I'm trying this again, just for the fun of it. This shit is gonna be old-school WCW. I'm not firing Benoit because of what he's going to do in ten years, I'm not turning Hogan face, The NWO is going to war with the Horseman. I'm not bringing in Austin or The Rock, or The Undertaker, or anyone from "up North". I'm going to take what WCW did well and try to keep this ship afloat, adding in my own unique touches along the way. And I'm starting with.... Thunder?



- Your hosts for this evening are Tony Schiavone and Bobby "The Brain" Heenan. Surely this will be "The Greatest Night in The History Of Our Fine Sport!" (at least until Monday....)

Rating: 93%

N-W-Uh-Oh

- We kick off our Thunder with a video package highlighting the NWO. Footage of the black and white battling The 4-Horseman is intercut with Hogan talking about how he's going to send Flair to the glue factory tonight.

- Schiavone and Heenan hype tonight's mainevent; Hollywood Hogan will battle Ric Flair for the number-one contendership for Sting's world-title.

TV -Title Match: Perry Saturn vs. Booker T ©

- A nice little start to Thunder as Saturn takes it to Booker T in a pretty decent contest. Schiavone mentions that Saturn requested Raven's Flock not interfere in any of his matches. Maybe he should've re-considered. Booker finishes Saturn in about nine minutes, after taking a few high-impact moves. Saturn tries to work Booker's arm, to set up for the Rings of Saturn, but can't get it locked in when Booker gets to the ropes. Eventually Booker knees his way out of a Northern-Lights suplex attempt, slips out the back of an attempted DVD, and scores with an axe kick for a longish two. A jumping sidekick finishes Saturn a few moments later.

Winner and still TV Champion: Booker T

Rating: 69%

Who's Next?

- Goldberg is scary as shit. He eats thumb tacks and sheet metal for breakfast, shaves with rusty swords, shits fire, and generally likes to beat people up. This video shows us that.

Rating: 80%

Goldberg vs. Alex Wright

- In a World War 2 rematch, the big scary American takes on the blonde-haired, blue-eyed German kid. In other words, kick, stomp, spear, Jackhammer. Done. Goldberg is on a streak.

Winner: Goldberg

Rating: 57%

Kevin Nash/Scott Hall vs. Barry Darsow/Bobby Blaze

- What do I actually have to say here, really? Nash "demolishes" Darsow with a Jacknife Powerbomb, Hall "extinguishes" Blaze with an Outsiders Edge and Big Sexy pins Blaze with one foot. After the match, just for the fun of it, Nash and Hall kick the jobbers' asses a little more.

Winners: Nash/Hall

Rating: 64%

- Of course Schiavone calls what Nash and Hall did a travesty and says they should be "fined and suspended". But onto our next match:

WCW US Title Match: Diamond Dallas Page © vs. Van Hammer

- Van Hammer dominates the early going of this match with his power stuff. Hammer works Page over on the floor in front of Raven and his Flock. Raven stands motionless even as Page makes a comeback. Hammer takes over again throwing Page back inside, but Page knocks him off the apron and scores with a plancha. In the ring Page tries for a Diamond Cutter but Hammer blocks it by grabbing the ropes. Hammer muscles Page into the corner and pounds away. Page takes a whip from corner to corner. Hammer charges and eats boots on the way in. Page ends Hammer's night moments later with a Diamond Cutter off the second rope.

Winner and Still US Champion: Diamond Dallas Page

Rating: 67%

Postmatch: Lex Luger hits the ring and runs down Page with a forearm to the back of the head. He motions for the belt, picks it up, holds it over his head and then throws it disdainfully toward Page.

- Michael Buffer is out to collect his stupidly large paycheck for announcing the MAAAAIIINNNN EVENT OF THE EVENING. Shiavone claims this match is "the most important match in the history of Thunder."

Ric Flair vs. "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan - #1 Contender's Match

- Flair jumps Hogan in the entranceway to start and they brawl all around the arena. Through the crowd, even over by Heenan and Schiavone. Heenan gets a great line in when Schiavone says "Flair's almost in your lap" as Hogan bashes his head off the table, responding with "Better him than Pat Patterson"!

Eventually Hogan and Flair find the ring. Flair takes over, attacking Hogan's legs and chopping the shit out of him. Eventually, Hogan takes over with a lowblow. He drops the Legdrop of DOOOOM for a two-count. Schiavone nearly has an epileptic fit when Flair kicks at two. Hogan goes to the weight-lifters belt and whips Flair like a County Pig (kind of like a Government Mule), but Flair goes to the leg again with a chopblock to stop it. Flair drops a big knee and Hogan's busted wide open. Flair gets the Figure-Four locked in when Stevie Ray charges the ring. Flair breaks the hold to punch Stevie down only to get nailed in the back of the head with the slapjack for the cheap win.

Winner: "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan

Rating: 87%

- Postmatch, Stevie and Hogan stomp the hell out of Flair and even deliver another couple of slapjack shots for good measure. Sting repels down from the ceiling, and runs them off but its a little too little too late. Flair is left bloodied and beaten.

Overall: 74%

Saturn was robbed!

I've got plans for Saturn. Sometime in the future.

Goood, goood. Do the right thing.

Yeah, I'm going to hire john Kronus and have them feud endlessly with Meng and The Barbarian....

:P

- WCW Saturday Night is on the air. And unlike most taped-for-weekend wrestling (Sunday Night Heat, I'm looking at you) WCW Saturday Night will feature a ton of first-run matches, and some actual angles that matter.

Rick Steiner vs. Scott Hall

- Like this one. Steiner kicks Hall's ass from pillar-to-post from the opening bell. Hall pinballs around for Steiner like a Sean Waltman on crack, even taking a nasty ringpost bump to the floor. Steiner stomps away and suplexes Hall into the ring from the apron. Steiner scores with a second-rope clothesline for a long two-count. Eventually Hall bails, he takes over on the floor by backdropping Steiner onto the ramp as he charged him. Hall kicks away at Steiner's back in the ring. He drops an elbow and goes to a rear-chinlock. Steiner powers out with a hard back-suplex. Steiner heads up top, a bit shakily as Hall stands back up. However before he can capitalize Kevin Nash hits the ring and crotches Steiner on the top allowing Hall to capitalize with a nasty Outsiders Edge for the win.

Rating: 75%

Saturday Night IS Jericho

- Chris Jericho is in the back with Mean Gene, who he calls "Green Jeans" repeatedly. He calls out Goldberg, telling him he's seen bigger streaks in Ralphus' underwear. He wants him in a match, but doesn't really say when.

Rating: 81%

Chris Jericho vs. Juventud Guerrera

- A great match that the Saturday Night crowd just didn't cleave to at all. Juvi controls with a lot of speed. He scores with a running summersault helo to the floor. Jericho tries to slow things down, but Juvi consistently makes the comeback. Eventually, after a back and forth effort, Jericho counters a top-rope hurricanranna into a Liontamer, using the ropes for leverage, to get the submission win.

Rating: 63%

I guess we're not in Philly anymore...

- Somewhere, deep in the bowels of WCW Studios (standing in for an arena basement) Raven and his rag-tag bunch of misfits (not the band) are cutting a promo. Raven claims that the Flock are watching from the shadows, observing the war between WCW and the NWO and deciding the right time to swoop in and take out the last survivors.

Rating: 92%

TV Title- Booker T © vs. Alex Wright

- In other news, we're like Ratt (out of the basement) and back to the ring. Booker finishes Wright rather succintly. Wright hits a few decent moves, including a solid German-suplex with a bridge for two. Booker ends Wright's night a few moments later with an axe kick after Wright misses a top-rope dropkick.

Rating: 61%

Old School vs. NeW SchOol

- A video package for Hogan/Flair is shown, as Schiavone announces that Hogan will take on Flair this Monday night in a steelcage match. The video itself is cut together like one of those old-school World War 2 propaganda pieces, with the NWO (and Hogan) being painted as a fascist regime, with Kevin Nash's arm gesture standing in for the Nazi salute and Hogan being painted as a Hitler like leader.

Rating: 91%

Diamond Dallas Page vs. The British Bulldog

- This is a non-title match; Bulldog controls a lot of the match early, easily overpowering the smaller Page. Unfortunately no one seems to care. Bulldog gets in most of his trademark moves, as Page tries to make a comeback. A standing vertical (that he holds for a solid 30 seconds) gets a long two. Bulldog whips Page to the corner but Page goes over the top only to get caught in the Powerslam position. Bulldog starts to build up a head of steam but Page slips out and scores with the Diamond Cutter for the win, just that suddenly.

- Schiavone hypes Page's Diamond Cutter as the "move you'll never see coming" as Lex Luger jumps Page from behind again, this time throwing him to the floor and whipping him hard into the steps. Somehow I doubt Luger was concerned for his former "Allied Powers" partner....

Rating: 63%

Main Event: Kevin Nash vs. Scott Steiner

- As Steiner hits the ring Schiavone explains that Rick and Scott patched things up at a recent family reunion and that Scotty decided to come back to the "light side".

That stupidity aside, the match is good, but short as Darth Nash jumps Steiner on his way into the ring and takes over almost immediately. Steiner fights back and both guys pretty much slug it out. Steiner drops a lot of heavy artillery causing Nash to bail. The refferee heads Nash off on the floor trying to convince Nash to get back inside. Steiner doesn't give him any choice and "tests" his luck going high-risk with a double-sledge from the apron that connects. Steiner hits a nasty vetical suplex on the floor. Nash is thrown back in. Nash recovers as Scotty bitches at the ref, but Scotty avoids an attemped big boot, and Nash gets caught up. Scotty heads back in and kicks Nash's knee and drops him with a back-suplex for two. Scotty, now seemingly in total control, hits a big trapped arm belly-to-belly suplex. He works Nash into a T-bone suplex position but Nash fights out. Scotty ducks a swinging clothesline, but runs headlong into a big boot. Nash tries for a Jacknife but Steiner cuts him down by attacking the knee he injured earlier. Nash holds his knee and begs off in the corner, but Steiner follows him in, stomping the injured knee. The finish comes when Scotty goes insane and sets Nash up top for a Frankensteiner attempt, but Nash is saved by Scott Hall when he heads to ringside and grabs Nash's tights causing Steiner to crash and burn. Nash covers the fallen Steiner for an easy pin moments later.

- After the match Nash and Hall beat the hell out of Steiner. Rick Steiner makes the save, but gets beaten down pretty badly for his troubles.

Rating: 63%

Overall Rating: 72%

- Welcome to Monday Nitro everyone. Tonight Ric Flair takes on Hollywood Hogan in a steel cage match. WCW officials have thrown out the finish to the prior Hogan/Flair match due to the interference of Stevie Ray. Also on tap, Goldberg is in action as well as Bret Hart.

Flair gets put out to pasture

- Ric Flair is in the ring, complete in his trademark suit and tie. He pops the crowd with a huge Woooooooooooo!!!!!!!, and grabs the microphone, but before he can get a word in the Black and White's music hits, they come down the ramp and out of the crowd. They swarm him and before he can do anything is left laying in his own blood. Hogan came out and dropped eight or nine big legdrops on Flair, as the medics came out to help Flair out.

Rating: 91%

- Schiavone and Heenan speculate, as medics attend to Flair that Flair probably wishes he'd driven in with Benoit, Malenko, and McMichael rather than flying in early.

US Title Match: Diamond Dallas Page © vs. Eddie Guerrero

- Page and Guerrero have a good solid match, as Schiavone and Heenan speculate on Flair's condition, completely ignoring it. Page controls Guerrero for a good part of it, but Guerrero takes control with his own high-impact, high-flying offense, even scoring with a headscissors to the floor. Guerrero counters a Diamond Cutter attempt with a backslide for two. The finish comes when Guerrero counters a second Diamond Cutter attempt and scores with a big brainbuster, but Lex Luger hits the ring and pushed Guerrero off the top rope before he coult hit the Frogsplash and Page scored with a Diamond Cutter for the win.

Winner and Still U.S. Champion: Diamond Dallas Page

- After the match, Luger again attacked Page, kneeing Page hard in the back and wracking him up. With the damage done Luger dropped Page and simply walked out without showing any particular expression of satisfaction.

Rating: 76%

All Flocked Up

- A video is shown promoting the Flock; it repeats the same quotes by Raven as a crappy Alice in Chains knockoff tune drones on in the background; "We're watching your war", "We prey on the weak", "And we'll prey on you..."

Rating: 87%

Sting is Here....

- Another video is shown, with Sting walking through the rain in a black trenchcoat. Lightning crashes overhead, showing video of Sting's former appearence, as the blonde-haired, blue-eyed surfer dude. Sting turns to the camera and simply states "I'm still watching, Hollywood....."

Rating: 79%

Tag-Team Titles: The Outsiders vs. The Steiners ©

- Another solid match on Nirtro tonight as The Steiners battle Kevin Nash and Scott Hall, defending their titles. Its pretty much a four-man war to start and as things settle down into a tag-match the Outsiders isolate and wear down Rick Steiner for quite a bit. About seven or eight minutes on total. But Rick keeps fighting back. He scores with a German Suplex on Hall, and catches Nash with a belly-to-belly overhead and tags in Scotty. Scotty comes in and cleans house, but Nash cheats to regain the advantage with a lowblow behind the ref's back. Hall gets a close-two count with a one-armed chokeslam. Nash comes in, and scores with a big sideslam. He tries to follow it up with a big boot, but Scotty ducks and hits a T-bone suplex for another long-ish two count. The eventual finish comes when Scotty tries for a Frankensteiner but Nash scores with a lowblow as he's set up on the top-rope and Hall hits a sick Outsider's Edge for the win.

- The action damn sure isn't over yet, though, as the Steiners continue fighting the Outsiders actually brawling all the way down the aisle.

Winner and NEW WCW Tag-Team Champions: The Outsiders

Rating: 77%

You've gotta nice wrack...

- Backstage, Diamond Dallas Page is icing down his back, Luger barges in and beats the shit out of Page, even wracking him before dropping him back-first on the concrete floor.

Rating: 75%

- Before the next match Schiavone and Heenan speculate that Luger and Page are headed on a "collision course" at some point. Heenan gets a good line in saying "That Page must feel like he got hit by a bus...."

Bret Hart vs. Wrath

- A bit of a "meh" match between Hart and Wrath. Hart pinballs around for Wrath a bit, but avoids a running shoulderblock into the corner, rolls him up and locks in The Sharpshooter for the quick submission.

Rating: 69%

Goldberg vs. Van Hammer

- Another "meh" match as Goldberg adds to his streak. Goldberg sells for Hammer a bit, but takes over a minute or so later, scoring with a standing sidekick, a powerslam, and then the spear and Jackhammer combo for the easy win.

Rating: 64%

TV Title Match: Booker T © vs. Curt Hennig

- Heenan makes an inside joke that Hennig is "the Perfect" opponent for Booker T. As it turns out that certainly isn't true as Booker and Hennig have another fairly short match. Hennig controls for a bit, Booker avoids a clothesline and scores with a sidekick for a two count. Hennig takes control again, by hanging Booker up on the top rope throat first to counter a charge. Hennig's trademark running necksnapper gets two. Hennig tries for his Perfect-Plex but Booker knees his way out and hits an axe-kick for the win.

- After the match Schiavone notes that "Hennig didn't look so Perfect tonight."

Rating: 77%

Six-Man Tag: Chris Benoit/Dean Malenko/Steve McMichael vs. Horace/Stevie Ray/Vincent

- A nice little appetizer for the main-event with the Horseman completely killing the NWO team. Mongo McMichael scores with a Tombstone on Horace on the floor. Benoit bloodies Stevie Ray, and Malenko locks the Cloverleaf on Vincent for the submission win.

Rating: 55%

Cage Match: Ric Flair vs. "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan

- Schiavone and Heenan speculate on whether or not Flair will even make it, as Hogan gets his extended "Purple Haze" entrance. As Hogan plays air guitar in the ring, Heenan claims that one of "his people" have told him that Flair is going to be here "shortly". Literally seconds later a fucking ambulance blasts through the entrance way, knocking down the large steel "WCW" logos. Flair blasts open the door and begins brawling with Hogan on the floor. Flair is stiched up, and bandaged around his left eye, shit he's wearing a fucking hospital gown (thankfully with underwear on) Flair chases Hogan into the cage and beats the holy hell out of him from pillar to post (and back to the pillar again, along with the post a few more times just for the hell of it...) he chops Hogan's chest bloody and opens him up by biting his forehead. Hogan finally stops the assault with a lowblow and tries to scale the cage. Flair stops him and actually scores with a superplex that garners a "that's fucking awesome!" chant. Flair covers with a single hand for two. Shakily both men come back to their feet, and Flair begins pounding Hogan's forehead into hamburger with headlocked punches. Somehow Hogan recovers from the beating, by leveraging Flair into an exposed turnbuckle for a two count. With the wind knocked out of Flair Hogan drops a leg and gets a long two-count. Hogan tries a second one, but Flair moves. Flair tries to follow up, but can hardly move, after taking the hard shot to the exposed buckle. The finish comes when Hogan wrakes Flair's unaffected eye and gets a rollup with the tights for the cheap win.

- After the match, Sting rappels into the ring and stares down Hogan as the show goes off the air.

Rating: 83%

Overall Rating: 76%

- We're back on the air, for WCW Thursday Night Thunder. After the steel cage war on Nitro Ric Flair and "Hollywood" Hogan have both been given the night off. Goldberg is in action, as are The Outsiders who will defend their tag-titles tonight. But with all the excitment lets get down to the action.

BANZAI!!!!

- A video package for Yokozuna's debut is shown, with the big man standing on a scale and yelling "Banzai!!!" really loudly. Yoko proclaims (in broken English) that he's "the he squashed everyone 'up North'and that he's ready "to continue his rampage in WCW."

Rating: 83%

Cruiserweight Title Match: Ultimo Dragon © vs. Psychosis

- Dragon and Psychosis open our show with a fantastic match that the crowd was mostly asleep for. They hit a long series of high-flying moves, with neither man gaining a large advantage. Dragon takes over after 'Chosis misses a top-rope legdrop, but Psycho fights back into it. The finish comes, after an exchange of chops, Dragon whips Psycho off to the ropes, but he backflips over the top, Psycho hits a whip of his own but Dragon backflips into a Dragon Sleeper for the submission win.

Winner And Still CW Champion: The Ultimo Dragon

Rating: 54%

- After the match, we're back to Tony Schiavone and Bobby Heenan. They hype up Goldberg's streak. Heenan claims that "Irish eyes may just be smiling down on Finlay tonight."

Goldberg vs. Fit Finlay

- As you might have predicted, Goldberg makes those "Irish eyes" a little black and blue. But not after Goldberg sells for Finlay a little. Finlay scores with an early rolling Samoan drop for a two, but Goldberg makes the quick comeback with a standing sidekick, a spear, and a Jackhammer.

Winner: Goldberg

Rating: 55%

Extracurricular Activities

- After the match Chris Jericho hits the ring, coming through the crowd, and lays out Goldberg with a stiff as a pornstar's dick chair shot. Goldberg is actually busted open as a result.

Rating: 84%

- Before our next match Tony Schiavone and Bobby Heenan speculate that Jericho must have "more up his sleeve than he's letting on." Heenan responds with, "yeah a bazooka." as we move on.

U.S. Title Match: Diamond Dallas Page © vs. Curt Hennig

- A pretty decent little match here. Hennig controls with a bunch of offenese directed toward Page's injured back. Hennig scores a two-count with his running necksnapper. Page gets a couple hope spots in here and there, but Hennig mostly shuts him down with attacks on the back. The finish comes when Hennig scores the Perfect-Plex, but he's too close to the ropes. Page gets his foot on the rope to break. The finish comes moments later when Lex Luger interferes and hits Hennig in the back with a chair as he's setting up for another Perfect-Plex, allowing Page to score a Diamond Cutter for the win.

Winner and still U.S. Champion: Diamond Dallas Page

Rating: 69%

- After the match Dusty Rhodes hits the ring before Page and Luger can come to blows. He announces that "Page and Luger are gonna settle this crap once and for all at Bash At The Beach."

Rating: 78%

- Tony Schiavone and Heenan both seem excited at the announcement. Schiavone claims that "Page has the move you'll never see coming".

WCW Tag-Team Titles: The Outsiders © vs. Davey Both Smith/Jim Neidhart

- A pretty short match here, as the Outsiders basically squash Bulldog and Neidhart. The only major offensive move of note scored by Bulldog and Neidhart was a double-team bearhug/clothesline that Bobby Heenan slyly noted most have given Scott Hall "a heart attack." However, it was all down hill from there as Nash pulled down the top rope on a Bulldog charge causing him to eat floor and Hall pinned Neidhart fairly easily with an Outsider's Edge.

Winners And Still Tag-Team Champions: The Outsiders

Rating: 72%

Main Event: WCW TV Title Match: Chris Benoit vs. Booker T ©

- A fucking fantastic match to end Thunder tonight, as Benoit and Booker put on a twenty-two minute clinic. There's nearly too many nearfalls to count. Benoit lands a sick Dragon-Suplex for a nearfall. Booker scores with a pancake powerbomb from the top for two. Benoit kicks out of all of Booker's trademark kicks. Booker kicks out of a swandive headbutt. Benoit avoids a Harlem Hangover and cradles for a long two. The finish comes when Benoit misses a top-rope headbutt and Booker nails him with an axekick to the back of the neck for the win.

Winner and still TV Champion: Booker T

- After the match, Benoit and Booker shake hands.

Rating: 72%

Overall Show Rating: 71%

- Welcome to WCW Saturday Night! Booker T, Chris Benoit, Chris Jericho, and Goldberg are in action tonight. In the main event Lex Luger will take on Eddie Guerrero. Guerrero wants revenge for Luger screwing him on Nitro in his match against Diamond Dallas Page. With all this excitment lets gets to our first match.

TV Title Match: Booker T © vs. Horace

- A bit of a flat match to start off the show, as no one actually thought Horace had any real hope of winning. Booker still sells for him a bit though, actually eating a couple nearfalls in the process from a DDT and a gutwrench powerbomb. Ultimately though, Booker would wind up winning clean with an axe-kick after ducking an attempted clothesline with a leather belt.

Winner and still TV Champion: Booker T

Rating: 63%

Chris Benoit vs. Alex Wright

- At the booth Tony Schiavone and Bobby Heenan claim that Benoit and Booker T's match on Thunder "could've gone either way", and that "Benoit needs to get back on the winning track tonight. "

- And he does, easily dominating Wright. Actually, Benoit is unusually rough on Wright, with chokes, boots, and stomps in the corner. He even blows snot on him following a snap-suplex just to further the domination. The finish comes as Wright gets a bit of an offensive flurry, but Benoit counters a German Suplex with a Crippler Crossface (in a really neat spot) for the submission win.

Winner: Chris Benoit

- After the match Benoit holds onto the Crossface as Wright frantically taps out. A ref, and then a team of refs try to break it but Benoit won't let go. Finally Wright passes out and Benoit lets go of the hold.

Rating: 68%

- After the match Benoit gets the stick, and calls out Booker T for The Bash At The Beach claiming he's going to "rip Booker's throat out to win the title -- if that's what it takes." All the time he's cutting the promo he's standing on Wright's throat.

Rating: 81%

- After a commercial we're back in Booker T's locker room. He's icing himself down as Chris Benoit charges in and runs Booker down. They brawl all around the room as security runs in to break it up.

Rating: 78%

- Before our next match Tony Schiavone and Bobby Heenan are talking about what just happened: Heenan seems to like Benoit's new attitude, citing it as "classic Horseman style". Schiavone calls it a "drastic departure from Benoit's normal style. Frankly I don't like it."

Chris Jericho vs. Prince Iaekuae

- In a night of one-sided matches, Jericho punishes the "future artist formerly known as Prince" Iaukea with a series of high impact moves. Prince makes a brief comeback, but Jericho catches him off the second rope with a dropkick and locks in the Liontamer for the submission win. Just for added emphasis Jericho holds it a little longer than needed to shout "Goldberg, this is for you!"

Winner: Chris Jericho

Rating: 70%

- After the match Mean Gene Okerlund hits the ring, but Jericho grabs the mic before Okerlund can ask anything. He calls out Goldberg for The Bash At The Beach, saying that he's going to "Stampede" Goldberg at the Bash, even calling him "an overrated musclehead."

Rating: 93%

- At the booth Tony Schiavone and Bobby Heenan speculate once again that Jericho has "more up his sleeve than anyone knows." Heenan claims that "his guys" have heard Jericho's hired a former baseball player for protection. Heenan speculates that "Jose Canseco could use the work."

Goldberg vs. Jerry Flynn

- Goldberg doesn't offer any kind of verbal response to Jericho; instead he annhilates Flynn in a 35-second squash match. Spear, Jackhammer, pin over.

Winner: Goldberg

Rating: 50%

Main Event: Eddie Guerrero vs. Lex Luger

- Pretty solid match to end WCW's Saturday Night delight. Guerrero actually dominates a lot of the match, keeping Luger way off balance with his high-flying, high-impact offense. He catches Luger with a long-two count after a tornado DDT. Eventually Luger takes over and the match slows waaayyy down. Luger dominates with a lot of slow, methodical offense, even stopping to pose a lot. During the beatdown Heenan gets in a good line that "Luger must be some kind of Narcisist", Schiavone, not missing the joke for once, jokes back "yeah, you'd know something about that, Brain." Eventually, Luger tries to Wrack Guerrero, but Diamond Dallas Page interferes, running in through the crowd. He jumps up on the apron, Luger drops Eddie to attack Page and Guerrero cradles him up from behind for the pin.

Winner: Eddie Guerrero

Rating: 64%

- After the match Luger chases Page through the crowd as Guerrero celebrates.

Overall Show Rating: 70%

WCW News

- Following a bad bump at a non-televised event Scott Hall has suffered an injured neck, he will be out for eight months. This comes at a bad time, as Hall and his partner Kevin Nash are set to defend their tag-team titles against the Steiners at Bash At The Beach.

Also, the following matches are tentatively set for Bash At The Beach:

- Booker T vs. Chris Benoit - TV Title

- Chris Jericho (w/mystery man) vs. Goldberg

- Diamond Dallas Page vs. Lex Luger - U.S. Title

- Definitely Confirmed: Hollywood Hulk Hogan vs. Sting- WCW Title

Mostly Probable:

- Some kind of Horseman/NWO Tag-match

- A Cruiserweight Title match

- The state of WCW's tag-match is up in the air. The most probable outcome is for Nash to find another replacement partner.

- In other news, both Bret Hart and The Giant are said to be absolutely miserable backstage.

- In surprising, and probably untrue news, a WCW informant has apparently turned up booking sheets and other documents created by Kevin Sullivan and WCW's booking commitee regarding a potential program between Bret Hart and Raven.

- Welcome to WCW Nitro, we're only a week away from WCW's summer spectacular, "The Bash At The Beach". Everyone who's anyone in WCW is in action tonight, including a massive tag-team main event, with Diamond Dallas Page teaming with Sting to take on the dangerous alliance of Lex Luger and "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan. But with all the excitment, lets get to the action.

WCW TV Title: Booker T © vs. Chris Jericho

- A fucking (and predictably) awesome match to open Nitro tonight. Booker and Jericho seem to forget all about their current respective feuds and work hard in a great twenty-minute match. Jericho works the back. Booker constantly tries to fight back. Jericho tries to cheat, several times, but Booker kicks out of pulled tights and the Jericho's feet on the ropes. The finish comes as Booker avoids a Jerichosault and scores with the axe-kick, but Chris Benoit hits the ring to break it up. He attacks Booker and Jericho, and all three men wind up fighting amongst themselves. Booker and Benoit eventually wind up brawling down the aisle way as Jericho complains to the ref and looks pissed off.

Winner: No Contest through Chris Benoit's interference.

Rating: 84%

- At the booth Tony Schiavone and Bobby Heenan speculate on a potential future rematch between Jericho and Booker. Schiavone once again refers to Benoit's actions as "reprehensible."

- Bobby Heenan hypes up the NWO's Curt Hennig as Goldberg heads to the ring to face him. Heenan claims that "Goldberg's never faced a man with Hennig's experience, tenacity, and overall ability." Tony Schiavone, not missing a potential joke for once, says the "Hennig knows something about 'perfect streaks.'"

Goldberg vs. Curt Hennig

- For the first time in his WCW tenure Goldberg is actually dominated a bit, as Hennig controls him with a good bit of offense. Goldberg even takes a fairly long two-count off of a superplex. But it doesn't take long for old Billy-boy to regain the advantage, powering Hennig down with a powerslam from a military press position for a long two. Hennig takes over again, briefly, after dodging a spear, with Goldberg hitting the post, shoulder-first. Hennig actually gets Goldberg down with a dropkick to the inured shouler and locks in a cross-armbar but Goldberg powers his way out. Eventually, Hennig manuevers Goldberg into a Perfect-Plex but Goldberg kicks at two. The end comes moments later when Goldberg powers up, scores with a sidekick, spear, and a Jackhammer for the pin.

Winner: Goldberg

Rating: 77%

- After the match Chris Jericho hits the ring with a baseball bat and attacks Goldberg from behind once again. He beats him down fairly badly, leaving him busted open, the bat was dented to shit (it was aluminum) as Jericho left it behind and ran off.

Rating: 89%

- At the booth Tony Schiavone and Bobby Heenan talk about the actions of Chris Jericho. Heenan remarks that "the Yankees could use a hitter like Jericho.." as we head to our next match.

Rey Mysterio vs. Eddie Guerrero

- This match is announced as a number-one contender's match. The winner will wrestle at the Bash At The Beach against Ultimo Dragon for the cruiserweight title.

- As you'd expect, given a square structure, some ropes, and four posts to hold them up Rey Mystero and Eddie Guerrero could have an awesome match on any given night; tonight is no different. Each man, for the fifteen minutes they were given, busted their asses, flying, mat wrestling, chain wrestling, and even straight up brawling. Guerero and Mysterio both brought so many nearfalls no-one knew where this would end. Ultimately, Guerrero would kick out of Rey's springboard hurricanranna, but Mysterio would avoid a Frogsplash late in the match, landing a mahigstral roll for the pin.

Winner: Rey Mysterio

- After the match both men shake hands.

Rating: 77%

- At the booth Tony Schiavone and Bobby Heenan put over the match they just had as Eric Bischoff hits the ring area. He announces, much to the surprise of everyone watching, that "Kevin Nash and Scott Hall are contractually obligated to defend their tag-titles on Sunday, at the Bash." and that "Nash wouldn't be allowed to find a replacement partner."

Meanwhile, a "Sleazy E" chant breaks out.

Rating: 89%

- Schiavone and Heenan are shocked at the announcement, Schiavone states rather bluntly "with the NWO, there's always something fishy going on." Heenan makes a joke that "The NWO is as fishy as the ocean."

You've Come To Kill The Rooster

- We're in the basement with Raven and his flock, as Alice In Chains' "The Rooster" drones in the background Raven cuts some non-sensical promo about chickens, cock-fighting, and "geeking" (biting the heads off of chickens). He claims that the "war between WCW and the NWO is like the world's largest cockfight." and that they're "both pecking and clawing at each other, but I'm going to bite the winner's head right off."

All right...... :unsure:

Rating: 93%

The Steiner Brothers vs. Steve Regal/Fit Finlay

- Pretty much a squash for The Steiners here, but Regal and Finlay work well with them. Regal and Finlay control the match brielfy, working over Rick Steiner, but Rick makes the tag. Scotty hits the ring, cleans house with a series of suplexes and a Steiner-Bulldog ends Finlay's night a few moments later.

Winners: The Steiner Brothers

Rating: 76%

- At the booth Schiavone and Heenan repeat their repeats his point regarding Nash saying "after seeing The Steiners decimate two of 'WCW's toughest'" he'd hate to see "what they'd do to one guy." Heenan makes the joke, saying "that after Sunday Nash might need a seven-foot coffin."

Chris Benoit

- Mean Gene is in the back, he wants to know why Benoit keeps attacking Booker T. Benoit, not being one for words states simply "I want his title..." before snotting on the floor and walking out.

Rating: 68%

Stevie Ray vs. Steve McMichael

- Not a particularly great match, as you'd probably imagine. Stevie and "Mongo" brawl, Ray controls with a lot of shitty offense and works the chinlock (his favorite move, it seems like), Mongo makes the comeback but Horace Hogan interferes. Mongo knocks Horace down but misses the slapjack that he drops and Ray slapjacks Mongo for the cheap win.

Winner: Stevie Ray

Rating: 54%

TV Title Match: Booker T © vs. Chris Benoit vs. Chris Jericho

- No one knew this match was coming, in true WCW fashion this was thrown on at the last second, but all three men certainly worked like it wasn't. As you'd imagine Booker and Benoit worked the majority of the match, ignoring Jericho. Jericho uses this to his advantage on several occasions, even knocking both men off the apron at once with his springboard dropkick. The finish comes, ultimately, when Jericho and Benoit are left alone in the ring. Jericho scores with a running bulldog but hits knees on a Jericho-Sault attempt, with Jericho doubled over Booker would toss Benoit to the floor score with an axe-kick for the pin.

Winner: Booker T

Rating: 85%

Main Event: Diamond Dallas Page/Sting vs. Lex Luger/"Hollywood" Hulk Hogan

- As you'd imagine, for a main-event this big the crowd is absolutely steaming hot. The match itself is a fairly pedestrian, by-the-numbers affair with Hogan and Luger isolating Page who makes a great face in peril. Sting and Hogan tease tying up a couple times, but it never happens. Eventually, Page fights back and gets the tag. Sting cleans house for a bit, with Luger taking the majority of the bumps and offense. Eventually, Page takes Luger to the floor with a crossbody. In the ring Hogan decks Sting some brass knuckles and pins Sting with his legdrop.

Winners: Lex Luger and "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan

Rating: 79%

- The show closes with Hogan and Luger shaking hands as the ring fills up with fan-thrown debris.

Overall Show Rating: 79%

Also on TV This Week



- WCW is, of course, in a war with the WWF on Monday Nights. But ECW is quickly growing as a promotion. Their Saturday Night show is only an hour long, but is packed wall-to-wall with hardcore action. Here we like to give it a quick look.

ECW Tag Team Titles: Chris Candido/Lance Storm © vs. The Dudley Boys

- A great way to start out the show. The Dudleys are ECW's most over tag-team and Candido and Storm are two of the more solid technical workers in North America today. They manage to blend their styles well together, with the Dudleys controlling the majority of the match. The finish comes when Candido catches Bubbba with a low-blow as the Duds are going for the 3D and Storm plants him with a torndao DDT for the cheap win.

Winners and still ECW Tag-Team Champions: Lance Storm and Chris Candido

- After the match The Duds attack Candido and Storm, brawling all the way to the back.

Rating: 74%

New Jack vs. Sabu- Hardcore Match

- New Jack is a former Smokey Mountain Wrestling standout, who's friends with the incomporable Jim Cornette. Sabu plays a wild man gimmick, he routinely puts his body on the line in increasingly disturbing ways. This match is no different as New Jack and Sabu beat the ever-loving shit out of each other. They trade a bunch of weapons shots and Sabu takes control with a bunch of high-flying stuff. The finish comes when Jack has Sabu on a table and Fonzie (Sabu's manager) hits a lowblow and Sabu pins Jack with a hurricanranna through the table.

Winner: Sabu

- After the match Fonzie and Sabu stomp the hell out of New Jack.

Rating: 60%

"We Must Remain Perfect Strangers"

- A video package for Shane Douglas is shown. Its essentially cut together with him shooting on various wrestlers from the "big two", calling out Hogan, Austin, and even Bret Hart. Douglas ends the package, making reference to his entrance song, "Teddy, Vinny, I'm afraid we're going to have to remain perfect strangers..."

Rating: 81%

Kid Kash vs. Little Guido vs. Spike

- A fun little match here, Kash plays a cocky heel, Guido is a "shooter" and Spike is the ultimate underdog. All three men trade a bunch of offense. Kash hits a bunch of high-flying stuff. The finish comes when Spike goes for the Acid Drop on Guido, he nails it, but Kash rolls up Spike with the tights for the cheap pin.

Winner: Kid Kash

Rating: 57%

Main Event: TV Title Match: Tazz © vs. Bam-Bam-Bigelow

- A really solid TV match, as Bigelow beats Tazz in a hardcore match. Tazz puts up a hell of a fight against the bigger Bigelow, man-handling him with a ton of awesome suplexes. Bigelow turns it around using his size advantage. The finish comes in the most brutal move I've seen in a while as Tazz has Bigelow in his submission, The Tazmission, on the apron but Bigelow hops off backwards with Tazz on his back and crushes him between himself and the concrete and collapses on him for the pin.

Winner And New ECW TV Champion: Bam Bam Bigelow

Rating: 80%

Overall Show Rating: 72%

- We're only three nights away from WCW's Summer slammer, The Bash At The Beach, and things are really heating up. Tonight on Thunder, Curt Hennig wrestles Bret Hart, Booker T faces Lex Luger, and Chris Benoit faces Diamond Dallas Page in the main event. But with all the excitment lets get down to the ring.

- Schiavone and Bobby Heenan are at the booth, they speculate on a "big announcement" that Goldberg has tonight regarding The Bash At The Beach.

Jericho Is Next

- To start the show Goldberg its the ringside area, Mean Gene is waiting for him. Goldy grabs the mic and simply states "Jericho, I've had enough of your crap! If you want me, then you're next! But its your funeral kid."

Rating: 85%

Jericho Gets A Rebuttal

- In true political fashion (and if there's anything WCW knows its politics) Jericho is backstage with a rebuttal; he putters around a bit, teasing his "mystery man" calling him "big, mean, ugly, and larger than most bears." He follows up by saying, "And by the way Billy-Goat, I'm not talking about your mom."

Rating: 89%

- At the booth Tony Schiavone and Bobby Heenan are talking about the Jericho/Goldberg match. Heenan reiterates a point from a couple shows ago, noting that Jericho's so-called "mystery man" is a former baseball player. Heenan runs down everything Jericho said his man was; "big, mean, ugly, and larger than most bears" and arrives at Jose Canseco as Jericho's man. Schiavone responds with a "You're outta here!"

The Steiner Brothers vs. High Voltage

- Basically a warm-up match for The Steiners. As usual Rick plays the face in peril a bit, but really not for long, Scotty gets the tag in, cleans house with clotheslines and suplexes, even T-boning both guys. Ultimately, and rather easily, The Steiners pin Robbie Rage with a Steiner Bulldog.

Winners: The Steiner Brothers

Rating: 59%

Bark Like A Dog and Hit Like a Truck

- Before the commercial we're treated to a quick hype video for The Steiners. The voiceover, playing over high-spots and impressive suplexes, claims that "one brother barks like a dog and the other hits like a truck".

Rating: 77%

Bret Hart vs. Curt Hennig

- We're back from the commercial as Bret Hart is walking down the aisle. Heenan makes a joke about Curt Hennig, saying "Hennig's been a little "less than Perfect" around here lately".

- The match however is certainly a change of pace as Hennig and Hart have a really solid, but pedestrian match. Hennig controls a good portion of the 16-minute match, scoring several nearfalls off of a superplex, his running necksnapper, and several kneelifts. Hart fights back into it, going for the legs and trying to work the Sharpshooter several times but Hennig keeps fighting out. The finish comes as Hart and Hennig hit a series of nearfalls in a rapid pinning sequence, but Horace hits the ring and Hart has Hennig pinned near the ropes. Horace clocks Hart with a slapjack and Hennig hits the Fisherman Suplex for the cheap win.

- After the match Horace and Hennig doubleteam Hart, slapjacking him several more times. (Hey Bash At The Beach, can you say instant filler match?)

Rating: 78%

- At the booth Tony Schiavone and Heenan are hyping up an unannounced main event tag match. Its going to happen right now.

Six-Man Tag: "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan/Stevie Ray/Vincent vs. Dean Malenko/Steve "Mongo" McMichael/Sting

- Tony Schiavone babbles about "history being made tonight" as Sting joins forces with his old enemies the 4-Horseman. For once he's actually right. This match is huge. Heenan refers to the Horseman without Flair as "A ship without a rudder."

- The match itself is a total clusterfuck, as Stevie Ray and Vincent work the majority of the match working over Malenko and "Mongo". Stevie Ray uses his size to dominate Malenko but Malenko makes the tag to "Mongo". Mongo hit the ring and went crazy on all three NWO guys. His fury wass short-lived as Hogan comes in and takes over. The finish comes when Sting finally gets the tag in. He goes crazy cleaning house on all three opponents, with Ray and Vincent taking the majority of the offense, but Hogan is able to once again slapjack Sting and drop the Leg for the cheap pin as Stevie and Vincent hold off Malenko and Mongo.

Winners: "Hollywood" Hogan/Stevie Ray/Vincent

Rating: 68%

TV Title Match: Booker T © vs. Lex Luger

- A really fantastic semi-main event match as Booker and Luger have a match with pretty interesting implications; if Luger wins then Benoit is out of a title match at the Bash. That not-withstanding though each man busts their ass with Booker controlling a lot of the early match with his high-impact, high-energy offense. Booker scores early with a missile dropkick for a long two. Booker keeps Luger off balance with his speed, and almost puts him away with a top-rope turnover crossbody block out of the corner. Luger takes over when Booker misses a jumping sidekick on the floor and cracks his back off the post. Luger takes over for a bit and the match slows way down. He dominates with his methodical offense, directed at the Booker's inured back, even stopping to flex several times. The finish comes when Booker misses a Harlem Hangover over getting a comeback and Luger wracks him. Booker tries to fight out as Chris Benoit hits the ringside area and grabs Luger's ankle, with Luger off-balance Booker cradles him for the pin.

- After the match Booker T chases after Benoit and they brawl down the aisle.

Winner and still TV champion: Booker T

Rating: 65%

- At the booth Tony Schiavone and Bobby Heenan hype up the main event; Diamond Dallas Page will defend the U.S. title against Chris Benoit. Schiavone reminds us that if Benoit wins it will be a champion vs. champion match at The Bash this Sunday.

U.S. Title Match: Diamond Dallas Page © vs. Chris Benoit

- A really goddamn fantastic match to end Thunder this week as Page and Benoit bust their asses for a good twenty-minutes. Page and Benoit just have great chemistry. Benoit spends the maority of the match working over Page's neck and right arm setting up for the Crossface, Page makes several comebacks but can't put anything big together to put Benoit out. Page does get a two count, countering a hiptoss with a DDT. The finish comes when Benoit goes for the swandive headbutt but Page avoids it. Page scores with a Diamond Cutter but before he can cover Lex Luger hits the ring, shoves Page aside, and stomps the hell out Benoit.

- After the match Page jumps Luger for the unwanted assist and they fight to the back.

Winner by Disqualification: Chris Benoit (Page remains U.S. Champion)

Rating: 80%

- The show ends with Benoit yelling into the camera, he gets out "this is bull-" before the cameras cut off.

Overall Show Rating: 75%

- Welcome to the last stop on WCW's road to "The Bash At The Beach". On tap for tonight Diamond Dallas Page will defend his U.S. title against Horace Hogan, Kevin Nash "warms up" for The Steiner's in a handicap match. Also, Perry Saturn, Dean Malenko, and Chris Jericho are all in action. But with all the excitment lets get to our first match.

Perry Saturn vs. Alex Wright

- A pretty decent nine-minute match to open the show as Wright and Saturn exchange a lot of solid offense. Wright scores a couple nearfalls, with a bridging German suplex and a top-rope dropkick. Saturn scores a Northern lights suplex with a bridge to counter a tornado DDT. The finish comes when Wright tries a charge into the corner but Saturn moves and Wright injures his shoulder. Saturn finishes him moments later with a Death Valley Driver and The Rings Of Saturn for the submission.

Winner: Perry Saturn

Rating: 65%

- At the booth Tony Schiavone and Bobby Heenan announce a "blockbuster" tag-match for the Bash pitting The NWO's Vincent and Stevie Ray against the Horseman's Dean Malenko and Steve McMichael.

Dean Malenko vs. Vincent

- As a warmup for their upcoming tag Malenko and Vincent sqaure off, with Malenko pretty much beating Vincent from pillar to post, even countering an attempted superplex with a top-rope gutbuster. Malenko shows a bit of a meanstreak by pulling Vincent up at two and locking in The Texas Cloverleaf but Stevie Ray runs in. Malenko breaks the hold to punch Ray down only to have Vincent roll him up with the tights for the cheap win.

Winner: Vincent

Rating: 58%

- At the booth Schiavone and Heenan talk about the last match; Schiavone claims the "NWO rules the run-in game." Heenan jokes that Stevie Ray's "had more run-ins than matches this month."

Stevie Ray vs. Steve "Mongo" McMichael

- That being said, we should probably be happy about that. The less Stevie Ray wrestles the less matches we have like this. Ray beats down "Mongo" with a bunch of boring shit, controlling with cheap heel tactics, choking, and eye raking and even the dreaded rear chinlock. Mongo isn't much better, to be fair, as he makes a comeback with a bunch of clotheslines and bodyslams. Luckily Vincent interferes, before the entire viewing audience can fall asleep, and throws Ray the slapjack. In an interesting spot, the only interesting spot of the match really, "Mongo" catches the slapjack but before he can use it, gets caught with a lowblow and Stevie Ray's crappy Slapjack finisher for the loss.

Winner: Stevie Ray

- After the match Vincent and Ray put the boots to "Mongo". Dean Malenko tries to save buts gets slapjacked as he slides into the ring and beaten down, too.

Rating: 52%

Hogan Has The Antidote

- A video package is shown, highlighting the Sting/"Hollywood" Hogan rivalry. Its cut together like one of those "NWO PSA's" as Hogan claims to have the "antidote" for the "Stinger's venom".

Rating: 84%

Wow, He's Pretty Big

- Another hype video for Yokozuna. The announcer claims that Yokozuna is "six-foot eight" and "over 800 pounds of destructive Kamikazae power." The video also shows Yokozuna easily dominating several Sumo opponents.

Rating: 76%

- At the booth Tony Schiavone claims that "Kevin Nash has his work cut out for him tonight." Bobby Heenan remarks that "Nash has to worry more about finding a dry-cleaner this late, after the bloodbath that's about to happen."

Handicap Match: Kevin Nash vs. Lizmark Junior/El Dandy

- Nash dominates. Duh. Lizmark and Dandy don't get a damn offensive move in for the entirety of this 28-second match. Nash boots Lizmark down, drops Dandy with a sideslam and stacks both jobbers up with a couple of Jacknife Powerbombs before covering them both with one foot for the pin.

Winner: Kevin Nash

Rating: 55%

Chris Jericho vs. Prince Iaukea

- Bless his heart, Prince Iaukea just keeps trying. He actually dominates Jericho for minute or so working several pinning combinations, but Jericho catches him moments later with an odd looking move; jamming both of his knees into Iaukea's chest and falling backwards, in a reverse-lungbuster type move before locking in the usual Liontamer for the submisson win.

Winner: Chris Jericho

Rating: 71%

- Before the main event Tony Schiavone and Bobby Heean talk about Horace Hogan's "Genetic pre-dispostion for success." "Heenan claims that Horace must be "a distant nephew, because he hasn't won a damn match all month."

Main Event: U.S. Title Match: Diamond Dalls Page © vs. Horace

- Not a bad match to end the show as Horace actually gets a few solid moves in, including a nice nearfall off of a gutwrench powerbomb, but Page eventually makes the comeback. Horace shuts him down with a DDT off the top rope, after catching Page climbing up for a clothesline. That gets two. Eventually, Page counters a hiptoss into a flying DDT for two. The finish comes when Horace ducks a spinning clothesline and goes for a sleeper but Page counters the sleeper attempt with a Diamond Cutter for the pin.

Winner and still U.S. Champion: Diamond Dallas Page

Rating: 63%

- Schiavone and Heenan plug The Bash At The Beach tomrrow night one more time as we're out.

Overall Show Rating: 65%

Very pleased to see Saturn winning. Horace was robbed, by the way.

Yay! I have a reader/commentor.

Anyway, before WCW's Bash At The Beach goes under the microscope, here's some WCW news for you.

WCW News

Confirmed Bash At The Beach Card

- Tag-Team Grudge Match: Dean Malenko/Steve "Mongo" McMichael vs. Vincent/Stevie Ray

- WCW vs. NWO Grudge Match: Bret Hart vs. Curt Hennig

- TV Title Match: Booker T © vs. Chris Benoit

- Chris Jericho (w/mystery man) vs. Goldberg

- U.S. Title Match: Diamond Dallas Page © vs. Lex Luger

- Handicap Tag-Team Title Match: The Steiners vs. Kevin Nash ©

- Main Event: WCW World Title Match: Sting © vs. "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan

Other News

- According to recent sources Yokozuna's contract may only be a short term deal. Many feel that the WWF doesn't want him; after being sent by Jim Ross, the WWF's head of talent relations, to a weight loss clinic and being released for leaving the clinic earlier than originally slated, many feel that he'll take whatever deal is put in front of him. Backstage Yoko is claiming his deal is for as little as $65,000 a year. High ranking WCW officials (who wish to remain nameless) claim Yokozuna has a fairly standard, $265,000 a year deal, but with no option for renewal.

- In other Yokozuna news, the word is that Yokozuna and Sting are slated for a short-term feud.

- Word from high-ranking WCW officials is that The Ultimate Warrior, of all people has been pushing WCW to offer him a "Bret Hart"-type deal ($9 million a year, plus a hefty cut pay-per-view revenues); the most surprising thing though; WCW officials are actually considering it.

- In other aquisition news; WCW has officially hired former ECW TV Champion Bam Bam Bigelow to a full-time written deal. The word from WCW bookers is that Bigelow's first feud may be with Goldberg.

- Welcome to WCW's first big Pay-Per-View of the Summer, its Bash At The Beach 1998 your hosts for this evening are Tony Schiavone and Bobby "The Brain" Heenan.

- At the booth Tony and Bobby hype the night's matches, Tony sets up a Sting/"Hollywood" Hogan history package by saying "its the only reason most of us are here." Thanks for slighting the undercard, Tony.

The Reason Most Of Us Are Here

- Standard hype video/recap package, showing the recent history between Hogan and Sting, the announcer claims that tonight's match has been "two years in the making" showing Hogan turning on Sting at The Bash At The Beach in '96.

Rating: 86%

[B]Putting The Dog To Sleep

- Before our first match The Steiners are in the ring, hyping up their handicap match with Kevin Nash later tonight. Rick Steiner claims "Nash is going to need a seven-foot casket tonight." Scotty claims he's going "to break Nash in half." He continues, saying that "The NWO was a way of life. A life I've left behind." Rick high-fives him and he gets down for the clasic Steiner pose, Scotty flexes and Rick barks like a dog, only this time Scotty fucking clobbers Rick with a double sledge, kicks the shit out him, and locks him in The Steiner Recliner. Rick throttles out but gets kicked low.

- Scott Steiner gets the mic back and says "F*ck WCW, the NWO gets me all the freaks, peaks, and geeks I need. So, if you don't like me, bite me!"

Rating: 66%

Tag-Match: Dean Malenko/Steve "Mongo" McMichael vs. Stevie Ray/Vincent

- The story heading into this match is pretty standard fare; both Malenko and "Mongo" were screwed out of singles matches heading into the show by their opponents tonight.

- Anyway, the match is pretty pedestrian. Stevie Ray and Vincent control Malenko with a lot of boring stuff. Every time Vincent and Malenko are in the ring together the match is pretty solid, but Ray comes in to slow Malenko down. The only real offensive move to note in the early going is Ray catching Malenko going for a victory roll and Vincent clotheslining him off his shoulders. At the booth The Brain slyly joked that "Malenko's doomed after that move". But Malenko kicked at two. Malenko finally makes a comeback a minute or so later and tags in "Mongo", "Mongo" goes hogwild with bodyslams and clotheslines. He even manages to nail a double-football tackle on both guys. A sloppy back-suplex on Stevie Ray gets two. "Mongo" scores with what could charitably be called a "running powerslam" on Vincent for another two count. The finish comes when Malenko gets tagged back in, he scores with a top-rope gutbuster on Vincent as Vincent was setting up to come off the top rope and locks in the Texas Cloverleaf for the submission win as "Mongo" clotheslines Stevie Ray over the top rope.

Winners: Dean Malenko and Steve "Mongo" McMichael

- After the match Malenko and "Mongo" celebrate.

Rating: 55%

- At the booth the king of hyperbole himself, Tony Schiavone, says that Malenko and Mongo easily earned a WCW tag-team title shot with "that hard earned win against two of the NWO's toughest."

- As Bret Hart hits the ring for his match against Curt Hennig Bobby Heenan makes reference to his previous association with Hennig saying "I brought that guy into this business. For a while he was the perfect competitor." Schiavone claims that "Hennig's only been "Perfect" with the help of Horace."

Bret Hart vs. Curt Hennig

- Another fairly pedestrian match, but with two of the best wrestlers in the world doing it. Each man, surprisingly, starts with a lot of chain wrestling that Hart easily gets the best of. Hennig gets the advantage in the early going, poking Hart in the eyes and going on the offense. Hennig and Hart trade some more basic offense, with Hart scoring a running bulldog for two. Hart tries it again, but Hennig counters throwing Hart hard into the corner. Hart, with his ribs seemingly injured, rolls to the floor. Hennig follows him out and chops away at him. They trade blows on the floor and Hennig shoves Hart hard into the ring apron. Hennig drops Hart ribs first on the rail, but he misses an attempted double-ax handle from the apron. Hart takes over, whipping Hennig into the post. Hennig takes the shot to the head complete with his normal oversell. Hart throws Hennig back inside and tries to take over with his "5 moves of doom", he scores with a running bulldog, but catches a couple of knees as he tries for his second-rope elbow. The impact takes the wind out of Hart, and Hennig covers for two. Hennig holds the advantage working over Hart's ribs with punches and knees. Hart counters an attempted "ten punch" spot in the corner by dropping Hennig with an atomic drop and following it up with a chopblock. With the advantage slipping away Horace Hogan hits the ringside area, Hart, injured ribs and all, busts out a flying crossbody on Horace. Hennig follows Hart out, limping, but gets caught in a shinbuster. Hart throws Hennig back in the ring and goes for the Sharpshooter, but Hennig kicks him in the ribs and cradles him, but Hart reverses the cradle and counters it back into the Sharpshooter for the submission win.

Winner: Bret Hart

Rating: 79%

- At the booth Schiavone and Heenan talk about Hart and Hennig's match, calling it a possible "match of the night". There's only been two matches so far, and one of them involved Stevie Ray and "Mongo" McMichael. What the hell did he expect?

TV Title Match: Booker T © vs. Chris Benoit

- This match is basically the match these two had on Thunder a few weeks back, just with another five minutes added on. The match had so many nearfalls it was hard to count; Benoit worked over Bookers arm and almost scored a nearfall following a Northern lights on the injured arm; Booker countered a Dragon suplex and scored with one of his own for a long two. Booker hit a hurricanranna off the top rope for two. Benoit avoided most of Booker's trademark kicks. Booker hung himself up on the top rope and Benoit proceeded to work Booker's right leg for several minutes. Booker limped into a comeback and scored a close two-count with a missile dropkick. Benoit avoided a dive and practically killed Booker with a snap-suplex on the rampway. Booker made yet another comeback with an inside hook-kick, but Benoit ducked and countered with a Crossface. Booker powered up with a high-angle backsuplex. Booker scored a two with a jumping sidekick. After 26-minutes of action, Benoit would finally get the win, by cheating, hooking Booker's tights in a cradle after Booker missed a Harlem Hangover.

Winner and new TV Champion: Chris Benoit

Rating: 83%

- At the booth Tony Schiavone and Bobby Heenan run down the history between Chris Jericho and Goldberg.

Goldberg vs. Chris Jericho

- Jericho is out, without his so-called "mystery man". Goldberg charges Jericho and attacks him on the ramp before the match even starts. Goldy controls Jericho easily, powering him up in a gorilla press and powerslaming him on the ramp. Once again Jericho dies for our sins. Goldberg continues his dominance running Jericho backfirst into the ringpost. In the ring the bell finally rings and Goldy pounds the ever loving shit out of Jericho with punches and martial arts style kicks in the corner. One kick hits Jericho so hard he bounces right out of the corner and into Goldy's arms. Goldberg fucking spikes Jericho with a head and arm capture twisting powerslam. Goldberg covers, as the fans chant "Spear him, Spear him!" Goldberg picks Jericho up and nails him with a stiff short-clothesline. Goldberg whips him to the corner and hits a hard running-clothesline, he follows it up with a big time over-head judo-throw. Goldberg tries to hit a spear but Jericho actually manages to nail a dropkick to counter. Goldberg pops right back up, but Jericho scores with an enziguri. Jericho covers but Goldberg kicks out and throws Jericho over the top rope. Jericho recovers and tries to bail, but Goldberg follows him and beats him back towards the ring. Goldberg tries a spear on the outside but Jericho moves and Goldberg goes shoulder first into the post. Jericho tries to take over but Goldberg mostly no-sells his offense. Eventually, after a short heat segment, Goldberg scores a hard whip into the corner on Jericho. Goldberg tries to charge in but Jericho throws the ref in front of him. With the ref down a tall hooded figure hits the ring. Goldberg turns around and eats a big chokeslam. Before he can recover the hooded figure scores with a major powerbomb. With Goldberg taken out SID VICIOUS reveals himself to be Jericho's mystery man. Sid wakes up the ref and Jericho covers Goldberg for the easy pin.

Winner: Chris Jericho

- After the match Jericho scores with a Lionsault and locks in the Liontamer on the unconcious Goldberg

Rating: 82%

- At the booth Tony and Bobby can't believe what happened.

U.S. Title Match: Diamond Dallas Page © vs. Lex Luger

- The crowd is still buzzing from Sid's WCW debut, as this match proves to be a bit of a letdown. Page controls a lot of the early match, glad to finally match up with the man whose been attacking him for several weeks. He runs down Luger with a spinning clothesline and gets a quick two. Luger bails but Page scores with a flying crossbody. Back in the ring Page tries several times for the Diamond Cutter, but Luger keeps countering it. Eventually Page hits a flying clothesline for another two count. Page tries to follow it up with a superplex, but Luger turns it around, dropping him face first to the mat. Luger lands a flying knee to Page's back in a surprisingly (for Luger, anway) athletic spot. Luger takes over with a long series of wear-down holds. He hits a backbreaker and holds Page over his knee, Page fights out and cradles him for two. Page makes another comeback with a series of punches, but Luger ducks a spinning clothesline and knees Page in the back. Luger follows that up with a bearhug, but Page fights out and scores with a DDT. That gets two. Page tries to make another comeback, but Luger counters, hanging Page up on the top rope to counter a charge. The finish comes when Luger gets Page up in the Torture Wrack, but Page kicks off the top rope and scores with an absolutely beautiful Diamond Cutter out of the Wrack position and scores with a pin.

Winner and still U.S. Champion: Diamond Dallas Page

- After the match Luger knees Page in the back and Wracks Page again. Luger walks Page out to the apron, Wracks him again and then drops him to the floor.

Rating: 69%

- At the booth Schiavone and Heenan state the obvious; "This thing between Page and Luger obviously isn't over."

Kevin Nash vs. Rick Steiner

- As a result of Scott Steiner's earlier actions, Rick Steiner will be taking on Kevin Nash one-on-one. The match itself is the usual fare, with Steiner and Nash brawling with some uninspired pounding by Rick Steiner. Nash uses his size to counter a vertical suplex on the floor and hit one of his own. Eventually, after some more uninspired action, Nash catches Rick going for the top rope Bulldog and plants him with a sideslam for two. The finish comes when Steiner once again gets the advantage, planting Nash with a DDT and heads up top but Scott Steiner interferes behind the ref's back, pushing Rick off the top rope. Nash follows up with a Jacknife Powerbomb for the easy pin.

Winner: Kevin Nash

- After the match Scott Steiner and Nash beat the hell out of Rick Steiner leaving him layed out.

Rating: 69%

- Finally, Michael Buffer is out to announce our MAAAIIIINNNN EVVVEEEENNNTTTTT OF THE EVENING

- "Hollywood" Hogan gets his extended "Purple Haze" entrance, he plays air guitar with his NWO leather belt as the crowd pelts him with garbage.

- Sting gets his own special entrance, complete with a light show and pyro before rapelling into the ring to the White Zombie song "More Human Than Human".

Main Event: WCW World Title Match: Sting © vs. "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan

- With all the pomp and circumstance over Sting and Hollywood actually manage to have a shockingly solid match. Each man, at this point, are still mobile enough to make each other look good. Hogan bumps his ass of for Sting, selling each punch and kick like a gunshot. He takes a suplex on the floor. In the ring Sting scores with a top rope splash for two. Hogan gets whipped from corner to corner and eats a Stinger Splash on each impact. Eventually Hogan takes the advantage with a lowblow and begins to work Sting over with his usual methodical offense. He puts the belt to Sting and chokes him with it on the floor. In the ring Sting counters a belt choke with a backsuplex for two. Hogan bails and goes to the eyes and scores with a bodyslam. Hogan drops a leg on the floor. He tries to get the cheap count-out but Sting makes it in at eight. Hogan continues to control the match, pounding and chopping away. Hogan whips Sting to the corner and scores with a clothesline. Sting does his "I'm selling, but now suddenly I'm not" routine and starts to take over. He scores with a bodyslam, picks Hogan up, doubles him over with a kick to the gut and hits a running faceplant. That gets two. Sting picks Hogan up and scores a boot, Sting tries to drop the leg but Hogan moves. Hogan tries for his own legdrop but Sting catches him on the way down and works Hogan into a Scorpion Deathlock. The finish comes when Scott Steiner runs in with a chair, Sting breaks the Scorpion and punches Steiner down. With the ref distracted Hogan fucking blasts Sting with a chairshot for the cheap win.

Winner and New WCW Champion: "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan

Rating: 85%

- As the ring fills with garbage, Hogan poses with the belt, spraypainting "NWO" on it.

- At the booth Tony Schiavone and Bobby "The Brain" close out the show.

Overall Show Rating: 75%

- Welcome to the first WCW Nitro after WCW's fantastic Summer spectacular "The Bash At The Beach". The fallout from "The Bash" is still being felt tonight as Goldberg is set to take on Sid Vicious in Nitro's main event.

We're Live, Pal

- We start off the show backstage, with Sid Vicious on the stick; he's being interviewed by Mean Gene who asks him about The Bash At The Beach last night; Sid claims "Goldberg ain't nuthin, 'cuz I'm the master and the ruler of the world!" before cackling. Gene backs away slowly, looking mightily creeped out.

Rating: 78%

- At the booth Tony Schiavone and Bobby Heenan hype tonight's main event. Schiavone claims that "Sid and Goldberg is quite possibly the biggest match in Nitro history."

The Antidote To Sting's Venom

- As Schiavone and Heenan talk up the main event "Hollywood Hogan's music hits. He walks out to the ramp, joined by Scott Steiner. Hogan has the mic. He speaks, saying that "I know Stinger's comin' for me brother. That's why I brought this guy with me." Scott Steiner flexes, "but sometime's even Big Poppa Pump isn't enough." "That's why I brought him in." Moments later Yokozuna steps onto the stage, he screams "Banzai!!!" as the crowd pelts all three men with garbage.

Rating: 98%

Curt Hennig vs. Dean Malenko

- After all the talking our opening match of the night is pretty solid; Hennig and Malenko trade a bunch of mat wrestling stuff, with Malenko coming out on top. Eventually Hennig takes over, leveraging Malenko to the floor to counter another series of holds. Hennig takes over with some punches and knees on the outside and whips Malenko to the barricade. In a cool spot Malenko counters a charge by drop-toeholding (that's a verb now) Hennig into the steps. Inside Malenko works Hennig's legs over, showing a bit of his meanstreak, locking Hennig upside down in the corner and kicking away. Hennig would regain the advantage, by avoiding a running dropkick causing Malenko to crotch himself on the ringpost (Justin Credible style). Following that, Hennig would go for the Perfect-Plex, but Malenko countered it and got two with a cradle. The finish would come moments later when Malenko worked Hennig into his Cloverleaf submission, but Horace would interfere, and as the ref would try to head off Horace, Hennig scored with a slapjack shot to the back of Malenko's head for the cheap pin.

Winner: Curt Hennig

- After the match Hennig and Horace shake hands. Hennig says, to the camera, "Now that's Perfect" before walking off.

Rating: 65%

Put Out To Sud

- A Ric Flair video package is shown. Flair, sitting in a dark room, wearing shades and still bandaged around the eye (selling his previous eye injury) claims that he hasn't been "Put out to stud, yet." He continues saying "Hogan, I'm comin' for you brother. To be the man, you've gotta beat the man. You mightta put me on the shelf, and kicked my ass. But I've been beaten down and put on the shelf all my career, Hulk. Every stiff, from Buddy Rose to Jumbo Tsurata thought they could put me out for good. And you know what, Hulkster? You know the one thing they have in common that I don't? They're gone every single one of them. Hulkster, I'm not gone yet. I'm still the man in this sport, you might wish it wasn't true, but it is. Hulkamania might not run wild, but brother, This Horseman still does, Goddamnit!!

Rating: 87%

Big Nasty Bastard

- A video is shown hyping up The Giant chokeslamming a multitude of opponents as the announcer claims that The Giant is "the biggest nastiest bastard in wrestling today."

Rating: 83%

- At the booth Tony Schiavone and Bobby Heenan claim that "The Giant's been sleeping for a long while now".

The Giant vs. Van Hammer

- As you'd imagine this match doesn't last long for Mr. Hammer. He hammers away (har-har) as The Giant steps into the ring, Hammer controls for a moment but The Giant takes over with a kick to the gut and a big snap-suplex. Giant scores with a big headbutt and whips Hammer off. Hammer (stupidly) tries to counter with a crossbody, but gets caught. A fallaway slam and a Chokeslam finish things rather quickly moments later.

Winner: The Giant

Rating: 61%

- At the booth Schiavone and Heenan claim "The Giant has been awoken."

Bret Hart vs. Davey Boy Smith

- A big surprise in the middle of Nitro tonight; as Bret Hart and The Bulldog have a pretty solid face vs. face match. It isn't quite Bret/Bulldog at Summerslam, but its still solid stuff. Bulldog controls a lot of the early match with his power stuff, with Hart pinballing around like crazy. Bret takes over on the floor, chopblocking Bulldog's knee as he was climbing out of the ring. In the ring Hart executes on some fairly standard legwork trying to soften up Bulldog for the Sharpshooter. Eventually, after a couple minutes, Bulldog makes the comeback, powering out of a Figure-Four leglock. He runs through Bret with several big clotheslines, Bulldog gets a two-count after one of Bret's trademark Irish Whip oversells. Bulldog controls with his delayed-suplex, but Bret counters out, floating down behind and scoring with a kick to the back of Bulldog's leg. The finish comes when Bret goes for his "5 moves of Doom", but Bulldog counters a running bulldog with a back-suplex for two. With Bulldog in control he goes for The Running Powerslam but Hart would slip out and score a backslide for the win.

Winner: Bret "Hitman" Hart

- After the match Hart and Bulldog shake hands.

Rating: 77%

- At the booth Schiavone and Heenan talk about the mutual respect between Hart and Bulldog. Naturally, Heenan claims "it makes me sick."

Diamond Dallas Page vs. Bobby Eaton

- This is a non-title match.

- Another fairly solid match tonight, that the crowd was pretty dead for. The action itself was solid, but the lack of response for Bobby Eaton really hurt things. That being said; Eaton controls a lot of the match, with a shit load of boring offense. Eaton pounds Page's injured back, scoring with a bodyslam that gets a two count. He scores with a back-suplex for two. Every impact on the back causes Page to wince in pain. Page eventually makes a comeback with a series of punches, but can't follow up after a big belly-to-belly suplex. Page scores with a DDT to counter a hip-toss which the announcers call "The Page Turner", but can't follow up, again because of the back. The finish comes when Page finally gets an extended comeback, he scores with several big moves, and even hits his top-rope clothesline for two. Eventually, Page hits the ropes but Lex Luger comes from underneath the ring, grabbing Page's ankle. Page turns around and scores a crossbody on Luger, and as he's coming back in Eaton catches Page with a knee to the back and a DDT for the cheap win.

Winner: Bobby Eaton

Rating: 61%

- At the booth Schiavone and Heenan announce that Booker T has decided to use his mandatory-rematch clause tonight against Chris Benoit after Benoit screwed him at the Bash. And the match is happening right now.

TV Title Match: Chris Benoit © vs. Booker T

- A completely different match than their previous two; Booker doesn't even give Benoit a chance to get in the ring as he attacks him on the ramp, snap-suplexing him before beating him toward ringside. Benoit eats steps and then ringpost in short order. In the ring Booker continues to control the match, Benoit hasn't even gotten his ring jacket off yet. Booker rips Benoits jacked off and chokes him with it. Benoit tries to mount a comeback with some chops but Booker no-sells them and whips Benoit to the corner for some chops of his own. Booker whips Benoit from corner to corner, and Benoit oversells. Booker heads to the outside and grabs a chair. He slides back inside but the ref stops him from using it. Booker continues to control the match anyway, scoring with a series of knees to the face. The finish comes when Booker goes for an inside hook-kick but Benoit ducks and scores a fucking sick chairshot to Booker's head to get himself disqualified.

Winner: Booker T by DQ

- After the match Benoit bails. Schiavone calls him "a pathetic coward."

Rating: 83%

Main Event: Goldberg vs. Sid Vicious

- Michael Buffer is in the ring to do the main event introductions. But before he can even get started we cut backstage, Sid and Goldberg are brawling all around the backstage area. Both men fight from the backstage area, hammering each other all around the arena. Goldberg scores a standing sidekick sending Sid rolling down the ramp. In the ring Goldberg and Sid continue to brawl. Goldberg scores with a big powerslam for two. Sid pops up, no-selling and pounds his way back into it. Sid whips Goldberg across and scores with a big boot. Sid scores with a short-clothesline for two. Sid tries another one but Goldberg ducks and scores with an STO for two. Goldberg signals for the spear, but Sid catches Goldy with a big boot to counter it. That gets two. Sid tries to set Goldy up for a superplex but gets shoved off. Sid pops right back up but gets caught with a nasty flying shoulderblock for two. Goldberg once again scores with a spear, and tries to setup the Jackhammer but Sid fights out. Goldberg eats a big chokeslam for two. Sid tries another chokeslam but Goldberg counters, scoring with a rolling armbar. Sid powers out, and catches Goldy with a boot to the gut. Sid tries a Powerbomb but Goldberg counters with a hurricanranna for a long two. Eventually Goldberg muscles Sid up for the Jackhammer and poses with him, but Chris Jericho hits the ring scoring with a nasty chairshot to Goldberg's completely open back. Goldberg wins by Disqualification.

Winner By DQ: Goldberg

- After the match Jericho and Sid do a number on Goldberg, ending with Sid powerbombing Goldberg on a chair.

Rating: 61%

N-W-Uh-O

- "Hollywood" Hogan and the rest of the NWO are out to end the show, he's got the belt, and spraypaints "NWO" on it. He grabs the stick, but before he can say anything Sting rappels into the ring. The NWO tries to attack, but Sting beats them off (ewwww....) with his baseball bat. When it comes down to just Hogan and Sting the show goes to black.

Overall Show Rating: 77%

- Welcome everyone to WCW Thunder, the biggest night in wrestling history (until next week). Tonight we'll see Booker T take on Chris Benoit for the World Television Title in another of their series of matches that just seem to be growing in brutality and violence. Also, Goldberg takes on the NWO's enforcer Stevie Ray in what's sure to be a "brutal" match. But with all the excitment, lets get down to the ring for our opening contest.

Sid Vicious vs. Silver King/El Dandy

- After losing to Goldberg in the main event of Nitro last week, Sid is fed a couple jobbers tonight. To start Dandy and King get a bit of offense, hammering away and throwing dropkicks but Sid no-sells all of it. Sid boots Silver King's head off after a whip and doubts El Dandy (and really, who are you to doubt him?) long enough to murder him with a kick to the gut and a big powerbomb for the easy pin.

Winner: Sid Vicious

Rating: 52%

- At the booth Tony Schiavone makes a dumb comment regarding Dandy and King, calling them "tough competition for anybody." Bobby Heenan responds with a joke, saying "its probably tough for anybody to lose any quicker than they did tonight."

Laying Down The 800 Pound Gauntlet

- In the back "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan has a message for Sting, he lets loose with an old-school "lemme tell 'ya somethin' Mene Gean" before telling Sting that "before you can get to me, Brother, he's gotta get through the 800 pound road block called Yokozuna, man."

Rating: 83%

- At the booth Tony Schiavone and Bobby Heenan hype the Sting/Yoko main event. Schiavone calls Yoko "the largest man Sting's ever wrestled." Heenan jokes, saying "he hopes Sting likes pancakes, 'cuz he might look like one later."

U.S. Title Match: Diamond Dallas Page © vs. Chris Jericho

- A surprise match here, as this oddly wasn't hyped at the start of the show. And its about as good as you'd expect. Page takes a beating from Jericho who works a lot of weardown holds and submissions on Page's back. Page makes a big comeback after Jericho misses a Jerichosault attempt. A big belly-to-belly suplex gets two for Page. Jericho bails and Page follows with a crossbody. Back inside Page takes over with his usual. Page goes for a Diamond Cutter but Jericho counters with a backslide for a long two. Page slides out and turns it into another Diamond Cutter but Jericho gets his foot on the bottom rope to break. Jericho makes a comeback, ducking a spinning clothesline and scoring with a jumping back spinkick for two. Jericho scores a seated senton for two. Jericho fakes the Jerichosault and Page rolls to avoid so Jericho scores with it off the top-rope for a long two count. The finish comes a few moments later, Jericho scores with the Lion's Breath, a front lungbuster, for a long two. With Page down Jericho goes for a Jerichosault but gets knees and Page scores with a Diamond Cutter for the pin.

Winner and Still U.S. Champion: Diamond Dallas Page

- After the match Lex Luger attacks Page, coming from the crowd and smashing him in the small of the back with a crowbar. Jericho follows up, locking in the Liontamer as he shakes hands with Luger.

Rating: 83%

Building On A Good Foundation

- After the commercial, Bret Hart is in the ring. Evidently, as Tony Schiavone tells us, he's here to address his current "future in WCW". Some smart-ass fan has a "Bret's lost his smile" sign in the crowd. But, before Bret can even get a word out Raven and his flock jump the rail. Bret punches down a couple of the Flockers, but eventually Raven catches Bret low and levels him with The Evenflow DDT.

Rating: 93%

- At the booth Tony Schiavone and Bobby Heenan talk about what just happened.

- Tony Schiavone hypes our next match as Goldberg is led to the ring, from his locker room.

Goldberg vs. Stevie Ray

- Well, what can I say? Goldberg and Sid had a fairly back and forth match on Nitro, so Goldberg is of course dominated by the lower-card nobody Stevie Ray. Ray controls a lot of the match with general power stuff as Goldberg sells the "brutuality" of his match with Sid. Goldberg makes several comebacks but Ray shuts him down. Ray works a long chinlock, even going to his belly to really "cinch" it in. On the floor Goldberg fights back but eats steps and Ray, back in the ring, goes for, you guessed it, the dreaded chinlock. Eventually, Goldy ends the boredom, powering out of a sleeperhold with a nasty back-suplex and scoring with a standing sidekick followed by a Gorillapress powerslam a spear and a Jackhammer for the easy win.

Winner: Goldberg

Rating: 61%

We've Got A Hogan Down...

- Backstage there's a crowd surrounding an seemingly unconscious body. As paramedics and other officials break up the chaos its actually revealed to be "Hollywood" Hogan layed out, with a tire-iron laying next to him.

Rating: 93%

- At the booth Schiavone and Heenan speculate on who could've laid Hogan out. Schiavone speculates that it "could've been Sting" Heenan responds, saying "it could've been El Dandy for all we know..."

WCW TV Title Match: Chris Benoit © vs. Booker T

- A bit of a non-match here as Booker meets Benoit coming to the ring, they brawl in the ring and all around the ring, with Benoit mostly on the retreat. Eventually, the bell rings, but neither man seemed to hear it as they kept brawling down the ramp to a double countout. After the match, they brawl to the back.

Rating: Double Count Out

Rating: 84%

Main Event: Sting vs. Yokozuna

- Michael Buffer is down for the regular Main Event introductions. Two minutes of work for a $450,000 pay check? Seems about right...

- The match itself is about what you'd expect as Yoko controls a lot of it with his girth. Sting, stupidly tries a bodyslam, but Yoko instead scores with one of his own. Yoko misses an elbow and Sting scores with several running clotheslines. Sting clotheslines himself right into a huge sideslam for two. Yoko controls the match, with a fairly uneventful heat sequence, leaning on the "Nerve Pinch" a bit too much. Sting eventually makes the big comeback, powering out of a chinlock and scoring with a series of elbows before scoring with several dropkicks. One dropkick actually knocks Yoko to the floor, through the second rope. Sting tries to follow up with a plancha but gets swatted down. A legdrop on the floor and another in the ring almost put Sting out but he kicks at two. Yoko gets another heat-sequence, but Sting fights back, Sting avoids a running splash and rolls Yoko up for two. A top-rope flying clothesline gets Sting two. The finish comes a few moments later when Sting tries for a crossbody but Yoko catches him and dumps him to the floor. On the floor Yoko sets Sting up on the ringpost for a running splash, but Sting moves and Yoko eats post. Sting pulls himself back inside for the countout win, barely making it at eight.

Winner: Sting

Rating: 85%

- Sting celebrates his hard-fought win as Thunder goes off the air.

Overall Show Rating: 79%

- Welcome everyone to WCW's Saturday Night delight. Tonight on WCW's flagship Saturday show we'll see Bret Hart in action against Scotty Riggs of The Flock in our main event. Also, Sid Vicious and Chris Benoit are in action. But, with all the excitment, lets get down to the ring for our opening contest.

Bret's Pissed

- But before that, we're backstage with Bret Hart and Mene Gene Okerlund. Bret's all business as it relates to Raven's attack on him on Thunder. He tells Mean Gene that "I'm gonna break that bingo-hall reject's legs when he gets the guts to wrestle me. But tonight his little crony's gonna have to do."

Rating: 83%

Stevie Ray Is Down

- Backstage there's a crowd of officials around a fallen body. Paramedics rush to the scene. Stevie Ray is laid out, and again, a tire-iron is laying next to him.

Rating: 52%

- At the booth Tony Schiavone and Bobby Heenan are talking about Stevie Ray. Schiavone once again speculates that "Sting's back on the warpath." Heenan says "we don't know that. I saw Kaz Hayashi hangin' around back there earlier."

Dean Malenko vs. Vincent

- A pretty pedestrian match to start the show off tonight. Vincent controls the match like a min-Stevie Ray, with a lot of slow offense and restholds. Vincent dominates more of the match than a lower card guy like him ever should. Finally, after about four minutes, Malenko makes a comeback. He scores with an Irish whip, drops down, and scores with a dropkick on the way back. That gets two. A German-suplex with a bridge only gets two. Malenko hits a snap-suplex with a floatover for two. The finish comes moments later when Malenko counters an attempted powerbomb with a hurricanranna and then locked in The Texas Cloverleaf for the submission victory.

Winner: Dean Malenko

Rating: 52%

TV Title Match: Chris Benoit © vs. Juventud Guerrera

- A really great match here, especially for Saturday Night, as Juvi and Benoit worked their asses off. Benoit and Juvi go through a great, fast-paced catch as catch can sequence. Juvi takes over with his speed and agility. He scores a springboard top-rope helo for a two count. Juvi counters a powerbomb attempt with a hurricanranna that sent Benoit to the floor. On the floor Benoit eats a summersault hurricanranna. In the ring Benoit takes over, countering a Juvi-Driver attempt with a sick Northern Lights suplex for two. Benoit scores with a snap-suplex and slows things down, by standing on Juvi's throat and taunting the crowd. Juvi eventually made a comeback, flipping out of a German suplex attempt and scoring with a big running spinkick for two. The finish comes after Juvi avoids a Swan Dive headbutt and gets a really close near fall with a Mahigstral roll. Juvi hits a series of moves, punctuated with a tornado DDT that puts Benoit down. Juvi makes a mistake, taunting briefly, before going for the 450 Splash and Benoit gets his knees up and quickly follows up with a Crossface for the submission win.

Winner and Still TV Champion: Chris Benoit

Rating: 79%

Weebles Wobble....

- Sting is in the back with Mean Gene. Mean Gene asks Sting for his feelings on the new Yokozuna/"Hollywood" Hogan alliance. Sting calls Hogan "the biggest peice of crap I've ever seen. I'm sick of Hogan hiding behind his buddies and his life-sized Weeble-Wobble. Remember though Hulkster, weebles wobble, but they don't fall down. I'm gonna make Yoko fall down, and you'll be lucky if I don't make him fall on you, Hulk."

Rating: 97%

Sting vs. Hogan: The Legend Continues

- A video package recapping the Sting/Hogan rivalry is shown, including everything from Bash At The Beach '96, highlights of their match in '98 and even Yokozuna's big introduction and subsequent loss. At the end Hogan and Sting are shown in the ring face to face, the announcer states "Sting vs. Hogan: The Legend Continues".

Rating: 85%

- At the booth Schiavone and Heenan are talking about Sting and Hogan. They don't say much of any substance.

Sid Vicious vs. Alex Wright

- A pretty basic squash match here, with Sid once again being fed another lower-card loser. Wright scores a few dropkicks in the early going, and even manages to knock Sid down with a missile dropkick but Sid quickly shakes it off and ends Wright's night right with a one-armed chokeslam and a powerbomb for the easy win.

Winner: Sid Vicious

Rating: 63%

Main Event: Bret Hart vs. Scotty Riggs

- About what you'd expect here, as Riggs has talent but Bret's being booked very strong. Riggs gets some decent stuff in though, even putting Bret down with for a long two-count with an ugly Rocker-Dropper-style move. Eventually, after a few minutes of some boring offense, mostly pounding away and chinlocks, Bret makes a comeback after avoiding a springboard clothesline and hits his 5 Moves Of Doom, scoring with a running bulldog, a Russian legsweep, his second rope-elbow, and The Sharpshooter for the easy submission win.

- After the match Raven hits the ring and as Bret's head is turned Riggs grapevines Bret's leg allowing Raven to score with an Evenflow DDT.

Rating: 64%

- As the show goes off the air, Raven and Riggs celebrate, Riggs limps off as Raven stands over the fallen Bret Hart.

Overall Show Rating: 71%

The only person I'd bring in from the WWF for this diary is Owen Hart.

That's not a bad idea....

- Welcome everyone to WCW's premiere weekly wrestling spectacular, WCW Monday Nitro!!!. Tonight, Booker T is in action tonight, wrestling Diamond Dallas Page for the U.S. heavyweight title. Also, Chris Benoit and Eddie Guerrero are in action with the WCW TV title on the line. Also, Goldberg is in action, against the monsterous Meng. But with all the excitment, lets get to our opening contest.

Destrucity

- But before that we get a video package, for the debuting Ultimate Warrior. The video is cut together with The Warrior standing around in a goofy looking, ankle-length trench-coat standing in front of a brick wall. He blathers on a bit, without reaching any kind of logical point, before a graphic pops up reading "The Warrior Goes Wild In WCW- August 30th".

Rating: 56%

- At the booth Tony Schiavone and Bobby Heenan can't believe that The Warrior is actually coming to WCW. Schiavone even calls him "the hottest free agent in North American wrestling today."

U.S. Title Match: Diamond Dallas Page © vs. Booker T

- A fucking fantastic match to start off Nitro, with Booker and Page having an excellent face vs. face technical exchange. Booker eventually takes over, going to the back. Page has his lower back taped as Booker peels it off and drops three elbows for a two count. Page oversells an Irish whip for a nearfall. Page reverses a seond one and scores with a big clothesline. After some more solid back and forth offense Booker scores a close nearfall, countering a Diamond Cutter with a backslide. Booker scores a series of nearfalls with a bunch of power stuff, a standing sidekick, a jumping sidekick, a sideslam, and a big ass snap-suplex but he can't put Page out. Page eventually makes a comeback with his usual, even countering a whip into a big side belly-to-belly suplex. Page scores with his "Page Turner" DDT to counter a hiptoss moments later for another longish two. Booker takes over again, for the finish, countering a Diamond Cutter with a hard forearm to the back before shoving Page into the ropes only for Lex Luger to fucking splatter Page's brains with a chairshot from underneath the ring leading to Booker's Axe-kick and the academic pin.

Winner and new U.S. Champion: Booker T

- After the match Luger climbs in the ring, he points at Booker's U.S. title and shouts "Now you owe me, Book!" Booker doesn't hesitate to attack him and they brawl down the ramp.

Rating: 71%

- At the booth Schiavone and Heenan can't believe what happened. Schiavone claims that "Luger couldn't beat Page, so he's gonna try to beat Booker instead."

- In the ring Diamond Dallas Page is coming to, he signals for the stick and cuts a quick promo on Luger; "Luger, you dumb son of a bitch, if you wanna hit people in the back that just means you're too much of a bitch to hit me head on. Next time I see you, I'm gonna kick your ass, Lex."

Rating: 86%

EC F'N W

- Backstage, Chris Jericho is standing at a payphone. He seems rushed, and he's asking the person on the other end "Can you get here in time? Are you sure?"

Rating: 90%

- At the booth Schiavone and Heenan talk up Meng, saying "he could be Goldberg's toughest challenge yet." Heenan gets in a good line saying, "people like Meng eat their young for God's sake. I'd say he's pretty tough, all right."

Goldberg vs. Meng

- A pretty basic Goldberg match, with Meng controlling for the first few minutes, with his generic brawling/pounding offense. Goldberg shakes it off after a couple minutes and hits a few impressive power moves, including a big press-powerslam and a big spinning neckbreaker out of a vertical suplex position. The finish would come moments later following a big spear and Jackhammer.

Winner: Goldberg

Rating: 61%

- After the match, Chris Jericho walks down the ramp, Goldberg turns to look at him as Bam-Bam Bigelow jumps him from behind. Jericho and Bammer do a real number on Goldberg leaving him beaten and bloody before strolling out. A mild "ECW" even breaks out as Bigelow walks off.

Rating: 73%

TV Title Match: Chris Benoit © vs. Eddie Guerrero

- Another fucking fantastic match as Benoit and Guerrero bust their asses for twentyminutes, running through three commercial breaks. Benoit and Guerrero have so many fantastic exchanges and nearfalls its almost impossible to count. Benoit avoids most of Guerrero's offense, and Guerrero has a counter for most of Benoit's trademark offense. Guerrero scores a long two-count with an Oklahoma roll after avoiding Benoit's diving headbutt. Benoit scores a Dragon-Suplex on the ramp, that garnered a "holy shit" chant. Guerrero hit a Frogsplash to the floor, but missed. Guerrero nearly won the match several times countering the Crossface. The finish would come after twenty-minutes of total non-stop action as Benoit got the knees up to counter a Frogsplash and rolled Guerrero up by the tights for the cheap win.

Winner and still TV Champion: Chris Benoit

- After the match the crowd applauds both men.

Rating: 82%

Bret Hart vs. Ron Reese

- Bret continues his dominance of the various Flock members, on his way to Raven as Bret pretty much owns Reese tonight. Reese controls the opening moments with his size and strength, with Bret selling well as he usually does. After a few minutes, Reese makes an uncharacteristic choice, heading for the top-rope, but he misses a flying shouldertackle. The finish comes shortly after with Bret hitting his usual stuff, ending Reese's night with the Sharpshooter for the easy submission win.

Winner: Bret Hart

- After the match Raven once again jumps Bret, scoring with his DDT before bailing.

Rating: 58%

He's A Man On A Mission, Brother

- After a commercial, "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan makes his way out. Hogan has the stick, he states "Stinger brother, you've beaten Yokozuna, you've beaten everyone I've ever put in front of you. But you haven't beaten this man. But before you get too cocky kiddo, here's the newest batch of antidote to your venom, Stinger."

- After that Mabel stolls out to the ramp. He's not wearing the ugly purple and gold tarp like he used to wear, or any kind of a crown. He's just in jeans, black boots, and a really, really, really big t-shirt.

- Rating: 72%

- Mabel also has a stick, and thankfully he doesn't rap. He simply states "Sting, tonight I'm gonna crush you like a bug. I'm on a mission to put you out, 'cuz Hulkster's payin' me a lot of money. But it ain't all business, I'm gonna enoy this..."

Rating: 59%

Main Event: Sting vs. Mabel

- At the booth Schiavone and Heenan talk about Mabel.

- Mabel's waiting in the ring as Sting rappels into the ring. Sting and Mabel brawl, with Sting controlling with his high-energy, high impact offense. Mabel takes several dropkicks, but takes over with a rolling kick for a two. Mabel slows things way down with a splash. Mabel works a lot of un-exciting offense, clubbering away and throwing Sting around. Sting avoids a running splash in the corner and hits his own Stinger splash. Sting, gets a school boy for two. A dropkick sends Mabel sprawling to the floor. Sting nails a flying crossbody. Sting hammers away on the floor, kicking away at Mabel's legs. Sting breaks the count and tries another crossboy but gets caught. Mabel murders Sting with a powerslam on the ramp. Back inside that gets two. Mabel continues pushing the advantage, leaning on Sting with a chinlock, but Sting powers up out of it and scores a back-suplex to break it. Sting covers for two. The crowd totally bought that as the finish. A Scorpion Deathdrop attempt goes nowhere as Mabel counters with a crushing belly-to-belly suplex for two. Mabel tries to follow up with a double-chokeslam powerbomb, but Sting countered with a dropkick. The finish would come moments later after Sting caught Mabel with a Scorpion Deathdrop, but "Hollywood" Hogan hit the ring, blasting Sting with a chair for the disqualification.

Winner By Disqualification Due To Interference: Sting

- After the match, Hogan and Mabel beat down Sting, with Mabel splashing a chair into Sting's ribs.

Rating: 67%

- Hogan and Mabel are pelted with garbage as Nitro goes off the air.

Overall Show Rating: 70%

- Welcome everyone to WCW's Thursday night delight, Thunder. Tonight we'll see Sting wrestle Mabel in a rematch from Nitro, Goldberg locks horns with Bam-Bam-Bigelow, and Booker T defends the U.S. title in a triple-threat main event against Diamond Dallas Page and Lex Luger. But with all the excitment lets get down to ringside.

Hype Video: The Video

- But first we're treated to a quick rundown of the Diamond Dallas Page/Lex Luger feud including what happened to Booker T on Nitro.

Rating: 73%

- At the booth Schiavone and Heenan hype the main event a bit. Schiavone calls Booker T "the monkey in the middle of this feud." Suddenly, on wrestling message boards across America, everyone starts the thread "Tony Schiavone: Rascist?"

The Beast From The East

- Backstage Goldberg is stalking around the hallway, looking intense and scary as usual. Suddenly Bam-Bam Bigelow attacks him from behind smashing him into a pile of random steel pipes before throwing him through a door. Both men continue to brawl as security tries to break it up.

Rating: 71%

- At the booth Schiavone and Heenan claim that "Bigelow is in trouble later."

Bret Hart vs. Billy Kidman

- After all the extracurricular activities we're down to ringside for our first match; and its.... pretty good. To start Kidman and Hart exchange a load of technical holds and chain wrestling. Predictably Hart controls the early going. Kidman gets a few brief spurts of offense with his high-flying stuff. He scores a long two-count with a missile dropkick. Kidman nails a springboard legdrop for another two. Eventually Bret makes the comeback, avoiding an ugly Frogsplash attempt. Bret hits a couple of his 5 MOVES OF DOOM but Kidman counters a Russian legsweep with a unique looking cradle for two. Eventually, Kidman takes over, by countering a powerbomb with a faceplant (because you never powerbomb Kidman) for two. Eventually, the finish comes when Kidman tries to follow up with a hurricanranna but Bret catches him and counters with The Sharpshooter for the submission.

Winner: Bret Hart

- As Bret's celebrating, Raven slipped in from behind and scored a lowblow and a wicked DDT on Bret.

Rating: 63%

- At the booth Schiavone and Heenan are talking about Bret and Raven. Schiavone claims that "this may be the ultimate contrast not only in wrestling styles but lifestyles we've seen in a long time." Heenan chimes in; "Not to mention fashion styles. Bret looks like he should be a in a gay pride parade, and Raven looks like the guy I saw at the bus station earlier, shaking an empty tin can askin' for change."

Sting vs. Mabel

- Before the match we're told apparently, for reasons unknown "Hollywood" Hogan isn't on Thunder tonight.

- Not that he would've helped much. Sting and Mabel basically have the same match they had on Nitro. Mabel controls Sting in the early going with a load of boring offense. He hits several big (well big for Mabel...) moves in the early going including a snap-suplex, a back-suplex and his trademark rolling kick but can't maintain control after an uneventful heat-sequence. Sting makes a comeback, and after avoiding a bit more offense eats a sideslam for two. Sting makes another comeback, avoiding a splash, and scoring with a DDT. The finish comes a couple minutes later, when Sting avoids a splash in the corner and scores with the Stingersplash to the back and a Scorpion Deathdrop for the pin.

Winner: Sting

Rating: 59%

- At the booth Schiavone and Heenan talk about Sting's big win. Schiavone claims that "Sting has once again slayed a "Hulk Hogan dragon"."

Raven vs. El Dandy- No DQ Match

- A fairly standard squash. Dandy gets a few moves in, throwing some dropkicks and slams in the early going, but Raven eventually puts an end to it and hits his usual stuff. A corner clothesline turns Dandy inside out for two. Moments later Raven's chair-toehold and Evenflow put Dandy out for the win.

Winner: Raven

Rating: 56%

TV Title Match: Chris Benoit © vs. Rey Mysterio

- A really good but unfortunately short match. Mysterio and Benoit get several lightning quick exchanges in the early going. Mysterio takes over with a lot of speed, even dialing up the 619, but he can't connect with a springboard hurricanranna. Benoit takes over, after avoiding it, and fucking spikes Mysterio on his head with a Dragon Suplex for two. Benoit controls, taking over with some slow, technical offense, but Mysterio makes the comeback, flipping out of a German suplex attempt and scoring with a kick to Benoit's knee and a tornado DDT for a long two count. The finish would come moments later when Mysterio would try for another springboard hurricanranna but Benoit caught him low in the proccess followed up with a second Dragon-Suplex for the pin.

Winner and Still TV Champion: Chris Benoit

Rating: 74%

- At the booth Schiavone and Heenan claim that Bam-Bam Bigelow and Goldberg is a "blood feud that's going to end tonight".

Goldberg vs. Bam-Bam Bigelow

- A pretty standard match, with Goldberg and Bammer fighting out from the backstage area before introductions can even be made. Goldberg eventually takes over, sidekicking Bammer down the ramp. After a bit more uninspired brawling Bammer and Goldberg find the ring. In the ring Goldy takes over with his usual, but Bigelow counters an attempted presslam by slipping out the back and scoring a big jumping enziguri. With Goldberg reeling Bammer takes over with a snap-suplex, and not one but four falling headbutts. Eventually, after a fairly unexciting heat-sequence Goldy makes his comeback, scoring a particularly nasty back-suplex to break a chinlock. The finish would come moments later as Goldy hits all his usual stuff, the press-poweslam, the neckbreaker, the the spear but Bigelow blocks the Jackhammer long enough for Chris Jericho to emerge from under the ring, grabbing Goldberg's ankle causing Bigelow to fall on top of him as Jericho holds down his legs for the cheap win.

Winner: Bam-Bam Bigelow

- After the match, Bammer and Jericho try to do a number on Goldy, but he's able to fight them both off. Throwing Jericho to the floor by his hair before spearing the shit out of Bigelow.

Rating: 54%

Main Event: WCW U.S. Championship Triangle Match: Booker T © vs. Diamond Dallas Page vs. Lex Luger

- A pretty solid match to end the show; Booker and Page do a number on Luger in the early going, with each guy taking their turns on him. Booker scores with a jumping sidekick, Page knocks Luger to the floor, clotheslining him over the top-rope. With Luger out Booker and Page pick up the match, essentially as a singles match. Booker and Page exchange some solid offense, with Booker countering Page's hiptoss DDT counter by hanging him up on the top rope. After a bit more back and forth action, Booker would score with an inside hook kick for two. With each Booker and Page's attention turned to each other Luger, who'd been hiding on the floor, would attack both men from behind. A series of clotheslines on both men get repeated two counts but Luger can't pick up the win. Eventually Luger works Page into the Torture Wrack, but Booker would score with a standing sidekick causing Luger to drop Page over the top-rope and the finish would come moments later as Luger avoided an Axe-kick in the ring and rolled Booker up with the tights for the cheap win.

Winner and NEW U.S. Heavyweight Champion: Lex Luger

Rating: 69%

- Luger celebrates, Booker walks off, disgusted, and Page comes to on the floor as we're out.

Overall Show Rating: 65%

WCW NEWS

By Jimmy Numbers

Well its been a rough few weeks for old Jimmy Numbers. What, with all the WCW action to keep up with. But lets get on with it.

- The biggest news of the week is, as of sometime last week, "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan has somehow managed to injure his back, outside of the ring. Hogan doesn't do spot shows, and he hasn't competed on Nitro since before The Bash At The Beach. The rumors are swirling of course, citing his injury as being everything from injuring his back moving a sofa, to a rough night with WCW's newest (and hottest) manager Trish Stratus. Regardless, Hogan will apparently be out for as little as a month. Although, his match with Sting which was scheduled for August 30's Road Wild show is obviously off now.

- Also, WCW has seemed to have cooled on The Ultimate Warrior a hype video shown live on Nitro was met with muted enthusiasm, and adverts in local markets haven't drawn in many new viewers. The Warrior is still set to debut at Road Wild, however.

- Apparently, sources who wish to remain nameless, are claiming that Randy Savage is absolutely miserable backstage. The rumor is that Savage may have his last ever match in WCW at Road Wild before being offered his release. Rumors have Savage facing the retired Ricky Steamboat in a Wrestlemania 3 rematch, but the many feel the more realistic option is to have Savage job to Sting on his way out the door.

In Other News

- A backstage informant has told us that WCW may soon have a tag-team title tournament to crown new tag-team champions. More interestingly; we've been told to expect some teams from years past to become involved.

- Rowdy Roddy Piper is said to be miserable backstage. WCW bookers and writers just can't seem to find a way to slot him into the shows.

- You can expect Ric Flair to return soon. Actually, a month earlier than scheduled.

- Welcome everyone to WCW's Saturday night delight, WCW Saturday Night. Tonight we'll see an unprecedentedly big WCW Saturday Night, as Raven faces Bret Hart in the main event. Also on tap, Lex Luger defends his newly won U.S. Title against Alex Wright and Chris Benoit defends the TV Title against tough challenger Norman Smiley.

The Hitman And The Bird

- But before all that we're treated to a really well put together video package hyping Bret Hart and Raven's feud. The video concludes with clips from Bret and Raven's recent interactions, with audio from Bret's interview, claiming "I'm gonna break that bingo hall reject's legs...."

Rating: 87%

Rey Mysterio vs. The Ultimo Dragon vs. Juventud Guerrera

- A really fucking fantastic match to open the show tonight. As you might expect Rey, Dragon, and Juvi leave it all in the ring in a complete spotfest of a match. Mysterio and Juvi do a lot of doubleteaming, eventually taking Dragon out to the floor. On the floor Juvi misses a running flippy move, and Mysterio takes both men out with a moonsault from the top to the floor. Back inside Rey and Juvi exchange a ton of solid offense, Juvi attempts a torndao DDT but Rey catches him with a Northern Lights suplex for a long two count. Rey counters a German suplex, goes behind and gets another long two count with a Dragon Suplex. Juvi takes the advantage again, catching Mysterio going for a victory roll and nailing him with the Juvi Driver, but before he can cover, The Ultimo Dragon hits the ring again. He takes control of Juvi with some martial arts kicks and whips him to the corner. Dragon tries a springboard elbow but Juvi catches him and flips him up to the top rope. With Dragon on top Juvi propels a recovered Rey Mysterio to the top rope for a lightning quick hurricanranna. With Dragon and Rey down Juvi heads up top, he picks his target but Dragon gets his knees up to block the 450 Splash. The end comes moments later for Juvi as Rey hits his springboard hurricanranna on a stunned Juvi for the win.

Winner: Rey Mysterio

Rating: 79%

- At the booth Schiavone and Heenan talk about the last match. Schiavone reminds everyone that Mysterio and Dragon will compete on Nitro tommorrow night.

Devestation Inc

- Before our next match we're treated to another video package, this time for Devesation Inc. Chris Jericho is shown standing in front of a giant American flag "Patton" style. He's wearing a army commander type uniform and an army helmet. Walking back and forth across the stage he begins to say: "This is our enemy" as pictures of Goldberg flash on a screen behind him. "His name is Bill Goldberg. He's from Atlanta Georgia. He beats people up. That's pretty much all we know about him. But we need to kick his ass."

Pictures of Sid Vicious flash on the screen; "First Lieutenant Sid has already failed us. Don't let it happen again."

Rating: 92%

- Back in the arena Goldberg is in the ring and he's got the stick. But before he can say anything Chris Jericho's music interrupts him. Jericho wanders out on the stage as, Sid, Bam-Bam Bigelow, Meng, and Mabel hit the ring. Goldberg spears the shit out of Sid as he comes in but eventually gets caught and beaten down. Devesation Inc do a number on Goldberg, punctuated with Sid dropping him with his powerbomb and Mabel dropping the big splash.

Rating: 86%

- At the booth Schiavone calls Devestation Inc. the "largest group we've ever seen in WCW." Heenan makes a lame gag, saying "I hope they reinforce the ring the next time those guys all come out here."

TV Title Match: Chris Benoit © vs. Norman Smiley

- After all the excitment we're on to our next match. And its actually a pretty good one. Smiley and Benoit actually work very well together, and Smiley gets quite a bit of offense for a near-jobber. Smiley scores a double-sledge for the two count. Smiley controls with a big wind-up slam, and works Benoit's shoulder with some basic armwork. Eventually, after eating a big back-suplex for two, Benoit would make his comeback, mule kicking Smiley as he was going for "The Big Wiggle" and nailing a nasty Dragon-Suplex for the pin.

Winner And Still TV Champion: Chris Benoit

Rating: 73%

Diamond Dallas Page vs. Curt Hennig

- Another pretty decent match, with Page and Hennig exchanging a lot of solid, but pedestrian, offense. Hennig controls quite a bit of the match, attacking Page's inured back. He slows things down quite a bit with lots of stomping and elbows to the back, but Page eventually makes a comeback. Page shoves Hennig off the top rope and gets two with a flying clothesline. Page hits most of his usual stuff, scoring a belly-to-belly suplex and a spinning clothesline for two. The end would come moments later as Page counters a Fisherman-suplex into a Diamond Cutter for the pin.

Winner: Diamond Dallas Page

Rating: 78%

WCW U.S. Title Match: Lex Luger © vs. Alex Wright

- Basically a squash match for Luger. Wright gets some token obber offense in, even scoring a short two-count with a missile dropkick but Luger would easily shake it off, catching Wright in a crossbody and snapping him in half with a backbreaker before Wracking him for the easy submission win.

Winner And Still U.S. Champion: Lex Luger

Rating: 67%

Main Event: Bret Hart vs. Raven

- A really, really good match to end the show tonight. Raven takes a complete shit kicking all around ringside as the announcers inform us that The Flock has been banned from ringisde tonight. On the floor Bret wraps a chair around Raven's ankle and stomps on it. Raven rakes the eyes and tries to stumble off but gets caught with a chopblock from behind. Inside Bret continue hammering away. He hits his 5 Moves Of Doom but doesn't cover, instead opting to slap Raven around in the corner. He screams at Raven "I'm gonna break your damn legs!" before dropping down to the floor and pulling Raven's legs out around the ringpost. Bret locks in his smark-fan favorite ring post figure four as the ref counts. Bret breaks at four and a half and comes back inside to stomp away on Raven's legs some more. Raven begs off to the corner and, without the ref seeing it, scores a lowblow and the Rick Rude pin for a long two count. Bret recovers quickly, once again, and pulls Raven out of the corner by his leg. Bret works over Raven's legs for another couple minutes, along with some basic offense. Raven gets his first offensive streak getting his foot up to counter Bret's second rope elbow and following it up with a swinging neckbreaker. That gets two. Raven follows up with a running kneelift and a whip to the corner. Bret takes over momentarily, avoiding the corner clothesline and scoring a quick backslide for two, but Raven continues, rolling through and DDTing the hell out of Bret for a long two count. The finish would come moments later with Raven standing back up, he strikes his "Christ Pose" before kicking Bret low, in clear view of the ref, and scoring the Evenflow before simply limping away.

Winner By Disqualification: Bret Hart

Rating: 83%

- Raven limps off as Bret is still layed out in the ring.

Overall Show Rating: 80%