Monday Night War week 51

Hosted by Tony Schiavone, Larry Zbyszko, Eric Bischoff, Bobby “The Brain” Heenan, and “Iron” Mike Tenay

This is a rather famous show in addition to being the go-home show for Fall Brawl. Buckle your safety belts!

Prior to the first match, we revisit last week’s episode when DiBiase made a brief appearance in the crowd. We then revisit the moment when Hogan told someone to stay in the limo. Finally, we see the aftermath when Giant joined the nWo by attacking both the Horsemen and Dungeon of Doom.

Tenay joined the broadcast team for this match.
This was Calo’s Nitro debut.
Tanaka got the first shot in with a crescent kick.
After a cross-corner whip, Tanaka delivered a back elbow.
A second cross-corner whip by Tanaka resulted in Calo’s climbing the turnbuckles and hitting a cross body block without a cover.
Calo then climbed the turnbuckles again and hit a flying shoulder block.
A subsequent clothesline by Calo led to a 360° sell by Tanaka. Woohoo!
Tanaka then exited the ring to regroup only to fall victim to a somersault plancha by Calo. Wow!
Meanwhile, some young adults wearing nWo t-shirts carried boxes and reams of paper into the arena.
In the ring, Calo was mounted atop the top turnbuckle and somersaulted to the mat.
Tanaka rewarded him with a superkick. Get that gymnastics crap OUTTA HERE!
Following that, a cross body block by Tanaka got 2.
Next, Calo attempted a leap frog, got caught, and received a powerbomb.
Tanaka then set Calo on the top turnbuckle, attempted a gutwrench superplex, but Calo used momentum to land on top for the pin.

Summary: And THAT’S why they call it high-risk. I hope Calo brings more to the table for his shot against Mysterio should he win tonight.

Back in the locker room, “Mean” Gene Okerlund interviews Rick Steiner. As we revisit the shenanigans perpetrated by referee Nick Patrick from last week, Luger interrupts and refers to Rick as a “tag-team wrestler.” Ooh. Rick patently states that he can beat Luger.

Get the nWo official t-shirt! Nash adds in falsetto with “Buy the shirt!” He then ribs us by saying “all proceeds will go to the Ric Flair retirement fund.” HA! That was clever.

And then it happened…On WCW Pro, that ham’n’egger FINALLY made his debut. Which one, you ask? Bubba Rogers’ favorite punching bag—Glacier! I hope they keep him off Nitro.

For those unaware, the Amazing French Canadians were known as the Quebecers in the WWF.
After the Nasty Boys made their entrance, the Amazing French Canadians sang the Canadian National anthem extremely poorly. So poorly, in fact, that the Nasty Boys attacked them seconds into it.
Once the Nasty Boys double-shoulder-block Ouellet between the ropes to the floor, they supposedly ambush Rougeau in the corner as those young adults pass out flyers at ringside for the nWo. The camera panning away from the ring would be an annoying trend for this show.
Regardless, while referee Mark Curtis was occupied with Knobbs, Rougeau brought the Canadian flag (and pole) into the ring and WALLOPED Sags with it.
After Rougeau tossed Sags outside the ring, he backdropped Ouellet onto him.
In the meantime, Zbyszko briefly left the broadcast table to obtain a flyer. According to Tony, it read: “You haven’t seen bad, but it’s coming!”
After a Rougeau slam of Sags, he backdropped Ouellet onto Sags and got 2.
Upon slamming Ouellet onto Sags, Rougeau slammed Sags.
Ouellet tagged in as the Amazing French Canadians hit the cannonball on Sags.
Again, Ouellet mounted the top turnbuckle as the Amazing French Canadians hit a second cannonball for only 2 thanks to a save by Knobbs.
After Rougeau gave Knobbs a double axe handle sending him between the ropes to the floor, Knobbs returned with the Quebec flag (and pole) and nailed Ouellet with it.
1-2-3.
Nasty Boys won.

Summary: With their tag title shot at the upcoming PPV looming, the Nasty Boys had to win here.

In the ring, Okerlund interviews the Nasty Boys and calls the Amazing French Canadians “the Rougeau Brothers.” Oops. We then revisit last week when the Nasty Boys ambushed Harlem Heat. It should be noted that four guys in the stands wore t-shirts that read “W-C-W #1.” Meanwhile, the Nasty Boys are ready for Harlem Heat on Sunday.

Match 3: Scott “Flash” Norton versus Sgt. Craig “Pitbull” Pittman (w/ Teddy Long)

Pittman reversed a cross-corner whip then hip-tossed Norton.
Single-arm DDT by Norton, but Pittman exited the ring.
Norton joined him but received a whip back-first into the steel railing.
After Pittman charged and ate boot, Norton rammed him shoulder-first into the ring post.
Back in the ring, as Norton applied an arm bar submission, Ice Train came to the ring and threw in the towel for Pittman.

Back in the locker room, Okerlund interviews Flair, Arn, and Luger. Flair asks Luger “Where’s Sting?” Benoit and Mongo join the interview and question Luger’s integrity.

After a commercial break, we revisit the Clash when DDP attacked Eddie after their match then the backslide that helped Chavo beat DDP on Nitro.

Who booked this crap?
Tenay joined the broadcast team for this match.
After Gomez ran Guerrera over with a shoulder block, Guerrera came back with a dropkick.
He then gave Gomez a springboard dropkick that more than likely missed Gomez completely. Gomez exited the ring to sell the “shot.”
When Gomez attempted to re-enter the ring, Guerrera dropkicked him sending him back-first into the steel railing.
With both men on adjacent aprons, Guerrera tried to bring Gomez back into the ring with a huracanrana but missed. Gomez still flipped over the top rope, but the move looked BAD.
Elbow drop only got 1 due to Gomez’s leg on the bottom rope.
Gomez then reversed a cross-corner whip and delivered a back elbow.
Next, he mounted the top turnbuckle but got caught.
Guerrera joined him and backflipped down to the mat baiting Gomez.
As Gomez leaped, Guerrera met him with a dropkick that barely connected.
He then hit a springboard corkscrew splash for the pin.

Summary: Booooooooooooo! Learn to wrestle! This was a complete styles clash that exposed the business greatly. I’m embarrassed for these guys. According to Meltzer, supposedly Gomez was yelled at backstage after this mess. His days on Nitro may be numbered.

At the entrance, Okerlund interviews referee Nick Patrick. As we revisit the match where Patrick disqualified Luger for inadvertently touching him, Okerlund calls his shenanigans “garbage” while Patrick states that he’s WCW through and through. I think WCW might need to implement a catchphrase.

In the parking lot, the nWo attach flyers to parked cars. In the meantime, DiBiase is talking to someone in the limousine. But who is it? I want to know!

On WCW Saturday Night, DDP will face Duggan, and Rick Steiner faces Kurasawa (aired 9/14, taped 9/4).

Match 5: The “Total Package” Lex Luger versus the “Dog-Faced Gremlin” Rick Steiner

Luger actually came to the ring to the theme music for the WWF Superstar Line.
Right before the second hour began, Rick gave Luger a Steinerline.
Luger then came back with his own clothesline for 2.
He then tried a leapfrog but fell victim to a Rick powerslam.
Afterward, an elbow drop by Rick got 2.
Rick then gave Luger an overhead belly-to-belly suplex for another 2.
Another Steinerline got yet another 2 for Rick.
After a cross-corner whip by Rick, Luger exploded out of the corner with a flying forearm.
He then reversed an Irish whip and delivered a powerslam.
Just as Luger set up for the Torture Rack, Patrick signaled for him to come backstage.
Luger was counted out.

After the match, Sting is overheard talking to DiBiase from the limo. In the rain, Luger confronts DiBiase as Sting emerges from the limo and attacks Luger. The nWo join in on the pummeling of Luger in the parking lot. Apparently, Sting has joined the nWo. It is truly a dark day for WCW.

We then revisit last week’s nWo shenanigans. That kills some time until we revisit the attack by Sting again. Since apparently the “franchise of WCW” has joined the now, the broadcast team wallows in sorrow.

Replay of the earlier promo for the nWo t-shirt. Anyone willing to send me an XL will be so cool. I hope the nWo invents a new catchphrase because I need a new one.

When we return, wrestlers are outside in the rain looking for Sting. Since the live crowd hasn’t seen anything for at least 15 minutes, let’s have another match!

Match 6 for the WCW Cruiserweight title: Rey Mysterio, Jr. (champion) versus Billy Kidman

Mysterio countered a powerbomb into a headscissors that took Kidman over the top rope to the floor.
He then joined Kidman on the floor and whipped him into the steel railing back-first.
Another headscissors by Mysterio kept Kidman down on the floor.
Upon tossing Kidman back into the ring, Mysterio attempted a springboard maneuver but ate a dropkick instead.
After a slam, Kidman mounted the top turnbuckle and hit a splash for 2.
Mysterio came back with a springboard senton splash and got the pin.
Mysterio retained.
That was quick.

Summary: Too quick to be anything worthwhile. With twenty minutes on PPV, these guys might burn my ratings system up.

As expected, Public Enemy brought a table with them to the ring.
If you expected a standard tag match, you’re CRAZY!
Anyway, outside the ring, Meng rammed Grunge face-first into the apron.
Grunge then reversed an Irish whip and sent Meng back-first into the steel railing.
In split-screen, Grunge rammed Meng face-first into the steel steps. What? No love for the steel railing? C’mon!
Meng then rammed Grunge ribs-first into the steel railing. That’s gotta hurt!
Aw, man…in the ring, Rock tried a springboard cross body block, but Barbarian whiffed on putting him down HARD. C’mon, guys, get physical!
Nevertheless, Rock rolled up Barbarian off the ropes and got 2.
Are you fucking KIDDING me? The motherfucking Leprechaun came out for no reason whatsoever. This might be appropriate in March, but it’s fucking September. Sheesh!
After a pair of clotheslines by Barbarian, Rock exited the ring to regroup.
Meanwhile, in the locker room, Okerlund interviewed the Four Horsemen and Luger.
Isn’t there a match in the ring?
Customarily, Arn cut an awesome promo about Sting.
In split-screen, Public Enemy delivered a back elbow to Barbarian.
Barbarian came back with a slam, mounted the top turnbuckle, but ate a shot to the midsection as a pissed-off Luger was ready to shred his business partner apart.
Rock then slammed Barbarian, mounted the top turnbuckle, but got caught.
In the meantime, Flair cut a promo in preparation for WarGames.
Back in the ring, Barbarian joined Rock on the top turnbuckle and delivered an overhead belly-to-belly suplex.
While the Horsemen were ready to destroy the nWo, Grunge distracted referee Nick Patrick so that the Faces of Fear could double-team Rock.
Afterward, Meng gave Rock a piledriver for only 2 thanks to a save by Grunge.
Upon giving Rock a cross-corner whip, Barbarian ate boot on his follow-through.
Again, Grunge distracted Patrick so that Patrick could miss Meng’s pin of Rock and only count 2.
After a knee to Rock’s midsection, Meng gave Rock a cross-corner whip but came up empty on his follow-through.
Hot tag Grunge.
Stupidly, he tried a double noggin knocker on the Faces of Fear, but it didn’t faze them.
While Grunge avoided a double-team maneuver, Rock gave both Faces of Fear a double bulldog.
After Barbarian clotheslined Rock over the top rope to the floor, Meng hit something off-camera to Grunge and got 2.
Barbarian then joined Rock outside the ring and rammed him face-first into the ring post.
He then laid Rock atop the table outside the ring as Hart held Rock’s legs.
Barbarian mounted the top turnbuckle but came up empty CRASHING through the table and landing on the concrete floor. OUCH!
After Rock grabbed a second table and tossed it into the ring, Grunge gave Meng a swinging neckbreaker.
Anyone hungry for Meng on toast?
Upon placing Meng atop the table, Rock hit a moonsault onto him destroying the table. That’ll wake up this slumbering crowd.
Dammit! Meng practically no-sold going through a table as all four men brawled in the ring.
Meng then applied the Tongan death grip, and Grunge submitted.

Summary: The promo in the middle of this match is completely unnecessary. While I realize they may be short on time, they should have planned ahead. Even with the Sting angle being huge news on the program, WCW’s ability to maintain the crowd and tell a story is lacking thus far. What’s next?

After the match, Okerlund interviews the Dungeon of Doom in the ring. Meanwhile, Heenan accidentally refers to Meng as maxxHaku. Surprisingly, Konnan and Maxx Muscle are with the Dungeon. While Konnan challenges the nWo to face the Dungeon right now, we revisit last week when the Faces of Fear assisted Savage backstage.

Behind a cage, the nWo cuts a promo with Ted DiBiase who wants the nWo’s own segment while Hall coins the phrase “4 life.” A-ha! There’s the catchphrase I was seeking earlier.

If this crowd needed encouragement, Savage could get them to their feet.
Savage attempted a slam, but Tenta’s weight landed him atop Savage for 2.
Meanwhile, Bischoff apologized for Heenan’s “Haku” slip-up.
Tenta then gave Savage a dropkick sending him to the floor. Wow!
Tenta joined him, but Savage nailed him with a steel chair.
After Tenta returned to the ring, Savage mounted the top turnbuckle and delivered a double axe handle.
Again, he mounted the top turnbuckle and hit the big elbow.
Yet again, he mounted the top turnbuckle and hit another big elbow as Teddy Long tried to get his attention.
He then followed Long backstage as the match ended with a whimper.
I would have HATED to be part of this crowd. WCW desperately needed to show their backstage stuff on a big screen for the live audience.

Afterward, Savage ran out to the limo, but it took off. Another limo was left behind as Savage scrounged its interior but only found yellow paint. Trying to spray-paint the limo while it’s raining is futile, but they did it anyway.

Before Nitro left the air, Arn joins the broadcast table with the rest of the Horsemen in tow and is ready to take Sting’s head off. Flair then cuts a promo for WarGames aiming his venom at Hogan.

Conclusion: The Sting angle was TREMENDOUS; however, the balloon burst for an entire hour afterward as the broadcast team wallowed. The crowd seriously stopped caring after the Nasty Boys’ match as the wrestling took a backseat to commentary trying to sell the angle for all it’s worth. I wonder how it compared to RAW.

Match 1 (Intercontinental title quarterfinals): Faarooq (w/ Sunny) versus Savio Vega

Ross claimed there would be more action in this match than in the Tyson fight this past weekend against Bruce Seldon. That was truly an understatement.
According to Ross, the winner faces Sid in the semifinals.
Vega attempted a cross body block, but Faarooq caught and tossed him down like garbage.
Faarooq then reversed a cross-corner whip but came up empty on his follow-through.
Following that, a standing spinning heel kick by Vega got 2.
Vega missed a second one, so Faarooq answered with a spinebuster and got 2.
He then followed with a snap suplex and got another 2.
After a commercial break, Faarooq held a rear chin lock while putting his feet on the bottom rope.
Sunset flip by Vega, but Faarooq tried to nail him and missed.
Dropkick by Vega got 2.
Faarooq came back with a cross-corner whip but came up empty on his follow-through.
Shortly after, Vega countered a slam attempt with an inside cradle for 2.
After a slam, Faarooq mounted the second turnbuckle but missed a diving head butt.
Upon Vega delivering a Mafia kick, Faarooq came back with a clothesline for 2.
According to Ross, Mero will face Owen in the other semifinal of this tournament. Not mentioned was the fact that it’ll take place next week on RAW.
After delivering a head butt to the middle of the back, Faarooq gave Vega the Dominator for the pin.

Summary: Not a good opener to the program here. Hopefully, things change quickly.

After the match, Sycho Sid comes to the ring, but officials separate him from Faarooq as the crowd chants “Sid.”

We then see get well wishes for Ahmed Johnson on Action Zone from Vega, Backlund, Sid, Austin, Mark Henry, Clarence Mason, Goldust & Marlena, Lawler, the Godwinns, and Owen. Of course, the heels didn’t think too highly of him.

After the commercial break, Carlos Cabrera interviews WWF champion the “Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels with Jose Lothario. Michaels states that Lothario will face Cornette at the PPV. Despite Cabrera’s attempts to soothe him, a lathered up Lothario wants a big piece of Cornette as Michaels cuts a promo on Mankind.

The October issue of Playgirl magazine featuring Michaels is shilled as Ross promotes the return of Razor Ramon and Diesel.

As the match began, Pillman and Owen were backstage via split-screen as Stalker gave Hopper a back drop.
Stalker then gave Hopper a vertical suplex.
After a pair of slams, Stalker delivered a gutwrench suplex as Owen hyped the return of Bret at Mind Games.
As Stalker hit a lariat on Hopper, Ross apologized to the WWF for prematurely breaking the story of Ramon’s and Diesel’s return.
After a dropkick, Stalker got 2.
He then placed Hopper on the top turnbuckle, joined him, and gave him a superplex for the pin.

We then revisit Superstars from two weeks ago when Mr. Perfect stole Helmsley’s female companion for the evening. Following that, we see Perfect perform the same trick in Toronto later that weekend. Yet again, we see Perfect perform the trifecta by stealing Helmsley’s girl on RAW Championship Friday. And, this past weekend on Superstars, Perfect hit a home run by stealing girl #4. Will Helmsley’s luck ever turn around?

After a commercial break, we revisit RAW Championship Friday when Lawler challenged Mark Henry to a match at Mind Games.

Gorilla press slam by Crush was followed by a leg drop for 2 as he picked Floyd up.
Floyd came back with a cross body block and got 2.
HUGE kick-out by Crush sent Floyd into the ropes.
Big boot by Crush preceded the Heart Punch.
1-2-3.

We again revisit RAW Championship Friday when Backlund introduced the Iron Sheik. They will bring in a new wrestler, but who is he? And whatever happened to Fatu?

THIS is the main event?
Standing choke by Undertaker was followed by a HARD cross corner whip.
After another cross corner whip, Undertaker came up empty on his follow-through.
Upon missing an elbow drop, Undertaker received a jawbreaker.
Sincere then delivered a pair of cross-corner whips followed by a clothesline for 2.
After a shot to the midsection, Sincere gave Undertaker a Russian leg sweep for another 2.
In split-screen, Goldust cut a promo on Undertaker for their “final curtain” match at Mind Games.
Afterward, a sidewalk slam by Sincere got yet another 2.
Undertaker countered a side headlock with a belly-to-back suplex as Ross further discussed the returns of Ramon and Diesel.
Sincere came back by reversing an Irish whip and delivering a powerslam.
After a pair of elbow drops, Sincere didn’t make the cover.
Undertaker then came back with a flying clothesline.
He then gave Sincere the chokeslam.
Finally, he finished Sincere with the tombstone.
1-2-3.

Summary: Showcase match for the Undertaker. While he gave Sincere some offense, there was ZERO doubt about the outcome.

Conclusion: Are you kidding me? They opposed Nitro with this drivel? I could have found four matches better that could have given WCW the willies. They deserve to get slaughtered.

Who won? Once again, realistic storylines and better matches won the night for Nitro. Next week, Nitro will show the fallout from Fall Brawl while RAW promises the semifinal matches for the Intercontinental tournament. Do they stand a chance?