We open Nitro with Eric Bischoff talking about the history of WCW and how while it may not mean anything at all to the NWO, but it means a lot to a lot of people. He refers to the NWO as dirtbags. He admits his mistakes, but the one mistake he ever made was bringing Hogan to WCW. He promises that this is going to stop.
-WCW WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP: EL TECHNICO & JUVENTUD GUERRERA VS PUBLIC ENEMY-
Rocco Rock and Juventud start as Juvi lands an arm drag followed by a messy springboard rana. Rock sends Juvi into the guardrail and brings him back in. Juvi tags in Technico as Johnny Grunge is tagged in. Sidewalk slam and elbow by Public Enemy. Cover, but Juvi makes the save. Brawl from both teams, but Public Enemy have full control. They turn the mask of Technico around and hit a clothesline. Scoop slam and an assisted top tope senton from Rocco Rock for the win.
Post-match, Grunge places El Technico on the table, allowing Rocco Rock to land a dive over the ropes and through the table. A message sent to The Outsiders for Halloween Havoc. Public Enemy then celebrate with the crowd.
Mike Tenay backstage with Mongo, Benoit and Debra. Mongo reminds Tenay on the assault on Savage and what happened at War Games isn't going to happen again. When you see one horsemen, you see another. Debra brings up Mongo's superbowl ring signifying him as a team player. Benoit brings up the accolades of his opponent Rick Steiner and tonight he's against the best.
An NWO Promo with Hogan and a super young Nick Hogan as they continue to brag about all the TV time they now have. Nash says he saw Mongo on the TV and Debra wants him bad.
-ALEX WRIGHT VS DEAN MALENKO-
Malenko comes to the ring with the mask of Rey Mysterio Jr. that he ripped off last week. Fast counters and limb work to start things off. Malenko tries a cover, but Wright bridges out of it. Headlock is turned into a back suplex from Malenko who covers for two. After a commercial break, Wright is in control off a headlock and arm drag. Malenko sends Wright to the floor, then whips him into the guardrail.
Wright tries a sunset flip over the ropes, but is thwarted. Leg lock by Malenko as we see the Mask of Rey Mysterio on the ring post. Wright comes back with some strikes and a big back body drop. Wright catches Malenko with a kick and continues with strikes. Malenko tries a top rope cross body, but misses as Wright rolls him up for the three in a decent upset.
We recap WCW Saturday Night as Randy Savage attacked the referees, including Nick Patrick. We take it to Mike Tenay who interviews Savage, but Savage doesn't show up.
Turns out that Savage was busy shilling a Halloween Havoc sweepstakes. The "Slim Jim's Snap to Win Sweepstakes". The prize being winning a Slim Jim truck and a trip to Vegas to see Halloween Havoc. Ric Flair shows up wanting the prize as well.
-EDDIE GUERRERO VS JIM POWERS-
Commentary is more focused on Matt Ghafari, silver medalist in Greco Roman wrestling, as well as Savage's attack last week. In the ring, Power escapes a suplex and lands some strikes. Spear and punches by Eddie, but Powers overpowers and gets some strikes and a belly to belly. Cover only gets a two. Clothesline and another two-count cover. More NWO picketers are in the crowd going up and down the steps. Powers continues control, locking a chinlock while a massive "NWO" chant breaks.
Eddie escapes, but gets hit with a knee. Cover only gets a two. Back into the chinlock. Eddie escapes again and lands a European uppercut. Powers rams Eddie into the buckle and continues body blows as Eddie tries to fight off to no avail. Eddie lands a back suplex and goes up top, only to get caught with a superplex by Powers. Cover, but Eddie kicks out. Cradle, but Eddie escapes. Powerslam into the corner is countered into a German Suplex with a bridge for a sloppy three. But with both shoulders down, this leads to confusion until Patrick awards the win to Eddie. A dull match overall with a messy ending. Post-match, Teddy Long and Nick Patrick argue.
Another NWO promo from their hotel room as the Nasty Boys are invited. This segment is just a mish mash of arguing and catering, ending with Jerry Saggs doing an Ace Ventura impression of Eric Bischoff. I did not need to see Jerry Saggs grabbing his ass.
Mike Tenay backstage with Arn Anderson, Woman and Miss Elizabeth. Arn tells Elizabeth that they were supposed to be together in the horsemen, but she's been doing things on her own. Woman says that business is business, but Elizabeth says that things are complicated. Arn says that he has a match with Luger at Halloween Havoc, and Elizabeth better be on board.
-HUGH MORRUS VS BRAD ARMSTRONG-
Lots of stalling as the timer makes it to the second hour. Armstrong ducks a clothesline and hits a dropkick. Morrus catches him with a powerslam. He teases a low blow and eventually lands a headbutt to the lower extremities. Chinlock followed by a headbutt. Armstrong hits an enziguri and tries a backslide for two. Cradle gets a two. Clothesline by Morrus. He tries a slam, but Armstrong escapes. He tries a leg sweep, but Morrus escapes. Slam and a moonsault followed by a second. Cover and a three in anotehr dull match.
-ARN ANDERSON VS CHRIS JERICHO-
Elizabeth backstage continues to try and stall things as we go to break. After the break, we see Eric Bischoff have to take his leave to find out what's going on at the hotel with the NWO. Only Arn and Woman head to the ring for the match with Jericho. Jericho works the legs until Arn forces a break. Arm work from both men with Jericho getting the better. We see Elizabeth backstage watching on a monitor. Superkick by Jericho sends Arn to the outside. Diving shoulder block off the apron by Jericho.
Woman slaps Jericho, allowing Arn to gain control. They return to the ring as we see Woman make her leave from the back. Slam by Arn who goes up, but gets hit with a dropkick. Jericho gains control with punches and a sloppy spin kick. Cover for two. Big back body drop by Jericho sends Arn to the apron as Jericho lands a springboard shoulder. Diving back elbow and a cover, but only two. Lionsault is dodged as Arn follows with a DDT for the win in an okay, but brief match.
-LEX LUGER VS M. WALLSTREET-
We see Elizabeth leaving the arena with her bags in tow, along with a piece of paper. In ring with have Irwin, who has gone from V.K. Wallstreet to Michael Wallstreet, to simply M. Wallstreet. Commentary continues focus on Sting's recent issues involving his WCW mates and his fans. Heenan says to suck it up and make a decision. Headlock and shoulder block spot is denied as Irwin throws Luger through the ropes. Classic Irwin, locking an abdominal stretch and using the ropes whenever possible, wich leads to Randy Anderson catching it eventually.
Sunset flip by Luger only gets a two as Wallstreet keeps on Luger.Slam and an elbow drop leads to a slow cover for two. Luger escapes a chinlock, but gets caught with a knee and a leg drop. Cover, but two. Back into the chinlock, using the ropes whenever possible. Luger breaks free and lays in punches until Irwin hits him in the gut and lands a snapmare and returns to the chinlock. Luger escapes and tries roll ups and cradles to no avail. Running forearm and a cover, but two for Luger. Forearm by Irwin who calls for the finish, but Luger turns around and racks him for the win in a super dull match.
In an attempt to make good with Sting, WCW has decided to change their WCW motorcar into the Sting motorcar.
-ROCK & ROLL EXPRESS VS FACES OF FEAR-
Morton and Meng start things off as Morton tries to avoid, only to get caught in the corner. He avoids, and goes for a sleeper, only to be thrown off. He tries again, only to be thrown off again. Third attempt, but again, no luck. Morton gets caught, but Gibson hits a dropkick. Fast covers, despite Gibson NOT BEING LEGAL, but neither get more than a one. Gibson is tagged in, as is Barbarian. Sunset flip by Gibson, but no dice.
After a commercial break, it's Morton in who tries a sunset flip. Barbarian uses the ropes, but the ref kicks him off. Barbarian grabs him, then the referee does like a golf swing to break it, allowing for the roll up for two. WHAT? Meng comes in and lands a piledriver. Cover, but Gibson makes the save. Atomic drop and boot combo from the Faces of Fear as Barbarian covers for two. Super stiff powerbomb from Barbarian who covers for two. Not content with trying to cripple Morton, Barbarian follows with a just-as-stiff backbreaker. Cover still fares a two.
Meng enters and locks a camel clutch. Morton breaks and smashes Meng into the buckle, but the ol' Tongan hard head leads to nothing. Morton tries to tag Gibson, but still no luck. Morton manages a cross body and covers for two. Tag to Barbarian who keeps on Morton. Slam and a tag to Meng as the pair land double diving headbutts. Cover, but Gibson makes the save. Barbarian tries a diving headbutt, but Morton escapes and finally tags in Gibson. Knee lift and enziguri followed by corner punches. Double dropkick on Meng. Gibson goes after Jimmy Hart, but gets booted. Cover by Barbarian gets the three in a decent match.
Post-match, Meng and Barbarian attack Rock and Roll, until Public Enemy make the save, until Faces of Fear regain control. They headbutt Grunge's injured knee as we go to break.
We return to the NWO hotel room. Hogan crows about how he got Kyle Petty to drive their personal NWO racecar as a tribute to his son Nick Hogan. Kind of a bad omen to talk Nick Hogan and cars. Also, I noticed no Vincent in this locker room party. Maybe a distinct lack of meat sauce.
-RICK STEINER VS CHRIS BENOIT-
Nick Patrick jaw jacks the camera about working hurt and he promises retribution to Randy Savage. After a quick break, Schiavone gives thanks to Rob Wright, a production man for the company who left the company. Benoit and Steiner exchange blows until Steiner drops Benoit right on his neck with a German suplex. Stiff stomps by Benoit, followed by a clothesline and a cover for two. More strike exchanging until Steiner locks the chin then covers for barely one.
He misses an elbow drop, allowing for more strikes from Benoit. Snap suplex by Benoit, followed by more strikes in the corner. Rick escapes and gets in a boot and clothesline. He catches Benoit on a powerslam and covers for two. Debra interferes, allowing Mongo to hit Rick with the briefcase. Cover and the three.
One more NWO hotel promo as Elizabeth is in the hotel with them. Giant brags about working Jingle All The Way, bringing up the benefits of joining the NWO. Vincent finally shows up with a present, while Hogan still brings up movie deals. Savage shows up and snaps at Elizabeth, believing she set him up again.
Gotta admit, this was kind of a dull Nitro. Some of the in-ring was fine, like Rock N Roll Vs Faces of Fear, but the rest was very basic stuff without much intriguing storytelling to build to Halloween Havoc. Even the NWO stuff, which consisted of just Hotel segments, really felt like a step back after last week's takeover of the program. Hell, Nick Hogan got more segments than most of WCW's roster. So, after a quality month, this was a slog of a show. No wonder it took me three months to come back to this. D.
WHO WON THE WAR WEEK #51: RAW
I'll freely admit it's been three months since I watched the Raw in question, but to my recollection, it was a far more energetic show than what Nitro was this week. More stuff felt like it happened in comparison to a lot of bog standard matches on Nitro with multiple NWO hotel segments. So, for the first time in over a month, I gotta give it to Raw.
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
May 27th, 1996
June 23rd, 1996
July 15th, 1996
July 22nd, 1996
August 5th, 1996
August 19th, 1996
September 30th, 1996
April 1st, 1996
April 15th, 1996
May 27th, 1996
June 23rd, 1996
July 15th, 1996
July 22nd, 1996
August 5th, 1996
August 19th, 1996
September 30th, 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
June 3rd, 1996
June 10th, 1996
June 17th, 1996
July 1st, 1996
July 8th, 1996
July 29th, 1996
August 12th, 1996
September 2nd-September 6th, 1996
September 9th, 1996
September 16th, 1996
September 23rd, 1996
July 29th, 1996
August 12th, 1996
September 2nd-September 6th, 1996
September 9th, 1996
September 16th, 1996
September 23rd, 1996
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