Coming from Knoxville, Tennessee, it's another edition of Monday Nitro. A big card this week as our main event will feature Arn Anderson, Kevin Sullivan and Ric Flair taking on Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage and... the Booty Man. Also the Road Warriors taking on Harlem Heat. But opening action is Sting taking on Big Bubba Boss Man. Bischoff spoils the results of Raw as Bubba makes his way to the ring.
Bubba takes Sting to the corner early on, then backs off. After some stalling, Sting slaps Bubba, hits a drop toe hold and a facebuster. Sting ducks a clothesline, but gets caught in an inverse atomic drop. Big slap from Big Bubba who follows with a knee drop and a cover for two. Headlock by Bubba is broken by Sting, but his running offense is once again stopped as Bubba catches him with a spinebuster. Nonchalant covers by Bubba only get two counts. Bubba tries to throw Sting into the buckle, but he blocks it and throws Bubba into it. Bubba is quick to come back with a whip to the corner and a splash.
Clothesline by Bubba who covers for two. He throws Sting to the concrete. He yells at an old lady at ringside then throws Sting at the apron and brings him back in. Headbutt by Bubba who then whips Sting, but Sting catches him with a rough looking piledriver. An exchange of rights from both me, but Sting wins the brawl, taking Bubba to the corner. Sting tries a splash off the ropes, but Bubba gets the knees up. He throws Sting outside again and goes to dive off the top, but Sting yanks his leg off, then hits a cross body for the win in a decent match. Far less Sting no-selling in this one, which I liked to see.
Mean Gene is here to interview Sting and Luger, but the Road Warriors show up. Animal says that they know Luger is a cheap shot, but doesn't understand where Sting's head at. Luger says that it doesn't matter since they're the champions. Luger says he'll easily face them in any match at any time. They begin an argument on if Luger is from Chicago or not, but the focus returns on the the tag titles. Hawk says that Luger is like a washing machine, he really agitates them. This boils down to Luger accepting a Chicago street fight, despite having no idea what the rules pertain to that.
Speaking of Luger, he's in action next against the Renegade. Big botch from the production truck as Renegade's music doesn't play for a good half of "plain old Rick's" entrance. Headlock and shoulder block spot is no-sold by Renegade, who comes back with a few shoulders of his own. Neither man can hiptoss the other, but Renegade manages a couple more clotheslines. Cover only gets a two. Back body drop by Renegade who tries for a cross body, but Luger ducks, causing the faux Warrior crashing into the ropes.
Luger grinds Warrior in the ropes and hits an elbow drop, covering for two. He follows with a back suplex and covers for two. Sunset flip by Renegade, who barely gets two. Luger gets right back up and hits a clothesline, covering for two. Chinlock by Luger, but Renegade breaks free, only to then be rammed into the buckle. Renegade avoids another buckle ram and starts to no-sell some offense, including a suplex by Luger. A few more clotheslines and a powerslam by Renegade who covers for two. More clotheslines and a handspring elbow followed by a bulldog by Renegade. He goes up top, but Jimmy Hart shows up and shoves him off the buckle to the outside. Luger grabs Renegade and brings him back in. Torture Rack gets the win for Luger in a bland match.
Sting returns to ringside and chases off Jimmy Hart. He yells at Luger that it was supposed to be 'Me or him'. Luger grabs the arm of a beaten down Renegade and decides to just give him the match while Sting continues to yell at him. Luger tries to plead with Sting, saying he had no idea about Jimmy Hart being involved, but the Stinger isn't having any of it.
Up next, Harlem Heat take on the Road Warriors. Both teams are still on the hunt for the WCW World Tag Titles and both have recently had issues with Sting and Lex Luger. Clubbing shots by Booker on Hawk who follows with a body slam. Whips to the corner by Booker, but Hawk comes back with a clothesline and a dropkick that sends Booker to the outside. Booker comes back in and gets in some more shots, but Hawk catches him with a neckbreaker and a fist drop. Cover only gets a one.
Tags to Animal and Stevie Ray. Early stalemate from both men as neither can take the other down. Weak knee ot the midsection and some clubbing blows by Stevie followed by a body slam and an elbow drop. Animal ducks a clothesline and hits a pair of his own. Tag to Hawk, but Booker gets a cheap shot to the midsection, allowing Stevie to hit a dominator. Tag to Booker who gets a side kick followed by a scissor kick, a patented Booker spot. Cover only gets a two.
Tag to Stevie who hits some more fists. Clothesline by Stevie who covers for two. Stevie locks Hawk in a chinlock for a bit until Hawk breaks, only to end up trying to attack Stevie in the corner, but getting a shoulder full of post. Wheel kick by Booker who comes in briefly. Tag back to Stevie as they hit a double suplex. Cover, but Hawk kicks out at two.Hawk gets a back elbow on Booker, and then tags in Animal who takes both Harlem Heat members down. Double back suplex by Harlem Heat is turned into a double clothesline by Animal. Cover, but Booker breaks it. Sidewalk slam by Booker, who hits a harlem hangover leg drop, but there's no referee. Boot by Animal and a cover by Hawk gets the win in a solid tag match.
It's main event time up next. Ric Flair, Arn Anderson and Kevin Sullivan take on Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage and the Booty Man. According to Bischoff, all this time the Booty Man was acting as a spy for Hogan, pretending to be the Zodiac. Sure, that makes a ton of sense. Brawl early on as the faces throw the heels to the outside and fight. Things finally cool off as Booty Man and Arn start. Meanwhile, we see Kimberly at the entrance way with a bouquet of flowers.
Atomic drop by Booty Man followed by a high knee (Hiney, get it?). Arn gets in some shoulders to the midsection, but a knee by Booty follows. He rakes the eyes, then goes into the sleeper hold, only for Sullivan to break it, but Booty locks in a sleepr. Flair comes in and struts about, but Booty Man struts his stuff himself. Drop toe hold by Booty Man who yanks the hair of Flair. Flair tries a test of strength, but Booty Man easily wins that exchange.
Tag to Savage, who is more than ready to get some of Flair. He fights out of the heel corner and holds his own. He gets in a back suplex on Flair. Flair tries to go up top, but as usual gets thrown off. Ax handle by Savage is countered with a right by Flair. Flair taunts, but doesn't see Hogan get the tag in. Chop by Flair is no-sold by Hogan, who hits a pair of clotheslines and a back body drop. Patented rope flip on Flair. Sullivan and Arn try to clothesline Hogan, but Hogan takes them both out.
Corner punches and a bite to the face by Hogan who then throws Flair into the boot of the Booty man. Tag to Booty who hits a boot and covers for two. Arn and Sullivan try to make the save, but Booty takes them both out. Tag to Savage, but Liz and Woman grab his legs, allowing for Sullivan to come in and cheap shot Savage. Flair guillotines Savages as Sullivan hits some rights and some chops. He throws Savage hard into the buckle, then into the boot of Flair. Tag to Arn who continues to stomp down Savage, then catapults Savage throat-first into the ropes.
The heels keep Savage cornered. Savage reverses a whip by Sullivan, but the Taskmaster gets in a boot to the face. Tag to Arn who continues with the punches. Tag back to Sullivan who hits another chop. Headlock and shoulder block spot by Sullivan as both men collapse to the mat. Tag to Arn and Booty Man as Booty takes down the faces some more. Tag to Hogan who hits boots to all three heels. Leg drop gets the win for the faces in what felt like a glorified squash in places.
After Hogan gets sneak attacked, Liz tries to handcuff Hogan into the ropes as Flair whips him in the back. Savage chases them off as he then goes to aid the Hulkster as Nitro goes off the air.
Kind of a "just there" edition of Nitro this week. Sting vs Bubba was decent for a more brawl-focused match, Harlem Heat vs the Road Warriors was also good, if not a bit too slow paced in places. The main event felt a bit squashy, especially with how they really want us to buy The Booty Man as a threat. Not happening. As for Luger and Renegade, it was okay, definitely could have been much worse. When it comes to a show that should hype me to the upcoming Uncensored PPV, this was a mediocre attempt. And as such earns this Nitro a C rating.
WHO WON THE WAR WEEK #23: RAW
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