ROAD WILD '97 (Aug. 9, 1997)
Dean Malenko pinned Syxx after a top-rope gutbuster in 12:03.
Rating: *** 1/4
(Dean Malenko retained the WCW WORLD CRUISERWEIGHT TITLE.)
[Eddie Guerrero interfered against Syxx.]
Malenko successfully defended his Cruiserweight title over the nWo’s Syxx. Vincent aimed to give Syxx a hand, but Eddie Guerrero came to ringside, still showing some effects of Syxx’s assault a few weeks ago, to keep Vincent from interfering. When Syxx came out to confront Guerrero, he hit Syxx with a hard punch.
Back in the ring, Malenko prevailed and Guerrero came into the ring after and handed over the title belt to Malenko, who shook Guerrero’s hand.
Falls-Count-Anywhere Match:
Chris Candido pinned Konnan after a side suplex in 15:14.
Rating: *** ¾
Candido seemed to catch Konnan off guard with how aggressive he was and how well he was doing in a pure fight. The crowd of bikers was definitely getting behind Candido in the match.
However, Konnan was getting the better of things as they spilled into the crowd. That was until a small, masked biker, which turned out to be Rey Misterio Jr., appeared in the crowd. Rey was clearly hurt from Konnan’s assault on his leg last week, but smacked Konnan over the head with a crutch.
This helped Candido hit a suplex and pin Konnan in the crowd.
Bam Bam Bigelow pinned Disco Inferno with the Greetings from Asbury Park in 11:50.
Rating: *** 3/4
(Bam Bam Bigelow won the WCW TELEVISION TITLE.)
The crowd loved Disco coming to the ring with his typical line of dancing girls, but Bam Bam Bigelow came to the ring all business.
Disco was able to get in a good amount of offense, but he couldn’t keep the big man down, and Bam Bam’s power proved to be the difference as we have a new champion.
I-Quit Match:
Ric Flair made Jeff Jarrett submit to the Figure-Four Leglock in 20:42.
Rating: ** ½
As expected, both men went after the other’s leg. Each was relentless but neither kept the offense going long enough to get a chance to put on their figure four.
Curt Hennig came out to give Jarrett a little bit of support, but Marcus Bagwell countered that by coming to Flair’s corner, and eventually took Hennig out of the picture fighting him to the back.
Flair likes to call himself the Dirtiest Player in the Game and had an ace up his sleeve, pulling a crowbar out from under the ring and started smacking Jarrett in the leg with it to set up the Figure Four which Jarrett eventually submitted to.
Harlem Heat (Stevie Ray and Booker T) defeated The Faces of Fear (Meng and The Barbarian) when Booker pinned Barbarian after the Harlem Sidekick in 16:46.
Rating: *** 1/2
(Harlem Heat retained the WCW WORLD TAG TEAM TITLES.)
The match began with the teams showing a great deal of respect to each other after each spent months on the same side battling the nWo.
In the end, Harlem Heat successfully defended their titles after a great back and forth match.
It looked like The Faces of Fear were going to show sportsmanship to congratulate Harlem Heat after the win, but instead, the Faces of Fear attacked the champs, leaving them laying.
Big Van Vader and Lex Luger defeated The Outsiders (Kevin Nash and Scott Hall) when Vader pinned Nash with the Vader Bomb in 13:44.
Rating: 3/4*
Nash has been proclaiming himself as the best big man in WCW, the company’s true giant, but didn’t back up his words with action tonight.
Luger was setting Scott Hall up for the Torture Rack when Nash attacked Luger from behind. He tried to set him up for the Jackknife, but Vader made the save and proceeded to hit his Vader Bomb for the win.
Scott Steiner pinned Stone Cold Steve Austin after a small package in 23:20.
Rating: *** 1/4
(Scott Steiner retained the WCW UNITED STATES TITLE.)
Steve Austin might’ve regained the US title, but instead, got robbed thanks to, of all people, Rick Steiner!
Scott’s brother, who’s been battling with his brother for months before getting offered a plea of joining back up under the nWo banner, took Scott up on his offer. He came to the ring with a lead pipe, seemingly to be in Austin’s corner and keep the nWo out of the match, but instead smacked Austin with it.
Hollywood Hogan pinned Randy Savage after The Big Leg Drop in 18:53.
Rating: *
Savage has been trying to convince the nWo he would be a better leader for them than Hogan, but tonight it was apparent the rest of the group was still on Hogan’s side.
After the two beat each other in and around the ring for most of the match, Hogan had control and went for his leg drop, but Savage moved out of the way and then took over.
He had Hogan set up for his flying elbow drop, but the nWo ran out to stop it. Hall, Nash, Hennig and the Steiners all rushed out. Savage tried to fight them off, but Hogan used the help to take out Savage from behind and eventually pinned him with a leg drop.
Sting pinned Diamond Dallas Page after a Scorpion Death Drop in 23:19.
Rating: *** 1/2
(Sting retained the WCW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE.)
Another match featuring a lot of mutual respect at the beginning, but the two quickly threw it aside to fight each other for our sport’s biggest prize.
The two exchanged moments of control in a match that featured something seemingly lost since the nWo’s emergence, a simple one-on-one fight with no interference.
At one point, Sting had DDP in a corner and went for a Stinger Splash, only to have DDP move, and after Sting hit the turnbuckle, Page hit a Diamond Cutter. It took a second for DDP to recover and go for the pin, giving Sting enough time to recover enough to put his foot on the bottom rope.
Page tried to go for another Diamond Cutter, but Sting blocked it and hit his Scorpion Death Drop and got the pin.
After the match, the two shook hands and Page raised the champion’s hand, handing him his title belt.
Card rating: ** 3/4
