Live from Uniondale, NY
Airdate: November 9, 1998
Attendance: 13,891 (sold out)
Hosted by Tony Schiavone, “Iron” Mike Tenay, Larry Zbyszko, & Bobby “The Brain” Heenan
The nWo erupts as “Hollywood” battles Wolfpack! Who wins lWo Eddie, or non-lWo Mysterio? How will WCW react to Jesse Ventura’s impending gubernatorial tenure in Minnesota? And who makes his final WCW appearance? Lots to get through, so let’s get the ball rollin’!
In the ring, the Nitro Girls dance in silver with white button-down shirts. Was Bob Seger in town?
Outside the arena, “Mean” Gene Okerlund and Heenan announce that the President of the United States Donald Trump Bill Clinton will arrive TONIGHT. Two limousines, and both nWo factions erupt in a pier-six brawl. They CANNOT be serious.
Opening montage.
We revisit last week when Bret injured Chris Benoit. Afterward, Giant saved Bret’s bacon from Luger. In the main event, Bret injured Luger with a portion of steel railing.
We revisit the PPV when Sting knocked himself OUT COLD, and Bret took advantage by pinning and injuring him further.
Match 1: Juventud Guerrera versus Kaz Hayashi
Highlights:
- Hayashi slapped the BEJEEZUS out of Guerrera and leapfrogged him.
- In the meantime, Eric Bischoff addressed the broadcast table by stating that “the President will be here”
- The Long Island faithful showered Bischoff with an “ass-hole” chant, and Guerrera gave Hayashi a cross corner whip.
- When Guerrera got vaulted to the apron, he guillotined Hayashi with the top rope.
- He mounted the top turnbuckle, leaped, but ate a dropkick in mid-air. Nifty!
- As the match segued to the floor, Hayashi rammed Guerrera back-first into the steel railing.
- They returned to the ring, and Hayashi sent Guerrera sailing between the ropes.
- After Hayashi scored with a corkscrew tope, Guerrera reversed a cross corner whip but came up empty on his follow-through.
- Hayashi charged but ate boot.
- While he fed Guerrera a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker, Hayashi connected with a seated dropkick.
- He dealt Guerrera a knee to the midsection followed by a senton splash.
- Following a commercial break, Guerrera reversed an Irish whip and planted a spinning heel kick.
- He stymied Hayashi with a flying headscissors sending him to the floor.
- Soaring with a springboard tope, Guerrera rammed Hayashi back-first into the steel railing.
- Hayashi reversed an Irish whip and clotheslined Guerrera.
- Slapping Guerrera again, Hayashi fell victim to a sunset flip for 2.
- He flattened Guerrera with a brainbuster for another 2.
- Evading a dropkick, Guerrera reverse-suplexed Hayashi onto the top rope.
- He countered a sunset flip by kneeling down and got 2.
- Reversing into the sunset flip, Hayashi got 2.
- For no good reason, Ernest “The Cat” Miller approached ringside.
- Hayashi hoisted him atop the top turnbuckle, but Guerrera took him down with another flying headscissors.
- Escaping a Juvi Driver, Hayashi landed a thrust kick.
- Guerrera reversed a cross corner whip, but Hayashi floated over and rolled him up.
- Since Miller jumped onto the apron, he distracted referee Charles Robinson.
- That allowed Sonny Onoo, who had joined Miller at ringside, to enter the ring and annihilate Hayashi with a crescent kick.
- 1-2-3.
- Guerrera won at 10:18 shown.
Rating: ***
Summary: Hayashi’s feud with Onoo continues as Onoo cost him the match.
Hasbro Interactive sponsors the replay.
At the entrance, the Nitro Girls dance in lavender while Schiavone shills the Nitro Party contest.
We revisit two weeks ago when Hall swerved Nash and put him through a wall.
Match 2: Alex Wright versus Barry Horowitz
Highlights:
- Wright leapfrogged Horowitz and followed with a monkey flip.
- As Horowitz rebounded with a pair of hip tosses, he gave Wright a cross corner whip but ate a back elbow on his follow-through.
- Wright clotheslined and hung Horowitz out to dry on the top rope.
- When “Secret Service men” walked around the ring according to Schiavone, Horowitz scored with a cross body block for 2.
- Wright rebounded with a standing spinning heel kick for 2.
- After he dumped Horowitz to the floor, Wright leaped from the apron and fed him a double axe handle.
- He slammed Horowitz on the floor, and nWo Wolfpack music howled.
- While Nash, Luger, and Konnan approached ringside, they advised Horowitz to split, and Wright hightailed it.
- No winner.
Rating: DUD
Summary: Time filler before the interview.
Nash takes the microphone and gets his catchphrase in, and Konnan recites his catchphrases. As Nash quotes Popeye, he cuts a promo on nWo Hollywood. He challenges them to a match but demands Hall be part of it. When Luger gets his turn, he cuts a promo on Bret. Finally, Konnan throws a shoutout to Sting.
Bischoff interrupts from the entrance and ensures that nWo Wolfpack will get what they want.
Match 3 (non-title): IWGP champion Scott Norton (w/ Vincent) versus Lodi
Highlights:
- Although I’m not Norton’s biggest fan, I hope he wipes the mat with this ignoramus.
- Norton shoulder-blocked Lodi before planting him with a powerbomb.
- 1-2-3.
- Norton won in 0:18.
Rating: DUD
Summary: Inasmuch as I’d love to rate this higher, this match couldn’t resemble squash any more than a zucchini.
In the ring, Schiavone interviews Disciple who stands on his own. Immediately, Horace, Stevie Ray, and Vincent interrupt him. Horace grabs the microphone and touts his membership within nWo Hollywood. While Horace bullies him, Disciple stupidly opens his mouth. Horace clotheslines him with a weightlifting belt, but Disciple connects with a flying forearm. When the numbers game catches up to Disciple…
Warrior returns and cleans house.
POINT OF ORDER: I seriously believed that Warrior’s days in WCW had already expired. Upon further review, THIS was Warrior’s final appearance in WCW.
HOUR #2!
Outside the arena, Okerlund and Heenan await the arrival of the President. Several vehicles approach the Nassau Coliseum, and Secret Service personnel instruct Okerlund to “step back.”
Inside the arena, “Hail to the Chief” plays…and “Hollywood” Hogan, with black and white feather boas, arrives with Eric Bischoff in tow. Making his way down the aisle, an enormous American flag falls like a curtain behind him. Fireworks, confetti, and balloons accompany him on his journey toward the ring. Bait and switch at its scummiest, folks.
Nonetheless, Okerlund interviews Hogan who congratulates Jesse “The Mind” Ventura on winning the gubernatorial election in Minnesota. As balloons flood the ring, Hogan names Bischoff as his campaign manager and announces his candidacy for President.
POINT OF ORDER: What a farce! Megalomania at its finest as Hogan believes, in kayfabe, that he can stand taller than Ventura who served a full term in the Governor’s Mansion in Minneapolis.
Video airs featuring the Nitro Girls in Las Vegas.
Speaking of them, the Nitro Girls dance in silver at the entrance.
While Bret approaches the ring, we revisit two weeks ago when Bret “injured” DDP following his loss of the US title. He cuts a promo on Luger, Sting, and DDP and tells the latter to return the US belt to him. Next, he turns his attention to Konnan and challenges him for TONIGHT.
Match 4: Eddie Guerrero versus Rey Mysterio, Jr.
Highlights:
- Whaddaya know? A match!
- As the match began, Eddie offered an lWo t-shirt to Mysterio again.
- In response, Mysterio held up his sweatshirt.
- Eddie reversed an Irish whip, but Mysterio connected with an Asai moonsault.
- When he arm-dragged Eddie to the floor, Mysterio performed a spinout between the ropes. Nifty!
- Mysterio dealt him a flying headscissors, but Eddie worked the knee, hooked a bridge, and got 2.
- After he rammed Mysterio’s left knee against the ring post, Eddie thanked the Long Island faithful by telling them where to kiss him.
- Mysterio escaped a powerbomb attempt, but Eddie rolled through a sunset flip.
- While he hoisted Mysterio atop the top turnbuckle, Eddie uncorked a super huracanrana for 2. Wow!
- Eddie applied a spinning toe hold, but Mysterio countered with an inside cradle for 2.
- Rebounding with a springboard flying headscissors, Mysterio fed Eddie a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker.
- He delivered a seated dropkick, yet Eddie hit one of his own to Mysterio’s knee.
- Migrating to the apron, Eddie punished Mysterio’s left knee with a springboard senton.
- The match segued to the floor, and Eddie positioned the steps.
- Upon bouncing Mysterio face-first off the apron, Eddie placed Mysterio’s knee between the steps and the ring post.
- He dropkicked the steps sandwiching Mysterio’s knee. OUCH!
- Back in the ring, Eddie gave Mysterio a cross corner whip but got vaulted face-first into the top turnbuckle.
- Mysterio planted Eddie with a forearm and followed with a Bronco buster.
- Uncorking a springboard splash, Mysterio got 2.
- Eddie reversed an Irish whip but fell victim to a face plant.
- With an inverted Pedigree, Mysterio got another 2.
- Eddie responded with a modified T-bone suplex and tied Mysterio up in a knot.
- Meanwhile, Chavo approached ringside with Pepe, jumped onto the apron, and SWIPED the lWo t-shirt that Eddie brought. Larceny!
- Eddie caught Chavo, but Mysterio locked Eddie in an O’Connor roll.
- In the process, Chavo got violently jettisoned to the floor.
- Mysterio hooked la magistral cradle and pinned Eddie at 12:40.
Rating: ****
Summary: Extremely solid mostly-mat-based match which is a contrast from their previous encounters. The Chavo interference led to Eddie’s downfall, so Chavo’s in trouble with la familia again.
After the match, the lWo arrives to pummel Chavo. Before they lay him to total waste, Mysterio saves Chavo’s bacon.
Konnan’s music video plays. I bail to iron my socks.
Bischoff returns alongside Elizabeth, declares that Flair will NOT wrestle tonight, and makes old man jokes. Next, he addresses the Dillon/BPP situation. He brings out some pencil-pushers and berates the WCW employees. When he asks one who’s his boss, Bischoff beats him up. He thrust-kicks the second guy while side-kicking the third. As he pummels the second guy, Bischoff punts the third guy in the ribs. Needless to say, this segment SUCKS as Bischoff is nowhere near as convincing an authority figure as Mr. McMahon is.
HOUR #3!
We revisit last week when BPP LOST HIS DAMN MIND. As a result, Dillon fined them but had to scram in A BIG DAMN HURRY to avoid his rage. Bagwell and BPP conned Kaos into the ring before destroying him. Afterward, we revisit Thunder when BPP decimated referee Nick Patrick.
Prior to the next match, referee Mickey Jay informs ring announcer David Penzer that all WCW referees will boycott any match involving BPP due to an “unsafe working environment.” BPP takes the microphone and spews out his catchphrase. Following that, Bagwell mockingly mentions that neither Dillon nor Patrick is around. BPP rightfully points out that “Rowdy” Roddy Piper is the commissioner, but he’s also a “coward.” Before shutting up, he asks for someone from the back to face him.
Match 5: Big Poppa Pump (w/ Buff Bagwell) versus “Gentleman” Chris Adams
Highlights:
- What did Adams do to deserve this?
- Without a referee, Bagwell distracted Adams long enough for BPP to nail him.
- BPP clotheslined Adams, and Bagwell put in his $.02.
- Tying Adams to the Tree of Woe, BPP injured Adams’ left knee while Bagwell gloated.
- BPP demolished Adams with a double underhook slam and trapped him in a Steiner Recliner.
- Suddenly, Rick sprinted to ringside to rescue Adams.
- BPP and Bagwell scattered like flies, so Rick put the World tag team titles on the line by challenging his brother.
Rating: NONE
Video #2 airs featuring the Nitro Girls.
Speaking of whom, they dance in silver at the entrance.
Video airs featuring Luger.
Schiavone promotes WCW Tuesday Nitro tomorrow night on TNT. Upon further research, the show is NOT listed on the WWE Network nor anywhere else.
Since BPP and Bagwell put Kaos out of commission, Bagwell’s mom will substitute for him. HA!
REAL Match 5: Big Poppa Pump & Buff Bagwell versus Rick Steiner & Judy Bagwell
Highlights:
- Rick ducked a clothesline and sent BPP packing.
- In the meantime, Judy ducked a haymaker and smacked the BEJEEZUS out of her son.
- Bagwell grabbed the microphone, and BPP waived everything off due to the lack of a referee.
Rating: NONE
Following the match, Rick challenges them to a match at the PPV. Judy says she’s getting paid to beat up her son. Isn’t that child abuse?
Match 6: Bret “Hitman” Hart versus Konnan
Highlights:
- Konnan unfurled a somersault clothesline, and Bret sought refuge on the floor.
- As he joined Bret, Konnan made him taste the steel railing. It must have tasted like the Marcellino at Jim’s Deli.
- Konnan bounced him face-first into the steps, but Bret took over and split Konnan’s uprights.
- When he fed Konnan a side-Russian leg sweep, Bret mounted the second turnbuckle.
- He leaped but ate boot.
- After Konnan rebounded with a ten-punch count-along, he took exception to referee Billy Silverman’s orders.
- Bret took advantage and dealt Konnan a chop block.
- While the Long Island faithful chanted “we want Sting,” Bret rammed Konnan’s knee into the ring post.
- He grabbed a steel chair from ringside and smashed Konnan’s knee with it.
- Having seen Bret’s chicanery, Silverman called for the bell.
- Konnan won by DQ at 7:07.
Rating: **
Summary: Good psychology by Bret and selling by Konnan, but this was another hit job by the Hitman.
Afterward, Bret pummels Konnan with the chair until Luger saves Konnan’s bacon. Luger chases after Bret and grabs the chair to send him fleeing. To assist Konnan, trainer Danny Young and Luger carry him back to the locker room.
In the ring, Okerlund interviews Chris Jericho who teased his hair more than any hair band chick you can find. Nevertheless, Ralphus escorts him to the ring. Jericho runs down Goldberg, and the cameras pan backstage to show Uniondale’s finest escorting Goldberg to his dressing room.
As Goldberg sees Jericho’s promo, he destroys the door and furniture. Goldberg sprints to the entrance, and Jericho meets him in the aisle. When Jericho turns around, Goldberg spears the BEJEEZUS out of him. He sends Jericho reeling into the steel railing and leaves him laying.
POINT OF ORDER: Due to politics within WCW, this was the last confrontation between Goldberg and Jericho. They wouldn’t meet in the ring against one another until June 15, 2003 in WWE.
Match 7: The “Total Package” Lex Luger & Kevin Nash versus Scott Hall & Giant
Highlights:
- Buffer rambled and rumbled.
- When Nash manhandled Hall in the corner with knees to the midsection, he scored with a framed back elbow.
- Hall escaped a slam attempt, whipped Nash into the corner, and followed with a corner clothesline.
- As he gave Nash a cross corner whip, Hall ate a forearm on his follow-through.
- Nash dealt him a short-arm clothesline and tagged in Luger.
- After he ruined Hall’s Monday night afterparty with an inverted atomic drop, Luger clotheslined him.
- Giant tagged in and flattened Luger with a face crusher.
- While he gave Luger a cross corner whip, Giant ate a mule kick on his follow-through.
- Luger administered a ten-punch count-along, saw Hall creep up on him, and demolished him down to the mat.
- Clotheslining Luger, Giant slammed him and scored with an amazing elbow drop. Giant got some serious hang time on that one.
- Hall tagged in, and the Long Island faithful made me proud with a “Let’s go, Wolfpack” chant.
- Bouncing Hall face-first into the mat, Luger was denied the hot tag by Giant.
- Connecting with a head butt, Giant distracted referee Mickey Jay.
- That allowed Hall to clothesline Luger from the apron. SNEAKY!
- Tagging in, Hall landed a discus punch and gave Luger a HARD cross corner whip to injure the back.
- Hall delivered a fallaway slam, but Luger countered an Outsider Edge with a back drop.
- Hot tag Nash.
- Stymying Hall with Snake Eyes, Nash clocked Giant.
- He devastated Hall with a running guillotine and booted Giant.
- Planting Hall with a big boot, Nash ducked a clothesline from an incoming Giant.
- All four wrestlers were in the ring, and Luger clotheslined Giant over the top rope to the floor.
- Before Nash could annihilate Hall, Bret snuck into the ring and corralled him with a chop block.
- As a result, Nash and Luger won by DQ at 9:13.
Rating: ***
Summary: Solid main event with a bullshit finish to further Bret’s quest to injure any and all babyfaces.
After the match, Bret and Hall break Nash’s wishbone while Luger makes Giant HIT THE POLE. Grabbing a chair, Luger chases nWo Hollywood from the ring.
Conclusion: For those who question if nWo Hollywood ever battled the Wolfpack, this episode provides proof. Not that it’s great proof as in excellent wrestling, but proof regardless. While the Eddie-Mysterio match is worthwhile, the highlight of the night was Goldberg’s destruction of Jericho.
What’s on RAW is WAR?
TV Rating: 4.1
Stay tuned for RAW Is WAR 11-09-98!
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