WCW Thunder August 20, 1998

by

Taped from Fargo, ND

Airdate: August 20, 1998

Attendance:  9,721 (sold out)

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

Can Stevie Ray truly defeat Giant? Will Mongo get revenge against Hennig for getting swerved at WarGames? How will Malenko fare against Adams? Grab your gear, ‘cuz storms are comin’!

Opening montage.

POINT OF ORDER: One of the things that Eric Bischoff mentioned about WCW in 1998 is that Time-Warner cut his budget. To illustrate, Thunder will follow a live-taped schedule going forward beginning with last week.

Match 1 for the WCW Cruiserweight title: Juventud Guerrera (champion) versus Psicosis

Highlights:

  • Psicosis hooked la magistral cradle and got 2.
  • When Guerrera reversed an Irish whip, he fed Psicosis a drop toe hold.
  • He escaped a flapjack and dropkicked Psicosis.
  • As he reversed a cross corner whip, Guerrera ate a back elbow on his follow-through.
  • Schiavone name-dropped San Diego Padres reliever Brian Boehringer, and Heenan compared Boehringer’s fastball to Guerrera’s hair. HA!
  • After Guerrera mounted the top turnbuckle, he dealt Psicosis a cross body block for 2.
  • Psicosis reversed an Irish whip and delivered a shorter variation of the electric chair facebuster.
  • While Psicosis whipped Guerrera into the corner, he ate a mule kick on his follow-through.
  • Guerrera clotheslined him and followed with a spinning heel kick.
  • Mounting the top turnbuckle again, Guerrera scored with a flying headscissors for 2.
  • Psicosis reversed a cross corner whip but came up empty on his follow-through.
  • Mounting the top turnbuckle yet again, Guerrera lost his balance due to Psicosis’ kicking of the bottom rope. Smart!
  • Psicosis joined and delivered a top rope victory roll for 2.
  • Following a commercial break, Psicosis flattened Guerrera with a front suplex and got 2.
  • He hoisted Guerrera atop his shoulders, hooked an electric chair rollup, and got another 2.
  • Mounting the top turnbuckle, Psicosis scored with a guillotine leg drop but couldn’t get 3.
  • Guerrera landed on his feet upon receiving a release German suplex and planted Psicosis with a Juvi Driver.
  • 1-2-3.
  • Guerrera retained at 7:56 shown.

 

Rating: ***

Summary:  Strong match for Guerrera as he took advantage of Psicosis’ overconfidence.

Cinnaburst sponsors the replay while Heenan botches it in spectacular fashion.

Backstage, “Mean” Gene Okerlund interviews Stevie Ray who calls Jericho a “sissy.” Next, he refers to Giant as an “overgrown sucka,” and plans to destroy him TONIGHT.

We revisit Nitro when Warrior made his WCW debut much to Hollywood Hogan’s chagrin.

Match 2: “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan versus Barry Darsow

Highlights:

  • Duggan clotheslined Darsow and followed with a hip toss.
  • As Darsow sought refuge on the floor, Duggan riled up the Fargo faithful with a “U-S-A” chant.
  • Darsow dragged Duggan down to the floor, but Duggan made him HIT THE POLE.
  • When Darsow guillotined Duggan with the top rope, Schiavone promoted an upcoming statement from interim Commissioner “Rowdy” Roddy Piper on Nitro.
  • Darsow reversed a cross corner whip and fed Duggan a back elbow.
  • After he slammed Duggan, Darsow missed an elbow drop.
  • Duggan dealt Darsow a ten-punch count-along, slammed him, and followed with a three-point stance clothesline.
  • While he landed an Old Glory knee drop, Duggan pinned Darsow at 4:19.

 

Rating: *

Summary:  Showcase match for Duggan.

Ben Gay sponsors the replay while Heenan compares Darsow to Okerlund. HA!

Video airs featuring the history of WarGames. Great retrospective by Tenay.

Backstage, Okerlund interviews Bret Hart who refuses to reveal the third member of nWo Hollywood’s WarGames team. While proud to be US champion, Bret knows that he can beat Goldberg.

Following a commercial break, Okerlund interviews Mongo who cuts a promo on Hennig. Interestingly, Mongo advises Hennig that he’ll implement aeronautics against him TONIGHT.

Match 3: Brian Adams (w/ Vincent) versus Dean Malenko

Highlights:

  • Adams’ size advantage was colossal in this match.
  • When Adams hoisted him atop the top turnbuckle, Malenko attempted a sunset flip yet avoided eating a knuckle sandwich.
  • Adams clotheslined Malenko, survived a brief comeback, and fed him a backbreaker.
  • As he dealt Malenko a pair of standing leg drops, Adams got 2.
  • Adams tossed Malenko to the floor and distracted referee Nick Patrick, so Vincent gave Malenko the business. How dastardly!
  • After Malenko reversed a cross corner whip, he ate boot on his follow-through.
  • Adams military-pressed Malenko and followed with a gutbuster.
  • While Adams missed an elbow drop, Malenko ate a head butt.
  • Adams gave him a cross corner whip, but Malenko floated to the apron making Adams come up empty.
  • Upon mounting the top turnbuckle, Malenko leaped but got caught in a bear hug.
  • He used momentum and annihilated Adams with a DDT. Innovative!
  • Attempting a Texas Cloverleaf, Malenko got pummeled by an incoming Hennig.
  • Vincent, meanwhile, distracted Patrick who saw nothing.
  • Dumping Malenko with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker, Adams pinned Malenko at 4:32.

 

Rating: *

Summary:  Malenko tried some psychology, but Adams’ power combined with nWo Hollywood shenanigans caused his defeat.

We revisit Nitro when Big Poppa Pump and Buff Bagwell brought along their “surgeon” to address the injuries suffered at the hands of Rick Steiner.

On WCW Saturday Night, Konnan and Scott Hall square off.

We revisit WCW Saturday Night when Raven lectured the Flock and punted Horace from the ring. As Saturn emerged, he told Raven to “shut up.” He advised the Flock one-by-one to leave Raven. If Saturn beats Raven at the PPV, the Flock will disband; however, if Raven wins, Saturn must follow him again.

Match 4 (four corners): Raven versus Saturn versus Kanyon versus Horace

Highlights:

  • Tenay joined the broadcast table for the remainder of the episode.
  • As Horace powerslammed Saturn, he got 2.
  • He gave Saturn a cross corner whip followed by a corner clothesline.
  • When Saturn rebounded with a series of kicks, Horace forced a tag between Kanyon and him.
  • Kanyon got sent to the floor, so Horace leaped from the apron and fed him a double axe handle.
  • After he dealt Kanyon a short-arm clothesline, Horace fell victim to a fisherman swinging neckbreaker into a cradle for 2.
  • Kanyon slammed Horace and forcibly tagged in Raven.
  • While Raven gave Horace a cross corner whip, he followed with a running body block.
  • Kanyon forcibly tagged Horace out, got reversed on an Irish whip, yet Horace tripped him coming off the ropes.
  • Landing a series of elbow drops, Raven got 2.
  • Horace tagged in, slammed Kanyon, and scored with an elbow drop for another 2.
  • Tagging in, Raven delivered a series of side-Russian leg sweeps to Kanyon but couldn’t get 3.
  • Raven forcibly tagged in Saturn who focused his attention on him.
  • Seeing Saturn distracted, Kanyon rolled him up for 2.
  • Saturn responded with an overhead belly-to-belly suplex and forcibly tagged in Horace.
  • Blocking a suplex, Kanyon hit Horace with one of his own.
  • Horace mounted the top turnbuckle, scored with a flying splash, and got 2.
  • Getting blasted from behind to the apron, Saturn got restrained by Lodi.
  • Since that distracted referee Mickey Jay, Horace retrieved his STOP sign but plastered Raven with it instead of Kanyon.
  • At the count of 9, Kanyon placed his arm across Raven but only got 2.
  • Raven tried to tag out, but Saturn pulled away.
  • Tagging Kanyon, Saturn obliterated Raven with a T-bone suplex and a clothesline.
  • He hooked an overhead belly-to-belly to Raven and dumped an incoming Horace with another T-bone suplex.
  • Mounting the top turnbuckle, Saturn soared with a flying splash for 2.
  • Saturn nailed Kanyon which constituted a tag.
  • Hoisting Saturn upon his shoulders, Kanyon used him as a weapon to SQUISH Raven for another 2.
  • Kanyon destroyed Raven with an inverted F5 but couldn’t get 3.
  • Forcibly tagged in, Horace ate a Flatliner from Kanyon.
  • Lodi pulled Kanyon from the ring and restrained him for Riggs.
  • Primed to hammer Lodi, Kanyon got crunched by a Saturn plancha.
  • In the meantime, Raven turned out Horace’s lights with an Even Flow DDT.
  • 1-2-3.
  • Raven won at 9:37.

 

Rating: ***

Summary:  Solid storytelling if not a bit confusing as the action was continuous on all fronts.

Backstage, Okerlund interviews Giant who cuts a promo on Stevie Ray noting Stevie’s dental issues. HA!

Match 5: Curt Hennig (w/ “Ravishing” Rick Rude) versus Steve “Mongo” McMichael

Highlights:

  • Hennig fed Mongo a snapmare neck snap and applied a rope-assisted leg bar.
  • When referee Nick Patrick caught him, Hennig claimed innocence.
  • Mongo gave Hennig a cross corner whip followed by a hangman’s neckbreaker.
  • As he dealt Hennig a pair of three-point stance tackles, Mongo got reversed on an Irish whip.
  • That enabled Rude to WHACK Mongo from behind with a chair. Nefarious!
  • After Hennig delivered a Hennigplex, Malenko stormed the ring to attack him.
  • Patrick called for the bell to disqualify Mongo at 4:50.

 

Rating: *

Summary:  Mere backdrop for Malenko to get revenge for the earlier chicanery.

After the match, Rude pounds Malenko from behind, and he and Hennig double-DDT him. Mongo receives the same treatment as Rude and Hennig leave both of them laying.

We revisit Nitro when Giant helped Jericho retain the TV title.

Match 6: Giant (w/ Scott Hall) versus Stevie Ray

Highlights:

  • Unlike his interview earlier, Giant wore street clothes for this match.
  • Stevie Ray fed Giant a bicycle kick that took him off his feet. Impressive!
  • As Hall jumped into the ring, Stevie Ray tagged him a few times.
  • Giant pummeled Stevie Ray and followed with a chokeslam.
  • When Hall jumped back into the ring to chastise Stevie Ray, referee Mark Curtis called for the bell.
  • Stevie Ray won by DQ at 2:09.

 

Rating: DUD

Summary: Not really sure what that was.

Following the match, Giant heaves Curtis from the ring, and more members of nWo Hollywood join him. They humiliate him more than beat him up as the show ends. I get the feeling this is more of an initiation than a pummeling.

Conclusion:  This is the most skippable episode I’ve come across to date. The main event is a waste of time as is Hennig practically beating Mongo. Let’s hope that future taped episodes are more meaningful. My recommendation?

TV Rating: 4.25

Stay tuned for WWF Sunday Night Heat 08-23-98!

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