Coming off of Slamboree, its a 90 minute edition of Monday Nitro. Bischoff and Heenan on commentary sans Mongo after the situation last night. Mongo will now be teaming with Kevin Greene to take on Ric Flair and Arn Anderson at The Great American Bash.
Opening action tonight is Fire and Ice taking on The Steiner Brothers. Arm drag from Scott on Ice Train to start things off. He tries a hiptoss, but Ice Train blocks and hits one of his own. Headlock and shoulder block spot, but it's followed with a hiptoss and a clothesline from Scott. Ice Train gets a clothesline of his own, then lands a belly to belly suplex. cover only gets a two. Scott reverses a whip and hits a far nicer belly to belly, throwing Ice Train overhead.
Tags to Scott Norton and Rick Steiner. Norton pounds Rick into the corner, then gets in a clothesline and a second rope splash. Big shoulder block from Norton followed by a few more clotheslines. Rick dodges a clothesline and hits a German Suplex and a clothesline. Cover only gets a two. Tag to Scott who hits some boots then follows with a full nelson suplex. Norton is thrown outside of the ring and Scott hits an ax handle off the buckle. Scott ducks a clothesline, but gets caught with a Samoan drop. Cover still just gets a two. Tag to Ice Train, but Scott catches him with a suplex. Tag to Rick as both men hit double clotheslines. Tag to Norton as they pair hit double shoulder blocks. It spills to the outside with Ice Train brawining with Rick. Meanwhile Norton hits Scott with a shoulder breaker. Eventually the referee throws the match out as a double count out. Scott gets a German suplex on Norton while Rick and Ice Train brawl on the entrance way.
A fun opener. Fire and Ice have been a fun team, and putting them against the Steiners is even more enticing. Good stiff brawl with a lot of big suplex spots. I do wish we didn't end on a lame draw finish, but it does make me interested to see them go at it again, so I guess it worked.
Up next, Ric Flair takes on Eddie Guerrero. This stems from the prior evening's Slamboree where Eddie was caught in the middle of the Horsemen's attack on Randy Savage during the lethal lottery match, laid out with a DDT by Arn, and pinned by Flair. Flair points at the camera, asking "Macho Man, where are you now"? Eddie uses the ropes to flip Flair to the ground for a headlock. Flair tries a roll up, but to no lock. This headlock turns into a shoulder block from Flair, but Eddie manages to get right back into the hold. Flair escapes, but Eddie manages to reapply the headlock. Flair escapes and hits some stiff chops. Eddie fights back, getting some corner punches.
After an exchange of chops, Eddie regains control, hitting a back drop and a pair of dropkicks that sends Flair over the top rope. Eddie goes for a dive, but Flair walks off to his buffet table, grabbing a chair. But the referee shoves Flair instead, pissing the nature boy off. When things return to the ring, we get a headlock and shoulder block spot, with Eddie peppering in some punches. He exits the ring and mocks Rick with a patented Flair strut.
After a commercial break, Flair is grinding the face, but Eddie breaks free, hitting a shoulder block and a series of clotheslines. Eddie goes up and hits a sunset flip, yanking the trunks. Thankfully the camera cuts before we see Flair's ass as Eddie rolls up for two. Flair regains control with an inverse atomic drop. Elbow drop by Flair who covers for two. He then hits a nice knee drop to the face. Eddie begins to once again fight back, managing a backslide for two. He then gets an inside cradle for two. Flair anages a back suplex, but both men are wiped out. Flair gets up for a figure four, but Eddie rolls him up for two.
Flair tries a punt, but Eddie turns it into his own take on the Figure Four, only for Flair to grab the ropes. Flair rolls out of the ring. Eddie dives at him, but Flair avoids, causing Eddie to crash hard into the guard rail. Flair then hits a suplex on to the floor. Eddie sells the leg after his crash and burn, so Flair hits a chop block to the knee. Flair hits a really nice stalling suplex, then colvers, but still only gets a two. Flair goes for a back suplex, but Eddie flips out and gets a roll up for two. Eddie manages a running cross body, covering for two.
Eddie whips Flair to the corner, who then takes his patented corner flip over the buckle, allowing Eddie to dropkick him off the apron. Eddie brings Flair back in and goes for another sunset flip, but Flair hits him with a punch. Flair struts for a second, then hits another chop. This wakes Eddie up, who lands a picture perfect tornado DDT out of hte corner. Cover gets a close two. Eddie walks the ropes and hits a hurricanrana. He starts to sell the bad leg again as he slams Flair. Frog splash off the top rope, but Eddie crashes on his knees, causing him to clutch his left leg. Flair gets up and locks in the figure four. Eddie tries to flip, but passes out. The referee counts the three, and Ric gets the win in a very competitive match.
I really liked this match. But considering the two in the ring, that was to be expected. It was given a whole lot of time, felt evenly matched with both men managing to pull off a lot of great spots. Eddie worked as a great hot babyface with the crowd behind him, while Flair was in top form. In the end, the right man did win as Flair does need to rebuild his momentum a bit after losing the WCW title a few weeks ago, plus now being in two feuds at once with Mongo and Randy Savage, he needs to look strong going into the Great American Bash.
Mean Gene is at the buffet table with Ric, Woman, and Elizabeth. He says that Randy Savage is somewhere in the building. Flair says that he's been told that Savage is locked up for trying to break up another evening with him and his girls. He's teaching Savage's wife a new way of life. When it comes to Mongo, he says that his wife follows Flair around like she owes him money. He says that in Baltimore, there will be two former NFL stars, because he promises that Kevin Greene won't make training camp. He grabs a champagne bottle and wanders to the back.
When we return, Flair has taken his buffet table to the announce position. Flair denies Bischoff any food, while Heenan lights the candles. This leads to our next match, the WCW Tag Team Titles on the line as Sting and Lex Luger defend against Meng and Barbarian, the faces of fear. Luger starts things off with Meng. Meng takes Luger to the corner and hits a stiff chop. Luger gets a headlock and shoulder block spot. Meng gets in a drop toe hold and hits some strikes. Luger counters with a powerslam, covering for two. Back suplex by Meng, who tags in Barbarian. Barbarrian misses an elbow drop. Luger tags in Sting as we go to break.
Back from break as Sting manages to flip away both faces of fear, then hits some clotheslines. He puts Barbarian in a bearhug, then tries a dropkick, only for Barbarian to avoid. Tag to Meng who applies a liontamer, then starts pounding on the ribs. He spits at Luger, then tags in Meng. Meng hits some shots, then tags in Barbarian. Inverse atomic drop and boot double team connects on the Stinger. Cover by Barbarian, but Luger makes the save. Barbarian sets Sting on the top buckle and hits a massive overhead suplex. Cover, but still just a two count.
Meng and Barbarian take to the top buckles and hit double headbutts (though Meng nearly took a header before making it up). Luger distracts Sting as Meng covers, allowing Sting to kick out. Meng rams Sting into buckle and attacks, but Sting starts to heat up. He leaps over Meng to tag Luger, but to no avail as Meng hits another inverse atomic drop. Tag to Barbarian who lands a backbreaker. Cover only gets a two however. Barbarian goes up for another diving headbutt, but Sting avoids. Another leaping tag, this time successfully as Luger comes in.
Luger cleans house with clotheslines and back drops. Loaded forearm by Luger who covers, but Meng makes the save. Both teams begin to brawl. Barbarian tries a second belly to belly, but Luger grabs the leg, allowing Sting to knock him down. Big splash by Sting as Luger rolls in for the cover and the retain. A really good tag match, even if there was a bit too much face in peril. Also, Flair and Heenan on commentary in this match was a delight. Flair being his arrogant self, and Heenan sucking up to him to get some more food. great stuff.
Mean Gene is outside the building with Randy Savage, who is still barred from the building. Gene says that Savage might not be allowed to wrestle, but Savage isn't concerned about the suit and ties. They should be real careful about what they do with his future. They need to make the right decision. He accuses Gene of setting him up, then tries to rush the door to no avail.
Glacier Vignette. Still the same Glacier Vignette. We're now in week #4 of the great Glacier hype.
Up next, it's Brad Armstrong taking on the Lord of the Ring, Diamond Dallas Page. Armstrong works the arm until Page makes it to the rope. Page berates a kid in the crowd, then takes Armstrong to the corner. Armstrong ducks a punch and gets in a hiptoss. Page begins to ram the shoulder, and gets a roll up for one. Another cover, but Armstrong bridges out. He catches a big dropkick. Page recovers with a neckbreaker and stomps down Armstrong as we go to break.
When we return, it's Page with the headlock. Armstrong escapes and gets a backslide for two. Page pops right up and hits a clothesline, covering for two. He whips Armstrong in the corner and hits a running tackle to the midsection. Another attempt is met with Page hitting the ring post. Armstrong hits an inverse atomic drop, then rams DDP into the buckle nine times, then hits a facebuster. Armstrong goes up and hits a cross body, covering for two. Page hits an elbow to the face and a diamond cutter, covering in a decent match. I like Armstrong, he works well as a likable babyface, and DDP is on a much needed roll.
Mean Gene is with DDP who says that he shocked the world last night at Slamboree. Despite all the names in the lethal lottery, when it was all said and done, it was DDP, who was the lord of the ring. He has one person to thank, himself. He says that the Giant is his. Okerlund then says that the championship committee have viewed the footage last night, and unlike the Royal Rumble, they are not going to allow the one foot on the rope. They won't give him a shot against the Giant at the Bash, and have given that shot to Lex Luger. An angry DDP grabs Okerlund, then says that he'll deal with this.
It's main event time. Arn Anderson vs The Giant for the WCW Title. However, flanked with Double A is The Taskmaster. Sullivan tells Jimmy Hart and the Giant that he wants this to be a fair opportunity for Arn. Waistlock by Arn is broken with ease. Arn avoids contact then starts laying in strikes, which don't affect him. With one hand, Giant throws Arn across the ring. He picks Arn up and lands a slam. Hard whip to the buckle sends Arn collapsing to the mat. So Giant hits a second. Big back body drop from the Giant sends Arn rolling outside of the ring. He brings Arn back in, but Arn crotches him on the rope and hits some ax handles. He wears down the Giant and calls for a DDT, but Giant picks him up and chokeslams him. Cover and the three in a decent Giant squash.
A really good episode of Nitro this week coming off a positive wave of momentum from Slamboree 1996. A good opener with Fire and Ice despite the lame double count out. A good tag title match with Sting and Luger vs Meng and Barbarian. Armstrong and DDP was serviceable and the Arn/Giant main event was a decent enough quick title match. But what really shined tonight was Eddie Guerrero vs Ric Flair in a great, lengthy match. Speaking of lengthy, despite this being a 90-minute edition (more like about 70 without commercials), this episode moved at a very fast pace. Will that remain the same when Nitro becomes a two-hour show next week? We'll have to find out. But for now, this Nitro gets an A.
WHO WON THE WAR WEEK #33: NITRO
Nitro's roll continues as the quality of this week's edition far outweighed what was still an okay episode of Raw. Raw was hindered mainly with the show just up and ending, while Nitro had enough time to breathe and give us matches that all had the right amount of time allotted. Nitro takes its 19th win.
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
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
May 20th, 1996
April 22nd, 1996
April 29th, 1996
May 6th, 1996
May 13th, 1996
May 20th, 1996
No comments:
Post a Comment