Rebooking WCW 1998: 12/28/1998

World Championship Wrestling presents Nitro

Date: 12/28/1998

From: Baltimore, MD

Arena: Baltimore Arena

Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Bobby “The Brain” Heenan & “Professor” Mike Tenay

Mean Gene welcomes everyone to the show and quickly announces that tonight, it has been signed that the WCW World Champion Kevin Nash will defend his newly won title against ‘Hollywood’ Hulk Hogan in the main event! Gene continues to promote the show but is cut off by the WCW United States Champion Bret ‘Hitman’ Hart. Hart yanks the microphone away from Gene and yells about being left off the Starrcade pay-per-view despite being the WCW United States Champion. Hart reminds Gene what happened to him just over a year ago in the WWF, and he’s been getting screwed around in WCW ever since. Hart tells Gene he’s not waiting for the New Year to change direction. He’s starting it tonight to end the year on his terms. Hart tells Gene he’s issuing an open challenge to any WCW or NWO wrestlers in the back to challenge him for the WCW United States Championship at the top of the 9 o’clock hour. Hart finishes by saying that he’s sick and tired of being forgotten in the background and taking the spotlight he deserves in WCW.

Cameras rush backstage, and the announcers speculate that it could be ‘Hollywood’ Hulk Hogan, but instead, Lenny Lane comes out of the limo with a camera in hand, and he’s filming someone coming out of the limo. It ends up being Chris Kanyon. Kanyon is recording his life and telling his personal cameraman (Lane) that his life will be worth the coverage.

Match #1: Chris Benoit & Dean Malenko vs. La Parka & Silver King: Nitro’s action starts with a surprisingly competitive match, with Parka and King displaying some fun offense throughout. At one point, Parka hit a double springboard corkscrew dive onto Benoit but couldn’t prevail on the cover. In the end, Benoit hit a diving headbutt on King, and Malenko locked in the Texas Cloverleaf to force a submission in 8:10.

Mean Gene interviews with The Giant, who is none too happy about losing to Diamond Dallas Page last night at Starrcade. Giant credits DDP for hitting a diamond cutter off the ropes but notes it took such a risk to defeat Giant. Giant tells everyone that he’s not done with DDP and he will not be done until he’s the last man standing.

A video package promoting the song ‘Psycho’ by Mad One involving the WCW Television Champion, Konnan is aired.

Match #2: WCW Television Champion Konnan vs. Norman Smiley: A mostly mat wrestling-focused match ends with Konnan locking in the Tequila Sunrise to force a submission from Smiley in 5:39.

Backstage, Lenny Lane continues to film Kanyon, who is stopped by security and Larry Zbyszko. Zbyszko asks what Kanyon is doing with his personal cameraman. Kanyon tells Zbyszko that the world is all about reality. Whether it be on MTV or FOX, the world craves reality, and he realized that people crave his reality. Kanyon tells Zbyszko that he realized at the hotel while watching the lame kids on Real World that he’s a far superior and more interesting person. Then, last night, watching Starrcade, Kanyon found hatred towards Konnan for being the WCW Television Champion. At that moment, Kanyon knew his reality was a champion of the people. So, he hired Lenny Lane to document his life and follow his journey to becoming the WCW Television Champion, jack!

Match #3: ‘Reality’ Chris Kanyon vs. Bobby Eaton: Kanyon’s obsession with the camera is evident throughout the match, but it doesn’t end up hurting him in the match. Eaton tries for a swinging neckbreaker, but Kanyon counters into the Flatliner to win the match in 3:44. After the match, Kanyon and Lane try to get Eaton to provide a confessional on how it felt to lose to Kanyon, but Eaton is unconscious.

Outside, Larry Zbyszko approaches a limo, and it’s ‘Hollywood’ Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff arriving. Hogan takes a moment to speak to Zbyszko, while Bischoff appears to be in a rush. Zbyszko asks Hogan about the upcoming title match with Nash tonight. Hogan tells Zbyszko that Nash did the right thing by accepting a title defense against the leader of the NWO. Goldberg stole the title from Hogan in the summer, and tonight, the belt will be promptly returned to the possession of the true champion, Hollywood.

WCW United States Champion Bret Hart makes his way out to the ring ready for the open challenge and gets on the microphone, demanding his opponent come out and fight him. Hart has a lot of frustration, and he will let it all out tonight. After a few moments, Booker T makes his way down to the ring to challenge Bret Hart for the WCW United States Championship!

Match #4: WCW United States Champion Bret Hart vs. Booker T: Hart doesn’t back down and controls the first several minutes of the match, pounding on Booker and focusing his attack on Booker’s right knee. Hart delivers cheap shots, but the referee misses them. Booker shows his fire and determination by hanging in the ring with Hart and hitting a leaping sidekick to turn the match around. Booker hits an impressive missile dropkick at one point. Hart seemingly has the match won with the Sharpshooter, but Booker finds the extra effort to reach the ropes. Late in the match, Hart tries for another Sharpshooter, but Booker manages to kick Hart chest first into the corner. Hart hunches over, clutching his chest, and Booker hits the scissors kick, leading to the pin and winning the WCW United States Championship in 15:02! After the match, Booker celebrates the victory with fans in the front row while Bret slowly recovers and argues with the referee over the defeat.

A video of Raven sitting in a dark room and whispering to himself ‘what about me?” several times is aired.

Match #5: Wrath vs. Disco Inferno: Wrath finishes off his 1998 in dominating fashion by destroying Inferno with a cobra clutch slam and the Meltdown, leading to a victory in 1:44.

Mean Gene interviews LWO leader Eddy Guerrero regarding what happened last night at Starrcade, and soon Juventud Guerrera comes out to join the segment. Eddy tells Gene that Starrcade was the ultimate fluke and Kidman walking out as the WCW Cruiserweight Champion isn’t one of their faults. It’s Rey Mysterio Jr.’s fault for not being a loyal member of the LWO. Eddy managed to pull some strings tonight and says that Juventud is getting a one-on-one rematch with Kidman right now and tells Juventud to bring the belt back to the LWO, where it belongs once and for all.

Match #6: WCW Cruiserweight Champion Kidman vs. Juventud Guerrera: As expected, these two have an incredible match, with dives to the floor and several near falls for both men. At one point, Eddy gets involved and slides the WCW Cruiserweight Championship into the ring for Juventud to use. However, Rey Mysterio Jr. enters the ring from the crowd and nails Guerrera with springboard head scissors, sending Guerrera into Kidman, who hits a sit-out powerbomb. Mysterio dove over the referee to take Eddy out with a somersault dive. Kidman finishes Guerrera off with the shooting star press to retain the title at 11:26. Mysterio celebrates the victory with Kidman after the match.

Mean Gene conducts an interview with Eric Bischoff regarding the main event tonight. Bischoff is nursing some injuries from his match with Ric Flair last night. Bischoff demands Gene to congratulate him on his victory at Starrcade and notes that Flair isn’t here and, by all accounts, will never return to WCW. Bischoff accomplished his goal for the past five years and got rid of the Nature Boy. As for the main event, Bischoff is stressed. The NWO has control, and the title fight could lead to problems if the right thing isn’t done. Bischoff says that Nash knows what the right thing to do is. Gene asks what that is, but Bischoff refuses to explain and tells Gene that there’s always a plan.

Match #7: Diamond Dallas Page vs. Barry Windham: The Baltimore crowd loves Diamond Dallas Page, and they go nuts for DDP prevailing over Windham following the diamond cutter in 3:27. After the match, Giant slowly stalks towards the ring but is stopped by police officers and security. Giant is overheard telling DDP that he’s a dead man.

Mean Gene conducts an interview with Chris Jericho on the aisle way. Jericho tells Gene that he didn’t submit at Starrcade to Konnan’s inferior Tequila Sunrise submission. In fact, Jericho will provide proof on next week’s Nitro that suggests he was robbed out of the title yet again. Jericho issues a challenge to Konnan for Souled Out, where the only way to win is by submission, and Jericho tells Gene that he’s guaranteed victory because he’d never submit ever! Gene chimes in with ‘Again!’ and Jericho storms off to the ring for his match.

Match #8: Chris Jericho vs. Blitzkrieg: Jericho makes quick work of Blitzkrieg, managing to counter a top rope hurricanrana and locking in the Lion Tamer in 1:43 to win the match by submission. Jericho holds onto the move and tells Konnan this is what a real submission move looks like.

Before the main event begins, Tony Schiavone provides a medical update on Goldberg and notes that Goldberg will likely be out of action for up to a few weeks, a couple of months following Scott Hall using a taser on Goldberg to assist Nash in winning last night.

Main Event: WCW World Champion ‘Big Sexy’ Kevin Nash vs. ‘Hollywood’ Hulk Hogan: The Baltimore Arena is excited for this huge main event to close 1998 for WCW. Hogan is on the microphone and tells Nash to do what every follower does, and that’s laid down for the leader. Bischoff tells Nash to do it, and Nash acts as if he will, but instead fakes Hogan out and delivers a few forearms and knee lifts in the corner. Hogan is in shock that the match is taking place. Nash nails Hogan with a big boot and a side slam, but Hogan powers out at two. Hogan begins his trademark comeback and hits the big boot on Nash. Hogan runs the ropes but is met with Bischoff’s kick to the back of the head! Hogan staggers forward, and Nash recovers to hit the Jackknife Powerbomb! Nash covers and pins Hogan in 8:57 to retain the title!

The Baltimore crowd can’t believe it. What is Eric Bischoff doing?! Nash celebrates the win as Scott Hall comes running down with spray paint. Bischoff directs Nash and Hall to the floor near the timekeeper’s table. Nash proceeds to powerbomb Hogan through the timekeeper’s table, and all three men return to the ring. Bischoff tells the world there’s always a plan; tonight, we’ve witnessed their greatest plan. Fans are throwing trash at the trio as Nash explains that what you’re looking at right here is the original and true NWO members. Hogan was always a replaceable piece; tonight, he wasn’t just replaced but thrown out. The only members of the NWO are Nash, Hall, and Bischoff. They’ve got the power, and they have the gold. Hall rolls Hogan back into the ring, and they spray paint ‘NWO’ on his back and stand tall to end Nitro.

NOTE: There isn’t an episode of Thunder. Our rebooking continues with the syndication shows on the first weekend of 1999!