Post by Leo on May 1, 2023 20:16:11 GMT -5
WCW Monday Nitro episode 20 for 05.01.23
Live from the Star of the Desert Arena in Primm, Nevada
Commentary: Gorilla Monsoon and Don Callis
Ring Announcer: Gary Michael Cappetta
Interviewer: SoCal Val
Referees: Tommy Young, Joey Marella and Aubrey Edwards
The new nWo come to the ring with Hulk Hogan leading the way. He’s followed by Mike Bennett, Eli Drake and Killer Kross wearing nWo shirts and Maria Kannellis-Bennett in an nWo dress. As they come out, footage from Hollywood Homecoming is shown of the nWo forming. Hogan has a microphone.
“The nWo is back, jack, and it’s time for us to do what we always did best, run WCW, brother. Step one, show up. Step two, kick ass, which we did on Kevin Owens last night, brother. Step three, win all the belts. And we’re going to start that right here tonight as my three amigos here are going to have a WCW Trios Title match and I’m demanding Paul Orndorff to put the WCW World Title on the line against me.”
Shane McMahon comes out to the entrance stage with a microphone. “Hogan, do you know the biggest difference between the original formation of the nWo and this time? It’s me. You ran WCW, because Eric Bischoff was in your back pocket. I’m my own man and I call the rules around here, brother. You don’t call your own shots. So, here’s what we’re doing tonight. Hulk Hogan if you beat Ernie Ladd tonight, I’ll give Bennett, Drake and Kross a Trios Title match at Slamboree against the Dominators. And Hogan, you’ll get a WCW World Title Match at Slamboree if Kross can beat Kevin Owens here tonight.”
Hogan replies. “That’s all we’ve got to do, brother. Then consider it done.”
COMMERCIAL
“Stunning” Steve Austin defeated “Wildfire” Tommy Rich by pinfall via Stunner at 8:48.
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SoCal Val has Dusty Rhodes on the interview stage. Footage from the end of Hollywood Homecoming is shown. “Magnum TA, you were my brother. I never lied about that. But, you took that to mean Cain and Abel, jack. You mockingly said you showed me the loyalty I showed you. I fought through blood, smoke and fire for you, baby. I waded into the Stud Stable to protect you, my brother. I went after Paul Orndorff to avenge you, my brother. Everything I’ve done since entering WCW has been for you Magnum TA, my brother. I have supported you, my brother. But, it was you who couldn’t get the job done and you blamed me for it. You are my brother no longer, baby, and now you will learn what it’s like to have the American Dream as your enemy.”
COMMERCIAL
“Latino Heat” Eddie Guerrero defeated Johnny Nitro with Melina at 6:40 by pinfall via frog splash. After the match he challenges Steve Austin next week to a rematch from Hollywood Homecoming II and he vows it won’t end in a double count out. Highlights from the match are shown.
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SoCal Val has Charlotte Flair on the interview stage. She doesn’t feel slighted about having her match against Kamile Kaine being cut from Hollywood Homecoming II last night and switched to the main event of Nitro. She feels slighted by having to face Kamile Kaine again. Charlotte won the WCW Women’s Title she’s holding now in a ladder match main eventing Nitro. That scenario has treated her well in the past and will again here tonight.
COMMERCIAL
The Rock ‘n Roll Express (Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson) defeated the Varsity Blondes (Griff Garrison and Brian Pillman Jr.) by pinfall of Morton on Garrison via double dropkick at 9:34. Pillman worked most of the match with Garrison appearing hungover and out of sorts.
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Col. Robert Fuller is with SoCal Val. He brags about the Stud Stable winning the WarGames at Hollywood Homecoming II and he landing the fatal blow against Dusty Rhodes. Val mentions what Magnum TA did and Fuller said let’s not bring that up. What matters most is the Stud Stable won and proved themselves to be the dominant faction in WCW. Val asks about the reborn nWo. Let’s not bring that up.
COMMERCIAL
Harry Smith defeated Magnum TA by disqualification at 4:12. Smith blocks the belly to belly suplex and does a standing switch into a release German suplex. Magnum rolls to the floor and grabs a chair, Harry tries to stop him from using it, but gets nailed, because Magnum is in total DGAF mode.
Dusty Rhodes comes out and Magnum grabs a microphone saying how Rhodes is coming out now because it was never about saving Harry, it was about getting his face on television. Magnum goes into the crowd and Dusty follows.
Davey Boy Smith then runs out and gives Harry a powerslam on the floor and gloats over him. Monsoon on commentary said it’s pretty easy to beat up guy already laid out with a steel chair.
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SoCal Val has Kurt Angle on the entrance stage. He’s wearing amateur wrestling head gear to hold on a wig. Brian Pillman thinks he’s totally humiliated him, but he doesn’t need Pillman’s help to do that…wait, no. He chews out Steve Blackman for getting involved and that draws out the security chief. He tells Angle to see him in the ring.
COMMERCIAL
“Lethal Weapon” Steve Blackman defeated Kurt Angle by pinfall at 9:03 via bicycle kick. Angle has Blackman up for the Angle Slam, but Blackman rips at the wig and it falls in front of Angle’s face. Kurt drops Blackman. He peppers Angle with some martial arts strikes and finishes with the kick.
Post Match, Angle recovers and surprises Blackman from behind and scores the ankle lock. He won’t let go until Brian Pillman comes out. Angle lets go and gets out of the ring as Pillman slides into the ring. Pillman gets a microphone and tells Angle, he’s taken his gold medal and his hair and now there is only one last thing he can put on the line. His career. Angle refuses and leaves.
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SoCal Val has Nick Aldis on the interview stage. He talks about being as committed to defending the WCW Gulf Coast Title as he was to being the UWA Universal Men’s Champion. His next opponent is Rick Martel, who won the mixed tag team challenge tournament while partnered with Aldis’ wife Mickie James. Val notes neither one are in the back tonight. Don’t worry where his wife is, that’s his concern and nobody else’s. He trusts her implicity and he’s not scared of Martel taking his wife or his belt.
COMMERCIAL
“The Prizefighter” Kevin Owens defeated Killer Kross with Maria Kannellis-Bennett by disqualification at 8:45. Owens with the pop-up powerbomb and Maria gets on the apron. Aubrey Edwards isn’t fascinated by Maria’s feminine charms, so she catches Drake and Bennett coming into the ring to attack Owens and calls for the DQ.
Hogan comes out with a microphone just talking crap on everything and everybody and continues to babble as we go to break.
COMMERCIAL
“...and that’s how Shane McMahon caused 9/11, brother.”
Ernie Ladd comes out and tells Hogan it’s time for him to put up and shut up. The nWo is nothing but trash and it’s time to take out the garbage.
“Hollywood” Hulk Hogan defeated “Big Cat” Ernie Ladd by pinfall at 8:32 via big boot and leg drop. Tony Atlas and Junkyard Dog come out and run off the nWo with a revived Owens. Ladd with a body slam and falling head butt for two. Hulk up, but Ladd cuts off the Ax Bomber with a big boot. Abdominal stretch, but Hogan has a hidden foreign object and nails Ladd in the face with it. He hip tosses out and gets the usual for the victory.
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SoCal Val has Kamille Kaine on the interview stage. She was once a woman of very few words and she thinks she should be again. She’s only got two words for Charlotte Flair: it’s over.
COMMERCIAL
Shane McMahon comes out and makes an announcement. As WCW is touring nationally again, it doesn’t make sense for them to have regional titles. Therefore, he is renaming all of the Gulf Coast titles into U.S. titles. However, he doesn’t want WCW to forget its southern roots or the fact that this version was once Continental Championship Wrestling. So, he’s keeping the Phoenix Rising pay-per-view for July 2 and it will be held at the Mobile Civic Center in Mobile, Alabama. And the main event will be something never seen in WCW before.
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The ladder match for the WCW Women’s Title between “The Queen” Charlotte Flair and Kamille Kaine gets turned into a three-way with Lady Frost. Flair and Kaine climb opposite sides of a ladder and then slug it out on top. The ladder tips over and both fall to the outside. Lady Frost runs out with her Money in the Bank contract and cashes it in. She brought a second ladder with her, sets that up and climbs. Flair gets back in and comes up under Frost. Then Kaine gets under her and they do a Tower of Doom electric chair drop. Kaine climbs, but Flair dropkicks the ladder and Kaine falls out of the ring again. Flair sets up the original ladder and climbs, but Frost Sling Blades the ladder and it falls over. Ice Pick DDT on Flair onto the ladder. Frost climbs and claims the title in a huge, surprise upset. Lady Frost is the new WCW Women’s Champion.