So so there were some issues with getting the main event. Namely that I accidently stopped the program and you can't fastforward the file type. I'm going to try and run it through some different media players tomorrow and see if I can get to the main event without running through 30 minutes of show. If not then hey it was just a Hogan/Luger match.

Because I'm such a nice guy we're starting off this lovely Nitro review with bonus coverage!!!

Cactus Jack vs. Mil Mascaras
from Clash of the Champions X

This is one of those oddball matchups as you have a start from the late 70s/early 80s on his way down facing off with a start of the late 90s/early 00s who hasn't started his way up the card yet. Lock up and Mascaras gets a headlock and turns it into a hip toss. Mascaras gets a drop toe hold and applies a bow and arrow. Mascaras turns it into a leg lock and then breaks the hold. Mascaras wins a test of strength and gets a head scissors that he turns into a submission. Jack tries to escape but Mascaras simply uses a head scissors takeover. Jack gets a headlock but Mascaras uses the ropes to escapes. Mascaras hits the ropes and nails Jack with a flying forearm. Mascaras dropkicks Jack out of the ring. Jack chases Gary Michael Cappetta a bit and then accidently trips over a chair. Back in the ring as Mascaras gets a full nelson. Jack escapes with an elbow but Mascaras quickly pummels him with punches to the face. Mascaras gets a double leg takedown and goes for a Boston Crab but Jack gets in the ropes. Jack backs Mascaras into the corner and lays the boots to him. Jack rams Mascaras into the corner and then tosses him to the outside. Jack hits a backbreaker and goes for an elbow off the apron but Mascaras runs into the ring. Mascaras hits a dropkick that sends Jack crashing to the floor. Cornette on commentary sells it like Jack should be back. Jack struggles to the apron and Mascaras suplexes him back into the ring and then finishes him off with a cross body block off the top rope. 3/4*, total squash there. I believe this match resulted in some whinings by Foley in his book. Mascaras didn't give him much but then he is a legend and Foley was a nobody when this happened. Oh well.

WINNER: Mil Mascaras

WCW Monday Nitro

Hosts are Eric Bischoff, Steve McMichael and Bobby Heenan.

They recap the Hulk Hogan and Lex Luger face off from last week. Luger of course made a surprise jump from the WWF for the first ever Nitro. 2 title defenses in 2 weeks. That was unheard of at this point in time.

Sabu vs. Alex Wright

Oh boy this is going to be bad. It's post 1993 and Sabu won't have tables to rely on. They exchange arm drags and then Sabu gets a single leg takedown and a choke. Sabu puts the boots to Wright and then hits his springboard leg lariat. Sabu hits a hurricanrana to the outside. Sabu hits a baseball slide kick followed by a dive to the outside. Sabu throws Wright into the guard rail and goes for his dive off a chair but Wright moves. Wright takes over by putting the boots to Sabu and then some uppercuts followed by a dropkick. Wright hits a bodyslam and then rolls Sabu back into the ring. Wright hits a missile dropkick and then Sabu bails to the outside. Wright hits a baseball slide kick and follows it up with a dive. Bischoff is actually impressing me as an announcer as he's talking about Sabu winning the IWGP Junior Title earlier that year. Just a little bit of trivia. There was a huge uproar in 1999 about Juvy winning the title by hitting Liger with a bottle. People were mad that the title had never changed hands under questionable means but Sabu actually won the belt by hitting Kanemoto with a chair. So that's one of the few things you can't blame on Russo. Sabu gets some shots in on Wright as he tries to climb back into the ring. Sabu heads to the top but Wright catches him with some punches and hits a superplex. Sabu reverses an irish whip and hits a springboard elbow or leg lariat. I can't tell from the angle. Wright does a top rope backflip over Sabu and hits a german suplex for two. Wright heads to the top but Sabu trips him up and hits a variation of a hurricanrana for the win. Sabu beats on Wright afterwards and slams him into the ring apron for good measure. He also puts Wright through a table. Looked more like Sabu putting himself through a table if you ask me. Due to the after match activities the decision is reversed and Sabu gets DQ'd. *, Sabu actually wrestling is never a good thing. Though in his favor no spots were blown in the making of this wrestling match.

WINNER: Alex Wright

Mean Gene is in the ring and he's going to be interviewing Ric Flair. He's got a match coming up Sunday against Arn Anderson. Flair rags on Anderson for being whipped and not partying with him. Lex Luger comes out to interrupt the interview. Flair hypes up and all Luger has to say is Flair is too much. Ok...

WCW United States Title Match:
Sting © vs. V.K. Wallstreet

Wallstreet is of course our favorite JTTS Mike Rotunda. This actually has an infamous moment as Bischoff gives away the result of Michaels beating Sid for the WWF Title over on Raw. Lockup and Wallstreet gets a fireman's carry takedown. Lock up and they get in the corner. Wallstreet goes for a cheap shot but Sting blocks and gets a few shots in. Sting applies a headlock but Wallstreet throws him into the ropes. Back and forth until Sting blocks a hiptoss and hits one of his own. Sting hits 2 dropkicks and Wallstreet takes a breather in the corner. Sting hits a hard whip into the corner and Wallstreet bails to the outside. Back in and Sting gets a headlock. Wallstreet uses the ropes to escape. Sting comes off the ropes and Wallstreet tosses him to the outside. Wallstreet slams Sting into the apron and then rolls back into the ring. Wallstreet lays Sting across the ropes and hits a big chop to the chest. Wallstreet argues with the ref and Sting hits a springboard shoulderblock. Wallstreet gains control with a headbutt to the gut and follows it up with an elbow. Wallstreet hits a couple of elbow drops and then throws Sting into the ropes. Wallstreet tries to lift Sting onto his shoulders but gets rolled up for two. Sting blocks a shoulder ram and then repeatedly slams Wallstreet into the turnbuckle. Sting hits a couple of punches and then takes him down with a clothesline. Sting hits a knee to the back and follows it up with a Stinger Splash. Sting hits a cross body block from the top rope for the win. **, nothing special but not bad or anything. Rotunda was surprisingly sharp here. I guess the WWF just has a way of making your ringwork lackluster.

WINNER AND STILL CHAMPION: Sting

WCW Saturday Night Rundown:

The debut of Disco Inferno
Renegade vs. Maxx Muscle
Big Bubba Rogers vs. Evad Sullivan
Brian Pillman vs. Alex Wright

Scott Norton vs. "Macho Man" Randy Savage

I have to admit that I always liked the rockier version of Macho Man's theme in WCW. I'll say this match is going to be 10 minutes of Norton abusing Savage and then Savage getting a fluke pin or something along those lines. Norton attacks as Savage enters the ring. Short arm clothesline and Norton talks trash to McMichaels. Savage goes for a sunset flip but Norton lifts him by the throat and tosses him. Savage ducks a clothesline and hits a hiptoss. Savage hits a clothesline and then a second that sends Norton to the floor. Savage hits a double axehandle off the top rope and then rolls Norton into the ring. Savage levels Norton with a clothesline and then heads to the top. Savage goes for a cross body block but Norton catches him. Norton punishes Savage with a bearhug before dropping him. Norton hits some elbows to the kidneys while Savage acts seriously hurt from the bearhug earlier. Norton hits a powerbomb and covers for two. Wow, I thought he might've gotten the pin there for a brief second. Norton hits two backbreakers and then a press slam. There's a lot of stalling in this match as Norton will hit a move and then stand around while Savage sells. Norton sends Savage into the ropes and hits a powerslam for two. Savage ducks a clothesline but Norton catches him with a shoulder tackle. Savage falls to the outside. Norton lifts Savage onto the apron and then uses a DDT to get him back in the ring. Norton heads to the top and goes for a top rope shoulderblock but Savage ducks and then shoves him into the mat. Savage pushes Norton into the corner and then throws him into the opposite one. Savage hits an elbow and then pummels Norton in the corner. Avalanche and Kamala come out to try and interfere. Savage pushes Norton into Avalanche who then falls on Norton. Norton can't move so Savage hits the flying elbow drop and easily gets the pin. The rest of the Dungeon of Doom hits the ring but Savage wisely bails to the outside. *1/4, about what I expected. Could've been a lot worse in defense of this match.

WINNER: "Macho Man" Randy Savage

Overall:

Nothing great or anything but the show has a lot of historical importance. I can't really give a true opinion without seeing the main event. So hopefully I can get that done soon.

Hmm... I don't think the Michaels/Sid match was for the Title...or if Sid was even around the WWF at that time (Fall 95).

Did the Saturday Night recap have that mechanical ARM?!!

Norton was sort of a 'tweener at this time, wasn't he? He formed "Fire & Ice" a few months later with Ice Train and they were a good guy team. Norton always acted the same, regardless of being a heel or face. It's funny, but as long as he was around and on TV, he recorded exactly ZERO memorable moments in North America.

I disagree. His coming out and killing the Cat those few weeks on Nitro was all kinds of fun.

Actually there was no mechanical arm. Just graphics of the guys who were facing off.

I vaguely remember that. Refresh me a bit. Didn't Cat get on the mic and say "send out somebody...I'll whoop anybody back there". So Norton came out and beat the hell out of him.

Yeah.

Tank Abbott being a fan of Three Count was funnier though.

That type of thing hapened a few weeks straight. Norton would be in the bathroom while Cat was out doing his, "I'll whoop anybody in the building " routine. Nash would start getting on Norton with stuff like "Cat just called you out, you missed it." Norton would roll his eyes and then go out and pound Cat bloody. Very fun stuff.


And yes, Tank Abbott - 3 Count Groupie was loads of fun too.

Ahh, yeah. I'm remembering. Around the time when the nWo "Elite" was messing with the nWo Black & White.

I think Norton jobbed to Rey Mysterio "The Giant Killer" a few weeks later and Norton's heat dissipated.

Of course, I still remember him as John Nord's partner in the AWA Lumberjacks-- "Flapjack" Scott Norton. His gimmick was that he liked to eat pancake. Plus, he was a lumberjack--- he was okay.

Oh...SPECIAL UPDATE: last weekend I found a Nitro from August 1997 on tape. Had a decent (but quick) Eddie vs. Jericho match. Tell me how cool I am and I might review it. For you. To read.

You are pretty darn cool.

It takes me awhile to write up summaries..but I'll get to it.

Here's the teaser: August 1997. JJ Dillon has been trying to get Sting to sign a contract, and this week on NITRO, he's upped the offer!!

Plus! Dean Malenko is irate at being betrayed by Jeff Jarrett at Road Wild! Will these two superst, errrr, wrestlers be able to settle their differences?!

Plus! Nature Boy Ric Flair has a special offer for the Hottest Free-Agent in the Sport Today- Curt Hennig!

Plus! What does Lex Luger have to say about losing the title to Hollywood Hogan at Road Wild?!

Plus! Can Ted DiBiase and the Steiner Brothers continue their dominance as the Uncrowned Tag Team Champions?!!

Plus! Can Meng and Wrath have a decent match?!

It all comes to a BOILING POINT, this week!!! ON!! NITRO!!!
(right after Robin Hood)