Post by Leo on May 28, 2023 8:36:27 GMT -5
WCW Monday Nitro episode 24 for 05.29.23
Live from the Landon Arena in Topeka, Kansas
Commentary: Gorilla Monsoon and Wade Barrett
Ring Announcer: Gary Michael Cappetta
Interviewer: SoCal Val
Referees: Tommy Young, Joey Marella and Aubrey Edwards
The show starts with Col. Robert Fuller already in the ring ranting and raving with “Mr. Wonderful” Paul Orndorff standing behind him with his hands on his hips. They’re not happy about losing the WCW World Heavyweight Title last night at Slamboree to Randy Savage. Fuller talks about Shane McMahon saying there are no mandatory rematches in WCW, but Fuller made sure to work that into Orndorff’s contract and he will face Savage for the title again at Clash of Champions, no matter what.
Shane McMahon comes out and into the ring with a microphone. Fuller is right, but nothing says the type of match. He’s going to let Savage name any stipulation he wants later tonight. Orndorff finally interjects stating that’s fine. Savage can make the match anything he wants, because all Orndorff needs is one more time in the ring with Savage to take back his title. Fuller and Orndorff leave.
McMahon said he would have a big announcement tonight about Clash of Champions on June 25 that would affect the Phoenix Rising anniversary show on July 30. He promised something never seen before in WCW. The main event of Phoenix Rising will be an Elimination Chamber for the WCW World Heavyweight Title. The winner of Savage vs. Orndorff will go in as champion. The other five will be determined by qualifying matches at Clash of Champions. The 10 men in those five matches will be announced next week.
Additionally, at Clash of Champions, WCW Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair and WCW U.S. Women’s Champion Thunder Rosa will square off with neither title on the line, but the winner will face Jade Cargill for the UWA Universal Women’s Title at Phoenix Rising. Also, the WCW World Tag Team Champions the New Foundation (Owen Hart and Jim Neidhart) will face the WCW U.S. Tag Team Champions the Miracle Workers (Eli Drake and Mike Bennett) with the winners getting the UWA Universal Tag Team Champions of FTR at Phoenix Rising.
As for the UWA Universal Men’s Title held by WCW’s own Chris Jericho, we know from Slamboree that the Lionheart will face “Mr. Perfect” Curt Hennig.
As McMahon says that, Jake Roberts comes out about halfway down the aisle with a microphone.
“Shane, I’ve known you and your father for a very long time. If I know anything about the two of you, it’s that you’re more like me than you want to admit. You want to do what’s best for business, but in your mind what’s best for business is also best for yourself. Having Chris Jericho and Curt Hennig sitting on the sidelines twiddling their thumbs until Phoenix Rising is not making you any money, isn’t moving the ratings needle, isn’t putting any butts in seats.”
McMahon says he’s listening, but get to the point.
“I’m not done with Henning or Jericho by a long shot. I want them both at Clash of Champions as a tag team against me and a partner of my choice.”
McMahon asks who the partner is.
“That’s for me to know and everyone else to find out. But what I really want to discover at Clash of Champions is if you put a yellow-bellied lion and a perfect jackass together if they won’t devour each other.”
Shane sanctions the match, only if Curt Hennig and Chris Jericho agree.
COMMERCIAL
Taya Valkyrie defeated Mickie James by pinfall at 6:05 with the Road to Valhalla. James was very despondent and out of it. Monsoon on commentary referenced the love triangle she’s in with her husband Nick Aldis and her former mixed challenge tag partner and new U.S. Champion Rick Martel.
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We get footage from Slamboree of Tony Atlas joining the nWo and betraying the Junkyard Dog and Ernie Ladd.
SoCal Val has “Big Cat” Ernie Ladd on the interview stage. “Tony Atlas…you egg sucking dog. You turned your back on me and the Junkyard Dog at Slamboree. Now he’s laid up in the hospital with a busted head. Do you know how hard you have to hit JYD to split his noggin open like a coconut? It’s a hell of a thing, Tony Atlas. And all I want to know, and all the good people here tonight in Topeka, Kansas, want to know, Tony Atlas, is why?”
Tony Atlas comes out in an nWo T-shirt with Maria Kannellis-Bennett wearing her little black nWo dress. Atlas speaks.
“You want to know why I went nWo on you and JYD last night Ernie Ladd? I got two words for you: dem feet.”
He points down at Maria’s feet as she kicks off her heels. She lifts a leg and Tony starts rubbing her foot.
Ladd looks disgusted. “You’re a sick man, Tony Atlas. You’d betray your own brothers in arms for a floozy with high arches.”
Atlas laughs. “Your flat bunion encrusted feet don’t look like these, Ernie.”
Ladd points as he turns to exit. “I can’t stand to look at you anymore Tony Atlas. But mark my words, we will settle our differences sooner or later in that very ring.”
COMMERCIAL
Proud and Powerful (Santana and Ortiz) defeated the Boogie Knights (Disco Inferno and Alex Wright) by pinfall of Santana on Disco via Street Sweeper at 7:50. Santana on the mic after said they still haven’t faced any real competition yet since returning to WCW and they better damn well soon.
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Shane McMahon is in the back with Curt Hennig and they have Chris Jericho on the phone. Hennig says he’s not afraid of Jake Roberts or whatever mystery partner he might bring in. Jericho says it’s obvious what Roberts is doing and neither of them are dumb enough to fall for it. Jericho promises to be at Nitro next week and he and Hennig can confront Roberts together.
COMMERCIAL
Kamille Kaine defeated Ivory by pinfall via spear at 1:12. Rhea Ripley came out to the entrance stage and watched. Monsoon and Bennett talked about who this impressive looking mystery woman might be and what she wants with Kamille Kaine.
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We see footage from Slamboree of Rick Martel becoming the new WCW U.S. Champion over Nick Aldis.
Nick Aldis is in the back talking to Shane McMahon. He knows they don’t do automatic rematches in WCW, but what Rick Martel did to him last night wasn’t right and wasn’t an example of what WCW should want in a champion. Aldis is willing to earn a rematch against Martel at Clash of Champions right here tonight. Put him in a number one contender’s match against anybody he wants and he’ll win it. McMahon said he’s got it and his opponent will be the grappler Aldis beat for the belt, “Superstar” Billy Graham.
COMMERCIAL
“Stunning” Steve Austin defeated Harry Smith by pinfall via Stunner at 9:18. Davey Boy Smith watched the match from the entrance stage and applauded the loss for his son. He goes to pat Austin on the back as he walks past him, but Austin just shoots him a ‘don’t touch me’ glare over his shoulder.
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SoCal Val has Eddie Guerrero on the interview stage. He lost to Steve Austin last night at Slamboree and some footage is shown. Guerrero said everything was fair in the bout, so Austin won fair and square. But that’s not how Eddie likes to leave anything. He’ll lie, cheat and steal to get another shot at Austin. Viva La Raza.
COMMERCIAL
In a non-title match, Thunder Rosa defeated Gigi Dolin by pinfall via Fire Thunder Driver at 5:45.
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We then go straight to the interview stage and SoCal Val with Charlotte Flair. She’s whistling and clapping in a mocking way for Rosa’s win. Flair said she’s win her title back at Slamboree and she did. Lady Frost was a flash in the pan and the snow queen has melted. Next up is Thunder Rosa at Clash of Champions and then Jade Cargill and Phoenix Rising. Cargill has been dominant so far in the UWA, but she hasn’t faced this b*tch yet.
COMMERCIAL
The New Foundation (Owen Hart and Jim Neidhart) defeated MNM (Johnny Nitro and Joey Mercury) with Melina in a non-title match by pinfall of Hart on Mercury via Hart Attack Clothesline at 8:48.
Post match Owen talks about the last time they got a shot at FTR and the UWA Universal Tag Team Titles at Starrcade. Now that they’ve wrestled FTR once, they know what to expect and how to take them down.
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Footage is shown of the empty arena match at Slamboree between Hulk Hogan and Kevin Owens.
“Hollywood” Hulk Hogan struts down to the ring playing his weight belt like a guitar. He gets into the ring with a microphone.
“All you people here in Topeka, Kansas, and watching at home have to learn when the Hulkster tells you something it’s the gospel of a wrestling god coming at you. I said nWo would win the WCW Trios Titles and they did, brother. I said I would finally take Owen Kevins out and that dude isn’t here tonight, brother. He’s got a burn around his neck that makes him like he should be resting up on Boot Hill with the other gunfighters too slow to hang with Hollywood, brother. And next week, I guarantee I’ll be in an Elimination Chamber qualifier, which I’ll win and then I’ll go onto Phoenix Rising and become the WCW World Heavyweight Champion once more.”
Dusty Rhodes comes out and the crowd pops. He’s still in a soft cast from a contusion to his arm. “Hulk Hogan, baby, I was in the back just now affirming to Shane McMahon that my arm will be better by next week and the Dream better be in an elimination chamber qualifier at Clash of Champions. He said ‘Big Dust, I wouldn’t dream of having those qualifiers without you in one.’ And then I said ‘Shane O’Mac, do the Dream another favor, baby, lay it on him and tell me who I’m facing in that qualifier. You said you’d tell the world next week, but tell me now.’ He said ‘Dream, only because it’s you, I’ll let you know early and I’ll even let you preach it to the world.’ And he laid it on me, jack, and I couldn’t be any happier. At Clash of Champions for a spot in the Eliminator Chamber at Phoenix Rising it’s going to be The American Dream Dusty Rhodes vs. Hollywood Hulk Hogan.”
The crowd goes bananas. Hogan shakes his head to the affirmative. He extends his hand to Rhodes, but Hogan pulls it back and runs it along the side of his balding head. He then walks off and Rhodes plays to the crowd.
COMMERCIAL
“National Treasure” Nick Aldis defeated “Superstar” Billy Graham by pinfall via Treasure Chest (Pedigree) at 9:19. Aldis gets his U.S. Title rematch against Rick Martel at Clash of Champions.
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Footage from Slamboree of Randy Savage winning the WCW World Heavyweight Title is shown. We then go live to the ring with Savage in it, wearing the belt.
“Paul Orndorff, Shane McMahon earlier tonight said I could call any stipulation for our rematch fight. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I can beat you anywhere at anytime my friend. I can beat you in the rain. I can beat you on a train. I can beat you in the dark. I can beat you at a national park. I can beat you on a boat. I can beat out on a farm of goats. I can beat you on a flight of stairs. Because at Clash of Champions it’s going to be pinfalls count anywhere. Yeah, dig it.”