WCW {Pro} - Sunday, 07/12/1998
WCW {Pro} - Sunday, 07/12/1998
- Trivia Question #1: Who did the Mulkey Brothers defeat (yes, you heard right) to gain entrance into the 1987 Jim Crockett, Sr. Memorial Tag Team Tournament Cup?
- Trivia Question #2: Who eventually won the 1987 Tournament?
- Welcome back to another exciting show of jobber matches and PPV pitches! Let's start off with a trip to the mailbag...
- jhkim writes in with the following:
- Anyway, just a quick comment on phone sex lines (you did mention 1-800-WE-ARE-18). At my old job I met a woman who used to work as a phone sex operator. She uhh, well...she didn't look like the women in the commercials. She looked like Scott Norton in a dress (and could probably take him in a no-DQ match).
- Ugh. Kind of reminds me of a blind date I was on. Anyway, you know the rule: If it looks like a man, talks like a man, walks like a man, and acts like a man, then it sure as hell isn't female. :)
- reginald asks me the following question:
- Why did WCW allow Goldberg to win the belt? What was Hogan thinking?
- My sentiments exactly. However, we should have seen this one coming. When your wrestling promotion gets killed in the ratings as bad as WCW did last week, (Folks, I'm STILL reeling from the Tampa show I attended.) then you've got to pull out all the stops. Now, Goldberg showcases a lot of intensity and desire to learn and win, but lacks the wrestling skills. That doesn't matter. The fact that matters, in this case, is that Goldberg is so over with the fans. After getting defeated in the ratings for four weeks, Bischoff HAD to do something drastic to shift the momentum. Having Hogan job the title to the promotion's fastest rising and most popular star was the only thing he could do.
- On a side note, take this for what you will, but there is a rumor on the internet that Hogan was willing to job because he was promised to be the first wrestler to score a victory over Goldberg in the future. I cannot determine the validity of this statement, but if this is true, all I can say is that the push for defeating Goldberg would be better off on a Scott Steiner or a Brian Adams, two guys who haven't done much since their inductions into nWo-Hollywood, and one of which still on the shelf.
- If you have a comment or question that needs my attention, send it to Aldo D. Now, onto our regularly scheduled program...
- The {Pro} begins with a shot of the 18-wheeler scaring off nWo-Hollywood.
- Scott Hudson announces that this is Bash At The Beach weekend.
- They talk about DDP/Malone arriving in Tampa.
- Clip of the Hogan/DDP/Malone confrontation on Nitro.
- This is what I missed by leaving that Tampa Nitro early. OH, DAMN!
- It's sad that even Karl Malone can outwrestle Hogan.
- Lee Marshall hypes the PPV and interviews Chris Jericho.
- Lee Marshall still thinks that Goldberg and Kevin Greene will be tag-teaming.
- Jericho is wearing his Monday Night Jericho T-Shirt.
- Lee also claims that Jericho is wrestling Malenko.
- Jericho isn't scared of Malenko and "gets into the groove."
- Jericho complains that Jo Jo Dillon, Penzer, and everyone else is on Malenko's side, but says that he has the Jericholics on his side.
- Commercial for the new "Mafia" movie. This HAS to be good.
- 1-800-WE-ARE-18 commercial. Ugh, visions of Scott Norton in a dress.
- They talk about Jericho's deal with Ultimo Dragon on Nitro.
- I've noticed something about the {Pro} announcing crew. While Larry Zbyszko sounds articulate and believable, Scott Hudson, on the other hand, sounds like an ass-kissing fool.
- {Pro} Exclusive #1: Ultimo Dragon made Bart Sawyer submit to the Dragon Sleeper in 4:29.
- Bart Sawyer gets Pulp Fiction-ish music as he comes out.
- Mike Tenay compares Sawyer to Roddy Piper.
- Ultimo Dragon begins with a headlock, but Sawyer reverses it.
- Some mat wrestling follows.
- Dragon with a back leg sweep.
- Dragon whips Sawyer into the ropes, but avoids the Dragon charge.
- Dragon does his trademark handstand followed by a double boot.
- Dragon in control so far.
- Dragon with a snapmare but gets caught in a takedown.
- Sawyer with a Russian Legsweep and floatover for a two-count. Makes me long for Brad Armstrong matches.
- Sawyer with a knife-edge chop and a backdrop suplex.
- Sawyer whips Dragon into the corner and lands an elbow.
- Dragon regains control and lands three chops followed by the Asai Moonsault. Pin attempt fails.
- Dragon whips Sawyer into the corner, does a cartwheel, but misses his back elbow.
- Sawyer goes up top, but is kicked by the Dragon, causing Sawyer to trip.
- Dragon nails the superplex but goes down, as well.
- Both wrestlers get up and get standing switches on each other.
- Dragon then puts on a basic sleeperhold and converts into his Dragon Sleeper! A tap out follows.
- This was a good match! Bart Sawyer looked fine in his job.
- They talk about Chris Jericho interfering in Dean Malenko's matches.
- Starburst Road Report with Gene Okerlund. Who cares?
- Promo for BATB.
- They talk about the Giant/Greene/Goldberg confrontation on the Nitro in Tampa.
- From Worldwide -- Goldberg vs. John Nord (Aired 7/4/1998)
- Nord's unbeaten streak ends. Huss! Huss!
- The Goldberg chants are 100% real this time around, obviously.
- Snicker's commercial featuring Gheorge Muresan. Great stuff.
- The same BATB promo that was shown twelve minutes ago is shown again.
- They talk about Harlem Heat vs. Mongo and Benoit from Nitro, then go to a clip.
- They show a clip of the Booker T interview from Nitro.
- Could "Mean" Gene be any more useless?
- This week in WCW Motorsports segment.
- Lance Hooper "looked good" and gained a top 25 finish. Yay.
- Here's an analogy. Lance Hooper : NASCAR :: Barry Horowitz : Wrestling.
If you don't get this, email Aldo D.
- So far, the erotic commercial count is at five.
- Lee interviews Dean Malenko, but not without a plug for BATB. Lord knows we can't get enough of those!
- Malenko talks about Chris Jericho wishing he would stay home.
- Malenko talks about chasing Jericho in order to shut him up.
- Malenko says that Jericho needs the belt for his ego, but Malenko doesn't need the belt.
- Malenko claims he will shut Jericho up at the PPV for everyone.
- They talk about Raven and Saturn and once again call ECW by the name "Barb-Wired City."
- From Nitro: Saturn vs. Reese
- Anyone that can give Reese a Spicolli Driver is okay in my book.
- Plug for the now changed Goldberg/Greene vs. Giant/Hennig matchup.
- Seeing Greene get punked saves this promo from total mediocrity.
- They talk about the mainstream coverage of BATB's main event.
- {Pro} Exclusive #2: Kaz Hayashi defeats Doc Dean after a senton splash in 3:51.
- Doc Dean does the heel click as he comes out. He's got skills, but is bogged down in the talent pool.
- Tenay alludes to Hayashi being known as the masked Shiyru in Japan.
- Lots of talk about the "Top of the Super Juniors" tournament in Japan.
- Doc starts out in control.
- Hayashi comes back with a cross bodyblock followed by a leaping side kick.
- They mention Doc Dean defeating Jushin Liger in Japan.
- Hayashi lands nine punches on Doc in the turnbuckle.
- Hayashi with a reverse chinlock.
- Doc whips Hayashi into the turnbuckle and follows with a bodyslam.
- Doc splashes Hayashi from the second turnbuckle.
- Doc with a sweet face-first pancake.
- Doc lands a Spicolli Driver, but only gets a two-count.
- Doc tries for a German Suplex, but Hayashi lands on his feet and lands a dropkick.
- Hayashi goes to the top rope, but is intercepted by Doc and is thrown down.
- Doc nails one elbowdrop, but misses the second.
- Hayashi gives Doc a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker.
- Hayashi goes up top, and lands the senton splash for the win!
- Two good matches on the {Pro}! A definite improvement over last week!
- Don't forget! BATB is this Sunday! Can Hudson shove this PPV down our throats just a little farther?
- That about wraps up this edition of the {Pro}. Thanks for reading and I hope to see you back in a week for my next report, exclusively found on the DDT Digest!
- Trivia Answer #1: The Mulkeys defeated The Gladiators, a masked "up-and-coming team", when one of the Gladiators tripped on one of the Mulkeys allowing him to cover a Gladiator for the pin. The next week they were entered into the tournament and lost to Denny Brown and Chris Champion in the first round.
- Trivia Answer #2: Dusty Rhodes and Nikita Koloff eventually won the 1987 Crockett Tournament. Credit for the info on these questions goes out to
Pro-Wrestling Title Histories.