Coming off the events of Clash of the Champions 32, it's Nitro from Canton, Ohio. We have a stacked card tonight, which includes a WCW title match between Randy Savage and The Giant. The Road Warriors make their Nitro debut against the faces of fear. It's a battle of "fried pies" as Madusa takes on Sherri. But opening action is Ric Flair taking on Hogan-Senpai. Hogan accompanied by Linda, Woman and Debra. But most importantly, Miss Elizabeth.
Hogan shoves off Flair to begin action. Flair tries another grapple, but Hogan shoves him down a couple more times. Flair brings Hogan to the corner and chops him, which Hogan no-sells. Hogan lays in some fists in the corner then follows with a back body drop and some clotheslines, sending Flair over the top rope. Hogan chases Flair to the outside, but Flair gets a thumb to the eye in. Hogan comes back almost immediately with a clothesline. Both men return to the ring as Flair begs off Hogan. Hogan instead just lays a couple fists and some more clotheslines.
Hogan gets distracted by the ref, allowing for Flair to hit a chop block, taking out the knee of Hogan as we go to break. When we return from break, Flair continues to work Hogan with some chops and strikes. Flair goes up top, and as always, gets thrown off the top buckle. Hogan blocks a punch and gets a shoulder block. Flair comes back with an elbow. Flair distracts the ref to let Jimmy Hart get a cheap shot, but Hogan boots him away. Hogan no-sells offense from Flair and takes Ric to the corner with some punches and a face bite (like a face would). Patented Flair corner spot and a clothesline to the outside.
A thumb to the eye by Flair after some quick fighting on the outside. Both men return to the ring as Flair throws Hogan back outside. Hart begins to choke down Hogan while the referee is distracted. He then gets in some stomps. Flair continues offense on the leg, eventually locking in the figure four. Hogan reverses the hold, forcing Flair to escape. Both men are limping, but Flair still tries a suplex, only for Hogan to reverse with one of his own. Chops by Flair are no-sold as Hogan comes back with rights of his own. Flair gets in an elbow to the face. Back suplex by Flair as Hogan flops on the ground like a drying fish. Cover by Flair, but here comes the hulk up.
Hogan gets in some punches and a boot, followed by the leg drop. Hart distracts the referee as Arn Anderson comes in, attempting to strike Hogan with the loaded weapon to no avail. Hart grabs Elizabeth and throws her shoe to Flair. Flair smacks Hogan with the heel of the shoe and covers for the win. A decent enough match for Hogan fare, but it did drag for a little too long. Post-match, Savage and Elizabeth check on Hogan who is bleeding from the eye.
Up next, the Road Warriors are in action against the Faces of Fear, Meng and Barbarian. Loud "LOD" chants from the crowd as we start. Barbarian shoves Animal off to start. Animal comes back with a shove of his own. Barbarian reverses a whip and hits a big boot. He pummels Animal and lays in a few chops. Animal reverses a whip and hits a powerslam and an elbow drop. Tag to Meng and a tag to Hawk. Meng pummels Hawk with a flurry of strikes, including an elbow to the back of the head. Piledriver by Meng, but since this is Hawk, he just pops right back up and hits a powerslam.
Tag to Animal who wrings the arm of Meng. Barbarian gets in a cheap shot to the back of Animal as Meng hits a clothesline. Tag to Barbarian as both Faces of Fear land headbutts. Cover only gets a two. Animal tries a whip, but Barbarian reverses it, throwing Animal back-first into the corner. He follows with some back blows and a backbreaker. Cover only gets a two. Tag to Meng who locks in a front facelock. Animal gets thrown off the apron as Barbarian throws him into the guardrail and the post. Irish whip and a big dropkick by Meng who covers for two. He begins to choke Animal and rip at the face.
Tag to Barbarian who hits a powerbomb. Cover only gets a two. He then goes up to land a diving shoulder block. He goes up for a second, but Animal hits a clothesline. Tag to Hawk who lays in stiff shots on Barbarian. Clotheslines to both men and focuses on Meng, which lets Barbarian gets a cheap shot. The Faces of Fear throw him into the corner, but he comes back with a double clothesline. Animal back drops Meng over the ropes as Barbarian sets Hawk up, only to be caught for the Doomsday Device. However, Meng throws Hawk off. Piledriver by Barbarian to Animal. He goes for a second, but Hawk hits a clothesline off the top for the win in an okay tag match. A bit too much "face team in peril" for my tastes, but a strong match to bring the Road Warriors back.
Mean Gene with with the Taskmaster and Hugh Morrus. Sullivan is quite upset about the current fallout between the Horsemen and the Dungeon of Doom. Arn Anderson and Brian Pillman show up as Sullivan tells Arn to discipline Pillman, or suffer the consequences. Arn promises to take care of things and chastises Pillman for not being around during the Flair match. He's talked to him, and even slapped him, but now there's just some tough love left. Arn begins to whip his belt out, but Sullivan and Hugh Morrus attack Arn. Sullivan then begins to whip Pillman (who didn't come to Arn's aid). Arn DDTs Morrus and sends Sullivan in retreat. Arn now sees where the dungeon stand. He promises to take care of this problem. He tells the WCW committee that unless they want a bloodbath in the dressing room, they better give him a match with Sullivan and his stooge. Pillman says he got them into this mess and he'll get them out.
Mean Gene is with Sister Sherri as he's here to talk to her about Madusa's interference in the wedding between Sherri and Colonel Parker. But before he can even finish talking, Madusa dives at Sherri with a cross body and begins the assault. Sherri grabs the leg and drags Madusa into the post, smashing it into the steel. She goes to whip Madusa into the steps, but Madusa reverses. She follows with a snap suplex on the floor. Throat thrust by Sherri who then throws Madusa back in. Madusa slaps her and hits a haymaker. More stiff kicks by Madusa. Sherri takes her down and hits a leg drop to the lower extremities. Sherri goes up top, but Madusa throws her off, but Sherri turns it around into a cover for three.
Madusa comes right back however with a vicious German Suplex that just looks to knock the life right out of Sherri. She keeps slapping Sherri around and ramming the head into the mat. Officials pull Madusa off Sherri as she finally takes her leave.
Up next, the WCW title is on the line. It's The Giant challenging Randy Savage (with Linda, Woman, Elizabeth and Debra). However, Savage sneaks up behind the Giant and starts to nail him with the WCW title, immediately throwing this match out. The ref grabs the belt away while Savage locks in a sleeper hold.
Ric Flair shows up and goes on the attack on Savage, throwing him into the barricade and nailing some chair shots. He gets in some shots and brings Savage back to Giant, who suplexes the Macho Man over the ropes back into the ring. Giant continues to assault Savage with a big backbreaker. After a low blow by Flair, Giant finishes Savage with a chokeslam.
A one-eyed Hogan shows up and chair shots Giant out of the ring. The Dungeon of Doom arrive and all get wailed on with the chair. I guess even with one bad eye Hogan is still uber-god tier.
Flair gets up to the announce position and says he's beaten Hogan twice and in the Superbrawl cage match, he'll stop Savage. Giant shows up and promises to make bone bread out of Hogan. Two cages. One unsanctioned and one for the title. Flair promises to take Savage, his belt, and Elizabeth one more time.
A really strong edition of Nitro this week. A surprisingly decent Hogan/Flair match, which is something if you hear me actually praising Hogan for something. Despite it being a bit too much "face in peril" I liked that the Road Warriors came back looking really good. I like this direction where this alliance between the Dungeon of Doom and the Four Horsemen is on the shakiest of grounds, thanks mainly to Brian Pillman. Madusa and Sherri was what it should have been, a mess of a brawl. And while we were screwed out of a title match, the end angle with all the insanity made up for it. Yes, even Cyclops Hulkster just making everyone look like geeks with a steel chair. The build to Superbrawl is already looking good, and hopefully the next few weeks keep this momentum up. This Nitro gets an A-.
WHO WON THE WAR WEEK #20: NITRO
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