Taped from Indianapolis, IN
Airdate: October 15, 1998 (taped 10/08)
Attendance: 11,315 (10,496 paid)
Hosted by Tony Schiavone, Bobby “The Brain” Heenan, & Lee Marshall
What happens with the Horsemen this week? Can Kidman retain the Cruiserweight title? Who is The Cat running his mouth about this week? Head for cover, ‘cuz storm’s a brewin’!
Opening montage.
Match 1: Van Hammer versus Sick Boy
Highlights:
- Hammer reversed an Irish whip and fed Sick Boy a back elbow.
- When he hip-tossed Sick Boy, Hammer followed with a clothesline.
- The match segued to the floor, and Hammer mule-kicked Sick Boy into the steel railing.
- As he dealt Sick Boy a plancha, Hammer tossed him back into the ring.
- Sick Boy intercepted and guillotined Hammer with the top rope.
- After he delivered a baseball slide, Sick Boy hooked a sleeper.
- Hammer escaped and trapped Sick Boy in his own sleeper.
- While Sick Boy countered with a jawbreaker, he landed a fist drop.
- He slammed Hammer and scored with a springboard back elbow for 2.
- Giving Hammer a cross corner whip, Sick Boy came up empty on his follow-through.
- Hammer hoisted Sick Boy atop the top turnbuckle and tossed him down to the mat for 2.
- Flattening Sick Boy with a spinebuster, Hammer won at 4:23.
Rating: **
Summary: I’d say Hammer smoked him, but it was just fine.
10-10-321 sponsors the replay.
Video airs featuring the Four Horsemen.
We revisit Nitro when Bischoff lost the evening battle against the Horsemen.
Prior to the next match, Konnan runs down his catchphrases.
Match 2: Konnan versus La Parka
Highlights:
- Konnan connected with a somersault clothesline followed by a seated dropkick.
- As La Parka reversed a cross corner whip, Konnan floated over and fed him a back elbow.
- La Parka reversed another cross corner whip and thwarted Konnan’s float-over attempt with his trick knee.
- When he clotheslined Konnan, La Parka performed the La Parka shuffle.
- He gave Konnan a cross corner whip and followed with a corner clothesline.
- After he demolished Konnan with a spinning heel kick, La Parka got 2.
- He gave Konnan another cross corner whip but ate a mule kick on his follow-through.
- While Konnan dealt La Parka a crucifix powerbomb, he got 2.
- La Parka reversed yet another cross corner whip and clotheslined Konnan again.
- Countering a gutwrench suplex, Konnan hooked a grapevine for 1.
- La Parka delivered an enziguri, gave Konnan one more cross corner whip, but ate mule kick #2.
- Bulldogging La Parka, Konnan leapfrogged him and caught him with a back kick.
- He planted La Parka face-first into the mat and applied a Tequila Sunrise.
- Due to La Parka’s submission, Konnan won at 4:44.
Rating: ***
Summary: Solid chemistry between the two, and La Parka has fantastic physical charisma.
On WCW Saturday Night, Chris Jericho defends the World TV title against Fit Finlay. Speaking of the Irish grappler…
Match 3: Fit Finlay versus Riggs
Highlights:
- Riggs leapfrogged Finlay and fed him a hip toss for 2.
- When he landed a fist drop, Finlay GOT THE HELL OUTTA THERE.
- He dealt Riggs a short-arm clothesline and got 2.
- As Finlay gave Riggs a cross corner whip, he ate boot on his follow-through.
- Riggs dropkicked Finlay and got 2.
- After Finlay had HAD FUCKING ENOUGH, he leveled Riggs with a clothesline.
- He planted a knee drop followed by a senton for 2.
- While there’s a break here, almost THE ENTIRE CROWD on the opposite side of the ring sought nachos. Meanwhile, there’s a puncher’s chance that Finlay had a match at the upcoming PPV.
- Finlay slammed Riggs, attempted a pumphandle splash, but ate knees.
- Giving Finlay a cross corner whip, Riggs followed with a high knee.
- He gave Finlay another cross corner whip but came up empty on his follow-through.
- Decimating Riggs with a tombstone, Finlay pinned him at 6:07.
Rating: *
Summary: Hard-hitting but this isn’t football.
Video airs featuring Goldberg/DDP. Hmm…I wonder if this match is any good?
Match 4 for the WCW Cruiserweight title: Kidman (champion) versus Kaz Hayashi
Highlights:
- Kidman leapfrogged Hayashi and ducked a spinning heel kick.
- As Kidman fed him a flying headscissors, Hayashi responded in kind.
- Hayashi reversed a cross corner whip, but Kidman floated over and fed him flying headscissors #2.
- When he dropkicked Hayashi to the floor, Kidman dealt him a plancha.
- He tossed Hayashi back into the ring and delivered a springboard leg drop for 2.
- After Kidman attempted to suplex him from the ring to the floor, Hayashi threw him over the top rope to the floor.
- He hit a corkscrew plancha, returned to the ring, and won a chopfest.
- While the Indy faithful chanted “Kid-man,” their hero ate a knee to the midsection.
- Hayashi scored with a senton, and the banter at the broadcast table turned ugly yet again.
- Following a commercial break, Kidman hooked a sunset flip for 2.
- Hayashi bulldozed Kidman down and got 2.
- Slamming Kidman, Hayashi migrated to the apron and stymied him with a somersault senton.
- Kidman rebounded with a cross corner whip but came up empty on his follow-through.
- Dropkicking Kidman in the corner, Hayashi scored with a backbreaker, mounted the top turnbuckle, but there wasn’t any water in the pool.
- Kidman gave Hayashi another cross corner whip and clotheslined him.
- Spiking Hayashi with an Acid Drop, Kidman got 2.
- Hayashi reversed an Irish whip, but Kidman devastated him with a sit-out powerbomb.
- Mounting the top turnbuckle, Kidman got caught but sent Hayashi packing.
- Hayashi immediately returned to join Kidman and changed his dinner plans with a flying jawbreaker. Innovative!
- Demolishing Kidman with a brainbuster, Hayashi almost got 3.
- Sonny Onoo, whom we last saw switching sides to Ernest Miller, stood at ringside.
- In the meantime, Hayashi mounted the top turnbuckle and leaped.
- Kidman met him in mid-air with a dropkick in a spectacular visual.
- Escaping a release German suplex, Hayashi hooked a 619.
- Do we have a new champion?
- 1-2-NO!
- Hayashi hooked a German suplex with a bridge for only 2.
- Escaping a powerbomb attempt, Kidman planted Hayashi face-first into the mat.
- He mounted the top turnbuckle and launched a Shooting Star Press.
- 1-2-3.
- Kidman retained at 9:28.
Rating: ****
Summary: Excellent match with a rather confident Hayashi pulling out everything until Kidman saw an opening. Bravo, gentlemen!
After the match, Onoo climbs into the ring and assaults Hayashi before Kidman sends him packing.
We revisit Nitro again and the drama between Bagwell and Big Poppa Pump. Afterward, Rick encountered a foe he never thought he’d imagined—Chucky.
Video airs featuring Hogan/Warrior.
“The Cat” Ernest Miller enters the ring, grabs the microphone, and claims to be the “greatest.” As he runs down Jackie Chan, he makes a blanket challenge. A plant emerges, but Miller takes his head off with a thrust kick and pummels the guy until WCW Security removes him.
POINT OF ORDER: The reason that Onoo made efforts to recruit Miller last week was because WCW was trying to court Jackie Chan. On the other hand, Chan doesn’t want to do pro wrestling. In addition, this was a warning from WCW to fans who think they can jump into the ring. My take? You’re not part of the show. Just remain in your seat and enjoy it.
Match 5: Chavo Guerrero, Jr. (w/ Pepe) versus Prince Iaukea
Highlights:
- Iaukea reversed an Irish whip, leapfrogged Chavo, and chopped him into bits.
- When Iaukea dropkicked him, Chavo sought refuge on the floor with Pepe.
- Chavo attempted a sunset flip, but they were too close to the ropes.
- POINT OF ORDER: Rarely, I acknowledge chin locks as they’re usually in-ring strategy sessions; however, during the chin lock in this match, Chavo gave Iaukea a wet willie. HA!
- As Iaukea exacted his revenge with a dry willie, he grabbed Pepe.
- Chavo begged for mercy, so Iaukea placed Pepe in the opposite corner.
- After Chavo took advantage of the distraction, he clotheslined Iaukea and rode Pepe.
- The broadcast team unleashed a few horse jokes, and Iaukea hooked a rolling clutch for 2.
- While he scored with a cross body block, Iaukea got another 2.
- He trapped Chavo with a victory roll but couldn’t get 3.
- Feeding Chavo a Samoan drop, Iaukea got reversed on an Irish whip.
- Chavo charged but ate foot.
- Bouncing Iaukea off the mat with a springboard bulldog, Chavo mounted the top turnbuckle.
- Iaukea disrupted his balance, joined, but Chavo blocked a superplex.
- Instead, Chavo demolished him with a tornado DDT.
- 1-2-3.
- Chavo won at 6:37.
Rating: **
Summary: Hate to say it, but the highlight of the match was—the Wet Willie!
Cinnaburst sponsors the replay.
WWE Network must not be a fan of cross-promotion as Chucky’s plug for Bride of Chucky was extricated. In addition, an ad for the WCW Mastercard was extricated. Where’s the WWE Visa?
Video #2 airs featuring Goldberg/DDP.
In the ring, Schiavone interviews DDP who enjoys being the underdog and cuts a promo on Goldberg.
Match 6: Dean Malenko versus Stevie Ray (w/ Vincent)
Highlights:
- Buffer rumbled and rambled.
- As Malenko fell for Vincent’s distraction, Stevie Ray ambushed and fed him a big boot.
- He distracted referee Mickey Jay allowing Vincent to give Malenko the business on the floor. SNEAKY!
- When Stevie Ray applied a bear hug, Thunder took a commercial break.
- We return to Stevie Ray giving Malenko a cross corner whip so hard that the ring may have broken.
- After he dealt Malenko a sidewalk slam, Stevie Ray got 2.
- He distracted Jay again, so Vincent belted Malenko. How dastardly!
- While he landed an elbow drop, Stevie got another 2.
- Malenko rebounded with a belly-to-back suplex and attempted a sunset flip.
- Thwarting that effort, Stevie Ray caught Malenko in a standing choke.
- He converted back to the bear hug, released, and gave Malenko another cross corner whip.
- Trying to slam him, Stevie Ray lost the battle of momentum, and Malenko landed on top for 2.
- Stevie Ray clotheslined him and gave him yet another cross corner whip.
- This time, Malenko floated to the apron, mounted the top turnbuckle, and uncorked a missile dropkick.
- Stevie Ray reversed an Irish whip and attempted another big boot.
- However, Malenko caught the leg and secured a Texas Cloverleaf.
- Before Stevie Ray could submit, Vincent jumped into the ring to interfere.
- Jay called for the bell, and Malenko won by DQ at 5:09.
Rating: **
Summary: Heatless main event as neither wrestler is accustomed to using physical charisma to generate crowd response.
Following the match, Scott Norton arrived to attack Malenko. nWo Hollywood triple-teams Malenko until the Four Horsemen storm the ring to chase them away. That woke up the Indy faithful! As Arn Anderson grabs the microphone, he advises Bischoff to “finish the job” if his goons are going to take out a Horseman.
Arn promises to take WCW back, and Ric Flair reaccuses Bischoff of abuse of power. Before the show leaves the air, Flair puts over Malenko who offers a few words.
Conclusion: With the exception of the Kidman-Hayashi match, this was a completely skippable episode. The Horsemen put the exclamation point on the main event with their charisma; otherwise, you wouldn’t want to waste your time on the other matches.
Stay tuned for WWF Sunday Night HeAT 10-18-98!
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