-Fire & Ice VS The Steiner Brothers-
Scott Norton and Scott Steiner start things off. Norton counters a hiptoss with one of his own. Norton keeps the pressue, slamming Steiner's head into the mat and hitting some boots to the face. While Norton is in control, Schiavone and Zybysko shill Mr. Nanny on TBS and "Thunder in Paradise" on TNT (disgusted at having to shill Hogan's movies and shows). Steiner lands a big belly to belly suplex that sends Norton in retreat on the outside. After a commercial break it's Rick Steiner and Ice Train in the ring. Teddy Long shows up and stares intently.
Powerslam and a clothesline in the corner from Ice Train, but Rick lands a frightening belly to belly that sees Ice Train fall right on his head. Slow cover only gets a one count. Slam and an elbow by Rick for two. Reverse DDT by Rick who covers for two. Ice Train recovers and tags in Norton. Tag to Scott Steiner, but Norton sends him right out of the ring. He follows with an ax handle on the outside and a clothesline off the second buckle. He goes for a fist drop, but gets a boot in the face. Tag to Rick who nails a clothesline and a back body drop. He catches Norton in mid-air with a powerslam. Cover, but Ice Train makes the save. Double shoulder block. Ice Train tries a splash, but ends up falling on Scott Norton. German suplex on Ice Train gets the win for the Steiners in a decent enough opener. Good storytelling when it comes to the dissension with Fire and Ice.
Mean Gene interviews the Dungeon of Doom, while Fire and Ice argue up the entrance way. Sullivan says again that he lived for the end of Hulkamania. Jimmy Hart says he has a plan to strengthen the Dungeon of Doom. Bubba promises to put Luger out of commission tonight.
WEEK TWELVE! You know, as we go on with this every week, I think the name Glacier becomes more and more apropos. This build to his debut is as slow as a moving glacier.
Mean Gene is backstage with Fire and Ice. Norton is still pissed about Ice Train screwing things up. Teddy Long tries to intervene, but Norton pie-faces him to the floor. Both men continue to argue as Norton leaves and Ice Train checks on Teddy.
-Billy Kidman VS Dean Malenko-
wee see Jimmy Hart try to talk to Dean Malenko, but gets ignored. Clearly this recruiting plan is failing. Makes sense since Malenko will face Chris Benoit at Hog Wild. Malenko starts by clotheslining Kidman and follows with a dropkick that sends him to the outside. He tries to piledrive Kidman on the floor, but Kidman counters with a clothesline. Kidman comes back with a top rope dropkick. Cover gets a two. Malenko goes right into the stretching, landing a body slam then locking in a leg lock, transitioning into knee strikes to the leg, then into a heel hold. Kidman tries to roll over Malenko, but is unable. Malenko comes back with a powerslam for two.
Malenko hits an elbow to the back of the head and hits a side suplex. He drags Kidman to the corner and slams the leg into the steel post. He continues to choke Kidman with his boot, then transitions right into a guilotine choke. Kidman tries to come back, but Malenko slams him. Cover, but Kidman reverses. After an exchange of near falls from both men, Kidman gets enough control to hit a tornado bulldog out of the corner. He drops Malenko and goes up for the Shooting Star Press, but Malenko avoids. Brainbuster into a powerbomb into an undehook powerbomb into a Texas Cloverleaf by Malenko gets the win. A good showing for Kidman, but yet another really great exhibition in just how awesome Dean Malenko is.
Mean Gene s interviewing Kevin Greene who is none too happy about Hulk Hogan's dissension. He mentions that he was a hulkamaniac, but not anymore. On to Mongo, he doesn't want to wait until after his training camp. He wants to finish this tonight. He has two hours until he catches his plane, but he wants to catch Mongo first.
-WCW World Tag Team Championship: Harlem Heat VS Rough And Ready-
In the continuing story involving Colonel Robert Parker's growing alliance with Harlem Heat and his reunion with his "fried pie" Sister Sherri, tonight he is in the corner of his tearm of Rough and Ready, Dirty Dick Slater and Mike Enos. Both teams brawl early on until Slater and Stevie start officially, Stevie Ray getting in the bearhug. Enos gets in, but Stevie is still in control, not selling much offense. Enos lands a slam and drops an elbow, but Stevie avoids. Stevie hits a clothesline and a punch and tags in Booker, who lands a Harlem Side Kick. Booker tries a knee drop, but Enos avoids.
Tag to Slater who throws Booker outside. Rough and Ready double team Booker, with Enos slamming Booker on the concrete. Booker and Slater return in the ring with Booker hitting a sidewalk slam. However, Slater comes back with a neckbreaker. Tag to Enos. Booker ducks a clothesline and lands a kick, followed by an ax kick. Cover only gets a one. Colonel Parker and Sherri seem to be arguing with each other on the outside as Stevie comes in and keeps pressure applied. Booker works on Enos in the corner while Stevie distracts the referee. Eventually both teams brawl some more until things cool down.
Booker comes in and tries a dropkick in the corner, but Slater avoids. Sitout piledriver by Slater. Tag to Enos who hits a nice fallaway slam. Tag back to Slater who goes for a headlock, but both he and Booker collide. Colonel Parker embraces Sherri as both teams brawl again. Enos lands a powerslam. Cover, but Parker distracts the ref while Sherri kisses Dick Slater (There's a lot of dirty, dirty jokes I could make, but I'll abstain). Roll up by Booker gets the three in an okay enough match.
Mean Gene is back with Kevin Greene who just repeats what he said earlier. So, he says that now he can't wait for Mongo. He has a plane to catch.
-Madusa VS Malia Hosaka-
Hey, women's wrestling in WCW. And on Nitro no less. That seems like a rarity. Not to mention we learn that Madusa will face Bull Nakano in a "destroy the bike" match at Hog Wild, building up how Madusa is a Harley rider. This gives commentary some fun in poking at those "tiny Japanese bikes". Northern lights suplex from Madusa starts things off, but Hosaka comes back with a spin kick out of the corner. She then pulls the hair and follows with a spin kick that barely gets much height. Cover with the knee to the throat for one. You standard "stay in the kitchen" rhetoric from Larry on commentary, because it seems like it's a prerequisite that commentary in women's matches need a double dose of sexism.
Hosaka slams Madusa into the mat face first and continues to pull the hair. She then locks in the chinlock until Madusa comes back with kicks in the corner. Madusa pulls the hair and transitions into a powerbomb attempt, only for Hosaka to counter, locking in a Boston Crab. Madusa escapes, so Hosaka hits a neckbeaker. Hosaka dives off the rope, but Madusa avoids. Madusa dropkicks, but Hosaka avoids. Hosaka goes for a cross body, Madusa avoids. German suplex by Madusa, and thankfully Hosaka doesn't avoid, as Madusa gets the win in a pretty good, if not rushed, one on one match.
It's hour two of Monday Nitro with Eric Bischoff and Bobby Heenan on commentary. Bischoff mentions that Lex Luger must feel like George Custer with how the NWO's arrival. Suddenly we cut to Hall and Nash who have covered the WCW letters on the set with NWO.
-Meng VS Arn Anderson-
Meng continues to pressure Arn into the corner. Anderson tries a go behind, but gets kicked instead. More fireworks going off in the background while Meng continues to chop down Arn. He hits an atomic drop. Meng tries a clothesline in the corner, only to take an elbow to the face. Arn grabs the leg and smashes it into the post and the apron. Meng recovers and hits a throat thrust and a boot to the lower extremities. Suddenly Barbarian shows up at ringside while Meng is in control.
After a commercial break, Arn is back in control with some more body shots. He tries to whip Meng, but Meng goes after the throat with a choke. He throws Arn out, allowing Jimmy Hart to get some cheap shots. Meng then continues to smash Arn back first into the corner. Arn smashes Meng's foot into the apron again, but Meng is back on with chops and a big suplex. Cover only gets a two. Some notable "Hogan" chants from the crowd as Meng continue offense with a back suplex and more chops. Arn tries a DDT, but Meng avoids. with Jimmy Hart distracting, Barbarian hits a clothesline and Meng hits a big kick to the face. Cover gets the three in a decent brawl. Nothing outstanding, but a good surprise upset. Granted, with help from Barbarian, but an upset nonetheless.
Mean Gene is with Mongo and Debra (And Pepe), who feels confident now that Kevin Greene has left the building. He tells Kevin to forget about that small change contract, he's a big star now. Debra calls the Panthers a B team compared to the Chicago Bears. Her husband lasted 15 years in the NFL because he didn't have little punks like Kevin Greene push him around.
-Chris Benoit VS Eddie Guerrero-
Benoit cheap shots Eddie and works on him in the corner with chops and stiff boots. He locks in a chinlock, then transitions into a dragon sleeper, only for Eddie to escape and arm drag Benoit out of the ring. He then head up on the top buckle and dives to the outside, landing on Benoit with ease. He brings Benoit in and slingshots over the ropes. Spinning backbreaker from Eddie connects. Benoit comes back by throwing Eddie into the corner and hitting a hard back suplex. We see that Hall and Nash have vanished as commentary continue to ask where Hogan must be.
Benoit locks in a camel clutch. Eddie then comes back with a side suplex. Benoit recovers and lands a snap suplex. Cover only gets a two. He locks in a Lion Tamer, only for Eddie to flip him over. Benoit just comes right back with a super stiff powerbomb. Slow to a cover, only gets a two count. Whip and an elbow to the face by Benoit who covers for two again. He locks in a deep chinlock then follows with a slam. He goes up, but Eddie recovers and hits a superplex. Eddie avoids contact from Benoit and lays in fists in the corner. Benoit and Eddie then exchange chops and stiff fists.
Benoit tries a powerbomb, but Eddie turns it into a hurricanrana that sends both men tumbling over the top rope. Suddenly Dean Malenko shows up and throws Benoit head-first into the steel post. Eddie slowly recovers and rolls back into the ring to get the win by count out. A great back and forth by Benoit and Eddie as usual. Felt rushed due to time, but still quality.
-WCW World Television Title: Big Bubba VS Lex Luger-
It's our final match of the evening as Lex Luger, still injured from being laid out at Bash at the Beach, takes on Big Bubba Boss Man. We see that the NWO banners have been torn off the WCW Letters. Bubba hits a body slam and goes up, only to be kicked off by Luger, who then comes back with a back drop and a clothesline that sends Bubba out of the ring. Bubba returns to the ring only for Luger to start working the arm. He follows with a loaded forearm, covering for two. Bubba returns with a front suplex, sending Luger head-first into the mat. With Luger still injured, it allows Bubba to continue to work the head with strikes. We see a limousine with Hall and Nash again looking on.
Bubba hits an Enziguri and cockily covers for two. Luger continues to kick out despite Bubba keeping the pressure. Luger tries to come back, but Bubba lays him out again with a punch and applies a chinlock, following that up with a knee drop and a choke with his boot. After another commercial break, Bubba is still in control with a bite to the face and corner punches. Luger gets in some boots and a jumping forearm. Fast clotheslines knocking Bubba down. Luger fucks a clothesline, but both men collide into one another. Jimmy Hart throws something to Luger, who uses it to lay out Bubba.
Hall and Nash hit the ring and beat down Luger while Hollywood Hulk Hogan finally arrives. Nash lays Luger out with a Jackknife powerbomb as the NWO then kick him out of the ring. They then go to Bubba and at first act as if they're on his side, only to, of course, beat him down some more. They throw Bubba out of the ring and celebrate their actions. Mean Gene enters the ring to get more answers. Hogan says he wishes he did this two years ago because the New World Order is taking over professional wrestling. Gene asks about the kids, but Hogan says that he led the kids down the right path, but now these fans can stick it.
Debris begins to rain in the ring. When asked about Sting's comments last week, Hogan says that he met Sting ten years ago in Venice Beach when Sting was just a skinny little bodybuilder. When he laid his eyes on Hogan, he shook in his boots. He calls Savage a whiner and that the rest of WCW have been complaining. But it doesn't matter as Hogan will always be bigger than wrestling. Gene asks about who else will be in the NWO, Hogan says that Hall and Nash will set the trend for the nineties, but they're just the foundation. Maybe Bischoff's friends, maybe more outsiders, maybe even people in the locker room will join because where Hogan goes, pro wrestling goes as well. He's not going to mess with Savage or Sting, he's going right for the gold. He challenges The Giant for the WCW, promising to tear the Ted Turner Organization in one night. He promises to take the WCW Title and make it the NWO title. If Ted Turner has any boys in the back, come on out and they'll beat up anyone. We see the Steiners, Arn and the Faces of Fear surround the ring as we end Nitro abruptly.
Nitro was okay this week. Nothing outright good or bad, but as average as you can get. Highlights were easily Benoit and Eddie, Dean Malenko and Kidman (mainly for Malenko's continued quality of work) and the ending with Hogan, even if honestly this just feels like a retread of Hogan's promo at Bash at the Beach. Though at least this does start the build for Hogan/Giant at Hog Wild so it wasn't totally redundant. Overall, Nitro is building up everything in the right directions, and while this wasn't their best show in a while, still has enough important things going on that it's far from anything terrible. At the end, it's worthy of a B rating.
WHO WON THE WAR WEEK #41: RAW
Neither show set the world on fire this week, but I do feel Raw used their hour a bit better this week. Ahmed vs Bart Gunn was decent enough and Shawn vs Billy Gunn was actually really good. Plus if you were a fan of Sunny, then you got a heck of an hour of television. For this build leading to In Your House, I think Raw handled themselves well enough. Nitro wasn't super amazing either this week, and the Hogan stuff was great, but I don't know, this NWO angle didn't feel super hot this week. Mostly just a rehash of what we've gotten for the last few months with nothing super exciting going down. I'll give Raw the slight win this week, earning them a 17th win in this run.
RAW:
September 25th, 1995
October 2nd, 1995
October 23rd, 1995
November 13th, 1995
November 20th, 1995
December 4th, 1995
December 11th, 1995
January 1st, 1996
January 22nd, 1996
February 19th, 1996
February 26th, 1996
March 11th, 1996
April 1st, 1996
April 15th, 1996
May 27th, 1996
June 23rd, 1996
July 15th, 1996
April 1st, 1996
April 15th, 1996
May 27th, 1996
June 23rd, 1996
July 15th, 1996
NITRO:
September 11th, 1995
September 18th-21st, 1995
October 9th, 1995
October 16th, 1995
October 30th, 1995
November 6th, 1995
November 27th, 1995
December 18th, 1995
January 8th, 1996
January 15th, 1996
January 29th, 1996
February 5th, 1996
March 18th, 1996
March 25th, 1996
April 22nd, 1996
April 29th, 1996
May 6th, 1996
May 13th, 1996
May 20th, 1996
June 3rd, 1996
June 10th, 1996
June 17th, 1996
July 1st, 1996
July 8th, 1996
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