WCW Thunder September 3, 1998

Taped from Peoria, IL

Airdate: September 3, 1998 (taped 8/26)

Attendance: 7,128

Hosted by Tony Schiavone, Bobby “The Brain” Heenan, & Lee Marshall

Can DDP and Konnan overcome the challenge of Giant and Stevie Ray? How will Malenko fare against Adams? What’s the latest on As the Raven Turns? Get out of the rain and enjoy some wrestling!

Opening montage.

Match 1: Marty Jannetty versus Rick Fuller

Highlights:

Jannetty escaped a slam and rolled up Fuller for 2.
When Fuller hoisted him atop the top turnbuckle, Jannetty leaped over and dropkicked him.
Fuller halted a cross corner whip and flapjacked Jannetty.
As he hip-tossed Jannetty, Fuller backdropped him for 2.
He gave Jannetty a cross corner whip but ate a back elbow on his follow-through.
After he charged Jannetty, Fuller came up empty and also HIT THE POLE.
Fuller reversed an Irish whip, but Jannetty decimated him with a Rocker Dropper
1-2-3.
Jannetty won at 3:09.

Rating: *

Summary: Showcase match for Jannetty. I realize this is taped before Nitro, but it feels good to see Marty go out on top. Although Jannetty would hit the independent circuit, he would not return to weekly wrestling TV again until 2005.

We revisit Nitro when Bret stopped Hogan from whipping Sting with his weight belt. Afterward, Warrior scared Hogan back to kingdom come.

We revisit the Saturn interview by Tenay from Nitro. Following that, Kanyon antagonizes him before Saturn’s forced to tag with Lodi. Saturn does everything to win the match, but Lodi steals the pin.

Match 2: Kaz Hayashi versus Lenny Lane

Highlights:

Lane generated some heat from the Peoria faithful, but Hayashi blasted him with a spinning heel kick.
As Hayashi reversed a cross corner whip, Lane floated over and attempted a release German suplex.
Hayashi escaped and fed him a huracanrana.
When Lane responded by guillotining him with the top rope, he got 2.
He clotheslined Hayashi but got flustered by a “Lenny sucks” chant by the Peoria faithful.
After Lane gave Hayashi a cross corner whip, he attempted a bulldog but Hayashi thwarted it.
Hayashi mounted the top turnbuckle and launched a cross body block.
While Lane used momentum to land on top, he got 2.
Lane hoisted him atop the top turnbuckle, but Hayashi dealt him a flying headscissors sending him over the top rope to the floor.
Flying with the greatest of ease, Hayashi scored with a corkscrew plancha. Woohoo!
He mounted the top turnbuckle, leaped, but got powerslammed. Lane got 2.
Hooking a delayed vertical suplex, Lane cradled Hayashi for 2.
Hayashi used momentum to roll up Lane for 2.
Almost caught with a sunset flip, Lane knelt atop Hayashi shoulders for 2.
Hayashi ultimately flipped him over and got 2.
Placing Hayashi atop the top turnbuckle, Lane joined but ate a super huracanara.
Hayashi mounted the adjacent top turnbuckle and flattened Lane with a flying senton splash.
1-2-3.
Hayashi won at 5:57.

Rating: ****

Summary: Despite the lack of star power, these kids went out and busted their asses. Great match, guys!

We revisit last week when DDP came close to defeating Stevie Ray clean as a whistle, but Vincent spoiled the punch. Giant arrived, but Konnan saved DDP’s bacon. These four, minus Vincent, will be tonight’s main event.

Match 3: High Voltage versus Disorderly Conduct

Highlights:

Boy, this has been some serious WCWSN level of talent so far tonight.
Thank you, Bobby Heenan, for making me laugh. His joke about Tubby Smith was a doozy.
Rage tagged in and delivered a springboard leg drop.
When Tough Tom reversed a cross corner whip, he ate boot on his follow-through.
Rage fed Tough Tom an overhead belly-to-belly suplex, but Mean Mike made the save.
As Kaos distracted referee Mickey Jay, Disorderly Conduct committed second-degree assault and battery upon Rage. SNEAKY!
They double-suplexed Rage and earned a 1-count.
After Rage steamrolled Disorderly Conduct, Kaos tagged in, got reversed on an Irish whip, and nailed from behind by Tough Tom.
Rage distracted Jay this time allowing Disorderly Conduct to violate Kaos with third-degree robbery.
While Mean Mike slammed him, he blasted Kaos with a diving forearm smash for 2.
Kaos countered a hip toss with a belly-to-belly suplex and got 2.
Once again, Rage distracted Jay, so Disorderly Conduct attempted a double-team mugging.
Instead, when Tough Tom mounted the top turnbuckle, his flying shoulder block inadvertently connected with Mean Mike.
Hot tag Rage.
Upon cleaning house, Rage hoisted Mean Mike atop his shoulders, and Kaos obliterated Mean Mike with a springboard clothesline.
1-2-3.
High Voltage won at 4:59.

Rating: ***

Summary: The Peoria faithful must have been busy checking the home run race because they were not into this whatsoever. For those unaware, Mark McGwire hit home runs #58 and #59 while Sammy Sosa hit #56 on 9/2. If you weren’t watching the home run race back then, grand larceny was committed against your having a good time.

Match 4: Wrath versus Barry Horowitz

Highlights:

Wrath shoulder-blocked him so hard that Horowitz bumped down to the floor.
As Wrath joined him, he rammed Horowitz oblique-first into the steel railing.
He tossed Horowitz back into the ring and flattened him with a springboard shoulder block.
When Wrath gave him a HARD cross corner whip, Horowitz escaped a suplex and rolled him up for 1.
Wrath reversed an Irish whip and fed Horowitz a flying shoulder block.
After he planted Horowitz with a Meltdown, Wrath pinned him at 2:28.

Rating: DUD

Summary: Showcase match for Wrath.

Thanks, Barry.

Cinnaburst sponsors the replay.

Closed captioning is sponsored by Jolly Time popcorn.

Saturn’s on a mission to destroy the Flock and maintain his integrity.

Prior to the next match, Kanyon grabs the microphone and declares the match under “Raven’s rules.” Raven bows out and subjects us to…

Match 5 (handicap): Raven Riggs & Sick Boy (w/ the Flock) versus Meng

Highlights:

In addition to other members of the Flock, Saturn and Lodi joined the party.
Sick Boy and Riggs double-teamed him until Meng fed Riggs an inverted atomic drop.
When Meng applied a Tongan death grip to Riggs, Raven reinstated Horace back into the Flock and inserted him into the match.
Horace grabbed his STOP sign and WHACKED Meng with it.
To no one’s surprise, Meng no-sold it.
He dealt Horace a thrust kick and trapped him in a Tongan death grip.
As Sick Boy took his turn, he mounted the top turnbuckle and leaped.
He also found himself in a Tongan death grip.
Flustered, Raven advised referee Nick Patrick to count.
1-2-3.
Meng won at 1:12.

Rating: DUD

Summary: More storyline than match as Meng dominates while Raven controls his minions.

After the match, Raven instructs Lodi to involve Saturn against Meng. Saturn clotheslines Meng and follows with a thrust kick. However, he comes off the ropes only to eat a kick in the back of the head from Kanyon. Meng disintegrates Saturn afterward while Raven leaves with an evil grin.

On WCW Saturday Night, Curt Hennig and DDP go one-on-one.

Match 6: Saturn versus Kanyon (w/ Raven & Lodi)

Highlights:

Now what?
Saturn could barely stand after getting mauled by Meng.
As Kanyon fed Saturn an electric chair facebuster, he held up a “Who’s better than Kanyon?” sign from Lodi.
Saturn caught Kanyon with an inside cradle and got 2.
When he drove Saturn face-first into the mat, Kanyon cradled him for 2.
He snap-suplexed Saturn and followed with an inverted wheelbarrow spinebuster.
After Kanyon tried a cocky cover and got 2, Saturn hooked him and got 2.
Kanyon dealt Saturn a backbreaker and tossed him down to the floor.
While Raven chastised him, he kicked Saturn while he was down. How dastardly!
Raven tossed Saturn back into the ring, and Kanyon got another 2.
Lifting Saturn onto the top turnbuckle, Kanyon crunched him with a top rope hangman’s neckbreaker.
He dragged Saturn into the center of the ring but couldn’t get 3.
Trapping Saturn in a crucifix, Kanyon earned yet another 2-count.
He hooked a swinging neckbreaker/fisherman’s buster combo, but Saturn kicked out.
Taking Saturn down with a modified spinebuster, Kanyon still couldn’t pin Saturn.
Saturn played possum until he caught Kanyon with an overhead belly-to-belly suplex.
Delivering a head-and-arm suplex, Saturn gave Kanyon a cross corner whip followed by a T-bone suplex.
Suddenly, Lodi stood on the apron with a microphone.
He demanded that Saturn endure a Flatliner, and Saturn followed suit.
1-2-3.
Kanyon won at 9:05.

Rating: **

Summary: Saturn’s comeback notwithstanding, this was an enormous waste of time.

Match 7: Brian Adams (w/o Vincent) versus Dean Malenko

Highlights:

When Malenko made his entrance, Hennig obliterated him from behind with an Axe. Evil!
Adams furthered the attack on the floor until he vaulted Malenko into the ring.
In the meantime, referee Billy Silverman was OUT COLD.
Malenko tried to battle both Hennig and Adams, but the numbers caught up to him.
As Silverman dismissed the match, Rude tossed Malenko down to the floor.
Hennig made Malenko HIT THE POLE, and Adams lifted him back into the ring.
After all that, Rude added insult to injury by destroying Malenko with a Rude Awakening.
Rude swiveled as Hennig grabbed the microphone to ask for a trainer.
Before “Coach” Danny Young could help Malenko, Adams dropped a leg on the fallen Iceman.
Hennig cut a promo for the upcoming cage match on Nitro and mocked Malenko and the Four Horsemen.
While Rude held up some cyclone fencing, he and Hennig covered Malenko with it.

Rating: NONE

Summary: Pure setup for the cage match on Nitro.

Match 8: Riggs versus Norman Smiley

Highlights:

In a nice touch, Riggs still suffered the effects of the Tongan death grip.
Riggs, on the other hand, used that ploy to play possum and attack Smiley.
As Riggs applied a sleeper, Smiley countered with a jawbreaker.
Smiley attempted a sunset flip, noticed that Riggs could counter, and guillotined him on the second rope.
When he slammed Riggs, Smiley followed with a leg drop, nipped up, and landed an elbow drop for 2.
Riggs rebounded with a clothesline, but Smiley fed him a modified inverted atomic drop for another 2. That did NOT look crisp.
After Riggs sandwiched him in the corner, he tossed Smiley down to the floor.
Riggs launched a single axe handle and rammed Smiley back-first into the apron.
While the Peoria faithful amused themselves with a derogatory chant about Hogan, Smiley countered a suplex with an inside cradle for 2.
Connecting with a clothesline, Riggs hooked a crucifix for 2.
He slammed Smiley, mounted the second turnbuckle, but missed a flying knee drop.
Rolling through, Smiley hooked an ankle lock, and Riggs submitted.
Smiley won by submission at 6:36.

Rating: *

Summary: Preliminary match anywhere in the country, yet the Peoria faithful couldn’t care less.

Match 9: The Dancing Fools versus Scott & Steve Armstrong

Highlights:

Armstrongs? Oh, you didn’t know?
Sorry, wrong show.
Wright leapfrogged Steve and followed with a hip toss for 2.
When Wright dropkicked Steve, Disco tagged in, but Steve was unaware.
Steve slammed Wright, made a cover, but Disco mounted the second turnbuckle and launched a double axe handle.
As Scott tagged in, Disco hip-tossed him.
He slammed Scott and landed a fist drop.
After he baited Steve into the ring distracting referee Mark Curtis, the Dancing Fools double-teamed Scott and illegally switched. Crafty!
Tags were exchanged on both sides, and Steve clotheslined Disco.
While Steve slammed Disco, Scott tagged in, and Steve slammed him atop Disco.
Scott baited Wright into the ring to further distract Curtis.
Meanwhile, the Armstrongs cheated like a couple of outlaws.
Steve tagged in, but Disco countered a hip toss with a backslide.
Cleverly, Scott gained Curtis’ attention, so that Disco could only gain a false pin.
Disco reversed an Irish whip, and Wright put a knee into Steve’s back.
Dealing Steve an inverted atomic drop, Disco got kicked in the back by Scott.
Wright stormed in and clobbered Steve but knocked down Disco in the process.
Tagging in, Scott and his brother double-teamed Disco prompting Wright into the ring.
With Curtis distracted yet again, Scott mounted the second turnbuckle but inadvertently missile-dropkicked Steve.
ICE COLD tag.
Following a face crusher by Disco, Wright planted Scott with a hangman’s neckbreaker.
1-2-3.
The Dancing Fools won at 5:32.

Rating: **

Summary: Interesting dynamic as both teams worked heel in a game of can you top this. Unfortunately, the Peoria faithful sought popcorn in anticipation for the main event.

1-800-COLLECT sponsors the replay.

Match 10: Diamond Dallas Page & Konnan versus Giant & Stevie Ray

Highlights:

Someone PLEASE tell Stevie Ray to untuck that shirt!
As Konnan fed Stevie Ray a somersault clothesline, tags were exchanged on both sides.
The Peoria faithful arose with a loud “D-D-P” chant, but Giant countered a cross corner whip with a short-arm clothesline.
When DDP attempted a sunset flip, Giant grabbed and dealt him a standing choke.
Giant converted to a backbreaker, but DDP rebounded with a floatover DDT for 2.
After tags were exchanged on both sides again, Stevie Ray clotheslined Konnan.
The Peoria faithful informed Giant that he indeed “sucks,” and Stevie Ray baited DDP into the ring.
While Curtis was distracted, Giant gave Konnan the business in the heel corner. Heinous!
Konnan came back with a thrust kick and jammed Stevie Ray face-first into the mat.
Hot tag DDP.
Clobbering Stevie Ray with a discus clothesline, DDP nailed Giant.
He reversed a cross corner whip and flattened Stevie Ray with a Diamond Cutter for 2.
Upon making the save, Giant headbutted DDP, and nWo Hollywood stormed the ring.
Curtis called for the bell, so DDP and Konnan won by DQ at 6:07.

Rating: **

Summary: At least this match kept the Peoria faithful awake. Of course, with Stevie Ray being the newest and freshest member of nWo Hollywood, he wouldn’t eat a pin.

Following the match, nWo Hollywood destroys DDP and Konnan until Goldberg leaps from the floor to the apron. Another Goldberg leap places him inside the ring, and he steamrolls Adams with a spear. As Vincent valiantly hammers him, Goldberg military-press-drops him. Giant and Goldberg go face-to-face as the show goes off the air. According to arena reports, Goldberg beat Giant in a main event dark match.

Conclusion: Without that main event, this show is rather awful. As it is, it’s rather forgettable because its highlights will be shown on Nitro before the steel cage match. Sorry, Kaz Hayashi, but I cannot recommend this episode one iota. What’s my rating?

Rating: 3.5

Stay tuned for WWF RAW is WAR 09-05-98!

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