WCW Monday Nitro 07-13-98

Hosted by Tony Schiavone, Larry Zbyszko, “Iron” Mike Tenay, & Bobby “The Brain” Heenan

Can Hennig achieve greatness by defeating the mighty Goldberg for the World title? Who does Hogan blacklist? And what becomes of it? What’s next for Bagwell? What about Jericho? And who makes his return? Ready to dig in?

While the announcers discuss Goldberg, the Las Vegas faithful chants “We Want Flair.” Amen, brother.

We revisit last week when Goldberg stunned the world by winning the World title.

“Hollywood” Hogan, accompanied by nWo Hollywood, heads to the ring. Great dress on Elizabeth! As he sings his own praises for winning last night, Hogan cuts a promo on Goldberg. He calls out Hall for dropping the ball last week and challenges him TONIGHT.

Without hesitation, Hall accepts and throws Hogan’s defeat last week back in his face. Aggravated, Hogan names Bischoff as the special guest referee despite his objections.

Disciple calls out DDP saying he received 47 stitches last week. Meanwhile, Hall returns backstage on his own.

We revisit stills of the PPV when Hogan and Rodman stole the victory from DDP and Malone thanks to Disciple.

Horace gave Barbarian a cross corner whip but came up empty on his follow-through.
When Barbarian distracted referee Billy Silverman, Hart gave Horace the business. SNEAKY!
Barbarian fed Horace an overhead belly-to-belly suplex, and Lodi further distracted Silverman.
As Horace retrieved his STOP sign, he WALLOPED Barbarian with it. How dastardly!
He clotheslined Barbarian and got 2.
After he slammed Barbarian, Horace mounted the top turnbuckle and splashed him for another 2.
Hart jumped onto the apron to prevent the pin, so Horace creamed him.
While Hart took his turn distracting Silverman, Lodi gave Horace the STOP sign, but Horace ate both a big boot and the sign simultaneously.
1-2-3.
Barbarian won at 2:05.

After the match, the Flock ambushes Barbarian until Meng returns! He fights off the Flock and cleans house. Barbarian quickly tries to hold a reunion, but Meng applies the Tongan death grip to him. Beware the monster Meng!

Again, we revisit stills from the PPV as Goldberg flattened Hennig to retain the World title.

At the entrance, “Mean” Gene Okerlund interviews Hennig along with Rude. According to Rude, “somebody canceled my flight” for the show last night and accuses Goldberg. Hennig states he has found Goldberg’s weakness and challenges him to a rematch by himself. As Hennig reassures Rude of his decision, he’s ready to become World champion…again.

We revisit more stills from the PPV when Mysterio beat Jericho for the Cruiserweight title.

At the entrance, Okerlund interviews JJ Dillon and Mysterio. Jericho emerges with the WCW rule book and cites that since a suspended Malenko affected last night’s title match, the outcome is “null and void.” Dismayed, Dillon authorizes the rule should stand and returns the title to Jericho.

Suddenly, Malenko appears while Jericho kisses the belt. Jericho suggests a #1 contender match between Malenko and Mysterio TONIGHT.

In the ring, the Nitro Girls perform another routine, and Schiavone crowns Andrew Lang of San Diego the Nitro party pack winner this week. His video follows.

We revisit the 6/15 episode when Hogan and Bischoff destroyed Randy Savage’s knee requiring surgery. Yep, they can put Savage on TV but not Flair.

Duggan dealt Fuller a double sledge and clotheslined him over the top rope to the floor.
As Fuller rebounded with his own clothesline, he slammed Duggan.
He mounted the second turnbuckle, leaped, but came up empty.
When Duggan fed him the ten-punch count-along, he delivered a second double sledge.
He scored with a three-point stance clothesline followed by an Old Glory knee drop.
1-2-3.
Duggan won at 1:48.

Summary: Showcase match for Duggan. Say what you want about Duggan in 1998 WCW, but he still garnered a reaction.

We revisit last week’s episode when Buff Bagwell returned in a neck brace and wheelchair to cut a babyface promo alongside his mother in his hometown. When we return to Vegas, Okerlund stands at the entrance to interview him alongside his doctor—Michael Ciepiela. Bagwell’s confused about the nWo situation but wants to face Rick Steiner when he makes his in-ring return.

Amid some barking, Rick Steiner, wearing a sling on his right arm, emerges. Before Bagwell can say more than a few words, Hogan and Disciple storm out, and Hogan chastises Bagwell about being “nWo 4 life.” Upon calling him “cream puff Bagwell,” Hogan shoves him and the wheelchair down. How absolutely sickening! While the Vegas crowd chants “Hogan sucks,” Ciepiela and Steiner assist Bagwell back into the wheelchair. Hogan…

POINT OF ORDER: At this point, I would say that Bagwell is a babyface. He must remain in this character going forward and perhaps challenge Hogan in a one-on-one match upon his return.

We revisit stills from last night when Bret battled Booker T but got disqualified. According to Tenay, Booker T suffered a torn meniscus and a second-degree tear of the MCL. His prognosis for recovery following arthroscopic surgery should be four to six weeks.

Finlay floored Bret with a short-arm clothesline and knee drop.
When the match segued to the floor, Bret used his trick knee to take over. Devilishly clever!
He rammed Finlay face-first into the steps and made him taste the steel railing. It must have tasted like the Chowzilla at Sickie’s Garage.
As they returned to the ring, Bret dealt Finlay a backbreaker.
Finlay rebounded with a slam and an elbow drop, but the Vegas faithful chanted “we want Flair.”

After Bret gave Finlay a cross corner whip, he ate boot on his follow-through.
Finlay fed Bret another short-arm clothesline and got 2.
While Bret reversed an Irish whip, he dealt Finlay an inverted atomic drop and clothesline.
Bret applied a Sharpshooter, and Finlay tapped out at 4:28.

Nitro Girls dance at the entrance wearing gold while Schiavone shills the Nitro party contest.

Eerily, this match has some infamy to it.
As Stevie Ray made his entrance, he carried the World TV title belt held by his brother, Booker T.
Returning from a severe knee injury, Martel last wrestled in February at SuperBrawl VIII.
Stevie Ray reversed a cross corner whip but ate a knee to the midsection on his follow-through.
When Martel leaped to the second turnbuckle, he launched a flying clothesline.
Stevie Ray gave Martel a cross corner whip but came up empty on his follow-through.
After Stevie Ray tossed him between the ropes to the floor, he leaped from the apron and fed Martel a double axe handle.
Following a commercial break, Martel hooked a sunset flip for 2.
He clotheslined Stevie Ray and followed with a dropkick for another 2.
While Martel attempted a cross body block, Stevie Ray caught and powerslammed him.
Stevie Ray missed an elbow drop, so Martel backdropped him.
Connecting with a back elbow, Martel got 2.
He gave Stevie Ray a cross corner whip but ate a back elbow during his follow-through.
Eating a thrust kick, Martel escaped a slam and dealt Stevie Ray a belly-to-back suplex.
Martel hooked a Boston crab, but Bret sprinted to ringside and CROWNED him with a chair. Nefarious!
With Martel OUT COLD, Stevie Ray delivered a Slapjack.
1-2-3.
Stevie Ray won at 6:45 shown.

Summary: Good psychology by Martel, but Bret’s interference helped Stevie Ray to victory. What could that mean? Unfortunately for Martel, he “injured his neck” during this match and had to retire. Thanks for a brilliant career, Rick. Both your Model and AWA champion days are fondly remembered by yours truly.

At the entrance, Okerlund interviews Stevie Ray who states that Booker T’s in a hospital “from an injury he received last night.” In regard to carrying the World TV belt, Stevie Ray claims Booker T “gave (him) power of attorney to defend” the title.

We revisit even more stills from last night when the Wolfpack humiliated the Dancing Fools.

Prior to the next match, Konnan grabs the microphone and shares his catchphrases with the Vegas faithful to a decent reaction.

Darsow blasted Konnan from behind, wrapped the arm around the top rope, and threatened to “break his stinkin’ arm off.”

When he clotheslined Konnan, Darsow got 2.
He gave Konnan a cross corner whip but came up empty on his follow-through.
As Konnan fed him a somersault clothesline, he followed with a seated dropkick.
He leapfrogged Darsow and rammed him face-first into the mat.
After Konnan hooked a Tequila Sunrise, Darsow tapped out.
Konnan won at 1:58.

In the ring, Okerlund mentions the Las Vegas faithful are “literally hanging from the rafters.” HA! He interviews DDP who accepts Disciple’s challenge.

Disciple entered the ring, but DDP attacked him immediately.
As DDP dealt him a belly-to-back suplex, Disciple responded with a shot down I-15 SOUTH.
Disciple piledrove DDP, and “Ravishing” Rick Rude joined the match at ringside.
When DDP rebounded with a jawbreaker, he mounted the top turnbuckle.
Since referee Scott Dickinson was distracted, Rude crotched DDP on the top rope. Evil!
Disciple tried to ram him into Rude on the apron, but DDP turned the tables ramming the heels into one another.
With Rude sprawled on the floor, DDP rolled up Disciple.
1-2-3.
DDP won at 2:25.

Summary: Quick match for DDP to both get revenge against Disciple for last night and regain his babyface heat.

After the match, DDP celebrates among and throughout the Las Vegas faithful. Before returning backstage, DDP gets WALLOPED by Hogan with a steel chair. Vincent assists Hogan who continues to lay waste to DDP with chair shots. Methinks it’s not over between these two.

Raven nailed Kanyon from behind in the aisle, and Saturn pounded Raven.
When Saturn rammed Kanyon back-first into the steel railing, he joined Raven in the ring and fed him a head-and-arm suplex.
Kanyon joined the fray and dealt Saturn a swinging neckbreaker.
As Saturn landed a series of kicks to him in the corner, Kanyon pancaked him.
He flapjacked Raven, but Saturn clotheslined him sending both over the top rope to the floor.
After Saturn located a table from under the ring, he set it up and placed Kanyon atop it.
Saturn mounted the top turnbuckle and launched a splash sending Kanyon through the table on the floor.
While Lodi tossed Saturn back into the ring, Raven hoisted Saturn atop the top turnbuckle and attempted a superplex.
Saturn blocked it and shoved Raven down to the mat.
Crotching Saturn on the top turnbuckle, Kanyon mounted the adjacent top turnbuckle, leaped, but missed a splash.
Saturn, perched atop the top turnbuckle, successfully splashed Raven for 2.
Lifting Saturn onto the top turnbuckle, Kanyon joined him.
Raven, seizing the opportunity, lifted both wrestlers for a triple suplex. Amazing!
Getting 2 on Kanyon, Raven subsequently earned a 2-count on Saturn.
Kanyon scored with a Flatliner, but Saturn dropkicked him to make the save.
Destroying Raven with a Death Valley Driver, Saturn couldn’t get 3 because Kanyon yanked him down to the floor.
Saturn made Kanyon taste the steel railing. It must have tasted like the Kilcooly at Ri Ra.
Since WCW doesn’t understand the rules of triple-threat matches, referee Billy Silverman called for the bell.
Raven won by countout at 5:42.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Summary: Kanyon got his spots in, Saturn did the heavy lifting, and Raven survived to get a cheap win.

After the match, Kanyon and Saturn fought one another back to the broadcast booth before heading to commercial.

Malenko gave Mysterio a cross corner whip and countered a flying headscissors with a sidewalk slam for 2.
As Mysterio evaded him, Malenko spilled out of the ring.
Mysterio fed Malenko a somersault plancha, tossed him back into the ring, whiffed on a huracanrana, and paid for it with a Malenko tilt-a-whirl backbreaker.
When Malenko attempted a Texas Cloverleaf, Mysterio countered with an inside cradle for 2.
Malenko used momentum to land on top and got 2.
After Mysterio hooked a rollup with a bridge, he got 2.
He gave Malenko a cross corner whip, got vaulted by Malenko, but missed the landing on the top rope. Damn, that would have been incredible.
Instead, Malenko rolled him up for 2.
Mysterio reversed a cross corner whip but got vaulted to the apron.
While he mounted the top turnbuckle, Malenko caught him, blocked a super huracanrana, and demolished him with a super gutbuster.
Abruptly, Jericho raced to ringside and whipped Malenko in the back with the title belt.
1-2-3.
Mysterio won at 5:33.

Summary: Although it’s a typical Malenko/Mysterio match, it’s always chocolatey good stuff. Jericho’s screwing over Malenko makes Mysterio the #1 contender.

Prior to the next match, Wright speaks in German while Disco complains about Wolfpack interference from last night. They demand Nash and Luger in the ring RIGHT NOW. Folks, they must have left their brains back at the hotel.

Match 9 “Big Sexy” Kevin Nash & the “Total Package” Lex Luger (w/ Konnan & Sting) versus the Dancing Fools

Wright celebrated after an arm drag, so Luger made him pay for it with a clothesline.
When he hip-tossed Wright, Luger backdropped him.
Disco tagged in and got clotheslined.
As Konnan tossed Disco back into the ring, he rammed Wright face-first into the apron.
He sent Wright stomach-first into the steel railing, and Sting SQUISHED him like a bug with a Stinger splash.
After Luger clotheslined Disco from the apron, Nash decimated Disco with a big boot.
Luger placed Wright in a Torture Rack, and Nash jackknife-powerbombed Disco.
While Nash pinned Disco with a foot on his chest, he and Luger won at 2:36.

Summary: Complete SQUASH of the Dancing Fools for the second night in a row.

We revisit Thunder when Mongo pleaded for the return of the Four Horsemen including Arn’s promo at Fall Brawl ’95. Hey! There’s a Flair mention albeit an archived one.

Eddie dropkicked Mongo twice with the second being to the back.
As he clotheslined Mongo, Eddie got reversed on an Irish whip and slammed.
Mongo suplexed Eddie, yet a BALD Chavo rode Pepe down the aisle to a tremendous response.
When Mongo gave Eddie a cross corner whip, he followed with a three-point stance tackle.
Mongo fell victim to Chavo’s distraction allowing Eddie to dropkick Mongo’s knee.
After Eddie mounted the top turnbuckle, Chavo rode Pepe into the ring.
Referee Nick Patrick called for the bell and threw the match out at 2:13.

Following the match, Eddie dropkicks Chavo into Mongo, so Mongo pounds Chavo into a pile of goo. He spikes Chavo with a tombstone and puts the cowboy hat atop him. Don’t mess with Mongo!

Eric Bischoff was the special guest referee yet wore a Hogan t-shirt.

Also, Buffer rambled and rumbled.
I’m surprised this didn’t score the main event.
Nevertheless, the Vegas faithful LOUDLY chanted “Hogan sucks.”
Their enemy countered a Hall arm bar with a clothesline.
When he gave Hall a cross corner whip, Hogan followed with a corner clothesline.
Hogan reversed an Irish whip and sent Hall back-first into some Disciple interference.
Of course, Bischoff did ZILCH about it.
Hogan fed Hall an atomic drop and rolled him up for 2.
As Disciple interfered again, Bischoff barely administered him a warning.
Hall gave Hogan a cross corner whip and followed with his own corner clothesline.
After Hall dealt him a fallaway slam, Bischoff refused to count the pin.
Hall turned his attention to Bischoff, so Hogan trapped him in a choke sleeper.
While Hall reversed it into his own choke sleeper, Bischoff broke the hold immediately.
Hogan sent Hall on a trip down I-15 SOUTH twice and delivered a big boot.
To a raucous ovation, DDP slid into the ring and flattened Hogan with a discus clothesline.
Disciple intervened, but DDP annihilated him.
Grabbing Bischoff, DDP wiped him out with a Diamond Cutter.
Hogan and Disciple double-teamed DDP until Nash came to his aid.
Once Nash cleaned house, he exchanged Wolfpack greetings with Hall to big cheers.
Nash attempted to jackknife-powerbomb Hogan, but Hall nailed him. SWERVE!
With help from Vincent and Disciple, Hogan finished off DDP with a leg drop.
Hall continued to hammer Nash, and the Vegas faithful chanted for Goldberg.

Match 12 for the WCW World title: Goldberg (champion) versus Curt Hennig (w/o “Ravishing” Rick Rude)

Buffer rambled and rumbled again.
As Goldberg made his entrance, he was escorted by Doug Dellinger and some of Vegas’ finest.
Hennig slapped him, so Goldberg responded with a spear.
When he fed Hennig a Jackhammer, Goldberg became 113-0 at 1:22.

As the program ends, Goldberg holds the World title belt overhead to both fireworks and rejoice from the Vegas faithful.

Conclusion: Goldberg = ratings plus reactions, so WCW’s going to push him as highly as possible. Hogan’s determination to be the #1 heel bled throughout the entire episode. The Hall swerve wasn’t expected, so it should lead to a big match down the line.

The Jericho title shenanigans did its job pissing off the fans and myself, so critically I can’t argue against it. Hopefully, Mysterio gets the better of him soon. In the meantime, Stevie Ray’s “ownership” of the TV title provides a stopgap while Booker T gets his knee scoped. It doesn’t go unnoticed that Flair’s absence hurts WCW from a ratings perspective. His return can’t be too far in the future, can it?