in a hammerlock. Hak grabs the ropes. They lock up again and Hak pulls him down by his hair but Kidman nips right back up. He puts Hak in a hammerlock but he is back elbowed. Hak takes him over via a headlock but Kidman counters with a headscissors. They battle rolling around the ring.

Tank Abbot has come out with an entourage. He is told he sucks by the crowd. He is talking about the cage match later tonight and that is hardcore. He demands to be the referee and then leaves.

Kidman is down and Hak poses for the crowd and he misses a lariat and is headscissored over and then kicked to the floor. Kidman leaps out on top of him. Back in the ring Kidman works him over but a chair is wedged in the corner. I think by Chastity and Kidman is tripped into it. Hak throws in a ladder and tables into the ring. Kidman is whipped into the ladder and a table is set up and one is propped in the corner. Kidman is placed on top of one. Hak hammers him and then goes up top and somersaults, Kidman moves, and Hak breaks through the table. Kidman places a chair on top of Hak and goes up top setting up the Press. Here comes Hugh Morrus and he shoves Kidman off and stomps a hole in him. Knobbs is in the ring now and he blasts Hak three times in the head with the trash can and then flings him into the table and it shatters. Fuck Knobbs is annoying….I get it, you are Nasty.

Flair is on the phone talking about the Marriot and eight girls delivered to his room. JJ Dillon is with him. Flair wants to be sure that Savage’s elbow is banned and JJ assures him that it is. Savage can never do it again. Flair keeps asking who is banning it and JJ keeps telling him that he did it…meaning Flair. Flair wants to know what segment he is on and JJ reminds him that he is president and he can be on every segment. Flair reminds us that Savage’s elbow is banned….

DDP and Bigelow are in the ring. DDP does not get the people. How do they feel? Nothing. He tried to come out here and apologize for what he did to Hogan. Deep down he knew it was wrong. What he got was Hogan knocking him out. Next time maybe Hogan is put out permanently. DDP asks if Bigelow took out the trash, which brings them to Raven and Saturn. If there is on thing that Houston does not deserve and then he yells at the crowd to shut up! The fans do not deserve it but tonight they should blow the roof off this heap and have a title match with a little East coast attitude.

Kanyon and Saturn tell Tenay that they will face them. Kanyon calls Teany a stooge….swerve. Kanyon will join DDP and Bigelow.

Tony asks if Curt will sing a country song in a mocking manner. Curt hesitates but decides that he will. He heads to where DJ Ran is. HE calls out Bobby Duncum. Curt and Bobby start singing and it is horrible. The crowd boos as he calls them Rednecks. Konnan and Rey come out and want the music cut. They call each other names and start tussling. Curt calls them punks and losers as security holds them back.

Match 2: Van Hammer v. Evan Karagias

Evan finally gets some offense in with a scissors take over but this time he is dropped throat first onto the top rope. Hammer bodyslams him and drops the elbow getting two. Hammer swings him into a knee lift and taunts a downed Karagias. He places him up top and chokes him and then tosses him across the ring. He covers him and gets two. He has Evan up top again and superplexes him. He slowly makes the cover but pulls his head up instead. He pulls him up and Evan slides under and dropkicks him twice. He goes to the apron and springboards into a dropkick getting two. Hammer blocks and hooks him and then drives him down and he gets the win.

*1/2 Why is Hammer destroying the Cruiserweights? Sure the ones he is beating never have done much but it does not make sense to me.

Here comes Piper. Piper hypes up the Houston Rockets and all the people that died for our country (Memorial Day). He talks about issues within the Horsemen and how Malenko wants to leave. He calls Flair a Gelding being tied up by the Horsemen and he introduces Malenko. Jesus Piper’s promos are different….Gene excuses himself. Piper thinks Dean was the greatest Cruiserweight champ of all time. Piper wants to know what is going on with Horsemen. Malenko just stares and Piper assumes that the Horsemen are galloping off in the sunset. Dean answers that the reality is quite simple. Benoit and Malenko did not walk away from the Horsemen, Flair walked away from them. Here comes Flair with AA in tow. Malenko was tired of playing second fiddle. He yells at Flair for holding him down and people do not get it. It is not about the past as the future is staring him in the eye. Flair tells him that without him there is no Horsemen, Malenko’s or Benoit’s. He is Ric Flair and tells him so….I could not hear what he said but he was yelling at Dean. Dean told AA that he put his heart and soul in the Horsemen. AA reminds him that Dean came to him. AA came out of retirement to reform the Horsemen and take them to the top. Dean replies he sweated every night and last week he would have done anything for them but not this week and he leaves….AA had decried the fact that Malenko is quitting due to a dispute. Piper is giddy and tells Flair he will see him in Baltimore and so Flair wallops him and chops away. Piper turns him around and returns the favor and a flurry of punches drops him. Flair is whipped into the corner and backdropped. Flair retreats to the floor after an ass whoopin.’ Flair still wants more and dodges the belt and pulls Piper out and the fight continues. Flair finally retreats…

Konnan comes down with Rey and the former does his thing getting the crowd riled up.

Match 3: Rey Mysterio and Konnan v. Curt Hennig v. Bobby Duncum Jr.

Curt tries to do one more song but gets blasted by Konnan. He nails him with a seated dropkick. Konnan DDT’s him….Bischoff is at the announce table. Not saying anything useful. He just buried Konnan for not understanding what he said and also stated that Hennig still has ring rust….Curt retreats to the floor and gets back in and he and Rey square off. Curt stomps away and works him over in the corner. Curt knees him in the gut and keeps after him. Rey is rolled up and Konnan flies in and makes the save. Rey is slapped and then thrust facefirst into the corner. Hennig bodyslams him and tags in Duncum. Curt is still pummeling him. Sorry Bobby was. Rey gets in a couple of blows but is run into the corner and now Curt is in. Rey elbows Bobby and then kicks Curt and he is able to make the hot tag. Konnan unloads on Curt: He hits the rolling clothesline and the back kick. Sunrise time! Bobby runs in belts him with the cowbell and it is a DQ.

** Not bad. Angle advancement.

Rey and Konnan are hog-tied.

Savage is mocking Nash who is tired of Savage making him look stupid. He challenges Nash. He knows that n one believes that Nash can beat Macho. Madusa comes out with her boobs flapping…..Savage wants the belt put up. She grabs his attention and tells him that Nash is in the building. Savage yells that it is on and that it has hit the fan. He is going to treat him like the coward that he is and calls him out. He leaves though as Nash has not come out.

Kanyon is laid out with DDP and Bigelow are looming over him. They are “checking” on him to make sure he is okay.

They pan onto an Owen sign. Bischoff has spoken with Bret but just briefly….thoughts and prayers etc.

Match 4: Erik Watts v. David Flair

David is getting manhandled. Watts is still destroying him. Ric runs distraction and AA runs in and belts Erik. David gets the win.

* Angle advancement.

Buff says that if Flair is the man then he wants Macho Man tonight. Flair responds that he is crazy and he Buff banter back and forth. Ric wants a favor in return. Buff has to face Bobby Eaton first and Flair is almost ready to take that next step. Buff wonders if Eaton even works here! Buff is willing to prove that Eaton is not in his league.

Cat wants to be recognized as the greatest of all time…Bischoff was talking about how happy is with the direction of WCW and how great things are going and all the talent here….

Cat is yelling at the fans to shut up and sit their asses down. He is here to whoop somebody. He has being beaten up Scott Norton every week and he wants to whoop him right now.

Match 5: Cat v. Scott Norton

Norton is demolishing him. The nWo is giggling in the back. Cat hits him with a crowbar and waffles him with it. It is over.

* Could they at least make the Cat look strong.

The other members of the nWo leave knowing Scott will be angry.

Savage introduces himself as the next champion.

Match 6: Randy Savage v. Kevin Nash (c) for WCW Title

Someone comes out dressed in a dress and wearing a Nash wig and has a beard. Savage makes coming out of the closet jokes. Madusa kicks him a few times. George drops the elbow and now Savage bodyslams him. Savage goes up top, despite the elbow being banned and he connects getting the win.

NR Angle advancement.

Savage holds up a fake belt in celebration.

Match 7: Bobby Eaton v. Buff Bagwell

Bobby has gotten in some offense. Buff gets in a little but is worked over on the floor and back in the ring he is nailed with a swinging neckbreaker. Buff finally finishes him off with the Blockbuster.

*1/2 Not much

They show Bigelow pounding on Raven in the dumpster from earlier tonight.

Match 8: DDP and Bam Bigelow v. Saturn and Kanyon (c) for WCW Tag Titles

Saturn is on his own. Bigelow shoves Saturn down. Bigelow runs him over and whips him into the corner. Saturn runs him over now and DDP comes in and he gets dismantled as does Bigelow and both are kicked to the floor.

Commercial.

DDP drops him and stomps away. Saturn is snapped over and Bigelow is in and he slams him and gets two after a diving headbutt. He connects with another one and tags in DDP. DDP continues to punish him. He drops the elbow and stomps away. Saturn fires back with some gut punches but he is grabbed and powerbombed. DDP gets two. After another two count he drops the elbow into the groin area. Bigelow gets the tag and he drops the head into the groin area and now onto the head. He puts him in a chinlock while straddling him. Saturn crawls to the ropes. The ref forces the break and DDP chokes him out. DDP is tagged in and he gets two after a top rope clothesline. He puts him in a chinlock. DDP lets him up and tags in Bigelow. Saturn thrust kicks both men, DDP goes for the DC but Saturn counters. He knocks Bigelow to the floor and rolls up DDP for two. But he follows right up with a DVD and DDP barely, I mean barely gets his arm up. Bigelow is DVD’d too….well Saturn kind of just fell. Kanyon runs down and hops up on the apron for the tag and gets it. He charges in and DDP clocks him with a discus punch and gets the pin.

**1/2 Not bad. Clearly Kanyon is joining them. Oh, DDP and Bigelow are the new tag champs.

Savage is getting into his limo with the ladies. They are all sitting around him and on his lap and bragging about what they did to Nash. A truck pulls up and blocks their departure and Savage and ladies are not happy. Nash pulls up on the other side with a septic truck and he is moving like molasses but has the house. They finally realize something is wrong and scream as Nash gets on the limo. Nash asks him what is up and Savage goes to grab him but the limo is filled up with shit!They girls are screaming as they are inundated with feces. Savage tries to grab at him but cannot. After Nash leaves they leave the limo and Savage is screaming calling Nash a sonafabitch over and over.

Match 9: Rick Steiner (c) v. Sting for WCW TV Title

Tank is the ref. Finally the bell rings. Sting kicks him in the gut a few times and then runs his head into the cage. Sting pulls himself up using the ceiling and kicks him. He keeps after him but Rick fires back, hammering with heavy rights and sprinkling in some kicks. Now he punches and stomps the kidneys. Sting fends him and drops kicks him over onto the apron. He grates his face across the cage and then crushes him with a Stinger Splash. He goes for another but misses and bounces off the steel mesh. Rick goes to work, unloading a few punches and now Sting eats the cage. Rick keeps after him and puts him in a chinlock. Sting rises up and drops him. Now he strikes with a standing dropkick and another one. He stands on his throat and backs off so he can taunt him. He measures him and then clotheslines him and does it again. He goes for a splash and leaps right onto knees. Rick pulls him up and picks him up over his shoulders but Sting slides down and goes for a backslide or actually is just bending him in a kind of submission hold. He breaks the hold and elbows him in the back of the head but Rick uses the great equalizer: Eye poke. Sting is whipped into the corner but he misses the charging splash. Sting goes for a splash of his own and misses. Tank Abbot wallops Sting in the back of his head and now Rick tapes his wrists to the top rope. Sting is getting pummeled. Sting kicks back but is overwhelmed as Tank looks on and claps. He leaves as Sting wallows in against the ropes and we fade…..

*** Fun brawl. Not sure what they have planned for Sting. Perhaps a feud with Scotty? Where does Buff fit in etc.

*** The wrestling has taken a back seat it seems. The Cruiserweights are done for and that is disappointing. The feuds are being built decently but there seems to be a disconnect. Savage and Nash is having a decent feud. Sting is kind of out there but at least he is showing up. There is no Goldberg….DDP is stuck in a tag team. Luger has been barely seen for months. Buff and Konnan are still midcard. Raven and Saturn have gotten minor pushes. We will see if anything comes of this new direction. I am not too impressed so far but it could be worse. I was wrong about Bret Hart. Obviously as Owen’s funeral was just today….