WCW From the Beginning

MONDAY NITRO (April 7, 1997)

Syxx comes to the ring

Syxx demanded to speak to Eric Bischoff. He demanded a rematch for the Cruiserweight title, saying as former champion, he's entitled to a rematch. 

While Syxx was in the ring, both Eddie Guerrero and Dean Malenko came in to confront him for costing each the Cruiserweight battle royal. However, both began arguing about who gets to fight Syxx first, so Syxx was more than happy to let them have their own match. 

Dean Malenko and Eddie Guerrero battled to a double disqualification in 14:49.
Rating: ** ¾

The match was another Guerrero/Malenko classic, until Syxx, Scott Norton, Vincent and Justin Bradshaw ran in and attacked both causing a double DQ. 

In-ring interview with The Outsiders

Kevin Nash and Scott Hall got in the ring and they too called out Eric Bischoff. It was pointed out that Bischoff made Hollywood Hogan defend his belt, successfully as they pointed out, or be stripped. They asked if Harlem Heat was going to get the same ultimatum since Stevie Ray is injured. 

Bischoff told Booker they have a point and he had no choice. Either they defend the belts next week against the Outsiders, or they will be stripped of the titles.

Disco Inferno pinned Glacier with the Last Dance in 8:55.
Rating: *** ½

Disco Inferno came out as usual with his array of dancing girls, but came to the ring arm and arm with Tammy Lynn. He continued his winning streak with an impressive win.

Randy Savage pinned La Parka with the Flying Elbowdrop in 6:13.
Rating: ** ½

Savage took out frustrations on La Parka after the stunt a few weeks back where Diamond Dallas Page dressed as him. After the match Savage kept dropping elbows on La Parka until DDP ran down and attacked Savage. 

He hit him with several Diamond Cutters, then in a reversal of tradition, spraypainted WCW on his body.

The Headbangers (Headbanger Mosh and Headbanger Thrasher) and Shark defeated Villano V, Silver King and Lizmark Jr. when Thrasher made Lizmark Jr. submit to a full nelson in 9:14.
Rating: *** 3/4

The Headbangers and Shark were pleased with how their alliance worked out at Spring Stampede and decided to keep it going. They scored another win over three Luchadores tonight. 

Interview with Johnny B. Badd

Johnny B Badd gave an interview wearing a neckbrace after Jeff Jarrett's guitar shot last night. Badd said it was cheap and Jarrett knows Badd is a better man. This brought out Jarrett who didn't let the neckbrace stop him from attacking Badd. He put him in the Figure Four until security came to pull him off.

Carl Ouellet pinned Hugh Morrus with the Cannonball in 6:30.
Rating: ** 1/2

After his win, Ouellet proclaimed himself the toughest man in WCW. Coming out to counter him was Chris Kanyon. Kanyon said maybe in Canada he could pass for a tough guy, but in New Jersey he’d just be a wimpy runt. 

Ouellet was outraged and challenged Kanyon to a match next week. 

Scott Steiner defeated Stone Cold Steve Austin by disqualification in 15:49.
Rating: *** 1/4
(Scott Steiner retained the WCW UNITED STATES TITLE.)

Rick Steiner ran in and interrupted the match, attacking his brother with a steel chair.

Card rating: ** 1/4

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MONDAY NITRO (April 14, 1997)

Juventud Guerrera, Dean Malenko and Eddie Guerrero defeated Justin Bradshaw, Syxx and Scott Norton when E. Guerrero defeated Syxx by disqualification in 7:44.
Rating: * 1/2

In maybe the most unlikeliest of 6 man teams, rivals Eddie Guerrero and Dean Malenko teamed up with Cruiserweight champion Juventud Guerrera to fight the nWo group that attacked all three last week. 

There was some tense times between Guerrero and Malenko but once Vincent attacked Juventud with a chair causing a DQ, the group banded together to fight the nWo.

Carl Ouellet pinned Chris Kanyon with the Cannonball in 11:06.
Rating: ** 1/4

Kanyon was able to get a bit more offense in than in their last encounter, but still was no match for Ouellet. After the match however, Ouellet kept assaulting Kanyon after the match until none other than Bam Bam Bigelow showed up to save Kanyon and fight off Ouellet. 

Konnan made The Barbarian submit to the Tequila Sunrise in 16:03.
Rating: ** 1/4
(Konnan retained the WCW TELEVISION TITLE.)

Konnan had another successful TV title defense then talked to Gene Okerlund after the match, Konnan pointed out he's running through everyone, so who's next? At that point the Disco Inferno's music began playing and Disco came dancing out arm and arm with Tammy. 

Disco made his case for a match, and pointed to Tammy saying with this lovely lady by his side, he can't lose. Konnan warned him that people that face him end up not being able to walk let alone dance. Konnan then tried a cheap shot, but Disco ducked it then hit Konnan with his swinging neckbreaker on the floor.

David Taylor and Lord Steven Regal defeated The Headbangers (Headbanger Mosh and Headbanger Thrasher) when Regal pinned Thrasher after a sunset flip in 5:52.
Rating: ** ¼

Regal got the win for his team when he hit a sunset flip but grabbed the ropes for leverage that the ref couldn't see. The Headbangers, who had Shark with them at ringside, protested to the ref after the match but Regal told them to take their loss like men, though it maybe tough to do that while they're wearing skirts.

This caused Shark to rush and knock Regal down with a vicious clothesline before David Taylor pulled him to safety.

Jeff Jarrett defeated Mr. J.L. when Mr. J.L. passed out in a figure-four leglock in 10:10.
Rating: **

Jeff Jarrett won his match with the Figure Four, the same hold he put on Johnny B. Badd last week on the floor. He eventually let go then grabbed a mic and said if Johnny B. Badd wants to hobble down to the ring at anytime, he'll be waiting.

The Outsiders come to the ring

The Outsiders along with Rick Rude came to the ring demanding Harlem Heat turn their World title belts over to them since Stevie Ray is hurt and not able to compete. 

Booker T came to the ring with Eric Bischoff who said The Outsiders were right. Since Stevie Ray can't wrestle, Harlem Heat is officially stripped of the belts, but Bischoff said "he'd be damned if they think he's going to hand these belts right over to them." 

Instead, there will be a match for the vacant titles. Booker T has found a partner to face Hall and Nash for the vacant titles. In a surprise, Booker T brought out as his partner ... MENG!!!

Match for the vacant WCW WORLD TAG TEAM TITLES:
Booker T and Meng defeated The Outsiders (Kevin Nash and Scott Hall) when Booker pinned Hall with the missile dropkick in 20:22.
Rating: * 3/4
(Booker T and Meng won the WCW WORLD TAG TEAM TITLES.)

The pair of Booker T and Meng, as unusual as it would seem, worked very well together and Booker T caught Hall with his missle dropkick to win the World Tag Titles.

Card rating: **


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MONDAY NITRO (April 21, 1997)

Juventud Guerrera pinned Lizmark Jr. with the Dragon Suplex in 8:46.
Rating: *** 1/4
(Juventud Guerrera retained the WCW WORLD CRUISERWEIGHT TITLE.)

Juventud Guerrera stepped out of the drama between Syxx, Guerrero and Malenko to have a successful title defense tonight in a solid opener against Lizmark Jr.

Bam Bam Bigelow pinned Van Hammer with the Greetings from Asbury Park in 8:59.
Rating: * 3/4

After making his return to WCW last week to save Chris Kanyon, Bam Bam Bigelow made in his in-ring return tonight in a dominant win over Van Hammer. After the match, Carl Ouellet walked to ringside and got up on the outside apron. Bam Bam waved him into the ring but instead Ouellet jumped down and walked to the back. 

Scott Norton and Syxx defeated Dean Malenko and Eddie Guerrero when Syxx pinned D. Malenko with the Top Rope Legdrop in 8:51.
Rating: ** 1/2

Syxx teammed with nWo mate Scott Norton against Dean Malenko and Eddie Guerrero who just could not work together at all. Their miscommunication and arguing helped lead to the nWo team getting the win. 

Disco Inferno pinned Konnan with the Last Dance in 14:59.
Rating: ****
(Disco Inferno won the WCW TELEVISION TITLE.)

After their confrontation a few weeks ago, Disco got his World TV title chance against Konnan tonight. The match was a pretty great one, Konnan went to work on Disco's leg to set him his Tequilla Sunrise, but it just took one second for Disco to catch Konnan with his Last Dance swinging neckbreaker to get the pin and become the new TV champion!

Stone Cold Steve Austin pinned Justin Bradshaw with the Stone Cold Stunner in 13:21.
Rating: ***

Austin picked a win over the nWo’s Bradshaw, put paid the price. Curt Hennig and Scott Norton jumped him after the match and left him laying. 

Diamond Dallas Page and Lex Luger defeated The Outsiders (Kevin Nash and Scott Hall) when Page pinned Nash after a small package in 0:31:38.
Rating: **

It's been long argued by the nWo that with their history, Lex Luger and DDP would not be able to work together. But it seems that a common enemy in the nWo has mended fences between the two. They picked up the win, but their respective rivals, Hollywood Hogan and Randy Savage attacked Luger and Page after the match. 

The rest of the nWo joined in for a typical beatdown. But streaming down from the rafters came Sting, who with his trusty baseball bat cleared house on the nWo. He pointed his bat at Luger, but then dropped it and embraced his old friend.

Card rating: ** 3/4

MONDAY NITRO (April 28, 1997)

Booker T and Meng defeated Lord Steven Regal and David Taylor when Booker pinned D. Taylor with the Axe kick in 11:58.
Rating: **** 1/4
(Booker T and Meng retained the WCW WORLD TAG TEAM TITLES.)

The new tag team champions again worked really well in a successful title defense against Regal and Taylor. But they were confronted by former champions, The Outsiders, saying the only reason they beat them was their mind games. They agreed to a rematch at Slamboree. 

2 Cold Scorpio pinned Bobby Eaton with the Flying Scorpio Splash in 12:53.
Rating: *** ¾

Scorpio is putting together a nice winning streak since his return to WCW, beating rugged veteran Bobby Eaton is his latest triumph.

Juventud Guerrera pinned Syxx with the Dragon Suplex in 15:18.
Rating: *** 1/4
(Juventud Guerrera retained the WCW WORLD CRUISERWEIGHT TITLE.)

Syxx got a return match with Juventud Guerrera for the Cruiserweight title, but couldn’t regain the title. Syxx got distracted by both Eddie Guerrero and Dean Malenko coming out to observe the match. Juvy took advantage of the distraction and got a clean pin.

Jeff Jarrett defeated Johnny B. Badd by countout in 14:52.
Rating: **

Jarrett has done a fair share of damage to Badd over the past few weeks with both guitar shots and going after his legs. It paid off with a win tonight, when after Jarrett attacked Badd outside the ring and took out his legs, Badd wasn’t able to get back in the ring. 

But while he was getting his hand raised in victory, Jarrett was blindsided by a returning Marcus Bagwell, who came off the top rope and hit Jarrett with a flipping neckbreaker.

Carl Ouellet pinned Hugh Morrus with the Cannonball in 11:34.
Rating: ** 1/4

Ouellet made a big statement with a dominant win over Hugh Morrus, but then took to the mic after the match to say he hopes Bam Bam Bigelow was watching. Because soon, he’ll suffer the same fate as Morrus. 

Diamond Dallas Page beat Scott Steiner by disqualification in 12:45.
Rating: **
(Scott Steiner retained the WCW UNITED STATES TITLE.)

Steiner held on to his title, but only cause of the nWo jumped in when it looked like DDP was on the verge of becoming the new champion. Hogan and Savage came down to double team Page, which brought out Luger to his aid. 

As Scott Steiner was trying to back away down the ramp, he was attacked from behind by his brother, Rick, and the two fought all the way to the back. 

After Luger caused the nWo to retreat, Hogan and Savage remained. Luger put out a challenge for Hogan and Savage to meet him and DDP at Slamboree in a tag match. Hogan said it would be a pleasure to destroy the two once and for all.


Card rating: **

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MONDAY NITRO (May 5, 1997)

Prince Iaukea pinned Billy Kidman with the Northern Lights Suplex in 12:37.
Rating: *** 1/2

Billy Kidman was on a hot streak before being injured in a match against then-Cruiserweight champion Syxx a few weeks back. He made his return tonight in a No. 1 contenders match against his "friend" Prince Iaukea, but after Iaukea won the match cleanly, Kidman went to shake his hand and when he did, kicked Iaukea with a low blow.

Bam Bam Bigelow and Chris Kanyon defeated Glacier and Wrath when Kanyon pinned Wrath with the Flatliner in 12:43.
Rating: ***

Bam Bam and Kanyon teamed up and were impressive in a win against old rivals Glacier and Wrath, who at Glacier's urging, decided to team up. During the match, Carl Ouellet came down again to watch, but again left before confronting Bam Bam in the ring.

Interview with Marcus Bagwell

Marcus Bagwell did an interview about his return. He called out Jeff Jarrett for the claims he's been making about killing the Horsemen. He said maybe he can bang them up a little, but the Horsemen spirit will never die. 

Syxx and Eddie Guerrero battled to a no contest in 10:52.
Rating: ****
[Dean Malenko interfered against Syxx.]

Eddie Guerrero tried to settle his differences with Syxx of the nWo but late in the match, Dean Malenko ran in and started attacking Syxx as well. Then Dean and Eddie started to fight, both still trying to fight Syxx. It took a lot of security to pull the three men apart.

The Faces of Fear (Meng and The Barbarian) and Booker T defeated Scott Norton, Justin Bradshaw and Curt Hennig when Barbarian defeated Norton by disqualification in 8:59.
Justin Bradshaw suffered a shoulder injury. He will be out for approximately 2 months
Rating: *
[Vincent interfered against The Barbarian.]

World tag team champions Booker T and Meng joined with Meng's normal tag team partner, The Barbarian for a 6-man match against the nWo and were victorious in their efforts. 

Stone Cold Steve Austin pinned Scott Hall with the Stone Cold Stunner in 13:56.
Rating: ** ½

Stone Cold Steve Austin has made it known he wants to tear the nWo up piece by piece. He beat a big gun tonight in Scott Hall but on his way to the back after the match, he was blindsided by Curt Hennig.

Lex Luger defeated Randy Savage by disqualification in 14:00.
Rating: * 1/2
[The nWo interfered against Lex Luger.]

Lex Luger and Randy Savage were in the midst of a good match until several nWo members came down to stand around ringside. They helped Savage get an advantage in the match, but once Luger began making a comeback, the nWo rushed in and attacked Luger. 

DDP came down to try to make the save but was also a victim of the numbers game. However, making his return was Vader who slowly made his way to the ring as Kevin Nash readied himself with a lead pipe. 

The WCW members were keeping their distance until Sting came walking to the ring with a handful of baseball bats. He tossed bats to DDP, Luger and Vader then the four rushed the ring. Vader took out Nash with his bat, Sting took out Hall and the rest of the nWo abandoned ship as WCW stood tall in the ring.


Card rating: ** 1/4

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MONDAY NITRO (May 12, 1997)

Interview with Hollywood Hogan & Randy Savage

Hogan and Savage, representing the nWo, opened the show coming to the ring to talk about their upcoming tag team match against Luger and Page. They claimed there was no way Luger and Page will be able to work together after their history. They noted last time Page teamed with Luger, he left Luger laying in a bloody mess at Fall Brawl when he joined the nWo. They even went as far to hint that maybe DDP never left the nWo after all.

Luger and Page came out united to dispute what they were saying. They joked that maybe Hogan and Savage were right, and they could never match the level of trust like Hogan and Savage have with each other, two guys who would never let a woman, or a title come between them.

Hogan answered that their past is the past and Savage knows that Hollywood is the top in the game, which is why he decided to be his right hand man. This kinda seemed to click something in Savage, who almost took exception to that statement, but they quickly turned things back to Luger and DDP as the war of words went on.

Konnan defeated La Parka when La Parka passed out in the Tequila Sunrise in 8:22.
Rating: *** ¼

Konnan is getting another shot at Disco Inferno’s TV title at Slamboree and tuned up with a win over La Parka. As usual, Konnan refused to let go of his Tequila Sunrise hold until Disco ran down to chase him away.

Syxx defeated Dean Malenko by disqualification in 10:58.
Rating: * 1/4
[Eddie Guerrero interfered against Syxx.]

In basically a reverse of last week’s encounter, Eddie Guerrero ran down to jump Syxx in the middle of his match. Though it happened when Syxx was trying to bring in a chair to hit Dean with, Eddie tackled Syxx and began brawling with him to cause the DQ. 

Dean didn’t seem to buy that Eddie was trying to help him out and went after Eddie as well. It took security to separate all three men. 

Lord Steven Regal pinned Shark after an elbowdrop in 11:35.
Rating: ** 1/2

Regal got the win over the big man thanks to a pair of brass knuckles he used while the referee wasn’t looking. David Taylor came in to stomp away at Shark after the match, but Shark’s buddies, the Headbangers, ran down to fight off Regal and Taylor 

Shark got on the mic and challenged Regal and David Taylor to get a partner and meet the 6 of them at Slamboree. 

Interview with Billy Kidman

Billy Kidman talked about his return and taking what Gene Okerlund called a cheap shot last week. Kidman said there's a number of guys just like him that have been busting their butts on Saturday Night and World Wide and the sydnicated shows, but don't get the Nitro time. 

But here comes this kid from the islands who automatically gets thrown in primetime. So he had to do something to make sure justice was served. 

Okerlund asked if that meant he's the one that attacked him before his debut a few months ago and Kidman said absolutely. He's tired of letting others get the glory, he wants it for himself. 

Scott Hall pinned Meng with the Outsider Edge in 13:14.
Rating: -1/4*

Ahead of Sunday’s tag team title match between the Outsiders and champs Booker T and Meng, Hall went one on one with Meng and stole a win. Booker kept Nash from interfering in the match, but Rick Rude laid out Meng with a title belt, leaving him easy pickings for Hall. 

Stone Cold Steve Austin defeated Curt Hennig by disqualification in 2:21.
Rating: **
[Scott Steiner interfered against Stone Cold Steve Austin.]

Steve Austin was supposed to get a 1 on 1 match with Curt Hennig after last week, but it didn't take long for Scott Steiner to blindside Austin. Steiner and Hennig stomped away on Austin and Steiner put him in the Steiner recliner before Rick Steiner ran down to chase the nWo members off. 

Big Van Vader defeated Kevin Nash by disqualification in 10:17.
Rating: 1/4*

A long awaited showdown between the two big men of the nWo and WCW finally took place but never reached its conclusion. Hall, Hogan and Savage all raced to the ring to jump Vader, which brought out Luger and DDP. Booker T & Meng soon joined and before too long, The entire nWo was on the scene only to be met by the WCW faithful such as Steve Austin, Rick Steiner and others. The camera faded out while the brawl was still going on.


Card rating: *