WCW Saturday Night 7/25/1998

Written by: Bob Colling

World Championship Wrestling presents Saturday Night
Date: 7/25/1998
From: Macon, GA

Matches:
1.) Scott Putski defeated Bobby Eaton
2.) Jim Duggan fought Stevie Ray to a double disqualification
3.) Rick Fuller defeated Doc Dean
4.) Chris Adams defeated Barry Horowitz
5.) High Voltage defeated Villano IV & Villano V
6.) Steve McMichael defeated Julio Sanchez
7.) Roadblock defeated Lash LeRoux
8.) Fit Finlay defeated Jerry Flynn
9.) WCW Tag Team Champion Scott Hall defeated Konnan

Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Ray works over Duggan with right hands, but Duggan battles back with an elbow strike. Duggan clotheslines Ray over the top to the floor. Ray rams Duggan back first into the apron. Duggan sends Ray shoulder first into the ring post. Ray beats on Duggan before Duggan could get back into the ring. Ray boots Duggan, but Duggan fights back with right hands. Ray locks in a bearhug. Duggan breaks free, but runs into a knee and a clothesline by Ray. Ray misses an elbow drop coming off the ropes. Duggan pummels Ray with right hands in the corner. Duggan scoop slams Ray and signals for a clothesline. Duggan connects with a running clothesline. Ray goes to the apron and trades right hands with Duggan. They both toss the referee to the mat and the match ends in a double disqualification. (1/2*. You would have thought these guys were feuding for many months with the finish they went with here. The action wasn’t very good, which was to be expected.)

2.) Lee Marshall interviewed Dean Malenko regarding the Four Horsemen and Malenko wanting the group to reform. Malenko says he’d do anything for his friends, and that is what Chris Benoit is to him. Malenko knows that Benoit is on the verge of being a top player in WCW. Malenko is doing all of this for Benoit’s sake. Malenko hypes up his match with Chris Jericho on Nitro saying that he doesn’t care if he wins the championship. He’s going to shut Jericho’s mouth shut one more time.

3.) Lee Marshall interviewed Buff Bagwell, who entered the scene with a neck brace. Bagwell doesn’t need the brace at this point. Bagwell beat up Rick Steiner on Nitro to align himself with the NWO. Bagwell insults Rick Steiner and the fans for falling for his injury. Bagwell claims he is still the stuff.

4.) Lee Marshall interviews Stevie Ray and asks Ray about where the WCW Television Championship is at. Ray says that people have had issues with Ray’s calls and letter. Ray gave the belt back to proper officials since Booker T can’t defend the title. Ray thinks that Chavo Guerrero Jr. is a thief. Ray says that papers are being drawn up right now. Stevie doesn’t appreciate being called a liar.

5.) Flynn nails Finlay with a standing spin kick right on the jaw. Flynn pummels Finlay on the mat with right hands. Flynn chokes Finlay in the corner and continues with strikes. Finlay drops Flynn with a short arm clothesline followed by a knee drop. Finlay keeps Flynn on the mat with a sleeper hold. Fit drives Flynn chest first over the apron. Finlay kicks Flynn on the floor from the ring. Flynn fights back with a few kicks to send Finlay to the floor. Finlay drives Flynn back first into the apron and taunts the fans. Finlay nearly wins with a backslide. Finlay locks in an arm bar, but Flynn refuses to give in. Finlay blocks a spinning heel kick in the corner by getting his feet up. Finlay plants Flynn with a rolling fireman’s carry, but Flynn drives Fit arm first down to the mat. Flynn takes Finlay down to the mat and locks in a cross arm bar, but Finlay reaches the ropes. Fit rams Flynn into the corner shoulder first and spikes Flynn with a tombstone for the win. (*1/2. The match wasn’t too bad as they were rather competitive and there was some solid counters. Flynn has been growing on me as his style feels like it’s a real fight and looks stiff likely because it is. For a quick five minute match, I didn’t mind this and it kept my interest.)

6.) Lee Marshall interviews Curt Hennig and Rick Rude. Hennig brags about beating Lex Luger on Nitro recently. Hennig mocks the Wolfpac and says the Wolfpac are all getting smacked down. Hennig says there is no way to take him out of the picture. Rick Rude chimes in and wonders who is next on the plate for the NWO. Hennig believes they are going to rule the world.

7.) Hall tosses his toothpick into Konnan’s face, who responds by grabbing his crotch. Hall works over Konnan with short arm shoulder blocks and slaps the back of Konnan’s head. Konnan clotheslines Hall and plays to the crowd. Hall pokes Konnan in the eyes and delivers a few chops. Konnan rams Konnan face first into the corner several times. Konnan comes off the ropes and is met with a clothesline by Hall. Hall stomps on Konnan’s face. Hall chokes Konnan over the middle rope and Vincent delivers a few right hands from the floor. Vincent chokes Konnan over the middle rope behind the referees back. Hall puts an abdominal stretch on Konnan and gets extra leverage by grabbing Vincent’s arm. Konnan hip tosses Hall but misses an elbow drop. Konnan plants Hall with a face buster. Konnan hits a seated dropkick on Hall. Konnan tries for the Tequila Sunrise, but Vincent gets on the apron. Hall decks Konnan from behind and hits the Outsiders Edge for the win. (*1/2. I’m glad that Hall was motivated enough to sell quite a bit for Konnan. The action wasn’t too bad and I’m glad there was some kind of finish even if it wasn’t exactly clean. This is a big match for Saturday Night, I’d say.)

Final Thoughts:
There was some angle advancement and focus on some of the feuds,. Aside from that, there wasn’t much going on here for entertainment in the ring. We got a big feature match, but it was kind of underwhelming, which was to be expected. I’d consider it a skippable week for Saturday Night.

Thanks for reading.