- Welcome to one of those thousands of quicky tapes WCW produced around the nWo/WCW era that were quick craptastic. Only a few of them were good enough to warrant purchasing, but that basically limits you to the "Best of..." tapes released in 1999-2000. Anyway, this is a very-very-very clipped version of the special episode of Nitro which was basically used to stroke Hulk Hogan's ego. I say it very not often, but Hogan's WCW run was fucking horrible, and no wonder people hate him. (Note: I was either going to review this or World Tour 1991... I think I made the right call.)
- Your host of the tape is Tony Schiavone, during the days of him being incredibly lazy on commentary (calling everything a sidewalk slam) and just being a corporate shill because of being fed lines every week by Eric Bischoff. Oh yeah, and anyone who makes fun of Bobby Heenan for being stupid is calling the ketle black.
- I hate to copy another persons style, but since the clippings are so bad, I'll work the Scott Keith Coliseum Video rating style. If something looks good enough or watchable, it'll get a point. If something sucks or is just too clipped up, then it doesn't.
- We start with a recap of the first ever Monday Nitro, and get some clips of Hulk Hogan defending his World Title against Big Bubba Boss Man Guardian Angel Rogers. Since I don't feel like reviewing this match again (or the clips, that is), here's my original review of the match, but remember, only about 30 seconds is shown, making it a bit more watchable.
- WCW World Championship Match:
Hulk Hogan © (w/ Jimmy Hart) vs. Big Bubba Rogers:
This is the Main Event of the first ever Monday Nitro, and is pretty much a WWF Match from the late 80's, except both men are past their primes. Lockup to start, and Hogan shoves off Rogers and poses, except he's not very built here. Rogers applies a standing side headlock, and jerks around a little. Irish whip, and a shoulder tackle knocks Rogers around despite being fat, as Bischoff brown noses McMichael. Boss Man with a boot to the midsection, followed by a rake of the eyes. Irish whip to the corner, and Rogers follows with an avalanche. Rogers hammers away on Hogan, but gets rammed into the turnbuckle for his troubles. Hogan with a series of rights in the corner, but Rogers pokes him in the eyes again. Rogers with a back breaker, followed by some working over in the corner. (takes a nap) Dammit, the match is still going on? Hogan catches Boss Man coming in with several big boots, and drops him like a sack of rotten potatoes. Hogan with more punching, but Rogers comes back with the same. Sit down splash across the second rope by Rogers, then he goes after Jimmy Hart, but Hogan makes the save. Hogan chokes Rogers with the coat of Jimmy Hart (who is wearing horrible red white and blue pants), then sends him to the corner for a big clothesline. Scoop slam by Hogan followed by several elbow drops and a rake of the eyes. Rogers comes back with the usual stuff, but misses a charge to the corner. Hogan with several rights, but Rogers catches him with the Sidewalk Slam for a two count, but it's Hulk Up time... to NO Reaction. Hogan does the usual, and finishes Rogers off with the big boot and leg drop at 7:08. DUD Horrible match, but not bad enough to go into the negative scale. [Cuts off the rest of the rating because it doesn't come into effect with the clips being shown] (No Rating, only a brief clip)
- Next we go into a match between Sting and Hulk Hogan on November 20th, 1995, but I also reviewed this match before, and so, you get lucky again... the full review (with creative editing to ignore whatever else happend). About three minutes of the match is shown, plus part of the entrances and the post-match. No one ever claimed the WCW production crew were the best.
- Sting vs. Hulk Hogan (w/ Randy Savage):
History is made here, as Sting and Hogan for the first time ever, competed against each other in a wrestling ring, although the only meetings between the two anyone cared for were at Starrcade 1997, and the Fall Brawl 1999 car-wreck where Sting was cheered for turning heel. Sting is wearing a rare combination for him, Red and Yellow, while the Hulkster is wearing what looks to be ean early version of his New World Order attire. Sting is also starting to phase out the flat-top blonde look, as his hair is growing in dark, with his hair actually combed. The two go face-to-face in a non-Wrestlemania moment, and Hogan with a shove. Sting slaps the orange off of Hogan and hammers away on the Hulkster with a shit load of punches, kicks, and chops. Sting continues the beating in a corner, and tries an Irish whip, but Hogan reverses and connects with a clothesline. Hogan returns the beating with punches of his own. Irish whip, and Sting ducks a clothesline and connects with a series of dropkicks, sending Hogan out of the ring. Hogan pulls him out from under the bottom rope, and rams Sting into the ring apron and the security railing. Hogan with a suplex on the floor, and he tosses Sting back into the ring. Criss cross sequence, and Hogan connects with an elbow, followed by a rake of the back. Irish whip, and Sting bounces off the ropes with a cross body press for a two count. The two lockup, and Hogan with a standing side headlock. Sting reverses with a go-behind waistlock, and Hogan reverses to his own and takes Sting down with a drop toe hold (!) and applies a cross fucking armbar. Hogan goes to the wristlock, which is reversed by Sting and he starts jerking the arm. Armbar applied by Sting, and Hogan reverses that into a Full Nelson and turns it into a side headlock into a takeover. Sting uses his leverage for a series of two counts, and the two go into the corner... and Sting with a not-so-clean break. Sting kicks away at the left knee of Hogan, and whips him into the corner. Stinger Splash attempt, but Hogan catches him in a bearhug. Irish whip, and a boot to the midsection of Sting, followed by a running elbow to the forehead for a two count. Hogan with a back suplex gets another two count. Vertical suplex gets a third two count in a row. An Irish whip is reversed, and Sting continues kicking away at the leg of Hogan, chopping him down to size and drops an elbow across the knee. Scorion Deathlock is applied, but Hogan is able to power out of it and starts Hulking Up for the first positive reaction of the night for him. Three punches and big boot, but Sting avoids the leg drop and reapplies the Deathlock! Hogan screams like a girl and molests the referee as Savage shouts support, but the match is spoiled as Dungeon of Doom members The Shark, Meng, Hugh Morrus, The Zodiac, and Kevin Sullivan run in for the No Contest result at 9:33. **1/4 Shockingly good match, as Hogan appeared to have his work boots on for this match, and Sting was still pretty good of a worker since this was before taking 17 months off from active wrestling, and turning his muscular definition to crap. Crap finish though hurts a little. Anyway, Hogan and Sting fight off the Dung, until the Giant storms the ring and lays everyone out. However, the Giant is taken out by a Hogan/Sting steel chair clothesline, and the faces are again friends... for another 8 months when Hogan seriously turned heel. (1 for 1)
- Hulk Hogan & Sting vs. Ric Flair & Arn Anderson:
From the December 11th, 1995 episode of Monday Nitro. Hopefully I can keep up with the creative clip jobs, most notably cutting people off mid-sentence on commentary. Anderson knees Hogan from behind to start. Irish whip to the corner, and he comes in with a clothesline, but Hogan no sells. Hogan throws Anderson to the corner and clotheslines him. CLIP Flair chops Hogan in the corner, and Anderson tags in with a wristlock and working of the arm. Flair tags back in with a boot to the arm. Irish whip, and Hogan ducks a clothesline before nailing his own. CLIP Anderson snapmares Sting, but Sting no sells and throws Anderson off the top rope. CLIP Sting no-sells Flair's chops (of course). Flair goes to the top rope, and Sting slams him off this time. CLIP Anderson with a knee across the throat of Sting. Irish whip, and Sting with a bulldog takedown. CLIP Anderson catches Hogan off the ropes with a Spinebuster, but the Orange Goblin no sells. Hogan with a series of roundhouse rights, big boot to Anderson, big boot to Flair, and leg drop to Anderson. Stinger Splash to Flair as Hogan covers Anderson for the victory at 2:01. Too much clippings and not enough substance... plus Hogan no-selling the Spinebuster sucks. Even the Undertaker sold it! (1 for 2) This match leads us into...
- Hulk Hogan (w/ Woman & Elizabeth) vs. "Nature Boy" Ric Flair (w/ Jimmy Hart):
From the January 29th, 1996 episode. It looks like Hogan had his wife with him for his entrance, but I'm not an expert on his stupid family. We take the first CLIP to Flair strutting. Lockup, and Hogan shoves him down hard. CLIP Hogan hammers away on Flair and whips him to the corner. Back drop by Hogan, followed by several clotheslines. CLIP Hogan throws Flair off the top rope and punches more. CLIP Hogan kicks Jimmy Hart into the security railing, but Flair drops a knee across the forehead... and Hogan no sells again! Flair poses a while before walking into a clothesline. CLIP Tom Flair to being whipped to the corner and clotheslined off the apron. CLIP Hogan blocks a suplex and takes Flair over with his own. CLIP We catch a glimpse of Anderson and Jimmy Hart stealing Elizabeths High-Heel shoe, and Flair hits Hogan in the face with it for the pinfall at 1:39. Another brutally clipped match, making Ric Flair look like a big loser... and they had to use a WOMANS SHOE to beat Hogan. Sound familiar? For those of us who lived through the Billionaire Ted sketches, this was a joke in about 8 of them. Obviously no poin here. (1 for 3)
- Hulk Hogan vs. Arn Anderson (w/ Woman):
From the February 12th, 1996 episode, and pretty much a direct result of the previous match shown. Depending on who you hear from and believe, this match was done in retaliation to one of the mentioned Billionaire Ted skits, where "Huckster" claimed it says in his contract that he never loses. Hogan poses a lot, but some fans boo. CLIP Hogan rams Anderson into the buckle. Irish whip to the corner, and Hogan follows in with a clothesline. CLIP Outside the ring we go, with Hogan blocking a piledriver and slingshots Anderson into the ring post. CLIP Back into the ring, and Anderson heads up to the top rope... and Hogan promptly gets up to slam Anderson off. Nevermind, he crotched him instead. Anderson with a headbutt to the midsection and a series of roudhouse rights. Anderson chokes Hogan across the top rope and rakes the bandage over his eye. Out comes Flair and Elizabeth as Hogan applies the Figure-Four. BOO! CLIP Woman unloads some powder into her hand while the referee yells at Hogan. She throws the previously mentioned baby powder in Hogans eyes, and to follow up, Anderson is handed Elizabeths shoe... again, bonks Hogan with it, and thats good enough for the pinfall at 2:29. Woah, Hulk Hogan actually did a pinfall job to ARN ANDERSON, even though it did have nefarious happenings before hand. I'll give it a point just for that. Anderson! WOO! WOO! WOO! Sorry, got carried away. Oh wait, after the match, Hogan beat up both Flair and Anderson, then Savage uses a chair on Flair. BOO! (2 for 4)
- We fast forward to the summer of 1996 when Scott Hall and Kevin Nash returned to WCW. Brief clips from Bash at the Beach gives us Hulk Hogan's heel turn (I didn't see that coming). Montage of nWo promos and assaults on Nitro over the course of the next few months. Oh look, a promo from Sting and the Nacho Man! The New World Order beat down Luger and Big Bubba Rogers, and another promo from Hulk Hogan. That ate up a few minutes.
- Hollywood Hogan commercial for the New World Order (apparently hyping Fall Brawl '96's WarGames Match). Hogan doesn't really showcase his great heel promo skills here, sounding like an idiot most of the time. he plays with an inflatable globe and can of spraypaint, which he obviously writes "nWo" across. Hogan finishes with the "anything less would be too civilized" line, which is a rib on the commercial of that deodorant company (which Hogan did back in 1991-92). I'll give it a point, but only a generous one. (3 for 5)
- WCW World Championship Match:
Hollywood Hogan © vs. "Total Package" Lex Luger:
From the August 4th, 1997 episode (yes, they skipped over 18 months of matches), and this is apparently the 100th episode of Nitro. This, for those who give a rats ass, was the first time since Wrestlemania 13 that I watched a wrestling program. Of course, WCW ruined the effect the next week at Hog Wild. This is such a big event, that Michael Buffer was brought in for the commentary. Luger's entrance is clipped, but Hogan's is fairly lengthy. OH MY GOD! The super-Hogan mark (easily seen at Wrestlemania VII and King of the Ring' 93) is in the crowd dressed as Hollywood! Wow, what a pathetic loser. Lockup, and Hogan does a headlock into a hammerlock. Luger counters with his own, and Hogan makes the ropes for the break. CLIP Luger rams Hogan into the turnbuckle about 10 times, followed by several stomps to the misection. Luger is hammering away like his life depends on it. Hogan comes back with a poke to the eyes, and takes Luger over with a suplex for a two count. CLIP Hogan takes Luger down with a back suplex (Schiavone says "belly-to-belly"). CLIP Hogan drops Luger with a chop for a two count. CLIP Hogan chokes Luger down in the corner and laughs like a crazy old man. CLIP Hogan with a scoop slam and the leg drop, but Luger kicks out at two! Hogan goes for another leg drop, but misses. Luger is up, and floors Hogan with a clothesline. Hall runs in, but gets clotheslined. Luger whips Hall into Nash, then nails Savage coming off the top rope! Running forearm to Hogan, and he dumps Savage over the top! Another shot to Hall, and Luger puts Hogan in the Torture Rack... and Hogan submits! Luger is the New Champion at 2:36! The crowd, the same that treated Hogan as second rate to Ric Flair during his initial run, throws trash in the ring at LUGER. Weird. Too clipped, but enjoyable for the finish. Luger went on to lose the title back to Hogan 6 days later. (4 for 6)
- Montage of Crow Sting. Clips from Uncensored '97 where Sting ran in (or came from the roof, whatever) and cleaned house of every member of the New World Order (that mattered). The WCW did something good for once with the Sting/Hogan storyline, making it simmer for months before the big battle at Starrcade '97... and we all know how that came out, don't we?
- WCW World Championship Match:
Sting © vs. Hollywood Hogan:
From the December 29th, 1997 episode, the night after Starrcade. In what should've been the biggest blowoff match in history, not only did Hogan make Sting look like shit by basically dominating the entire match, but the "fast-count" finish looked quite slow, and then Sting needed fresh arrival Bret Hart to restart the match for him to win. None of it mattered, because here's the rematch OF THE BIGGEST PPV IN WCW HISTORY, and on free television. No wonder WCW went out of business 3 years later. Fucking retards. Anyway, onto the match... Sting rushes the ring to get hammered on by Hogan. Hogan rakes the back and takes the belt, and nails Sting across the back with it. Another shot to the back by Hogan and he drops a series of elbow drops, followed by choking. More choking from Hogan. CLIP Hogan hammers on Sting near the ropes, but Sting decides to stop selling now. Sting with a series of blows in the corner, and Hogan fails at going over the top rope. Sting rakes the eyes, and Hogan staggers to the outside. Sting follows him and sends Hogan into the security rail. CLIP back into the ring they go, and Sting continues to bring the pain with shots to the midsection. Inverted atomic drop by Sting. Hogan pokes him in the eyes to break the momentum, then does it again. Chops in the corner by Hogan, followed by a whip to the corner. Hogan follows in with a clothesline and covers for a two count. Hogan goes to a chinlock and punches away. CLIP Irish whip, and Sting bounces off the ropes with a shoulder block, then "accidentally" falls face first into Hogans balls. CLIP Hogan rakes the eyes a few more times, and puts Sting down with a scoop slam. Hogan bounces off the ropes, but misses the leg drop! Sting stomps on the hands of Hogan, then scares him into the corner. Irish whip, and Sting nails the Stinger Splash... as we cut away from the broadcast at 3:42. That really pissed me off. I'm shocked they put so much of the match compared to others, but the entire scenario just sucked, so no point. (4 for 7)
- Hulk Hogan/Randy Savage video package. I have no idea where this is from, but it was setting up obvious tention between the New World Orde.r This leads us into the next match...
- "Macho Man" Randy Savage (w/ Elizabeth) vs. Hollywood Hogan (w/ Eric Bischoff):
From the February 9th, 1998 episode. Both men are still members of the New World Order, but that stable was getting out of hand, and since they squashed everyone else in the company, they are now relegated to fighting each other every week. Savage attacks Hogan during his entrance, then beats on Bischoff to the delight of everyone. Savage sends Hogan weakly into the security rail, and we go into the ring. Hogan begs in the corner, but Savage comes in to hammer away on him. CLIP Hogan with an obvious low blow, but no DQ called by the midget referee. Hogan with a back suplex. CLIP Hogan with a scoop slam, followed by an elbow drop and some choking. CLIP Outside we go where Hogan rams Savage into the security rail. CLIP Savage comes off the top rope for the double axehandle, but meets the steel. Hogan grabs a steel chair, but Elizabeth takes it away from Hogan! Savage rams Hogan into the ring post, then brains him with the chair. CLIP Back into the ring, and Savage nails the flying elbow drop, but Bagwell breaks up the pin, and in comes Nash, Hall, Konnan, and Vincent to do a beatdown on Savage. No Contest at around 2:00. Hogan gets the steel chair and bashes Savage over the head. More chair shots from Hogan, and they sounded good enough. CLIP Savage is back up and attacks Hogan in the aisle! Nothing to see here. (4 for 8)
- Another video package for Randy Savage and Hulk Hogan... and apparently it's for the upcoming Uncensored PPV, where we get Age in the Cage Part XI. And people wonder why WWF made fun of this company in 1996. Pushing two dinosaurs as serious top stars instead of the people who don't need walkers (Hogan) or 500 kings of drugs to look like they were in 1985 (Savage).
- No Disqualifications Match:
"Macho Man" Randy Savage (w/ Elizabeth) vs. Hollywood Hogan (w/ The Diciple):
From the April 20th, 1998 broadcast. I'm pretty sure one of them was the World Champion by then, since Sting was buried following Superbrawl VIII, but I don't give enough of a rats ass to look it up in the PWI Almanac 2 feet away from me. JIP of Hogan stomping away at the fallen Savage, followed by a rake of the eyes. CLIP Savage mounts a comeback by hammering on Hogan with jabs, followed by a clothesline. CLIP Hogan works over Savage in the corner and stomps away at his "injured" right knee. CLIP Savage is laid out in the middle of the ring, but Hogan misses his trademark leg drop. Savage takes Hogans weight lifting belt and whips Hogan like a government mule. CLIP Savage heads to the top rope, and comess off with the elbow drop, but Savage sells being hurt. CLIP Referee bump, and Hogan and the Diciple (Ed Leslie Gimmick #4059) work over the leg of Savage outside the ring. Another No Contest as we simply cut away at 2:00 once again. No point, unless you count seeing Gay Biker Beefcake as a good thing. (4 for 9)
- Sting, The Giant, "Macho Man" Randy Savage (w/ Elizabeth) vs. Hollywood Hogan, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall (w/ Eric Bischoff):
In the worst continuity of the tape, we jump backwards to the March 9th, 1998 episode of Nitro, about 6 weeks before the previous match! The Giant is wearing a neck brace, but I don't remember the storyline reason for that, so fuck me for bothering to mention it. Sting has the World Title in his posession, so I'm guessing he was champion still, and I fucked up my memory bank. The faces rush the ring, and it's a pier-six brawl! Sting/Hall, Savage/Hogan, and Giant/Nash pair off. Hogan pounds Savage outside the ring and rams him into the rail as Sting mounts Hall in the corner for punches. Hogan goes for Sting, but Sting catches him coming in. CLIP Hogan mounts Hogan in the corner now with 10 punches, followed by a wind-up roundhouse right. CLIP Hogan rams Sting into the buckle and beats on him with rights. Sting blocks being sent into it again and returns the favor three times for a two count. Sting cuts off the tag and applies a wristlock. The Giant tags in, as does Kevin Nash. Hogan and Hall attack from behind, but Giant no sells and puts both men in a bearhug! CLIP Giant is selling being beaten down. Savage gets the hot tag, and hammers on Hogan. Hall gets knocked off the apronm, and Hogan is sent into the corner. Savage with a back elbow, followed by choking. Sting with a bulldog on Hall, followed by rights. Stinger Splash! Irish whip to the corner, and Sting nails a second! Savage slams Hogan near the corner as everyone else has left. He knocks Bischoff off the apron... and the Diciple of all people runs in (unnamed at this time), and Stunners Savage! Hogan covers, and that gets the victory at 3:38. A bit of a clusterfuck with a cheap finish, but enough here to enjoy to an extent. (5 for 10)
- WCW World Championship Match:
Hollywood Hogan © vs. Goldberg:
From the July 6th, 1998 episode of Nitro, held at the Georgia Dome. You know it's a special episode of Nitro when they go to the Dome. Goldberg was undefeated at this point (something like 76-0), and just won the United States title from Scott Hall. Remember when Goldberg wasn't hated by everyone with good taste? I think once Kevin Nash fucked him over at Starrcade '98, his career was dead in the water. Hogan starts with a boot to the midsection, followed by roundhouse rights. Hogan rakes the eyes and the back, then takes off the belt and whips Goldberg like a pet 'coon. Goldberg steals the belt from Hogan, but throws it away. HE MEANS BUSINESS~! CLIP Hogan whips Goldberg to the ropes and drops him with a clothesline. Scoop slam by Hogan, but he misses several elbow drops. Goldberg floors Hogan with a clothesline, sending Hogan to the outside. Hogan plays the stalling game outside the ring. CLIP Hogan dumps Goldberg out of the ring to ram him into the security rail, then follows with several chair shots across the back. Back into the ring, and Hogan slams him in the middle of the ring. Hogan drops the big leg twice, and out comes Curt Hennig. Here comes DDP and Karl Malone as Hogan kicks out of the pinfall! Cut outside to the ring as Malone Diamond Cutters Hennig. Goldberg is back up and spears Hogan! The crowd is going nuts... Goldberg picks up Hulkster, and slams him down with the Jackhammer for the World Championship at 3:26. Not much of a match in it's entirety, but a decent enough clipping of one of the more important matches in WCW History... giving away a sure fire money match on free TV. Got to love that WCW. I'm sure I said that before, though. (6 for 11)
- The tape comes to a close as we here Hulk Hogan's Presidential Speech as the credits roll. This was beyond bad, but at least they never really followed up on it.
Final Thoughts: I'm not shy about declaring my markness about Hulk Hogan, but his WCW Run really sucked. Sadly, this tape is nothing but Hogan matches, and some of the biggest bonehead moves by the WCW Creative Team. Did we really need to see all of these matches, all including Hogan 8 years past his prime? While some of the matches are fine and dandy in their clipped forms, there's nothing much here to warrant going out of your way to purchase. Thumbs Down on this tape unless you get it for dirt cheap.