MONDAY NITRO (July 14, 1997)
Hollywood Hogan in-ring interview
Hogan came to the ring with most of the nWo to start the show and said he's done for now with the Stinger. He has bigger fish to fry at the moment, and that is Macho Man.
He put the blame on Macho for losing the nWo title and said he should've known never to trust him, he's known for 10 years he couldn't be trusted to get a job done right. Savage appeared up in the crowd to respond, saying Hogan has dropped the ball and maybe it’s time for the nWo to get some new leadership.
The Headbangers (Headbanger Mosh and Headbanger Thrasher) and Headbanger Shark defeated The Destruction Crew (Mike Enos and Wayne Bloom) and Van Hammer when Thrasher pinned Van Hammer with the Top Rope Legdrop in 6:08.
Rating: * ½
The three Headbangers were again a strong unit as Shark still dressed the part as being just like Mosh and Thrasher. They picked up a relatively easy win tonight against a makeshift team of the Destruction Crew and Van Hammer.
Prince Iaukea pinned Mr. J.L. with the Northern Lights Suplex in 11:15.
Rating: ** ¾
JL suffered another tough loss, and again after the match, Raven jumped the guardrail and posed in front of JL. Only this time, he didn't leave and instead, DDTed JL. He brutally assualted JL and tried to rip his mask off before security intervened.
Lord Steven Regal defeated Johnny B. Badd via pinfall in 11:11.
Rating: *** ¼
Steven Regal wrestled his old rival Johnny B. Badd and got the win with a little help from David Taylor on the outside, only it didn't seem Regal knew or even wanted his help. Taylor approached Regal after and said with Bobby Eaton hurt, they need to form their tag team back. Regal said he's not ready to do it at this time, and then left.
Konnan defeated Chris Candido when Chris Candido passed out in the Tequila Sunrise in 10:25.
Rating: *** 3/4
[Tammy Lynn Sytch interfered against Konnan.]
Konnan got a win in his rematch against Chris Candido from last night's Bash at the Beach, but the damage he inflicted after the match was a big factor. Konnan wouldn't let go of his Tequila Sunrise and again, Tammy Lynn came down to try to plead with Konnan to let him go.
Disco Inferno was also there, a step behind. And he didn't see Bam Bam Bigelow come from behind and blindside him. Tammy now was stuck in the middle, Chris Candido was getting his leg ripped apart by Konnan and Disco was getting beaten up by Bam Bam. She didn't know who to go to, so she cried and ran to the back.
Justin Bradshaw pinned Barry Windham with the Lariat in 10:29.
Rating: *** ½
Barry Windham made his return from injury but lost to his former tag team partner Justin Bradshaw. After the match, Windham was approached by the man formerly known as M. Wallstreet, who's shed his businessman look and has gone back to being Mike Rotunda.
He told Windham a lifetime ago they were brothers. They each have been through a lot over the years, done some bad things, had people turn their backs on them, and it’s left each in a bad place. But family is the one thing you can count on, and Rotunda wants Windham to join him again. Windham shook his hand and said he's looking forward to it.
Diamond Dallas Page defeated Scott Steiner by disqualification in 11:10.
Rating: ***
(Scott Steiner retained the WCW UNITED STATES TITLE.)
[The nWo interfered against Diamond Dallas Page.]
Fresh off his Last Man Standing victory against Randy Savage to end a fantastic trilogy of explosive matches, DDP got an immediate shot at Scott Steiner's US Title, but that shot was washed away when the nWo jumped the ring to cause the DQ.
But WCW reinforcements in Sting, Luger and Vader. Vader and Luger fought Hall and Nash all the way to the back and the rest of the nWo scattered leaving Sting and DDP alone in the ring.
Sting, speaking the most since his disappearance over a year ago, said as champion he wants to put the nWo in the past and get back to the way things should be, the best WCW wrestlers fighting for wrestling's top prize. With that being said, he wants his next challenger to be someone who's proven to be the absolute No. 1 contender. He wants DDP to face him at Road Wild.
Card rating: *** 1/4
----------------------------
MONDAY NITRO (July 21, 1997)
Sting and Diamond Dallas Page in-ring promo
The show opened with Sting and Diamond Dallas Page in the ring talking about their upcoming world title match and how it will be great to get back to WCW matches.
This brought out Hall and Nash. Nash said it's cute that they think they can move past the nWo. While the nWo may have lost a few battles recently, they will win the war. The four settled on a tag team match tonight, where if Hall and Nash win, one of them gets the title shot against Sting, if Sting and DDP win, they can have their match.
2 Cold Scorpio pinned Juventud Guerrera with the Flying Scorpio Splash in 11:34.
Rating: *** ¾
Scorpio picked up a lot of momentum with a victory over a former Cruiserweight champion. Dean Malenko was shown watching the match on a screen in the back, clutching his title belt a little bit tighter afterward.
Johnny B. Badd pinned David Taylor with the Tutti Frutti in 9:42.
Rating: * ½
Badd was going after revenge against David Taylor for costing him his match last week. All the while, Steven Regal joined the commentary team saying he finally found himself a great partner in Bobby Eaton, but he won't be around for a while. So he's going to scout talent to find a new partner.
Raven sitting at ringside
Raven was again seen sitting at ringside, though this time he wasn't alone. JL, whom Raven attacked last week, was sitting with him, still wearing his ripped up mask.
Disco Inferno pinned Chris Kanyon with the Last Dance in 7:52.
Rating: ***
(Disco Inferno retained the WCW TELEVISION TITLE.)
Disco Inferno was attacked by Bam Bam Bigelow last week, tonight he fought Bam Bam's friend Chris Kanyon. Disco got the win then called out Bam Bam saying he's not scared of him. Bam Bam briefly appeared at the top of the entrance way and just said he should be scared.
Hollywood Hogan and Randy Savage in-ring interview
Hogan and Savage agreed to come to the ring by themselves to settle their differences and try to get back on the same page. Hogan said Savage is the reason the nWo doesn't have the world title anymore, to which Savage replied if it wasn’t for him Hogan would’ve lost the belt a long time ago.
Hogan tried to talk again but Savage cut him off, saying Hogan does too much talking and that’s his problem. Hogan might as well go back to Hollywood and try to make another movie for the 10s of people that go see them, cause he’s lost his way in the wrestling ring and isn’t fit to lead the nWo anymore.
Hogan said if that’s what Savage thinks, Hogan will just have to prove to him what he can do and the two agreed to a match at Road Wild.
Harlem Heat (Stevie Ray and Booker T) defeated The Headbangers (Headbanger Mosh and Headbanger Thrasher) when Booker pinned Thrasher with the Harlem Sidekick in 15:34.
Rating: ** 1/4
(Harlem Heat retained the WCW WORLD TAG TEAM TITLES.)
The World Tag Team champions picked up a win over the Headbangers then gave an interview after the match saying just like Sting, they're looking forward to moving past the nWo. The Faces of Fear came to the ring and spoke a bit in Tongan to which Harlem Heat couldn't understand. The Barbarian then patted the title belt around Stevie's shoulder.
Jeff Jarrett made Eddie Guerrero submit to a figure-four leglock in 14:48.
Rating: *** ¾
Syxx ran down during the match and clipped out Guerrero's knee, which Jarett took advantage of. However, after the match, Syxx went to the ring and was stomping away on Eddie and going after his leg, while Jarrett looked to leave. However, his exit was blocked by Ric Flair and Marcus Bagwell who went to double team Jarrett until he was able to run away.
Diamond Dallas Page and Sting defeated The Outsiders (Kevin Nash and Scott Hall) when Page pinned Nash after a Diamond Cutter in 12:22.
Rating: *
[The nWo interfered against Diamond Dallas Page.]
The WCW guys took a page out of the nWo playbook when Luger and Vader showed up at ringside. After things broke down and Sting splashed Hall on the outside. The ref went to check on them and Nash lowblowed DDP and was about to powerbomb him, when Luger ran in and smashed Nash with a chair. DDP followed with a Diamond Cutter and won the match for his team.
Card rating: ** 1/4
