WCW Monday Nitro 09-08-97

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

Will the Horsemen have a response for the nWo? With Dillon out of the picture, who will replace him? Will DDP and Luger resolve their differences? If so, how? Let's find out!

To begin the program, the Nitro Girls dance in the ring wearing black and glitter.

When Schiavone mentions that the nWo parody will not be shown again, Eric Bischoff sprints to the broadcast table and claims to have some serious "stroke."

The parody plays, and my cheesesteak starts to rise up. As "Hennig" emerges, Mongo yells out "cut that crap off RIGHT NOW." We then return to the broadcast table where the Four Horsemen stand. Mongo then calls out the nWo, and the Horsemen head to the ring. While the Horsemen stand tall, the nWo fails to appear.

Next, "Mean" Gene Okerlund enters the ring to interview them. When Mongo begins to talk, the Milwaukee faithful boo him due to his Bears jacket. Benoit then states "it's time to stand and deliver." As Flair mentions his embarrassment about the parody, he refers to Arn as a "legend" and cuts a passionate yet awesome promo on the nWo.

After a commercial break, Mongo has ditched the Bears jacket so that the Milwaukee faithful will cheer him. Suddenly, WCW Security Director Doug Dellinger informs them that they must exit the ring. BOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Before he leaves, Flair calls out the nWo again.

According to Tenay, JJ Dillon is out of commission thanks to Hogan's attack last week, and a new interim chairman will be named soon.
While the Milwaukee faithful chanted "Eddie sucks," Eddie gave Mysterio a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker.
After a commercial break, Eddie delivered a shoulder breaker.
Mysterio then rebounded with a flying headscissors, but Eddie clotheslined him.
When Mysterio hit flying headscissors #2, Eddie sought refuge outside the ring.
Mysterio then gave him a somersault plancha. Woohoo!
With Mysterio on the apron, Eddie tried to suplex him back into the ring, but Mysterio somehow pulled off a double springboard moonsault for 2.
As he mounted the top turnbuckle, Mysterio leaped, but Eddie caught and slammed him for 2.
He then powerbombed Mysterio for another 2.
Upon delivering a pumphandle backbreaker, Eddie couldn't get 3.
He then hooked a Gory Special, but Mysterio wouldn't submit.
When Mysterio countered a powerbomb attempt into flying headscissors #3, Eddie tossed him down to the floor. Is that a DQ?
Mysterio then hit the West Coast Pop and pinned Eddie.

Summary: Really good match that makes me want to see more. Care to do this on PPV, gentlemen?

While Schiavone runs down the upcoming Nitro tour, the Nitro Girls dance in the ring wearing black t-shirts and white short-shorts. They then remove the t-shirts to reveal halter tops and swirl the t-shirts overhead. Next, Schiavone shills the Nitro Party contest.

At the entrance, Okerlund interviews DDP who wants to earn some respect against Luger in the ring. Luger emerges, stares down DDP, and accepts his challenge.

On WCW Saturday Night, Mongo defends the US title. Also, Uncle Eddie and nephew Chavo go one-on-one. Lastly, Scott Hall wrestles Luger in the main event. Check it out!

Prior to the next match, we revisit last week's show when Disco interfered during Morrus' match against Alex Wright.

At the onset, Morrus clotheslined Disco out of his boots.
After another clothesline, Morrus hit a spinning heel kick. Impressive!
He then gave Disco a cross corner whip but came up empty on his follow-through.
When Morrus sought refuge outside the ring, Disco ambushed and sent him barreling into the steel railing.
He then gave Morrus a cross corner whip followed by a corner clothesline.
As Disco repeated the moves, Morrus no-sold it, reversed a cross corner whip, and delivered his own corner clothesline.
He then gave Disco a cross corner whip and followed with an avalanche.
Upon slamming Disco, Morrus received a cross corner whip, leaped to the second turnbuckle, and hit a lariat.
In the meantime, Wright came to ringside dancing like he's got chlamydia.

He then got up on the apron, but Morrus pounded him.
When Morrus powerbombed Disco, he mounted the top turnbuckle.
Meanwhile, Wright handed the World TV belt to Disco who placed it upon his chest.
Morrus then hit the No Laughing Matter, but the belt didn't matter.
1-2-3.
Morrus won.

After the match, Wright retrieves his belt and wraps it around his waist. As he assists Disco to his feet, Disco shoves Wright. The love-hate relationship continues.

Members of the nWo parody team emerge through the entrance, and Syxx insults the Four Horsemen. As Nash states he's too busy to deal with the Horsemen, Bagwell stops sipping coffee long enough to volunteer, and K-Dogg also submits his name. Methinks Bagwell's got a cup of Kickapoo.

Prior to the next match, Eddie tells Brad that he wants tonight's shot at Jericho.

Match 3 for the WCW Cruiserweight title: “Lionheart” Chris Jericho versus Brad Armstrong

Brad didn't take Eddie's offer and ambushed Jericho.
When Jericho monkey-flipped him, he followed with a spinning heel kick.
He then clotheslined Brad over the top rope to the floor.
With Brad on the apron, Jericho hit a springboard shoulder block.
As Jericho gave Brad a cross corner whip, he ate boot on his follow-through.
Brad then mounted the second turnbuckle and delivered a tornado DDT for 2.
After Jericho hit an Asai moonsault, he got 2.
He then suplexed Brad, mounted the top turnbuckle, and gave him a missile dropkick.
When Brad sought refuge outside the ring, Eddie re-entered and attacked Jericho.
Referee Mark Curtis then called for the bell disqualifying Brad.

After the match, Eddie gives Jericho a cross corner whip, but Jericho powerbombs him. He then hooks the LionTamer, but Brad saves Eddie's bacon.

Prior to the next match, we revisit the destruction of Dillon by Hogan last week.

Bischoff leads Hollywood Hogan to the ring. As Hogan dismisses Flair as "the man," he notes that no one attacks Bischoff any longer. He then challenges Sting to a title match TONIGHT. Following that, Sting repels from the ceiling and crumbles upon hitting the floor. Interestingly, the nWo helps him into the ring. Relax! It's just a mannequin, and Hogan humiliates and leg-drops it. While Bischoff dons a referee's shirt, Hogan delivers another leg drop and pins it. Oh, brother.

Lee Marshall then delivers the 1-800-COLLECT road report from "Charlotte, NC." Knowing Lee, he'd take a right turn into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

Barbarian powerslammed Scott but only got 2.
As he gave Scott a cross corner whip, Barbarian ate boot on his follow-through.
Scott then delivered a belly-to-belly suplex to Barbarian while Rick delivered an overhead version to Meng.
When Meng dropkicked Rick, he got 2.
Barbarian tagged in, powerslammed Rick, and got another 2.
After Meng tagged in, Rick attempted a sunset flip, but Meng thwarted it.
Barbarian tagged in and Faces of Fear double-head-butted Rick.
As Rick hit a Steinerline, Barbarian slammed him, mounted the top turnbuckle, but missed a diving head butt.
Hot tag Scott.
When Scott gave Barbarian a pumphandle slam, he followed with an overhead belly-to-belly suplex for 2.
All four men were in the ring, and Barbarian clotheslined Scott.
After Barbarian mounted the top turnbuckle, Scott crotched him.
He then joined and delivered an overhead belly-to-belly superplex. Wow!
As Scott made the cover, Meng hooked the Tongan Death grip on Rick.
Abruptly, Harlem Heat, Wrath, and Mortis hit the ring.
Referee Scott Dickinson then called for the bell and threw the match out.
No contest.

Summary: Convoluted finish meant to serve as an appetizer for the PPV because Harlem Heat squares off against the Steiners while Faces of Fear face Wrath and Mortis.

Hall hip-tossed and clotheslined Calo over the top rope to the floor.
When Hall reversed a cross corner whip, Calo climbed up the turnbuckles and hit a flying back elbow for 2.
He then attempted a cross body block, but Hall caught Calo, mounted the second turnbuckle, and gave him a super fallaway slam. Wow!
As Hall delivered the Outsider's Edge, he sat atop Calo for the pin.

After the match, Ray Traylor comes to the ring and brawls with Hall. He then gives Hall a spinebuster, and Vincent hits the ring. While Vincent eats some Traylor Trash, Traylor dumped him over the top rope to the floor. Hogan comes to the ring and distracts Traylor. As you might expect, that allowed Hall to nail Traylor from behind and deliver the Outsider Edge. Hogan and Hall then spray-paint and mock him.

According to Schiavone, the winner of the Malenko-Jarrett match at Fall Brawl '97 will earn a US title shot at Halloween Havoc '97.
Malenko dropkicked and brawled with Psicosis on the floor.
Out of nowhere, a drunken fan entered the ring only to get trapped by referee Mark Curtis. Get 'im, Brian!
Security removed the scallywag, and Psicosis slammed Malenko.

As Psicosis unleashed an abisegeri, he knocked Malenko down to the floor.
Onoo tried to interfere, but Malenko stopped him. That allowed Psicosis to nail Malenko from behind. SNEAKY!
When Psicosis dropkicked him, he got 2.
He then gave Malenko a cross corner whip followed by a corner clothesline.
After Psicosis gave him another cross corner whip, Malenko wound up on the floor again.
Psicosis then hit a tope. Woohoo!
Back in the ring, Psicosis hooked a victory roll but only got 2.
He then missed a dropkick, so Malenko delivered a spinning heel kick for 2.
As he gave Psicosis a cross corner whip, Malenko followed with a corner clothesline.
Psicosis then mounted the top turnbuckle but got caught.
When Malenko joined him, Psicosis shoved him down to the mat.
He then hit a guillotine leg drop for 2.
After Onoo got up on the apron to protest a potential slow count, Malenko nailed him.
Psicosis then hooked a sunset flip, but Malenko escaped.
As Malenko secured the Texas Cloverleaf, Psicosis submitted.
Malenko won.

After the match, Jarrett and Debra emerge, and Jarrett challenges Malenko. When Malenko chases after him, Jarrett heads for the hills. Debra then gets in Malenko's face and refers to him as a "little troll." Debra then cuts a promo on him.

In the ring, Okerlund interviews the NEW acting Chairman of the WCW Executive Committee--"Rowdy" Roddy Piper. He then congratulates Piper on his new position, and Piper makes an Animal House reference. While Piper mentions his previous tenure as WWF interim President, he decrees three things:

Before the end of the year, Hogan will defend the World title against Sting.
Piper challenges Hogan to a steel cage match at Halloween Havoc '97.
Luger and DDP will be removed from WarGames and replaced by the Four Horsemen.

Match 7: “Nature Boy” Ric Flair & Curt Hennig versus Buff Bagwell & K-Dogg

At the onset, a four-way brawl erupted.
Flair gave Bagwell a cross corner whip, but Bagwell exploded with a clothesline.
When he gave Flair a cross corner whip, Bagwell backdropped him.
He then dropkicked Flair while Nitro had already surpassed its time slot.
As another cross corner whip resulted in a Flair flip, Flair clotheslined Bagwell from the apron.
He then mounted the top turnbuckle, but Bagwell caught, joined, and superplexed him for 2. Wow!
Upon slamming Flair, Bagwell mounted the second turnbuckle but missed an elbow drop.
Hennig tagged in and backdropped Bagwell.
When K-Dogg reversed an Irish whip, Hennig leap-frogged and dropkicked him.
He then slammed both nWo members, but Bagwell ultimately clipped him.
As Flair distracted referee Nick Patrick, Bagwell tossed Hennig over the top rope to the floor. Nefarious!
K-Dogg then rammed Hennig face-first into the steps, and Bagwell delivered a knee crusher.
After K-Dogg tagged in, he and Bagwell broke Hennig's wishbone. OUCH!
Hennig then reversed a cross corner whip, but K-Dogg floated over.
When Hennig caught him, he and K-Dogg botched something badly.
The sloppiness continued until Flair made the hot tag.
As Bagwell reversed an Irish whip, he powerslammed Flair.
Hennig then took exception and decked both nWo members.
After Flair gave Bagwell a knee crusher, he hooked the figure-four leg lock.
Bagwell then tossed Flair over the top rope to the floor while Hennig distracted Patrick.
When Flair tripped Bagwell, Hennig secured the Hennigplex on K-Dogg.
1-2-3.
The Horsemen won.

Summary: Albeit at times sloppy, the Milwaukee faithful enjoyed a Horseman victory.

Match 8: The “Total Package” Lex Luger versus Diamond Dallas Page (w/ Kimberly)

As a "boring" chant rang among the Milwaukee faithful, Luger blocked a hip toss and gave DDP one of his own.
He then clotheslined DDP while the nWo emerged through the entrance.
When DDP tossed him outside the ring, the nWo pummeled Luger.
He then delivered a swinging neckbreaker for 2.
After he pancaked Luger, DDP got another 2.
Luger then blocked a Diamond Cutter attempt and hit a belly-to-back suplex.
With the nWo at ringside, Luger clotheslined DDP twice.
Upon a third attempt, Luger sailed over the top rope to the floor.
While the nWo put the boots to Luger, DDP gave Savage a plancha. Woohoo!
The bell rang to signal a no contest.

Summary: A decent tease by WCW to see if either wrestler would change his stripes.

After the match, DDP and Luger fight the nWo 2-on-5 until Giant joins them. Cheeseheads fill the ring while Giant chokeslams Vincent. After Giant clotheslines him over the top rope to the floor, he brawls with Norton on the floor.

As Luger and DDP stand tall, Hall and Savage retreat wearing cheeseheads. Luger and DDP screw up a handshake but embrace instead.

Conclusion: Are you ready for the PPV? Nitro performed its job properly by advertising and/or teasing the match-ups for the PPV. Seeing the Horsemen gain a minor victory over the nWo provides a little comfort after the heartbreaking parody nonsense. Also, the Luger-DDP pissing contest is over, and all is well again. If this show is notable for anything, however, it's the Miller High Life-infused moron who becomes a victim to the diminutive yet scrappy Mark Curtis.