WCW Monday Nitro 05-26-97

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

OK, WCW, after a month, you're going head-to-head with the WWF again. Let's see what ya got. Read on!

As the show begins, Eric Bischoff and Hollywood Hogan emerge through the entrance and enter the ring. When a fan holds out his Hogan wrestling buddy, Hogan kisses it. He then cuts a promo on Sting and calls him out. After Sting doesn't appear, Hogan poses for the his nWo-ites.

Match 1 (lucha libre): Juventud Guerrera, Super Calo, & Hector Garza versus La Parka, Damien, & Ciclope

Garza made his WCW debut. Lest we forget that he competed on RAW and the Royal Rumble earllier this year.
After Guerrera caught La Parka with a spinning thrust kick, he mounted the top turnbuckle, leaped, but La Parka caught him.
La Parka then strutted with Guerrera in his arms and placed him atop the opposite top turnbuckle.

Seeing his opponent being cocky, Guerrera mounted the top turnbuckle and gave La Parka a flying headscissors.
Ciclope then clotheslined Calo who reversed a cross corner whip and flipped over Ciclope onto the top turnbuckle.
Next, he gave Ciclope a flying headscissors, mounted the opposite top turnbuckle, and delivered a second flying headscissors.
Ciclope then sought refuge outside the ring; however, Calo then hit a tope suicida literally landing in the front row. Look out below!
As Damien gave Garza a whip into the corner, Garza leaped to the top turnbuckle and flipped over him.
He then gave Damien a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker followed by a dropkick.
After a baseball slide, Garza mounted the second turnbuckle and hit a moonsault to Damien on the floor. Wow!
Ciclope then held Guerrera up high so that La Parka could deliver a kick to him.
When Calo came off the ropes, La Parka put a knee into his back. SNEAKY!
Garza came in, hit a flying clothesline and dropkicked Damien out of the ring.
Afterward, La Parka gave Guerrera a powerslam for 2.
Guerrera then used a flying headscissors to send Damien down to the floor.
After Guerrera arm-dragged La Parka down to the floor, he mounted the top turnbuckle and hit a somersault plancha. Woohoo!
Calo then hit his own plancha on Damien.
After Ciclope joined the mix with a plancha, Garza mounted the top turnbuckle and hit a corkscrew plancha that took out all five luchadores. Amazing!
Ciclope then mounted the top turnbuckle, leaped, but ate a powerbomb from Garza.
Upon hitting a standing moonsault, Garza pinned Ciclope.

Summary: Incredible action-packed match that showcased Garza extremely well.

After a cartwheel, Wright dropkicked Psicosis.
He then hooked a snap suplex for 2.
Next, he gave Psicosis a cross corner whip, but Psicosis floated over, climbed the opposite turnbuckles, and hit a moonsault on Wright for 2.
He then crotched Wright on the top rope, mounted the top turnbuckle, and hit a spinning heel kick for a 1-count.
When Wright sought refuge outside the ring, Psicosis mounted the top turnbuckle and hit a corkscrew tope to him on the floor. Unfortunately, Wright didn't do a good job of catching him, so Psicosis CRASHED on the concrete.

Nonetheless, Psicosis tossed Wright in, mounted the top turnbuckle, and hit a guillotine leg drop.
1-2-3.
Psicosis won.

Summary: Showcase match for Psicosis as Wright was too cocky for his own good.

At the entrance, "Mean" Gene Okerlund interviews Sonny Onoo who's ready to surprise Chono. Onoo then has a "deal" for Psicosis to which Psicosis replies "yes, of course." No language barrier there, folks.

As Onoo continues to gab with Okerlund, Madusa emerges and challenges Akira Hokuto for the WCW Women's title at Great American Bash '97 on 6/15.Onoo accepts on the condition that if Madusa loses, she must retire. Madusa reluctantly accepts. Methinks she's reconsidering her choice to join WCW back in '95.

Upon giving Starr a cross corner whip, Wrath ate boot on his follow-through.
He then reversed an Irish whip and gave Starr a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker.
While Vandenberg distracted referee Scott Dickinson, Wrath and Mortis double-teamed Starr outside the ring. How dastardly!
Wrath then mounted the top turnbuckle and hit a flying clothesline.
Afterward, he hit a bicycle kick followed by the Death Penalty.
1-2-3.
Wrath won.

Prior to the next match, Schiavone shills Great American Bash '97 LIVE on PPV on 6/15. As part of the show, DDP and Savage have a rematch.

As Konnan made his entrance, Hugh Morrus cut a promo on him in split-screen.
Konnan gave Villano IV a somersault clothesline followed by a seated dropkick.
Upon giving Villano IV a cross corner whip, Konnan delivered a dropkick in the corner.
Villano IV came back with a flying headscissors and a clothesline.
After Konnan reversed a cross corner whip, he powerbombed Villano IV.
Suddenly, Morrus came to the ring, but WCW officials prevented him from entering the ring.
Konnan then delivered the 187 and hooked the Tequila Sunrise.

Not THAT tequila sunrise!
Nevertheless, Villano IV submitted.

After the match, Okerlund interviews Konnan in the ring who runs down Sullivan for spending a year to take down Benoit. When Okerlund asks about Morrus, Konnan states he'll take care of him.

On WCW Saturday Night, prepare your meats and carbs because WCW's bringing the squash!

When Onoo came to the ring, he introduced Chono's "nightmare" as the Great Muta!
Dammit! I wanted a Stallone cameo.

After an eternity, Muta applied a side head lock to Chono.
Onoo got frustrated and entered the ring while Chono escaped.
Abruptly, Muta misted Onoo in the face.
WE HAVE A HEEL TURN!

Supposedly, Okerlund interviews DDP with Kimberly, but the WWE Network didn't air it.

When Powers hit a clothesline, Barbarian didn't leave his feet.
Powers then made a second attempt, and Barbarian nailed him.
After a cross corner whip, Barbarian delivered a corner clothesline.
He then tossed Powers outside the ring, joined, and rammed him back-first into the ring post.
After another cross corner whip, Barbarian ate a back elbow on his follow-through.
Powers came back with a knee lift and mounted the top turnbuckle.
When he leaped, Barbarian caught and powerslammed him.
He then delivered the Mafia kick.
1-2-3.
Barbarian won.

After the match, Benoit, accompanied by Woman, interrupts Barbarian's interview with Okerlund and requests the return of "the real Kevin Sullivan" so that he can finish him off. Hart replies with a challenge with Barbarian. As Benoit jumps in the ring, Hart tells him the match will occur next week.

Match 7 (handicap): Giant (w/ the "Total Package" Lex Luger) versus Jerry Flynn, Rick Fuller, & Johnny Swinger

According to Schiavone, a "new, major star" will make his appearance on Nitro on 6/30 in Las Vegas, NV.
Flynn attempted a spinning thrust kick, but it didn't faze Giant.
As Fuller tagged in, he and his partners triple-teamed Giant until they got thrown off to a raucous ovation.
Flynn and Swinger then hooked a double head lock, but Giant used Flynn to dispose of Swinger.
When Fuller replaced Swinger, Giant gave both Fuller and Swinger a double belly-to-back suplex. Wow!
Swinger then mounted the top turnbuckle and hit a double axe handle to no avail.
To reward Swinger's stupidity, Giant chokeslammed him.
He then chokeslammed Fuller followed by Flynn.
1-2-3.
Giant won.

After the match, Okerlund interviews Giant with Luger in the ring. According to Okerlund, Hogan and Dennis Rodman signed an open contract for Bash at the Beach '97 on 7/13. Luger then cuts a promo on Rodman while Giant does the same for Hogan.

Lee Marshall then delivers the 1-800-COLLECT road report from “Dayton, OH." Methinks if Lee went to the Oregon district of Dayton, he'd head south to return to California.

Syxx emerges from the entrance and runs down Nick Patrick for his actions at Slamboree. Next, he refers to Flair as "fluff boy" as we revisit last week's show when the nWo Wolfpack attacked Flair. He then introduces the rest of the Wolfpack—the Outsiders. After Scott Hall calls Flair "an old drag queen," Kevin Nash besmirches Piper's acting resumé. Regardless, they want to face Piper and Flair at the Great American Bash for the WCW World tag team titles so they can finally retire Piper. Good luck with that.

We again revisit last week's show when Greene nailed Mongo costing the Horsemen the match. We then witness the locker room brawl afterward. According to Schiavone, Kevin Greene will face Mongo at Great American Bash '97.

Match 8: Jeff Jarrett & Steve “Mongo” McMichael (w/ Debra) versus Harlem Heat (w/ Sister Sherri)

After a leap frog by Booker T, Mongo clotheslined him.
Greene joined the broadcast table for this match.
Meanwhile, Jarrett tagged in and gave Booker T an inverted atomic drop.
Stevie Ray tagged in, gave Jarrett a cross corner whip, and caught him during his float-over.
When Jarrett escaped, he delivered a belly-to-back suplex to Stevie.
He then attempted a cross body block, but Stevie caught and slammed him for 2.
As Booker T tagged in, Harlem Heat gave Jarrett a double back elbow for 2.
Booker T then hit a sidewalk slam but missed an elbow drop.
After Mongo tagged in, the Horsemen gave Booker T a double back drop.
Booker T then reversed a cross corner whip but came up empty on his follow-through.
Shortly after, Booker T hit a scissors kick while Greene discussed his upcoming match at the PPV.
Mongo then gave Booker T a cross corner whip but ate boot on his follow-through.
As Jarrett distracted referee Randy Anderson, Harlem Heat double-teamed Mongo.
Stevie Ray then delivered a knee drop for 2.
When Stevie Ray slammed Mongo, Booker T tagged in but ate a powerslam.
Hot tag Jarrett.
All four wrestlers were in the ring while Jarrett gave Booker T a vertical suplex.
Suddenly, Mongo recognized that Greene was sitting at the broadcast table and left the ring to confront him.
Greene and Mongo then brawled by the entrance.
In the ring, Jarrett hooked a figure-four leg lock on Booker T, but Stevie Ray broke the hold with a leg drop.
Harlem Heat then executed the Big Apple Blast. That sounds like a shopping spree at Bloomingdales.
1-2-3.
Heat won.

Hogan and Bischoff return to the ring, and Hogan challenges Sting to an impromptu title match. All of a sudden, Sting appears through the ring again. When Bischoff instructs him to kneel, Sting obliges. OK, this is a ruse. In fact, the Sting imposter wears a bad wig and a Sting mask. According to Meltzer, Bagwell portrays the imposter.

From the ceiling, Sting drops into the ring, grabs Bischoff, and gives him the Scorpion Death drop. Hogan tries to back away, but falls over the Sting imposter. When the imposter tries to strike, Sting blocks the bat shot with his own bat. He then gives the imposter the Scorpion death drop. Here comes the nWo! Will they get Sting? Instead of WCW leaving the air before the angle ends, they stick with it. Whew! Before they can get him, Sting repels back to the ceiling to end the show.

Conclusion: According to Meltzer, Terry Taylor replaced Sullivan as the booker; therefore, it must have been his idea to have an international flavor to the first hour of Nitro. While I thoroughly enjoyed the lucha libre opener, the rest of the hour felt flat. The second hour was an improvement but not by much as angles were furthered and matches were announced for the PPV. Although this is the first Nitro in five weeks to air head-to-head with RAW, did they realize what the WWF was doing on the other channel? Let's find out! What’s on RAW is WAR?