WCW Saturday Night 7/18/1998

Written by: Bob Colling

World Championship Wrestling presents Saturday Night
Date: 7/18/1998
From: Macon, GA

Matches:
1.) Jim Neidhart defeated the Renegade
2.) Alex Wright & Disco Inferno defeated Disorderly Conduct
3.) Mike Enos defeated Bobby Blaze
4.) Norman Smiley defeated the Gambler
5.) Scott Putski defeated Julio Sanchez
6.) WCW Cruiserweight Champion Chris Jericho defeated Barry Houston
7.) Barry Darsow defeated Jim Powers
8.) Ultimo Dragon defeated Shima Nabunaga
9.) Perry Saturn defeated Sick Boy

Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) After Alex Wright and Disco Inferno won their match with a spike piledriver, the Public Enemy ran into the ring to get revenge for last week. Inferno came off the ropes and was met with a double flapjack. Tokyo Magnum got rolled into the ring by his buddies. Public Enemy hit a double flapjack on Magnum. Rock sets a table up on the floor and Magnum is laid onto the table. Grunge leaps off the top and splashes Magnum through the table.

2.) Blaze controls Enos with a headlock early on, but Enos fights back with a shoulder block. Enos drops Blaze throat first over the top rope. Enos nails Blaze with a short arm clothesline followed by stomps. Blaze knocks Enos to the mat with a forearm shot, but Enos comes back with an elbow drop. Enos drives Blaze down to the mat with a neckbreaker. Enos clotheslines Blaze over the top to the floor. Enos drops Blaze over the guard railing throat first. Enos press slams Blaze into the ring and taunts the crowd. Blaze knee lifts Enos off the apron into the railing. Enos catches Blaze coming off the top to hit an overhead suplex followed by a leg drop. Enos plants Blaze with a powerslam and hits a middle rope fallaway slam for the win. (*1/2. I’m digging Mike Enos and think he’d be a great addition for the TV title scene.)

3.) Lee Marshall interviewed Public Enemy backstage. Marshall wants to know what’s going on with Alex Wright and Disco Inferno. Rocco Rock thinks they have a few screws loose to get involved in their matches. Rock says they aren’t going to play around anymore. Johnny Grunge chimes in and says that they are not going to be a stepping stone for them. Grunge suggests they get ready for a rude awakening.

4.) Nabunga and Dragon trade a few holds on the mat to start the contest. This is being billed as a teacher vs. student match. Dragon keeps Nabunaga on the mat with a wrist lock, but isn’t able to get a submission. Nabunaga kicks out of a hurricanrana attempt by Dragon. Dragon goes a headstand in the corner and kicks Nabunaga followed by another hurricanrana for a two count. Nabunaga kicks Dragon on the left knee followed by a splash. Nabunaga hits a springboard senton for a near fall. Nabunaga gets another two count following a spinning heel kick. Dragon drops Nabunaga with a few kicks. Dragon runs into a boot in the corner and a leaping kick leading to a near fall. Dragon kicks Nabunaga from behind leading to a two count. Nabunaga with a rollup, but Dragon kicks out at two. Nabunaga misses a springboard corkscrew splash. Dragon hits a handspring splash in the corner and hits a top rope hurricanrana. Dragon locks in the Dragon Sleeper to win the match. (*1/2. There wasn’t much structure to this match and it just felt like they were going through the motions before Dragon hit his big spots.)

5.) Boy hits a springboard back elbow on Saturn for a two count. Saturn tosses Boy with an overhead belly to belly suplex. Saturn continues with a clothesline. Saturn kicks Boy in the corner several times. Saturn sits Boy on the top turnbuckle, but Lodi holds Boy on the top turnbuckle allowing Boy to toss Saturn to the mat and hits a top rope clothesline. Boy dropkick a seated Saturn for a two count. Boy chokes Saturn over the middle rope. Boy has Saturn on his shoulders before dropping Saturn gut first to the mat. Saturn nearly wins the match with an inside cradle, but Boy comes back with a running knee strike. Boy hits a powerslam for a two count. Saturn and Boy collide in the corner. Boy drops Saturn after a few right hands for a near fall. Boy misses a springboard twisting leg drop. Saturn tosses Boy with a tiger suplex. Saturn spikes Boy with a Death Valley Driver to win the match. After the match, Horace slides into the ring sand attacks Saturn. Saturn hits an exploder suplex on Horace. Saturn takes Riggs over with a belly to belly suplex. Raven storms the ring and stomps on his former friend. Saturn tries to fight off the Flock and hits a suplex on Lodi. Raven spikes Saturn with the Evenflow DDT. (*. There wasn’t much going on here aside from the aftermath to add more momentum to the Raven/Saturn feud.)

Final Thoughts:
An average episode this week for WCW Saturday Night as they touched on a few angles going on but there wasn’t an enjoyable featured match.

Thanks for reading.