Monday Night War week 4

Hosted by Eric Bischoff, Bobby “The Brain” Heenan, and Steve “Mongo” McMichael

A recurring trend is born as Ric Flair interrupts the announcing team and calls out Arn Anderson. We then see the face-to-face confrontation from two weeks ago between Savage and Luger. Afterwards we see the Giant’s rampage from last week.

Match 1: “The Total Package” Lex Luger versus “Macho Man” Randy Savage

If Luger loses he leaves WCW. Could anyone foresee Luger in ECW at this time?
Swinging neckbreaker by Luger on the floor.
Inside cradle by Savage.
Gorilla press slam by Luger.
Luger blocked a Savage backslide and countered with one of his own.
Savage mounted the top turnbuckle but ate a shot to the midsection on the way down.
After tossing Luger outside the ring Savage mounted the top turnbuckle and hit the double axe handle.
He then made Luger taste the steel railing. Tasted like the grilled Bavette steak at Fruition.
Luger sent Savage into the ring post.
Ref bump.
Savage mounted the top turnbuckle and hit the big elbow.
No ref.
The Giant made his way to the ring.
He then gave Savage a chokeslam.
Luger picked Savage up and put him in the Torture Rack.
Luger won.

Summary: So last week the Giant chokeslammed Luger. This week he helped him win. Collusion? You make the call!

Check out WCW Saturday Night as Arn Anderson and Brian Pillman face “Dirty” Dick Slater and Bunkhouse Buck (taped 8/30). In addition more on Johnny B. Badd and why he missed his US title shot. Also, “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan will face Big Bubba Rogers (taped 9/20). Check out those taping dates!

Disco Inferno dances by the entrance until Eddie Guerrero’s music plays. Eddie chases Disco away then heads to the ring. He must be a new wave fan.

Highlights from the Main Event between Eddie Guerrero and Jushin “Thunder” Liger are shown (taped 9/7).

Somehow I don’t see these guys equaling their effort from their 2 out of 3 falls match in ECW.
After an excellent exhibition of workrate Malenko delivered a dropkick.
After a cross-corner whip Malenko gave Eddie a powerbomb then rolled him up with a somersault.
As Guerrero clotheslined Malenko we went to split-screen with Hogan’s white limo pulling into the arena. Really? During this match? Where are the Mauler and Steve Doll when you need them?
Hogan emerged from the limo wearing a neck brace. Jimmy Hart warned him to stay in the limo.
Meanwhile back in the ring Guerrero used a headscissors to take both Malenko and himself over the top rope to the floor.
After slamming Malenko on the floor Guerrero mounted the top turnbuckle and delivered a tope. Wow!
Brainbuster by Guerrero.
He then mounted the top turnbuckle, attempted the frog splash, but hit knees.
Standing switch, reversal, repeat, leg trip, pin by Guerrero.

Summary: Too short with an unnecessary interruption to be spectacular; however, these guys are like bread and butter. They certainly know how to make things exciting in the ring. Bravo!

After the match Malenko stops Guerrero from exiting the ring and challenges him to a rematch. Eddie accepts. Excellent!

“Mean” Gene Okerlund is in the ring and interviews Hulk Hogan. The Hulkster wants to rip the Giant apart then walks around the ring shaking hands. A “woman” throws powder in the eyes of Hogan. “She” climbs the rail then nails both Hart and Hogan with a cane.

Meanwhile the Giant and Zodiac make their way to the ring. The “woman” reveals herself to be the Taskmaster. The Giant rips the brace off Hogan then twists his neck again. The Taskmaster then shaves Hogan’s mustache off. Oh the humanity! The American Males try to save Hogan, but the Giant chokeslams Scotty Riggs then Marcus Bagwell. The Nasty Boys hit the ring, but the Giant chokeslams Brian Knobbs. As the Giant chokeslams Jerry Sags Zodiac has a pair of scissors for Hogan’s head. Methinks Warrior watched this episode back in the day.

SCRAPPED due to the Giant’s rampage.

REAL MATCH 3: “Nature Boy” Ric Flair versus “The Enforcer” Arn Anderson

Incredible spot repeated from Fall Brawl: Flair flip but Flair landed on the apron. Arn charged at him, so Flair pulled down the top rope sending Arn to the floor.
He then gave Arn an Irish whip into the steel railing.
Terrible trend for Nitro started here as the announcers completely IGNORED the match to discuss Hulk Hogan.
Flair charged but got backdropped on the floor.
Arn then made Flair taste the steel railing. Tasted like the Benny Goodman at Snooze.
Spinebuster!
Sleeper by Flair reversed into one by Arn.
Belly-to-back suplex by Flair.
Figure-four leg lock by Flair, but Arn grabbed the bottom rope immediately.
Flair mounted the top turnbuckle but only ate a right hand to the midsection on the way down to the floor.
Arn tried a piledriver on the floor but got backdropped.
He then tried a DDT, but Flair held the top rope.
Arn mounted the second turnbuckle but was chopped on the way down.
Figure-four #2 for Flair.
Brian Pillman mounted the top turnbuckle and splashed Flair.
Referee Nick Patrick was forced to disqualify Arn.

Summary: In spite of the poor announcing during the match these guys brought it again. That finish, albeit awful, lets us know that this feud is far from over. Woohoo!

After the match Pillman and Arn attack Flair. It would appear that Arn had some clairvoyance with his remarks last week as no one comes to rescue Flair.

According to Eric WCW Commissioner Nick Bockwinkel has sanctioned a cage match next week between Flair and Arn in Chicago. Also, Sting will face Shark, and Sabu will face Mr. JL. Lastly, Road Warrior Hawk will face Big Bubba Rogers.

Conclusion: As opposed to last week there was much better action this week although the length of the Guerrero-Malenko match was criminally short. I like the appetizer of the Flair-Arn match this week to set up next week’s cage match as well as the build of the Giant-Hogan feud. I wonder how this Nitro stacked up against RAW.

We see the replay of the Smoking Gunns winning the tag titles as the WWF tries extremely hard to make you forget what transpired at the PPV. We then see the finish to the match between Lawrence Taylor and Bam Bam Bigelow at WrestleMania: The Special last Saturday on FOX. According to Meltzer the show scored an amazing 3.8 rating; therefore, I smell more WWF programming on FOX in ‘95/’96.

We revisit the incredible 5/17/1993 episode of RAW where the 1-2-3 Kid pulled off the huge upset over Razor Ramon. From there we see what happened two weeks ago as Dean Douglas enabled the Kid to beat Razor again.

Next we see highlights from the nefarious In Your House 3 PPV where Jean-Pierre Lafitte tried a somersault plancha on Bret Hart but hit nothing but concrete. His Regal roll and cannonball are shown. Next we see highlights from the Ramon-Douglas match where Ramon delivered the Razor’s Edge with the referee down. We then see the big shove by Razor to the Kid that ended up costing him the match.

After a lockup Ramon shoved the Kid over the top rope to the floor. Wow!
A series of kicks in the corner by the Kid.
After a cross-corner whip the Kid delivered more kicks including one to the head.
High cross body block by the Kid countered into a fallaway slam by Ramon.
Another kick by the Kid put Razor down. Upon his kick-out Razor sent the Kid all the way down to the floor.
For the second week in a row Dean Douglas stood by the entrance taking notes.
Leg lariat by the Kid.
Leg drop by the Kid.
Make that 2.
The Kid tried another leg lariat, but Razor ducked.
After a huge clothesline Razor pinned the Kid.
I guess we there was a second fall as the Kid and Razor kept going.
After a reversal of a cross-corner whip Razor clotheslined the Kid in the corner.
Razor then gave the Kid an abdominal stretch.
After getting paint-brushed the Kid slapped the taste out of Razor’s mouth.
During the break the Kid attempted what appeared to be a huracanrana only to receive a powerbomb instead. Again Razor pinned the Kid, but the match kept going.
Belly-to-back suplex from the top rope by Razor.
After teasing a Razor’s Edge Ramon opted for the inside cradle and got a third pin.

Summary: While the second and third “falls” of the match were one-sided this exhibition proved the point that while Ramon was the superior wrestler the Kid deserved some respect.

After the match they confer and seem to agree to a resolution. However, the Kid schoolboys Razor one more time just to prove he was still ripe for the pickin’. Finally they shake hands and call it quits. There’s that buddy system of the Clique that gets mentioned quite a bit.

Vince and Jerry run down the card for In Your House 4 on October 22. Diesel defends the WWF title against the “British Bulldog” Davey Boy Smith. Shawn Michaels defends the Intercontinental title against Dean Douglas. Also, the Undertaker will face King Mabel. Lastly Goldust finally debuts against Marty Jannetty.

Prior to the next match we get highlights from Summerslam where Barry Horowitz upset Skip of the Bodydonnas. From there we revisit last week’s main event where Undertaker was sent into the waiting arms of King Mabel for a belly-to-belly suplex followed by the combination of Bulldog’s patented powerslam and King Mabel’s leg drop.

Vince begs the question: “Can Horowitz defeat Helmsley?” Hunter’s response is “fat chance.”

In the most egregious act of tackiness the WWF promotes a pair of 900 numbers asking for you to vote on the outcome of the O.J. Simpson trial supposedly in the name of charity. Gee, and I thought the end of the PPV was disgusting. This is a new low. Yuck!

Helmsley with an arm bar takedown culminated with a formal bow.
Vince had the gall to state that last week’s RAW received spectacular ratings (*cough* 1.9 *cough*).
Series of European uppercuts by Helmsley.
Knee drop to the head.
Delayed vertical suplex.
Sunset flip by Horowitz.
Flying back elbow by Helmsley.
Backslide by Horowitz.
Upset city, perhaps?
NO! Only 2.
Vicious clothesline by Helmsley.
Thesz press by Horowitz.
Abdominal stretch converted into a pinning attempt got 2 for Horowitz.
After Horowitz ducked his head too soon for a back drop Helmsley countered with the Pedigree.

Summary: A Helmsley squash with a taste of drama from the upset-minded jobber. Not awful, but never in doubt.

PG-13 were the reigning USWA tag team champions and had their sights on the Smoking Gunns.
With that being said get these jabronies off my screen!
JC Ice delivered two dropkicks to Sonny Rogers.
PG-13 then tried (and failed miserably) at a Hart Attack. Somewhere Bret Hart is crying.
Double stomp to the gut by JC Ice.
Hot tag.
Al Brown is on fire…until Wolfie D delivered a German suplex. Dammit!
Seriously these guys have as much muscle tone as JJ from Good Times.
After JC Ice put Al Brown on the top rope Wolfie D sent him face-first to the mat.
Double bulldog.
Assisted splash for the pin.
Thank God it’s over.

Summary: The match may have been over, but PG-13 certainly wasn’t. The highlight of the match was listening to Jerry correct Vince on the particulars of PG-13 since they came from Memphis. They should have stayed there too.

Vince then shills the dueling 900 numbers just to sicken us some more. Dirty scoundrel!

Next week on RAW: Diesel, Shawn Michaels, and the Undertaker face off against Owen Hart, Yokozuna, and the British Bulldog.

Prior to the main event we see highlights of their match at In Your House 3. Meanwhile Dok Hendrix shills the latest Bret Hart t-shirt for only $16. What if he loses? Is it cheaper?

Vince reminisced over Bulldog’s Intercontinental victory back at Summerslam ’92.
After giving Bret a cross-corner whip LaFitte delivered a clothesline.
After giving Bret another cross-corner whip LaFitte missed an avalanche sending him over the top turnbuckle to the floor.
Bret slammed LaFitte on the steel steps.
From the second turnbuckle Bret delivered a clothesline.
LaFitte pressed Bret then dropped him throat-first on the top rope.
Vicious clothesline by LaFitte.
LaFitte mounted the top turnbuckle and hit the diving head butt.
Diving guillotine by LaFitte.
Avalanche by LaFitte.
Inside cradle by Bret.
Leg drop by LaFitte.
Sidewalk slam by LaFitte.
He then mounted the top turnbuckle and missed the Cannonball.
Forearm by LaFitte. After getting a 2 count Bret’s kick-out sent LaFitte to the floor.
Upon the reversal of an Irish whip Bret was sent into the steel steps.
Inverted atomic drop and clothesline by Bret.
Side Russian leg sweep.
Backbreaker.
Elbow from the second rope.
Regal roll by LaFitte.
Belly-to-back suplex by LaFitte.
LaFitte mounted the top turnbuckle but got caught.
Bret then gave him a top rope superplex.
Sharpshooter.
Bret won.

Summary: Say what you want about WCW throwing the baby out with the bath water with PPV main events on Nitro, but the WWF basically insulted their PPV audience by giving this match away one week after begging them for their PPV money. Extremely good match though. Bret did everything he could to get Ouellet over, but unfortunately the pirate gimmick didn’t help him very much.

After the match Bret came over to the announcing table chastising Lawler. Bret and Lawler fight until Isaac Yankem interferes. Yankem then delivers a DDT to Bret on the floor. Vince promises us a cage match between Bret and Yankem “in several weeks.” According to historyofwwe.com the match took place at this taping. Talk about having a match already in the can!

Next week is that tremendous six-man tag match. We then get a promo by the heels along with Jim Cornette. After the commercial we get a promo by the faces.

Accoring to their 900 number poll asking about O.J.’s guilt 51% said NO. Interestingly they would be right. Regardless it was still a disgusting gesture put forth by the WWF.

Conclusion: With a good “match” to begin the show and a PPV-quality main event this show was much better than I thought it would be. On the other hand the middle wasn’t very meaty and would have caused me to flip to Nitro.

Who won? Kiss your sister, ‘cuz it’s a tie! So both promotions throw PPV-quality main events at one another and neither wins this week. I wonder how the cage match will fare against that top-heavy six-man tag next week. Stay tuned!