WCW Thursday Thunder - Thursday, 01/22/98
WCW Thursday Thunder - Thursday 01/22/98
- Trivia Question (from Dean Ayass): What current WCW wrestler was a member of the South African team under another name in the Pat O'Connor Memorial Invitational Tag Team Tournament at Starrcade '90?
- The mailbag:
- It seems that the information I was given about the Flair/Hogan retirement match being in St. Louis was incorrect. It was in Detroit. Mike Hoffman, from St. Louis, wrote me with this interesting theory behind Flair's comment:
If I recall correctly, Halloween Havoc '94 took place in Detroit rather than St. Louis.
The WWF has a contract with Kiel Center, and this has effectively kept WCW out of St. Louis since 1991.
I digress, however. What Flair may have been referring to dates back to his WWF days. At the WWF show here in St. Louis in December '91, Flair used "brass knuckles" to pin Hogan. The decision was quickly changed to a Hogan win by DQ, but Flair continued to claim victory.
While I have no idea, this may have been the first time one was able to pin the other for a three-count, as I've heard that their previous matches in the feud were double-countouts and double DQ's.
This all, of course, assumes Flair wasn't just rambling and chose the only North American city he could remember at the time. It doesn't matter to me, though; I'm glad SOMEONE in WCW knows about St. Louis.
- From Jason Kwak:
I don't know if you've seen the Royal Rumble, but the best (or worst) sign of the evening read, "I'd rather be in Chyna." Uhhhhhhh!!!!!!
- I haven't done a plug in a while, so many of you may not know that I am a big fan of independent wrestling federations. These guys wrestle their hearts out and don't make the big bucks like guys who wrestle ten matches a year, that shall remain nameless. As such, for those of you in the Chillicothe, Ohio area:
AM 1350 and the Ohio University Chillicothe Pep Band present The International Wrestling Alliance featuring "Wild" Bull Miller, KC Striker, Doink the Clown, and a main event of The Sensational Batten Twins vs. Demolition Ax and Roadblock.
The show is at the Shoemaker Center on the campus of Ohio University in Chillicothe on Feb. 7th at 8:00 p.m. Doors will open at 7:00 p.m. Directions are available by calling (740) 774-7200.
Tickets are available at Eagles Nest and Tat's Market of Chillicothe, Ohio and Subway of Chillicothe, Ohio. Tickets are only $8 advance, and $10 at the door.
Anyone bringing a sign that says: "Dale Johnson: The Other White Meat" will get a free Pepsi.
More information is available by calling (740)774-7260 and leaving a message for "Chris".
- The word on the street has it that WCW Nitro on the Playstation is pretty lame. I haven't seen it myself but I got a couple of e-mails on the subject and have seen that opinion expressed on other web sites. However, for those of you who are into the game, Ron Lucas has put an FAQ out there about it.
- A number of people let me know that Ernest Miller's finisher is called the "Feliner", not the "Beeliner". I must have gotten Ernest Miller confused with B. Brian Blair and "Jumpin'" Jim Brunzell. ;-)
Actually, for those of you who weren't reading this page a year ago, I related a funny story that happened when I had a friend staying with me for Christmas in 1996. He doesn't really follow wrestling all that much, and we were watching Nitro, and out of nowhere he goes, "Hey, whatever happened to the Bumbling Bees?"
- You will all be happy to know that I won't be traveling for at least the next few months. That means that I should generally have the Thunder reports up by first thing Friday morning from now on.
- For those of you that miss the show, or want some JPGs, I got an e-mail from Big G from High Point, NC, that posts some 40-80 pictures of every Nitro and Thunder and sometimes WCWSN. So, if you are interested, check out his page.
- To give one global response to all the requests for my opinion on the whole Tyson/WWF deal: Big deal.
- Is it my imagination, or is WCW Saturday Night following in the WWF's footsteps and using a heat machine?
- I don't know if you got a chance to catch WCW Saturday Night, but it was worth the two hours just to listen to Larry Zbyszko's tirade about Scott Hall. It probably was only funny if you remember Scott Hall from his AWA days. Larry started ragging on the big moustache Scott had at the time, and, no joke, just as I started thinking about Scott Hall's afro back then, Larry goes "and you had a huge afro...you looked like Linc from the Mod Squad!" Hah! Pretty damn funny, although possibly a little harsh. You be the judge!
- I don't like to nitpick, but shouldn't the WWF European Title only be defended in Europe?
- By the way, folks, don't forget to send in those house show reports. Even if you don't want to write up the entire thing, just winners and losers are helpful in keeping the win/loss records for the year. I don't know if I mentioned this earlier, but even though Main Event was canceled, Alex S. will be staying on the DDT Digest staff as "first man on the bench". Also, Alex will be taking over keeping track of the win/loss records.
- One of the highlights of my week was reading an article about Giant in MiCasa's Gleaner. As I'd hoped, Giant's wife is 5' 5", 115 lbs! Hah!!! Can you imagine?!
- If you didn't read Cubs Fan's Worldwide report this week, you should. (In fact, you should read it every week.) He has an interesting take on last week's bit with Scott Hall and Louie Spicolli.
- This is going to sound silly, but if, as you are reading this, you are sitting in Montana or Wyoming, could you zip me off a quick e-mail and tell me where you are? I've gotten e-mail from the other 48 states and I would love to be able to say I've gotten e-mail from all 50.
- And, now, on to the show...
- We are live from Huntsville, AL (home of "Beautiful" Bobby Eaton), at the Von Braun Civic Center. Heenan, Schiavone, and Lee Marshall doing the duties. Boy, Lee Marshall adds a lot, doesn't he [blatant sarcasm]? Announcers have just been handed a press release that Souled Out will have an announcement about the title and Sting, Hogan, and Hall were told it will affect them (for those of you interested in paying $30 to see an "announcement"), and Roddy Piper will be at Souled Out.
- Scott Steiner w/Ted DiBiase defeated Konan w/Vincent when Bagwell and Norton interfered.
- I must admit that the nWo "B" Team has one of the better entrances in WCW. Konan must have crabs or something.
- Sign: "Mike Tenay Is The Father Of Gay Luchador Sex". Nice.
- Scott Steiner is just so huge.
- After the match ended, Rick Steiner and Ray Traylor made the save on Scott. After gaining control, Scott pushed Rick and Ray out of the way and wouldn't allow them to help.
- After it was all over, Scott was more interested in outposing Bagwell and he totally ignored Rick and Ray.
- Kevin Nash comes to the ring saying that within the next hour and a half, he will be $1.5 million richer. He guarantees that the Giant will snap tonight. "The Giant wants me worse than a lap dance after 20 years at sea. And, if you've been watching the show lately, you know the Giant's been having a little too much coffee."
- Super Calo and Chavo Guerrero Jr. defeated La Parka and Silver King when Super Calo pinned Silver King following an ankle scissors off the top rope.
- Schiavone referred to this as a Lucha Libre event. I don't think that's correct because I think that Lucha Libre is three on three.
- Remember what I said about the nWo "B" team entrance? La Parka and Silver King kick their asses!
- Tenay says Silver King's stocky physique is deceiving. He says Silver King is actually one of the most agile of luchadores.
- Raven comes down to ringside by himself.
- Silver King gives Super Calo a combo over-the-shoulder backbreaker and airplane spin, ala mid-1980s Al Perez.
- In this match, you need to make a tag to get your partner in. It's definitely not Lucha Libre.
- After the match, the Chairman when to work and Juventud Guerrera and Lizmark, Jr. came in to make the save on the faces and then Psychosis and El Dandy came it to help out the heels.
- An eight-man battle royale ensued...absolutely incredible. The high point was Chavo Jr. doing a somersault from inside the ring over the top rope onto someone on the floor.
- A clip was shown of Nick Patrick attempting to give an interview. Rick Martel comes walking in behind him. Martel is confronted by Kidman and eventually attacked by Kidman and Saturn and thrown threw a glass door. Weird, as the bit came out of nowhere.
- Back from commercial, focus in on Raven at ringside. Ick.
- Advetisement for the Boston Brawl being broadcast only over the Internet. $7.95.
- "The Iceman" Dean Malenko made Marty Jannetty submit to the Texas Cloverleaf in a well-worked match.
- Say, did Greg Valentine give Marty Jannetty permission to use his entrance music?
- Jannetty goes for a snapmare, and Malenko slips out and sells a Rude Awakening instead. Whoops.
- "Undefeated" Bill Goldberg pinned Kendall Windham following the Jackhammer in a Nikita Koloff look-alike contest.
- They spelled Kendall's first name as "Kendell" as he walked to the ring.
- Big belly on Kendall.
- Kendall got a few shots in, but it didn't last long.
- Hall comes out and does his survey. Hall starts talking trash about Zbyszko. Louie Spiccoli comes to the ring with Larry Zbyszko's golf clubs. Louie then starts breaking the clubs. Larry comes to the ring and says Louie is a stooge. Louie says "Larry couldn't even beat me!" Zbyszko gets Spiccolli in a submission hold in about two seconds. Hall goes for an elbowdrop and misses. Larry grabs the microphone and says he's not going to come out at Souled Out alone.
- Rey Misterio, Jr. defeated Eddie Guerrero via disqualification when Chris Jericho interfered.
- The Cruiserweight Belt is almost as big as Rey is. They should make a smaller belt that you can only win if it fits you.
- Eddie legitimately got his leg stuck in the apron when thrown out of the ring.
- Eddie working on the bad knee of Misterio.
- There is no way that Chris Jericho is under the 225 lb. limit.
- After the match, Guerrero and Jericho almost came to blows and Benoit came in to attack Jericho. That started a match between them.
- Mickey J. and Dean Malenko carried Misterio back to the locker room.
- "Crippler" Chris Benoit made "Lionheart" Chris Jericho submit to the Crippler Crossface.
- Rick Martel, even though thrown through the glass door, it still scheduled to face Saturn later.
- Benoit delivering some nice shots on Jericho. Jericho is returning the favor.
- Cut to Raven. Gad, he looks wrecked.
- After the match, Benoit invites Raven into the ring. Raven at first doesn't accept, but then Pearl Harbor's Benoit. Just as it gets interesting, cut to commercial.
- Hogan and Bischoff came to the ring to prattle on. As a matter of principle, I fast forwarded through it and didn't even bother watching.
- Rick Martel made Saturn submit to the Quebec Crab.
- Whoa! Saturn has hair!
- Martel comes to the ring house a-fire. Starts off by destroying Saturn. Crowd's into it. First reaction that Martel's gotten since coming to WCW.
- Saturn eventually turns the tables.
- Martel and Saturn spend time trading submission holds: Japanese arm-bar, modified STF, and others. Quite a bit different from the luchadores.
- After the match, Kidman attempted a flying body press on Martel. Martel stepped out of the way and Kidman nailed Saturn.
- For all you wrestling fans from the mid-1980s, I am waiting for WCW top book a three-way dance between the mid-1980s world champions of the big three: Flair, Martel, and Hogan.
- Ginat defeated Scott Hall via disqualification when Kevin Nash interefered.
- Hah, Hall did his Frankengoof impression before the match. Gotta love it.
- On his way to the ring, Giant picked his teeth. Ick.
- Scott Hall really should spit out that toothpick before he gets in the Giant's face.
- Giant starts out the match tossing Hall around like a rag doll.
- Here comes Nash and Hogan to the ring. That gives Scott Hall a chance to Pearl Harbor Giant.
- Nash hits Giant with a pair of brass knuckles. Hogan gets in the ring and Giant grabs Hogan and Hall.
- Savage attempts to interfere and Luger pulls him out. Luger racks Savage while Nash laughs at Savage.
- Giant chokeslams Hall and goes for the pin and Nash attacks him from behind.
- Giant, instead of hitting Nash, proceeds to literally destroy the ring.
- Fade to black.
Mike S. sends the following arena report:
First off, we had a DDT Digest and Charlie and Chan's "Play Some Skynyrd" sign, but we were never in a close-up view of the camera. After watching the tape, viewers didn't miss much.
During the commercial break for Benoit and Jericho, Jericho got on the mike and told the crowd they all sucked. He went on and on until the break was over. Also, and I couldn't believe they didn't show the end of this, but after Raven jumped Benoit after the match, he tried to drop the double armed DDT, Benoit reversed it and totally punked Raven. Raven couldn't get in a single shot after this, and Benoit walked out triumphantly.
Martel got booed more than most of the heels.Nobody in the crowd had any idea that Martel had been thrown through the glass door.
Nothing important happened after the cameras went off at the end. The Giant continued destroying the ring, and Nash climbed in to help Hall get out, and then Luger and Giant followed Hall and Nash out. That was it.
Final note: We've sold out three Nitros, one Thunder, and a few house shows, we want a PPV! We only seat about 7000, but there's someone in every seat and we make a lot of noise.
- Trivia Answer: Rocco Rock (Ted Petty)