We are one year into the life of WCW Nitro already as, like its debut, it's an unopposed night for the program. Due to the US Open, Raw will be postponed to Friday. Tonight, Four Horsemen and Dungeon of Doom in an eight man tag, plus Sting and Luger against the Steiner Brothers. Sting and Luger, I might add, who are still pissed after last week's tagging incident. Also, we have no more issues with the Horsemen either, they're all focused on the goal of taking out the NWO. Plus tonight, we'll get an answer as to what Dibiase meant by "five".
-ALEX WRIGHT VS DIAMOND DALLAS PAGE-
Page works the arm early until Wright comes back with a spin kick and a clothesline out of the ring followed by a plancha. They return to the ring as Wright splashes over the ropes and covers for two. But his speed is his downfall as he dives and catches a throat of rope. Tilt-a-whirl slam from Page who them jaw jacks the camera. Slow cover for two. He then transitions into a sitout powerbomb for two. Page signals for a Diamond Cutter, but Wright counters into a belly to belly suplex. Cover, but still just two. Wright pummels Page in the corner, but Page recovers with a Diamond Cutter. Cover and a three in a solid, albeit rushed opener.
Mean Gene interviews Nick Patrick over controversial calls. Patrick is sick of being accused for his calls and pretty much says that it's all fake news.
Mean Gene then interviews Sherri and Colonel Parker who has presents for her. A leather vest and matching chaps as they are going to the Colonel's farm to "ride the colonel's horse". Which means they're more focused on that instead of being at ringside for...
-HARLEM HEAT VS BUDDY VALENTINO AND GREG "THE HAMMER" VALENTINE-
We see Ted Dibiase head through the crowd once more while the WCW tag champs face Valentino and Valentine. Elbow and a cover from Valentine. Valentine ducks a side kick and hits another pair of elbows, covering for two. He then picks up Booker and lands a backbreaker. Tag to Valentino who lands a punch before Booker recovers and tags in Stevie Ray. Valentino lands a dropkick. But his momentum is stalled by a cheap shot from Booker and an elbow by Stevie. A clothesline and another elbow followed by a choke from Stevie. Tag to Booker who lands the Harlem side kick. Slow cover for two. Really weak side kick to Valentino as Stevie comes in and slams him. Sidewalk slam and a tag back to Booker who lands a Harlem Hangover for the three in a squash.
Mean Gene interviews Harlem Heat about their match with the Nasty Boys at Fall Brawl (I thought it was the Steiners, but I guess that changed). As they mock them they get ambushed by Knobbs and Saggs. The land a spike piledriver on Booker T, then continue to assault Stevie as we go to break.
Week 19 of the great glacier hype. But I have an important announcement to make. This will be the last Nitro that we're going to have to follow this because Glacier is debuting next week... On WCW Pro. Yep, not even on the A-show, or even the B-show that was WCW Saturday Night, but their C-show. If that's not telling about how Glacier was doomed to failure, I don't know what is. I figured that we'll do a sidebar on that before the next full Nitro review, so look for that soon.
-DEAN MALENKO VS CHRIS JERICHO-
Mike Tenay is now a permanent fixture to Nitro's announce team as we get into a match between Jericho and Malenko. Jericho tries to ground Malenko with a hammerlock, but Malenko turns things around. Northern lights suplex from Jericho. Quick dodges from both men until Jericho catches a pair of spin kicks on Malenko. An ECW chant from the crowd, since both worked in ECW for a cup of coffee. Malenko lands a brainbuster. Slow to a cover, but only two.
Malenko locks in a chinlock as Dibiase begins to leave ringside. Malenko keeps a leg scissor on Jericho, while using the ropes, and Nick Patrick, despite his recent string of screwery, notices the ropes. Jericho lifts Malenko up into an electric chair drop. Thumb to the eye and some strikes in the corner from Malenko, who transitions into a butterfly suplex, covering for two. Abdominal stretch with the ol' Irwin rope grab by Malenko, who gets reversed by Jericho. Malenko gets a boot in the corner and a springboard bulldog. Cover, only gets a two. Big cross body from Malenko sends both men over the ropes. Baseball slide sends Malenko crashing off the apron.
Jericho follows with a springboard over the buckle to Malenko. Flying missile dropkick as they return to the ring. Cover gets a two. A tombstone from Jericho is countered to one from Malenko. Malenko tries to keep Jericho grounded for a three count, but is unable. Jericho avoids Malenko in the corner and gets a bridging German suplex for two. Spinning kick by Jericho. Fast counters until Jericho rolls him over for the three in a really great match. But considering the two involed, I'm hardly surprised.
-THE GIANT VS BRAD ARMSTRONG-
Good pop for Giant as he makes his way to the ring. Armstrong lands some nice dropkicks, but Giant just shoves him off. Waistlock is immediately broken from Giant. Big chops in the corner followed by a head ram in the buckle and a large boot choke. A limo is starting to park outisde the building. The NWO has arrived. Another big toss sends Armstrong flipping. Armstrong tries a sunset flip, but gets thrown off. He just throws Armstrong outside, but Armstrong guillotines him off the rope. A missile dropkick stuns him, but Giant recovers with a chokeslam for the win.
Paid announcement from the NWO. Hogan says that the spotlight looks good, and they don't have to sneak around anymore. They have the belt and left the Giant laying, and now all of WCW will fall at their feet. At Wargames with WCW's finest, the so-called establishment in the cage with the NWO, Sting will be stung, Luger will be hung, Flair won't be there and Arn won't be Arn anymore, because the NWO will take care of all the business on that date.
-RON STUDD VS "MACHO MAN" RANDY SAVAGE-
As an early preview of Savage's match with the Giant, he's facing the tall, former mummy bummer, Ron Studd. Studd starts off with some clubbing blows to the back and then grabs him for a choke. He throws Savage in the corner as we see the NWO leaving the limo. Another person supposedly about to leave, but Hogan chases the cameraman off. Studd tries to throw Savage out of the ring, but Randy Anderson stops him. Savage tosses Studd to the outside and lands an ax handle off the buckle. He brings Studd back in, hits a body slam, and gingerly goes up top to land an elbow drop for the win.
Mean Gene interviews Savage in the ring. Savage seems legit hurt as he gets ready for his promo. He wishes Halloween Havoc was tonight because he guarantees to everyone that he will beat up Hollywod Hulk Hogan and take everything that he wants. As it pertains to his mental stability, he's living on the edge. He made a deal with Giant, but Giant broke the deal, so now he's meat. He promises a victory againt the Giant at Fall Brawl. Both men will melt when the heat of the Macho Man brings them all the way down, oh yeah!
-STING AND LEX LUGER VS THE STEINER BROTHERS-
The Horsemen search the limo, but there's nobody there. The NWO have made it into the building. As for the match, Luger accidentally bumps Nick Patrick's shoulder and he calls a DQ. Becuase of course Nick Patrick's scumbaggery continues. Steiner Brothers win by DQ, but they're pissed off as well. Nick Patrick gets chased off by Sting and Luger.
-THE FOUR HORSEMEN VS THE DUNGEON OF DOOM-
So, I guess their hunt for the NWO got cut short since the Horsemen have to wrestle the Dungeon of Doom in an eight-man tag. Dungeon of Doom consisting of Big Bubba Boss Man, Kevin Sullivan, Meng and Barbarian. Sullivan and Mongo start things off as Mongo tries for one of the wonkiest diving moves ever. Tag to Bubba who goes for a baseball slide, but gets a punch to the face. Atomic drop by Mongo. Tag to Benoit who gets taken to the corner of the Dungeon. tag to Barbarian as we get a war of stiff chops. Eventually Barbarian gets hit with a German Suplex. Benoit then goes up for a headbutt, but Sullivan shoves him down. Benoit headbutts Barbarian off the buckle then landsa diving headbutt. Cover, but Meng breaks the count.
Sting and Luger continue to chase Nick Patrick, but they spot Ted Dibiase entering the limo. Sting, channeling his inner Ken Patera, hurls a big rock through the window of the limo as it drives off. They then pull a GTA as they steal a cop car and continue their pursuit.
Back in the ring, Sting chops Meng in the corner. A test of strength from Meng leads to pain from Flair. Flair gets some low blows on Sullivan and Meng, but Bubba backs off. The police officer calls about the stolen car as Arn is in and hits a DDT. Cover, but the ref is distracted by Sullivan. Barbarian back in as he slams Arn and sets him in the tree of woe, allowing Sullivan to get that knee strike. Tag to Bubba who lays in more knees and a windup punch. Cover only gets a two.
Tag to Meng who tries a piledriver, but Arn counters into a back drop. But Bubba gets in a cheap shot as we go to break. When we return, Bubba and Benoit are in, but Sullivan immediately attacks Benoit as they go into each other. Cheap shot by Bubba allows for Meng to land a massive inverted atomic drop and another boot to the lower extremities. Tag to Barbarian who lands a "sack of crap" powerbomb. Bubba comes in and lands a spinebuster, but Flair comes in with some pepper punches. Sullivan throws Benoit out, allowing Barbarian to throw him into the guardrail. Flair, with a plastic chair is about to swing it, but is stopped.
In the midst of this brawl, Bischoff and Tenay start shilling a Muhammad Ali documentary, which kind of kills the tension of what's going on tonight. Back in the ring, Benoit gets a boot on to the diving Bubba. Tag to Sullivan who throws Benoit in the corner. Both men continue to lay into each other. Tag to Meng as both he and Benoit crash into each other with cross bodies. Tag to Bubba who hits an elbow drop and chokes him. Arn gets a cheap shot and a messy spinebuster while Barbarian chokes Benoit. Headbutt by Barbarian to the midsection of Benoit. He then stiffly slams Benoit and tags Meng. Double headbutts are avoided by Benoit who tags in Ric Flair. Massive brawl from everyone but Mongo, who's just taking a breather. Benoit screams at Woman to help Flair get the win.
Immediately the NWO show up and attack everyone. Heenan runs off as Hogan, Hall and Nash clean house, even punching Randy Anderson.
The Giant then arrives. He's here! He's Angry! He's...
THE FRIGGING FIFTH MAN! Giant lays out the Dungeon of Doom members and embraces the NWO. Savage attacks Giant with a chair, but the NWO immediately swarm on him. Hogan lands a low blow and a chair shot right to the skull, followed by a few more stiff blows. Another chokeslam to Savage. Hogan follows that up with several leg drops as once again debris fills the ring. Arn tries to use the plastic chair but gets taken out, along with the other Horsemen.
Hogan tags Savage again, but this time to add insult to injury, Hogan spray paints a yellow streak down the back of Savage. The NWO head up to the commentary table and commandeer it yet again. Hogan says there's no question now who the most powerful man and the organization is now. They have the Giant, and now there's far more people now. Giant says he got the call from Dibiase about business. He walked into the home of Hulk Hogan filled with 20 Harley Davidsons. As they spit on the Nitro logo, the Horsemen and Dungeon try to come back, and the brawl continues. They eventually chase off the WCW forces and return to Giant's promo. He was dizzy walking in the castle Hogan, and now he wants everything that Hogan can provide him.
As time's running out and Giant can't cut his promo, Hogan just throws the table down and the NWO make their leave as Nitro goes off the air.
So yeah, this was easily one of the best Nitros in recent memory. The in-ring throughout was solid, with the highlights being Jericho/Malenko and the eight-man tag (Mongo notwithstanding). But for the first real time since the assault back in August before Hog Wild, the NWO feel like a true threat, and that anyone can be easily coerced into their organization. Honestly, the build to Giant being the fifth man was well built as there were no signs of any reason for him to come on board, especially with NWO's constant mockery of the man since the loss at Hog Wild. But, like Ted Dibiase would say, everybody has a price. And we're now seeing that in action with Giant's alliance. Though this does begin what will be the NWO's ultimate downfall in that it's going to get really crowded really quick. But the underlying tension of who could be next makes for compelling television and you have to credit the WCW for giving us that for Nitro's first anniversary show. Definitely a better way to celebrate one year on the air than Bam Bam vs Bastion Booger, I'll tell you that much. For the best final segment I've seen since covering this blog, Nitro gets a well deserved A+.
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