WCW Monday Nitro 07-20-98

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

Who will win the vacant US title? What happens when nWo Hollywood and the Wolfpack interact? Do we have any update on Bagwell? Plus nWo Nightcap! Pop the top on a cold one and enjoy!

Following fireworks, Scott Hall emerges and enters the ring. Amid boos, he cuts a Gilligan’s Island promo on Kevin Nash—“you’re not half the man Hollywood Hogan is.”

Schiavone announces that DDP and Bret will square off for the vacant US title TONIGHT while the SLC faithful chanted “Gold-berg.”

We revisit last week’s episode when Hogan challenged Hall leading to Hall’s swerve of his buddy Nash.

Stevie Ray cut a quick promo on his way to the ring saying he left the World TV title belt with Booker T.
For those unaware, Boone was the former “Bore-us” Malenko.
Stevie Ray hung Boone out to dry on the top rope, bicycle-kicked him in the mouth, and made him taste the steel railing. It must have tasted like the Lambert burger at Squatters.
When he gave Boone a HARD cross corner whip, Stevie Ray referred to Boone as “#8 on the list.” HA!
Suddenly, Chavo Guerrero, Jr. appears while resembling the Lone Ranger.
With Stevie Ray distracted, Boone rolled him up for 2.
Stevie Ray clotheslined Boone, but Chavo paraded around with the World TV title belt.

As Stevie Ray planted him with a Slapjack, he pinned Boone at 1:59.

After the match, Stevie Ray chases Chavo back to the locker room. In the process, Chavo dropped the belt.

Following a commercial break, they replay the entire segment where Bagwell got upended. Afterward, back in SLC, “Mean” Gene Okerlund interviews the “Dog-Faced Gremlin” Rick Steiner who discusses his brother Scott a.k.a. Big Poppa Pump. Rick challenges BPP to a match at the PPV.

Abruptly, WCW trainer Danny Young wheels Buff Bagwell out, and Rick speaks to him apologetically. Bagwell appeals to the SLC faithful and forgives Rick for the accident. After they shake hands and embrace, BPP runs in and CLOCKS Rick with a chair to the head. Did he owe him money?

Nevertheless, Bagwell pleads to BPP not to nail Rick again and takes the chair from him. From out of nowhere, Bagwell CREAMS Rick with the chair. SWERVE! WE HAVE A HEEL TURN! Bagwell rips off the cervical collar and black t-shirt to reveal an nWo Hollywood t-shirt. Oh, brother. To punctuate the new partnership, BPP blasts his brother again with the chair.

POINT OF ORDER: And with that, ladies and gentlemen, Bagwell’s career never recovered. Instead of embracing a tremendous face turn and possibly being a future opponent for Hogan, Bagwell chooses to remain a heel as well as dwell in the midcard. Sorry, Buff, but this was the WRONG decision. It may have appeared to be a storyline, but this swerve halted any future upward mobility for him.

Still at the entrance, Okerlund interviews Chris Jericho who cuts a promo on Dean Malenko. Next week, he’ll defend the Cruiserweight title against Malenko, but it’ll be Malenko’s final chance.

Hall invades the broadcast table and besmirches Zbyszko. As he runs down Nash again, Hall questions Nash’s manhood. Before the segment ends, Zbyszko defends the broadcast table from Hall while a wrecked car is shown with “Star of the Show” pasted on the wall.

Following the commercial break, Schiavone clarifies that the car may have been a “slap in the face to Jay Leno.”

Prior to the bell, Lodi distracted Mongo and tried to hit him with his sign. HA!
Since that didn’t work, Sick Boy jumped from the apron and nailed Mongo from behind. SNEAKY!
In the ring, Mongo clotheslined him, but Sick Boy rebounded with a springboard back elbow for 2.
Mongo reversed an Irish whip and PLANTED Sick Boy with a modified sidewalk slam that was not called whatsoever by Schiavone.
As he fed Sick Boy a pair of three-point stance tackles, Mongo dealt him a tombstone piledriver.
1-2-3.
Mongo won at 1:28.

We revisit Thunder when Malenko asked Arn Anderson to reform the Horsemen. In response, Arn gives an emotional and passionate promo exposing his neck scar.

nWo Nightcap: Bischoff steals Leno’s monologue to a horrible response from the SLC faithful and mocks him.

POINT OF ORDER: I understand that this is all a setup to get Leno in the ring at the PPV, but this was a complete waste of time.

We revisit the Nash interview that aired on Thunder, but Hall steals the tape from the production truck and tosses it at Nash. Beside the truck, they brawl and Nash rams Hall into a garage door. As the melee continues, Nash tosses Hall into a trailer. Rude and Hennig emerge from the trailer, and nWo Hollywood ambushes Nash. nWo Wolfpack joins the fray, and a fracas erupts while the sun continues to shine in SLC. It’s only 7pm! This leads to a World tag team title match later.

Next, Bret invades the broadcast table. Why is this a thing when almost 10,000 folks paid to see these guys live? Regardless, he calls out DDP “right here, right now.” Backstage, Konnan discovers a fallen DDP and LOUDLY summons help. Bret, in disbelief, heads to the ring, and JJ Dillon ultimately follows. While the SLC faithful LOUDLY chants “D-D-P,” Dillon leaves the ring allegedly having told Bret to wait.

Saturn blocked a hip toss and hooked a Northern Lights suplex for 2.
When he hip-tossed Nagata, Saturn applied a cross arm breaker, but Nagata made the ropes.
Saturn unleashed a series of kicks in the corner, but Nagata reversed an Irish whip and fed Saturn an overhead belly-to-belly suplex.
As Saturn uncorked a release German suplex, Nagata dealt him a big boot for 2.
Nagata delivered a side salto, gave Saturn a cross corner whip, but came up empty on his follow-through.
After Saturn hooked an inside cradle, he got 2.
He stymied Nagata with a head-and-arm suplex for another 2.
While Saturn scored with a superkick, Onoo jumped onto the apron to distract referee Charles Robinson.
Suddenly, Raven hit the ring and destroyed Saturn with an Evenflow DDT.
Nagata locked the Nagatalock upon Saturn and got the pin at 3:23.

Summary: Saturn’s workrate stood the test until the interference by Raven.

Afterward, the Flock joins Raven in the ring to annihilate Saturn, but Kanyon arrives to save Saturn’s bacon. He takes the Flock down one-by-one including a second rope piledriver. Holy shitballs! The SLC faithful erupts as Tenay steals one of my catchphrases.

Kanyon helps him up, but Saturn deals Kanyon a Death Valley driver. After all, he doesn’t want Kanyon messing with his business.

We revisit Thunder again with Bret’s promo followed by his destruction of Mysterio.

Prior to the next match, Nash grabs the microphone and riles up the SLC faithful.

Match 4 for the WCW World tag team titles: “Big Sexy” Kevin Nash & Sting versus Scott Hall & Giant

Giant gave Nash a cross corner whip followed by a corner clothesline.
As Nash reversed a cross corner whip, he fed Giant some of his own medicine.
He dealt Giant a big boot and nailed an incoming Hall.
When tags were exchanged on both sides, Sting clotheslined Hall.
Following a commercial break, Giant tagged in, and the SLC faithful derided him.
Giant charged at Sting in the corner but came up empty.
After Sting delivered a Stinger splash, he attempted a second one only to eat a HUGE boot in mid-air.
Sting attempted a cross body block but just BOUNCED off Giant.
While Giant split Sting’s uprights, Hall tagged in and paint-brushed Sting.
He hit a fallaway slam and got 2 with his feet on the bottom rope. Crafty!
Applying a Giant-assisted abdominal stretch, Hall was forced to release the hold when referee Mark Curtis caught their shenanigans.
Tags were exchanged on both sides again, and Nash knocked Giant silly.
Tagging in, Hall succumbed to a big boot from Nash.
Speaking of Nash, he attempted a jackknife powerbomb, but Giant intervened.
All four wrestlers were in the ring, and Sting walloped Giant down I-15 SOUTH to Provo.
Mounting the top turnbuckle, Sting bulldogged Giant.
Hot tag Sting.
He launched a pair of Stinger splashes to Hall and applied a Scorpion death lock.
With Nash cutting off Giant’s path, Bret snuck into the ring to distract Sting.
Like an idiot, Sting climbed onto the second turnbuckle turning his back to the ring.

Meanwhile, Nash clotheslined Giant over the top rope to the floor and joined him.
That allowed Hall to reach his feet and flatten Sting with an Outsider Edge.
1-2-3.
Hall and Giant won at 9:39.
WE HAVE NEW CHAMPIONS!

Summary: Thanks to Bret, Hall and Nash steal the titles from the beloved Wolfpack.

Missing from the show is a preview for the PPV featuring the performance of Travis Tritt.

Muta and Chono ambushed the Fools at the bell, and Muta uncorked his patented flash elbow to Wright.
When the Japanese duo double-chopped him, Wright reversed a cross corner whip and fed Chono a spinning heel kick.
Disco tagged in, but Chono dealt him a big boot.
As Muta tagged in, Disco reversed an Irish whip and delivered a swinging neckbreaker to him for 2.
Chono attacked Disco from behind allowing Muta to destroy Disco’s knee with a dragon screw leg whip.
After Muta applied a leg bar, Disco submitted.
Muta and Chono won at 2:12.

Following the match, Scott Norton emerges, enters the ring, and powerslams Wright. Afterward, he destroys Disco with a powerbomb.

Nitro Girls dance in all black at the entrance, but trainer Danny Young intercepts Kimberly.

Dragon attacked Tokyo before the bell. What is this? A Godzilla movie?

Nonetheless, Tokyo reversed an Irish whip, leapfrogged Dragon, but encountered a leg whip.
Dragon gave Tokyo a cross corner whip, charged, and performed a headstand on the top turnbuckle.
Will Tokyo be stupid enough to fall for the mule kick?
If you answered yes, you’d be correct, and Tokyo failed another test.
Dragon unleashed a series of kicks, slammed Tokyo, and punted him in the back twice.
As Dragon gave Tokyo another cross corner whip, Tokyo caught and placed him atop the top turnbuckle.
He joined and fed Dragon a super huracanrana for 2. Woohoo!
When he slammed Dragon, Tokyo mounted the top turnbuckle, leaped, but ate a dropkick in mid-air.
Dragon demolished Tokyo with a brainbuster and applied a Dragon sleeper.
After Tokyo submitted, Dragon won at 2:27.

Summary: Tokyo’s one of Dragon’s students; thus, the teacher took the student to school. By destroying Tokyo, Ultimo Dragon is truly Godzilla.

Powers fed Norton a knee lift that was barely sold.
When Norton reversed an Irish whip, he powerslammed Powers.
He dealt Powers a short-arm clothesline, gave him a cross corner whip, but came up empty on his follow-through.
As he charged Powers, Norton ate a back elbow.
Another Norton charge netted a boot for Powers.
After Powers clotheslined him twice, Norton no-sold both attempts.
Norton delivered a Samoan drop and powerbombed Powers.
1-2-3.
Norton won at 2:30.

Bischoff leads Hogan along with the rest of nWo Hollywood to the ring. As Bischoff besmirches Karl Malone, Hogan spouts his nonsense. The SLC faithful chants “Hogan sucks,” yet their nemesis won’t SHUT THE FUCK UP. He praises Bagwell and BPP’s dedication and cuts a promo on Goldberg. Next, he tells Leno to “take a back seat, Jack” and promises that Bret will win the US title later. He had the temerity to call Chono and Muta the “East-West Connection.” Adrian Adonis is rolling over in his grave.

Prior to the next match, Konnan grabs the microphone, runs down his catchphrases, and hands it to Carr who finishes them off for him much to the delight of the SLC faithful.

With Konnan distracted by Carr, Eddie dropkicked him in the back.
Eddie clotheslined Konnan, and the SLC faithful chanted “Eddie sucks.”
As Konnan fed Eddie a flapjack, he followed with a gorilla press slam.
Eddie sought refuge on the floor but had to apply the brakes when he approached Carr.
When Konnan leapfrogged him, he monkey-flipped Eddie across the ring.
He dealt Eddie a belly-to-back suplex and got 2.
After Konnan reversed an Irish whip, he leapfrogged Eddie and planted him face-first into the mat for another 2.
He delivered a somersault clothesline but couldn’t get 3.
Oh. My. God. Chavo emerged through the entrance wearing some of Konnan’s garb. HA!
Konnan vaulted Eddie chin-first into the top turnbuckle, clotheslined him, and earned another 2-count.
While Chavo distracted Konnan, Eddie took advantage and suplexed him.
Chavo jumped onto the apron, but Eddie stole Pepe from him. Larceny!
Wiping out Chavo from the apron, Konnan blocked a Pepe shot and whacked Eddie.
Referee Billy Silverman called for the bell and disqualified Konnan.
Hence, Eddie won at 4:28.

Summary: You could see the great chemistry between Konnan and Eddie, but the Chavo sports-entertainment finish strikes again.

After the match, Konnan tosses Pepe at Chavo and launches Eddie over the top rope with a back drop. You can tell that Eddie lived for his art.

Match 9: The “Total Package” Lex Luger versus Curt Hennig (w/ “Ravishing” Rick Rude)

Luger reversed a cross corner whip and hip-tossed Hennig.
When Luger grabbed him on the floor, Hennig retaliated by guillotining him with the top rope.
Hennig fed Luger a knee lift and distracted referee Charles Robinson.
As that occurred, Rude gave Luger the business. How dastardly!
Henning snapped Luger’s neck and got 2.
After Hennig hooked a sleeper, Luger countered with a belly-to-back suplex.
He dealt Hennig an atomic drop followed by an inverted atomic drop. Poor Mrs. Hennig.
While he delivered a series of clotheslines, Luger reversed a cross corner whip sending Hennig directly into Robinson.
Luger flattened Hennig with a forearm, and Rude entered the ring.
Placing Rude in the Torture Rack, Luger electrified the SLC faithful.
Hennig interfered and applied a Hennigplex.
Meanwhile, Rude held Luger’s leg unbeknownst to Robinson. Ingenious!
1-2-3.
Hennig won at 5:24.

Summary: It’s the theme of the night as nWo Hollywood continues to flourish by any means necessary.

Match 10 for the vacant US title: Diamond Dallas Page versus Bret “the Hitman” Hart

Buffer rambled and rumbled.
During Buffer’s introductions, referee Scott Dickinson stalled him for time.
Limping to the ring, DDP looked worse than a long night on the Jersey shore.

Bret dismantled him from the onset despite the SLC’s chant of “D-D-P.”
As Bret fed him a side-Russian leg sweep, he followed with a leg drop.
Bret applied a Sharpshooter, but DDP somehow, someway made the ropes.
When Bret reapplied it, DDP fought as hard as he could but reluctantly submitted.
Bret won at 2:51.
WE HAVE A NEW CHAMPION!

Summary: DDP was a one-legged man in an ass-kicking contest and had ZERO chance to win thanks to Bret’s earlier chicanery.

POINT OF ORDER: Although Bret came to WCW with five world titles under his belt, WCW still made him climb the ladder. Here he became the US champion a.k.a. the #1 contender for the World title.

Following the match, EMTs bring a stretcher to the ring to remove DDP from the ring. nWo Hollywood joins Bret in the ring to celebrate. Before DDP can be brought backstage, Hall nails him. Nefarious! DDP leaves the arena in an ambulance while nWo Hollywood delights in his defeat.

Conclusion: The good news? Is there any? Yes, two title changes. Bret’s character gets stronger as he directly caused the first title change and had everything to do with the second one. I understand wrestling must build up its heels so that it makes the babyfaces really strong when they dish out their comeuppance; however, it’s demoralizing to watch the babyfaces get destroyed as often and as brutally as possible. This was a strong episode with a HEAVY focus on nWo Hollywood.

For those curious, in the dark main event, Goldberg successfully defended the World title by defeating Giant. I understand giving the folks in the arena a feel-good moment to end the evening, but the WORLD CHAMPION belongs on Nitro.