Post by Leo on Jul 22, 2023 15:16:35 GMT -5
WCW Monday Nitro episode 31 for 07.24.23
Live from the McKenzie Arena in Chattanooga, Tennessee
Commentary: Gorilla Monsoon and Wade Barrett
Ring Announcer: Gary Michael Cappetta
Interviewer: SoCal Val
Referees: Tommy Young, Joey Marella and Aubrey Edwards
Shane McMahon starts out the show by hyping Phoenix Rising and the Queen of the Ring Tournament announced last week for Aug. 12 on Tubi with the winner getting a WCW Women’s Title shot at the Great American Bash on Aug. 27 from the Hy-Vee Arena in Kansas City, Missouri.
There will be qualifying matches for the tournament between now and the show Aug. 12. This includes Kamille Kaine vs. Rhea Ripley and Tamina Snuka vs. Taya Valkyrie already planned for Phoenix Rising. There is one first round match already set between two mystery women who will be debuting at the special. Both should make a big splash in WCW no matter how their tournament run goes.
Segment Notes
* Opening up the Nitro with hype for the women’s special and Great American Bash when it’s the go home for Phoenix Rising might feel odd, but McMahon always wants to be looking at the next thing to continue to build an audience. He knows everyone is hyped for Phoenix Rising already, so why not use that hype to plug plans down the road.
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Natalya Neidhart defeated Nikkita Lyons by pinfall via Nattie by Nature at 6:45 to qualify for the Queen of the Ring Tournament.
Segment Notes
* This is Natalya’s in ring debut after seconding her uncle Bruce Hart last week and clips from that is shown while McMahon was clearing the ring.
COMMERCIAL
Killer Kross with Maria Kannelis-Bennett defeated “Grizzled” Sam Houston by submission via Kross Jacket (armbar sleeper) at 6:50.
Maria gets on the microphone post match and hopes Bret Hart was watching in the back to see what a devastating submission machine Kross can be. Hart comes out to the entrance stage and says he was watching and he’s not that impressed. He’d be happy to face Maria’s husband, Mike Bennett, later tonight and show the nWo how devastating the sharpshooter can be. Maria accepts.
Segment Notes
* Kross needed a match to get the Kross Jacket over. Commentators remind viewers how Bret Hart declared a submission match for the WCW Wild Card Title at Phoenix Rising.
* Originally Hart was going to face Tony Atlas, but Bennett was felt to be an opponent Hart could do more with.
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SoCal Val has Col. Robert Fuller and “Stunning” Steve Austin on the interview stage. Fuller touts his managing of Austin now and how he and Hulk Hogan got a big win in the main event of the last Nitro against the Ultimate Warrior and Randy Savage. Footage of the main event is shown picture-in-picture.
Austin then cuts a promo for the Elimination Chamber at Phoenix Rising. “I walk into a type of match I’ve never been in before, but neither has anyone else involved. A type of match never seen before in WCW. The main event of the annual anniversary show that is one of the biggest pay-per-views and biggest main events of the year. There is no better platform for me to finally take my place at the top of World Championship Wrestling. I signed Col. Robert Fuller as my manager, because I’m going to need someone to help organize my schedule once I’m the top dog around here. I might be one stone cold son of a bitch, but I’ve also always been stunning.”
Segment Notes
* All the Elimination Chamber participants are going to get promo time tonight or on Thunder and not wrestle to avoid possible injury.
COMMERCIAL
Harts Afire (Bruce and Keith Hart) defeated The Southern Boys (Steve Armstrong and Tracy Smothers) by pinfall of Bruce on Smothers via a second rope diving clothesline at 11:11.
Segment Notes
* This was face vs. face, but the Southern Boys matched up best with the Harts and they needed a tag match to put them over before the ppv.
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The same hype video from last week is shown for Phoenix Rising that gets over the Dusty Rhodes vs. Magnum TA feud.
Segment Notes
* Rhodes vs. Magnum has gotten lost a bit in the build up to Phoenix Rising, but Rhodes is busy with outside commitments and Magnum is nursing a groin pull.
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Curt Hennig is in the ring. Hennig runs down Chris Jericho, who couldn’t get the job done last week against Mamba and won’t get the job done against him at Phoenix Rising. Hennig will be the new UWA Universal Men’s Champion and there’s nothing Jericho can do about it. He also says Steve Austin had a good idea last week about bringing in Col. Robert Fuller to watch his back and he’s doing the same thing. Fuller then comes out and puts Hennig over as his new client.
Jericho comes out and interrupts. He tells Fuller to run in the back and get him an eight piece bucket of chicken. Hennig asks if Jericho is back sliding on his diet. He might as well get fat again since he won’t be the touring UWA Champion anymore. Jericho said those days are in the past for him and Hennig will be behind him soon. But, prior to Phoenix Rising, tonight, it’s going to be him and the Pillmans vs. Hennig, Black Mamba and Jake Roberts in the main event.
Segment Notes
* While the main event was previously announced online, it was thought to do an on-air announcement part of the Jericho and Hennig confrontation.
* The Stud Stable won’t be officially unveiled until after Phoenix Rising, but all the pieces are being put into place for it.
COMMERCIAL
“Big Cat” Ernie Ladd defeated Ron “The Truth” Killings by pinfall via Slapjack Slam at 7:11.
Segment Notes
* Killings is another worker WCW isn’t sure what to do with, but believes he’s a great talent to have on the roster.
Ladd cuts a post match promo on Tony Atlas hyping their kiss my foot match at Phoenix Rising. “You’re a dirty, old toe sucking dog, Tony Atlas. They say be careful what you ask for, because you just might get it. You like feet, well, the Big Cat has two size 18s that might fit in your mouth, but I’ll cram them in their sideways until you beg me to stop and then I’ll just keep going.”
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The Ultimate Warrior is on the interview stage with SoCal Val. “The Chamber of Elimination is finally upon us. The Warrior will walk in without fear and out with the WCW Heavyweight Championship. The Warrior Gods and all the Little Warriors are behind me and before me is nothing but glory. I will win, because I can’t lose. Everyone else will lose, because they can’t win. My destiny is here and like the Phoenix of folklore, I will rise from the ashes more glorious and spectacular than ever as the new and forever of all times WCW Champion. So sayeth the Warrior and so it shall come to pass.”
COMMERCIAL
Mickie James defeated Lady Frost by pinfall via MickDDT at 8:40 to qualify for the Queen of the Ring Tournament.
Segment Notes
* James was an angry house of fire due to her riled up over the situation with her husband, Nick Aldis, and the commentators got that over.
Lady Frost is still being punished for her striptease on Thunder. It’s clear she won’t be getting the Playboy centerfold spot she coveted.
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SoCal Val has “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan on the interview stage. “The nWo has a lot going on for Phoenix Rising, just as it should be, brother. Tony Atlas is going to shove his foot so far down Ernie Ladd’s throat he’ll be stomping on his liver. Killer Kross is going to make Bret Hart humble to the Kross Jacket. The Miracle Workers are going to retain the WCW U.S. Tag Team Titles over Bruce and Keith Fart. And the nWo is going to get some feminine representation in Taya Valkyrie or Tamina Snuka, which Hollywood is totally down for, jack.
But, most importantly, number one, at the top of the list, brother, is Hollywood becoming the new WCW World Heavyweight Champion in the Elimination Chamber, brother. And I hope it’s Warrior or Savage in there last with me, dude, because I’ve humiliated them before and there’s nothing I’d rather do than humiliate them again on the biggest stage ever in wrestling, brother. What are they going to do when the largest arms in the world run wild in the Elimination Chamber?”
COMMERCIAL
“National Treasure” Nick Aldis defeated Sir William Regal by pinfall via Treasure Chest (Pedigree) at 14:03.
Aldis cuts a promo post match reminding fans of the announcement made on the last Thunder that Mickie James will be at ringside for his U.S. Title match with Rick Martel at Phoenix Rising, but suspended above the ring in a shark cage. That’s a perfect place for a blood thirsty, constantly moving, crazed force of nature like her. He knows that’s his wife he’s talking about, but she’s the one who chose to cheat on him first. He’s just doing it better. The Nitro Girls greet Aldis as he gets to the top of the entrance stage and he goes off with them.
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A hype video is shown for Phoenix Rising getting over the Kamille Kaine vs. Rhea Ripley feud.
Segment Notes
* With such a crowded pay-per-view some matches are just getting hype videos to get them over.
COMMERCIAL
Bret “The Hitman” Hart defeated “The Miracle” Mike Bennett with Maria Kannelis-Bennett by submission via Sharpshooter at 12:33. Killer Kross attacks Hart after the match and locks him in the Kross Jacket until Steve Blackman and security break it up.
Segment Notes
* Hart wanted more than 10 minutes, decent length for a television match, to put Bennett over in the loss since he is one half of the U.S. Tag Team Champions.
* The Kross attack after was to get him over and make him look like he could beat Bret Hart. Many fans feel Hart is clearly above the less over Kross.
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SoCal Val has “Macho Man” Randy Savage on the interview stage with the WCW World Heavyweight Title. “I’ve heard a lot of dudes saying a lot of things here tonight in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Home of the Chattanooga Choo-Choo, yeah. Well, the Macho Man is going full steam like a charging locomotive that no Superman can stop heading into the Elimination Chamber at Phoenix Rising this Sunday. A lot of dudes saying a lot of things, yeah, and a lot of it the same. That they will be the WCW World Heavyweight Champion after Phoenix Rising. All of them are stinking liars, yeah, because I know and everyone watching at home and everyone here in Chattanooga, Tennessee, knows the Macho Man is going into the Elimination Chamber as the champ and coming out the champ, uh huh, yeah. Ultimate Warrior, Steve Austin, Eddie Guerrero, Kurt Angle and Hulk Hogan; I’ll eliminate each one by one until the man with his arm raised inside that chamber is the Macho Man’s. Yeah, dig it!”
COMMERCIAL
“Mr. Perfect” Curt Hennig, Jake “The Snake” Roberts and Black Mamba (Omos) with Col. Robert Fuller defeated “Lionheart” Chris Jericho, Brian Pillman Sr. and Brian Pillman Jr. by pinfall of Mamba on Pilliman Jr. via choke slam at 12:43.
Roberts and Hennig work the bulk of the match with Pillman Sr. working as the face in peril. Roberts goes for the DDT, but Pillman drives him into the near corner and then backflips out. Roberts runs into a dropkick. Hot tag to Jericho who cleans house. He tags Brian Jr. and they try a Rocket Launcher on Roberts. But Hennig has referee Tommy Young distracted and Fuller shoves Pillman off the top and brains Jericho with his shoe. Tag to Mamba who finishes. The heels hold the ring while the faces recover on the outside as we fade.
Segment Notes
* While not sending the fans home happy, having the heels go over here was thought to be more intriguing as we go into the ppv.
* The Pillmans vs. Roberts and Mamba tag team match might be a new program, but it could be vaunted up the card for Phoenix Rising based on the placement here.
* Fuller is involved in the main event two weeks in a row, but this is important to establish the new Stud Stable, which is slated for big things after Phoenix Rising.