Nitro Charged: WCW Monday Nitro: May 13th, 1996

One week remains until Slamboree and Nitro is once again a packed show. Tonight Lex Luger will finally nut up and challenge The Giant to a match for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. In fact, he actually camped outside of the WCW offices to ensure he gets his title shot. Sadly this time it was not inside of the Lex Express. Come on Turner, you could have comped. Also, Randy Savage has been locked out of the building and fined fifty thousand dollars for assaulting the referee last week.

Opening action is Public Enemy taking on The Steiner Brothers. Scott and Rocco Rock start. Steiner picks Rock up for a powerslam, but Rock escapes, only to get caught with a press slam as Scott throws him into Johnny Grunge and Rick hits a double clothesline. After some stalling, Grunge and Rick come in. Grunge lays in some strikes, only to get caught with a shoulder block, a powerslam and an elbow by Rick. Cover, but Rock makes the save. Tag to Scott who lands a nice belly to belly. Cover, but Rocco Rock makes another save.

Brawl to the outside with both teams until both Public Enemy members try and double team Rick, only for Rick to avoid. Knee lify by Rocco Rock followed by a big body slam. He goes up for a dive, but Rick shakes the ropes, and follows with a suplex off the top buckle. Tag to Scott who hits a nice tilt-a-whirl slam. Scott goes for a top rope belly to belly, but Grunge drops him in an electric chair as Grunge land a diving headbutt. Tag to Grunge who lands a slam and a couple elbow drops.

Tag to Rocco Rock who climbs over Grunge and hits a flipping slam. Cover still just gets a two.  Tag to Grunge as the hit a double elbow. Rock goes back up and goes for another flipping senton, but Scott avoids. As the teams brawl again on the outside, we learn from Bischoff that Nitro is going two hours in two weeks. Oh goody. Rock tries another flip over the ropes, but Rick avoids, causing him to crash into Grunge. Scott catches Rock in a frankensteiner giving the Steiners a win in a great opening match. Although Rocco Rock's flippy dive stuff definitely felt overused.

Up next, it's Squire David Taylor taking on Chris Benoit. Both men lock up and roll around the ring until Taylor trips Benoit. Taylor tries a leg lock, only to be flipped. He goes back to the leg, but Benoit hits an enziguri. European uppercuts from Taylor hit right under the jaw. Headlock takedown and a shoulder block. Benoit tries a monkey flip, but Taylor boots him out. Benoit gets a forearm to the midsection then lays in some fists. Catapult into the corner followed by a ram into the buckle and a chop to the chest.

Taylor avoids an elbow in the corner and sends Benoit to the outside. He hits an ax handle off the apron then rams Benoit into the guardrail. They return to the ring as Benoit throws Taylor into the corner. He goes up, but Taylor lands an electric chair drop. Fallaway slam and a cover, but Benoit kicks out. He tries a slingshot, but Benoit avoids. Dragon Suplex and a cover gets the win for Benoit in a really good back and forth. Definitely could have went another few minutes and I wouldn't have minded.

Mean Gene is outside with security who refust to allow Savage inside. Mongo shows up and says he sympathizes with Savage. He's none to happy with Flair's advances on Debra and promises to do something about it.  Savage promises to turn WCW upside down, but still can't get in. He doesn't care about the money. He doesn't mind dragging a dead tag partner at Slamboree.

Glacier promo. We are at week #3 of the hype train. 

Speaking of that soon-to-be dead partner, up next, it's V.K Wallstreet taking on Ric Flair. Headlock and shoulder block by Wallstreet early on. Hammerlock exchanges until Wallstreet gets the better, taking his foot and dropping his weight on the shoulder. An exchange of chops from both men as Wallstreet succeeds with a hiptoss and a back body drop. Flair makes his exit and dances with Woman briefly before returning to the ring. Headlock and shoulder block spot from Ric until Wallstreet works the leg as we go to commercial.

When we return, Wallstreet is still in control as he throws Flair over the buckle (with patented Flair bump). Flair gets a low shot then goes up top, only for Wallstreet to throw him off. Back body drop again from Wallstreet, then hits a Samoan Drop. Cover, but Woman places Flair's foot on the ropes, forcing a break. Flair throws Wallstreet over the ropes, but Wallstreet comes up with a sunset flip for two. Back slide by Wallstreet for two again. He clotheslines Flair over the ropes, then goes in pursuit. He goes for a knee, but Flair avoids, causing him to land knee-first into the steel post. Flair smashes Wallstreet's foot on the buckle then gets a figure four for the win in a decent match. Been such a long time since I saw IRS in action, but sadly there was no abdominal stretch and rope grab spot to be seen.

Post-Match, Flair heads to the conveniently placed buffet table and talks to Mean Gene. Flair responds to the statement of Savage dragging a dead man, but does the Nature Boy look like he's dead to you? He will wear a new tuxedo, the girls will be dressed to kill, and they'll knock WCW on its ass. As it comes to Debra McMichael, he begins to take shots at Mongo. He brags about throwing "touchdown pass" after "touchdown pass" and Elizabeth and Woman were the wide receivers.

Main event up next. Lex Luger vs The Giant for the WCW World Title. Luger tries shoulder blocks, but they don't affect the Giant who hits a clothesline. Luger ducks another clothesline and tries to slam the Giant, but that still doesn''t work. Luger tries some more clotheslines, but gets caught and slammed into the corners.  Giant chokes Luger in the corner with his boot. Luger ducks more clotheslines and tries a strike with the steel-plated arm, but it still doesn't work.

We see Ric and the ladies at the buffet table while Luger starts hitting more shoulders and strikes to take out the Giant on the apron. However, Giant grabs him by the throat and heads to the table. He clears the buffet table then chokeslams Luger right through, effectively ending the match. Flair and hte ladies cower in the corner while Jimmy Hart tries to save Luger. Sting shows up and checks on his friend Luger while Hart sends Giant to the back. EMTs check on Luger as we replay the situation and Nitro comes to an end.

Really good Nitro to get us into Slamboree. We had some good matches in the Steiners vs Public Enemy, Benoit vs Dave Taylor and Flair vs Irwin. I especially liked the end segment which continues to build up the Giant as a near unstoppable force. A definite character rehab now that Hogan is nowhere to be seen. Luger's shades of grey continue as even though he's been arrogant as hell and cowardly, he still stuck his neck out this week and paid the price. Also Ric Flair is in full dick mode and I love it, arousing the ire of everyone at this point. Great stuff. Nitro gets an A- for this edition.

WHO WON THE WAR WEEK #32: NITRO

Raw was better than the last few weeks with the Goldust/Undertaker segment and Shawn vs Hunter, but Nitro's hour was used far better, building far better stories going into Slamboree. And even with the looming issue of the curtain call, it wasn't enough for Raw to remain as interesting this week. Win #18 for WCW.

RAW: 

September 25th, 1995

October 2nd, 1995 

October 23rd, 1995 

November 13th, 1995

November 20th, 1995 

December 4th, 1995 

December 11th, 1995 

January 1st, 1996

January 22nd, 1996

February 19th, 1996

February 26th, 1996

March 11th, 1996
April 1st, 1996
April 15th, 1996

NITRO: 

September 11th, 1995 

September 18th-21st, 1995 

October 9th, 1995 

October 16th, 1995 

October 30th, 1995 

November 6th, 1995 

November 27th, 1995 

December 18th, 1995 

January 8th, 1996

January 15th, 1996

January 29th, 1996

February 5th, 1996

March 18th, 1996

March 25th, 1996
April 22nd, 1996
April 29th, 1996
May 6th, 1996
May 13th, 1996