WCW Monday Nitro 5/26/1997

WCW Monday Nitro 5/26/1997

Mike Tenay, Tony Schiavone and Larry Zbyszko are your commentators for the first hour.

Hogan and Bischoff took two minutes to get to the ring. Hogan has something going on with his beard here. There's no blonde dye and it looks fake. Eric said he checked to make sure there were no Stingers under the ring. Hogan said he has been having fun spending Ted Turner's money and said Sting is in "deep deep doo doo" if he touches Bischoff. He says Bischoff is like family and directs talk to the "Sting-o-nites". Hulk says Sting is afraid of the Outsiders, can't keep up with Syxx-Pac and is calling him out right now. He says he will tear Sting apart and Bischoff says Sting is not here and scared. Hogan said he was going to slap people around who were wearing Sting paint.

The commentators ask where Sting is. Larry says Hulk will suffer from Sting. Tenay thinks we will find out if there will be a Sting/Hogan match soon.

Juventud Guerrera, Super Calo and Hector Garza vs La Parka, Cicolpe and Damian

 

 

Tony calls this a Jim Dandy. Larry asks how you can do a tag match with no tags as this is under lucha rules. Parka misses corner moves on Juvi then takes a missed spin kick. Parka dances and catches Juvi's crossbody. Parka then dances with him and puts him on the top rope. Parka turns around and takes a top rope hurricanrana.

Cicolpe lariats Calo then Calo rolls backwards on the buckle and headscissors him. Calo then headscissors him from the top from behind. Calo then tope con hilo's him and lands in the third row! Awesome dive. Garza flips over Damian off the top then gets lariated. Garza tilt-a-whirl backbreakers him then baseball slides him. Garza then 2nd rope moonsaults him outside off the post.

Calo gets tripped and double elbowed then kicked by Parka. Cicolpe holds up Parka for a step up enzugiri. Parka powerslams Juvi then Juvi flips out of a german. Damian lariats his own partner then they blow a spot where Juvi bodyscissors Damian off the apron. Juvi pulls Parka off the apron to the floor then flip dives him. Calo then slingshot flipping sentons him on the outside. Cicolpe does a dive then Garza does a top rope corkscrew plancha on everyone outside.

Cicolpe goes for a top rope headscissors but Garza powerbombs him on his way down. Garza then standing moonsaults him and wins it.

Awesome opener here with tons of dives and them not overdoing it too much. Just nonstop action from start to finish done the right way. Good stuff here.

Psychosis vs Alex Wright

Alex does his usual dance on his way to the ring and Psychosis ain't impressed. Alex does a cartwheel out of a wristlock then Psychosis kips up out of one. Alex cartwheels to the side of a bent over Psycho then leg lariats him. Alex then drops him with a euro uppercut and suplexes him.

Alex hits a stomp and punch flurry in the corner then dances. Psycho runs up the ropes and moonsaults Alex. He crotches Alex on the top rope then top rope spinning heel kicks him. Alex goofs around outside then Psycho top rope corkscrew moonsaults him and half misses in a hard landing.  Psycho then top rope legdrops him for the win.

I thought this was good. Wright did his heel dances here and kept getting caught with wild Psychosis high flying moves. The pace was super fast and both guys came off looking real good here. Man we are off to a wild ride so far!

Mean Gene interviews Sonny Ono. The commentators mentioned there would bea nightmare surprise for Chono last match and Tenay hinted he knew who it was. Ono was asked about it and said he has his nightmare waiting in the back. Ono refuses to say who it is and says we have to wait. Ono then calls Psychosis over and says he has a deal for him. He asks if he is interested and Psychosis says he is. Ono then says Chono will get his tonight.

Medusa then walks out swinging around something. She said she deserves a women's title shot and said she will do almost anything for a title shot. Ono is excited about this and Medusa begins to regret it. Ono says he will give her a shot but if she loses, she has to retire. Gene questions if she wants to do this and Ono says she has 15 seconds to make a choice. Medusa says she accepts but is unsure and doesn't look happy about this. Medusa then officially agrees. Everyone was really good here on this one.

They talk about a feud between Wrath, Mortis and Glacier. Larry, who actually did do a marital arts gimmick in the 80's, said his master told him, "you cannot soar like an eagle with wings of a parakeet". Tenay then narrates a video package on Ernest Miller. He is the ISKA super heavyweight free style karate champion and we are told Glacier arranged that event.

Wrath vs Mark Starr

Wrath is with James Vandenberg and Mortis looking awesome. We are told Wrath's staff was broken over Glacier's back and that Glacier's helmet is on there.

Mark Starr is Jay Strongbow's kid if I remember correctly. Wrath gut punches him and throws him into the buckles. Wrath hits a nice back elbow then tilt-a-whirl backbreakers him one his left knee. Wrath then throws him out and Mortis takes a free shot. Mortis then holds him for some Wrath kicks.

Wrath hits a beautiful top rope clothesline then pump kicks him. Wrath then hits a rock bottom/uranage called the death penalty and wins it.

Good squash here.

Vandenberg calls out Glacier after. He says to come get his helmet if he dares while Mortis and Wrath kick and stomp Starr.

Villano IV vs Konnan

Hugh Morris does an inset promo on Konnan. He said Konnan's going to find out that it's not so funny picking on the laughing man and we'll see what kind of sense of humor he has.

They shake hands and Konnan attacks him. Konnan then rolls into a clothesline. Konnan basement dropkicks him then shotgun dropkicks him. Konnan drops him with some punches and Villano does a funny sell for them. Villano headscissors him then rolls over his back for an armdrag. He then lariats him. Villano tries to go up and over in the corner then Konnan hits an alabama slam.

Hugh Morris comes out and Doug Dillinger tries to stop him. Hugh is pulled back and Konnan yells at him. Konnan then hits a nasty standing cradle ddt and puts him in the tequila sunrise to win it.

This was a short squash here. Villano didn't have much of a prayer here and got little in here unfortunately.

Mean Gene interviews Konnan in the ring. Gene says he thinks Konnan's career is up in limbo with Kevin Sullivan on a sabbatical. Konnan says Sullivan has no leadership and needed a week to take care of Chris Benoit. Konnan says he is the thug in that set and says he has no respect for Kevin's ex-wife Woman running around with Chris Benoit. He then calls him a b*tch, though not directly. He calls Hugh Morris the Pillsbury fat boy and says if he comes out during his match, it's a 187 and he's ready to ride.

Sonny Ono comes out. He says the nightmare of Chono is The Great Muta.

The Great Muta vs Masa Chono

Muta had his awesome Tokyo Takeaway theme here, maybe my favorit wrestling music ever. Chono comes out to NWO music and has an NWO shirt and a sword.

Muta spits the mist in the air to start and Chono goes outside to chsase Ono. They just stare at each other and do nothing and Ono yells at Muta to get him. Chono goes after Ono again outside. Larry loves the stalling, since he did it himself and Muta headlocks him. Ono gets on the apron asking him what is he doing? Ono then gets in the ring. Everyone stares at each other then Muta red mists Ono and stomps him. Muta takes a picture of Ono and Chono says Muta is NWO. They then pose with an NWO shirt as Sonny is shocked and crying outside.

This was all angle and a total disappointment that we didn't get Muta vs Chono. At least there was a reason for it though.

Bobby Heenan now joins Tony at the commentators booth and Larry and Tenay are gone.

Heenan says the NWO spent a lot of money to get Muta and says it shows they are worried about Sting.

We get an NWO paid announcement. Macho Man says DDP isn't in the same league as him and will be overexposed. Savage says not to make long range plans with Page says he will be his judge, jury and executioner. He says he is the man and legend. There were a million cuts here and it was basically a messy collection of Savage quotes. Entertaining but I couldn't tell you what he said.

Diamond Dallas Page and Kimberly come out. Page comes out with broken crutches. He said Savage looked mad in his promo and says he is feeling the madness. He said he didn't think he could get Savage that mad by calling him a suck-up to Hogan. He said he owes Savage a diamond cutter for breaking crutches over him and said the crutches he broke over Savage's back are just the beginning. Kimberly says she likes to keep momentos of their WCW experience and says these are momentos to remind Page to watch out for people sneaking up against him. Kim then brings out hair Savage pulled out of her head. Page said you don't mess with a man's family or a man's wife. Page then said, "DDP is going to be an SOB, down to the letter". It started off eh but Page reeled it in at the end.

The Barbarian vs Jim Powers

Jimmy Hart is with Barb and Teddy Long is with Powers. Powers looks good here and better than the majority of wrestlers today. Barb shoulders Powers and gestures him. Powers gets some kicks in but can't hurt him with a clothesline. Barb then knocks him down with his lariat.

Barb running clotheslines him in the corner and then outside. Barb then rams his back into the post. They trade chops and Powers goes down and gets choked. Powers gets some punches in and hits a knee lift. Powers then comes off the 2nd rope and is caught with a power slam. Barb face kicks him and wins it.

Not much to this. It probably went longer than it should have. Jim didn't bring much to the tables here before his defeat.

Chris Benoit and Woman come out. Benoit wants to know where Kevin Sullivan is and asks Hart.  Benoit says he hopes he finds himself as he is sick of the same song and dance. He asks what he has to do to get Sullivan in the ring. Hart says the road to Sullivan is through Barbarian. Benoit then gets in the ring. Hart says we have plenty of time and says we have 7 times to think about this as they can meet on Nitro next week.

The Giant vs Johnny Swinger, Rick Fuller and Jerry Flynn

We are told a major star is coming to WCW. Lex Luger is with Giant. Swinger can't get anywhere and tags out. Flynn hits some nice kicks but Giant doesn't budge. Fuller wants in  and takes a big chop. Flynn and Swinger then help triple team Giant and are thrown off. Giant lifts Flynn into a dropkick on Swinger then backdrops Flynn and Fuller. Giant catches Swinger and chokeslams him. He then chokeslams Fuller and Flynn. Giant then pins two of them at the same time to win.

Gotta love the jobber team here. This was a quick and entertaining squash that was well done. 

Giant is interviewed with Lex Luger. They talk about Dennis Rodman and Luger says he is an NBA fan. He said he has been watching the games with an extra eye and says Rodman overstepped the boundaries months ago by slapping him and spray painting him. Lex said him and Giant want to be first in-line to get their hands on him. Lex says eventually Rodman will be in the ring with them and wonder what he did. Giant says Hogan has been hiding then says what comes around goes around. He says The Giant is coming for him.

Syxx comes out to talk. Syxx says Nick Patrick isn't re-instated until the day after Slamboree. He said he treated Ric Flair like the fluff boy he is last week. We see Flair get beat up by Hall, Nash and Syxx last week. He takes a razor's edge and a powerbomb. Nash and Hall then come out. Hall says it brings back sweet memories of watching the drag queen Flair get tossed around like the trash he is. Nash says the only way Piper could put Hogan and Nash to sleep is if they tied them to recliners and made them watch his next movie. Nash said they would put the tag titles on the line against Flair and Piper and said they should put their dialysis machines on the line too. The Outsiders said Flair said he would reitre but didn't, so they will retire him themselves.

We see clips of Kevin Greene making the save for Mongo...that is until he nails Mongo with a suitcase. We then see Mongo and Greene brawl in the bathroom.

Jeff Jarrett and Steve "Mongo" McMichael vs Harlem Heat

Debra is out there with them and Sherri is with Harlem Heat. Booker shouts in the camera and says he is sick of football players. Mongo shoulders Booker over then says into the camera, "wonder what he thinks of being a football player now". Booker leapfrogs Mongo then gets lariated. Kevin Greene is at the commentary booth and calls Mongo a loser and says it is payback. Jarrett backdrops Stevie Ray then Stevie catches him crossbody and slams him. Jarrett takes a double back elbow then Booker misses an elbow and is double backdropped. Mongo and Jarrett then do the strut together.

Stevie hits Mongo from behind then Greene and Heenan talk bad about Mongo. Booker axe kicks Mongo and Booker headlocks him. Stevie slams Mongo then Mongo powerslams him. Jarrett gets in and hits nice dropkicks on both opponents then Jarrett suplexes Booker.

Mongo points at Greene and heads up to the commentators booth. They fight. Jarrett figure fours Stevie then Booker leg drops Jarrett. Steve lifts up Jarrett and Booker does a jumping side kick and wins it.

This really dragged here. The beatdown on Mongo wasn't too interesting and the Greene/Mongo stuff dragged too.

Debra talked into the camera after. She said she didn't know what happened as Jarrett complained. Jarrett said they are supposed to be in this together.

 

 

Hogan and Bischoff come out again. He offers to put the belt up and calls out Sting. Eric says Sting isn't going to be here and said they would make Sting worship the ground Hogan spits on if he was. A bat then comes out of the ring and we see what seems to be a fake Sting, though no one notices it. The Sting then gets on his knees as Bischoff says. Bischoff asks Sting if he wishes he was half the man Hogan is and the fake Sting nods his head. Hogan spits on the mat and the fake Sting bows down to it.

Sting then propels down from the rafters. He hits a scorpion deathdrop on Bischoff then Sting points the bat at Hogan. Hogan trips over fake Sting. Sting blocks a fake Sting bat shot then scorpion deathdrops fake Sting.

The NWO is at the ramp and starts walking down. The NWO surrounds the ring. Hogan is on the apron as we are told we are running out of time. Sting the propels back up to get out of harms way.

The ending was interesting. It's smart for Sting to get out of there, but we are so used to the babyface taking down everyone that it kind of makes him look bad.

Overall thoughts: We got off to a great start and the show really stalled in the 2nd half. The Mongo tag match dragged and the angle to close the show made sense but wasn't a great ending for a face.