WCW 1998: Empire Falls

A fireworks explosion begins the show as is tradition, and we are welcomed by the commentary team of Tony Schiavone, "Iron" Mike Tenay, and Bobby "The Brain" Heenan! They run down the card for the night before sending us to a short video package chronicling the Sting and Randy Savage clash this Sunday at Souled Out. It brings us back to Bash at the Beach 1996, when both men were betrayed by "Hollywood" Hogan, to the few weeks where Savage joined Sting in the rafters, to Savage's alliance with the new World order, to Sting choosing Savage to face him at Souled Out!

Rating: 77 (B)

We kick off with "The Dog-Faced Gremlin" Rick Steiner walking to the ring flanked by The Giant. Rick grabs a microphone as Heenan braces for the worst at the commentary booth. Rick says that his brother Scott's been acting like a real piece'a crap! He hurt Ted DiBiase last week and he's been duckin' his older brother for weeks because he knows he'll get his ass kicked! But now Rick's got backup and he wants Scott out here now!

Hotly pacing around the ring, Rick tosses the mic until Scott Steiner finally makes his way to the aisle. But he's not alone, as Scott Norton, Konnan, and Vincent walk out with him. Scott says he's not afraid of Rick, but he's been bigger and badder and better than Rick ever since they were kids, and Scott says he dragged Rick's dead weight to eleven Tag Title reigns all around the world! Rick continues to beckon him to get in the ring as The Giant sits on the middle rope to open up some room. Scott says he's got bigger things to worry about so he ain't gonna bother with those clowns, but that the two of 'em are gonna take on Norton and Konnan later on tonight! Scott walks off leaving Giant and Rick disappointed.

Rating: 78 (B)

 vs. 

Despite Glacier's martial arts background, he was no match for the bigger, stronger Barbarian. Barbarian ended it with two consecutive savate kicks to the skull.

After the match, the commentators hype the matchup later on pitting The Giant and Rick Steiner against Konnan and Scott "Flash" Norton. Tony also forwards along the announcement that after the vicious attack last week, a new match has been signed for Souled Out – Bill Goldberg will defend his undefeated streak against The Barbarian!

Rating: 56 (C-; match); 71 (B-; hype)

 vs. 

Eddy Guerrero continued his impressive Cruiserweight Title run against a game opponent. Ultimo Dragon gave it all he had, but Eddy pulled out all the stops, including a rare springboard crossbody to the outside, showcasing his aerial arsenal. He finished off Dragon with a Frog Splash for the victory.

Rating: 76 (B-)

After a commercial, Raven and The Flock slide into the ring. Raven posts up in the corner and addresses Chris Benoit. He says that on Saturday Night, he agreed to fight Benoit at Souled Out this Sunday, but he wants to make sure that Benoit, JJ Dillon, and all the suits at the Turner building understand that Raven plays by his own rules. So, if Benoit chooses to accept Raven's challenge, there will be no disqualifications, there will be no count-outs. It's going to be a fight. Raven gets up to leave the ring, but Benoit, alongside Ric Flair and the newly crowned WCW Television Champion Steve "Mongo" McMichael, makes his way out to cheers! The Flock surrounds Raven but he stands up and shoves them aside. Raven holds out the microphone for Benoit, who snatches it. Staring Raven directly in the eyes, Benoit's statement is short and sweet: "you want this fight on your terms, Raven? You got it!"

Rating: 77 (B)

 vs. 

Although he had help at ringside, Bagwell spent most of this contest taunting and trying to weasel his way into Goldberg's head. Goldberg was having none of it, and eventually got his hands on Bagwell, although after a short flurry, Goldberg was once again assaulted by The Faces of Fear, causing a disqualification!

Just like last week, Meng and The Barbarian put the boots to Goldberg with Jimmy Hart shouting about how they're the big dogs around here! Buff and the nWo slither away, leaving Goldberg to be picked apart once again. After a German suplex from Meng, a big kick to the head by The Barbarian flattened Goldberg as The Faces stood over him, triumphant.

Rating: 75 (B-; match); 79 (B; attack)

After a quick break, "Mean" Gene Okerlund stands in the aisle and calls "Lionheart" Chris Jericho out for an interview. Okerlund demands to know just what in the hell has gotten into Jericho following his attacks on Rey Mysterio Jr. the past couple of weeks. With a newfound obnoxiousness, Jericho claims that both times, Rey attacked him first! “Lionheart” alleges that he only acted in self-defense, to which Gene calls him a “filthy, disgusting liar.” This prompts Rey Mysterio Jr. to come out from the back in street clothes, and he tells Jericho that he gets why he’s upset; Jericho knows that Rey does his fighting in the WCW ring and that Jericho can’t beat him! When Jericho goes to attack again, Rey is ready and the two land some right hands before they are quickly pulled apart. Okerlund reminds the audience to tune in Sunday to see Mysterio take on Jericho!

Rating: 72 (B-)

 vs. 

Konnan is a top technician and Norton is powerful and deceptively quick, but it was the fire in the eyes of Steiner and the sheer strength of The Giant that carried the WCW team through in this one. Conspicuous by their absence, Heenan noted, were Scott Steiner and Buff Bagwell. Without nWo distractions at ringside, a Chokeslam to Norton was followed up by a flying Bulldog to Konnan and Steiner covered for the win!

Their celebration is cut short, however, with the news in the earpieces of the commentary team that cameras backstage caught a violent parking lot beatdown of the new WCW Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat by four men – Buff Bagwell, The Outsiders, and Scott Steiner! With Rick and The Giant tied up in their match, the nWo one-ups its opponents for this Sunday by yet again taking advantage of the numbers game and laying Booker and Stevie out! We go to a commercial break with officials checking on the Tag Champs.

Rating: 74 (B-; match); 89 (A; post-match)

When we come back, “Mean” Gene welcomes the United States Champion Diamond Dallas Page to the ring. Page gets quickly to the point; he calls Lex Luger to the ring. When “The Total Package” obliges, Page again apologizes for the Diamond Cutter last week, but Luger appears indifferent. Just before he’s ready to reply, however, the two are interrupted by Eric Bischoff and “Macho Man” Randy Savage, who Schiavone correctly states are here like vultures to drive a crowbar between two of WCW’s finest. From the aisle, Bischoff explains that when he started giving Page opportunities a few years ago, he did so because he knew Page was a cutthroat competitor and that he would do anything to reach the top. Bischoff acts incredulous that Luger would believe his apology, though he says “your muscles are clearly bigger than your brain since you trusted Hogan at Bash at the Beach too!” Savage, who has no love lost with either man, reminds us that he knows what the Diamond Cutter feels like and he knows that Page was trying to soften him up for this Sunday! He adds that Luger is in the snake pit and Page is “a bona fide viper!”

As Lex contemplates what he’s going to do next, Sting rappels down into the ring! Unclipping the rope, he first addresses Savage and Bischoff. He recognizes exactly what they’re trying to do and he says it’s “classic nWo – talk out there, but don’t step in here!” When he calls them to the ring, Eric says they’re not out here to fight – “Mach is gonna save that beatdown for this Sunday" – they’re just here to let Lex know what he’s getting himself into! Sting says if they’re not getting in, then get out! He turns to Luger and says it’s his choice whether to believe Dallas or not, but “don’t let those worms get into your brain.” Page offers a handshake as Luger takes the mic. Luger says he’s not an idiot and doesn’t believe what Bischoff and Savage were out here saying. He grabs Page’s hand for the handshake before continuing. “So, we’re all good, Dallas. But this Sunday at Souled Out, that belt comes back around the waist of ‘The Total Package’!” Luger releases the handshake and gives Page a hard shove into the corner! When Page bounces out and Sting tries to hold him back, Luger drops to the canvas and rolls out of the ring, leaving through the audience and staring at DDP the entire time.

Back at ringside, we get a preview of Saturday Night: Meng will be in singles action and Mortis and Wrath will have a tag team matchup as well! Finally, ahead of Benoit/Raven at Souled Out, “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair will take on a member of The Flock!

Rating: 92 (A; confrontation); 71 (B-; preview)

In the back, “Mean” Gene stands by with The Hart Family and asks their thoughts on stepping into the ring with the new World order just six days before Bret takes on “Hollywood” Hogan at Souled Out! First, “The Anvil” is barely coherent but succinct: he enjoyed clubbing some nWo skulls with bats last week and wants to do it again with his fists tonight! Next, Davey Boy calls the nWo an embarrassment to professional wrestling and says after they take Hogan and The Outsiders down tonight, he’ll be in Bret’s corner at Souled Out to make sure no nWo rubbish stops Bret from giving Hogan the beatdown he deserves. Finally, “The Hitman” says that Hogan has been a fraud his whole life but only peeled back the mask in August of 1996. Tonight and again at Souled Out, Bret says, the entire wrestling world will see what the rest of this dressing room and any dressing room they’ve ever been in together already knows: that Hogan is nothing but a disgrace of a professional wrestler and that Bret is “The Best There Is, the Best There Was, and the Best There Ever Will Be!”

Rating: 87 (B+)

 vs. 

This was a solid clash between an up-and-comer and a seasoned veteran. Curiously, as he did on Saturday Night, James Vandenberg observed Wright's match from the aisle alongside Mortis and Wrath. And, as on Saturday Night, he watched a game effort from Wright end in a Boston Crab for a victory by Martel.

After the match, with Wright looking down the aisle at the grinning Vandenberg, "Mean" Gene tries to get a word. Gene asks Vandenberg why he has been so interested in Wright's matches the past few days, but Vandenberg simply looks at him, grins, and walks off with Wrath and Mortis.

Rating: 54 (C-; match); 74 (B-; post-match)

As Vandenberg walks off and the ring is cleared, Okerlund remains and introduces his next guest, Chavo Guerrero. He walks out unexpectedly with his uncle, the Cruiserweight Champion Eddy Guerrero. Gene says Eddy wasn’t scheduled to be here and might have a conflict of interest as he is Chavo’s opponent this Sunday along with Dean Malenko. As Gene begins to interview Chavo, Eddy speaks instead, and talks about how proud he is of his nephew for beating Malenko last week and earning a shot at his title. Eddy says if there’s anyone who doesn’t deserve to be in the title match this Sunday it’s Dean! Chavo says he works hard to represent the legendary “la familia Guerrero” and knows that Dean Malenko is a great competitor and was glad to share the ring with him the past two weeks.

As Eddy taps Chavo on the back and massages his shoulders, Dean Malenko himself makes his way out in street clothes. He tells Chavo that he understands Eddy is family, but Chavo has to see what’s going on here. Dean explains that Eddy helped Chavo win last week, but Eddy interrupts and says that Chavo beat Malenko all by himself because he’s a better wrestler! Malenko says Eddy is trying to manipulate Chavo and use him as a shield at Souled Out. Eddy steps up and says he doesn’t need a shield, and Dean pops him in the mouth! Chavo holds Eddy back as Malenko walks toward the back, motioning for the Cruiserweight belt!

Before we hit the final commercial break prior to the main event, the commentary team runs down the Souled Out card, culminating in a colossal dual main event: Bret “The Hitman” Hart takes on “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan and “The Man They Call” Sting defends the WCW World Heavyweight Championship against “Macho Man” Randy Savage!

Rating: 70 (C+; Eddy/Chavo/Dean); 73 (B-; Souled Out rundown)

 vs. 

In this star-studded six-man tag match, “Hollywood” spent most of the time avoiding “The Hitman” and tagging in Nash and Hall when the opportunity came for the two to face off. Hart had no problem taking the fight to the former WCW Tag Team Champions, but the sheer strength and underhanded tactics of the new World order gave them the victory following a Jackknife to Neidhart!

After the match, a beatdown ensues, but Bret and Davey are able to fight back and regain momentum! In fact, when Hogan tries to escape Bret, he backs right up into Davey Boy! A scoop slam from Smith leads to the Sharpshooter on Hogan! However, only a brief moment passes before Hart and Smith are jumped from behind by The Outsiders! After a boot to Hart’s head by Nash and the Outsider’s Edge, Hogan drops the leg as garbage is hurled into the ring! The nWo flips “The Hitman” over onto his stomach and pulls down the top of his singlet to give him the nWo spraypaint!

Suddenly, the familiar rappel falls from the ceiling – but it’s only carrying a black trenchcoat and no Sting! The announcers are confused as the camera pans up to the rafters – Sting is down and out, face-down! Standing next to his beaten body is none other than “The Macho Man” Randy Savage, holding aloft the WCW World Heavyweight Title belt! Savage, Hogan, and The Outsiders stand tall as the nWo has regained its strength and swagger heading into Souled Out!

Rating: 76 (B-; match); 97 (A*; nWo attack); 99 (A*; Savage attack)

Overall Show Rating: 87 (B+). This show increased our popularity in 29 regions.

Backstage Notes: None.

Glacier w/Ernest Miller vs. The Barbarian w/Meng and Jimmy Hart

Ultimo Dragon vs. Eddy Guerrero (c)

Bill Goldberg (DQ) vs. Buff Bagwell w/the nWo

Rick Steiner and The Giant vs. Konnan and Scott Norton w/the nWo

Rick Martel vs. Alex Wright

The Hart Family vs. new World order