Written by: Kevin Kindelberger
Gene calls out Raven and Saturn. Apparently Raven is a face now….he slyly brings up Tommy Dreamer when he is asked about getting back together with Saturn. They deny ever really breaking up….they admit they may have miscalculated about helping Rey and Kidman as they have to face Chris and Dean at the PPV. But they do not like Stinko Malenko and Benoit. Besides they can beat Rey and Kidman and they owe them a title shot.
Match 1: Norman Smiley v. Eric Watts
This has been back and forth for a few minutes. Norman slams him and teases the fans with the Wiggle! The camera pans away….fuckers. Norman is rolled up and nearly pinned. Norman is powerbombed into the corner but he recovers and finishes him with the Chickenwing.
** Norman!
Match 2: Saturn and Raven v. Bobby Duncum Jr. and Mike Enos
Pretty solid back and forth match. Long too.
Raven and Co. win.
***
Here comes Benoit and Malenko and they dismantle Raven and Saturn. They stomp the BeJesus out of both.
Jericho is talking to Flair and JJ Dillon and he wants to take Hennig’s place in the US title tournament because he is hurt. He talks them into it….Flair is fine with it as Jericho is more like him and is not a Hogan fan.
Match 3: Chris Jericho v. Chris Adams
Adams has been doing quite well. They have gone back and forth for about four minutes. Adams sends him to the floor with an enzuguri and then superkicks him. Jericho is rolled back into the ring and Adams gets two after a flying crossbody. Adams catapults him into the corner and then holds him down for a pin after a back suplex getting two. Adams runs at him and leaps, but he misses and Jericho takes him down and turns him into the Liontamer.
*** Solid match.
Flair is talking to Beefcake about his 30 Day contract. Flair asks about Hogan and is digging for information and Hogan is no longer the man as Flair is the champ. Hogan won the right to wrestle Flair at Stampede. Flair is willing to extend his contract for three more years and double his pay and all he has to do is wrestle and beat Hogan tonight. He tells Brutus to act fast and he agrees as he has no choice. If he loses he is out….
Match 4: Meng and Jerry Flynn v. Barbarian and Hugh Morrus
Flynn is destroyed in the back by Morrus and Barbarian. They spike piledrive him into the cement. Meng runs back to try and help him and he just taps poor Flynn on the shoulders….
Meng comes in and clears the ring. Meng has given as good as he has received. Morrus pounds him and clubs him in the head off the sunset flip attempt. Morrus drops the elbow getting two. Barbarian works him over and now Meng is doubleteamed.
Now Tenay is calling out Schiavone, basically calling him an ass!
Meng makes a comeback and powerslams Morrus but Barbarian breaks that up quickly. After some more back and forth, Meng gets hammered and they spike powerbomb him and Flynn comes down and helps him out and Meng gets the Deathgrip applied on Barbarian and it is over. Morrus gets it too.
** Damn that was long. None are really going anywhere…..
Here comes Hogan and he acts like he is being cheered. It is so-so. Gene has called him out. Hollywood says it is like the old days and he has found himself. He is running with the Pack. Hogan has to jump through some more hoops and that is fine as he is going to face Flair at the PPV. Gene interrupts him and Hogan does not appreciate that. Gene thinks Flair is ducking him and Hogan is not worried as the match has been signed. Flair comes out and he tells some fat boy to sit down and shut up. Flair reminds Hogan that he is his leader and boss as well as champion. He threatens to take a girlfriend home and make a woman out of her. He calls out Ed Leslie and Hogan has to wrestle him tonight and he is going to be glad to kick his butt. Ed screams that this is beyond business and personal. The future of the Disciple rides on this. Flair is giddy that his best friend is going to take him out. Hogan tries to get in a word about Ed coming out from his rock but Flair keeps screaming tonight. Now Hogan spits it out and at the PPV Hogan will still win the title. Hogan wants Ed right now. Flair is not happy and glares. He yells at a fan to get out of his building and then another one! Hogan is ready. He is not getting cheered as he cups his ear.
Match 5: Kaz and Chavo v. Dean and Benoit
Tenay and Schiavone threaten to kick each other out of the broadcast. Tenay likes Larry better so they bicker and Tony acts like Larry as he tells Tenay to do the play by play and of course Tony interrupts but Tenay is far better than he is.
Benoit and Malenko make fairly short work of them. Raven and Saturn run down and take both out and Arn too. Benoit is placed on the table. Raven goes up top and launches Saturn into him and the table does not break!
** Angle advancement.
Ray is arguing with Hogan about Booker. They want him to take it easy on him. Nash assures him too. They will get it figure out. Hogan wants a moment with the Black and White and Nash leaves. He is talking about the leadership of the Black and White and they are not too happy with Hogan. Hogan admits he dropped the ball as he thought one would rise to the top. He realizes all are really capable and all qualified. They will solve it at Vegas (Nitro) and the last man standing will lead the Black and White. Horace is ready and willing and Vincent whines that Ray and Adams are cheaters and Hogan tells them that they are on the same side.
Match 6: Horace v. DDP
Sorry I was fucking around. I was watching though. It has been on for about four minutes and a commercial break. DDP has gotten a fairly solid fan response. They have gone back and forth. DDP pulls him crotch first into the post. He pops him a few times and levels him with a discus clothesline. Diamond Cutter! Match.
**1/2 Okay.
Match 7: Ed Leslie v. Hollywood Hogan
Hogan shoves him down but Ed comes back and whips him into the corner and hammers him. Now Disciple is whipped into the corner and sandwiched. Hogan works him over and takes off the belt and the Disciple takes it from him and whips him….I guess he is the Disciple still. Hogan takes him out and knocks him to the floor. Hogan whips him and chokes him out with the belt. Hogan continues to punish him and he back suplexes him for a two count. Disciple comes back and hammers Hulk. He hits his finisher after a minute. Hogan bounces up and the fans are pissed….some are at least. Flair runs down and he gets dismantled. Hogan Hulks up and drops the leg and he covers Flair but here come the Horsemen and they assault Hogan and now of course Hogan takes them all out. He beats up Flair some more. Most of the fans are fucking booing.
** I will give Hogan credit as he has put in a lot of work as of late. But I hate face Hogan…..
*** Another solid Thunder. They advanced some angles and had some okay wrestling. Tenay telling Schiavone off was great too.