Live from Indianapolis, IN
Airdate: October 8, 1998
Attendance: 11,315 (10,496 paid)
Hosted by Tony Schiavone, Bobby “The Brain” Heenan, & Lee Marshall
What’s the latest between Hall and Nash? Can Luger attain victory against Stevie Ray? Will there be another member of the lWo? What happens when DDP and Raven collide? What’s new with Malenko? Jericho? Bagwell? Gather your friends for another exciting episode of Thunder!
Opening montage.
During the opening fireworks, Chucky disturbs the broadcast team yet again.
From THE BAR, “Iron” Mike Tenay interviews Scott Hall who invites Kevin Nash to join him. During the promo, he asks Tenay if he can say “butt” on TBS. Obviously, the answer is yes. Before they finish, Hall states: “The issue has been challenged.” HA!
Outside the arena, “Kevin Nash’s limo” according to Marshall leaves the arena in pursuit of Hall.
Prior to the opening match, Kanyon grabs the microphone and tries his darndest to convince the Indy faithful that the correct response to his question is “nobody” instead of “everybody.” He gives it a whirl but fails miserably much to his chagrin.
Match 1: Kanyon versus Prince Iaukea
Highlights:
- Iaukea dropkicked Kanyon, got reversed on an Irish whip, but fed him an abisegeri.
- When Kanyon sought refuge on the floor, Iaukea dealt him a somersault plancha from the apron.
- Kanyon reversed a cross corner whip but ate a back elbow on his follow-through.
- As he hoisted Iaukea atop the top turnbuckle, Kanyon delivered a top rope hangman’s neckbreaker for 2.
- He bulldogged Iaukea with his knees for another 2.
- After Kanyon argued with referee Charles Robinson, Iaukea rolled him up for 2.
- The Indy faithful informed Kanyon that he indeed “sucks,” but their nemesis hit a swinging neckbreaker fisherman-style for 2.
- While he demolished Iaukea with an inverted F5, Kanyon got another 2.
- Iaukea caught Kanyon by the leg and hooked a dragon screw leg whip.
- Dropkicking the knee, Iaukea slammed Kanyon and followed with a back drop.
- He planted Kanyon with a fireman’s carry slam, migrated to the apron, and scored with a springboard somersault splash for 2.
- Shrugging Iaukea off his back, Kanyon polished him off with a Flatliner.
- 1-2-3.
- Kanyon won at 5:19.
Rating: **
Summary: Showcase match for Kanyon.
Although Schiavone announced that Goldberg isn’t here tonight, Chris Jericho bangs on a door backstage marked “Goldberg.” He opens the door to find nobody. Sounds like his bachelor days.
Thunder is sponsored by Twix.
Video airs featuring Big Poppa Pump with “(Rick’s his) next trophy.”
BPP graces us with his presence alongside Buff Bagwell. As they enter the ring, Bagwell claims the Steiner versus Steiner match at the PPV “ain’t happenin’.” He puts BPP over like Rover, so BPP calls out his “freaks.” Afterward, BPP berates him about his mother, so Bagwell takes exception. Bagwell teases a face turn by walking out on him. To say the least, BPP is STUNNED.
Shown amongst the Indy faithful is some ham’n’egger QB from Tennessee named Peyton. He didn’t amount to much, did he?
We head to Wall Street to reveal the new WCW Mastercard. Slam all your debt onto us!
Match 2: Meng versus “Lightning Foot” Jerry Flynn
Highlights:
- Meng gave him a cross corner whip, but Flynn exploded with a clothesline.
- As Meng no-sold it, he bounced Flynn’s head off the mat repeatedly.
- He reversed a cross corner whip, ate a thrust kick, but didn’t leave his feet.
- When Flynn mounted the second turnbuckle, he scored with a lariat.
- Meng reversed an Irish whip and fed Flynn a boot to the midsection.
- After Flynn attempted another pair of kicks, Meng cinched in the Tongan death grip.
- 1-2-3.
- Meng won at 1:41.
Rating: ½*
Summary: Showcase match for Meng.
Back in the parking lot, Jericho and Ralphus are ready for Goldberg, but he doesn’t show. You’d think Jericho would be used to being stood up.
While Adams makes his entrance, Meng remains in the ring. He loses patience with Meng, enters the ring, and pays the price with a Tongan death grip. When Wrath emerges, he brawls with Meng. He grabs a chair and WHACKS Meng with it. Before the segment ends, Meng sends him back-first into the steel railing.
Match 3: Wrath versus “Gentleman” Chris Adams
Highlights:
- No match.
Rating: NONE
On WCW Saturday Night, nothing notable happens. Go see a movie instead.
Outside the arena, the Four Horseman arrive but are met by Security who invokes a restraining order from Eric Bischoff. JJ Dillon tries to straighten it out, but only Malenko can stay. Hmmm…
REAL Match 3: El Dandy versus Tokyo Magnum
Highlights:
- Speaking of WCWSN…
- Tokyo hooked a victory roll and got 2.
- As El Dandy reversed an Irish whip, Tokyo secured a sunset flip for 1.
- El Dandy trapped Tokyo with a somersault rollup for 2.
- When he monkey-flipped Tokyo, El Dandy ate a spinning heel kick.
- Tokyo fed him a belly-to-belly suplex for 1.
- After WCW smartly played the Chucky laugh due to never-ending SILENCE from the Indy faithful, I joined in the fun.
- El Dandy dealt Tokyo a diving head butt, slammed him, mounted the second turnbuckle, and launched a flying leg drop for 2.
- While Scott Norton nonchalantly waltzed into the ring unannounced, Tokyo ineffectively dropkicked him.
- He struck El Dandy, so referee Mickey Jay called for the bell.
- As a result, El Dandy won by DQ at 2:39.
Rating: NONE
Summary: More storyline than match as IWGP champion Norton destroys some cruiserweights with powerbombs for fun.
Missing from the telecast: WCW Motorsports. Vroom, vroom.
In the ring, Eddie Guerrero chastises El Dandy about getting decimated by Norton. He wants to recruit El Dandy for the lWo, yet Tokyo interjects. Eddie sends him packing since Tokyo’s not Latino. NOT FAIR! Regardless, El Dandy agrees and dons an lWo t-shirt.
Prior to the next match, Schiavone sends his thoughts and prayers to the Hildebrand family as Mark Curtis will undergo surgery. Long live Brian Hildebrand!
POINT OF ORDER: Brian Hildebrand was battling both stomach and bowel cancer at the time.
Match 4: Saturn versus Scott Putski
Highlights:
- Saturn ducked a clothesline and fed Putski an inverted atomic drop.
- As he scored with a springboard flying forearm, Saturn got 2.
- He unleashed a few kicks, gave Putski a cross corner whip, and unloaded a thrust kick for another 2.
- When Putski gave him a cross corner whip, he clotheslined Saturn over the top rope to the floor.
- He joined and rammed Saturn oblique-first into the steel railing.
- After he snap-suplexed Saturn, Putski clotheslined him again.
- Putski hooked a sleeper, but Saturn countered with a jawbreaker.
- While he fed Putski a head-and-arm suplex, Saturn followed with a clothesline.
- He dealt Putski an overhead belly-to-belly suplex, slammed him, mounted the top turnbuckle, and launched a flying splash for 2.
- Reversing an Irish whip, Putski powerslammed Saturn for 2.
- Saturn secured an inside cradle and got 2.
- Rebounding with a clothesline, Putski delivered a sidewalk slam for 2.
- He gave Saturn a cross corner whip but came up empty on his follow-through.
- Planting Putski with a Falcon Arrow, Saturn obliterated him with a Death Valley Driver.
- 1-2-3.
- Saturn won at 5:16.
Rating: **
Summary: Saturn allowed him some offense, and Putski didn’t disappoint.
Castrol sponsors the replay, and Heenan wants us to use it for our ligaments. HA!
Closed-captioning sponsored by Jolly-Time popcorn. Yum!
Prior to the next match, Disciple grabs the microphone and takes a potshot at “Hollywood” Hogan. Next, he turns his attention to Hogan’s nephew—Horace—and calls him out.
Match 5: Disciple versus Horace
Highlights:
- Horace reversed a cross corner whip and followed with a boot to the midsection.
- When he clotheslined Disciple, Horace landed an elbow drop for 2.
- Disciple fed Horace a swinging neckbreaker but missed a clothesline.
- As Horace dealt him a belly-to-back suplex, he splashed Disciple’s back.
- Disciple no-sold it and leveled him with an Apocalypse.
- 1-2-3.
- Disciple won at 1:49.
Rating: DUD
Summary: Showcase match for Disciple.
After the match, Horace met Disciple outside the ring and made him HIT THE POLE. Keep this in mind come the PPV.
Promo airs for WCW Halloween Havoc ’98. It will be LIVE on PPV on 10/25. Order NOW!
In the ring, Schiavone interviews Jericho who throws a shoutout to “Brian” a.k.a. Mark Curtis. Next, he cuts a promo on Goldberg by referring to him as “Greenberg.” Schiavone introduces Goldberg, and referee Nick Patrick calls for the bell. Since nobody appears, Patrick counts Goldberg out. GOLDBERG IS NO LONGER UNDEFEATED!
We revisit stills from Nitro of the Sting-Bret backstage battle. According to Marshall, both wrestlers left the arena via ambulance. Quite a few ambulances appearing these days in the Monday Night War.
In the ring, Schiavone interviews Bret who cuts a promo on Sting and issues a challenge for the PPV.
Video airs featuring the Four Horsemen.
Malenko approaches the ring, grabs both a chair and microphone, and informs Bischoff that he “came to wrestle.” He’s not leaving until that happens. In rebuttal, Bischoff emerges and summons Barbarian with Hart. He asks Hart about Barbarian’s salary ($500,000), and states he’ll double it to hurt Malenko.
Match 6: Dean Malenko versus the Barbarian (w/ Jimmy Hart)
Highlights:
- Bischoff joined the broadcast table for this match.
- As Barbarian distracted referee Billy Silverman, Hart gave Malenko the business. SNEAKY!
- Malenko attempted a spinning heel kick, but Barbarian caught and dumped him like yesterday’s garbage.
- When Bischoff discussed his own contract, he stated he had three years, two months, four days, six hours, and twenty-seven minutes remaining. By the power of math, that’s mid-December 2001. Can he go the distance?
- Nonetheless, Barbarian gave Malenko a cross corner whip but ate boot on his follow-through.
- Barbarian hoisted Malenko atop the top turnbuckle, joined, but got knocked down to the mat.
- After Malenko scored with a missile dropkick, Hart jumped onto the apron.
- Malenko grabbed Hart, but Barbarian annihilated Hart inadvertently with a Kick of Fear.
- While Malenko dropkicked the leg twice, he trapped Barbarian in a Texas Cloverleaf.
- Barbarian submitted; thus, Malenko won at 2:35.
Rating: **
Summary: I know it’s wrestling, but Malenko’s half Barbarian’s size. Ultimately, it’s a diss toward Bischoff by the Four Horsemen.
Following the match, Bischoff whips Schiavone with format sheets and screams at the director.
Prior to the next match, Raven grabs the microphone and offers another soliloquy. When he asks, “What about Raven” DDP answers.
Match 7: Diamond Dallas Page versus Raven
Highlights:
- During Raven’s introduction, the Chucky laugh was allegedly played, but since Raven’s music was overdubbed, we couldn’t hear it.
- DDP unloaded a discus clothesline, but Raven countered a Diamond Cutter with his trick knee.
- When he suplexed DDP, Raven fed him a knee lift.
- He dealt DDP a knee to the midsection that sent him to the floor.
- As Raven joined him, he delivered a side-Russian leg sweep into the steel railing.
- He launched a chair into the ring, tried to ruin DDP’s weekend plans, but HIT THE POLE instead.
- After Raven set up the chair, he planted DDP face-first into it with a drop toe hold.
- Out of nowhere, Lodi jumped onto the apron and held up a “Nielsen’s want the Flock.” Ah, ratings joke.
- DDP backed Raven against the ropes sending Lodi reeling to the floor. Thank goodness.
- While he connected with a lariat, DDP got 2.
- He gave Raven a cross corner whip and followed with a belly-to-belly suplex for another 2.
- Reversing a cross corner whip, Raven ate knee on his follow-through.
- Raven caught DDP with a drop toe hold and rolled him up for 2.
- Clotheslining DDP, Raven got another 2.
- He hooked a sleeper until DDP escaped.
- Countering back and forth, DDP dropped Raven with a Diamond Cutter.
- 1-2-3.
- DDP won at 5:18.
Rating: ***
Summary: Awesome work by two guys who know each other well and can tell a good story.
Cinnaburst sponsors the replay.
Match 8: The “Total Package” Lex Luger versus Stevie Ray (w/ Vincent)
Highlights:
- Buffer rambled and rumbled.
- Before the combatants were introduced, Schiavone promoted a Hollywood celebrity would be at Nitro on Monday. Knowing what happened makes this shill rather disturbing, and not in a good way.
- Luger reversed a cross corner whip and backdropped Stevie Ray.
- As he clotheslined Stevie Ray, Luger got 2.
- He gave Stevie Ray a cross corner whip but ate a back elbow on his follow-through.
- When Stevie Ray connected with a thrust kick, he sent Luger reeling to the floor.
- Vincent took advantage and blistered Luger while Stevie Ray shared tax tips with referee Charles Robinson.
- After he clotheslined Luger, Stevie Ray got 2.
- He fed Luger a sidewalk slam for another 2.
- While Luger rebounded with a vertical suplex, he suffered a jawbreaker.
- Stevie Ray attempted the Slapjack, but Luger countered with a back drop.
- Connecting with a pair of clotheslines, Luger stymied him with an inverted atomic drop.
- He flattened Stevie Ray with a flying forearm, creamed Vincent into clam chowder, and attempted a Torture Rack.
- Instead, Scott Hall, apparently no longer at the local gastropub, jumped into the ring to stop him.
- Robinson called for the bell, and Luger won by DQ at 3:40.
Rating: ½*
Summary: Luger was on his way to victory before the run-in finish.
Afterward, Luger delivers a ten-punch count-along to Hall and brawls with Stevie Ray. The numbers game catches up to Luger, and Stevie Ray demolishes him with a slapjack. As Konnan tries to rescue his Wolfpack comrade, Vincent prevents him from doing so. Hall destroys Konnan with an Outsider Edge. Before the show leaves the air, Hall grabs the microphone and performs his survey. Although the Indy faithful wasn’t in his corner, Hall didn’t need them this week.
Conclusion: Like a crafty heel, Hall outsmarted Nash to bookmark the show. DDP continued to look dominant on his quest to dethrone Goldberg. Speaking of Goldberg, Jericho embarrassed himself yet again. Malenko got the better of Bischoff with his victory over Barbarian. In addition, Bagwell teased a face turn by standing up for his mother to BPP. Lastly, Eddie successfully recruited El Dandy to join the lWo.
In case you think I’d recommend you skip this episode…
Stay tuned for WWF Sunday Night HeAT 10-11-98!
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