It's US Open golf season, which means that Nitro is once again unopposed against Raw. In fact, we'll also have Nitro early next time as well due to a Friday edition of Raw. Regardless, we're still a few weeks away until Fall Brawl.
-BILLY KIDMAN VS JUVENTUD GUERRERA-
It's the Nitro debut of Juvi Juice as he takes on plain tights Kidman. Fast flurry of dodges early until Kidman hits a bit powerslam. Cover for two. Cross body by Kidman sends both men over the ropes. Both men go on the apron and Juvi hits a really awkward sunset flip powerbomb to the floor. He then hits a pescatto into a leg drop over the ropes. More brawling on the floor until Juvi brings Kidman back in and hits another flip over the ropes. Tony trying to name the moves in a flurry. Makes me wonder why there's no Tenay.
Springboard is caught into a powerbomb by Kidman. He follows with a slingshot leg drop and a cover for two. Kidman revereses a suplex into one of his own. Another cover, another two count. Kidman set him up for the shooting star press and connects. Cover, but Juvi kicks out. Kidman goes back up, but Juvi turns things around into a hurricanrana off the top. Cover and the three. Good debut, lots of big spots. Despite some sloppy spots, it was a solid debut nonetheless. Though honestly I was more impressed with Kidman and felt the kickout on the SSP was bad.
Mean Gene interviews Juventud post-match. Psicosis is injured, so Juvi will get a match with Konnan for the Mexican Heavyweight title. Juvi is huffing and puffing as he cuts a promo in Spanish, which gets boos, because America. He says he's the best wrestler in Mexico and mumbles stuff that I have a hard time understanding. Even Gene gives up as we go to break.
Week 18. New vignette for Glacier who even has a fancy new Shao Kahn helmet. Do... do they think Sub Zero was the one with the helmet? Regardless, we're getting closer. That blood's gonna run cold in just a few more weeks.
-JIM POWERS AND MARCUS BAGWELL VS "TASKMASTER" KEVIN SULLIVAN AND THE BIG BUBBA-
So yeah, Scotty Riggs is injured, hence this even more random teamup with Jim Powers and Bagwell. Powers is now also aligned with Teddy Long apparently. They're taking on Sullivan and Big Bubba Boss Man. Sullivan immediately sends Powers to the outside, but Powers comes back and rams Sullivan into the apron and guardrail. Back in the ring and a back body drop and a dropkick. Bagwell follows with one of his own to Bubba. Shmoz with everyone until Bagwell and Powers get the better. Bubba throws Bagwell to the corner, but eats a boot. Roll up only gets a one. He then gets caught with a powerbomb. He sets Bagwell in the tree of woe, allowing Sullivan to get a running knee in. Bubba goes for a splash, but misses.
Bagwell tags in Powers and Powers rams Bubba in the corner. Knee lift to Bubba followed by more corner rams to Sullivan AND Jimmy Hart. Cross body and a cover gets the three for Powers and Bagwell... but Nick Patrick is the ref and he says the shoulder's up and the match is restarted. Boss Man Slam on Powers gets the win. Okay enough tag match that continues Nick Patrick's shenanigans.
Mean Gene interviews the Dungeon of Doom post-match. Bubba says that he should be getting all the title shots and main events. Starting tonight he won't be overlooked. He then does something that nobody in the past eighteen weeks has done and brings up Glacier. He says that if Glacier's coming, come and get some of this. Blood runs cold? Jimmy Hart says that it'll be Glacier that'll be running. Over to Sullivan who accuses Gene of hanging with Hogan, but Gene says it was Bischoff. He turns it to Benoit and says that if the Horsemen are the last line of defense against the NWO, they have something else coming. As it pertains to Patrick, he says that everyone's due a mistake.
Mean Gene now with Luger and Sting. Just when it thinks it was all good with the Horsemen, Benoit and Mongo have challenged them to a match tonight on Nitro. Luger says if they want some, come and get it. Sting says that there's no guarantees with the Horsemen, because everything was cool last week. Mongo and Benoit said they'd step aside, but now they want a test and Sting doesn't get it. It must mean that Flair and Arn don't trust them. Flair is making a mistake. With the NWO, Luger says that the Horsemen is high priority right now.
-MIKE ENOS VS CHAVO GUERRERO JR-
Chavo ducks Enos early and goes in with some chops. Enos throws him in the corner, but Chavo ducks offense, hits a dropkick and rolls him up for two. Another dropkick sends Enos outisde. Chavo goes for a dive, but Enos catches him and hits a delayed fallaway slam, near sending Chavo head-first into the post. Enos brings Chavo back in as we see Dick Slater with a towel on his head. Backbreaker from Enos keeps Chavo bent backwards for almost a minute, then follows with a boot.
We see Konnan in the crowd looking like Bernie Lomax with how still he is. Back in the ring, another backbreaker on Chavo until he slides free. Big powerslam from Enos who covers for two. Fisherman suplex from Enos who still gets a two. Frustrated, Enos goes for a sloppy powerbomb as Enos falls on his leg, allowing Chavo to lock a figure four. Rand Anderson gets thumbed in the eye, allowing Dick Slayer to land an elbow drop. He throws Enos out, trying to pull the weirdest damn Twin Magic, but Chavo rolls him up for the three. Bizarre ending, but not too bad. Although Enos looked more impressive than Chavo honestly.
Mean Gene interviews Chavo who calls out Diamond Dallas Page. He says that Eddie beat him at the Clash, but Page had to take him out. Chavo beat him last week, but he whipped him with the belt. He promises to teach Page some respect.
-WCW CRUISERWEIGHT TITLE: J.L. VS REY MYSTERIO JR-
Lots of early arm work from both men. Headlock by JL who keeps on Rey instead of turning it into a shoulder block. Dropkicks from Rey who then plays to the crowd.
But screw work rate, here's Hogan-Senpai and the NWO at the Turner Truck as they spray paint all over it. Gotta say the fact that we've gone from the full assault a month ago to lame graffito tagging is kind of a step down.
Back in the ring, Rey hits a shoulder block, flips the ropes and follows with a springboard dropkick. He flips the ropes again and gets a plancha over the ropes as Dean Malenko watches on, intent on getting another match with Rey. JL's gear is torn on the right side. Backbreaker from JL followed by a powerbomb for two. He goes for a second, but Rey rolls him up for two. JL then locks in a boston crab followed into a half crab, then into an octopus hold. Back suplex by JL for two. Rey gets another sunset flip for two. JL hits a brainbuster as we go to hour two. JL throws Rey to the corner and covers for two.
Rey and JL head to the outside and brawl for a bit. JL whips Rey into the steps, but Rey hops off them and follows with a nice hurricanrana sending them further up the entrance way. They return to the ring as Rey hits a springboard rana that drops JL awkwardly on his neck. Cover and the three. Overall, a decent match. Not high octane until the end, but everything worked well enough.
Mean Gene is backstage with most of the Horsemen. In hindsight, Sting and Luger shouldn't back up Anderson and Flair, it should be them. Benoit says that tonight is about security for WCW. He then says that he's a hungry beast, something Sting and Luger aren't anymore.
We get a recap of last week on Nitro as Savage went wild on The Giant and the Dungeon of Doom. Mean Gene then interviews Randy Savage. He may have only one marble left in his head, but he promises his match with Hogan at Halloween Havoc will be the scariest match of all time. He's in the zone and he's going to bowl through the Giant.
-THE GIANT VS HACKSAW JIM DUGGAN-
Jimmy Hart trips up Hacksaw, so Duggan chases after him and pulls his jacket off. He then throws the jacket at Giant and lays some punches. Hacksaw hits some more punches until Giant throws him into the post. Hacksaw avoids Giant, sending him crashing into the post. Giant recovers by pulling a guillotine on the ropes then locking the bearhug. Corner thumps follows until Hacksaw rolls out. Hacksaw tries for a slam, but the crowd is more focused on who's coming down the aisle.
Why, it's Ted Dibiase! Been since May that I've had to talk about him as he left WWF after Beware of Dog, but yes, everybody does indeed have a price and Ted Turner had one for Dibiase. Back in the ring, Giant tries an elbow, but misses. Hacksaw nails Giant with the taped fist, but Giant no-sells, killing that whole gimmick. Jimmy Hart distracts him with the 2X4 allowing Giant to hit a sloppy chokeslam. Cover and the three in a match that was actually pretty decent all things considered. We see Dibiase mouth that next week, there will be five, possibly referring to the NWO.
Interview with the Giant who is in shock over Macho Man blaming him for the WCW's downfall. He says Savage was the one who's scared. He promises to be the one who'll face Hogan at Halloween Havoc, even if he has to beat Savage first at Fall Brawl.
-RIC FLAIR AND ARN ANDERSON VS THE ROCK AND ROLL EXPRESS-
As Bischoff and Heenan argue about Ted Dibiase's intentions, if it's for the NWO or the Horsemen, Arn lays into Morton until Morton turns things around with a hiptoss. Tag to Gibson who trips Arn into a cross body from Morton. Double dropkick to Flair, sending both Horsemen in retreat. Tag to Flair who takes Gibson to the corner with more strikes. Arn gets in a cheap shot to the guts as they allow for Woman to rake the eyes. Arn hits a knee drop and work the arm until Gibson fights back. Flair tags in and peppers the face of Gibson. Tag to Morton who house of fires both Horsemen. A brawl with everyone for a bit as Morton goes for corner punches until Flair gets an atomic drop and a DDT by Arn. Cover and the three in an okay, but super rushed match.
Mean Gene interviews Arn and Flair. Arn says that there's a time to ogle the women, and this ain't it. The time is running out for the NWO. Arn promises that this will be the last Wargames for the NWO. They already know that the NWO has left. Flair says that Hogan gave up at Clash of the Champions. He tells the NWO to get ready because Wargames is not in New York, or Chicago, they're in Winston Salem, North Carolina. Home of the by god Horsemen.
-ALEX WRIGHT VS CHRIS JERICHO-
Up next, speaking of debuts, it's the Nitro debut of Chris Jericho. You know what happens? You know what happens when Chris Jericho makes his Nitro debut? Chris Jericho... YOU JUST MADE THE BLOG! Headlock and shoulder block spot followed by an arm drag exchange from both men. Both Jericho and Wright evenly matched. Jericho works the arm with a kick to the shoulder until Wright rolls out. Jericho follows with a spinning heel kick and a springboard dropkick off the apron. Jericho suplexes Wright over the apron and covers for two. Jericho goes up top, but gets caught with a dropkick from Right, followed by a side kick and a springboard headbutt, covering for two.
Jericho avoids contact in the corner and lays some chops and a clothesline. Jericho misses a cross body in the corner. Wright dives off the top rope, but crashes into the guardrail. Jericho returns to the ring and almost wins by count out, but he says he doesn't want the win that way. Instead the referee calls it a no contest. Outside of the odd ending, a good debut for Jericho.
Mean Gene interviews Jericho who says that when he came to WCW, he came to fight to the best of his ability. To accept a victory that is not the best of his ability. He chastises the NWO and promises to fight. Wright almost talks, but Gene tells them they're out of time.
-THE BLUE BLOODS VS THE STEINER BROTHERS-
No entrances for either team as we go right into the ring. Eaton and Taylor argue with each other over who shoud start. Rick grabs both of them and gives them a noggin knockers. Eaton shoves Taylor off the apron as we get into the ring. Hiptoss by Rick. Eaton rakes the face and follows with punches only to get hit with a sidewalk slam. Rick follows with a cleaning house of both Blue Bloods as they continue to argue. Taylor comes in as the crowd boos them. Taylor collides into Eaton, but still gets Rick on his shoulders. Big cross body turned into a roll up by Rick for the win in a match. Good miscommunication, but it felt really bizarrely booked.
Taylor sneak attacks Eaton as both men brawl in the ring as the Steiners get interviewed. Rick says he's going to be the pumpkin eater at Halloween Havoc against Harlem Heat, to which Rick reminds him that it's at Fall Brawl, not Halloween Havoc.
-STING AND LEX LUGER VS CHRIS BENOIT AND STEVE "MONGO" MCMICHAEL-
Immediate brawl to start things off. Luger hits punchesi n the corner as Sting and Benoit fight on the outside. Inverted atomic drop from Mongo is no-sold as Luger lays a forearm. Mediocre stun gun, complete with Luger sell. Tag to Benoit who arm drags Luger and jaw jacks. Tag to Mongo who lands an elbow. Neckbreaker by Benoit who covers for two. Tag to Mongo who hits a backbreaker. Tag to Benoit who keeps on Luger until both men collide into each other with clotheslines. Tag to Sting who pummels Benoit and hits a back body drop and a facebuster. He locks in Scorpion Death Lock. Mongo tries a clothesline, but Sting avoids, sending him outside. Press slam by Sting. Mongo throws Luger to the post, while Benoit avoids a splash.
Hogan shows up with spray paint, and backs off of Mongo. This is a trap, as Hall and Nash immediately assault him. Hogan spray paints NWO on his back. Razor's Edge on Benoit and Jackknife on Sting. Both men get painted. Arn and Flair show up and lay into Hogan, Hall and Nash, until they get sprayed in the eyes with the pain. Hogan skunks up Flair's hair with the spray paint as debris showers the ring. They commandeer the commentary position and spray paint that area as well while the Horsemen try to recover in the ring to end this week's episode of Nitro. So yeah, forget that whole "step down" thing earlier, because it stepped up by night's end.
After a few middling Nitros, this was definitely a stronger edition this week. Much better in-ring for the majority, with a strong debut for Chris Jericho and a messy, yet impressive debut for Juventud. Match of the night was probably Mysterio and JL, even if it wasn't as high energy as you'd expect, it still delivered in-ring. But what made this Nitro work is that everything felt like it had a story to it. We have Glacier being called out by Big Bubba, while elsewhere we have the issues with Savage and Giant, Chavo's issues with DDP, the Blue Blood exploding, not to mention the mystery of Ted Dibiase, plus everything involving the NWO. It made for a show that never felt too slow. As we get closer to Fall Brawl, Nitro stands unopposed this week with one of their better editions. It's an A for me.
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