WCW Monday Nitro - Monday, 03/01/99

However, that wasn't the case this week. A whopping 50-some messages, and most of them were of the "Amen, Brother!" variety. Some snippets follow:

• Travis writes:

  I am also getting worried that Bischoff is starting to head down the 'mature' theme road that WWF took. BPP's sex references are getting more blatant, and the whole Nitro Girls bikini thing may have been a bit too much (Don't get me wrong, I REALLY liked it, but kids on the West Coast are still up and watching). If Nitro consistantly had the quality of matches it had tonight, but more of them, I think the ratings would improve.

• Jenna says:

  Just wanted to say that I agree, wholeheartedly. I actually watched _Ally McBeal_ last night, instead of _Nitro_, and after seeing the reviews, I'm glad I did. Sad, isn't it?

• Midnyt writes:

  THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!

  Finally...someone else who agrees that WCW needs to take the crack pipe away from the bookers......I couldn't agree more with your comments......I have been watching wrestling for all of my 33 years, and am so dis-illusioned right now I am almost beside myself. I am a VERY loyal WCW fan.......I refuse to watch WWF.........but I am getting the feeling that I may be reduced to watching Nickelodeon with my kids on Monday nights.......Why does WCW feel the need to flood my TV with Konnan rapping, and half naked Nitro hoochies? If I want to see that kind of crap I will watch MTV..(or RAW)...this is getting out of hand.........

• Alissha writes:

  I am with you. I am so sick of Hogan orange a$$ (I like to call him "extra crispy") getting the belt. I know he did he part for wrestling, and he is a major force in the popularity of wrestling. But it's time to give others a chance. I heard him mention that Andre the Giant, R.I.P, gave him the opportunity to shine. If he can remember that, how come he can't do the same thing for someone else.

• Thom says:

  I read your nitro report this week and I am in TOTAL agreement with you. After SuperBrawl and the utter crap that happened at the end (if you are going to have Flair carry Hogan and lose to him again, at least do it well, not with Torrie and David Flair), I put WCW on probation.

  One rule: IF FLAIR DOES NOT WIN THE TITLE TONITE AT NITRO I QUIT!! No more WCW until Hogan retires (for good) or dies.

  WCW put on a good show tonite, but ended with Breast-L-Mania and more digs on the horsemen.

  What to do what to do? One more chance, one more week and this NWA/WCW fan for the last 17 years is jumping ship to the WWF.

• Barry C.:

  I totally agree with your comments about the WCW continuing to placate Hogan to the detriment of the entire organization. I only hope that the David Flair angle is a setup which culminates in David turning on the NWO. I guess I'm marking, cause I'll keep watching to see what happens. I sometimes wonder if Eric Bischoff is, in reality, working for McMahon. Some, no make that most, of the current angles are so inane that it's hard to imagine anyone in the company thinking they'll attract an audience.

• Chris:

  Thank God. I was beginning to feel a little bit like the passage from the Good Book about John the Baptist "The voice that calls in the wilderness", regarding WCW. I share virtually all your feelings related to this. I truly don't care for McMahon and the WWF, but at least it's interesting to watch. It seems as though they're always stirring the pot, mixing things around enough and including virtually all their talent, so that you can't quite get a complete handle on what may happen next.

  Unfortunately, WCW just continues to blow. Like you, I had no desire to get the recent PPV because you knew exactly what would happen in the big matches. The NWO is so old, making fun of it is about as interesting as telling Gerald Ford golf jokes.

• A.C. writes:

  You are once again 100% dead on with WCW. To have all that talent and give us the lame angles. . I don't get it. Is the wrestling company that scared of Hogan's ego that he can continue to keep booking (with Nash, presumably) to serve only himself. I understand delayed the underdog, revenge on the heel gratification principal, but will anybody get over on Hogan or other nWo oldtimers? I get the nWo angle, no respect for the company, etc., but it almost too much of a joke. Why don't they just come out dressed and say Ted Turner has paid us, we are never really going to any real wrestling anymore, so don't even bother watching anymore.

• Jeff:

  Just read the 2/22 Nitro Report. AMEN, brother! Good God, I'm beginning to believe the "WCW is being set up to fail" conspiracy rumors.

• Bob:

  Don't apologize for your comments on the pathetic state of WCW booking. It's the worst, absolutely worst booking I've seen in the 21 years I've been watching wrestling. Hogan and Nash as bookers!? My god. It just doesn't get any worse than that. Go back to when Nash won the belt from Goldberg

  he books the ending where Hall comes out and uses the prode and then comes out on Nitro and acts all innocent, where many of the fans who don't realize he's the booker half believe him. Active wrestlers just should not be bookers.

• elsizuzu writes:

  re: your anti-wcw tirade ant the beginning of your 2/22/99 report

  AMEN BROTHER!!!

• And so forth......

  I don't think I just happened to have a bunch of WWF fans watching last week - I think the tide of public opinion is turning against WCW. You can only put up with so much crap before you get sick of something, and it seems the fans are doing that now. WCW would do well to pay heed to this message....

Our thoughts are certainly with his family. All I can think of is: "What a waste." I'll admit I never really cared for him as a wrestler, but in this day and age, all it takes is some new tights and a catchphrase to reinvent yourself as a wrestler. Or Wilson could have hit the indy circuit, and have arguably been a big name. Either way - it's a shame to see a life end over something like this.

• Flair has a tape of Flair's phone messages. Torrie is amused.
• This is dragging. We're on like the 5th message saying the same thing.
• Dave says it's about time Flair retired.

• Tone Loc talks about Flair's announcement tonight.
• Tenay says the "tone" at WCW is serious.
• We take a look back at Goldberg/Steiner from Nitro last week.

• Buff and TV Champ Steiner come out.
• Steiner calls the fans "Tobacco-chewing, scumbag rednecks."
• Steiner says no Diamond Dallas Trash tonight.
• Steiner offers to be the crowd's role model. You're no Jericho, dude.
• Steiner's trash-talk gets a big "Goldberg" chant.
• Buff says that he and Steiner are Duke fans, drawing massive cheap heat.
• Buff talks about Rick Steiner paralyzing him, and he and Scott call out Rick and Goldberg.
• Steiner says Goldberg's not good enough to be in the nWo.
• Buff: "Who's next? Who cares?"

• Luger wants everyone's attention.
• Luger talks about his arm injury.
• Zbysko: "He only suffers from narcissism." NICE!
• Luger says the Wolfpac wants him to forgive Rey Mysterio Jr., and he does.
• Nash decided to forgive Mysterio for beating him, and want to welcome him to the Wolfpac.
• Disco says he was the deciding vote.
• Nash wants Rey to join the most elite group in pro wrestling history.
• Nash dials Rey up on his cell phone.
• Rey says he's not interested. This gets a pop.
• Nash looks stunned, and the Wolfpac quickly turns and leaves.

• Their match last week was one of the best I've seen in a long time on Nitro.

• Psychosis is the first wrestler to the ring this week.
• His opponent - Cruiserweight champion Kidman!
• First appearance of Kidman in a few weeks.
• Speaking of MIA wrestlers, where the HELL is Norman Smiley????
• A tieup, and Psychosis gets the advantage.
• Kidman with a frankensteiner from a Rocker Dropper position.
• Psychosis escapes a tilt-a-whirl, and lands a left-handed lariat.
• Headscissors from the masked man, and he clotheslines Kidman over the top.
• Baseball-slide dropkick from Psychosis.
• INSANE! Psychosis tries to backdrop Kidman from the floor into the ring, but Kidman springs back off the ropes and lands a DDT! NICE!!
• Kidman backdrops Psychosis over the corner into the aisle.
• Kidman flies off the top with a bodyblock!
• Psychosis catches the champ up top, and DDT's him off the top!
• Back-elbow by Psychosis.
• Of course, since this match rules so much, we go to commercial.
• We're back, as Psychosis tries to powerbomb Kidman. Kidman lands on his feet, but Psychosis drop-toeholds him into the ropes.
• Kidman gets draped over the middle rope...head toward the crowd...
• Psychosis goes up top, and delivers the Guillotine Legdrop!!!
• They brawl into the crowd! Kidman gets mauled by the women!
• Kidman with a frankensteiner from the guardrail!!!
• This is great!!!
• Back in the ring, Psychosis gets a split-legged gourdbuster.
• Psychosis goes up top, but Kidman catches him up top!
• Kidman slips on a superplex, but he recovers to toss Psychosis from the top.
• Kidman with the Spine Bomb! Only two!
• Psychosis with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker!
• Psychosis puts the champ up top, and frankensteiners him!! Two count!
• Kidman escapes a belly-to-back suplex, and hits the rope-spring bulldog!
• Kidman flies off the top, and Psychosis catches him in a powerslam!
• Psychosis tries another powerbomb, and pays for it with a Kidman facebuster!
• Kidman goes up top and hits the Shooting Star Press for the win!!!
• MAN that match ruled!!! Woo hoo!

• Arn says he promised Ric that he wouldn't lay a finger on Dave.
• Arn asks if Dave will throw his family away for "that" (Torrie).
• Dave defends Torrie's honor.
• Arn reminds Dave about being Ric's partner.
• Arn says this is about family, which is something Torrie doesn't know about.
• Arn says the nWo and Torrie are using Dave, and they'll throw him away when they're done.
• Dave says Arn is jealous.
• Dave says WCW and the Horsemen are old. Torrie says Arn is old.
• Arn says that once he hits the door, Dave is one of "them."

• Hogan says that Stevie Ray is jealous of Vincent.
• Hogan says Vincent can take Stevie out if Stevie opens his mouth tonight.

• The Road to Spring Break will be at Brown University next week.

• Bam Bam Bigelow comes out, again sans music.
• His opponent - Rey Mysterio Jr.!
• Rey comes out to Gonnand's rap song.
• Looks like the "Giant Killer" push continues.
• Rey is looking quite "Thug Life" tonight. His boxers are showing, too.
• Bigelow asks the crowd if they want him to throw Rey into the crowd.
• Rey avoids the lockups.
• Bigelow biels Rey out of the corner.
• Bigelow puts a clubberin' on Rey in the corner.
• Rey avoids an avalanche, and hits a spinwheel kick.
• Rey off the top, but Bigelow catches him with a powerslam.
• Rey's down and twitching.
• Bigelow presses Rey, and tosses him into the security guards around the ring.
• Rey slowly comes back into the ring, and Bigelow suplexes him with one hand.
• Bigelow tosses Rey, who hits a dropkick in midair.
• Rey with a dropkick to the knee, but gets met with a Yakuza kick.
• Rey kicks out at two.
• Enzugiri from the big man.
• Bigelow with a chinlock.
• Bigelow with an Canadian backbreaker into a slam, followed by a falling headbutt.
• Bigelow pulls Rey up at two.
• Bigelow slams Rey, and goes up top.
• Bigelow misses a diving heabutt, and Rey hits a top-rope dropkick.
• Rey with a facebuster from the second turnbuckle.
• Bigelow kicks out of a pin, and clotheslines Rey as the pyro goes off for hour #2
• Bigelow shoves Rey into the corner, but Rey falls forward and headbutts Bigelow in the 'nads. Looks like Bigelow will need these.
• Rey then hops up in frankensteiner position, beats Bigelow in the head, and applies a Victory Roll for the pin!

• Gene congratulates Rey.
• Rey says he's representing for all the small people.
• Luger comes out, and asks Rey why he dissed the shirt.
• Luger distracts Rey, and Nash attacks from behind.
• Nash picks Rey up by the back of his jeans, and drops him.
• Disco wants Nash to give Rey a wedgie.

• Hak comes runs in and starts beating everything with the Singapore cane.

• Flair gets out of the limo.
• Flair doesn't look happy.
• Flair is looking around.
• We go to commercial.

• Nash is urging Stevie to take Vincent out.
• The trio tells Stevie that Vince has been talking trash about him.

• The Jerry Flynn push continues!
• Flynn gets the stick!!!
• Flynn is sick of Ernest Miller running his mouth, and challenges him!
• We cut to the back, where Oono and Kitty are talking about his entrance.
• Scott Norton comes in, and challenges Earnest Miller's heart.
• Norton says that Flynn is calling Kitty out.
• The Glacier lasers and snow comes on, but some James Brown music comes out!
• Kitty comes out to the aisle, but then turns around in the snow and moves to go.
• Kitty charges the ring, slides in, and lands at the feet of the referee.
• Flynn goes on the attack.
• Flynn with 10 punches in the corner.
• Flynn with his over-the-ropes kick.
• Flynn crotches Kitty around the corner post. Good thing these come in feline, too!
• Flynn whips Kitty into the guardrail.
• Kitty begs off, and blocks a Flynn kick!
• Kitty chokes Flynn for a count of four.
• Flynn avoids a corner charge.
• Flynn with a chop in the corner, and a Nash-like boot choke.
• Flynn unloads kicks.
• A spin chop from Lightning Foot.
• Kitty lands a jawbreaker.
• Kitty applies a ropes-assisted chinlock to a "boring" chant.
• Kitty works Flynn over on the outside.
• Oono with a kick that Flynn sells.
• Flynn chases Oono, but Kitty gets to Flynn first.
• Back in the ring, Kitty tries a leglock, but Flynn blocks.
• Kitty land a round kick.
• Oono tosses Kitty's robe in. Kitty puts it over Flynn's head and punches.
• Flynn with a rollup for two. Kitty escapes and hits a superkick.
• Flynn with a legsweep, weak kick, and belly-to-belly suplex.
• The two men kick each other, and both are down.
• Mickey Jay says the first man to his feet will be the winner.
• Kitty distracts the ref on his knees, and as Flynn gets to his feet, Oono comes in and kicks him.
• The ref gets away, and sees Miller standing and Flynn down. Kitty is the winner.
• Flynn chases Oono around the ring, but Oono gets away.

• Next out - Hugh Morrus.
• Lord have mercy, we're having some continuity. Saturn comes out.
• Saturn has added lipstick to his dress and mascara.
• Morrus rushes Saturn, and they brawl in the aisle.
• Saturn gets the better of it, but Morrus catches Saturn coming back in.
• Morrus with a running clothesline, and elbowdrops.
• Tony Jabronie announces a new match for Uncensored: Hak vs. Bigelow vs. Raven.
• Morrus gets out of the Death Valley Driver
• Jimmy Hart chokes Saturn.
• Saturn gets his boots up on a corner charge, twice, and catches Morrus with a suplex.
• Superkick from Saturn.
• Also for Uncensored: Hennig and Windham vs. Benoit and Malenko.
• Saturn with a low kick, followed by a Rocker Dropper.
• Hart threatens Saturn with a chair, but Morrus attacks Saturn before any harm can come to the Dick Clark of wrestling.
• Saturn gets introduced to the guardrail.
• Morrus drops an elbow from the apron.
• Morrus with a HUGE press-slam on Saturn.
• Brain: "What a building - this is where Michael Jackson played ball."
• Morrus with a knee to the gut.
• Tenay: "What took us so long to come to Chapel Hill?"
  Heenan: "We couldn't find it."
• Saturn floats through a knee for a rollup. Morrus gets out and clotheslines him.
• Morrus with a slam, and goes up top.
• Morrus comes off the top, but Saturn catches him in a Northern Lights suplex for two.
• Saturn T-bone suplexes Morrus.
• Saturn with kicks in the corner, and the requisite dress-over-the-head spot.
• Morrus with a running powerbomb out of the corner!
• Morrus gets caught in the buckles, and Saturn frankensteiners him off the top.
• Chris Jericho runs down.
• Jimmy Hart distracts the ref.
• Saturn sets Morrus up for the Death Valley Driver, but Jericho runs in and nails him with an international object.
• Morrus falls on Saturn, then delivers the No Laughing Matter for the win.

• Meng sold more for the actor than for any WCW wrestler.

• Bret Hart makes his way out.
• His opponent - CHRIS BENOIT!!!
• WHIP ASS!!! This should rule!
• Of course, it's another Benoit job, but hey. You gotta take the bad with the good.
• The Nitro Girl will be at Regency Square mall in my birthplace of Richmond, VA, this Friday.
• They lock up, and the ref forces a break in the corner.
• We repeat.
• Hart takes the advantage, and hits an inverted atomic drop.
• Clothesline from Hart.
• Benoit fights back with some HARD shots.
• Benoit hits his double-arm clothesline. Hart hits the floor.
• Test of strength. Hart gets the advantage, but Benoit powers back, and turns it into a type of modified cobra clutch.
• Short-arm clothesline from Benoit.
• Pendulum backbreaker from Benoit.
• Hart rakes Benoit's face over the top rope.
• Atomic headbutt from the Hitman.
• Hart DDT's Benoit.
• Hart throws Benoit by the hair.
• Hart slingshots Benoit's neck under the bottom rope.
• Hart continues the advantage.
• Hart piledrives Benoit. Benoit gets his foot on the ropes.
• Benoit reverses a suplex into a small package for wo.
• Hart with almost a Backdrop Driver!!!
• Benoit reverses a headlock into a belly-to-back!
• Benoit goes up top, but Hart crotches him.
• Benoit fights back, but Hart avoids a missile dropkick!
• Hart tries the Sharpshooter, but Benoit grabs the arm, and applies the Crippler Crossface!!!
• Hart gets to the ropes, though.
• As we go to commercial, Hart hits a low blow.
• As we come back, Benoit is getting to the ropes to escape a figure-four.
• Hart with several punches to the head.
• Hart suplexes Benoit, goes to the second buckle, and hits the diving forearm.
• Hart pretends he's Hak pretending he's Brad Armstrong, and hits a Russian Legsweep.
• Hart beats on Benoit in the corner.
• Hart lands a pendulum backbreaker for two.
• Benoit tries to fight back, and the crowd reacts!
• Benoit with a nice knee to the gut!
• Benoit with another!
• Benoit tries a gut-hang suplex over the rope, but he ends up flipping Hart! Ouch!
• Benoit with a chop that I heard in Raleigh.
• Snap-suplex from Benoit, and the thumb across the throat!
• People in the crowd do it as well!
• Benoit goes up top, and hits the diving headbutt!!!!
• Both men are down.
• Benoit covers for two.
• Benoit eats boot on a corner charge, then takes a clothesline from Hart.
• Both men clothesline each other.
• They trade sleepers, and both men go over the top.
• Hennig and Windham run down to ruin the match.
• Hart distracts the referee while Hennig hits Benoit with the tag title belt.
• Hennig and Windham roll Benoit back in.
• Hart applies the Sharpshooter, but Benoit gets to the ropes.
• Hart refuses to break the hold, and the ref DQ's Hart.
• Dean Malenko runs in, and takes on Hart and Hennig, but Windham comes back in and chokes Malenko with a belt.
• Hart keeps Benoit down while Windham and Hennig choke Malenko out.
• We go to commercial with the Horsemen down and out.

• Disco (finally) leads out Nash, Stevie Ray, and Vince.
• Unfortunately, the four of them lead out Hogan.
• Horace comes out with him.
• Tony: "Why do we have to endure this stuff?"
• Nash turns up the pseudo-face, cheap-heat machine.
• Hogan flaps his gums. Summary: He trashes the Horsemen, Dave Flair is Wolfpac, blah blah blah.
• While Hogan is flapping his gums, Nash has egged Stevie and Vince into a fight.

• Flair is subdued in the ring.
• Huge cheers for Flair.
• Flair: "I'm gonna let this one build before I crank it up for you."
• Flair says he's been home for two weeks.
• Flair says everyone asks him why his son jumped on the Hogan bandwagon.
• Flair wants to put it into perspective: 20 years ago, in Raleigh, NC, he met a blonde one night, and she changed his life. That blonde is in Charlotte, waiting for daddy to come home! Whoo!
• Unlike Torrie, she knows who the Nature Boy is.
• Flair starts to crank it up.
• Flair is still the president of WCW for 28 more days.
• Hogan is now the issue, not Bischoff.
• In two weeks, at Uncensored, Flair is having a 50-foot cage built, with barbed wire at the top, and no doors.
• Flair says they started in Oakland, but they'll finish it at Uncensored.
• This will be a title match.
• Flair's not challenging Hogan - he's telling him. It'll be like 1985.
• Flair: "After I get through with you, they won't want to be like Mike, they'll want to be like the Nature Boy."

• Just announced for Uncensored: Sonny Oono and The Cat vs. Jerry Flynn.
• Buff is in wrestling tights for the first time in many, many months.
• Commercial.
• Rick Steiner's music brings Steiner out solo.
• Goldberg gets the final entrance.
• Buff starts off against the man who put him out - Rick Steiner.
• Rick blocks a sucker-punch, and Steinerlines Buff.
• Buff goes to the eyes, and shows that he still has the best dropkick in the business.
• Buff suplexes Rick, dances, and gets suplexed.
• Scott breaks the pin, and Goldberg tags in.
• Bagwell tags Scott.
• They tie up, and Goldberg attacks against the ropes.
• Goldberg with a big shoulderblock.
• Scott T-bone suplexes Goldberg.
• Scott beats on Goldberg, but Goldberg no-sells.
• Goldberg press-drops Scott. Buff breaks the pin, but gets Steinerlined.
• Rick comes in against his brother.
• Buff grabs Rick's foot, and Scott gets an overhead belly-to-belly.
• Buff comes in for some offense.
• Buff goes to the eyes as Scott tries to remove the turnbuckle cover.
• Scott tags in, and whips Rick into the exposed corner.
• Scott does it again.
• Steinerline from Scott.
• Buff tags in.
• Buff rolls Rick up for one.
• Buff sends Rick to the floor.
• Scott whips Rick into the guardrail.
• Scott chokes Rick over the top rope.
• Scott applies a chinlock.
• Scott with a low blow.
• Buff back in against Rick.
• Buff with a clothesline for his own, followed by posing.
• Buff mocks the Goldberg chant.
• Scott in.
• Scott with a backbreaker.
• Scott applies a deathlock.
• Buff tries a splash, but Rick gets his knees up.
• Rick tags Goldberg.
• Goldberg takes out both Wolfpac members.
• Goldberg with a HUGE flying shoulder on Buff.
• Goldberg with a Yakuza kick on Scott.
• Buff tries some offense on Goldberg. Scott joins the fun.
• They try a corner whip, but Goldberg jumps Rick, who hits a double-Steinerline.
• Goldberg whips Buff into the corner, and spears him!
• Goldberg tries the Jackhammer, but Scott blocks it.
• Goldberg deals with Scott, while Rick goes up top.
• Buff turns around to face Rick, and Rick hits an Inverted Steiner Bulldog on Buff!
• One...two...three! Rick and Goldberg win!

So, kudos to WCW for putting on a great show. It's ALMOST enough to make you forget that we're going to have to deal with Hogan going over Flair again in two weeks.....