wrestling / Video Reviews
Leighty’s Retro Review: WCW Monday Nitro 4.14.97
Image Credit: WWE
Loading...-Written: 8.16.26
-Run Time: 1:32:46
-Plug: Last Week on Nitro
-Announce Team: Tony Schiavone and Larry Zbyszko
-CoreStates Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA
-Big crowd for this show as WCW is just firing on all cylinders as far as popularity. This show is also the night after ECW made their PPV debut at The Bingo Hall.
-The nWo are out to run Tony and Larry away from commentary. No Hogan or Savage, but the rest of the gang is there. Nash is sporting his fanny pack and notes that Philadelphia is nWo country. Nash tells Luger he has to go through him to get his shot at Hogan. Too Sweet are they are out! Bischoff cheesing is great as you know he was feeling it seeing the building sold out like this.
Barbarian (w/ Jimmy Hart) vs. Chris Benoit
-No Woman with with Benoit. There’s ECW Hat Guy. Funny how those fans are Hardcore ECW and profess hate of WCW/WWF but are in the front row. No hating at all, because we are all wrestling fans. Benoit with a Northern Light’s Suplex for two. Hart trips Benoit and gets punched for it, but that lets Barbarian attack from behind. Barbarian tries a Gorilla Press back into the ring, but misses and Benoit bounces off the ropes and falls back to the floor. Benoit tries to go up, but Barbarian boots him off balance. They repeat the awesome spot from Halloween Havoc as Barbarian heads up and throws Benoit across the ring with a release overhead suplex. Diving headbutt misses, but Benoit hits his own for the pin at 2:35.
Winner: Chris Benoit via pin at 2:35
-Very short, but the crowd was hot and they threw each other across the ring enough to make it entertaining. **1/4
-The Dungeon immediately hit the ring and Benoit gets tied in the Tree of Woe. Sullivan hits a running knee and so does Jackie. Hey, the Horsemen finally come out for the save after weeks of not doing anything.
-Gene is with Benoit in the ring and Benoit says the end is coming for Sullivan’s career. Still about 3 months until we get there.
WCW United States Heavyweight Championship: Dean Malenko (c) vs. Hector Guerrero
-Tony notes next week there will be a big announcement from the WCW Executive Committee about their investigation into Bischoff’s actions. Hector getting a US Title match. Good for him! They battle for arm control to start. Dean with a hammerlock and that is reversed. Dean gets a tackle and a one count. Hector with a trip and one count. Dean lands a boot to the ribs and gets a hip toss. Hector kicks Dean off from his back. Dean with a running clothesline in the corner. Hector back with a shotgun dropkick. They battle over a standing switch and Dean ends up on the floor. Hector with a falling splash. He tries a sunset flip back in, but Dean falls forward for a two count. Hector counters for his own two count. They fight over a backslide and Dean has had enough. Powerbomb into the Cloverleaf for the submission at 2:54.
Winner: Dean Malenko via submission at 2:54
-This one was technically better than the opener, but the crowd wasn’t as invested. **
-Dean won’t release so here’s Eddie, with his arm in a sling. He meets Dean in the aisle and they exchange words. The crowd pops as Dean and Eddie have history in Philly for ECW.
-Reggie White is sitting in the front row. They confirm reports that Reggie White is going to wrestle for WCW and has a contract to face Mongo. They are just waiting for Mongo to accept.
Juventud Guerrera vs. Rey Mysterio Jr.
-I am noticing a theme early in this show as they are just making sure the people they took from ECW are out there. Arm work to start much like the previous match. Juvie with a nice spinning kick to the face. He misses a heel kick and we get our first noticeable ECW chant. Rey slides out of a suplex and gets a head scissors where both men end up flying over the top to the floor. Rey gets sent into the railing and Juvie starts firing off chops. Powerbomb from the apron! Nice! Larry wonders how much the human anatomy can take. I wonder if a 4 year old Darby Allin was sitting at home and took that as a challenge. Back in Rey escapes a powerbomb, but Juvie lands on his feet off a suplex. Juvie tries to spring off the top, but Rey kind of hits him with a dropkick on the way down. If this was an ECW show we know what the crowd would be chanting. Rey hits a SWEET West Coast Pop for the pin at 3:25. That WCP was beautiful as Juvie knew how to take it perfectly.
Winner: Rey Mysterio Jr. via pin at 3:25
-All action with some things hitting and some not, but the crowd loved it. **1/4
-Gene brings out Madusa, hey, she has ECW ties. She threatens Madusa and will take her Title. She calls her a pumped up WCW Beauty Queen.
WCW World Television Title: Ultimo Dragon (w/ Sonny Onoo) vs. Lane Carlson
-Dragon won the TV Title last week and the future Lenny Lane gets a shot here. Dragon dominates early with his arsenal of kicks. Dropkick gets two. Dragon with a reverse chinlock and he pulls on the nose and face. Lane hits a ROCKER DROPPER for two out of nowhere. The Philly fans don’t care as we get a few people chanting “boring.” Bulldog gets two and a lariat sends both men to the floor. Lane up top and I don’t know if he knew what he wanted to do so he just falls off and lands on Dragon. That looked awkward, but make the most of your time out there I guess. Dragon pulls Carlson off the apron. Sonny gets in a hook kick. Back in the ring Dragon with a rana off the top and Tiger Suplex gets the pin at 3:49.
Winner and Still WCW Television Champion: Ultimo Dragon via pin at 3:49
-Dragon gave Carlson more than you would think and probably regretted it after the match as it was rough at times. It certainly wasn’t boring unlike the few people in the crowd would tell you. *
-Saturday 6:05 PM: The Steiner Brothers, Public Enemy, Ultimo Dragon, Glacier, Lex Luger, and The Giant.
WCW Cruiserweight Championship: Syxx (c) vs. Prince Iaukeau
-Prince lost The TV Title last week and not it’s time to start jobbing back down the card. Circle of life and all that! Tony informs us that Nick Patrick has applied to return as a full time WCW referee. Larry isn’t too quick to forgive. In sports terms this would be like LIV Golfers trying to return to the PGA Tour and being humbled a bit. I figured Larry would get that reference more than Homer crawling back through the supplicant door. Oh, the match! Prince with a dropkick that sends Syxx to the floor. He misses a body press and Syxx takes controls, hitting a spin kick. He drops a Lightning Leg for a two count. Spinning kick in the corner followed by the Bronco Buster and Syxx milks it to pop the crowd. Suplex follows and Syxx is up top, but a Senton misses as Prince rolls away. Prince starts his comeback and gets a springboard clothesline for two. Good near fall. Prince up top, but Syxx knocks him off a balance. Prince counters with a head-butt and comes off top with a sunset flip. That went a little wonky so the ref had to wait to count. Buzz Kill and Prince taps at 5:44.
Winner: Syxx via pin at 5:44
-Some of the younger guys are missing stuff as I wonder if the large crowd has them spooked. Match was solid overall and nice to see the CW Title being defended. **1/2
-Gene brings out Ric Flair,who has Kevin Greene with him, and Roddy Piper. The crowd loves them! The ECW crowd railed against WCW, but it would have been hilarious to see their reaction if someone like Piper or Flair showed up in the ECW Arena. Piper rambles about Hogan, the nWo, and sings Right Said Fred. If he finds a horse’s head in his bed, he’s having a barbecue. He mentions he and Flair cut down tress and paved the road for the “cool” nWo kids. He mentions WrestleMania as he continue about how he is from the West Coast and Flair the East Coast. Basically Biggie and Pac! Kevin Greene cuts a promo on Hogan as well. Rumors are that Piper and Flair wanted Hogan in the Six Man instead of Syxx, so perhaps they are just a little annoyed here. Flair has a history lesson as he quit a wrestling camp twice before thanking Verne Gagne. In 1983 he walked into St Louis and wrestled Dick The Bruiser. That’s when he made it to the big time. In 1993 he was written off and walked into The Hoosier Dome against Randy Savage. Well, that was 1992 Ric. Flair then Woos a a lot as I have no clue what his point was there.
-Hour Two Pyro!
-Announce Team: Tony Schiavone, Mike Tenay, and Bobby “The Brain” Heenan
Street Fight: Public Enemy vs. High Voltage
-PE is just a little bit over with the Philly crowd. They are coming off two straight losses to High Voltage, so this is their get back match. PE sucks up more by wearing Flyer jersey. I have to do it! Have you see The Flyers win The Stanley Cup? PE brings two tables with them. Shout-out to the kid in the sea of Philly fans rocking a Steve Young jersey. They start trading garbage can lid shots and we immediately get an ECW chant. Rage with a can shot to Rock’s head. The crowd starts a “Lets Go Flyers” chant. The Flyers were set to take on my Penguins in the upcoming playoffs. Yes, the Flyers won that series, but my Pens have won 3 Stanley Cups since and the Flyers are still searching for their first since the 60s. We continue with garbage can shots as those lids are getting worn out. Ugly gut wrench suplex from Kaos to Grunge. Cool spot as Kaos has Rock on his shoulders for a springboard clothesline from Rage, but Rock hides a can lid and swats Rage out of the sky. The crowd popped for that one. Oh, a toilet bowl lid has also been used as a weapon. Piledriver from Rock to Kaos on the can lid. The tables get stacked on each other as another ECW chant breaks out. They carefully put Rage on the top table and that thing looks like it is going to break at any minute. They hit a Double Stacked Drive By for the pin at 4:36.
Winners: Public Enemy via pin at 4:36
-Outside of winning The Tag Titles this was probably the high point point in PE’s WCW run and probably any run they had outside ECW. This was perfect for this crowd and they ate it up. It was what it needed to be as PE gets their win back in their match. **1/2
The Giant vs. Big Al
-The crowd starts a 911 chant because Big Al is the former 911 of ECW fam. He slaps Giant in the face and that’s the offense he gets. Slam from Giant followed by an elbow. Choke Slam and we are done at 59 seconds.
Winner: The Giant via pin at 59 seconds
-911 was a MONSTER in ECW. Here, just road kill for The Giant. SQUASH
Konan vs. Diamond Dallas Page (w/ Kimberly)
-DDP chant as Philly is all in on his push up the card. Lockup and Page starts firing off right hands. He works over the shoulder and gets a hammerlock. Konan gets to the ropes to force a break. Lockup again and Konan with an armdrag. Konan with forearms to the head and he stomps away in the corner. Page reverses a whip and catches Konan out of the corner with a belly-to-back suplex. Konan lands a thumb to the eye, but tries a clothesline and DDP floats over into a Diamond Cutter for the pin at 2:09.
Winner: Diamon Dallas Page via pin at 2:09
-Don’t see Konan get smoked like that often. I wonder what they offered him to do the job in just over 2 minutes. *
-Randy Savage pops up in the crowd and tells DDP to keep his woman in check and stop having her fantasize about him. Page doesn’t even listen as he just runs through the people but even on crutches, Savage is able to get away.
-Lee Marshall is on The Road with 1-800-Collect in Saginaw, MI. He makes a weasel joke referencing Cadillac.
Harlem Heat (w/ Sister Sherri) vs. The Horsemen (Jeff Jarrett and Mongo) (w/ Debra)
-Rematch from last week where Mongo left Jarrett take a beating on his own for a bit before coming down in the final minute. Booker yells about someone’s mother in the front row. He starts with JJ and Booker buries a series of knees to the ribs. Shoulder tackle from Booker but he gets caught with a dropkick. Another dropkick and Jarrett goes to the arm. Mongo gets the tag and he wants Stevie Ray. They square off and Stevie lands a run of punches. Clothesline from Mongo followed by a slam. Powerslam to Booker as we take a break at 2:18.
-Pretend there were some commercials as we are right back with Harlem Heat laying the boots to Jarrett. Stevie with a running clothesline for a two count. Booker back in with a forearm for a two count. Ax Kick! Double Suplex gets a two count. Reverse chinlock as even with a commercial break this one is dragging. The hot crowd has been subdued as well. Sunset flip by JJ but Stevie makes the tag on the way down. Heenan brings up how he will lose his mind if Tiger Woods ends up nWo. Oh yeah, he won his first Masters the day before this show. Jarrett gets another sunset flip for two. He ducks an enziguiri and gets a figure-four, but Stevie makes the save. Everyone in the ring. Scratch that as Booker and Stevie end up on the floor. Mongo goes to use the briefcase, but Sherri stops that. Debra in and she is no match for Sherri. For some reason we get a DQ at 7:18.
Winner: The Horsemen via DQ at 7:18
-That ending was a mess! Boring match and the ending didn’t help anyone. Just blah! 1/2*
-Sherri swings the briefcase at Debra, but she ducks and it bounces (kind of) back into Sherri’s face. Well, they tried I guess.
-Gene is in the ring and Mongo brings up Reggie White throwing out the challenge to him. Reggie stands up to listen. Mongo notes that White sold out the fans in Philly and won his Super Bowl in Green Bay. Man has a point. Sadly, his line about Philly not having a Super Bowl isn’t true anymore. Though to be fair, I was rooting for them when they beat New England and when they beat KC. Reggie gets in the ring and Mongo spits in his face. They get into it which pops the crowd and it takes security to pull White away. Hot segment!
Lex Luger vs. Kevin Nash (w/ Syxx, Bagwell, Norton, Vincent, Wallstreet, and “Sting”)
-Nash rips off his shirt like Hogan. The crowd is up for this one as there is some star power in that ring. Nash goes to his corner offense as he buries knees and hits the framing elbows. Running clothesline misses and Luger start firing away with forearms. Here comes the nWo and Luger decks two off them, but that lets Nash regroup and he decks Luger from behind. Sidewalk Slam gets a two count. The crowd chants for Sting, so Nash mocks them and looks towards to the ceiling to tell Sting to bring it. Nash seems fired up tonight. A big crowd will do that I guess. Clothesline from Nash! Nash chokes Luger on the ropes and then drops his weight on Luger’s back. He drops an elbow for a two count. To the corner and Nash uses his boot to choke. Luger ducks a clothesline and hits a forearm. The nWo rush the ring and the ref waits until they make contact to call for the bell at 4:08.
Winner: Lex Luger via DQ at 4:08
-We knew the ending and I am stunned they went four minutes. Nash looked like he was having a blast out there. *1/2
-DDP is out to help, but the numbers are too great. Garbage starts flying into the ring because this is Philly and they didn’t need an excuse. Giant starts heading down, but Nash has a lead pipe in his hands. Sting walks out and has a ball bat for Luger, Page, and The Giant. The crowd is going crazy for all of this and I don’t blame them. Sting and his friends use the bats to chase off the nWo as we are out of time.
-Thanks for reading!
