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WCW Monday Nitro - March 8, 1999

by Wrestling Recap's Bob Colling

From: Worcester, MA

This may be considered shocking, but the first hour of Nitro this week featured nothing but backstage skits and videos. They didn’t even show the audience! So, the first hour gets a brief summary as to what was shown because I simply don’t wish to spend an hour just watching promos and various videos that are not entertaining. So, here is what was shown for the first hour of the broadcast.

After a another video of Hogan, Nash and Torrie thinking of a plan to defeat Ric Flair in six days, the Nitro opening video actually airs for the first time. One whole hour of nothing but talking and otherwise garbage was shown. Thank god I didn’t waste my time writing all that stuff out.

Mean Gene is standing in the ring hyping up two more hours of the show to go. Gene talks about Goldberg and introduces Goldberg but instead we hear the Wolfpac music. David Flair and Torrie Wilson make their way down to the ring. David tells Gene that he is out here to talk to his father. Torrie says they are going to wait in the ring and now strip down to the underwear. Goldberg’s music hits as we go to commercial. Goldberg makes his way down to the ring as the show returns from break. Goldberg has a lot of respect for the Flair family and thus will not handle this situation like he normally would. Goldberg wants David to learn a lesson in respect. Goldberg tells David that he has no business being in the ring during his time. David puts his hands on Goldberg which causes Goldberg to grab David and push David into a corner. Ric Flair runs down to the ring and simply chops Goldberg once. Goldberg picks up Ric and press slams Ric! Ric grabs the microphone and wants to know who Goldberg thinks he is. Ric puts himself over as the greatest wrestler of all time. Goldberg believes that Ric has lost his damn mind to go along with losing his family! Goldberg tells Ric that he has crossed the line. Ric rolls around on the mat saying he is the line. Ric tells Goldberg that he is going to wrestle him tonight on Nitro! Goldberg accepts the match.

Opening Contest: Raven, Hak and Bam-Bam Bigelow wrestled to a no contest in a falls count anywhere match:

Raven attacks Hak before the bell as they were going to hug. Raven tosses Hak back first into the barbed wire and whacks Hak several times with a kendo stick over the head. Hak kicks Raven into the guard railing and drops Raven gut first across the railing. Hak leaps off the apron and leg drops the back of Raven! They begin to make their way up the aisle way where Raven is able to suplex Hak onto the entrance ramp. Rave grabs a table from the backstage area and sets it up at the top of the ramp. Hak is put onto the table and Raven leaps off the steel structure and elbow drops Hak through the table! Bigelow slowly makes his way out and attacks both men. All three men now head backstage brawling. We see David Flair trying to run out of the picture, goof! Raven tosses Hak into a ladder and Bigelow rams Raven into a trash barrel. Raven sends Bigelow face first into an ambulance but Bigelow sends Raven into the ambulance as well. Bigelow tosses a trash can at Hak and continues to work on Raven. Raven rams a trash cart into both Hak and Bigelow. Hak has been put into the cart and is catapulted by Raven into the side of the ambulance! Bigelow tosses Raven onto a limo and backdrops Hak onto the limo! Raven plants Hak with a DDT onto the hood of the limo! Bigelow big splashes Raven on the hood of the limo! Raven rams Hak head first into the windshield. Bigelow press slams onto Hak and continues to deliver several shots. The match ends without a winner. NR

Before the next match, Chris Jericho cuts a promo on Perry Saturn saying that he is the master of the chain match. Jericho wants his opponent, Lizmark Jr. to put on the chain and compete in a chain match right now! Lizmark puts the chain around his neck.

Second Contest: Chris Jericho defeated Lizmark Jr. in a dog collar match:

A complete and utter squash match here. Jericho wins the bout with the Lion Tamer. NR

Before the next match, WCW TV Champion Scott Steiner and Buff Bagwell cut a promo. Steiner believes the fans can’t handle the truth and proceeds to call the fans scumbags and disgraces. Steiner calls himself the genetic freak and knows that no one can match the size of his arms. Bagwell chimes in and says that he tried to talk some sense into Booker T, but he wouldn’t listen. So… here we go.

Third Contest: WCW Television Champion Scott Steiner defeated Booker T to retain the title:

Steiner backs Booker into a corner but Booker counters and cleanly breaks away. Steiner knee lifts Booker and delivers a few shots to the back to gain the advantage. Shoulder bock by Steiner but runs into a forearm smash from Booker! Booker spin kicks a charging Steiner towards the corner and sidekicks Steiner to the floor. Steiner regroups on the floor with Bagwell supporting him. Steiner takes Booker down and delivers several elbow strikes. Booker battles back with a running clothesline in the corner, twice. Booker rams Steiner into the corners a few times to keep the momentum but Steiner stops Booker with a low blow. Steiner clotheslines Booker and connects with a elbow drop for a two count while using the ropes for leverage. Steiner dumps Booker to the floor where Bagwell gets a few cheap shots in behind the referees back. Steiner tosses Booker into the guard railing and chokes Booker with a cord. Steiner rams Booker face first into the ring post as Nitro goes to commercial. Booker ducks a clothesline and nails Steiner with a forearm smash for a two count. Steiner quickly rebounds and clotheslines Booker. Steiner takes Booker over with a side belly to belly suplex followed by several boots. Steiner continues to hammer away on Booker in the corner with knee lifts and punches. Steiner drives Booker down with a backbreaker and gets a two count on a cocky cover attempt. Booker gets a near fall after countering a vertical suplex with a inside cradle. Steiner regains control with several boots and right hands. Steiner connects with a double under hook power bomb for a two count. Steiner places Booker in the tree of woe and begins to choke Booker from the floor. Booker gets out of a vertical suplex and hits Steiner with a swinging neck breaker! Booker ducks a clothesline and scissor kicks Steiner! Booker clotheslines Steiner and follows up with a flapjack! Booker manages to nail Steiner with a leaping sidekick and goes to the top rope but is crotched by Bagwell as the referee was distracted. Steiner recovers and gets the Steiner Recliner locked in to win the bout. **1/4 After the match, Steiner attacks Booker with a chair briefly.

Backstage, Mean Gene is with Jerry Flynn until Sonny Ono comes over and offers Flynn some money to team with Miller instead of wrestling Miller in six days. Flynn shoves Ono to the floor and is attacked by Miller from behind with a kick to the back. Ono cuts off Flynn’s ponytail!

Fourth Contest: Rey Mistero Jr. defeated Scott Norton:

Norton dominates Rey for several moments with several tosses, slams and chops. Norton drops Rey face first across the top turnbuckle and follows up with a thunderous power bomb for a two count only because Norton refused to get the three. Norton continues with a one handed press slam for another two count for the same reason as before. Rey low blows Norton and covers Norton to win the bout. ¼*

Another video of the barbed wire cage being built is shown.

Fifth Contest: Bret Hart defeated Van Hammer

Long story short, Hammer is able to hang with Hart for a short time before eventually being forced to submit to the Sharpshooter. NR
After the match, Hart destroys Hammer’s leg with a chair.

WCW World Heavyweight Champion Hulk Hogan and Kevin Nash make their way out to the announcers table. It looks like they will be doing the commentary alongside with Tony Schiavone for the main event contest.

Main Event: Ric Flair fought Goldberg to a no contest:

Flair backs Goldberg into a corner but is shoved down by Goldberg. Flair goes back to a lockup but is again shoved away. Flair tries a shoulder block but Goldberg doesn’t even budge. Goldberg lifts Flair up and connects with a nice power slam. Flair rolls to the floor and walks up the aisle way until Goldberg meets up with Flair and carries Flair back to the ring! Flair begs off from Goldberg but sneaks an eye poke and low blow. Flair chops Goldberg a few times but goes back to a low blow to put Goldberg down to the mat. Flair attempts a cover but Goldberg powers out at two. Flair punches Goldberg several times in the corner to keep the momentum. Goldberg grabs Flair by the throat but once again is stopped with a low blow. Flair chop blocks Goldberg’s left knee and gets the figure four leg lock on Goldberg while using the ropes for leverage! Goldberg pulls Flair to the middle of the ring and rolls over to put the hold on Flair for a few moments. Flair begins to chop Goldberg again but Goldberg isn’t affected by the chops. Flair kicks Goldberg on the knee several times but Goldberg comes back with a clothesline. Goldberg delivers several strikes in the corner and sends Flair flipping over in the corner. Goldberg runs into a back elbow and Flair goes to the top rope only to be slammed off by Goldberg. Goldberg goes for the spear but Flair ducks out of the way and Goldberg hits the middle turnbuckle! Flair connects with a vertical suplex but Goldberg just pops up and spears Flair! Disco Inferno gets into the ring but is press slammed over the top rope onto the floor. Bell sounds to end the contest. *1/4 After the match, Goldberg fights off the New World Order until Hogan and Nash enter and beat down Goldberg. Flair as gotten up and begins to chop, punch and low blow several guys. The show comes to an end with the New World Order beating down Goldberg and Flair.

End of show

My Take: It’s pretty bad that the first hour the program consisted of just promos and other videos. Can’t believe that a lot of people stuck through that and watched the first hour completely.

The triple threat match to kick off the action as repetitive and didn’t need to go that long. It seemed to me that they were just trying to kill time for the show. I mean, their were a few good spots for the brawl but it just dragged and killed the crowd.

Steiner/Booker was a decent match but I didn’t like the booking of it. Booker just came off a win over Bret Hart and now loses to Steiner. I’m not knocking on Steiner but this doesn’t help any kind of push for Booker. It also seemed to me that Booker was getting his butt handed to him throughout the contest and didn’t look all that strong in the process.

The Misterio/Norton match had a horrible finish. Hammer/Hart was something I just didn’t care to see. When was the last time Hammer was involved in a meaningful match? I think that is a trick question.

Flair/Goldberg was a interesting main event. Goldberg sold very little for Flair, which was actually just low blows. The bullshit finish was expected. I thought it was a pretty bad main event in terms of in-ring action.

Overall, this week's Nitro was a horrible way to lead into the pay per view in six days. It seemed like very little effort was put into booking the show. Shows like this will not help WCW try to get back into the ratings war with the WWF. I’ll have to give this week a thumbs down, as you could tell.

Thanks for reading.

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