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Leighty’s Retro Review: WCW Monday Nitro 7.7.97
Image Credit: WWE
Loading...-Written: 11.9.26
-Run Time: 1:35:59
-Retro Review Plug: WrestleMania XI
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-Announce Team: Hour One: Tony Schiavone, Larry Zbyszko, Mike Tenay
-Mid-South Coliseum, Memphis, TN
-Last week it was chaos as Sting dropped from the ceiling, Curt Hennig walked down the aisle and Raven came out of the crowd. Which one is DDP’s partner?
-Mean Gene brings out Curt Hennig and he has his reasons for being here. The crowd is booing him out of the building. Curt says he will be at Bash at The Beach and will be participating in the ring. Gene jumps to conclusions about Curt being DDP’s partner. Curt says he is a free agent. Ric Flair is out (with a woman) and he says Curt is here to join The Horsemen. See, in my mind I was wondering why Ric was jumping to thinking Curt was on his side considering the last time they were together, Perfect beat Flair to send him packing for RAW and the WWF.
Harlem Heat (w/ table) vs. Public Enemy (w/ Sister Sherri)
-Larry is the smart one as he wonders if Hennig could end up nWo as he has connections there. You don’t say? Heat rocking their classic black gear. Booker starts with Grunge and all four end up in the ring to stare each other. Back to Booker and Grunge to get us going. Booker with knees in the corner and pounds away with forearms. Grunge reverses a whip but runs into an elbow. Grunge blocks a backdrop and gets a swinging neckbreaker. Rock in off the middle ropes with a shot to Booker’s arm. Stevie Ray in and he beats on Rock in the corner, but misses a charge. Stevie gets a boot up to block a charge and lands another boot to the face. Booker back in and hits a sidewalk slam. This crowd is popping for everything. Memphis loves their wrestling! Grunge in with a lariat, but Booker goes to the eyes and brings Stevie back. He misses an elbow and then misses a clothesline. Double clothesline to Stevie, but Booker in to clothesline both members of PE to a big reaction. Big Apple, but Booker bails as he sees Vincent on the ramp. Stevie goes for a piledriver as Rock heads up top. Sherri pushes Rock off, but he crashes into Stevie and Grunge rolls over for the upset pin at 4:55.
Winners: Public Enemy via pin at 4:55
-Not much to this one and they didn’t even break the table. *1/2
-Mean Gene is right there to stir the pot between Heat and Sherri. Booker tells her if she can’t get her act together, she can get to stepping. Sherri says she can’t be fired as she quits. This was here last appearance as she was legit fired by Eric Bischoff. It seems everyone knew it was coming and this is how they wrote her out of the company.
Joe Gomez vs. Konan
-Last week Konan attacked Rey Mysterio and Tony wonders if Konan is joining the nWo or if he just has a personal issue with Rey. Well, in this case, yes to both. Raven is sitting in the crowd for a second straight week. Had to be nice to collect a paycheck to sit in the crowd to watch wrestling for a few weeks. Gomez with a series of dropkicks for a two count and then he hooks a reverse chinlock. Konan escapes and hits a lariat for two. Suplex gets two and Konan gets the submission with a tequila sunrise.
Winner: Konan via submission at 3:10
-Nearly a Konan SQUASH. *
Villano IV, and Villano V vs. Juventud Guerrera and Hector Garza
-Garza starts with IV and IV gets a pin attempt for two. Garza with a leap frog, but gets run over with a clothesline. Garza flips over from the top and then flips over the back of IV to land a dropkick. Juvie in and hits a dropkick that sends IV to the floor. V in and he punches Juvie in the face. Juvie back with a series of chops and springs off the top with a moonsault press. He ducks a clothesline and gets a rana followed by a dropkick. Garza in and misses a dropkick on IV. Tilt-a-whirl backbreaker by IV and the tag back to V. IV drops a leg on the apron. Stun Gun from IV as he tags back into the ring. Powerslam by IV gets two as Juvie makes the save. Villanos with a double back elbow. Juvie with a blind tag and springs in with a cross-body but gets caught. Garza dropkicks Juvie to knock everyone down. Juvie springs off Garza’s back to land on IV in the corner. Juvie actually bounced over to the floor, but is okay. They do it again, but V catches him this time and slams Juvie down hard. Great! The ref has given up keeping one person on the apron. Garza with a dropkick and then Juvie dives over the top onto Villano. Garza with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker and moonsault for two. Villano with a powerbomb, but Juvie with a baseball slide makes the save. Both Villanos end up on the floor and Garza hits the corkscrew plancha on IV. Juvie with a Juvie Driver on V in the ring. He heads up top and connects with the 450 for the pin at 6:15.
Juventud Guerrera and Hector Garza via pin at 6:15
-Just a spectacular spot fest where they ignored one man in and out to just hit spot after spot to pop the crowd. This is what Nitro could give us on a weekly basis when they wanted to. The crowd popped while being in awe at the same time. ***3/4
-Randy Savage, Scott Hall, and Miss Elizabeth are out to take over the announce table. Tenay and Schiavone bail, but Larry stays and Hall calls him a “tough guy.” Hall calls DDP a “midcard jabroni.” He’s SHOOTING! Hall with a “down here.” Savage says they are taking DDP and his partner very lightly. Savage cuts his promo on the TV headset and doesn’t use the house mic, so I don’t think the crowd heard a word he said. Hall throws a toothpick at Larry and they nearly come to blows.
-This Saturday Night at 6:05 PM: Eddie, DDP, Public Enemy, and Jericho!
-We get pre-taped sit down interviews with Giant and Luger to hype their match with Hogan and Rodman.
Vicious and Delicious (w/ Vincent) vs. Eddie and Chavo Guerrero
-Buff starts with Chavo and Buff gets the upper hand as he lands a series of forearms. Dropkick from Buff and he poses. Buff asks if we saw that and tells us he is incredible. Another go and Chavo gets a head scissors and goes to the arm. Buff backs Chavo into the corner and brings in Norton. He mauls Chavo and then no sells a dropkick. Blind tag by Eddie who hits a missile dropkick. Norton blocks a double suplex and takes over both Guerreros with a suplex. Buff with a SLAP to Eddie’s face. Not smart as now Eddie is engaged. Buff with a Gorilla Press Slam to a big pop. This crowd is into everything. Buff sends Eddie throat first on the top rope and Norton rushes in with a clothesline. Eddie goes for a sunset flip, but Norton picks him up by the throat and tosses Eddie into the corner. Eddie escapes and runs on his knee to tag Chavo. Buff attacks him from behind, but misses an elbow off the top. Norton in first and Eddie refuses to tag Chavo. He drops off the apron as he is teaching Chavo some tough love and he notes “it’s time to be a man and grow up.” Norton with a belly-to-back suplex for two. Buff back in and he yells for Eddie as he beats on Chavo. Tony notes that would never happen with Rick and Scott Steiner. Yeah, about that! Chavo gets a fluke pin for a two count, but Buff runs him over. Sick powerslam by Norton! Shoulder breaker from Buff as they are destroying Chavo here. Clothesline sends Chavo flipping with a 360. That gets two as Norton pulls Chavo’s shoulders off the mat. We get an “Eddie Sucks” chant and it’s music to my ears! Chavo is getting smoked out there! Buff flexes! Assisted Buff Blockbuster gets the pin at 8:00.
Winner: Vicious and Delicious via pin at 8:00
-Chavo took a heck of a beating here. Match was fine with the crowd popping for the nWo. Eddie continues to evolve into the slimy heel we all grew to love. **
-Hour Two Pyro!
-Announce Team: Hour Two: Tony Schiavone, Mike Tenay, Bobby “The Brain” Heenan
-Larry Zbyszko wants to stay for the next match and Heenan is frustrated as he has to stand. We get the rare 4 man announce team for this match.
La Parka vs. “Macho Man” Randy Savage (w/ Scott Hall and Miss Elizabeth)
-We see La Parka destroying people with chairs over the last few weeks. The crowd starts chanting for DDP, but I don’t know if he is here tonight or not. Then it sounds like we get a “Lawler” chant. That wouldn’t shock me. Lockup and Savage throws Parka into the corner. Hall with crotch chops to the crowd as Savage and Parka lock up again. Savage lands a back elbow but Parka gets a small package for two. Savage back up with a clothesline. Hall sneaks off and heads to the announce table. Heenan wants security and now we get a “Larry” chant. Savage with a slam and he heads up top. Parka gets his feet up to block and hits a DIAMOND CUTTER. He unmasks and it’s DDP to a MASSIVE POP. He pins Savage at 3:18. One of the most memorable moments in Nitro history! The Memphis crowd obviously ate that up and it has me smiling nearly 30 years later.
Winner: La Parka via pin at 3:18
-Nothing as a match * but an amazing angle and a high point for WCW in the war with the nWo. Man, July 7 hasn’t been kind to Savage the last two years. Heenan notes that Larry is going to get them killed as they head to a break. Great line from Heenan!
Silver King and Psychosis (w/ Sonny Onoo) vs. Glacier and Ernest Miller
-This is our weekly Nitro Random Match Generator. The bell sounds and we cut to Chavo and Eddie fighting in the back. Kind of wish they stayed on that fight or at least went picture in picture. Glacier avoids a double clothesline and Miller springs off the top rope to hit both men. Cat goes to his karate and hooks a submission. Silver King breaks with a somersault leg drop. Glacier in with a kick. Psychosis catches Miller with a spin wheel kick, but gets caught and planted with a slam. Wrath and Mortis are out and this match is over at 2:34.
No Contest at 2:34
-Not much to the match as it was there just to give Wrath and Mortis a reason to run down to the ring. 1/2*
-Mortis with a clothesline to send Miller to the floor. Silver King with a dive onto Glacier and Wrath. Pyschosis with corkscrew moonsault off the top onto Cat and Mortis. I kind of want to see a Triangle Match between these three teams now.
-Lee Marshall is on The Road with 1-800-Collect in Orlando! Disney references and Weasel jokes are made! Now today, Disney and WWE are working together.
-Gene brings out Ric Flair, who has the blonde with him again. He says Roddy Piper is here and the bagpipes play but instead Flair has a mannequin. He better be careful as I watched the 80s movie a bunch as a kid and those things can come to life. There’s a Twilight Zone episode that covers that as well! Flair calls Piper a stiff and notes he has carried more stiffs than there are apples in Washington. The real Roddy Piper shows up, but Flair doesn’t believe it and continues to cut his promo. Piper turns around and they start brawling towards the ring. Piper with chops and he struts, but Piper attacks and rips off his suit in a nod to Steamboat tearing off Piper’s suit years ago. Piper rips off Flair’s pants and he starts fighting in his green boxers. Sleeper from Piper! This is great and again, the crowd is loving every second of it. The Horsemen finally hit the ring and Piper fights them off by himself for a good bit. The numbers catch up to him and The Horsemen lay him out as we head to a commercial break.
-Mike Tenay goes to interview Raven as he didn’t learn his lesson from last week. Stevie Richards makes his WCW debut and Tenay notes he is Raven’s former tag partner. Richards notes he is The King of Swing. He is Raven’s close personal friend and tells Tenay to go ask one of the “Mexicans what their favorite movie is.” Richards asks Raven if he has signed a contract with World Championship Wrestling. Someone yells out ECW. Raven slaps Richards in the face and walks back through the crowd. Richards yells at Tenay and pushes him away. I was all in with Raven at this time!
Chris Benoit and Steve “Mongo” McMichael (w/ Debra) vs. The Steiner Brothers
-Mongo starts with Scott and they lockup. Scott backs Mongo against the ropes and offers a clean break. Scott takes Mongo to the mat which has Mongo crawling to the ropes to break. He complains about his tights being pulled. Scott runs into a boot in the corner and Mongo hits a chop block. He drops a knee on the knee and another one. Mongo talks trash to Rick before hitting Scott with a powerslam. Now Mongo runs into a boot in the corner and Scott catches him with a belly-to-belly suplex for two. Rick Steiner in and he kicks Mongo in the head. Tenay plugs a ticket sale for Friday where fans can meet Heenan and Flair. Oh man, the alcohol consumed by those two! Benoit in and he pounds away on Rick in the corner. Rick fires up and starts laying in right hands. Benoit gets caught with an overhead release suplex for two. Nice! Rick gets back control, but Benoit spins out and gets back to his feet. He buries a knee to the gut and fires off a chop in the corner. Mongo back in and he clubs Rick down. They are hitting each other hard here! Mongo with a SLAP to the face which annoys Rick so he lands a release German Suplex. Mongo ends up on the floor and Scott gets a slam out there. We cut to the back and Randy Savage has beaten up Nick Patrick. Back to the ring and Scott runs Benoit into the corner, leaving him in the Tree of Woe. He pulls back on Benoit’s neck and then brings him out for a Gorilla Press Slam! STF from Scott as all four of these men seem a little cranky in this one. Rick trades off with Scott and continues with the STF. Benoit counters a kick with a dragon screw leg whip. Mongo in, but The Steiners beat on him in the corner. Mongo punches his way out and drops Scott with a sidewalk slam. He heads up top, but Scott cuts him off and gets a top rope overhead belly-to-belly. Benoit off the top with a lariat! Rick and Benoit both in and Rick with a Steinerline and then a powerslam. Mongo saves and all four men start brawling. Mongo and Scott brawl on the floor. Jeff Jarrett is out and attacks Mongo which should be a DQ, but the ref is letting it go for some reason. Jimmy Hart distracts Benoit and here’s Kevin Sullivan to break a wooden chair over Benoit’s head. He goes to stab Benoit with a piece of the shards, but Rick stops him and then pins Benoit for the win at 9:19.
Winners: The Steiner Brothers via pin at 9:19
-Hard hitting match with a weak ending. They Steiners needed the win as they are after The Outsiders and they used the match to add to the Jarrett/Mongo and Benoit/Sullivan issues. Still a really good, hard hitting where all four men seemed to feed off being hit really hard. ***1/4
-Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff are out to close the show. Hogan always seemed to enjoy working these Memphis shows since turning heel. The fans pelt the ring with garbage and someone soaks Eric and Hogan with a drink. Eric just smiles! These two are having a blast out there! Hogan cuts his normal heel promo, but here’s Lex Luger and The Giant. More garbage pelts the ring. Bischoff tries to punch Luger and that’s kind of hilarious. Vincent tries to hit The Giant and nothing. Chokeslam to Vincent and Eric gets put in The Rack. Bagwell out and he takes a chokeslam. Hogan bails while Eric continues to get destroyed in The Rack. Too funny! That’s a rare care case where WCW got to stand tall to close the go home show and then won at the PPV (SPOILERS).
-Thanks for reading!
