WCW Monday Nitro 02-24-97

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

Prior to the first match, we revisit stills of the triangle tag as well as the Mongo-Jarrett matches from the PPV last night.

Match 1: Jeff Jarrett & Steve “Mongo” McMichael (w/ Debra) versus Public Enemy

After Mongo reversed a cross corner whip from Rocco, he came up empty on his follow-through.
Shortly after, Grunge gave Jarrett a swinging neckbreaker.
Rocco tagged in, mounted the second turnbuckle, and lowered the boom on Jarrett.
Upon giving Jarrett a back elbow, Rocco evaded him but ate a clothesline from Mongo.
Mongo tagged in, and the Horsemen gave Rocco a drop toe hold/leg drop combo.
As Grunge distracted referee Mickey Jay, Jarrett gave Rocco a running guillotine.
Mongo tagged in and tackled Rocco.
As Jarrett tagged in, he countered a leap frog with a powerbomb for 2.
When Debra gave Mongo the Haliburton, Mongo WALLOPED Jarrett instead of Rocco as revenge for last night.

1-2-3.
Public Enemy won.

Summary: More angle than match as dissension between the Horsemen continues.

After the match, “Mean” Gene Okerlund interviews the Horsemen in the ring. As Mongo pleads his case, Flair calls Jarrett “the kid.” Arn then notes that Mongo and Jarrett are the only two healthy Horsemen. When Mongo offers to shake hands, a reluctant Jarrett complies.

For those unaware, Galaxy was portrayed by Damian.
Not THAT Damian!
After a cross corner whip, Duggan gave Galaxy a back drop.
He then delivered a series of clotheslines as Galaxy sought refuge outside the ring.
When Duggan joined him, he made Galaxy HIT THE POLE!
Upon removing the protective mat, Duggan slammed Galaxy on the concrete floor.

Back in the ring, Duggan placed Galaxy atop the top turnbuckle and nailed him sending him back to the floor.
As Duggan reversed a cross corner whip, Galaxy climbed the turnbuckles but missed a moonsault.
Duggan then hit the three-point stance clothesline, pulled the athletic tape from his trunks, and nailed Galaxy.
1-2-3.
Duggan won.

Summary: Showcase match for Duggan whom the Sacramento faithful love. If squash matches are your thing, this one fits the bill.

At the entrance, Okerlund interviews Duggan who refers to Hogan as “Terry.” Duggan then denies putting Big Bubba Rogers out of action.

After a commercial break, Schiavone shills the International Nitro simulcast in both Spanish and Japanese on wcwwrestling.com. Raise your hand if you remember Netscape Navigator. Raise your other hand if you prefer Mozilla Firefox. TOUCHDOWN!

Morrus gave Gomez a cross corner whip, but Gomez floated over, rolled him up, and got a 1-count.
When Gomez rolled him up again, he earned a 2-count.
Gomez then gave him a cross corner whip but got ANNIHILATED by a charging Morrus.
After a leap frog, Gomez delivered a dropkick.
When Gomez attempted a second leap frog, Morrus caught and gave him a spinebuster.
He then mounted the top turnbuckle, hit the No Laughing Matter, and got the pin.

On WCW Saturday Night, US champion Eddie Guerrero faces his brother Hector a.k.a. Lasertron. Also, Public Enemy and the Amazing French Canadians ruin your Saturday evening plans. Check it out!

After a hip toss, Ice Train got 2.
He then hit a powerslam followed by a running body block.
When Ice Train missed a clothesline, La Parka came back with an enziguri.
He then mounted the top turnbuckle and hit a spinning heel kick for 2. Ice Train’s kick-out almost mutilated referee Scott Dickinson.
After another powerslam, Ice Train gave La Parka a cross corner whip followed by an avalanche.
La Parka came back with a jawbreaker and another pair of spinning heel kicks.
While Ice Train sought refuge and advice from Long outside the ring, La Parka hit a corkscrew moonsault. Wow!
Back in the ring, Ice Train clotheslined and slammed La Parka.
He then gave La Parka a cross corner whip, but La Parka leaped to the second turnbuckle and hit a cross body block.
Conversely, Ice Train caught him and delivered powerslam #3.
Following that, he hit the Train Wreck (splash) for the pin.

Match 5: Faces of Fear (w/ Jimmy Hart) versus WCW US champion Eddie Guerrero & “Lionheart” Chris Jericho

After Barbarian missed a Mafia kick, Jericho dropkicked him in the knee.
Jericho then attempted a spinning heel kick which Barbarian avoided yet sold.
When Barbarian reversed a cross corner whip, he ate a mule kick on his follow-through.
Jericho then mounted the second turnbuckle and hit a missile dropkick.
After Eddie tagged in, he gave Barbarian a springboard senton for a 1-count.
Barbarian then reversed an Irish whip and flapjacked Eddie.
As Meng tagged in, he powerbombed the bejeezus out of Eddie.

Somehow, Eddie came back with a flying headscissors and tagged in Jericho.
While he and Eddie delivered a double back drop, Jericho hit a senton splash for 2.
Meng then reversed an Irish whip and gave Jericho a belly-to-back suplex.
After Barbarian tagged in, he placed Jericho atop the top turnbuckle and delivered a top rope overhead belly-to-belly suplex for only 2. Eddie pulled Jericho’s boot under the bottom rope. Clever!

Jericho came back with a rollup for 2.
When Meng tagged in, he gave Jericho a cross corner whip; however, Jericho leaped to the second turnbuckle, hit a cross body block, and got 2.
Barbarian tagged in, and Faces of Fear delivered their patented back drop/powerbomb combo for 2.

As Meng tagged in, Faces of Fear mounted opposite top turnbuckles and hit stereo double head butts for another 2.

After a slam by Barbarian, Meng tagged in but ate a Lionsault.
When Meng pulled him by the leg, Jericho delivered an enziguri.
Hot tag Eddie.
After a pair of European upper cuts and a clothesline couldn’t take Meng off his feet, Eddie gave him a dropkick.
Jericho then mounted the top turnbuckle and hit a cross body block. Since he wasn’t the legal man, he couldn’t make the cover.
Afterward, Eddie and Jericho delivered a double dropkick to Meng.
Barbarian tagged in and clotheslined Jericho.
In retaliation, Eddie dropkicked Barbarian, and he and Jericho gave Barbarian a double vertical suplex.
When Jericho attempted another Lionsault, Meng disrupted his balance sending Jericho between the ropes to the floor.
Eddie then mounted the top turnbuckle, but Dean Malenko ran in to shove him into a Mafia kick by Barbarian.
1-2-3.
Faces of Fear won.

Summary: Amazing tag team match with excellent synchronicity and drama. Additionally, Malenko got revenge against Eddie for costing him the Cruiserweight title last night.

As Mysterio stretched him on his back, Guerrera escaped and delivered a DDT.
He then hit a springboard dropkick and attacked Mysterio’s injured knee.
After Guerrera delivered a thrust kick to Mysterio’s midsection, he flattened Mysterio for 2.
He then hit a moonsault for 2.
After Mysterio came back with a flying headscissors sending Guerrera to the floor, he gave Guerrera another one on the floor.
When Mysterio mounted the top turnbuckle, Guerrera joined him and hooked a powerbomb for 2.
With Mysterio on the apron, Guerrera gave him a baseball slide to the floor.
He then hit a tope suicida and rammed Mysterio face-first into the apron.
When Guerrera mounted the top turnbuckle, he leaped, but Mysterio caught and powerbombed him.
Mysterio then hit the West Coast Pop.
1-2-3.
Mysterio won.

Summary: Good match that showcased how agile both wrestlers were, but Sacramento wasn’t ready for it in 1997.

Lee Marshall then delivers the 1-800-COLLECT road report from “Atlanta, GA.” Let’s hope Marshall tries to get directions for Peachtree Street.

Match 7 for the WCW World TV title: Prince Iaukea (champion) versus Pat Tanaka

When Iaukea tried to kick him, Tanaka delivered a dragon screw leg whip.
He then gave Iaukea a cross corner whip, but the champion exploded out of the corner with a clothesline. That resulted in a 360° sell by Tanaka. Woohoo!
As Iaukea attempted a leap frog, Tanaka caught and gave him a sit-out powerbomb for 2.
Iaukea then reversed an Irish whip and hit a Samoan drop.
Next, he delivered a springboard senton, mounted the top turnbuckle, and hit a cross body block.
1-2-3.
Iaukea retained.

When Malenko and Dragon shook hands, Malenko nailed him. Syxx and Eddie REALLY pissed him off.

YES, DRILL SEARGENT!
Nevertheless, after an elbow drop, he got 2.
Dragon came back with a series of kicks and delivered a dropkick for 2.
As Malenko tossed him outside the ring, he joined and rammed Dragon back-first into the steel railing.
Back in the ring, he delivered a vertical suplex for 2.
Shortly after, Malenko hooked a camel clutch, but Dragon countered with a modified bow-and-arrow.
Malenko then hit a sunset flip for 2.
Next, he countered a piledriver with a back drop.
After a butterfly powerbomb, Malenko got another 2.
As both wrestlers fought over an abdominal stretch, Dragon shifted momentum to send Malenko between the ropes to the floor.
With Malenko on the apron, Dragon hit a phantom springboard dropkick.

He then gave Malenko a mule kick, mounted the top turnbuckle, and hit a tope on the floor. Amazing!
Back in the ring, Dragon hit a huracanrana for 2, but Malenko reversed it for his own 2-count.
Dragon then reversed a cross corner whip but ate boot on his follow-through.
He then hooked la magistral cradle for 2.
When Dragon gave Malenko a cross corner whip, he attempted the handspring back elbow, but Malenko caught and gave him a release German suplex.
He then choked Dragon until Onoo got up on the apron to stop him.
Of course, Malenko nailed Onoo.
He returned to choking Dragon until referee Mark Curtis disqualified him.
Dragon won.

At the entrance, Okerlund interviews Malenko who demands respect and wants his belt back from Syxx. Also, he wants a piece of Eddie.

Prior to the next match, Schiavone shills WCW Uncensored on 3/16. We then revisit stills of the DDP-Bagwell match.

After giving DDP a vertical suplex, Taylor received an inverted atomic drop.
As the Outsiders emerged from the entrance, DDP converted a fireman’s carry into the Diamond Cutter.
The Outsiders then came to the ring as Savage emerged with spray paint.
Savage then blindsided DDP knocking him OUT COLD.
After the Outsiders shared hugs with Savage, a fan entered the ring but got pummeled.

Savage then spray-painted DDP before receiving his nWo t-shirt.
Prior to the commercial break, Savage mounted the top turnbuckle and hit the big elbow.

After a commercial break, Hall, Nash, and Savage are still in the ring. Hall then introduces Hollywood Hogan who gives Savage a surprise initiation present—Elizabeth.

During the commercial break, a promo for WCW Uncensored airs. It will be LIVE on PPV on 3/16.

Match 10 for the WCW World tag team titles: The “Total Package” Lex Luger & Giant (champions) versus Harlem Heat (w/ Sista Sherri)

Before the match began, Eric Bischoff came to the ring with the nWo in tow.
He then tries to get Luger and Giant to return the belts.
However, Luger stands up to him and gives him a deal in exchange for the belts:
At Uncensored, every WCW belt on the line: WCW versus nWo.
Suddenly, Sting came to the ring from backstage.
With his eyes on Hogan, Sting stared a hole through him.

Amazingly, Hogan hugged Sting but without any reciprocation.

Conclusion: The Faces of Fear/Guerrero & Jericho match has to be seen to be believed. Otherwise, this show was a whole lot of nothing else. What’s on RAW?