RAW
- Ahmed Johnson (c) vs Bart Gunn with Sunny-Intercontinental Championship-The two lock up before Gunn arm drags Johnson. Johnson responds with an arm drag of his own before blocking a hip toss and hitting a hip toss of his own. Johnson follows up with another hip toss before Gunn hits a clothesline. Gunn slaps on a wristlock before continuing to work over Johnson's left arm. Gunn controls the match for a LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG time until Johnson counters a bulldog before crotching Gunn on the top rope and clotheslining him down to the outside. Back in the ring, Johnson hits a spinebuster and the Pearl River Plunge for the win to retain the Intercontinental Championship. This was boring. Gunn worked the arm for 90% of the match with holds and nothing else happened.
- Backstage, Shawn Michaels says he's got a lot to worry about when he defends the WWF Championship against Billy Gunn, but he'll retain the title tonight. He also says he can trust Sycho Sid and him, Sid, and Johnson will defeat Camp Cornette at the International Incident.
- Marc Mero with Sable vs TL Hopper-TL Hopper is a plumber. A wrestling plumber. This is why WCW starts winning the war. Before the match, Goldust's usher hands Sable a gift during Mero's entrance. She promptly drops it on the floor. Mero starts off the match with STF of sorts before switching to a headlock. Hopper fights out, but Mero follows up with a shoulder block, a hip toss, and an arm drag before dropkicking Hopper out of the ring. Mero controls the match before Hopper fights out of a hammerlock and strikes Mero down to the mat. Hopper controls the match, beating down on Mero. During the match, we get a picture-in-picture interview with Steve Austin, who says Mero's going to pay for busting his mouth open at the International Incident. Hopper continues to control the match until Mero dodges a running splash. Mero comes back with a headscissor takedown, a hip toss, and a back body drop. Mero follows up with a knee lift and a straight left punch for the win. This was also boring.
- Backstage, Jim Cornette says Camp Cornette doesn't plan on causing any problems tonight and talk about the International Incident. Cornette says they took out the Ultimate Warrior and calls Sycho Sid a shut-in. Cornette says they'll have something up their sleeve at the International Incident.
- Shawn Michaels (c) with Jose Lothario vs Billy Gunn with Sunny-WWF Championship-The two lock up before Gunn hits a shoulder block. Gunn follows up with another shoulder block before we get a picture-in-picture promo with Ahmed Johnson, who says him, Sid & Michaels are going to have to watch their backs at the International Incident. Michaels throws Gunn out of the ring before Sunny hops up on the apron. Michaels force kisses her, so Sunny tries to slap him. Michaels dodges it and force kisses her again. I'm pretty sure that's sexual assault. Even worse, Vince McMahon on commentary says that he's sure Sunny liked that. Jesus...Gunn gets back in the ring, only to almost get rolled up and take a hip toss. Michaels goes for Sweet Chin Music, but Gunn rolls out of the ring to avoid it. Back in the ring, Michaels goes for a double axe handle, but Gunn counters it with a punch and follows up with the Rocker Dropper. Foreshadowing. Gunn beats down Michaels in the corner, but Michaels is able to leave the ring, yank Gunn down and pull him balls first into the ring post. Michaels follows up with a slingshot clothesline before going back to the top rope, but a Sunny distraction allows Gunn to throw him down to the mat and clothesline him out of the ring before the commercial break. We come back to Gunn working over Michaels with a headlock. Gunn controls the match, during which we get a picture-in-picture shot of Camp Cornette leaving the show with Jim Cornette. Michaels is able to come back with a jumping forearm and a kip up. Michaels runs wild, hitting a dropkick and a body slam before going to the top rope for an elbow drop. Michaels tunes up the band and connects with Sweet Chin Music for the win. Pretty solid match.
- Backstage, Ahmed Johnson congratulates Shawn Michaels before Jim Cornette shows up with a cup of coffee, the second deadliest weapon in wrestling. Only behind a woman's high heel, of course! Michaels & Johnson chase Cornette into the parking lot, where Camp Cornette is waiting to beat them down 3-on-2. IT WAS A RUSE! Sycho Sid conveniently pulls up just as this beat down is starting to happen and chases off Camp Cornette.This moment easily ranks at #3 on the list of the Best Sycho Sid-Car Moments in wrestling history, falling only behind the time Goldberg flattened his car:
And the time Goldberg compressed his car into a block:
Nitro
- Fire & Ice vs The Steiner Brothers-Scott Norton & Scott Steiner start by going back and forth before Norton takes Steiner down with a snapmare. Norton controls the match until Steiner hits a clothesline and a belly-to-belly suplex. Norton rolls out of the ring to recover before a commercial break. We come back to Ice Train working over Rick Steiner with a headlock. Fire & Ice controls the match as Teddy Long comes down to ringside. Steiner comes back with a belly-to-belly suplex for a near fall before body slamming Ice Train for another near fall. Steiner hits a not-yet-called-the-Scorpion Death Drop before Ice Train floors Steiner with a shoulder block. Both Scotts tag in before Scott Norton throws Scott Steiner out of the ring so he can hit a double axe handle off the apron. Back in the ring, Norton hits a diving shoulder block, but Steiner counters a diving elbow drop and tags in Rick. Rick hits a clothesline and a back body drop before catching Norton off a leapfrog with a powerslam, but Ice Train breaks up the fall. Fire & Ice hit a double shoulder block before Norton holds Steiner down for a splash. However, Steiner avoids it and pulls Norton in the way of the splash. This allows Steiner to German suplex Ice Train and makes the cover for the win, despite Norton being the legal man. Pretty good match.
- Mean Gene interviews Jimmy Hart, Kevin Sullivan, and Big Bubba. Sullivan says the Dungeon of Doom lived to end Hulkamania, but now they plan on stopping Hulk Hogan and the Outsiders from taking over WCW. During this interview, we see Fire & Ice walking to the back after their loss, with Norton yelling at Ice Train. Hart says the Dungeon of Doom will also do whatever it takes to destroy the Four Horsemen before the Faces of Fear randomly show up. Bubba says that he's going to put Luger to sleep tonight before Sullivan says Benoit got personal with him.
- GLACIER VIGNETTE!
- Mean Gene interviews Fire & Ice. Norton says Ice Train keeps costing him matches while Ice Train says he plays by the rules. Teddy Long shows up and tells them not to break up, so Norton shoves him to the ground. Norton & Ice Train argue before Norton walks off.
- Billy Kidman vs Dean Malenko-During Malenko's entrance, Jimmy Hart pleads with him over something before Malenko shoos him off. Malenko starts off by pulling Kidman in off a handshake into a clothesline. Malenko dropkicks Kidman out of the ring and goes for a powerbomb, but Kidman blocks it and back body drops Malenko on the outside. Back in the ring, Kidman hits a missile dropkick for a near fall before hitting a German suplex for another near fall. Malenko comes back with a body slam and applies heel hook. Malenko targets the left leg before hitting a tilt-a-whirl slam for a near fall. Malenko controls the match before Kidman hits a springboard corner bulldog for a near fall. Kidman hits a falling powerslam and goes for the Shooting Star Press (not the Seven Year Itch...yet) but Malenko dodges it and hits a brainbuster. Malenko follows up with a powerbomb, a Tiger Bomb, and a Texas Cloverleaf for the win. Another pretty good match.
- Mean Gene interviews Kevin Greene. He just kind of...keeps showing up. He says he's upset about Hulk Hogan for stabbing his fans in the back before saying he wants Mongo in the ring tonight.
- Harlem Heat (c) with Col Rob Parker vs Rough & Ready with Sister Sherri-WCW World Tag Team Championships-So...a couple of things. First off, who are Rough & Ready? Well, it's former WCW World Tag Team Champion Dirty Dick Slater, a man who allowed himself to be called "Dirty Dick" for years, and Mike Enos, who you may remember as that guy from the match Scott Hall interrupted. Second, why is Parker managing a team against another team he manages? It makes no sense. Rough & Ready take the fight right to Harlem Heat, but Harlem Heat recovers. Stevie Ray puts Slater in a bear hug before letting him out. Enos tags in and calls for a test of strength, which is pretty evenly matched. Enos body slams Stevie Ray, but misses an elbow drop and gets clotheslined by Stevie Ray. Booker T tags in for a wheel kick but misses a knee drop. Enos sloppily rolls Booker over to his corner and tags in Slater, who throws Booker out of the ring. Slater strikes away at Booker at ringside before Enos bodyslams Booker on the concrete. Back in the ring, Booker lows blows Slater while the referee is distracted by Stevie Ray before hitting a sidewalk slam for a near fall. Slater comes back with a swinging neckbreaker before tagging in Enos, who gets superkicked. Booker follows up with a scissor kick before tagging in Stevie Ray. Harlem Heat controls the match before both teams brawl. This leads to a standoff before Slater & Booker tag in. Slater dodges a kick in the corner and before punching Booker down to the mat. Slater follows up with a piledriver before Enos tags in for a fallaway slam. Slater tags in, but goes down on a double down spot. More brawling, during which Enos powerslams Booker. Slater makes the cover, but Parker hops up on the apron to distract the referee. This allows Sherri to run over and kiss Slater, which prompts Slater to stop pinning Booker. This allows Booker to roll Slater up for the win.
- Mean Gene interviews Kevin Greene again, who says he needs to fight Mongo right now because he has to catch a plane to go to training camp. Mean Gene tells him he's not here, so Greene leaves for training camp.
- Madusa vs Malia Hosaka-Oh hey, remember Madusa! The former WWF Women's Champion who dropped the title in the trash on Nitro. Since then, she lost to Sister Sherri & Col. Rob Parker and then disappeared. She hasn't appeared on Nitro in six in a half months. To clarify how long that's been, Miss Elizabeth was still on Hogan & Savage's side when she last appeared on Nitro. Thankfully, WCW decided to get another woman for Madusa to wrestle. Madusa kicks off with a Northern Lights suplex for a near fall before Hosaka comes back with a spinning heel kick. Osaka follows up with a running forearm and another spinning heel kick before making a cocky cover for a near fall. Osaka controls the match until Madusa comes back with kicks as the crowd chants "USA." Malia Hosaka is from Hawaii, but alright. Madusa goes for a powerbomb, but Osaka takes her down with a double leg takedown and applies a Boston Crab. Madusa is able to power out, but Osaka follows up with a swinging neckbreaker. Osaka goes for a diving back elbow, but Madusa dodges it, only to miss a missile dropkick. Osaka then misses a corner crossbody before Madusa hits the German suplex for the win, despite Osaka's feet being on the ropes.This was alright. Not much to talk about, really.
- As the second hour of Nitro starts, we see Scott Hall & Kevin Nash, who have covered the big WCW letters with sheets saying NWO. Well...just "NW" apparently.They immediately cover the other WCW with a sheet with O on it, so I don't know why they didn't just wait until they were all done.
- Meng with Jimmy Hart vs Arn Anderson-Meng keeps Anderson at bay to start the match before hitting a side kick. Anderson slaps on a headlock, but Meng fights out and chops Anderson down to the mat. Meng controls the match until Anderson yanks Meng down and slams his leg into the apron & ring post. Back in the ring, Anderson stomps away at Meng, but Meng recovers and kicks away at Anderson. During this, the Barbarian comes down to the ring. Meng controls the match before Anderson fights back and takes control. Meng comes back with a throat shot before throwing Anderson out of the ring, where Hart kicks away at him. Meng follows up with a chop off the apron before ramming Anderson into the apron. Meng gets back in the ring, only for Anderson to yank him down slams his leg onto the apron. Meng recovers and suplexes Anderson for a near fall before hitting a side suplex. Anderson starts to mount a comeback, but a shot to the back from the Barbarian allows Meng to superkick Anderson for the win. Yeah...this kind of sucked. I never thought I'd say this about an Arn Anderson match, but this was just not good. And it had a bad finish.
- Mean Gene interviews Mongo & Debra. Mean Gene points out that Mongo only popped up when Kevin Greene left, so Mongo calls out Greene and agrees to wrestle him. Debra asks "What is the Carolina Panthers?" before saying that Mongo doesn't let people like Greene push him around. She lists off Mongo's accomplishment before telling Greene to stay in Carolina with all the farm...boys. That's how she says it.
- Chris Benoit vs Eddie Guerrero-Benoit tells the referee to check Guerrero's knee pads so he can cheap shot him. Benoit takes control of the match quickly before Guerrero lands on his feet of an inverted suplex attempt and goes for a tilt-a-whirl slam, but Benoit lands on his feet. Benoit goes for a powerbomb, but Guerrero counters it with an arm drag that sends Benoit out of the ring. Guerrero follows up with a dive off the top rope to the outside before throwing Benoit back in the ring for a slingshot senton bomb. Guerrero hits a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker, but Benoit comes back with a side suplex. Benoit follows up with a gorilla press slam before applying a camel clutch. Benoit releases the hold, allowing Guerrero to hit a side suplex, but Benoit keeps control with a snap suplex for a near fall. Benoit applies a Boston Crab, but Guerrero is able to escape with a body scissor takeover. Benoit comes right back with a powerbomb for a near fall before applying a backbreaker submission. Benoit controls the match as he goes to the top rope, only for Guerrero to meet him there and superplex him. Guerrero goes for the ten punches in the corner before the two trade chops. The two continue to brawl before Benoit goes for a powerbomb, but Guerrero takes them both out of the ring with a hurricanrana. The two brawl at ringside before Dean Malenko runs down and throws Benoit into the ring post. This allows Guerrero to beat the 10 count and win by countout. Really good match, as usual from these two.
- Lex Luger (c) vs Big Bubba with Jimmy Hart-WCW World Television Championship-Bubba starts by bodyslamming Luger before going to the top rope, where Luger yanks him down and back body drops him. Luger throws Bubba out of the ring, where Bubba recovers before getting back in. Luger applies a wristlock before clotheslining Bubba for a near fall. Bubba hits a Luger in his eye that he injured at Bash at the Beach before hitting a front suplex. Bubba stomps away at Luger before hitting a body guillotine. Bubba controls the match as we see Hall & Nash coming out of a limo. Bubba continues to control the match before Luger hits a clothesline. Luger follows up with a few more before both men go down on a double clothesline. This prompts Hall & Nash to come down to ringside as Hart throws something to Bubba, only for Luger to get it and clock Bubba with it. The referee is about to throw out the match before Hall & Nash get in the ring and beat down Luger. And then...he arrives.Hulk Hogan. No more red & yellow. Hogan gets in the ring as Nash gives Luger a Jackknife Powerbomb. Hall kicks Luger out of the ring before Hogan pulls Bubba to his feet and shakes his hand. BUT IT'S A RUSE! Hall & Nash beat down Bubba before tossing him out of the ring and celebrating. And that was the birth of the NWO Beatdown, WCW's favorite trope. Mean Gene gets in the ring to interview Hogan. He says he wished he had done this two years ago and that the New World Order is taking over professional wrestling. Mean Gene basically says "WHAT ABOUT THE CHILDREN!" but Hogan says the parents booed him despite trying to lead their kids down the right path. He says Sting is scared of him and Macho Man blames him for his divorce. Hogan says he's the greatest wrestler of all time and he will always be bigger than wrestling as the fans throw garbage in the ring. Hogan says Hall & Nash had the guts to join him and teases bringing in new people for the NWO. Hogan says he's done with all the kids before calling out the Giant, saying he wants a WCW World Heavyweight Championship match at Hog Wild.
RAW: 17
Nitro: 24
That's it for this edition of RAW vs Nitro. Stay tuned for the next one!
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