Post by Dimos on Jan 6, 2024 16:16:19 GMT 1
WCW Monday Nitro
Episode #90
Labatt Centre, London, Ontario
Announcers: Mike Tenay, Tony Schiavone and Larry Zbyszko
Overall: 86
James Mitchell, Raven, Abyss and Mesias open the show. Mitchell says The Rock is meddling in the wrong business. The Rock comes out and in his own style does a promo about each of them. Mitchell ends up challenging him to a match against Mesias, and The Rock of course accepts the challenge. (83)
Match 1: Matt Sydal vs Frankie Kazarian (w/ Matt Bentley and Stacy Keibler). Matt Sydal wanted revenge on Frankie Kazarian for his injury. And he almost had it... if it wasn't for Matt Bentley attacking him as Matt was preparing for the 630 Splash. Disqualification. (8:41, 76)
Dustin Rhodes and Fit Finlay backstage interview. They hype their match against Raven and Abyss. Finlay doesn't care who the opponents are. He just loves to fight. (59)
Match 2: Rising Pain (Kaz Hayashi and Low Ki) vs Super Crazy and Tajiri. Hayashi and Low Ki, before their title match next week, wanted to prove that there were no problems between them. And they succeeded - successfully defeating Super Crazy and Tajiri after the Hayashi Cutter on Crazy. (8:19, 77)
Claudio Castagnoli comes out for an in-ring promo. He speaks to Chris Hero. Claudio reminds us that he was the one who got Hero into the main arenas. And without Claudio, Hero is nobody. After Uncensored (where Claudio will fight Hero), people will forget him. "You were a nobody before the Horsemen, you'll remain a nobody when the Horsemen are done with you."... Ric Flair responds to this. Flair says he sees potential in Hero and sees character traits that Ric himself had. Flair would love to see Hero deal with Castagnoli at Uncensored. Claudio challenges Flair to a match tonight - and the challenge is accepted! (94)
Match 3: Fit Finlay and Dustin Rhodes vs Raven and Abyss (w/ James Mitchell). Finlay and Rhodes looked good against Raven and Abyss, but Mitchell throws white powder in Finlay's face - and Raven hits the Raven Effect for the win. (8:39, 78)
Goldberg in his in-ring promo explains his attack on The Rock last week. The Rock didn't want Goldberg's help before. So Goldberg didn't want The Rock's help a week ago. But The Rock decided to get involved anyway. This is a reminder to Rocky to mind his own business. Goldberg will take care of himself by himself. (100)
WCW US Champion AJ Styles joins the announcers.
Match 4: Rob Van Dam vs Ultimo Dragon. RVD defeated Ultimo Dragon in front of Styles before their match. Three counts after 5 Star Frog Splash. (9:26, 74)
Post-match, RVD provokes Styles, but the referees and officials stop the brawl.
Match 5: Rey Mysterio and Jerry Lynn vs Chavo Guerrero and Homicide. Chavo escapes the ring from 6-1-9 - and leaves Homicide there, who gets a 6-1-9 from Mysterio and a Cradle Piledriver from Lynn. (10:48, 79)
Match 6: Ric Flair vs Claudio Castagnoli. It was a great technical match. Flair goes for the Figure-Four Leglock after weakening Claudio's leg all match. But CW Anderson and Steve Corino come to the rescue, bringing the match to a disqualification. (12:44, 86)
Post-match, The Horsemen beat down Flair until Chris Hero with a chair comes to save “The Nature Boy”.
Match 7: The Rock vs Mesias (w/ James Mitchell). Mesias tried to overpower The Rock with the help of his manager, but he couldn't avoid a Rock Bottom and People's Elbow from the #1 contender. (9:07, 80)
Post-match, The Rock takes the microphone: "I’ll happily let Goldberg take care of his business by himself... And The Rock will take care of his own business. And his business is to take the WCW World Heavyweight Championship at Uncensored" (87)
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WCW RAGE
Episode #11
Sovereign Center, Reading, PA
Announcers: Joey Styles, Jerry Lawler and Don Callis
Overall: 82
TONIGHT: The Rock and Goldberg will be in a tag team match against WCW World Tag Team Champions Mark Jindrak and Sean O’Haire… just 9 days before their match at Uncensored! Also, each participant of the #1 contendership triple threat will compete in a singles match. (81)
Match 1: Shawn Michaels and American Dragon vs The British Invasion (Doug Williams and Nigel McGuinness). HBK and Dragon got a match against recent debutants to prepare before their match at Uncensored. Williams and McGuinness are certainly talented, but they were far from their opponents. While HBK holds Williams back, Dragon forces Nigel to submit to the Cattle Mutilation. (13:21, 79)
Post-match, Lance Storm, Elix Skipper and Petey Williams immediately attack HBK and Dragon. They are joined by The British Invasion! The beating lasts until Brian Kendrick and Paul London come to the rescue and clear the ring. (60)
Backstage, John Cena talks to Curt Hennig. He is angry at Curt for not coming to his rescue a week ago. "If we want to be tag team champions, you have to watch my back." Hennig is not happy with the moralizing from the "rookie". (61)
Match 2: Disco Inferno and Alex Wright vs Christopher Daniels and Matt Morgan. Alex Wright and Disco Inferno team up again, albeit without the idiotic dancing. Daniels was visibly afraid to get in the ring against Wright. Morgan eventually lifts Wright up for a Powerbomb, but Alex rolls him up into a pin to three. (12:23, 73)
Post-match, Alex Wright wants to get Daniels, but “Fallen Angel” escapes. We're 9 days away from their match at Uncensored.
Video vignette of "Cowboy" James Storm: he's just about to be released from prison. James has no respect for the law, but he respects his rules and his code. Which allow him to win. At any cost. The RAGE roster will soon see that. (40)
Match 3: Curt Hennig vs Mike Sanders. Sanders comes out alone. And soon enough we see why: when Hennig is expectedly close to victory and goes for the Hennigplex, we are shown Mark Jindrak and Sean O'Haire beating up John Cena in the locker room! Hennig drops the match and runs to save his partner. Sanders wins by countout. (5:35, 57)
Backstage, Booker T apologizes to Sting for letting his emotions get the best of him last week in a tag team match. But he won't apologize for it in the Uncensored match because he intends to win it and leave as the #1 contender. (75)
Match 4: Chris Kanyon vs Joey Matthews. Joey Matthews has by far the most important match of his career. Against 2-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion Chris Kanyon. Matthews tried his best, but fell victim to the Flatliner. (4:44, 77)
Pre-recorded interview from Billy Kidman's house where he is recovering from a brutal attack by Crowbar last week, "I'll be ready at Uncensored. If Crowbar thinks he can intimidate me with attacks like that, he's sorely mistaken. Is he proud of his extreme nature and the fact that he's willing to go all the way? He'll be surprised when he sees what I'm capable of." (53)
Match 5: Booker T vs Brian Kendrick. The match started with mutual respect, but after a few quick moves from Kendrick, Booker's emotions took over again. He catches Kendrick on a spinebuster. Followed by an Axe Kick. And another Axe Kick. Bookend. And another Axe Kick. Only then does Booker make the pin. (8:42, 73)
Post-match, Booker T goes for the BookEnd again... Sting stops him. Booker T leaves the ring. But only to come back and do a BookEnd on Sting! (79)
Match 6: CM Punk vs Sting. Sting is still recovering from the attack, when CM Punk comes out to has his match! Of course, Punk got an early advantage. Sting tried to fight back. But the damage from Booker T was there - Punk blocks a Scorpion Deathdrop and rolls Sting up into a pin for three. (11:35, 80)
Post-match, CM Punk celebrates his victory and retreats to the ramp… not seeing Samoa Joe standing behind him! Joe attacks Punk - and the brawl moves into the crowd, where security guards try to break it up. (78)
Match 7, Non-Title Match: The Rock and Goldberg vs Mark Jindrak and Sean O’Haire (w/ Mike Sanders). Goldberg and The Rock formed one of the most powerful teams in WCW history, coming to the ring against the also dangerous WCW Tag Team Champions Mark Jindrak and Sean O'Haire. In an even match, the world champion and #1 contender grabbed the lead. Mike Sanders tries to interfere... Goldberg goes for the Spear on him, but misses and takes Rock down! Jindrak and O'Haire try to take advantage, but Goldberg is still going strong. The Rock comes back to life and helps him out. Rocky lays the smackdown on Jindrak and O’Haire, knocking them out of the ring. That leaves Sanders, who kept getting into the match. Mike gets a Rock Bottom from Rock and a Jackhammer from Goldberg. Jindrak and O'Hair are hesitant to get back in the ring and lose by countout. (14:08, 84)
Post-match, The Rock and Goldberg stands in the center of the ring as the winners… until The Rock performs the Rock Bottom on Goldberg! Rock poses with the championship belt on the top rope, then puts it on Goldberg and leaves the ring. Goldberg quickly recovers and sends Rocky an evil smile.
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Curt Hennig Released from WCW Amidst Controversy and No-Show Incidents
In a shocking turn of events, WCW has officially cut ties with wrestling legend Curt Hennig, citing a string of controversies, no-show incidents, and ongoing issues with substance abuse as the reasons for his departure.
Insiders reveal that Hennig's release was a direct result of repeated problems with drug abuse and a growing number of no-show incidents at scheduled events. These issues had escalated to the point where they were not only affecting Hennig's own career but also causing disruption within the WCW organization.
WCW management had attempted to address Hennig's problems privately, offering him support and assistance in overcoming his personal demons. However, it became increasingly evident that Hennig was struggling to get back on track, and his reliability issues were causing significant problems for the promotion.
Curt Hennig is former WCW United States Champion and WCW World Tag Team Champion.
Rumors are that Curt Hennig was scheduled for another shot at WCW World Tag Team Championship, but now it'll stay in fantasyland.