Tag to Bagwell as the Males work down Harlem Heat. Bagwell lands fists on Stevie, but Stevie tries a comeback, only to be caught in a sunset flip for two. Colonel Parker is seen at ringside with a red box. Back in the ring, Riggs reverses a whip and lands a dropkick on Booker. He misses a charge into the post as Booker tags in Stevie. Big slam by Stevie while Colonel Parker hands Sherri the package, which appears to have a ring inside. Spinaroonie from Booker and a jumping kick. Cover by Booker for two. Riggs tries to fight back, but Booker keeps him down. Sherri and the colonel are leaving as Booker looks on confused.
Back suplex by Stevie on to Riggs. Cover, but Bagwell breaks the cover. Tag to Booker who lays in knees and a spin kick. Riggs is hung out to dry on the ropes. Booker jaw jacks NBA star A.C Green at ringside. Riggs tries a roll up for two. Sunset flip attempt by Riggs gets only a two. Tag to Stevie Ray as Harlem Heat gets Riggs up for a double front Suplex. Tag back in to Booker T as the crowd is chanting for A.C. Booker tries a splash, but Riggs gets the knees in. Tags to Stevie and Bagwell. Bagwell takes down both members of Harlem Heat. Fisherman suplex, but Booker breaks the count. Riggs is with the referee as Booker and Stevie work on Marcus. Harlem Hangover gets the win for Harlem Heat.
I didn't care much for this match. It was kinda slow and plodding for hte most part. A lot of basic face in peril stuff, and a lot of bland offense (save for Booker, who felt like he was really trying). Not all that interested in the Colonel Parker/Sherri stuff either to be honest and it just distracted from the match. And the ending felt really stupid with Riggs getting the referee distracted to allow Harlem Heat to get the win. Just a flat match overall.
Mean Gene is with Sting and Lex Luger. Sting says that he called Luger to come to this Phoenix crowd to show that he is his friend and that he thinks Luger has a good chance in winning the title tonight. But at Starrcade, he's in the triangle match, and he'll pull off the win and face Luger for the title possibly. He promises to come at Luger just like he'd come to Flair (phrasing). Luger promises to be the new WCW champion tonight, but when it comes to Starrcade, he promises that he will go hard on Sting.
Scott "Flash" Norton is in action next against The Giant. Well, at least it isn't another match against Sharkquake. Norton locks up the Giant, but Giant easily shoulder blocks him off. Hard forearm by Giant followed by a knee lift. Big body slam follows. Norton lifts up Giant and lands an atomic drop, but the Giant is still on his feet. Norton rakes the eyes and lands a headbutt as Giant wobbles around. He starts smashing Giant's head into the buckle He tries come clotheslines, but no avail. Norton tries a flying clothesline...
But Giant catches him and lands the chokeslam to get the win in a wobbly, wobbly squash.
We saw A.C Green earlier, and now we see Sir Charles himself, Charles Barkley heading to the ring with "Nature Boy" Ric Flair. Barkley says he can never measure up to Flair, but he's the man no matter what people say. Flair says that Sir Charles and the Nature Boy are going to tear the town down. He praises Barkley as the greatest basketball player alive and begins his struts. This goes from some heel heat to pure butt kissing as Barkley praises the Phoenix Suns, only to get back that heat to show respect to Flair. Bit of a strange promo, but cool to see Barkley.
Savage headlocks Luger into the corner, but Lex comes back with some strikes. He tries to throw Savage head first into the buckle, but Savage comes back with a buckle ram of his own. Back elbow by Savage who covers for another two count. He tries for a suplex, but Luger reverses it to one of his own. Luget goes for a jumping elbow, but Savage rolls out of the way. Savage begins to work the arm in the corner as we go to break (an eye for an eye for how Luger injured Savage's arm in the past).
When we return, Savage is still working hte arm, wrapping it on the guardrail. He lands a fist and a boot. Jimmy Hart tries to talk to Luger, but Savage is still on the assault. He brings Luger back in and applies an arm bar while raking at the face. Savage takes Luger's arm to the post and smashes it. He continues to work the arm some more as Hart yells for Lex to come on. Ram of the shoulder into the buckle by Savage who throws Luger to the outside. He then rams the shoulder into the buckle. Ax handle attempt by Savage is dodged by Luger who sends Savage crashing into the barricade.
Both men return to the ring as Savage gets his eyes raked. Savage almost smacks the ref. Luger rams Savage into the buckle and follows with a whip and a clothesline. Cover only gets a two. Falling elbows by Luger, who continues to sell the bad arm. Luger lays in some boots to the midsection and hits a kneelift. He follows with several more elbow drops. Cover, but Savage still kicks out at two. Savage tries a bulldog, but it ends with Savage and Luger colliding into each other. Bischoff tries to make a snide shot about the whole Shawn Michaels angle on Raw by saying "our players work through the pain".
Flair struts up the entrance way, elated at his actions, but ends up running afoul of one Hogan-Senpai. Flair tries to run off, but Hogan gives chase. He grabs Flair, but chooses to shove the referee instead, causing a DQ. Hogan grabs Luger and Hart, landing a noggin knocker. He goes to strike Luger...
But hits Sting instead, who made the save for Luger. Both men are at each other's throats, but Savage tries to play peacemaker as we go to break.
Hogan's not worried about a probation, but he's concerned about his tag partner Sting still being on Luger's side. Sting still says he's on Hogan's side, but he's best friends with Luger and he's trying to straighten him out. Hogan says that it was Savage that warned them about Luger in the first place, to which Savage agrees. Sting says that maybe Luger's fuse is shorter than the three of them and they never gave him a fair opportunity. He and Hogan are taking on Flair and Arn next week and if the two of them can't get their stuff straight once and for all, they might lose next week. Hogan shakes Sting's hand, but tells Sting to keep Luger out of his face. Sting promises to do everything in his power to keep Luger out of their faces.
This was a long edition of Nitro. Going 55 minutes of tv time over the regular 46. And it definitely felt its length by the end. A bland tag title match, two forgettable squashes that really could have been sacrificed for the long WCW title match with Luger and Savage. It was an okay title match, a bit too much limb work by Savage on Luger's shoulder through the match, but it didn't feel as dire as Bulldog/Diesel at In Your House 4. The ending is your basic chaotic Nitro fare with Hogan once again feeling like the center of the universe and this whole "can we really trust Lex Luger" angle still spinning on its axles. Overall, this was a pretty average show and worthy of a C+ rating. Good but not great world title match, that's about it.
WHO WON THE WAR WEEK #13: RAW
While Nitro may have had two championship matches and a lot more focus on action than Raw did, Raw had one ace in the hole that earned it its sixth win, and that's crazy Bob Backlund in full force on Monday Night. I feel Raw, while not supplying the most amazing action this week, still did a good job in building to all the big matches going in to In our House 5, while Nitro still felt like it was mostly a repeat performance with a lot of the same stuff we've been seeing for months and these long angles already beginning to grate. In the end, Raw was just a bit more fun to watch this week and earns a slight win for what was a pretty basic week of action.
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