From Caesar's Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada, it's Monday Nitro. One night away from the Clash of the Champions. Two title matches tonight, the tag titles on the line as Harlem Heat face Sting and Lex Luger, plus Randy Savage vs Ric Flair for the WCW title. But out of nowhere comes Konnan, the Mexican Heavyweight Champion. He's here at the announce table to tell everyone he's defending that title against another legendary Mexican name, Psicosis.
The WCW title is jerking the curtain as Randy Savage challenged Ric Flair to the ring. Several women make their way to the ring, including Nancy Sullivan, AKA Woman, and Debra McMichael, Mongo's then wife. But more notable, one of them is Linda Hogan. Hogan literally pimped out Linda to help Savage tonight. I guess he really is a friend to the end, Brother!
This is all mind games to mess with the Nature Boy. Distract him with pretty ladies and he may be easier to defeat for the world title. Savage says he's gonna be steaming hot tonight. But we can't let Savage have the spotlight for long, as Hulk Hogan comes out to wish him good luck. But if that's not all with this mega powers reunion, we've learned that Miss Elizabeth has also reconsciled with Savage and will be with them tomorrow for Clash of the Champions.
The ruse seems to work initially as Flair goes to Woman and tries to woo her, only to eat a slap. Savage goes in on the assault until Flair turns it around into a whip to the guardrail. Both men enter the ring as Savage ducks a clothesline and lands one of his own. Cover gets a two. Savage rams Flair into the buckle and begins to grind the nose. Flair comes back with an elbow to the face. He throws Savage to the outside then struts his stuff, and Jimmy Hart gets in a cheap shot.
Flair chops Savage, then throws the Macho Man over the guardrail. Savage blocks a shot as both men exchange blows. Flair gets a thumb to the eye on Savage, but Savage comes right back with a back body drop. Savage dives at Flair, only to miss and hit the guardrail. This is all very exciting...
But I'm more focused on this amazing WCW Magazine ad. Boy, the 90's really were a weird time.
Back to action as Savage fights out of the corner. He gets ten corner punches on Flair and throws Flair over the buckle. Flair tries to come back by ramming Savage into the rail, but Savage comes back, knocking him hard. Flair tries to beg off Savage, but the Macho Man decides instead to get some more punches. Cover only gets a one. Back slide by Savage only gets a two. Chop by Flair, punch by Savage. Flair puts weight on the leg, then locks in a figure four.
Eventually, Flair gets caught using the ropes, and is forced to break the hold. He argues with the ref, but the ref just shoves him back. Flair continues to strut as he chops Savage and drops a knee to the face. Flair goes to the top rope, but gets thrown off by Savage, who then goes up top and hits an ax handle. He follows with a second. Jimmy Hart distracts the ref as Arn makes his way to the ring, but accidentally hits Flair with the knucks. Savage drops an elbow as Hogan fights off Arn. Despite the bell ringing early, he still covers to get the three and win back the WCW title.
Instead of celebrating with his title (that STILL has Hogan's name on it!), Savage is particularly upset that Hogan is celebrating like he won it instead. Hogan congratulates Savage for his win, though he says that it was with a little help from him. He's got business with the One Man Gang later (because of course Hogan's the main event), but he wants to be the first to challenge Savage for his newly won title. So, screw Flair's rematch clause then. Savage says that he's not the WCW committee, he's only the champion. He tells Hogan to get to the #1 spot and he'll give him a shot. If he loses to Hogan, he'll shake his hand, but if he beats Hogan, he wants Hogan to shake his. Hogan agrees to this.
Up next, it's Dean Malenko in action against Brian Pillman, who has become a serious loose cannon lately. Some exchanges of go-behinds early on, but Pillman comes back with a forearm, but Malenko returns with a hiptoss and a dropkick. Pillman escapes to the outside. After arguing with a fan, he returns to the ring, only to be taken to the corner. Pillman hits Malenko with a fist and then yells at the camera. He takes Malenko face first to the mat and grinds his face in the mat yelling "I'm a shooter! Because I got a full metal jacket!" Suplex and a cover by Pillman for two. He slaps Malenko, but Dean comes back with a tackle and some punches. He whips Pillman to the corner, hits a clothesline and a brainbuster.
Neckbreaker by Malenko who covers for two. Pillman begs off Malenko, but Dean whips him to the corner. He runs to Pillman, but gets caught with a boot and a tornado DDT. Pillman foregoes a cover and yells at the referee instead. Stiff chops to the chest of Malenko. Malenko reverses a whip and catches Pillman in a tiger bomb. Cover for two. Malenko dropkicks Pillman to the outside. He goes for the baseball slide, but Pillman avoids. He throws Malenko into the guardrail, and brings him back in. Pillman heads to the top rope, but Malenko catches him. Pillman knocks Malenko off the buckle and goes for another tornado DDT. Malenko throws him off instead. Malenko gets a massive gutbuster on Pillman. Drop toe hold and a leg lock, but Pillman gets the ropes. Malenko gets some headbutts to the midsection of Pillman, but Pillman punches Malenko, causing Dean's foot to get caught in the ropes. Cover gets the win for Pillman in a decent match. Felt kinda flat, but it was still a good battle of two greats.
Up next, it's the WCW tag team titles on the line. Champions Harlem Heat defending against Sting and Lex Luger. Luger and Stevie Ray start it off as Luger takes Stevie to the corner with some punches. Stevie comes back with a boot and some clubbing forearms. Luger ducks a clothesline and hits a forearm, covering for two. Booker gets a cheap shot, distracting Luger long enough for Stevie to hit a boot. Cover barely gets two. Tag to Booker T. Luger ducks a double clothesline and hits one of his own. Tag to Sting who splashes both members of Harlem Heat several times. He goes for the scorpion death lock as Luger distracts the ref, causing Booker to hit an ax kick to the back of Sting's head.
Clothesline by Stevie Ray to Sting. Cover for a near two. Tag to Booker who gets a leg lariat. He cheap shots Luger, then starts punching Sting. He works Sting in the middle of the ring with an arm bar. Sting breaks free, but gets caught with a boot in the corner. Booker hits a facebuster off the top rope. Cover only gets a two. Tag to Stevie as the champions double team Sting. Stevie stomps him down and then continues with some body sows. Sting fights both off until Booker guillotines Sting on the rope. Cover still just gets two.
Nerve hold by Stevie keeps Sting down. We get the arm drop spot, but Sting recovers, only to get caught with a body slam. Tag to Booker who drops the knee to the face. Cocky cover only gets a two. Sting tries to fight back, but to no avail. Tag to Booker as they hit a double front suplex. Booker tries for a Houston Hangover (flipping leg drop off the top rope), but Sting escapes. Jimmy Hart shows up. He gives Luger some sort of weapon. Sting and Booker collide into each other with cross bodies. Tag to Luger who hits Booker with a roll of silver dollars. Cover gets the three as Sting and Luger win the tag titles. Bit of a dull match with too much face-in-peril time, but Booker and Sting looked good in there and we continue this whole Luger angle in a very interesting direction now that he's still stooping to lows to win.
Main event time next. WCW U.S champion One Man Gang taking on Hulk Hogan. Gang tries to take Hogan to the corner, but Hogan gets his punches in. Gang escapes to the apron, but gets punched off. Gang tries to fight Hogan on the outside, but Hogan throws him to the stairs and lays in some punches. He throws Gang on the guardrail, then brings him back in. Thumb to the eye by Hogan (like a face would) and a face rake. Clothesline to Gang. He goes for a back drop, but Gang gets in a clubbing shot and a body slam. He splashes Hogan, but Hogan just Hulks up and wins the match with some whips to the corner, a clothesline, a boot, a slam and a leg drop. Blah.
The Horsemen and the Dungeon of Doom start attacking Hogan, but Savage comes out to help air the Hulkster. The Giant is at ringside, but yet again the Zodiac holds him back. He yells that he can smell Hogan's blood and promises to finish him off tomorrow at Clash of the Champions. In the ring, Hogan says that he'll face everyone to eventually get to Savage for the title. He praises Kevin Greene of the Pittsburgh Steelers being involved tomorrow as will Miss Elizabeth. Hogan and Savage are ready for Clash of the Champions.
A solid edition of Nitro complete with two championship changes. In terms of the in-ring, I can't say anything felt too amazing, though Savage vs Flair was a solid title match, Maybe the fact that Hogan's name hasn't been taken off the belt after all these months just ruins the moment for me. I can't say I'm personally all that hyped for Hogan-Senpai's eventual title opportunity, nor the possibility of the mega powers colliding again. Sting and Luger winning the tag titles was a nice surprise, and Pillman/Malenko was good despite feeling very unorganized. I guess to fit in with Pillman's loose cannon persona. Overall, a strong episode going into the Clash of the Champions, worthy of at least a B+.
WHO WON THE WAR WEEK #19: RAW
This one was tough. Do I go with the show with two title matches, or do I go with the show that had a compelling angle to start the show and a feeling of strong progression after a pay per view? Honestly I think Raw was a more fun sit this week. It was a victim of a live broadcast, and the wrestling was okay at best this week, but it more than made up for it with the Vader/Gorilla Monsoon angle. Over on Nitro, it feels the same as every other week. The WCW title plays hot potato, Hulk Hogan wins a match and Lex Luger continues to be hard to trust. There's nothing wrong with any of that (though the former does make title reigns feel hollow if the belt's not going to stay in one hand for too long. But spontaneity always does compel people to watch), but it also just feels like Nitro is on a weekly holding pattern some weeks, and this was definitely the case. Win #9 for Raw.
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