Post by Leo on Jul 30, 2023 11:14:13 GMT -5
WCW Monday Nitro episode 32 for 07.31.23
Live from the Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama
Commentary: Gorilla Monsoon and Wade Barrett
Ring Announcer: Gary Michael Cappetta
Interviewer: SoCal Val
Referees: Tommy Young, Joey Marella and Aubrey Edward
Highlights from Phoenix Rising are shown. We then go to WCW World Heavyweight Champion “Macho Man” Randy Savage live in the ring. His ribs and back are bandaged.
“Everybody said they would come out of Phoenix Rising as the WCW World Heavyweight Champion. Well, everybody was wrong but the Macho Man and that’s not the first time that’s happened, yeah. I smell like smoke, because I’ve been through fire, yeah.”
Savage is interrupted by “Stunning” Steve Austin. “You know, to the Rattlesnake a Macho Man and a has-been bum look a lot alike. I took you to the limit last night in the Elimination Chamber and you could only win via a desperation move only a crazy maniac would do. You didn’t beat me, the damn chamber did. If it was you versus me one-on-one there’s no doubt who the winner would be.”
Savage replies, “You versus me sounds good to the Macho Man. I’m beat up and bandaged up, but I’m not running. You want some, come get some.”
Austin charges the ring and they brawl, but then Col. Robert Fuller brings out the new Stud Stable of Curt Hennig, Paul Orndorff and Davey Boy Smith. They gang up on Savage until Steve Blackman leads out security to break it up.
Shane McMahon comes out to the entrance stage. He asks the crowd if they want to see Steve Austin vs Randy Savage for the WCW World Title at Great American Bash. They cheer. McMahon knows both are beat up, so he’s not going to make them wrestle tonight, but the rest of the Stud Stable in the main event will face Bret Hart and the New Foundation.
COMMERCIAL
Ember Moon with Dr. of Style, Slick defeated Molly Holly by pinfall via Eclipse at 8:17 to qualify for the Queen of the Ring Tournament.
-----
We go to the announce table and Gorilla Monsoon and Wade Barrett go over the Queen of the Ring Tournament bracket for the Aug. 12 special on Tubi. Additionally, Jade Cargill and Charlotte Flair will have a rematch for the UWA Women’s Title in a steel cage.
Mystery Woman vs. Mystery Woman
Taya Valkyrie vs. Natalya
Mickie James vs. Tessa Blanchard
Ember Moon vs. Rhea Ripley
Segment Notes
* Tessa Blanchard vs. Madusa Micelli from a few weeks ago was retroactively turned into a qualifier and not just being able to announce the tournament.
* Originally Molly Holly was going to be in the tournament, but she’s taking a step back working backstage.
-----
Back to the ring, the nWo has come out. Hulk Hogan has his arm wrapped. “Everybody in this arena in Birmingham, Alabama, and everybody watching at home, brother, knows if I didn’t hurt my arm last night in the Elimination Chamber I’d be standing here right now with the WCW World Heavyweight Title, jack. But, Hollywood will be back hanging and banging soon. I’ll be ready to go by the Great American Bash and I want that no good Canadian Bret Hart, brother. Killer Kross got screwed last night out of the WCW Wild Card Title, brother. And as Bret Hart got to call the stipulation at Phoenix Rising, I should be able to call the stipulation for Great American Bash, brother.”
Bret Hart comes out to the entrance stage with the Hart Foundation. “Hogan, you think all you have to do is ask for something and you get it. That’s been you your entire career. I’ve had to earn everything I've got in this business and that includes the WCW Wild Card Title I won fair and square last night. You want to face me for it at Great American Bash. You got it. But, if you want to name the stipulation, you earn it. You pick a guy and I pick a guy and they wrestle tonight. Winning side picks the stipulation.”
Hogan agrees and picks Killer Kross. Hart, as a show of confidence for the newest Hard Foundation member, selects Harry Smith.
COMMERCIAL
Harts Afire (Keith and Bruce Hart) defeated the Blue Bloods (William Regal and David Taylor) by pinfall of Keith on Taylor via a rolling fireman’s carry into a jackknife cover at 8:50.
-----
SoCal Val has Charlotte Flair on the interview stage. “Jade Cargill might claim being that b*tch, but she learned who the top b*tch in WCW was last night at Phoenix Rising. When she got scared, she took it out of the ring. She knew I was going to beat her in the middle of that ring, so she took it outside for a double count out to keep that precious UWA Universal Women’s Title. At Queen of the Ring, there’s no easy way out. We’ll be inside that steel cage and don’t think I’m going to take the escape option. I’m going to beat you in the middle of the ring by pinfall or submission, but I’ll walk out of the cage as the new UWA Universal Women’s Champion.”
COMMERCIAL
“Big Cat” Ernie Ladd defeated Ron “The Truth” Killings by pinfall via Slapjack Slam at 7:40.
Segment Notes
* Creative is unsure as to what to do with Ladd right now, but they want to keep him strong.
-----
SoCal Val has the Pillmans on the interview stage. They lost to Jake Roberts and Omos at Phoenix Rising, but Brian Sr. has not lost faith in his son and Brian Jr. has not lost faith in his dad. There’s a lot of great teams in WCW and they’re going to fight and claw to get to the top of the mountain. The Rock ‘n Roll Express comes out. No disrespect, but the Pillmans have been a tag team for about a month and the RnR are one of the longest serving and most decorated tag teams in history. The road to the top of the mountain in any tag division goes through them. Brian Sr. says he gives them all due respect and extends his hand. Ricky and Brian shake and then they all trade handshakes.
Segment Notes
* Just trying to do the best tag team match up possible, it’s thought the Pillmans and RnR just pair up great on paper.
COMMERCIAL
“The Man with the Hands of Stone” Ronnie Garvin defeated “Mr. nWo” Tony Atlas with Maria Kannellis-Bennett by Stonecutter (inverted stunner) at 8:39. Maria kind of shakes her head after the loss and exits without Atlas.
Segment Notes
* Atlas might not be long for the nWo.
-----
Rhea Ripley is out on the entrance stage with SoCal Val. Footage of her beating Kamille Kaine at Phoenix Rising is shown. She promised to hand Kaine’s ass to her and Ripley delivered. Now she promises total annihilation in the Queen of the Ring tournament. She gets Ember Moon in the first round, hell, might as well be a bye. Slick comes out and says Ember Moon is in the showers after her big win, but don’t sell the sister short. Ripley better watch her mouth or she’ll miss the Eclipse coming her way. Rhea laughs and walks off.
Segment Notes
* Because of the Magnum vs. Rhodes segment later, they didn’t want to do another one-on-one fight on the interview stage. But, there had to be some sort of rebuttal to Ripley. So, Slick was sent out to avoid that direct confrontation.
COMMERCIAL
Killer Kross with Maria Kannellis-Bennett defeated Harry Smith by submission via Kross Jacket at 10:43. Kross distracted referee Joey Marella, allowing Maria to spray Smith in the eyes with her hairspray. Kross hits a Saito Suplex and goes to the finish.
Segment Notes
* Kross needed a win after the Phoenix Rising loss and Harry could take a loss after the big win against his dad.
-----
Footage from Phoenix Rising of the Dusty Rhodes vs. Magnum TA match ending with a referee stoppage because Rhodes was bleeding too much. Rhodes is on the interview stage with SoCal Val. “I said it last night and I wanted to say it again tonight out here in front of the good people of Birmingham, Alabama, and the millions watching from home. Magnum TA never beat me. My own blood, sweat and tears beat me last night at Phoenix Rising. The American Dream doesn’t know the meaning of the word quit…”
He’s interrupted by Magnum TA. “You don’t know the meaning of a lot of words, Rhodes. You didn’t give up, technically, last night not because you’re tough, but because you’re too damn stupid. If bleeding you out until you're dead is what I need to do, then I’ll do it.”
Magnum attacks Rhodes. They brawl off the interview stage, around the area and then to the back.
COMMERCIAL
Rick Martel defeated Nick Aldis by pinfall via schoolboy rollup with a handful of tights at 6:11 in the first match of the best of seven series for the vacant U.S. Title. Footage from Phoenix Rising of the U.S. Title match is shown and the aftermath. Commentary gets over how Mickie James is banned from ringside. A woman comes out on the entrance stage dressed like James and with brown hair. This distracts Aldis who yells at referee Aubrey Edwards saying that’s an automatic disqualification, but this allows Martel to get the roll up from behind with a handful of tights. The woman removes the wig to reveal herself as Madusa Micelli.
Segment Notes
* With how many matches Aldis and Martel have had and so many upcoming, creative thought to do something short and different here. Madusa was picked as she made the most sense of anyone on the roster to ally with James, at least temporarily.
-----
SoCal Val is on the interview stage with Jake “The Snake” Roberts. Footage of Roberts attacking Eddie Guerrero in the Elimination Chamber is shown. Roberts snuck in when Hogan hurt his arm and the door was opened.
“I put out a warning last night that I would cause chaos at Phoenix Rising. An opportunity arose and I took it. Everybody today is asking me, ‘Jake, why go after Eddie Guerrero? What did he ever do to you?’ He’s breathing air on this planet, that’s what Eddie Guerrero did to me. Eddie talks about lying, cheating and stealing. He talks about being the villain, but I am the villain. I don’t lie, cheat and steal. I maim, cause pain and spread anguish everywhere I go. Eddie Guerrero plays at being evil. I am pure evil.”
COMMERCIAL
SoCal Val has Ultimate Warrior on the interview stage. “In the Chamber of Elimination it took not one, not two, but three mortal men to pin the Warrior last night at the Rising Phoenix. Randy Savage I have fought across this world and have great respect for. Steve Austin never claimed any morality and therefore had none to lose. However, Kurt Angle is a man who claims to have integrity, claims to have intelligence and claims to have intensity. He showed none of that against me last night. I have always adhered to the three W’s and will continue to do so. The three W’s of Warrior, Warrior, Warrior.”
-----
The Stud Stable (Paul Orndorff, Curt Hennig and Davey Boy Smith) defeated The Hart Foundation (Bret Hart, Owen Hart and Jim Neidhart) via pinfall of Orndorff on Owen via spiked piledriver at 12:43.
Hulk Hogan comes out waving a U.S. Flag and he uses the flag pole to nail Hart in the back with it as he stands on the apron. Neidhart goes after Hogan and he attacks him with the flag pole too. This leaves Owen isolated in the ring and with the chaos on the outside, Hennig nails a low blow to him. Tag to Orndorff for the finish.
Hogan declares the WCW Wild Card Title match for GAB will be a flag match.
Segment Notes
* Commentary gets over how this win puts Hennig and Orndorff in line for a tag title shot.
* Commentary also gets over how Hogan is trying to put one over Hart with the stipulation, because he’ll be a Canadian at the Great American Bash. Hogan is trying to trick the fans to root for him.